Ivy

Oh I get wanting more background. I feel like with the run time they had a choice between fleshed out background or the smut, lol.

I made a another comment about how these characters are very common archetypes and thus their behavior can kind of be summed up by "that's simply what these characters always do".

I think they meant none of the characters on screen have been particularly scandalized. The comment section has been more scandalized than anyone on screen.

The characters are pretty chill but their also pretty chill about the homosexual part of the equation too? So I'm not taking their lack of reaction to mean anything.

Honestly I find the "it's incest" "it's not incest", debates over defining incest kind of pointless.

Jeong Han took one look at someone who he fully believes to be his cousin and said "yes I'll have that".

I fail to see how any revelations after the fact might change that for the characters or the viewers who are icked by incest (of which I am not one - at the risk of sounding like a broken record here, lol)

It's definitely intentional because the characters legitimately believe themselves to be related. Or at least Jeong Han does. He doesnt't know so the audience doesn't know,

I kind of wish they were blood related because making them not feels like a cop out. Like I said, I have no qualms about whether or not this is incest, lol. I think it would be bold to actually make it incest.

incest even psudeo-incest is gonna have it's haters.

I'm not sure "they aren't actually related" makes it any less taboo because Jeong Han is is fully screwing a man he believes to be his biological cousin. That bell doesn't get unrung simply because they don't actually share blood after all, lol.

I mean for some folks who were maybe kind of icked over the incest the lack of a blood connection will make them feel better about watching the drama. But as someone who doesn't really care about the the incest to begin with, it doesn't really change much for me.

The important fact here is that Jeong Han does not know he isn't biologically related to Il Jo, as far as he's concerned they are biologically related. I'm assuming Il Jo is aware of his own adoption and just hasn't told him yet.

I can tag it but webtoon readers spoiled this for us long ago - I haven't even read the thing myself.

Jeong In would be his half-brother actually not his cousin but Jeong In was also lying.

They aren't cousins by marriage - that's not really a thing (well I suppose it could be, like are my uncle's step-kids my cousins - but that's not the case here), Jeong Han's father and Jeong In's father are brothers. Their children are first cousins. They share the same grandparents.

Il Jo is believed to be the illigetimate son of Jeong In's father, making them half-brothers. Making Jeong Han and Il Jo cousins. (editing to remove my misuse of the term half-cousin)

The twist here from the webtoon is that the main family does not know that Il Jo was adopted, thus making him not actually biologically related to any of them.

I feel like a lot of us don't need the characters explained because the aggressive mean/cruel seme meets innocent uke with self-esteem issues who's willing to put up with his aggression are such standard stock characters that we don't even blink.

It's funny, I'm not a toxic yaoi girlie. No shade, lovelies, it's just not my thing. I gave up on yaoi manga for years because finding non dub-con was pretty hard in the mid-2000s (I can't read "your voice says no but your body says yes" without wanting to punch someone). And even flicking casually through the webtoon it's very much not my thing. The whole naive innocent thing is just a major squick for me.

However! This drama works and I think it's wholly in the subtle changes to the character dynamics. (Also I'm older and less hung up on fiction). Il Jo asking for a kiss, being the first to make a move, etc. He's not just a passive lump with wet eyes and I really appreciate that.

I still prefer my softer dramas but this has been a nice foray into something slightly outside my comfort zone.

It's about two fucked up people in a fucked up relationship. Who will eventually end up having a happily ever after ending and never actual deal with their problems in a meaningful way because of ~love~. It's all very 2000s era yaoi manga coded.

If you're looking for green flags here run away cause this ain't the drama :D

The more the merrier when it comes to queer content honestly. I'm watching 3 right now and they are so vastly different (both in terms of tone and the ages of the protagonists), and I love that there's a variety.

The drama hasn't confirmed that yet but it is the case in the webtoon

It reminds me things like Your Lie in April or Sweet November just in terms of the characters. Like if she ends up terminally ill I will not be surprised

I haven't read the webtoon but I think the thing Il Jo was about to tell him in episode 6 is that he was adopted.

And my initial thought on why he might not tell him right away is likely fear he'd be rejected? If being family no longer connected them what other reason, in Il Jo's mind, would Jeong Han have to stay around.

Judging by the set up in the first two episodes I doubt it. She's established as having depression (I think?) and a panic disorder, a controlling family, and a brother in law trying to steal her inheritance. It's got damsel on distress written all over it.

You aren't alone 😬