i'm enjoying this a lot more than i thought i would. i thought it'd be another light-hearted chaebol x spunky guy story, and it is, but it's also so much more than that. the story is very subtle and sensitive with the way it portrays child abuse and sexual assault/coercion. seong-ah's high-functioning depression is also handled very well and feels real and relatable to me—because depression doesn't always look like not being able to get out of bed or take care of yourself; sometimes it looks like being able to get everything done but feeling miserable while you do it. feeling stuck, trapped in your life, and like no one really sees you beneath the performance. it can look like not necessarily wanting to die, just not wanting to suffer or not seeing the point anymore (passive suicidal ideation). i have struggled with this myself and it's just really refreshing to see it portrayed in a way that doesn't glamorize mental illness and trauma or make it a cliche. and to have someone finally say i see how you've suffered, you've worked hard, you deserve to have been protected, is profoundly cathartic. the regular emphasis on consent (makes sense considering seong-ah's trauma) is a huge bonus as it's sadly not the norm for most BL series. i really recommend this!
i'm enjoying this a lot more than i thought i would. i thought it'd be another light-hearted chaebol x spunky guy story, and it is, but it's also so much more than that. the story is very subtle and sensitive with the way it portrays child abuse and sexual assault/coercion. seong-ah's high-functioning depression is also handled very well and feels real and relatable to me—because depression doesn't always look like not being able to get out of bed or take care of yourself; sometimes it looks like being able to get everything done but feeling miserable while you do it. feeling stuck, trapped in your life, and like no one really sees you beneath the performance. it can look like not necessarily wanting to die, just not wanting to suffer or not seeing the point anymore (passive suicidal ideation). i have struggled with this myself and it's just really refreshing to see it portrayed in a way that doesn't glamorize mental illness and trauma or make it a cliche. and to have someone finally say i see how you've suffered, you've worked hard, you deserve to have been protected, is profoundly cathartic. the regular emphasis on consent (makes sense considering seong-ah's trauma) is a huge bonus as it's sadly not the norm for most BL series. i really recommend this!