A Pathetic Fairy Tale

Romance Guide
Setting/Genre: Modern
Story Keywords: Misunderstanding, one-night stand, lust-to-love, possessiveness/jealousy/domineering tendencies, Playboy, Bad Boy, Sweet Yet Shameless Regretful Male Lead, Over-the-Top Romantic Male Lead, Devoted Male Lead, Wounded Female Lead, Innocent Female Lead, Quirky Female Lead, Apathetic Female Lead

Male Lead: Joo Taebaek (32) – Director of JK Group and owner of Club “Blossom” under JK Hotel. With his flashy, intimidating looks and a flower tattoo on his neck, he looks more like a gangster than a chaebol heir. True to appearances, he’s lived impulsively, indulging freely in money, women, and worldly desires. But when he meets Seohee, who unknowingly shakes him with her innocence and quirks, he completely loses his usual composure.

Female Lead: Yoo Seohee (26) – An employee working at the front desk of Seoyoung Hotel, and the only daughter of the hotel’s president. However, having grown up under an indifferent father and a cold stepmother who never acknowledged her, she’s emotionally scarred. She spent her life craving their affection, acting like a well-behaved doll. But through her reckless encounter with Taebaek, she slowly begins to change. She is proper and upright, but once she opens her heart to someone, she surprisingly reveals a naïve and soft side.

Watch this when: You want a romance where a fearless bad boy ends up completely whipped by a seemingly aloof and innocent girl, flipping the power dynamic.

Relatable Quote: “I think we could have a pretty fun time together.”

Story Introduction

Late spring. The streets were unusually soaked and lively.
Seohee, worn out and emotionally parched from her parents’ contempt and neglect, gets entangled with a playboy notorious for his messy private life.

“Ah… I didn’t plan to take it this far.”
“……”
“But I guess I’ll be staying the night.”

A man who switches seamlessly between kindness and rudeness.
A man who speaks lightly of love.
A man who mocks fairy tales as mere illusions — Joo Taebaek.

Wrapped in all things bold and flashy, he crashes into Seohee like a raging wave, shaking her to the core.

“Okay. I’ll keep your secret.”
“…Really?”
“But only if you let me have one wild round.”

A messy fling.
A fleeting thrill.

“You don’t need to overthink it.”

She thought that if she assimilated into his world, she might at least receive a fragment of fake love.
So, she willingly threw herself into a fleeting game of fire.

**

Was she crazy? Who on earth taught her how to seduce a man like this?

“Um… So, it’s over now, right?”

Seohee tilted her head slightly as she looked at the completely dazed Taebaek.

“I need to leave before midnight.”

Who really got caught in the flames?