i really do love this story. i think the plot and characters are sweet and endearing. but the writing is so strange to me. i did read ahead in the raws because i couldn't wait for them to reunite again. the story is pretty predictable but what stood out to me was the fact that huijae was visibly traumatized by what happened at the end of s1.
huijae was raped. but the scene itself was framed as something that /wasn't/ a violation of his body. even the ml refers to it as "fucking" ("i'm going to fuck you one last time") instead of rape. the concept of saying "no" has become somewhat of a kinky/fetish thing in manhwa/hua/ga because i genuinely believe that most of these authors have forgotten what consensual sex looks like. like when characters say "noo, don't touch me, kyaaa (sorry for making you read that) but they're written as though they do like what's being done to them. there's just a very blurry line between the depiction of sex and rape in manhwa/hua/ga. i initially thought maybe that's what happened at the end of s1 but i was definitely mistaken.
it's obvious from s2 that huijae was traumatized by what happened to him. it caused him to be scared of people touching him. he suffered from very real repercussions of what happened to him. when they met again he collapsed on the ground out of fear. so the plot itself treats huijae's trauma like it is--rape. but the writing seems to dismiss the gravity of it for the sake of maintaining the romance. i don't think it's ever been to referred to as rape in this (i could be mistaken since i used google translate for most of it) and, while it looked as though the ml regretted his actions, the writing made it seem as though he believed it wasn't rape himself. a better way to say this is: the possibility that he raped huijae didn't even cross his mind because it wasn't rape to him. he was more angry at himself for treating huijae harshly with the handcuffs than violating his rights.
at the end of the day it's clear this story falls victim to the romanticization of rape. you can't make a plot that demands a character is traumatized by the violation of their body while also writing those same characters blushing bashfully when they interact with their abusers. that being said,,, i still do really like the story. i've unfortunately grown very desensitized to bad and problematic writing so i'll probably keep up with this until the end LMAO
sorry for the long comment. i'll stop yapping now
I agree. but unfortunately, what's new in yaoi? 80%, if not more, of all the "stories" are full of rape and sexual assualt disguised as "love" or whatever the fuck they think it is. Having feelings for someone does not give you the right to violate a person's body and spirit just because you "like them so much" and can't contain yourself it's the most brain rot take on romance ever but I guess anything goes in the name of fiction.
the bar is in hell because this particular story isn't even half as bad as the rest of them. At least there's actual trauma.. compare to the ones where the character is raped, and suddenly they can't get enough of their rapist and boom they fall in love
the bar is in the deepest pits of hell you're so right it really sucks that i'm so desensitized to it now. the only manhwa i couldn't stomach was no returns after use. nothing has made me feel as physically ill as that one
I read this after my comment but I agree totally with yall. I’m very desensitized to things like this usually (no returns after use was nothing to me but corrosive bothered me, I might still read it if they actually became more loving) and the only story that has made me physically ill is indomitable champion bc it’s literally just rape without reprieve. People complain a lot about roses and champagne but at least we see that the character repeatedly forgives and accepts his psycho partner. I do hope there’s at least an actual apology given to huijae bc otherwise why show this trauma??
100% agree. Summing it up, the author doesn’t want as to hate the ml for the sake of romance. It could have been written differently because now I feel sorry for mc and I can’t get past what happened to him
ya'll are both stronger than me because there's a handful of stories that make me physically ill because rape and abuse is so minimized like it's just another Tuesday, and somehow romance randomly blossoms or the abusers are repeatedly forgiven... that's why now, I always check the comments before I start something to avoid the mental and emotional torture. I'm a completionist with OCD so I have a hard time dropping something once I've already started it, but there have been several that imo were bad enough for me to drop and suppress my morbid curiosity
Christ I WISH this was new. Rape has been engrained in yaoi since the dawn of the genre (as in, the one pioneered by straight women)
I understand this so much. I have a bad habit of starting stuff bc I like to “collect” manga. I had to force myself to stop reading stuff I didn’t like, and ultimately fortified myself for a lot of violence/messed up stuff. If they are in love at the end or there’s some lightheartedness/comedic relief I can justify continuing. If not I have to drop, bc I don’t like unhappy/mindbreak/violent endings
I hate to be that person but rape in any sort romance based genre in general is not new. It’s strange to point out straight women specifically especially bc we don’t actually know for sure the sexuality/gender identity of all the people who pioneered the genre. We have the privilege of being a bit more open now but women(straight or lgbtq) are still an oppressed group and not some sort of villain
I'm talking modern *yaoi* specifically. And I never said they were villains, but you cannot be erasing east Asian media history like that my guy. Or the very real reality of fetishization that has been going on till today. And let me tell you as a reader of all romance manga/hwa/hua, there is a concerning disparity between how often rape is depicted, brushed off, or the sheer level of violence depicted in yaoi.
And lastly sure, I don't know the specifics of the sexuality of every single woman to ever make yaoi/BL, but that doesn't take away from how fucked up it is and the damage that has been caused. It does sound like you're partially projecting though. Whether you believe woman yaoi authors are also queer, doesn't make it okay just because they're on the oppression scale, they're not infallible.
oh damn i let this marinate for way too long. i heard this is only the adaptation of part one and that there doesn't seem to be any plans to adapt the rest. that being said is this still worth the read?
I'd honestly just say read the novel, the adaptation leaves out so much (some scenes were even different then in the novel too) and it makes the story seem like it has way more plot holes then it should on top of that all the un-answered things from part one get resolved in the second part of the novel, meaning if this isn't getting a 2nd season then the story is left unfinished and confusing to readers. it's up to you if you want to read it but in my opinion I don't think it's worth it if they don't make a 2nd season.
novel link pls
yet another story where the bottom raises the top pass.
this trope is popping up a lot recently.
the fact that they always make the older one the bottom is because they know this situation is weird so in their head its less predatory this way lol
hit the nail on the head LMAO hate how this has become a trend
You are right on point.
i see a lot of people saying jk only went to see dan's grandma in order to guilt trip him into being his pt again, and that's probably part of the reason, but imo i think jk just genuinely enjoys her company... and maybe this is just me reading this with rose tinted glasses but honestly when we saw him talking to her in ch 21 it was the first and only time we saw him genuinely smile. plus when he saw that the hospital was the one calling dan he instantly picked up with bc he knew she wasn't well. i feel like if jk really did only see grandma just to spite dan he would've had that stupid smirk on his face when dan burst into the room. for him it was probably nice to have a motherly figure fret over him since he (theoretically) didn't have one in his life. it is also important to note that i am delusional.
Unpopular opinion but I agree. JK is a really damaged person and his awful behavior and need to just fight everybody comes out of that. I think granny is actually going to be his saving grace. He could learn so much from her that he never learned before about empathy and love and being humble (we know she’s capable of that - look at how Kim Dan turned out). Not sure he deserves a second chance with Kim Dan, but if anyone can teach him how to be human, it’s granny.
Or maybe I’m just delusional too.
probably more unpopular than yours--i love myself a good chase arc it would be extremely nice to see them get back together when jk finally gets his shit together (and on his knees) but i'm a bit skeptical bc the chase arc in bj alex wasn't that good. but just as her art improved i'm hoping her writing did too i don't see them getting together any time soon tho. i hope it's gonna take like 30 more chapters
THIS CHAPTER WAS SO FUNNY HAHASKHSDAKLSDHLSH i was right about jk admitting himself into the hospital (๑•ㅂ•)و✧
my next prediction is that we will see jk flail and humiliate himself even more trying to adapt to country life (no wifi, electricity, no one to do the laundry and clean up after him). maybe dan will hear jk having nightmares and wake him up which will then lead to some hurt/comfort. i think it'd be funny if we saw jk jump at some snake or something (ooc ik) and then dan comes over and silently takes care of it for him, glares at him one more time, and then leaves AHAHA
٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶
can junghyuk stop rubbing jungwoo's nasty grippers every time they show up
Jungwoo has serious chronic illness, probably related to moving his toes. Junghyuk is massaging his feet, like some physiotherapy.
junghyuk needs to stop giving him physiotherapy
imagine studying to be a doctor for 8 whole agonizing years and these freaky ass gay men come into your office bc they stuck tomatoes up their ass
Thank you for making me giggle.
if any more people stick tomatoes up their ass i'll let you know
this is going off the rails so quickly,,, what happened to the big dumb top who was stupidly head over heels for the bottom?? he was doing so well in the beginning. now we're in attempted sexual assault and stalking territory i get following after him to protect him and all and i admit i do like the silent savior trope but what exactly compelled him to jump over the fence ALSSLKGDSJD he thinks the bushes can hide his big nosy ass???
idk if i'm just delusional but i really don't think they're going to have sex next ch,,,, feels like right before they do jk will get frusytated at dan's distant demeanor and push him away bc he won't yet understand why he's so angry
yeah I'm really hoping dan is just cold and despondent and it causes jk to do some reflecting finally. I fear we may be delulu tho
I think you should've tagged this as a spoiler...
also since the redemption arc has been following BJ alex so far, they most probably will have sex, but it'll be a cold and emotionless one.
ope my bad babes i got ahead of myself
he needs to be the ice queen for now i agree and give jae 0 satisfaction, so no reactions. how jaegeng got hrd from just dan’s top off is crazy tho compared to earlier hahaa im glad hes so desperate