BJ Alex: Guilty Truth ⚖ or Dare 🤥🤡 – part 2

March 31, 2024February 16, 2025 ~ Bébébisous33

Protected: Jinx: Tie: „I was this close to winning“. 🏆 (second version)

March 29, 2024March 29, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33

Jinx: Precious Puppy 🐶💕 Pals (second version)

March 18, 2024November 10, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 4 Comments

Please support the authors by reading the Manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa: Jinx. But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about Jinx “Effective Anguish”

It would be great if you could make some donations/sponsoring: Ko-fi.com/bebebisous33 That way, you can support me with “coffee” so that I have the energy to keep examining manhwas. Besides, I need to cover up the expenses for this blog.

Any beholder of the illustration can recognize that with the puppies, I am referring to Hwang Yoon-Gu and Kim Dan.

In episode 23, Mingwa introduced the maknae Potato as a dog. (chapter 23) On the other hand, the physical therapist has always been associated with a hamster, like in this image. So how did I come to connect the main lead to a puppy dog? (chapter 47) It is because Shin Okja called her grandson “her puppy dog”.

1. Kim Dan’s birth as puppy and its signification

It is not anodyne at all, for it indicates doc Dan’s transformation. He is no longer a little boy (chapter 5), but a young dog. This signifies that in the bathroom, the main lead’s true nature came to the surface due to the bad news concerning his grandmother. (chapter 47) Yet, a puppy embodies innocence and inexperience. Thus it needs the guidance of a mother. On the other hand, in my essays about the doctor, I kept describing him as a person who would constantly grow and mature. So “a puppy dog” would appear as a contradiction to my previous interpretation. Nonetheless, we shouldn’t forget that this was representing the grandmother’s desire. By turning him into a puppy dog, she expects from him obedience and loyalty. She is denying his right to determine his own life. He needs to follow its master. Hence this scene announces a certain regression for Kim Dan. On the other hand, I believe that this is just temporary. What the elderly woman didn’t know is that by linking him to a dog, she was freeing Kim Dan from society as well. He is now an animal. He belongs to Nature from that moment on. This animal symbolizes freedom and independency. So when the grandmother described him as a puppy dog (chapter 47), she didn’t realize that she was telling him that he should do anything in order to survive. She was encouraging him not only to find a new home, but also to protect himself. As a conclusion, her words were ambiguous. On the one hand, she was putting chains on him with her new request, for she was expecting loyalty from him. (chapter 53). On the other hand, she was also cutting off ties with him symbolically. She was also liberating him from any obligation and expectation, as her favor was linked to a single moment: watching the sunset once again. The moment he does this, she can no longer ask for a new favor, especially after admitting him that she had never done anything for him. (Chapter 53) In that moment, she became the person indebted towards him. I would even add, she was inciting her grandson to follow his instincts, though I doubt that she recognized the consequences of her words. Kim Dan should no longer follow traditions, like do everything for her sake. So the patting on the head is an allusion to Nietzsche’s transcendence of conventional morality. [For more read Effective Anguish] Hence I come to the following conclusion. With her words, Kim Dan’s animal instincts were triggered. It is relevant, because animal symbolizes nature, which stands in opposition to civilization. The latter represents laws, social norms and money! But money means nothing to a puppy! And now, you comprehend why Kim Dan could only reject Choi Gilseok’s offer. (chapter 48) Furthermore, Jinx-philes could observe how the doctor had followed his instincts during the conversation with Choi Gilseok in different panels, like for example in this image. (chapter 48) The idiom “fishy” is a reference to smell, indicating that he was relying on his own senses. But we have another evidence that the puppy dog was using all his senses to judge his counterpart: (chapter 48) He rejected the touch from Choi Gilseok. That’s how he could detect the director’s hypocrisy. He refused to drink the coffee from the senior, although it had been recommended. As you can imagine, all his 5 senses were on alert, and the latter are strongly intertwined with instincts. In addition, when he asked his counterpart to go to the point and speak frankly (chapter 48), he was urging Choi Gilseok to drop all manners. Yet, Manhwalovers should keep in mind that the synonyms for manners are etiquette and ceremony. This proves that manners stand for civilization. But what are good manners?

1.Greetings (…) 2. being punctual (…) 3. respecting elders (…) 4. always speak the truth (…) 5. asking permission (…) 6. using please and thank you (…) 7. listening actively (…) 8. saying please and thank you (…) 9. being kind and compassionate (…) 10. stop wasting food (…) Quoted from https://www.krmangalambahadurgarh.com/blogs/10-necessary-good-manners-for-kids

In the last picture, Jinx-addicts can detect doc Dan’s good manners (“please”), yet at the same time a certain rudeness. He is not drinking the coffee (“wasting food”) and he is not obeying to the director. (Chapter 48) This means, he was disrespecting the elder. However, his disrespect didn’t start at the café, but in front of the gym. (chapter 48) He refused to take the card from the director. However, the moment his grandmother was brought up, he became obedient and accepted the invitation. (chapter 48) He acted out of loyalty and love for her. Nevertheless, the director’s offer for his halmoni served him to see the truth. His behavior during the conversation exposes the awakening of his wild and rebellious side. Thus we could say, Doc Dan showed more and more his rudeness. He left without asking permission and saying goodbye. (Chapter 48) He even gave an order to the patriarch and turned his back to him. No wonder why Choi Gilseok got so upset. (Chapter 48) To conclude, the conversation displayed that Kim Dan was already following his halmoni’s advice, he was living as a dog. This made me smirk, because I could detect how Joo Jaekyung had rubbed off on Kim Dan!! 😂 (Chapter 7) Thus I deduce that Kim Dan will follow more and more his instincts and as such ignore more social norms! I will elaborate further this point in the last part: predictions.😉

But what is the role of a dog? It is to act as a guardian and protector. Hence the dog symbolizes home and family, as the latter is supposed to guard the household. But for that to happen, the dog has to be raised and treated properly. Consequently, the basis of the relationship between dog and home is affection and trust. Therefore it is no coincidence that dog stands for loyalty, courage, vigilance, companionship and friendship too. Everyone knows the saying “dog is man’s best friend”. Under this new perspective, it becomes comprehensible why I added so many hearts in the illustration about the puppies. These two characters symbolize true friendship. Thus I come to the following deduction: Kim Dan is about to get truly adopted by Team Black, while it looked the opposite at the end of the season. He might have been wearing a uniform and a jacket Team Black, yet there were signs that he wasn’t truly part of the team. (Chapter 43) He wasn’t simply left out here, when it was dinner. They never questioned the origins of his tiredness, indicating a certain neglect and disinterest. Their concern was rather superficial. He was not included as well, when Oh Daehyun and the other members prepared a surprise party. Hence he was caught by surprise. (chapter 43) The cause for this issue is that Kim Dan was hired as the private Physical Therapist for the champion. He occupies a special position, for he is no fighter. Yet, he did everything to integrate his new family by treating the other members, though it was never his responsibility officially. (chapter 47) But for the adoption to happen, he needs to prove his loyalty. How will he do it? Once again… wait for the part with the predictions. Yes, I am taunting my attentive readers.

2. Doc Dan and Team Black

But now, I would like to return my attention to the grandmother and the two puppies. While writing the first part, a detail caught my attention. Thus I created a table of the three panels so that people could understand how I came to this new discovery.

What caught my attention is that when Shin Okja treated the protagonist as a little boy, she caressed his cheeks. But when she called him a puppy dog, her stroke changed. She was patting his head. In other words, the halmoni was copying the gesture from Oh Daehyun and Kim Changmin! 😮 We could say, she was giving her blessing and some strength to her poor puppy. It was to encourage him to become strong.

It is important, because only in episode 47, we discover that Potato as lucky charm has never been efficient for the fighters! (chapter 47) They could never break into the MFC! Yes, chapter 47 actually exposed the falsehood of this belief: Potato hadn’t been bringing luck to Team Black. But why? The first reason is simple. It is because of his good vibes. (chapter 23) He stands for innocence too. None of the fighters were mad or angry enough to hurt their opponents. Yes, their “killer instincts” had not been awakened. And now, you comprehend why the author portrayed the fighters as chibies in episode 47. (chapter 47) She was underlining their innocence and naivety. Thus they are still ignorant of the existence of schemes in the MFC world. They have the impression that the underground fighting ring and MFC are two different worlds. (Chapter 47) That’s the reason why they were not expecting that their idol would get so hurt or lose the fight. Kim Dan didn’t dare to contradict them, especially when Potato asked for his opinion. (chapter 47) In my eyes, Doc Dan didn’t dare to ruin the maknae’s illusion about his idol, though he thought otherwise. His broken sentences and his drop of sweat are revealing his discomfort and skepticism. He was not sure about the success of his VIP client. But Kim Dan as his PT knew about the champion’s true conditions: he is not truly healthy. But why are the fighters so innocent?

Park Namwook as their coach raised them too kindly. He treated them like little kids, while he was really harsh towards his star. (chapter 7) (chapter 26) That’s how it dawned on me what had been happening in the past. Don’t forget that Park Namwook is the coach of Black Team. Hence he brought the fighters to the match himself and left Potato, Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan behind. (chapter 23) While it looks like he has high expectations from his members, the reality is different. He offered them chicken (chapter 26) or gave them new jackets, as compensation for their disappointment and bad mood! (chapter 36) To sum up, he was buying their loyalty. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the coach of Team Black treated Seonho so gently (chapter 46) and why he was worried about the desertion and betrayal from members. (chapter 46) It is because the success of the gym relies only on the champion’s glory and the number of members. Till the end of season 1, he has not changed his behavior yet. (chapter 52) He only relies on the star’s image and success while trying to take credit from his fame. He is his manager and coach, he was the one who made him into a celebrity. Hence he claims to be the gym owner. Joo Jaekyung has always been the face of Team Black, hence the manager came to neglect the other fighters. The members from Team Black have not participated in any official bout yet. It signifies that with a defeat and an injury, the gym has no other income! The words from Heesung’s manager were valid for the gym. (chapter 31) It looks like I am diverting from the topic, as I am now talking about the fighters and the gym. No wonder why most of the members switched the gym, as soon as the champion lost and his reputation got tarnished. Nonetheless, keep in mind that his game with Baek Junmin ended up with a TIE. So it is not a complete defeat. In my opinion, the schemers desired to tame the Emperor, not to ruin him, as they definitely need him to make money.

But like mentioned in the first part, a dog is strongly intertwined with home and family. The latter is its guardian. The problem is that at Team Black, the opposite was happening. The members from Team Black would protect the dogs by leaving them behind at the gym! (chapter 23) Kim Dan and Yoon-Gu had no task at all. The latter were treated like playmates and nothing more. Hence the manager asked patience from the doctor. (chapter 36) He should keep the star company, as no one was willing to be exposed to his sour mood and roughness. To conclude, both puppies were treated the same way: like puppies and not dogs or better said as fighters.

However, home is not just alluding to a place, but to people. Secondly, Jinx-philes could keep in mind Choi Gilseok’s goal. What did he want exactly? He wasn’t only motivated by his desire of revenge (chapter 46), but also by his greed. He had lost so much money. He needed to refill his pockets. Thus his wish was to “kill” the emperor and as such to ruin Team Black. In other words, he had planned the destruction of the rival gym. With the victory, Baek Junmin could replace the champion, and Choi’s gym King Of MMA would attract members. And my prediction came true. With the tie, many members from Team Black went to King Of MMA hoping that they would come to get rich and famous very quickly. (chapter 52) And since the other fighters from Team Black had never been able to break through MFC, it is not entirely surprising why they made such a decision. With their desertion and the champion’s ruined image, the future of the gym Team Black seems to be sealed: failure. Under this new light, my avid readers can grasp the true signification of this gesture: (chapter 49) It was not just about Kim Dan’s fate, but also Team Black’s. Hence he can not quit or run away. This new interpretation made me perceive the entrance of Kim Dan in the arena in a new light. (chapter 50) Remember how I said that the locker room had become a temple. Thus I come to the conclusion that he got baptized there. He discovered the power of his hands, similar to this scene. (Chapter 14) So when he comes to the arena, he is still following his instincts, unaware of his own metamorphosis. He is no longer a puppy, but a dog. Deep down, he feels that he has to be there despite his agony. He needs to be there in order to protect his home. To conclude, in the locker room, the doctor reached adulthood. Interesting is the chosen perspective from Mingwa. It was, as though he was flying high in the sky, like a yeouiju. (chapter 40) In this image, he has to look up, whereas in the other panel, the beholder has the impression that doc Dan is rather standing on the same level than his soulmate, the alpha Jaekyung. However, since the athlete blamed him for the incident and rejected his hand, for Kim Dan, it sounded that he was no longer needed. (chapter 53) This exposes that the physical therapist learned through this terrible incident the huge significance of a PT. The latter is the sportsman’s protector. He is the one making sure that the athletes don’t ruin their career. (chapter 27) Thus I come to the following conclusion. With the switch of the spray, Joo Jaekyung was forced to recognize the importance of a physical therapist. Keep in mind that till his meeting with Kim Dan, he never saw them as necessary. Even before his immanent match, he kept looking down on his soulmate. (chapter 42) Here, it becomes obvious that he didn’t see his PT as a partner, but as an underling.

Interesting is that the dog is the domesticated version of the wolf.

Genetic evidence suggests that dogs descended directly from wolves (Canis) and that the now-extinct wolf lineages that produced dogs branched off from the line that produced modern living wolves sometime between 27,000 and 40,000 years ago. The timing and location of dog domestication is a matter of debate. Quoted from https://www.britannica.com/animal/dog

Thus this animal represents a combination of two worlds: nature (freedom) and civilization (rules, duties). He is attached to a place and he can not do what pleases him. This explains why the alpha is getting tamed. Furthermore, I realized that the dog stands for selflessness as well. He is not living for himself, but for his “family and owner”. This aspect was palpable in the puppy’s love declaration: (chapter 35) Thus it dawned on me why Joo Jaekyung reacted so violently, when he received the golden keychain. (chapter 45) Have you ever seen a wolf wearing a collar? No, this animal symbolizes freedom. What the champion wants from his soulmate is the following: he wished his puppy dog to follow him! (chapter 40) And that’s how the champion will come to realize that he can not live like before, as Kim Dan can not keep up to him. He is physically weaker. He desires his loved one to always look at him, to never leave his side, to stop living like a stray dog. (chapter 4) (chapter 48) Yes, these images represent a metaphor of a wandering dog. On the other hand, the shadow below the doctor is indicating that he is slowly turning into a human being out of flesh and blood. He is no longer living like a spirit.

But since the doctor chose to listen to his boss by quitting, the dog ended up with no home. Hence he even gave up on the Wedding Cabinet. So we should perceive the vanishing main lead as the beginning of his real freedom. (chapter 53) Observe that the doctor’s shadow is getting bigger. I interpret it as a sign of his growth, and it implies that Kim Dan is leaving traces behind inviting Joo Jaekyung to follow him. In the nature, far away from the city, the wolf should be able to reconnect with his true nature: freedom, but also loyalty and family. Home is no longer a place, but a person: (chapter 53) As you can see, with this new interpretation, I recognized that at the end, Joo Jaekyung stopped being under the influence of PArk Namwook. The latter hasn’t recognized the true role of a PT for an athlete yet. Hence he has no problem to hire a new one. (chapter 53) They are just tools and nothing more.

3. Yoon-Gu, the hidden puppy

Striking is that doc Dan was the first one to compare Yoon-Gu to a puppy, (chapter 29) while all the others called Yoon-Gu as Potato. (chapter 9) The image divulges us the origin of this nickname: coach Jeong Yosep. Yet, this shows us the naivety from the hyung. And what did the other fighters do? They simply followed the suggestion from their elder: (chapter 23) Note that the cute puppy never appreciated their gesture. Because the maknae was associated with a potato (“Tater Tot”), he was left behind. They imagined that if he were to come to fights, he would be eaten alive. This is the other reason why Potato was not invited to watch the fights first. Interesting is that the doctor was the only one respecting the maknae by calling him Yoon-Gu, exactly like he wished. (Chapter 23) This shows that he was not infantilizing him despite judging him as a child or “puppy”. (Chapter 29)

But Yoon-Gu is not a potato, but a dog. Hence he is brave and can be rude. (Chapter 49) Not only he yelled, but also he protected his star by standing in the front line. (Chapter 49) I detected a huge contrast. He is the only one with clenched fists, ready to punch the other fighters or even Choi Gilseok, whereas the other members were trying to restrain their athlete, though the perpetrator was in reality the other director. As you can see, exactly like his hyung doc Dan and Joo Jaekyung, Potato is also disregarding good manners, when it is necessary. I could include another example for his impoliteness: (chapter 35) He stood up, yelled and gave an order to the artist, though he is a junior. No wonder why the other guests turned around and looked at him. But this shows his strength, as he is following his instincts and as such his heart. He has already developed his own moral codex.

Moreover, because of his weight and seize, he does appear as young and as such weak. However, the hyungs from Team Black were all making a huge mistake: such fighters are by no means less dangerous than bigger guys. The best example are the punches Joo Jaekyung received from Kim Dan. (chapter 7) He might have not wounded his partner terribly, but we shouldn’t forget that he was facing the Emperor. To conclude, by calling him Potato, the fighters were misjudging the young fighter. Kim Dan was the first one to identify him correctly. He was a dog, hence he desired to treat the champion as his master.

Potato’s dream exposed his true nature: he was thinking like dog. (chapter 23) His desire was to become the Emperor’s companion and as such best friend. The problem is that he was projecting his own thoughts onto the protagonist. The latter is not a dog, but a wolf. Moreover, Jinx-philes can sense that in his mind, the maknae was viewing the training as a playground. However, for the Emperor, life is like a battlefield, where death can strike at any moment. It is deadly serious. So in the star’s eyes, training has nothing to do with pleasure and fun, but survival. That’s why Joo Jaekyung received punches from his soulmate, a reminder that he needed to be careful. And that’s how Kim Dan earned the athlete’s respect. (Chapter 8) I noticed that the champion initially only listened to violence. It was, as if he had internalized this Nature’s law: the strongest prevails. No wonder why the champion didn’t react to Potato’s admiration so positively. (Chapter 23)

I also think, this false perception about the athlete (chapter 23) came from the treatment Potato was receiving from the other members of Team Back. He was treasured and protected. So he imagined that at some point, the champion would come to notice him and his dedication and treat him like the others. However, Joo Jaekyung mistrusts people and as such he never desired to have a friend. Hence Yoon-Gu could never become Jaekyung’s best friend.

4. The birth of a true friendship

In the same chapter, Mingwa placed the two puppies next to each other. (chapter 23) Interesting is that she cut the chibi Kim Dan in half. Why? In my opinion, the main lead had not found his true self yet. She didn’t place any puppy above his head as well, because she wanted to keep her readers in the dark. However, let’s not forget that a puppy will recognize another puppy much more easily. Therefore Potato felt jealous and resentful first. (chapter 25) Moreover, we should interpret his nightmare like this. The puppy doc Dan had already marked his territory: (chapter 25), though in his vision it looked like the roles were switched. The “dog” was the champion, whereas the doctor was the owner. That’s the other reason why Potato was so worked up. He preferred the strong man or beast.

However, Potato noticed the main lead’s isolation. (chapter 25) The latter was trying to learn more about MMA, as he desired to improve his skills as PT. (Chapter 25) That’s how Potato came to offer his assistance. Interesting is that Yoon-Gu became the teacher for the physical therapist. (chapter 25) It is relevant, because the maknae was acting like a sunbae and not like a junior. He was given responsibility. His task was quite important compared to the coffee incident. With such a task, the cute puppy got to learn the importance of PT. This explicates why Potato always paid attention to the protagonist and his duties afterwards. Though Kim Dan had been constantly diminishing himself as physical therapist, in front of Potato he acted differently: meticulous, dedicated and caring. As you can see, this training session had huge repercussions for the chow chow.

Their interactions reminded me of Potato’s dream: (chapter 23) Without realizing it, Potato was replacing his idol with the cute Doc Dan. Let’s not forget that so far, Joo Jaekyung has never jogged or trained with Kim Dan. Thus I couldn’t help myself thinking that this could actually happen in the future between the two dogs, as they belong to the same weight category. They would help each other in their career. But during the training session, they were both puppies.

Through the training session, the two puppies came to open up to each other. (Chapter 25) Hence it is not surprising that Kim Dan chose to repay Potato’s kindness by fulfilling his dream. (chapter 26) He was following his heart and as such his instincts. That’s the reason why money was out of question.

I am quite sure that his reproach towards his idol is the moment when Kim Dan detected the maknae’s true nature: First, he barked, (chapter 25), then he lowered his face like a moping mutt. (chapter 25) Because of his sacrifice and generosity, doc Dan became a role model in Potato’s eyes. (chapter 26)

However, since he had discovered the secret between the two protagonists, he decided to protect their relationship. For him, they are a couple and that’s it. Hence he acted like a guardian, when Heesung appeared in the picture. It was, as if he had found his home finally. (chapter 31) But how could he judge the actor as a danger? It is because he was using his senses as well. Don’t forget that they had bumped into each other (chapter 31) Secondly, since Yoon-Gu is a dog, this signifies that he can not be bought with money or presents either. Hence he could only mistrust the artist’s generosity. It is important to recall that before meeting the “angel”, Heesung would simply offer meals (chapter 30) and not expensive stuff like designer clothes or electronics. So Potato was not wrong either to mistrust the actor first, for the latter was indeed expecting affection in return despite his claim. He did want to date the doctor, but the puppy knew that the protagonists were together. He represented a threat to his new found home.

Interesting is that the comedian was the second person to identify Yoon-Gu’s true personality. (chapter 31) Heesung described him as ugly, which is actually an insult. Note the contrast. Heesung is smiling despite his words. It is because he was voicing his annoyance at Potato. The latter represented a hindrance to his courting.

For me, the trip to the States represents a turning point in their relationship. Though Potato was still admiring the champion (chapter 40), the former came to appreciate the doctor much more than before. (chapter 40) First, he informs him about his patient’s conditions. On the other hand, it becomes obvious that he worries much more about the doctor’s health. His increasing care started with the party. (chapter 37) When Potato and Daehyun saw that Kim Dan was feeling down, they tried to cheer him up. Moreover, let’s not forget that when they got caught partying, the hyung tried to protect them: (chapter 37) Besides, Yoon-Gu witnessed the effects of the drug (chapter 38). Contrary to the other fighter, he touched his head. This gesture reminded me of a mother’s. And now, I know why Kim Dan saw Potato as a puppy. (chapter 29) It is because unconsciously, he was projecting himself onto the maknae. The latter might be innocent too, but like the description is mentioning it, he is already a semi-professional in term of skill levels and is able to teach regular gym clients. To sum up, as a fighter, he is no longer a puppy. Thus the champion doubted his perception. So we should see the training session as a “mother” teaching her child how to fight. (chapter 25) On the other hand, Yoon-Gu lacks experiences, for he has never been exposed to the cruelty of this world, unlike Kim Dan or Joo Jaekyung. His fighting spirit is not developed yet.

If the two puppies were destined to become best friends, why was Kim Dan alone after their return from the States? There exist many reasons. First, it is related to his confession to Heesung where he describes his “love” as “cheer that person”. (Chapter 35) However, this term indicates that he is thinking more like a fan. At the same time, it exposes Potato’s passivity. He is just standing by the side and watching. He is doing nothing except “thinking and wishing happiness”. But the definition of “love” is caring, knowledge, respect and responsibility. [For more read “The Art Of Loving”] And now, you comprehend why the puppy could never get the love from Joo Jaekyung. He wanted his idol to become responsible for him, while he knew nothing about him and his tragic past. He is only interested in the champion and the present. Thus I deduce that since Potato knew that the protagonists were together, he thought that Joo Jaekyung would take care of his lover. Yes, he was thinking exactly like Heesung. (Chapter 40) Therefore it is not surprising why after mentioning the incident with the MFC security guys to Park Namwook. (Chapter 40), he didn’t follow his boss despite his concern. In his eyes, it was Joo Jaekyung’s role as his soulmate to take care of his partner. Furthermore, since Potato came to value doc Dan as PT, it becomes understandable why he brought up the vanishing of Kim Dan. For him, the latter is already part of Team Black and plays an important role, as he is taking care of the physical condition of the Emperor.

But there exists another reason why Yoon-Gu neglected his future friend. The former was busy because of his love life. He had a secret relationship. There’s no doubt that the admiration for the champion must have bothered the actor: (chapter 41) Thus the latter must have suggested to go out during the planned birthday party. (chapter 43) This could be seen as a violation of his belief: Joo Jaekyung is his idol! Here, the puppy was starting distancing himself from the Emperor. His absence is displaying that he was transcending social conventions. Therefore it is no coincidence that he agreed, when the boxers compared the champion to a thug! (chapter 47) Little by little, he got influenced by his other hyungs who would always listen to Park Namwook. Therefore it is not surprising that at the hospital, he came to blame the main lead, but not the manager. (chapter 52) He never questioned why the coach didn’t stop Kim Dan from quitting. On the other hand, I wondered how he came to change his mind about his idol. It can not be his brutality (chapter 1) and rudeness, for he didn’t criticize the athlete in the first episode or episode 7. In my eyes, the maknae lacks critical thinking. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t overlook that he followed the members’ behavior. No one from Team Black called Kim Dan and looked out for him. They all abandoned him after the match. (chapter 52) They only talked about the lost members, not about the physical therapist. This exposes that they didn’t treat him as one of them. To conclude, as time passes on, Yoon-Gu came to mimic and think like hyung Namwook.

While Yoon-Gu was slowly distancing himself from the alpha, his respect and care for Kim Dan was even stronger than before. Therefore he asked for his opinion. He saw Kim Dan as an expert. (Chapter 47). In my eyes, it is related to his job as a physical therapist and its role in the champion’s career. This explicates why in the locker room, he paid attention to the main lead (Chapter 49) and helped him. I have to admit that the way the main lead was holding his hand reminded me a little dog. (chapter 49) For me, it becomes clear that the more time Potato and Kim Dan interacted together, the more the chow chow valued the job as physical therapist as significant in the career of an athlete. Besides, thanks to Kim Dan, the young puppy had the impression that he was contributing himself to his champion’s success too. It gave his presence a meaning. In other words, the puppies bonded through their jobs. That’s the reason why I am quite certain that with the recent incident, Potato will change his attitude towards Kim Dan. His vanishing made him realize how important he was to the team. (chapter 52) Hence he looked so upset and sad. Thus I can only come to the deduction that for Kim Dan’s return, he will do anything. Moreover, after the discovery of the scheme, there is no doubt that the chowchow will become Kim Dan’s guardian. He will protect him, as he failed to do so in the locker room. At no moment, he vouched for the PT’s innocence, he chose to follow the hyungs. On the one hand, we could see glimpses of a change in the locker room. He not only gave him an advice, but he spoke loudly and clearly to his role model: (chapter 50) He was cheering him up! On the other hand, he still remained passive, and didn’t question the sunbaes like Park Namwook or Yosep. One thing is sure. After the last incident, he should have realized cheering someone is not truly loving someone. And this brings me to the other reason why Kim Dan was alone between 41 and 47. Yoon-Gu didn’t know doc Dan that well. He has no idea about his past and his actual situation. He can not expect the champion to act like in the States, as now the situation is different. He is already injured. Consequently, I am quite certain that it is also time for the semi-professional to reveal his true nature: he is a chow chow in verity! He sometimes acts more like a mother towards Kim Dan, though the latter is his hyung. Take the last panel as an example. Yoon-Gu is strong, extremely loyal and intelligent! His nickname Potato might be cute, but it doesn’t reflect his personality.

Finally, the third reason for his passivity is that from the outside, it looked like the relationship between the two main leads was fine. Even Choi Gilseok was thinking that their relationship had not changed at all. (Chapter 50) However, the doctor (chapter 47) was hiding his sadness and pain behind his job. How could Potato notice his suffering? Kim Dan never let his wounds transpire. Finally, we shouldn’t overlook the fact that Kim Dan never confided to the puppy dog as well. The protagonist has always been a loner, like we could see it in his memories. (Chapter 47) He never had a friend before, and Joo Jaekyung was more than a friend. (Chapter 21) He was first of all his boss and his landlord. Yoon-Gu is not connected to the main lead because of money. The foundation of their relationship is based on trust, care and respect. Thus I deduce that Potato is on his way to become not only his first true friend, but also his second stan. He might have noticed his angelic nature in the past (chapter 26), but his adoration for the champion was still very strong. (Chapter 40) However, when Potato helped doc Dan in the locker room, he expressed his admiration for the first time. (Chapter 49) Though he still followed the herd, he turned around and spoke loudly to his hyung. It shows his increasing attention and care. (Chapter 50) Furthermore, his words were indicating that he was waiting for him. Since I detected that Yoon-Gu is the only one among the members showing a great interest in Physical Therapy through his actions, I can’t help myself thinking that the young fighter might decide to change his career later and follow doc Dan’s footsteps.

5. The role of their friendship

Since their nature is similar, they can understand each other very well. Hence it is only natural that they are destined to become best friends. Thanks to the two puppies, Team Black will be saved from destruction. It is no coincidence. Youth represents the future. Without children, humanity is doomed. Nevertheless, there exists another cause for their friendship. (Chapter 33) Yes, through them, the dragon and the gumiho can become real friends. So far, they had been more frenemies. They know each other’s secret (chapter 33), hence they can talk frankly to each other. Heesung knows that he won’t be condemned for his confession. (Chapter 33) Thanks to him, the actor can drop all good manners and expose his true self. In the essay Two Worlds, I announced a return to nature and the transformation of Kim Dan reflects this interpretation. Remember that the dog symbolize the union of nature and culture. At the same time, I had another revelation. Kim Dan is a magician, because he is able thanks to his touch to turn a wolf into a dragon or into a cat. (Chapter 44) And what did the doctor do during that wonderful night? He patted his lover on his head (chapter 44). He was telling him that he was doing a good job! One might say that he treated him like a little child. The second interpretation is that he was treating him like a pet. The dog was complimenting his lover, the wolf!

5. Predictions and reality

In my first version, I had presented the following prediction. Kim Dan would come to use his fists. MY reasoning was that since I described that Kim Dan had become a dog, he would be following his instincts. This signifies that etiquette and laws are no longer important. Yet, Jinx-philes shouldn’t jump to the conclusion that the doctor has become a beast. No, don’t forget that a dog represents the link between wildness and domesticity, between abandon and self-restrain. Hence I assume that he is on his way to develop his own moral codex, which are based on Nature’s laws, and as such like moral laws: faithfulness, protection and integrity, while he will drop his good manners, the symbol of civilization. However, I overlooked an important aspect: the influence of the environment. Kim Dan was still in the sports arena and as such in the city. Both represent civilization. Moreover, Kim Dan still has his grandmother who embodies social norms and conformity. Thus he didn’t question authorities and vent his anger. In addition, we should consider the grandmother’s deaths the moment for the PT’s true emancipation. He is no longer bound by social norms and conformity. Hence we should still expect that he will forget his good manners and even stand up for himself. But which good manners will he disregard exactly? (chapter 49) Respecting the elders! For me, Kim Dan will see red, when he hears the truth about the incident. From that moment on, he will start questioning not only seniors (manager Park Namwook), but also authorities (doctors). (chapter 1) Yes, he never exposed the truth. He didn’t even try to sue the man.

Imagine the scandal. A physical therapist is punching a senior, even a director. He would appear as a crazy person. What did Nietzsche say about craziness? “Madness is rare in individuals – but in groups, parties, nations, and ages it is the rule.” The madness is already present in this society, as MFC uses money and medias to control the fans. Like everyone else, Choi Gilseok thinks that money rules the world. (chapter 50) Therefore he is safe. And how did the main lead describe the antagonist? As a crazy person! (chapter 48) He had judged the man correctly. While the director believes that money can buy everything, he is overlooking that money is powerless in front of a punch, as it is just paper. (chapter 42)

Though my idea was that Kim Dan would punch someone, my prediction was not entirely wrong. Potato was the one who used his fists and questioned his sunbae. (chapter 52) His behavior shows that he was no longer respecting social norms, respecting the elders. While in the beginning, he still followed Seonho (chapter 52), at the end he chose to leave the restaurant on his own accord. Yes, he stopped being a follower of “herd mentality”. (chapter 52) But who caused him to change like that? Naturally, it was first his idol. (chapter 52) However, since Kim Dan had been framed for the incident, there is no doubt that the PT was also the other motivation. That’s how it dawned on me that thanks to Kim Dan, Potato is following his idol’s footsteps: he is breaking social norms. Hence it is very likely that this young man was banned from the restaurant after the physical argument. In other words, thanks to Team Jaekyung-Dan, Potato’s natural fighting instincts are getting more pronounced. Little by little, he is losing his innocence while maintaining his purity. He is still loyal and protective. Despite his disappointment in the champion, he still chose to stay at the gym.

Very early on, I had announced that Kim Dan would become a fighter! He had always restrained himself (18, 42) because of his grandmother. He didn’t want her to get into trouble. But since she is about to die, Kim Dan has nothing to lose. Both puppies are making the same transformation in the end. Hence they are destined to become best friends. For me, it signifies that the moment Kim Dan returns to the gym, Potato will treat him as a real hyung, a role model. He will listen to his advices, which is important, for the MFC matchmaker and Park Namwook are only using fighters as possessions and tools. They should make money as quickly as possible. They are racing against time, and they don’t pay attention to mental well-being.

Now, take a closer look at this panel: (chapter 49) The hyungs and Oh Daehyun were restraining the star, for they feared that he would punch the “old man”. But no one paid attention to the puppies, even less to doc Dan. They have the impression that as an educated man, he will never use his hands like that. This image was revealing Potato’s transformation as well. Little by little, he was becoming a guardian, a real protector. On the other hand, keep in mind my previous statement: Joo Jaekyung understands the language of the hands and violence. The star was never upset, when Kim Dan punched him. From my point of view, the moment Kim Dan defends himself, the champion can only be happy, for he tried to teach him to protect himself. (chapter 26) In other words, both worlds (medical and sports) will join their hands together. Kim Dan and Joo JAekyung will learn from each other, which will naturally bring some changes at the gym. Their partnership will affect the fighters’ career in the long run. Their bodies will be protected from overuse and money will no longer be the motivation to accept a challenge. Training will be more focused on fun and teaching than on work and money.

So far, none of the members from Team Black questioned the decisions and actions from the hyungs. They were always respectful towards them. Yet, note that in episode 47, the doctor took over Park Namwook’s role. (chapter 47) Little by little, he gained authority among the staff. But how can he do that? Let’s not forget that after the match, the staff is usually invited to enter the ring like here. (chapter 40) I am quite certain that some readers might be shocked or call me crazy… but actually such an incident was a blessing in disguise. How so? It is because it pushed both protagonists to drop their bias and flaws.

With his return, he would create a new event. Team Black is challenging King Of MMA! Thanks to Kim Dan, our little fighters would get the opportunity to break through MFC! (chapter 47) However, there is no doubt that the physical therapist is a thorn in their eyes.

Finally, according to my interpretation, Kim Dan is Saturn. He is the owner of time! By becoming a dog, he reconnected to his true nature and has time on his hands now. Hence he came to judge the meeting with Choi Gilseok as a waste of time. (chapter 48) Is it not funny that each interpretation I made in the past gets more validation after the release of each new episode? Saturn brings Karma to people: retribution or reward. Park Namwook received his karma by not protecting his champion and claiming that he was the gym owner. The question is if the man has learned his lessons from the incident.

Feel free to comment. If you have any suggestion for topics or manhwas, feel free to ask. If you enjoyed reading it, retweet it or push the button like. My Reddit-Instagram-Twitter-Tumblr account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.

Jinx: Effective 👼 Anguish 😭😈

March 16, 2024November 12, 2025 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 5 Comments

1. Why Anguish?

Feel like dropping Jinx? Perhaps you’ve reached chapter 50, and the weight of the narrative feels too heavy to bear. Yet, despite the urge to abandon ship, you shouldn’t. Why? One might say, that’s how life is: harsh, painful and unfair. On the other side, others might argue about this perception, as people can experience happiness too. Besides, anyone knows the idiom “to look on the bright side”. Nonetheless, people can only enjoy life to its fullest, when they experience sadness and agony either.

The popularization and misinterpretation of Positive Psychology has led us to praise positive emotions and try to escape negative feelings at all costs. However, in our emotional universe everything is important and has a reason for being. As Carl Jung wrote: “The word happiness would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.” A study conducted at Colorado State University, for example, revealed that experiencing feelings that we wouldn’t exactly classify as positive actually promotes psychological well-being. […]

These results indicate that we are often not affected as much by the situation and the primary emotion it triggers as by our response to it (the secondary emotion). It’s like feeling stressed for being stressed or feeling depressed about being sad. If we believe that we should not experience negative emotions, we will reject, ignore or repress them, which will end up reinforcing them since we will not understand the message they are trying to convey to us, so the discomfort they generate will continue latent within us. […]

Sadness, like the rest of the emotions, brings with it a message, so we must try to understand it. Recognizing our emotions and accepting pain as part of the human condition is essential to achieve the balance essential to growth. Sadness is a natural self-regulation mechanism, something we are born with and that we do not consciously choose. We don’t wake up thinking: “Today is a great day to be sad!” It is a perfectly adaptive response to something that has happened to us, usually a loss, something we wanted to have, or a situation that hurt us emotionally. Quoted from https://psychology-spot.com/it-is-good-to-be-sad-benefits-occasional-sadness/

This article explains why sadness and heartache are necessary in life. And this rule also applies in the world of Jinx, especially since the Webtoonist is promoting Positive Psychology. Chapter 50 was so painful for both Joo Jaekyung (chapter 50) and Kim Dan. While the former was tormented by his challenger directly (chapter 50) and indirectly, the other had to witness how the members from Team Black turned their back on him in the locker room. (chapter 50) Interesting is that on X, hamster Dan received more affection and attention than the champion. Though I have always pointed out the doctor’s flaws, in episode 50, I couldn’t help myself being upset and heartbroken for Doc Dan too, until I had a revelation. Many readers were disappointed or mad, when they saw him in this panel. (chapter 50) They could put themselves in his shoes: he was left behind. On the other hand, the reaction from Joo Jaekyung was totally understandable. (chapter 50) He acted on instinct. Moreover, he had a match, therefore they had no time to discuss or investigate the matter. (chapter 50) And everyone knows this saying: Time is money. Yes, the hyungs didn’t decide to postpone the fight, because they would have to pay huge fees, and this could have affected the Emperor’s reputation. It exposes that the fight as such the show was more important than the well-being of their star. As a conclusion, money played a huge role in their decision. On the other side, the annulation would have brought more trouble to Kim Dan, as it would have caught the attention from journalists and fans, though it can still happen later. Under this new perspective, it becomes comprehensible why they left the locker room and didn’t argue with Kim Dan. They were under pressure. Nevertheless, the readers had a different reaction, for they knew the truth: Doc Dan was the victim of a new scheme. Therefore they judged the whole situation as unfair. Some were mad at the manager for yelling at the physical therapist. (chapter 50) Yet, we shouldn’t allow our emotions cloud our judgement, for this image displays the doctor’s metamorphosis. Notice that he talked back. Though his sentence is still not complete, the thickness of the writing and the point of exclamation are indicating that he was not whispering. He was speaking loudly and clearly. He was talking back firmly. Moreover, he was not avoiding his counterpart’s gaze contrary to the argument in the penthouse. (chapter 45) In other words, the scene in chapter 50 exposes the doctor’s growing strength and resilience. That’s the second reason why anguish is necessary in Jinx. Through their suffering, the characters can change, and Jinx-philes have the opportunity to witness their growing maturity. At the same time, the author is able to underline the other figures’ flaws thanks to torment. Between the essay “My hero (full version)” and chapter 22, my perception of Park Namwook changed totally. While in the beginning, I judged him as a hero, I came to consider him as a naïve and blind man. Chapter 50 proved my interpretation correct. In episode 50, his superficiality and hypocrisy became so obvious that he was resented by Dan’s stans. On the other hand, his behavior didn’t surprise me at all. The irony is that his behavior is actually improving too 😮, though the manager is still far from being a hero. Episode 50 represents an evidence. To sum up, Mingwa is using anguish for three reasons:

The characters should accept sadness, agony and anger in order to be able to enjoy life and discover happiness. (chapter 44) Now, the doctor is no longer associating sex with prostitution and corruption, but with love.
Through painful events, the characters are encouraged to face their fears and overcome their trauma. Anguish helps them to metamorphose.
Finally, terrible incidents serve as a tool to expose the characters’ true personality and as such their flaws.

Interesting is that I had selected the title “Effective Anguish” even before the release from episode 50! My follower and friend @Milliformemes can vouch for it. How come? It is because I discovered two patterns.

2. Pain and wounds

2. 1. The painful awakening of the dragon

First, I noticed that the champion’s wounds are coming to the surface. In the beginning, the injury on his shoulder could only be detected thanks to Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). (chapter 27) But only Dr. Lee and Kim Dan got to see the results(chapter 27), not Park Namwook. He just overviewed the medical file quickly. But for that, the manager needs to be capable of understanding medical terms. Thus I doubt, he could visualize the seriousness of the situation. (chapter 27) Then, after the match in the States, the manager asked his “boy” how his shoulder was. (chapter 40) Here, he chose to rely on the celebrity’s words, (chapter 40) while the manager had witnessed how Dominic Hill had targeted his shoulder. He should have realized that his star’s shoulder had been damaged. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t overlook that the athlete’s statement was corroborated by the medical checkup from MFC. That’s how he got fooled. Hence there was no treatment. However, doc Dan could detect the champion’s lie not only through observations (chapter 41) but also through touching. (chapter 41) As you can see, the wound was slowly coming to the surface. Thus I consider the incident in episode 43 as a metaphor for the shoulder injury. (chapter 43) It was exposing the damage in his body. Consequently, when the champion’s foot got wounded by the pepper spray, (chapter 49), I realized what was happening. Mingwa is forcing the Emperor to admit his suffering. Hence his wounds are becoming more and more visible.

First, he let transpire his pain more through his grimaces. Secondly, his moans are getting louder and louder. The point of exclamation and the facial expressions are indicating the increasing pain. But why? Don’t forget that in the past, the champion used to reject any assistance from a physical therapist,. (chapter 5) for he was simply relying on the prostitutes due to his jinx. Thus I consider this argument in the penthouse as a huge step for the athlete: (chapter 45) He can not win, if he is not receiving the help from a PT. That’s the reason why he didn’t mention the jinx at all. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the athlete is suffering more and more. The goddess of Jinx is cornering the athlete: the latter has to admit that he doesn’t just need the assistance of any PT (chapter 45), but the help from the angel Dan.

Finally, during the fight with Baek Junmin, the athlete’s foot is bleeding. (chapter 50) So far, he just had a cut above his eye, nothing serious. (Chapter 40) However, the wound on the foot is different, for his skin is damaged. The recovery will take longer. It is relevant, because Park Namwook can no longer feign ignorance about his star’s wounds. He is less susceptible to manipulations.

On the other side, through the injuries, the champion’s mental health gets boosted. He can sense his own strength and appreciate all the punches he could give to his opponent despite his injuries. (chapter 50) That’s the reason why he turned into a dragon at the end of the chapter. [For more read the essay “Color Clash: Decoding MMA Posters] The blue is exposing that he is not controlled by his emotions (rage, anger or fears), he is totally rational. As the suffering pushed him to become the better version of himself, his victory can only appear even sweeter than before. In other words, the easier his victories were, the more he came to doubt his talent. (chapter 5) And now, you comprehend why he got so nervous and angry, when he imagined that Kim Dan had blocked him. (chapter 5) This shows that his belief in his jinx had been reinforced after his first night with Kim Dan.

On the other hand, Kim Dan could be held responsible for his injuries, similar to this scene. (chapter 31) He could take the fall for everything. The main lead is put in such a position so that he has no other choice: he needs to clear his name! (chapter 1) He shouldn’t accept his fate like in the past, but fight for his rights and reputation. In other words, the painful incident serves another purpose: Kim Dan is incited to develop a fighter’s spirit. That’s the reason why the situation is quite similar to the past.

On the other hand, we should question why the champion felt a pain in his ankle during that morning. (chapter 50) From my perspective, this is the result of the overexerting. (Chapter 50) Even the coach is noticing that the athlete is overtraining himself. Remember that the athlete refused to listen to his PT. (chapter 42) In addition, he would return home late, a sign that he would train even more than before. (chapter 48) Finally, we shouldn’t overlook the fact that after his match in the States, he never visited the hospital due to the law suit. (chapter 41) According to me, the MFC medical checkup was not reflecting the verity. Hence he never got a real check-up and MFC could definitely say that the athlete was definitely fine. (chapter 41) This shows that the more the champion refuses to his PT’s advice, the more injuries he will substain. That’s how it dawned on me why Joo Jaekyung is now getting more and more wounded during the fights. It forces him to take a rest! However, in the past, he had a reason not to listen: he got barely injured. He needed to treat his body roughly in order to prove his effort and strength. This observation reinforces my conviction that there is a second group manipulating the champion’s matches: MFC itself. For me, Heo Manwook and Choi Gilseok are rather puppets. How so? It is because someone knew about the champion’s sexual habits, hence he was supposed to take an aphrodisiac in the States. But neither the loan shark nor the director from King Of MMA are aware of this. To conclude, the champion’s anguish is necessary to expose the deceptions and the schemers as well.

2. 2. The pleasant Park Namwook, Tolstoy and pain

What caught my attention is that in the locker room, the manager didn’t make the decision for the fight. (chapter 50) How? Through a question, he let the coach Jeong Yosep give the answer. Through their words and actions, Jeong Yosep and Joo Jaekyung called shots, and Park Namwook just followed. The darkness around his forehead and the drop of sweat indicate his torment. But he can not voice his suffering, for it is nothing compared to the star’s. Hence if something were to happen to the celebrity, I can already predict that the manager will put the blame on others. Mingwa already left many clues about his lack of responsibility. First, the manager (chapter 27) refused to force the champion to take a day-off by saying that the protagonist would never listen anyway. With such a statement, he pushed Kim Dan to make the decision and announce it to his VIP client. Moreover, the manager didn’t stop his “boy” from exposing his injured shoulder to the public. (chapter 41) However, by doing so, he was exposing his vulnerability to his opponents, though I am still suspecting that MFC leaked information too. So far, the headlines are not indicating which shoulder is wounded. Yet, the moderator knew which one: (chapter 50) So why was the manager so shocked with such an attack? (chapter 50) It was clear that during such a match, the challenger would use the opponent’s weakness. What did he expect in the end? The panel exposes his stupidity and his immaturity. He should have anticipated such a move. These observations lead me to the following conclusion: the champion needs to realize that his hyung will never recognize his suffering, as long as Joo Jaekyung is in denial. Until now, he hasn’t been protecting Joo Jaekyung’s interests, rather his own comfort. His MO was to put the whole responsibility on the athlete. But it was his duty as his manager not to accept the new challenge. (chapter 41) Observe that he is just asking questions once again, when he voices his doubts. He is not making a statement. However, the manager is changing. While in the past, the manager was not treating the celebrity like real family, though he was called hyung, I detected a switch, when Park Namwook sent messages from his family for his birthday. (Chapter 45) In other words, his loyalty towards the star is improving. (chapter 46)

On the other hand, the nature of their relationship is still rather like a boss or employee. Thus he is his advisor or superior. It depends on the situation. I noticed the ambiguity of Park Namwook’s position. First, he introduces himself as the star’s manager (Chapter 9) and coach for Team Black, but he acts like the director of Team Black. (Chapter 49) This explains why he claimed that Team Black was his gym, (chapter 22) yet the reality is that this power comes from the champion, as the latter is the real owner of Team Black. Therefore the captain warned the two hyungs. (Chapter 46) Thus I deduce that the role between the star and his hyung must be redefined because of Kim Dan’s presence. But wait… the heading is referring to the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. So what is his connection to the manager from Team Black?

The reason is that I found an interesting article about Tolstoy entitled: “How to live with purpose: Leo Tolstoy’s 5 secrets after his existential crisis”. The Russian writer noticed the existence of 4 different types of people: Ignorance, Epicureanism, Strength and Energy and Weakness. The moment I read his descriptions, I couldn’t help myself connecting these types to characters from Jinx: Park Namwook, Halmoni, Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan. Interesting is that Tolstoy suffered immensely before he was able to give a meaning to his life.

1. Understand that reason has limits (…)

2. Search within yourself (…)

3. Find spirituality (…)

4. Learn to accept (…)

5. Embrace simplicity (…) Quoted from https://psychology-spot.com/how-to-live-with-purpose-according-to-leo-tolstoj/

The latter advice reminded me of the champion’s philosophy. He definitely preferred the breakfasts (chapter 41) to the golden keychain. (Chapter 45) As you can see, the famous writer is connected to Positive Psychology, for he was also promoting meditation and experiences. This fits our story, as both main characters are on their way to give a meaning to their life and as such to find happiness. But let’s return our attention to the manager Park Namwook as a representative of “ignorance”.

1. Ignorance. In this group, the writer placed people who chose not to know and not to understand, those who embraced what could be called “motivated ignorance.” They were those who preferred to close their eyes to the basic questions of existence and settled comfortably in ignorance. Quoted from https://psychology-spot.com/how-to-live-with-purpose-according-to-leo-tolstoj/

This description corresponds to Park Namwook’s mentality, as the latter is always seeking the easiest way out. He is always avoiding discomfort. Hence not only he closed an eye to the doctor’s wounds in episode 11 (chapter 11), but also he never tried to correct the star’s false conclusion. (Chapter 11) He just got angry giving the impression that he was siding with Kim Dan. But the reality is that he did nothing for the poor doctor at all. He remained passive and silent. His “ignorance” explains as well why he is not questioning events and his athlete’s success. (chapter 43) Through the two examples, Manhwaphiles can sense that his “ignorance” is a mixture of willingness to close an eye and real naivety. Under this new approach, it dawned on me why the manager used to beat his star so brutally. (Chapter 7) (Chapter 31) It is his way how to deal with uncomfortable situations. He stands for social norms and conformity. It is not surprising that the manager proposed to use Kim Dan as compensation for Heesung’s fake injury. (chapter 32) Furthermore, he forced Joo Jaekyung to take the blame without investigating the matter. (chapter 31) That way, he avoided to get into trouble. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why he is gentle and polite, when he is not under stress. (chapter 43) The latter triggers his anxiety and nervousness. Thus when there is a problem, his MO is either to threaten, (chapter 22), to scold (chapter 36) or to let others make decisions. I would even add, he often delegates things to others: the manager from the Entertainment company (chapter 27), the MFC manager, the lawyer, the advisors, coach Jeong Yosep (chapter 46), Kim Dan [f. ex. He should accept the bad mood from his VIP client] (chapter 36) However, he is not trying to solve the problem himself. Yet, he can not keep such an attitude in the long run, for his passivity and blindness are the reasons why the main couple can be targeted so easily. Park Namwook is failing to protect his champion and his team. However, I detected a positive change despite the heartache in episode 50. He stopped using violence after episode 31. He learned that he needed to treat the champion’s body more kindly, hence we have this confession: (chapter 43) Furthermore, compare his behavior towards the celebrity and the doctor: (chapter 46) and (chapter 50) Mingwa didn’t use any red in the last picture, a sign that the manager’s anger was controlled. So he is trusting the physical therapist. Consequently, his words at the bar were not empty. (chapter 43) Nevertheless, I am expecting Park Namwook’s effective anguish at some point. He needs to be confronted with his biggest fears and pain. And who will act as his mirror of truth?

While Park Namwook stands for ignorance, the champion embodies fire!

3. Strength and energy. They are people who “burn” life. These are exceptionally strong and resilient people who, although they perfectly understand the problems of human existence, prefer to live quickly, burning through stages and opting for drastic solutions without reflecting too much on the consequences since they are convinced that it is better to put life into the years that add years to life. Quoted from https://psychology-spot.com/how-to-live-with-purpose-according-to-leo-tolstoj/

This description reflects the fighter’s mentality. Therefore, it is normal that he is suffering. Under this new light, readers can grasp the severity of the star’s situation. Kim Dan is there to save him from self-destruction. I would even say, the hamster’s love represents his safety belt and salvation. As for Kim Dan, the latter is destined to suffer, as he has always considered himself as powerless. And until he realized his grandmother’s mortality, he acted, as if she was his goddess. Hence he was willing to sacrifice himself for her sake. (chapter 16)

4. Weakness. “It consists in seeing the truth of the situation and yet clinging to life,” Tolstoy wrote. These types of people wait for a kind of divine rescue to occur or for an escape route to open up before them as if by magic. Although they do not find meaning in life and do not feel satisfied, they continue forward on autopilot. In fact, that was the position with which the writer himself identified. Tolstoy felt lost and powerless. Quoted from https://psychology-spot.com/how-to-live-with-purpose-according-to-leo-tolstoj/

And now, you know why the doctor had not projected himself into the future. He was simply surviving. Though the champion had paid off his debts, Kim Dan had not dropped his life principles: money was important, and it should be spent as quickly as possible, as if there was no tomorrow. Why? It is because he had internalized that his earnings would immediately get wired to a different bank account. That’s why he needed to be confronted his biggest fears: the loss of his job as PT. The incident would not only ruin his career, but also turn the efforts of his grandmother into meaninglessness! Don’t forget that she supported him to become a PT! He was her pride and reward! (chapter 47) And what was the halmoni’s wish? He should give his all to Joo Jaekyung, (chapter 41) and he should assist him during his matches! (chapter 41) Therefore I believe that in the locker room, Kim Dan must have recalled her words. She became his source of strength once again. That’s why we have parallels between these three scenes: (chapter 21: he was criticized by Kim Miseon, he feared to lose his halmoni) (chapter 47) and finally (chapter 50) That’s the reason why Kim Dan could become a star. Contrary to Joo Jaekyung, we didn’t assist to the birth of the yeouiju. It is no coincidence that birth is connected to pain and happiness. Mothers forget the suffering of the delivery, as their child can procure them a lot of joy and happiness.

3. The Overman Kim Dan

Striking is that Psychology and Literature are not the only fields advocating negative emotions and suffering. I have to confess that while reading Painter Of The Night, I noticed parallels between Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy and the Manhwa. And since Mingwa’s writing is very similar to Byeonduck’s, I am not surprised that the readers are exposed to heartache and misery. Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher from the 19th Century, developed complex ideas about pain and suffering, as well as the concept of the “Übermensch”, or “Overman.”

Pain and Suffering: Nietzsche believed that pain and suffering were inherent aspects of human existence. Nonetheless, he did not view them solely as negative experiences to be avoided. Instead, he argued that ache and hardship could serve as sources of growth, strength, and self-discovery. Nietzsche famously stated, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger,” suggesting that overcoming adversity can lead to personal development and resilience.
Transcend Conventional Morality: Nietzsche critiqued conventional morality and values, arguing that they often inhibit individual freedom and self-expression. He described it as herd mentality. “Madness is rare in individuals – but in groups, parties, nations, and ages it is the rule.” This quote highlights Nietzsche’s critique of herd mentality, suggesting that individuals are less prone to madness or irrational behavior when acting alone, but when they become part of a collective group, they are more likely to adopt the behaviors and beliefs of the group, even if they are irrational or detrimental. To find one’s real self, he suggested transcending societal norms and conditioning, questioning traditional beliefs, and forging one’s own path based on personal values and principles. As he provocatively declared, “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him.”
Strive for Self-Overcoming and Übermensch (Overman): The concept of the Übermensch is central to Nietzsche’s philosophy. The Übermensch represents an idealized individual who transcends conventional morality and societal norms. Nietzsche saw the Übermensch as someone who creates their own values, embraces life’s challenges with courage and creativity, and strives for self-mastery and self-realization. The Übermensch is free from the constraints of traditional morality and embraces the full spectrum of human experience, including joy, suffering, and struggle. In relation to pain, Nietzsche believed that the Übermensch would not shy away from pain and suffering but would instead confront them head-on as part of the process of self-overcoming. By embracing pain and integrating it into their existence, the Übermensch achieves a higher state of being and transcends the limitations of ordinary human existence. Nietzsche wrote, “I teach you the overman. Man is something that shall be overcome.”
Embrace Individuality: Nietzsche celebrated the uniqueness and individuality of each person, urging individuals to embrace their authentic selves without conformity or compromise. By embracing one’s individuality and embracing one’s unique strengths, weaknesses, and experiences, individuals can cultivate a deeper sense of self-awareness and authenticity. Nietzsche emphasized, “Become who you are.“
Create Meaning and Values: According to Nietzsche, individuals have the power to create their own meaning and values in a world devoid of inherent meaning. By engaging in creative expression, pursuing passions and interests, and embracing life’s challenges with courage and resilience, individuals can discover and affirm their real selves. Nietzsche famously proclaimed, “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.”

In essence, Nietzsche’s philosophy offers a provocative perspective on finding one’s real self in the face of suffering, pain, and adversity. This reminds us of the famous sparring in episode 26. (Chapter 26) By embracing misfortune, transcending conventional morality, striving for self-overcoming, embracing individuality, and creating meaning and values, individuals can embark on a journey of self-discovery and self-actualization, ultimately becoming the architects of their own lives. At the heart of Nietzsche’s vision lies the concept of the Übermensch, or Overman, who embodies the pinnacle of human potential and serves as a beacon of courage, creativity, and self-mastery. Through the pursuit of the Übermensch ideal, individuals can transcend their limitations, confront their fears, and forge their own destinies, thereby finding their true selves in the process.

If you watched the video, then you know why doc Dan (chapter 5) or Heesung drank alcohol (chapter 35). Both were trying to numb their pain, though they shouldn’t have according to the German philosopher. The soju stopped them from becoming the better version of themselves. I am suspecting that doc Dan copied this poor habit from his grandmother, who drank in secret. Don’t forget that in all the memories, the halmoni is smiling (chapter 47), though she must have struggled a lot. Her smile is a sign that she tried not to burden her grandson. However, her toxic positivity had the opposite effect.

And now, you are wondering how chapter 50 is linked to Overman and Kim Dan. From my perspective, when we look at this scene, ‘ (chapter 50) we shouldn’t see it as a betrayal, rather as an opportunity for Kim Dan. He is not following the herd, because he needs to reflect on the incident. (chapter 50) The latter forced the doctor to question his identity and his desires. What does he want to be in life? Let’s not forget that he selected PT because of his grandmother. (chapter 47) In other words, he had selected this job, as he was following traditions and expectations. Only in episode 47, he realized that she was his real motivation. Yet, he discovered shortly after that she is about to die. Thus he needs to find a new motivation for his job, or better said, he needs to question himself about his profession. Does he truly want to be a physical therapist? Since the beginning of the story, doc Dan has never identified himself as a physical therapist. Thus he accepted to be judged as a whore (chapter 16) or as a tool for the jinx, therefore he mopped the floor (chapter 36), acting like an errand boy. Then he doubted Heesung’s words and admiration (chapter 31) (chapter 31). Furthermore, he took a side gig in order to buy the champion’s present and finally, he rejected Choi Gilseok’s praise and offer. (chapter 48) He was always diminishing himself as a doctor. Therefore in the locker room, he was confronted with his biggest fear: is he really a physical therapist? (chapter 50) He injured his patient. The spray is there to let him see that he has power in his hands. He should trust himself and his magical hands. Don’t forget that this request was made by Joo Jaekyung. (Chapter 49) He never asked him for his expertise and advice. He practiced self-medication in the end. Thus his karma was to be betrayed by the drug, since he keeps mistrusting people. In other words, because of the switch, Kim Dan is encouraged to become brave, to see his job as a great chance: his power is in his hands and nothing else. Heesung described it as magical touch. Doc Dan is talented and he is the champion’s private physical therapist (chapter 50) And from my point of view, the locker room became the doctor’s new temple. There, he must have recalled his grandmother’s wishes. She would like to see him on TV. For me, the light over his head symbolizes Enlightenment. He has become the champion’s yeouiju. Thus I deduce that Kim Dan is on the verge of proving his worth to Team Black. I am anticipating, he will approach the ring, and even treat him during a break, something he denied to his halmoni. (chapter 41) This signifies that he has to become strong and determined, for he has to impose himself in front of the other hyungs. By intervening, he would not only prove his innocence, but also earn his right to be viewed as a hyung! So far, the doctor was always excluded from the meetings, though the manager and advisors should have asked for his opinion. Don’t forget that till episode 42, he relied on the recommendations from other physicians and therapists. If this theory comes true, Joo Jaekyung would show to the public that he is trusting him. This would stand in contrast to this image. (chapter 50). Let’s not forget that MFC doctors can not intervene during a match, but only before or after. Like in the video above, I am expecting that Kim Dan will distinguish himself from the others! PArk Namwook only appeared in the spotlight after his boy’s victories. (chapter 5) (chapter 40) I am expecting a surprise in the next episode. Kim Dan will no longer stand in the shadow, he will no longer follow the “herd”. But there is another reason why I am hoping for such an intervention. It is because neither Baek Junmin nor Choi Gilseok are not expecting the intervention of the physical therapist during the fight, for it never happened before. Besides, the demon could see that their trick had worked. (chapter 50) It is relevant, because through such an intervention, hamster Dan would teach the champion an important lesson. He is not alone in the ring, the doctor is watching his physical condition and helping him. For me, chapter 50 announces a new start! Interesting is that the number 50 is associated with the planet Mercury which stands for poison but also medicine! And now, you comprehend why I consider the painful chapter as treatment sessions. The two protagonists are forced to redefine themselves. Joo Jaekyung might be injured, but he no longer sees himself jinxed! (chapter 50) And keep in mind that the poster was portraying the two fighters looking at hamster Dan (as Dan means red and sweet in Korean). (chapter 48) So the moment you perceive this moment )chapter 50) as something positive, Kim Dan is on the verge of turning over a new leaf, similar to the one in episode 19, (chapter 19), this signifies that Potato was acting like a true friend in the locker room. (chapter 50) He had truly grasped what Kim Dan was going through, and he was giving him a good advice. He was not abandoning his hyung, he was taking care of Kim Dan in his own way. His words were actually showing genuine care and true interest. To conclude, anguish is there to turn Kim Dan into a hero! But so far, he was standing in the shadow! (chapter 37) (chapter 40) (chapter 42) In the first part of Jinx, the doctor was the star’s companion of the night, but since the incident with the birthday present, he stopped being the night partner. Now, he is about to become the famous private physical therapist acknowledged by the public and media. In other words, his destiny contrasts to Baek Junmin’s, a shooting star, it will last longer. Why? It is because the main lead is Saturn! He brings fortune and karma to the evildoers. This interpretation corresponds to Übermensch from Nietzsche, which is sometimes translated as “Superman”. Under this new light, you comprehend why I added the protagonist’s pink angel wings. It was an allusion to his transformation, he is destined to become an “Overman” or Superman. And this brings me to my next observation. The doctor’s pain is exposing his recovery! Weird, right?

4. Healing

But discomfort and pain are strongly intertwined with healing. What? Another video! Yes, watch this while thinking of Kim Dan and Joo Jaekyung.

I have to admit that I will use mostly Kim Dan as an illustration in order to prove his recovery, as the essay is already getting very long.

1. You allow yourself to feel your emotions. In chapter 47, the doctor accepted his halmoni’s imminent death (chapter 47) and his agony. He was no longer under the influence of toxic positivity. While he cried, he admitted his flaws making him realize that he had never been abandoned by his grandmother. (chapter 47) That’s how he overcame his abandonment issues.

2. You’re getting better at expressing and maintaining boundaries. I could use the following panels as illustrations that Kim Dan is getting better at setting boundaries. (chapter 27) For the first time, he rejected a suggestion from his lover and even slapped his hand. (chapter 37) He wanted the party to continue. It shows that he was having a good time with Oh Daehyun and Potato. He has no problem to stop kissing his soulmate, when the latter shows his discomfort. (chapter 44)

3. You accept that you’ve been through difficult experiences . (chapter 36)

4. You’re less reactive and more responsive. Before the incident took place, he made sure that everything was fine. He was meticulous and proactive. (chapter 49) He didn’t wait for an order from PArk Namwook or the champion.

5. You realize that healing is not linear. Therefore it is normal that the relationship between the two protagonists is progressing or regressing. (chapter 50) They are trying to find themselves, therefore they must constantly adapt to each other. While the image gives the impression that the trust between them is vanishing, it is in reality an illusion. People should pay attention to the color of the speech bubble. It is white, there is no point of explanation. It reveals that the champion is not raising his voice. He is rather calm. In reality, the champion was not truly mad at Kim Dan. He was restraining himself. Jinx-philes should compare this image to the following two panels: (chapter 34) (chapter 45) As you can see, Joo Jaekyung is not glaring at the poor doctor. He didn’t yell at his lover too, and he never took the spray away from his lover and threw it like the golden medal! (chapter 45) And now, you comprehend why I stated earlier that he acted rather instinctively. For me, he still trusts the physical therapist.

6. You begin to step out of your comfort zone. Despite the rejection, he didn’t run away. He still went to the arena. (chapter 50)

7. You easily accept disappointments and take them in stride. Though he was scared and hurt, he answered to Namwook. He never apologized for the incident. (chapter 50) He is no longer blaming himself. He refused to admit his wrongdoing. He didn’t commit any mistake.

8. You have more inner peace. (chapter 44)

9. You welcome help and support. In this scene, he accepted the assistance of Potato. (chapter 49) After watching the video, I realized what Kim Dan’s next step should be: asking for help! In the beginning of Jinx, he was always relying on himself. He rejected any help. (chapter 18) When the champion paid off his debts, he saw it as meddling. Interesting is that he came to accept the champion’s support, but he never asked for Joo Jaekyung’s help directly. In addition, Jinx-philes should notice that in the interrogation room, he thought just about the champion and not himself. (chapter 40) It never came to his mind that he should ask for assistance. Finally, observe that after he got drugged in the States, he let the champion deal with the problem. (chapter 41) He accepted the statement from his boss. Nevertheless, doc Dan was the real victim. He should have become more involved in the matter. Besides, he was a witness. And this brings me to my next thought: if Kim Dan gets into trouble, he should remember Heesung’s words: he should give him a call! (chapter 35) For me, the incident is there to teach Kim Dan that he can ask for help! This would show him that he is no longer alone. He wouldn’t appear weak at all. That’s how he would end up to gain his first friends. Let’s not forget that Heesung’s relationship with the doctor is no longer tainted by money or by lust or greed. In fact, thanks to him, he found his soulmate. What unites Kim Dan and Heesung is the heart and the desire to help. Heesung stands for brotherhood, so he could be the one outlining the problems to Team Black. Finally since Potato likes Doc Dan very much, there is no doubt that Heesung and Potato will work together to assist the main lead. This image still exposed doc Dan’s loneliness. He needs to have a true friend. And Heesung would be the perfect person, for he is cunning and quite perceptive about people’s true nature. In fact, he already possesses certain features that Nietzsche admires. He is disregarding social norms (chapter 33). He is not hiding his sexual orientation, he is greedy, but in a good way. Hence he tried to win the doctor’s heart. He never gave up, till he was properly rejected by the doctor. (Chapter 35) Interesting is that after his confession, he still chose to come clean with the doctor. He revealed the truth to Kim Dan, though he could have lost the protagonist’s respect. He admitted his lie and manipulation, (Chapter 35), but Kim Dan’s reaction was not to scold his future friend. In fact, he appreciated his honesty. In front of Kim Dan, he could show his true self. He was not entirely a good guy, but he didn’t get rejected. But so far, the actor is not present in the arena. Therefore Potato could be the first person Kim Dan asks for help. He shares some similarities with his soulmate. He doesn’t fear people’s gaze, hence he raised his voice under the tent. (chapter 35) he doesn’t represent the herd mentality, for he never thinks and acts like others. (chapter 31) While the fighters all liked the actor, he judged him in a different light. Then he was not present during the champion’s birthday. Therefore he possesses all the qualities to become a hero. He could cause a scandal, (chapter 49) similarly to his idol and hero in the States. He noticed the issue right away: the security didn’t do his job properly. To sum up, Potato would follow his foot steps and that’s how he would get noticed by MFC!

But there exists another evidence that the cute hamster is healing. For the first time, he asked WHY! (chapter 50) The word is displaying that the doctor is not accepting the incident simply like that. It is showing that the doctor is slowly losing his naivety. Before the incident with the spray took place, he still trusted the words from people. (chapter 49) Naturally, he can not get rid of his naivety totally, for keeping a certain purity is necessary in life too. On the other hand, it becomes clear that his naivety is the result from his education. The halmoni is herself quite too trusting. Hence she ended up being harassed by loan sharks. On the other hand, the incident was like an eye-opener for the physical therapist. He should stop judging people based on their words (chapter 43) but on their actions.

The vanishing of his naivety is caused by his constant suffering. Because he got deceived twice (chapter 1) (chapter 1) by bosses, it becomes comprehensible why he didn’t fall into the trap a third time. (Chapter 48) He is pushed to question impressions and people’s motivations. As a conclusion, anguish is a tool to push people to become wiser and happier. And this leads me to my final part.

5. Painful pattern und fortunetelling

I discovered another pattern, which is strongly intertwined with suffering and purpose. For the first match, Joo JAekyung, his coach and his manager left to Busan without him. However, due to a pain, Kim Dan had to join them. Thus he came running. (chapter 14) But back then, Kim Dan didn’t mind staying in Seoul. (chapter 13) Furthermore, after having sex in the locker room, Kim Dan was left behind. (chapter 15) And notice that this pattern was the same in the States. For the second match, Team Black left without him, hence Kim Dan arrived late. (chapter 40) Therefore he was running once again. However, back then, no readers felt angry at the team, though it could also be perceived as a betrayal and abandonment! Kim Dan was not perceived as necessary, neither for Joo Jaekyung nor for Park Namwook. Hence the bedroom could be judged as the place of the betrayal: “ (chapter 40) That’s how I realized why the Webtoonist never showed the athlete’s caring gesture. He moved him in the middle of the bed! It is because the celebrity was still not treating his soulmate as a physical therapist. The second reason for the absence of anger is that Kim Dan had been drugged and as such was not fit. In addition, he needed to rest after having sex for the whole night. And now, you comprehend why the doctor could get dragged away by the MFC security guards, and no one from Team Black intervened. (chapter 40) It was to outline their previous disregard and betrayal! Thanks to Potato, Joo Jaekyung got informed, hence he could rescue the physical therapist. (chapter 40) But he never revealed the hamster’s role in the team! This explains why Kim Dan was used by Choi Gilseok. He needs to expose his role in Team Black to the world. He is the champion’s private PT!

Chapter 13-14-15	Chapter 40/41	Chapter 49-50
1. Match: Randy Booker	2. Match with Dominic Hill	3. Match with Baek Junmin
They left without him	They left without him	They left without him
He arrived late to the arena. He had to run.	He arrived late to the arena. Hence he had to run , but no one was expecting him except Potato.	He arrived late in the arena. Contrary to the two previous fights, the match has already started, when the doctor reaches the stadium. Thus he didn’t see the shoulder injury. But this time, he is not running. Once again, only Potato is expecting him: “Take your time, doc Dan”.
He was left behind in the locker room.	He was left in the bedroom behind.	He was left behind in the locker room
He has no uniform of Team Black, hence Joo JAekyung gave him his own jacket. But the latter was taken away later He has just his blue uniform.	He has now his own jacket which he is carrying with the blue uniform.	He has the jacket and uniform
He was interrogated by a MFC security guard	He is interrogated by MFC security guys and they are framing.
	There was a checkup from MFC doctors , for both characters. (chapter 41)	Joo Jaekyung went to the MFC medical center Hence he could get into trouble! The MFC could report the incident to the authorities!

Since I detected similarities between the three matches, I can’t help myself thinking that Kim Dan will be interrogated again. He could end up dragged away after the match. But this time, the champion can not save him, as he is himself badly injured. Therefore expect another anguish in the next episode! Since my theory is that MFC doctors are corrupted, there’s a high chance that the doctors will frame Kim Dan. And now, you comprehend why Kim Dan needs more than ever a friend who can help him! Potato is the witness of the doctor’s innocence (chapter 49) in both cases! He was present, when Kim Dan drank the drugged beverage. (chapter 38) To conclude, it was not in Kim Dan’s interest to run away or hide! This would have been judged as a sign of his culpability and complicity. He needs to face the problems so that he can shape his destiny with his own hands and not remain the playball of dark forces! Yes, this chapter announces a huge change at Team Black, the start of a real friendship between two puppies. 😉

I hope, this long essay gave you the strength to keep reading this terrific Manhwa! Let’s us become a better version of ourselves and embrace the pain, as it means that we are not indifferent and even changing.

Jinx: Dire 😢 Youth 👦 Mystery🔍 Unraveling

March 10, 2024March 11, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 5 Comments

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa: Jinx. But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about Jinx “Facing The Shotgun: Embracing Change“

1. Clock and past

One might wonder why I selected such a picture for the background. While looking for a symbol for past, I discovered on Canva the clock as symbol for “past”. Why? It is because the clock represents time which includes past. As you can imagine, in the illustration, the clock is representing not only the past, but also Joo Jaekyung and his youth. But before presenting my new observations about the champion’s mysterious youth, I would like to focus on the clock.

There was another reason why I chose this image. I couldn’t help myself thinking of this panel: (chapter 48) Why did the Webtoonist gave us the time, when the next episode starts another day? On the one hand, it exposes that the schemers knew about the champion’s nightly activities. He wouldn’t sleep much and he would keep his cellphone next to him. (chapter 48) It shows once again that the traitor is close to the athlete, for he knows about his way of life. Furthermore, the unknown person could text to the champion, hence this means that his cellphone number got leaked by a person close to him. On the other hand, I am quite certain, the Webtoonist desired to fool her readers making them anticipate a confrontation between the two protagonists. However, nothing happened indicating that Joo Jaekyung didn’t react, like the plotters had anticipated it. Thus they had to create a new scheme. First, let’s not forget that they had used a similar method in the past. (chapter 35) This made me think of Painter of The Night and No-Name’s advice: (chapter 76) “A deed once foiled has no chance of success the second time around”.The criminal was referring to learning through experience. After going through such an event once, the athlete is no longer caught by surprise. We could say that he learned not to jump to conclusions and control his emotions. That’s the reason why in episode 48 he remained level-headed. Because the champion didn’t get angry, he could be more attentive. (chapter 48) Secondly, (chapter 48) contrary to the journalist, the sender of the pictures remained anonymous. He was exposing his personality: a traitor and a coward. So what did the anonymous sender want to divulge with these images? In my opinion, they wanted to create the illusion that Kim Dan was leaking information about the champion’s physical condition. That’s the reason why Choi Gilseok was seen smiling and taking the doctor’s hands. It looked like he was thanking him. (Chapter 48) The irony is that the doctor had been able to treat the star’s injury. For me, the Summer Night’s Dream played a huge role, as during that night, Joo Jaekyung felt treasured and loved. Therefore the pictures could only expose the duplicity of the director of King of MMA. Under this new light, it becomes understandable why the celebrity didn’t fall into their trap and why they had to turn doc Dan into a traitor by giving him a weapon without his knowledge. Finally, I believe that Joo Jaekyung had another reason not to confront the physical therapist. How so? It is because he had sent away his soulmate, while the latter had approached him. (chapter 48) He had missed the opportunity.

“The past is already gone, the future is not yet here. There’s only one moment for you to live, and that is the present moment” Buddha Quoted from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/80868-the-past-is-already-gone-the-future-is-not-yet

Too obsessed with his upcoming match and as such the future, he had neglected the present. But imagine this. If he had gone to doc Dan’s bedroom and questioned him, once he had received the message, the latter would have appeared not only as selfish, rude, but also as indecisive, mistrusting and easily manipulated. However, the athlete’s biggest desire is to look confident, reliable and strong. Because he had missed the timing, he was encouraged to analyze the images and ponder on them. Furthermore, I couldn’t help myself connecting this scene to the one in the bathroom: (chapter 30) Here, he wished to seek the doctor’s closeness. Nonetheless, if he had gone to Kim Dan’s bedroom during that night, he would have achieved the opposite: he would have created distance and caused an argument. The latter could have told him that he was looking out for himself, for Joo Jaekyung had threatened to fire him. Through these observations, it becomes visible why the athlete couldn’t ask Kim Dan at all. Consequently, I come to the conclusion that the clock (chapter 48) was announcing missed opportunity. It is important, because it displays the falsehood of the champion’s belief. (chapter 2) He is not jinxed, but his failures are the result of his bad choices, like for example trusting the wrong people or not listening to the trustworthy ones or keeping secrets. Or we could say that he is just the product of his education and childhood. He is cursed, for he was not properly raised. He refused to listen to his PT, when the latter wished to tell him something. (chapter 48) He had ignored him by not even looking at him. And this brings me to my next observation: REGRET. I am quite sure that after receiving the message, Joo Jaekyung must have felt regret. First, he had yelled at Kim Dan and menaced him to terminate his contract. (chapter 45) Then in the bedroom, he had rejected all his requests (massage, conversation). It was, as if he no longer needed him. He was no longer eating his breakfasts too. (chapter 47) Under this new light, Manhwa-lovers can comprehend why he looked annoyed in the hallway. (chapter 49) The gaze displays not only worry and anxiety, but also regret. It was too late to ask the doctor. For me, he chose silence, for he was regretting his reactions in the penthouse. He feared to ask Kim Dan, because if he brought up the meeting with Choi Gilseok, this could push the hamster to quit his job. However, thanks to Kim Dan, the star’s condition improved greatly. That’s how it dawned on me why the champion became a beast and why he is hiding his past: (chapter 26) It is because the man is full of regrets and resent. But by creating new regrets, the champion is incited to focus more on the present so that he stops missing the timing. Because of his immense regrets and frustration, he was still trapped in the past. So he was unable to move on. To conclude, Kim Dan and Baek Junmin pushed him to face his youth and the source of his own unhappiness. His biggest suffering is a secret, because he would appear as weak and pitiful which would ruin his image as the strongest man in the world.

2. Midnight: the magic hour

Nevertheless, I believe that the author had another reason to create such an image. (chapter 48) It is related to the time. It’s 12: 13 and 47 seconds. I have to admit my hesitation about the minutes: 13 or 14 minutes? But I opted for the first choice, for there are only 13 seconds left, until it is 14 minutes. So the minutes hand had to move closer to 14. Because it is midnight, I couldn’t restrain myself thinking of Cinderella and her transformation, especially when Kim Dan noticed that the athlete returned home just before midnight! (chapter 48) But why is midnight so important? It is because the number 12 carries religious, mythological and magical symbolism, generally representing perfection, entirety, or cosmic order.

The number 12 is strongly associated with the heavens—the 12 months, the 12 signs of the zodiac, and the 12 stations of the Moon and of the Sun. The ancients recognized 12 main northern stars and 12 main southern stars. Quoted from https://www.britannica.com/science/the-number-twelve

This explicates why in the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty from Grimms 12 fairies who are called as “wise women” in the story.

He did not just invite his relations, friends and acquaintances but also the Wise Women so that they would favor the child and help her. There were thirteen in the kingdom. But because he only had twelve golden plates, one of them had to stay at home. Quoted from https://www.ellajsmyth.com/fairy-tales/sleeping-beauty-brothers-grimm/

In episode 12, (chapter 12) the couple was supposed to reach Nirvana, but the athlete failed terribly. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the protagonist chose not to confront Kim Dan in episode 48. It was, as if the champion was closer to the heavens. This represents the champion’s leap of faith. Don’t forget that the star got scared for one moment (chapter 48), when he noticed doc Dan’s presence too late. But nothing happened to him, that’s how he got incited to trust Kim Dan. The latter wouldn’t backstab him. Under the blue light, the champion got transformed. (chapter 48) Observe that Jinx-philes can see the champion’s gaze again, an indication that his “blindness” vanished which contrasts to this image: (chapter 48) On the other side, the fact that the champion is always targeted during the night is a sign that the villains desired to approach him, when he was isolated. So they know not only about his insomnia, but also about his solitude. I would even add that the plotters are aware of his association between the night and danger. Remember how he described relaxation: he would give an opportunity to his enemies to attack him (chapter 29) This new observation reinforces my past theory: he would be suffering from Somniphobia due to traumas. [For more read Twinkle, twinkle … little star] That’s how I realized the role and significance of the nights Joo Jaekyung spent with Kim Dan. One purpose of these nights was to change Joo Jaekyung’s perception of the night. That’s how the Beast could be tamed and even transform into a lovely and cute cat. In other words, he should make different experiences during his nightly activities. But there’s more to it. Thus I listed all the nights where the couple was together.

Chapter 4	Chapter 9/10	Chapter 12	Chapter 13	Chapter 19/20	Chapter 29

The champion called the doctor, because it was urgent. The reality is that he wanted to have good sex due to his jinx. Yet he enjoyed the night so much that he allowed Kim Dan to sleep in his bed.	Kim Dan voiced his loneliness and his longing for warmth. He wished that his grandmother wouldn’t leave him behind. For me, that’s the moment Joo Jaekyung took over Shin Okja’s role.	The sex was initiated due to Kim Dan’s request. He needed money: dire situation. Interesting is that he called this night a lucky day!	Here, he had restrained himself out of fear that he might endanger Kim Dan’s life. No emergency, but a secret, as he was turning his back to Kim Dan.	“I want to fuck”: urgent, hence the doctor had to prepare himself. The champion witnessed for the first time Kim Dan’s ejaculation. He could procure pleasure to his partner. He compared the doctor’s anus to a baby’s mouth.	The champion confessed a lot to Kim Dan, before they ended up having sex. Joo Jaekyung brought up the notion “pregnancy”, when Kim Dan expressed the wish that the athlete would use protections. No urgency, but he divulges his secrets: fears and insomnia.

Chapter 33	Chapter 34	Chapter 39	Chapter 44	Chapter 45	Chapter 48

The sex here was an emergency, for Joo Jaekyung feared that he might end up losing Kim Dan. The doctor didn’t know the cause for such a behavior (secret).	Contrary to the previous sex session, the champion directed his fears and anger at Choi Heesung. Another emergency! The actor’s visit was kept a secret.	This wonderful night was an illusion, for the doctor was acting under the influence of the drug. Emergency! The doctor had to join his boss during the night: secret meeting.	Here, the roles were switched, as now it was the champion’s turn to act under the influence of the soju. The doctor chose to have sex, as he didn’t want to miss an opportunity. But the hickeys threatened to expose the nature of their relationship: secret.	The protagonists kept secrets from each other. The champion noticed the departure of his soulmate which could only make him anxious.	Like mentioned above, the champion refused to listen to Kim Dan. Since the latter entered silently, he caught his room mate by surprise: secret visit which stands in opposition to episode 29.

By creating this table, I noticed the following parallels: emergency, delicacy and secrecy. What I mean with delicacy is the allusion to babyhood, vulnerability and inexperience (chapter 9, 10, 12, 13, 19, 29, 44). After the “lucky day”, the champion had to hear that he was risking his partner’s life with such a rough behavior. (chapter 13) It is important, because through this terrible experience, Joo Jaekyung came to internalize the connection between sex and danger. This would explain why he has been so rough in bed before. He came to see it as a normality, a sign that his perception of sex had been negatively influenced. And this can only come from bad experiences. It had nothing to do with “enjoying the moment”, until the protagonist met the shy hamster. We can see his gradual transformation. In episode 12, he definitely saw the night as “carpe diem” (chapter 12), until he was confronted with the consequences of his lack of empathy and interest. Due to his selfishness and prejudices, he didn’t notice the bad shape of his partner. Secondly, the fact that sex is strongly connected to urgency made me think that in the past, Joo Jaekyung must have been himself in a dire situation too. And it must have happened during a night, because all his memories with Baek Junmin are connected to darkness. (chapter 49) In the previous essay, I had mentioned the theory that the champion might have been raped and even gangraped which would fit the criteria (sex, danger and urgency). Finally, the recurrence of “delicacy” during the night is an indication that the athlete must have been like Kim Dan in the past! Vulnerable and alone!

And the moment I recognized the role of the nights in Jinx, it is to push the protagonists to open up their mind and heart, I started pondering on the symbolism of the night. The latter can signify:

Fears and dangers: The darkness and shadows of night can evoke feelings of apprehension and vulnerability, as visibility decreases and the unknown becomes more prominent. Therefore the halmoni sang the lullaby “Twinkle, twinkle little star”. (chapter 21) Furthermore, the champion exposed why he could never relax: (chapter 29) He could get assaulted the moment he rests or sleeps.

Reflection and introspection: The quietude of the night often invites contemplation and self-reflection, providing an opportunity for individuals to delve into their thoughts and emotions. This would correspond to the night in episode 29 and 48:

Transformation and rebirth: The transition from day to night can represent a period of transformation or renewal, as darkness gives way to the promise of a new day. Remember how I compared Jinx to the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast [for more read Belle 👸 and the Bear🧸 in the penthouse – part 1] and Summer Night’s Dream. [For more read 🌹A Summer Night’s Dream 🧚‍♂️]

During their evening conversations, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, Beauty and the Beast have the opportunity to truly get to know each other beyond their initial impressions. These moments of quiet reflection and intimacy allow them to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences, fostering a sense of understanding and empathy between them. For example, in the evening scenes, Beauty and the Beast engage in heartfelt discussions about their pasts, their hopes for the future, and the true nature of love and compassion. These conversations reveal layers of complexity in their characters and deepen their bond as they learn to see beyond outward appearances and appreciate each other for who they truly are. The evening setting adds a sense of intimacy and vulnerability to their interactions, creating a space where they can open up to each other and build trust and affection over time. As they share these moments together, the evening becomes a symbol of the transformative power of connection and empathy, marking the beginning of a profound journey of growth and love for both Beauty and the Beast.

As for “Summer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare, the night serves as a pivotal time for the characters, marking the beginning of transformative experiences and the resolution of conflicts. One example of this is the final scene which brings resolution to the romantic entanglements and conflicts among the characters. As dawn breaks, we witness the reunion of Hermia and Lysander, who had been separated by the interference of magic and the meddling of others. Similarly, Helena and Demetrius find themselves united in love, overcoming the misunderstandings and obstacles that once stood between them. Moreover, the fairy king and queen, Oberon and Titania, reconcile their differences, restoring balance to the natural world and the fairy realm. Their reconciliation symbolizes the restoration of order and harmony after a night of magical mischief and confusion. As the sun rises on a new day, the characters emerge from the enchanted forest transformed by their nighttime experiences. The transition from night to day signifies not only the resolution of conflicts but also the beginning of a new chapter in their lives, marked by love, reconciliation, and the promise of a brighter future.

Spiritual connection: Many cultures view the night as a time for spiritual connection or communion, whether through prayer, meditation, or rituals performed under the cover of darkness. So we could see the doctor’s kneeling in the bathroom as a spiritual connection, for he had been recollecting the diagnosis from Kim Miseon and kept thinking of his grandmother. After this painful meditation, he came to recognize his selfishness and his relative’s love and generosity (chapter 47). And what was the main lead feeling after that terrible night? Regret, for he had not been able to notice his relative’s suffering and sacrifice! (chapter 47)

Creativity and inspiration: For some, the night sparks creativity and inspiration which could be observed during the sex sessions: we have sex in front of a mirror (chapter 19) or a new request like swallowing the sperm (chapter 39) or kissing the champion’s ruined ears (chapter 44)

Surrender and release: As the day comes to a close, the night can symbolize a time to let go of worries or burdens, embracing a sense of surrender and acceptance. After his conversation on the couch, the star attempted to seek closeness and intimacy with his fated companion. But he failed unfortunately, as he was not truly honest: (chapter 30) He was rough and used the toothpaste as an excuse.

Temptation and allure: The darkness of night can also evoke feelings of temptation or allure, drawing individuals into the unknown or enticing them with forbidden desires. (Chapter 29)

Endings and beginnings: In literature and mythology, the night often marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, symbolizing transitions and turning points in characters’ lives. The Beast turned into a prince during the night, when Belle’s tears fell onto her husband. And now, if you look at all the nights mentioned above, you can see how they marked a change in the relationship between the two protagonists. I would say that between 30 and 39, the star was forced to question the place Kim Dan had in his heart. In chapter 40, he came to admit that the PT was part of his team. (Chapter 40) That’s the moment he stopped considering the hamster as a prostitute, while from chapter 2 to 18, he viewed Kim Dan as a tool, as a talisman against his jinx. However, I detected a transition after he kissed the physical therapist. From that moment on, the doctor was connected to food and sweetness. (Chapter 18) And now, observe that during the night in the bathroom, doc Dan was associated with a baby receiving food: (chapter 20) As you can see, here the champion started viewing him as a human being. It exposes that little by little, his perception of the physical therapist improved. So from chapter 30 to 39, Joo Jaekyung was forced to question the nature of his relationship with Kim Dan: a PT or a prostitute or a pet? (Chapter 34) Here, he was in denial, he described the main lead as a possession, but he couldn’t fool the actor. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the nights in chapter 19, 29 and 39 were so magical, they announced a transition or better the end of viewing Kim Dan as an object (tool for his jinx) and possession. From 41 to 49, the champion was cornered to recognize Kim Dan as a physical therapist and not just as a member from Team Black. Don’t forget his attitude in the car, when the main lead suggested him not to train. (Chapter 42) He rejected his advice, a sign that he was doubting doc Dan’s skills and competences. That’s the reason why I come to the conclusion that with the pictures, the champion was pushed to admit that Kim Dan is his physical therapist (chapter 48) and he can not fire him like that. Thus I come to the conclusion that in the locker room, there should be an open conversation between all the members of Team Black. (Chapter 49)

3. Clues about the champion’s youth

But wait… if Joo Jaekyung has been trapped in the past, this signifies that in the present timeline, he has to be confronted with his past. That way, he can overcome his traumas and become happy. And now, you comprehend why his path led him to meet the star Choi Heesung (chapter 34), then the fake star Baek Junmin (chapter 49). These meetings are not random at all, a sign that someone knows about the athlete’s hidden suffering very well. Observe that both characters challenged the celebrity by giving him an order: (chapter 34) “Don’t get in the way” and “make sure you give her a good polish”. (chapter 49) The sportsman is viewed as a hindrance to their dreams, he should clear the way for them. I deduce that in his youth, people must have treated him the same way. He represented an obstacle, therefore these two figures must have challenged him in the past too. Their confidence comes from their past experiences with the athlete. Both must have defeated Joo Jaekyung, but naturally they must have tricked him. (chapter 33) (chapter 49) Then I noticed another parallel between the two plots: the presence of a scapegoat, and the involvement of a third person. Heesung faked his injury by putting the blame on the athlete, while he asked Kim Dan as compensation. In the second plot, the roles are switched. Kim Dan is now the perpetrator, while the athlete is the victim! Baek Junmin is the beneficiary of this scheme. And what do these plots have in common? Joo Jaekyung is the victim of a trick, though Heesung’s manipulation was rather benign. First, he acted on his own. (Chapter 31) Moreover, he utilized the genuine concern and innocence of his surroundings. In other words, he used his image as a good and honest man to his advantage. Thus I come to the conclusion that the artist’s sin in their youth was rather minor, as the artist tends to violate social norms. So though it was no illegal, the actor’s wrongdoing definitely left scars on the protagonist’s heart. (chapter 29) Probably, Heesung utilized Joo Jaekyung’s innocence to his advantage in order to maintain his good reputation, like for example he was not supposed to be smoking or he took away a friend from him, as the topic of their conversation was about the theft of a person (chapter 33) (chapter 34)!! That’s why Choi Heesung had a smile on his face, when he thought of the champion’s future reactions: sour mood. He likes provoking the celebrity (chapter 30), because it always makes him appear as a well-mannered and honest man. He gets fun at his frenemy’s expense. In addition, he could play tricks without getting caught… and the other would appear as the bad guy and take the blame, like we could observe at the gym with the manager’s judgement. (Chapter 30) Another common denominator between The Shotgun and Heesung is their envy and greed. (chapter 49) The actor tried to get the doctor as his lover. The expression “That’s rich” is not random, it indicates that The Shotgun is jealous of his social status.

Furthermore, I am assuming that his scheme is related to gambling and the arcade. (chapter 26) Why would the athlete go there and utilize the punching machine so many times? The arcade is a place for young people, especially for high school students seeking entertainment. So I assume that Joo Jaekyung went there, because he was trying to find someone, and at the same time he wanted to prove something: he was not weak at all. My avid readers will certainly recall this scene: (chapter 5) Joo Jaekyung destroyed the sandbag, when he imagined that doc Dan had blocked him! This signifies that the former could no longer contact the shy hamster. Joo Jaekyung saw it as an affront, a challenge! (Chapter 26) Thus I view this past incident as a challenge which led him to face terrible consequences. He got blacklisted. It made him look like a black sheep. As you can see, I believe that there exists a connection between Baek Junmin and the arcade. This panel (chapter 46) could be seen as a reflection from the arcade and the star’s past. And since Kim Dan wounded Joo Jaekyung in the locker room (chapter 49), I deduce that such an action must have happened in the champion’s youth. He got not only hurt by people, but also betrayed by a friend. There exists many reasons for this hypothesis.

Many Jinx-philes initially thought that Joo Jaekyung was an uneducated brute due to his lack of manners and poor vocabulary. He would constantly swear (Chapter 04) and be rude towards others. (Chapter 7) (chapter 37) But Mingwa left many clues that the celebrity’s personality shouldn’t be judged by impressions. During their first night together, Manhwa-lovers could see books next to the bed. (Chapter 3) Some of them are not written in Korean or English. Moreover, the Webtoonist revealed that one of his hobbies is reading. This explains why he can talk prettily. (chapter 22) This shows that his behavior mirrors the counterpart’s. Consequently, it is not surprising that the champion is rough with his own body, as Park Namwook is not treating him like a delicate child. (chapter 31) But there exists another proof for his intelligence. The celebrity is capable to lead an interview in English on his own. (Chapter 37) Even stressed and filled with anger, he could understand and speak fluently in English. (Chapter 40) Compare Kim Dan’s English skills in the same scene: (chapter 40) Besides, Jinx-philes should question why Mingwa is not divulging his scores as a student contrary to Kim Dan or Jinwon from BJ Alex. It is because she wants to create a certain image about the champion: he is a bad boy. In my eyes, she is playing with prejudices about MMA fighters. People often imagine, they lack social manners and education. They chose this path, for they could do nothing else. And this brings me to my next remark. We know that Kim Dan selected PT because of his halmoni. (chapter 47) So what was the protagonist’s motivation to become a MMA fighter? In my eyes, this question represents the core of the mystery. My idea is that the suffering in his youth led him to become a boxer. It is definitely related to his experienced powerlessness and loneliness. So when he suggested the sparring to Kim Dan, we should see it as a reflection from the past: (chapter 26) Joo Jaekyung was also an amateur in the past, but his motivations were his rage and resent. On the other hand, contrary to his soulmate, the athlete likes sports as well. His other hobbies are jogging and swimming. Thus I am suspecting that Joo Jaekyung might have been part of a swimming club in the past. Striking is that he forgot his passion due to his career as a MMA champion. (chapter 27) I see a contrast between these two sports: swimming which is related to relaxation, pleasure and fun and MMA fighting which stands for challenge, pain and seriousness. This contrast is even more present in the following panel: (chapter 29) The position of the zombies made me think of waves of challengers. I feel like the protagonist’s future was changed and even manipulated. Similar to the way Kim Dan ended up as the champion’s PT. First, he was treated like a prostitute, until the athlete came to value him as a real physical therapist.

Another thought came to my mind when I examine the last image closely. The champion views life as a constant battle, where he is always challenged. It was, as if his masculinity and strength were constantly questioned. If he doesn’t accept these defies, then he will submerged and end up drowning. However, thanks to Kim Dan, the champion was able to touch the ground. He is a champion, hence he never loses. (chapter 49) Is it a coincidence that this Enlightenment took place under the shower? For me, no! I see a strong link between water, swimming and the champion’s job. It looked like swimming represents a source of danger for the athlete’s job, as it is an entertainment! Hence I can’t shake the feeling that in the past, Joo Jaekyung might have shown aptitude for becoming a natation athlete! Let’s not forget that for the calendar 2024, the champion was seen carrying swimming googles and not “MMA gloves”. This detail caught my attention and made me wonder why Mingwa selected these items.

But one detail from this image (chapter 29) caught my attention. He described himself as a prey chased by a pack of hyenas. The expression “nipping at my heels” implies that the athlete is trying to flee, but he is followed by dangerous and voracious animals. Consequently, I consider this confession as a reflection from the past. Note that he doesn’t say “fighters”, but “challengers”. For me, we should include the actor under this idiom. Don’t forget that he challenged him at least twice. And what is the symbolism of “hyenas”?

In African literature and folklore, hyenas are commonly associated with cunning, trickery, and deceit. They are often depicted as opportunistic scavengers, lurking in the shadows and preying on the weaknesses of others. In many African myths and stories, hyenas are portrayed as cunning and sly creatures who use their intelligence to outsmart their prey and rivals. They are sometimes seen as symbols of chaos and disorder, disrupting the natural order of the animal kingdom.

In some African cultures, hyenas are also associated with witchcraft and dark magic. They are believed to possess supernatural powers and are often feared and revered as powerful spiritual beings. In this context, hyenas may symbolize the unknown and the mysterious forces of the spirit world.

The Mbugwe believe that witches use their hyenas to perform various malicious acts, such as causing sickness and death in people and animals. When one of these night cattle is seen prowling around a village at night, it is assumed that a witch is present, and the villagers will take steps to protect themselves from any potential harm. As with many superstitions, the Mbugwe believe that certain methods can be used to ward off the power of a witch’s hyena. […] African mythology and folklore have long seen the hyena as a symbol of cunning, trickery, and conflict. In East African legend, hyenas symbolize chaos and discord, while in West African lore, they represent the trickster figure. In some communities, hyenas are associated with evil and witchcraft. Quoted from https://centerspirited.com/animal-symbolism/hyena/

In Asian literature and folklore, hyenas are less commonly depicted but still hold symbolic significance. In some cultures, they are associated with similar traits of cunning and deception as in African folklore. However, their symbolism may vary depending on the cultural context and beliefs of the region.

One notable modern depiction of hyenas in literature and popular culture is in Disney’s “The Lion King.” In the film, the hyenas are portrayed as villainous characters who serve as the henchmen of the main antagonist, Scar. They are depicted as greedy and power-hungry creatures who will do anything to serve their own interests, even if it means betraying their fellow animals and causing chaos in the Pride Lands. And how do we recognize hyenas? Through their laugh and as such smirk!

Communication is among the Hyena’s attributes because its warning calls, just with a change of inflection, have many purposes. Hyena’s mindful chortle shows its age, social rank among other Hyenas, and even acts as a letter of introduction. They use their voice to organize strategic food-gathering groups, gather allies in the face of a formidable predator, and establish dominance. A Hyenas have complex relationships based on, in part, their verbalization and a rich repertoire of visual cues. Quoted from https://whatismyspiritanimal.com/spirit-totem-power-animal-meanings/mammals/hyena-symbolism-meaning/

This explains why this animal represents communication. The latter is needed to create a plot. Is it a coincidence that Choi Gilseok has connections and is constantly talking and smirking? (chapter 49) He is a hyena, hence his color is brown. (Chapter 48) And The Shotgun has a similar attitude: (chapter 49) Interesting is that his description of the challengers fits the situation in the new plot perfectly. The Shotgun imagines that he will fight against a diminished champion. His shoulder is injured and they have planned to add a new injury. The hyena stands for balance and cleansing as their task is to remove the weak ones.

Throughout history, the Hyena has gotten bad reviews, perhaps this is because of their scavenging behavior. Yet, scavengers are the world’s cleaning crew. Hyenas are an essential part of the African ecosystem. It is the most abundant carnivore playing a pivotal role in the food chain. They waste nothing and teach humankind the value of things that they often overlook or think unimportant. As a Spirit Animal Guide, Hyena has ties to resourcefulness, balance, and gratitude. Quoted from https://whatismyspiritanimal.com/spirit-totem-power-animal-meanings/mammals/hyena-symbolism-meaning/#African-Asia-Hyena

And the moment I read gratitude, I was reminded of the fake star’s fake gratitude: (chapter 49) He was thanking the star, as the latter would be delivering the medal on the silver plate. And the moment I made the connection between King of MMA and hyenas, I started laughing because of the athlete’s criticism to the director: (chapter 49) As an old man, Choi Heesung is revealing vulnerability and senility. Due to his old age, he could be replaced by another hyena, a younger hyena!

And this observation brings me back to the champion’s youth. The latter became the target of schemers due to his vulnerability, isolation and probably due to his wealth. For me, the star comes from a chaebol family. The hyenas took advantage of his “innocence, ignorance and solitude” to gain something in exchange. However, there is no ambiguity that karma retaliated. Baek Junmin’s scheme led him to become a criminal, while Choi Heesung’s popularity never reached the same peak than Joo Jaekyung. And because of my association with the hyenas, I come to the following conclusion that the main character was bullied and even physically assaulted. But no one took his side, until he caught the attention from someone: (chapter 26) That’s how he ended up entering MMA. This person knew about his struggles and fears from the past and took advantage from this. Hence I am suspecting Seo Gichan (chapter 5), as he is the only person who has not appeared yet, though the champion has his cellphone number. And this remark brings me back to the present and the night messages and the hyenas.

The latter are working as a team in order to corner the target. In other words, their task is to ensure the prey’s isolation. But what is the point of such a MO? It is to exhaust the prey. The latter is forced to run constantly, until he is too weak to keep fleeing. That’s why the champion described it as an endless running. (chapter 29) And that’s how they are operating with the messages: isolation. We could see it through the article and its impact. The protagonist was in a sour mood (chapter 36) which could only affect the members from Team Black. Their loyalty could waver. Then he got to hear bad comments from the Internet (chapter 36), creating the illusion that he was losing popularity. That’s how the lawyer could convince the champion to accept a new match in such a short-time. Finally he got reprimanded for his outburst. (chapter 36) Under this new perception, Manhwaphiles can grasp why the MFC manager offered him a new defy right away. They needed to exploit his injury! (chapter 41) With the pictures (chapter 48) and the switched spray, they are now attempting to portray the doctor as a member of the pack. He is a hyena himself, a backstabber. Joo Jaekyung shouldn’t trust his soulmate, he is a hypocrite. But what these villains don’t know is that the champion committed wrongdoings against Kim Dan in the past, like for example the sex session with the dildo. (chapter 13) This could have ended badly. Another wrongdoing could be the rejection of his birthday present and his harsh reaction. (chapter 47) At no moment, the physical therapist brought up his misdeeds and asked for an apology. His silence became the symbol for his tolerance and even forgiveness. In addition, the doctor and his halmoni embody both vulnerability and poor health, which is strangely connected to crime and scandal. (chapter 13) (chapter 48) Through them, the champion is learning that hunting weak and pitiful creatures is not only a sin, but also a crime! In the first case, he could be accused of hurting an innocent.

Since the beginning of this Manhwa, I have been presenting theories about the champion’s youth, like for example he could have suffered from Traumatic Brain Injury (for more read the essay Joo Jaekyung, the strongest man in the world) which would explain why he has problems with memories. Then in Shocking discoveries!!” I had pointed out Somatosensory affectionate deprivation, SAD as an explanation for the champion’s attitude. He was deprived of motherly affection. This made me think that he had no female role model in his youth. Then I had described him as a silenced and invisible child due to neglect. This interpretation got validated in chapter 45. How so? It is because he only received the presents from the fans and a text from Park Nawmook accompanied with a short video! (chapter 45) At no moment, the author let us see the celebrity receiving a gift or a message from a family member! It was, as if he was an orphan and had no family. Their absence and silence are the evidences of neglect. But one might argue that his parents could be dead, something I had already envisaged in the past. However, if so, as a teenager and young man, he needed to have a guardian by his side, exactly like the doctor with his halmoni. And Park Namwook is not acting as his guardian, for he doesn’t visit him in the penthouse or calls him there. So where was the guardian in episode 45? Invisible, silent and passive! Like mentioned above, I am suspecting the mysterious Seo Gichan. Thus I consider the champion’s criticism as the expression of deep scars which came to the surface: (chapter 45) He wanted Kim Dan to look at him and take care of him. In other words, he wished to be seen and not neglected! He has not realized it yet, but he is longing for a companion, a playmate. He desires to have someone by his side who would talk to him and listen to him. From my point of view, the champion must have received on his birthdays many presents, but he was all alone. He had no one by his side. The gifts couldn’t replace the warmth from a loving parent. The moment I made this connection, it dawned on me what the nightly desertions could have meant for the star. (chapter 45) He could have been reminded of the behavior from his family (father, mother or guardian) who would abandon him during the night for work or would return home very late due to work. In other words, the doctor’s departure triggered his abandonment issues too. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Joo Jaekyung rejected the golden medal and why he became workaholic. There was no family celebration like here: (chapter 11) He wished to receive attention and to have a normal conversation. Consequently, I assume that the champion has been copying his role model. That’s how he was pushed to grow up too quickly. For me, he had no childhood at all, hence when he met Kim Dan, he was encouraged to develop his inner child!

The inner child is a young part of our psyche that influences how we think and react as adults. Often used in psychotherapy and spiritual settings, the inner child can symbolize hardship, trauma, and even triumph we experienced during our youth.¹ Yet, when we ignore our inner child and subsequently ignore how our past is painting our present, we do ourselves a major disservice. We can end up overlooking important formative experiences that may be critical in healing some of our maladaptive coping mechanisms. […] When you lose conscious awareness of your inner child, you lose conscious awareness of a part of yourself. In turn, you may experience difficulty regulating your emotions and act from a regressed state when upset. Quoted from https://www.verywellmind.com/inner-child-work-how-your-past-shapes-your-present-7152929

We could observe the awakening of the champion’s inner child, when he suggested a sparring to Kim Dan. (chapter 26) For the first time, he had fun sparring. Hence he kept smiling. It is no coincidence that soon after he chose to accept to take a day-off, when Kim Dan made the suggestion. (chapter 27) That’s how he remembered that he liked swimming and he could play a prank on his lover. (chapter 27) Here, he could smile, because it was fun and there was no real expectation. It was not truly connected to money.

There are many reasons to why our inner child gets wounded. Most of us have experienced various forms of trauma. However, trauma does not necessarily have to be as extreme as growing up in a war or being physically and mentally abused. There are many forms of trauma:

Having unavailable parents who withheld their affection from you and didn’t emotionally encourage or support you.

Being the recipient of inappropriate sexual behaviour, including getting subjected to pornography.

Growing up in a home where your parents kept fighting, arguing and eventually ended up divorcing.

Being given inappropriate or burdensome responsibilities such as looking after the family and doing most of the chores.

Being abandoned by one or both parents.

Being rejected by your peers.

Not having a safe home to sleep in, or a clean hygienic environment.

Growing up with parents who would abuse various substances, such as drugs or alcohol, to numb their emotions.

Parents or family members who were overprotective and interfered with everything you wanted to do, which denied you of your confidence.

Judgement of your personality, interests, passions or sexual orientation.

Parents or family members who were excessively demanding and had high expectations or who projected their feelings in unhealthy ways (i.e. anger, verbal attacks and emotional blackmail).

Parents or family members who humiliated you, or did not address any issues you experienced at school (such as bullying).

Growing up with a parent who had low self-esteem and body image issues.

Emotionally unavailable parent/parents who did not know how to hold space for your feelings. Quoted from https://mentalawakening.com.au/the-inner-child-and-its-connection-to-tms/

As you can see, this long list contains a lot of elements which I observed with Joo Jaekyung. Everything is pointing out that the young man suffered in his youth, and feared rejection and condemnation for showing vulnerability and tears. And if his family or guardian was too busy, there is no ambiguity that when the athlete faced a huge problem (bullying, rape etc.), he wouldn’t have confided to his relatives.

Moreover, I had already underlined the great importance of the cellphone in the champion’s life, the fake illustration for “sharing is caring”. Maybe it is because his family or guardian were too busy to take care of him, that they used the cellphone to keep in touch with him. That’s how he internalized this terrible habit: connect with people through the cellphone. I noted that when the doctor was next to him during the night, the champion would never bring his cellphone! This exposes that the item is embodying a “person”. And now, you comprehend why the champion fell for this trick here (chapter 35) and not in episode 48. It is because Kim Dan had paid him a visit during that night, a sign that he was thinking of him as his patient and VIP client. (Chapter 48) On the other hand, I am inclined to think that when a terrible incident in his youth occurred, he couldn’t contact his family or guardian. Hence he keeps his cellphone by his side constantly. Yes, I was thinking of the doctor’s assault in the street and his failed rape: (Chapter 16) Heo Namwook’s minions had confiscated his cellphone. Hence it was impossible for him to call for help. And now take a closer look at this scene: (Chapter 16) Though he had been on the phone and it was daylight, no one stopped the thugs from kidnapping the main lead or reported the incident to the police. Hence I am also suspecting that Joo Jaekyung must have faced a similar situation: he was surrounded by malicious people and no one had assisted him. So he could have been targeting at school due to his grads or his social status. And his isolation at home could push to seek company outside, to look for friends at school.

What caught my attention is that before each scheme, his hyungs were both seen talking over the phone. (chapter 37) (chapter 49) And the anonymous person on the other side of the phone was definitely calling in order to be updated about Joo Jaekyung, for his coach asked him about his physical conditions. (chapter 49) That could be the hidden guardian who has not showed up yet, I am thinking of Seo Gichan. And now it is time to close this long essay.

Since the champion, as a new version of Simba, was chased away by hyenas, I am inclined to think that his bad luck is not the result of a curse, rather the cause of a bad surrounding. He was not raised properly, for the adults failed to protect him correctly. Despite his super living conditions, he was confronted to the cruel brutality of the civilization where he was exposed to violence, schemes, gambling, drugs, prostitution and abuse. He discovered the existence of hyenas among Korean society behind their fake smiles and “gentle gestures”. The problem is that no one has ever detected their presence. That’s how he lost faith in humanity and developed Philophobia. (For more read (Un)Wanted love) But thanks to his soulmate, he is learning to see the positive aspects of life. What appeared as a weakness can become a source of strength. Compassion and love can put an end to the loneliness and misery. And in order to be happy:

Jinx: Facing The Shotgun🔫: Embracing Change ☸️

March 5, 2024November 12, 2025 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 8 Comments

In chapter 49, Jinx-philes could finally face Baek Junmin and perceive his personality correctly. Mingwa left many clues in this episode, like for example his nickname “The Shotgun”. (chapter 49) Under this new light, my inquisitive readers can understand the title of this composition. My focus will be the infamous sportsman and his interactions with the main lead, in the past and present. Consequently, the composition will contain theories about the champion’s past. Nevertheless, since I am examining the present, it signifies that I will explain Baek Junmin’s role in the new scheme too. So who is Baek Junmin in the end? In the essay “Angel(s) of Death: Shadow versus Serenity, I had already painted him as an antagonist and as a villain. I called him a fake Angel of Death. This interpretation got reinforced with his nickname “The Shotgun”.

1. The different reflections of Shotgun

1. 1. The Shotgun’s colors and task

The moment Manhwaworms read his name, I am quite certain that they were all thinking of a firearm. It implies not only the dangerousness of Baek Junmin, but also his resilience to pain. He is as hard and cold as metal. Furthermore, the gun is associated with the shade black, which is often linked to negativity and death (chapter 49) Yet I couldn’t help myself seeing in the following image glimpses of purple (around the eyes). (chapter 49) Interesting is that this color is also associated with death.

darker shades can represent sadness and frustration. In some parts of Europe, purple is associated with death and mourning. https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-purple-2795820

I have to admit that this shade even made me think of decomposed bodies or old bruises. It shows the coldness from The Angel of Death or we could say his rotten soul. However, exactly like his boss, Choi Gilseok, he is hiding his true colors. Thus I see grey as his “official” pigment. (chapter 49) It exposes his duplicity. Because of his sobriquet and his color, I assume that the schemers consider the boxer as a weapon. His role is to kill the Emperor, and probably in one blow. He is the executioner of the invincible legend. It should be a quick, merciless “death”. From that fight, Baek Junmin has to ensure that Joo Jaekyung can never come back to the ring. How is it possible? (chapter 49) It is because they know about his injured shoulder. That’s the reason why Baek Junmin is patting him on his left shoulder. Remember what the sports doctor told to the physical therapist: (chapter 42) He was on the verge of getting surgery. Besides, it is important what the manager suggested to his “boy”: (chapter 47) He should make the fight last in order to tire his opponent out. So the plotters thought that during the fight, Joo Jaekyung would ask for a relief spray on his injured shoulder. That would be the end for him. Kim Dan would even deliver him the victory on a silver plate. He would be framed as an anti-fan. The irony is that Kim Dan could heal his VIP client within a short time. Here, the champion looks relaxed and not concerned with his shoulder. (chapter 49) Here, he is almost smiling. He was telling the truth, when he said that he was fine contrary to the States. (chapter 40) I would like the difference between the two statements. He is now utilizing the personal pronoun “I” and not “it’s”. It indicates that the champion’s condition is good. But now let’s return our attention to The Shotgun”

1. 2. The secret meanings of The Shotgun

On the other hand, the idiom “shotgun” has more than the signification “firearm”. First, I am sure that anyone has ever heard the expression “ride shotgun”.

to accompany for protection, as in the front seat of a motor vehicle https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ride-shotgun

This corresponds to Kim Dan’s position in the car. (chapter 49) He has now taken over the manager’s place. This reflects the doctor’s rising within Team Black. At the same time, this expression lets us perceive the role of Baek Junmin at King Of MMA gym. He is the protector of Choi Gilseok, the “old man”. On the other hand, his position also insinuates his passivity, as he is not the driver, like here. (chapter 42) In my eyes, it reflects his laziness. He lets other people do the dirty tricks, like we could observe it with the incident in the locker room. (chapter 49) The director had to suffer a great humiliation for this trick, while a helping hand had to switch the spray. For me, the expression “The Shotgun” displays the inaction from Baek Junmin. He was catapulted to the top thanks to the assistance of others: Mr Choi thanks to his money and connections with the media and with the CEO of MFC. Then the members from his gym had to gathered intel about his opponents. This was truly palpable in the description from the moderator. (chapter 49) In fact, the idiom “flying up the ranks” and “rising star” made me think of a shooting star. However, this star is just artificial, for the athlete didn’t have to prove really his strength. Beholders can even detect that the Shotgun’s muscles are less developed. Moreover, a shooting star implies that his success will be short-lived and momentary. He is destined to vanish, especially because people helped him. And this association reinforces my interpretation that Joo Jaekyung is a dragon and Kim Dan his yeouiju! As Jinx-addicts can perceive, the expression ” The Shotgun” shows his lack of humanity and cowardice. At the same time, it indicates that he is not the mastermind behind the plot, as he is just a tool. He is not a lucky charm, but bad omen. So when he whispered this to Joo Jaekyung, (chapter 49), in reality he was exposing his own personality, as he was projecting his own thoughts onto the star. Others have to do the dirty work for him (f. ex. polishing the belt, gathering intel) to prepare the battlefield for him. This contrasts so much to the champion and doctor’s attitude, for both embody hard work. Baek Junmin is imagining that the title will fall onto his lap thanks to the tricks and their insight. And now, take a closer look at the negative features of purple.

[Purple] Negative keywords include: immaturity, being impractical, cynical and aloof, pompous and arrogant, fraudulent and corrupt, delusions of grandeur and the social climber. […] Dark purple is related to higher spiritual attainment. A powerful color, it can also indicate arrogance and ruthlessness. https://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-purple.html

This quote fits my description about Baek Junmin. He is corrupt, hence he feels no remorse to scheme. Then he believes that the victory is already in his pocket, as everything has been carefully planned. The way he reached the top exposes him as a social climber. And now, I can even validate my previous interpretation: his golden watch and jewels were fake! (chapter 47) Where did I find the evidence for this? It is because Seok (from Gilseok) can signify “brass”! As you can see, thanks to two different notions “shotgun”, I could give a better portrait of the fake star. But this is far from being finished. Funny is that “Shotgun ” can also refer to a position in American football.

an offensive formation in which the quarterback lines up for a snap unusually far behind the line of scrimmage Quoted from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/shotgun

Interesting is that we had a similar formation in the locker room. Choi Gilseok and the other minion diverted the attention from Team Black, while the “Quarterback” could pass the frontline to bring the weapon to the other side. (chapter 49) It was, as if the team of King of MMA had scored a goal by bringing the pepper spray to the other side and switching it with the relief spray. (chapter 49) And what is the common denominator between the meaning “firearm” and “American football position”? Attack! But there’s more to it. As adjective, “shotgun” is indicating coercion and duress. And this corresponds to Choi Gilseok and Baek Junmin’s tactics. The director tried to put the physical therapist under pressure, when he met him in the café: (chapter 48) For that, he utilized the grandmother. I feel the need to add here that this scene confirmed my previous interpretation about Baek Junmin and Shin Okja. [For more read Angels of Death: Shadows versus Serenity] The latter was his enemy, and because of her request (Kim Dan should accept her death and stop the treatment), Kim Dan didn’t fall into the trap of the malicious director. Then, the dirty director of the gym reiterated his action in the hallway. (chapter 49) By meeting Kim Dan there, (chapter 49) he tried to sow seeds of doubt and even discord between the couple. It was to give the impression, they were working together. But the champion didn’t fall for it. The reason is that his fated partner was able to heal his injured shoulder. As a hypocrite and arrogant fighter, he utilized his small talk to threaten Joo Jaekyung. (chapter 49) As you can see, these “villains” were targeting both main characters mirroring another signification.

with no fixed direction or target Quoted from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/shotgun

We could include the encounter between the two teams in the locker room as another illustration, for Oh Daehyun, Potato or Park Namwook were forced to become involved. (chapter 49) Interesting is that “shotgun” can also refer to a flat.

having all the rooms opening one into the next in a line from front to back Quoted from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/shotgun

This made me think of the doctor’s humble home immediately. (chapter 10) (chapter 10) And what was the couple’s reaction during that night? While Kim Dan wept, as he was longing for his grandma (chapter 10), exposing his abandonment issues, the other looked down first on the physical therapist (chapter 10) before he had a change of heart. Kim Dan’s plea had moved his heart. (chapter 10) The problem is that the doctor couldn’t remember this scene due to his drunkenness. This scene leads us to another meaning of Shotgun.

Shotgunning a beer is the action of drinking an alcoholic beverage quickly by adding an additional hole to the bottom of the can. One can only say they have “shotgunned” once they have performed the griddy after. Quoted from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Shotgun%20%28Beer%29

This definition is not included in the Collins dictionary yet, as it is still under observation. Interesting is that ” shotgun” is not just connected to alcohol, but also to other drugs.

Doing a shotgun: a drug use practice and its relationship to sexual behaviors and infection risk There has been a rise in the frequency with which inhalational routes such as smoking are used for illicit drug use. A growing population of new inhalational drug users augments the pool of individuals at risk for transition to injection drug use. […] Shotguns may be seen as a form of drug use which has close ties to sexual behaviors, and which has both pragmatic and interpersonal motivations, combining in a single phenomenon the potential direct and indirect risk of disease transmission by sexual, blood borne and respiratory routes. Quoted from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10369443/

Interesting is that smoking was introduced with Choi Heesung who went to rooftop in order to smoke. It was, as if he desired to keep his image clean. (chapter 31) And this leads me to the following theory that Baek Junmin’s sin towards Joo Jaekyung was linked to drugs. Don’t forget that Mr. Choi is himself symbolizing “drug” due this image: (chapter 48) And both are working together. My hypothesis is that Baek Junmin was involved in drugging the athlete. The sportsman admitted that The Shotgun had schemed against him. (chapter 49) This would explain why Joo Jaekyung would never join the team’s dinner and why he reacted that way, when he drank a glass of soju: (chapter 43) He could recognize the alcohol, a sign that he must have tasted it before. His threat and anger were masking his fears. For me, he had a terrible experience with alcohol. And this brings me to the last signification of “Shotgun”: SEX! This was already brought up with the quote above, but I am quite sure that people have already heard the expression “Shotgun wedding”. Then I also found this description “Shotgun Sex”:

“right before you are about to blow your load you cock your dick along with a cocking noise and spooge all over the face.” Quoted from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=The%20Shotgun

the penis used to go boom pow in a girls face;aka cumm shot in the face. Quoted from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shotgun%20sex

And this corresponds to the champion’s action in the penthouse (chapter 6), when Kim Dan had accepted the deal from the main lead. The erected phallus looks like a weapon and Kim Dan also made the connection, when he saw his huge anaconda with the sex toy: (Chapter 12) The idiom “shotgun sex” suggests a situation where sexual intercourse occurs hastily and impulsively. It has nothing to do with love and warmth. It is something done quickly or without much forethought, which corresponds to the scene in chapter 6. (chapter 6) And what do we see here? Submission!

1. 3. The Shotgun’s possible past with the Emperor

That’s how I came to the following conclusion: Baek Junmin is involved in the champion’s sexual assault in the past. And it has something to do with drugs. I am even suspecting gambling debts, and someone used the athlete’s generosity. Imagine that by combining these elements, I came to reinforce my follower @noteadrinker’s hypothesis. The latter even thought of a gangrape, and associated it with the loan shark’s scene. (chapter 17) Don’t forget that during that night, the soju was present as well. (chapter 17) Because of his nickname and the reflections from episode 10 and 17, I deduce that Baek Junmin was present, but he didn’t help the athlete. He turned a blind eye to the situation. (chapter 49) In other words, he didn’t behave like a hero contrary to Joo Jaekyung. I can’t help myself thinking of this scene: (chapter 11) Though Joo Jaekyung despised the doctor and called him pathetic, he still accepted his request. But let’s return our attention to The Shotgun. Moreover, the fact that he employed the expression “kid” insinuates that Baek Junmin is older than the athlete. So he could have the same age than Kim Dan. I feel like the physical therapist is slowly taking over Baek Junmin’s place. He is on the verge to shine like a star. With the theory of a gangrape or rape (phallus as a weapon), we would have the explanation why the criminal insulted the athlete with “A little bitch ass punk”. He was describing him as a poser and “douchebag”, whereas in verity, he is the coward. Hence he resorts to tricks to achieve his goal. And now, you comprehend why the champion felt the need to clean his hair after meeting the fake star. (chapter 49) He usually takes a shower in the morning, however this scene took place in the evening. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible as well why Joo Jaekyung couldn’t remember the criminal (chapter 49). It is related to a painful but short experience which scarred the athlete’s heart and soul.

No wonder why he was paralyzed after their short meeting. (chapter 49) It is because the latter had repressed his traumatic past. The other reason he didn’t remember him is that the latter had betrayed him. He was not worthy of being remembered and being noticed. Would you remember a poser and coward? No, not really. In my opinion, Baek Junmin stands for immaturity, betrayal, irresponsibility and false manhood.

Finally, we would have an explanation why the champion couldn’t identify the crime in the doctor’s house properly (chapter 18) and why both have no notion of “rape”. Joo Jaekyung must have been told that he was “responsible” for his misery, just like in this scene: “You did this”. (chapter 6) He brought him upon himself. He shouldn’t have drunk or taken drugs, he shouldn’t have been weak, he shouldn’t have been there that night… I see his statement there as an evidence for manipulations (chapter 18) If they are criminals, then the authorities should be informed, because the latter need to stop them, to make things worse for them. It was, as if he was advocating loansharking, though it is illegal. One might argue about this theory, for I deduced it simply from the name The Shotgun and its different reflections. However, Mingwa left us two other clues for this hypothesis.

2. The Jinx: the hidden line

The first one is the absence of sex. Many readers were caught by surprise. They wondered why Mingwa didn’t create any sex scene and how the couple treated each other during the sex session before the match. The answer is simple. The jinx of Joo Jaekyung had changed. It didn’t truly matter, if he had good sex or not with his physical therapist. 😮 And the evidence is this image: (chapter 49) He never loses! He sounded so confident and sure. His words contrast to his confession in his bedroom: (chapter 02) Never contradicts the idiom “I need”. He feels no need to have good sex in order to boost his ego. But how did this happen?

The reason is simple. By triggering the champion’s memories, Baek Junmin didn’t realize that he committed a huge mistake. He pushed Joo Jaekyung to meditate. The latter was silent in the car and looked through the window. (chapter 49) Secondly, once home, he went to the bathroom and the latter is the place for insight and reflection, like I explained it in the essay The duck and the dragon in the bathroom. One might argue that reflection in the bathroom is strongly intertwined with the mirror, like in this scene: (chapter 20) But contrary to the physical therapist, the champion had never denied the existence of his body. He didn’t need to look at his reflection to see any change. The pondering was triggered by The Shotgun’s words. Baek Junmin saw the protagonist in a different light: weak and pitiful. (chapter 49) In English, the MMA boxer portrayed Joo Jaekyung as a crybaby, while in the Spanish version (“Dabas much pena, miserable de mierda”) the translator referred with pena to shame, pity, sorrow and hurt. Through his words, the champion was forced to recall his past and how he was younger. He had to visualize himself, when he was a teenager. That’s the reason why in the bathroom, the champion was pondering under the shower, lost in his thoughts (chapter 49) and not looking at his own reflection. Here we were witnessing the birth of the champion’s third eye. In addition, this scene corresponds to the one in episode 3: (chapter 3) As you can see, the moment you connect these two scenes, it becomes clear that there was no sex. In episode 3, the doctor was fetched and had to have sex, while in episode 49, the PT waited for a signal from his boss, but it never came. Furthermore, the bathroom is the only place where the athlete doesn’t bring his cellphone! And the latter represents a huge hindrance to his meditation, like Jin-philes could observe it in chapter 35: (chapter 35) But there is more to it. The departure from the restroom corresponds to the doctor’s realization at the hospital.

Chapter 47	Chapter 49

In the bathroom, the doctor spent the whole night crying, recalling the conversation from the oncologist. We have the same colors in his memories than in the altercation between the two fighters. Gradually, Kim Dan came to accept the truth: his grandmother couldn’t keep her promise, as she would never recover from her illness. He went on his knees, too devastated by the terrible news. However, he didn’t question the doctor’s action and behavior. Nonetheless, he was able to move on. He was forced to mature and become more independent.	Here, the fighter must have spent a lot of time under the shower too. Nonetheless, he didn’t get devastated like his soulmate, for the simple reason that Baek Junmin had mocked him and even challenged him. This had triggered his anger.

The restroom symbolizes more than reflection, it stands for privacy, purification, transformation, transition, vulnerability and intimacy. There, he could cry internally (chapter 49) without getting disturbed. But don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that the athlete was weeping. What I meant is that he was admitting the existence of his pain and suffering. This represents an important step to treat his own body with kindness. (chapter 43) He used his hand to protect his gaze, a sign of vulnerability. His shower in episode 49 is full of symbolism. He is cleansing himself, moving on from the past. Hence I deduce that this scene (chapter 49) corresponds to the doctor’s baptism in the swimming pool. (chapter 28) Because of this special day and night, Kim Dan came to accept sex and sensuality in his life. (chapter 29) (chapter 36) As you can see, all the scenes reflecting the bathroom scene in episode 49 contain SEX. Hence I see it as another evidence that the sex during that night had a different meaning: it was more a habit than a real need. And don’t forget that in the States, he had already complained about the timing. (chapter 39) He didn’t feel like “fucking” and it must have been the same during that night before the match. And if he had been sexually assaulted, anyone would comprehend why he didn’t feel any desire. Under this new light, Manhwaworms can understand why the title is “Embracing change”. The star is gradually dropping his old belief. He is one step closer to realize that he is not jinxed, he is strong enough to win the next fight. My avid readers should keep in their mind that when the couple argued on his birthday (chapter 45), he never brought up the jinx, a sign that he was already forgetting his old principles. This match represents a turning point in the athlete’s life, for from that moment on, he will perceive fighting differently. He is no longer pushed to take any challenge, for deep down, he felt that he was still weak and vulnerable. He was still trapped in the past.

On the other hand, Kim Dan must have been waiting for a signal from him. However, nothing happened. Hence the next morning, the physical therapist chose to take precautions! That’s why he brought the cream. (chapter 49) which was used for the sex session at the gym. (chapter 24) Moreover, he even took an ointment in case his anus would tear, for they didn’t have sex for a long time. (chapter 49) While searching for a treatment for skin irritation due to pepper spray, I discovered lidocaine topical.

Lidocaine topical (for use on the skin) is used to reduce pain or discomfort caused by skin irritations such as sunburn, insect bites, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and minor cuts, scratches, or burns. Lidocaine topical is also used to treat rectal discomfort caused by hemorrhoids. Quoted from https://www.drugs.com/mtm/lidocaine-topical.html

Hence I am suspecting that the doctor took topicals in case. Imagine that they didn’t have sex for quite some time. So what pushed the champion to overcome the shock and his suffering? It is because Baek Junmin’s words helped him to canalize his anger and rage at the right person, the one responsible for his wounds! (chapter 49) But Baek Junmin was not alone in this. Due to his traumatic past, Joo Jaekyung came to resent and mistrust humans, for he never got the chance to get justice from his tormentors. That’s the reason why he rejected social norms. As time passed on, he repressed the incident and buried the identity of the persons responsible for his wounds, whereas his pain couldn’t vanish. Hence he was still boiling inside and his anger was directed at anyone. It would come to the surface at the slightest provocation or rejection. That’s why he was still trapped in the past. He had the impression, he could get assaulted at any time. Therefore he needed to prove his strength. And this brings me back to the whispered confession: (chapter 49) Baek Junmin forced the star to recall the past and face his deepest anxieties. I see another evidence in this panel that The Shotgun must have faced a crime. How so? It is because pity has for synonyms “catastrophe, crime and sin”. But it doesn’t end here. The Shotgun’s description made me think of this scene: (chapter 37) When the athlete saw the doctor’s reaction, the latter was looking away, (chapter 37) the VIP client got so angry that he sent Kim Dan away. And now, take a closer look to this image. (chapter 49) The characters are placed in the same position. The comparison between these two scenes reinforces my hypothesis that Baek Junmin mocked Joo Jaekyung, resented him and refused to help the younger fighter back then, as Kim Dan was looking away. On the other hand, by using the expression “baby” in English, Jinx-philes could sense parallels with the fight with Randy Booker. (chapter 14) Interesting is that this image represented a distorted memory from the main lead, and it happened again after meeting his old “acquaintance”. (chapter 49) This is the sign that Joo Jaekyung repressed a terrible incident, and the expressions “baby” and “pitiful” triggered his fears and repressed memories. And by confronting him with his past, The Shotgun shot himself in the foot! 😉 The reason is that Joo Jaekyung is now drawing a line under the past, which was reflected in the red poster.

(Chapter 47) The names are in the middle indicating that they won’t be able to switch places. The line represents the boundary which the fighters can not cross. In addition, the color was already implying anger, but also energy and action.. In my previous analysis about the poster Color Clash: Decoding MMA Posters, I elaborated that the red in the eyes was the doctor’s reflection. He is facing them, but he is caught in the middle. So while Baek Junmin saw in him a tool to wound the athlete, the protagonist is not seeing Kim Dan, but The Shotgun, for Kim Dan is the mirror beyond the clouds. He exposes the monsters. This means that in the long term, they will be able to expose the schemers and cheaters. Furthermore I have another reason to believe that his past relationship with the Shotgun will affect his with Kim Dan. It is because Joo Jaekyung remembers The Shotgun’s nature, he is a cheater and traitor. (chapter 49) Anyone can see the doctor’s shock and fear. (chapter 49) On the other side, this match has another signification for The Shotgun. How so? It is because he needs to win. He claimed that he would take away his belt. He believes that since Choi Gilseok paid a lot of money, he bet on his victory. Besides, the director of the gym even got humiliated himself. However, he is deluding himself, for he was just a tool to ruin the Emperor. A shotgun is an firearm and as such it is dispensable. Furthermore, this panel displays Junmin’s jealousy towards the celebrity. (chapter 49) Joo Jaekyung has been in the spotlight for a long time (chapter 49), whereas The Shotgun was relegated to fight in the shadow! He was fighting in the underground fighting ring, but since it was illegal, he couldn’t become famous and rich. He couldn’t be exposed to the spotlight. This shows that deep down, Baek Junmin was also trapped in the past. He came to resent the protagonist, for the latter had been able to rise the ranks. That’s why he couldn’t forget him contrary to the celebrity. The latter was not only successful professionally, but also admired as a hero. It looked like he had been able to move on from the past, whereas for The Shotgun, it was the exact opposite. He became more and more involved in crimes. Don’t forget that he is helping the director from the King of MMA gym to launder money. Thus I deduce that Baek Junmin is underestimating his opponent. (chapter 49) First, he has this image of the young main lead from the past. In his eyes, he is still a little crybaby. Secondly, don’t forget that all the games from The Shotgun were rigged, so in his mind, the star must have been doing the same. He views himself as a Shotgun, in verity he is just a pepper spray, a big mouth which can lead to irritations and tears, but the wound is rather superficial. It can not cause real damages. On the other hand, the pepper spray is harmless, as long as the other can not talk. Consequently, I am expecting The Shotgun’s defeat. He won’t get scot free from this match. One reason for this positive outcome is that Joo Jaekyung has been able to free himself from that darkness. He is slowly able to see the light. Furthermore, since my hypothesis is that Kim Dan utilized a pepper spray in the locker room, I couldn’t help myself of viewing this as a talisman. Surprised, right? First, there was no witness of the incident except the members from Team Black. Hence the doctor can avoid troubles with the authorities. But there exists another reason.

Also known as OC (from Oleoresin capsicum), pepper spray produces significant eye irritation with watering, pain and temporary blindness. It is used as a crowd control agent and for personal defence. The active ingredient in pepper spray is capsaicin, which is a chemical derived from plants in the Capsicum genus, including chillies. Quoted from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/capsicum-oleoresin

As you can see, this weapon is derived from red peppers. Interesting is that in Italy, red chilly is considered as a luck charm.

Very similar to the evil eye, the good luck charm that is believed to protect its bearer from the envy and harmful intent of others, is the red chili pepper. In Italy, this traditional charm is thought to prevent the hurtful gossip of envious tongues, while also attracting good fortune to its owners. It is a belief that originated in Naples but which soon spread throughout the rest of Italy and, in time, became widely known to most Western cultures. Although the reasoning behind this charm and its protective qualities is quite obvious ―namely, that chili peppers are so hot they can prevent tongues from wagging― there is also a perplexing acronym associated with this object, the acronym RRR. For the especially inquisitive, this acronym can be broken down into its respective parts: the first R stands for the word Rosso (red), the second R for Rotto (broken) and the final R for Regalato (gift). The explanation is, therefore, that red chili peppers offer someone the gift of breaking or, rather, stopping the bad words of others who might wish to speak ill of them. Quoted from https://www.fenalie.gr/en/chili-pepper-story-symbolism-qualities/

Hence I believe that this terrible incident will remain a secret within Potato, Joo Jaekyung, Park Namwook, Jeong Yosep. As for Joo Jaekyung, the afflicted pain in the ankle can only increase the rage and resent towards the scheming, but blinded Baek Junmin. This can only reinforce Joo Jaekyung’s determination to defeat The Shotgun. The latter should realize very quickly that he is not a firearm, but a human too. He is not made of metal, but of flesh and blood. So he could cry tears of blood or even get injured. The athlete won’t show any mercy. The Shotgun is not capable to adapt himself to new circumstances. He is no all-rounder, for he adapts his tactics based on the intel. With no insight, it was, as if he had become a blind man. He lacks strategies and experiences, for he is a new comer and a cheater. This explicates why the fight ended up in a tie, (chapter 51) they had never planned to turn the new comer into a champion, people would have questioned the outcome. The real intention was to tarnish the champion’s reputation, to isolate him, to make him lose his stans. And they almost achieved it. Baek Junmin never realized his true position. He was just a middle-man, a hit-man that they would discard right after his “victory”. Hence he is no longer in the media, because his name is now linked with the incident with the switched spray.

Jinx: Powerful Hidden 🦪Gemstones 💎- part 2 (second version)

March 1, 2024March 2, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 2 Comments

Please support the authors by reading the Manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the Manhwa: Jinx. But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, in the first part ”Powerful Hidden Gemstones – part 1” and the previous essay about Jinx “Color Clash: Decoding MMA Posters”

It would be great if you could make some donations / sponsoring: Ko-fi.com/bebebisous33 That way, you can support me with “coffee” so that I have the energy to keep examining manhwas. Besides, I need to cover up the expenses for this blog.

In this part, I will examine Hwang Yoon-Gu and Choi Heesung’s gemstones and their role in Jinx. Since Potato was born in August, I deduced that Choi Heesung’s birth month must be April. https://www.gemsociety.org/article/birthstone-chart/ According to this chart, Potato has different birthstones: Sardonyx, Peridot and Spinel, while Heesung has only one, the expensive diamond. On the other hand, Sapphire and opal were seen as birthstones for April long before the introduction of the traditional birthstone calendar.

Since this time many other gemological societies have established their own calendars, the more modern of which often refer to “alternative” or “secondary” birthstone options for certain months. Some calendars do list diamond as the only birthstone of April but this is largely a consequence of the intense marketing and popularity of this stone over the past century. Two of the four alternative April birthstones, sapphire and opal, were long established for the month of April by many ancient cultures, long before diamond. White topaz and quartz were added more recently, largely due to their physical similarity to diamond, affording eye-clean colour and scintillation (or ‘sparkle’) at much lower cost. Sapphire was recognised by the ancient Roman, Slavic, Hebrew and Arabic calendars as the April birthstone. Quoted from https://londonde.com/blogs/news/april-birthstone-is-diamond-the-only-option

Interesting is that the moment I discovered that Sapphire was connected to April too and divulged it to my follower and friend @rantofalifetime, the latter brought my attention to Saturn and gods again 😮

Yes, Saturn is not just linked to Greek and Roman gods, but also to Hinduism. As you can see, thanks to her, I could connect Heesung to Kim Dan. With this new discovery, I hope, I aroused your curiosity and interest in the gemstones and their hidden powers. But first let’s start with our lovely puppy dog, Yoon-Gu.

1. The Chow Chow’s hidden powers

1. 1. Potato as a lucky charm

Interesting is that the traditional gemstone, Sardonyx, is the oldest of the three gems. Sardonyx is composed of layers of cryptocrystalline quartz, particularly onyx and sard.

The most characteristic feature of sardonyx is its alternating bands of reddish-brown, dark orange sard and white or black onyx, creating a captivating contrast of colors. These bands can vary in intensity and pattern, ranging from subtle stripes to bold, dramatic bands that showcase the stone’s natural beauty.

Throughout history, sardonyx has held significant cultural and symbolic importance across various civilizations. In ancient Rome, sardonyx was highly prized for its durability and smooth texture, making it an ideal material for creating seals and signet rings. The Romans believed that sardonyx possessed protective properties and could ward off evil spirits, making it a popular choice for amulets and talismans.

In ancient Egypt, sardonyx was revered for its association with the goddess Ma’at, the embodiment of truth, justice, and balance. The Egyptians believed that wearing sardonyx jewelry could bring harmony and stability to one’s life, aligning with the principles of Ma’at and promoting a sense of inner peace.

The biblical references to sardonyx are found in the Book of Revelation, where the New Jerusalem is described as having walls adorned with various precious stones, including sardonyx. This symbolism suggests that sardonyx represents purity, righteousness, and divine protection, embodying the spiritual essence of the heavenly city.

Symbolically, sardonyx is associated with courage, strength, and happiness, making it a cherished gemstone for those seeking to overcome challenges and embrace positivity in their lives. It is believed to instill a sense of confidence and resilience, helping individuals navigate through adversity with grace and determination. Furthermore, Sardonyx encourages integrity and good behavior, therefore it helps to improve relationships. How so? It stands for communication.

Sardonyx is believed to be one of the stones in the High Priest’s breastplate, as referred to in the Old Testament, and to represent the strength of spiritual life. Roman soldiers wore sardonyx rings with the image of Mars carved on them for protection in battle. Today, this August birthstone is associated with courage, happiness and clear communication, bringing stability to marriage and partnerships. Quoted from https://www.gia.edu/birthstones/august-birthstones#birthstone_3

In addition to its symbolic meanings, sardonyx is also valued for its metaphysical properties, including its ability to enhance focus, promote self-discipline, and foster a sense of inner harmony. It is often used in meditation practices to ground and center the mind, allowing for clarity of thought and emotional balance.

To conclude, Sardonyx holds profound significance across cultures. Used by ancient Romans for seals and talismans, revered by Egyptians for its association with balance and truth, and mentioned in the Bible as a symbol of purity, sardonyx embodies courage, optimism, clear communication, happiness, and spirituality. As a lucky charm and a source of inner strength, sardonyx continues to inspire and uplift those who wear it, making it a timeless symbol of positivity and resilience.

Funny is that I had connected Potato to a chow-chow, when Mingwa associated him with a dog. (chapter 23) The fur of this animal corresponds to the color of Sardonyx. (chapter 23) We have here the orange shade. Moreover, he is also perceived as a lucky charm by Oh Daehyun and Kim Changmin. In many occasions, we could see that he embodies communication and can improve relationships.

First, when the maknae asked a question to the champion, the latter couldn’t help himself to reply to that innocent question, though he was still staring at his cellphone. (chapter 22) Compare his reaction, when Oh Daehyun was talking about his penthouse (chapter 22). The latter was silenced with a threat. (chapter 22) Then when Potato got rejected by his idol, Kim Dan felt the need to ask the young fighter why he was so upset. Therefore he left the office. (chapter 23) (chapter 23) Imagine that he didn’t show any interest in Joo Jaekyung all this time. If the chow-chow had not been hurt, the doctor would have remained in the office. Furthermore, Potato was paying attention to the couple’s interaction. (chapter 23) A sign that he stands for connection and advice. Interesting is that right after, Joo Jaekyung listened to his sex partner in the treatment room. (chapter 24) Thus he gave a task to the maknae. (chapter 24) And Jinx-philes will certainly recall what the pure fighter did during his task: he called Joo Jaekyung! (chapter 23) Another symbol for communication. He should voice about his desires. As you can see, his presence helped to improve the relationship between Kim Dan and his boss. Then the next morning, Potato also showed curiosity towards the physical therapist: (chapter 25) (chapter 25) Once he heard Kim Dan’s intentions, he offered his help and while practicing, both men came to exchange their thoughts and emotions. (chapter 25) (chapter 25) This explicates why Joo Jaekyung came to propose the sparring to Kim Dan. We could say that Yoon-Gu’s presence gave the doctor’s courage to accept the challenge. (chapter 25) Under this perspective, Manhwalovers can grasp why the main lead chose to dedicate his victory to the young maknae. (chapter 26) One might say that he felt sorry for Potato (chapter 25), yet we could see it in a different light. He felt indebted towards the maknae, because thanks to him, he got the chance to spare with the athlete. If Potato had not made the mistake, the athlete wouldn’t have noticed him! In my eyes, Potato became a source for his strength and courage, as it triggered his protective and nurturing instincts. This became visible during the couch confessions. (chapter 29) Even during this night, Manhwaworms could observe the potato-effect😉. Joo Jaekyung felt the need to ask why Kim Dan had made such a wish. (chapter 29) And now, you comprehend why the relationship between the main couple improved so much between 22 and 29, it is because of the lucky charm, the “Sardonyx chow-chow”! Thanks to his presence, he encouraged the main couple to communicate and to be more curious about each other. He stands for respect, responsibility and connection. Only through conversation, it is possible to get know someone. No wonder why he is so treasured by Team Black. (chapter 23) He embodies the notions of love from Erich Fromm: care, respect, knowledge and responsibility. Here, he was supposed to become responsible for the fighters’ success.

And the moment Choi Heesung entered their life, their dynamic got affected negatively, for the actor embodies different values, like true love, secret, privacy, tricks and insinuations. Let’s not forget that Heesung’s admiration was not truly honest. (chapter 31) He said that he didn’t expect anything from the doctor, but the reality is that he wanted to date him. So he had expectations. He was not direct with the physical therapist, as he initially didn’t know what he truly desired. He was just put under the charm of the angel. So what did he like in the physical therapist? His talent or his personality or his face? (chapter 30) Hence Kim Dan had problems to accept his appreciation as a fact. I don’t think, the artist was aware of the consequences of his behavior. Interesting is that after bumping into Potato (chapter 31), the actor changed his tactic. He stopped offering presents, he became more direct. He proposed to hire him as his private physical therapist. (chapter 31) So he used work to get closer to the physical therapist, which was quite similar to the champion’s approach. Simultaneously, Yoon-Gu was able to detect Heesung’s true intentions. (chapter 31) He was interested in the main lead romantically and sexually. We could say that the maknae pushed the comedian to meditate and to be more honest to himself. I would even say that he has a similar effect on the physical therapist, for the latter started pondering on the champion and himself. (chapter 36) The fact that he took over the youngest member’s task during that evening indicates his influence. The problem is that the Sardonyx was not present, therefore his dark thoughts couldn’t be pushed away. This scene reveals the hidden power of the gemstone. But there’s more to it. Mingwa created the positive reflection from that night in the States: (chapter 37) Yes, Kim Dan stood up to Joo Jaekyung, by stating that they would keep eating. Kim Dan was incited to protect Potato and Oh Daehyun. As their huyng, he should become responsible for them. This scene embodies “courage, strength, happiness but also communication…”, as they were having a happy time together before the star’s interruption. Hence the athlete was so jealous of them, for he had been excluded. Because of his intervention, Yoon-Gu felt indebted towards doc Dan, therefore he was the only one who worried about his friend. (chapter 40) This panel stands for transparency, transmission and lucky charm. Without his intervention, Joo Jaekyung couldn’t have protected his talisman, Kim Dan. Interesting is that right after this question, Joo Jaekyung came to admit that the physical therapist was part of his team. (chapter 40) Once again, Potato helped the main lead to perceive the champion in a positive light. Soon after, he came to accept his feelings for the star. Under this new approach, it becomes comprehensible why after chapter 41, neither Kim Dan nor Joo Jaekyung talked to each other properly. (chapter 41) It is because the maknae was no longer focusing on the physical therapist. He was already under the influence of his lover, the gumiho. In addition, observe that Potato admired the owner of the gym in front of the presents, giving the impression that his affection was related to the presents, whereas it was about a charity project. From my point of view, Kim Dan was misled by this scene. (chapter 41)

From my perspective, it is no coincidence that after that chapter, the young semi-professional was no longer seen. His absence, especially during the birthday party, (chapter 43) coincides with the silence between the two protagonists. There’s no doubt that the actor convinced him that he didn’t need to participate, for he predicted the rejection. In this image, we can see how Heesung’s influence is rubbing off on Potato. He is encouraged to no longer worship the celebrity. (chapter 47) The problem is that the actor has such a biased view about the champion, overlooking his own flaws. But let’s return our attention to the Sardonyx. Don’t forget that according to me, Kim Dan also stands for communication due to his gemstones. This explicates why the chow-chow and the hamster felt a certain closeness to each other. In my eyes, Potato’s power is to reveal Kim Dan’s true personality (communication, truth, tranquility). Doc Dan is brave, and he likes interacting with people. Thanks to the Sardonyx, he could discover the importance of dialogue. The chow-chow’s reappearance corresponds to the doctor’s change of attitude as well, though this time, the physical therapist had a different opinion: (chapter 47) Notice that he never agreed to this statement. The reason is simple. Kim Dan had already come to view the main lead as a great professional. (chapter 40) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the hamster accepted the harsh criticism from his employer in the penthouse. (chapter 45)

Consequently, I see the presence of the chow-chow in chapter 47 as a good omen. How so? It is because (chapter 47) thanks to him, one fighter spoke up and revealed his knowledge about Baek Junmin and the underground fighting ring. (chapter 47) Hence I have the feeling that Potato could play once again a vital role in ruining the next scheme, for he stands for righteousness, truth, harmony and communication. Don’t forget that Choi Gilseok’s meeting with Kim Dan took place in front of Kwak Junbeom, and the latter is just an “unknown” member of Team Black. (chapter 48) He could observe that Kim Dan had been approached by the other director, and not the reverse. Finally, Potato had almost become the doctor’s confident (chapter 25 and chapter 37: .

As you could sense, I left out the most important scene: the discussion between Heesung and Potato. (chapter 35) His presence encouraged the comedian to question himself and his expectations. We could say that thanks to him, Heesung was incited to meditate and not to fall back into his old bad habits. Note that Heesung was actively listening to Potato’s words. (chapter 35) He was opening his mind and heart truly to the Sardonyx. This scene stands in opposition to the conversation at the VIP club, where both seme showed their selfishness, disdain and intolerance towards each other. (chapter 33) Solitude, Unhappiness, Judgement and arrogance versus modesty (chapter 35), happiness, selflessness, empathy and understanding. And now pay attention to the colors in this image: (chapter 35) The shades corresponds to the gemstones onyx (black/white jacket), sard and sardonyx (brown-dark orange), then we have the Peridot (the green bottles of soju) and finally blue (Sapphire)! Under this new approach, my avid readers can sense why these characters were fated to fall for each other during that night. This was the power of the magical hidden gemstones.

1. 2. Heesung’s solace

And now, it is time to focus on the Peridot. The latter, is known for its vibrant green hue reminiscent of lush meadows and summer foliage. Formed from olivine, a mineral found deep within the Earth’s mantle, peridot has long been cherished for its unique beauty and mystical properties.

Throughout the ages, peridot has been associated with various meanings and beliefs. In ancient Egypt, it was called the “gem of the sun” and was believed to protect its wearer from nightmares and evil spirits. Interesting is that the chow-chow had a nightmare after discovering the couple’s secret. (chapter 25) It is because he was acting against his own nature: communication and transparency. That’s the reason why he didn’t shine the next morning. Another interpretation is that Kim Dan as Lapis Lazuli confronted him with the truth. He should admit to himself that he was sexually attracted to the celebrity.

Then the Romans revered peridot as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune, often adorning their jewelry with this radiant gemstone. This coincides with the intervention of the maknae, when the latter played a role in the destruction of the scheme in the States. (chapter 38) He was the one making the connection between the doctor’s sudden illness and the nutrition booster.

Peridot is also representing vitality, growth, and renewal. Its vibrant green color is said to evoke feelings of harmony, balance, and inner peace, making it a popular choice for those seeking to connect with nature and find solace in times of stress or uncertainty.

Beyond its aesthetic appeal, peridot is believed to possess healing properties, promoting physical and emotional well-being. It is thought to cleanse negative energy and promote positive vibrations, fostering a sense of clarity and rejuvenation.

The symbolism of peridot extends across cultures and civilizations. In the Maghreb, it represents fraternity, joy, and luck, often offered as an offering during ceremonies related to the invisible world. In Israel and Christianity, peridot is associated with the spirit of the Divine, glory, power, and authority. It is mentioned in the Bible as one of the twelve stones on Aaron’s breastplate and has been found in ornaments in churches, including Cologne Cathedral.

Alchemists ascribe virtues of refocusing, purification, and protection to peridot, while in Hawaii, it symbolizes the tears of the goddess Pelé. Olivine, from which peridot is derived, is associated with the nourishing and purifying properties of olive oil, adding to the gemstone’s allure and significance.

I am sure that after reading this short description, Jinx-addicts could recognize the direct reference to Peridot in the Manhwa. First, we see Heesung eating a green olive (chapter 33), while stating that he is willing to steal someone, if it is necessary. Yes, we could see it as an allusion to the Peridot, for the gemstone has a nurturing property like the olive. So we could say that during the night under the tent (chapter 35), the artist snatched away the Peridot from Joo Jaekyung, while the members from Team Black saw him just as a Potato! Then note that the athlete offered his services to console the actor, (chapter 35) which made me think of this description “find solace in times of stress and uncertainty“. Potato stands for physical and emotional well-being which corresponds to the fighter’s self-confidence and optimism. (chapter 25) Interesting is that this gemstone is quite fragile and needs to be treated very carefully.

With a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale of harness, peridot is softer than many gems and cannot take hard wear, so it is not recommended for daily use in a ring. This August birthstone can also be damaged by some acids and even by long-term exposure to acidic perspiration. Cleaning peridot is a delicate process. Never use a steam or ultrasonic cleaner, as your peridot birthstone is vulnerable to thermal shock. It is safest to use a s0ft-bristle brush with a mild dish soap in warm water. Peridot should be stored with care to avoid scratching by gems with greater hardness. Quoted fromhttps://www.gia.edu/birthstones/august-birthstones#birthstone_3

This would fit the character’s personality perfectly, as he oozes innocence and purity. Kim Dan desired to protect him, he shouldn’t discover the athlete’s sexual orientation. (chapter 24) Hence I see the green bottles of soju as an allusion to the gemstone. The latter pushed the young maknae to open up his heart and mind to Heesung, but contrary to his soulmate, he has no darkness in his heart. (chapter 35) He taught him that true love stands for selflessness and humbleness. Because he is also connected to truth like Kim Dan, I come to develop the following theory. Potato will work together with the physical therapist and Heesung in order to solve the mystery behind the champion’s jinx!! The artist possesses a part of the verity, for he is aware of the existence of the curse. (chapter 32)

1. 3. The “Great Impostor”

Red spinel has long been confused with Ruby, like for example the centerpiece of Britain’s Imperial Royal Crown. The so-called Black Prince’s Ruby is in fact a large Spinel. Hence this gemstone was called the Great Impostor. Striking is that Red Spinel embodies qualities of hope, resilience, and healing. Believed to aid in the recovery from trauma and illness, spinel serves as a potent symbol of renewal and rejuvenation.

This beautiful stone is known to stimulate all chakras and all meridians in the body. Spinel is said to help in recovery from trauma and illness. It is a re-energizing stone that gives one new hope and inspiration and victory. In The Book of Stones, Robert Simmons says it helps with “thinking outside the box”. One can see how this could inspire us to eliminate negative thinking and get creatively inspired to succeed in whatever endeavor or project they are working on. Spinel is also known to rejuvenate, refresh, reduce fatigue and stress, and detoxify. It is especially good for Type A personalities and workaholics by serving as a balm to calm their energies and central nervous systems. By the same token, these same qualities are excellent to assist those with PTSD, anxiety, depression and stress. Quoted from https://ntrocks.com/blog/august-birthstone-spinel-stone-of-immortality

As a re-energizing stone, spinel infuses its wearer with a sense of new hope and inspiration, empowering them to overcome adversity and emerge victorious. Thus Spinel is called “stone of immortality”. And now take a closer look at this scene: (chapter 26) The red protection gear incited the athlete to see this sparring as a game, it helped him to rejuvenate and rediscover fun. Thus he was smiling. (chapter 26) But it had the same effect on Kim Dan. The latter was forced to overcome his trauma, the physical abuse from that terrible night with the loan shark. (chapter 26) And don’t forget that this challenge was triggered by Potato’s intervention and mistake: (chapter 25)

With its vibrant red hue, red spinel radiates warmth and vitality, awakening the spirit and invigorating the soul. It is thought to stimulate the flow of energy throughout the body, revitalizing the mind, body, and spirit. In times of challenge or struggle, red spinel offers a beacon of hope, reminding its wearer of their inner strength and resilience.

Diamonds are the gemstone most people associate first with love, but perhaps red spinel should be. Spinel gems are said to help set aside egos and become devoted to another person. Like most fiery red stones, spinel is believed to encourage great passion, devotion and longevity. Spinel is associated with the root Chakra, making it effective in increasing physical energy and stamina. It seems spinel also has an effect on mental stamina as it is said to reduce forgetfulness and boost intellectual power. Quoted from https://www.firemountaingems.com/resources/encyclobeadia/gem-notes/gmstnprprtsspnl#:~:text=Spinel%20Metaphysical%20Properties&text=Spinel%20gems%20are%20said%20to,increasing%20physical%20energy%20and%20stamina.

This fits the portrait of Potato whom I associated with the goddess Venus. He symbolizes love and devotion. (chapter 34) Red spinel’s association with the month of August further enhances its significance as a symbol of rebirth and renewal. As the summer months wane and the promise of autumn beckons, red spinel serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of life and the inherent potential for growth and transformation.

Whether worn as a precious adornment or kept as a talisman of hope, red spinel embodies the power of perseverance and the promise of new beginnings. This explicates why Heesung could invite Potato to his home. (chapter 35) He could smile again and move on from his past failure. It encourages its wearer to embrace life’s challenges with courage and determination, knowing that they possess the inner strength to overcome any obstacle and emerge victorious in the end. My avid readers can grasp why red spinel shares some similarities with Sardonyx: courage and strength.

What caught my attention is that the champion’s memory from the Summer Night’s dream was tainted with similar shades: (chapter 45) This is a sign that the champion had liked that night, but exactly like doc Dan in the past, he chose to lie to himself out of fear. How is this related to Potato? Don’t forget that he was not present at the birthday party, but more importantly he was no longer acting as a supportive friend and confident. Because Yoon-Gu’s philosophy is not to intervene and to admire from afar, he is not realizing that he is actually abandoning Kim Dan and even Joo Jaekyung. (chapter 35) As a rather selfish person, Heesung would see no problem in such a passive attitude. It is because Potato is bringing him happiness. But what about the doctor’s suffering? No one is suspecting about the physical therapist’s suffering: the rejection from Joo Jaekyung and the imminent death of his grandma. In verity, this passivity helps him to lie low and keep his relationship with Potato a secret.

This image. (chapter 45) reminded me of Potato’s nightmare. (chapter 25) The latter had been repressing his homosexuality. I see some parallels between the two characters. Joo Jaekyung ‘s sexual orientation was strongly connected to his career. He could have sex with men, as it was his way to chase away bad luck. Thus I come to the following conclusion: the relationship between doc Dan and Joo Jaekyung can only improve, when Potato interacts with them. It will push him to accept his feelings for doc Dan. While the champion was jealous of him in the past (chapter 26), I feel like the chow-chow could become a great source of comfort for Kim Dan and also for the boss of Team Black, just like he did it with Heesung. How so? It is because he stands for courage and strength. Moreover, the moment the owner of Black Team knows about the relationship between Heesung and Potato, he won’t longer feel threatened by them. He needs to discover the existence of friendship. Besides, since Kim Dan sees the maknae as a puppy dog, (chapter 29) and the star knows this, he could ask the youngest member to guard his physical therapist, similar to this scene: (chapter 31) He needs to ensure that the physical therapist is not snatched away by Mr. Choi Gilseok. At the same time, I feel like Kim Dan has a good influence on the chow-chow, for thanks to doc Dan, Potato could receive more recognition from his idol. The star entrusted his Black card to Potato, when he gave him his first task (chapter 24). Then he accepted the request from Doc Dan and announced to Potato that they would be sparring together from now on. (chapter 26). Finally, he was able to go to the States. (chapter 36) It was, as if the doctor’s presence had activated Yoon-Gu’s qualities from the Sardonyx and Red Spinel: lucky charm and communication. Note that in the States, Potato and Oh Daehyun made sure to deliver the incident with the drugged beverage to the coach and manager. (chapter 40) And now it’s time to examine Heesung’s gemstones: Diamond and Sapphire.

2. Saturn and Heesung

2. 1. The cursed diamond

Diamonds, revered for their exquisite beauty and enduring allure, stand as the epitome of elegance and sophistication in the realm of gemstones. Thus they are called King gems. Composed of pure carbon atoms arranged in a crystalline structure, diamonds are renowned for their exceptional hardness, making them the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth. Therefore I consider them as a symbol for strength and resilience. Due to these qualities, diamonds also hold practical significance in various industrial applications, prized for their exceptional hardness and thermal conductivity. From cutting tools and abrasives to high-tech electronics and medical equipment, diamonds play a vital role in a diverse range of industries, showcasing their versatility and enduring value. This description made me think of the actor’s gifts (chapter 31), then the hospital and halmoni: (chapter 30) Because Choi Gilseok is connected to F Pharmaceuticals (chapter 48), I have the feeling that the actor could also be linked to that company or another huge company.

Beyond their remarkable physical properties, diamonds hold profound symbolic significance, often associated with love, purity, and eternal commitment. As timeless symbols of romance and devotion, diamonds have long been cherished as tokens of affection and expressions of enduring love. Their dazzling brilliance and clarity mirror the radiant beauty of true love, capturing the essence of cherished relationships and unforgettable moments. This explicates why Heesung is advocating the notion of soulmate. The latter stands for eternity like diamond. (chapter 33) In this scene, we could see a glimpse of his diamond nature. I don’t think, it was random that in that evening, he drank a martini, as the form of a martini glass is similar to a diamond’s. (chapter 33)

Throughout history, diamonds have been celebrated for their rarity and unmatched brilliance, adorning crowns, jewelry, and ceremonial regalia of royalty and nobility. In ancient civilizations, diamonds were revered not only for their aesthetic beauty but also for their purported mystical and healing properties. Believed to possess the power to ward off negative energy and enhance spiritual well-being, diamonds were often worn as protective talismans and amulets.

A symbol of purity, the Diamond’s pure white light helps to bring our lives into a cohesive whole. It brings love and clarity into partnerships, bonding relationships. Diamond is a sign of commitment and fidelity, and instills trust to relationships and situations. It inspires the forces of accumulation, attracting the manifestation of abundance. Diamond is an energy amplifier. It is a stone that never requires recharging. It will bring strength and endurance to all energies and will enhance the power of other crystals. However, beware, as this means it will increase negative energy as well as positive! Excellent for blocking electromagnetic stress and for protection against cell phone emanations. Diamond imparts fearlessness, invincibility and fortitude. It clears emotional and mental pain, reducing fear and bringing about new beginnings. Stimulates creativity, inventiveness, imagination and ingenuity. It brings clarity of mind and aids enlightenment. Diamond allows the soul light to shine out. It aids spiritual evolution and reminds you of your soul’s aspirations. Quoted from https://www.charmsoflight.com/diamond-healing-properties#:~:text=Diamond

According to this quote and other sources, diamond can increase negative features. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the MMA fighter became so deceptive, possessive, selfish (chapter 33), aggressive (chapter 34) and even menacing, when it came to the actor. (chapter 34) Deep down, the champion could sense the negative effect the King gem had on him. No wonder why he desired to keep his distance from the actor. (chapter 30) At the same time, we shouldn’t forget that the pearl is described as the Queen gem next to King gem. So these titles imply a certain rivalry.

Additionally, we would have an explanation why the actor was cursed in his love life. (chapter 31) No one had been able to perceive his true nature. By meeting the doctor, the actor came to meet the most selfless and gentle creature. (chapter 30) the latter treated him like a human. He could sense that his offer was not motivated by greed or admiration, for he didn’t know him that well. He was just an uncut diamond. And how is the god Saturn alias Kin Dan connected to the diamond Heesung?

It’s because on Saturn, it literally rains diamonds. Yet, contrary to the Earth, diamonds on Saturn are liquified due to the pressure and heat from the planet. In other words, Saturn’s weather creates these precious stones. This discovery made me realize the role of Kim Dan in Heesung’s life. He is the one helping the actor to become a true diamond! The darkness sensed from Potato comes definitely from his environment. I would even add, doc Dan brings light and life enrichment into his life. (Chapter 30) This panel reminded me of a rain of diamonds. Their encounter was magical making him realize how different Kim Dan is from anyone he had ever met. Furthermore, the physical therapist made him feel different, as he pushed him to discover his true nature. Hence I believe that we should see this courting from Heesung in a different light as well. (chapter 31) Though he was not entirely honest to Kim Dan and to himself, his generosity towards the physical therapist was still genuine. In other words, the doctor is responsible for the actor’s change. What caught my attention is that the last gift at the gym were flowers, a sign that he was trying to convey his feelings differently. He was definitely more humble. Under this new aspect, it becomes comprehensible why the actor decided to hide his presence in the penthouse and still to confess his love in the café later. He could perceive the doctor’s innocence. He never saw him as a prostitute. His attachment to Kim Dan was stronger to the point that he chose to help the physical therapist in the end. (chapter 35) However, the rejection from Kim Dan had a negative effect, in the sense that the comedian decided not to help any longer. (chapter 35) His selfishness came back to the surface. As you can see, for me, Saturn lets Heesung’s diamond heart shine. Through him, he could experience what true care and dedication is. Furthermore, he was encouraged to become more proactive. Thus he ended up challenging the athlete directly. (chapter 34) I had portrayed the actor as immature, deceptive and selfish in the past. This explains why after their separation, the comedian reverted to his old habits by badmouthing the champion. He chose to hide his relationship from others. His attempt was to obtain the Chow chow’s affection. But I doubt that the artist came to forget the angel. In fact, I believe that he must have felt gratitude towards doc Dan, because thanks to him, he could meet his soulmate and find a certain happiness! Yes… the famous bumping and the confession under the tent. That’s the reason why I think, Heesung will come to help the doctor, when the latter is facing adversities. He needs to confirm his earlier statement: (chapter 31) Since Potato and Heesung view both doc Dan as an angel, their mission should be to protect their lucky charm. And that’s how next to his soulmate, he will be able to shine as a hero… He would no longer use dirty tricks to achieve his goal. I would say, he would become responsible for Potato and Kim Dan in the end. And this brings me to the second April birthstone: Sapphire.

2. 2. Sapphire and karma

Sapphire, with its rich history and profound symbolism, holds a revered place among gemstones, revered for its celestial beauty and spiritual significance. Throughout the ages, sapphire has been associated with divine qualities and revered as a symbol of heavenly blessings.

In Hindu mythology, the sapphire holds particular significance as it is believed to adorn the head of Shani Dev, the deity associated with the planet Saturn.

As a protector and guardian, Shani Dev is often depicted wearing a sapphire on his head, symbolizing wisdom, truth, and spiritual enlightenment. The sapphire’s association with Shani Dev underscores its role as a guiding light in the journey towards self-discovery and inner peace. I have to admit that I was not familiar with this religion and its legends, @rantofalifetime was the one mentioning it to me.

Born from the union of Lord Surya, the radiant Sun god, and his first wife, Sandhya, Shani Dev’s origins are shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Some versions of the myth suggest that Shani Dev is the son of Lord Surya and Sandhya, while others propose that he is the offspring of Chhaya, Lord Surya’s second wife.

The decision for Lord Surya to take a second wife, Chhaya, arose from Sandhya’s inability to endure his intense radiance. Fearing for her well-being and seeking solace in her own spiritual journey, Sandhya created a shadow of herself, Chhaya, to stand in her place as Lord Surya’s companion. Thus, Chhaya became the mother of Shani Dev, embodying the essence of shadows and secrets amidst the celestial splendor.

Shani Dev’s upbringing under the care of Chhaya was marked by neglect and mistreatment from Lord Surya and his stepfamily. Despite the challenges, Chhaya’s unwavering love and guidance nurtured Shani Dev’s character and resilience, shaping him into the enigmatic deity associated with the planet Saturn.

The relationship between Shani Dev and his father, Lord Surya, was fraught with skepticism and suspicion. Lord Surya’s doubts about Shani Dev’s paternity cast a shadow of uncertainty over their bond, triggering significant events in Hindu mythology. Shani Dev’s piercing gaze, symbolic of his karmic nature and impartial judgment, caused Lord Surya to turn black and lose his radiance, reflecting the intricate interplay of fate and familial dynamics.

Amidst the celestial upheaval, the presence of Sapphire, a celestial embodiment of karmic destiny and cosmic justice, looms large. Sapphire, synonymous with Saturn, embodies the relentless pursuit of truth and the inevitability of consequences. Shani Dev’s association with Sapphire underscores his role as the arbiter of karma, delivering both rewards for virtuous deeds and dispensing justice for transgressions. In other words, Shani Dev should be perceived as “lord of Karma”. And this description reminded me of Kim Dan, who made Choi Gilseok and Heo Manwook lose their money with their dirty and cheap trick. (chapter 46) It was their karma. But it is the same for the famous MMA fighter. The latter threatened the doctor that he could fire him, (chapter 45) and shortly after the physical therapist was offered a new job opportunity. (chapter 48) Thus I deduce that the moment Kim Dan gets the support and protection from Heesung, the former could indeed become the infamous “lord of karma”. So far, Kim Dan has not been even thinking that he could press charges against Kim Miseon. (chapter 48) The reason is that he views himself as powerless. But like I had already announced, Heesung is a trickster himself, therefore he can perceive the deceptive nature of humans. This corrupt doctor could get into trouble because of the actor.

Under this new light, it makes sense why the halmoni suffered, when she was separated from her grandson. She might have struggled financially, but she was happy, when they were together. Her grandson represented her source of happiness. (chapter 48) Kim Dan as Shani Dev was pushing away evil spirits, but at his own expense. Moreover, this signify that the alliance between Heesung and Kim Dan will bring bad luck to the schemers… as Heesung is the sapphire giving power to Kim Dan. Furthermore, the myth of Shani Dev made me realize why there is no “family” and love in the penthouse. Kim Dan needs to receive the support from Potato and Heesung, because their assistance would boost his self-confidence. Since the maknae represents courage and strength, I believe that his influence will rub off on the comedian too. But because Shani Dev symbolizes karmic justice, people came to view him as a god of misfortune.

According to Hindu astrology, an individual is most in danger of bad luck when Saturn is in his or her house, and in the signs before and afterward. So once every 27 to 29 years, a believer can expect a period of bad luck lasting 7.5 years (3 times 2.5 years). Shani Mantra The Shani Mantra is used by Hindu traditional practitioners during the 7.5-year Saade Sati period, to escape the adverse effects of having Saturn in (or near) one’s astrological house. There are several Shani Mantras, but the classic one consists of chanting five epithets of Shani Bhagwan and then bowing to him. Quoted from https://www.theindianpanorama.news/hinduism/shani-dev-the-harbinger-of-bad-luck-and-retribution/

This is no coincidence that the champion became a victim of a scheme shortly after the actor’s visit. Interesting is that his visit was connected to blue too. (chapter 34) The actor’s presence turned Kim Dan into a lord of karma. I could also use this scene as illustration as well. (chapter 31) It was not his right to intervene in the doctor’s business. The protagonist is actually a free-lancer. Hence he should be the one to select his clients. This shows that as long as the athlete doesn’t consider the comedian as a friend and supporter, he will never achieve his goal. He needs to value human relationships and see people as precious gems and not everyone as a rival and source of danger. On the other hand, I would like my avid readers to keep in mind that Joo JAekyung still remained silent, when he discovered that the comedian had tricked him. (chapter 33) Why? We have different possible interpretations. It was either to avoid a scandal, or out of a certain loyalty or maybe he didn’t want to bring trouble to the manager. The latter would have been suspected. Anyway, Joo Jaekyung stands for loyalty. So he embodies similar notions than the diamond: commitment and everlasting relationship (his hyungs).

But let’s return our attention to Sapphire and its other virtues. Beyond its mythological associations, sapphire has long been cherished for its symbolic attributes and healing properties. Revered as a guardian of innocence and a promoter of good health, sapphire is believed to bring gifts of fulfillment, joy, and prosperity to those who wear it. Here, we have an explanation why he was so moved by Potato’s speech: purity and innocence. (chapter 35) In ancient times, travelers would often wear sapphire as a talisman for protection against illness and misfortune, seeking its benevolent energies to guide them on their journeys. The problem is that he was not present in the States, hence there is no ambiguity that if he came to hear about this incident, he would resent the athlete. (chapter 37) On the other hand, this description about Sapphire displays another similarity between the second leads. Both Heesung and Potato are associated with lucky charms and protection.

As a preserver of chastity and a symbol of inner peace, sapphire holds a special place in the hearts of those who seek clarity and spiritual enlightenment which reminded me of Kim Dan’s second gemstone: This would explain why Heesung felt some affinities towards doc Dan. Its serene blue hues evoke feelings of tranquility and serenity, serving as a reminder of the boundless beauty of the heavens above. Yes, through Heesung and Kim Dan, the champion is forced to face his own fears and anxieties, he is pushed to meditate and develop new strategies. (chapter 48) That’s the reason why I am more than ever convinced that the cheap trick played by Choi Gilseok will backfire on them. How so? The champion is not paying attention to Kim Dan, but to the other director. Moreover, keep in mind that Saturn, Shani Dev, is the lord of karma. Finally, we have a blue night… similar to the color of Sapphire

Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Heesung and Potato could share their thoughts and emotions next to the blue table. The latter was encouraging them to clear their mind and heart and to move on. 8chapter 35) Furthermore, the table is the symbol of the quote “sharing is caring”!

Protected: Jinx: Color Clash🟢🟣🔴: Decoding MMA Posters 🧐 (second version)

February 27, 2024March 14, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33

Protected: Jinx: Dawn’s Enigmatic Message – third version📱

February 23, 2024February 23, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33

Jinx: Dawn’s 🌅 Enigmatic Message ☎️ 📞 (second version)

February 21, 2024February 22, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ Leave a comment

Like the illustration is displaying it, my main focus will be on the last part of chapter 47, the phone call and message from the “executive director” of King of MMA. (chapter 47) Now, you are wondering why I decided to dedicate an essay about this scene. It is because the phone call and message raise a lot of questions. Why did the mysterious man call Kim Dan at such an early hour? Notice that it is in the morning, at 5. 15 am. (chapter 47)

1. Evidences for 5:15 am

How can I be so sure that it is in the morning, and not in the evening? Notice that in the Spanish version, the translator wrote “Buenas tardes” for hello giving the impression that it was in the afternoon. The person came to this conclusion because during the night before, Kim Dan looked at his cellphone. The doctor’s meeting with Kim Miseon was in the afternoon. (chapter 47) The Spanish translator thought, the person calling Kim Dan was contacting him, after the doctor had met the oncologist. She imagined that not much time had passed. Yet, I believe, it is in the morning. First, it is important to place the day in the year. Since Joo Jaekyung’s birthday is on June 21st, and the next match is shortly after (chapter 47), I deduce that we are in July. However, the sunset in Seoul during that month is between 8:29 and 8:12 pm, whereas dawn in the same period and place is between 4:44 am and 5:07 am and sunrise between 5:15 and 5:36 am. Jinx-philes can now determine the time thanks to the position of the sun: (chapter 47) It is in the morning. Moreover, the Webtoonist tipped off her avid readers with this panel: (chapter 47) In Korean, it is written MONDAY!! I had already detected a certain pattern. The protagonist would visit his grandmother on Sundays, (chapter 30) as Saturdays are Kim Dan’s days. The morning in chapter 30 took place after the couple had spent their day-off together.

2. Reconstruction of his weekend and its interpretation

Thus I deduce that when the doctor returned home (chapter 47), it was Saturday evening. Then the next day, he went to the hospital in order to get the results. After hearing the terrible news, he lost track of time. Hence he didn’t look at his cellphone contrary to episode 5. (chapter 5) On the other hand, I don’t think, he visited Shin Okja right after meeting Kim Miseon, for his grandma would have known that he had remained by her side the entire night. Nonetheless, her worries were about eating and not about lack of sleep. (chapter 47) Thus I come to the conclusion that he spent the whole night at the hospital like in episode 21: (chapter 21) This explains why the grandmother was not wearing her headgear. She was sleeping. But back then, Kim Dan returned to the penthouse at dawn. (chapter 21) Therefore the grandma didn’t notice that he had stayed by her side for quite some time, for she was asleep. Hence she requested his presence the next morning. Nonetheless, there exists another difference between chapter 47 and 21. In my eyes, Kim Dan entered her room during the night and spent some time in the bathroom. (chapter 47) He didn’t approach the bed the same way: (chapter 21) However, I doubt that he spent just one hour in the restroom covering his tears by running the tap water. (chapter 47) I have the feeling that this scene is a reflection from their first night. (chapter 3) Here, he was also sitting on the floor pondering if he should still accept the deal. And what had happened back then? The protagonist was lost in the moment, he had no notion of time because of his fears and social norms. As a first conclusion, Kim Dan spent a lot of time in the bathroom reliving the moment when he was receiving the bad news. This interpretation displays how much his grandmother’s imminent death devastated him. He had spent the entire night crying: (chapter 47) Therefore he had red eyes. Furthermore, the halmoni’s name is Shin Okja, and Shin can signify “morning, dawn and daybreak”. For me, it is no coincidence. First, it was her moment to shine due to her compassion. (chapter 47). She symbolizes humanity in both senses of the word: empathy and humankind (mortality). Though she is weak physically, she is strong mentally. At the same time, Okja can only treasure this moment, for Kim Dan was by her side, when she woke up. (chapter 47) In my eyes, this scene represents the positive reflection from that nightmare: (chapter 21) As a little boy, he had asked his grandmother to never leave his side, unaware that this meant that he should do the same. He should remain by her side too. Yet, he didn’t do it. (chapter 47) This observation made me realize another aspect. When he heard the diagnosis from Kim Miseon for the first time, he admitted his powerlessness. (chapter 5) In his eyes, he could do nothing for his grandma. But he was wrong, as he could support her by spending time with her. From my point of view, when the halmoni left home for the hospital, deep down, he must have felt abandoned. On the other hand, we shouldn’t forget that he also had other worries and problems to solve: the loan, the hospital bills and finding a job as a PT. Hence I deduce that through his grandmother, he learned the following lesson: he should spend more time with his loved ones, as they can vanish at any moment. He learned how precious time is. This remark made me realize the huge contrast between these two scenes: (chapter 47) He was in the bathroom crying and kept recalling the terrible monologue from the oncologist. He felt lost and trapped in the same moment. It felt like an eternity for him. But when he listened to his grandmother, bathed in the sunlight, it triggered his memory about his childhood with her. (Chapter 47) Not only she had kept her promise, but also through this recollection, he got a notion of time again. We could say, he could feel time again. He sensed her true nature: her mortality. It is important, because of this new realization, he can move on and focus on the future in a long term. That’s the reason why I see this scene as a new leaf for both characters: (chapter 47) Shin Okja is no longer a goddess, a star during the night… but a human facing her mortality. Besides, the doctor focused too much on money, not realizing that goods are irrelevant in front of death. (chapter 41) This explicates why the champion is not attached to clothes and presents.

3. The call at 5:15 am

And now, it is time to return our attention to the phone call in the morning. Why would he call the physical therapist at such an early hour? One might reply that it was an emergency, for the next match is around the corner. Yet, I can refute this point. How so? Note that the caller only let the phone ring 3 times: (chapter 47) Then he left a message. This stands in opposition to Joo Jaekyung’s action in episode 5: (chapter 5) The latter even spent about 23 minutes to reach the protagonist. He started calling at 10: 12 am and the next person he called was the MFC manager at 10:30 am. 12 + 23 times = 25 minutes. It means that for each call, he waited more than one minute before calling again. Another difference is that the athlete phoned him each hour: around 10 am, before around 9.00 am., hence I am assuming that he must have called around 8:00 am. This exposes the champion’s despair and huge desire!! However, he never tried to reach him at 5: 15 am. The director’s action appears as tactless and selfish. Since it was not an emergency, then why would he call the doctor so early? What was the point to act that way, when he left a message right immediately? (chapter 47) One might say that he feared that the doctor would reject his phone call, as he couldn’t recognize the number. On the other hand, I would like to outline that the man didn’t introduce himself properly. He didn’t mention his name at all. He just described his work and position. Compare his message to the one from the journalist: (chapter 35) So what does the divergence display? I would say, the lack of seriousness and integrity from the executive director. Shim Yoon-Seok wished to appear as a serious reporter, though he was intruding in the champion’s private life. Don’t forget that the latter messaged Joo Jaekyung during the night, but he didn’t call him: (chapter 35) He desired to give the impression that he was a hard-working journalist. On the other hand, because he just sent a message, it indicates that the reporter wished to hide, to remain anonymous. In other words, he was hiding his identity behind a name. How so? It is because the champion could not hear his voice at all. Joo Jaekyung can not recognize the journalist contrary to this scene: (chapter 36) This divergence reveals that the executive director has a different approach than the reporter. The former seeks to „get close to Kim Dan“, while the journalist desired to avoid the famous fighter’s wrath. Shim Yoon-Seok anticipated his reaction. Therefore I have the feeling that the mysterious man contacted the physical therapist so early to create the illusion that it was urgent. They needed him. Interesting is that when the champion received the message from Shim Yoon-Seok, he never questioned how the reporter got his contact. (Chapter 35) Besides, I noticed that the text from the journalist was ambiguous, especially for the readers. (Chapter 35) The latter doesn’t claim to be the author of the article. He doesn’t employ the possessive pronoun „my“, then the column doesn’t expose the name of the author. And we have a similar situation with the message. (Chapter 47) No name and as such no identity… Kim Dan could not recognize the man in the street, if he were to meet him. Furthermore, the message could be from someone else, impersonating him… the latter could deny that he ever sent such a message, as it is not his „phone number“. As you can see, I detected a pattern. The schemers are playing with ambiguity which mirrors the doctor’s situation. The MFC security guys had no idea about Kim Dan’s identity: (chapter 40) A fighter, a prostitute, a lover or a physical therapist? Another difference between the two texts (35 and 47) is that (chapter 47) above the anonymous message, Manhwalovers can read the warning about phishing and spasms, while the champion’s cell phone doesn’t show such a message. It could be an indication that the debts from Kim Dan are related to phishing scams.

Fraudulent phone calls and text messages, also known as phishing, in South Korea have caused nearly 1.7 trillion won ($1.3 billion) in damage over the past five years, data showed Tuesday.

According to data received by Rep. Kang Min-kuk of the People Power Party from the Financial Supervisory Service, a total of 227,126 scams were reported from 2018 to 2022, and the expense of reported loss from these scams was some 1.66 trillion won, with the number of such crimes seeing an uptake since 2020. […] More than 60 percent were victimized by scammers claiming they would help them with loans, which accounted for nearly 1 trillion won of the phishing damage. Some 22.8 percent of phone call fraudsters preyed on people by impersonating public institutions, while 17.1 percent of the crimes were carried out over mobile text messages by impersonating the victims’ acquaintances. Quoted from https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230221000590

After this quote, Manhwaworms can grasp that phishing represents a huge problem in South Korea. Therefore I have the feeling that this number could get blocked or even reported as spam. Let’s not forget my previous conclusion. The fact that the mysterious sender didn’t mention his name is exposing his mind-set. He doesn’t want his true identity to be discovered in verity. This would corroborate my theory that the man behind the message is Mr. Choi. In the analysis “Angel(s) Of Death: Shadows versus Serenity”, I had already outlined the similarities between the mysterious phone number (chapter 47) and Mr Choi’s: (chapter 46) And now, imagine the consequences, when Kim Dan or Joo Jaekyung reports the text as spam. Not only he doesn’t prevent the scammer from sending more texts to him, but it does let the authorities know as well that there’s a problem. Carriers might block the sender’s messages. Government bureaus might take action to prevent the scammer from messaging other cellphone users. (Chapter 46) And remember that Mr. Choi used this cellphone to contact his underling, a sign that their relationship was not official and should remain a secret. Hence if the line got cut, then Heo Manwook and Mr. Choi would be forced to meet. As you can imagine, the moment I discovered the connection between „carrier“ and „spam“, I couldn‘t help myself thinking that Mr. Choi might have received the CV from the courier company!! (Chapter 42) Yes, we have here a text on a cellphone too. Therefore I couldn‘t help myself laughing!! Why? It is because I believe that the schemers are thinking that Kim Dan is a member of Team Black, a fighter, and he is Joo Jaekyung‘s protégé. My reasoning is the following: since my hypothesis is that he got the doctor‘s curriculum vitae through the courier enterprise (Chapter 46), I doubt that Kim Dan mentioned that he was working as PT for Joo Jaekyung. This would have raised an eye-brow!! His side gig was supposed to be a secret implying that his official work was to be kept hidden as well. Furthermore, I am assuming that Mr. Choi must have tried to figure out Kim Dan based on his CV. He worked for a short time at the hospital and after he chose to take odd jobs. So he could have had a change of heart, he desired to pursue a different career, like for example becoming a professional MMA fighter. I don‘t think, people would mention such a hobby, as it could give a bad impression. Finally, if my theory is correct, then it signifies that Mr. Choi got tipped off by the hidden person from chapter 42. (chapter 42) Remember my previous interpretation: the anonymous person had discovered a secret, but back then it was difficult to determine the secret. (Chapter 42) First, I thought that they knew that Kim Dan was probably his „sex partner“ as a fan, as he didn‘t object to this statement (chapter 42) But note that Kim Dan had protected the champion’s name and reputation first. Hence my idea is that in the mind of the anonymous observer, Kim Dan might have been left speechless for a different reason. He was described as a parasite, for he was using Joo Jaekyung‘s care and talent to become himself a professional MMA fighter!! In other words, they are mistaking him for Potato. And now, you comprehend why I added the green fox in the illustration: They are trying to snatch away the favorite athlete from Team Black in order to destabilize Joo Jaekyung mentally (chapter 46), as the champion was seen quite caring towards Kim Dan. We could see that fighters at Team Black believes in luck (chapter 23) So they could think, Kim Dan is not questioning the belief too, as he is a fighter. However, in the picture, Kim Dan looked depressed alone. So the picture was exposing his disillusion and Mr. Choi could misinterpret the origins of his disappointment: he was not able to achieve his dream. (Chapter 47) Because he is a member from Team Black, he is not paid well. He is not sponsored by Joo Jaekyung, in fact he needs to pay fee memberships. One might argue about this theory (Kim Dan is confused as a fighter) for the sender addressed the protagonist as Doc Dan. This is the indication of a spy, only members from Team Black know his nickname. Nonetheless, the Spanish version diverges, as he is addressed as Mr. Kim. Hence that could be an error made by the English translator, similar to „Buenas tardes“. On the other hand, let‘s not forget that during the sparring, the main lead’s nickname got a different meaning. (Chapter 26) They could have jumped to the conclusion that Doc Dan was his stage name as a reference to his education and past, unaware that in reality it was indicating his true job. Thanks to @joojaedan, I got access to the original version. He is addressed as Kim Dan, and @joojaedan told me that he got addressed the same way than the fighter and Joo Jaekyung would call him. I have to admit that I let the app Deepl translate the Korean version. This is what I got:

Hello Mr. Kim Dan, I’m the representative of Baek Junmin’s gym “King of MMA”. Please contact me, when you are available.

The official English version is definitely the better translation for two reasons. First, what caught my attention is the title “executive director”. According to my research, executive director is not the same than CEO or “jefe del gimnasio…”. In Spanish, the author of the message is presented as the owner of the gym, but now take a look at this source:

An executive director is the senior operating officer or manager of an organization or corporation, usually at a nonprofit. Their duties are similar to those of a chief executive officer (CEO) of a for-profit company. The executive director is responsible for strategic planning, working with the board of directors (B of D), and operating within a budget. Quoted from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/executive-director.asp

This shows that the author of the message is presenting himself as the right-hand of the fighter. He is not the owner of the gym officially, for he acts as a representative and takes care of the finances and PR!! I would even say, he must be working with a law firm as well. As you can see, thanks to the original and English translation, I discovered a new aspect, the connection between the Entertainment agency and the law firm, which corroborates my previous interpretation: the lawyer and the manager from the agency were working together, covering up for each other. (Chapter 36) Moreover, this signifies that Baek Junmin is presented as the owner of the gym (chapter 47), as he is the face of that gym. In reality, he is just the cover, whereas the true owner is the mysterious sender of the text. (Chapter 47) This signifies that he is acting like Park Manwook (chapter 22). Yet, he is his negative reflection, as Mr. Choi is the real owner, but he hides behind the thug Baek Junmin. On the other hand, Park Manwook views himself as the owner of the gym, for he takes care of contracts and finances, but the one with the final saying is in truth Joo Jaekyung. To conclude, we have a similar situation between the two gyms: the owners are keeping a low profile, they stand in the shadow. However, there exists a difference between them. Joo Jaekyung is allowing his hyung to call himself the owner of the gym out of respect, whereas the other is doing in order to hide his criminal activities. I would even say, he is making sure that Baek Junmin would take the fall in case he would get into trouble.

Moreover, since he asked Kim Dan to call him back, it implies that he wished to be in touch with Kim Dan through his cellphone. In other words, he doesn’t desire to meet Kim Dan personally. I would even add that he wished to be connected to Kim Dan like to Heo Manwook, not through the official line, but a private and secret phone. (chapter 46) As you can see, through this comparison, we can discern the personality and the intentions of the anonymous caller much better. It stands for secrecy and intrusion. At the same time, it exposes that the schemers are not exchanging information between each other which can only need to a failure. Heo Manwook knows that Kim Dan is well paid, whereas Mr. Choi thinks, he is still struggling financially. But why did he call him at 5:15 am then?

One might reply that he needed to call him before the doctor would go to the gym with Joo Jaekyung. (chapter 46) He wanted to ensure that the athlete wouldn’t notice his phone call. He couldn’t reach him around 9:00 or 10:00 am, this would have been noticed by Team Black’s members. On the other hand, he could have called him during the weekend, especially on Saturday evening or on Sunday. The last picture with Kim Dan is portraying him leaving a place alone, in my opinion, it is the hospital. Thus my hypothesis is that Mr. Choi must have known that the main lead would visit his relative on Sunday. On the other hand, since my theory is that he got the CV through the carrier enterprise, it is also possible that Mr. Choi imagines that Kim Dan is still working as a courier, especially if he is assuming that the doctor is planning to become a professional MMA fighter. He has no idea about the truth: it was to offer a present to the star.

Don’t forget that the two protagonists reflect each other. While Joo Jaekyung was misled to think that the hospital leaked information to the journalist (chapter 36) which was definitely not true, I deduce that this must have happened to Kim Dan in reality. A company leaked his information, yet the doctor is unaware of it.

Therefore I assume that Mr Choi called him briefly at 5:15 am, as he knew that his night shift as courier would end around dawn. (chapter 42) He let it ring three times before texting him in order to catch the doctor’s attention, to distinguish himself from the previous calls (for his job). If so, then Mr. Choi must believe that Kim Dan is being “exploited” by the athlete. Hence the doctor would look so unhappy, when he is alone. In other words, the pictures taken in secrecy would expose the hypocrisy of the celebrity towards the main lead. (chapter 46) That’s how Mr. Choi interpreted the images. Nevertheless, it would signify that the executive director is projecting his own thoughts onto the fighter. According to me, Baek Junmin is his “slave”. He needs to bring him the result Mr. Choi desires. (chapter 47)

That’s how I came to the following deduction. In order to perceive the caller’s intention, we need to compare his text to the previous ones. And we have two other messages in Jinx:

In chapter 34, Heesung, Kim Dan and Joo Jaekyung communicated to each other through messages. (Chapter 35) Here, the actor had planned to confess to him, while the other wanted to divulge the true nature of their relationship: (chapter 34) It was pure sex, yet the comedian didn‘t get fooled. Joo Jaekyung had feelings for him. Striking is that during that night, the doctor got fooled and this twice!!: (chapter 34) First, the star knew about the invitation from Choi Heesung. This even caught Kim Dan by surprise. This image exposes that the champion had violated the doctor’s privacy. So how did he know it? We have different possibilities, yet my idea is that he had seen the message!! Thus he replied with a text to Heesung. Besides, observe how he dissuaded the doctor from visiting the actor. (Chapter 34) He should CALL him… a sign that the champion had not called anyone. Since Mingwa is writing like Byeonduck, I have the feeling that the message from Mr. Choi will be discovered by Joo Jaekyung. Remember how his hyungs had warned him (chapter 46), but he had refused to listen to them. (Chapter 46) But the moment the champion is confronted with such a message directly, this would be a wake-up call for Joo Jaekyung, he should treat his members much better, as the existence of his company is in jeopardy. Moreover, I am hoping that such a discovery will push Joo Jaekyung to play a trick on his enemy too, like for example he gives a task to Potato, act as a spy!!

But it is relevant to recall that the executive director initially called Kim Dan before leaving a message on his cellphone. Hence I believe that we should also compare it to the previous phone calls the main leads received in the past. This led me to notice the recurrence of certain notions: sex, emergency, treatment, interruption, spying, secrecy, manipulations, rejection, and finally ignorance.

Chapter 1	Chapter 5	Chapter 11	Chapter 13	Chapter 16/17	Chapter 19/20
Emergency, treatment, manipulation, sex and interruption	Kim Dan saw the calls, but he ignored them. Here, Joo Jaekyung heard that the doctor could have blocked him. Emergency, treatment, secrecy (the reason behind the contract) and rejection	It was another emergency call, for he needed to leave the place within a week. Interesting is that the person didn’t present himself. No name… As you already know, I am suspecting that the doctor got fooled, for I doubt he ever received any compensation for his move. He should have received money. Emergency, rejection, manipulation, interruption and spying (Heo Manwook interrogated the doctor right after)	In this chapter, we have in fact two calls related to a danger. Emergency, treatment, sex, interruption, manipulation and secrecy	Treatment, interruption, sex, secrecy, rejection and manipulation	Sex, interruption, „emergency“, as the champion didn‘t take off his shoes and put down his bag. Then during the intercourse, the doctor was called by the hospital Sex, treatment, interruption, secrecy (hidden in the bathroom) Here, the doctor could not refuse the champion‘s suggestion.

ChaPter 21	Chapter 24	Chapter 32	Chapter 38	Chapter 45
Here, we have sex, interruption, secrecy (grandma‘s existence and illness), rejection and ignorance. Kim Dan didn‘t answer the phone calls right away, as he was sick.	Sex, interruption (food), secrecy, manipulation, ignorance and spying. Potato had tried to listen to their conversation.	Treatment, emergency, interruption (food), ignorance, manipulation and „spying“. Heesung tried to discern the nature of their relationship.	Interesting is that here, there was no emergency from the champion‘s part. This time, Kim Dan was the one longing for the athlete. Sex, emergency, ignorance, manipulation, though here the victims of the trick were the two main leads.	This message stands in opposition to all the other messages: honesty, family. But it shares a common point from the text in chapter 34: love confession. Park Namwook and his family view him as a family member. Yet, the star saw it as an intrusion, it happened right after the sex-love session

And now, which notions do we find in the phone call from Mr. Choi? Manipulation, because he is not introducing himself properly. He doesn’t explain how he got his contact. Then we have secrecy, because he is calling so early. Interesting is that the caller gave the impression that it was an emergency by calling at dawn, (Chapter 47) yet his words contradict the notion of crisis and danger. Kim Dan can determine the time. Then we have ignorance, for Kim Dan didn’t notice the ringing and the texting. (Chapter 47) That’s why we have NO interruption. Furthermore, it displays spying, as the contact raises the question how the executive director got his phone number. Funny is that the notion of rejection is present through the notice above the text: (chapter 47) As for treatment, it is related to the grandmother, a sign that the sender is not interested in any treatment. Hence I come to the following deduction: the mysterious sender has the intention of deceiving Kim Dan. In exchange for betraying the champion, the executive director will promise him a career at the gym „Kim of MMA“!! Yet, I don’t think, he has the intention to keep his promise, because Baek Junmin has been used as his tool to get rich. The fame in the underground fighting ring is not only fake, but also dangerous. (Chapter 47) And how should he betray the athlete?

We have different possibilities. Since I linked this scene to the altercation with the goblin and his mysterious room mate, they could ask him not to be his sex partner before the match. Or they could ask him to drug the champion like in the past. According to my previous observations, MR. Choi was left in the dark concerning the failure of the last trick. (Chapter 40) He has no idea that Kim Dan became the victim and got framed later. (Chapter 46) Furthermore, since Heo Manwook was the one who hired this man (chapter 37) indicating that he used another channel than Mr. Choi‘s. Hence I am suspecting that Mr. Choi wasn‘t informed about the corruption of the MFC’s doctors. (Chapter 47) So my idea is that they could ask Kim Dan to injure the athlete during a sparring. First, Mr Choi judged the champion based on his performance. He still won the fight against Dominic Hill, though he was supposed to be injured. So in his eyes, the shoulder injury was exaggerated. Besides, he received a go from the MFC doctors and his match is very soon. Everything is pointing out that the athlete is healthy. Moreover, Alfredo was replaced in the last minute due to an injury. (Chapter 47) The MMA fighter could have been asked to fake an injury, similar to Heesung‘s plot. As for Kim Dan, his task would be to „target his shoulder, his weak point“. Another possibility is to expose his vulnerabilities. One thing is sure: their approach will fail, hence they will propose the deal to Seonho. (Chapter 47) And the latter has a reason to get revenge on the celebrity because the suffered humiliation and beating. (Chapter 46) What caught my attention is that this athlete definitely boosted his situation by advertising that he was the champion’s sparring partner. I doubt that the main lead‘s criticism was unfounded. (Chapter 46), for he had been bragging about his merits. (Chapter 46) By the way, I believe, Seonho was a recent recruit. Therefore he doesn‘t know the champion that well and he is not close to the other fighters. Hence they didn‘t protect him (Chapter 46) like in episode 1 (chapter 1) He had no idea about the roughness during the sparring, though this scene exposes that the champion had toned down the brutality during the sparring. (Chapter 46) (Chapter 25) So Seonho could expose the true identity of the main lead, he is a physical therapist… Hence the schemers would understand why he got blocked or reported as spam. Their retaliation would be to tarnish his reputation as physical therapist.

Besides, I am envisaging that Seonho could be encouraged to trespass and steal the files (chapter 42) On the other hand, since I am predicting a failure of their scheme, they could decide to take revenge on Seonho by sending him to an illegal fighting game, where he could get badly injured. Moreover, the moment they discover how weak the red-haired man is, they could jump to the impression that Seonho deceived them!! (Chapter 46) Don’t forget that the champion is the mirror of truth, while the doctor‘s role is to expose the hideous side from people: the goblin and the green fox! It divulges their true nature: greed, ambition, selfishness, ruthlessness, immorality… That‘s the reason why Mr. Choi made his entrance.

Moreover, because of the files, they could frame the physical therapist as the leak for the article, unaware that the doctor is living with the athlete. And that would force Shim Yoon-Seok to come out of the shadow. At the same time, the doctor‘s past suffering would come to the surface. So far, Joo Jaekyung only met trustworthy doctors, Dr. Lee and Cheolmin. Hence he had no reason to doubt the integrity of doctors. Notice that after the release of the article, they framed the hospital, but not the doctor himself. (Chapter 36) And this is what Kim Dan and the champion will have to learn: the corruption of organizations like the Entertainment company, MFC and hospitals, if their directors are themself dishonest and greedy.

Since my idea is that the champion discovers the message, I am hoping that he can hear and recognize the voice of Mr. Choi so that he can realize that he got betrayed by the Entertainment agency. Interesting is that coach Jeon Yosep was tasked to investigate the matters about the underground fighting ring. (Chapter 46) But he was sitting with the others later. Consequently, I come to the deduction that he failed to discover any lead, or better said, any connection between the bets and Mr. Choi. Why? It is because he is a former champion, and professionals among MMA world must know that he works for the star. (Chapter 47) Joo Jaekyung needs to realize that he can not just rely on his hyungs alone, he needs the assistance from the whole staff: Kim Dan and the other fighters, as they are not known in the MMA world. (Chapter 47) They couldn‘t break into MFC, on the other hand, their position helps them to get insight, to approach the illegal fighting ring. (Chapter 47) To conclude, I am sensing a new undercover mission and a trick from Team Black.

Jinx / Doctor Frost : Harmony’s clash⚡: Prince S 👸 and Emperor 🤴- part 2

February 18, 2024February 18, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 2 Comments

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. I am also using doctor Frost as reference again. This is where you can read the manhwas: Jinx and Doctor Frost. But be aware that the first Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about Jinx “Angels of Death: Shadows versus Serenity (second version)“

1. The prince S and his negative reflection

In the first part, I examined Kim Dan’s mentality more closely. There, I portrayed the physical therapist as someone suffering from Dependent Personality Disorder. Moreover, I underlined that so far, Kim Dan had been raised under the influence of toxic positivity. Therefore he was constantly denying his own pain and struggles. Because of these two characteristics, I came to the following interpretation: the physical therapist was raised like a princess, and by meeting Joo Jaekyung, he got confronted with reality. Hence the argument with his fated partner incited him to change his mind-set. First, he was pushed to acknowledge the existence of his broken heart. Then from that moment on, he would no longer rely on the champion. (chapter 46) On the other hand, chapter 47 exposes that the doctor didn’t lose his interest and attention towards his boss. (chapter 47) This exposes that Kim Dan didn’t choose resent or indifference towards Joo Jaekyung despite the inflicted pain. On the other hand, why did I write that the celebrity is Kim Dan’s reflection? Why is the athlete the doctor’s mirror of truth? It is because Joo Jaekyung embodies his negative reflection: independency and toxic negativity. But what is the latter exactly?

Interesting is that I connected the physical therapist to Dependent Personality Disorder thanks to the case of “Tears of Princess Pyeonggang” from the Manhwa Doctor Frost. When the patient Sihyun met Doctor Frost, the latter explained to her why her last relationship was doomed to failure. How so? (chapter 31) It is because when the psychologist met the patient with her boyfriend for the first time, he paid attention to his micro-expressions, and more particularly to his mouth. He saw his smirk. Here, I feel the need to give an explanation how these micro-expressions were discovered. (chapter 30) As my avid readers can detect, the expression from the boyfriend’s mouth displeased the white-haired psychologist. He could recognize his emotion, though such facial expressions are very short-lived.(chapter 30) So what was the “jerk” feeling, when he was conversing with Sihyun? Cynicism. (chapter 31) And the reason why he stated that as soon as cynicism or scorn was present in a relationship, the couple would end up breaking up is because of John Gottham’s observations and conclusions. (chapter 31) And now, you are wondering how this is related to Joo Jaekyung. It is because the famous sportsman is full of cynicism (chapter 45) We could sense it in different scenes, though I would say that his cynicism was slowly vanishing: (chapter 3) (chapter 40) This is the so-called toxic negativity. Therefore it was to expect that the champion would reject the doctor’s present. He could only doubt the sincerity behind his gesture. How so? Remember how the team desired to celebrate his birthday: a surprise party. They bought a cake… (chapter 43) but what happened afterwards? Yosep spoke in the name of the gym’s owner: the latter would pay for the dinner (beef restaurant) (chapter 43) So technically, they offered a cheap cake and got in exchange a super expensive dinner. One might say that this was just a joke. But cynical people are taking things very seriously. This is what the champion learned from this experience, the cake in exchange for a super expensive meal … and now imagine that the next morning, he received an „expensive“ present from Kim Dan which was similar to the gifts from fans (exchange of favors). It is normal that he doubted the genuineness from his doctor, not only because of his past experiences, but also because of the parties before. But there exists another reason why he had to refuse the gift: Cynicism… the end of relationship. Thus dating for the athlete was impossible. (chapter 45) He is not ready yet. But was it Cynicism exactly and how does it represent a hindrance for a healthy relationship?

2. The cynic dog-wolf

First, I would like to present the philosophy of Cynicism in order to outline certain positive aspects of such a mind-set. The latter, originating in ancient Greece, is often associated with the notion of living a life of simplicity, virtue, and independence. The term “Cynic” comes from the Greek words “kynikos,” meaning “dog-like,” and “kyôn,” meaning “dog.” While the origins of this name are not entirely clear, there are two popular beliefs regarding its origin:

Firstly, it is believed that the Cynics were called dogs because the first Cynic, Antisthenes, began teaching in the Cynosarges gymnasium in Athens. “Cynosarges” translates to “the place of the white dog,” hence the association with canines. Another possible origin for the term “dog” in Cynicism is attributed to Diogenes of Sinope, one of the most famous Cynic philosophers. Diogenes famously lived in a large ceramic jar (known as a “pithos”) and embraced a lifestyle of extreme simplicity and disregard for social conventions. He would reportedly wander the streets of Athens with a lantern in broad daylight, searching for an honest man.

Cynic ethics revolve around the principles of freedom, parrhesia (frank speech or fearless expression), living according to nature, and rejection of societal norms and conventions. Cynics believed that true happiness and virtue could only be attained by living in accordance with nature and rejecting the desires and comforts of society. They often practiced asceticism, eschewing material possessions and living a life of self-sufficiency.

The Cynics emphasized the importance of living in accordance with one’s true nature, rather than conforming to societal expectations or pursuing external desires. They criticized authorities and traditions, they valued self-reliance, resilience, and inner strength, believing that true freedom could only be achieved by freeing oneself from the constraints of society and material wealth. In addition to their rejection of societal norms and conventions, Cynics also challenged the traditional notion of family and social hierarchies. They believed that attachments to family and social status were sources of unnecessary suffering and constraint on individual freedom.

Cynics advocated for a radical form of individualism, promoting self-sufficiency and independence from familial ties and obligations. They viewed the traditional family structure as a hindrance to living a virtuous and authentic life, arguing that it often led to conflicts of interest, attachment to material possessions, and moral compromise. Instead of relying on familial relationships for support and identity, Cynics encouraged individuals to cultivate relationships based on mutual respect and philosophical kinship. They believed that true friendship and community could only be found among those who shared their commitment to living a life of simplicity, virtue, and freedom from societal constraints.

By rejecting the traditional notion of family, Cynics sought to liberate themselves from the expectations and obligations imposed by social norms and hierarchies. They embraced a lifestyle of radical individualism and self-sufficiency, prioritizing personal autonomy and philosophical integrity above all else.

Central to Cynic philosophy was the concept of parrhesia, or fearless expression of truth. Cynics advocated for speaking openly and honestly, even if it meant challenging social norms or offending others. They believed that by speaking truth to power and living authentically, individuals could cultivate inner freedom and achieve true happiness.

In summary, Cynicism is a philosophical school that advocates for living a simple, virtuous life in accordance with nature, free from societal constraints and material desires. It emphasizes the importance of parrhesia, self-sufficiency, and fearless expression of truth as essential elements of living a truly fulfilling and authentic life.

After reading this short presentation, Jinx-philes can sense some similarities between the athlete and this philosophical movement. First, he rejects norms and conventions. He is behaving like an animal, compared to a wolf. (chapter 7) This approach also gives us an explanation how Joo Jaekyung came to develop such an exhibitionistic sexual behavior: sex in the shower room (chapter 8), in the office, in the car, in front of a mirror, in front of Heesung in the living room… Don’t forget that Diogenes would even masturbate in public.

Additionally, he doesn’t see Team Black as “family”, but as a place to learn toughness and endurance. That’s where he could experience “freedom”. Thus his honesty is brutal. (chapter 46) (chapter 46) Consequently, he never tried to get close to his members either. In fact, he is expecting from the staff to follow his lead. Potato could only get rejected with such a request. (chapter 23) The latter had to act like a true disciple and follow the champion’s recommendation. (chapter 23) The gym is like his sacred temple. Yet, the gym is just a simulacre of “nature”, as it is in the middle of Seoul. Therefore I realized why after their argument, Joo Jaekyung avoided the penthouse and Kim Dan in the end. (chapter 47) It is because deep down, the champion sensed that his flat had become a home. He wanted to ensure that the penthouse was still a workplace or a hotel room. Thus he refused to eat the breakfasts prepared from his PT. In his eyes, these meals must have appeared as a violation of his self-imposed discipline. It was more than self-sufficiency. Under this new light, Jinx-philes can grasp why he rejects presents and prefers donating money. (chapter 41) He is looking for freedom and self-sufficiency, detached from any material need. This explains why the golden keychain from Kim Dan could only offend him. (chapter 45) It symbolized everything he hates: a reminder of wealth, superficiality, attachment, secrecy and silence. It also exposed the huge difference in their mind-set. Kim Dan is not his disciple! He imagined that he had found a kindred spirit, especially after that night: (chapter 39) The reason is simple. The champion had finally found someone who accepted his roughness in bed and could match his stamina.

As you can imagine, Joo Jaekyung is naturally a fake Cynic, for he is not giving up on his comfort. (chapter 10) He is not resigning on designer clothes. (chapter 42) His dress room is the evidence of his hypocrisy. He might have encouraged Kim Dan to have sex in “public places”, yet he is still hiding his sexual orientation. Furthermore, his jinx is the evidence of his dishonesty. (chapter 2) He needs someone to have sex. This stands in opposition to Diogenes’ masturbation. Besides, he had to pay the goblin and Kim Dan in order to have a sex partner. Hence he needs to be confronted with truth as well. Manhwaworms can grasp the rage from the athlete, when he heard the doctor’s justification: (chapter 45) He might advocate autonomy and self-sufficiency, the reality is that he likes luxury. Hence he is unable to live in harmony with nature. This shows that the fighter is in denial and is living in an illusion. Thus he can not find true happiness, for his freedom is not real. He is attached to the gym which is also strongly connected to his career as the Emperor. (chapter 46) With his brutal attitude, he is doing himself a disservice. Exactly like Kim Dan, he is even ruining his career and own reputation. Not only he lost 4 athletes (I am including Seonho), but also his loyal admirers are calling him a thug now: (chapter 47) Even Potato announcing the gradual Coming-Of-Age from his admirer. However, like Dr. Frost mentioned it, humans are social beings. No one can survive on his own. This explicates why Cynics had disciples in the end. And now, you comprehend the role of Kim Dan in Joo Jaekyung’s life. It is to remind him of his true nature. He is a human and not a dog-wolf. Thus the champion recommended his PT to live elsewhere, a sign that he was indeed a human. (chapter 10)

Yet, pure cynicism is not the way to find happiness. We have the perfect example with Diogenes:

He was so devoted to living a Cynic way of life that, upon seeing a child drinking water with his hands, he threw away his cup, stating that a child had beaten him to living a simple life. Quoted from https://www.orionphilosophy.com/stoic-blog/the-philosophy-of-cynicism

He had the impression that it was never enough, and the pure action from the child caught him by surprise. He seems to have been obsessed with his theory.

3. The cynic emperor

However, in the first part, I mentioned Cynicism from a psychological perspective. So now, it is time to examine what Cynicism means for psychologists.

Cynicism is a philosophical and psychological attitude characterized by skepticism and a general distrust of the motives and sincerity of others. Cynics tend to view human behavior as selfish and driven by self-interest, often dismissing conventional social norms and values as hypocritical or insincere.

This worldview is rooted in the belief that people act primarily to fulfill their own desires, without genuine concern for others or higher principles. Cynics may adopt a critical and sarcastic demeanor as a defense mechanism against perceived deception and disingenuousness in the world. Read more here: https://mind.help/topic/cynicism/

In other words, they have no trust in human beings. Hence Cynicism is undermining relationships. They judge people as selfish hypocrites. Therefore they use Cynicism as a way to keep people at a certain distance. (chapter 2) This explicates why the champion was crossing his arms while confronting the goblin. He was on the defensive. That’s how it dawned on me why the celebrity fell in love with Kim Dan at first sight, and why he enjoyed their first night together. The “hamster’s fear” was genuine. His desertion displayed respect towards the celebrity. He was recognizing his strength and power. (chapter 1) Then the micro-expressions from Kim Dan exposed his lie (chapter 3) On the one hand, the champion’s worldview about humans got reinforced, on the other hand the doctor’s deception symbolized his purity. He was a virgin, which was contradicting his “theory” too.

But wait… the title of this essay is Prince S and Emperor and not wolf or dog. Interesting is that the notion of an emperor or ruler could indeed symbolize cynicism, especially in the context of power and authority. Here’s why:

Skepticism and Distrust: Cynicism often involves skepticism and a general distrust of motives and intentions. An emperor or ruler, representing authority, may be associated with a cynical outlook on the motives of others, assuming that actions are driven by self-interest. This explicates why the champion assumed another intention behind the doctor’s present. (chapter 45) He imagined that the doctor had ulterior motives. This explicates why he felt no empathy, when Kim Dan asked for an advance. (chapter 11) He even looked like a ruler abusing his authority. (chapter 11)

Negative Interpretation of Intentions: Cynicism often leads to a negative interpretation of others’ actions. An emperor or ruler, when used symbolically, can represent someone who interprets the actions of others with suspicion, assuming that individuals are motivated primarily by personal gain.

Lack of Idealism: It tends to reject idealism and a positive view of human nature. (chapter 11) Here, the champion thought that Kim Dan had been gambling. An emperor or ruler, especially one characterized by a lack of idealism, may embody the cynical belief that individuals are primarily driven by self-interest and that altruistic motives are rare. Therefore the celebrity rejects the notion of soulmate (chapter 33) or even the idea of friendship (chapter 30) Heesung was not just taking advantage of his reputation, he was also teasing the sportsman. Joo Jaekyung has such a negative perception of humans. (chapter 33) Hence he looks down on poor people. (chapter 10): Gamblers, laziness, no sense of hygiene etc. Consequently, he is not capable to understand the worries from Kim Dan (chapter 42), Park Namwook (chapter 46) and Jeon Yosep. He feels like they are questioning his success. It was, as if they had other motives. He only relies on himself, he is not “truly” listening to others… though it is not correct. He is getting manipulated by his “counselors”. (chapter 36)

Use of Power: An emperor or ruler traditionally holds significant power, and cynicism may be associated with the idea that those in power are inherently self-serving. This aligns with the cynical perspective that individuals act in their own interest, particularly when they hold positions of authority. Thus the protagonist is selfish and abused his position during their first night together: (chapter 2)

On a personal level, cynicism can have several impacts. While it may provide a form of self-protection against exploitation or disappointment, chronic cynicism can also contribute to stress, alienation, chronic pessimism, hopelessness, depression and anxiety. It may inhibit personal relationships and lead to a reduced sense of life satisfaction or happiness. Though the champion is rich and even famous, he is far from being happy, as his negative perception of humans represents a hindrance to his inner freedom and peace of mind. He rejects society, yet he needs people to fight and spare with. And now, you comprehend the origins of his inner passivity and emptiness. (chapter 26) He is standing in front of a dilemma. Fighting is the expression of nature and self-reliance, yet his fights serve as entertainment for MMA lovers. MMA is strongly intertwined with business and money.

That’s the reason why he was condemned to loneliness, until he met the physical therapist. As time passed on, he had the impression that he had found a kindred spirit, his real new disciple. But the present which was bought in secret ruined everything. What Joo Jaekyung failed to realize is that the golden keychain (chapter 45) was showing the doctor’s golden heart. He was just judging his lover based on his past experiences and his negative worldview. And this brings me to list the cause for Cynicism:

Experts researching into what causes cynicism point to the following developmental factors:

Negative past experiences or betrayals

Observing dishonesty or hypocrisy in others

Feeling disconnected or disillusioned with society

Perceiving pervasive corruption or unethical behavior

Exposure to cynicism from influential figures or media

Psychological defense mechanism against vulnerability

Lack of trust-building experiences or positive relationships

Personal feelings of powerlessness or lack of control

Cultivation of critical thinking without balance in perspective Read more here: https://mind.help/topic/cynicism/

Manhwaworms can grasp why the athlete is a control-freak, why he hates to expose his vulnerability (chapter 45) He fears to be taken advantage. There is no ambiguity that his negative mind-set is definitely influenced by his childhood and family. I would even say that he must have been exposed to emotional blackmail. I came to this hypothesis, because I detected that the champion had been using “blackmail” as MO in order to control Kim Dan. (chapter 6)

Emotional blackmail within parent-child relationships can have particularly damaging effects on the child’s emotional development and well-being. Here’s how emotional blackmail may manifest in the context of a parent raising a child:

Threats of abandonment or punishment: A parent may use threats of abandonment, punishment, or withdrawal of love to manipulate their child into compliance. For example, a parent might threaten to stop loving their child or to send them away if they do not behave according to the parent’s expectations. This can instill fear and insecurity in the child, leading them to comply with the parent’s demands out of fear of losing their love or approval.
Guilt-tripping: A parent may use guilt-tripping tactics to make their child feel responsible for the parent’s emotions or actions. For instance, a parent might say things like, “You’re making me so unhappy by not doing what I want,” or “If you really loved me, you would do as I say.” This can create feelings of guilt and shame in the child, causing them to prioritize the parent’s needs and desires over their own.
Victim-blaming: In some cases, parents may engage in victim-blaming by attributing their negative emotions or behavior to their child’s actions. For example, a parent might blame their child for causing them stress, frustration, or disappointment, even when the child is not at fault. This can lead the child to internalize feelings of guilt and self-blame, eroding their self-esteem and sense of worth.
Withholding affection or approval: Parents may withhold affection, attention, or approval as a form of punishment or manipulation. For instance, a parent might give their child the silent treatment or withdraw affection when the child fails to meet their expectations or challenges their authority. This can leave the child feeling unloved, unworthy, and desperate for the parent’s validation and approval.
Emotional manipulation: Emotional blackmail often involves subtle forms of manipulation aimed at undermining the child’s autonomy, self-esteem, and emotional well-being. For example, a parent might use gaslighting techniques to distort the child’s perception of reality or invalidate their feelings and experiences. This can lead the child to doubt themselves and their own emotions, making them more susceptible to the parent’s control and manipulation.

This would explain why Joo Jaekyung fears and even rejects any affection and relationships. This is the lesson he learned through his bad experiences. No attachment and no love is freedom, as love is synonym for vulnerability, That’s why he chose independency, rejection of norms and brutal honesty. He sees relationships as a source of danger and vulnerability. I am quite certain that no one would suspect the emotional abuse from his family. Hence he came to view people as selfish hypocrites. The absence of his “family” for his birthday is the proof of their bad education and “abuse”.

That’s how I realized why Joo Jaekyung chose MMA fighting as career too. It was not just a mere coincidence. (chapter 26)

Cynical depression may be the most common form of the many-faceted disorder.

It’s usually masked by energizing or sedating coping habits.

Sufferers don’t feel depressed; they use adrenaline to raise their mood or illusions to numb it.

The adrenaline mask takes the form of risky behavior, chronic resentment, anger, chronic envy, dogmatic zealotry, or abuse of loved ones. Sufferers don’t look or feel depressed; the adrenaline militates out of depressed mood. It gives a surge of temporary energy and confidence, manifested in facial expressions and body language. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/anger-in-the-age-entitlement/202205/your-partner-may-be-suffering-cynical-depression

The adrenaline from the training and fighting is diverting his attention from his misery. He can mask his depression behind his anger and his fighting. It was to numb his negative thoughts and emotions. Hence he can not “meditate”. But he knows that Kim Dan is fragile, he can not treat him like the others. (chapter 2) He learned through Cheolmin that he could kill him. This shows his good nature in verity. Hence he resorted to such gestures, when his cynical depression resurfaced: (chapter 32) (chapter 36) (chapter 37) (chapter 45) As you can see, little by little, the champion is learning to control his rage and “cynicism”. During the last argument, he didn’t touch the physical therapist at all. He still allows him to stay at his place and he is shown as caring later. (chapter 46) The irony is that Joo Jaekyung is not recognizing his own transformation. The most obvious evidence for his metamorphosis is the absence of his jealousy towards the doctor. (chapter 47) It shows a certain trust. One might argue about this interpretation. This could be seen as indifference. However, I believe that his altercation with Seonho must have been quite an eye-opening for the champion. (chapter 46) It is because Kim Dan had not talked back to Joo Jaekyung during their argument. He had accepted his criticism silently contrary to Seonho. Right now, he has the impression that he still has the upper hand, but he couldn’t be more wrong.

Since the champion has such a long mistrust in people, Jinx-philes can grasp why the champion believes in the power of money. (chapter 26) He has the impression that he can control people, since he is wealthy. Yet, he is not realizing that he can get stabbed because of money as well. We have two perfect examples. Because of the drug incident, the MFC security guys betrayed him, as they protected the organization (chapter 40) Then in episode 47, the emperor got manipulated by his so-called loyal advisors. (chapter 47) First, I would like to outline that neither the manager from the Entertainment agency nor his acolyte brought up the underground fighting ring and Baek Junmin’s dubious success. (chapter 47) With their video, they presented him as an average and reliable fighter. (chapter 47) Observe the divergence between the advisors’ words and the members’ from Team Black. (chapter 47) The latter portrayed Baek Junmin as dangerous, for he would use any mean to win the fight. He doesn’t stand for fairness and responsibility. The champion didn’t get to hear anything about these rumors.

And how can the champion change his cynical view of life? Naturally, through pain… as he needs to be confronted by his fears. Nonetheless, I believe that the halmoni next to Kim Dan has a huge role in his healing as well. Since the latter is so weak and gentle, he doesn’t fear danger from her. (chapter 21) Moreover, the grandmother’s mortality could serve as a reminder for the champion that he is also a human… just like the others he condemns. Besides, she embodies true selflessness and gratitude. Hence she took the champion’s hand to thank him (chapter 22) This is what psychologists recommend to overcome Cynicism:

Practice self-awareness and recognize cynical thoughts and attitudes.

Challenge negative assumptions and beliefs about others’ motives.

Seek support from friends, family, or a therapist to discuss and process emotions.

Engage in activities that foster positive emotions and a sense of well-being.

Cultivate empathy and understanding by considering others’ perspectives.

Focus on building positive and genuine relationships with trustworthy individuals.

Limit exposure to excessively negative media or influences.

Practice gratitude and focus on the positive aspects of life.

Adopt a more balanced and realistic perspective on human behavior.

Set realistic expectations for others while acknowledging imperfections. Read more here: https://mind.help/topic/cynicism/

As you can see, COMPASSION, GRATITUDE, MEDITATION and CONVERSATION play a huge role in changing the mind-set. So far, the couple never shared their fears and own thoughts. They still kept secrets from each other and they didn’t converse a lot. Moreover, the problem was that Kim Dan had acted in secrecy for the gift, which could only reinforce the fighter’s negative disposition. That’s the reason why I believe that Joo Jaekyung needs to learn through a positive experience that not all people are selfish and have ill intentions. He has to discover his own bias through the doctor’s reflection. He needs to receive unconditional love and respect: (chapter 41) He never heard her recognition. In addition, until now, Kim Dan spoke in the name of others or didn’t defend his own point. Team Black’s loyalty would be the evidence that it is dangerous to judge people based on prejudices and past experiences. He needs to reflect on his own actions as well. If the Emperor heard “his members”, he would realize that MFC as an organization is corrupted and is even involved with criminality. He is already sensing something, but he can not identify the problem. (chapter 47) Should Kim Dan divulge Baek Junmin’s connections to the underground fighting ring or simply show him the message, (chapter 47), he would prove his faithfulness and sincerity to the fighter. And the vicious circle would be broken. Though he is broke, he would give up on an opportunity to earn some money easily. To conclude, as long as the champion is still a cynical character, he can not enter a relationship with Kim Dan. For that, he needs to open up his heart and third eye so that he can recognize his partner’s selflessness and honesty. Finally, he will realize that he needs the assistance of others in order to be able to keep his reputation intact (witnesses, supporters). There is no doubt that the Emperor will be badmouthed again.

Jinx: Plotting Shadows: Enigma❓ of a Mysterious Collage🧩

February 9, 2024February 14, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 8 Comments

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa: Jinx. But be aware that this Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous essay about Jinx “Harmony‘s Clash: Prince S and Emperor – part 1

1. The first piece of the puzzling plot

If you read my essays “Agent Blue – part 1 (Second version) and Agent Blue – part 2“, you already know about my theory that Heo Manwook was involved in the drug incident. And this hypothesis got proven correct: (chapter 46) I had even truly perceived his motivations: (chapter 46) He desired to get revenge on the celebrity. But from my point of view, there exist other reasons for his trick. He was seeking validation for his statement: (chapter 17) Such fights are fake. The irony was that his perception got discredited once again. And now, we know why he thought like this. He is involved with the underground sports gamblers. (Chapter 46) His computer screen is indicating that Heo Manwook is gambling himself. (Chapter 46)

However, the loan shark was just the peak of the iceberg, for he is working for someone else: Mr Choi! (chapter 46)

Before examining this new character more closely, I prefer determining their relationship, as my focus is first on the moneylender. The way Heo Manwook saved the contact under Mr Choi indicates a certain respect and distance. He doesn’t call him by his first name. Additionally, though the moneylender calls Mr Choi “Boss” (chapter 46), their work relations are not official. Yes, they are bound to each other by an oral contract and as such by loyalty. And how do I know this? Mingwa left two important clues: Mr Choi is using his wireless telephone, though there is a normal telephone on his desk. (chapter 46) This shows that this call is private and even secret. No one should know about his connection to the thug. From my point of view, Mr. Choi doesn’t want to interact with Heo Manwook too often, as this could expose the true origins of his wealth and fame. He is not a real self-made man, rather a criminal who could climb the social ladders thanks to his cunningness and connections.

Secondly, Jinx-philes should recall how Kim Dan had wired the 14.000 $ to Heo Manwook’s personal account. (chapter 16) And this raises the following question again. (chapter 17) To which account did the champion send the money? Heo Manwook’s or a different one? If this is the second case, this signifies that Heo Manwook has been embezzling money from Mr. Choi through the poor physical therapist. The latter was sending the money to his personal account. (chapter 16) This would explain why Heo Manwook would harass the main lead, though he had paid the interests on time. (chapter 1) Under this new light, it dawned on me why the moneylender interrogated Kim Dan later. (chapter 11) It is because the doctor had paid a huge amount making it impossible for the loan shark to filch it. And now take a closer look at the infuriated thug: he employed the expression “laundering money”! He was projecting his own fears onto Kim Dan. For me, this scene exposes the true nature between Mr. Choi and Heo Manwook. He is laundering money for Mr. Choi. This explicates why their work relations is not official, as they are engaged in illegal activities. Thus their labor relations can not be known to others. On the other hand, if the champion paid the loan to the same account (chapter 16), then Joo Jaekyung has a way to track down the moneylender. 😮 Moreover, remember how I had underlined the importance of business account and personal account. If the loan shark were to get sued, he would be held responsible personally for any damage. He could go himself into debts.😉 And Mr. Choi could act, as if he has nothing to do with him. Since I detected the presence of “respect and distance” with the contact registration, it seems doubtful that the criminal would steal from his “boss”. Yet, we shouldn’t overlook the fact that the moneylender used his “boss” to achieve his own goal: getting revenge on the champion. (chapter 46) He had to convince him to bet on Joo Jaekyung’s defeat. The thug could use the interference of the champion on his side business, as this secret “laundering money” could come to the surface. His actions prove us that his “respect” towards his boss is just superficial. He is prioritizing his own interests. Hence he could have definitely taken advantage of his own position to earn more money through side “hustles”. (chapter 45) Yes, the negative reflection from the physical therapist’s. So should the broker indeed have embezzled money, that would be the end between him and Mr Choi. He would be abandoned. However, since my assumption is that the moneylender is laundering money for Mr. Choi, it signifies that the latter is dependent on him as well. However, he could choose to replace him. We could detect through the years that the thugs were switched. (Chapter 5) (chapter 1) Thus I come to the following conclusion: We are assisting to the gradual disintegration of their secret relationship. I am already envisaging that Heo Manwook could end up not only losing Mr. Choi’s favor, but also getting switched by this man. (Chapter 37) And the starting point of their estrangement is the suggestion made by Heo Manwook which led to the loss of the bet. Mr. Choi trusted his „underground assistant“, hence he wagers a huge amount of money. (Chapter 46) The sum reflects the faith he had in Heo Manwook. Yet, the conversation displays the increasing mistrust between them. Note that the usurer is not taking responsibility for the failure of his scheme: „on their end“. (Chapter 46) It was because of the others. Moreover, observe that the moneylender was looking at his screen, a sign that he is slowly getting addicted to underground sports gambling. (Chapter 46) There’s no doubt that the moneylender will act on his own. (chapter 46) He won’t listen to his boss’ request. Why? First, the thug never got his revenge, but it was his main motivation for his last trick. We could say that it is a matter of pride and money (chapter 46). Secondly, since Mr. Choi is now taking the matter into his own hands, this signifies that the criminal won’t be involved in the next scheme, so he won‘t gain anything. (chapter 46) Consequently, it implies that Mr. Choi won’t inform him… Yet, keep in mind that Heo Manwook is looking at illegal sport bets, and the champion’s next fight is scheduled in two weeks, which the moneylender must definitely know. Therefore I am envisaging a new bet on the athlete from his part. And this brings me to my second piece of the “collage”.

2. The drug incident and its consequences

For that, it is time to return our attention to the last scheme. Mr. Choi had not organized himself the drug incident, he had just been informed about the plot. (chapter 46) That’s the reason why the thug had hired the man himself. This confirms that this man (chapter 37) met the moneylender, but he was not in touch with Mr Choi. Hence the man in black could not reveal the incident in the States to Mr Choi. The latter has no idea what truly happened there: they missed their target and afterwards they involved MFC security guys to cover up the incident by framing the physical therapist.. What only mattered to Mr. Choi was that the champion had not drunk the drugged beverage. And we know for sure that Mr Choi is left in the dark concerning this (chapter 40). How so? It is because Heo Manwook doesn’t explain how the plot failed!! (chapter 46) At no moment, he elaborates that someone else drank the poisoned nutrition shake. Besides, Heo Manwook has no idea about the identity of the drinker. From my point of view, Mr Choi is unaware of the involvement of MFC security guys. Yes… though this chapter was painful for Jinx-philes, it still gave me hope, for the author is showing that the villains are not communicating to each other. They keep information from each other which represents the exact opposite to the argument in the penthouse. (chapter 45) Their reason for not sharing their secrets is simple: they don’t want to expose their vulnerabilities, mistakes and problems. That’s the reason why their plots can only fail in the end. They didn’t possess all the information. Simultaneously, it displays their cowardice, for they are acting in the shadow, behind people’s back.

We have the best evidence of miscommunication with Kim Dan. The latter never interacted with Mr. Choi directly, but he was connected to him through the debts. Moreover, he was not the borrower of the loan (chapter 5), thus I doubt that Mr. Choi is aware of the connection between the physical therapist and Heo Manwook. The curriculum vitae sent to him certainly doesn’t contain any information about Kim Dan’s past financial situation. (chapter 46) Moreover, the CV can be seen as a source of information, just like the photos. As you can see, Mr. Choi gathered insight through others, I would even add through indirect channels. Another common denominator is that this intel is on paper. He is not interacting with the celebrity or the doctor. It is important, because he is judging the situation from the distance. He is put in the same situation than Potato: (chapter 23) Back then, he initially denied the existence of intimacy between them, until he was confronted with reality. (chapter 25) Hence he envied the doctor for his closeness with the celebrity. (chapter 25) Thus from my point of view, Mr. Choi must have come to a different perception than the maknae: (chapter 46) The champion not only must trust the doctor, but also exposes his attachment towards the physical therapist by opening the door and sharing the burden with his fated partner. The fighter is seen gentle and caring. Hence it becomes clear that Mr. Choi is now targeting Kim Dan. His goal will be to separate the couple. I didn’t come to this conclusion just through deductions, but Mingwa also left a clue: the “stalker” took a picture of Kim Dan alone, a sign that the photograph was now following the physical therapist. But if Mr. Choi had showed the picture to Heo Manwook, the latter would have revealed that Kim Dan was “selling his body” for “Team Black”. The documents are the proof of miscommunication, though they are conversing over the phone. This stands in opposition to these short messages from Park Manwook: (chapter 45): sincere congratulations from a family, as he showed his kids to the celebrity. Finally, observe that during the phone conversation, Mr. Choi refused to listen to his minion. (chapter 46)

Furthermore, I would like to outline that when the fake MFC guy brought the poison, he saw Kim Dan wearing an uniform with the tag Team Black. (chapter 37) However, the man with the cap couldn’t determine Kim Dan’s true identity based on his uniform. Who was he exactly? A fighter? Or a coach? He could jump to the false conclusion that it is an uniform for the members of Team Black and not for the physical therapist. The unknown man could only recognize him by his face and hair. That’s how he got denunciated to the MFC security guys (chapter 40) Therefore you comprehend why the “fake” agents for order tried to determine his identity. (chapter 40) But the champion’s response couldn’t give them any satisfaction: (chapter 40) He only declared that he was part of his team. They had no idea who the person actually was. However, Joo Jaekyung didn’t realize that through his action, he was bringing attention to the company “TEAM BLACK”. That’s what the criminal saw on the uniform and the jacket! Thus I come to the following deduction: the hired man will report to Heo Manwook the existence of Team Black and its connection with Joo Jaekyung. (chapter 16) (chapter 16) Thus there’s a high chance that they will try to ruin the champion by tarnishing his company. It is a hidden brothel. Imagine Park Manwook’s reaction, when he gets to hear that his gym is a whorehouse. (Chapter 45) Another possibility is that they decide to target the members from Team Black, especially Potato, and rig his games. (chapter 46) But here is the thing: (chapter 30) Choi Heesung has been promoting the athlete and his company. (chapter 31) That’s how the actor’s reputation would get affected. As you can see, the actor and Mr. Choi share the same family name. So are they related or not?

3. A star against evil versus a overseer of a mountain

Before answering this question, I would like to portray him first, based on the clues Mingwa left in the chapter. Who is this man?

He is definitely a new villain, as he wagered on the champion‘s loss. Interesting is that Mingwa didn’t reveal everything about this character. First, she never showed his eyes! (chapter 46) Don’t forget that eyes are the mirror of the soul. Secondly, the readers can only see his chin and nose, while the top of his head remains in the shadow. For me, the Webtoonist didn’t truly expose Mr Choi’s face. Why? The purpose is to keep his identity a mystery. Some people came to think that this person was the fan at the restaurant, for he was wearing similar clothes (green shirt). (chapter 43) Besides, on his desk, there were photos of the protagonists. But in my eyes, these two persons are totally different. How so? (chapter 46) The form of the hair on the neck diverges: round versus square. Moreover, both men are wearing the cell phone with a different hand: left versus right. But why did the author create such a confusion? It is because she is working with positive and negative reflections. This means that the admiration of the fan at the restaurant was genuine, whereas Mr Choi is just a hypocrite. He had been spying on Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan. (chapter 46) I also don’t think that it’s a coincidence that Mr Choi is left-handed. The association between being left-handed and being considered a jinx or unlucky is rooted in historical superstitions and cultural beliefs. Throughout history, left-handedness has been viewed with suspicion or negativity in various cultures.

He owns a huge company, for his desk is covered with files. Besides, the small red box looks very expensive. First, I thought that it was a cigarette etui, until my friend @m1n_m1n_07 suggested a box for a stamp seal. The latter is the symbol for identity and ownership. Thus I deduced that Mr. Choi is running a business. In my opinion, he is the CEO of the Entertainment agency. Yes, this would fit the description about the „fake admiration“ for Joo Jaekyung. Then this would signify that the entertainment agency would launder money by receiving payments from the moneylender Heo Manwook that are proceeds from illegal activities, such as loan sharking or extortion. The agency might then use its legitimate business activities, such as concert promotions or talent management, to disguise the illicit origins of the funds. That‘s why they needed the athlete as their client! Behind his games, they could mask the illegal activities, thus the lucky streak!!

And remember what the actor said at the club: (chapter 33) He employed the personal pronoun “our” (even in the Korean version), a sign that he was identifying himself with the owner. From my point of view, Mr Choi and Choi Heesung are related, I would even say father and son. I know, when I presented my theory on X, people argued about this, for in South Korea, Choi is a common surname, just like Kim Miseon is not related to Kim Dan. (Chapter 5) Yet, I can refute their objections with the following points. Jinx is about emancipation and maturity, the leads are encouraged to become responsible and mature men. This signifies that they need to cut off ties with their parents and become strong mentally and emotionally.

Moreover, the moment you compare the introduction of the two Chois, you can detect huge contrasts. It indicates that the author is once again working with positive and negative reflections. First, the actor was not introduced as Choi Heesung, but as Heesung. (chapter 29) Note that the comedian is promoting himself with Heesung and not his surname. (chapter 30) It was, as if he didn’t want to be connected to this Mr. Choi. Moreover, contrary to the mysterious director, readers could see his face and identify his “job”: an actor! (chapter 29) Yes, the Webtoonist introduced the actor the opposite way. However, in this scene, Jinx-Philes were intrigued by him, as they had no way to determine his role in the story: antagonist or second lead? His personality was quite mysterious which stands in opposition to Mr. Choi. Readers can already judge him as a bad guy. The latter oozes ruthlessness, greed and dishonesty. His words are represented by the color “dark grey”. (chapter 46)

Dark gray is conventional and constrained. It is serious and solemn, inflexible and strict. It relates to self-denial and self-discipline. Quoted from https://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-gray.html

These notions stand in opposition to the actor. (chapter 31) The latter hates conventions, discipline and even control. (chapter 33) In addition, Grey embodies boredom, neutrality and compromise, while the actor is always trying to “take a side”, to earn people’s admiration. As you can see, through this contrast, it becomes obvious that these two characters are related. The darkness from the relative rubbed off on the actor, for he is able to scheme. Moreover, Mingwa still created some similarities: both faces were first covered. (chapter 29) (chapter 46) And finally, the actor was seen wearing a similar shade on the rooftop: (chapter 33) Green, whose negative features are greed, jealousy and envy. And what had Heesung done during that day? A prank at the champion’s expense. He wanted to have the doctor for himself. Furthermore, we can grasp why Heesung’s manager complained about this: (chapter 31) His words expose the greed and selfishness of the CEO from the agency. They are accountable for Heesung’s actions. In my eyes, this condition was made in order to control Heesung, so that the latter would feel responsible for his manager and other employees. It was to push him to „work“. Under this new approach, it dawned on me why Heesung would sponsor lunches to the members from Team Black, (chapter 30). It was his way to get acceptance and recognition. From my point of view, he occupies a special position at the agency, as if his moves are supervised there. Hence he asked from his manager that the latter would keep the fake injury a secret. (Chapter 33) His laziness was already implied by the champion. (Chapter 31) As you can see, I sense that Heesung had an ambivalent relationship with his „father“. On the one hand, he rejects him due to his cold-heartedness and high expectations, on the other hand, he was still relying on him and his connections through the agency. In my eyes, he will be forced to choose between love or money in the end.

From my point of view, Heesung and his relative are not close, they have an estranged relationship. Finally, I would like my inquisitive readers to recall the way the actor appeared at the club: he was wearing slippers. (chapter 33) My initial theory was that he had been stalked. But he could have left the family house after a huge quarrel. And Mr. Choi is indeed acting like a stalker, though he did not do it himself: the pictures! (chapter 46) On the other hand, these pictures corroborate my previous observation: Joo Jaekyung had been followed during that evening. (chapter 33) This was the “stalker” working on Mr. Choi’s account. So it dawned on me that Heesung might have been living with his father in the huge building (chapter 32), until he chose to move out and live on his own. And now, we have the perfect explanation why his house is so clean and impersonal: (chapter 33) It is because his father probably meddled in his life constantly. I have the impression that he must know about his father’s past and the true origin of their wealth. The fact that he introduces himself as “Heesung” is a sign that he wants to deny his origins, Choi.

Since people questioned my theory about their parentage, I chose to look into the signification of Choi. This is what I found:

It is fabled that the origins of this name were derived from the intermixing of Koreans and Chinese eons ago. Choi also means high, superior, lofty or towering, which might explain why this surname is mostly used as surnames of antagonists in Korean soap operas. https://www.babycentre.co.uk/babyname/1023279/choi

This quote explains why this mysterious man was introduced as Mr. Choi!! He is an antagonist and even villain of our beloved couples, while the actor had to be introduced as Heesung, for his role in Jinx is different. Moreover, since Mr. Choi is portrayed as a man obsessed with money and with no integrity, Manhwalovers can grasp why Heesung was obsessed with his search for a „soulmate“. (Chapter 33) He had been missing love and warmth too because of his family, exactly like the champion. Both came to a similar conclusion: fame served as a replacement. It was to get recognition and „affection“. The problem is that this type of attachment is rather superficial and temporary, as none of their „admirers“ or „fans“ has to become responsible for them. Moreover, their fortune played a huge role to undermine their relationship.

Then I found on a different website this information:

The name Choi is primarily a gender-neutral name of Korean origin that means Overseer Of The Mountain.Korean surname meaning “one who oversees the land and the mountain.” Quoted from https://babynames.com/name/choi#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20meaning%20of,the%20land%20and%20the%20mountain.”

This indicates Mr. Choi’s role in Jinx. He acts like a general or governor, and gives orders to his minions. He has the impression that he owns the world. Hence he can bet on the champion‘s defeat. He is treating people like „pawns”. That‘s the reason why I included a building below Mr Choi in the illustration. The house stands for power and propriety. But Choi has another signification.

The last name Choi is a traditional Korean surname. It stands for the powerful idea of “clear space,” emphasizing its bearer’s open-mindedness and wide scope of understanding. According to Korean legends, the surname originated from the five stars in the East of the sky that the ancient Korean nobility worshipped in order to ward off evil spirits. The popularity of the surname Choi has been steadily increasing since the 1960s as many Koreans have emigrated around the world in search of better opportunities. […] By and large, Choi is a powerful and meaningful surname. It is a reminder to its bearer to stay open-minded, aware, and ever-educating oneself in order to stay sharp and perceptive. Choi stands for optimism, understanding, and clarity; traits which, if embraced, can take any person very far. Quoted from https://www.igenea.com/en/surnames/c/choi

As you can see, this surname is associated with stars and lucky charms. It is important, because it implies the involvement of Mr. Choi with the champion‘s jinx. Is it a coincidence that the actor knows about the athlete‘s jinx? (Chapter 32) Note that when he was conversing with the celebrity at the bar, he never brought up his jinx. (Chapter 33) He only criticized Joo Jaekyung for his poor sexual behavior. So where did he hear it? Interesting is that 6 months ago, the champion signed a contract with the Entertainment agency, and this is what Park Namwook confessed to the physical therapist: (Chapter 43) His success felt almost unreal, as it was too beautiful to be true. And this would coincide with the signature of the contract between the athlete and the Entertainment agency. The lucky streak is to cover up the illegal activities. He is already envisaging an injury, because he was convinced that this is the fate of such celebrities. (Chapter 43) However, if he pondered a little more, he would realize that it is a lie. How so? Coach Jeon Yosep is the evidence that not all athletes are destined to end their career because of an injury. Yosep is still a fighter.

And the connection between Choi and the 5 stars reinforces my previous interpretation about the characters in Jinx. They are all associated with stars and as such planets: Saturn, Moon, Sun, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Neptun and Mercury. Interesting is that number 46 corresponds to the sun. So we could say that Mr-Choi and Joo Jaekyung are represented by the huge star, and Mingwa placed Mr Choi next to the main lead as an indication of a future collision between the 2 suns. There will be a conflict of interests.

The 46 unbalanced is

A glossy image with no real substance or soul

Only concerned with looks, brand and image

Family values are only used as a political show

Submerged in chaos and scandals, desperately trying to keep it together

Inner ideals and mental images blur reality Quoted from https://www.numerologistpro.com/numerology-numbers/numerology-number-46-meaning/

Interesting is that this number is linked to scandal and family. Then the latter is used to achieve a goal displaying selfishness and heartlessness. As you can see, I am quite certain that very soon, we will have a new uproar. Moreover, I would like to outline that the mysterious man is wearing a watch! (chapter 46) It was, as if he was owning time. And we have the evidence that he is the one behind the timing, as he called Heo Manwook first, and this for one reason. he wanted to announce him that he should stop seeking “revenge” on the celebrity on his own. But he only did it after receiving the CV from Kim Dan and the pictures. (chapter 46) The desk is also referring to time, like we could observe it in this situation: (chapter 43) The package arrived right on time.

And naturally, this panel (chapter 46) raises the following questions. Who took the pictures without being noticed? I mean, they were in front of the gym, so they could have sensed the presence of a third person, unless the latter acted as a deliveryman. Then, how did Mr. Choi get the résumé from the main lead? Did the latter send it to find a new job? Or was the curriculum vitae delivered to Mr. Choi by someone else? Like for example… a hospital! Let’s not forget that the physical therapist has been blacklisted by all the hospitals. (chapter 1) I doubt that the incident with the perverted hospital director was leaked to the outside world, so the main lead must have been badmouthed. So if this rumor about Kim Dan reached Mr- Choi’s ears, then he will definitely see in him the perfect scapegoat for covering up his own involvement. He would even appear as a righteous person. According to me, he is the CEO from the Entertainment agency and the latter had pushed the champion to press charges against the hospital. (chapter 36) In fact, he could decide to leak the information about the physical therapist to the hospital so that the latter can put the blame on the free-lancer! (chapter 42) That way, the agency would divert attention from its own responsibility and even receive support from the clinic. Then we have this rumor circulating that people are sending spies to gyms. (chapter 46) Is it a coincidence that this terrible gossip reached the blind manager Park Manwook at this moment? No, nothing is random in this story. They could frame the physical therapist as someone who tried to “leak” information in order to rig a game. He could be portrayed as a gambler. Yet, Mr Choi is not aware that Kim Dan offered a golden keychain to the champion and even risked his health to buy the expensive present.

However, we shouldn’t overlook that because the MFC matchmaker was involved in the plot, (chapter 36), he must have wagered too and lost money. This would explain why he asked the doctor from MFC to give it a go right after. He needed to create a new game in order to cover up the last losses. The problem is that since Mr. Choi wasn’t informed about the incident with the security guys from MFC, I don’t think, he is truly aware of the celebrity’s physical conditions. If he knew about the real diagnosis, he wouldn’t need to investigate Kim Dan. He would rely on time… within such a short time, Joo Jaekyung wouldn’t be able to recover. In fact, he would even bet on the athlete’s defeat once again. Since he saw these pictures, I am quite certain that he is misjudging the relationship between the two protagonists. They are close, hence he needs to sow discord and even plant a seed of doubts on the athlete’s mind.

Finally, I would like to outline that the first plot started with the publication of Shim Yoon-Seok’s article: (chapter 35) The athlete was pushed to prove the “wrongfulness” of this article by accepting a fight. (chapter 36) Hence I am suspecting that one of Mr. Choi’s intentions is to portray Kim Dan as a fraud, as a bad and immoral PT. They could even question his skills and competences, for MFC authorized the fight and the champion is now no longer treated by the famous hospital. They could imply that the main lead isolated the athlete on purpose and even aggravated his injury. But like mentioned above, Mr. Choi only knows half of the story. He has no idea about the connection between Cheolmin and the athlete and the former assisted him. Besides, he judges the poor uke based on his prejudices and past experiences. Exactly like the loan shark, Mr. Choi is also projecting his own thoughts onto the doctor. If the latter sent his CV, it signifies that the CEO imagines that Kim Dan is ready to “betray” the champion. Yet, the doctor doesn’t resent the main lead. In addition, from my point of view, the mysterious “general” received the résumé through connections.

Finally, once the characters make a connection between the drug incident and the agency, there is no ambiguity that the agent will have to take the fall, though he definitely followed the directives: (chapter 36) He acted on his own. The MFC matchmaker can even deny his involvement, for he didn’t contact the champion himself. (Chapter 36) Don’t forget that the man has his phone number. (Chapter 5) Imagine the consequences for the manager. The latter would not only lose his job, but also face a lawsuit for breaching the contract. There’s no ambiguity that Mr. Choi would feign ignorance. Finally, since Mingwa is using karma as punishment, the readers should expect that Mr. Choi’s papers will get leaked too. Heo Manwook plotted out of revenge and greed, the result was that he lost a lot: his boss‘ trust, his money and his „sanity“. Since Mr. Choi is now taking matters into his own hands, we have to envision that his actions will affect his company… and as such Heesung. The latter could become suspected as „spy“ or in the worse case as theft, he is „stealing talents“. All his past actions would appear in a different light: his generosity was fake. (Chapter 31) Yes, appearances would now play in Heesung‘s disfavor. Finally, an incident with the agency would push Heesung to fight against his relative… and to regain control over his life.

Protected: Jinx: (Un)Wanted Love 💔

January 31, 2024February 3, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33

Jinx: 🐍 Serpentine🎗 Harmony in Dan’s Dynamic

January 11, 2024November 13, 2025 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 7 Comments

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa: Jinx But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the previous podcast about Jinx “Hidden Echoes”

When my inquisitive readers contemplate the illustration for this analysis, they can detect the presence of a fragile balance between three people: Joo Jaekyung, Kim Dan and Team Black. The latter is represented by the snake. I selected beads for each group, because they imply movement and change. Naturally, the physical therapist is caught in the middle. It is because since episode 7 we have been witnessing a subtle fight between the captain of Team Black and the other sportsmen. But why?

1. Sharing and jealousy

First, it is related to the champion’s jealousy. (chapter 7) In the essay “Lucky loser and jinxed winner (full version)” , I detected how Kim Dan affected the champion’s relationship with his members. For the first time, Joo Jaekyung shared the shower room with Oh Daehyun and the other fighters. (chapter 8) Secondly, in the analysis “Sharing is caring“, I elaborated how the champion had never had a family dinner, but thanks to the second main lead, Joo Jaekyung discovered home-made breakfasts and was encouraged to eat with the staff from Team Black. Note that till the birthday dinner in chapter 43, he never ate the same dishes than the coach and the fighters. (chapter 43) As a conclusion, the physical therapist embodies “sharing” which is strongly connected to eating. Furthermore, the symbol for giving is the hand which fits Heesung’s description about Kim Dan: “Magic Touch”. (chapter 31). It is important to recall that the artist came to discover the angel, for the latter offered his assistance unrequested. (chapter 30) As a conclusion, Joo Jaekyung is taught how to share through the doctor. This means that at some point, the champion will realize that he has to share the main lead too, if he wants to become truly happy. How so?

“Jealousy in romance is like salt in food. A little can enhance the savor, but too much can spoil the pleasure and, under certain circumstances, can be life-threatening.”
Maya Angelou

Like the quote above is indicating it, jealousy is not simply a negative emotion. In fact, this feeling serves as a reminder for the jealous person. The latter should improve their relationship.

Although jealousy is a painful emotional experience, evolutionary psychologists regard it not as an emotion to be suppressed but as one to heed—as a signal or a wake-up call that a valued relationship is in danger and that steps need to be taken to regain the affection of a mate or friend. As a result, jealousy is seen as a necessary emotion, because it preserves social bonds and motivates people to engage in behaviors that maintain important relationships. Quoted from https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/jealousy

Thus I deduce that on the one hand jealousy is strongly intertwined with modification and adjustment. The latter stands in opposition to routine and old habits. On the other hand, the condition for a positive change is that the person can identify this emotion and ponder on its causes and consequences. This signifies that the person has to be more rational and calm. Mingwa exposed it in chapter 35, when the athlete questioned his change of behavior and trick: (chapter 35) This scene represents the first step of the athlete’s meditation. Interesting is that this self-reflection got interrupted by the text from the journalist. Consequently, the athlete’s old habits resurfaced. Thus the athlete began neglecting the doctor again. Additionally, identifying jealousy and its cause means that emotional intelligence is necessary. However, Joo Jaekyung possesses a low EI… yes, he really has the mind-set of a baby.

These are the signs of low Emotional Intelligence.

trouble understanding what causes certain feelings

frequent emotional outbursts or mood changes

difficulty asserting opinions or taking charge in a situation

little interest in finding new ways of solving problems

trouble accepting criticism, constructive or otherwise

difficulty expressing ideas clearly or getting a point across

a habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time

a certain obliviousness to emotional cues from others

a tendency to fixate on mistakes instead of learning from them and moving on

pessimism and loss of motivation after setbacks Quoted from https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/low-emotional-intelligence?c=10167697281#signs

This list corresponds to the champion’s personality: his “jinx” exposes his pessimistic attitude. In these two panels, the beholder can view his poor emotional self-control (chapter 7), self-centeredness, poor social skills (chapter 43), low empathy, how he is blaming others. Thus I come to the conclusion that one of the doctor’s role is to encourage the celebrity to develop empathy, as the latter is necessary for a high EM. The other task is to let him experience mistakes and learn from them. Like mentioned in the previous essay, Joo Jaekyung is Mister Perfect and Kim Dan Mister Mistake. Through the mistakes, the athlete is experiencing the positive side of errors. This brings me naturally back to “sharing” which is also a synonym for compassion and love.

“Love is an activity, not a passive affect; it is a “standing in,” not a “falling for.” In the most general way, the active character of love can be described by stating that love is primarily giving, not receiving.”
― Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving

As you can see, jealousy is linked not only to love, but also to action and change. Therefore it is no coincidence that the champion felt the need to punch the sandbag, after Heesung expressed his desire to date Kim Dan. (chapter 34) He was presented as a hindrance to the artist’s happiness. (chapter 34)

2. The causes for the champion’s jealousy

But why is the champion so jealous and possessive of Kim Dan? It is related to his undetected low self-esteem and trust issues. Distrust is an important determinant in experiencing and expressing jealousy. This explicates why in the beginning of the story, the athlete was so rude to the doctor. (chapter 7) He didn’t know Kim Dan at all. Thus he utilized the contract as reminder (chapter 8), as he felt that he had no other tool to keep his partner by his side. In addition, in order to control his jealousy, he always employed the same method: SEX!! (chapter 34) Consequently, as long as Joo Jaekyung could not control his possessiveness and jealousy, he was shooting himself in the foot. Which corresponds to the metaphor with too much salt in the food. Mingwa gave us many examples for this situation. When the champion became jealous in episode 7, he forced the physical therapist to have sex with him. Thus his karma was to be perceived as a man obsessed with sex. Then, in episode 9, he provoked Kim Dan with the drink. (chapter 9) It was, as if he wanted to steal the show from the physical therapist. His punishment was to take care of the physical therapist, but the latter never witnessed his caring side due to his high intoxication. When he challenged the comedian (chapter 34), he deceived the doctor, imposed his will on Kim Dan out of fear that the latter might not choose him. The result was that the doctor came to view himself as a tool for the athlete’s jinx again. Then at the hotel, he poured the coca cola on the physical therapist’s head (chapter 37) giving the impression that he was resenting Kim Dan the most. However, in reality, he was jealous of Oh Daehyun and Potato, for the latter were having a good time with his lover, while he was left alone in his bedroom. While they were happily laughing with Kim Dan, he was totally excluded. (chapter 37) He was envious that they were the source of Kim Dan’s happiness, whereas he was not. Finally, when the athlete confronted them, the doctor sided with them. (chapter 37) In other words, sharing happiness is triggering his jealousy.

3. Jealousy and happiness

Manhwaphiles can observe this phenomenon in episode 7 and 22. Note that the boxers were all in a good mood, when the doctor was treating Kim Changmin. (chapter 7) The same happened, when Oh Daehyun expressed his envy at dinner: (chapter 22) Each time, the star put an end to this happy mood. In the break room, Joo Jaekyung threatened them, because he considered their suggestions as a threat. Their comments imply that he would have to share Kim Dan, if they came to the penthouse. It looks like the celebrity is in reality jealous of happy people. It was, as if he was going after “happiness and rest”. Therefore it is not surprising that he accepted the next fight. (chapter 41) He looks grumpy again. It shows that he is not truly enjoying his recent success. After the birthday party at the restaurant, the champion felt jealous again. (chapter 43) His gaze was betraying him. Though he was the star of the evening, the fighters didn’t invite him to the second round. Yet, he didn’t mind, until he heard them asking the physical therapist. But contrary to the past, episode 7 and 37, Joo Jaekyung acted more gently. (chapter 43) He didn’t vent his anger on the doctor, as he embraced him gently. Why? In my opinion, there exist different causes. One reason is the phone call and the long conversation. Another cause for this change of behavior is that the time spent with Kim Dan at his penthouse. Through the breakfasts and their days-off, the celebrity got to know Kim Dan better. The champion’s jokes (chapter 27) and smiles are an evidence that the protagonist is feeling more and more comfortable around Kim Dan. (chapter 41) Yet, he was still crossing his arms while talking to the physical therapist. This shows that he has not completely lowered his guard yet. Finally, Manhwaworms shouldn’t overlook the doctor’s drunken confession accompanied with kisses and embraces. (chapter 39) Consequently, I could observe that the athlete is gradually capable to manage his jealousy, the longer he is living with the main lead. Simultaneously, I believe that the recent transformation of the physical therapist (exhaustion, skipping dinners) incited Joo Jaekyung to observe his lover and meditate. (chapter 43) However, I would like to outline that in this scene, he didn’t feel jealous, as Kim Dan was excluded. Hence he had no reason to claim the doctor as his. As you can see, the star’s jealousy was the trigger to change his behavior in front of the members. Thus I come to the deduction that we were witnessing the positive aspect of “jealousy”. He was not questioning the doctor’s integrity and trust. Therefore it is no coincidence that contrary to episode 7, 9, 22 and 37, he didn’t look grumpy, when he stated that Doc Dan is coming with him. (chapter 43) He had almost a smile. Why? His words were revealing his intentions. Here, he wanted to make the members from Team Black jealous of him. Let’s not forget that his statement implied that he would have a good time with the physical therapist. However, his attempt failed, for the members expressed their surprise and happiness. (chapter 43) It was seen as a miracle that Joo Jaekyung was showing such a care for someone. Kim Changmin, as a representative of Team Black, was not at all envious, because they are used to sharing (dinner, dormitories, etc). The boxer felt that he just witnessed a wonder. It is important, because through this scene, we have an explanation for their passivity in the States. They thought that the athlete didn’t really care for Kim Dan. (chapter 40) The champion has always hidden his care for Kim Dan in front of Park Namwook and the others. Don’t forget that the athlete was even particularly rude towards the main figure before the match. (chapter 37) I could also include the scene with the new jacket. (chapter 36) When the sportsmen were all fighting against each other to give their new cloth to Kim Dan, the champion intervened by throwing his jacket to Kim Dan. He was not smiling at all. In fact, he gave the impression that Kim Dan was causing trouble. (chapter 36) At no moment, Oh Daehyun and the others could detect the main lead’s jealousy. That’s how it dawned on me why Kim Dan was not informed about the surprise birthday party. (chapter 43) He was as astonished as Joo Jaekyung. I deduce that they desired to protect him, in case the celebrity would react so negatively. (chapter 43) Since the athlete had been so impolite and rude towards the doctor in front of Oh Daehyun and the other members on so many occasions (7, 9, 11, 36, 37), they imagined that Joo Jaekyung was treating him the same way than them: if he was not rough, then he was indifferent. (chapter 22) When he announced to the staff that Kim Dan was cooking for him, his facial expression and words are indicating that this is no big deal! He was not smiling and voicing his admiration for doc Dan. He created the illusion that the physical therapist was just living at the penthouse for the celebrity’s comfort. It was to do his job and nothing more. But this was only partially true. That’s the reason why I come to the assumption that this miracle in episode 43 will change the dynamics at the gym. Kim Changmin, Oh Daehyun and the others know now that the celebrity not only cares for the doctor, but also has become his friend. Thus they could seek Kim Dan’s closeness in order to get his advices and assistance.

On the other hand, the fighter was still ordering his lover. (chapter 43) Note that he had intervened at the same time than the doctor’s. (chapter 43) So he never took the doctor’s choice into consideration. Although Joo Jaekyung is no longer dragging the doctor like in the beginning of the story, he is not truly respecting Kim Dan’s decisions. But how did this rivalry between Joo Jaekyung and his team start?

4- The origins of the rivalry

Here, I won’t focus on the champion’s feelings, rather on the way the doctor entered the gym. His contract diverges from the other members’. (chapter 7) He occupies a special position, for he is only working for the alpha as doctor. But note that doc Dan crossed the line, the moment he started taking care of Kim Changmin’s problematic shoulder. (chapter 7) By treating him, he acted, as if he was the physical therapist of Team Black. Secondly, observe how he got introduced to Team Black. (chapter 7) Park Namwook is employing the expression “joining us”, he is insinuating that he is a member from Team Black. Therefore it is not surprising that the doctor decided to share his talent and give a treatment to Kim Changmin and others. (chapter 7) This short introduction could only encourage him to treat the other fighters too. As you can see, though the doctor has a contract, his duties and position among Team Black were not clear. Moreover, the moment the boxers discovered that the main lead had his own physical therapist, they asked if they could have one too. (chapter 7) Thus I deduce that Kim Dan still needs to find his own place at the gym. This can only generate tension. Moreover, it dawned on me, neither the champion nor coach Jeon Yosep nor Park Namwook recognized the consequences of his arrival at the gym. (chapter 7) First, they made the mistake not to bring Kim Dan to Busan. (chapter 36) After that event, they learned their lesson. However, note that the champion refused that the physical therapist would follow Oh Daehyun and the others to their fight. (chapter 23) On the one hand, he was reminding his companion that he was only working for him, on the other hand, the uniform and the treatment from the members were giving the impression that he was also part of Team Black. (chapter 23) That’s how he discovered the ritual with high five!! This is something he could share with his lover! By using this gesture, they would not only become closer, but the gap between the fighters and Joo Jaekyung would be reduced. On the other hand, by hindering Kim Dan to follow the group, Joo Jaekyung was hindering the main lead to do his job. This shows as well that they are slowly developing a new routine, but it is not fully deployed. The doctor is bringing the real changes due to his special but unclear position.

Besides, as a hyung and physical therapist, he should be part of the management, hence he should get the right to voice his opinion about a match. Yet, in chapter 36, he was not invited to the meeting (chapter 36). Moreover, by mopping the floor, he acted like an errand boy, as if he was the lowest member. I doubt that he got consulted for the next fight too. (chapter 41) On the other hand, Kim Dan is a freelancer, hence he could have simply joined the conference. That’s how I realized that until Kim Dan met the champion, he had always been working as an employee. (chapter 1) This indicates that the doctor has not the mind-set of an entrepreneur and free-lancer. He allowed Choi Heesung and Joo Jaekyung to determine his work. (chapter 31) (chapter 32) And now, you comprehend why Kim Dan chose to become a courier (chapter 42) and didn’t look for new patients. He needs a role model as entrepreneur and doctor. In my eyes, that’s where Cheolmin comes in. The latter should become Kim Dan’s mentor. Moreover, I would like to outline that by intervening in the doctor’s life and career, the champion was blurring more and more the boundary between private life and profession.

Another source for the tension between the captain and Team Black is that the doctor was treated like a full member by Team Black. Therefore he received an uniform (chapter 9) and the welcome elixir. (chapter 9). But like pointed out above, he is actually just his private physical therapist. For Kim Dan, the famous athlete is just a VIP client. (chapter 25) It is relevant, because the doctor is not technically involved with the other members. He is attached to them, because they are very nice to him. (chapter 9) There exists no contract between them either. Their relationship is simply based on the goodness from the characters. And now, you comprehend why the champion had to come to this welcome party. It is because he feared that the doctor would feel closer to them than to him. His money was already competing with the heart from the fighters. Is it a coincidence that the champion felt the need to remind them that he was the one paying for the party? (chapter 9) Funny is that for his birthday party, money was no longer rivaling with the fighters. Furthermore, he was joining the table for real. (chapter 43) Finally, he had another reason for not becoming furious during that evening. He had shared the goblet with the doctor, something that none of the fighters had done before. (chapter 43) To conclude, the causes for the tension between the alpha and his members are the undefine position and duties of Kim Dan.

In addition, I noticed that the captain and Team Black are both associated with dinner. Whereas the champion stands for healthy but tasteless dinner (chapter 13), Park Namwook and Oh Daehyun are representing the other extreme: junk food (too salty, greasy, too much sugar) (chapter 22) (chapter 37) or fasting!! Notice that Park Namwook preferred Kim Dan resting than eating dinner with them! (Chapter 43) Joo Jaekyung listened to his hyung, as he had already heard such an advice before. But actually by skipping dinners, the doctor is living like in the past. This could lead to malnutrition again. As you can see, I sense here a new source of problem.

Another interesting aspect is that the champion desired to spare with his lover, but the former got punished by his hyung. (chapter 26) He proposed this idea after seeing his lover learning moves from Potato. In other words, due to his jealousy, he offered his sex partner the possibility to learn from him. (chapter 25) This was the positive aspect of jealousy. It is not surprising that the champion smiled during this little game. (chapter 26) It helped them to become closer. Striking is that none of the boxers noticed the true meaning of this sparring. (chapter 26) The members didn’t recognize how gentle the celebrity was towards his partner, therefore Park Namwook imagined that Kim Dan had been coerced to spare and the punch was the expression from anger and frustration against the alpha. Thus he came to misjudge the situation. That’s how Kim Dan got excluded from the ring. And this observation brings me to the following conclusion. Till episode 43, none of the fighters realized that Kim Dan was receiving a special treatment from Joo Jaekyung. They were totally oblivious of the truth, even during this incident! (chapter 43) The boxer on his right was not shocked how quickly the athlete calmed down after realizing his mistake. They only got aware of this, when the athlete tried to make them jealous: (chapter 43) That’s how it dawned on me why the champion will be forced little by little to expose his sexual orientation to the members from his gym. It is because the nature of the competition is changing. He is fighting with the members with his heart and no longer with his wealth and fame!! Joo Jaekyung made the discovery during that night: (chapter 29) A puppy needs care and protection!!

This signifies that each decision from Kim Dan will affect the relationship between the alpha and his team. Imagine that the physical therapist decides to become a full member of Team Black and learn fighting. He would definitely work with Potato. (chapter 23) In addition, I would like to outline that Potato had been favored by his hyungs (chapter 22), because the latter was somehow neglected by the champion. They were compensating for the lack of interest from the captain. Interesting is that no one was missing Potato during that day and party except the readers. Why? It is because little by little, his adoration for the champion is vanishing. He is starting to have a life on his own. It is important, because Kim Dan could receive now more attention from the members than before, especially because he is receiving the good grace from his boss. Don’t forget that Park Namwook never protected them from his bad mood. (chapter 36) He could become their speaker, their lawyer… a new version from this scene: (chapter 37)

So far, Kim Dan has always viewed himself as different from the sportsmen, because he was just standing by the side (chapter 36) or he was sitting in the office. It is not surprising that he kept his distance at the hotel, when the champion was taking his meal. (chapter 37) But it started changing, after the athlete declared him as a part of his team. 8chapter 40) The problem is that he met the green-haired uke which reinforced his insecurities and low self-esteem. Observe that while returning home, he was only remembering all the champion’s words (chapter 43) before his intervention with the MFC security guys. Hence I believe that this statement and embrace (chapter 43) can only move Kim Dan’s heart. Finally, I would like to outline that the champion was asking his lover to become responsible for him. (chapter 43) He should bring him home. If you read the essay “The Art Of Loving“, you already know that responsibility is one of the conditions for love. The others are trust, respect and knowledge! And this brings me to the final conclusion. Since no one among Team Black knows about the doctor’s past and second gig, it becomes comprehensible why Oh Daehyun, Potato and the others can not take care of Kim Dan properly. (chapter 43) But the more the champion is revealing about his relationship with the doctor, the more the latter will receive recognition and protection from Team Black. Though the manager recognized that Kim Dan had been beaten (chapter 11), he chose to close an eye to this. Thus he remained passive.

To conclude, the doctor is there to bring harmony and happiness at the gym. This can only happen through changes (like introduction of new rituals) and as such mistakes. His presence is little by little affecting the champion’s mentality. The latter is showing more and more concern for his fated partner. (chapter 43) Though the doctor’s hands had been bleeding, Kim Dan chose to treat his patient first before taking care of his own wounds. His selflessness could only catch Joo Jaekyung’s notice. Doc Dan’s benevolence can only make him realize that fame can never be a source of joy and adoration is totally different from true love and warmth.

Jinx: The Third 🥉 Man ❓- second part

December 31, 2023January 1, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 1 Comment

As you can see, trying to discover the identity of the third man has become my new obsession. Why? It is because I am convinced that he will play a huge role in the progression of the story.

1. The men in the shadow

After releasing the first part, it dawned on me that Shim Yoon-Seok and the unknown man (chapter 37) from episode 37 could be still two different persons. However, the two of them have something in common: both are involved in creating an event, or better said in plotting!! Moreover, they participated in the last scheme. But the condition for a trick is secrecy and manipulation. And this is exactly what was happening in chapter 42. (chapter 42) The roommate acted, as if he was a ghost, as if he had vanished into thin air. He kept a low profile and never asked the green-haired to stop arguing or insulting the young doctor. As for the other, he manipulated Kim Dan to scare him off. That’s the reason why I am more than ever convinced that the next plot is on its way.

2. The discovery of the secret

My problem was that I couldn’t determine properly which secret the hidden man had discovered. Since I detected parallels between Joo Jaekyung, Kim Dan and this negative couple, I realized that the latter could also have a boss-employee relationship. Since the latter is a prostitute, (Chaoter 42) which he is no longer denying, I came to the deduction that the other is a pimp. Moreover, because I connected parallels between chapter 42 and episode 13, the doctor‘s words came to my mind: (chapter 13) The expression „the pond’s been bone dry“ implies hiring. Naturally, Cheolmin meant that it was difficult for him to find a partner, but his declaration could be understood, as if he was referring to male escorts. As you can see, there was an indirect reference to prostitution in the end. However, he was not looking for a male prostitute. And now, if you look at the members from the XY VIP club (Chapter 33), you will realize that they belong to the higher middle-class. On the other hand, Cheolmin pointed out that only desperate people would accept to be his sex partner (chapter 13). Thus I come to the conclusion that the athlete was pushed to hire prostitutes in the end, for the other VIP members would refuse such a rough sexual behavior. That’s why I have always been suspecting that this club has been dealing with whoredom behind the facade. The silent barman could be the link. Yet, notice that Heesung has a different approach at the club. (Chapter 33) He’s looking for his soulmate. This explicates why he could approach these new members so easily. Interesting is that Choi Heesung knows about his jinx and criticized him for his roughness (chapter 33), but he never reproached him to hire escort boys. Our cursed Romeo is not linked to prostitution, hence when he saw Kim Dan during that night, he didn’t see whoredom, but roughness. (Chapter 34) Therefore he was not repulsed. This explicates why he gave up on Kim Dan so easily. (Chapter 35) So imagine his reaction, when he hears that Joo Jaekyung has been treating his angel as a male prostitute. He will get upset, for Joo Jaekyung is looking down on the protagonist‘s job and his magical hands. But let‘s return our attention to episode 42. (chapter 42) Because prostitution was in the center of the argument, I am quite certain that the third person is also connected to it.

And being a pimp would fit the profile of a person who is looking for an easy and quick way to earn money. Once I made the connection between the third man and prostitution, I had another revelation. Yes, it is about the secret he had discovered. Kim Dan is working as a delivery man during the night and he is on his own! Joo Jaekyung is not protecting him. It looked, as if he had been abandoned. The author already indicated that such a night job can be dangerous, as you can meet drunk and violent people. (Chapter 42) Moreover, the third man knows how to contact the physical therapist, through the restaurant. This means, he can sell the information to someone who is looking for fresh blood.

3. New predictions

Here, we have two possibilities. First, it could be the perverted hospital director!! (Chapter 1) Or that could be Heo Manwook. Remember how the young protagonist got dragged during the day and no one intervened! (Chapter 16) People‘s passivity and indifference is finally exposed in episode 42: (chapter 42) The physical therapist got verbally attacked to the point that the main lead got scared for an instant, but the witness there remained passive and indifferent. And now, you can imagine my prediction: the mysterious man will call one of these perverted men (chapter 20) and tell them how to meet the physical therapist. Heo Manwook or the physician just needs to call the restaurant and order food! Once there, he can get dragged into a room and abused physically and sexually. And the third man would be just fine. No one would suspect his involvement, in the worst case, that would be the green-haired whore.

If you recall the content of my previous analysis, the cellphone and the drug were common denominators between all the similar scenes. When the doctor got kidnapped, he was talking over the phone. (Chapter 16) In his house, he got insulted as a whore (chapter 16). Though he accepted the insult by remaining silent, he still fought back, when the moneylender was on the verge of raping him. His minions had to help him to restrain Kim Dan. (Chapter 16) But Joo Jaekyung didn‘t realize the true crime due to his biased perspective which I had elaborated in the first part.

Our brain does not see what happens, but rather what we expect to happen, according to neuroscientists

However, this anticipatory capacity can become a double-edged sword if we do not know how to use it properly. Paying too much attention to our expectations, having preconceived ideas, and becoming too absorbed in our thoughts can cause us to lose touch with reality. By failing to take note of what is happening around us, we lose connection with others and begin to act in a maladaptive manner, which will inevitably become a source of problems and conflicts.

Therefore, it is important that we are aware of the tendencies of our predictive brain, especially in interpersonal relationships. We must ask ourselves if we are taking too many things for granted or if we are reacting more to what we expect to happen than to what is really happening. Quoted from https://psychology-spot.com/predictive-brain-we-see-what-we-want-to-see/#google_vignette

Thus it dawned on me that members from Team Black (Kwak Junbeom, Potato and Oh Daehyun) could be close to the scene and come to Kim Dan‘s rescue. Remember how I outlined the parallels between chapter 35 and 42. (chapter 35). Besides the list of similar scenes was 1, 2, 13, 24, 25, 33, 34, 35 and 37. Except the scenes in the penthouse, Jinx-philes can recognize another similarity: Potato and Heesung! That‘s how I came to the following prediction: Yoon-Gu will come to the physical therapist’s rescue. It is also possible that the actor is present as well. Nonetheless, by fighting the pervert , Yoon-Gu would become a hero! It is important, because the physical therapist would recognize that even if he doesn’t mean much to Joo JAekyung, he has found a family, TEAM BLACK! (Chapter 40) „One of his own“ would get a different meaning. And if this prediction comes true, Potato’s action could generate a buzz, he would get noticed by public opinion and they could ask for a fight. In other words, through Kim Dan’s actions, Potato’s dream would come true: being recognized as a professional MMA fighter. The bond between Yoon-Gu and Kim Dan would deepen, while the maknae would be disappointed in the champion. He is so rich, but he pushes Kim Dan to take odd jobs. He is not even allowing him to take other patients, while he is not listening to his physical therapist. He made a huge mistake, hence he would become a human in his eyes. He is truly treating the main lead like a prostitute, ruling over his life. Don’t forget that he saw how the champion poured the coke on the doctor’s head. (chapter 37) He had crossed the line, but this was unfortunately quickly forgotten. And the charity event would appear as a huge hypocrisy, for he is not helping his roommate. (Chapter 41) As for the fighters, they would come to resent Joo Jaekyung too, for Yoon-Gu and Kim Dan are so special to them. Simultaneously, the champion would be forced to meditate on his behavior and past words: (chapter 42) Joo Jaekyung will come to regret these words in the end. He might even jump to the conclusion that the main lead was taking odd jobs because he wanted to leave or to pay the cancellation fees.

„Do your goddamn job!“ But what is his job actually? A nutritionist? No, this work was a decision made by Kim Dan to show his appreciation towards the main lead. A physical therapist? Yes and no… the main purpose for his hiring was sex. (Chapter 6) Yes, the two protagonists have to discuss openly about prostitution. Because he didn’t listen to his doctor, he reduced him into a bump. He is just a tool for his jinx. He was showing no respect to his partner.

If my assumption is correct, the usage of drug will become the evidence that Kim Dan was a victim. And maybe the champion will recall the trespassing from that night and realize that he had misjudged the whole incident. (Chapter 18) Like mentioned before, the plot will affect their relationship forcing Joo Jaekyung to make a new deal. At the same time, if this truly happens, it would validate my interpretation that Kim Dan’s role is to contribute to the maknae‘s emancipation, like the wet dream implied it. The perfect Hero Joo Jaekyung would die in the puppy‘s eyes, especially when he discovers the existence of the champion‘s jinx! (Chapter 2)

Jinx: The Third 🥉 Man ❓- first part

December 29, 2023November 30, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 4 Comments

In my previous analysis, I announced to present my theory concerning the identity of this invisible man. How did I come to develop this hypothesis, when the author didn’t leave a lot of clues in this episode? Well, after examining the Manhwa so closely, I came to the following observations. Exactly like Byeonduck, the Webtoonist is using yin and yang philosophy and reflections for the progression of the story. Moreover, she is paying attention to colors and numbers. Thus through comparisons, we can get more insight.

1. The chow-chow versus the goblin

Let me give you an example. When Choi Heesung chose to invite Potato to his home, they were under an orange tent. (chapter 35) And this pigment corresponds to the mixture of yellow and pink which are the colors embodying Yoon-Gu and Heesung. Interesting is that the artist and the fighter were not alone. There was a third person, when Potato chose to accept the invitation from the celebrity, Kwak Junbeom. (chapter 35) Nevertheless, the witness didn’t notice the seduction from the artist, for he was sleeping due to the influence of the soju!! Thus Potato’s first sexual experience remained a secret. Yes, in this scene, Jinx-Philes can detect the similarities between 35 and 42. It is about sex, “attachment”, wrongdoing and secret. Potato employed the expression “There’s nothing wrong to…”. In addition, Yoon-Gu is still treated as a child by the fighters and Kim Dan, so such a suggestion could appear as scandalous. Interesting, is that no one noticed the sudden offer from Heesung, though they were in a public place. The owner of the food truck was not paying attention to them, as she was busy. Oh Daehyun had vanished, as he was not feeling well. (chapter 35) That’s why this remained a secret. But more importantly, there was a discussion between the maknae and the actor about love. (chapter 35) Funny is that when Potato expressed his admiration and reverence for the protagonists, (chapter 35), he yelled. Though he looked angry, he was not. (chapter 35) He was acting under the influence of his strong emotions and principles. As you can see, the discussion between Potato and Heesung was totally different from the one in episode 42. The gumiho and the chow chow came to the same agreement: accept not to be special for the protagonists, but to hold no grudge because of the rejection. (chapter 35) Consequently, the moment you contrast Yoon-Gu’s declaration of unconditional adoration (chapter 35) with the green-haired man’s, (chapter 42) Manhwaworms can only jump to the following conclusion. Chapter 42 represents the negative version of the seduction scene in chapter 35. While readers were overjoyed while reading episode 35, they only felt repulsion in front of chapter 42. In the introduction, I mentioned the importance of the numbers. 35 and 42 are similar structured, for one number is missing each time: 4 and 3. Hence chapter 42 share some parallels with episodes 33 and 34 which I will explain further below. At the threshold, the green-haired guy voiced the exact opposite for the main leads: his disdain, jealousy and hatred towards them. He was scaring off the doctor. We have persuasion, comfort, modesty and purity versus discouragement, regret, greed and corruption.

While the second characters are able to move on (chapter 35), the green-haired uke is not capable. (chapter 42) Hence I deduce that the invisible third X is similar to his “companion”. They share a similar mind-set! But there is more to it.

2. The first clues about the “invisible” third person

Observe that the dominant color in episode 42 was “green”, whereas the other was orange. Interesting is that these two pigments are secondary colors, pink and yellow versus blue and yellow!! Hence I deduce that the mysterious man is connected to white and yellow! 😮 Don’t forget that the bill from the mysterious X is mostly yellow! (chapter 35) Furthermore, the room seems to have similar shades. Because the green-haired man is wearing a blue shirt and the author portrayed him in black and green (chapter 42), I assume that this third person is associated with white and red!

Interesting is that the bill also contains orange and green, as the Korean authorities included the paintings “Grape” and “Grass and Insect” from the famous painter, scholar and poet Shin Saimdang next to her portrait. (chapter 42) That’s how it dawned on me that the hand holding the money (chapter 42) contrasts to this one: (chapter 41) civilization, anger, night versus nature, calmness and day. In order to create money, trees need to be sawn. The grape and insects on the bill are fake. Hence I come to the following deduction that this mysterious person is only interested in money too. For this faceless person, money is the symbol of power and life. And now, you comprehend why this person didn’t offer to pay the dinner on his own (chapter 42) contrary to the doctor: (chapter 32). The third man embodies avidity, selfishness, but also calculations and frugality. The goblin and his companion didn’t order an expensive dish, as it only cost 40.000 KRW. 😉 50.000 KRW – 10.000 KRW (chapter 42) = 40.000. This is about 38 $. However, Kim Dan felt the need to invite Heesung to lunch, a sign that he had not looked at the price. (chapter 32) Simultaneously, it exposes Kim Dan’s selflessness and thoughtlessness. He is bad at calculating and saving money. (chapter 42) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why I perceive this third man as the opposite of Kim Dan, notwithstanding sharing the same color. This signifies that the shadow is exactly like the green-haired uke: envious, greedy and stingy. Both appear as cheap. Because the goblin insulted him (“ass”, in Korean “Bastard/Asshole” and in Spanish “son of a bitch”), it becomes clear that these two are close, in the sense that they belong to the same social class. One might say that they are equal, but because the goblin badmouthed the other, their equity is just superficial. The green-haired uke looks down on the other. Since the goblin didn’t hide his bad mood in front of the other, I assume that they are both roommates. On the other hand, it is palpable that they are not affectionate towards each other. The goblin has no problem to voice his irritability in front of his “companion”. That’s how I deduce that both are united by the same desire: earn money on a quick and easy way. They are both using each other. I view them as “parasites” in the end. Since the goblin had no problem to expose his true thoughts at the door step (chapter 42), it seems that this man felt comfortable enough in front of this mysterious person. It gave the impression that he could share his secrets to him. Nevertheless, this could be an illusion, for it is clear that this envious man was speaking in the heat of the moment. He feels no danger from him or Kim Dan, for both are not rich and as such powerful. Consequently, I don’t think that these two men are truly intimate. It looked more like they needed both someone by their side. The meal is exposing that both are exploiting each other. (chapter 42) This means, their cohabitation represents the negative version of our beloved couple. (chapter 42) The latter are getting closer to each other, taking care of each other. The breakfasts have become an important moment for them, where they share their thoughts and can make jokes. Hence the late snack in the small flat embodies the opposite: frustration and disregard. Thus in my eyes, the goblin and his “partner” are not interested in each other, because both are in a similar situation. They are not rich. Thus my idea is that the green-haired man hadn’t exposed to his roommate that he had been the champion’s lover in the past and the latter had beaten him. In my eyes, this revelation was new to the third man. How so?

3. Three men, a room and a door

The moment I made the connection between chapter 35 and 42, I decided to look for similar scenes, where we have three men, a door and a room.

I detected the following common denominators: beating, homosexuality, spying and a secret! There was no scandal!! In episode 1, the previous physical therapist vanished, because he had been beaten according to the manager. Yet, the words from the coach were quite ambiguous “ (chapter 1) This created a huge misunderstanding between the two protagonists. The latter started fearing the celebrity. In episode 2, Kim Dan kept the champion’s homosexuality and the violent gesture to himself. It is the same for the green-haired man. Cheolmin thought first that Joo Jaekyung had abused the physical therapist (chapter 13), until the athlete denied his responsibility. When the champion dragged the doctor to the break room, Potato envisioned that they would be fighting. Nevertheless, he discovered their secret (sex) afterwards, but he also kept this revelation to himself. (chapter 25) Striking is that Potato is living in a dormitory, a clue that cohabitation plays a huge role in this story. In episode 31, Joo Jaekyung was supposed to have committed a huge mistake and injured the actor! In episode 33, he discovered the lie from Heesung, but chose to remain silent. He didn’t confront the actor. However, observe that the artist chose to reveal the truth to his manager, for he didn’t want to create a scandal! He asked him to keep it a secret. In the penthouse, Heesung got scared, but he never exposed his presence to the main lead so that the latter wouldn’t feel embarrassed. Kim Dan might have detected a presence, but he has no idea about the identity of the third person and the threat! I added the conversation at the VIP club, because there was the barman who could listen to the conversation between the two figures. He also remained silent, because if he leaked anything, he would lose his job. Finally, in episode 35, the public had no idea about the content of the conversation. Neither Potato nor Heesung mentioned their names and no one paid attention to the sudden vanishing of the second couple. There was no scandal either! This scene mirrors the confession of Park Namwook at the gym. The other fighters were present, but no one paid attention to the manager’s words and the doctor’s presence, because the other fighter had been injured during the sparring. As you can see, these confessions were public, yet they were still secrets. That’s how I came to the following deduction: the mysterious person in the room discovered through his roommate’s confession another huge secret!! But which one? The champion’s homosexuality or his habit of having prostitutes or his habit to use violence against people or Kim Dan’s true identity, a prostitute? Besides, this raises the following question: will he jump to the conclusion that his roommate was telling the truth or a lie? (chapter 42) Moreover, the latter has no idea that Kim Dan is a physical therapist and even living with the main lead. And this brings me to the following observation. The goblin and his roommate imagined to see through Kim Dan and they are anticipating the delivery man’s next actions. How so?

„Staying attentive to the signals that the others send is crucial for communication to be successful. At least in theory. In practice, we often pay more attention to the ideas that cross our mind than to the words of our interlocutor. Many times we focus more on our expectations and what we want to happen than on what is actually happening. Thus each person ends up isolated in their bubble, the bridges of dialogue are burned, empathy disappears and conflicts arise. And everything seems to indicate that a large part of the “blame” lies with our predictive brain. […]

In the real world, actions do not occur in isolation, but are part of predictable sequences to achieve an end goal. For example, if we spread butter on bread, we are likely to eat it later. Consequently, our perception of what others do depends not only on what we see, but also on what we expect to happen next. In other words, our expectations come into play.

The predictive brain: when our perspective “blinds” us

In practice, our predictive brain does not “see” what the other person does, but rather assumes what they will do next. It anticipates events and uses our knowledge to predict the action that will occur. This tells us that the brain does not limit itself to reacting to the information that comes through the senses, but rather works in a predictive manner, predicting what will happen next.“ Quoted from https://psychology-spot.com/predictive-brain-we-see-what-we-want-to-see/#google_vignette

As you can see, this description corresponds to the situation of chapter 42. The third man and his “companion” are seeing the world from their own perspective. Seeing the doctor poorly dressed, but defending the athlete, gives them a false impression about the identity and personality of Kim Dan, they can only misjudge the situation and make false predictions. Like announced before, the physical therapist is the champion’s lucky charm. Any plot is doomed to fail.

What fears the athlete the most is a scandal, especially this one: The athlete killed a man! (chapter 13) But homosexuality is also a taboo among MMA fighters. That’s the reason why I can not tell exactly the content for the next uproar. Yet, I noticed another common denominator between these chapters: the cell phone!! And one person was ignorant of the situation.

Chapter 1: Park Namwook was on the phone, when the physical therapist arrived.
Chapter 13: The champion had to call Cheolmin for his assistance, exactly like Park Namwook! (chapter 13)
Chapter 24: We have the famous prank about the coffee:
Chapter 33: Joo Jaekyung was trying to reach someone (chapter 33)(according to me, the mysterious doctor), when he caught the actor and his manager exposing the truth.
Chapter 34: The item was used for a nightly invitation, more precisely for a confrontation.

4. The name of the third man

Since I could outline crime, rumor, ignorance and the cellphone as common points, I came to the following deduction. The third man is the tabloid journalist Shim Yoon-Seok! (chapter 35) Yes, the color is also green. (chapter 35) And we could consider this scene as a reflection of episode 42 too. How so? The third person in this scene are the netizens reading the article. Why did the reporter contact him through the cell phone? It is because he can not face him out of fear to get punched! He is hiding his face behind the media and the public. This journalist is totally different from these reporters: (chapter 37) (chapter 40) The former is a hunter looking for blood, a huge scoop to destroy a champion. He is throwing over board social norms and morality. Since the bill of 50.000 KWR is embodying him, it reinforces my theory that the third man is a scholar, but a „fake“ one. And the moment you accept this idea, you will understand why I said that the green-haired man would receive his retribution. I have the feeling that he could get beaten. Imagine that the third man has the champion’s cellphone number. He could call Joo Jaekyung and inform him about the conversation in the hallway. He was insulted by his ex- sex partner. He could also try to blackmail the celebrity. If he doesn’t pay, then he will expose the “truth”. Naturally, he could hide behind the green-haired man. It is also possible that the goblin gets manipulated by the faceless man in the shadow. I am quite certain that the goblin will be caught in a scandal, and he will have to take the fall, betrayed by his roommate.

Here, I would like to present the signification of the name Yoon-Seok.

Yoon can signify: heir/offspring, spear, abyss, to permit, to oversee good appearance, disk/wheel, red marble (which stands in opposition to the yeouiju). The abyss and spear are showing not only his fighting nature, but also his dangerosity. Moreover, when I combine “wheel, permit and oversee” together, I interpret that this person is a planner. In other words, he can plot.
Seok: dusk/evening/night tides (this fits to the scene 35 and 42), red/angry, begrudge/pity which reinforces my previous interpretation about his color and personality (hatred, anger, greed), separate/divide (he is trying to split the couple and even to isolate the champion), mat (chapter 42), banquet/place/broad (a possible clue about his intervention at the charity event), he is using people to earn money (a fake sense of democracy). Here, I feel the need to mention the suicide of the famous Korean actor Lee Sun-Gyun who was driven to commit suicide because of a scandal generated by the media and bad police investigations. And if my theory is correct, this shows that Mingwa is criticizing modern Korean society and especially the role of medias and netizens. Rock/stone is indicating that he is not destined to shine, he has no high value. On the other hand, the stone was used in the past to sentence criminals to death. Behind the shine of morality and transparency („sunlight“, „gold“, „glaze“ and „white“, „fair“) this person is using the spotlight to ruin the champion’s reputation. To explain/release and former times/past, as a journalist, he is digging up the athlete’s past in order to find some dirt. Since Kim Dan was also living in the past before meeting the champion, I deduce that Yoon-Seok is the physical therapist’s real opponent.

As you can see, the name itself is also indicating the corrupted and ruthless nature of the tabloid journalist. Finally, my avid readers will certainly recall my observation about chapter 33. Joo Jaekyung’s car was followed by someone… (chapter 33) (chapter 33) Interesting is that the scenery from the first image reminded me of the district where Kim Dan was working as a courier. (chapter 35) But why? Here, I can only speculate. It is related to Heesung and the Entertainment agency. Don’t forget that Heesung had asked his manager to keep his trick a secret (chapter 33), but observe that the comedian had been waiting for the main lead at the sauna. This means that he must have asked his manager to find out about his schedule. (chapter 34) In other words, I am suspecting the involvement of the champion’s agent. The latter could have let transpire to the tabloid journalist that there was some tension between these two. However, nothing happened between Heesung and Joo Jaekyung after the ride. (chapter 33) Is it a coincidence that the author employed green in this scene? I have already demonstrated that the agent from the Entertainment company was involved in the conspiracy. Under this new light, you comprehend why I am suspecting a scandal during the birthday charity event. Many people will be present and all the lights will be directed at the star. By causing a scandal, the journalist would get noticed and even “glorified” as the hero denunciating “corruption and perversion”, whereas in reality it is the opposite. Like mentioned above, I can not totally predict his moves.

If he decides to portray Joo Jaekyung as a violent man, he could use the green-haired man (chapter 42) and the physical therapist as victims. The man could even go so far to recreate the incident from episode 2. Let’s not forget that Park Namwook has the tendency to condemn Joo Jaekyung for any “wrongdoing” and he saw the main lead with bruises. (chapter 11) Moreover, the star felt the need to punch someone after hearing the words from netizens. (chapter 36) And if Heo Manwook was involved in the conspiracy for the last match, he could see this new discovery as the perfect revenge. The champion is in reality a trash, a criminal! That would be the perfect revenge… He can not present himself as a victim contrary to the others. And that’s how Cheolmin would be forced to resurface. (chapter 13)

I have to admit that when I was trying to figure out the identity of this third man, I was thinking of Cheolmin. How so? It is because he is also connected to green and he is working at the hospital. (chapter 13) So technically, he could have treated the green-haired man after that altercation. Finally, when Kim Dan went to the hospital in chapter 18 (chapter 18) , Joo Jaekyung had an appointment there. So this treatment could be brought up. Moreover, I would like to point out that in chapter 13, Kim Dan never detected the presence and intervention of a doctor. It was the same in chapter 34/35, Kim Dan never caught and identified the presence of the third person. (chapter 35) That’s how I recognized that none of the spies were “caught” or identified. Chapter 42 represents no exception, hence the third man feels safe.

Thus, there will be a scandal very soon and Joo Jaekyung will be portrayed as a ruthless and corrupted man. So the moment the fighter is portrayed as someone who would use his fists outside the ring, going after “innocent people”, he could lose not only his reputation, but also his title. Like mentioned in the previous analysis, I consider the uke’s victory as fake. Because he is living with the goblin, I assume that the negative features from the green-haired guy rubbed off on him and the reverse. In other words, they are influencing each other negatively, the exact opposite of the champion and the physical therapist. (chapter 41) Hence I conclude that the green-haired guy and his roommate don’t care for each other. So while the readers are about to witness the rising of the physical therapist, I am expecting the opposite for this dangerous couple. They could destroy each other.

In addition, I wanted to share another hypothesis: this man (chapter 37) could be Shim Yoon-Seok! How so? If the trick with the drug had worked, he would have been present to expose the scandal in South Korea. This scene is also quite similar to the one with 3 men, a room and a door, especially since Oh Daehyun and the others were in a different room. (Chapter 37), while Kim Dan faced the man in black. Besides, the interaction between the sportsman and the tabloid reporter (Chapter 35) resembles a lot to the one between Kim Dan and the unknown man (Chapter 37). In chapter 37, we have the phone call, the door and discussion… but also the presence of DRUG! And that‘s how I discovered that the drug was also present in the episodes mentioned above.

Chapter 1: the energy drink
Chapter 13: the cream for the bruises
Chapter 24: COFFEE
Chapter 33: Martini, the cigarette
Chapter 35: SOJU
Chapter 37: Aphrodisiac

Hence it dawned on me why the previous physical therapist ran away, but chose to portray the celebrity as a brute. (Chapter 1) One reason could be the divergence of opinions between the main lead and the doctor. The former didn‘t accept the recommendations of the physical therapist. (Chapter 42) Since the athlete‘s shoulder was already in bad shape, the former physical therapist might have proposed pain killers, but the star refused. Because the doctor considered himself as superior, he came to look down on Joo Jaekyung and chose to ruin his reputation so that the latter ended up having a novice, someone with no experience!

And if my theory about Shim Yoon-Seok as the unknown man is correct, we would have an explanation why the third man remained silent and made no sound during the altercation between him and the goblin. Kim Dan could have recognized him by the voice and the hand. Thus he had to stay in the flat. At the same time, it would explain why the MFC security guys asked the star about Kim Dan: (Chapter 40) And his ambiguous reply (Chapter 40) could lead the third man to assume that Joo Jaekyung is a hypocrite. He hid the prostitute as a member of Team Black. Once back to South Korea, he had no longer use of him! And that‘s how he got forced to „work“ as courier. Team Black could be suspected of being a cover for prostitution… especially when Heesung‘s relationship with Yoon-Gu is discovered. But appearances can be deceiving, as neither the green-haired uke nor his roommate are aware that the main lead is a physical therapist living with the celebrity. And this brings me to my final thought: since the Webtoonist created such a mystery behind the reporter and the third man, it becomes clear why Kim Dan‘s status is ambiguous as well. His nemesis is a shadow and so is the doctor! Both are working behind the scenes, yet at some point both will be pushed to reveal their face and identity. Whereas one will shine, the other can only fall into the abyss, like his name is indicating it.

Protected: Jinx: Unsung Hero🦸‍♂️: Rescues in the shadow⬛

December 15, 2023March 29, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33

Protected: Jinx: Brothers, where are ye?🤷‍♂️

December 9, 2023January 6, 2024 ~ Bébébisous33

Protected: Jinx: Shoulder 💪 Stories: Tears 💧, Triumphs and Responsibilities

December 3, 2023December 9, 2023 ~ Bébébisous33

Jinx: Trapped Butterfly 🦋 in Deceit’s Web 🕸️ (part 2)

November 30, 2023November 30, 2023 ~ Bébébisous33 ~ 4 Comments

After publishing the first part, I had another huge revelation. Yet, instead of updating the last analysis, I decided to write a second part. And now, you are probably curious about my new discoveries. It is related to the methods I employed to examine chapter 40 which were to interpret the significance of the sun glasses and to contrast the interrogation scene with previous episodes.

1. The importance of glasses

I don’t think that my inquisitive readers have already forgotten the different meaning behind the spectacles: naivety, blindness, hypocrisy and deception. And now, let me ask you this. Who has been wearing glasses in Jinx? The first person coming to your mind would be Park Namwook. But he is not alone!! We have Cheolmin (chapter 13) who also jumped to the wrong conclusion, when he saw the doctor’s bruises. He imagined that the champion had been too rough in bed with Kim Dan. However, once he heard his testimony, he believed him. This shows that he trusted him. On the other hand, this scene reinforces my interpretation that the glasses are connected to prejudices and false perception. Moreover, observe that he was curious about the physical therapist, hence he interrogated the champion. (chapter 13) Then, observe that in the penthouse, the doctor acted too. (chapter 13) He faked to be frightened, while in reality he was having fun, which is displayed by the onomatopoeia “epp”. As you can see, the behavior of Cheolmin corroborates all my previous statement about the glasses. They are used as masks. Another important detail is that this scene contains all the same ingredients than in episode 40: a rescue, a doctor (chapter 40) and the blood test (chapter 13) and a new face!! (chapter 40) (chapter 13) And by contrasting these two scenes, I realized that it reinforced my theories. 1. There must have been a phone call!! In episode 13, the champion must have called his chingu. (chapter 13), for he couldn’t leave the main lead alone. Secondly, this phone call was to cover up a scandal. To conclude, because of a phone call, the MFC security guys had received a task. They had to cover up a scandal by framing the new face. (chapter 40) However, the moment the guard with the sun glasses got caught, he tried to act as a savior. As you can see, this comparison reinforces my theory. The MFC manager must have asked the MFC security guys to cover up the incident. If not, they would be blamed for the matter!! And now, you comprehend why they had to know everything about Kim Dan. (chapter 40) They needed to find any excuse to put the blame on the protagonist. Either he had a strong reaction because of his medication or because of a different meal… but since Kim Dan never replied to them, they had to frighten him, to coerce him to confess a crime. (chapter 13) That’s how desperate and ruthless they were in the end. While dressed like FBI agents, they were acting like thugs and criminals. No matter what… MFC should not be involved in a scandal! And this brings me to my second discovery. Who else is wearing glasses in Jinx?

2. The hidden reflections

The perverted hospital director!! (chapter 1) And he also got caught!! What did happen afterwards? (chapter 1) Kim Dan got fired, for he was a new face! (chapter 1) The wrongdoing from the higher-up had been covered up, and the staff had assisted him!! (chapter 1) The nurse had not testified in the physical therapist’s favor. She had remained silent. This door opening doesn’t symbolize true rescue… but abandonment. It stands for silence and betrayal. The reason is simple. The staff wanted to keep their job. This signifies that the hospital director used the organization to protect his reputation and cover up his crime. In a previous essay, I elaborated that the nurse had been sent to the office on purpose, for the director office had no light on. I doubt that she was allowed to enter her superior’s office like that. And this assumption got reinforced, for Park Namwook was the one mentioning the incident to Joo Jaekyung in the hallway. (chapter 40) The intrusion of Joo Jaekyung in the office was caused by Park Namwook’s revelation. And it was the same, when the champion caught Heo Manwook with his minions. (chapter 17) And what is the common denominator between the perverted hospital director (chapter 6) and the moneylender? (chapter 16) Sexual harassment and the usage of the number to achieve their goal!! These two characters could hide their crimes with the assistance of other people (thugs, staff). We could say that both used an organization. Consequently, I am assuming that the MFC manager is doing the same!! Therefore it is no coincidence that Mingwa employed the same colors: blue, white and black . (chapter 1) That’s the reason why I am suspecting that the MFC guys must have already been informed that Kim Dan might be the champion’s sex partner. (chapter 40) If the champion had admitted that Kim Dan was his boyfriend, then they could say that Kim Dan had drunk the nutrition shake by mistake, and Joo Jaekyung had actually planned to take the drug. Keep in mind that according to me, the green-haired guy, the loan shark and the MFC manager are working together. But they were assisted by the lawyer and the manager from. the Entertainment agency. Fortunately, the champion’s answer was ambiguous. (chapter 40) Is he his partner or a member of his gym? Not only he is the face of Team Black (chapter 1), but also he owns the club. This means, in chapter 40, as the team leader of Team Black, he protected Kim Dan!! It exposes that Joo Jaekyung used the organization to defend his lover and physical therapist. (chapter 40) Joo Jaekyung is behaving the opposite from the perverted hospital director, Heo Manwook and finally the MFC manager. Thus it dawned on me that the reporter from this article did the same. (chapter 35) He sought protection behind the hospital (chapter 35) and social medias (chapter 36). Thus I deduce that the agent from the Entertainment agency and that lawyer are acting the same. They believe that they are safe, for they are both working for a huge company or law firm. And guess what… the doctor Kim Miseon is also wearing glasses. (chapter 5) As you can see, thanks to the glasses, I discovered a new pattern. These schemers and helping hands are avoiding any responsibility by hiding their wrongdoings behind an institution or we could say behind a name. (chapter 7) In the last case, it would be MFC!! But the reproach from the champion (chapter 40) should have opened their eyes! Not MFC would have been involved a scandal… but only the MFC security team!! As you can see, the moment they had been informed about the incident, they should have reported the MFC manager to the highers-up! They should have never protected such a person in the end, because the latter is the reason why the organization would be involved in a scandal. That’s the reason why such people are framing others. They know how an institution works. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the plotters are trying to ruin the champion’s name!! (chapter 36) (chapter 36) It is because they are projecting their own thoughts onto the champion. He is just a person. However, what they don’t realize is that behind the athlete, there is also an organization: TEAM BLACK!! (chapter 40) Because their scheme failed, there is no doubt that they will target the physical therapist, for he is much weaker. He is “new” in the team and he comes from a low social background. He has a sick and old halmoni. However, Kim Dan has almost become their true mascot!! (chapter 36) Note that Oh Daehyun and Potato tried to investigate the matter with the doctor’s illness. (chapter 38) (chapter 38) Thus I deduce that because of Kim Dan, the members from Team Black will become more proactive. They need to show to these people that Joo Jaekyung is not alone, he is the alpha of a great gym… producing many champions!! In other words, the dragon with his yeouiju will be able to remove these Deceit’s webs and purify these institutions. As you can imagine, I am suspecting that Dr. Lee must have been blamed for the article (chapter 27), for someone had to take the fall. I hope, we will see him again.

Interesting is that the Manhwaphiles have no idea about the identity of the perverted hospital director. We don’t know the name of the hospital as well. It is no coincidence. It indicates that this person is hiding behind the reputation of the hospital. This contrasts so much to Joo Jaekyung, but there is definitely a link between them. Thus my suspicions got reinforced that this man could be Seo Gichan. And we know for sure that Joo Jaekyung has connections to a hospital. (chapter 13)

3. The hidden wearers of glasses

By focusing on the glasses, I had another revelation. Joo Jaekyung is also wearing glasses. (chapter 29) However, here the item has a different signification. How so? It is because Joo Jaekyung was totally honest and was opening up to the physical therapist. (chapter 29) It seems to contradict my previous interpretation about the glasses. But no… Observe that during that whole scene, the readers could see the champion’s eyes contrary to the MFC guys (chapter 40), Park Namwook (chapter 37), Kim Miseon (chapter 21), Cheolmin (chapter 13) and the perverted hospital director (chapter 1)!! The eyes are the mirror of the soul. In Park Namwook and Cheolmin’s case, I don’t judge them as manipulators and schemers. The glasses are there to expose their flaws. But let’s return our attention to this scene. (chapter 29) Because he was wearing blue light blocking glasses, he was protected from “Agent Blue”, the positive version of episode 36 and 40!! This explicates why I consider them as a shield. He was trying to hide his vulnerability while confiding to Kim Dan.

And this interpretation got reinforced with Choi Heesung. (chapter 35) The Jinx-Philes could see his eyes too. He had come to the café with them to hide his identity, but in reality his action had the opposite effect. People noticed the actor. (chapter 35) Striking is that as soon as the actor removed them, he got honest with the doctor. He revealed his intentions, but he got rejected. As you can see, the glasses can have a positive function. Consequently, I came to develop a theory which was triggered by the glasses. Kim Dan envisioned the athlete in a suit (chapter 32), then he imagined him with the sun glasses (chapter 35) Thus I come to the conclusion, Kim Dan will be the one turning the athlete into a star, a real celebrity! But he won’t be reduced to his body and face (chapter 30) People will notice his qualities and talents so that he doesn’t need to prove his strength and power in the ring. The celebrities often use sun glasses to protect their anonymity. And Mingwa already implied that the champion’s birthday is around the corner. (chapter 40) So he could offer the sun glasses to his savior. If this prediction comes true, then it means that Kim Dan will become the rival of the manager from the agency. Besides, it was the manager’s job to develop a strategy how to change the netizens’ opinion. But he chose to put the whole responsibility on his athlete. (chapter 36) He could have shown that Joo Jaekyung was the owner of Team Black and he was training other athletes. It is important, because it shows that certain people hide their laziness behind the organization or a name. That’s the reason why I am expecting that Choi Heesung will play a role in the demise of the bad manager at the agency. (chapter 33) Since he has sun glasses, he is already connected to spying. Don’t forget that he tried to determine the true nature of their relationship before giving up on his angel. (chapter 32) Finally, I have the feeling that Team Black will come to act like the security guys in episode 40, investigate the matter why the champion and the doctor became the targets of malicious rumors and bad articles.

Thus I came to the final conclusion, though Cheolmin and Park Namwook are wearing glasses, they are the positive reflections of the other doctors. They will change for the better contrary to Kim Miseon and the perverted hospital director! Meeting the physical therapist, the blue butterfly, will affect their life forever… you know all the butterfly effect…🦋 A simple gesture from him is like a magic touch (chapter 31) and they are under his spell.

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