God- you really have to think about how fucking calculating the dad is to choose to make Ilyan an alcoholic. Alcoholism is an extremely difficult addiction to overcome and the results can be deadly if not done right. He had to have known which makes it even sicker that he chose/allowed Ilyan to become one. Then there is his daughter that, while I’m glad she didn’t, did not get the same treatment he did. Her entire existence is what Ilyan should have gotten in the first place but never did. Now he has a deadly addiction and a father who continues to treat him like shit.
TW// Sexual Assault
Overall content: just my thoughts on the story- Includes spoilers
Personally, I think the author was trying to tackle too many difficult subjects about SA, homophobia and mental illness but yet didn’t take in account how tolling that can be on a reader. The SA was graphic and while SA is not a new concept to the yaoi sphere, this SA had consequences and those mental consequences are shown. Youngmin is also coerced into giving an unconsented blowjob (coercing into consent =/= consent) because he feels ashamed of being assaulted in the first place. This mimics many experiences that SA victims have but it is still difficult to read. While that is happening, there are rumors about the couple going around that Youngmin is a prostitute and once found out, the mental consequences of the rumors is clearly shown. The author does a good job of expressing the mental anguish that this all can cause but it really begins to add up.
More situations begin to occur once Jungwoo works at his fathers office (who is homophobic). Their relationship is caught by coworkers and essentially the entire first rumor arc is redone but this time Jungwoo loses his shit (rightfully so). The author then begins to tackle the anxiety that these situations can bring and once again, it is taxing to read. There is no break or true lull in between these these very heavy topics and thus it is a very difficult manhwa to read. At the end of the day, it is trying to be too much that it becomes overwhelming.
I feel as though this manhwa could have ended after the first issue with the college and maybe had a second arc with dealing with their parent’s homophobia. Jungwoo could have still gotten the job under his father but just without the rehash of previous issues. Jungwoo and his father already have a somewhat comedic relationship within the manhwa and that may have been a solid little lull before going in on Youngmin’s parents. It still would have been a tough read but it would have been manageable.
At the end of the day, if you enjoyed it you enjoyed it and that is completely fine. I personally see where people are having issues with this manhwa and I wanted to give my two cents. Especially since rape isn’t usually taken as seriously in other yaoi manhwas as it is in this story. I personally felt as if it could have been shorted and expanded upon other subject but that’s it. Sorry this is a long post lmaoo
Personally it got way to realistic hella fast and made me so uncomfortable. I usually come to read fluffy stuff and thought it would be fluffy but then . This is a great break down and explains so well. If anything I don’t hate it it’s just my mind sorta blanked bc I relate to it way too much and my brain doesn’t wanna process it. Id feel to empty.
I wish I liked it tbh- but I’ve never been a fan of very shy/reserved FLs and especially not in smut. I know that I’m auto projecting onto a female character but there’s something about it that is frustrating to me. Maybe if they relationship was better fleshed out or shows the FL standing up for herself then maybe it would be better. I feel as though the best example of a FL I enjoyed was in Red River but there was barely any smut (which is fine). I will say, the detail on the characters was phenomenal and I’d love to see more of the artists work~
Okay the thing I didn’t like was the fact that he was constantly looking down on Yoon- it was the most frustrating thing to watch especially at the end whenever Yoon was attempting to help him ooof
Also? Chris was hot af in his police uniform