I LOVE MEN's Topics (133)

I'm havinf a breakdown

They completely SKIPPED THE GOD DAMN SMEXY TIME I've never been baited so hard in my life

NOW GET UR SLIMY HANDS OFF OF JUNO'S MAN TYVM

BUT WHERE IS THE SMEX?!?!?! LIKE I DONT NEED TO SEE ANY LIGHTSABERS AND SHII BUT AT LEAST GIVE A LIL HINT HINT THAT ITS GETTING HOT AND STEAMY YANNOOOOOOKOKOK AHAHAHA

IM WHEEZING OH MY GOD HOMIES ITS A WRAP WE IN THERE BOIIISSSSSSSS LETSGETITTTTTTTTT

! ? WHAT ?!
Bruh I was just sitting here vibin and then I just get hit with an abrupt ending ? ? ? ? !!! What fuck man

THEYRE JUST TOO GOOD MAN IM HOWLING. GETTING READY FOR THE SMEX CHAPTER FOR REAL AHAHAHDJSKVDKS

Fucking lit

Ngl I feel like the first 10 or so chapters where we had to watch Jiyul fanboy was like a direct hit to my pride. I just got called out big time by the author. I feel attacked. Is this how us fan girls/boys are depicted??? Shots fired man. (￣ε(#￣)Σ

Hello, folks. If you haven't already seen my emotional turmoil unfold in my previous thread, then... I advise that you just kindly ignore that. Thank you :)

Anyhoo, I'd like to give a formal analysis on the two main characters of this manga, as I normally try to do for any manga that forces me to do some 5G thinking. So, let's talk about Shiwoo for a little. I've seen many comments with conflicted views on Shiwoo and his actions and I believe that a lot of the more... judgmental... opinions about Shiwoo can be warranted. However, I want to take a minute to stand up for the guy and input my own thought process as I watching the story unfold. There were also quite a few comments talking about how Yujin was being immature or "no good" in a sense and I would like to also speak out about that and, perhaps, look at things from a different perspective.

While I was reading the first 40-something chapters, I never really felt a distaste for Shiwoo. I figured he had a reason for being the way that he was and I was waiting for that reason to be uncovered. Lo and behold, there it was: the reason why Shiwoo was a complete promiscuous wreck. He was basically raped by an old dude that he trusted and looked to as a father figure. And, to numb himself from his own disgust and humiliation, he slept with anyone who would accept him because of the embarrassment and pain that he was suffering from his trauma. It's a coping mechanism of some sort. Is it a healthy one? No. Is it a productive one? Also no. But, what can you do when you feel like you're the scum of the Earth who has hit an all-time low with no one to depend on because you view yourself as dirt trash that deserves to be treated like shit. It really saddened me to see how trapped he felt. The poor guy couldn't even step outside of his own house out of fear or running into Hyun again, despite the whole storm calming down. Taking a glimpse into Shiwoo's thoughts really helps us understand the mindsets of victims a lot more. Of course, not all victims, but this is a fairly nice sample of how some victims may feel and deal with their trauma. I think this helps us to be more understanding of those around us who suffer from similar trauma as well. The scars formed can never be undone or beautified. But, Shiwoo's character should really be a motivator for readers to take a look at their own scars and to mend those wounds, especially those that have not fully closed.

One thing that I kind of hesitated to talk about was the idea of being "dirty." This was a common issue and insecurity that Shiwoo had about himself. Worried that others would call him filthy first, he called himself filthy before others had the chance to do so and made sure to roll around in his so-called "filth" so that maybe he would become numb to it. The best way I can describe this mentality is through an example of black coffee. A person who dislikes bitter things will drink black coffee and say that they like black coffee. They know that they don't like black coffee, but they choose to act like they do without fail because they want to view themselves as a person who can handle bitter things. As time passes, that person eventually gets used to the bitterness on their tongue. But, deep down, they know that they don't enjoy black coffee and they know they won't ever enjoy bitter things. However, being seen as someone who can't even handle a cup of black coffee is an image that they hate so much that drinking the cup of black coffee and growing numb to its disgusting bitter nature would be more palatable. I think this is analogous to Shiwoo's situation. Shiwoo knows that he got raped and he knows how humiliated, filthy, and painful the whole experience was. Yet, he continues to have sex with anyone because he would rather have that lifestyle and give in to his self-criticisms so that he doesn't have to deal with the pain and torture of being in denial. Being in denial would leave room for him to believe that there's hope for him to live a better life and receive true love. Convincing himself that he likes black coffee (i.e. likes being held by others and thinking it's not a big deal to be held by others) is easier than admitting that he doesn't like black coffee (i.e. after going through all the motions of sleeping with others, he knows he will have to stand alone by himself, facing his past trauma alone, which is something he wasn't ready to do). At some point, the black coffee becomes more of a comfort because it helps Shiwoo reinforce his own instant gratification and the desensitizing of his pain over his unclaimed baggage. I hope this analogy made sense because, hell, I just sped-run the damn manga and I'm fuckin' high as a mf.

From an empathetic standpoint, I can understand why Shiwoo did the things that he did. Can I agree with his actions and decisions in the first 3/4 of the story? Hell to the fucking no. The way he treated Yujin was unacceptable and all this fundamental attribution error bullshit, leading to major misunderstandings, assumptions, and just overall poor communication is completely unnecessary. However, I think it is easier for you to be forgiven if you have a reason for your actions versus not having a reason at all because, at least, people can afford to be empathetic and understanding. I am happy that Shiwoo finally allowed himself to see through all the lies and bullshit that he was feeding himself because now he can focus on recovering from his trauma, becoming a better person, and loving himself (most of all).

Now, let's talk about Yujin's development now. Yujin has been my favorite character in this story by far because of his resilience, loyalty, and his unconditional love for Shiwoo. I'm not someone who believes in unconditional love because, personally, I don't think it exists, but Yujin has restored my faith in a love that can almost be considered unconditional. His loyalty is truly unparalleled and his efforts to make sure Shiwoo's best interests are prioritized is endearing. Yes, he had his little fuck-ups, but I can't blame him. The anger and frustration that readers felt when Shiwoo's story was being uncovered is most likely the same emotional rollercoaster that Yujin felt when he had all this shit crashing down on him.

When Yujin got upset because Shiwoo was basically fucking his ex and Yujin tried to distance himself, I think this was actually the most natural and responsible thing to do (granted, he didn't know about Hyun's true nature). I mean, why would you pursue someone who is still in love with someone else? That would be even weirder. The most responsible thing, in any other normal scenario, would be to respect the person you love and their wishes/desires, even if it pains you, which is kind of what Yujin was doing. Sure, he had his moment where he wanted to hate Shiwoo and he did act on that frustration (which isn't something I would condone), but I understand him and, honestly, I can't blame the poor fellow. Someone he loved and looked up to for his ENTIRE life was finally giving him the affection that he was longing for, yet all of a sudden, that same person goes around and starts fucking his ex... who wouldn't feel betrayed or hurt? Yes, Yujin did continue to stay by Shiwoo's side despite knowing that Shiwoo still "loved" his ex, but I'm sure he didn't anticipate that Shiwoo would turn around and get intimate with his ex again lol. I'm sure Yujin viewed his time with Shiwoo as his chance to make Shiwoo happy and to earn his favor. This whole fecal festival would be something that would fuck up anyone in the head, even those who are not the faintest of heart. However, Yujin came through and still came to the rescue with his major puppy love (...and schlong). All I suggest is that readers put themselves into the shoes of the characters and imagine how they would feel/react if they were placed in the exact same situation. The story becomes a little more relatable if we have a little empathy in our souls.

All in all, I think Yujin dealt with things to the best of his ability, given the information he had at the time. Just because we're readers and we can see the text bubbles outlining Shiwoo's thoughts, it doesn't mean that Yujin can also see those text bubbles lol... The things that Shiwoo told Yujin to push him away were taken seriously by Yujin and he was hurt and confused because of all the mixed signals Shiwoo was giving him (plus the lack of critical information on the reality of Shiwoo's situation). I think the fact that Yujin even came back to still be of aid to Shiwoo just shows how loyal this dude is and how much he loves Shiwoo. Sure, he masked it with his "it's an obligation" bullshit mask, but I can see right through that shit. I see you, Yujin. I see what you're tryna do here. You ain't foolin' no one, bro. Regardless, I'm happy that Yujin really stepped up and showed us that it's possible to truly accept someone with ALL of their flaws because I think that's what true love represents. I am also very proud of Shiwoo for finally gaining the courage to fight off his demons and to live a happy life, surrounding himself with the right people. I would like to give a special shoutout to Eunchan and Uncle for being top-tier dads and they're welcome any time in my house for tacos.

As for Hyun...

Fuh. Tha. Bih.

Thanks for reading my essay and if anyone enjoys these in-depth character analyses, then feel free to hit me up to engage in some discourse or if you have a request for a certain manga you're reading!┗( T﹏T )┛