Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa:Jinx But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes.Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about Jinx„The Third Man“ (first part)
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 see, trying to discover the identity of the third man has become my new obsession. Why? It is because I am convinced that he will play a huge role in the progression of the story.
1. The men in the shadow
After releasing the first part, it dawned on me that Shim Yoon-Seok and the unknown man (chapter 37) from episode 37 could be still two different persons. However, the two of them have something in common: both are involved in creating an event, or better said in plotting!! Moreover, they participated in the last scheme. But the condition for a trick is secrecy and manipulation. And this is exactly what was happening in chapter 42. (chapter 42) The roommate acted, as if he was a ghost, as if he had vanished into thin air. He kept a low profile and never asked the green-haired to stop arguing or insulting the young doctor. As for the other, he manipulated Kim Dan to scare him off. That’s the reason why I am more than ever convinced that the next plot is on its way.
2. The discovery of the secret
My problem was that I couldn’t determine properly which secret the hidden man had discovered. Since I detected parallels between Joo Jaekyung, Kim Dan and this negative couple, I realized that the latter could also have a boss-employee relationship. Since the latter is a prostitute, (Chaoter 42) which he is no longer denying, I came to the deduction that the other is a pimp. Moreover, because I connected parallels between chapter 42 and episode 13, the doctor‘s words came to my mind: (chapter 13) The expression „the pond’s been bone dry“ implies hiring. Naturally, Cheolmin meant that it was difficult for him to find a partner, but his declaration could be understood, as if he was referring to male escorts. As you can see, there was an indirect reference to prostitution in the end. However, he was not looking for a male prostitute. And now, if you look at the members from the XY VIP club (Chapter 33), you will realize that they belong to the higher middle-class. On the other hand, Cheolmin pointed out that only desperate people would accept to be his sex partner (chapter 13). Thus I come to the conclusion that the athlete was pushed to hire prostitutes in the end, for the other VIP members would refuse such a rough sexual behavior. That’s why I have always been suspecting that this club has been dealing with whoredom behind the facade. The silent barman could be the link. Yet, notice that Heesung has a different approach at the club. (Chapter 33) He’s looking for his soulmate. This explicates why he could approach these new members so easily. Interesting is that Choi Heesung knows about his jinx and criticized him for his roughness (chapter 33), but he never reproached him to hire escort boys. Our cursed Romeo is not linked to prostitution, hence when he saw Kim Dan during that night, he didn’t see whoredom, but roughness. (Chapter 34) Therefore he was not repulsed. This explicates why he gave up on Kim Dan so easily. (Chapter 35) So imagine his reaction, when he hears that Joo Jaekyung has been treating his angel as a male prostitute. He will get upset, for Joo Jaekyung is looking down on the protagonist‘s job and his magical hands. But let‘s return our attention to episode 42. (chapter 42) Because prostitution was in the center of the argument, I am quite certain that the third person is also connected to it.
And being a pimp would fit the profile of a person who is looking for an easy and quick way to earn money. Once I made the connection between the third man and prostitution, I had another revelation. Yes, it is about the secret he had discovered. Kim Dan is working as a delivery man during the night and he is on his own! Joo Jaekyung is not protecting him. It looked, as if he had been abandoned. The author already indicated that such a night job can be dangerous, as you can meet drunk and violent people. (Chapter 42) Moreover, the third man knows how to contact the physical therapist, through the restaurant. This means, he can sell the information to someone who is looking for fresh blood.
3. New predictions
Here, we have two possibilities. First, it could be the perverted hospital director!! (Chapter 1) Or that could be Heo Manwook. Remember how the young protagonist got dragged during the day and no one intervened! (Chapter 16) People‘s passivity and indifference is finally exposed in episode 42: (chapter 42) The physical therapist got verbally attacked to the point that the main lead got scared for an instant, but the witness there remained passive and indifferent. And now, you can imagine my prediction: the mysterious man will call one of these perverted men (chapter 20) and tell them how to meet the physical therapist. Heo Manwook or the physician just needs to call the restaurant and order food! Once there, he can get dragged into a room and abused physically and sexually. And the third man would be just fine. No one would suspect his involvement, in the worst case, that would be the green-haired whore.
If you recall the content of my previous analysis, the cellphone and the drug were common denominators between all the similar scenes. When the doctor got kidnapped, he was talking over the phone. (Chapter 16) In his house, he got insulted as a whore (chapter 16). Though he accepted the insult by remaining silent, he still fought back, when the moneylender was on the verge of raping him. His minions had to help him to restrain Kim Dan. (Chapter 16) But Joo Jaekyung didn‘t realize the true crime due to his biased perspective which I had elaborated in the first part.
Our brain does not see what happens, but rather what we expect to happen, according to neuroscientists
However, this anticipatory capacity can become a double-edged sword if we do not know how to use it properly. Paying too much attention to our expectations, having preconceived ideas, and becoming too absorbed in our thoughts can cause us to lose touch with reality. By failing to take note of what is happening around us, we lose connection with others and begin to act in a maladaptive manner, which will inevitably become a source of problems and conflicts.
Therefore, it is important that we are aware of the tendencies of our predictive brain, especially in interpersonal relationships. We must ask ourselves if we are taking too many things for granted or if we are reacting more to what we expect to happen than to what is really happening. Quoted from https://psychology-spot.com/predictive-brain-we-see-what-we-want-to-see/#google_vignette
Thus it dawned on me that members from Team Black (Kwak Junbeom, Potato and Oh Daehyun) could be close to the scene and come to Kim Dan‘s rescue. Remember how I outlined the parallels between chapter 35 and 42. (chapter 35). Besides the list of similar scenes was 1, 2, 13, 24, 25, 33, 34, 35 and 37. Except the scenes in the penthouse, Jinx-philes can recognize another similarity: Potato and Heesung! That‘s how I came to the following prediction: Yoon-Gu will come to the physical therapist’s rescue. It is also possible that the actor is present as well. Nonetheless, by fighting the pervert , Yoon-Gu would become a hero! It is important, because the physical therapist would recognize that even if he doesn’t mean much to Joo JAekyung, he has found a family, TEAM BLACK! (Chapter 40) „One of his own“ would get a different meaning. And if this prediction comes true, Potato’s action could generate a buzz, he would get noticed by public opinion and they could ask for a fight. In other words, through Kim Dan’s actions, Potato’s dream would come true: being recognized as a professional MMA fighter. The bond between Yoon-Gu and Kim Dan would deepen, while the maknae would be disappointed in the champion. He is so rich, but he pushes Kim Dan to take odd jobs. He is not even allowing him to take other patients, while he is not listening to his physical therapist. He made a huge mistake, hence he would become a human in his eyes. He is truly treating the main lead like a prostitute, ruling over his life. Don’t forget that he saw how the champion poured the coke on the doctor’s head. (chapter 37) He had crossed the line, but this was unfortunately quickly forgotten. And the charity event would appear as a huge hypocrisy, for he is not helping his roommate. (Chapter 41) As for the fighters, they would come to resent Joo Jaekyung too, for Yoon-Gu and Kim Dan are so special to them. Simultaneously, the champion would be forced to meditate on his behavior and past words: (chapter 42) Joo Jaekyung will come to regret these words in the end. He might even jump to the conclusion that the main lead was taking odd jobs because he wanted to leave or to pay the cancellation fees.
„Do your goddamn job!“ But what is his job actually? A nutritionist? No, this work was a decision made by Kim Dan to show his appreciation towards the main lead. A physical therapist? Yes and no… the main purpose for his hiring was sex. (Chapter 6) Yes, the two protagonists have to discuss openly about prostitution. Because he didn’t listen to his doctor, he reduced him into a bump. He is just a tool for his jinx. He was showing no respect to his partner.
If my assumption is correct, the usage of drug will become the evidence that Kim Dan was a victim. And maybe the champion will recall the trespassing from that night and realize that he had misjudged the whole incident. (Chapter 18) Like mentioned before, the plot will affect their relationship forcing Joo Jaekyung to make a new deal. At the same time, if this truly happens, it would validate my interpretation that Kim Dan’s role is to contribute to the maknae‘s emancipation, like the wet dream implied it. The perfect Hero Joo Jaekyung would die in the puppy‘s eyes, especially when he discovers the existence of the champion‘s jinx! (Chapter 2)
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-Twitter-Tumblr 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.
Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa:Jinx But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes.Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about Jinx“Mystical Mirrors, Deceptive Desires”
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.
In my previous analysis, I announced to present my theory concerning the identity of this invisible man. How did I come to develop this hypothesis, when the author didn’t leave a lot of clues in this episode? Well, after examining the Manhwa so closely, I came to the following observations. Exactly like Byeonduck, the Webtoonist is using yin and yang philosophy and reflections for the progression of the story. Moreover, she is paying attention to colors and numbers. Thus through comparisons, we can get more insight.
1. The chow-chow versus the goblin
Let me give you an example. When Choi Heesung chose to invite Potato to his home, they were under an orange tent. (chapter 35) And this pigment corresponds to the mixture of yellow and pink which are the colors embodying Yoon-Gu and Heesung. Interesting is that the artist and the fighter were not alone. There was a third person, when Potato chose to accept the invitation from the celebrity, Kwak Junbeom. (chapter 35) Nevertheless, the witness didn’t notice the seduction from the artist, for he was sleeping due to the influence of the soju!! Thus Potato’s first sexual experience remained a secret. Yes, in this scene, Jinx-Philes can detect the similarities between 35 and 42. It is about sex, “attachment”, wrongdoing and secret. Potato employed the expression “There’s nothing wrong to…”. In addition, Yoon-Gu is still treated as a child by the fighters and Kim Dan, so such a suggestion could appear as scandalous. Interesting, is that no one noticed the sudden offer from Heesung, though they were in a public place. The owner of the food truck was not paying attention to them, as she was busy. Oh Daehyun had vanished, as he was not feeling well. (chapter 35) That’s why this remained a secret. But more importantly, there was a discussion between the maknae and the actor about love. (chapter 35) Funny is that when Potato expressed his admiration and reverence for the protagonists, (chapter 35), he yelled. Though he looked angry, he was not. (chapter 35) He was acting under the influence of his strong emotions and principles. As you can see, the discussion between Potato and Heesung was totally different from the one in episode 42. The gumiho and the chow chow came to the same agreement: accept not to be special for the protagonists, but to hold no grudge because of the rejection. (chapter 35) Consequently, the moment you contrast Yoon-Gu’s declaration of unconditional adoration (chapter 35) with the green-haired man’s, (chapter 42) Manhwaworms can only jump to the following conclusion. Chapter 42 represents the negative version of the seduction scene in chapter 35. While readers were overjoyed while reading episode 35, they only felt repulsion in front of chapter 42. In the introduction, I mentioned the importance of the numbers. 35 and 42 are similar structured, for one number is missing each time: 4 and 3. Hence chapter 42 share some parallels with episodes 33 and 34 which I will explain further below. At the threshold, the green-haired guy voiced the exact opposite for the main leads: his disdain, jealousy and hatred towards them. He was scaring off the doctor. We have persuasion, comfort, modesty and purity versus discouragement, regret, greed and corruption.
While the second characters are able to move on (chapter 35), the green-haired uke is not capable. (chapter 42) Hence I deduce that the invisible third X is similar to his “companion”. They share a similar mind-set! But there is more to it.
2. The first clues about the “invisible” third person
Observe that the dominant color in episode 42 was “green”, whereas the other was orange. Interesting is that these two pigments are secondary colors, pink and yellow versus blue and yellow!! Hence I deduce that the mysterious man is connected to white and yellow! 😮 Don’t forget that the bill from the mysterious X is mostly yellow! (chapter 35) Furthermore, the room seems to have similar shades. Because the green-haired man is wearing a blue shirt and the author portrayed him in black and green (chapter 42), I assume that this third person is associated with white and red!
Interesting is that the bill also contains orange and green, as the Korean authorities included the paintings “Grape” and “Grass and Insect” from the famous painter, scholar and poet Shin Saimdang next to her portrait. (chapter 42) That’s how it dawned on me that the hand holding the money (chapter 42) contrasts to this one: (chapter 41) civilization, anger, night versus nature, calmness and day. In order to create money, trees need to be sawn. The grape and insects on the bill are fake. Hence I come to the following deduction that this mysterious person is only interested in money too. For this faceless person, money is the symbol of power and life. And now, you comprehend why this person didn’t offer to pay the dinner on his own (chapter 42) contrary to the doctor: (chapter 32). The third man embodies avidity, selfishness, but also calculations and frugality. The goblin and his companion didn’t order an expensive dish, as it only cost 40.000 KRW. 😉 50.000 KRW – 10.000 KRW (chapter 42) = 40.000. This is about 38 $. However, Kim Dan felt the need to invite Heesung to lunch, a sign that he had not looked at the price. (chapter 32) Simultaneously, it exposes Kim Dan’s selflessness and thoughtlessness. He is bad at calculating and saving money. (chapter 42) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why I perceive this third man as the opposite of Kim Dan, notwithstanding sharing the same color. This signifies that the shadow is exactly like the green-haired uke: envious, greedy and stingy. Both appear as cheap. Because the goblin insulted him (“ass”, in Korean “Bastard/Asshole” and in Spanish “son of a bitch”), it becomes clear that these two are close, in the sense that they belong to the same social class. One might say that they are equal, but because the goblin badmouthed the other, their equity is just superficial. The green-haired uke looks down on the other. Since the goblin didn’t hide his bad mood in front of the other, I assume that they are both roommates. On the other hand, it is palpable that they are not affectionate towards each other. The goblin has no problem to voice his irritability in front of his “companion”. That’s how I deduce that both are united by the same desire: earn money on a quick and easy way. They are both using each other. I view them as “parasites” in the end. Since the goblin had no problem to expose his true thoughts at the door step (chapter 42), it seems that this man felt comfortable enough in front of this mysterious person. It gave the impression that he could share his secrets to him. Nevertheless, this could be an illusion, for it is clear that this envious man was speaking in the heat of the moment. He feels no danger from him or Kim Dan, for both are not rich and as such powerful. Consequently, I don’t think that these two men are truly intimate. It looked more like they needed both someone by their side. The meal is exposing that both are exploiting each other. (chapter 42) This means, their cohabitation represents the negative version of our beloved couple. (chapter 42) The latter are getting closer to each other, taking care of each other. The breakfasts have become an important moment for them, where they share their thoughts and can make jokes. Hence the late snack in the small flat embodies the opposite: frustration and disregard. Thus in my eyes, the goblin and his “partner” are not interested in each other, because both are in a similar situation. They are not rich. Thus my idea is that the green-haired man hadn’t exposed to his roommate that he had been the champion’s lover in the past and the latter had beaten him. In my eyes, this revelation was new to the third man. How so?
3. Three men, a room and a door
The moment I made the connection between chapter 35 and 42, I decided to look for similar scenes, where we have three men, a door and a room.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 42
I detected the following common denominators: beating, homosexuality, spying and a secret! There was no scandal!! In episode 1, the previous physical therapist vanished, because he had been beaten according to the manager. Yet, the words from the coach were quite ambiguous “ (chapter 1) This created a huge misunderstanding between the two protagonists. The latter started fearing the celebrity. In episode 2, Kim Dan kept the champion’s homosexuality and the violent gesture to himself. It is the same for the green-haired man. Cheolmin thought first that Joo Jaekyung had abused the physical therapist (chapter 13), until the athlete denied his responsibility. When the champion dragged the doctor to the break room, Potato envisioned that they would be fighting. Nevertheless, he discovered their secret (sex) afterwards, but he also kept this revelation to himself. (chapter 25) Striking is that Potato is living in a dormitory, a clue that cohabitation plays a huge role in this story. In episode 31, Joo Jaekyung was supposed to have committed a huge mistake and injured the actor! In episode 33, he discovered the lie from Heesung, but chose to remain silent. He didn’t confront the actor. However, observe that the artist chose to reveal the truth to his manager, for he didn’t want to create a scandal! He asked him to keep it a secret. In the penthouse, Heesung got scared, but he never exposed his presence to the main lead so that the latter wouldn’t feel embarrassed. Kim Dan might have detected a presence, but he has no idea about the identity of the third person and the threat! I added the conversation at the VIP club, because there was the barman who could listen to the conversation between the two figures. He also remained silent, because if he leaked anything, he would lose his job. Finally, in episode 35, the public had no idea about the content of the conversation. Neither Potato nor Heesung mentioned their names and no one paid attention to the sudden vanishing of the second couple. There was no scandal either! This scene mirrors the confession of Park Namwook at the gym. The other fighters were present, but no one paid attention to the manager’s words and the doctor’s presence, because the other fighter had been injured during the sparring. As you can see, these confessions were public, yet they were still secrets. That’s how I came to the following deduction: the mysterious person in the room discovered through his roommate’s confession another huge secret!! But which one? The champion’s homosexuality or his habit of having prostitutes or his habit to use violence against people or Kim Dan’s true identity, a prostitute? Besides, this raises the following question: will he jump to the conclusion that his roommate was telling the truth or a lie? (chapter 42) Moreover, the latter has no idea that Kim Dan is a physical therapist and even living with the main lead. And this brings me to the following observation. The goblin and his roommate imagined to see through Kim Dan and they are anticipating the delivery man’s next actions. How so?
„Staying attentive to the signals that the others send is crucial for communication to be successful.At least in theory. In practice, we often pay more attention to the ideas that cross our mind than to the words of our interlocutor. Many times we focus more on our expectations and what we want to happen than on what is actually happening. Thus each person ends up isolated in their bubble, the bridges of dialogue are burned, empathy disappears and conflicts arise. And everything seems to indicate that a large part of the “blame” lies with our predictive brain. […]
In the real world, actions do not occur in isolation, but are part of predictable sequences to achieve an end goal. For example, if we spread butter on bread, we are likely to eat it later. Consequently, our perception of what others do depends not only on what we see, but also on what we expect to happen next. In other words, our expectations come into play.
The predictive brain: when our perspective “blinds” us
In practice, our predictive brain does not “see” what the other person does, but rather assumes what they will do next. It anticipates events and uses our knowledge to predict the action that will occur. This tells us that the brain does not limit itself to reacting to the information that comes through the senses, but rather works in a predictive manner, predicting what will happen next.“ Quoted from https://psychology-spot.com/predictive-brain-we-see-what-we-want-to-see/#google_vignette
As you can see, this description corresponds to the situation of chapter 42. The third man and his “companion” are seeing the world from their own perspective. Seeing the doctor poorly dressed, but defending the athlete, gives them a false impression about the identity and personality of Kim Dan, they can only misjudge the situation and make false predictions. Like announced before, the physical therapist is the champion’s lucky charm. Any plot is doomed to fail.
What fears the athlete the most is a scandal, especially this one: The athlete killed a man! (chapter 13) But homosexuality is also a taboo among MMA fighters. That’s the reason why I can not tell exactly the content for the next uproar. Yet, I noticed another common denominator between these chapters: the cell phone!! And one person was ignorant of the situation.
Chapter 1: Park Namwook was on the phone, when the physical therapist arrived.
Chapter 13: The champion had to call Cheolmin for his assistance, exactly like Park Namwook! (chapter 13)
Chapter 24: We have the famous prank about the coffee:
Chapter 33: Joo Jaekyung was trying to reach someone (chapter 33)(according to me, the mysterious doctor), when he caught the actor and his manager exposing the truth.
Chapter 34: The item was used for a nightly invitation, more precisely for a confrontation.
4. The name of the third man
Since I could outline crime, rumor, ignorance and the cellphone as common points, I came to the following deduction. The third man is the tabloid journalist Shim Yoon-Seok! (chapter 35) Yes, the color is also green. (chapter 35) And we could consider this scene as a reflection of episode 42 too. How so? The third person in this scene are the netizens reading the article. Why did the reporter contact him through the cell phone? It is because he can not face him out of fear to get punched! He is hiding his face behind the media and the public. This journalist is totally different from these reporters: (chapter 37) (chapter 40) The former is a hunter looking for blood, a huge scoop to destroy a champion. He is throwing over board social norms and morality. Since the bill of 50.000 KWR is embodying him, it reinforces my theory that the third man is a scholar, but a „fake“ one. And the moment you accept this idea, you will understand why I said that the green-haired man would receive his retribution. I have the feeling that he could get beaten. Imagine that the third man has the champion’s cellphone number. He could call Joo Jaekyung and inform him about the conversation in the hallway. He was insulted by his ex- sex partner. He could also try to blackmail the celebrity. If he doesn’t pay, then he will expose the “truth”. Naturally, he could hide behind the green-haired man. It is also possible that the goblin gets manipulated by the faceless man in the shadow. I am quite certain that the goblin will be caught in a scandal, and he will have to take the fall, betrayed by his roommate.
Here, I would like to present the signification of the name Yoon-Seok.
Yoon can signify: heir/offspring, spear, abyss, to permit, to oversee good appearance, disk/wheel, red marble (which stands in opposition to the yeouiju). The abyss and spear are showing not only his fighting nature, but also his dangerosity. Moreover, when I combine “wheel, permit and oversee” together, I interpret that this person is a planner. In other words, he can plot.
Seok: dusk/evening/night tides (this fits to the scene 35 and 42), red/angry, begrudge/pity which reinforces my previous interpretation about his color and personality (hatred, anger, greed), separate/divide (he is trying to split the couple and even to isolate the champion), mat (chapter 42), banquet/place/broad (a possible clue about his intervention at the charity event), he is using people to earn money (a fake sense of democracy). Here, I feel the need to mention the suicide of the famous Korean actor Lee Sun-Gyun who was driven to commit suicide because of a scandal generated by the media and bad police investigations. And if my theory is correct, this shows that Mingwa is criticizing modern Korean society and especially the role of medias and netizens. Rock/stone is indicating that he is not destined to shine, he has no high value. On the other hand, the stone was used in the past to sentence criminals to death. Behind the shine of morality and transparency („sunlight“, „gold“, „glaze“ and „white“, „fair“) this person is using the spotlight to ruin the champion’s reputation. To explain/release and former times/past, as a journalist, he is digging up the athlete’s past in order to find some dirt. Since Kim Dan was also living in the past before meeting the champion, I deduce that Yoon-Seok is the physical therapist’s real opponent.
As you can see, the name itself is also indicating the corrupted and ruthless nature of the tabloid journalist. Finally, my avid readers will certainly recall my observation about chapter 33. Joo Jaekyung’s car was followed by someone… (chapter 33) (chapter 33) Interesting is that the scenery from the first image reminded me of the district where Kim Dan was working as a courier. (chapter 35) But why? Here, I can only speculate. It is related to Heesung and the Entertainment agency. Don’t forget that Heesung had asked his manager to keep his trick a secret (chapter 33), but observe that the comedian had been waiting for the main lead at the sauna. This means that he must have asked his manager to find out about his schedule. (chapter 34) In other words, I am suspecting the involvement of the champion’s agent. The latter could have let transpire to the tabloid journalist that there was some tension between these two. However, nothing happened between Heesung and Joo Jaekyung after the ride. (chapter 33) Is it a coincidence that the author employed green in this scene? I have already demonstrated that the agent from the Entertainment company was involved in the conspiracy. Under this new light, you comprehend why I am suspecting a scandal during the birthday charity event. Many people will be present and all the lights will be directed at the star. By causing a scandal, the journalist would get noticed and even “glorified” as the hero denunciating “corruption and perversion”, whereas in reality it is the opposite. Like mentioned above, I can not totally predict his moves.
If he decides to portray Joo Jaekyung as a violent man, he could use the green-haired man (chapter 42) and the physical therapist as victims. The man could even go so far to recreate the incident from episode 2. Let’s not forget that Park Namwook has the tendency to condemn Joo Jaekyung for any “wrongdoing” and he saw the main lead with bruises. (chapter 11) Moreover, the star felt the need to punch someone after hearing the words from netizens. (chapter 36) And if Heo Manwook was involved in the conspiracy for the last match, he could see this new discovery as the perfect revenge. The champion is in reality a trash, a criminal! That would be the perfect revenge… He can not present himself as a victim contrary to the others. And that’s how Cheolmin would be forced to resurface. (chapter 13)
I have to admit that when I was trying to figure out the identity of this third man, I was thinking of Cheolmin. How so? It is because he is also connected to green and he is working at the hospital. (chapter 13) So technically, he could have treated the green-haired man after that altercation. Finally, when Kim Dan went to the hospital in chapter 18 (chapter 18) , Joo Jaekyung had an appointment there. So this treatment could be brought up. Moreover, I would like to point out that in chapter 13, Kim Dan never detected the presence and intervention of a doctor. It was the same in chapter 34/35, Kim Dan never caught and identified the presence of the third person. (chapter 35) That’s how I recognized that none of the spies were “caught” or identified. Chapter 42 represents no exception, hence the third man feels safe.
Thus, there will be a scandal very soon and Joo Jaekyung will be portrayed as a ruthless and corrupted man. So the moment the fighter is portrayed as someone who would use his fists outside the ring, going after “innocent people”, he could lose not only his reputation, but also his title. Like mentioned in the previous analysis, I consider the uke’s victory as fake. Because he is living with the goblin, I assume that the negative features from the green-haired guy rubbed off on him and the reverse. In other words, they are influencing each other negatively, the exact opposite of the champion and the physical therapist. (chapter 41) Hence I conclude that the green-haired guy and his roommate don’t care for each other. So while the readers are about to witness the rising of the physical therapist, I am expecting the opposite for this dangerous couple. They could destroy each other.
In addition, I wanted to share another hypothesis: this man (chapter 37) could be Shim Yoon-Seok! How so? If the trick with the drug had worked, he would have been present to expose the scandal in South Korea. This scene is also quite similar to the one with 3 men, a room and a door, especially since Oh Daehyun and the others were in a different room. (Chapter 37), while Kim Dan faced the man in black. Besides, the interaction between the sportsman and the tabloid reporter (Chapter 35) resembles a lot to the one between Kim Dan and the unknown man (Chapter 37). In chapter 37, we have the phone call, the door and discussion… but also the presence of DRUG! And that‘s how I discovered that the drug was also present in the episodes mentioned above.
Chapter 1: the energy drink
Chapter 13: the cream for the bruises
Chapter 24: COFFEE
Chapter 33: Martini, the cigarette
Chapter 35: SOJU
Chapter 37: Aphrodisiac
Hence it dawned on me why the previous physical therapist ran away, but chose to portray the celebrity as a brute. (Chapter 1) One reason could be the divergence of opinions between the main lead and the doctor. The former didn‘t accept the recommendations of the physical therapist. (Chapter 42) Since the athlete‘s shoulder was already in bad shape, the former physical therapist might have proposed pain killers, but the star refused. Because the doctor considered himself as superior, he came to look down on Joo Jaekyung and chose to ruin his reputation so that the latter ended up having a novice, someone with no experience!
And if my theory about Shim Yoon-Seok as the unknown man is correct, we would have an explanation why the third man remained silent and made no sound during the altercation between him and the goblin. Kim Dan could have recognized him by the voice and the hand. Thus he had to stay in the flat. At the same time, it would explain why the MFC security guys asked the star about Kim Dan: (Chapter 40) And his ambiguous reply (Chapter 40) could lead the third man to assume that Joo Jaekyung is a hypocrite. He hid the prostitute as a member of Team Black. Once back to South Korea, he had no longer use of him! And that‘s how he got forced to „work“ as courier. Team Black could be suspected of being a cover for prostitution… especially when Heesung‘s relationship with Yoon-Gu is discovered. But appearances can be deceiving, as neither the green-haired uke nor his roommate are aware that the main lead is a physical therapist living with the celebrity. And this brings me to my final thought: since the Webtoonist created such a mystery behind the reporter and the third man, it becomes clear why Kim Dan‘s status is ambiguous as well. His nemesis is a shadow and so is the doctor! Both are working behind the scenes, yet at some point both will be pushed to reveal their face and identity. Whereas one will shine, the other can only fall into the abyss, like his name is indicating it.
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-Twitter-Tumblr 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.
Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa:Jinx But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes.Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about Jinx“Whispers of Dusk, Blossoms of Dawn”
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.
After reading the title, people might wonder why the illustration doesn’t contain any picture from episode 42, as the topics, birthday, party and breakfast, are present there. The answer is quite simple. I created the title and the illustration for this essay before the release of chapter 42. Nevertheless, the presence of these elements in episode 42 confirmed my interpretation that these topics are strongly connected together. Naturally, this means that I will include the scenes from the new chapter too.
1. Breakfast: work or friendship?
First, it is important to create a list of all the breakfast scenes.
Chapter 4
Chapter 18
Chapter 22
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
First, let’s focus on the characters and their respective position. What caught my attention is that till chapter 42, none of the protagonists have been eating breakfast together. In episode 4, only Joo Jaekyung went to the kitchen. Then in episode 18, though both were sitting at the same table, only the athlete had his glass of milk. He didn’t offer anything to his room mate. The latter was supposed to prepare himself his own breakfast. (chapter 18) Then in episode 22 and 41, the physical therapist stood by the side acting like a cook. (chapter 22) At no moment, he was invited to sit down. I consider the apron as the symbol of “drawing the line”. This explicates why the cloth is covered with lines. Kim Dan acts as the champion’s employee. Furthermore, though the dishes are influenced by traditional Korean cooking, the physical therapist was paying attention to the fighter’s nutrition. (chapter 22) Consequently, the physical therapist has been working as the champion’s nutritionist. We could say that in episode 42, it is the same, as he is once again wearing the apron. (chapter 42) The only difference is that he is no longer standing by the table which the champion noticed immediately. It is important, because it shows that now, Joo Jaekyung is missing Kim Dan’s presence and more precisely his conversation with him. Yes, the breakfast has become the moment where both protagonists exchange their thoughts. (chapter 41) And the champion came to enjoy this little moment during his long day. They became a part of his routine. This signifies that the association between breakfast and work was slowly vanishing. It was gradually turning into a moment of intimacy.
Thus chapter 42 represents a turning point. How so? It is because in episode 42, the champion was confronted with a tired doctor. (chapter 42) Thus he couldn’t talk to Kim Dan. On the other hand, the cook had done his job, for the dishes were cooked perfectly (chapter 42) Hence Joo Jaekyung couldn’t complain to the physical therapist. (chapter 42) This means, the “intimacy” vanished, while the notion of work got reinforced. Consequently, I deduce that this little change, a tired doctor, unable to converse with him, will definitely affect the fighter in the long run. The latter will be forced to meditate about the cause for his exhaustion, but more importantly about his emotions and his real expectations from Kim Dan. Why was he annoyed, though the breakfast was made? Does he view him as a employee or a friend? This is what he stated in episode 18: (chapter 18) His stay was justified with work. Kim Dan had a similar reaction. He considered the breakfast as a part of his “work”. (chapter 22) Therefore it is not surprising why Joo Jaekyung had no problem to admit that Kim Dan was cooking his breakfast (chapter 22). In his eyes, it was related to his profession. However, the moment Oh Daehyun and Kwak Junbeom expressed their surprise (chapter 22) and their desires (chapter 22), Joo Jaekyung set a limit very quickly. (chapter 22) Why? Was it because he didn’t want to share his penthouse to members from Team Black? For me, his main reason was Kim Dan! If they had come to his place, they could get close to the physical therapist. It would be more difficult for him to “control” doc Dan. He could even experience a similar situation than in episode 7, where he was totally left out. (chapter 7) Oh Daehyun, Kim Changmin and the others would even get the opportunity to eat his great dishes… Notice that the boxers were using “work” in order to be able to visit the place. This means that “the breakfast” would lose his special meaning for the fighter. Kim Dan would no longer be conversing with him only. Joo Jaekyung would become like the others not realizing that by allowing them to come to his house, the nature of his relationship with the members of Team Black would change too. They would become his “friends”. Too scared of losing the doctor, the boss put an end to the discussion. Thus Joo Jaekyung was forced to use his title and position to silence them. This means, he created a wall between himself and the others. To conclude, the line between work and private life is slowly vanishing through the breakfast. The latter is gradually embodying the notion of intimacy, confidentiality and friendship. And now, you comprehend why there was sex in episode 18, though there was no Korean breakfast on the table. (chapter 18) Intimacy without real warmth.
2. Breakfast, the symbol of happiness or deception?
If you contrast all the breakfast scenes together, you will notice the following common denominators: deception, mistakes, misunderstanding but also smiles. My avid readers might be surprised with the first description, deception. In episode 4, while the champion drank his glass of milk, the doctor chose to run away. He deceived the athlete in such a way that Joo Jaekyung thought that Kim Dan was still in bed. (chapter 4) His silent departure made the celebrity smile. (chapter 4) However, in his mind, Kim Dan had not run away, for he had spent the night in his bed. (chapter 4) The smile became the symbol of his miscalculation. He imagined that he was still in control of the situation. (chapter 4) He had misinterpreted doc Dan’s action. So we could say, this was his biggest mistake. After their separation, he could no longer get in touch with the physical therapist triggering his biggest fears. No wonder why he got so mad. (Chapter 5)
Then in episode 18, it was Joo Jaekyung’s turn to “deceive” the main lead. He was on his way to the gym (chapter 18) , when he changed his mind and asked for sex as “breakfast”. (chapter 18) The trigger for his change of attitude was the following announcement from Kim Dan. (chapter 18) The physical therapist expressed his wish to leave the penthouse as soon as possible. Why? It is because Joo Jaekyung had drawn a line which the physical therapist shouldn’t cross. (chapter 18) The sportsman was denying his benevolence towards the main lead. With such a statement, the famous athlete created the impression that Kim Dan’s presence in the flat was more or less “bothering” him. (chapter 18) He was just tolerating him because of his jinx. This explicates why Kim Dan wanted to leave the penthouse as soon as possible. He didn’t want to intrude in his life. Nevertheless, Manhwa lovers should keep in their mind that the athlete had offered to share his huge flat not only to help him, but also to „control“ him. By sharing the same apartment, he could know about his „whereabouts“. In other words, his decision was unconsciously motivated by his fear to lose him. But because Joo JAekyung denied the existence of his good heart and showed him the cold shoulder, the other thought that his stay should be temporary. As you can see, their conversation was full of misunderstandings. It was, as if both were rejecting each other too. Naturally, there was a reason for the champion’s harsh attitude: he feared to expose his heart, for he views “kindness” and “pity” as vulnerabilities. (chapter 18) I would even add, he hates pity… exactly like Kim Dan. (chapter 37) That’s why he reacted so strongly in the States. In my eyes, he imagines that someone could deceive him, if he was kind or if he loved someone. That’s the reason why he is acting so tough. What an irony! He is deceived, even if he is so brutal and strong. We have the perfect example with the MFC doctors and the MFC matchmaker. To conclude, in episode 18, Joo Jaekyung made sure to protect his heart from Kim Dan out of fear. And this could only backfire. The doctor chose that it was better to leave the champion’s side. But his declaration triggered the celebrity’s hidden anxieties. (chapter 18) Thus he asked for sex. Interesting is that by acting this way, he reinforced the impression that the athlete was a sex-maniac. (chapter 19) He would do it at any moment and at any place. Yet, we know for sure that the champion’s libido was different in the past. It was strongly intertwined with his matches. He considers sex as hard work and as such bothersome. (chapter 29) So we could say that by requesting sex as breakfast, he deceived his partner. He might be smiling and happy (chapter 18), but deep down, he was masking his abandonment and trust issues. For me, both characters made huge mistakes, for they were not honest to each other. Back then, Kim Dan was still rejecting sex, and as such denying the existence of his own pleasure. They could only misunderstand each other, because both were in denial about their own emotional and mental state. Hence they could only commit wrongdoings.
In chapter 22, Kim Dan chose to cook breakfast for the champion for the first time. (chapter 22) For Joo Jaekyung, it was a mistake. Kim Dan had crossed the line. But the moment he tasted the food, he liked it so much (chapter 22) that it put him in a good mood. Thus he smiled. (chapter 22) However, observe that the champion tried to “deceive” his partner after tasting the food. (chapter 22) First, he hid his happiness by looking so deadly serious. He was restraining himself to expose his true emotions. Secondly, in that same picture, he is voicing his doubts. He feared that the doctor tricked him in order to impress him. He couldn’t believe that he was such a cook. As you can see, the athlete considered the first breakfast from Kim Dan as a trick and wrongdoing, before he changed his mind. Here, I would like to point out that at no moment the athlete praised Kim Dan properly. (chapter 22) It was reduced to a basic skills so that for him, the breakfast is still viewed as a part of his work. However, by watching the athlete enjoying his dishes each morning, Kim Dan got accustomed to observe a content man. It is quite clear that the champion is enjoying his dishes so much. (chapter 41) His chewing is betraying his happiness. Through his happy chewing, the doctor started perceiving the athlete differently. He was acting more like a happy child.
And now, it is time to focus on chapter 41. Where was the deception here? One might say that it is related to the drug incident. (chapter 41) Like mentioned before, the celebrity got tricked by the MFC authorities. They want to sweep this scandal under the rug. As for the mistake, Kim Dan was the first one bringing it up: (chapter 41) His expression made Joo Jaekyung smile. (chapter 41) However, his words were quite ambiguous. What was he referring to? Many people thought, it was related to the doctor’s love confession, as Joo JAekyung wanted to know if he remembered anything. (chapter 41) For me, it is clear that Joo JAekyung had loved this night so much that he hoped that Kim Dan would also have a good memory from it. Remember how happy he was after taking his shower. He was in such a good mood that he had placed the doctor in the middle of his bed. (chapter 40) For me, Joo Jaekyung had enjoyed this night for many reasons. Kim Dan had been proactive. He had even accepted all the requests from the athlete (chapter 39). At no moment, he had rejected him. Moreover, he had voiced his pleasure (chapter 39) something that Joo JAekyung had been longing to hear from him. (chapter 12) He had liked the love confession from Kim Dan, as he had replied to it with a kiss. (Chapter 39) Finally, they had many rounds during that night. We could say, he had become the perfect lover during that night. However, the word “mistake” from Kim Dan triggered the champion’s memory. (chapter 41) He could only make fun of the doctor. But what was his one hell of a mistake? We have three possibilities:
The whole night would be considered as a mistake, for the doctor is usually shy and passive. (chapter 39) He had thrown all his rules over board.
Secondly, he had confessed his love to the athlete which Joo Jaekyung qualified as nonsense.
Finally, he had urinated while having sex and this twice. Moreover, the champion had been “blessed” with his urine. (chapter 39) Imagine the doctor’s embarrassment, if he got to hear that he had peed twice while having sex. (chapter 39) Moreover, he had challenged his sex partner by peeing on his face.
Since the champion had a huge smile while thinking of this incident (chapter 41), it signifies that for him, it was a funny memory. I am more opting for the last option, for he was smiling like in the moment he discovered his partner’s secret talent. (chapter 39) This would also explain why he kept the main lead in the dark. (chapter 41) The problem is that this silence can generate a misunderstanding, especially after hearing this “advice” from the former sex partner. (chapter 42) He needs to demonstrate his talent to the champion in bed. And the fact that Joo JAekyung never replied to the doctor’s pleas (chapter 41) could also be judged as deception. He was “lying” by omission, because he didn’t praise his lover for that wonderful night. It was described as a huge mistake!! On the other hand, how could he say that he had such a great night, when the doctor was under the influence of a drug? In other words, the sportsman had also his reasons not to mention too much about this night. He preferred it, if the doctor could remember it on his own. At the same time, this conversation during breakfast exposes how close they have already become. They are now finally able to talk about intimacy (chapter 41) and real problems (drug incident). (chapter 41) Joo Jaekyung has no problem to expose his rough side to the physical therapist. Interesting is that he doesn’t get scolded by the doctor, though the latter is bothered by his reaction. (chapter 41) That’s how I realized how the champion would affect the physical therapist forever. Through him, he will come to accept the usage of the fists. He will stop accepting the emotional, mental and physical abuse from others.
From episode 1, where he was covering his head with his hand (chapter 1) to episode 7, where he punched the champion with his elbow. (chapter 7) Finally, he was encouraged to punch the fighter during a sparring. (chapter 26) Additionally, his growing resilience and fighting spirit became more obvious with his fist. He began clenching his fist, (chapter 10) (chapter 18) each time his pride got hurt. Here, he was restraining himself out of anger (chapter 42) after getting insulted by the ex-sex partner. (chapter 42) Yes, his hand gesture reminded me a lot of the fighter’s: (chapter 37) As you can see, the protagonists are influencing each other through their conversations and interactions. And this brings me now to the final breakfast scene, chapter 42.
Deception: Kim Dan is hiding from Joo Jaekyung that he is working during the night. (chapter 42) I would even add that he is no longer following the athlete’s rule. (chapter 18) There is no ambiguity that the champion noticed the doctor’s dark circles. (chapter 42) This picture reflects the celebrity’s perspective. So he must have noticed his lack of sleep. However, in my eyes, he must have thought that his exhaustion was related to his grandmother, as episode 42 mirrors episode 21. (chapter 21) However, since the physical therapist has been working each night behind the champion’s back, I assume that such a scene (chapter 42) won’t occur just once. It could become a new habit, but the champion got accustomed to his conversations with the physical therapist. He is longing for the doctor’s presence next to his table. Because in episode 4, 18 and 22, the main leads came to a new deal or agreement, I am expecting a new deal again. Why? It is because their relationship evolved. Each change forces them to make new arrangements. Furthermore, the moment the champion notices the physical therapist’s vanishing during the night, he can only get upset. What if his partner decides to run away. especially after Joo JAekyung acted like that? . (chapter 42) And this brings me back to the previous physical therapist. (chapter 1) The latter had also vanished suddenly!! According to Park Namwook, the champion had beaten him. (chapter 1) But I am not entirely sure about this, for the athlete was caught by surprise. So envision the athlete’s reaction, when the latter discovers an empty bedroom with the Wedding Cabinet. The latter could be seen as a reimbursement for the paid loan. Since the doctor’s abandonment issues resurfaced in the past episode (chapter 42), I have the feeling that his partner is about to go through the same experience. With his disappearance, Joo Jaekyung would not only lose his delicious dishes, but also his only companion who was able to make him smile and laugh.
Mistake: He is now working during the night which affects his breakfast and as such his relationship with the athlete. Kim Dan is now giving the impression that he is keeping his distance from his loved one, while it is the opposite. (chapter 42) He is too tired, this can only make the champion suspicious. Why is he so exhausted? Is he now suffering from insomnia, as a side effect from the drug? (chapter 41) And if he discovers the empty bedroom, this can only generate fears and even misunderstandings. Thus the champion could make the following request: he has to sleep in the same bed, in order to keep an eye on him.
The absence of conversation explains the absence of smiles. (chapter 42) And this can only affect the champion’s mood. (chapter 42) His irritability and outburst get even worse. From this (chapter 41) to this (chapter 42) In the car, he yelled at doc Dan. He advised him not to cross the line. He was no fighter. He should stick to his job, overlooking that Kim Dan was acting as a good physical therapist. He was right to ask the celebrity to stop his training.
To conclude, the absence of communication around the breakfast made the champion unhappy, generating a new gap between these two characters. (chapter 42) And now, you comprehend why I associated breakfast to laughs.
3. Fanning Birthday and breakfast
Interesting is that the doctor had prepared a similar breakfast than the previous one: (chapter 42) (chapter 41) However, there exists one difference to the first breakfast the physical therapist put on the table. (chapter 22) The soup looks a lot like a seaweed soup, a typical dish offered in South Korea for a birthday. And now, you comprehend why in the illustration, the first breakfast is facing the birthday cake (chapter 41) The latter stands for anonymity, professionalism and admiration, while the seaweed soup embodies closeness, home and real affection. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the presents from the fans and companies are not making the celebrity happy. (chapter 41) It is because there is no direct conversation between him and others. They are congratulating through the gifts, and not through words and gestures (hugs). They don’t know what the athlete truly likes. Finally don’t forget that he starts receiving the gifts even before his real birthday. (chapter 41) We can observe that his birthday is creating such a buzz that it looks more like a marketing event. Hence at no moment, the athlete makes a joke or smile. (chapter 41) In fact, he is crossing his arms, as if he was putting a distance between himself and the gifts. In other words, his birthday is connected to business and artificiality which contrasts to the doctor‘s past birthday: . (Chapter 11) One person, only on one day, and the present was the sweet bread which the little boy liked so much. This shows that the grandmother knew her grandson very well. (Chapter 11) This simple party made the cute boy smile making him forget his worries and fears.
While the one celebrated it in a ruined but „warm“ home, the other will definitely take place outside the house. It is not intimate, but public. It is not surprising that the mysterious man prefers creating an charity event in the end. He is not sensing any true love and affection from all this. Jinx-philes can sense that he is somehow excluding himself from all this. It was, as if they were celebrating something else… Because Joo Jaekyung mentioned a charity event (chapter 41), I am assuming that a party will be organized outside his penthouse and this will take place in the evening. This stands in opposition to the breakfast. On the other hand, I deduce that such a birthday party is reflected in the following scenes:
chapter 9: the welcome party
Chapter 37: the late snack party
And the moment Manhwaphiles compare these two scenes, they can detect the following common denominators. Joo Jaekyung was not eating!! In the first party, he was not invited, because he would never show up. He dislikes alcohol. But even when he was present, he sat there refusing to eat with the others. (Chapter 9) His body language was displaying his distance and „rejection“. Yes, he was excluding himself. But why? It is because he never messes with his nutrition. (Chapter 36) Yes, he is not allowing himself to eat „unhealthy“ food or to enjoy a „drink“. Under this new approach, it becomes understandable why the athlete got so furios, when he caught the trio having a party. First, he got upset, because he got excluded. He got jealous, because Kim Dan was laughing with the others. (chapter 37) But more importantly, he cannot eat like the others, (chapter 37). I don’t think, it was just caused by his upcoming match. Even during the first party, he never took a bite. Striking is his choice of words: stuff. It was, as if eating snacks was a synonym for overeating. Like mentioned in the essay „sharing is caring“, Joo JAekyung needs to learn to become less perfect, to allow himself a „snack“ from time to time. That way, he can enjoy life. In his eyes, he can not celebrate like the others, for his job and title are a synonym for his life. (Chapter 9) That‘s why I believe that during the charity event, the champion won’t be eating and drinking like the others again, though I am expecting a „change“ there too. Moreover, while during the breakfasts the doctor is able to make the athlete happy and smile (chapter 41), it is not the same for Joo Jaekyung. So far, the doctor has barely smiled in front of the champion. (Chapter 22) And this is something the champion has been missing. When he paid off his debts, he wanted to make the doctor happy, hence he was looking at his facial expressions. (Chapter 18) In other words, as long as Kim Dan is not laughing and smiling, the other can not find real happiness either, and I would even say, real peace of mind. But in order to make his partner happy, the latter has to cross the line. He needs to stop living like a champion all the time, and as such to become human. This implies that he needs to make mistakes, for error is human. At the same time, humanity is a synonym for benevolence and vulnerability. This corresponds to the charity event. (Chapter 41) So if the money is donated to cancer treatment and especially to the halmoni’s, the latter will become the symbol for the champion’s sweetness and weakness. Finally, many Jinx-philes can realize that Joo JAekyung‘s birthday is the evidence that he is a human after all.
To conclude, I am predicting that at some point, the two main leads will come to eat breakfast together. I am already anticipating that Joo Jaekyung might prepare breakfast for Kim Dan, just like he cooked a dinner for him in episode 13. (chapter 13) But for that, the champion has to change his way of life… give up little by little all his past habits (waking up, showering, jogging, then breakfast, training till late in the evening). Everything was revolving around his own life and profession. However, by allowing Kim Dan to live with him, he is forced to find new habits: cooking for each other, jogging together, sleeping together… taking care of each other. This can only happen through arguments. I would even add, it is only possible, when both are honest to each other. Right now, Joo Jaekyung only knows how to share intimacy sexually with the protagonist. He needs to learn to listen to Kim Dan and trust him.
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-Twitter-Tumblr 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.
Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa:Jinx But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes.Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about Jinx“Trapped Butterfly in Deceit’s Web”(part 1)
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.
After publishing the first part, I had another huge revelation. Yet, instead of updating the last analysis, I decided to write a second part. And now, you are probably curious about my new discoveries. It is related to the methods I employed to examine chapter 40 which were to interpret the significance of the sun glasses and to contrast the interrogation scene with previous episodes.
1. The importance of glasses
I don’t think that my inquisitive readers have already forgotten the different meaning behind the spectacles: naivety, blindness, hypocrisy and deception. And now, let me ask you this. Who has been wearing glasses in Jinx? The first person coming to your mind would be Park Namwook. But he is not alone!! We have Cheolmin (chapter 13) who also jumped to the wrong conclusion, when he saw the doctor’s bruises. He imagined that the champion had been too rough in bed with Kim Dan. However, once he heard his testimony, he believed him. This shows that he trusted him. On the other hand, this scene reinforces my interpretation that the glasses are connected to prejudices and false perception. Moreover, observe that he was curious about the physical therapist, hence he interrogated the champion. (chapter 13) Then, observe that in the penthouse, the doctor acted too. (chapter 13) He faked to be frightened, while in reality he was having fun, which is displayed by the onomatopoeia “epp”. As you can see, the behavior of Cheolmin corroborates all my previous statement about the glasses. They are used as masks. Another important detail is that this scene contains all the same ingredients than in episode 40: a rescue, a doctor (chapter 40) and the blood test (chapter 13) and a new face!! (chapter 40) (chapter 13) And by contrasting these two scenes, I realized that it reinforced my theories. 1. There must have been a phone call!! In episode 13, the champion must have called his chingu. (chapter 13), for he couldn’t leave the main lead alone. Secondly, this phone call was to cover up a scandal. To conclude, because of a phone call, the MFC security guys had received a task. They had to cover up a scandal by framing the new face. (chapter 40) However, the moment the guard with the sun glasses got caught, he tried to act as a savior. As you can see, this comparison reinforces my theory. The MFC manager must have asked the MFC security guys to cover up the incident. If not, they would be blamed for the matter!! And now, you comprehend why they had to know everything about Kim Dan. (chapter 40) They needed to find any excuse to put the blame on the protagonist. Either he had a strong reaction because of his medication or because of a different meal… but since Kim Dan never replied to them, they had to frighten him, to coerce him to confess a crime. (chapter 13) That’s how desperate and ruthless they were in the end. While dressed like FBI agents, they were acting like thugs and criminals. No matter what… MFC should not be involved in a scandal! And this brings me to my second discovery. Who else is wearing glasses in Jinx?
2. The hidden reflections
The perverted hospital director!! (chapter 1) And he also got caught!! What did happen afterwards? (chapter 1) Kim Dan got fired, for he was a new face! (chapter 1) The wrongdoing from the higher-up had been covered up, and the staff had assisted him!! (chapter 1) The nurse had not testified in the physical therapist’s favor. She had remained silent. This door opening doesn’t symbolize true rescue… but abandonment. It stands for silence and betrayal. The reason is simple. The staff wanted to keep their job. This signifies that the hospital director used the organization to protect his reputation and cover up his crime. In a previous essay, I elaborated that the nurse had been sent to the office on purpose, for the director office had no light on. I doubt that she was allowed to enter her superior’s office like that. And this assumption got reinforced, for Park Namwook was the one mentioning the incident to Joo Jaekyung in the hallway. (chapter 40) The intrusion of Joo Jaekyung in the office was caused by Park Namwook’s revelation. And it was the same, when the champion caught Heo Manwook with his minions. (chapter 17) And what is the common denominator between the perverted hospital director (chapter 6) and the moneylender? (chapter 16) Sexual harassment and the usage of the number to achieve their goal!! These two characters could hide their crimes with the assistance of other people (thugs, staff). We could say that both used an organization. Consequently, I am assuming that the MFC manager is doing the same!! Therefore it is no coincidence that Mingwa employed the same colors: blue, white and black . (chapter 1) That’s the reason why I am suspecting that the MFC guys must have already been informed that Kim Dan might be the champion’s sex partner. (chapter 40) If the champion had admitted that Kim Dan was his boyfriend, then they could say that Kim Dan had drunk the nutrition shake by mistake, and Joo Jaekyung had actually planned to take the drug. Keep in mind that according to me, the green-haired guy, the loan shark and the MFC manager are working together. But they were assisted by the lawyer and the manager from. the Entertainment agency. Fortunately, the champion’s answer was ambiguous. (chapter 40) Is he his partner or a member of his gym? Not only he is the face of Team Black (chapter 1), but also he owns the club. This means, in chapter 40, as the team leader of Team Black, he protected Kim Dan!! It exposes that Joo Jaekyung used the organization to defend his lover and physical therapist. (chapter 40) Joo Jaekyung is behaving the opposite from the perverted hospital director, Heo Manwook and finally the MFC manager. Thus it dawned on me that the reporter from this article did the same. (chapter 35) He sought protection behind the hospital (chapter 35) and social medias (chapter 36). Thus I deduce that the agent from the Entertainment agency and that lawyer are acting the same. They believe that they are safe, for they are both working for a huge company or law firm. And guess what… the doctor Kim Miseon is also wearing glasses. (chapter 5) As you can see, thanks to the glasses, I discovered a new pattern. These schemers and helping hands are avoiding any responsibility by hiding their wrongdoings behind an institution or we could say behind a name. (chapter 7) In the last case, it would be MFC!! But the reproach from the champion (chapter 40) should have opened their eyes! Not MFC would have been involved a scandal… but only the MFC security team!! As you can see, the moment they had been informed about the incident, they should have reported the MFC manager to the highers-up! They should have never protected such a person in the end, because the latter is the reason why the organization would be involved in a scandal. That’s the reason why such people are framing others. They know how an institution works. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the plotters are trying to ruin the champion’s name!! (chapter 36) (chapter 36) It is because they are projecting their own thoughts onto the champion. He is just a person. However, what they don’t realize is that behind the athlete, there is also an organization: TEAM BLACK!! (chapter 40) Because their scheme failed, there is no doubt that they will target the physical therapist, for he is much weaker. He is “new” in the team and he comes from a low social background. He has a sick and old halmoni. However, Kim Dan has almost become their true mascot!! (chapter 36) Note that Oh Daehyun and Potato tried to investigate the matter with the doctor’s illness. (chapter 38) (chapter 38) Thus I deduce that because of Kim Dan, the members from Team Black will become more proactive. They need to show to these people that Joo Jaekyung is not alone, he is the alpha of a great gym… producing many champions!! In other words, the dragon with his yeouiju will be able to remove these Deceit’s webs and purify these institutions. As you can imagine, I am suspecting that Dr. Lee must have been blamed for the article (chapter 27), for someone had to take the fall. I hope, we will see him again.
Interesting is that the Manhwaphiles have no idea about the identity of the perverted hospital director. We don’t know the name of the hospital as well. It is no coincidence. It indicates that this person is hiding behind the reputation of the hospital. This contrasts so much to Joo Jaekyung, but there is definitely a link between them. Thus my suspicions got reinforced that this man could be Seo Gichan. And we know for sure that Joo Jaekyung has connections to a hospital. (chapter 13)
3. The hidden wearers of glasses
By focusing on the glasses, I had another revelation. Joo Jaekyung is also wearing glasses. (chapter 29) However, here the item has a different signification. How so? It is because Joo Jaekyung was totally honest and was opening up to the physical therapist. (chapter 29) It seems to contradict my previous interpretation about the glasses. But no… Observe that during that whole scene, the readers could see the champion’s eyes contrary to the MFC guys (chapter 40), Park Namwook (chapter 37), Kim Miseon (chapter 21), Cheolmin (chapter 13) and the perverted hospital director (chapter 1)!! The eyes are the mirror of the soul. In Park Namwook and Cheolmin’s case, I don’t judge them as manipulators and schemers. The glasses are there to expose their flaws. But let’s return our attention to this scene. (chapter 29) Because he was wearing blue light blocking glasses, he was protected from “Agent Blue”, the positive version of episode 36 and 40!! This explicates why I consider them as a shield. He was trying to hide his vulnerability while confiding to Kim Dan.
And this interpretation got reinforced with Choi Heesung. (chapter 35) The Jinx-Philes could see his eyes too. He had come to the café with them to hide his identity, but in reality his action had the opposite effect. People noticed the actor. (chapter 35) Striking is that as soon as the actor removed them, he got honest with the doctor. He revealed his intentions, but he got rejected. As you can see, the glasses can have a positive function. Consequently, I came to develop a theory which was triggered by the glasses. Kim Dan envisioned the athlete in a suit (chapter 32), then he imagined him with the sun glasses (chapter 35) Thus I come to the conclusion, Kim Dan will be the one turning the athlete into a star, a real celebrity! But he won’t be reduced to his body and face (chapter 30) People will notice his qualities and talents so that he doesn’t need to prove his strength and power in the ring. The celebrities often use sun glasses to protect their anonymity. And Mingwa already implied that the champion’s birthday is around the corner. (chapter 40) So he could offer the sun glasses to his savior. If this prediction comes true, then it means that Kim Dan will become the rival of the manager from the agency. Besides, it was the manager’s job to develop a strategy how to change the netizens’ opinion. But he chose to put the whole responsibility on his athlete. (chapter 36) He could have shown that Joo Jaekyung was the owner of Team Black and he was training other athletes. It is important, because it shows that certain people hide their laziness behind the organization or a name. That’s the reason why I am expecting that Choi Heesung will play a role in the demise of the bad manager at the agency. (chapter 33) Since he has sun glasses, he is already connected to spying. Don’t forget that he tried to determine the true nature of their relationship before giving up on his angel. (chapter 32) Finally, I have the feeling that Team Black will come to act like the security guys in episode 40, investigate the matter why the champion and the doctor became the targets of malicious rumors and bad articles.
Thus I came to the final conclusion, though Cheolmin and Park Namwook are wearing glasses, they are the positive reflections of the other doctors. They will change for the better contrary to Kim Miseon and the perverted hospital director! Meeting the physical therapist, the blue butterfly, will affect their life forever… you know all the butterfly effect…🦋 A simple gesture from him is like a magic touch (chapter 31) and they are under his spell.
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.
Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa:Jinx But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes.Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about Jinx“Tough Life Lessons – part 1”
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.
1. Why is Jinx so painful?
In the first part, I examined Kim Dan and his interactions with the other characters, it is now time to turn our attention to Joo Jaekyung. Once again, Mingwa chose to upset her readers by showing him as a brutal and rude punk. (chapter 37) This explains why more and more manhwaphiles are dropping this story. But here is the deal. Jinx can only be enjoyable, as long as the readers try to grasp the Webtoonist’s intentions. It is the same for Painter Of The Night. In my eyes, this can only happen, when Manhwalovers are able to understand the champion’s personality. Here, I am not talking about finding excuses for his misbehavior. And this brings me to the topic “life lessons”. Exactly like the physical therapist, Joo Jaekyung needs to be taught life lessons, but for that he needs to commit wrongdoings. Consequently, he needs to experience pain and regret so that he doesn’t make the same bad decisions again. At the same time, these life lessons are also destined to the readers, for this fiction works like a “fairy tale”. I have already pointed out the similarities between “Sleeping beauty” and “Belle and the Beast”. One of these lessons would be: “Don’t judge people by looks or by rumors” (chapter 36) Mingwa is here criticizing the attitude of netizens writing hateful and gloating comments behind anonymity. This is no coincidence that since certain BL-readers came to hate this character, they start transferring their resent towards the author or Jinx-philes. If the latter like Joo Jaekyung, they must be deranged or they are advocating rape or violence. They are confusing fiction and reality. However, the purpose of stories or fairy tales is to reflect and internalize life lessons. And now, you are wondering what Mingwa has planned for the champion. For me, chapter 37 was important, because it outlines the champion’s flaws which are linked to his mindset. He can only change through tough life lessons.
2. Joo Jaekyung’s life lessons
2. 1. To have an open ear
What caught my attention is the professionalism and perseverance of Joo Jaekyung which was even noticed by doc Dan. (chapter 37) He embodies the positive reflection of Kim Dan. The latter lacks experiences and proper guidance. Besides, when the physical therapist makes decisions (chapter 15) (chapter 22), (chapter 35), he often changes his mind. He doesn’t stick to them. Why? It is because he listens to others. Consequently, he doesn’t appear as a competent physical therapist. This signifies that the champion is the exact opposite. Once he makes his choice, he won’t change his mind. Therefore he can only appear as stubborn and selfish. Consequently, one of his previous lessons was to listen to Cheolmin and accept his advices concerning his sex life. (chapter 13) He learned that he could ask for his help in a case of an emergency. (chapter 13) Notice that there was no scandal after this incident. So since Kim Dan drank a drug (chapter 37), Joo Jaekyung is now incited to listen to Oh Daehyun and Potato, and as such to trust them. He needs to figure out how the physical therapist got poisoned.
2. 2. Life is a game
So what is he supposed to learn through the other incidents in episode 37? (chapter 37) (chapter 37) (chapter 37) One might reply that he needs to respect people. In other words, he has no notion of politeness. He behaves like a tyrant outside the ring. The manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget his nickname: “Emperor”. (chapter 14) Thus I deduce that the champion is making no distinction between inside the ring and outside the ring. (chapter 1) This signifies that he views life like a fight which never ends. This would explicate why Joo Jaekyung can never relax. (chapter 29) He needs to be constantly on his guard, and at the same time, this means that he judges everyone as his “enemy” or “rival”. Only the hyungs are exempted, for they are no longer fighting in the ring. Besides, they were the ones who helped him to become a legend. Under this new perspective, it becomes comprehensible why Joo Jaekyung listens to Jeong Yosep and Park Namwook. They don’t represent any danger for him. Therefore it becomes comprehensible why the champion was always so rough with the other members, when he was sparring in the ring. (chapter 1) Why should he restrain himself, when his life and career are always on the line? If he were to lose during the sparring, he imagined that people would question his talents or position. For him, sparring was a synonym for fighting and not playing! This explicates why he is not resting in the end. (chapter 29) Under this new light, the Manhwa lovers can comprehend why the champion refused to invite the members from Team Black to his penthouse. (chapter 22) It was, as if he was invited a competitor to his place. Therefore I come to the conclusion that one of his life lessons is that he needs to differentiate between life inside and outside the ring. Moreover, he has to internalize that life is like a “game” in order to be able to enjoy life. Yes, he is taking things too seriously. Hence the physical therapist’s suggestion for the day-off was not bad for a start. (chapter 27) This let him reconnect to his past and how he liked swimming. Moreover, we have the best example for “life is a game” in chapter 26. (chapter 26) He had fun here with Kim Dan, he was restraining his strength. Therefore it is not surprising that after his defeat, he had no problem to accept Potato as his sparring partner!! (chapter 26) And because life is like a battle for him, it is not surprising that Joo Jaekyung is not capable to say (chapter 37) “thank you” or “please”, like Park Namwook outlined it. Furthermore, it explains why Joo Jaekyung is not voicing his suffering to others. If he had complained here, then he would have appeared weak. The absence of complain explains (chapter 37) the doctor’s reaction. He is feeling for him. (chapter 37) Consequently, it is not surprising that Joo Jaekyung is not complimenting the doctor either. The former is not receiving encouragements and support from his hyungs. In the ring, the fighters are silent too.
2. 3. Sharing is caring
(chapter 37) Moreover, imagine that he barged in the room of the maknaes. He was actually an intruder, for he had not been invited to the party. Naturally, if one of the characters had criticized him for his trespassing, there is no doubt that the champion would have replied that he had paid for their stay at the hotel. This explains why he could open the door, though for each room at a hotel, you need a different keycard. Striking is that this was not his first intrusion. He had already done it in the past. (chapter 30) However, he was violating the doctor’s privacy. This explicates why he had to find an excuse for his sudden appearance. (chapter 30) And now, what is the common denominator between these two scenes? SHARING!! Observe that in episode 37 they were eating together, and they were sharing the chips. In the bathroom, Kim Dan was forced to share “his toothpaste” to his roommate. And what is the common points between all these scenes? (chapter 9) (chapter 18) (chapter 21) (chapter 22) (chapter 37) The champion is never eating with others!! He is not sharing his meals to others. This signifies that he has no notion of a family dinner. This was perceptible in this scene as well. (chapter 13) Joo Jaekyung had prepared two plates, but in South Korea the tradition is to put all the dishes in the middle of the table, and people take bits from the plates, like at the restaurant. (chapter 9) This is important, because once again, it outlines the coaches’ flaw or bad decision. Neither Yosep nor Namwook tried to convince Joo Jaekyung to assist to the meals. I am quite certain that his abstinence (chapter 9) and the argument “he never messes with his weight” (chapter 36) were used as excuses not to intervene. I am not saying that these two hyungs had bad intentions or excluded him on purpose. It is just that they simply didn’t bother. They could say that he wouldn’t listen anyway. (chapter 27) So why bother to invite him? Moreover, if he were present, he would represent a source of trouble. Under this light, it becomes comprehensible why he had to use the company card for his appearance. (chapter 9) But this interpretation exposes the hyungs’ hypocrisy. They are not truly caring for the athlete. The irony is that in the same chapter, the champion “shared” his drink with the doctor. (chapter 37) Consequently, Team Black has now an interest to investigate the matter, for this could happen to the other fighters. Thus I conclude that Joo Jaekyung will learn to share Kim Dan. However, he needs to differentiate between private and professional life. And that’s how his obsession for the physical therapist will become visible. Little by little, the physical therapist will change the atmosphere at Team Black’s. We could see this through Heesung’s meddling. (chapter 31) Thanks to Kim Dan, the fighters’ life improved.
And this brings me back to the doctor’s first day at the gym. (chapter 7) Joo Jaekyung got jealous, for the doctor was asked to treat the other members. By taking him away, he refused to share him with the other members. And note what happened in the next chapter. Joo Jaekyung accepted to share the shower room with the other sportsmen. (chapter 8) Interesting is that each time, Kim Dan was focused on others, he took the initiative to approach them. (chapter 7) He would even talk to them. (chapter 30) As you can see, I see a strong link between sharing and communication. Why? It is because conversing is sharing thoughts. (chapter 29) Because the champion had shown an interest in the doctor during the day, the latter reacted the same way during the night. Spending time together is like sharing time.
Since my interpretation is that Joo Jaekyung has been treated as a silenced and invisible child, I doubt that he could learn the notion sharing. Besides, this can only be taught, if a child has friends and is not isolated.
Don’t force sharing. (…)
Put special toys away. (…)
Help develop a sense of empathy. (…)
Encourage cooperation and being helpful. (…)
Create opportunities for playtime with other kids. (…)
And this brings me to the following interpretation. When Joo Jaekyung left the door open of his penthouse (chapter 2) (chapter 34), it symbolizes that he was willing to share his home to someone. This is no coincidence that later, he proposed to Kim Dan to live with him. Thus I deduce that Heesung will also become Joo Jaekyung’s real friend, as he had been invited to enter his penthouse.
2. 4. Rest is important and not partying the night away
Therefore it is now necessary to examine this scene again. (chapter 37) Don’t forget that each message has 4 sides. Why was Joo Jaekyung so upset? It was not just about the junk food! It is because Joo Jaekyung was alone in his bedroom and couldn’t sleep. (chapter 37) In reality, he was feeling lonely, and probably hungry. Then he suddenly smelled the ramen , (chapter 37) which could only make him feel more excluded. But the final straw was, when he heard that Kim Dan was having fun with the others. Not only he was not sleeping like usually, but also he had decided to chat with Potato and Oh Daehyun. (chapter 37) He could only get envious of the other fighters. Kim Dan had not tried to visit him… like during this night. (chapter 29) He had not been seeking his company. Thus I deduce that he got envious of the chow chow and the eagle! This was the reflection of the doctor’s thoughts. (chapter 37) Moreover, it is important to recall that each time Kim Dan spent time with his partner, he would often fall asleep so easily or sleep for a long time. (chapter 12) (chapter 28) However, with Potato and Daehyun the physical therapist behaved differently. (chapter 37) As you can see, this episode exposes the lack of communication between the couple. Why? It is because both are relying on Park Nawmook. (chapter 37) (chapter 37) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Joo Jaekyung has no manners or acts like a spoiled child. It is because he is reflecting Park Namwook’s behavior. (chapter 37) This panel exposes the tyrant Park Namwook who is drawing an invisible line between the athlete and the members. This means that the coach has the same impact on the protagonist’s life than the grandmother on her grandchild! Both ended up without friends due to the surrogate parent. I have long portrayed the athlete as a mirror of truth, and the best evidence is the halmoni. (chapter 21) Joo Jaekyung was gentle and well-mannered, because the grandmother was nice and polite to him. But we all know that the athlete is not a hypocrite.
2. 5. Karma
However, Joo Jaekyung is also responsible for the increasing alienation between him and the doctor. Remember how he treated his lover in front of Choi Heesung. (chapter 34) It was, as if the latter was an object, a plaything. He didn’t treat him like a human. Moreover, later he utilized him as sex toy. (chapter 36) This scene contrasts so much to this picture: (chapter 37) Coldness through the shades, day, no food, no sharing, silence and pain versus food, warmth through steam and the bright colors, sharing and happiness. This was his punishment for his mistreatment towards the doctor. Back then, the doctor had shown concern and had brought him water, but he got rejected. (chapter 36) Therefore it is not surprising that Kim Dan was no longer seeking his company or was distancing more and more from him. And now, the legend is confronted with reality. Kim Dan is not an object, for he is now sick. (chapter 37) In fact, the drug could have terrible side effects on him due to his weak constitution, like for example it could affect the heart or the liver.
Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
Agitation, severe or
Anxiety, severe or
Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), severe or
Heart attack, recent or
Heart failure or
Heart or blood vessel disease (eg, cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease) or
Heart rhythm problems (eg, ventricular arrhythmia) or
Hypertension (high blood pressure), moderate to severe or
Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or
Stroke, history of or
Tension, severe—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.
Blood vessel problems (eg, Raynaud disease) or […]
By learning to share Kim Dan, he can get real friends. At the same time, he can ensure a better protection for himself and his loved one. Only through that way, he can change. However, until now, he only experienced sharing through Kim Dan and the halmoni. First, it happened, when the main lead begged the athlete for his help. (chapter 11) He exposed his vulnerability to the protagonist. Then the grandmother gave him one yoghurt. (chapter 21) Striking is that the athlete received the drink after chatting with the elderly woman. As you can see, the meal is strongly intertwined with conversation. (chapter 13) Both scenes are the perfect illustrations for sharing is caring. Thus I deduce that this “family dinner” was fake (chapter 22), for there was no sharing. No wonder why the champion was not conversing with the others. Nonetheless, in order to happen, he has to realize that he needs to communicate properly to Kim Dan. He needs to give his partner compliments and encouragement. (chapter 37) He remained silent contrary to episode 1. It is not just Park Namwook’s task to compliment him. However, as long as he doesn’t give any feedback to the insecure physical therapist, the latter won’t open up to him. Why does Kim Dan feel close to Potato and Oh Daehyun? It is because they are sharing their thoughts and emotions. But why is it so important for the champion to share the doctor? It is because through him, the doctor can get recognition and advance in his career. If he secludes him, Kim Dan is bound to make no progress. That’s the reason why I consider Joo Jaekyung’s intervention here as inappropriate. (chapter 31) It was not his place to decide for the main lead. Kim Dan could have had another client, even though it was just an excuse. (chapter 31) Because he treated Kim Dan like an underling, he received the same treatment later. He was not allowed to defend himself (chapter 31), just like he replied instead of the doctor! Thus I conclude that the moment he sees Kim Dan in pain, this will remind him of his lover’s human nature (chapter 37) and as such his vulnerability. In my eyes, this will move his heart… exactly like in that scene. (chapter 21) In other words, the champion has to recognize that all his actions have consequences. As long as he is not treating Kim Dan properly, he is doomed to suffer and as such face adversity. But this perception is also valuable for the doctor. As long as he neglects his job due to his low self-esteem, he is fated to be treated like an errand boy. To sum up, both characters have to recognize their own flaws and misbehavior. Furthermore, I deduce that as long as Joo Jaekyung doesn’t expose his true position within the company in front of Park Namwook, he is bound to be treated like a prize. To conclude, Joo Jaekyung needs to confront his hyungs for their negligence. How come that they let Kim Dan fetch the drink and no one questioned its origins? Why was Yosep Jeong on the phone? (chapter 37) In my opinion, the coach is not involved in the conspiracy, for it looks like Mingwa has no intention to turn the members into bad guys. Nevertheless, this man was not talking to his wife, for the latter had blocked him. This raises the question. Who was he talking to? I have the feeling, that the person on the other side of the phone must have involved in the scheme in order to distract Jeong Yosep: MFC manager or the agent from the entertainment company?
As you can see, I am siding with no one in the end. They all have their flaws which make them human!
3. Prediction
Since I outlined the importance of sharing in episode 37, I come to the following deduction: Joo Jaekyung will share a room and probably his bed with Kim Dan. Remember that he was seen alone here (chapter 37), just like the athlete had carried the physical therapist to his bed after their sex session in the swimming pool. (chapter 29) Observe that here, the main lead was sleeping in the middle of the bed… he had been placed exactly like Joo Jaekyung would sleep. (chapter 13) That’s the reason why the champion didn’t share his bed with Kim Dan. This means that I am expecting a new version of this scene (chapter 4), but I don’t think that the doctor will sleep in a cocoon. At the same time, we have the explanation why Joo Jaekyung felt so refreshed after his first night with Kim Dan. He had been able to sleep, for he had shared his bed with the doctor. No wonder why the champion got so upset afterwards. However, since the doctor is sick, I doubt that he would sleep next to him. So my idea is that the champion could give his bed to Kim Dan, while he sleeps on the floor. I noticed that the carpet of his bedroom is red (chapter 37) And red or pink is the color that brings them together. Secondly, when he was trying to lose weight, he looked like someone sleeping on the floor. (Chapter 37) Finally, this panel (chapter 37) reminded me of the champion’s kiss, when he left the swimming pool. Kim Dan has a similar position. (Chapter 27) Additionally, both were on the floor. Finally, we shouldn’t forget that Joo Jaekyung has been learning to take care of the “weak” doctor. He is already experienced how to treat him. Taking care of him in his room is no novelty. Moreover, if Kim Dan notices that the champion could fall asleep despite his presence, he could suggest to Joo Jaekyung to share a bed. (chapter 37) So don’t give up hope! Joo Jaekyung still has his own merits.
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.
Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa:Jinx But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes.Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about Jinx“Agent Blue – part 2”
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.
First, it is necessary to define the term life lesson. Life lessons learned early allow people to make the most of their life by not repeating the big mistakes people repeatedly make throughout their life. This signifies that people learn life lessons through mistakes and bad choices. Because of the stress and pain they brought, life lessons won’t be forgotten. They will remain present in the mind. However, this can only happen, when people are on their own or better said, when the parents can no longer take the responsibility for their children’s wrongdoings or bad choices. The one is forced to bear the burden of his errors or bad decisions. As you can see, life lessons are strongly intertwined with maturity and growth. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why episode 37 portrayed all the characters in a bad light.
1 . Between pity, sympathy and empathy
Episode 37 exposed the flaws of all characters, for they all misbehaved. Not just Joo Jaekyung committed wrongdoings like here (chapter 37), when he snatched the towel from Kim Dan with force without saying thank you or when he poured the coke on Kim Dan’s head. (chapter 37) One huge mistake from Kim Dan was for example looking away while wiping his client. (chapter 37) Joo Jaekyung was actually put in a similar situation than the grandmother’s. Due to the weight cutting, his body is exposed to mistreatment. Now, imagine that Kim Dan had acted the same way towards his own halmoni. It would have hurt her, for no sick person wants pity and as such sympathy. Why? The reason is simple. Sympathy makes the counterpart feeling inferior, lonely and abandoned. How so? It is related to passivity.
Feeling sorry for someone is never helpful, for it doesn’t change the situation. Thus in medicine, it is recommended to have empathy, and not sympathy for the patients. This is an important condition for healing persons suffering from traumas. (chapter 37) No wonder why Joo Jaekyung sent away the doctor. (chapter 37) The latter made him feel worse than before. (chapter 37) What the boxer needed to hear or see was recognition and encouragements and not sympathy or pity. He should tell him what he hasn’t been hearing so far: “I admire your determination, your strong will, your professionalism”. (chapter 15) But when Kim Dan was wiping his client, he was not acting like a professional doctor. Thus he got hurt by his rejection, for this felt him more unworthy. (chapter 37) There is no doubt that Joo Jaekyung was hurt too. The only difference is that the athlete is not allowed to cry or to complain, for he made the decision to take the challenge. (chapter 37)
Besides, it is important to distinguish between sympathy and empathy. (chapter 37) What is Kim Dan feeling here? Sympathy or empathy?
Sympathy comes from the ancient Greek word sunpathos, which includes the concept of suffering and pity, whereas empathy comes from the Greek word empátheia, which means passion. To actually feel someone’s pain is to be empathetic, and to be passionate to help that person create a different experience. This usually has a positive effect on both individuals. Quoted from https://chopra.com/articles/the-difference-between-compassion-and-pity
This means that in the panel above, the physical therapist was sympathetic towards Joo Jaekyung and his outburst. Nonetheless, psychologists make a distinction between 3 types of empathy: cognitive empathy, affective/emotional empathy and finally compassionate empathy. Sympathy is a synonym for “cognitive empathy“. This means that the person can take another person’s perspective, can also imagine what it’s like to be in another person’s shoes. Thus he can understand someone’s feelings. However, this doesn‘t imply that the person will feel these emotions as well. The person just knows how to perceive what the counterpart is feeling and thinking, while in emotional empathy, the person will share an emotional experience, he will be feeling distress in response to someone’s pain. As for the compassionate empathy, the person will experience a willingness to help someone, because they feel the same distress. https://www.verywellmind.com/cognitive-and-emotional-empathy-4582389
As you can see, there‘s a slight nuance between cognitive and affective empathy, but this small difference has great consequences in reality. How so? It is because the person only feeling sympathy will always put a distance between himself and the counterpart. There‘s a “I“ and “you“, but no „we“. This indicates the presence of an invisible line which is perceptible in the doctor’s words: I versus he. (chapter 37) The person might come to pity the other, yet he won‘t intervene and help. He will just understand and that‘s it.
Think of yourself by the side of a swimming pool. There is someone in there, drowning. If you were to show them sympathy, you would involve yourself, telling them about a time when you were also drowning. You make it about yourself as an individual – and then you’re both drowning and nobody is on poolside to help. You express sympathy. If you were to share empathy, think of yourself as throwing them a life-ring. You are understanding their problem and accepting that it is an issue for them, but not making the situation about you. You stand outside of the issue as a source of comfort. (…) Both empathy and sympathy can be useful tools – but sympathy can become patronising, and that’s something we wish to avoid. Expressing sympathy creates a divide between you and the other person- that you are lucky, you have come past the problem, but they are unlucky and still struggling. ‘I’m sorry you feel like that’ is a statement that isolates someone. You’re pitying them, not providing a sense of support. If you were to show empathy, perhaps you could say ‘Many people struggle with this issue, you’re not alone.’ This gives the other person a sense of companionship, that they are not the only one and that there is hope.
As the manhwaphiles can detect, sympathy is linked to passivity and words, while empathy pushes someone to become more proactive, especially compassionate empathy.
Graphic created by Psychologist Robert Shelton
Like the graphic is indicating it, the engagement increases, the closer you get to compassion. (chapter 37) Striking is that here, the physical therapist employed the expression “think”, a sign that he is feeling cognitive empathy which explains his passivity. To conclude, the more compassionate Kim Dan becomes, the more proactive he will become towards his fated partner. But for that, he needs to open up his heart and as such to accept the feelings he has for Joo Jaekyung. I am not really referring to romantic feelings, rather to empathy and compassion, like Dr. Lee from the hospital. (chapter 27) As long as Kim Dan sees himself as the champion’s tool for his jinx, he won’t be able to become a great physical therapist. (chapter 37), for he is drawing a line.
And now, it is time to return to this scene. (chapter 37) When Joo Jaekyung entered the room of the hoobaes and criticized them, the latter apologized. Yet, the doctor’s apology was slightly different. How so? He just apologized for the sound, but with his words, he implied that they would keep eating ramen. Imagine what it means for the champion thinking that once he leaves the chamber, they will keep eating junk food. They have the chance to eat at all, but his companions chose to eat unhealthy food. That’s the reason why the champion was so upset (chapter 37), but no one understood his message. They thought that they were reprimanded for eating, though it was more about bad nutrition (“garbage”, “stuff yourselves”) and eating in excess! (chapter 37) Because Kim Dan insinuated that they would keep eating such unhealthy dishes, his sex partner replied this: (chapter 37) The doctor’s excuse could only sound fake to the athlete’s ears. In fact, in that moment, Kim Dan showed no real sympathy for the champion. He was drawing the line between the athlete and himself. However, after getting humiliated, (chapter 37), he changed his attitude a little. Yet, notice that he was still thinking about his insomnia and not the unhealthy food.
And the coaches are responsible for this!! They allowed Oh Daehyun and Potato to buy Korean food (chapter 37), while Joo Jaekyung is put on a diet. Moreover, Kim Dan is a physical therapist. Hence he is well aware of the impact of bad nutrition and we are here talking about professional athletes. (chapter 22) It was, as if he had forgotten his knowledge and his past decisions. Then the next day, Kim Dan pities him, something he also hates!! (chapter 37) It makes him look like a hypocrite. What Joo JAekyung needed the most here was support and compliments, like in Busan!! (chapter 15) But the irony is that no one encouraged or complimented the champion at all except the reporters at the event. (chapter 37) This discovery led me to the following conclusion. Park Namwook embodies sympathy and as such cognitive empathy. He can grasp people‘s feeling, as he is able to see from people‘s perspective. (chapter 37) This explicates why he allows the fighters to buy ramyeon and sodas behind the captain’s back. (chapter 37) By exposing the champion to this food, they made him realize that Joo Jaekyung was truly alone with this issue.
This means that this incident made the champion realize that the fighters had unhealthy eating habits. Until now, he never paid attention to their alimentation! The coach only reprimanded them before the match. (chapter 22) Back then, the champion only showed disinterest to their situation. (chapter 22) But imagine that they were actually put in the same situation than the athlete. 😶 The coaches and Kim Dan were eating hamburgers and fries in front of the others. (chapter 22) No wonder why Oh Daehyun and Potato had a similar attitude towards Joo Jaekyung in the States. (chapter 37) The only difference is that they wished to hide this from the sportsman. They knew that this was not right. One might say that they showed a certain sympathy towards their hyung, while in the break room, Park Namwook had a clear conscious. (chapter 22) He was even more ruthless towards the other members, until Kim Dan made the following suggestion: eating elsewhere. This is applied in the States. The champion’s past indifference reflects the negative influence from Park Namwook. Observe that the latter asked from the physical therapist only “pity and sympathy” (chapter 36) He was encouraged to remain passive (“be patient”). He is treated like an errand boy (chapter 37), like holding the towel or pouring the hot water. (chapter 37) (chapter 37) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Park Namwook or the coach accepted the suggestion from the agent so easily. (chapter 36) They are passive, because they only feel sympathy in the best case. Thus I come to the conclusion that Kim Dan’s low self-esteem was reinforced by the manager’s attitude and advices. At no moment, he acknowledged his work (chapter 37) and as such gave him compliments contrary to Doctor Lee. This means, the lawsuit against the hospital is detrimental for Kim Dan’s career. He needs some guidance from a hyung.
As you can see, as time passed on in the States, the doctor became more and more depressed, for he was given more and more insignificant tasks and his real interventions were simply ignored. Therefore I conclude that Kim Dan can only have a change of heart thanks to Joo Jaekyung’s influence. For me, the latter stands for emotional empathy. This might be surprising, for many readers resent him more and more for his outbursts and brutal honesty. However don’t forget that he defended the doctor from the loan shark, paid his debts (chapter 18) and even cooked a meal for him. He was really proactive. Right now, he can not take care of him, as he is himself under immense stress. Don’t get me wrong: he is no saint either. On the other hand, Kim Dan needs to grasp the negative influence from Park Namwook and Yosep Jeong, for they represent a hindrance to his development as physical therapist. But for that, he needs to make a bad experience because of them directly. He needs to learn the difference between cognitive, emotional and compassionate empathy. He needs to recognize that a true doctor should feel empathy at least. The physical therapist experienced it, when Oh Daehyun and Potato complimented him. (chapter 37) Hence I believe that the closer Kim Dan get to the members, the more he will experience empathy and compassion. This is already perceptible, for the fighters wanted to offer their own jacket to the doctor. (chapter 36) The hand is the symbol for compassion and empathy. No wonder why Mingwa is focusing on the hands of the boxers. (chapter 37) They are the helping hands for the couple.
2. Don’t judge people by their looks
Episode 34 confirmed the existence of a conspiracy. One man disguised as a MFC member offered a beverage containing an aphrodisiac. (chapter 37) Kim Dan thought that this person belonged to MFC, for he was wearing an ID MFC, a cap with the logo MFC and he was wearing black clothes like the other officials. (chapter 37) This means that he judged this man by his looks. A terrible mistake! This situation mirrors the scene where one agent from MFC questioned Kim Dan about his identity. (chapter 15) I had already explained in the previous analysis that here he had been mistaken for an agent from MFC. However, the doctor misunderstood the red-haired man. He thought that staff was referring to Team Black.
Interesting is that Mingwa created a similar situation in the same episode. Someone was judged by his looks. (chapter 37) The protagonist saw the fighter as weak, for he had slimmed down. He was comparing him to their first meeting. (chapter 1) However, he was making a mistake, for Joo Jaekyung was just losing water, and not muscles! In my eyes, he was underestimating Joo Jaekyung’s strength.
And it is very likely that their enemies will jump to the same conclusion, for he looked quite tired and thin during the weight-in. (chapter 37) In other words, they are underestimating their opponent’s physical condition. This panel exposes that Joo Jaekyung can recover very quickly. (chapter 37) Thus I deduce that the schemers are judging the fighter based on his “looks”. My assumption is that their scheme is based on the following information: injured shoulder (“incident in Busan”) and the request from Kim Dan that the champion needs to take a day-off!. (chapter 27) However, he was here speaking on the behalf of the doctor. And who would make such a mistake? Naturally the manager from the entertainment agency. 😉 He had been informed by Park Namwook. This reinforces my theory that he is involved in this scheme. The latter would automatically judge his client as “injured”, for he was changing his way of life. For the first time, he was taking a day-off. But the manager is getting paid for the events he organizes, like Heesung’s manager exposed it! (chapter 31) If the athlete works less, the manager gets paid less! I would like to point out that Joo Jaekyung’s agent was never seen at the gym! He was never present during his training. Thus he had every reason to think that his client Joo Jaekyung has already reached his zenith! Therefore I am wondering if the manager came to believe the manipulations from the article. (chapter 36) That’s why there was no interview to deny the allegations. It was, as if he didn’t detect the fake news. The manhwaphiles should pay attention to his words. It was all about the leaking of private information, but not about the content of the article. (chapter 36) In other words, the manager judged his client by his “cover”! He was tasked to book less events!! Consequently, neither the lawyer nor the manager should be trusted, though they are well-mannered and educated. (chapter 36) In reality, Park Namwook should have focused more on their words and their body language! However, he judges people based on their manners! The irony is that the coach is himself a “wolf”. (chapter 7) He is beating his star, yelling, insulting him, he doesn’t allow him to complain or protest (chapter 31), he never says thank you (chapter 37) or “please”. (chapter 37) I doubt that he has ever apologized to him. He is only nice and well-mannered towards his celebrity, when the latter fulfils his expectations. (chapter 5) (chapter 15) Hence I deduce that Park Namwook will have to learn through bad experiences that the champion is a poor reflection of himself. He spoils the fighters (chapter 26), then he scolds them (chapter 36), when he is under stress. Why did he not protect the members from the champion’s bad mood? (chapter 36) It is because he thought that he couldn’t change the situation. That way, he was avoiding trouble as well. He was clearly a drawing a line: you and me! (chapter 36) There is no We at the gym in the end.
3. Stop listening to people
What caught my attention is that during episode 37, Kim Dan always listened to others, in particular Park Namwook (chapter 37) and Oh Daehyun. Thus he didn’t object to Oh Daehyun’s suggestion to have a late snack party. (chapter 37) (chapter 37) Therefore it is not surprising that he followed again his advices. (chapter 37) Kim Dan is learning through the hard way to develop critical thinking, his so-called third eye. Why shouldn’t people listen to others?
It is because people tell others what to do, what to think, what you do right or wrong. How to be better, live your life, and further your career. This explicates why Kim Dan’s career is not improving right now. At the same time, observe that the suggestions made by Oh Daehyun were concerning food. The nice fighter will learn through the physical therapist the significance of a good and proper meals. Just because he had not been eating properly, Kim Dan shouldn’t just eat anything! And this brings me to the following observations. The physical therapist had started starving himself due to the champion’s heavy diet! But this is not what Joo Jaekyung desired from him.
4. The secret behind the jinx
Now, it is time to focus on the purpose of the plot. First, they planned to drug Joo Jaekyung. (chapter 37) Striking is that the criminal faked sympathy, when he gave the beverage to the doctor. Through his mistake, the physical therapist should realize that there is nothing free in this world (“extra nutrition shake”). Secondly, concerns and sympathy can be fake. This should help him to recognize the divergence between cognitive sympathy and empathy too. Above, I had explained that this drug should be an aphrodisiac. This interpretation is based on the physical reactions of the main lead: he is trembling, blushing, (chapter 37), moaning and feeling hot. (chapter 37) Therefore I made some research about the drug. This is what I found: Dextroamphetamine. [Note: I am no doctor]
Dextroamphetamineis a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant and enantiomer of amphetamine that is prescribed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. It is also used as an athletic performance and cognitive enhancer, and recreationally as an aphrodisiac and euphoriant. Quoted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dextroamphetamine
Dextroamphetamine is used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy (sleep disorder). It belongs to the group of medicines called central nervous system (CNS) stimulants. Dextroamphetamine works in the treatment of ADHD by increasing attention and decreasing restlessness in children and adults who are overactive, cannot concentrate for very long, or are easily distracted and impulsive. This medicine is used as part of a total treatment program that also includes social, educational, and psychological treatment. Quoted from https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/dextroamphetamine-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20071795?p=1#:~:text=Descriptions,nervous%20system%20(CNS)%20stimulants.
Observe that this medicine is prescribed for sleeping disorder. (chapter 29) This was brought up in connection to the drug test. Therefore I deduce that the schemers are quite close to Joo Jaekyung. First, they are aware of his insomnia, but more importantly they know about his sex habits, his jinx! They had two reasons to give him such a drug. First, under the influence of the aphrodisiac, the champion could become even more rough than usually, a new version of this scene (chapter 13). Moreover, remember that his jinx is based on the following idea: he needs to feel satisfied! (chapter 2) It is all about a good fuck. But under the influence of the aphrodisiac, the champion would never get this feeling. Therefore I conclude that the drink was there to destabilize the champion mentally. Secondly, remember that the athlete is famous to fuck, until his partners pass out. (chapter 33) Hence under the influence of the drug, he could call for a second partner, like he did in episode 2. (chapter 2) In other words, he would hire a prostitute. Anyway, their plan is to cause a new scandal. The moment he ingurgitates the nutrition shake, he will get tested positive.
With this in mind athletes must ensure that the medications they take for particular medical problems, whether they include asthma and other airways issues, bowel or skin issues, musculoskeletal issues and indeed Attention Deficit Hyperreactivity Disorder (ADHD) are not prohibited for use in sport. […] Dexamphetamine, often used to treat ADHD, is also banned in competition and similarly requires a TUE for use in competition if an alternative legal medication cannot be used. Quoted from https://www.opsmc.com.au/articles/medication-in-sport-asada/
Therefore all his past achievements would be questioned. And imagine that it is combined to a sex scandal: prostitution and sexual assaults, for he was too rough. Not only he would lose his title, but he would lose his name and integrity. He would become a criminal! That’s the reason why the nutrition shake contains a drug which has aphrodisiac side effects. And because the schemers knew about the jinx, I can only deduce that one of the masterminds is the green-haired man as well. (chapter 2) Notice that till this night, Kim Dan believed in the existence of Joo Jaekyung’s jinx. (chapter 37) However, the drugged beverage is the evidence that the champion is not jinxed, he is the victim and target of criminals. He will start questioning the origins of this belief. Moreover, the physical therapist noticed that the unknown man spoke Korean. (chapter 37) But he should have spoken in English like in Busan. Therefore, I come to the conclusion that Kim Dan will learn the following lessons. Don’t swallow drinks from strangers and he should ensure that he keeps an eye on the champion’s food (chapter 37) and beverage. Be more suspicious of people, don’t trust people so easily. The other conclusion I made is that this pink beverage will work like a love potion. (chapter 37) I am hoping that through this life lesson, the doctor will realize that he is the champion’s lucky charm! Thanks to him, he will be able to fight and defeat the other legend! The plot will fail, and if there is a scandal, then Joo Jaekyung won’t be affected. How am I so sure about the emperor’s victory? Simply because the Webtoonist made many allusions to episode 1!
Chapter 1
Chapter 37
He is drinking an energy drink instead of eating properly.
He is acting the same way.
He is feeling insecure and nervous, a sign of his low self-esteem
IT was, as if he wanted run away, like in episode 1.
An apology : Fear in front of Joo Jaekyung
This time, he is not lowering himself. He is no longer fearing the athlete. You can see the transformation. He really trusts the fighter.
The loan sharks at the door
For me, it is one of Heo Manwook’s minions. Kim Dan can not recognize him, for the loan shark had many thugs. I am suspecting the one wearing a black suit, for he had his hands in the pants. Moreover, the hand and chin from Heo Namwook is different.
Eating ramen
now, he is no longer eating alone.
The doctor’s tears Here he had no reason to cry.
Running away:
This time, he was evicted, but the way he left the room, showed that he was fleeing the scene.
: looking at Joo Jaekyung’s body
Like mentioned above, he is also starring at the champion’s body. The difference is that he is worried. He feels pity and sympathy, hence he doesn’t act like a good physical therapist contrary to episode 1, where Joo Jaekyung gave him a compliment.
And what could the manhwaphiles see in episode 1? The physical therapist is the champion’s reward. He is his yeouiju. Like I wrote before, the pink drink is a blessing in disguise. Thus this (chapter 37) hand should be considered as a helping hand, though the intention was the opposite. Yes, the night before the match will become a total new experience for the champion and the doctor. Don’t forget that this episode was focused on empathy and sympathy… so I am expecting a huge change in the athlete’s behavior, more precisely the return of the athlete’s affectionate empathy. What will he do then? One thing is sure. He will have to make a tough decision, when he sees the physical therapist’s condition: (chapter 13) Calling for an ambulance? Bringing his doctor to the hospital? Calling his hyung? Or something else? As you can imagine, I am opting for the “something else”. 😉 And because Kim Dan was seen affected by Potato and Oh Daehyun (chapter 37), there is no ambiguity that this incident will bring them closer to the couple. How so? It is because Joo Jaekyung will be forced to admit his homosexuality to them. I am suspecting that they will cover up for him! (chapter 25) A new version of this scene. In other words, I am sensing the start of “WE” and as such family. They are now bound by secrecy.
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.
Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites.This is where you can read the manhwas: Jinx and POTN But be aware that these Manhwas are mature Yaois, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes.If you want to read more essays about Painter Of The Night, here is thelink to the table of contents. Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about Jinx“Magic hours”
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1. A Poem A Day and Family
The trigger for this essay was the K-drama A Poem a Day which I was recently rewatching. You might not know this, but I created this blog because of my analyses about K-dramas. Funny is that through them, I discovered Manhwas. That’s how I ended up reading BL-Manhwas which became my new passion. However, during my summer vacation, I was feeling nostalgic and melancholic, thus I decided to watch this terrific story “A Poem A Day” again. Like the title is implying, the story is revolving around poetry. In each episode, they included poems which were reflecting the situation, emotions and thoughts of characters in the series. And that’s how I came across this beautiful and touching poetry
Family
by Choi Bum Young
If you can’t say you’re hurt when you feel hurt you’re not family. If you can’t say you’re happy when you’re happy you’re not family.
A sweet and soft ice cream cone isn’t enough to become a family. Pain, happiness, and love must be shared And you must endure all hardships in prayer until you can feel it together. That’s how we become a family.
You must be able to express your sadness and be able to cry together to be a family. You must be able to express your happiness And be able to be happy for one another to be a family. You must feel like you’re under the same blanket No matter where you are To be a family.
The woman on the right is Woo Bo-Young. She is the protagonist of A Poem A Day. She loves poetry, but she couldn’t study Korean literature because of her family situation.
The poem gives a very good definition of family. A real family is when people share their pain, attachment and happiness. This signifies that their members have no secret, they are allowed to cry in front of others. Interesting is that the blanket, a pars pro toto for the bed, is a metaphor for the embrace. This explicates why in this image, the characters are presented as a family, as they are hugging each other. The blanket represents warmth and protection. Interesting is that this vision is rejecting the notion that men shouldn’t cry (“Cry together”). It doesn’t matter who is weeping. And now, it is time to examine more closely how this poem was illustrated in A Poem A Day.
In episode 6, Woo Bo-Young was spending the evening with her mother and her half-brother, for she needed comfort from her mother. When she was very young, her father died and left not only a huge amount of debts, but also an illegitimate son. That’s how Bo-Young and her mother discovered the existence of an affair. Despite everything, the mother decided to adopt him as her son. Because he didn’t share blood with Bo-Young’s mother, the woman made sure that he wouldn’t feel burdened or excluded. Thus she showered him with love and understanding which sometimes made Bo-Young question who was the real relative in this family. Though this jealousy is totally normal, this scene exposes their mutual affection. Simultaneously, this scene also displays the slowly drifting apart between Bo-Young and her half-brother and mother as well. At the restaurant, she didn’t share all her worries and emotions to her family. She didn’t get the comfort she had hoped. In other words, this poetry exposes her growing maturity and as such her quest to find a loved one! Yes, by finding a partner, Bo-Young will start her own family. On the other hand, this poem reflects how these 3 became a family as well.
And this drifting away is also symbolized by the birthday’s party Bo-Young organized for Lee Min-Ho. His own family had totally forgotten about his birthday. So when Bo-Young saw Min-Ho alone, she brought him to a buffet and offered him a cake. At the same time, the poem exposes the abandonment and betrayal from Lee Min-Ho’s family. He might live in comfort (“a sweet and soft ice-cream”), but he never felt part of his own family, for the parents only had eyes for the elder son. Thus they were never present for important events in his life. In other words, he could never voice his pain or share his joy and pride with them. He only caught their attention, when he caused trouble.
What caught my attention is that Choi Bum Young made a difference between “we become a family” and “be a family”. For him, family is not symbolized by sharing the same blood. The verb “become” insinuates not only change, but also something alive. Living under the same roof is not a synonym for family either (“No matter where you are”). As you can see, the house is not the symbol of a family. This means that the poem was exposing the existence of fake and true family. Under this new perspective, you comprehend why I selected such a title: The true face of family. Besides, the lyricist outlines that family is associated with hard work and trust. A family is created, when people feel safe and loved, but for that to happen, the members must open up their heart and their mind. That’s the reason why trust and respect are so vital. At the same time, the Manhwaphiles can grasp why the poet included the notion of effort. The person has to overcome the barrier, the fears. Hence it is not surprising that Choi Bum Young included the notion of struggles. Once the trust is there, the “you” is able to help the other. A real family is, when people face problems together. Therefore it is not surprising that the poetry emphasized the notion of “sharing”. The members should divulge their emotions and thoughts! Striking is the recurrence of the personal pronoun “You” which outlines the responsibility of a member. One has to share his agony or happiness to others first, if he wants to have a family. As long as the person doesn’t open up, there is no family. One has to take the first step and the others will follow. This explicates why the personal pronoun “you” turns into a WE! Thus this poem implies that Lee Min-Ho was partially responsible for his own suffering as well. He never shared his resent to his brother and parents. He should have argued with them much sooner, yet he let things happen. To conclude, family is not just made of sunshine and rainbows, but of clashes and troubles. Hence discussion is not excluded at all. To conclude, family symbolizes responsibility, faith, affection, communication, support and cover! The family is represented by the personal pronoun “we”.
As you can imagine, the moment I read this poem, I couldn’t help myself connecting it to Painter Of The Night and Jinx. Thus I decided to utilize the poetry as foundation in order to define the families in the Manhwas. Moreover, we can detect the evolution of families or we could say the loss and birth of a family. And the criteria in order to define a real family would be the embrace, the weeping and its acceptance, sharing the same cover, meals, secrets and emotions.
2. Family in Painter Of The Night
2. 1. Baek Na-Kyum’s “families”
When Na-Kyum had this dream, he was remembering his own family. (chapter 87) Not only the painter and the 3 noonas were sharing the same bed, but also they were taking their meals together. (chapter 87) They would even caress each other and laugh together. This scene oozes happiness. Consequently, it is no coincidence that during that night, they shared their honest thoughts to Baek Na-Kyum giving him good advices. But more importantly, the painter was there, when his noonas were struggling. (chapter 94) He cried in front of them. His tears symbolized his compassion and love for his noonas. He regarded them as his family. And it was the same for the artist. He had the noonas by his side, when he was in trouble or agony. (chapter 94) (chapter 107) However, at some point, it changed! (chapter 94) Jung In-Hun entered his life and consoled him. Thus I deduce that this image (chapter 68) represents a turning point in Baek Na-Kyum’s life. During that night, the scholar took away the young painter from Heena, hence he couldn’t help her. And now, observe the learned sir’s reaction. He didn’t allow the painter to cry. He shouldn’t share his pain. (chapter 70) In fact, he diverted Baek Na-Kyum’s attention from the incident to the moon. The learned sir was smiling the whole time. (chapter 70) He was acting, as if nothing had happened. The fact that he didn’t bear the tears from the painter exposes that the learned sir never considered him as a family. Therefore it is not surprising that he got abandoned, when the learned sir struggled: (chapter 75) But we have other scenes where Jung In-Hun didn’t behave like in the poem. When he discovered the truth, he had not been approached by Yoon Seungho due to his talent (chapter 19), he pushed away the painter. (chapter 19) He was mad, because Baek Na-Kyum was the cause for his sponsoring. (chapter 19) However, the family serves as pillar and protection. When the scholar’s pride got hurt, he rejected Baek Na-Kyum. He only approached the painter, when he needed him (chapter 10) (chapter 24) (chapter 35). (chapter 111) For me, in episode 10, he was definitely aware of the existence of a plot, thus he led the painter to the pavilion. Then in episode 24 and 35, he wanted the artist to spy on his benefactor. Finally, in episode 111, he knew that by taking away his former pupil, he would hurt Yoon Seungho, for he was aware of his affection for Baek Na-Kyum. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Jung In-Hun didn’t bid farewell to the main lead in episode 44. Baek Na-Kyum’s presence was not necessary for the preparation for the civil service examination. And this brings me to the last scene between the learned sir and the painter. (chapter 118) He is now crying in front of him, as if he was considering him as a part of his family. He is trying to create the illusion that he shares his suffering, just like he shared his happiness during the parade. (chapter 111) But in the gibang, the learned sir changed his attitude towards his former pupil, for he kissed the painter. (chapter 117) It was, as if the former was starting his family. Baek Na-Kyum is now his “bride”. But naturally, everything is just an illusion. Why? It is because the Manhwaphiles never saw Jung In-Hun share his bed or room with the artist! (chapter 27) (chapter 38) He was also never seen taking his meals with him. This explicates why he never visited him, when the painter was sick. In fact, the learned sir is connected to the air and the courtyard. That’s the reason why he is always seen roaming around with Baek Na-Kyum (10: pavilion, 18-19-27-35-44: courtyard, countryside/city: 29-37-70 and ) But more importantly, he is not sharing his true thoughts and emotions to the young man. (chapter 118) He never explained how his face got bruised! This shows that he approached Na-Kyum for one reason. He was in trouble and he needed him. But he acted, as if he was becoming responsible for him. (chapter 118) (chapter 118) He didn’t expect a rejection. Why? It is because now, he was treating the main lead as family member. Nonetheless, don‘t get me wrong. In Joseon, servants were considered as a part of the household and as such of the „family“. I don‘t believe that the teacher views Baek Na-Kyum as an equal. Yet, the latter is in reality a free man. (chapter 118) Thus out of fear, he made a false love confession which resembles a lot to obsession and possessiveness. His words display his worries and despair. Another important aspect is the absence of the personal pronoun “we” in their conversation. We only have “you” and “me”. (chapter 118) (chapter 118) There is no union. Because he didn’t take the protagonist’s feelings into consideration, this “seduction” was doomed to fail. Thus I deduce that when the learned sir trampled on Baek Na-Kyum’s heart and loyalty in the library, (chapter 40), the latter learned the following lesson: Jung In-Hun had never been his new family. That’s the reason why he was so wounded. Therefore it is no coincidence that his karma is to be abandoned the moment he needs Baek Na-Kyum the most. But why did he not consider the painter as a family member? It is because he came from the gibang. Moreover, he was blinded by his desire to succeed on his own, not realizing the true role of a family.
And this brings me back to Heena and the noonas. The moment Jung In-Hun meddled in the painter’s life, the relationship between the noonas and Baek Na-Kyum deteriorated! And this coincides to these nights: (chapter 86) (chapter 107) The sexual abuse is something they hid from Baek Na-Kyum! They could never share such a burden with the protagonist. But there is more to it. In fact, Byeonduck illustrated the slow deterioration of Na-Kyum’s s family in season 2, 3 and 4. First, the painter couldn’t talk to his noonas like in the past: (chapter 46) He was forbidden to announce his departure which indicates that Heena was hiding something from the other kisaengs. Moreover, notice that he never talked back to Heena. He listened to her, though he was in pain. (chapter 46) He could only express his sadness with his tears. Then when Heena reentered his life, she was seen next to his bed while hugging. by his side (chapter 66) This means that she would no longer share his cover. This is no coincidence that in the gibang, the noona could no longer enter her brother’s room. (chapter 96) Little by little, Heena got excluded from the painter’s life. She could no longer share her meals with him. (chapter 93) This explicates why in season 4, Baek Na-Kyum can not penetrate Heena’s room. (chapter 105) She is hiding more and more things from her brother: her “illness”, her involvement in the murder of nobles and her lies. On the other hand, the painter still considered her as a part of his family because of her intervention in episode 68/69: (chapter 68) Their argument was reflecting their trust, though here the kisaeng was questioning her brother’s maturity. Due to her concerns, Baek Na-Kyum felt that they were still a family. However, I sense a rupture, when they argued in the kisaeng house. The artist was no longer trusting Heena’s words: (chapter 97) Interesting is that from that moment on, Baek Na-Kyum and Heena never faced each other! She didn’t join his side during the parade. This means that their argument in the kisaeng house represents their last reunion. And what did Heena do in this scene? She cried (chapter 97), while the painter didn’t, though he looked disturbed. (chapter 97) He lost all his colors. However, such a scene could be perceived as a sign of indifference, especially for the kisaeng. And this observation made me realize why the kisaeng asked Yoon Seungho not to reveal his suspicions about Jung In-Hun’s involvement to her brother. (chapter 105) Here, she implied that Baek Na-Kyum would cry out of pain and shock. But she had seen that he had shared no tears, when he heard about his murder: And it happened again in the shrine. (chapter 99) Simultaneously, the request from Heena exposes that they are no longer sharing agony and as such struggles. Moreover, this made me realize why the artist left the mansion after the nightmare. It was out of fear and obligation. For me, he had sensed that Heena liked the learned sir and as she was still part of his family, he had to make sure that this was not true. Yet, even after witnessing the faked crime scene, he still trusted Yoon Seungho. Hence I am deducing that the absence of tears is the trigger for their separation which stands in opposition to their embrace in the mansion: (chapter 66) . (chapter 68) And what was her reaction, when she saw her brother in tears and yelling at his lover?: (chapter 105) She remained silent, passive and rather indifferent. This impression gets reinforced, when she is lying next to her colleagues. She is not sharing her thoughts and emotions, rather pensive contrary to these kisaengs: (chapter 105) She is even turning her back to them. This displays the dissolution of this family. The kisaeng is no longer sharing her fears, her tears and emotions to others. Therefore she can not sense “happiness or relief” like the others.
But the gradual alienation between the protagonist and his noonas becomes more perceptible in season 3. In episode 93, they could share their happiness (chapter 93), but the moment the lord joined his side, the honesty started vanishing. Notice that the painter couldn’t talk about his past (how he met Yoon Seungho and how he got abandoned by Jung In-Hun). It was reduced to “I was caught up with something”. He had so many secrets that he couldn’t share to his noonas. And it was the same for the kisaengs. (chapter 93) They also had secrets, hence they were seen whispering. Baek Na-Kyum could confide less to Heena. Why? He sensed that the kisaengs might show no understanding. And note how the painter reacted, when he met his noonas in episode 105. (chapter 105) He lied to his noona, he didn’t voice his worries. He didn’t enjoy his time spent by the kisaengs’ side. He didn’t eat with them either. This is the sign that he was moving on, he was on the verge of starting his new family. In other words, this scene (chapter 105) corresponds to the bird flying from the nest which was witnessed by Heena and the kisaengs. Because the painter was not sincere to his noonas, it is not surprising that they acted the same way. Here, (chapter 105), the kisaeng’s words are a reference to loss of virginity. Yet the painter didn’t grasp the true meaning. Only in his dream and nightmare, he realized the significance of her words: (chapter 109) Hence I come to the conclusion that we are witnessing to the birth of Baek Na-Kyum’s new family: Yoon Seungho. (chapter 118) That’s the reason why the painter decided to run away with his lover. (chapter 118) However, in order to become a real family, the painter needs to call his husband like this: (chapter 72) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the noonas were no longer entirely honest with Baek Na-Kyum in the gibang. They couldn’t share their thoughts and secrets to the artist, as they had played a role in the separation of the couple (chapter 99) and the nobles’ execution. Besides, they also had secrets which they had to hide from their donsaeng.
2. 2. Yoon Seungho’s family
He never had a family to begin with. Why? First, the mother was neglecting him because of her hatred for her husband. This is what Byeonduck revealed. From my point of view, her detachment towards Yoon Seungho was linked to the first sexual experience and that her first son would resemble her husband. As for Yoon Chang-Hyeon, the father had definitely troubles with him. (chapter 57) I believe that it is related to the protagonist’s sensibility and intelligence. My assumption is that Yoon Seungho is a Highly Sensitive Person.
Therefore due to his particular personality, he could not share his thoughts and emotions to Yoon Chang-Hyeon and his brother, hence he expressed his emotions through painting. Moreover, due to his ambitious father, pranks were not well perceived. Therefore it is not surprising that he was forced to face adversity on his own, for he had no protection. Interesting is that Yoon Chang-Hyeon views the ancestors (chapter 85), his second son and even lord Song as his family (chapter 116) Hence they are sharing a drink, their secrets and emotions together, though it is obvious that the man in purple is deceiving the patriarch. However, the elder master still trusts and listens to his words. (chapter 107)
And what about Kim, the so-called faiithful butler? Was he not his surrogate father? It is the same. The latter never considered him as his family. Don’t forget what the butler said to the painter. (chapter 26) The latter was not allowed to cry! Therefore the artist heard the same reproach from the main lead. (chapter 26) The valet disliked the tears, because he refused to share the suffering. The reason is simple. If he did, this would have increased his guilt. Furthermore, Kim never shared the cover or his meals with Yoon Seungho in the past (chapter 83) and in the present. Here, (chapter 17) he even refused to bring him his breakfast. But one might argue that Kim cried in front of the protagonist in the shed, he even expressed regrets: (chapter 108) So we could assume that he was starting to view the main lead as a family member. But no… for me, it is just an illusion. First, note that he never let the lord see his gaze while weeping. Besides, the noble’s heart was not moved either. They were not crying together, a sign that the two were drifting apart. Moreover, in the shed, the valet never shared the information about the fire at the shrine. (chapter 108) The noble had to use threat and force in order to push the butler to voice his thoughts. Finally, at the end, the valet never vowed his loyalty to Yoon Seungho, but to Baek Na-Kyum. (chapter 108) Moreover, like exposed above, family in the poem symbolizes trust, love, responsibility, comfort and protection, but the valet failed to fulfil his duties which he admitted in the shed. As a conclusion, the butler didn’t keep such a promise. Moreover, what did the butler do after the painter’s abduction? (chapter 64) (chapter 64) He ran away. He never saved the painter, just like he didn’t argue with his master in that moment. But he could have, since the latter had no sword by his side. Imagine that he had a heated discussion with Yoon Seungho the very next day, and in the courtyard, the protagonist had the sword in the hand. (chapter 68) A sign that he knew that the noble would never slay him! And in the past, the valet had not come to his rescue, shared his suffering or defended his honor. And now, you comprehend why I am more than ever convinced that the valet was never Yoon Seungho’s family: no tear, no joy or no secret shared! His expression “bird of misfortune” embodies the gap between the two characters.
And that’s how I realized why the staff never cared for the couple in the end. It is because the staff would eat together, while Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum got excluded. In season 4, Yoon Seungho was even forced to give up on his own room for the painter and the maids (chapter 109) The latter would even get the opportunity to eat sweets and sit in the patio (chapter 109), while the lord was relegated to the courtyard. (chapter 109) And the poem mirrors perfectly the birth of Yoon Seungho’s first family. Baek Na-Kyum is his very first family. Thus he could share his pain, his fears, his resent, (chapter 62) and his hope to be happy for one moment: (chapter 63) I selected the terrible scene in the shed for two reasons. It symbolizes the verse “how to become a family”. This explicates why in season 3, the artist was slowly using the personal pronoun “we”. (chapter 78) This means that the two protagonists were learning how to become a true family. And one of this important step was “crying together” which occurred after the sexual abuse in the shrine, (chapter 102) However, Yoon Seungho had to learn the importance of “secrecy”! He kept his crime from his loved one hidden, not understanding that a real family is to “endure all hardships” together. Consequently, I judge this night as the finalization of their “Wedding”, though it is still not official. During this night, we have all the criteria. They share their worries (chapter 110), their happiness (chapter 110), they sit together while eating (chapter 110), they embrace each other, they share the same bed. And the lord makes the following promise: there won’t be any secret between them. He will share everything with his lover. (chapter 110) So when the brother gave the petition to the artist (chapter 116), he even reinforced their bond. It was, as if they had no longer any secret between them. Thus they talked about the document in the pavilion making sure that no one would listen to their discussion. (chapter 117) Therefore, it is not surprising that during that same night, the couple slept under the same blanket while hugging each other. (chapter 117) The symbol for the new family! But a family is not made just of two members! Is Yoon Seungwon a part of Yoon Seungho’s family? Let’s not forget that he considered the artist as his brother’s wife. (chapter 116) What caught my attention is that Yoon Seungho was not followed by his lover, when he met his brother in the gibang. (chapter 118) And this reminded me of this scene: (chapter 37) He wished to send away the artist, but the host refused. Then if you pay attention to his behavior, you will notice that none of them were seen eating together! (chapter 118) Neither in the mansion nor in the kisaeng house. The table between them symbolizes the gap between them. Another important detail is that his brother didn’t serve him a drink which is actually a custom in Joseon. (chapter 118) Compare it to Black Heart’s behavior: (chapter 43) In fact, the two guests were drinking on their own! Yoon Seungwon had even started drinking before the protagonist’s arrival. (chapter 118) Moreover, exactly like the scholar, Yoon Seungwon is just employing the pronouns “you”, “I” and “father”. There is no WE at all. (chapter 118) Moreover, he doesn’t want to share the pain and suffering with his father. And while he shared a secret with Yoon Seungho in the past, (chapter 118), I believe that he is hiding something from his brother again. Thus we see constantly him with a drop of sweat. (chapter 118) (chapter 118) Striking is that he is at no moment mentioning the painter, which actually represents the lord’s source of comfort and joy! He is more talking about the past than the present. He is hoping for a change of heart. That’s the reason why I come to the conclusion that Yoon Seungwon called the main lead as brother (chapter 118), but it is only a name! In reality, he desires to use the main lead. He needs him more than ever! Let’s not forget that the patriarch could discover Yoon Seungwon’s betrayal at any moment. Finally, I would like to outline that family stands for effort and understanding, nevertheless the younger master never showed compassion or worries for his brother, who had just recovered from a stabbing. His speech was full of blame. (chapter 118) Thus I conclude that Yoon Seungwon is not a part of Yoon Seungho’s new family and his smile in the library was fake. His words were just a lip service. (chapter 116) Don’t forget that during the same night, Yoon Seungho got stabbed and the younger master knew it.
And now it is time to examine the families in Jinx.
3. Family in Jinx
3.1. Kim Dan’s family
It is clear that though the grandma moved to the hospital (chapter 22), the physical therapist still views her as his family. This corresponds to the verse “no matter where you are”. This explains why he listened to her and started treating the champion differently. From my point of view, they became a family, because they slept under the same cover (chapter 21), shared their agony, fears (chapter 5) and their happiness together, though this needs to be relativized. (chapter 11). I will give more details later. Another evidence that they are family is that the grandmother would often sing him songs. Then we could say that the grandmother shares her meals with the doctor, for she is often saving yoghurts for her grandson. (chapter 05) She is happy, when she hears good news from her grandson. (chapter 07) When she feels lonely or miserable, she asks for his presence. (chapter 21)
Furthermore, she often caresses her grandson, a different form of embrace. (chapter 5) Nevertheless, there exist two negative aspects. First, I noticed that she didn’t question Kim Dan about his career, only when it was necessary. (chapter 07) She is not that involved in his current life. (chapter 05) Secondly, what caught my attention is that the halmoni is not letting her grandson weep. With her attitude, she implied that he had overreacted (“Now, now none of that”). (chapter 21) Moreover, the poem outlined the necessity of crying together (“be able to cry together”), yet the halmoni was not upset, when she found the little Dan in tears. She didn’t understand his abandonment issues. Thus I deduce that the shared agony was only in one way! If the grandmother was scared or suffering, her grandson should feel the same. (chapter 5) This explicates why Kim Dan was willing to sacrifice himself for his halmoni. (chapter 16) It is because he knew that her grandmother disliked tears. Besides, in a previous essay, I had already outlined that such an attitude was considered as abusive, for such a young child should have been shielded from harm. However, he was exposed to violence very early on. Under this new perspective, it becomes comprehensible why Kim Dan started having secrets from her. Finally, the family portrayed in the poem implied the notion of effort and work. But the moment the grandmother refused to share his agony, she stopped putting energy in her relationship with Kim Dan. This means that as time passed on, she became more and more passive and relied more and more on the main lead. Another interesting aspect is that Kim Dan came to enjoy K-dramas because of his grandmother. (chapter 30) This shows that Kim Dan’s preferences are all influenced by the halmoni. We could say that he didn’t truly develop his own identity. It was, as if he had become the second version of “grandma”. And now, you comprehend why he rejected sex: (chapter 20)
Therefore it is not surprising that as time passes on, they are slowly drifting apart. Notice that he barely visited his grandmother. (chapter 30) Because the grandmother didn’t allow her grandson to share his struggles (no tears), Kim Dan has been hiding many things from his grandmother (chapter 07): the beatings from Heo Manwook, his firing from the hospital, the sexual assault from the perverted hospital director and the moneylender, his deal with Joo Jaekyung and the fact that he moved to the penthouse. This means that little by little, the physical therapist is sharing less and less his happiness with her. I doubt that he told her about his trip to Busan, his first MMA fight as spectator (chapter 15) and his first sparring with Joo Jaekyung (chapter 26). But this is a sign that Kim Dan is maturing. Therefore it is no coincidence that after their first day off spent together, Kim Dan is already under the champion’s spell. (chapter 30) And at some point, the grandma will notice her little boy’s transformation and the growing distance. And Choi Heesung could be the trigger for a first quarrel (chapter 30), because the doctor feels more attracted towards the champion than the actor. I have already outlined that so far, the physical therapist’s life had been determined by the grandmother. But a discussion is not necessarily a bad thing, quite the opposite, for to be a family means to share thoughts and emotions.
3.2. Joo Jaekyung’s “families”
So far, we don’t know if the celebrity has a family. However, what caught my attention is that Team Black is a company that Joo Jaekyung created for his personal needs. Though it is an enterprise (incorporation, where he is the shareholder), I noticed that Park Namwook treats the members like a family. They share their meals together (chapter 22) (chapter 26), they get support from each other (chapter 14) (chapter 23) or they argue (chapter 07). Moreover, they call the older members “hyung” (chapter 5) (chapter 23) which is another evidence that Team Black functions more like a family than like a company. What caught my attention is that the doctor is not addressed as hyung (chapter 30) but as Doc Dan or doc. (chapter 23), though the manager Park Namwook had introduced him as hyung. (chapter 07) The reason behind this different title is the champion. The latter addressed him like that: (chapter 22) It exposes that the physical therapist occupies a particular position at the gym. On the one hand, it could be interpreted that he has not been entirely adopted as a family member. On the other hand, the physical therapist didn’t exclude that he could have other clients. (chapter 25) This means that his “adoption” is not definitive and official. Nevertheless, I would like to outline that though Team Black’s structure resembles a lot to a family, we can not say that it is a true family. Why? It is because Joo Jaekyung is hiding many things from his hyungs and members. He is not sharing his problems to his coach (his insomnia, his jinx, his sexual orientation, his insecurities eg). Imagine that he preferred deceiving his admirer (chapter 15) than admitting that his shoulder had been plaguing him. And it is the same for Potato. He didn’t talk about the incident with the office room and the sofa. (chapter 25) According to me, Jeong Yosep knows about the true relationship between the physical therapist and the alpha black wolf. But he kept this information to himself as well. However, like pointed out before, family stands for communication and not secrecy! Moreover, so far, we only saw the fighters share their happiness. And what about their struggles or defeat? To conclude, Jinx is actually showing us the transformation of Team Black as company into a family. How they “become” a WE! Park Namwook does consider Team Black as his gym, but he has his own family. However, this is not the case for Jeong Yosep or Joo Jaekyung, who lives as a loner wolf! In my opinion, Team Black will turn into a real family, the moment Kim Dan loses his halmoni. Remember the quote from the poem: “If you can’t say you’re hurt when you feel hurt you’re not family“. Kim Dan won’t be able to hide his sadness and broken heart. In the beginning of the story, he lied to the coach and Kwak Junbeom about the reason for his injuries: (chapter 11), because he considered them as superior and colleagues. In other words, the fighters will share their pain with doc Dan helping him to overcome the loss. But this change can only happen, when the owner of Team Black has a change of heart himself as well. Remember how he pushed Oh Daehung and the other members away. (chapter 22) He didn’t want them to come to his house. (chapter 22) So far, he didn’t want people to cross the line, but thanks to the physical therapist, this will change. That’s how both protagonists will come to view more and more Team Black as a family. They will share their struggles and happy moments together. I have one evidence that Kim Dan is the key to turn Team Black into a real family. It is because Joo Jaekyung came to the gathering (chapter 9), though he had been avoiding such events in the past.
But in chapter 30, the Manhwalovers could discover that the champion belongs to an Entertainment agency as well. (chapter 30) But he is there an employee. Thus I am suspecting that the talent agency is working differently from Team Black. If there is a scandal, I doubt that the company would side with the star in trouble or they would try to find ways to get rid of the issue, like finding a scapegoat in order to bury the truth. As a conclusion, I am expecting to see companies run differently so that the readers can perceive Team Black as a family company, although it is an incorporation.
Naturally, there is no doubt that Kim Dan will become the champion’s real family. The author let us see such a scene. Right after their First Night together, the champion shared his bed with Kim Dan. (chapter 4) This was a reference to the blanket in the poem, though here Kim Dan slept in a cocoon. This was a sign that he didn’t feel safe. However, as time passed on, I detected a change in Kim Dan’s sleeping position. He is lying on his back and even in the middle of the bed. (chapter 29) It is because Joo Jaekyung always put him there! This exposes that the champion is still thinking that he represents a disturbance to the Sleeping beauty. One thing is sure: Joo Jaekyung will become the blanket taking over the grandmother’s past role: (chapter 21) At the same time, this signifies that Kim Dan will have a similar function in the champion’s life either. Thanks to his presence and embrace, the boxer will be able to relax and to fall asleep.
Another important detail is the doctor’s tears. When Kim Dan met the celebrity for the first time, the former started crying, when he thought hat he would get punished. (chapter 1) This was the reaction from the champion: (chapter 1) He questioned the cause for the tears. He was naturally annoyed (“the hell”), but he didn’t make fun of the doctor. And now, pay attention to the memory Joo Jaekyung had from their first night. He remembered his tears which had moved him deeply: (chapter 6) This shows that the celebrity is not judging the physical therapist as weak due to his tears. In episode 28, he even showed concerns, when he heard the doctor crying. (chapter 28) (chapter 28) He questioned the doctor once again, why he was in tears. However, he didn’t ask the doctor to stop weeping or to wipe his tears. He wanted to understand him. This exposes the fighter’s tolerance and interest in Kim Dan. For me, it reveals that Joo Jaekyung is willing to share the pain or fears with Kim Dan. Therefore it is not surprising that Kim Dan is remembering this moment! (chapter 30) He was allowed to express his emotions. Interesting is that this image is now connected to red, not to grey/black. (chapter 20) or orange/pink (chapter 30) The switch of color indicates the doctor’s increasing feelings and sensuality for Joo Jaekyung. That’s the reason why I am expecting that one day, the two protagonists will cry together, something that the grandma hasn’t done until now.
But let’s return our attention to the poem and its illustration in Jinx. A sweet and soft ice cream cone isn’t enough to become a family. Just because they shared one meal together (chapter 13), it doesn’t signify that they are a family now. And it is the same for the penthouse. (chapter 18) They might share the same flat, but the penthouse is so huge that they can technically live apart. Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan are slowly spending more and more time together, either because the champion feels like it (chapter 19) or it is necessary . (chapter 27) During the day off, they shared their thoughts,, their emotions (chapter 27) (chapter 27), their happiness (chapter 28) and their fears (chapter 27) (chapter 29) Because Joo JAekyung confessed his fears and health issues to Kim Dan, it shows that he was trusting him. For me, this night represents another step how to become a true family. “If you can’t say you’re hurt when you feel hurt you’re not family.” This day and night were so magical that it affected the protagonists’ life forever. From that moment on, Kim Dan is feeling more attracted to the champion, hence he is peeping at him. (chapter 30) And it is the same for the champion. Now, he is slowly regretting that they live in two different rooms and they have their own bathroom. Therefore he came to the doctor’s bathroom under the fake excuse that he had run out of toothpaste. (chapter 30) What was so funny is that he had opened the door like a huge bear. Why? It is because he was so annoyed how to explain his intrusion. (chapter 30) This shows that little by little, the champion is regretting his words to Kim Dan in the master’s room. (chapter 29) For me, he will be forced to recognize that work is not bringing him closer to Kim Dan, especially after Choi Heesung met the main lead. (chapter 30) For me, this scene is the bathroom represents another step how to become a true family. (chapter 30) However, like Mingwa voiced it, they have a long way to go, for Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan are hiding their true thoughts and emotions from each other. (chapter 30) Kim Dan had to hide his blushing, while the champion had to lie for his appearance. Moreover, the fact that he tried to hide his underwear (chapter 30) indicates that their intimacy has not reached its peak. He doesn’t feel comfortable around the athlete to be seen in underwear. Moreover, the champion is also hiding his jealousy and possessiveness towards the main character. (chapter 30) But like I said, they need to open up their hearts and mind in order to become a true family. From my point of view, the halmoni could play a huge role in their union. How so? It is because she entrusted her grandson to Joo Jaekyung. The latter also conversed with her (chapter 21) and even paid her hospital bills. She even took his hand (chapter 22) and gave him a yoghurt. (chapter 21) So the moment the grandma vanishes, it could also wound the champion’s heart, especially when his sex partner is so heartbroken. It would be interesting if the champion came to voice his feelings about her. If you can’t say you’re hurt when you feel hurt you’re not family.“
And because the champion saved Kim Dan, paid off the debts and gave him a house and a place to feel safe, he embodies responsibility, trust, support and protection which is the true face of family. That’s the reason why the physical therapist is slowly transforming, developing his own interests and as such his own identity. But the closer the doctor gets to the champion, the bigger gap becomes between him and his grandma which can represent a source of conflict. And now, Choi Heesung met Kim Dan, thus he could disrupt the fragile harmony between Kim Dan, the grandma and Joo Jaekyung. Don’t forget that the grandmother is a huge fan of the actor and she is actually suffering from Peter Pan Syndrome. To conclude, Jinx is exactly like Painter Of The Night. We are witnessing the start of a new family breaking boundaries and taboos. Yet, both “families” are real and true, for they embody selflessness, honesty and trust.
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Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa: Jinx But be aware that the manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes.Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwasHere are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about JinxEternal yin and yang (part 2)
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1. Joo Jaekyung a jerk again
Once again, Joo Jaekyung was labelled as one of the worst semes in BL manhwas. Why? It is because he criticized Kim Dan for his incompetence (chapter 28) and his attitude (chapter 28) Hence he grabbed the doctor and brought him back to the swimming pool (chapter 28) He wanted to make sure that Kim Dan wouldn’t escape from him and ruin the flow. (chapter 28) He was taking advantage of his fear of the water! For certain readers, the champion had not changed at all. He was still rude and selfish. However, these manhwaphiles were overlooking two important aspects. First, the athlete’s selfish attitude was necessary! How so? It was to teach Kim Dan to become more selfish! Don’t forget that Mingwa is applying the philosophy yin and yang. Secondly, certain manhwaworms took all the champion’s words at face-value! I would like to point out if the doctor had truly hurt him with his teeth, his phallus would no longer be erected!! Moreover, he wouldn’t have some precum on his phallus (chapter 28). As a conclusion, he had enjoyed it so much, hence he said this: (chapter 28) From my perspective, he needed an excuse to stop the fellatio, as he could no longer wait for the penetration. Thus he asked if the doctor was already loose right after. (chapter 28) He wanted more. Finally, observe that he had kissed the doctor and asked for a blow-job before. Why? It is because he had experienced Kim Dan’s rejection at the gym! (chapter 27) Back then, he had grabbed his butt directly. Therefore he had learned that he couldn’t go for a penetration right away. This stands in opposition to the sex sessions at the gym, where there was no time for foreplay! (chapter 8) (chapter 24) As you can see, the different intercourses expose the fighter’s transformation. He is getting gentler despite his roughness. Exactly like I had anticipated in the previous essay, the couple is now facing each other while having sex. And Joo Jaekyung prefers facing his lover (chapter 28) in the end despite this statement. (chapter 28). He gets a climax each time he sees his partner oozing sensuality and pleasure. In other words, Joo Jaekyung learned an important lesson in the swimming pool, he might be enjoying such a view (chapter 28), yet he favors this position (chapter 28), for the doctor is more proactive! The blushing, the squeezing, the kissing, the scratching, the moaning are the evidences of the doctor’s participation!! Pay attention to the doctor’s fingers on the champion’s back. And Joo Jaekyung could sense and see it!
Moreover, his reproaches to the doctor let transpire his frustration: Kim Dan is never seeking his closeness! While Joo Jaekyung got jinxed with such a view (chapter 27), Kim Dan always appears as calm and indifferent towards him. Hence he keeps rejecting him or he is passive during the intercourses. That’s the reason why the champion asked from the doctor to become more active next to the swimming pool. (chapter 28) This shows that the boxer has sensed that Kim Dan has not truly accepted him. It is no coincidence that the physical therapist chose to turn his back to the champion, when he was on his lap. (chapter 28) It was the doctor’s method to draw a line between him and his client. He desired to keep Joo Jaekyung at a distance. What the boxer didn’t know is that the doctor had also been charmed by a certain view: (chapter 28) This made his heart race! (chapter 28) Too overwhelmed by such a view, he decided to show his back to the champion. He wanted to remain level-headed. This was the negative version of this panel: (chapter 27)
But there exists another explanation why Joo Jaekyung appeared cold too. (chapter 28) The idiom “mess around with foreplay” divulges the champion’s deficiency. He is really bad at foreplay. He knows about his lack of dexterity and gentleness! Hence he asked the doctor to prepare himself! (chapter 28) However, Joo Jaekyung got impatient (chapter 28) To conclude, behind his rude remarks, he is masking his own flaws and insecurities!
2. Selfishness versus Selflessness
Like mentioned above, the champion’s selfishness serves a huge role in the doctor’s transformation. Kim Dan is encouraged to become more selfish! Don’t forget that the physical therapist was once again acting like he had done it with his halmoni. He would do everything for the person for whom he feels responsible. Thus he was already imagining his own future and this would be determined according to Joo Jaekyung’s needs! (chapter 22) This explicates why he decided to sacrifice his night and day off for the champion. (chapter 27) One might say that this had been suggested by the fighter. (chapter 27) However, don’t forget that Joo Jaekyung never asked the doctor to spend the whole night thinking about the activities he would propose. (chapter 27) What we were witnessing is a new version of the past with the halmoni. Because she had adopted him, he felt obligated to dedicate his whole life for her! Everything in his life was evolving around her: his career, his emotions, his home, his meals, his money, his time eg. By putting the whole burden on her grandchild, Kim Dan internalized this pattern. Hence the moment the “goddess” praised the protagonist to her grandson (chapter 21) and the champion made his grandmother smile chapter 22), the doctor felt also indebted towards the athlete. He could see the generosity from Joo Jaekyung. The consequence was that he acted the same way with the athlete than with his halmoni. He would cook for Joo Jaekyung without eating with him (chapter 22), he would sacrifice his day-off for the champion etc. Selflessness was repaid by selflessness. However, this means that he is still neglecting his own life and as such his own desires and needs. It is not by chance that this expression from episode 22 (chapter 22) appears in episode 28: look alive! (chapter 28) This exposes that he was still in denial about his own life! And because the athlete acted like a selfish person, the doctor is encouraged to behave the same way. Consequently, I conclude that this scene at the swimming pool corresponds to the doctor’s spiritual awakening. He is alive, he is a man on his own! He is now making choices for himself. Like my friend @becalmandhappy_1111 realized, this scene (chapter 28) at the swimming pool corresponds to the moment the imoogi is grabbing the yeouiju!
“Yeouiju is pretty much the same dragon ball that you think of from the anime. A mystical orb that grants your wishes. In Korean mythology, a snake (Imoogi) goes through a 1,000-year spiritual training session. It then obtains a Yeouiju to become a dragon and rise to the sky. But there’s a catch. It must hold only one Yeouiju. A greedy Imoogi will collect more orbs and can never be a dragon. It just ends up being a stronger Imoogi. I think there’s a lesson about greed here. The supernatural power of Yeouiju is the reason why Korean dragons can fly in the sky, call the winds and summon the rains. […] When a dragon loses its Yeouiju, it will lose its power, fall to the ground and become an Imoogi again. So, Korean dragons are often depicted holding that orb tight in its mouth, or sometimes under its chin or even inside its brain.” Quoted from https://linguasia.com/korean-dragon
This would explain why Joo Jaekyung likes carrying Kim Dan in his arms. or enjoys kissing his partner. Observe that the swimming pool is situated in the penthouse which is close to the sky. And exactly like I had predicted in the essay “The duck and the dragon in the bathroom”, in this scene Manhwa lovers could assist to a new metamorphosis of the protagonists. Another spiritual awakening! Their true self comes back to the surface! On the other hand, this signifies that the characters are slowly moving away from their old believes! Hence I come to the conclusion that chapter 28 announces the slow emergence of a new religion. Therefore the character went under the water 3 times: (chapter 28) It was, as if he got baptized! Don’t get me wrong: the new religion is not truly developed yet. But where was the transformation of the couple visible? We could detect a change in these two panels (chapter 28) (chapter 28)
3. Spiritual awakening and the birth of a new religion
I am quite certain that you are surprised by this selection. How does the champion’s words reveal a change? (chapter 28) It is because for the first time, the champion is satisfied with only one round! 😮 Compare the previous intercourses with Kim Dan at the penthouse: (chapter 4) (chapter 7) (chapter 12) (chapter 20) Joo Jaekyung never wanted to stop after one round! However, after his first climax, he wishes Kim Dan to leave his side. This is a true novelty! The moment I detected this modification, I began wondering why the fighter would ask Kim Dan this: (chapter 28) In my opinion, such an attitude is exposing the fighter’s anxieties: he dislikes intimacy and as such embraces! This explicates why Joo Jaekyung shook the doctor in order to get rid of him. On the other hand, I also think, he felt satisfied for the doctor had shown his pleasure. Striking is that despite the shaking, the doctor disobeyed Joo Jaekyung! He still clenched onto him! (chapter 28) One might argue that the doctor is unconscious! However, I don’t think that he has truly fainted yet. The evidences for this interpretation are the way he is holding onto the fighter. Observe that he has already moved his head, as we can see his hair now, whereas before his head was resting on the champion’s shoulder (chapter 28) Furthermore, the muscles from his back are tense, but if he was unconscious, he would lose control of his body like in this scene: (chapter 12) In fact, his arms would relax and he would fall in the water. Finally, he was thinking, when he was in the boxer’s embrace: (chapter 28) Certain readers thought that these words were coming from the athlete, but it is not possible. First, the sportsman has no notion of time and indirectly of time flow! First of all, Joo Jaekyung is known for his impatience. Thus he is not thinking about the future. Note that until he met Kim Dan, all his life was evolving around his jinx! He needed to have sex the night before a match! (chapter 2) That’s how his time was defined. He would only think in a short term, one fight after another! (chapter 27) Furthermore, I would like to underline this expression “I barely have enough time to train” which contrasts to Park Namwook (chapter 27) and Dr. Lee’s statement (chapter 27) As you can see, Joo Jaekyung had the impression that he was always running out of time. He always feared his jinx and as such the night before the fight, as he needed to have sex with someone! Moreover, I would like to outline that Kim Dan as his mirror and teacher is constantly referring to time: day, week, saturday, minute, second. (chapter 27) (chapter 28) (chapter 28) Why? It is because Joo Jaekyung has no life outside the gym! All his days looked the same, until the protagonist entered his life! Besides, if you’ve already read my essay “Whatever took you so long” about Painter Of The Night, you already know the importance of time in a human’s life! Without time, a person can not have memories. This explicates why babies and young children have no memories of their early childhood, for they have no notion of time. But the problem is that without memories, the person has no identity either. To sum up, there is a strong connection between time and identity. We could say that time is a construction of the self, for through time, people make experiences! This shows that exactly like Kim Dan, the champion is not really living! This corresponds to the 1000 years of the imoogi. But this signifies that Joo Jaekyung has no time perspective either!
Hence he is never talking about his past, present and future. What does he truly want in life? We had the perfect illustration in this scene. (chapter 05) The words “Today and something special” from Park Namwook triggered the champion’s memory: the presence of Kim Dan at his penthouse. (chapter 5) And right after, he expressed this wish: (chapter 5) Interesting is that there exists a strong link between time, time perspective and self-esteem! Someone with no notion of time and no time perspective has a poor self-esteem! Therefore it is not surprising that the athlete doesn’t trust his own talent. Hence I deduce that this sex session played a huge importance in the champion’s life. He could see with all his senses (touch, sight, hearing, taste) that he had pleased Kim Dan! (chapter 28) He had been accepted as the doctor’s partner! Another memory was created, and as such Joo Jaekyung is slowly learning the notion of time! This is important, because the notion of time generates the possibility of dating!
What an irony, for the doctor has the intention of pushing the champion away. He dislikes the idea of losing control over his body and mind! (chapter 28) This means that while Kim Dan is slowly accepting the idea of sex in general, he doesn’t want to have it in his life. This means that Kim Dan has decided to view the champion as a friend and nothing more. Hence Mingwa had added the blue heart💙, when she announced the release of episode 28. This emoji represents bromance and as such a platonic connection. We could add that Joo Jaekyung is now “friend zoned”. That’s the reason why I crossed the heart in fire in the illustration. This signifies that he will treat Joo Jaekyung as a lone wolf and Kim Dan will keep acting as a hamster, whereas he has already turned into a real duck! But why? It is because the doctor has been advocating pure love so far. Loving someone more than yourself yet in return not expecting anything is pure love. Hence the Webtoonist had mentioned 🤍 in the tweet too. But by saying this (chapter 28), he was also moving on from his own belief “pure love”. He is learning to prioritize himself. He doesn’t desire his life to be affected by the champion.
On the other hand, Joo Jaekyung represents sex! Two different religions: pure love versus fuck! … This is no coincidence that Joo Jaekyung employs this expression “For fuck’s sake” (chapter 28) Then he complained about his lack of competence in bed (chapter 28) What caught my attention is that he described the intercourse as work and not as pleasure! (chapter 28) As you can see, the champion had not got rid of his old principles entirely yet. However, we know for sure that he is now looking for sensuality and pleasure. Hence he likes kissing the doctor. To conclude, in the swimming pool, Kim Dan made the following decision. He is no longer rejecting the athlete’s philosophy (fuck), but he doesn’t want to be part of it. At the same time, he is dropping “pure love” as well, for he is thinking about himself for the first time. He chose “bromance” and “friendship”!💙 This corresponds to the blue of the swimming pool. (chapter 28) It is his new philosophy. However, what Kim Dan failed to realize is that by holding onto the athlete and by scratching his back, (chapter 28), he was marking him as his lover! His decision is contradicting his own actions! It is because he still fears sex!
As for the champion, it is the opposite. He is slowly accepting that Kim Dan is crossing the line! (chapter 28) He could have pushed the doctor away very easily, but he didn’t do it. (chapter 10) And remember that after this embrace, Joo Jaekyung brought the doctor to his penthouse, for his heart got moved!! From my point of view, the athlete’s heart is little by little warming up to the idea of affection! In other words, he is slowly adopting the doctor’s philosophy (love)!
This explicates why Mingwa created this vision. It was like a premonitory dream : (chapter 25) Kim Dan would be on the champion’s lap, the latter would long for his lips, and the doctor would hug his companion. It was announcing how Kim Dan would get the upper hand in the relationship! (chapter 28) Don’t forget that according to the champion’s belief, the sex sessions are all like surrogate fights. By putting the doctor on his lap, he was admitting his inferiority! This shows that he is moving on from his fake faith. Thus I deduce that we should have a new version of this position in the future which will reflect the doctor’s increasing power over the fighter and his gradual transformation.
But since Kim Dan has decided to reject passion in his life, this signifies that he isn’t truly living yet.
“To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead.” Quote from Bertrand Russel
If he lived truly, he wouldn’t try to control his mind and body constantly. Yet, he got closer to his true self. It is because he is admitting the existence of his eyes, mouth and ears! (chapter 28) This scene is the negative reflection from the sex session in the bathroom: (chapter 20) Here, the champion was comparing the doctor’s hole to a baby! (chapter 20) Consequently, I came to the following deduction. Kim Dan will try to find a new partner for Joo Jaekyung! (chapter 19) His reasoning is the following. The champion likes having sex and he has been treating him more or less like a sex toy, the doctor will try to find a subterfuge to divert attention from himself. Because I detected many similarities between episode 12/13 (chapter 13) and episode 28 (chapter 28) [the kiss, the foreplay, the marks of passion (chapter 13) (chapter 28)], I am now expecting the return of Cheolmin! Here, Kim Dan faked his fainting, yet the champion has already experienced such an incident and he has not forgotten it. Finally, he always bought the doctor’s white lie as well. (chapter 11) And that’s how Kim Dan will discover the existence of the club!! (chapter 13) Hence my impression is that he will suggest to Joo Jaekyung to go to the club with the hope that his friend will find a new partner! He just needs to say that the champion likes to go there. The day off, Saturday, would be the perfect excuse. However, since the doctor is so innocent, he will not realize that by going there, he will become the target of other guests! This uke could resurface! (chapter 2)There is not ambiguity that the champion will never bring the physical therapist to the club on his own. He has already marked the doctor as his partner. And the result can only be that Joo Jaekyung declares Kim Dan as his boyfriend! The emoji 💙 would get a new meaning: the heart of the dragon! This means that the doctor’s decision in episode 28 will push Joo Jaekyung to question his fake belief: the jinx, the existence of a line and the rejection of love in his life. Keep in mind that the champion always makes decisions by instincts, he never ponders on things like the doctor! Similar to this scene, where he paid off the doctor’s debts.
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