"Even when the world is cold, I still want to find the heart not to be."
— Ahn Jaewon, Episode 19
While up-and-coming K-pop group MAYHEM is steadily rising in popularity, the group's fame comes at a price. Pressured by the CEO of the company who believes that any press is good press, member Ahn "Wyld" Jaewon is forced to portray a controversial persona. As MAYHEM's "bad boy", 'Wyld' is a playboy entangled in nonstop rumors and scandals. Hiding behind his fellow members' backs, Jaewon must endure the media and lies in order to help keep MAYHEM's momentum going.
Lost in Translation is a Webtoon authored by jjolee that began as a self-published project by jjolee on Tapas and Webtoon Canvas on July 21, 2017. In 2019, the series was picked up and licensed by Webtoon Originals and the previous version was deleted. On February 13, 2020 the series officially relaunched with the prologue and three chapters. It can be found here
.
Lost In Translation contains examples of:
- A Day In The Lime Light: While the series is focused on Jaewon, there are several episodes dedicated to other characters, and their backstories.
- All-Loving Hero: Despite his reputation, Jaewon proves to be one of the nicest characters in the webcomic, and is friendly and sweet to almost everyone he meets.
- Always Second Best: Minsoo, after years of coming in second to Minsung.
- Art Shift: Some scenes will shift the characters into chibi versions of themselves and back again.
- Bad Boss: CEO Park constantly mistreats Jaewon and mentally, verbally, and physically abuses him.
- Beauty Equals Goodness: Ugliness is correlated with sketchiness.
- Bland-Name Product: "Nover" (Naver), Valoray
- Break the Cutie: Jaewon finally snaps at the beginning of Season 3 after the CEO interferes and subsequently ruins his friendship with Jun.
- Celebrity Is Overrated: Arguably the series is based off this trope.
- Disappointing Older Sibling: After Minsung steals Minsoo's song, Minsoo loses all respect for him as a sibling and still hates him to this day.
- False Confession: What began Jaewon's scandalous reputation.
- Formerly Fat: Minyoung. Her body image issues stem from this.
- Got Volunteered: Daehyun at ISC, twice!
- I Didn't Tell You Because You'd Be Unhappy: Jaewon's reasoning for not telling MAYHEM and others around him the truth about his scandals.
- Kindhearted Cat Lover: When Dongho was living on his own, he had a cat named Boba.
- Korean Pop Music: MAYHEM is a K-pop band
- Luke, I Am Your Father: In Season 3, CEO Park reveals to Jun that he is his father.
- Mean Boss: CEO Park. He seems to prioritize the company's economic status and will emotionally manipulate Jaewon into continuing the false rumors.
- Misunderstood Loner with a Heart of Gold: Jaewon isolated himself from his members to the point where they thought he hated them, but overtime, they get more familiar with each other, and Jaewon's selflessness shines through.
- Named After Somebody Famous: Daehyun is a walking reference to Jae of Day6.
- Neck Lift: Minseok to Jaewon in chapter 85.
- Nice Guy: Daehyun
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: Daehyun (Dae) is inspired by Jae from Day6.
- Not What It Looks Like: Jaewon/Wyld has a lot of these. All his scandals are based off of extraordinarily unfortunate misunderstandings or staged by the CEO.
- Sibling Rivalry: Minsoo facing down Minsung at ISC, and most of their childhood, where Minsoo always felt he didn't measure up to Minsung.
- Sore Loser: Minsoo not only fills this trope whenever he loses in Valoray, but also when he loses to Minsung at ISC, and then proceeds to lock himself in his room for hours and play more Valoray.
- Stalker with a Crush: Sohee, an sasaeng, stalks Jaewon with various methods. She breaks into Jaewon's apartment in Episode 14, and eventually attempts to murder him in Episode 19.
- Stepford Smiler: Even after being bullied as a child, tied up and nearly murdered by a sasaeng, and getting hate slung at him online, Jaewon keeps smiling.
- Trauma Conga Line: After being shunned by his classmates for being gay, coming out to his mother, his dad subsequently beating his mother for this and killing herself, and nearly killing Daehyun and Jaewon, Minseok isn't exactly doing the best in terms of mental health.
- Villain Reveals the Secret: The CEO reveals Jaewon's status as an idol (and a controversial one at that) to his mother.
Episodes of this series provide examples of:
- Delinquent Hair: Discussed by Jun when he asks Jaewon if he's a criminal because of his dyed red hair.Jun: So... Your hair. Why'd you dye it red? Are you in a gang or something?
