topless's Topics (7)

t’s not as if anyone is unaware that the male lead is unhinged or that the relationship is toxic; we’ve all read the chapters. Most readers found those final scenes disturbing simply because they are disturbing.

I don’t see what’s amusing about very normal, predictable reactions. Trying to rationalize the male lead’s actions doesn’t make the scenes any less unsettling.

It’s like with horror movies. Some people enjoy them, but that doesn’t stop them from screaming out of fear. They may like the thrill, but the fear is still real.

THANK YOU MISS! Because she really thought she ate with her useless comment

you said it all, couldn't agree more

LOVE that last bit!

Permission to copy/paste this response every time I see some dipshit make a comment like that?

and wheeeeeere did i exacgtly rationalise male lead's actiosn? this is exactly the thing i was talking about lol. i view this manhwa as what it is; an emotionally distubed and unsettling obsession and not a love story. i view it as that. the bit i gave about his psyche is the exact reason crimonology exists, explaining someone's mental background and possible causes of their henious acts does not mean you're condoning or excusing. it's simple a reason, not an excuse.

as for "it's like watching horror movies, some ppl enjot them but it doesnt stop them from screaming from fear" i'd agree if comments are in any way insinuating they're still enjoying the media content, people watch horror bc they like it. not because they condone mass murderers or romanticise disgusting gore, it's bc it's a specific genre. just like this manhwa but if someone says they like it... they're treated like they're doing a disgrace to queer media. let's not act dense. people in comments are straightout shitting on this manhwa i saw a lot of comments going "another trash blah blah" when they simply could go for a fluff read. no shame for their preferences, just as they shouldnt shame others for reading or enjoying this.

last bit didn't make sense tbh.. people watch horror bc they still like the genre and the feeling it gives. ppl i see in comments seem like they're having a miserable time so i think it would benefit them more to read genres they prefer.

can you please explain the bits where i was useless.. it's useless to be miserable in comments when it's literally the genre that's supposed to be unsettling and disturbing. it's the same as gp discovering harada, some content are made for some people. it's not bc those ppl are horrible ppl romanticising or not understanding disturbing content or taking actual sa/assault irl serious. it's because fiction is a safer zone and they understand it's just that. purity culture completely rotted brains atp when you say you read yaoi with disturbing elements you're called every name in the book. do you call the same names to horror fans who consume murderers, ghouls and monsters?? going off the example op gave you should be calling them names for romanticising horror movies bc they enjoy the genre...

can you come up with your own argument instead bc it only confirms that this purity culture within yaoi's indeed sheep mentality who cannot consume media and form their own opinions...

also ik i recognised u from somehwere... you left a comment under jinx before that you enjoyed their smut scenes lmaooo excuse me you pinnacle of morality, tell me exactly how is jaekyung any less of a shitty, disgusting assaulter. should i call you names or assume something's wrong with you for enjoying them? no. because i understand fiction doesn't operate on this kinda purity meter and i know what ppl expect from jinx: brainless smut. so i dont spend my time whining about it in the comments... which you love doing i noticed going off your comments. 70% of your comments is just criticising manhwa authors and calling them trash, maybe you should write your own media.... i'll cheer for you. and i won't call it trash.

(⌒▽⌒) Approved. Permission granted.

I believe you answered your own question. Providing a reason is rationalization (by definition). It isn’t the same as legitimizing, excusing, or condemning. Different words, different meanings. I said you attempted to rationalize, you said you provided a reason: it is the same thing to me, we can agree here.

You're absolutely entitled to interpret the story in your own way, as is everyone else.

Jumping straight into analyzing the male lead's actions through a literary lens, while valid, can feel a little tone-deaf in the moment. No offense meant. It's just that when I see a character I care about being mistreated, my instinct isn’t to think “what a well-written abuser” — I’m just upset, you know?

As for the Queer angle, I don’t think this story is aiming for that. You are the only person, so far, I saw making it slightly about it. It follows standard BL/yaoi tropes and nothing more, in my humble opinion. Of course, you're welcome to read it differently, but I doubt that’s the author’s intention.

Speaking for myself, I wouldn’t say I’m enjoying the story. But I am intrigued. The tension and unpredictability keep me reading, even if it’s not comfortable. For many readers, that thrill is what draws them in, especially in stories with toxic dynamics or horrific scenes.

Plus, I’m not sure who’s shaming whom, but so far, you’ve mocked others for being emotional, for expressing fatigue with negative tropes, for supposedly missing that it’s a toxic story, and for allegedly preferring fluff. Everyone is even?

I can respect your ability to appreciate a well-written abuser, but that’s all. Honestly, it’s not that deep — behave like an asshole and you might as well be treated like one. The backlash is simply a natural response to his actions. ╮(￣▽￣)╭

i think you’re mistaking my issue tbh… idc if people dislike jinhwan or treat him like an asshole, the entire reason i even wrote my comment is bc of the people are treating the media as a whole. you may not recognise but this kinda purity culture, moral high ground in fujo spaces are esp on the rise recently and it’s even making waves towards authors as backlash. sooner or later we will only have mini heartstoppers as the only genre of yaoi/bl if this kinda mon mentality is encouraged lol

i said as simple as it is: if people are not enjoying and spending weeks after weeks simply talking down on author or mistaking romanticisation vs. troubling content being portrayed bc they stick to a few buzzwords they learnt from killing stalking times.. they should simply stick to fluff.

personally i always take a walk to bongchon bride a criminally underrated fluff manhwa when i need a pick me up and want healthy relationships. but one of the commentators above praising jinx smut scenes then coming here to morally check ppl who take interest in this story or happen to like it is… some of the most disingenuous thing, i called it funny not bc it made me laugh. it’s figurative speech.

as for jinhwan you can tell just by my other comments and me calling him a psychotic person that i don’t excuse his actions. i simply analysed his instincts of controlling behaviour (mind you i believe he could’ve worked on thru very diligent therapy lol)

“my instinct isn’t to think “what a well-written abuser” — I’m just upset, you know?” and you’re allowed to again i think you kinda miss my entire point, i’m not some warrior for jinhwan… i’m simply checking the miserable vibes in comment section and frankly looking out for ppl bc if they’re feeling this intensely upset by it every week it’s a better use of their time and mentality to invest in media like i recommended. bc it’s only making the rest of us and themselves feel stifled

also about “rationalisation” thing bc tbh it’s the most that bugged me about ur comment bc it’s literally my job.you're still conflating explaining behavior with excusing behavior. when i talk about jihwan's past or his psychological makeup, that's not me saying "oh, he's justified." it's about understanding the source of his actions as portrayed by the author. that's analysis, not absolution. it's the difference between a forensic psychologist explaining the factors that led to a criminal's actions & defense lawyer trying to get them off the hook. the former seeks understanding, the latter seeks acquittal. i'm doing the former so let’s not throw that word around pls…

it’s not that deep as you said i’m not rattled bc i think these characters matter to me they’re intriguing at most and i’m curious to see where to story goes that’s about it… i’m much more passionate however about ppl using these very puritan talking points in queer media spaces tho. have a nice day (=・ω・=)

Ty

I love your conversation topless and sasuga n. I feel like both of you have the same point but started at different sides ╮(￣▽￣)╭ outsiders view

thank pplsdjfd tbh i understand some backlash bc i might have come across like an asshole but it's really bc i had enough of some conservative/puritan talking points and hypothesis being used in queer media spaces without even people realising. not all queer relationships or media is supposed to entail a healthy, happy and good relationship

just like sasuga gave an example of horror movies (which actually supports my argument much more than some commentators realise here)... people watch horror to feel scared, to get that tension, that unsettling vibe. they don't scream because they hate the movie's premise; they scream because the movie is succeeding.same can go for some manhwas. f it makes readers uncomfortable, disturbed, or even just plain angry, that's probably a sign the author's effectively portraying the toxic, obsessive dynamic they've been building. that's not a flaw in the story; that is the story. the real issue is when people confuse their personal discomfort with the idea that the work itself is somehow broken or the author's got some messed-up agenda... "romanticisation", "normalisation" etc is so overused in our spaces these days bc people cannot even differentiate between intent.

ppl think i'm crusading for jinhwan heredfjkd no. i'm fighting for media literacy & respect for artistic intent. authors should be free to explore all kinds of relationships—the dark ones, the dysfunctional ones, the ones that make you squirm—without being subjected to some moral crusade. even if it's some silly manhwa.

if a story isn't for you, that's fine. move on....there's a whole world of other content out there. let's just try to foster a space where different tastes are allowed... it'd be a lot less miserable as a community

It can be seen that you are no stranger to issues concerning media, and I think both you and sasuga n. are right. You look at it as a whole, while sasuga n. explores more narrow topic and from a different perspective (that of the readers' freedom). Reading both of your comments was quite interesting (◠‿◕)

Whether it's "purity culture" or the so-called moral high ground, I don’t see it as a problem. With growing awareness of abusive dynamics and how socially sensitized this generation is, the backlash is a very “social normative” reaction. It’s natural for readers to want two characters with traumatic pasts to eventually find a healthier relationship. We wish them all the best, don’t we? Some folks enjoy the “I can fix him” arc, even if the execution feels cliché or callous. The goal, for many, is still a happy ending — and since this is labeled as Romance, most readers reasonably expect… well, romance.

The same work can be seen as literary and layered by some, or as stereotypical toxic BL by others. That harsher take may sting, but it’s not without merit. Let’s be honest: using rape as a plot device is a tired shortcut, emotionally manipulative and overused. Both perspectives are valid, and implying one is superior (as if enjoying it intellectually is somehow more “correct”) can come across as snobbish. If it's dismissive to shame someone for liking toxic fiction, it's equally dismissive to mock others for disliking it.

As for the other commenter you seem to disagree with, I don’t think there’s a contradiction in their stance. Just as one can acknowledge a well-written abuser while condemning their actions, others can enjoy smutty scenes while still finding the male lead reprehensible. Readers can enjoy good art and hate abusers; those aren’t mutually exclusive positions. Many people read things they have mixed feelings about. That’s part of being a nuanced reader. Just saying.

(￣∇￣") And can’t you not put words in my mouth? I am not “conflating explaining behavior with excusing behavior”. My comprehension skills ain’t that shallow. I clearly said: “rationalization […] isn't legitimizing, excusing, or condemning”. I made my point VERY clear on this: “Different words, different meanings”. One is a means, the others are goals in argumentative speech. There’s no need to keep circling back into wording: I know what you meant, and I know what I meant. You stated more than three times that I am missing the point or misinterpreting, but have you ever considered that I am actually making my OWN points which happen to overlap with yours? Hmm, I will stop there, Skye (other commenter) already highlighted that. It actually derails me from the actual discussion and provides me no further insights other than telling me that you are being defensive over accusations I never made or intend to make. Enough with this.

There’s a well-known concept in communication theory: unsolicited advice can come across as patronizing or intrusive, especially when it undermines others’ autonomy or understanding (are you not aware is a toxic story, or are we reading the same story types of rhetoric). People have their own reasons for consuming this story, even if they don’t always share them in comments. Angry readers are still readers. They continue because they want to see if there’s redemption, resolution, or just closure. Rage keeps them invested. Some people read through cognitive dissonance — they hate what’s happening, but hope things will improve. No one needs to be told what they should or shouldn’t read. They’re choosing to engage, even if it frustrates them. And authors, especially those writing toxic BL, aren’t oblivious. They know their work provokes strong reactions. In fact, outrage still counts as engagement. If people are angry, it means the story is hitting its mark emotionally. The stronger the pain, the more readers crave a satisfying payoff. I understand what the author is doing here, but I, personally, don’t feel the need or desire to dive into literary analysis — I recognize the tropes, and that’s enough for me.

That said, what about you? You recommend people read stories they truly enjoy... but here you are, reading comments you don’t enjoy. If the comments upset you week after week, why not skip them and focus on the manhwa itself? It’s only making the rest of us and yourself feel stifled. You’ll likely be better off not reading the comments. (I do not mean this, but you should know what I am trying to do here). Because, truthfully, the backlash will only intensify from here. The story is steeped in misery and the comments will reflect that. Controversies follow controversial stories. High correlation, predicable outcomes.

In a nutshell, I think people should read what they want and respond however they feel. Some critiques come from emotion, others from technical analysis. Both are valid, as long as they stay focused on the story itself. Just my opinion though. No offense meant, again. ╮(￣▽￣)╭

Approved. (=・ω・=)

Heyyyy, do you know why Harada hasn’t put out new work recently??

she’s been busy with the live action adaptation of one her works (one room angel) and has some exhibitions etc and updating her most recent work “happy kuso life” so shes still putting out new work! u can catch up with it on twt

Thanks for updating me!!!! This is good, she has such an extensive collection of work, her output was crazy so I was worried when it slowed down. One room angel getting a live action is kinda cool and crazy! I wish it could have been adapted as anime too! Her art style is so distinctive and pretty. Happy Kuso life is so interesting, like a slice of life supernatural comedy, I’m happy she’s making lighter things!

i completely get dark romance and u know whole point is supposed to be dark/gritty, but lmao the way they’re gonna sell this as a romance is crazy work. he killed ur mom…. and literally kills random pple for fun. it’s fantasy so not real and againnn i get it if it was actually psychological or dark etc, but i just find it so funny like you finally meet someone who loves you for you… and you’re gonna get with a guy who thinks ur a freak from the moment he met u and tried to kill you like 3 times. I guess that’s romance for purple eyes… also him having flashbacks to getting rape HAHAHA bro.

pleaseeee. like i consume the darkest and gritty content and i'm no moral police in any way... i read harada ffs but the difference is the characters are meant to be despicable, morally bankrupt and sinister while garon here is being thirsted after... and for that i'm very??? i really don't get the hypejkfdfjkd and i'm sure the author will give him some tearjerking backstory and an arc then call it a day but but genocidal maniacal rapists just dont do it for me sorry... he has no redeeming qualities at all. he makes my skin crawlsjdks

thank youu!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! ILU (づ￣ ³￣)づ