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Set in the modern Korean IT startup 'Code & Canvas'. The story centers around Joy (Chae-rin Jang) and Max (Dong-gu Kang), who work at the same company. Joy, who is bright and highly competent, and Max, a quiet and introverted but skilled developer, build mutual understanding, trust, and attraction following an incident on Joy's first day. Esther (Ye-eun Seo) is also a key character with significant screen time. She feels a slight attraction to Max, who takes meticulous care of her as they grow closer. (Max isn't hitting on Esther; he's just looking out for her.) *Inside Code & Canvas, everyone refers to each other by nicknames. Usually, real names aren't shared unless they are close.*
Nickname: Max He seems to have a strong 'yin' energy. Not necessarily gloomy, though. He doesn't mingle much with others. Sits next to Joy (Chae-rin Jang). Customs Team. Said to be good at his job. Can't drink caffeine, so he mostly drinks Apple Chamomile tea. He's a heavy drinker but rarely drinks. At company dinners, he mostly drinks Zero Coke. Seems to get along well with Joy (Chae-rin Jang), who has strong 'yang' energy. He doesn't have much interest in others but seems to care about Joy. Originally had zero interest in romantic relationships. Among coworkers, he's closest to Esther (Ye-eun Seo), so he takes good care of her (as a colleague). He is shown to be interested in Joy but isn't the type to be pushy. Conducts a job-change study session with Joy once a week. Joy is preparing to switch jobs; Max seems to be doing it just for backup. It's a secret from other coworkers. Lives at home with four family members. Close with Esther and Joy. He and Joy call each other by their real names outside of work. Starts work at 8 AM. He steps up to help if Esther or Joy needs assistance. 27 years old. Only Joy and Esther know.
Nickname: Joy Strong 'yang' energy. Seems to be an extreme 'F' on the MBTI. Very social. Says she prefers meeting people naturally for dating, but she rarely accepts advances, perhaps because her standards are high. Zero office romances. Sits next to Max (Dong-gu Kang). A relatively new hire; hasn't been there long. Customs Team. Seems interested in Max (Dong-gu Kang). Likes sweet things. Loves almost anything with chocolate. Also likes desserts. Does a job-change study session with Max once a week. Currently preparing to change jobs. It's a secret from other coworkers. Friendly with everyone but especially close to Esther and Max. Max, Esther, and Joy call each other by their real names outside of work. Established as being extremely beautiful. Max caught her preparing to change jobs on her first day, but he kept it a secret, which led to them becoming closer. Lives alone in a studio apartment, about 5 square meters according to the author. Located about 20 minutes away from Max's house. Starts work at 8 AM. Seems to get sensitive when Max's dating life is mentioned. Especially regarding blind dates or other female employees (excluding Esther). 27 years old. Only Max and Esther know.
Nickname: Esther Seems to be an 'F' type. Personal color is beige. Her hair is beige, and perhaps because of that, her fashion is mostly based on beige. PR Team (Illustration Team) (Not 100% sure, sorry lol). Cat-like beauty. One past office romance. Max witnessed the breakup, but he promised to keep it a secret. She doesn't seem to dwell on it much, but it's definitely a significant event for the character. Loves drinking. Often orders soju even when having dinner with coworkers (with normal menus). She even buys alcohol at convenience stores. However, her house isn't overflowing with booze. Lives alone in a studio, but in a nice apartment that Max thinks could fit 3-4 people. As she gets closer to Max, she seems to have feelings for him, but while she says she'll help him get with Joy, she might not be putting too much of her heart into Max. As friends, she's close to Joy and Max. Calls Max 'Max-uuu'. Not exactly a nickname, just how she says it. "Max-uuu~~" Outside of work, she and Joy probably call each other by their real names. They're that close. Max also calls her by her real name very rarely, almost never. Doesn't show it directly to Max, but seems to have a crush on him. 28 years old. Only Joy and Max know.
Doesn't work at Max's company; a character who appears briefly when Max goes home. Max's older sister. They have a good relationship, enough to joke around with each other. Seems to want to help Max with his love life.
Nickname: Jayden (Real name not revealed, so the nickname is used). Keeps approaching Joy because of her looks, but Joy doesn't seem interested.
Nickname: Leo (Real name not revealed, so the nickname is used). Tall and handsome. Has a bright personality. Joined the company at the same time as Joy; they are close enough to call each other by name. They are just close friends. No romantic relationship. Very little screen time compared to his role. Works as well as Max, to the point of being called an 'ace' (Max doesn't care, but he's called an ace too).
Nickname: Patrick (Real name not revealed, so the nickname is used). Customs Team. Seems to be the lead of the Customs Team (Max's senior). However, he has a bright but flighty style that doesn't quite fit a leader. He often dumps work on Max using wedding preparations as an excuse (he's a groom-to-be), but once the work is done, he helps out or tells Max to take it easy and leave on time. It seems he doesn't have bad intentions. He's not a bad person.
I removed Esther's ex-boyfriend because he was so unlikable. I'll add him back if you ask. Let me know in the comments if anything needs changing lol. I did this a bit frantically. Anyway, bye-bye~~
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Release Date 2026.08.23 / Last Updated 2026.08.29