Why we cant have booth?
Either way alone is bad, because you will either make it boring or just very short.
The best is if character development is interleaved with action.
and it is not necessary need to be gory all the time just do not fill it with some scenes in the restaurant or other plain and boring irrelevant stuff.

If I have to chose between two bad things then I chose short story because I skip all that irrelevant stuff anyway and this way I lose even more.


>>I like to know a character, to feel something for them before they start suffering.

This does not make any sense for me, because if I get to know character I don't want it to suffer I want it to be happy
To enjoy suffering of some character I must not know it at all or preferably even hate it.
Story where some likable characters get snuffed is not guro but tragedy.


I think this also can be another reason why short stories are better: if you omit character description, everyone can fill it with what they like themselves. If you make it more detailed you upset people who do not want that type of character.

as if you say I saw college girl.. or I saw girl in the kindergarten.. you drive away either those who prefer it to be loli or those who prefer it to be adult.
if you say I saw beautiful girl she can be anything what reader imagines as beautiful.
You should add detailed description, only if your story absolutely needs it.