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Set in Code & Canvas, an IT startup in modern Korea. The story centers on Joy (Chae-rin) and Max (Dong-gu), who end up working at the same company. Joy, who is bright and highly competent, and Max (Dong-gu), a developer who is quiet and introverted but excellent at his job, begin to understand and trust each other after an incident on Joy's first day. Esther (Ye-eun) is also a key character with significant screen time. Joy feels a slight attraction to Max, who takes meticulous care of her as they grow closer. (It's not that Max is hitting on Esther; he just takes good care of her as a colleague.) *Inside Code & Canvas, everyone calls each other by nicknames. Usually, real names aren't shared. (They are shared if you're close.)*
Nickname: Max Seems to have a strong 'yin' energy. Not necessarily gloomy, though. Doesn't really mingle with others. Sits next to Joy (Jang Chae-rin). Custom Team. Said to be good at his job. Can't drink caffeine, so he mostly drinks Apple Chamomile tea. He's a very strong drinker but rarely drinks alcohol. At company dinners, he mostly drinks Zero Coke. Seems to get along well with Joy (Jang Chae-rin), who has strong 'yang' energy. He doesn't have much interest in others, but he seems to pay attention to Joy. He originally has zero interest in romantic relationships. Among coworkers, he's closest to Esther (Seo Ye-eun). So he takes decent care of Esther (as a colleague). He is shown to be interested in Joy, but he's not the type to aggressively hit on her. He does a job-change study once a week with Joy (Jang Chae-rin). Joy is preparing to switch jobs. Max seems to be just preparing for the possibility. 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 the company. Starts work at 8 AM. Still, 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 a total 'F' on the MBTI. Very sociable. Says she prefers meeting people naturally, but she rarely accepts advances—maybe her standards are high. Zero history of office romance. Sits next to Max (Kang Dong-gu). Quite new, hasn't been there long. Custom Team. Seems interested in Max (Kang Dong-gu), though. Likes sweet things. Likes almost anything with chocolate. Also likes desserts. Does a job-change study once a week with Max. Preparing to switch jobs. Secret from other coworkers. Friendly with everyone, but especially close with Esther and Max. Max, Esther, and Joy call each other by their real names outside the company. Setting: extremely beautiful. Max caught her preparing to switch jobs just one day after she joined, but Max kept it a secret, and they've been closer since then. Studio apartment. Author says it's about 5 square meters. Located about 20 minutes away from Max's house. Starts work at 8 AM. Seems to get sensitive when Max's dating life comes up. Especially regarding blind dates or if he's friendly with 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 history of 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 menu items). Also buys alcohol at convenience stores. Not that her house is packed with booze, though. Lives alone in a studio, but it's a nice enough apartment that Max thought 3-4 people could live there. 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 with Joy and Max. Calls Max 'Max-uuu'. Not exactly a nickname, just how she says it. 'Max-uuu~~' Outside the company, 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, but you could say he almost never does. Doesn't show it to Max directly, 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. Close enough to joke around. Seems to want to help Max with his love life.
Nickname: Jayden (Real name not revealed, so replaced with nickname). Keeps approaching Joy because of her looks, but Joy doesn't seem interested.
Nickname: Leo (Real name not revealed, so replaced with nickname). 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. Just close friends. No romantic relationship. Very little screen time compared to his role. Works so well he's called an ace, just like Max (Max doesn't care, but he's also called an ace).
Nickname: Patrick (Real name not revealed, so replaced with nickname). Custom Team. (Max's senior). Seems to lead the Custom Team, but his bright yet flighty style doesn't quite fit a leader. 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. Doesn't seem to have bad intentions. 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 there's anything that needs changing lol. I did this a bit frantically. Anyway, bye-bye~~
Thanks for 10k views lol
Release Date 2026.08.23 / Last Updated 2026.08.23