Yeah this was the best thing for the both of them. Hanul was never going to get the emotio...

I am still bothered how creepy and perverted Hoin behaved/expressed himself when he revealed is obsession with Yaejin...Σ( ￣□￣||)

He is creepy isn’t he. Lol. He really forced himself into her life. Although he’s good for her in some ways (at least, at the moment) that doesn’t mean what he did was right.

He could have been a better sympathetic flawed ally but the author had to show us his disgusting side first /TДT)/ And now they expect us to accept him because he has this burned scars, sad backstory, pretty eyes etc...

The Hoin in the first half of the story is quite different than the one in the second half.

It's like seeing two complete different personalities with the same face in the same body!

Yeah, I totally agree. And I’m still not 100% sold on him. He seemed so shady and creepy and he still does sometimes. But I also appreciate that he feels like a real person, flaws and all. Gives him a huge opportunity for character growth. He’s also insanely blunt which helps our girl grow as she’s forced to face some really traumatic pieces of herself and ask why she is the way she is.

But I’m with you. He’s really weird/creepy. Lol. #facts

I don't know, if I want to keep him in my life...
In the past I also done some stupid things that I am still ashamed of like acting like pathetic fool with too much victim complex, sometimes doing impulsive questionable things and getting a little bit obsessive over certain people...
But I always had regrets, tried to do no real unneccesary harm and learn.
I atoned myself by apologizing and making amends to the people I caused some harm.
And more importantly, I knew it was better this way to stop being involved with each other and go our separate ways for good.
The difference between former me and Hoin is that I always were sensitive and self-reflective. Hoin has no real self-awareness. He only "changes/grows" because of our MC Yaejin practically reluctantly reformed him. In a way like a struggling suffering FL she had to do emotional labor for and teach him...

I really like Yaejin but I wouldn't want to become friends for life with a miserable stupid bully and a creepy pervert blackmailer, no matter how much their characters had developed.
Good for them becoming better versions of themselves but I do not want them in my life anymore.
I really dislike the trope where toxic bad people are forgiven and saved by the saintlike FL and they all become close friends... Sometimes it is also a shonen hero like Deku in MHA...
In real life given the choice you don't want be with someone who will always remind you of your bad expriences or trauma!

That's what we call character development.

This. Yes. I like that he isn’t a stagnant character. None of them are. I just think it’s hypocritical that so many people can hate on Hoin and deny him the chance for growth and yet the fact that Yaejin and Haneul are on a fast track to becoming friends (and Haneul was a terrible person up until someone took that power away from her) doesn’t phase them. ╮(￣▽￣)╭ He was totally creepy, I don’t justify his actions, but I just don’t understand the extreme hatred for the dude either.

Hanul here wasn't meant to be a bad person, she was sweet with others.. Mijin here was the main Villain before the black bitch came in.

I don't mean that Hanul doesn't have faults. What she did was wrong, instead of asking the MC if she had spoke ill behind her, Hanul directly took action.

Overall it's childish jealousy and action play.. no words where from heart to heart except for Hoin and the MCs interaction.

I'm also not sure about the sister thingy. I really don't know who should I trust. The mother or our MC. When I read the RAWS and comment section, people where like MC is hallucinating. This left me with doubts.

Or using the narrative to cover up and quickly downplaying/erasing/forgetting his messed up predatory behaviour towards Yaejin at the beginning of the story.

Other mainstream examples:
Ted Mosby and Barney Stinson in HIMYM
Dan and Chuck in Gossip Girl
Joe in YOU

Oof. I also wasn’t sure, these psychological manhuas are really fantastic at making the reader second guess reality since we see everything from the perspective of the FL.

I also agree with mangaanger at the potential usage of creating a “nice” Hoin Just so we forget what a creep he is and then the author can kick us in the teeth with his “true” nature later.

Y’all have been wonderful to chat with! Thanks for the theories and opinions. (=・ω・=)

Ouch, this stabbed me because I am guilty of being toxic trash. But yeah, even after apologizing, I stay away from those whom I've hurt.... Why is it easy to recognize toxicity in others but not the self? I noticed that people who are being toxic don't actually realize they are being toxic atm...

Truly, everyone has done things they are ashamed of. The thing is, we are all learning. It’s part of what makes us human. It takes very strong people to identify their own toxicity, to apologize for it (which is often the hardest part), and to make a consistent effort in changing oneself in a positive direction in order to become the best version of yourself. It’s growth. And as kids it’s normal for us to make mistakes. That’s why adults are consistently stationed around us to guide us in the right direction. The problem arises when those adults are trash, when there’s no guidance happening, and there isn’t a strong peer group to help correct toxic behaviors as they happen. ╮(￣▽￣)╭

I do not think that the right answer is always to walk away if you were a part of the toxic party. It’s important to apologize and gauge the situation on how you can best make amends for wrongdoing. Often that will involve walking away and limiting involvement, but not always. Each situation is unique and the best way to right wrongs won’t always look the same.

There is not much to disagree with except...
I am of the opinion that when you move forward you leave the bad things behind which includes distance yourself from people that hold you back + made you miserable.
You will never forget your very negative experiences but you don't someone or sth that will constantly remind you of your trauma.

But I also understand that there are these too forgiving individuals who somehow often allows really shitty stupid people back in their lives due to their own personal beliefs...
I myself do not share this sentiment. I can make peace with my enemies or people I was too incompatible with but it is way healthier and liberated not to see them ever again or for a very long time.
In soapy tv shows like Melrose Place, Saved By The Bell (Zack Morris is Trash), Glee or Gossip Girl I was always impressed and speechless how all these characters kinda forgave and still be talking to each other, no matter what horrible bullshit they pulled off one another...
Then I realized the plots and character's decisions are based on the writers room whose priorities are to keep their shows ongoing by normalizing and downplaying all the absurd toxic drama they created for their characters instead of letting them behave logically.
This kind of TV logic + forgiveness would never worked in real life because real people have more common sense and limits.

Because toxic people can be very weak, lazy, entitled and narrow-minded.
Not able to love and respect yourself enough can easily warped your mind.