The Story of Never-Ending Noncon
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Review
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Warning:
There will be spoilers for the manhwa series Missing Love: The Marrying Man.
Content Warning: There may be references to sex work, torture, cheating, BDSM (consensual and forced), gang activity, corruption, slut-shaming, mentions of gambling, drugging, loan sharks, manipulation, mentions of embezzlement, stalking, noncon, being orphaned, police, prejudice, violence, blood, obsession, mentions of divorce, suicide, gossiping, drug use, human trafficking, dehumanization, homomisia, death, mentions of DUI, bullying, excessive drinking, college, abuse, voyeurism, breaking and entering, murder, excessive drinking, extortion, gang rape, kidnapping, sexual assault, pedophilia (not between the main couple), pseudo-incest (stepson and stepfather, not between the main couple, and noncon), alcoholism, confinement, noncon porn, bribery, and chronic pain, as they do appear in the manhwa.
Synopsis:
Im Wooyeon is getting married. All of his friends from college have come to take him out and celebrate – all except for one. There has been one person who disappeared from his life one day, and he has quietly searched for them ever since. They were more than his friend, deep down. They were everything to him. And, as he’s out with his friends, he happens to see them, like a specter, hanging out in an alleyway.
Wooyeon approaches them, bewildered and confused, yet so happy and relieved to see them again. It is none other than Lee Geom, the man who appeared in Wooyeon’s life so suddenly and disappeared just as suddenly. Geom is as beautiful as the last day Wooyeon saw him, and just as beguiling. But before Wooyeon has the chance to question him, Geom steals a passionate kiss, then runs away. Wooyeon follows, determined to never lose Geom again.
But what Wooyeon doesn’t realize is that what he is running toward is not only Geom, but some of the cruelest, darkest, and most depraved parts of humanity.
Review:
The art in this is interesting. There are some breathtaking panels, and I don’t mean that lightly. There are truly some of the most stunning panels in existence, but between those panels, there are many awkward and sketchy panels. The characters’ faces, in particular, get very off-kilter at some points. I have to admit, taking everything into account, I don’t think I like the art in this. We’ll get into the content in a moment, but there are many grotesque panels with Geom in the throes of torturous passion, and there is something about it that truly disgusts me. I’ll talk about it more later on, but yeah, the art is just not for me.
I did want to make a quick note about the cheating tag on this one, before we get too deep in the weeds. While this does technically have cheating, as Wooyeon is engaged while simultaneously kissing Geom, Wooyeon and his fiancée are both in love with Geom. Their relationship isn’t a traditional romance, but rather an attempt to find happiness amidst the pain and struggles they face due to Geom’s loss and their personal struggles. So, if you want an all-out painful cheating story, this isn’t it. For those of us who don’t like the cheating trope in its traditional use, however, I think this is a win.
Now let’s get into the meat of this: the noncon. This is quite possibly the heaviest noncon title I’ve ever read, and that includes titles like The Warehouse (a fave of mine) or No Reason (not a fave). Initially, it’s meant to show us how high Geom has risen, yet how he is still dragged down into the dirt. We also see where it was used to tear him down initially, all of which I liked and thought was very powerful. Geom leverages the constant sexual abuse against him to make those around him feel powerful so he can eventually tear them down himself. I love all of that, but there are so many unnecessary moments.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m an open fan of noncon, but I’m a bigger fan of narrative, and while this is stuffed to the brim with every variation of noncon and cruelty imaginable (other than the most taboo), none of it is between our main couple. On the contrary, there is very little romance throughout this story. Most of it is relegated to the younger, more innocent love we see in flashbacks, and then we see a more intimate version of it in the very end. I think this was purposeful, as Wooyeon’s and Geom’s relationship is meant to transcend the carnal and violent attraction everyone else has to Geom, but it provided very little reprieve throughout the rest of the story. All of the needless, non-consensual sex work ends up dragging this into 78 episodes when I think this could’ve easily been cut in half and still held all of its meaning. Add in all of the never-ending news broadcasts info-dumping on us, and the second season ends up being a slog. It’s a pain to get through, and not in a good way.
Results:
I can’t express how intensely I was disappointed in this. I wanted to love it, and based on those gorgeous panels, I think it had the potential to be something I loved, but it ends up drowning in itself. There is so much pain and anguish, which is fine when given reprieves, but there are none. If it had drowned in the darkness with no happiness, I think it might have been more successful, as the happiness we do end up with just doesn’t seem possible when compared to all the torture and agony we’re put through in the rest of the story. I’m not sure. Either way, this was a major disappointment, and I wouldn’t recommend it for the story. However, for anyone looking for a steady stream of violent noncon, there is plenty to be had here.
Have you read Missing Love: The Marrying Man? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!
