A BL should not be restricted to romance (ironic since it is boys' love) as seinen, josei, and other genres can have plot that does not entirely revolve around a couple. Yes, the male lead is a psycho, and yes, his actions are irredeemable (I loathe him too) but that doesn't mean this story is bad.
What makes people think it's bad is because there is no love between them and that Zhenya raped Taekjoo. But if you think for a moment, they're spies and involved in the government and mafia. Do you really think their interactions would be normal considering they're fighting for their lives and outsmarting each other? In that line of work, romance is the least they could think of.
Personally, I like the way this is written because unlike other mafia stories, this does not straight up have that "love at first sight" or "touch him and I'll kill you" because that doesn't make any sense. They're adults that have a lot of experience with relationships and sex and life, so it would be weird to meet someone and then think "oh I am in love and obsessed with him and would chop off any hand who touches him" when you've had countless flings before and you (Zhenya) literally enjoy tormenting others.
TL:DR
Don't like don't read.
But also consider the setting before judging this as bad.
I get what you're saying to a certain extent, but at the end of the day the underline meaning to any yaoi will be "Love", hence "Romance", so the problem that people tend to have with these type of plots, is that no matter what messed up ish Zhenya does to Taekjoo, at the end of the day it will end with them in a "Romantic" relationship, as if somehow all the messed up stuff became irrelevant, in turn romanticizing those actions. Relationships can take many forms that much I understand, but Yaoi has this really bad habit of romanticizing rape and violence against men. Yeah the story takes place in the worlds underbelly, so its not meant to be flowers and rainbows, but to be okay with someone committed unspeakable acts on their partner, for any reason, than them walking off into the sunset, is wild. It's just like Roses and Champagne people praise that relationship, and constantly share "lovely dovely" screenshots all over social media, and I find that crazy and disgusting. That also started off well written with a good plot. But this is just me sharing my perspective with you, at the end of the day, to each their own.
And people read things for varies reasons whether they like it or not, its not up to anyone to dictate that, just because they don't feel, how you feel about a story, not ever story starts off bad, and sometime people like finishing things they started, there's nothing wrong with that.
I totally agree with you. I really didnt like the ending of Roses and Champagne as well as similar webtoons, be it mafia themed or college life. I just wish that more BLs can have endings where the main couple dont end up together. After all, if some straight mangas (or other media) have break-ups or divorce, why cant BLs/GLs have it?
The main issue right now is some authors push the "main couple is obsessed and in love with each other" agenda (not just in this webtoon) and some audiences romanticize toxic behaviors and relationships.
This is a really difficult topic to tackle since we all know it's fiction, but the problem is people get either get offended by a morally gray/evil character's actions OR glamorize those actions.
Both are dumb, because if a theme of a webtoon is dark or a character is evil, then why should you get angry someone for their behavior when you know that they ARE evil? Evil people DO evil. An example for this is in a game I play where a character is blamed as racist for her dialogue. Yes, she said racial slurs and no, I do not condone her actions, but that's the role she's given. She's portrayed as evil. She's from a faction where they do everything they want to be happy. Why cant the audience accept that people are complex and not everyone should be good and kind?
The second one, where a character's actions are romanticized is, as I said, also dumb. While I do know that it's mostly because of a reader's fantasies and desires, they should know the boundary between fiction and reality. For example, I myself like it when the top is a little possessive for the bottom. But I do not squeal and giggle when Zhenya raped Taekjoo like "OMG ZHENYA WAS JEALOUS OF THAT UGLY GUY BECAUSE HE GOT TO TOUCH TAEKJOO!!!" because I know there was no love in his eyes and he did it for fun.
But as you said, to each their own, and it's not like I can change everybody's opinions. I just hope that Zhenya and Taekjoo dont end up together, though that's a pipe dream. Instead if they do get together, it should be that Zhenya mindbreaks Taekjoo or that they have a loveless/one-sided relationship (again, I do not condone this) because it would make more sense with their dynamic OR Zhenya at least regrets all the crap he's done and he has a redemption arc.
P.S. I'm not angry with you or anything (I feel like the tone of my reply is angry but it's not towards you, it's more towards brain-dead social media people who have little to no media literacy).
Oh hell if I was Taeju I would feed that fucker worms while he's tied up and shove knives up his ass at the same time I chop his dick off
Dang chill
Wait that's a good idea Muahhaha
Atp Im the one who feels like killing myself with all the crap that's happening
Oh nah i was sleppy and i thought you were talking about euihyun HELP
I'D NEVER!!! I just didnt really wanna call *that guy* as Euihyun's dad nor mention his name because he disgusts me so bad
Understandable!!
Everytime I read this webtoon I hurt my eyes from all the white color Like damn Fiona, you're so pretty with your dress but why the hell it looks like you're an alive ghost or something... Your hair's already white and your skin's so pale so why wear white dresses. Add in the background effects and sparkles and I really turn blind especially when I read thid at night...
Oh wow, I thought they would edge us with a hundred-chapter slowburn, that would've been the real S&M play
Kurosawa is the only pathetic man that can be cool (bro really made a new song, we desperately need an album)
I stopped reading this around chapter 100~120 and I just wanna ask if there's any progress at all and if it would be worth it to give it a try again?
This is some edging session we have, just when I think the climax is here someone gets an introduction or backstory
My only wish is for that semen rubbing all over Hitomi's body and a mating press and then I can peace out
FUCK, I DIDN'T MEAN TO DISLIKE
Arf arf ha ha ha ha
YES WOOF WOOF BARK BARK GRRR
AWOOOOO woof