Summary of Key Points
This article takes yonkou games (referred to as “Yiyou” for short) as a starting point to explore the issues of language construction, symbolic consumption, and the alienation of desire that underlie them. Yonkou games provide players with a sense of emotional control through immersive storytelling, while the industry shapes player preferences through market research and the use of linguistic symbols. The act of players spending money (known as “kraing”) is essentially a form of symbolic consumption, aimed at building virtual intimacy. However, this process erodes the heterogeneity of the “other” in these relationships, ultimately leading to the “death of desire”—modern individuals seemingly have perfect virtual lovers but lose the essential “differences” and “mystery” that are inherent in true love.
1. The “Ideal Boyfriend” in Yonkou Games: Is It What You Think, or Something Someone Else Told You to Think?
Yonkou players often say things like “I like sunny, cute, and puppy-like characters” or “I prefer strong, handsome, and tragic characters,” but these descriptions don’t come out of thin air; they are derived from a common linguistic symbol system in society. For example, when a baby cries, parents ask “Do you want to eat or be held,” labeling the baby’s needs with language. Similarly, when players use terms like “domineering CEOs” or “rustic, broken characters” to express their preferences, they are already constrained by these linguistic frameworks.
Game companies use surveys and data analysis to identify players’ favorite elements and then create the next popular male characters (such as Lee Ze-yeon from *Love and Producer* or Charlie Su from *Love and Light in the Night*). This creates a cycle: players express their needs through language → companies create characters based on these needs → players are further reinforced in their perception of the “ideal boyfriend.” You think you are defining your own ideal type, but in reality, language and the market are working together to shape this image for you.
2. Kraing Is Not a Waste of Money: You’re Buying a “Bond with the Character”
Consumption in yonkou games is not just about buying items; it’s about buying symbols and a sense of connection. Actions like drawing cards, purchasing voice packs, and buying clothes for the male characters are all about “proving your bond with them.” The more money you spend, the closer the interaction feels, and the more you feel like you have a connection to them.
Just like the engineer in *Existence* who buys hair accessories and dresses for the robot, yonkou players are building a connection with their “ideal lovers” through their spending. Buying a “megaphone” to chat with the male character is not just for the sound; it’s about feeling like the character is only speaking to you. Buying “thoughts” to unlock special stories is about becoming the “only one” in their story. This type of consumption is about buying identity and a sense of virtual intimacy.
3. The Pleasure of Virtual Romance: A One-Way Love That Doesn’t Require “Endurance”
Traditional romance requires adaptation—you have to accept your partner’s flaws and compromise your own habits. However, virtual romance in yonkou games doesn’t have these constraints. You can choose only the character types you like: if you’re extroverted, pick a “cool and confident” one; if you lack a sense of security, choose a “gentle and loyal” one. You don’t even have to consider the character’s real thoughts, as all their reactions are designed for you.
This type of relationship is a “one-way symbolic love”—you’re not loving a real person but an image composed of the parts of the character you like. You don’t have to compromise your identity or feel wronged; you just get to enjoy the feeling of being taken care of and loved. But the price of this pleasure is the loss of the opportunity to interact with a real, different person. After all, in true love, it’s the other’s uniqueness that makes it attractive.
4. Why Do We Feel That Love Is “Dead” Even With a Perfect Virtual Lover?
Han Byeong-je in *The Death of Desire* argues that love requires a “heterogeneous other”—someone different from you, someone unpredictable. However, the male characters in yonkou games are all tailored to your preferences, lacking surprise and mystery. You think you’re loving someone else, but in reality, you’re loving a “reflection of yourself.”
For example, if you like riding motorcycles, you might think a “cool and confident” male character would be perfect for you, and you don’t even have to worry about whether they can afford a motorcycle. This is simply projecting your own preferences onto the virtual character. When all “ideal lovers” become familiar symbols, you can no longer experience that thrilling feeling of excitement. This is the “death of desire”: we have perfect fantasies, but we lose the surprises and uncertainties that come with true love.
Final Thoughts
The article does not deny the value of yonkou games; it’s just a reminder that virtual romance can bring joy, but it shouldn’t replace real emotional experiences. After all, love is not something that can be “customized”; it’s about discovering each other’s uniqueness through interaction with a real other. Imperfections are the most precious parts of love. I hope every player can find joy in games and also meet that “heterogeneous other” in the real world who makes their heart flutter.