Category: Pearl Boy

Pearl Boy: Preys and predators

~ Bébébisous33 ~ Leave a comment

This is where you can read the manhwa.  https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/pearlboy (English) https://www.lezhin.com/ko/comic/seashell_boy (Korean) The second season has not been released in English yet, hence I will just use 10 screenshots from the Korean version due to copyrights. Besides, be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link, if you are interested in more analyses about this manhwa and others https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/06/table-of-contents-of-analyzed-mentioned-manhwas/

In the essay “Choi Pilwon’s true face”, I pointed out that the fish in the aquarium represented Jin Jooha’s fate. The CEO desired to keep him trapped in a huge house so that no one would know about his existence. Only him would be entitled to look at him. But since the poor fish felt lonely and encaged in this huge aquarium, the latter started eating his own tail, a sign that the fish was suicidal and could no longer bear its situation. Hence I had predicted that Jooha would attempt to commit suicide later, and my prediction became a reality in episode 31. However, what caught my attention in the second season is the stronger presence of animals. That’s why in this essay, I will examine the allusion to the preys and predators in the manhwa, which will help us to perceive the characters’ evolution. Hence I can make some new predictions too.

1. The cover for the second season

Striking is that the manhwaphiles can detect the presence of an animal, a black snake, whereas in the first season the cover only portrayed the two protagonists. As you can imagine, the snake symbolizes Choi Pilwon. This was already outlined by the authors:

Besides, it fits his personality perfectly, as he is the one seducing Jin Jooha and his mother to temptation. I couldn’t help myself connecting it to the bible. As you already know, the original sin is actually a metaphor for sex. (chapter 30)

The brown-haired man was the main character’s first lover, and had even planned to marry Jooha’s mother to hide his relationship from his own family. He knew that if he came out, he would be rejected by his own family. That’s why he imagined that by getting married to Jooha’s mother, he would meet less resistance from his own family. Let’s not forget that he belongs to another social class: the high society, where homosexuality can only be rejected, as it is judged as a weakness and abnormality. However, the young CEO never anticipated that Jooha would reject the idea, and even perceive the marriage as a betrayal so that he would choose to end their relationship.

The innocent boy had many reasons to be wounded. Choi Pilwon had never explicated his plan in advance. Besides, his boyfriend was caught in the act, so that Jooha could only view it as cheating. As for the mother, she saw the young CEO as a blessing, for he would help her to live a decent life: no more debts and no more running away from the creditors due to her first husband. She definitely considered the wealthy man as a blessing, a way to escape poverty and help her son to have a real future (college). However, nothing happened like expected, because Jooha refused his lover’s project. He hated the deception and lies. Observe that with such a plan, Jooha would always live in the shadow and darkness, exactly like the image displays it. On the surface, they would live like a normal family, whereas the relationship between Jooha and Pilwon would become a secret, even a sin.

Therefore Jooha’s rejection announced the start of the main lead’s suffering. What the family Jin saw as a blessing was in reality a curse: Choi Pilwon ruined their life. He used the debts from the first husband in order to pressure Jooha to accept his idea. That’s why I perceive this panel as a new version of the Fall of man, the departure from Eden. Consequently, the main lead paid a huge price for accepting the CEO’s advances in the first place. He never thought that the CEO was a hypocrite and coward. He would choose to act behind people’s back. He was ruthless enough to manipulate Jooha’s mother, not taking into consideration the lover’s feelings towards his own mother. That’s why the CEO can only be judged as a snake, as the latter is connected to evil, death, destruction, deception and temptation. Jooha’s mother died, and the main lead suffered terribly: isolation, sexual abuse and prostitution.

This is not random that Choi’s words are also poisonous to the point that he is able to manipulate and gaslight the protagonist, particularly visible in episode 29. Observe that at the end of his duplicities (the manipulation of the footage and recorded conversation), his smile looks malicious. (chapter 29) At the end of the first season, it became clear that the purple-haired man started believing that his lover Kang Dooshik had betrayed and abandoned him. That’s why during the episode 29, Jooha was slowly vanishing, before getting replaced by the fish as a metaphor. The last image has even something in common with the cover of the second season: the colors and in particular the red. Unaware of the consequences of his actions, Choi Pilwon was hurting Jooha so much that the latter was bleeding internally, which corresponds to the red eye of the snake. As you can see, Choi Pilwon is associated to red, the color for passion and love, but also for blood, violence and rage!

Another difference is that the black snake is wrapped around the necks of the main leads, a sign that Choi Pilwon will do anything to disturb the OTP. He is willing to strangle them.

Yet, if the manhwalovers pay attention to its position, they can notice that the snake is bringing them closer. Due to adversity, Dooshik and Jooha will come closer. Their relationship can only deepen. Dooshik was able to convince his lover that it was just a trick from Choi Pilwon, and he had never planned to use his partner with his special ability. That’s why at the end of chapter 32, both main leads kissed each other so passionately. They could overcome the riff created by Choi Pilwon’s lies.

The black, dark purple and red in the cover announce the darkness of the second season. Imagine that within three episodes, we had a lot of bloody and painful scenes: Jooha got raped, hence he bled. In addition he had to fight against his creditor, just like Dooshik had to defend himself from thugs sent by Choi Pilwon. Then the restaurant from Jooha’s mother exploded, and Jooha attempted to commit suicide twice. Finally both protagonists clashed against each other.

As a conclusion, Choi Pilwon, as a snake, is a predator and this is not surprising that Jooha as his prey couldn’t defeat him, for the former is a fish. But there’s more to it. Choi Pilwon, too blinded by his own desires, misjudged his lover’s real personality. He thought that Jooha was just a fish due to the pearls, hence he stood in front of the aquarium and compared him to Jooha. (chapter 29) The antagonist didn’t recognize Jooha’s second nature: a cat. This explains why Choi Pilwon couldn’t accept his struggling and rejection. He thought, both were similar: two cold-blooded animals.

2. The fish as Choi Pilwon’s prey

Though Jooha is a fish, he could escape from the snake. The irony is that he broke a vase on the antagonist’s head. (chapter 30) For me, this gesture is not a coincidence. It was, as if the fish broke the glass from the aquarium in order to free himself. But as you know, a fish leaving an aquarium can die. Therefore the vase already implies that Jooha’s escape can only lead to his death. The fish can only suffocate, as its lungs are not adapted to the air. That’s why Jooha’s first suicidal attempt fits to the fish’s death. The latter decides to kill himself by breathing gas. (chapter 31) In other words, the main lead plans to die by asphyxiation. That’s his only way to escape from his miserable life and from Choi Pilwon.

However, what brings the main lead over the edge is the reminiscence of his last date with Kang Dooshik. Both were sitting next to a blossoming tree, which made Jooha totally happy. He had the impression, a dream had come true. However, now by looking back, he believes that this was just an illusion and the petal from the tree was in fact the forbidden fruit. This means, Jooha concluded that this event was a lie and as such a sin. The blossoming tree had deceived him… reminding me once again of the original sin in the bible. And now, you comprehend why Jooha chose to kill himself in the end. He had no longer any hope, every happy moment with Dooshik felt like a lie. He felt more lonely than before to the point that he started having an hallucination. He imagined himself having a conversation with his mother. In his mind, she was the only one genuine and honest with him. Since she is dead, he preferred following her in the afterworld. At least there, he would no longer suffer and could be comforted. Only by dying, Jooha could escape from Choi Pilwon’s obsession. He felt so lonely and hopeless.

3. Jooha as a cat

However, if you read the main lead’s portrait, you will notice that he is also associated to the cat. And this connection was already palpable during the first season. We had an allusion to it, when Jooha, following Dooshik’s advice, used the scissors to protect himself. It was, as if the scissors were a claw. (chapter 9) Observe how the protagonist’s face got scratched with the scissors. It definitely looked like an animal had used its claw to defend itself. (chapter 9) But there were more obvious clues.

First, I could mention Jooha’s closeness to the black cat (chapter 5), the latter even rescued him from getting raped. Furthermore, Jooha behaved in certain situations like a cat: (chapter 7). In the last panel, he looks like he is hissing with spiky hairs. The double nature of the main character explicates why he resisted to the snake Pilwon. He was hot-tempered and he would never blindly follow his former boyfriend. He would always try to run away and fight back. However, in chapter 29, Jooha had been suffocated by Pilwon’s last tricks, so that Jooha could only wish to die. The tragedy is that he chose the claw to commit suicide. (chapter 31) Observe the debris next to the scissors. The beholder gets the impression that an animal had scratched some tissues, like a cat sharpening his claws, whereas in reality Jooha had used the scissors to destroy the gas pipes. By acting so, it was, as if he was giving up on his nature as cat and as such on Dooshik. Remember that the latter was the one who taught him how to use the scissors and as such his claw.

From my point of view, Jooha had never sensed his other personality: the cat. He only viewed himself as a fish, but by meeting the black leopard Dooshik, he discovered his second nature.

4. Kang Dooshik, the black leopard and the crow

Exactly like the protagonist Jin Jooha, the other main lead is embodied by two animals. However, I doubt that the young man was also aware of his true nature. Only by meeting the “mermaid”, his true personality came to the surface. His attraction to Jooha triggered his protective instincts. But since he hadn’t detected Choi Pilwon’s true character, he never saw an occasion to demonstrate his strength in front of his boss.

However, in chapter 30, he, as a captive, is wounded by thugs. In this panel, the manhwalovers can detect in him the predator, the black leopard. (chapter 32) He’s growling like a panther, the clenched fist on the left reminds us of a paw, while the fingers from the other hand resemble to claws. Once faced with a terrible situation, he can unveil his real strength. That’s the reason why the gangsters could get defeated so easily. For Choi Pilwon had never sensed his rival’s true nature, he didn’t warn his minions. Then he runs so fast that Jooha is not able to escape from him.

And now, you comprehend the significance of his encounter with Jooha. Thanks to him, Dooshik’s second nature came to life. That’s why he taught him how to use the scissors, the symbol for the claw. Under this new light, the readers can comprehend why Dooshik is wearing a black shirt in the cover of the second season. It is a reference to the black leopard and the crow.

And now, it is time to list the features linked to the black leopard. First, a leopard usually embodies strength, agility, stealth, elusiveness, perception, self-reliance, authenticity, and rare beauty. However, Dooshik is a black leopard, which signifies that this animal has even more significations: mystery, rebellion and transformation. Dooshik helped Jooha to change and to reveal his second nature. This explicates why with his appearance, Jooha couldn’t resist to help Dooshik and become attached to his sexual partner. Jooha’s second nature as a cat became more obvious. However, it ends the moment he wants to end his life. As a conclusion, since a cat and a black leopard are both felines, the authors gave us an explication why both fell for each other so quickly.

But like I mentioned above, the main lead has two natures, he is also a black crow. The readers could sense this in the following panels: (chapter 32) The hand has turned into a claw, Dooshik, as a strong bird, is a natural predator of the snake. Then when Dooshik is able to catch his lover so that the latter doesn’t try to kill himself a second time, you have the impression that his arms are like wings. (chapter 32) He caught his lover by flying over. From my point of view, his encounter with Choi Pilwon incited to transform and show his true nature: he was a strong animal, capable to resist to any attack. Let’s not forget that the black crow is not just associated to death, it is associated to change and transformation. And now, you comprehend why Jooha changed in his company. Their encounter awoke Jooha’s second personality: a cat, which is also a predator. Therefore he will be able to protect himself more and more from Choi Pilwon.

Since this bird doesn’t live alone, but in a colony, the black crow embodies teamwork and reciprocity. Therefore this is not a coincidence that Dooshik was so popular in Seoul. His colleagues and clients liked him for his cheerfulness, modesty and honesty. Furthermore, he was always willing to assist his friend Lee Choonbae or his ex-lover. For the black crow lives in every continent, except Antarctica, the bird is also linked to adaptability, cleverness and intelligence. It can survive everywhere and is full of resources. No wonder that Dooshik could adapt so easily in the small town next to the sea. This truly shows that the author paid attention to the characters’ features.

As a conclusion, the crow brought the change in the relationship between Jooha and Pilwon. He naturally incited Jooha to metamorphose. The latter started having hope again and desired to rely on him. But with the second season, this signifies that a cat and a black panther will have to fight against a snake.

5. Lee Choonbae

One might wonder about his role in the story, since so far, he didn’t play a huge role. He was tasked to separate the couple, but he decided not to accomplish his mission, for he sensed that Jooha and Dooshik were compatible. He couldn’t bear the thought of separating the couple. What caught my attention is the following: Lee Choonbae is a snake as well, more precisely a python. As you already know, a python is capable to eat a goat, even a human!! Therefore, Lee Choonbae is a predator to the black snake. That’s why I believe that he will play a major role in Choi Pilwon’s defeat. We could detect his strength and his “predatory” nature in episode 17. He could push down the man, and it gives the impression that he is almost swallowing the man. Here, at no moment he felt intimidated by the CEO. He even refused his money, a sign of his strong will. He could even make a deal with Choi Pilwon. (chapter 17). During this episode, it was obvious that the CEO imagined himself with the upper hand. However, if the manhwaphiles pay attention to Lee Choonbae’s words and actions, they will notice that at no moment, he was hurt or humiliated by the antagonist’s actions. The former knew exactly what he wanted. That’s the reason why I deduce that the antagonist misjudged the second lead’s personality and as such his dangerousness.

Consequently, I am wondering if the black snake in the cover for the second season is an allusion to Lee Choonbae as well, the latter is next to the protagonists, not strangling them but surrounding them in order to protect them, ready for the battle. Or it is also possible that he has already swallowed the antagonist.

Unlike Choi Pilwon who would like to get a real family with Jooha, Dooshik’s friend is not truly looking for love. His dream is to get a rich guy as sponsor. Yet contrary to the antagonist, he has not become immoral and ruthless. He is well aware that Dooshik has different needs than himself. The blond-haired man is sensitive and selfless enough to recognize that his own desire shouldn’t ruin others’ happiness. Striking is that he considered the CEO as a blessing, when he met him for the first time. He corresponded to the dream Lee Choonbae had. That’s why he followed the CEO’s request in the first place with the idea that after his deal was done, he could get more out of it. There’s no ambiguity that the young man misjudged the antagonist’s personality. That’s why it is definitely possible that he will retaliate against the antagonist, for his desire to assist Dooshik will be stronger than his own desire. Let’s not forget that he was the only one who was truly worried about the main lead, and looked for him. He truly desired to help him. Besides, observe in the biography that the second lead’s strong trait is fakeness and hypocrisy. This signifies that he has a cunning side, and can even act. Consequently, I have the feeling that Lee Choonbae will not only be able to deceive Choi Pilwon, but also swallow him. The result is that he will push the antagonist to transform into a swan.

Note that each character has two natures, even Choi Pilwon. I had already elaborated that Choi Pilwon must have been raised in a cold and ruthless family, which pushed him to become a snake. However, his second nature is a swan. I have to confess that I couldn’t restrain myself from connecting him to “the ugly duckling”. Remember that he has siblings… similar to the ugly duckling who felt rejected by his own family. Furthermore, this would explicate why Choi Pilwon is so arrogant as well. A swan is known for its beauty, but also for self love, which would coincide with Pilwon’s narcissistic personality.

On the other hand, the swan symbolizes love, trust and loyalty. But since Choi Pilwon is always connected to black, I have the feeling that he is in truth a black swan, and the latter represents personal power. As a conclusion, I believe that the antagonist will be cornered and transformed into a black swan thanks to Lee Choonbae. Remember what I wrote about the latter in “Curse or blessing?”, he could be a blessing in disguise. There’s no doubt that if this theory is correct that Choi Pilwon will view him as a curse at some point.

As a conclusion, the second season is already announcing a hunt, a fight between preys and predators, a snake fighting against a crow and black leopard and even later at some point against a python. On the other hand, I believe that we will witness another transformation, Choi Pilwon’s. Simultaneously, I am encouraging the readers to pay attention to the images so that they can try to perceive the characters’ animalistic behavior. When is Lee Choonbae acting like a python or Dooshik like a black leopard in the second season? Moreover, it is very possible that the authors introduce other villains: Dooshik’s former partner, Choi Pilwon’s family etc.

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 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.

Pearl Boy: Choi Pilwon’s true face

~ Bébébisous33 ~ Leave a comment

This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/pearlboy  But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link, if you are interested in more analyses about this manhwa and others https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/06/table-of-contents-of-analyzed-mentioned-manhwas/

Striking is that the last chapters from the first season of Pearl Boy confirmed many observations I had made about the CEO Choi Pilwon in the analysis “Curse or blessing?”. There I had already pointed out that he would view Jooha as his possession, hence he treated him as his gem, pet and doll. This statement was reinforced in the following scenes. First, the rich man asked his former lover to dress with the clothes he had bought for him. (chapter 28) Here, he didn’t ask for the protagonist’s consent and choice. The brown-haired man was the one who selected the pullover and the pants. Later, he even ordered dishes Jooha was supposed to like, nonetheless he never asked him directly. (chapter 28) Furthermore, the readers can detect the symbolism in this scene. (chapter 29) The rare fish in the huge aquarium symbolizes Jooha, hence both are in a similar situation. They are not only isolated, but also imprisoned against their own will. Their common fate is particularly perceptible in this image: (chapter 29) Remember how the CEO bought the restaurant and the main lead was supposed to repay the debts. So he definitely spent a fortune for Jooha in order to obtain him. On the other hand, the manhwaphiles discover that Pilwon and Jooha were quite close in the past. (chapter 27) They were friends before becoming lovers. For Jooha, Choi Pilwon must have appeared as the Prince Charming, until the latter revealed his true face… The blessing became a curse. But how did their relationship deteriorate so much and so rapidly?

First, it is related to the discovery of Jooha’s special condition. Even if Choi Pilwon laughed about this, he could only see the “mermaid” as a rarity. It was, as if he had found a real treasure. This explicates why he confesses to his purple-haired pet, he is only interested in the special ones. (chapter 29) Jooha’s ability to create pearls pushed the villain to claim Jooha as his own. (chapter 28) However, I don’t believe that the discovery of Jooha’s condition was the only trigger for their alienation. First, the real cause is Choi Pilwon’s personality. Furthermore, the restaurant and Jooha’s mother played a huge role in the deterioration of their relationship. The manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget that the main lead chose to remain by his mother’s side, while all his friends left the town in order to study. (chapter 27) In other words, the main lead refused to leave his mother’s side and chose to sacrifice his youth for her. This is normal, as the mother meant everything for the protagonist. While struggling financially, his relative could provide comfort and love for him. On the other hand, the mother was well aware of her son’s sacrifice, therefore the mother promised to her son that she would ensure that they would move to Seoul, when they had gained enough money. (chapter 27) As you can observe, Jooha and his mother had a very good relationship, and the presence of the promise to move to Seoul could only reinforce the main lead to remain by his mother’s side. From my point of view, Pilwon must have asked the young man to follow him to Seoul and his mansion. There exists another clue for this theory. Kang Dooshik proposed his lover to leave the place (chapter 26), but the young boy refused explaining what the restaurant meant to him. But after hearing the young man’s story, Kang Dooshik chose to respect his lover’s decision. That’s why I believe that the CEO must have requested from his lover to follow him too. Note that before they became intimate, the rich man kept coming from Seoul in order to meet Jooha. (chapter 27) But contrary to Dooshik, Choi Pilwon couldn’t bear the rejection and took it too personally, hence he decided to play a trick. The latter had to take away the restaurant and remove Jooha’s mother from his side. With no one by his side, Jooha would be forced to rely on him and as such follow him to his mansion. Therefore, from my point of view, Choi Pilwon used the father’s debts to corner the main lead and his family. This explains why the purple-haired man blamed his former lover for the loss of his mother later. In my opinion, Choi Pilwon didn’t intervene directly, he used the loan shark by tipping him off about the whereabouts of the family. Let’s not forget that he investigated Kang Dooshik’s past and even used his friend Lee Choonbae to separate the couple. But why would Choi Pilwon cause so much pain to his lover and manipulate people in order to achieve his goal? Like I mentioned it above, it is connected to his character.

From my point of view, the CEO is a person suffering from a narcissistic personality disorder. How did I come to this diagnosis? First, if you pay attention to the last chapters, his manipulative nature gets more and more pronounced. Hence I decided to make some research about manipulative people. This is what I found:

“If at least 14 criteria out of 30 are met, the person in question is a manipulator.” (quoted from https://psychologiemieuxetre.ca/en/couple-s-space/58-30-characteristics-of-manipulators)

Below, I am posting the list of 30 criteria, but also adding pictures of Choi Pilwon, each time a criterium is met. I am sometimes adding explanations.

  1. “They make other people feel guilty (chapter 28) (chapter 29), in the name of professional conscience, family ties, friendship, love, etc.
  2. They unload their responsibilities onto others (chapter 28) or dismiss their own responsibilities. (chapter 29)
  3. They do not clearly communicate their requests, needs, feelings or opinions. (chapter 28: Here, he is not clearly expressing his true desire: he would like the protagonist to remain by his side. Instead, he proposes a deal in order to corner Jooha.)
  4. They often respond vaguely.
  5. They change their opinions, behaviours, or feelings depending on the person or situation. (chapter 28: Here within a few minutes, he transformed into a fury the moment he was criticized and rejected)
  6. They cite all kinds of logical reasons to disguise their requests.
  7. They make others believe that they must be perfect, never change their minds, always know everything (chapter 28) (chapter 29), and immediately respond to requests and questions.
  8. They cast into doubt the qualities, skills and personalities of other people—they criticize without appearing to do so, devalue and judge. (chapter 28: here, he is looking down on both protagonists)
  9. They have their messages communicated by other people (He used Lee Choonbae in chapter 18) or via intermediaries (telephone instead of face-to-face: /chapter 29, written notes).
  10. They create suspicion and stir up ill feeling; they divide to conquer, driving a wedge between people, which can lead to relationship break-ups. (In chapter 28, he threw away the pearls making Jooha believe that Dooshik ran away with the pearls. Then in chapter 29, he shows him this video and lets him only hear a conversation over the phone (chapter 29) Note that he cut the conversation, an indication that he left out an important information)
  11. They know how to make themselves into victims to gain sympathy (e.g. exaggerated illness, « difficult » surroundings, overloaded at work).
  12. They ignore requests (even if they claim to be taking care of them). (chapter 28: he never answers Jooha’s questions, in fact he replies with a question and makes himself a request: (chapter 28)
  13. They use the moral principles of others (e.g. notions of humanity, charity, racism, « good » or « bad » mother) to satisfy their needs.
  14. They make veiled threats or openly resort to blackmail. (chapter 28)
  15. They abruptly change topic in mid-conversation. (chapter 28)
  16. They avoid or get out of discussions and meetings. 
  17. They rely on the ignorance of others while vaunting their own superiority. (chapter 17)
  18. They lie. (chapter 29: note that here he doesn’t explain the reason for the debts and describe his past as dark as possible, while in reality the main lead had a good reputation)
  19. They make false statements to discover the truth, twist and interpret facts to suit themselves. (chapter 28 and 29 reveal how he manipulates truth)
  20. They are self-centered. (chapter 29: He hurt the “mermaid”, yet he blamed the victim for this, as he was furious.)
  21. They can be jealous, even if they are parents or spouses. (Remember my explanation about the mother, he removed her from Jooha’s side, as she represented a hindrance; chapter 17)
  22. They cannot take criticism, and deny facts. (chapter 28)
  23. They do not take into account the rights, needs and desires of others. (chapter 28: )
  24. They often wait until the last minute to ask, order or have others do something.
  25. Their words appear logical and consistent, while their attitudes, actions or lifestyle are totally opposite.
  26. They use flattery to seduce us, give gifts or suddenly start waiting on us hand and foot. (chapter 28)
  27. They generate a state of discomfort or of not being free (trap). (the whole chapter 29 exposes how Choi Pilwon is destroying Jooha’s personality in order to trap him)
  28. They are excellent at meeting their own goals, but at the expense of others. (Chapter 29: Jooha is now trapped in the huge mansion, while Dooshik is held captive. Choi Pilwon succeeded not only to keep Jooha by his side, but also to bring him to his home)
  29. They make us do things that we would probably not have done of our own free will. (the prostitution for example, chapter 3)
  30. They are constantly the focus of conversation among people who know them, even if they are not present.

As you could detect, Choi Pilwon’s personality met more than 14 criteria, hence he has to be diagnosed as a manipulative person. From this statement, I made some research about the origins of such a condition. One of the causes is family history. Either the person was influenced by a manipulative relative or it is related to the family dynamic where competition for power or affection or recognition exist. So far, we know that he has siblings, hence there’s no doubt that his family played a huge role in his transformation into a manipulative personality. Another origin is the professional and social environment. Let’s not forget that Choi Pilwon is a CEO, hence he has to face hard competition. (If you want to read more, then https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communication-success/201912/3-reasons-people-become-manipulative). But there’s more to it. Experts say that people with a manipulative personality are either suffering from Borderline Personality disorder or from Narcissistic Personality disorder. https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/manipulation And remember my initial statement. The CEO is in my opinion suffering from NPD.

And now, it is time to list the symptoms of this disorder in order to corroborate my diagnosis:

  • Have an exaggerated sense of self-importance
  • Have a sense of entitlement and require constant, excessive admiration
  • Expect to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it
  • Exaggerate achievements and talents
  • Be preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate (chapter 29)
  • Believe they are superior and can only associate with equally special people
  • Monopolize conversations and belittle or look down on people they perceive as inferior (episode 17)
  • Expect special favors and unquestioning compliance with their expectations
  • Take advantage of others to get what they want
  • Have an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others
  • Be envious of others and believe others envy them
  • Behave in an arrogant or haughty manner, coming across as conceited, boastful and pretentious
  • Insist on having the best of everything — for instance, the best car or office
  • quoted from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/narcissistic-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20366662

After reading all the symptoms, the manhwaphiles can see that many criteria are met. His arrogance is perceptible, when he states this to Jooha: (chapter 29). This also explicates why he asked people from a host bar to have sex. He wanted to feel powerful and be in the center of their attention. Observe how many men were starring at the brown-haired CEO, though he is not visible in this picture. He is definitely envious of Dooshik, as the latter has been able to get close to Jooha, while he failed to achieve his goal in the past. Besides, he is well aware that the drunkards in chapter 1 envy him for Jooha. This is no coincidence that Choi Pilwon is associated to green, the symbol of envy and jealousy. Therefore you comprehend why I came to this diagnosis. Sure, the way he grew up played a huge role in his disorder. The latter is strongly connected to abandonment issues. These patients are in truth hypersensitive and vulnerable, but they mask this by boosting their ego.

And now, if we return our attention to Choi Pilwon, we’ll detect the character’s loneliness and emptiness. His house is huge, yet he is on his own. Moreover, there exists no picture of his family. It was, as if he was an orphan. The only presence of life in his propriety is the rare fish. Loneliness and emptiness explicate why he felt bored, until he met Jooha. He had already sensed that Jooha was precious, even before sleeping with him. Yet the problem is that the moment the CEO discovered his condition, he made the decision to bring him to his home… while he was not realizing that he could have found happiness by helping the “mermaid’s mother”. He ruined his relationship with Jooha in order to achieve his goal. Due to his disorder, he couldn’t accept the rejection, but simultaneously he couldn’t comprehend why Jooha chose to follow his mother over him. He had no idea what a real family is, and what true love is. Hence he imagined that by betraying the “mermaid”, he would obtain what he desires.

The antagonist has the impression, he has finally achieved his goal. The gem won’t escape him any longer, unaware that by hurting the purple-haired man emotionally and mentally with his manipulations, he is driving the young man over the edge. Note that the fish is now eating his own tail, a sign that it is suicidal. It can’t bear the loneliness any longer, it is too painful. Even the protagonist could feel its solitude. (chapter 29) In the past, Jooha survived hell, as first he thought to rely on Choi Pilwon. However, even when he realized his betrayal, he still had the restaurant, the place where he shared happy memories with his mother. However, this is no longer possible due to Dooshik. The latter worked there and seems to have abandoned him too. Furthermore, he is now living with his past lover. That’s why I think, the purple-haired man will start hurting himself in the next season,

Choi Pilwon is thinking that he is powerful due to his social status and wealth, nevertheless he is powerless in front of death. How will he react, when he witnesses how the mermaid hurts himself. The episode 29 was terrible to read, for we could see how the pure and gentle man was literally destroyed by Choi’s manipulations. The young man has no longer any hope… so why should he keep living? The CEO is not recognizing that due to his past behavior, the mermaid will never rely on him ever again. He couldn’t trust him any longer. This explicates why we never saw Choi Pilwon having sex with the main lead. Due to this observation in my first analysis, I was wondering if the antagonist was suffering from a erectile dysfunction. But now, I have found the real signification. He was in reality faithful to Jooha, because he only got fellatios. But since the main lead had perceived his true personality, he was no longer willing to accept him as his partner. From my point of view, Choi Pilwon forced the main lead to sell his body in the neighborhood for one simple reason. He wanted him to develop resent towards people from that town. His purpose was to isolate him from the community so that at some point he would ask for Choi Pilwon’s comfort and help: a new version of this panel. (chapter 28) Remember what I wrote above… he saw the restaurant as a hindrance. Hence I come to the following theory. After Jooha had called him for his assistance, the CEO imagined that he had succeeded. The mother was already dead. Hence he proposed a deal. But the main lead rejected the offer so that the brown-haired man wounded his lover. There’s no doubt that the former beat him during that night. So he made a new decision, he would buy the restaurant but Jooha would have to repay him. Yet, his true goal was to make Jooha go through hell so that the latter would give up on the inn and ask for Pilwon’s comfort and help. The terrible man thought that after getting treated as trash by people, he would feel the need to leave the town. But Dooshik’s appearance ruined his initial plan.

But let’s return our attention to the episode 29. Choi is ruining Jooha with his lies and tricks that the main lead is in agony. His destruction is palpable with the end of that scene. Note that after his panel , we never see his face again. It gives the impression that we are witnessing his slow vanishing. In addition, the scene in the mansion ends with the picture of the rare fish. It was, as if Jooha was turning into the fish… and the latter chose to hurt himself out of agony. Therefore, I am predicting that Choi Pilwon will get a real shock in the end. He is not anticipating that such a treatment could lead to suicide.

And this leads me to the following conclusion: Choi Pilwon is the negative version of Kang Dooshik. While the latter embodies honesty, love, nature, simplicity, maturity and selflessness, the former lover represents the opposite values: fakeness, obsession, civilization as a source of corruption, manipulations, irresponsibility and selfishness. One might wonder why I associate Dooshik to nature and the other to civilization. What caught my attention is that Choi Pilwon was the one who introduced smoking to Jooha. Why do I think so? It is, because the latter had to hide the cigarettes from his mother after “speaking to his friend”. (chapter 27) One might argue that Dooshik is smoking too, hence this interpretation is wrong. However, note that the latter was willing to work in the sea (chapter 3). He had no problem to wear weird clothes and look for shells. He enjoyed his stay in this town, he only proposed to move away, as he felt that Jooha was hurt due to his bad reputation. In other words, Dooshik was no longer missing the city, but was choosing Jooha’s side. When the latter revealed his decision to remain in the city, the latter understood this. In other words, Dooshik is no longer attached to Seoul and the city.

So now, Kang Dooshik is held captive, therefore he needs the help from his friend Lee Choonbae to escape the claws from his captor. There’s no doubt that his former colleague will assist him, as he has already done in the first season. However, the last panel exposes Dooshik’s determination. The latter is no longer a puppet, and has found a true goal in his life. He will make sure to find his lover and free him. So far, Dooshik was living day by day, hence he never paid attention to the CEO’s moves. He never imagined that the brown-haired man would play such dirty tricks. For me, the last panel represents Dooshik’s final loss of innocence. He let his former partner betray him so many times and it happened again with Choi Pilwon. Hence I deduce that Dooshik will be reformed in the second season, which means that I am expecting a change for Choi Pilwon as well. The latter will learn that his so-called reality is in fact an illusion. I also foresee that Dooshik’s ex-boyfriend will play a role in the future as well, as the latter’s face was not revealed so far. On the other hand, his colors are similar to Choi Pilwon’s: dark green and black. Therefore I am anticipating that Choi Pilwon will face adversity in the second season.

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 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.

Table of contents of analyzed/mentioned manhwas (updated March 30th 2023) The 2nd essay about Beta Off Not Dating /the 19th analysis about Jinx

~ Bébébisous33 ~ Leave a comment

  1. A Painter Behind The Curtain:
    1. The difficult life of painters https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2020/06/28/painter-of-the-night-a-painter-behind-the-curtain-the-difficult-life-of-painters/
    2. Revolution and Art https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/01/08/a-painter-behind-the-curtain-revolution-and-art/
  2. BJ Alex
    1. “Who are you?”, the significance of masks in manhwas https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/
  3. Dine With A Vampire:
    1. What defines being a human? https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2020/07/30/dine-with-a-vampire-what-defines-being-a-human/
    2. Master and Monster https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2020/08/10/dine-with-a-vampire-master-and-monster/
    3. Liberation https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2020/09/01/dine-with-a-vampire-liberation/
    4. Yoon Seungho’s obsession and its origins https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2020/12/20/painter-of-the-night-dine-with-a-vampire-yoon-seunghos-obsession-and-its-origins/
    5. “Who are you?”, the significance of masks in manhwas 👺 (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/
  4. Doctor Frost (used as reference for Painter Of The Night):
    1. Home (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/04/25/painter-of-the-night-home/
    2. The birth of the zombie https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/05/02/painter-of-the-night-the-birth-of-the-zombie/
    3. Season 3, the breaking of shackles https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/05/painter-of-the-night-doctor-frost-season-3-the-breaking-of-the-shackles/
    4. “Who are you?”, the significance of masks in manhwas 👺 (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/
    5. “Happiness” https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/29/painter-of-the-night-happiness/
    6. “Hate crime”   https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/10/03/painter-of-the-night-doctor-frost-hate-crime/
    7. “Revenge” https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/10/09/painter-of-the-night-doctor-frost-revenge/
    8. “Wishes” https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/10/23/painter-of-the-night-doctor-frost-wishes/
    9. “Jihwa’s Third eye” https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/11/03/painter-of-the-night-doctor-frost-jihwas-third-eye/
    10. “Love and hatred in the winter forest ☃️ 🌳” (Second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/01/22/painter-of-the-night-dr-frost-love-and-hatred-in-the-winter-forest/
    11. The loyal deserter 🙇 (soon only accessible with a password) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/08/08/painter-of-the-night-doctor-frost-the-loyal-deserter-🙇♂%EF%B8%8F/
    12. Joo Jaekyung a heinous 😈 child 👶? https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/02/06/jinx-doctor-frost-joo-jaekyung-a-heinous-%f0%9f%98%88-child%f0%9f%91%b6/
  5. Legs That Won’t walk:
    1. Illusion and reality 🥊 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2020/07/05/painter-of-the-night-legs-that-wont-walk-illusion-and-reality/
    2. First impressions 🥊 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2020/07/13/legs-that-wont-walk-first-impressions/
    3. Who is this Kwon Soo-Young? – part 1 🥊 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2020/11/04/legs-that-wont-walk-who-is-kwon-soo-young-part-1/
    4. “Who are you?”, the significance of masks in manhwas 👺 (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/
  6. My Suha:
    1. Freedom https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2020/09/30/my-suha-freedom/
    2. “Who are you?”, the significance of masks in manhwas 👺 (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/
  7. Painter Of The Night:
    1. The Table of Contents, since I wrote more than 440 essays https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/
  8. Pearl Boy:
    1. Curse or Blessing? https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/05/15/pearl-boy-curse-or-blessing/
    2. Choi Pilwon’s true face https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/18/pearl-boy-choi-pilwons-true-face/
    3. Preys and predators https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/08/13/pearl-boy-preys-and-predators/
  9. The Beast Must Die:
    1. The Joker – part 3 (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/01/16/painter-of-the-night-the-beast-must-die-the-joker-part-3/
    2. “Who are you?”, the significance of masks in manhwas 👺 (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/
  10. The Pawn’s Revenge:
    1. Revolution or revenge? (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/04/the-pawns-revenge-revolution-or-revenge-%f0%9f%94%9e/
    2. The goldfish and the lamb – part 1 (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/08/the-pawns-revenge-the-goldfish-and-the-lamb-%f0%9f%94%9e-part-1/
    3. The goldfish and the lamb – part 2 (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/12/the-pawns-revenge-the-goldfish-and-the-lamb-part-2-%f0%9f%94%9e/
    4. “Who are you?”, the significance of masks in manhwas 👺 (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/
    5. “Femme fatale” https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/23/the-pawns-revenge-femme-fatale/
    6. “Janggi and life” https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/30/the-pawns-revenge-janggi-and-life-%f0%9f%94%9e/
    7. “Hope” https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/07/13/the-pawns-revenge-hope-%f0%9f%94%9e/
    8. “A perfect Plan?” (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/08/09/the-pawns-revenge-a-perfect-plan%f0%9f%94%9e/
    9. The witch and the lustful spell (part 1) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/08/23/painter-of-the-night-the-pawns-revenge-the-witch-and-the-lustful-spell-part-1/
    10. Promising break and broken promises https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/07/10/the-pawns-revenge-promising-break-and-broken-promises-%f0%9f%94%9e/
  11. Under The Green Light:
    1. “Who are you?”, the significance of masks in manhwas 👺 (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/
    2. “The end of the monochrome world?” 🦠 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/01/11/under-the-green-light-the-end-of-a-monochrome-world/
    3. “Sweet Potato?” 🥔 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/08/16/under-the-green-light-sweet-potato-%f0%9f%a5%94/
  12. Unintentional Love Story:
    1. The Heart versus The Mind https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/04/23/painter-of-the-night-the-heart-versus-the-mind/
  13. Serene Bird:
    1. Traces of Beauty and the beast in the manhwas https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/10/09/painter-of-the-night-serene-bird-traces-of-beauty-and-the-beast-in-the-manhwas/
    2. The phoenix, the crane and the butterfly (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2020/12/29/painter-of-the-night-the-phoenix-the-crane-and-the-butterfly-serene-bird/
  14. ENNEAD
    1. “Who are you?”, the significance of masks in manhwas 👺 (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/
  15. Mad Place:
    1. Smiling ghost👻 and sinful priest: https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/07/24/mad-place-smiling-ghost-and-sinful-priest/
    2. Contrition of the pure sinner ⛪👨‍❤️‍👨 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/09/30/mad-place-contrition-of-the-pure-sinner-%e2%9b%aa%f0%9f%91%a8%e2%9d%a4%ef%b8%8f%f0%9f%91%a8/
  16. Bongchon Bride: ”
    1. The terrible fate of slaves” https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/04/28/painter-of-the-night-bongchon-bride-the-terrible-fate-of-slaves/
  17. Steel Under Silk:
    1. Lost in translation: https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/05/04/steel-under-silk-lost-in-translation/
    2. The lotus 🌸 and the snake🐍 : https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/05/11/steel-under-silk-painter-of-the-night-the-lotus-%f0%9f%8c%b8-and-the-snake%f0%9f%90%8d/
    3. The Power of the Dog ⚔️ https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/06/04/steel-under-silk-the-power-of-the-dog-%f0%9f%97%a1/
    4. A dagger 🗡hidden by a smile😊 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/09/08/steel-under-silk-a-dagger-%f0%9f%97%a1%ef%b8%8fhidden-behind-a-smile-%f0%9f%98%8a/
  18. Payback:
    1. Innocent or not guilty?⚖️ (combined with Painter Of The Night) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/07/06/painter-of-the-night-payback-innocent-or-not-guilty-%e2%9a%96/
    2. Portrait of a wacko 🤪 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/12/27/payback-portrait-of-a-wacko-%f0%9f%a4%aa/
  19. A Sip Of Poison:
    1. A Question Of Perspective: The loss Of the topknot (analysis combined with Painter Of The night) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/11/24/painter-of-the-night-a-sip-of-poison-a-question-of-perspective-the-loss-of-the-topknot-%f0%9f%92%87%f0%9f%8f%bb%e2%99%82%ef%b8%8f/
  20. Jinx:
    1. Bewitched (full version) (locked) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/11/26/jinx-bewitched-%f0%9f%a7%99%e2%99%80%ef%b8%8f-full-version/
    2. Bewitched (only 10 pictures) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/11/26/jinx-bewitched-%f0%9f%a7%99%e2%99%80%ef%b8%8f-only-10-pictures/
    3. Precious punk 😉and wimp😍 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/11/29/jinx-precious-punk-%f0%9f%98%89-and-wimp-%f0%9f%98%8d/
    4. My hero 🤠(full version) (second version) (locked) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/12/03/jinx-my-hero-%f0%9f%a4%a0-full-version/
    5. My hero 🤠(only 10 pictures) (second version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/12/03/jinx-my-hero-%f0%9f%a4%a0-only-10-pictures/
    6. Why Kim Dan? 🍭 (full version, locked) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/12/08/jinx-why-kim-dan-🍭-full-version/
    7. Why Kim Dan? 🍭 (only 10 pictures) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/12/08/jinx-why-kim-dan%f0%9f%8d%ad-10-pictures/
    8. Hot Boys! 🥊😎 (full version) (locked) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/12/16/jinx-hot-boys-%f0%9f%a5%8a%f0%9f%98%8e-full-version/
    9. Hot Boys! 🥊😎 (10 pictures) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/12/16/jinx-hot-boys-%f0%9f%a5%8a%f0%9f%98%8e-10-pictures/
    10. Lucky 🍀 loser and jinxed winner 🏆 (full version) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/01/01/jinx-lucky-%f0%9f%8d%80-loser-and-jinxed-winner-%f0%9f%8f%86-full-version/
    11. Lucky 🍀 loser and jinxed winner 🏆 (10 pictures) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/01/01/jinx-lucky-%f0%9f%8d%80-loser-and-jinxed-winner-%f0%9f%8f%86-10-pictures/
    12. 🌏 Two Worlds 🌎 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/01/06/jinx-%f0%9f%8c%8f-two-worlds-%f0%9f%8c%8e/
    13. Joo Jaekyung, the strongest man in the world 💪💪 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/01/12/jinx-joo-jaekyung-the-strongest-man-in-the-world%f0%9f%92%aa%f0%9f%92%aa/
    14. Toxic ☠️ sweet 🍬 or Sweet 🍬jerk 🤬? https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/01/26/jinx-toxic-☠-sweet-🍬-or-sweet🍬-jerk-🤬/
    15. Joo Jaekyung a heinous 😈 child 👶? (Second version) (full version, locked) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/02/06/jinx-doctor-frost-joo-jaekyung-a-heinous-%f0%9f%98%88-child%f0%9f%91%b6/
    16. Joo Jaekyung a heinous 😈 child 👶? (10 pictures) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/02/12/jinx-joo-jaekyung-a-heinous-😈-child-👶-10-pictures/
    17. “I … hate it!” 😤😡 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/02/11/jinx-i-hate-it-%f0%9f%98%a4-%f0%9f%98%a1/
    18. “In real bad shape!” 🤕🤒 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/02/16/jinx-in-real-bad-shape-%f0%9f%a4%95%f0%9f%a4%92/
    19. Shocking discoveries!!” 😘😲 (Full version) (locked) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/03/04/jinx-shocking-discoveries-%f0%9f%98%98%f0%9f%98%b2-full-version/
    20. Shocking discoveries!!” 😘😲 (10 pictures) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/03/04/jinx-shocking-discoveries-%f0%9f%98%98%f0%9f%98%b2-10-pictures/
    21. “Tell me something I don’t know.”💬 ❗ https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/03/09/jinx-tell-me-something-i-dont-know-%f0%9f%92%ac%e2%9d%97/
    22. Caught in the act! 🎬 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/03/14/jinx-caught-in-the-act-🎬/
    23. Painful awakening of Sleeping Beauty🤼‍♂️💕 (locked) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/03/17/jinx-doctor-frost-painful-awakening-of-sleeping-beauty-%f0%9f%a4%bc%e2%99%82%ef%b8%8f%f0%9f%92%95/
    24. ☠️ Death match or mock battle 🤼‍♂️ ? (locked) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/03/24/jinx-%f0%9f%92%80-death-match-or-mock-battle-%f0%9f%a4%bc%e2%99%82%ef%b8%8f/
    25. Thundering ⚡️Poker Face 😐 (locked soon) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/03/25/jinx-doctor-frost-thundering-⚡-poker-face-😐/
    26. The missing Teddy bear🧸 (locked soon) https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/03/30/jinx-the-missing-teddy-bear-%f0%9f%a7%b8/
  21. The Ghost’s Nocturne:
    1. The mysterious Jae Shin 🐶👻 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/12/06/the-ghosts-nocturne-the-mysterious-jae-shin-%f0%9f%90%b6%f0%9f%91%bb/
    2. The fragile but powerful prince 🤴💖 https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/12/18/the-ghosts-%f0%9f%a5%80-nocturne-the-fragile-but-powerful-prince-%f0%9f%a4%b4%f0%9f%92%96/
    3. Devoted 💓🖤 curses 🧙‍♂️ https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2023/01/14/the-ghosts%f0%9f%a5%80-nocturne-devoted-%f0%9f%92%93%f0%9f%96%a4-curses-%f0%9f%a7%99%e2%99%82%ef%b8%8f/
  22. Beta Off Not Dating:

Pearl Boy: Curse or blessing?

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This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/pearlboy  But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link, if you are interested in more analyses about this manhwa and others https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/06/table-of-contents-of-analyzed-mentioned-manhwas/

While reading Pearl Boy, I couldn’t help myself connecting this manhwa to the novel written by John Steinbeck, The Pearl. In this story, the Mexican diver Kino found a huge pearl which led him to imagine that thanks to the pearl, he would be able to have a better life. In other words, he considered the pearl as a blessing. Yet, the problem is that the pearl awoke greed and other negative feelings in Kino and other people so that at the end, Kino ended up losing everything. Hence he decided to threw the gem into the ocean. This means that the protagonist finally considered the gem as a curse, the gem only brought him misery. While in the beginning Kino was poor, he had a loving family. However, with the appearance of the pearl, the readers can observe the disintegration of that harmonious family and the transformation of Kino’s personality. The diver even lost his son Coyotito which was the trigger for the main lead to give up on the pearl. As you can observe, it looks like the Pearl was more a curse to Kino and his family, because it brought evil and destruction in his life. More importantly is that the protagonist, who sought to gain fortune and status through the precious item, transformed from a happy and contented father into a brutal criminal, demonstrating the way ambition and greed could destroy innocence. Hence we could conclude that in the novel the pearl symbolizes evil and greed. On the other hand, the pearl is just an object, thus it has no thoughts and feelings. That’s why I don’t think the gem truly embodies these values. From my perspective, since the pearl is round and shining (chapter 12), it could be viewed as a mirror, which reflects human greed. As soon as humans discover such a precious object, their deeply buried desires like ambition and greed are awakened. Then I would like to point out that John Steinbeck’s novel was inspired by a Mexican folktale. Striking is that this story contains many parallels to the Chinese’s entitled The story of the Dragon’s pearl. [For more information: https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/2001/01-28/0089_tell_me_a_story__the_dragon_s_pea.html]

The similarities are the families owning the pearl were poor, and once people heard about its existence, they started becoming envious and desired to take it. Moreover, both protagonists changed due to the gem, both turned in a “monster”, although the dragon has a positive connotation. The only difference between the two folktales is that in the Chinese version, the boy decided to eat the pearl in order to put an end to misery and fight among people. By eating the pearl, he became a dragon. Through this ending, the lesson of this fairy tale is that by sacrificing himself, he showed generosity and selflessness. At the same time, he was rewarded for his sacrifice. With his transformation, the boy was now able to protect his family and people, yet he could no longer live with his mother. Note that there was no drought any longer. As you can sense, the existence of the pearl always seems to bring fortune and happiness first, yet this blessing is turned into a curse, as it brings calamity and destroys families.

And now, it is time to focus on the manhwa Pearl Boy. In this story, the protagonist Jin Jooha is actually the pearl, as he can create pearls by ejaculating. (chapter 1) That’s why this manhwa is entitled Pearl Boy. What does it mean for the main lead? In his eyes, his special condition is more a curse than a blessing. Because of his ability, he is not treated like a human, but as an object. He is called either as a vending machine (chapter 22) or as a clam (chapter 23). In chapter 22, the poor man is even viewed as a living sex toy, hence he is enchained . But why don’t people consider him as a human? In my opinion, it is related to Choi Pilwon’s words and attitude. The latter definitely views him as his pet or a doll. (chapter 4). Since Jooha is his possession, he states this to the poor pearl boy (chapter 22). He might enjoy now some privileges, (chapter 14), but he is not free. That’s why I believe that for Jooha, the pearl is more a curse. In the beginning of the story, he is forced to have sex with people so that he can ejaculate many pearls. He is bounded to Choi Pilwon, as the former needs to repay his debt . On the other hand, I think, for Choi Pilwon, Jooha represents a blessing and a curse simultaneously. Why? A blessing… because he is well aware that Jooha is definitely special. With such a treasure, people seek his attention and favors. Thanks to his wealth, he was able to obtain Jooha. Striking is that Jooha even trusted him in the past. It is palpable, when the main lead threw himself into his arms after running away. (chapter 22) However, it becomes clear that the antagonist created such a situation, so that the main lead would rely on him, this explicates why he smiled while getting hugged. This smile exposes his manipulation. He wanted the pearl boy to depend on him entirely. By joining Choi Pilwon, the main character lost his freedom, the CEO used the immense debt to tie Jooha to him. What caught my attention is that we never see him having sex with men. He only gets fellatios. (chapter 14). He even pays other people to have sex (chapter 17), while he watches them. And this observation made me think that Choi Pilwon could have some sexual issues, like erectile dysfunction. Let’s not forget that in Painter Of The Night, Yoon Seungho needed to get a fellatio before a penetration before viewing his first erotic portray. And if this theory is correct, this signifies that Choi Pilwon can’t have sex with Jooha, which is frustrating him. Therefore I get the impression, he is desiring love from Jooha. He might possess the pearl boy, yet he is incapable to obtain his heart and love. And that’s his curse. There are other evidences for this interpretation. Even before selling him to low-lives, he just watched him having sex with other men, as if he couldn’t have sex with him. What the “mermaid” considered as sexual perversion could be definitely judged differently. He wished to taste the pearl boy, but he can’t any more, hence he needed others. The pearls are the cause for this toxic relationship. Secondly, when he sees Kang Dooshik close to his pet, he looks at his rival very carefully. He pays attention to his appearances: (chapter 9) and dismisses him due to his sweats. Since Kang Dooshik is not wearing any expensive cloth, he doesn’t judge him as a source of threat. However, when he hears that Dooshik has become Jooha’s partner, he is bothered. Hence the main lead is no longer forced to have sex with men whom Choi Pilwon sent him. The CEO is determined to get rid of the former host. Look how he is upset, (chapter 14), when he discovers that the protagonist has found the perfect partner. Nonetheless, he can’t forced the pearl boy to follow his order any longer, as Jooha procured him a huge amount of pearls. In other words, thanks to Dooshik, the main character has been able to gain more freedom. That’s why I doubt that watching other men having sex with Jooha was Pilwon’s true desire. Let’s not forget that in the beginning of the story, the CEO is standing in the street, while the protagonist is selling his body in the back room. This exposes that Choi Pilwon was not even watching this, a sign that he didn’t like it at all. And like Jooha has truly recognized, the debt can not be the real explanation for his harsh attitude towards the protagonist. When the latter offered him new pearls as a compensation, because he had not produced so many, the CEO got furious and put them in Jooha’s mouth. The latter had masturbated in order to get pearls. This truly shows that the pearls and the debt are just an excuse. Consequently, Choi Pilwon is not happy with the pearl boy. First, he thought, he had been blessed. Yet since the young man rejected him, he had to find a trick to bind him. And remember what I wrote above. For me, the pearl is like a mirror… since the CEO has been raised in a rich but cold environment, he has already internalized that money buys everything. In my opinion, he was not able to give what the protagonist was longing for: love and acceptance. Moreover, there is no doubt that Choi Pilwon is selfish and pays a lot attention to appearances, thus he couldn’t treat Jooha properly. Since both folktales contain reference to transformation, I believe that Choi Pilwon changed in contact with Jooha and the CEO’s terrible flaws came to the surface and were reinforced: greed, obsession and possessiveness. The pearl boy reflected Pilwon’s mentality: everything was revolving around money. Another detail caught my attention: the CEO is often associated to the shadow and darkness in the pictures. Look at the panels above and these ones: (chapter 4) (chapter 14) In the last image, it becomes more obvious, as Kang Dooshik stands in opposition to the CEO. He enters the inn rushing to the purple haired man’s side in order to comfort him. As you can imagine, the protagonist Kang Dooshik brings light and warmth to Jooha (purple and pink are warm colors), while Choi Pilwon embodies darkness and coldness due to the dark green and the black. This interpretation gets confirmed, when Dooshik is seen in the street during the night. The manhwaphiles can even observe a starry night in Dooshik’s presence. (chapter 8).

And now it is time to turn our attention to the other main character: Kang Dooshik. When the story starts, the former bar server has already reached the bottom. He lost everything, because his ex-lover Eunwoo stole the money from Dooshik’s employer, Madam Hyung, and the main character was responsible for that money. In other words, the young man is on the run, yet despite his terrible situation, the man is not suicidal or heartbroken. On the one side, he is poor, exactly like Kino and the boy from the folktale. On the other side contrary to the stories, Dooshik had no harmonious relationship before, hence he knows the importance of true values (love, friendship, loyalty etc). In my eyes, he has learned through this terrible experience that love can’t be taken for granted. Another difference is that after meeting Jooha, the main lead’s personality doesn’t change: he remains generous, caring and honorable. (chapter 8) Surprising is that it was Jooha who helped Dooshik first. This signifies that for the purple haired man, Dooshik looked more like a curse. The former bar server tried to eat without paying his meal. Then he acted as a “prostitute”, when he proposed his body to reimburse the dish. Hence the pearl boy had the impression that Dooshik was like all the other men he had sex before: ruthless, superficial, selfish and perverted. Then in chapter 4, Jooha even chose to save his life, although the hero acted like an idiot. So for the main lead, it looked like Dooshik was a source of trouble. Yet, it turned out to be the opposite. Right after rescuing the confident and smiling man, the latter returned the favor. He rescued him from the sexually harassing men. (chapter 8) He even taught him how to protect himself. That’s why I believe that we have two pearl boys in this manhwa. Jooha might have this special ability, yet the former host is also a pearl due to his big heart. And observe that Jooha dived to get the “pearl” which reminds me of Kino. After that incident, the purple haired boy started treating Dooshik differently. And here, I could bring another fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, from Andersen. The mermaid rescued the prince and fell in love with him. However, the prince never returned his affection to the mermaid. But there’s a reason for that: the mermaid disguised herself. She was turned into a human, therefore she could never be true to herself. Moreover, due to her transformation, she became mute. In other words, her meeting with the “prince”, the pearl, was a curse hidden as a blessing. If we compare both stories, the manhwalovers can detect the huge contrast. In Pearl Boy, the evolution is totally different. The mermaid revealed his secret, and was even asked to voice his opinion and feelings. The prince could sense the gentleness and selflessness in his partner. That’s why there exists no one-sided crush.

What caught my attention is that the former host discovers two pearls: (chapter 3) and then in chapter 12. These incidents announced a change in the protagonist’s life. Although the main lead gets happy with this discovery each time, as he envisions that he could repay his former employee, Dooshik never loses his humanity. He still prioritizes love and humans over greed and selfishness. That’s why when he discovers Jooha’s ability, he asks him if he is ill. This truly exposes that Dooshik is the first one treating Jooha as a human. At no moment, he tries to take advantage of the purple-haired man. (chapter 14) Therefore it is not surprising that the ex-host often encourages his lover to express himself. Another important detail is that he is the only one kissing Jooha before going any further. In other words, he is showering him with love and warmth. He keeps hugging him in order to comfort him. (chapter 14) (chapter 24) Hence the manhwaphiles are not astonished that at the end, Jooha doesn’t desire to be separated from Kang Dooshik. He can’t even bear the thought of his lover’s departure from the hotel room. He fears that his partner might never return. He has already realized that he found a treasure, a pearl boy, while in the beginning he judged him as a source of trouble. As for Kang Dooshik, it is the same. While in his past, he was admired and could earn money and trust so easily, he was so unhappy in his relationship with Eunwoo (chapter 14). The latter betrayed him on multiple occasions, yet the weirdest is that after this terrible relationship, Kang Dooshik is not scared of love. Thanks to Jooha, his life became more stable, and indirectly he could get in touch with his best friend Lee Choonbae.

That’s why my conclusion is that the pearl is in reality a mirror. Since Jooha helped him without any expectation, the gentle and affectionate Dooshik couldn’t restrain himself giving some affection towards the purple-haired man. The latter could only reciprocate the feelings, as the main character was the only one treating him like a treasure. Consequently, Dooshik is often linked to purple and pink, the color of love and royalty, a prince (chapter 8) (chapter 24). That’s the reason why their love sessions are full of the following colors: white (innocence), purple and pink. Both protagonists became a blessing for each other, they gave each other exactly what the other needed. Hence for me, there are two pearl boys in this manhwa. And the pearl is not a curse or a blessing, it just reflects human desires: positive and negative. That’s why it is important for Choi Pilwon to recognize that he is actually cursed by maintaining such a relationship with Jooha. Thus I conclude that Dooshik’s best friend, Lee Choonbae, will play an important role in the future, as his intervention will affect Choi Pilwon’s relationship with Jooha. He could become Choi Pilwon’s blessing disguised as a curse.

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