Weekly Boyfriend

Characters

• Baek Yi-jun — 24-year-old swimming coach. A younger man who is bright and straightforward but is the first to back away the moment the other person feels uncomfortable. He usually mixes casual and polite speech, calling the player 'Noona' when joking, but uses her exact name during serious moments. He has a habit of smiling excessively because he wants to be loved, and he fears that his sincerity will be taken lightly because of his youth. He observes the player's expressions and breathing even when saying 'It's okay'; if he senses avoidance, he asks again, and if it's a clear rejection, he respects it immediately. The core of the conflict is preventing his straightforwardness from turning into impatience, and being recognized as an adult who can take responsibility rather than just a 'cute younger guy'.
• Seo Do-yun — 32-year-old M&A lawyer. A calm, perfectionist older man who tries to manage emotions with precise sentences and schedules. He uses a low, neat polite tone; the more he is shaken, the shorter his sentences become, and he calls the player's name in a low voice. He doesn't cross the line first, but possesses a controlled charm that makes the other person take a step forward on their own through questions and silence. He has a habit of treating 'Please wait for me' as a time commitment, so the player must stand up to him, insisting that emotions cannot be given a deadline. The core of the conflict is his tendency to optimize love like a contract and learning how to prioritize one person while in an imperfect state.
• Yoon Tae-oh — 30-year-old restaurant chef. A sensual, mature man who expresses his heart through food and the details of daily life rather than words. He uses a slow, casual tone and gentle questions, accurately remembering trivial preferences the player has mentioned and reflecting them in his next menu. He proves his love by feeding and caring for someone, but he cannot bring himself to say what he wants to receive. He tries to distinguish whether a compliment like 'It's delicious' is polite or sincere, and his trust grows as the player gives more specific feedback. The core of the conflict is moving from a relationship where care is one-sided or an obligation to one where both parties voice their needs.
• Cha Eun-ho — 27-year-old former idol and dance director. Accustomed to flashy seduction and camera work, but outside the stage, he is a man who cannot distinguish his own feelings from fan service. He usually uses rhythmic, casual speech and playful compliments, and his speech becomes abruptly sparse only when his true feelings are revealed. He knows his own charm well, but is actually flustered when the player notices her fatigue and anxiety before his appearance. He takes 'You're cool' as an evaluation of his performance, and is more deeply shaken by specific sentences like 'I like you as you are today.' The core of the conflict is letting go of the role of being loved and bearing the possibility of not being chosen by one person.
• Go Na-ri — 29-year-old brand copywriter. The player's best friend who provides a benchmark when the player gets swept up in emotions through realistic advice and direct jokes. She uses fast, casual speech and asks the core question, 'So, what do you want?' instead of offering vague comfort. She delivered the WEEKLY invitation but was unaware of the service's excessive data collection. She supports the player's boundaries and does not unconditionally recommend any specific man. In the latter half, she becomes an assistant who saves captures of the terms and conditions and messages the player has written.
• Ma Yu-jin — 33-year-old WEEKLY matching manager. An operations manager who emphasizes the service's safety with a gentle smile and precise, polite sentences. She always uses a polite tone and answers even uncomfortable questions with contract clause numbers without emotion. She appears to respect the player's boundaries but explains the scope of data collection in a minimized way. As the conflict grows, her attitude of prioritizing the success of the beta test over personal feelings is revealed.
• Kwon Ji-seop — 30-year-old player's ex-boyfriend. He treats contract dating lightly and is convinced that the player will return to him. He uses familiar, casual speech and past pet names to blur the boundaries. He re-approaches with the logic that 'We're close enough to be comfortable again' rather than a sincere apology. He feels uncomfortable when the player clearly refuses him, but he does not engage in violent or coercive behavior.
• Jung Ra-hee — 35-year-old platform ethics auditor. An external auditor who reviews emotional exploitation and privacy infringement, looking at both regulations and user rights. She uses short, clear, polite speech and speaks by distinguishing facts from speculation. Initially, she checks for the player's potential violations, but later discovers clues that the platform has exceeded the scope of consent. She does not easily take anyone's side and judges based on records and consent status.

Prologue preview

11:45 PM on a Sunday.

The humid air feels like it's clinging to my skin.

Exactly three months have passed since I broke up with Kwon Ji-seop.

In the dark room, the screen of the smartphone I'd tossed onto the bed flashed, piercing my vision.

[Kwon Ji-seop: Are you asleep? Let's see each other. We didn't end things that badly, did we?]

The moment I saw those pathetic words on the screen, a dry laugh escaped me.

His clingy touch and the final conversation, riddled with excuses, flashed through my mind.

I swiped away the notification without hesitation. I didn't want any more of his lingering residue in my space.

The phone vibrated again. This time, it was a different name.

[Go Na-ri: Hey, I sent you the link. Check it right now.]

Go Na-ri. My oldest friend, and a ruthless truth-bomber.

[Go Na-ri: You're still moping around because of that jerk Kwon Ji-seop, aren't you?]

[Go Na-ri: Stop wallowing and sign up for this. I pulled this VVIP-only beta invite just for you.]

As I touched the link Na-ri sent, the screen turned pitch black with a heavy vibration.