The review that pointed out that this is clearly the author’s self-insert revenge fantasy… yes, 100%. After learning that Minho (ML2) was actually based on someone she knows in real life, it’s clear the bulk of this was written to humiliate that person. The BL spinoff featuring him is just depressing; I’d advise avoiding if you can.
That said, I do think the wokescolding in the T/L notes was a bit much (even misogynistic) at times. While I agree this certainly isn’t the gold standard for BDSM “representation,” I won’t judge it based on this ethic, given that I myself don’t know what would constitute a healthy and appropriate BDSM relationship.
Everything the reviews is saying about the sex scenes turning into dub-con & non-con (i.e. rape) is absolutely true. However (and I hesitate to even put this opinion out there b/c I’m not willing to die on this hill), it’s interesting that there is such a visceral reaction to this story in particular. I’ve read perhaps hundreds of woman-centered smut stories, and this level of non-consent (by the woman though) is literally ubiquitous in every last one of them — though perhaps here is more amplified by the BDSM nature.
Anywho, onto the story itself. Duna (MC) was an incredibly complex character, and I was stunned frequently by the emotional depth she held. One of the last chapters — where she at last admitted to Haesol (ML) how her insecurities had culminated in her BDSM interest & he comforts her so lovingly, so tenderly — was so incredibly well-written and cathartic, unlike anything I’d ever seen of stories to this caliber.
When I read a story, I don’t evaluate it based on how “likable” a character seemed to me personally, so I’m not going to make a greater moral assessment of Duna as a person. The reviews below can tell you everything you’d need to know, if you’re searching for that. To me, the fact that the author was able to even peel back Duna like that, bit by bit, ring by ring, trauma by trauma, is immensely impressive. Full disclaimer, I did start reading this because I was infatuated with Cherry Boy, That Girl (the author-artist team’s debut work), so maybe I’m a bit biased. But I do mean this with complete sincerity, the emotionality here is unlike much else I’ve ever seen in josei comics, much less a smut one.
Characters here are literally bristling with life. I was so surprised at how much personality even the side characters have. Duna’s brother, shackled with a classic sibling inferiority complex & an unstated attraction to his roommate/best friend Haesol, is so memorable, so funny, so unique, though he infrequently appears. The slow unraveling of Minho/Duna’s past with the older characters is seamlessly blended with the current acute tension of the story, allowing this two-pronged narrative to develop spectacularly.
That’s another thing people who haven’t finished the story can’t confirm — that the characters do change. Yes, I didn’t like how Minho & Haesol & Gyerin (FL) were treated by Duna, but that doesn’t mean that she remains static. She’s careless, insecure, emotionally confused, highly self-critical, always ashamed of herself, and stuck reliving the past, and yet she still strives to be better.
I said it earlier, but catharsis is truly a good word here. We see the rise & fall of nearly every character, main or supporting cast, and every relationship, every detail comes to head perfectly. Within even a few panels, the author & artist are able to flesh out minor characters with little presence, like Duna’s editor and Minho’s TA. Minho himself is an incredibly dynamic character, have never seen another “tsundere” broken down like him.
So TL;DR great writing, great art. Captivating and unique — 7/10
