Myung-Ha is not 'spineless' he is a poor man being exploited by the healthcare system. He doesn't have the economic privlege of upholding the mores of romantic entanglements in the face of financial stability, especially when his dying mother is being used as a bargaining chip by some psycho bitch who pissed down his throat to scare his boyfriend away. Literally.
A central theme of this manhwa has been the lengths people go to for money in a society that not only places more value on the image of economic stablity than it does on actual human welfare, but demands you maintain an air of decency too. Whoring yourself out isn't just running your name through the mud, it's social suicide. And he was doing it for his mother.
All of these people are desperate for money. Why is it such a surprise to everyone that Myung-Ha would accede to her demands? There's other avenues but he's never going to find one with less bumps in the road.
Jung-Won may be hearbroken but he knows what it's like to be that desperate. He know's Myung-Ha doesn't love her either and he isn't going to just let Myung-Ha throw his life away like that. There's obviously risidual feelings.
I agree!! Showing every character’s struggles and how money has left them in such desperate and painful situations where they left at bottom of the barrel and grasping for straws is what pushes the plot of the manga. For
Myung-ha is in an abusive relationship no doubt about it. He’s being manipulated, coerced and assaulted. The woman is using one of his greatest vulnerabilities in order to gain power and control him and do things he doesn’t like doing. That horrific scene people keeping talking about is made to your make skin crawl and feel disgust to understand the brutality and severity of money, power and the horrors of abuse. That one panel of Myung ha just melting into this sticky gooey mess is a great visual representation.
Also, despite what everyone says I believe Myung ha does have love and respect for jungwon. cutting him off wasn’t only coz of money but I guess the sexual abuse made him feel worthless and disgusted with himself hence, why he felt the need to distance himself from someone he cares about as he felt undeserving. Whole things just so sad
Very odd Water Lilly is immediately infatuated with Kyoya after becoming his like, slave with benefits or whatever. He thought of him as deceitful and destructive because he’s human, yet when he is actually deceived and bound he’s just so eager to please master.
It is eventually revealed that Kyoya is only trying to preserve his life and status, but Lilly’s charitable view of him and insistence that he’s a good person makes absolutely no sense preceding this.
He hates the capital and says his mountain will wither without him but all he ever is is happy to be owned by Kyoya. He’s about to be engulfed by royal fupa and is fantasizing about being Kyoya’s slave.
Why is Lilly’s wish to be owned by someone different and not to like, run away with Kyoya like they end up doing anyway.
Is slavery only as bad as your owner in this universe?
Someone needs to smack Taiga for trying to apologize to Lilia. He didn't do anything wrong. Am I supposed to be convinced that he's the bad guy for not being attracted to her yet still valuing their friendship? He's not even straight, how can I fault him for not recognizing her feelings.
Narratively it tries to act as a foil to Taiga and Kei's relationship, I.E. Taiga isn't considering Lilias feelings in the same way he isn't considering Kei's. Her telling him she'd rather him just end things is what indicates this. But there isn't a universe in which Taiga could shoulder any sort of blame here. SHE caught feelings and HE'S gay, I just cannot sympathize with her in the same way that I can with Kei.
Speaking of, Kei also pissed me off bad. His past relationships have left him with trust issues and he's unwilling to let himself act on his developing feelings for Taiga in any meaningful way, but at the same time he fucks Taiga while under the assumption that he's dating Lilia after whining about one of his exes turning out to be married?
And when Taiga realizes that his attempts to convey his feelings for Kei were passive and inconsiderate of Kei, he pours his heart out only to be called a liar and told to leave. It's not like they didn't both play a part in the tumultuous nature of their relationship but I feel like the narrative unfairly punishes Taiga. Like, you think the guy chased you down for six fucking years just for some mid hole?
Like what the fuck do you mean "don't end things without asking me first"? He doesn't think you take his feelings seriously and is willing to let you go because that is what YOU told him?
Get my boy Taiga out of here man. We gone get you right I promise you that much.
I really hope Yoo-Gon will be honest with Jung Hae about why this line of work specifically is so important to him. i do think Jung-Hae was wrong to doubt and antagonize him, especially since Yoo-Gon has always been as honest as he could with Jung-Hae without being too vulnerable. Jung-Hae said he'd accept all of him, only to doubt his commitment to him because of his own insecurities.
but Yoo-Gon also has to realize that he's keeping a lot from the people he dates at the same time. even if they accept him and his career in sex work, they're going to want more than he has to offer in terms of why quitting is such a sore spot for him.
It probably has to do with his sister, father and family, so I don't doubt we'll get some big reveals soon. but Yoo-Gon just didn't seem like the kind of person who was ready for relationships, not cause he's a sex worker but because they require a level of vulnerability that he's obviously not ready to give.
Also we will not tolerate Myung-Ha hate in this house, he is only a victim of circumstance.