My fav kind of romance. When both are kinda masculine and gruff! The care for each other is shown in their actions and not words. Story is well written. Anyone have recommendations like this one?
Roses and Champagne has similar characterization! Very different plot despite keeping the mafia theme though, so you’ll see a different development lol. I recommend giving it a try :)
oh hell naw dawg you did not recommend that shitshow of a story in comparison to this :/
Ey man it’s a fun read, toxic relationship notwithstanding :/ OP liked masculine and gruff, that work also has masculine and gruff. OP likes actions over words, that work also prioritizes actions over words. No more, no less—I just gave something that fit their criteria.
Here to once again recommend Mania. Nothing scratches that itch like this one does. Not the same story or even vibe but it’s one of the best with that push and pull feels. The two MCs are well developed and no one is a stereotype.
Am I the only one who likes Doyeon and is on the line between like and dislike with Jinju? I love everything about Doyeon - her helpful nature, her hidden apathy, her competence, the natural butch energy, her beauty - she's a total package. As such, I wanted her love interest to be someone who could match her and more. I wanted a pairing that explodes with chemistry and passion.
As another commentor below put it, Jinju seems almost helpless. The comment pointed out that the helplessness comes from having been raised rich. I think the author uses her character in a brilliant way to show us readers the reality of life and how it hits you when you get married off to the first guy you fall in love with without a solid job or a plan and how that can cripple you in the future. It hits Jinju ESPECIALLY hard because she was raised in comfort.
But as a reader, I just can't bring myself to fully trust Jinju. I know the author wrote her as passive for a reason and may intend for character development in the future, but she's no match for Doyeon. I know I am not alone in thinking it either. Imma say it - Doyeon deserves better. Still scratching my head about why Doyeon became so obsessed w Jinju, but I am ready to change my mind.
Maybe the author will take the story in a completely different 'dark' direction where Doyeon's obsession becomes dangerous and basically induces fear in Jinju. I don't think the signs point to a fluffy, happy yuri. I think the author wants to portray a fucked up relationship.
I love how refreshing Doyeon is as a character. I don't believe I've seen a woman character like her in a long time (perhaps I am not searching hard enough). She feels like a real character. In fact, I want more characters like her in all the manhwas on the front page, regardless of whether the genre is yuri, yaoi fantasy, shonen, etc.
Anyway, let's see how it goes! Kudos to the author. (๑•ㅂ•)و✧
I agree!
I don't dislike Jinju (yet) but if she keeps on leading Doyeon on I'll not like her probably
I loved reading your comment and I feel like you bring a very interesting point. Which is: Why does Doyeon even like Jinju? It seems like Doyeon is this better person on every level when compared with Jinju, so why would Doyeon of all people like Jinju when literally she could have had anyone?
One of the first things Doyeon says (I don't remember which chapter, maybe 1 or 2?) about Jinju is "misery loves company" (Or something along those lines). Doyeon has a social obligation to take care of everyone, and not complain about it. We know this by the flashbacks of her memories with the church and how everything, whether it was her fault or not, was blamed onto her. This is why Doyeon is fine with taking so much shit from people. When Morae gets mad at her, she just assumes that to be her fault. All she can do is just be the "big sister" for everyone. The one that is reliable and does not complain at all. She follows this social role to the detriment of her happiness. While she appears to be happy on the outisde, inside she's completely numb. She's going through life without ever feeling what she wants, and she's been taught that from the beginning so it seems normal for her.
Then comes Jinju, whose background is probably more of a mystery. All we know is that she comes from a rich family that could easily take care of her but disowned her because Jinju did not follow what was required of her. This was probably due to her wanting to be her own independent person, away from her families obligation but now knowing how to be her own person. She thinks following her "true" love is what would make her happy and independent. I don't think she ever loved her husband, maybe platonically, but she put her own idealism of what she wanted her husband to be, but never actually loved him for him. That part is just a guess on my side. We know she's put herself in a loveless marriage for who knows how long. She's following her social role of being the wife to her own detriment. Which is losing the chance to grow as a person, and being her own person, which is the irony of it all. She left her parents to be her own person only to continue to fall under the same trap her parents have put her in. Just a different setting.
So why would Doyeon like a person like this? Well, because they're the same. They're both following their social roles to their own detriment. Doyeon never being her own person with expressing herself, and Jinju never being her own person being independent. They both have ingrained themselves so deep into their roles that it's hard for them to break out of it. Jinju can't leave her husband because that would be breaking her social role, and Doyeon can't stop being nice to people which if she did stop, it would break her social role. They understand each other on a deep level.
Mixed in with the fact that they both love each other's scent, and are physically attracted to each other, which leads them to being obsessed with each other.
I personally don't see their relationship as toxic. I think they're both pushing each other to break out of their social roles. Doyeon is learning to be more self assertive over Jinju and expressing what she wants. For example, when Jinju said she was Doyeon's aunt, Doyeon expressed how upset she was about it. Maybe not in the healthiest of ways, but this was still a first for Doyeon. She's never before indicated when she was upset about something, but with Jinju she does, even if it's indirect, it's still a stepping stone for Doyeon. Jinju in a way gives Doyeon the space to do that. Because no matter how rough Doyeon gets, Jinju will accept it, which of course would lead to Doyeon being more comfortable around Jinju. Of course we see Jinju putting her boundaries down with Doyeon. For example, when she started crying in front of Doyeon in the middle of them having sex, Doyeon stops.
Jinju is also learning how to be her own person in front of Doyeon. When she was by herself, she obviously wasn't taking care of herself. With Doyeon, she's learning how to manage herself more, by watering the plants, cleaning the place up, and working on her relationships at church. It may not seem much, but Jinju's situation is a bit different, in which she was trained to be passive all her life. I think in later chapters we will see Jinju start to grow more as a person now that the loan sharks are (kind of but not really) out.
Yeah sorry about this being long, but I've read this webtoon so many times. The characters are much deeper than you'd think.
I found your reply very insightful. I did find that Doyeon stepped away from following her social "script" and was more assertive in expressing her needs and desires with Jinju. What you said about them understanding each other's world of misery makes sense. They are so curious about what's in the other's mind or what was their past like, etc.
In hindsight, I did enjoy Jinju's reactions anytime she unearthed a new facet to Doyeon (eg. the move theatre scene in the latest chapter or any time they have hot sex where Doyeon surprises her with intensity)
I also think Doyeon appreciates how straightforward Jinju is with her thoughts and her needs. That being said, my bias in not liking Jinju as much is entirely personal lol
In my post, I described Jinju as passive. I think I am underestimating her here - I think she can be extremely perceptive of people and use her words to target them where it hurts. She is perceptive of Doyeon's reactions to things (eg. Movie theatre scene in the latest chap). We see this when Morae confronts her.
She is not shy to use what's necessary to survive - she accepts Doyeon's offer for shelter, which turns to offering her body to her, and then finally to shake up Morae who was a threat. I am sure I am missing some more as I haven't read the webtoon in a while besides the new chapters.
Personally, I like Jinju more than Doyeon. Jinju to me feels more human and real. Who hasn't stubbornly followed through on what they felt was right even when it continues to be a detriment to them? Who hasn't wasted years on a unequal and loveless relationship? While I know I haven't, I felt like I could relate to Jinju more as a character. But I can see why people like Doyeon more than Jinju. They're both characters that have their flaws.
Jinju is a flawed character because while perceptive, she is, as you mentioned, pretty passive. While I do feel like she's made strives to be more independent, she needs to rely on Doyeon to protect her. Doyeon of course doesn't seem to mind it at all, it does play into their toxic personalities. I did mention that I find their relationship healthy, but if I'm being honest, while I do still feel like it leans on a healthier relationship, it also still has layers of being toxic. Of course, that's why I feel you'll find posts where people are trying to analyze these two characters. You don't usually see that in other mangas. This one has layers of character development. The characters feel unique yet relatable at the same time. Their relationship seems toxic, yet works to make them better people.
If you have the time, I would reread the manga again. Not because I think you're missing anything, but you may appreciate it more with an understanding of the characters being more complex/well written than other mangas. I reread the manga countless times, because I felt confused at the character's behaviors and why they were doing the things they were doing. I've asked why Doyeon would even like Jinju, and why Jinju would even like Doyeon? What does the religious symbolism mean? Why does Doyeon behave the way that she does? Why would Jinju go back to her husband? I felt like the author was hiding something in the manga, and not making it obvious to the reader what these characters really were. Once I realized how layered the manga felt, I ended up enjoying rereading it more than when I first read through it. I think the author does an excellent job at creating these characters. I'm not crazy about the artwork, nor do I care for the side characters, but I do feel like the author really seemed to care about how these characters interacted and took the investment into their development. I could be wrong. But it personally feels that way for me.
Wow! I want to know more about your thoughts on the Church symbolism.I am going to re-read this manhwa when I get the chance. I first read it several months ago and only read new chapters every two months or so, so I am really looking forward to rereading the whole thing! Also super looking forward to how the author handles these characters. I love your thoughts about the characters. What do you think of the husband? Do you think he is just an impractical idiot who cares for his wife or do you think he has ulterior motives? I don't think their marriage was mentally or physically abusive, just that it was loveless as he was impractical. My memory is a little foggy here, but why did Jinju's attraction to him die down?
Are you sympathetic towards Morae? She's a hateable character, but from her pov, being able to see a cold side to your sister who is seen as a social goddess who is kind and can do no wrong to anyone can be frustrating. That being said, she crosses several lines. I think two things can be true.
She seems like an image-oriented person and the one thing the sisters share is probably responsibility. She cares about their parent's image in their strict society. At the same time, she uses that as a crutch to harm Doyeon as she is resentful towards her. (hence trying to dispose of Jinju coldly without considering Doyeon's feelings, which is mean because even if you feel like things are unfair, Doyeon has always been gracious towards her as far as I can tell.)
It's a very uneasy feeling to see someone close to you feeling fake. Feels like you are being gaslit by society because you see the truth lol. I think a lot of siblings can relate to that if one of them is more social/charismatic/the chameleon type and the other is like 'the hell you are doing?"
But it's interesting - because just like what you said about Jinju feeling real, Morae's reaction made sense to me in a fucked up kind of way. It's not right, and it's fucked up - Doyeon never breaks down and gets 'real' with her so I think Morae just assumed Doyeon is just a cold-hearted person who will never ever be able to feel 'rea' emotions but gets all those social accolades from those who interact with her anyway. She keeps crossing the line until she sees Doyeon break down over Jinju's safety, I think her warmth and shame and feelings as a sister to Doyeon come rushing in (and she tries to make amends)
I usually don't comment much on this site, but this manhwa made me want to write down my thoughts and post them to see if I was missing anything. I think it was because of what you said about the author's commitment to creating characters that feel real. Jinju's fuck up does feel extremely real and to be honest, unnerving because it feels like a quiet fuckup but it could happen to any of us. Most manhwa's go loud with the fuck ups - big things happening to characters with cartoon villains that don't feel that real. But this author manages that well.
This is random, but I wonder why Jinju is a person of faith. Is it because of the turbulence of her life?
Sorry for the late response, classes started and it's been super busy. I'm, in fact, writing this in between study session breaks.
1. For the church symbolism, I wouldn't know if the church is supposed to represent something in particular. I do feel like Jinju gets something different out of the church compared with Doyeon. For Doyeon, the church has basically traumatized her. We see this because of the fact that she seems to feel she needs to help everyone out. There's flashbacks of how this idea of her needing to help everyone out originated from when she was an orphan in the church. On the other hand, I think for jinju, the church ended up being what kept her going. She had a community outside of her husband that she could rely on. It was the one thing that kept her from being completely isolated. Remember, jinju doesn't have a family, her past seems to disown her, all she had at the time was the church. Both of them have been heavily involved in the church. In some ways it does represent real life where there's people that benefit a lot from going to church while the opposite could be said to be true. In some regards, I think the author is trying to indicate that the church can be both beneficial, as well as having a traumatizing, negative impact on your life.
2. For the husband, I do think he's just an idiot. An old fashion idiot who thinks the husband needs to do everything and the wife is just property. I think that's how he's treated jinju. He tries really hard to keep her from not working, to keep her inside the house all day, because that to him is what is successful. I also don't think jinju ever really loved him. I think she loved the idea of rebelling against her family, and finding love, but never did she actually love him in a romantic sense. It doesn't seem like she's ever felt physically attracted to him. I think this as to how surprised she was when she had an orgasm with Doyeon. I mean she literally told Doyeon she rarely ever cums and doesn't ever get wet. Well now she's wet every moment she's with Doyeon. Honestly I just don't think Jinju has really ever had the time to find out what she likes sexually. I think her whole life she just assumed she wasn't really interested in anyone sexually, and she never questioned it. I think she was a lesbian from the beginning, and I just think Doyeon just so happened to be her type. I mean, even when Doyeon kissed her, she thought it was just normal for girls at her Doyeon's age to just kiss. Lol, no it's not normal unless you're under the queer umbrella. In terms of the quality of their marriage, I wouldn't say the husband was abusive, but I do think their relationship was toxic. They didn't communicate effectively enough, they never argued, there just wasn't any passion in there.
3. I've never really put much thought into morae. She's kind of a side character to help create drama. Lol I kind of wonder if there would ever be a side story between her and the professor (I know the idea is out there, but the author likes age gaps so why not?). I think Doyeon kind of looks at Morae as just another little sister she needs to protect/service no matter what. Again, going back to her flashbacks in the church and having to take care of all the younger kids. That may be why Morae feels like something is off with Doyeon, because Doyeon just treats her as someone she has to take care of. I think Morae wants Doyeon to get mad, and to express herself. But Doyeon doesn't, so she thinks its unsettling. I think Doyeon refusing to follow Morae's orders when it comes to Jinju is why Morae freaks out so much. She feels like she can't control the situation, and goes over and beyond. Cuz honestly it's not really her business who her sister hangs out with.
Maybe Morae has feelings for Doyeon? We haven't seen anything to indicate that other than her trying to split Jinju and Doyeon up. I'm not quite sure. Overall, I've always just viewed morae has a character that kind of just gets the ball rolling. She doesn't seem to have anything deeper than that. Maybe more will be exposed about her later on.
Not me checking Mangago every day for Shutline's updates ლ(´ڡ`ლ)
Every.single.day! (~ T﹏T )~ ⁄(⁄ ⁄·⁄ω⁄·⁄ ⁄)⁄
you'll have to wait a few months at least
Damn...well, back to waiting. Author deserves all the rest and relaxation they need
This manhwa embodies love in its many forms - love mixed with hesitance, anger, envy, devotion, uncertainty, yearning and so on. But the affection and admiration the two share for each other - knowingly or otherwise - shines bright without a doubt. The dedication, planning and craft that went into this speaks through every pen stroke the author has made. Beautiful work.
Gurll bottom Doyeon took me by surprise but I want moreeee (╯°Д °)╯╧╧ Jinju giving highkey toxic vibes tho-