Protected: Painter Of The Night: “Baek Na-Kyum’s -?” 👀🧐

March 1, 2023March 9, 2023 ~ Bébébisous33

Jinx: “In real bad shape!” 🤕🤒

February 16, 2023March 2, 2023 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 1 Comment

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/jinx_en But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/ and the 11th essay about Jinx “I… hate it” Here is the link where you can find analyses of other manhwas.

It would be great if you could make some donations/sponsoring: Ko-fi.com/bebebisous33 That way, you can support me with “coffee” so that I have the energy to keep examining manhwas. Besides, I need to cover up the expenses for this blog.

As you can imagine, when chapter 13 was released, I was happy to find my observations written in the previous analysis “I… hate it” confirmed. But because I have already elaborated the causes for Kim Dan’s syncope, the manhwaphiles can understand why the central focus of this essay is the champion again, though the title is actually referring to both. In episode 13, Kim Dan and Joo Jaekyung are both “in real bad shape”, though the timing and the causes diverge. As you can anticipate, I would like to explain why the manager Park Namwook described Joo Jaekyung as a “wreck”. (chapter 13) How is it possible? Did he get hurt by his competitor Randy Booker?

1. Ranger Booker, the cause for Joo Jaekyung’s bad shape?

The author made sure to confuse the readers. However, there is no ambiguity that the match has not started yet. That’s the reason why the coach called our beloved protagonist. Imagine that the fight is not taking place in Seoul, but in Busan, a city located in the southeast of the country. It is 4 or 5 hours away from Seoul! This means that the team has to travel to go there. If the match had already started, it would be impossible for the doctor to assist the young athlete. Thus I conclude that on their way there or once there, Joo Jaekyung performed poorly while warming up or showed signs of anxieties. To conclude, the fighter’s bad shape is not physical, but mental. The other boxer even noticed the protagonist’s nervousness before his departure. (chapter 13) But why is Joo Jaekyung so vulnerable right now? In order to answer this question, it is necessary to go back to Kim Dan’s bad shape.

2. Kim Dan’s bad shape

Finally, the champion found an explanation to his own question (chapter 12), the moment he removed the doctor’s clothes. He could see with his own eyes that he had been beaten. (chapter 13) Notice that when the doctor examined the protagonist, he was already naked. So imagine how Joo Jaekyung must have felt, when he realized that his physician had been a victim of violence. Shock and disbelief, for he had not noticed it before. He had simply trusted the doctor’s words, a fall due to his drunkenness. “Why did he lie about this? How could this happen and why?” This is what the champion must have thought immediately. From my point of view, Joo Jaekyung tried to find a reason for this incident while waiting for his friend who is a doctor. And since Kim Dan had voiced the urge for an advance due to his move (chapter 11), the young man must have jumped to the wrong conclusion that the doctor had been a victim of a robbery. Let’s not forget that Joo Jaekyung had already visited the poor neighborhood, so in his mind, the perpetrators must have assaulted the doctor in his home and forced him to give them his whole salary. Anyone could enter his shady home, like during the night he had brought the doctor to his apartment. (chapter 10) He had simply opened the door without utilizing a passcode or key. Because the neighborhood is deserted, Kim Dan couldn’t ask for help… and he could have been attacked in his sleep either. Joo Jaekyung could finally envision how the young man would be left with no money in such a short time after getting assaulted. (chapter 11) But why do I think so? It is because the next morning, the champion showed an interest in the doctor’s relocation. (chapter 13) After their argument, he had no longer brought up Kim Dan’s stay. Finally, he is connecting the money to the move, revealing that he had not forgotten the reason for the doctor’s request. In my eyes, he thinks that the moment Kim Dan leaves the deserted district, the problem will be solved. Moreover, such a conclusion can help him to grasp why Kim Dan lied about the origins of his wounds. He felt ashamed, for he had not been able to defend himself. Let’s not forget that the champion has the habit to project his own mind-set onto Kim Dan. And that’s how Joo Jaekyung would feel, if he had been defeated. Shame, for he is a proud fighter! Besides, they had argued about his home and its bad shape. Revealing the truth would have confirmed that the fighter’s reproach from chapter 10 was true. (chapter 10) Admitting the violence signified the admission of Kim Dan’s mistake. He would be confessing that Joo Jaekyung’s words were right. He had another reason to feel embarrassed. To conclude, the fighter deduced that Kim Dan had hidden the truth out of guilt and shame. But this discovery had other consequences for Joo Jaekyung.

The latter must have definitely recalled Kim Dan’s words from the previous night. (chapter 12) And since the doctor complained about the bad shape of Kim Dan’s rear (chapter 13), the champion could only come to the conclusion that Kim Dan had been honest on the bed. He had not enjoyed the sex at all, though he was not telling the truth either. Every word or reaction from the main lead could only appear in a different light after this new revelation: (chapter 12) Hence I deduce that the champion learned the following lesson from that night. He could no longer trust his own body and judgement. He had sensed that the young man had felt pleasure, (chapter 12), but with this discovery and the doctor’s statement, Joo Jaekyung came to believe that he had been wrong all along. He had been able to outlive a dream, but now he was paying the price for this short intense sex session. Exactly like I had predicted… Karma.

Striking is that when the doctor pointed out the poor shape of the doctor’s anus, the fighter was crossing his arms and looking away. (chapter 13) His gestures and his silence were betraying his own inner toil: guilt. He couldn’t deny his responsibility. Moreover, his guilty conscience could only increase, as soon as his chingu doctor declared this: (chapter 13) He warned him about Kim Dan’s delicate constitution. He could end up losing him. He was encouraging him to treat the doctor better. As you can see, the doctor’s health was putting an end to the champion’s upper hand in their deal. The latter can no longer use this terrible condition. Since he was paying him for his services, he could do whatever he wanted. Kim Dan had no right to protest or reject him. (chapter 12) To conclude, the sportsman realized through the doctor’s observations that from now on, he couldn’t do whatever he wanted. His money can’t buy everything, especially Kim Dan’s life. On the other hand, the doctor’s words were not full of reprimands and criticisms.

The nice physician admired the protagonist’s beauty. (chapter 13) He was voicing a certain envy. This remark had a positive effect on Joo Jaekyung as well. For the first time, he started paying more attention to his visage. (chapter 13) The doctor’s question could only make the boxer more possessive. Thus after his friend’s departure, he kept looking at the sleeping man. (chapter 13) And now, you have the explanation why Joo Jaekyung is not able to move on and find a replacement. He is slowly realizing that he is not just interested in his body… he is also falling for his face. Thus he called him later “Sleeping beauty”. (chapter 13)

In addition, when the champion was eating with the protagonist, he was looking at his behavior and facial expressions. (chapter 13) This truly exposes that the champion is more and more changing. He is learning to become more considerate towards others, especially towards his sex partner. When he noticed the physician’s hesitation, he asked if he wanted to eat something else. (chapter 13) This attitude represented the epitome of the fighter’s selflessness in that scene. Even the doctor noticed the care from the champion. He had cooked a meal for him. What the fighter didn’t realize is that he was fulfilling Kim Dan’s dream, (chapter 13), a home-cooked meal. This is important, because this exposes the boxer’s good will and selflessness. Since he is so rich, he could have ordered a meal from a restaurant… but he chose not to. Why? It is because of the doctor’s comment. (chapter 13) Since the boxer had seen Kim Dan at the restaurant with the others, he must have jumped to the conclusion that his malnutrition was the result of eating at restaurants. 😂 I doubt that he knows ramyeon, for he comes from a different world. Moreover, don’t forget that Joo Jaekyung usually doesn’t go to the gatherings, (chapter 9), so he has no idea what people are eating there. This reaction was exposing his innocence. (chapter 13) To conclude, the fighter cooked for him, for he had the impression that the meals from the restaurant are not good enough. They can lead to malnutrition which is not wrong either. His behavior displays the champion’s determination to give him a balanced meal. As the manhwalovers can detect, Joo Jaekyung followed the chingu’s recommendations to the letter. He let the doctor rest to his heart’s content, and after his awakening, he offered a balanced hot home-made meal. This exposes that the athlete is not simply a spoiled and stubborn brat, he listens well to his “hyungs”. Furthermore, the chingu could admonish the young athlete, (chapter 13) without getting punched right away or threatened. The latter only got upset, when he actually received a well-meant advice: the kiss and embraces. (chapter 13) Their interaction exposed a certain closeness and respect between them.

On the other hand, one might say that the fighter’s generosity is rather superficial, for the latter was mentioning the content of their deal again. (chapter 13) He needed to mind his own physical conditions. As you can see, he was still requesting from the doctor to have sex before the match. (chapter 13) Yet, it is important to keep in mind that the champion’s offer was coupled to his jinx. (chapter 2) And now compare both statements. You will detect the divergence. Joo Jaekyung’s jinx is not just connected to intercourse, but also he needs to feel pleasure and even procure pleasure!

3. Joo Jaekyung’s bad shape

So when the couple had their sex session before the match, the champion only had one round. (chapter 13) That’s why only one condom from two had been used. The champion had restrained himself. Secondly, he had been careful and less rough, for he “feared” a negative reaction from Kim Dan. The latter had less backache at the end. That’s the reason why I deduce that they didn’t talk during this sex session either. As the manhwaphiles can sense, this sex session contrasts so much to the last one with the toy! (chapter 12) No blushing…no talking… He had still the doctor’s words in his mind. He couldn’t act like in the past, where he was “rough” due to his passion and selfishness (chapter 13), for he feared for the physician’s conditions. Yet, he wished to keep him by his side. At the same time, we shouldn’t overlook Kim Dan’s inexperience which led to his passivity. (chapter 13) Because of his inertia, Joo Jaekyung has always had to take the lead… As long as money was in the center of their relationship, it didn’t matter. But now, it is no longer possible. Hence Joo Jaekyung has no idea what he can do and not. Finally, since Joo Jaekyung has never kissed or hugged the doctor, it is not surprising that the young man has never made such a request either. (chapter 13) So far, the physical therapist had showed no interest in sex and love. Thus we could say that the fighter had sex with the main lead out of habit or obligation (chapter 13)… hence he couldn’t feel pleasure. Thus he sensed that his jinx would come true. That’s the reason for his bad shape. As you can see, I believe that during the last session, Joo Jaekyung was plagued by many thoughts and worries.

Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Joo Jaekyung was turning his back from the doctor. He was actually lying to the young man. (chapter 13) His face and eyes would have betrayed him. He had not been able to have a satisfying sex. But he couldn’t expose his true thoughts and emotions. Therefore the champion’s real bad shape is not physical, rather mental. This exposes that Joo Jaekyung’s true weakness is not his body, but his mind contrary to Kim Dan. As a sportsman, Joo Jaekyung needs to possess a strong mental health, but since he is hiding his “jinx” from his coach, this signifies that he is hiding his true mental state from his manager. In other words, what Joo Jaekyung requires now is not a physical therapist, but a doctor for his mental health.

Mental conditioning is a type of training where an athlete becomes familiar with his or her mental skills and ability to improve or optimize those skills. This means that Booker’s words are not totally wrong: (chapter 13) His jinx is exposing his true mind-set, he is not confident enough. His success is based on fears and superstitions. A true champion would never doubt his talent and confidence. The goal of mental conditioning is to improve performance in sport by improving mental skills such as focusing, confidence and intensity. From my point of view, Joo Jaekyung is not possessing mental toughness.

“A person with mental toughness faces challenges directly and is effective in solving them. I believe that someone who’s mentally tough has a combination of willpower, skill and resilience.” Quoted from https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-psychology-of-mental-toughness#1

But this is what Joo Jaekyung has never done so far. He utilized money and substitutes to face his rivals. This is no coincidence that he is hiding his homosexuality from his coach and manager. This explicates why he never called Park Namwook, when the doctor fainted. I had overlooked the significance of his secret. However, Kim Dan embodies mental thoughness, for he was always able to overcome any hardship. He has never lost hope so far.

“The “4Cs model” of mental toughness was developed by my colleagues and I, and is the most widely used model for defining and measuring mental toughness. It comprises four components: confidence, control, commitment and challenge.” Quoted from https://www.hud.ac.uk/news/2019/october/teaching-mental-toughness-peter-clough-hudds/#:~:text=The%20%E2%80%9C4Cs%20model%E2%80%9D%20of%20mental,%2C%20control%2C%20commitment%20and%20challenge.

And if you click the link to the 4Cs model, you will find that it is related to sport psychology. That’s what the young physical therapist will teach to his champion. How to become a true champion… And by taking care of Kim Dan, he is gradually learning how to become responsible and as such to be committed. But in order to become a true king, he should no longer hide his sexual orientation from Park Namwook and the other fighters. He shouldn’t fear people’s gaze and media either. Besides, if my theory is correct that Joo Jaekyung suffered from TBI in the past, it is not surprising that he has developed such a fear before a match.

“Athletes may be vulnerable to developing mental health issues for a number of reasons. First of all, the stress and pressures of competing on a daily or weekly basis may leave the athlete with the potential to develop feelings of depression or anxiety. There is also reason to believe that “hidden” head injuries from contact sports may leave athletes with a predisposition to developing depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition, other physical injuries, bad performances, issues with teammates or coaches, overtraining, aging and of course the dreaded retirement, may leave the athlete vulnerable to the development of mental health problems. Athletes should not feel pressured into masking the problem; instead, the “gladiator barrier” that they often possess should be dropped, as this remains the primary barrier for seeking treatment. The idea that seeking help for mental health problems makes the athlete appear ‘weak’ needs to be addressed from both a general media perspective and from the perspective of the athlete themselves.” Quoted from https://believeperform.com/the-stigma-of-mental-health-is-it-increased-for-athletes/

It is definitely a taboo for a boxer to admit having mental problems. As you can anticipate, the champion has every reason to hide his mental problems. And now, you are wondering what Kim Dan can do to change Joo Jaekyung’s mental state! I am quite sure that you are all thinking about sex… Well, I am expecting something else.

4. Sleeping beauty

Interesting is that Joo Jaekyung associated Kim Dan to Sleeping beauty (chapter 13), and the latter is a victim of a curse. This comparison exposes the champion’s obsession for his jinx. But simultaneously, it reveals his vulnerability and his huge desire to break free from his jinx. Since the doctor is his sleeping beauty, it was, as if Joo Jaekyung had become his Prince charming. With his help, Kim Dan’s bad shape due to abuse, poverty and malnutrition can end. On the other hand, the princess helps the prince charming to have a family, to no longer feel lonely and have a true support. And because Joo Jaekyung’s chingu suggested to him to be more tender and as such to kiss and embrace his new lover, (chapter 13) I believe that we should expect a kiss very soon.😘 Besides, remember how Sleeping beauty’s curse was broken: by a kiss!! Imagine that so far, the couple has never kissed. Kim Dan couldn’t initiate such gestures, for he had spent no thought about love and sex. Has no one ever wondered why there was no kiss so far? It reflected their relationship: client and escort (prostitute). It is said that prostitutes don’t kiss. However, the moment they kiss, their bond gets affected, for emotions are now getting involved. Besides, note that in this episode, the main lead paid attention to the doctor’s face and mouth. Thus the author drew such a panel from Joo Jaekyung’s perspective. (chapter 13) Besides, remember my previous observation: the protagonist was presented as the “reward and trophy” for the champion in this image: (chapter 1) Finally, do you think that it is a coincidence that the rival Booker stuck out his tongue while mocking the Korean athlete? (chapter 13)

Moreover, the manhwaphiles should keep in their mind how the champion reacted, when he saw his doctor surrounded by the other athletes. (chapter 07) He got jealous! As you can see, the doctor’s presence next to the ring can have a huge impact on the fighter. It motivates him, for he is able to feel many emotions: jealousy, anger, frustration… (chapter 05) That’s how he turns into a killing machine. But for that, Kim Dan needs to take the champion’s jinx seriously (chapter 13) which he didn’t so far. He has to witness the athlete’ struggles in order to grasp the seriousness of the situation. Until now, he could only see his strengths during the transmission and the training sessions. (chapter 7) Secondly, he has to recognize his own true value. He has already become precious to Joo Jaekyung. But maybe he will remember his home-cooked meal… From my point of view, Kim Dan has to take the initiative to motivate his lover so that the latter can regain his confidence and face the challenge from Ranger Booker. Therefore I conclude that from that moment on, the coach and the fighter himself will come to the conclusion that Kim Dan’s presence is a necessity for the athlete’s performance. Hence Kim Dan will appear on TV at some point.

Feel free to comment. If you have any suggestion for topics or manhwas, feel free to ask. If you enjoyed reading it, retweet it or push the button like. My Reddit-Instagram-Tumblr-Twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.

Jinx / Doctor Frost: Joo Jaekyung, a heinous 😈 child 👶 ? (10 pictures)

February 12, 2023March 5, 2023 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ Leave a comment

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/jinx_en But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/ and the 9th essay about Jinx Toxic sweet or sweet jerk? Here is the link where you can find analyses of other manhwas. I am also using doctor Frost as reference again. https://www.webtoons.com/en/mystery/dr-frost/list?title_no=371

Once again after the release of chapter 12, many readers were upset because of Joo Jaekyung’s behavior. He was called many names, from a.**hole, mother****er to a psychopath. Why? It is because he desired to play with a sex toy for the first time, while the uke was already in bad shape. (chapter 12) He even felt pleasure, thus he didn’t pay attention to the bruise on the doctor’s back. (chapter 12) Due to his lack of sensibility, roughness and selfishness, people are already on the verge of dropping this story. Even the young doctor thought, that guy was crazy. (chapter 12) No average person would behave that way. Thus he was already stigmatized as lunatic and as such as psychopath. Hence in the first part, I will answer to this question.

1. Is Joo Jaekyung a psychopath?

1. 1. The psychopath and the psychologist

Actually, psychologists prefer avoiding this name, for it already contains a negative connotation. People have long connected it to serial killers. Why did the psychologists call this Antisocial Personality disorder? It is because (Doctor Frost, chapter 175) And this stands in opposition to the code of conduct of a psychologist. The word psychopath causes so many negative emotions like fears, rejection and hatred. On the other hand, the psychologist’s role is not only to detect the source of the problem, but also to offer a solution. This means that he is not allowed to let emotions cloud his judgement. (chapter 216) Moreover, the doctor has to show a certain understanding and empathy to the patient in front of him. And now, you are wondering why I am mentioning Doctor Frost again. It is because the protagonist was himself diagnosed as suffering from ASPD!! This diagnosis scared his parents so much that at the end, they started avoiding their own son. He was sent to a psychiatry. However, his doctor still believed that he had a chance to change. Thus he proposed a way to the young boy how to overcome his handicap!! He should study psychology so that he would come to “understand” the human mind. Because he was not capable to feel “emotions” like the others, he should utilize his mind to grasp them. Hence the more he studied the human mind, the more he was able to “understand” their problems. At the same time, the more he interacted with humans, the more he came to learn how to behave like a normal person. As you can see, “psychopath” is not even a death sentence. There’s still hope.

But now, I need to answer to this question. Is Joo Jaekyung suffering from ASPD? Here, I am mentioning a list of signs

Superficial Charm & Charisma, Unnecessary Cruelty or a Mean Streak, Lies, Exaggerations, & Dishonesty, Lack of Accountability & Playing the Blame Game, Need for Power, Control, & Dominance, Sadistic Enjoyment of Pain & Suffering, Boredom & Thrill-Seeking Behaviors, Disregard for Rules, Laws, & Norms, Detached, Cold & Callous Demeanor, A History of Childhood Behavior Problems, Exploitation of Others for Personal Gain, Calculated & Strategic Planning, A Lack of Conscience, Poor Attention Span & Loss of Interest, Violent Tendencies, Abuse, or Aggression, Hostile & Oppositional by Nature, Masters of Deception Quoted from https://www.choosingtherapy.com/signs-of-a-psychopath/

For me, Joo Jaekyung is not suffering from ASPD, because he is no master of deception. He is no pathological liar, he is not guilt-tripping Kim Dan. They had come to an agreement and he is sticking to it. Furthermore, he has no poor attention, since he is so dedicated to his job (chapter 12) and keeps an eye on the doctor constantly. His plan to “have” Kim Dan was poorly planned, for he kept waiting for a sign from him. At no moment, he even thought that the doctor could block him or keep his distance from him. (chapter 5) He doesn’t ooze charisma or superficial charm, for he never hides his strength and power. (chapter 1) He even shows disdain, or strong emotions like rage and annoyance. (chapter 5) To sum up, he is not detached. Finally, he was still able to feel a certain sympathy for the doctor (chapter 10), hence he brought him to his home. He still listened to his request.

I would like my readers to keep in mind that for me, the main lead has been suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury. [For more read the analysis Joo Jaekyung The strongest man in the world]. On the other hand, after reading episode 12, I came to the perception that Joo Jaekyung must have other psychological issues. Besides, the author admitted in an interview that she went to a psychological counseling in order to develop her characters.

1. 2. The psychologist and the champion

Observe what the protagonist from Doctor Frost said about the task of a psychologist: (Doctor Frost, chapter 216) The latter has to observe the patient and question why the person is behaving like that! What are his motivations? So why did Joo Jaekyung propose to try something new with Kim Dan?

Was it out of boredom? I don’t think so. Notice that he only thought of the toy, when the doctor was on his knees and made him the following offer. (chapter 11) This means that the athlete had never been able to use it before with his other sex partners. (chapter 12) All of them must have definitely refused… too scared! This explains why the athlete proposed alcohol to the doctor in the beginning. (chapter 12) Thus I deduce that the man had long this wish, but he could never outlive it. This displays his selfishness. This was not planned in the long run.

But since a human is not simple-minded, I don’t think that the sportsman only acted on this single motivation. Did he use the toy in order to see the physical therapist suffer? I can definitely refute this. First, the doctor admitted to himself that he was feeling “good” (chapter 12), which the main lead had detected either! (chapter 12) This exposes that during that night, the champion was paying more attention to his partner’s reactions contrary to the first night. He even asked him about his feelings (chapter 12), but the doctor refused to admit it. I consider it as an improvement to the first encounter! Besides, he even let the doctor rest after the first round, which he had not done during the first night. (chapter 12) As you can see, he was mindful to a certain extent. Naturally, it was not enough. However, since his words sounded so harsh and cold, the readers only noticed his lack of sensitivity. And if you read my previous essay, you are aware of the existence of the 4 sides-model. The athlete was voicing his frustration. He had enjoyed their last session so much that he wished to have more sex! Please… do something so that you have more stamina! 😉 This was his karma for giving him alcohol. From my point of view, he will never do it again. But to return to my main point, the readers can see, unnecessary cruelty and sadistic enjoyment can be ruled out validating one more time that he is not suffering from ASPD.

Did he desire to employ the toy to prove his dominance or power? Certainly! The man is obsessed with strength! I had already sensed the strong link between his libido and his fighting spirit. However, from my point of view, his wish is to be judged as a man who can provide pleasure! In other words, he would like to be perceived as the champion in bed! This explicates his obsession with Kim Dan in the end. It is because for the first time, he has a clear relationship with someone. It is defined by “money”. And this brings me to the next observation. In front of the bottom, the celebrity called his former partners “fuck buddies” (chapter 12) However, in episode 2, he had called his friend a whore. (chapter 12) How do we explain the discrepancy? It is because deep down, the seme always had the impression that they were more interested in his wealth and fame than in himself. He never trusted them, he believed them to be hypocrites who would offer him presents in exchange for a favor. And now, you have another explanation why Joo Jaekyung is already obsessed with Kim Dan. Their relationship is based on “honesty”. The champion knows that the young physician is only sleeping with him due to his money. But if the doctor came to admit his pleasure right away, the athlete would have the impression that his skills in bed are quite impressive. That’s the reason why when the uke confessed that he hated it (chapter 12), the champion misunderstood the message. (chapter 12) In his mind, he needs to do more so that the young man admits pleasure. However, this relationship is actually based on a lie. Kim Dan deceived his partner by telling him that he was experienced!! This is important, because each objection from the doctor is perceived as a personal rejection. (chapter 12) He wants money and offers his body for sex… yet each time Joo Jaekyung wants to do something, he refuses or makes a remark. That’s the reason why the athlete has to bring up the added condition. Besides, the athlete believes that the young man has always “had sex” for money, therefore he needs to distinguish himself from others. Technically, the doctor could go elsewhere… That’s how Joo Jaekyung thinks! To conclude, I believe that the champion sees the young doctor as a challenge. And as long as the physician doesn’t rectify this lie, the champion will keep misunderstanding the situation. This exposes Joo Jaekyung’s innocence and simplemindedness. He is not able to detect lies or manipulations from Kim Dan validating my diagnosis that he is not suffering from ASPD. For him, the bruises are from a fall, because he trusts his words. That’s the end of the explanation.

But why is he so obsessed with strength then? He hates to be perceived as weak and vulnerable. (chapter 12) His words expose his anxieties. He is trying to hide his mental problems. His physical force serves to hide his secret mental problems. And we have another example of his obsession to mask his vulnerability. Why did the champion provoke Kim Dan by calling him „delicate“? (Chapter 9) He was giving the impression that he was like everyone else. He was appearing strong and healthy. That way he was diverting attention from his abstinence. Note that Kim Dan never asked him to drink. Joo Jaekyung created the illusion that he could drink like everyone else. But he can‘t. Thus in the flat, he just gave a glass to the doctor without drinking it himself. (Chapter 12) Here he acted the same way by pointing out that the doctor was quite the drinker. Imagine the irony, from delicate the physical doctor became a heavy drinker. 😂

2. Manhood and responsibility

What caught my attention is that the athlete compared his partner to a child. (chapter 12) In my eyes, this statement displayed his true thoughts. Inwardly, he is still a child. He has no idea about the worth of things, hence he imagined that Kim Dan had spend 14k in a week for booze! Because of his cheerful expression and exterior, Kim Dan even had a false perception of the toy. (chapter 12) Thus I came to the conclusion that the doctor’s statement is the biggest lie: Joo Jaekyung is not the strongest man in the world, rather a child.

Thus the champion doesn’t act like a responsible person. Notice that he never cleaned his partner after their first round. (chapter 12) The semen is still leaking. It was the same after the sex in the shower. This explains why after their first encounter Kim Dan was so sick. He had no idea what he had to afterwards, and since the athlete thought that the man was no longer a virgin, he envisioned that he knew what he had to do. At the same time, this attitude displays his lack of responsibility. Like a child, he believes that money can solve everything. But he is on his way for a huge awakening.

I have to admit that while reading chapter 12, I constantly saw him as a child. For me, his facial expressions oozes a certain innocence (chapter 12) He is not able to control his exterior.(chapter 12) He is like a child trapped in a man’s body. Here, he was somehow showing off to Kim Dan, like a huge child who was seeking for recognition and admiration. he (chapter 12) Striking is that here he was actually projecting his own thoughts onto the athlete. This displays his incapability to perceive people correctly. He is lacking social skills. Some manhwaphiles criticized the author for such a drawing! The phallus was much too big, this could not be not normal at all. But you have to think that Mingwa drew it from Kim Dan’s perspective. That’s the reason why the poor doctor associated it to a weapon. (chapter 12) That’s how he felt: it was so huge… This childish behavior also explains why he didn’t see the danger of such a sex session with a sick person. And according to my research about Traumatic Brain Injury, it is not abnormal that a patient suffering from TBI starts acting like a teenager or a child.

On the other hand, I believe that there exists another reason. His home is totally sterile. (chapter 6) Analyzing a home of a a person can give us clue about his personality. (doctor frost, chapter 8) There is no trace of his family. Why? This is a sign that he is not close to them. Secondly, I couldn’t help myself thinking of the importance of the parents. The latter serve as a mirror to the child, (doctor Frost, chapter 8) (Doctor frost, chapter 8) This would explain on the one hand Joo Jaekyung’s self-centerness and his desire to obtain fame and recognition. He is compensating the lack of love and sympathy from his relatives. And just because he is “swimming” in money, we shouldn’t judge to the conclusion that he had a happy childhood either. The only adults and role models he has so far are his manager and coach Jeong Yosep. (chapter 5) And note that he listens to them, indicating that he is trusting them a lot. That’s the reason why I am even now envisioning that the main lead could have been neglected by his wealthy family.

Affluent neglect refers to the neglect experienced by children in wealthy families. Often, neglect in wealthier families can be more difficult to spot, as the type of neglect experienced by children and young people in these circumstances is often emotional. […] In wealthy families, it can be the case that parents work long hours, leaving children in the care of paid carers. This can create an emotional disconnect and leave children feeling lonely, with their emotional needs unfulfilled by their parents. It has also been suggested that as well as not spending quality time with their children, affluent parents may put a high amount of pressure on their children to succeed academically, which can sometimes lead to psychological and emotional problems for children. Quoted from https://www.thesafeguardingcompany.com/resources/blog/affluent-neglect/

And the consequences of neglect are multiple and disastrous.

1. Disrupts the ways in which children’s brains develop and process information, increasing the risk for attentional, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral disorders.

2. Alters the development of biological stress-response systems, leading to greater risk for anxiety, depression, cardiovascular problems, and other chronic health impairments later in life.

3. Correlates with significant risk for emotional and interpersonal difficulties, including high levels of negativity, poor impulse control, and personality disorders, as well as low levels of enthusiasm, confidence, and assertiveness.

4. Is associated with significant risk for learning difficulties and poor school achievement, including deficits in executive function and attention regulation, low IQ scores, poor reading skills, and low rates of high school graduation. Quoted from https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/deep-dives/neglect/

And now, you would have another explanation why the sportsman has a poor vocabulary and keeps using “fuck”. Imagine this idiom is employed for pleasure (chapter 12) and for annoyance. (chapter 12) Under this new light, the manhwalovers can grasp why Joo Jaekyung didn’t study and chose to use his “body” to get recognition and admiration. Besides, this can only reinforce my interpretation that the young man is suffering from psychological problems.

Some manhwalovers might have the impressions that I am excusing the protagonist’s behavior by giving explanations for his behavior. However, this is not my intention. In reality, my desire is that people should continue viewing Joo Jaekyung as a human. By calling him a psychopath, he is turned into a monster, the beginning of hate speech! A sign for intolerance. By doing so, people are missing the author’s intention: a classic BL story. The seme can be considered as a normal person despite his mental issues. She has definitely planned his transformation which is already occurring. The champion allowed the doctor to sleep in the bed again. He only woke him up, because it was time to go to work. (chapter 12) This just shows that he takes his job and career very seriously. He truly believes that Kim Dan’s bruise on the face is due to a fall. Moreover, since Joo Jaekyung is suffering from insomnia, he can not understand what a normal night and sleep is.

Under this new approach, I realized why the main lead was so obsessed with his masculinity. If my theory about Affluent neglect is correct, then he used sexuality to compensate his neglect. Since he was neglected as a child, he thought that if he acted like a real man (a lot of sex), he would be finally noticed and admired. Because he never experienced warmth, kisses and embraces, he is rough while having sex. He has never experiencing it himself. At the same time, such people are mistrusting adults, hence he keeps his distance from people, except his manager and coach. Why? It is because through the admonishing, the young man is sensing that he is taken seriously. So what will Joo Jaekyung do now? I doubt that he will call the ambulance or bring him to the emergency. From my point of view, he will call someone! We have two possibilities: the vicious hospital director or his coach Park Namwoo. That’s how a child would react! Ask the adult for help! Besides, the author left us the following clue: (chapter 1) The champion confides to him certain secrets and lets him clean up the mess. However, since the coach likes Kim Dan very much, Joo Jaekyung will receive a huge scolding from his surrogate father. And before closing this analysis, I would like to add two important aspects: Kim Dan’s role is to teach Joo Jaekyung to become responsible and as such to act as a real adult. Thus he received this task from his manager: (chapter 9) He needs to recognize that masculinity and manhood shouldn’t be reduced to sex, but to maturity. Secondly, since he associates strength with health, I believe that the halmoni’s sickness will open his eyes. She might be ill and weak, she can still speak up and tell her mind without fear! Finally, since the champion is bothered by the doctor’s lack of stamina, I have the impression that he could decide to train Kim Dan! He shouldn’t just stand there, but also develop his muscles. Like I have already mentioned before, sports will be the reason why the two protagonists will get closer! As a conclusion, the protagonist is not evil in my eyes, he is just an uneducated child who definitely needs some good scolding.

As you can see, I still love this story! Why? It is because Joo Jaekyung reminds me a lot of Yoon Seungho who was called many names too in the beginning… Hence I decided to write about him on my blog in order to change this perception! That’s how I started writing about BL manhwas. 😉

Jinx: „I … hate it.“ 😤 😡

February 11, 2023February 13, 2023 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 4 Comments

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/jinx_en But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/ and the 10th essay about Jinx “Joo Jaekyung, a heinous child?” (But the essay is locked) Here is the version with 10 pictures “Joo Jaekyung, a heinous child?” (10 pictures) This is the link where you can find analyses of other manhwas.

When the manhwalovers were reading chapter 11 and 12, many got so upset because of Kim Dan’s terrible fate that they were or are already thinking about dropping the manhwa. Thus we could say that many felt like the protagonist: “I (Chapter 12) What the physician expressed on the bed reflected their own thoughts and emotions. But why did they feel such negative emotions? Simply because they had witnessed the rapid and brutal shattering of the doctor‘s hope 😭 with their own eyes and heart.

1. Between dream and reality

What caught my attention is that in the beginning of episode 11, Kim Dan was full of hope again. Thus he was standing in the bus while looking up. (Chapter 11) The position of his head and body was mirroring his emotional and mental state. And this contrasts so much to the end of the chapter. Not only he was on his knees, but also he was looking down. (chapter 11) Imagine that within the same chapter, the main lead’s attitude and position were turned upside down. What a roll coaster of emotions for Kim Dan and the manhwaworms! Therefore it is not surprising that many were so distressed. But why was he so hopeful in the beginning of episode 11?

For the first time, he was thinking about the future, he had the impression that he could finally see the end of the tunnel. (Chapter 11) Thanks to his „contract“, he was able to pay not only his grandmother‘s expensive treatment, but also the interests of his loan. (Chapter 11) Remember that he had done it twice and this in a such a short time. (chapter 1) This signifies that with such a salary, he could put an end to this vicious circle, the snowballing interest. That’s the reason why he had become so hopeful. It was, as if he could finally breathe, and a huge burden had been taken from his shoulder. This shows that so far, he had lived from day to day. He had been on survival modus. All his thoughts were focused on earning money. However, his “dream” to end this terrible servitude to the loan sharks was linked to his contract with the famous sportsman. (chapter 11) which was also a form of servitude. Consequently, it is not surprising that he viewed his relationship with Joo Jaekyung not in a good light. (Chapter 11) For him, it sounded, as if having sex with the champion had become the worst thing in his life. Notice that though he mentioned the snowballing interests, he didn’t envision the loan sharks at all. He was already occulting them, for he had paid the interests. To conclude, in the bus, Kim Dan had the impression that his life was about to change for the better… though he disliked the idea to be dependent on the fighter. However, reality caught up with him very quickly.

2. The loss of his home and its signification

First, the phone call made him realize that he was actually on the verge of losing his home. (Chapter 11) Secondly, this exposes that he had never paid attention to his house. There was mold, for he hadn’t ventilated and heat the room enough. (Chapter 10) He had not the time, the money and the energy to do so. As you can see, he never realized that he had other problems than money.

Moreover, his main goal had been to ensure that his grandmother would return to his side after recovering from her terrible illness. Striking is that the main lead had associated her recovery to their home. (Chapter 11) On the one hand, this promise exposes the sentimental value of his home, on the other hand this statement shows that he had lied to his grandmother. The redevelopment had been planned for quite some time, but Kim Dan must have never mentioned it to her. Why? It is because he didn’t want to make his relative worry. At the hospital, the manhwalovers could detect all his lies. He never mentioned his firing from the hospital to his grandmother. Secondly, he embellished his new job. Finally, when he exposed his discomfort, (chapter 7) he gave just a false excuse. As you can see, Kim Dan had long started hiding everything from his grandmother: his job situation, his physical conditions and the redevelopment. Moreover, if he had revealed his forced relocation, he would have felt terrible. He was breaking his promise to his grandmother. To conclude, he had made a promise to his halmoni which he could never keep. It was simply impossible, but he preferred occulting it, for her health was more important than anything else. This displays that he had been caught in an illusion. The irony is that despite the harshness of his life, he was still living in a “dream”. How could he expect his old relative to live in such conditions after suffering so much from cancer? For me, there is no ambiguity that the protagonist has long connected the loss of his home to the vanishing of his halmoni. He seems to be living in the past, remembering the good aspects of his childhood. (Chapter 5) A protective and loving halmoni who would do anything for him. (Chapter 11) That’s how he could survive in the end. His grandmother represented everything for him. She was his motivation to keep going despite his struggles.

3. Halmoni: a role model or a bad example?

I would even go so far to say that the terrible condition of the house reflects the halmoni’s physical condition: old and damaged, because the person was constantly overworking. Thus she neglected herself prioritizing her grandson. That’s how little by little the flat got neglected too, but the young man didn‘t notice it. Unconsciously, the main lead copied his role model. Thus at the end he fainted. (Chapter 12) And this leads me to the following observation: the causes of his syncope. Exhaustion, the constant stress, dehydration and low blood sugar. Note that before the last sex session, he only drank wine. (chapter 12) The manhwalovers never saw him eating. But this doesn’t end here. Since he was plagued with financial problems, he had to live frugally. Thus he came to neglect his own health. This is no coincidence that the readers saw him drinking an energy drink (chapter 1) and eat ramyeon (chapter 1). He would even skip his meals. (chapter 5) For me, he internalized from his grandmother how to save money. There is no doubt that in his childhood, she could never eat to her heart’s content, which he noticed and now he is copying her. Thus he learned to live gradually with an empty stomach. Besides, I believe that his nutrition was never balanced. Since the sweet bread was perceived as a luxury (chapter 11), I deduce that his guardian couldn’t afford meat either. This explains why Kim Dan didn’t grab the food immediately. (chapter 11) He didn’t feel hungry despite working hard. In other words, he has a small stomach. And now, you have the explanation why Kim Dan is so weak. (chapter 12) As you can see, I think that Joo Jaekyung’s words were somehow revealing the truth. He has no stamina, for he used up everything. So far, he could keep going due to his worries and his goal, saving his grandmother. However, with the last sex session, he used his last energy reserves. Therefore we could say that the beating from the loan sharks broke down his last resistance.

But the halmoni had also another negative influence on the main lead. She is the one living in the past, (chapter 5) thus she treats Kim Dan as a child. This explicates why she kept the yoghurts for him. Yet, what the young man needs right now, is no sweet, rather a good healthy meal. This scene exposes that she is also feeling sentimental about their common past… and now, you comprehend why the physician chose to hide the redevelopment from his grandmother. But the more a person buries the struggles and worries, the more dangerous it is, when the truth is exposed. It can literally explode and wound the person who was supposed to be protected. Don’t get me wrong. I am not blaming the grandmother for her behavior, her attitude is quite normal. She has long internalized to protect her grandchild, that she can’t change her behavior. Besides, that’s her way to cope with her illness. Since she can die due to cancer, she fears the future. Hence her only way to keep living is to focus on the past and her good memories with Kim Dan. These precious memories serve as a source of strength for her not to give up. And now, the manhwaphiles can grasp why the main lead was dwelling so much on the past as well.

Because he is missing his halmoni so much, he still has a false perception of his flat. In his mind, his small room has not changed since his childhood, thus he remembered the sweet bread his halmoni brought back for his birthday. (Chapter 11) For him, this place had become a refuge and sacred place, where he could feel love and protection. However, this was just a chimera, like the night of his return proved it: his meeting with the loan sharks.

4. The loan sharks

Like pointed out above, the doctor had imagined that since he had paid the interests right on time, he didn’t picture them in his mind. It signifies that he no longer considered them as a source of danger. Consequently, I conclude that in the past, Kim justified their violence, for he had not been able to keep his promise. He had not paid the interests right on time. (chapter 1) This shows his naivety. In reality, the loan sharks are parasites. Their intention is not to help a borrower, but to turn them into slaves. Yes, this is a modern form of slavery. The moment a debtor takes a loan, he can never fulfil the contract so that he becomes a slave. Hence the interests keep increasing, like the doctor noticed it: a snow ball system. Though the borrower had paid the money right on time, the loan sharks were still waiting in front of his house for one reason. To ensure that he wouldn’t be able to escape from their claws. (chapter 1) Their violence was never justified in the end. Nevertheless, since the physician forgot this incident, he somehow dreamed that when he paid a huge amount so suddenly, the loan sharks would leave him alone. (chapter 10) Nonetheless, the opposite happened, for the doctor had not grasped their mentality. To sum up, Kim Dan had made a huge mistake. He never thought that these three men would consider him as their slave. Thanks to money they can live a carefree life. The “snowballing interests” is their revenue. To conclude, the scene in the bus exposed the doctor’s innocence and illusion. In fact, the home is the reason why he could get beaten. The loan sharks knew where to find him. However, since the young doctor had paid on time, they needed to find a new justification for their brutality. (chapter 11) Kim Dan must have done something illegal. That way, they appear as “righteous citizens”, while in reality the thug was actually pissed off for a different reason: “I … hate it” (that) you could pay a huge amount of the interests”. His success symbolized the opposite for them, a reduction of income. Moreover, the man feared that the young man could actually pay back the loan with the interests. This is perceptible, when he argues with the main lead. (chapter 11) If this happened, they could no longer earn money without working properly. And now, you can grasp why these three cowards attacked the pure physician so cruelly and brutally. Not only they vented their anger on Kim Dan, but also they desired to demonstrate their power and superiority. This bloodshed was purely gratuitous and even entertaining for them. (chapter 11) As the manhwaphiles can understand, the loan sharks embody the opposite values of Joo Jaekyung. The latter is earning his money through fair fighting, but it is not at the expense of people. Even his counterpart is earning a living. Finally, these fights are following rules, while the loan sharks are changing the rules constantly. (chapter 11) This is important, because even if Kim Dan continues paying the interests and the loan, these three men won’t stop bothering him. And remember the comment from the black-haired man. (chapter 11) He was annoyed that he couldn’t meet the protagonist. This means that the moment the main character moves out, the loan sharks will go to the hospital, with the excuse that Kim Dan is now hiding. They will ask the halmoni about her grandson’s whereabouts. (chapter 11) In addition, the readers can detect the loan sharks’ hypocrisy when one of these men said this: “Danny boy! You had it in you all along! Shoulda tried a little harder a little sooner!” These thugs need to know where he lives so that they can barge in his life, and even ruin his career. Their goal is to maintain him enchained to them. And they could even deceive the grandmother, for she was left in the dark about the redevelopment. 😨 Thus she could jump to the false conclusions that Kim Dan is paying her treatment with the money from the loan sharks. (chapter 7) To sum up, the main lead made a huge mistake with his well-intended deceptions, though he was trying to protect his loved one. For me, the main lead should have never lied to his halmoni. The latter will blame herself for her grandchild’s situation. The debts are the result from a bad decision, when the young main figure was a child, and now she is sick. So she could think like this: “I … hate it, my grandchild has to suffer because of me”.

Under this new perspective, it is comprehensible why at the end, Kim Dan had a different perception of Joo Jaekyung. The latter represented his final straw and rescue buoy. The doctor was now ready to give up on his pride. He was now admitting his defeat. (chapter 11) The end of the “illusion”. Alone, he couldn’t survive, he needed his help. However, instead of confessing his situation to the champion, he had been a victim of ruthless loan sharks, he created a false impression on the fighter. (chapter 11) He was a drinker, he would spend money like a thoughtless person. (chapter 11) That’s why I thought this: “I … hate it, that Kim Dan didn’t reveal the truth!” With his deceptions to his halmoni and Joo Jaekyung, he created a false image about himself.

5. Kim Dan’s confession in the bedroom

And now, it is time to focus on the last sex session in the penthouse. (chapter 12) Why did he say it? For me, these words are not just related to the sex session. They are connected to his actual situation, he feels trapped and hopeless again.

What caught my notice is that Joo Jaekyung is not reduced to his huge anaconda, but to his fist and punch. (chapter 12) This exposes Kim Dan’s true thoughts. He doesn’t truly hate sex with him, he rather fears his punch and fist. But why? It is because he has always watched his matches (chapter 1) and he saw his training too (chapter 7) He knows his strength and power. It displays that Kim Dan has long admired the celebrity for his force. On the other hand, he witnessed twice how the young man wounded people, creating the image that Joo Jaekyung was a common brute. However, it simply exposed that Joo Jaekyung had not learned to restrain or control his force. He has long internalized how to employ his strength to the maximum. Secondly, despite the roughness, Kim never viewed the fighter as a sadist. However, Kim Dan is still refusing to admit pleasure with Joo Jaekyung. (chapter 12) Why? It is related to the contract. He considers it as a job, hence he shouldn’t enjoy it. Striking is that due to the sexual pleasure, he started forgetting everything: (chapter 12) This is important, because it shows that Kim Dan has never learned how to stop worrying and even enjoy life. Due to sex, he is putting everything behind: the loss of his home, the beating from the loan sharks, the halmoni’s illness. All his life, he was struggling, hence he had not the time to fall in love or to develop an interest in sex. He never had the time and occasion to ponder about his own sexual orientation either, yet there is no doubt that he felt attracted to the fighter. This could be perceived during the first massage. That’s the reason why I believe that when he confessed this to Joo Jaekyung: (chapter 12), he had detected the changes in himself which he couldn’t control. He would stop thinking about money and other problems… He would feel pleasure, something he had never experienced before. In other words, he feared the changes, which contrasts to his mindset, living in the past through memories. But at the same time, he could sense that he couldn’t control his emotions and thoughts. Finally, I had already outlined that he takes pride about his job. By becoming a doctor, he had the impression that he could escape this vicious circle of poverty. But now, it looks like, even as a doctor, he can’t live properly. By becoming a “prostitute”, he can not feel proud.

Another important aspect is that he never stated: “I … hate you!” This shows that Kim Dan is not blaming the champion in the end. While many readers were upset about Joo Jaekyung for his immature and selfish behavior, they overlooked that the young man was at no moment mad at his sex partner. (chapter 12) Why? It is because the champion is keeping his words. Besides, the young man is not expecting anything from him except money. (chapter 12) That’s how he has lived so far. He doesn’t like to be pitied. Moreover, he let him sleep in a bed. Finally, he woke him up, when he desired to leave for work. (chapter 12) At no moment, the young man resents the champion contrary to many manhwalovers. The latter blamed him for the doctor’s unconsciousness, while in truth the causes were more elsewhere.

But since Kim Dan experienced a huge downfall within the same chapter (11), I come to the conclusion that it is the same for Joo Jaekyung in episode 12. Here, he had the impression that he would be able to outlive a dream (chapter 12), the reality was that he couldn’t do more than one round. (chapter 12) His hope got shattered too. 😉 Thus he was so bothered the next morning that he couldn’t hide his disappointment. (chapter 12) “I … hate it… that you are so weak”. But there is hope, because he asked the right question: (chapter 12) And that’s how his malnutrition, his bruises, his exhaustion and dehydration could come to the surface. Because the main lead made the mistake to give alcohol to the physician, he will regret his decision. Thus he can only come to the conclusion that in the future, he should never offer him any drink. He could even request from him abstinence, and this would even help the champion to hide his own weakness. He doesn’t drink either. Moreover, the champion could force his partner to drink (chapter 4) and eat on a regular basis healthy meals, and train his body. I am more than ever convinced that Joo Jaekyung’s role is to take care of the young physician who has always sacrificed himself for his grandmother. The latter can not fulfil this function. As a conclusion, Joo Jaekyung has already experienced that money can not solve everything. If he wishes to keep his jinx away thanks to the doctor, he has to pay attention to his physical condition. This is all the more relevant if he wishes to have many rounds during the night. 😉These are the lessons he is about to learn.

Protected: Jinx / Doctor Frost : “Joo Jaekyung, a heinous 😈 child👶? (Second version) Full version

February 6, 2023February 12, 2023 ~ Bébébisous33

Painter Of The Night: The shadowy plot(s) 👀 from the past 🙊

February 4, 2023February 5, 2023 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ Leave a comment

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

There is a reason why I selected the illustration of season 4 for this essay, though my focus is the past, and more precisely Yoon Seungho’s suffering. It is because the darkness surrounding the protagonist not only refers to his tragic youth, but also it reflects the situation of the manhwalovers. The latter are still in the dark concerning his torment. His terrible secrets have not been totally unveiled. So far, the author allowed the readers to see glimpses of his past, like f. ex. the gangrape or the suicide of his mother. But these were just small pieces of the puzzle, thus it is still impossible to have a complete picture of his martyrdom. There are many reasons for this. The main victim never testified about his suffering, he refused to open up to Baek Na-Kyum. (chapter 84) Then many witnesses vanished (chapter 86) or the ones alive preferred telling lies in order to hide their own wrongdoings or are simply in denial about their own culpability. Finally, the victim, the perpetrators and accomplices had no idea about the whole truth. They only know or knew certain facts, because many of them were deceived as well. What exactly happened to Yoon Seungho? How could this take place, though he belonged to one of the most powerful noble families? Now, you are probably expecting that I will give you answers to all these questions, and recreate the past. But I have to admit that it is not possible, for I don’t know the whole chronology. Consequently, I added “shadowy” in the title. To conclude, my real intention is more to offer new pieces from the riddle than create a whole new “story”. The main source for this new insight is the painter’s fate which is a reflection from the noble’s past and torment. This means that Byeonduck left traces in season 1, 2 and 3! That’s how I discovered that he had been abandoned and betrayed by everyone, kidnapped, treated as a male kisaeng, robbed, abused, raped and even gangraped at least twice, tortured and finally drugged! But like mentioned above, it is difficult to give the proper order and the persons truly involved in the crimes. On the other hand, what I can guarantee is that Yoon Seungho’s nightmare is linked to conspiracies. I came to this conclusion, because if you compare all the seasons, you will detect the presence of plots. There exists at least 3 main plots in each season, though there definitely exist more. The conspiracies are all connected to incidents.

1. The conspiracies

To validate my theory, I will use the first season as an example. The incident with the ruined drawing was actually initiated by Min and his friend with the mole. Black Heart had slapped his friend (chapter 9), so that the latter visited Lee Jihwa to arouse his jealousy. It was to push him to commit a crime so that Baek Na-Kyum would be removed from the main lead’s side. As you can see, there were 3 people involved, though the readers only saw the result. (chapter 12) They had the impression that the red-haired master had acted on his own. However, he had been manipulated, incited to commit a crime. But my point is not to diminish his wrongdoing, rather to expose the involvement of the schemers. Hence at the end of season 1, the author unveiled their true role and as such their identities. (chapter 43) However, observe that when Lee Jihwa went to the pavilion, the noble with the mole had other guests. 2 nobles left the place, as they refused to participate in a murder. (chapter 43) Funny is that they are now witnesses of Min’s crime. This can have repercussions in season 4. Black Heart had been the one who had suggested the assassination to Lee Jihwa. And the aristocrats were still there, when he had made this proposition. (chapter 43) But the two empty seats also serve as a metaphor for the existence of other helping hands: Kim and No-Name! The latter was about to get hired by the young master. Hence I deduce that this scene was to display the existence of accomplices who had always been acting in the shadow. Or we could say that the number of conspirators increased! However, I would like to point out the existence of a second conspiracy: the stolen wine. (chapter 19) And this is related to Kim and the gibang. Yet, the butler ruined Black Heart’s plan. To conclude, we have two main plotters in season 1, but the butler’s bad intentions were not detected, for Yoon Seungho’s bad actions were more eye-catching. People had the impression that the valet was defending the artist’s best interest. From my point of view, the number of persons involved in the plot kept increasing, as they needed more and more accomplices. The reason is that their plans didn’t work out like expected. At the end of season 3, Min involved the kisaengs in the gibang, while Kim asked the assistance of the staff, the maids (chapter 91) and the servants (chapter 97). Thus I deduce that in the past, the same must have happened. Many people were involved in the downfall of Yoon Seungho and his family. But who was the real target in the end? It is difficult to say with 100% certainty.

While Min serves as a reflection from the main mastermind in the past, his actions are not entirely clear. Note that he kept changing his mind and heart. On the one hand, he wished to have the painter killed, then later to have the young artist by his side as a source of entertainment. Yet, there is no doubt that he wished to have sex with Baek Na-Kyum right from the start. (chapter 8) Thus in season 2, he came to this resolution: (chapter 56) He had planned to rape him before having him eliminated. This shows his inner conflict. From my point of view, the painter’s death is connected to the incident in the gibang. (chapter 1) Baek Na-Kyum was a witness of Min’s wrongdoing, just like the painter was a witness and victim of his crimes in the shrine. (chapter 99) One thing is sure: Min was full of greed and jealousy. He was determined to harm and ruin Yoon Seungho. Hence I come to the deduction that the real target of the conspiracy in the past was Yoon Chang-Hyeon. And his son was used against him.

Interesting is that in the first season, the plots were not obvious, except one: the painter’s murder! The conspiracies only came to light, when the readers paid attention to details. The best example is the incident with the open door: (chapter 16) This doesn’t look like a crime. However, it is one! It was done on purpose, to separate the couple. Someone had intervened in order to interrupt this session, and as such someone had been spying on them. Deok-Jae only revealed his spying activity from chapter 16 in season 2: (chapter 53) Yet, the one opening the door had been Kim. This gesture can be considered as trespassing and invasion of privacy, the new version of this scene. (chapter 16) But instead of revealing the truth, the butler sided with Lee Jihwa, and allowed him to trespass the propriety again. In my eyes, the butler thought (chapter 17) that Yoon Seungho would come to perceive the painter as a man consumed by lust. He imagined that he would caught them fooling around. As you can see, this ruckus was also a plot, though it doesn’t look like one. Why would the maids gossip in the courtyard? (chapter 18) From my point of view, the valet expected that the lord would fear people’s gaze and a scandal. Thus he would send away the painter to protect his “reputation”, but the opposite happened. Under this perspective, the manhwalovers can grasp why it is difficult to calculate accurately the number of plots and accomplices. Besides, some were naïve pawns, others not. And since I examined the first season more closely, it is necessary to analyze the vanishing of Jung In-Hun. His disappearance is strongly intertwined with Yoon Seungho’s secret. How so? The learned sir was determined to find the lord’s vulnerability and as such secret.

2. The scholar’s disappearance

Many readers have the impression that the learned sir is still alive, for they never saw his corpse or his execution. Since they had somehow witnessed Jung In-Hun’s departure, they knew that the learned sir could not have been killed in his humble home. I had already detected very early on, like other manhwaphiles, that the murder scene had been staged. (chapter 88) Thus many readers jumped to the conclusion that the learned sir had already switched sides and was plotting against the main lead. They had his following words in their mind: (chapter 29) Thus many concluded that he had participated in the prank, faking his death. On the other hand, the manhwalovers believed to have seen Heena’s death! (chapter 99) However, observe that we never saw her corpse. She was still alive in this panel. I had already pointed out that her murder was actually faked. Her mouth was not covered, hence she could have screamed, but she remained silent (blank speech bubble). Secondly, she never moved her legs… contrary to Yoon Seungho’s behavior in the gibang. (chapter 68) That’s the reason why I came to the conclusion that Heena’s curtains didn’t take place. Hence I deduced that in the past, someone’s death must have been “faked” too and this vanishing must have affected the main lead’s fate. The other deduction is that the learned sir must be “dead”, as the author is working with positive and negative reflections. I had already presented this theory in two different compositions (“That day” and “The secret behind the library“) However, for each murder, the culprit must have a strong motive. For me, the mastermind behind his death is the pedophile himself. This man, (chapter 37) who is the king in my eyes. [For more read the essay “The face of lord Song“]

3. The reasons for the assassination

Why would he eliminate the learned sir? In the past, I had said that he had ordered it out of jealousy. He believed that Jung In-Hun had become Yoon Seungho’s lover, for his brother had mistaken his identity. (chapter 37) Since Baek Na-Kyum was wearing a hanbok, Yoon Seung-Won thought that the person hidden under the hanbok was no commoner! Thus he called him a fellow. However, this motive is quite thin! Yet, two new details caught my attention. His visit to the “fake shaman” and his request. Notice what he told the man:(chapter 29) He was announcing to the dark haired man his true intention. He desired to abandon and betray Yoon Seungho the moment he reached the first place in the civil service examination. He saw him as a burden. This is important, because his words represent a confession of his “sin”!! The scholar was admitting to the commoner that once he reached the first place, he would cut off his ties with the protagonist. But actually, the latter is connected to the pedophile. It was, as if he was saying that he would betray the king, for the young main lead is close to the king. On the other hand, he needed to reach the first place for this. And now, you have the explanation why he got killed. He needed to vanish, before he participated in the next round! The mysterious lord Song needed to remove him, before Jung reached the first place and betrayed his “lover”. In a certain way, the man could justify his action that he has been protecting Yoon Seungho from a future betrayal. However, there is no ambiguity that the true motive was jealousy. But he had naturally another motivation. It was important that the lord’s past never came to light either, as his secret was strongly intertwined with the ruler’s past actions. To conclude, the pedophile had every reason to order his assassination. But he was not the only one behind his death. Other people had an interest in this crime as well.

Jung In-Hun’s ”dream” stands in opposition to Yoon Seungwon‘s statement who somehow promised his father that he would reach first place. That’s the reason why the father boasted in the bedchamber. (chapter 86) However, in reality, he was relying on the king’s help and intervention. And this confession to the “fake shaman” represents the learned sir’s karma. He had asked the painter to act like a spy (chapter 24), not realizing that he could be spied himself! He didn’t grasp that he exposed his weakness to the commoner: the civil service examination. Thus the man had constantly drops of sweat on his face and interrogated Jung In-Hun. (chapter 29) The girl was there to create a certain closeness. He was acting like Kim, asking why! But the stupid and arrogant learned sir thought that because the man was a commoner, he was ignorant and could be manipulated like the painter! (chapter 29) He thought that the low-born would buy his lie here… but in my eyes, it was the opposite. He had already perceived the learned sir’s true nature. But he acted, as if he was agreeing. In other words, the scholar fell into his own trap. He envisioned that the man was “powerless”, but he overlooked his connections. The manhwalovers can see the contradiction, for he had approached the man due to his connections! .As you can see, I am more than ever convinced that the scholar has long been murdered. He was betrayed, exactly like he had planned to abandon Yoon Seungho! The pedophile must have heard from the servant about Jung’s plan, as he had confided it to the worker!!

Thus the man decided to meet Jung In-Hun himself, and give him a warning. He described the Yoons as powerless due to the purge. (chapter 37) But this doesn’t end here. (chapter 37) Yoon Chang-Hyeon was portrayed as a traitor! The “fake servant” implied with his statement that there was a conspiracy, and the patriarch was involved. But in exchange to save his own skin, he had tattled on the others! He was trying to insinuate that if Jung In-Hun interacted more with the Yoons, his reputation could get tainted. He could get suspected of “treason” too, or he could get betrayed too. While the man met the learned sir during the day, the brother went to the villa in a hurry during the night. (chapter 37) So it looked like the “scholar” had not grasped the warning. And if Yoon Seungwon had been informed about the content of the conversation between the learned sir and the “fake shaman”, it is not surprising that he rushed to his brother’s side. He could use this opportunity to warn him about a betrayal. However, he couldn’t do it so, because he imagined that the learned sir was present. This would explain this image: (chapter 36) Hence he chose a different approach: filial duty. And the brother’s observation could only corroborate the pedophile’s perception. The scholar was Yoon Seungho’s lover, but he was also a backstabber. But let’s return our attention to the “mysterious lord Song”‘s statement: Yoon Chang-Hyeon is a denunciator, not a man of honor. (chapter 37) Due to his denunciation and crime, he had to leave the mansion so suddenly leaving the protagonist behind. That’s what the old bearded man implied here. However, I believe that this declaration is a mixture of truth and lie! That’s how I could make the sudden connection: (Chapter 67) Lee Jihwa had not only been denunciated, but he had been confronted by his friend! And the traitor was right by his side. As you can see, chapter 67 was a reflection from episode 37!! These two episodes have another common denominator: the betrayer had made the following suggestion. (chapter 67) In exchange for his “survival”, he should help Black Heart and allow him to act on his behalf. This was the new plan. That’s how he started impersonating Lee Jihwa. That’s the reason why I come to the conclusion that in the past, the impersonation must have happened, but it took place in the beginning. Secondly, I am assuming that a traitor must have suggested to Yoon Chang-Hyeon to leave the mansion and abandon his son behind! (chapter 27) And who is it? For me, it is Kim acting on the pedophile’s behalf. Striking is that in episode 27, the learned sir escaped death thanks to the intervention of the old bearded domestic and Baek Na-Kyum. Thus it came to my mind that the pedophile could even claim that he had eliminated the learned sir, because Yoon Seungho had attempted himself to kill him in the past. He had acted on his behalf. And what do have all these chapters have in common? SPYING and tattling! In episode 27, the servant unveiled a part of the past, (chapter 27) Someone had tattled on the Yoons in the past, but the patriarch was turned into the traitor himself which the young main lead came to believe. Thus Yoon Seungho could say this to his father: (chapter 86) However, I am suspecting that this is not true, someone else tattled on the powerful family and made a false accusation! As you can imagine, I am inclined to think that father Lee must have been behind this! Why? It is because he can no longer do it! Thus in season 3, he approached the patriarch Yoon. (chapter 82) If the lord Seungho had truly committed a crime, he should have reported it to the authorities. The stupid Yoon Chang-Hyeon never wondered why the elder Lee visited him during the night and asked for his assistance. Furthermore, the elder Lee had been allowed to enter the bedchamber and see the huge drawing which could have been perceived as a sign of treason. He was eyeing at the throne. (chapter 82) Note that the aristocrat mentioned “punishment” in this context. So maybe, he denunciated the patriarch so that the whole family would get punished. Father Lee was definitely played in this scene, hence I believe that someone had already anticipated his reactions. He would seek revenge. But this doesn’t end here. I had connected “rash departure” to “treason and spying”. And now, observe what Yoon Seungho said to his butler (chapter 50) He had sent Jung In-Hun away in order to get rid of him! However, because of the expression “I thought”, I am quite certain that this idea had been suggested to him by the valet! I would like to underline that in this episode, the valet was acting as a tattler! (chapter 50) But in order to hide his own crime, he portrayed it as a rumor (It may not be accurate”). This truly underlines the butler’s MO. He used information and turned it as gossips to hide his spying activities. The shadow… Simultaneously, he turned gossips into a verity!! This is no coincidence that in season 3, the same method was employed. Yoon Seungho was supposed to have murdered the scholar and Deok-Jae! My avid readers can sense the leitmotiv in all these episodes. RUMORS are turned into a reality, and as such a CRIME! Even here… (chapter 37) (chapter 37) But Kim is not the only spy and traitor! The younger brother Seungwon is also one! Thus he was introduced in the same chapter. And I have an irrefutable evidence that the old bearded man was in contact with the younger master. Only recently, I realized that the man never mentioned the protagonist’s name, he just said “this one”. This idiom implies that there is another one!!! This is the evidence that he was in contact with Yoon Seungwon. Finally, why would the man talk about the elder master Yoon the entire time? It is, because technically Yoon Seungho is just the elder son. This means that the pedophile never officially gave the title to the protagonist. These were empty words. (chapter 86) But since our beloved man started living in the bedchamber, this became a reality. That’s the other reason why Yoon Seungho was encouraged to live in debauchery and not to take the civil service examination. But this only occurred, the moment the lord returned living in the mansion and not before!! Secondly, I realized that this statement about Yoon Chang-Hyeon will become a reality for the “fake servant” himself. (chapter 37) Not only he justified his return to the familial domain with the main lead’s lunacy (“under the pretense of some problem with this one”), but also he accused his own son of a crime. (chapter 94) This means that he acted as a traitor, tattling on his own relative. Finally, observe that once confronted with brutal reality, the father did run away. (chapter 87) The white bearded man’s words became a reality. However, since the fake servant, the mysterious lord Song, judges the elder master Yoon as a troublemaker and hypocrite, there is no ambiguity that the elder master Yoon will get into trouble. Since he did it in the past, he can only get suspected in the present.

Besides, because the scholar is now dead, the pedophile can only put the whole blame on someone else refusing to become responsible for this. He has always acted in the shadow. We have three possibilities: he puts the blame on Yoon Seungwon, and say that he had done it out of jealousy. Or Yoon Chang-Hyeon had intervened, because Jung represented an hindrance to the Yoons’ dream. Besides, he was supposed to stay in the mansion in Hanyang, and that’s where the rest of the family is living. (chapter 86) But the worst would be that the painter is blamed for his assassination. He did it out of resent! But this would expose the true thoughts of the schemers, the pedophile and Kim. That’s how they act, when they feel offended and bothered.

Striking is that the protagonist has no idea, that the banishment was staged, for he was told the same lie. In his mind, the father lives in exile.: (chapter 37) One thing is sure: the father’s dream will turn out to be an illusion. For me, the younger brother’s biggest wrongdoings are spying, tattling and badmouthing. And the best evidence for this interpretation is this situation: (chapter 44) He had given the ruined painting to his father, putting the blame on his brother, well aware that the latter would get angry. He was observing his father’s reaction. (chapter 44) Yet, there is a difference to the past. Here, he had been fooled! He truly believed that this was his brother’s doing, whereas in truth the butler had been the one who had fooled him. (chapter 38) And this is important, because when the letter was given to the brother, Jung In-Hun witnessed the wrongdoing from the butler!! (chapter 38) And now, you know why the learned sir had to die!! He had caught the valet in the act. He had betrayed Yoon Seungho, though he didn’t realize it. The learned sir tried to discover the content of the letter, and as such was prying on his sponsor’s weakness.(chapter 38) Hence I come to the conclusion that KIM played a huge role in the learned sir’s death as well. I would even say that he was the one who pushed the others to have the scholar and the painter killed. Both knew about the butler’s tricks without realizing his significance. (chapter 37) Hence I deduce that as the story progressed, the role of the butler started changing. Now, I see him as a the main plotter, while all the others are now his pawns. We could say that the valet has gradually followed the pedophile’s path. However, there is no ambiguity that it was not the same in the past!

4. A new plot

I am quite certain that many manhwalovers are doubting my theory that the fake servant is the king and the main culprit in Yoon Seungho’s nightmare. Why? It is because in chapter 83, we saw a dark haired man, and according to Lee Jihwa, this was the mysterious lord Song. (chapter 83) How can he be the same than the one from episode 37? The change of his hair color could be explained by a huge shock. But this is rather thin as a justification. Besides, now I am more inclined to think that these are two different persons, and that the main culprit is the one from episode 37. Why? It is because he smoked and utilized the same expression: “strange”. (chapter 37) An idiom that Yoon Seungho constantly utilized: chapter 16, chapter 21, chapter 50, chapter 71 (chapter 71). This means that he couldn’t understand, for he has a different way of thinking. This outlines his narrow-mindedness and his tendency to plan everything. He doesn’t like surprises.

Since the readers saw the hanbok and the beard, they imagine that he is the main culprit. But I would like the readers to keep in mind that Baek Na-Kyum’s fate is the clue about the main lead’s suffering. And how many people desired to have him by their side? TWO! Yoon Seungho and Min…. and we could say that both kidnapped the artist! The main lead did it in episode 1, and the other in episode 99! This means that Yoon Seungho should have two main sexual abusers in the past! However, in difference to the young lord, the painter only had sex with the main lead. Min always failed to taste him! That’s the reason why I am suspecting that the man from chapter 83 could represent the “first sexual abuser”. Besides, observe that he is not smoking! (chapter 83)

Because we saw the purple hanbok, we all imagined that he was representing the king or was connected to the palace. But is it true? Notice that one of the guests only has a moustache beard (chapter 83) which is actually connected to commoners. [For more read the essay “Painful departures“] Remember that Min tried to deceive people by wearing a similar hanbok which Lee Jihwa would often wear. (chapter 69) Hence I started wondering if the mysterious man with the beard was not impersonating someone, for example “lord Song” and in reality he was just a merchant. Why merchant? It is related to the shungas and the hanboks. The king can not be involved in trading directly. However, this is what Yoon Seungho told to the learned sir: (chapter 22) Nevertheless, the main lead could have never been involved in commerce, for he lived as a prisoner for many years. And this is what was said about the ruler: (chapter 76) He is not so wealthy. How come? Yoon Seungho’s fortune must have a different origin.

Besides, I would like to outline that when Min was facing the ghost Yoon Seungho, he denied his responsibility by putting the blame on the childhood friend: (chapter 102) Min had never predicted that the young master would run to his friend and denunciate him to Yoon Seungho. However, since Black Heart had employed the assistance of servants (chapter 101) , the kisaengs (chapter 95) (chapter 96), the officer (chapter 98), No-Name, the doctor with the drugs and butler Kim, this signifies that behind the name Lee Jihwa stand many people! As you can see, the name “lord Song” doesn’t refer to one person, but many… My theory is that No-Name is the true owner of the title, but that’s how he ended up losing his home and his name! That’s the reason why I believe that in this image (chapter 83), we only see one of many persons hiding behind the name “lord Song”. To conclude, I came to the theory that the men from chapter 37 and 83 are both “lord Song”, though the one from episode 37 can only be the king. But if the man in episode 83 was impersonating lord Song, and as such was dressed up as a royal, he was actually violating laws.

I would like to point out that Min had three goals, not only to ruin Yoon Seungho, but also to get rid of Baek Na-Kyum and Lee Jihwa. Why? It is because he had framed them for the incident in the gibang. (chapter 1) Furthermore, Lee Jihwa could testify that Black Heart was the mastermind of the murder. Thus I deduce that in the past, the mastermind must have had three intentions as well:

remove Yoon Chang-Hyeon from his son’s side. That way, he could outlive his sexual fantasies. (chapter 50)
ruin the Yoons which represented a thorn to his power, hence the young man was incited to hate and blame his father.
get rid of all the potential witnesses and accomplices.

We shouldn’t overlook that Min used to be the main lead’s sexual partner too. Hence we could say that he was trying to get rid of a former lover and potential rival! That’s why I can’t help myself thinking that the man in purple could have been fooled himself. (chapter 83) Here, he was smiling… but don’t forget that in this story, karma always retaliates immediately! The best example is the scholar who wished to discover the noble’s secret, but didn’t realize that his vulnerability and intentions were revealed. In episode 83, this smiling man tried to drive an edge between the two childhood friends, and he could definitely witness how the two sons entered the room before the arrival of the elders! Therefore his punishment should have been separation as well. (chapter 83) The main lead was slapped and called animal, hence there is no ambiguity that at some point, the man must have suffered as well, unless he let others take the fall for him. We know for sure that the main lead was tortured, and as such arrested for a crime he didn’t commit! Besides, I would like the manhwaworms to keep in mind the importance of cosplay and “coup de théâtre”. We had the perfect illustration in chapter 37, (chapter 71) chapter 87) and episode 92. The schemers in the past had definitely played with illusions and tricks. Thus I am expecting that it is now the pedophile’s turn to get fooled.

One possibility is that father Lee denunciated the Yoons saying that they were planning a coup d’Etat, and had already selected a new king. And don’t forget that he was wearing clothes that was indicating that he belonged to the royal family!! Thus his identity could have been mistaken. To conclude, for me, the man with the purple hanbok represents the reason why Yoon Seungho suffered. This led to the purge of the noble families close to the Yoons. But since the real “lord Song” had allowed people to use his name, he became the culprit for all the wrongdoings committed by others. Hence he lost everything. (chapter 82)

5. The poisoning

Another possibility is that the man with the purple hanbok got poisoned, and Yoon Seungho was framed for the man’s death or injury. I am suspecting a poisoning incident in the past. If it didn’t take place during that fateful night/day (chapter 83), then it definitely must have taken place before. But how did I come to this conclusion? According to my observations, karma always retaliates right away, though the “wrongdoer” has no idea, as the person doesn’t see the connection between the “punishment” and the sin. But I would like to point out that in each season, we had poisoning. (chapter 36) Here, the painter was forced to take an aphrodisiac under the pretense of his health. This action was repeated in season 2 (chapter 54) and 3. (chapter 100) The nobles made him smoke opium or drink the aphrodisiac. The purpose of such drugs is to obtain the painter’s submission and control his mind and reactions. Striking is that each time, the perpetrators were “punished”. Kim was insulted and his plan didn’t work out. (chapter 37) As for the young lords, they were evicted like commoners and later the others were even killed. As you can see, each time the poison was employed, there was a retaliation.

But note that in season 2, Deok-Jae had put stones in the painter’s rice. (chapter 47) (chapter 47) If the painter had not eaten with the lord, the latter would have never noticed the incident. However, he believed the maids’ words. (chapter 47) Hence he never investigated the matter. But this prank represented a serious issue. This could have been judged as an attempt against the owner of the mansion. (chapter 47) And now look at this panel: (chapter 83) Yoon Seungho had refused to take the drug! The bowl reminded me of the one from chapter 47! Finally, the butler had tried to give his master the drug in season 3 (chapter 77), but the latter had again rejected it and this twice. (chapter 77) Kim calls the drug “medicinal tea”, truly an euphemism. It is also possible that the real target of the poisoning was Yoon Seungho, but since he was protected by the gods, someone ended up taking the “drug”. Because he was wearing a purple hanbok, the investigator mistook his identity, a royal member. Hence the Yoons were suspected of treason. Don’t forget that during this party, there was a kisaeng by their side. (chapter 83) And the latter are trained to cook dishes for the clients. My avid readers are certainly recalling that since season 2, I have been waiting for a poisoning incident which became a reality at the end of season 3. Thus I come to the conclusion, that such an incident should be shown in season 4, one in the past and the other in the present.

To conclusion, since many people were hiding behind the name “lord Song”, it became a taboo. However, as the king had achieved all his goals thanks to this name, (chapter 56), he came to adopt this title in order to hide his identity and actions. Byeonduck explained in her notes that Baek Na-Kyum had no idea about Min’s name. And this is the same for Yoon Seungho. The pedophile could continue hiding behind “lord Song”, as the latter was blamed for everything. The pedophile could divert attention from his own tricks. That’s the reason why he would never write any letter to Yoon Seungho under this name. This means that at the end, the main culprit, the king, will be perceived as the main responsible for Yoon Seungho’s torment, similar to Min’s situation, just before got killed. Though many other people were involved, Yoon Seungho was able to judge the joker’s actions correctly, he was the main mastermind behind the plots. This explicates why the gods made Yoon Seungho forget the old bearded men’s face. (chapter 44) This was a blessing in disguise. The moment the main lead faces the king, Yoon Seungho will be able perceive the truth. The king was behind his torment, and the butler had been his helping hand all along, the professional spy planted in his family. However, I don’t think that the monarch will admit his crimes and apologize for his wrongdoings. He will need a scapegoat, and this can only be the butler, the only one who knows the truth!

Painter Of The Night: The riddle of the enigmatic covers🔍🕵️‍♂️ (second version)

January 4, 2023February 17, 2023 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ Leave a comment

The purpose of this essay is not just to interpret the illustrations for each season, but also to anticipate the future illustration of season 4. However, before revealing my new knowledge, it is important to explain how I came to develop these significations. This means that I will present new pieces of the puzzle “Painter Of The Night”. Everything started with this panel. (chapter 9)

1. The slap and hands

The noble with the mole had a red cheek and a bruised lip indicating that he had been slapped. Yet contrary to the painter, he had wounded on his right side. (chapter 1) This means that no one had witnessed the wrongdoing committed on the anonymous lord. However, it is important, because it exposes how a person committing a wrongdoing could escape scolding and punishment, even from the readers. There was no witness! Only an attentive reader could detect this. Hence you have the explanation why Yoon Seungho suffered for so long. There was either no witness or the persons chose to close an eye and remained silent. Since it was the negative reflection from Baek Na-Kyum’s slap and the main lead had used his right hand (chapter 11), I deduced that the culprit was left-handed. That’s how I could identify the culprit, lord Min. The lord was in reality left-handed. We could observe this in chapter 8 , episode 19 , chapter 33 and episode 43, but also in episode 76 , in chapter 96 , in episode 100 and finally in chapter 102 ! Yet, in other occasions like in episode 33 or 43, or 52 , he used his right hand! Thus one might argue that Min was simply ambidextrous. However, I can prove 100% that Black Heart is left-handed!😮 The evidence is the usage of the bow. (chapter 22) This is how a right-handed man shoots an arrow. On the other hand, we never saw Min using the bow. The bird was already wounded by the arrows, when the scene of the second hunt took place. (chapter 41) However, the manhwaphiles can discover the verity thanks to one detail: the bag of arrows. (chapter 22) As you can see, the bag is carried on the right side, but the arrows are almost touching the left shoulder. They need to be on the other side, since the scholar needs his right hand to grab the item. And now compare the position of Min’s bag. It is inclined in the opposite direction, hence the arrows are visible on his right side! (chapter 41) Thus the noble is carrying the bag (chapter 41) differently from the painter too. (chapter 22) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Byeonduck never showed the Joker’s hunting skills. People would have noticed that he is left-handed immediately. She made sure to hide this important fact, thus within the same chapter Min was often portraying as using both hands. In episode 43, he employed his left hand to pour the alcohol in the glass, but then he switched the hand(chapter 43), when he gave the drink to Lee Jihwa.

This raised the following question. Why is he ambidextrous, though he prefers his left hand? It is because he has been conditioned to use his right hand. In Latin, sinister means left. This explicates why left is associated to sinister, dark and bad omen. Thus there exists this superstition that being left-handed is evil or a bad sign!! Till the end of the 20th Century, people in Europe were encouraged to write with their right hand. And now, if you compare all the scenes, where he employed his left-hand, you will detect that he was acting under the influence of his subconscious. In chapter 8, he was lusting after the painter; explicating why he got mad at his friend. Because of his nagging, Min could no longer ask his host to let the painter join the sex party. Therefore it is no coincidence that he slapped his friend with his left hand. Finally, we never saw his departure from the bedchamber! (chapter 9) Here, he was still present, but even before the end of the sex session, he had already vanished. (chapter 9) Finally, when the noble with the mole visited Lee Jihwa, the latter claimed that he had spent a long time at Yoon Seungho’s. (chapter 9), and his friend never denied it. As you can see, the characters made sure to confuse the readers with the change of the chronology. As you can see, it took me a long time before noticing the bruised face (only during season 3), then to bring up the conclusive evidence that Min was the culprit of the slap. Then in the shaman’s house, he took the dildo with his left hand, because he was angry and frustrated. (chapter 100) With the same hand, he pushed Jihwa (chapter 100) too. This shows that he could barely control himself here. And once he faced the main lead’s sword, he got so scared that he showed Jung In-Hun’s glasses with his left hand again. (chapter 102) Due to stress and his strong emotions, he exposed his true self, but since the readers were more focused on the actions and Min’s punishment, they never paid attention to his hand. This contrasts so much to the way the author portrayed Yoon Seungho. She often zoomed on his hands. (chapter 92) The irony is that in this scene, the main lead employed his left hand too, the positive reflection from the night in the pavilion (chapter 43). While here it was to bring him back to reality, in the pavilion, the Joker had the opposite intention: to lure Lee Jihwa to believe in illusions. (chapter 43).

Why did she confuse the readers then? It was to hide an important information, the culprit is left-handed!! And now it is necessary to examine the lord’s nightmare.

2. The hand in the nightmare

If you read my previous analyses about the visions, you are aware of my following observation. The visions represent not only memories, but also predictions. (chapter 74) They announce the future events, though the information is not given properly. On the other hand, since they are memories either, this signifies that they contain insight about the lord’s tragedy. Thus I noticed that the anonymous perpetrator used his left hand to grab his hanbok!! I deduced that the perpetrator in the past is also left-handed!! Secondly, since this vision can also be seen as the announcement of the painter’s second kidnapping, this is no coincidence that Byeonduck created such panels during the painter’s last torment. (chapter 99) However, in the shaman’s temple, Black Heart grabbed Baek Na-Kyum with his right hand. He was trying to manipulate the artist, he was acting. He was not showing his true self. Yet, the vision was revealing the truth: the future mastermind of the last scheme was in reality left-handed!! It didn’t matter, because at the end, the main lead was able to discern the truth. He sentenced Black Heart, for he believed that he had killed his loved one! That’s how I realized why the author would focus so much on the hands and on the distinction between unconscious and conscious! The hand in Painter Of The Night represents the crucial clue to identify the culprits!!

3. The illustrations and the mystery

Because of these new discoveries, I realized the signification of the covers. In season 1, we had the hands in the illustration. The hands were revealing the crime committed against the main lead. The latter was totally passive in this picture. The hands are touching and unclothing the immobile man. It also shows that Yoon Seungho was at the center of the conspiracy, in the past and in the present! The painting in the background indicates the presence of a hidden painter. Thus Baek Na-Kyum was not drawn in the cover. The painter of the night was in truth someone else, the painter from the past! Nevertheless, the main lead was looking at the readers, indirectly at Baek Na-Kyum, the young painter of the night. This describes the arrival of Baek Na-Kyum in his life. Striking is that the painting in the background was destroyed… indicating that the portrayed relationship was no longer existent. This represents another clue that the lord’s suffering is linked to a previous relationship. Then in season 2, the author revealed Baek Na-Kyum as the painter, who had now become the target of the plot. Yet behind him we see Yoon Seungho’s foot. The latter symbolizes the main lead feared to get close to him, but he wouldn’t leave his side. Moreover, this corresponds to the lord’s impulsive decisions, he let his foot guide him. Thus during the first night of the failed gangrape, he walked towards the study and stopped unconsciously, when he was next to the room. (chapter 53) Due to his strong denial, he was strolling not realizing that his feet were under the influence of his subconscious. And it was the same, when he opened the door with his foot at the Lees’ (chapter 67) Nonetheless, I believe that the author had another reason to draw the foot in the cover. The foot prints are the evidence of the crime, and as such the deceptions and the culprits. (chapter 59) (chapter 60) (chapter 61) The shoes were the clues how to recognize the perpetrators and accomplices. That’s why I compared these feet (chapter 59) with those . (chapter 66) My avid readers are already aware of my theory. For me, we have two kidnappers, and one tried to kill the artist! To conclude, Byeonduck left the clues how to unveil the mystery from the past and the present in the illustrations of each season. The paper in the second cover is a reference to the forged letter (chapter 56), but also to the theft of the painting (chapter 56) and the painter’s break! At the end of season 2, he was no longer painting and in the beginning, he had also stopped due to his heartbreak. Simultaneously, we have the presence of water which serves as a connection to season 1 with the ruined painting and to season 3 with the well and drowning. The dark shades were an allusion to the lord’s darkness and suffering. The latter would come to the surface. However, since the cover only showed the lord’s foot, it exposes that the lord would not divulge his traumatic past. (chapter 78) In season 3, this time the main leads were facing each other, they were recognizing each other: their true self! But this stands in opposition to the deceased people without identity! (chapter 94) We never saw the face of the corpses, as they were either covered (chapter 97) or the manhwaphiles could only view the hand, , the back (chapter 97) or the clothes and shoes (chapter 100)! And since Min had disguised himself as Lee Jihwa, it was clear that the deceased shouldn’t be identified by their clothes, but by their faces. As you can see, season 3 was about the face and identity! This indicates that in the past, someone had been not identified correctly!! Why? It is because the main lead has long repressed this memory. He had forgotten his face out of fear and hatred. The only thing the victim remembers is the BEARD, and old bearded men! (chapter 44) And the nightmare exposed the number of persons involved in his suffering: 4 men!! Here, we have 3 men, and don’t forget the left hand from before. (chapter 74) But if I include the painting, then I come to 6 people: the patriach Yoon Chang-Hyeon and the king. This coincides with the cover from season 1: 3 hands indicates 3 people and we have two lovers in the background. Moreover, we shouldn’t forget the peeper, the person Yoon Seungho was looking at. Hence we have 6 people involved in the conspiracy.

But what caught my attention is that the illustration of season 2 and 3 are showing locations: the painter’s study and the bedchamber. Thus I conclude that Byeonduck was revealing the places where a crime was committed in the past and in the present. In the study, the painter lost his virginity, he was bullied or slapped, while in the past, Lee Jihwa stole Yoon Seungho’s first kiss. So in my opinion, the illustration for season 4 should be the gibang, unless we assume that the cover of season 1 is a reference to the kisaeng house! (chapter 1) Anyway, from my point of view, the cover of season 4 should indicate a location which is connected to the town. Why? It is because now I am suspecting commoners to be involved in the lord’s suffering. I have already expressed my theories about Kim, the guard blacks, Heena and the physician. But there are more suspects! Moreover, observe that the kisaeng house is not only visited by aristocrats, but also by commoners. (chapter 99) That’s the reason why I am anticipating a cover with the gibang. It would be the perfect place to find closure for the couple. It is a place where both suffered. Moreover, I think, belongings should serve as an evidence for the identification of the schemers and accomplices. Remember that we had the glasses as the evidence of a murder in season 3, yet I am sensing that the possession should serve to identify the perpetrators from the past and the present. Since the clothes were used to confuse people in season 3, I am assuming that in season 4, they should help to recognize people, but at the same time, it is totally possible that our main leads decide to employ the same method to fool the schemers and accomplices. And now, we have the cover for season 4. Both protagonists are not only facing each other, but also touching each other. They are no longer hiding their emotions and thoughts. This image represents the opposite to the other seasons. At the same time, the author is again referring to the bedchamber indicating that this place is strongly connected to the protagonists’ suffering. On the other side, since the painter is wearing a silk white shirt, it implies that he is not a commoner. This panel indicates that the main lead was able to the true owner of the study and even bed. However, due to the tears, the beholder can sense that this season will be painful as well. Striking is that in the cover, they were either alone, or they were just looking at each other, hence they didn’t pay attention to their surroundings. Consequently, they couldn’t sense the presence of a plot and the schemers. This indicates that the couple is still not prepared to face new schemes. To sum up, the author selected such covers because she had planned to leave clues there about the mystery! But wait… I had outlined that the person who grabbed the young master Seungho was left-handed, and he played a huge role in the main lead’s downfall and suffering! But who is left-handed in this story?

4. The mysterious left-handed

Naturally, I investigated the matter right away. My first suspect was Kim, but he seems to be right-handed! (chapter 12) (chapter 56). But then I noticed that he carried his master on the left side. (chapter 57) Nevertheless, the person threatening the painter was right-handed. (chapter 66) and since it is for me the butler, he was not the person from the nightmare. That’s the reason why I am excluding him from the suspect list. For me, if he was involved in the past, it is because he lit the candles (chapter 74). Furthermore, don’t forget that in his nightmare, the author exposed the presence of plates with 3 candles (chapter 74) which were also used in the shaman’s house. Finally, in this picture, we have a right-handed person. (chapter 74) So Kim could have been the one silencing him with his hand.

Then I realized that Yoon Chang-Hyeon had also switched his hand. In season 3, he slapped his son with his left hand. (chapter 86) Hence his right cheek was red and he had a wounded lip. (chapter 86) On the other hand, at the doctor’s office, he employed his right-hand to keep his son by his side. (chapter 57). Why is there this change? The turning point was the prank in the bedchamber. (chapter 83) During that scene, the father slapped his son with both hands. First with the right (chapter 83), then with the left! Striking is that the author never showed, when the patriarch employed his left hand. The readers could only hear the sound, and see the result of the beating. Both cheeks were wounded. From my point of view, he was conditioned exactly like Min! He was not allowed to use his left hand, but the angrier he got, the less he could hide his true self: he was left-handed and he was a stupid and brutal father!! (chapter 74) However, note that this switch happened after the sexual abuse had started!! That’s the reason why I conclude that he is not the man from the nightmare. For me, the father is symbolized by the painting, just like the pedophile! So where is the left-handed person? So far, the fake servant smoked with his right hand. (chapter 37) On the other hand, I am doubting that Byeonduck will introduce many new characters in season 4. That’s the reason why I believe that the man with the pipe is the real schemer, as the pipe was in the annex. Since Min grabbed Baek Na-Kyum in the shaman’s house, I am more inclined to think that the perpetrator grabbing the young master Seungho by the collar was just an accomplice and not the mastermind. In other words, he was the helping hand.

And there are two persons left that fit the profile of a left-handed old bearded man. The physician!! 😮Notice that he placed his box on the left side and this twice!! (chapter 57) (Chapter 74) I don’t believe in hazard. Besides, the lord had his nightmare during the same chapter. This means that he could have leaked this information about Yoon Seungho to an outsider, like he did with the painter. As the manhwalovers can grasp, the physician is more suspicious than before.

As for the second person, it is none other than the calligrapher!! (chapter 92) Besides, observe that the angry man put the brush on the left side. (chapter 92) The man is left-handed! And what did Yoon Seungho do? (chapter 92) He grabbed him by the collar! Exactly like in the dream!! (chapter 74) Thus I had this sudden idea: the calligrapher could have been Yoon Seungho’s teacher!! The latter became jealous of the young master due to his talent and notoriety. Another possibility is that he was commissioned by the elder master Yoon to write a talisman, a spring poetry, as we have these writings on the door (chapter 44) or patio of his mansion, similar to Heena’s. And since the young main lead suffered so much, it is normal that he doesn’t have such believes. IT is also possible that the young master Seungho played a prank which made the man angry and humiliated. As you can see, I come to the conclusion that jealousy and resent were the reasons why he got involved in the first place. Moreover, we shouldn’t forget that the calligrapher is linked to the kisaengs! He even recognized Baek Na-Kyum, as he called him a peasant. (chapter 92) Yet, he was either perceived as servant, a noblewoman or as a sir so far! He was never recognized as a peasant. Since he could identify the artist, it is also possible that he was also able to identify Yoon Seungho. But he thought that he was not well educated after living as a male kisaeng for so long. From my point of view, the man could have decided to get revenge on Yoon Seungho and participated in his abduction and gangrape!! Thus his karma was to lose his home! (chapter 91) The fact that Yoon Seungho grabbed him the same way than in the nightmare is not random. It was, as if he was getting justice. Honestly, I am more and more suspecting that in the past, Yoon Seungho got raped by commoners! Naturally, I have not changed my mind that the king was behind this plot: to get revenge on the Yoons! Who benefitted the most from the crime? Definitely the king, as he was able to ruin their influence.

Finally, I would like to remind the readers that according to me, the tailor is involved in the lord’s past suffering. However, according to me, there exist two tailors. While the other called the main lead “lord Yoon Seungho” (chapter 39), the other only recognizes him as master Yoon. (chapter 64) This means that the latter knows about the existence of elder master Yoon. Like mentioned above, the calligrapher, the physician, the tailor, the fake servant and the “shaman” from chapter 29 have all one thing in common: the beard!!

5. The other accomplices: the hanbok and the beards

Byeonduck left pieces of the puzzle in the covers in order to unveil the truth about the past and the present. Hence the moment the illustration is released, try to examine it attentively. It definitely gives clues about the evolution of the story, and the evidences concerning the perpetrators and helping hands. My recent discoveries led me to develop the following theory: the involvement of merchants. This man (chapter 83) disguised himself and hide his true identity behind “lord Song”. But is he the king or someone else? He was definitely a pedophile, but since we can’t see his face, it is not certain that it was the king. (chapter 83) Striking is that he is not “smoking here”, yet I had outlined that one abuser was a heavy smoker due to Yoon Seungho’s behavior. (chapter 83) On the other hand, I discovered that the man with the green hanbok was smoking! And why doesn’t the patriarch suspect the king behind the plot? It is because he was never officially banished or sent to exile. Thus he explains his desertion from the mansion as an absence. (chapter 86) Let’s not forget that in season 3, clothes were used to deceive Yoon Seungho, and the authorities played along. Besides, as the painter had become the love interest of Yoon Seungho and Black Heart, it is very likely that in the past, the victim was exposed to two different abusers, but they all hid behind the name: lord Song. Note that during this feast, one man had a moustache beard which is in Painter Of The Night the sign that he is no yanbang, not even chungin, the upper-middle class. He could be a rich merchant. Just because they are all wearing hanboks (chapter 83) (chapter 87), this doesn’t mean that these men belong to the aristocracy. Furthermore, Kim never said “nobles”, he just said “visitors”!! Finally, I would like to point out that since Yoon Seungho lived secluded for 10 years, I doubt that he had the means and the knowledge to be involved in the trade: (chapter 22) This theory of the participation of a merchant got even reinforced, when I made the following discovery. The wooden boxes in season 1 were present at the tailor‘s shop!! (chapter 39) Thus I am deducing that the barn in season 2 (chapter 51) could have belonged to the tailor or the owner of this shop. And note the couple was in the same position than with the kisaeng with No-Name in episode 51! (chapter 51) This was the negative reflection from episode 39: no penetration versus penetration, no interruption versus interruption, no rumor versus rumor etc. And this contrast clearly displays that the tailor shop is involved in Yoon Seungho’s suffering. And the best evidence for this is the nightmare. The main lead’s clothes had a design. (chapter 74) and the readers never saw the protagonist wearing it so far!! So where is this special hanbok? The latter is the evidence of the tailor’s involvement, as he had to create it. To conclude, there is a strong connection between the gibang, the tailor and the trade. And now, you comprehend why I am more than ever suspecting commoners’ complicity in the main lead’s suffering.

Protected: Painter Of The Night: The ruined paintings 🖼️

November 30, 2022March 6, 2023 ~ Bébébisous33

Protected: Painter Of The Night: The riddle ❓❔ with the bed cover 🛏️

November 19, 2022January 14, 2023 ~ Bébébisous33

Painter Of The Night: The puzzle with the paper 📜 📨 (second version)

November 2, 2022November 6, 2022 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ Leave a comment

Announcement: The essay “The secret behind curry, apple and butter” has been updated.

Here, I would like to thank my friend Luzyla for her latest observations which made me realize the existence of a new connection!! Before elaborating my new discoveries, I would like to repeat the following principles on which the story was developed:

There is always a reflection within the same chapter.
The next episode is mirroring the previous one, naturally with slight changes.
Each season is reflected in the previous and the future one.
The author is working on positive and negative reflections.
Thus the story is going in circle.
Thus the lord’s destiny is reflected in the painter’s.

That’s the method I am using to unveil the mystery behind Yoon Seungho’s past and as such behind the painter’s.

1. Baek Na-Kyum’s apology

Everything started with this panel. (Chapter 5) Baek Na-Kyum was apologizing for his past behavior. He had insulted the main lead because of the poem. And his words sounded really similar to the butler’s in the library, for they both employed the same expressions: “That day” and “I spoke out of”. (Chapter 77) Striking is that the painter employed the expression “hand”, while the valet talked about “turn”. Why did they do that? It is because when Kim was caught committing a crime, he turned his head! (chapter 68) Thus in the library, the butler excused himself in front of the lord by using the following expression: “spoke out of turn”!! On the other hand, the painter had used his hand, (chapter 4), therefore he described his wrongdoing with the following expression “out of hand”. In my eyes, his words indicate the interference of the butler. Furthermore, the two men had a drop of sweat, a sign that they were not truly honest. (chapter 77) Both were apologizing, as they had wronged the noble. As you can imagine, the similarity in the excuse is no coincidence. The proof that both incidents are reflections is that they have another point in common. The wrongdoings of the low-borns had taken place in front of a gate. The butler had disobeyed his master (chapter 68), and the painter had assaulted the lord by trying to retrieve the poetry. (Chapter 4) Because both characters had violated social norms, showing disrespect towards a noble, (chapter 04) the consequence was that two people were pushed down, the black guard and Baek Na-Kyum. (Chapter 4) In other words, since Yoon Seungho had punished the butler due to the incidents in episode 67/68, I deduce that episodes 67/68 were reflections of episode 4/5 as well!! This corresponds to the rule 2 and 3.

1. 1. Yoon Seungho, the commoners and the Lees

But this doesn’t end here. When the lord caught Kim’s wrongdoing, he was returning from the Lees’ mansion (chapter 68). Since this is the positive reflection, I am deducing that in chapter 4, Yoon Seungho was actually returning to the domain of the Lees, as it should mirror the opposite. (chapter 4) Let’s not forget that just before the great entrance of Black Heart and the protagonist in chapter 67, this was what the author showed us: (chapter 67) And now compare the building to this one from chapter 1: (chapter 1) Under this light, my theory that Yoon Seungho was living with the Lees in the beginning of the story gets reinforced and even validated. In season 1, Yoon Seungho had sex with his friend in the pavilion so that the father and the staff could see the truth: the young master Jihwa was a sodomite. But since we saw Yoon Seungho in that building in episode 1, we jumped to the wrong conclusion that this was his house. But actually, from chapter 12 on, the author was showing us that we had been deceived. This was the lord’s house, and note that there is no building in the big courtyard contrary to the domain from chapter 67 and 1. (Chapter 12) (For more read the essay “Lee Jihwa’s special relationship with Yoon Seungho”) Then in season 2, the main lead forced the elder Lee to hear what he had been denying all this time (Chapter 67), while in chapter 3, he could only witness it from the patio. On the other hand, Yoon Seungho had been proactive during their sexual encounter, hence the father could only blame the main lead for his son’s debauchery. The intimacy in the pavilion was in verity hiding Yoon Seungho’s huge traumas. But due to Lee Jihwa’s confession in the inn, the red-haired master’s reputation got ruined in town and this must have definitely reached the father’s ears. Striking is that when Yoon Seungho confronted Lee Jihwa with his crime (abduction of a person from his household), the red-haired master ran away and hid behind the folding shield. Thus he never apologized to his friend. And it was the same with the elder Lee. The latter knew about his son’s wrongdoing, for he accused the intruder immediately. (Chapter 67) As you can see, the absence of the excuse from the uke and his father outlines that chapter 67 is a reflection of episode 5 and 77. I detect a pattern, chapter 5 contains a superficial apology, chapter 67 no apology and chapter 77 a fake excuse again. Furthermore the manhwalovers can recognize that in the same episode (episode 5), the antagonist Jihwa had indeed wounded the painter with his insult too, a reflection of episode 4. (Chapter 5) This confirms that chapter 5 is connected not only to episode 77, but also to chapter 67/68. We have the same elements: an incident linked to a door (chapter 67), insults towards the main leads, a wrongdoing, the allusion to love (chapter 67), a punishment, but also the absence or presence of an apology. But all of these episodes have other similarities: hypocrisy and arrogance. The Lees were looking down on Baek Na-Kyum and Yoon Seungho (chapter 5-67), while in episode 77, it was the butler who yelled and criticized the noble. (chapter 77) By detecting a reflection between these chapters, I had a new revelation.

1. 2. The lord and the papers

In addition, if the manhwaphiles compare the scene with the painter’s excuse (chapter 5) to the scene with the butler’s (chapter 77), they can detect the fourth parallel: Yoon Seungho’s correspondence. 😮 How is it possible, as in episode 5, the noble never wrote a letter? In fact, he gave the poem to the black guard for the investigation. On the other hand, it looked, as though Yoon Seungho had written a letter (chapter 5), while it was not the case. As you can see, anyone seeing the black guard leaving the owner’s study could have had the impression that the lord had written a letter. This means that this mistake must have taken place later again due to the rule 2! The manhwalovers could discover the deception in chapter 37/38!! (chapter 38) That’s how Jung In-Hun got misled. (chapter 38) Yoon Seung-Won had never received a letter, but the ruined painting. The readers only discovered the trick in the final episode, when the father was looking at the picture. And this connection between a letter and a painting was reflected in season 2. While Min stole the painter’s last creation (chapter 56), Jihwa sent a forged letter (chapter 56). Striking is that the butler was the one who received the paper before delivering it to his sick master. These two scenes (38-56) indicate that the valet is related to the correspondence. Moreover, he was seen delivering the message to Yoon Seungho in the courtyard. (chapter 35)

All this proves that in chapter 5, the butler had seen the black guard departing from the study with the paper in the hand, and he had jumped to the wrong conclusion that his master had written a letter. Therefore right after this conversation, the lord’s table vanished. (chapter 5) It was, as if he was not allowed to write any letter. So where did the table go? To the study!! What caught my attention is that after the first painting (chapter 2), the table had been removed from the study, just like the papers. (chapter 4) This was no coincidence. It had been sent to the lord’s bedroom, but after the lord had tasked the black guard, it was no longer there. This is the indication that someone was interfering with Yoon Seungho’s habit to take a brush. And this can only be Kim. As you can see, the appearance and the vanishing of the small table is the element which was reflected in chapter 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. And now, look at the scene where Lee Jihwa met Min. (chapter 67) The table had also disappeared. And when did it happen? (chapter 21) The noble had ransacked his own room with his sword. And what did we see in that episode? A paper folded in a book. (chapter 21) In other words, the First Wedding night is also a reflection from these chapters (4/5, 67/68, 77), for it contains the same elements: (chapter 20) an incident with a door, someone is pushed down, a wrongdoing committed against Yoon Seungho (theft), an apology (episode 19) and the importance of the table. According to me, the valet had put the expensive wine on the painter’s table on purpose. To conclude, I see a connection between episode 4/5, 19/20/21, 67/68 and 77.

And now. you are wondering if I am not drifting away from my initial statement, the painter’s apology. However, I would like to remind the readers that in order to write a letter, a person usually needs to have a table in order to write properly. So imagine the butler’s reaction, when he hears from Yoon Seungho this: (chapter 77) He can not trust his words, especially since he views the nobles as violent liars. Why? It is because there was this huge table. This is no coincidence that right after the valet betrayed the main lead and wrote a message to the patriarch. That’s how I had another revelation. The butler is symbolized by the table! Thus he was often seen with this small table (chapter 11) (chapter 17) To conclude, when the butler saw the black guard leaving the mansion, he believed that his master had sent words to someone! That’s the reason why he removed the table and returned it to the painter’s study.

(chapter 5) However, this was just the poem!! This confusion between a letter and a poem should be reflected in season 3 according to rule 3. That’s how I came to the conclusion that when the painter returned to the annex and took the poem, he was actually taking a letter (chapter 97) written by Yoon Seungho, but he envisioned that this was the Spring poem! (chapter 97) We had the same situation. Black Heart had stolen the Spring poem, and the noonas had deceived the protagonists by faking admiration in front of an empty paper. (chapter 93) Since the paper in episode 93 was empty, I could only come to the deduction that this paper contained words!! (chapter 97) Another evidence for this theory is the color of the paper, for the second doesn’t have a shade of pink. Then I suddenly recalled that the artist had received two calligraphies, the one from his beloved and the other from the old bearded man. (chapter 92) The latter’s work was a copy of Yoon Seungho’s poetry, the repetition from chapter 4. Hence you comprehend why I deduce that the paper in the annex was different from the Spring poem. So during that night, Yoon Seungho left a note to his lover, and that’s how the butler discovered that the artist could not read Chinese, for he saw his master writing in hangeul. But there exists another evidence for this interpretation. Baek Na-Kyum had wished this: (chapter 97) The goddess was actually fulfilling his wish, when she reminded him of the Spring poem.

And that’s how I realized why Kim had suggested to his master that two servants should remain by Baek Na-Kyum’s side and bring him back to the mansion. The reason is simple. The two domestics were to divert the artist’s attention, that way the painter wouldn’t read the letter. If the domestics were present, they could give some information to the painter without revealing too much. (chapter 97) If the lord had mentioned in the letter that they had found the corpse of Deok-Jae, the painter would have believed him. However, as you can envision it, the butler and Min were determined to generate a misunderstanding, to create the illusion that the scholar had died. Consequently, the servants deceived the main lead by omitting the existence of the paper. They had not delivered the message properly.

In other words, the letter is connected to a painting and a poem, yet each time, the paper was stolen or misused. Striking is that none of the main characters noticed the switch or the vanishing. We could say that this was Yoon Seungho’s karma for stealing the painter’s belonging. (chapter 4) His own poetry got stolen. But let’s return our attention to episode 5. Since the lord had given the poem to the black guard, this signifies that the lord no longer had the sijo. Therefore he had to write the poem again in order to mask the disappearance. In my opinion, he must have copied the original poetry for the artist in order to prove that he had not been lying. Hence the paper looked different. And this brings me back to the painter’s apology in the patio. (chapter 5) Why did the painter apologize to Yoon Seungho in the end? How did he come up with such an idea? It is because this had been suggested to the artist by Kim. This explicates why he was speaking like the butler. The latter had actually made a huge error, when he advised the artist. Why? It is because he was mixing cause and consequence. In the valet’s mind, the lord had kept the message, for the painter had offended him. So if he were to confess his wrongdoing, the lord would return the poem, and after that, it was just a matter of time, until the painter would desert the propriety. However, the lord had stated this: (chapter 04) That’s the reason why he had taken it in the first place.

Since Kim had been the one suggesting to the painter to beg for forgiveness with the hope that he would get back his poetry, it is normal that Kim was present, when the poetry was returned. (chapter 7) But where is the sijo now?

In my eyes, Kim had witnessed how the paper had left the property in the past, and he had not intervened. Why? It is because of the black guard. (chapter 65) Moreover, I believe that in chapter 65, he had collaborated with the noona. He had shown her the painting of Baek Na-Kyum, while in the study there was a blank paper. As you can see, in season 2, we had again this connection between a painting and blank paper. But let’s return our attention to chapter 5. The black guard was acting on the order of someone else, Yoon Seungho was not the one hiring him. The butler hates ruckus, his MO is to lie low and act in the shadow. If he had retrieved the paper, the man could report it to the master of the black guard. On the other hand, he could have asked the warden about his master’s request. He just needed to say that he desired to assist him, similar to this situation. (chapter 82) Thus I conclude that when the lord returned the paper to Baek Na-Kyum (chapter 7), Kim must have realized his error. He had mistaken the poem for a letter!! This explains why he repeated the trick with the younger master Seung-Won. But unfortunately for him, he was caught by the teacher who asked the painter about the letter the next morning. (chapter 38) Baek Na-Kyum could have realized that the butler had acted behind his master’s back. The problem is that during that evening, the lord had indeed written a letter to his brother (chapter 36), but the moment the latter interrupted the couple (chapter 37), Yoon Seungho chose to hide it. But why is it important? It is because if the painter had mentioned the paper given to the younger master to Yoon Seungho, the latter could have noticed the valet’s meddling and wrongdoing. On the surface, it looked like Kim had written himself a letter to the younger master. In other words, in episode 37/38, the butler gave the impression that he was a spy, for he was acting without his master’s permission. He had even left the propriety, as he was standing outside in front of the gate. Don’t forget that during the meeting, the brother had mentioned that he had sent him many letters (chapter 37), and there is no ambiguity that Kim had intervened. Here, the lord had said nothing, for he imagined that Kim had done it to protect him from his family.

According to my theory, Yoon Seungho was living with the Lees, and as such Baek Na-Kyum had to trespass the propriety in order to retrieve his tools and vanish!! (Chapter 4) But on his way out, he met Yoon Seungho who had just missed the painter’s departure. But there, he discovered that the main lead had stolen his poetry. (Chapter 04) Therefore he was forced to return to the mansion. At the same time, Yoon Seungho was encouraged to come back to the propriety too. He had to keep an eye on the painter. He couldn’t be so sure that the poem was strong enough to keep Baek Na-Kyum by his side. Therefore it is not surprising that in episode 5, Yoon Seungho was seen sitting in front of the window smoking. (chapter 5) He was looking at the gate and as such making sure that the artist’s departure would be noticed. By sending the low-born to the Lees’ mansion, Kim was encouraging the painter to commit a crime: trespassing! But the artist was fortunate, for he was not caught by the lord of the mansion, who preferred hiding due to the ruckus caused by his own son. 😉 As for Yoon Seungho, he came back to the mansion and saw the empty study. Kim just needed to say that the low-born had left to the Lees’ mansion. This is important, because this indicates that in chapter 4, the couple missed each other first! And this situation was repeated in season 3, precisely in chapter 98, when the lord returned from the bureau of investigation (chapter 98)! The lord arrived just after the painter’s departure. And who was with the main lead? Kim. As you can see, the lord’s luck seems not to be on his side, for Baek Na-Kyum had just left the propriety. Once again… the lord was standing in front of the gate!! As for season 2, this time, it was Kim’s fate to miss his master. (chapter 56) The reason for this punishment is simple. He had sent away the artist to the study just before Yoon Seungho regained consciousness. The latter didn’t see that the artist had taken care of him during that night. Thus the butler’s karma was not to notice his master’s departure which stands in opposition to chapter 4 and 98. And note that all these chapters have the paper as common denominator. So imagine the butler’s surprise in episode 4, when he witnessed the artist’s return to the mansion followed by his master. He had sent away Baek Na-Kyum with the hope that the artist would desert the town for good, but no…

2. Kim’s hidden action

Kim must have been intrigued. Why did Baek Na-Kyum come back? He had witnessed the execution of a servant, then he had been abducted before getting imprisoned in the storage room. Finally, he had been threatened and forced to paint an erotic picture. Hence Kim felt the urge to discover the reasons for the painter’s behavior. In other words, he must have interrogated him, the older version of this scene: (chapter 23) The first similarity is the allusion to his bag. The butler was actually thinking that during the hunt, the painter would decide to run away. That’s the reason why he asked about his belonging, for in the past, he only wished to vanish after retrieving his tools. Naturally, the artist saw no harm in the butler’s question and answered truthfully. He must have narrated the argument in the courtyard about the poem. Yoon Seungho had kept the sijo, consequently the painter had used his hand to take it back and had by mistake removed the lord’s hat. Thus Kim must have told him that he just needed to apologize. But one might say that this is just a story imagined by me. The manhwaphiles never saw such a scene. But don’t forget the existence of the reflections. I have definitely an evidence for this theory. Since the butler had manipulated the painter in chapter 4 in order to get rid of this uninvited guest, his karma was to receive a new guest!! (chapter 7) This is not what the valet truly desired at all. He wanted to live in peace. But now, he had three new people he had to serve: Jung In-Hun, the painter and his own master Yoon Seungho who had lived for quite some time in the Lees’ mansion. He had to work!! And note that in this episode 7, we have the following elements:

The arrival of a guest, exactly like in episode 4-5; 67/68 and 77.
a paper
the library
a reference to “love”
the first appearance of Kim
The existence of a deal which is also present in chapter 4 and 77
The connection between the letter and a poem (chapter 5-77)

This truly shows that during that night (chapter 77), the valet chose to write a letter in order to denunciate the protagonist. As you already know, attack is the best defense. Exactly like in the courtyard, he badmouthed a noble, this time he must have compared Yoon Seungho to the younger brother Yoon Seung-Won. The latter would succeed with the civil service examination and bring glory to the Yoons, whereas the main lead would only live like an idle sodomite.

Through this contrast, another detail caught my attention. (chapter 7) How did Yoon Seungho know that the learned sir had no connection and was poor? Who had told him that? One might think that this can only be the butler. However, Yoon Seungho had tasked the black guard to investigate and not Kim. Yet, there is no ambiguity that the latter definitely played a role in this investigation. Why? It is because of the expressions the main lead was using: “hardly knows”, “determination”, “labor in vain” which resembles to the valet’s vocabulary, though he embodies the opposite: ignorance, hesitation and laziness. The aristocrat’s description about the teacher is actually questioning the main lead’s actions. If Jung In-Hun was portrayed as poor and powerless, why would he sponsor such a scholar? He would gain nothing. Moreover, with such a portrait, the speaker is implying that only through connections you can achieve greatness. These words are actually exposing the meaningless of the civil service examination. In other words, this description was already insinuating the existence of sodomy, sex in exchange of favors. And this negative depiction of the civil service examination was exposed once again in the gibang. (chapter 93) It was a futile dream. When I had analyzed episode 93, I had explained that the speech from the main lead was influenced by the butler. As you can see, the lord’s narration (chapter 7) was mirroring the valet’s mentality and meddling. He had tried to stop his master from visiting the learned sir the day before. However, I don’t think that Kim is only responsible for this negative characterization of Jung In-Hun in episode 7! Why? First, we never saw the return of the black guard, but when the main lead visited the learned sir’s mansion, he was followed by another one! (chapter 6) There was a switch. That’s how I had this revelation. Heena is the missing link between the learned sir and the protagonist. And observe that in episode 93, we have the same elements again:

An empty paper which is confused with the poem

The incident with the door: (chapter 93) This time, Heena is the one standing behind closed doors, while it was Yoon Seungho in chapter 77

The reference to the library:

The allusion to Kim

The presence of love and affection:

The lord got badmouthed

The fake apology: (chapter 93) In chapter 99, the noonas still lied to him.

An invitation (chapter 93), which was also present in chapter 4/5, 7 and 67/68 and finally 77 ! Since episode 93 is a reflection of episode 7, I could only come to the conclusion that Heena was the one standing behind the black guard! Besides, I had already discovered that Heena was associated to the table as well (see chapter 94 and 68). She represents the link between the butler and Jung In-Hun. She had already collaborated with the valet in episode 65. So from my point of view, she must have received the scholar’s poem with Yoon Seungho’s request. But what could she do with it? Keep it? No… her interference would have been noticed. Hence I believe that the kisaeng was not acting on her own. She was following the orders from the mysterious “lord Song”. At the same time, I think that she is also connected to the Lees. This would explicate why the black guards would change between episode 1, 5 and 6. Finally, according to me, the learned sir had connections to elder Lee, for he had seen the baby Na-Kyum at the gate. (chapter 1) [For more read the essay “Baek Na-Kyum’s origins”] There is no ambiguity that these words (chapter 7) were not reflecting the verity.

In other words, she had been working for two people, just like the butler was turning Yoon Chang-HYeon against the son and the reverse. Both stands for disloyalty. Therefore it is no coincidence that the kisaeng was seen with different black guards in chapter 64. On the other hand, the readers should keep in their mind that the black guard can be seen as a double-edged sword. They can serve as protectors, but also as “spies and as captors”. They could report Heena’s actions to the nobleman who had hired the black guards. Finally, the manhwaphiles will certainly recall the butler’s statement: (chapter 55) Who was lord Song’s contact person then? In the past, I used to think that he was the one receiving the letters. But now, I have a different opinion. I believe, it is Heena! Why? It is because Kim couldn’t identify lord Song’s writing. According to me, Yoon Seungho was sent to the gibang in order to entertain the mysterious “lord Song”. Thereby I am assuming that the kisaeng would receive a word from lord Song and have the main lead fetched from the mansion by the black guards. Heena and Yoon Chang-Hyeon are the only ones seen with black guards, I am excluding the main lead, as he was always more or less their prisoner. As you can see, there is a connection between the noona and the Yoons.

3. Heena and the letters

First, I would like to point out that the kisaeng mentioned letters twice in season 2. (chapter 68)(chapter 69) and in season 3, the noona sent messages to her brother herself. In two different chapters (chapter 91), she is related to papers. (chapter 97) Logically, the noona in connection with the letter should be present in season 1. Secondly, when the woman appeared for the first time (chapter 64), she was accompanied with 2 guards, which is quite similar to the lord’s situation in chapter 1. That’s the reason why I believe that she didn’t keep the learned sir’s poem. Her betrayal could have been noticed and this was the first time that Yoon Seungho was making such a request.

So where is the teacher’s sijo? It was received by the mysterious “lord Song”. That’s how he discovered that his ex-lover was showing an interest in the learned sir. This is important, because the poem will serve as the evidence to identify the murderer behind Jung In-Hun’s death. On the other hand, one might refute this idea, for the teacher was seen in his bedroom with the paper. (chapter 21) But if you look more closely at the paper, you will realize that it resembles a lot more to this one due to the marble effect. (chapter 7) Nevertheless, the paper looks damaged in the previous panel. But this could be the result of anger, like this. (chapter 56) This would follow rule 3. Then according to rule 2 of the kaleidoscope, elements from one episode will be constantly mirrored in the next chapters. And what did we have in episode 19? A larceny… the bottle of wine vanished. Then in episode 20, the lord stole the scholar’s identity, while he stole the painter’s virginity. Hence the lord apologized to the painter for his wrongdoings. (chapter 21) And above I had already demonstrated the connection between the First Wedding Night and chapter 5 and 77! Here the lord was imitating the pedophile’s behavior, hence you comprehend why I think that lord Song was the recipient of the poem. I would like my readers to keep in their mind that the learned sir’s sijo was referring to a painful departure, the loss of a loved one and despair! The beholder could have the impression that the author was suicidal due to the mention of the well and the torment of the mind. Thus I am now assuming that the “mysterious lord Song” will consider the sijo as a farewell, the lord chose to commit suicide and his death was related to Jung In-Hun’s curtains. Why? It is because Heena wrote letters to her brother where she accused the main lead of killing the learned sir. Moreover, Yoon Seung-Won had definitely mistaken the painter for the learned sir. (chapter 37) His position revealed that the main lead trusted the artist. It was, as if he was treating him like his wife. (chapter 97) And from my point of view, these messages were never burned. That way, Kim can put the whole blame on the kisaeng and her brother!! The butler can even reveal how Yoon Chang-Hyeon had harassed the son and tried to frame him for the death of his messenger.

But since “lord Song” was behind the scholar’s murder, he can only retaliate against Lee Jihwa and Min’s friends. Why? Because he will deny his responsibility in the crime, though he was the one who ordered it! Exactly like in the past. He had never assumed any responsibility, he always let others take the accountability. He needs to find a culprit in order to vent his fury. If they had not brought up the learned sir’s assassination, then Yoon Seungho “could have lived” in peace. To conclude, when the lord gave the paper to the black guard, the pedophile had the impression that the main character was rekindling with him, for he was asking for his help. He was far away from him. In his eyes, he had contacted him, “lord Song” alias the king!! And now, it becomes understandable why lord Song sent hanboks and asked Min to organize parties for Yoon Seungho!! It is because the pedophile believed that the main lead was no longer pushing him away or had accepted him. This is not surprising that little by little, the main lead’s hanboks became more and more beautiful. Don’t forget the following rule, the painter’s situation will be mirrored in the lord’s. Thus in chapter 34, Yoon Seungho returned with a hanbok covered with cranes (chapter 34), and shortly after the painter was sent to the tailor. But during that night, the pedophile and Yoon Seungho had missed each other due to Baek Na-Kyum. He was not dead. So when the painter received new clothes, it was the same for Yoon Seungho. Yet, the pedophile was gravely mistaken. Why? The sijo had been stolen, and as such it was never addressed to the pedophile. Furthermore, it is because the lord was suffering from memory loss. Moreover, I believe that the main lead is not aware of the true identity of his sexual abuser. In his mind, it is just lord Song. But this doesn’t end here.

According to me, the main lead wrote a letter to his lover in the gibang. This signifies that someone else must have done the same due to rule 1 and 2. The reference of the Spring poem in chapter 97 indicates the presence of a letter in the previous episode or the next! From my point of view, Min must have asked the kisaeng to contact “lord Song”!! And don’t forget that in season 2, we had a forged letter. (chapter 57) And who was behind this? Black Heart’s friend. But then it came to my mind that Black Heart had stolen the Spring poem… so he could have sent the paper to lord Song and the latter would have mistaken it as a letter from Yoon Seungho, the latter was reaching out to him. He was wishing him luck!! So imagine that when the man arrives in Jemulpo, he imagines that the main lead is waiting for him only to discover that Yoon Seungho vanished. He wished to die because of the loss of a loved one. And that’s how he will recall the poetry of the learned sir… the reflection of this night!! (chapter 94) In episode 4, the lord had laughed about the sijo, but it was no longer the case in the kisaeng house. In my eyes, the pedophile will go through the same experience. Yes, the effect of the kaleidoscope. He will perceive the learned sir’s poetry under a different perspective. Only in that moment, he will realize the suicidal tone in the sijo. He will question how Yoon Seungho could become so desperate and suicidal so suddenly. And now, you comprehend why Heena was trembling in front of her brother, and why she had planned to leave the gibang that night!! She was aware of the arrival of “lord Song”. She knows how cruel and ruthless he can be.

And Lee Jihwa’s words will become a reality. (chapter 101) Blood will flow… The proof for this expectation is that chapter 67, 77, 82 and 93 are all referring to punishment. Kim had been beaten in episode 77, while the kisaeng was imprisoned in the storage room. Moreover, we have the use of the sword in episode 21 and 67… and during these nights, the protagonists had made love to each other.

4. Father Lee’s message

Since the Lees are connected to paper in the form of the paintings and the letter, (chapter 5, 10, 15, 17, 56), I had suddenly this question! Why didn’t Lee send a word to Yoon Chang-Hyeon? Why did he have to visit him during the night? (chapter 82) (chapter 82) It is because he didn’t want to leave any evidence of his intervention. No one should notice that he had paid a visit to the patriarch either. His visit should remain a secret. He was actually afraid of getting detected. The reason is simple. He was fearing the person standing behind Yoon Seungho, lord Song. He had two reasons for this. First, he could see that Yoon Seungho was no longer treated like an animal or male kisaeng. (chapter 67) He was even better dressed than his own son. The hanbok was exposing the support from the “pedophile”. Secondly, the main lead had threatened him. (chapter 67) Here, the lord had just insinuated that if something like that happened again, he would go to the authorities. However, since this threat was rather ambiguous, the patriarch Lee could only interpret it that way. The main lead would report the incident to the “mysterious lord Song”, alias the king. And father Lee knew that he could get into trouble. Furthermore, since these elders are all hypocrites and liars, there is no doubt that father Lee feared that the protagonist wouldn’t keep his words. That’s the reason why he approached the father. He hoped that Yoon Chang-Hyeon would intervene and impose his will onto his son. He would tame the main character. In other words, episode 82 is a reflection of chapter 4/5, 19/20/21, 67/68 and 77. The first common denominator is the allusion to letters. The messenger’s words revealed that Kim had contacted the elder Yoon, for he already knew his name, though the latter had never met the domestic. Secondly, the “letters” were delivered orally: (chapter 82), and even in person: Father Lee and the emissary. Third, the elder Lee badmouthed Yoon Seungho by mentioning the incident from chapter 67, and refused the invitation of his host (chapter 82). Finally, he called Baek Na-Kyum a peasant exactly like the main lead in front of the gate: (chapter 82). But more important, the old bearded man expressed this fear: the loss of his family home! (chapter 82) And remember that I had detected the presence of the Lees’ mansion in episode 4 and it was also present in chapter 21 and 67! And what had the butler done during these chapters? He had tried to chase away the painter and as such Yoon Seungho. The latter was not supposed to live in the Yoons’ domain. And this will be the Lees’ karma to be driven out of their own house!

5. Conclusions

And now, you comprehend why the sijo from season 1 has not appeared yet. The couple will be able to identify the culprits with the “letters”, the poems. Remember the kisaeng’s words: (chapter 97) The absence of the messages was the evidence of the main lead’s wrongdoing. However, the moment the letters resurface, they will expose the noona’s lies. It doesn’t matter, if she had been deceived. She chose to trust the butler, without verifying the facts. To conclude, the poems will serve as proof for the crimes and I would even go so far to say that the papers, mistaken for letters, are the tools to expose the truth. Yoon Seungho had never contacted lord Song, for he hates him to the core. He is connected to his suffering and martyrdom, therefore he can only view the man as the bird of misfortune, while the latter had the impression that he was now getting closer to the main lead. Consequently, he considered him as his crane! But this man is exactly like Min, totally dishonest and irresponsible. I couldn’t help myself thinking of this folding shield again: (chapter 83) It vanished, and as such it was stolen. Did the mysterious lord Song take it away in order to force Yoon Seungho to paint? The older version of this scene: (chapter 4) And remember that the “paper” is also connected to paintings. However, since this is a reflection of episode 4, I am more inclined to think hat the real purpose was to take the picture and the man had never the intention to return it. Naturally, at some point, the man had a change of heart concerning the main lead, for thanks to him, he could outlive all his sexual fantasies. And this leads me to the following conclusion. The moment, Yoon Seungho sees this painting again, he will recognize the identity of the thief. To sum up, the paper is the proof of wrongdoings, thereby we have this publication: (chapter 1) The paintings were illustrating that the pedophile was having sex with a minor.

PS: I have still so much to say about the comparison between chapter 5 and 77 and the “paper” that I will write another analysis about this.

Painter Of The Night: Nightmare Inn 🏨🍚🍜 (second version)

October 14, 2022October 18, 2022 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ Leave a comment

In the essay “Breakups, chagrin and alcohol” I had outlined the parallels between Baek Na-Kyum and Lee Jihwa. Both would use alcohol to numb their pain after the separation from their loved one. Thus the painter and the red-haired noble went to the inn and became drunks. (chapter 1) (chapter 36) In addition, after realizing that each location is associated to a certain event in the past, I came to the conclusion that the inn represents no exception. Hence the tavern is full of symbolism too.

1. The significance of the tavern

If the manhwaphiles can recall all the scenes where the inn appeared (1, 12, 36, 56, 57, 59, 75, 92), they get aware immediately that this place is connected to breakups and more precisely to abandonment and rejection. This signifies that the place embodies longing too, for the “betrayed” one is still missing the partner. I also noticed that in all these scenes, there were 3 people! In episode 1, we have the servant, Baek Na-Kyum and Yoon Seungho. In episode 12, Jihwa, the servant from the Yoons and the noble with the mole. (chapter 12) In episode 36, we have Min, Lee Jihwa and the noble with the mole. (chapter 36) In episode 57, the noble with the mole got replaced by Kim: (chapter 57) In episode 59, the tavern owner asked No-Name to take away Lee Jihwa (chapter 59) And in episode 92, Black Heart joined the couple (chapter 92). The only exception seems to be the scene in chapter 75: (chapter 75) However, this is just an illusion, for the ghost Jung In-Hun was present. And even before, the painter kept thinking about Heena noona. As you can see, the painter’s words were influenced by his “surrogate parents”, the third party. But let’s return to the major parallel: the confession leading to a rejection.

In the inn, the red-haired noble suffered a huge humiliation, when he confessed his feelings for his childhood friend and got rejected. (chapter 57) Though Yoon Seungho had punished his friend for his forged letter, he still listened to his confession before rejecting him properly. He gave an explanation why he would never reciprocate the affection towards his friend. (chapter 59) What caught my attention is that Lee Jihwa perceived the rejection as abandonment, while in truth the protagonist was not truly cutting ties with him. The real traitor was someone else: the noble with the mole, who ran away, when Yoon Seungho confronted his friend. (chapter 57) In that scene, the young master Jihwa had drunk before the arrival of his friends, though he was in full possession of his mind. (chapter 56) As you can detect, in this scene, the author employed the following elements: confession, sanity, tears, sadness, rejection, alcohol and abandonment.

Then in episode 1, the painter was sad, because he was forbidden to paint. At the same time, he could no longer live with the learned sir. Thus he said this to Yoon Seungho in the tavern: (chapter 75) He was heartbroken due to the loss of his passion and his loved one. At the same time, he was plagued by guilt. He felt responsible for Jung In-Hun’s failure. This is important, because it shows that guilt is another common denominator. In chapter 57, Yoon Seungho was guilty for the antagonist’s suffering.

Striking is that in episode 75, the painter was drunk again. (chapter 75) Why? It is because he was also rejecting the lord. He couldn’t give him his heart, for the lord had such a fickle nature. (chapter 75) He was responsible that the painter wouldn’t get close to him. He was judged as not trustworthy. At the same time, the painter’s confession in the tavern mirrors that Baek Na-Kyum was not delirious. Despite the influence of the drug, he could think and speak properly about his feelings and thoughts, similar to Lee Jihwa in chapter 57. To conclude, in season 2, the commoner and the red-haired noble were not stoned during their confession, which stands in opposition to the First Wedding Night:: (chapter 21) And this common denominator reinforces my theory that when Yoon Seungho got kissed in the study, he was not in full possession of his mind. (chapter 77) As you can see, the drug is not only strongly associated to rejection and broken heart, but also to delirium and insanity.

And now, look at the lord’s reaction, when he was approached by Min in the inn: (chapter 92) Min was voicing his longing for Yoon Seungho, he was implying that he had been abandoned by the protagonist. However, note that the lord utilized water to reject Black Heart! (chapter 92) It was, as if the noble was now crying. The water was displaying the hypocrisy of Min, the “fake tears”. He was not missing the main lead at all, in reality he was yearning for the painter’s gaze. Thus he expressed this in the shaman’s house: (chapter 99) Striking is that when the lord with the green hanbok complained to his acquaintance, he was also acting as if he was guilt-tripping Yoon Seungho. According to his words, the protagonist had abandoned him. It was, as if he had completely forgotten him. (chapter 92)

The most astonishing is that just after splashing Min with water, the protagonist justified his action. Min had lost his sanity. (chapter 92) It was, as if he wanted to bring him back to reality, similar to this gesture: (chapter 102). He explained Black Heart’s attitude with the alcohol. Due to the liquor, Min had become insane and obscene. He was speaking about sodomy in a public place. Striking is that the Joker was portraying himself as a man consumed by lust. He needed the lord’s phallus to feel good. That’s how I detected another similarity: the presence of sex and sensuality in the conversation!

Chapter 1:
Chapter 12: Here, the idiom “toy” was implying sex, though the main characters had not sex together yet.
Chapter 36:
Chapter 57:
Chapter 59:
Chapter 75: Here, the painter’s reproach was connected to the lord’s change of behavior. He was no asking for sex, but the painter was actually longing for Yoon Seungho’s warmth and phallus. (chapter 74) As you can see, Baek Na-Kyum was craving for sensuality. But he couldn’t voice it like Min! He was paying attention to social norms.

Hence I deduce that this place is also connected to homosexuality.

2. The tavern in the torment

The allusion to insanity made me realize that the tavern is connected to torment and as such nightmare. The painter had become like a zombie, when he met Yoon Seungho, and Lee Jihwa was also devastated to have lost his lover and friend. (chapter 36) He kept crying, as he couldn’t bear the separation. At the same time, he explained his weeping with the main lead’s past. He was a pitiful creature, for he suffered a lot. Indirectly, he was comparing himself with the main figure. He had gone through a lot too.

Later, when the childhood friend confessed to the protagonist, he brought pain to his friend, for the latter had to hear so many reproaches. He was responsible for his misery, he was so pitiful , (chapter 57) On the other hand, with this blame, Yoon Seungho was constantly reminded of the pedophile, lord Song. Thus Yoon Seungho replied this to the antagonist: (chapter 59) He couldn’t even pronounce his name out of hatred and pain. And now, you comprehend why I chose “nightmare inn” as title. This place is connected to Yoon Seungho’s torment and not just in season 2. In my eyes, something must have happened there which changed the lord’s fate for a decade. The other evidence is this: the forged letter from Lee Jihwa requested from the main lead to meet lord Song in that place. (chapter 56) And observe that Kim never doubted the authenticity of the encounter. (chapter 56) This signifies that the pedophile must have gone there in the past. 😮

One might argue that the tavern is not related to nightmare and torment, for Lee Jihwa visited the tavern in order to celebrate the success of his trick in the manhwa. (chapter 12) There was no breakup or rejection in this scene. There were no tears either contrary to the other chapters. Yet, this is just an illusion. The celebration was based on the suffering of Baek Na-Kyum and Yoon Seungho!! Both had been wounded. Then I realized that this scene mirrored Min’s words in the other taven: “Having fun at Yoon Seungho’s expense”. But more importantly, in Lee Jihwa’s mind, this sentence represented the separation of the couple. Due to the ruined painting, the lord felt rejected and betrayed. (chapter 12) Thus in the red-haired aristocrat’s mind, Yoon Seungho would turn his back on Baek Na-Kyum and abandon him. He would imitate the painter. A betrayal leads to a betrayal. There is no forgiveness. That’s the reason why Lee Jihwa never anticipated that he would get abandoned after getting caught in the study. So far, Yoon Seungho had always forgiven him! (chapter 18)

But why? It is because Baek Na-Kyum had revived the lord’s long lost passion: painting! It was bringing colors and as such light in his darkness. If he were to send away the artist, he would lose his soul forever. He would remain trapped in the nightmare forever. This truly exposes that Lee Jihwa hadn’t truly grasped the significance of painting in Yoon Seungho’s life. In his eyes, it was just an important hobby. (chapter 14), whereas in verity, this passion was essential and even vital for Yoon Seungho. In his subconscious, the lord sensed the healing effect. This would make him smile and provoke emotions and arousal!

3. The presence of the Joker

I discovered another similarity between all these scenes: the presence of a trick! You are probably surprised by this connection, but don’t forget that “trick” is a synonym for “conspiracy, deception and illusion”. And the joker embodies these values, especially if you consider Painter Of The Night as a new version of Batman and The Dark Knight.

In chapter 1, I had explained that the painter was supposed to get killed in the inn. Thus the tavern got closed for the night. It is also possible that the lord went there after the curfew. (chapter 1) There was no witness for these reasons. No one should notice the execution of the commoner Baek Na-Kyum. Secondly, the book had been switched. The lord had shown this to the butler (chapter 1), but when Yoon Seungho interrogated the artist, he exposed a different publication: (chapter 1) It was, as if the painter was forced to deny to be the author of this book. There is no ambiguity that the servant had lied to Yoon Seungho, just like the painter was not entirely honest with Yoon Seungho. In my eyes, the painter had not noticed the divergence. As you can see, the meeting was staged. Unknown people were involved in this encounter so that we could say that the protagonists were just pawns during this scene.

In episode 12, the trick had taken place in the mansion, yet the manhwaphiles shouldn’t overlook that Lee Jihwa had been incited to get revenge on the noble with the mole. (chapter 12) The drop of sweat on his face clearly indicates that he was just feigning ignorance. This exposes that the noble with the mole was deceiving his friend and as such betraying him.

In chapter 36, Min definitely lied to the young master Jihwa. (chapter 36) He was inciting the antagonist to return to the mansion so that he would catch the couple having sex together. That’s the reason why Black Heart made such a comment in the pavilion of his friend: (chapter 43) Yet, this trick didn’t work like Black Heart had anticipated. Why? He imagined that the red-haired noble would resent his friend for his abandonment and betrayal. The reality is that the antagonist reproached The Joker for his lies, he had been manipulating him. (chapter 43)

But let’s return to the scene in the tavern. (chapter 36) The noble with the mole remained silent, but he was well aware of his friend’s manipulations. This indicates that he had become his accomplice. We could say that he helped to create an illusion.

In chapter 56, the childhood friend had forged a letter, forcing Yoon Seungho to go to the inn. However, this time the trick was discovered. (chapter 56) Simultaneously, the butler deceived the tavern owner. He portrayed the red-haired master in such a negative light that she had no compassion for him. (chapter 59) She wished to get rid of him as soon as possible. Thus she asked the Joker to take care of him. (chapter 59) This truly exposes the talent of Kim’s manipulative nature. The tricks are exposing the hypocrisy and lack of loyalty among the characters.

In season 3, the manhwalovers could perceive the presence of 2 Jokers: Black Heart who faked that this meeting was just random. (chapter 92) However, he had been informed about the content of the paper, for he could already determine the genre of the text without seeing the writing. At the same time, he also deceived the couple by taking away the Spring poem. (chapter 92) We never saw him returning it. As for the second trickster, it was naturally Kim who hid under the hanbok which had a similar color than Jung In-Hun’s. (chapter 92) He desired to remind the painter of the existence of the scholar. However, this trick failed too. Why? It is because just before the painter had seen a kisaeng wearing the same robe. (chapter 92) He was just reminded of his noonas, and not just Heena and Jung In-Hun. Furthermore, the butler had overlooked another aspect: Yoon Seungho had been wearing a similar hanbok. (chapter 78) This means that the painter was no longer associating the lavender color to the learned sir. Slowly, the main lead was replacing the teacher and as such, he was moving on from his crush. Thus such an attitude could be perceived by a malevolent eye as indifference and hatred. My avid readers can already understand who I am referring to with such a statement. However, we are all aware that the painter is still loyal towards the learned sir. (chapter 94). Nevertheless, I would like the painterofthenight-stans to take a closer look to this image: (chapter 92) Yes, the couple was sitting in an inn eating sweet potatoes. When I saw this panel for the first time, the man in black caught my attention. His presence puzzled me, for he was standing next to a kisaeng working in the inn. This is totally unusual, for no noble would remain immobile close to the fire place and as such the kitchen. Secondly, he was not wearing his gat, indicating that he was violating social norms. [For more read the essay Coming-Of-Ages] Back then, I had thought that this was the scholar. However, the latter would always pay attention to his appearances. Moreover, he embodies social norms, so he would never move around without his hat. Was he a Joker spying on the couple? For me yes, especially if you take into consideration that there were always 3 people in each scene taking place in the inn. One thing is sure: Min had been informed about the painter’s desire for a Spring poem and his visit to the calligrapher. This means that during their stay in the tavern, the painter had talked constantly about this. So the kisaeng could have heard about the content of their conversation. One might argue that this stay stands in opposition to the other scenes. In this inn, there was no tear, no alcohol and no “betrayal”. But the manhwalovers shouldn’t forget that during that scene, the lord was actually rejecting the suggestion of the painter. The former saw no reason why they should look for the calligrapher!! Yoon Seungho was on the verge of breaking his promise, a “betrayal”. The irony is that he was so annoyed by the painter’s words, that at the end he gave in. (chapter 91) He was on the verge of losing his “sanity”😉, for the painter kept talking how important it was to protect from bad luck! As you can see, this scene is not different from the others: insanity, longing, trick, betrayal and rejection! The absence of tears and alcohol is easily explainable. The painter was not heartbroken, he just saw this as a necessity. Furthermore, this scene made me realize that the tavern is connected to arts. In almost all the mentioned chapters, the characters implied the erotic publications or arts. The spring poem is compared to a drawing by the painter, the calligraphy reminded him of snow flakes. Once again, the exception of this element is chapter 36! Here, Black Min and Lee Jihwa were only referring to sex and nothing more. (chapter 36) This outlines that sodomy had replaced the lord’s original passions: poetry and painting. Yet, the manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget that in chapter 36 the author had included a scene with painting. This is no coincidence that during the same night, the lord took the brush and created a orchid on his lover’s stomach. (chapter 36) From my point of view, Lee Jihwa was aware that his friend had been forced to renounce on his passions. Thus he said this: (chapter 36) To conclude, there is a strong connection between the tavern and arts. The manhwaworms will certainly recall that many kisaengs would start working in taverns, once they reached a certain age. And look at this: (chapter 74) I had already explained in a different essay that in chapter 75, the painter had been thinking about his noonas and in particular about Heena, because he had seen the kisaeng. Thus he kept thinking about his sister’s words: (chapter 75) However, observe that in chapter 92, he was so focused on the Spring poem that he didn’t see the kisaeng in this tavern. (chapter 92) Thus I come to the conclusion that the schemers must have played a similar trick later. However, this time, there was not just one kisaeng, but two! Moreover, these were still active kisaengs which is visible due to the colors of their hanboks. (chapter 92). That’s the reason why I am more than ever convinced that the man in the black hanbok was connected to Min.

Thus I am deducing that in the past, one of the characters in the tavern got deceived by his companion. And here, I am thinking of the patriarch Yoon Chang-Hyeon. In my eyes, he must have committed a wrongdoing there, but he never realized it. I would even add that he never recognized that his mistake would have terrible consequences for his family and in particular for Yoon Seungho. This explains why the location embodies guilt either. Moreover, don’t forget that according to me, the mysterious lord Song must have visited this place in the past.

4. Humiliation

By contrasting these scenes, I came to recognize another pattern: pride which led to humiliation. In chapter 1, the lord executed the servant, for he had “fooled” him. His honor had been soiled. (chapter 1) In chapter 12, the childhood friend praised the main character. He had acted like a true lord with the sentence. (chapter 12) Furthermore, the noble with the hunting outfit had been avenged, so his honor had been restored. In chapter 36, the red-haired master had first acted like a prideful master. (chapter 36) He would only forgive his friend, if the latter would come to see him. Furthermore, when the latter confessed to his friend, he threw his pride over board: (chapter 57) He was willing to accept this humiliation, if in exchange he could rekindle with Yoon Seungho. He hoped by lowering himself that his friend would come to save his honor. He wouldn’t reject him due his title and social norms. Yet, his dream didn’t come true, so we could say that he had the impression that he was sent to hell. Then in chapter 75, the learned sir’s pride had been wounded because of the erotic paintings. (chapter 75) As for Black Heart, he got insulted in the tavern. He was splashed with water. And what did the noble with the green hanbok reply to this insult? He announced that he would seek revenge on Yoon Seungho (chapter 92) Lee Jihwa was also full by resent and revenge, when he realized that the lord had made love to the painter after he had been rejected. (chapter 60) Thus shortly after, the young man had a weapon in his hand (though according to me, this tool was placed by Kim) (chapter 60). His intention was to kill the painter, though here he was just acting on affect. As you can see, the inn is in reality connected to a crime, and the desire of revenge! Don’t forget what Yoon Seungho said to the messenger: (chapter 80) According to his words, he had insulted the king by not utilizing the correct title. BUT we shouldn’t take this declaration as face-value, for the main lead is just repeating what he has been told. I have always said that the pedophile had been motivated by revenge and lust. The latter had been humiliated! Now, for the first time, I see a strong connection between the tavern and the wrongdoing linked to the mysterious lord. But what is the common denominator between all these scenes? CONFESSION! In chapter 1, Yoon Seungho confessed his admiration for the artist. In chapter 36, Lee Jihwa admitted the existence of a secret and his friend’s torment. In chapter 57 and 75, both ukes confessed their love (the main lead and painting). On the other hand, confession has a different meaning: admission of a crime! Thus I am suspecting that “lord Song” got rejected in this place. Thus he felt humiliated and his thirst for revenge took over. And it is related to arts!!

5. The guests in the inn

First, we have the presence of the noble with the mole who keeps wearing a purple outfit. The color reminds me of this guest. (chapter 83) This reinforces my conviction that lord Song visited the tavern once.

Secondly, I detected the presence of a servant in the inn: 1, 12, 57, 59 and 92. In episode 59, I had already pointed out that a servant from the Lees had visited the inn, for there were foot prints in the snow. (chapter 59) Then in chapter 75, we should consider Baek Na-Kyum as a servant due to his clothes. (chapter 75) And now, if you take into consideration that the servant from episode 1 and 12 were acting on Kim’s behalf, you will realize that the servant in the past can only be KIM. And he was present in episode 92. (chapter 92) Furthermore, according to my observation, he was working with No-Name during the night of the abduction. This means that Kim witnessed something. And since he is seen tattling to Min, I come to the conclusion that he denunciated someone!! This represents the confession of a “crime”. And this can only be the Yoons in my opinion. Servant in episode 1 had spied onto Baek Na-Kyum, and the servant from episode 12 had also reported to Lee Jihwa. Kim in episode 57 and 92 left the mansion without permission, and this was the case for the domestic in episode 12 either.

What caught my attention is that Min got more and more involved with the tavern. In chapter 12, his friend was the only one present. Then in chapter 36, he appeared for the first time. There he faked his understanding and concern for Lee Jihwa (chapter 36) In season 2, the Joker didn’t follow the red-haired master to the inn, yet there is no doubt that he sent the noble with the mole in his place. As you can see, the noble with the mole was Min’s emissary. He was supposed to manipulate his friend to follow Min’s request. Min knew about Lee Jihwa’s hesitation. (chapter 57) Thus he vanished, when he saw Yoon Seungho’s reaction. He realized that the protagonist could detect his presence. He feared that Yoon Seungho could recognize that they were the ones behind the letter of lord Song. Finally, in chapter 92, Black Heart joined the couple for the first time there. He definitely hoped to drive an edge between them. He hoped to get the attention from Baek Na-Kyum in the end. But he never succeeded. Thus I came to realize that Black Heart was preparing the arrival of the mysterious lord Song. The latter will replace Min.

6. Conclusions and predictions

The tavern doesn’t just symbolize confession, longing, rejection and abandonment, but also it is strongly connected to a wrongdoing. Thus the place is connected to humiliation, guilt and punishment. Moreover, I also discovered the link between the inn and arts. Consequently, I came to the following conclusion: everything started in the tavern which led to Yoon Seungho’s downfall and suffering. THUS the title is NIGHTMARE INN! Observe that Lee Jihwa’s reputation got ruined within a day after Kim spread this rumor about him: (chapter 59) His despair was fake, hence he was abandoned by the inn owner. This would explain why no one remembers the lord’s past good reputation. (chapter 57) This incident mirrors the past, the only difference is that the main lead was totally innocent contrary to Lee Jihwa, who had been partially responsible for his friend’s suffering. Under this new perspective, it becomes understandable why the author would start the story more or less in the tavern. But since the place is associated to sanity versus insanity (losing the wits), I am suspecting that the “wrongdoing” from the patriarch never deserved such a “punishment”. This sentence was out of proportion.

Because I made a connection between Heena and lord Song, I am expecting that we will see them there at some point. For me, there is no ambiguity that the woman is not dead. Besides, the painter needs to confront his noona about her lies and manipulations in the past and present. Heena, as a former kisaeng, could earn her living by working in the tavern. (chapter 01)

Finally, let’s not forget in this place, the painter had been betrayed by the noona and the scholar. How could Baek Na-Kyum live as a drunk, when he was no longer painting? Moreover, keep in mind that the vow was connected to erotic paintings. (chapter 34) Technically, he could paint other things (plants, animal etc), like in his childhood. Hence I have the impression that he had been pressured to become a painter of erotic paintings… the former version of season 1. And for me, Heena was behind this. Yet, the painter confessed in the tavern that he could no longer paint. (chapter 75) This means that he had forgotten how to paint nature or landscapes, and this reminds me of Yoon Seungho’s destiny. Note that he first started drawing erotic paintings (chapter 23) before drawing the orchid! (chapter 36) So when the painter was heartbroken and sad, drowning his sorrow in alcohol, someone had to pay for the bills and for me, this can only be the head-kisaeng. In my eyes, Heena and Jung In-Hun knew how and where the painter was living, but this was not their problem.

As a conclusion, expect another confession and rejection in the tavern, when season 4 is released. At the same time, I have the feeling that the authorities will get involved in this place. Why? Because of this: (chapter 1) and the element “confession” which is associated to crime. Back then, there was no witness and this scene took place during the night. No ruckus!! People in Joseon were not allowed to walk during the night due to the curfew. This stands in opposition to these scenes: it was not too late, thus the tavern was not closed yet (chapter 59) And this made me realize that the scene in the tavern from season 3 took place during the day contrary to season 1, while in season 2, we have both: the day and the night! Thus I am expecting that two scenes in the tavern will take place, one during the day and the other during the night in season 4. Let’s not forget that in chapter 75, the couple had remained there until nightfall.. (chapter 75) Finally, I believe that this scene in the tavern is linked to Kim, he will report the painter to the authorities. However, this night won’t end like a nightmare, for the circle is about to get closed, the end of ouroboros, the circle of revenge and hatred!! .