Category: Chapter 48

Painter Of The Night: Love and Sex 👨‍❤️‍👨 (second version)

~ Bébébisous33 ~ 18 Comments

This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents:  https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/

Feel free to 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. It would also cover my expenses for the blog.

When I examined the sex scenes from the first season (see the analysis “Sex or Love?), I realized that each character had different expectations from the sexual encounters. They were either looking for sex or for love, but each time they were not able to express their desire and even to recognize the distinction. Why couldn’t they sense the difference? It is related to the way the characters were raised.

1. Sex and philosophy

On the one hand, Baek Na-Kyum was taught by the learned sir and Heena noona that sex and as such homosexuality was dirty (chapter 34), only spiritual love was allowed (chapter 19) (chapter 68). This signified that in his education, not only sex was prohibited, but also sexual desires were denied. Although love was expressed through hugs (chapter 66) (chapter 68) and caresses (chapter 10) (chapter 68), they were devoid of sexuality. The painter experienced love, but was not allowed to experience sexuality. He was only authorized to paint it for the scholar’s sake. On the other side, Yoon Seungho was raised the opposite: love was not allowed, as it was a sign of submission and weakness. Sex was permitted, because it was considered as a fight in order to defeat his opponent. These were the butler’s doctrines. That way, he could still have a connection to the main lead. If he came to love someone (the pedophile), the lord could definitely abandon the valet and reveal his betrayals. In other words, he used pity as a way to tame the lord. At the same time, sex also served to gain some benefit, as it was an exchange of favors (giving versus receiving), (Chapter 71). I connect this philosophy to the king and indirectly to the butler. With sex, the nobles could exchange some favors. These huge divergences in the mindset explicate why there were so many misunderstandings between Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum, as their education diverged so much.

2. Sex and prostitution

Yet, despite the contrast, both educations had something in common: prostitution. Heena noona hates sex, because it is related to her work. The scholar rejects it, for it is beneath him. He expects the low-borns (Baek Na-Kyum and Heena noona) to become his prostitutes, if it’s necessary, while he can maintain his image of a proper scholar. Father Yoon used his son as a prostitute, and the main lead realized it after his father’s betrayal and abandonment. This explicates why “prostitution” stands in the center of the second season. For Baek Na-Kyum was brought to the mansion against his will, but he received certain privileges, his status was never clearly defined. Although Yoon Seungho thought, he had won the battle (chapt45), as the painter had accepted him as his sexual partner, he had to realize slowly that he was wrong. He imagined that since the artist had remained by his side and was accepting to have sex with him, he had achieved what he wanted: in his unconscious it was to be loved. Yet, it was just an illusion. The painter saw himself as a whore and the master as a man consumed by lust. As you can see, the noble was forced to judge the nature of the sexual encounters differently. He had associated sex to love due to their Wedding night, therefore he imagined that the moment the painter was accepting him, the problem was solved. He would be able to relive this wonderful moment, but however nothing like that happened. He felt never satisfied, as there were no feelings at all. Hence he even had sex during the day, believing that the artist’s lack of experience was the problem. (Chapter 45) While the lord became Baek Na-Kyum’s sexual emancipator, the painter became the lord’s teacher for love. This explicates why the low-born forced the lord to question his own identity and feelings.

But let’s return our focus on the common denominator: prostitution. As long as the painter chose to stay, because he had a roof over his head and could eat properly, we could definitely say that till 49 his stay at the mansion was indeed closer to prostitution than a master- servant relationship, because the commoner was never treated like a domestic. He only had sex with the lord and had some privileges. (chapter 46) He was never asked to do other work, although the artist tried to change his situation. Since he was behaving like a whore, he felt that he had no right to express any thought and emotion. He couldn’t show any pleasure. That’s why there were no feelings in their sex encounters, and the lord could sense the difference. Consequently, when the lord realized that he was still perceived as a man consumed by sex (chapter 48), he changed his behavior. He acted like a real client at the brothel (chapter 48), but at the same time he cornered the painter to have multiple climaxes in order to let him experience that he liked having sex with him. (chapter 49) As you can observe, the lord linked sensuality to love. If he could provoke ejaculations, then it meant that the artist was definitely feeling something for him. However, the moment the lord liberated the painter from his pejorative perception about himself (he is a prostitute), the painter reacted the exact opposite. Now, he was the one using Yoon Seungho, the latter was his plaything. (Chapter 49), his prostitute, for he was the one procuring pleasure to Yoon Seungho. As you can see, the roles had been switched. This means that now the painter had the upper-hand in their relationship. We could even say that the noble was willing to accept his fate. (Chapter 49) Yet there was a difference from the past. Yoon Seungho would feel pleasure as well. This is not surprising that Kim chose to intervene and separate the couple right after. Without sex, the painter had no power over the master. That’s the reason why the butler revealed his knowledge the morning after. The protagonist had to hear from his butler the real cause for Baek Na-Kyum’s passivity and torpor: (chapter 50). Through this revelation, the lord was indirectly confronted by his own reflection: he was indeed asking from Baek Na-Kyum sexual favors in exchange for his stay at the mansion. That’s the reason why the lord had a “relapse“ and kept his distance from the painter.

3. Abstinence and love

However, because Yoon Seungho was now associating sexual pleasure with the painter, the noble was no longer able to have sex at all. Don’t forget that Baek Na-Kyum symbolizes love. Seungho-Ya 😉 couldn’t even get an erection with a fellatio given by someone else. (chapter 52). This was important, because for the noble, it meant that he could no longer have sex with other partners. Without sex, the lord was forced to question himself and ponder on the true nature of his relationship with Baek Na-Kyum. He felt jealousy during that night, he was very protective as well. (Chapter 52) His sexuality had already become an expression of his love, although the main lead was still unaware of his own feelings. That’s why I come to the conclusion, chapter 52 was actually revealing Yoon Seungho’s monogamy, although it looked the opposite. And this becomes truly visible, when the gangrape was about to occur. He felt no urge, when he was with the guests, yet the moment he brought the artist to the bedchamber, he couldn’t stop himself from kissing his loved one. (chapter 54) He was definitely longing for his warmth. This explicates why the noble got so infuriated, when he was confronted with the consequence of his bad decision: (chapter 54) the artist was on the verge to be no longer monogamous, as he would be tasted by other aristocrats. In this scene, the lord would have indeed become a client and pimp, if he hadn’t chased away his guests. Although the painter was indeed upset afterwards about this incident (chapter 55), deep down he sensed that his master had protected him. This night was important for the main lead: he was forced to admit his own feelings for the painter. Therefore, we could say that the issue with the prostitution was solved after chapter 54. Yoon Seungho thought that the moment he confessed, the painter would get scared and run away, but it didn’t happen. Why? Love among men and especially between a brutal noble and a commoner, was a taboo, like Min had underlined. Secondly, if the lord had indeed feelings for him, he had behaved like a beast during that night. He had mistreated Baek Na-Kyum. In his mind, the artist would never accept him.Besides, the painter had clearly denied the affection from the main lead. In his eyes, the painter’s words were indicating a rejection. (chapter 54) Thus I conclude that Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum had come to an implicit agreement: they had a master-servant relationship (chapter 56), although Baek Na-Kyum started perceiving himself as a domestic from chapter 51 on again. He kept following the head-maid and Kim (chapter 51) in order to help them. Therefore the readers could witness the return of the white headband in chapter 52: his task was to paint for his master. (Chapter 52)

However, this new situation didn’t last long due to the artist’s abduction. The lord thought that since he had properly confessed to his servant (chapter 62) here, he whispered to Baek Na-Kyum that he adored him), he would bind the artist to himself.

4. The real relapse: sex, the symbol of submission

Nevertheless the commoner disappeared making Yoon Seungho think that the moment he revealed his vulnerability, he got betrayed and abandoned. This explicates why the noble punished the artist, when he was found. Since they had a master-servant relationship and the artist had run away, this meant that Baek Na-Kyum was rejecting the lord’s love. Hence he could only treat him like his sex toy (chapter 63), exactly like he had wished in chapter 49. The only difference is that this time, the painter was here for the lord’s pleasure. The roles had been switched again. As the manhwaphiles can perceive, the noble and painter had a similar reaction: they both tried to deny the existence of love in their relationship. That’s the reason why the noble stopped the artist from confessing: (chapter 63) They just had a sexual relationship which could provoke pleasure, but that was it. But in order to ensure that the artist wouldn’t run away again, he used sex to “tame“ Baek Na-Kyum. If the main lead could procure multiple climaxes to the artist, then the latter was forced to admit that only Yoon Seungho could be his “partner“. This explicates why the noble kept pointing out how the artist would react to his lover’s body. (Chapter 63) (chapter 64) He was moaning and would ejaculate constantly thanks to the main lead. Yet, during this second marathon, the noble was actually deceiving himself. (Chapter 62)

5. Love and servitude

Although he treated the painter like a servant, as the latter was asked to paint, Yoon Seungho couldn’t help himself cleaning Baek Na-Kyum and bringing him to his bedchamber. (Chapter 65) This shows that the painter had gained a new position: he was indeed a favored servant. He was allowed to spend the night in his lover’s bed and he could see the lord getting dressed. (Chapter 65) The slight change was that now the main lead was aware of this. This truly exposes the lord’s affection for the artist. He might have treated him like a plaything in the shed, in reality he had attempted to show “his skills“ as a lover. He had licked him, bit him and the painter had felt pleasure, though he kept saying no! This is not surprising that Yoon Seungho had denied the kiss in the study. (Chapter 64) Because that’s how he had been deceived that night in the study. (Chapter 49) Baek Na-Kyum had silenced him with the kiss, as the main lead was about to protest. (Chapter 49) When he mentioned the kiss, the symbol for love, in his confession, it was connected to sensuality and not affection. Hence he didn‘t kiss him at the end of the second marathon. As a conclusion, by bringing the artist to his bedchamber, the lord never realized that his action was betraying his words from the night before. They were definitely more than 2 naked bodies. The lord trusted the painter so that he could lie down next to him in the bed. (Chapter 65) Striking is that Heena noona’s intervention destroyed their terrible but short-lived master-servant relationship, because the noble was faced with the truth: he had brought back the artist to the mansion against his will. (chapter 65) What caught my attention is that the painter’s disappearance mirrored the lord’s wrongdoing. Lee Jihwa and the main lead had both kidnapped the artist. That’s why I believe that when he heard Heena’s words in the study (chapter 68), the noble could only come to the following conclusion: he could only let the painter choose his destiny. But the moment the artist decided to remain by his side, he needed to change Baek Na-Kyum’s position in the mansion. He was no longer a servant, but a noble guest. Hence the lord tied the scarf like aristocrats did. (chapter 69) Consequently, we could say that the painter had a similar status than Jung In-Hun. Yet, there was a huge difference: the owner of the mansion was now acting like the painter’s servant. Hence Deok-Jae’s words came true: (chapter 46).

6. Nobility and love

From chapter 69 on, there were two masters in the mansion: (chapter 71). Why? It is because the lord made the decision that the painter chose him, then this means that he became his wife, though at the end of season 2, he was not thinking about marriage yet. He was not aware of this perception. By becoming his official partner, the spouse obtains the status of his husband: nobility. This explicates why the lord ate with his lover (chapter 74) and allowed him to smoke. Then in season 3, he gave him ladies-in-waiting in order to give him some company. (Chapter 78) He even gave him the music box, which was mistaken as a dowry. However, the problem is that the painter was still fighting his own feelings for the protagonist due to Heena noona’s words and past experience with the scholar. He feared that this new situation was too beautiful to be true, hence he thought that the lord’s feelings would fade away. But there was another reason for doubting the lord’s affection: there was no sex. (chapter 74) The painter had come to associate sex with love too. Yet, the moment he relived his trauma, he only found comfort and safety in the lord’s embrace. (Chapter 76) The main lead didn’t reject the painter’s urge for a hug in front of commoners. At no moment, Yoon Seungho felt embarrassment. He treated him like a special treasure. That’s how the painter came to realize that Yoon Seungho‘s love for him was true and genuine. Consequently, he decided to rely on him and to trust him. That’s why in this panel, the painter closed his eyes: (chapter 76) We could say that he was reminded of his own past. When he was a child, he sensed love through hugs and caresses. Since the painter could feel the lord’s genuine affection and warmth, he recognized that even when there was no sex, love was present. All his senses made him perceive the lord’s love: (chapter 76) His words showed his care and concern, then he bought him an expensive music box. (Chapter 76)

7. The symbols for the couple‘s love

But by accepting the noble’s affection, the painter was also incited to question his affection for Yoon Seungho. On the other hand till chapter 94, he hadn’t voiced it yet. As you can see, the abstinence at the end of season 2 and the beginning of season 3 had a important function. It helped the painter to admit the existence of love and more precisely the lord’s affection for him, a reflection of the lord’s situation in season 2 (50-54). Simultaneously, it meant that the painter could no longer deny his attachment to Yoon Seungho too. Therefore it is not surprising that in the bedchamber, when the artist tried to initiate a kiss, it could be perceived as the start of a love confession. (Chapter 80) And now, you comprehend why the painter didn‘t confess during that night. He got interrupted. The kiss was the symbol for their love. Thus it is no coincidence that just after his confession,. (Chapter 94) the painter initiated a long and sensual kiss with his “husband“. (Chapter 95) Since the painter had received caresses and embraces in his childhood, he came to view the kiss as the symbol for true love. And note that the kisses exchanged in the gibang were full of passion and love. This was the perfect combination of love and sex. (Chapter 95)

On the other hand, the lord had developed a different preference: the locked gaze, the warm embrace and the joined hands. Thus when he confessed his affection for the painter in the kisaeng house, observe what he did: (Chapter 96) This shows that Yoon Seungho has always longed for a pure and spiritual love in the first place. His sexual preferences were already palpable in the last love session (season 2): (chapter 72) We could say that he discovered all his sexual preferences thanks to the painter.

Thus my prediction in the first version that the painter would express his love through sex later came true. He tried to initiate it with a kiss. He was moved by the lord’s loving gaze and smile. (Chapter 80) But he failed due to the intervention of the butler and other schemers. Besides, the whispering of „Kyumah“ could only make his heart race. Let’s not forget that his painting in the sand (chapter 1) externalized his own philosophy: love and sex can’t be separated. Note that the couple is is hugging and kissing at the same time! 😍 This picture will represent the peak of their love! Striking is that when the couple confirmed their mutual affection, they did in the kisaeng house, the symbol for prostitution. This truly exposed that Yoon Seungho had been treated like a male night servant in the past. .

As you can imagine, I am expecting a new version of this love session. (chapter 72) in the next season, for the painter is still calling his lover “lord Seungho“ (chapter 99) (chapter 102) This means that he is still viewing himself as a low-born. But note that contrary to the past, Baek Na-Kum is now wearing a hanbok and he has no other clothes. Thus I am deducing that the painter’s next lesson is to drop his notion that he is a commoner. He will be taught to view himself as an equal to Yoon Seungho. Only when he has internalized that there is no gap between him and his lover, then he will be able to address him as “Seungho-YA!“ At the same time, both protagonists will come to realize that they can express their love differently. Poetry, painting and more importantly through their desire to protect their loved one. The lord will start protecting Baek Na-Kyum more actively, just like the painter will decide to show more interests in his lover’s skills and past life. Baek Na-Kyum will feel responsible for the bloodshed in the shaman’s house. In my opinion, the lord will confide to him what happened to Min and the other nobles. I am assuming this, for the lord remained silent, when the messenger of his father came to the mansion. He didn’t want to scare his lover because of his brutal outburst. (chapter 84)

8. Sex, passion and confession

What caught my attention is that unlike in the first season, where characters came to find love and had sex or the reverse, the second season presented each sexual encounter as a sex session, but at some point love came to the surface.

  • chapter 45: The trigger for the change is the noble’s words. The latter keeps talking to the painter asking for an reply. Hence in my eyes, there are glimpses of love the moment Baek Na-Kyum said this: It sounded like a confession, hence the seme became more passionate:
  • chapter 48/49: Here the lord acted like a client. Yet, notice that the lord is speaking again forcing to express himself. And the moment the painter cried and started voicing his own opinion, the sexual encounter was affected. (Chapter 49) The lord comforted the artist and hugged him: (chapter 49) An expression of love and affection, but the painter rejected it, as he mistrusted his own judgement. He couldn’t help thinking of the learned sir’s fake embrace. Striking is that despite the rejection, the painter kissed and hugged back his lover (chapter 49), which made the lord believe that he could only get embraced by the painter, if they had sex.
  • This explicates why in chapter 63, the lord forced the painter to hug him: . Although the second sex marathon starts like a pure sex session, the moment the painter calls Yoon Seungho differently, the lord’s attitude changes. The painter is turned around and faces his lover, a sign that they are getting closer. Striking is that again through their conversation, the painter is pressured to think about his own emotions. However, due to his own insecurities and fear, the noble still can’t trust the artist’s words, therefore there’s no confession. As you can see, love was not absent, it is just that both main leads were in denial.

Naturally, the night in chapter 58 and 70, 71, 72 and 73, are different. Although in chapter 58, the noble confessed and made love to the painter, he was also cornering his lover. The latter was not really able to move. He was trapped under his body, the lord was blaming him for turning him into a wreck. (Chapter 58) Thus he should become responsible for him. Yoon Seungho was unconsciously trying to push the painter to reciprocate his feelings, an imitation of Lee Jihwa‘s confession. Nevertheless, the painter remained silent, therefore it meant that his love was still denied. That’s why it stands more under the sign of dream and illusion. Consequently, the night in chapter 70, 71, 72 and 73 contrasts so much to the one from chapter 58. This time, it symbolizes the lord’s pure love. As such, the sex is already a real expression of love. That’s why the lord asked to be called intimately: Seungho-Ya (chapter 72) On the other hand, this love session was strongly intertwined with the notion of forgiveness and punishment as well. This is important, it reveals that Yoon Seungho had internalized that sex was the expression to redeem himself. He had been tasked in the past that if he desired to obtain “forgiveness“, then he should have sex. And by comparing all these sexual encounters, I came to the following conclusion: the lord’s words definitely contributed to change the nature of the sex session, just like the hug.

And observe that the lord started hugging the painter more often outside sex, but the painter could never sense his affection. In chapter 49, he judged the warmth as fake. In chapter 66, he had a flashback, hence he couldn’t witness his lord’s attention and care. But the lord discovered this kind of embrace, when he helped the painter in chapter 53: That’s how the noble experienced the embrace as a source of comfort and affection. Therefore you can comprehend, why I wrote above that the painter was teaching the lord how to love properly, but also why the embrace became the symbol for love in the lord‘s eyes. He had never been embraced before by a man. And Lee Jihwa had recognized the true signification of this gesture, when he spied on the couple (chapter 43). That‘s how he knew the friend‘s biggest desire: and was deeply hurt after this discovery (Chapter 57) However, this shows that Yoon Seungho is a quick learner, because he knew what to do, when the painter was in pain and destress. At the same time, it explains why he could fake the embrace in chapter 62: This hug stands in opposition to the one at the end of season 3: (chapter 102) The artist was forgiving his lover! Love represents selflessness, tolerance, forgiveness, warmth, affection and assistance which is transmitted by the embrace. Now, you understand why Yoon Seungho was still not satisfied after the sex session in the study, he was longing for the hug. (Chapter 84) In his unconscious, he knew that if the artist hugged him, he would have forgiven him. But he had no idea about it, thus he couldn’t suggest this. So far, he had experienced the embrace from the artist while having sex. Deep down, he had already internalized the embrace to forgiveness. So we could say that the absence of the embrace in this scene was the lord‘s punishment for the fake hug in the shed. And the painter let him discover the true nature of a warm embrace: (chapter 88) This is not surprising that this hug was not connected to sex at all. Yet it moved the lord so deeply. As the manhwalovers could sense it, season 3 was focused on love and sensuality. During that season, the couple was able to voice about their sexual desires and their preferences. (chapter 91)

As for the lord’s addiction to grab the artist’s hand, we have to envision that it is related to the lord‘s huge trauma. (Chapter 86) No one close to him had grabbed his hand in order to show their support. This gesture in the picture embodies abandonment. On the other hand, the painter had been the first one to take his hand and to swear “loyalty“. (Chapter 30) The joined hands were repeated in season 3 , the only difference is that this time, Baek Na-Kyum was doing it willingly. (Chapter 88) The symbol for support, company and responsibility.

As a conclusion, the dichotomy between love and sex in the relationship between the protagonists is no longer existing at the end of the third season. Both have come accept their love for each other. But it already started vanishing at the end of season 2. Although the painter had not confessed properly yet, the return of the embrace and his request for help are strong indications that Baek Na-Kyum was now accepting his affection. He was now trusting the noble, hence he revealed an important clue about the abduction.

Consequently, I am predicting that in season 4, we will see a new erotic painting of the couple, the symbol of their affection which will stand in opposition to the ones from season 1. It won’t be about conquests and as a tool to procure an erection for the nightly activities. That’s the reason why I am now expecting only one erotic picture: the document of their official union. (chapter 1) versus chapter 41 (chapter 41) Under this perspective, it becomes understandable why the couple neglected these pictures. They were all devoid of affection, it was more about prostitution and battle! And here is now the question? Where are these drawings?

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Painter Of The Night: Desires and communication 📲 (second version)

~ Bébébisous33 ~ 6 Comments

This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents:  https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/

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. The significance of communication

In the essay “Respect and love” I demonstrate that both protagonists aren’t honest to themselves, exposing their lack of self-respect. This is one of the reasons why they keep disregarding each other. While they are hurting each other, they force each other to question their own action and words simultaneously. Hence the readers are witnessing their transformation. Little by little, the protagonists mature and turn into adults. They become more responsible. Their growth coincides with the development of attachment and the realization of their affection. At the same time, this evolution is strongly intertwined with the painter’s sexuality. The latter is making his first sexual experiences, which leads him to slowly accept his homosexuality. Yet he still fears his own strong libido and as such his love for the noble. Therefore till chapter 68, the artist is still dishonest with himself. As the manhwaphiles can see, the painter’s honesty is linked to respect and love. Striking is that both values are dependent on communication.

  1. “Love without communication is impossible”. from Mortimer Adler
  2. “Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid.” from Fyodor Dostoevsky

2. Communication and relationship

With these quotes, it becomes obvious that communication represents the foundation of a good relationship, where there exist respect, love and trust. Silence or lies stand in opposition to communication, because they create a false perception or an illusion. Since manipulators employ lies by commission or omission, the latter can be judged as weapons. Moreover, unsaid things and deceptions display a lack of trust. That’s why the relationship between the noble and the low-born can only stabilize, the moment they talk to each other properly. Once Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum reveal their true thoughts and emotions to each other, they not only show trust, but also can discover the true personality of their lover. However, if you pay attention to the evolution of the story, you’ll observe two details:

  1. Yoon Seungho is the one who keeps talking, revealing his desire to exchange thoughts with the painter. This explicates why the lord was so hurt in chapter 49. He wanted to communicate (“share what’s on our mind”) with the low-born, but the latter refused, because he just considered the noble as a sex toy to procure him pleasure out of fear to get hurt and deceived again.
  2. The painter is only opening up once confronted with sex and his own sexual desires.

3. Words, sex and its impact on relationship

Now, I would like to elaborate more these observations, hence I will start with the first chapter as illustration. The manhwaphiles should remember that at the tavern, Yoon Seungho was very talkative. (Chapter 1) He expressed his genuine admiration for Baek Na-Kyum’s talent and creations. Yet, at no moment the painter noticed the compliments. He had been forced to touch the loins, which shocked him, and then he remembered the lord’s bad notoriety. Therefore all the lord’s good words fell on deaf ears. The painter was more concerned with appearances and rumors than anything else. That’s why the conversation failed. Since Baek Na-Kyum was not interested in the main lead’s feelings, he feigned ignorance first, and lied at the end. Striking is that their first conversation was connected to books and sex, therefore this already limited their exchange. Moreover, this first chapter clearly reveals the lord’s interest in the low-born. He not only sent a domestic for the investigation about the mysterious creator, but also asked about his recent whereabouts. And curiosity usually initiates a conversation. But there’s more to it. From my perspective, the main lead felt no longer satisfied with the erotic pictures. He wanted to share his emotions and thoughts, when he looked at them. However, he had no one to talk to, so in his mind, if he met the artist, he could come into a conversation with the creator. That’s why he wanted to invite him in the end. The painting of sex sessions would give him the perfect occasion to discuss with someone.

And observe, when the first session starts, he can’t help himself talking to the artist, while Jihwa remains silent, as he doesn’t pay attention to him. If you read the story again, you’ll sense the master’s strong desire to communicate. When the painter arrives in the bedchamber in chapter 8, the lord welcomes him warmly with a huge smile and speech. (Chapter 8) Observe the contrast. The main lead doesn’t reveal his anger towards the noble with the mole, it is not worthy for Yoon Seungho of giving him an explanation for the humiliation. He just smiles (Chapter 8) before grabbing him by the topknot. His words and behavior truly display a huge respect and a desire to exchange thoughts and observation.

Moreover, when the master is not talking during the sex sessions, then he is in a locked gaze with the artist. (Chapter 8) This mirrors the noble’s need to talk and now, you understand why the main lead had to evict the aristocrat with the mole in the end. By requesting to send away the commoner, (Chapter 8) he was more or less asking from the host to remain silent. (Chapter 8) The latter just had to focus on the guest’s sexual desires which confirms my interpretation that the main lead is treated like a head-kisaeng. Since the noble showed him no respect, then the main character didn’t need to respect him either. But more importantly, the protagonist made sure that he would be treated the same way. He also wouldn’t listen to his words, because the noble with the mole didn’t want to hear him speaking either. Therefore the door is closed, before the man can protest. As a conclusion, the aristocrats only visited him for sex or other pleasures and nothing more, while the noble had to remain quiet. Hence we have a silent main lead in his relapse: (chapter 52) However, even here the manhwaphiles can notice the transformation. The guests are no longer here for sex, just for smoking opium and drink wine. That way, the noble doesn’t feel lonely.

And Jihwa was not different from the others. Like Yoon Seungho described it to father Lee, (chapter 67) the childhood friend would only visit him during the night (“used to”). However, it changed the moment the main lead paid a visit to the red-haired noble early in the morning (chapter 3). After that, Jihwa realized that he could also go to his friend during the day (chapter 5 and 12 ). And now, you comprehend why the lord questioned his presence in the morning and why he assumed that his visit was related to sex in the end. It looks like Jihwa never showed an interest in the lord’s thoughts and emotions too. And there exist two reasons for that. First, he had the impression he knew everything about his lover. (Chapter 57) Secondly, there was a risk that the main character could talk about the past and as such mention Jihwa’s betrayal. The lord’s emotions (sadness, anger, pain) represented a huge burden to the red-haired master. (Chapter 59)

This illustrates that the lord was never allowed to express his thoughts and emotions, until the artist arrived at the property. And now the readers can comprehend why Yoon Seungho said this in chapter 18: (chapter 18) Thanks to the artist’s presence, Yoon Seungho had been able to talk and people would actually pay attention to his presence and words. They started listening to his words. Imagine, one word and the straw mat beating was stopped: (Chapter 13) No wonder, why he thanked the painter in chapter 18. He could only be happy, when he confronted his childhood friend, as there was a real exchange for the first time. (Chapter 13) Argument is also a form of communication, and it happens between people in a relationship. Not only his words were finally noticed, but also he was able to draw lines to Jihwa. By influencing the host with the hope, Yoon Seungho would send away the painter, the childhood friend didn’t recognize that he was attempting to turn the protagonist into a puppet, therefore he could only fail. Moreover, Jihwa had no idea that Yoon Seungho’s true desire was to get close to someone, to engage a honest conversation. Therefore the main lead could only reject the friend’s words and proposition. As a conclusion, with the painter’s arrival, the lord’s words were little by little listened, he was able to communicate more with others: Jihwa, the nobles and the staff. After scolding the maids in the kitchen (chapter 38), the head-maid started showing her respect to her lord. But more importantly, he gave her the order personally to bring the painter’s lunch to his study. (Chapter 46) He could finally voice his thoughts, everything happened thanks to the painter. This explicates why Yoon Seungho kept seeking the artist’s proximity, although the latter kept rejecting him (his escape, his lies, his refusal to paint for him etc…). He had realized that his living conditions had improved despite the struggling with the low-born.

His strong desire to communicate exposes that he had no companion by his side. In my opinion, Yoon Seungho justified his existence as a free spirit in order to hide his loneliness and emptiness. It was his explication why the nobles and Jihwa wouldn’t listen to him and disrespect him. Yet, the real cause for this situation was his traumatic past, where he had been forced to silence. Moreover this explains why he never paid attention to intruders in the end. He didn’t have the impression, he would truly live in that mansion. Besides, because people were supposed to visit him during the night for sex, then he was never expecting visitors during the day. Hence he spent his days smoking in front of the window. (Chapter 5) This outlines the main lead’s isolation and loneliness. Simultaneously, with this new approach, the readers grasp why Yoon Seungho couldn’t anticipate to become Min’s target in the end. He noticed Black Heart’s envious gaze , (chapter 8) but he didn’t envision what jealousy and greed would provoke. In my eyes, he couldn‘t identify these emotions properly.

The problem is that Baek Na-Kyum refused to converse with the lord. In chapter 4, the artist didn’t allow the main lead to express his opinion about the plagiarized poem. (Chapter 4) He was not worthy to comment this poetry, as he was just a man consumed by lust. However, the commoner never asked why the noble would judge the poem so poorly. He already assumed that he was just making fun in order to humiliate the scholar, while in reality the noble wanted to reveal the author’s true personality: Jung In-Hun was just a deceiver. And since he had been hurt by the painter’s comment, he retaliated too: since he was just a commoner, he had no right to criticize the lord.

And now, it is time to focus on the second aspect: Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum only started communicating properly through sex. The reason is simple: the painter was only honest, when his unconscious revealed his true desires. Right from the start, the artist was sexually attracted by the lord, but he kept denying it. However, the aristocrat did notice the painter’s genuineness in the sex sessions, which could only reinforce his strong attraction towards the low-born. He loved his art, and now he saw that someone was truly perceiving him. (Chapter 2) Baek Na-Kyum was the first who made the main lead realize the existence of his body. For the first time, he felt attraction through the gaze and saw something beautiful in himself. And what was the lord‘s immediate reaction? He started talking about his thoughts, though this was more a monologue than a discussion. (Chapter 3) (chapter 3) Exactly like the painter, Yoon Seungho began talking while having sex. He even formulated his first desire in front of his childhood friend: (chapter 3) And now, you comprehend why his relationship with Lee Jihwa was doomed to fail. The red-haired master was more focused on sex and his own sexual emancipation than his lover‘s well-being. (Chapter 3) He never asked him why he was behaving so differently. He didn‘t notice that the lord was more communicative.

4. The first real conversation

But let’s return our attention to the main couple. The real conversation between Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum only starts in chapter 16. Nonetheless, the only one talking is Yoon Seungho. He keeps asking questions about Baek Na-Kyum’s sexuality, waiting an answer from the artist:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Here I only selected a few inquiries from the main lead, however what caught my attention is that with his behavior, the noble was putting the artist under pressure. The latter remained silent, but the beholder detect how these questions affect the artist. They actually excite him in reality. Why? It is because the lord’s words incite the painter’s imagination. Note that in the second panel above, he is describing the sex session. And the painter gets really excited, when the noble says this: (chapter 16) On the surface, it looks like he is sulking, the reality is that he is already fighting against his urges. The hand is trembling due the arousal. While you have the impression, he is bothered by Yoon Seungho, the truth is that the artist is getting more and more excited due the lord’s picturesque questions. Funny is that in this scene, the aristocrat is the more innocent one. He plays with the head-band and his “innocence” is truly visible through his facial expressions too: . What is the painter’s real sexual desire? We have the answer in this panel: Getting violated by a stranger! In the wet dream in chapter 6, (chapter 6) a stranger in form of a shadow enters the artist’s room. The lord’s identity is only discovered at the end. But in his fantasy, the main lead was even grabbing him by the hair. It was definitely not a tender gesture. He was even caressing him against his will. And note that when Yoon Seungho questions when he got the most excited to the point that he had difficulties to breath, the commoner remembers this image and not the strokes. (Chapter 16) As a conclusion, the artist is actually a person who likes BDSM. This explicates why the painter’s trembling hand was grabbing the shirt in chapter 12 while facing the lord. He was hiding his erection (chapter 12) triggered by fear. This new interpretation explains why the artist painted the sex at the pavilion in the end. (Chapter 41) If the forced sex had truly traumatized him, he wouldn’t have been able to do so. Furthermore, he questioned the authenticity of the lord’s affection, when he recalled the moment, he was offered to the other nobles. He was upset and offended. (Chapter 55) Yet he didn’t even think about the scene at the pavilion for one minute. This means that Baek Na-Kyum only accepts the main lead as his lover. Fear and pain are not perceived as something negative, they can evoke pleasure.

In chapter 16, Yoon Seungho got the painter so excited that he felt the need to run away in order to hide his erection. Striking is that when the lord starts masturbating him, the commoner starts blushing and crying. But these tears and reddening are not the expression of pain, they express the opposite: pleasure. (Chapter 16) Moreover, he didn’t get angry at Yoon Seungho for touching his phallus. He got more scared that someone had seen him enjoying the masturbation and I would even say, getting grabbed by force. Therefore the lord got an erection and was so happy at the kisaeng house. Finally, he had been able to talk to the painter. He even got to receive a honest answer for the first time, where he was even called “my lord”: (chapter 16) To sum up, Baek Na-Kyum showed a certain respect to the main lead in this chapter. But more importantly, the master was in a good mood, because he kept thinking how he could procure pleasure to the commoner.

5. The secret meaning of „no“

However, he felt a little insecure at the same time, because the commoner had kept saying “no”. That’s why during their first Wedding night, the lord asked him about his first sexual experience: (Chapter 21) The painter reveals the truth by replying that he enjoyed it very much, it felt like a dream. As you can see, chapter 21 was a reflection of the episode 16: we had a discussion, where the lord tried to initiate a conversation, tears of joy connected with pleasure, the lord asking to be called “my lord” and the realization of a dream. But we have another evidence that despite his words, he wanted the main lead to continue: (chapter 16) The commoner’s hand is placed on the shoulder indicating that he is pushing Yoon Seungho to his side. He could have tried to remove the lord’s hand on his phallus, but he didn’t. The hand was even trembling from pleasure. That’s why the second sex marathon shouldn’t be judged as a rape in my opinion, although the painter kept saying no too. First, the painter makes the exact same expression than in chapter 16: (Chapter 63) And even the lord notices that the painter is getting more and more excited by the roughness. He keeps describing how the painter is reacting below (chapter 63) which can only increase Baek Na-Kyum’s arousal, as his words are again very graphic. Note that the lord’s pictorial “filthy” expressions affect the painter deeply, exactly like in his second wet dream: (Chapter 63) Therefore I come to the conclusion that in chapter 63, the painter is not crying, because he is really hurt and angry at the main lead. These are tears of pleasure mixed with pain, which is linked to BDSM. That’s why he keeps blushing the whole time. (Chapter 63) This explicates why he kept ejaculating, despite saying “no” or recognizing that there was a witness. He felt no longer scared or embarrassed, like in chapter 16, where he ran away to hide. With this new version of the sex marathon, the painter truly discovered his sexual preferences. Therefore, when we see this (chapter 63), we shouldn’t project our own emotions into the artist: pain and disgust. Remember this: the painter felt his blood running hot, when the lord grabbed his hair violently in his wet dream. (Chapter 6)

And now, you understand why the artist is scared to admit his affection to the main lead. (Chapter 68) He is still scared and embarrassed of his own sexuality. It must have felt strange in that historical period. What caught my attention is that we have two chapters where tears are mixed with pleasure and happiness (chapter 16-21), while we have two chapters where the tears are associated to pain and sadness (25-26; 41-42). Besides, in the last sex session from the first season, the painter was the one asking the lord to be quite rough! (Chapter 42) Yet, the noble couldn’t help himself showing tenderness and affection at the end with the passionate kiss. As a conclusion, the second sex marathon contains all these elements: sadness, pain, pleasure, anger and happiness.

6. Yoon Seungho‘s desires

And it is the same for Yoon Seungho. He likes BDSM and cosplay. That’s why he plays with the head-band (chapter 16), and in chapter 35 he accepts to be a servant or in chapter 49 a sex toy. Due their different sex sessions, he discovered that he likes being rough too. Therefore he couldn’t enjoy, when the painter was so passive. He recognized that he took pleasure, when the painter was showing resistance too. (Chapter 63) This explicates why he couldn’t stand the expression “I like it”. This was too insipid. So when he became rough in chapter 48, he truly hoped to provoke tears of happiness caused by the sensation of pleasure. (Chapter 48) However, since the painter ended up crying and criticizing the lord, he had the impression, he had failed. As you can see, the lord might have had a lot of sexual experiences, yet with the painter, he entered a totally new world: full of warmth and love, yet there was pain connected to pleasure as well. This explicates why he could open up and reveal that his real dream was to make the painter smile (chapter 63), which contrasts so much to Baek Na-Kyum’s dream: cry of happiness.

I deduce that Yoon Seungho discovered BDSM through the painter, and we should see this as a treatment for the sexual abuse. First, he is put in the same position than lord Song. Thus he learned that sex could only be enjoyable, if there was consent. (Chapter 79) Hence people saw the sex session in the shed as rape. Nonetheless, the manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget that Baek Na-Kyum was living in the mansion as a servant. Hence according to Joseon’s social norms, he was in no position to reject the main lead. However, for Yoon Seungho, it was different, for he was a young master. He had a title that was supposed to protect him. Consequently, the main lead can reproach the mysterious lord Song that he never asked for his consent and he would even treat him like a male kisaeng!

However, we shouldn’t forget that right from the start, the lord was seeking for a companion to share his thoughts and emotions. Due to the sex sessions, their honest conversations were limited to sex. First, they started arguing, because their couple had started on the wrong premise. Both were not honest to themselves in reality. Through their discussion, they were forced to listen to each other: chapter 25-26. Yet without any confrontation, they were not able to converse properly. Both of them were hiding something out of fear and pain, that’s why the conversation in chapter 47 failed too. As you can sense, their physical connection was never satisfying for the lord, he always hoped for more and tried to initiate conversations (chapter 35, 39-40, 41, 42). Both needed to learn to trust each other, but it was not possible because of their lack of self-respect.

7. Kim as a fake mediator

Remember that the aristocrat desires to talk to the painter right from the start, and later he wants to share his meals with him. And each time, Kim intervenes. First, he manipulates the lord to visit the artist in his study, well aware what Jihwa has already done. Then in chapter 50, he finally reveals the content of the conversation between Baek Na-Kyum and his scholar. And this conversation happens right after the lord asked to take his meal with the artist. He made sure that their interactions would only be limited to sex. In my opinion, Kim started meddling between the two protagonists, because that way he could refrain them to communicate directly to each other.

“There is only one rule for being a good talker – learn to listen” from Christopher Morley

That way, the butler hindered the painter to discover Yoon Seungho’s true personality. If they didn’t have an opportunity to talk, then the artist couldn’t learn through listening. That’s why the use of aphrodisiac in chapter 36 was actually an act of sabotage. The manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget that in chapter 35 the lord tried to discover the painter’s likes and offered the latter to join him to his room. But in order to ensure that there would be no conversation, Kim warned the artist about the lord’s bad mood. (Chapter 36) While, it looked like he was protecting the painter, he was undermining their relationship. He was actually using triangulation.

Triangulation is an approach used by many different people who share one thing in common: insecurity. As a result, they’re willing to manipulate others in harmful ways to get what they want or feel a sense of security in a relationship. Quoted from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-triangulation-in-psychology-5120617

I had described the protagonists as insecure, and Kim could sense these anxieties and took advantage of it. And this is no coincidence that the painter’s love confession took place in the gibang. Kim was not present, and he could only join them much later. As a conclusion, Kim made sure that there would only be sex between them and nothing more. But when he realized that sex would bring them closer, as they started communicating, he separated the couple. They should no longer have sex together. First the valet used the conversation in the library as a justification, (chapter 50) Then he utilized the lord’s misconduct in the storage room. He should wait for the painter’s visit in his bedchamber. (Chapter 75) However, the valet could never stop the progression. The irony is that their first deep conversation took place outside the mansion. (Chapter 39) Once again, the lord had a teasing attitude, yet he was gentle and considerate. This is not surprising that due to their interaction, Baek Na-Kyum started listening to the lord. He took his questions and advices very seriously (chapter 40). Thus he confronted the learned sir about his future. As the painterofthenightphiles can detect, by communicating they began trusting each other more, and as such showing more curiosity and understanding to their counterpart.

After the kidnapping, the butler imagined that the lord would kill the artist for his abandonment, yet it didn’t happen. In reality, the lord prepared himself the painter’s bed. Then when he went to the barn in order to see what was happening, he heard and saw a painter saying “no”, while the lord was quite rough. So in his mind, after this sex session, the painter would be scared of the lord and would run away. What he saw was violence because of the past. Note when he tried to manipulate the master, he mentioned the main lead’s rape at the barn. (Chapter 68) With these words, he was implying that the low-born suffered the same fate than Yoon Seungho, because it looks like that on the surface. He imagined that he would achieve his goal (sending away Baek Na-Kyum) by using his knowledge, but in my opinion the opposite happened, like I had expected. What caught my attention is that the butler only mentioned Yoon Chang-Hyeon (chapter 68), as he had sent the painter to the storage room like his father. Yet, at no moment he made an allusion about lord Song, though he saw the sex in the barn as sexual abuse. He was thinking of the pedophile’s crime. He couldn‘t bring up the pedophile for two reasons: As a domestic, he can‘t badmouth the king. Secondly, he has to blame the father, as his own responsibility in Yoon Seungho‘s suffering would come to the surface. Remember my theory: Kim was the one brought the young master to the king thinking that the latter would protect Yoon Seungho.

Yet the problem with BDSM is that the couple needs to set the rules first, and these are strongly intertwined with “respect and love”. They have to communicate. That’s why the moment the painter accepts his affection, he is forced to recognize his own sexual preferences. This is no coincidence that in the bedchamber, Baek Na-Kyum voiced his desires after vowing loyalty to his lover. (Chapter 88) Furthermore, the chronology is important. The painter communicated first his thoughts and wishes, before they initiated the love session. (Chapter 88) This contrasts to the sex session in chapter 48/49. The lord had used sex in order to force the painter to share what was on his mind. Finally, in the gibang, the painter had talked a lot about his childhood to his lover before kissing his lover. (Chapter 94) They had a long conversation, where the lord could ask questions. This conversation ended with a love confession. (Chapter 94) This is important, because sex had now a different function. Sex was now a real form of communication, they would share what was on their heart. With their bodies, they would convey emotions. They would use the hand (chapter 88) or the kiss (Chapter 95) so that no misunderstanding would be created. Therefore it is not surprising that even during their love session, they would keep talking, and even express their desires: (Chapter 96) And observe that even after the love session, they continued sharing what was on their mind and heart: (chapter 97) And now, you comprehend why the schemers had to separate the couple! From this moment on, they would communicate constantly, and this outside sex. Thus when they are in the mountain, they can speak freely. (Chapter 102) They are no longer a noble and a commoner walking together, but a real couple. They are equals sharing their happiness and pain.

However, this doesn’t mean that their love story ends here. This marks only the beginning, because the lord has so much more to show to the painter. Their love will keep growing and affecting other aspects in their life. Moreover, they are now paying attention to what is happening around them (chapter 102) Here, the painter wished to understand why they were separated for so long. This means that Yoon Seungho has to discover the circumstances which led to this tragedy. That‘s how they will realize that the enemies are close to them. The lord has to recognize that he needs to share everything, like for example the discovery of Deok-Jae’s corpse. (Chapter 97) As you can see, the topics of their conversation will diverge more and more. I do think that he was incited to let the painter sleep in order to „protect“ him. Yoon Seungho needs to recognize that warning and drawing lines are not enough to protect the loved one. He will have to take real measures to turn his statement (taking responsibility for the painter) into a reality: he will have to fight for his right to happiness. Taking the civil service examination only represents one step. Furthermore, appearances can be deceiving. The pure artist is not so “innocent” in the end. He has definitely met his match in Yoon Seungho, though I believe that his role is to heal Yoon Seungho from his PTSD and give him closure. And this can only happen, when the victim of sexual abuse confronts his perpetrators, the old bearded men!

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 Tumblr-Reddit-Instagram-Twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and the support.

Painter Of The Night: A man consumed by lust

~ Bébébisous33 ~ 6 Comments

This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents:  https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/ 

Feel free to 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.

I would like thank Luzy again for her observations, because her comments inspired me a lot.

What caught my attention is the idiom employed by the painter to describe the wealthy main lead: a man consumed by lust. These words were pronounced, when the commoner criticized the main lead for mocking the poor quality of the poem. Since he was just a man obsessed with sex, he had no right to make fun of the poetry and author. He was worse than Jung In-Hun in his eyes, as he lived in debauchery. Striking is that the low-born kept seeing the lord that way until chapter 47: (chapter 48) But strangely, the main lead never realized it, until each time the commoner had to externalize it. How did he not see it before, and how didn’t the noble recognize that the artist hadn’t changed his perception about him in the second season? Thus I will try to answer these two questions in this essay.

I had exposed that Yoon Seungho feared his own image due to his self-hatred. Consequently, it meant that he had to rely on others to get a reflection about himself. However, we have to imagine that neither Kim nor Jihwa nor the other nobles gave him a honest portrait. They had no interest to reveal that he was a man obsessed with sex. Why? It is quite simple. Yoon Seungho’s mansion had become the kisaeng house for sodomy, and Yoon Seungho was the head-kisaeng. If you read the story from the start again, you’ll detect how the main lead is actually disrespected by his peers the whole time. Jihwa enters the lord’s mansion unannounced on multiple occasions (chapter 5here, no servant is sent to announce the noble’s arrival, which is quite rude; chapter 10, chapter 12, 17, 43). He acts, as if he owns the place. Moreover, the noble with the mole requests from the host to send away the artist (chapter 8). He acts, as if he had a saying in this, nevertheless he is just a guest and not the owner of the house. Moreover, he requests the whole attention from the main lead, as though the latter had to follow the guest’s desire. . No wonder, Yoon Seungho got infuriated and ejected the man. The painter’s presence revealed the disregard the noble had for the host. Striking is that even after getting dragged by the topknot, the aristocrat demanded an explanation for this humiliation. He didn’t realize his wrongdoing. This is not surprising that the Joker’s friend noticed the change in the protagonist. (Chapter 8) For the first time, the protagonist didn’t allow his peers to look down on him and requested more respect.

In chapter 19, Min invited himself at Yoon Seungho’s house in order to taste the expensive wine. (Chapter 19) He imposed himself upon the main character, yet Yoon Seungho didn’t feel upset. In fact, he just accepted the suggestion by a silence. It was, as if the protagonist was not allowed to refuse the invitation. More surprising is the place where The Joker suggested this: the brothel, an indication that the Yoon residence is considered as the noble kisaeng-house. I would even say, his mansion is the real place for pleasure and vices. And now, you comprehend why Yoon Seungho was pressured by the nobles in chapter 33. In the past, he would have given in, yet this time he showed them that there was a line not to cross. (Chapter 33) Imagine what would have happened, if the noble had followed their suggestion. The artist would have indeed turned into a prostitute.

From my point of view, the young nobles considered the protagonist as their head-kisaeng, he entertained them and allowed them to do immoral things (sodomy, wine and opium), while they could maintain their respectability and honor. Yet, since a kisaeng belongs to the lowest cast, it signified that the lord could get mistreated, exactly like a kisaeng. Besides, only the lord got the bad notoriety, he was a hell-raiser, because the aristocrats desired to hide behind him. He was their scapegoat and shield for their debauchery. He actually embodied all the vices the aristocrats were doing in secret. And now, you understand why the guest in chapter 53 told Min, he wanted to having fun without ruckus. (Chapter 52) In Yoon’s residence, there was no parent or authority to interfere. This explicates why father Lee blames the main lead for his son’s sodomy. He corrupted Jihwa, while in reality Jihwa treated Yoon Seungho like his possession and his personal concubine. He was the one visiting his place and not the other way around, like a husband visiting his “wife” (chapter 67) explicating why Jihwa could only get infuriated and jealous. The “husband”, treated like a concubine, was unfaithful. The second lead was even perceived by the town folks as the mistress (chapter 45), in other words the mistress of the house (the second definition: a mistress is a person of authority and power). This explains why he could trespass the mansion, like he desired. He considered Yoon Seungho’s mansion as his property, where he could enter at any time.

But if he was the real mistress of the house, why didn’t he stop Yoon Seungho from fooling around with men? Why didn’t he act more responsibly? First, the young man was blind and deaf, hence he couldn’t truly grasp what was going on. Secondly, he was too afraid to confront the friend. Remember that he always played tricks behind the lord’s back. Besides, we shouldn’t forget that Jihwa was himself treated like a servant by Min. If the mistress is disregarded, then the head-kisaeng can only get mistreated. Moreover, the second lead never realized that the nobles’ behavior contributed to the lord’s bad sexual habits. The manhwaphiles should remember that the second lead blamed the main character for fooling around (chapter 57), yet his friend was the one participating to the sex session. At no moment, he reproached him his behavior. In Jihwa’s eyes, only Yoon Seungho was responsible for this due to his past. Yet, he never tried to change the situation. I would like to remind the readers that the origins of Yoon Seungho’s bad notoriety are quite complex. Many people had an interest that Yoon Seungho focused on sex and nothing more: Yoon Seungho (he wanted to hurt his father), father Yoon (covering up his cowardice and own misdeeds), lord Song (making sure that the main lead doesn’t retaliate), Kim (leading a peaceful life and covering up his own wrongdoings), the nobles… and in the end Jihwa. The latter always wounded the main lead by using the past in order to attach the protagonist to him due to his neglecting father. Since the second lead had obtained a certain control over Yoon Seungho, he saw no reason to change. He could outlive his sexuality and have sex any time he wanted. Sure, his dream was to obtain the childhood friend’s love, yet he never saw the urgency, because he believed that time would help him. For him, there was this hope that at some point, the main character would confess. Yet, with Baek Na-Kyum’s appearance in Yoon Seungho’s life, the fragile balance was destroyed due the sex at the pavilion. For the first time, Yoon Seungho felt true desires and pleasure. This detail is important, because it truly outlines that Yoon Seungho was living like a head-kisaeng. He had sex without feeling any pleasure, just to serve others.

And now, it becomes understandable why the noble claimed the artist as his possession in two occasions (chapter 8 and 33). First, he voiced that the low-born would only paint for him. (Chapter 8) He was clearly demonstrating that he would never accept to give up on the painter. Slowly Yoon Seungho started asking respect for himself from others. In reality, he is a noble and he is quite rich through trade. This explicates why lord Min used the wine as an excuse to come to Yoon’s residence. He couldn’t ask the main lead, if he could borrow the painter. Furthermore, this statement and the humiliation revealed that Yoon Seungho was no longer a pushover. Hence Black Heart was more careful around the main lead. From my perspective, The Joker imagined that if the lord got drunk with the expensive bottle, he wouldn’t notice the artist’s disappearance. However, because the wine was stolen, Black Heart couldn’t achieve his goal that’s why he asked for a harsh punishment for the theft. Besides, Yoon Seungho showed no interest to organize a sex session any longer. His eyes were already set on Baek Na-Kyum. Since his initial plan failed, and the lord was no longer organizing parties, then he could only use the sex sessions as an excuse to see the painter. (chapter 33) (chapter 52) Everyone among the aristocrats did see the main lead as a head-kisaeng, who had to please her guests. Thus Byeonduck created such panels indicating that the nobles had always taken advantage of Yoon Seungho. (Chapter 54) They look like conniving creatures. Their wish would get granted in the detriment of the host. And now you comprehend why the lord got so angry, when he saw this. (Chapter 54) It was not just a reflection of his own past as an uke, but he saw his actual reflection. His house was a brothel and nothing more, and his guests were taking advantage of him. That’s why he got so infuriated and evicted the aristocrats. They truly showed no respect to him. It took many months for the lord to recognize this. And now you comprehend why he abhorred the idea of prostitution. He wasn’t even realizing that he was still doing it. Therefore Yoon Seungho could only come to the conclusion in chapter 55 that he needed to confess. First, this night made him realize that all this attempts in the past were to win the painter’s heart. Yet he was well aware that with his last action, he had almost sold his loved one to nobles, thereby the painter could only reject him. Besides, he had another reason to expect this outcome: his self-hatred.

Under this new interpretation, the manhwalovers comprehend why the household had a terrible reputation. (Chapter 29) Since a kisaeng belongs to the lowest class in Joseon society, the servants could look down on their master. Despite his title, he was living like a head-kisaeng, therefore the staff showed no respect towards their lord. (Chapter 32) This explicates why they didn’t follow his order, when he asked them to keep an eye on the artist. Nevertheless, as time passed on, the noble started acting more like a lord, hence the head-maid accepted his reprimand and decided to treat him differently. That’s why she bowed to Yoon Seungho in chapter 46. (chapter 46) And by comparing the two last pictures, the readers con detect the butler’s absence. the latter was responsible for the past situation, because he didn’t want to get into trouble. As long as the lord was acting like a head-kisaeng, providing entertainment for the local aristocracy, the valet could lead a peaceful life and definitely sway his misdeeds under the rug. Moreover, he could even use the master’s authority and act like a lord.

But let’s return our attention to The Joker. When the main lead stated this: (chapter 8), he was looking at Min, for he viewed the noble’s envy in his gaze. Since the artist was not allowed to paint for others, then the only possibility left for Black Heart was sex. If the painter joined their sex orgy, then he could achieve his goal: taste the commoner. Therefore you comprehend why The Joker is determined to kill Baek Na-Kyum. If he kills him, then Yoon Seungho is left with nothing. He is like in the past: he becomes again a “head-kisaeng” with no right. But as you can imagine, the Joker is deceiving himself. I doubt that he would be satisfied with just one session.

The problem was that Yoon Seungho never sensed that he was treated like a prostitute, because they created the illusion that he was the alpha among the sodomy community. (Chapter 33) The lord fell for this illusion, and he would have never realized it, if the painter had not entered his mansion. I also fell for this illusion myself for a while, calling him an alpha, while he was disrespected the whole time. However, this doesn’t mean that the main lead is powerless. He has indeed connections to the government (exactly like the kisaeng-house) and he is definitely rich, because he is a trendsetter. Min keeps copying his clothing and the master’s windscreen is the same at Min’s pavilion and the noble with the mole. That’s why Yoon Seungho never got to see his true reflection. In his mind, he was either busy reading or fighting with nobles, while in reality he was having sex for the most part of the time. Moreover, no one truly gave him a true reflection, since they had no interest to switch the situation.

And this negative reflection is also palpable in the paintings Baek Na-Kyum created, yet curiously the rich main lead never saw this image reflected in the pictures for many reasons. First, his unconscious noticed something else, the painter’s desire, so that the lord acted differently towards the artist. (Chapter 2) Therefore the main lead’s gaze in the picture mirrored the image of a man showing true interest, warmth and beauty. Later, he only got to see the ruined painting, which triggered a huge anger, hence he didn’t pay attention to the image. Then in the third picture, (chapter 16) he was no longer interested in the creation, since Yoon Seungho had already started wooing the commoner. (Chapter 16) Here the second lead was exploring an unusual position. Although the protagonist could have noticed this reflection “man consumed by lust”, because Black Heart commented it as lewd, he still didn’t observe it. His gaze and mind were all focused on the painter and his face. Then in chapter 41, he never saw the multitude pictures of him having sex with the low-born (chapter 41), because his gaze was only focused on the inauguration drawing with Jung In-Hun. (Chapter 41) And the moment the painter accepted him as his sex partner, he showed no interest in the paintings. However, he got annoyed, when he saw the first new creation. (Chapter 47) It was unfinished, and it gave the impression that both of them were acting like whores. That’s why the lord was indeed a little annoyed and made the following remark: (chapter 47) And it is in this chapter that he gets to discover his reflection… or better said, Baek Na-Kyum hadn’t changed his judgement about him, which provoked the next crisis. With the last painting, Baek Na-Kyum reproduced the situation, where the master was focused on provoking reactions in his partner in order to force him to abandon his torpor. (Chapter 52) Therefore the beholder couldn’t detect any love and affection in this drawing, only the attempt to incite pleasure. This explicates why Min described this as salacious, and had the feeling that the commoner was only interested in sex either.

Striking is that in the first painting, Baek Na-Kyum used a big wallpaper (chapter 2), while he only used small sheets of paper later. In my opinion, this is strongly connected to the return of the repressed sexual desires with the low-born. What also caught my attention is when he painted all the situation, when he had sex with Yoon Seungho having sex, the characters have no facial expression. It was, as though the lord was treating the commoner as his sex toy at his disposal. And that’s how the painter explained the rape. (Chapter 41) For him, every action from Yoon Seungho was caused by his obsession for sex, while the lord was trying to win his heart.

And while comparing all the creations, I recognized that they reflect not only his image as man consumed by lust, but also the disappearance of Yoon Seungho’s past life as sodomite and head-kisaeng. First, the huge painting with Jihwa is ruined, exposing that the latter is losing his control over his childhood friend. (Chapter 2) Simultaneously, Baek Na-Kyum destroyed it because of his jealousy (under the influence of his unconscious). The manhwalovers shouldn’t forget that in that wet dream, he wanted to take Jihwa’s place, attracted by the lord’s huge penis. Yet, he justified it with his doctrine. Furthermore, the second painting with Jihwa is created on a small sheet of paper reflecting the loss of the red-haired noble’s influence.

Later, when Jihwa ruined the painting with the threesome, the result was showing that Yoon Seungho’s life as head-kisaeng was starting vanishing. (Chapter 44) from that moment, the protagonist was no longer hosting any sex orgy which led Min to take over this role. Jihwa’s gesture symbolized that the childhood friend was not allowed to fool around with other men. However, he was quickly replaced by the painter. Let’s not forget that in the noble’s mind, Jihwa was just visiting him for his own sexual desires. He never recognized the childhood friend’s feelings. He had no reason to see otherwise, since the second lead treated him poorly. (Chapter 59) That’s why, after having sex with Jihwa, the “head-kisaeng” neglected his guest and went directly to Baek Na-Kyum for the painting in chapter 15, because the noble is already interested to taste the artist. At the same time, the low-born got his first sexual experience with the main lead. (Chapter 25) And here, the lord couldn’t perceive his own image as man consumed by lust, because his gaze was looking at the painter’s expression. This exposed the lord’s desire to see the attraction for Yoon Seungho in the painter’s eyes. His eyes were always focused on the painter the entire time, revealing that he was longing for more than sex. He wanted to see a mutual attraction… in reality, he wished to see a painting oozing warmth and love, exactly like in the publications he bought. And note that Yoon Seungho never got to see the last drawing, because his heart was too wounded by the distance. He hated so much the idea that the artist considered himself as a prostitute, while all this time, Yoon Seungho was just longing for love. Striking is that the ultimate picture is a blank sheet of paper mirroring the transition. (Chapter 65) Here, the lord has finally cut ties with his past. This marks the start of a new life and the painter will reflect his rebirth. But as you can see, the multitude of pictures (chapter 41) only mirrored the painter’s perspective about the main lead. For him, he was just a man obsessed with sex, while in truth he was just longing to get love. The problem was that the protagonist had never been taught how to show love. Furthermore, Kim made sure that the artist would only see this image. That’s why it took Yoon Seungho a long time, before he realized that he needed to recreate the Wedding night, so that the artist would be able to perceive his true feelings. For me, there’s no doubt that at some Baek Na-Kyum will create a huge painting with the main lead, and the low-born will be represented as well. Both will be portrayed with facial expressions exposing confidence and love. I am even predicting that Baek Na-Kyum will paint a new inauguration portrait with Yoon Seungho, which will contrast so much to the one with Jung In-Hun, where the commoner had no face and as such no identity.

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 the support.

Painter Of The Night: The night of revelations – part 3 (second version)

~ Bébébisous33 ~ 20 Comments

This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter   But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents:  https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/

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.

In the first part, I had compared the chapters 62-63 to the scene at the pavilion in order to outline the progression of the OTP’s relationship and to announce Yoon Seungho’s imminent emancipation. However, due to the length of the first part, I didn’t get to mention that the scene in the storage room is also a new version of the sex marathon.

1. The signification of sex marathon

Back then, the lord used the mirror for the painter so that the latter would see his own appearance and realize the existence of his body. The true purpose for the sex marathon was to force the painter to accept his sexual orientation, and as such Yoon Seungho as his sex partner. It was, as though the master had employed the mirror for a hypnosis session. (chapter 31) Consequently in chapter 34, the painter sensed a change of perception about his body after the sex marathon. For the first time, he detected his heartbeat and the butterflies in his stomach, which were triggered by the main lead’s presence. (chapter 34) The parallels can be observed by the absence of the eyes of the protagonists in certain panels. Compare the picture with the mirror (chapter 31) with the following one: (chapter 63) Striking is that the character represented with eyes plays the role of the liberator for his sex partner. Due to the sex marathon, Yoon Seungho had helped the painter to free himself from his torpor, since due to the coercive persuasion, the artist had come to deny not only his sexual orientation, but also the existence of his own body. That’s why he could no longer admire his learned sir like before after the sex marathon. By recognizing the existence of his own body, the painter couldn’t feel the same attraction towards the teacher. And since the sex marathon played a huge role in his healing process, we have to imagine that the sex scene in the barn has the same signification for Yoon Seungho. He is on his way to be liberated from his self-hatred, but as you can imagine, it will be a painful process. Back then, the painter got ill and the lord ran away from his responsibility. That’s why this time, the blinded person will be the one suffering from the sex marathon: he will feel like dying, when he realizes that he wounded his lover blinded by his prejudice and anxieties.

2. Comparison between the two sex marathons

Nonetheless, there’s a huge difference between the two scenes. Unlike the painter, the aristocrat never denied the existence of his body as such, he just judged his body as a weapon and a armor. This explains why in the latest episode, the noble is so rough with the low-born. He is trying to defeat the painter, so that the latter will accept his submission, and won’t leave his side. He is too afraid to lose the artist, especially if he hears a love confession from him, that’s one of the reasons why he interrupts him. (chapter 63) He has no guarantee that this is true, and love is like a leap of faith. This isn’t something that you can grasp or see. Besides, he would have no control over him, if he accepts the confession. Loving means taking risks, which is linked to fears. This displays how much the master has been brainwashed. Since the painter disappeared in his mind, he came to acknowledge his father’s doctrines one more time before dropping them completely, when he discovers the truth.

The second sex marathon announces the imminent noble’s death. Contrary to the first one, Yoon Seungho has no idea about this. Unlike in the first marathon, he made only emotional decisions, which is normal. The manhwaworms shouldn’t forget that unlike the artist, who remained only one year with the scholar, the noble has been exposed to violence and indoctrination for years. And now, you can understand why I perceive father Yoon as another dictator, like Jung In-Hun. Power and strength are all what matter in their eyes. Finally, the main lead can’t imagine that his dream became true, that he is loved, since he considers himself as a monster. In other words, his self-hatred hinders him to lose his last principles taught by his ruthless and immoral father too. Therefore the lord uses his status as lord to claim the painter. (chapter 63)

As a conclusion, the “therapy session” for the main lead is still ongoing. From my point of view, the ending scene represents a turning point in the hypnosis session. The lord has already revealed his feelings and thoughts (chapter 63), so his love confession to never let the painter go symbolizes one of the last principles Yoon Seungho has internalized. As a master, he can decide about the painter’s fate. So if we consider this scene as a hypnosis session, where is the mirror? As you can imagine, the painter’s face and gaze serve as a mirror for the lord, where he can perceive himself. Therefore the last image shows our protagonist looking closely at the painter’s face and his eyes. (chapter 63) Unlike in chapter 55 or 58 or 62, he is no longer avoiding the artist’s gaze. And there is no doubt that what he will perceive is a different reflection he had received, when his father betrayed and abandoned him. This will help him to forget the father’s gaze engraved in his heart. The latter was full of hatred and resent, which the main lead internalized. And with this new interpretation, the chapter 63 appears in a different light. It gives the manhwaphiles hope.

3. The repercussions of this night of revelations

And now, you understand why Baek Na-Kyum didn’t leave Yoon Seungho’s side after this night. Though the lord acted like a common brute, the painter was able to see his soul through his gaze and sense his agony through his words. (chapter 63) With this strong “confession”, the artist’s own fears were addressed too. Let’s not forget that the artist has terrible abandonment issues either. The master’s words left a deep impression on him as well. That’s why he could use the same words the next morning. (chapter 65)

Then in the first version, I wrote this:

“On the other hand, we shouldn’t forget that after the sex marathon, the artist got so sick that some servants had already envisioned that Baek Na-Kyum would die. Therefore, we have to prepare our heart that Yoon Seungho will suffer, just like the low-born. I am expecting a return of his suicidal thoughts, when he realizes that he failed as lord and couldn’t even protect his lover.“

This took place, exactly like I had predicted. The noble was definitely pained and destructive after discovering the truth. He ransacked his own bedroom out of anger and despair. (chapter 69) He had ruined his relationship with the artist. Because he refused to make the leap of faith in the shed, Yoon Seungho decided to make the opposite choice. He let the painter decide about his own fate, yet he was definitely living in agony. The wounded, fearful and desperate gaze revealed his turmoil. (chapter 69) In my eyes, the absence of the lord’s eyes during the night of revelations stands in opposition to the lord’s gaze full of expressions in chapter 69. Note that in that episode, the author always drew his eyes, underlining that now the noble was using his own eyes finally. He is no longer relying on Kim and his information. I was also right that this night would affect Yoon Seungho’s relationship with the valet, yet I didn’t expect, it would unveil his true personality. For me, this second sex marathon was a real eye-opener: it made me recognize Kim’s hypocrisy and cowardice. From that moment on, I could no longer view him as a real father figure.

4. Betrayals, pain and sex

And since the painter’s gaze and facial expressions will play a huge role in the master’s healing process, it signifies that the artist won’t show any disdain or repulsion, in fact the opposite: acceptance. But how is it possible, when the master behaved like a rough sex-maniac in the barn, the very same image the aristocrat kept denying? The response is very simple. If you compare the scene in the barn with the chapter 40, which includes the incident at the tailor shop and at the library, the similarities will become so obvious that after the contrasting, you will realize the true meaning of this confrontation in the storage room.

Therefore I would like to point out all the common denominators in both scenes, accompanied with comparisons and observations:

  1. The length of the scene: 4 chapters (39-40-41-42). If we include the whole chapter 40, then we can add the chapter 39, since in chapter 40, the painter leaves the tailor shop and in chapter 41, we have a flashback with the scholar and the request of Baek Na-Kyum to get comfort from Yoon Seungho. And it looks like we will have two episodes in the storage room (62-63-64-65).
  2. The use of flashbacks (chapter 40) (chapter 62)
  3. The terrible wound afflicted on the protagonist: In chapter 40, Baek Na-Kyum is the one who gets wounded by his former teacher, which leads the artist to hurt the main lead as well in chapter 41. He rejected his concern and yelled at him. In chapters 62-63, the positions are switched. Yoon Seungho is the one upset and pained, since he is convinced that the artist abandoned him, therefore his anger is aiming at the commoner. Yet, the true culprit of his wound is his childhood friend Jihwa. Simultaneously both have a common point: Baek Na-Kyum gets hurt, because he becomes the target of Yoon Seungho’s anger, while in chapter 40, he is backstabbed by his admired sir and used the master to get some comfort. Yet, the situation is similar, as the real culprits of the wound never witness the consequence of their actions and words.
  4. Sex: tailor/painter’s study versus barn: The intensity diverges here. We had a romantic date in chapters 39/40 and a painter acting like a prostitute in chapter 41 due to his pain. Sex was used in order to cover the emotional wound and in chapter 62/63, it is the same. The roughness in Seungho’s behavior during the intercourse displays his wound and need for embrace, yet he can’t ask for warmth and love, since in his mind, the painter will never open his heart to him. (chapter 63) And if we take the chapter 41/42 into consideration, the painter did request that the lord should be particularly rough. (chapter 42) As you can see, the chapter 40 can not be really detached from the sex scene which follows the teacher’s betrayal. Another contradiction is that the painter is just asking the lord to stop, since Baek Na-Kyum is exhausted, while the aristocrat believes that the commoner is pushing him away, begging him to let him go for good. (chapter 63) But this divergence comes from the fact that this scene is a new version of the sex marathon, which I mentioned above. Back then, the painter made a similar request. As conclusion, the violence of the sex in chapter 62-63 is strongly connected to an emotional wound, a repetition of chapter 41/42. And in my opinion, the artist understood the situation and the lord’s motivation. Hence he doesn’t feel badly about Yoon Seungho. Notice that the next night, Baek Na-Kyum doesn’t think badly of this sex marathon.
  5. The question of responsibility: In episode 40, the lord desires to become responsible for the painter, while the latter desires the low noble to be his “guardian” and keep his promise. (For further explanations, you can read my analysis about chapter 39-40). In chapter 63, the powerful noble is using his right to claim the painter and as such, he becomes his guardian.
  6. An interrupted confession (chapter 40) (chapter 63) What caught my attention is the contrast between the two declarations. While the artist’s feelings for his admired sir seem to be very strong (I adore you), his words don’t really correspond to his affection, because his feelings have already diminished. He did lie to his teacher and protected the main lead in chapter 38. That’s why the “I adore you” should be judged as an exaggeration. It was, as though the painter desired to convince himself and his teacher that he was still attached to him. Besides, he needed to persuade him not to abandon him, after hearing so many reproaches. This observation leads me to the conclusion that Baek Na-Kyum made up his mind to still follow his teacher out of loyalty despite the harshness of Jung In-Hun’s words. On the other hand, the author used a litotes (“I do not dislike you”), implying that in fact his attachment is much stronger. And this is exactly what happens during this scene. Despite the harshness, the painter is forced to question his true feelings for the main lead and recognize them. He is even willing to confess, yet he is stopped. I doubt that Yoon Seungho would have perceived it as a love confession, as he hates meek words. I can use this panel as a reminder: (chapter 48). Yoon Seungho is exactly like the painter, he loves strong and metaphorical confessions, like “you’ve made me a wreck” or “I will never let you go”. But let’s return our attention the scholar and Yoon Seungho. Both nobles act the same way. Both can’t accept the artist’s declaration, yet their motivation diverges. The teacher finds it disgusting to be connected to a commoner, whereas Yoon Seungho is too afraid of being lied. He has the impression that this dream can never come true. Yet, while contrasting them, we see the painter’s determination who is willing to overlook the reproaches expressed before by both aristocrats. And he remains faithful till the end. That’s why he waited for Jung In-Hun at the gate in episode 44. He needed to see with his own eyes, how the learned sir had truly abandoned him. This represents another explication why the low-born didn’t react like Kim and Min anticipated. He didn’t follow his sister out of loyalty, compassion and a certain trust. However, Heena noona was able to sow seeds of doubts.
  7. A betrayal and abandonment: In chapter 40, the low noble refuses to take his responsibility and breaks his promise. (chapter 40) In this picture, the scholar leaves the painter behind, a metaphor for his abandonment. He even repeats this action, when he leaves for the capital. In chapter 62-63, Yoon Seungho sees in the commoner’s escape a rejection and betrayal. (chapter 62) This panel illustrates the thoughts of the protagonist: the commoner has turned his back on him.
  8. The recurrence of the question: “why” (chapter 40) (chapter 40) (chapter 62) (chapter 63) In both cases, the aristocrats questions the commoner’s motivations for his actions. While Jung In-Hun’s interrogation serves him as an occasion to break his promise by putting the blame on Baek Na-Kyum, the other character is more curious to know about the reasons for his desertion. From my point of view, this shows the noble’s desire to comprehend the painter better. And this illustrates that his obsession with the “why” is well meant. Why is he pushing him away? If he knows the cause, he could find a solution in order to bring the painter to his side.
  9. The importance of the commoner’s smile: (chapter 40) The painter became happy, when he heard that the civil service examination would take place soon. He immediately thought of his learned sir and envisioned that this would please his former teacher. Jung In-Hun’s excitement became the painter’s joy, this is how the painter was thinking in that scene. (chapter 62) (chapter 63) In the scene in the barn, there are two smiles, the first one is a cynical one. However, if the manhwalovers pay attention to Baek Na-Kyum’s smile, his gaze is missing. The absence of his eyes indicates that this picture represents the lord’s mind. Hence the smile full of “schadenfreude” and sarcasm mirrors the noble’s smile, the one he uses in front of people. We had an example in chapter 6, when he made fun of Jung In-Hun, because the latter fell so easily into his trap. However, in the second panel, the master reveals his biggest wish: he would like to smile genuinely too. If he sees a gentle and honest smile in the painter’s face, he will also return the smile. This shows the lord’s humbleness and desire to become honest and genuine to someone. He would like to make such a facial expression, something he has long forgotten. In the end, I believe with these words, the aristocrat would like to drop his mask of deception.
  10. The hope of both protagonists: (chapter 40) (chapter 29) By contrasting both panels from chapter 40, the readers can detect the painter’s lie. He expects something from the low noble. He is indeed hoping that Jung In-Hun will keep his promise and he will take his responsibility for him, since the painter supported him. In chapter 63, the noble confesses that the words said by the painter (going home together) gave him hope that he had achieved his goal, that the painter would smile for him one day.
  11. The painter’s fate: In chapter 40, Jung In-Hun declares that despite his efforts, Baek Na-Kyum has been destined to remain a prostitute. (chapter 40) Now, it looks like the lord is determined to keep him by his side, his fate has been also defined by another noble. The painter seems to have no saying in the end. Yet, there is a slight difference. Here, the main lead doesn’t consider Baek Na-Kyum as a prostitute, but as his sexual partner and lover. Yet, in both cases, he is treated like an object, a possession. This explains why the artist has no right to make a decision. So his “fate” has barely improved. Yet, there is definitely a huge difference between the two nobles. Whereas the scholar wanted to use him for his own benefits, while the other’s dream was not to get any concrete advantage: the commoner’s happiness will make the lord happy. And because of this divergence, the lord will realize that his order (chapter 63) stands in opposition to his wish. If his true goal is to make the painter happy, then he needs to let him go so that the artist can make his own decision.
  12. The jealousy is also present in both chapter. The lord witnesses the commoner’s smile in chapter 40 and gets so jealous, which the master is referring to in chapter 63. He wished to have been the cause of the artist’s smile. And Jung In-Hun is definitely jealous of the low-born due to Yoon Seungho’s care for him. He had to witness how a commoner was treated so well, unlike him, who is a noble. (chapter 40) The former had Yoon Seungho’s attention all the time, and we all know that Jung In-Hun’s desire is to get attention and admiration. Striking is that the comparison enlightens the materialistic and narcissistic side of Jung In-Hun, while Yoon Seungho appears purer. He is just content with a smile. Besides, he would like to be the source and recipient of Baek Na-Kyum’s smile, whereas the other wishes to get favors (clothes, a room closer to the lord’s chamber, the favor to spend the evening in the bedchamber etc). That’s why by contrasting both chapters, the protagonist’s purity and simplicity become even more palpable, which is hidden due to the violence employed during that confrontation.
  13. The role played by the hug: In chapter 40, Yoon Seungho hugs the painter in order to protect him. Furthermore, if we take the chapter 41 into consideration, since we have a flashback of the incident at the library, then the readers can recall that in this episode, Baek Na-Kyum was so heartbroken that he asked from Yoon Seungho to be embraced. He needed a shoulder as solace and comfort. The low-born literally begged him, while crying to be hold in his arms, but the noble didn’t know how to respond to this request. (chapter 41) He only knew sex. In chapter 62, the lord hold the artist in his arms, only to betray him afterwards. The warmth is faked. (chapter 62) Yet, if you pay attention, you’ll observe a second hug in the barn: (chapter 63) The painter is forced to cling onto the master. This position reflects the lord’s intention. He desires the painter to depend on him. Hence the hug is no longer a fake one, but the expression of longing. As a conclusion, the embrace mirrors Yoon Seungho’s need and is indeed connected to warmth, despite the rather cold expression.
  14. In both scenes, an important character reveals his true personality in front of the painter. This signifies that this figure shows his true thoughts and emotions. In chapter 40, Jung In-Hun unveils, how he judges the commoner, (chapter 40) while in chapter 63, it is the turn of our seme to reveal his expectations and desires. (chapter 63) Yet, unlike the low noble, the master keeps describing himself in such a negative way (f. ex. he is pathetic, a fool),(chapter 62) while the scholar calls the artist a fool (chapter 40) and a liar. Sure, when Yoon Seungho says “pathetic”, it could be perceived, as if he was insulting the low-born. Yet, like I had mentioned it before, since he is talking about himself right after, his description (pathetic) is in fact more addressed to him. He is still masking his true thoughts a little. (chapter 63) And here, we see his cynical smile accompanied with a gaze expressing agony. This stands in opposition to Jung In-Hun’s coldness and disdain, who shows neither pain nor compassion. . (chapter 41) He is just jealous, furious and repulsed. Yoon Seungho is seeking closeness and uses sex in order achieve his goal, therefore he is is refusing to stop. He is so desperate to remain intimate with the painter, while the other noble has only one thought: keeping his distance from the low-born.
  15. The importance of the gaze: The learned sir’s gaze was almost deadly for the painter. And this is accompanied with an indifferent facial expression and cruel words, hence the artist’s heart could only get wounded by such an assault. They were almost fatal for the painter. (Chapter 41) In the scene at the storage room, the painter’s face (chapter 63) and words (chapter 63) have a huge effect on the upset protagonist. They trigger the noble to open up and reveal himself. That’s why the chapter ends with a face to face: the aristocrat is not decided to look at the painter’s eyes directly.
  16. Then we have reproaches addressed to the commoner: Not only he is a liar, but also he is a scheming traitor. (chapter 40) (chapter 62) (chapter 63) The irony is that in chapter 40, the scholar is correct. The artist did lie to him, while it is the opposite in chapter 62-63, hence the Yoon Seungho’s reproaches are not valid. Baek Na-Kyum just didn’t tell him the truth, the existence of the kidnapping. Yet, despite the correct observation of the artist’s lie, the low noble’s words are full of falseness. They reveal his true thoughts and emotions. He is quite manipulative, by blaming the artist. With the lie, he can justify his criticisms. He resents the painter for his origins and his so-called immoral behavior. However, let’s not forget that the scholar actually asked the innocent man to sleep with Yoon Seungho in order to obtain information, but because he revealed nothing, he has become a whore according to the teacher. Here, the latter’s hypocrisy reached his climax, exposing that all his reprimands are unfounded in reality. Jung In-Hun is just jealous and infuriated, because he perceives the painter’s lie as a disobedience. And defiance means punishment, that’s the reason why he wounds the commoner with his words. What caught my attention is that despite all the reproaches expressed by Yoon Seungho towards the artist, the master is not willing to cut ties with Baek Na-Kyum. In fact, despite his wounds and the imaginary betrayal, he is willing to overlook all this, because his need and dependency are greater than the injuries the painter afflicted on him. In other words, he is accepting the painter with all his misdeeds and indirectly his flaws. What a statement! And now, the manhwaphiles can better grasp the true meaning of the lord’s confession. His words mirrors his true thoughts and feelings: his roughness, his despair, his possessiveness, but also his willingness to accept Baek Na-Kyum as a whole. He doesn’t care for his social background nor for his desertion. As long as he remains by his side, this is enough for him. Sure, with this kind of statement, he doesn’t promise him to give any special treatment. Since he utilizes his status as lord, this means that he can treat him however he likes, just like during the night. Nevertheless, the manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget that right before, the lord let the painter see his expectations. He will be satisfied, if he is granted to perceive a genuine smile on the painter’s face. In other words, he gave him the solution for the future.
  17. The location: the library versus the barn. Both rooms are closed and without any window. Yet, I detect two huge differences between them: the presence of light and warmth. While the library oozes a certain clarity (chapter 40), the grange exudes darkness. One might argue that this is related to the time. Baek Na-Kyum visited the teacher during the day, whereas the protagonist arrives during the night. Yet, I see another signification in the contrast. The purity of the white in the library illustrates the clarity of the teacher’s mind. He might be jealous, yet he is in possession of all his skills. He knows how to direct the conversation, how to embarrass and hurt the artist. Notice that during their conversation, there’s no real exchange, the teacher is leading the discussion. Baek Na-Kyum is barely able to finish his sentences (chapter 40), while the scholar held a speech about the low-born’s flaws and his terrible social background. Imagine that the teacher doesn’t allow the artist to finish his confession nor to reply to his origins. He leaves the library, before the artist has the opportunity to say something, so that his words are final and represent the truth. (chapter 40) As a conclusion, there’s no real exchange of opinions, and the teacher used his status as noble and teacher to shut the painter’s mouth. The latter is neither allowed to speak nor to make any claim. During this discussion, the room with its light reflects the true personality of Jung In-Hun: manipulative, cold, heartless but most importantly cruel and ruthless. (chapter 40) He uses his power over words to wound his rival, the one who is receiving the lord’s attention. The teacher didn’t employ physical violence to injury the low-born, but this doesn’t mean that there’s no violence. Byeonduck is actually here referring to the saying: words can kill. The scholar used his words to destroy the artist’s personality. And now, you comprehend the symbols behind the color and clarity. The library reflects the coldness of Jung In-hun and his mental abilities. And pay attention that there is neither candle nor fire at the library, a metaphor for Jung In-Hun’s heartlessness and coldness. With this new approach, the scene in the barn appears in a different light. The darkness of the room symbolizes the lord’s darkness in his heart and mind. He is not truly himself. He also wounds the painter with his words, (chapter 62) yet it is not entirely deliberated, he is another person. That’s why the moment he regains some of his senses, his face seems brighter, just like the room. The change is visible, if you contrast the two following pictures (chapter 62) (chapter 63) That’s why I believe that we should perceive beyond the harshness and sexual force employed by the lord. He is totally different from the scholar. And more importantly, his position in the room reflects his mental and emotional disposition. Yoon Seungho is turning his back to the light and as such to the truth, (chapter 63), yet he still manages to let transpire a certain warmth, which explains why the painter never expresses a reproach towards his lover or pushes him away. He just asks him to stop, because he is exhausted. He has a similar behavior during the next night. He keeps the lord at a certain distance, as he fears his own emotions (chapter 71) and Yoon Seungho’s outburst (chapter 70). Furthermore, when the painter is able to calm down the main lead by calling his name “Lord Seungho” and showing a blushed face, the aristocrat initiates a real conversation and lets the painter the opportunity to reply. There’s a real conversation, although it is interrupted the moment the artist desires to confess. (chapter 63) The lord can’t face the truth, he is in denial. But at the end, despite his relapse, he is finally able to voice his deepest desires: He wished the painter to show him a smile. And unlike the scholar, he doesn’t feel dirty or disgusted to touch a commoner. There’s no gap between them, unlike at the library, where the painter attempts to approach the low noble, only to be pushed away and left behind. And remember that at the end, they are both facing each other: (chapter 63)

The beholder can observe a switch of the positions. Notice that the lord is no longer standing above the painter, like in chapter 62 or during the chapter 63: (chapter 62) (chapter 63) Now, the painter stands at the same eye level with the master reflecting that the gap between them has diminished. Like I pointed out above, Yoon Seungho is forcing the artist to hold him, implying that he desires the low-born to rely on him. Hence the words gives us now another perspective. The first interpretation was to say that he is ordering, as a lord, the servant to remain by his side, in reality he is revealing his dependency and his need. That’s the reason why his last words should be judged in a more positive light. He is insinuating that the painter has much more power than it seems like.

As a conclusion, by contrasting the behavior of the two nobles in both scenes, the brutality in chapter 63 is diminished and lets transpire that the powerful protagonist is less vicious and hurtful than the teacher, although Yoon Seungho is revealing his dark side. The painter is able to perceive the agony and the despair in his lover. At the same time, the main lead shows to the painter that his person affects the noble in a positive way. That’s why you can now comprehend that I am less perceiving this chapter in a negative light. And this comparison was definitely correct, because it explains why the painter was reminded of the learned sir the next night and felt no longer a heartache. (chapter 71) There was a “love confession” in the barn, but the lord didn’t use the typical expression for that: and . (chapter 63) Baek Na-Kyum could no longer be in denial that the noble was in love with him.

After this analysis, I recognize that Byeonduck is a master of deception. She is asking from her readers to question appearances and behavior. People should detect disguised cruelty and brutality, words and manipulations can be as mortal as physical violence. I am not saying that Yoon Seungho did nothing wrong, it is just that he is not entirely responsible for this situation: the coercive persuasion, his disorders, his huge insecurities and his self-hatred are the causes for his brutality. He stands in opposition to Jung In-Hun, whose words and moves were all calculated to destroy the painter. Yet, the artist was able to distinguish between the seem and real. This explicates why he is able to move on and to rely more on Yoon Seungho. (chapter 76). The only problem is that Baek Na-Kyum is still fearing his own emotions for the infamous noble. Therefore he has not confessed yet, which will be the reason why both main leads will suffer again. The painter has just opened up and is not trusting Yoon Seungho entirely.

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 the support.

Painter Of The Night: Baek Na-Kyum’s mouth 💋📣

~ Bébébisous33 ~ 5 Comments

This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter  But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents:  https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/ 

Since I spent so much time on the analysis “Conscious versus unconscious, part 1”, I decided to write something quite short so that I can rest and gather some strength for the second part which will be long in my opinion. That’s why in this essay, I’ll focus on different scenes from the first and second season where the protagonists’ hand and mouth played a huge role. Consequently we can observe the characters’ progression and determine the nature of Baek Na-Kyum’s mouth and its relationship to Yoon Seungho’s hand.

First, I would like to compare both slaps. (chapter 11) (chapter 53). Notice that although these drawings are illustrating the same gesture, the perspective diverges. In the first one, the focus is on the lord, while in the second, the recipient of the slap is in the center. Why did Byeonduck switch the perspective? I could use my earlier explanation that in chapter 53, the creator wanted to let the noble appear as a vengeful ghost and not as a human. However, there exist other explications.

First, the change of perspective reflects the evolution of Yoon Seungho’s personality. In chapter 11, he was acting on his own negative emotions hence we could judge him as self-centered and selfish. His anger was triggered by the ruined painting and the painter’s words hence with his slap, he wanted to shut his mouth. He refused the artist’s point. He didn’t pay attention to the artist’s feelings. On the other hand, in chapter 53, the noble has already put the painter as his first priority because he is acting on the artist’s behalf. With the change of the perspective, it helps the readers to feel the lord’s heartache, when he realizes what he has just done. He hurt the servant because he disliked seeing Baek Na-Kyum mistreated and insulted, yet the latter got hurt. That’s why the author zooms on the lord’s gaze, the moment he witnesses the result of his action. (chapter 53) The gaze, the mirror of his soul, reveals his shock and agony. The hand hurt the loved one, although it was meant to defend him. At the same time, by putting the painter in the center of the drawing, the author enhances the painter’s bravery. (chapter 53) Just like in the past, he is willing to get hurt if he can protect someone, although the readers are well aware that neither Deok-Jae nor Jung In-Hun deserves such generosity as they have been acting against the main lead behind his back. Notice that during the thrashing, the painter kept asking the lord to stop but the latter had become deaf due to the immense fury he felt before he intervened. His inner emotions were more important that the words coming from the painter’s mouth. The lord could only hear the painter’s words after the warm embrace.

But let’s go back to the comparison. There is another huge difference between the two slaps. This time, the low-born is anticipating to receive the slap, while in the past, he had no idea that his behavior would trigger such a fury. Whereas in chapter 11, due to the perspective, the lord appeared more cruel and selfish, it also intensified his rage and pain. People could feel his immense anger, his unconscious decided to unleash his deeply repressed emotions. That’s why the hand is not visible in this panel but his gaze and face. The hand betrays his inner emotions, but the eyes mirrors his feelings. We have to imagine that until chapter 49, the lord lived as a ghost therefore he repressed all his emotions. That’s why he was so indifferent to people and kept smoking while watching through the window. He was so detached from the world, because he had been controlling his heart all this time. His mind never allowed his heart to feel anything and to express any emotions. The smoke kept his hands and lips busy. That’s the reason why Jihwa could never win the lord’s heart in the end. Yoon Seungho’s mind had decided to keep his distance from anyone, even from his childhood friend.

Now, I’ll compare the meal shared between Baek Na-Kyum and Yoon Seungho. Yes, in the second season, we have a new version of a shared meal. Now, you might wonder where it occurred during the first season: it’s in chapter 23!!

(chapter 23) Note that here the lord is taking away the apple from the painter. He’s eating his frugal meal. Furthermore he stands above him and his gestures clearly indicate that he has been following and observing the artist before eating his fruit. Here, he appears as selfish and self-centered. He takes without asking. This stands so much in opposition to the shared meal in chapter 47. (chapter 47) This time, the roles are switched, the aristocrat is willing to renounce to his own meal. Besides, he is also giving up on his own seat to Baek Na-Kyum. In other words, the latter is now the one standing above the aristocrat because it was as if he had become the master, since he is sitting on the lord’s seat. Even the noble reminds him to remain seated so that he can keep eating. This contrast emphasizes so much the powerful protagonist’s huge transformation. He is selfless, benevolent and really caring.

On the other hand, the comparison illustrates the growing closeness between the two figures. Whereas in the chapter 23, he bites in the apple where the low-born bit the fruit, in chapter 47, he puts his finger directly in the painter’s mouth. (chapter 47) Now, there is a direct contact between them. One might argue that this is related to their sex sessions, which is true. However, let’s not forget that the unconscious is voicing itself through the hands, hence despite the experienced intimacy, his unconscious is still unsatisfied. Therefore in chapter 47, the hand feels the need to touch his mouth. Sure, someone might say that he wants to ensure that the painter is not hurt. However, he could have used his eyes and just look at the mouth. That’s the reason why I feel that the gesture was revealing something else. The hand is expecting something from the mouth! Deep down, the lord is wishing to hear something from the painter but nothing has happened so far. At the same time, observe that the lord is smoking right after. It was as if this gesture (caressing the low-born’s mouth) had bothered him so much that his mind decided to control the hand again. Consequently he starts smoking. He needs to act as if he was indifferent. This explains why right after his mouth is revealing the thoughts of the mind: . The smoke is helping him to calm down and control his emotions, yet the mouth can no longer mask the influence of the unconscious because of the choice of words. As you can detect, the use of the smoke is no longer effective. Notice that “hurt, “embrace” belong to the vocabulary field of emotions. So the mouth is not truly rationale. As a conclusion, the mouth is revealing little by little the truth. Furthermore, the hand displays a certain longing: the lord’s unconscious is expecting to hear something from the painter’s mouth. What is it exactly?

In order to understand the new discovery, it is important to remember the analysis “Conscience versus unconscience” where I explained the function of the mouth concerning Yoon Seungho, The mouth embodies the mind and as such the conscious. On the other hand, the lord’s hand is acting on the order of the unconscious. Now, I would like you to pay attention to the following pictures: (chapter 11)(chapter 12)(chapter 26)(chapter 31)

chapter 41

(episode 48)

What do these pictures have in common? The lord’s hand and the painter’s mouth. Yoon Seungho’s hand is always close to the Baek Na-Kyum’s mouth. If you pay attention, you’ll detect that his hand is slowly moving away from the artist’s mouth. While in chapter 11 and 26, he covered it up with his hand as he couldn’t bear hearing the truth, little by little, the hand is moving away from the artist’s mouth so that in chapter 48, the hand is now more on the throat than on the mouth. This illustrates that the lord has slowly got used to the painter’s mouth and as such his words. He could slowly get used to the low-born’s honesty and sincerity. This explicates why the master is more and more caring towards the painter. Yet, in chapter 47, his mind didn’t allow his mouth to become emotional and confess his love to the painter.

I could have picked more of these images, yet I feel with this high amount of drawings it is enough to confirm my observation. Nevertheless notice that in chapter 12, Yoon Seungho’s hand is caressing the painter’s lips and as such the mouth. This drawing is important as it reveals that his unconscious is treasuring the artist’s mouth and lips. This explains why he kisses the painter more and more. The painter’s mouth and as such his lips are so precious to him, although Baek Na-Kyum’s mouth keeps hurting him with his words. Why? From my point of view, his eyes noticed the honesty in the painter’s face, despite the lie he told him during their first meeting. For the first time, his gaze met someone so transparent and honest, hence he could only treasure him and his mouth. Since I have already stipulated that Baek Na-Kyum serves as a mirror, then I have come to the following conclusion:

Baek Na-Kyum is the mirror of the truth and his mouth reveals the truth.

Remember two things. The mirror has the following functions:

  1. to perceive his true self and personality;
  2. to predict the future
  3. to reveal the past
  4. reveal desires and illusions
  5. beauty, vanity and superficiality
  6. truth, reality and as such wisdom

The first purpose of the mirror is visible during the sex marathon. Here, the painter is confronted with his true identity. Then we have in chapter 28 the vision in the mirror reflecting the artist’s deepest desires and the future. With Jiwha, the author used the mirror as an illustration for beauty, vanity and superficiality (chapter 3 and 41). And now, Baek Na-Kyum is the mirror of the truth and brutal honesty, just like in the fairy tale Snow White. Remember how the Queen reacted to the reality. She tried to kill her rival but she never destroyed the mirror as she treasured it. We could say that Yoon Seungho is acting like the Queen from Snow White, but unlike in the fairy tale, the rival is Jung In-Hun, a vicious and double-faced man. Despite the heartache, the master is hoping to hear something positive, something about himself and about the painter. If the latter confesses to him, the lord will be able to love himself. As long as the artist views him as a man consumed by lust, he can only see himself as such and detest his own image. Just like the Queen in Snow White, the protagonist keeps asking the commoner and each time the “mirror” keeps rejecting him: But the painter’s mouth is telling the brutal truth. The lord has never confessed to him hence it is a lie that Yoon Seungho loves him. At some point, the Queen gets defeated by Snow White, however I am not expecting the same ending here. The lord will be forced to confess. He has to be reveal his true emotions if he wants to hear a love confession from the artist. We shouldn’t forget that the artist works as a mirror. The moment Yoon Seungho declares his affection to the painter, the latter will reciprocate his feelings because he will mirror his emotions.

My readers might have not forgotten that I often wrote that the painter was brutally honest, especially at the pavilion (chapter 25) and in that bathroom. Each time, he spoke, his sincerity hurt the lord. With his words, the artist confronted Yoon Seungho with reality. The lord could no longer lie to the painter and to himself: the love confession was addressed to someone else and he knew that. I could even say that the slap in chapter 11 was a violent reaction because with the ruined paintings and with his words (refusal of working for him), he had rejected Yoon Seungho which the unconscious could not accept. Hence the constant rejection was always very painful for the lord, the painter’s mouth kept wounding his heart, the unconscious, since the conscious was denying the existence of any feeling. Baek Na-Kyum’s mouth is the mirror of the truth. The lord’s conscious has to accept the crude honesty: he is in love with Baek Na-Kyum. As long as he continues denying it, his unconscious and heart will always be wounded by the painter’s mouth. That’s why he needs to stop denying this. Simultaneously, this explains why the artist’s mouth has a calming effect in chapter 53 . For the first time, the painter’s mouth is showing concern and care. There is no rejection, the artist’s voice and words let transpire feelings which the unconscious has been longing for a very long time. That’s why in that moment, the lord can’t help touching the painter’s cheek and white head-band. The unconscious has finally received something it had been longing: acceptance and warmth. But this is just a brief victory as the moment is ruined by Min’s appearance. However, through this examination, it became obvious that Yoon Seungho needed to confess first. And this observation was proven correct. Yoon Seungho admitted his attachment to the painter in chapter 55.

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.

Painter Of The Night: “Baek Na-Kyum’s confessions” (part 4) (second version)

~ Bébébisous33 ~ 8 Comments

This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents:  https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/ 

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 the third part I listed all the common points between the two scenes, where Baek Na-Kyum confessed to Yoon Seungho.The first one first happened (chapter 19) in episode 19/20 and the second in chapter 49. . (chapter 48) Then I had started contrasting both scenes, nonetheless I was not able to examine all points. That’s what I wanted to do in the 4th part. However, at some point, I had a revelation. The confession in chapter 49 represents the painter’s evolution, and it could also be compared to the confession in chapters 41/42. Because there was a confession back then as well. Yet, in that scene the painter could barely speak, he could only admit this: (chapter 48) All this led me to the following observation. We had the artist’s many confessions. Hence I am listing the common denominators that are always present during the three different scenes.

  1. The noble’s visit in the painter’s study
  2. Yoon Seungho acting as someone else (41/42: client, later as a servant as he does what the painter asks him)
  3. The painter’s confession
  4. Their kisses
  5. Seungho’s surprised gaze (41/42: when he sees the inauguration painting)
  6. The two hugs
  7. The prostitution/brothel
  8. The painter’s tears
  9. Baek Na-Kyum’s position on the floor
  10. Seungho’s rough actions (41/42: the slap, grabbing the hair)
  11. Seungho’s comments
  12. The presence of Jung In-Hun as a shadow
  13. The painter’s emotional heartache
  14. The mixture of love and sex session

Since I had already compared the scene 41/42 with the first confession (19/20/21), I won’t do it again, yet my main point is the following. Byeonduck used all the same ingredients in all three scenes but change some details, thereby the manhwalovers could observe a huge progression in the relationship between Baek Na-Kyum and Yoon Seungho. The small switches reflect the slow transformation of both protagonists.

Now, compare the way the lord was kissed in chapter 19 with the latest episode. While Baek Na-Kyum had to stand on tiptoes in order to be able to kiss the powerful aristocrat,

Chapter 19

in episode 49, he just needs to catch his lover’s head as he is already sitting on his lap. The opposition of the two gestures illustrates the diminution of the social and emotional gap between the two main characters. Note that despite standing on tiptoe, the artist’s head was still below the aristocrat’s head. (chapter 19), whereas his head in the episode 49 exceeds that of Yoon Seungho. During their first real kiss, the difference reflected the huge social divergence, however what changed later more was the emotional state of the noble. Now, he is the one looking up at (chapter 49) the painter. The former is literally admiring his lover, pining on him but he doesn’t express it.

Chapter 49

His eyes and gestures are revealing his thoughts and emotions. The huge distance between them reflects how much the lord cherishes him. Notice that he doesn’t stop Baek Na-Kyum at all. (chapter 49) Now, they have switched the position, the aristocrat is the worshiper and Baek Na-Kyum is his object of affection. So in this scene, I would even say that we have the first lord’s confession but he is not voicing it. But because the artist has been deaf and blind for so long, he can’t witness this with his own eyes and ears. That’s why he doesn’t catch the true meaning of the noble’s saying. That’s why he could only doubt the protagonist’s genuineness in the hug and warmth and pushed the man away. Strictly speaking, the aristocrat is once again rejected, although he has finally truly behaved like a man in love.

The noble’s words and hug are quite telling, he is so deeply in love with Baek Na-Kyum. He truly wants to comfort his lover, the best he can. Imagine that with his own words (chapter 49) he is apologizing to the artist. He might not use the word “apology”, unlike in the chapter 20, nonetheless his wording unveils regret and heartache. During their wedding night, the aristocrat did apologize for taking the painter’s virginity, nevertheless his excuse didn’t sound genuine. In the chapter 49, Seungho acts the opposite. He doesn’t mention the word “apology”, yet he feels regret. He is sorry for making his lover cry. He admits that he is responsible for this, as each time they had such an encounter, he cried.

But back then, he wept due to Jung In-Hun’s rejection and later out of happiness. (chapter 21) In chapter 41/42, he cried due to the scholar too. So why would he mention “whenever”? Which occasions was he referring to? And now be ready for the next revelation. From my point of view, Yoon Seungho must be including the scene at the pavilion and the rape. I am positive that the lord wasn’t just remembering the scene, when he slapped the low-born or threatened him. Imagine, the lord is actually apologizing for all the pain he caused to his lover, he is expressing his atonement. And now, if the manhwaphiles recall the scene with the forced sex, they will also notice that there is a repeat of chapter 20/21. Besides, the readers witness a confession there too. (chapter 25) The painter admitted for the first time that he loved a man and his confession was addressed to the teacher, his “learned sir”. We have a long kiss (chapter 25), the attempt of a hug, the tears, the rough actions, , the painter lying on the ground (chapter 25), the lord’s comments (chapter 25) and the commoner’s agony either. And this confirms that the lord did attempt to recreate the wonderful night he had with him, but could only fail, because the painter couldn’t recognize him as his partner. His “love” was for someone else. Therefore, I stipulate that this manhwa contains not just three but actually four confessions of the painter. In other words, my title “Baek Na-Kyum’s confessions” was indeed so point on. Yet, each confession diverges from the others, as the artist’s emotional state differs each time. However, all of them mirror the painter’s heartache. No wonder, if the lord blamed himself for the low-born’s tears. Indirectly, he was apologizing to him, as he recognized that he was wounding him. He was the reason why the artist would cry.

Striking is that in the chapter 49, the lord is expressing his remorse in front of the painter, but the latter didn’t notice it because he could only feel Yoon Seungho’s warmth. (chapter 49) Due to this, he didn’t realize the consequence of the noble’s statement. The latter was already lowering himself without being too obvious. Now, you can better grasp why the lord wasn’t pleased, when he heard that Baek Na-Kyum was just admitting that he was attracted to him physically and there was nothing more. (chapter 49) The man had just humbled himself, yet this was totally ignored. I would even add that the artist’s words even devalued the noble’s words and actions even more. Like I mentioned it before, the low-born somehow treats the aristocrat as a tool for his own pleasure. We have an indirect rejection as the artist refuses to give him his heart.

Now, I would like to focus on the hugs because they mirror Baek Na-Kyum’s growing influence on the protagonist and Yoon Seungho’s flourishing love for the commoner. If you really pay attention, you’ll notice how little by little the artist gains importance in the noble’s mind and heart. Let’s take a look at the first hug. (chapter 20) The low-born’s head is much lower, and there is a certain distance between both bodies due to the way the low-born’s hands and head are placed. Here, the lord is even complaining about the painter’s lack of experience and reaction. Now, if you look at the hug in chapter 42, you’ll note here that the low-born’s head is higher and they are physically much closer but there still exists some distance. Even the lord’s behavior is different. His gestures oozes warmth, love and despair. His affection has truly gone deeper and with this huge hug, the manhwalovers can detect that the painter is indeed his first priority, while it was not the case before. His own selfish desires mattered more (20-21/25) back then. And now, we should look at the hug in the chapter 49. There is no distance between them, the gap has totally disappeared. The low-born’s head still exceeds that of Yoon Seungho confirming that the noble’s mindset hasn’t changed. He is still determined to put the artist first. The master might have been rejected, yet this is only partially true. The artist’s gestures (the kiss and hugs) reveal that he feels much more than he is aware of.

Another difference are the kisses. The first one was full of innocence and inexperience. Yet, there was warmth and affection. The lord responded to it with passion and lust. Then during the scene in chapter 41, Baek Na-Kyum initiates the kiss again. Here, the kiss is lacking of emotions. (chapter 41)

Chapter 41

The kiss is again full of innocence accompanied with pain and resignation. That’s the reason why the noble doesn’t respond to the kiss. He even complains about the nature of this gesture. In this scene, the master’s comment outlines his longing for a passionate kiss. And now, in chapter 49, the kisses contain both passion and experience. (chapter 49) There is lust and love mixed together. Therefore the lord can’t restrain himself from accepting the kisses. This is exactly what he was longing for. So Yoon Seungho made a huge progress, little by little he was getting closer to his goal. The painter was slowly opening his heart to the rich noble.

As you could see in this short essay, I determined that we had the noble’s confession through his gestures and words. But so far, he had not reflected on the true motivation behind his actions. Since the artist was not recognizing his growing affection for Yoon Seungho, it was the same for the main lead. However, I realized that the painter’s multiple confessions have always been the driving force that pushed the lord to change. Each time, there was a confession, both got affected in the end. But it only happened, because Yoon Seungho was always there to confront and to console the artist. This is no coincidence that by acting so, he was winning more and more in his battle to obtain the low-born’s affection. He had already gained a place in Baek Na-Kyum’s mind, like he admitted to himself in the chapter 47.

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.

Painter Of The Night: Baek Na-Kyum’s confessions (part 1) – third version

~ Bébébisous33 ~ 7 Comments

This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents:  https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/ 

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 chapter 49, I was happy to have released my last analysis “Yoon Seungho’s long fight and struggle” (part 1/2) just before the new chapter for two reasons. First, my observations and even my predictions were point on. Secondly, it was indeed important to list the laws set by Jung In-Hun because without them, the readers can’t understand the chapter 49 and perceive the huge progression Baek Na-Kyum is making here. Therefore I am mentioning the regulations one more time as I will refer to them later in this essay:

  1. The artist can’t be associated to sodomy.
  2. He is not allowed to paint erotic paintings.
  3. He can’t admit to be a homosexual.
  4. He isn’t permitted to have sex with a man.
  5. He is not allowed to concede that he feels pleasure, when he has an intercourse with a man.
  6. He is not authorized to question the teacher’s words and actions. He has to obey him blindly.
  7. He is not permitted to fall in love with another man.

Besides, the chapter 49 confirms that Yoon Seungho’s words and actions in the chapter 48 were motivated by his desire to provoke a reaction in the painter. He wanted him to drop his stuporous state. He had no own will, he was just determined to please the master, whom he still considered as a man driven by his libido. (chapter 48) The noble had noticed that the artist was blind and deaf hence he needed to use the low-born’s body to awake his senses and arouse the painter’s instincts. That’s why he licked the painter’s ears while whispering, (chapter 49) or pinched his nipples. At no moment, the protagonist let his emotions (anger, frustration) take control over the situation. That’s why we definitely can’t say that we have another rape in the chamber. First, since “Baek Na-Kyum is a whore” (in the painter’s mind), then the lord can do anything he wants. The noble’s reasoning is quite simple: “Because the commoner is acting, then I should act too”. Secondly, the noble is trying to discover the root of the problem (chapter 49), while at the pavilion, he thought that if he forced himself on the painter, he would achieve what he wanted: being recognized as the painter’s partner and husband. From my point of view, we can observe the master of deception in action in this scene. He is using his body as a tool, just like in the past, when he had a sex session with the nobles. However, his goal concerning Baek Na-Kyum is different. This is not to defeat his counterpart. Inflicting pain is just his way to get through the painter’s mind and body. In fact, his goal hasn’t changed at all since the chapter 23. He is still hoping to be loved by the painter but right now, his immediate purpose is to discover the truth. Pay attention to the seme’s face in the illustration above. He knows that he is inflicting pain on the painter hence he is hurt as well. The manhwalovers can perceive the noble’s true face. That’s why I called Seungho as the master of deception. In the image above, the artist can’t see the noble’s true emotions and personality. Our seme feels, he has no other option left as the painter is living like a robot, or better said, a robot prostitute. This contrasts so much to the scene at the pavilion where his selfish desires and negative emotions led him to wound the man. From my perspective, Yoon Seungho is actually selfless here, he is doing it for the artist’s sake. He prefers being hated than getting unnoticed or objectized as an image: Seungho is a man consumed by lust. As a conclusion, Seungho is taking the bull by the horns, willing to get hurt and even hated in the process. The painter needs to answer his question:

Why did he change so much to the point that Baek Na-Kyum was just a shadow of himself?

Let’s not forget that the courageous aristocrat is well aware that Jung In-Hun is behind this but he doesn’t know how. (chapter 48) Did the scholar request the painter to sleep with him in order to discover a weakness? Sure, Baek Na-Kyum said that he was doing it on his own free will, yet his reactions led the lord think otherwise hence he couldn’t lower his guard entirely.

Yoon Seungho is taking some risk here because the painter could resent him for his rough manners. First, he points out the contradiction between his past comment and his actual behavior. He acted as a prostitute, then he should keep acting as such. (chapter 49) He triggers him with his comments and actions, yet he is determined to make sure that once the artist reaches the breaking point, he will stop. That’s why the noble doesn’t listen to the painter’s complaints(chapter 49), until Baek Na-Kyum yells to his lover and starts crying for real. Notice that in the drawing above, the artist expresses his own thoughts and desires for the first time. What caught my attention is that in this drawing, Baek Na-Kyum is speaking without a pause, unlike in the past where he is not even using the pronoun “I” or “me”: (chapter 45). My interpretation is that in that situation, the painter was only perceiving himself as an object. Sure, right after he admitted that he was feeling something. (chapter 45) But the emotions were quite superficial, he had great difficulties to externalize these. While the pronoun “I” was only used for the first time for a short moment, there was still the presence of an object in his confession. In other words, he was still denying the existence of two naked bodies till the chapter 49. Either he was an object (“it feels nice”) or the lord was one (“I like it”). Hence the lord’s remark was so point on: (chapter 48) First, he had misunderstood the confession, yet at some point he perceived his “confessions” for its real value: the presence of an object in his expressions. (chapter 49) Nonetheless, in this scene the painter keeps speaking about himself as he uses the pronoun “I” 9 times, until he is hugged.

The expression “I don’t like it” said in one sentence without any break outlines the effect of the master’s actions. Once cornered, Baek Na-Kyum is forced to externalize his own emotions and thoughts.

(chapter 49)

He has a body, he believes that his body has reached its limits. So in the image above, he is recognizing the existence of his body. First, we have the admission that he was a person on his own: “I don’t like it”. I couldn’t help myself connecting these words to the quote “I think, therefore I am”, a famous principle developed by the French Philosopher Descartes. Now he is conceding that he has a body on his own: “I can’t”. I see a progression here following the theory developed by Descartes, but the other way around. The French Philosopher used the body as a proof to doubt the existence of the human being/conscious. He used the ghost pain as proof that the body couldn’t be perceived as a proof of the existence. [a ghost pain: an amputated person feels some pain in the missing part] However, the French scientist came to the belief that the existence of the thought is a validation of the existence of the self, the “I” (“Cogito ergo sum”, the expression in Latin).

Consequently, with his words, the artist is slowly validating his own existence: first he has his own thoughts (“I don’t like it”), then he recognizes the presence of his body (“I can’t”). He is a person on his own, neither an object nor a prostitute. He has his own identity.

While during all this time, Yoon Seungho is not listening to the painter’s complains, he keeps reminding the painter that he is doing it for one reason: WHY? Striking is the difference in the writing in the speech bubbles reflecting the tone of the voice.

Chapter 49

Notice the progression: Baek Na-Kyum’s voice is getting louder. From “I don’t like it” and “I can’t” to “NO, PLEASE…… I’M GONNA-“, the readers can sense the raising of the painter’s voice to a scream. His yelling announces his outburst. (chapter 49)

(chapter 49)

Due to the picture above, you might argue that the sentences are broken again but this time, I interpret it differently. His emotions are the cause for the broken sentences. He can’t speak properly because of the explosion of his genuine feelings. His mind and heart are no longer frozen. Furthermore, he is criticizing the noble but the latter doesn’t mind it, as it was his real goal all this time. He wanted the painter to reconnect with his body and rediscover his true emotions and thoughts.

Another difference is his gesture. He is closing his eyes while crying, turning his face away from Yoon Seungho and even hiding his tears with his arm, which he never did in the past. Compare the drawing above with the following. (chapter 42)

In the chapter 42, he was looking at the lord with his eyes wide open. There is no arm in the way either. The contrast is really telling, displaying that despite the presence of Yoon Seungho, the artist was not able to perceive the noble’s proximity. This confirms my earlier statement: the painter was blind and deaf and it started in the chapter 42 hence he begged the lord to push harder and deeper as he felt nothing at all. In the retrospective, we could say that we were witnessing Baek Na-Kyum’s slow withering in the chapter 42, or more precisely, the beginning of his winter rigidity (like the frogs). However, I would like to outline that the embrace in the chapter 42 did move the artist’s heart and didn’t get unnoticed. He felt the warmth and love hence he was able to remember his hug and kiss, when he was masturbating. (chapter 42)

But now let’s go back to this scene:

Chapter 49

He is doing the exact opposite of the way he behaved in the chapter 42. My explication for the huge contrast is the following. First, Baek Na-Kyum is finally sensing the lord’s presence. All his senses are back, fully awaken. Besides, he is revealing himself. All his emotions and thoughts are real and genuine. But since he is so vulnerable, he is scared to show his true personality. Furthermore, he must have remembered the lord’s words (from the chapter 42), the master could complain again. (chapter 49) However, nothing happens. Yoon Seungho allows the artist to cry and to voice his thoughts for it was exactly what the lord was aiming at. For the first time, he did succeed. This is the reason why I choose this drawing as the illustration for this essay. The lord’s acting did ignite a fire in Baek Na-Kyum. The master destroyed the image Baek Na-Kyum had about himself, being a prostitute, because he expressed his own emotions and thoughts. Therefore I state that Yoon Seungho has liberated the painter from his cage or better said, his frozen state. With his voice and gestures, Baek Na-Kyum is proving that he is existing, he’s a full-fledged person with feelings and thoughts. Simultaneously, he is confessing that he is existing.

This marks a pivotal moment in the painter’s life because so far, he was living under the teacher’s doctrine. He had been submitted to an indoctrination, which is often utilized by dictators. You know that under dictatorships, people are not perceived as persons on their own. The citizens living under a dictator are either numbers or enemies or pawns or objects, they are never recognized as human beings. Due to Jung In-Hun’s coercive persuasion, a method employed in dictatorships, and his doctrine, Baek Na-Kyum was never able to live his life like he wanted. The scholar robbed him all his human rights. The painter had to follow the rules that’s why he got punished by the scholar in the chapter 40. He was questioning the scholar’s actions and power. Hence my claim that Baek Na-Kyum’s love for the scholar was never a real “love” is here confirmed. I’ll go as far as to compare Baek Na-Kyum’s love to a “ruler’s cult” which is another feature for a dictatorship.

Consequently, I compare Jung In-Hun to a dictator on a small scale. Until now, he could only impress the commoners (the head gisaeng, Baek Na-Kyum, the craftsman) but if he gets a high position, he will impose his doctrines on the officials and the nobles, there is no doubt about it. And just like any dictator, Jung In-Hun is delusional and resents people, even his followers. As you know, I am a History teacher in Germany, that’s why I am using Hitler as example. Hitler said that if the Aryans (pure-blooded Germans) were not able to win, then they should all die. This shows that this megalomaniac man never liked Germans in reality. All his doctrine was based on hatred, jealousy and cold-hearted reasoning: “Since The Jews are responsible for our misery and they are just parasites, then they should just be eliminated. They are no human beings, just bugs”. You might now wonder if I’m not drifting away from the topic. I am describing Hitler and the IIIrd. Reich for one reason. Jung In-Hun’s ideology and mentality is really similar to the nazi ideology. For Jung In-Hun, homosexuals are parasites, they are just prostitutes hence they can be destroyed. He has always hated Baek Na-Kyum because the latter was popular among nobles, while he was not noticed with his poetry. Hitler tried to become recognized as a painter but failed, hence he resented more the painters and Jews. The painting about Jung In-Hun’s inauguration could be compared to a propaganda poster. (chapter 41) In other words, I see a lot of common points between Jung In-Hun and modern dictators like Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini. We have the following common denominators:

  1. A doctrine based on hatred: here sodomy is rejected and should be erased.
  2. That’s why we have a censorship. Jung In-Hun stopped the publications of erotic paintings. Under Hitler, there was no freedom of expression and press. Jung In-Hun even imposed his language on the painter, it was the same under Hitler’s ruling.
  3. The use of coercive persuasion: Hitler used school and youth organizations like “Hitler Jugend” (Hitler youth) to indoctrinate his future followers and soldiers. Striking is that the teacher did something similar, he used the school to lure the painter and his students. Remember the girl with the leaf. Furthermore, Hitler wanted the students to become “predators” and to limit the students’ abilities. In reality, for him, it would have been the best, if the children were just able to read the orders and that was it.
  4. In a dictatorship, there is a harsh punishment if the subject questions the ruler. Jung In-Hun punished the painter in the chapter 40, he made sure that Baek Na-Kyum would never voice his own thoughts and feelings. By turning him into a prostitute, he was somehow declared an enemy, someone who derogates from his regulations.
  5. We have a “ruler’s cult” and a propaganda poster with the painter’s image. Notice that in this drawing, the scholar was put on a pedestal and all the people around him were so small and little. They had no face. It was as if Jung In-Hun was “the ultimate instance”, the new/fake sun and people have to bow down to him.

Now, you understand why I am comparing Jung In-Hun to Hitler. The moment Baek Na-Kyum claims that he is a full-pledged person, he is actually abandoning the scholar’s doctrine. He is no longer a subject, a prostitute because he is no longer following the scholar’s laws. In other words, the coercive persuasion is no longer effective. Now, he is using his own mind for real. We could already catch some glimpses of the painter’s critical thinking in the second season, like when he wondered about the cause of his ejaculation and why he kept thinking about Yoon Seungho. He is no longer living under the shadow of the false sun. This explains why Baek Na-Kyum can’t help thinking about the scholar’s hug, when he is embraced by Yoon Seungho. (chapter 49) (chapter 29) While some people judged it as something negative, I viewed it in a positive way. First, this flashback shows that the painter is thinking on his own. Secondly, he gets aware that the teacher’s hug was fake. He realizes the contradiction between the hug and the words said in the chapter 40: “He was born to be a prostitute”. “If so, why did he hug me back then?” From that thought, Baek Na-Kyum comes to the right conclusion. Jung In-Hun was not sincere and he is finally able to perceive the true nature of his learned sir: a hypocrite, though he doesn’t voice it. This is definitely relevant, this illustrates that Baek Na-Kyum is abandoning the scholar’s doctrine for real. He questions the teacher’s power and control and criticizes him for his dishonesty and duplicity. Since I stated that the rule 6 was central, this means that all the rules become obsolete as well. Baek Na-Kyum decides to live like he wants. And unaware of this, the lord makes the same decision. (chapter 49)

Chapter 49

During that night, both come to the same conclusion, hence they are getting closer to each other. Baek Na-Kyum is taking his fate into his own hand and doesn’t want to rely on anyone else, even Yoon Seungho. Yoon Seungho’s fans might get upset as our main character is not getting what he wants. However, we shouldn’t forget three aspects:

  1. Yoon Seungho was willing to risk his relationship in the first place, when he provoked the painter. He had already envisaged to be hated but notice that this is not what is happening. Baek Na-Kyum is not rejecting the noble at all.
Chapter 49

2. In order to love the noble, the painter needs to love himself first. Since he has just started living as a real human being, it is impossible to expect that he can reciprocate the noble’s feelings. But in my opinion, he is already in love with the aristocrat but he has no idea about it. [I’ll explain it further in the second part]

3. With his confession, he is admitting that he is a homosexual and that he tried to repress his sexual desires in the past (“despite myself”) but won’t do that any longer. This means that he will paint again. He won’t repress his unconscious, but will allow it to express itself in his paintings. In other words, his real passion and talents will come back with full power. The future drawings won’t be like the last one, an unrefined or unfinished painting full of mistakes, which was a proof of his frozen state and lack of passion. This confession reveals the determination and the return of the painter’s confidence.

As for Yoon Seungho, the latter chooses to live the way he desires. On the other side, he is lowering his expectations. Simultaneously, he is also trying to live his life the way he desires. This signifies that he is no longer taking people’s opinion into consideration. This is important, for Now, you might ask, where I see a return of the artist’s confidence. Pay attention to the pronouns used in the confession. He is using in each sentence “Me, my, myself and finally I”, while he wasn’t able to speak about himself in the past. With the repetition of these pronouns, he shows that he is existing, but unlike in the confession from the chapter 20, he shows no love for the lord. If someone has to show his adoration and affection for the other, then it should be the lord and not the painter. That’s why the lord is the subject in the confession and not the object (“You press, You bite, You kiss, …”). The artist loved someone in the past (“I have always respected and admired you”, “I pin for you”), yet the result was that he got deceived and betrayed. Imagine, he could have never confessed in reality because for the low aristocrat, he was just a nobody. Here, the artist is definitely taking the lead in his speech and in his action. But he has a reason to do so. He is protecting himself from another betrayal, a possible heartbreak. (chapter 49) He has suffered a lot and he fears to mistake the warmth from the protagonist as something real, whereas it could be fake too. That’s why Yoon Seungho can’t be pleased with this confession. He has to hear that he won’t be loved, that their relationship is only physical, he can’t expect more. Therefore Seungho gets upset and is about to complain, when he hears “I feel good”. Remember that I had explained that their position had been switched from the chapter 36 on. The noble had lowered himself and become a servant in order to get accepted. Now, with this confession, the painter is accepting the noble as his servant and he will be the master. No wonder that the seme is bothered first because this was not his true goal in reality. But when the commoner kisses the lord, Yoon Seungho’s negative feelings disappear. (chapter 49) Why? The lord senses that there are feelings here. For the second time, Baek Na-Kyum takes the initiative. This time, the confession, the caress and the kiss are directed at the noble. Besides, the artist shows that despite their new defined relationship, Baek Na-Kyum is genuine. This is not a real master-servant relationship, as there is some warmth in his gestures despite his words.

So when the lord is talking to himself, the painter has the exact same thoughts. That’s why the readers, including myself, were so confused. Who was thinking like that? Yoon Seungho or Baek Na-Kyum? Here, it was the noble, yet the painter had the same mind-set. Don’t forget that the painter serves as a mirror in the story, so he had the same thoughts. This explicates why he admitted his sensuality in front of his lover. And the noble understood the message. We should remember that Yoon Seungho is really perceptive (see the chapter 47) and can read the artist pretty well. There is no deception in reality. The painter is just lying to himself that he has no feelings for Yoon Seungho, yet the kiss and the stroke did contradict his words. Yoon Seungho sensed it. That’s the reason why Baek Na-Kyum is no longer acting as a prostitute. We have to imagine that if the lord came to abandon him, then in his mind, he won’t be affected. He will do what he wants in his life. He will paint again because his body and his talents are strongly connected to each other. (chapter 49)

As a final comment, I’ll explain the lord’s following comment (chapter 49) which is strongly connected to Baek Na-Kyum’s confessions. Let me summarize all his confessions:

  1. He’s a person of his own which means that he won’t follow any order or ruling. Since his words imply that he is a master, this signifies that he doesn’t belong to anyone.
  2. He is admitting his homosexuality for good.
  3. He is conceding that he has always felt attracted to the noble.
  4. He is acknowledging that he feels pleasure, when they have sex together.
  5. He is recognizing Seungho as his partner.
  6. He won’t feel shame any longer. “When you lick my body… I also feel good” which is similar to “I’ve decided let my body take the lead”. Why should he feel embarrassed and blush? He will just follow his physical desires. (chapter 39) So he won’t react like in the past, hide his special relationship with the lord. He won’t show any fear, when it comes to gossip or judgement from others. Why should he feel ashamed? This is something natural, which means that the next time Deok Jae calls him (chapter 47), he will be able to reply.

To all these confessions, the lord responds with a similar confession. (chapter 49) He understood the painter’s words and there is a certain resignation in him. He also makes up his mind that there are just sex partners and nothing more. His decision mirrors the painter’s confessions. He has also got aware that the painter is not willing to open his heart. However, what caught my attention here is the word “mind”. All this time, the noble imagined, he desired that the painter revealed his thoughts, while in reality, he was aiming at the artist’s heart. The lord has not realized that what has moved him all along was his own heart and not his mind. I have the impression that Yoon Seungho explained his love with his mind. He couldn’t recognize love, since all his thoughts were revolving around the painter. The painter was in his mind, he wanted to know what the artist thought, unaware that his heart was the trigger for his thoughts, and not his mind. He explained everything with his mind, therefore only valet Kim and Min were able to perceive his true motivation. We have to envisage that the lord has never experienced love before. So in this moment, he is taking his distance from the painter. He will act like in the past: he is just following the reaction of his body.

On the other hand, due to all these confessions, the readers witnesse Baek Na-Kyum’s transformation. He is accepting his homosexuality and his physical relationship with Yoon Seungho. He has no problem to admit that he enjoys their physical interactions and he will now follow the reaction of his body. All this indicates he has regained some pride. That’s why I am declaring that the commoner doesn’t act and perceive himself as a prostitute any longer as having sex means work and not pleasure. Now, you understand why I liked this chapter very much. Baek Na-Kyum reveals his real strength, he has almost returned to his older self. Like I had described him in my first analysis (Baek Na-Kyum and Seungho: a comparison), Baek Na-Kyum has always accepted his homosexuality as something positive and natural, until he met the terrible scholar and in chapter 49, we can witness it. With his confessions, he is rejecting all the rules set by Jung In-Hun, one by one. He is dropping Jung In-Hun’s belief for good.

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.

Painter Of The Night: Yoon Seungho’s long fight and struggle (part 1)

~ Bébébisous33 ~ 23 Comments

This is where you can read the manhwa.  https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter  But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents:  https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/

The chapter 48 marks a turning point in the relationship between the wealthy noble Yoon Seungho and the low-born Baek Na-Kyum. If we look back at the evolution of their bond, we will notice a certain pattern. Everything is related to the scholar’s teaching and the following doctrine based on seven rules:

  1. The artist can’t be associated to sodomy.
  2. He is not allowed to paint erotic paintings.
  3. He can’t admit to be a homosexual.
  4. He isn’t permitted to have sex with a man.
  5. He is not allowed to concede that he feels pleasure, when he has an intercourse with a man.
  6. He is not authorized to question the teacher’s words and actions. He has to obey him blindly.
  7. He is not permitted to fall in love with another man.

As you can observe, the 7 laws Jung In-Hun imposed on the low-born through the coercive persuasion, the scientific term for “brainwashing” represent the different barriers Yoon Seungho has to overcome. The 7th rule is the final step before removing Jung In-Hun’s indoctrination for good. This is important since it explains why the lord had to fight right from the beginning. Furthermore it explicates why Baek Na-Kyum had chosen Jung In-Hun as his true love. By doing so, the painter would follow the scholar’s rule. He would never have sex with a man, since the teacher hates homosexuality. On the other hand it allowed the artist to remain true to himself. It was his subterfuge to give up on his own identity and personality.

The first barrier: The painter rejected the noble’s offer, when he remembered the main lead’s reputation. He can’t be associated to a sodomite hence he lied about his identity. Therefore the seme was forced to take the man with him and pressured him until the painter gave in. He had to admit that painting was his way to survive. Notice that Yoon Seungho cornered him to concede this.

The second wall: The master blackmailed the artist in order to have him worked as his painter, when he noticed that his pressure was short-lived. We shouldn’t forget that the painter tried to flee in the chapter 4. Fortunately, the seme discovered the poem and his admiration for the noble Jung In-Hun. So he used the teacher as leverage. First, he made an offer: paint for me and your learned sir will get a high position. (chapter 7) Notice that in order to force the painter to violate the scholar’s rules, the noble had to use stratagems that didn’t require a lot of strength in the beginning: some little menace and the blackmail. Yet, the manhwaphiles can detect that the thread keeps growing as well. The aristocrat already has to use his power (influence and money) in order to corner the painter (chapter 7) which shouldn’t be neglected. It did represent a lot: a roof and free food for the low noble.

Since it wasn’t enough. The powerful main character had to exert his own strength and body to touch the painter’s mind and body. Note that the noble invited 3 nobles to his sex session in the chapter 8 and this is no coincidence. He had to demonstrate his stamina and charisma to arouse Baek Na-Kyum and he did succeed. The artist wished to replace the two ukes thereby he was so excited that he had to masturbate right after. I am quite sure that the innocent protagonist hadn’t done it before due to the scholar’s preaching. So the chapter 9 marked another progression. Baek Na-Kyum disrespected the rule 3 for the first time on his own. He can’t admit to feel attracted to another man, to be recognized as a sodomite. That’s why the masturbation represented a compromise. Since he was alone, nobody would know about it. As you can detect, little by little Seungho is removing all the rules set by the low aristocrat. But the higher the rules are, the more Yoon Seungho needs to use force.

Let’s take a closer look to this evolution. The increasing use of violence is linked to Jung In-Hun’s presence at Yoon Seungho’s mansion. After being invited to Yoon Seungho’s mansion, the jealous scholar had to remind the commoner of his obligations. (rule 2) Surprising is that due to his interaction with the main lead, Baek Na-Kyum had somehow started thinking on his own, using his own critical thinking therefore he reprimanded the rich master for his cruel behavior towards the servant who got killed. In that moment, Jung In-Hun had to put him back to his place. He admonished the painter harshly for his criticism. As a low-born, he was not allowed to make such comment. (chapter 10) From my point of view, the chapter 10 not only reveals the huge influence Jung In-Hun has on the painter, but also illustrates the growing influence of Seungho on the artist. The master’s words and actions did shake the rule 6. But it wasn’t enough to remove this wall hence Baek Na-Kyum accepted the low noble’s reproach and remained silence.

Due to the incident with the ruined creation, the commoner got punished. This time, the main lead used his own physical strength directly on the artist (slapping and blocking the painter’s mouth). (chapter 11) Compared to the past where he just pushed the low-born away, his gestures in the chapter 11 displays the increasing use of Seungho’s force. But the master felt remorse hence later the painter was only scratched by the master. Nonetheless, let’s not forget that Seungho had already set his eyes on the painter. He wanted to taste the artist. As a first conclusion, the lord had only removed the rule 1 and 2. At the end of the chapter 15, the noble is facing another hindrance, the rule 3: his denial of his homosexuality. Therefore the masturbation in the chapter 16 marks the first step in order to destroy the rule 3. Notice that the noble was annoyed, when the artist gave the false excuse that he was tired in order to avoid the noble. So he somehow “attacked” Baek Na-Kyum by hugging him and grabbed his penis. (chapter 16) Let’s not forget that he didn’t ask for the commoner’s permission. That’s why the painter cried in that scene. The latter knew that he was violating the rule 3, yet the seme saw that Baek Na-Kyum was aroused and felt pleasure.

Since the lord knew about Baek Na-Kyum’s affection for his teacher (chapter 7), he was well aware that he needed to wait for the right opportunity. When the main character witnessed the fight between the low-born and Jung In-Hun (chapter 19), he was already on his guard waiting for a signal which appeared in the form of the stolen bottle. He seized the opportunity to meddle between Jung In-Hun and Baek Na-Kyum. He needed to squash in between these two men.

So when he appeared in front of the painter, the artist was hallucinating because he had revealed to his scholar that he had broken the rule 2. Besides, he was violating the law 6. We shouldn’t forget that from the chapter 8 on, the painter started disobeying the low noble. First he justified his violation by claiming that this was for the scholar’s sake. Then in the chapter 10, he expressed his own mind in front of the teacher, however it concerned Yoon Seungho. Finally in the chapter 19, we see the painter for the first time talking back to his “master”.

Chapter 19

He rejects the teacher’s criticism that he was the one who seduced the main lead. Pay attention that the low-born voiced his own thoughts for the second time in front of the arrogant “peacock”. As the manhwaworms can sense, the rule 6 is more and more shaken, the longer Baek Na-Kyum is living under Yoon Seungho’s roof.

Striking is that their “first night” represents a violation of the rule 3 and 4. This explains why Baek Na-Kyum has every reason to deny the presence of Yoon Seungho in his chamber. By acting as if he was delirious, the painter found a subterfuge in order to deny his homosexuality and his love for a man. This was supposed to be addressed to the scholar, yet the painter was well aware that the scholar would never accept him at all. That’s why the readers get images from Baek Na-Kyum’s perspective and it is quite clear that the artist never saw Jung In-Hun. (chapter 21) In fact, he was attempting to deceive himself and the noble. During their night, Baek Na-Kyum was well aware that this could only remain a dream because if he admitted it as a reality, then this would signify that he was conceding his own sexual orientation and even his attraction to Yoon Seungho which he felt very early on (chapter 2, 6, 8-9, 13-16). Therefore I come to the conclusion that the artist somehow knew what happened during that night but chose to act as if the noble was Jung In-Hun. Later he repressed his memories and even ignored them so that he would act as if he was still following the teacher’s doctrines. (chapter 21).

As a conclusion, from the chapter 1 to 21, the rules 1 and 2 were removed, whereas the laws 3 and 6 were just shaken. This is important because it justifies why the noble has to use more and more force in order to get what he wants.

However, their first night marks a pivotal moment for the noble as well. While in the past, the main reason for inciting the artist to break the rules set by Jung In-Hun was rationalized by the main lead’s desire to have erotic paintings, the motivation started shifting, the master felt more and more attracted to the artist. We could say that the reason for Seungho to pressure the painter was the noble’s libido till the chapter 20. The moment the protagonist feels love for the first time, his motivation changes. He is no longer looking for a sexual satisfaction but for warmth and affection. The discovery of Baek Na-Kyum’s purity left a huge impact on him.

In the chapter 21, Yoon Seungho made love for the first time. He experienced something totally new. For the first time, he had an intercourse with a virgin and they made love. Secondly Baek Na-Kyum had kept his chastity because he was determined to remain faithful to his love Jung In-Hun. Since the low-born was deeply in “love” (For me, this is not a real love) with his teacher, it was as if he had made a vow of fidelity and chastity. Yoon Seungho discovered someone so pure and innocence, although the latter painted erotic images and came from a brothel. Imagine what the lord must have felt. He met someone so pure despite his filthy surroundings hence he stands so much in contradiction to Jihwa. The red-haired noble never confessed his love to his childhood friend and he never said that he kept his virginity for him, out of love. In the painter’s chamber, (chapter 21) Yoon Seungho heard a love confession, got hugged and kissed tenderly and there was someone crying out of happiness because of him. For the first time, he saw that tears could be related to happiness and he could affect someone positively. That’s why he reacted by kissing the painter’s eye and tears. (chapter 21) Although he knew that it was just an illusion because Baek Na-Kyum had confessed to someone else, he hoped deep down that the painter would love him, if he remembered their night today. He tried to trigger his memory through different tricks (like here with the book) but he failed (chapter 23). Yet he showed a certain patience as he didn’t pressure the artist to paint their night immediately, he gave him time. He imagined that once Baek Na-Kyum remembered their night and painted it, it will become a reality, a proof that this was not an illusion. But because of the coercive persuasion, Baek Na-Kyum tried to repress his memory. He had to if he wanted to keep following the scholar’s rules. The painter chose to ignore the images he had since it meant that he hadn’t kept his vow. All this time, Yoon Seungho has no idea about the true nature of the relationship between Jung In-Hun and the low-born. First, he believes to see it as a crush, then he witnesses the depth of the painter’s feelings. This is important because from that moment, the main motivation for the lord will be love and no longer his libido. This will be his goal which will give him the necessary strength to remove the other rules: 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Yoon Seungho imagined that since he took the painter’s virginity, the latter would give up on his love and focus on him, but it didn’t happen. The painter had to as he had been formatted to respect the teacher’s doctrines. That’s why even when the lord forced himself on the artist, the commoner still whispered the scholar’s name. (chapter 25) The rape represented the ultimate use of violence which kept increasing from the start. But the noble failed as he was not able to remove the rule 4, 5 and 6. Yet he did achieve something which I’ve realized only now. For the first time, Baek Na-Kyum was admitting that he loved a man and he could no longer the excuse that he was under the influence of the alcohol. So at the pavilion, the artist violated the law 3 (being a homosexual) as he confessed his love for Jung In-Hun.

That’s it for today. I’ll write the second part later.

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