Please support the authors by reading the Manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the Manhwa: The Edge of Ambiguity.  But be aware that this Manhwa is a Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality. Here is the link, if you are interested in other Manhwas: Table of Contents of analyzed or mentioned Manhwas (like f. ex. Beta Off Not Dating, The Ghost’s Nocturne eg.) 

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I hope my illustration focusing on the Manhwa “The Edge Of Ambiguity” aroused my avid readers’ curiosity. I discovered the story thanks to @Luzyla’s recommendation. As soon as I started reading it, I fell in love with this Webtoon. It is truly a gem, though the cover on Lezhin is rather gloomy and simple. Moreover, in the beginning, I had troubles to differentiate two characters from each other, Lim Gyujin (chapter 3) and Tae Jihwan (chapter 1). But this confusion was just short-lived, as soon as I got to know these two figures. They might look similar first, yet their personality diverges so much. That’s how I came to realize why the author had selected the title “The Edge Of Ambiguity”. She is playing with turmoil, double meaning and enigma. She is confusing her readers on purpose. Why? EZ is raising the following questions. Who is normal or not, and as such who is the monster or not? Are their actions or words good or bad? However, for that, the beholder needs to have criteria for judging others. So how do we judge people in the end? Through reputation, rumors, actions, words or because of desires and interests? Through her work, the author is showing that perception is related to perspective and knowledge.

Let me give you an example. (chapter 32) Here, Tae Jihwan’s smile looks rather creepy and manipulative so that the beholder could view him as a freak or even a psychopath. But is this judgement about the protagonist correct? On the other hand, the smirk from Jihwan was directed at Lim Gyujin (chapter 32), who got so mad at the main character that he assaulted the protagonist. (chapter 32) Gyujin’s dark aura makes him look menacing and weird as well. Who is the “monster” here in the end? In order to judge these characters properly, it is important to put the whole scene into its context, and this action stands for knowledge and understanding. Therefore the Manhwaphiles can grasp why I chose “Hidden Monsters” for this essay. All her characters are moving along a thin line between normality and monstrosity. Yes, even the cute and sensitive protagonist Shin Soo-Young. 😮 (chapter 1) In this analysis, I would like to present these “hidden monsters”. With the term “monster”, I am referring to “cruel persons” and not supernatural creatures.

1. The “weirdo” Shin Soo-Young

First, it is relevant to know about his family background. He is the son of a single mother which represents a huge stigma in South Korean society. (chapter 2) Why? It is because children are supposed to receive the father’s name. To conclude, his birth represents a huge anomality. This explicates why Soo-Young is not mentioning his family situation to others so easily either. Only when he faced trouble, he confided to Gyujin and Tae Jihwan. As the son of a single mother, he considers himself as a burden and stain. This explicates why he is not living with his mother. Even when they are struggling financially again, (chapter 23), he prefers moving to a cheaper place than returning home. Observe that he is even admitting that his mother’s place is more comfortable than his new worn out flat. (chapter 27) I am also assuming that since he started visiting high school, he has been living on his own. Under this new perspective, it becomes comprehensible why Soo-Young is trying to act like an adult all the time. He doesn’t desire to add more stress and responsibility on his mother. No wonder why the student is not confiding to his own mother either. (chapter 23) He feels that if he let her know about his struggles and problems, he would add more trouble to his parent. Because Soo-Young always sees himself as a burden to his “family” (he would cost money), he feels indebted towards them. He needs to repay them by “becoming a contributing member of society”. (chapter 2) This means, he has to become successful at school and get a college degree so that once he gets a job, so that he can become the mother’s pride. However, this means that he is putting himself under pressure. He promised to his family, he would enter Hankuk University, but his counselor is suggesting to apply elsewhere . (chapter 28) On the other hand, this imposed exclusion is not entirely voluntary, for this was initially suggested by the mother and uncle. (chapter 2) Moreover, later he confesses that he feels very lonely. The best evidence that Soo-Young’s decisions are the result of the mother and uncle’s manipulations is their conversation at the hospital. Soo-Young didn’t desire to move away. (chapter 2) His shaking hand was betraying him. He was upset. But note that the mother portrayed herself as an hindrance to her son. (chapter 2) Moreover, the manhwaphiles should pay attention to her body language. She was closing her eyes, when she convinced her son to move out and to apply for Hankuk university. (chapter 2) Finally, during her visit, when her son repeated her wish: (chapter 23), she had a similar reaction. She turned away her head and closed her eyes (chapter 23) before adding this peculiar comment: (chapter 23) She insinuated that it was her son’s wish, yet the reality is that these wishes had come first from the mother and uncle! This explicates why she never objected to his desires. In other words, Soo-Young’s negative feelings about himself are caused by the mother and uncle’s advices and behavior. She told her son that she was a burden to him, thus the latter mirrored these feelings. He was a burden for the mother.

But there exists another reason why Soo-Young views himself as a “weirdo”. It is related to his sexual orientation. (chapter 6) He is viewing homosexuality as a “stain”, for it is rejected by Korean society. He fears people’s gaze and judgement and in my opinion, this anxiety is also strongly intertwined with his origins, the son of a single mother. This explicates why he rejects to be seen as a homosexual. He doesn’t want to be touched in public or even to kiss. This fear explains also why Soo-Young misinterpreted Tae Jihwan’s words. (chapter 18) The latter was not rejecting homosexuality per se, rather Gyujin as partner. Yet, his words were so ambiguous that Soo-Young imagined that Jihwan was repulsed by homosexuality. But here, I have to add that Lim Gyujin played a role in this negative perception of homosexuality. (chapter 12) The usage of blackmail is exposing the existence of a taboo, a violation of social norms. And how did Gyujin come to this solution? It is because the latter has been hiding his own attraction to Soo-Young as well. He justified their relationship by stating that Soo-Young had a crush on him. (chapter 5) He went so far as to say that the main lead had been flirting with him. (chapter 6). That way, Gyujin was avoiding assuming any responsibility. By acting this way, Gyujin was hiding his own sexual orientation. He appears as a hypocrite and coward. No wonder why Soo-Young saw his sexual orientation as a heavy weight. But since the seme got violent with Soo-Young (chapter 6), the latter decided to break up with him. That’s how the blackmail started. (chapter 6) Gyujin made sure to isolate Soo-Young. The former made the protagonist feel guilty and dirty, the moment Soo-Young pushed him away. Besides, his first sexual experiences (chapter 21) with Gyujin were negative, for they were associated to coercion and violence. This explicates why Soo-Young could only see homosexuality as a monstrosity. Therefore he could only view himself as bizarre.

And this brings me to the following observation. Soo-Young was definitely attracted to Tae Jihwan very early on (chapter 1), but he convinced himself to keep his distance from him, for they were so different. (chapter 26) Finally, the uke’s thoughts (chapter 1) are clearly revealing that he connects sodomy to dirt and filth.

Interesting is that by examining Soo-Young, the Manhwa lovers could detect the presence of other “hidden monsters”, Gyujin, the mother and the uncle, for they all have been manipulating the main lead.

2. Soo-Young’s “family”

Since he was raised by his mother, it implies that he doesn’t know his father. (chapter 2) So we could say that he was abandoned by him. Interesting is that Soo-Young’s mother received the support from her brother, the so-called uncle. (chapter 2) However, I started doubting this fact for two reasons. First, I would like to point out that Soo-Young has never met his uncle since the beginning of the story. In fact, the latter informs the main lead through the mother (chapter 2) (chapter 18) or through the cell phone. (chapter 27) (chapter 23) There is no direct interaction between them. Moreover, observe that there is no picture of this relative. It was, as if he was a ghost. Additionally, the mother even asked her son to limit their communication. (chapter 18) Finally, Soo-Young stated that the uncle provided money to the mother (chapter 2), yet he never raised the nephew personally. He only shows concerns for his school career. Finally, the uncle doesn’t seem to have a family on his own. There is no wife or daughter. Yes, this character is really mysterious and ambiguous. Consequently, it dawned on me that Soo-Young could be an illegitimate son and the faceless “uncle” would be in reality his father. This would signify that the latter could never claim the main lead as his own son, for the mother was just a mistress. Another possibility is that the uncle is simply the “mother’s companion” and the boy is from a past relationship. Moreover, the fact that the “uncle” is slowly pushing away Soo-Young out of the house (chapter 2), asking him to live in a cheaper flat is really suspicious. The official reason is that he has become sick. (chapter 18) It was, as if he wanted to get rid of the boy… he was the burden. Thus I can’t help shaking the feeling that there is an ulterior motive behind the uncle’s generosity. Moreover, when Soo-Young was moving in his new apartment, none of the relatives were present. Only Tae Jihwan assisted him. The uncle faked his “support” by calling him. (chapter 27) Interesting that after listening to their conversation, Tae Jihwan asked him this: . (chapter 27) He utilized the idiom “parents”, because he thought that Soo-Young had been talking to his father. He had not paid attention to the name “uncle”. As you can see, “the uncle” is really suspicious. For me, he has always been the mother’s companion, but he hid his true identity by the title “uncle”.

As for the mother, she appears as distant and cold towards her son. So far, she has not visited her son’s new stay revealing her selfishness and indifference. What bothered me the most is that she criticized her son in front of Tae Jihwan. (chapter 23) He is not affectionate, he doesn’t confide to her. (chapter 23) At no moment she praised him. But the reality is that she is the one who pushed her son away, who drew a line… (chapter 2) She is the one who asked him to become detached and as such to become an adult (“steel yourself”). Thus I believe that her advice “put yourself first” was actually reflecting more her own thoughts. She is putting herself first in the end. Soo-Young is forced to be on his own. What we were witnessing is the gradual abandonment. This explicates why after getting almost raped, Soo-Young refused to call his family. (chapter 30). He has no one to lean on. Thus the concerns from the mother and uncle appear as superficial and fake, for they are more “empty words”. Their absence in his life is the evidence of their neglect and wrongdoings. They are monsters despite their sweet words, for they are “passive”, putting the whole responsibility on Soo-Young, while they are expecting to get something in return: (chapter 2) Why would the mother feel the need to say that the uncle was fond of him? It was to silence her own son so that the latter wouldn’t question their request. “He is fond of you” signifies that the main lead shouldn’t question the uncle’s request. Finally, I would like to outline that his generosity is limited, for he needs to pay him back later. In other words, it looks like Soo-Young is taking a loan from his so-called relative. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the uke isolated himself and stopped relying on people. Because of his “family” and Gyujin (chapter 13) the protagonist learned the following lesson: there is nothing free in this world. Thus he started questioning Tae Jihwan’s assistance. (chapter 33) What does Tae Jihwan want from him? He wants sex! (chapter 22) The expression “fuck his brains out” are making the main lead look like a sex monster! 😉

3. Lim Gyujin’s mask

When this character was first introduced in the story, it becomes clear that there exists a secret between him and Soo-Young. (chapter 2) But the readers are left in the dark about the nature of their past relationship. It was, as if Soo-Young had been a victim of bullying and was coerced to live as an outcast. This panel illustrates his isolation perfectly. (chapter 2) However, the moment Guyjin witnesses the exchange of greetings between the two main leads (chapter 2), he stayed outside the classroom. Their brief interaction had caught Gyujin by surprise. He was left paralyzed. He.feels frightened, for he has the impression that Soo-Young could escape from his control. This explicates why later he approaches Soo-Young again (chapter 2) and portrays Soo-Young to Jihwan in a very bad light. (chapter 2) He desires to separate them. What caught my attention is that his words are actually reflecting his own personality. Gyujin has a good reputation among his peers, but his interaction with Soo-Young exposes that he can not be judged by his cover. This person is very manipulative, and not just with Soo-Young, but also with other school mates, like for example with Hyunwoo. The latter is envious of rich people, especially of Tae Jihwan. (chapter 1) Yet he was staying close to the main lead, for he could benefit from this relationship. The girls would approach him, for he was Jihwan’s friend and he got the opportunity to party without spending any money. However, the moment Gyujin noticed that the two protagonists got closer, he chose to use Hyunwoo as his pawn. On purpose, he criticized Hyunwoo in public by siding with Tae Jihwan (chapter 14) so that the latter would feel upset and betrayed by Tae Jihwan. (chapter 14) (chapter 14) By confronting him with the truth, he earned Hyunwoo’s trust. Gyujin utilized Hyunwoo’s resent towards Tae Jihwan to blackmail Soo-Young again. (chapter 21) Hyunwoo became his spy and that’s how he got the picture with the kiss. (chapter 20) Yes… this little monster is exactly like his mentor Gyujin, a hypocrite hiding behind social norms. Thus Hyunwoo condemns homosexuality. (chapter 21) and his mentor doesn’t object to this statement.

However, the hypocrite’s deceptive nature can be detected with the way he treated the uke. He noticed that Soo-Young was attracted to him and took advantage of him. (chapter 6) In this scene, the main lead didn’t desire to drink from the can, because it would have been like an indirect kiss. That’s how the antagonist realized the main lead’s sexual orientation. But like mentioned above, he forced the young boy to kiss him (chapter 21) and to do him a fellatio (chapter 6) But why did he act this way? One reason is that Soo-Young was rather innocent and passive. He discovered his sexual orientation rather late. (chapter 6) Moreover, Gyujin couldn’t control his urges. Besides, he felt that he had the upper hand, for he had been helping Soo-Young financially. (chapter 13) In other words, his generosity was not for free either. He desired something in return. This explicates why he was controlling the main character too. (chapter 6) And his negative attitude towards the uke becomes more obvious, when you compare his visit . (chapter 5) with Tae Jihwan’s. (chapter 10) Criticism after arriving unannounced versus no comment and planned visit. However, Gyujin was never perceived as a controlling and manipulative freak by his classmates. Why? It is because they met in secret. It was always after school. (chapter 5) (chapter 6) Observe that the classroom and the hallway were empty. Their encounters were limited in time and location: his house. (chapter 5) To conclude, their relationship remained a secret. No one in their class suspected that they were friends, for they were not interacting in the open. However, everything changed the moment Tae Jihwan joined Soo-Young’s class and the former greeted the uke. Because of this small interaction, Gyujin felt insecure and approached Soo-Young again and this was caught by Tae Jihwan. (chapter 2) That’s how the latter realized that they were “friends” which led him to ask for Gyujin’s help. (chapter 3) However, the latter couldn’t refuse so openly, for the true nature of their relationship was still a secret. On the other hand, this request pushed Gyujin to act behind the back of Tae Jihwan. That’s how his hypocrisy becomes more and more obvious. However, his hideous side reached a new peak, when he trespassed Soo-Young’s house in the middle of the night and tried to rape him. (chapter 35) He became a real criminal, thus he covered his face with a mask. So who is he in the end? For Tae Jihwan, he is a parasite (chapter 35), as he has been clinging onto the poor student while guilt-tripping him. According to Gyujin, Soo-Young used him to discover his sexual orientation. His hypocrisy, manipulations and hidden brutality make him look like a psychopath, or better said as someone suffering from Antisocial Personality Disorder. But he is not, in my eyes he is closer to someone suffering from NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder).

According to the DSM-5, individuals who meet the criteria for narcissistic personality disorder have a sense of entitlement, are arrogant, consider themselves to be special, feel self-important, take advantage of others, have a great need for admiration, lack empathy, envy other people, and are obsessed with fantasies of boundless power.¹ Quoted from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/finding-new-home/201905/comparing-narcissistic-and-antisocial-personality

Even Tae Jihwan criticized him for his delusion. (chapter 22) To conclude, this character is an antagonist, but his monstrosity only comes to the surface, when it comes to Soo-Young.

4. Tae Jihwan: a psycho or a hero?

Right from the start, EZ presented the protagonist under a rather negative light. He mocked Soo-Young (chapter 1), then he forced him to smoke a cigarette (chapter 1). Finally, he had a rather enigmatic smile. (chapter 1) Thus the readers could only corroborate Soo-Young’s judgement about Tae Jihwan. (chapter 1) He was oozing danger and arrogance. We could say that he was introduced as a bad boy, for he arrived late on his first day. On the other hand, he was also described as a very good student. (chapter 1), thereby he got admitted to class 1, where all the students are hardworking. Another interesting aspect is that when he arrived late in the classroom, the schoolmates called him a psycho! However, only in episode 41, we discover that he is indeed suffering from Antisocial Personality Disorder. (chapter 41) But why is it only revealed so late? It is because the author desired the readers to get acquainted with him before discovering his illness. He should be judged based on his actions and not on this diagnosis. Through the two seasons, Tae Jihwan got the opportunity to act like the “knight in shining armor” towards Soo-Young. (chapter 33) First, Soo-Young got blackmailed and threatened by Gyujin and Hyunwoo with this picture: (chapter 20) Once the protagonist confronted his former “boyfriend” with reality (chapter 21), he got slapped. (chapter 21) That’s when Jihwan entered the room, a sign that he was waiting for the right time. With his entrance, he was able to turn the table to his advantage. (chapter 22) Then when Gyujin tried to rape Soo-Young, the main lead was able to arrive on time, for they had been talking over the phone. (chapter 35) This shows that Jihwan had not expected such an escalation. However, this night left deep scars on the uke’s heart and soul, therefore he feared Gyujin’s presence and Jihwan knew about this. (chapter 32) He chose to take advantage of the situation in order to have Gyujin expelled from school. And now, you comprehend why Jihwan smirked at the perpetrator! (chapter 32) It was to provoke his rival’s ire so that Gyujin would lose his temper and assault him. He had to let himself beat by the “rapist” so that the latter would get expelled. If he had retaliated or tried to protect himself, he would have been suspected. And this bring me to the following observation. Tae Jihwan has always been called a psycho, because his “illness” is not hidden. Thus Guyjin asked him this, when he got assaulted by Jihwan. (chapter 35) His mental disorder is no secret and is even circulating among the upper-class. In my opinion, it is related to this incident. When he was younger, he attempted to strangle a playmate, Han Do-Yoon. (chapter 41) But why did he do this? He described this as an urge, but when you see his smile directed at his father, (chapter 41), it becomes obvious that this action was against the father as well. He wanted to show him that he was his true son. (chapter 41) How so?

It is because Tae Seong-Jun had acted exactly like Gyujin. (chapter 39) With money, he had helped Choi Yoojin. However, this generosity was not for free. He wanted to obtain her love. He had coerced to marry him and to have a child with him. He imagined that if they had a child together, she would come to love the child and as such him. (chapter 39) Thus he made the promise to release her, once he had a child. He was hoping that time would be on his side. However, the opposite happened. The woman came to resent Tae Jihwan, as he was a constant reminder of the broken promise. Thus she strangled him on a regular basis. (chapter 39) Since the father knew that his love was not reciprocated, he imprisoned her. Since she was trapped, she got depressive and aggressive. The worst is that her son was the one who had to take care of his own mother. (chapter 39) His task was to deliver her medicine. And in order to justify her absence to others, Choi Yoojin was portrayed as a mentally sick person suffering from schizophrenia. (chapter 39) Seong-Jun hid his crimes behind rumors and deceptions, but his intelligent child was no fool. Yes, he is another monster, but I doubt that his new wife is aware of the true story. This situation escalated to this ultimate threat: (chapter 39) That’s the moment the mother chose to kill herself. (chapter 41) She cut her wrists in the bed, while her son was sleeping next to her. Tae Jihwan loved his mother despite her harsh treatment. It is perceptible, because he enjoyed sleeping next to her. (chapter 39) (chapter 39) And now, you comprehend why Tae Jihwan chose to provoke his father. (chapter 41) It was to expose his hypocrisy and lies. (chapter 40) At the same time, his action was like a reminder to the father. He would be tormented, each time he would see him. This explicates why the father doesn’t like meeting Tae Jihwan and he is already talking about sending him to the USA. He wants him to move out, for he feels his presence as a burden, the reminder of his failure. Let’s not forget that after Yoojin’s suicide, the father cried, 8chapter 41) but he totally neglected his son. (chapter 41) This shows that this child had never been the fruit of love, but a mean to control the mother. At the same time, the manhwaphiles can grasp why Tae Jihwan hates lies and hypocrisy more than anything else. (chapter 40) That’s the reason why he doesn’t consider people around him as friends. He knows that they are only interested in him because of his father and money. (chapter 2) Here, Gyujin invited himself to Tae Jihwan’s house. And the latter was not allowed to refuse. (chapter 2) One detail caught my attention is that his “acquaintances” sometimes call him “Taeji”! Tae is the father’s name. They want to be close to him because of his father. In other words, although he is surrounded by people, he is in reality a lonely person. He is in the same situation than Soo-Young in the end. He is abandoned too. (chapter 39) The scene with the abandoned cat is exposing that Tae Jihwan is not a cruel and violent person per se. He is capable of taking care of people, but by growing up in a toxic environment, he came to see “love” in a negative light. (chapter 39) Back then, he imagined other methods how to keep his mother by their side (chapter 39), but her suicide changed everything. (chapter 39) This made him realize his powerlessness. For me, her action taught him the following lesson: you can not force your love onto someone! This explicates why Jihwan is not coercing Soo-Young to kiss him (chapter 36) or to have sex with him. He wants to have his consent all the time. If the latter rejects his advances and caresses (chapter 25), he accepts his refusal. He gives him his free space. He is trying to move at his love interest’s space. The best illustration is visible in this panel: (chapter 27) He wants to live with Soo-Youngas roommates, but it is not to have sex with him immediately. Though he said this to Gyujin (chapter 22), he is controlling his urges. The cigarette at the beginning of the story was an indirect kiss. That’s why he smiled. On the other hand, he doesn’t want to share Soo-Young to others, though he still restrains himself. This means that the mother’s death affected Tae Jihwan a lot more than people could imagine. He learned the notion of consent, the cowardice and hypocrisy of so-called rich and normal people. And this brings me to this scene. (chapter 35) Tae Jihwan ruined Gyujin’s hand with the knife his mother used to cut her wrist. This shows that he was seeing his father in Gyujin. But was he a brutal monster here? Yes, because he did himself justice, he was violating the laws. (chapter 35) On the other hand, Gyujin didn’t get charged for the sexual assault on Soo-Young. (chapter 35) He had been expelled because of his assault on Jihwan. This explicates why Jihwan was so enraged, when he saw Gyujin in the streets. The latter could still move so freely, hence he could still try to approach Soo-Young. Since Gyujin’s father is quite influential and rich, (chapter ), there is no doubt that the latter would have been able to escape from punishment. Just like his father did… he trapped Yoojin, and even drugged her in order to keep her docile and no one intervened. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Jihwan punished him so cruelly. He targeted his fingers, because the antagonist had put them into Soo-Young’s hole. (chapter 35) Jihwan couldn’t forget the uke’s fears and tears. (chapter 35) On the other hand, we shouldn’t overlook that Jihwan’s extreme action was actually supported by the father’s assistant, Mr. Jeong. (chapter 35) He was present, when Gyujin got wounded. He even obeyed the young master’s order, to fetch another tool. He was also present, when the mother got trapped and drugged. 8chapter 41) He was the helping hand of “monsters”. And this makes him a cruel person as well. His lies, participation and passivity are exposing that he plays a huge role in the misery of others. And this leads me to the following observation. Tae Jihwan is receiving the same medication than his own mother (chapter 37), a sign that he is not treated properly. Remember that her illness was described as “schizophrenia”. For me, this story is exposing that people shouldn’t be judged based on their reputation, social status or their “illness”. Jihwan is more an antihero, but since he helped Soo-Young so many times, he has been able to move his heart. Thus the latter started desiring to lean more on him. (chapter 28) Finally, in chapter 42, Tae Jihwan’s revelation about his past and mother (chapter 42) surprised Soo-Young. He was moved and got curious about Jihwan. (chapter 42) This scene is truly beautiful, because it exposes the huge contrast between Jihwan and his father. (chapter 39) Both are definitely obsessed with one person, but Jihwan chose to act the opposite from his role model: open space, no false promise, no blame… he is showing his vulnerability and not his power and wealth.

I hope that this essay about “The Edge Of Ambiguity” gave you the desire to read the Manhwa. And if this analysis is a success, then I will write about it again.

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