i’m so sick of the discourse surrounding this. i get it’s popular, but that comes with people not understanding the story or the characters at all.
firstly, this is a psychological story, its not going to be a lighthearted romance (literally look at the cover) even the art style is dark and gritty (but still stunning). yes the plot is crazy, you learn that from the first chapter so expecting something else makes no sense.
Rosa is a girl who struggles for control. she’s not had a father growing up and has had everything she’s ever wanted. she’s bored and this idea of control excites her. also her not having a father probably makes her have a bias against most men. her relationship with her mother is tested when not only does her mom bring in a man half her age and the same age as her own daughter, but also someone her daughter has had a past with. obviously rosa would be upset at this, and their past suggests they had some feelings towards each other, for rosa this being possession. she seems to be obsessive over her things but also destructive, her character is one that still needs exploring and explaining but we see the stepping stones set in place.
Yeonwu is a character we know little about, he’s had a hard past as an orphan and a history with rosa- even getting a tattoo dedicated to her. he lived his life as a male host, trying to pay off his debt when rosa’s mom basically bought him to go to second base with her, then giving him an opportunity to be in a relationship, helping him have a home and settling his debt. obviously he’d take it, we don’t know if his feelings are genuine, it’s most likely darker than we know and he could even have been groomed or just a victim of the power dynamics. we’re seeing a bit of his true character, he probably isn’t as innocent as he seems and i theorize he’s trying to seek vengeance on rosa.
Jaeon should not be the ml, all we know about him is he’s attractive and friends with rosa. he might have some romantic attraction to her but it’s mostly just lust, which is why he’s so complacent with everything she wants to do. he doesn’t actually care enough to pursue her, as long as he gets to sleep with her. he doesn’t take anything seriously either, he’s here to have fun and get by. that is not what rosa needs or obviously wants, dare i say he’s too normal for her. saying he needs to be the ml is also not understanding rosa’s character.
there’s still alot to be unraveled, Jaeon is too normal to be considered an option, he’s “safe” which is not want rosa wants. she also needs a relationship where she’s humbled, she’s always had everything so it’s time for her to want something completely unattainable. yeonwu is probably hiding his true motives and nature, rn he’s just this boy bribed by an older woman. yes he’s a victim and i’m theorizing it’s going to be mostly centered around him and rosa getting caught up in his motive by her own feelings. it’s a psychological story, not a romance but also meant to flip gender roles on their side. dare i say, men get away with being horrible red flags but the moment a woman shows an ounce of cruelty, she’s considered horrible while men get redemption arcs and praised.