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~