YangMoney127

I mean it IS a rivalry show, pitting both characters against each other is a given and in case of rivalry shows that is the main intention "pitting characters against each other"
"They both suffered, period"
---This is what downplaying JY experience is to me. By saying that, in a way it is insinuated that they both suffered equally even if that's not the intention behind what you meant.
You are reducing both their experiences as being "equal" or "similar" which they are not.
"Fans shouldn't be comparing suffering, like what's the point?"
--- We are forced to compare their sufferings when both characters clearly went through two different experiences but we are only seeing one of their problems continuously. And when both of their experiences are reduced down as being similar or having same emotional weight.

People saying that, as an audience, we’re not supposed to “take sides” or criticize one character more than the other must be watching this drama with a completely blank slate of a mind , without any prior experience with people who have personality traits similar to either of them.

Because, as far as I can comprehend, that simply doesn’t seem to be the writer’s intention. You can see that in the way the story is unfolding. It’s almost inevitable that viewers will relate to one character more than the other, because the experiences being portrayed are inherently different. Most of us can understand what it feels like to struggle with insecurity or feelings of inferiority, while JY’s experience involves going through a near-death experience and losing the very thing that still made him feel connected to his late mother.

I have seen people in the comments say that they relate to pi-o but haven't seen anyone say that they relate to JY because that's simply not possible for atleast like 99% of us, We didn't go through what JY went through or lost what JY lost. SO saying we are not supposed to take sides seems quite hard.

And honestly, I think comparing Pi-o’s suffering to what JY went through or reducing both of their experiences to “they both suffered equally” can actually feel quite dehumanizing toward JY’s character. Acknowledging that Pi-o suffered doesn’t require us to flatten the differences between their experiences or pretend that their pain carries the same meaning, impact, or emotional weight within the story.

People saying "Well, Both of them made terrible decisions", When asked to give even one terrible decision made by JY, go silent.

Well said. 👏👏

Thank you too! I had fun debating with you.

True...JY never wanted Pi-o to see him as rival. He did everything he could so that pi-o doesn't see him as his rival or someone more talented than him. It was actually the evil mother who put that thought in pi-o's brain and make him feel inferior to JY.

Oh! I see what you meant by "mystery" and I agree with the mystery part you mentioned.

Ig we'll have to disagree on that becuz all JY hate i have seen is never backed by anything other than "He hurt poor tortured Pi-o".

But i find it very interesting how we all watched the same thing and can have such different takes on things.

"You see audience members calling JY a villain? Using that word?"
--Yes! I do across multiple social platforms that's why i'm out here writing paragraphs. These people when asked to give solid reasoning about hatred towards JY go silent, not giving any counter argument other than their own personal bias.
"I still say the screen time is a function of the mystery narrative"
--I don't personally see how knowing how how much JY suffered in those past 10 years will lessen any mystery about how he'll carry out his revenge plan in the present but If that's how you perceive i respect that even tho i dont agree with that. But that's an interesting take.

Interesting...Becuz so far all the pi-o "hate" i have seen is backed by his actions from the drama.

And about "valid" being a murky word, it sure can be.
to me "valid" is something that's backed by some explanation or scene from the drama, Not just personal feelings or biasness.

"I love both characters (and their terrible decisions"
--Can you tell what decision made by JY is terrible to you? Is it his decision to take revenge?
"you said fans being upset with Pio = valid criticism and not hate, but earlier you were discussing how it was wrong for fans to be upset with JY"
--Fans being upset about JY for taking his revenge = Valid criticism???? Also about earlier I've never discussed how it's wrong for fans to be upset with JY. I only called out people expecting JY to have a "shred of empathy" for his "abuser". You can be upset with JY but it depends on what are y'all even upset about when it comes to JY? Please tell me your valid criticism about JY. I am so intrigued by this take.
" thinking JY has been cast as villain. Is it just the question of POV for you?"
--Yes it is. It's also the amount of screentime given to Pi-o's suffering vs the amount of suffering of JY is shown to us. I also think what happened to JY is extremely downplayed in terms of showing that to the viewers.
So yes, the writer might have not stamped the word Villain on JY but the way it's shown to the audience makes it very easy for people to see him as one.
I don't see any of them as villains, Ofc the only villains in this are pi-o's mom and his grandfather.

There's no doubt about him caring about JY.
but To me personally his inferiority complex spoke louder than his love/Care about JY.

I am sorry if that came across as rude. I just thought we were going round&round about the same point again and again.

"pio has regretted his jealousy and everything"
Interestingly, I actually feel completely opposite to that. I don't think Pi-o has let, his feeling of feeling inferior to JY, go even after 10 years.
About what gave me that impression, I'll say the scene where he met his senior pianist teacher and the only thing he asked him again was something along the lines of if the teacher cared about JY more than him or if he'll choose JY over him. (I dont remember the exact dialogues but the essence of it was same as i explained)
If he truly regretted his IC and thought that it was his IC that pushed JY to "die" (that's what the impression was back then), he would not repeat his "JY or ME" convo again. Also by watching the drama we havn't given any impression that Pi-o actually reflected on his IC and how it impacted JY.

And about being insecure (as you said you relate to him about that), I think most people relate to that, So do i. Feeling insecure or jealous are normal human emotions. But Pi-o IC was quite extreme as he kept pushing it on JY. And i have actually encountered many people with IC that keep on pushing their IC on others and honestly it's very exhausting to be around them. That's why I think that JY was literal gift of a friend becuz he dealt with pi-o's IC without any complain, on top of that he was so understanding of it. (not telling him that his grandfather actually asked him to audition for the performance and flat out refused to audition becuz he knew how knowing that will make pi-o spiral)

And as i said valid pi-o's character criticism is not classified as "hate"

I can't keep replying to your same argument again and again.
"I have seen literal Tiktok accounts dedicated to hate on JY and comment sections filled with telling JY to die and stuff. And personally, I just started to see Pi-o criticism since yesterday and also that only on this MDL page."

Oh, you have to scroll down then.
I have actually replied to some JY hate post that asked him to have "a shred of empathy" for the person that ruined his life and that the commenter didn't feel JY pain anymore becuz he started to his revenge arc.

And about JY not being morally grey, Him using the exact thing that makes pi-o spiral "not being the best at piano or not playing it well enough" in a way replicating what pi-o's grandfather have been doing to him since his childhood, Can classify as him being "morally grey" , if we didn't know the exact situation that happened to him, Even tho JY actions are justified.

I have seen literal Tiktok accounts dedicated to hate on JY and comment sections filled with telling JY to die and stuff. And personally, I just started to see Pi-o criticism since yesterday and also that only on this MDL page.

You are absolutely right about that. But having 'good reasons' doesn't make him immune to criticism, as people are using his 'good reasons' as shield to justify the faulty things he did or allowed to happen.