I'm reading this as a psychological work, not to goon or feel butterflies over, because clearly it's not trying to have that effect.
Just because we're criticizing it doesn't mean people like you gotta tell us to fuck off to read other things, I read toxic/physiological horror shit too but these rape/sa shit is so normalized in the bl stories that I just can't help but feel disappointed once again, not surprised but disappointed nonetheless.
Some of us not saying that we werent aware that it was already toxic from the start, we're saying that there's so many different ways to portray toxic relationship without sa/rape.
Of course, I didn't put my hopes high because I already knew some koroean bl authors are gonna add rape everytime the story they're portraying is toxic *eye roll*
Also, im not blaming the author, just wished they could've executed it better. (And istfg, if I see another "don't read it" Bs, im gonna scream)
1. people are not suddenly upset, lots of ppl were worried about pyeonghwa (hospital chapter) but didnt think as much of it because we all think he’s a masochist
2. pyeonghwa being a masochist and hurting himself, while worrisome, cannot be compared to the rape we see in this chapter - thats why ppl are upset
3. the previous chapter did foreshadow this, but most people expected dub con at worst, this chapter was really unsettling and uncomfortable to read
4. its not about being able to “handle it” ppl are speaking up about it because the rape is wrong, the story being dark is not justification, anybody can see it is a dark story
No one is saying you can’t be uncomfortable, but you do have control over what you choose to read. That’s just part of engaging with dark fiction.
Sexual coercion is different from the earlier violence, sure. But the story has been psychologically extreme from the beginning, and there was already a coercive blowjob scene. A lot of people stayed through that without the outrage we’re seeing now.
The previous chapter also set up this development, and the translator gave a TW. So it’s fair to say readers had the option to skip if this kind of content crosses a line for them.
I’m not arguing it’s morally ‘good’. I’m saying it’s a narrative choice that fits the tone of the work, not a sudden betrayal from the author.
i understand i also think its understandable (?) knowing both their characters and the current development in the story, and i do agree a lot of people stayed during the blowjob scene (although i was still uncomfortable then), my point is that i think the author could’ve portrayed the scene without using sexual violence, i feel as if there were better alternatives than just going this route. i did see the foreshadowing and understood they weren’t going to have any sort of romantic relationship/it wasn’t going to be vanilla, but it was just uncomfortable to read this chapter. i realize they put out a TW, i stayed anyways because i thought the story had potential (still does) but im just just voicing out that in bl not everything dark and complex has to go the sexual violence route and that just because the genre has darker themes doesnt necessarily mean its justified
Interesting how people are suddenly upset about sexual violence in this chapter, when this series has been dark and violent from the start, like Pyeong-hwa’s extreme self-harm, which everyone liked (personally found it gross).
Suddenly it’s ‘offensive’ just because it has a sexual context? Your sensitivities are yours, not the author’s fault.
Also, the previous chapter basically foreshadowed this, and the translator included a trigger warning. You had the choice to skip if you can’t handle it.