Please support the authors by reading Manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the Manhwa: Jinx But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed Manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the 2 previous essays about Jinx Drama Queen 👸 Han Dan and The Joker -part 1 and Drama Queen and The Joker – part 2
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Kim Dan’s birthday and his presents
As the narrative of Jinx moves toward the decisive window of December 24th to 
(chapter 89) December 26th 
(chapter 97), readers are confronted with a question that seems simple yet resists any easy answer: what exactly has Joo Jaekyung prepared for Kim Dan’s birthday?
For many, the answer appears obvious. (chapter 97) The bouquet of red roses—long associated with romantic passion, desire, and confession—seems to speak for itself. Paired with the appearance of a strawberry cake and the long-anticipated possibility of couple rings 
(chapter 97), the scene appears easy to decode. It suggests a champion finally ready to step out from behind his walls and express what words have long concealed. But are these gifts the true center of the moment, or only its most visible layer? Is Jaekyung merely celebrating a birthday, or trying to alter the future he and Kim Dan might share?
Yet Jinx rarely reveals itself through what is most obvious at first glance. Again and again, significance emerges through timing 
(chapter 81), hesitation, gesture, and subtle changes in the spaces characters inhabit. A gift may matter less than the moment it is offered. A movement may reveal more than a confession. Even the introduction of something new into a familiar environment can carry emotional weight beyond words.
Perhaps the most important mystery lies not in what Kim Dan will receive, but in what Jaekyung himself is becoming. Is he still the man who equates care with possession and value with financial power? Or is he beginning, however awkwardly, to imagine another form of devotion—one expressed less through spectacle than through protection, constancy, and shared future?
To answer that question, we must look beyond the surface of roses and celebration. For the most meaningful present may not be the one that first captures the eye, but the one that reveals a transformation of the heart.
When Gifts Speak Volumes
At first glance, Chapter 97 appears easy to interpret. A bouquet of red roses, a strawberry cake marked Happy Birthday, and a pair of rings seem to point toward an obvious conclusion: (chapter 97) Joo Jaekyung has prepared birthday presents for Kim Dan. Yet the chapter becomes far more complex, once we recognize that these presents do not carry fixed meanings in themselves. In this story, gifts are shaped less by appearance than by intention, timing, and emotional context.
Red Roses: Desire and Reconciliation
The bouquet of red roses offers the clearest example. Traditionally, red roses signify romantic love, passion, desire, and confession. On the surface, they appear to announce a straightforward romantic gesture. Yet the surrounding context changes their meaning. Jaekyung brings them after acknowledging that he had treated Kim Dan badly. 
(chapter 97) Because of this, the flowers express more than attraction alone. They also function as apology and reconciliation. Their romantic symbolism remains, but it is deepened by remorse and by the desire to restore closeness after harm.
This double meaning is important. The roses do not erase desire; they refine it. Passion is no longer detached from responsibility. Attraction is joined to remorse. In that sense, the gesture marks growth: Jaekyung does not simply want Kim Dan—he wants to restore closeness with him. If intimacy follows that night 
(chapter 97), it would carry a different significance than in the past. It would no longer be defined by the old “jinx” logic of transactional or ritualized sex, but by reconciliation and mutual affection. The act would cease to be mere release and become an expression of true love.
The bouquet of red roses carries yet another layer of meaning when placed beside the couple’s earlier conversation about flowers. When Kim Dan once received pink roses from Choi Heesung 
(chapter 31), he explained that he liked flowers because of their scent. 
(chapter 31) The statement seemed simple at the time, almost shyly innocent, yet it reveals something essential about his character. Kim Dan values not spectacle, status, or monetary worth, but the quiet emotional effect an object can have. He does not love flowers because they are expensive. He loves the atmosphere they create, the comfort they bring, and the mood they awaken.
This detail becomes even more significant when contrasted with Joo Jaekyung’s immediate response: (chapter 31) At first, the line sounds like blunt indifference. Yet its emotional effect falls most sharply on Kim Dan. Having just admitted that he likes flowers because of their scent, Kim Dan is suddenly placed in an awkward position. Thus he apologizes. The rejection no longer concerns flowers alone. It risks sounding like a rejection of what Kim Dan himself has brought into the shared space.
This matters because scent crosses boundaries in ways other objects do not. A fragrance cannot be neatly contained. It lingers, spreads through rooms (chapter 31), and remains in the air. In that sense, Kim Dan may feel he has trespassed—that he has filled Jaekyung’s penthouse with something unwanted, leaving behind traces of himself where he had no right to do so. That’s how it dawned on me why the athlete refused to have the room cleaned for quite some time 
(chapter 55), he wanted to keep the physical therapist’s scent there.
But let’s return our attention to the scene with the pink roses. For a man as careful and self-effacing as Kim Dan, such a moment would naturally produce embarrassment. The shame lies not only in differing tastes, but in the fear of being too present. His preference seems to have occupied space that was never truly his. And now, you understand why he didn’t leave the elevator at the same time. 
(chapter 31) He wanted to be considerate of Joo Jaekyung, making sure that the flowers’ fragrance would not bother his “landlord”.
Striking is that the line “I hate flowers” is more than just blunt indifference. Yet later revelations about Jaekyung’s childhood allow it to be read differently. His past is marked by humiliation, deprivation, and social contempt. 
(chapter 72) He was mocked as dirty, poor, and 
(chapter 72) “smelly.” Odor, in his early life, was not associated with beauty or tenderness, but with shame. Smell became tied to exclusion.
That distinction matters because scent is one of the most powerful carriers of memory. Unlike rational thought, fragrance can bypass language and return a person directly to emotion. For Kim Dan, the smell of flowers “puts [him] in a good mood.” (chapter 31) For Jaekyung, sensory memory may have operated in the opposite direction, linking smell to poverty, rejection, and pain.
Seen in this light, the red roses of Chapter 97 are profoundly symbolic. The celebrity does not merely buy a conventional romantic gift. He chooses an object tied to a sensory world he once rejected. Whether consciously or not, he reaches toward what he had previously denied. (chapter 97) This contrast gives the bouquet an additional significance. The red roses do not merely symbolize romance or apology; they also possess an immediate emotional function. Because the wolf remembers that flowers can cheer up his fated partner, his choice of gift becomes quietly strategic as well as affectionate. He is not only offering an object, but shaping the atmosphere in which the encounter will unfold.
The fragrance of the roses can soften tension, brighten the space, and reduce the emotional distance created by their recent conflict. In that sense, Jaekyung is doing more than saying I’m sorry. He is creating the conditions in which that apology may be more easily accepted. Rather than forcing reconciliation through words or authority, he approaches Kim Dan through something known to bring him comfort.
The gesture therefore reveals a subtle but important evolution. The MMA fighter is no longer acting only from impulse or pride. He is observing, remembering, and responding to Kim Dan’s inner world. What he offers is not simply flowers, but consideration.
At the same time, the bouquet suggests the rewriting of scent itself. What was once connected to humiliation is now reintroduced through affection. What once belonged to trauma is placed inside a gesture of care. This is why the flowers can be understood as therapeutic for Jaekyung as well. In offering them to his fated partner, he may also be exposing himself to a new emotional association. The fragrance of flowers no longer belongs only to distance or discomfort. Through Kim Dan, it can become linked to warmth, intimacy, and home.
The color deepens this transformation. Earlier pink roses symbolized admiration, gratitude, joy, grace, and gentle affection. 
(chapter 31) Red roses carry stronger meanings: passion, desire, courage, and declared love. The movement from pink to red mirrors the movement of the relationship itself—from undecisive tenderness to chosen intensity. 
(chapter 97)
Most importantly, the bouquet reveals how Kim Dan changes Jaekyung’s relationship to the world. Kim Dan does not simply receive gifts; he rehumanizes meanings that trauma had distorted. Through him, even something as ordinary as scent can be recovered. In that sense, the roses speak not only to Kim Dan, but to the wounded child Jaekyung once was.
The Strawberry Cake: One Object, Many Readings
The cake works in a similarly revealing way. (chapter 97) Its packaging openly displays the words Happy Birthday, inviting the reader to assume that its purpose is self-evident. Yet the narrative itself unsettles that assumption. 
(chapter 97) Kim Dan also purchases the same kind of cake, but not to celebrate his own birthday. He chooses it to honor Jaekyung, expressing pride, care, and happiness for the champion’s success. 
(chapter 97) Gratitude and admiration replace regret as the emotional core of the gesture. The same object therefore carries different meanings in different hands.
This parallel reveals that the cake does not inherently mean “birthday.” Its significance depends on the giver and the feeling expressed through it. In Jaekyung’s hands, it becomes part of an effort to repair tension and reopen warmth. In Kim Dan’s hands, it becomes admiration and support. The printed message remains the same, but the emotional message changes. The same object becomes two messages: one says, I’m sorry. The other says, I’m proud of you. Without coordination, both men choose the same symbolic language: Love. They are beginning to meet each other in thought. To conclude, the cake reveals emotional convergence.
The cake gains additional meaning when placed within its seasonal context. In South Korea, the strawberry shortcake-style dessert displayed in bakeries each December is strongly associated with Christmas celebrations.
Covered in white cream and topped with bright strawberries, it visually echoes the festive colors of winter and has become a familiar part of romantic holiday culture. It is not merely something people eat; it is an object tied to atmosphere, celebration, and shared occasions.
The cultural backdrop changes how the scene can be read, but not necessarily how the characters themselves understand it. On December 24th, roses and a strawberry cream cake naturally evoke the visual language of romance and couple celebration. To an outside observer, such gifts can resemble the signs of a private date or an intimate evening together. Yet the scene suggests that neither Kim Dan nor Jaekyung fully approaches it through that lens.
Kim Dan’s attention is drawn to a family leaving the bakery 
(chapter 97), which subtly shifts the emotional frame. Rather than reading the setting as romantic spectacle, he may register warmth, celebration, and shared belonging. True to his character, domestic happiness may speak to him more immediately than public codes of romance.
Jaekyung’s position is different, but no less revealing. He appears motivated first by personal memory and immediate need. He remembers flowers in connection with Kim Dan and seeks a way to repair the distance created by recent conflict. (chapter 31) His impulse is intimate rather than seasonal. He is not setting out to perform Christmas romance; he is trying, in the only way he can, to reconcile.
At the same time, that private intention takes shape within a very specific environment. Because he is shopping on Christmas Eve, he moves through spaces already saturated with festive displays, bakery counters, bouquets, and seasonal rituals of affection. The desire originates within him, but the language available to express it is supplied by the world around him. This helps explain his visible hesitation. 
(chapter 97) He questions whether it would be strange to give such presents and admits that he no longer even knows what to do. The uncertainty suggests that he has not fully mastered the symbolic code he is using. He senses that flowers, cake, and rings matter, yet he cannot entirely explain why they feel right or whether they will make him look foolish.
That tension makes the scene especially moving. Kim Dan sees warmth 
(chapter 97) where others might see romance. Jaekyung reaches for gestures of affection whose wider meanings he only partially understands. Neither man consciously names the moment as a couple’s ritual, yet their actions begin to inhabit that language all the same. Personal feeling leads, while culture quietly gives it form.
This gives the moment a special subtlety. The gifts carry meanings larger than either man explicitly names. Their relationship begins to appear as a couple’s bond, even before they fully recognize it themselves. Culture speaks around them before they can speak for themselves.
Yes, Christmas in Korea is celebrated similarly to Valentine’s Day. It is also often referred to as “Valentines with Santa” because it’s more of a couples’ day. Instead of a family festival, it’s seen as a private date for couples to cherish winter and the Yule tradition.
This makes the writing on the box especially significant. Happy Birthday offers an innocent and socially acceptable explanation for gifts that might otherwise appear overtly romantic. (chapter 97) The label clarifies the scene on the surface, yet it may also conceal its deeper meaning. What looks like a birthday errand can simultaneously function as an intimate gesture between two people, whose bond is becoming harder to hide.
The timing of Jaekyung’s gesture strengthens this reading even further. Kim Dan’s birthday falls on December 26th, yet the flowers and cake are brought on the night of December 24th. This is not merely an early delivery. It creates a practical contradiction. (chapter 97) Both gifts are highly perishable. (chapter 97) Fresh roses begin to droop with time, and a cream cake topped with strawberries is meant to be enjoyed while fresh. If these objects were truly intended as the final birthday presents for the actual day, they would be oddly chosen. By the time December 26th arrived, the flowers would already be fading and the cake would have lost the freshness that gives it value.
This everyday logic matters because it shifts the interpretation at the most basic level. Even before symbolism enters the discussion, the objects do not behave like conventional birthday presents. They belong to the present moment, not to a celebration two days away. (chapter 97) That present moment is emotional rather than calendrical. Jaekyung does not bring them because the date demands it, but because the relationship does. The gifts answer urgency: recent conflict, approaching uncertainty, and the desire to restore warmth before the match intervenes and the doctor leaves him.
In that sense, their perishability becomes meaningful in itself. These are objects made to be experienced now, just as reconciliation must happen now. They are temporary gifts chosen for an immediate wound, while the more lasting question of the future is carried elsewhere.
The Couple Rings: Equality and Commitment
Once the flowers and cake are recognized as gestures for the present rather than true birthday presents, one visible possibility remains: the couple rings. 
(chapter 97) They seem, at last, to be the real gift. Their permanence contrasts with the fragility of roses and cream cake, and their symbolism suits an important personal occasion far more naturally.
And yet even here, the scene proves more complex than it first appears.The rings belong to another emotional layer altogether. Unlike the flowers and cake, they are already in Jaekyung’s possession. He carries them with him 
(chapter 97) and admits that he has gone back and forth countless times about giving them. (chapter 97) This hesitation suggests that they were acquired well before the events of the chapter and tied to a longer internal struggle. An earlier panel strengthens this interpretation. 
(chapter 97) While still at the gym, before any flowers or cake appear, Jaekyung tells himself that he has to give Kim Dan something. The wording is important. He does not think about buying something, searching for something, or choosing something later. He speaks as someone who already has a gift in mind and already has it with him.
That object can hardly be the flowers or the cake. Both appear freshly purchased and belong to the practical errands of the journey home. The roses are newly arranged, and the cream cake with strawberries is clearly meant for immediate consumption. They are gifts obtained on the way, not items long carried in secret.
The rings fit the evidence far more convincingly. Small enough to remain hidden in his pocket, already burdened with emotional hesitation, and linked to a decision he has postponed many times (chapter 97), they are the only visible present that explains the panel at the gym. Jaekyung leaves early because he intends to act, but before returning home he stops at the bakery and flower shop, adding new gestures of apology and warmth to the older gift he had already prepared.
This also explains the subtle irony of the sequence. Though he departs the gym early, he does not arrive home immediately. The delay itself becomes meaningful: between decision and confession 
(chapter 97), he gathers the courage—and the accompanying symbols—needed to finally face Kim Dan.
Yet among everything he carries or acquires that evening, one object stands apart from the rest. The flowers and cake belong to the immediate moment: they soothe tension, create warmth, and answer a present emotional need. The rings, by contrast, reach beyond the night itself. They are not meant to be enjoyed briefly or consumed in passing, but to endure. For that reason, they carry the greatest symbolic weight of all.
Flowers can wilt, cake is consumed, but a ring endures. (chapter 97) Its circular form traditionally signifies continuity, fidelity, and mutual belonging. Most importantly, a ring cannot fully function within hierarchy. It gains meaning through reciprocity. One person may offer it, but its true significance depends on acceptance. In that sense, the rings challenge the old imbalance that has defined their bond: wealth versus debt, fame versus obscurity, strength versus vulnerability. If the wolf offers couple rings, he is not simply giving an object. He is inviting Kim Dan into a shared definition of the relationship. That is a radically different gesture from transactional generosity. It says not I provide for you, but let us belong to one another.
This is also why the rings cannot be understood as an ordinary birthday present. A birthday gift is usually directed toward one person alone. Couple rings follow another logic entirely: the giver receives one as well. The gesture is not centered on an individual celebration, but on the creation of a mutual bond. They do not say this day belongs to you so much as our future belongs to us.
And yet even this is not the final step. Commitment of the heart must still be matched by conditions in which that commitment can live.
For that reason, the rings signify something deeper than celebration. They do not simply mark a date. They express commitment, vulnerability, and the fear of loss. More than any other object in the chapter, they reach toward the future. Seen in this light, none of the visible presents can be reduced to simple birthday gifts. The flowers speak of love and apology. (chapter 97) The cake proves that even obvious symbols can be redefined by intention. The rings embody permanence and the hope that what exists now might continue beyond the match. (chapter 97)
Thus I conclude that even the rings do not complete the transformation. The roses may apologize, the cake may reconcile, and the rings may promise continuity, but all three remain symbolic gestures. They express feeling without necessarily changing the conditions in which that feeling must survive. In this story, love is tested not by sentiment alone, but by circumstances and actions. What use is confession without safety? What use is commitment without freedom? What use is tenderness if the surrounding world remains invasive, unstable, or controlling?
For Kim Dan, the deepest issue has never been exhaustion alone. His life has long been structured by dependence: on institutions, on precarious work, on family obligation, and finally on Jaekyung’s benevolence and protection. Flowers, cake, and even rings may express attachment, but they do not resolve the question of autonomy. Until now, the physical therapist has rarely been treated as a fully self-determining adult. 
(chapter 78) More often, he has been positioned as a servant to be used or a child to be guided. 
(chapter 89) His choices have repeatedly been shaped, directed, or provoked by the will of others rather than emerging freely as his own.
If the story ended with the rings, Kim Dan would be a loved dependent, but still a dependent. He would remain the one waiting in the penthouse 
(chapter 96), the one being driven, the one whose safety exists only when Jaekyung is physically present.
To love him fully, then, requires more than symbolic devotion. It requires the creation of conditions in which he can move freely, choose freely, and exist securely without total reliance on another person. And that is precisely where the question of the true birthday gift returns.
The Architecture of the Sanctuary
And once these meanings are recognized, a final question naturally emerges: does the champion truly have a birthday gift for Kim Dan after all—and if so, where is it?
The answer may begin not among the visible presents, but in a detail far easier to overlook: the parking garage. 
(chapter 97) The moment the flowers, cake, and rings are understood as gestures serving other emotional purposes, the possibility of another gift comes sharply into view. If those objects are not the true birthday present, then the narrative invites us to search elsewhere. One panel quietly draws attention to exactly such a possibility: for the first time, a third car appears.
This detail gains force when placed beside earlier chapters. The garage shown in Chapter 97 does not simply contain another vehicle; it reflects an evolution already underway. In Chapter 18, the space appears more functional and exposed. 
(chapter 18) By Chapter 32, the parking area has changed noticeably. 
(chapter 32) It is larger, more exclusive, and more carefully structured, resembling a private VIP bay rather than an ordinary shared garage. The environment itself has become more protected.
That architectural change matters. A private bay separates the vehicles from the risks of crowded public parking: scratches, collisions, intrusion, unwanted proximity. (chapter 97) The cars are no longer stored merely for convenience. They are sheltered. Even before any emotional interpretation, the space communicates a desire for control, security, and preservation.
In episode 32, Kim Dan wondered about the number of Jaekyung’s cars, because he noticed the new car. (chapter 32), and many readers likely did the same. Attention naturally falls on wealth and quantity. Yet the more meaningful change may lie elsewhere: not in how many cars exist, but in the kind of space being created around them.
Personal transformation in this story is often reflected through architecture. Rooms, hallways, rooftops, doors, and thresholds do not simply contain events; they externalize inner states. Jaekyung’s world has long been luxurious, elevated, and impressive, yet also emotionally isolated. The penthouse functions as both reward and prison: a symbol of success that often feels sterile and inaccessible. It is therefore significant that one of the clearest signs of change appears below the tower rather than inside it.
The deepest change may not be that Jaekyung owns more. It may be that he has begun arranging what he owns for someone else.
The White Sedan: Why This Car Matters
Among the parked vehicles, one stands apart: the white sedan. (chapter 97) . Unlike Jaekyung’s earlier sports cars—machines associated with speed, aggression, (chapter 32) display, and public image—this vehicle speaks a different language. It is understated rather than theatrical, spacious rather than cramped, functional rather than performative.
The color matters as well. White can suggest clarity, neutrality, and renewal. Whether read symbolically or simply aesthetically, it sharply contrasts with the darker, more aggressive aura of luxury performance cars. It looks less like an extension of ego and more like the beginning of another chapter. On the other hand, white is the safest color on the road because it’s the most visible to other drivers at night. If this theory is true, then it indicates that Jaekyung is truly prioritizing Dan’s safety over his own “cool” aesthetic.
More importantly, the sedan fits Kim Dan far more naturally than it fits Jaekyung’s former image. Kim Dan has never been defined by extravagance or spectacle. He values usefulness, modesty, comfort, and quiet sincerity. A practical and comfortable vehicle suited for daily life reflects his character far more than a machine built to impress strangers.
For that reason, the sedan becomes another clue that the new car may not be intended for Jaekyung at all. It resembles Kim Dan’s needs more than Jaekyung’s branding. The car also offers something rare in the world of Jinx: invisibility. Fame has repeatedly exposed Jaekyung to surveillance, intrusion, and manipulation. Many readers will certainly recall this episode where a black car was detected following the champion’s gray SUV. 
(chapter 33) A discreet sedan blends into ordinary traffic in ways a recognizable celebrity vehicle cannot. If registered under Kim Dan’s name, it would create even greater privacy and unpredictability. Protection would no longer depend only on physical strength, but on foresight and anonymity. And if this car was purchased recently, no one would know about its existence. Not even Park Namwook! If Chapter 33 presented movement as secrecy, confusion, and anxious uncertainty 
—where the question was Where are they going, and why? 
(chapter 33) —then Chapter 97 becomes its positive reflection. The same motif of driving now signifies trust, mutual desire, and emotional security. What was once shadowed by suspicion is transformed into intimacy. The destination matters less than the person beside you. The journey is no longer something done to Kim Dan, but something they experience together. 
(chapter 97)
Yet perhaps the most important meaning is autonomy. If Dan owns or drives the car, Jaekyung is not merely giving him transportation. He is giving him the power to choose when to stay, when to leave, and where to go. He is literally placing the keys of departure in Kim Dan’s hands.
But due to his social class, it is clear that Kim Dan does not yet have a driving licence. Therefore the gift cannot be reduced to ownership alone. It would imply learning, practice, patience, and future development. In other words, the present becomes a shared project. That changes Jaekyung’s role as well. He is no longer simply the powerful man who provides solutions from above. He becomes someone who teaches, encourages, and accompanies Kim Dan as he acquires a new skill. Instead of keeping Dan dependent, he would actively help him become more independent.
This matters because it reverses earlier patterns in their relationship. 
(chapter 89) So often, Kim Dan has been pushed by crisis, debt, or necessity. Here, he would be pushed toward growth. The pressure would no longer come from fear, but from care. The physical therapist could drive his drunk lover back home.
The symbolism is rich: learning to drive means learning confidence, judgment, orientation, and trust in one’s own decisions. It is not only about operating a vehicle; it is about entering a wider world. Seen in that light, the gift would expand Kim Dan’s life on multiple levels. It offers mobility in the present, autonomy in the future, and a new horizon of possibility. He could suggest to his lover to go on a trip: 
(chapter 47) Jaekyung would not merely be giving him a car. He would be helping him become someone who can go further than before.
And that changes everything. If Kim Dan remains after receiving the freedom to leave, then his staying becomes meaningful in an entirely new way. In other words, the white car stands for blind faith.
Rings Before Keys: Commitment and Shared Future
Even so, the car cannot come first. Among all visible presents, the couple rings carry the greatest symbolic weight. Unlike flowers or cake, a ring endures. It signifies continuity, reciprocity, and chosen connection. Its circular form evokes a bond without hierarchy, beginning, or end.
That symbolism matters because Jaekyung and Kim Dan’s history has long been shaped by imbalance: wealth against debt, fame against obscurity, strength against vulnerability. In such a relationship, an expensive gift can easily reproduce the old pattern of giver and receiver, power and dependence.
A ring resists that logic. (chapter 97) Its meaning does not come from price, but from mutual consent. It only becomes meaningful when accepted. For perhaps the first time, Jaekyung would be offering something that requires equality.
This is why the order matters. If the car came first, it could still appear as another transaction. But if the rings come first, the emotional foundation changes. Commitment precedes comfort. The relationship is defined before support is expanded.
Kim Dan once gave from scarcity. 
(chapter 42) He worked exhausting night shifts and spent money he could barely spare in order to offer something meaningful. The value of the keychain was not only monetary; it represented sacrifice, attention, and a sincere desire to make Joo Jaekyung happy.
If Jaekyung now offered only a confession with rings (chapter 97) and nothing else, the scene could risk feeling emotionally incomplete—not because the rings are insignificant, but because the story has already established a language of giving in which effort matters. Kim Dan gave beyond his means. Readers therefore expect Jaekyung, who possesses far greater resources, to respond not merely with sentiment, but with a gesture that shows equal thoughtfulness and concrete care.
That is why the possibility of another gift carries such force. It is not about luxury for its own sake. It is about demonstrating that Jaekyung has understood who Kim Dan is and what he actually needs. The true opposite of Kim Dan’s earlier sacrifice would not be expensive jewelry alone, but something shaped around Dan’s daily life, freedom, and well-being.
In that sense, the issue is not whether Jaekyung appears stingy. It is whether his love remains symbolic only, or becomes materially attentive. The narrative stakes are higher than generosity: they concern transformation.
Under those conditions, the white sedan acquires a different meaning. (chapter 97) It is no longer a trophy or display object. It becomes shared infrastructure. If the rings secure the emotional bond (chapter 97), the car secures the practical conditions in which that bond can live. For Kim Dan, that practical dimension matters profoundly. Until now, movement has rarely belonged fully to him. He walks 
(chapter 21), uses public transportation 
(chapter 11), takes taxis 
(chapter 1), or is driven by others. 
(chapter 32) Even mobility itself has often depended on circumstance and on the decisions of other people. 
(chapter 95) A car therefore symbolizes more than comfort: it represents agency, adulthood, and the power to move by his own will. Yet the emotional meaning goes even further. In Chapter 97, the question is no longer only where one goes, but with whom one travels. What was once denied to Kim Dan as independence now returns to him as both freedom and companionship. He is no longer merely carried by another person’s choices; he gains the ability to choose for himself while sharing the road with someone who chooses him in return.
The gift would also transform responsibility. Until now, Jaekyung has often been driven, managed, and accompanied by others on decisive days. His manager and coach occupied the space of trust around him—at least when he remained profitable and useful. 
(chapter 5) Yet when he was injured and vulnerable, that support proved conditional and incomplete. 
(chapter 53)
If Kim Dan becomes the one who drives, steadies, and accompanies him, the structure quietly changes. The old “hyungs” are not displaced through conflict, but through irrelevance. Care succeeds where management failed. At the same time, the gesture expresses trust. To let Kim Dan drive is to entrust him with direction, safety, and shared movement. The man who has long carried the weight of control would finally allow someone else to take the wheel. That change matters deeply for Jaekyung as well. It means he no longer has to bear every burden alone. He can rest in the passenger seat, just like Kim Dan does. 
(chapter 95) He can be guided instead of always guiding, supported instead of always performing. The positions become reversible: each can carry the other when needed.
In that sense, the car symbolizes more than freedom. It symbolizes partnership. (chapter 97) They are no longer fixed in rigid roles of protector and protected. They gain the ability to switch places, share responsibility, and move forward together.
This completes one of the story’s deepest reversals. The man once treated as burden or servant becomes the person closest to the champion’s future.
Kim Dan once gave Jaekyung a small keychain (chapter 81): modest (not too visible), personal, and sincere. The price for his hard work. 
(chapter 97) If Jaekyung now gives him a car, their gestures beautifully answer one another. Kim Dan once offered the symbolic key to his world; Jaekyung responds by offering the means to navigate a shared one.
One gift says: stay with me.
The other says: let’s move forward together.
And now, you comprehend why I made the following prediction: They would stay together, but leave the place too!
Conclusion: The Dragon’s Pearl
What emerges from these details is a quiet but radical truth: home in Jinx is no longer a penthouse, a contract, or a symbol of status. It is a person. (chapter 97)
Jaekyung’s deepest transformation is not that he has become softer in some simplistic sense, but that his strength is being redirected. The force once used to dominate, intimidate, and defend his own pride is gradually turned outward in service of another’s well-being. (chapter 97) That is why the image of the dragon and the pearl feels so fitting. In many traditions, the dragon guards treasure—but the highest treasure is not gold. It is wisdom, devotion, and the recognition of what truly matters.
Kim Dan, likewise, is no longer merely the exhausted and scared man in need of rescue. He becomes the emotional center around which Jaekyung reorganizes his life. He is his moon shining in the darkness. 
(chapter 97) Their bond moves beyond the false alternatives of burden and savior, victim and protector, debtor and benefactor. They begin to inhabit a rarer form of intimacy: mutual sanctuary.
In a world shaped by spectators, institutions, scandals, and past wounds, safety cannot be guaranteed by wealth alone. It must be created through trust, constancy, and the willingness to change for another person. If Jaekyung’s gifts truly point in that direction, then the greatest present is neither roses, nor rings, nor a car.
It is the life he is learning to build beside him. (chapter 97)
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(chapter 96), while another movement unfolds elsewhere. 
(chapter 97) The interview, the damaged poster 
(chapter 96), the hallway encounter, the former director’s sudden presence — none of these incidents need to be isolated events. They can be read as layers of the same design, arranged to poison the climate around Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan through mistrust, guilt, and confusion.
(chapter 79) Danger emerged first, and only then did someone intervene. Joo Jaekyung repeatedly occupied that role. 
(chapter 17) He was the one who could step in, overpower threats, and remove Kim Dan from immediate harm. Kim Dan, by contrast, was usually placed on the other side of that equation: the one exposed, cornered, or in need of help. But rescue and protection are not the same thing.
(chapter 96). On the surface, this action resembles a form of protection: they are stopping him from committing a violent act that would derail his career, effectively “saving” him from himself 
(chapter 96). Yet, this is rescue, not protection. Their intervention is purely physical, reactive, and localized. Crucially, as they physically struggle, Park Namwook and the others remain mentally and verbally passive. 
(chapter 96) They do not challenge the source of the rage or offer a solution. They only seek to manage the immediate visible symptom. While the fist is stopped, the underlying “toxic climate” that allows these provocations to take root is left completely intact. This scene proves that without speech, strategy, and mutual agency, physical restraint—even when well-intentioned—is just temporary damage control. This is exactly the kind of passive, limited intervention that the new paradigm must overcome.
(chapter 72) It answers a crisis once it has already begun. Protection reaches further. 
(chapter 72) It concerns safety before the blow lands, the ability to recognize manipulation 
(chapter 49), to prevent harm from taking root, and to create a space where trust can survive pressure.
(chapter 91), and Kim Dan’s recent actions 
(chapter 97) all suggest that the old division may no longer be stable. The familiar roles of protector and protected are beginning to shift.
(chapter 1). In that moment, the world was a predatory space where every threshold was a threat. 
(chapter 90) The memory is important. The director did not lure him with kindness alone. He used his position 
(chapter 1), status, and Kim Dan’s financial desperation to force compliance. Kim Dan needed the job, needed the salary, needed stability. 
(chapter 90) The imbalance of power was already doing the violence before any physical act began. What appeared outwardly as professional authority became a means of control. The setting itself carries symbolic weight: enclosed space, unequal power, obscurity, silence. 
(chapter 90) A place where Kim Dan’s options were reduced and his voice cornered. The hallway now echoes that structure. It is dark. It is private. It is detached from witnesses. 
(chapter 90) It was the body remembering before language could fully explain why. 
(chapter 90) Trauma often recognizes danger faster than conscious thought. If so, the first battle of the chapter is not just one of emotional endurance, but of practical application. Like mentioned above, the look on Kim Dan’s face in the hallway is not one of paralyzing fear, but of profound shock 
(chapter 88). In that moment, the champion wasn’t just showing dominance; he was imparting a philosophy of resistance. He taught Dan that ‘technique beats size’ 
(chapter 88) and that even a smaller person can take down a ‘bigger guy’ 
(Chapter 88).
(chapter 27) The object symbolized instability, provocation, loss and a game whose rules could suddenly change. It represented a force that unsettled even the champion. Now another object occupies his hand: 
(chapter 91) the cellphone containing the article about the disgraced former director. 
(chapter 18) because, for Jaekyung, the ‘system’ was never a source of safety. This mistrust is rooted in a childhood where his abuse was an open secret that remained unaddressed 
(chapter 72), on paper he remained a ‘good citizen’ who never faced legal repercussions. Jaekyung learned that authorities protect the appearance of order rather than the victims of violence. This skepticism manifested again at the docks 
(chapter 69), where he chose to ‘save’ Kim Dan through private force rather than wait for legal intervention. Yet those methods repeatedly failed to create real safety. Problems were hidden, postponed, or redirected, or relegated 
(chapter 52) but not resolved. The cellphone introduces another path 
(chapter 96) He only read the headlines. On the surface, this might appear dismissive or indifferent. 
(chapter 96) Yet it can also be understood as an expression of Jeong. Kim Dan’s attention was not captured by the Joker’s performance. His concern went directly to Joo Jaekyung and how such exposure might wound him. He absorbed the central facts — poverty, orphanhood, hardship — but did not grant full authority to the humiliating spectacle built around them. 
(chapter 96)That distinction matters because Baek Junmin likely assumes that public narrative equals truth. If the audience hears something loudly enough, then it becomes reality. But Kim Dan now stands in a different position. He has already met Hwang Byungchul. He has already heard another version of the champion’s past, something the Joker is not expecting. He knows about the father’s abuse, the violence of the home, and the suffering hidden behind Joo Jaekyung’s coldness. 
(chapter 72) This means that if the hallway encounter is designed to reveal a “hidden truth” — like for example that Joo Jaekyung is only a thug, a violent man who attacks doctors 
(chapter 1) and patients 
(chapter 52) ) someone unworthy of trust— the strategy may fail at its most important point. The intended listener is no longer ignorant. Kim Dan can now protect the champion by refusing reduction. He can challenge selective storytelling. Jaekyung is frequently depicted as an avid reader 
(chapter 97), a sign of a deeply disciplined and self-educated mind. This intellectual depth is his most overlooked form of protection. It means he isn’t just a ‘frightened kid’ or a ‘reactive thug’; he is someone who understands the power of information.Besides, he is a huge reader. He can insist that pain has context, that trauma cannot be erased, and that one act of rage does not explain an entire person. In earlier chapters, Joo Jaekyung protected through action (buying clothes, teaching him how to swim). Here, Kim Dan may protect through interpretation and words. 
(chapter 96) behind the present tension rely on the same weapon — the past. 
(chapter 90) 
(chapter 96), and old reactions, as though Joo Jaekyung were still trapped inside the same vulnerabilities and Kim Dan still occupied the same desperate, submissive position. 
(chapter 90)The former director operates similarly, but with a more intimate cruelty. He does not speak to Kim Dan as a person in front of him. He speaks about Kim Dan to Joo Jaekyung, reducing him once again to an object of transaction, greed, and sexual humiliation.
(chapter 90) Kim Dan is called money-hungry, fake, a slut, someone whose affection can be bought. Their apparent happiness is framed as performance, their bond as a financial arrangement, intimacy as deception. In one move, the former director attempts to degrade Kim Dan and poison Joo Jaekyung’s trust at the same time.
(chapter 97) Joo Jaekyung is no longer merely a reactive fighter ruled by rage. He is now capable to reflect on his own behavior.
(chapter 97) Their relationship itself has altered the conditions on which those older scripts depended.
(chapter 97) the official path of movement. But once it closes, that route disappears. What remains is the staircase: the emergency passage, yet also the more secret and ambiguous one. In Jinx, stairways 
(chapter 50) seem to be linked to conspiracy, crime 
(chapter 50), or offstage maneuvering 
(chapter 96). The hallway therefore feels less like a neutral corridor than a set arranged for entrapment, where ordinary exits vanish and only compromised paths remain.
(chapter 81) As a result, the gesture remained incomplete and vulnerable to misunderstanding. 
(chapter 45) The material gift was visible, but the feeling behind it stayed hidden. The book changes that structure. 
(chapter 87) Oui, c’est l’amour means in French Yes, this is love. The phrase functions almost like an answer to all the confusion that came before: the uncertainty in the dining room 
(chapter 93), the champion asking what he was feeling, the hesitation around whether kindness was guilt 
(chapter 93), pity, or something else. 
(chapter 93) The title responds clearly where the characters still struggle to do so themselves. Yes—what exists here is love. Another visible word, reste, signifies stay or remain in French. Yet because the final letter appears hidden or incomplete, the word can also be seen through English eyes as rest. 
(chapter 72), a young Jaekyung stands in a snow-covered phone booth, promising: ‘One day I’ll make a lot of money… and stop him. So can you come back home?’ For the young champion, ‘Home’ was a conditional destination—a reward that could only be reclaimed once he had enough wealth to physically ‘stop’ the source of violence. He equated protection with financial power and the physical ability to gatekeep. Yet, as an adult, even with the wealth and the power to stop anyone, he remained ‘homeless’ in spirit. By offering him the book and a space to ‘stay,’ Kim Dan is updating this childhood vow. He is proving that a ‘Home’ is not something Jaekyung has to buy or defend alone through force; it is a sanctuary that is built through mutual presence and emotional safety. Kim Dan is offering a new kind of protection: the creation of a domestic sanctuary. If the ring is a place of performance and the hallway a place of entrapment, the book represents a ‘portable home.’ 
(chapter 93), delaying genuine encounters, and keeping everything trapped inside the schedule of the match. Everything must wait until after the fight: truth, tenderness, resolution, emotional clarity. Human feeling is subordinated to spectacle.
(chapter 97) Care continued in absence. The relationship was active even when they were apart. This places the gift in sharp contrast with the keychain episode. Back then, Kim Dan selected something through external logic. He entered the dressing room 
(chapter 42), crossing into the champion’s private space 
(chapter 42), and chose according to appearance and assumed usefulness. The gesture was sincere, but still uncertain. It responded to what Joo Jaekyung seemed to need. 
(chapter 42) The book is different because it responds to who he is. 
(chapter 96), sponsors, and the broader world watching the scandal unfold. The damaged poster seems to continue that same logic by materializing contempt in public space. The champion’s image is defaced where others can see it. Reputation is targeted through humiliation.
(chapter 96) However, there exists another possible interpretation. Readers may remember the earlier café scene, where Kim Dan met Choi Gilseok and photographs of that encounter were later sent to Joo Jaekyung. 
(chapter 48) That episode already suggested the presence of an unseen observer—someone in the shadows who understood that images can wound relationships more efficiently than fists can. If those photographs were indeed part of Baek Junmin’s broader method, then the interview and the poster follow the same principle: public content designed for private damage.
(chapter 93) He knows the physical therapist is no passing employee, but someone emotionally significant. That changes everything. If Kim Dan cannot be removed physically, he may be pressured psychologically.
(chapter 96), someone shameful, poor, abandoned, ridiculous. 
(chapter 96) It reframes loyalty as foolishness. It attempts to poison admiration itself. 
(chapter 97) Someone who remains emotionally invested in the person rather than the image.
(chapter 52) may turn away when public opinion shifts. A sponsor may withdraw when scandal appears. A crowd may cheer one day and mock the next. 
(chapter 36) But Kim Dan’s bond is no longer built on those unstable foundations. He believes in him. 
(chapter 94) For Baek Junmin, lost puppy oozes resent and mockery, but for the physical therapist, the same expression evokes care and protective instincts. 
(Chapter 29) He knows the wounds behind the arrogance. He knows the habits, the loneliness 
(chapter 97), the insomnia, the roughness that conceals care. He has seen the human being hidden beneath the public mask.
(chapter 87), where Joo Jaekyung visibly searched for Kim Dan in the crowd. Or he may have encountered videos 
(chapter 90) circulating online of the disturbance at the restaurant. 
(chapter 90) In either case, the external image would have looked simple: Joo Jaekyung had been provoked once again. The champion still appeared volatile, reactive, and unchanged.
(chapter 90) It could seem as though the physical therapist was merely restraining, interrupting, or obstructing the champion. A hindrance rather than an ally. 
(chapter 90)
(chapter 90) No outsider could know that the tension began because Kim Dan had left the room in emotional distress. No camera would capture the private wound beneath the public reaction. What looked like friction between the former director and the celebrity was in reality the consequence of care, misunderstanding, and emotional stakes invisible to spectators.
(Chapter 96), headlines 
(chapter 95), and shows designed for public consumption. To Junmin, truth is something manufactured for the camera; it is a ‘show’ of superiority and victimhood. This is why his method relies on surfaces—he assumes that if he can change the ‘image’ of Joo Jaekyung in Kim Dan’s eyes, the bond will break. 
(chapter 95) Walls cannot protect trust.
(chapter 96) Distance, interruption, and broken rhythm shaped their contact. On the physical level, they seemed out of sync.
(chapter 97) This alignment appears through a series of quiet but striking parallels. 
(chapter 97) Both independently buy the same cake. 
(chapter 97) The author places them in mirrored and balanced panels, separated in space yet linked in intention. They stand apart physically, but the framing suggests an inner synchrony stronger than distance. What chapter 96 presented as bodily discord, chapter 97 answers with emotional consonance.
(chapter 97) Stay together. And that conclusion may not be reached individually. They are no longer two isolated people reacting alone. They are becoming two people capable of choosing together. That’s what the couple rings symbolize here.
(Chapter 33). The presence of the actor entering the club in slippers and no jacket despite the winter cold suggests a desperate, hurried escape from a world that had become a ‘trap.’ 
(chapter 33) Even then, Jaekyung’s motivation was clear: he followed Kim Dan because he could not bear for him to leave. That secluded house could be the physical ‘home’ Jaekyung had built while waiting for a partner worthy of sharing it.
(chapter 88), resisted differently, and prevented from defining the future. Joo Jaekyung may protect Kim Dan not through another violent intervention, but through truth made public, lawful action, and the refusal to let harm disappear in silence contrary to the past. Kim Dan may protect Joo Jaekyung not through physical force, but through knowledge 
(chapter 47), revelation 
(chapter 48), and the rejection of false narratives designed to reduce him 
(chapter 93) The former director did not appear there by chance. What remains uncertain is not whether this is a scheme, but how the latter was arranged and what it is meant to achieve.
(chapter 97) They often contain clues — small visual decisions, strange timing, unusual framing, details that seem minor until later chapters reveal their weight. A final panel does not always announce the future directly, but it can offer glimpses of the forces already in motion.
(chapter 35), it was not one wrongdoing but two 
(chapter 36) layered together: one visible distraction, another hidden move 
(chapter 37), and often a consequence 
(chapter 40) that only became clear afterward. In other words, the first event is rarely the whole trick. It is only the surface. If that pattern still applies now, then the interview may be only the loudest surface event, 
(chapter 96) while the real movement of the scheme occurs elsewhere — perhaps in the damage already done, or in the encounter still waiting in the dark.
(chapter 97) The easiest path backward has vanished. The resident is inside his own home, yet the geometry of the scene briefly turns him into the trapped figure.
(chapter 97), only after Kim Dan has already advanced and the elevator has closed. This delayed turn transforms a normal greeting into something theatrical. It resembles the timed reveal of an actor who waits for the right cue before facing the audience. Recognition itself is staged.
(chapter 96), old routines seem restored 
(chapter 97) From the outside, the easiest conclusion is that the “hamster” has left. Yet that conclusion may be entirely false. He did not disappear. He only disappeared from view. And this observation leads to a deeper question. Who was the former director truly there to meet? Formally speaking, he has come to the penthouse of Joo Jaekyung, its official resident and owner. On paper, the visit concerns the champion. Yet formal appearances can be as misleading as visual ones. A registered address does not necessarily reveal the real destination of a scheme. Just as people may mistake absence for departure, they may also mistake the legal resident for the intended target. What appears to be a visit to one man may, in reality, have been arranged for another.
(chapter 97) whether he will go or remain. While Kim Dan crosses the street lost in thought, the pedestrian signal turns red 
(chapter 97), visually interrupting departure itself. By contrast, Joo Jaekyung’s desire to ask him not to leave 
(chapter 97) The chapter therefore stages two opposite directions at once: one character preparing to walk away, the other trying to keep him near. In that sense, the hallway confrontation strikes at the story’s central tension: stay or leave. 
(chapter 1) to the penthouse and sent him the address while having sex with someone else. Kim Dan arrived under false assumptions, believing he had been called for treatment. In episode 2, not only the hallway was lit 
(chapter 02), but also the door stood open, and deception functioned through entry: he was drawn into a private space without understanding what awaited him inside. 
(chapter 2) The present encounter reverses that structure almost exactly. Now the door remains closed and the director is also standing at a certain distance from it. 
(chapter 40) Earlier in the story, a different corridor became the place where Kim Dan’s heart first moved toward Joo Jaekyung. 
(chapter 40) There, the champion stood in light, framed by cameras and public attention, dazzling through image and presence. 
(chapter 40) That threshold marked attraction, recognition, and emotional movement toward him. The present hallway appears as its inversion. Darkness replaces light. 
(chapter 49), Joo Jaekyung also encountered Baek Junmin in a hallway while Kim Dan watched from behind. To everyone else, the scene appeared harmless, even cordial: two fighters exchanging a handshake in public view. 
(chapter 49) Yet beneath that surface, something very different was taking place. The Joker used proximity and secrecy to whisper words that dragged the champion back toward a buried past 
(chapter 49) — weakness, humiliation, the memory of being a vulnerable child. The visible gesture was friendly; the hidden action was psychological assault. 
(chapter 49) That earlier corridor teaches us how these spaces function in Jinx: not merely as passages, but as places where unseen truths move beneath staged appearances. If so, the present hallway may repeat the structure in altered form. Joo Jaekyung now stands nearby but outside the frame, while Kim Dan occupies the position once held by the champion. What was previously aimed at one man’s repressed wounds may now be redirected toward another’s.
(chapter 90) This new threshold may demand another kind of strength altogether.
(chapter 90) If so, the lack of light performs another function: it softens the visible signs of downfall. 
(chapter 90), sweating greed, vulgar speech 
(chapter 90), predatory fantasy, shameless mockery 
(chapter 90), and a grin 
(chapter 90) that exposed appetite without restraint. He was visually loud, almost grotesquely transparent. Readers did not need to guess what kind of man stood before them. His face announced it.
(chapter 84), where both main leads were trapped “together” and sound played a huge importance. Instead, the final scene in episode 97 withholds precisely those things. The darkness does not stage confession. It stages concealment. 
(chapter 97) To outsiders, however, invisibility can quickly harden into narrative. If a person is no longer seen, people begin to explain that disappearance for themselves. And the easiest explanation is often the wrong one.
(chapter 52), and the champion interpreted that separation through what little he could observe. Later, at the hospital, he heard that Kim Dan had quit. 
(chapter 53) But quitting the job did not automatically mean leaving altogether. In his mind, Kim Dan had stepped out of the professional role, not necessarily out of his personal orbit. The evidence before him therefore remained partial: distance, silence, and formal resignation, but no clear answer about the bond between them. Hence he imagined that the main lead was still living in the penthouse. 
(chapter 53) Yet what he “knew” was never the full truth. It was a narrative assembled from scattered pieces while the emotional reality remained elsewhere.
(chapter 46) Secret photographs were taken of him without his knowledge. According to me, Baek Junmin was the one behind the camera. The hamster’s movements were monitored. His connection to Joo Jaekyung was observed from afar. That matters because it suggests the schemers did not suddenly become interested in him now. They had already understood that the physical therapist was not a minor side figure, but someone emotionally tied to the champion. If one wanted to wound Joo Jaekyung indirectly, Kim Dan had long been the obvious path.
(chapter 93) If Baek Junmin and Choi Gilseok are orchestrating events, they cannot appear to be doing so. A clean scheme often works best when responsibility seems to originate elsewhere. The most effective leak is not the one traced to its author, but the one attributed to an innocent intermediary.
(chapter 66), altered schedules, replaced meals, and silence. From those fragments, a conclusion becomes tempting: Kim Dan is gone. Joo Jaekyung is alone again. And finally, don’t forget how Doc Dan was introduced to the champion for the first time 
(chapter 1): he had been hired by Park Namwook, for the previous physical therapist had suddenly quit. 
(chapter 1) A replacement. A therapist. Someone sent because the champion supposedly lacks proper care before an important fight, and, unlike others, is not asking too much money. 
(chapter 54) Observe how the manager reacted, when Joo Jaekyung selected the one with a lot of credentials. Park Namwook jolted. The language of professionalism becomes cover for personal sabotage. Entry is granted not through force, but through usefulness.
(chapter 2) Professional necessity became the doorway through which a far more intimate bond later emerged. If so, the present scheme may mirror that origin in corrupted form. What once began through work and gradually became attachment is now imitated as strategy. A “helper” is sent not to heal, but to divide.
(chapter 1), exclusion, desperation, and a system willing to discard him while rewarding others. The language of merit has never been neutral in Jinx. It often hides power, convenience, and who gets chosen or erased.
(chapter 56) He stayed beside his grandmother. He worked despite exhaustion. He treated Joo Jaekyung despite fear and humiliation. He cooked 
(chapter 22), cleaned, worried, forgave, and endured. Much of what he gave happened almost invisibly. And that is precisely why Jeong is so often underestimated. It does not announce itself dramatically. It appears in support that is constant yet barely noticed until it is missing. Kim Dan’s passivity and silence were therefore not emptiness, but one form of devotion. I admit this was not immediately obvious to me. At times, Kim Dan’s attitude even frustrated me, because I was shaped by a different cultural environment — one in which care is often expressed more directly, emotions are verbalized more openly, and disagreement is more readily shown. Imagine that he did not talk to his roommate for 8 days! 
(chapter 97) In his mind, he was being considerate. He was giving him space,
(chapter 91) were the visible forms of pain that had never healed. Even his need to control others often looked less 
(chapter 45) like confidence than fear translated into aggression.
(chapter 64) Silent suffering became spoken judgment. Han entered his voice.
(chapter 95) He no longer feels endlessly obliged. And when he sees the former director, his second reaction is not meekness but disgust. 
(chapter 91) That matters. Resentment is no longer buried beneath obedience. It has become part of his emotional language. But this change is not limited to anger alone. It also deepens Kim Dan’s ability to reflect. Earlier, he often positioned himself only as the one who had to endure, obey, or silently adapt. 
(chapter 46) Now he begins to examine situations from more than one side. He can recognize not only how he was hurt 
(chapter 97), but how his own actions may have wounded others as well. When he remembers packing in haste and preparing to leave, he no longer sees himself simply as justified and Joo Jaekyung as wrong. He understands that sudden departure, silence, and emotional withdrawal could wound the other person too.
(chapter 97) A command to eat more, once read as control 
(chapter 79), can be understood as concern. 
(chapter 97) Practical attention can reveal tenderness. What had seemed oppressive begins to show another meaning. This delayed recognition matters because Jeong is not always perceived in the moment it is given. For Joo Jaekyung, its value becomes visible through distance, uncertainty, and the fear of loss. For Kim Dan, recognition emerges differently: through gratitude, self-reflection, and the gradual realization that gestures once dismissed or misunderstood had been forms of care all along.
(chapter 96) He knew how to look after people, but not how to imagine being looked after in return. Receiving affection is often harder than offering it.
(chapter 80), and emotional responsibility. 
(chapter 65) In different ways, both men are learning that relationships are not built through victory over the other, but through a new way of seeing one another.
(chapter 54) rather than Kim Dan. He distinguished the real source of harm instead of attacking the nearest vulnerable person. Since then, he has worried about Kim Dan’s meals, noticed his body, bought flowers and cake, remembered small preferences, and even more than ever wants him to stay after the match. Care has begun to replace reflexive aggression.
(chapter 37), or another act of public humiliation in which ordinary objects suddenly become dramatic instruments. Read through that lens, the cake in Kim Dan’s hands contains its own ironic potential: it could become not merely dessert, but a comic weapon of refusal, an insult that answers intrusion with ridicule. 
(chapter 96), who claimed authority through superiority, manipulation, and the posture of the one who “knows better,” but a different kind of hyung whose authority comes through tenderness, emotional understanding 
(chapter 95), and the ability to create warmth. If the self-proclaimed men of power arrive with schemes 
(chapter 87) With this panel it is clear that Baek Junmin will never have the last laugh. Anyway, the impact of such a reversal would not be limited to the intruder alone. Instead of answering tension with more anger, Joo Jaekyung himself could be drawn into laughter. That possibility is relevant, because laughter would do what violence cannot: it would break the script from within. Remember how powerless he felt after the exposure and humiliation. 
(chapter 48), as they met in front of the building where the gym Team Black is. Besides, the encounter was easily photographed and readily interpreted as betrayal. 
(chapter 49), seemingly tied to revenge,
(chapter 48), but more likely prepared in advance to cause damage under pressure. In that reading, the point was never only retaliation. The point was that Kim Dan could later be made to carry the blame for everything surrounding the chaos. One event captured attention, another produced harm, and the true consequence emerged only afterward. What appeared spontaneous was structurally engineered.
(chapter 51) But the irony is that neither the champion nor his manager called the police for an investigation right away. 
(chapter 96) It is the figure others still believe to be vulnerable: someone economically fragile 
(chapter 48), emotionally tied to the target, marked by past shame and abandonment wounds (he is also an “orphan”), and assumed to carry burdens in silence. From the outside, Kim Dan may still appear to fit that role. The schemers likely imagine a man who is isolated, unsupported, and easy to overwhelm — someone with no real backing, no language of resistance, and no choice but to absorb whatever is placed on him.
(chapter 3) those conditions did not emerge from nowhere. They followed the abuse and professional ruin inflicted earlier. The blacklisting was and is the reason why he is not looking for a job in Seoul 
(chapter 56) In that sense, an attempt to blame Kim Dan for everything risks exposing the original cause instead. The man chosen as scapegoat may now be able to point back at the hand that first pushed him toward the edge. The setting makes that possibility even sharper. The hallway is dark, where faces are obscured and appearances become uncertain. But in darkness, a voice can be heard clearly. 
(chapter 54), injuries 
(chapter 95), overtraining, disqualification 
into accusation and his own misconduct into Kim Dan’s supposed guilt. 
(chapter 6) 
(chapter 131) Hence the police officers found the governor’s seat deserted. 
(chapter 131) By contrasting the statement from the governor and the panel, the readers could easily catch his lie. He was a lazy governor, preferring to keep his lover company rather than attend to his official duties. On the one hand, it exposes the main lead’s true mind-set. He is not longing for power or glory. To conclude, he has no ambition. This implies that he is not determined to gain attention either. One might add that he selected this region on purpose. No one would willingly go to that place. The norm was that officials would go there, because they were demoted. 
(episode 129) Thus I deduce that Yoon Seungho made the opposite choice to his father. The latter longed for a high position at the government so that the family’s reputation would become famous and powerful again. 
(chapter 86) It is because Yoon Chang-Hyeon was thinking of getting the attention or support from noble families. What he truly wanted was to get recognition from people among his own social class. But with such a decision (join the painter’s side), Yoon Seungho seems to have turned the former patriarch’s nightmare into a reality. Yoon Seungho is about to ruin the family. The name “Yoon” is destined to become forgotten, right? However, I believe that this interpretation is not correct. How so? Let me ask you this.
(chapter 127) No one has such a wealth! That’s the reason why no official would select such a place. Yes, Jung In-Hun’s words from chapter 6 
(chapter 6) 
(chapter 37). It is about a crime, treason. In season 4, we know that the plot was true and there was an evidence, the paper with the signatures from lord Yoon and lord Song. Since in season 1 the wrongdoing was true and heavy, I deduce that it is not the case in the final chapter. Because there is an evidence of the crime in the past, I can’t help myself thinking that in the final chapter, there was no evidence. Additionally, I feel the need to expose my other interpretation about this man: 
(chapter 37) I have always stated that this man couldn’t be a servant, for he was smoking a pipe and we saw a glimpse of his memory. No commoner would be allowed to enter the courtyard, when three noblemen are tortured and interrogated. Moreover, notice that in both scenes (37 and 131), the magistrate is absent. That’s how it dawned on me that this nameless man could have been a former “governor” who lost his position.
(chapter 94) Here, the officers went to the mansion before visiting him at the gibang. 
(chapter 97) Back then, it was about the death of a commoner, a servant. If there’s an urgency, they would look for him. The comparison exposes that the “wrongdoing” from the peasants in the final chapter was no huge deal. Yet, many readers already condemned them due to the guards and the protagonist’s behavior. Funny is that the lord was portrayed as a huge liar, but not “the officers”. 
(chapter 101) His statement displays another aspect: the governor and the guards are not working together. Jihwa would have been sent to jail without being able to talk to the superior, similar to this scene: 
(chapter 126) The guards’ own interests are not necessarily aligned with the governor’s. And now, take a closer look at this scene: 
(chapter 127) The official received the patriarch in his office alone. The reason is simple. That way, he wouldn’t have to share the money with others.
(chapter 129). He was not sitting on a horse with a few musicians contrary to Jung In-Hun. He was carried by four men, and other people were announcing his arrival with flags and music. 
(chapter 111) Moreover, Yoon Seungho had a inauguration banquet organized, where the local inhabitants could join. 
(chapter 129) There was no social exclusion at all. This stands in such opposition to the lord’s statement in season 1, where he distinguished between nobles and commoners.
(chapter 129) This signifies that the arrest could lead to trouble to the guards too. So was the lord lazy in the end? 
(chapter 131) Yes and no… By acting that way, he put an end to the abuse of authority in that place!! Thus I deduce that the governor is destined to gain recognition and admiration from the local inhabitants. He is generous (inauguration banquet where anyone could join), humble, loyal (he is not forgetting his lover) 
(chapter 131), but also well organized! He had planned to join this place a long time ago. The peach trees were planted about 3 years ago. He is no longer making any distinction between nobles and commoners, and that’s how he will get the respect from the peasants. As a conclusion, we should envision that the lord will become famous. Therefore the son didn’t turn the father’s nightmare into a reality. He didn’t contribute to the family’s ruin at all. Yet, there exists a huge divergence. Yoon Seungho is about to make a name on his own. It is not about the Yoons. On the one hand, the father’s dream was illusory and superficial, especially due to the treason
(chapter 86). Since Lord Song had been forced to resign, there’s no doubt that the man would resent the Yoons to become successful again. This explicates why lord Song saw Yoon Seungwon as a problem 
(chapter 107) and tried to tarnish the younger son’s reputation. But let’s return our attention to the patriarch. His vision was based on Confucianism. However, he had a very narrow-minded perception of it. 
(chapter 7) This shows that the tradition was to “vanish behind the family name, the Yoons”. Under this new light, my avid readers can grasp why the main lead was destined to suffer immensely 
(chapter 57). His reputation was already outshining his father’s. Secondly, by being stigmatized as a homosexual, he was endangering this principle. His role was to continue the lineage and as such produce a heir. 
(chapter 116) or even Min could commit crimes in the open. They felt safe, for they knew that the authorities belonged to the same social class than them. However, this could only work, as long as the nobles would cover for each other. Should a yanbang denunciate a noble family, it was a different story. Therefore I assume that lord Lee was the one who reported the treason to the authorities (the painting in the bedroom was the evidence). But such a painting couldn’t represent a proof. However, since human justice was corrupted, the gods decided to give justice to the protagonists. That’s how Yoon Seungho became the hand of justice. Everyone involved in the protagonists’ suffering had to pay for their crimes. 
(chapter 102) That’s the reason why Baek Na-Kyum’s martyrdom was strongly intertwined with the young master’s. Yoon Seungho only received this power through Baek Na-Kyum, the character embodying fairness, sincerity, hard work, home and equity. This was particularly perceptible in this scene: 
(chapter 27) The lord couldn’t kill anyone randomly. 
(chapter 102) However, I consider it as a first step to the lord’s emancipation and life lesson. The latter is indirectly learning not to pay attention to status and power. That’s why the author portrayed him as blind and deaf to their plea and special status. While his behavior in the shrine was rather impulsive and influenced by deeply rooted fears, we should consider lord Song’s execution as a true act of justice. 
(chapter 123) 
(chapter 123) The latter had confessed all his crimes: the ones from the past (the lies in order to fool the father) 
(chapter 123) and the painter’s murder. Funny is that lord Song didn’t feel threatened by the young master at all despite the sword. 
(chapter 123) Why? It is because he feels, he is the one with the upper hand. First, he has the petition, hence he is already projecting himself in the future (he can get a high position again). Secondly, he thinks, Yoon Seungho is outnumbered. He is surrounded by 4 guards. But more importantly, he views himself superior to the main character due to his age. He is an elder. That’s the reason why he calls “my dear boy”. This implies that he is underestimating the main figure. The latter would never dare to raise his hand against a senior!! However, true justice is also blind to age. 
(chapter 123) His smile at the end of the episode should be perceived as a reflection from Min’s vanishing. 
(chapter 103) One might even add that the lord’s action could have been seen as self-defense. However, don’t forget that we are here in Joseon, where a commoner’s life means nothing. Because of this new association, I came to the following deduction: lord Song was the one behind lord Shin’s death. 
(chapter 103) The latter couldn’t imagine that an elderly yanbang, an official, would raise the sword against another noble. After this new realization, it dawned on me why Yoon Seungho had to get separated from his loved one. 
(chapter 126) This humiliation made Yoon Seungho realize that he needed to have his power on his own. He learned through the hard way that he was not just a Yoon, but Seungho. Yes, this helped him to differentiate himself from his father and to become stronger mentally. His religion was now his lover, Baek Na-Kyum, whom he needed to protect. But he could only do it, if he had himself a powerful position. But he needed to witness the corruption of the authorities to realize that in Joseon, there exists no justice. 
(chapter 6): neglect and indifference towards the commoners. And this new observation brings me to my other topic, Jung In-Hun.
(chapter 129), therefore he couldn’t select one position contrary to the main lead. This means that when he celebrated his “victory” in episode 111, it was not official. He had no post. I would even add, his name had not been announced on the official board, like we could witness it in this scene. 
(chapter 121) Here, he is informed that he didn’t pass the exam, for his name was not written there. We can detect this, because people are congratulating each other. His name was left out due to the intervention from lord Song. This means that when Yoon Seungho made him this offer 
(chapter 7), these were not empty words. He did help the learned sir to pass the civil service exam. But the scholar didn’t succeed like anticipated. The absence of his success explicates why Jung In-Hun received such an offer from lord Song later. 
(chapter 117) He had no post, he couldn’t choose it, for he was not the best. Thus I deduce that the scholar had just proven his mediocrity. He was just an average man. That’s how it dawned on me that the ceremony in the street was more a simulacre! 
(chapter 44) Only one thing was real: Jung In-Hun was wearing an official uniform, that way no one would doubt his “victory”. Moreover, observe that lord Song only approached the learned sir after the parade. So he was not behind the parade. Besides, keep in mind that the main couple was informed about the parade through the tailor 
(chapter 111) and not from the official board. His reaction shows not only his displeasure, but also his ignorance. If he had known about the cortege, he would have avoided the place in the first place. Thus I suspect that the tailor had been encouraged to leak this information in front of the couple. Let’s not forget, as a tailor, he was definitely involved in the cortege. It is no coincidence that he informed Yoon Seungho about this “sudden parade”. At the same time, I come to the following deduction: someone must have paid for this spectacle, and it was not Yoon Seungho, for he had been kept in the dark until the last moment. I doubt that the learned sir had the connections and money for this. This new perception corroborates my previous interpretation: the show was sponsored by someone, and it was definitely inspired by the drawing (the hat and the green uniform). 
(chapter 111). Yet this was just a cheap trick, for the person didn’t send a sedan chair with carriers. Under this new light, I realized why Jung In-Hun ended up stigmatized as a criminal. 
(chapter 127) It was his karma, for he had deceived the painter with his lies. His success was not his own. 
(chapter 111) He realized that even after passing the exam, he needed the assistance of people, a sponsor for the spectacle, a noble with connections. Besides, when in season 1, the painter was accused of a crime (ruining the picture), the learned sir did nothing at all. He didn’t protect his student, for he desired to keep his sponsor. When the latter was sick, he neglected him as well. He wouldn’t have sent a doctor for him. Hence in season 4, the sponsor Na-Kyum decides to end his “sponsorship” for the learned sir. We could say that the former teacher is confronted with a similar situation. He ends up being abandoned and framed for a crime, which he didn’t commit. Yet, contrary to his pupil, he is not entirely blameless, for he played a huge role in the death of the nobles lord Song, lord Shin, lord Min and others. Because Baek Na-Kyum embodies hard work, justice, equity, love and honesty, I deduce that his surrogate father embodies the negative notions: laziness, corruption, partiality, hierarchy, ambition and hypocrisy. That’s why his face ended up on the official board, while the painter’s accusation just remained rumors. 
: (chapter 125) versus
(chapter 105) IMO, she had to use another mean in order to achieve her goal: the scholar. Let’s not forget that the artist had confided to her this: 
(chapter 68) He was simply waiting for the learned sir’s return. And she was present during the cortege. 
(chapter 121), he put the painter in a position which led him to take for the fall for his loved one. It was like framing an innocent. Exactly like in season 3
(chapter 99), Yoon Seungho had been forced to take the sword because of the scholar. And the trigger for the massacre 
(chapter 124) was always Jung In-Hun. And now, you comprehend why Jung In-Hun became the scapegoat for the last incident. But there’s more to it.
(chapter 121) His final lesson was to learn that he was exactly like the others: he is just a human despite his education. All humans are equal in front of death. In fact, during his confrontation with lord Song, he came to give up on his integrity. His true face came to the surface: he was just an opportunist, a lazy scholar who relied on fate and his arrogance. 
(chapter 6) This brings me to my next interpretation. Jung In-Hun learned through the hard way that there is nothing like fate (“right time”), but life is the result of decisions. However, because the scholar always regretted all his past choices, he decided to blame others for his wrong choices. That’s the reason why he ends up to take the whole crime. We should see this paper 
The author from this sijo was the poet and official Wang Bang-Yeon who is said to have lived in the time of Joseon’s sixth king Danjong (1441-1457) and his successor king Sejo (1417-1468). As the official of the state tribunal, he followed the young king Danjong into his exile and gave him poison to drink by royal command. Yes, both are symbols of power, corruption, partiality and injustice. Yet, there exists one divergence. While Wang Bang-Yeon left a poem revealing his yearning for the king, the learned sir had no deep attachment towards the artist. Hence it is no wonder why the paper “Wanted” is not connected to affection. It really reflects the emotions and thoughts of Baek Na-Kyum. Due to the last incident, the latter no longer cares for this man.
(chapter 6) He couldn’t enjoy it at all. It is no coincidence that the synonyms for ambitious person are “busy person” and “workhorse”. Yes, this mirrors the expression “laziness”. A true ambitious person is actually proactive and not really relying on sponsors and bribes. So when we see the learned sir on the horse 
(chapter 107) Though he passed the civil service exam too, he is not able to fulfil his father’s wish either. 
(chapter 118) His intention was to protect not only his brother, but also their family. It was to ensure that lord Song would get blackmailed. That’s how this investigation 
(chapter 118) It is because he knows that with the petition in his brother’s hands, lord Song represents a hindrance to his own career. The latter can only see the Yoons as a threat. Besides, he can only resent the family, if they are able to gain reputation and power, while he can not return to Hanyang and occupy a high position. As you can see, the young master’s success can only irritate lord Song. You can sense a rivalry between Seungwon and lord Song Haseon 
(chapter 116) in this scene: 
(chapter 116) The latter has already sensed that the traitor is sitting next to them, thus he raised this question. That’s why I come to the following conclusion that the young master must have realized that he also needed his brother’s assistance. First, if Yoon Seungho returns the petition to the father, the investigation about the traitor in the mansion would be no longer necessary. Secondly, Yoon Seungwon needs to create new connections in Hanyang, but he can only achieve it with his elder brother. Under this new light, you comprehend why Seungwon asked his relative to move on from the past and as such “forgive their father”
. (chapter 118) In other words, the young man embodies the notion of “fake forgiveness, fake promise, fake understanding”. He is an opportunist, exactly like the scholar. Yet, there exists a huge divergence between them. His affection for Yoon Seungho was not fake. He is feeling sympathy for his brother. But that’s it. This explains why he didn’t help his brother before. In my eyes, Seungwon represents a different notion of family: bloodline. In my eyes, he embodies traditions and Confucianism. His goal is to turn his father’s dream and life motto into a reality: glory and power for the Yoons. Besides, he must have experienced himself the downfall for the family. And this observation leads to my next interpretation. This means that Yoon Seungwon must have lied to his father by omission as well. 
(chapter 128) What about Yoon Seungwon then? Though he succeeded too, there is no mention about engagement or marriage proposals. However, it is clear that this achievement is connected with adulthood and marriage, therefore the elder Song Haseon brought up the topic sex!
What was the reason for Yoon Seungwon’s embarrassment? First, it is because his brother selected the backward place, though he had passed the exam with flying colors. Yoon Seungwon imagined that once his brother had passed the exam, he would get married and establish new connections. That way, Seungwon would be able to get married with a properous and famous family. In other words, Yoon Seungho would turn the father’s dream into a reality: the return of the Yoons’ glory and power. And Seungwon would benefit a lot from this. So in the gibang, his advices might have sounded well meant,
(chapter 126), his karma is not only to end up alone, but also not to receive any support from his brother.
(chapter 117), because his career was still insecure due to lord Song’s influence. He needed his brother’s help in the end. At the same time, Seungwon had already long internalized the values from his father: Yoons’ honor and reputation were top priorities. In other words, the younger brother stands for social norms and fake righteousness. He desires to maintain his perfect image (loyalty, filial piety),
(chapter 118), hence he left the document at the mansion. He wanted his brother to return the papers on his own so that his past action would remain undetected. Returning the paper was like an admission that he had stolen it in the first place. Yet he still barged in his brother’s house twice. 
(chapter 117) Here, he exposed the existence of the “petition” to Baek Na-Kyum for one reason. The latter should be used as a way to pressure the main lead to give up on the paper. Notice that this topic was brought up in the gibang: 
(chapter 119) However, the reality is that Seungwon is not just trying to fulfil his father’s dream, but also he has his own ambition. He wants to make a name on his own. That’s why he confessed this to his brother: 
(chapter 119) He doesn’t associate himself with the father and his sins. In his eyes, he is blameless. The reality is that he is guilty like his father, for he failed to care for Yoon Seungho. He failed to listen to him and his suffering. He didn’t try to understand him. Like mentioned above, he only sympathized with him and that’s it. Thus he condemned him for his debauchery in the gibang, but this was no longer the case.
(chapter 127) 
(chapter 127) the former only made a promise to his father and not to the brother. With his death, Yoon Seungho is no longer bound by a promise. Since the main lead had been living properly for 3 years and even passed the civil service exam, it is clear that for the brother, Yoon Seungho must have forgotten his past lover. He must have judged his brother based on appearances, just like he was behaving himself. However, this was just a subterfuge. He was waiting for the right time too. He had no change of heart, he had just been copying his brother’s behavior. 
(chapter 78) Let’s not forget that at the gibang, Yoon Seungwon never revealed his true intentions towards his brother. The latter always said that his advices were for his best interests. He should become involved in the government. But everything was for the Yoons, or better said, for Yoon Seungwon’s sake. And there exists another reason why the sibling must have been embarrassed: This marriage! 
To conclude, Yoon Seungwon embodies the opposite values of Baek Na-Kyum and Yoon Seungho: ambition, corruption, forgetfulness, hierarchy/social norms, traditions and reality versus understanding, forgiveness, simplicity, closeness, modern family and happiness. Selfishness versus Selflessness. This explicates why the main lead gave up his success for the artist. However, though it looks like an exile, the reality is that he will gain popularity and admiration among the inhabitants. Why? It is because he is no longer making distinctions between nobles and commoners, he doesn’t see this place as a punishment, but as a heaven and as such he has a better perception of humans in general. In my eyes, he is bringing progress and change in the region. Baek Na-Kyum is already teaching the kids how to draw… so it is only a matter of time, until his lover takes care of the education for these children. This means that these words will become a reality: 
(chapter 6) He will think of the futures of those children because of his lover.
(chapter 117) I am quite certain that many were outraged and disgusted by the scholar’s smooching. First of all, why did the learned sir do it? One might say that it is related to the petition which is in Yoon Seungho’s possession. 
(chapter 117) The learned sir was tasked by the mysterious noble wearing a purple hanbok to retrieve the document. I would like to call my avid readers’ attention that we never saw the man introducing himself to the former teacher. He could have definitely impersonated someone, for this trick has often been used in this story. Anyway, in exchange for this favor, Jung In-Hun got promised a high position in the government. 
(chapter 115) Thus Jung In-Hun has only one option left. He needs to utilize a spy and traitor in order to get the document. Because Jung In-Hun has known the painter since his childhood, it is not surprising that he chose to approach Baek Na-Kyum. As you can imagine, episode 117 is a new version of episode 24 
(chapter 24), where the angry learned sir asked the naive artist to spy on their benefactor and episode 35 
(chapter 35). In the latter, the scholar gave the same task to the main lead, but his attitude was totally different. He was acting like a gentle and concerned man, hence he stroke Baek Na-Kyum’s head and cheek. 
(chapter 35) He had two reasons for that. First, the painter was still recovering from his long illness. So he couldn’t act so coldy, for his selfishness and heartlessness would have become obvious. The learned sir had to justify his egoism and indifference. During his illness, he had at no moment visited him, but he had his reasons. 
(chapter 35) He hoped for the painter’s understanding. All this because he needed the low-born more than ever. He had not renounced on discovering Yoon Seungho’s weakness yet. However, in season 1, he failed to achieve his goal, because after the night spent with the main lead, Baek Na-Kyum refused to divulge any information about the meeting between the host and his brother Yoon Seungwon. 
(chapter 38) 
(chapter 117) Hence we should consider the scholar’s kiss as the kiss of Judas. The latter, known as the Betrayal of Christ, is the act with which Judas identified Jesus to the multitude with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests and elders of the people to arrest him. Thus I am expecting an arrest of the painter in the future. Since he is the love interest of Yoon Seungho, he has once again become the target of the next plot.
(Chapter 118) While he had faked his pity and empathy for the painter, when the latter was exposed to gangrape 
(chapter 118), the ending of the episode is showing him as a monster, acting like Min and his friends. 
(chapter 115) However, this is impossible. Time is the proof for the lord’s innocence. 7 days have already passed since Yoon Seungho’s violent outburst in front of the learned sir’s home. Don’t forget that it took Yoon Seungho 6 days to regain consciousness. 
(chapter 116) And the manhwaphiles saw that the painter spent the night with his lover after their conversation at the pavilion. 
(chapter 117) This means that Na-Kyum’s visit to the gibang could only take place after that night. That’s how I came to the conclusion that the meeting took place after 1 week (6 days+ 1 night). However, the swollen cheek will easily vanish within one week contrary to the stabbing. 
(chapter 117) Therefore after the release of episode 117, I had imagined that the wound from the learned sir was faked with the rouge from the noonas. Yet in episode 118, I detected the busted lip which can not be faked. The scratch is the evidence that the wound is real. Jung In-Hun knew too well that he couldn’t frame his previous sponsor for this. Hence he avoided to reply to the painter’s interrogation. 
(chapter 118) Furthermore, his cheek was perfectly fine, when he left his home. 
(Chapter 117) This must have happened on his way to the gibang or in the gibang itself! So who would do this? Yoon Chang-Hyeon? The noble with the purple hanbok? I will answer to this question further below.
(chapter 57) It is less pronounced, for Jung In-hun only met this mysterious man once contrary to the main lead. Even Baek Na-Kyum noticed the transformation, hence he got scared. 
(Chapter 118) He couldn’t recognize his former teacher. The learned sir had become like a violent beast. But why would he be so frantic and hopeless that he became violent in his gestures and words? It is because he had been threatened again. The wounded lip and cheek are the evidences that he has been coerced to convince the painter that the latter should return to his side. 
(Chapter 118) His grabbing and yelling ooze urgency. One might think that the mysterious aristocrat with the purple hanbok is behind this, for he once voiced a menace towards the villain. 
(chapter 117) However, observe that in their meeting, Jung In-Hun spoke about affection 
(Chapter 118) and this doesn’t belong to this man’s world (power, lineage, yin/yang, education). And it is the same for Yoon Chang-Hyeon. The latter embodies hatred and rejection for sodomy! 
(chapter 86) He was even willing to kill his own son, moreover he threatened Yoon Seungho to have the painter killed. 
(chapter 116) That’s how I deduced that the person behind this intervention is actually longing and hoping for love from Yoon Seungho. Thus he requested from the learned sir to take back the painter.
(chapter 94), then the kiss 
(chapter 95) The artist had kissed the main lead for two reasons. He desired to convey the sincerity of his attachment and to prove that this was real. Yoon Seungho shouldn’t imagine that this was just an illusion, as he often questioned his own senses and sanity. In the gibang, the learned sir changed the chronology: first the smooching, then the confession. Why? It is because he thought that the painter still loved him, when Baek Na-Kyum showed concern for him. 
(Chapter 118) Due to his arrogance and vanity (the negative aspects of self-love), he jumped to the conclusion that nothing had changed. The painter seemed to be still naive. 
(chapter 118) Hence his surrogate father smirked. The irony is that there exist different kind of love: friendship, family… At the beginning, the artist was still viewing Jung In-Hun as a friend. Thus he got worried about his wounds. Yet observe that he had no intention to bid farewell to the former teacher. 
(Chapter 118) He is no longer considering him as a father figure, let alone a close one. Imagine the irony! In reality, the low-born was announcing to his former role model that he was abandoning him. Yes, it is the positive reflection of the scene in the library: 
(chapter 40) Jung In-Hun’s words came back to bite him. He is the one acting like a prostitute, like a man consumed by lust! 
(chapter 118) Baek Na-Kyum, as the mirror of truth, is not only confronting the scholar with his bigotry and dishonesty, but also the mastermind behind this encounter. This explicates why the learned sir spoke about love: 
(chapter 118) This was the same for Yoon Seungho. The sexual abuser had only been obsessed with his own reflection and desires to the point that he never paid attention to his sex partner’s gaze… the loss of light in the gaze, the absence of tears … Besides, there was no agreement, everything was based on coercion and Kim knows that. That’s the reason why Jung In-Hun had tears in his eyes! It is because the main lead used to cry as well… asking for his pity and mercy. Since the scholar never cried before, I believe that the latter had asked to shed some tears in order to move the heart of the counterpart. 
(chapter 118) Baek Na-Kyum was never his young protégé, only his student. Why? It is he never protected him, he just consoled him! 
(chapter 94) However, like I had already outlined, Yoon Seungho was offered “protection” in exchange for his favors. That’s how the main lead got rewarded with the mansion and the proprieties. But now, Yoon Seungho is willing to give up on everything for Baek Na-Kyum. 
(Chapter 11) Back then, the painter had the burst lip and the glowing cheek too. 
(Chapter 11) He had protected Jung In-Hun, when the latter was suspected of ruining the painting. And how had Yoon Seungho acted in that scene? He had spoken like a powerful person, like a ruler! 
(Chapter 11) As you all know, my theory is that behind the name “lord Song” is hiding the king. But since I made a connection between episode 11 and 118, I deduce that Jung In-Hun has been put in the same position than the painter. His karma… for feigning ignorance and letting Baek Na-Kyum take the fall. He is paying for his wrongdoings all at once (11, 29, 35, 40). And what had Yoon Seungho said to his future lover? 
(Chapter 11) 
(Chapter 11) Yes, so far no one has been talking or thinking about the king as someone involved in the main lead’s suffering. Yet, I would like to outline that the gibang belongs to the state and as such to the king. Only a rich and influential person could hire the kisaengs for the day 
(chapter 118) Not even “lord Song” or lord Haseon from episode 107 couldn’t pull such a trick. 
(Chapter 107) He had announced his visit and the kisaengs had to gather next to the gate. There, the mysterious man selected only one woman. 
(Chapter 107) However, in episode 118, the kisaeng talking to Baek Na-Kyum expressed that there were different parties. Each kisaeng was participating in a different festivity (“It’s not usually this busy”). She would have mentioned it, if there was a huge party in the gibang. But there is another clue for the king’s intervention: the pipe is no longer visible in the noonas’ room 
(chapter 96: it’s on the table), just like there are now two mirrors and the number of rouge has also increased. 
(Chapter 118) Finally, this painting, Hokjado, is actually mocking the monarch. 
(chapter 105) The tiger in the painting usually represents the ruling elite, and its ridiculous expression is a satirical commentary on their behavior. He is here portrayed as a lazy man focused on smoking and pondering. 
(chapter 116) It signifies that this panel is a new version of this scene: 
(chapter 103) And what is the common denominator between these two scenes? Both protagonists rejected the help from the staff, especially from butler Kim. 
(chapter 102) He was already giving up on everything, even his own life, if he had not the artist by his side. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why killing the painter is not the first option for the pedophile. 
(chapter 118) except his promise: 
(chapter 118) It was, as if they had two different fathers. Note that despite the father’s cruel action, the young noble still calls Yoon Chang-Hyeon as “father”. To conclude, Yoon Seungwon doesn’t consider the protagonist as his brother despite his words. The younger master is the reflection of the learned sir, the one faking “love, honesty and concern” for a close one, whereas in reality these persons are more worried about their own future and comfort. 
(chapter 107), whereas the main lead had decided to protect his family despite their betrayal and abandonment. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Yoon Seungwon has no interest to expose the petition contrary to the past. 
(chapter 76) 
(chapter 118) For this winning hand, Yoon Seungho had to suffer a martyrdom. Hence it becomes comprehensible why he is envisaging to renounce on everything. 
(chapter 117) He was only happy by the painter’s side. 
(chapter 25) On the other hand, I had made this connection, even before the release of episode 118. Why? It is because through deductions, I had already come to the conclusion that this was a stolen kiss. 
(chapter 24), then he hugged him 
(chapter 29). While the first embrace took place in a deserted area (close to the port), the second hug was witnessed by many people. It was in the open, moreover the so-called “hero” had jumped off the horse during the parade which could only catch the attention from the crowd. 
(chapter 111) Between the two embraces, we shouldn’t overlook the caresses on the head and cheeks which I mentioned above. As you can imagine, the kiss of Jung In-Hun represents the climax of their intimacy. Striking is that the affectionate gestures always took place in public (street twice and the courtyard). 
(chapter 34) His kiss is displaying his hypocrisy, which the artist could only feel. Hence he didn’t reciprocate the smooching. His lips remained immobile. 
(chapter 19) Therefore I come to the conclusion that this kiss is like the embrace from episode 29: fake! It is because the learned sir needs him! This statement stands in opposition to the protagonist’s love confession. 
(chapter 117) His presence and affection represent the biggest treasure for Yoon Seungho. Baek Na-Kyum is his only source of joy and happiness. However, for the learned sir, the “need” has a different foundation. He can lose everything, if the painter doesn’t choose him. And if he were successful, he would even get power! As you can sense, for the learned sir, Baek Na-Kyum is just a tool, while for the Black Knight, he is a necessity! Without him, he has no reason to continue living. Jung In-Hun is desperate to survive, while Yoon Seungho is pushed to give up on his suicidal thoughts THANKS TO His father: 
(chapter 111) His gaze oozed not only arrogance, but also blindness. Imagine that he was smirking in front of the painter while looking at the wealthy aristocrat. It was, as though he thought that the artist wouldn’t notice his disdain and vanity. He imagined that the artist was still naive and ignorant like in season 1. This explains why the painter expressed his disapproval about the learned sir with a smile later: 
(chapter 111) 
(chapter 111), for Baek Na-Kyum is always accompanied by his soul mate (chapter 40, 45, 74-75, 91-97, 104-105) In addition, people would have recognized him due to the previous parade and noticed his interaction with the artist. Nevertheless, the villain needed privacy, as he was inciting the main lead to commit a wrongdoing: betrayal towards Yoon Seungho. So their meeting could never be mere coincidence and happen in the open. Their reunion had to be planned properly and in secrecy. Thus it signifies that it had to happen behind the dark knight’s back. I would even add that the beloved couple needed to be separated! And now, you comprehend why their meeting had to take place in the gibang! In season 3 and 4, the kisaeng house is the place where the main leads got separated from each other, though the intervention from the noonas didn’t always work like expected. 
– first separation, for Yoon Seungho had to take care of the noona Heena 
Here we witnessed his return. However, the kisaengs badmouthed Yoon Seungho 
(chapter 93) Their attempt was to create a riff between the couple.
(chapter 94), when the painter thought that they would go to the pond. 
(chapter 94) Why didn’t the artist follow his partner right away? 
(chapter 96) She intervened too late, and her brother didn’t notice her presence.
(chapter 99) Yet, we never saw the face carrying the light 
(chapter 97) But it can not be the officers, for they were carrying torches. 
(chapter 19) We have two possibilities left: the kisaeng Heena or the butler. 
(chapter 98) This confrontation didn’t occur in episode 93, for the kisaeng’s back was illuminated by the candle light, whereas the room was darker in episode 93. 
(chapter 93) The light was standing further away from her in this picture. Hence I deduce that the lord must have revisited the kisaeng during that night. Because she was not holding the candle light, I can only deduce that the person witnessing this second conversation was butler Kim! Besides, we have another allusion to him through the reflection of episode 19 and the first Wedding night. Then later, Heena tried to convince her brother to leave Yoon Seungho’s side 
(chapter 97) by blaming him for Jung In-Hun’s murder, but her intervention failed. In reality, the separation could only take place thanks to the intervention of Yoon Seungho’s staff. In episode 97, the servants were definitely manipulating the painter with this corpse 
(chapter 97), whereas in episode 98, the maids had to play their role as well: badmouthing their master 
(chapter 98). He was a cruel and violent lord!
(chapter 105: Heena was strong enough to follow her brother to the door, and this quite quickly, for she witnessed their argument), the other cast doubts in Baek Na-Kyum 
(chapter 109) and finally the third one lied to her donsaeng. 
(chapter 105) Yoon Seungho had mentioned that he would return to the kisaeng house in order to fetch his lover. 
(chapter 105) Yoon Seungho was just thinking of a momentary separation, whereas the kisaeng implied that his departure was definitive. This shows that they had hidden the main lead’s true intention from the painter. This was no coincidence in my eyes. 
(chapter 118) However, I believe that Jung In-Hun was lying, for his visit could be leaked to the owner of the mansion. He has no idea that no one is siding with the main lead. But by saying this, he was covering up for the gibang, and as such Heena. She was definitely her source of information. 
(chapter 68) Why? It is because she has always loved the learned sir and projected her own thoughts and emotions onto the artist. In my eyes, this encounter is to prove the kisaeng wrong, to confront her with reality and her prejudices. What caught my attention is that each time, the painter couldn’t meet Heena, her absence was justified that she was serving a nobleman outside. 
(chapter 93) 
(chapter 118) Notice that the painter is already thinking that she was not expecting him. Yet, it is clear that he would come to the kisaeng house, for Yoon Seungho had been invited by his brother. The invitation had already been proceeded the day before: 
(chapter 117) So if something were to happen, Heena could feign ignorance and as such innocence. After their last argument, the noble has learnt that he shouldn’t keep his distance from the artist and he should confide to him, hence he talked about elopment at the pavilion. 
(chapter 25) 
(chapter 77) in a previous analysis. However, I will only focus on the comparison between episode 19 and 118, for both represent a first kiss!
(chapter 118) And remember that in episode 19, the painter had caught the main lead by surprise, when he entered the room. 
(chapter 25) Thus I am deducing that this scene 
(chapter 96), this means that he has finally accepted his homosexuality. Consequently, the sexual abuser could have the impression that he just needs to remove the painter from the main lead’s side and that’s it. He can replace the artist… impersonation once again! 
(chapter 96) These notions are all reflected in the confrontation between Baek Na-Kyum and Jung In-Hun: 
(chapter 105) Hence I came to the conclusion that the stolen kiss from Jung In-Hun represents a farewell, though the learned sir has no idea of this signification. Thus I thought of Judas’ kiss. The learned sir failed to achieve his goal exactly like in season 1. Even back then, he was distressed and under pressure, for he had recognized that he needed to pass the civil service examination first. 
(chapter 115) In my opinion, he will be framed for the incident in the shaman’s house. 
(chapter 115) Hence I have the impression that this stolen kiss will have huge repercussions not only for the learned sir, but also for Heena. 
(chapter 118) Observe that the painter wanted to ignore the words from the fake teacher. So he could have a change of heart and report the incident to the authorities. He doesn’t know that his lover killed Black Heart and his friends. The learned sir was admitting that his nightmare had truly happened. 
(chapter 83) 
(chapter 88) From my point of view, the schemers are projecting their own thoughts and emotions on Yoon Seungho. Moreover I am quite certain that they have already calculated the possibility of a rejection. The painter’s so-called wrongdoings from season 1 (chapter 11: the ruined painting, chapter 29: desertion) and season 2 (chapter 61: the desertion) were all perceived as rejections. If he is caught with Jung In-Hun alone, they anticipate that Yoon Seungho will react like his father. He won’t be able to discern the truth. Baek Na-Kyum is not faithful and is now tainted. Or even worse… Yoon Seungho might commit a crime. This thought seems to contradict my previous statement: Jung In-Hun is acting on the pedophile’s order. Nonetheless, my theory is that there exist two conspiracies:
(chapter 115) 
(chapter 115: flower pattern and no sleeve, the beard covers the jaw ) 
(chapter 117: no pattern, the lips are covered by the moustasch, straight) 
(chapter 117) There are simply too many divergences to say that it is a mistake from the author. This would actually mean that she is quite sloppy. Furthermore, I decided to rely on my eyes and not a belief: there is only one lord Song. Thus you comprehend why I never called the man talking to Jung In-Hun lord Song. So if my theory is true, this would signify that these men represent the previous gang “dogs of Joseon”, the older version of this: 
(chapter 101) And No-Name was treated exactly like Lee Jihwa, but he got framed and sentenced. Finally, I would like to point out that there were 3 black men involved in the first fake sexual education: 
(chapter 86) A coincidence? I don’t believe this. Besides, I discovered a relevant detail about petition and government. 
(chapter 107) Far away from the protagonist, he had to rely on his helping hands and his advisors. He trusted their words. Finally, we have the vision from Lee Jihwa: 
(chapter 101) That’s the moment when the truth will come to light. Someone will get angry, because he got confronted with the painful reality: he was a man consumed by lust, he was selfish, cruel, abusive, ignorant, coward, and even naive. He was never destined to be the protagonist’s life companion. 
, I detected a strong connection between chapter 10 and 117. The common denominator was the pavilion. The learned sir brought the artist under the pretense for a walk in order to seek seclusion and privacy. While he faked his worries 
(chapter 10), he wanted the painter to stop working for Yoon Seungho. He desired him to leave the propriety, for he saw Baek Na-Kyum as a rival. Unlike the painter, the scholar had not been invited to join the party the night before. Hence he had to portray Yoon Seungho in such a bad light! 
(chapter 10) Back then, the vain and stupid man thought that the main lead had truly liked his poem. Thus he imagined that he could get the attention from the protagonist, once he got rid of his competitor.
(chapter 10) This is not surprising that the author employed a panel from that chapter. 
(chapter 118) Back then, the artist had not detected the manipulation. Hence he had protected his former teacher, when the latter got accused of ruining the painting. This confession from the scholar 
(chapter 10) stands in opposition to Yoon Seungho’s. The latter has no expectation from the artist. 
(chapter 117) The latter is the one deciding about the lord’s fate. But why did he go to the pavilion with the painter? For privacy and intimacy! They needed to discuss the matter about the brother and the petition, a dangerous matter. 
(chapter 117) Here, the painter was acting as the main lead’s right-hand and advisor. He is taking over the butler’s function. He was full of concern for his loved one asking him to postpone the reunion (chapter 117) And the moment the artist voiced his fears 
(chapter 117), the noble suggested to leave everything behind. 
(chapter 117) And what would people see from far away? 2 people showing closeness and attachment, they wouldn’t expect a desertion, an abandonment!! And now you comprehend why Yoon Chang-Hyeon was sitting in the pavilion in town 
(chapter 116) It was, as if he was trying to get an alibi for his crime: he had planned to have his son killed, but it didn’t happen as expected. Thus he was forced to join his son. 
(chapter 116) This means that he was exposing his crime to people in town. Furthermore, he even confessed his hatred for his own son. He yelled this: 
(chapter 116) Yet, by stating this, he was admitting that he was violating social norms (Confucianism). That’s how I realized that the pavilion is not only the place where Yoon Seungho’s emancipation takes place, it is also the symbol for betrayal and abandonment. 
(chapter 101) Finally, a long time ago, I had developed the theory that the pavilion was the place where Yoon Seungho got abused. 
It is the same pavilion than Yoon Chang-Hyeon’s. This means that the couple will purify this place. At some point, the lord and his knight will come to admire the pond with the lotus flowers: 
(chapter 117) Byeonduck let us see a glimpse of their future.
(chapter 106) strolling through town, they jumped to the conclusion that this must be lord Song! They remembered the recollection from Lee Jihwa. 
(Chapter 83) However, since I have been examining Painter Of The Night so closely, I learned to pay attention to details. Consequently, I recognized very quickly that Yoon Seungho was not chasing one ghost, but he was running after 3 different people 
(chapter 106) impersonating „lord Song“ 
(chapter 106) If you look very attentively at the hanboks, you will realize the slight differences. First, the shade of the cloth diverges, then one cloth has a pattern, the other hanbok none. The form of the gat is also a little different, just like the color of the hair diverges. Besides, the readers should keep in their mind that in season 3, we had at least 3 bodies, though I am suspecting 4 corpses: 
(chapter 94) 
(chapter 97) and 
(chapter 106) Let’s not forget that each scene is reflected in each season! And in episode 37, we had this memory from the fake servant: 
(chapter 37) The empty street was the indication that the monarch was present in the city. And now pay attention to the situation in episode 105: 
(chapter 105) Why is the street empty, when it was not the case during the night in episode 69? 
(chapter 69) For me, the pedophile was in the kisaeng house. But let’s return our attention to episode 37. 
(chapter 106) To sum up, for me, the 4th “lord Song” was present in this scene, but the protagonist couldn’t detect his presence, for the other “shadows” were there to divert his attention.
(Chapter 106) As you can see, they used a prank to wound the artist. Their goal was to incite the painter to return to the kisaeng house. He should cut ties with the main lead, as the latter is a man with a fickle nature. Yes, episode 106 was the negative version of chapter 75. 
(chapter 75) That’s the reason why the couple was sent to the same inn. However, I don’t think that they had expected the painter’s fainting. 
(chapter 106) For me, this is a blessing in disguise.
(Chapter 106) The latter had to be informed not to send the new clothes to the kisaeng house, but to his own mansion. That’s the reason why Baek Na-Kyum asked this question to the butler. 
(chapter 106) That’s how the schemer and his accomplices knew for sure that their original plan had not worked out. And if you read my previous analyses, you are aware that I had discovered the existence of two tailors!! 
(chapter 45) and 74
(chapter 74) This tailor is wearing the scarf the same way than the artist‘s. Finally, in episode 64, the manhwalovers could see the face of the second tailor. : 
(chapter 64) In the past, I had already outlined the divergences in the body shape and the clothes, but the most visible evidence is the scarf!! Finally, I would like my avid readers to detect that the tailor from chapter 64 has been calling the main lead master Yoon, and not lord Yoon Seungho. This shows that this man is involved not only in the recent prank, but also in the main lead‘s suffering. He is not recognizing Yoon Seungho as a real lord. The usage of different hanboks is the proof that the tailor is an accomplice in the latest trick. But this also explicates why the tricksters had not planned the artist’s fainting. First, he had been able to run after his lover. 
(chapter 105) Besides, this is how Baek Na-Kyum acted, when he saw his lord looking at him: 
(chapter 106) The fake smile from Baek Na-Kyum was hiding his true condition, he was still suffering from PTSD. Nonetheless, for the tailor and the other witnesses, it looked like the artist was strong. Nonetheless, since the main lead had learned in the past to fake his smile, he could detect that his lover was far from feeling well. 
(chapter 106) But there is another reason why they had not predicted such an outcome: the doctor!! They had to ensure that the lord’s path never crosses the physician’s! That’s the reason why the manhwaphiles never saw him in episode 106. He was like a ghost. But there is more to it. 
(chapter 106) Yet, in the Spanish version, the butler informs them that it’s soon their turn. This means that they are next to the medicine store. But let’s return to our main observation. Why was the couple pushed to „eat“? For the painter had wounded his hand, the first priority would have been to ask for an immediate treatment. Since the valet mentioned that it was about time to go to the medicine story, the manhwalovers should wonder why it was time. Thanks to the Spanish version, we know that according to the valet, the doctor had been treating other people before indicating that lord Yoon could not receive special treatment.
(chapter 57) Yes in the kitchen of the physician! Then in a different image, you can the kitchen with the stool and the circle with the shamanism drawing right behind the lord’s back. 
(chapter 106) We assumed that the couple was eating in an inn, but it is true? Finally, in the shelves, the manhwalovers can see small packages hanging around, 
(chapter 106), they look exactly like the medicine Kim fetched in episode 55. 
(chapter 55) Because of these parallels, I started wondering if the couple and the readers had not been fooled in the end. They were actually sitting in the medicine store, but due to the butler’s words and episode 75, the manhwalovers had the impression that the couple was in an inn. And the Spanish version seems to confirm my suspicion. I had already outlined that the furniture and shelves in the library had been switched. So it could be the same with the doctor’s office. Besides, the form of the building reminded me a lot of the house from the physician’s. 
(chapter 106) 
(chapter 74) Once you remove the cupboard from the side, you have a patio where you can eat. Under this new light, it explains why Yoon Seungho would say this to the butler: 
(chapter 106) It is because they were already there! And this would explain why the painter went to the restroom! 
(chapter 106) This coincides to the night of the abduction executed by No-Name! 
(chapter 59) To conclude, there was another ghost in episode 106, the invisible doctor. No matter what, the couple was not supposed to see the physician. Why? It is because he would have noticed the existence of two different doctors. That’s the reason why Kim acted as a mediator! 
(chapter 106) This was not to help his master and the painter at all. Quite the opposite. He had to cover up his own wrongdoings and help the schemer. Therefore it is not surprising that the valet was confronted with the artist’s fainting! 
(chapter 106) The latter had played a mean prank on Baek Na-Kyum!! Yes, you are reading it correctly. Now, you are wondering when the valet fooled the pure painter. Observe that Kim had joined his master 
(chapter 106) He had barely moved… maybe run for 4 meters! How could he be out of breath? Besides, why would he scream like that, when the lord was standing next to him? 
(chapter 106) It is because he needed Baek Na-Kyum to hear his lover’s departure!! Because we see this panel, we assume that the valet was left in the dark, especially after witnessing such a scene. 
(chapter 106) Our brain is trying to fill the blanks. But the moment you realize that Kim didn’t run such a long distance to be out of breath, you will realize that this “abandonment” was staged. This was the reflection of chapter 85, another fake run! 
(chapter 85) 
(chapter 86) Thus the butler got punished for his acting. He has now to take care of an unconscious painter. 
(chapter 106) Besides, I have another evidence that the painter got fooled by the valet. According to my observation, there is always a reflection within the same episode. Since the lord got fooled and was incited to follow the man with the purple hanbok, the artist had to experience the same. However, while the one got scared out of abandonment issues, the other got worried because of “lord Song”‘s obsession! Besides, because neither the butler nor the physician got punished for their crimes (passivity, silence, lies and disobedience), both need to receive their “punishment”. Let’s not forget what Yoon Seungho had said to the artist back then: 
(chapter 58) Kim had usurped his authority, he had made a decision without his master’s permission. 
(chapter 24) The gate serves as the indication. 
(chapter 24) And in that episode, the artist got dragged twice. 
(chapter 24) First, it was the scholar, then the butler. However, in that scene, the butler had lied to the artist, for the noble had never requested to meet the artist in the pavilion. From my point of view, he was still hunting in the woods. As you can see, episode 24 contained all the elements of an abduction, though it was not perceptible. That’s the reason why I am suspecting that Yoon Seungho might think that his lover has been kidnapped again, especially after hearing such horrible gossips. Nonetheless, since the painter fainted, the valet will be forced to take care of Baek Na-Kyum. In addition, observe that the butler brought back the unconscious painter to the mansion, though the doctor was right next to them! This shows that Kim and the physician had not the artist‘s best interests in heart. He should have been treated right away. 
(Chapter 76) Coincidence versus trick! They wished to scare Yoon Seungho, to let him think that „lord Song“ knew about his crime and was about to denunciate him. Yes, in my eyes, the man with the purple hanbok embodies treason and was the reason why Yoon Seungho got arrested and tortured in the past!! Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the lord would get so mad at his childhood friend. 
(Chapter 59) But the moment Yoon Seungho’s mother killed herself, it became clear that her son had been unfairly arrested and tormented. So someone had to take the fall for the injustice, the real lord Song. 
the (chapter 82) Nonetheless, there is no ambiguity that in reality the one behind the denunciation was father Lee. But the purple hanbok is connected not only to the arrest and torture, but also to the sexual abuse. Thus the painter had such a memory in the gibang: 
(chapter 1) The latter is the witness of Yoon Seungho’s sexual abuse. And what did the women say in the street? 
(chapter 102), Lee Jihwa was behind the scheme… and what had Lee Jihwa done in the past? He had sent a letter in his name. 
(chapter 59) Back then, Yoon Seungho assumed that his childhood friend knew nothing… but now, he is seeing the ghost lord Song circulating in town. So he could jump to the conclusion that the Lees have been helping lord Song. Finally, the manhwaworms will certainly recall the red-haired master’s confession, he knew everything!!. 
(chapter 57)
(chapter 106) And this scene is a reflection of episode 64, where the two women were ignorant about the incident of the previous night. 
(chapter 64) Once again, this proves that the tailor is involved in the scheme. 
(chapter 106) The Spring Poem is actually reflected in this scenery: 
(chapter 92) Yet this doesn’t end here. Episode 92 
(chapter 92) is the positive reflection of episode 106: 
(chapter 106), she contradicted her statement right after. 
(chapter 106) If nobles were involved in this, why did they kill the son of lord Shin? Besides, let’s not forget that Yoon Seungho never ordered the fire in the shrine and he never killed lord Shin! This means that he is innocent. That’s the reason why I come to the conclusion that contrary to their expectation, the lord won’t decide to leave the painter behind because of the imminent misfortune! From my point of view, Yoon Seungho could ask his lover to paint a lucky charm on their house, the tiger! 
(chapter 103) Why are such rumors circulating in town and who are the witnesses? 
(chapter 103) As you can see, the schemers are no longer able to control Yoon Seungho and his lover, for both are supported by the gods. Chance stands on their side! 
(chapter 100) 
(chapter 104) Though there is a manhunt, where is he? 
(chapter 106) 
(chapter 98) To conclude, while the schemers thought that due to his crime, Yoon Seungho would lie low and cut ties with his lover, due to their meddling, they achieved the opposite. The lord will request an investigation… something he has never done before. He could even denunciate Lee Jihwa 
(chapter 67), that way he can escape punishment. This means that Black Heart’s last confession (and lie) could help the lord to protect himself and his lover. Finally, if Yoon Seungho were to mention the purple hanbok to his lover, the latter’s memory could get triggered and he could remember this night: 
(chapter 105) He desired to spare his heart. To conclude, “that awful matter” is referring to the whole prank and its consequences.
(Chapter 97) At the same time, the idiom includes the staff‘s tricks as well: the corpse in front of the gate and the maids‘ badmouthing 
(Chapter 104) However, he had been silenced by his lover, when the latter suggested to him to view everything as a nightmare. The lord made the mistake not to listen to the victim and witness. 
(chapter 105) With such a contrast, the manhwalovers can detect the link between ignorance and absence of memories. To conclude, in both versions, the main lead is “lying” out of ignorance. This is the positive version of “ignorance is a blessing”. Hence the noona thinks herself safe.
(Chapter 99) It was clear that her brother would meet the noble, as their meeting didn’t surprise her. She was more upset that Baek Na-Kyum was unconscious. 
(chapter 99) However, her question „What’s wrong with Na-Kyum?“ divulges her hypocrisy and acting. How could she not realize that her sibling had been beaten? 
(Chapter 99) His head was bleeding, and the black guards were carrying sticks. It was clear that his state was not caused by an illness. To conclude, the calling “lord Jihwa” is the proof of her complicity, though in front of Yoon Seungho it serves as an excuse to portray herself as a victim. 
(chapter 105) Thus I deduce that Heena thinks, the painter could not witness her acting in front of the scholar’s house, for his head was turned around and he was not moving. She feels secure concerning that night, while I am expecting the opposite. Nonetheless, her past behavior in the kisaeng house represents a source of danger for her. That’s the reason why she has to hide the “attempted murder” from her brother. The moment Heena mentions that she has been hurt, the painter won’t believe her. Why? It is because in the kisaeng house, he has not forgotten her words: 
(chapter 97) Even if she was “fooled”, the artist can only reproach her stupidity. Remember her harsh words, she had called him stupid: 
(chapter 97) She had helped Min, and she can not claim ignorance. As you can see, Yoon Seungho was encouraged to hide the “attempted murder” from Baek Na-Kyum for selfish reasons. Therefore it is no coincidence that when the lord visited Heena, he made sure that his lover wouldn‘t see Heena in bed. 
(Chapter 104) This explicates why later the lord was hugging his lover under the cover. 
(Chapter 104) Hence I conclude that Heena must have thought the same way about Yoon Seungho. „Thank god, he didn’t see or hear a thing about that awful matter“. He has no idea about her altercations with her brother in the kisaeng house. It is important, because our beloved seme has the impression that the noona has her brother’s best interests at heart, but actually he is wrong. In my opinion, the relationship between Heena and his lover serves as a mirror to his relationship with Yoon Seungwon. So far, the young noble doesn’t suspect his brother to have betrayed him. Note that he blames his father more than his younger sibling. 
(chapter 105) Yet, this incident was presented as Yoon Seungho’s memory. This panel could be used as an evidence that my theory, Heena was present next to the shaman’s shrine during the bloodbath, was wrong. Nonetheless, this image didn’t make me change my mind. Why? I paid attention to details and judged this rescue as “fake” again. The servants had a drop of sweat on their face, the symbol for deception. Secondly, the kisaeng was wet, while the staff’s clothes weren’t damp. How did they save her then? Besides, where are the foot prints? Moreover, where was the head cover? 
(chapter 99) Finally, her hands and feet were not tied. So where did the items go? Since we saw her “execution”, we are the witnesses, and as such we know the truth about that “awful matter”, but it is not the case for the lord. This image contains so many errors, hence it can not reflect reality. 
(chapter 103) Hence he could have never been outside the mansion. That’s how I realized that the author was presenting us a false memory. This means that the manhwalovers are facing an implanted memory. But how could this happen? First, false memory is quite normal and is often of no consequence. But a false memory relayed during criminal testimony might lead to the conviction of an innocent person. As the manhwalovers can detect, it represents a serious problem. 
(chapter 58), it makes him particularly vulnerable to false memories. 
(chapter 104), the lord and even the readers imagined to see medicine in the white bowl! 
(chapter 105) Besides, the author had always connected the drug with the tray. 
(chapter 23) As you can see, the readers interpreted this scene due to associations. Nonetheless, like mentioned in the previous analysis, the different color and the traces on the edge were the evidences that it was ink. 
(chapter 36) Besides, Heena was in bed indicating that she was still weak. The circumstances led people to have a different perception of “verity”!! Only through the mind’s eye, the manhwalovers can detect that this scene was staged. 
(chapter 103) The protagonist projected his own thoughts and emotions onto one servant: shock! 
(chapter 61) This was interference by excellence. Besides, emotions can affect your memories. Since the lord was so under shock after witnessing the painter’s unconsciousness, it is not surprising that he imagined to have witnessed this scene. At the same time, when he left the shrine in trance, he could have overlooked the presence of a third person… similar to Lee Jihwa next to the shed. That’s how he doesn’t recall anything from that night except his crime. He didn’t see and hear the person by his side. Where is the sword? Where did he get the hanbok from?
(chapter 102) Therefore it is not astonishing that he imagined a similar scenery. 
(chapter 1) This shows that the artist had only heard his name without seeing his face before. This explicates why the main lead’s gaze and facial expressions were similar 
(chapter 1) 
(chapter 1) 
(chapter 103) 
(chapter 104) My avid readers can certainly recall the rule I had detected: each chapter will be reflected in the next! 
(chapter 94) Furthermore, the painter is associating the learned sir to the moon and as such the night. 
(chapter 94) Thus I am now suspecting that this image 
is a false memory. But I have another reason to think that the painter’s idolization was more the result of “brainwashing” and as such “false memories”. 
(chapter 105) How can she date this incident so precisely? The moment I read her testimony, I discovered that in episode 94 the author had never shown us the painter crying! 
(chapter 94) 
(chapter 94) 
(chapter 94) It was, as if the noonas had never been informed about the painter’s suffering and tears. This shows that Heena has been hiding many things from her colleagues. But there is more to it! The manhwaphiles saw the artist’s tears in his childhood. 
(chapter 68) But here he was much older!! Under this new perspective, I realized that the following image could have been a false memory: 
(chapter 68) Heena was misremembering that night, and she was misattributing the painter’s tears. In other words, she was confusing two incidents.
(chapter 105) It is the same facial expression, though the redness around the eyes is more pronounced. This observation confirms that the noona’s memories in the kisaeng 
(chapter 105) He had run after his lover in socks. While in “Baek Na-Kyum’s foot”, I thought that this memory was true, I come now to a different signification. It was a false memory in order to hide a crime related to Heena. I would like to outline that in the kisaeng’s comment, we have the notion of “shame” and as such “guilt”. First, I thought of rape, but then it could be much simpler. The painter could have witnessed his noona having sex with the learned sir. But because he was too young, he misjudged the situation… as a virgin, she had to bleed. Because he saw blood, he imagined that the learned sir had hurt Heena. This would explain why the artist was afterwards anxious around the teacher. One might think that this is not terrible. But let’s not forget that as a kisaeng, she can not have sex like that. 
(chapter 105) 
(chapter 46) A change of heart versus “eternity”. This shows that the painter’s decision to go to the learned sir’s house was never his choice. He had simply followed Heena’s suggestion. She was definitely distorting his past. Furthermore I detected a strong connection between love and memory. 
(chapter 94) If it is a loved one, then it can only be a good memory. Therefore it is not surprising that by saying constantly saying that the painter likes the scholar, he is repressing the bad memories with the scholar (the beating in episode 34, the betrayal in chapter 29, his words in the library and his reproach about his job). So far, he only mentioned one negative incident. 
(chapter 76) So while the painter was following his lover, the latter turned around and hugged him. Afterwards, he asked him to go to his noonas, for he needed to talk to Heena. Moreover, contrary to Yoon Seungho, Baek Na-Kyum paid attention to time. He was not lost in thoughts or had lost the sense of time
(chapter 105) But the latter acted, as if his hand was not wounded. 
(chapter 105) He ignored his physical pain and heartache.
(chapter 105) This is important, because the stumbling symbolizes the intervention of the gods… We have the perfect example at the end of season 3. The lord fell on his knees in front of the scholar’s house, hence there is a hand print on the snow. 
(chapter 100) That’s how he refused to view Lee Jihwa as the murderer of his lover, Baek Na-Kyum”. YES, the falling is the real manifestation of CHANCE! How so? I would like the manhwaphiles to keep in mind that chance is the antonym of trick and scheme! The latter are connected to plan and organization. Thus I come to the conclusion that the noble will decide to go to the doctor’s office in order to treat his lover’s hand. 
(chapter 57) he was feverish so that he couldn’t pay attention to the physician. Besides, the man never remained by his side. Finally, in episode 74, the man never left the office!! 
(chapter 74) I conclude that Yoon Seungho never saw the physician for commoners! Besides, I doubt that he remembers him from his childhood. But this is not the same, when Baek Na-Kyum was ill. He met the other doctor twice. 
(chapter 33) 
(chapter 103) On the other hand, the artist assumes that the man in the office is Yoon Seungho’s doctor!! He heard his confession: 
(chapter 57) There exist two physicians in the city at least. That’s how a part of the truth will come to the surface! And who had fetched the doctor? 
(chapter 103) The staff… I would like to outline that in this panel, Kim was no longer seen next to the couple. 
(chapter 105) So where did he vanish? Probably to the mansion, for he had to warn the domestics that the artist would be returning! But if he left the couple behind, this means that he can’t witness what Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum will do next. And if they don’t go to the doctor, there is no ambiguity that the main lead will send for the doctor again. But according to me, the man disappeared. 
(chapter 103) To conclude, I am expecting that Yoon Seungho will make a huge discovery in the next episode… just like the painter did in the gibang. 
(chapter 105) Imagine that despite his rush, he was clear-minded enough to take the yellow scarf, a present that the noble had just bought him before. 😢 The item had more value than the mituri (shoes). Thus he was running in socks. His gesture displayed how much the lord means to the painter. He cherishes everything the lord does for him. At the same time, it indicates his heartache. He was so desperate and scared, for he felt that he was about to get abandoned one more time. 
(chapter 105) According to my follower @katamins, in the Korean version, this is what Baek Na-Kyum yells: 
(chapter 105) it works like a spell or a prayer. The artist is clinching onto this phrase hoping that the noble is remembering his promise. The irony is that the low-born was smiling like a fool, 
(chapter 83)
(chapter 85) This means that Baek Na-Kyum was put in the same situation than his lover who wished to keep the artist by his side, but feared to open up to him out of self-hatred and guilt. The painter could get burdened or horrified by his revelations. Hence the painter’s reaction at the end mirrors the yangban’s in the study. Both were or are pleading the partner to stay by their side,. 
(chapter 85) 
(chapter 105) Nevertheless, their behavior diverges so much. The aristocrat couldn’t raise his voice or become violent by using his hand, because he could scare the artist and as such break his previous promise. Finally, by destroying the music box, he had already witnessed that he had pushed his lover further away. 
(chapter 85) At the same time, since he had been taught that no noble should lower himself in front of commoners, it is normal that he couldn’t beg Baek Na-Kyum on his knees. To sum up, the noble had to restrain himself extremely, his face and words were the only way to show his emotions and despair. And the artist sensed it, though the lord was not weeping. The proof is that when the father appeared, the artist changed his mind. He was no longer willing to leave, in fact he chose to look for his lover. 
(chapter 87) This shows that through communication, the lord had been able to affect the painter‘s mind and heart. On the other hand, we shouldn’t underestimate the lord’s flashback and Na-Kyum’s conversation with the butler which played a huge part in the artist‘s decision to vow loyalty to Yoon Seungho despite the secret.
(chapter 105) Then I noticed that contrary to his lover, the artist asked the reasons for his decision. 
(chapter 105) Why did he change his mind? Is he responsible for this? As you can see, the painter came to voice his guilt and the remains of his deeply rooted self-hatred. 
(chapter 105) He must have committed a wrongdoing, he is responsible for the situation. He feels like a burden, for the lord had to take care of him each night. 
(chapter 104) They are no longer sharing the same bed, the lord is sitting by his side comforting him, when the young man has a nightmare. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible that the artist was working in the backyard. 
(chapter 104) He wished to help, that way he wouldn’t be seen as a spoiled child. He has to justify his presence in the mansion. Who is he exactly that he is sleeping in the lord’s bed? I am suspecting that there is a rumor circulating within the propriety, a new version of this scene: 
(chapter 38) which I will explain more in details below. Thus the artist is making sure to cause no trouble to Yoon Seungho and the staff, especially the maids. Hence he folds the cover and clean the bedroom. 
(chapter 104) Then he washes clothes. He makes sure that he is no burden to anyone. Yet, my impression is that the staff is taking advantage of the artist’s goodness. That’s how they fuel his guilt and shame. 
(chapter 104) This intention was again verbalized in the gibang. 
(chapter 104) He was told not to question what he had heard… he should simply consider everything like a nightmare. However, this method is actually wrong. 
(chapter 07) 
(chapter 104) Not only he knows about the lord’s traumatic past, but it is the same for the painter. In addition, we have another explanation for Yoon Seungho’s insomnia and dissociative state. 
(chapter 104) Naturally, Kim, because he is now the only one in the mansion who knows his past. Besides, why do you think that the lord’s past is coming to the surface as a nightmare? It is because he was incited to repress everything. But since the painter is going through the same experiences, this is not surprising that the noble’s memory is triggered and the past emerges again.
(chapter 27) Put yourself in the young man’s shoes. You suddenly witness how the whole family is moving houses and leaving you behind! This must have been terrible for Yoon Seungho. One might argue that Kim stayed by his side, so he was not alone. But it is false for 2 reasons. The white bearded servant had been working in the mansion
(chapter 27), when the other domestics left the propriety. This was his memory. Besides, like the servant confessed to Jung In-Hun, a huge part of the staff got replaced. This means that the lord was suddenly surrounded by people he didn’t know. Because my theory is that the young man was treated as a male kisaeng, this signifies that the new staff could never view the main lead as a noble. Besides, despite the betrayal, the elder master and Yoon Seungwon were his real family. Finally, Yoon Seungho had no saying in this, and I can imagine that the reason for this decision was not explained immediately. This must have been a huge blow for him as well. He must have felt lost and homeless. The result was that from that moment on, he became more dependent on the butler. And we have to question ourselves what the butler did with this huge responsibility, when the elder master moved to the second house.
Since this phrase appears in connection with the staff (maids and servants) in the courtyard, I come to the conclusion that the authors of this gossip are in the domain. “Fellows” indicate that they are speaking among themselves. But I have two more clues proving that the traitors are the domestics. First, observe how they call the protagonist: Young Master Yoon. 
So far, people in town only calls the protagonist lord Yoon 
(chapter 45) 
(chapter 45) or lord Yoon Seungho 
(chapter 39) or my lord. 
(chapter 76) Only the staff addresses him as “young master”. 
(chapter 103), and this since season 3. This coincides with the meddling of the Yoons. The servants treat him, as if he was not an adult, no real lord. But they are wrong, because he is wearing the topknot with the gat. Hence he is a lord. Finally, only people close to the couple could know about the painter’s tragedy. 
, because in the village and town, there exists another gossip: 
(chapter 104) Thus I conclude that the gossip from the trailer is spread among the staff on purpose. They wished Baek Na-Kyum to hear it so that he will feel responsible, especially after hearing this. 
He is responsible for the lord’s lunacy. Under this new perspective, it explains why the painter is leaving the bed and working. He wishes to prove the words wrong. On the other hand, I think that Yoon Seungho also heard a grapevine in the domain, but a different one: 
(trailer). “He has many enemies”. How did I come to this idea? It is because he is addressed as Yoon Seungho! By underlining the painter as his weakness, the author of this rumor wishes to separate the couple. If he were to place the painter elsewhere, not only the latter would no longer be targeted, but also the lord would have no longer any weakness. Since there is always a reflection within the same chapter, I conclude that a second grapevine was spread in episode 104. This happened, while the lord was away. Thus the painter smiled like a “fool”, when he saw the lord: 
(chapter 104) As you can imagine, for me the maids were the perpetrators, a new version of episode 79
(here, the woman implied that the artist was responsible for Yoon Seungho’s insomnia, thus the painter has a drop of sweat on his face, a sign for shame) and chapter 98 
(chapter 103) Finally, the staff has every reason to get rid of the artist, for he is the witness of their wrongdoings. They definitely played a major role in the “prank”. They didn’t learn their lesson.
(chapter 29) This time, the one smiling like a fool 
(chapter 29) was Jung In-Hun who acted, as if he knew nothing and had seen nothing. 
(chapter 29) However, I have already pointed out that he was present, when the rape took place, for he knew where Yoon Seungho would meet the artist: the pavilion. And what have all these episodes in common? The first thought would be to say: abandonment and betrayal. The painter in front of the gibang felt “betrayed” and abandoned, but what shocked the lord so much was when the artist started blaming himself: 
(chapter 105) “I had known, I would have never confessed” Nonetheless, he never finished his phrase, for in reality, he had no regret!! He was sure that he had made the right decision. It is because he had pondered a long time about this. He had observed his lover. That’s the reason why he mentioned their mutual love confession and as such their promise to stay together. And this brings me to the next observation. All these scenes have another common denominator: BAD DECISIONS!! The lord had made the wrong decision to entrust the painter to the kisaengs. Thus he came to regret this. He had made his lover cry, and even wounded him, though he desired to do the opposite. Therefore it is not surprising that he apologized to his lover. 
(chapter 105) This shows that the painter is showing him what true love and loyalty are. Moreover, he is teaching to make good decisions.
(chapter 246), I realized why Yoon Seungho suffered so much. Self-made decision implies a conscious choice. It is made deliberately and thoughtfully, considers and includes all relevant factors, is consistent with the individual’s philosophy and values. As you can see, it implies knowledge. This definition exposes that making a choice for the sake of another person without his consent or knowledge can never be a good decision. One might argue about this, because children are too young to make decisions. In Doctor Frost, this man 
(Doctor Frost 246) decided to support a terror attack, and justified this by saying that this was for his daughter’s sake. But like the counterpart pointed out, he questioned his decision. Was it truly his choice, or was he simply following the leader’s suggestion? As you can see, the daughter was used as an excuse, it was never for her sake. This shows that children are the exception, besides they are often raised by two parents. Thus they are making deliberations together. But like the author revealed in Twitter, Yoon Seungho’s mother hated her husband so much that she neglected her eldest son. The patriarch made decisions on his own, but observe that it was always for the Yoons’ sake. This means that the father never took his son’s well-being into consideration, he never asked him about his opinion. He imposed his will, but he listened to others, like we could see in different occasions. 
(chapter 57) He fed his son with the drug prescribed by the physician, though the latter stated that he had no idea about the illness. Then he listened to father Lee’s complains and reproaches. He never questioned the intentions behind his actions and words. 
(chapter 82) Here, the red-haired bearded man was encouraging the elder master Yoon to return to the mansion and claim his rights. Finally, the young master admitted this to the messenger: 
(chapter 80) If someone stroke his ego, he would follow their advice and never doubt their words. 
(chapter 77) Since it backfired, then the protagonist was responsible for everything. And this is what Kim has always been preaching in season 1, 2 and 3: it was the best for Yoon Seungho, or Baek Na-Kyum etc. Nonetheless, since he let others make the decision, he was able to escape “responsibility”, thus the elder master Yoon was blamed for everything. 
(chapter 86) 
(chapter 104) But he simply employed reverse psychology. 
(Chapter 85) Yoon Seungho was coerced to open up. If he did not, he wouldn’t be forgiven. Naturally, the painter meant it well, yet the main lead was pressured to reveal his „bad action“. The main lead feared his negative judgement and rejection. We could say that the artist had made this request for the lord’s sake, however this was not a conscious and long deliberated decision. And now, you comprehend why the main leads suffered both so much!! Yoon Seungho’s mother neglected her eldest son, but she kept her distance from her husband. They never talked to each other, and as such never made decisions together. And it was the same for the painter. The kisaeng Heena was the one who made the decision without the noonas’ consent and her brother‘s opinion. 
(chapter46) Even in season 4, she has not changed her mind-set entirely. 
(chapter 105) She is still viewing the painter’s decision as a bad choice. But she is simply wrong, for the painter listened to her advice and after deliberations, he chose to open his heart. His confession was not made in the heat of the moment. 
(chapter 62) The lord’s vision 
(chapter 62) became a reality
(chapter 63) Because the painter has always been betrayed and abandoned himself too, such words could only move the artist. There was someone willing to be by his side and to give him a home. Therefore it is no coincidence that the artist brought up these words from that night. 
(chapter 105) This signifies that the noble will decide not to follow the noona’s advice: 
(chapter 105) But by learning about the learned sir’s past, the protagonist will realize that he only knew a side about Jung In-Hun. 
(chapter 105) with the noona’s statement, the painter looks happy with Yoon Seungho despite the tears, it looks like the noona is slowly coming to terms with her brother’s relationship. But I have to admit that I believe that her “decision” is just short-lived. First, in season 2, the noona had accepted to let her brother stay at the Yoons’ 
(chapter 69) But then she had changed her mind after hearing the menace from the servant. However, I have three other reasons to expect a change of heart from the head-kisaeng. First, Heena is the younger reflection of the butler. The manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget that the valet had almost come to terms with the painter’s presence
(chapter 65), but the ruckus caused by the kisaeng had provoked a change of heart in the valet. Then, the lord had made the following condition to the kisaeng: 
(chapter 105) The lord is keeping his lover by his side, as long as nothing happens to him. So if he gets into trouble… she could achieve her goal, the painter is returned to her. But the most important clue is for me the bowl! 
(chapter 36)
(chapter 77) Besides, it never leaves traces on the edge. 
(chapter 36) The painter used white bowls while painting. On the other hand, the lord wrote a letter during that time. As you can see, in episode 36, we have the combination of painting, seduction (touching) and medicine… exactly like in episode 105. The artist tried to paint a lucky charm, a tiger, but he didn’t finish it. He got interrupted… which is very similar than in chapter 36. So the letter should represent another common denominator. 
(chapter 105) onto Yoon Seungho. Will she come to regret her action or not? One thing is sure, the painter accepted the sincere apology from his lover. How could he not forgive him after calling „Nakyumah“ and embracing him! 
(Chapter 76) By making the same decisions, it is not surprising that the same deed can never succeed. It was not a real self-made decision. They simply followed a pattern. 
(chapter 98), although he was wearing clothes similar to the learned sir’s. What caught my attention is the expression Yoon Seungho employed: “pretending”. With such an idiom, he was implying that the servant had not only violated social norms, but also he had been acting. As you can sense, these two situations have one common denominator: playing a role and the clothes served as a disguise. It was, as if both victims of a murder had been playing in a theater play. This explicates why in the fanart, the author is portraying Baek Na-Kyum and Yoon Seungho as actors who are working in a sageuk. 
And this made me think of the famous poem from Shakespeare who describes life as a stage, where a person plays different roles all along his life: an infant, a school boy, a lover, a soldier, etc., until he dies, which is symbolized by an eternal sleep. 
(chapter 98) Why? From my point of view, they were trying to scare the main lead, to remind him that he could never replace Jung In-Hun in the painter’s heart, to shake his belief. But the problem is that the schemers had missed the right timing, for the artist had already confessed his love for Yoon Seungho and this twice. Therefore the latter couldn’t doubt his lover’s words, and mistake it for an illusion. As a conclusion, the clothes were used tools to trick the couple, they had become costumes!! However, because the author is using karma as poetic justice, this signifies that the hanboks and shirts can serve as a clue to perceive the truth too. The ones who tried to deceive the protagonists with clothes and words, should be fooled by their own manipulations. 
were different from the head-maid and her colleague? 
(chapter 98) What was the painter wearing on his way to the bedchamber? White pants with his Mountbatten pink jacket. But how did he show up at the learned sir’s home? 
(chapter 98) He was dressed differently. 😮 He had changed his pants, put on his scarf and hat. But when he went to the lord’s study, he was not carrying them!! How do we explain the difference? The answer is quite simple. He had returned to his room in order to fetch his clothes. And since Baek Na-Kyum took the lord’s clothes, this signifies that he had the intention to return to the domain. The readers will certainly recall the artist’s behavior, when he had threatened the main lead to leave Yoon Seungho. He had switched his clothes, and put on his old clothes. 
(chapter 98) Thus if the lord had gone to the study, he would had realized that the painter had not deserted the propriety, for he had not taken his belongings with him. The hat and scarf were signalizing that Baek Na-Kyum considered himself as a member of the Yoons‘ household.
(rule 3) If only Yoon Seungho had left a word… The servants served as his messenger. Hence I am convinced that Baek Na-Kyum must have talked to the maids and told them where he was going!! He copied his lover, yet contrary to him, he must have given a precise information. (Rule 5) This means that he had informed the staff about his departure!! Moreover, in chapter 98, the maids acted, as if they had not detected the painter’s presence while badmouthing Yoon Seungho. 
(chapter 98) Hence they were portrayed without eyes and with a drop of sweat on their face, a sign for deception. So the negative reflection would be that Baek Na-Kyum had informed the maids, and he had gone to the kitchen for that reason. From my point of view, when he met them, he was already wearing his hat and scarf. To sum up, the artist had never left the maids in the dark. And the clothes are the evidence of the staff’s lie. 
(chapter 100) And now observe that after Lee Jihwa’s departure, the artist’s clothes except the white shirt vanished too. 
(chapter 102) Where did they go? The readers saw Black Heart leaving the building, but we should question this: WHY? He never went there to fetch lord Shin, since he abandoned him outside. We all imagined that he left the room empty-handed. But it is true? Now, I don‘t think so. He had to get rid of the clothes in order to mislead the main lead!! A new version of chapter 61 
and
(chapter 101) Because the readers could detect the presence of a shadow in episode 102 
, I am now envisioning that Min was not alone outside during that night. In fact, someone had misled Black Heart telling him that lord Jihwa had ran away. However, the unconscious lord Shin should have made him think that Lee Jihwa had fought back… Hence he had not fled, rather betrayed them. Moreover, he was not looking at the direction of the entrance and gate. In fact, he was turning his gaze in the direction to the shrine. 
(chapter 98) They were waiting for his return to fake their anger and search. And now, you comprehend why the servants mentioned the kisaeng in front of Yoon Seungho. It was to stop him from going to the study… to divert his attention. Under this new approach, the artist’s last words get a new meaning. 
(chapter 102) Since he had informed Yoon Seungho through the maids about his whereabouts, Baek Na-Kyum was expecting that he would come to his side. I would like the manhwalovers to keep in their mind that the artist was not conscious, when he moved to the shaman’s house. So in his mind, he was not far away from the learned sir’s house. Finally, since he had informed the maids, he could anticipate that the lord wouldn’t get mad at him, and wouldn‘t imagine that he had abandoned him 
(chapter 101) He trusted his lover’s heart in the end. That’s the reason why Black Heart’s superficial promise had no effect on Baek Na-Kyum. The latter truly believed that Yoon Seungho had been informed. But how could they play such a trick on the couple?
This is an indication of their involvement, though we need to discern the head-maid from the women in chapter 98. That’s the reason why the moment the maid appears, observe her clothes and try to discern her identity. Is this the head-maid or one maid from season 3? The preview displayed the arrival of the doctor. 
(chapter 103) 
The form of the beard is also similar. But now, I have another evidence that this doctor from season 4 is not the physician from season 2!!! 
(chapter 63) The shoes are also different! That’s the reason why in the trailer, the beholders are seeing the physician’s shoes!! 
He doesn’t possess mituri like the other. Moreover, he is wearing a hanbok under his apron 
, while the other is dressed more like a commoner, a shirt with pants. And note that in chapter 33, we had the following combination: Min’s party, the visit of the doctor, Baek Na-Kyum’s illness, the maids and Yoon Seungho who “ran away” after his mistake. (rule 1 and 4) 
(chapter 33) And what had Kim done during his examination? He had not only threatened the physician 
(chapter 33), afterwards he had even badmouthed him, for he had not given the correct diagnosis. 
(chapter 33) However, here the butler had simply lied to hide his own wrongdoings: his passivity and silence. And note the doctor’s words addressed to the “beholder”: 
(chapter 57) The latter was introduced to Yoon Chang-Hyeon through the butler. The protagonist must have had a doctor in the past. Can you imagine a life without a doctor for 13 years? And this assumption was proven correct after the release. But let’s return our attention to the physician from season 4. 
(chapter 33) (rule 1-2-3) But why would he do such a thing? Simply, because he had been helping Min. He needed the protection of a powerful lord, since Kim had abused his position by threatening him. After seeing the new pictures from chapter 103, I had this sudden revelation. What did Min do after getting beaten by Yoon Seungho? 
(chapter 54) He certainly didn’t let his wounds untreated. Thus the next morning his face 
(chapter 56) looked much better. He had no swelling and the redness was already vanishing. From my point of view, he asked for the doctor’s assistance and that’s how the both came to an understanding. But since Min is now dead, the physician could get into trouble, for he helped the lord and now he is dead. But why am I so sure that the physician is about to run away? Look at all these images: 
(chapter 44) 
(chapter 44) 
(chapter 45) 
(chapter 100) 
They are all carrying the white bag on their back… and they are about to depart! Kim wished to leave the propriety with his master under the pretense that he was bringing misfortune to the painter. All this proves that the doctor is far from being innocent. Hence he wishes to run away. However, if he does this, this means that he exits the “play”. So he could die. Moreover, how did he know that the lord would return to the mansion with the wounded painter? I can not answer to this question with certainty. However, I would like to point out that since Min talked to someone in the shadow, it is very likely that this person had long planned Black Heart and his friend’s demise. Nonetheless, the schemers had not foreseen two three elements: 
(chapter 61) [For more read the essay “No matter what… Baek Na-Kyum must vanish”]
(chapter 59) Lord Jang had disguised himself as Black Heart’s friend, the hanboks looked very similar. 
(chapter 99) 
(chapter 59) The schemers mistook him for the noble with the mole.
(chapter 61), for the colors grey-white off are only seen at the Lee’s. 
(chapter 9) 
(chapter 18, Lee Jihwa’s spy) 
(chapter 41) 
(chapter 50) 
(chapter 100) And now compare these servants to the staff from chapter 97: 
(chapter 33) Yet, the painter survived, hence the doctor has every reason to run away. His complicity could come to light… on the other hand, the moment he leaves Yoon Seungho’s side, he is no longer protected. The reason is simple. He owns a part of the truth, and what the schemers are attempting to do is the exact opposite: burying the truth so that their act is not discovered. And now who participated in this huge “drama”? The list of the suspects is quite long… Father Lee 
(chapter 82), lord Yoon Chang-Hyeon
(chapter 86), the other physician 
(chapter 74), “lord Song” 
(chapter 83), the “fake servant” alias the king (for me) 
of season 4 for this essay, though my focus is the past, and more precisely Yoon Seungho’s suffering. It is because the darkness surrounding the protagonist not only refers to his tragic youth, but also it reflects the situation of the manhwalovers. The latter are still in the dark concerning his torment. His terrible secrets have not been totally unveiled. So far, the author allowed the readers to see glimpses of his past, like f. ex. the gangrape or the suicide of his mother. But these were just small pieces of the puzzle, thus it is still impossible to have a complete picture of his martyrdom. There are many reasons for this. The main victim never testified about his suffering, he refused to open up to Baek Na-Kyum. 
(chapter 84) Then many witnesses vanished 
(chapter 86) or the ones alive preferred telling lies in order to hide their own wrongdoings or are simply in denial about their own culpability. Finally, the victim, the perpetrators and accomplices had no idea about the whole truth. They only know or knew certain facts, because many of them were deceived as well. What exactly happened to Yoon Seungho? How could this take place, though he belonged to one of the most powerful noble families? Now, you are probably expecting that I will give you answers to all these questions, and recreate the past. But I have to admit that it is not possible, for I don’t know the whole chronology. Consequently, I added “shadowy” in the title. To conclude, my real intention is more to offer new pieces from the riddle than create a whole new “story”. The main source for this new insight is the painter’s fate which is a reflection from the noble’s past and torment. This means that Byeonduck left traces in season 1, 2 and 3! That’s how I discovered that he had been abandoned and betrayed by everyone, kidnapped, treated as a male kisaeng, robbed, abused, raped and even gangraped at least twice, tortured and finally drugged! But like mentioned above, it is difficult to give the proper order and the persons truly involved in the crimes. On the other hand, what I can guarantee is that Yoon Seungho’s nightmare is linked to conspiracies. I came to this conclusion, because if you compare all the seasons, you will detect the presence of plots. There exists at least 3 main plots in each season, though there definitely exist more. The conspiracies are all connected to incidents. 
(chapter 9), so that the latter visited Lee Jihwa to arouse his jealousy. It was to push him to commit a crime so that Baek Na-Kyum would be removed from the main lead’s side. As you can see, there were 3 people involved, though the readers only saw the result. 
(chapter 12) They had the impression that the red-haired master had acted on his own. However, he had been manipulated, incited to commit a crime. But my point is not to diminish his wrongdoing, rather to expose the involvement of the schemers. Hence at the end of season 1, the author unveiled their true role and as such their identities. 
(chapter 43) However, observe that when Lee Jihwa went to the pavilion, the noble with the mole had other guests. 2 nobles left the place, as they refused to participate in a murder. 
(chapter 43) Funny is that they are now witnesses of Min’s crime. This can have repercussions in season 4. Black Heart had been the one who had suggested the assassination to Lee Jihwa. And the aristocrats were still there, when he had made this proposition. 
(chapter 19) And this is related to Kim and the gibang. Yet, the butler ruined Black Heart’s plan. To conclude, we have two main plotters in season 1, but the butler’s bad intentions were not detected, for Yoon Seungho’s bad actions were more eye-catching. People had the impression that the valet was defending the artist’s best interest. From my point of view, the number of persons involved in the plot kept increasing, as they needed more and more accomplices. The reason is that their plans didn’t work out like expected. At the end of season 3, Min involved the kisaengs in the gibang, while Kim asked the assistance of the staff, the maids 
(chapter 91) and the servants 
(chapter 8) Thus in season 2, he came to this resolution: 
(chapter 56) He had planned to rape him before having him eliminated. This shows his inner conflict. From my point of view, the painter’s death is connected to the incident in the gibang. 
(chapter 16) This doesn’t look like a crime. However, it is one! It was done on purpose, to separate the couple. Someone had intervened in order to interrupt this session, and as such someone had been spying on them. Deok-Jae only revealed his spying activity from chapter 16 in season 2: 
(chapter 53) Yet, the one opening the door had been Kim. This gesture can be considered as trespassing and invasion of privacy, the new version of this scene. 
(chapter 17) that Yoon Seungho would come to perceive the painter as a man consumed by lust. He imagined that he would caught them fooling around. As you can see, this ruckus was also a plot, though it doesn’t look like one. Why would the maids gossip in the courtyard? 
(chapter 18) From my point of view, the valet expected that the lord would fear people’s gaze and a scandal. Thus he would send away the painter to protect his “reputation”, but the opposite happened. Under this perspective, the manhwalovers can grasp why it is difficult to calculate accurately the number of plots and accomplices. Besides, some were naïve pawns, others not. And since I examined the first season more closely, it is necessary to analyze the vanishing of Jung In-Hun. His disappearance is strongly intertwined with Yoon Seungho’s secret. How so? The learned sir was determined to find the lord’s vulnerability and as such secret. 
(chapter 88) Thus many readers jumped to the conclusion that the learned sir had already switched sides and was plotting against the main lead. They had his following words in their mind: 
(chapter 29) Thus many concluded that he had participated in the prank, faking his death. On the other hand, the manhwalovers believed to have seen Heena’s death! 
(chapter 37) Since Baek Na-Kyum was wearing a hanbok, Yoon Seung-Won thought that the person hidden under the hanbok was no commoner! Thus he called him a fellow. However, this motive is quite thin! Yet, two new details caught my attention. His visit to the “fake shaman” and his request. Notice what he told the man:
(chapter 86) However, in reality, he was relying on the king’s help and intervention. And this confession to the “fake shaman” represents the learned sir’s karma. He had asked the painter to act like a spy 
on his face and interrogated Jung In-Hun. 
(chapter 29) The girl was there to create a certain closeness. He was acting like Kim, asking why! But the stupid and arrogant learned sir thought that because the man was a commoner, he was ignorant and could be manipulated like the painter! 
(chapter 29) He thought that the low-born would buy his lie here… but in my eyes, it was the opposite. He had already perceived the learned sir’s true nature. But he acted, as if he was agreeing. In other words, the scholar fell into his own trap. He envisioned that the man was “powerless”, but he overlooked his connections. The manhwalovers can see the contradiction, for he had approached the man due to his connections! .As you can see, I am more than ever convinced that the scholar has long been murdered. He was betrayed, exactly like he had planned to abandon Yoon Seungho! The pedophile must have heard from the servant about Jung’s plan, as he had confided it to the worker!! 
(chapter 37) Yoon Chang-Hyeon was portrayed as a traitor! The “fake servant” implied with his statement that there was a conspiracy, and the patriarch was involved. But in exchange to save his own skin, he had tattled on the others! He was trying to insinuate that if Jung In-Hun interacted more with the Yoons, his reputation could get tainted. He could get suspected of “treason” too, or he could get betrayed too. While the man met the learned sir during the day, the brother went to the villa in a hurry during the night. 
(chapter 36) Hence he chose a different approach: filial duty. And the brother’s observation could only corroborate the pedophile’s perception. The scholar was Yoon Seungho’s lover, but he was also a backstabber. But let’s return our attention to the “mysterious lord Song”‘s statement: Yoon Chang-Hyeon is a denunciator, not a man of honor. 
(Chapter 67) Lee Jihwa had not only been denunciated, but he had been confronted by his friend! And the traitor was right by his side. As you can see, chapter 67 was a reflection from episode 37!! These two episodes have another common denominator: the betrayer had made the following suggestion. 
(chapter 67) In exchange for his “survival”, he should help Black Heart and allow him to act on his behalf. This was the new plan. That’s how he started impersonating Lee Jihwa. That’s the reason why I come to the conclusion that in the past, the impersonation must have happened, but it took place in the beginning. Secondly, I am assuming that a traitor must have suggested to Yoon Chang-Hyeon to leave the mansion and abandon his son behind! 
(chapter 27) Someone had tattled on the Yoons in the past, but the patriarch was turned into the traitor himself which the young main lead came to believe. Thus Yoon Seungho could say this to his father: 
(chapter 82) If the lord Seungho had truly committed a crime, he should have reported it to the authorities. The stupid Yoon Chang-Hyeon never wondered why the elder Lee visited him during the night and asked for his assistance. Furthermore, the elder Lee had been allowed to enter the bedchamber and see the huge drawing which could have been perceived as a sign of treason. He was eyeing at the throne. 
(chapter 82) Note that the aristocrat mentioned “punishment” in this context. So maybe, he denunciated the patriarch so that the whole family would get punished. Father Lee was definitely played in this scene, hence I believe that someone had already anticipated his reactions. He would seek revenge. But this doesn’t end here. I had connected “rash departure” to “treason and spying”. And now, observe what Yoon Seungho said to his butler 
(chapter 50) He had sent Jung In-Hun away in order to get rid of him! However, because of the expression “I thought”, I am quite certain that this idea had been suggested to him by the valet! I would like to underline that in this episode, the valet was acting as a tattler! 
(chapter 50) But in order to hide his own crime, he portrayed it as a rumor (It may not be accurate”). This truly underlines the butler’s MO. He used information and turned it as gossips to hide his spying activities. The shadow… Simultaneously, he turned gossips into a verity!! This is no coincidence that in season 3, the same method was employed. Yoon Seungho was supposed to have murdered the scholar and Deok-Jae! My avid readers can sense the leitmotiv in all these episodes. RUMORS are turned into a reality, and as such a CRIME! Even here… 
(chapter 37)
(chapter 86) But since our beloved man started living in the bedchamber, this became a reality. That’s the other reason why Yoon Seungho was encouraged to live in debauchery and not to take the civil service examination. But this only occurred, the moment the lord returned living in the mansion and not before!! Secondly, I realized that this statement about Yoon Chang-Hyeon will become a reality for the “fake servant” himself. 
(chapter 94) This means that he acted as a traitor, tattling on his own relative. Finally, observe that once confronted with brutal reality, the father did run away. 
(chapter 87) The white bearded man’s words became a reality. However, since the fake servant, the mysterious lord Song, judges the elder master Yoon as a troublemaker and hypocrite, there is no ambiguity that the elder master Yoon will get into trouble. Since he did it in the past, he can only get suspected in the present. 
For me, the younger brother’s biggest wrongdoings are spying, tattling and badmouthing. And the best evidence for this interpretation is this situation: 
(chapter 44) He had given the ruined painting to his father, putting the blame on his brother, well aware that the latter would get angry. He was observing his father’s reaction. 
(chapter 44) Yet, there is a difference to the past. Here, he had been fooled! He truly believed that this was his brother’s doing, whereas in truth the butler had been the one who had fooled him. 
(chapter 38) And this is important, because when the letter was given to the brother, Jung In-Hun witnessed the wrongdoing from the butler!! 
(chapter 38) And now, you know why the learned sir had to die!! He had caught the valet in the act. He had betrayed Yoon Seungho, though he didn’t realize it. The learned sir tried to discover the content of the letter, and as such was prying on his sponsor’s weakness.
(chapter 38) Hence I come to the conclusion that KIM played a huge role in the learned sir’s death as well. I would even say that he was the one who pushed the others to have the scholar and the painter killed. Both knew about the butler’s tricks without realizing his significance. 
(chapter 37) Hence I deduce that as the story progressed, the role of the butler started changing. Now, I see him as a the main plotter, while all the others are now his pawns. We could say that the valet has gradually followed the pedophile’s path. However, there is no ambiguity that it was not the same in the past! 
(chapter 37) An idiom that Yoon Seungho constantly utilized: chapter 16, chapter 21
, chapter 50, chapter 71 
(chapter 71). This means that he couldn’t understand, for he has a different way of thinking. This outlines his narrow-mindedness and his tendency to plan everything. He doesn’t like surprises. 
(chapter 69) Hence I started wondering if the mysterious man with the beard was not impersonating someone, for example “lord Song” and in reality he was just a merchant. Why merchant? It is related to the shungas and the hanboks. The king can not be involved in trading directly. However, this is what Yoon Seungho told to the learned sir: 
(chapter 22) Nevertheless, the main lead could have never been involved in commerce, for he lived as a prisoner for many years. And this is what was said about the ruler: 
(chapter 76) He is not so wealthy. How come? Yoon Seungho’s fortune must have a different origin. 
(chapter 102) Min had never predicted that the young master would run to his friend and denunciate him to Yoon Seungho. However, since Black Heart had employed the assistance of servants
(chapter 95) 
(chapter 96), the officer 
(chapter 98), No-Name, the doctor with the drugs and butler Kim, this signifies that behind the name Lee Jihwa stand many people! As you can see, the name “lord Song” doesn’t refer to one person, but many… My theory is that No-Name is the true owner of the title, but that’s how he ended up losing his home and his name! That’s the reason why I believe that in this image 
(chapter 71) 
chapter 87) and 
episode 92. The schemers in the past had definitely played with illusions and tricks. Thus I am expecting that it is now the pedophile’s turn to get fooled.
(chapter 54) and 3. 
(chapter 100) The nobles made him smoke opium or drink the aphrodisiac. The purpose of such drugs is to obtain the painter’s submission and control his mind and reactions. Striking is that each time, the perpetrators were “punished”. Kim was insulted and his plan didn’t work out. 
(chapter 37) As for the young lords, they were evicted like commoners and later the others were even killed. As you can see, each time the poison was employed, there was a retaliation. 
(chapter 47) 
(chapter 47) If the painter had not eaten with the lord, the latter would have never noticed the incident. However, he believed the maids’ words. 
(chapter 47) Hence he never investigated the matter. But this prank represented a serious issue. This could have been judged as an attempt against the owner of the mansion. 
(chapter 47) And now look at this panel: 
(chapter 83) Yoon Seungho had refused to take the drug! The bowl reminded me of the one from chapter 47! Finally, the butler had tried to give his master the drug in season 3 
(chapter 77) Kim calls the drug “medicinal tea”, truly an euphemism. It is also possible that the real target of the poisoning was Yoon Seungho, but since he was protected by the gods, someone ended up taking the “drug”. Because he was wearing a purple hanbok, the investigator mistook his identity, a royal member. Hence the Yoons were suspected of treason. Don’t forget that during this party, there was a kisaeng by their side. 
(chapter 56), he came to adopt this title in order to hide his identity and actions. Byeonduck explained in her notes that Baek Na-Kyum had no idea about Min’s name. And this is the same for Yoon Seungho. The pedophile could continue hiding behind “lord Song”, as the latter was blamed for everything. The pedophile could divert attention from his own tricks. That’s the reason why he would never write any letter to Yoon Seungho under this name. This means that at the end, the main culprit, the king, will be perceived as the main responsible for Yoon Seungho’s torment, similar to Min’s situation, just before got killed. Though many other people were involved, Yoon Seungho was able to judge the joker’s actions correctly, he was the main mastermind behind the plots. This explicates why the gods made Yoon Seungho forget the old bearded men’s face. 
(chapter 44) This was a blessing in disguise. The moment the main lead faces the king, Yoon Seungho will be able perceive the truth. The king was behind his torment, and the butler had been his helping hand all along, the professional spy planted in his family. However, I don’t think that the monarch will admit his crimes and apologize for his wrongdoings. He will need a scapegoat, and this can only be the butler, the only one who knows the truth! 
The manhwalovers could barely see Yoon Seungho’s face, for he was surrounded by darkness. When I saw it, my first thought was to associate the protagonist to “Sleeping beauty”. He had the same expression than in the bedchamber, when he was sleeping totally relaxed. 
(chapter 87) He was not tormented by a nightmare, like the painter discovered it in chapter 38: 
And the darkness reminded me of the forest of thorns and as such of the curse put on the princess. The darkness, the metaphor for the forest of thorns, is the reason why the lord felt trapped and suffocating in his torment. 
(chapter 86) This contrasts to the princess’ situation, for the latter had no idea about the existence of the prison. It only appeared, when she fell asleep. Moreover, in this picture
(chapter 63), love and happiness in his nightmare. In his darkest moment, he voiced a wish, which exposed the return of hope. This corresponds to the spark of faith, the gradual return of trust in his life. On the other side, Baek Na-Kyum came to view his lover as the moon giving him light and hope during the night again. 
(chapter 94) I would like to point out that the artist has always associated this satellite to a source of joy and love, like we can detect it here. 
(chapter 94) Finally, Talia could get liberated from her curse thanks to her children. The splinter of flax got removed from her finger, the moment the babies were sucking on them. This signifies that she got revived thanks to love and life. Moreover, she woke up, the moment the source of her pain was removed. This observation leads me to the following conclusion: the noble can only be completely freed from this darkness, the moment his suffering is removed and as such revealed!! This means that Yoon Seungho will be able to voice his misery and denunciate the crimes he was exposed to. He will be able to identify the persons responsible for his suffering. He might know a name, lord Song, but he has no idea about his true identity. That’s how his burden will be erased. Like mentioned above, the noble’s physical and sexual assault will be brought up to light. That’s the reason why the new image announcing season 4 is so dark. They represent a reflection from Yoon Seungho’s past and torment. 
(chapter 38) I thought that the couple would share the bed, thus the lord could relax. He felt protected by his lover. In other words, I was already envisioning that this scene is a reflection from chapter 97/98, for the couple had not been able to sleep together. 
(chapter 97) However, the moment Lezhin published the second panel
(chapter 88) Because of the tragedies, the main figure got blamed, and as such he got cursed. He was a bird of misfortune, while in reality he was the main victim. In “Sun, Moon and Talia”, the perpetrator and the accomplices, the king and the astrologers, they all got scot-free. I am certain that it was the same in Yoon Seungho’s past. And because there are astrologers in this fairy tale, I am more than ever convinced that a shaman played a huge role in the young master’s downfall. 
(chapter 83) In Painter Of The Night, the hunts were always used to provoke a quarrel and as such a separation, but it never worked. This is important, because this shows that the couple from the Italian story had to separate. It is now time to reveal the whole quote from Milner: 
(chapter 97) Back then, the lord was scared, for he still doubted the artist’s love confession. It was too beautiful to be true! However, back then, the artist never doubted his own resolution, thus he gave comfort to his lover by giving him his hand. 
(chapter 97) 
(chapter 97) In other words, he desired that the painter would follow his requests and as such he should vow him loyalty and trust one more time. The irony is that the lord was actually the one breaking his vow, for he left his lover without saying goodbye. Thus I conclude that in this scene, 
(chapter 78) This means that the lord is smelling his partner’s hair helping him to remain strong and calm. He is now trying to memorize his lover’s odor so that he can forget this stench, a remain from the past: 
(chapter 86) This can only help him to defeat his “opponents”. Finally, in different analyses, I had already interpreted that Baek Na-Kyum was embodying memory, whereas the lord stands for truth. The image is actually a reference to recollection and as such honesty. There is no ambiguity that both men are trusting each other, but the painter is crying, for he fears for his lover’s life either. Yoon Seungho is leaving him in order to protect him in my eyes. And this leads me to the following deduction. When the lord is about to leave, Baek Na-Kyum is not left in the dark contrary to episode 97. He knows the whole truth, for the lord must have confessed to him. We could say that he is not leaving without a word 
(chapter 23) 
(chapter 24) In other words, this announces the return of Yoon Seungho’s passion for painting! And it is the same for the painter. The erotic picture should reflect their love for each other, created based on memories. At the same time, this can only push the noble to demonstrate his talents to others refuting all the negative rumors about him: he is intelligent and possessing his whole mind. Furthermore, this can help him to reminisce his tragic past, what led him to his downfall and suffering. This signifies that he will be able to confront his past and his memories. He will be able to identify the rape, and Kim already exposed the truth to Yoon Seungho, when the former suggested him to ensure the painter’s consent. This shows that Kim was well aware of the sexual abuse, but he chose to never divulge the verity. On the other hand, the pedophile thought in the past that the young master would never forget him due to his position, thus he had no problem to leave Yoon Seungho behind and make no real promise. Departure was never painful for him… hence this quote (“Promise me you’ll never forget me because if I thought you would, I’d never leave.”) will become a reality for the mysterious lord Song, but it is already too late. In fact, the gods punished him by making Yoon Seungho suffering from amnesia. He is not attached by loyalty to the pervert. 
(chapter 57) That’s the reason why I believe that when an incident occurred during that night 
(chapter 11) However, there is no ambiguity that the painter can only fear for his lover’s life. The closed eye contradicts the haunted gaze in the shaman’s house. 
(chapter 21) This gesture symbolizes the epitome of the noble’s affection and the desire to give “happiness”. Then in the bedchamber, he did it in order to console his partner. 
(chapter 82) With his kiss, he was asking for his forgiveness. This means that the kiss on the eye serves as reassurance and comfort either. Thus we had this scene in the study: 
(chapter 84) The lord had kissed his lover there, because he was voicing his attachment and desire to redeem himself and to comfort the artist. As you can see, it was a combination of all the previous significations. Yet, the lord had not grasped the “gravity” of his “wrongdoing”. Thus the kiss was associated a certain playfulness in the study. As a conclusion, this image 
(chapter 11) 
(chapter 19) He came to feel more safe during the night, until he met Yoon Seungho in season 1. From that moment on, his night life got slowly affected. That’s how he discovered that night could be associated to pain and agony too. Yet, deep down, he still felt safe by the noble’s side. As you can see, the new illustration 
Yes, when people read juicy deeds, they were already imagining that I would describe a love session like this one 
(chapter 96), because of the expression „to do the deed“: 
(chapter 87) However, the deed is not just related to intercourse, like the manhwaphiles could discover it in chapter 51. 
With „deed“, Deok-Jae was referring to murder and assassination. As you can see, deed has other meanings than sex. Thus it has for synonyms action, accomplishment and reality!! So when I selected this name for the essay, I was thinking of the relationship between action and word. And this connection came to my mind, when Byeonduck released the last picture, because the painter’s action symbolizes a conversation and as such words.
(Chapter 88) By reaching his hand, the painter was letting him know that he was no longer alone in this world. He was not only joining his side, but he was willing to try to understand the main lead. 
(Chapter 88) This gesture stands in opposition to the situation with Yoon Chang-Hyeon.
(Chapter 86) During that fateful night, the father neither talked to his son nor looked at him. He even turned his back to him, when the young master attempted to grab his father‘s hanbok. Both scenes from chapter 88 and 86 have two common denominators: an action accompanied with silence!! Yet, what distinguishes them from each other is the nature of the deed, the action. Alliance and empathy versus abandonment and estrangement! This is no coincidence that after reaching his hand, Baek Na-Kyum started confessing his thoughts and emotions to his lover: 
(Chapter 88) As you can sense, the hand gesture delivered a message, but the painter still felt the need to clarify the meaning of his hand. He was willing to remain by his side, but he was still afraid of him. He didn’t want to create a misunderstanding, like for example that he wouldn’t argue with him or that his loyalty was now unconditional or total. That way, Yoon Seungho wouldn’t come to view him as a hypocrite or as dishonest, if an argument would appear. Thus he needed words to explain his position. He would remain by his side and attempt to sympathize with him, but he still felt insecure and had doubts. In other words, his action (his hand gesture) was not truly reflecting his mind and heart. 
(Chapter 88) Later he even asked his lover not to leave his side no matter what. 
(Chapter 88) To conclude, the hand gesture in episode 88 was connected to insecurities and as such fear, yet the painter had shown no hesitation to take his hand. The anxiety was not visible.
(Chapter 30) His fingers barely grabbed his hand, so when he made the following vow, he was not entirely sincere or better said, truly determined to keep his promise. 
(Chapter 30) The words were not truly in unison with the gesture either. Therefore he once tried to leave the mansion in season 2. When he pledged loyalty, his intention was to protect his teacher. To conclude, fear has always been present, when the painter took Yoon Seungho’s hand. Even in chapter 88, but contrary to the scene in the courtyard, his hand was not shaking. 
(Chapter 82) This explicates why the artist chose to remain by his side, though the lord had broken his promise. 
(Chapter 82) On the other hand, in this scene 
(chapter 82), the lord was grabbing his lover’s hand out of fear. He was recognizing his mistake and was trying to beg for his forgiveness, though he couldn’t express it directly. Striking is that during the lord’s flashback, his hand was trembling as well, grabbing onto his partner’s body. 
(Chapter 81) It was, as if Baek Na-Kyum was his rescue buoy, helping him not to be swallowed by the darkness. Thus I came to the conclusion that the protagonists’ hand gestures are all connected to anxiety and pain. 😲 Hence I am deducing that in this scene, Baek Na-Kyum is holding his lover’s hand, 
(Chapter 98) Back then, he had been waiting for his lover‘s return and explanations. He wanted to hear him and get his reassurance and comfort. .
(Chapter 98) The latter couldn’t reassure the painter with his hand contrary to the previous night. 
(chapter 97) Striking is that in the gibang, the lord confessed his biggest fear to his future “spouse”. He feared to lose him, though one of his biggest desires had been finally fulfilled. This means that Yoon Seungho felt even more insecure and frightened than before after receiving the artist’s love confession. That’s the reason why I believe that the new picture is standing in opposition to the scene in the gibang. The lord will feel relief after his admission. As a conclusion, the image is announcing 
(Chapter 89) While the painter was sitting on his partner’s lap
(chapter 89), he was massaging the wounded fingers. It was, as if he was treating his companion’s wound. Note that after his terrible flashback, the painter had avoided to grab his hand out of fear that he might hurt Yoon Seungho even more. 
(Chapter 84) Therefore I conclude that the new panel is an allusion to treatment. While in episode 89, the painter was acting as a doctor, in the new image, the young man is working more like a counselor or psychologist. The aristocrat’s hand might not be wounded in that scene, but this is not the case for his heart and mind. So for me, this scene is connected to mental treatment. 
(Chapter 84) However, the lord had refused to open up. This is no coincidence that the author had not created such a picture during that chapter. As the manhwalovers can detect, I believe that in that scene, 
(chapter 75) And because I detected a discrepancy between words and gestures, I recognized the presence of another trick from Byeonduck.✨
(chapter 91), the latter denied this with the following statement. 
(chapter 91) But when did the painter admit that he liked embracing him? In this panel! 
(chapter 88) That’s the reason why the lord got surprised and moved. As you can see, the author never revealed this whispering to the manhwalovers! The latter had the impression that the lord’s reaction was related to the loving embrace, but it was only partially correct. 
(chapter 62), when the lord had confessed to adore him. 
(chapter 62) This explicates why Yoon Seungho was so pained in season 2. He got embraced, but there were no words. Consequently, when the painter vanished during that night, the lord could only perceive the embrace as hypocrisy and fakeness. That’s how I realized that the story is developed on the contradiction between words and actions. But not only that, there exists a strong link between silence and passivity. Thus after the abduction in season 2, Baek Na-Kyum remained more or less silent
(chapter 62), and as such he was totally passive. He never stood up and begged the lord for his leniency. He stayed there on the bed giving the impression that he was indifferent. That’s the reason why Yoon Seungho got more enraged, for he felt fooled. This means that the absence of words represent inaction… This explains why Yoon Seungho had to corner the main lead in chapter 48 
(chapter 48) to say something, as he had sensed his passivity behind his „submissive attitude“. This is no coincidence that during this night, the painter felt extreme pleasure to the point that he peed. Therefore he could voice his wish to Yoon Seungho during the love session from season 2. 
(chapter 73) That’s how the lord concluded that the painter liked riding him, while in reality such a climax had appeared for the first time, when both were facing each other! 
(chapter 49) 
(chapter 4) than season 2. He was encouraged by his future partner to speak up, yet the moment he got heartbroken, he was left speechless. And note that when the lord played his prank in the bedchamber, he never said anything to his father. 
(chapter 83) He didn’t move as well. Why? It is because he knew that talking to his father was pointless. However, Yoon Seungho had hoped that with his prank his father would finally see the truth. He had been fooled by Lee Jihwa and father Lee!! But the stupid father never realized it. As you can see, the lord had in that scene long given up to use words, he hoped that his father would see the truth with the prank. Don’t forget that deed stands for truth and reality. He thought that “actions would speak louder than words”, but he was proven wrong. This signifies that in this scene, 
(chapter 86) Yoon Seungho had acted the opposite, he had tried to speak up, but he had been muted. I am also thinking that the young master must have attempted to converse to his father 
(chapter 77) here as well, but the lord had not listened to him. Why? It is because Kim had said nothing!! 
(chapter 77) Silence was considered as an admission. This is no hazard that the butler didn’t take care of his young master. This scene symbolizes the quote “Actions speak louder than words” 
(chapter 77) The butler had betrayed the young master’s trust, for he had not intervened. He should have defended Yoon Seungho, but no in fact he had sided with the elder master Yoon once again. Not only he had not reminded Yoon Chang-Hyeon of his promise, but also he had assisted the ruthless father by giving himself the straw mat beating! 
(chapter 98) Here, he examined the robe and questioned the officer. The problem is that he was still relying on his staff and as such Kim. Therefore it is not surprising that he could still be manipulated by the schemers. Hence I am anticipating a total change in season 4. By conversing with the painter, the lord can only become more proactive to the point that he will be able to ruin the next schemes. I am even expecting a prank from the protagonists in season 4!! But this doesn’t end here. I am deducing that in the past, Yoon Seungho suffered because one tormentor would do things and say nothing, while the other would talk a lot, but act the opposite!! For me, these descriptions fit to Kim and the pedophile. I have the impression as well, that both characters came to switch their behavior. In one circle, Kim did many things, but remained mute, but later he did the exact opposite. I would like to point out that in season 3, he acted this way. He would promise loyalty to the lord, 
(chapter 77), but backstabbed him in the shadow. Besides, we shouldn’t forget that a narcissist’s words don’t match their action, because they are pathological liars. And so far, I had portrayed father Yoon (overt), Kim (covert) and even Jung In-Hun (overt) as people suffering from NPD. And I am assuming that the mysterious lord Song is not different from them, though I am suspecting that he must be a covert type. 
(chapter 77) Besides, it also snowed, when the painter got abducted twice, a sign that actually a promise had been broken. 
(chapter 76) 
(chapter 53) 
(chapter 87), while the same extremity symbolizes the opposite with the villains and antagonists: violence, silence, submission 
(chapter 83), hatred and resent 
(chapter 97) Here, Heena was hurting her brother, because she wanted him to face “reality”. What caught my attention is that we never saw the father’s hand in chapter 86! 
(chapter 86) Why? It is because it reveals his powerlessness. And this leads me to the following conclusion: the deed stands for reality and honesty, while the words symbolize emptiness, illusion and deception. And now, you comprehend why this work is composed by the dichotomies: dream, words and mouth versus reality., action and the hand. This means that in season 4, the manhwaphiles should try to analyze the thoughts and emotions of the characters behind the hand gestures. At the same time, they can also verify if my interpretation is correct. Is the zoom of the protagonists’ hand connected to fear, confession, empathy and assistance? 
, episode 19 
, chapter 33
and episode 43
, but also in episode 76 
, in chapter 96 
, in episode 100
and finally in chapter 102 
! Yet, in other occasions like in episode 33 
or 43, or 52 
, he used his right hand! Thus one might argue that Min was simply ambidextrous. However, I can prove 100% that Black Heart is left-handed!😮 The evidence is the usage of the bow. 
(chapter 22) This is how a right-handed man shoots an arrow. On the other hand, we never saw Min using the bow. The bird was already wounded by the arrows, when the scene of the second hunt took place. 
(chapter 41) However, the manhwaphiles can discover the verity thanks to one detail: the bag of arrows. 
(chapter 22) As you can see, the bag is carried on the right side, but the arrows are almost touching the left shoulder. They need to be on the other side, since the scholar needs his right hand to grab the item. And now compare the position of Min’s bag. It is inclined in the opposite direction, hence the arrows are visible on his right side! 
(chapter 41) Thus the noble is carrying the bag 
(chapter 41) differently from the painter too. 
(chapter 22) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Byeonduck never showed the Joker’s hunting skills. People would have noticed that he is left-handed immediately. She made sure to hide this important fact, thus within the same chapter Min was often portraying as using both hands. In episode 43, he employed his left hand to pour the alcohol in the glass
(chapter 43), when he gave the drink to Lee Jihwa. 
(chapter 9) Here, he was still present, but even before the end of the sex session, he had already vanished. 
(chapter 9) Finally, when the noble with the mole visited Lee Jihwa, the latter claimed that he had spent a long time at Yoon Seungho’s. 
(chapter 9), and his friend never denied it. As you can see, the characters made sure to confuse the readers with the change of the chronology. As you can see, it took me a long time before noticing the bruised face (only during season 3), then to bring up the conclusive evidence that Min was the culprit of the slap. Then in the shaman’s house, he took the dildo with his left hand, because he was angry and frustrated. 
(chapter 100) too. This shows that he could barely control himself here. And once he faced the main lead’s sword, he got so scared that he showed Jung In-Hun’s glasses with his left hand again. 
(chapter 92) The irony is that in this scene, the main lead employed his left hand too, the positive reflection from the night in the pavilion (chapter 43). While here it was to bring him back to reality, in the pavilion, the Joker had the opposite intention: to lure Lee Jihwa to believe in illusions. 
(chapter 74) They announce the future events, though the information is not given properly. On the other hand, since they are memories either, this signifies that they contain insight about the lord’s tragedy. Thus I noticed that the anonymous perpetrator used his left hand to grab his hanbok!! I deduced that the perpetrator in the past is also left-handed!! Secondly, since this vision can also be seen as the announcement of the painter’s second kidnapping, this is no coincidence that Byeonduck created such panels during the painter’s last torment. 
(chapter 99) However, in the shaman’s temple, Black Heart grabbed Baek Na-Kyum with his right hand. He was trying to manipulate the artist, he was acting. He was not showing his true self. Yet, the vision was revealing the truth: the future mastermind of the last scheme was in reality left-handed!! It didn’t matter, because at the end, the main lead was able to discern the truth. He sentenced Black Heart, for he believed that he had killed his loved one! That’s how I realized why the author would focus so much on the hands and on the distinction between unconscious and conscious! The hand in Painter Of The Night represents the crucial clue to identify the culprits!! 
In season 1, we had the hands in the illustration. The hands were revealing the crime committed against the main lead. The latter was totally passive in this picture. The hands are touching and unclothing the immobile man. It also shows that Yoon Seungho was at the center of the conspiracy, in the past and in the present! The painting in the background indicates the presence of a hidden painter. Thus Baek Na-Kyum was not drawn in the cover. The painter of the night was in truth someone else, the painter from the past! Nevertheless, the main lead was looking at the readers, indirectly at Baek Na-Kyum, the young painter of the night. This describes the arrival of Baek Na-Kyum in his life. Striking is that the painting in the background was destroyed… indicating that the portrayed relationship was no longer existent. This represents another clue that the lord’s suffering is linked to a previous relationship. Then in season 2, 
the author revealed Baek Na-Kyum as the painter, who had now become the target of the plot. Yet behind him we see Yoon Seungho’s foot. The latter symbolizes the main lead feared to get close to him, but he wouldn’t leave his side. Moreover, this corresponds to the lord’s impulsive decisions, he let his foot guide him. Thus during the first night of the failed gangrape, he walked towards the study and stopped unconsciously, when he was next to the room. 
(chapter 53) Due to his strong denial, he was strolling not realizing that his feet were under the influence of his subconscious. And it was the same, when he opened the door with his foot at the Lees’ 
(chapter 67) Nonetheless, I believe that the author had another reason to draw the foot in the cover. The foot prints are the evidence of the crime, and as such the deceptions and the culprits. 
(chapter 59) 
(chapter 60) 
(chapter 61) The shoes were the clues how to recognize the perpetrators and accomplices. That’s why I compared these feet 
(chapter 59) with those 
. (chapter 66) My avid readers are already aware of my theory. For me, we have two kidnappers, and one tried to kill the artist! To conclude, Byeonduck left the clues how to unveil the mystery from the past and the present in the illustrations of each season. The paper in the second cover 
(chapter 56), but also to the theft of the painting
(chapter 56) and the painter’s break! At the end of season 2, he was no longer painting and in the beginning, he had also stopped due to his heartbreak. Simultaneously, we have the presence of water which serves as a connection to season 1 with the ruined painting and to season 3 with the well and drowning. The dark shades were an allusion to the lord’s darkness and suffering. The latter would come to the surface. However, since the cover only showed the lord’s foot, it exposes that the lord would not divulge his traumatic past. 
(chapter 78) In season 3, this time the main leads were facing each other, they were recognizing each other: their true self! But this stands in opposition to the deceased people without identity! 
, the back 
Here, we have 3 men, and don’t forget the left hand from before. 
(chapter 99) That’s the reason why I am anticipating a cover with the gibang. It would be the perfect place to find closure for the couple. It is a place where both suffered. Moreover, I think, belongings should serve as an evidence for the identification of the schemers and accomplices. Remember that we had the glasses as the evidence of a murder in season 3, yet I am sensing that the possession should serve to identify the perpetrators from the past and the present. Since the clothes were used to confuse people in season 3, I am assuming that in season 4, they should help to recognize people, but at the same time, it is totally possible that our main leads decide to employ the same method to fool the schemers and accomplices. And now, we have the cover for season 4. Both protagonists are not only facing each other, but also touching each other. They are no longer hiding their emotions and thoughts. 
This image represents the opposite to the other seasons. At the same time, the author is again referring to the bedchamber indicating that this place is strongly connected to the protagonists’ suffering. On the other side, since the painter is wearing a silk white shirt, it implies that he is not a commoner. This panel indicates that the main lead was able to the true owner of the study and even bed. However, due to the tears, the beholder can sense that this season will be painful as well. Striking is that in the cover, they were either alone, or they were just looking at each other, hence they didn’t pay attention to their surroundings. Consequently, they couldn’t sense the presence of a plot and the schemers. This indicates that the couple is still not prepared to face new schemes. To sum up, the author selected such covers because she had planned to leave clues there about the mystery! But wait… I had outlined that the person who grabbed the young master Seungho was left-handed, and he played a huge role in the main lead’s downfall and suffering! But who is left-handed in this story? 
(chapter 12) 
(chapter 56). But then I noticed that he carried his master on the left side. 
(chapter 66) and since it is for me the butler, he was not the person from the nightmare. That’s the reason why I am excluding him from the suspect list. For me, if he was involved in the past, it is because he lit the candles 
(chapter 74). Furthermore, don’t forget that in his nightmare, the author exposed the presence of plates with 3 candles 
(chapter 74) which were also used in the shaman’s house. Finally, in this picture, we have a right-handed person. 
(chapter 74) So Kim could have been the one silencing him with his hand.
(chapter 86) On the other hand, at the doctor’s office, he employed his right-hand to keep his son by his side. 
(chapter 57). Why is there this change? The turning point was the prank in the bedchamber. 
(chapter 83), then with the left! Striking is that the author never showed, when the patriarch employed his left hand. The readers could only hear the sound, and see the result of the beating. Both cheeks were wounded. From my point of view, he was conditioned exactly like Min! He was not allowed to use his left hand, but the angrier he got, the less he could hide his true self: he was left-handed and he was a stupid and brutal father!! 
(Chapter 74) I don’t believe in hazard. Besides, the lord had his nightmare during the same chapter. This means that he could have leaked this information about Yoon Seungho to an outsider, like he did with the painter. As the manhwalovers can grasp, the physician is more suspicious than before. 
(chapter 92) Besides, observe that the angry man put the brush on the left side. 
(chapter 92) The man is left-handed! And what did Yoon Seungho do? 
(chapter 92) He grabbed him by the collar! Exactly like in the dream!! 
(chapter 44) or patio of his mansion, similar to Heena’s. And since the young main lead suffered so much, it is normal that he doesn’t have such believes. IT is also possible that the young master Seungho played a prank which made the man angry and humiliated. As you can see, I come to the conclusion that jealousy and resent were the reasons why he got involved in the first place. Moreover, we shouldn’t forget that the calligrapher is linked to the kisaengs! He even recognized Baek Na-Kyum, as he called him a peasant. 
(chapter 92) Yet, he was either perceived as servant, a noblewoman or as a sir so far! He was never recognized as a peasant. Since he could identify the artist, it is also possible that he was also able to identify Yoon Seungho. But he thought that he was not well educated after living as a male kisaeng for so long. From my point of view, the man could have decided to get revenge on Yoon Seungho and participated in his abduction and gangrape!! Thus his karma was to lose his home! 
(chapter 91) The fact that Yoon Seungho grabbed him the same way than in the nightmare is not random. It was, as if he was getting justice. Honestly, I am more and more suspecting that in the past, Yoon Seungho got raped by commoners! Naturally, I have not changed my mind that the king was behind this plot: to get revenge on the Yoons! Who benefitted the most from the crime? Definitely the king, as he was able to ruin their influence. 
(chapter 86) Let’s not forget that in season 3, clothes were used to deceive Yoon Seungho, and the authorities played along. Besides, as the painter had become the love interest of Yoon Seungho and Black Heart, it is very likely that in the past, the victim was exposed to two different abusers, but they all hid behind the name: lord Song. Note that during this feast, one man had a moustache beard which is in Painter Of The Night the sign that he is no yanbang, not even chungin, the upper-middle class. He could be a rich merchant. Just because they are all wearing hanboks 
(chapter 87), this doesn’t mean that these men belong to the aristocracy. Furthermore, Kim never said “nobles”, he just said “visitors”!! Finally, I would like to point out that since Yoon Seungho lived secluded for 10 years, I doubt that he had the means and the knowledge to be involved in the trade: 
(chapter 39) Thus I am deducing that the barn in season 2 
(chapter 51) could have belonged to the tailor or the owner of this shop. And note the couple was in the same position than with the kisaeng with No-Name in episode 51! 
(chapter 51) This was the negative reflection from episode 39: no penetration versus penetration, no interruption versus interruption, no rumor versus rumor etc. And this contrast clearly displays that the tailor shop is involved in Yoon Seungho’s suffering. And the best evidence for this is the nightmare. The main lead’s clothes had a design. 
(chapter1) Or was she simply the noona? 
(chapter 70) At some point, I came to realize that Heena had acted as the surrogate mother, but she had never clearly stated that she was the painter’s mother. In other words, his adoption was never official, which explicates why the main lead only considered her as his older sister. This is important, because her ambiguous status can not only generate problems, but also expose her betrayal towards Baek Na-Kyum. Note that in chapter 97, the noona treated Baek Na-Kyum as her “child” who wouldn’t listen to her 
(Chapter 97), while later she implied that they were both equal, for she employed the personal pronoun “us”. 
(Chapter 93) That’s the reason why the seat of the host was empty and why Yoon Seungho didn’t go there. He would have violated social norms, if he had taken her seat.. Moreover, by doing so, he would have revealed that he knew where the woman was. This could have raised questions.
(Chapter 68) was in truth a huge window. How do I know this? First, in this scene, the scholar was hiding a huge white vase with red flowers. Hence I deduced that Jung In-Hun couldn’t have walked through that “gate”, it was just a window. Therefore I assumed that he had to walk past the flowers, either turn to the right or the left. Secondly, observe that next to the lantern on the left, there is a small white panel. This means that the view from chapter 93 was more or less taken from the right corner. Moreover, in the next chapter, Heena is not facing this “window”, when she is in the same building. 
(Chapter 69) This time, the white vase with the flowers is standing in front of a wall. That’s how I deduced that Heena had to turn to the left in order to go to the hallway. 
(chapter 69) On the other hand, another element caught my notice. In this picture, 
(chapter 93) which is not present in episode 69. 
(chapter 93) Since I came to the conclusion that Heena’s private room was on the right side after the corner, I deduce that the kisaeng was not on her way to her room. Moreover, since the kisaeng was walking in the same direction than the scholar, I can only conclude that Heena was actually approaching the entrance of the building. I believe that she had turned around, but the author didn’t reveal this. One might argue that it is possible that in chapter 68, the learned sir could have gone with the painter to Heena’s bedroom. However, back then the latter was not the head-kisaeng. We know this due to the presence of a kisaeng standing right behind Yoon Chang-Hyeon during the sexual lesson. 
(chapter 70) That’s how I realized that Byeonduck had deceived the readers once again. She was playing with reflections. That’s the reason why I deduced that Heena was not talking loudly by accident in front of Black Heart. 
(chapter 69) It was done on purpose!! She wished that Min would take care of her brother. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the noona has a drop of sweat on her cheek. She is faking ignorance, she is acting, as if she was very protective of her brother. She uses illusion to manipulate people. In reality, she was acting here. One might argue that I am overthinking again. This is not possible, for Heena didn’t know Min at all. Hence she couldn’t manipulate him. The latter had heard of her for the first time in Yoon Seungho’s mansion. 
(chapter 66) But let me ask you this. How could Heena have never met Min, when she was the head-kisaeng? Secondly, just because the servant had never heard of the noona, this doesn’t mean that it was the case for Black Heart. The domestic assumed Black Heart’s ignorance, just like the readers. Moreover, recently I had detected that Heena had been standing in front of a mansion belonging to a noble. 
, (chapter 19) 
(chapter 59). Here, I would like to point out that in episode 59, Lee Jihwa had visited the kisaeng house on different occasions, for his hair was slowly growing. 
(chapter 1) 
(chapter 19) This image was showing us that Yoon Seungho was visiting the gibang. However, pay attention to the pattern of the doors in the last picture and the next: 
(chapter 19) The motive diverges, it looks like the one from the hallway with the purple veils. This means that the party was not taking place in the room shown in the former picture. What caught my notice is the presence of the white vase with the red flowers in front of the building. It was present in each scene taking place in the gibang. 
(chapter 93) For me, the red flowers symbolize Heena noona. This explicates why during the painter’s dream, the flowers were not present. 
(chapter 87), as Heena was not included in his vision. And this image 
(chapter 19) Striking is that the kisaeng had a similar hair dress than Heena, This is no coincidence. She was acting as the head-kisaeng. The manhwalovers will certainly remember that only two kisaengs had no braided bun or braids: this one 
(chapter 93) 
(chapter 93) 
(chapter 95) The extravagant hair dress was exposing the kisaeng’s status. And now, you comprehend why the other noona explained the disappearance of Heena during that night. 
(chapter 19) But how could she sense that the noble was in a good mood? The latter was silent and not even smiling. 
(chapter 19) How could she claim this? In reality she was actually spying on him. Heena had no idea why the lord would come to the gibang, especially after suffering there so much. The kisaeng’s task was to dig up information. This visitation must have bothered the head-kisaeng. 
(chapter 99) He was wearing a veiled hat, yet in chapter 69, this was not the case. 
(chapter 88) 
(chapter 99) He was implying that they knew each other for a long time! The irony is that the manhwaphiles had the impression that their relationship was recent, and his cynical tone contributed to it. Secondly, he called her Heena, a sign that they were close to each other. Note that Lee Jihwa never mentioned her name. 
(chapter 99) His words even insinuate that Black Heart had just given the following order. The red-haired master should just fetch a kisaeng and in my opinion, Heena was waiting for Lee Jihwa’s arrival to leave the gibang. According to his words, he had no idea about the kisaeng’s identity. But is it true? I have my doubts now, and this for two reasons. Why would he ask about her identity, when he already knows that she is a kisaeng? The drop of sweat on his face is an indication that he is lying. But the problem is to determine if the deception is only referring to “I heard not a word” and to all the questions. Let’s not forget that he knew about Min’s initial intention. The moment Lee Jihwa arrived in the gibang, she just followed him. That way, they would avoid to attract attention, and with her new hair dress 
(chapter 86) The latter had been eyeing the throne in the family mansion, but he failed to take over the mansion. This was the negative reflection of Heena. Whereas the kisaeng had a powerful position in the gibang, it was the opposite for the patriarch. He was no longer recognized as the head of the Yoons. Yet, both have something in common. Both lost their position for good, for Heena and Yoon Chang-Hyeon couldn’t take or keep the seat. We could say that both got defeated by Yoon Seungho. In chapter 93, the main lead acted as a respectful and calm master, whereas in the bedchamber he showed no respect to his own father. He talked back and even made fun of him. 
(chapter 93) To conclude, the surrogate mother and the patriarch made a similar experience in season 3. Both got deceived by manipulations and in both cases, letters played a huge role. 
(chapter 52) It is because Black Heart knew Heena! I even believe that he had already met the scholar. Note that the man with the black hanbok was repeating the rumors about the learned sir. And the other questioned the main lead’s action exposing that he had never heard about this grapevine before. Hence I am deducing that the one spreading this rumor could only be MIN!! That’s the reason why he just said this
(chapter 52) That means that the noble knew the teacher in the end. Therefore it is no coincidence that Min was aware where the learned sir lived!! 
(chapter 83) And now, if you connect the two scenes 
(chapter 52). Why? It is because there was an incident in the gibang!! 
(chapter 97) 
(chapter 97) her brother is detecting her deception. 
(chapter 77) However, since he had been caught by the valet, he was facing the butler’s visage. And what did he see in his facial expressions? Shock and horror!! That’s how Lee Jihwa realized the gravity of his sin and chose to blame his friend. Thus I imagine that he must have blushed again and this time out of shame and embarrassment. It is very possible that in that moment, he must have copied the valet’s facial expressions before leaving Yoon Seungho behind and lying to the butler. Why do I think so? It is because the butler had made such an expression in front of the barn, when he had been caught. 
(chapter 64) And what did the main lead say? 
(chapter 64) Since the painter seems to have forgotten it, I deduce that it was the reverse for Lee Jihwa which explains why he felt so guilty in the end. As for the butler, when he had barged in the study, he had committed a wrongdoing himself. He should have asked for the main lead’s permission, but he did not. Consequently, he decided to believe in Lee Jihwa’s deception. One hand washes the other. He was covering up the guest’s sin, while the latter was doing the same thing for the domestic, though I doubt that Lee Jihwa truly realized it. Simultaneously, Kim had the perfect justification to hide the violation of social norms. He had caught the main lead red-handed, hence no one would question his own action. As you already know, I associate the butler to Pilatus, therefore he is connected to the bucket. 
(chapter 13) However, in my eyes, this doesn’t represent the biggest confrontation with the mirror of truth. For me, it is the altercation in episode 17, for it took place in the same place than the aristocrat’s crime. When the red-haired master looked at the picture, he was suspecting that the painter had seduced his friend due to the insinuations by the staff. And his fear reached the peak, when he saw the painter’s reaction: 
(chapter 17) As you can see, in this episode, the gods were recreating the same situation: a servant had witnessed how the two men “were fooling around”
(chapter 16), though this was definitely not the case!! And this is exactly like in the past, Yoon Seungho was totally pure and innocent. And what was Lee Jihwa’s reaction? A slap! 
(chapter 17) This is what Yoon Seungho had experienced in the past. Yoon Chang-Hyeon had definitely abused him. 
(chapter 17) These words were exposing the verity about the past. Lee Jihwa was admitting in front of the painter that his friend would never act like that, and as such he had not attempted to woo him in the past. Striking is that in front of the painter, the red-haired master was misinterpreting the incident. Why? It is because he was influenced by his past experiences. Since he had lied twice, he jumped to the wrong conclusion that it was the same in the present. And back then, he had even achieved to fool Kim. Therefore he couldn’t allow himself to be fooled like the butler. That’s the reason why he couldn’t imagine that someone was innocent. 
(chapter 17) He was a liar in the past, so it must be the same for the painter. Yet, this was the negative reflection from the past. Thus his karma was to get caught by his childhood friend. Striking is that this time, he was put in his friend’s place. He was turning his back to the door. Moreover, due to his anger, he didn’t hear Yoon Seungho’s steps and the opening of the door! 
(chapter 17) But the childhood friend refused to face reality in that moment, and as such to admit his guilt and responsibility. Why? It is because he had committed another crime in the past. This is related to the bedchamber incident. 
(chapter 18) One might say that he was motivated by love, yet I think that it is related to his denial about his sexual orientation. And this coincides with his lack of honesty. He had not confessed his own sins and lies yet. Therefore 
(chapter 36) he presented himself as a pitiful creature, as he was sharing the protagonist’s suffering due to his knowledge. However, this was not empathy, just sympathy. The person only feeling sympathy will always put a distance between himself and the counterpart. There‘s a “I“ and “you“, but no „we“. The person might come to pity the other, yet he won‘t intervene and help. He will just understand and that‘s it.
(chapter 36) This panel is the evidence for this interpretation. Lee Jihwa never used the personal pronoun “we”, even during the abduction. 
(chapter 59) [For more information about sympathy read the essay “Sympathy for the devil”] Hence the gods let him meet the mirror of truth a second time: 
(chapter 43) Based on this panel, Lee Jihwa had more or less barged in the study, but his presence was detected too late! One detail caught my attention in this picture, the presence of the light reflected on the door. Hence I assume that the main lead detected the presence of a witness because of the light!! 
(chapter 43) Let’s not forget that the room was dark, when they were having sex. 
(chapter 42) He was still looking at his lover’s face, when he perceived the change of the light. Hence he turned his head in direction of the light reflected on the door. My friend Luzaly brought my attention to this detail. The couple was turning their back to the door before. 
(chapter 42) The form of the light reflected on the door doesn’t come from behind the gate 
(chapter 41) However, in the next episode, Byeonduck showed us a slight change. 
(chapter 42) The door was now close. This means that the butler had intervened at some point. This was the negative reflection from episode 20. 
(chapter 20) This time, the main lead had not requested for more privacy, for he had not detected the presence of his right-hand. And this leads me to the following conclusion. Since this is not the door 
(chapter 43) I am even suspecting that he didn’t view this scene at all, because logically, the light should be coming from the other side!! But on the other side, there is no door!! 
(chapter 49) But there is the window…. And now, you comprehend why Yoon Seungho never investigated the matter with the “door”. It had never been opened in the first place. But how could Lee Jihwa imagine such a scene? 
(chapter 42). It sounded like he was indeed seducing the main lead. As for the embrace, he couldn’t hear it, but someone had heard the longing from the painter. 
(chapter 43) The gods were punishing Lee Jihwa for his lie: his friend’s smile!! But I have more evidences for this theory. First, it is important to pay attention to Min’s words, when he manipulated Lee Jihwa. First, he portrayed the painter in a pejorative light with the idiom “indecent life”. 
(chapter 43) Moreover, the noble employed the personal pronoun “we”, which is not typical for the selfish and hypocrite villain. This means that he was repeating Kim’s words. Then he added how the couple would have sex in the barn 
(chapter 43) (“vulgar roll in the hay”), but this was not true. However, this is what had happened in the past with Lee Jihwa. The latter would have sex with his childhood friend in the storage room. This explicates why Lee Jihwa came to believe in Black Heart’s words and manipulations. With such a description, he was reminded of his own past!! Therefore it is not surprising that Lee Jihwa had such a vision. 
(chapter 21) The windows!! As you can see, the door is not the only place to spy or interrupt intimacy. Secondly, we should have reflections of the spying through the window in season 2. 
(
Chapter 49) In this episode, the light in the study had suddenly vanished, and this is what we had before: 
(Chapter 70) I had already suspected back then, that someone was listening to their conversation, and with this new discovery, Lee Jihwa hearing the love session from the window, this interpretation gets reinforced. Furthermore, in chapter 96, the main lead had explained the opening of the door with this: 
(chapter 96). This signifies that in the past, the lord had explained the sudden opening of a window and the vanishing of the candle light with the wind during the night of chapter 49.
(chapter 36) The reality is that he couldn’t cut ties with his friend. He had lied in the past, therefore he got manipulated in the present. And since he was confronted with his auditory and visual senses in season 1, he was put in a similar situation in season 2. However, there was a slight change, now the red-haired master was confronted with a real crime: murder!! 
The darkness of the room and the silence from Yoon Seungho and the painter were referring to the master’s loss of senses and his guilt. Deep down, the young master knew that the assassination was not right. And note that the aristocrat had this nightmare in his own bedroom confirming that the room is the symbol for the subconscious. Finally, in season 3, Lee Jihwa got confronted with another uncomfortable truth: his friend’s sexual abuse. Lee Jihwa had acted, as if this stolen kiss was nothing. However, due to his silence, he let his friend get raped. And he knew about this, but he chose to close an eye to this. First, Lee Jihwa refused to share his friend with the painter 
(chapter 5) Therefore it is no coincidence that in the shaman’s house, he was put in the same position than Yoon Seungho. He couldn’t select his partner
(chapter 100), he had to rape Baek Na-Kyum. This is no coincidence that the Joker was standing in front of the door. He was pushing the young man to face his repressed memories and lies. That’s the reason why exactly like in the pavilion (chapter 43), Black Heart coerced the antagonist. He used words to manipulate the second lead, but there is a huge difference. The shaman’s house was representing the young noble’s unconscious and as such his true personality, while it was not the case in the pavilion. The room in chapter 43 was more embodying the Joker’s unconscious. Why? It is because Lee Jihwa was speaking the truth in that scene. 
(chapter 43) He reproached Black Heart to have deceived him. On the other hand, the scene in the shaman’s house corroborates my interpretation that Lee Jihwa had not seen the embrace from chapter 42, for Black Heart was voicing the butler’s thoughts and emotions. 
(chapter 100) This shows that during the night of chapter 42/43, the valet had intervened. Thus Min was acting, as if he was a victim in the recent past. He had been deceived by Lee Jihwa’s lies by omission or commission. This is what had happened in the past. Besides, I realized that when the man confessed the incident in the bedchamber
(chapter 83), Min couldn’t see the whole story. He had to rely on the second lead’s words. Just because we could observe the whole scene, this doesn’t mean that this was the case for the character. It is very likely that Lee Jihwa left details out, especially as he portrayed himself as a victim. Due to the narration, Min could have been misled. He could have envisioned that the childhood friend was living in the study and had dragged his friend to the bedchamber. Hence you comprehend why I consider it as another evidence that Lee Jihwa didn’t view the love session in the study from chapter 42 with his own eyes. He had to rely on his ears and naturally Kim played a role before Black Heart’s intervention. The servant hoped that Lee Jihwa would decide to do something…. in other words, he had been gradually manipulated by Kim and Min to hire an assassin. That way, he could be blamed for the murder of the scholar. He would become guilty by association. And the one pulling the strings behind the scene can only be the mysterious lord Song, for he can no longer interfere directly, though I am certain that he was not aware of the butler’s own meddling. Why? It is because in the past, Kim had never become proactive like that. Moreover, I think that even in the past, the man was not omniscient and omnipotent either. He over-estimated his own abilities, and didn’t recognize that he had been fooled himself either. 
(chapter 100) This is no coincidence, for the sexual abuse is the reason why Yoon Seungho’s heart and soul got destroyed. This had the same effect than killing someone, especially if the person is so innocent and pure. Because he recognized the truth, he had the courage to abandon and betray Black Heart. That’s how he could redeem himself in the end. 
(chapter 100) At the same time, this is not surprising that Lee Jihwa met his friend and admitted his wrongdoing. For the first time, he didn’t remain silent and chose to intervene!! I also believe that during that night, he apologized to the protagonist before vanishing. In other words, Lee Jihwa had to face 4 different mirrors of truth, until he was able to admit the verity. He was responsible for Yoon Seungho’s suffering. He had lied, therefore he got deceived, until he had no other choice to confess his guilt and sins. 
(chapter 77) This means that he broke his promise. Striking is that the vow to the butler was introduced in connection to the patio!! When the readers hear this promise, this is what we see shortly after. 
(chapter 77) Secondly, the elder master Yoon was seen shortly after there. 
(chapter 87) Finally, there exists the flashbulb from Yoon Seungho’s memory: 
(chapter 55) My avid readers will certainly recall how I had claimed that this scene was representing Lee Jihwa and father Lee. I am not changing my mind, but I would like to point out that this story is built like a kaleidoscope and as such, each image is actually a reflection. Thereby I come to the conclusion that in this panel, the young boy and the elder are in verity embodying 4 people: the boy is Lee Jihwa and Yoon Seung-Won, as for the elder, it is father Lee and the elder Yoon. Why? It is because the punishments were related to the Lees’ behavior and words. There is no ambiguity that elder Lee intervened to protect his son’s reputation. In other words, father Yoon was seen in the patio in chapter 55. Then when he visited the physician, he remained outside too contrary to the main leads. 
(chapter 57) It was, as if the elder master had nothing to hide, for the domestic and the butler could hear him. However, the latter got deceived. There is no ambiguity that the valet and the young master trusted him. On the other hand, the valet was the one who introduced him to the physician, like we could see here. 
(chapter 65) In that very same place, the protagonist had been insulted and could do nothing, for neither Kim nor his staff intervened. And this perception reinforces my perception that the patriarch has always been delusional and arrogant, over-estimating his own power. Moreover, the lord was not honest either. 
(chapter 65) This shows that the patio is connected to violence, hypocrisy, deceptions and offenses. 
(chapter 18) Hence I have the impression that he must have acted, as if he was the king’s relative. Hence he asked to be called by a certain title. This could only infuriate the mysterious lord Song, for the latter was hiding his sodomy and debauchery behind closed doors. No one was supposed to make a connection between him and the Yoons. However, I don’t think that the elder master Yoon had planned everything from the start. He had definitely been misguided, for in season 1 and 3, we could see that he was believing blindly what people would say to him. He never doubted his son’s words, when the latter said that Yoon Seungho had given him such a paper. 
(chapter 53) But Yoon Chang-Hyeon refused to admit it, it went so far that he was denying his relationship with Yoon Seungho. He was just an animal. 
(chapter 87) He was paying the price for his lies about the cure. Furthermore, the manhwaphiles will realize that he is no longer seen in the patio. 
(chapter 86) But when he arrived in the study, this is what he saw. This picture revealed his greed and ambition 
(chapter 87) This was another self-deception. Without the main lead, the latter would have lost everything. Note that he is living comfortably in the house in Hanyang. So if the young master were to disappear, I doubt that the mysterious lord Song will allow the father to take over the mansion. His regret implied that he shouldn’t have sent for a doctor. This is important, because this signifies that he will be punished the same way, it will be even worse. No one will be by his side to protect him and to save him… no one will request for the physician’s assistance. Similar to the broken promise in the patio: 
(chapter 87), while Yoon Seungho was compared to a monster! 
(chapter 86) The outcome of his lie can only be that he will be perceived by people as a monster, as an immoral father who had no conscience at all. How do I come to this conclusion? First, the painter could see right through the father’s gaze. 
(chapter 87) He was a cruel and resentful father. Moreover, the lord’s words always become a reality. Hence the father can only be condemned as the licentious and depraved degenerate. 
(chapter 86), the black sheep! Furthermore the moment Yoon Chang-Hyeon loses the house in Hanyang, he has no place where he can hide himself from public gaze. He can only ended up as a powerless outcast. I am suspecting that since he longed to be admired and fawned, he could end up committing suicide, for he is unable to tolerate people’s rejection and insults. To conclude, the father refused to admit his guilt and wrongdoings till the end. Even cornered, he chose to avoid reality, preferring to trust father Lee and the butler’s lies. Why? It is because he envisioned that by removing the main lead, he could take over the mansion, and act, as if nothing had happened, as if Yoon Seungho had never existed. The gods will fulfil his wish so that he can be confronted with reality. Besides, note that the patriarch never stopped his son from kissing the painter, he even followed him to the seat. 
(chapter 87) This shows that deep down, the man was not truly against sodomy and prostitution. The father resented the son, for he could only achieve “glory” through debauchery and sodomy. I believe that the elder master Yoon was thinking like this: “no matter what” the Yoons’ power and notoriety must increase. In the bedchamber, the man exposed his true personality, while in the patio he was just the fake image of a powerful, decent and righteous man. This explicates why it took the teenager so long to realize the father’s betrayal. 
(chapter 82) He was just an empty shell, his knowledge, experiences and possessions were just an illusion.
(Chapter 5) Baek Na-Kyum was apologizing for his past behavior. He had insulted the main lead because of the poem. And his words sounded really similar to the butler’s in the library, for they both employed the same expressions: “That day” and “I spoke out of”. 
(Chapter 77) Striking is that the painter employed the expression “hand”, while the valet talked about “turn”. Why did they do that? It is because when Kim was caught committing a crime, he turned his head! 
(chapter 68) Thus in the library, the butler excused himself in front of the lord by using the following expression: “spoke out of turn”!! On the other hand, the painter had used his hand, 
(chapter 4), therefore he described his wrongdoing with the following expression “out of hand”. In my eyes, his words indicate the interference of the butler. Furthermore, the two men had a drop of sweat, a sign that they were not truly honest. 
(chapter 68), and the painter had assaulted the lord by trying to retrieve the poetry. 
(Chapter 4) Because both characters had violated social norms, showing disrespect towards a noble, 
(Chapter 4) In other words, since Yoon Seungho had punished the butler due to the incidents in episode 67/68, I deduce that episodes 67/68 were reflections of episode 4/5 as well!! This corresponds to the rule 2 and 3. 
(chapter 4) Let’s not forget that just before the great entrance of Black Heart and the protagonist in chapter 67, this was what the author showed us: 
(chapter 67) And now compare the building to this one from chapter 1: 
(chapter 1) Under this light, my theory that Yoon Seungho was living with the Lees in the beginning of the story gets reinforced and even validated. In season 1, Yoon Seungho had sex with his friend in the pavilion so that the father and the staff could see the truth: the young master Jihwa was a sodomite. But since we saw Yoon Seungho in that building in episode 1, we jumped to the wrong conclusion that this was his house. But actually, from chapter 12 on, the author was showing us that we had been deceived. This was the lord’s house, and note that there is no building in the big courtyard contrary to the domain from chapter 67 and 1. 
(Chapter 12) (For more read the essay “Lee Jihwa’s special relationship with Yoon Seungho”) Then in season 2, the main lead forced the elder Lee to hear what he had been denying all this time 
(Chapter 67), while in chapter 3, he could only witness it from the patio. On the other hand, Yoon Seungho had been proactive during their sexual encounter, hence the father could only blame the main lead for his son’s debauchery. The intimacy in the pavilion was in verity hiding Yoon Seungho’s huge traumas. But due to Lee Jihwa’s confession in the inn, the red-haired master’s reputation got ruined in town and this must have definitely reached the father’s ears. Striking is that when Yoon Seungho confronted Lee Jihwa with his crime (abduction of a person from his household), the red-haired master ran away and hid behind the folding shield. Thus he never apologized to his friend. And it was the same with the elder Lee. The latter knew about his son’s wrongdoing, for he accused the intruder immediately. 
(Chapter 67) As you can see, the absence of the excuse from the uke and his father outlines that chapter 67 is a reflection of episode 5 and 77. I detect a pattern, chapter 5 contains a superficial apology, chapter 67 no apology and chapter 77 a fake excuse again. Furthermore the manhwalovers can recognize that in the same episode (episode 5), the antagonist Jihwa had indeed wounded the painter with his insult too, a reflection of episode 4. 
(Chapter 5) This confirms that chapter 5 is connected not only to episode 77, but also to chapter 67/68. We have the same elements: an incident linked to a door 
(chapter 67), a punishment, but also the absence or presence of an apology. But all of these episodes have other similarities: hypocrisy and arrogance. The Lees were looking down on Baek Na-Kyum and Yoon Seungho (chapter 5-67), while in episode 77, it was the butler who yelled and criticized the noble.
(chapter 77) By detecting a reflection between these chapters, I had a new revelation. 
(chapter 5), while it was not the case. As you can see, anyone seeing the black guard leaving the owner’s study could have had the impression that the lord had written a letter. This means that this mistake must have taken place later again due to the rule 2! The manhwalovers could discover the deception in chapter 37/38!! 
(chapter 56). Striking is that the butler was the one who received the paper before delivering it to his sick master. These two scenes (38-56) indicate that the valet is related to the correspondence. Moreover, he was seen delivering the message to Yoon Seungho in the courtyard. 
(chapter 35)
(chapter 5) It was, as if he was not allowed to write any letter. So where did the table go? To the study!! What caught my attention is that after the first painting
(chapter 2), the table had been removed from the study, just like the papers. 
(chapter 4) This was no coincidence. It had been sent to the lord’s bedroom, but after the lord had tasked the black guard, it was no longer there. This is the indication that someone was interfering with Yoon Seungho’s habit to take a brush. And this can only be Kim. As you can see, the appearance and the vanishing of the small table is the element which was reflected in chapter 1, 2, 
3, 4 and 5. And now, look at the scene where Lee Jihwa met Min. 
(chapter 67) The table had also disappeared. And when did it happen? 
(chapter 21) The noble had ransacked his own room with his sword. And what did we see in that episode? A paper folded in a book. 
(chapter 21) In other words, the First Wedding night is also a reflection from these chapters (4/5, 67/68, 77), for it contains the same elements: 
(episode 19) and the importance of the table. According to me, the valet had put the expensive wine on the painter’s table on purpose. To conclude, I see a connection between episode 4/5, 19/20/21, 67/68 and 77. 
(chapter 77) He can not trust his words, especially since he views the nobles as violent liars. Why? It is because there was this huge table. This is no coincidence that right after the valet betrayed the main lead and wrote a message to the patriarch. That’s how I had another revelation. The butler is symbolized by the table! Thus he was often seen with this small table 
(chapter 11) 
(chapter 17) To conclude, when the butler saw the black guard leaving the mansion, he believed that his master had sent words to someone! That’s the reason why he removed the table and returned it to the painter’s study.
(chapter 97) written by Yoon Seungho, but he envisioned that this was the Spring poem! 
(chapter 97) We had the same situation. Black Heart had stolen the Spring poem, and the noonas had deceived the protagonists by faking admiration in front of an empty paper. 
(chapter 93) Since the paper in episode 93 was empty, I could only come to the deduction that this paper contained words!! 
(chapter 92) The latter’s work was a copy of Yoon Seungho’s poetry, the repetition from chapter 4. Hence you comprehend why I deduce that the paper in the annex was different from the Spring poem. So during that night, Yoon Seungho left a note to his lover, and that’s how the butler discovered that the artist could not read Chinese, for he saw his master writing in hangeul. But there exists another evidence for this interpretation. Baek Na-Kyum had wished this: 
(chapter 97) If the lord had mentioned in the letter that they had found the corpse of Deok-Jae, the painter would have believed him. However, as you can envision it, the butler and Min were determined to generate a misunderstanding, to create the illusion that the scholar had died. Consequently, the servants deceived the main lead by omitting the existence of the paper. They had not delivered the message properly. 
(chapter 4) His own poetry got stolen. But let’s return our attention to episode 5. Since the lord had given the poem to the black guard, this signifies that the lord no longer had the sijo. Therefore he had to write the poem again in order to mask the disappearance. In my opinion, he must have copied the original poetry for the artist in order to prove that he had not been lying. Hence the paper looked different. And this brings me back to the painter’s apology in the patio. 
(chapter 04) That’s the reason why he had taken it in the first place. 
(chapter 7) But where is the sijo now? 
(chapter 65) Moreover, I believe that in chapter 65, he had collaborated with the noona. He had shown her the painting of Baek Na-Kyum, while in the study there was a blank paper. As you can see, in season 2, we had again this connection between a painting and blank paper. But let’s return our attention to chapter 5. The black guard was acting on the order of someone else, Yoon Seungho was not the one hiring him. The butler hates ruckus, his MO is to lie low and act in the shadow. If he had retrieved the paper, the man could report it to the master of the black guard. On the other hand, he could have asked the warden about his master’s request. He just needed to say that he desired to assist him, similar to this situation. 
(chapter 82) Thus I conclude that when the lord returned the paper to Baek Na-Kyum 
(chapter 7), Kim must have realized his error. He had mistaken the poem for a letter!! This explains why he repeated the trick with the younger master Seung-Won. But unfortunately for him, he was caught by the teacher who asked the painter about the letter the next morning. 
(chapter 36), but the moment the latter interrupted the couple
(chapter 37), Yoon Seungho chose to hide it. But why is it important? It is because if the painter had mentioned the paper given to the younger master to Yoon Seungho, the latter could have noticed the valet’s meddling and wrongdoing. On the surface, it looked like Kim had written himself a letter to the younger master. In other words, in episode 37/38, the butler gave the impression that he was a spy, for he was acting without his master’s permission. He had even left the propriety, as he was standing outside in front of the gate. Don’t forget that during the meeting, the brother had mentioned that he had sent him many letters 
(chapter 37), and there is no ambiguity that Kim had intervened. Here, the lord had said nothing, for he imagined that Kim had done it to protect him from his family. 
(Chapter 4) But on his way out, he met Yoon Seungho who had just missed the painter’s departure. But there, he discovered that the main lead had stolen his poetry. 
(chapter 5) He was looking at the gate and as such making sure that the artist’s departure would be noticed. By sending the low-born to the Lees’ mansion, Kim was encouraging the painter to commit a crime: trespassing! But the artist was fortunate, for he was not caught by the lord of the mansion, who preferred hiding due to the ruckus caused by his own son. 😉 As for Yoon Seungho, he came back to the mansion and saw the empty study. Kim just needed to say that the low-born had left to the Lees’ mansion. This is important, because this indicates that in chapter 4, the couple missed each other first! And this situation was repeated in season 3, precisely in chapter 98, when the lord returned from the bureau of investigation
(chapter 98)! The lord arrived just after the painter’s departure. And who was with the main lead? Kim. As you can see, the lord’s luck seems not to be on his side, for Baek Na-Kyum had just left the propriety. Once again… the lord was standing in front of the gate!! As for season 2, this time, it was Kim’s fate to miss his master. 
(chapter 56) The reason for this punishment is simple. He had sent away the artist to the study just before Yoon Seungho regained consciousness. The latter didn’t see that the artist had taken care of him during that night. Thus the butler’s karma was not to notice his master’s departure which stands in opposition to chapter 4 and 98. And note that all these chapters have the paper as common denominator. So imagine the butler’s surprise in episode 4, when he witnessed the artist’s return to the mansion followed by his master. He had sent away Baek Na-Kyum with the hope that the artist would desert the town for good, but no…
(chapter 23) The first similarity is the allusion to his bag. The butler was actually thinking that during the hunt, the painter would decide to run away. That’s the reason why he asked about his belonging, for in the past, he only wished to vanish after retrieving his tools. Naturally, the artist saw no harm in the butler’s question and answered truthfully. He must have narrated the argument in the courtyard about the poem. Yoon Seungho had kept the sijo, consequently the painter had used his hand to take it back and had by mistake removed the lord’s hat. Thus Kim must have told him that he just needed to apologize. But one might say that this is just a story imagined by me. The manhwaphiles never saw such a scene. But don’t forget the existence of the reflections. I have definitely an evidence for this theory. Since the butler had manipulated the painter in chapter 4 in order to get rid of this uninvited guest, his karma was to receive a new guest!! 
(chapter 93) It was a futile dream. When I had analyzed episode 93, I had explained that the speech from the main lead was influenced by the butler. As you can see, the lord’s narration 
(chapter 6) There was a switch. That’s how I had this revelation. Heena is the missing link between the learned sir and the protagonist. And observe that in episode 93, we have the same elements again:
(chapter 93) This time, Heena is the one standing behind closed doors, while it was Yoon Seungho in chapter 77
(chapter 93) In chapter 99, the noonas still lied to him.
(chapter 93), which was also present in chapter 4/5, 7 and 67
/68 and finally 77 
(chapter 64), she was accompanied with 2 guards, which is quite similar to the lord’s situation in chapter 1. That’s the reason why I believe that she didn’t keep the learned sir’s poem. Her betrayal could have been noticed and this was the first time that Yoon Seungho was making such a request.
(chapter 21) And above I had already demonstrated the connection between the First Wedding Night and chapter 5 and 77! Here the lord was imitating the pedophile’s behavior, hence you comprehend why I think that lord Song was the recipient of the poem. I would like my readers to keep in their mind that the learned sir’s sijo was referring to a painful departure, the loss of a loved one and despair! The beholder could have the impression that the author was suicidal due to the mention of the well and the torment of the mind. Thus I am now assuming that the “mysterious lord Song” will consider the sijo as a farewell, the lord chose to commit suicide and his death was related to Jung In-Hun’s curtains. Why? It is because Heena wrote letters to her brother where she accused the main lead of killing the learned sir. Moreover, Yoon Seung-Won had definitely mistaken the painter for the learned sir. 
(chapter 34), and shortly after the painter was sent to the tailor. But during that night, the pedophile and Yoon Seungho had missed each other due to Baek Na-Kyum. He was not dead. So when the painter received new clothes, it was the same for Yoon Seungho. Yet, the pedophile was gravely mistaken. Why? The sijo had been stolen, and as such it was never addressed to the pedophile. Furthermore, it is because the lord was suffering from memory loss. Moreover, I believe that the main lead is not aware of the true identity of his sexual abuser. In his mind, it is just lord Song. But this doesn’t end here. 
(chapter 57) And who was behind this? Black Heart’s friend. But then it came to my mind that Black Heart had stolen the Spring poem… so he could have sent the paper to lord Song and the latter would have mistaken it as a letter from Yoon Seungho, the latter was reaching out to him. He was wishing him luck!! So imagine that when the man arrives in Jemulpo, he imagines that the main lead is waiting for him only to discover that Yoon Seungho vanished. He wished to die because of the loss of a loved one. And that’s how he will recall the poetry of the learned sir… the reflection of this night!! 
, and why she had planned to leave the gibang that night!! She was aware of the arrival of “lord Song”. She knows how cruel and ruthless he can be. 
(chapter 82) 
(chapter 82), and even in person: Father Lee and the emissary. Third, the elder Lee badmouthed Yoon Seungho by mentioning the incident from chapter 67, and refused the invitation of his host 
(chapter 82). Finally, he called Baek Na-Kyum a peasant exactly like the main lead in front of the gate: 
(chapter 82). But more important, the old bearded man expressed this fear: the loss of his family home!
(chapter 83) It vanished, and as such it was stolen. Did the mysterious lord Song take it away in order to force Yoon Seungho to paint? The older version of this scene: 
(chapter 1) The paintings were illustrating that the pedophile was having sex with a minor.
Bebebisous33s' analyses in K-Dramaland and Manhwas 