This would have been so much better with out the whole uncle-nephew thing (yes I know they aren't blood related) but it will always be a weird trope to me.
I need more love triangles like this when instead of being rivals the tops get together.
I've never understood the appeal of stories where characters have pre-established relationships, but I've noticed that many BL readers tend to favor pairings where the seme and uke share a history. Perhaps people find comfort in familiarity, but I personally find it more exciting when two people meet for the first time and their relationship develops organically—stories of new love, rather than second chances. That's why I can't support TJ.
When readers defend TJ's actions based on his love for Ian, it seems strange to me because Jo didn't know Ian back then. I suspect that if Jo had known Ian for 19 years, he would have been just as supportive as TJ.
I don't get the hype around TJ. Honestly, I don't find him attractive, and his character's boring—just another typical BL seme, nothing special.
When readers say Jaekyung has no character development im always confused. Im not sure if those readers understand subtle development. Jaekyung is a bigger POS than Jiwon expecting his personality to do a 360 is crazy.
Maturing is realizing that both Joowon and Taekyung were terrible choices for Haesoo—just in different flavors of toxic.
Taekyung was pushy and manipulative in obvious ways, but Joowon’s toxicity ran deeper and quieter, wrapped in the illusion of care and history. What’s frustrating is how so many readers excuse Joowon’s behavior just because he’s the “familiar” one. It's like people believe that knowing someone for a long time gives you a free pass to hurt them, as long as you call it love.
But let’s not forget—when Joowon first met Haesoo, it wasn’t love at all. He wasn’t some knight in shining armor. He was just as emotionally distant, just as flawed, and just as manipulative in his own way. The only thing he had that Taekyung didn’t was time. And time gave him an unfair advantage in the narrative—something that's always irritating about love triangles where one pairing is already “established.” It skews everything.
What made the manhwa even more exhausting was the never-ending line of obstacles thrown at the main couple. It felt like emotional whiplash—one issue barely resolved before another slammed down. It was like watching a relationship built on pain and drama instead of trust and growth.
And listen—I used to root for Taekyung. I genuinely did. But looking back now, older and less blinded by romantic angst, I realize Haesoo deserved better than either of them. He should have ended up alone, not as some weak compromise between two equally flawed men.
Sending Haesoo to Spain felt like a cop-out. It was like the author was trying to throw a bone to the “Haesoo should be alone” crowd—only to yank it back and hand him to Joowon anyway. It didn’t feel like a confident narrative decision; it felt like trying to please everyone. And when you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one.
And yeah—let’s talk about that author’s note. It was weird. Not because explaining your choices as a writer is bad, but because no other author who writes love triangles feels the need to justify their ending like that. It made the whole thing feel less like a story and more like damage control.
At the end of the day, this story wasn’t about love. It was about emotional dependency, miscommunication, and a whole lot of missed opportunities for real healing. Haesoo should’ve chosen himself.