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JeongBok is the femslash ship between Go Bok-su and Da-Jeong Choi from the Married In Red fandom.
Canon[]
Game[]
- “My friend Da-jeong from university is getting married. We were studying to become doctors. I haven't seen her in a long time.”
In the game, Go Bok-su, the protagonist, narrates that her university friend Da-jeong is getting married, and it's hinted that she was invited because of this. After the monologue, the player is free to explore the place where she's at and take a look at the check list (which first task is to say hi to Da-Jeong); however, Go Bok-su will be prevented from leaving since she should see Da-jeong and feels that it would be impolite to not greet her first.
Bok-su reunites with Da-Jeong in the latter's wedding.
When approaching the bride, Go Bok-su will comment how Da-jeong was "all dressed up", which shocks the other woman, who is surprised as to her presence. Just as she is about to question how she arrived, Myeong-hoon, the groom, suddenly appears to welcome Bok-su. Bok-su congratulates the couple on their wedding, expressing gratitude for his invitation and mentioning that she would have been unaware that Da-jeong would be getting married if it weren't for him. Da-jeong remains unsatisfied and perplexed as to why Bok-su was present. Her husband clarifies that he recalled how she had previously mentioned [Bok-su], intending to extend an invitation as a pleasant surprise. He apologizes profusely and inquires as to whether he was not supposed to. Bok-su agrees with him and asks Da-Jeong whether she wants her to leave. Da-Jeong thoughtfully considers for a moment before kindly denying and remarking that it was great to see [Bok-su]'s face once more. She immediately excuses herself and flees the area to greet other guests. Even though Myeong-hoon is still perplexed by this, he apologizes to Bok-su while still telling her to make herself comfortable.
If deciding to talk with the groom, Bok-su may ask him how he met Da-Jeong. He will tell her that he met her when he broke his wrist, which Bok-su finds inappropriate for a doctor to have a romantic relationship with her patient. However, he denies this and explains that Da-Jeong hit him with her car. He was riding an electric scooter when he fell and ran into her, having no idea how to use the brakes. This led the woman to bandage his hand and drive him to the hospital to get it checked out, and to make up for it he invited her coffee and ended up hitting it off. Bok-su finds the story "touching".
There's an extra topic marked as "???", which'll be unlocked once finding the bride and researching the kitchen.
When inquired about the location, Myeong-hoon clarifies that it is a private pension utilized for such occasions, negating the necessity for security cameras because everyone knew one another. However, he acknowledges that he thought Bok-su was a distant individual. When he realizes what he said, he apologizes, but the woman corrects him, saying there was a purpose for it—something Da-Jeong would be well-versed in. Myeong-hoon is amazed at how much his wife has helped Bok-su in that regard. The groom deems "their" Da-Jeong the sweetest, which makes Bok-su laugh.
The player can meet with Da-Jeong again if searching her outside the pension. When approaching her, Bok-su will question that she was hiding out here, however she's silent. Three topics can be brought upon:
"Missed me?"
When Bok-su asks this (in a past tense) and adds that it felt like she saw a ghost, Da-Jeong responds that she didn't anticipate she would be out this early. Bok-su clarifies that she missed her, perplexing her friend, and the main character ponders why she was unable to feel anything upon seeing an old friend, feeling a little hurt and wondering if it is not returned. Da-Jeong understands that Bok-su is upset because she wasn't invited, and Bok-su surmises that's sufficient because she came here anyway, so no harm was done. Da-Jeong concurs.
About the groom
Bok-su signalizes Myeong-hoon as the one who's Da-Jeong marrying, but the bride is confused as to what did she mean by that. Bok-su retracts, stating that he's kind and that she was just taken aback by the fact that [he] wasn't Da-Jeong's usual type, seeming too "innocent" compared to how she is. Da-Jeong finds this claim unsettling.
"How does it feel"
The protagonist queries Da-Jeong about how does it feel wearing a dress like that, remarking that it is "very pretty" and that it fits her well. A flattered Da-Jeong is going to thank her for that. Bok-su then brought up Da-Jeong's face, advising her friend to powder her face a little more because of how pale she appears. The bride is bewildered at this point, but she eventually becomes composed enough to say that she too enjoyed Bok-su's outfit, though she had missed the dress code. When Bok-su inquires about the latter, her friend clarifies that it wasn't as though she was attending a funeral by pointing out that she was all-black. This puzzles Bok-su further since she thought she had dressed right for the ocassion.
Da-Jeong stops Bok-su to talk with her.
The player can explore the other locations or get back in touch with Da-Jeong once the issues have been covered. Bok-su is ready to leave the garden portion when Da-Jeong stops her and tells her to wait. Then, the latter walks up to remind the other woman that it was "her" wedding and wants to have this so they may speak inmediately after. Da-Jeong is searching for confirmation upon saying this. Bok-su asks why she was certain she was here to do something. Nevertheless, she shouldn't have anything to be upset about after all, remarking that those words belonged to Da-Jeong. Once more, the bride doesn't say anything, so Bok-su tells her to relax and enjoy her wedding. "Fine" is Da-Jeong's only response.
Once obtaining a knife from the kitchen, Bok-su can approach the groom to talk about the third topic, which turns out to be "Privacy". Myeong-hoon suggests the powder room that Da-Jeong was using to get ready, which has keys that are exclusive to the pair, when she asks if they may speak in a more private setting. When Bok-su says it's perfect, they walk into the room together. The groom expresses concern for the bride's response once more, saying that she appeared overly surprised and even distressed. He also asks Bok-su whether this was a bad decision. She claims it's terrible for [Da-Jeong], intriguing Myeong-hoon. When the latter inquires as to why and when she hasn't seen her, Bok-su replies that it hasn't been since university. Da-Jeong was "her one and only exception" because Bok-su didn't have many friends. She was the first to show her that life wasn't just about degrees or grades and that she shouldn't let her ambition keep her from enjoying her youth. According to Bok-su, she was too good for her and took her everywhere, even on a night when she had to help a nearby hospital that was staffing short. Bok-su will then ask Myeong-hoon if he wanted to know what happened there, and an only option will appear: "Let him know". Inmediately after choosing this, Bok-su stabs the groom on the neck, making him suffer a blood loss as he falls on the ground, staring at Bok-su in horror. She suggests him not to try and scream, since he'll scar his vocal chords even worse, and the narrative begins.
- “We were studying to become doctors. I like to think we were good friends. That she liked me- Even if it didn't look like that for others. [...] So when she made a mistake- A messy, irresponsible and completely avoidable mistake, something paying attention during a standard procedure with little to no risk of death could prevent... ”
- “I was the person she went to. I was the person who took the blame.”
Da-Jeong frames Bok-su on the failed operation.
While they were training to become doctors, Bok-su originally believed that the two of them were good friends. However, after Da-Jeong made a "completely avoidable" mistake during an operation, she decided to turn to her coworker Bok-su. Nevertheless, Da-Jeong blamed Bok-Su for the death of a patient. Bok-su repeatedly denied on her mind having done this, eventually coming to a breakdown, and instead blamed Da-Jeong for her being kicked out of medical school. She also sends her "dear" Da-Jeong, who shows not a single hint of atonement, a message to the current situation:
- “I wonder if you'll feel that same guilt about marrying him as you did about betraying me.”
The check list will be updated now different tasks related to get rid of the evidence and body, and also "Make her atone", referring to Da-Jeong. Bok-su can obtain the same bad ending (arrested) if attempting to do anything without locking the door first. Once done everything correctly, Bok-su can go unnoticed, but once she's back at the meeting place with the other guests, the player can choose to talk with Myeong-hoon's inmediate family, though she has to be careful on her words to avoid suspicion. When the victim's mother asks for her identity, she replies about being the bride's friend, and says that they might've not talked before, but she wishes to express her happiness to see her dear friend Da-Jeong to be wed with a "fine gentleman" like Myeong-hoon. From then on, she whispers some words about Da-Jeong to the point it confuses the other woman, and asks Bok-su if she could repeat that. The blank spaces marked with [] will allow Bok-su to describe Da-Jeong.
- “Da-Jeong was actually very [] when she was dating Myeong-hoon. She's a [] partner to the point where she would do anything for [].”
For the first part, the player can choose between "depressed", "attached" or "indifferent". The second section: "opportunistic", "uninvolved" and "passionate". For the third and last row: "money", "love" and "reputation". Getting the right and coherent words will have a different impact on the other woman's image of Da-Jeong. Bok-su can make her perceive the bride as someone whom Myeong-hoon can count to. The mother will then ramble over her son's excitement of being convinced having made the right decision on marrying Da-Jeong. She's grateful towards Bok-su, assuring that they'll tell her they're more than happy to welcome her as part of their family. However if not matching-up words correctly, the elder woman will become aggrieved and will demand to call Da-Jeong over. This'll inmediately lead to the body discovery, thus Bok-su's arrest due to Myeong-hoon's family report of her suspicious behavior.
Speaking with some brideswomen—whom Bok-su hardly recalls as university classmates—may put you in a similar condition. Being unwilling to let the chance to say hello pass since it would be a pity to miss out on how Da-Jeong has been doing over the days, Bok-su will introduce herself as one of Da-Jeong's old friends from the university before she had to drop out. She believes that's when Da-Jeong met the three women. Bok-su will start rambling since she has been thinking about Da-Jeong ever since she left and didn't anticipate that she would make amazing friends in her absence. Now that she's speaking of being good friends, Bok-su has news to share: however it was a bit unfortunate since she couldn't figure out a way how to tell Da-Jeong without making things awkward. The NPC whom she's talking too will ask about the news, to which Bok-su will whisper about the conversation she overheard through the kitchen.
- “I heard [] caught Myeong-hoon [] with [] during [].”
The NPC will seek for a repeat, since she missed some details, to which the word play starts. For the first brakes: "Da-Jeong", "Seo-joon" and "Minha". Second row: "cheating" and "fighting". Third: "Minha", "Da-Jeong" and "Seo-joon". Fourth and last options: "wedding rehearsal", "bachelor's party" and "New Years party". Similarily to the past case, if getting a wrong choice of words, the NPC will become displeased and also mistake that Bok-su is trying to spread weird rumours, prompting her to the question if Da-Jeong really invited her. Now, managing to convince the NPC will shock her to the point she didn't think that Myeong-hoon would be capable of doing something like cheating, worse when he was getting married. She'll ask the other girls if they should tell Da-Jeong or not; after all, she was head over heels for him. Bok-su will "notice" that Da-Jeong really cherished Myeong-hoon, making the NPC agree, describing Da-Jeong as a "hopeless romantic", who'd do anything in the name of love.
Da-Jeong would abruptly approach and grip Bok-su's wrist firmly after she has finished speaking with the brideswomen, stating that she has been meaning to speak with her. Bok-su feels the same way, but Da-Jeong emphasizes "privately," which Bok-su considers a luxury given the number of guests present. Bok-su teasingly asks what the groom would think of Da-Jeong suggesting the bedroom, but Da-Jeong makes her argument clear, and eventually Bok-su is persuaded and tells her to lead the way.
Da-Jeong and Bok-su in the bedroom.
When they're alone, the bride urges Bok-su to cut the bullshit and to tell her why she's here already. She then reiterates that she's there to celebrate her dear friend's wedding and asks what else she could possibly be here for. Da-Jeong finds this unconvincing and responds by taunting her claim and asking if she really expected her to believe that. She knows that Bok-su is up to something and will intervene once she figures it out. However, before Da-Jeong can say anything more, Bok-su interrupts and asks, "You'll what?" in a menacing manner, surprising the bride. Bok-su continues by asking what else can she do to her that she hasn't already done, having done "plenty". When she inquires as to whether Da-Jeong has ever felt bad about what happened, the bride shivers and exclaims that she said she wasn't here for that. Bok-su is then very aware that Da-Jeong was clearly lying (referring to the failed surgery), and asks about the amount of patients Da-Jeong has lost since then, being something unfortunate, and that she can't save everyone.
- “How many times have you diagnosed someone wrong? How many times has your hand been too clumsy for your own good?”
Da-Jeong insists she has been doing well as Bok-su starts grilling her about her recent medical achievements and failures. Eventually, Bok-su snaps and asks whether Da-Jeong has ever thought she'd been the one still practicing, if she'd been in her place, and if they'd still be alive. They both remain quiet until Bok-su points out that not a single apology has been made yet. Da-Jeong will demand her on leaving, as she's enfuriated enough to wish on not seeing her anymore. After all it was supposed to be a good day and she was planning waiting until the end, but she just couldn't. She says she'd inform Myeong-hoon about this and to have Bok-su escorted. Because the groom's name was mentioned, Bok-su asks if she could at least give her the wedding gift she had prepared before leaving, because it'll be a shame if she missed it, having went through so much preparing it. Due to the timing, Da-Jeong is confused over this, but Bok-su reminds her own words of going to call Myeong-hoon, and asks her to put her hand in her pocket. Before doing any further comment as to the connection between Bok-su's pocket and her husband, she's horrorized when she takes out a cake knife soaked in blood, and she realizes of what it was. Bok-su corrects this as her own doing, pointing it out as "her weapon".
Da-Jeong attempts to stab Bok-su, cornering her on the wardrobe.
Da-Jeong breaks out to the obvious implication, paralelling to Bok-su when she was framed on the operation gone wrong. The bride doesn't know what to do, but Bok-su "doesn't" either, because she's simply a witness, and adds the implication of Myeong-hoon loving someone else more than Da-Jeong, and ideates the reason of murder: jealousy, because Da-Jeong's fragile heart couldn't take it and, to spare a heartbreak, went for something like this to save herself (recalling the NPC's words that Da-Jeong would do anything for love). The bride explains she would never kill for something petty as that, but Bok-su argues she would never kill a patient. However, this last part makes Da-Jeong even more enraged, stating that she'll kill her. Beok-su will be pinned on the closet where Myeong-hoon's body is in, and if the player doesn't react fast enough, Da-Jeong will stab Beok-su to death. But, the bride will then regret this decision, and calls out Bok-su's name in horror.
Bok-su plays the victim role against Da-Jeong.
On the other hand, if the player succeeds on avoiding death, Bok-su will remove the necklace from the wardrobe that she had placed to keep it from opening, therefore Myeong-hoon's body will fall on Da-Jeong's dress, soaking it in blood. She will then begin to scream until a guest hurries to the room to find out what happened and discover the bride handling the weapon while having her husband dead on her lap. Bok-su will then warn the guest to be careful, as she had witnessed with her own eyes how [Da-Jeong] stabbed Myeong-hoon and tried to hide his body, and states that she tried to kill her too, pleading for getting to somewhere safe. Da-Jeong attempts to clear up the misunderstanding, however the damage was already done and the guest, who's the victim's mother, yells her to get away from her son. Da-Jeong would eventually flee from the room.
When heading outdoors, a close-up of Da-Jeong will be shown, saying that it was not her fault anything happened but Bok-su's. The woman will then appear and say Da-Jeong's name by the usual "Dear Da-Jeong" tone, causing the bride gaze at her in dread while Bok-su asks if she atones now, giving an attempt of a wicked smile, however her grin notably bitters a scene later.
Fanon[]
As it's common in Studio Investigrave fandoms, it is a popular ship deemed "toxic" due to its canon bad ending, as the hatred between the two women was explicitly stated during the game, and the catalyst for the abhorrence was none other than a betrayal from one part, deeming to an eventual revenge on similar terms. Although it is considered a new ship due to the game's recent release, it has already garnered a following because it shares a similar theme with the fandoms of Dead Plate, Cold Front, and Elevator Hitch, specifically their ships—for the first, Rody/Vincent; for the second, Augustine/Winnie; and for the last, Co-Worker/Protagonist. Despite this, many people consider the ship to be more complicated than an enemies-to-lovers connection because one of them is (or was) married to someone else, yet the femslash ship takes precedence in terms of their on-screen interactions.
It's the most prominent ship in the fandom on AO3, with five pieces created that was regarded as romantic. Even though it rivals the canonical Myeong-hoon/Da-Jeong relationship, the femslash pairing is even more revelant because of their Enemies to Lovers dynamic. This is particularly noticeable in fan arts, where they are frequently shown as their original personalities, which is canon compliant given their connection and the way their antagonistic bond is developed throughout the game. Da-Jeong demonstrates fear and trauma around Bok-su, who in turn acts murderously and vengefully towards her former friend.
Fandom[]
- FAN FICTION
- Bok-su Go/Da-jeong Choi tag on AO3
- Bok-su Go & Da-jeong Choi tag on AO3
Gallery[]
Game[]
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.webp "CG-MURDER-10.png (JeongBok).webp (56 KB)")
Official Artwork[]
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