Vanishing Point by Mu Gongjin Review // contains spoilers 소실점 [무공진]

Read the novel here: RIDI 

Vanishing Point was originally serialized on Joara, Korea’s largest webnovel/fanfic platform, back in 2016, and by the end of the story, it had garnered more than 6 million views on the platform. The novel then was picked up by RIDI and later on, it received a drama CD adaptation. It is now one of the most popular BL series in RIDI and Korean BL community.

Keywords:

Series: Modern Time, Serious, Misunderstandings, 3rd POV, Entertainment Industry Sponsorship

Choi Taehan - Top: Caring, Absolute Top, Regretting, Humiliation, Possessive, Strategist, Chaebol (rich conglomerate), Jondaetmal (Uses formal korean language)

Kang Yijun - Bottom: Indifferent, Innocent, Pretty, Caring, 'Looking gentle on the outside, but strong inside', Neat & Tidy, Escaping

Why you should read this novel:

• Chaebol & Possessive Top and Escaping Bottom, how could one not read a fiction with this combination. Taehan and Yijun were definitely one of the best Chaebol Top and Escaping Bottom I’ve ever read so far. To add this, we got Regretting Top in the final volume too. Ah, it’s so good. 

• Their sugar sweet lines gave me butterflies. They’re so sweet together before things took a really bad turn. Whenever Taehan dropped the honorifics and called Yijun with his first name only, it made me smile reading it. Also when the polite Taehan and Yijun cursed in anger or to threaten. And also, “Shall we kiss?”. 

• Gratuitious sex scenes (and dirty talks). At first I thought their sex scenes would only be fluffy with Taehan always trying to fulfill needy Yijun. Then the flashback of “What Happened in America 9 Years Ago?” happened. Wow, those were some hot 50+ pages. Almost made me want to buy the drama CD to listen to the voice actors reenacting that scene. (Track 91)

• Yijun was so blinded by his love for Taehan that he seemed gullible at first, but when he started planning for his escape, I could feel immediately that he’s indeed a smart SNU graduate. The escape felt adventurous and really well-planned. Taehan’s capability as a Managing Director was really prominent too. He’s very smart in collecting information and when to use it to attack his enemies(and to catch Yijun). Poor Chief of Staff Kim, having to work under workaholic and perfectionist Taehan.

• Realistic sounding business politics and chaebol lifestyles. As mentioned in the previous point, Korea really seemed to be in Taehan’s hand. Money isn’t a problem to Taehan, all people (including his brother and his dad) who were trying to bring him down were not a problem too for him, Yijun was his only weakness.

• Choi Taeyeon, best noona of the year! Chief of Staff Kim, best secretary of the year! These two lovely side characters always make the story more fun when they appear. They were both the comedic relief and the refreshing relief in the novel.

My criticism:

• From Taehan and Yijun’s first meeting until Taehan finally letting Yijun go, at most, only 6 months had passed. Yijun’s escape and capture lasted for probably a month or less. But Yijun was in a really bad heartbreak as if he was betrayed by his 10-year lover. Taehan never forced him to do anything outrageous, Taehan just wanted Yijun to love him again like before he knew about the wedding. Either way, I’m sure he could have either moved on or got back with Taehan faster.

• The passages could have been cut short. Several times, the author just repeated the same thoughts again and again. The scene doesn’t progress. I’ve read the previous volumes, I know Yijun is scared of Taehan because of his possessiveness, do I have to read about his scared feelings again and again? Volume 1-2 really could have been cut into just a volume. Yijun’s internal monologue in Volume 3-5 could have been halved.

• This novel could have been a hetero couple and the story would still progress quite similarly. I, personally, like it more when the story in a BL novel could only happen because they’re both males. In this series though, even if Yijun’s character was a female actress, the story would have been the same.

FULL SUMMARY BELOW:

Volume 1:

"......제가 전무님의 섹스 파트너가 되면 어떨까요." (".......What if I become your sex partner.") —Yijun to Taehan

"도와 달라고 해봐요." ("Try asking me to help you.") "도와주세요, 전무님." ("Please help me, Managing Director-nim.") "......저 좀 살려 주십시오." ("......Please save me.") "원하는 건 그렇게 얻는 거예요." ("And that's how you get what you want.")

"연예인 그만두게 하고 그 집에 가둬서 계속 나만 기다리라고 하고 싶을 정돕니다." ("It makes me want to make you quit being a celebrity and have you locked in that house, waiting only for me") —Taehan to Yijun

The story started off slow. Top actor, Kang Yijun and Chaebol 3rd generation/Executive Director Choi Taehan having a celebrity sponsorship, and getting to know each other. The sponsorship that started with Taehan’s threatening that he knew Yijun’s dark past (drugging and had sex with Taehan in America 9nyears ago) and manipulatively made Yijun suggest to be Taehan’s sex partner himself. Yijun seemed to be gullible, but Taehan was also very tender and caring towards Yijun. Then, a problem in Yijun’s CF shooting occurred and Taehan offered his hand to help Yijun.

Volume 2:

"좋아해요." ("I like you.") "......좋아해요, 전무님." (".......I like you, Managing Director-nim.") —Yijun to Taehan

—이준아. (—Yijun-ah.) —왜 허락 없이 반말하고 그래. (—Why are you using banmal (informal language) without my permission.) —Taehan to Yijun

언제 날 좋아한다고 해 주실 건데요. 난 언제 사랑한다고 말할 수 있는 건데요. (When will you tell me that you like me. When will I be able to say that I love you.) —Yijun

After helping Yijun in multiple difficult situations, Yijun found himself falling in love with Taehan and soon confessed his feelings. Taehan didn’t accept nor reject Yijun’s feelings, he even encouraged Yijun to continue liking him more, and Yijun was alright with that, believing Taehan would eventually reciprocate his feelings. Taehan had been spending more nights in Yijun’s place and even skipped family dinners and important meetings to stay with Yijun.

Volume 3:

"예뻐해 줬으면 됐지, 내가 강이준 씨를 좋아하기까지 해야 합니까?" ("It should be enough that I'm adoring you, do I have to like Kang Yijun-ssi too?") —Taehan to Yijun

"결혼 하지 마세요, 제가...... 제가 더 잘할게요, 결혼하지 마세요......" ("Please don't get married, I...... I'll do better, please don't get married.......") —Yijun to Taehan

"몰라서 물어?" (You're asking because you don't know?") —그럼 해봐. (—Try and find me then.) "......뭐?" ("......What?") —해 보라고, 씨발 새끼야. (—Try it, you motherfucker.) —Taehan's phone call to Yijun

"......한참 찾았잖아." "이준아." ("I've searched for you for so long." "Yijun-ah.") —Taehan to Yijun

Things started to go down when Yijun found out Taehan was going to marry a girl soon. Yijun, who hated adultery, didn’t understand why Taehan encouraged his feelings when he was about to marry someone else soon. Taehan told Yijun that the marriage was only for business expansion and nothing would change after the marriage, he would still spend more time with Yijun. But Yijun would rather break off the relationship than be his adultery partner.

Taehan then reminded Yijun that he was in a higher position in this relationship and that he wouldn’t let Yijun go, threatening that he could do things to his mother and friend. Yijun then found out that Taehan was the one who planted him in his current entertainment company, basically, Taehan made Yijun into the current top actor he is. With the help of Taehan’s older brother and father, Yijun had the opportunity to escape from Taehan. His older brother who wanted Taehan to go down, and his father who didn’t want Taehan to go crazy because of a mere plaything.

Managing to escape for a couple weeks at most, Yijun was caught by Taehan right before he was about to leave for another country. 

Volume 4:

"......당신이 날 죽이고 있다는 생각도 안 하겠지." "짐승만도 못한 새끼." (".......You wouldn't even think that you are actually killing me." "A prick worse than a monster.") —Yijun to Taehan

"더, 하아, 더 해 주세요, 아까처럼......" ("More, haa, please more, like what we did just before......." ) "나도 약을 했고, 술을 마셔서 냉정하게 잘라내기가 어려워요." ("I'm under the influence of drugs and alcohol, it's hard for me to coldly say no to you.") —What happened in America 9 years ago

"......난 강이준 씨가 필요해요." (".......I need you, Kang Yijun-ssi" ) "......저는, 더 이상 전무님이 필요 없어요." ("I don't need you anymore.") —Taehan and Yijun's farewell

Taehan then locked him up in a high-rise penthouse with no clothes and way of communicating outside. Yijun fell into a depression and rejected Taehan’s moves, but Taehan managed to coerce him multiple times. Taehan had been staying 24/7 in the penthouse to watch over Yijun and make sure he never tries to escape again.

While Taehan was more focused with Yijun, Taehan’s older brother and sister-in-law attacked Taehan. Taehan then had to choose whether to leak Yijun’s dark past or his shell company. Taehan wished for Yijun to ask him to help his situation, but Yijun was tired of having to depend on Taehan and told him to just let his dark past be known to the public. Even with Yijun’s rejection, Taehan decided to give his shell company accounts to the prosecutor in exchange of burying Yijun’s past.

Yijun used this opportunity escape again, faking a suicide and ran to the airport. Taehan, realizing that he’s very much in love with Yijun and his possessive methods would not make Yijun to come back to him, finally threw away his pride and begged Yijun to stay with him. He also revealed how they actually first met 9 years ago, what happened in America, and how Taehan made him into the top actor he was now. 

Volume 5:

이번에는 잘해 주면 되지 않는가. 억지로 밥을 먹으라 하지도 않고, 억지로 안지 않고, 또 무엇이 있을까. 그래, 어머니를 보고 싶다고 하면 아예 어머니를 그의 곁에 머물게 해 줄 수도 있다. 아, 소속사. 이준이 끝까지 지키려고 했던 그 소속사와 계속 일을 하고 싶다면 더 이상 문제 삼지 않고 지원을 해 줄 수도 있을 것이다. 다시 연기를 하고 싶다고 했던가. 그가 도망가지 않겠다고만 하면 그가 하고 싶은 연기 모두 하게 해 줄 수 있다. 또 무엇이 있을까. 아, 무엇이 있을까. 무엇이든, 그게 뭐든 다 해 줄 수 있을 텐데. (Won't it be alright if I do better for him this time. I won't force him to eat, I won't force to have sex with him, and what else. Right, if he wants to see his mother, I'll even let his mother stay with him. Ah, his agency. I'll let him stay in that agency that he wanted to protect until the end without any problems. Did he say he want to continue acting. As long as he doesn't run away from me, I'll let him do all the acting that he wants. Again, what else. Ah, what else is there. Whatever it is, I can do everything for him.) —Taehan

"아니, 강이준 씨. 아닙니다. 아니." ("No, Kang Yijun-ssi. No. No." ) "아니야, 이준아." ("No, Yijun-ah.") "내가 변할게." ("I'll change.") "내가 맞출게요." ("I'll adjust myself to you.") —Taehan to Yijun

<태한이 보고 싶어요.> (<I want to see Taehanie.>) —Yijun's message to Taehan

"사랑하고 있어요. 강이준 씨를" ("I'm in love. With Kang Yijun-ssi." ) "......전 더 오래전부터 사랑하고 있었어요." ("......I've been in love with you for much longer.") —Taehan and Yijun's confession

Taehan let Yijun go and proceeded with his lawsuit. As he didn’t leak enough evidence to get him a prison sentence, his trial ended fast. Knowing Yijun was in Japan, not 100% able to let Yijun go, he went to Yijun’s hotel and waited in front of the hotel room for more than a day until he could talk to Yijun. However, Yijun said he didn’t need Taehan anymore and Taehan said he’ll wait forever for him.

2 years passed, Taehan’s probation was almost up and Yijun was finally getting back to the entertainment industry. Taehan kept his promise to not meet Yijun until he was ready. They accidentally met in the hotel and Taehan tried to open up Yijun’s heart slowly again. They met again several times and Yijun felt complicated as he could feel the cold Taehan had changed, but he still couldn’t forget the heartbreak Taehan gave him. Yijun got into a fake scandal and Taehan helped him out of it. Then Yijun finally accepted his feelings that he had always been in love with Taehan, and they confessed their love to each other.

Epilogue:

The sweet (and anxious) daily life of the Managing Director Taehan and Top Actor Yijun. Midnight conversations, normal dates, and jealous moments u3u.

P.S.: I had highlighted several lines that I liked and choosing only the best 3 lines in each volume was very hard T.T