Chibi

@se0ulmate...
I'm 50-50 on JE's backstory really. I agree, it would complete the story, and give us lot of perspective on why characters do what they do. You also can choose to be in denial half the time, just like Nabi, on whether he's playing her or not. :) It would also confirm a lot of our conjectures and observations, for which we don't have adequately concrete proof.
But I also like the air of mystery a lack of one, gives to the story. It also mirrors how we really never know if we meant anything special to the last the player we dated. Not having the JE's side, is artistically more truthful to real-life. That's sadly how it is. And I usually see this narrative technique used in 'who-dunnit' crime thrillers.. but a 'romance' story? They really be pushing the 'psychological' tag on this one... and I'm loving it <3

The 'you awaken feelings in me no one else has'. To debate on this with evidence, I'd say that's completely BS. Because if he's genuinely in love with her, but it's his 'commitment issues' that's keeping him from pursuing a relationship with her... he would just break-up with her because of their different dating-styles. He wouldn't ditch her for his ex, who he claims inspires him to be a better person. That's not what 'being special' means.

Though, I like what this means for the story: that Nabi was deluding herself into believing that 'she's the special one' all along, and it isn't some compatibility issues that kept them from being together. She clearly got played, and got ditched in favor of another woman. Quite the shattering of her 'rose-colored' lenses.
[I'm really looking forward to the cinematography of that scene. Would they switch filters very dramatically? I hope so, fingers crossed] <3

Aww.... I'm glad a lot of people don't think I'm just projecting or over-analyzing!... The beauty of stories like these, is it's all upto interpretation, because you never know the other side!... ISTG I found him soo creepy, once I landed on the conclusion that he looked her up first, and *HOW*!!... The 'predators' stalking their prey is quite an apt comparison!... :)

Also, when you don't know the full-picture, such kind of attention may appear to be very alluring, especially from somebody like Jae-Won who everyyybody wants, right? And it can be SO flattering, especially for girls (or people in general) to be shown that kind of attention and persuasion when you're not the kind who ever 'puts herself out there'. And even more so, since she's not in the emotional head-space (post-breakup) to be actively wanting to try and date. It's like she's sitting below a tree, and boom! a deliciously ripe-looking, plump and shiny apple just lands on her lap. And then you begin questioning.... why me, why did it fall on ME? 'I didn't even ask for it. I didn't even want it.'

Remember, when her friends told her about this junior/ mutual friend inquiring about her, she kinda seemed mildly irritated, to the point she didn't want to show up. Attention from somebody unwanted can be bothersome, lol. You can see her practically rolling her eyes, whenever somebody other than Jae-Won tries to hit on her. But everything changed 180 that night, when she found out the boy... who she had zero interest in meeting, whose sudden inquiry and interest in her was looking to be a mild inconvenience to her... turned out to be none other than Jae-Won, the one she stood-up a few nights before!!
And then you really start thinking (as Nabi)... 'Wow, this kid put in so much effort, after that night of more-than-clear-rejection, even when he has a string of women just a phone-call away (quite literally).'
Her low self-esteem must be in deep need of a recovery (post-breakup) because it would really choose to see what Jae-Won WANTS her to see, and make her believe that she's special. I don't blame her, she was in a shitty place, I can totally see why she would respond the way she does. :)

Yup, queer-baiting at its finest -_-

A crossover between 500 Days of Summer and Cruel Intentions :D

Super campy, in a very self-aware way.... absolutely love it. 4 eps in, and LOVING all the meta-references going on xD
I'm in the minority, but I love Se-Won. I'm rooting for the Se-Won X Jamie ship all the way, they are sooooo much fun. Also, Poor Hyun-Min xD xD

YESS.... !!!!

Aha, thank you :D

I most definitely meant it as a joke... the drama titles do have a pattern afterall :P

'Run for Young' is another one. I'm not very sure on Crossfire now... but I think Sisyphus was definitely shot in CQ :D

I sure have this short-film recommendation starring Zhou Xun and our baby Yibo, filmed by Vogue... :D Her speaking (and singing voice) is SO sexy, istg! <3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DMNtmdcxnM

I'll definitely ping you here, if I hit upon a short film starring Wang Kai :D

Agreed, I think Crossfire (the gaming drama with Wu Lei and Luhan) was shot there... so yep, chaotic fantasy... I think even Sisyphus (the c-drama) was shot there :D

I think two stars in the industry who should NEVER be attempted to be dubbed are: Zhou Xun and Wang Kai. Oh gosh, I LIVE for their voice. You could play 1500 different recordings, and I could still pick out their voices <3

Hmm, Chongqing will forever remind me of AvenueX's quote: 'Chongqing is the Gotham of China'. How appropriate!!... It's the perfect city to shoot grungy crime thrillers. I also saw Xiao Zhan's hometown episode, where he took us around the city in a travel variety show called Marvelous City. Indeed stunning, just like our boy! :)
CQ also has amazing food, and Ax often mentions how CQ sometimes is only picked as the shoot-location because the cast and crew wants to enjoy some delectable cuisine <3

absolutely... they aren't selling you a fairytale.. or even the idea of one! :) and there are no false promises that the story will magically deliver 'XYZ', because that's not how real life goes!

Definitely, Nabi is not fault-less either. It take two to play this game, and she ain't no saint either. It's just that he's doing all the honey-trapping first, and she's falling for it, simply when she can be more assertive, and NOT give in (I know, it's super hard... but it's also possible).
ISTG, I initially thought SK is doing such an unconvincing job of being a player... but nope, that's *exactly* how his character is supposed to be. He isn't your generic 'sunshine, ladies' man'.... :D I also like how to the PD is directing him, so kudos to her :) I want a happy-ending for SK, but perhaps if not this drama.. ...then the rom-com he seems to be shooting with PMY... :D

I think you will find me spamming everybody's comment till the finale airs. And maybe even a few weeks after that xD

oh no, this worries me quite a bit. are we heading towards the generic 'shy girl transforms the playboy' trope? :O

Uhh, I think the webtoon is also a psychological story as well. And being a short one, it doesn't spoon-feed you every little thing. There are details, facts, and a few 3rd party observations sprinkled around, so your analysis can have some basis. Other than that, the story is told from Nabi's PoV all throughout, and she's a very biased and unreliable narrator. Hence. you can arrive at a relatively solid conclusion but never have sufficiently 'concrete proof'.
She has some family history which kind of manifests into her relationship with really shitty men. She definitely displays signs of attachment issues like co-dependency and/or avoidance. She is also a low-key competitive person, where you think she's chill, but she isn't. She doesn't want to be somebody's second choice (her 'last straw' in her prev. relationship was the fact that she became one). In her current relationship with Jae-Won too, you can see the behavior reflected in the cigarette-scene, and of-course with her first kiss with JE. In fact, only after JE later mentions that he plans to get back together with his ex, like a proper relationship, does she become completely unhinged. It triggers off her possessiveness, and a slight 'mean/ jealous' streak.
She also frequently 'lacks inspiration' to work in the studio, and it's likely because while she's decently good at what she does... she's constantly dragged by her profs who compare her to better students, hence she's always second-best. Burning the midnight oil in the studio to finish assignments for deadlines... she is also known as 'the studio ghost'. While she appears to be shy, she's also secretly a perfectionist deep-down. I think most of her issues come as package for whoever displays such behaviors, and also a reason why she attracts the kind of men she does.
That's all I have on her. But I'm glad the drama makes her character more layered and almost hyper-real. I'm sure to come up with more such observations. Man, I'm having sooo much fun <3

Beautifully said <3
It's one heck of an open-ending, as you wrote. I love how a 'superficial' sounding story (on paper, atleast) is written in such a relatable manner, it forces you to think where would Nabi end up in her journey. And what's amazing is that in figuring HER out, you figure out a lot of things *for* yourself, *about* yourself..... Behaviors and patterns of yours that you have continued to overlook for years. While yes, Jae-Won is all kinds of problematic, it never really was about him (hence, we never get *his* pov). Ultimately, the purpose was for Nabi's deep introspection. And since we readers view the story from her perspective, her journey is supposed to mirror ours.... and vice versa.
I think a time-skip of 10 years later and a definite conclusion would defeat the purpose of her story.. it was never about the ending, but the process :)

I wish I had as much clarity and perspective in my own life!! As you can see, I speak from experience. The debilitating need for proximity makes you say yes to any game.... I also happen to be a recovering nicotine-addict because of years of smoking on rooftops, planning to casually run into a special 'somebody', desperately trying to find some common ground. I recognize the patterns all too well.
Hello, bestie! <3 Hope you haven't been in these shoes... and I pray never does any woman ever get caught up in such schemes! :)