he wants to protect her even when he knows she's hurting him or others.He is afraid to losing her. [ That's why…
Not all unhealthy love is obsession, but once the feelings become possessive, intense, or consuming, that’s when it shifts into obsession rather than genuine love. But I don’t see him as too possessive of her. My point is, it’s not just obsession that he acted like that, it’s a mix of love, obsession, jealousy, and insecurity.
he wants to protect her even when he knows she's hurting him or others.He is afraid to losing her. [ That's why…
I understand. It really is how different people perceive different definition of love. For me, I don’t think it’s as simple as “love = pure” and “unhealthy = obsession.” Love can exist and still be twisted by guilt, trauma, or insecurity. What he feels for Ah Jin definitely turned into obsession, but it didn’t start that way. He cared for her, felt responsible for her, and then his love turned into something darker after he begged her to not go down the path to become famous.
By EP6, you’re right, he couldn’t tolerate seeing her with In Gang anymore. But that reaction comes from a mix of love, fear, jealousy and obsession, not just one thing. But in the end he gave her freedom to do what she wants because he can’t control her. It’s messy, not pure, but that doesn’t automatically mean there was zero love. It just means the love became unhealthy.
he wants to protect her even when he knows she's hurting him or others.He is afraid to losing her. [ That's why…
I understand why his behavior can look like obsession, but I don’t think it’s fair to say there’s no love at all. Love isn’t always clean, mature, or perfectly balanced, especially when people are deeply hurt, insecure, or carrying guilt like Jun-seo is. His emotions might be messy and unhealthy at times, but that doesn’t automatically erase the presence of love.
Even though he thinks about Baek Ah-jin constantly, it’s not just fixation, it’s because she genuinely matters to him on a deep emotional level. His guilt itself shows that he cares about her wellbeing, not just his own needs. If it were pure obsession, he would try to control her completely or force her to stay, but he never crosses that line. Instead, he respects her choices even when it hurts him, which actually points to love rather than possession.
Is his love unhealthy? Absolutely. But unhealthy love is still love, it just means the emotions aren’t being handled in a balanced way. What he feels for her isn’t simply dependency; it’s a mixture of attachment, remorse, longing, and genuine affection. Obsession can exist within love, but that doesn’t mean love isn’t there. When you see unhealthy (toxic) love between main leads in other dramas, you said oh thats love. But this drama doesn't deserve unhealthy love?
he wants to protect her even when he knows she's hurting him or others.He is afraid to losing her. [ That's why…
Thanks for explaining. I get what you’re trying to say, but the behaviors you’re describing actually reinforce the fact that Jun Seo did love Ah Jin, just in a complicated, messy way.
Wanting to protect someone even when they’re hurting you is still love; it’s just not always healthy. His fear of losing her, his guilt, and his willingness to ignore his own well-being all point to a deep emotional attachment. You don’t abandon your values for someone you don’t care about.
Even the moment when he told Ah Jin to stop her from being with In Gang wasn’t about control. It was desperation. Someone who doesn’t love wouldn’t react that strongly. He was terrified of losing her, frustrated by the path she was taking. That’s why he kept trying to stay close while simultaneously trying to steer her away from hurting innocent people.
And remember, he did get angry when In Gang committed suicide and when the grandma passed away. Those reactions show exactly how much he cared, not just about the victims, but about the version of Ah Jin he believed in and wanted to protect.
So yes, his actions are flawed and sometimes toxic, but that doesn’t erase the love behind them. It just shows how conflicted and human he is.
The FL is one of the kindest characters I’ve seen in K-dramas. The moment she gets the call about her mom collapsing, she drops everything and rushes home, while her sister barely reacts (and her sis is the reason why mom collapsed). She was in the middle of a genuinely happy moment, but the second she heard her mom was in trouble, nothing else mattered. That’s not someone who's selfish or self-centered; she consistently puts others first, especially her mom. It’s one of the reasons I really like her character. If ML knew, he would be so in love.
Disclaimer: I’m already disappointed in this drama and you will not like my opinion.I really wanted to like…
I think the scene makes more sense when you look at it from the character’s perspective. To her, that printed report isn’t just paper; it represents her team’s hard work, their reputation, and their standing in the company. Protecting it is her way of protecting everything she and her team built together.
As for the pool meetup, she wasn’t going there out of nowhere. She went to meet her boss there because the person who was going to deliver wasn’t available, and this boss isn’t normal; he’s the chairman’s son. The power dynamics are completely different. He’s not someone who fears losing his job, because he never intended to stay long-term anyway; he’s only working there because of a deal with his father.
That kind of privilege changes how he acts in the company and explains why certain situations unfold the way they do. So while the execution of the scene might feel odd, the motivations behind the characters’ actions are actually grounded in who they are and the roles they play within the story.
I want the FL to be honest with him so he wouldn't get hurt. However, I understand FL's situation and her fear of people knowing. If people knew, she would lose her only hope, which is her job. Her job means everything to her, to pay off her mom's medical bill and house debt (caused by her sis and her bro in law).
It only makes sense if you love someone, you want to protect them at all costs! You want to stop them from going down the bad path. I know he has been supporting her to take down her enemies, but there are limits when she touches innocent people. Jun Seo got really mad at her when In Gang committed suicide, and even when the grandma passed away. Explain to me how Jun Seo didn't love Ah Jin?
ML doesn’t deserve to be treated like that but since he loves her, he is okay with her using him as long as…
You can think that. There are stuffs Ah Jin didn't tell him but only Jae Oh. If he is obssessed and want to control her, he would not let it go. He didn't force Ah Jin or Jae oh to tell them their plan.
She lied to get the job, but she really worked hard for it.. Moreover, she had to pay her mom's hospital bill, and is in a tough situation. Please don’t fire her.
Many people assume that obsession or guilt drove Jun Seo's actions toward Ah Jin, but I see it differently. Obsession often leads to control, harm, or emotional turmoil, but his behavior doesn’t reflect any of that. Instead of taking from her, he supported, protected, and wanted her to redeem herself. That’s why I don’t view his actions as an obsession at all. I call it love.
ML doesn’t deserve to be treated like that but since he loves her, he is okay with her using him as long as…
Many people assume that obsession or guilt drove his actions toward her, but I see it differently. Obsession often leads to control, harm, or emotional turmoil, but his behavior doesn’t reflect any of that. Instead of taking from her, he supported, protected, and uplifted her. That’s why I don’t view his actions as obsession at all. I call it love.
that's her greed that she can't suppress .. she'll be never satisfied.. and of coz seeing that way, she'll never…
I understand what you’re saying, but even if she blames Jun Seo for not protecting her, she still kept coming back to him later. If she truly believed he caused her “miserable life,” wouldn’t she stay away from him completely?
And she does show emotions and can feel sad or happy or frustration, just very inconsistently. It just she can't feel bad for others (empathy) or think about what she could harm others. She says she hates his mom, but still approaches him. She keeps turning to whoever benefits her most at the moment.
Yes, I've watched flower of evil and it's slightly different. Flower of evil ML has alexithymia (difficulty identifying and expressing emotions).He can feel emotions, but he doesn’t recognize them clearly. His arc is about learning to understand love through long-term connection with his wife and daughter.
Hoever, Ah Jin's behavior is driven by trauma, insecurity, and survival instincts, not an inability to feel emotions. She does feel emotions which are jealousy, anger, attraction, fear but she makes unhealthy choices.
ML doesn’t deserve to be treated like that but since he loves her, he is okay with her using him as long as…
That's why I said since he loves her, he is okay with her using him as long as she doesn't pushes his limit. I used to think he is smart but I guess not. Waiting for someone who will not love him back is a waste of time.
that's her greed that she can't suppress .. she'll be never satisfied.. and of coz seeing that way, she'll never…
She despises his mom, but that doesn’t explain why she still talks to Jun Seo. If she really can't be with him because of his mom, she would avoid the whole family, including him. So blaming his mom for why they “can’t be together” doesn’t really make sense. Imagine if Ah Jin wanted Jun seo to marry her, Jun seo would say yess. Maybe run away together.
It seems more like an excuse, especially since she always wanted someone more popular & richer. That reason fits her actions more than the idea that his mom is the problem.
By EP6, you’re right, he couldn’t tolerate seeing her with In Gang anymore. But that reaction comes from a mix of love, fear, jealousy and obsession, not just one thing. But in the end he gave her freedom to do what she wants because he can’t control her. It’s messy, not pure, but that doesn’t automatically mean there was zero love. It just means the love became unhealthy.
Even though he thinks about Baek Ah-jin constantly, it’s not just fixation, it’s because she genuinely matters to him on a deep emotional level. His guilt itself shows that he cares about her wellbeing, not just his own needs. If it were pure obsession, he would try to control her completely or force her to stay, but he never crosses that line. Instead, he respects her choices even when it hurts him, which actually points to love rather than possession.
Is his love unhealthy? Absolutely. But unhealthy love is still love, it just means the emotions aren’t being handled in a balanced way. What he feels for her isn’t simply dependency; it’s a mixture of attachment, remorse, longing, and genuine affection. Obsession can exist within love, but that doesn’t mean love isn’t there. When you see unhealthy (toxic) love between main leads in other dramas, you said oh thats love. But this drama doesn't deserve unhealthy love?
Wanting to protect someone even when they’re hurting you is still love; it’s just not always healthy. His fear of losing her, his guilt, and his willingness to ignore his own well-being all point to a deep emotional attachment. You don’t abandon your values for someone you don’t care about.
Even the moment when he told Ah Jin to stop her from being with In Gang wasn’t about control. It was desperation. Someone who doesn’t love wouldn’t react that strongly. He was terrified of losing her, frustrated by the path she was taking. That’s why he kept trying to stay close while simultaneously trying to steer her away from hurting innocent people.
And remember, he did get angry when In Gang committed suicide and when the grandma passed away. Those reactions show exactly how much he cared, not just about the victims, but about the version of Ah Jin he believed in and wanted to protect.
So yes, his actions are flawed and sometimes toxic, but that doesn’t erase the love behind them. It just shows how conflicted and human he is.
As for the pool meetup, she wasn’t going there out of nowhere. She went to meet her boss there because the person who was going to deliver wasn’t available, and this boss isn’t normal; he’s the chairman’s son. The power dynamics are completely different. He’s not someone who fears losing his job, because he never intended to stay long-term anyway; he’s only working there because of a deal with his father.
That kind of privilege changes how he acts in the company and explains why certain situations unfold the way they do. So while the execution of the scene might feel odd, the motivations behind the characters’ actions are actually grounded in who they are and the roles they play within the story.
I want the FL to be honest with him so he wouldn't get hurt. However, I understand FL's situation and her fear of people knowing. If people knew, she would lose her only hope, which is her job. Her job means everything to her, to pay off her mom's medical bill and house debt (caused by her sis and her bro in law).
This drama got me laughing a lot.
I’m on ep 3 and half. Why can’t she just be honest to him? It’s torturing me to see him like that 🤣🤣
And she does show emotions and can feel sad or happy or frustration, just very inconsistently. It just she can't feel bad for others (empathy) or think about what she could harm others. She says she hates his mom, but still approaches him. She keeps turning to whoever benefits her most at the moment.
Yes, I've watched flower of evil and it's slightly different. Flower of evil ML has alexithymia (difficulty identifying and expressing emotions).He can feel emotions, but he doesn’t recognize them clearly. His arc is about learning to understand love through long-term connection with his wife and daughter.
Hoever, Ah Jin's behavior is driven by trauma, insecurity, and survival instincts, not an inability to feel emotions. She does feel emotions which are jealousy, anger, attraction, fear but she makes unhealthy choices.
It seems more like an excuse, especially since she always wanted someone more popular & richer. That reason fits her actions more than the idea that his mom is the problem.