This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents: https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/
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Everything started with an exchange between me and one of my followers, @itscathyboo. The latter was asking about the signification of Lee Jihwa’s red scarf. Then she asked the same question concerning the painter’s blue navy scarf. Her last question caught me by surprise, for in my eyes the scarf always looked more grey than blue. From that moment on, I started investigating the artist’s scarf and as such the other characters’ too. By examining closely the muffles, I was able to come to new interpretations.
1. The lord’s gifts
That’s when I realized that the lord had already ordered clothes for the painter even before visiting the tailor shop in chapter 39. Why? No one has ever wondered about the circumstances how the artist came to wear the shirt in Mountbatten pink. It suddenly appeared in episode 35: 
(chapter 34) 
(chapter 35) Besides, I have already said that every event will occur twice, though we don’t witness everything directly. This means that the lord visited the tailor twice.
While rereading the episode 34, a detail caught my attention. Compare the hanbok at the end of chapter 33 
and the one in episode 34: 
. Striking is that the second hanbok has a pattern (bird). This indicates that the lord had dressed up!! It was, as if he wanted to impress the painter, a new version of episode 23.
But when he entered the bedchamber, it was already dark. So where did he spend his time between the moment he left Min’s domain and arrived home? Remember that when he departed from Black Heart’s pavilion, the sun was still up. (chapter 33) So where did he go during that time? In my opinion, he must have stopped at the tailor shop and buy new clothes for Baek Na-Kyum, but also for himself. Why?
Due to Min’s words, the lord got reminded how precious Baek Na-Kyum was. Moreover, he had not forgotten that his only servant and possession had gotten sick due to the thin but wet pink shirt. Consequently, he decided to act as a good and caring lord. However, he couldn’t just order a shirt for someone else. He needed an excuse for ordering a new attire. So he went to the tailor and bought a hanbok for himself and added the shirt with the pants. Why do I think so? It is, because of the tailor and lord’s behavior in chapter 39. The former had never seen Yoon Seungho purchasing clothes for someone else. 
(chapter 39) Yet, we know that the protagonist had already bought the new attire. In addition, the lord tried to hide his relationship from people
(chapter 39), hence he asked the tailor and Kim to leave the shop. As you can see, in that scene Yoon Seungho paid attention to his “image”.
That’s the reason why I believe that he bought the new clothes in “secret”. But when he arrived in the bedchamber (chapter 34), he had not the Mountbatten pink shirt with him. This signifies that he must have brought it to the study, because that’s the place he had carried himself the sick painter. And remember that in episode 84, he said this: 
(chapter 84) So he must have been looking for Baek Na-Kyum in chapter 34 too. And naturally Kim approached him and told him this in my opinion. He had brought him back to the bedchamber, because it was the warmest room in the mansion, a new version of this panel:
(chapter 34) That’s how he recovered, and the painter must have been thankful for his generosity. Hence he was waiting for him in the bedchamber. It is possible that he encouraged his lord to be careful. That way, the butler would appear as caring and selfless, while in truth he was hoping that his master would turn into a sex machine again and lust for sex. As you already know, Kim’s MO is always to report information in delay. I came to this theory, because of the lord’s words in the bedchamber. Note what he stated before letting the artist leave his room: 
(chapter 34) He might have been reminded by the butler, while in reality the valet desired to achieve the opposite. Besides, since Kim’s other MO is always mixing a lie with a truth, I deduce that Kim lied to his master to a certain extent. Consequently I assume, Kim told him that Baek Na-Kyum was waiting for him in the bedchamber. This would also explain why the lord dressed up too, but his facial expressions exposes his hesitation and doubts. 
Therefore he decided to go to bed without any ceremony and started removing his beautiful hanbok. With this interpretation, we could explain why the noble was surprised by the painter’s reaction. 
(chapter 34) Why would he leave the bedchamber, when he was supposedly waiting for him. But when he heard the artist’s justification
(chapter 34), he accepted the artist’s decision for a different reason. Baek Na-Kyum was himself too weak. As you can see, the butler’s lies backfired, since minus (lie 1) and minus (lie 2) makes +. The butler’s trick didn’t work out like planned, yet it caused Yoon Seungho some pain, for the latter had the impression to stand in front of a huge puzzle. He couldn’t understand Baek Na-Kyum at all and even predict his moves. That’s why he spent the whole night trying to figure out the artist’s behavior. So when the artist returned to the study, he must have found the clothes left by Yoon Seungho. That’s the moment he started wearing the Mountbatten pink jacket.
And now, you comprehend why the main lead got so upset and jealous the next morning.
(chapter 35) He had offered him clothes, given his own room for a while and even allowed him to leave the bedchamber the night before, and the next day he had to see him smiling to Jung In-Hun!
Furthermore, when the artist arrived in the domain, he only had his tools with him and that was it. Consequently, I deduce that Yoon Seungho bought him the new clothes so that he wouldn’t get cold and sick. This means that on his way home (chapter 34), Yoon Seungho made sure that the artist would be better clothed. This is important, because it shows a change in Yoon Seungho. Slowly, he is dressing up, showing a certain pride as a noble. By dressing up his servant, his only possession and treasure, he is making a statement, the painter was representing him, though I don’t think Yoon Seungho has ever realized this dimension. For him, it was just important that Baek Na-Kyum doesn’t get sick. The manhwaphiles can sense this mentality, when they observe the chapter 39. 
The lord entered the tailor shop dressed up, but he wasn’t the only one dressed up. Kim was also wearing a hanbok with a hat. Like I had already mentioned it before, the valet did it in order to outline that he was the lord’s right-hand. He was also making a statement. Baek Na-Kyum wasn’t the only one receiving good clothes. This truly shows that in Joseon, a close servant was perceived as a representative of his master.
I am suspecting that the lord didn’t just order this shirt for the painter
(chapter 78), but he must have bought another one: the burgundy one that Baek Na-Kyum is wearing in episode 84. 
(chapter 84).
So the change of clothes in chapter 34 could be an indication that he bought a new hanbok as well. Let’s not forget that when Min provoked him, the latter was reminded that Baek Na-Kyum was his only possession, his treasure, 
(chapter 33). Hence I believe that he must have realized that he needed to pay more attention to his “companion and servant”. Besides, the manhwaphiles will certainly remember that in chapter 52, the lord was dressed up with a beautiful hanbok, while Min provoked him again.
(chapter 52) As you can detect, I see a strong connection between treasure and clothes. Besides, Min, the tailor and the painter’s clothes are often mentioned or seen together. 
(chapter 41)
(chapter 74) Therefore I came to the conclusion that Yoon Seungho must have bought clothes in chapter 34.
Thus when he visited the tailor with the artist in episode 39, it was to order winter clothes: 
(chapter 44) But no one truly paid attention to the previous gifts Yoon Seungho had made to the artist. Besides, he even gave the artist socks. 
(chapter 36). In episode 30, he had no socks. 
(chapter 30)
Though the new clothes were not a real sign for a couple set, Yoon Seungho desired to make a statement. The painter Baek Na-Kyum was his everything. Moreover, he desired him not to get sick. Furthermore, the manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget that in chapter 38, he let the painter carry his own jacket: 
(chapter 38) In fact, during the first season, he allowed the artist to wear his own clothes on two occasions: chapter 26 
and 38. Then in the second season, he offered his own scarf to the artist in episode 69 and his hanbok in episode 71 
.
That’s how I came to the following deduction. After each wrongdoing, the lord offered new clothes: chapter 34 and 69!! Therefore I am inclined to think that after his recent relapse, the master must have given him new clothes. Moreover, if his companion was in danger to catch a cold, he would offer his own clothes. As a conclusion, the lord offers clothes as exchange for his mistakes, a sign of repentance. That’s his way to beg for the artist’s forgiveness. Simultaneously, he also buys new outfits for himself so that the latter are somehow matched to his companion. 
(chapter 35) (chapter 34) and 
(chapter 84): grey-burgundy versus black -red. The similarities of the colors should outline their appartenance. Both are belonging to each other. And now, you comprehend why the new shirt is burgundy. It was selected by the noble displaying his own mental disposition. He is not truly alive, he is still tormented by his past and pangs of conscience.
“Burgundy: a dark purplish red, it is more sophisticated and serious and less energetic than true red. It indicates controlled power, determined ambition and dignified action and is often favored by the wealthy.” quoted from https://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-red.html
2. Blue or grey?
Now, it is time to examine Baek Na-Kyum’s scarf. First, before interpreting the symbolism behind this item, it’s necessary to determine the color. The majority saw it as blue and they were right. 
https://www.schemecolor.com/blue-grey-dark-gradient.php 
(chapter 69) However, they were referring to the one in episode 69. What everyone failed to recognize is that the scarf in episode 69 is not the same than in episode 44. Note the slight difference: 
In episode 44, it is definitely grey and there’s no blue. That’s how I realize that in episode 69, Yoon Seungho offered his own scarf to the painter!! In other words, in the first season, the noble bought a set of clothes for the artist and himself: a grey muffler with a hat for the artist, a dark blue grey scarf for himself! That’s how I realized that when the lord ordered new clothes for Baek Na-Kyum, he bought new clothes for himself too which led me to the discovery in chapter 34. This theory explicates why in chapter 69, he only brought the muffler and no headgear, for the noble is expected to wear his hat. This means, he desired to obtain couple clothes. That sounds cute, right? But there’s more to it.
3. The choice of the colors
What caught my attention is that grey and blue have something in common. They are associated to melancholy, sadness and depression.
“Blue: Negative keywords include: […] depressed and sad, too passive, self-righteous, superstitious and emotionally unstable, too conservative and old-fashioned, predictable and weak, unforgiving, aloof and frigid. It can also indicate manipulation, unfaithfulness and being untrustworthy.” quoted from https://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-blue.html
“Grey: Negative keywords include: indecisive, non-emotional, indifferent, boring, sad, depressed, lifeless, lonely, isolated”. quoted from https://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-gray.html
This truly outlines the noble’s mental state at the end of the season 1. He was actually depressed and sad! Why? It is because he had decided to release the painter. When he made love to the painter, he realized that he couldn’t console the artist. He sensed that if the artist remained by his side, he would become a “prostitute” and we know for sure that Yoon Seungho hates prostitution. This means that he had decided to give up on Baek Na-Kyum and was revoking his previous decision. 
(chapter 42) Therefore he made the following resolution. He encouraged the low noble to bid farewell to Baek Na-Kyum with the hope that the artist would decide to follow his “master”. 
(chapter 44) Though he was smiling here, we have to envision that deep down, he was sad and depressed. And I have another evidence for interpreting the lord’s smile in such a way: the painter’s smile. (chapter 44) His smile was fake too here, he was heartbroken. How could he smile, when he asked to throw away his last creation? So when the noble questioned the scholar about the painter, he hoped that the learned sir would meet the artist so that the latter would beg Jung In-Hun to take him. However, the former teacher refused to meet the artist, for he saw no reason why.
From my point of view, Yoon Seungho explained Baek Na-Kyum’s depression with the teacher’s imminent departure. Naturally, he had no idea that the scholar had already betrayed and abandoned the artist. Therefore he thought the artist would follow Jung In-Hun. That’s the reason why Yoon Seungho ordered the hat and the scarf for the artist. He desired Baek Na-Kyum not to suffer from the cold weather. It is also possible that he wished to leave a present to the artist, as a reminder of their time together, something similar to the fake poem. He hoped that Baek Na-Kyum would remember him as a generous noble. But he bought the dark blue grey one for himself, so that he could think of the painter with this scarf. They would be somehow connected with the muffle.
In fact, he bid farewell to the painter, without saying it explicitly. He imagined that since the low noble had left without biding farewell to the artist, the latter would run away. And if this happened, then the wealthy aristocrat would no longer be obliged to sponsor the scholar and could abandon the low-noble. This explicates why the door was left wide open. (chapter 44) This stands in opposition to episode 69, where the main lead hoped the opposite and made the following request: only to the gate. Here, he wished the opposite, but he wasn’t sure if his wish would come true 
(chapter 69), for Heena could take him away. This explicates why he followed Kim’s suggestion by threatening the kisaeng out of fear, she might return and ask for her brother.
But let’s return our attention to episode 44. And now, you comprehend why the lord chose such dark and depressing colors (grey- dark blue grey). He was himself wounded. How do I know this? The reason is simple. He put himself the scarf on the painter. 
(chapter 44) That’s the reason why the low-born had a knot made for nobles. Baek Na-Kyum doesn’t know how to do it. Hence in the second season, when he put on the yellow scarf, he knotted it differently: 
(chapter 74) 
(chapter 74) Byeonduck only exposed the lord’s action in episode 69. 
This was his leap of faith, whereas in chapter 44 this gesture had the opposite signification: resignation, loneliness and sadness.
And since I have already discovered that the lord had witnessed the artist’s disappearance and return, you comprehend why the noble felt so happy. He had the impression that the artist had truly chosen him!! Hence they had a second sex marathon, and the lord wrapped his lover in the hanbok with the cranes 
(chapter 45) which reminds me of the hanbok from chapter 34: .
This discovery is very important, because if you recall the noble’s statement in front of Heena, everyone thought that Yoon Seungho was lying blatantly: 
(chapter 65) It was not entirely correct. In reality, he was copying his father’s MO. He was reporting a delayed information, in other words he was paltering!! He couldn’t tell the kisaeng that her brother had tried to commit suicide, because that’s what he believed. So when she intruded in the mansion, for the lord, she represented a certain relief, as the lord had a reason to blame the painter. He had tried to escape with his sister’s help, that way he was in no way responsible for the artist’s suicidal attempt. 
(chapter 65) Notice that he covered the artist’s mouth in that moment, for he didn’t want him to reply to his statement. He didn’t want to hear anything.
The use of paltering in this scene truly confirms my theory that Kim is the real source of Yoon Seungho’s misery, as he represents the worst role model. This is not surprising that the protagonist became a ghost, and acted as a selfish and violent noble, when he desired something for the first time: the painter! From my perspective, Yoon Seungho is not just a reflection of the eldest master Yoon, but also of Kim. It is also very likely that the butler influenced father Yoon in a negative way too due to his belief and misguided advices.
Hence after their Third Wedding night, the lord bought his lover a new scarf, yellow. This reflected his happiness and relief. 
For him, the painter had become the sun and light in his life. Thus Byeonduck created panels with refraction. 
(chapter 74) This is not surprising why he was smiling in that episode which could only move the low-born’s heart. Therefore you comprehend why I associated the painter’s clothes in chapter 84 to the ones in episode 44. The readers couldn’t miss the return of the burgundy (chapter 84), a sign that the lord was troubled and depressed. However, one thing was missing: the scarf!! Where is it in episode 84?
It is a sign of the lord’s distress. That’s why he couldn’t pay attention to his lover. Due to the separation, he couldn’t be present to knot the scarf properly. And because he distanced himself from Baek Na-Kyum, the latter started dressing up as a servant again. We have to envision Kim’s intervention again, a new version of this panel: 
(chapter 52), like for example: “He should do something in this mansion, since he is a servant. He has caused enough trouble to his master.”
Hence I came to the following interpretation: the scarf is a reference of the painter’s nobility! That’s the reason why it is not present in chapter 84, because we have the return of the white head-band!! Observe that each time, he had the scarf on, he never wore the head-band, a symbol for servitude! (chapter 44)
(chapter 51)
(chapteer 52)
And now put yourself in the wealthy protagonist’s shoes, when he saw this: 
(chapter 61) Not only it gave the impression that the painter was suicidal, but also it signified that Baek Na-Kyum was rejecting to be treated like a “noble”. It was, as if he was claiming that he was just a servant, a low-born!! Therefore it is not surprising that Yoon Seungho chose to treat him as a domestic afterwards.
However, note that he never put him the white headband on! In fact, he brought him back to his bedchamber, for he preferred keeping an eye on his lover, for he feared that the artist could abandon him with his death.
(chapter 84) The absence of the scarf seems to symbolize that the painter has lost the lord’s favor. Yet, like I have already stipulated before, this is just an illusion. This separation exposes the lord’s agony and self-loathing. However, once he returned to his lover’s side, he paid attention to his well-being. This is not surprising that during their reunion, the main lead took care of Baek Na-Kyum’s comfort and put the cover under his butt on the cupboard. 
(chapter 84) This was his way to “protect the artist’s comfort and health”. 
(chapter 84) He is making sure not to hurt his wife. To sum up, the artist’s muffle always reflects the lord’s emotional and mental state, but also mirrors Baek Na-Kyum’s real status. In Yoon Seungho’s eyes, the artist is a noble.
4. Kim’s scarf
Yes, by looking at his scarf, I also made another huge discovery. It started with chapter 57: 
The butler has a white scarf, and everyone is aware of the meaning of this color: innocence and purity. When we all saw this picture, we all envisioned that the butler had rushed to his lord’s side, once he had discovered his disappearance. The way he intervened gave the feeling that he had followed his master like a loyal dog desiring protecting his master.
However, one detail caught my attention. When he entered his master’s bedroom, pay attention to the way he was dressed: 
Where is the scarf? But more importantly where is the hanbok? And this little detail made me realize that we were all victims of a trick. The valet never rushed to his master’s side. He took his time, for he chose to dress up. 
(chapter 57) But why would he dress up? It is because he imagined that lord Song was waiting for Yoon Seungho at the tavern. He wanted to make a good impression. Striking is that the hat is covering the white heat-band, while he is wearing the scarf. The hanbok and the scarf indicate that Kim is acting as a noble in the end. However, since he hates nobles for he views them as brutal liars, he is not dropping the white headband and his hat is not the same than his master’. On the other hand, I believe that unconsciously, the hat is there to mask his real status. Let’s not forget that we should always differentiate between conscious and unconscious in this manhwa. In my eyes, Kim has always viewed himself as an aristocrat due to his pride and entitlement, because he acts like one! On the other hand, due to his hatred for nobility, he can’t become a noble entirely. Besides, he hates responsibility, hence he chose to remain a butler, the lord’s right-hand. That way, he can always avoid accountability. This explicates why we have a combination of both. The manhwaphiles should keep in their mind that the butler embodies hypocrisy. He hates sodomy, yet he pushed his master to become a kisaeng.
But let’s return our attention to the butler’s actions. The latter changed his clothes before leaving the propriety. However, because of his scared face
(chapter 56), there’s no doubt that he was not eager to meet lord Song so soon!! (chapter 56) This means, he decided to arrive late on purpose, a new version of this situation: 
(chapter 50). Kim wanted his master to take the whole burden, while at the same time, he desired to give the impression that he was acting as Yoon Seungho’s guardian. This explicates why first he brought Baek Na-Kyum to the physician, before going to the tavern.
(chapter 57) As you can detect, the valet took his time in the end. However, once he got there, he realized the absence of lord Song, hence he only intervened after Yoon Seungho had caused a ruckus. He definitely faked concern and care , while in truth he was not willing to become responsible for the meeting. He arrived late, because Yoon Seungho should clean up the mess made with the frightening lord Song. Let’s not forget that lord Song got banished too. 
(chapter 83) And there’s no doubt that the butler is the one who caused this mess. That’s why he felt so scared (chapter 57) and was trying to buy some time. Yoon Seungho should take the blame. However, he never pondered why lord Song would ask for a meeting in a tavern!! I doubt that this is a place that such a noble would be frequenting!
Striking is that after putting the protagonist on the wooden planks, the butler vanished one more time. Where is he, when Jihwa confesses? 
(chapter 57) This is the last image we have, before Jihwa comes to his friend’s side and kneels in front of him. 
(chapter 57) Where is Kim? He let the two nobles cause a ruckus… However, he portrays himself as a martyr. 
(chapter 57) He had to deal with two terrible nobles, while he let everything happen. During this whole time, he remained passive, though he gives the opposite impression. Another important detail is his next reaction. 
(chapter 57) He hides his whole face, when he expresses relief!! I am suspecting him to be smiling and happy here. Lord Song was not present, this was what mattered the most for him. As you can see, because of the butler’s scarf, I discovered many new elements.
5. Jihwa’s red scarf
So what does Lee Jihwa’s red scarf represent? Note that the color of the muffle is burgundy.
“Burgundy: a dark purplish red, it is more sophisticated and serious and less energetic than true red. It indicates controlled power, determined ambition and dignified action and is often favored by the wealthy.” quoted from https://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-red.html
Striking is that in that scene, Lee Jihwa was the one under pressure, therefore he had no controlled power. 
(chapter 57) On the other hand, in front of people, he expressed his wish, he wanted to love Yoon Seungho more openly. Thus we could say that he had not given up on his dream and was still determined to achieve it (“ambition”). Nevertheless, since the red is associated to passion and love, we could say that the scarf was announcing his love confession. Nonetheless, red is also associated to blood and as such to anger. This is not surprising that this love confession was full of resent and reproaches. (chapter 57) He blamed his childhood friend for ruining him. 
(chapter 57) He was definitely trying to wound the protagonist with his words, especially when he stated this: 
(chapter 57) How could he say this, when he knows about Yoon Seungho’s terrible past? 
(chapter 83) Was he trying to remind him that he used to be treated like an animal? He was terrible because of his boldness and his “sodomy”, yet Lee Jihwa is generous enough to overlook his recklessness. Did he want to say that Yoon Seungho should be thankful that Lee Jihwa is willing to embrace him despite his past status, when he was just a kisaeng? 
(chapter 57) This is not surprising that Yoon seungho could only reject the red-haired noble and why Lee Jihwa regretted his actions later.
(chapter 61) The expression of regrets resemble a lot to the love confession in episode 57 due to the idiom “ruin“. And it is very likely that the criminal‘s terrible description about the murder could have reminded Lee Jihwa of the past and as such of the purge. Striking is that the second lead had no red scarf during the abduction, hence his words 
(chapter 60) were not referring to love at all. He only thought of his affection and friend in the shed, but said nothing. However, Nameless could perceive his true thoughts, thereby he stopped him.
One thing is sure: I judge the red scarf as something negative. The second lead’s love was superficial, for it is only covering the throat, and as such it is connected to the mouth. He might have said “I adore you” to his friend, yet this was not a real true love, for Lee Jihwa has never treated his friend properly. He has always abandoned him, when he felt cornered and was afraid of getting caught. The red scarf symbolizes Lee Jihwa’s superficial and selfish love. That’s why he waited for his friend, he desired him to make the first move. (“burgundy = passivity”)
This contrasts so much to the protagonists’ clothes. Both are wearing shirts in pink or red or hanboks in burgundy (chapter 34, 44 and 45). Yoon Seungho’s affection might be dark, but it is related to his darkness which occurred in his youth. Yet, note that for the first time, the lord chose a more bright red, a sign that his darkness is slowly getting removed from his soul. This explicates why the painter is now the one wearing a burgundy shirt. He is taking away his darkness, removing the poison from his soul. He is now worrying for his lover’s mental state. The shirt reflects his concern and care.
As a conclusion, even the scarf plays a huge role in this story.
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(chapter 75), tobacco 
(chapter 61) and opium 
(chapter 52). 
(chapter 52) And this perception got reinforced, when the butler confided this to the physician later: 
(chapter 55) Many readers had the impression that Yoon Seungho had been smoking opium, many went so far to imagine that he had been smoking opium right from the beginning. 
(chapter 5) However, this was just a lie. Yoon Seungho never smoke opium!! 
(chapter 74) Hence consuming opium would even instigate his nightmares. In addition, observe that in chapter 5, Yoon Seungho was never euphoric nor sleepy. He could interact with the painter normally. 
(chapter 05) As you can see, Yoon Seungho had a drug addiction, nitocine. 
(chapter 52) This means, he was conscious and alert. Besides, we saw him later getting in rage
(chapter 53). Here, I would like the manhwaphiles to keep in mind that side effects of opium like euphoria, relaxation and analgesia last for at least 3 to 6 hours. So this outburst of rage is an indication that our protagonist was not under the influence of opium. He was not hallucinating either. He had grasped the whole situation, when he heard Deok-Jae predicting a terrible fate to the artist. In addition, this drug is not considered as a poison inducing psychosis. 
(chapter 52) This explicates why he beat Min and Deok-Jae so furiously, he wasn’t acting under the influence of hallucinations. He was perceptive, he had clearly understood the meaning behind the servant and the noble’s words. As you can see, the lord’s mood swings were more triggered by his addiction to nicotine. This explicates why the main lead had such a violent outburst in the shed after the abduction. He had smoked tobacco the whole day. 
, but hides it under the excuse, he drank too much. He gets in rage, when No-Name calls him a fool.
He can no longer keep his mask contrary to the altercation in episode 41, when Yoon Seungho compared him to a mouse: 
(chapter 41) Besides, we have another evidence that Black Heart has developed an addiction to opium with the following panel: 
(chapter 76) The gaze is different, an indication of the widened pupils. Furthermore, his restlessness is perceptible the way he approaches The Joker. This time, he has to meet the criminal personally. We could say that he rushes to meet the criminal. Like he said, he was “running out of time”… 
(chapter 76) These words reflect his own troubled mind. 
Note the euphoria and the sedative effect on the artist’s face. This explicates why he didn’t push the rapists away. 
(chapter 53) They wanted to smoke this drug there, for no one would interrupt them. But because Yoon Seungho let them smoke opium, he became guilty by association: he was also an opium smoker. And the readers had fallen into the same trap. As you can see, I believe that the author is using the method on the manhwaphiles. They are misled by what they see and hear without questioning the authenticity of the statement. 
(chapter 55) However, this is another deception. Yoon Seungho is no alcoholic either!! 😲 
(chapter 08) So his debauchery was linked to sex and nothing more. He would live for sex and nothing else. Furthermore, the manhwalovers will certainly recall the lord’s behavior in the tavern. He ordered wine
(chapter 75), but notice that he never became drunk like the painter. 
(chapter 1) Notice that each time, Baek Na-Kyum would drink alcohol, he could never stop until he almost lost consciousness and started hallucinating
(chapter 19) or he would be so inhibited that he couldn’t walk properly. These were the sign of his addiction. I can’t forget the lord’s words in episode 75: 
(chapter 75) Here, he saw how the alcohol was affecting his lover’s behavior. 
(chapter 53) He was walking straight. When the readers saw the following image, they saw it as a confirmation that Yoon Seungho was a drunk. 
(chapter 54) But in truth, he took some wine in order to overcome his pain, to give himself some “courage” to go through. He had longed for the artist’s warmth after a week of separation, but he knew that Baek Na-Kyum viewed sex as prostitution. He was alert enough to see the consequences of his decision 
(chapter 54), therefore he broke the bottle. 
(chapter 54) This is no coincidence that he destroyed the bottle of wine. He had the impression that this drug was the cause for his “hallucination”, he was seeing the painter in ecstasy which could only remind him of his own past. Besides, he didn’t want his companion to become a shadow of himself: 
(chapter 78), I believe that Yoon Seungho never proposed too much wine to his lover afterwards. He had made the experience that if he did, he would be the reason why Baek Na-Kyum would become a drunk. In my opinion, the painter’s relapse was linked to his own suffering, he was tormented by the idea that Yoon Seungho would abandon him, his affection was not deep. Since they had no longer any sex, he had the impression that Yoon Seungho’s love for him was vanishing. As you can see, the painter’s dependency to wine was linked to his repressed libido and his fear of abandonment. 
(chapter 33) Compare this sex orgy with the following one: 
(chapter 8) At Black Heart’s party, wine and tobacco were offered, while in Yoon Seungho’s bedchamber you only had books, pictures and sex. Besides, there were more guests. As you can sense, the parties were totally different: austerity versus luxuriousness. Yes, Min wanted to impress his host Yoon Seungho!! He desired to show him what a true sex orgy was. He desired to prove that he was the real hell-raiser, the real king among nobles. 
(chapter 33) The Joker and the bottle of wine!! The manhwaphiles will certainly recall how the villain offered the expensive alcohol to Yoon Seungho (chapter 19). Moreover, I realized that in episode 33, we have a slight change. While Black Heart is seen first with the pipe full of tobacco, 
(chapter 33), slowly the author brought the villain in connection to the bottle of wine: 
And at the end, we have this: 
. 
(chapter 51), I believe that Black Heart was the main consumer!! And now, you comprehend why Yoon Seungho fell into debauchery. 
(chapter 51) He was far from happy, for his fixation on Baek Na-Kyum had not disappeared at all. Therefore, it is not surprising that he started drowning his sorrow. However, alcohol was no longer effective, he needed something stronger to dull his agony. That’s how he discovered opium. And notice that when the lord got punched in the propriety, he felt no pain. 
(chapter 54) He didn’t protect himself, he had no strength because of the relaxing and sedative effect. He even laughed, a sign that he was under the effect of the drug. 
(Chapter 54)
(chapter 75) This strong connection between sex and drugs gets even confirmed in the same episode. Notice that in that scene, Yoon Seungho had not sex with the painter for a while, and Baek Na-Kyum was definitely missing it. Naturally, his true desire was to get loved by his companion. For the low-born, sex is a symbol of love. Hence he drunk because of Yoon Seungho. 
(chapter 36) and he drowned his sorrow in wine. 
(chapter 59) However, this association between alcohol and his lust for Yoon Seungho started changing, after Jihwa had sex with Nameless. Notice that in episode 83, he is no longer looking like a wreck. 
(chapter 83) He is still biting his nails, a sign of remorse and fears, but he is no longer obsessed with Yoon Seungho. From my point of view, the torments the second lead suffered in the second season played a huge role. He started drinking alcohol for another reason. 
(chapter 50) This time, he got afraid of the consequences for the murder. As you can perceive it, there was a slight shifting. This shows that the wine became less and less connected to his obsession with his childhood friend, his desire to have him. This explicates why he was so devastated at the end of the second season. Out of guilt and anxiety, he started drinking again. 
(chapter 76) 
(chapter 82) He knows about his father’s plan. If Yoon Seungho is forced to submit himself to his father, he won’t be able to use his wealth and power to attack him. That’s the reason why he is no longer looking like a wreck. In other words, he is well aware what is going to happen to his friend. He witnessed the abuse, but he doesn’t care, for his “life is in danger”. 🙄 As for Min, he looks more healthy again
(chapter 83), for he had to plot in order to achieve his goal. He needed to find a new puppet, lord Lee, and as such he needed to make a good impression. He had to become proactive and become more directly involved. Hence he needed to be more alert. 
(chapter 45), for he felt something was missing. Consequently, this is not surprising why Yoon Seungho had a sex marathon in the shed after smoking the whole day. It was to contain his rage, but also to mask his strong desire for the painter. What caught my attention is that after their love session, the main lead started smoking again, exactly like in the past.
(chapter 74) 
(chapter 83) This observation is important, for it shows that he is no longer using tobacco to hide his inner turmoil. That’s why I believe that Yoon Seungho’s addiction was originally linked to his traumas. It was his way to “anesthetize his emotions”, he had the impression that he would become more clear-sighted. 
(chapter 66), a sign that he is not hardworking. He is very sensitive to criticisms, which was underlined in chapter 83 one more time. 
(chapter 83) Therefore I tried to find out if persons suffering from Antisocial Personality Disorder could be suffering emotionally, though they are supposed not to feel any pain and empathy. And yes, such persons are definitely not happy, for they are often lonely. 
(chapter 9) He felt lonely, and hoped that the artist would give him the same gaze, when he looked at the protagonist. He had already snatched Lee Jihwa, but the latter was too obsessed with his childhood friend to look at him in a different way. Min was definitely longing for love, but he could never admit it. Striking is that Min picked his “bride”, exactly like the psychologist Love described it:
(chapter 66) Hence he could only view the second lead as his puppet. That’s why The Joker had to use “drugs” to mask his emptiness and longing for affection.
(chapter 83) 
(chapter 78) And in Germany, there is this tradition that the best man and his friends steals the bride. 
(chapter 79), I connected it to the scene in the woods. 
(chapter 23) As you already know, I interpreted this scene as a new version of Fall of man. Both protagonists tasted the “forbidden” fruit and discovered the reality: the painter had lost his virginity and had not remained “faithful” to his admired sir, whereas for the main lead, their first sexual encounter was just an illusion. After eating the apple, the rape occurred. And since the red persimmons are often compared to apples, thus I couldn’t shake the feeling that this fruit in chapter 79 was a bad omen, especially when the butler brought it. Besides, this fruit is also offered during a marriage. However, since neither the artist nor the noble got to eat the red persimmon, I believe that this fruit is more associated to “expulsion from Eden” than to sexuality. 
(chapter 80) Then the aristocrat called him Kyumah exactly like in his wet dream, while smiling so happily. This was too beautiful to be true, hence the low-born started worrying about their future as well. 
(chapter 78) The manhwaphiles can sense that the painter was slowly transforming, he was maturing. He wanted to become responsible for Yoon Seungho too. He needed to pay attention to his fortune and position. In other words, the artist felt that their time spent together was like a paradise and they should go back to reality. That’s the reason why I came to the idea of the expulsion of the Garden of Eden.
Why would Byeonduck create such an image, as it doesn’t contribute to the evolution of story at all? In addition, it was placed next to the music box. In my eyes, this picture played a bigger role than it appeared to be. Since I had already perceived some parallels between chapter 79 and 36-37, I couldn’t help myself connecting the red persimmons to the drug the butler gave to the painter through the head-maid.
(chapter 36) Furthermore, we had this picture 
which resembled a lot to this one from chapter 47: 
The manhwalovers will certainly recall that in that episode, Deok-Jae had played a prank too. He had put some stones in the rice! The gesture was the same than giving some drug like in the first season. The only difference is that in chapter 36, the valet could mask it as a prescription from the doctor. 
(chapter 79) However, my fear didn’t come true. I was wrong in that aspect that neither the artist nor the main lead ate the red persimmons. In other words, they didn’t get drugged. 
(chapter 80) Moreover, the manhwaworms should mark the butler’s words: 
(chapter 47) Here, the valet implied that the lord could get drugged too. Therefore I am not throwing this theory of the drug out of the window, in fact my impression got reinforced after remembering that in season 1, we saw this: 
(chapter 17). What if the male servants decided to eat the supper prepared for the couple? The head-maids stopped doing this, but it is different for the male servants who keep disregarding their lord and the artist. So what if the supper is left behind… exactly like the expensive wine in chapter 19? And imagine this: they fall asleep to the maids’ surprise. But I have to admit that this is just a thought. However, I was more convinced with my theory of the drug after discovering the following pattern.
(chapter 23) He waited for the painting hoping to see their “wedding night”. Hence we could say that we had abstinence and separation. Then after the sex marathon (chapter 32), the lord left the painter behind out of remorse. 
(chapter 34) Even after his return, he accepted that the painter wouldn’t stay in his bed or have sex with him. Note that he only masturbated the artist and refused any real sexual encounter, until the latter begged him in episode 41.
(chapter 41) This means that we had a second phase of separation (32-34). With his return, the lord restrained himself. So it was abstinence. This scenario, distance and abstinence, was repeated after episode 49: 
(chapter 51) While for outsiders, it looked like the artist had lost the master’s favors, the main lead’s gesture was expressing the opposite, concern and love. However, this strong connection between distance and and chastity got disrupted. After episode 58, we only had separation 
leading the protagonist to have another sex marathon. After realizing his mistake, he made love to the artist… but note that after episode 73, the noble is chaste again. 
(chapter 74) From episode 74 till 80, we only have abstinence, thought the kisses, hugs and masturbation 
(chapter 80) seem to indicate that we will have a new love session. As you can imagine, because we only have abstinence from 74 to 80, I came to the following deduction: separation should happen right after! 
Around breakfast, so during the morning.
at dawn, very early in the morning
(chapter 79) Let’s not forget that Yoon Seungho refused the butler’s tea and medicine again. 
(chapter 77) Hence my actual theory is that the butler had planned to drug the two protagonists, well aware that they would share their meals. However, since the “poisoning attempts” were less working, if you compare the first and second season, I deduce that the valet’s third attempt was doomed to failure. 
(chapter 18) He thought, the admired sir wouldn’t like to be associated to such a person and would leave the mansion with the painter. That’s why he approached his master in the courtyard. 
(chapter 25) He was curious about Baek Na-Kyum. 
(chapter 25) Had he been killed or had he already escaped? Let’s not forget that he saw Yoon Seungho taking a horse. Then after meeting in the hallway, Kim had the impression to see a ghost
(chapter 26), his master resembled a lot to his father. Hence he knew what would happen. He would get enraged and jealous of the scholar. Consequently, he saved Jung In-Hun by sending a servant to his chamber forcing him to leave his bedroom. He needed to ensure that the staff would still believe, they didn’t need to take their master seriously, he was too weak-hearted. After that night, Kim made sure that Baek Na-Kyum would leave the mansion without getting stopped. He thought, if the artist told Jung In-Hun that their life was in danger, the scholar would believe him. As you can see, the long awaited desertion didn’t occur right away, only much later in the night. And it is the same for the second abduction. It should have happened during the night of episode 53, yet Deok-Jae failed with his task. Later, the noble was incited to leave the mansion due to Jihwa’s fake letter, therefore the kidnapping could only take place two days later. To sum up, timing was essential. Moreover, this time, Kim played a bigger role, as he let the painter leave the mansion without Yoon Seungho’s authorization. As the readers can notice, the “desertion” was delayed again and Kim’s involvement was more visible. Furthermore, Kim anticipated that he would find a dead body in the next morning, but this was not the case. The artist was also brought back to the mansion, exactly like in the first season. Hence my expectation is that during this night, Kim had already planned the abduction with the drug, but he had to change his plans. 
(chapter 80) He shouldn’t tell Yoon Seungho that someone was looking for the painter. He knew that if the couple was not asleep, then the lord would get upset and threatened the domestic so that the latter would reveal the presence of the guest. Kim saw a huge opportunity with the arrival of Father Yoon’ s messenger. He could separate the couple. Yoon Seungho thought, his lover would be safe in his bedroom. But he made a huge mistake, he didn’t expect this trick from this conniving creature: Lie by omission! 
(chapter 37) the artist could hear the brother’s voice!! Hence the artist should have heard that someone was looking for him. And now, imagine the following: 
(chapter 69) However, back then he thought, he was protecting his sister, whereas in truth it was the opposite. 
(chapter 69) That’s the reason why I believe that during the conversation between the messenger and Yoon Seungho, Kim will approach the painter again and tell him that his sister wants to see him. Hence she is waiting in front of the mansion or in the courtyard. The butler will fake care and generosity, the new version of this 
(chapter 67). Therefore, the artist will leave the bedchamber in a rush, he wants to protect her from Yoon Seungho’s wrath. Let’s not forget that before the first desertion, the artist protected the scholar: 
(chapter 26) As you can see, there’s a pattern here. The low-born is always using his body to defend his loved one… but each time, he was “betrayed”. The scholar backstabbed him three times, thus the kisaeng will do the same. So he will leave the bedchamber without any shoe rushing to the main gate. What he doesn’t know is that Heena noona is there to take him away. She will kidnap her own brother thinking that she is saving him.
(chapter 4) The first time, he was stopped by Yoon Seungho himself, hence he succeeded in chapter 29. Moreover, note that in the second season, he didn’t desert the property through the backdoor, but the main door!! Yet he returned to the noble’s side, when he realized that he had no place where to go. 
(chapter 46) Nevertheless, for Yoon Seungho is staying in the painter’s study while conversing with the messenger, this means that he is closer to the gate from the backyard than from the main door. Consequently, the painter needs to be sent in the opposite direction. Moreover, the readers shouldn’t forget the main lead’s words: 
(chapter 69) The painter, in his hurry, will not pay attention to Yoon Seungho’s words and will step outside the door. In that moment, he will be dragged away by his own sister.
(chapter 65) Where was she, when the painter got dragged many months ago? But there exist many reasons why I believe that the kisaeng will enter the mansion. Note that in the second season, no one stopped her from entering the propriety followed by her guards. 
(chapter 65) She could find out where her brother was living. 
(chapter 65) We have to envision the following situation: 
(chapter 43) The staff witnessed her walking, but they didn’t care at all. Consequently she could approach the lord’s bedchamber so easily. Hence I am expecting a new version of chapter 65. However, the roles will be switched: 
Heena will drag her brother away. And the servant eyeing the music box will take it. But why would the kisaeng act in such a reckless way?
(chapter 69) Furthermore, Min will certainly tell her this: 
She can just swoop in tonight and do the deed/ rescue her brother. She saw it with her own eyes. But what neither Heena nor Min know is that this is the third “desertion”!! And only Kim is aware of this. For the latter was never caught as an accomplice, he still thinks that he can succeed again. Keep in mind that concerning the main lead’s suffering past, the valet never got caught either, therefore he has every reason to expect the same outcome. But what he fails to realize are the small changes and little details. 
(chapter 68) Remember that he used to get a flashback by the mere mention of his father. In the first season, he could overcome it thanks to the painter’s presence. 
(chapter 38) Moreover, since the lord acted, as if he was respectful towards his own father, Kim believes that the conversation will take longer. 
(chapter 79), hence this item needs to disappear, giving the impression that the artist took it with him. What he doesn’t know is the following: 
(chapter 78) The painter used the pronoun “we” and worried about Yoon Seungho’s situation. 
(chapter 29) The manhwalovers will detect that the domestic used the personal pronoun “we”. He was speaking for the staff and as such for Kim. He actually hoped that the butler would come forward and take responsibility for the first desertion. But the valet remained silent and let Deok-Jae take the fall. However, note that the servant didn’t reveal Kim’s complicity. He could have dragged him down, but no… he hid the truth, for he feared that he would suffer much more than the butler, for the latter was supposed to be the favored servant.
She had no idea how she should deal with her. But now, she is well aware that her master doesn’t want her in the mansion. Besides, we saw her wandering in the courtyard once: 
(chapter 32) So it is very possible that she becomes a witness and testify about the incident, similar to chapter 11: 
(chapter 11). However, we have to imagine that Yoon Seungho won’t discover the crime right away, because he needs to reply to his father. 
Father Yoon was totally powerless. In the painter’s study, Yoon Seungho could free himself from his father’s shadow for good. This is important, because this means that he will recall his youth, similar to the painter: 
(chapter 71) He will recognize that his chest didn’t tighten nor he felt frightened nor his heart pounded at the thought of the eldest master! That’s why Byeonduck released this panel in my opinion: 
The main lead will recall the physical abuse from his father… It can only be the father due to the color of the hanbok, khaki, which is father Yoon’s favorite color. Nonetheless, this time, the memory of the slap won’t affect him any longer: 
(chapter 55) And now, you are wondering why the author wrote “happy slap”. How could that be a happy slap? First, it is related to the protagonist’s emancipation, like I have just explained. 
(chapter 68) This explicates why he made this comparison in episode 68. He knew that Yoon Seungho hated this reflection: 
(chapter 68) 
(chapter 30) People perceived him here as a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. 
(chapter 80) and doesn’t seem scared at all. His opponent views that the young lord Yoon shouldn’t be taken lightly. 
(chapter 80) Thus I believe that once Yoon Seungho discovers the artist’s disappearance, he will use his authority as a lord to question his staff. He won’t slap the servants randomly like in episode 30, he will first target the “creepy domestic” circulating around his bedroom. Hence it is possible that the readers witness how he slaps the new version of Deok-Jae!! Hence it is possible that we see another panel, where Yoon Seungho is slapping the domestic in order to get some answer: 
(chapter 67) The main lead’s threat will turn into a reality.
versus 
Hence since there’s a slap from the past, therefore expect one in the present, but the role will be switched. Yoon Seungho won’t be the target of abuse. 
Bebebisous33s' analyses in K-Dramaland and Manhwas 