kei_k's manga / #Manhwa(225)

English: ch 5 // skimmed until vol 13. sad but very memorable and promising. If only he didn't cling onto that girl who looked like Ria (his gf NaBi)... but well, who am I to judge? I want to own this though. I want more. [translations on indefinite hiatus]

Ch 16 // hmm nice concept. The thought about revealing the truth which won't make anybody around her happy or just keeping things as they are is interesting. For a second, I thought, what if I'm faced with a similar dilemma? If I happen to know a truth that will destroy everyone's happiness and making me look like the bad guy, would I still reveal it? Or should I just keep a blind eye and let people be happy? Well, in the story, leaving things as they are isn't good because it's not like they won't do bad things again. If left as is, there's a chance that more people will suffer. Is it selfish to take away their short-lived happiness for the good of many, even if some of them are those we consider "family?" Doesn't it feel hypocritical if for instance, I knew that a family member did a crime and I turn him in? Others may say that as a family, we're supposed to protect one another, so I'm supposed to help him evade the law. However, I personally think that if I don't let him take responsibility, it will only get worse. I mean, of course I worry. For example, if it's my husband and I have to hand him over to the police. What if he's abused while in prison, or worse, killed? I worry about such things, especially because I know that other officials can give up their honor for fame or money. I find it hard to trust even those people who are supposed to protect us. So anyway, I may appear cold-hearted, but well honestly, maybe it would depend on the situation and the gravity of the sin? Anyway, back to the manhwa. I liked how it talked about the tale of the glass slippers... How pretending to be someone else or taking advantage of others for selfish intentions would only hurt them in the end.

hmm nothing really special. would've liked to see more character development. i mean, what's with Haru's character? she's just basically there. would've liked to see more of her present personality aside from constantly chasing after Dongha.

Actual rating: 3.5 It's a beautiful story, but I hope there was more character development, especially from Suzette who's supposed to be mentally and emotionally damaged from all the things she's gone through since she was young...

ch 18 // Uhh twins can really be troublesome, especially when they get selfish of the other claiming they know them best since they've been together since they were in the womb. Thus, hating and shooing away everyone who tries to get close to them...

Would've appreciated Mookyul more if he were drawn better.. I mean, he's not consistent. There are a lot of times when I know I'm supposed to find him hot, but somehow, there's something not right with the way he's drawn.. I mean, even Fox Jung looks hotter than him. Anyway, as I said, I'm not very tolerant about cheating. It really made me furious to know that even after they loved together, Mookyul still had sex with Pres. and what, he made it out like it's not a big deal since it's not the same he holds Ewon. I mean, F! Even I would get mad. But oh well. I admire Ewon for having the guts to stay firm in staying away from Mookyul even if he was so hurt, because if he just accepted it as it is, he'd never be satisfied.. Not after he's finally letting himself fall in love. He just can't share him like that. I really liked that. I even forgive him for sleeping around (though I'm usually opposed to this) because in their case, Mookyul wouldn't have really understood how Ewon felt if he didn't do it. He wanted Mookyul to feel what it's like to have their lover sleep with another person even without love, just like what he's been doing, and planned to continue doing to him. Ewon was like it's all or nothing. When Mookyul left him after saying he still hasn't changed his mind and wouldn't abandon the Pres, my heart broke with Ewon's. It's like, he even went as far as to sleep around (which he stopped doing after Mookyul punished him once) even after he finally gave his heart to him, so he felt betrayed. He thought Mookyul will finally choose him now that he understood what it felt like.. So yeah, good job, Ewon! Well, I'd say I also pity Mookyul, because he was torn between the two guys he loved. He can't just abandon the Pres because if it weren't for him, he probably wouldn't be even alive and meet Ewon again. However, it was also hard for him to give up on Ewon because it was the first time Mookyul felt that he really wanted to possess someone completely. He wanted to love and be loved by Ewon. It was a choice he made by himself. However, as he's still shackled, he can't completely love Ewon because he can't just leave. It may seem unfair to him, too, since he's torn like that, but I can't sympathize with him so much because he still lied. I mean, Ewon already expressed how he was afraid of the complexities of love so he wanted to know how it really is with Pres, but Mookyul just had to say that whatever the Pres and he had, IT WAS ALREADY IN THE PAST AND HE'S THE ONLY ONE FOR HIM NOW. Just how was Ewon supposed to take that, when he found out that even after he boldly confesses like that, Mookyul actually hadn't stopped having sex with Pres? It's just messed up. Well, I get that Mookyul's embarrassed that he's whoring himself to Pres so he didn't want Ewon to know, but how could he expect a sincere relationship with Ewon if he couldn't even be honest with him? Ugh. I was really hurt during their "break up" scenes... So I felt relieved when Mookyul finally decided to go all out for Ewon.

This is my favorite DJ of Totally Captivated. I love how it sparks a debate about Ewon's decision. Personally, I approve of his decision. It may be cruel to the sister in hindsight, but Mookyul knew how Ewon was not capable of giving himself completely to anyone else. If anything, I'd say he willingly became the bad person for Ewon. A lot of people comment how Mookyul was being selfish, wanting Ewon only for himself, but I guess they've forgotten how Ewon was guilty of the same in the orig. manhwa. He realized that he wanted Mookyul for himself only, so he wanted him to abandon the Pres, even though it was too hard for Mookyul because he'd greatly indebted to him. If anything, he could say that he won't even be able to stand in front of Ewon now if the Pres didn't raise him. While it's true that him being picked up and raised had ulterior motives, to the point where he's obligated to have sexual relations to that person he considers a parent, it's also true that he could've been in worse situations if it weren't for Pres. Anyway, if we look at the bigger picture, we can say that Mookyul sacrificed a lot more than Ewon. When he cut ties with Pres, he also had to abandon the family (his subordinates) he's been with for 8 years. Those men were in real trouble when they're abandoned and left in the hands of the evil Kim Namhyung. Well, it's still quite fortunate that the worst thing that happened was Sungtae lost one of his eyes. It could've been worse. Meaning, Mookyul had to forsake them in order to be with Ewon again. What about Ewon? He was also forced to forsake his family. The difference is that, they're actually blood-related. But does that mean they're more important? A family is tied by love not just by blood. He was with his sister for barely a month, so why do people expect him to abandon Mookyul after all those things they've gone through? It's not like he abandoned his sister and mother completely. He's given up all his savings for them. That money wasn't just money; it was money he worked so hard to save by himself after being abandoned. We can say that Ewon is basically doing what his mother did to him --- choosing a lover over family. The difference is that Ewon's mother left him locked in the middle of the forest with nothing to keep himself alive. He was left there to die. If she were any better, she could've at least left him in an orphanage where other people can fend and take care of him. But no. She abandoned him completely. Now, Ewon did abandon his sister, even knowing that the mother had suicidal tendencies. But that's exactly why he also hired an adult maid to help her go through the hardships she's to face. Unlike Ewon, she's given more support. She has more than he ever did. Now, a lot of people complain about Ewon's decision of cutting ties with her, not even allowing her to contact or visit him. They say Ewon's too selfish to just live with Mookyul and not care about her anymore. Hey, people. You're forgetting who we're dealing with. It hasn't been that long since Ewon allowed himself to love and be loved. He just couldn't handle this complication and Mookyul knew this. If he allowed the sister to get in touch with him, his resolve to leave them will be shaken and he'd hurt all of them, including Mookyul. He felt that since he couldn't reassure him with his love, the only way to prove his choice is to stay with Mookyul. If his resolve is shaken, he'd want to be with his sister more and more, and he'd eventually have to deal with his mother again. Now, not dealing with his mother's issues may seem like he's running away from the problem, but facing it doesn't always mean it's right. He went through so much. He may eventually need to face his mother again in the future, but not now. What he needs now is to constantly be with Mookyul and feel whole, after all those years of being empty. You just can't force someone to suddenly be a family.