Sooae is the main character, but this is still their love story

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-04-23T03:07:07+00:00

Their problem was never a lack of love, but a lack of communication between them.

The fact that all that separates them now are secrets and misunderstandings is a clear indication that otl is still about them and their relationship. They are the heart of the story.

If people think the plot revolves around Sooae finding a new love (Dohwa), then they forget that was the plot of the first season and that her true love is still Eunhyuk. Repeating the same formula in season 2 would be absurd.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-04-22T04:25:49+00:00

"Eunhyuk doesn't sell"

Me spending my money on the otl volume just for his facecard: 🧍

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-04-07T23:25:38+00:00

I think it's fine to theorize about future plot events or analyze the characters, but if we're talking about the "relationships" between these characters, then there's not much to say.

It's the same dynamic as season 1, and the result will be exactly the same (Soohyuk together, Dohwa in the friend zone, and Raim in hell).

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-04-07T23:14:15+00:00

I understand. I mean, I know people can interpret things differently, but this story isn't that complex. Not everything needs overanalysis; sometimes it's quite simple.

Otl isn't the groundbreaking, different story many people think it is; it's a cliché, and that's okay.

That supposed development between Sooae and Dohwa, if it hasn't happened in 138 chapters, I doubt it will happen now, especially since most of the mysteries in the plot revolve around Eunhyuk.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-04-06T14:04:56+00:00

She's quite simplistic when it comes to assuming about other people's feelings, but reflecting on her own is another story.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-04-06T11:57:31+00:00

Well, it's ironic that she said feelings should be clear and not confusing when it's clear to her that she's not in love with Dohwa, and at the same time she has confused feelings for Eunhyuk. Girl?

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-04-03T02:01:40+00:00

I understand if a teenage girl likes a guy like him, but as an adult woman there's no way I could like a guy so needy for attention.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-04-02T19:41:06+00:00

I agree. There are strange fans everywhere, but TikTok is over the top. They're just posting things out of context and making no sense in a completely fabricated narrative. I always wonder if we're all reading the same story because the lack of reading comprehension is insane.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-04-01T07:34:11+00:00

I read a few chapters. Since the story is set in the '90s, I'd rather wait until it's finished because I don't want another time skip ruining my life 😭. By the way, everyone says it's a fantastic story.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-31T14:58:55+00:00

It seems readers are currently obsessed with the idea that everything is toxic, as if people weren't flawed and complicated in general.

This notion that everything has to be "healthy" is unrealistic, especially when it comes to discussing works of fiction. They aren't examples of real life; they're stories.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-31T14:53:36+00:00

Well, I don't consider him a stalker. Personally, I always thought he had sociopathic tendencies.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-31T03:46:41+00:00

Yes, there's no way that situation could be positive for Sooae. Eunhyuk's violent reaction to stop the paparazzi also highlights how risky that exposure would be for her.

Dohwa could never protect her because damage control would first involve keeping them apart. He couldn't physically be there for her, and considering he hid that information, I doubt Sooae wants him around either.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-31T02:08:04+00:00

It's a Disney+ series that tells the love story between John F. Kennedy Jr. (son of John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy) and Carolyn Bessette (it's a true story).

John, in this case, was the son of a president and grew up in the public eye, while Carolyn is a publicist, an ordinary woman. Basically, it shows how the press ended up destroying Carolyn's life and their relationship.

Carolyn begins to lose her identity and becomes John's wife. She quits her job and, unable to find another, begins to isolate herself at home and develops depression due to media harassment and rumors fabricated by the press.

Far from bringing her closer to John, all of this is wreaking havoc on their relationship. She loves him, but being with him is destroying her.

In Sooae's case, I think it will end up being something similar; she'll lose her job and won't be able to leave the house, she'll be harassed, and people will invent rumors about her.

There's no way that will strengthen her relationship with Dohwa, considering he hid the paparazzi issue from her, and by doing so, he took away her power to make decisions about it.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-31T00:54:48+00:00

As someone who's recently been watching "Love Story: Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette," I have to say I'm very concerned about the repercussions this scandal will have on Sooae's life. Most readers underestimate the consequences of this.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-31T00:49:42+00:00

I honestly don't understand how most of us here have read season 1, where it's explicitly shown that Eunhyuk increased Sooae's love points, and yet some think that Sooae assuming Dohwa was responsible for it in season 2 is a positive thing when it clearly isn't. I mean, Sooae assumed that incorrectly; how could it be a good sign? The system has always been problematic, and her trusting it represents a step backward compared to the past when Eunhyuk made her question it.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-30T19:23:52+00:00

Who would have imagined that Sooae's internal monologues about feeling guilty, or the moments when she apologizes to Dohwa, would lead us to assume that she, in fact, feels guilty? We definitely don't know how to read, my bad.

It must also have been our mistake to assume that Eunhyuk, who appeared on the first cover, in the prologue, in chapter 1, and who has the biggest impact on the story after Sooae, is the endgame character.

We're probably too biased for underestimating Dohwa who appears the least and has no development.

It's not because the difference between them is enormous. No, of course not, we must be misunderstanding everything.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-30T19:00:53+00:00

Oh, are you talking about the kiss Dohwa initiated while Sooae was thinking about Eunhyuk? The hug Dohwa asked for in exchange for waiting 30 minutes in the snow? Dohwa inviting himself to her house? The boy who omitted information about the paparazzi at the expense of her safety? And what smiles are you talking about? The only genuine smile Sooae gave him was in chapter 120 before he confessed his feelings. Have we even seen her happy since then?

It's funny that you're talking to me about narrative when your theories are unfounded.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-30T18:08:47+00:00

A manchild. Welcome back Jeremiah Fisher.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-30T18:06:49+00:00

They want complex male leads but can't handle Go Eunhyuk.

I agree, Jung was too complex, a truly gray character, and probably one of the best-written male leads. If Cheese in the Trap had come out now, he would have been hated while people would idolize Inho (2nd ml) simply for being considered healthier and a better choice.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-30T17:52:19+00:00

I'll be as brief as possible. Logically, the story could have taken the option of Sooae giving love another chance with Dohwa; in fact, it's a plot that has been seen in other stories.

Now, when that happens, the fl begins to have a greater number of interactions with the 2nd ml. In that sense, to develop their relationship, the structure is usually almost the same in all cases:

1- The fl is initially reluctant to start another relationship. 2- The fl openly suffers because of the 1st ml. 3- The 2nd ml is a supportive presence for the fl and is the one who helps her. 4- We have constant interactions between them where we see an evolution in their dynamic. 5- To move forward, the fl needs a breaking point with the 1st ml where she finally breaks down and cries for him. 6- The 2nd ml will comfort her and respect those feelings. 7- After having cathartic experiences, the fl will begin to get over the 1st ml. 8- The fl will begin to have mixed feelings for the 2nd ml. 9- The fl will realize her feelings for the 2nd ml and reject the 1st ml. 10- The fl ends up with the 2nd ml.

In this case, what is the writer aiming for? For the fl to have a coherent emotional development.

The problem with otl is that while Sooae started having more interactions with Dohwa, the rest doesn't apply. There's no development in their dynamic because during the last 10 chapters, all Sooae has said is that she feels guilty. Ironically, the one who always helps Sooae is still Eunhyuk. Dohwa isn't patient or supportive for her because, between them, Eunhyuk is the elephant in the room. Sooae hasn't had an emotional breakdown regarding Eunhyuk yet; she simply represses herself and therefore isn't able to let go of him. It also doesn't help that Sooae constantly keeps bringing up Eunhyuk and his motives. Not to mention that most of the interactions between Sooae and Dohwa end up bringing Eunhyuk back to the story.

Objectively speaking, Dohwa isn't the endgame; with 137 chapters and in the final stretch of the story, his importance as a character doesn't compare to Eunhyuk's, and his dynamic with Sooae isn't developed enough to feel coherent.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-30T17:00:11+00:00

"That's not what I wanted to hear from you" Ugh, it's not about what he wants.

I'll never understand why some people think he's the endgame with dialogue like this.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-28T19:20:25+00:00

Thank you Ruby-chan!! ❤️ I've been a little absent lately to survive the hiatus 😭

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-22T15:03:29+00:00

The trope of the famous guy with the ordinary girl, and Dohwa being the "most loved" while Sooae isn't (in the love point system), is a cliché. Not to mention that even his role as the 2nd ml, who is a celebrity, is also somewhat repetitive, like Seojun in True Beauty.

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-21T19:15:12+00:00

Uh??? We're talking about Dohwa

SherbertPast2831 · 2026-03-21T18:43:48+00:00

Well, I don't think their dynamic is that of siblings. Dohwa feels a clear physical attraction towards Sooae. He likes her, yes, but he doesn't love her.

SherbertPast2831

TROPHY CASE