I'm reading this again and wow does your comment match my experience this time around perfectly!
I think I was more biased against Jiwon the first time I read the story, this time I could see and feel the flawed behaviours in both of them. They match their inexperience and past trauma they each had respectively. But their issues also weren't a HUGE mess up that they'd have to work through relentlessly to recover from, so I do find the redemption pacing apt. All in all I think it was better than I remembered.
Love how you put it!
I think I also put all this hate on Jiwon because he was so mean to DG, so at the time of reading my first ever BL, I wanted him to suffer. But the pacing was done well, and as you said, they matched their inexperience. Makes sense why this story is so popular. Totally enjoyed this reread too!!
after rereading again, I got a lot to say this time around lol
jiwon gets a lot of flack. it's well deserved because he WAS an asshole. but he really isn’t the worst. he made it very clear to dg that their relationship was gonna be just fucking. he even asked dg like hey do you like me because we can’t continue if you do. and dg said no. and then of course the whole entering the room during streaming was super wrong on dg’s part. they both had their faults, tho jiwon was very mean about it. and while there was definitely a power imbalance as a fan fucking their idol, the sex was consensual.
originally I thought, the redemption arc was too fast. but dg and jiwon had already been separated for sometime, and jiwon knew he was in the wrong and remorseful. dg still had feelings as well. after jiwon helped sick dg, and then confessing to him in the café after apologizing, dg went in for the kiss tho jiwon initiated. it all played out well imo
overall I still really love this story and will probably reread. also, i don't think it's as cringe and secondhand embarrassment as the comments on sites make it out to be.. i'll be back again to read when jinx gets to be too much another time lol