I couldn't wait any longer and I went and read the novel. I tried so hard to think about something that I didn't like but it was really THAT good. It's not too short but not too long (142 chapters + sides) there are a shit ton of soft moments, the angst arcs don't drag for too long, there are good moments of action and... oh my god the smut is really REALLY REALLY INCREDIBLE.
I ended loving the main leads so so much, Yeonseo is the perfect alpha and top, he's so cute, loyal and loving and both Suhan, the one before the memory loss and the one after the accident are SO DEAR to me I love them to the end of the world.
I think it will be a long webtoon though so I would highly recommend to let it marinate at least until the end of the season hahah i promise you will enjoy the ride and please always trust Yeonseo AND Suhan!
If you're interested I read the novel in korean on booktoki and I think readhive is translating in english!
I read in korean on booktoki if anyone is interested and I don't think there's a full version in english anywhere yet.
Sooooo... I think it was ok. Personally I don't really like these kind of stories with minor lead and older adult lead who is a parent role to the minor and then later have a relationship. If you're like me you'll probably think this is borderline or straight up grooming... but then again I'm 100% not in a position to judge anyone because even if I don't really like these I still read these kind of stories, and have read worse.
If you're familiar, this isn't like A tree without roots even though from the premise it may seem like it. Kwon Sejin isn't like Heeso AT ALL, he isn't a psycho with trauma. I like to express this a lot because the reason Sejin isn't like Heeso is because he had Cheon Seju, other than his mother. Cheon Seju was always by his side and helped him grow into an adult kind and responsible. Also I want to say that Cheon Seju never allowed himself and Sejin to express feelings and form other type of relationship (other than guardian and minor) until Sejin was 20. There isn't any type of rape in this story, every sexual act they have is consensual and when they're both adults.
The novel was quite lengthy, yet I felt like there were a lot of things missing. There isn't any time skip so we all saw Kwon Sejin grow with Cheon Seju. They start dating at the very end of the novel. So if their romance isn't the main theme, what is it? Even the gang organisation plays a more minor role than what it seems. So.. the main theme is family and forgiveness. Which is what bothered me the most because the author clearly kept pushing the found family trope (which I love LOVE don't get me wrong) yet at the end they still made Sejin and Seju be in a sexual relationship, with weird situations sprinkled now and then that constantly reminds you that they are a FAMILY, like son and father or brothers, especially when Seju kept saying until the end how Sejin acts like a baby and how younger he is. So it made me feel a little uncomfortable.
I still think its not the worst with these kind of theme (adultxminor) but it's not the best either. I kind of wanted they stayed with a platonic relationship, given how the author was pushing the family theme. And yeah that's what I wanted to say, read this at your own risk. The criminal organisation theme was very present but somehow it wasn't important at all, which made it seem so rushed, as if they author was planning another arc but ended up closing with a strangely very good ending on every single front.
ps. If you're interested Kwon Sejin is ofc the top and Cheon Seju the bottom, even though he had always been on top. Their age gap is 12 years, they met when they were 16 and 28 [edit: its 18 and 30! Legal adult in south korea is 20]. Smut is very good especially if you love like me the experienced slutty bottom trope.
i just reread the first chapter and you're right he is 18 in korean age! Im sorry I messed up his age because they become legal adults when they're 20 and I remembered they spent two years together as house mates!! Checked the age gap and it's still 12 years, so 18 and 30 I'm sorry it might seem better from a western point of view but you become an adult when you're 20 in korea!!
Just finished the novel!! Its quite a slowburn and a lot of second handed embarrassment because of Jigu's misunderstandings that keep piling up haha if they don't cut anything out the webtoon should have around 5-6 seasons + long extras and things won't start getting real until the end of season 2 and they will start dating end season 4/season 5... smut is so incredibly good so it's HIGHLY worth the wait. I hope they don't censor it too much, they have very wild scenes especially because Jigu thinks Yeowoon likes to have slaves and be called "master" for a very long time lmao
I will leave it here, hopefully everyone gets the notification!
https://booktoki462.com/novel/6790775
The webtoon here ends at the end of volume 2 when they catch the stalker, so you should start reading right at volume 3 which is #05. 이여운(3권)
This is wooksteahouse translation:
https://wooksteahouse.com/variant/the-guild-member-next-door/ because they have divided the volumes in chapters so its easier for everyone im unsure from which chapter you can start reading sorry! The webtoon follows the novel very closely but it's not that much long of a read if you want to reread everything from the start too :) if I remember well they upload/unlock a new free chapter every three days
Unfortunately I do not know where does the manhwa end in the english translation because they divided them in short chapters! here's the link of the english translation though! https://wooksteahouse.com/variant/the-guild-member-next-door
For the korean raws I do know, you can start right away at volume 3 https://booktoki462.com/novel/6793436?book=%EC%99%84%EA%B2%B0%EC%86%8C%EC%84%A4&spage=1 because volume 2 ended when they catch Jigu's stalker!
https://workupload.com/file/4DseMeHRfdz
I use the ReadEra app to read/open the files! Someone on here shared it w me so I must pass it on
T⩊T ♡♡♡
Jihyuk needs to get a restriction order for those two mfs... I feel sad for him that he can't bring himself to feel happy for his brother's pregnancy.
One week it's too soon, he should've had his time alone and get therapy for so much longer. You can tell how selfish Yoojun is, he went looking for Jinhyuk for himself, because he wanted to see him and get another chance now that he knew about Eunsong not because he wanted to know if he was okay. He could've EASILY had someone to check on him from far way to give him space. But no he chose to go HIMSELF as soon as he knew where he was, giving him a week to think things over.
I always wondered... Bada always talk like that like he's playing a game and except for him all the others are game characters/npcs, Doha included... Has he never thought that he could also just be a character too and doesn't exists in the real world? Or the other way, maybe they are all players stuck in the game.. I feel like both of these theories are way more realistic than what he thinks
i had the same thought, but it makes sense he hasn't considered it bc if it were me
I would never think that I was an npc