You explained it greatly. I would have even preferred to read a side story about Lihuan's friends even though I don't remember their names either. It would be nice to leave this story to the end and focus on the MC.
Very well said...
I can only repeat what I already wrote at some point:
I wouldn't be too sure about DJun having an actual editor. I'm sure there is someone from the website in charge of telling the authors for how long they can publish a series, who makes sure they have a contract and so on but are we sure there is a real editor to guide DJun?
Because when it comes to certain sites (Webtoons, Tapas etc.) it's hard to tell who has an editor working with them and who's working completely on their own. The publisher often doesn't do more than just release and maybe translate the chapters and pay the authors.
Because they mentioned that they have an editor who "helps them out" in one of the Q&As. But you're right, we don't actually know how much they help Djun out in the end.
Oh, okay, I didn't really read those so I had no idea.
Then yes, I agree with you, even if the editor doesn't do much they should at least tell the author they're working with that they're heading in the wrong direction.
Not only he was introduced late into the story, he's also really annoying as a character. Like I dont understand him. Whats uncle pan? just a whim? he just said oh this dudes cool im gonna make him fall in love with me. To me, he seems like just a brat. And I dont feel like interest between uncle pan and him. People think were mad only because li huan and yuyang arent appearing, but its because this couple sucks.
the way I see it, Djun simply failed to create an interesting enough side character, and on top of it they also failed to introduce him properly into the story.
there are many examples how it's done right: an extended amount of chapters focuses on exploring a side character's background, personality, living conditions, issues, etc and they're introduced fairly early in the story (like Kyubin and Seungtaek from "Someone else's BL manhwa", whose relationship was explored very early - even before the MC's love life gained any traction), or the side character is so prominent in the story (the MC's best friend for example) that even though they're never or very rarely the focus of a chapter, you are still invested in them (like Yuri from "For Your Love"). it is even more important that these side characters and their conflicts are in some way related to the MC.
now, Redhead was introduced pretty late in the story, he disrupted the flow of the MC's plotline, yada yada yada, and even though he's the possible love interest of Uncle Pan (who is just a little more established in the story), he is, as a character on his own, unimportant to the plot. no relations whatsoever to the MC. he's seriously so unimportant that I don't even remember his name. what do we gain from Uncle Pan and him getting together? nothing. for people who find these two characters uninteresting, there is no added value to their relationship altogether.
however, I think it is unfair to put all the blame on Djun in this case. even if they are supbar as an author, their editor should have oversight of how the story is progressing and guide them through possible issues. the fact that they let all of this happen, or even encouraged it, is (in my opinion) very telling of their competence.