Jinx: Longing for a (candy)🍬 kiss 💋

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/jinx_en  But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link of the table of contents about JinxHere 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 Wendy and the mirror on the wall (locked)

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.

1. Joo Jaekyung, the “cookie/candy monster” 😉

The trigger for this essay was the question I received from my follower @Denkoumaru. She wondered why Joo Jaekyung had not renewed the kiss since episode 15! I had noticed that many stans were expecting a kiss for episode 20, whereas I had predicted an ejaculation through masturbation. Her question made me look at the scene in the locker room one more time. That’s how I had another revelation.

Here, I would like my avid essayphiles to take a closer look at my illustration and more precisely at the symbols I added: the red sweet bear from Haribo and the kiss mark. Yes, by kissing Kim Dan in the locker room, the champion discovered sweetness. (chapter 15) Thus he licked his lips after kissing the doctor. I had already outlined it before, but back then I had not truly grasped the athlete’s mentality. Until that scene, he viewed sex as work! This means that in the locker room, he started connecting sex to food! The kiss was the trigger for this change of mind. Thus Kim Dan had the impression that Joo Jaekyung was devouring him! (chapter 15) It is no coincidence that at the end, the champion even bit his neck (chapter 15) As you can see, the words and the gestures were all connected to the lexical field eating. Striking is that the latter has for synonym “consumption”. Anyone is aware of the strong association between sexuality and consumption. To conclude, this sex session is the moment the athlete’s perception about sex changed. For him, sex became a synonym for food and the doctor was his dessert. Hence I couldn’t help myself associating him with the cookie monster from Muppet show! 😂 The only difference is that in reality, Joo Jaekyung is more lusting after candies than cookies. Nonetheless, he has not realizing yet that he is longing for intimacy and affection.

2. The kiss and Kim Dan

Moreover, I would like to point out that the moment the celebrity started kissing the doctor, the latter was forced to turn around. But the problem is that the physical therapist rejected this smooching. First, with his hands, (chapter 15) he tried to stop his partner and even to push him away. Besides, it looks like he was trying to scratch Joo Jaekyung. Then he had voiced his dissatisfaction with his own mouth: (chapter 15) IT was, as if it was disgusting. Then he had used his hands to cover his mouth. (chapter 15) The champion could only notice Kim Dan’s displeasure about the kiss. He was refusing to be kissed. But after the kiss, they were still facing each other. However, since the physical therapist had put an end to the smooching, Joo Jaekyung had only one option left: the renewal of the penetration. However, he didn’t change his partner’s position. (chapter 15) Because of the doctor’s negative attitude, Joo Jaekyung could only become rude in this image. He had still listened to the doctor’s request, but the latter kept protesting and arguing with him. (chapter 15) However, they have a deal and in his mind, Kim Dan could not object to the intercourse. Hence Joo Jaekyung silenced him with such a remark. What caught my attention is that after tasting the sweetness from the doctor’s lips and tongue, the champion was no longer satisfied with a simple thrusting. (chapter 15) Here, I would like the beholder to pay attention to the athlete’s hand on the locker. He is clinching his fist, a sign that he isn’t relaxed and rather frustrated. This shows that there was something missing, and Joo Jaekyung sensed it unconsciously. In verity, he was longing for the candy kiss. And now, the manhwalovers can understand why with his hand, he reinitiated the kiss (chapter 15) However, this time, he was paying attention to Kim Dan’s reactions. Therefore he didn’t close his eyes and observed his reactions. The doctor was reciprocating the smooching. The evidences for this interpretation are the doctor’s hands (no scratching, they are now on the side), his tongue and finally his blushing. (chapter 15) Joo Jaekyung could only get greedier after such a reception… he acted like the cookie monster which Kim Dan also sensed. However, the latter didn’t consider it as a real kiss. (chapter 15) He had the impression that he had become the beast’s lunch. (chapter 15) Yet, the reality is that the main lead was enjoying the kiss, hence his body was reacting to it. (chapter 15) The thoughts of the protagonist implies that he was slowly getting aroused. And now, it is important to recall the champion’s response to this view. (chapter 15) He thrusted a few times, but he had a climax shortly after. This means that this view linked to the kiss (chapter 15) had aroused the athlete so much that he sensed the arrival of his ejaculation. And the proof that the sportsman felt such an immense pleasure with the kiss is that he bit the doctor, the moment he came. (chapter 15) This shows that the candy kiss from Kim Dan is so powerful that this can shorten the time of a sex session! 😮 And now… take a closer look at this. (chapter 20) The champion is not done yet, because his hunger is not satisfied. Yes, for me, the doctor could end this by kissing him. He would be done with him, for he would have had his midnight snack. 😂 But before giving more details about this prediction, I would like to return to the question my follower had. Why is there no kiss again?

3. The absence of a kiss

Naturally, there exist many reasons. First, it is simply related to Kim Dan’s attitude. Remember what the main lead had said to his partner after the intercourse in the locker room. He had made a request: (chapter 15) Here, his words were quite ambiguous. Was he referring to the sex session itself, for Kim Dan had not been informed about the fighter’s true intention either? Or was he referring to the kiss? Don’t forget that the doctor talked about emotional preparation, and the kiss symbolizes affection and intimacy the best. And now, you comprehend why Joo Jaekyung pouted like a child after hearing the main lead’s wish: (chapter 15) It was, as if he was deprived of his sweet. I believe that’s how the sportsman understood the message. And now, you comprehend why Joo Jaekyung came to consider Kim Dan as his meal. (chapter 18) This is no coincidence that he licked his lips in this scene again. (chapter 18) Because the physical therapist was somehow rejecting any kiss and as such any intimacy, Joo Jaekyung couldn’t initiate a new kiss. At the same time, the readers can grasp why the couple was no longer facing each other. Due to the physical therapist’s request and attitude, Joo Jaekyung was no longer obliged to face him. That’s the reason why the couple had sex in the dog position on the table again. After all these new discoveries, it actually confirms my previous interpretation. We should see this sex session as a substitute for a kiss. Like I had written before, it was, as though the champion was kissing his wife before going to work!! 😂 In the end, I consider this manhwa as very funny, but the jokes are subtile.

To conclude, when the fighter expressed his desire to have a snack (chapter 18), in reality he was longing for a candy kiss. This signifies that as long as Kim Dan doesn’t take the initiative, the athlete won’t change his attitude. Moreover, why do you think that the boxer said this to his companion in the bedroom? (chapter 20) He is longing for the candy kiss, but he can’t voice it. So far, their deal is about sex. This shows that he has somehow internalized the doctor’s request. Moreover, the protagonist’s ejaculation had caused him immense pleasure, but the champion couldn’t taste the sperm. It was on the mirror. As you can see, I see a strong connection between the physician’s pleasure and the champion’s satiety. The latter is slowly learning that he can achieve his goal (having a good fuck) without putting too much strength in the end. That’s the reason why he bought the toy. (chapter 12) Here, I feel the need to expose the sportsman’s lie. The fuck buddies could never have brought such an object, because the champion’s partners are all bottoms. I doubt that they would use it for themselves. What would be the point in the end? Besides, the protagonist already has an anaconda. However, since he viewed sex as a job (it was to get rid of his jinx), I have the impression that he could never truly satisfy the bottoms. This would explain why the champion would constantly switch partners and thought that if he used such a toy, he could provoke pleasure. However, all the ukes rejected the toy!! Why? They all got scared (“nobody was up for trying it”). Who would be crazy to try it? Funny is that he gave the toy to the doctor, as if the latter would have to use it, thus the latter asked the question: “How do you use it?”. As you can see, through his words, the main lead gave the impression that this tool was for the bottom, hence one of them left it here. It was to hide his true desire. This truly exposes that the champion had never learned how to have sex properly. It was about power, strength and as such fortune! But by meeting the doctor, an innocent virgin, the champion could change his sexual behavior. We could say, he discovered a new world. Hence the kiss plays a central role.

Finally, I would like to outline that in this scene (chapter 20) the color of the characters’ skin reminds us of a candy and the kiss mark. The main lead is grabbing the doctor’s buttocks, like he is taking a meal. As you can see, everything seems to pointing out that a candy kiss should occur very soon. It is important, because the moment it happens, it signifies that the doctor is giving up on the dog position. He has to face his partner, and as such to face reality. He would accept to become intimate with Joo Jaekyung. However, after the scene in the bathroom, the young man was still in denial. He was still avoiding reality. Therefore he chose to face the bed, and he was passive again… waiting for the time that the champion would finally stop. (chapter 20) So if he wants to take the call from the hospital, he needs to become proactive and satisfy his partner in a short time. And the candy kiss would do the trick… Besides, I would like the manhwalovers to recall Kim Dan’s words in front of the mirror: (chapter 16) These words expose that in this scene he had already envisioned the possibility to return such a smooching! And because we have a connection between the mirror and the locker, a different form of a mirror, it is now necessary to reexamine the doctor’s confession in the bathroom.

4. Kim Dan’s first kiss

The latter had revealed that he had never been kissed before. (chapter 16) Naturally, everyone interpreted this word like this. He had never been kissed on the mouth, for he never had any girlfriend or boyfriend before. But I would like my attentive readers to keep in their mind my previous theory. Joo Jaekyung had never been affectionate and tender, because he had never received any affection and attention from his mother. IT is very important to kiss a baby and a child, and this for 3 reasons:

  • It boosts the immune system
  • It makes them smarter
  • A child who was often kissed will be less anxious as an adult
  • Finally it teaches babies and children empathy [For more read these articles which are both similar 3 reasons (daily mon) 3 significant ways]

This means, the fighter had never been kissed or embraced before either, and not just in a romantical way. Thus as soon as I began examining the importance of the kiss, I couldn’t help myself thinking that it could have been the case for Kim Dan as well. Naturally, I am talking about a kiss on the cheek, nose or forehead, less one on the mouth.

According to me, the grandmother is suffering from Peter Pan Syndrome, hence she is rejecting adulthood and as such intimacy. At the same time, it implies that she is more self-centered. Why? Simply because interacting with people would force her to deal with reality and as such become responsible. This explains why the psychologists noticed that people suffering from Peter Pan Syndrome share some common traits with Narcissistic people. However, the kiss embodies closeness and intimacy which the halmoni rejects. Moreover, the grandmother might have hugged him (chapter 5), but I don’t think, we should jump to the conclusion that because she embraced him, she kissed him. Here, note that she used Kim Dan to protect herself from the loan sharks. She was not kissing him, she was talking to the threatening men. Moreover, I detected a certain physical distance between the woman and her grandson. (chapter 19) The phone was between them. In addition, they were simply sitting next to each other. Then at the hospital, the doctor never hugged his grandmother. He would strike her shoulder (chapter 07) or take her hand (chapter 7) As for Peter Pan, she would just caress his face. (chapter 5) Besides, if you compare all the images I quoted above, you will notice the physical gap between them. Why? It is because the grandmother knows deep down that Kim Dan is a man, and as such he is connected to the “dirty old creeps”. (chapter 20) Thus I deduce that she must have hugged the boy, as long as he was a child. However, when he became a teenager, it was no longer possible. Such a change could only increase Kim Dan’s abandonment issues, pushing him to become more attentive towards his grandmother. This reinforced his dependency on her. Therefore it is not surprising that he never developed any dream on his own. Here, I feel the need to remind my avid essayphiles that I am not wishing her death. Quite the opposite. Why? She has to realize before her death that she was also responsible for her own misery and her grandchild’s.

Another reason for believing that Kim Dan was never kissed is the betrayal and abandonment from his own father. If my theory is correct that the halmoni had a son, we have to envision that the latter was raised by an immature and self-centered mother who was rejecting intimacy. Therefore I don’t think that she kissed her own son. In other words, the son imitated the mother. However, after getting betrayed by her own son, I believe that the grandmother changed. Because she was now on her own, she had to become responsible. Thus she treated Kim Dan differently with the hope that he wouldn’t become like her son. That’s the reason why I am more than ever convinced that the moment the halmoni discovers that he is working for Black Teams, she will view it as a betrayal and abandonment. For her, the young man should work at a hospital so that he would take care of her.

The third reason for believing that Kim Dan received his first kiss is that psychologists discovered that kissing boost self-esteem.

In addition to boosting your happy hormones, kissing can reduce your cortisol levels — potentially improving your feelings of self-worth. Researchers in one 2016 study found that participants who were unhappy with their physical appearance had higher cortisol levels. Although more research is needed, experiencing a temporary drop in cortisol each time you kiss isn’t a bad way to pass the time. Quoted from https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-kissing#selfesteem

But this picture proves the exact opposite. The physical therapist has such a low self-esteem, I would even add, he has almost developed self-loathing. However, this was not truly visible, as long as he could work. His confidence was only based on his career and as such work. That’s the reason why the grandmother was so proud. However, like my follower @rantofthetimelife pointed out, Kim Dan had selected this career because of his grandmother, hence he had no real ambitious to become famous. He wasn’t seeking recognition from others… only from the halmoni.

Moreover, there is another evidence that Kim Dan was never kissed before. In the article mentioned above, the author outlines 16 reasons to smooch:

Happy hormones, Bonding, Self-esteem, Stress, Anxiety, Blood pressure, Cramps, Headaches, Immune system, Allergies, Cholesterol, Cavities, Compatibility, Libido, Muscle tone, Workout, Takeaway Quoted from https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-kissing

The manhwaworms can detect that kissing is very beneficial for the body! Hence I view the grandmother’s illness as the proof that she has never kissed anyone. For her, there is only sex and it is dirty. The jinx-stans will certainly remember the champion’s complain about the doctor: (chapter 12) Therefore it is not surprising that he was in bad shape either. The smooching could have helped him to relax. In my eyes, the halmoni as a mother was too busy focusing on herself (her disillusion, bitterness, Peter Pan Syndrome) that she didn’t feel the need to kiss her own child (a son). So his son was never shown affection, hence when he became a father, he did the same. He didn’t kiss his son. Finally, we never see the halmoni kissing the main lead. So his words in the bathroom would reflect reality: Joo Jaekyung was the first to kiss him! (chapter 16) This explicates why the doctor started viewing the champion under a different light. He hoped that he had helped him out of kindness. (chapter 18) This scene outlines that he was slowly moving on from his prejudices and as such from his grandmother.

But now, I would like to outline another aspect. Kissing helps in assessing potential mates. It is even an important tool to create a bond and contributes to monogamy.

“Turns out the 1964 classic “The Shoop Shoop Song” was right — it’s in his kiss! One 2013 study found that kissing may help you assess the suitability of a potential partner. According to women surveyed, a first kiss can basically make it or break it when it comes to her attraction. […] Kissing causes a chemical reaction in your brain, including a burst of the hormone oxytocin. It’s often referred to as the “love hormone,” because it stirs up feelings of affection and attachment. According to a 2013 study, oxytocin is particularly important in helping men bond with a partner and stay monogamous.” Quoted from https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-kissing#libido

This signifies that the moment the champion kissed the doctor, it sealed the deal. From that instant on, the champion became monogamous. Therefore, it is not surprising that he proposed his partner to live with him in the penthouse. He had many reasons to act that way. He knew that he had taken his virginity. (chapter 20) But when he saw the doctor on the verge of getting raped (though he has no idea about the true nature of the crime yet), he imagined that the poor man was now selling himself. Consequently, I judge the fighter as a very responsible man despite his actions and words. In fact, he is the opposite of the halmoni, who lets her relative take care of everything. But if something doesn’t go the way she wishes, she will surely feel disregarded and betrayed.

5. Sugar daddy

Under this new approach, the readers can understand why Kim Dan thought so much about the kiss in the first place. Somehow, he felt more attached to the fighter. This is no coincidence that while searching for a new house, he thought of his benefactor. (chapter 16) The latter was now part of his life, and he was recognizing his generosity. He was no longer judging him simply as a spoiled rich child. Since the doctor is older than the athlete and he is associated to sweet, I couldn’t restrain myself thinking of the idiom: “Sugar daddy”. 😂 Mingwa was giving a new definition to this expression. And this observation led me to the following prediction: Kim Dan will initiate a kiss.

How so? It is because I discovered parallels between chapter 1, 2 and 20! Let me show you. The lover from episode 2 was sent away, after the protagonist had called the doctor. The bottom had not paid attention to this phone call. (chapter 1) Note that he had remained silent, while the other was talking over the phone. (chapter 1) The telephone call was not perceived as an interruption, which stands in contradiction to this scene. (chapter 20) Secondly, observe how the sex partner had reacted. (chapter 2) His behavior is very similar to the physician’s in the locker room. Both are sticking their tongue out while looking at their counterpart. The first big differences are that the blushing and gaze diverge. (chapter 15) The blushing is more pronounced. Secondly, the latter is simply breathing loudly and moaning, whereas the other is just talking. The doctor’s reaction could only move the celebrity. (chapter 15) However, the champion had a different response to the green-haired partner. (chapter 2) He remained indifferent. Moreover, observe that the champion was called “sugar”! In that scene, Joo Jaekyung was the sugar daddy! This time, the author was applying the true meaning of this expression. A sugar daddy is someone paying a younger lover in exchange for his sexual services. This explicates why the fighter denied that they were dating and later gave him money, though a sugar daddy is still considering the recipient as a partner. Yet, money plays a huge role. This exposes that their relationship was fake, for it was based on mutual interests. (chapter 2) In addition, the vocabulary and situation in both chapters are quite similar:

  • “baby”, “sugar”, “suck of so good” (chapter 2) versus “sucks”, “tastiest thing” (chapter 20) The hole sucks like a baby. Another common denominator is the phallus in both scenes.
  • The presence of departure which is strongly intertwined with “to be done” (chapter 20) Besides, the scene in the bathroom was definitely hot and heavy, as the boxer had to carry his partner. The lover from episode 2 had used the exact same expression, but this was not true.

Moreover, the bottom in episode 2 said that he was talented, for he knew techniques how to make the protagonist feel good, but the truth is that Joo Jaekyung gets only satisfied, when his partner finds pleasure! That’s what he discovered in the locker room with the kiss and in the bathroom with the mirror. (chapter 20) He had a climax, because Kim Dan had liked the kiss. Then in the bathroom he had come too, but after the doctor’s orgasm. In other words, the protagonist can only feel satisfy, when it is natural! The expression technique is an allusion to a job, but what did the main lead say to the main lead at the table? (chapter 13) He doesn’t care about technique with Kim Dan. Why? The young man’s inexperience makes Joo Jaekyung realize that the situation is not artificial. The young man’s reactions are more genuine, and it is not an act. That’s the reason why I am more than ever convinced that the young man can solve this tricky situation with an easy trick: a candy kiss. This doesn’t require technique, simply sincerity and dedication.

“A good kisser has the ability to create a mental bubble around the two people,” dating and relationship expert, and founder of LUMA, April Davis, tells Bustle. “When kissing, it should feel as if the two of you are focused on each other and the rest of the world blurs around you.” Quoted from https://www.bustle.com/p/what-makes-a-kiss-good-according-to-experts-3208024

And don’t forget that their first kiss was also done under pressure. However, in that short moment, the champion had been able to make the doctor forget the match. The latter was focused on his partner and the kiss. (chapter 15) So the moment the doctor kisses his lover, he will become his sugar daddy, for he will give the champion his dessert, the red sweet bear from Haribo. And the recommendations for a good kiss on this website are the following:

  • treating it like an art; (chapter 15)
  • being willing to compromise (chapter 15)
  • being open to different techniques (chapter 15)
  • being aware of your partner’s body language (chapter 15)
  • being absolutely present (chapter 15)
  • branching out from the lips (chapter 15)
  • treating kissing like a dance (Kim Dan was turned around)
  • Giving your partner positive feedback (Joo Jaekyung invited Kim Dan to watch the fight by giving him the black jacket)
  • not to take it too seriously (chapter 20) The doctor didn’t complain Quoted from https://www.bustle.com/p/what-makes-a-kiss-good-according-to-experts-3208024

Thus I deduce that the kisses in the locker room should be judged as good kisses, which explains why Kim Dan couldn’t forget them: (chapter 16) He had come to appreciate them. Striking is that he thought of them, the moment he was looking at his own reflection. (chapter 16) Why? IT is because he had seen his own face reflected in the champion’s gaze. Moreover, the kiss is also strongly connected to the face.

Furthermore, after examining the kisses, I came to realize why Joo Jaekyung denied that he had been dating the uke. (chapter 2) He had never kissed anyone among his partners. The doctor had already implied that kisses and embraces were inexistent in the champion’s world. (chapter 13) But the kisses changed everything, they affected their relationship, deepening the fighter’s attachment towards the physician. Therefore it is no coincidence that he crossed the line during that evening. (chapter 17) He had already done it with the kiss. Thus I deduce that it is only a matter of time, until the champion announces to others that he is dating the doctor. And if the doctor decides to kiss him during that night, this would seal the deal. They would be together from that instant on. Keep in mind that so far, the doctor had been the one rejecting their closeness and intimacy, for he didn’t desire emotions to be involved. (chapter 15)

To conclude, the champion has been longing for a kiss from his partner… just like the readers! As soon as the sugar daddy initiates a smooch, the champion’s mind-set about the physician would change one more time. And that’s how the athlete’s dependency on the doctor will increase. It is important, because I am sensing the arrival of a quarrel between Kim Dan and his grandmother. In such a moment, the poor man needs the presence and support from a close one so that he doesn’t feel lonely and rejected.

So if they kiss again, think of the sweet red bear from Haribo… Joo Jaekyung is devouring his sweet! The cookie monster is receiving his candy kiss! 😉

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-Tumblr-Twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.

Jinx: “I wanna f⭐ck!”❤️ (second version)

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/jinx_en  But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex,  https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/ and the last essay about Jinx Belle and the Bear in the penthouse – part 1 (locked ) 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

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.

1. Desire and sex

Contrary to my previous essays, the purpose of this composition is to present a theory which I developed after receiving help from my follower @becalmandhappy_1111. Yes, without her I wouldn’t have been able to notice another important detail which triggered so many thoughts. It was, as if she had provoked an avalanche which could no longer be stopped. You are probably asking what @becalmandhappy_1111 had finally discovered. It is related to Joo Jaekyung’s call to Kim Dan in episode 19. (chapter 19) There he expressed his desire to have sex, and the physical therapist should prepare himself. My first thought was to wonder why he felt the sudden need to have sex, because for 10 days, he had neglected him. It can not be related to his jinx and his next match, for the champion would have mentioned the jinx. Besides, Kim Dan would have known about this, yet he was taken off-guard by the sudden request. Thus Kim said this: (chapter 19) In addition, the expression “I wanna fuck” implies a sudden urge from the athlete. So why would he be craving for Kim Dan, when he neglected the doctor for 10 days. I have to admit that my imagination started running wild… I had a crazy thought which made me laugh. However, this was just based on my creativity and nothing concrete. I hope you are now really curious. Nevertheless, I can not expose this idea yet, because it is strongly connected to the follower’s discovery. Yes, thanks to her, my idea no longer seems absurd. Hence, before revealing it, it is necessary to introduce first my friend’s explanation why the athlete would make the phone call in the first place. One might answer that it is related to his laziness. He didn’t want to waste time loosing up the doctor’s ass. However, observe that this request is connected to preparation. And this is what @becalmandhappy found: (chapter 15) The doctor had made the following request. Joo Jaekyung should tell him in advance, when he wanted to have sex so that Kim Dan could prepare himself “emotionally”. This means that Joo Jaekyung did follow the doctor’s desire. We could say that he took Kim Dan at his words.😂 However, he changed the meaning a little. Preparing emotionally had turned into preparing his hole! 😂Besides, I would like to remind how the champion had reacted to this request: (chapter 15) First, he was displeased, pouting like a child. But then he replied this to his counterpart. (chapter 15) He would judge the physical therapist’s preparation and as such he would view, if such a request was truly necessary. And look now how the athlete reacted, when he penetrated him for the first time in the bathroom. (chapter 19) He was caught by surprise, for he never expected such a good preparation!

What caught my attention is that the sportsman’s phone call provoked a negative reaction from Kim Dan. (chapter 19) He was annoyed exactly like the champion in the locker room. (chapter 15) As you can see, both had a similar reaction, though their facial expressions diverge. While the one is trying to restrain the other to have sex, the other would like to be able to enjoy sex to his heart content. Nevertheless, the manhwalovers shouldn’t overlook that the desire from the physical therapist was linked to the sudden kiss from Joo Jaekyung. The former had been caught by surprise by the athlete’s change of behavior. That’s the other reason why he spoke about emotions, for a kiss is connected to feelings. As you already know, a prostitute never kisses her client in order to protect her/his heart. Thus I realized that the doctor’s request was actually ambiguous. Was he referring to the kiss (chapter 15) or the sudden sex session in the locker room? Therefore it is not surprising that from that moment on, Joo Jaekyung didn’t try to kiss the physical therapist again. (chapter 18) However, he prepared the doctor emotionally for this by saying that he needed to have his breakfast. Striking is that the innocent man didn’t protest or even argue that this place wasn’t appropriate for this. He didn’t react, when he was compared to a snack. (chapter 18) To conclude, the champion had somehow internalized the desire from Kim Dan, yet he had a different interpretation of this wish.

Because we spotted a link between episode 19 and 15, it dawned on me that chapters 14 and 15 (the match) are a reflection of episode 19. Thus I deduce that in episode 20, we should see elements from these episodes. As you can already imagine, I have already developed predictions in my mind.

2. The mirror in Jinx

Like pointed out above, the kiss stands in opposition to prostitution. And this topic was mentioned in the bathroom. (chapter 19) Here, the main lead was actually denying that the physical therapist was a prostitute. In his eyes, he just looked like one. The Spanish translation is even clearer in that aspect. Thus I deduce that this sex session is important for another reason. In my eyes, Joo Jaekyung is slowly moving on from the idea of prostitution. Now, I would like to introduce a list of all the similarities in the form of a table so that the manhwalovers can recognize the resemblances.

 The match (14-15)  Chapter 19
   Both are carrying the black bag and both seem to be in a hurry! Finally, observe that in these two scenes, someone was always leading the way to the doctor, Park Namwook and Joo Jaekyung.
  A phone call asking for a request – Emergency 
The athlete standing in the bathroom in front of a mirror
anger
happy Besides, this time he is looking at his own reflection!
  The idea of reflection – Here, the champion was looking at Kim Dan’s face and even gaze.   This time, he is using the mirror, but note that he came to this idea, when he saw the mirror and he couldn’t see his lover’s face.
   The same fighting spirit, totally focused on his training or in the other case, on his rival
 In both scenes, Joo Jaekyung carried Kim Dan’s leg.
  Striking is that their position is switched, as they are not facing each other. Furthermore, this time he is carrying the doctor entirely.
 
A revelation, a new idea triggered by two elements in chapter 14, the plea from the doctor to be more gentle and the words from his chingu And this led to the kiss!
After seeing the mirror and the lover’s blushing from the back, he had this new idea , which is like a revelation
 The desire to know the doctor’s facial expression, hence the champion looked from behind.
Striking is that he diminished the doctor’s compliment, for he replied the following: “Tell me something I don’t know”.
  Thus I have the impression that in chapter 19, he had the opposite attitude. He couldn’t comprehend the physician’s behavior or facial expression.
In both scenes, the uke was wearing a cloth belonging to the athlete, a jacket or a sweater.
You can notice thanks to the sleeves and the collar.
Another common denominator is that the main lead paid attention to the beast. He was observing him. After the match, he was determined to do his best to help Joo Jaekyung. admiration versus no admiration; his responsibilityHere, he wondered about the champion’s life. He was sensing that the fighter was totally obsessed with his training. (chapter 19) versus no admiration, for he was feeling lonely! This panel even gives the impression that he was somehow missing sex! (chapter 19) The reproach from Kim Dan that Joo Jaekyung was neglecting him. It was, as if he was implying that it was the champion’s responsibility that the latter wouldn’t feel lonely. (chapter 19) (chapter 19) This truly shows that Kim Dan was looking for company.
Like mentioned above preparation, but more precisely kiss a sign for intimacy loosing up the hole – prostitution

After reading the comparison, the manhwalovers can detect the strong similarities between these two scenes. Here, I feel the need to remind my avid readers the following rule Mingwa’ s story is based on yin and yang, which is a circle. Thus we always have a negative and positive reflection. This explicates why the positions of the protagonists were switched (facing each other versus from behind, admiration versus no admiration). This method serves to demonstrate the evolution of the characters. Nonetheless, there is a huge difference between these two scenes. Did you notice it? The absence of Park Namwook!! It was, as if he was inexistent in episode 19. And because I noticed the parallels between these two episodes, one detail caught my attention, the champion’s confession to his hyung. (chapter 15)

3. Park Namwook and Joo Jaekyung

Now, put yourself in his shoes. He hears from the athlete that he caused so much trouble just before the match, and in reality he had no pain at all. He must have been infuriated. (chapter 11) Moreover, such a deception could only make him ponder why the champion had acted this way. And if he had no pain in the shoulder, why would he request the presence of the doctor who had to take the express in order to reach Busan? Finally, he must have wondered what the two main leads had done in the locker room for 15 minutes!! Don’t forget that he was standing behind the door. (chapter 15) In addition, the champion gave his own jacket to the doctor. (Chapter 15) The coach must have wondered why his friend chose to appear with a t-shirt on the ringm they usually wear a jacket, for it is easier to be removed. Finally, observe that after the match, the physical therapist no longer had it. So PArk Namwook must have noticed, when the doctor returned the cloth. Finally, in this scene, the champion voiced the wish to have water in order to have a private conversation with the main lead, and shortly after Joo Jaekyung admitted his deception to his friend and mention. Thus the manager could only come to the conclusion that everything was related to Kim Dan. The latter must mean a lot to the protagonist that he shares things and wishes to have some privacy with the cute „Teddy Bear“. To conclude, the revelation of the lie could only make Park Namwook ponder on the reason for his manipulation leading him to notice the changes in his fighter.

All these questions could only lead me to develop the following theory. What if he knows about the special relationship between these two? This would explain why he defended the doctor in episode 16 (Chapter 16) and even asked Joo Jaekyung to go to his home. (chapter 17), when the champion was annoyed. Besides, I would like the manhwaworms to keep in their mind that Park Namwook is also a former fighter. So he is not dumb. He can also analyze facial expressions and behavior, as he needed this skill for his own matches either. Thus I conclude that if he didn’t detect their relationship before, now he must know it. Furthermore, just because the athlete is hiding his sexual activities from his coach and manager, this doesn’t mean that Park Namwook is totally oblivious. He could simply feign ignorance. In addition, the manager is often portrayed „eyeless“, his gaze is hidden by his glasses, as if he was hiding his true thoughts from the champion. (Chapter 7) Is it a coincidence? I have my doubts. Moreover, compare it to these two panels: (chapter 1) (chapter 5) The author can drew his eyes. When he was talking to the athlete, he was honest.

Naturally, this raises the following question. He could have noticed the athlete’s attraction for the doctor much earlier. If you take into consideration that the protagonist asked for the physical therapist’s phone number himself, and this before suggesting to hire Kim Dan as physical therapist… He was changing his MO, like the coach admitted in the car. (chapter 5) Moreover, in this very scene, the manager had asked him to explain how he could be in such a good form! And this is what the champion replied. (chapter 5) Then he voiced his wish to hire the physical therapist right after. (chapter 5) It becomes clear that the new thing was related to Kim Dan. However, don’t forget that some days had passed between the massage and the match and officially, they had not been in contact. However, the coach had given him the phone number before. While Joo Jaekyung thought, he was very smart (chapter 5), I have the feeling that the coach could already see through him, especially after hearing the champion’s confession and new wish. The latter represented another change in the fighter’s behavior. So I am sure that Park must have already guessed that something was going on between them. Finally, we need to ask ourselves this. Why would he make such a suggestion to Joo Jaekyung? (chapter 9) The latter was once again changing his attitude. He would never come to a team dinner, but for Kim Dan, he did it. Moreover, I would like to outline that while he was sitting crossing his arms next to the protagonist, he neither drank nor eat with them. And Park Namwook was facing him. So his conduct could only raise suspicions in the coach. From my point of view, if he didn’t know before episode 15, then after the match with Randy Booker, it is no longer possible. In addition, we still don’t know how the champion paid off the debts. Which account did he use? If he wired the money from Black Teams, then the coach would have noticed it. And such a gesture could only outline that the doctor meant a lot to Joo Jaekyung. The latter has not realized his feelings, for he has never been in love before. But for an outsider, Joo Jaekyung’s sudden change of attitude which is totally visible can only lead to the following conclusion: they are together.

But there is more to it. Since the uke’s name has a meaning, I searched for the signification of Namwook. https://korean-name.com/en/search/%B3%B2%BF%ED/ And this is what I discovered: Sunrise and South! So he is connected to the light. At the same time, it stands for mountain cherry and camphor tree. As you can see, he is connected to nature. For me, it is no coincidence. Why? It is because he is bringing light and nature to the protagonists’ life. Don’t forget that the doctor’s home had no view to the outside. (chapter 19) It was like a prison. There was no trace of nature in his room, the only view he had to the outdoors were the pictures of the beach, but these would stand on the opposite side of the window. As for Joo Jaekyung, his penthouse resembles more to a hotel room, for he barely spends time at home. I had already predicted that he would act like a matchmaker between them. And all these new observations seem to confirm my prediction.

4. “I wanna f⭐ck”- my theory

And now, it is time to present the crazy thought I had, when I saw this panel: (chapter 19) I couldn’t help myself thinking of the coaches. They could have incited the athlete to go home, a new version of this scene. (chapter 5) Imagine their situation. The champion would spend his whole time at the gym from early in the morning to late in the evening. (chapter 19) They must have been bothered at some point. They wished to take a break too. So they could have mentioned that their partner was complaining at home or the coach could have said that because he neglected his wife, she had enough and filed for divorce. She had blamed him for neglecting her. Park Namwook could have mentioned Jeong Yosep’s divorce and the origin for the divorce. Another possibility is that the manager could have lied that he had an emergency at home, he had to leave him alone. (chapter 13) And the reflection of the match in episode 19 would actually validate this thesis. Furthermore, in episode 14, the fighter had kissed the protagonist, because he had remembered the doctor’s advice (chapter 14), an indication that someone must have a similar role in episode 19.

Besides, don’t forget that the champion had lied to his hyung before, so the hyung could do the same. Or he thought that Kim Dan would be happy, if his partner returned much earlier home…To conclude, this idea got reinforced. Moreover, keep in mind how the champion had reacted, when he thought, he had been blocked. He ruined a sandbag! (chapter 5) So seeing Joo Jaekyung totally obsessed with training, the manager could have thought this either: (chapter 7) He was overheated from training, he needed some relief. 😂

And now, you are probably thinking that this is totally crazy. But I can only reply this. Joo Jaekyung never had urges before. His sex life was determined by his career, like he explained to the doctor: 8chapter 2) This has nothing to do with desires and urges. In fact, this is more a duty, an obligation. I would even say, sex was for him like work, as his career was on the line. That’s the reason why Joo Jaekyung doesn’t consider himself an animal. (chapter 2) Under this new light, the manhwalovers can understand why the champion would associate sex to prostitution. Sex is also work for a “whore”. So Joo Jaekyung and the “fuck buddies” have the same mind-set.

I noticed that the athlete actually needs triggers to have sex. He got jealous, when he saw the doctor surrounded by the other members. (chapter 7) This scene was the trigger to have sex with him. Then in Busan, it was because he had been provoked, and he couldn’t calm down. (chapter 14) Then in the penthouse, he had asked for a snack, because the doctor had announced that he would try to leave the house as soon as possible. (chapter 18) In other words, he was somehow rejecting the boxer’s offer to view the penthouse as his new home. He used sex in order to achieve his goal… the latter should stay by his side. He was not uncomfortable with him… quite the opposite, hence he could have a snack on the table.

Moreover, I would like to add that the celebrity has never dated anyone before, so he has no idea how to maintain a relationship. He is a lonely bear who has no family. That’s the reason why I am convinced that Joo Jaekyung must have been triggered to have sex… and this can only be because of his hyungs. Finally, I would like to point out this observation. How was Kim Dan waiting for the champion’s return? (chapter 19) More or less in the dark, for we don’t see any light. However, after receiving the phone call, what did the doctor do? He went to the bathroom and switched on the light! (chapter 19) And this coincides with the name of Namwook, “sunrise, dawn”. The colors contrast so much, an indication that the return of Joo Jaekyung was bringing light and warmth into the main lead’s life. And it is time to answer why Joo JAekyung was still wearing his shoes and bag, when he entered the bathroom. (chapter 19) He must have entered the penthouse and seen no light and probably silence… it was, as if the house was empty. And contrary to the scene in Busan (chapter 14), there was no one to lead him to the room where Kim Dan was. He couldn’t know where the doctor was in his huge house: the guest room, his bedroom… He must have been looking for him, hence he didn’t take the time to take off the shoes and bag. I have the impression that he must have been worried for one moment… just like the doctor was concerned, when he arrived in Busan. Joo Jaekyung was in a hurry. However, this is how he was received (chapter 15) He must have been happy, therefore he praised the doctor. (chapter 19) His technique had improved. Thus he felt a huge urge to have sex with the physical therapist. (chapter 19) He is discovering the good side of having a home! To conclude, in this episode, the champion was taught to have real desires, to have a life outside work!

4. Predictions

I had mentioned earlier that the connection between episode 14/15 and 19 triggered my imagination so that I could make predictions. Since in the locker room, the champion remembered the hyung’s recommendations, I believe that we should expect foreplay. (chapter 19) Why? First, the author focused on the champion’s hand in the locker room. (chapter 14) Secondly, the physician’s phallus is not aroused. So I believe that the champion could decide to masturbate him. In addition, in the image above, his gaze is focused on the penises. Finally, since the author is following the Taoism principle (harmony of the yin and yang), it should be the athlete’s turn to use his hand, since Kim Dan did it, when he loosed up his hole. (chapter 19) Besides, since the doctor followed his request and did a good preparation, the physical therapist should receive a reward. (chapter 19) A compliment is not enough. Finally, I would like to add that in the locker room, the athlete never focused on Kim Dan, for he treated him as a substitute for Randy Booker. (chapter 14) This scene stands in opposition to the mirror scene, where the champion is now aware of his lover. (chapter 19) He is seeing him for who he is: someone waiting for him at home!!

I hope you will feel the need to leave many comments after reading this theory and these predictions. Moreover, it shows once again that exchanging thoughts with my followers helps me to make new discoveries.

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-Tumblr-Twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.

Jinx: The missing Teddy bear 🧸

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwas. Doctor Frost: https://www.webtoons.com/en/mystery/dr-frost/list?title_no=371  Jinx:https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/jinx_en  But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex,  https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/  and the last essay about Jinx  „Thundering Poker Face“ Here is the link of the table of contents about JinxHere is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas

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.

Now, you are probably wondering about the origins of this title, for so far, the manhwalovers only saw a Teddy bear in one scene: (chapter 11) Yes, the protagonist was wearing pajamas with a Teddy bear on it. This signifies that Kim Dan is connected to this toy. But what does it mean exactly?

1. Kim Dan and the Teddy bear

This observation made me realize that the Teddy bear represents the physical therapist. But I have more evidence for this interpretation. What does the stuffed animal symbolize?

The cute Teddy bear embodies not only innocence, childhood, comfort, affection and compassion, but also caring and nurturing, companionship, trust, loyalty, nostalgia, protection, safety and unconditional love. In addition, it creates the sense of belonging in people, hence according to a study, it helps to alleviate the feeling of social exclusion. [For more read this article: https://symbolismandmetaphor.com/symbolism-of-teddy-bears/] After reading this, the manhwaphiles can grasp why Mingwa chose to have the doctor as a little boy wearing pajamas with a Teddy Bear on it. It exposed the main lead’s innocence and purity. At the same time, this is no coincidence that Kim Dan remembered this scene, as he was feeling sentimental in that moment. He was missing the warmth from his halmoni. But wait… if he is the “Teddy bear”, then I deduce that the halmoni was the “owner”. She was the one who needed her grandson for his “innocence, affection and his unconditional love”. And now, please take a closer look to this scene: (chapter 05) It was, as if she was holding Kim Dan as her “Teddy Bear”. Note that thanks to his presence, the elderly woman was not beaten. I had already outlined that the speech bubbles indicate that the woman and the goons from the loan shark would talk to each other, or better said yell at each other. There is no doubt that the woman must have begged them. She had to take care of her grandson. And now, you are probably thinking that I judge the grandmother in a negative way. Well, I have already pointed out her bad decisions, but just because someone makes wrong choices, we could get tempted to condemn this person. Yet, we should never do it. Error is human, and as such no one is perfect. Besides, condemning her implies that the beholder is considering himself superior to the grandmother. In my eyes, the halmoni needed her grandson in order to survive. She had lost everything: her family, her social status, and probably her friends… she was only left with debts and a grandchild.

“Teddy bears 🧸 are loved around the world regardless of age or gender. Many associate them with comfort, security, affection, and security because of their warm and cuddly appearance. Studies have confirmed that teddy bears positively affect people, which is why they have been used to help alleviate distress and anxiety in people during crises. Quoted from https://symbolismandmetaphor.com/symbolism-of-teddy-bears/

Thanks to Kim Dan’s presence, she didn’t get depressed or even suicidal. She found a goal in life: she needed to protect him at all cost. At the same time, the boy would comfort her, give her warmth and a sense of safety. Under this new light, it becomes understandable why the grandmother made sure to isolate Kim Dan. A Teddy Bear is treated like a treasure, hence it can not be shared to others. And we would have the explanation why she pushes her grandson to remain a little boy, a Teddy bear.

2. Where is Kim Dan’s Teddy bear? 🧸

But this doesn’t end here. When the woman returned to the house with the sweet bread (chapter 11), the pure boy was waiting for her in bed, and more precisely under the cover. That’s the reason why you can detect the presence of the bed cover. (chapter 11) Thus it reminded me of the following situation which is reflected in the lullaby I used to sing to my own children:

Viens mon petit ours” from Jean-Jacques Margueritat (1979) / Come my little bear in my arms

Viens mon petit ours dans mes bras / Come my little bear in my arms

La nuit est tombée, et j’ai un peu froid / The night has fallen, and I’m a little cold

Une perle vient de couler sur ma joue / A pearl has just run down my cheek

Tu vas l’essuyer de ton pelage doux. / You will wipe it with your soft fur.

Quand demain matin, le soleil / When tomorrow morning, the sun

Me dira: “Debout, la vie est merveille” / Will tell me: “Get up, life is wonderful”.

Toi, tu resteras assis dessus mon lit / You, you will remain sitting on my bed

Tu es le gardien des ombres de la nuit. / You are the guardian of the shadows of the night.

A Teddy Bear is often left on the bed, because parents encourage the infant to become more independent during the day. And when the child returns home, he takes it to bed and sleeps with it. Nonetheless, the child often tries to take the Teddy Bear with him, especially when he goes to unknown places in order to feel safe and reassured. (chapter 5) Note that the main lead is mentioning his grandmother’s pain. This divulges that back then, he had sensed her agony. Deep down, he knew that she needed his presence, support and affection. (chapter 11) While Kim Dan looks so cute here, in reality, this scene exposes his loneliness. He had no Teddy Bear by his side which would comfort him, give him a sense of security… Why? It is because the halmoni was his “Teddy Bear” too! That’s the reason why there is no Teddy Bear in the bed! (chapter 11) This explicates his joy, when she returned. From my point of view, these two people must have shared the same bed. Thus they could give each other comfort, protection and a sense of belonging. And I have an evidence for this interpretation. Remember what the drunken physical therapist did in his bedroom. He imagined that his grandmother had returned home (chapter 10), thus he grabbed the champion’s leg, the moment he sensed that the shadow would leave him alone! (chapter 10) As you can see, Kim Dan was holding his leg like a Teddy Bear. Besides, the physical therapist had complained about loneliness before. He was missing “his Teddy Bear”, his halmoni. (chapter 10) Finally, observe that Kim Dan asked Joo Jaekyung to take him. It was, as if he desired to share the bed with the sportsman. Hence you comprehend why the celebrity had to bring the drunken doctor to his penthouse. How could he remain by his side in such a desolate home? He had listened to his plea: he wouldn’t be left alone! When the young man woke up, he was indeed not alone. The champion had even observed his reactions before approaching him. (chapter 10) It was, as if the champion had acted like a Teddy Bear watching over his “owner”. Under this new perspective, it becomes comprehensible why Kim Dan is so devoted to his grandmother, and even would risk his life for her. (chapter 16) He knows that he is her source of joy, her “protector” and pillar. He is her guardian of the shadows of the night. However, since he is just a human, he can not stop her death. (chapter 5) This explicates why he didn’t return to her side after hearing the last diagnosis from the doctor. His role is to console and protect her, hence she is not allowed to be confronted with cruel reality. Kim Dan can not let her know his worries and pain, for the role of the Teddy Bear is to “wipe the tear‘s owner with the soft fur”.

And now, you are probably wondering how I could come up with such an interpretation, for the Teddy Bear only appears in just one scene.

3. Kim Dan’s sleeping habits

Actually, everything started with the doctor‘s sleeping position. (Chapter 05) (chapter 04) (chapter 04) Kim Dan would wrap himself in a cover and even bury his head under the cover. This caught my notice, as sleeping position exposes people‘s personality. The cocoon position displays Kim Dan’s need for protection.

“A person who suffers from anxiety will usually wear layers of clothes to feel safe – and it’s no different when we sleep. If a person likes to be totally covered by their bedding, it identifies a need for protection. When we feel sensitive to criticism, we wrap ourselves up in layers but you can now buy weighted blankets that have been proven to help with anxiety. Quoted from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/what-your-sleeping-position-says-21554521

But why would he sleep like that? It is because he lost his Teddy Bear, the grandmother! He is now alone in his bed. Hence he feels no longer protected. The cover became his shield, a habit he took from his childhood, when the halmoni was outdoors. That‘s the reason why the little boy had the cover on his back. (Chapter 11) At the same time, I believe that by covering his face with the cover, the young man is trying to avoid reality. That way, he won’t notice the changes in the house: the roof is leaking for example. (chapter 10) In other words, Kim Dan didn’t desire to face reality. This explains why he thinks of the past so fondly. (chapter 10) However, observe that by interacting with Joo Jaekyung, Kim Dan’s sleeping position changed. He was sleeping on his back. (chapter 10) (chapter 13) I would like to outline that at no moment, the wounded main lead switched his sleeping position. But what does this observation indicate?

“On your back: When a person sleeps like this, they are often out for the count for a long time. Deep sleepers tend to be confident and need nothing more than a good rest to recharge their batteries.” Quoted from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/what-your-sleeping-position-says-21554521

This statement corresponds to Kim Dan’s sleep. He slept there for a long time, he was able to rest properly. At the same time, it also exposes that the young man is feeling safe at Joo Jaekyung’s. He doesn’t need the cover to protect himself contrary to their first night. In addition, it implies that the young boy is confronted with reality: his home is so damaged, how can he still live there? Thus there was this argument with the sportsman. (Chapter 10) Striking is that when he heard the words from the protagonist, the author selected this image: Kim Dan was covering his head!! This is not random, it implies that the young man was not facing „reality“.

But let’s return our attention to the physical therapist’s new sleeping position. (Chapter 13) Notice that the physical therapist was not only sleeping on his back, he was also propped up due to the pillows:

“This person may have an ailment or injury and need to be supported in bed to sleep. But where else in their life do they need extra support? If they choose to sleep like this and are in good health, they may be saying unconsciously they want more out of life and feel unsatisfied.” Quoted from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/what-your-sleeping-position-says-21554521

In chapter 13, the young physical therapist was indeed injured. However, what caught my attention is that it is the same sleeping position than Joo Jaekyung. (chapter 04) He sleeps on his back, definitely uses the “pillows” to be propped up. This exposes that the athlete is not satisfied in his life. Therefore he believes to be jinxed.

To conclude, Kim Dan started sleeping like a cocoon the moment he got separated from his grandmother. Because she was his Teddy Bear, I deduce that in reality Kim Dan’s original sleeping position was cuddling.

“Cuddling: This sleep position is all about maintaining as much contact as possible so this person needs reassurance. Do they have a need to be comforted in everyday life too? If the cuddler sleeps alone, you will find them snuggling up to a pillow or teddy bear as a substitute.” Quoted from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/what-your-sleeping-position-says-21554521

The moment his grandmother had to sleep at the hospital, Kim Dan was simply too old to sleep with a Teddy Bear. Besides, I doubt that he realized it, for a sleeping position is influenced by the unconscious. And this observation leads me to the following conclusion: Joo Jaekyung is destined to become the doctor’s Teddy Bear! Moreover, it is the same for Joo Jaekyung. Thanks to Kim Dan, the champion is slowly rediscovering his “inner child” and as such “his innocence”. To sum up, both will choose to cuddle each other. Mingwa already exposed Joo Jaekyung’s desire to embrace the doctor and this right from the start: (chapter 4) I doubt that he treated the previous uke the same way. The fighter will give the doctor a sense of belonging, protection and compassion, just like the doctor will have the same function for the athlete. The latter will no longer feel alone, because despite his money, Joo Jaekyung has no one by his side in such a huge flat. (chapter 6)

4. Joo Jaekyung as Teddy Bear

We have different scenes, where the manhwalovers can view the fighter as a huge Teddy bear, like in this scene: (chapter 10) Joo Jaekyung was quite gentle here. He never employed his real strength to get rid of the doctor, for he didn’t send the doctor away through the window like Heo. (chapter 17)

Besides, it is important to recall that the Teddy bear was inspired by the animal: the Bear! And this animal is huge (chapter 1), and can be even dangerous, especially due to his huge paws. His punches are deadly, for the animal can be ruthless. (chapter 15) On the other hand, despite his enormous force, it thrives on fruit and honey. This indicates that this animal likes sweetness. And what does the word “Dan” mean in Korean? “Sweet”!! Exactly like our physical therapist. This explicates why Joo Jaekyung is getting more and more obsessed with the doctor, and the kiss can only reinforce his possessiveness: he has already tasted the sweetness from Kim Dan‘s lips. (Chapter 15) This panel displays how much the fighter enjoyed their kiss.

Moreover, the bear embodies strength, protection, courage, ferocity, nobility, patience, playfulness, curiosity and cuddliness. And for me, the athlete embodies these notions.

Ferocity: (chapter 15)

Courage: He saved the doctor from the loan shark and his minions. By paying the debts, he ensured that these men would no longer torment the main lead, (Chapter 17), though his intervention has not solved everything.

Patience: Despite his words, Joo Jaekyung still went to the doctor’s house indicating his patience. (chapter 17)

Playfulness and curiosity: With the doctor, he tried new things, not just the toy (chapter 12), but also the kiss: (chapter 15) He remembered his hyung’s advice: (chapter 13)

And because the athlete is such a huge bear, it is normal that he is quite rough: (chapter 17) However, when he carried his sex partner like that, he made sure to protect him from “cruel reality”. He covered his face with the hoody. Consequently, I conclude that Kim Dan has already tamed a huge bear, hence his fists are so powerful. He lives isolated in his penthouse, but deep down he is longing for companionship.

Under this new approach, the manhwalovers can comprehend why I selected such a title „The missing Teddy bear“. I was referring not only to the main couple, but also to the grandmother. Little by little, Joo Jaekyung is taking over the grandmother‘s position. Then what about the halmoni? In my eyes, it is the champion’s role to replace Kim Dan as well. The champion could become her „support and protection“ so that she doesn’t need to worry about her grandson. Let’s not forget that the young doctor was plagued with many problems which he hid from his grandmother. The athlete with his wealth and influence has the necessary strength and means to help the grandmother and her treasured Teddy bear. Naturally, don’t expect that the grandmother and the athlete will have a good relationship right from the start. This will change gradually. That way, the fighter allows Kim Dan and his halmoni to move on from the past and face reality together.

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-Tumblr-Twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.

Jinx: 🌏 Two worlds 🌎 (second version)

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/jinx_en  But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex,  https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/  and the previous essay about Jinx Lucky loser and jinxed winner (full version) (the full version is locked) – Lucky loser and jinxed winner (10 pictures) Here is the link of the table of contents about JinxHere is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas

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.

After seeing the illustration, it becomes clear that one topic of this essay is to outline the huge contrast between Kim Dan and Joo Jaekyung’s life.

1. The top and the bottom

While the latter lives at the top of the building , (chapter 2) the other sleeps in one room apartment in a small house. (chapter 5) (chapter 1) This signifies that while the champion is at the top of Korean society, the other is at the bottom. This is no coincidence that their social status is mirrored in their relationship. While the athlete owns an expensive car (chapter 9), the other uses public transportation. (chapter 1) As a conclusion, one character embodies wealth, while the other stands for poverty.

2. Pictures and status

Under this new light, the manhwalovers can comprehend why the author created such pictures. (chapter 1) (chapter 3) (chapter 9) Their position was reflecting not only their respective social status, but also the social gap, as they were not standing side by side. Since the champion belongs to the high society, Kim Dan had to look up at the celebrity initially. This was not just a question of height. Striking is that in the first two pictures, the protagonists were facing each other at a certain distance, they had nothing linking them together, indicating that the two main leads were living in two different worlds. However, there was a first change, when Kim Dan (chapter 2) grabbed the champion’s robe. Striking is that he barely held the cloth, as if he didn’t dare to touch the jacket. He was looking down, a sign of humbleness and resignation. I would even add, his attitude reminded the viewers more of a beggar, pleading for leniency and generosity. This panel truly displayed the power relationship between Kim Dan and Joo Jaekyung. Money was in the center of this couple and this is what brought them together initially! The poor needs the assistance of the rich. On the other hand, this gesture also announced a change. For the first time, Kim Dan was not only interacting with someone belonging to the top, but also was relying on someone else. Yet, this was more prostitution than work in the beginning, until Joo Jaekyung revealed his dependency on Kim Dan through the missed calls and the job offer. That’s the reason why the physical therapist was no longer imploring the champion, but now making requests. (chapter 6) Hence the main lead was positioned much lower than the doctor first.

Another important aspect is that in this scene, (chapter 9) the man of the hour was not Joo Jaekyung, but the physician contrary to these two other scenes. (chapter 1) (chapter 3) This explicates why during the welcome party, Kim Dan stands on the other side while holding a bowl. The latter resembles a lot to a cup due to the form and color!. (chapter 9) Kim Dan is now at the top, as all the boxers are looking at him cheering him up. (chapter 9) It even looks like manager Park Namwook was also recording this event. Striking is that for the first time, both main leads are interacting together in front of others. The drink is supposed to bring Kim Dan closer to the team and as such closer to Joo Jaekyung, which indeed happens afterwards. The latter is forced to enter Kim Dan’s world, and discover a new face of reality. (chapter 9)

Furthermore, the bowl (chapter 9) is a metaphor for the future link between the two protagonists. The doctor is there to help the athlete to win competitions, or like I had mentioned before, he is his reward and prize for his long and painful career. I would even add,, they will bond through sport, just like it occurred in the shower room. (chapter 8) Thus we had the challenge with the cup full of alcohol. (chapter 9)

3. Two worlds and sport

The irony is that Joo Jaekyung never realized that by provoking the young doctor with this description “delicate”, he pushed the young man to prove his strength. At the end, he won the bet and received the admiration of the members from Black Team. (chapter 9) This is important, because the doctor has truly earned the respect from Black Team, he is definitely accepted as one of them. Thus from that moment on, neither money nor the contract can have an influence on the relationship between the physician and the fighters. Observe that they keep calling him “doc”, which shows that they respect him not only due to his seniority but also due to his education. He studied hard to become a physical therapist. Hence Oh Daehyung refuses that Kim Dan acts as a servant, it is not his role and place to fetch ice cream for the boxers. (chapter 9) He is no errand boy. They don’t judge him based on his social class, but on his college degree. As you can see, sport is a place that can bring people from different social classes together. This explicates why we have famous sport events like Olympic games or World cups. Here, people from different countries are competing against each other, but it is the same principle. These events were created to generate friendship and avoid military conflicts. In tournaments, talents matter more than money and social status, though this statement has to be relativized, for “poorer countries” offer less chances to develop talented sportsmen. Hence some athletes decide to change their citizenship. Nevertheless, we can definitely state that sport generates bonds among the different social classes and as such serve to reduce the gap between the top and bottom.

4. The purpose of the contrast

On the other hand, I don’t think that Joo Jaekyung became rich thanks to his successful career, though this is not what Kim Dan is thinking.. (chapter 2) He is only famous in Korea according to the protagonist. Thus, for me, Kim Dan is quite naïve. Why do I come to this deduction? Simply through the contrast! The existence of two worlds indicates that Kim Dan is the “negative” reflection of Joo Jaekyung, though there is no ambiguity that they share some similarities: both take their job seriously, and are really hard-working. The champion never misses his training.

And this leads me to the following observation: Joo Jaekyung might belong to the upper-class, yet he never went to university. Since the doctor worked hard to get a good job, I conclude that it was the opposite for the champion. He was not talented for studies, he was more an athletic person. Now, I would like my avid readers to take a look at this table

Joo JaekyungKim Dan
richpoor
carNo car
famousinsignificant
Huge penthouseOne-room flat
 College degree
 Only one family member: halmoni
 rich neighborhoodpoor neighborhood

Under this new perspective, people can understand why I came to this deduction. Since Kim Dan’s family consists of two members, himself and his grandmother, I am assuming that Joo Jaekyung still has an intact family, but they are not close. We have many evidences for this interpretation. In the athlete’s penthouse, there are no family pictures or items reminding of a loved one contrary to the physician. (chapter 5) His place feels too empty and clean. (chapter 6) Secondly, there was no one by his side except his hyung, Park Namwook, when he won his fight. (chapter 5) Finally, this theory got reinforced, when I saw this panel. (chapter 9), which contrasts so much to this image. (chapter 2) However, these two scenes have something in common: “redevelopment!”. The skyscrapers are new buildings. This means that the district got redeveloped. That’s the reason why I believe that Joo Jaekyung’s family must be involved in the construction field or at least in the redevelopment of the city.

I would like to point out that many houses have a red cross on their wall (chapter 9) This indicates that the buildings were sold to a construction company. That’s the reason why the district looks so deserted and ruined, though there exists opposition visible thanks to the banner. Thus I deduce that this construction company and politicians are pressuring inhabitants to sell their home and this for a cheap price. The problem is that the moment the district is totally empty and gets redeveloped, the price for rent will increase considerably so that people with a low income can no longer live there. And if you are familiar with K-dramas or other manhwas (Under The Green Light for example), you are well aware that construction companies are often linked to Korean mafia! Consequently, I am suspecting that Joo Jaekyung is related to a construction company and as such to the mafia. This would explicate why he can live in the penthouse, why he has tattoos and finally why his family didn’t pay too much attention to his education. Finally, I had already pointed out the absence of a mother in his childhood. Only money and power matter in such a world. Hence this would not be surprising that the athlete has such a terrible mind-set, though I believe that there exist other causes for his aggressiveness and selfishness. Besides, this would explicate why he associates sex to prostitution and sponsoring. And if my theory is correct, this signifies that by meeting Kim Dan, he is forced to face reality, the true origins of his wealth: exploitation and ruthlessness. In the first version, I was even wondering if he is not one of the owners of “Black Team”, as he brought the company card to the restaurant. Chapter 16 proved my suspicion right. Kim Dan was paid in advance from the company „Black Team“, a sign that Joo Jaekyung has a saying about the expenses of the club. On the other hand, he was not always lucky in his career, for his ears are really damaged. That’s the other reason why I am thinking that his fortune is not entirely self-made. At the same time, his encounter with Kim Dan can only bring a change in his life. For the doctor symbolizes integrity, responsibility and selflessness, the champion will come to slowly internalize these values.

This is not surprising that at the end of the contest, Joo Jaekyung is forced to become responsible for Kim Dan’s drunkenness. . (chapter 9) We could also say that it was his karma, for abandoning him before in the shower. Because the main lead had to bring the doctor home, he discovered a new world which left him speechless. (chapter 9) He couldn’t even imagine that someone would live there. Thus he got skeptical. (chapter 9) This discovery can only puzzle him. He gave him so much money, yet he still lives in such a neighborhood. He can only wonder where the money went. It is now only a matter of time, until he gets aware that his salary is spent for someone else! Furthermore, the manhwaphiles should question if the champion is willing to enter such a deserted district. If he does, there is no ambiguity that he will meet the loan sharks. If not, he could decide to bring him home. One thing is sure: this discovery caught the champion’s notice and this can only intrigue the boxer. It’s not random that the moment he became responsible for Kim Dan, he was faced with reality. Responsibility and reality go hand in hand.

To conclude, Kim Dan is the champion’s medicine, he pushes him to witness the other side of the coin!! Money can reinforce social iniquities, so that it is difficult to break free from the vicious circle. Health is also strongly connected to income. It is well known that residents of impoverished communities are at increased risk for mental illness, chronic disease, higher mortality, and lower life expectancy. Just because poor people have no money, this doesn’t signify that they are less worth. Joo Jaekyung can only recognize the importance of health. Only a healthy lover can give him what he needs.

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-Tumblr-Twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.

Jinx: My hero 🤠 (only 10 pictures) -second version

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/jinx_en  But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/21/who-are-you-the-significance-of-masks-in-manhwas/ Here is the link of the table of contents about JinxHere is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas Here is the link to the second analysis of Jinx. The text was written before the release of new chaptershttps://bebebisous33analyses.com/2022/11/29/jinx-precious-punk-%f0%9f%98%89-and-wimp-%f0%9f%98%8d/

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.

After reading this title, anyone will think that my essay will focus essentially on Kim Dan.

1. Kim Dan a hero?

In my previous analysis „Precious punk and wimp“, I had explained that the physical therapist was far from being a wimp, for he would be able to take Joo Jaekyung‘s anaconda. 😉And this perception was confirmed, when the manhwalovers were able to see the boxer‘s phallus in his aroused state. (chapter 3) It was really huge to the point that Kim Dan got scared and was on the verge to break the deal. (chapter 3) However, real heroism occurs, when someone is risking his life for the sake of another person. I am now quoting the criteria for being considered as a true hero:

Heroism is characterized by:

Acting voluntarily for the service of others who are in need, whether it is for an individual, a group, or a community

Performing actions without any expectation of reward or external gain

Recognition and acceptance of the potential risk or sacrifice made by taking heroic actions  https://www.verywellmind.com/characteristics-of-heroism-2795943

So this was not entirely the case, when he accepted the first offer. Back then, it was more about his debts and his fear of the loan sharks. Yet, it is a different story, when he proposes the deal to Joo Jaekyung later: 14.000 dollars a month in exchange for his services. (chapter 6) Here, he does it to save his halmoni (grand-mother) (chapter 6), as her illness is requiring an expensive treatment. In order to assist her, he is willing to do something he loathes, for he had perceived his first sex session with the fighter as hell. (Chapter 5) It took him a whole week to recover from this encounter. (Chapter 5) He was physically and mentally wounded. His behavior fits all the criteria in chapter 6. He is totally selfless and is risking his life emotionally, physically and mentally. He definitely sees the champion as a „criminal“, since he keeps comparing him to the director from the hospital. (chapter 6) He has indeed become a true hero, hence he received the admiration and love from all the readers.

2. Joo Jaekyung’s “heroism”

On the other hand, by listing the characteristics of a true hero, people get aware that Joo Jaekyung is a fake hero, though he is celebrated as one in the story! (Chapter 5) At no moment, in the ring, he risked his life, for this fight is controlled by a ref and both boxers are required to follow certain rules. But the seme has not realized this yet. Like I had pointed out before, he takes everything too seriously. He views his games as a matter of life or death. One might think that he has never had a strong opponent so far, but we have two indications that his career wasn’t always smooth. . (chapter 1) The legend is implying that this was not like that in the past (“the streak continues”). Secondly, he has cauliflower ears (chapter 1), a typical consequence for fighting. [Here I would like to thank @delune_art for her observation]

Couture has cauliflower ear, a relatively common affliction among fighters, wrestlers and other contact-sport athletes. Years of being pulled, punched and torn can create blood clots in the ear and damage the tissue. Over time, blood and pus become trapped in the gnarled cartilage of a damaged ear, often causing the lobes to morph into hardened balloons. Like pimples that have crusted into permanent scars, Couture’s ears are blue-and-red deformities that hover on the sides of his head — creviced, bulging and so noticeable that they’ve helped inspire a movement. Whether they wanted to or not, Couture and other elite fighters have turned cauliflower ear into a coveted badge of honor in wrestling, boxing and MMA. What was once an unsightly injury has now become a living trophy that commands respect. Quoted from https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/9630617/ufc-fighter-randy-couture-famous-cauliflower-ears-espn-magazine

This means that he must have also received punches or other injuries on the ears in the past. As you can see, though the readers never saw any defeat so far, the reality is that he had to work hard for his success. This explicates why he is taking things very seriously. On the other hand, the presence of his cauliflowers could indicate as well that the sportsman is proud of his job and success, as they are not removed. That’s how I realized why the champion became superstitious. He explained his “defeats” from the past with jinx. As you can see, I am already sensing that something must have happened to him in the past which pushed him to have sex before a match. What caught my attention is that he underlined that it didn’t matter who his partner was: “No matter what happens, I need to have sex the night before a match, it doesn’t matter who my partner is…” (chapter 2) Therefore I come to the conclusion that it is definitely related to a betrayal from a loved one, someone close to him. The other evidence for this theory is that all the bottoms he selected resemble each other, though he claims the opposite: (chapter 5) The lover and Kim Dan have the same hair dress and the same height, they are both muscular, yet slender. (chapter 2) In other words, Joo Jaekyung favors a certain type, but he is not aware of it. Hence he claims that all his sex partners were different. And now, you have the explanation why he views people he has sex with as tools and even whores. He used money as a protection, a wall to keep his distance from people. This is not surprising why he was happy, when Kim Dan asked for financial support. That way, there was no string attached.: “So it was just the money, after all”. (chapter 6) But naturally, he is deluding himself, because observe that he is now changing his sexual habits! (chapter 6) It is no longer linked to his jinx, because he is asking Kim Dan to have sex no matter the time or place. This little detail makes a huge difference, the start of his new obsession.

On the other hand, we shouldn‘t overlook that his source of strength is founded on his belief that no sex before a match means no victory. (Chapter 2) What if he can’t have sex like he wished? What if his sex partner is not satisfying him enough? What if Kim Dan no longer needs his money, as the expensive treatment for his grandma is no longer necessary? These questions outline the precarity of his “faith”, everything is a matter of luck. And with the new condition, Joo Jaekyung is becoming even more dependent on the physical therapist. So imagine that he cuts ties with the fighter, for he no longer needs to play the hero for his halmoni. The fighter’s world would break down. The way the sportsman thinks represents a huge weakness, which the “lover” could already perceive with the “jinx”. His superstition actually exposes his own insecurities. He has not recognized yet that this bad luck is undermining his confidence in the long run. Hence I come to the conclusion that he is still driven by his past struggling and anxieties.

On the other hand, this scene exposes that Joo Jaekyung is definitely strong and shouldn‘t be underestimated, like the lover did: (chapter 2) The latter imagined that due to their past relationship, he was protected. Thus he thought, he could mock the main lead. What caught my attention is that he even imagined that he knew Joo Jaekyung very well. Hence he voiced his discontent first, then tried to woo him with his sex appeal: “You know I’ve got the technique, baby. I’ll suck you off so good, you won’t know what hit you… So just don’t say it’s over, hmm? Pretty please, sugar?”(Chapter 2) But the truth is quite the opposite, for he never anticipated that he would become the target of the man‘s violence. In my eyes, since he knew about the boxer‘s superstition, he came to perceive the fighter as weak. He even came to believe that he had the upper hand in the relationship. But he was totally wrong, for the boxer was not satisfied with him, but he had never let it transpire. We shouldn’t overlook the fact that the champion had sex with the former physical therapist before (chapter 1) and this quite recently. Yet, the athlete had maintained his relationship with the uke for quite some time (chapter 2) The lover’s words in this panel expose his arrogance and error of judgement. To conclude, he overestimated his position in their relationship due to Joo Jaekyung‘s „jinx“. As you can imagine, Joo Jaekyung is not a real hero, yet he is more than just a violent and selfish boxer either. He also had to struggle to achieve his “dream”. Naturally, Kim Dan can not see it from this perspective, which is comprehensible, for he is the one suffering the most from it right now.

Nevertheless, the reason why I entitled this analysis “my hero” is that there exists another “hero” in this story which I think many readers are neglecting.

3. Hyung

Striking is that the athlete called his manager “hyung” (chapter 5) [which means like older brother in Korean]. This name is revealing that the boxer is respecting the manager a lot. We could say that he considers him as a part of his family. At no moment, the champion uses his force against him. Compare his attitude towards the physical therapist (chapter 1) before and after the arrival of the manager. The tone changed immediately. (chapter 1) He simply listened to his huyng. This means that they have a long history together, Joo Jaekyung trusts him. We could say that the athlete views him as his “hero”, hence he is so courteous and calm in front of him. The latter also admires his athlete so much that he joined him on the ring to celebrate his victory (chapter 5) I doubt that his joy and smile were fake. Imagine that right after the victory, the hyung watched the match again. He was so impressed that he wondered how Joo Jaekyung could improve so much. (chapter 5) And this image exposes that the sportsman has kept something important from his hyung, his so-called “jinx”. The manager is left in the dark!! This indicates that his sex sessions were always done behind his back. The other evidence for this interpretation is the man’s request to his manager: “That new physical therapist I wanna hire him as my private physio” (chapter 5) He is not honest here. Hence I am now wondering if the pressure to remain victorious all this time is not linked to the manager. The champion doesn’t want to disappoint him. Furthermore, I am wondering if the start of the athlete’s “jinx” was not caused by words from the caring and honest manager. Remember what he said to the protagonist: “Good luck” (chapter 1) His expression exposes that the hyung believes in jinx and luck. And now, you comprehend why the main lead would act behind his “hyung’s back”. Thus I am imagining that the main lead’s mind, could have thought that the hyung would reject him, if he were to discover the existence of his “jinx”. Another possibility is that he fears the manager’s rejection because of his sexual orientation. Being a homosexual in such a world would cause a huge scandal. Nonetheless, I believe that the hyung is not the only cause for the high expectations Joo Jaekyung has for himself. Like in real life, many factors and people contributed for his overactive superego.

Since the manager is always smiling, gentle and shows a certain understanding, I am assuming that he will play a huge role in the couple’s relationship. In the beginning of the story, he acted as a mediator between the two protagonists. (chapter 1) Then when his athlete wondered why he had not heard from Kim Dan, the manager not only took Kim Dan’s side, but also criticized his athlete. First, when he said that the main lead had asked him like a million times, (chapter 5), he was implying that he had bothered him a lot. Then (chapter 5) the idiom “something” is a reference to the sportsman’s behavior. He reproached him in a calm manner that he would nag constantly. Yet, at no moment, the boxer felt insulted. That’s why I couldn’t help myself judging him as a “hero”. He could tame his sportsman and turn him into an obedient “puppy”. The latter is always well-mannered in front of him and never showing his frustration.

This scene made me particularly laugh. (Chapter 5) He got caught by surprise by this point. He never imagined that Kim Dan would reject or even block him, as he is considered as a “champion”, a hero!! But the moment he turned his back from the manager, he couldn’t control his frustration and anger. Thus he smashed the punching bag with such a force. (chapter 5) On the other hand, he couldn’t control his gaze, when he heard that he could get blocked. (chapter 5) This whole scene displayed the respect Joo Jaekyung had for the manager and his friend. At the door, he never exploded. But why is it so? Like mentioned above, he views the man as his family. And we have another proof for this: “block us” was turned into “block me”. As you can see, the personal pronoun “us” indicates that Joo Jaekyung considers the man with the red shirt as an unit, a home.

This explicates why Joo Jaekyung is relying a lot on his “hyung”. Therefore it is not surprising that when he saw that Kim Dan was not reacting to his calls, he went straight to the man in the red shirt. (chapter 5) Hence I judge the main character’s deceptions to the hyung as “white lies”. There is another proof that Joo Jaekyung is trying not to deceive his “brother” with bad intentions. He told him about the incident with the previous physical therapist. (chapter 1), yet he used an ambiguous expression. For the manager, it sounded like the champion had beaten him, while the sexual insinuation was present. His choice of expressions indicates that he desired to stay as close as possible to the truth. This shows that the main lead has no real intention to manipulate his “hyung”. He is not doing it out of malevolence, rather out of fear in my eyes. This is also perceptible in this scene. (chapter 5) Joo Jaekyung was frank enough to voice his dissatisfaction about the physical therapists. For me, this image exposes that the boxer is not just a violent and selfish man, he is still capable to have a normal relationship. He respects his peer and never vents his rage towards him. Under this new approach, you can grasp why I selected “my hero” as a title. I wished to outline the good influence the manager has on Joo Jaehyunk. The former will definitely take the physical therapist’s side, like we could sense in chapter 1 and 5!! I am looking forward for the interaction between Kim Dan and the manager, because it will definitely affect the relationship between the hyung and the champion!

In the beginning of this paragraph, I had outlined that the hyung could be considered as Joo Jaekyung’s hero. But I had not discovered the reason for his blinded trust in his coach and manager. But today, I had a huge revelation, Look at the hyung’s ears: (chapter 1) He also has cauliflower ears! Hence I can deduce that he was himself an athlete and probably a champion too. That’s how he got the protagonist’s admiration. Under this new light, I can grasp why the manager’s name was not introduced yet. It indicates that his fame vanished and he is no longer recognized as a hero! This indicates that glory is quite temporary.

4. The halmoni the neglected heroine 😍

While many manhwaphiles were focusing on Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan’s interactions, I couldn’t help myself feeling so much admiration for the strong woman. She raised her grandson on her own which must have been difficult, for she came from a low social class. (chapter 5) This is perceptible due to her clothes and her basket. She was more or less a “peasant”, living in the countryside. And the young child could sense her struggle. She dedicated her life to raise Kim Dan properly so that he could get an education. She was so selfless and caring that she protected her grandchild from the loan sharks’ brutality. (chapter 5) With this scene, the manhwalovers could discover that Kim Dan’s debts existed, even before he became an adult. This means that this was the heritage from his parents. Hence I am suspecting that one of a parent deserted the family in order to escape from the loan sharks and left the debts to the halmoni and Kim Dan. And if you recall the criteria for heroism, you will recognize the halmoni is a true heroine. Hence you comprehend why the young protagonist is willing to do anything for his grandma. He is trying to repay his “debts”, since she had to suffer so much in the past. There is no ambiguity that the young man feels responsible for her. And if you observe the chapters I quoted the most so far, this was episode 5 where the manager and the halmoni were introduced properly for the first time!!

To conclude, the manager and the halmoni have become my “little heroes”. 🤠 Thus I desired to dedicate this essay to them!

If you want to read another essay about Jinx, then you need to leave a comment. If not, I will write about another manhwa next time.

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-Tumblr-Twitter 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.

Painter Of The Night: The liars 🤥 in front of the mirror of truth 👺 : Lee Jihwa and Yoon Chang-Hyeon (second version)

This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents:  https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/ 

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Announcement: The essays “Sex and passion” and “The puzzle with the paper” have been updated.

I selected these pictures as illustration for this essay for two reasons. On the one hand, the couple was still in denial about their true desires. Both wished to be embraced and loved by the other, yet in this panel they still feared to voice their own wishes. Why? It is because they dreaded disappointment and betrayal due to their painful past experiences. In other words, they were lying to themselves. Therefore it is no coincidence that at the end of season 3, the two protagonists were confronted with separation and real lies! They had waited for a sign from their partner, hence their karma was to wait and lose the right time. (chapter 102) The painter had confessed too late, for the schemers were already pulling the strings in the shadow. To conclude, the main leads’ self-deceptions were connected to love and time. The importance of self-manipulation leads me to the next observation. All the antagonists and villains were liars, because they were also deceiving themselves. They refused to admit their own fears and flaws, therefore they chose to commit a wrongdoing and manipulate others in order to hide their true thoughts. This means that not only the crime was covered up with a deception, but also the manipulation was hidden by another lie. This means that the list of their sins increased. Therefore it is not surprising that the gods chose to confront the liars with the verity, as they kept refusing to admit their sins. Now, it is time to focus on the antagonists and villains’ manipulations and the scenes where they were facing the mirror of truth. However, the readers are probably wondering where the mirror of truth is. The answer is simple. The mirrors of truth are not only the two main figures, but also Kim and Min, though they are their negative reflections. Remember that in Snow White, the item led the evil Queen to her doom, for the latter refused to accept reality. At the same time, the mirror of truth was not entirely honest either, for it never explained the definition of “Beauty”. In other words, it lied by “omission”. I realized that I can not examine all the antagonists and villains in one text, as I am so detail-oriented. Consequently, I selected Lee Jihwa and Yoon Chang-Hyeon first, for both characters’ lies are strongly intertwined.

1. The red-haired master’s sins

The manhwaphiles could witness his first wrongdoing in the study. He had kissed Yoon Seungho without his consent. (chapter 77) The problem is that he had been caught by the butler. Thus the door was open. The door is full of symbolism. It can represent opportunity, but also imprisonment. Simultaneously, the door embodies the passage from one world to another in religion and literature. In the analysis “The window, the door, the air and their signification”, I had explained that in Painter Of The Night, the door embodies the passage between the conscious and the unconscious. This means that when all the villains are confronted with the mirror of truth, they are standing on the doorstep. That’s why the reflection is linked to the open door. The characters are forced to face their own repressed desires and anxieties. Hence I deduce that the room symbolizes memories too, which means that we are dealing with repressed memories. In our first case, since Lee Jihwa was seen in the study, this means that when he got caught, he tried to deny his responsibility in the seduction. That’s how he started being in denial of his wrongdoing. Thus out of fear, he left his friend behind and as such he buried the incident in his unconscious. He tried to forget it. He convinced himself that he had seen the friend’s smile. This was the evidence of his “statement”, yet this was just an illusion. However, before he ran away, he lied to the butler too. He told him that the one who had kissed him had been the main lead. So not only he lied to the valet, but also to himself. That way, he was avoiding to feel guilty. There were two lies, and both were used to covered up his own wrongdoing. But the one who had been smiling, was in reality Lee Jihwa, as he had the impression that his dream had been fulfilled. Thus the author revealed the young master’s blushing, the expression of happiness. (chapter 77) However, since he had been caught by the valet, he was facing the butler’s visage. And what did he see in his facial expressions? Shock and horror!! That’s how Lee Jihwa realized the gravity of his sin and chose to blame his friend. Thus I imagine that he must have blushed again and this time out of shame and embarrassment. It is very possible that in that moment, he must have copied the valet’s facial expressions before leaving Yoon Seungho behind and lying to the butler. Why do I think so? It is because the butler had made such an expression in front of the barn, when he had been caught. (chapter 64) And what did the main lead say? (chapter 64) Since the painter seems to have forgotten it, I deduce that it was the reverse for Lee Jihwa which explains why he felt so guilty in the end. As for the butler, when he had barged in the study, he had committed a wrongdoing himself. He should have asked for the main lead’s permission, but he did not. Consequently, he decided to believe in Lee Jihwa’s deception. One hand washes the other. He was covering up the guest’s sin, while the latter was doing the same thing for the domestic, though I doubt that Lee Jihwa truly realized it. Simultaneously, Kim had the perfect justification to hide the violation of social norms. He had caught the main lead red-handed, hence no one would question his own action. As you already know, I associate the butler to Pilatus, therefore he is connected to the bucket.

And since the childhood friend had been able to avoid punishment by lying and putting the whole blame on his friend, he learned that he could get away by deceiving others and by putting the whole blame on his friend. I would even add that with this incident, he was taught another lesson: Silence and burying the truth. Note that he never came clean, he never exposed the truth to his friend or to the elders. That’s the reason why from that moment on, Lee Jihwa became a hypocrite, but deep down, he felt guilty and ashamed, for he couldn’t outlive his sexual orientation due to the horrified expression. He had to hide his homosexuality in front of others, hence later he had sex in the barn with Yoon Seungho. This explains why the spirits chose to confront Lee Jihwa with the truth on different occasions in season 1.

I could mention the argument between the main lead and the red-haired master. (chapter 13) However, in my eyes, this doesn’t represent the biggest confrontation with the mirror of truth. For me, it is the altercation in episode 17, for it took place in the same place than the aristocrat’s crime. When the red-haired master looked at the picture, he was suspecting that the painter had seduced his friend due to the insinuations by the staff. And his fear reached the peak, when he saw the painter’s reaction: (chapter 17) As you can see, in this episode, the gods were recreating the same situation: a servant had witnessed how the two men “were fooling around” (chapter 16), though this was definitely not the case!! And this is exactly like in the past, Yoon Seungho was totally pure and innocent. And what was Lee Jihwa’s reaction? A slap! (chapter 17) This is what Yoon Seungho had experienced in the past. Yoon Chang-Hyeon had definitely abused him. (chapter 57) Thus the main lead’s cheek was bruised. Then exactly like in the past, Lee Jihwa accused someone else of committing a crime. In the past, it was his friend, in the present it was Baek Na-Kyum. Both were portrayed as immoral seducers. (chapter 17) These words were exposing the verity about the past. Lee Jihwa was admitting in front of the painter that his friend would never act like that, and as such he had not attempted to woo him in the past. Striking is that in front of the painter, the red-haired master was misinterpreting the incident. Why? It is because he was influenced by his past experiences. Since he had lied twice, he jumped to the wrong conclusion that it was the same in the present. And back then, he had even achieved to fool Kim. Therefore he couldn’t allow himself to be fooled like the butler. That’s the reason why he couldn’t imagine that someone was innocent. (chapter 17) He was a liar in the past, so it must be the same for the painter. Yet, this was the negative reflection from the past. Thus his karma was to get caught by his childhood friend. Striking is that this time, he was put in his friend’s place. He was turning his back to the door. Moreover, due to his anger, he didn’t hear Yoon Seungho’s steps and the opening of the door! (chapter 17) But the childhood friend refused to face reality in that moment, and as such to admit his guilt and responsibility. Why? It is because he had committed another crime in the past. This is related to the bedchamber incident. (chapter 83) However, here he had been caught by his father, hence I believe that this confrontation represents mainly the elders’ punishment. As for Lee Jihwa, despite the humiliation and abandonment in chapter 18, he refused to give up on his friend. (chapter 18) One might say that he was motivated by love, yet I think that it is related to his denial about his sexual orientation. And this coincides with his lack of honesty. He had not confessed his own sins and lies yet. Therefore (chapter 36) he presented himself as a pitiful creature, as he was sharing the protagonist’s suffering due to his knowledge. However, this was not empathy, just sympathy. The person only feeling sympathy will always put a distance between himself and the counterpart. There‘s a “I“ and “you“, but no „we“. The person might come to pity the other, yet he won‘t intervene and help. He will just understand and that‘s it. (chapter 36) This panel is the evidence for this interpretation. Lee Jihwa never used the personal pronoun “we”, even during the abduction. (chapter 59) [For more information about sympathy read the essay “Sympathy for the devil”] Hence the gods let him meet the mirror of truth a second time: (chapter 43) Based on this panel, Lee Jihwa had more or less barged in the study, but his presence was detected too late! One detail caught my attention in this picture, the presence of the light reflected on the door. Hence I assume that the main lead detected the presence of a witness because of the light!! (chapter 43) Let’s not forget that the room was dark, when they were having sex. (chapter 42) He was still looking at his lover’s face, when he perceived the change of the light. Hence he turned his head in direction of the light reflected on the door. My friend Luzaly brought my attention to this detail. The couple was turning their back to the door before. (chapter 42) The form of the light reflected on the door doesn’t come from behind the gate (chapter 43), for this is what we would see: (chapter 97) And now, you comprehend why I came to the deduction that Lee Jihwa had witnessed the love session not from this door, (chapter 43) from a different point. This explicates why once again, the lord couldn’t see the identity of the so-called “peeper”. Besides, don’t forget that the author is working with reflections, as such this means that the second lead must have been placed differently. But this doesn’t end here. I would like to point out that during that evening, the main lead had left the door wide open, when he confronted the artist. (chapter 41) However, in the next episode, Byeonduck showed us a slight change. (chapter 42) The door was now close. This means that the butler had intervened at some point. This was the negative reflection from episode 20. (chapter 20) This time, the main lead had not requested for more privacy, for he had not detected the presence of his right-hand. And this leads me to the following conclusion. Since this is not the door (chapter 43) which had been opened by Lee Jihwa, it is impossible for the second main lead to have witnessed this embrace from this perspective. (chapter 43) I am even suspecting that he didn’t view this scene at all, because logically, the light should be coming from the other side!! But on the other side, there is no door!! (chapter 49) But there is the window…. And now, you comprehend why Yoon Seungho never investigated the matter with the “door”. It had never been opened in the first place. But how could Lee Jihwa imagine such a scene? (chapter 43) It is impossible, for he confessed later that he knew about the friend’s longing for an embrace! (chapter 57) However, here it is necessary to remind the readers of my previous character’s examination. I had described Lee Jihwa as trapped in a dark room, because he had lost his auditory and visual sense due to his guilt!! This was the price to pay for his sins. He had imagined to see the friend’s smile and he had lied to the butler. And since in episode 17, his visual senses were triggered (the painting, the painter’s facial expressions), I deduce that in chapter 42/43, this time Lee Jihwa was confronted with the mirror of truth through words. Through the window, he could hear the moaning of the couple, hence he couldn’t see the painter’s sadness. Moreover, this is what the painter said: (chapter 42). It sounded like he was indeed seducing the main lead. As for the embrace, he couldn’t hear it, but someone had heard the longing from the painter. (chapter 41) In other words, the butler had helped Lee Jihwa to spy on the couple and had even divulged what he had heard from before. Naturally, he had deceived the red-haired master by omission. He never mentioned the existence of the scholar and the painter’s broken heart!! One might argue that this is not possible. I am again overthinking. But I would like to outline the existence of the following rule on which the story was created: the reflection within the same episode. How did Black Heart manipulate the red-haired master in the pavilion? Through words and that’s how the childhood friend came to envision this scene: (chapter 43) The gods were punishing Lee Jihwa for his lie: his friend’s smile!! But I have more evidences for this theory. First, it is important to pay attention to Min’s words, when he manipulated Lee Jihwa. First, he portrayed the painter in a pejorative light with the idiom “indecent life”. (chapter 43) Moreover, the noble employed the personal pronoun “we”, which is not typical for the selfish and hypocrite villain. This means that he was repeating Kim’s words. Then he added how the couple would have sex in the barn (chapter 43) (“vulgar roll in the hay”), but this was not true. However, this is what had happened in the past with Lee Jihwa. The latter would have sex with his childhood friend in the storage room. This explicates why Lee Jihwa came to believe in Black Heart’s words and manipulations. With such a description, he was reminded of his own past!! Therefore it is not surprising that Lee Jihwa had such a vision. (chapter 43) This is what he had wished in the past, and what he had done too: he had seduced his friend and smiled… and he had been caught! In other words, Kim was actually viewing the red-haired master as an immoral witch: (chapter 43) Moreover, since this night was a reflection of the first Wedding night, this means that the author left a clue there. And now, look at this… (chapter 21) The windows!! As you can see, the door is not the only place to spy or interrupt intimacy. Secondly, we should have reflections of the spying through the window in season 2. (Chapter 49) In this episode, the light in the study had suddenly vanished, and this is what we had before: (Chapter 49) This darkness exposed the presence of someone outside. Then in episode 70, the author drew a panel focusing on the window and the bougies. (Chapter 70) I had already suspected back then, that someone was listening to their conversation, and with this new discovery, Lee Jihwa hearing the love session from the window, this interpretation gets reinforced. Furthermore, in chapter 96, the main lead had explained the opening of the door with this: (chapter 96). This signifies that in the past, the lord had explained the sudden opening of a window and the vanishing of the candle light with the wind during the night of chapter 49.

But why was Lee Jihwa confronted with the mirror of truth? It is because he was still dishonest. He kept deceiving himself and refusing to admit his wrongdoings. In the inn, this is what he had said in front of the nobles: (chapter 36) The reality is that he couldn’t cut ties with his friend. He had lied in the past, therefore he got manipulated in the present. And since he was confronted with his auditory and visual senses in season 1, he was put in a similar situation in season 2. However, there was a slight change, now the red-haired master was confronted with a real crime: murder!! The darkness of the room and the silence from Yoon Seungho and the painter were referring to the master’s loss of senses and his guilt. Deep down, the young master knew that the assassination was not right. And note that the aristocrat had this nightmare in his own bedroom confirming that the room is the symbol for the subconscious. Finally, in season 3, Lee Jihwa got confronted with another uncomfortable truth: his friend’s sexual abuse. Lee Jihwa had acted, as if this stolen kiss was nothing. However, due to his silence, he let his friend get raped. And he knew about this, but he chose to close an eye to this. First, Lee Jihwa refused to share his friend with the painter (chapter 18) implying that in the past, he had to share Yoon Seungho with other men. But since he had declared that the main lead had never taken an initiative, this signifies that the protagonist had no choice in the selection of his partners. He had not the right to refuse anyone, not even the red-haired master. Hence the latter got furious and angry, when he was rejected for the first time. (chapter 5) Therefore it is no coincidence that in the shaman’s house, he was put in the same position than Yoon Seungho. He couldn’t select his partner (chapter 100), he had to rape Baek Na-Kyum. This is no coincidence that the Joker was standing in front of the door. He was pushing the young man to face his repressed memories and lies. That’s the reason why exactly like in the pavilion (chapter 43), Black Heart coerced the antagonist. He used words to manipulate the second lead, but there is a huge difference. The shaman’s house was representing the young noble’s unconscious and as such his true personality, while it was not the case in the pavilion. The room in chapter 43 was more embodying the Joker’s unconscious. Why? It is because Lee Jihwa was speaking the truth in that scene. (chapter 43) He reproached Black Heart to have deceived him. On the other hand, the scene in the shaman’s house corroborates my interpretation that Lee Jihwa had not seen the embrace from chapter 42, for Black Heart was voicing the butler’s thoughts and emotions. (chapter 100) This shows that during the night of chapter 42/43, the valet had intervened. Thus Min was acting, as if he was a victim in the recent past. He had been deceived by Lee Jihwa’s lies by omission or commission. This is what had happened in the past. Besides, I realized that when the man confessed the incident in the bedchamber (chapter 83), Min couldn’t see the whole story. He had to rely on the second lead’s words. Just because we could observe the whole scene, this doesn’t mean that this was the case for the character. It is very likely that Lee Jihwa left details out, especially as he portrayed himself as a victim. Due to the narration, Min could have been misled. He could have envisioned that the childhood friend was living in the study and had dragged his friend to the bedchamber. Hence you comprehend why I consider it as another evidence that Lee Jihwa didn’t view the love session in the study from chapter 42 with his own eyes. He had to rely on his ears and naturally Kim played a role before Black Heart’s intervention. The servant hoped that Lee Jihwa would decide to do something…. in other words, he had been gradually manipulated by Kim and Min to hire an assassin. That way, he could be blamed for the murder of the scholar. He would become guilty by association. And the one pulling the strings behind the scene can only be the mysterious lord Song, for he can no longer interfere directly, though I am certain that he was not aware of the butler’s own meddling. Why? It is because in the past, Kim had never become proactive like that. Moreover, I think that even in the past, the man was not omniscient and omnipotent either. He over-estimated his own abilities, and didn’t recognize that he had been fooled himself either.

But let’s return to the scheme in the shaman’s house. The young master Lee was now cornered, for he had kept denying his own wrongdoings: the sexual assault with the stolen kiss and the lies by omission and by commission! What caught my attention is that the antagonist associated the sexual abuse with murder! (chapter 100) This is no coincidence, for the sexual abuse is the reason why Yoon Seungho’s heart and soul got destroyed. This had the same effect than killing someone, especially if the person is so innocent and pure. Because he recognized the truth, he had the courage to abandon and betray Black Heart. That’s how he could redeem himself in the end. (chapter 100) At the same time, this is not surprising that Lee Jihwa met his friend and admitted his wrongdoing. For the first time, he didn’t remain silent and chose to intervene!! I also believe that during that night, he apologized to the protagonist before vanishing. In other words, Lee Jihwa had to face 4 different mirrors of truth, until he was able to admit the verity. He was responsible for Yoon Seungho’s suffering. He had lied, therefore he got deceived, until he had no other choice to confess his guilt and sins.

2. Yoon Chang-Hyeon’s lies

In episode 77, we discover from the butler the patriarch’s following promise to Kim: (chapter 77) He would do anything to cure Yoon Seungho implying that he wouldn’t mind spending money for the main lead’s treatment. However, the truth was that he refused to send for the physician, when the young boy was sick after the straw mat beating. (chapter 77) This means that he broke his promise. Striking is that the vow to the butler was introduced in connection to the patio!! When the readers hear this promise, this is what we see shortly after. (chapter 77) Secondly, the elder master Yoon was seen shortly after there. (chapter 77) That’s how I realized that the elder master was connected to this patio in front of the building. Thus Byeonduck showed us him in this place in the gibang (chapter 87) Finally, there exists the flashbulb from Yoon Seungho’s memory: (chapter 55) My avid readers will certainly recall how I had claimed that this scene was representing Lee Jihwa and father Lee. I am not changing my mind, but I would like to point out that this story is built like a kaleidoscope and as such, each image is actually a reflection. Thereby I come to the conclusion that in this panel, the young boy and the elder are in verity embodying 4 people: the boy is Lee Jihwa and Yoon Seung-Won, as for the elder, it is father Lee and the elder Yoon. Why? It is because the punishments were related to the Lees’ behavior and words. There is no ambiguity that elder Lee intervened to protect his son’s reputation. In other words, father Yoon was seen in the patio in chapter 55. Then when he visited the physician, he remained outside too contrary to the main leads. (chapter 57) It was, as if the elder master had nothing to hide, for the domestic and the butler could hear him. However, the latter got deceived. There is no ambiguity that the valet and the young master trusted him. On the other hand, the valet was the one who introduced him to the physician, like we could see here. (chapter 57) But what does it mean? First, it shows that Yoon Chang-Hyeon was never seen in the bedchamber!! In other words, his power was fake. This interpretation gets validated, when I use the confrontation between Heena and Yoon Seungho. (chapter 65) In that very same place, the protagonist had been insulted and could do nothing, for neither Kim nor his staff intervened. And this perception reinforces my perception that the patriarch has always been delusional and arrogant, over-estimating his own power. Moreover, the lord was not honest either. (chapter 65) This shows that the patio is connected to violence, hypocrisy, deceptions and offenses.

Moreover, the patio in front of the bedchamber where anyone can see and hear the elder Yoon reminded me of the learned sir who selected the pavilion to incite the painter to disobey his host and sponsor. That’s why I started suspecting Yoon Chang-Hyeon again, if he had not manipulated the butler in the past and this on purpose. Moreover, since in Painter Of The Night, the room embodies memories and the unconscious, I deduce that the patio is exposing Yoon Chang-Hyeon’s true personality. He lacks not only integrity, but also knowledge. Let’s not forget that knowledge is acquired through reading and experiences. But in the patio, there is no book… and the person can only witness what is happening in the courtyard. This means that the view is limited and the person is not interacting with people. This explains why the man is stupid and superficial. Because of this new discovery, I had another revelation!!

According to the main lead, only his grand-father had a government post. (chapter 7) Then in the study, Yoon Seungho confessed that his father had been dismissed from his post which contradicts the previous statement. (chapter 80) But how did Yoon Chang-Hyeon obtain his office then? Then the expression “follow in his footsteps” caught my attention. That’s how I realized that the elder master never passed the civil service examination!! In truth, he failed terribly. How can I be so sure about this? First, the civil service examination consists of different tests. Secondly the idiom from Yoon Seungho indicates an gradual rise in the grandfather’s career which is not reflected in the lord’s confession to the messenger. Finally, in front of the mirror of truth, the father voiced the following wish: (chapter 86) This expectation exposes that this had not happened in the past. But why didn’t he expect this from Yoon Seungho earlier, though the latter had such a good notoriety? It is because he desired to be admired himself. He viewed himself as the Yoons. Thus he said this to his son: (chapter 86) This means that he was using his own sons for his own career, though he claims that he is doing for the Yoons’ notoriety. In other words, the patriarch’s position was obtained through sexual favors. But since the king was the sponsor, there is no ambiguity that at some point, the elder master must have started dreaming even bigger, similar to the scholar: (chapter 18) Hence I have the impression that he must have acted, as if he was the king’s relative. Hence he asked to be called by a certain title. This could only infuriate the mysterious lord Song, for the latter was hiding his sodomy and debauchery behind closed doors. No one was supposed to make a connection between him and the Yoons. However, I don’t think that the elder master Yoon had planned everything from the start. He had definitely been misguided, for in season 1 and 3, we could see that he was believing blindly what people would say to him. He never doubted his son’s words, when the latter said that Yoon Seungho had given him such a paper. (chapter 44) And it is the same with father Lee. That’s the reason why I still think that he had been manipulated. He was pushed to sell his own son, thinking that the Yoons would benefit from it. However, this was just a delusion, as he was dependent on the monarch’s benevolence.

Therefore I came to realize that the confrontation in the bedchamber in chapter 83 was actually organized to mock the elder master, but not only by Kim. (chapter 83) Here, he was confronted with reality. His power came from prostitution and nothing more! From my point of view, this scene was a reflection of the night in the study with Min: (chapter 53) But Yoon Chang-Hyeon refused to admit it, it went so far that he was denying his relationship with Yoon Seungho. He was just an animal. (chapter 83) The reason why I am connecting it to episode 53 is because of The Joker’s smile which reminded me of lord Song’s evil smirk. The man had a view to the patio, hence he could see who could enter the bedchamber or not. And observe that when the brutal father was in the bedchamber, the main lead never replied to him. This could only reinforce the man’s delusion and greed. That’s the reason why Yoon Seungho had to live in the barn and was not dressed properly. The elder master Yoon was avoiding his son for this reason. He was closing an eye to the truth. And that’s how he could convince himself that Yoon Seungho was just a sodomite. In other words, he came to believe his own lies, while in the beginning, he had definitely been deceived himself. To sum up, his evolution stands in opposition to Lee Jihwa. Instead of suffering from guilt and shame, he came to adopt this philosophy, Yoon Seungho is responsible for everything. His hatred towards the protagonist could only increase. But reality caught up with him during the same night! He ended losing his power, as all the noble families supporting him vanished. He had promised to cure his son, he ended up as a wreck. His health deteriorated, hence he is much thinner now. (chapter 87) He was paying the price for his lies about the cure. Furthermore, the manhwaphiles will realize that he is no longer seen in the patio. (chapter 44) This explicates why he refused to bid farewell to Yoon Seung-Won from the patio. This means that he chose to live in the bedroom, totally cut off from the world. And this leads me to the following observation. Once he met his son after such a long time, he refused to accept the verity. He was responsible for the situation and for Yoon Seungho’s suffering. This shows that his self-manipulations can no longer be removed. He remained once again totally delusional, thinking that the treason was just a subterfuge! (chapter 86) Why? It is because the young lord was supported by the “king”. But since he had cut ties with the main lead in the past, treating him like a servant, there is no doubt that the pedophile doesn’t view Yoon Chang-Hyeon in a good light. Hence the son became the true owner of the mansion. In the bedchamber, the father was confronted with the consequences of his decisions and lies. He had lost everything: his position as the head of the family, the propriety, the wealth and the connections. Thus he was left speechless. (chapter 86) But when he arrived in the study, this is what he saw. This picture revealed his greed and ambition (chapter 86), but he would never admit it. This is no coincidence that the open door is reflected with the shadow. He claimed to contribute to the lineage of the Yoons, but like mentioned above, he was only thinking about himself. This scene shows that he was eyeing for the throne, and this must have happened in the past too. That’s the reason why I believe that he did sell his son to a pedophile for his own greed and ambition, but he never admitted it. He used the family and traditions to hide his ruthlessness and selfishness. When the father was on the verge of leaving the study, he expressed his regret that he shouldn’t have saved his son. (chapter 87) This was another self-deception. Without the main lead, the latter would have lost everything. Note that he is living comfortably in the house in Hanyang. So if the young master were to disappear, I doubt that the mysterious lord Song will allow the father to take over the mansion. His regret implied that he shouldn’t have sent for a doctor. This is important, because this signifies that he will be punished the same way, it will be even worse. No one will be by his side to protect him and to save him… no one will request for the physician’s assistance. Similar to the broken promise in the patio: (chapter 77) Moreover, the father acted, as if he was decent and righteous (chapter 87), while Yoon Seungho was compared to a monster! (chapter 86) The outcome of his lie can only be that he will be perceived by people as a monster, as an immoral father who had no conscience at all. How do I come to this conclusion? First, the painter could see right through the father’s gaze. (chapter 87) He was a cruel and resentful father. Moreover, the lord’s words always become a reality. Hence the father can only be condemned as the licentious and depraved degenerate. (chapter 86), the black sheep! Furthermore the moment Yoon Chang-Hyeon loses the house in Hanyang, he has no place where he can hide himself from public gaze. He can only ended up as a powerless outcast. I am suspecting that since he longed to be admired and fawned, he could end up committing suicide, for he is unable to tolerate people’s rejection and insults. To conclude, the father refused to admit his guilt and wrongdoings till the end. Even cornered, he chose to avoid reality, preferring to trust father Lee and the butler’s lies. Why? It is because he envisioned that by removing the main lead, he could take over the mansion, and act, as if nothing had happened, as if Yoon Seungho had never existed. The gods will fulfil his wish so that he can be confronted with reality. Besides, note that the patriarch never stopped his son from kissing the painter, he even followed him to the seat. (chapter 87) This shows that deep down, the man was not truly against sodomy and prostitution. The father resented the son, for he could only achieve “glory” through debauchery and sodomy. I believe that the elder master Yoon was thinking like this: “no matter what” the Yoons’ power and notoriety must increase. In the bedchamber, the man exposed his true personality, while in the patio he was just the fake image of a powerful, decent and righteous man. This explicates why it took the teenager so long to realize the father’s betrayal. (chapter 55) In the patio, the son still trusted the patriarch. In reality, Yoon Chang-Hyeon needed admiration in order to feel alive. In other words, his credulity, arrogance, superficiality and narrow-mindedness were the causes for the downfall of the Yoons and the main lead’s suffering. We could say that the folding shield in his bedchamber truly reflected his personality. (chapter 82) He was just an empty shell, his knowledge, experiences and possessions were just an illusion.

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Painter Of The Night: The puzzle with the paper 📜 📨 (second version)

This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/painter But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents:  https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/ 

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Announcement: The essay “The secret behind curry, apple and butter” has been updated.

Here, I would like to thank my friend Luzyla for her latest observations which made me realize the existence of a new connection!! Before elaborating my new discoveries, I would like to repeat the following principles on which the story was developed:

  1. There is always a reflection within the same chapter.
  2. The next episode is mirroring the previous one, naturally with slight changes.
  3. Each season is reflected in the previous and the future one.
  4. The author is working on positive and negative reflections.
  5. Thus the story is going in circle.
  6. Thus the lord’s destiny is reflected in the painter’s.

That’s the method I am using to unveil the mystery behind Yoon Seungho’s past and as such behind the painter’s.

1. Baek Na-Kyum’s apology

Everything started with this panel. (Chapter 5) Baek Na-Kyum was apologizing for his past behavior. He had insulted the main lead because of the poem. And his words sounded really similar to the butler’s in the library, for they both employed the same expressions: “That day” and “I spoke out of”. (Chapter 77) Striking is that the painter employed the expression “hand”, while the valet talked about “turn”. Why did they do that? It is because when Kim was caught committing a crime, he turned his head! (chapter 68) Thus in the library, the butler excused himself in front of the lord by using the following expression: “spoke out of turn”!! On the other hand, the painter had used his hand, (chapter 4), therefore he described his wrongdoing with the following expression “out of hand”. In my eyes, his words indicate the interference of the butler. Furthermore, the two men had a drop of sweat, a sign that they were not truly honest. (chapter 77) Both were apologizing, as they had wronged the noble. As you can imagine, the similarity in the excuse is no coincidence. The proof that both incidents are reflections is that they have another point in common. The wrongdoings of the low-borns had taken place in front of a gate. The butler had disobeyed his master (chapter 68), and the painter had assaulted the lord by trying to retrieve the poetry. (Chapter 4) Because both characters had violated social norms, showing disrespect towards a noble, (chapter 04) the consequence was that two people were pushed down, the black guard and Baek Na-Kyum. (Chapter 4) In other words, since Yoon Seungho had punished the butler due to the incidents in episode 67/68, I deduce that episodes 67/68 were reflections of episode 4/5 as well!! This corresponds to the rule 2 and 3.

1. 1. Yoon Seungho, the commoners and the Lees

But this doesn’t end here. When the lord caught Kim’s wrongdoing, he was returning from the Lees’ mansion (chapter 68). Since this is the positive reflection, I am deducing that in chapter 4, Yoon Seungho was actually returning to the domain of the Lees, as it should mirror the opposite. (chapter 4) Let’s not forget that just before the great entrance of Black Heart and the protagonist in chapter 67, this was what the author showed us: (chapter 67) And now compare the building to this one from chapter 1: (chapter 1) Under this light, my theory that Yoon Seungho was living with the Lees in the beginning of the story gets reinforced and even validated. In season 1, Yoon Seungho had sex with his friend in the pavilion so that the father and the staff could see the truth: the young master Jihwa was a sodomite. But since we saw Yoon Seungho in that building in episode 1, we jumped to the wrong conclusion that this was his house. But actually, from chapter 12 on, the author was showing us that we had been deceived. This was the lord’s house, and note that there is no building in the big courtyard contrary to the domain from chapter 67 and 1. (Chapter 12) (For more read the essay “Lee Jihwa’s special relationship with Yoon Seungho”) Then in season 2, the main lead forced the elder Lee to hear what he had been denying all this time (Chapter 67), while in chapter 3, he could only witness it from the patio. On the other hand, Yoon Seungho had been proactive during their sexual encounter, hence the father could only blame the main lead for his son’s debauchery. The intimacy in the pavilion was in verity hiding Yoon Seungho’s huge traumas. But due to Lee Jihwa’s confession in the inn, the red-haired master’s reputation got ruined in town and this must have definitely reached the father’s ears. Striking is that when Yoon Seungho confronted Lee Jihwa with his crime (abduction of a person from his household), the red-haired master ran away and hid behind the folding shield. Thus he never apologized to his friend. And it was the same with the elder Lee. The latter knew about his son’s wrongdoing, for he accused the intruder immediately. (Chapter 67) As you can see, the absence of the excuse from the uke and his father outlines that chapter 67 is a reflection of episode 5 and 77. I detect a pattern, chapter 5 contains a superficial apology, chapter 67 no apology and chapter 77 a fake excuse again. Furthermore the manhwalovers can recognize that in the same episode (episode 5), the antagonist Jihwa had indeed wounded the painter with his insult too, a reflection of episode 4. (Chapter 5) This confirms that chapter 5 is connected not only to episode 77, but also to chapter 67/68. We have the same elements: an incident linked to a door (chapter 67), insults towards the main leads, a wrongdoing, the allusion to love (chapter 67), a punishment, but also the absence or presence of an apology. But all of these episodes have other similarities: hypocrisy and arrogance. The Lees were looking down on Baek Na-Kyum and Yoon Seungho (chapter 5-67), while in episode 77, it was the butler who yelled and criticized the noble. (chapter 77) By detecting a reflection between these chapters, I had a new revelation.

1. 2. The lord and the papers

In addition, if the manhwaphiles compare the scene with the painter’s excuse (chapter 5) to the scene with the butler’s (chapter 77), they can detect the fourth parallel: Yoon Seungho’s correspondence. 😮 How is it possible, as in episode 5, the noble never wrote a letter? In fact, he gave the poem to the black guard for the investigation. On the other hand, it looked, as though Yoon Seungho had written a letter (chapter 5), while it was not the case. As you can see, anyone seeing the black guard leaving the owner’s study could have had the impression that the lord had written a letter. This means that this mistake must have taken place later again due to the rule 2! The manhwalovers could discover the deception in chapter 37/38!! (chapter 38) That’s how Jung In-Hun got misled. (chapter 38) Yoon Seung-Won had never received a letter, but the ruined painting. The readers only discovered the trick in the final episode, when the father was looking at the picture. And this connection between a letter and a painting was reflected in season 2. While Min stole the painter’s last creation (chapter 56), Jihwa sent a forged letter (chapter 56). Striking is that the butler was the one who received the paper before delivering it to his sick master. These two scenes (38-56) indicate that the valet is related to the correspondence. Moreover, he was seen delivering the message to Yoon Seungho in the courtyard. (chapter 35)

All this proves that in chapter 5, the butler had seen the black guard departing from the study with the paper in the hand, and he had jumped to the wrong conclusion that his master had written a letter. Therefore right after this conversation, the lord’s table vanished. (chapter 5) It was, as if he was not allowed to write any letter. So where did the table go? To the study!! What caught my attention is that after the first painting (chapter 2), the table had been removed from the study, just like the papers. (chapter 4) This was no coincidence. It had been sent to the lord’s bedroom, but after the lord had tasked the black guard, it was no longer there. This is the indication that someone was interfering with Yoon Seungho’s habit to take a brush. And this can only be Kim. As you can see, the appearance and the vanishing of the small table is the element which was reflected in chapter 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. And now, look at the scene where Lee Jihwa met Min. (chapter 67) The table had also disappeared. And when did it happen? (chapter 21) The noble had ransacked his own room with his sword. And what did we see in that episode? A paper folded in a book. (chapter 21) In other words, the First Wedding night is also a reflection from these chapters (4/5, 67/68, 77), for it contains the same elements: (chapter 20) an incident with a door, someone is pushed down, a wrongdoing committed against Yoon Seungho (theft), an apology (episode 19) and the importance of the table. According to me, the valet had put the expensive wine on the painter’s table on purpose. To conclude, I see a connection between episode 4/5, 19/20/21, 67/68 and 77.

And now. you are wondering if I am not drifting away from my initial statement, the painter’s apology. However, I would like to remind the readers that in order to write a letter, a person usually needs to have a table in order to write properly. So imagine the butler’s reaction, when he hears from Yoon Seungho this: (chapter 77) He can not trust his words, especially since he views the nobles as violent liars. Why? It is because there was this huge table. This is no coincidence that right after the valet betrayed the main lead and wrote a message to the patriarch. That’s how I had another revelation. The butler is symbolized by the table! Thus he was often seen with this small table (chapter 11) (chapter 17) To conclude, when the butler saw the black guard leaving the mansion, he believed that his master had sent words to someone! That’s the reason why he removed the table and returned it to the painter’s study.

(chapter 5) However, this was just the poem!! This confusion between a letter and a poem should be reflected in season 3 according to rule 3. That’s how I came to the conclusion that when the painter returned to the annex and took the poem, he was actually taking a letter (chapter 97) written by Yoon Seungho, but he envisioned that this was the Spring poem! (chapter 97) We had the same situation. Black Heart had stolen the Spring poem, and the noonas had deceived the protagonists by faking admiration in front of an empty paper. (chapter 93) Since the paper in episode 93 was empty, I could only come to the deduction that this paper contained words!! (chapter 97) Another evidence for this theory is the color of the paper, for the second doesn’t have a shade of pink. Then I suddenly recalled that the artist had received two calligraphies, the one from his beloved and the other from the old bearded man. (chapter 92) The latter’s work was a copy of Yoon Seungho’s poetry, the repetition from chapter 4. Hence you comprehend why I deduce that the paper in the annex was different from the Spring poem. So during that night, Yoon Seungho left a note to his lover, and that’s how the butler discovered that the artist could not read Chinese, for he saw his master writing in hangeul. But there exists another evidence for this interpretation. Baek Na-Kyum had wished this: (chapter 97) The goddess was actually fulfilling his wish, when she reminded him of the Spring poem.

And that’s how I realized why Kim had suggested to his master that two servants should remain by Baek Na-Kyum’s side and bring him back to the mansion. The reason is simple. The two domestics were to divert the artist’s attention, that way the painter wouldn’t read the letter. If the domestics were present, they could give some information to the painter without revealing too much. (chapter 97) If the lord had mentioned in the letter that they had found the corpse of Deok-Jae, the painter would have believed him. However, as you can envision it, the butler and Min were determined to generate a misunderstanding, to create the illusion that the scholar had died. Consequently, the servants deceived the main lead by omitting the existence of the paper. They had not delivered the message properly.

In other words, the letter is connected to a painting and a poem, yet each time, the paper was stolen or misused. Striking is that none of the main characters noticed the switch or the vanishing. We could say that this was Yoon Seungho’s karma for stealing the painter’s belonging. (chapter 4) His own poetry got stolen. But let’s return our attention to episode 5. Since the lord had given the poem to the black guard, this signifies that the lord no longer had the sijo. Therefore he had to write the poem again in order to mask the disappearance. In my opinion, he must have copied the original poetry for the artist in order to prove that he had not been lying. Hence the paper looked different. And this brings me back to the painter’s apology in the patio. (chapter 5) Why did the painter apologize to Yoon Seungho in the end? How did he come up with such an idea? It is because this had been suggested to the artist by Kim. This explicates why he was speaking like the butler. The latter had actually made a huge error, when he advised the artist. Why? It is because he was mixing cause and consequence. In the valet’s mind, the lord had kept the message, for the painter had offended him. So if he were to confess his wrongdoing, the lord would return the poem, and after that, it was just a matter of time, until the painter would desert the propriety. However, the lord had stated this: (chapter 04) That’s the reason why he had taken it in the first place.

Since Kim had been the one suggesting to the painter to beg for forgiveness with the hope that he would get back his poetry, it is normal that Kim was present, when the poetry was returned. (chapter 7) But where is the sijo now?

In my eyes, Kim had witnessed how the paper had left the property in the past, and he had not intervened. Why? It is because of the black guard. (chapter 65) Moreover, I believe that in chapter 65, he had collaborated with the noona. He had shown her the painting of Baek Na-Kyum, while in the study there was a blank paper. As you can see, in season 2, we had again this connection between a painting and blank paper. But let’s return our attention to chapter 5. The black guard was acting on the order of someone else, Yoon Seungho was not the one hiring him. The butler hates ruckus, his MO is to lie low and act in the shadow. If he had retrieved the paper, the man could report it to the master of the black guard. On the other hand, he could have asked the warden about his master’s request. He just needed to say that he desired to assist him, similar to this situation. (chapter 82) Thus I conclude that when the lord returned the paper to Baek Na-Kyum (chapter 7), Kim must have realized his error. He had mistaken the poem for a letter!! This explains why he repeated the trick with the younger master Seung-Won. But unfortunately for him, he was caught by the teacher who asked the painter about the letter the next morning. (chapter 38) Baek Na-Kyum could have realized that the butler had acted behind his master’s back. The problem is that during that evening, the lord had indeed written a letter to his brother (chapter 36), but the moment the latter interrupted the couple (chapter 37), Yoon Seungho chose to hide it. But why is it important? It is because if the painter had mentioned the paper given to the younger master to Yoon Seungho, the latter could have noticed the valet’s meddling and wrongdoing. On the surface, it looked like Kim had written himself a letter to the younger master. In other words, in episode 37/38, the butler gave the impression that he was a spy, for he was acting without his master’s permission. He had even left the propriety, as he was standing outside in front of the gate. Don’t forget that during the meeting, the brother had mentioned that he had sent him many letters (chapter 37), and there is no ambiguity that Kim had intervened. Here, the lord had said nothing, for he imagined that Kim had done it to protect him from his family.

According to my theory, Yoon Seungho was living with the Lees, and as such Baek Na-Kyum had to trespass the propriety in order to retrieve his tools and vanish!! (Chapter 4) But on his way out, he met Yoon Seungho who had just missed the painter’s departure. But there, he discovered that the main lead had stolen his poetry. (Chapter 04) Therefore he was forced to return to the mansion. At the same time, Yoon Seungho was encouraged to come back to the propriety too. He had to keep an eye on the painter. He couldn’t be so sure that the poem was strong enough to keep Baek Na-Kyum by his side. Therefore it is not surprising that in episode 5, Yoon Seungho was seen sitting in front of the window smoking. (chapter 5) He was looking at the gate and as such making sure that the artist’s departure would be noticed. By sending the low-born to the Lees’ mansion, Kim was encouraging the painter to commit a crime: trespassing! But the artist was fortunate, for he was not caught by the lord of the mansion, who preferred hiding due to the ruckus caused by his own son. 😉 As for Yoon Seungho, he came back to the mansion and saw the empty study. Kim just needed to say that the low-born had left to the Lees’ mansion. This is important, because this indicates that in chapter 4, the couple missed each other first! And this situation was repeated in season 3, precisely in chapter 98, when the lord returned from the bureau of investigation (chapter 98)! The lord arrived just after the painter’s departure. And who was with the main lead? Kim. As you can see, the lord’s luck seems not to be on his side, for Baek Na-Kyum had just left the propriety. Once again… the lord was standing in front of the gate!! As for season 2, this time, it was Kim’s fate to miss his master. (chapter 56) The reason for this punishment is simple. He had sent away the artist to the study just before Yoon Seungho regained consciousness. The latter didn’t see that the artist had taken care of him during that night. Thus the butler’s karma was not to notice his master’s departure which stands in opposition to chapter 4 and 98. And note that all these chapters have the paper as common denominator. So imagine the butler’s surprise in episode 4, when he witnessed the artist’s return to the mansion followed by his master. He had sent away Baek Na-Kyum with the hope that the artist would desert the town for good, but no…

2. Kim’s hidden action

Kim must have been intrigued. Why did Baek Na-Kyum come back? He had witnessed the execution of a servant, then he had been abducted before getting imprisoned in the storage room. Finally, he had been threatened and forced to paint an erotic picture. Hence Kim felt the urge to discover the reasons for the painter’s behavior. In other words, he must have interrogated him, the older version of this scene: (chapter 23) The first similarity is the allusion to his bag. The butler was actually thinking that during the hunt, the painter would decide to run away. That’s the reason why he asked about his belonging, for in the past, he only wished to vanish after retrieving his tools. Naturally, the artist saw no harm in the butler’s question and answered truthfully. He must have narrated the argument in the courtyard about the poem. Yoon Seungho had kept the sijo, consequently the painter had used his hand to take it back and had by mistake removed the lord’s hat. Thus Kim must have told him that he just needed to apologize. But one might say that this is just a story imagined by me. The manhwaphiles never saw such a scene. But don’t forget the existence of the reflections. I have definitely an evidence for this theory. Since the butler had manipulated the painter in chapter 4 in order to get rid of this uninvited guest, his karma was to receive a new guest!! (chapter 7) This is not what the valet truly desired at all. He wanted to live in peace. But now, he had three new people he had to serve: Jung In-Hun, the painter and his own master Yoon Seungho who had lived for quite some time in the Lees’ mansion. He had to work!! And note that in this episode 7, we have the following elements:

  • The arrival of a guest, exactly like in episode 4-5; 67/68 and 77.
  • a paper
  • the library
  • a reference to “love”
  • the first appearance of Kim
  • The existence of a deal which is also present in chapter 4 and 77
  • The connection between the letter and a poem (chapter 5-77)

This truly shows that during that night (chapter 77), the valet chose to write a letter in order to denunciate the protagonist. As you already know, attack is the best defense. Exactly like in the courtyard, he badmouthed a noble, this time he must have compared Yoon Seungho to the younger brother Yoon Seung-Won. The latter would succeed with the civil service examination and bring glory to the Yoons, whereas the main lead would only live like an idle sodomite.

Through this contrast, another detail caught my attention. (chapter 7) How did Yoon Seungho know that the learned sir had no connection and was poor? Who had told him that? One might think that this can only be the butler. However, Yoon Seungho had tasked the black guard to investigate and not Kim. Yet, there is no ambiguity that the latter definitely played a role in this investigation. Why? It is because of the expressions the main lead was using: “hardly knows”, “determination”, “labor in vain” which resembles to the valet’s vocabulary, though he embodies the opposite: ignorance, hesitation and laziness. The aristocrat’s description about the teacher is actually questioning the main lead’s actions. If Jung In-Hun was portrayed as poor and powerless, why would he sponsor such a scholar? He would gain nothing. Moreover, with such a portrait, the speaker is implying that only through connections you can achieve greatness. These words are actually exposing the meaningless of the civil service examination. In other words, this description was already insinuating the existence of sodomy, sex in exchange of favors. And this negative depiction of the civil service examination was exposed once again in the gibang. (chapter 93) It was a futile dream. When I had analyzed episode 93, I had explained that the speech from the main lead was influenced by the butler. As you can see, the lord’s narration (chapter 7) was mirroring the valet’s mentality and meddling. He had tried to stop his master from visiting the learned sir the day before. However, I don’t think that Kim is only responsible for this negative characterization of Jung In-Hun in episode 7! Why? First, we never saw the return of the black guard, but when the main lead visited the learned sir’s mansion, he was followed by another one! (chapter 6) There was a switch. That’s how I had this revelation. Heena is the missing link between the learned sir and the protagonist. And observe that in episode 93, we have the same elements again:

An empty paper which is confused with the poem

The incident with the door: (chapter 93) This time, Heena is the one standing behind closed doors, while it was Yoon Seungho in chapter 77

The reference to the library:

The allusion to Kim

The presence of love and affection:

The lord got badmouthed

The fake apology: (chapter 93) In chapter 99, the noonas still lied to him.

An invitation (chapter 93), which was also present in chapter 4/5, 7 and 67/68 and finally 77 ! Since episode 93 is a reflection of episode 7, I could only come to the conclusion that Heena was the one standing behind the black guard! Besides, I had already discovered that Heena was associated to the table as well (see chapter 94 and 68). She represents the link between the butler and Jung In-Hun. She had already collaborated with the valet in episode 65. So from my point of view, she must have received the scholar’s poem with Yoon Seungho’s request. But what could she do with it? Keep it? No… her interference would have been noticed. Hence I believe that the kisaeng was not acting on her own. She was following the orders from the mysterious “lord Song”. At the same time, I think that she is also connected to the Lees. This would explicate why the black guards would change between episode 1, 5 and 6. Finally, according to me, the learned sir had connections to elder Lee, for he had seen the baby Na-Kyum at the gate. (chapter 1) [For more read the essay “Baek Na-Kyum’s origins”] There is no ambiguity that these words (chapter 7) were not reflecting the verity.

In other words, she had been working for two people, just like the butler was turning Yoon Chang-HYeon against the son and the reverse. Both stands for disloyalty. Therefore it is no coincidence that the kisaeng was seen with different black guards in chapter 64. On the other hand, the readers should keep in their mind that the black guard can be seen as a double-edged sword. They can serve as protectors, but also as “spies and as captors”. They could report Heena’s actions to the nobleman who had hired the black guards. Finally, the manhwaphiles will certainly recall the butler’s statement: (chapter 55) Who was lord Song’s contact person then? In the past, I used to think that he was the one receiving the letters. But now, I have a different opinion. I believe, it is Heena! Why? It is because Kim couldn’t identify lord Song’s writing. According to me, Yoon Seungho was sent to the gibang in order to entertain the mysterious “lord Song”. Thereby I am assuming that the kisaeng would receive a word from lord Song and have the main lead fetched from the mansion by the black guards. Heena and Yoon Chang-Hyeon are the only ones seen with black guards, I am excluding the main lead, as he was always more or less their prisoner. As you can see, there is a connection between the noona and the Yoons.

3. Heena and the letters

First, I would like to point out that the kisaeng mentioned letters twice in season 2. (chapter 68)(chapter 69) and in season 3, the noona sent messages to her brother herself. In two different chapters (chapter 91), she is related to papers. (chapter 97) Logically, the noona in connection with the letter should be present in season 1. Secondly, when the woman appeared for the first time (chapter 64), she was accompanied with 2 guards, which is quite similar to the lord’s situation in chapter 1. That’s the reason why I believe that she didn’t keep the learned sir’s poem. Her betrayal could have been noticed and this was the first time that Yoon Seungho was making such a request.

So where is the teacher’s sijo? It was received by the mysterious “lord Song”. That’s how he discovered that his ex-lover was showing an interest in the learned sir. This is important, because the poem will serve as the evidence to identify the murderer behind Jung In-Hun’s death. On the other hand, one might refute this idea, for the teacher was seen in his bedroom with the paper. (chapter 21) But if you look more closely at the paper, you will realize that it resembles a lot more to this one due to the marble effect. (chapter 7) Nevertheless, the paper looks damaged in the previous panel. But this could be the result of anger, like this. (chapter 56) This would follow rule 3. Then according to rule 2 of the kaleidoscope, elements from one episode will be constantly mirrored in the next chapters. And what did we have in episode 19? A larceny… the bottle of wine vanished. Then in episode 20, the lord stole the scholar’s identity, while he stole the painter’s virginity. Hence the lord apologized to the painter for his wrongdoings. (chapter 21) And above I had already demonstrated the connection between the First Wedding Night and chapter 5 and 77! Here the lord was imitating the pedophile’s behavior, hence you comprehend why I think that lord Song was the recipient of the poem. I would like my readers to keep in their mind that the learned sir’s sijo was referring to a painful departure, the loss of a loved one and despair! The beholder could have the impression that the author was suicidal due to the mention of the well and the torment of the mind. Thus I am now assuming that the “mysterious lord Song” will consider the sijo as a farewell, the lord chose to commit suicide and his death was related to Jung In-Hun’s curtains. Why? It is because Heena wrote letters to her brother where she accused the main lead of killing the learned sir. Moreover, Yoon Seung-Won had definitely mistaken the painter for the learned sir. (chapter 37) His position revealed that the main lead trusted the artist. It was, as if he was treating him like his wife. (chapter 97) And from my point of view, these messages were never burned. That way, Kim can put the whole blame on the kisaeng and her brother!! The butler can even reveal how Yoon Chang-Hyeon had harassed the son and tried to frame him for the death of his messenger.

But since “lord Song” was behind the scholar’s murder, he can only retaliate against Lee Jihwa and Min’s friends. Why? Because he will deny his responsibility in the crime, though he was the one who ordered it! Exactly like in the past. He had never assumed any responsibility, he always let others take the accountability. He needs to find a culprit in order to vent his fury. If they had not brought up the learned sir’s assassination, then Yoon Seungho “could have lived” in peace. To conclude, when the lord gave the paper to the black guard, the pedophile had the impression that the main character was rekindling with him, for he was asking for his help. He was far away from him. In his eyes, he had contacted him, “lord Song” alias the king!! And now, it becomes understandable why lord Song sent hanboks and asked Min to organize parties for Yoon Seungho!! It is because the pedophile believed that the main lead was no longer pushing him away or had accepted him. This is not surprising that little by little, the main lead’s hanboks became more and more beautiful. Don’t forget the following rule, the painter’s situation will be mirrored in the lord’s. Thus in chapter 34, Yoon Seungho returned with a hanbok covered with cranes (chapter 34), and shortly after the painter was sent to the tailor. But during that night, the pedophile and Yoon Seungho had missed each other due to Baek Na-Kyum. He was not dead. So when the painter received new clothes, it was the same for Yoon Seungho. Yet, the pedophile was gravely mistaken. Why? The sijo had been stolen, and as such it was never addressed to the pedophile. Furthermore, it is because the lord was suffering from memory loss. Moreover, I believe that the main lead is not aware of the true identity of his sexual abuser. In his mind, it is just lord Song. But this doesn’t end here.

According to me, the main lead wrote a letter to his lover in the gibang. This signifies that someone else must have done the same due to rule 1 and 2. The reference of the Spring poem in chapter 97 indicates the presence of a letter in the previous episode or the next! From my point of view, Min must have asked the kisaeng to contact “lord Song”!! And don’t forget that in season 2, we had a forged letter. (chapter 57) And who was behind this? Black Heart’s friend. But then it came to my mind that Black Heart had stolen the Spring poem… so he could have sent the paper to lord Song and the latter would have mistaken it as a letter from Yoon Seungho, the latter was reaching out to him. He was wishing him luck!! So imagine that when the man arrives in Jemulpo, he imagines that the main lead is waiting for him only to discover that Yoon Seungho vanished. He wished to die because of the loss of a loved one. And that’s how he will recall the poetry of the learned sir… the reflection of this night!! (chapter 94) In episode 4, the lord had laughed about the sijo, but it was no longer the case in the kisaeng house. In my eyes, the pedophile will go through the same experience. Yes, the effect of the kaleidoscope. He will perceive the learned sir’s poetry under a different perspective. Only in that moment, he will realize the suicidal tone in the sijo. He will question how Yoon Seungho could become so desperate and suicidal so suddenly. And now, you comprehend why Heena was trembling in front of her brother, and why she had planned to leave the gibang that night!! She was aware of the arrival of “lord Song”. She knows how cruel and ruthless he can be.

And Lee Jihwa’s words will become a reality. (chapter 101) Blood will flow… The proof for this expectation is that chapter 67, 77, 82 and 93 are all referring to punishment. Kim had been beaten in episode 77, while the kisaeng was imprisoned in the storage room. Moreover, we have the use of the sword in episode 21 and 67… and during these nights, the protagonists had made love to each other.

4. Father Lee’s message

Since the Lees are connected to paper in the form of the paintings and the letter, (chapter 5, 10, 15, 17, 56), I had suddenly this question! Why didn’t Lee send a word to Yoon Chang-Hyeon? Why did he have to visit him during the night? (chapter 82) (chapter 82) It is because he didn’t want to leave any evidence of his intervention. No one should notice that he had paid a visit to the patriarch either. His visit should remain a secret. He was actually afraid of getting detected. The reason is simple. He was fearing the person standing behind Yoon Seungho, lord Song. He had two reasons for this. First, he could see that Yoon Seungho was no longer treated like an animal or male kisaeng. (chapter 67) He was even better dressed than his own son. The hanbok was exposing the support from the “pedophile”. Secondly, the main lead had threatened him. (chapter 67) Here, the lord had just insinuated that if something like that happened again, he would go to the authorities. However, since this threat was rather ambiguous, the patriarch Lee could only interpret it that way. The main lead would report the incident to the “mysterious lord Song”, alias the king. And father Lee knew that he could get into trouble. Furthermore, since these elders are all hypocrites and liars, there is no doubt that father Lee feared that the protagonist wouldn’t keep his words. That’s the reason why he approached the father. He hoped that Yoon Chang-Hyeon would intervene and impose his will onto his son. He would tame the main character. In other words, episode 82 is a reflection of chapter 4/5, 19/20/21, 67/68 and 77. The first common denominator is the allusion to letters. The messenger’s words revealed that Kim had contacted the elder Yoon, for he already knew his name, though the latter had never met the domestic. Secondly, the “letters” were delivered orally: (chapter 82), and even in person: Father Lee and the emissary. Third, the elder Lee badmouthed Yoon Seungho by mentioning the incident from chapter 67, and refused the invitation of his host (chapter 82). Finally, he called Baek Na-Kyum a peasant exactly like the main lead in front of the gate: (chapter 82). But more important, the old bearded man expressed this fear: the loss of his family home! (chapter 82) And remember that I had detected the presence of the Lees’ mansion in episode 4 and it was also present in chapter 21 and 67! And what had the butler done during these chapters? He had tried to chase away the painter and as such Yoon Seungho. The latter was not supposed to live in the Yoons’ domain. And this will be the Lees’ karma to be driven out of their own house!

5. Conclusions

And now, you comprehend why the sijo from season 1 has not appeared yet. The couple will be able to identify the culprits with the “letters”, the poems. Remember the kisaeng’s words: (chapter 97) The absence of the messages was the evidence of the main lead’s wrongdoing. However, the moment the letters resurface, they will expose the noona’s lies. It doesn’t matter, if she had been deceived. She chose to trust the butler, without verifying the facts. To conclude, the poems will serve as proof for the crimes and I would even go so far to say that the papers, mistaken for letters, are the tools to expose the truth. Yoon Seungho had never contacted lord Song, for he hates him to the core. He is connected to his suffering and martyrdom, therefore he can only view the man as the bird of misfortune, while the latter had the impression that he was now getting closer to the main lead. Consequently, he considered him as his crane! But this man is exactly like Min, totally dishonest and irresponsible. I couldn’t help myself thinking of this folding shield again: (chapter 83) It vanished, and as such it was stolen. Did the mysterious lord Song take it away in order to force Yoon Seungho to paint? The older version of this scene: (chapter 4) And remember that the “paper” is also connected to paintings. However, since this is a reflection of episode 4, I am more inclined to think hat the real purpose was to take the picture and the man had never the intention to return it. Naturally, at some point, the man had a change of heart concerning the main lead, for thanks to him, he could outlive all his sexual fantasies. And this leads me to the following conclusion. The moment, Yoon Seungho sees this painting again, he will recognize the identity of the thief. To sum up, the paper is the proof of wrongdoings, thereby we have this publication: (chapter 1) The paintings were illustrating that the pedophile was having sex with a minor.

PS: I have still so much to say about the comparison between chapter 5 and 77 and the “paper” that I will write another analysis about this.

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