say it with me 👏🏽
a lot of us are not shipping si-o & namsoon blindly. we want REDEMPTION, more than any romance arc. especially considering the writers gave him the desire to leave the mafia:
he clearly explores the idea of potentially choosing the light, in multiple scenes, it's not a hidden detail or a headcannon
the writers have given si-o and namsoon multiple, (multiple) romantic scenes. they INTENDED for part of the audience to ship them as well – it's a love triangle. intentionally.
yes, the casting team chose an aesthetically pleasing actor to play this role because they want him to be likable – but the reason many people like ryu si-o is NOT solely because he's "hot" — he has a hashed out past that the audience either connects with or relates to, in some way.
-> a lot of the people who support his character, support him not because they're attracted to someone with trauma/someone who will perpetuate abuse, but because they see aspects of themselves in his character: a neglected child, who faced terrible situations and wants simply to live.
a very important distinction:
getting redemption does not mean he gets away scot-free with his crimes, it means he realizes that there is an option for him to have a life outside of his trauma and gets the privilege to have that, while paying for his actions, either legally or morally.
