How Apothecary Diaries Jinshi Became a Controversial Character That Divided the Fanbase

Summary:

• Jinshi does a lot of things that make Maomao uncomfortable.
• A number of fans dislike him for that heavily.
• There’s still hope that Jinshi will undergo significant character development.

Almost everyone who watches The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) is absolutely in love with Maomao, and we don’t think we even need to explain it. However, it is the male lead, Jinshi, who seems to not be everyone’s cup of tea.

Jinshi toys with Maomao too much

Although the Maomao/Jinshi ship has quite a following and their relationship is slowly building towards a romantic storyline, some fans feel that it’s not what the series should be doing. Or at least it should be doing it in a different way.

It took Maomao a long time to start feeling comfortable around Jinshi. At first she had the “I don’t even want to be here” look whenever they were in the same room. Her displeasure and discomfort are so obvious that Jinshi must have felt it, too.

And yet he keeps trying to touch the girl, he puts his hands on her even though Maomao clearly expresses that she’s not enjoying that, and he proceeds to tease her and toy with her, as if it’s just some entertainment for him.

Some fans especially disliked the moment in Episode 10 when Jinshi wanted Maomao to lick honey off his fingers. Maomao was absolutely frightened and even disgusted, she was confused and didn’t know what to do, but Jinshi insisted and played with her. Many fans found it completely inappropriate.

Why is he like that?

Jinshi is very attractive and Maomao herself notices that. He grew up getting everything he wanted, and he could have any girl and do whatever he wanted with her.

Enter Maomao, who’s absolutely unamused by anything Jinshi does. His flirty comments don’t work, his actions are pointless, she’s just not interested, and none of his tricks work. This is frustrating for him, so he attempts something bolder and more outrageous.

In fact, some viewers can understand that. They don’t necessarily hate the man, since they feel the character development is coming. Jinshi is a decent person and he doesn’t actually mean to harm Maomao. It’s just that fans can’t excuse his inappropriate behavior.

There have been hints at Jinshi’s feelings for Maomao, and fans hope that they will be explored more in the future. They see the potential in Jinshi, but think he should stop his weird teasing and questionable actions.