The physical change has just been completed, Melissa typically doesn't end after that. The main character usually struggles to embrace their new identity and the story typically doesn't end when they do.
In my mind, I was comparing to Temporary Roommate and Journey Into the Unknown. In the former, the big "you have no hope of ever being a man again" basically occurs in the chapter that ends at 103/160, while Journey Into the Unknown does that at 164/227. That's around the 60-70% mark. Both of them then have the main character go on a date, have sex, and then flash forward with a time skip epilogue reflecting on the changes. That's what was going through my head when I was wondering aloud about the story wrapping up.
550 x 10/6 should a bit over 900 pages. Or still 366 pages left in the story. Obviously it's not an exact science, but like you point out Temporary Roommate is 160 pages long and that is a full story including the mental change. So Melissa has two times the number of pages left to tell the story to include what you're asking for.
I've mentioned this before, but it's the problem of "every page is one panel" manifesting itself. A 19 page part might cover an entire date. Or it could be 19 pages to just put on some clothes. Because each page is always only one panel, there's no real flexibility in compression/decompression of time.
I feel Melissa is telling short stories on an epic story scale. That's why the pacing feels so off for her longer stories. She started off as a storyteller with text and some low level pictures on her deviantart page. She later grew into a storyteller with 3d computer generated pictures. Girls' Night Out I believe is her first story with such art. But it's still very much a text story.
From what I see it took a long time for people to warm up to K-Pop Idol. I wonder if Melissa noticed a lacklustre audience and therefore she rushes it to the ending. If it were a hot story with people loving it on boards like this, she gave herself the possibility of having a spinoff sequel with the other transformations you've asked for. But she's been here before and just scroll back: there are a lot of crickets after a K-Pop Idol update. It's a shame, but let's not mince words here.
Personally, I'm only looking at the recent updates for A K-Pop Idol just to see the beautiful renders.From what I see it took a long time for people to warm up to K-Pop Idol. I wonder if Melissa noticed a lacklustre audience and therefore she rushes it to the ending. If it were a hot story with people loving it on boards like this, she gave herself the possibility of having a spinoff sequel with the other transformations you've asked for. But she's been here before and just scroll back: there are a lot of crickets after a K-Pop Idol update. It's a shame, but let's not mince words here.
If your initial feeling was right and she's rushing Idol to the finish she may start a new one. But that's not based on much more than reading tealeaves, so what do I know really.
Melissa is a great artist. The story itself is just not for people like me. I don't view feminization as some form of punishment that is worth committing suicide over (image #546). Quite the opposite point of view for me. ), etc. It also lacks the passionate writing that I enjoy. I enjoy when a writer's passion can be felt through the story. I love feeling emotionally connected to a story. This just doesn't have that feeling. At least not to me. Just my perspective. Feel free to disagree. Different strokes for different folks.
I think it comes off as if it's missing something because it's paced the same as Mirror, but doesn't have the mystery to keep the reader engaged. I've not been satisfied by where the answers seem to be going, but at least that story invited the reader to speculate.This just doesn't have that feeling. At least not to me. Just my perspective. Feel free to disagree. Different strokes for different folks.
Passionate storytelling is a difficult thing to define from a reader's perspective. You can feel whether passion is present or whether it is missing. One of the only measurable things is the attention to small details. The little things will really stand out because the writer has so many ideas that they are trying to cram as many into every scene as possible. The text will either be on the heavy side or it will be condensed yet rich with detail. Passionate stories don't have filler scenes and filler text. It shouldn't feel like a story that was commissioned by someone else. It should feel like a story that the writer just had to tell and share with the world.
I agree that the racial/cultural transformation has been very underdeveloped. It should really be half the focus of the story. I don't know much about South Korean culture. This story could have been quite educational for me, but I don't feel like I've learned much other than the -uni auntie stuff. When it is mentioned by Minji, it feels weird because she can't really mock being Korean without mocking herself. Kind of like when Minji mocks Nick for being feminine.
That limits her ability to be a cruel villain without sounding silly and hypocritical. Personally, I didn't mind Nick's pre-op look. The new look is better but I still wouldn't have turned down a roll in the hay with pre-op Nick. I don't know either what I would suggest for the rest of this story. I think the last missed opportunity was on image #510.
Sort of? But a lot of the language being used is really similar to earlier scenes that we later learned were almost Andrew's "self hypnosis" when "conditioning" himself to stay in character. Stuff like:
I'm leaning this way too - just before this Elena is in the tub, grousing about how the whole Joel thing is now a mess and Marina is not helping , those are Andrew things. Then some wine., a desire to destress, and Nikos becomes a shiny god to her. Frolicking ensues.
I was mostly joking before when I said that there will be a twist that Marina is also "lost in character", but I will say, I do think it's possible (in an Obi-Wan "certain point of view", Anakin killed Darth Vader sort of way), for Marina to be thinking of Elena and Andrew as separate people. I'm not sure I'd buy the idea that she's separating them enough to be "getting even with Elena", while intending on "helping Andrew", but I can see the separation of those people happening in her head (along with the paradox that the only reason to get even with Elena, is because Elena is Andrew) as a possible plot point. Given the confusing nature of their relationship now, I've seen/read similar kinds of "separation of people" as a coping mechanism.
I think you mean "identity death", and I don't think this qualifies. Elena has most of her memories back and is no longer confused about who she was, even if she's still grappling with who she is now.
According to Melissa, there isn't supposed to be any hypnosis. However, there is arguably self-hypnosis going on because of the mantras and method acting.
It's getting very close to feeling like identity death. Andrew/Elena is experiencing a mental health problem called dissociative identity disorder. Some of it might be self-induced from the mantras and method acting, but a lot of it might be a result of the medical procedures. The doctor mentioned the possible side-effects of memory loss and a feeling of loss of self. If those are occurring, and it looks like they are, those could result in identity death if not treated with psychotherapy. The personality of Elena appears to be more in control and is more dominate over the diminishing personality of Andrew. It feels like Andrew is quickly fading away, and it isn't a case of his identity evolving or transforming into the Elena personality. This is mental struggle between two distinct personal identities, each with their own names, traits, and personal histories.
Best of luck to Melissa! Let's send her some love and good vibes!
