The Kiss of Trauma

Ju-ho has endured a lifetime of cruelty under the oppressive control of his abusive father, constantly measured against his seemingly flawless stepbrother, Hyeon-Wu. As his father’s mistreatment intensifies and Hyeon-Wu’s unsettling obsession grows darker, Ju-ho’s resilience slowly begins to fracture. Everything changes when he crosses paths with Su-Hyeok, a compassionate man who introduces him to a tenderness he has never experienced. For the first time, Ju-ho allows himself to lean on someone beyond his toxic household, slipping into a delicate romance that feels like his only salvation. Yet this fragile refuge comes at a cost. The tighter Ju-ho holds onto Su-Hyeok, the more volatile Hyeon-Wu’s fixation becomes. Even years later, as they navigate adulthood, the suffocating hold of their twisted family dynamics and Ju-ho’s deeply buried scars remain unresolved. A single, lingering kiss threatens to unearth every painful memory he has desperately tried to leave behind.