1) was this scene in character and did it make sense at this point in the story? yes
2) is it ok to still be disappointed by the choice to include dub/non con? yes
3) did literally anyone expect a fluffy lovey dovey sex scene this early in the story? no. i assume people (like me) were hoping that actual penetrative sex would occur MUCH LATER in the story so that it WOULDNT be rape and would still make sense for the characters
4) are you sick in the head if you found this scene hot or wanted worse things to happen to incheol? most likely, please seek professional help
5) is anyone who continues to read the story mentally ill? probably not. so far, the author is making very clear commentary against these characters' choices, and if you're still reading, then hopefully you're still aligned with their message. there are still MANY directions the story can go though.
6) are you mentally weak or too vanilla if you decide to drop it? probably not. everyone has a different tolerance for these things. however, the story is not automatically BAD just because it makes you uncomfortable! it's SUPPOSED to be uncomfortable, it's the physical manifestation of how incheol's boss has been abusing him and fucking him over!!!
me personally, I will try to let this marinate for a bit. I'm interested in seeing if the author will allow the characters redemption/salvation, or if it's going to be more of a tragic story. Unsure if romance is even in the cards for them. I'm hoping that they'll grow closer by working together to undermine Lee's power or maybe somehow finesse the project so that he doesn't actually have to sell the gym? idfk. godspeed yall o7
Omg thank you! The discourse around this has been so so exhausting to read. Why is it so hard to find nuanced takes? It's either people dismissing others for being uncomfortable claiming this is "toxic yaoi" (as if you can't write something toxic without rape), people calling others names just for trying to explain how in character this is, people talking about how much they love rape, people proudly announcing that they're dropping this and shaming anyone who keeps reading as a "rape gooner," people arguing that it's not rape, people being disappointed about the rape not because they think it's bad writing but because they wanted to goon to BDSM smut and not to this, people calling others vanilla and acting like this counts as BDSM??? I'm tired. People feeling uncomfortable aren't snowflakes or vanilla when the scene was meant to be uncomfortable. People being disappointed aren't dumb when rape is so overused. Some just weren't prepared for things to get this uncomfortable. The main takeaway for me has been that so many people on both sides of the argument read anything "BL" as pornography. Some are happy because they have a fetish and the sexual violence turns them on, some are disappointed because they were expecting consensual BDSM play and got this. I'm personally hoping this doesn't take a romantic turn.
Though I'm confused why you made an alt to say this when you think your takes are correct
yeah ur title is correct!
perfectly said
i was so frustrated by the discourse i actually made an account just so i could post this LMAO i'm very much a lurker in the bl community but i couldn't keep reading the same fucking bs you mentioned
Not trying to argue (I agree with you) just giving my two cents about why the sex scene happens now instead of later.
Incheol is feeling very pressured by Rep. Lee to close this deal, even if she says not to rush it he's feeling like he's losing favor and relevance being in that district, away from her. And he has competition (his senior) so he has to be "quick on his feet" and not hesitate.
That's what I think anyway.
also you're SO right about the core of ppl's disappointment one way or another is bc of their consumption of BL as porn! i hate to sound like an asshole but the reading comprehension surrounding this story is at an all time low. or maybe it's not about reading comprehension but just a lack of appreciation for the actual plot and complex characters. idk i'd like to think ppl also want to read thoughtful stories and not just porn but it is what it is
yes!!! i understand the pressure incheol is feeling to get this done and get back in office before he's replaced. every move he's made with pyeonghwa was immediately preceded by a foreboding interaction with someone in office. to me, incheol saw pyeonghwa pulling away as losing his opportunity to obtain important information and further delay his progress on the project. he then kisses him as a way to 'express consent' without actually having to verbalize a desire he doesn't possess and actively disgusts him.
i was just so shocked by how genuinely disturbing the scene was. it makes a lot of sense that it happens at this point though. incheol's BEEN rapidly approaching his wit's end with his job, and i wouldn't be surprised if it's also a way for him to punish himself for letting it get to this point in the first place.
Oh yeah, it's very disturbing. I felt very uncomfortable and sad. Like, it was brutal.
i love this comment. it’s so frustrating to see people be like “well what did you expect”. people are allowed to be upset with rape scenes without being dismissed as ignorant or naive. this chapter wasn’t surprising to me but why are we mad at people who are
What’s interesting is that Pyeonghwa is (for the most part) actively turned off by Incheol’s lack of interest in having sex with him, and often gives Incheol chances to revoke his consent when they do things together. There are only two moments where Pyeonghwa ignores Incheol’s visible discomfort.
In the first bj scene, Pyeonghwa stops Incheol and tells him that he doesn’t have to suck his dick if he doesn’t want to. However, when Incheol pushes himself and insists that he can do it (not that he wants to), Pyeonghwa seemingly gets triggered and mad, gagging him with his dick and choking him with his tie. In the gym scene, Pyeonghwa starts forcing himself on Incheol, but eventually draws back to say that he doesn’t like Incheol’s uncooperativeness. Even though it feels like Pyeonghwa is expecting Incheol to keep going, he still gives Incheol the chance to say no. Once again, Incheol grits his teeth and presses on by kissing Pyeonghwa (without actually saying that he wants to). As in the bj scene, Pyeonghwa gets angrier and rougher with Incheol, effectively punishing him for continuing the act.
Initially, I thought Pyeonghwa might be mistreating Incheol because he’s projecting his hatred for the cop onto him, but I’m starting to think that he gets triggered bc Incheol reminds him of himself and his inability/unwillingness to stop what was happening to him. I suspect the cop also gave Pyeonghwa the illusion of choice, but because of the cop’s status and role as his sole provider, Pyeonghwa needed to “consent” for the sake of his own survival. He's projecting his own self-hatred for being complicit onto Incheol.
Pyeonghwa and Incheol are now both guilty of doing horrible things to each other, though, to some extent, their actions were a product of their environment and past abuse. For there to be any possibility of romance, they must acknowledge their wrongdoing, forgive each other, and forgive themselves for hurting the other person. Additionally, Incheol has to dissociate from the establishment and show that he is different from the cop, despite all appearances so far, and Pyeonghwa will need to overcome any self-hatred he might feel for falling for someone who so closely resembled/s his abuser. I know some people do not want to see romance develop between these two, but I think it would be an interesting storyline as it would necessitate radical acceptance and transformations in both characters. Given that this does seem to be a more tragic story, this outcome seems less likely with every chapter lol, but I do believe it still has merit.
I'm going to assume you have only read the english officials. Or this is some serious cope.
U bring up interesting points but in the bj scene I think pyeonghwa came off as really turned on rather than mad to me after incheol says he can do it, idk I may have read it wrong but it felt like hes testing how far incheol is willing to go for his boss and maybe ur right about incheol reminding pyeonghwa of himself. As he's also desperately trying to appease someone and hold on to someone/something. Maybe pyeonghwa was also really attached to pedo cop like incheol is attached to his position/boss
In the bj scene pyeongwha was also jealous after seeing incheol talk with kwan soo in the alleyway. He pieced together the fact that incheol was sent here by someone (kwan soo, and the politician lady), hence him saying something along the lines of his boss must be real scary for incheol to offer himself up like this (im going off of memory rn ). He knows that Incheol is here, likely because that "Boss" told him to. And decided that since incheol was going to act like a tool for his boss he'll treat him like one. Even after when incheol was offering seconds atp Pyeonghwa was just over the whole thing.
Basically: Incheol asked for a normal sexual encounter while performing a professional chore. Seeing Incheol with Kwonsoo gave Pyeonghwa the evidence that Incheol was a slave to his job, and watching Incheol choke while saying "I can do it" made that reality too pathetic for Pyeonghwa to tolerate.
This is what i gathered though, pyeongwhas jealousy shaped his behavior from then on.
Also it kinda sucks when fine shyt is only sucking your dick cuz another guy told him too. Major buzz kill
yeah, I also see how pyeonghwa could be jealous that incheol is only pushing himself to please pyeonghwa as a means of serving his boss. but I just don't understand where his need to assert ownership over incheol would be coming from. in his usual hookups, he doesnt dominate his partners. he asks to be subdued, and he wants incheol to do the same except in those specific moments. i guess he could have become obsessed after incheol showed him some kindness? but then he also tells incheol to never look for him again after the bj scene! idk there's so many ways to interpret it and i appreciate your perspective!!
LMFAO ik i hate it when that happens smh
i know what you mean abt pyeonghwa acting jealous!! i talked abt it a little in another reply but im curious where u think his jealousy is coming from? it just feels very out of character for him
which part?