Responses
100% agree. It also really puts more emphasis on the whole childhood friend 'complex'. But let's keep our expectations low, since the most obvious thing (therapy) could just end up being swapped for rose-tinted glasses (love fixes all aka girl can save boy). It could also be said that together they have more of a co-dependent relationship than anything. Let's pray it gets healthier
Right. And it’s not like haneul hasn’t initiated a “talk” with mincheol before. Js seems like nothing’s getting through him.
Mincheol can benefit so much from cognitive behavioral therapy. With a lot of MLs, they're assholes/abusive/emotionally immature, which can be difficult to change. In Mincheol's case, the issue is literally all about the way he views himself. His self-worth is nonexistent and he keeps repeating the same thinking patterns and re-enforcing his guilt.
I'm not sure if he can realistically get out of this spiral with just Haneul's help, because being honest with him hasn't worked so far. I think Mincheol's condition is presented realistically, but this also makes him seem more incompatible with her. You can only be so avoidant in a relationship before it's not a relationship worth pursuing. Mincheol's issue is more than a stupid misunderstanding so it's hard for Haneul to fix on her own.
I've never seen a modern setting romance where a character actually goes to therapy, so I guess it would be no different in this manhwa. However, I would find it so unsatisfying if this all gets resolved in one conversation with Haneul, because then what would be the point of all the angst?