
This is gonna be a hot take and people will take this the wrong way but the way some of the comments here act as if the world is black and white is insane.
The story right from the beginning has shown that the leads are troubled and clearly disturbed from their past and is still carrying wounds and mechanism they learned from those traumas that they use to defend themselves from further hurt.
It's a fucked up situation, yes! Acknowledging that these two characters are in a state of pure dependence and toxicity is the go-to because that's what the narrative wants to portray but the way some people chooses to count and balance their action on who did worse and who is right is as tone deaf and cruel as the adults who fucked up these characters lives.
I am aware that it's fiction but I question some of the morals you have when you can't extend your empathy over a complex situation from actions rooted from their past as the story portrayed for the past 3 seasons. It is actually insane like do you not hear how you sound when you do that? The whole point of this was that they're both fucked up in the head and makes choices based on the wound left by the situations and people around them it isn't a balancing scale of which one is more toxic because that's clearly not the point.
They're acting like fucking lunatics? Guess what people with trauma and unfortunate circumstances that fuck up their mental game do! Some of you need to grow the hell up.

I love ML's with personality issues because I can write about how bad they are in my head to fill multiple essays about it but I am on my knees and praying to every god available and capable of hearing me to make the endgame MC X Governor.
I know they're probably gonna try to justify MC's mother's death at some point but I cannot stomach having MC be with a person still responsible for her death. If that's not possible I hope MC is successful is avenging his mother even if his chance of being with the governor is cracked.

It doesn't take much to get traction on BL series, you just need a very well drawn design and scene [18+] and people will flock around it no matter how obscene it might get (non consen)
What does take effort is writing a story that actually hits. Stranger in The Mirror isn't just AI x Human, it tackles topics of existentialism and what it means to exist and be sentient. It has hard hitting issues from PTSD and to actual well speculated psychological outcomes in very complicated situations (the side couple)
My favorite moment isn't when he finally broke the protocol, It was when he (MC) reached out to the Dalai Lama in the train and honestly considered his existence and purpose. What he was as a being that is 'aware'. There is much nuance is every character and you can have feelings over them and not support the actions they take but the fact that they're all feel like they're present and alive in this world is just SOOO much of a jump from qualities that this genre usually produces.
This story is the kind of thing that gets publish in books and discussed over what the grander scale of the narrative means. It's a breath of fresh air from the scent of cum, cock and balls that permeates in this site. (not that I'm complaining)

Dousey, the woman you are. You slayed your 3 chapter appearance and you will be missed, thank you for giving the mushroom a safe place to live but god imagine how tragic it is to be in her place and have the person that saved you from the past and you started looking up to become the executioner of your fate simply because you stay behind someone.
UGHHHH I'm so frustrated for her like Mr. Shan said there will never be a second her in the third floor.
He's a manipulative, love-bombing, piece of shit, yes. However, what I think they really tackle well with him is how he is processing his sexuality most of the time the ML and MC would just go through with it because 'it feels good' or because 'sex' makes them realize 'something more' which I feel is a cop out considering finding out you're queer is more nuanced than that.
I love MC but I genuinely love Yujae's character as well, he's working on his own phase, history, mindset and belief. The thing he's doing is easily chalked up to his anxiety and need for validation over genuine connections that he feel is fake due to his upbringing. He's only been predominantly straight-laced until the confession and even afterwards it wasn't until a few months in did he actually start exploring the idea of being attracted to MC.
Which most people can attest to especially when you grew up in a very conservative culture is daunting, he's traversing a whole identity he didn't even know he had to pick because he's losing the only sense of something real in his life and he can't wrap his head around on why—because he treats people with a superficial bond and a transactional look that he can't help but hang on to as a way to 'fix' problems with MC that are more complex than he thinks.
I personally like how he's written, he's more fleshed out than most ML there is out there and yes he is shitty but he's also the kind of shitty that you probably met once or twice in your life.
He's not perfect per say and he's not everyone's cup of tea but Yujae is definitely a good exploration in the psychology of someone so detached towards real connection and the effects of conservative and problematic upbringing to the character of someone who only wants to clearly be something to the person he genuinely wants.
Actually, I love how well integrated the characters are esp the side characters they're not a one up one deal, they're all doing their own things and they have connections outside of the main characters
The ML is not omniscient either, his actions have consequences like his reputation and how other treat him which is in line with his character study.
I could write a whole essay and all about Hanjoon and Yujae's relationship because it just really works for me, It's clear the author really made sure to do her research in portraying how queer men (esp men who has built on the norm or are straight for their identity) can make decisions that can be in line with 'homophobia' (as per Yujae's contemplation) when in truth it was just a psychological reaction to a buried impulse.
I avoided this cause I saw possessive and stuff on the reviews but I was pleasantly surprised to find that despite, yes, the possessiveness is a genre trope. It's well explained and it makes sense for the character to act the way he does.
love this fr.
you get it
thank you sm for explaining his character trough this analysis T T
Twin u ate