Bad Life

Description

Links are NOT allowed. Format your description nicely so people can easily read them. Please use proper spacing and paragraphs.

After being imprisoned by his mother for five years, Raymond was sent to a boarding school in the countryside as if being abandoned. He began a new school life with four dormitory roommates.

<Simon> – a quiet, blunt but kind-hearted boy.

<Hugh> – a sociable and energetic boy loved by everyone.

<George> – a mysterious boy who seems to have secrets.

And now, we need to know about <Jerome>.

***

<Jerome> had a room to himself. George said it was because there weren’t enough students, but I didn’t believe him. I instinctively disliked <Jerome> from the moment I first saw him. He was similar in height and build to me, but somehow seemed larger and stronger. His equestrian physique was slim and agile, and his hands were slightly larger than average.

Because he rode horses every day, he often wore riding clothes. With white riding pants clinging to his legs, black boots, and a loose-collared shirt, he carried a leather riding crop. I especially disliked that crop. <Jerome> would often, as a joke, lift the tip of Hugh’s chin with the leather loop attached to the end of the crop, and the sight was extremely uncomfortable.

Associated Names
One entry per line
The Bad Life
불삶
불우한 삶
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Non Zero Sum (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. BL treasurehouse
  2. Darkkk
  3. *Sigh* BL that I need to read because it looks lik...
  4. Korean BL
  5. To read list (completed or ongoing translations)

Latest Release

Date Group Release
04/07/24 Rune Translations c1 part3
03/18/24 Rune Translations c1 part2
03/08/24 Rune Translations c1 part1
02/13/24 Readhive c2
02/13/24 Readhive c1
Review
8 Reviews


hughslovelydog
New hughslovelyd
Apr 16, 2024
Status: --
this is the type of novel which is unfortunate if you havent read as its the same if you read. And I deeply felt that while reading. Everything, literally everything without exaggrating gives you goosebumbs. Your eyes wide opened, in the beginnings, you are like "is this really happening?" until you have faced multiple similar of them over and over which makes you in the end a nonchalant type of reader. Its not for everyone, but to those who finds it like treasure to themselves, this is the best work... more>> given and established. It felt not like a bl, much more than that, which breaks the bounds upon that label. The most repeated word I had was crazy btw nxnxnx. I loved the boys on the top floor as well as raymond. By considering only their personalites of course. I love hugh the most amount, my type my type! Anyway, if you already researched the novel, I can say this means its for you. Go read it! But pay attention to go crazy or to be traumatisied or something like ominous feelings lol! I bet you will love! <<less
5 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Gowon
Gowon
Jun 04, 2023
Status: v12
Honestly this is a very very raw story to say the least. It is toxic to stratospheric levels. And even if you're used to reading novels where the protagonist suffers all kinds of abuse, you may find this one very uncomfortable. If you are sensitive I don't even advise you to read it out of curiosity, believe me you may have small thoughts. And of course, if you don't tolerate r*pe even in fiction, don't even think about reading it, many people get off the first volume precisely because of... more>> that... Be very careful, if you feel it's too uncomfortable, don't continue reading. Okay, after all these warnings you may wonder what's wrong or what's behind this story.... Well, there are 12 volumes and once read they are short because the mastery of the author Baek is at another level. It is one of those bl classics, that you either love to death or hate. Personally this novel is one of those that I can call 'novel of my life' because of how much I love it. I don't even do reviews but I had to review 'bad life'.

At first it plays out like a normal novel, the main character Raymond after being confined for years at home by his mother (a famous actress) enters Bluebell school for boys like him, boys who are a nuisance in his family. There he shares a room with the gongs of the story: George, Hugh and Simon. Jerome, of course, is another but he has his own room because he is royalty.

Raymond, for some reason finds Jerome uncomfortable and it doesn't take long for them to fight, first like normal guys with fists and punches but then things get out of hand, the level of 'revenge' escalates and the violent situation becomes more and more and more.

I don't want to do too many spoilers, but the chapter titles are spoilers in themselves. You'll realize this as you finish reading them. There are many, many details that are overlooked, but if you read them again you fall into a spiral of self-awareness, as if someone shined a light on an object you had overlooked and it was a clue.

Spoiler

One of the details that comes to mind, in the first volume when Raymond mentions having a dream the day before about riding a merry-go-round.... That was what his mind interpreted with what was happening in his body. It's not really a dream, in that situation Raymond was being rap.3d by several people while he was sleeping on drugs. But as I said he was not conscious. I really got chills when I realized it. It wasn't a joke, I couldn't even sleep at the thought that something like that could go unnoticed as a dream in someone's unconscious mind because Raymond internalizes it as a dream and doesn't give it importance, only when you put the pieces of the puzzle together can you know that it wasn't JUST a dream, that it was real and it's very scary. The author knows very well how to play on the reader's mind, you feel at times as if you have the same clues as Raymond, or even less and can only observe in a fogged window.. It gives you an idea of what kind of psychopaths him r.4. pists were. And this kind of information is totally overlooked on a first reading, only when you read the chapter in detail can you see it.

[collapse]

Sometimes the reading is difficult because you feel so many emotions of the characters so intensely it's unbelievable, the gaslighting suffered by Raymond is portrayed to perfection (I had to stop reading many parts and pick them up some time later because you feel the same level of disbelief when they happen) I'll leave an example for you to understand.

Spoiler

There is a part in the first volume where the abusers plan a yearbook of Raymond's supposed victims and predecessors. According to the guys on the top floor they all ended up dead, in a mental institution and only one became a prosti. tu. te. The point here is that when Raymond believes all those things as certain.... A schoolmate tells him that the room had not been occupied by other people before Raymond. It was all a trap to make him anxious and they never existed. At that point, Raymond's mental stability almost broke down because 'the guys on the top floor' had played with his mind so much that he couldn't tell the difference between what was real and what was fake. It gets to the point where he suffers a breakdown and mistakes the partner who told him the truth for Jerome and strangles him....

[collapse]

There are many appealing things in the novel, but for me the characters and their growth is certainly worth mentioning. In a real situation of ab.u.s3 there are not many people who would be able to act as Raymond did, but he is not a hero I think he is more of a survivor and wanted to stay alive. Of course Raymond is not the most perfect protagonist, but he suffered a lot to get to break, but he did not give up. I'm not trying to justify it, but I can understand his behavior.

I just want to mention how grateful I am for this translation as I was really counting the days for an English translation (I only read a poor mtl). Thank you truly for taking this novel, I really appreciate it💙. <<less
23 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
eatBANANAFISH
eatBANANAFIS
Jun 10, 2023
Status: v12
Y'all, I absolutely love this.... it's so beautiful, very dark and depressing at times. Honestly one of my favorite Korean novels. So glad it's being translated ❤️ WARNING- THIS STORY IS HELLA TOXIC, WORDS CANNOT EVEN PHATOM HOW DISTURBED AND TWISTED PARTS OF THIS STORY MADE ME FEEL!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!! GOOD LUCK!!!

I love reading dark romances or twisted stories in general, but this one was unbelievable. I'm not even gonna lie, reading this story gave me nightmares 2 days straight, y'all are never gonna find me in... more>> a boarding school. There were several times where I had to quit because of how disgusted and shocked I was feeling. But I never could fully drop the story because of how addicting it is. I ended up finishing all 40 chapters in 4 days, "Bad Life" left me unable to sleep!!! I really adore the main character though, Raymond is such a sweet heart even though some of his decisions were flawed, in the end all I wanted was the best for him.

This novel had me crying, running around my house, and cussing characters. It invoked all types of emotions that I never thought I could have. The character development is strong but I hold some pretty serious grudges, so I could not bring myself to forgive some certain actions that took place in this series. All I can say is, if I ever meet anyone named- Jerome, Hugh, George, or Simon... I'll just run in the opposite direction. <<less
18 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
melocats
melocats
Oct 05, 2023
Status: v6
girl idk what to say im scared LMAO

its horrifying but so well written like I cant stop once I start a volume but it mentally wrecks me so I have to take breaks every now and then

interesting plot and characters, complex motives, horrifying in all and def not everyones cup of tea so read the tags properly!!

recc if u wanna suffer
8 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
CrescentRedLuna
CrescentRedL
Mar 02, 2024
Status: Completed
So much dog blood. I love simon but he is crazy beyond saving. 😭 I hate author not ship mickey (donald) with MC.
Spoiler

At the first place, author never ellaborated mc's appearance, what does he looks like, he is cute? Handsome? I keep curious and just depend on caption "he is resemblance of his mother, his mother the most beautiful.", ok, author too lazy too explain mc's appearance and giving a hint that, MC have the most beautiful face just like his mom.


I can tell that MC have a mental problem after being tortured and abused to the state that stokholm syndrome. There 2 ml, ML 1 and ML 2, but MC HE with ML 1, ML 1 killed ML 2, they are love rivals at the end. Both ml's the first one r*pe MC together and abused tortured MC, kidnapped him, let him gang r*ped dozens time, and they also become a love rival at the end.
[collapse]

Here timeline age of MC being gang-r*ped

20 years old
Spoiler

MC was put in the dormitory together with 4 rapists (include ML 1 and ML 2) . This 4 rapists gang-r*ped MC every night start from the first night MC admitted into dormitory while he asleep and they drug MC make him unable awake till morning. Too many abused and tortured, not only that ML 1 whipped MC till bloody hell. 4 rapists also drag MC to be gang-r*ped by others juniors and dorminotories teacher for several times. After that, MC set up a fire to whole dorminotary where he living with rapists and killed one of the rapists, he escaped.

[collapse]

25 years old
Spoiler

MC as ex marine, retired after being shot by mercenary. 3 rapists that still alive captured him, detained him and get 14 men to gang-r*ped him for dozens time. He being detained on the bed and gang-r*ped for a months, at the same time simon (ML 2) taken cared of him and treated well everytime after gang-r*ped session end everyday. 3 rapists did that to MC just for punishment because ran away and tried to killed them 5 years ago. And that time ml1 ml2 started obsessed toward MC. At the end, MC killed one of 3 rapists, jerome (ml1) silently freed him go.

[collapse]

33 years old
Spoiler

MC cannot overcome his revenge toward his rapists. Only left ml1 ml2 as his rapists that he need to kill. MC tracked them and tried to kill them. MC gang-r*ped again for 2 times by gang in the club, both mls just let him get gang-r*ped at the same time they save MC from leader of the club. And thats how MC developed stockholm syndrome and obsessively love toward both mls after they through various obstacles. They escaped together, MC and ml2 seperated from ml1 during their escape, MC amnesia.

[collapse]

35 years old
Spoiler

MC amnesia for 2 years and live happily as lovers with ml2. Ml1 still alive, MC slowly get his memories, ml2 lying to him, ml2 tried distord his real memories by using drug. MC dissapointed and feels betrayed by ml2. MC and ml1 met again. MC love both his rapists😭 so he drag both mls live together with him while both mls have a grudges each other. Ml1 left MC becuz he want to take a revenge toward his family, MC left ml2 because he distressed for both mls and want to be alone. MC captured and detained by his one-night-stand man, that man was some one (ml1) sleep too perhaps jelous that man sleep with MC, also simon beat up that man into pulp, cut off his fingter and distord his face, that man captured MC to take revenge for (ml1) but he scared of ml1 so he lash on his anger to MC, also get r*ped. So many conflicted between them at the end, ml1 killed ml2 while ml2 tried drag MC to die together with him. (There also a hint r*pe by mls)

[collapse]

I don't know how MC overcome after gangr*pe for over donzens time? If it happen to me I going crazy. MC have been almost give up and crazy after being gangr*pe dozens time and keep detained by mls. But, I amazed by his mental state that managed to overcome his trauma in a short time. I hate he happy ending with his rapist, not only rapist but the rapist also drag MC to be gang r*ped for dozens time and this is ML most sh*t and scumbag that I found not get any redemenation at all, totally shit. I don't know what author think, but I love all non-con in this story, but I hate HE this story, I hope MC go for mickey/donald because he is good unlike jerome (ML 1), there are a hint mickey (donald) have a platonic love for MC. Actually there are more then one person have a platonic love toward MC mostly of them are good character but as you know, author end up MC with scumbag. Or just let he be alone and all rapist just die, for me.
6 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
thatweirdchick
thatweirdchi
Nov 04, 2023
Status: c12
I hope this gets finished translating. While it is a very messed up angsty story, I find it to be intriguing and the characters compelling. Just really hope it gets finished translating.

Edited to add: so very thankful doggy boof has picked this up! Translations are excellent!!
6 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Ricole
Ricole
Nov 20, 2023
Status: Completed
Wow such a masterpiece haha ! It's like a thriller movie amazing story I loved it till the end although I didn't read the full side stories but still it was amazing oh Jerome is such an amazing character but I liked Simon more🥲 anyway this story was so good but it was also really scary I was going crazy ! I recommend it but be careful with the r*pe tag cuz it's really disturbing and different from any other r*pe novels !
3 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
cmd35
cmd35
Mar 02, 2024
Status: c13 part2
Ok so first off, do I like this novel? Yes. Is everybody going to like this novel? Absolutely not. Read the tags. If some of them make you squeamish, don't even read it, you'll probably hate the story. Most of the characters are yandere characters. This means they are fundamentally bad people. They hurt the main character very badly. They hurt the people around the main character VERY badly. They know what they are doing is wrong because they are smart enough to hide it, and to act like socially... more>> normal people in public. They do whatever want because they are selfish and they have the societal (rank, money, etc) power to do it.

Why should you read it then? They are very well written yandere characters. I wish more authors knew how to write characters like this. If you like dark, mature themes, this is your novel. The main character is not a pushover, but neither are the antagonists. There's some tit-for-tat maneuvering, but the MC is out numbered. I find that I do have a favorite villain that for some reason I am rooting for? (Giving me an awkward sense of guilt because come on, they are really terrible people!!) But if I objectively am cheering for the protagonist's safety, they really all need to die or go to prison or something.

And for the translator (s), it's super appreciated this was picked up again! The translation is great, kudos! <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Leave a Review (Guidelines)
You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.