This review is low-key incoherent trash, so if you don’t have time, don’t read it just know that I hate this story and move on. But if you have an unnecessary amount of time and a high tolerance for ranting, feel free to continue.
Before I start, I want to say stories can be interpreted in many ways. These are simply my honest thoughts. If you can’t take criticism, this probably isn’t for you. And if you think I’m wrong about something or you disagree and have a valid point, feel free to say it. I’m not targeting anyone personally. I’m just very confused by the huge number of four and five star ratings. But if this story worked for you, I’m genuinely happy at least the time wasn’t wasted.
Now imagine someone inherently awful who has committed multiple heinous crimes suddenly decides to turn over a new leaf. They want to change for love, for family, for a better future. The question is can someone truly change their fundamental nature? Can the past be erased? The answer is complicated. The past can never be deleted, but people can learn to live with it. And yes, people can change but the shadows of their past always remain. Anyway, enough philosophy. Let’s go back to this manhwa, you will understand why I'm saying all this.
I’m not writing a summary because almost every BL reader knows what this story is about. Also, I’m probably the least qualified person to review manhwa in general because this is the only one I’ve ever read and finished, and after this experience I don’t plan on reading another one anytime soon.
One thing that genuinely surprises me is how overused this trope is, the bottom is drowning in debt, the top guy pays for it, and that somehow becomes the foundation of the relationship. I’m sorry, but in my opinion that’s not romantic it’s basically financial hostage-taking. “Do whatever I say because I paid off your debt” is not love; it’s slavery. It’s also beyond me why abuse and non-consensual relationships are so heavily romanticized/glorified in this genre.
Most of the plot here consists of non-consensual sex, excessive gory violence, and unnecessary drama. Taeju never truly respected Euihyun or his boundaries at least not in the way someone in a loving relationship should. Calling this romance feels generous. To me it’s obsession, manipulation, and a whole lot of gaslighting. And I’ll say it bluntly I absolutely hate it when the abused character ends up with the abuser. Stockholm syndrome is not something I condone. Now don’t get me wrong I actually love a good redemption arc. But this story didn’t give me one. One moment he’s an asshole, the next moment he’s suddenly in love, and apparently that’s supposed to fix everything. The transition is so abrupt that it feels completely bogus.
The characters also felt painfully one-dimensional. Euihyun’s struggles, the portrayal of poverty, helplessness, and mental health could have been powerful, but they were written poorly. There was potential for something meaningful, but the story kept focusing on the wrong things. As for Taeju that dude just exists. I don’t feel anything toward him except occasional irritation and hatred. What he did wasn’t a momentary lapse in judgment, it was repeated, deliberate violence. Whatever changes he supposedly went through later don’t matter to me because he never truly earned that ending he got.
Now I feel like I’m drifting off topic, so I’ll wrap this up. The only thing I genuinely liked in this story was the relationship between the two brothers. That dynamic actually had some weight and made me feel certain emotions. I don’t particularly care about the child, so I’ll skip that part. My biggest issue is that, by the end, this story fails to deliver a satisfying narrative. It feels like a half-formed idea executed poorly or maybe this fucked up mess was exactly what the author intended.
(Also, if this review sounds slightly scattered I'm sorry, that’s because my original notes got deleted from my phone. I’m writing this from memory while aggressively scratching my head trying to recall a few details. If I remember something, I’ll definitely edit this again.)
Bottom line: If you want to romanticize a walking red flag, cry over a relationship built on gaslighting, read a deeply problematic “romance,” and metaphorically lie down on a bed of cactus then by all means, go ahead.
So, TWs for every possible thing. From suicidal ideation to graphic violence of every sort—this series has it.
This is not a nice story.
The bulk of this story is toxic sewage. The central relationship—between the handsome but brutal gang boss and the son who was left with not only his abusive father’s debt to pay back to the gang but a baby brother to raise as well—is a carefully woven collection of red flags. Everything that isn’t super awful is deeply sad.
All that said, I really LIKED this story.
It has a very problematic premise and I don’t condone a lot of the BL genre tropes here (especially the “abusive relationship turned loving” trope—which is all too common in the genre).
But, at the end of the day, this is a queer, ABO erotic romance.
It has its problems—but, the *spice* is very appealing and satisfying. The romance—though flawed—also becomes something very intimate and intense, something that really taps into the “dangerous but soft for me” fantasy fulfillment.
If I were seeking this story out for any other reason other than pleasure and entertainment, I would have many, many critiques—as I’m sure other readers would. But, my suspicion is that the readers seeking out this story and others in this genre are, like me, not necessarily doing so in hopes of encountering choice literature. You feel me?
As far as the BL genre goes, I don’t think the violence or themes in this story really stand out. I wouldn’t even put this in the top ten most problematic BL series I’ve read (in the past month let alone beyond that). Which, probably speaks more to the genre at large than this story. But, I digress.
Anyway, problematic romance aspects aside, I also want to briefly acknowledge how this story depicts depression.
Euihyun’s struggle with depression is so visceral.
What compelled me to read this whole story isn’t necessarily the romance or the erotic nature of this narrative but the depiction of Euihyun’s struggle in that very first chapter—and the deeply sad, defeated choice he almost makes. It’s so compelling and heartbreaking. I feel such deep sympathy for him. Especially as an older sibling myself, Euihyun’s pain really resonates. Watching Taeju come to understand just how unwell Euihyun is and coming to care deeply for his wellbeing (in a 180 turnaround that the genre doesn’t usually get at) is also rather compelling.
Do I think it’s the most tactful depiction of mental illness? No.
But, it’s somehow stumbled into being better by comparison than a lot of other contemporaries. In the hands of a different storyteller in a different genre, this could be a really lovely story.
But, there isn’t another story in another universe. There is just this story in this universe—and I appreciate it well enough. This isn’t a recommendation for the faint of heart. But, if you can handle an erotic manhwa with its fair share of content and trigger warnings, this might be something for you to check out. Proceed with caution though~
this has been such a long time coming for me lol. the way i’ve had euihyun and taeju plushies on my bed for months and i’m just now reading their story is kinda hilarious. i’ll be keeping them extra close for the foreseeable future 🫡. i’m so excited for their romance to finally hit ;)
Read the whole thing and I can say I liked it, but also didn't, it's very dark, it contains violence and abuse and sexual assault The main reason why I liked it was Euihyun and his little brother, their relationship was the sole reason for my sobbing at 2am, Euihyun is such a wonderful and caring brother who was sacrificing everything including himself so that the little baby can have a decent and happy life, despite his anxiety, depression and the living hell that Taeju put him through I loved how fierce and strong Euihyun is, he was always ready to stand up for himself, never put up with anyone's bullshit and beat the shit out of everyone YASS MY OMEGA KING
Taeju on the other hand is an asshole, manipulative and abusive asshole, I knew about the sexual assault even before starting this, and everyone was talking about how great his character development is, but I feel like his redemption based solely on gassligting, possessiveness and manipulation even though he acknowledged Euihyun's pain and took him and his brother under his care, I am still not buying any of that, he was and stayed an asshole gtfo and do you know what was the final straw for my hate for Taeju?? it was when Euihyun miscarried and Taeju was like NO I CANT DO IT, bitch that was when he needed you the most
- using this edition bc I want my webtoon read to count, damn it
Basically, season 1 was a fucking tragedy. Season 2 was great. I saw another review say “TW: practically everything” and they’re right. Good lord. I did NOT think there would be a happy ending. It’s very abusive, dark, and toxic in the first season. But things start to change in season 2! I actually really loved the second season!! I loved the HEA and extra side stories🥹🥹 I would probably have more to say if I’d actually kept notes but tbh I didn’t think I’d finish this so I didn’t bother lol
Únicamente leer si se tiene la suficiente inteligencia emocial para decir "esto es una relación tóxica y no hay que normalizar tales comportamientos. Aún así yo estoy LIVVVVVVIN porque ambos personajes tienen una personalidad muy arrolladora que hace la trama muy interesante. Ahora siento un vacío existencial para saber qué pasará... ¿baby in the oven (me parecería demasiado soon pero claro, la trama tiene que tirar por alguna parte; aunque apuesto un poco por la trama con el padre de hyung...)? ¡Tantas dudas y tan pocas respuestas!
PERFECTION, AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL. LOVE THESE TWO. THEIR DYNAMIC AND GROWTH. Taeju's character growth alone is something I wish we see in many many many many more leads. Their relationship is so good.
Euihyun and Euiyoung's relationship is adorable. The "second love interest" was done well here.
I'm so excited to be following along newly released chapters, which is super rare for me!!!
I regret not continuing it last month or earlier when I was supposed to awekrljg. I'M DOING GOOD NOW THOUGH RIGHT? RIGHT???
Leí esta historia hasta el capitulo 60 (no sé cuánto será en volúmenes impresos), hasta el punto de la trama en que uno de los personajes se da cuenta de que se enamoró básicamente. Primero hay que aclarar que es un dark romance o romance tóxico como género, además de omegaverse, y por tanto es una historia fuerte que incluye violencia física y sexual. La primera vez que intenté leerlo no pude pasar del cap. 2 donde esta la escena de violación, pero luego lo volví a agarrar y me di cuenta que no era lo que había creído la primera vez. Aunque claramente el omega es la victima y se encuentra en una situación desesperada, no es el típico omega frágil, por el contrario, varias veces les da unas buenas palizas a diferentes alfas. La determinación del personaje por cuidar de su hermano pequeño hace que se doblegue ante sus propios límites, pero no por ello se esta rebajando. Creo que es una obra muy interesante para reflexionar. La parte romántica creo que es la que me queda por leer en los capítulos siguientes, porque hasta acá de romance diría que nada.
All of the smooches and hugs for euihyun and euiyoung because they deserve all the happiness of the world. Now coming to the unpopular opinion: I LOVE TAEJU. You can come at me and tell me he's a walking talking fucking red flag but what can i say, i'm colorblind
Mi más sincera opinión: no es de a huevo hacer manhwas. De verdad que todo mal con esta historia, personajes horribles, SA EN EL SEGUNDO FOKIN CAPITULO, la relación bien forzada (literalmente, porque Taeju ejercía poder sobre el otro wey), trama inexistente, "villanos" de cartón, y muchas cosas más que mataron mis neuronas. Si tienen la oportunidad de leer esta historia, la neta desaprovechenla.
hate sorry. idk what everyone was talking about this being cute; but i personally will NEVER EVER root for a love interest if the first thing i see them do is r ape the mc. bye boy bye i hope you rot in hell idc what comes after
This BL omegaverse romance has such a rough start--and middle and most of the ending too. Kim Euihyun, omega, has struggled to take care of his toddler half-brother and the massive debt of his loser father who's left them, by working several low-paying jobs. But he can barely survive, and he's come to a decision: he'll walk into the ocean with his brother.
By a merest chance, a gangster Yeo Taeju, alpha, who is after the debt payment, spots and rescues them. He takes interest in the feisty omega and decides to look after him--in his own fashion. Since Euihyun is the kind of omega who lets his fists do the talking, Taeju is in for a ride. Luckily, he likes just that kind of a man.
I've read the whole on Lezhin, so I know the rough start doesn't lead to an immediate HEA or even things getting much better for Euihyun at first. But it's a great story. Art is excellent.
Trigger warnings for suicide, depression, violence.
Que al inicio todo pareciera más obligado por amenazas y coacción que otra cosa me resultó incómodo muchas veces pero tampoco es lo más horrible que haya leído de parejas con inicios tóxicos. Su inicio no fue para nada bueno y perfecto pero llegué para ver esa evolución.
9/10 i loved this so much, it was a long one and i really liked the art for it. now to the story, i LOVE LOVE LOVE that the main guy has a little brother that he’s taking care of. like he’s just a depressed man but he won’t khs because he loves the brother and it’s just ahhh my heart. the love interest was good, i mean it’s basically a mafia man who is slowly falling in love and he doesn’t know what to do about it since he thinks the other guy hates him. it was a very good read
⭐ 0/5. lo peor que leí en el año. literalmente el alfa fucking vi0ló al omega en el primer puto capítulo y todas lo romantizan porque el chabón se redime DE UN TIRO EN LA CHOTA HABÍA QUE REDIMIRLO PELOTUDAS. la angustia, el DESAGRADO Y la REPUGNANCIA que sentí es real, por qué mierda leí esto....
debo agregar, de todas formas, que euihyun (+ el chiquito) me cae genuinamente muy bien, yo creo que si taeju no lo hubiese tratando tan pero tan para el orto (puto enfermo de mierda; me chupa un huevo el omegaverse, el rut y que sea un gángster. NADA de todo eso justifica una mierda como ustedes piensan), mi puntuación sería otra. les juro por el todo el amor que tengo que no entiendo cómo mierda se enamoran.
(ch. 100)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Taeju x Euihyun supremacy This is a webtoon for all the NikoBran girlies but make it omegaverse.
They could never make me hate Taeju, idc if he's a little red in the first volume, I AM BLIND. Euiyoung is also the sweetest baby, I LOVE HIM and I am not overly fond of kids in stories but 🥹🥹🥹🥹
no lo pude continuar después de los primeros capitulos, que tienen con los protas 🎻🎻 odie desde un principio a ese tipo, abuso del chico en el auto y ahi dije basta ya no quiero leer JAJAJJA
Me sorprende lo mucho que me gustó este manhwa, teniendo en cuenta lo incómoda que me hizo sentir en varios momentos. Siento que por momentos me hizo sentir lo mismo que Pearl Boy, con la diferencia que la trama de este libro al menos sí existía xd. Otra cosa por la que siento que me gustó mucho más esta historia es porque la trama no se centra en el romance, sino más bien en la relación entre el protagonista y su hermano, y en ver cómo va saliendo del pozo depresivo en el que se encuentra hasta volver a tener ganas de vivir. Honestamente, leer sobre esas dos cosas me generó una felicidad indescriptible. El romance lo que tuvo de bueno fue que, si bien el ML fue una basura, de verdad se lo vio arrepentido e intentó redimirse, en vez de simplemente pedir perdón y listo problema resuelto (como suele pasar en cualquier otro manhwa BL).
En conclusión, le tenía muchas ganas a esta historia pero no muchas expectativas, pero terminó siendo una muy linda (si sacamos todos los momentos que me hicieron sentir para el orto) de leer.