mincheol being given this 'saving' backstory/how haesoo fell for him reminds me of a recent quote from a manhwa i read where someone was giving advice to the mc about the kind of man she should go for. he said the man should be handsome, wealthy, and have a good personality but the looks was 'most' important bc when a person's environment changes, their personality is the first to change. idk how much stock i put into that sentiment as a whole, but i feel like it really applies to mincheol. i'm sure if he had a more supportive environment and was able to provide for haesoo better, he would not have turned out like this. i'm sure they encountered a bunch of relationship roadblocks/orange-red flag moments that ended up with souring of his personality and morals. it does NOT excuse how he acts with haesoo (or his 25 year old affair partner) as he is taking advantage of her personality in the absolute worst ways. he truly is lower than the crap at the bottom of the barrel, but he did not start off toxic and i do find this portrayal way more realistic because it really shows how someone can change when faced with certain trials and how careful people need to be in relationships or else they get taken advantage of the way haesoo was for so long :(
okay i think that mincheol is gonna reject her bc he doesn't feel he deserves her then we get flashback to how she got that scar and then her sunbae is gonna try to date her and then mincheol is gonna get angry but let her be bc he thinks he doesn't deserve her and its gonna end the season on a cliffhanger of her deciding whether or not to date sunbae and then next season will be her dating sunbae/trial dating so more angst but by the end of the next season they'll get together
terrified that minato will be the ml when youta should be