Really good analysis. I love the heart of this story bc Seoyu is a character that just touches my heart a lot. What he went through was profound. It could've been a great story, not just a nice one, with some editing or direction.
This is on point! I keep trying to find the right words to say because it really felt like it lacks a lot of things but the potential was truly there. I guess it has storytelling issues and the character building was great, it wasn't just pulled off properly. The characters would have been more relatable if only their characterization was solid from the start. These two were my kinnies and I only found out about it at the last few chapters *sighs*
Excellent analysis! I agree that the story had so much potential. I wonder why the author rushed the series. I think with the complexity of the characters and plot, this story could've easily been over 80 chapters.
I was left with more questions than answers. I want to know more about ML's brother, the barista, and i wanted to know more about our ML. How did he view life growing up? Since he was so distant with people and lacked empathy, it would've been nice to have an arc or half an arc giving more ML background.
I would also like to add that I think Seoyu's character fell flat to me towards the end. He was still feisty and outgoing but i feel like he was regressed a little. I also feel like we were robbed of seeing their baby and them having happy family gatherings. Knowing that family is such a soft spot for Seoyu, it would've been nice to see him getting along with his inlaws, being a new father, and changing more as a person. Speaking of inlaws, I also we could've seen a wedding or at least talk about the wedding.
I really like your analysis,
it helps me understand Seoyu more as I didn't like him through the second half, and agree with all your points, like the barista was a nice friend then suddenly he became mean to Seoyu because he had a crush on him and then said as long as long as Mc happy with the Ml I am happy but then sent a mean text to him. It sounds like the author doesn't know what to do with this character
I feel like this could've gone way better if they did the pacing well or made it longer, as well as if they improved how the scenes are written.
First, Seoyu is a perfect example of a high functioning broken person. He obviously has depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, suicidal ideation, and attachment issues. This all stemmed at the fact that he did not have ONE single decent person around him after his family died. He was still a kid AND an omega. Yet his uncle pimps him out instead of looking after him. His past boyfriends exploited and verbally abused him. He was really at rock bottom that I was amazed he can even work but I understand that Seoyu coped in his own way, even if it was destructive relationships and harmful lack of self-compassion. Because of his past experience, i genuinely think that all the negative words he hears (the black text bubbles), are from his own mind. Also the fact that Seoyu has trouble with words, even though its shown as comedic, is a sign of neglect from him growing up.
At the beginning, people would say its weird how Seoyu is supposed to be depressing or pitiful so why is he feisty and extroverted? Well obviously because a sad person won't always be sad, human emotions are always fluctuating, but if you actually pay attention, there are many signs that he is not mentally well (most obvious one being he is always sick like his body asking for help). I was really glad he had his moment on the bridge and was able to finally be at peace with his grief for both his family and baby (for a person who just wants to be loved and have a family, the world is so cruel to him)
Second, Sunghoon could've been written better. If it wasn't said by his mother, I never would've thought he had issues with empathy because he was interacting well with Seoyu. But apparently, he was an exception. When Sunghyun mentioned his brother was different, I thought it was just a way to solidify Sunghoon's "mysterious image" (like with all male MCs). Because Sunghoon was barely shown interacting with other people so I couldn't have a comparison with his interactions with Seoyu. I would've LOVE to see more of Sunghoon's thought process of when he decided to get therapy on his own volition– that was a really big thing and we were robbed of that characterization from him
I mean, for a romance genre, why is there a lack of focus on Sunghoon's perspective? This is not a shounen that is centered on one main character. Their relationship would've been written better if Seoyu and Sunghoon's POV was balanced out, especially since they both had a story to tell.
Lastly, the ending was abrupt since the baby #2 wasn't even born yet. And its not because I just want all my couples to have babies. But rather, the baby would've been a big turning point for Seoyu and Sunghoon's life. Seoyu will finally have the family he has been longing for for years, and contrary to his experince with baby #1, he would've been an amazing parent because I know he would treasure the baby and prioritize them no matter what. Sunghoon badly needed to have that baby born because its one thing to be empathetic to your spouse and another to your child. Its different and I would've loved to seen how Sunghoon would grow to love the baby and be sensitive to its growing needs and emotions.
Also some of the side characters were a miss like I understand its to show how shitty Seoyu's social circle is but they were all cut from the same cloth and didn't help Seoyu's development at all. The barista, Hoin, actually had potential because his words meant something to Seoyu, but he was never given a story and a conclusion which was a shame. The bits with Seoyu's boss was unnecessary (they just wanted my baby to suffer) because he did nothing at all, maybe it was to show Sunghoon's influence when he got rid of him, but was it needed? Since it was already shown with Seoyu's uncle and his ex, that Sunghoon is powerful. And they keep making him look like a gangster, when he's not (said Sunghyun) and it wasn't the focus of the story.
Overall, this disappointed me more than it frustrated me because the potential was wasted, but it was still nice to know Seoyu and Sunghoon's character.