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After the release of Starving for Light, I made very important discoveries and as such new connections between Kim Dan’s eating disorder, his workaholism and the grandmother’s neglect. However, since the original essay was already very long, I decided to add a second part. According to my observations, Kim Dan is suffering from ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). The latter is an eating disorder characterized by an extreme avoidance or restriction of food, leading to nutritional deficiencies, weight loss, or dependence on supplements. Unlike other eating disorders, ARFID is not related to concerns about body image or weight but instead stems from factors such as sensory sensitivities, fear of choking or vomiting, or a lack of interest in eating. It often begins in childhood and can significantly impact physical health, social functioning, and emotional well-being. Treatment typically involves therapy, nutritional counseling, and addressing underlying causes of food avoidance.
Evidences of the grandmother’s neglect
In the first part, this is what I wrote:
Since Mingwa didn’t create a souvenir of a shared meal with his grandmother except this one (birthday scene, chapter 11), I believe that Kim Dan never truly experienced the joy of sharing food. Readers always saw him standing by the side, while he watched his boss eating. (chapter 22) Sure, it was because he considered it as a part of his job. Nevertheless, the young man never cooked for himself. He learned to cook from his grandmother, as it was to help her. Thus I can’t restrain myself thinking that Shin Okja never shared a meal with the protagonist.
This suspicion got confirmed while rereading the story. Shin Okja has never shared a meal with Kim Dan together. One might argue about this statement because of his memory concerning his birthday. (chapter 11) Here, she offered him a sweet bread as present, but since it was his birthday cake, he had to share his “own present” with his grandmother. The little he possessed was given to his grandmother, a new form of this scene (chapter 43) In other words, he was the one sharing his food with her. But there exist more conclusive evidences. (chapter 5) When he visited her in episode 5, the main lead was the first one to bring up the topic “dinner”. How did the grandmother respond to his question? “You know your granny never skipped a meal”. Her statement is implying that someone else skipped his meals before. That can only be the doctor. So she knows that he has not been eating on a regular basis. And what is the opposite of “never”? ALWAYS! Yet, observe that she is smiling, when she is saying this. It exposes that she never saw the doctor’s skipping meals as worrisome. She must have probably thought that her grandson was a picky eater.
Moreover, I would like my avid readers to keep in mind that Kim Dan was eating his snacks alone, when she was standing next to him: (chapter 57) So she was not sitting down to a meal with her grandchild literally. In addition, when she suggested snacks to console him, she didn’t realize the terrible consequences of her decision. Once it was dinner time, Kim Dan would no longer feel hungry. With the introduction of such a ritual (eating became the synonym for repressing negative emotions), it is normal that the little boy would stop eating with his grandmother. That’s how the routine of eating on a regular basis got dropped, as it was strongly intertwined with his negative emotions and terrible incidents.
But let’s return our attention to the scene in episode 5. (chapter 5) Notice that she only asked him if he had already eaten after hearing his question. In other words, if Kim Dan had never inquired about her meals, she would have never shown an interest in his meals. Only after hearing that he would eat later, she got worried: (chapter 5) Thus she offered him two sweet yogurts. (chapter 5) Her words “You used to love these when you were little” are alluding that she perceives the main lead as a picky eater. As a child, he would never refuse the drinks. So when she offers them to him, she is sure that he will eat these. Finally, when she saw the celebrity, she indirectly put the blame on her grandson. He is thin and weak, because he didn’t eat properly. (chapter 21) In her eyes, Kim Dan’s habit for skipping meals was the expression of an avoidance of certain foods. It was because he was a picky eater. This shows that she never questioned herself and her past decisions. Then in the latest episode, she is seen eating her lunch, (chapter 57) yet at no moment she shares her food or questions him if he has already eaten. For me, this scene exposes her neglect. Her focus lies elsewhere: (chapter 57) She asks this question, because she has already witnessed him sleeping next to her. She associates tiredness with lack of sleep, but she is not making the connection between malnutrition and his exhaustion. (chapter 57) On the other hand, the expression “wasting away” displays her realization. She is seeing how Kim Dan is losing weight!! To conclude, she is not totally blind. Her grandson is not eating properly. But why is she not questioning her grandson about his meals? It is because he is working at the hospice where lunches are provided to the staff. (chapter 56) In other words, she is relying on the hospice, while the staff is too busy and overwhelmed with work to notice that Kim Dan has been working too much and even avoiding lunches. (chapter 57) It took them days before the nurse noticed that he shouldn’t be there. Interesting is that the nurse “Mind” is starting to put the blame on the physical therapist (chapter 57) for his attitude and is now siding with the grandmother. They assume “burn out”, while the reality is that he is suffering from different traumas. But notice that he was only sent away, after Kim Dan got dizzy. (chapter 57) This shows that Kim Dan had become a ghost at the hospice for the last few days, and no one paid attention to him. He was invisible because it was his way to be “accepted” and not stigmatized as “bun” or “orphan”. People only noticed him, until he created some ruckus at the institution. However, this means that the man must have spent the night with his grandmother. Yet, at no moment she sent him away or even shared her meals with him. This shows her indifference and egoism. She contrasts so much to the protagonist’s landlord.
The landlord in the doctor’s life
Though the latter doesn’t know him that well, he is paying attention to his every move: (chapter 57) He noticed right away that he was missing. Why? It is because his room was empty. (chapter 57) This scene represents the man’s new routine. He would go to Kim Dan’s bedroom and ask the protagonist to eat breakfast with him. On the other hand, though he noticed the doctor’s absence, he jumped to a false conclusion. He imagined that his new room mate had returned to Seoul. This raises the following question. Why is this caring man assuming that Kim Dan moved to that small and insignificant town just for a short moment? (chapter 57) And why did he think that Kim Dan had left for good? First, I can imagine that the doctor looked for a place without deposit. (chapter 16) But more important, it is because the physical therapist only arrived on the West Coast with two small bags. (chapter 53) And now pay attention to the PT’s departure on the day he was sent back: (chapter 57) He had gone to the hospice with all his belongings, a sign that he had planned to stay with his grandmother until his “death”. In other words, his “workplace” would have become his tomb. This means that the landlord already noticed that the main lead only had a few belongings, and the moment he didn’t see the black bag with the halmoni’s picture, he assumed that Kim Dan had returned to the city. Thanks to the introduction of the new landlord, my interpretation about the champion’s biased judgment got confirmed. (chapter 19) When Joo Jaekyung saw the huge Wedding Cabinet, he thought that Kim Dan had many clothes. Thus he saw it as a sign of “greed”, Kim Dan was poor, because he was not able to save money. And this observation brings me back to the landlord: (chapter 57) In my opinion, this man doesn’t know the real profession of Kim Dan. Notice that he is talking about “work” in general. He can not understand why his tenant would work for days so much. Another evidence for his ignorance is that he never went to the hospice to ask if the physical therapist was there. I would even add that this man is also ignorant about the existence of Kim Dan’s grandmother. How did I come to this deduction? It is simply that the old man is anticipating the doctor’s departure. Who would move to that little town with only two bags? It is important because despite his mistakes (chapter 57; here he used guilt and shame to incite Kim Dan not to drink), he is attempting to be close to his new room mate, to understand him. The problem is that the protagonist is keeping everything to himself. He is not speaking about himself and his past. This is quite understandable, as the grandmother keeps telling him that he has no roots here. (chapter 57) I would even add that with this advice, she was restraining him from becoming close to people in this hometown. It is her place, not his… In other words, she was forbidding him to make friends here and have a good relationship with the staff. Finally, when the grandmother says Kim Dan has “no ties here,” it mirrors the hurtful stigmatization he faced as a child when he was labeled as an orphan, a “bum.” (chapter 57) Her words inadvertently repeat the narrative of abandonment and lack of belongingthat has followed Kim Dan throughout his life. It feels as though she’s repeating those same accusations, reinforcing the idea that he is rootless, unworthy, and out of place. Instead of acknowledging the sacrifices Kim Dan has made for her, the grandmother dismisses him as someone without meaningful ties, perpetuating the feelings of invisibility and worthlessness he’s battled since childhood. So with this declaration “This place isn’t your hometown and you don’t have any ties here” she was triggering his abandonment issues and low self-esteem. This outlines her lack of empathy, self-centeredness and ignorance. Thus I have to admit that I am even wondering if he has not been adopted by Shin Okja.
And because the halmoni claims to be part of this hometown and the landlord belongs to the same community, I can’t help myself thinking that once he hears about Kim Dan’s true job and his halmoni, he will go to the hospice and meet her. Let’s not forget that no one recognizes or remembers her. Why? My explanation is simple. This is the place where her maiden family has been buried, but like her words display it: she never went to the hometown to visit the graves of her ancestors. The grandmother is projecting her own history of not “sticking around” for her deceased relatives onto Kim Dan. Just as she distanced herself from her family in the past (e.g., after their deaths), she now assumes that Kim Dan will do the same to her, reflecting her awareness of how such disconnection has defined her relationships. We could say, she “forgot” them, but once she is about to die, she wants to be remembered as a part of this community. This shows that this woman values tradition and the past, but in a superficial manner.
However, since the doctor has become the symbol of her past suffering, she would like to send him away. She is refusing to be burdened by worries and a guilty conscience. To conclude, she is rejecting her past and as such her responsibilities. She is now advocating “self-reliance”, while in the past, she used to ask him for favors. (chapter 53) On the other hand, the landlord embodies the opposite notions: (chapter 57) Care, curiosity and responsibility. Here he is asking for help as well. Nevertheless the nature of his request is different, for it is not about himself, but about Boksoon and her puppies. As you can see, he is making sure that she gets the best environment to raise her puppies. On the other side, Shin Okja used to prioritize herself and her own suffering. Notice that the doctor was resting under a tree in the yard (chapter 57), until the owner appeared. Thus I couldn’t restrain myself thinking that this man is strongly associated with the sun (fatherly figure) and life, whereas the grandmother stands for darkness (chapter 57), night and death.
The sequels of traumas
Since I detected symptoms of ARFID, it occurred to me the significance of the drugged beverage. (chapter 37) Kim Dan has never associated food with pleasure, love and happiness. Yet, for the first time, someone paid attention to his eating habits and suggested him to drink this nutrition shake. So the food became “poison” to him, this could only reinforce his negative disposition about eating. Is it a coincidence that soon after, he is seen sleeping and skipping meals? (chapter 43) No, his avoidance of eating increased. Park Namwook and the others assumed like many readers that it was related to his overwork and exhaustion, but it is only partially true. Sleeping was also his way to avoid food in the end. And this brings me back to the incident with the switched spray: (chapter 57) This crime triggered a trauma in the doctor. Hence his hands were shaking, and he is plagued by a huge guilty conscience. It was, as if his hands had become poison too. However, hands are necessary to eat. To conclude, this could only worsen his condition. And notice that even with the landlord, he is not seen eating. In fact, he is patting the dog. (chapter 57) That’s the reason why I don’t think that Kim Dan’s ARFID can be suddenly cured, the moment Potato reveals the truth about the incident. He has to develop a routine around eating. Someone has to put food right into his mouth, to feed him literally. On the other hand, I can imagine that a change will take place, when he sees his fighter totally diminished. He would serve as a reminder and reflection to himself.
And what is the common denominator between the switched spray and the drugged beverage? They reinforced his mental issues: ARFID, his depression and his low self-esteem. But the problem is that MFC , (chapter 41) the doctors and the authorities diminished the importance of such a wrongdoing, because they denied the existence of psychological sequels. Thus they only investigated it from the athlete’s perspective: (chapter 52) He was the only target and victim. Therefore it was reduced to the work of a hater and rival. Nevertheless, they didn’t interrogate the real victim of the crime correctly. Either he was about to get framed or his involvement was totally denied. It was, as if he had not been present. By not taking the physical therapist’s psychological damages into consideration, they actually expose their true nature. They don’t care about mental health at all. This explicates why the athlete had to prove his worth constantly. We should see these comments as a new form of bullying (chapter 36), which were supported by MFC, the Entertainment agency and Park Namwook. Joo Jaekyung had to prove them wrong: his career is not finished yet. So when the couple meets again, they should quickly realize the importance of mental health, as both are definitely at their lowest point in their life. In other words, the mental issues from Kim Dan serve a purpose in this story: people close to him should come to the realization that mental health is essential in life, something they neglected before. Either they didn’t feel concerned or they were biased or simply ignorant. Thus the athlete in the illustration for season 2 is looking at his fated partner’s face : He is now paying attention to his facial expressions and trying to discover his thoughts. Moreover, note that he is also grabbing his wrist, which could be interpreted like this. On the one hand, he is attempting to stop Kim Dan from working, as the symbol of a PT is the helping hand. He should relax and rely on the fighter’s care and protection. He is his shelter and home. On the other hand, it could be seen as his attempt to stop Kim Dan from using his wrist against the sinners and criminals: Kim Miseon who used her halmoni as guinea pig, Choi Gilseok who tricked him etc… Yes, I have the impression that at some point, the physical therapist could end up feeling like his fated partner: (chapter 41) Kim Dan is looking for light, because he has been trapped for too long in that darkness: (chapter 57) Because of ostracism and bullying, invisibility became his copying mechanism and the absence of shared meals could only reinforce his negative perception of himself. At the same time, the grandmother’s existence became his only source of life. So his meeting with Potato and Heesung is to remind him that he is not alone. (chapter 57) He was not forgotten, he left traces in their life. He was their sunlight, their angel.
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Behind the wheel
In episode 56, we could see Joo Jaekyung losing his cool, the more he tried to find Kim Dan. This huge transformation can be detected, when Jinx-philes compare these two following images. (chapter 56) and (chapter 56) While in the first picture, Joo Jaekyung is calm, concentrated and silent, in the second one, the fighter is agitated, lost, breathless and yelling. These two mental dispositions are reflected in the location. In the first image, the MMA celebrity appears behind the steering wheel, which is a symbol for power, determination and control, whereas in the second panel the champion is wandering alone in the street. This running is no longer part of his training and routine, but it exposes his powerlessness, loneliness and despair. He has no idea where to go contrary to the first picture. This means that the latter embodies goal and destination, whereas the second image represents the opposite values: beginning, start, ground zero and source. In other words, the end of episode announces the athlete’s rebirth or better said, the start of a new life. I will elaborate further below. But let’s return our attention to the symbolism of the auto.
As you can see, the latter stands for success, wealth, authority and domination. (chapter 56) (chapter 56) Even if the main lead is moving among other cars, people can recognize that the owner of such a car is rich and probably famous due to the brand and design. On the other hand, by roaming in the street, the champion blends into the background and as such to the mass. (chapter 56) Because Joo Jaekyung doesn’t want to be recognized, he is wearing a mask and a cap. This gesture stands for anonymity, hence no one is paying attention to him. Contrary to his frenemy at the cafe (chapter 35), Joo Jaekyung succeeded. He is just a passerby. In other words, the avenue indicates not only his failure to find Kim Dan, but also his loss of power and status. He has just become a nobody. Thus we should consider this as the athlete’s karma for thinking that Kim Dan could be replaced, because he was just a nobody: (chapter 55) It is no coincidence as well that the author showed us the star’s back, when the latter called his hyung Park Namwook. (chapter 56) Moreover, the shades are quite similar: red/orange and brown. Without his car, he is like everyone else: a human with his flaws and imperfections.
I have to admit that when I read episode 56, I couldn’t restrain myself connecting episode 56 to chapter 33 and in particular due to my essay called: These two chapters are similar, for they convey the same emotions: anger, anxiety, frustration and despair of the fighter. In the car, the champion attempted to control the doctor’s libido. (chapter 33) On the one hand, he appeared calm and concentrated like in 56, yet deep inside, he was burning up. The pink dildo was used as a tool to voice his negative emotions (abandonment issues, insecurities and jealousy). With the release of episode 56, another reason came to my mind why the athlete proposed to drive the physical therapist to Choi Heesung. (chapter 32) First, he switched the car in order to demonstrate his wealth and status. It was, as if he wanted to show off to his fated companion, which reminded me of the actor. The latter would bomb doc Dan with “presents”, an indirect demonstration of his fortune. In addition, Jinxphiles will certainly recall that during the same day, the comedian came to fetch the physical therapist with his white Porsche. (chapter 32) Consequently, I came to the following deduction. The man selected the gray car in order to distinguish himself from his rival, to impress his companion.
Secondly, it was the wolf’s way to keep the doctor in check, to control the situation. He is behind the wheel, hence he takes the lead and had the saying in their relationship, like we could observe it in another situation: (chapter 42) And what was his attitude there? He would not listen to his passenger. Moreover, he would separate his job from his roommate’s. It looked like they were living in two different worlds, though they were sharing the car. This scene exposes miscommunication, lack of faith, stubbornness and prejudices. The fighter was not willing to accept the physical therapist’s doubts and chose to go through with the training and match.
Thus I deduce that the vanishing of his car is indicating that the athlete is now ready to LISTEN! He is no longer cut off from the world, he is moving among humans. His penthouse and his car were the reasons why he kept people at arms-length and why he preached self-reliance. They were the symbols of his success and identity: (chapter 2) (chapter 32) So by leaving them behind, it indicates that Joo Jaekyung is transforming and as such maturing. But why is he so desperate to control his life and even Kim Dan’s by leaving no room to change or “surprise”? I believe to have found the answer: chronic abuse. I know that the quote is quite long, but in this description, Jaekyung-addicts can recognize their beloved character:
Victims of chronic trauma often have an overwhelming desire to control their surroundings.
Victims can improve their recovery by recognizing any maladaptive control issues they may have developed in response to trauma.
Trauma victims can take back some of their personal power by impartially examining their need for control. […]
They are extremely uncomfortable, often to the point of panic, in ambiguous situations.They set rigid boundaries with no wiggle room allowed. Rigid boundaries leave no space for guessing, which makes outcomes more predictable in the long run.
They may be reluctant to share personal information and are often extremely private people. Their fear of information being used to take advantage of them in some way usually overrides their desire to open up to others.
Their past is off-limits. They often refuse to discuss or even think about the past out of fear that it will be repeated or trigger them to relive past experiences.They seem avoidant of intimate relationships. It is often hard to get to know them, which, for them, is a safeguard against being hurt again.
They believe the worst in most situations. Misplaced trust may have led to traumatic experiences for them in the past, so they are cautious of making this same mistake again.
They can be unrelenting when it comes to loyalty. You are either on their side, or you are the enemy. Their fear of being hurt by others is magnified when someone lets them down, even in seemingly minor ways, and it can be a deal-breaker in relationships when they feel others cannot be trusted to protect them.
They may have unrealistic expectations. Out of an innate need for every situation to be predictable, they may seem to demand perfection from their relationships and themselves.
They refuse to take risks. Chronic trauma victims may want to avoid perceived danger however possible, so they often refuse to engage in any risk-taking behaviors, which could include risky financial moves, uncertain career changes, or even potentially hazardous recreational activities.
They fear abandonment. Because they were unable to trust people in the past and were routinely exploited in some way, chronic trauma victims often generalize these experiences to every future relationship. Even in the face of contrary evidence, their fear reactions may compel them to see the potential for abandonment in all of their relationships. […] Quoted from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/stress-fracture/202203/how-chronic-trauma-can-make-person-controlling
After reading this, my avid readers can grasp why the champion’s past has been kept in the dark by the author and why the athlete dislikes it, when his past is mentioned: (chapter 26) First, he repressed it, but thanks to doc Dan, he is encouraged to face his traumatic past. But for that, he needs to trust someone, a person who wouldn’t judge him and would show understanding. He came to associate “pity” (chapter 37) with arrogance and weakness, but this is not true. [For more read this https://psyche.co/ideas/pity-is-an-emotion-easy-to-scorn-but-central-to-our-humanity]
This new discovery reinforces my previous hypothesis that the main lead was exposed to chronic abuse (emotional abuse, parental criticism and probably bullying), which remained undetected. So by “losing his car”, he is gradually giving up on his control issues. At the same time, it gives him the opportunity to redefine his own life. What does he want from life and his career as MMA fighter? Consequently, I come to the deduction that Joo Jaekyung is about to become the true owner of his time and as such of his own life. Let’s not forget that even in season 2, his manager is still the one “controlling” his time. (chapter 54) (chapter 56) This signifies that the champion is about to discover that in reality, he was not truly free. While he thought, he was controlling his life behind the wheel, in verity, he was just a puppet, for his decisions were influenced by his fears and past. I would even add that the loss of his routine announces his willingness to accept changes and surprises in his life. The latter are no longer perceived as a threat.
The champion’s car and his hyungs
Because Joo Jaekyung connects car with power and leadership, I came to realize why the champion trusts so much coach Jeong Yosep and his other hyung: (chapter 5) He allows the coach to drive the car and the manager to sit in the front. Thus they represent the higher authorities. However, so far, the doctor had only been his passenger. Thus a new idea popped up: what if the athlete let the physical therapist drive his car? Let’s not forget that the loner wolf shouldn’t be driving on his own, for his shoulder has not healed properly yet. I already pointed out the wrongdoings from the two hyungs. (chapter 53) They should have brought him home. They stand for neglect and indifference due to their passivity and routine. In my eyes, they are happy at the gym, the latter represents their second family. So they imagine that it is the same for their boss. In other words, they projected their own thoughts and feelings onto the celebrity. They embody silence and lack of communication and this is actually palpable in the car. In episode 5, the manager and the MMA fighters lied to each other: (chapter 5) Then in episode 49, the champion kept The Shotgun’s words as a secret, while his coach confessed his trust in his “boy” (chapter 49). Yet, he revealed his true thoughts at the hospital: (chapter 52) He has no real trust in the athlete. Finally, my avid readers should notice that we never heard coach Jeong Yosep speaking up or exchanging his thoughts to the other members there. To conclude, I interpret the car as a symbol for censorship, silence, miscommunication, stubbornness and deafness. In other words, this place is also polluted. (chapter 53) So when the champion returned home on his own after the surgery, it displays the high peak of the censorship and uncommunicativeness from the two hyungs. They didn’t bring up the eventuality that Kim Dan might have moved from the penthouse. They kept doc Dan’s departure under wraps and waited for the right opportunity. But the best evidence for this interpretation is the absence of Jeong Yosep after episode 52. From that moment on, he is no longer present in the star’s life. But there’s more to it. I noticed the absence of Jeong Yosep’s phone number. At no moment, we see him contacting the protagonist through the phone. (chapter 52) Imagine that he only reported his investigation and actions afterwards. Then on the athlete’s birthday, he didn’t send any private message as well. (chapter 45) It gives the impression that he owns no cellphone, especially if Jinx-philes recall this situation in the States: (chapter 37) He was using the landline telephone. This observation is relevant, because it exposes the coach’s dependency on Park Namwook. The latter’s task is to keep in touch with his boss and champion, for he has his cellphone number. Nevertheless, how do we explain the absence of the coach’s cellphone? I have the feeling that this could be related to his divorce. (chapter 5) When his wife suddenly blocked him, he got shocked and hurt. And don’t forget that we have another person traumatized with a phone call: Kim Dan, who got abandoned during that day. (chapter 19) Thus this observation made me think that the coach could have something in common with Kim Dan. And that’s how the champion will demonstrate his strength to his hyung. Contrary to him, he didn’t accept the divorce so “easily”. In fact, he is fighting for the doctor in his own way. The problem is that he is his own worst enemy.
Interesting is that each time the MMA star was seen in the backseat(chapter 49), Jinxphiles could never view the driver. (chapter 5) According to my theory, this should be the coach. And the latter lost his wife despite his success. Now, Jinxphiles can grasp the discrepancy. Though the coach is the driver, he is not the one with the upper hand. In reality, he is putting his faith and trust in his passenger, Park Namwook. How so? It is because he is viewed as the counselor and expert. And how is the manager reacting to the fighter’s change of behavior? (chapter 56) He doesn’t look worried, scared or despaired. In fact, he is pretty calm, the opposite to this scene: (chapter 13) His question “Is everything okay with you?” is purely mechanical and as such meaningless, for he doesn’t inquire, when he hears a silence from the other side of the line. I would even say that he doesn’t really wait for his boy’s answer as well. (chapter 56) Finally, his comment is full of hidden criticism: “I haven’t heard from you…; You haven’t been coming…”. He is reproaching his star to neglect his work, though he is still in recovery. I have to confess that Park Namwook’s short scene drove me hot and crazy 🔥😂 One thing is sure: Despite the outcome of the last match, the hyung has not made up his mind to change his routine at all. But he is not realizing that this phone call represents a turning point in their relationship. How so? It is because if the champion switches his phone number (chapter 56), he could end up in the same situation than the protagonist. And keep in mind that the coach Yosep is actually relying on the manager. Thus I reckon that the champion’s other source of power is actually his cellphone! Without him, he has no connection (chapter 5), no money (chapter 32) and no power. His call to the manager during that evening represents his last resort. Thus he is calling the manager “Namwook hyung” contrary to episode 5. (chapter 5) This title is indicating that the champion is opening up, and willing to show his vulnerability and despair. On the other hand, this change also implies “expectations” from the fighter, (chapter 56) just like the doctor tried to show his appreciation to Joo Jaekyung with the gift: (chapter 55) The physical therapist hoped to get recognition, gratitude and acceptance from his soulmate. That’s the reason why I perceive this conversation over the phone as a reflection from that scene: (chapter 46) Keep in mind that at the gym, the athlete denied the relevance of information. Though both hyungs were warned, the reality was that they got off scot-free. They never received any blame for failing to protect him and this twice. And now, he is looking for intel about the doctor. Indirectly, fate is teaching him to recognize his error. In fact, information can procure a good insight about people’s behavior and as such fears. Let me give you an example: if Joo Jaekyung were to hear about Kim Dan’s first employment as PT, he should understand why the PT made mistakes, why he took odd jobs and why he “left” Seoul. If he wanted to work as PT, he needed to go elsewhere.
But let’s return our attention to the champion. In episode 46, he denied the importance of intel on the impact of a match. Hence I deduce that with the doctor’s vanishing, he is learning another tough life lesson. It is important to get to know his roommate and even to converse with him. This is something he didn’t do in the past. I will explain below why. On the other hand, the contrast between 46 and 56 reinforces my conviction that one of the schemers knows about the champion’s fears and past. Thus the fighter was more and more confronted with the past thanks to doc Dan. So by unlocking his past, the fighter not only gets released from his mental prison, but also will be able to detect his enemies in the future.
To conclude, the car and the phone in Jinx symbolized not only the champion’s powers, but also his “identity”. When he was driving his auto, he thought, he was independent and as such the owner of his “life”. He thought, he was controlling his life. He was the famous and rich MMA fighter. Yet, this was just an allusion. The routine was there to make him forget his painful childhood. So by seeing him alone in the street (chapter 56), I feel like he is about to lose everything. Destruction is necessary so that the sportsman can rebuild a new life. The vanishing of his routine was also a necessity, because the athlete needs to include Kim Dan in his life. That’s the real definition of “living together”.
Back, silence and prejudices
Though the athlete is appearing lost and weak on the street, his mind-set oozes the opposite. Determination!! He knows what he wants: (chapter 56) He wants to meet his companion again. He already describes him as a need. This implies that the hamster has almost become a “necessity ” for the celebrity. On the other hand, these words expose that the fighter is still not ready to meet his fated partner. How so? It is because his words divulge the absence of “conversation”. In the beginning, he wished to talk about his feelings to Kim Dan so that he could get closure. (chapter 56) He somehow expected doc Dan to listen to his words and accept them. That was it. Then at the end, it is just about seeing doc Dan and nothing more. At no moment, he voiced the desire to get to know his partner or to listen to his side of the story. Why? It is because he had strongly internalized that the man was a liar. He never questioned his perception and detected his own prejudices. It is important to recollect how Jinx-philes could sense a positive change in the physical therapist: (chapter 22) Yes, it is the view with the star’s back. The author selected such a position on purpose. The face represents the character’s identity and as such his personality. By showing the back, Mingwa is implying that the beholder is full of prejudices and doesn’t know his partner that well. That’s why I judge this image (chapter 55) as a reflection from the one in episode 22. Nevertheless, this represents the sportsman’s prejudices about the doctor. But contrary to doc Dan in episode 22, the wolf wanted to forget him. In other words, he refused to become curious about doc Dan. This means that he initially regressed, as he made the wrong decision. However, it was a necessary step for the fighter, for the latter has always put himself under pressure: he was such a perfectionist. That’s the reason why I interpret the following image (chapter 56) as a mini-confession from the manager. He is gradually admitting that he doesn’t know his boy that well. Yet, he still puts the blame on the main lead. On the other hand, I believe that the manager in this picture should be seen as a reflection from the champion’s mind: (chapter 56) He believes to know his hyung, that’s why he trusts him so much. Hence he is willing to expose his vulnerability and despair: (chapter 56) He expects no contempt or shock from him. He anticipates acceptance and tolerance. But is this man willing to overthrow his conscience and integrity for his “champion’s sake”? Since he is portrayed as eyeless, it implies the champion’s prejudice and blindness. He doesn’t know his manager that well either: the man is rather a coward and a child than a mature father. Thus I started wondering how Park Namwook would react to this request. Will he accept it? Keep in mind that the main lead is not saying that he wants to hire doc Dan, it is only about seeing him. And this aspect made me realize why Joo Jaekyung got so upset and scared in the past: (chapter 7) (chapter 32) (chapter 37) (chapter 40) (chapter 43) (chapter 45) (chapter 46) (chapter 47) Looking at his face had become his new secret ritual and as such his source of joy. Naturally, his heart and unconscious were the causes for this new habit. This explicates why he hated hearing the doctor leaving the penthouse during the night: he feared that he would no longer be able to see his cute face. That’s also the reason why Joo Jaekyung got angry/upset, when he saw the doctor turning his head away (chapter 37) or the shocked and wounded doctor’s visage: (chapter 51) Kim Dan’s face which had become his secret source of joy, became a weapon suddenly! It brought him pain. And what did he say afterwards to the doctor in the locker room? (chapter 51) He wished not to see his “face”. The latter had become his “addiction”. Thus his face in tears came to haunt him. (Chapter 54) This nightmare exposed his regret which he tried to deny and bury. At the same time, I have the feeling that his secret desire was to wipe away his tears as well. Nevertheless the problem is that such a love is rather superficial, for people’s body deteriorate over time. What matters in love is a good personality and a good heart. According to Erich Fromm, love is knowledge, respect, care and responsibility. Hence this separation became a necessity for the fighter. Fate had to force him to admit this: (chapter 56) He needs to see his face. A picture won’t be enough or even hear a report about him. Furthermore, he imagines that if he sees Kim Dan doing well, he can get closure and move on. That’s the reason why I think that Joo Jaekyung needs to get a new insight about the doctor or about himself before meeting him. He needs to admit his ignorance and bias. So far, he felt more “pity” and showed more understanding towards the grandmother than towards Kim Dan. The evidences for this perception are the way he behaved towards her: he was gentle, he paid her bills (chapter 21) and almost got shocked (chapter 56), when he imagined that she had died. In reality, he helped financially more the grandmother than Kim Dan himself. Kim Dan is the one he should really empathize with. He has always been a victim of circumstances.
Joo Jaekyung, a human, a dog or a wolf?
Nonetheless, we could see his wandering in a positive light: (chapter 56) Joo Jaekyung is slowly turning into a real human. At its core, to be “human” involves:
Emotional Vulnerability: Humans are not perfect; they experience pain, fear, despair, and helplessness. And that’s how the champion feels in that moment.
Complexity and Depth: A human being is defined not only by their achievements but also by their struggles, flaws, and relationships. Interesting is that the reproach from the manager doesn’t get noticed by the champion, as he is too obsessed with doc Dan.
Empathy and Connection: Becoming human often involves acknowledging one’s need for others and accepting imperfection.
For Joo Jaekyung, being a star or fighter meant embodying strength, invincibility, and control. These traits distanced him from others, presenting him as more of an ideal or symbol rather than a person. Despair often marks a catharsis or turning point in literature and character arcs. It is the moment when a person realizes their limitations and confronts their authentic self. By experiencing despair on the street, Joo Jaekyung steps away from his constructed image and embraces his real identity. He is no longer just “the fighter” or “the star”; he is a man who can lose, suffer, and feel deeply. This coincides with the dropping of his routine and the neglect of his duties. His life is now chaotic, as the protagonist started forgetting his title and career. The manager could think, his boy lost his sight on what truly matters. The reality is that his life has always been meaningless and aimless. He always felt emptiness, but the title masked this emotions. His obsession with the doctor is bringing to the surface his hidden struggles and fake believes.
However, I don’t think that the man has reached the bottom yet. How so? It is because he is still relying on his “hyung”, money and power: (chapter 56) Moreover, by utilizing the expression “by whatever means necessary”, he is asking his hyung to disregard morality and laws. It was, as if he was encouraging the manager to throw over board his conscience and integrity. It looks like he is encouraging his manager to behave like Director Choi Gilseok: spies and connections. (chapter 46) But the hyung stands for “conformity and social norms”. Moreover, observe that Joo Jaekyung is turning his search of Kim Dan into a manhunt “Track him down”. His vocabulary evokes a predatory, almost feral quality, suggesting desperation and a lack of integrity. Readers know why he became obsessed with doc Dan, but is it the same for the manager? The main lead’s words reminded me of the loan shark Heo Manwook, which could let his enemies misunderstand the athlete. He resents the PT and wants to put the blame on him. This moment highlights a significant shift in his character: rather than adhering to rationality, morality, or compassion, he is overtaken by raw instinct, much like a wolf hunting its prey. This explicates why the author created such a panel: (chapter 56) Desperation can strip away the higher faculties that make us human—reason, empathy, and self-control—exposing something primal. (chapter 56) In this moment, Jaekyung’s words highlight his transformation into someone governed by instinct (desperation to find the doctor at all costs), which challenges the notion of his humanity. His inability to address the situation with trust or compassion reinforces his struggle to act as a “real human” with integrity. The latter is defined as adherence to moral principles and honesty. Jaekyung’s behavior here reveals an absence of both, exposing a darker, corrupted side of his personality. He looks more like a wolf. (chapter 56) This means that he is not showing his true self. And now pay attention to the time and sunlight: (chapter 56) It is the golden hour or better said, between dog and wolf (“Entre chien et loup”). This idiom refers to “at dusk, twilight, nightfall”. At the same time, this idiom evokes this image of transformation and duality, two natures fighting against each other. Is the champion a “dog” or a “wolf”, when it comes to Kim Dan? I had already outlined the huge signification of this time in the following essay: “Magical Hours“. Back then, I had outlined the difference between “golden hour” and “blue hour”: (chapter 17) and (chapter 11). In season 1, the athlete stands for golden hour, whereas Heo Namwook embodies blue hour. “Entre chien et loup” is the time of day when the light is such that is becomes difficult to distinguish between a dog and a wolf, between friend and foe, between known and unknown. Hence I am thinking that if the next episode represents a continuation of that nightfall, it signifies that the champion is on his way to meet someone from the past. Moreover, I detected that the pavement is the same than in front of the gym: (chapter 56) (chapter 35) (chapter 48) As you can see, this detail made me realize that the next chapter should contain reflections from episode 35 and 48, the meeting with an old/new acquaintance. I am writing new and old together on purpose, for Director Choi Gilseok had been the halmoni’s loan shark, but the “hamster” had no idea. Choi Gilseok is the boss of Heo Manwook. If this encounter takes place, it signifies that on the one hand, it will cause pain and suffering to the athlete, on the other hand, this incident will become a “blessing in disguise”, for it will push the champion to reflect and mature. That’s how I had the following revelation. Why did the author ensure that the MMA fighter’s shoulder would get badly injured? (chapter 52) It is because this exposes the champion’s bad coping mechanism. The champion always uses his fists, therefore he doesn’t reflect and as such analyze his emotions. (chapter 52) That’s how he felt right into the trap of the schemers. So by having his splint, Joo Jaekyung is indirectly coerced to meditate on his feelings., as he can no longer use his shoulder and as such his fist. His physical injury represents in reality his “lucky charm”, for it helps him to transform, to overcome his trauma and face the shadows from his traumatic past. Notice that for the first time, the athlete came to accept the existence of feelings for Kim Dan. (chapter 56) However, he is not talking about love and gratitude yet. Without his left shoulder, he is forced to use his brain and as such his third eye. It is important, because it implies that the fighter is gradually learning how to control his emotions. Compare his attitude on the street (chapter 5) to the one at the gym from episode 5: (chapter 5) He is much calmer. He is not oozing red and remaining silent. He is not burning up inside, in fact he is expressing his thoughts and emotions: (chapter 56) That’s the reason why I believe that in the next episode, the fighter won’t act on his feelings like in the past. But there exists another common denominator between episode 5 and 56. The athlete’s request mirrors the situation in episode 5. (chapter 5) In both cases, the athlete asked for his manager’s help. However, as Jinx-philes can sense, there exist two huge differences between the past and present. Back then, Park Namwook didn’t care for Kim Dan. He was just a PT like any other doctor. He didn’t even care that Joo Jaekyung would lose his temper and ruin the sandbag. (chapter 5) It was not worrisome in his eyes, because his day would consist of training and punching the sandbag. The problem is that the fighter is no longer coming to the gym and he is not even calling him: (chapter 56) While the contrast between episode 5 and 56 reflects their growing gap and gradual separation, it seems to indicate that Park Namwook will follow the athlete’s request. He would have two reasons for this: money and hope that this would give some closure to his boy so that the latter can focus on his “training” again. But by following his request, he could expose his “connection” which is linked to the champion’s past. But I could be wrong. He could refuse it, for this request sounds so scary and immoral. Notice that the author didn’t let her readers hear his answer. We will see. Finally, it is important to recall that the fighter is dressed differently and he is more on the mode “listening” than “seeing”, as he had to hear the answers from his investigation: (chapter 56) Notice that even at the end, readers were not even able to see the PT’s faces: (chapter 56) This shows that the athlete is using more and more his intelligence, he is forced to interact with people. He is gradually developing his social skills which stand for COMMUNICATION. And how did he get deceive in the past? (chapter 48) He got manipulated by his eyes! They used a trick to deceive the athlete: delivering the truth in delay. Joo Jaekyung didn’t confront Kim Dan, because he saw the pictures as proofs! He never tried to hear his side from the story. And now, you comprehend why I am expecting that the champion will suffer another “blow” in the next episode. In my opinion, he will hear an important information. The fire in the illustration is there to indicate “Tabula Rasa”, a clean state. Joo Jaekyung has to lose all his principles and his bias about doc Dan. But for that he needs to face his own past and mistakes. Only through this effective anguish, he can become a better man, a new man.
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.
Please support the authors by reading 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 2 previous essays aboutJinxEchoes of a Blue Friend(locked)andIllumination in the Tiled Sanctuary (locked)
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Headache, Poison and Addiction
In the previous essay, I focused on the symbolism of the rooms in the champion’s life. Therefore I came to neglect the champion’s headache in the restroom. (chapter 55) One might think that the causes for his throbbing head are his depression and insomnia. On the other hand, I am quite certain that many readers had a different explanation for his migraine. He is missing his lover, Kim Dan, as the color red symbolizes the headache and the physical therapist’s name is strongly intertwined with this pigment which was once again confirmed in episoe 56. (chapter 56) So it is true that his migraine are caused by the doctor’s absence. It was, as if the main lead was suffering from withdrawal symptoms. The fighter has a love addiction, but he is not aware of the existence of this “sweet poison”. But there’s more to it.
Very early on, I had associated the “hamster” to a drug, but more precisely to a sweet candy and even a strawberry, like my different illustrations of analyses are displaying it Thus I consider this image, where the champion is seen (chapter 43) eating a strawberry with cream as the announcement of the magical night between Kim Dan and his fated partner. The fruit with the cream represented a violation to his strict diet.
The wolf’s coping mechanisms
So the moment Joo Jaekyung was left alone, he tried to cope with the withdrawal symptoms by replacing with other drugs, like for example alcohol (chapter 55) or the medicine against migraine. (chapter 54) However, in episode 55, we can observe a huge change in the champion. (chapter 55) The latter is finally admitting the inefficiency of the medicine. In other words, in this scene, he was giving up on them. This represents an important step on his way to enlightenment. For me, it signifies that he is stopping relying on pharmaceutical products. Let’s not forget that in the past, he rejected the PT and even neglected them. Why? It is because he trusted more sprays and other medicines than people. (chapter 49) Therefore the switch of the spray had to occur. He needed to question his prejudices and attitude. But let’s return our attention to the champion and his throbbing head. One detail in this panel caught my notice. (chapter 55) Interesting is that Mingwa portrayed him with closed eyes. It is not anodyne in my opinion, for the author was referring to the star’s third eye. Here, the protagonist was using it. That’s the reason why I interpret this image as a metamorphosis in the fighter.
Headache and alcohol
And what about alcohol? When the cleaning lady with her colleagues removed all the empty bottles of wine, she made the following comment: (chapter 55). This means that she had not seen the mess in the master room before: (chapter 55) And now, pay attention to the number of the bottles in his room: (chapter 55) I count 12 bottles of wine exactly like in the last image from chapter 54. Thus I came to the following deductions:
The cleaning staff only comes once a week and it is on Mondays!!
This signifies that a week had passed between the moment the fighter started drinking (chapter 54) and the appearance of the staff in chapter 55. It indicates that Jinx-philes can witness time deceleration in season 2. From one month in one chapter, then a week in the next episode, finally we have a reference to a day: Monday. Thus I deduce that in episode 56, only 2 or 3 days elapsed. I have already announced that the couple should meet each other around 25th: (chapter 56), for the day Kim Dan wired his money to his “loved one” took place after 10th of the month: XX = two digits. (chapter 55)
Then, the fact that this woman questioned the fighter’s behavior before removing the bottle, (chapter 55), indicates her surprise. She can not explain his huge change of behavior (messy and dirty room). She is trying to find an explanation: maybe a party with friends? The woman’s comment about the champion’s drinking habits seems to carry a dual tone. On one hand, it could be interpreted as playful or ironic banter, potentially lightheartedly teasing him about drinking heavily or having an active social life. On the other hand, it could also function as a reminder or critique, subtly pointing out the extent of his drinking and perhaps hinting at concern or judgment. For me, she was showing concern for her boss. The other evidence for this interpretation is that she brought the gift with the card: (chapter 55) Consequently, I judge the cleaning lady as the positive version of Park Namwook. Though she uses social norms, she doesn’t use them against her employee. She didn’t condemn him, it is a mixture of teasing and reminder. At the same time, her intervention implies that she must have noticed changes in her boss after the arrival of Kim Dan in the flat and his departure. That’s the reason why I have the impression that this image is announcing another turning point in the champion’s life either: (chapter 55) He won’t drink like before. However, I don’t think that he will behave like in the past: reject any alcohol entirely.
Migraine and the power of love
Moreover, I would like to point out that the moment the champion masturbated himself, (chapter 55), his migraine vanished. Though he is holding his head the next morning and hiding his gaze (chapter 55) (chapter 55), the Webtoonist didn’t add any red or “throb” as an indication for a migraine. As you can see, his headache is strongly intertwined with repressing the physical therapist and as such locking away memories. However, there exists another cause. What had the doctor done in the past? (chapter 44) Yes, the main lead had patted his lover’s head, while the champion had his eyes close. In my opinion, his unconscious had registered this gesture and loved it. However, the champion had not seen it himself. He was drunk and had his eyes closed. This stroke on the head symbolizes appreciation, affection and recognition. (chapter 23) That’s how little kids are admired and loved. This stands in opposition to the abuser’s behavior: (chapter 54) parental criticism and absence of contact. And how did Choi Heesung express his “love” to Yoon Gu? (chapter special 2) The same way than Kim Dan with the patting! In other words, the champion is deep down longing for such a gesture, but he has not realized it yet. Nevertheless, I believe that he just needs a trigger.
And what was he doing it here? (chapter 55) Stroking himself his head!! On the one hand, it stands for self-reliance, on the other hand it symbolizes his growing maturity. He is somehow attempting to be gentler with himself. Thus I interpret this image as the symbol of growth and insight, whereas I judge the scene in the bathroom as its negative reflection. How was the champion drawn under the shower?
(chapter 55) With his left opened eye!! The exact opposite from this picture: (chapter 55) This signifies that under the shower, he made the opposite decision: no insight and clairvoyance. He chose to bury the doctor again. The problem is that it was already too late. And what is the other difference between these two panels? The absence of the migraine! As long as the athlete thinks about Kim Dan, he has no throbbing head. This explicates why at the end, of episode 55, he was no longer suffering from a migraine. (chapter 55) This observation got confirmed in episode 56, though I couldn’t expose it before the release of the new chapter. (chapter 56) As long as the fighter thinks of his fated partner, he is not plagued with a throbbing head. This shows that it has something to do with repressing memories. However, his physical condition is still not improving: (chapter 56) He even looks worse than before: exhausted and malnourished. There is no one by his side taking care of him: his only interaction with his manager is through the phone. At no moment, the guy felt the need to pay a visit to his boss and champion. (chapter 56) Because I discovered the connection between memories and the physical therapist, it is important to examine the interaction between the main lead and the new uke.
Migraine and the placebo
Yes, I am comparing the new uke to a placebo, a fake “medicine”.
The placebo effect is when a person’s physical or mental health appears to improve after taking a placebo or ‘dummy’ treatment. Placebo is Latin for ‘I will please’ and refers to a treatment that appears real, but is designed to have no therapeutic benefit. A placebo can be a sugar pill, a water or salt water (saline) injection or even a fake surgical procedure. Quoted from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/placebo-effect
Funny is the original meaning of placebo: “I will please”. Who is pleasing whom at the club? I would say, the celebrity is like a sweet reward to the bottom. Hence the latter is smiling, when he starts talking to the fighter. (chapter 55) This signifies that in reality, the uke is the one benefiting more from this relationship, while the “Gucgi guy” is a placebo for Joo Jaekyung. He can not replace the true medicine: Dan’s love. But Joo Jaekyung chose to close an eye to the truth forgetting his “insight” from chapter 2: (chapter 2) However, back then, he had just stated it in order to get rid of the mint-goblin. He needed a justification for switching his partner. In other words, this was reflecting more the protagonist’s corrupted mind and heart. Therefore he is designed eyeless, the symbol for ignorance, lies and blindness.
What caught my attention is that the author zoomed on Joo Jaekyung’s gaze and notice that the zoom was more on his right eye. (chapter 55) And where did he have his migraine exactly? (chapter 55) It was on the right side and eye! It truly exposes that Joo Jaekyung was getting punished for his attitude. He is not allowed to bury and forget Kim Dan. The star’s open eyes in this episode symbolize denial, lack of self-awareness and as such the absence of insight. He is also punished for his lies in episode 2. His words might have reflected the truth, but his words didn’t expose a change of heart. He was taking advantage of this situation as well. So when the pain intensified pushing him to close his right eye, we should consider this image as a short moment of reflection and realization. In the restroom, he was forced to admit that only Kim Dan could kiss him. Is it a coincidence that just before Mingwa presented this image (chapter 55), she designed her characters eyeless? (chapter 55) Naturally no, she was mirroring the attitude of both figures: both were in denial!! Notice that though the star had no reaction in front of the “replacement”, the latter chose not to give up at all. This man was not expecting a rejection, in fact he was in total denial as well. He didn’t notice the star’s passivity and silence.(chapter 55) He was just standing there and avoiding his gaze. (chapter 55) By such a lethargy and the absence of an erection, the uke should have recognized that the fighter was not into him at all! But no, this man chose to close his eyes to the truth. Why? Because of his greed and selfishness. This explains his shocked reaction, when the athlete pushes him away and leaves: (chapter 55) How can the MMA fighter reject him? This displays his huge confidence or arrogance. There’s no doubt that he will put the blame on Joo Jaekyung. At the same time, I believe that his blindness was also caused by his greed. (chapter 55) He knew that the protagonist was rich and famous.
But let’s return our attention to the athlete. Since the champion’s headache is located on the right side, Jinx-philes should pay attention to the place the doctor patted him: the left side! (chapter 44) This shows that he would like to be patted on his whole head, exactly like Potato. And he had received it in episode 5: (chapter 5) Therefore he was in a happy mood after that match. A simple gesture with a lot of power! He has been missing this hand or better said this gesture. This action was the main lead’s true motivation. (chapter 54) Don’t forget that Dominic Hill had expressed his admiration in a similar way, patting on the back: (chapter 40) No wonder why he felt so lost and empty after the last fight. (chapter 5) But whose hand is this? Park Namwook or coach Jeong Yosep? Because I saw connections between chapter 43-44 and 55, I deduce that (chapter 43) this was the coach’s hand. In other words, the athlete felt more close to the coach than to the manager. This would explain why he would listen to the coach and even entrust him with huge tasks like the charity event. Strangely, in season 1, we can observe how more or more he is distancing himself from the fighter. Probably related to his secret relationship with Kim Dan. According to my theory, the coach is aware of their relationship. They are more than just boss and employee. As you can see, I don’t think that the champion is right now just missing the doctor’s sweet lips. Deep down, he would like to be patted by his loved one, exactly like Potato. (chapter 23) (special episode 2) But this is what he received after the last match: (chapter 52) Nevertheless, Joo Jaekyung is lost as well, because he needs to face his old and fake belief: he is jinxed. But in order to remove this persistent superstition, it is important to study the origins of the athlete’s sexuality. How can I do this?
The origins for the wolf’s excitement
I have always stated that the champion’s libido was strongly intertwined with his aggressiveness. His intercourses were like surrogate fights in the bed. This explicates why the mint-goblin didn’t put much effort to “seduce” him and only touched his sex, when he was on the verge of losing his biggest income: (chapter 2) The champion’s reaction is quite telling. He is not easily swayed. But we have another bigger evidence that his intercourses were replacement for “fights”. In The States, the fighter asked Kim Dan to join him at 11:00. (chapter 38) He needed to prepare himself mentally, to visualize how he would screw his opponent Dominic Hill. He was just taking the expression “fuck/screw” too literally. The latter idiom has the following synonyms: to cheat, oppress, bleed, coerce, wrest and to tighten. Just before the doctor came to his door, what was the athlete doing? He was watching a video from his challenger: (chapter 38) Therefore it is not surprising that he rejected Kim Dan’s request first. (chapter 39) He didn’t feel like it, because he was not aroused at all. Imagine that he needed two hours for that erection, a sign that during that night, Kim Dan was in reality a replacement for the American fighter. (chapter 39) Even when the doctor rubbed his hand against his sex, he had no reaction. (chapter 38) In fact, he needed a fellatio to get an erection, and he only started getting excited, when he saw the doctor’s gaze. That’s the reason why he remembered this image under the shower: (chapter 55) However, the more time the champion spent time with his physical therapist, the more he came to violate his own rules and principles: It started with their first meeting, when he crossed the line by mixing private and professional life together: (chapter 56) Here, Jinx-philes should detect a change, for the champion used the idiom “play”, which is strongly intertwined with fun and entertainment. Then the second violation took place, when the main lead suggested this deal. (chapter 6), Sex was no longer linked to matches, but to his own desires. To conclude, for the first time, the fighter connected sex to pleasure and desires and not “work and fighting”. Because of the deal and Joo Jaekyung’s strange behavior (sex shower scene, …) the PT had the impression that his boss was a man obsessed with sex.
However, this connection between sex and fight was not truly severed at the end of season 1, as the athlete didn’t give up on his biggest rule: to have sex before a match. This observation brings me to the last intercourse between the doctor and Joo Jaekyung. (chapter 53) The latter didn’t feel the need to have more sex with Kim Dan, he let his partner leave the place. Why? This contrasts so much to their First Wedding Night: (chapter 4) (chapter 53) Pay attention to the behavior from the fighter during their last night together. He is looking away, he is not paying attention to his fated companion. His mind was elsewhere, focused on Baek Junmin! In my opinion, during that night, the champion had been able to differentiate between the physical therapist and his opponent. Fighting was more important than sex and as such his sex partner. To conclude, the physical therapist had been able to win Joo Jaekyung’s belief and heart. He was no longer a replacement at all. He had become a person close the fighter.
This signifies as well, the sex before the match had lost its true purpose, and this change occurred in the bathroom, when the athlete made the following resolve: (chapter 49) he wanted to screw Baek Junmin for real. In this image, the athlete oozes confidence and strength. This means that he was no longer dependent on the good fuck before the match. (chapter 53) However, the main lead never realized this huge change, he kept his old belief as a tradition out of habit. This explicates why the fighter tried to replace with a new uke (chapter 55), but here the sex was longer connected to a match, rather to fun. Finally, observe how the champion is now blaming his PT for his ruined match: (chapter 56). I don’t think, he was referring to the spray incident, rather to their night before the match. The doctor had not behaved like a real opponent, he had admitted his “defeat” quite easily. He had left the ring before procuring him a good fuck. He was blaming his partner for violating his rule: (chapter 2) But here is the thing. Kim Dan had just accepted the deal because of his grandmother. Secondly, he learned an important lesson during that magical night: consent! (chapter 44) Sex is a synonym for love and as such it is about giving pleasure and affection to his partner. It is a two-way street. And this is something that the champion has to admit and accept. Thus I deduce that the fighter still has a long way to go before dropping all his fake principles. Like mentioned before, he needs to ponder on the following question: what matters to him the most? His championship or his happiness? Or what is sex to him? Why does he think that he is jinxed? He needs to face his own painful past and remember the face of his tormentor.
However, so far, I didn’t elaborate why Joo Jaekyung came to link fight and sex together. So where does it come from? The answer is simple. The origins of his anger and belligerence were linked to the ghosts from the past: (chapter 49) Baek Junmin and the abusive parent. (chapter 54) Deep down, he wants to punish them. Back then, he must have felt powerless, therefore he chose to erase them from his memories.In both cases, the athlete succeeded to forget them, but he didn’t truly move on with his life. The sufferings they brought upon him were still lingering in his heart and mind. Many readers could detect that the fighter had masturbated on the couch, as he left two tissues on the table: (chapter 54) But I doubt that he had been thinking about the doctor during that time, as Kim Dan only emerged in his nightmare: (chapter 54) But the masturbation had taken place before. So who did he have in mind, when he was jerking off? I might shock my avid readers, but I would say: Baek Junmin. (chapter 54) However, this gesture had the opposite signification: rage, resent… but also sweet revenge! He must have recalled the Shotgun’s face. (chapter 52) There’s no doubt that thanks to the doctor, the champion will learn that he can get “justice” and satisfaction through other means. He can defeat the ghosts from the past, not just thanks to his fists and hard work, but also thanks to his surroundings and knowledge. Lawsuit and media!
The Price Of Desire
Before meeting the doctor again, Joo Jaekyung has to mature and reflect on his way of life. That’s why I included “Sweet Redemption” in the title. The latter mirrors the transformative influence of Kim Dan, who acts as the “cure” to Jaekyung’s toxic patterns, helping him grow emotionally and morally. Kim Dan is sweet like a strawberry, but it signifies that his lover needs to violate his own old “rules”. As for “Sweet Poison”, it ties into the lingering struggles, like the headaches and the karmic weight of his past actions, symbolizing how this transformation isn’t without pain and challenge.
Kim Dan’s influence is a blessing or a painful process of reckoning (or both). It is not surprising that Joo Jaekyung is cursing him. It also balances the themes of suffering (his headaches, physical changes) and healing (learning to separate aggression from intimacy, and focusing on his true battles). It perfectly mirrors the push and pull of his internal conflict. He needs to give up on his false principles, like self-reliance or jinx. In fact, Mingwa already exposed the message of Jinx in the first episode: (chapter 1) The physical therapist is not only his reward and price, but also his “second shoulder” and as such his pillar. The new PT won’t be able to replace him. Joo Jaekyung is not just a champion, but also a team: Kim Dan as his PT and his lover. As for Kim Dan, the celebrity is his “energy drink”, his source of comfort and joy. He is also his home, for he is the first one who invited him to stay with him! Yes, the grandmother didn’t invite her grandson to live with her, he was just dumped at her place. And because the celebrity is like a home and family, it explicates why the doctor is once again “living like a ghost”. (chapter 56) He feels lonely, but contrary to his fated partner, he is not truly looking for replacement. He might use work to divert his mind, yet he is not erasing Joo Jaekyung from his memory due to his promise: he needs to repay him. So his MO is slightly different. He is just using work and his halmoni to survive. Yes, he is also suffering from depression. In other words, when both main leads will meet each other again, they should have reached the bottom so that they can see each other’s misery and both are willing to listen to each other.
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.
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In this essay, I would like to focus on the doctor’s kiss in chapter 44. (chapter 44)
What does this gesture mean exactly?
One might reply that the physical therapist is kissing his cauliflower ear as a sign of acceptance. He likes everything about the champion, not only his handsome face (chapter 44), but also his wounded ears, his „imperfections“. One might add that by kissing the ear, Kim Dan is indirectly recognizing the champion‘s past and as such his previous fights. Therefore we should see this kiss on the ear as a gesture of admiration as well. However, I think, there is more to it.
First, it is important to question ourselves what incited Kim Dan to give the celebrity a peck kiss. Why did he caress and kiss his lover’s face so carefully? I believe that the young man’s action had been triggered by coach Jeong Yosep. (chapter 43) Note that he put some cream on his face in order to obtain his consent. He showed him that the athlete had nothing to fear from this surprise party and the cake. (chapter 43) That’s how the 29 years old man learned that the face symbolizes vulnerability, care and respect. Another explanation is that the protagonist was following his own heart, because he had given his consent to his partner. (chapter 44) In other words, this quick but tender kiss was the expression from the “hamster’s heart”. One might see this interpretation as a validation, when the young doctor came to this realization: (chapter 44) On the other hand, his words expose his previous dishonesty towards himself concerning sex. He knew deep down that sex could be the expression of love and not immorality and corruption. Sex is dirty. (chapter 20) His thoughts were definitely influenced by his grandmother. Secondly, observe that he is implying that this intercourse just looks like making love. On the one hand, this observation indicates the doctor’s low self-esteem. He can not imagine that the champion would make love to him. On the other hand, his words imply that Kim Dan was aware of the athlete’s drunkenness. Deep down, he knew that his soulmate was not true to himself. He was acting under the influence of the alcohol, though the readers should keep in their mind that in wine, there‘s truth. Nevertheless, the divulging of his vulnerability was not the star‘s choice.
The “strange love” between Doc Dan and Jaekyung
That’s how it dawned on me that the young man was acting for the first time as a selfish person. He was following his true desires. Therefore we should see this intercourse as the positive version of their “first Wedding night” together. (chapter 3) (chapter 3) And how did the celebrity appear during that night? Selfish, rough, brutal like a beast… or better said, like a leopard!! The gaze from the dangerous feline changed during that magical night: he appeared as a sulky cat. (chapter 44) Interesting is that the athlete reciprocated to his partner’s animalistic gestures: (chapter 44) Nuzzling often evokes imagery of animals displaying affection or seeking comfort, particularly creatures like leopards, or even wolves, which use gentle contact to bond with their pack or mate. So nuzzling like a leopard suggests graceful affection, a combination of power and tenderness. It reflects a careful approach, as though the young man is testing his lover’s response while still exuding vulnerability. But if you consider the star as a wolf, then the latter do it as a sign of trust and reassurance. Wolves are seeking comfort and offering unconditional love. This comparison highlights loyalty and the young man’s desire to feel close to his partner emotionally and physically.
To conclude, the peck on the cheek (chapter 44) and the ear (chapter 44) were mirroring the behavior of a “hamster” trying to get to know his soulmate, the leopard. 😉
He was testing his boundaries, as Kim Dan was carefully exploring his lover’s reactions. The shift from a cheek kiss to this more intimate gesture could indicate a desire to gauge comfort levels or test mutual affection. He was expressing his subtle vulnerability. A peck can signify a tentative step toward deeper intimacy, reflecting the young man’s own hesitations or the novelty of this dynamic in their relationship. Unlike passionate or dominating kisses, a peck is often gentle and exploratory. It suggests an effort to connect emotionally rather than to assert control or satisfy desire. Moreover, observe that he was taking his time, giving space for the other person to respond or reciprocate. And now, you comprehend why he let the champion make such an expression: (chapter 44) These kisses symbolized respect and care. However, since the other partner was drunk, Kim Dan was actually violating social norms. Above, I mentioned that he was just following his own heart, and the latter is a synonym for instincts. Yes, this sex session stood under the sign of animalistic love and not love between two humans who are equals.
But there exists another evidence that this beautiful night was a reflection from their first night. Both protagonists had the same desire and feeling. Both of them didn’t want the night to end: (chapter 44) versus (chapter 4)
It is important to realize this connection between animalistic behavior in their relationship and their separation. It explains why their relationship was doomed to fail first. The reason is simple. They were not treating each other like humans. Kim Dan’s low self-esteem was restraining the doctor from voicing his true desires, from becoming mature and as such responsible for himself. He never saw himself as a worthy person. As for the other, he just viewed the physical therapist as a tool and pawn. First, he was just a prostitute, later a PT, yet he still doubted his loyalty. The problem is that they were both following conformity which symbolizes lack of critical thinking and control. In other words, in order to reconnect with each other, the two protagonists must find the right balance between nature and civilization. Money shouldn’t replace integrity or happiness. IF homosexuality is a huge taboo in the MMA fighting world, it just exposes the society’s hypocrisy and intolerance. Homosexuality has nothing to do with lack of strength or masculinity.
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If you pay attention to the title, you might have noticed the joker, diamond and the heart as emojis. This signifies that I will examine this panel once again. (chapter 27)
The 3 cards and its significance
Yes, a thought occurred to me, while I was writing the last analysis about this scene. In Daily Jinx Advent Insight 7, I interpreted that Joo Jaekyung had been in reality on the verge of winning the game, but due to the Joker, a wild card, he thought, he had already lost. Then I had added that the Joker card could be perceived as a metaphor for Kim Dan. The champion had lost his last game, for he didn’t utilize his PT properly. He mistrusted him, therefore he didn’t talk with him about his meeting with director Choi Gilseok. In addition, he did nothing to protect him from the public eyes. He never realized that this man was the synonym for secrecy and information. The protagonist knows everything about the athlete’s health and injuries (not just his bad joints, but also his insomnia). Therefore he should have been guarded and protected, making sure that nothing would be leaked. However, I believe that the Joker could represent another character from Jinx. The moment I saw these cards (Joker, 3 Diamond, 3 Heart) as a symbol for a character, I suddenly realized that both main leads were defeated by their enemies, because both didn’t use their cards properly.
The other person behind the Joker
And now, you might be wondering about the identity of the other Joker. The fact that Joo Jaekyung is holding the Joker in his hand implies that he has this person on his side. He is close to him. In my eyes, it is the mysterious doctor from chapter 13. According to me, it is Cheolmin hyung. The fact that he called him, when the celebrity desired to avoid the headlines with a scandal, is a sign that he is trusting this man. (chapter 13) He is definitely sure that this man won’t betray him. He is not judging him for his job or “sexual preferences”. He embodies fairness, tolerance and impartiality. And since in his cellphone, Doctor Cheolmin is registered under the name Cheolmin hyung, it exposes his closeness with this cute doctor. He is like a “brother”. (chapter 13) The conversation between these two characters in episode 13 shows that Cheolmin is not only a reliable person, but also a good friend. He assisted the star in a time of needs without expecting anything in return. There was no exchange of favors, hence Mingwa showed us his hand, when he said his goodbye. (chapter 13) This gesture with the hand implied not only that he was just looking forward to meeting him again, but also generosity. And if there was a request from Cheolmin, it was just about an information: (chapter 13) It had nothing to do with money and promoting his hospital.
As soon as I came to associate the Joker with Cheolmin Hyung, Joo Jaekyung’s only true friend, I suddenly realized why this mysterious doctor no longer showed up in season 1. He was treated like the Joker in episode 27. He was not used properly, and this in two occasions. (chapter 33) According to me, the man was calling his friend Cheolmin, because he truly believed that the actor had been hurt. The fact that he went to the rooftop in order to call the person is indicating that he desires to hide his contact from Park Namwook and Jeong Yosep. In other words, he was seeking secrecy, exactly like the actor. As you can see, the dragon and the gumiho had a similar attitude. They thought that the rooftop was the perfect place to hide a secret. So by calling Cheolmin who is working at a hospital, the MMA fighter was making sure that there would be no scandal. However, when he called him, he discovered the truth. Choi Heesung had faked his injury. Therefore how could he use his connection with Cheolmin, when there was no emergency? In his eyes, he would have abused his busy friend’s generosity. That’s the reason why the star chose not to intervene. If he had revealed the truth and as such accused the actor of deception, he would have no one by his side to prove the truth. It was one man against two. Secondly, by revealing his presence on the rooftop, he would have been forced to mention his close friend: Cheolmin hyung. His connection with the athlete would have raised some question. And because he didn’t utilize the Joker in that situation, he became a victim of a trick. It is important, because the champion’s decision to hide Cheolmin’s existence from Jeong Yosep and Park Namwook is a sign that deep down, he is not trusting his two other hyungs. In my eyes, it is related to his homosexuality. But there could be other reasons as well, for example he met this doctor, before he became a celebrity.
As for the second occasion, it took place at the restaurant. (chapter 33) For me, the doctor was the person Joo Jaekyung was talking to. Interesting is that contrary to episode 33, he didn’t leave the inn in order to talk to his acquaintance. In fact, he did it in front of the door. By acting that way, he didn’t attract the attention from the members. No one questioned the celebrity why he was talking on the phone for quite some time. They just imagined that it was work-related due to the selfie with a stan. (chapter 43) They didn’t even bother to wait for him to arrive before drinking and eating, though the man was the birthday child. He was actually the guest of honor. (chapter 43) This exposes violation of social norms and even the disrespect towards Joo Jaekyung. He is just seen as a cash cow, hence there was no thank you from them or even a short invitation for him, like Park Namwook and Kim Changmin had done it in episode 9. (chapter 9) (chapter 9) In fact, Joo Jaekyung was totally neglected at the restaurant, no one even paid attention to his actions. Under this light, I recognized why Mingwa created this incident: (chapter 43) It was not just to bring the two main leads closer, but also to expose the wrongdoers. If they had waited for him, the champion wouldn’t have drunk some soju from the glass of water, for Kim Dan couldn’t have used his glass. (chapter 43) That’s why the manager got red, a sign of embarrassment. He realized that they should have all waited for the birthday child. Moreover, don’t forget that the star was even paying the bill. And now, you are wondering if I didn’t diverge from my original topic, the Joker and Cheolmin hyung. No, as this new interpretation helped me to understand why Joo Jaekyung talked to his hyung in front of others. He already sensed that no one was observing him or waiting for him. (chapter 43) Moreover, it is possible that the mysterious caller desired to congratulate for his birthday or even to thank for his donation. Let’s not forget that just before his real birthday, the celebrity organized a charity event, and it could be related to Cheolmin’s work place. (chapter 41) Because I detected ingratitude, selfishness and rudeness from Team Black, I couldn’t help myself thinking that the other person must have behaved differently, which put the young man in a good mood. Therefore he overlooked the incident with the switch of glass: (chapter 13) Here we have a threat from the champion to which Cheolmin replied with a joke. Here, we have the same situation: a threat, but people got scared (chapter 43) before Park Namwook tried to relativize the incident. (chapter 43) Thus it dawned on me why Cheolmin was not introduced to Kim Dan in season 1. He didn’t belong to Joo Jaekyung’s inner circle, his only true friend. He didn’t trust him enough to introduce him to this peculiar doctor. And now let me ask you this? What is a joker?
The Joker has held various roles throughout history, rooted in society’s need for humor, critique, and balance. Historically, the Joker or court jester was a figure in royal courts who entertained through wit, music, or physical comedy. Yet, their symbolic role extended beyond entertainment; they served as a unique voice of truth, able to mock power and question authority without punishment. Their ability to navigate sensitive topics under the guise of humor made them essential figures for revealing societal flaws.
Symbolically, the Joker represents duality: humor and tragedy, order and chaos. It reflects society’s hidden truths and contradictions, often acting as a mirror to human folly. In a broader sense, the Joker embodies freedom and the subversion of norms, often challenging rigid structures or oppressive systems. This duality persists in modern interpretations, where the Joker is both a symbol of liberation and an agent of chaos, reflecting society’s shifting values and inner struggles. In other words, he rejects herd mentality and hypocrisy. He embodies seriousness, but also fun and laughs. And that’s exactly how Cheolmin appeared in chapter 13. He is a non-conformist, he treats his job seriously, but if he sees something wrong, he has no problem to voice his opinion and criticize the person: (chapter 13). Hence I believe that the other reason why our cute PT didn’t meet Cheolmin in season 1 is that he was not ready to interact with him. Kim Dan needed to mature, to free himself from social norms in order to accept such a man as a “role model”. That’s the reason why I am expecting the return from this mysterious doctor in season 2. In my opinion, he will play a central role in dethroning the king Park Namwook at Team Black, but also in helping Kim Dan to obtain justice. Keep in mind that according to me, the protagonist was a victim of many crimes committed by doctors. (The hospital director, Kim Miseon, MFC doctors)
The 3 Diamond and 3 heart
Since the Joker represents the only true friend from the Emperor, I came to the following deduction. Because Kim Dan is holding a diamond and a heart card, this means that he has two persons on his side as well. In other words, these 3 diamond and 3 heart represent the physical therapist’s friends. Anyone will immediately recognize the identity of his true friends: Choi Heesung as the diamond (due to his wealth and brillance) and Yoon-Gu as the heart. Let’s not forget that the actor was willing to intervene, if the PT needed help to “tame” the Emperor. (chapter 35) He offered his assistance, but at no moment the main lead thought of even asking for his help. (chapter 46) If he had voiced his struggle to Heesung, the latter would have understood him and “talked” some sense to the dragon. And it is the same for Potato. In the locker room, when Kim Dan was criticized for his sloppiness, (chapter 50) he didn’t ask from Potato to vouch for him. He could have reached to him, requesting from him to testify in his favor. Yes, I believe that not only the actor and the maknae are to blame for their passivity, the physical therapist is also responsible for his own suffering. He is not seeing that he has already gained two friends. However, he didn’t treat them properly. No wonder why Kim Dan ended up alone at the end of season 1. At no moment, he confided to Potato or other members about his struggles, he kept everything to himself which is similar to his soulmate.
But why does the protagonist behave like this? One might reply that he has never had any friend before. Therefore he doesn’t know how to have friends. However, I feel that there exists a deeper cause. In my eyes, it is related to his low self-esteem mixed with pride. Yes, deep down, Kim Dan feels some shame due to his social background and familial situation. This explicates why he only mentioned his grandmother once (chapter 30). Here, I am excluding the scene with his drunkenness. Nevertheless, from his words, Heesung couldn’t detect that he was raised by a single grandmother. He already had a hard time to “accept” the champion’s benevolence (chapter 18) He was brainwashed to rely only on himself. Why? It is related to his halmeoni and his childhood. The elderly woman gave the impression that she raised him without any help. She did everything on her own which is only partially true. The young boy was forced very early on to help her. (chapter 5) (chapter 47) Hence he was taught cooking. In addition, we can already envision that when he was a high school student, he had to take a part-time job. She definitely minimized his assistance, creating a debt towards her.
Observe that though he treated the fighters (chapter 7) and (chapter 23), he just acted as their “PT” and nothing more. In other words, he acted, as if they only had a professional relationship. This explicates why Kim Dan never talked about himself, in other words he never shared any information with them. However, I doubt that he just considered them as his “patients”. He was happy to give his assistance. For me, the fact that he never lowered his guard is a sign of his low-esteem. So they had a strictly professional relationship, except with Potato. (chapter 26) However, even here, Kim Dan never shared his cellphone number with the maknae. If Potato had it, he would have tried to contact him immediately. To conclude, though I criticized Yoon-Gu and Heesung for their indifference and neglect, I feel that Kim Dan is partially responsible for this too. He didn’t take the first step to improve their relationship. Friendship is a two-way Street!
To conclude, the 3 diamond and 3 heart (chapter 27) represents the PT’s friends. The moment he acknowledges that he has these two assets, he should recognize that he is not “poor”. He needs to realize that he is on his own, because he chose to. He simply ignored “people” around him.
On the other hand, it is important to relativize this aspect as well, for Shin Okja played a huge role in this mind-set. The best evidence is that the woman doesn’t have any friend. (chapter 7) She needs to pay a nurse to give her some company. Therefore she is forced to rely on her grandson. Then she doesn’t pay any attention to her grandson’s needs and circumstances, for she is only focused on her own suffering and “unhappiness” chasing after an illusion. (chapter 53) Because she has no one by her side except Kim Dan, she has no problem to move to a different place where she doesn’t know anyone. Her grandchild is her “home”. This move reminded me a lot to a uprooting. It was, as though the male lead was not allowed to settle for good. Don’t forget that her deteriorated home let transpire that she didn’t consider this place as her true home. It was just a stopping-place. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Kim Dan could never get any friend. Through the cards, I could find more evidences about my past interpretation. The halmeoni is responsible for the protagonist’s self-blame, lack of confidence, suffering and isolation.
But in order to recognize the existence of true friends in his life, Kim Dan needs to find a good role model. And that would Joo Jaekyung with his hidden Joker Cheolmin.
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.
Please support the authors by reading 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 2 previous essays aboutDaily Jinx Advent Insight 12 andDaily Jinx Advent Insight 13
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The topic of this essay is coach Jeong Yosep. It came to my mind that I had a little neglected this side character, though in a previous essay, I predicted that he could become a couple with Cheolmin. In the following panel (chapter 9), we discover the origin for Yoon-Gu’s nickname, Potato. The coach and sparring partner from Joo Jaekyung is the one behind it. However, this connection reveals a lot about the divorced man. He is actually a soft and tender man. Yes, in my opinion, Yosep’s nickname should be Potato.
Yosep, the real Potato
Is it a coincidence that this vegetable, when connected to a man, often symbolizes simplicity, resilience, and humility? Another important detail caught my attention in episode 9. He bowed to Kim Dan, when he was introduced: (chapter 9) This gesture oozes humility and respect. This contrasts so much to Park Namwook’s behavior during their first meeting: no bowing and no shaking hands. (chapter 1)
Potatoes, as staple foods, represent sustenance and practicality, embodying someone who is grounded, dependable, and essential in their environment. In literature or culture, a man compared to a potato might be seen as unpretentious, nourishing in spirit, or deeply rooted in their values and traditions. At the same time, the potato can represent love. This stems from its association with sustenance and nurturing qualities. Potatoes are hearty, versatile, and grow underground, symbolizing grounded-ness and resilience. Gifting potatoes can convey love, as they represent providing for someone’s well-being. The healing aspect comes from their nourishing properties, historically sustaining populations through hardship. This dual symbolism ties potatoes to the ideas of enduring care, connection, and renewal in relationships or life challenges. Jinx-philes could detect his caring nature right from the start: (chapter 1) He came right away, whereas the manager was busy with his phone-call and never asked later about the incident.
To conclude, potatoes are linked to earthy, “everyman” qualities—hardy, adaptable, and silently enduring through life’s challenges. This description fits the coach perfectly. Only in chapter 5, he exposed the circumstances of his divorce: (chapter 5) At no moment, he claims the champion as his boy or tries to attract attention from people for being the Emperor’s sparring partner. Thus each time the protagonist wins, he doesn’t appear in the ring contrary to Park Namwook. (chapter 5) (chapter 40) Yes, at no moment Jinx-philes can detect his presence. The bearded man embodies humbleness. As you can observe, this man doesn’t mind standing in the champion’s shadow. He already knows that fame and success are no guarantee for happiness, as he lost his wife. In fact, he knows that success means rather loneliness. This remark brings me back to his confession in the office. (chapter 5) If you read my previous analysis, you are aware of the strong connection between the cellphone and vanishing. So why did the ex-wife act like that? I suppose that Jeong Yosep led a similar life than the Emperor. He was racing against time, and was only in touch with his family through the phone. Thus I can imagine that one day, the former champion must have returned home and found his house empty, an older version of this scene: (chapter 53) So when he tried to call her, she blocked his calls. One of the causes for their failed marriage is that they had stopped talking to each other. [As for the other reason, I will expose it below] That’s the other reason why I developed the theory that the coach Yosep was behind this phone call. (chapter 19) He definitely knew about his relationship with Kim Dan, as he was the only one who was not surprised by this revelation. (chapter 22) This observation is relevant, for it indicates that the former champion must have listened to his manager as well. He never questioned the responsibility of his former coach or manager or organization. I am suspecting that he might have already been working with Park Namwook in the past, which would explain their closeness. For his divorce, Jeong Yosep chose to take the whole blame. Hence he kept his failure to himself. However, observe the manager’s attitude concerning this revelation. (chapter 5) He laughed, which indicates a lack of empathy. And if the man was working for Yosep before, then it exposes his neglect, ignorance and indifference. Secondly, he called the former champion “boy”, a sign that the manager feels superior to him. One might reply that the manager is just one year older than Yosep. For me, the scene exposes the true nature of their relationship. Park Namwook has the upper hand. Hence he can claim Joo Jaekyung as his boy (chapter 40) Interesting is that the idiom “boy” has historically been used to mean “servant” or “attendant” in certain contexts, particularly in colonial or hierarchical settings. For instance, it was often used during the colonial era to refer to male domestic workers, typically in a demeaning or racially charged manner. No wonder why though Yosep is the sparring partner of the Emperor, (chapter 37) he acts more like a servant. In my eyes, the last image displays the manager’s three “boys”: Yosep, Kim Dan and Joo Jaeykung. They are the former wrestler’s servants, while he can stand on the sideline and watch as a superior and guardian. (chapter 37)
Therefore such a remark “my boy” (chapter 5) is exposing the man’s arrogance and delusion. With these words, he is actually denying the hard work from Jeong Yosep and the Emperor himself. That’s how it dawned on me that this man doesn’t embody Teamwork at all. He is trying to steal the spotlight and success from others. On the other hand, the absence of reaction from Yosep shows the sparring partner’s lack of critical thinking. Yes, he is also very passive, just like the champion.
Yosep’s gradual maturity
And now, if you pay attention to Yosep’s evolution, you will notice a gradual transformation. He is getting more and more involved. First, he follows Park Namwook’s lead (chapter 26) (chapter 36). He even agrees to everything the man says and decides. (chapter 36) Yet, I see a turning point in the States. For the first time, he is seen talking on the phone, which indicates a certain responsibility. (chapter 37) However, till this scene, Yosep was treated like a “boy”, which I outlined above. The gradual transition can be perceived if you contrast the two following images (chapter 49) (chapter 40) In the States, he was not visible at all, he would even walk behind Oh Daehyun next to Yoon-Gu. In my opinion, he felt the need to be next to the maknae. However, in South Korea, he is standing right behind the protagonist. Moreover, note how Joo Jaekyung entrusted him with the charity event, another indication that the main lead was trusting more and more his sparring partner: (chapter 41) In addition, in the locker room, he is the one who made the decision to let the Emperor fight against Baek Junmin. (chapter 50) For the first time, he voiced his own opinion, yet his choice lets transpire the great influence from his “hyung” and MFC. His decision was influenced by money. Naturally, the high peak of his action is, when he announces to the main lead that he went to different authorities (chapter 52). However, it is important to recall that putting the whole blame on the manager and coach is not right either. How so? As a former athlete, he has more experiences and he should have realized that he should not just trust people blindly. Yes, I believe that his major flaw is that he is too trusting and doesn’t ponder deeply why his relationship with his wife failed. As you can see, he embodies the opposite notions of Park Namwook: faith in authorities and people. This explicates why in chapter 47, he didn’t say anything in the conference room. (chapter 47) He let his “hyung” and the other “experts” who were never in the ring do the talking. (chapter 47) Why did he let it happen? It is simply because he just views himself as a “sportsman”. The others act with their title (managers, advisors), as if they had more knowledge than the sparring partner from the Emperor. Another mistake from him is that he never looked at his sparring partner’s files. He let Park Namwook take care of this, thinking that he would pay attention to their star’s health and security.
That’s the reason why I believe that Kim Dan’s departure must have saddened him a lot. (chapter 52) Since he lost his wife and as such has no family, it is clear that this former champion views Team Black as a family. Therefore he participated in the surprise party. (chapter 43) Consequently, I come to the following conclusion that the last scheme made him realize his own wrongdoing. He didn’t protect his sparring partner correctly. He failed him. However, like pointed out in a previous Daily Jinx Advent Insight, Yosep was manipulated from his colleague. Therefore the coach didn’t meet Kim Dan in the office and couldn’t talk him out of it. This discovery exposes that one of the protagonist’s problem is that he was following his sparring partner’s lead as well. Because Yosep trusted blindly Namwook, his “pupil” did the same. And this remark leads me to the confrontation in episode 46. The true owner of Team Black warned his both hyungs: (chapter 46) This led the manager to give a task to the coach Jeong. (chapter 46) Why did he delegate it to the former athlete? Simply because that way, he could avoid responsibility. If something wrong happened, then “Potato” would take the blame. The hot potato was passed around. I am using this term on purpose. The reason is that “Potato” embodies harmlessness. And because Yosep comforted the manager and didn’t criticize him for his outburst and slap, it displays that the coach has not questioned the manager’s integrity yet. He is not doubting his trustworthiness. This explains why Joo Jaekyung returned home on his own, though he had an injured shoulder. (chapter 53) So we could say that Jeong Yosep is not entirely free from the negative influence from the manager. However, I have still hope for a true change in this gentle and caring man. How so? (chapter 26) It is because he is wearing a bird on his jacket. And what is the natural enemy of the spider which represents Park Namwook? The bird and the fish. For me, this animal announces his future liberation and transformation. According to me, Cheolmin is associated with fish and water (chapter 13) Interesting is that these two hyungs are linked to a similar color: dark green. This shade embodies hope and nature. However, since they are still living in the city and working for corrupted organisation (hospitals, MFC), they are not true themselves.
Consequently, I have the feeling that the cute doctor could help Yosep to emancipate himself from Park Namwook’s shadow. The latter stands for fun, joy and joke, which stands in opposition to the values MFC is promoting: wealth, fame and money at the cost of the own safety. Interesting is that Yosep’s hobby is knitting which he never showed to others. Knitting often symbolizes motherhood, as it evokes the nurturing and protective act of creating clothing or blankets for loved ones. It can also represent patience, creativity, and connection, as the intricate process of weaving yarn mirrors the effort required to build relationships or maintain traditions. Additionally, in literature and art, knitting can symbolize fate or destiny, as seen in mythological references like the Fates weaving the threads of life. Knitting is also associated with healing and comfort, offering a meditative and restorative activity. That’s the reason why I couldn’t help myself comparing Yosep to an obedient wife. This new connection explains why Yosep remained in the shadow of Park Namwook, whom appears so manly, caring and confident in front of others. In addition, this feminine side from Jeong Yosep made me realize that if Yosep came to marry one of his admirers, the wife might have grasped that she had not married a famous fighter, but a gentle and caring potato. In other words, through the marriage, the wife discovered the huge discrepancy between the image of a “hero and champion” and the true self of Yosep: caring, gentle and humble. She might have had other expectations: more strength, charisma and decisiveness. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the coach chose to remain in the shadow after ending his career as “champion”. He experienced the negative aspects of “fame”: loneliness, illusion and superficiality. However, he didn’t lose hope. He still remained an optimistic person which explains why he trusts people so easily.
Therefore I come to the following conclusion: Team Black can only become a true family and team, the moment Jeong Yosep, Kim Dan, Joo Jaekyung and all the others are working together, protecting each other. Only that way, the “owner of Team Black” can be dethroned. He can no longer treat others as boys or tools. From that moment, they would be all equal, the opposite of this situation: (chapter 7) Note the absence of Yosep in that panel, a sign that his work and position were minimized. Nevertheless, this was just the consequence of his own decision. He chose to minimize his own value and to rely on his hypocrite partner.
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.
Please support the authors by reading 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 2 previous essays aboutDaily Jinx Advent Insight 9and Daily Jinx Advent Insight 10
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 the last essays I studied a lot the manager and coach from Team Black. Therefore I decided to focus on a different person today. And that will be our beloved Kim Dan.🐹🦆 The starting point of this essay is the following panel:
Chapter 44
Doc Dan’s laugh and its symbolism
In my composition “A Summer Night’s Dream “ I described the doctor’s smile and laugh as a magical moment. The little bubbles of light reminded me of fairies and in particular of Tinker Bell with her pixie dust. Interesting is that this character from Peter Pan and her magical powder symbolize the magic of youth, joy, and the power of belief. Her dust, which grants characters the ability to fly, represents imagination and the freedom that comes from thinking like a child, unbound by adult limitations or fears. Tinker Bell herself often embodies loyalty and playful spirit, sparking wonder and adventure. Her presence reminds characters—and viewers—of the youthful joy, innocence, and boundless possibility that magic can bring into their lives, even in challenging or serious moments.
And that’s exactly what happened during that night, the return of youth and simple joy. Kim Dan’s fears and prejudices vanished immediately. Because the champion had asked for Kim Dan’s consent, the latter discovered freedom. He felt so free that he could voice his desires sensually. (chapter 44) He stroke his soulmate’s face, kissed his cheeks and finally his ears. His actions triggered a singular reaction in the star: (chapter 44) This made the physical therapist’s laugh. (chapter 44) His genuine laugh combined with the following realization (chapter 44) shows that in that moment, the physical therapist rediscovered his youth again. I would even add that Jinx-philes were witnessing in this panel how Kim Dan reconnected with his inner child. (chapter 44) The blushing is an indication of life and innocence. But if this young man’s childish nature was brought to the surface, who was Tinker Bell during this night? Naturally Joo Jaekyung. Under the influence of soju, the man could no longer hide his true nature. He has a childish side too. In other words, he was lowering his guard. Anyone has already heard from the quote “In wine, there’s truth” (the original quote comes from Latine: “in vino veritas”). As you can see, this beautiful night corresponds to this one: (chapter 10)
Chapter 10
Chapter 44
Darkness
Light
Tears
Laugh and Smile
Poverty
Wealth
Stench
Wonderful Smell
Money
Free
And what was the common denominator? Drunkenness. However, back then the champion did not choose to have sex with the young physical therapist: (chapter 10) Under this light, it becomes comprehensible why Kim Dan’s beautiful night became a dream, an illusion. The young doctor had done something wrong from a moral point of view. However, because the young man had treated the champion so well before, his reward was to experience what love is. (chapter 44) Thanks to Tinker Bell, he could fly: he was brought to Nirvana. (chapter 44) The problem is that the physical therapist was reducing love to sex (“making love”). True love has to be expressed in a lot of different ways (spiritual intimacy, experiential closeness, responsibility etc) and not just through sex.
Another common point between these two scenes is the doctor’s longing for companionship. And this brings me back to the protagonist’s laugh and observation. He compared the Emperor to a sulky cat. (chapter 44) Why was he thinking of an animal? Let’s not forget that in chapter 10, the very same person was confusing the celebrity with his grandmother. (chapter 19( The comparison suggests that Kim Dan still hadn’t fully recognized or understood Joo Jaekyung’s true character. Under this new perspective, it becomes comprehensible why Kim Dan still came to misjudge and misinterpret the athlete’s words and behavior later. Yes, even this night outlines the physical therapist’s flaws. Exactly like his soulmate, he still couldn’t love his partner properly. Nevertheless, this thought (“sulky cat”) divulges the doctor’s inner child.
Kim Dan’s sulky cat
Most children desire to have a pet at home, it is often either a dog or a cat. Cats and children often share a unique bond due to their mutual curiosity and playfulness. Cats can offer children a gentle introduction to empathy and responsibility, as children learn to care for a creature with needs and boundaries. The independent nature of cats also teaches children about respect for personal space. For kids, cats provide comfort and companionship, while cats, in turn, appreciate the warmth and attention. This dynamic can foster compassion and self-awareness in children, helping them grow emotionally and socially.
But what does a cat symbolize in literature and cultures? Cats have held various symbolic roles across history. In ancient Egypt, they were sacred and associated with the goddess Bastet, seen as protectors of the home and often honored in death. In medieval Europe, cats became linked to superstition and witchcraft, often seen as mysterious or foreboding. By the 19th century, authors like Carroll and Dickinson used cats as symbols of freedom and intelligence. In 20th-century literature, cats evolved to represent loyalty and companionship (for example French author Colette with The Cat). As you can see, this feline has always been associated with magic, supernatural and mystery (witchcraft, gods, death). So we could say that the cat Jaekyung was the one who helped Kim Dan to discover a lost world; his long forgotten and repressed inner child.
At the same time, cats also symbolize home and protection. This means that in that moment, Kim Dan felt truly at home. (chapter 44) For a brief moment, they were no longer in a boss-employee relationship. Hence I come to the conclusion that we should consider Kim Dan’s laugh and smile as a reflection from the champion’s hug and drunken confession: (chapter 43) Interesting is that in that scene, the protagonist couldn’t see his lover’s face. He couldn’t detect the glimpse of a smile and his warm gaze.
Another point is that he compared the fighter to a sulky cat. (chapter 44) On the one hand, this expression exposes that the main lead was not wearing any pink-tinted glasses and as such he was not delusional. On the other side, this idiom often represents independence, moodiness, and a desire for autonomy. In folklore and literature, cats that appear sullen or aloof can represent mystery, self-possession, or quiet resentment, emphasizing traits like defiance and emotional complexity. They might also convey an inner conflict or unspoken feelings, as their behavior reflects the subtle tension between closeness and detachment. This image often serves to remind us of the value of personal space, boundaries, and the instinct to guard one’s inner self. This means that with this discovery, Kim Dan was encouraged not to become clingy and depend on the athlete. Yes, I see this laugh (chapter 44) as a positive reflection from this night: (chapter 11)
The doctor’s laugh from the past and the present
By comparing both images, Manhwa-lovers can detect the differences. Kim Dan might have a wide open mouth in both pictures, yet there is no sound in the humble home. Secondly, his eyes are wide open contrary to the magical night. What does it mean? The absence of a laughing sound and a blushing are revealing that the little boy was faking his joy. He didn’t want to show his fear and sadness. Like mentioned in a previous essay, during that night, he was acting like a Teddy Bear comforting his grandmother. In other words, this memory from the main figure is exposing his delusion and suffering. A Teddy Bear doesn’t require any attention or care, as it is just an object. This explains why this toy was not treated properly (chapter 21). He was simply put on the floor. Yet small children usually treat such cuddly toys as treasures. While making this contrast, I realized why the halmeoni never took care of her grandchild properly. Observe what happened to the Wedding Cabinet and the expensive scarf she received from her grandson. They were all left behind or vanished, just like the little boy’s Teddy Bear. (chapter 53) They were literally abandoned, as they lost their sentimental value overtime. I am suspecting that they had become “useless”. Hence I am suspecting that by calling him a puppy dog, she didn’t truly mean it. (chapter 47) By saying that he was a puppy dog, she was implying that she would be responsible for him. Keep in mind that pet are linked to care and accountability. However, her wish is strongly connected to one single moment: (chapter 53) She is not thinking about the future at all. For her, it doesn’t matter, for her time is limited. Dog can be abandoned in the end, especially when the responsibility becomes a burden. That’s the reason why I believe that in verity, she was treating the protagonist more like an object than like an animal. Moreover, Jinx-philes should keep in their mind she used to describe him as a little boy, which also represents responsibility and care. Therefore I conclude that this scene didn’t stand for Kim Dan’s true home, it was just an illusion. (chapter 11) He was smiling and faking happiness in order to comfort the grandmother. That’s how he reinforced her mental issues and his own abandonment issues. Everything would be fine, as long as he acted like she expected it. At no moment she desired to be confronted with his own suffering or with reality. This was not a “magical night”, but a night where the boy got “cursed”, like Sleeping Beauty. This night is strongly connected to silence which stands in opposition to the magical night from chapter 44. On the bed, both tried to have a conversation (chapter 44), though the communication failed, for Joo Jaekyung was drunk. Moreover, Kim Dan kept most of his thoughts to himself, a sign that he was still guarded. Hence while Doc Dan felt at home during that night, it didn’t last long. The next morning, they became once again boss and employee. (chapter 45) Moreover, by comparing the Emperor to a sulky cat, he is indirectly thinking and behaving like his grandmother. A cat can be abandoned, the latter can find new owners. Nevertheless, I still think, this night left traces in Kim Dan’s heart and mind. He had grown fond of this place, almost at home. Therefore he struggled to leave the penthouse. (chapter 53) And compare his attitude to the one in chapter 19: (chapter 19) They were no deep lingering feelings towards the grandmother’s house. In fact, before leaving, he remembered an incident, a mysterious phone call which I consider as the moment, which broke the boy’s soul and heart. For me, he was almost glad to leave this place behind.
I pointed out above that one difference between these two laughs (chapter 11) (chapter 44) is the closed eyes from the main lead during the bright night. Since I interpreted the boy with wide open eyes as an allusion to deception, illusion and toxic positivity, the closed eyes should be perceived as the awakening of the third eye. Moreover, the young man’s mind and heart turned towards his inner world. Simultaneously, they also imply the absence of reality. Like mentioned above, Doc Dan is not truly perceiving the fighter for whom he is. This implies that there are aspects of Joo Jaekyung’s personality, motivations, or emotions that Kim Dan is overlooking or misinterpreting, which influenced their dynamic negatively so that they couldn’t relate to each other. However, I still think, Doc Dan was not really far from the truth. How so?
According to Mingwa, Kim Dan is a hamster and Joo Jaekyung is a wolf. So he sensed his animalistic nature. As you already know, I came to associate these two protagonists to other animals: dragon and his Yeouiju, Kim Dan as a DUCK! Hence it is possible that deep down, the celebrity has another hidden nature, like a cat.
The other nature from Joo Jaekyung
In my eyes, the champion is also a feline, more precisely a leopard. 😮 Remember the champion’s pajamas from episode 30: (chapter 30) The pajama pattern in the image appears to resemble a leopard print, which features distinct rosette-shaped spots that are commonly associated with this type of design. He also looked like a sulky “cat”. (chapter 30) And what was he trying to do here? To seek closeness to his new mate!
Leopards are wild animals and are generally not suitable for domestication. Though they are sometimes trained in captivity, they retain strong instincts and can be unpredictable and dangerous. Leopards often haul their kills up into a tree, out of reach of other carnivores, few of which can match a leopard’s climbing agility. They then leave the carcass and return at their leisure, safely enjoying a prolonged meal high up in a tree.
The symbolism and meaning of Leopard resonate through many cultures. Regarding the origin of the word “Leopard”, you’ll find the term comes from two Greek words translating as “Lion” and “Male Panther.” It’s a reference originating from a time when people felt Leopard was the child of both Panther and Lion.
This description corresponds a lot to the champion’s behavior: seeking isolation, bringing his prey to his penthouse (chapter 19), very territorial and disliking surprises. In literature, leopards often symbolize strength, courage, agility, and stealth. They are seen as solitary and powerful hunters, often representing independence or mystery. In totemic traditions, the leopard can symbolize resilience, adaptability, and personal power, often embodying a person’s inner strength and ability to face challenges.
In ancient Egyptian culture, leopards were revered, with priests wearing leopard-skin robes to signify their connection to the divine. Similarly, in African cultures, leopards are seen as symbols of royalty and protection. In the Chinese zodiac, the leopard (or panther) is associated with bravery and assertiveness, often symbolizing fierce guardianship and sharp intuition. Finally, leopards are historically associated with British royalty and heraldry, especially through their depiction as symbols of power and courage. In the British royal coat of arms, the “leopard” typically represents a stylized lion (often called a “lion passant guardant”)—a lion walking with its head turned to face the viewer. These symbols are often connected to English kings, with each “leopard” or lion reinforcing the monarchy’s strength, nobility, and bravery. This emblem has been used in military contexts as well, representing valor and leadership. To conclude, this predator is strongly intertwined with nobility and healing, as the latter was perceived to have a connection to the beyond.
Leopard as a Spirit Guide often comes to you after tremendous suffering. The Animal is a healer and counselor in such times. When all seems lost, Leopard comes to help you take back your Power; this is the time to look at the skills you have and appreciate them. Get rid of negative patterns and embrace fresh approaches on all levels of your being.
That’s exactly how Joo Jaekyung has been affecting Kim Dan’s life. He is bringing luck in his life, he is healing him and the symbol for this healing is Doc Dan’s smile and laugh (chapter 44). He is the only one who can bring him joy and happiness. Note that he smiled for the first time after their first sparring: (chapter 26) One might argue that he laughed with Potato and Oh Daehyun in the States. But are you sure? We never saw him laughing. Only Joo JAekyung heard their laughs, but did it also belong to the hamster? (chapter 37) Moreover, observe that during that terrible night, the athlete was wearing an t-shirt with a feline on it: (chapter 37) Puma was designed on it. As you can see, everything is pointing out that this man is a leopard which was mistaken to a sulky cat or a puma.
And now imagine that the young man is moving to the West Coast in order to watch the sunset: (chapter 44) That’s how the champion should reconnect with his true nature. Interesting is that leopards are adaptable animals that thrive in various environments, from savannas and rainforests to mountains and deserts. They prefer areas with dense vegetation for stalking prey, as well as access to water sources for hydration. Though leopards are not as dependent on water as some animals, they will drink when it’s available. They are often active at night or during dawn and dusk, making them well-suited to both sunny and shaded habitats. Their adaptability to different climates is one reason they have such a broad geographic range. It shows that the champion will adapt himself very well in a new environment. His hamster or duck has become his lifetime companion. He can no longer live without him.
One might reply that I am overinterpreting this story, because Mingwa only associated her characters with the hamster and the wolf. But I would like to remind my avid readers that there was a reference to chapter 30: (chapter 44) So since the champion was naked during this night, we could say that his true nature was slowly coming to the surface. As a predator, his annoyance to the strokes and kisses appears more normal and understandable: (chapter 44) Kim Dan is teaching him how to control his strength and discover playfulness. And now, imagine Kim Dan patting a leopard 😉 (chapter 44) and the leopard fighting a wounded and isolated hyena: (chapter 52) But what had triggered the champion? (chapter 52) Eye-contact! Making direct eye contact with a leopard can be dangerous. Leopards may interpret prolonged eye contact as a threat or challenge, triggering an aggressive response. In the wild, they rely on stealth and avoid open confrontation, so they may react defensively if they feel they are being stared at. This behavior is common among many predators, as eye contact often signals dominance or confrontation. It’s generally advised to avoid direct eye contact and back away slowly if you encounter a leopard in close proximity. Baek Junmin had totally underestimated the true nature of his opponent. This could explain as well why Park Namwook is wearing his glasses all the time and even avoiding eye-contact with the emperor.
To conclude, Kim Dan was slowly perceiving the champion’s true nature, his feline side. However, since leopard can not be domesticated and are extremely territorial, it signifies that the carnivore will be searching for his mate and master. In my eyes, thanks to the physical therapist, Joo Jaekyung will discover his second nature: raising cubs. Potato the chow chow (chapter 24), Oh Daehyun the eagle… (chapter 9)
Leopard mothers raise their cubs with care and caution. After giving birth, they keep the cubs hidden in dense vegetation or secluded rocky areas to protect them from predators which reminded me of the gym. The latter is not famous. The mother frequently moves her young to new locations to avoid detection by other animals. Cubs rely on their mother’s milk for the first few months, after which she gradually introduces them to solid food by bringing back small prey. The mother teaches her cubs essential hunting and survival skills, often for up to two years, until they can fend for themselves. In other words, Joo Jaekyung will train the remaining members of Team Black to develop their killer instincts far away from public eyes.
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.
Please support the authors by reading 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 2 previous essays about Daily Jinx Advent Insight 8andDaily Jinx Advent Insight 9
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.
If you pay attention to the illustration, you will notice that I switched the pictures in the photography album. However, assuming that you read all my previous daily insight compositions, you should recognize that I didn’t examine all the panels. The reason why I created a new illustration is that the topic for today was not related to the previous selected images.
And now, you are probably wondering what Keinshorm effect is. The latter describes a cognitive bias where individuals reject ideas simply because they come from people they dislike. This emotional response clouds judgment, leading to a refusal to consider the content’s merits objectively. It often stems from the “horn effect,” where a single negative trait is extended to the entire person, or from cognitive dissonance when new information challenges deep-seated beliefs. This effect can lead to polarization, impeding constructive dialogue and personal growth. Who do you think is suffering from Keinshorm effect in Jinx?
Naturally Park Namwook. He is constantly silencing his boy with his words (chapter 36), slaps (note) and punches. But how do psychologists explain this creation?
That is, we form an unfavorable first impression based on some characteristic that we consider negative – which can even be physical. This means that we are already negatively predisposed towards that person and, therefore, also towards their ideas. Quoted from Keinshorm Effect: why do we reject the ideas of those we can’t stand?
As you can see, it is strongly linked to negative first impressions and as such to appearances. Mingwa let us know how the manager met the protagonist from Jinx: (chapter 26) He would destroy the arcade’s punching machines constantly, which led him to become blacklisted. This means that for the coach from Team Black, the young man was just a brutal and thoughtless thug and nothing more. He judged him based on his appearance and actions. Since he had money in order to open his own gym, he became a spoiled rich brat in the former wrestler’s eyes. But notice that the article is pointing out that the person suffering from Keinshorm Effect rejects any discussion from their counterpart because in truth, they actually dislike this person. This exposes the truth about Park Namwook: he actually resents the main lead. He only accepts him because of his success and fame. At the same time, this biased perception incites him to view himself superior to his pupil.
Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Park Namwook slapped his boy after the surgery. It symbolizes the summit of the Heinshorm Effect and as such the manager’s dislike towards the champion. Additionally, it is important to recall the trigger which led to such a reaction: (chapter 45) The Emperor had voiced his thoughts and emotions. This shows that he was trying to have a discussion with his hyung. He desired to be heard too: he voiced his powerlessness and questioned the coach’s intention behind his previous reproach.
That’s how I realized that we should see this argument as the negative version from this discussion at the penthouse: (chapter 45) While some readers still judge the athlete as a red flag and bad guy, they fail to realize that in a discussion, it is not about right and wrong. They are probably under the effect of the Heinshorm Effect due to the first bad impressions. 😉 In this discussion, both made valid points, yet both were in the wrong too. In reality, in a discussion, it is relevant to listen to the counterpart’s opinion and words. And that’s exactly what both did, though it hurt them too. But there is more to it.
First, it exposes that the manager never checked the facts about his own “boy”. (chapter 52) Why would he destroy the punching machines constantly? Hence I come to the conclusion that he has no idea about the past from Joo Jaekyung: (chapter 49) Like mentioned in a previous essay, I am suspecting that the athlete was a target of bullying and the perpetrators used his weakness and isolation to their own advantage. In other words, Park Namwook only saw the young man, once the latter had started training in order to protect himself. If he could ruin the machine, then it means that he had developed some strength. Thus I deduce that he never saw the future champion crying. At the same time, his negative perception led him to think that it was not possible to reason with him. He would only understand the power of the fists and nothing else. And this brings me to my next point.
Kim Dan represents the manager’s positive perception. That’s the reason why Mingwa created situations where both would argue. But because the hyung is much smaller and weaker, Joo Jaekyung was encouraged to voice his thoughts and emotions. Through their discussions (heated or not), they developed a mutual respect, which deepened their understanding of each other over time. Therefore I came to perceive these two scenes as a positive and negative reflections.
Chapter 36
Chapter 42
Though both hyungs have the same attitude concerning violence, their response diverges. Kim Dan is not condemning his boss openly. His emotional reaction is more moderate, there is no yelling and threatening. He is teaching gently not to use his fists. With such an attitude, he displays acceptance and tolerance. Thus I come to the following interpretation. The relationship between Park Namwook and Joo Jaekyung was not bad right from the start. Yet as time passed on, the Keinshorm Effect reinforced the negative perception from the manager leading him to silence his star and as such to disrespect him.
In reality, the Keinshorm effect is not so much a rejection of the person or group as of what they represent. Whenever someone rejects an idea, what they are really doing is denying constructive disagreement and mature reflection.
In the long run, the Keinshorm effect distorts our judgment and prevents us from properly evaluating information or ideas presented by people or groups we find unpleasant. However, when we indiscriminately close ourselves off to everything that comes from our antipode, we fall into mental rigidity , which prevents us from growing and making more informed or adaptive decisions. Quoted from Keinshorm Effect: why do we reject the ideas of those we can’t stand?
Hence at the end, he chose not to communicate with him anymore. This explains why the manager didn’t inform him about the desertion of the last PT. (chapter 1) The champion was confronted with this new fact, when he saw Kim Dan for the first time. It signifies that when the story starts, the Keinshorm Effect is already deeply rooted. No wonder why there’s only one message from the hyung during the whole season (chapter 45) This was the sign of a poor connection between these two characters. Whereas the gap between them grew bigger and bigger, the opposite happened between the two protagonists. Under this new perspective, Jinx-philes can grasp why Mingwa created so many scenes with arguments between the two main leads. They should be seen as reflections from the past.
However with the manager, the latter had less patience and understanding right from the start. Therefore he came to choose his hands to turn the sportsman into a “passive and obedient” doll. That’s the reason why I see a connection between these two images:
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
The letter is the highest form for communication. Putting thoughts into words means that the writer took his time to communicate with his counterpart. It stands for rationality and respect which contrasts to the manager’s slap. The latter acted on his negative emotions (anger, fears). The author from the article pointed out that Heinshorm Effect is nowadays widely spread. Why?
Unfortunately, we are living in a true emotiocracy, a dictatorship of emotions that feeds extremism, polarization and, of course, non-thinking. We act by letting ourselves be carried away exclusively by feelings of sympathy or animosity. Without thinking. And when this extends to all levels of society, it becomes highly dangerous. Quoted fromKeinshorm Effect: why do we reject the ideas of those we can’t stand?
The moment I read this passage, it made me think of Choi Heesung and his k-drama: Extreme Worlds (chapter 29) (chapter 30) In the past, I used to think that this title were referring to the existence of two worlds: celebrity versus criminal world. But now I am thinking that these extreme worlds should be seen as “emotions” versus “reason” and “love versus hate” too. Idols are exposed to such extreme emotions (stalking, adoration versus hate). (chapter 36) In the second case, Joo Jaekyung could experience it twice during the first season. Whereas he got upset with the article from Shim Yoon-Seok (chapter 35), in the second one he was more composed. (chapter 52) He was already learning that the media were not reflecting verity. He was already distancing himself from social media. He had slowly realized that his image as star was not his true identity. At the same time, the letter contrasts with the short messages from haters. It outlines that Kim Dan’s admiration and recognition is sincere and deep. He didn’t get influenced by the media.
Hence I come to the conclusion that Park Namwook’s passivity and slap were triggered by the Heinshorm Effect. Yes, he was thinking like the media which distinguishes him from the cute “hamster”. (chapter 52) For him, Joo Jaekyung deserved to be suspended… he had punched his opponent at the hospital. Imagine the irony of the situation. Later, the manager used violence too, but it was excusable: (chapter 52) Consequently, it is understandable why Park Namwook didn’t fight against the suspension or organize a conference in order to save his star’s reputation. He had the same view about his boy. In addition, it exposes the shortsightedness and lack of reflection from Park Namwook. That’s why he shouldn’t be allowed to be the star’s manager. While he accuses his pupil of being hot-tempered, the former never checked the facts either: (chapter 52) Why was Baek Junmin place next to his opponent? Someone will have to confront this man for his negligence, unfairness, stupidity and incompetence.
But there exists another evidence for the presence of the Keinshorm Effect: (chapter 1) Due to his words, Kim Dan came to perceive the Emperor as a brutal and brainless man: (chapter 1) However, despite his biased perception about the athlete, he came to overcome all his prejudices about his boss and came to truly love the fighter. And this brings me back to this comparison:
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
The champion’s reaction made laugh many readers. He was so calm. However, the moment you contrast this image with the one from episode 53, you will realize that his reaction is exposing his final detachment from Park Namwook. He is not upset, but this means that he is no longer seeking his admiration and recognition. The slap puts an end to their ambiguous and toxic relationship. For me, the manager lost his position as his hyung and as such his “family”. This explains why he listened to his coach, and said nothing. (chapter 53) However, later the champion thought otherwise: (chapter 53) This shows that he is now making his own decisions and this in the absence of his mentor. It somehow implies that the champion also stops communicating to Park Namwook. Finally, notice how he reacted after reading the letter: he truly felt bad. He was already attached emotionally and mentally to Kim Dan. As a conclusion, the season ends with the switch of the position between Kim Dan and Park Namwook. The former has already come to replace the manager. Indifference versus guilt and pain.
After making this discovery, it dawned on me why Kim Dan was not included in the discussions concerning the imminent fights. (chapter 36) He wouldn’t have been allowed to voice his opinion. He would have been even suspected of spying and leaking information (lawyer and manager from the Entertainment agency). Kim Dan needed to realize and admit his love and admiration for the athlete. first in order to stop Keinshorm Effect. He needed to be a confident and competent PT and become a friend for the protagonist. Since Kim Dan stands for communication, tolerance, respect and openminded-ness, the former hyung embodies the opposite notions: silence, dislike, clouded judgement and mental rigidity. Thus I deduce that in the future, the discussions about fights will take place differently. Involvement from all the members, opening listening and Kim Dan as a PT will have the decisive right for allowing a fight or not.
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.
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Navigating the Dark Path: Choices and Consequences
The starting point of this essay is an image from episode 26 where Kim Changmin and Kwak Junbeom (chapter 26) are talking about Joo Jaekyung’s past. In this episode, Jinxphiles discover through the testimonies from Oh Daehyun (chapter 26) and Kim Changmin that Joo Jaekyung could have become a thug. However, the confession from the fighter with the beige t-shirt grabbed my interest, in particular the sentence “didn’t go down a darker path”. Notice that the innocent sportsman is employing the adjective dark in the comparative form. The usual expression is to go down on a dark path. So why did he say “darker”? Interesting is that by using the comparative, the sportsman insinuates that the protagonist didn’t make a good choice either. Why? It is because dark implies danger, corruption and chaos. It was, as if the man had still veered off course. It seems to hint that Jaekyung is still involved in some morally ambiguous or risky associations. This subtle implication not only complicates Jaekyung’s character but also suggests a tension between his ambition and possible hidden affiliations. This observation raises the following question: why would the sportsman state this?
Why a darker path?
It becomes clear through the conversation with Kwak Junbeom (chapter 26) that both fighters don’t know the star very well. During the sparring, the former judo champion is surprised the way the celebrity is treating Kim Dan. He is judging his actions based on his observation and feelings (it feels like…). He sees him in a rather positive light, a man amusing himself with a kid. This sparring is associated with fun due to the words “toying” and “kid”. This shows that the sportsman is only now noticing the protagonist’s childish nature.
As for his listener, it becomes clear that this young man is simply repeating Park Namwook’s words. The clues for this interpretation are two expressions: “we should be grateful” and “especially with that personality of his”. Only the manager and coach has been underlining the bad personality from the main lead. He has no manners (chapter 7), he is a maniac, (chapter 9) he is a stubborn workaholic (chapter 27) (chapter 27) (chapter 52) Then in front of Kim Dan, the latter would always voice his gratitude (chapter 9) (chapter 43) The moment this expression “darker path” grabbed my interest, I wondered why the manager and coach would employ such an expression. It implies that he still saw the athlete’s career as a dark path.
On the one hand, it could be related to MMA fighting which the hyung doesn’t view in a good light. It was, as though the athlete should have selected a different career like doctor or teacher. Nevertheless, my avid readers should keep in their mind that on the morning of the protagonist’s birthday the man sent a video with his kids. (chapter 43) The latter seem to be cheering on the star. The video exposes that Park Namwook has been portraying the main lead as a champion and as such as a hero. He doesn’t see his job as MMA in a negative light. If so, he would have never allowed his children to know about his relationship with Joo Jaekyung. In fact, the message and video are exposing the father’s pride. He is the coach and manager from the famous and invincible MMA fighter. Consequently, I don’t think that the man is truly condemning him for becoming a MMA fighter.
This conclusion leads us right back to the start. Why would he say “darker path”? One might reply that the purpose is to outline his role as Joo Jaekyung’s savior and luck. Nevertheless, I doubt that this man realized that with this little addition he was exposing his true thoughts. From my point of view, the comparative is exposing that the manager from Team Black is not totally oblivious of the connection between MFC and the criminal world. Since Baek Junmin’s path crossed the athlete’s in the past (chapter 49), it signifies that Joo Jaekyung could have become involved in this type of games: (chapter 47) And from my perspective, Park Namwook is aware of this. As you know, for me, Joo Jaekyung became the official face of MFC, the one covering up the dark side. He stands in the light to mask the true nature of that organization. For me, “darker” is the indication that the manager is aware of the connections.
Joo Jaekyung, a winner or a target?
And the other evidence for this hypothesis are his words in chapter 46: (chapter 46) In this picture, I detected a contradiction from the hyung. If the star is bringing a lot of money, why would he become a target? In fact, people would rather bet on the man, as his victory seems more probable than his defeat. No one has an interest to bet against him, unless the schemers are malicious and malevolent. The word “target” is not random, it implies the existence of a scheme. Hence the manager should have been even more prudent concerning his star’s safety. Yet, he allowed him to return home alone during the night and he had no guard by his side. (chapter 48) This remark outlines the manager’s neglect. His boy has no protection, though he had already become the target of a “malicious fan” according to the “fake investigation”. Moreover, in the office, Park Namwook is finally admitting the existence of illegal gambling, a topic which was never brought up before. (chapter 46) He is explaining this, as if that was something new. However, even the members from TEAM Black already knew about them. (chapter 47) Imagine that Joo Jaekyung has been fighting for a while, and only after so many years, the topic “illegal gambling and schemes” is brought up. In my eyes, everything seems to point out that the manager was aware of the corruption of MFC and even crimes, but he chose to close an eye to the truth. But please don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that he knew about the existence of the first scheme. From my perspective, the man is a silent accomplice. Moreover, he doesn’t need to know everything, he just needs to know a few facts, but by hiding them from the champion, he becomes an accomplice. Moreover, with this explanation, Jinx-philes can grasp why the coach and manager is portraying himself as the owner of the gym. That way, he can keep his pupil in the dark, a similar attitude than the physical therapist with his grandmother. He never brought up the truth to Shin Okja concerning the physical assault from the loan sharks..
Moreover, why would he avoid meeting director Choi Gilseok the week before the fight? (chapter 49) The drop of his face is not only indicating his discomfort, but also his lie. It is because if he had met the director from King Of MMA, he could have been suspected of being a traitor or a spy. Thus I come to the following theory: Park Namwook knew about the meeting between the director of Choi Gilseok and Kim Dan. Let’s not forget that the physical therapist encountered the villain right in front of the gym and Kwak Junbeom was a witness of their meeting. (chapter 48) This raises the following question: did he know about the anonymous message? (chapter 48) It is difficult to say, but this incident is revealing the manager’s complicity. How so? It is his job as a manager to protect his boy from the public. No personal information should be so easily accessible. He has to make sure that his cellphone number is not given to any random guy. Yes, his cellphone number was leaked not only to journalists, but also to rival gyms. I am suspecting that the leaking could be linked to „favors“ and free PR. One might say that the Entertainment agency could be behind the leak. However, my avid readers shouldn’t forget that the person who pushed Joo Jaekyung to sign a contract with the agency was Park Namwook. (chapter 30) He explained this choice by saying that many athletes would sign such contracts. His justification outlines his herd mentality. That way, he would delegate his responsibility to the agency. Hence Park Namwook is accountable for the signature of this contract. Thus it dawned on me that the manager has played the same role than the halmoni’s in the end. Both put a leash to their “relative’s neck”, though it had never been their intention. There is no ambiguity that these two characters were definitely motivated by their selfishness, greed and dream. Finally, we should question ourselves why the manager and coach is so obsessed with money and is treating his “boy” like a doll. His mentality was definitely influenced by his surroundings. However, at the gym, most of the fighters were portrayed as little kids who got corrupted over time. Since I detected similarities between the two main leads, I can only come to the deduction that Kim Dan is the champion’s emancipator. While the doctor needed money to get liberated from debts, the other needs to find a true family in order to be free from fighting restlessly. But there is more to it.
Park Namwook’s glasses
If you already read my analysis Who are you?”, the significance of masks in Manhwas, you are aware of the symbolism of glasses in Manhwas. The latter should be considered as masks too, where people hide their true thoughts and emotions. Thus the spectacles often embody hypocrisy, deceitfulness but also blindness. (Painter Of The Night, chapter 7) Jung In-Hun from Painter Of The Night is the perfect illustration. The latter had the impression to be superior to others due to his knowledge. He imagined to have fooled Yoon Seungho. Thus he envisioned that he had been able to manipulate the main lead, whereas the opposite had happened. Finally, the scholar had the tendency to dream big, which led him to his doom. On the other hand, since Matthew Rayner from Under The Green Light decided to wear spectacles in order to avoid rejection and fear, I deduce that Park Namwook represents a combination of both metaphors. On the one hand, he is hiding his true thoughts behind the spectacles. He also has high ambitions and he is not entirely honest to his “boss”, like I exposed it in the last composition. On the other hand, there is no doubt that the man is also motivated by fears. (chapter 53) They serve him as shield literally and figuratively. No one would punch or slap a man wearing glasses. Furthermore, he is protecting his own heart and mind that way. It was, as if he was closing his eyes to reality. That’s the other reason why I believe that the coach is not entirely ignorant about the existence of corruption in MFC. Yet, I couldn’t help myself noticing the absence of Park Namwook’s eyes, especially at the end of the season 1. Jinx-philes could only see them, when he voiced his anger towards his “champion”: (chapter 52) After that outburst, they vanished behind the glasses. (chapter 53) Is the author lazy to draw eyes? Or if not, why is this man portrayed eyeless even with glasses?
In literature and visual media, eyeless characters often represent themes of emotional detachment, moral ambiguity, or hidden motives, amplifying the eerie nature of a character who appears soulless or devoid of empathy. When eyes are covered, concealed, or even omitted entirely, it can imply an emotional blindness, a lack of self-awareness, or even a refusal to face reality. The saying “The eyes are the mirror of the soul” underscores that eyes reveal inner truth and vulnerability, allowing us to connect with others. So, when a character lacks eyes, it suggests a separation from these very qualities, making them appear either emotionally empty, sinister, or untrustworthy. Such portrayals can also indicate a person who hides behind a “mask,” unwilling to reveal their true self, as their concealed eyes prevent others from truly understanding or trusting them. In other words, by portraying the manager with eyes, Mingwa is indicating that this man symbolizes mistrust, lack of self-awareness and detachment.
In addition, in a darker interpretation, being “eyeless” can also imply a loss of control or identity, as if the person is a mere shell, lacking an inner life that grounds their actions or connects them with the world around them. And now pay attention to Joo Jaekyung’s portrait in episode 26: (chapter 26) The shadow is eyeless, mirroring his mentor’s mentality. In other words, the man with glasses symbolizes emptiness and lack of compassion and even morality.
To conclude, for Park Namwook in Jinx, this eyeless portrayal, combined with his glasses, intensifies his mysterious and unsettling nature. His glasses serve as a “mask,” hiding his thoughts and emotions, much like how characters in manhwas often use spectacles to obscure their true intentions. This concealment implies that Park is not fully honest or transparent, particularly with those he interacts with in his role as coach. (Chapter 52) By putting them back, he is displaying that he is acting again. His hidden eyes may also hint at an emotional or moral blindness, as though he either cannot or chooses not to see the deeper consequences of his actions or the corruption around him. And now, you comprehend why he stands for fake gratitude and fake compassion. His mouth is not reflecting his mind.
When his eyes are briefly shown during this moment of anger (chapter 52), they reveal a flash of his true feelings, but they quickly disappear behind the glasses again. This momentary exposure suggests that his mask slips only under intense emotion, reinforcing his general detachment and guarded nature. Through Park Namwook’s eyeless depiction, he is portrayed as a character who is both morally ambiguous and emotionally shielded, distancing him from both the audience and the characters around him. This shows that the coach and manager is not Joo Jaekyung’s savior. In reality I am more than ever convinced that the opposite happened. Thanks to him, the coach was able to make a living. Under this new light, you comprehend why the hyung utilized the comparative darker in that context. In reality, he is the one who brought him to the dark path, but he is in denial.
Before closing this essay, I would like my avid readers to remember this scene: (chapter 52) (chapter 52) Park Namwook removed his spectacles, when he cried. However, notice that he still protected his eyes by using his arm. A sign for his dishonesty in my opinion. Moreover, it indicates how guarded and mistrustful this man is. At the same time, it becomes clear why he had to remove them. It is because the glasses are a mask. The tears would not have been visible. I would even add that this man was mimicking a crying person, as his weeping stopped very quickly. He needed to awake compassion or sympathy, for he had acted like a ruffian at the hospital. He had used violence on a patient.
One thing is sure: Park Namwook is neither a savior nor a hero. He is the reason why Joo Jaekyung has not been living at all. Now, Joo Jaekyung is on his way to find the light of his life: Kim Dan, his true companion and soulmate. He chose love and Enlightenment over blindness, greed and ambition.
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.
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Since I am writing each day and I am still working as a teacher, you can imagine that I don’t have much time during the week to spend hours on the new analysis. Hence don’t expect a continuity in the examinations. Yesterday, I studied the significance of the games in chapter 27. Today, I will focus on a totally different aspect. And that will be Heesung’s injury and the coach’s apology. (chapter 31)
Park Namwook’s apology
The man with the glasses not only said “I’m sorry”, but also announced that Team Black would cover all the hospital fees and any kind of compensation, it signifies that the manager and coach was admitting his boy’s mistake. But actually, this was not the first apology from the coach. (chapter 31) As you can see, as soon as the actor was lying on the floor, the manager was already blaming his “boy”. This exposes that the man was not interested in the truth in the end. He had already given the judgement. But notice that Park Namwook chastised the protagonist for blocking the tackle. He reproached his star that he should have absorbed the comedian’s tackle.
Tackle or absorb?
I have to admit that I am not that knowledgeable concerning MMA fighting. But even for me this recommendation sounded weird, for it meant that the protagonist should have withstood the impact and allowed the actor to let him fall. Absorbing a tackle, especially at high impact, can lead to various injuries due to the sheer force on the body. Common injuries include concussions, joint injuries, fractures, spinal, neck and soft tissue injuries, as absorbing such force without proper technique can be damaging. In conclusion, a full-strength tackle in contact sports can exert a force comparable to that of a low-speed car accident or a moderate-speed bicycle collision.
And now pay attention to the way Heesung tackled the champion: (chapter 31) He used his whole weight and strength to take down his counterpart. This corresponds to a low-speed car accident and Mingwa let us see the effect of this terrible impact: (chapter 31) His facial expression was betraying him: he was in pain. This means that in verity the one who had caused an injury was not the champion, but Heesung. But there is more to it.
In most cases, blocking a tackle is considered safer and more effective than simply absorbing one, especially in contact sports like football or rugby. Blocking a tackle involves actively engaging with the force of the tackle, using strength, leverage, and positioning to reduce the impact on the body and redirect it safely. Here’s a breakdown of why blocking is generally better:
Control and Stability
When a player blocks a tackle, they use their body positioning to control the direction of the impact, often keeping a lower center of gravity and stabilizing themselves. This approach minimizes the risk of being taken off-balance, which reduces the likelihood of awkward falls and resulting injuries.
Absorbing a tackle, on the other hand, often puts the player in a passive stance, where they are simply bracing for impact without redirecting it. This can increase the chance of injury as the body takes on the full force of the collision.
Injury Prevention
Blocking a tackle can protect vital joints, muscles, and ligaments by transferring some of the impact force outward or downward. For instance, football players are trained to block using their hands, arms, and upper bodies in a way that reduces strain on vulnerable areas like the shoulders and knees.
Absorbing a tackle, where the body “takes” the hit, can concentrate impact on specific areas, which increases the risk of bruises, sprains, or even fractures if the player isn’t properly positioned.
Maintaining Momentum
Blocking a tackle can allow a player to stay in motion, potentially continuing the play or advancing. This is especially true for offensive players trying to avoid being tackled, as blocking enables them to avoid being completely stopped or taken down.
Absorbing a tackle, by contrast, often brings the play to an immediate halt, and the player has less chance to keep moving.
Energy Efficiency
Blocking tackles is generally less tiring in the long run because it involves proactive positioning and technique rather than bracing the body repeatedly against impact. It requires skill and training but helps preserve energy during a game.
Absorbing tackles can be exhausting, as each impact takes a toll on the body. This can lead to fatigue more quickly, especially over the course of a game, which increases the risk of mistakes and injury.
The choice and its signification
In some cases, absorbing a tackle might be necessary, such as in situations where the player has no time or space to block effectively. However, whenever possible, blocking is usually preferable due to its advantages in control, safety, and momentum. Because the Emperor could block the attack, my avid readers can realize that the athlete had made the right decision. In addition, it exposes the Emperor’s superiority over his mentor. He has already surpassed his master. The incident exposes that the athlete actually no longer needs Park Namwook as coach and advisor on the ring. What caught my attention is that absorbing is strongly intertwined with passivity and immobility (“passive stance”, “takes”, “immediate halt”). This represents the manager’s philosophy. He is against move, decision and mobility. Through this discovery, I was finally able to prove that the coach is the source for Joo Jaekyung’s inner passivity and anxieties. Simultaneously, it outlines why none of the protagonists could unveil the mystery behind the schemes. PArk NAmwook was encouraging his boy and star to do nothing EXCEPT mistrust the members from Team Black. (chapter 46) If the manager had been that worried, why didn’t he confront the fighters from Team Black directly? Instead, he sent Yosep on an errand. In other words, he did nothing.
But the mentor’s mind-set focusing on passivity is also visible in a different context, in the way Joo Jaekyung fights in the arena. Yes, I noticed that Park Namwook is encouraging his athlete to use his body as shield, to wait for a while before attacking the opponent. That’s his strategy, therefore the athlete has been so focused on training his muscles. (chapter 37) Look at this:
Chapter 15
Chapter 40
Chapter 50
The tactic was always to wait. He always let the opponents throw the first punches and he protected himself by using his arms. No wonder why his shoulders were in bad shape. Notice that Park Namwook desired to use the same strategy in the last fight: “tire Shotgun out and finish him off with the decisive strike”. It was never about taking the initiative! So why did he hire so many consultants? However, due to Kim Dan, Joo Jaekyung changed his strategy and this twice:
Chapter 5
Chapter 50
In the second case, the athlete had to change his strategy, for he was already wounded. In other words, Kim Dan’s mistake was to teach Joo Jaekyung to trust his instincts and as such himself. He needs to stop using his body as a shield, but as a weapon, like he did in the doctor’s home: become proactive and anticipate his opponent’s moves.
Moreover, the association between the hyung and absorbing exposes the manager’s stupidity and lack of expertise. He has no idea about the impact on the body. Let’s not forget that Park Namwook is a former wrestler and not a MMA fighter. Hence technically, he doesn’t know judo, jujitsu, karate, boxing and Muay Thai and other disciplines. No wonder why this man is too one-sided. That’s how I realized the huge contrast with the physical therapist’s attitude. (chapter 25) The latter desired to learn the moves from MMA fighting (chapter 25) in order to understand the involvement of the muscles and the possible consequences on the body. This scene displays the lack of expertise from Park Namwook. How did he become a manager and even a coach? Perhaps a crash course organized by MFC (chapter 22), but the latter is definitely influenced by the criminal underworld. This new observation reinforces my previous theory that Kim Dan will come to replace the manager and coach’s position. What distinguishes them from each other is their attitude to knowledge. Kim Dan keeps learning, reading and watching, whereas the other has the impression, he already knows everything. I guess, he has never heard from the concept “lifelong learning”.The latter promotes the idea of continuously acquiring knowledge and skills throughout a person’s life. This approach values education beyond formal schooling, emphasizing that learning can happen in various settings (chapter 42), including personal, professional, and community experiences. The goal is to adapt to changes, meet evolving job requirements, and stay mentally engaged. In Germany and other countries, lifelong learning is promoted to foster personal growth, social inclusion, and employability, especially as technology and society rapidly evolve. I am myself a follower from this concept. Hence I am still looking for new things (learning new cultures, new languages, reading about psychology, …).
Rough on his body
Since the athlete had expressed physical pain through his visage (chapter 31), the man with the red t-shirt should have noticed it. Observe how he joins the actor. His body is facing his “boy”, so he was not standing behind him. From his place, he could have seen that Heesung had done something wrong. It is important because through this incident, Mingwa exposed the verity. Joo Jaekyung is not allowed to voice his pain, but he has to accept to be rough on his body. (chapter 27) Yet, he was chastised. I had always stated the coach’s responsibility before, but I had only found indirect evidences for this interpretation. Since he should have absorbed the impact, it implies that the latter should accept the pain as a normality. However by blocking Heesung’s assault, the athlete had tried to protect his own body. Thanks to Kim Dan, the fighter was learning how to treasure his own body. Moreover, it displays another flaw from Park Namwook: his risky attitude by making a bad recommendation. I would even add that his slap on the fighter’s neck is revealing his recklessness and thoughtlessness. (chapter 31)
And now, you know why Kim Dan had to treat Joo Jaekyung’s neck for more than two hours on a Saturday. (chapter 32) Joo Jaekyung was finally receiving his treatment for his injury, the consequence of Heesung’s tackle. No one checked on his body, just because the other was faking his injury. While writing this, I can’t stop my blood from boiling out of anger. To conclude, I am confirming once again that Park Namwook is a bad coach and manager. He shouldn’t be allowed to become one for the other fighters. He would treat them like toys or even “punching bags”. Imagine that he would also recommend such a strategy to Potato as fighter. That would be very dangerous. In addition, why was he treating his star so badly and privileging the actor? It is because the latter brings money forgetting that the champion is the source of his own income! And this brings me back to the initial picture:
Park Namwook’s hypocrisy
Striking is that the Webtoonist portrayed him with two faces. Naturally, she desired to expose the movement of the manager’s head. At the same time, we should consider this portrait as the symbol for his hypocrisy. The expression double-faced signifies that the person is saying one thing, but does the opposite. And that’s exactly what the hyung is doing: (chapter 43) Interesting is the idiom is a synonym for deceitfulness. And this brings me to my next observation. Why did he add “whatever other compensation you need”? The moment I asked myself this question, I couldn’t restrain myself from thinking that the manager might have known about the true intention from Choi Heesung. Is it a coincidence that Kim Dan was used as compensation for the athlete’s mistake? Moreover, the latter was supposed to meet the actor on a Saturday, his own day-off. (chapter 32) And this proves that Park Namwook is the reason why the athlete never took a day-off. He was forcing an employee to work during his day-off and the latter wouldn’t even be paid for this. It was included in the “salary”. It was, as if the manager was using the PT as his servant.
Anyone could detect that the actor was interested in the PT. Moreover, I would like to add that Choi Heesung made this request (chapter 31) in the hallway, next to the meeting room and office. So technically, Park Namwook could have heard them talking behind the door, a new version of this scene: (chapter 36) Was he truly ignorant about the actor’s intentions with all this wooing and sponsoring? (chapter 31) In addition, he had heard the comment from the gumiho’s manager. (chapter 30) Just because we didn’t see this, it doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen. And maybe that’s the other reason why he was more than willing to use Kim Dan. The latter was bringing a huge client to the gym. (chapter 31) He would come on a regular basis. Naturally, I have no more proof for this theory than the remark “whatever other compensation you need” and its timing. Nevertheless, one thing is sure. Kim Dan was treated the exact same way than Joo Jaekyung, a doll and servant at his disposal.
And this remark brings me to my next interpretation. Why doesn’t Joo Jaekyung apologize or say thank you? (chapter 37) It is because Park Namwook had become his voice. And we can observe this with the apology at the gym: (chapter 31) First, the champion was silenced with the slap. Therefore he couldn’t apologize. His apology was expressed through the bow which the man forced him to do. (chapter 31) It was, as though the star had become an automat that had to obey to his owner’s orders. However, it becomes clear that the apologies and gratitude from the hyung (chapter 37) are just lip-services because at the end, he has no problem to replace Kim Dan. (chapter 53) That’s the reason why I have been wondering if the last incident was not the trigger for the coach to drop his “boy” and find a new “star and champion”. Since he is so obsessed with money and fame, I can’t help myself wondering if he will take a new pupil and torment him so that the latter only becomes a shadow of himself. Let me know what you think about this.
Thanks to this image (chapter 31), I could detect that Kim Dan embodies a different strategy in MMA fighting: change and movement, becoming proactive, trusting his skills and instincts and treasuring the own body. The reason is that he comes from the medical field where the body is treated like a living body and not like a doll or toy.
That’s it for today.
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.
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Like mentioned in the last essay, I am planning to release a short analysis each day. Today, my focus will be on this scene: (chapter 52) The remaining members from Team Black were paying a visit to the recently surged athlete. One detail caught my attention.
Where are the flowers or the fruits from the visitors?
If you have ever watched any K-drama, you can observe how visitors bring flowers, nutrition drinks, a basket of fruits or ginseng to a patient recovering at a hospital. Why? Offering items like fruits, flowers, books, nutrition drinks, or ginseng to a hospital patient serves both emotional and physical purposes. Flowers and books help create a comforting environment, lifting the patient’s spirits, while fruits and nutrition drinks provide essential nutrients, aiding recovery. Ginseng, valued in traditional medicine for boosting energy and immune support, can also contribute to physical well-being. Together, these gifts show thoughtfulness, offering nourishment, distraction, and a reminder that the patient is cared for, fostering a holistic approach to healing. They are not alone, they can count on their friends or family’s support.
Since these gestures show comfort and thoughtfulness, promoting emotional well-being, the panel exposes Team Black’s true mentality. They are not taking care of the celebrity’s mental and emotional care at all. The absence reinforces my previous interpretation about this scene. Park Namwook is far from being compassionate and caring. In fact, imagine that they are talking about work in such an environment, while the fighter should focus on his recovery. Let’s not forget that he just got surged which shouldn’t be underestimated.
One might argue that Kim Dan didn’t bring a gift to his grandmother, when he visited her twice at the hospital. (chapter 5) (chapter 7) Nevertheless, the young man was struggling financially back then, he could barely buy himself some food. Nonetheless, he still took his time to visit her before going to his new work place. And this brings me back to the image from episode 22: (chapter 52) All these men are not struggling financially, hence they should have thought about a present. Moreover, observe that they didn’t bring anything during that day, but also not before. The VIP hospital room is totally empty, even sterile. The absence of items is indicating their neglect, I am even suspecting that they didn’t visit the champion for a while. Mingwa showed us that the remaining members went to the gym. (chapter 52) But there is more to it.
They didn’t send anything either: no card or message. The table and bed are clean. Moreover, my avid readers could see that Joo Jaekyung only had his cellphone and he was reading the news. This means that Joo Jaekyung didn’t receive any kind word from them either. This exposes the coldness from Park Namwook who is seen as hyung and role model for Team Black. He has spent so many years by his side, but he is unable to show any compassion towards his “boy”, To conclude, he is not a role model. Quite far from it…. And this raises the following question.
Why didn’t they even think of a small present?
They could use the birthday party as an excuse. (chapter 43) He wouldn’t have liked it. He dislikes presents anyway. However, his reaction at the surprised birthday party can not be utilized as an excuse. Why? I have two reasons for this objection. First, he saw the birthday party as a disturbance to his routine (training)! That’s why he said this to the fighters: (chapter 43) They should eat the cake quickly so that the training could start. But at the hospital, he has all the time in the world. He can not train due to his injured shoulder. Hence the gift doesn’t represent a transgression at all. As for the second reason, note that the athlete ate the strawberry with the cream, with this gesture, he was sending the signal that he was accepting their present, though he didn’t eat much. Finally, by eating the strawberry, he displays his like for fruits!!
There exists another reason why the athlete received nothing from his visitors. Let’s not forget that for the athlete, presents were always connected to favors! The donator expected something in exchange from the “receiver”. And now, you know why Park Namwook came empty-handed! He had nothing to expect from Joo Jaekyung, the latter lost his title and he can not fight for 3 months. This means that during this time, Park Namwook can not earn any money. Remember that the one racing against time is in truth the former wrestler, for he is expecting this outcome: (chapter 52) Yes, everything is revolving around money for Park Namwook. This observation leads to the following remark. The manager offered nothing to Joo Jaekyung, because he is rich. He has everything he needs. That’s how it dawned on me that so far, the coach has never offered anything to the star himself at all, not even after his victories. Just a stroke on the shoulder (chapter 5) and a compliment in the hallway (chapter 40). In fact, the one doing a favor was always Joo Jaekyung for the manager. Hence the former chose to lie about his shoulder: he is not allowed to show any sign of weakness. (chapter 40)
By noticing the absence of gifts in the hospital room, I had another revelation. I suddenly recalled this scene: (chapter 15) Here, the manager was willing to bring him “all the water the star could ever want”. And guess what? Water is supposed to be free! Naturally, he was replying to the champion’s request. However, I don’t think this remark is anodyne. In fact, “all the water you could ever want” is an indication that the champion is not allowed to be too greedy and Park Namwook is only willing to offer water and nothing else. It exposes Park Namwook‘s greed.
And now, it is time to return to the hospital room. (chapter 52) Did Park Namwook ask the athlete if he wanted to have some water? Did he offer to help him to change the position of his bed? Did he assist him to sit correctly, like the champion did with the grandmother? (chapter 21) Did he spend his time with him in order to give him some comfort? The answer is always NO. Yes, Joo Jaekyung appears as a knight in shining armor compared to Park Namwook.
Why am I so certain that he didn’t spend time with the athlete?
First, for me, there is no doubt that Park Namwook felt uncomfortable with the injured sportsman. Don’t forget that his biggest fear is that his boy gets so injured that he can no longer fight. (chapter 43) He only admires the strong and invincible fighter, not the weak man. Furthermore, he needed to announce to Joo Jaekyung that his PT had quit. Thanks to Potato’s discovery, the man had the opportunity to bring up the resignation. However, he didn’t want to be the one responsible for his resignation. Joo Jaekyung needed to take the fall. What caught my attention is that Potato’s face had cuts, but no bruised face! (chapter 52) Here, I am giving you a comparison with Kim Dan: (chapter 18) The latter had just received his treatment at the hospital. The maknae and the others had not appeared, because they had gone to the hospital in order to treat the chowchow’s wounds. This shows that some time had passed, until they chose to visit the wounded and lonely star. Besides, Jeong Yosep had contacted in the main time the authorities (police, MFC) (chapter 52) As you can see, the timing is indicating that the athlete was manipulated, for they revealed the truth to Joo Jaekyung in delay. It is called “paltering”. This new discovery reinforces my first examination. They were all selfish and cold-hearted, for they had the time to buy a present, when they went to the VIP room. Simultaneously, it corroborates my impression that Park Namwook was not truly unhappy about Kim Dan’s departure. His passivity, silence and the delayed announcement of his resignation are all revealing that Park Namwook was not truly concerned about the PT. But the best evidence is his behavior towards his own “boy”. He spent so many years by his side (chapter 15), but he didn’t offer him anything at the hospital: no book, no ginseng, no fruit…. In verity, he was the one who desired to get comfort and validation. (chapter 52) It was, as if the world had turned upside down.
That’s it for today.
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.
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 thetable 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 JinxSound Of Water (third version)
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.
The trigger for this essay were quotes from “The Art Of Loving”, a book written by Erich Fromm. In my essay “The Art Of Loving”I had already introduced the German-American socio psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist and humanistic philosopher, where I presented his definition of love: Care, knowledge, respect and responsibility. However, notice that the title of my analysis is “To give or To Take?”, which was inspired by other books from Erich Fromm: “To Have or To Be?” and “Escape From Freedom”. The reason is simple, the quotes led me to his other theories which give explanations to the origins of unhappiness or happiness. There he outlined the problems of our modern society and gave advices how to lead a good life. This brings me back to the Korean Manhwa Jinx, where (un)happiness is in the center of the story. As the seme and uke are both really miserable despite their different social status. Both believed to be jinxed. The reality is that they were trapped, and their unhappiness was the result of their own bad choices. How would Erich Fromm explain this?
1. Masters and Slaves
In works like Escape from Freedom and The Art of Loving, Fromm suggested that humans often avoid the responsibility of true freedom by conforming to societal norms, seeking authority figures to follow, or focusing on material gains. This “escape from freedom,” as he called it, results in a loss of autonomy and self-awareness, keeping individuals from mastering their own lives. While Fromm believed we have the potential for self-mastery, he cautioned that this requires a conscious rejection of limiting social pressures and a commitment to self-discovery and personal responsibility. Under this new perspective, my avid readers can grasp my selection for the heading. Freedom defines the distinction between a master and a slave—those with freedom have agency, autonomy, and control over their choices, while those without it are subject to another’s will and have nothing to give to others. It highlights how freedom is fundamental to self-determination and power, establishing a boundary between control and subservience.
1. 1. The poor child and dog
And if you read my previous analysis “Sound Of Water“, you should have realized that Shin Okja embodies the slave who chose to escape from freedom. Thus she blamed life and others (“we”) (chapter 53) for not realizing her biggest wish: to return to the West Coast. With her words, she implies that she never had any choice. Hence she is not responsible for her “misery”. However, after reading Erich Fromm’s philosophy, it becomes clear that she must have always followed social norms and listened to authority figures (parents, husband, doctors, …). That’s how she gave up on her own freedom. One might argue that her scoop of maneuver was limited due to her poverty. However, the Mother Of Pearl Wedding Cabinet is definitely expensive and no junk (chapter 16), especially since the latter is rather old. The grandmother could have sold it, but she never did, for the latter has a sentimental value. Consequently, I would say that she had missed her chance, and naturally her misery is the result of her own wrong choices. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the grandmother portrays herself as poor who has nothing to give to her grandchild. (chapter 53) As a slave, she can not become responsible for Kim Dan and his life. However, she is wrong here again. She was not entirely powerless. She could have talked about her experience with the ocean, she could have loved her grandchild more properly so that Kim Dan wouldn’t have to suffer from abandonment issues and a low self-esteem. Yes, love is something free and no one has control over the emotions of a human being. Due to her lack of self-awareness (Peter Pan Syndrom), she influenced her grandchild negatively, and the latter became a copy of herself: trapped in the past, living in an illusion and rejecting reality. Funny is that by relying on Kim Dan constantly, she was actually teaching her grandson to become accountable and independent. She was entrusting her life into his own hands. Consequently, the main lead chose to accept the deal from Joo Jaekyung during their first night and later asked for a higher salary. Finally, at the end, he chose to leave the penthouse out of obligation (chapter 53) (filial duty), a sign that he is not able to break free from social norms. At the same time, it displays that his feelings for Joo Jaekyung are much stronger than the ones for Shin Okja. His short time spent in the penthouse left a deep impression on him.
On the other hand, we shouldn’t overlook one important aspect. The halmeoni asked for a favor from Kim Dan, and her wish is actually the expression of her own will. In other words, she is making a choice and as such becomes responsible for her own destiny. She can no longer say that life or others had a saying in her desire and choice. That’s the reason why during that night, she turned Kim Dan into a puppy dog. (chapter 53) Her vocabulary exposes that she became a master and in her mind, the puppy dog has to follow her owner. Therefore it is no coincidence that Mingwa created such an image: (chapter 53) The grandmother is now the master of her own life and Kim Dan’s. On the one hand, just before her death, she is learning to become accountable for her own life, even though I still have my doubts that she is really realizing the consequences of her choice. She is still chasing after after an illusion. As you already know, I am anticipating a rude awakening fron her part, as she can not escape from reality and her own mortality. On the other hand, with her request, she gets responsible for her grandchild’s career, and someone could criticize her for making him quit. She didn’t take his job’s obligations into consideration. Simultaneously, this image illustrates a relapse of Kim Dan. He is once again trapped, though he wished to be freed. Thus he wrote this to Joo Jaekyung: (chapter 53) Deep down, he would like to be recognized as a competent physical therapist. Moreover, my avid readers should recall that the champion had already noticed the change of heart in the doctor before the scheme took place. (chapter 53) So the athlete could come to the realization that his departure was related to the grandmother’s sickness and dying wish, a new version of episode 20 and 21. However, even if the fighter helps the grandmother, he can not entirely free the physical therapist. How so? It is because the doctor has to free himself, breaking free from conformity and his own psychological constraints (lack of confidence and as such courage). And the best evidence for his servitude mentality is the absence of his love confession to the athlete. He disguised it behind gratitude. (Chapter 45) But how can he change his condition? I will give the answer below.
1. 2. The release of the rich slave
As you can imagine, the person I am referring behind this heading is the champion. Interesting is that in the story, he received the title “Emperor”. (chapter 14) Yet, the reality is that despite his wealth, he is not free at all. Actually, he reminded me of a Roman gladiator. Gladiators in ancient Rome lived under challenging and contradictory conditions. Although they were often slaves or prisoners of war, some achieved fame, wealth, and admiration comparable to modern-day sports stars. Successful gladiators could earn prizes, attract fan followings, and even enjoy certain luxuries within their restrictive lives. However, they remained under the control of their lanista (manager) or the state, with little freedom to make personal choices. They could not select their opponents or refuse combat, and each fight carried the risk of injury or death, underscoring their vulnerability and lack of autonomy despite their celebrated status.
Most gladiators were enslaved people forced to fight. But a small contingent were free-born citizens who volunteered in hopes of earning money and fame. Before they could enter combat, gladiators trained for months in specialized schools managed by wealthy investors who profited from their fighters’ success.
Contrary to popular perception, gladiators didn’t necessarily battle to the death. Instead, fighting progressed until one of them surrendered, usually by holding up a single finger. All told, only between 10 and 20 percent of gladiators died during matches—a reflection, in part, of their high financial value to investors.
It wasn’t easy for gladiators to stand out. Each warrior fought only two to three times per year, usually in events featuring 10 to 13 gladiator fights, according to Murray—with each individual match lasting about 10 to 15 minutes. But some, owing to their extravagant personalities, personal backgrounds or memorable performances, gained lasting renown via ancient artists or historians. Quoted from https://www.history.com/news/most-famous-ancient-roman-gladiators
This comparison between the main lead and a Roman gladiator reinforced my negative perception about Park Namwook. He acts as the owner of the athlete (chapter 40), though the gym belongs to the celebrity. But let’s return our attention to the American-German philosopher. The latter pointed out the importance of self-awareness and the rejection of materialism and social pressures (authority figures, conformity) in order to become truly free.
This aspect is really important, because the athlete Joo Jaekyung is a homosexual which represents a huge taboo in the MMA world. Remember my hypothesis that the jinx could also be an excuse in order to hide his own sexual orientation. (chapter 2) Therefore sex is linked to prostitution and work. Back then, this had nothing to do with pleasure, sensuality and entertaining. It was revolving around power and domination. That way, he wouldn’t appear as weak, he is not controlled by his sexual desires and emotions. That’s how it dawned on me why the champion has been denying the existence of feelings in his past relationships. Naturally, it is possible that he got his heart broken before, but it is also possible that he could never live out his own true homosexuality. Note that his father figure, Park Namwook, has no idea about his sexual life. The athlete could fear to disappoint him. This raises the question how the manager will react, when the athlete’s secret is exposed. Should he request from his boy to organize a conference and deny the allegation there, he would divulge not only his lack of loyalty, but also his hypocrisy. Why? It is because this is something he should have organized after the last match. A conference to expose the existence of schemes. But everything got swayed under the rug. On the other hand, I deduce that if the topic of sodomy is brought up in season 2, there is no ambiguity that both main leads won’t give in to conformity and external pressure (even in the form of threats). Why? It is because during season 2, both characters will come to be true to themselves. That‘s how they can become master of their own life.
This signifies that in order to go on the past of self-mastery, the champion needs to break free from materialism (chapter 41), from his manager’s influence (father figure) and even from the MFC world (authorities) !! What is the common denominator between these three persons? MONEY! (chapter 50) Hence the last match was not cancelled in the last minute. The athlete is not fighting out of fun and passion, but out of obligation and survival. He is trapped in a world where money is everything. Thus he was always pushed to accept any challenger despite his injuries. That’s how I realized why the athlete always suspected Kim Dan of being greedy. It is because he projected his own thoughts onto his partner. However, this negative perception was definitely influenced by his “hyung”, we have the best example in episode 46. Due to Park Namwook, Joo Jaekyung was the one who was constantly thinking and talking about money in front of Kim Dan. (chapter 26) No wonder why he got so surprised by Kim Dan’s reaction in the locker room: (chapter 51) He was disarmed by a single question and a shocked and disappointed face: (chapter 51) The question implied that the doctor had been trusting him.
1. 3. The “lanista’s” chains
We had another perfect example of “Escape from Freedom” in episode 43 at the restaurant. Note that Park Namwook underlined that the fight was the champion’s decision (chapter 43), yet he added shortly this comment: : (chapter 43) The hypocrite coach utilized the personal pronoun “WE” indicating that he and his peers had played a role in the athlete’s decision. Funny is that though he complained about the schedule, he still accepted the switch of the fighter later. But he could have voiced his fears and objections. Nevertheless, he did nothing. Since I connected the halmeoni to past, I suddenly realized that the “lanista” embodies the opposite notion. He is trapped in the future, thus he is always anxious. Imagine that in that scene, they were celebrating Joo Jaekyung’s birthday, it should have been a good time. Yet, the manager kept talking about work and the future. (chapter 43) (chapter 43) This is a sign that he was not “enjoying the present”. In my eyes, with his comments, he was actually ruining the party. Fortunately, no one paid attention to his words except the physical therapist and Yosep. By talking like that, he gives the impression that he is caring and paying attention to the fighter. Yet this is just an illusion, for he is not focused on the present. He neglected his duties, therefore the schemers were able to bring drugs to the champion’s rooms. (chapter 49) Notice that he was afraid of an outburst from Joo Jaekyung in the locker room, therefore they were restraining him. This was no real protection. I am suspecting that the manager is trusting MFC and its organization. In addition, his obsession with the future explains why the athlete’s mental health has been neglected by the coach and manager. As a conclusion, Park Namwook is himself trapped in his own world: money, fear of the future and the champion‘s retirement which means the end of his own career as manager and coach. Therefore he is pushing his fighter to race against time. It is only a matter until his boy gets injured!!
This means that we should see the athlete’s suspension as his moment of release. He is no longer forced to fight. He is “abandoned” by MFC, fans and even by his manager (chapter 53). The latter announces that his “boy” can take a break. What caught my attention is his idiom. The suspension got turned into a break which sounds much more positive. Interesting is that break is not only a synonym for “rest”, but also for “opportunity, chance”. This new discovery reinforces my previous interpretation: the loss of his “title” and his suspension are in verity an escape to freedom. Why? It is because he is no longer exposed to manipulations and external pressure like in episode 36: (chapter 36) money, social media, the agency, the lawyer, Park Namwook and Jeong Yosep. For the first time, Joo Jaekyung can think of something else other than work. Nevertheless, the athlete had not realized it yet. Striking is that the longer the fighter thought about the PT’s resignation, the longer he came to object to it. (chapter 53) This means that the fighter was acknowledging the “uke” as an important member of Team Black. In addition, he was recognizing Kim Dan’s effort and talent as PT. Moreover, it exposes the absence of change in Joo Jaekyung’s mentality. He was still “thinking” of work and fighting. It displays that the protagonist had not realized the true signification of his suspension yet. Hence the doctor’s departure was necessary. Joo Jaekyung is forced to think about his fated partner, making him forget his work and his career. His “obsession” with Kim Dan will push him to stop being a workaholic. But there is more to it.
By leaving the city behind (my prediction), the champion’s not aware that this trip will become a spiritual journey where he will discover his true self. But for that, meditation is required. In my opinion, the grandmother’s illness should serve him as a wake-up call. He spent a lot of money on her treatment, but she couldn’t be saved. It looks like he never visited her again. Should he see her again, he could get shocked. From this (chapter 21) to this (chapter 47) Money is powerless in front of death and terrible injuries. Therefore he is lucky that his shoulder is not ruined forever. Moreover a trip represents a good metaphor for an escape, a travel is a synonym for freedom and the end of “routine”.
2. The ability to love
Far away from medias, public eyes, the agency and his manager, he can discover a different world: the West Coast and nature. And this brings me to a quote from Erich Fromm:
Paradoxically, the ability to be alone is the condition for the ability to love. (The Art Of Loving)
Through this statement, we have the explanation why Joo Jaekyung can love and why he couldn’t love Kim Dan properly in season 1. The fact that he lived alone in the penthouse is a proof of his independency (chapter 35). However, since he didn’t spend much time in his own home, he never took the time to take care of his soulmate. By leaving the city and Team Black behind, he would become truly alone (as opposition to his trips to Busan, the States) which would give him an opportunity to become more honest to himself and to Kim Dan.
In addition, this quote exposes the absence of “unconditional love” from the grandmother. (chapter 53) So far, she could never be alone, she always needed the assistance of others: Kim Dan, the doctor, the nurse, Joo Jaekyung. She always relied on others (“we”, “life”). But it is also the same for Kim Dan who has always been listening to people, as his desire was to get accepted. His conformity led him to experience misery, as he lacked critical thinking. He never questioned people’s words, decisions or behaviors. Only thanks to his soulmate, he started changing. His psychological restrains were his abandonment issues and his low self-esteem. That’s the reason why their love couldn’t flourish in season 1. Nevertheless, Kim Dan still had a good disposition for being capable of loving someone, exactly like his fated partner. He could live on his own as well.This signifies that their future love relationship won’t be toxic, as they won’t be needy or dependent on each other, the exact opposite between the grandmother and Kim Dan or Joo Jaekyung and his hyung Park Namwook. However, this doesn‘t mean that they won‘t help each other.
I am quite certain that the fighter must have noticed the doctor’s low self-esteem in the letter. Therefore he felt bad for his reproaches and lack of trust. Remember that the champion never expressed a compliment or even showed gratitude towards the doctor. (chapter 43) In episode 1, he gave a positive feedback (chapter 1). Nonetheless, his words sounded more negative due to the usage of negation. Moreover, Kim Dan was too scared to take his words seriously. Consequently, it becomes obvious that Kim Dan needs to hear praises from the athlete himself. It is not just about an apology about his misjudgment, the “hamster” needs to hear from his own patient that he trusts him and his hands. Thus he wants to be needed: (chapter 53) This explicates why the young man kept questioning the actor’s intentions behind his gifts. He could see that the man didn’t need him. This thought displays his desire to give a meaning to his own existence as well. If he is needed, he has a reason to exist. This desire of being needed can be expressed by words, but also with the hands: or like this: And what does the hand symbolize? The latter symbolizes gratitude and love! Hence the grandmother took the MMA fighter’s hand in order to thank him. (chapter 22) (chapter 22) As a conclusion, love and gratitude represents the key to freedom and as such to power. And now, you comprehend why The Art Of Loving can not be separated from „Escape from Freedom“.
2. 1. Love and Power
This explains why the famous author declared this:
“For a productive character, giving is the highest expression of his abilities. It is precisely in the act of giving that I experience my strength, my richness, my power.“
This means that by giving, the person feels strong and powerful. Why? Fromm views the act of giving not as a depletion of oneself, but rather as a fulfillment and actualization of one’s capabilities. The productive character, according to him, doesn’t define himself by what he possesses or hoards, but rather by what he can give to others. It is his heart which defines his strength. Giving becomes a way of affirming one’s own power and abundance, showcasing that true fulfillment is found in one’s ability to be generous, creative, and life-affirming. Notice that the author contrasts generosity with passivity. By giving, the person becomes proactive and is no longer passive. In the past, I had described Joo Jaekyung as a person suffering from “inner passivity” [For more read “Couch Confession”]. As soon as I read the quote from The Art Of Loving, I realized why the champion disliked receiving presents (chapter 45) so much and preferred organizing a charity event for his birthday . (chapter 41) Being on the receiving side makes him feel weak and powerless. He is reduced to become a passive man. Furthermore, we shouldn’t overlook that such presents are not entirely selfless. Companies or admirers have expectations from Joo Jaekyung, earning some money or getting his attention. At the same time, these presents are strongly connected to his title and fame as champion. Thus they are not taking into consideration about the athlete’s dislikes and likes. Thus he was offered a bottle of wine (chapter 12), though he is no drinker or he doesn’t eat cakes. (chapter 41) The fact that the athlete organized a charity event for his birthday exposes not only his huge heart, but also that he had long recognized the power of generosity. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the champion was willing to pay off the doctor’s debts. (chapter 18) Here, he hoped to see gratitude on his fated partner’s face, but it didn’t happen like he imagined. Yet, notice that despite their argument, Joo Jaekyung proposed to the main lead to live with him in the penthouse: (chapter 18) His facial expression is exposing his true thoughts. He was definitely happy to help the doctor. The reason is simple. He is in control of his heart and life. This shows that deep down, the man has always had a soft heart and could find fulfillment in giving. However, the problem is that the champion had also internalized that there is nothing free in this world. Due to his past experiences, he realized that receivers would exploite his goodness. The green-haired guy was the perfect example. (chapter 2) Therefore it is not surprising that he kept denying his kindness to the doctor: (chapter 18) He had to, because the man was now living with him. Joo Jaekyung feared that his roommate could come to take advantage of his new position and even consider this place as his own. As you can see, the champion had long discovered the power of giving to others. Yet his problem was that he couldn’t live out this principle: he was either exploited or he has no family or close friend so far.
And now, let me ask you one question: who likes giving presents in Jinx? One might reply Kim Dan and Choi Heesung. The doctor and the actor have both something in common. (chapter 30) They both desire to be acknowledged and appreciated. (chapter 45) With this image, it was, as if Kim Dan wanted to be distinguished from all the stans. Yes, I do think that this has something to do their own negative feelings. However, there is a difference between Choi Heesung and Kim Dan. Note that the gifts are related to his sponsors and the agency. They were related to his work. Moreover, the gumiho rarely gave the meals or the presents personally. (chapter 31) (chapter 31) Furthermore, the actor gave these things for one reason: it was to obtain the doctor’s heart or to maintain his good image as a celebrity. In other words, these gestures were not selfless at all. This explains why the athlete was so weary of such “gifts”: a return of favor or a service. But the comedian is not the only one donating things. Naturally, it is the manager Park Namwook. (Chapter 26) (chapter 36) However, my avid readers should ponder on the following aspect: how did he buy the jackets and the junk food? (Chapter 37) This last scene is terrible, for this purchase happened behind the boss’ back. Naturally, everything was bought with the company card!! In other words, Park Namwook’s generosity is fake, for he is not spending his own money. After this new realization, I started wondering if the athlete’s negative attitude towards Kim Dan is not the consequence of Park Namwook’s behavior as well who takes it for granted to spend money on the athlete’s account. Why did the champion anticipate an expectation from Kim Dan, when he received the keychain? (Chapter 45) It is because his relationship with his coach has always been based on „conditional love and expectations“. Don’t forget that the coach was particularly nice to the athlete after winning his match in Busan. He was willing to be his „servant“ in that moment. Furthermore, there exists another evidence that in episode 45 the fighter latched out on the doctor because of his unresolved feelings towards his hyung. (Chapter 45) Kim Dan had not only followed the stans‘ behavior, but also listened to Park Namwook‘s words constantly. ’ (chapter 41) This frenzy was portrayed as something positive. Jinxworms can observe that the manager is mentioning the existence of „favors“. For me, it is no coincidence that in episode 45, the arrival from presents coming from his hyung coincides with the present with Kim Dan. It shows the underlying conflict between the celebrity and the former wrestler. Nevertheless, the fighter has not grasped it yet. So far, Joo Jaekyung has not tried to defy Park Namwook openly, to claim his place as the true owner of Team Black. We should see his words here as a first attempt to act as the boss (Chapter 46) The tension reached its peak in that scene: (chapter 52) The manager imagined that he could act like in the past (recurring to force), for Joo Jaekyung was „used“ to take his slaps. That’s where the generosity from Park Namwook comes from: he gives his punches to Joo Jaekyung and takes Joo Jaekyung‘s company for granted. And now, you comprehend why I selected such a title for this essay.
(Chapter 26) The sparring in episode 26 represents the positive version of giving a punch and taking it. The fighter was not upset about his defeat, moreover he was acting like a real teacher asking the physical therapist to overcome his own fears. On the hand, the slap at the hospital embodies the opposite notions: resent, no real teaching, no reflection, no listening, the one slapping is not overcoming his own fears and vents his anger. The give and take in episode 26 was happiness, true generosity, self-awareness, while this slap displays misery, anger, ignorance: (Chapter 52) True generosity, for Kim Dan had risked his health for the sake of Potato. (Chapter 26) The contrast not only exposes Park Namwook’s fake generosity, but also his greed and selfishness. For me, he missed the opportunity, as at the gym, Kim Dan took the chance, when the athlete was distracted. Hence in my opinion, chapter 52 was the turning point in their toxic relationship. Moreover, it signifies that the manager lost his special position as hyung. Far away from the gym, Joo Jaekyung will see Kim Dan under a different light, maybe even as a true role model, for he is wearing his heart in his hand.
2. 2. The wolf, the hamster and the world
But Erich Fromm wrote this about love:
“If I can say to another, ‘I love you,’ I must also be able to say, ‘I love in you all others, I love through you the entire world, I love in you also myself.'”
For Fromm, love transcends a personal or exclusive attachment to one individual; it is a universal force that connects the self to humanity and existence as a whole. True love, in his view, is inclusive and expansive. It’s not a possessive or isolating sentiment but rather one that opens the lover to the wider world, fostering a connection to humanity and, ultimately, a deep acceptance and love for oneself.
Thus I come to the following conclusions: the moment the doctor and the champion admits their affection for their fated partner, they won’t be suffering from self-loathing or low self-esteem. But there is more to it. If you keep the quote in mind, you will realize that the champion’s affection for Kim Dan was not true love. [Like mentioned above, he couldn’t love properly] He couldn’t stand the idea of sharing his partner to others. (chapter 7) (chapter 43) He needed to seclude him from the others. But where does this possessiveness come from? In my opinion, it is not just the result of his own insecurities, but also the influence of the bad role model he had: Park Namwook. First, only in chapter 45, the manager sent congratulations from his family: (chapter 45) This means that Joo Jaekyung was never treated like a real family member. Then, due to his bad portrait of Joo Jaekyung (chapter 9), the manager kept creating a bad image of the athlete: brutal, moody, maniac… but the reality is that the man is actually generous and caring, like mentioned above and the coach knew this. Hence he could lie without any remorse: he is a savior and the gym owner. Moreover, the athlete can speak well and be polite. (chapter 22) This scene at the hospital displays that the fighter had been mirroring the behavior of his counterpart: Shin Okja is sweet and kind. And who is moody, yelling, brutal ? Park Namwook: (chapter 43) (chapter 52) The one who raised him like that is actually him: (chapter 7) Therefore I conclude that this possessiveness and obsession with Kim Dan is the result of the manager’s influence. Park Namwook treated him like a possession. And this brings me to my next part. How to become happy? One might reply: by loving someone. However, how can Joo Jaekyung drop his insecurities and open his heart like that? As you can see, we need another explanation.
3. The guide for happiness
Erich Fromm’s philosophy in To Have or To Be? revolves around two fundamental modes of existence: the having mode and the being mode. These modes represent distinct ways of interacting with the world, structuring relationships, and understanding one’s identity.
I am posting this video which I found very well made. Funny is that the blogger used a haiku to illustrate the difference between the being mode and the having mode.
3. 1. The Having Mode
In the “having” mode, identity and value are based on possessions and control over objects, people, and even oneself. The having mode is characterized by:
Possession and Ownership: One’s self-worth and sense of security are derived from what one possesses—material wealth, status, knowledge, even relationships. (Chapter 40) This explicates why the manager is happy in this scene. Thanks to him, he earned a lot of money and felt recognized.
Security in Stability: Individuals in the having mode seek to secure their identity through accumulation, feeling stable only when they can cling to things.
Alienation and Objectification: Relationships and experiences become objects to be owned or controlled, reducing people and emotions to mere assets.
Fromm argues that the having mode can lead to anxiety and insecurity because possessions can always be lost or taken away. It fosters competitiveness, isolation, and a fixation on external validation, ultimately stunting genuine self-growth and connection with others. Under this light, Manhwa-philes can grasp why the athlete, pushed by his mentor, kept accepting fights after another. The champion was suffering from self-loathing, but in order to get recognition and admiration from his hyung, he needed to win. Notice how gentle and proud the man was after the victories (chapter 15), but as soon as his idol lost his title and got even suspended, he yelled and slapped his fighter: (chapter 52) Why did he not blame the cheaters who had tricked Joo Jaekyung and framed the physical therapist? If you read my previous analyses about the coach, you will certain recall about my diagnosis: he seems to suffer from decidophobia. But as you can see, the man is unhappy, for he is living in the “Having Mode”. Hence he is taking no risk and letting the athlete make decisions. Furthermore, it explains perfectly why the manager lied to the members here: (chapter 22) Since his relationship with the main lead is so secure, he could claim the gym as his own. Notice how he treats the members here: he’s putting them under pressure, threatening them. Everything is revolving around competition, seriousness and greed. Why doesn’t Joo Jaekyung mess with his weight and nutrition? It is because his hyung made sure that the latter would fulfil all his expectations. He needs to be ready for the next fight. Why was the manager not present here? (chapter 43) This exposes his lack of engagement and indifference in the end, but this becomes even more obvious during the night: (chapter 43) Where was he, when his star was drunk? It was, as though he had vanished. (chapter 43) But the best evidence for this interpretation is this image: (chapter 52) The manager is upset, because his boy lost his title and his reputation is ruined. Moreover, many members left the gym which means that the company lost a lot of money.
“If I am what I have and if I lose what I have, who then am I?”From Erich Fromm (To Have or To Be?)
This highlights the danger of building identity around possessions and the resulting vulnerability. And how did Park Namwook define himself in his life? He was a coach, a manager, the owner of Team Black…. (chapter 9) However, he never presented himself as a father or a husband. It was, as if his children or wife were not a source of his happiness. Why? It is because they don’t bring money, but rather cost money. Thanks to Joo Jaekyung’s popularity, the manager could stand in the spotlight (chapter 40), yet notice that no fans or fighter know his name as a successful coach or manager. He is not a famous manager in the end. His income depends on the athlete’s career and victories. No wonder why he put so much pressure on his celebrity. Thus I had the following revelation: he was actually exposing his true self in front of the doctor at the restaurant. (chapter 43) Joo Jaekyung would have to pick himself up, Park Namwook wouldn’t be there in order to assist him. Why? It is because it represented his own fears. Don’t forget that he is a former wrestler and athlete. He must have experienced it. The end of his boy’s career represents the end of his own career. Hence I am suspecting that the real savior of Park Namwook was the fighter himself, as the latter offered him an opportunity to find a good job.
But there is more to it. Why did the coach neglect doctor Kim Dan (chapter 40) in the States and even at the gym? (Chapter 43) It is because he doesn’t view the uke as a possession contrary to his „boy“. Why? It is because the young man doesn’t bring money or contribute to boast the manager’s self-esteem. In fact, Kim Dan is an expensive PT and the manager is aware of his high salary. Moreover, contrary to the hamster, Park Namwook was never seen in the penthouse, and the celebrity refused to invite the members. This is a clue that the champion could have refused to invite his coach there. The doctor’s stay at the penthouse is something Park Namwook discovered by accident. (Chapter 22) And now, it is important to recall that in the mode of Having, rivalry and competition are predominant. Therefore I deduce that deep down, the coach and manager sensed the physical therapist as a source of threat and rival. Therefore Jinx-philes shouldn’t be surprised that the coach did nothing to keep Kim Dan. (Chapter 53) Here his gestures and words should be judged as lip-services. He can even rationalize his departure: bad luck, they save a lot of money, for the next PT will have a lower salary. In addition, Kim Dan was treated as the celebrity’s possession, therefore he used him as a tool in order to compensate the actor. The manager is definitely imagining that once the break ends, things will work like before. (Chapter 53) Here, I feel the need to add that though I am portraying the coach in a rather pejorative light, I am not saying that he is a malicious or evil man. My point is that he needs to change and realize his wrong-doings. As long as he lives in this mode, he won’t be able to be happy: always in the fear of losing his possessions. So should a separation take place, it is possible that the distance brings more clarity and helps them to improve their relationship. However, I have to admit that I wished to witness a real argument between the hyung and his pupil. A new version of this scene: (chapter 17)
Interesting is that the sociologist stated this as well:
“In the having mode, one’s happiness lies in one’s superiority over others, in one’s power, and in one’s capacity to conquer, to defeat, and to kill.”
With this observation, it becomes comprehensible why the coach not only used violence against the athlete but also pushed the main lead to be rough with his own body. (Chapter 43) It is not random that Mingwa showed a rough manager while complaining about his star. She was implying his responsibility for mistreating his body in this scene. Park Namwook needed to prove his superiority over the celebrity to justify his position. And he used the fighter’s good heart, trust in him and social norms to manipulate his prize and possession. As a conclusion, both characters have a toxic relationship, exactly like between the halmoni and Kim Dan.
But Kim Dan was not different from the manager. He also lived in the mode of “having”. Hence once he earned money, he would buy gifts to others: (chapter 41) In his eyes, possessions and money determine someone’s values. Hence he bought an expensive keychain for his fated partner. Furthermore, I have been wondering if this spending is not related to Shin Okja, the latter could have been a spendthrift. In the essay „Click 📸: Between Fleeting illusions and Enduring Realities“ I had outlined that all the objects in the flat would belong to the grandmother (Chapter 19). Another possibility is that she made sure that her grandchild would spend money on her: (chapter 41) And this brings me to my next important revelation. The grandmother never said thank you to Kim Dan. She either apologizes (chapter 53 ) or makes it sound like a reproach „Spoil me to death“. There is no THANK YOU. She didn‘t give him her hand like in episode 22 with the celebrity as well. But there is another detail that caught my attention: the nurse mentioned the paid bills (chapter 22) after the departure of Joo Jaekyung, but notice how the halmeoni thanked the benefactor: (Chapter 22) She didn’t express the reason for her gratefulness. She didn‘t bring up the hospital bills, but she knew about it. In other words, when she showed her gratitude, she was in reality just thanking him for his company. That‘s how Kim Dan perceived it first and we should do it as well. To conclude, the grandmother is not really thankful, when it comes to money. Exactly like the manager, she takes it for granted. In fact, she gave him the yoghurt which was offered by the hospital. (chapter 21) One might argue that the poor woman couldn’t do much to express her gratitude. However, this is just a deception. Shin Okja could have written a letter to express her gratitude to Joo Jaekyung. Why do you think Mingwa created two scenes with a letter or card? (chapter 45) (chapter 53) The comparison lets transpire the importance of words. The champion might have judged the keychain differently, if he had read the card. But he didn’t. Another parallel between these two scenes is the rejection of a gift! However, in the final episode, Kim Dan voiced genuine gratitude towards his benefactor. The latter had allowed him to work as his PT. With the letter, he could voice his thoughts and emotions much better. And now, you realize that Shin Okja could have acted the same way. This made me realize that deep down, she resents being poor. She likes Dan spending money on her. (Chapter 41) Despite her rebuke she actually doesn’t meant it. She never actually told him to stop or rejected Joo Jaekyung‘s generosity. Instead, she made the following request to her grandson: (chapter 41). He should treat the sportsman nicely (“do good”). Kim Dan is the one who should be indebted to Joo Jaekyung. However, observe what she said in front of her grandchild before: she was the one who was grateful to the main lead, and not Kim Dan!! (chapter 41) She should have been the one who expressed her gratitude to Joo Jaekyung, but not Kim Dan for the trip (it was work related anyway). One might argue that the poor woman is trapped in the hospital, she can not do much. But you are wrong. She could have written a letter to her benefactor which means that she would have sacrificed some of her time for the athlete. Imagine that she had sent a message to the athlete, the latter might have decided to pay a visit to her. He is not truly heartless. With this silence, she created the impression that his assistance had changed her situation.
As you can see, she delegated her “gratitude” to her relative. Hence no wonder why Kim Dan chose to work hard for the keychain. He had to “work hard” in order to repay the huge debt (the trip to the States, the hospital). That’s why I come to the conclusion that the grandmother doesn’t represent true gratitude. She is similar to her male version: putting the responsibility on others and using words as lip-services. Simultaneously, this new discovery exposes another cause for her own suffering: she was also living in the mode of „having“. As my avid readers can notice, all the characters in Jinx were living the wrong way.
And this brings me to another aspect: Kim Dan’s diploma as physical therapist. In the having mode, education is centered on acquisition and possession of information. Knowledge is seen as something to be accumulated, memorized, and quantified—often in terms of grades, certificates, or degrees. Hence the doctor thought for a brief moment to take a MMA trainer seminar. (chapter 22)
Focus on Outcomes Over Process: Success in the having mode is defined by external achievements, grades, or credentials, rather than by actual understanding or personal growth.
Competitive Learning: Students are encouraged to see education as a competitive endeavor, where success often involves outperforming others rather than cooperating or collaborating.
Dependency on External Tools: This mindset can make students more prone to relying on shortcuts like cheating or using AI to complete assignments without really engaging with the material. In this context, tools like AI might be used to bypass learning rather than deepen understanding, reducing education to a means to an end.
Lack of Internal Motivation: The focus on external validation makes intrinsic motivation scarce. This dependency on external rewards may undermine creativity, critical thinking, and the desire for genuine understanding, as students prioritize “having knowledge” over “being knowledgeable.”
Kim Dan was not a proud PT. In fact, he had no problem to take a job as a courier. For him, the diploma was just a piece of paper. Why? It is because he was not truly motivated to become a PT. His choice was influenced by his halmoni and his financial situation. He was doing it for the money: (chapter 1) In other words, he was not passionate about his profession. This means that he didn’t define himself as PT due to his lack of engagement and low self-esteem. Besides, let’s not forget that he judges people based on their social status and seniority. I would even add, the main lead had not recognized the existence of his own skills (knowledge, genuineness and dedication). But by working for Joo Jaekyung, he came to enjoy his job. This explicates why he kept buying books. (chapter 53) He likes not only his job now, but also learning as such. This is no coincidence that education in the mode of “being” means that the focus is on learning and developing skills. Hence I still see a change in the hamster at the end of season 1: (chapter 53) He is defining himself by his skills: he is a PT!! Money plays no longer a role. He is about to live in the mode of „being“.
However, there are other students in Jinx. Fromm’s explanations about human psychology made me realize why many members from Team Black left the gym soon after the champion’s loss and bad PR: (chapter 52) In this panel, the author let us see glimpses of their motivation and thoughts. For them, the champion has nothing to teach them, since he lost his title and is injured. This shows that they are only interested in the outcome, success and as such fame, but not in the process, how to become skilled! In other words, they see “success” as a possession. He has no title, then he has nothing to offer. They are all living in the mode of having, which can only lead to misery and even self-destruction. No wonder why they were not too upset or shocked, when they heard that the game had been rigged. But what led them to make such a decision?
Naturally, the manager played a huge role in this. The gym gave the impression that by being by the athlete’s side, they would become successful as well. Park Namwook contributed to this wrong evolution, for he didn’t confront the fighters with reality: he made false promises. (chapter 23) Then he only focused on the “outcome” and not on the process. Hence he neglected them, delegated his task on the pressured athlete. The latter had to train them: (chapter 25) and (chapter 36) In my eyes, he didn’t want to play the bad guy. The meeting or his worries were more important (chapter 36) than their training and career. Moreover, he kept bribing them with junk food (chapter 26) or new jackets or towels. He was only interested in getting new members, but not in developing their skills. This explains why he treated Seonho so well: (chapter 46) The latter was a new source of income and fame. Everything was revolving around money. That’s how it dawned on me why the manager got angry for the bet in episode 26: (chapter 26) We shouldn’t judge his words as a verity, he was just using the doctor as a false excuse. The reality is that the sparring had brought no money at all! This fight was strongly intertwined with fun. The notion of „entertaining“ stands in opposition to money. Fun means feeling emotions and being to true one’s self. In other words, Kim Dan stands for a different notion of MMA fighting: the sportsmen shouldn’t work for money, but for fun. They are artists too. This signifies that as time passed on, the members of Team Black lost their passion for fighting (chapter 26) and became more obsessed with possessions and fame. Potato and the remaining members represent the exceptions. They enjoyed the lessons despite the pain and struggles. The other members became dependent on external tools which led them to lose their integrity. To conclude, the reason for their disloyalty is that at the end, they had long internalized the mode of having and were just interested in getting successful.
3. 2. The Being Mode
In contrast, the “being” mode focuses on authentic self-expression, inner fulfillment, and experience rather than ownership. Key aspects include:
Living Authentically: People in the being mode derive meaning from their experiences, creativity, and actions, rather than from acquiring or possessing. That‘s why fun is so important. And who embodies fun in Jinx? Naturally Heesung (special episode2 ), but also Cheolmin (chapter 13) who likes making jokes. That‘s how I came to understand why Cheolmin appeared only one time in season 1. He will come to replace the manager: (chapter 13)
Dynamic Engagement: This mode emphasizes growth, spontaneity, and a deep, active engagement with life. Here, identity is fluid and self-renewing, driven by inner growth rather than external gains.
Connectedness and Compassion: Fromm sees the being mode as fostering a sense of unity with others and the world, as it’s grounded in compassion, shared experience, and a true sense of community.
The being mode fosters qualities like love, empathy, joy, and creativity, enabling individuals to experience life in a richer, more meaningful way.
Cheolmin stands for understanding and trust in humans. He criticized the man first, but he didn‘t imply that he had done it with bad intentions. Secondly, he believed his sunbae, (Chapter 13) when the latter denied his responsibility. This shows that the man doesn’t mistrust people. He has faith in humans. And in this short scene, the doctor shows alle positive notions mentioned above: love, empathy, joy and creativity. Therefore I come to the following interpretation: he embodies the being mode. No wonder why he was not present in season 1. The main lead was definitely obsessed with work. Hence the moment Cheolmin’s path crosses Kim Dan’s, the funny doctor should become the hamster’s new role model.
3. 3. The Larger Philosophical Context
Fromm’s philosophy reflects a critique of modern consumerism and materialism, which, in his view, has led society towards the having mode. He argues that this mode is ultimately destructive, as it alienates individuals from their true selves and from others. The being mode, on the other hand, aligns with the principles of humanistic and existential philosophy, emphasizing the pursuit of self-actualization, meaning, and interconnectedness.
Fromm warns that without a shift from “having” to “being,” society risks falling into moral and psychological decay, driven by the insatiable quest for possessions and power. And we can observe this in Jinx. MFC and the medical world (chapter 48) are full of greedy people who have no problems to commit crimes in order to achieve their goals (more fame, more wealth, revenge, more connections). Baek Junmin became a champion by cheating. (Chapter 49) Thus he thought, the athlete had earned his title the same way. His fights were rigged, yet the verity is that the idol worked hard to achieve this level. The irony is that The Gunshot experienced much too late that his assumption was wrong. (Chapter 52) His shaking is exposing his fears. Like mentioned in the past, I am anticipating that The Shotgun will avoid a new fight with the celebrity.
Thus I interpret these two panels from Mingwa like this: They embody the mode of being. The hands are touching each other directly. They are not attached by money. Moreover, the hands express positive emotions and thoughts: support, gratitude, honesty, tenderness, acceptance and more importantly trust and fun. They are enjoying the present moment. Mingwa announced with these images the happy ending for these two characters who thought that they were jinxed. The reality is that they were responsible for their own misery.
This work urges a reassessment of values and priorities, where personal growth and human connection take precedence over material wealth and social status. And that’s where Joo Jaekyung is standing now. (chapter 53) He is standing at a crossroad. What does he truly want in life? Fame? More money? Or happiness and as such love and fun?
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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 thetable 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 JinxPassions in Purple : Jealousy and Joy – part 2
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Like the illustration is indicating it, the topic of this composition are the photographs in Jinx. To be more precise, I would like to divulge its different symbolisms. The trigger for this study was a sudden thought, which came to my mind this morning.
1. The ghost’s invisible photos
When Kim Dan left his home, he only took this picture. (chapter 19) However, in chapter 47, Mingwa revealed that in the past, Kim Dan had many pictures taken with his grandmother (chapter 47) . (chapter 47) (chapter 47) (chapter 47) One might argue about this interpretation, as these panels are presented as “memories”. However, the author left three important clues that these memories were pictures in reality. First, the perspective is not from the protagonist’s, but from an invisible third person’s. Then in the last image, in the background, you can observe a family posing for a picture in front of a person with a cellphone. This was the allusion that someone must have taken these pictures. The last evidence is the bouquet of flowers, the symbol for congratulations, but also affection!! After this realization, I couldn’t help myself wondering about the whereabouts of these photographs. Where are they?
And now, take a closer look at the doctor’s home: (chapter 17) (chapter 17) (chapter 17) They are nowhere to be seen!! I would even add that this place contains no traces of Kim Dan’s presence! (chapter 17) The pictures and the papers on the board are all connected to the grandmother. The images of the beach were revealing her wish to go back to the West coast, which was only revealed in the final chapter (chapter 53). And here, I feel the need to correct my past interpretation. Back then, I had assumed that this was the doctor’s repressed wish to go to the beach. It turns out that this was Shin Okja’s. Thus I deduce that the papers on the board are related to her health issues. Then in this image (chapter 17), the white shirt, the pink and dark green jackets are definitely belonging to the physical therapist’s relative. Finally, observe where his framed picture was placed: in a chest drawer! (chapter 19) The framed photograph isn’t visible on the chests or the shelves, when Joo Jaekyung confronts the loan shark and his minions (chapter 17). Then the next day, there is a box placed on the chest, while he is taking his belongings, while two drawers are open. (chapter 19) This exposes that this “souvenir” was not put on display in this house contrary to his stay in the expensive penthouse: (chapter 47) Thus I conclude through the absence of his pictures and belongings that nothing was exposing the presence of Kim Dan in this small flat. We could say that he had been living as a ghost child (the piggy bank) in his halmoni’s place. It implies the existence of an invisible wall between himself and his grandmother. This perception reinforces my previous interpretation. This place was like a “cursed place, where the “Sleeping beauty” was waiting for his “prince charming”. 😉 Therefore, when the doctor removed the framed picture from the drawer, it symbolizes his own “release”. It is no coincidence that one week later, he became “a man and as such an adult”. (chapter 19) He was slowly detaching himself from his halmoni’s shadow. The mirror is a reflection of a photograph. Here, he is facing reality: he has a long phallus and he can have a climax.
Furthermore, this new discovery (the absence of his commemoration pictures) helps us to grasp the origin of Kim Dan’s low self-esteem. He was not truly loved by his grandmother. Yes, the absence of his pictures represents a source of his suffering. IT was, as if the grandmother was not proud of her grandchild, because these photos were not exposed. The way these pictures were treated reveals the discrepancy between her words (chapter 7) and actions.
However, I haven’t answered the question yet: where are the other pictures? My assumption is that they were thrown away!! (chapter 46) I might shock my avid readers with this hypothesis, but the fact that Kim Dan could only remember his childhood’s pictures in chapter 47 shows that he had long forgotten these moments. If he had seen the pictures constantly, he would have been confronted with reality and as such grasped that he was not alone in this world. He had his halmeoni by his side this entire time. He was cherished. Finally, keep in mind that this story is written like a kaleidoscope, so such a scene must have occurred in the past. Thanks to my chingu @@Milliformemes24, I can even be more precise. Note that in the last panel, the photos were taken with a cellphone. (chapter 47) So I deduce that these pictures were never printed and remained in the cellphone. One might say that the woman didn’t have money to print these images. But this explanation falls too short. How so? It is because she could have sent a copy to her grandson, especially when he became a PT. He was old enough to have his own cellphone. These pictures were never shared to her grandson! They remained in her cellphone. If so, he wouldn’t just have looked at the framed picture. The other proof for this deduction is the absence of a grandmother’s picture in her grandson’s screen: (chapter 38) To conclude, their vanishing is exposing that these pictures were not TREASURED!! It was, as if they had been erased. But the doctor can not be the one who erased them or kept them hidden, as he associates these important moments in his life with his grandmother as sign of love and support!! Yes, this recollection reveals how much the doctor valued these moments. In other words, he would have “treasured” these pictures. He has none of them. Besides, when he entered elementary school, he was definitely too young to have a cellphone. That’s why I believe that they were all taken by the grandmother’s cellular phone. From my point of view, they were taken, because it was the custom. This would also explain why these “pictures” had no value for the grandmother. And now, you comprehend why I linked their disappearance to Shin Okja. So why did she not treasure and share them with her grandson? Why did she “erase” them symbolically?
2. Okja’s vanishing
My answer to these questions is the following. Halmeoni couldn’t stand the photographs, because she could see herself aging. From this (chapter 47) to this (chapter 47) And you all know that according to me, this elderly woman is suffering from Peter Pan Syndrom. Thus I feel like at some point, the halmeoni must have “thrown away” the pictures. Besides, I am quite certain that for the woman, these images had a different signification than for the doctor. She connected them to her suffering. She had to raise her grandchild on her own: these pictures represent her suffering from poverty and struggling mentally and emotionally. They mean hardship and aging for her. This explicates why she didn’t value these “souvenirs”. However, observe that all these pictures are related to Kim Dan’s school career path! (chapter 47) (chapter 47) The absence of these pictures signifies denial! It was, as if Kim Dan had never visited school and even never become a physical therapist. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Kim Dan had no pride “as PT” and was willing to take odd jobs like “courier” (chapter 42) or “waiter”. As my avid readers can detect, there is a strong link between “pictures” and “pride and love”. Their absence is the expression of neglect from the grandmother, who was definitely too focused on herself and her own suffering. At the same time, it lets also transpire the low self-esteem from the grandmother. In her humble dwell, there is no picture of her as well. (chapter 17) Thus I come to the following deduction: the grandmother dislikes pictures in general and was not living herself as well. Since she couldn’t love herself, she was not capable to love her grandson either. How so? For that, it is necessary to quote Erich Fromm from the Art of Loving (1956):
“If I can say to another: “I love you”, I must also be able to say: “I love everyone else in you too, I love the whole world through you, I love myself in you too”.
Loving someone means loving loving oneself first. In addition, where is the halmeoni running to? To the West coast, where she knows no one and desires to watch the sunset alone. (chapter 53) This image exposes not only her rejection of reality, but also her isolation. This decision stands in opposition to the quote above. She can not love Kim Dan, for she is rejecting the world and humans. This quote made me realize why Kim Dan felt so insecure the whole time, it is because he has never heard such a love confession from his grandmother. As you can see, the trigger with the photos gave me a lot of insight about the grandmother and the main lead.
In addition, one might wonder why the framed image was not put on display. (chapter 19) Why was this photo not treasured by Shin Okja? In my eyes, the picture was taken, when both were happy. There was a garden, and the boy’s happiness was genuine. However, I believe that this photo is linked to loss and this mysterious phone call. (chapter 19) She was wearing the same shirt, when Kim Dan was speaking on the phone. In other words, the photo was also bringing painful memories to the grandmother. My theory is that the grandson’s parents vanished after that day. But this was not the same for the boy. He remembers the warmth from his relative. He is not making the link between this moment and his abandonment. In addition, this picture represents a frozen moment in time. It was, as if the woman desired to turn back time or hoped to stay in that moment forever. This explains why she kept the picture and continued treating her grandson as a child. For her, he was still the little boy from that time. However, at the end of season 1, it is no longer possible for her to treat Kim Dan as a child, because she needs him to move to the West coast. (chapter 53) It requires money, sacrifice and energy, but she is no longer paying attention to these aspects. Her time is now limited, thus she doesn’t feel responsible for any future debt. Striking is that she is not recognizing him as a man, but as a puppy dog. (chapter 47) Why? By acknowledging him as an adult man, she would give him a choice. He could refuse to do her a favor. As a puppy, he can not live on his own. Besides, by turning him into a dog and as such animal, she is denying him his right as a human being. She is appealing to his instinctive nature, his loyalty. And the moment I thought of a dog and death, I couldn’t help myself thinking of the famous dog Hachiko who kept waiting for his owner’s return at the train station, unaware that the latter had died a long time ago. As you can see, doc Dan’s pictures are strongly intertwined with reality and confrontation. Therefore the pictures with her grandson were not shown or treasured. The grandmother has been avoiding mirror and even pictures. As a person suffering from “Peter Pan Syndrome”, she is trying to do anything to escape “death and responsibility”. How ironic is that she just needed a picture to express her wish to move to the West Coast! (chapter 53) Yes, the image from the brochure is creating the illusion that the woman on the wheelchair is her. She is smiling and “looking healthy”. It looks like she will have a better life there, less painful than at the hospital. In other words, this photo represents the exact opposite: illusion and fakeness. This (chapter 53) is the reality. The grandmother is not looking at Kim Dan contrary to the woman on the prospect. He is reduced to his role as caretaker. He has become her “servant”. In addition, the PT is not smiling like the nurse in the photo. In verity, he doesn’t want to do it. Deep down, he wished to stay at the penthouse. (chapter 53) The words “I should go” displays that he is doing it out of obligation. To conclude, photographs in Jinx are also embodying dream and illusion. (chapter 53). They only symbolize truth and reality, when the doctor is present.
3. The pictures in Joo Jaekyung’s world
What caught my attention are the similarities between Kim Dan and the champion. Both have no photo on their cellphone screen: (chapter 38) Clouds are a reference to heaven and dream, while the green display displays loneliness and emptiness. They have no one by their side. Furthermore, just like Kim Dan, Joo Jaekyung has no family pictures in his house, (chapter 19) which could be seen as a clue that he is an orphan. Or in the best case, they live, but there is a huge wall and gap between them and the fighter. I would even add that no one could even identify the owner of the penthouse. He is a famous MMA fighter, yet there exist no picture of himself in this flat! Not even this one: (chapter 1) That’s why I had compared the penthouse to a hotel room in a previous essay. So we could say that he also lived like a ghost. However, since he is a celebrity, he should be rather compared to a god. He has no home and privacy. Thus the penthouse contained no memories, until the doctor started living with the champion.
Another important aspect is that the fighter doesn’t even have any picture of his manager or his children (chapter 43), a sign that their relationship has always been more businesslike, thought the boss somehow considered him as his “older brother”, as he keeps calling “hyung”. (chapter 5) The first personal video and message from his manager only appeared in chapter 43. This shows that the owner of Team Black had no family at all and not even friends. This observation brings me to my next remark. What about the gym Team Black? (chapter 1) (chapter 5) There are only pictures of the champion and of no one else. Not even from Park Namwook or the ex-professional fighter Jeong Yosep. Everything is revolving around the celebrity. The absence of pictures from others is indicating neglect. The gym was not advertised as a great place to have fun! It is all about fame, wealth and glory! Therefore it is not astonishing why the rats left the sinking ship. (chapter 52) The champion’s image is tarnished, he will get less admiration and sponsoring. The decoration of the gym exposed the mentality of the owner, Park Namwook. The gym is about the celebrity, money, fame and sponsoring! Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the other members were neglected and why the athlete disliked it so much to be taken in pictures. (chapter 30) It is because the photographs are a synonym for “money, glory and fame”. Choi Heesung was using him to get attention. His name (chapter 46), his face and body are like “merchandises”. (chapter 43) That’s why he disliked the idea that Seonho would advertise that he was his sparring partner. The pictures in the god’s world have nothing to do with memories or love, but with work! It is about making business and getting sponsors and making his fans happy. That’s why the author included the magazines in the same chapter with the actor. (chapter 30) Naturally, Heesung’s picture is not only related to business, they have a frenemy relationship. The photos with Joo Jaekyung stand in opposition to Kim Dan’s values: glorification, illusion, superficiality and futility. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Joo Jaekyung would never put any framed picture of himself or others in his flat. His gym and the photographs are related to work. Who would like to be “reminded” of work and money in his own home? No one…
Under this new light, I came to understand why the celebrity reacted so violently about the presents and Kim Dan’s. (chapter 45) (chapter 45) Imagine that the doctor had to work to exhaustion to give him an expensive gift! Yes, his gift was strongly intertwined with money, business and work! However, birthday is a symbol for home, pleasure, joy, simplicity and genuine gratitude. This has nothing to do with work and “replacement”. Yet, contrary to the other presents, the champion did open the hamster’s gift, for the latter had brought it personally. (chapter 45) Yes, his birthday was turned into a business event, a merchandise where he even had to pay for his own birthday party. (chapter 43) His popularity among the staff was based on his spending: (chapter 35) Such a success and glorification could only drive an edge between himself and others. In addition, the images could never boost the fighter’s low self-esteem. Yes, the absence of his own picture in his home is another important clue for his unhappiness and self-loathing. Because the doctor brought “work” home, Joo Jaekyung started avoiding the physical therapist: (chapter 47) It was not just because the athlete had been encouraged by his mentor to trust no one, to see relationship as a business. (chapter 46) This remark leads me to the following conclusion. Since the manager started sowing distrust in the champion’s heart, we can see it as another proof that this man has never truly loved “his boy”:
“If I can say to another: “I love you”, I must also be able to say: “I love everyone else in you too, I love the whole world through you, I love myself in you too”. (Erich Fromm, The Art Of Loving, 1956)
He just considers him as a toy and possession. (chapter 40) Thus he can mistreat him, if he is not pleased.
But there’s another evidence that the pictures with the fighter are strongly linked to idolization, illusion and deception. 8chapter 35) When this article was released, the author selected a photograph exposing the champion in good health! He was raising his arm and as such using his “injured shoulder”. The content of the article contradicts so much the image which can only raise doubts among the readers. By using such a picture, they created the illusion that the athlete was hiding something. And this remark brings me to the last articles about the fallen legend: (chapter 52) His beaten face is exposed to destroy his “good image”: he appears not only as weak, but also as a bully. This shows how the medias are trying to manipulate the public with pictures. His face and body are damaged, therefore he has less value. This deceptive trick becomes more visible, when you include Baek Junmin. (chapter 52) The article utilized a picture of the fake fighter taken right after the match. He is smiling and barely injured… yet, the reality is that he got so wounded by the champion that he needs a long time to recover. As you could observe, all these photographs symbolizes money, business, work, superficiality and publicity. Thus they are strongly intertwined with temporality, fake love and emptiness. No meaningful moment…
It is important, because the moment the athlete started interacting with the physical therapist, a new kind of photograph started appearing: (chapter 46) The ones in this panel ooze privacy, selflessness and intimacy. The champion is seen carrying bottles and opening the door for the doctor, a sign of Joo Jaekyung’s respect for the doctor. Yes, these images expose the truth about the athlete: he really treasures his physical therapist. He is also seen listening to the doctor. This observation corroborates my previous interpretation. The pictures with the physical therapist symbolizes verity and reality. The problem is that Joo Jaekyung never got to see them, hence he didn’t realize his affection for the doctor. However, Choi Gilseok could notice it. In fact, the celebrity was delivered a different kind of truth: (chapter 48) Kim Dan’s meeting with director Choi Gilseok! However, note that these photographs were also a deception, for they never expose the outcome of the meeting. These pictures display the negative notions of privacy and intimacy, it is about plotting, betrayal and as such about “business”. How so? It is because they met at a café. As a conclusion, the photographs have a total different meaning in the athlete’s world. They represent coldness, superficiality, temporality, deception and work. This new interpretation reinforces my hypothesis that the main lead’s car must have been followed by a paparazzi during that night: (chapter 33) A black car was following him. But they couldn’t take any picture, for the windows of his car were tainted.
Interesting is that at the end of season 1, Kim Dan had a recollection of this scene (chapter 53) which left him deeply impressed. Joo Jaekyung was turning around his head and looking at him! This shows that the star was paying attention to him. And what had happened in that moment? What is the light next to the protagonist? Yes, these were the flashes from the cameras! (chapter 40) It is no coincidence. Though he had no memory of the previous night, he felt this moment as magical. He had saved him and claimed him as a part of Team Black. Then he had look at him back, though he was facing journalists. However, the journalists didn’t take a picture of such a moment, for this was not relevant to them. It shows not only the true value of “memories”, but also that both were now truly living! During that night and day, both created wonderful memories. (chapter 41) Kim Dan experienced that he was not alone, he was part of “Team Black”, while the other heard a love confession for the first time. This memory displays (chapter 53) not only admiration, but also intimacy and TRUST!
Because the MMA fighter has been constantly surrounded by fake people in his world, it is not surprising that he doesn’t value “money” or glory. These didn’t make him truly happy. But there is more to it. Due to photographs, the fighter learned the wrong lessons. He judged people on prejudices and impressions!! Yes, this explains why Joo Jaekyung imagined to see Kim Dan selling his body., while he was about ti get raped. (chapter 17) He is relying too much on his eyes. He paid no attention to details and their words. Hence their words are not visible. In addition, the author created such a panel. (chapter 17) in that scene.. But why is he trusting too much his eyes? It is because he adopted this poor habit from his mentor and hyung, Park Namwook. who judges people based on prejudices and impressions. When the manager faces a problem or some criticism (chapter 17), he prefers blaming his “boy” or delegating responsibilities to others: (chapter 36) Furthermore the man with the red tee-shirt has always been by his side for a long time. The time spent together is a proof of his “loyalty”, yet if the athlete had paid more attention to his words, he should have noticed his hypocrisy, lack of empathy and disrespect: (chapter 49) (chapter 52) The slap is the expression of lack of faith and disrespect. Besides, he kept badmouthing him in front of the other members, creating a huge gap between the celebrity and the other members.
This is no coincidence why Joo Jaekyung didn’t listen to doctor Lee’s recommendations as well. He never saw the results of his examination. (chapter 27) In addition, he had to rely on the expertise of doctors, but he only trusts himself, his hyung and no others. But let’s return our attention to Kim Dan and his letter.
When the doctor left the penthouse, he left a memory and treasure to the athlete: a letter full of kindness and care! (chapter 53) The letter stands in opposition to the articles and photographs. Through the letter, the main lead is teaching to the wolf this important life lesson. He needs to use his mind and as such his heart to see the truth and reality.
“It is only in the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye” (The Little Prince from Antoine Saint-Exupéry”
The doctor is now perceived correctly, because for the first time, the athlete listened to his words and opinion. Here, I mean, he believed in his confession (apology, convalescence). Interesting is that after listening to his words, Joo Jaekyung started reflecting on his own actions and emotions. (chapter 53) Thus he voiced his discomfort and annoyance. However, this time, he is not questioning the origins of his actions. He knows now that the doctor means a lot to him. He is not a waste of time. It is no coincidence that the moment he paid attention to Kim Dan’s thoughts and emotions, he opened up his own heart and mind, because according to Erich Fromm
Being able to listen to oneself is a prerequisite for being able to listen to others; being at home with oneself is the necessary condition for relating to others. Erich From from The Art Of Being
And now, look at the expression “home with oneself”. Home is strongly connected with inner harmony, meditation and well-awareness as the foundation for genuine communication and understanding of others.. Let’s not forget that home is also a synonym for “family”. Thanks to the support of a loving family and friends, one can become true to oneself. At the same time, home with oneself helps to communicate better with others. And because the MMA fighter listened to Kim Dan words, he became more aware of himself. The doctor has become the key to the champion’s heart. He has also become his home as well. Thus Joo Jaekyung came to associate the penthouse to his loved one: (chapter 53) The latter might have no photograph of Kim Dan, but his face is now engraved in his memory. To conclude, the letter should be perceived as a mirror of truth to the athlete. He needed to hear the hamster’s words without seeing his face in order to see him properly.
Finally, I conclude that in season 2, photographs will have a different meaning in the champion and doctor’s life. They will stand for privacy, love, friendship, recognition and selflessness. Yes, I am expecting that the doctor and his lover start taking pictures of memorable events, like this day: (chapter 26) (chapter 26) The gym will face some changes.
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.
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 thetable 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 JinxPassions in Purple: Jealousy and Joy – part 1
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Reminder: This essay is a combination of an interpretation and predictions. (Enlightenment, Imagination, Creativity and Individuality)
1. Friends with Benefits: Responsibility beyond Desires
In the first part, I pointed out that the second couple had become “fuck buddies”, a synonym for Friends with Benefits. This raises the following question. Why is Heesung no longer obsessed with his quest for a soulmate? One might find the answer to this interrogation in the following image. (special episode 1) The actor chose to use the black-haired sportsman as “Friends with Benefits”. But what would be Potato’s benefits then? Support and connections, like we could see it in special episode 2: (special episode 2) So when Heesung is already envisaging to get rid of his new lover (special episode 1), we have to envision that the comedian is projecting his own past relationships onto the 20 years old man. Many of his former sexual partners would always long for his attention and affection. (chapter 35) Because he is famous and wealthy, he is expecting a similar reaction from the chow-chow. At some point, he will appear too clingy, hence he will perceive his relationship as burdensome. This is no longer fun. (chapter 33) However, the change of Heesung’s mind-set (Friends with Benefits, no longer the search for a soulmate) is also related to Potato’s reaction after their first night together. (special episode 1) With his words, the sportsman implied that he had taken advantage of the actor, while in reality the opposite had happened. Heesung had taken advantage of Potato’s drunkenness (special episode 1), ignorance and purity (special episode 1).The confession of Yoon-Gu’s wrongdoing could only shock the actor. (special episode 1) How did Yoon-Gu come to this reasoning, when he admitted in the same breath that he was drunk? It is because the night before, Heesung had confided that he was heartbroken due to Kim Dan’s rejection. (chapter 35) With his behavior, the fox gave the impression that his affection for Kim Dan was running deep. Under the tent, he was drowning his sorrow with soju. Hence in the maknae’s mind, Heesung was still in love with the physical therapist. Yes, the irony is that the chow-chow was also projecting his own thoughts onto the comedian. Let’s not forget that when the young fighter discovered the true nature of the relationship between the doctor and the emperor, he didn’t give up on his admiration and affection for Joo Jaekyung. (chapter 35) My avid readers should keep in their mind that the chow-chow is famous for his strong loyalty. To sum up, Potato imagined that Heesung was still loving Kim Dan, exactly like him with the fighter… he would remain faithful and keep his one-sided love.That’s why I came to the following conclusion: their relationship started on a misunderstanding, which was also reflected in this situation: (special episode 1) Yet, contrary to the main couple, the misunderstanding is not driving an edge between them, in fact it is bringing them closer.
Under this new light, Manhwaworms can grasp why Potato chose to become responsible. (special episode 1) It was, as if he had disregarded the gumiho’s feelings, he had incited the latter to commit a sin. Heesung had broken his vow of faithfulness 😂. That’s the reason why he mentioned “zero regrets”. It is important, because with such a mind-set and attitude, he is indirectly pushing the gumiho to face the truth: his dishonesty. His affection for Kim Dan was just a crush, a superficial attachment, as he knew nothing about him. In fact, he was just chasing after an illusion. He even admitted it at the restaurant: (chapter 35) His description for a partner and as such love doesn’t correspond to the definition of true love: care, respect, knowledge and responsibility (Definition from Erich Fromm, for more read “The Art Of Loving”). That’s why Yoon-Gu was surprised and left speechless. Thus I deduce that through Potato, Heesung is encouraged to love properly and genuinely. Moreover, the last statement from Heesung exposes his self-deception. Here, he appears as humble, while in front of Joo Jaekyung, he appears as exigent, because he said the exact opposite. (chapter 33) He had high expectations: a soulmate: he should be fun and not too clingy. Yes, Potato’s purity and honesty is inciting Heesung to become more honest to himself and to others. His affection towards Kim Dan was rather frivolous, especially when he acted as a rather irresponsible person. (chapter 32) He didn’t try to protect him from the athlete’s fury. He never clearly stated his true desire, he wished to date the doctor, until he was cornered (threatened).
But let’s return our attention to my previous statement. (special episode 1) Yoon-Gu decided to become responsible for Heesung due to his mistake, he had not respected his feelings for the doctor.
Interesting is that with his confession, Potato had reversed the situation. In general, the drunk person will claim to have acted under the influence of alcohol, which would give them the opportunity to cut off ties with the sex partner. The sex session will be reduced to a mistake. That’s exactly what the champion did the next morning after that simulacre of love making. (chapter 45). This means when the MMA amateur fighter decided to become responsible and as such to make up for his mistake, (special episode 1) he has no expectation concerning the actor’s attachment. In other words, in his mind, he is just helping Heesung to satisfy sexual needs, while the latter can still keep his one-sided crush for the physical therapist. This made me laugh, because it looks like Potato is now sacrificing himself for the comedian’s sake. Yes, it is because he is no longer paying attention to his own feelings and desires. It was, as if he was offering his body to make up for his sin… he tempted him to break his vow of loyalty. That’s the reason why their relationship is purely sexual. This explicates why Yoon-Gu could still admire his idol after his night with Heesung which is visible in this scene: (chapter 41) In other words, both second leads are on the same wavelength despite the misunderstanding. Both have the same expectations: Friends With Benefits. Yet, they are not equal in their relationship, as Potato feels indebted towards the actor so that the latter has “Zero regrets”. In other words, he is bound by a debt and a contract. He has to please his partner, he can not refuse to his demands. That’s why Heesung said this (special episode 1) and why Potato couldn’t refuse the role-play. (special episode 2) He is put in a similar situation than his role model Kim Dan. He can not say no to Heesung. (special episode 2) However, he is not entirely powerless, like I mentioned in the first part. He is not forced to admit that he had fun after the intercourse. (special episode 2) In other words, he is not obliged to say YES either! It is funny because thanks to this examination, I realized that Yes and No have “become” like taboo words. Yoon-Gu is avoiding these idioms by using the expression “I don’t know”. Hence I am suspecting that Heesung will become obsessed with the word “yes”! 😂 Only Heesung can procure him fun and pleasure, and no one else. He is getting disarmed by the sentence “I don’t know”.
However, since both started this relationship as “Friends With Benefits” out of obligation, it is not surprising that Heesung hid his increasing desire for Potato behind a role-play. But it is the same for Yoon-Gu. Because the latter has in his mind that the actor has a one-sided crush on Kim Dan, he can not show his “affection” towards the comedian. His heart was touched by the compliment and this gesture (special episode 2), yet in the past he had a different reaction. (chapter 23) The reason is simple. This was not patting, but rubbing. Neither Oh Daehyun nor Kim Changmin did it to express gratitude, rather for selfish reasons. They wanted luck on their side. Potato didn’t feel recognized and accepted, rather used as a tool. Hence he was bothered. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible how Heesung can win Yoon-Gu’s heart in the long run. It is not because of his sexual performances, but thanks to his selfless gratitude and generosity!! We have the perfect example in these two scenes: (chapter 26) The main lead had taken a risk for him. He could win his heart by turning his dream into reality. He would be able to spar with the emperor. Then observe how Potato was full of admiration, when the champion decided to organize a charity event for his birthday. (chapter 41) Joo Jaekyung had nothing to win from his “birthday”.
Under this perspective, Manhwalovers can comprehend why Potato chose to run away, when he decided to accept the offer from the actor. (special episode 2) He was attempting to hide his growing affection for the comedian. He feared that his feelings for him could become a burden for the comedian. In his eyes, Heesung should remain faithful to the physical therapist. He shouldn’t expect any affection from the actor either.
Funny is that when I was looking for a synonym for “fuck buddy”, I found this other idiom: “no-strings-attached partner”. In a previous essay, I associated this term with the doctor “Cheolmin”. (chapter 13) And the moment I read this expression, I couldn’t help myself thinking of a leash as a new sex toy. (chapter 34) In this scene, the physical therapist looked like attached to his owner. In the first part of “Passions in Purple: Jealousy and Joy”, I made the following prediction. Heesung would order a sex toy (special episode 2) out of annoyance and jealousy (special episode 2), for Potato had run away from him. He needs to put him on a leash to feel in control, to obtain his chow chow’s attention. Naturally, there is no guarantee that this prediction is correct. Yet since according to my examination, Potato is thinking that Heesung is in love, it signifies that Heesung is already attached to Kim Dan. Hence he won’t do anything to ruin this attachment… therefore Heesung can only be put in front of a dilemma. How can he make Potato look at him? He could reveal the truth to Yoon-Gu, but by doing so, he would ruin his image as a good and caring guy. Moreover, since he has lived for a long time deceiving himself and others, it is very unlikely that the actor might change his behavior so suddenly. Old habits are hard to die. Therefore for me, honesty won’t be his initial choice, rather acting. He will express his thoughts and emotions behind a new role-play and sex.
And this observation brings me to my next statement. Finally, Mingwa gave us a clue about Potato’s absence in chapter 43: (episode 43) Yoon-Gu must have gone to the set, like promised! (special episode 2) This explicates why he didn’t join Team Black at the restaurant. He spent the whole day and night with his fated partner. Heesung must have made sure to keep him by his side… It’s also very likely that the actor used Potato’s promise to his own advantage. They had a deal… He had to ensure that the actor had zero regrets and he would become responsible for him (special episode 1) Bound by a promise which he couldn’t violate. His absence at the restaurant is very important, because he never heard the drunken confession from his idol: (chapter 43) He would have perceived this statement differently from the others, as he knew about the true nature of their relationship. On the other hand, his absence was necessary. Why? It is because the young fighter needed to learn to distinguish between himself and his idol. Yes, in my opinion, Yoon-Gu’s motivation to bring back Kim Dan to Team Black won’t be just for the athlete’s sake! It will be Potato’s own desire to bring him back. He is missing the physical therapist. Through the last incident, Potato must have realized how much Kim Dan meant to him. His departure left him so heartbroken. (chapter 52). In the past, Heesung saw Joo Jaekyung as a rival, hence he made sure that Potato didn’t participate in the champion’s surprise party. So I believe that he was not upset about Joo Jaekyung’s downfall. In fact, he could have envisioned that this could help him to gain Potato’s attention. However, what he didn’t realize is that since feelings and affection can change, this could also happen towards other persons: the physical therapist. Potato’s attachment towards the doctor deepened, as time passed on, especially since they spent some time together in the States. Therefore I conclude that the departure of the doctor will not only affect the relationship between Potato and the comedian, but also force them to follow the main couple to the West coast. Mingwa left many clues for this prediction. Where?
2. The Birth Of A Star
If you read my analysis Star-crossed lovers, you are aware that for me, Yoon-Gu is linked to the goddess of Love, Venus or Aphrodite. And where was she born? In the sea… In the myth of Aphrodite’s birth, the beautiful Goddess of Love emerges naked from the water.. She had just been created from the foam of the sea caused by Cronus castrating his father Uranus and throwing his genitals into the water. Interesting is that the sea on the West Coast is called Yellow Sea! And what is the signification of Yoon-Gu’s name Hwang? Yellow!!
In other words, by going to the west Coast, we should assist to the birth of a new star and god: Yoon-Gu, the new champion as bantam fighter. During the champion’s 3 months suspension, the main leads can focus on the maknae’s training. And no one would expect this!! That’s how they could prove the medias (chapter 35) (chapter 52), the enemies, in particular Baek Junmin wrong. Even if he is injured or ends his career as MMA fighter, his life is not over. He is strong, talented and trustworthy, because Yoon-Gu chose to trust him and his career. He is no thug or spoiled child, as despite his injury, he “assisted” someone to become a new fighter.
I have many other reasons to think like that. First, pay attention to this panel: (chapter 53). In this scene, the halmoni was shown as a young child, just before she left this region. Her departure announces the future loss of her innocence. This explicates why she desires to return to her roots. It was, as though she was trying to escape her fate. Moreover, by reconnecting to her childhood, she is actually denying the existence of her grandchild. It was, as if she was trying to erase the time between her departure and return. On the other hand, this scene announces her imminent death as well… it was, as if she wanted to be swallowed by nature (sea, sun). And death is strongly connected to birth. No one can die, if they were not “born” before. Hence I am suspecting that the birth of a new star, the Bantam Fighter Yoon-Gu, is associated with the halmoni’s vanishing. Finally, any reader can notice the two main colors in this image: yellow and red!! And you know that Potato’s colors are yellow and red. From my point of view, Potato is destined to go to the West Coast and naturally Heesung will follow him there. He has to because of the saying “Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind”. Let’s not forget that Heesung treated Kim Dan that way. As soon as he stopped seeing the doctor, he stopped thinking about him. He could fear to lose his soulmate, as the latter forgets him. The gumiho’s fate is to be the “clingy one”.
3. The Arrival of Happiness
And this observation leads me to mention my illustration for the essay: There, I included two gemstones, the Bloodstone and the Aquamarine! Choi Heesung, born on 21st March, is represented by these birthstones! In this composition Powerful Hidden Gemstones – part 2, I had speculated about his birthday and gemstones, which turned out to be wrong. On the other hand, my hypothesis was not entirely false, for I had correctly associated him to Spring. This already implies the actor’s huge role in bringing happiness to the main couple. Spring stands for renewal and rebirth. And now, it is time to explain the symbolism behind the Bloodstone and Aquamarine.
3. 1. Bloodstone, the shining talisman
Bloodstone, named for its striking appearance that resembles droplets of blood on a deep green surface, is also known as Heliotrope, derived from the ancient Greek for “sun turner.” This name reflects the ancient belief that when placed in water, the stone could turn the reflection of the sun red.
As soon as I read such a description, two pictures came to my mind, first this one: (chapter 53) The sea turning red due to the sun… Thus I feel like the halmoni could meet her idol in the sunset which could affect the actor deeply. Let’s not forget that the grandmother came to adore him through this k-drama: (chapter 30) And what was he wearing in the poster? A blue pale suit which is close to Aquamarine and even to light purple ! The color is no coincidence. I have the impression that thanks to the weak woman, Heesung will become a part of the “new family”. If you look at the sunset again, you will detect glimpses of purple in the sky. As for the second image which came to my mind is this: the actor swimming in the ocean. When the bloodstone is put in water, it changes the color of the sun: red for love. Yes, we should expect a new version of this scene: (chapter 28) which I had interpreted as a baptism, a purification. If the actor bathes in the Yellow Sea, he will be purified and as such his true self will come to the surface. That’s how he will recognize his love for Potato, but also his friendship for the doctor. So far, the man has no real friend, but he has been longing for one. At the same time, the metaphor (the sun turning red) could be a reference to the interaction between the actor and the emperor, the former helps the latter to recognize his true feelings for the physical therapist. As a conclusion, we should expect to see Heesung under the sunset and next to the ocean or water. There, he should ponder and have a realization.
Renowned for its healing properties, bloodstone is believed to cleanse and purify the blood, aiding in detoxification and improving circulation. It’s thought to boost the immune system, helping the body fend off infections and diseases. Thus I am wondering if he won’t bring the doctor “Cheolmin” to the coast, if the athlete doesn’t invite him himself.
Emotionally, bloodstone is valued for its ability to stabilize emotions, reduce stress, and foster self-confidence, contributing to a sense of inner peace. In other words, he would have the opposite effect to season 1. (chapter 30) After getting enlightened, he would know what he truly desires. He would have no interest to get on the champion’s nerves. Potato would be the one bringing him happiness and novelty. Athletes and those seeking to enhance physical endurance often turn to bloodstone for its reputed ability to increase stamina and energy. This signifies that thanks to Heesung’s presence, the champion’s training won’t appear as a torture. Yes, expect a new version of this scene: (chapter 37) Here each fighter was on his own, they were not really training together. The champion was the leader due to his imminent match, he put the others under pressure, as he was himself stressed. But with his suspension, he is no longer racing against time. In other words, the training routine should be different. They will help each other, encouraging each other to become better. The presence of Heesung should help them to see the training under a different light. But for that, he has to reconnect to his true nature: bloodstone and aquamarine.
Throughout history, bloodstone has served as a powerful talisman and amulet, offering protection against evil spirits and bringing good fortune. This description reminded me of the incident in the States with the drug (chapter 37) or the switch of medicine. Unfortunately, the gumiho was not present both times, hence Kim Dan and Joo Jaekyung became the targets of revenge. On the other hand, the author stated that in season 2, the focus would be more on emotions, which means that there shouldn’t be many plot. Nevertheless, my avid readers should keep in mind my previous interpretation about the “beautiful” Kim Miseon (chapter 21) I had criticized her on many occasions, like disculssing a case in a hallway. Before, she had proposed an expensive treatment, well aware of the grandmother’s age and her weak condition. Moreover, I had suspected her to have leaked information to the director Choi Gilseok. Thus I hope that season 2 will expose her misdeeds and the corruption of the medical world. This was already present in episode 1. But let’s return our attention to the gemstone and its symbolism. In medieval Europe, the stone was deeply linked to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, believed to have formed when drops of His blood fell to the earth. As you can see, the gumiho is strongly connected to selflessness, sacrifice, death and rebirth. This reinforces my expectation that his encounter with the grandmother will have a huge impact in his life, like for example the “neglect and indifference from his parents”. Exactly like the other main characters, he has abandonment issues. Bloodstone is commonly associated with the root chakra, which governs grounding, stability, and physical well-being.
Mystically, bloodstone is said to offer protection from negative energies (depression), psychic attacks, and emotional drain. It is believed to enhance decision-making, aiding in analytical thinking and logical choices. The stone is also thought to stimulate psychic senses, supporting divination and spiritual growth. Bloodstone is revered for grounding spiritual energy into the physical realm, providing strength and stability during difficult times. This means that this gemstone is strongly connected to choice and decision. In other words, Heesung should play a huge role in the champion’s next decision, a new version of this scene: (chapter 34) Here, he forced the champion to claim the doctor as his possession. However, in season 1, the main lead came to regret his actions (34, 43), for he has never been honest to himself. And now, it is time to focus on the second gemstone.
3. 2. The Ocean and Aquamarine
Aquamarine is a captivating gemstone known for its tranquil blue-green color, reminiscent of the sea. Its name is derived from the Latin words “aqua” (water) and “marina” (of the sea), reflecting its oceanic hue. Beyond its beauty, aquamarine holds significant cultural, spiritual, and metaphysical meanings across various societies.
3. 2. 1. Cultural Significance of Aquamarine
Ancient Rome:
The Romans believed aquamarine was sacred to Neptune, the god of the sea. They thought the stone could protect sailors and ensure a safe voyage. They would often carve it into amulets shaped like fish, a symbol of the sea.
Medieval Europe:
In medieval times, aquamarine was considered a symbol of true love and was often given as a gift between lovers. It was also believed to reawaken married love, making it a popular choice for engagement rings.
Eastern Cultures:
In some Eastern traditions, aquamarine was believed to be a treasure of the mermaids and was used by sailors as a talisman to protect against drowning and other perils of the sea. It was also associated with water spirits and was used in rituals to communicate with them.
Modern Times:
Today, aquamarine is recognized as the birthstone for March and is often associated with the zodiac sign Pisces. It continues to be a symbol of youth, health, and hope.
3. 2. 2. Virtues and Metaphysical Properties
Hope and Courage:
Aquamarine is often called the “Stone of Courage.” It is believed to empower the wearer with the courage to speak their truth and to stand up for what is right. This quality stems from the stone’s historical use by sailors who saw it as a protective talisman, giving them hope and strength in perilous journeys.
Meditation and Relaxation:
Aquamarine’s calming blue color is said to promote relaxation and peace. It is commonly used in meditation practices to help achieve a serene state of mind. The stone’s ability to calm the mind and reduce stress is linked to its association with water, which symbolizes cleansing and purification.
Calmness and Communication:
Aquamarine is believed to enhance clear communication and understanding. It is thought to help calm the mind and reduce confusion, making it easier to articulate thoughts and feelings. This virtue is especially valued in relationships and as such friendships, as it encourages honest and compassionate dialogue. Aquamarine is believed to help people express themselves more clearly and understand others better, fostering a deeper connection and mutual respect.
Spiritual Insight and Intuition:
The stone is also said to enhance spiritual awareness and intuition. It is believed to open up channels for inner wisdom and to strengthen the connection to the higher self. This is why it is often used in spiritual practices to deepen meditation and to facilitate connection with the divine.
Trust and Loyalty:
Trust is a cornerstone of any friendship, and aquamarine is thought to strengthen trust between people. Its association with loyalty and fidelity makes it a popular gift among friends, symbolizing enduring and faithful connections.
Renewal and Reconnection:
Aquamarine is also believed to rekindle friendships that may have drifted apart over time. Its gentle energy can help renew bonds and bring people back together, reminding them of the shared experiences and understanding that form the basis of their friendship.
3. 2. 3. Origins of Its Virtues
The virtues of aquamarine can be traced back to ancient mythologies and beliefs. Its association with water, a universal symbol of life, purification, and emotional depth, is the foundation of its calming and protective qualities. The ancient seafarers’ reliance on aquamarine for protection likely contributed to its reputation as a stone of courage and hope.
Over time, these beliefs evolved and spread across different cultures, each adding their own interpretations and values. The stone’s serene color also played a role in shaping its virtues, as colors have long been linked to emotional and psychological states. Blue, in particular, is universally associated with calmness, trust, and communication, further reinforcing aquamarine’s symbolic meanings.
In summary, aquamarine is more than just a beautiful gemstone; it carries a rich history of cultural significance and is revered for its spiritual, emotional, and relational virtues. Whether used for protection, love, friendship, or spiritual growth, aquamarine remains a powerful symbol of the sea’s tranquility, strength, and enduring connections.
This means that by going to the West Coast, Heesung is fated to find his true self as well. The sea is his natural environment! He represents friendship, loyalty and trust. However, pay attention that this gemstone is associated with the god Neptune. According to my examination, Cheolmin is the character associated with the god of the Sea. And what are his colors and gemstones? Green and jade! Yes, we should expect his return in season 2. The way he treated the star shows that he viewed the main lead more as a friend than as a patient or client.
Since Aquamarine is a mixture of blue and green and the bloodstone is a combination of red and green, it becomes comprehensible why Heesung felt attracted to the uniforms from the guards in the special episode (special episode 2) or why he chose to wear such a t-shirt in episode 31: (chapter 31) They were green. He is attracted to “green”, his origin self. Nevertheless, in episode 31, this was rather a khaki version due to his corruption. No wonder why he played a trick on the champion. And this observation brings me back to the doctor’s clothes. What was he wearing, when he was young? (chapter 19) A green t-shirt!! No wonder why Heesung felt a connection towards Kim Dan. They have something in common. Moreover, the doctor is a “duck”, so Heesung’s role is to help the doctor to recognize and accept his true self. Hence, the former helped him, when he confessed this to Kim Dan: (chapter 35) At the same time, it explains why Heesung changed for the better thanks to the physical therapist. Thus I assume that Heesung is destined to become an aquamarine, bringing all these characters closer to each other: Potato, Cheolmin, Kim Dan, Joo Jaekyung. However, contrary to the past, he won’t use his money to help people to become happier. His smile and happiness should affect the others: (chapter 31) However, this should no longer be superficial. The celebrity is associated with flowers, stars, fun and happiness. Because he symbolizes “Spring”, I deduce that his rebirth and as such his Enlightenment are primordial. He is there to assist the others. And the color for understanding, compassion, self-awareness and wisdom is purple:
Inspiration: Original and sound ideas are created with violet – use it when looking for inspiration during brainstorming sessions.
Imagination: Violet inspires creativity with intellect – it is also stimulating to dream activity.
Individuality: Violet is unconventional, individual and original. It hates to copy anyone else and likes to do its own thing.
Spirituality: Violet assists us during prayer and meditation, helping us to get in touch with our deeper subconscious thoughts. Churches often feature violet in their stained glass windows. From a negative perspective it can relate to the cult follower. Quoted from https://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-purple.html
This brings me back to the image with the sunset on the beach:(chapter 53) The presence of purple in this panel is a reference to inspiration, dream, spirituality and even individuality. And now, you comprehend why I am expecting a meeting between the halmoni and the actor related to the sunset. Let’s not forget that the young man is a gumiho, he is linked to “soulmate” and “immortality”. The imminent vanishing of the grandmother can only be a wake-up call for the comedian. He is a human, and life is short. Moreover, he could discover the doctor’s past making him realize reality. Contrary to Kim Dan, the comedian is blessed, for he is young, healthy and rich. He never had to suffer like the other (debts, death of relatives…) Besides, so far, he has not been confronted with death yet. Hence he could make such a comment: (special episode 1) Since the elderly woman confided to Joo Jaekyung, we can assume that she could do the same with the gumiho, as soon as she sees her idol. It is important, because he could grasp the physical therapist’s suffering and low self-esteem.
4. Nature and reflections in Jinx
My other reasoning about the trip of the second couple to the Yellow Sea is based on the script from season 1 either. The Webtoonist used reflections in order to outline the progression of the story. Hence we had many similar pictures, like these ones:
Chapter 4
Chapter 43
Chapter 48
Chapter 53
This means, certain scenes or items are fated to reappear again, yet each time there are slight changes. Therefore we should expect a new version of this scene (chapter 48), but the actor would be replacing the fake director. We had a sunset here, dark water (the coffee), the symbol for corruption. Then notice that he is wearing a blue t-shirt (but two colors, a symbol of his hypocrisy)!! This reinforces my expectation that we should witness the actor’s awakening, the exact opposite of the other Choi, who chose revenge and manipulations. But there is more to it. Thanks to the comment of @Milliformemes24, I had another revelation. The latter wrote that places of knowledge and self-awareness are related not only to the ocean, but also to the mountains. It is normal, as the hill is closer to the sky and as such closer to the gods. Notice that Heesung’s new home is situated on the top of a hill, surrounded by a forest. In other words, Heesung could get enlightened on a mountain too, during a stroll for example. And the moment I read this from my friend, this image came to my mind: (chapter 41) The huge tree at the hospital!! The latter is even strongly connected to a stroll. In that scene, the doctor thought of his lover, as he associated him with the sun. (chapter 41) That’s the moment when he realized his feelings for the fighter. As you can see, Mingwa used the tree and as such nature as a source to spirituality. And now let me ask you this question. Since the story is written with reflections, the tree should have appeared before and after. Where was it then? First, the first plant to appear was the bouquet. The roses from Heesung (chapter 31) could be seen a mirror of the tree. The roses encourage the doctor to ponder and show an interest in his employer. (chapter 37) However, the first time, the tree appeared as such was in the States, and this on two occasions: (chapter 37) However, here there was no reflection! In fact, the figures kept complaining, and Park Namwook acted as the one with full of wisdom and understanding. Interesting is that in that scene, Kim Dan simply listened to the coach and manager and trusted the man. He never reflected on his own. And what about later? (chapter 47) Kim Dan imagined going on a trip with his grandmother, totally delusional, as he was in denial about his grandmother’s deteriorating health conditions. However, the vision shows the desire to become closer to his relative, to become more proactive as well. His words (“She’s been so busy raising me, she’s never had a day’s rest”) imply the presence of reflection. It indicates his gradual transformation and maturity. But this doesn’t end here. The tree was also present in the special episode 2: (special episode 2) Yes, the barn!! The tree had been transformed into a home. However, don’t forget that this was just a fantasy from Heesung. However, during this intercourse, he came to expose his jealousy and growing attachment towards his soulmate. Yes, the last two mentioned scenes have two common denominators: a mixture of fantasy and Enlightenment. Nature is strongly intertwined with meditation and communication. To conclude, we should expect the presence of woods and trees in season 2 as well. And this hypothesis got reinforced, when Mingwa released this image on X: We have a sunset, a palm tree and purple in the sky… Joo Jaekyung is wearing a similar shirt than Heesung: (chapter 34) I consider this as an allusion that the actor will be by the fighter’s side. On the other hand, since the shirt is open, I interpret as the star’s emancipation. The latter has been able to escape from his mental prison and suffering. In his cage, he was racing against time. Now, he is able to relax and enjoy time. At the same time, since the champion in the image from X is seen wearing rings with stones, it somehow confirmed my interpretation about the role of birthstones in Jinx. Thanks to them, the celebrity is becoming more honest to himself. He is more relaxed, he can control his emotions. Simultaneously, this new examination leads me to the following conclusion. The nature of their relationship will change. In season 1, they were frenemies, but they still show their true thoughts to each other, a sign that they somehow trusted each other. This signifies that both seme will be able to overcome their “prejudices, jealousy and insecurities”! The latter was symbolized by the shade green. However, because these characters will move to the West Coast, they will be closer to nature: ocean, mountains and trees. Hence the color green can only get now a new meaning: hope, harmony, growth and freshness! This pigment is strongly intertwined with Spring. This brings me back to Cheolmin and his advices:(chapter 13) This scene conveys such notions: a new start, improvement, change, health, friendliness, harmony, hope, fun, happiness and originality. Thus I conclude that jealousy and envy in season 2 will only be found among the antagonists and enemies. Because of all these new discoveries, I couldn’t restrain myself looking for a place on the West Coast where we would have a sand beach, a hospice, a forest and mountains. And that would be Incheon!
But we will see!
And now, I am closing this long essay with the following interpretation. Since the doctor thought of the champion under the tree and sunlight, (chapter 41), I consider this image as a new version of the image from season 1. The fighter’s hand is a mirror of the tree. He is giving support and protection. Hence I am assuming that the champion will be also reminded of Kim Dan in a particular place.
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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 thetable 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 Reluctant Moving
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1. Purple in Jinx
The new special episode reinforced my interpretation about colors in Jinx. The shades are not just beautiful, but also full of symbolism and insight. They indicate the characters’ personality, their mood and transformation. As my illustration is indicating it, purple was predominant in the new special chapter. (special episode 2). This pigment is a combination of blue and red/pink. And now pay attention to the last panel. Potato is blushing while wearing dark-green clothes, his lover is standing in front of the blue sky and his skin is rather pale. His hanbok has purple and white shades. As you can see, this wonderful night represents their union: white meets black, blue meets red and yellow (hence purple and green). The light from outside contrasts to the darkness of the shelter. That’s how purple came to shine. On the other hand, since Heesung is acting as the master, and the maknae is relegated to the role of a male servant, the actor is exposing his inner darkness. He is longing for dominance and possession. (special episode 2) To conclude, Heesung is gradually showing his true colors: the hidden black spot behind his perfect white skin. However, dark shouldn’t be reduced to evil, for in Taoism, black has another signification. It represents yin, the feminine energy. This means that thanks to that night, Heesung could display his motherly and caring side. Therefore he kissed, hugged Yoon-Gu and stroke his cheek. But this doesn’t end here. After the intercourse, he caressed his lover’s head. (special episode 2). One might argue that in the last picture, he was not entirely honest, for his eyes were closed. Besides, he was just paying him a compliment. Nevertheless, this gesture is still exposing that the actor is opening up his mind and heart to the chow-chow. He is no longer indifferent like in the past! This stands in opposition to his gifts to the members from Team Black and Kim Dan. (chapter 31) The latter reflected his superficiality and detachment. How so? It is because he had bought them. Moreover, his manager was tasked to carry the presents. (chapter 31) It was, as if the manager was cursing him and his gifts. As you can see, there was no direct contact between him and the beneficiaries of his generosity. Money was between them in the end: Heesung, the manager and the members from Team Black. This could only corrupt their relationship. However, the pat on the head between the two second leads symbolizes genuineness and real gratitude. (special episode 2) Therefore it is not astonishing that Potato feels so moved by such a caress that he starts blushing. His dream has always been to be patted on the head. (chapter 23) This signifies that the comedian fulfilled one of the young fighter’s dreams. Yet, the color in the last panel is not purple, but coral peach. Why? The reason is simple. The emperor is linked to red (anger, blood thirst), whereas the maknae embodies yellow. The pigment exposes the young stan’s ignorance, for he was not able to detect his hero’s true colors and as such his flaws. In his eyes, he was just a “god”, as he embodied perfection. Thus he had a pink version of his idol. Moreover, observe that this dream is connected to light, day and publicness, while the other is linked to darkness, night and privacy. (special episode 2) The young fighter and his lover are slowly discovering the existence of a double life (public/professional versus private life). This signifies that Potato is learning to distinguish between image (hero) and reality. In fact, he only knows the MMA fighter Joo Jaekyung and not the private man with his troubled past. As for the actor, with his blog (chapter 30), pictures and sponsoring (chapter 31) he never drew a line between his private and professional life either. He acted, as though he had no secret. That’s the reason why his manager knew about his tragic love life. This explicates as well why he used the “deal” with Park Namwook to go on a date with Kim Dan. (chapter 32) The gumiho never felt the need to hide his sexual orientation, it was never a taboo. It indicates that he felt safe among his colleagues and agency. Therefore the manager could talk so freely about his love life in front of others. (chapter 30) There was no secrecy and privacy. Manhwaphiles should keep in their mind that homosexuality in MMA world and boxing is a huge taboo. So if Potato’s homosexuality were to be exposed to the netizens, this could ruin his career. This is also valid for Joo Jaekyung. Other fighters could question their manhood. And this brings me back to that night. Purple is strongly connected to yin and as such to the moon, like you can detect in the illustrations below.
The flow of colors upward the rainbow from violet to red indicates the increase of Yang energy and decrease of Yin energy. The flow of colors downward the rainbow from red to violet indicates the increase of Yin energy and decrease of Yang energy. Warm colors (yellow, orange and red) indicate the domination of Yang over Yin. Cool colors (sky-blue, blue and violet) indicate the domination of Yin over Yang. Green is the transitional color between warm and cool colors and indicates the balance of Yin and Yang. Quoted from https://sunmooncalendar.com/extra-materials/yin-yang/yin-yang-dark-light-rainbow-colors.htm
We have a perfect illustration of this flow of colors in Jinx. In episode 20, yang was dominant in the bathroom scene. It was about the doctor’s first ejaculation and as such about his manhood. The fighter (yang) acted like the teacher. Hence (chapter 20) the main pigments were yellow, rosa, red and orange, whereas on the bed, the roles and topics were switched. Kim Dan’s feminine side was the dominant one. His motherly and caring instincts were so strong that he had no problem to challenge his sex partner. (chapter 21) Here, black and purple were the dominant pigments, similar to the sex scene from the special episode. The moon stands for softness, quietness, but also mystery and receptiveness. And during the night of episode 21, the doctor taught to Joo Jaekyung the importance of family. Besides, the athlete discovered a secret from the physical therapist. Though the former was pushed away, he didn’t react violently. Joo Jaekyung remained passive. This was the influence of Kim Dan’s yin. (chapter 21) And the next morning, the emperor chose to show his motherly and caring side to Kim Dan and the halmeoni. (chapter 21)
And now, it is time to return our attention to the scene in the shelter. (special episode 2) First, the person associated with purple is not Heesung, but Potato. 😮 It is because we need to differentiate between interior and exterior. We can detect this in many panels during that night, (special episode 2) Potato is literally glowing, while the other is just wearing a purple hanbok (disguise). One might wonder why. The answer is simple. Potato stands for innocence, reflection and ignorance. Contrary to his new role model (Kim Dan), he has no real prejudices against sex. He doesn’t view it as dirty. This explicates why Potato is always surprised by his own pleasure and always claims his ignorance. (special episode 1) (special episode 2) He doesn’t make quick conclusions. The irony is that by expressing his ignorance and as such denying the existence of his own pleasure, he is actually challenging his gumiho. The latter is not recognized as a good lover! 😂 Moreover, it was, as though the young man had not been thrilled and excited contrary to his partner. This means that the maknae is pushing his companion to become more creative in sex. He is hoping that Potato would come to confess his joy and excitement as well. This means that Heesung has to find new ways to impress and woo his companion. Innocence and ignorance are the best weapons to tame the mythological creature. Simultaneously, it implies the actor’s underlining desire: he wishes to share his happiness with others!! As you can see, though Heesung is indeed a red flag [Further explanations are below], he shouldn’t be simply reduced to the stigma “jerk”. Exactly like the terrible emperor, he also has redeeming qualities. Moreover, this made me realize that his words are turning into a reality: (special chapter 1) Potato has become his “fuck buddy”. By developing friendship through sex, he is not realizing that he is falling for the young fighter. Thus I am suspecting that in the past, he paid too much attention to emotions and less to sex… he was not trying to give pleasure to his sex partners in the first place. Now, he is doomed to find ways to give pleasure to his “fuck buddy”. And that’s how he is learning to become a responsible person.
But there exists another reason why this night stood under the sign of purple. It is because Yoon-Gu became the actor’s perfect lover. (special episode 2) That’s why the actor was glowing like a star after their passionate role-play. The presence of “stars” indicates his excitement and joy. His heart is racing, hence he is full of joy and feels rejuvenated. Moreover, the Webtoonist already implied the link between Potato and purple in the following scenes: (special episode 1) The young sportsman’s innocent statement brought Heesung to another galaxy. It was, as if he had entered a new world. Then we see Potato carrying a purple towel, when he is alone with Kim Dan and Joo Jaekyung. (chapter 23) Don’t forget that his family name is Hwang which means yellow in Chinese. That’s the reason why I don’t think, the purple towel is random. One might argue that the towel belongs to the gym, and they got changed later: (chapter 36) Park Namwook selected black towels, a sign that he was taking over the gym. But the purple towel announces the moment, where the doctor and Potato gets closer to each other. (chapter 23) For the first time, the young fighter showed a certain curiosity towards the physical therapist: the beginning of “Enlightenment” and friendship. Under this new light, Manhwaworms can grasp why Heesung was under Potato’s spell during this intercourse. (special episode 2) But we have another evidence that Heesung has always been looking for a “purple” person. It is because he picked up a purple suit for Kim Dan. (chapter 32) This means that this night stands under the sign of Yoon-Gu! The latter came to shine to the point that he affected his lover… that’s how the actor blushed more and more. (special episode 2) This observation brings me to my next interpretation.
Thanks to Potato, Heesung became closer to his true self: a yang with a black spot. And what is the opposite to purple? Dark red… full of passion. The actor could expose his possessiveness and jealousy, though he masked it behind a role-play. (special episode 2) (special episode 2) Remember my previous analysis about the actor. The latter has always longed to be recognized and admired as a man and not as a god or star. And now, you comprehend why after this intercourse, the gumiho made the following suggestion: (special episode 2) This exposes his desire for companionship and his loneliness. Additionally, it shows that he desires to get closer to his sex partner, to include him in his life. Once again, Manhwaphiles can detect the absence of boundaries between private and professional life. However, by making such a suggestion, he is not realizing that he is ignoring the MMA fighter’s career. But wait …notice that they had sex in a shed. But this was just an illusion, for they were having sex in the actor’s white bedroom. (special episode 2)
2. Purple between dream and reality
This image (special episode 2) brought the readers back to reality. In fact, this picture indicates that all this wonderful sex session in the shelter took place in the comedian’s head. (special episode 2) With that, I am implying that the actor imagined a scene from a historical drama (Joseon, hierarchical society and the shed). It was interesting, because for the first time, the author allowed us to penetrate Heesung’s mysterious inner world. It shows his “creativity”, inspired by his last shooting (special episode 2) and his own desires. As you can see, the sex session is a mixture of dream and reality which is reflected in the color purple.
The color purple relates to the imagination and spirituality. It stimulates the imagination and inspires high ideals. It is an introspective color, allowing us to get in touch with our deeper thoughts. […] In the meaning of colors, purple and violet represent the future, the imagination and dreams, while spiritually calming the emotions. They inspire and enhance psychic ability and spiritual enlightenment, while, at the same time, keeping us grounded. The color violet relates to the fantasy world, and a need to escape from the practicalities of life. It is the daydreamer escaping from reality.From a color psychology perspective, purple and violet promote harmony of the mind and the emotions, contributing to mental balance and stability, peace of mind, a link between the spiritual and the physical worlds, between thought and activity. Violet and purple support the practice of meditation. Quoted from https://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-purple.html
It shows that the purple from Yoon-Gu pushed Heesung to become creative and meditate. Under this new light, it becomes understandable why Heesung became more honest and genuine after that spicy night. Sincerity is strongly connected to spirituality. In addition, in my previous essay, I stated that this night corresponds to the revival of the second lead. (special episode 2) He is blushing, he is enjoying this moment with his partner. He has the impression that his dream has come true. In his mind, he was breaking rules. A prince has sex not only with a man, but with a guard, a commoner. Secondly, they were having sex in the shed, hence they could get caught. He felt like he was playing with fire. This shows that the man enjoys thrilling situations. This explains his blushing in this scene: (chapter 34) He was not shocked or disgusted, when he saw Kim Dan having sex with the champion (chapter 34). In fact, he got aroused. Hence I am suspecting that Heesung’s life lesson in this scene was to respect “privacy”, he can not meddle in people’s life and relationships, just because of his belief “soulmate” and selfish desires. (chapter 33) Under this new light, his visit in the sauna appears like an intrusion. (chapter 34) He knew about the emperor’s schedule, a sign that he was somehow “monitoring” the main lead’s moves. Here, I feel the need to include this video exposing Heesung’s dark side.
0:31 overwhelming affection – love bombing (chapter 31) 1:07 too much quality time 1:33 saying “I love you” too soon (chapter 35) 2:13 constant texting 2:49 constant monitoring (special episode 1) With this statement, he is actually taking over Potato’s schedule and life 3:19 jealousy and possessiveness (special episode 2)
And now, it is time to explain why Heesung fell under Potato’s spell. It is because Potato listened to all his requests without protesting. He allowed him to be the one leading the sex session. He made no request either. That’s why Heesung patted Potato’s head. (special episode 2) He not only had so much fun, but also he felt powerful. I believe that his possessiveness comes from his social status. His wealth comes from his family, therefore he feels like he doesn’t possess anything on his own. Everything is related to “money”.
This sex session symbolizes “transgression”, whereas in verity, it just took place in the bed. Here, my avid readers can sense the actor’s inner conflict. Though he likes transgressing social norms, he is still preferring conformity. He doesn’t want to stand out too much. [For more read the essay La Vie En Rose ] This interpretation leads me to my next statement. Their first night together also stands under the sign of “infraction”. He disliked to have sex with virgins (special episode 1). Then he still chose to have sex with Potato, though he knew that the young sportsman was drunk. (special episode 1) The irony is that though Potato had said, he was a virgin, the actor chose to ignore it. Hence he got shocked later, when he realized Potato’s age.. (special episode 1) There’s a huge gap, he appears as a “seductive” wolf like in the fairy tale “The Little Red Riding Hood” That’s how it dawned on me why Heesung will have problems in his relationship with Potato. It is related to his dishonesty and mistrust which he projects onto others. This explicates why he doubted about Yoon-Gu’s virginity. (special episode 1) And what is the synonym for “truth”? Reality and Real World!! And now, you understand why Heesung created a historical drama in his mind for the sex session. It was his way to avoid truth and honesty. He used the role play to expose his jealousy (special episode 2) and possessiveness. (special episode 2) He fears to expose his true self to others and especially to Potato. He could scare him, as he is much younger and less experienced. To conclude, this sex session was a combination of truth and lie. No wonder why Potato’s answer was “I don’t know”. (special episode 2) He was not swayed by this role-play, for he didn’t feel it genuine. He couldn’t see the vision Heesung had in his mind. On the other hand, this night exposes the emergence of feelings from the actor’s side. But contrary to his past, he is not saying “I love you” too quickly and easily. It is because his initial thought was to seek fun and entertainment and not fated love! (special episode 1)
3. Purple, Green and Rejection
At the same time, since this night (special episode 2) stands under the sign of dream and illusion, we should compare it to this love session: (chapter 44) After this wonderful moment, Kim Dan came back down to earth. His present got rejected, he was just viewed as a physical therapist and nothing more. (chapter 45) We also have a refusal in the special episode. Potato initially rejected the offer from his sex partner: (special episode 2) He refused saying that he would be “embarrassed”. However, here is the thing. When he proposed to visit his lover on set, he was running away and turning his back to him. (special episode 2) Moreover, his words were definitely spoken more softly with a lot of hesitations. Hence I am doubting that Heesung saw his offer (visit to the set) as an acceptance. From my point of view, we should envision that the comedian saw it as a rejection. Potato was actually refusing to become an actor like him, then he employed the word “embarrassment”. It was, as if he was ashamed to be seen close to the actor Heesung. Finally, we should compare the last panel with this one: (chapter 34) He was also running away after getting threatened and rejected. In other words, Potato didn’t realize that with his behavior, he had triggered Heesung’s jealousy, insecurity and anger. That’s why he has this cold gaze. (special episode 2) It is the same glaring than Joo Jaekyung’s (chapter 7) who was full of jealousy here! Thus I conclude that this special night ended on a bad note, though Potato had no idea. The fox is no longer amused. Because Heesung is not happy deep down, he is planning something!! (special episode 2) Moreover, Manhwaphiles should keep in mind that he is talking in the past: “I had a ball”.His joy was just short-lived.
Since he is displeased, I believe that this scene should be compared to this one! (chapter 33) Observe the parallels: (chapter 33) (special episode 2) Both seme are holding a cellphone in bed. While the emperor had already bought sex toys, the onomatopoeia “music note” is indicating that the gumiho sent a message. In my opinion, he must have ordered some sex toys. But why? It is because Potato brought him back to reality. Heesung has a false notion of love. Like mentioned in a previous episode, Heesung has a romanticized version of love, inspired from movies and fairy tales.
I am including this short video, because it reflects Heesung’s mentality perfectly. At the same time, it reminds us a little of Potato, though the latter is actually the positive version of the fox.
And now, you comprehend why Heesung stated, he had no problem to go after people who were in a relationship. (chapter 33) Simultaneously, Manhwaphiles can grasp why Heesung is now targeting Yoon-Gu, who only had eyes for “Joo Jaekyung”.
Potato put boundaries, when he said this: (special episode 2) He would be the one determining the type of visit. He is not giving up on his career as MMA fighter. He doesn’t want to become an extra, dependent on the actor’s generosity. (special episode 2) As you can see, Mingwa played with the contrast “dream versus reality”. And what is the color for jealousy? Green!
Negative keywords include: being possessive and materialistic, indifferent and over-cautious, envious, selfish, greedy and miserly, devious with money, inconsiderate, inexperienced, a hypochondriac and a do-gooder. (…)
Possessiveness:Green is a color that encourages us to want to own things and people, to collect and possess. Green encourages materialism.
And when did this color appear in the special episode? It is related to the costumes of the guards. (special episode 2) Yes, we need to question ourselves what triggered Heesung’s fantasy for the role-play. (special episode 2) IT is not just because of the costumes. My hypothesis is that the guards are working as an item, you can observe this in the following two panels: (special episode 2) Two guards are following the prince Heesung. Then in this one, (special episode2), there are 4 guards working as two teams. In my opinion, Heesung noticed his loneliness which contrasts so much to the situation with the other actors. , (special episode 2) This scene triggered his envy and jealousy. He wanted to have someone by his side whom he could talk to. , 8special episode 2), Here, he thanked everyone, yet he was standing in the middle of the scene, far away from everyone. In reality, his “gratitude” was superficial, for his thank was addressed to no one in particular. Just empty words. Under this new light, Manhwalovers can understand why he made such a suggestion after the intercourse: (special episode 2) It is, because he really wanted to have someone by his side on set. He hoped to lose this sense of loneliness. He longed for companionship too. Therefore it is not surprising that the actor got upset, when Potato didn’t accept his offer so blindly. Like mentioned above, I am even doubting that he heard Potato’s suggestion. For him, it was a rejection, especially if you take his words in the shed seriously: (special episode 2) Turning his back to Heesung is like a disobedience, he is not looking at his lover.. But the color green is not just connected to negative connotations. This shade stands for growth, hope and restoration.
From a meaning of colors perspective, green is also the color of growth, the color of spring, of renewal and rebirth. It renews and restores depleted energy. It is the sanctuary away from the stresses of modern living, restoring us back to a sense of well being. This is why there is so much of this relaxing color on the earth, and why we need to keep it that way. Quoted from https://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-green.html
Note that the costume from the guard has different shades of green: dark-green, grey-green and pale green. (special episode 2) Each pigment of green has a different signification: dark green can symbolize balance, drive, money, greed and fertility, while pale green symbolizes peace.
In my opinion, the color green affected the young comedian on the set as well. He associated it with positive notions like calmness, hope, companionship and motivation. (special episode 2) That’s why the author created such a panel. Here, the color takes a bigger place than the costume itself, for you only see a part of the disguise. And this observation brings me back to Taoism and the colors. The green color corresponds to sunset or sunrise which makes me think of a moment of transition. This corresponds to the notion of change and as such growth. Moreover, it stands for balance between yin and yang, like quoted above. The shade implies an equity between female and male energy. And now, you comprehend why Mingwa used green light in the car scene: (chapter 33) On the one hand, it was an allusion to the emperor’s hidden jealousy. The latter had masked it as a challenge and game: But the shade is implying that the fighter was slowly calming down. He accepts the doctor’s embrace, he even grabs his phallus in order to give pleasure to his partner. (chapter 33) In the end, he did show a caring side to the doctor. (chapter 33) He knew that his lover was sensitive to his touch. He desired to give pleasure to his companion. Yes, I see some parallels between the sex scene in the car and the one in the shed: public place, the connection between work and love life, the miscommunication, the importance to satisfy his partner sexually, a challenge, the grabbing of the phallus: (special episode 2), the jealousy, the possessiveness… making sure that the companion is not looking elsewhere… but more importantly, both seme are and were unaware of their growing affection towards their “fuck buddy”. Yet, there exists a huge difference between these two sex sessions: THE KISS! (special episode 2) In the car scene, the champion never smooched the physical therapist. Nevertheless, Heesung knows the signification of a kiss, but since he was acting in the role-play, he didn’t pay too much attention to it. IT was part of the “game”.
Thanks to the color green, I had a new revelation. That’s why I selected this image (chapter 33) The points of suspension from Joo Jaekyung are exposing his “ignorance”. He doesn’t know what to do, when he sees Kim Dan like this. (chapter 33) The emperor has now regained control of his emotions, but he couldn’t interpret his emotions correctly (jealousy, longing for love, insecurities). Moreover, we shouldn’t forget that he has not associated the kiss to love yet. In the locker room, he kissed the “hamster” in order to protect him. He had been simply following his friend’s advice. Then in the swimming pool, he felt attracted towards him. (chapter 27) He had acted instinctively… but in the car, his emotions were clouding his judgement. The ejaculations brought him back to reality. He had somehow achieved his goal. He had no idea what to do after the intercourse. That’s why I believe that in this panel (chapter 33), we should see the older version of Potato: “I don’t know … Why did I act like that?” The color indicates a change within the figure. He had not sex like that with Kim Dan in the past (he was only focusing on his partner’s pleasure). Don’t forget that the doctor had begged him for help: (chapter 33) He had admitted his defeat. However, this sex scene had the opposite effect on the champion. It didn’t bring him any Enlightenment, he was still clueless and worried, because he felt, he was losing control of his life. (chapter 34) As a conclusion, he came to “deny” this reality. He rejected his own emotions, until he was challenged once again in the sauna.
And now, you comprehend why I am envisioning Heesung ordering sex toy in order to tame and even punish his chow-chow, similar to the scene in the car. There the pink dildo played a huge role in the car scene, a mixture of pleasure and punishment. If you read my previous essay about the second couple. you are aware of my hypothesis that Heesung enjoys BDSM deep down. And note that in the shed, Heesung talked about punishment. (special episode 2) In addition, I noticed that the fighter’s buttocks are red (special episode 2), a sign that Heesung must have grabbed and even slapped his lover’s butt: From my point of view, the actor has a different attitude than the champion on the bed: (special episode 2) He wants to renew the intercourse, he wants to prolong this fantasy…don’t forget that this man is trying to escape from reality. His belief “soulmate” is strongly intertwined with eternity. But happiness can only exist, when pain and misery are there. Without them, people wouldn’t be able to feel any joy and happiness. In other words, the actor has to internalize the notion of time and temporality as well. Humans are not eternal, thus they can get sick or even die.
5. Time and purple
Since Yin and Yang are connected to time, it signifies that colors are also connected to the moon. link Purple announces a new moon, while red symbolizes full moon. Interesting is that during that purple night, readers can’t see the moon at all. (special episode 2) This means that this sex session took place during the new moon. Hence we have the color purple… This corresponds to the actor’s transformation. He is revived… he has finally found his soulmate, but he is not aware of it yet. And now, pay attention to this scene: We have the color blue, (chapter 53) (chapter 53) There is no moon, only the artificial lights from the city. Hence I deduce that the couple is now entering in a new phases, there is a new moon soon. The absence of the moon corresponds to the doctor’s departure. Don’t forget that these panels took place on two different days. One thing is sure. The dominance of the blue symbolizes the dominance of Kim Dan in Joo Jaekyung’s life, but also the loss for the two characters. There is no warmth… yet calmness and softness. Joo Jaekyung is not throwing a tantrum. He is not breaking any sandbag or throwing away the letter. It shows the calming influence of Kim Dan over the champion. With his departure, he is pushing the athlete to face his own emotions and to analyze them. And now pay attention to the last panel from season 1: there are glimpses of purple: (chapter 53) It announces the start of Joo Jaekyung’s Enlightenment. He is on his way to recognize the source of his joy and happiness: Kim Dan as his companion. This signifies that Potato’s vision should come true in the end: (chapter 23) He will find joy by training other sportsmen, he is also longing for a “sparring” partner… He will recognize that friendship and family can be a source of joy. He needs to stop mistrusting people… And it is the same for Heesung. The latter chose dishonesty and manipulations out of fear and mistrust towards people.
Since yin and yang are connected to time, it reinforces my prediction that Joo Jaekyung will have a revelation in front of the sunset: (chapter 53) Red and yellow are strongly connected to Yang. The latter is conceived of as heaven, maleness, light, activity, and penetration..And now, you comprehend why I am expecting an Enlightenement from the athlete on the beach. Hence I am expecting that the champion will come to recognize the doctor’s true character there: he is strong, brave, manly and so selfless. He is not a baby like in the bathroom. Yes, I am expecting a new version of this scene (chapter 53), where both roles are switched. And now, it is your turn to reread the first season and interpret the sex scenes under the yin and yang aspects, like in this scene: : (chapter 39)
However, like you could see it in the title, I am planning to compose a second part… I left clues about the focus in the illustration.
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