Perfectly said
I sometimes think people forget that adults can get groomed just as easily as kids. Especially vulnerable adults, which yeseung seems to be. Theyre arguing about what the rape contributes to the plotline and while I agree that the author does use the rape aspect to gain more traction, it actually also makes sense for what we were introduced to in the first season, that Mr.Kim uses sexual themes for his art pieces and that he feels in power which is why he's recruiting Gyeol, so he can lose his sense of power too.
I again also think this is just poor writing, because it really seems like the author is trying to show the scariness of the rape especially with the last two creepy panels of Mr.Kim but it comes off rubbing people the wrong way because the author can't seem to show it properly OR it is intentional because yeseung still doesn't fully acknowledge the sense of fear he feels and is also embarassed at the humiliation. I hope my comment reaches more people because I also want other people's opinions
Probably a mix of both, the author wants to present the scenes as “desirable” for the gooners, but also wants to present it as unromanticized trauma. Which clashes with eachother so inevitably it’s a skill issue on the authors part. She just doesn’t know how to write unromanticized trauma and prefers to cater to the gooner side of her fan base
Actually I think this is the litmus test, if you know the context that it is abuse and rape but you still enjoyed the scene then there is something wrong with you but if not, we have discussion posts about the nature of rape and power like right here.
Absolutely not, I do not enjoy rape scenes especially when it's so graphic like this as I am a victim of sexual assault and definitely feel the dread that victims in manhwas wether bl or not feel. But rape culture is so prominent in Korea you really can't escape it, the best manhwa you could find might have nonconsent engraved into it which is extremely dissapointing.
Sorry if I had misunderstood your comment!!
oh no worries, I’m trying to continue convo bcs you say you want to hear what others have to say, also there are freaks out there who DO enjoy in-context rape scenes even in the detriment of others
Ohhh, yes yes!! There is an issue with people who enjoy noncon stories, and as I've said seems like these people like the power imbalance. Personally, I like my toxic manhwas to have both the main characters equally as toxic to eachother rather than having only one being tortured and the other being the torturer.
I think it's fine to read toxic romance, not everyone likes it soft and sweet, I also read toxic BLs but toxicity doesn't just have to be rape, like yang ilwoo and I which although it does include coercion, it still added more than just that as a toxic trait like codependency, homophobia, bullying, and manipulation. It's just these authors really can't seem to be bothered to do a lick of research on what they're planning to add to their stories and as I've said before Asians especially Korean and Japanese media have a long history of rape culture that is completely normalized. If rape was treated more seriously like in the west there would've been less media where rape is present.
It really dissapoints me to see an author who's work I actually enjoyed suddenly turn out to have weird noncon fetishes
I agree with yours and OPs statements regarding this, very well said.
I wanted to add on this conversation by bringing up how its a concern that the author, even when writing a rape scene, which is supposed to be anything but pleasant, “goon worthy”; still has that thought to cater a rape scene to gooner audiences. It shouldn’t be at all, it should be presented as what it is: an act of violence.
(But as OP stated, its due to country's rape culture being so embedded in society which includes artists who draw porn)
Im glad people in the comments are telling to kill this Mr Kim guy , I agree this guy should suffer highkey.
LOL!! Even Korean fujos are calling for his death, he's really creepy
I really liked this storyline,I still do, the only issue is the author consistently being unable to show what rape truly looks like in the hands of the victim. I think the artist is talented enough to show the dread and discomfort rape victims feel in the moment.
But, I also want to say that the reason it's not being portrayed as fearful is due to some sort of grooming, it's been a while since I read the first season but I'm pretty sure that yeseung has a habit of defending his boss, he doesn't seem to truly see what so wrong with the fact that the models Mr.Kim sculpted were all using his body, and even felt surprised at Gyeols reaction of disgust towards the sculptures and painting rather than what I assume he probably gets(a positive reaction, possibly from his boss)
This is just a poorly made grooming and rape victim that the author could've done better, Yeseung knows and feels the discomfort and fear that his boss is putting him through, but he can't exactly tell what it is, and we still don't really know about his past, it could be that yeseung was in a tight spot and mr.kim helped him out financially hence why yeseung has said(I might be quoting this from my ass) that he owes it to him, he can't seem to leave nor escape his boss because he is tied to the one good thing he had done which was likely done to manipulate yeseung into submitting to him.
Mr.kim clearly seems to be an egotistical man, the likely reason he constantly rapes the boxers is to fuel his hunger of being the one with the upper hand, making everyone that isn't him fear him and submit to him. It the reasoning behind real life rapes too, where the rapist only does the crime to feel powerful and in control. The author just seemed to suddenly lose her sense of writing because she could've done this much better, I still really enjoy the manhwa though.