#park hyun jin

[somewhatavidreader]

Love and Leashes, 2022 Dir. Park Hyun Jin

[ventivente]

[hywi2n]

Do u want meee? (wan' meeeeee >_>)

do u wanna love me like thaat? 🤪

[lookismstuff]

Behind The Names: The Leaders of the 2nd Generation's Five Major Crews

A previous version of these edits appeared on Reddit. My disclaimer, sources, and notes on the names are available in the reply section.

My previous "Behind the Names" Post: The Kings | Cheonliang Family | HNH Group (Gun, Goo, Crystal, the Kojima Brothers, Kouji)

[anticapitalistclown]

clownie

how would lookism men be as dads ?(how many kids, girl dad vibes or boy dad vibes)

yes! prepare yourselves bc this is going to be a long post...

Lookism men as dads headcanons

let's start with J High Crew and +:

Daniel - he has the vibes to have 1 boy and 1 girl, they're three years apart and get along surprisingly well, they have the typical sibling fights but at the same time they're partners in crime. His kids are well educated and are really respectful, but both of them are as bold as the father.

Zack - same as Daniel but reverse, he has a girl, an older sister responsible and harsh, the pride of her father, and the little one, a boy, a funny and impulsive little Zack that makes sure the family keeps a constant eye on him. They're four years apart, as soon as the eldest got into kinder that Zack went for a second.

Vasco - Vasco always wanted a big family, since young he wished for three daughters, genetics had other plans tho, he went for a daughter and had a son, a healthy and strong one, a year after he wished the gods for a daughter but life blessed the family with another son and so on till Vasco had three sons, each one a year apart from the other, the eldest, a strong, kind and responsible son, he is the peace maker of the siblings, the middle child, a wild and funny version of Vasco he gets along with Daniel's first child, the third child, an adventurous and curious boy, so curious that makes him get in troubles for that, making everyone worry about him. Five years later since the youngest was born, life blessed the family with a girl, a kind and adventurous little girl that gets spoiled by her father and has three bodyguards so called brothers.

(sorry about all this text but I love the idea of Vasco wishing for three daughters and having three sons instead)

Jay - I don't see him being a dad, more of the cool uncle (like jinyoung), but if life gave him a child, it would be a girl, a kind and classy girl.

Jace - a son, a little version of him, a little detective, he will born at the same time as Vasco's third son, a chaotic duo that will continue the father's heritage, on the other hand he would be like another big brother for Vasco's daughter.

Vin Jin - he was afraid his bloodline will inherit polycoria as him so he would be really reluctant to having kids, still, life blessed him with a daughter, she's the apple of his eye, his partner in crime, the reason that made him a god parent for her.

Johan - a son, a gentle and kind son, he's spoiled by Zack's eldest daughter and gets along really well with Daniel's kids.

Big Deal

Jake - he was more than fine settling with an only child, but life blessed him with two sons, genetics are hard on his side so Jake would have two copy and paste versions of him, they are two years apart and get along really well, even more when the youngest enters puberty, they share the same friends, same adventures and great times. The eldest is the extroverted one, his charisma makes people want to be around him, the youngest is more quiet but makes the most random and unhinged plans, when both brothers are together they make the most funny dynamics.

Sinu - a son, the best friend of Jake's kids, he's the eldest of the new gen of big deal. Sinu settled perfectly well with a son, but will foster home some runaway kids.

Samuel - a daughter, Samuel wasn't even sure to be a dad but to think of causing the same pain he had to suffer because of a shitty absent parent, to his bloodline made him settle and be more responsible. Samuel's daughter is spoiled to the brims, she is quite arrogant but she is not a bad person, at least that is what the big deal kids say. Every parent is scared of her, they will all let their sons date everyone they like and encourage them, but will warn them about Samuel's daughter, not bc of the girl, but bc of her father.

Jerry - a son, another blessed with a son and strong genetics, Jerry was more than fine with a single son, the wife did a great and enough hard job of bearing the big son of such a big man. He is the same age as Jake's youngest son, they're inseparable.

Jason - life blessed him with two daughters, they're five years apart, being the youngest, the youngest of all the big deal kids. The eldest daughter and the big deal boys are like peas in a pod, which makes Jason worry about her.

Brad - Brad settled happy with a son, the voice of reason of the big deal kids, he's a year younger than Jake's eldest son.

Lineman - a son, the second youngest of the big deal kids, he is a good boy but always manages to get in trouble (Jason's youngest daughter fault).

Hostel

Eli - his daughter, Eli settled with Yenna, he worked hard for giving her the world and wouldn't change it other way.

Warren - a son, who Yenna cared of him as a big sister, Warren also took in the family Like What and So Funny, so he has two daughters and a son.

Geniuses

Gun - he was blessed with a daughter, a spoiled girl, the pride of Gun, he taught her how to fight, how to grow up without needing any man, Gun raised a girlboss but surprisingly he did well enough to not give her any trauma. Gun didn't care much of making a bloodline of warriors so he was more than happy with raising his daughter.

Goo - two monsters both one year apart, first a boy, and then a girl, both are the the same as him, and the three of them are everyone's worst nightmare.

James - a son, unhinged just as his dad, the new nightmare of the next gen.

Ansan

Taesoo - three kids, his first one, a daughter, a smart girl both academically and street-smart, his best helper, the middle, a boy, a little wild version of him that makes his eldest sister stress, luckily, the third child, a girl, made the middle one focus and mature because she truly is a menace. The eldest and the middle child are two years apart, and the youngest is six years younger than the eldest and four than the middle.

Hudson - a daughter, she has Taesoo's eldest as her role model, she is smart and spoiled by her dad and uncles, doesn't need siblings bc Taesoo's kids take care of her.

Chungcheon

Jibeom - three, Jibeom wanted to maintain the tradition of having a big family so he got blessed with three children, the eldest a strong and independent boy that helps the family, the middle child, a smart daughter, daddy's princess, the youngest, the black sheep, a rebellious boy that warms Jibeom's heart, his youngest son makes him remind of his little brother.

Jihan - unlike his older brother, Jihan had more than enough with his only son, if the boy felt lonely he had his three cousins to play with, his little rebellious and hyperactive son made the same and enough chaos as Jibeom's three kids. When the two youngest cousins of the Kwak family were together the whole town trembled.

Workers

Eugene - twins, two girls, two times eviler than their father, the new gen better be careful.

Yuseong - a boy, the protector of his cousins.

Ryuhei - a girl, a beautiful and evil girl spoiled to the brims by her father.

Kenta - a boy, his heir and his pride, he will seek revenge on Gun's daughter only to get gasslighted by her

[ryoun]

they finally kissed #lmaooo

[limjiyeon]

THE KILLING VOTE 국민사형투표 (2023) dir. Park Shin Woo

[kdramaladies]

The thing is, I don't like him as your little brother. But it turns out he's good boyfriend material. TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME (2023 - 2024) dir. Kim Yoon Jin

[kdramaxoxo]

Friendship 🥰🥰

[iubar12]

Are the writers going to do us like that??

Jin I Soo and Lee Ganghyun go from bickering like kids to comforting each other at their lowest. Ganghyun goes from telling him to go home to texting him to come to the station because they got a new case. Ganghyun takes Jin I Soo to her comfort place so that he can clear his mind after learning the truth about his mother's death. I Soo saying "You trust your father, and I trust you" to Lee Ganghyun when she was on probation and desperately wanted to prove that her father was innocent and that he was framed. Ganghyun scolding him because he put himself in danger and I soo trying not to repeat that. And most importantly what about the fact when they almost drowned together while trying to arrest Bori?? What are you gon say about Jin I soo cupping her face and telling her to believe in herself when she told him that she couldn't swim ??? Carrying her over the water the entire time she was unconscious while he was struggling to breathe and stay over the water himself. Are the writers really going to do us like that?? T_T

"LEE GANGHYUN WAKE UP"

P.S : Jin I Soo being jealous over Park Junyoung and Lee Ganghyun and then asking Junyoung if they shared any feelings or ever dated and then getting flustered on being asked if he liked Ganghyun was the cutest thing everrr.

[dangermousie]

Top Dozen 2023 drama MLs so far

It's August, so not the end of the year, neither it is at halfway year mark, but why would I ever do anything like a normal person? Here my very very subjective list. I have limited myself to one dude per drama or LYF would be half the list. No order except alphabetical.

Chen Wende (Sun Yizhou in Gone With the Rain, China)

The epic troll lord stole the whole drama as competently as he stole the FL's heart. He was competent and adult and oh-so-amused by but also gone for the heroine.

Gu Jiusi (Bai Jing Ting in Chang Feng Du/Destined, China)

CFD lost steam for me halfway through but Jiusi's character remained a delight throughout and BJT gave a great performance as a golden boy who went through a bunch of hell and grew up but remained goodnatured at heart.

Han Dong Jin (Kim Young Kwang in Call It Love, Korea)

You know, he and Jing (from LYF1) really fit the same mold even if one is in a mellow realistic modern and another in xianxia - lovely traumatized people from monster families who win over heroine with a metric ton of baggage through sheer unswerving decency. I have a type.

Jang Uk (Lee Jae Wook in Alchemy of Souls s2, Korea)

I loved Uk in S1 and S2 continued that love - he's so intense, so grieving, so still in love with Naksu. LJW is always a good actor so it's such a pleasure to see him in a good role.

Kim Do Ha (Hwang Min Hyun, My Lovely Liar, Korea)

The year of surprises - Minhyun, who I found utterly wooden in AoS stole my heart here as this hopeful, traumatized sweetheart of a man.

Kim Moo Chan (Park Hae Jin, The Killing Vote, Korea)

Yeah, we are only one ep in but who said anything about this list was objective? PHJ brings his usual unsettling intensity to the role of a cop who breaks all the rules and teeters on the edge and now is set to catch a killer who really only differs from him in a matter of degree.

Lee Jang Hyun (Nam Goong Min in My Dearest, Korea)

If I had to pick a favorite ML from this list, it would be between him and Jing (LYF). This is basically if you took Rhett Butler and took out slavery and rape but gave him a sword. The character is complex and nuanced and NGM is giving his usual incredible performance.

Lee Rang (Kim Bum in Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938, Korea)

I was not a Rang fangirl for most of the original (even if he was well-acted; and he did win me over by the end) but I fell for him head over heels in this sequel/prequel/spin-off. I am so happy the man who believed he had nobody and was abandoned by everybody ends the story with his beloved brother and his beloved woman, both.

Moon Seo Ha (Ahn Bo Hyun in See You in My 19th Life, Korea)

A lot of MLs on this list have serious trauma and haunted by it and can't let go of their past love (I have a type) but even by those standards, Seo Ha was such a lovely, quiet person slowly healing.

Tantai Jin (Luo Yunxi in Till the End of the Moon, China)

Abuse victim/monster/praiseworthy king/xianxia saint/man on the brink - LYX portrayed a character in multiple timelines and many different complexities and did it amazingly. Tantai Jin may or may not win my favorite place on this list, but his performance was hands-down the most glorious thing this year.

Tushan Jing/Ye Shiqi (Deng Wei in Lost You Forever part 1, China)

If before LYF aired someone would have told me that a character played by Deng Wei, an actor I've always found eminently forgettable, would make it on this list and be in the running to win the whole thing actually, I'd have wondered what weird reality they came from. They somehow managed to make someone genuinely good and kind not in the least boring; I am ridiculously invested in the man who managed to keep his soul after all he's been through.

Yun Xiang (Chen Xiao in The Ingenuous One, China)

A schemer on a revenge quest, smarter than anyone else in the room but helpless in front of love. Yun Xiang was an adult in an adult story for adults and it was glorious.

[somewhatavidreader]

GIRLFRIEND PROJECT DAY 1 (2022)

Hee Ram & Ga In, height difference

ID in ALT

[mangodelorean]

Harbin [2024]

Cast: Hyun Bin; Jeon Yeo Been; Park Jung Min; Park Hoon; Jo Woo Jin; Yoo Jae Myung; Lee Dong Wook

Synopsis: In 1909, Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun leads an attack on Japanese forces in Harbin, China.

Premiere: September 2024 (Toronto International Film Festival)

[X]

[almostwisegalaxy]

The glory

Ha Do Young x reader

Part 1

Year 2019

three years before the series

"Don't you want to get revenge too?"

Moon Dong Eun and I have known each other for eight years now. At that time, I had lied about my age to work in the factory and have a roof over my head. When she found out, she didn't try to tell the manager as I feared.

She looked at me with her usual look and said, "It's brave for someone your age to work in a factory, but this is not a game. Make yourself small and work hard to leave this place.

After that, I started to like her. She never approached me, but she would stand up for me when I got in trouble. And for the 14 year old I was admirable

Because of her reserved personality, I didn't want to stick to her and bother her. Instead, when I noticed that she was starving herself, I would steal some bread and canned salmon from the storeroom and leave it next to her whenever she was studying late. The day she left, she had left me a note that said < when you get out of here, come see me and I did. Today, we have grown so close that I call her big sister.

"While I was away, they set their sights on you. There are no causes without consequences y/n . I will make jeon jae joon pay for what he did to you but for that you must give me your help.

"Dong Eun you know that I don't want to see him or his gang again. I just want to be away from all this.

"Don't you want to avenge your son? How can you tell him to walk with his head high in the streets if his own mother is always walking with the fear of running into her criminals again? "

After hesitating at first, he replied, "What should I do?

"I will give you an identity thing and you have to seduce Park Yeon Jin's husband.

2022

Ha Do Young pov

I walk in the newly opened Go park. My first goal was to play with someone who would like to play with me, but given the early hour I quickly drop the idea. Instead I decide to take a walk and soon I'm rambling about my problems.

Lately I have more and more suspicions that ye-sol might not be my daughter but jeon jae joon's. No matter how many times I think about it, I can't bring myself to do it. I love this child too much to give her away.

So I continue in my devaluations without really taking notice of what is happening around me until I hit a person and felt an intense burning in my stomach.

"Excuse me. Being in a hurry I wasn't really looking where I was going and you were in my way. It's nothing your fault of course".

Look at the agitated young woman in front of me who was trying to make amends as best she could

"The tea must be burning you sorry. Wipe yourself with this" she said, handing me a pocket towel. I gladly took it.

"It's early and I've already ruined your blouse. I apologize for that.

"It's nothing.

"Please send the dry cleaning bill to this address. "

She handed me a card which I took before continuing

"Excuse me again but I have to go or I'll be late" she said bowing in politeness and left

Funny woman. I threw the card and went to change. Fortunately I have a change of clothes.

Y/n pov

Yeon jin what will you feel when you see the burn on your dear husband's belly. The same place where your and jae joon marked me with oil?

________________

It was my lunch break so I went out of the hospital in which I work at the general medicine station to have some tea and sushi and change the air. The tea here is much better than the one in the hospital.

I wonder what my son is doing at this hour. I would like to spend lunch with him but it is impossible. I take a sip of my drink when someone calls out to me

"I nodded too quickly to see who it was.

"I apologize for disturbing you during your meal.

Ah Ha Do Young. How surprising that my prey comes to me alone

"You are the man from Go Park, I recognize you. Sorry again about your shirt.

"About that you told me to send you the bill but I misplaced your card.

Aren't you rich enough to pay for the dry cleaning yourself?

"Oh, I see," I said as I slid a new business card towards him.

"When you didn't contact me I thought you had forgotten about me.

"Oh no. It's not every day that people with such an atypical appearance as you have in Samyong.

This comment I received a ton of times for good or bad. Being a black skinned woman with frizzy blond hair is not easy in Korea (of course you can change the appearance of y/n)

"Don't take it the wrong way of course".

When I didn't react he must have thought I was offended

"Not at all. Being Melanesian in Korea sometimes has these advantages I stand out easily in a crowd".

"But I guess you didn't take your time just to talk to me about money, did you?"

"You're right. I realized that I didn't know the name of the one who had me throw away a new shirt early in the morning.

I'm kidding of course."

"Yu In-soon" I said and held out my hand.

"Ha Do Young" and he'll hold my hand in return.

"My pose is ending soon. See you again Mr. Ha".

"Likewise Miss Yu"

Part2:

[lookismstuff-2]

Lookism Official Merch: Five Major Crewheads T Shirts

Source: Archive-P (PTJ Company store)

[lookismstuff]

Lookism Webtoon/Manhwa is Still About Lookism, After All

Added some new analysis. SPOILERS ALERT.

I read many complaints that Lookism webtoon/manhwa isn't about lookism anymore (some even call it "fightism" or "gangism"). I respectfully beg to disagree, since I think the manhwa/webtoon is still a story about lookism, despite the genre shift. I recently binge-read the webtoon/manhwa for about three weeks, so maybe that's why I can spot the threads of the lookism theme across the story.

If you want to read about the current arcs, please read point B right away.

A. Lookism in its basic definition (early arcs)

Spotlight Characters

1.Daniel

Lookism is "societal discrimination based on looks or perceived notion of beauty". As we all know, this concept can easily be applied to the case of Daniel (Hyungseok). With his second body, Daniel could access the things he previously couldn't even dream of: becoming a model, a singer, even a trainee, finding friends, crushes, etc.

2. Crystal, Duke, Aru,Jasmine, Yui and Zoe

Crystal (Soojung)'s smaller body and Duke (Deokhwa) experienced discrimination based on their looks. Others used their looks or appearance to manipulate others, like Aru (the singer of PTJ Company), or Jasmine (Youngmi), the girl who framed Vasco for theft. Yui and Zoe (Haneul) had to "sell" more than looks as streamers (they had to dress and act provocatively even though they're minors).

3. Vasco and Burn Knuckles

People like Vasco and the rest of the Burn Knuckles suffer from being stigmatized as coarse criminals simply because of their looks, tattoos and built, when actually they're really kind people.

4. The Stalker

The stalker ended up getting the attention she craved after putting on some makeup, making her look pretty even though she's a hideous criminal inside and outside.

So the school/trainee/daily life chapters of Lookism are very straightforward about what lookism is and about its impacts. Maybe that's why some readers think that the lookism theme stops there. But actually the theme stays even after the genre shifts to scifi/thriller/action.

B. Lookism and Its Further Consequences (later arcs)

Ever since the genre shifted, the manhwa/webtoon expanded its notion of lookism into further observation on its consequences.

Let's see.

1.Juvenile Prison and Jiho's Last Moment Arcs

Jiho

In his desperation, Jiho sought for societal acceptance through a series of crimes. He kept making the wrong choices just because he felt victimized and alienated (from lookism reasons). He ended up in a vicious mentality as a tragic, suicidal murderer.

2. Hostel Arc

Spotlight Characters

Eli

Eli (Jang Hyun)'s studies hairdressing, benefits from his gentle looks and mannerisms. So people previously always excluded him from the list of J (Jaewon) High gangsters (unlike Vasco, Zack (Jinsung), Logan (Taesung), Burn Knuckles members) before the God Dog crew came to find him. Had he dressed, talked, and looked like a gang member, many people would've distanced themselves from him from the get go.

Olly

On the other hand, Olly (Ochun / Ohchun), who at times acted and looked unhinged, started out as a sheltered kid who was starving for attention and kindness. People were scared of him but he didn't start out that way, and he made himself scary, ironically, to gain some footing in the world that Eli lived in and later abandoned.

In Eli and Olly's case, the former benefited from lookism while the latter was disadvantaged by it, that until their respective backgrounds were revealed people never knew that they were biased towards these two.

Sally and Warren

Sally (Serim) is perceived as a rich princess just because of her looks and her rumored wealth, but is actually a very lonely child who lives alone in a shabby place. Warren (Wonseok) is rumored and regarded as a scary school thug but is actually a brave and protective orphan. The two characters suffer from prejudices that are rooted in lookism.

3. Fourth, Third and Second Affiliate Arcs

Spotlight Characters

Vivi and Mitsuki

In the Third and Second Affiliate of Workers (Ilhae) arcs, people like Vivi and Mitsuki benefit from their wealth and beauty that they (almost) got away with horrible crimes that range from illicit drug use, manufacture, and trade, multiple counts of sexual assaults, human trafficking, and abduction. In a lookism-based society, the rich and privileged could benefit more when they are also beautiful.

Jake (and Daniel)

During the Third Affiliate Arc, Jake (Gimyung) was allowed to enter Vivi's nightclub and work there mainly because he doesn't look like a minor. While Daniel wasn't allowed, until he shows the Workers pin that Gun (Jonggun) gave him. They're both minors but only Daniel was suspected, because of how different they look, showing a bias caused by lookism.

Ms. Raccoon and Arin

In the Fourth Affiliate arc, an innocent-looking streamer nicknamed as Ms Raccoon lured Hostel's Amy and Natalie (Yejin and Eunbi) and later bound them under a slave contract in a secluded location. The two young girls would not be easily deceived had the streamer seemed hostile.

Daniel also met Arin, a beautiful but poor newbie streamer, who was later drugged and almost sexually assaulted by Vivi's cohorts. He regretted introducing Kwitch streaming to her. Her case is an example that lookism can turn beauty into harm when the beautiful is socially disadvantaged.

Johan and Vin

Johan (Yohan) and Vin (Hobin) live with a disability (visual impairment). In Johan's case he always covers his impaired eye with his hair, while Vin hides his polycoria behind super dark sunglasses. But Johan's disability was discovered by Zack in the Fourth Affiliate arc, and Vin was forced to show his during the Second Affiliate arc. In both ocassions, both characters were furious that their disability was revealed.

Before the Lookism arc, Vin even told Mary (Miru) that his dream of becoming a rapper had ended since people had seen his disability implying that what society wants is a perfect celebrity.

Although both Johan and Vin don't fully lose their self-confidence from their disabilities (and Vin spitefully targeted Duke because of his physique), we can't ignore the fact that both characters choose to conceal their disability and consider it as their blemish. This behavior is also a facet of lookism.

Channing and Jace

Channing (Changwon) of Ansan Public hurt and shamed his opponents by slashing them with tattoo pens. The purpose of this torture isn't simply to inflict pain but also to bring shame, since tattoos are still stigmatized in many aspects and in many places, including in Korea. So when Jace was slashed and branded with Ansan Public's name and address and in uneven colors, Vasco was livid. It was more than just his own trauma resurfacing, you know. Jace already got his own tattoos, but being branded and stripped like that was humiliating.

4. The Hunt for Big Deal, United Major Crews, Holiday 1, Holiday 2 Arcs

Spotlight Characters

D.G., Gun and Goo

D.G. (Diego/Dagyeom/James Lee/Lee Jihoon). Behind that beautiful façade is a guy who got away with murder and erased everything about his past.

Compare his case with Gun's and Goo (Joongoo)'s, who exude dangerous gangster-ish vibes (especially Gun).

Even though all three had killed people before, D.G. is viewed as angelic, while Gun and Goo are portrayed as demonic. Their case is a clear example of lookism-based discrimination.

CEO Charles Choi and CEO Steve Hong

Charles Choi (Dongsoo), who beautified D.G. (through plastic surgery? a second body?), knew all too well of the power of beauty. It's his true and tested method: he used his own daughter Crystal (Soojung)'s disarming beauty in the same way.

Charles himself benefits from lookism. Out of all the fighters from Gen 0, Charles is the only one whose face and mannerisms look like a legit businessman. So he passes as one, even though he was Elite, a killer like the rest of those fighters.

On the other hand, Steve Hong (Hong Kyungyeong), Charles's business rival, is brash and often poorly dressed, so the public probably would probably lend more support towards Charles if their enmity was exposed.

Though both men are terrible fathers, Steve clearly abandons Jay and would probably be more criticized by the public than Charles, who fakes his affection for Crystal and face it he's a good looking old man. Charles is better at lookism-based P.R.

Luah

Small, slender, and pretty, Luah (Rua) is underestimated and often feels unsafe when she's out alone in public. In fact, she's a thorough investigator under the Big Deal crew, enough for Jake and the others to acknowledge her capabilities.

Daniel (Again)

After being underestimated for years by his relatives especially his cousins Dylan (Hyungjoon) and David (Hyunggoo) and their families, Daniel only gains full acceptance and recognition after he slimmed down, became more confident, and grew taller. This situation shows how lookism is a social wrong because it can break families apart.

5. Lookism Arc

Spotlight Characters

Hangyeol (The Grimm Plastic Surgery Clinic)

Hangyeol of Workers runs a legit plastic surgery clinic. Without the high demand for plastic surgery, it would've been difficult for him to hide the dubious malpractice, asylum and shelter operations. And why is there such a rush for plastic surgeries? The answer is lookism.

Hangyeol himself takes advantage of his looks and demeanor. Because of these, his patients takes it for granted that he's a pro through and through when in fact he's insane (and is a minor).

Mary

Mary has to hide her background as a judoka because of her past body size and another undisclosed trauma. She and Vin had to leave their hometown Cheonliang (Chunryang) and settled in Seoul, and could only recently embraced their Cheonliang identity again after Vin's escape from Mitsuki's illegal fight club.

Their shared trauma of body shaming and disability makes it hard for them to believe in other people, an example of how lookism works in alienation.

6. Jake Kim, James Lee & First Generation King Arcs

Spotlight Characters:

Sinu, Taesoo, and Seokdu

Taesoo, who is Hudson (Hyunseong)'s teacher from Ansan, is traumatized by his disability. His bitterness and shame drove him to lose his belief in himself, and to retreat from society.

Meanwhile Sinu (Shinwoo) and Seokdu are never discriminated only because they put up a "tough front" that seem to have "surpassed" their respective disability (in what is probably an example of how their society treats them as an 'inspiration porn', a term coined by Australian disability activist Stella Young).

7. First Affiliate Arc (Current Arc)

Spotlight Characters

Logan (and Daniel)

Logan is back at his worst in the First Affiliate arc when he taunted Daniel with the past crude name "Pikachu". Daniel too had to resort to call Logan "Pig" even though he knows that it's a name given by bullies including Logan himself.

This situation is an example of how lookism in society makes it difficult for people to escape from labels, no matter how far they've come.

Side Notes

Not exactly lookism here but ageism: the dismissive attitude by younger characters towards the aging members of Gen 0. Well of course physically they're different from when they were young but they're still formidable people! But they themselves despise the younger generation, so the hatred is mutual.

Maybe Samuel (Seongeun)'s bitter rivalry with Jake about Big Deal etc. counts as lookism. Jake benefits from his Gapryong looks, and is the more acknowledged one in the criminal underworld, for better or worse. I'm not saying that Jake only has his looks, of course he's talented and tough, but Samuel had nothing (the running joke between the creators and the fandom is how he's cool because his father was an AC repairman). I wonder if that was why Samuel tried hard to make his physique more formidable before meeting Jake again (but Samuel is literally a bag of insecurities and maybe not just about his looks or heritage alone so who knows).

In the Future...

I think the lookism consequences would keep appearing in the manhwa/webtoon. I mean there's the problem of Daniel's, Crystal's and who knows who else's alternate bodies. Daniel's alternate body was probably created as a perfect human weapon, while Crystal's was to observe people (and Daniel?). I have this feeling in my gut that the alternate bodies were products of someone's (Charles's? Someone else's?) morbid dissatisfaction about human imperfections.

There goes my rant about the threads of the lookism theme across the Lookism manhwa/webtoon. I'm sorry that this turns out to be very long.