⁝ plots.

a good old friend.

ⵓ kiha frequented the gisaeng establishments when the suffocation has already come to his throat unable to swallow it without the alcohol lacing his judgement. despite his desire to keep everything in, after a few bottles in, he begins to open his mouth and obviously, the deepest things he has long wanted to say erupts to his lips. with her comfort, he was able to get it out of his chest. the despair felt relieved even in the slightest, and she held him close when he was at his most vulnerable. their relations were not as clean as most confidantes are but their intentions were merely to become a friend to the other. however, four years has passed. seeing the familiar face both brought nostalgia and unease to kiha, it was a reminder of the past that is long gone but it was also a face that brought him relief for a long time.

- a how have you been connection
- must be a gisaeng
- age appropriate

mistaken.

ⵓ their engagement has fallen through 4 years ago. her impression of him has remained affected by his attitude towards the general population. prideful, conceited and took advantage of anything to save their status. while it was true that kiha needed to marry into their family to ensure their family survives the challenges of being a jungin with their countless debts at that time, kiha sacrificed all the other things he desired to become someone fit to marry her. as a lady of a prominent family, kiha's family and hers scrutinized every move of his, it was something she never have considered. 4 years later, they run into each other after her horse has gone astray and brought her to the outskirts of the city. he was different. not just his aura, not just his attitude, he looked mature, seasoned by the years that has gone by. but what was worse was, she has began to realize that she was mistaken when she thought she knew who he was.

- relationship towards each other is neutral.
- they both have misjudged each other.
- yangban or jungin

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i can't save us.

ⵓ there were lies that kiha chose to tell. those were the ones that would enable himself to detach from the feeling of not being chosen. just like how his parents chose to devote all their love to his eldest brother, who has ditched them the moment there was a chance to, and their youngest child who needed it because they were sickly. despite everyone only seeing him to be an arrogant man, and a bitter exploiter, she saw through everything. she chose to see past the façade he presented everyone with. kiha's family has been demoted for 4 years already, their relationship has taken a hit from everything that has happened. kiha would continue to speak and see her, but would not linger. however, she hasn't stopped thinking about that one night before kiha was set to visit the family of his fiancée. the moment when he kissed her lips and said nothing after, and the way he held her hand and chose to let go before the night even deepened.

- a connection that basically displays kiha's issues on pursuing the things he really desire.
- out of obligation, kiha has turned his back on his own budding feelings for the character that will claim the plot.
- no status limit, age appropriate. (he's 29)
- doesn't need to have steady feelings for kiha. it can be an ever changing but goes back again kind of thing.

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sanctified
- gender: any
- age: any
- class: cheonmin or sangmin. Role would be good for a gisaeng or someone involved in religion (two extremes, I know).
- relationship: friends, develop into something spicier/romantic, yeah he's a man that needs fixing
- genre: drama, angst, romance/
- notes: based off the song sanctified by justin timberlake "Rid me of my sins, then you forgive them. Make me a new man. And I'm sanctified." Endgame potential, but I'm not placing all my eggs into the basket. low/infrequent due to his ual orientation but included it just in case.

Jeonghui is a mess of a man. If he's not obsessively trying to find his father's killer, he's drinking to forget the sins of his past. You were someone that has a way with people, some way of understanding them. The alcohol loosens his lips, so he opens up to you about his days in Nihon. The crimes he had to commit and the blood on his hands that haunts him to this day. And yet, underneath all the killing he's done, you reveal a truth to him - that he's not the sins he's committed. Your open mind and heart ignites something in him that he once believed was long dead. Was it love or lust? Something that fed the hunger for intimacy, a genuine human connection.

it would be great if you don’t burn down your kitchen this time?!?!
- yangban or jungin
- relationship: teacher and student
- genre: comedy

as one of many yikyung’s side hustles, he provides private cooking classes to wealthy families around hanseong. while he’s proud to say that 99% of his students see improvement within the first few lessons, muse a happens to be in the special 1%. it is difficult to say if the improvement is just that slow or they decline in progress, despite being one of yikyung’s students for the past year. everyone knows that yikyung sticks with the gig because muse a is one of his best clients. why does muse a stick with these classes, despite nearly burning down their estate every single lesson? who the hell knows.

i have to start somewhere
- 30+. yangban or jungin most likely. if sangmin, it would probably be that muse a’s family owns a successful business involving a kitchen (ex: tavern, gisaeng house, etc).

yikyung rarely had a quiet or slow day, always hustling for quick and extra cash. it was partially why he started his first job at age seven, working for muse a’s family as their kitchen assistant. it seemed odd that a child worked in muse a’s home, but nothing about yikyung’s life made much sense.

note: this plot is flexible. the two could be close or estranged, depending on what you want.

no one else like you
- female. 30-35
- childhood friend/mutual unrequited love
- must be taken (married or engaged), widowed, divorced, or previously engaged.

“what do you wish for?”

“someone to fall in love with.”

yikyung’s was heartbroken hearing this, but accepted it. muse a was his best friend, the woman he loved all these years, but said nothing of. yet, it was from that day on he did everything he could to help make muse a’s dream come true. he thought he found her a good husband too. it was all he could do, despite his love for her. however, he could never settle down with her, especially with a family like his. it was not fair for her.

what he didn’t know was that muse a loved him too.

notes
- similar to yikyung, muse a comes from a family with its fair share problems. it's partially how the two became close over the years, leaning on one another.
- loosely inspired by "more than blue"/"a story sadder than sadness" (2009) with kwon sangwoo and lee boyoung.

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one night he didn't come home
- jungin or sangmin.
- connected to the debt collector that attempted to hunt down the boos, only to go missing one night.
- please send a gpm to boo yikyung and junseo if interested

the boo children were on the run once again, but the chase that night was different. it was raining hard and this time around, they were told that they were going to be sold off as slaves. running low this month with cash, they had little to bribe with or to postpone their punishment. desperate, the children ran into the mountains to hide, only for the debt collector to find them there.

the chase ended with the collector dead and the five boo siblings hiding the body, swearing to secrecy of that night’s events.

version #1: child or sibling. 25-45
muse a was not much different from the boo children. like them, they were constantly scrambling for the next meal or paycheck. there was never certainty in the household. despite his bad temper with others, it helped that their father/brother did his best to provide for his family. he hunted down runaway slaves and collected debts. when he didn’t come home one night, muse a started a cold and lonely journey, resentful of the family he had to chase down.

version #2: fiancee. female. 39-44
muse a’s fiance was a debt collector with a terrible temper. if it wasn’t for muse a’s terrible family situation, they would not had sold her off to him. despite praying for a way to end this relationship, she did not expect her fiance to go missing right before the wedding. since then, she don’t know what to make of the boos. it would be easy to blackmail them, but in some ways they saved muse a from a life with her fiance.

the king
- gender: male or female
- age: any
- class: yangban or jungin
- relationship: client/"sponsor", see notes
- genre: drama
- notes: despite the title, there's no specific gender in mind for this connection. muse a is a wealthy person who is willingly funding jeonghui as he investigates his father's murder - can be in the form of allowing jeonghui to reside in their residence or paying for him to rent a room for as long as he needs.

Upon hearing whispers around the capital about a mercenary looking for work, muse a took it upon themselves to seek the man out and inquire about his services. "Mercenary" is too simple of a term for the extent of the jobs he can do; assassinations, guarding, intel gathering are some of his specialties and all under the table. So, muse a offered him a job, however, he had a condition. A deed done in exchange for information about the murder of Beom Wonsik, the head of the former Beom clan. The request confused muse a, but they offered what they could, even if it was very little. After Jeonghui fulfilled the job asked of him, muse a inquired about his life. Figuring muse a was someone he could trust, he told them about why he was in Joseon and his mission for revenge. The dedication the young man had to fixing the past somewhat moved you, and you offered to lend him aid in his investigation through monetary support.

✧ ⋮ i didn't ask for this
⠀⠀↪︎ gender︙any
⠀⠀↪︎ age︙any
⠀⠀↪︎ rank︙any
⠀⠀↪︎ occupation︙up to you
⠀⠀↪︎ notes︙this is just a silly little plot, pm to discuss further!

x Bokyung shows up to your address with a package full of handmade jewelry, all ready to be made. For some reason, she was burdened with the task of hand delivering it to you personally, except the problem is, you didn't order any of this? The name lead to you, but perhaps there was a mix up in the shop?

　　 ───── GUILTY. ֪ ໑ ☆ has been claimed.

like water and oil has been claimed

item
- gender: male or female
- age: any
- class: yangban or jungin
- relationship: client, +1 to a date/event
- genre: open ended (comedy, fluff, drama)

Junha has fulfilled many requests from clients in the short 4 years he's been professionally doing work. But among the oddest requests, were ones to be company for events. They weren't his favorite. Having to put on airs to people for hours, engage in small talk. It was almost like work at hanbamman, except it wasn't nearly as scandalous. No, it was much more proper. And it wasn't muse a's first choice for a date, either, except they had no other options available. After being charmed by the young gisaeng's conversation skills one night, they sprung the idea onto Junha. But muse a didn't know what they had gotten themselves into, taking a mischievous black cat with sticky fingers to an event. Now they not only had to maintain appearances, but also make sure Junha wouldn't do something to get them both in trouble.

we can’t be friends (wait for your love)
| gender & age: male, 22 yrs - 30 yrs
| station: preferably yangban/jungin
| genre: drama/romance
| plot: despite the jin’s reputation for being obsessively protective of their own, you can’t help but take a second look at onhui, you don’t know why. maybe it’s the way she responds to your letters, the way she can barely look at you when you’re near. maybe your love can only exist in a daydream but you want to be seen even in her nights.

(nothing is) off the table
| gender & age: any
| station: any, preferably someone in the soron faction
| genre: drama
| plot: for whatever reason, you hate the jin family and what other way to hurt them where it hurts— their only daughter onhui who was due to be wed. it should have been a happy month for her, until she consumes the poison you have so meticulously prepared for her, lulling her into a year long slumber. she should never have woken up but she does and now you’re anxious to make sure every track of yours was covered up in the cold winter you betrayed your soul.

afterlife
• gender : male
• class : any
• age : older than her, age doesn't matter
• genre : slow burn, angst, ual liberation
• possible tw : ual themes, trauma
• relationship : to be discussed, possible romance
• a/n : other character will be referred to as "you" in the plot description

For years, her parents have tried to turn her into a proper lady. And they failed. Time and time again, each female mentor they paid with whatever little money they could scrape together would quit sooner or later. So perhaps it was time for a less traditional approach, a stronger hand to turn Narae into what society would accept as a young, elegant /lady/. A man could surely teach her what society expected her to do, to say, to be. It doesn't take long for you to realize that this young woman uses her body the same way she'd use the weapons forged in the hot coals of her father's hearth, turning herself into a blade that cuts through the desires like steel through flesh. Not for pleasure, not for anything other than control. Because as long as she controlled that aspect of her life, nobody could ever harm her. So perhaps it was time for you to take the reins and make her slow down, make her accept that not everybody had to be in control all the time, to teach her that a person's body was not a weapon and that pleasure wasn't something used to deflect from the depths of someone's soul and mind.

✧ ⋮ friends can break your heart too
⠀⠀↪︎ gender︙female (could be male if you really wanted this connection)
⠀⠀↪︎ age︙(preferably) 35+
⠀⠀↪︎ rank︙preferably jungin
⠀⠀↪︎ occupation︙up to you
⠀⠀↪︎ notes︙please pm for this connection and discuss further, your character has to have some what of a conniving

x You and Bokyung have been friends forever, she thought that she could trust you with just about anything, and so she did. She told you all her thoughts, secrets, and even her worst fears. Little did she know that you would take all of her words, and use them against her. You were supposed to be the one there for her, but though she doesn't know your motif, it completely ruined your relationship together.

first time has been taken!

➳જ⁀➴
⤷ allow that sad relief
⤷ connection ; rebound, lovers, it's complicated
⤷ genre ; , angst, probably some fluff in there bc geon is soft
⤷ preferred gender ; female
⤷ preferred class ; any

then share thy pain, allow that sad relief;/ Ah, more than share it! give me all thy grief!
- Alexander Pope, "Eloisa to Abelard"

?✧?

geon had been in love just once in his life. a man, an artist, a wonder. but they ended things, for a variety of reasons. geon knows he should try to move on, should try to find a woman to marry and have babies with. he genuinely wants to meet someone, to mend his heart--if it is even possible.

that's where you came in. { how they met will be discussed to fit our charas! }
geon thought this would perhaps just be a confirmation that he was attracted to women, but his silly little heart can never do anything halfway.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
⤷ the horror of the shade
⤷ connection ; friends
⤷ genre ; a little bit of angst, but leads to a good friendship
⤷ preferred gender ; any
⤷ preferred class ; any, but needs to have medical knowledge

Beyond this place of wrath and tears/ Looms but the Horror of the shade
-William Ernest Henley, "Invictus"

๑✦ ؂ ༊

iseul's parents have been happy to shelter her thus far, but as she's getting older, they realize they really should try to marry her off. but will anyone truly ever agree to marry their son to a girl who cannot fully see?

when iseul was young, her parents called in healers from all over the country, even seeking those from other countries. ubt no matter what, her eyes remained the same. eventually, after much crying and begging for the 'treatments' to stop, her parents gave up. but it seems now they wish to start again, claiming things have changed in the last twenty years. they call you to the ahn estate, where you are tasked with trying to fix a problem that both cannot, and does not need to be, fixed.

　 　　 　↷ ⁞ ❛ a dance with the devil。❜
⤿ description :: you've had your eye on jiyeon for quite a while now, really, even when she was still married to jaeha. the two of you go way back, but the distance between you never closes. but you were fine with it, for a while, until you discover her secret—her cosmetic boutique, her pride and safety net. you decide to become an investor, taking a page from her book by hiding your identity as well. you pretend that you don't know it's her, even if you tease at it and she realizes that you *know* who she is. but you like the game, you like this little dance, especially now that she's divorced. perhaps this time around, you have a chance.

⤿ connection type :: could be romantic, could just be spicy tension.
⤿ preferred class :: yangban, jungin, or someone from the lower class who managed to become rich.
⤿ preferred gender :: either works.
⤿ preferred age :: 35(+).
⤿ important notes :: this was a brainrot from talking with a friend earlier, and i'd like to stress that this isn't going to be end game whatsoever! so only take this if you're okay with your character being rejected. more will be discussed via dms. again, this was just brainrot. i have no more thoughts beyond this as of this moment. TT
⤿ available positions :: 1 / 1.

　　 ───── BLOODLINE. ֪ ໑ ☆
　　 ⵓ      male, same age or older, no status or class preference.
　　 ⵓ      best friends???? Why are you two flirting??? The ual tension is so thick please seek help,,, or maybe a room.
　　 ⵓ      TW: ual themes, explicit ual tension.
　　 ⵓ      A.N :: // OKAY THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL PLOT. If you are willing to take this, please be aware that this is a plot that requires equal parts emotional giggling, kicking feet and screaming our guts out because this is literally a romance booktok novel. This plot is not meant for an endgame but is open to it. Please take this plot only if you’re interested in writing it and please bear in mind that details within this plot are subject to change based on writers’ thoughts and ideas.

______________


ׁ ❀ love me, love me, baby, are you down? Can you let me know?


______________


Nobody knows how this friendship remains as it is. Is it a friendship or is there anything that lingers under the skin, more than meets the eye?

It’s as if two magnets pull at each other, forced by gravity to interact but for some reason, these magnets never truly become one. So what is going on?!

You are the only one who does not let Hwa win; for someone accustomed to princess treatment her whole life, you’re the one little pest in her life that will never let her get her way. But it’s funny to rile her up, isn’t it? In the way she will glare at you under her lashes and try so hard to hide her smile. It’s so entertaining to watch her bite back, with as much spine and vigour as a drenched cat but this is what has been the most pulling thing about her, hasn’t it?

But are you sure there isn’t anything else at play here? Especially when she actively seek your company and you seek hers in turn? Who knows what has happened under the guise of flirtatious banter and slightly possessive touches? Who knows what happens under the cover of the night, reeking of honeyed alcohol and the sweet scent of the gisaeng house?

Who knows, indeed.

　　 ───── MOTHER FIGURE. ֪ ໑ ☆
　　 ⵓ      female, older. No class preference.
　　 ⵓ      advisor, confidante, spoiler, comforter. Mother-figure.
　　 ⵓ      A.N :: // Details within this plot are subject to change based on writers’ thoughts and ideas.

______________

It does not matter how old either of you are, Hwa finds extreme personal comfort with you.

She knows she needs another point of view, a sane mind to help her through her inner turmoils and you’re that for her. She knows that she can trust you with anything, especially to hold her accountable and give her advice. In a sense, she is the child you never had but it’s a dynamic that works for both of you; she gives you laugh and headaches, you give her food and hugs when needed.

　　 ───── GUILTY. ֪ ໑ ☆
　　 ⵓ      no gender, age preference. Jungin.
　　 ⵓ      long lost family.
　　 ⵓ      A.N :: // crucial to the beginning of character building; this is the reason why Hwa was sold to the gisaeng house. Serious takers only because this is a very emotion-driven plot and would require the same energy back. Please take this plot only if you’re interested in writing it. Details within this plot are subject to change based on writers’ thoughts and ideas.

______________


She never knew where she came from, only that her father was a rich man and her mother was a lowly gisaeng who fell in love with the wrong man and lost her mind when he didn’t return her feelings. Hwa knows that ‘Seo Hwa’ is also not her real name, given to her by Rim and the other gisaengs at Sook but she’s made peace in knowing that she will never have blood-family. Sook is enough.

But one day, you walk in, claiming to be a relative too close to her father for it to be untrue. And it’s proof enough when you reveal a token of familiar memory, one she has the matching piece of.

Suddenly, home isn’t home and family isn’t something she knows anymore.

　　 ───── LONG WAY TO GO. ֪ ໑ ☆
　　 ⵓ      male, no age preference, no class preference.
　　 ⵓ      the ex who keeps returning. Toxic!!!
　　 ⵓ      A.N :: // set when Hwa was still a handmaiden to Seo Rim. very underdeveloped and a romantic connection. Not necessarily an endgame, although crucial for character development. Serious takers only because this is a very emotion-driven plot and would require the same energy back. Please take this plot only if you’re interested in writing it. Details within this plot are subject to change based on writers’ thoughts and ideas.

ׁ ❀ You claim that you’re so hot, and you say you got skills in the bedroom.

You try to front when you’re so not, had a chance you still never came through.

You say you wanna come see me, ‘cause you know your girlfriend wanna be me.

______________


As they say, you never know what you had until it’s too gone.

You never treated Hwa right; in fact, bare minimum never existed even. But she was okay with that, for she was too busy trying to survive in a gisaeng house that felt too much like a hyena den. And you knew that she would stick around even with the least that you could do.

Except that one day, she did leave and you hate the fact that a good girl like her just slipped through your fingers. It’s infuriating to not have a lovergirl and pushover like her around but it’s more than that for her. You don’t know that so you decide to step into her life again after all of these years.

What happens next is up to the Heavens but won’t it feel good to possess her again?

　　 ───── BREAK UP WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND, CUZ I’M BORED. ֪ ໑ ☆
　　 ⵓ      male, older, yang ban, preferably married.
　　 ⵓ      cheater liar, pants on fire. TW: ual themes implied, cheating.
　　 ⵓ      A.N :: // not an endgame plot but very necessary for plot. Serious takers only because this is a very spicy plot and would require the same energy back. Please take this plot only if you’re interested in writing it and please bear in mind that details within this plot are subject to change based on writers’ thoughts and ideas.

This plot is not meant to romanticise cheating and affairs! It is just A PLOT.

PLOT INSPO: Memoirs of a Geisha, The Handmaiden’s Soothe & Count Fujiwara.

ׁ ❀ Say I’m trippin’ if you feel like, but you without me ain’t right.

______________

Work as a gisaeng means that she’s seen and met people from all walks of life. She’s seen the good, the bad and the worst but that does not stop her from doing what she does best, enamour with her talent in singing to bring people from far and wide.

When an enigma enters her life out of the blue, there is little she can do but give in to the pull, magnetised by charisma and security.

Little does she know, the yangban who has been giving her a lot of attention has his focus divided elsewhere too, somewhere that resembles a home more than anything.