Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa. English: The Ghost’s Nocturne Korean: Night_Song 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 other manhwas: https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/06/table-of-contents-of-analyzed-mentioned-manhwas/ And these are the links to the other analyses about The Ghost’s Nocturne: 1. The Mysterious Jae Shin 2. The fragile but powerful prince 3. Devoted curses 4. Choose your fate
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The title for this essay came to my mind while reading the special episode at the end of season 1. Though it was treated as a simple addition, the chapter contained so much information about Jae -Shin that it helped the Mahwaphiles to grasp how the young prince from the afterlife came to look down on humans. At the same time, through this episode, I came to develop a theory which seems to get validated in season 2. But let’s start with the examination of the special episode.
1. The forgetful mother
(special episode) The prince’s suffering is related to his mother, for the latter was not able to keep her promise. 
(special episode 1) When he met her on her way to the other side, she couldn’t recognize Jae-Shin, her son. (special episode) Because of her reincarnation, her soul couldn’t identify the protagonist correctly. That’s the reason why the latter was so heartbroken. But how did this incident take place? From my perspective, the woman must have looked at her son with a rather detached gaze. She was definitely intrigued, for she turned her head around. However, note that the main lead had a red spider lily in his hand, which he desired to offer her. Yet, he never came to give the flower to her, for he got stopped, the moment he saw her indifferent eyes. The authors left another clue for this interpretation and theory in the following image: (special episode) He was hiding his eyes while weeping. His position is indicating that he got wounded through the gaze. His initial reproach towards his relative implies unfaithfulness and deception, until he hears from his brothers that her oblivion is related to her human condition. He could only see this as a terrible flaw and weakness. This realization could only scare him, for he is partially a human. Just like his mother, he could forget his father and brothers at some point too. 
(special episode) By forgetting Yeom-Ra, Seon and Mi, he would lose his only family and as such his own identity.
According to Locke’s “memory theory”, a person’s identity only reaches as far as their memory extends into the past. In other words, who one is critically depends upon what one remembers. Thus, as a person’s memory begins to disappear, so does his identity. Quoted from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/morals-not-memories-define-who-we-are/
His meeting with his mother’s soul generated not only some abandonment issues, but also self-hatred. He came to resent more his human nature. 
(special episode). 
(special episode) Here, he wished to be like his brothers, but since he was growing like a human, his difference among the other ghosts and gods could only be noticed. To conclude, the painful meeting with his mother’s reincarnated soul led him to deny and reject his human nature. 
(special episode) But by doing so, he renounced his heart.
2. Seon and Mi’s intervention
On the other hand, his brothers Seon and Mi also played a huge role in his torment, for they hid the truth from the main lead. 
(special episode) They chose secrecy and silence believing that ignorance was in Jae-Shin’s best interest. They never imagined that Jae-Shin would be still longing for his mother and try to meet her. 
(special episode) They didn’t anticipate his move, for they thought that being surrounded by his immortal family would be enough. On the other hand, neither Seon nor Mi were aware of the gossips circulating about Jae-Shin. He was called a half-bred. 
This shows that though they tried to protect their little brother, they were not able to shield him from “reality”. He was not like them.
What caught my attention is that his bad reputation was related to his uselessness. 
(special episode) This means that the spirits and gods in the afterlife have all a role to play, but Jae-Shin represented the exception. In order to soothe the young prince’s pain, they convinced their donsaeng to think that he could be like them. 
Thus they gave him an earing. However, if the Manhwaphiles pay attention to the reflection in the water, they will recognize the absence of Seon and Mi’s eyes. It is no coincidence, for the eyes are called “the mirror of the soul”. Since Seon and Mi are immortal, they have no soul like humans. They don’t go through reincarnation as well. As you can see, the image was exposing their distinction, but Jae-Shin didn’t notice it, for he was looking at the gift from the brothers: the earing! The latter, reflected in the river, was diverting the prince’s attention. Jae-Shin’s eyes are divulging the existence of his soul and as such his mortality. He might be very old, but he is not eternal. And now, you comprehend why Yeom-Ra turned him into a white puppy. 
(chapter 51) It indicates that Jae-Shin is on the verge of becoming an adult. In other words, the curse should be viewed as an initiation ritual marking the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Therefore it is no coincidence that the prince helped the ghost Un-Hye to remember her name. This reflects his growing maturity. With his action, he helped Seon and Mi to do their duties. Thus he got praised by his brothers. 
(chapter 53) Here, he appeared as responsible and mature contrary to the scene with the brothers at the brothel. In this scene, he reminded me more of a teenager. 
(special episode) His coldness towards Seon and Mi corresponds to his rejection of his humanity.
Because he was hugged and solaced by his caring brothers 
(special episode), the infamous prince voiced the wish to become like them. (special episode) This means that he wanted to receive the same task than his brothers, taking care of souls. However, since he was half-human, I believe that he was never tasked to become responsible for the book of names. 
(special episode) As time passed on, he could only feel useless. Thus he came to resent Seon and Mi. He had the impression that they had deceived him. Since he was badmouthed in the afterworld, it is not surprising that he preferred dwelling in the human world, for the humans couldn’t detect his difference. 
(special episode) It is important, because till his meeting with Lee Nok, he had not found the purpose of his long existence yet. But like Yeom-Ra stated to the other deities, Jae-Shin has a fate 
(chapter 3) This signifies that his life has a meaning and purpose.
3. Jae-Shin’s mysterious fate
And what would that be? First, he is bringing love to the afterworld. As a half-bred, he brought humanity there. This idiom has two different synonyms, society and benevolence/compassion. This is perceptible through different elements. He is badmouthed due to his different nature, a sign that the other realm is far from being tender and open-minded. 
(chapter 44) The gossips reflect the disdain and alienation from the other spirits. On the other hand, the prince was also appreciated by the other divine kings Jin-Gwang and Cho-Gang
(chapter 3) It was, as if all the kings of the afterworld considered Jae-Shin as their own “son”. Moreover, the brothers love Jae-Shin very much (special episode). Thus they did everything to console their heartbroken brother (hugging him, talking to him, giving him a present). Even when Jae-Shin is showing them a cold shoulder, they still take care of him. 
(special episode) They are always concerned, when it comes to him, but they behave differently, when it comes to humans in general. This explicates why the brothers suggest Jae-Shin to find another human, since Lee-Nok is destined to die very soon. They are slowly realizing that their brother is already falling in love with Lee Nok. They could sense his growing affection, when the latter announced that he would bring his partner to the afterworld. 
(chapter 53) Interesting is that Seon and Mi are connecting feelings to humans 
(chapter 53) not recognizing that they have developed an attachment to their donsaeng, though they are immortals. Thus you comprehend why I view Jae-Shin as the symbol of love in the end.
So in the other realm, Jae-Shin had a family and home which stands in opposition to its task. The immortal realm is responsible for karma 
(chapter 3) and reincarnation of souls! It embodies “work” and “duties”. 
(chapter 53) Home, residence versus workplace! Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why there existed this bad grapevine about Jae-Shin. He represented an anomaly to their world. Besides, the afterworld stands for trials and justice. On the one hand, justice should be impartial
(chapter 1), but when Yeom-Ra sentenced his own son to exile, he showed empathy towards him. He wanted to teach him a lesson. So in my opinion, Jae-Shin symbolizes restorative justice, for he stands for empathy and love.
Restorative justice refers to “an approach to justice that seeks to repair harm by providing an opportunity for those harmed and those who take responsibility for the harm to communicate about and address their needs in the aftermath of a crime.” Quoted from ttps://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/rj-jr/index.html#:~:text=Restorative%20justice%20refers%20to%20“an,the%20aftermath%20of%20a%20crime.”
And we have the best example, when he helped the ghost Un-Hye to remember her name and meet her destined husband. 
(chapter 53) He restored justice by repairing the harm done to these two “ghosts”, thus the queen suffered for her trick. Moreover, observe that he is defending the woman, when his brothers appear to fetch her. She is not responsible for the fiancée’s death. That’s the reason why I came to the deduction that Jae-Shin is destined to fight against the evil spirit hiding behind Queen Han Chae-Hee. 
(chapter 51) This image gives the impression that the queen is the vessel of this black shadow. The evil stepmother embodies revenge
(chapter 21), selfishness, ruthlessness and greed, the opposite values of Jae-Shin. If Yeom-Ra’s son had been ambitious or ruthless, he would have confronted the spirits badmouthing him (special episode), he wouldn’t have longed for his mother. However, the prince has not recognized his true fate yet, for till episode 53, all his actions are motivated to lift his own curse. 
(chapter 53) These words expose his arrogance, selfishness and lack of empathy. 
(chapter 53) Like mentioned in the first analysis about Jae-Shin, his destiny is to rediscover the existence of his heart and to reconnect with his humanity, a synonym for compassion and empathy. And this brings me to the following observation concerning Lee Nok’s role: 
(chapter 54) His tears moved Jae-Shin’s heart, therefore he felt the need to wipe his tears. In that moment, he couldn’t help himself fulfilling the prince’s wish. Thanks to his intervention, Lee Nok could meet his former maid Eulsaeng. However, I would like to point out that this couldn’t have taken place, if the prince had not looked at his lover in the eyes!! 
(chapter 54) Yes, this scene confirmed my interpretation of the special episode, the importance of the gaze. Jae Shin’s fate is moved by the eye, and as such by the human soul. Thanks to Lee Nok’s gaze reflecting his pure soul, Jae-Shin is rediscovering courage, conscience and integrity! Therefore he is becoming more selfless and humble. However, such a transformation also implies suffering. As a conclusion, the locked gazes between Lee Nok and Jae-Shin are the triggers for the ghost’s metamorphosis. This explicates why the mysterious blind man warned the crown prince 
(chapter 31) about the protagonist trying to separate the couple. Moreover, the readers can grasp why the latter chose to distance himself from Jae-Shin, when he saw his hungry gaze reminding him of a monster: 
(chapter 34)
4. Jae-Shin’s second destiny
What caught my attention in this scene is that artist didn’t expose the mother’s face. (special episode) Why? Naturally, it was deliberate, because the authors desired to keep the identity of Jae-Shin’s mother a mystery. In my opinion, it is related to the promise between son and mother. (special episode) What the prince from the afterworld didn’t realize is that he was also bound by this vow. He should never forget her too, but once confronted with the reality of reincarnation, he gave up. In my eyes, he slowly repressed his memories about his mother and came to forget her. When Seon or Mi asked him about that human, 
(special episode), he was referring to the mother and her new life. Let’s not forget that she was not their mother, so she was not considered as part of their family. Finally, many centuries had passed. Thus I deduce that at some point, Jae-Shin made the resolution to move on from his mother, for she could never recognize him as her son. The pronoun “Them” was employed on purpose… it was to hide her gender. But there’s more to it.
Since Ananas is working with Taoism principles, I came to the following hypothesis. Jae-Shin’s mother is Yeom. Striking is that the shaman’s vow corresponds to the promise made to Jae-Shin. 
(chapter 13) She couldn’t forget her family. Her sacrifice is the expression of her love for her husband and son. 
(chapter 8) It was, as if she was punished for a past sin, the broken promise to her son.
Another important aspect is that as a spirit, her eyes are covered. 
(chapter 13) But how can Jae-Shin recognize a soul? It is because of the eyes. Notice that when she got buried alive, C. R.Jade let us see her gaze one more time. 
(chapter 13) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the prince can not recognize his own mother. 
(chapter 13) Besides, she was given a different name: YEOM! It resembles a lot to the king of the hell of ripping tongues, Yeom-Ra. And the connection between gaze and identity got confirmed with the ghost Jeong Un-Hye. 
(chapter 51) As long as the ghost
(chapter 51) had not recovered her name, she had no real eye. The moment she recollected her name, she became human again, hence she had eyes again. And now, observe how Yeom is interacting with Jae-Shin. She acts like a mother, giving him some advice 
(chapter 37) Note that Yeom distinguishes herself from the other spirits, because she possesses not only her memories, but also her identity: Yeom. But was it her real name in the past? Because the ghost remembers her past life and name, Jae-Shin is jumping to the conclusion that it was her name, when she was a human. Since the brothers asked Jae-Shin about Lee Nok and that human (special episode), I assume that her death is related to (chapter 13) Lee Nok’s entrance in the afterworld. 
(special episode), for Lee Nok is 10 years younger than his stepmother. 
(chapter 2) The Manhwaphiles can detect the divergences between this coincidental encounter and his meeting with his mother. He is the one who paid no attention to the weeping kid: 
(special episode). He hasn’t even made the connection between this meeting and the present. He showed the same detachment and forgetfulness than his mother, but he was not reincarnated. In fact, this scene exposes the lack of empathy and detachment of the spirits towards humans. And this brings me to the following observation. His interaction with the Crown Prince is pushing him to remember his past and his mother. 
(chapter 44) It is important, because that’s how Jae-Shin could detect how Queen Han Chae-Hee acted like a god. His mother was supposed to remain a soul and go through reincarnation.
(special episode) Though Lee Nok returned to the human world, none of the spirits became responsible for this incident. The brothers and agents only care about the book of names (chapter 53), they never questioned why the names of the deceased appear. And it is the same for Jae-Shin. Since humans are fated to die, their destiny can not change. Yet, they are neglecting the timing and circumstances of their passing. Was it really the right time?
However, what distinguishes humans from gods and spirits is mistake and wrongdoing. 
(special episode) Anyone has already heard the quote “error is human”. So how could a new messenger make a “mistake”? 
(chapter 20) Moreover, the prince’s trick in episode 1 is exposing the opposite. 
(chapter 1) The names can be switched. Nevertheless, the main lead got caught, for he is a half human. But what about the intervention of a god and king? No one would detect the trick, for it appeared naturally in the book of names.
One thing is sure: someone is playing tricks with the book of names, this explicates why the queen is stealing identities. (chapter 51) And the moment you consider Yeom as the ghost’s mother, you comprehend why the main lead is destined to fight against the evil Queen and her evil spirit!! She is responsible for turning his mother into a spirit. 
(chapter 13) If he had been by his side, he could have protected her. And if Lee Nok’s appearance in the underworld is connected to his mother’s torment, he would have more reason to fight against her.
But since the gaze is reflecting the human soul, I deduce that Queen Han Chae-Hee’s eyes are showing the absence of her soul and heart!! 
(chapter 37) Let’s not forget that soul has for synonyms heart, conscience and courage. Thus she embodies the opposite values. I have the impression that contrary to the son of Yeom-Ra, she can not enter the afterworld. She is condemned to live in the human world. But for that, she needs the sacrifice of others. Because she is feeding her own son a potion containing her hair and nails
(chapter 37), I come to the following deduction. She is using her son as a living talisman. It was, as if she was draining her son’s life energy in order to survive. What caught my attention is that she is connected to this particular tree 
(chapter 13) It has no leaves, only red flowers. It was, as if the flowers would bloom thanks to the blood of others. This interpretation got reinforced, when Lee Nok painted a branch of the same tree 
(chapter 51) The stain on the paper resembles a lot to a drop of blood. And notice that Lee Nok was smiling 
(chapter 51) while painting. 
(chapter 51) It looked like Yeom’s words had become a reality: That little thing smiled so happily like flowers in full bloom. This connection reinforced my theory that Lee Nok’s fate had been switched with Chae-Hee. Thus this observation seems to validate that the evil queen is cheating death by playing tricks with the book of names. This is not a coincidence that in that scene, the readers could detect the betrayal of the maid 
(chapter 51) Eulsaeng who had started working for the stepmother.
But let’s return our attention to the tree with red flowers. As you can imagine, I made some research and found the red cotton tree, though I can not be sure if this identification is correct. Then I found this legend about the tree:
According to one version of Mahabharata, Bheeshma once narrated the story of a proud tree to Yudhishthira to teach him the importance of humility. A long time ago, the silk cotton tree stood tall on the slopes of the Himalayas. It was extremely alluring. One day as sage Narada passed by the tree, he stopped to admire its size. He said,
“O Silk Tree, how mighty you are! Even the powerful storm cannot move your branches.
Filled with pride, the haughty tree boomed out loudly.
“That’s because the storm is my servant.”
Now sage Narada was known for being a bit of a gossip, and told Vayu, the wind god, exactly what the proud tree had told him. Vayu was furious and went thundering off to see the tree himself. When he got there, he started screaming at the tree!
“Do you know why I do not blow on you? When Lord Brahma was creating the world, he stopped to rest on one of your branches. It is out of respect for him that I keep still, but I think it is time I teach you a lesson.”
An enraged Vayu then worked himself into a great storm and blew so hard that the silk cotton tree lost all its leaves and flowers at once! That was the price the tree had to pay for his arrogance. Quoted from https://www.amarchitrakatha.com/literature_details/the-story-of-the-silk-cotton-tree/
This fits the Queen’s personality: arrogance. This wood is also strongly intertwined with ghosts. And this plant would stand in opposition to the willow in the courtyard: 
(chapter 49), for the plant embodies dream and harmony. This explicates why it can chase away spirits and ghosts.
And this leads me to my final thoughts. What is the common denominator between Yeom, Lee-Nok and the half-brother? They are all connected to sacrifice. Yeom sacrificed her life out of love for her family, for she considered the Queen as an “evil spirit”. 
(chapter 13) Queen Yoon protected her son by accepting this dubious advice and by refusing to remove the curses. 
(chapter 21) As for the evil stepmother, she is using her son as a living talisman and as such he represents her sacrifice. (chapter 37) He is not getting better by drinking such potions, his gaze and skin are showing his poor health. Thus my theory is that Jae-Shin will come to sacrifice himself out of love for Lee Nok… but since Jeong Un-Hye and her fiancée loved each other so much 
(chapter 53), the agents were not able to bring the man to the afterworld. 
(chapter 53) They were powerless in front of affection. To conclude, this chapter and the couple were indicating the strength of love… a sign that the human heart is not so weak!! So while Jae-Shin’s gaze in this image (chapter 30) is supposed to show his monstrosity, I believe that we should see it as a reflection of his humanity and fragility, for the red spider lily symbolizes death and rebirth. Striking is that on his way to win Lee Nok’s heart, he chose the red daisy 
(chapter 37) displaying his transformation, for this flower represents passion and romance. The red daisy reflects his gradual attachment to the Crown Prince. Consequently, it becomes comprehensible why I have been predicting Jae-Shin’s sacrifice out of love.
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(chapter 31) which stands in opposition to the gods and Jae Shin’s brothers. Yeomra and his sons have no fate, for they all have one task: to lead the deceased to the afterlife and judge them so that they can be reincarnated. 
(chapter 31) But since the main lead has a fate, I deduce that his “life” is connected to death and as such it is not eternal. Under this new perspective, you comprehend why I added the coffin ⚰️ as emoji in the title. Fate insinuates mortality. Observe that he changed from a little boy to a grown-up. 
(chapter 15) However, his transformation took centuries and this can be explained with his father’s immortality. The proof for his long life are his nails. 
(chapter 31) It must have taken him centuries to have them long. Besides, I can imagine that there exists no time in the afterlife, because immortality is a synonym for eternity. For the brothers are immortals, they have no real notion of time. Hence they employed the idiom “it feels like it was only yesterday”. Nonetheless, Jae Shin definitely chose to keep his nails long in order to distinguish himself from humans. That’s the reason why he was introduced with long nails. 
(chapter 5) This is no coincidence that his hand is connected to magic and supernatural powers. But imagine he chose to lose his long nails after being kissed from Lee Nok. 
(chapter 22) It happened, when the puppy got adopted. The Crown Prince started considering the cute dog as his family, the moment he decided to give him a name. We could say that this was like an adoption. 
(chapter 22) Though Jae Shin disliked the name, his heart melted, as soon as he got embraced by his lover. 
(chapter 22) Therefore it is not surprising that he returned the kiss to The Crown prince. 
(chapter 22) This is important, because through this scene, the manhwaphiles could observe two important changes. Jae Shin discovered that he could make the Crown Prince happy, he could be his source of comfort and joy. Under this new light, it becomes understandable why Jae Shin had a different perception of the mortal world after that scene. His heart had started beating for Lee Nok. 
(chapter 22) Thus he chose to renounce his long nails on one hand. 
(chapter 22) What took him years or probably centuries to grow vanished within a few seconds. The loss of his long nails is the sign that Jae Shin is slowly turning into a human. 
(chapter 31), Jae Shin desired to know more what his lover thought about him. 
.(chapter 31) He was left unsatisfied. He desired to know how much he meant to him. This reflects Jae Shin’s gradual interest and growing affection towards the main lead. As you can see, Lee Nok is slowly opening up his heart and mind to the puppy Jae Shin, and it is the same for the Ghost prince. The gentle and caring Crown prince’s words can only affect the protagonist.
(chapter 1) The pavilion has a huge significance not only in this story, but in manhwas in general. First, the pond with the pavilion is the symbol for the humble and dedicated scholar. Why? It is related to the lotus, which is strongly intertwined with Confucianism and Buddhism.
(chapter 32) And what do these two scenes have 
(chapter 22)
(chapter 31) in common? Water!! Look at the colors the artist C.-R. Jade utilized for Jae Shin’s fall from the building. Blue and green… an allusion to water. Besides, I had already pointed out that water served as a connection between the two worlds. This means that Yeomra’s beloved son was following his destiny. Exactly like the father had predicted. 
(chapter 31) Naturally, he denied his growing attachment in front of his brothers, yet he couldn’t fool them. Interesting is that the ghost prince justified his choice by imagining that during that night his sex partner would be harassed by many ghosts. 
(chapter 31) However, the reality was the exact opposite. 
(chapter 31) The ghosts wouldn’t approach him. Thus I deduce that Chilseok is only affecting Jae Shin and not the other spirits. But why?
(chapter 32) 
(chapter 32) It is related to his origins and as such birth. However, he is not the only one suffering from Chilseok. Queen Han Chae-Hee is going through the same painful experience. 
(chapter 34) However, contrary to the Crown Prince, she can not choose, for she is now attached to the palace. This can only reinforce my thesis that she is exactly like Jae-Shin, the child of a god and a human. Because the authors created similar panels 
(chapter 34), it becomes really obvious that these two figures are completing each other. Why? It is related to Taoism philosophy: the harmony of yin (red-black-female) and yang (blue-white-male). Consequently, I deduce that the Queen and the ghost prince were actually destined to be together, but someone intervened. This means, he didn’t believe in fate.
(chapter 30) And now, I can prove this theory. First of all, I detected the presence of Yeomra’s palace in this picture. 
(chapter 1) The shape of the building is the same. This means that the speaker had already been there. Only agents and other people connected to the afterworld can appear there. In addition, no human can remember the palace once reincarnated. Then, the pupil of his eyes reflected 
(chapter 30) I had already speculated that the vicious Queen had received her eyes from her father. 
(chapter 8) Hence he is blind now. Moreover, I couldn’t restrain myself from associating this red eye 
(chapter 1) The word creature is really ambiguous, it can refer to an animal or to a human.
(chapter 34) His warning was to push the Crown Prince to reject Jae Shin and put his distance from him. The irony is that his words were actually describing himself. He appeared the most human, as he was weak and blind, yet his intention is not well-meant. Bringing the couple apart signifies that Lee Nok is left unprotected. He can become the target of humans and ghosts. Striking is that the artist Jade employed black and red as colors, when the main lead remembered his words. This is no coincidence, as the old man 
(chapter 31) 
(chapter 34) In other words, he was trying to manipulate Lee Nok. He wanted to ensure that the Crown Prince wouldn’t fall in love with the Ghost prince. But in my eyes, the blind man is not recognizing that his intervention was in the end planned. Why? It is because Jae Shin’s transformation into a human is not complete. He is still selfish. 
(chapter 32) and in denial about his own attachment. By creating a riff between the couple, he pushes the Crown Prince to come even closer to the cute puppy Jae Shin and reveal the intervention from the blind man and confess more about his emotions. Thus the main lead’s wish would come true. 
(chapter 31) In fact, even if they don’t vanish, they can get eaten by evil spirits. 
(chapter 15) But how are ghosts born? It is because an evil spirit appears shortly after their death, and offer a tempting deal: 
(chapter 31) But this means that the evil spirit has to be informed of the death of a mortal, because it needs to arrive before the appearance of the agents from the afterworld. This explicates why the deceased didn’t respond to the 3 summons from the messenger and guard of the afterworld. 
(chapter 31) As you can see, someone is leaking information to these spirits. Because Jae Shin had an access to it before, I am assuming that Queen Han Chae-Hee is somehow linked to this. In my eyes, it must be her father. Moreover, the brothers divulge that this could only happen, when these mortals were about to experience something important in their life: like marriage or probably emancipation of a slave. 
(chapter 31) Thus I come to the following deduction. Someone is aware of their passage to the other world, hence the puppet master can create a situation where the future deceased is about to have his wish almost fulfilled. Yet their dream gets ruined, for they die. Hence the evil spirit appears and can tempt them with a cheap trick. That’s how they got tricked. As you can detect, everything is pointing out that someone is manipulating the book of names. 
(chapter 31) Even Jae Shin had never heard of this trick. The irony is that the statement from the immortal brother implied that this was just a coincidence. Chance stands in opposition to fate. However, the presence of the 3 ghosts next to Lee Nok divulges the existence of a trick!! 
(chapter 31) 3 is never a hazard. Furthermore I would like to outline that their faces are actually exposing the passage of time. The bride was turned recently into a ghost, and the one appearing as a skeleton should be the first one vanishing. Remember that their time in the mortal world is limited. This explicates why the bride tried to send Jae Shin to Yeom. She initially hoped that her rival would get eaten by this vengeful spirit. 
(chapter 08) She never lost her name and her memories which makes her very similar to a human. In addition, she almost kept a human appearance. But there is more to it. 
(chapter 34)
(chapter 08) In my eyes, she was created to create a balance in the human world, yet the shaman has the impression that it was her own choice. But it is true? How come that it took her 10 years before she met the monk? 
(chapter 13) Was it a coincidence? I don’t think so. My reasoning is that this evil spirit 
(chapter 8) I would even say that this former shaman is not blinded by revenge. She is even clear-minded and very intelligent. 
(chapter 13) She refused to listen to the shaman’s advice, for she saw her disposition to see ghosts as a positive aspect. 
(chapter 8) I detected that she is only relying on her eyes and not on her heart. Her behavior diverges so much from the Crown Prince’s statement: 
(chapter 21), and the moment she got reprimanded, she made sure that Queen Yoon got sentenced to die by poison. 
(chapter 21) For me, her behavior reminds me of the eyes of a god used to punish humans. And what was the consequence of her action? She created the spirit Yeom indirectly. However, the moment the vengeful spirit Yeom was born, there is no ambiguity that she needed help from the afterworld or better said from the huge evil spirit!! But who is it exactly?
(chapter 34) I don’t think that the white-haired man is the same character than the black shadow, for the latter has no face and no eye. But what does the black shadow want from Lee Nok? It could be that he wished to devour the Crown Prince. 
(chapter 34) In other words, he wants him to be his companion. It is also possible that this shadow would like to recover his name, as the brother outlined this possibility 
(chapter 31). He was once a powerful person. Another possibility is that the evil shadow is there to ruin Jae Shin’s destiny. Why? It is because as long as Lee Nok is the prince’s destined partner, Queen Han Chae-Hee is still in danger. Remember that the rule is the balance between yin and yang, and as such harmony between death and life. However, by manipulating the book of names, the “schemers” disrupted the equilibrium in both worlds. While Jae Shin’s role is to bring back the balance between these two worlds, Han Chae-Hee has the opposite function: creating havoc. But her father is in denial about this. He feels legitimated to protect his child. But the more the villain and her supporters fight against the flow of water and as such destiny, the more they are doomed to fail. This means that they will suffer the most in the end. 
(chapter 30) This is not random, it follows the rule of the yin and yang! Once more confirming that the author applied the Taoism’s principle. Moreover, when the queen makes the following promise to the evil spiritat the end of the first season
(chapter 34) and begged his lover to stay by his side. 
(chapter 34) Red is the symbol not only for love and passion, but also for life, while black oozes coldness, power and control. 
(chapter 21) Yet, the amulets were actually curses, as they were supposed to keep away the ghosts and spirits. 
(chapter 20) Hence when the king discovered the amulets, he truly believed that Queen Yoon had tried to hurt the Crown Prince. As you can see, there is a strong connection between devotion, affection and curse. Finally, if you read my first analysis about The Ghost’s Nocturne, you are already aware that Yeomra didn’t curse his son Jae Shin 
(chapter 21) Thus when she discovered the incident with the wounded servant, she was greatly disappointed, especially when the villain showed no remorse or guilt. 
(chapter 21) Her words oozing indifference and coldness could only shock and infuriate the queen. 
(chapter 20) Thus after the chastise, the young lady cursed Queen Yoon with her thanks. 
(chapter 13) Finally, I believe that Han Chae-Hee was cursed as well, thus the father Han Jung-Eon asked for the shaman’s assistance in the first place. Note how Yeom described the young lady: 
(chapter 8) She was associated to misfortune, to bad karma, thus she had to become a righteous person in order to change her situation. But why had she such a bad “karma”? It is because her father is from the afterlife. In my first essay about The Ghost’s Nocturne, I had already presented her as the fruit of a god and a human, but I had no idea about the identity of her parents and as such her true lineage. However, now it is different, for I could gather more information. 
(chapter 21) The young lady refused to sit on the pillow embroidered with the name “Han Jung-Eon”. 
(chapter 21) She explained her attitude as a sign of great devotion and filial respect, whereas in my eyes, it was the opposite. She was not recognizing the official as her true father. Secondly, the queen asked the villain to report this incident to her “father!” 
(chapter 21) While Lee Nok’s mother had in mind the official Han, the young woman could think otherwise. She would report it to her biological father, and the latter would definitely retaliate. 😲 
(chapter 3) However, in Korean and Chinese, the number 4 sounds similar to DEATH!! This explicates why in South Korea the number of 4 is often avoided. The 4th floor in a building will be referred to 3B and it is the same for the place in a parking lot! That’s how I deduced the existence of a 4th god of the Underworld. And Han Chae-Hae must be related to him. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Jae Shin’s brothers are working for the 3rd office. 
(chapter 15) Yeomra’s realm corresponds to the 3rd office. Thus I am assuming that each god from the afterlife has his own office, Jin-Gwang and Cho-Gang’s being the first and second bureau of the Underworld. However, because of their interactions in the patio, it becomes clear that only these 3 gods were close to Jae Shin, and not the 4th god. But since Yeomra and the other gods of the Underworld are associated to a certain punishment, I am deducing that the 4th god must also represent a certain suffering. But what could it be? That’s how I came to the following idea: poisoning. Note that in order to rip the tongue, you need a knife. As you can see, I believe that there must exist a connection between each torture from the afterlife. And for a poison, you need a cauldron and probably fire… Finally, the manhwalovers should notice how Han Chae-Hee destroyed the queen. The schemers used rumors to tarnish her reputation, her tool was poison tongue. 
(chapter 21)The tongue is often depicted as an instrument that is full of death and poison. It is also unruly—unpredictable, listless, nervous and easily agitated, and always prepared to inject venom. We could witness this, when the young lady cursed the queen with her “gratitude”. 
(chapter 13), as a drug can create the sensation of heat. That’s how I recognized too that Han Chae-Hee’s father is behaving the opposite of Yeomra. While the latter is fair and impartial so that he doesn’t fear to sentence his son, the other is blinded by his love for his daughter. He will do anything for his daughter. Thus he made sure that she becomes Queen in the mortal world. She is definitely treasured. She felt insulted, when the shaman Yeom criticized her for bad karma.. She was “cursed” due to her father’s true origins, while the villain felt powerful thanks to him. She could control malevolent spirits. 
(chapter 20) This means that between the 10 years of Yeom’s wandering, the family Han had discovered a mean to keep away the spirits. However, for me, the official definitely deceived the Queen by letting her believe that they had used the same stratagem to help the daughter. My theory is that they used Lee Nok as her replacement!
(chapter 20) Striking is that the Crown Prince had been fetched by a single man dressed in black. However, the rule is that a deceased has to be followed by a messenger and a ward. 
(chapter 15) And there was no exception for Jae Shin too. 
(chapter 1) Why? It is because they make sure that no grim reaper or god meddles in the mortal world. Since Jae Shin is wandering around alone in the human world, he was able to manipulate the book of names. He was not monitored like all the others, because he needed to go there in order to replenish his energy. And note that the brothers came to pay him a visit together! 
(chapter 15) Thus I came to the following observation: the man in black had brought Lee Nok on purpose to the afterlife. This was never a mistake! 
(chapter 1) But who is this mysterious man? It can not be a messenger or a ward, for all of them are wearing hats. Secondly, I am excluding Jae Shin, as the latter never wears a topknot in the Underworld. This could only be a god and as such the 4th god. Thus he has access to the book of names. And only someone from the Underworld could know that it was not his time to cross the river. 
(chapter 1) was the man in black from Lee Nok’s dream. How could he get aware of Jae Shin’s supernatural powers and of his imminent death? Someone with knowledge and connected to the afterlife could manipulate the stupid noble Park. The mysterious man in Black knew that Jae Shin would get caught and even punished for his trick!! But why? 
(chapter 3) It was their fate to meet. But why did the mysterious man bring Lee Nok to the shore of the 3 ways-river?
(chapter 1) On the surface, it looks like he turns into a human during the night. But this is not entirely correct, he might preserve his human form, but this doesn’t mean that he is powerless. Hence he could survive the stabbing from the Crown Prince. 
(chapter 16) Secondly, he never mentioned Jae Shin’s true form during the day. 
(chapter 3), when Jae Shin was marking Lee Nok as his partner. 
(chapter 3) And the crown prince got ill, after taking a bath outside with his mother. 
(chapter 21) As you can see, I believe that the connection between the two worlds is the water, and as such the pavilion. 
versus earth and fire. Hence C.-R. Jade was asked to used such colors, when Jae Shin was descending to his father’s realm. Was it air or water? And this observation brings me to the following deduction. Yeom can not approach the young Queen, for the latter is protected. The spirit thinks that it is an amulet
(chapter 13), but observe that the drawer employed blue as a color at the bottom. I see it as a clue that the father must have brought “water” from the divine river. That’s the reason why the ghost can not enter her palace. This 4th god from Hell is violating all the rules from the Underworld. 
(chapter 2) Queen Yoon vanished, because she was condemned as a witch. Naturally, her disgrace is linked to Lee Nok’s special situation. His yin energy is so strong that he attracts ghosts which his mother noticed. If the king knew about this, he would definitely see it as a curse. Thus Queen Yoon tried to protect her son with talismans which led to her demise. Because of this incident, the king turned concubine Han into his new Queen. The latter gave birth to a son who definitely represents a threat to Lee Nok. 
(chapter 8) This explicates why the boy is turning his back to Lee Nok. Their position in this picture already displays the existing rivalry between them which Queen Han is trying to diminish by faking concern and pity for the Crown prince. She seems to take the Crown Prince’s side, for she has to mask her involvement and true intentions: ambition. She is eyeing at the throne. If the main lead was involved in a scandal, the king could decide to nominate his second son as the future Crown prince. As you can see, Lee Nok’s situation is quite fragile and as such precarious. There is no ambiguity that the loss of his mother wounded the Crown prince deeply. We could detect it thanks to Jae Shin. The main lead chose to adopt the cute puppy, as the latter was motherless. 
(Chapter 7) As you can see, the main lead was projecting his own emotions and thoughts onto the small dog. He feels also abandoned in the palace, as he has no one to rely on. He can not even trust his close aid, the eunuch Ahn, and his love interest, Choi Kyung Joon, as his secrets (sodomy and the ghosts lusting after him) would shock them (disbelief and rejection).
(chapter 1) 
(chapter 2). Though the verdict looks similar, I come to a different interpretation. How so? 
(chapter 2) Yet there is no evidence. I would even add that contrary to Yeomra, the king never gave Lee Nok a choice to defend himself and to determine his fate. How so? As soon as the father read the poster, he accused his son: “What have you been doing that things have come to this?” This means that he believes that there exists a kernel of truth in this rumor. The cause for his mistrust is Lee Nok’s birth mother, the former Queen Yoon. Because his mother was already involved in such a ruckus, the king can only blame the Crown prince, all the more when the latter defends his mother’s honor. 
(chapter 2) These words could only reinforce the father’s prejudices. He was already guilty by association. 
(chapter 2) No one is able to see his face. His only support and connection to aristocrats is his friend Choi Kyung-Joon, the son of a minister. That’s how powerless the Crown prince is in the palace. He is even surrounded by maids spying for Queen Han. Consequently, I come to the conclusion that Lee Nok’s father represents the negative reflection of Yeomra. He doesn’t send away his son in order to protect him, rather to hide him out of shame and resent. In other words, the king doesn’t love his son contrary to Yeomra. Interesting is that the latter let his son make the choice about his own destiny. Why? He wished to give him the liberty to determine his fate in order to prove him what DESTINY is. 
(chapter 2), and later he listened to her fake concerns. This shows how easily the king can be manipulated, he is not even realizing that his royal secretary 
(chapter 2) is working against Lee Nok, while claiming that he will look for the author of these posters. I couldn’t help myself connecting Lee Nok’s seclusion in his quarters to the death of the shaman Yeom: both are “buried alive”. 
(chapter 8) The only difference is that the Crown prince is still living. However, for the Queen, it is just a matter of time, until people forget Lee Nok completely so that her son can replace him. At the same time, his isolation can only increase suspicions. And the more he is badmouthed (dark arts or sodomy), the more the king will turn away from his own son. While the king of the hell of tongue ripping wished Jae Shin to recognize his mother, the king of Joseon desired the exact opposite: he should deny his relationship to his birth mother, Queen Yoon. 
(Chapter 2) Moreover, the god never imposed his will onto Jae Shin. The latter has to discover this himself, whereas the king made the opposite choice.
(chapter 1). This shows that the ghost has a deep respect for his father in the end. This explains why after his sentence he thought about his father 
(chapter 1) His words don’t ooze resent, he is more pleading his cause, begging his father to recognize that humans don’t deserve such mercy and care. He trusted his father and his fairness, hence he spoke the truth. He never hid anything from him. As for Lee Nok, despite the father’s verdict, he still follows social norms. He accepts his father’s order. Then despite the rejection, he tried to see his father, and he even went to the Queen’s palace to greet her. He acts like an obedient and dutiful son. Finally, he tried to defend his mother’s honor, as he knew that she had sacrificed herself for him. I am convinced that he must feel guilty for her disgrace. 
(Chapter 8) This truly displays that he had no faith in his son, for in the king’s eyes, the prince is ignorant about Queen Han’s good nature. To sum up, Lee Nok is rejected by his own father, he has no one to rely on. He might have loyal servants like inspector So-Rib 
(chapter 2) or Eunuch Ahn, but the latter have no real power in the palace. Furthermore, he can not confide to them everything. He is not loved which stands in opposition to Jae Shin who grew up as a spoiled prince. 
(Chapter 2) That’s the moment he can finally breathe. This corresponds to the situation of being buried alive which I mentioned above. Since he is surrounded by maids, he has no privacy. But contrary to the Queen and the king, he has no real control over his staff. Due to his innocence and purity, he is not aware that one of his maids is reporting to Queen Han. He is definitely cautious, but he is not cunning enough to anticipate the Queen’s moves. As the manhwaphiles could sense, Lee Nok is indeed a fragile and lonely prince.
(chapter 18) He is masking his own vulnerability, at the same time he gives the impression that Lee Nok has no other choice than to depend on him. He is trying to turn the tables in the end. 
(Chapter 4) Besides, according to me, Yeomra fell in love with a human, this means that his action affected the mortal world, so he has to restore the harmony in the mortal realm. But the problem is that Lee Nok is already in love with his childhood friend Choi Kyung-Joon. So the main lead might have become the Crown prince’s sex partner, but he has not conquered his heart yet. Nevertheless, it is just a matter of time. The irony is that humans are mortals, hence their time is limited. This shows that Jae Shin is actually working against time. He could end up living as a puppy forever. So he is also weak, totally depending on Lee Nok’s heart and good will. 
(Chapter 16) The latter might have not died, but he lost his yin energy. Thus he lost his strength. Only the Crown prince could heal him.
(Chapter 13) Why would she say that? First, Lee Nok is aware that his friend hates sodomy. 
(Chapter 3) Hence he is forced to hide his affection from him. This means that he can never be honest to Choi Kyung-Joon, yet like already pointed out above, the Crown prince embodies innocence and as such honesty. This means that his lack of honesty towards his loved one can only wound his heart. So far, the Crown prince could never outlive his sexual orientation, for he had no partner at all. Thus he could still maintain his image in front of his loved one. This hopeless love gave him a certain strength. 
(Chapter 9) This outlines the mortal’s power. 
(chapter 13) The friends can not become lovers, as this would represent a threat to them. However, there is no ambiguity that Choi Kyung-Joon is aware of the Crown prince’s affection and he is taking advantage of it. By using social norms, rejection of sodomy, he can keep his distance from Lee Nok, but still maintain his relationship with him. How did I come up with this interpretation? 
(Chapter 3) Note that he is using the personal pronoun “I”, while in reality he is just usurping the Crown Prince’s authority. 
(Chapter 3) He was definitely arrogant, selfish and intolerant in that scene. He didn’t pay attention that his friend was not feeling well the whole time. Secondly, with such an attitude, he could create a ruckus for the Crown prince and damage his reputation. 
(Chapter 3) They were in a gibang, and note that the poster was released shortly after this visitation. Finally, Jae Shin was already hinting about Lee Nok’s love to Choi Kyung-Joon
(chapter 3) It was clear that he was designating his companion, as their path crossed there for the first time. But since the ghost was just insinuating, the other could still feign ignorance. However, despite this warning, the minister’s son didn’t change his attitude. In fact, he became even more caring and gentle than before. Moreover, observe that when the main lead was summoned to his father, Choi Kyung-Joon never asked for an audience and speak up for his friend. 
(chapter 10) Thanks to Painter Of The Night, we all know that this exam has more rounds. Why did he not pass the second round? In my opinion, it is because he is relying on Lee Nok’s support. This shows that he is not determined to become a high official on his own merit. That’s the reason why he is close to the Crown prince in the end. His well-being is his ticket to get power. 
(Chapter 9) But since Queen Han sent someone to tail the childhood friend, it is only a matter of time, until jinsa Choi realizes that he can obtain more, if he supports Queen Han. Besides, if he detects that Lee Nok is hiding things from him, he can utilize this as a sign that he is losing favors. And the moment he switches sides, Lee Nok won’t be able to forgive him. But there exists another possibility how their friendship can get ruined, Choi Kyung-Joon’s attitude represents a problem itself, which I had already outlined above. He almost caused a ruckus in the gibang, then he didn’t try to defend his friend in front of the father, and finally, he made another huge mistake. He let Lee Nok sleep outside. 
(chapter 10) Though his advices sound selfless and great, they are actually terrible. How could he leave the room, after the prince had fallen asleep? He should have left before. Then he makes sure that no one sees him. This can create a misunderstanding. Why did they do there together? So the moment there is a rumor that Lee Nok is a sodomite, the minister’s son could get suspected. So in order to save his skin, he could betray his friend and testify against him. He saw the hickeys. 
(Chapter 13) This is important, because Jae Shin is powerful contrary to the childhood friend. He can use his connection from the afterlife: his brothers, Yeom and the ghosts. And contrary to the minister’s son, his movements can not be detected first. As an investigator, he can unveil how Queen Han used ghosts to ruin Lee Nok by altering the book of names. The ghosts remained in the mortal world, 
(chapter 13) He recognized the truth in her words. This shows that through Jae Shin, Lee Nok can gain powers. Indirectly, the latter is also receiving the help of the mother figure, Yeom. The punished prince can give orders to ghosts, he can chase away evil spirits and as such put an end of Queen Han’s influence. Moreover, thanks to his loving brothers, Jae Shin can get an access to the book of names and know about people’s fate. 
(Chapter 15) He doesn’t necessarily needs to interfere directly, his knowledge can help Lee Nok (for example the king’s passing). Remember the saying: knowledge is power. As a puppy, Jae Shin can tail Choi Kyung-Joon too, and he won’t be suspected, as a white puppy is supposed to chase away evil spirits. In fact, the friend knows how Lee Nok cherishes the dog, so he has no interests to mistreat or suspect him. This shows that the Crown prince has powers in the afterlife, 
and his purity is his strength.
(chapter 2) and chose to protect him. Despite his status, he showed humbleness. But this doesn’t end here. He shared not only his bed and his food with him, but also his secrets. . 
(Chapter 2) Jae Shin had already become his confident. And this leads me to my final conclusion: Lee Nok is strong because of his huge heart too. He is neither arrogant nor selfish, and he has not such a negative view about humans and life in general, more about ghosts, the cause for his suffering. For me, he has never lost hope. He contrasts so much to his lover, thus he can teach him these values and change him. On the other hand, Jae Shin can give the Crown prince what he has been missing the most: a true home thanks to his affection and support. 
Bebebisous33s' analyses in K-Dramaland and Manhwas 