The Ideal Relationship

Description

Sanghwa is a shy introvert with a longtime crush on his handsome friend Ryeohan, but then again, EVERYONE likes him. Feeling like he can’t compete for Ryeohan’s affections, Sanghwa dives into The Legend of Saga, an online game where he plays as “idealize.” He befriends “thegreatmirae,” a cute healer who clearly has a soft spot for Sangwha… and who just so happens to be a real-life gangster. Could this tough guy be the ideal lover Sanghwa’s been looking for after striking out in the real world? (Source: tapas)

Official Novel (R19)

Official Webtoon:
KakaoPage, Daum

Official Translations:
English, Japanese

Notes:
- The webtoon is not R19 like the novel, it released as R15.

Type

Manhwa

Related Series

N/A

Associated Names

Hohyeonghoje

Our Companionship

Tình Anh Em Xã Hội Chủ Nghĩa

Une relation idéale

พี่นักเลงที่รัก

不只是兄弟

呼兄呼弟

相思相愛

称兄道弟

호형호제

Groups Scanlating

Latest Release(s)

c.45 (end) by Cinnamoroll Army 5 years ago

c.44 by Cinnamoroll Army 5 years ago

c.43 by Cinnamoroll Army 5 years ago

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Status in Country of Origin

45 Chapters (Complete)

Completely Scanlated?

Yes

Anime Start/End Chapter

N/A

User Reviews

N/A

Forum

0 topics, 0 posts

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User Rating

Average: 7.8 / 10.0 (155 votes)

Bayesian Average: 7.55 / 10.0

13%

18%

30%

17%

14%

Last Updated

August 10th, 2025 5:48am PDT - 3 weeks ago

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Genre

Drama Mature Romance Shounen Ai Yaoi
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Categories

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Category Recommendations

After School Recipe

The Warmth of Your Heartbeat

Double Click (PARK Soo-bong)

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In Between

Recommendations

N/A

Author(s)

Artist(s)

Year

Original Publisher

Serialized In (magazine)

Kakaopage (Kakao)

Kakao Webtoon (Daum)

Licensed (in English)

Yes

English Publisher

Radish (Expired)

Tapas

Activity Stats (vs. other series)

Weekly Pos #681

(-137)

Monthly Pos #1399

(-475)

3 Month Pos #2612

(-281)

6 Month Pos #3037

(-518)

Year Pos #3678

(+132)

List Stats

On 181 reading lists

On 140 wish lists

On 395 completed lists

On 13 unfinished lists

On 160 custom lists

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Forum Posts Click to view the forum

User Comments [ Order by usefulness ]

Surprisingly alright

by looklookie22
5 months ago

Rating: 7.0 / 10.0

Usually, I get bored of this kind of plotline at first but the gradual closeness of the two characters have kept me reading on. Their relationship didn't feel too forced and I liked the bottom's slow acknowledgement of his feelings.

With that said, the climax felt a bit odd for me because of how fluffy the story was building their relationship and how the author refrained on showing the ML's more violent tendencies. I don't get peeved by non-con/dubcon so I view it as a narrative device and how it's used in the story. So inserting a scene like that here, after all that slow and "healthy" development felt out of place. Though after, they do get together. I kinda hoped the author dealt with this climax a different approach.

Though overall, it's an ok story. I recc for anyone who's too bored and don't mind the one scene of dubcon.

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tw SA

by FANGURL999
1 year ago

Rating: 2.0 / 10.0

Okay guys I’m gonna be completely honest with y'all, I finished reading this 3 years ago but I forgot what happened and have been bored recently, so I reread it again. And oh my god my jaw actually dropped I’m so embarrassed for not finding this story an issue when i first read it.

So I read the official release of this story, and i really loved it RIGHT up to the end. the tone of the story is super sweet and the author just... throws that away?

when they finally get together, it's because of a misunderstanding that results in eegum getting jealous and literally coercing sanghwa into sex. he's like "you were just using me because you were lonely, so you at least owe me this, blah blah blah" when sanghwa is trying not to admit his feelings (he thinks his crush is one sided and will make eegum uncomfortable.) of course it ends up with sanhwa confessing and they're happy or whatever, but the process involves so much manipulation and attempted rape?!

and honestly that's not the most concerning part,

AFTER they get together sanghwa is like "he always wants to have sex when i don't want to and always ends up convincing me even though i say no!" AND THEN he thinks to himself- this is a direct quote- "and how he's gotten me to the point where i get turned on when he gets rough... it's like he's trained me to get used to it." UMMMMM?!?! that is TEXTBOOK abuse, manipulating your partner's sexual preferences to fit your own ESPECIALLY when that includes violence is so messed up and something i have seen and experienced myself in abusive relationships. the worst part is that it's treated like it's totally normal, like a natural progression of their romance.

I know nonconsent/dubious consent is really common in BL stories, but it doesn't fit the tone here AT ALL, and it's super romanticized... I'm really, really disappointed, andregret the fact that I read this when I was so young and ended up thinking this was a cute relationship. I don't want to make excuses, so I really hope you guys can call out bs unhealthy and toxic behaviour in the media that we consume.

TLDR;

Main couple is toxic and unhealthy and creepy — sx is non-consensual ~ the Mc (bottom) is manipulated and forced by the ML (top) into having sx and conditioned/trained to think it's normal and enjoy it.

... Last updated 1 year ago

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Really fun and light

by whitelotusflower
2 years ago

Rating: 8.5 / 10.0

N/A

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Good... but some things are amiss

by TheOneWhoGotAway
3 years ago

Rating: 8.4 / 10.0

I loved the main story line and the couple. Entertaining and nice. The part that was amiss for me what the relationship dynamic with his best friend.. For me I think trying to make it positive and reconcile just made it seem Fake. I loved the first part of their relation dynamic. Much more true and natural. It deals with the harsh realities of one sided love. You can't just reconcile with that.. unless you are in manga of course.

In some of the scenes it seemed more like ryeohan knew sanghwa liked him and he just didn't seem to care to decline his affections anyway, he toyed with his feelings, he kept secrets and told sanghwa you don't need to know who I was hanging out with, He isolated sanghwa in a way only a trusted person can isolate you. This is not a behavior of a best friend.. and trying to wash it in the end just doesn't work.

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safe version of a gangster meets civilian story

by mimi201
3 years ago

Rating: 9.3 / 10.0

I loved the art, seme was pretty cute and shy and the story leaned more on the safe side (e.g. it didn't include typical yakuza scenes where the uke gets kidnapped by a rival gang or someone else etc). It was mostly wholesome version of a loan shark director seme meets student civilian.

About the best friend:

while I appreciate the non stereotypical way they wrote the best friend, it could have been better executed. For example, the best friend was sometimes cold to the uke....but demanded the uke tell him about the seme because he seemed like a gangster??? Idk I appreciate that in the end, it was not that the best friend was in love with the uke but rather he was really worried for the uke....but I feel like the author ditched the idea of the best friend being in love with the uke). The best friends mannerisms didn't match the reason of why he was upset....like he was upset as a friend, but it seemed he was upset because he was in love with the uke but that didn't end up being the case .

Some aspects of the story could have been better (e.g. they become interested in each other just from interacting in a game....but also the uke was still intrigued by the seme even though he was very closed about himself while they were talking online....? but it was a cute story nevertheless and is going in my favorites.

... Last updated 3 years ago

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Entertaining

by TehShush
4 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

The usual gangster x normal person trope, definitely leans heavy on all the trope characteristics like the gangster guy being huge and imposing in every social situation ever. They had a little build up before getting together, both of them slowly realizing their feelings and coming to terms with them. For Sanghwa it was all about overcoming his past love and moving on, for Gwon it was about finding friendship for the first time and then that feeling growing into attraction.

The game premise continues throughout, sprinkled in the story, but their relationship is focused on their offline interactions (unlike manhwa such as My Darling Just Signed In.) The guild meetings happen a few times as well, giving a chance for character growth with other friends.

I liked how the friendship with Ryuh Han evolved after the first interactions, and I feel like it was handled better than expected as most manhwa tend to have a more negative outcome for similar situations.

Some parts are cheesy, it's to be expected from a romance that isn't focused heavily on drama and angst. There were funny moments, quite a few scenes that made me chuckle, and I feel like what drama there was was nicely balanced by the humor.

The art is nice, easy on the eyes, characters designs are very easy to tell apart, and the overall style is reliable and doesn't change in appearance throughout the chapters.

As far as maturity rating goes, the characters do have sex but it is censored extremely heavily to the point that you can only really see their faces and a few bits of upper body/legs (no lightsabers). So, not appropriate for most youth, but fine for teens and up probably.

... Last updated 4 years ago

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Lackluster

by YuriTachikawa
5 years ago

Rating: 6.0 / 10.0

The premise was interesting but the execution really lackluster. There were often situations that just didn't add up or the follow-up was just plain abrupt and didn't make a good flow for the story. The story also mainly revolves around the couple and the aggregator. What I can appreciate is the "jealousy and unrequited love trope" used differently here.

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