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.
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with the following one 
(chapter 21) As you can detect, both have so many similarities: a memory, an open area, the blue sky with clouds, two people close to each other, a very confidential conversation, a plan and a clear view. When I analyzed the second panel [read for that the essay “Hope” 
This aspect is even reinforced with the choice of color, purple. 
(chapter 1) I would like the reader to keep in their mind that even in Janggi, the protagonist is acting as a cannon, hence he is definitely no ordinary pawn. For her, the young man is still an innocent and pure lamb, easily manipulated, that’s why she said this to her ally Ahn: 
(chapter 11) In her mind, he is just a worker and not a boyfriend. She is unaware that by turning him into a killer, she will change his nature. He can no longer be a lamb or even a simple pawn. That’s why he gets an erection while strangling Ma Jong-Seok.
(chapter 18) He has become a weapon, and as the ocean, she can never control him. As you can see, if you interpret such an image, you can already anticipate the evolution of the story and realize the villain’s errors. Besides, pay attention to the place of the biggest cloud. It stands next to the main lead. 
The color yellow! This pigment is often associated to positive features like optimism, cheerfulness, logic and wisdom. [For more information: 
(chapter 1) This negative association comes from the Middle-Age in Europe, where Jews and prostitutes were forced to wear some yellow on their clothes reflecting their social status. This pigment was a warning, and this justifies why in French (yellow=jaune) and in English there exist many negative expressions with yellow: “rire jaune” (two-faced laugh) or “jaune cocu” (cuckold yellow) or “yellow belly” (coward). Therefore yellow represents deception, betrayal, adultery, arrogance, vanity and jealousy. And note that Do Seong-Rok is indeed committing adultery with the main lead, 
(chapter 18) though now the roles have been switched. In episode 25, Lee Je-Oh is already treating Do Seong-Rok as his boyfriend 
and has the impression that his lover will cheat on him with Jeon Hee-Seong. 
That’s why he gets upset. And now, you comprehend why the femme fatale’s dream is an illusion. She thought, she was deceiving her pawn, while in reality she didn’t recognize her own misjudgment. Her delusion of grandeur is the cause for her future defeat.
(chapter 24), while the brothers are just sitting next to each other with a certain distance.
(chapter 21) And when he spoke, he expressed his concern for his brother. This signifies that safety mattered more than his dream back then. 
Yet, this is not visible from behind, for she is wearing a black jacket. The appearance of beige is no coincidence, because this color is associated to loyalty and responsibility.
Her bun and her clothes gave the impression that she was just an average married woman, but when she visited her so-called boyfriend, she had dressed up. Her long hair was left in the open, an important sign for seduction, just like the white shirt exudes purity and innocence. 
(chapter 25) At the same time, the black skirt embodies mystery and seduction. 
(chapter 23), while she would let the young man take the fall. 
(chapter 11) That’s why she is well aware that she needs to find someone to become her scapegoat. But who would be so stupid to do her dirty work and even trust her? Only a person blinded by her intelligence, her terrible situation (a fragile prostitute who got forced to get married to an abusive husband) and by his thirst for affection and warmth: Do Seong-Rok. 
(chapter 16) And observe that the future assassin was willing to accept this terrible situation 
(chapter 16) He would be her tool. And don’t forget that in that scene, she was trembling on her knees, a sign of huge vulnerability, which could only move his heart. He felt that she needed him, that’s why he accepted to follow her plan. I could use another evidence that truth is her MO. She confided to him this 
(chapter 24) Once he has been prosecuted and he is proven innocent, he can’t be charged with the same crime. But just because this rule exists, this doesn’t mean that this will be applied in this case.
(chapter 24) These videos were her weaknesses, therefore the main lead needed to find and erase them. We don’t know for sure that he was tasked with this request as well. That’s my assumption, because she stated that she wanted to erase her past, and the footage was part of her terrible past. Once her husband was removed, she would be able to get rich thanks to the property situated in the redevelopment. 
(chapter 24) She desired to lead the detective to Do Seong-Rok and the pieces of Janggi left on the body would serve as a clue for his involvement in the assassinations. This explicates why Lee Je-Oh wondered about the reason for leaving evidence next to the victims an. 
(chapter 13) The femme fatale has power over his life, because she could reveal the truth. That’s her promise, if his situation worsens, she can save him implying that she has an evidence that could prove Do Seong-Rok’s innocence. However, she knew that once her husband dies, she will become a suspect. Thus she needed the main lead to divert the attention from her. Her plan was to redirect the investigation towards the red-haired man. 
something she had always planned. That’s how the assassin started mistrusting her and relying on Lee Je-Oh. Since the latter has recognized her identity
(chapter 25), and has even realized her true goal thanks to Do Seong-Rok’s confession 
(chapter 23) Unlike the female prostitute, the young man made the terrible experience by scheming very early on. He learned that he shouldn’t underestimate the killer’s strength and strong will. Hence he came to realize that he should treat his ally with respect. 
(chapter 12) Do Seong-Rok might not be clever, but he is not weak either. Actually, his major flaw is his innocence, for he is not cunning enough. And remember what I wrote above: she misjudge her lover’s true personality. Therefore she will recognize her error too late. 
(chapter 23), while the serial killer will become his arm and hand! Besides, don’t forget my recent interpretation. Do Seong-Rok is linked to the ocean, and the manhwalovers will certainly remember how the male prostitute viewed himself: 
(chapter 1) A fish!! I am well aware that a goldfish is not living in the ocean, but I doubt that the male prostitute could ever afford himself an expensive fish from the ocean. Besides, in the essay “The goldfish and the lamb – part 1”, I had already explained that for me, the young main lead reminded me a lot of the devil firefish / common lionfish. 
(Chapter 7) After viewing such a panel, the readers can only judge him as weird, but funny. Though the main lead is now a murder suspect, he keeps smiling while making requests, and as you can see, his main condition is sex. Because of such a behavior, he can not look trustworthy in the attorney district’s eyes, rather obsessed with sex. It was, as if he was amused by this situation. That‘s even how Gu Sehyuk views him in the beginning of this story. Nonetheless, this is just a deception. The man is actually using the situation for his own benefit. Why? First, his first request is quite serious. He is asking for an investigation. 
(Chapter 2) This signifies that he needs Gu Sehuyk’s help and power as district prosecutor. And this observation leads me to the following conclusion. He created such an opportunity to approach his target, Gu Sehyuk. How did I come to such a conclusion?
(Chapter 12) I doubt that the main lead gave it to the „suspect“, since the latter is under investigation. Secondly, he knows the prosecution officer’s life so well. Observe that he is the one telling the young detective how long Gu Sehuyk will stay at work. 
(Chapter 12) Moreover, he knows about the death of Gu Sehyuk’s brother and the circumstances of his assassination. That’s why he sent him a picture of the killer, Yoon Gyuho, who had committed suicide right after. Then, the manhwaworms can witness 
him kissing the prosecutor’s wrist tenderly, a sign of affection. He might have introduced himself as his biggest fan 
(chapter 2), yet such a gentle kiss expresses more than just admiration. Moreover, I would like to point out the absence of the eyes in the last picture, a sign that the protagonist is here wearing a mask and not entirely honest. 
(Episode 18) Notice that in this scene, the „suspect“ is blushing and hiding his gaze with his hand, while he admits that he did it because of him. In addition, he reminds the attorney district of their actual situation. One sex session means the divulgation of intel. Here, Gu Sehyuk had the impression that he was the only one who got carried away, whereas Ha Ideun was still able to remain rational and calm. Yet, due the blushing and the covering of his eyes, it becomes obvious that the „suspect“ was definitely moved. Besides, Ha Ideun justifies his action with the prosecutor. It is for him or his brother. Then he begs him for his trust. Yet, this is just a theory of mine and you have every right to think otherwise. But one thing is sure: the young man is definitely more close to Gu Sehyuk than the latter is aware.
(chapter 6), exposing that both characters are similar and in fact related. Furthermore, what caught my attention is that the face of the chairman’s third son is never revealed to citizens, when his arrest is mentioned in the news. In fact, we only get to see a white television screen. 
(Chapter 1) But this doesn‘t stop here. Later, when the attorney district meets the deputy prosecutor general Na Joohwan, the latter reveals that during a search concerning the existence of a slush fund, he noticed that Ha Ideun’s room was devoid of life. 
(chapter 8). There was no picture and no cloth. It was, as if the owner of the room was a phantom. Besides, note that we have the presence of white again. The manhwaphiles certainly know the expressions „white as a sheet“, „pale/white like a ghost“. As you can see, these panels reflect these idioms. That’s how I connected the chaebol’s son to a ghost. 
(chapter 7), he is not working and he doesn’t own any apartment. In other words, he is living in the shadow, for he has no possession and is not interacting with people. His sexual habits are presented as hearsay. And now, you comprehend why I made this association. That‘s why it is not surprising that at the end of episode 18, Gu Sehyuk wondered about Ha Ideun‘s true personality. 
(Chapter 5), while the district attorney is only aware of facts. 
(Chapter 4) There’s no doubt that the suspect is telling the truth. He is not blinded by agony, like Gu Sehyuk who suffered a lot from his brother’s loss. I will explain the difference between truth and facts more in details later. Besides, let‘s not forget that a spirit is able to see more than humans, because they are detached from the physical world. They can move from one place to another very easily. Therefore they can gain more insight than mortals. As a ghost, he is able to spy and discover new clues.
(chapter 2) The light oozing from the television stands in the protagonist’s back and illuminates the prosecutor. It was, as if Ha Ideun was bringing light into the main lead’s darkness. With his knowledge, he will be able to help to unveil the mystery of his brother’s death. For me, there’s no ambiguity that he has long planned to approach the prosecutor and he knows very well, why Gu Sihwan was murdered. But he can‘t reveal everything at once, because the latter would never believe him. Besides, he needs to prepare the protagonist to face the truth and exactly for this reason, the young man has to investigate himself. Only by becoming the investigator, Gu Sehyuk can discover and accept the verity. Moreover, Ha Ideun has to gain the prosecutor‘s trust. And now the manhwaphiles can comprehend why he is asking for the prosecution officer‘s confidence. 
(Chapter 15) Therefore he is willing to be investigated and questioned by Gu Sehyuk. He has no problem to get tested. Since he is clean, he has nothing to fear. On the other hand, he is not releasing much information, because he is well aware that his knowledge could generate suspicions among the prosecution office. Observe that once caught in the CCTV, he was immediately turned into a murder suspect. Words can be misinterpreted, hence he is very reluctant to speak so freely. The readers should keep in their mind that each information he gave was related to a concrete evidence (the picture, the bag full of drugs and the knife), 
(Chapter 15) something that can not be tampered, as long as the district attorney is supervising the investigation. In other words, he is guiding the district attorney to unveil the mystery. 
(Chapter 2) After analyzing so many manhwas, I discovered that many characters wearing glasses were hypocrites, often manipulative and ruthless. Hence I am suspecting that everything is related to Hasung Group. I believe that Ha Ideun’s powerlessness is related to Ha Sungjoon. Note that in that scene, the main lead showed a disdain towards his brother, when the latter appeared on television. There exists a rivalry and Ha Ideun‘s bad reputation (lazy, consumed by sex) is definitely playing into Ha Sungjoon‘s hands. Simultaneously, it could be a diversion from the main lead‘s part, that way he could deceive his brother and investigate his crimes. The manhwaworms shouldn‘t forget the existence of a slush fund and the sudden increase of benefits from Hasung Group.
(Chapter 1) His whole life is revolving around his work as prosecutor, a life full of dedication, humbleness and chastity. He is actually not truly living, just determined to keep his vows. He is making sure that the defendants are all receiving harsh sentence. 
(Chapter 1) What the other district attorney calls as obsession, is in my eyes the protagonist’s religion. 
(Chapter 3) The pictures on the cupboard are representing his „idol“ or „saint“. Since Gu Sihwan got assassinated, he became a martyr and his brother turned him into a „saint“. And now, you comprehend why Ha Ideun is not allowed to touch his deceased brother’s belonging. They are sacred relics. 
Therefore it is not surprising that the brother’s bedroom is associated to white as well: 
It was, as if his bedroom was a crypt. That’s why I came to the following interpretation. The mansion, which Gu Sehyuk described as „frozen in time“, is his tempel. Consequently, his residence is intemporal. Because this is a sacred place, he can’t live properly there. At the same time, he feels the intrusion of a stranger as a sacrilege. Therefore the manhwaphiles can grasp why Gu Sehyuk cleaned the house after the ghost‘s visit. 
(Chapter 3) The tempel had lost his purity. The reason for his transformation is naturally his brother’s murder. The latter suffered so much from it, that he couldn’t move on. This is no coincidence that once he is confronted with the culprit’s face, he gets a flashback, a panic attack. 
(Chapter 3) But since he is so trapped in his past, he starts suffering, once he encounters Ha Ideun, for the latter forces him to remember his repressed memories.
But the problem is that memories are never objective. They are definitely influenced by the subject‘s past experiences, emotions and mentality. What Gu Sehuyk saw here could be viewed differently. He views a murderer in this image, while I detect the killer‘s despair and angst through the eyes. From my point of view, the man was not lusting for blood, though he stabbed him 7 times, a sign for rage and madness. And notice that after the crime, Gu Sehuyk investigated the matter from the culprit‘s perspective. Why would he stab his brother 7 times? Why would he do this? In other words, he tried to find out his motivations. But like Ha Ideun pointed out, he was missing something important there: the victim.
(Chapter 4) Because he was close to his brother, he had the impression that he knew his brother: he was a smiling and cheerful person with no secret.
The picture of his idol exposes Gu Sehyuk‘s blindness. And now, you comprehend why the „ghost“ put it down in the end. This was not the truth, Gu Sihwan hid things from his brother. And this leads me to the following conclusion. Because the prosecutor idolized his brother so much, he couldn‘t discover the truth. Moreover, he acted like every district attorney. They just need to catch the culprit and the case is closed. However, there‘s a huge difference between truth and identifying the perpetrator‘s identity. There was definitely a conspiracy, but the protagonist failed to see this, as he was too obsessed with the assassin. Here I would like to mention my other essay called „Truth and memories: Memorist, Nobody knows, Find me in your memories and The King“, where I elaborated the problematic of unveiling the truth through memories.
(Chapter 4) Why did he have to die? Ha Ideun needs to transform the deceased brother into a human so that Gu Sehyuk decides to look into his brother’s past life. 
and is taken by surprise. He wonders why he acted like this. 
(Chapter 18) In my eyes, this scene indicates that Gu Sehyuk is slowly coming back to life. But the problem is that the main lead has lived like that for two years, therefore he won’t change right away. From my point of view, his „temple“ will become a mad place, because he commits a sin in a sacred place.
(Chapter 1) Ha Ideun won’t be able to remove the prosecutor’s religion despite their sex sessions, as long as the truth is not totally unveiled. This is my explanation why Junah chose such a title.
, it gives you the opposite impression: dark, asphyxiating, destructive and hopeless. 
, the missing brother from lieutenant Kang Hyeon-Woo. When the former confides his intentions to his brother (he would like to clean the corruption in the police forces and remove the dirty connections between authorities and the red-light district), the former appears integer, righteous, courageous and determined. This means, he is full of energy and aspirations to achieve his goal.
combined with the idioms “chance” and “expose this case to the public”. Note the presence of the wooden plank in the bottom. It was, as if the perspective and the wooden plank were the stage, and the city in the background was symbolizing the public. In other words, the scenery was representing the detective’s vision. He was full of confidence and dream here. Moreover, since it is an open air area, you can breathe more easily. This signifies that the scenery oozes a certain relief, liberation and release. The brother could confide to his brother about his intentions and his latest information. He knew that the young detective was trustworthy and would support him. It represented a moment of relaxation for the investigating Kang Hyeon-Jong. Thus the readers see the machines as a symbol for relaxation and entertainment. Since the hyung was disclosing his discoveries and his evidence, it means that the younger brother was his pillar in his quest to clean up the police forces. 
(chapter 1) Furthermore, he abandoned the corpse in an abandoned area. This scene was quite oppressing and depressing which mirrored the perpetrator’s disposition. Let’s not forget that later the manhwaphiles could witness the murderer’s fears, when he had a nightmare. 
(chapter 6) Instead of looking up to the sky (a symbol for dream and hope), the criminal looked down. I could bring up another scene: 
(chapter 16) Both characters are looking down, both hurt and depressed. The prostitute is full of doubts and resigning to her fate. She will do anything in order to survive, and if it is necessary, she will betray and abandon her lover. She announces that she will be definitely ruthless and selfish. She is no longer expecting happiness and relaxation. It’s a fight for her. Besides, in that scene, the city looks lifeless, as there are no plant or people. I would even say, it’s suffocating, for the sky is so dark and clouded. It was, as if it functioned as a lid. As a conclusion, the weather and the scene reflect the character’s state of mind. The blue sky with clouds is linked to hope, while a raining dark grey day is associated to hopelessness, fear and doubts. Thus the town is related to suffocation, loneliness and resignation. Let’s not forget that the characters are all embodying animals (Lee Je-Oh is a goldfish and a dog, Do Seong-Rok is a dog, Jeon Hee-Seong is a snake etc…), but the problem is that they are all trapped in the Janggi game, that’s why they are not free and feel so oppressed. In my opinion, the Janggi board is in reality the city itself. Instead of representing civilization and progress, the town embodies despair, corruption and asphyxiation: death. 
(chapter 21), which contrasts to this scene for example
(chapter 7) where grey was the dominant color. Contrary to the scene in episode 7, the main leads are no longer separated by the sheet, and they are facing each other. As you can sense, the color and the position mirror their increasing closeness and trust. I would say that the main couple is full of hope in that chapter. This is particularly perceptible in this image. Lee Je-Oh is already thinking about the future. 
He is confident in his skills and intelligence to protect his partner. The presence of relief and aspiration explains why the main leads are tender and caring towards each other. 
Here, you might argue that we don’t have the presence of nature, hence this contradicts my previous interpretation that nature is a signal of liberation and relief. However, I can refute this argument by pointing out that we don’t see the city here. In my eyes, the room has now become a refuge, a shelter of two wounded and lonely souls. Lee Je-Oh is no longer viewing the bedchamber as a place where he is held hostage. He is now cohabiting with the murderer. Thanks to him, Seong-Rok could sleep much better and wasn’t tormented by a nightmare, though he had killed Ma Jeong-Seok. To sum up, the bedroom shouldn’t be judged as a contradiction to nature. It is the place for privacy and relief as well. Furthermore, the better the bond between the killer and the male prostitute is, the clearer the room appears.
despite the loss of his brother. He hasn’t given up on his dream and ambition. Consequently he makes this promise to fulfil his brother’s hope. Hence Kang Hyeon-Jong’s uniform hangs on the wall at the end of the bed. 
It symbolizes the detective’s goal: he is seeking for the truth and eradication of corruption. The bedroom is the officer’s refuge, where he can express his true thoughts and emotions. He doesn’t feel lonely, because he still has the brother’s uniform by his side. It was, as if the latter was still alive and by his side. And if you pay attention to the images, you’ll detect the indirect presence of nature: the wallpaper. It is slightly green and there are flowers. I tried to identify the flower, but I wasn’t sure. For me, it looks like a chrysanthemum which symbolizes longevity, fidelity, joy and optimism. Naturally, this flower has other meanings, but it depends on the color. A white one is offered to the relatives of the deceased as a sign of grief. On the other hand, a white chrysanthemum signifies loyalty and honesty. Striking is that the flower has the same color than the shirt Kang Hyeon-Jong was wearing, when he was confessing his last discoveries and dream. 
But like I mentioned above, I am not certain about the identity of the flower on the wallpaper. It could be a dahlia too… If you have any idea or suggestion, feel free to leave a comment.
(chapter 20) Though the latter desires to give the lieutenant the impression that he is honest and supportive, in reality it is the opposite. Since he asked the lieutenant for update, though he is quitting his job, this means that Kim Seung-Tae is actually asking for information. In my eyes, he belongs to the team facing officer Ahn and Jeon Hee-Seong. 
had inspired me. 
However, as you can imagine, the lord’s punch didn’t hurt the criminal at all. But since Nameless didn’t desire to embarrass his former sexual partner, he acted, as if he had been hurt. In other words, he wasn’t actually honest, when he said this: “That hurt, my lord”. (chapter 76) For the readers, the situation was transformed into a joke and comedy, exactly like Black Heart pointed out right after. Yet, for the villain, it was a serious situation: “Jihwa had fallen so deeply into sodomy that he had reached to a low-born!” Besides, Min hadn’t been able to taste himself the painter.
This signifies that Yoon Seungho and Nameless will make jokes and tease their partners. In this picture, the noble is biting the artist’s finger. Let’s not forget that both ukes are always crying so much, when they are sad, angry and pained. It displays that they tear up easily.
(Chapter 67) Nameless excused his roughness with his lack of experiences. But the readers are well aware that The Joker did it from the back with the kisaeng in episode 51 
and he has quite a reputation. And when I combined the low-born’s excuse with Jihwa’s reaction, I couldn’t help myself laughing. 
The latter was so innocent here, for he believed the man. He wasn’t able to recognize why Nameless rubbed him so raw. His description reflected the butcher’s passionate desires. The latter couldn’t restrain himself. His heart had been moved by the aristocrat’s remorse and tears. The criminal could sense his purity despite his horrible intentions. The young master imagined that for the criminal had never done it with a man before, he would be more careful. Moreover, if he had done it with women before, in his eyes, it signified, the lover was quite delicate and tender. In other words, Nameless hid his sexual desires and affection behind a false excuse. We have another indication that the low-born did more than rubbing. He left many hickeys on his sex partner, a sign of possession and passion. For the first time, Jihwa experienced what a love session is, but didn’t recognize it. 😉 Nameless is well aware that the aristocrat has no real affection for him, therefore he has to hide his true emotions behind a joke.
, 74 
and teasing his lover
(chapter 23) 
(chapter 75). Nevertheless the latter hasn’t truly recognized his master’s sense of humor due to social norms. 
He couldn’t separate them. He was so annoyed and upset by the situation that he vomited. In other words, he was green of envy and simultaneously he was green (sickly)🤢🤮 due to his opium consumption. This signifies that he was definitely not in the best mood.
Though it looks like this secret puts him back in a good mood, I noticed two details:
.
And note the contrast of the mouth. The lips are positioned in the opposite way than when he smiles. And now, you understand why Min had his eyes closed. He was hiding his true emotions from the others, as the eyes are the mirror of the soul. Yet during that night he could no longer keep his mask as the Joker.
(chapter 66) Striking is that when the lord found Baek Na-Kyum in a terrible situation, he looked excited. In my opinion, the situation was pleasing to his eyes for two reasons. Min could see how Yoon Seungho had mistreated the painter, therefore he sensed that he could have an opportunity to approach the artist. Since Yoon Seungho was not willing to share his lover to others,. Min had only one possibility left: separate the couple. That’s why he found it entertaining. He imagined that his chances to taste the low-born had increased. This explicates why he takes pleasure in the misery of others. He is able to profit from the suffering of others. In other words, he never had to put a lot of effort. Everything was always delivered to him on a silver plate.
(quoted from 
(chapter 3) stimulus, his phallus was still erected after Jihwa’s first climax. It looks like Seungho was attracted by Jihwa… so much that his appetite couldn’t be satiated. This gave Jihwa the impression that something had been triggered in Seungho. He was finally appealed to him, this gave him the illusion that his dream had come true. He mistook the excitement as a sign of “love” making him believe that he had now more privileges than the other sex partners. In his mind, the sex at the pavilion was love and even love for him, while in reality for Seungho it was just the discovery of real pleasure in sex. He had finally come to love sex with men. Since he kept seeing the painting in his mind, it was as if he was making love to himself. Hence I interpret that for the powerful noble the sex at the pavilion is a mixture of sex and love. He finally comes to love sex with men and to love himself as a seme. He feels his own attraction.
(chapter 20) 
(chapter 21)
(chapter 25
(Chapter 32) He has realized that his behavior has not been normal. He is confused hence he doesn’t get angry, when he is criticized by the doctor later. He knows that his emotions made him blind so that he somehow endangered the painter’s life. He must definitely feel guilty but he sees it as his duty to make sure that Baek Na-Kyum can recover.
Here, it is quite clear what the protagonist’s real intention was. He was looking for sex in order to understand what led him to act like a crazy person in the presence of the painter. What was he looking for? During the separation, he makes a huge discovery: sex is not his true motivation, he gets aware that he has been longing for the painter’s attention and affection. 
Besides, due to Min’s words, he gets aware that he wants Baek Na-Kyum for himself. He is “his”. He knows that now but he has no idea how the artist will react after his recovery. He could definitely blame him for his illness and the sex marathon. Little by little, the main lead is learning to differentiate sex and love. What I mean is that he has learnt that sex is a way to express love, making the partner feel sexual enjoyment and pleasure is making love. It is about to give and not just to take. That’s why from that moment, the seme is focusing on pleasuring the artist. He feels that he needs to wait so that Baek Na-Kyum will come to fall in love with him and will express the need to have sex with him. So he is definitely waiting for Baek Na-Kyum’s move.
(Chapter 42) Here, there is a mixture of tenderness and passion. He is attempting to evoke other feelings in the uke. He actually shows his love for the commoner. While during their first night, the artist cried out of happiness, here the tears are expressing immense sadness and pain. This is the reality: he had never been truly accepted by the low noble. He always saw his social background, a low-born raised at the brothel. He is admitting his sexual orientation which he is now connecting to prostitution. The painter doesn’t see the love in Seungho’s gestures, too immersed in his own suffering. In other words, the lord wanted love here but only got the opportunity to have sex, while deep down Baek Na-Kyum was longing for love but just asked for sex. However, Seungho attempted to shower him with love at the end but the painter didn’t see it, just like during their first night.
(chapter 149). This means, this terrible incident with these painful memories will always be a part of his life and he will always have to fight to find the right balance. That’s why he describes the patient’s life as a long journey 
, where the figure has to find a way to overcome his trauma. 
(chapter 149) As you can see, a patient suffering from flashbacks and PTSD is on his own in the end, the psychologist can only give him support, advice and comfort, but in the end Yeonshik is the one who has to work on himself and find the right balance. 
(chapter 63) But note that it took the lord a long time to recognize and externalize this thought. And so far, the painter has still no idea what truly makes him happy. 
(chapter 74) and thoughts 
(chapter 74) from his lover. 
(chapter 75) He might have asked for his help in chapter 76
, yet it was a spontaneous and natural gesture. But once he starts thinking with his mind, the closeness won’t remain. There’s no doubt that the painter is still afraid to admit his attraction and affection to Yoon Seungho. The negative image of sex, influenced by Jung In-Hun and Heena noona, has not been entirely removed. Furthermore, Yoon Seungho never revealed to the artist that he knows now about the kidnapping. He detained information from his lord Na-Kyum. That’s why I deduce that the painter and the aristocrat will have to discover on their own that for happiness, they must be open and truthful to themselves and to their partner. A white lie, lie by omission or a silence can have devastating consequences. 
(chapter 77) just like he is now remembering that lord Song is responsible for his martyrdom. 
(Chapter 59) Compare the lord’s attitude in season 1. 
(chapter 37) So far, he only blamed the father. Sure, in season 3, he still reproaches the father‘s responsibility, but observe that his blame is more related to the Yoon Chang-Hyeon‘s bad choices. 
(Chapter 86) He trusted the wrong people, in other words, he sensed that his father had been misguided. This explicates why he blames the father for the absence of his critical thinking. 
(Chapter 86) He never pondered on the question how the tragedy could occur. He was simply satisfied with the easiest solution: Yoon Seungho was responsible for this. This conversation is important, as it actually outlines how different the lord is from his own father. At the end of season 3, Baek Na-Kyum asked his lover this: 
(chapter 102) How come that he left his side? For the main lead, it sounded like a blame, while in reality, it was a question. By asking Yoon Seungho this, he is pushing the lord to investigate the matter. Discovering the truth is relevant, for it will reveal that Yoon Seungho’s crime had been planned all along!! He was incited to kill people, thus he had the sword in the hand. And since the situation mirrors the past, the main lead will slowly unveil the truth about his own past. Now, you are probably wondering how this is related to happiness. The answer is simple. As long as the protagonist is trapped in the past, he could never become happy. He couldn’t simply move on. But by leaving everything behind, he makes a clean start, and he is forced to rely on himself and as such to trust himself, if he wants to take care of the painter properly. 
(Chapter 102) That’s the reason why the author said that they will find happiness on their own. 
(chapter 74) At the end of the second season, Heena noona’s influence is still palpable. In that aspect, Yoon Seungho is much further than the artist, as the lord is no longer in denial about his love for Baek Na-Kyum. Yet, at the end of season 3, Baek Na-Kyum makes a similar experience. He recognizes that his sister has been manipulating him in order to achieve her goal. 
(Chapter 97) Furthermore, because he listened to the ghost Jung In-Hun and the comments from the staff, he fell into the trap set by Min. Once facing Black Heart, he got aware of the deception right away. 
(Chapter 99) In other words, due to the last tragic incident, he experienced that he should mistrust people’s words. He shouldn’t take their statement as face-value. This is important, for the artist is learning to become more and more independent. His critical thinking is developing. As you can observe, both main leads have to find their own way to become happy. But they can only become happy, if they discover the truth and as such their past. Thus I am deducing that Yoon Chang-Hyeon will never find happiness, for he never tried to discover who was behind the bad reputation of the Yoons. This explicates why he is repeating the same mistakes from the past in season 3. He still trusts valet Kim.
(chapter 6) Note how she manipulates him. First, she diminishes her own position. 
(chapter 6) She is just a pawn, mistreated by men. Besides, they are living in a dog-eat-dog world, hence it is necessary to become ruthless, if they want to survive. 
(chapter 6) As she is powerless, she needs his help. Alone, she won’t be able to change her position. 
With her request, she is implying that he will find happiness by her side. Nonetheless, the innocent man is still hesitating, thereby he would like a confirmation from her. They will be together, if he follows her suggestion. Yet, she doesn’t answer to his question directly. 
As the manhwaphiles can detect, a femme fatale is strongly connected to the fake vow of pleasure and enjoyment. 
(chapter 6) Moreover, observe the position of her legs, it definitely reminds us of a siren, as her legs resemble to a fishtail. Moreover, if I include the following panel
, this perception gets reinforced. Her hair on the bed makes me think of hair under water. Sure, in this panel
(chapter 16) And now, if you connect this promise with the siren’s temptation, you’ll realize what the abandonment signifies in truth: he will drown and die. He will lose his life and soul. 
(chapter 6) 
(chapter 11) They are puppets of the femme fatale. This angst is truly palpable in chapter 6. Do Seong-Rok got scared, because before he had met detectives looking for Lee Je-Oh, Ma Jong-Seok and Choi Yeong-Gil and couldn’t get in touch with his lover
. He felt totally vulnerable. He needed her presence in order to stay calm and find a solution to his problem: the existence of a witness. 
(chapter 16) Yet, if you pay attention to Eva’s role, she was herself a victim, for she listened to the snake and got tempted to eat the fruit. 
(chapter 9) Imagine, she had to sell her body, yet she would never be able to escape from this “chicken farm”, for the debts would always keep increasing. Koo Jeong-Mo calls her a snake, but he is a hypocrite. He might have not killed her, nevertheless he did something terrible to her. 
(chapter 11) He justifies his crime by saying that he just attempted to run his business. Just like his foe, he is diminishing his sin. On the other hand, his words 
truly outline his immorality and wrongdoing. If it was not murder, then what did he do to her? He calls her a snake, because she betrayed him. However, he was the one who backstabbed her first. There’s no doubt that she was forced to marry Choi Yeong-Gil, a violent man. 
(chapter 9) The former pimp suspects her for being the mastermind behind the murders. Nevertheless, the manhwalovers should keep in mind that she is his competitor too. She is now running her own business. If she was caught and accused, he would get rid of his rival. Since he backstabbed her in the past, it truly exposes that his comparison is only partially correct. As the former prostitute is not just a perpetrator, but also a victim, I come to the conclusion that the female character resembles more to Eva than to the snake. 
(chapter 16)
made him the perfect tool for her goal. At the same time, she is overlooking the male prostitute Lee Je-Oh. Since none of her targets has ever resisted her, she can’t imagine that Do Seong-Rok will distance himself from her. 
He even suggests to become his ally. And this observation truly reinforces my former statement: Jeon Hee-Seong and Lee Je-Oh will become rivals. One thing is sure: because the former prostitute is a femme fatale, she won’t get what she truly wants. 
(chapter 55) He doesn’t want to be recognized, but more importantly he is determined to hide his true feelings from Nam Dong-Gyun, for he believes that he has no chance to be his lover again. Moreover, during the Corona pandemic, people are requested to wear a mask in order to stop the contamination.
If people knew that he was a psychopath, he would get isolated. His parents are already very distant with him, for they view him as a monster. Due this experience 
(he killed a dog and his mother caught him), he got aware that he was not allowed to act on his urges. For him, the mask is a necessity, as he is living in society. He doesn’t want to end up in jail. But is it the same for Nameless from Painter Of The Night? 
(chapter 54) He is switching his identity to become a killer. In this panel, the manhwaphiles see the transformation of the figure, as his face is already half-covered. He is no longer a joker, but not the ruthless murderer yet. However, when he kills the servant, he has the cover on.
(chapter 54) By putting a mask, he is protecting himself too, for he is acting as someone else, therefore his heart can’t be wounded. 
In this case, it is more a desire, though in truth it is a combination of both. The “butcher” has to hide his true identity. So when he wears his mask in chapter 44, he is doing his job. He won’t be recognized, but also he won’t feel remorse. He has been paid for that and the mask is helping him not to get emotionally invested. On the other hand when Jihwa met him in chapter 51, the manhwalovers could perceive the low-born’s true personality which coincides with the absence of the mask.
In that episode, he was literally naked in front of the noble, which explicates why he showed concern and care for his client. He let the noble express his worries. Let’s not forget that the jester is a person with a pure heart, when he is true to himself. Hence I come to the conclusion that the mask serves as a protection for the criminal’s mind and heart. And now, you comprehend why Nameless didn’t feel remorse for hurting the painter. According to me, in this scene, it was Kim who was scaring the painter.
(chapter 66) This is important, because the mask had two purposes here: to hide the identity of the perpetrator, but also to slip into a role, No-Name’s, the assassin. The main lead’s face was covered and turned around. At no moment, the “butcher” could see the victim’s gaze and facial expressions. The mask helped him to be ruthless, while he threatened Baek Na-Kuym. He might feel pity, but that was it.
(chapter 66) In that scene, the manhwaphiles thought that they were seeing Mumyeong, hence they imagined that Jihwa’s safety meant more than the artist’s life and possible scars. But if you take my theory seriously, this was Kim, then the words from the butler had a different meaning. He was hiding his action behind the nobles. Only after paying attention to the mask, I realized the existence of two masks. 
(Chapter 61) 
(chapter 61) Smiling mask versus threatening mask. The presence of two masks explicates why No-Name had the impression that after the painter’s return nothing bad had really happened. He was not aware of the butler‘s wrongdoings. Simultaneously, since the artist had not been killed, No-Name imagined that he had done nothing wrong. 
(Chapter 61) Hence the existence of the Joker’s mask outlines the criminal’s duality. He can be a ruthless killer, yet he can be gentle and caring too. At the same time, it implies the presence of a biased view. 
(chapter 73), the moment he is deprived of his powers. It was, as if he became a human. This is particularly perceptible, when he accepts the judgement of Maat and says this. 
Striking is that in this panel, the mask doesn’t appear as a source of advantage, rather as a hindrance. He couldn’t see and hear the consequences of his crimes due to the mask. He was blind and deaf. By removing his mask, he becomes human and can face reality: he is facing his sins and the suffering of his victims, their wounded soul. 
[chapter 35], his son, his title
[chapter 35], his power over the desert
[chapter 35]), he lost his identity. Osiris made sure to imprison his brother, because the former was lusting after him and had the impression that the latter would always escape his control. 
(chapter 35). At the end, he raped him in order to claim him. The latter got literally destroyed, hence he hid his pain behind the mask and chose to hurt others.
(chapter 37) In other words, the loss of identity was the reason why Seth decided to hide himself under the mask. Who was he in reality? The god was so tormented by his tragic past, Osiris had hurt him with his actions and words. He made sure that his brother would doubt himself. Hence the mask became the only reason to keep living. This item helped him to hide his wounds, but also not to lose himself completely. Hence I conclude that the “evil god” wasn’t just blinded by his heartache, but also by his mask, for the latter hindered him to see the real impact of his terrible actions. 
(chapter 37) 
(chapter 73), his son makes the opposite experience. He transforms himself into a god, Anubis, hence he gets a mask. 
(chapter 73) However, this signifies that he won’t see his wrongdoings too, he will be oblivious to the pain he is causing to others. This time, his blindness will be caused by his resent. While in the past, Anubis was a sensitive and gentle person, but no real god due to Seth’s curse, in chapter 73 he becomes Osiris’ true son, an evil god. Why do I judge him like that? It’s related to Osiris’ words. The latter is encouraging his son to feel hatred for the one responsible for his curse, Seth. Moreover, he asked his son to forget his past signifying that he should cut ties with his previous family. Therefore I believe that in the future, Anubis will fight against Seth and even Horus. Nevertheless, the wounded Anubis doesn’t realize that he has been manipulated by Osiris. The latter used his vulnerability and fear to approach him and appear as his savior. 
(chapter 73) Besides, Osiris was in fact accountable for his injury 
(chapter 37) In other words, the god of the afterlife used a disguise, though his brother had the impression that Osiris was real. Yet, one might argue that in that scene, Osiris was not wearing a mask. However, since he took possession of Anubis’ body, we can clearly see the presence of a cover. Let’s not forget that this terrible god is not allowed to leave the Underworld, hence he needs a subterfuge to enter the world of the living. That’s why I perceive it as a disguise. While the Egyptian god used Anubis as his vessel, Kwon Sungha from Dine With A Vampire took a new identity: he became Sooin’s bodyguard. 
As you can see, in both cases magic provided the villains a new occasion to deceive their target. And this shows that a mask can eventually cover a whole body, when it is to create a new “identity”. 
, just like Ra or Hathor. Yet, note that they are all women. Secondly, if you pay attention to their appearances, you’ll detect the presence of a hair dress and make up, especially around the eyes. This is no coincidence in my opinion. These accessories should be perceived as a “mask”. The make-up and hair dress are a form of disguise. This becomes really obvious in the manhwa “True beauty” from Yaongyi, where the heroine Jugyeong Lim hides her insecurities and true self behind a make-up. This is the real and natural protagonist 
(chapter 7), while we have here the disguised heroine
(chapter 0). This goes to the point that her boyfriend Sujeon Han has no idea how she really looks like. As a conclusion, the make-up and hair dress should be judged as a mask too. That’s why in traditional Chinese theater, the actors have painted faces. It was, as if they were wearing a mask.
(Doctor Frost, chapter 2) That’s the reason why the author Black Apricot didn’t drew a mouth, when she presented Song Ji-Sung here.
(chapter 9). She wanted her readers and the main lead to realize the character’s true personality. The latter was upset, because Kwon Soo-Young was keeping his distance from him and it looked like, he had found a new protector/boyfriend. When the protagonist Kwon Soo-Young had met Song Ji-Sung for the first time, he had only paid attention to his smile. Therefore he had misjudged his personality. And now, if you contrast the previous panel with the following one
(chapter 16), you’ll notice an important detail: The eyes are closed, when the character is smiling. In this situation, the figure was actually hiding his true thoughts, this explains why the main lead couldn’t correct his false impression about his future lover. He had no idea about his true nature, as the latter keeping concealing his true intentions, he was faking his emotions with his facial expressions. This confirms my interpretation: the face can also be a mask. For me, this character is like Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In this picture, Kwon Soo-Young got scared, when he saw this gaze and refused his lover’s advances. 
He is brutal, selfish and very manipulative. And now, you understand why in ENNEAD we had two different kind of masks: Seth and Horus are wearing real masks, while Osiris and Isis use their own face and make-up to conceal their true personality. 
(chapter 7) Sure, the color refers to his death, a decayed body, nonetheless the readers should judge the painting as a cover. Since he is using a whole body to disguise himself, this signifies that he is hiding his true personality and thoughts more than Isis or Ra. That’s why it is not surprising that this god is particularly scheming and deceptive. 
(chapter 10) The mask is a combination of shadow and absence of eyes. Here, Ahn Jiwon was remembering his first love and boyfriend, who faked affection and care for him. As a conclusion, the eyes symbolize honesty and naturality and its absence the presence of a mask. 
and the internist Kwon Sungha
. While examining their characters, I made a connection between the glasses and their personality. I defined the function of the glasses as a mask, because both almost act the same, as vicious hypocrites. They hide behind their glasses and their fake smiles so that people misjudge them. And remember doctor Frost’s advice: 
Observe that the smile is less pronounced, giving the impression that it is vanishing. Simultaneously, the eyes are shown oozing a rather cold and heartless side. In the scene at the library (chapter 40), he’s finally able to perceive his own reflection in the scholar’s gaze, since the smile has totally disappeared. The gaze exudes coldness, despise and filth.
Combined with the harsh words “you were born to be a prostitute”, the painter’s identity and personality are literally destroyed. The scholar has reduced Baek Na-Kyum to a prostitute, the lowest rank among the commoner. They have no rights and no real identity as they are forced to do what their clients want. 
(chapter 41) Hence it is not surprising that the protagonist remembers the cold gaze. His eyes were the other reason why Baek Na-Kyum’s heart was so wounded. He could sense despise and rejection. In other words, the scholar had used two weapons to hurt the main character: the gaze and the words. This connection between the smile and the eyes is visible in Dine With A Vampire too.
As soon as the smile vanishes, the eyes become visible unveiling their true personality. That’s why it is not surprising that Kwon Sungha has the same behavior towards the main lead Joo Sooin. The former has also destroyed the protagonist and reduced him to a puppet. The villains keeps calling him a pervert. He was even worse than Jung In-Hun in the sense that he kept abusing him mentally and physically after the coercive persuasion. Both are hypocrites hiding behind their glasses and their gaze. Therefore they are portrayed as cruel and mean hypocrites. The other common denominator is their hatred and rejection for homosexuality. Kwon Sungha seems to be even worse than the scholar, as he is in reality a repressed homosexual. He has sex with Joo Sooin, but resents him because he sees in him the reason for his “perverted” sexuality. He rejects sodomy because of the Church and his mother. Both reject this sexual orientation. I could mention Carter Nathan from The Blood of Madam Giselle 
(the fake and the real 
(chapter 13) or Jung from Unintentional Love Story 
as well as selfish and ruthless hypocrites. In other words, the next time you read a manhwa, be careful with characters wearing glasses, they might be dangerous and their smile might be fake. 
(chapter 16) The main lead explains that he chose to wear glasses, because he desired to avoid rejection and fear. He had noticed that the absence of facial expressions (smile) and his cold gaze would be misjudged by people. Here, Matthew used the glasses as protection. And this illustration reinforces my interpretation: glasses in manhwas have a huge importance in the end, they should be considered as masks too. 
The latter is the only one who can control him. 
(chapter 1) This is his second identity: BJ Alex. On the one hand, he desires to remain anonymous so that no one can recognize him in real life, on the other hand this signifies that he is living a double life. He would like to protect his privacy, but also his secret life as homosexual. That’s why he said this, when his relationship with Nam Dong-Gyun was revealed: 
As you can observe, a name and as such notoriety can also serve as a mask. The president of the council was admired by his peers, he was so perfect that some students even wondered, if he was human.
and the president is not recognizing it. But why is reputation a mask? It is, because people often judge others on hearsay and first impressions. The social medias are the perfect example for superficial and quick judgement. But we have to question ourselves about Ahn Jiwon’s initial motivations to hide behind a good notoriety. 
In the beginning of the story, he doesn’t even know the other protagonist very well, yet he is willing to take care of him, when the latter is drunk. The president is seen constantly smiling and has never externalized negative emotions (anger, violence…). This explicates why the uke was so shocked and confused, when he saw a brutal BJ Alex. The latter had discovered his secret, hence the former felt vulnerable. On the other hand, Nam Dong-Gyun wondered about Ahn Jiwon’s true personality. But the uke was not the only one who had no idea about Ahn Jiwon’s true character. The latter was also confused. 
This signifies that the protagonist was never confronted with his own reflection. 
(Doctor Frost, chapter 11). That’s why he became an empty man in the end. He has no idea about his true self (his likes and dislikes). He was forced to follow his parents’ requests and his brother’s shadow. This emptiness is palpable in chapter 49, when the main lead confesses this: 
(chapter 1)
(chapter 49) Since the adults kept criticizing him, he imagined that if he copied his brother, he would get recognition and acceptance. In other words, he forced himself to become a second version of his brother. 
But even copying his hair dress and tastes, he was doomed to failure, for the parents had already categorized him: he would always be inferior to their eldest son. He realized gradually that this wasn’t right, for his parents still didn’t perceive his true identity. That’s why he feels drowning, when he loses his mask. 
He doesn’t have the impression to exist.
(chapter 49) That’s why he chose a third mask: he tried to be admired at school. He was caring and considerate towards his fellows. However, since he had made this rational decision
, in his mind he was acting. Hence he didn’t truly enjoy this situation. 
(chapter 49) He felt that he was forced to smile. Besides, I believe as he was fake, this admiration was quite superficial in his mind. Therefore he didn’t feel truly loved. That’s why at some point, he wondered if he would ever be loved… 
However, the readers should interpret this question differently: he was asking indirectly, when his true self would be recognized by someone. And the one who made him discover his true sexual orientation was unfortunately a player. That’s why the main lead was so devastated and hurt, when he discovered that his relationship was based on deception and fakeness. So after being sent to the army, Ahn Jiwon chose to act like in the past. He became a role model as a student, yet he could no longer hide his homosexuality. Hence he led a double life. 
(chapter 08) In this scene, the charater is disguising his true thoughts. The black and red are representing his emotions: he is irritated, because he needs to have sex with Nam Dong-Gyun. Note how Ahn Jiwon is avoiding his counterpart’s gaze. The figure is acting, his mask is his face and the presence of the colors symbolizes the repressed and hidden thoughts and emotions. Mingwa colored one picture in chapter 51 marking a turning point in the protagonist’s life.
For the first time, he was acknowledging his feelings and as such his own desires. This picture represents the removal of one mask. He is slowly living for real, but in this chapter he still hadn’t found his true personality. The other mask (his reputation as good student) was still existent. Besides, he still believed that his smiling and caring attitude were just an act, while in truth he was genuine and caring. But due to his past, he had already internalized that this was just an act. And now, you comprehend why the latest episodes from BJ Alex are in color. The main lead had finally found his own identity and place. 
(Painter Of The Night, chapter 54), colors, reputation, etc. The protagonists are often hiding their true thoughts and emotions due to their past, while the villains are using masks to deceive people. 
This is relevant, because it already outlines his mysterious nature. This is not just a question of anonymity. Notice that during the whole introduction, he barely talks so that the readers can’t perceive his thoughts. Moreover, he only speaks on two occasions. First, he calls Ms. Jeon and later he describes the actual situation: he has removed the first target: 
(chapter 1) Therefore this is no coincidence that the reason why the murderer didn’t eliminate the prostitute is obscure. In other words, the main figure is an enigma per se, and the readers are asked to discern his personality, whereas Lee Je-Oh’s character is so easily exposed.
(chapter 1), he uses the cellphone to call his lover, the mastermind of this murder. This explains why his face is only revealed, when he uses the pronoun “I”. 
(chapter 1) That’s the moment he starts existing. He only lives, when he is in contact with Ms. Jeon. Yet through his words, the readers can detect the nature of their relationship. Ms. Jeon is his superior and mentor (he calls her “teacher”/Seonsangnim/ in the Korean version), whereas in the killer’s mind she is his lover. 
(chapter 8) But if you pay attention, you’ll detect the emptiness of this declaration of affection. First, there’s no name attached to the “I love you”. It is so anonymous. Furthermore, the love confession is at the bottom of the letter, totally separated from the content of the letter. The first scene in chapter 1 already illustrated the gap between these two characters, for Do Seong-Rok was speaking to her formally. The absence of the informal speech is a clue that they are not intimate and close in truth. And now, if you combine this with the “love letter”, you can only come to the conclusion that Ms. Jeon is the one keeping the protagonist at a certain distance. All this truly exposes Jeon Hee-Seong’s true thoughts. She’s using Do Seong-Rok’s naivety and innocence. With a few words and a letter, she could manipulate the protagonist to commit assassinations. What caught my attention is that the main lead was incapable to see through her lies. In chapter 6,
she stated that she was willing to dirty her hands in order to survive, yet the next minute she asked her lover if he would kill for her sake.
(chapter 16) Right from the start, she could notice his inexperience with women and in life as well. She portrayed him as naïve and maladroit. 
(chapter 16) This panel exposes the man’s genuineness and purity, as he revealed his true thoughts so easily. I would say that he was easy to read like an open book. So he was seduced by her intelligence and her beautiful body. From my point of view, she wooed him by taking his side in this incident despite her criticisms. Let’s not forget that his colleagues not only were looking down on him, when he refused to follow them, 
(chapter 16), but they also left him behind. Then, when Jeon Hee-Jeong put the card in his hand, she gave him the impression that he had the freedom to come back to her. He had a place to return, when he had finished his mandatory service. 
(chapter 16) In other words, she didn’t abandon him, though she left him behind too. And this is important in my opinion, for it explains why the main lead chose to seek her company. She was the first person who accepted him with his flaws, but she didn’t truly leave his side. And this leads me to the following conclusion: Do Seong-Rok has abandonment issues. 
(chapter 12) However, the father left a letter behind announcing that he would come back at some point, but it never happened. What caught my attention in this picture is the person reading the letter left by the relative. The house looks well-maintained and the woman is wearing an apron. Yet, she seems so cold and unfriendly due to the absence of a smile and the eyes. In the first version, I thought that he had not been abandoned in an orphanage, but he was confided to a particular person. However, it turned out to be wrong. The reality is that he grew up in an orphanage
(chapter 27), yet the persons working there could never give what he truly wished: a family. 
This signifies that I had perceived the person’s attitude correctly. The personal could never give the affection and warmth he had been longing. On the other hand, From my perspective, Do Seong-Rok grew up in a family from the middle-class. This signifies that he never had to face financial struggles, on the other hand the absence of eyes in the woman exposes her displeasure. So though he received a proper education, he must have felt as a burden as well. This would explain why Do Seong-Rok lived in a bubble for a long time. Abandoned by his biological parent, he didn’t desire to annoy more people, especially the family who took him in. That’s why he felt the need to abide by laws and to be very strict. He didn’t want to stand out. For him, assimilation was a mean to get acceptance. Therefore you understand why Do Seong-Rok is a lamb, for “conformity” was like a safety net. Consequently, Lee Je-Oh and the murderer have both something in common despite the social gap: isolation, lack of warmth and acceptance. On the other hand, the huge difference in their social status explains why Do Seong-Rok is so inexperienced and naïve. He never had to struggle to survive. Thus this explicates why Lee Je-Oh is so street-smart, while the other is so clumsy. By abiding to laws, he didn’t have to use his brain properly. Furthermore, I believe that due to the abandonment he kept his distance with people… out of fear that he might appear as a burden. That’s the reason why he had no girlfriend, until he met the prostitute. Besides, it is also possible that in his childhood he could only meddle with people with a similar background, hence he never had to encounter people with terrible fates. But by entering the army, it changed, as he was forced to interact with people from other social classes and with a different mindset. This explains why Do Seong-Rok entered the red-district for the first time, when he was 22 years old. 
This truly outlines a certain compliance and obedience. On the other hand, once arrived there, he realized the purpose of their visit. Hence he refused to do the same, revealing his integrity. Thus it is no surprise that he values monogamy so much. Since he had his first sexual experience with Jeon Hee-Seong, he could only judge her as his companion and lover. Besides, when they met for the second time, she made him feel special. She was dedicating her free time to him. 
(chapter 16) Therefore it is not astonishing that Lee Je-Oh considers Do Seong-Rok as a dog. The animal symbolizes loyalty, unconditional love and protection. When I read the prostitute’s comment in this panel
(chapter 9), I couldn’t restrain myself connecting it to Hachiko, the dog who continued to wait at the train station for over nine years for its master, though the latter had already died. And now, I would like to combine this thought with my interpretation from the first chapter. The man appeared as a ghost and only started existing, the moment he was talking to the former prostitute. Waiting is often perceived as the contrary to life. Why? While you are waiting, you are not able to make any new experience. And this reinforces my perception: the killer was not truly living while waiting for his lover. 
) and both characters have a similar reaction. They are neither shocked nor scared. They remain calm and indifferent. Yet what is more surprising is that in the two situations, the author let us see the corpse through their eyes. 
Striking is that Lee Je-Oh can’t help himself making a comment in his head, while watching the floating corpse. 
(chapter 16), while in reality the usurer had some feelings for him. He needed to ensure that Je-Oh would remain by his side. That’s why the young man was constantly brought to the clients and his minions were asked to keep an eye on him. Because of this mistake, she never gave any instruction about the male prostitute. Consequently Do Seong-Rok had no idea how to deal with him. Simultaneously, when he kept an eye on him, he was reminded of Jeon Hee-Seong’s fate. He could only pity the male whore, hence he was reluctant to kill him. 
(chapter 1) That’s the reason why there’s an interrogation point in the picture. This explicates too why he murdered the minions in the prostitute’s absence. However, remember how the protagonist had yelled at Do Seong-Rok, imagining that the person in the car was working for Chief. This meant that the male prostitute had noticed his presence. That’s how the red-haired man noticed that the male prostitute represented a source of threat. Hence he chose to remove him. So he entered his flat and waited for his arrival, but what he didn’t expect is Ma Jong-Seok’s sudden visit. Furthermore, when he approached them, he saw that Lee Je-Oh was smiling and waiting for his entrance.
(chapter 2) In other words, Lee Je-Oh could have decided to call the cops and report an intruder before entering his home, but he never did. In my eyes, all this contributed to confuse the killer. Somehow he realized that the prostitute had been helping him. Therefore he didn’t kill them in the flat. Since they were together, he had to kidnap them together. But as you can see, Do Seong-Rok had a weak spot for the main lead, but he was definitely less important than his lover Jeon Hee Seong. That’s why the main lead is not allowed to touch her belongings. 
According to the belief of the red-haired man, he is removing the persons responsible for Jeon Hee-Seong’s misery. Since police didn’t protect her, while she was abused 
In my eyes, his words must have triggered Do Seong-Rok’s memories concerning his girlfriend. The former prostitute made sure to portray her husband, the chief and the pimp as dark as possible, while she made herself appear as pure and innocent as possible. She was forced to marry Choi Yeong-Gil, yet the naive lamb couldn’t detect her lies. Let’s not forget that during their first meeting, she acted as the prostitute’s superior and chased away her minion. So she was no longer a simple victim, she was reinforcing the system of exploitation. She was already higher in the hierarchy. Secondly, like I explained in the previous essay, she was already possessing a parlor, when he husband got killed. She ensured to trigger negative emotions in the young man so that the latter would feel the need to kill her so-called oppressors. 
(chapter 16) That’s why I believe that Koo Jeong Mo is correct about his assessment of the former prostitute. 
(chapter 16) Through her, the red-haired man discovers real life and as such pain. The manhwaworms should remember that after the expulsion from Eden, Eva and Adam discovered pain and death. And that’s exactly what is happening in the manhwa, though in my opinion Do Seong-Rok is a combination of Adam and Cain. Let’s not forget that Eva’s son killed his brother out of jealousy and resent. But since the snake views the young man as a lamb, this signifies that she has already planned to sacrifice him for her own interests. That’s why she tells officer Ahn that she has no real relationship to the murderer. 
(chapter 2) The reason for his mistakes is simple: he was an idealist lulled in an illusion, hypnotized by Ms. Jeon’s words. That’s why he had a nightmare
(chapter 8) Besides, let’s not forget that after the nightmare, the protagonist gave a honest portrait of Do Seong-Rok. He is a sensitive murderer .
(chapter 6). The black-haired man’s role is important, as he forces his ally to question the nature of his relationship with his girlfriend. 
(chapter 10) In chapter 18, he made him realize that he was now cheating on her and as such was no longer faithful. 
(chapter 8) and she is not even imagining that he has found an ally and is disobeying her words. She is so confident about her seductive skills and her beauty. This explains why Do Seong-Rok’s sexuality is gradually changing, though he tried to deny pleasure in the beginning. On the other side, since the prostitute has associated sex with power and violence, this is no coincidence that the killer feels aroused while strangling Ma Jong-Seok.
(chapter For the snake, Do Seong-Rok was a lamb and her cannon. As for the dog
This shows their affinities in the end. They have something in common: both were abandoned and had no real home. Hence they lived somehow in seclusion. While the one became an outlaw (prostitution as a minor, stole a toy, stabbed Ma Jong-Seok), the other was living as a perfect citizen, following laws so that he wouldn’t get noticed and rejected. Finally, both have a conscience in the sense that they have a certain sense of justice. Both were and are seeking for a companion, both desire to feel needed and important. That’s why Do Seong-Rok got convinced to commit crimes. He thought, he could remain by her side.. he wanted to be her pillar, just like he asked her to be her savior. But she abandoned him too, when she told him this: 
or he confesses that he is aroused. 
(chapter 18) Thus I come to the conclusion that the killer was living in a similar situation than Je-Oh’s in his past: he was invisible to people and didn’t truly feel alive. 
Bebebisous33s' analyses in K-Dramaland and Manhwas 