Cheese in the Trap - This manhwa ruined me (in a good way) hence this essay
I finished it yesterday and I feel empty. The author has this incredible way of presenting events where you feel like you are living alongside the characters. >!There was a point where someone took FL's fact sheet (reading material) and all the drama that followed had me feeling like I needed to see this fact sheet myself lest I fail my imaginary exams 😭 I digress. !<Anyway, you understand why they feel the way they do and why they make the choices they make. The flashbacks are integrated so well into the narration that as you keep reading, everything slowly clicks into place.
Also, I am sure the ML's character has already been discussed, dissected, analysed and argued over but I will just say it: I liked him as the ML. >!If his calculating nature was a nen ability, he would be terrifying!<.
When I started reading, I thought the title was just interesting. By the end, I realised the title is basically the entire story. To me, cheese is what each character desperately wants and the trap is what they become, tolerate or lose while chasing it.
Spoilers below:
- >!Jung Yu!<
>!For Jung, Seol is both the cheese and the trap. His whole life people approach him because they want something. He protects himself by becoming unreadable and manipulating situations while maintaining this perfect, kind image.!<
>!Then Seol appears. She sees through him. She becomes the cheese because she is the first person he genuinely wants, but also the trap because she becomes something he cannot control. His manipulation does not work on her. She asks questions, calls him out and makes him realise that if he wants to keep her close, he cannot keep hiding behind those habits.!<
>!Ironically, Jung is also cheese and trap to everyone around him. He looks perfect until you upset him and suddenly your entire life starts falling apart.!<
- >!Hong Seol!<
>!This one took me longer to notice because I am so used to overworked and underappreciated female protagonists (virtual hugs to all my hardworking underappreciated girlies). For Seol, the cheese is academic success, financial independence and finally being acknowledged by her parents or really just appreciation from anyone.!<
>!The trap is that she loses herself trying to earn those things. She carries group projects, emotionally suppresses herself and accepts unfair treatment until she burns out. The family dynamics annoyed me so much. Her parents send the son abroad for education and she quietly receives less and is expected to endure more.!<
>!Jung becomes another form of cheese because with him she feels seen and protected. The trap is that the person giving her safety is also emotionally dangerous.!<
>!What I liked is that she eventually learns to push back, against toxic group members, against her parents and even against Jung.!<
- >!Baek siblings!<
>!Their cheese was stability.!<
>!Their trap was becoming tools. Jung's father gave them security after childhood trauma but used them to monitor Jung. That arrangement poisoned all of them. This one was sad because they were children and had no real choice, couldn't see or even leave this trap if they wanted.!<
>!Seol also represents a form of cheese for Inho. The cheese is his attempt to use her connection with Jung to get back at him. The trap is that he ends up caught in his own emotions, forcing him to confront his bitter past with Jung.!<
- >!Minsoo(the copycat)!<
>!Her cheese was becoming like Seol. Her trap was choosing shortcuts instead of working on herself.!<
- >!Lazy senior (forgot his name)!<
>!Wanted easy success. Ended up becoming dependent, incapable and a horrible human being in general.!<
- >!Creepy stalker (can't be bothered to check his name)!<
>!Wanted attention and validation. Turned into whatever that was, delulu stalker🤮!<
- >!TA Heo!<
>!Wanted easy money albeit to help his partner. Ended up becoming useful to Jung instead.!<
Anyway, at the end of the day I think that is what Cheese in the Trap means. We are all chasing some version of cheese. Just make sure the trap is worth it, or leave the cheese be. There's strength in leaving the cheese alone.
Been a while since I got life lessons from a manhwa.