I couldnt have analyzed this better my self lol. Every point you made I was just nodding along and just agreeing to how valid the arguments for the two Seme. I agree with all of this.
BEAUTIFULLLLLL, everything in this post is exactly what i've been trying to say but couldn't put into words. This manhwa is sooo captivating because we literally have no idea where the author is going to take it and who will be endgame. Usually in love triangles it's pretty obvious who the main character will end up with. I have never read a story like this where I just have absolutely no idea, and arguments can be made for both sides. It's really kept me on my toes.
I'd say that Taku is associated with present time, present changes.
With helping Haesoo's career. I guess we will have to wait to judge this part. What's more Haesoo has never considered modeling before because he wanted to be recognized by his writting, not his looks.
And I think situation might have shifted a little bit in newest chapters (raws).
But all in all good analyse and interesting points!
Did u read the raw the newest chapter? Joowom got a scandal about he was fighting with his old high school friends to defend Haesoo, and Joowon facing the scandal alone without involving haesoo and haesoo knows the scandal and run to find joowon? What did u think about that? I think its pretty obvious joowon will be the end game
I don't read Raws so it took a while for me to get this far, but here's what I think upon reading it:
I think Ch 86 in particular demonstrated that Joowon has had character development. I have this elaborate Mindreading Triangle theory that's hella lengthy, but the gist is that I think Haesoo can read Joowon's mind and Joowon is unable to read Haesoo's, so to speak.
So that's why it's super interesting that Haesoo was SHOOK when Joowon apologized to him. Haesoo's expression was priceless. He can't believe Joowon did something Haesoo didn't expect. Character development.
And a little later when Haesoo said something about how Joowon was handling the press with the same self-confidence and fearlessness that he had when they were kids, he had that same Deer-in-the-Headlights look when Joowon corrected him. It's notable that Joowon didn't correct Haesoo about his PAST self, but said that his current self was not motivated by self-confidence, but because Joowon wanted to protect Haesoo from unnecessary coverage. This is not something Joowon would have done at the beginning of the series. More character development.
Joowon also specifically states that he no longer cares if the press knows that he and Haesoo are related. The latest chapters gave me the overall impression that Joowon has accepted that Haesoo has moved on from him and is ready to accept that they will just be brothers now. This makes it look like things are resolved: Haesoo has picked Taekyung.
HOWEVER, Haesoo responded to his apology by getting nostalgic and talking about the amusement park and how Joowon protected Haesoo from blame in the past, just as Joowon is doing in the present. I THINK (might be wrong) this is the first time Haesoo has reminisced about the past so fondly. It shows that Haesoo hasn't completely let go, even though Joowon maybe, finally, has. So maybe Haesoo will pick Joowon after all.
HOWEVER, I think it was today's chapter that showed Joowon's interest in signing a long contract with his agency instead of quitting. This further shows that Joowon is moving on from Haesoo. But more than that. It shows that Joowon's life is BETTER without Haesoo. Joowon makes better choices. He takes his career more seriously. Maybe Joowon would be better off without Haesoo. So maybe Haesoo will pick Taekyung for all of their sakes.
And yet, as I said up there about Taekyung maybe being The Rival, the function of a rival is to push the true Seme and Uke together by facilitating growth. Taekyung did that. Joowon has grown. Maybe Taekyung's function this whole time is solely to be The Rival. So maybe Haesoo will pick Joowon.
And now Taekyung is buying a ring for Haesoo, or at least, Ch 88 ends with Taekyung thinking about buying a ring for Haesoo. Joowon still has a ring for Haesoo too. I still think it's anyone's game.
OMG i really love ur analysis, did u catch up with the latest chapter? Joowon actually hasn’t moved on from haesoo because he wants to re write everything with haesoo again, and taekyung gettin more anxious because he thinks haesoo isn’t his , and the last one haesoo cried after saw the picture of him in the exhibition and taku was speechless omg please give me ir another analysis of them, if u have twitter I might be following u lol
OMg no spoilers! I don’t read raws! Dang it! Well, when we get there I will let you know. I don’t have Twitter, but I’ll message you. I love talking about Love or Hate and other BL series.
THESE THREE ARE GOING TO BE THE DEATH OF ME. This series is the most perfectly exquisite agony because you can make rock-solid arguments for Haesoo picking either Seme. It's maddening and it's beautiful.
Joowon is frequently associated with the past (long-term non-relationship, attached to the fact they're former stepbrothers, they still relate to each other like their teenage selves, Joowon keeping photos of them as teenagers, the fact the story opens with Haesoo in a writing rut because he can only write about his past with Joowon) while Taekyung is frequently associated with the future (helps Haesoo's career by asking him to model, leads to the book deal, Taekyung inspired Haesoo to write new material again, giving Haesoo the new experience of having a boyfriend he can flaunt), which makes me think he's going to pick Taekyung.
But Joowon and Haesoo are seen engaging in both sexual and tender/intimate acts (Joowon coming over just to sleep platonically, Haesoo washing Joowon's hair) whereas Haesoo and Taekyung's intimacy always turns sexual (the photoshoots, when Haesoo was sick they still had sex, and they only woke up next to each other after having sex). That makes me think Haesoo will pick Joowon.
Smoking is a metaphor for Haesoo and Joowon's relationship. Joowon taught Haesoo how to smoke (and that comment "I learned all my bad habits from Joowon"), early in the series Haesoo said he wanted to quit smoking but Joowon made fun of him because he's convinced Haesoo never will, Taekyung's comment about a 'smoker's semen tastes bitter,' all the drama with Joowon finding Taekyung's lighter, then knowing Haesoo had been in Taekyung's studio when he found the empty cigarette box and Taekyung crunching it up and throwing it away angrily, the fact that Haesoo was smoking on the roof and Joowon came up in the conversation, the picture of Haesoo kissing Taekyung with smoke STILL on his lips, and Taekyung's chilling comment about Haesoo's taste kissing bitter WHILE HE WAS THINKING OF JOOWON. And the fact that Taekyung doesn't smoke. As long as Haesoo is a smoker, he's going to pick Joowon. If he quits smoking, then he'll pick Taekyung.
The fact that Taekyung is shown, multiple times, to be able to anticipate Haesoo's needs better than Haesoo himself can (Taekyung carrying a lighter even though he isn't a smoker, Taekyung bandaging Haesoo's injured hand before Haesoo thought to do it, Taekyung making Haesoo eat and take medicine when he was sick when Haesoo was just going to sleep it off, when that wine spilled on Haesoo and Taekyung toweled him off without Haesoo asking first, and when Taekyung asks Haesoo to be his boyfriend and Haesoo says no but it's revealed that Haesoo did say yes in the second half of their conversation). This is the opposite of Joowon who tries to fulfill Haesoo's needs but can never get it quite right (letting Haesoo borrow his car but Haesoo never used it, Joowon letting Haesoo provoke his jealousy/anger because it turns Haesoo on, the general way Joowon twisted his behavior to meet Haesoo's desire for an obsessive love even though it's been damaging, the time Joowon reminded Haesoo to stop picking his cuticles reactively instead of proactively). This makes me think that Haesoo will pick Taekyung.
The way the story is set up, Taekyung fits the role of The Rival. But unlike most BL, he is a very well-developed rival. It depends on how much the creator wants to lean into that trope. The Rival is supposed to push the Seme and Uke closer together. Joowon and Haesoo's relationship was built on a bad foundation. They had a bond but a non-relationship that never would have grown had it continued unchallenged. Taekyung has challenged them and definitely facilitated growth. If Taekyung really is a classic Rival, then that makes me think Haesoo will pick Joowon.
BUT, the creator has gone very far out of her way to show us that Joowon and Haesoo are mutually bad for each other (Joowon almost quit acting over Haesoo, Haesoo knowingly twisting Joowon's behavior, Haesoo becoming "all dark and moody" in high school after they started having sex, the whole smoking metaphor when smoking is obviously bad for a person, their relationship broke up their parents' marriage), which makes me think Haesoo will pick Taekyung.
But what might be driving me THE NUTTIEST is that the creator has set up two equally plausible, equally beautiful, and equally explosive ending options. We've seen Joowon flash that engagement ring a few times now which is a BL cliche but always a winner. OR, there have been two mentions that Haesoo's parents (might just have been Mom, can't remember) think Haesoo should study abroad to get away from Joowon. And guess who has one more semester of school in Japan? TAEKYUNG.