DASH Chapter 99 Discussion

Dropped it at Chapter 99. I'm so done with the MC! Grrrrrrr

Go eat my 2 stars!!! Grrrrrrrr

So yeah, had to leave a short review to convey my feelings while it's still fresh so I won't get swayed by other reviews and eventually brainwash myself that what I'm feeling is "wrong".

Like bruh, I just finished re-reading a freaking masterpiece (arguably, of course) but got greeted by this piece of $#!+~ right after. Sigh...

To start off, since I have so many complaints and ended up being too nitpicky (unreasonably so, which I'm aware), I will list down the goods and the bads of this freaking novel that was rated 4.5 like I was seriously wondering myself the entire time as to where and why it was rated so high. I even read the reviews a couple of times to at least see its "redeeming qualities" to slap myself some sense and somehow make myself agree to it. (Are you bots? Can your reviews elaborate more what makes this a 'masterpiece' deserving a 5 star? Which part?)

But first, let me give you a piece of my POV on how I see this novel's premise outside its given description/blurb to set your expectation: ~~

Jung Jiheon (MC/shou) is a professional 'scumbag' (according to me ONLY), who casually have s*x with randos when he feels like it (yeah, he's not your typical cinnamon bun MC. Manage your expectations well. I regret not knowing this beforehand. No one mentioned this on their reviews... RIP me), and doesn't want to be in a relationship anymore after many years of half-heartedly accepting confessions and just playing along with it until the other party quits and break it off themselves (heh, what a perfect backstory for an MC, eh?). And Kwon Jaekyung (ML/gong) is his hopelessly pining hoobae once upon a time when they were still training, who loves swimming, and only cares about swimming. The latest victim.

With the ML's not-so-pleasant personality when it comes to socializing and poor communication skills with other people, combined with scumbaggy personality of the seemingly 'calm' MC according to the tag that scammed me so much I want to cry blood, what would you expect?

Fluff? Bickering couple-y setting? Cute banterings?

Nah.

ABO setting. Smut.

Aside from illogical stuffs which are given to ABOs settings, expect a s*upidly long ass push-and-pull scenarios that dragged on up to 90+ chapters (shit, up to 130+ chaps -- I cheated and took a peek) because of the freaking MC's not so likeable personality as you read on (I said what I said. Come fight me on the reviews. He's nothing but a s**tty scumbag no different from a psychopath. I pity the ML a bit). He's like: "Although you like me, I don't want to be in a relationship -- but I'm okay having s*x with you because I hAVe nO cHOiCe like a mature person I am" ---

every. freaking. time

Anyways, enough of that. Let's talk about something positive for now. I'll come back to the MC later. We're not done yet.

> The Good:

Do you see that 2 stars I gave there up above?

Yeah, that's for applauding the author for their knowledge and very detailed exposition regarding stuffs about swimming and how the industry works surrounding sports even though I didn't bother to confirm it. It sounds convincing enough so they deserve a clap clap from me.

Unfortunately, the good part ends here. Let me proceed to the bad ones now, and boy, I have so much to say.

> The Bad:

• • The MC is irritating. I've said this before in some of my previous reviews: I'm very lenient when it comes to ML's personality and such but never on MCs'. I don't hesitate to roast any MCs that never fail to make my blood boil (but of course this issue is solely on my part---preference-wise) because we are bound to follow their journey. Are you okay glueing yourself to a frustrating companion? Well, definitely not me.

"But what's wrong with the MC???" you ask.

Boy, lemme brief you first on how he's like.

The tags there are not wrong (*some*). He's calm, yeah. He's one of those pals who possess a genial smile ready whenever, wherever. But "mature"??? Can I take down that tag off there?

If anything, there's only one word I can describe him with all throughout the painstaking reading I did just to search when will he redeem himself: he's nothing but a freaking scumbag, no different from psychopaths. It's a personality that is never cute to possess.

I'll mark the rest as spoiler

Spoiler

Never want to be in a relationship anymore because you think you're not suitable for it, you say? Oh, c'mon! Why offer your freaking body in exchange???

Is that how a freaking mature person think and act? If anything, I only see him as someone who's lacking braincells. Or rather, he's a sl*t who loves to toy with other people's feelings. Nothing more, nothing less. He only wants to receive but never want to give.

Do I sound harsh?

No. FYI, he sleeps with anyone he fancies (his one night stands). He doesn't want commitment, yet he got the freaking nerve to toy with a person's affection YOUNGER than him.

Granted, the ML is being unreasonable and too unfairly opportunistic, but no matter how you look at it, realistically speaking, in an unconfirmed/unofficial relationship wherein if one party has clear feelings and the other's not accepting it, both are aware, but STILL committing physical involvement (kissing, sex), which will inevitably affect the emotions of the former, it usually results to 50 shades of insecurities, self-deprecation, or depression over time. If the MC has one bit of a freaking conscience and a brain, he wouldn't do stuffs a scumbag would do because this is certainly a scumbaggy act even though he appears like a 'victim'. It's so hard to side with him. You are OLDER for what? Can't you say "no" and stop acting like a no-choice teenager? Huh? HUH?!?

Ohh... because you like it too, do you?

Hah!

What a true professional scumbag. An indecisive scumbag. I hate his character so much.

Indecisive, selfish, manipulative, immature, a pushover, cowardly, people-pleaser, unnecessarily intrusive... scumbag.

Also, this is my first time reading a novel with "calm protagonist" tag that doesn't check out as pragmatic, level-headedly sensible, or with a clever personality associated with it. How aggravatingly funny.

There's nothing admirable about him.

Tsunderes, cold ones, hot-blooded ones, sharp-tongued ones... I've encountered them all, but nothing beats this MC on how annoying and irritating he is. AND HIS GIVEN CHARACTER IS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE FREAKING MILDER SIDE OF THE TYPICAL MC SPECTRUM WHICH MAJORITY TEND TO LIKE BY DEFAULT BUT HE'S MOLDED LIKE THAT?!?

What a fricking insult and disservice to all the highly rated novels out there!

A WORD OF CAUTION: this is only my feelings up to the chapters I've read. Whether the MC changed or not, I do not know. And I don't care. I won't waste my time spending another chapter with him

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• • Poor writing. So many unnecessary fillery sentences that doesn't contribute in any way to the progression of the story. Like freaking don't make it a dialogue if it's just a bunch of greetings and idle talks that frequently occurs every few chapters every time. No one will commend you for that. Are you desperate for the word-count quota? It feels so amateurish

... Unless the author is really an amateur...? If so, boy, then they need this feedback ASAP. Better spend your gibberish-enthusiasm kink on describing (emphasizing the word "describe" not "tell") the ambience, the mood, the surroundings to stimulate imagination (cuz duh, this is a freaking novel! We rely on details in order to picture something), or be considerate enough to give your character (s) at least one remarkable trait to make the readers go "ah, that guy/gal!" in case the story got into discussions, or a reader just happen to remember it out of the blue while staring outside the window, drinking their favorite coffee on a cozy rainy day afternoon to wander their minds off of to dearly, nevermind giving it a proper name. Humans are bad at remembering names, but we sure as hell good at remembering people's attributes and appearances. Invest on that instead. Don't you want your novel to be memorable?

• • Poor characterization. Aside from the main protagonists, the rest are just bunch of faceless name-dump. Like bruh, if they don't contribute much to the story, don't bother to give them names. Or better yet, at least describe to us how/what they look like before you force us to read their dialogues because 9 times out of 10, we will only forget them eventually since it feels like we're just looking at a blank cardboard cutouts

The cast here is like this: the description ends with them either being handsome or pretty or with good body build. Their main purpose is for sex/romantic-related involvement with the main protagonists. And the rest?

If you give me a name and ask me to draw how they look like, I will only hand you a stick man with the same blank face and body for all of them. That's how bad it was

• • "Tell, don't show". Yeah, the complete opposite of "show, don't tell" writing. The author is too "guiding". It's like having a friend narrate to you their experience in summary in short and concise manner. You just reply with "oh" after because it doesn't evoke feelings or even mild reactions. Like how can you convince me? It's basically urging the readers to shut their minds off instead of encouraging immersion and let our imagination roam

• • Pacing is a drag. Ever read a novel wherein you feel like you've read so much and yet gain nothing? Not to mention the push-and-pull nature of the MC is freaking exhausting because it's so repetitive. Even his eyebrows-raising inner thoughts is not helping because it got me questioning his intelligence instead (like look me in the eye and tell me you didn't question his level of intelligence relative to his given age even once with his questionable thought process and actions). So much for a "mature" man, huh...Don't make me laugh.

• • Poor and cringe scripting. I'm not sure if this is the right term but you don't know how many times I rolled my eyes whenever I encounter s*upid questions/exchange of dialogues between the characters. Like bruh, do you even need to ask such braindead things like a child? And some conversations is like a hodge-podge of lines breaking the trail of the topic like wut?

Overall Thoughts:

Very poor in every regard.

I'm judging it so, so hard.

Come nail me. Come refute me. I'd gladly reply with receipts.

I started reading this because of the premise and that freaking 4.5 rating. My expectation was high. There's so many good plot points here that would've sound so awesome if only it were handled well on the author's part storytelling-wise.

Like I said, one of the main culprit here is the "telling" writing style of the author. It's too guiding/leading. It doesn't stir engagement. Not to mention the indention between the dialogues and the person who said that dialogue is too jarring. Why separate it in two lines like what the heck??? Is that how it really was on the original raws? (Note to translator-nim: the font is too big. I dunno if I just failed to adjust it on my side, but it felt like buildings were falling down on me, trying to crush me the whole time. I didn't like the experience xD)

You know what had me 'engaged' and persevere instead?

It's me trying to look for any redeeming qualities of the f*cking MC!

I didn't want to put up with him for another 99 chapters if I couldn't find any likeable part of his darn character!

Like boy, my tolerance for a so-so to below average novel is up to 20 chapters only before I drop it, but that fricking high rating had me hostage in hopes of me liking the MC eventually (spoiler: it never happened). Man, I was so freaking duped...

To mention, their relationship is frustratingly pitiful and unhealthy. We only get to see the ML in a not too borderline pathetic state because the MC is h**ny himself so he can get his way and both can serve the audience with smut.

So, at the end of the day, the main substance of this freaking story is just cheap smut...?

WoW, i'M So SuRPriSeD~~ (I actually am, tho lmao)

So much for quality story expectations, huh.

As expected from ABO, huh.

Hah! I should've known better...

So yeah, that's my review-cum-rant about this scam novel... Heavily side-eyeing the rating lmao

Please do not take this review of mine too deeply (or personally? lol), and instead treat this as something to watch out for before reading so you won't be as annoyed as I was. If you think you're okay with it, don't hesitate to pick this novel up. And also please take note that I dropped it halfway through so what I'm saying here is nothing but impressions, personal feelings, and objective criticism about the writing overall. The ending and character/plot development are not taken into account. And please read other reviews as well, especially the ones after mine, because for sure some will 'correct' me or provide their different perspective about the points I mentioned here should they happen to disagree with me and feel like doing some form of clarification and whatnot. Future readers like you will greatly benefit from it, regardless.

... That is, if they're kind enough to list it down instead of the 'default' "I love this novel so much! 5 stars" -__-

[Just a side note: ignorable premature 5-star ratings from low chapter-count read with no substantial review contents aside, what's with these blank-avatared reviewers with almost no review history? Are you really human? A legit newbie? Surely you're not here to just artificially inflate and skew the numbers unfairly, right? RIGHT? Are you happy deceiving others? I'm very curious...]

And please don't think that I rated this so low just because I abhor the MC so much. Nah-ah. I'm pretty sure they got their happy ending regardless of whether or not the characters remained the same as is. The novel's overall writing quality is just bad methinks *shrugs*

... Yeah, including producing an unlikeable MC's journey to follow. The author is 100% responsible for that. I don't make the rules, sorry.

So, do I recommend reading this?

... Hah!