This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents: https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/
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1. Laziness or not?
When the final episode of the main story was released, many Manhwa-philes were laughing about Yoon Seungho’s work attitude as governor. The latter had left his seat in order to return to his lover’s side. 
(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.
Why is this region regarded as “backwater”? It is because there are no powerful families like in the town, where the Yoons used to live. There are no huge store or doctor either. The new governor is surrounded by “peasants”, commoners. In other words, it is not a place you can earn a lot of money or gain power, especially for an official. This signifies that buying the governor, like Yoon Chang-Hyeon did, won’t happen. 
(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 131) are reflected in the final episode. Peasants are poor und uneducated, and this will not change overnight. Hence they represent ignorance and naivety. This raises the following question. Why did the officers bring these two men? What was their crime? One might reply that it is impossible to figure it out. Nevertheless, I think, Byeonduck left clues in her story. Painter Of The Night is composed of reflections. In each season, certain scenes or elements resurface with slight changes.. Thus I developed the following theory concerning these two commoners.
My hypothesis is that these two men were innocent. In season 1, we have a similar scene: 
(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.
But if the two commoners are rather innocent, why did the officers bring them to Yoon Seungho then? My idea is that they imagined that the new governor wanted to make a statement so that he wouldn’t be looked down by the locals. Or even worse. The guards desired to get protection money from them!! Yes, because this region is not well perceived, the guards thought that the governor would act like his predecessor. Since it is a poor region, it signifies that the officials are not well recognized and well paid. (chapter 131) First evidence that the last image is not symbolizing justice, but corruption, is the behavior from the guards. They are caught by surprise, when they arrive in front of the empty stool. Yet, they are not gesticulating or panicked. If a real crime had taken place, they would be looking for their superior. And this observation leads me to this image. (chapter 131) In this picture, we can detect the governor’s office in the background. It is the yellow building with the multicolor decorations. That’s where the empty stool is!! In other words, if they truly needed him, they just had to go to the other side of the wall. Third evidence for this hypothesis was left in season 3: 
(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 131) But it could have been the reverse. Officers could have abused their authority. Furthermore, let’s not forget that Min indicated that guards could be bribed easily. 
(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.
But since the guards never went to the lord’s mansion, they must have realized that this man was not like his predecessor. He was not frustrated or demoted. He was indeed not after power or money. They couldn’t rely on his protection either. In fact, they could get blamed for disturbing his privacy. I would even add that since Yoon Seungho comes from a wealthy family, he doesn’t need to rely on bribe at all. In other words, the guards can only come to the conclusion that treating him well can only benefit them. His wealth was already implied with his arrival: 
(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.
But let’s return our attention to the two suspects. What happened to them then? (chapter 131) In my opinion, they were released. Why? For the simple reason that in this place, Yoon Seungho expected no huge duty! Yes, his words were not just exposing a lie, but also the truth. Nothing was supposed to happen. People are peaceful and helpful to each other. 
(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.
“There is government, when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when the father is father, and the son is son.”- The Analects, Book XII, Yen Yuan, Chapt XI Quoted from https://www.chinausfocus.com/society-culture/confucius-more-individualistic-than-you-think
He expected not only blind obedience from his son, but also absolute devotion for the family. The individual steps aside for the community, and as such for the Yoons. This explicates why the main lead’s relative has no name in episode 6, he is simply reduced to a grandfather. 
(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.
As you can see, Yoon Seungho is breaking the tradition and even dropping Confucianism, as the latter rejects homosexuality. The main lead embodies other values: Modernity, Individualism, true Love and Humbleness. Yoon Seungho is no longer judging people based on their social status and relationship. This signifies that at the end of the story, the new governor symbolizes true justice. He put an end to corruption and malpractice. He is not influenced by people’s opinions and prejudices either. He is only listening to his heart and conscious. He makes sure to keep all his promises and not to say any empty words. He is a reformed man through and through.
However, we shouldn’t forget that the protagonist did kill many people before. Hence my other interpretation is that Yoon Seungho as a sinner is not “allowed” to become a judge himself. (chapter 131) How could he condemn others, when his hands had been soiled with blood? Thus I deduce that through her work, Byeonduck exposed the corruption of human justice in Joseon. It was impossible to get true and fair justice from anyone, let alone from the authorities. The latter were ruled by greedy and arrogant nobles who used law enforcements for their own needs. That’s why the patriarch 
(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.
Yet, considering the scene in the shrine as a trial from the “gods”, can appear weird, for the main lead attacked Min and his friend under the influence of his unconscious past. 
(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 127) That’s the reason why I deduce that Yoon Seungho is not destined to become a lazy or unfair governor. He learned through the hard way how important it is to give proper justice. (chapter 131) Should these two men know the artist, the latter could encourage his lover to listen to their testimonies and not judge them based on their status.
Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why I don’t perceive the main lead as a lazy governor. Just because he appears as one in this scene (chapter 131), we shouldn’t generalize such a behavior. By paying no attention to power and fame, the protagonist learned what true justice is. Moreover, he realized the true source of happiness: love and simplicity. He made sure to keep all his promises to his loved one. Moreover, the artist is there to remind Yoon Seungho of his duties: (chapter 131) Hence I can’t help myself imagining the couple strolling through the village and listening to the people. Thanks to the artist, Yoon Seungho can only get recognition and acceptance from the autochtones. Besides, Baek Na-Kyum is even giving painting lessons to children, so I doubt that he will drop everything for his lover’s sake. We should envision the opposite behavior from the scholar: 
(chapter 6): neglect and indifference towards the commoners. And this new observation brings me to my other topic, Jung In-Hun.
2. The real sinners: the hidden hustlers and workhorses
In the first part of this essay, I compared the arrival of the lord in his new jurisdiction with the scholar’s Jung In-Hun.
| YoOn Seungho | Jung In-Hun |
|---|---|
| |
Through this comparison. I had a huge revelation. Manhwaphiles can notice not only the absence of flags and the palaquin, but also the absence of uniforms. The two men in black leading the horse were simply wearing black hanboks and not blue and white costumes. Then it dawned on me that after this cortege on the street, there was no banquet after his success. Hence I deduce that he had not really succeeded at the civil service examination. First, he had not finished top place 
(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 111) Yes, it was fake, for there was no banquet, no sedan chair, no flag and just civilians were surrounding the former teacher. The painting from Baek Na-Kyum can even serve as another evidence that a palanquin and flags are attributes to a ceremony of inauguration. 
(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 127) His fate reflects Joseon’ society and authorities, especially when the latter are closer to the capitale.
At the same time, the poster of the scholar exposes that the scholar’s dream had always been to see his name on the official board. (chapter 121) However, the notice was not associated with glory and honor, but with the opposite value. He was an immoral and brutal man. (chapter 127) which was actually reflecting his true personality. We should see the parade in episode 111 as an illusion due to the absence of an official document. And who had paid for this charade? One might think lord Song. However, don’t forget that he approached the man much later. I feel like someone else was involved as well. For me, it was Heena. She was seen with the tailor in season 2, and she had seen the painting from her brother. Finally, she had tried in season 2 and 3 to separate the couple. So she should have repeated the same action, because her resent towards nobles runs deeply, just like her admiration for Jung In-Hun is strong. She knew that her donsaeng was no longer listening to her and his new lover. He was determined to remain by his lover’s side. Thus she didn’t intervene here. 
(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 111)
Naturally, Jung In-Hun ended up being accused of murder, because not only he had lied, but also he had contributed to the death of lord Min and the others. By giving the spectacles, he was also responsible for their death. Finally, by hurting Baek Na-Kyum and giving him to lord Song 
(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.
The sexual and physical assault, playing a trick on multiple occasions and the lies are the reasons why the learned sir ended being labelled as a dangerous bandit. (chapter 127) The paper reflects the transformation of the former teacher. He is no longer a honest man. He lost everything: his home, his name and even his life, killed by lord Song’s minions. 
(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 (chapter 127) as a reflection from the poem in episode 4: 
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.
Jung In-Hun should have realized much sooner that happiness is not a synonym for power and admiration. In reality, he was living quite well in the small village. (chapter 6) He had a roof over his head, and he was surrounded by children, who liked him. (chapter 121) But the problem is that he was consumed by entitlement and greed. How so? It is because of his education. He saw himself superior to others morally and mentally. Hence he didn’t feel the genuine admiration from the children. 
(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 111), he is acting like a workhorse. The reality is that he is lazy, as he saw himself destined to achieve greatness. He had the impression that no one had recognized his true value. On the horse, he is just waving his hand and smiling. Later, he confesses this to the artist: (chapter 111) As you can see, his success is not the result of his hard work, but rather of his connections!! Though he didn’t kill lord Song himself, Jung In-Hun had to receive his due punishment for all his lies and sins.
3. The brother’s punishment
This brings me to the next interpretation: Yoon Seungwon and his success.
(chapter 107) Though he passed the civil service exam too, he is not able to fulfil his father’s wish either. (chapter 86) They lack support now because of the treason. The families close to the Yoons got executed. But there’s more to it. The youngest son had first betrayed his father by giving the petition to Yoon Seungho, 
(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 37) got stopped in the end, and the Yoons escaped any punishment. However, by doing so, Yoon Seungwon turned his brother into a blackmailer. Thanks to him, Yoon Seungwon could keep his reputation intact. In fact he never lost his father’s trust. However, in season 4, we can witness a change of heart in the brother. 
(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 86) In my opinion, he must have promised to fulfil the patriarch’s wish, but reality made him realize that this was not possible. He couldn’t do it alone. However, I doubt that he confronted the elder with reality.
Let’s not forget that he is only the second son. So he can not inherit the family’s properties. Remember that once the main lead succeeded the civil service exam, he received many marriage proposals. 
(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!
(chapter 107) It is because Yoon Seungho is the first son who will inherit the title and properties. Yoon Seungwon’s success can only work with his brother’s presence. This means that thanks to the last episode, I could finally find the answer from Byeonduck’s question: 
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 118), in verity he was also motivated by his own desires. He wanted to get the help from his older brother. This means that the moment the main lead lost his father, Seungwon’s words became true. Yoon Seungho followed his advice: he cut off ties with his past and as such with his family. He was no longer obliged to fulfil the family traditions and the father’s dream. This means that Yoon Seungwon is now on his own. I find it funny that he blamed his brother for his debauchery, but what did he do during this time? Nothing… he waited, until he received pressure from his own father. Moreover, since Yoon Seungwon didn’t help the artist and allowed him to take the fall for the massacre 
(chapter 126), his karma is not only to end up alone, but also not to receive any support from his brother.
To conclude, Yoon Seungwon tried to convince his brother to change his behavior 
(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.
When the father confronted his own son with reality (he had no power without him), Yoon Seungwon was once again absent!! The latter is the evidence of his “neglect”. It is important, because when the main lead bowed in front of the patriarch,
(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.
To conclude, the main lead abandoned Yoon Seungwon in the end for his loved one. It happened, when he not only rejected the marriage proposals, but also moved to that “poor region”. The sibling received his punishment for his lack of loyalty and his dishonesty. Funny is that the main lead actually followed his brother’s advices: 8chapter 118) He cut off ties with the past and the family!! This means that his words in the lord’s bedchamber came true: 
(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.
PS: Tell me, if you are interested in another essay. The question would be: how did lord Yoon die? Was he poisoned or not?
Feel free to comment. If you have any suggestion for topics or manhwas, feel free to ask. If you enjoyed reading it, retweet it or push the button like. My Reddit-Instagram-Tumblr-Twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.
(chapter 1) He was even called a psychopath, for he resorted to kidnapping 
(chapter 1) sequestration, threats 
(chapter 2) and blackmail and he initially showed no remorse.
(chapter 7). On the other hand, he never got into trouble for his wrongdoings. Why? It is because he wasn’t violating social norms. 
(chapter 10) It was his right to punish servants, for they are not considered as humans but as propriety. As a lord, he could treat commoners, like it pleased him. Though murder is prohibited, even against a lowborn, 
(chapter 43), the reality is that nobles would never get into trouble!! As you can see, there exists a discrepancy between laws on the paper and the reality which was exposed by the rumors in episode 106. 
(chapter 107) The fathers would use their position and influence in order to cover up their children’s wrongdoings. And we have the perfect illustration, when the elder master bribes the governor. 
(chapter 76) He didn’t need to dirty his own hands, he could simply frame him. Consequently, I deduce that he had learned this misconduct through the elders’ behavior. 
(chapter 116) This shows that neither Black Heart’s father nor Yoon Chang-Hyeon truly love their children, as according to Erich Fromm, love is knowledge, respect, care and responsibility. However, the elder master Yoon is totally ignorant about his son’s talents and good nature. Thereby, I see lord Seungho from season 1 as the perfect illustration of the corrupted world of the nobility. The monster “Yoon Seungho” was just a reflection from this ruthless and immoral society. Since he committed wrongdoings, his karma was to pay for his sins. It starts with a murder, and the main lead ended up killing people. He might have not broken “traditions” like the disregard of the yangbans against lowborns, but it is considered immoral. He had sinned and now, he is paying for his sins. Therefore his words in the prison resonate differently. 
(chapter 126) He expresses regret. He confesses his crimes, he killed people! This means that he is now siding with the lowborns. Their life is as precious as the ones from the nobility. Yet, note that in this image, the author didn’t drew his eyes. Why? It is because in the moment he executed people, 
(chapter 116) He had given the order to eliminate all the servants, for they could represent a threat to his “treason”. This explains why the butler describes himself as the only survivor and witness. 
(chapter 86) And we see him giving the order to kill the surviving guard 
(chapter 125) Besides, he had no problem to order the assassination of his own son which was stopped by the intervention of a helping hand. The father had never asked to spare the main lead’s life. 
(chapter 124). He was his bad role model. But he is not the only one. There is another one… 
(chapter 51) Once a criminal, always a criminal… therefore it is not surprising that the joker chose assassination as second work. By working for the nobles, he would be able to escape punishment, because if he got arrested, he could denunciate them. To conclude, justice is inexistent in Joseon. Yes, we are witnessing the downfall of Joseon, or precisely the king’s bad ruling. The latter is not capable of providing justice to anyone. And this coincides with the purge! 
(chapter 107) “Stepping down” was actually an euphemism for removal. The officials were chased out, 
(chapter 80) but their evictions were turned into stepping down. 
(chapter 122) No wonder why lord Song came to resent the protagonist. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the purge was not noticed by commoners. There was no fire and the staff was sparred. 
(chapter 103) 
(chapter 67) The murder of lord Shin is the evidence of the anarchy in Joseon. But actually, the monsters are actually everywhere, and not just among the nobility. The Chungin with the scholar and the physicians who have no problem to lie, participate in a kidnapping and drugging people… the kisaengs, the maids, the servants. They are all accomplices, for they feigned ignorance or chose to remain passive, for they preferred avoiding trouble. What people failed to realize is that no one is safe from this tyranny. Hence people could get killed and thrown into a well so easily 
(chapter 97) 
(chapter 101) and their perpetrators got scot-free. Why? It is because the mastermind and the helping hands are protecting each other, like we could see in the Joker’s case. However, the latter in season 3 had no idea that they would face divine retribution and pay with their life. 
(chapter 83) Under this new approach, it becomes comprehensible why he is called “the bird of misfortune”. People around him got to suffer, for they received their karma. Funny is that lord Song mocked him by calling him a grim reaper. 
(chapter 123) He underestimated his opponent, not imagining that the latter would use his sword against him. So he became a grim reaper. Lord Song Haseon must have thought that his minions, just like his age and status, would protect him. But no, someone had planned his death and counted on the main lead’s decision.
(chapter 99) Thus Min’s karma was to die in the total indifference of others. No one is missing him, for he was turned into a brigand himself. 
(chapter 113) But wait… Why did Black Heart get killed in the end? One might say that it was his karma, for he had planned the murder of Baek Na-Kyum in the past. In my opinion, the uke serves as a representative of the divine retribution. The artist is the “judge” and his lover is executing the sentence: death. And we can detect this gods’ intervention through the learned sir’s case as well. Jung In-Hun had looked down on the artist for his origins and education. When the generous main lead chose to accept his apology (attempted rape), 
(chapter 120), the latter reminded him that contrary to Yoon Seungho, he was admired. He had such a good notoriety! Since he betrayed the artist and had almost him killed, the scholar ended up losing everything. 
(chapter 106) The gods were using the humans to voice their anger. At the same time, when the woman made this comment, the Manhwa lovers can detect the huge gate in the background, the symbol for royalty. And now, you comprehend why Yoon Seungho was pushed to go to Hanyang. It is his fate to face the king! His task is to clean the palace of these old bearded men. 
(chapter 44) I had already portrayed him as a black shaman in the essay “
(chapter 65) Don’t forget that the monarch is the only one who stands above the laws, though he is controlled by social norms and his officials. In my opinion, this can only take place, when a new scheme takes place. How so? Note that in the scholar’s case, Jung In-Hun received his karma, but not real human justice. For me, he is not dead. Besides, don’t forget that someone took the petition from lord Song, before Yoon Chang-Hyeon came to the bloody place. There is no ambiguity that the accomplices and schemers didn’t get happy with the last outcome. The couple might be separated physically, but they are attached to each other by their strong love. And since the main lead kept wearing hanboks with the phoenix
(chapter 34) 
(chapter 45), it indicates that someone saw him as his bird of fortune. And this can not be Yoon Seungho, for the latter was full of self-hatred. Finally, his own father, Kim and Heena called him as a bird of misfortune. As you can see, the king could no longer see the main lead due to the artist’s presence. He is his bird of fortune, for he could live out all his dreams thanks to him, and at no moment he got into trouble. No one is suspecting his intervention. 
(chapter 127) I recognized why the painter and Yoon Seungho had to go separated ways. It is because the schemers wanted him to return to Hanyang. Remember the learned sir’s suggestion before his departure. 
(chapter 44) Why? It is because now the main lead is an adult. Since my theory is that the pedophile is the ruler, he can no longer approach the protagonist like that. The latter is no longer visiting the gibang. He wants their path to cross again so that they can rekindle. Hence he had to create an opportunity proving that their meeting is not a coincidence. Under this new approach, it becomes comprehensible why Yoon Seungwon encouraged his brother to reconcile with their father. 
(chapter 37) That way, he would be “following” the tradition and become an official. But since Yoon Seungho developed a fear of “old bearded men”, he had no reason to go there. 
(chapter 46) 
(chapter 68) 
(chapter 97) 
(chapter 120)
(chapter 127) As you can see, the painter was feverish. Why? From my perspective, he was drugged. He was not allowed to see his loved one, because they don’t want him to remember their departure. The schemers desire him to feel abandoned like in the gibang (chapter 105). The reason why I am suspecting a drug is that this panel 
(chapter 127) is similar to the first Wedding Night: 
(chapter 21) At the same time, this scene is also a reflection from the night after the massacre in the shrine. 
(chapter 103) Back then, he was also under the influence of an aphrodisiac. They don’t want him to remember his last words. And since he didn’t take care of him during that night, though he was unwell, they hope to create the illusion that Yoon Seungho neglected him. He broke his promise. But their trick can no longer work because of the lord’s visitation in the prison and his words. 
(chapter 126) 
(chapter 127) The separation arc is there to prove these plotters wrong. Their affection is not trivial and momentary. He is not a plaything, but his “partner”. In fact, they have absolute trust in each other, and their source of strength will be their short happy moments together. Besides, I am quite certain that the artist will remember the lord’s whisper from that night, since he had problems to recall the First wedding Night and the incident in the shrine. Both are related to his bad conscience. Besides, I have another reason for that, the power of the unconscious knowledge.
(Chapter 108) Though both were close physically, they still allowed others to manipulate them, for their trust was not complete. In other words, the schemers are thinking that time is working for them!! On the other hand, since Kim is by his side, the painter can only consider his presence as the evidence of the lord’s care. 
(Chapter 127) This coincides with the beginning of the Manhwa, when the lord was seen without his butler.
(Chapter 1) The latter only appeared in episode 7, and back then Yoon Seungho had to dress himself. 
(Chapter 7) Finally, I am expecting schemes again. 
(chapter 127) This means that he is giving up on his status and freedom for Baek Na-Kyum’s sake. 
(chapter 127) Here Yoon Seungho had been treated like a servant, because he had been submitted to the straw mat beating. Exactly like in the past, there was a promise. Notice how similar the words are: “No matter”. 
(chapter 77) However, there exists a huge difference. Back then, the vow was made between the butler Kim and Yoon Chang-Hyeon. As you can see, Yoon Seungho is now copying his surrogate father’s behavior. 
(chapter 127) This shows that the young master is following Kim’s path. On the other hand, the domestic employed the future tense in his pledge (“I will do as he commands”), whereas the “spiritual son” is using the present (“I swear to live as you command”). Moreover, the main lead is talking about his way of life and not “order”. And what does the father desire? 
(Chapter 86) Making connections so that the Yoons can become influential again!! But how can he do that? By showing his talent? I have my doubts about it. Why? It is because in season 1, the lord was having sex with his peers, and back then they were like battles… for an exchange of favors. I hope, I might be wrong, but I fear that he is about to become a male kisaeng again. Or if not, then this is what the king is expecting from him. And we have the best example in this scene: 
(chapter 127)
(Chapter 56) Yet, the domestic is only bowing with his head and not his body. The protagonist is dressed exactly like his father. This comparison exposes that my past interpretation was correct: the butler had awakened his master during the night by lighting the candles. And after receiving this letter, Yoon Seungho dressed himself in order to meet his childhood friend, which reinforces my theory that the valet won’t follow the protagonist. 
(chapter 86) However, back then, he was considered as the eldest son. One of his duties was to continue the lineage 
(chapter 82) and because of the stolen kiss, the patriarch became obsessed with sexuality. Observe how lord Song Haseon described the father’s attitude. He knew about the atrocities that the young master was exposed to 
(chapter 107) 
(chapter 55) But what did he see in his father’s gaze? Anger and disappointment, for he was never able to satisfy Yoon Chang-Hyeon’s expectations. 
(chapter 55) With the release of episode 127, I had this sudden revelation concerning this memory. In the past, I used to think that he had been submitted to the straw mat beating. But now, I think that in this scene, Yoon Seungho was forced to bow to his father by the servants or guards!! Yes, the former version of this scene. 
(chapter 126) This idea came to my mind, the moment Yoon Seungho emphasized his bowing! 
(chapter 127) The protagonist’s words imply that he had never done it before!! And now, you know why Yoon Chang-Hyeon agreed to make a deal with his eldest son. 
(chapter 127) Yoon Seungho’s bow and oath stand for blind obedience and loyalty. This explicates why the author drew him without eyes. 
(chapter 11) 
(chapter 35) Does it signify that the protagonist has the intention of betraying his own father? I don’t think so, but the manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget the lord’s wish in the kitchen: “I shall remember this moment for as long as I live”. 
(chapter 118) This shows that when the lord bowed to his father, he was thinking of Baek Na-Kyum in the kitchen. His body might be by his father, but his mind and heart were elsewhere. Thus I couldn’t help myself thinking that Yoon Chang-Hyeon will get betrayed and abandoned by his own son. During the same night, he made 2 vows. It was, as though he had two “lords”! His goal is to meet his loved one again. 
(Chapter 127) Finally, don’t forget that the main lead is following Kim’s path. He will have to choose between his father and the painter. Yoon Seungho is actually applying the father’s principle: the end justifies the means. So if necessary, he can break his vow to his father. 
(Chapter 108) By living by his side, he can lead a quiet life far away from Hanyang. However, this signifies that the artist has become a “prisoner”. As long as he lives in Yoon Chang-Hyeon’s claws, his loved one can not return to his side. Interesting is that a carriage was used to carry away the protagonist. 
(Chapter 78) But where is the painter going? To the mansion? Or to another secluded place? In my eyes, the location is important. His existence is still a source of problems for the schemers. I see a future conflict in the lord’s life, for one oath stands in opposition to the other. Moreover, should the patriarch lose Baek Na-Kyum, he can no longer control his son. He can not suddenly blame the painter for the death of lord Song, for Jung In-Hun has been now convicted for the crime. 
(Chapter 7) Now, the positions are switched. He is the one getting coerced! And this brings me to the following observation. Why did the elder master agree to this deal in the end? First, he refused to assist his son.
(chapter 127) He believes that he has the petition, therefore he can no longer be blackmailed by his eldest son. The latter has no longer any leverage over him! However, he changed his mind. 
(chapter 125) 
(chapter 126) Yet, in reality they were fake excuses. I have already pointed out that the servants would act on their own. But more importantly, their fake apology hid their failure as guards. How could they let the young master barge into the lord’s bedchamber? With a simple apology, this wrongdoing was overlooked. And now, observe what happened during the same night: 
(chapter 127) Yoon Seungho was followed by the guards! It looked like they were serving him. This scene reminded me of the officers’ appearance in front of the mansion. 
(chapter 125), “drugged” and slapped by Yoon Chang-Hyeon, he is destined to receive his karma through his son. And what was his dream? 
(chapter 125) and paid the governor 
(chapter 87), whereas Yoon Seungho stands for change and hope.
(chapter 127) Where was Heena noona, when her brother was in prison? This rumor can only create the illusion that the painter is still devoted to the learned sir. Yet, after the last incident, the painter came to regret to have trust the learned sir. Both characters are now healed from their traumas (abandonment issues) and they are in full possession of their mind. This makes them less weak to manipulations.
(chapter 126) to another 
(chapter 126). He allowed his father to humiliate and abuse him 
(Chapter 126) once again. It was, as if the story was back to square one and the protagonist had learned nothing at all. Under this perception, my avid readers can comprehend why I selected such a title. However, instead of thinking that the author was a bad writer, I decided to ponder on the following question. Why did the author choose such an evolution? 
(chapter 7) Like Baek Na-Kyum, he rushed to his loved one’s side. However, he was first stopped 
(chapter 125), but he never followed him to the bureau of investigation. And the same happened later. Why didn’t he go to his shed, when he was trapped there? Where was he, when the eldest son visited the father? 
(chapter 07) Therefore Yoon Seungho didn’t notice the presence of a civilian next to the governor. 
(chapter 126). Striking is that the governor knew about Yoon Seungho’s whereabouts before his arrival: the coast. As you can see, I am detecting a link between the governor and the younger master Seungwon. Yet, it was disguised as a rumor behind the expression “I had heard”. My assumption is that Seungwon came from the bureau of investigation in order to inform his brother. Therefore it is not surprising that Seungho was invited by his brother to visit the prison during the night. 
(chapter 126) And the moment I perceived the protagonist as a fool in love, I realized that chapter 126 is a reflection of episode 7, 29 
(chapter 29) and 40 
(chapter 40). Here, the painter was trying his best to protect Jung In-Hun’s interests (life, high position). Moreover, in episode 40, the painter had a dream, when he saw the announcement for the civil service examination. He smiled, for he was looking forward for the future. 
(chapter 40) And what have these episodes more in common? A betrayal, abandonment from a loved one and a paper (painting, poem). Hence I am more than ever convinced that the petition will resurface very soon and play a huge role in the downfall of the schemers and haters. Besides, chapter 40 represents the negative reflection of the conversation in the prison. 
(chapter 40) There is neither disdain nor mockery. The mentioned scenes are similar, for the present resembles the past. And this brings me to the second reason for the Webtoonist’s decision.
(chapter 123), Yoon Chang-Hyeon considered Yoon Seungho as a human, for he employed the personal pronoun “he”. He was still his son. Then in episode 77, he judged him as a slave 
(chapter 77), hence he was submitted to the straw mat beating and was held captive. He even refused to send for a physician. 
(chapter 83) Here, the father is denying his humanity, he is just an animal. In their next confrontation, he describes him as a monster, hence he wished that he had never been born.
(chapter 86) However, his words exposed that he was still viewing him as a living being. Therefore it is not surprising that he accepted lord Song’s request to order the murder of his son! In the gibang, he decided to no longer acknowledge Yoon Seungho as his son. 
(chapter 107) The tragedy is that the protagonist still viewed the Yoons as his family because of Yoon Seungwon, who keeps calling him “brother”. This explicates why Yoon Seungho sponsored his brother to have an official position. 
(chapter 115) Therefore it is not surprising that he followed Yoon Seungwon’s advice again. 
(chapter 120). He would bring the petition to his own father. This means that he is acting like the painter who listened to his noona Heena so well. 
(chapter 126) It was, as if he had become a merchandise. Or we could say that the elder master had been using him as a tool, which he can now abandon. 
(chapter 126) Interesting is that the idiom “plaything” has for antonyms tool, implement, instrument and utensil. And this brings me to the following remark. The father’s words are reflecting the last scheme. Yoon Seungho was used as the sword to get rid of an enemy, lord Song. It was, as if someone had decided to get rid of lord Song, for he represented a danger or threat. It also mirrors the trick in the shrine. Min and the others got killed, because Lee Jihwa went to his childhood friend. And who had seen the main lead using this sword, when he was enraged? Father Lee! 
(chapter 67) But let’s return our attention to the patriarch and his son. Yoon Seungho is no longer recognized as a Yoon member. Therefore I come to the conclusion that Yoon Seungho will make the following decision: to become an orphan. And this is symbolized by the loss of hair. I am expecting him to cut off his hair, something the painter has been doing for a long time. That’s why Byeonduck showed us the lord without a topknot. 
(chapter 126) This would coincide with my previous statement. The lord is going through the same experience than his loved one. However, people will come to the conclusion that this was done by the father. How so? Remember how each rumor became a reality. 
(chapter 1) I had already demonstrated that Yoon Seungho was not a fiend for sodomy with no regard for time and place, until he met Baek Na-Kyum. But once a deed is done, it can never be repeated. 
(chapter 101) So should Father Lee claim that he has long disowned Jihwa by cutting off his topknot, no one will believe him, for the young master was still seen with a topknot after confessing his feelings in public. 
(chapter 57) In other words, the topknot incident at the kisaeng would be brought up. It is impossible for 2 fathers to act the same way. Besides, the loss of the topknot has another signification: Yoon Seungho would cut off ties with valet Kim, for the latter was the one who gave him the topknot. And episode 126 reflected one more time his position: 
(chapter 126) He is the one dressing him. It was, as if he was the pope.
(chapter 116) It is because someone had reported to him the conversation between lord Song and the painter. 
(chapter 122) There was a spy listening to their conversation. Since all the guards died 
(chapter 124) 
(chapter 120) And who was present there? Jung In-Hun! But there is more to it. Since leaving Baek Na-Kyum behind is considered as an abandonment, it means that the patriarch abandoned his son too. 
(chapter 27) By speaking to Yoon Seungho, the elder master Yoon didn’t realize that he was admitting his own wrongdoings. Actually, he had abandoned him many times… like here for example 
(chapter 87) Therefore his words will come back to bite him. But these words are also exposing the valet’s betrayal and abandonment towards Yoon Seungho!! How so?
(chapter 122), then he should have been at the patriarch’s house. The absence of the valet is the evidence of his treason. For me, he is now working for Jung In-Hun which explains why he never mentioned his presence in the mansion, only lord Song. Besides, keep in mind that once deed done can not be repeated. In episode 27, the lord was too angry and busy to notice the learned sir’s spying activities. 
(Chapter 27) Moreover, Kim didn’t report the interrogation to his master. This means that the butler covered up for the teacher’s wrongdoing. But here is the deal: 
(chapter 120) The library was ransacked, hence this crime is bound to be discovered. Finally, his intervention in the shed is exposing his deception. 
(chapter 83) That’s why I am convinced that these words 
(chapter 126) He is no longer suicidal, in fact he is full of hope! Though he was sent back to hell for a short moment, he came out of this as a winner. My evidence is that the lord has now become a believer. 
(chapter 126) Yes, episode 126 exposes the return of his faith! And where could we see the atheism of Yoon Seungho in the story? In chapter 92! 
(chapter 92) He didn’t believe in the spring poetry to ward off bad luck! That’s why he was sent back to the past. He needed to lose everything in order to find hope! In his darkest moment, he expressed a wish: to meet his loved one! And where did he pray to the gods? In the shed! 
(chapter 126) Observe how he is kneeling in direction of the bars. He is hoping to meet Baek Na-Kyum again. As you can see, though this scene 
(chapter 126) He was showing resistance and anger towards his father. Moreover, he was no longer shaking in front of the patriarch or the guards. 
(chapter 86) Thus I deduce that though he was mistreated and insulted like in the past, he was no longer suffering from his traumas. He is healed. His will is now really strong, supported by his new found faith. 
(chapter 62) Even if they were hugging, they were not close emotionally and mentally. This stands in opposition to the scene in the jail. They might be separated by the bars, but they are touching each other tenderly. 
(chapter 126) They are able to see each other. 
(chapter 126) Try Meditation 
(chapter 126) or Prayer 
(chapter 126) 
(chapter 126) Quoted from 
(chapter 126) It is relevant, because light represents knowledge and truth. He is now the bearer of the truth. And he got his blessing from Baek Na-Kyum, when he touched his hands. 
(chapter 120) Yes, chapter 126 mirrors 92! This somehow confirms my theory that the butler was the one hiding under the purple hanbok. 
(chapter 92) Moreover, we have another reference to this episode, the pouring of alcohol! 
(chapter 92) 
(chapter 126) It was, as if someone wanted the lord to pay for Min’s insult! That’s the reason why I come to the following conclusion: Yoon Seungho is now opening up to Baek Na-Kyum. He is confessing to the painter about his wishes. 
(chapter 85) The manhwaphiles should keep in mind that the request from the artist in the study was strongly connected to forgiveness. And Baek Na-Kyum could also confess what happened in the past: his guilt and regret asking for the lord’s forgiveness. Right now, both are blaming themselves for the incidents, although they got fooled by many schemers. Because the lord proved his loyalty and blinded trust in the painter, I see the scene in the jail as a new version of this confession: 
(chapter 75) Thus I consider the prison cell as a sacred place, where both characters are about to be freed from their guilt! 
(chapter 11) thus he could escape justice! 
(Chapter 11) Simultaneously, the first definition of life lie corresponds to Yoon Chang-Hyeon. The latter blames his eldest son for the downfall of the Yoons. 
(chapter 125). They fail their duty, for they allowed the main lead to barge in the room. 
(Chapter 126) He is actually encouraging his son to hate himself and indirectly his own father! However, the son made the exact opposite decision: love!! Hence I am more than certain that the elder master is about to experience a harsh awakening. 
(chapter 101) Thus they got punished. And now, the two main leads are about to face human justice. 
(chapter 65) But strangely, the painter is showing no fear at all. 
(chapter 126) He is ready to sacrifice himself. So why was Yoon Seungho dressed up in the end? One might say that with the topknot and the hanbok, the abuse from the patriarch got covered up. That way, Baek Na-Kyum wouldn’t detect Yoon Chang-Hyeon’s lies and abandonment! 
(chapter 125) The latter brainwashed him to take the fall for everything, implying that way, his loved one would be protected! However, I am suspecting that if the lord were to leave the prison, he could meet someone in the office. That way, this person is not confronted with the reality: the main lead was “abused”. According to the butler, he was supposed to meet his brother at the office. 
(Chapter 92) In episode 92, we have a mysterious man in the background dressed in black, but he is not wearing his gat. Besides, I would like my avid readers to remember this image from the trailer: 
which reminds us of the office: 
(chapter 98) This place symbolizes power and strength. And because episode 126 is a reflection of chapter 7, 11, 29 and 40, I think, Yoon Seungho is about to receive a deal, for these episodes are focusing on the deal between the painter and the protagonist: protection from the father and punishment in exchange for entertainment. He would appear as a fake savior in the end. Remember what in episode 11 the artist said in front of his fated partner:
(chapter 11) He would do anything except painting!! He was not willing to give up on this principle, which reminds us of faith. So when Yoon Seungho faced his father, he experienced powerlessness for one reason. 
(Chapter 105) Then in episode 122, 
we discover that lord Song employed the pipe to beat the painter. Moreover, I detected a progression. In season 2, Yoon Seungho was still smoking. 
(Chapter 74) But once the painter showed that he didn’t like smoking, Yoon Seungho stopped taking the drug. This explicates why in season 3, he was no longer seen with the item in his hand. Even under stress, he chose to hunt instead of smoking in front of the window. We have two scenes where the pipe is present. One is when the lord is throwing it out of anger,:
(chapter 86) which reminded me of the incident with the music box.
(Chapter 85) This shows that this item had no value to the protagonist. Then the pipe appeared in the gibang on the table. 
(Chapter 96) However, here the lord had only eyes for the painter or Heena. Hence I have the impression that the pipe could resurface and serve as an tool to identify the perpetrator, just like the glasses were used to recognize the scholar. 
(Chapter 102) Finally, since the pipe appeared in the gibang twice, it indicates that this hobby is linked to the kisaeng house!! And this brings me to my final observation: the pipe is connected to paper
(Chapter 1) 
(chapter 1) However, there exists two books!! And one has no PIPE! This coincides with the decision of the painter to stop drawing erotic pictures! Yes… dropped amusement! At the same time, Yoon Seungho has long lost his interest for erotic publications. He also dropped this hobby. On the other hand, the books were dropped in front of the painter. 
(Chapter 1) Finally, the petition was dropped in front of lord Song 
(chapter 123) which announced his death sentence. To conclude, the papers have a strong connection to punishment and death. 
(Chapter 126) Yoon Seungho went to the father’s mansion, and it didn’t take him that long! As you can see, I consider this trip with Yoon Seungwon as a diversion. 
(Chapter 121) So why didn’t the elder master return to his old home? It is to drive the Yoons out of their propriety. In other words, the lies from the past are becoming a reality exposing the liars in the end. Their life lies will be ruined.
(chapter 122) represents their future, their reunion. Since I saw chapter 124 had references to episode 116 
(chapter 116), I am expecting that the painter will be given new clothes, for the assassin switched clothes too and we should have a new scene near a pavilion 
(chapter 116). Besides, don‘t forget that Yoon Seungho had ordered clothes for the painter which should have been delivered to the gibang.
(Chapter 106) 
(chapter 87) Not only the painter and the 3 noonas were sharing the same bed, but also they were taking their meals together. 
(chapter 87) They would even caress each other and laugh together. This scene oozes happiness. Consequently, it is no coincidence that during that night, they shared their honest thoughts to Baek Na-Kyum giving him good advices. But more importantly, the painter was there, when his noonas were struggling. 
(chapter 94) He cried in front of them. His tears symbolized his compassion and love for his noonas. He regarded them as his family. And it was the same for the artist. He had the noonas by his side, when he was in trouble or agony. 
(chapter 94) 
(chapter 107) However, at some point, it changed! 
(chapter 94) Jung In-Hun entered his life and consoled him. Thus I deduce that this image 
(chapter 68) represents a turning point in Baek Na-Kyum’s life. During that night, the scholar took away the young painter from Heena, hence he couldn’t help her. And now, observe the learned sir’s reaction. He didn’t allow the painter to cry. He shouldn’t share his pain. 
(chapter 70) In fact, he diverted Baek Na-Kyum’s attention from the incident to the moon. The learned sir was smiling the whole time. 
(chapter 70) He was acting, as if nothing had happened. The fact that he didn’t bear the tears from the painter exposes that the learned sir never considered him as a family. Therefore it is not surprising that he got abandoned, when the learned sir struggled: 
(chapter 19), he pushed away the painter. 
(chapter 19) He was mad, because Baek Na-Kyum was the cause for his sponsoring. 
(chapter 19) However, the family serves as pillar and protection. When the scholar’s pride got hurt, he rejected Baek Na-Kyum. He only approached the painter, when he needed him 
(chapter 10) 
(chapter 24) 
(chapter 35). 
(chapter 111) For me, in episode 10, he was definitely aware of the existence of a plot, thus he led the painter to the pavilion. Then in episode 24 and 35, he wanted the artist to spy on his benefactor. Finally, in episode 111, he knew that by taking away his former pupil, he would hurt Yoon Seungho, for he was aware of his affection for Baek Na-Kyum. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Jung In-Hun didn’t bid farewell to the main lead in episode 44. Baek Na-Kyum’s presence was not necessary for the preparation for the civil service examination. And this brings me to the last scene between the learned sir and the painter. 
(chapter 118) He is now crying in front of him, as if he was considering him as a part of his family. He is trying to create the illusion that he shares his suffering, just like he shared his happiness during the parade. 
(chapter 117) It was, as if the former was starting his family. Baek Na-Kyum is now his “bride”. But naturally, everything is just an illusion. Why? It is because the Manhwaphiles never saw Jung In-Hun share his bed or room with the artist! 
(chapter 27) 
(chapter 38) He was also never seen taking his meals with him. This explicates why he never visited him, when the painter was sick. In fact, the learned sir is connected to the air and the courtyard. That’s the reason why he is always seen roaming around with Baek Na-Kyum (10: pavilion, 18-19-27-35-44: courtyard, countryside/city: 29-37-70 and 
) But more importantly, he is not sharing his true thoughts and emotions to the young man. 
(chapter 118) He never explained how his face got bruised! This shows that he approached Na-Kyum for one reason. He was in trouble and he needed him. But he acted, as if he was becoming responsible for him. 
(chapter 118) 
(chapter 118) He didn’t expect a rejection. Why? It is because now, he was treating the main lead as family member. Nonetheless, don‘t get me wrong. In Joseon, servants were considered as a part of the household and as such of the „family“. I don‘t believe that the teacher views Baek Na-Kyum as an equal. Yet, the latter is in reality a free man. 
(chapter 118) Thus out of fear, he made a false love confession which resembles a lot to obsession and possessiveness. His words display his worries and despair. Another important aspect is the absence of the personal pronoun “we” in their conversation. We only have “you” and “me”. 
(chapter 118) 
(chapter 40), the latter learned the following lesson: Jung In-Hun had never been his new family. That’s the reason why he was so wounded. Therefore it is no coincidence that his karma is to be abandoned the moment he needs Baek Na-Kyum the most. But why did he not consider the painter as a family member? It is because he came from the gibang. Moreover, he was blinded by his desire to succeed on his own, not realizing the true role of a family. 
(chapter 86) 
(chapter 107) The sexual abuse is something they hid from Baek Na-Kyum! They could never share such a burden with the protagonist. But there is more to it. In fact, Byeonduck illustrated the slow deterioration of Na-Kyum’s s family in season 2, 3 and 4. First, the painter couldn’t talk to his noonas like in the past: 
(chapter 46) He could only express his sadness with his tears. Then when Heena reentered his life, she was seen next to his bed while hugging. by his side 
(chapter 66) This means that she would no longer share his cover. This is no coincidence that in the gibang, the noona could no longer enter her brother’s room. 
(chapter 96) Little by little, Heena got excluded from the painter’s life. She could no longer share her meals with him. 
(chapter 93) This explicates why in season 4, Baek Na-Kyum can not penetrate Heena’s room. 
(chapter 105) She is hiding more and more things from her brother: her “illness”, her involvement in the murder of nobles and her lies. On the other hand, the painter still considered her as a part of his family because of her intervention in episode 68/69: 
(chapter 68) Their argument was reflecting their trust, though here the kisaeng was questioning her brother’s maturity. Due to her concerns, Baek Na-Kyum felt that they were still a family. However, I sense a rupture, when they argued in the kisaeng house. The artist was no longer trusting Heena’s words: 
(chapter 97) Interesting is that from that moment on, Baek Na-Kyum and Heena never faced each other! She didn’t join his side during the parade. This means that their argument in the kisaeng house represents their last reunion. And what did Heena do in this scene? She cried 
(chapter 97), while the painter didn’t, though he looked disturbed. 
(chapter 97) He lost all his colors. However, such a scene could be perceived as a sign of indifference, especially for the kisaeng. And this observation made me realize why the kisaeng asked Yoon Seungho not to reveal his suspicions about Jung In-Hun’s involvement to her brother. 
(chapter 105) Here, she implied that Baek Na-Kyum would cry out of pain and shock. But she had seen that he had shared no tears, when he heard about his murder: And it happened again in the shrine.
(chapter 99) Simultaneously, the request from Heena exposes that they are no longer sharing agony and as such struggles. Moreover, this made me realize why the artist left the mansion after the nightmare. It was out of fear and obligation. For me, he had sensed that Heena liked the learned sir and as she was still part of his family, he had to make sure that this was not true. Yet, even after witnessing the faked crime scene, he still trusted Yoon Seungho. Hence I am deducing that the absence of tears is the trigger for their separation which stands in opposition to their embrace in the mansion: 
(chapter 66) 
. (chapter 68) And what was her reaction, when she saw her brother in tears and yelling at his lover?: 
(chapter 105) She remained silent, passive and rather indifferent. This impression gets reinforced, when she is lying next to her colleagues. She is not sharing her thoughts and emotions, rather pensive contrary to these kisaengs: 
(chapter 105) She is even turning her back to them. This displays the dissolution of this family. The kisaeng is no longer sharing her fears, her tears and emotions to others. Therefore she can not sense “happiness or relief” like the others. 
(chapter 93), but the moment the lord joined his side, the honesty started vanishing. Notice that the painter couldn’t talk about his past (how he met Yoon Seungho and how he got abandoned by Jung In-Hun). It was reduced to “I was caught up with something”. He had so many secrets that he couldn’t share to his noonas. And it was the same for the kisaengs. 
(chapter 93) They also had secrets, hence they were seen whispering. Baek Na-Kyum could confide less to Heena. Why? He sensed that the kisaengs might show no understanding. And note how the painter reacted, when he met his noonas in episode 105. 
(chapter 105) He lied to his noona, he didn’t voice his worries. He didn’t enjoy his time spent by the kisaengs’ side. He didn’t eat with them either. This is the sign that he was moving on, he was on the verge of starting his new family. In other words, this scene 
(chapter 105), the kisaeng’s words are a reference to loss of virginity. Yet the painter didn’t grasp the true meaning. Only in his dream and nightmare, he realized the significance of her words: 
(chapter 109) Hence I come to the conclusion that we are witnessing to the birth of Baek Na-Kyum’s new family: Yoon Seungho. 
(chapter 118) That’s the reason why the painter decided to run away with his lover. 
(chapter 118) However, in order to become a real family, the painter needs to call his husband like this: 
(chapter 72) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the noonas were no longer entirely honest with Baek Na-Kyum in the gibang. They couldn’t share their thoughts and secrets to the artist, as they had played a role in the separation of the couple 
(chapter 99) and the nobles’ execution. Besides, they also had secrets which they had to hide from their donsaeng. 
(chapter 57) I believe that it is related to the protagonist’s sensibility and intelligence. My assumption is that Yoon Seungho is a 
(chapter 85), his second son and even lord Song as his family 
(chapter 116) Hence they are sharing a drink, their secrets and emotions together, though it is obvious that the man in purple is deceiving the patriarch. However, the elder master still trusts and listens to his words. 
(chapter 26) The latter was not allowed to cry! Therefore the artist heard the same reproach from the main lead. 
(chapter 26) The valet disliked the tears, because he refused to share the suffering. The reason is simple. If he did, this would have increased his guilt. Furthermore, Kim never shared the cover or his meals with Yoon Seungho in the past 
(chapter 17) he even refused to bring him his breakfast. But one might argue that Kim cried in front of the protagonist in the shed, he even expressed regrets: 
(chapter 108) So we could assume that he was starting to view the main lead as a family member. But no… for me, it is just an illusion. First, note that he never let the lord see his gaze while weeping. Besides, the noble’s heart was not moved either. They were not crying together, a sign that the two were drifting apart. Moreover, in the shed, the valet never shared the information about the fire at the shrine. 
(chapter 108) The noble had to use threat and force in order to push the butler to voice his thoughts. Finally, at the end, the valet never vowed his loyalty to Yoon Seungho, but to Baek Na-Kyum. 
(chapter 108) Moreover, like exposed above, family in the poem symbolizes trust, love, responsibility, comfort and protection, but the valet failed to fulfil his duties which he admitted in the shed. As a conclusion, the butler didn’t keep such a promise. Moreover, what did the butler do after the painter’s abduction? 
(chapter 64) 
(chapter 64) He ran away. He never saved the painter, just like he didn’t argue with his master in that moment. But he could have, since the latter had no sword by his side. Imagine that he had a heated discussion with Yoon Seungho the very next day, and in the courtyard, the protagonist had the sword in the hand. 
(chapter 68) A sign that he knew that the noble would never slay him! And in the past, the valet had not come to his rescue, shared his suffering or defended his honor. And now, you comprehend why I am more than ever convinced that the valet was never Yoon Seungho’s family: no tear, no joy or no secret shared! His expression “bird of misfortune” embodies the gap between the two characters. 
(chapter 109) The latter would even get the opportunity to eat sweets and sit in the patio
(chapter 109), while the lord was relegated to the courtyard. 
(chapter 62) and his hope to be happy for one moment: 
(chapter 63) I selected the terrible scene in the shed for two reasons. It symbolizes the verse “how to become a family”. This explicates why in season 3, the artist was slowly using the personal pronoun “we”. 
(chapter 78) This means that the two protagonists were learning how to become a true family. And one of this important step was “crying together” which occurred after the sexual abuse in the shrine, 
(chapter 102) However, Yoon Seungho had to learn the importance of “secrecy”! He kept his crime from his loved one hidden, not understanding that a real family is to “endure all hardships” together. Consequently, I judge this night 
as the finalization of their “Wedding”, though it is still not official. During this night, we have all the criteria. They share their worries
(chapter 110), their happiness 
(chapter 110), they sit together while eating
(chapter 110), they embrace each other, they share the same bed. And the lord makes the following promise: there won’t be any secret between them. He will share everything with his lover. 
(chapter 110) So when the brother gave the petition to the artist
(chapter 117) Therefore, it is not surprising that during that same night, the couple slept under the same blanket while hugging each other. 
(chapter 117) The symbol for the new family! But a family is not made just of two members! Is Yoon Seungwon a part of Yoon Seungho’s family? Let’s not forget that he considered the artist as his brother’s wife. 
(chapter 116) What caught my attention is that Yoon Seungho was not followed by his lover, when he met his brother in the gibang. 
(chapter 118) And this reminded me of this scene: 
(chapter 37) He wished to send away the artist, but the host refused. Then if you pay attention to his behavior, you will notice that none of them were seen eating together! 
(chapter 118) Compare it to Black Heart’s behavior: 
(chapter 43) In fact, the two guests were drinking on their own! Yoon Seungwon had even started drinking before the protagonist’s arrival. 
(chapter 118) Moreover, exactly like the scholar, Yoon Seungwon is just employing the pronouns “you”, “I” and “father”. There is no WE at all. 
(chapter 118) 
(chapter 118), but it is only a name! In reality, he desires to use the main lead. He needs him more than ever! Let’s not forget that the patriarch could discover Yoon Seungwon’s betrayal at any moment. Finally, I would like to outline that family stands for effort and understanding, nevertheless the younger master never showed compassion or worries for his brother, who had just recovered from a stabbing. His speech was full of blame. 
(chapter 22), the physical therapist still views her as his family. This corresponds to the verse “no matter where you are”. This explains why he listened to her and started treating the champion differently. From my point of view, they became a family, because they slept under the same cover
(chapter 21), shared their agony, fears 
(chapter 5) and their happiness together, though this needs to be relativized. 
(chapter 11). I will give more details later. Another evidence that they are family is that the grandmother would often sing him songs. Then we could say that the grandmother shares her meals with the doctor, for she is often saving yoghurts for her grandson. 
(chapter 05) She is happy, when she hears good news from her grandson. 
(chapter 07) When she feels lonely or miserable, she asks for his presence. 
(chapter 21) 
(chapter 5) Nevertheless, there exist two negative aspects. First, I noticed that she didn’t question Kim Dan about his career, only when it was necessary. 
(chapter 07) She is not that involved in his current life. 
(chapter 05) Secondly, what caught my attention is that the halmoni is not letting her grandson weep. With her attitude, she implied that he had overreacted (“Now, now none of that”). 
(chapter 21) Moreover, the poem outlined the necessity of crying together (“be able to cry together”), yet the halmoni was not upset, when she found the little Dan in tears. She didn’t understand his abandonment issues. Thus I deduce that the shared agony was only in one way! If the grandmother was scared or suffering, her grandson should feel the same. 
(chapter 5) This explicates why Kim Dan was willing to sacrifice himself for his halmoni. 
(chapter 16) It is because he knew that her grandmother disliked tears. Besides, in a previous essay, I had already outlined that such an attitude was considered as abusive, for such a young child should have been shielded from harm. However, he was exposed to violence very early on. Under this new perspective, it becomes comprehensible why Kim Dan started having secrets from her. Finally, the family portrayed in the poem implied the notion of effort and work. But the moment the grandmother refused to share his agony, she stopped putting energy in her relationship with Kim Dan. This means that as time passed on, she became more and more passive and relied more and more on the main lead. Another interesting aspect is that Kim Dan came to enjoy K-dramas because of his grandmother. 
(chapter 30) This shows that Kim Dan’s preferences are all influenced by the halmoni. We could say that he didn’t truly develop his own identity. It was, as if he had become the second version of “grandma”. And now, you comprehend why he rejected sex: 
(chapter 20) 
(chapter 30) Because the grandmother didn’t allow her grandson to share his struggles (no tears), Kim Dan has been hiding many things from his grandmother
(chapter 07): the beatings from Heo Manwook, his firing from the hospital, the sexual assault from the perverted hospital director and the moneylender, his deal with Joo Jaekyung and the fact that he moved to the penthouse. This means that little by little, the physical therapist is sharing less and less his happiness with her. I doubt that he told her about his trip to Busan, his first MMA fight as spectator 
(chapter 15) and his first sparring with Joo Jaekyung 
(chapter 26). But this is a sign that Kim Dan is maturing. Therefore it is no coincidence that after their first day off spent together, Kim Dan is already under the champion’s spell. 
(chapter 30) And at some point, the grandma will notice her little boy’s transformation and the growing distance. And Choi Heesung could be the trigger for a first quarrel 
(chapter 22) 
(chapter 26), they get support from each other 
(chapter 14) 
(chapter 23) or they argue 
(chapter 07). Moreover, they call the older members “hyung” 
(chapter 5) 
(chapter 23) which is another evidence that Team Black functions more like a family than like a company. What caught my attention is that the doctor is not addressed as hyung 
(chapter 30) but as Doc Dan or doc. 
(chapter 23), though the manager Park Namwook had introduced him as hyung. 
(chapter 07) The reason behind this different title is the champion. The latter addressed him like that: 
(chapter 22) It exposes that the physical therapist occupies a particular position at the gym. On the one hand, it could be interpreted that he has not been entirely adopted as a family member. On the other hand, the physical therapist didn’t exclude that he could have other clients. 
(chapter 25) This means that his “adoption” is not definitive and official. Nevertheless, I would like to outline that though Team Black’s structure resembles a lot to a family, we can not say that it is a true family. Why? It is because Joo Jaekyung is hiding many things from his hyungs and members. He is not sharing his problems to his coach (his insomnia, his jinx, his sexual orientation, his insecurities eg). Imagine that he preferred deceiving his admirer 
(chapter 15) than admitting that his shoulder had been plaguing him. And it is the same for Potato. He didn’t talk about the incident with the office room and the sofa. 
(chapter 25) According to me, Jeong Yosep knows about the true relationship between the physical therapist and the alpha black wolf. But he kept this information to himself as well. However, like pointed out before, family stands for communication and not secrecy! Moreover, so far, we only saw the fighters share their happiness. And what about their struggles or defeat? To conclude, Jinx is actually showing us the transformation of Team Black as company into a family. How they “become” a WE! Park Namwook does consider Team Black as his gym, but he has his own family. However, this is not the case for Jeong Yosep or Joo Jaekyung, who lives as a loner wolf! In my opinion, Team Black will turn into a real family, the moment Kim Dan loses his halmoni. Remember the quote from the poem: “If you can’t say you’re hurt when you feel hurt you’re not family“. Kim Dan won’t be able to hide his sadness and broken heart. In the beginning of the story, he lied to the coach and Kwak Junbeom about the reason for his injuries: 
(chapter 11), because he considered them as superior and colleagues. In other words, the fighters will share their pain with doc Dan helping him to overcome the loss. But this change can only happen, when the owner of Team Black has a change of heart himself as well. Remember how he pushed Oh Daehung and the other members away. 
(chapter 22) He didn’t want them to come to his house. 
(chapter 22) So far, he didn’t want people to cross the line, but thanks to the physical therapist, this will change. That’s how both protagonists will come to view more and more Team Black as a family. They will share their struggles and happy moments together. I have one evidence that Kim Dan is the key to turn Team Black into a real family. It is because Joo Jaekyung came to the gathering
(chapter 9), though he had been avoiding such events in the past. 
(chapter 30) But he is there an employee. Thus I am suspecting that the talent agency is working differently from Team Black. If there is a scandal, I doubt that the company would side with the star in trouble or they would try to find ways to get rid of the issue, like finding a scapegoat in order to bury the truth. As a conclusion, I am expecting to see companies run differently so that the readers can perceive Team Black as a family company, although it is an incorporation.
(chapter 4) This was a reference to the blanket in the poem, though here Kim Dan slept in a cocoon. This was a sign that he didn’t feel safe. However, as time passed on, I detected a change in Kim Dan’s sleeping position. He is lying on his back and even in the middle of the bed. 
(chapter 29) It is because Joo Jaekyung always put him there! This exposes that the champion is still thinking that he represents a disturbance to the Sleeping beauty. One thing is sure: Joo Jaekyung will become the blanket taking over the grandmother’s past role: 
(chapter 1) This was the reaction from the champion: 
(chapter 1) He questioned the cause for the tears. He was naturally annoyed (“the hell”), but he didn’t make fun of the doctor. And now, pay attention to the memory Joo Jaekyung had from their first night. He remembered his tears which had moved him deeply: 
(chapter 6) This shows that the celebrity is not judging the physical therapist as weak due to his tears. In episode 28, he even showed concerns, when he heard the doctor crying. 
(chapter 28) 
(chapter 28) He questioned the doctor once again, why he was in tears. However, he didn’t ask the doctor to stop weeping or to wipe his tears. He wanted to understand him. This exposes the fighter’s tolerance and interest in Kim Dan. For me, it reveals that Joo Jaekyung is willing to share the pain or fears with Kim Dan. Therefore it is not surprising that Kim Dan is remembering this moment! 
(chapter 30) He was allowed to express his emotions. Interesting is that this image is now connected to red, not to grey/black. 
(chapter 30) The switch of color indicates the doctor’s increasing feelings and sensuality for Joo Jaekyung. That’s the reason why I am expecting that one day, the two protagonists will cry together, something that the grandma hasn’t done until now. 
(chapter 13), it doesn’t signify that they are a family now. And it is the same for the penthouse. 
(chapter 18) They might share the same flat, but the penthouse is so huge that they can technically live apart. Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan are slowly spending more and more time together, either because the champion feels like it 
(chapter 19) or it is necessary 
. (chapter 27) During the day off, they shared their thoughts,, their emotions 
(chapter 27) 
(chapter 27), their happiness 
(chapter 28) and their fears 
(chapter 27) 
(chapter 29) Because Joo JAekyung confessed his fears and health issues to Kim Dan, it shows that he was trusting him. For me, this night represents another step how to become a true family. “If you can’t say you’re hurt when you feel hurt you’re not family.” This day and night were so magical that it affected the protagonists’ life forever. From that moment on, Kim Dan is feeling more attracted to the champion, hence he is peeping at him. 
(chapter 30) And it is the same for the champion. Now, he is slowly regretting that they live in two different rooms and they have their own bathroom. Therefore he came to the doctor’s bathroom under the fake excuse that he had run out of toothpaste. 
(chapter 30) What was so funny is that he had opened the door like a huge bear. Why? It is because he was so annoyed how to explain his intrusion. 
(chapter 30) This shows that little by little, the champion is regretting his words to Kim Dan in the master’s room. 
(chapter 29) For me, he will be forced to recognize that work is not bringing him closer to Kim Dan, especially after Choi Heesung met the main lead. 
(chapter 30) For me, this scene is the bathroom represents another step how to become a true family. 
(chapter 30) However, like Mingwa voiced it, they have a long way to go, for Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan are hiding their true thoughts and emotions from each other. 
(chapter 30) Kim Dan had to hide his blushing, while the champion had to lie for his appearance. Moreover, the fact that he tried to hide his underwear 
(chapter 30) indicates that their intimacy has not reached its peak. He doesn’t feel comfortable around the athlete to be seen in underwear. Moreover, the champion is also hiding his jealousy and possessiveness towards the main character. 
(chapter 30) But like I said, they need to open up their hearts and mind in order to become a true family. From my point of view, the halmoni could play a huge role in their union. How so? It is because she entrusted her grandson to Joo Jaekyung. The latter also conversed with her 
(chapter 21) and even paid her hospital bills. She even took his hand 
(chapter 22) and gave him a yoghurt.
(chapter 21) So the moment the grandma vanishes, it could also wound the champion’s heart, especially when his sex partner is so heartbroken. It would be interesting if the champion came to voice his feelings about her. If you can’t say you’re hurt when you feel hurt you’re not family.“
(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) 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 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 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 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 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 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) 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 11) Back then, the painter had the burst lip and the glowing cheek too. 
(Chapter 11) 
(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 118) Finally, this painting, Hokjado, is actually mocking the monarch. 
(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 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 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. 
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 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 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 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) 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) 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. 
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 115) The reality was too painful, hence he chose the illusion, thinking that with his new position, he would be able to do anything, especially if he is getting the support from lord Song. In my opinion, he is falling into a trap. He would realize it, if he pondered and didn‘t let his emotions cloud his judgement. Lord Song waited for his suffering and humiliation. By rejecting reality, the learned sir chose the nightmare, a very unpleasant and frightening experience. 
(chapter 109) He discovers that Baek Na-Kyum has already prepared himself, as he is longing for him. 
(chapter 109) He never expected such a reaction. The reason why the evolution of Painter Of The Night is flowing at a snail’s pace is that season 4 is now focusing more on the past. First, Byeonduck needs to divulge the lord’s suffering and its causes. And this can only happen, if memories are brought up. Hence in episode 109, the painter’s memories stood in the center. Why? It is because he is trying to understand why his loved one is now avoiding him. Thus he is remembering what happened just before. The readers are actually put in the same situation than the artist. On the one hand, the focus on recollection is a method to unveil how the young master was turned into a “sodomite and pariah”, for the painter is going through the same experience than his partner. In episode 109, he is isolated from his “lover” and as such from his family, for he has now maids by his side. The latter are supposed to be his new “family”. On the other hand it helps the manhwaphiles to anticipate the future main events,. as the progression is in slow motion. This means, the Webtoonist left all the elements in the previous seasons in order to decode the past, the present and the future. That way, the manhwalovers are capable to unveil the mystery. Besides, the author has to answer all the questions the beholders had while reading the previous seasons, like this one: 
(chapter 27) What book was the scholar looking for? Up to now, we have no clue, though I had developed the following theory: Jung In-Hun was a Christian and had a bible. 
(chapter 109) How did this happen? One might reply that the book fell from the shelf, when the painter kissed his lover. 
(chapter 109) This interpretation can be easily refuted, for the noble stood next to the shelf and not in front of it. Besides, the counter stands on the noble’s left, while the ledger was on his right. However, one detail caught my notice, the beholder can not see Yoon Seungho’s hands!! That’s how I realized that the book came from the protagonist! He had carried it hidden in his right sleeve. This explicates why the book stands on the right side. 
(chapter 109) Besides, contrary to the previous panel, now the lord’s hand is visible! This is no coincidence. But if he was hiding the copy from Baek Na-Kyum, I deduce that it is related to the painter. But there is another person associated to manuscripts in this story, Jung In-Hun!! But what have the low-born and the scholar in common then? The erotic publications! 
(chapter 94) However, Yoon Seungho is suspecting that the learned sir was behind the trick in the shaman’s house due to the glasses Min had in his hand before dying. 
However, there exist two reasons why I came to this deduction. I detected similarities with the first encounter between Yoon Seungho and his nemesis in the scholar’s home and the painter’s kisses. 
(chapter 6) Both were standing in front of the cupboard, while the learned sir suddenly took away the copy and closed it to put it back on the cupboard. This made the protagonist smirk. Due to the characters’ reaction, 
(chapter 6), I had assumed that the protagonist was making fun of Jung In-Hun. He had played a prank on the host, especially after asking about his occupation. I have always wondered about the content of the volume. Therefore I had developed the idea that this could be the bible. However, it was clear that the book was not for children which is visible due to the writing. 
(chapter 6) In fact, the learned sir should have the manual Thousand Character Classic (Chinese: 千字文; pinyin: Qiānzì Wén), also known as the Thousand Character Text.
(chapter 6) This means that the book represents the evidence of learned sir’s betrayal and abandonment. He is responsible for his illiteracy. To conclude, this scene contains the following elements: a prank, a lie, a confession which was triggered by a book that Yoon Seungho had picked up by chance. But wait… it could be the book from the scholar’s home! 
(chapter 06) But this image can be used to refute this theory. How so? It is because this book has a title, hence there is a white rectangle!! However, take a closer look at the copy on the floor. 
(chapter 50) Finally, I would like the readers to keep in mind that they could only see the content of the books 
(chapter 6) He proposed him to sit and have a cup of tea to divert his attention from the books on the cupboard. Besides, I would like to outline the huge contrast between these two scenes. The scholar needed the assistance of the prestigious family Yoon, while the protagonist replied this to his loved one: 
(chapter 109) Needed versus not necessary! 
(chapter 6) He was here very vague (“bizarre and vulgar”), he spoke of a scolding, but never of rejection and abandonment!! This is important, because Yoon Seungho also experienced something similar in the shed: 
(chapter 77) Back then, the butler’s words must have wounded him terribly, he must have felt dirty either. Under this new perspective, it becomes comprehensible why I came to this conclusion that the book is related to the learned sir and to the erotic publication. But this doesn’t end here. In my eyes, episode 109 clearly outlined the importance of the library in the protagonists’ life. This is the place where both main leads got betrayed and abandoned. 
(chapter 40) When the scholar wounded the artist with his words, he implied that the artist was responsible for his lack of education. With the idiom “I thought, you could be educated”, he gave the impression that he had put some effort, but due to the artist’s disposition, he had failed. We had another scene where the learned sir was blaming Baek Na-Kyum. 
(chapter 70) He would fall asleep instead of studying. And who knows about the learned sir’s hypocrisy? Yoon Seungho!! That’s the reason why the goddess Byeonduck let them meet in the library. It is to heal their wounds. In this room, Yoon Seungho’s suffering started and later, the painter got betrayed by his former teacher, someone whom he viewed as his “family and mentor”. 
When Yoon Seungho got kissed by the painter 
(chapter 109), he got surprised, and he had the same gaze and facial expression than the one during the First wedding night 
(chapter 42), though here the artist kissed his companion twice! 
(chapter 49) And what had these scenes in common? Paintings and the artist’s confession. And now, you comprehend how I made the connection between the book and painting. 
(chapter 19) This scene could only break the artist’s heart, because he was reminded of the learned sir’s reaction: his rejection. The latter got angry and jealous that the low-born would be treated as someone special. Furthermore, Jung In-Hun had only got the noble’s sponsorship thanks to Baek Na-Kyum and not thanks to his own talent! In verity, the learned sir had been the tool to submit Baek Na-Kyum. Shortly after the exposition, the protagonist went to the study. There he got confused for Jung In-Hun, hence he received a wonderful confession 
(chapter 19) before getting kissed and embraced! 
(chapter 42) Yet, the artist was unable to explain the situation, for he had internalized Jung In-Hun’s criticism. 
(chapter 42) So we could say that the yangban tried to get a confession from the painter, but he failed. Hence they had just sex. The artist’s heartbreak was the reason why he never got to confess the truth! And what had happened in the study after the painter kissed the main lead? The lord saw the inauguration illustration and got jealous of Jung In-Hun 
(chapter 48), and the painting had exposed the main lead’s uneasiness and pain. The drawing was not refined, barely finished. 
(chapter 47) The behavior from the painter and the new painting had not only wounded the main lead, but also pushed the lord to discover why the artist was behaving this way. After the rough sex session, the artist had made a confession: he was dropping the rules he had been raised. 
(chapter 49) He was admitting his sexual orientation and his own pleasure, but he still kept his distance from Yoon Seungho. Why? It is because he was reminded of the learned sir’s fake embrace and betrayal. 
(chapter 49) 
(chapter 94) which incited the artist to recall his childhood. That’s how he came to unveil his past and confess his love to the noble! 
(chapter 19), the parties after the separation 
(chapter 51), his visit in the gibang and his tricks 
(chapter 96). In episode 109, the painter confused Yoon Seungho’s shadow with Black Heart’s. In his nightmare, he was brought back to the shaman’s house and the lord’s smile was similar to Min’s.
(chapter 109) 
(chapter 99) Besides, let’s not forget that during that terrible night, Black Heart never touched the artist himself, as if he didn’t want to touch a trinket sullied by another man”. On Twitter, the author revealed that Min would help Yoon Seungho. Through this comparison, the beholder can confirm this. Thanks to Black Heart, the couple got closer in the end. 
(chapter 19), the spying on the painter – though here it appears like a good thing – 
(chapter 41), the stones in the rice 
(chapter 47) and the words from the maid who repeated the noona’s principle 
(chapter 109). She was acting, as if Baek Na-Kyum was not present, but in reality she knew that he could listen to her. How do I know this? The evidence are the sweets on the windowsill. 
(chapter 108) Why is the room dark? Where are the maids during that night, as they are supposed to sleep next to the painter? 
(chapter 109) The absence of the light is truly noticeable, an indicator that they are not in the bedchamber. Moreover, I had detected that the brown bed cover symbolizes the meddling of Kim. [For more read the essay 
(chapter 20) and it was during the first Wedding Night. And oil comes from the kitchen, the lord had fetched it from that room!! Naturally, there is an exception, and it is the kiss in the gibang. Yet, here the kisaengs had just replaced the maids. In other words, they had played a role in the confession. And this explains why the noona’s words are superposed with the maids. 
(chapter 109) That’s the reason why I am convinced that the book is strongly connected to the learned sir. In my eyes, it can only be the erotic publication of sodomy!! Why? It is because it represents the painter’s biggest wound. It explains his low self-esteem. Consequently, I am expecting the appearance of this panel: 
(tweet) The teacher told him “It’s dirty”, and wounded him the most with his gaze full of hatred, the symbol of rejection! Note that in episode 109, the painter always focused on the mouth and not the gaze, 
(chapter 109) 
(chapter 109) 
(chapter 25) Moreover, during that night, we have the same elements: a painting, a confession, sex, a book that the scholar was looking for. From my point of view, in chapter 34, Baek Na-Kyum only recalled the beating from Jung In-Hun. 
(chapter 34) But like I wrote above, this place is also where Yoon Seungho got betrayed and in my opinion, the schemers are planning to use this place to ruin the protagonist!!
(chapter 106) 
(chapter 106) And if Yoon Seungho gets caught having sex with the painter and he has an erotic publication of sodomy, he can be framed for the murder of lord Shin and the other nobles. He will be guilty by association. Thus I deduce that the schemers needed the father to report him to the authorities. 
(chapter 86) And if they are not caught having sex, the schemers are hoping for an argument between the two main leads because of the separation. This was planned to incite Baek Na-Kyum to resent his lover, to accuse him of „abandonment and betrayal“, a new version of this scene. 
(Chapter 105) As you can see, the staff had encouraged the lord to keep his distance from his companion on purpose, to create a misunderstanding… they used the painter’s anxieties. Why? That way, the artist would be more inclined to betray his lover, if the latter was in difficulty. He could put the blame on him. In my opinion, the book was planted there on purpose. Remember how the artist denied that he was the author of the erotic publications. 
(Chapter 1) Besides, there is no doubt that the father refuses to take any responsibility in his son’s suffering. And now, you comprehend why this copy was put on the lord’s desk. He was supposed to be the owner of the erotic book and even the author! I am suspecting that he was accused of the „same crime“ in the past. Then this observation raises the following question. Which erotic publication is it? The original 
(chapter 1) This would stand in opposition to the scholar’s rejection (dirty), as the artist was just the helping hand. Besides, there is no ambiguity that Yoon Seungho blames himself due to the erotic book. If he had not brought the painter to his mansion, none of this would have happened. But the painter’s confession would make him realize that his misery started long before he met Yoon Seungho. And how did the puppetmaster come up with such an idea? From my point of view, this plan was inspired by the learned sir. 
I am still waiting for this picture. Yoon Seungwon had definitely tattled on his brother out of jealousy in the past. Don’t forget this flashbulb. 
(chapter 84) Finally, the childhood paintings could be used as an evidence. But what about the book in the library? Both could decide to burn it…
the burned letter
the shrine
(chapter 109) Note that there is no rejection from the lord, just surprise and shock. Besides, in the kisaeng house, the artist’s confession had led the main lead to confess as well. 
(tweet), the latter can only come to the conclusion that the scholar would have no problem to hurt Baek Na-Kyum and even get revenge on the artist, for he received the favors from the protagonist. Yoon Seungho would no longer feel obliged to respect Heena’s wish, for her words wouldn’t reflect reality. 
(chapter 27) The goddess Byeonduck is on their side. But the problem is that the readers have the impression that both are followed by misfortune due to their misery. The reality is that they are both victims of manipulations and tricks. That’s their tragedy. But by repeating that the two figures are “birds of misfortune”, the accomplices are trying to deny their own involvement and as such responsibility. The maids are the perfect example. They blame Baek Na-Kyum for his own illness. He eats like a bird and he would hide his illness. 
(chapter 108) To sum up, he was responsible for his own suffering, for he was in denial and the maids could do nothing to help. But the lord can see the truth, when he touches his lover’s butt. 
(chapter 109) He lost weight in such a short time. And their presence by Baek Na-Kyum’s side was supposed to help him. They were responsible for his well-being, but the women never realized it.
(chapter 105) He desired to spare his heart. To conclude, “that awful matter” is referring to the whole prank and its consequences.
(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) 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 105) How is it possible? Especially, when the painter said this: 
(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 
(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) 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 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. 
He is on the ground, his face bruised and bloody, while he is asking an anonymous man for help. He is mentioning the shrine. As he is wearing the same hanbok, we can definitely assume that this scene takes place during the same night. The irony is that each time Byeonduck offers a new piece of a puzzle, she also creates a new riddle or mystery. How did the young master get wounded in the first place? And who is the person facing lord Shin? 
(Chapter 59)
(chapter 66) The size and length of the protections and the cords around the pants were different. Besides, the masks were also different due to the form of the mouth.. 
(Chapter 61) 
(chapter 61) Finally, I had also detected his presence next to the barn because of a time jump. First, the manhwaphiles saw Lee Jihwa sitting on the floor, 
(Chapter 60), then shortly after he was standing at the entrance of the storage room holding a fireplace poker! 
(chapter 60) His position indicated that the young master had shortly left the building. However, the readers had not witnessed his move, for the author had diverted their attention by exposing the character‘s inner thoughts. He was recollecting the past, while talking to himself. 
(chapter 60) However, how did the fire poker end up in his own hand? The last time this tool was seen, it was in the kitchen. 
(chapter 60) As you can see, each image has its importance! However, I doubt that the upset aristocrat had this sudden idea and returned to the kitchen and take the fire iron. His mind and heart were definitely elsewhere, while such an action exposes the intention of hurting someone. Jihwa was acting, as if he was in trance, the moment he saw the hickey and heard the painter’s scream. His long lasting stupor was visible in this image. 
(chapter 60) That’s the reason why I had developed the theory that someone was hiding in the shadow, next to the barn and observing the evolution of the event. [For more read the essay “
(chapter 57) It is because they serve as a clue for unveiling the truth. 
(chapter 62) It is the same furnace! 😨We all assume that the lord prepared the fireplace, because he put his clothes on his lover. But is it true? We were all jumping to this conclusion, but actually we never saw it. Our brain was led to fill the blanks. 
(chapter 61) Finally, the readers were all assuming that the butler had never entered the storage room due to this image and his action before.
(chapter 61) But is it true? He could have opened the door before, and go to the lord in order to explain his intervention. Faking his concerns for the painter. Why would he place the fireplace there? He wished that the warmth from the fire would wake up the painter. Hence he remained close to the gate of the storage room. That way, he had a reason to visit his master. Moreover, the author exposed that the valet had been keeping an eye on his master for a while too. 
(chapter 62) Because the valet went to his master, we got the impression that the valet had followed his master’s instructions. 
(chapter 61) In fact, this request could be perceived differently. The lord had seen the butler’s intervention, hence he expressed this wish. From my point of view, the butler must have brought the fireplace to the barn, and he left the poker there on purpose. I am quite certain that some people will think that I am again exaggerating. But why did the butler put a fireplace with a fire iron in the lord’s room, when the coal was not properly lit? 
(chapter 86) Compare the fire to this one: 
(chapter 88) Consequently, I am suspecting that Kim had expected an outburst from Yoon Seungho. The latter could hurt his father with the fire iron. But none of this happened, for the lord preferred playing a comedy. 
(chapter 65) He had expected that the lord would hurt the main lead. But how was he supposed to harm Baek Na-Kyum in the end? With the fire iron… This signifies that he had been present in the barn during the abduction, and even knew the place of the sequestration. Thus he took the furnace and the fire iron to the shed. 
Compare his face to the painter’s who got wounded by wooden sticks. 
(chapter 99) Besides, this theory also explains why the shrine is set on fire. 
(chapter 99) So when the lord said this to his lover
(chapter 60) 
(chapter 60) At no moment, he was told that his childhood friend had been brought to the physician’s. He just heard him leaving. Moreover, the joker never mentioned the place where the couple was fooling around. 
(chapter 60) He didn’t even admit that he had seen them himself. These were memories from someone else! One might assume that these could represent the criminal’s recollection, but I don’t think so. He arrived much later to the physician’s house. If he had been present right from the start, he could have kidnapped Baek Na-Kyum on his way to the restroom. 
(chapter 59) To conclude, the person with such memories 
(chapter 43) Here, he had visited the place, hence he could imagine what had happened, though he never saw their encounter according to me. [For more read the essay “
(chapter 58) He had left the bucket of water in the patio! But note that when the painter left the room, the item had simply vanished. 
(chapter 59) The painter was not supposed to detect his presence.
(chapter 100) The manhwaworms can grasp the similarities. Back then, the lord had refused to help Baek Na-Kyum, thus he was even encouraging Lee Jihwa to return to the shrine. Hence he had acted as a willing accomplice and perpetrator. Thus his karma is to be denied any assistance, he is punished the same way than his friends, Min and the other nobles. Finally, observe that the red-haired master 
(chapter 100) was lowering himself in front of No-Name which reminds me a lot to lord Shin’s situation. 
(chapter 66)
(chapter 88) Abandonment and rejection versus embrace and acceptance. And what had Yoon Seungho said during that fateful night? 
(chapter 88) 
(chapter 88) But while the painter was exposed to sexual abuse, lord Shin had indeed left his friend’s side. In my eyes, lord Shin embodies treason. As you can see, I conclude that lord Shin is about to get assassinated and from the person he expected the least. Why? It is because no one has to realize that lord Shin ran away from the shaman’s shrine. 
(chapter 102) He was a survivor. The opposite from this scene. They faked the painter’s desertion, 
(chapter 60) hence in episode 102 they had to mask his escape, for this would have exposed the involvement of other people, like Lee Jihwa, the doctor with the drugs and Heena. And now, you have the explanation why the shadow hidden behind the tree had put mattresses on the soil. The desertion and survival from lord Shin should not be detected. But who is this person facing the weak lord? 
(chapter 7), 
(chapter 65) or boots 
(chapter 13) 
(chapter 83) As you can detect, I see a strong connection between the new panel and the hunt from chapter 83. And here we have 3 people again. 
(chapter 66) Finally, when her brother was on the verge of getting abducted, she saw him lying unconscious with a bloody face. However, she never considered it as an abduction, for his hands and feet were not tied up. 
(chapter 102) This is the evidence that someone had manipulated the crime scene. The clothes from the painter could serve as evidence of her brother’s curtains. Heena could come to the conclusion that Min had gone back on his words, and her fake death, which had definitely shocked 
(chapter 99) and bothered her, could only be perceived as real at the end. But this means that while Yoon Seungho had murdered the nobles, there was someone hiding in the shadow 
(chapter 61) the second Joker (Kim) had tried to murder the painter, but he had failed, for he had covered the painter’s head. 
(chapter 66) However, his new attempt to have the painter vanished failed again.
(chapter 97) It could be the same, though I have my doubts. Secondly, I suddenly got aware that the painter had 3 different grey pants at least. 
(chapter 4) This one had a cut just below the knees, though the color is much brighter. 
(chapter 85) And because his pants are very similar to the painter’s, I deduce that he must be close to Baek Na-Kyum or at least he has a spy informing him about the artist’s clothes. Compare his pants 
(chapter 97) 
(chapter 61) 
(chapter 67) 
(chapter 67) Their pants have either a different pigment (white, black, khaki, or light grey) or the shape is different. That’s the reason why I am assuming that the person was wearing these trousers on purpose. A new version of this scene: 
(chapter 98) The only difference is that the disguised person is alive contrary to the corpses in the wells. But the problem is that the shoes are betraying him. 
(chapter 91) And note during that day, Baek Na-Kyum was called sir due to his hat and clothes. 
(chapter 91) However, if the woman had paid attention to his shoes (mituri), she would have realized that our beloved painter is just a low-born. One might think that I view Kim as the one facing lord Shin. 
Why is Kim wearing a gat with a headband for nobles, when he is dressed like a servant? But there is another detail what caught my attention. He is wearing a bag. It was, as if he had packed his belongings before leaving the mansion. This means, he is taking his brown hanbok, but he is not wearing it. He reminded me of Deok-Jae. 
(chapter 44) 
(chapter 54) But the readers should question themselves this: why did Kim dress like this in the first place? From my point of view, the schemers have already planned to frame Baek Na-Kyum for the murder of the nobles and even of Jung In-Hun. Kim is trying to separate the couple so that the artist can be arrested easily and sentenced immediately. By burning the place, the evidence that Baek Na-Kyum was a victim vanished. That’s how they can manage to turn a victim into a perpetrator. They wanted to erase every trace of the crimes, but then the return of the painter will force them to change their plan. The fire can help them to turn Baek Na-Kyum into a scapegoat. That’s the reason why the anonymous shadow is wearing clothes similar to the painter’s. No one should recognize him. Later, Baek Na-Kyum can be “identified” as the culprit. And any blood trace on his clothes could serve to incriminate the painter. They could use the resemblance of the clothes as a proof for his crime. That’s the reason why lord Shin had to die in the end. And if lord Shin never doubted this person, I am suspecting that the latter is working with the authorities. Kim is not the only suspect, for according to me, there always exist a conspiracy of 3 and even 5 people. This observation leads me to create a list of suspects. First of all, Yoon Seungho’s confession to the learned sir should help us to determine the schemers and culprits. 
from the bureau investigation is definitely involved. Thus he misled Yoon Seungho. Besides, observe that the officers are connected to fire! 
(chapter 94) Secondly, his explanation implied the involvement of a physician. 
(chapter 98) Though he had been found in a well, the lord’s comment insinuates that “Deok-Jae” had been stabbed. Striking is that the lord didn’t show any interest in the violation of clothes and the servant’s death. This reaction surprised the yangban which left him speechless. It is important, because this shows that the schemers were trying to direct the lord’s attention to a certain person: Lee Jihwa. They were trying to instill the thought that Lee Jihwa had planted a professional spy in his household. And after his betrayal, Deok-Jae had run away with the money earned from his work.
(chapter 57) Finally, the painter met the Joker again on the same day he visited the physician.
(chapter 75) Finally, why was the doctor never brought to the mansion again after his last visit in chapter 57? And it looks like he was not there to treat Baek Na-Kyum. 
The latter is suffering from PTSD. Thus the painter had a nightmare. Hence I have the impression that the butler’s intervention and suggestion to Yoon Seungho will fail. The lord won’t be able to leave his side. Moreover, I would like the readers to recall that when Baek Na-Kyum got sick, a different physician was fetched. 
(chapter 33) Different clothes displays a different identity. From my point of view, the doctor doesn‘t want to be connected to Yoon Seungho. Finally, don‘t you find it weird that he was not by his side in chapter 57? He literally abandoned the young master in the room with the painter
(chapter 57), though the latter was a patient too. He had a wounded wrist. The physician should have controlled Yoon Seungho’s fever, brought him water and even an infusion. His absence and passivity caught my attention. So what was he doing in the kitchen? Finally, the doctor is also connected to the shaman. Not only he mentioned him, but also there is the symbol of shamanism in his kitchen. Why did the gods want our couple to have their first “true” love session at the physician’s office? Somehow, it was to confront him with the truth. Finally, don’t you find it weird how Kim reacted
(chapter 82), when the new version of Deok-Jae made the following suggestion to Kim: 
(chapter 82) Hence the doctor is not off the hook, quite the opposite.
(chapter 67), and discovered Lee Jihwa’s sodomy which was supposed to be a secret. The father is well aware that the main lead’s suffering is linked to the young master’s sexual orientation, which the father had always denied. His involvement could be detected, when he allowed one of his servants to be dragged to the gibang. 
(chapter 99) Finally, The Joker also heard father Lee’s humiliation and powerlessness. 
(chapter 101) Thus the fire could be seen as a desperate measure to cover the Lees’ culpability. 
(chapter 64) He can play a huge role by making a false testimony, as he can recognize the clothes ordered by the clients. 
(chapter 83) I am not including Yoon Chang-Hyeon in this list, for he is not intelligent and cunning enough to develop such a plan. For me, he is just a pawn. Thus he never intervened on his own. He was always pushed by others’ suggestions. Yet, there is no ambiguity that the elder Yoon will be involved in a new plot. 
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 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 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 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 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) But this doesn’t end here. 
(chapter 37) Yoon Chang-Hyeon was portrayed as a traitor! The “fake servant” implied with his statement that there was a conspiracy, and the patriarch was involved. But in exchange to save his own skin, he had tattled on the others! He was trying to insinuate that if Jung In-Hun interacted more with the Yoons, his reputation could get tainted. He could get suspected of “treason” too, or he could get betrayed too. While the man met the learned sir during the day, the brother went to the villa in a hurry during the night. 
(chapter 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 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. 
(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 71) 
chapter 87) and 
(chapter 82)
(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), but the latter had again rejected it and this twice.
(chapter 77) Kim calls the drug “medicinal tea”, truly an euphemism. It is also possible that the real target of the poisoning was Yoon Seungho, but since he was protected by the gods, someone ended up taking the “drug”. Because he was wearing a purple hanbok, the investigator mistook his identity, a royal member. Hence the Yoons were suspected of treason. Don’t forget that during this party, there was a kisaeng by their side. 
(chapter 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. 
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 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 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 97). Furthermore, this signifies that the artist doesn’t need any longer to rely on the explanations from others. Thus the artist will keep his promise
(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 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 
, episode 19 
, chapter 33
and episode 43
, in episode 100
and finally in chapter 102 
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 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 61) The shoes were the clues how to recognize the perpetrators and accomplices. That’s why I compared these feet 
(chapter 56) and the painter’s break! At the end of season 2, he was no longer painting and in the beginning, he had also stopped due to his heartbreak. Simultaneously, we have the presence of water which serves as a connection to season 1 with the ruined painting and to season 3 with the well and drowning. The dark shades were an allusion to the lord’s darkness and suffering. The latter would come to the surface. However, since the cover only showed the lord’s foot, it exposes that the lord would not divulge his traumatic past. 
(chapter 78) In season 3, this time the main leads were facing each other, they were recognizing each other: their true self! But this stands in opposition to the deceased people without identity! 
(chapter 94) We never saw the face of the corpses, as they were either covered
, 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) Hence his right cheek was red and he had a wounded lip. 
(chapter 86) On the other hand, at the doctor’s office, he employed his right-hand to keep his son by his side. 
(chapter 57). Why is there this change? The turning point was the prank in the bedchamber. 
(chapter 83), 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 39), the other only recognizes him as master Yoon. 
(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. 
Bebebisous33s' analyses in K-Dramaland and Manhwas 