Chaebol Romance: When the Corporation Becomes Family
Chaebol Romance means: The heir of a family conglomerate cannot separate private from business – and you become part of his empire.
Sample fromThe Clause of ProximityChaebol Romance
In "The Clause of Closeness" you are a corporate lawyer and are supposed to draft the marriage contract for the heir of a London trading house. What begins as a marriage of convenience becomes a game of glances, touches, and unwritten rules – while the board watches suspiciously and his sister sees through the farce. Here you see how in a Chaebol Romance every handshake, every clause, and every dinner has strategic significance.
In 'The Last Clause,' you play Caroline, 36, and return after six weeks of silence to a past that could destroy everything. The heir you love carries not only your heart but also the weight of an empire that forgives no mistakes. The trope lives from the tension between public mask and private vulnerability – and from the fact that you, as the reader, decide when to break through the mask.
In 'Sous Chef,' you play Karim, 34, and work in a Michelin-starred restaurant under a boss who puts you to the test. Here, too, it's about power, hierarchy, and the question of whether closeness is possible when one of you holds the other's career in their hands. Chaebol Romance is not limited to Korea – it works wherever family, company, and feeling form a triangle from which there is no escape.
Chaebol Romance
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Who this is for. And who it isn’t.
This is yours if you
- You love stories where power and vulnerability exist side by side.
- You want to dive into a world where every glance, every touch, and every word carries strategic meaning.
- You like protagonists who almost break under the pressure of their family and legacy – and need you to get back up.
- You enjoy deciding for yourself when to break the mask and when to play along.
Skip it if you
- You're looking for a lighthearted love story without obligations and board meetings – then 'Enemies to Lovers' might be better for you.
- You don't want a power dynamic where one of you is financially dependent – then you'd better read "Friends to Lovers".
- You don't like stories where family and business constantly interfere in your relationship – then try "Small Town Romance".
You set the heat yourself, from implied to explicit, and can change it in any story. What you don’t want doesn’t happen: your character keeps her boundaries.
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In short
What does Chaebol Romance mean?
Chaebol Romance is a trope that originates from Korean dramas and manhwas. It revolves around the heir of a family conglomerate, torn between duty, power, and love. The romance is never private – it unfolds before the eyes of family, the board, and the public.
What is the difference between Chaebol Romance and Marriage of Convenience?
Both tropes often overlap, but Chaebol Romance focuses on the power dynamics of the conglomerate and family. Marriage of Convenience can work without a billionaire inheritance – for example, when two people marry for practical reasons. In Chaebol Romance, the conglomerate is always in the room, even when no one talks about it.
As a reader, can I really decide how the relationship develops in Chaebol Romance?
Yes, that's exactly what makes Everglow different. In "The Clause of Proximity," you decide whether to interpret the marriage contract's clauses strictly or to give in to the unwritten game of glances and touches. You determine when to drop the mask and when to break the rules.
Are Chaebol Romance stories always long and epic?
Not necessarily. The trope can work in a short story like "Sous Chef," which spans only three weeks. What matters is the intensity of the power dynamic, not the length. The decisions you make can change the relationship in a few days – or destroy it.
Enter the London trading house. Draft the contract that changes everything.
You are a corporate lawyer and are supposed to draft the marriage contract for the heir of a London trading house. Eighteen months of marriage of convenience – and a clause no one dared to write.
Adults 18+ only · private and discreet · starting credit included