u/Wonderful-Pop9970

I recently watched a youtube video explaining different kinds of Love Triangles, and it made me realise that we talk about "love triangles" like they're one trope when there's actually a bunch of completely different structures hiding under that label. So a love triangle's kind of like an umbrella term if you think about it.

So I wanted to go through the different types and say my thoughts on them but also ask you guys which ones do you think K-dramas use the most/tend to execute well, which ones do you actually like/dislike, and which ones make you wish you could see more of?

I think the distinction between true vs. mock love triangles explains a LOT of why some love triangles are genuinely compelling while others feel like unnecessary suffering.

For the sake of this post:

A = the main character
B and C = the love interests

1. THE BALANCED LOVE TRIANGLE:

This is probably the type most people picture when they hear "love triangle."

A is the main character and both B and C are genuine romantic options. There are several variations of this:

Balanced Triangle 1:

B → A ← C 

Both B and C like A, and both are legitimate options. But B and C also have some kind of relationship with each other for eg they're friends, relatives, coworkers, rivals, etc.

I usually like this one. I LOVE it when you genuinely can't tell who A is going to end up with. It actually raises the stakes because every interaction matters. It's almost like a game where every move changes the scoreboard. That can create some really entertaining drama because the characters' rankings are constantly shifting.

HOWEVER, I HATE it when B and C are siblings or cousins because EW. Absolutely not 😭 I also think B and C being connected is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it gives the triangle another layer of angst because their relationship is actually affected on a personal level and can even become strained because of their feelings for A but sometimes I don't WANT their relationship to get destroyed because of the romance. It can get icky. So this one is basically 50/50 depending on execution.

My best example of this would probably be reply 1988 (?) worst example is...idk...start up? lmao

Balanced Triangle 2: 

Same basic structure, except B and C don't really know each other.

B → A ← C but there's no B/C relationship.

Eh. Depends. I think this can work, but it's harder to pull off great drama and angst when B and C have no connection to each other. If they're strangers, you have to manufacture the conflict somewhere else, and sometimes it doesn't hit as hard. But then again, like I said above, sometimes I hate it when B and C ARE connected because now their relationship is going to get strained because of A. So it's a double-edged sword lol.

Best example: ??

Worst example: ??

Balanced Triangle 3:

Same basic triangle, except the story decides it needs to make one option obviously worse. So C suddenly becomes awful, acts completely out of character, or literally gets killed off so everyone has to root for B.

EW. This is so lazy to me. If you can't make the audience root for B without destroying C's character, then maybe B wasn't a good enough option in the first place. 0 stars.

Best example: My first first love - idc idc idc IDC dohyeon was done SO DIRTY it still pisses me off TO THIS DAY

Worst example: girl idk

Balanced Triangle 4:

Both B and C end up with A, or they all end up with each other.

This is VERY rare. I don't think I've ever actually seen it play out in any story let alone. kdrama lol. And I can see why, because B and C usually either hate each other or are indifferent towards each other, so getting all three people to genuinely want the arrangement would require a very different kind of story and great writing to effectively pull off.

Best and worst example: lmao none for both

The Inverse Balanced Love Triangle:

This is where the story is basically focused entirely on B and C's rivalry, and A barely matters.

It kind of doesn't matter whether A actually likes B or C; it’s just B and C competing with each other over A. Not a fan. I almost never enjoy this unless it's done in a really comedic way. For example, if A already has a partner or literally does not care about B and C's existence while they're fighting over them, THAT can be funny. Sometimes.

Can't think of any examples...

My overall thoughts on balanced triangles:

This can be one of the most interesting types when it's actually written well. The drama comes from the fact that every interaction can change the situation. A conversation can make A realise something about B. A fight can make C suddenly seem like the better option. B can do something amazing and regain A's attention. C can mess up and lose ground It's like a scoreboard. It's a good kind of messy imo.

2. THE VESTIGIAL LOVE TRIANGLE:

This is probably the one I associate with K-dramas and romance media the most.

A ↔ B
C → A

A and B are mutually attracted and are basically playing out a standard romantic subplot. But C is also in love with A.

The difference is that A and B are basically the foregone conclusion. C doesn't necessarily know that though. C might genuinely believe they have a chance and therefore behaves as though they're in a balanced triangle. C can be tragic, antagonistic, completely harmless, or somewhere in between. And I think there are several VERY different versions of this trope:

1 - C just quietly pines:

C knows they don't have a chance and doesn't really try to interfere. Sometimes C even acts as A's wingman because A's happiness matters more to them than getting what they want.

I don't particularly care about this one unless I actually really like C's character. Then I'll feel bad for them.

Best example: Our beloved summer (?)

Worst example: idk

2 - C actually tries, but respects A's answer:

C makes their feelings known and tries to get with A, but when A makes it clear they're not interested, C backs off.

I LIKE THIS. Rarely ever see it tho. I like when C is allowed to actually have feelings without those feelings automatically making them entitled to A.

Best example: probably hometown cha cha cha

Worst example: i don't think there can be a bad example of this lol

3 - C refuses to take the hint:

A has repeatedly shown they're not interested, but C keeps trying anyway. Maybe they want to "beat" B or maybe they think persistence will eventually work. Maybe they're actively trying to keep A and B apart.

EW. This just makes C seem like a creep.

Best example: CHEER UP. I hated the second lead so much i felt like i was going CRAZY for being the only one who didn't like him

Worst example: idk

4 - "I don't want you, but I don't want you to be with anyone else."

This one is DISGUSTING.

C knew A first and had an opportunity with them. Maybe A even used to like C. But C didn't reciprocate because they didn't actually want A, they just liked the attention A gave them. Then B comes along and suddenly C feels threatened because A might actually move on. So now C doesn't want to be with A, but also doesn't want A to be with anyone else.

Absolutely not. The sense of entitlement is CRAZYYY

Best example: maybe business proposal?

Worst example: idk

5 - C only confesses because B appears:

Another one I hate.

C has secretly liked A for ages but never said anything. Then B comes into the picture and suddenly C confesses. So if B had never shown up, C would have happily continued doing nothing. Now suddenly there's competition and C decides they need to make their move.

Also disgusting. You literally had a headstart and only chose to play the game when you actually have a chance of losing?? Girl bye

Best example: dynamite kiss...

Worst example: idk

6 - C eventually gets their own love interest

This CAN work. But usually it doesn't.

The new love interest is introduced five minutes before the finale, has no development with C, and basically exists to reassure the audience that C isn't going to die alone. They just feel like a consolation prize to me. If C's new love interest was actually established from the beginning, has chemistry with them, and the relationship develops naturally then I'm all for it. 

Best example: i genuinly can't think of any

Worst example: lmao crash course in romance?...it was so random im sorry

Thoughts overall:

I only like 1 2 and 6. I prefer it if C is actually a fully fleshed-out character and not just brought into the story to be a love interest. That's so boring.

3. BONDED TO ONE BUT LOVES THE OTHER:

A ↔ C
A ↔ B

A and C are married, engaged, magically bound, socially obligated to each other, etc., but A is actually in love with B. A and B want to be together, but A's bond with C is the thing keeping them apart.

What's interesting about this one is that C doesn't necessarily have to be a bad person. They could actually be the nicest person alive and completely dedicated to A's happiness. The actual antagonist is the social system/circumstances keeping A and B apart. This one usually feels much more tragic because C isn't necessarily someone you can just hate and root against.

I don't remember the last time I saw this one, but I don't think I like it lol. I'd just feel bad for everyone involved, especially C. Especially if C actually has feelings for A. Like yes in theory but my heart wouldnt be able to take it 😭

4. LOVING THE NEWCOMER:

A ↔ C → B arrives → A ↔ B

A and C are already in a committed relationship. Then B arrives. A falls for B. A and B end up together. C gets left behind.

This is actually surprisingly common in romance media, where the protagonist starts with the normal/safe/boring partner and then meets the exciting, dangerous, interesting newcomer. And usually the original partner is made deliberately unappealing.

C is an asshole, or boring, or unattractive, or they have some other flaw that makes the audience go, "Well, obviously A should leave them for B."

I don't like this. It usually involves A cheating. Sometimes the cheating is emotional, sometimes physical, and sometimes the story just... doesn't acknowledge it as cheating, or it tries to justify it because A and B have better chemistry. That's just weird to me sorry 😭.

If C sucks as a person, fine. But I'd rather the story actually deal with the fact that A was in a relationship instead of pretending the previous relationship didn't matter because the new person is "better". It's usually just very unneccessary cause C is always such a nothingburger character so i never care about the conflict.

Best example: idk

Worst example: idk

5. NEW PARTNER VS OLD PARTNER of 4:

This one is kind of the reverse.

A ↔ B
C returns

A and B are happily together until A's old love interest C suddenly comes back. C starts causing problems. A might not even have feelings for C anymore, but usually there's some lingering affection or chemistry. B and C become jealous of each other.

Sometimes C is still obsessed with A or A still cares about C. Sometimes both.

This one...I don't like it either. C is usually brought back specifically to create cheap drama.

It's like "oh no! B is jealous! 😱" like i'm sorry but idgaf 😭 I don't really care about watching B get jealous for six episodes because A's ex suddenly appeared. Unless C actually adds something meaningful to A's character or the previous relationship has unresolved emotional consequences, I usually just roll my eyes. It's especially frustrating when they overstay their welcome like go away...

Best example: idk

Worst example: technically filling for love if you squint...

6. THE CONGA LINE:

A → B → C

A loves B. B loves C. C either loves someone completely unrelated or isn't interested in a relationship.

This one usually focuses on B because the question is whether B will eventually reciprocate A's feelings.

I usually like this one but there's one HUGE condition. B needs to eventually develop genuine feelings for A. I don't like it if A is just used as a consolation prize for B because C doesn't want them. I want B to actually realise they have feelings for A over time. It needs to feel earned.

I also like that this one can be played for comedy, especially in superhero stories where A and C are technically the same person because C is their superhero identity and A is their civilian identity.

Best example: idk...

Worst example: idk...

This leads us to...

7. THE DIRECTIONAL LOVE TRIANGLE

A → B → C → A

A loves B. B loves C. C loves A. Everyone's feelings point in a circle. Or i guess an actually connected triangle.

This one is RARE which is a shame because I really enjoy it. I'd honestly love to see more of these in media. It can get incredibly messy because there isn't just one person sitting in the middle with two people fighting over them, everyone wants someone who wants someone else. And depending on how everyone's feelings develop, you can potentially even resolve the whole thing through polyamory. The problem is that if nobody's feelings change, you just get infinite pining.

There's also the movie She's the Man, which kind of accidentally creates this hilarious mess when you think about the relationships while A is disguised as a guy (she was pretending to be her brother).

A likes B → B likes C → C likes A.

And then the movie resolves it by having C end up with A's brother and basically immediately transferring all her affection from A to him, which...doesn't really work?? 😭 Honestly, the movie makes much more sense if you just headcanon everyone as bi especially because A/B have some VERY questionable moments when A is pretending to be a guy, and A/C obviously has the whole technically wlw thing going on. Anyway.

I want more directional triangles.

Best example: our beloved summer kind of almost did this

Worst example: idk

TRUE TRIANGLES VS MOCK TRIANGLES:

And THIS is probably the most interesting distinction to me.

A true triangle is one where there is no foregone conclusion. You genuinely don't know who A is going to end up with. LOVE.

A mock triangle is one where the story gives you the appearance of a choice, but there is an obvious endgame couple. Don't necessarily love or hate. I just tolerate it. Fine if it's done well.

So:

TRUE TRIANGLES:

• Balanced
• Directional

MOCK TRIANGLES:

• Conga lines
• Vestigial love interests
• Bonded to one but loves the other
• Loving the newcomer
• New partner vs old partner

I think this distinction explains why people can say they hate love triangles while still loving certain examples. A lot of what people call love triangles are actually mock triangles. The audience knows A and B are going to end up together. The story knows A and B are going to end up together. But C is still there to create drama.

So the question is never who will A choose its how much suffering is C going to go through/make A and B go through before the story finally makes A and B endgame. I get how that can be annoying for viewers. But honestly, mock triangles aren't always bad. You can get a lot of interesting drama from knowing C is doomed while C doesn't know they're doomed. You can feel horrible for C while simultaneously knowing they're never going to win. And sometimes that's the point. But when the writers start making everyone behave like A/B and A/C are genuinely equally likely when the audience KNOWS they're not, that's when I get frustrated.

SOME OTHER LOVE TRIANGLE THINGS I HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT:

Another thing that drives me crazy is when A barely has any agency. B and C spend the entire story fighting over A like A is a trophy. I actually think love triangles are much more interesting when A, B AND C have personalities and relationships outside of the triangle.

Give B and C a relationship that isn't just "we both want A." Give A friends and goals and a personality. Give B their own storyline. Give C something to care about that has nothing to do with A. Otherwise it's just lazy and boring.

And then there's CHARACTER ASSASSINATION. This is probably one of my biggest pet peeves. The story wants A/B to be endgame. But sometimes C is more popular than B or is obviously the better option so the writers who never actually intended on C being an genuine option suddenly make C become horrible by either being manipulative or cruel/abusive or they somehow betray A. They develop some completely random personality trait that wasn't there before. It's so obvious and i can always tell😭 And I think it actually makes the triangle WORSE because one of the biggest strengths of a mock triangle is that the audience can still care about C even though we know C isn't going to win. If you destroy C's character just to make B look better, you've removed the very thing that made the triangle somewhat interesting. I'd much rather have a genuinely good C who simply isn't the right person for A.

And the question everyone always wonders is is any of this really worth it? Sometimes I'm watching a love triangle and eventually I just start wondering why are these people doing this to themselves? If everyone is miserable and constantly hurting each other or the relationships are incredibly unhealthy or if A isn't even particularly interesting but B and C are destroying their own lives over them then I'm just like omg JUST LEAVE 😭

Obviously, the Watsonian answer has to be something that makes sense within the story. The characters need an actual reason to keep pursuing each other because "the plot requires a love triangle" isn't a reason the characters would have. And personally, I don't automatically find a love interest worth fighting over just because the story tells me they are. Because most of the time A isn't worth doing all this for no shade. There are lots of nice people i need to know what makes A/B or A/C special. Like give me a character actually worth what these people are willing to put themselves through all this for. Otherwise I'm just wondering if they know they could date literally anyone else.

So guys, this begs the question/s:

1. Which type of love triangle do you think K-dramas use the most?
2. Which type is your favourite?
3. Which type do you hate?
4. Do you prefer true triangles or mock triangles?

And most importantly:

5. What K-drama is your best and worst example of each type?

I'm especially curious whether the type you think is most common is actually the type you enjoy most because I have a feeling there might be a pretty big gap between the two.

I literally grew up with them and now it's over 😭😭😭

Ok, I initially gave this five stars, but after really thinking about it, I realised I had my rose-tinted glasses on when watching and the adrenaline hadn’t worn off LMAOOO

It's gonna look like it for a huge chunk of this review, but I promise I'm not just complaining for the entire thing😭

So let's get into it: I'll start with the bad stuff so I can end on a good note:

Nitpick but...I did not like the lighting in certain scenes at all 😭 I kept making sure my brightness was all the way up because the movie was so dark at times I could barely see anything?? Mind you, my curtains were open, and it was a bright sunny day as well...Can movies stop doing that?? Idk if it was on purpose to make it more "mature" like they wanted or what, but I didn't like it. This could just be a me thing tho so NEXT!

This sounds crazy, but when I looked at the reviews and saw people saying that the animations weren't well integrated into the show, I had to do a double take because idk if I was just not paying any attention or what, but aside from the intro, I literally don't remember seeing any animations😭😭😭, so I guess the reviews are right?😭 Or maybe I'm blind idk

The time frame of events + lack of clarity with dates/seasons changed very drastically. It took me out at times like I blinked, and autumn was over in five minutes, and winter had arrived. I also couldn't tell how far apart certain events occurred, which was kind of annoying... again, though, this might just be a me thing.

The sex scenes were excessive. I'm sorry, like, we get it, but DAMN, every ten minutes😭 😭. I'm not some puritan or anything😭. I know they're teenagers and teenagers are hormonal, I'm literally a teenager myself as well, and I get what the show was trying to do, but my goodness😭. I feel like the writers forgot that there are other ways to show intimacy, which was odd because they didn't have any problem doing it in the show, like the little subtle moments Nick and Charlie would have were kind of lost/not shown as much in the film in favour of the sex scenes, there was way too much sex and not enough skinship imo...b

Like most people, I agree that the movie was very rushed; like, everyone's storylines weren't given enough room to fully develop, and when it comes to the supporting characters especially, they give a very tell-don't-show aspect instead of the other way around.

The movie feels like it was made for/with people who read comics in mind because some scenes literally jumped straight out of the comics but still ends up cutting important stuff out, like some scenes lack the context you have from reading the comics for example the party scene where Nick is drunk and gets annoyed and is rude towards the guy flirting with Charlie; in the comics Nick and the guy have a conversation beforehand and the guy asks him if Charlie's single and Nick tells him that they're dating to which he weirdly responds with something along the lines of "well high school relationships don't last forever lol!" insinuating that him and Charlie aren't gonna last and he can still make his move on him so Nick coming to find the guy still attempting to flirt with Charlie despite knowing he had a boyfriend is obviously gonna annoy him and make him lash out.

Another scene is the rugby scene where Nick gets hit; while they were playing, if my memory serves me right (I could just be talking out of my ass tho), the other player called him the f-slur, which is what provoked Nick to come at him, which ended up with him getting hit. But for people who didn't read the comics, it just looks like Nick is being a dick to people for no reason when there was important context that was left out that would've added more to the scenes. I just thought those were weird scenes to cut out.

Unlike most people...I didn't mind the breakup. I knew there was a chance they were going to break up because they did in the novella (though that's not canon anymore), but I hate how it was handled. Like, they break up in a very annoying way and I feel like once they did, the movie should’ve shown them seperatly working on themselves and improving to signify that they don't need each other every second of every day to function like Charlie focusing on his head boy and band stuff and Nick with his job and getting new hobbies cause lowkey his whole thing was just rugby like damn. They could still be sad that they broke up, obviously, but they needed to realise that their lives shouldn't revolve around each other, so when they get back together, it's that much sweeter and actually feels earned.

Also, Nick having no support during the breakup was CRAZY, like why didn't we also get a scene with him and Tara/Darcy/Imogen like Charlie did with Tao/Elle/Isaac??? Nick's friendships were so sidelined this season, especially his friendship with Tara and Imogen, but especially Tara, like she's literally his best friend, and we barely see them together; it feels out of character, and his not knowing that Imogen is a lesbian because they drifted due to the breakup...crazy. I would’ve even settled for Nick's rugby friends comforting him😪

The movie concludes before we get to see Nick and Charlie actually put in the work to be better together, when that’s literally what the movie should’ve been about in the first place- like, why is it just implied?? It just comes across weirdly because it gives off the whole 'love fixes all/you can get through anything because of love when that’s…not true like relationships take effort, and you have to actully put in the work and communicate which they barely did...well, Charlie tried at least...and that's the issue like Charlie was the only one trying to communicate this whole movie and Nick kept brushing him off/misunderstanding him/doing the exact opposite, it was so frustrating because like I said he was given the same storyline he got in season 3 but the difference in execution was just awful. Ugh. Teenagers.

Nick’s mom/Sara felt…off? Idk, like the actress wasn't necessarily bad in the role, but the way the character reacted to certain things was a bit...underwhelming? idk😭 But their heart-to-heart scene was nice, I guess.

I think David/Nick's brother's arc was wrapped up better in the comics, though I found it sad in both versions. The comic was sadder tho😭

I'm repeating myself but the supporting characters' arcs were, again, very much tell-don’t-show- like, what tf was going on with Darcy?? They barely have lines. We're told Tao and Elle are having issues we know nothing about, and they keep breaking up and getting back together?? They barely get screentime (Darcy and Tara get even less screentime), but their "temporary" breakup turns into a permanent real breakup which lasts for the whole movie until like ten minutes before it ends, when it's implied they get back together…I mean, out of all the supporting characters, Elle gets a bit more care put into her compared to the rest but they still should've done more like I thought she was completely valid with not wanting her life to revolve around her relationship and being scared of her and Tao's relationship resulting in resenting one another. It would've been interesting if the movie (and show tbh) delved deeper to show the contrast with that and Tao's abondenment issues/codependency considering Tao's the most underdeveloped supporting character in the series I thought he was quite complex in season 1 but then the writers never delved deeper into his character past that which was sad. Regarding Imohar (Imogen x Sahar), I get people wanted them together, and while they’re cute, I didn't think for a second they were going to be endgame like at all and I knew this because I’m pretty sure Sahar herself admits that that they wouldn’t be good for each other sometime during season 3…😭😭😭, though it was great seeing Imogen come to terms with her sexuality and actually refer to herself as a lesbian at last! Wish we got more Tara x Darcy scenes tho...

Tao literally does nothing the whole movie...so does Darcy...and Isaac...and Tori...and Tara...Elle's friends from her college disappear (I literally had to go back and check whether they were in the movie), and James gets one throwaway scene like it was just the Nick and Charlie show, and I know they're the main characters so of course they're gonna get a lot more screentime, but damn everyone else got NOTHING😭😭

While the comics focused almost exclusively on Nick and Charlie, the TV series had room to develop the secondary characters and build the loving ensemble cast we now have, so while I understand that the story is about Nick and Charlie, I also feel for the people who loved the side characters as well and wish they had more to work with in the film (myself included). I had a feeling this would happen, though, because a movie can only do so much, and an almost 2-hour movie wasn't going to fully encompass 8 episodes' worth of content to give each character a fully fleshed-out arc, like that's literally impossible, so I'm just glad the supporting characters were in this at all tbh. At least they all get a satisfying conclusion in the epilogue (kind of), but yeah, their reduced roles and screen time were a gut punch. I knew it was coming, but it still hurt 😞

I feel like Nick's issues were better portrayed in season 3. Like I said, he has the same storyline, but season 3 had a much better conclusion. The movie has him go through the same issues, but gives him such an underwhelming conclusion. Also idk why he didn't, but Nick should've BEEN going to therapy like he needed it just as much as Charlie did 😭 I wish the show and movie had gone with this route instead of him sharing literal crumbs of his feelings with Charlie and otherwise keeping everything to himself like bro was full on having near panic attacks at times he needed to tell a trusted ADULT😭

This is another nitpick, but I wish the teachers got more screentime as well, like the movie leaves out the scene in the comics where they show that they got engaged/married😭

Ok, so stuff I enjoyed:

- They paid a nice homage to the series in certain scenes, which was very heartwarming🥹

- Charlie being more comfortable in his own skin was also so great to see, like he's come so far, my shayla😭, the recovery app scene made me bawl my eyes out😭😭

- It was nice to see the characters just having fun at times, given what most of them had to go through.

- Everyone looked really hot

Regardless of my huge rant, I thought the movie was a great watch! I watched the 1st season of the show when it came out, and I was 15 at the time, and now I'm 19, so I'm literally the same age as most of the characters in the movie😭. I'm honestly surprised it was almost two hours. I thought we'd get like an hour and twenty minutes at most so...

Would I have preferred a season 4? Yes! And obviously, the writers would as well, so I recognise that it's not their fault (because it's Netflix's fault for not renewing the show for a 4th season). The movie was still very enjoyable to me, and no shade, but the actors seem like they're ready to move on, so I hope they can move on to more great projects. I wish them luck!

I'm still really grateful we got this, given how Netflix can be with canceling good shows, especially queer ones; we were very lucky to get this. I know the characters are doing well and are happy in their universe. This series will always have a special place in my heart, and I'll always rewatch it to comfort myself whenever I'm feeling down😭

Just to clarify: I AM NOT THE SLOWBURN POLICE you can all think however you want 😭😭😭

But yea anyways I genuinely don't know anymore because to me, a slow-burn romance is when a relationship between two characters and their romantic feelings develop gradually and SLOWLY over time (hence the name). For some reason nowadays (or at least from what I've personally seen), people use the term slowburn to describe the relationship of characters who developed feelings very early on in the story/were instantly attracted to each other but just took a while to actually become official because of not communicating or misunderstandings....like characters already liking each other by chapter 10 but getting together in like chapter 95 doesn't make something a slowburn to me...😭

This might be a hot take (maybe idk), but I genuinely don't think a good slowburn can take place in a story without the characters actually developing an honest, genuine friendship first, like it just seems impossible to me idk(and this is why friends to lovers is the superior romance trope and will always be omg who said that??)

Like, it's literally in the name?? SLOW BURN, the stove is on low heat for a reason... the characters meet > they slowly become friends > they slowly develop feelings > they realise their feelings > they confess yada yada yada, you get it

I personally think romance webtoons shouldn't be more than 150 episodes (200 is the absolute maximum), so I think you can fit a decent slow-burn story in there idk

I put Graham and Lucy (from the webtoon Gourmet Hound) because 1. the webtoon is peak and my all-time favourite ever, and 2. their relationship is THE friends to lovers slowburn ship I'll never stop glazing this webtoon guys GO READ IT RIGHT NOW

So I ask: what defines a slow burn, and is it one of those words that can have multiple meanings, or are people just using the word wrong? Or is it one of those words whose meaning changed over time?

Also, what's your favourite slow-burn webtoon ship and why I need recs

I'm currently rewatching the show for the third time after just finishing season 5, and I've just compiled a list of thoughts I have. While I still enjoyed season 5 greatly, I think we can all agree that it's the weakest season overall, so Quinta, if you can hear me, please step back into the writers' room, thank you. I apologise for being all over the place with this. I just made dot points, and I'm formulating my thoughts as I go, so bare with me😭

Melissa and Jacob, for starters, their relationship regressing back to Melissa disliking and being mean to Jacob constantly literally makes no sense considering how it’s already established that they became extremely close when Jacob moved in during the third season, like the episode where Caleb is visiting, and Melissa just gives him Jacob's room without his consent and is babying Caleb like crazy, and Jacob is forced to sleep on the couch?? Wow. All their development feels like it just went down the drain, and that can be said about multiple characters in the show...

Also, Jacob's love life. Give Jacob a good, consistent love interest!! Every time he has a new guy, we see him for like two episodes and then never again because it just didn't work out, and they broke it off off-screen, which is so disappointing to me because I like all his love interests! Like I loved Zack but they clearly weren't good for each other so I wasn't surprised when they broke up but I also loved Avi (the paramedic) and I love the actor as well so I was sad they didn't work out because I thought him and jacob seemed like a good pair, if only the writers took their fling seriously and gave them more time to cook...sigh. And then they brought in Elijah, who I also like, but then we barely see him as well, and then the writers had them break up off-screen and then...get back together..off screen...bruh.

Melissa and Barbara not giving a shit about Janine and Gregory breaking up when they were their biggest supporters (aside from Jacob) was...a choice. That scene after the breakup episode where Janine tries to sit with them, and they gently tell her not to and all that stuff about them not 'wanting to get involved'...oh ok.

I might be the only person that thinks this but...I think the breakup should’ve lasted longer. Stay with me now! I never get scared when the main couples in sitcoms break up because obviously they're gonna get back together, guys. It's a sitcom, idk why everyone was so terrified. I still think the reason was ridiculous, but if they gave them a more valid reason to break up earlier in the season, or maybe even in the final episode of season 4, and were brave enough to have them stay broken up not just for two episodes but like honestly the whole of season 5...like with Nick and Jess from New Girl, then it would eat.

For those who don't know and don't care to watch the show, Nick and Jess broke up in New Girl because they realised that while they deeply loved each other, they were fundamentally on different pages about their futures. Jess wanted to plan for the long term and grow as a person, while Nick was content just living in the moment, struggled with maturity, and lacked a clear direction in life. In turn, they both felt immense pressure to change each other rather than accept each other as they were, so they broke up but chose to remain friends still, and Jess gave Nick the space he needed to eventually grow up, get his life together, and find his way back to her later in the series. Don't get me wrong, their breakup was also rushed, and a lot of fans hated it for that, but you still understand why it happened, and it made sense. Jess was constantly doing too much. Nick was never doing enough. 

The Janine and Gregory break up could've been written similarly to this in which the reasoning for the breakup is childish but it was due to their issues slowly building up throughout season 4 when they started dating and they break up in the finale and then we see them slowly come back together and fix their issues in season 5 instead of the break up just coming out of nowhere right when the season was about to end. This probably would've pissed off viewers a lot tho but I would’ve loved it😭😭😭

Mall arc was rushed and also should've lasted longer, like all season, and then have them get the school back again in the finale.

I think season 7 should be the last...I don't think there's a sitcom I've watched with 5+ seasons that didn't fall off (the only exception for me is Schitt's Creek). They always end up deteriorating, which is why I disagree when people say that sitcoms can go on forever. I mean, technically they can, but there's definitely gonna be a dip in quality over time. I mean, look what happened to Modern Family. I haven't watched It's Always Sunny, but I know it has like 15+ seasons, so maybe that's another exception...Anyway, if the show went through with my plan, then season 6 would've been the teachers and students getting settled back in the school undergoing realistc problems, Greogry and Janine fluff, Jacob lore + a consistent love interest, O'shon lore cause he's kinda just there honestly and him and Ava actually working well together instead of Ava bullying him for being poor all the time no shade. Melissa, Barbara, and more episodes of the teachers' personal lives. And then season 7 wraps things up nicely.

I also think Gregory and Janine getting married is wayyy too soon. They just got back together, and we've only seen them date for two seasons, like, come on, guys. If they wanna do a wedding so bad, then save it for the final season, which I doubt season 6 is.

Why is Dominic (the new teacher) so underutilised?? I loved the actor in Shrinking, which is also a popular show, so I thought he'd have a bigger role to play, but he's barely in the season like, take him out and not much would change...

Overall I just felt like they didn't know what to do with the characters this season but anyway, these are my thoughts wonder what you guys think bye

I'm rewatching Hometown Cha Cha Cha for the third time, and I STILL think they shouldn't have gotten back together. He didn't deserve her AT ALL IDC. Bro literally admitted to settling for her and was still INFATUATED with Cho Hui throughout their entire relationship (yes, I said infatuated. He literally only liked Cho Hui because she was pretty and nice, he literally knew nothing about her beyond that) and went back to being infatuated with her the SECOND she came back to town but I'm also annoyed at Hwa Jeong because it's mentioned that Yong guk only married her because SHE told him to like girl did not know her worth and it pissess me off. He had NO redeeming qualities aside from being a somewhat decent dad idk why she even liked him in the first place. Idc that he apologised, I know I'm gonna get hate for this, but I'm speaking my truth!

I know I'm beating a dead horse, but I promise this is the last time I'm ever gonna speak about this webtoon on here😭😭😭

First of all, I think we can all agree that TEN YEARS is crazy. One year? Fine. Two years? Sure. Three years? Pushing it, but I guess I can work with that like the story would still have something to stand on/it would still make sense for the characters to be in each other's lives but TEN YEARS...girl who gaf like why should any of them even care about each other anymore they're grown now like having them go through high school drama when they're all pushing 30 is a crazy choice to make from the writer's standpoint😭.  A lot of people seem convinced there's going to be some huge reveal explaining why Eunhyeok left, but honestly... I don't think there is...😭

Maybe I'm wrong, but I genuinely think his reason is much simpler than people expect. I honestly think he just wanted a clean slate and an opportunity to start over somewhere nobody knew him. And even if there IS some massive reveal, I don't think it's going to magically justify ghosting someone for a decade, so idk why the writer is dragging it so much. But that's not even my biggest issue.

My problem is that the story says ten years have passed, but nobody actually feels like they've lived ten years. The characters feel frozen in time. Suae's life still revolves around Eunhyeok and Dohwa. Dohwa's life still revolves around Suae. Eunhyeok's life still revolves around Suae. Hell, even RAIM still feels like she's just there to be obsessed with Eunhyeok and get on Suae's nerves for whatever reason. BRO WHAT HAVE YOU PEOPLE BEEN DOING FOR A DECADE 😭😭

One thing I actually appreciated about high school Suae was that she had things going on outside of her relationships. She had her family, her friendships, her writing, her interests, and her own personal goals. Adult Suae feels significantly less interesting and just downright boring because all she does is go to work, bump into Eunhyeok, meet up with Dohwa, go home, and then think about them. What are her hobbies?? Where are her friendships?? Where are her ambitions?? If the writer was so determined to do a ten-year timeskip, then why not actually explore what it's like to be almost 30?

Imagine if the writer actually explored Suae struggling in her career and feeling insecure because she thought she'd be further along in life by now. Imagine her watching friends get married, buy houses, and find success in their own careers while she feels like she's falling behind. Imagine her comparing herself to successful peers and questioning whether she's wasted her twenties. Imagine her being jealous of Dohwa because, from the outside, he appears to have everything while she still feels uncertain about her future. AHHHH I'm getting mad at myself now.

And speaking of Dohwa...

Why does this man not have a life??? The guy is a celebrity, yet his entire character revolves around being "in love" with Suae. Why not actually explore the downsides of fame? Like him struggling with the pressure of constantly being watched or sasaengs invading his privacy, or even just him feeling insecure because people only care about his appearance, and having the inability to have normal relationships because he can't know for sure whether someone is actually with him for him or just using him for his fame and status. Show him feeling looked down on by his peers because he's a model/idol(?)-turned-actor.

I think it'd be interesting if he thought he was actually quite mediocre as an actor, but he keeps getting cast in stuff because of his looks. He can also be jealous of Suae as well because he views her as this super-established career woman, actually doing something she loves and is passionate about, as opposed to him, who just decided to be a celebrity for superficial reasons and maybe even have him end up leaving the spotlight and finding something he's genuinely passionate about as well. The writer can do a 'the grass is always greener on the other side' plotline with him and Suae, where they both envy each other for their own reasons. He just feels really empty as a character, like I'm boreeeed.

And Eunhyeok is probably the biggest missed opportunity of all. If you're going to separate him from everyone for TEN YEARS, then show us what happened during those ten years. Show him getting therapy and processing everything that happened with his family. Show him rebuilding his life overseas. Show him rediscovering his love for music and finding himself. Show him becoming someone completely different from the boy we knew, so when he returns, it actually feels like a decade has passed. Have him come back as a healed man and actually try to make amends with Suae (if the writer still wanted him to ghost her for whatever reason) and actually put in the work and effort instead of just quietly observing her from a distance.  Right now, he kind of just feels like high school Eunhyeok but...bigger? And more mysterious. Oh, and he smokes now, I guess.

And this might be controversial, but I think all three of them should have seriously dated other people during the timeskip. I am NOT saying the writer should do a cheating trope, but it would've been more interesting to see them date other people and just have it not work out; it doesn't even have to last long. Because are you telling me Dohwa spent TEN YEARS as a famous celebrity and never had a serious relationship?? Brother, you've attended thousands of events, met hundreds of people, travelled the world, worked with countless actresses and models, and you're telling me there wasn't ONE serious relationship in there? Are you telling me Suae never dated anyone either, and Eunhyeok never formed a meaningful romantic connection overseas?? Come on. It would've made the story sooo much richer.

Dohwa could've had a relationship with an average person or even someone that works with him, like a makeup artist or manager or something, exposed to the public and watched his partner get torn apart by fans which makes his partner feel insecure and not good enough for dohwa so they break up with him and we see the toll this takes on him and him not know how to handle it. Suae could've dated someone who initially seemed perfect before slowly revealing red flags, further cementing her insecurities about being destined to be alone. Eunhyeok could've had a relationship, or the writer could've shown us how his and Doyeon's friendship developed and how that helped him heal and grow. Not every relationship has to be endgame to matter. In fact, I think seeing them love other people and still eventually find their way back to one another would've made the final romance stronger.

Hell, I'd even settle for recurring hookups/flings😭.

The biggest issue with the timeskip isn't that it happened in my opinion, it's that the story wants the emotional weight of a ten-year separation without actually showing the growth, life experiences, friendships (they all desperately need best friends that actually contribute to the story and aren't just background characters😭), and personal development that actually come with ten years passing.

IMAGINE IF WE GOT A COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY ARC???

If you're going to skip an entire decade, then commit to it. Let these people become full adults with lives and identities that exist independently of one another. Otherwise, why not just make it two years? 😭

If you couldn't tell, I was realllly bored and decided to match Korean celebrity couples (actors specifically) to what I think their American 'version' would be...this is completely based on vibes. And just fun, I’m not like parasocial about any of these couples I promise 😭😭

EDIT: just realised there’s like two British couples in here now I look like an idiot 💀 IGNORE MY MISTAKE PLEASE I CAN’T CHANGE THE TITLE 😭

Ok anyway starting off:

Hyun Bin + Son Ye-jin = Tom & Zendaya

I know Binjin is a lot older and they have a kid already, but like guys...the VIBES idk. They've both gone through the co-stars → real relationship pipeline and have extremely high public approval (“nation’s couple”). The public also spent years shipping them before confirmation.

Shin Min-a + Kim Woo-bin = Adam Brody + Leighton Meester

Both very private and against using their relationship for publicity/ couple branding

Lee Sung-kyung + Nam Joo-hyuk = Emma Stone + Andrew Garfield

- both were co-stars with insane chemistry,

-real-life relationship that fans heavily invested in and a breakup that people still bring up to this day like fans refuse to move on my god😭

- both remained individually very successful afterward.

- Strong nostalgia factor

- broke up😢

Rain + Kim Tae-hee = David Beckham + Victoria Beckham

- top-tier celebrity status (both couples work in separate industries: Taehee -actor while Rain initially started out as a singer and Victoria -singer while David is an athlete)

- widely respected, extremely high public interest

- considered an “elite couple”

Hyeri + Ryu Jun-yeol = Nina Dobrev + Ian Somerhalder

- Both have a beloved fictional ship/couple (despite one never being canon)

- Massive shipping fanbase during their show’s run.

- Fans became attached to the relationship because of their show.

- Broke up

Song Hye-kyo + Song Joong-ki = Brad Pitt + Jennifer Aniston/ Angelina Jolie

Not because they're similar people, but because they both have enormous power-couple status, and their relationship dominated entertainment news during its run.
- Also co stars who fell in love while filming…one was a big messy tho😭

Also broke up.

Lee Byung-hun + Lee Min-jung = Jay-Z + Beyoncé

Well. You know.😭

Every relationship discussion surrounding them always somehow circles back to "why are they still together?" 😭😭

Lee Do-hyun + Lim Ji-yeon = Rupert Grint and Georgia Groome LMAOOO

- Everyone was gagged over them being together cause it's so random, but people like them.

-There's not much to say about them😭 I couldn’t find a strong enough equivalent for them😢

NONE OF THIS IS 1:1 ACCURACY. This is PURELY based on vibes, and idk if you can tell that I started to give up halfway😭. If you disagree idk what to tell you. State your rebuttal, I guess.

Another hot take (not really) maybe but at this point…Dohwa, Eunhyeok, AND even Suae kinda suck now 😭

Like I genuinely don’t care for anyone anymore because everybody feels frustrating in different ways. Eunhyeok disappearing and handling things the way he did was awful, but Dohwa fans acting like that automatically means Suae should fall into his arms now is also annoying. And Suae herself has started to frustrate me too because the writing around her feels so inconsistent lately.

At this point both male leads feel like terrible endgame options 😭 One relationship is built on unresolved hurt and miscommunication, while the other feels heavily driven by one-sided longing and fan projection more than actual mutual compatibility.

I’m lowkey at the point where I’d rather the story focus on the characters individually for a while instead of constantly pushing the romance drama because everybody needs to get it together 😭

You know what? This isn’t even a hot take but Dohwa fans genuinely do not care about Suae as an actual character 😭

This goes without saying that I’m talking about SOME dohwa fans, not all of them.

A lot of them don’t want Suae and Dohwa together because they think they’d genuinely make a healthy or compatible couple, they want them together because DOHWA wants her. And the language people use when talking about them really shows that.

People keep saying Suae should “give him a chance” even though she’s made it abundantly clear she doesn’t see him romantically. Then when Eunhyeok messes up, suddenly it’s “Dohwa’s turn now” or he should finally “get to have her” like ??? do y’all hear yourselves 😭 She is not a prize to be passed around between male leads depending on who’s currently winning or losing. Suae isn’t obligated to be with him just because he wants her to.

And before anyone tries to jump me, I’m not even some hardcore Eunhyeok/Suae defender because that relationship and those characters have issues too. I don’t even care who she ends up anymore. But Dohwa fans in particular can be so insufferable with how much they infantilise and coddle him. They treat him like he’s this helpless sad boy that deserves Suae as a reward for suffering when he’s literally a grown man.

Special episodes and “what if” chapters used to add so much personality to webtoons. Stuff like alternate universes, bonus POVs, fake interviews, character Q&As, random slice-of-life moments, or just completely unserious scenarios made the characters/world feel more alive outside the main plot.

One of my favourite examples of this is Kousuke’s Corner in I Love Yoo. It wasn’t even advancing the plot much; it was just fun character interactions and extra insight into personalities/dynamics that fans already cared about. I didn't even realise how much I missed it until the recent Kousuke's corner ep that the author did because she hadn't done them in a while. Those kinds of episodes made ongoing series feel more communal, like the author and readers were hanging out a bit between major arcs.

I feel like a lot of newer webtoons are so focused on keeping weekly engagement high that the “bonus content” energy has kinda disappeared. Everything has to move the plot forward now, which isn't a bad thing lol I just miss it.

Not a hot take or anything, but we seriously need more college/university dramas. I’m actually starving for them 😭 Writers really need to tap into that space more because there’s so much storytelling potential there that high school settings can't fully capture. You get completely different dynamics: more independence, shifting friendships, identity exploration, career pressure, and relationships that aren’t just shaped by school hierarchies. It also feels like a natural space for more grounded or varied stories, since characters aren’t technically kids anymore but are still figuring everything out. I just feel like that's a whole stage of life that gets skipped over way too often.

There’s also so much potential for storylines that aren't or don’t get used enough in high school settings, like balancing part-time jobs + study load, moving out for the first time, friendship breakups that aren’t just drama-for-drama’s-sake but come from life directions changing, and the absolute chaos of trying to “be an adult” while still not having it together at all.

Plus, university settings would make relationships feel way more natural imo, people meeting through classes, clubs, shared housing, internships, even just being forced into group projects with someone you’d never normally talk to.

It’s honestly wild how underused it is given how many people would relate to that stage of life way more than the intense high school bullying/rank obsession tropes we keep getting 😭

I honestly think I've watched every single college drama that's out there (most of them are in the photos attached😭).

Dramas names are:

1. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo

2. My ID is gangam beauty (idc what anyone says about this drama, I loved it, it's sooo overhated.)

3. Hello my twenties/Age of youth

4. Dear M

5. Cheese in the trap

6. Nevertheless

7. My first first love

8. Cheer up

9. At a distance, spring is green

10. Reply 1994

Attached are photos of some of my favourite second lead couples ever.

Seconds leads aren’t extinct but they’re a lot rare now for some reason. Or they’re handled very poorly…

So yea, literally what the title says. I'm so sick of boring, unnecessary love triangles that add nothing to the plot! Especially the ones where the second male lead shows zero interest in the female lead their entire lives...until she moves on/ the male lead shows interest in her, that pissess me off so bad.

I'm starting to think the reason there's been a decrease is because writers are scared the second leads will overshadow the main couple...

I'm not saying we should eliminate love triangles; writers just need to either write them better or not write them at all. My opinion of a well written love triangle is when it's actually a triangle like person A likes person B while person B likes person C while person C likes person A (but we all know kdramas are never going to do this becuase it would mean at least one character would have to be queer) ORRR a love triangle where you can't tell who the lead is going to end up with at all, it's more interesting that way to me. Like, if you're gonna shove love triangles down our throat, at least make them interesting instead of repeating the same formula over and over again.

Anyway, writers, please bring back second/third lead (third lead couples are extinct now😭). I'm pretty sure the last third lead couple I can think of is the one from because this is my first life and love next door (barely). Cheer up, had like sixth lead couples, they were pairing everyone together😭

Please writers, if you can hear us, enough is enough!!

Remove the unwanted love triangles and replace them with second lead couples!!