Ark

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Kim Hyun Woo lived the life of the wealthy thanks to his parents. But one day, he received a phone call informing him of a traffic accident which involved his parents. His father had died and his mother was hospitalized in critical condition. The normal life he once knew, collapsed…

They sold their house, cancelled various insurance plans, and moved to a one room apartment. And after a few years, Hyun Woo spends four to six hours tending to his mother and worked to pay for her medical bills.

One day, one of his Instructors recommended him for position in a company called Global Exos, who made an announcement of making history with the newest technological invention.

Associated Names
One entry per line
아크
Related Series
Ark The Legend (Sequel)
Recommendations
The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor (12)
Emperor of Solo Play (4)
Zhan Long (2)
Shura’s Wrath (2)
Ark The Legend (2)
Overgeared (2)
Recommendation Lists
  1. The Blissful World Of VRMMORPGs
  2. game-affiliated novels
  3. second list cont,
  4. Good reads
  5. Game System / VRMMORPG Novels I have read

Latest Release

Date Group Release
12/10/14 Japtem v4c4
11/02/14 Japtem v4c3
10/19/14 Japtem v4c2
10/05/14 Japtem v4c1
09/20/14 Japtem v3c9
09/06/14 Japtem v3c8
08/23/14 Japtem v3c7
08/09/14 Japtem v3c6
07/27/14 Japtem v3c5
07/13/14 Japtem v3c4
06/30/14 Japtem v3c3
05/03/14 Japtem v3c2
04/19/14 Japtem v3c1
04/05/14 Japtem v2c9
03/22/14 Japtem v2c8
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43 Reviews sorted by


kaaliya
kaaliya rated it
June 21, 2022
Status: Completed
A very typical vr novel. The quests are interesting with a lot of grinding. The main character is funny, grumpy, greedy and a money grubber. The side characters are very well fleshed-out and are not just there for the sake of the MC. No matter how much some people deny, there are definitely some things which resemble LMS. You will unconsciously think of LMS when you read some scenes and scenarios. But, apart from some things, this novel does have its own identity and story which it beautifully executes. The... more>> climax and world building is good. But, it could have been concluded better. The romance was so badly executed that it would have been better to not include it at all. So, people who are looking for good romance in vrmmo novel, look somewhere else. A solid 4 starts from me and even though this is not one of the best novels out there, you can definitely give it a try if you have already read most of the best novels and are looking for something to read while you wait for the next masterpiece to come. <<less
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SaratChandra4
SaratChandra4 rated it
September 18, 2020
Status: v6c9
The beginning is a 6/5 and the kind of similar world to LMS made me binge read it. Although fun, the plot is a completely repeated model by which I mean the MC always gains a skill, abuses it, gains money like no other players while the other players earn sh*t except for the crazies. They are always rich transferring millions of won to cause a crisis to MC, which he feels for what like half a chapter and then bam new class quest, gains a skill, abuses it and... more>> repeat!

Almost all of the quests in one way or the other adhere to only this format. Also MC is a douche for no reason. There's 0 character development over 6 volumes. May be a slight turn would be him liking 2 users out of all the millions of users. After 6 volumes I couldn't keep going anymore. Dropped!

Final verdict: 3/5 <<less
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lil55555
lil55555 rated it
April 14, 2020
Status: v24c8
Almost 90% review is comparing Ark with LMS, guess it is unavoidable.. I remember at first when my jianghu soul searching for a satisfying adventure that time nany reccomended to me LMS.. So I start reading before drop it around chap 10 or so.. Honestly really love the LMS ideas of virtual game but I dont know why but really cant keep up with weed at some point,.. But LMS undoubtedly was the seed that made me enter the majestic of virtual game plot stories lol.. So I started reading... more>> Ark, and unconciously binge read all, that time the translation just till vol4 !! Seem like the translator drop the project so feel frustated with the lack of update that I just dropped light novel world altogether.. After several months there was other translator that pick Ark and that how everyday my schedule was consist of checking the update of Ark.

After Ark completed I tried ti read LMS again becoz after Ark I feel thristy for VR novel, but again I dropped LMS in the middle..

So about comparing Ark and LMS I feel not suitable to comment becoz I dont read LMS till finish, but I know LMS is a legend.. But till this day Ark is something I reread so often, my top five of reread maybe, especially when I feel dispirited about life, reading Ark always inspired me to keep tencious toward obstacles LOL

So when I see how people keep pointing Ark with such low rating becoz the comparison with LMS I feel sad

If people complaining about the MC's character, maybe I will nodding vigorously and agree with you (along with shambala and other chara whom succesfully scammed by the MC wkwk) , BUT what I see so many reviewer gave bad rating becoz the comparison with other story, that just sad, because virtual reality game based story is quite many with similiar plot twist of OP ness, and even if Ark not surpassed LMS, this is still one of the most decent story out there. MC is relatable in so many ways, character growth without losing his greedy nature that is seem to be the reason of the plot twist and unexpected quest lol.. Interesting side character make comedic atmosfer through the story.. Maybe the major flaw is the romance, the MC is almost undecisive in his entanglement with two ladies.. So if you looking for romance, dont hope too much from this <<less
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Arrankai
Arrankai rated it
June 4, 2019
Status: --
I swear that almost everyone in the novel is so so s*upid. Person ignores me because of a woman, hates person. Loves money so much but wants better gear, so he doesn't buy it.

Merchant friend is so s*upid. Everyone is s*upid. Thought he'd finally grow some brains,
Spoiler

so how the hell did he hack with that IQ of his?

[collapse]

This is such a big disappointment. Wasted time to even read something like this. There is no such thing as caution or common sense.
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novel001
novel001 rated it
June 26, 2018
Status: --
Someone should change that Level System tag to the new tag 'I want to think my readers are s*upid and believe that levels matter on this story', :P.

Our MC has the ultimate plot armor that allows him to ignore the humilliation he has inflicted to the attribute 'useless idiot' and magically turn it on 'I win just because, just because...'.

But meh, if you ignore how ridiculous that failure of lead character is you can kill some time I guess. Only for that it can take a 2.
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Basara
Basara rated it
March 25, 2017
Status: v6c2
I can't seem to like this MC at all. He is a much more unlikable version of Weed. Weed is a money grubber but it comes out in a way where it doesn't seem that bad. Ark is a money grubber but is a complete as*hole about it. He was like "f*ck friends gimme gold b*tch".
... more>>
Spoiler

I think that he thinks that Sid, a merchant player, is his friend. But from my POV it's more like Ark is completely using that spineless wimp. And Sid is a masochist. The only people by Ark's side are either some NPCs which he completely disregards as people even though the author tries to make it seem like he cares. Like the MC even almost cries because of the NPC and he is like "NPC are living people in this world" but then a few chapters later he doesn't give a sh*t about them anymore. And a woman blinded by love and an uncle who is trying to bang his mother and a desperate merchant who wants money but can't seem to think for himself and someone whom I don't even know why he wants to be friends with MC, maybe he just doesn't want to be enemies with MC.

Also Ark treats his familiars like shit, complete garbage and reviving dispensable minions. He doesn't even give a sh*t about their feelings. Even though "he thinks that he does" He says he thinks of one of them like it was his son. But then when his so called "son" kept calling for him he was like "shut up I'm choosing an item worth a few hundred gold so I can sell" and then when the "son" took an item without his permission he goes bat sh*t crazy and said" fk you I wish I never had you. Did you know what you did you wasted a few hundred gold you fking pos" Like wtf how hateful can you get.

The author tries to make it seem like it's all reasonable for his money grubbing attitude because his mother is in the hospital so he has to pay for her bills. But I think that is just a shitty fking excuse because he has such a sh*t attitude about it. Also he hates players because of the beginning something happened to him. Ok I'll accept that I was pretty pissed at that point to. But hey guess what he keeps that negative attitude about players to everyone even including his "friends".

His enemy is one of the most hateful guy I've ever met. This fking fker Alan has a superiority complex and thinks that the whole world revolves around him. Alan's way of thinking was something like this "Hey I'm fking popular I can get whatever I want. Hmm this girl will be my next target. Ohh... she has a high opinion of this guy called Ark? Bam enemies forever now."

And then there's this fker named Andel holy fking hell. The amount of hatred for this man is hard to describe. I know the enemies are made to be hated but jesus. And this guy Fking send real life people after Ark because reasons in a game. Did I mention that he wasted thousands of usd to send assassins after him in a game to decrease his level.

[collapse]
I don't know why I have it a 2* when it feels like a one star for me. Probably because it's not my cup of tea but maybe others would like it. Btw the tag "subtle romance" basically just means one sided love from a girl and he kinda meets with her once in a while. Another girl knows also sort of knows him. If it didn't have subtle romance tag then people would say she would be a harem member probably. And like 2 NPCs. <<less
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darkarchana
darkarchana rated it
December 24, 2015
Status: --
I agree that Ark is pale in comparison with LMS. It successfull in using the same plot to develop the story, gets hidden char, becomes strong, and defeat the bad guy. But I think Ark seems dull because it's plot stay the same and differs a little while LMS somehow has somethings unique. It might be the different of author 's talent since the LMS feels like have more unexpected and unique things.
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Zeaz1
Zeaz1 rated it
February 13, 2020
Status: v24c1
That's right, That's right, That's right, That's right, That's right, this novel is great but this "thats right" thing is so redundant this lines are always in the chapters for 3-5 times dang it.

Well leaving aside the "that's right" lines this novel is great I like the plot of this story that is identical to SAO which is one of the best VR novel out there.
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Piknos
Piknos
April 28, 2019
Status: v20
Let's just say this one thing. Ark isn't unique. It really doesn't bring anything new to the table. It holds the same VRMMO aspects that come with the genre, the same useless friend, the same idiotic antagonist, the same simplistic plot line and the same wimpy romance unbefitting of someone who's somehow old and mature enough to raise themselves and take care of their hospitalised mother.

Despite that though, for some reason I still stuck with it for a full 20 volumes, and ended up stopping 4 short from the end.... more>> The reason? Simply that it was fun while it lasted. The beginning, while not at all distinctive, somehow added a certain flair that kept me going. The novel did get grindy at times, Ark did feel like a massive ass, and I did find myself skimming over multiple chapters at a time searching for that oasis of blue, I also found that I was rereading parts of it, intensely absorbing the words as if they'd somehow come to life.

Sure, the times that it was a drag were mind-melting but hey, what novel doesn't have parts like that? Especially ones this long. The thing is, Ark is a simple novel, and it does simple really well. Take it for what it is, a simple novel, and you won't be disappointed. If you want to compare it to something greater, you may find yourself sorely let down.

Ark is a novel for simple people, and I mean that in the best of ways. When you find yourself bored with life, when you're stuck somewhere and want to wile away some time on something unimportant, try reading Ark. You just might find something that'll make the hours go by. You won't come out of it exclaiming about how great it is, and it certainly won't be the best book you've ever read this month (my condolences if this is the case), but if you're just looking for a simple novel to spend some time on, Ark is definitely worth a try.

TLDR: An easy going novel that won't take much in terms of brain power or emotions. Not the best you will ever get but a solid novel nonetheless. <<less
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zaimokuza
zaimokuza rated it
March 9, 2019
Status: v24 epilogue
I think there were some good aspects when I first started reading this novel but I eventually forgot all of it given how boring the story became.

MC's character is simply shit, yet people still worship him. All other characters are idiots. Author didn't give enough details about many things, and he also tend to just pop up random things as he pleased just to help the MC. Then the most irritating cycle of "is it really going to end like this? Is there really no other? Ah, that's it blablabla"... more>> which made my days worse, and so on. <<less
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freedom1x
freedom1x rated it
February 16, 2018
Status: v24 epilogue
Good read.

Inserting unexpected funny moments were the once that got me, it will hit you out of nowhere.

Kind of typical for a character with inferiority complex, that then grows balls. Story is a bit predictable, but with the element of the unknown technology of VR, I do not have any basis for it's realism so why use logic to compare it to reality.

Anyway. Overall, this is one good novel for me who likes fantasy.
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Slimikyi
Slimikyi
December 8, 2015
Status: --
I don't know. I started with Log Horizon then LMS then Ark. Log is Log. It's okay but it's just a Log. It got dull but I finished all that was translated at the time. I never went back to it though. LMS didn't get dull. I didn't like Weed's personality that much. But he was a pretty good protagonist. I don't like the manhwa as it literally butchered all of my imaginations of the characters. That aside, I was forced to stop as nobody at the time continued the... more>> translations. Still, I liked Weed and he's very smart, more or less.

Now Ark. I went through the same problem as LMS with no translators or very slow. (Sorry Japtem, you are slow. I like you. I loved you but you are a bit slow. Quality work, yes. I came back and reread your quality work but you are undeniably slow.) That aside, Ark Machine Translations popped up. I was happy and went back to reading it. But at some point, Ark is just too much. As a carbon copy, I liked Ark since he seemed a little less a**hole-ish. But, in the end, that didn't really do anything. I can't put it into words but I gave up continue it after a while. Ark just lost its touch and got irritating more than anything. I liked the game character. I liked the skills, the summons, some parts of the plots, and other things. But, altogether, it just got boring. It made me lose my interest, unable to hold it. Not sure how it developed but that's what I got from Ark. And I definitely did not get that through the 6 volumes I read non-stop for Log Horizon, or the 20 volumes I read for LMS, which was also non-stop, day after day. <<less
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Thousand Vangs
Thousand Vangs rated it
September 22, 2022
Status: Completed
You can feel a lot of similarities to the Legend of Moonlight Sculptor. You can almost say that the entire background is inspired by Legend of Moonlight Sculptor. Can't really help with the comparison tbh.

It is quite good adventure wise, it is quite wide and the MC explore many things. But there are lots of plot holes, so many of them that stab your heart, dousing away best moments in the novel. Like you'd definitely question "why that thing could possibly there despite everything that happened?" while reading the story.... more>> There are many cases when the MC seems unable to think as sharp as he normally would. Also happens with other characters at times, dunno maybe for gag sake.

There are some problems with the translation too, so you can't help but notice a lot of inconsistency. But still fairly readable nonetheless.

It is also less wholesome since despite the game being said to be world wide it actually only cover South Korea and no foreigners actually got mentioned.

This novel has quite some plot armor and favorable coincidences. Like those sudden inspiration and ideas that happens each time the MC facing bosses.

Lots of things so obviously need more explanation but went unexplained. Like, the hell the receptionist girl, Lariette suddenly seems to take interest with the MC with so few happenings between them? And his unfounded enmity with Alan. They're just so shallow to actually make the characters act like such.

This novel also use the plot like, assuming things without actually confirming for it so many times. Sigh, maybe because I've watched too many soap operas, that one plot device makes me irked to no end. <<less
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BakerPete
BakerPete rated it
August 31, 2022
Status: v15c2
Not a horrible novel but not great. The systems are cool and there is some good humor but the amount of “misunderstandings” is absurd. I think the author could’ve figured a way to resolve those misunderstandings logically instead of having them repeat over and over again.

I enjoyed LMS better as the MC didn’t repeatedly make the same mistakes (common chapter in Ark: MC gets power up-MC fights tr*sh mob-“how great am I?”-MC fights another mob which should be easy-gets thrashed and almost dies and says “oh I’ve become dull and... more>> reliant on skills”-repeat multiple times throughout each volume). You’d think after the 80th time, you’d learn the the lesson. Additionally, the real world side leaves something to be desired. Villains break the immersion of how obsessed they get but this is a minor point.

Fight scenes are decent and progression isn’t too fast or slow but never really feel super impactful. A fair amount of dues ex machine is built in through one of his abilities.

Overall, this is a good novel to read if you like power-ups and tracking each evolution but don’t expect anything over a simple guilty pleasure. <<less
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ZeroA2
ZeroA2 rated it
January 2, 2022
Status: v7c5
Folks comparing this to Legendary Moonlight Sculptor seem to be overlooking the most important point, unlike the protagonist of LMS, Ark isn't a huge piece-of-garbage jerkface. The epicness of LMS was for sure appealing and held my attention for dozens of volumes, but the protagonist never grew and remained horrible throughout what I read before finally dropping it. Ark isn't without his complications, but he started out far ahead of LMS in terms of likeability and seems to continue to be moving forward. I'm only a third of the way... more>> through the series, but unless it deviates strongly, I wholeheartedly recommend it. <<less
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schendelzer
schendelzer rated it
October 21, 2021
Status: --
this is a very great novel

Im recommending this to people who love overgeared novel. Though the story about the two is not the same you can still felt the similarities of grid and ark

so im hoping you can rate 5 this and appreciate the novel too.
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jopaaan
jopaaan
May 5, 2020
Status: v24c9
Just finished Ark, and this is amazing!

I have read many novels but this novel is different, especially compared to similar novels. I also read LMS and it was also amazing, but it was different from Ark. I don't know why other people dropped this novel, but for myself, this novel is worth reading!
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Astraea14
Astraea14 rated it
June 15, 2019
Status: v24 epilogue
This is actually the first light novel I ever read and I have to say that afterwards I fell in love with them. Except for the amazing going elements the and story writing, the translators have done an amazing job! But the true MVP is the ML. I fell in love with this character! It is not the usual ethic, hero-type persona (quite the opposite actually!), which makes it way easier to relate with him even more, especially if you are an RPG gamer. Anyway to keep it short, I... more>> strongly recommend to give this novel a chance (though not it's sequel that much unfortunately..) ! <<less
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wolflord1307
wolflord1307 rated it
February 24, 2019
Status: --
Well, I personally enjoyed this novel a lot. I know a lot of people feel that it’s similar to LMS and it is kinda but it’s also different in its own way. No doubt Weed has more charm but I think Ark has its own appeal too. I’d say give this novel a shot. It’s not too bad and a interesting way to pass time. I read both novels simultaneously while it was still in the middle of translation and I can say that both kept me very interested to... more>> know more. <<less
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murilofranco
murilofranco rated it
January 29, 2019
Status: --
Damm, this novel can be so frustrating. It is way too similar to Legendary Moonlight Sculptor.

But I think the way that the MC from Ark is builded is better, no.. More common.

Weed from LMS is someone who suffered from hands of people for a long time, and dedicated his small amounts of fun to be a badass gamer. His growth shows that he will use people all the time.

Ark is a child, he is for the lack of better word, weak and inferior. The author tries to give him some... more>> "outside the box" thinking, but he lacks a lot of charm that Weed has. His complex is shown a lot, he takes a long ass time to grow and sometimes you can even skip the text. But, for me, that is his charm, he is a common person learning how to become a adult, so it is REALLY frustrating.

If anyone read LMS, you will see a LOT common things, the mermaids are the avians, Sid is Mapan. God, the author putted a Hermes guild. But the names doesn't matter, after all, anyone who played more than one MMORPG can see similar names and situations. So try to see as another game with similar stuff.

I recommend it. Avoid skipping texts even if the side characters suck, it is a fun read. <<less
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