Childhood Friend Complex Season 2 has a completely different vibe from Season 1. Gone are the fun days of friendship and banter – insert a very frustrating Mincheol who refuses to talk about his feelings, or anything for that matter. So if you’ve been frustrated and want to know whether his big reason really explains his behaviour, keep reading. If you don’t know what the Webtoon is about, go ahead and read my review of Childhood Friend Complex first.
Spoiler warning for Episode 73 ahead.
Why Does Mincheol Keep Rejecting Haneul?
In Episode 73 we finally see why Haneul was wearing a sweatband on her wrist, and why Mincheol thinks he doesn’t deserve to be with her. To make it short: no, it wasn’t a suicide attempt – even though creator Eunhi made it seem that way. It was an accident. Before Episode 73, we’d seen the wristband several times, and on two occasions, only the scar on her wrist was shown, which understandably had a lot of readers fearing the worst.
Mincheol and Haneul’s Backstory
Mincheol was always a quiet, scared boy who everyone made fun of because he looked like a girl. Haneul, on the other hand, was bigger than him, outspoken, and tough. Their friendship may have started because their mothers were so close, but for Mincheol, Haneul was always his guiding light. Because she gave him so much strength, he wanted to give something back in order to “be worthy of her.” So he started playing sports, because that’s what he seemed to be good at.
It’s the classic “I need to improve myself in order to stand next to him/her” trope. Childhood Friend Complex thankfully doesn’t take it as far as Snow White with the Red Hair, but still – Mincheol put everything into his sports career.
When he repeatedly injured himself and had to stop, he was devastated and frustrated. And because he was a teenage boy who didn’t know how to deal with his feelings, he took it out on Haneul. She didn’t give up and kept pestering him at school, until one day she ran after him on the street and he threw her art tube away, sending it into the road. When Haneul tried to pick it up, Truck-kun almost Isekai’d her – but instead she slipped, fell down the stairs, and broke her wrist.
The Moment That Changed Everything
When Mincheol visited her after surgery, he was relieved because she put on a brave face. But when he went to get drinks and she was alone with her mum, she completely broke down — and of course Mincheol had to overhear it. She was terrified about her future: what if she couldn’t draw anymore? But the key takeaway is the question Haneul asked her mum: “What if I actually start to hate him?”
That, I think, explains his fear of her growing to hate him and leaving him as they get older. And it seems Mincheol made a resolution in that moment: he would go along with every one of Haneul’s wishes and be there for her, whatever it takes. His inner monologue says it all:
“Whatever life throws your way, I’ve got your back. I want to make sure nothing holds you back from shining. From here on out, I’m done throwing any curveballs. I’m staying in your corner as the perfect friend you can lean on.”
Haneul x Mincheol: So Is This a Valid Reason for His Behaviour?
Honestly? Not entirely. Pushing her away and ghosting her for three months – after sleeping with her and her confessing her feelings for him? I would have expected a bit more. Yes, what happened was traumatic for him. But when the love of your life confesses to you, and you’ve even slept together, I don’t know if you’d really lack the strength to at least face those demons. At least he acknowledges that he’s being a coward right now.
That said, I do think his reasoning is understandable – and it’s definitely no reason to drop this Webtoon. Childhood Friend Complex is still one of the best childhood friends-to-lovers manhwa out there. Eunhi constantly established how Mincheol felt: his inner monologue often said “I know my place,” and when he heard Haneul’s confession, he was devastated. “Those were the last words I expected to hear from you,” he said.
Should You Pick Season 2 Back Up?
So if you stopped reading Season 2 because you couldn’t deal with the weekly non-communication, this could be a good time to pick it back up. The episode will be available for free on the Webtoon app around June 26 – but you can unlock it with coins right now.
