beta
I am honestly very impressed with this webtoon. It depicts their toxic (and imo sometimes abusive) relationship very well and really explores how these relationships happen, despite the fact that ofc irl we would not be privy to a situation like that.
Like Bjorn is a well written character and the author does not excuse or justifies his actions, though they explain them well. He's a cynical man, good looking, healthy, and literally one of THE most powerful people in their world, who therefore naturally thinks of himself subconsciously as apart (and often superior) to everyone else, and who also understands that he himself is a symbol of many things and not just an individual who therefore HAS to put certain duties above his own desires, and has in that way distanced himself from how he feels and what he really wants. That kind of mix of arrogance, dissociation and absolute privilege, and the way he perceives Erna as the one person he gets to project those impulses he is not allowed to have in front of others onto, who will accept him no matter what, is a cocktail that, when faced with criticism or his own shortcomings when it comes to her, turns mean, cold, and abusive. Because he is an abuser, at bare minimum verbally, and their dynamic is completely rotten.
Also, the depiction of power imbalance is done honestly frustratingly well. They have a small age difference, and Erna is a far less world experienced and in some ways sheltered person, which makes that difference feel stronger, but their gap in status is miles bigger. When people hear about things like grooming or abuse of power, they think it means someone's boss is a moustache twirling villain that sadistically violates people beneath them, but the truth of it is abusing one's power comes naturally to someone when they, because of the fact that they are blind to their privileges and the fact that there's no one above them to tell them off, will assert their will on someone beneath them as if they are equals, not understanding that a) the other person would be intimidated at the prospect of saying "no" to them, b) that the other person would prioritize the abuser's version of reality/events over their own, and that c) there is an underlying way in which power imbalances affect the way you even fully understand someone beneath as fully a subject the way you understand yourself.
All three of these things are true in Bjorn and Erna's relationship. He is calm and collected usually, yet reacts immaturely and meanly to her expressing hurt or dissatisfaction towards him, is blind to the fact that he is assuming he gets to do that and that she does not, loves her yet objectifies her and looks down on her, and in turn, Erna tiptoes on eggshells around his moods and whims, never speaks to him as harshly as he does, and sees herself as an object around him, focusing on how she can be "useful" to him, as "a pretty wife" or a "shield" or a fucking womb, and equates herself to objects (which he does too tbh) like a trophy or a fake flower. Even when he is doing something out of worry or care towards her, he never actually takes her position and what she herself SAYS she needs seriously. He always prioritizes his own perspective on things, assuming that she doesn't know what she wants herself, literally treating her as an inferior species of human many times.
It's kind of chilling to see how the story doesn't pull any punches about it the way usual stories do about "toxic ml"s or whatnot where they go "but he's huuuuuwt and he's been tormenteeeed and he has lots of responsibilities!!! Don't you feel soooowwwwy for himmm?" In this case, Bjorn's not abusive in the black and white way idk a typical villain would be, but honestly he's not just mean in a kind'a downplayed tsundere way either. He's a literally privileged a f asshole who is repressed and distant as hell from all people around him by his upbringing, cynical as hell from his first marriage and prone to throwing tantrums in front of the only person that threatens the way he perceives himself and who could make him feel vulnerable. And idk honestly, I'm kind of amazed at that, and I have no idea what kind of rehab his character could go on to convince us that he could be redeemed, but I'm very very curious.
Also I love Erna as a character, I know some people find her too passive, but that's kind of the point. She couldn't be any other way, the whole world was calling her worthless, just a pretty face, not good enough and so on, and probably to some extent of the universe her husband inhabits and the traits expected of someone in her position, that is true, but it's not her fault in any way and not even something she could ever control. What a grueling reality to live with. This marriage robbed her of her innocence and her vitality, and she probably won't be the same anymore, yet instead of letting it turn her into a shell of herself completely, she decided it was enough and to move on. I lowkey love her.
Idk I really like this story and was blown away with the nuances it has compared to what's expected of stories like these these days