Protected: Painter Of The Night: Lee Jihwa: another puzzle? (Third version) 🧩🧩
Tag: Chapter 51
Painter Of The Night: The spirit 👻 and the shadow 👤 (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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1. Mistake
While reading chapter 53, I discovered a mistake in comprehension, hence I had to change different analyses (BNK’s confessions, part 1 / realization part 1). Thus I had to revise Hearsay part 1 as well. I have to admit that it was a little more difficult for me to be accurate back then. I didn’t have all the info since the second season hadn’t ended yet. Furthermore, I would like to thank my reader Sol Lopez for her input and correction. [This truly shows how much I appreciate that people leave comments on my blog, this exchange of ideas and thoughts helps us to grasp the characters much better, so keep posting on my blog] Thanks to this follower, now I can definitely understand Yoon Seungho’s actions from chapter 50 to 53. Therefore I need to go back to chapter 49. What I mistook for Baek Na-Kyum’s thoughts was actually the lord’s thinking. 
(Chapter 49) This is important because for the first time, he is acknowledging his body as a part of himself. This indicates that in the past, he considered his body as a part of his mind, he only viewed himself as a spirit existing through his mind. This explicates why he abhorred the idea to be associated to the image of a man consumed by lust.
(Chapter 5) That’s why in this scene he couldn’t get erected in Lee Jihwa’s presence, chapter 5] Remember what I said about him: he was like a zombie and this was indeed correct. He lived through his mind therefore he read so many books and owns a huge library. From this observation, the manhwalovers can now better grasp why he never cared about his bad reputation as hell-raiser. The image he had about himself was so different from what the beholders saw. He considered himself as a free spirit. Besides, this interpretation confirms my statement in the analysis “The heart and the mind” as well where I explained that he confused his heart with his mind. Since he never considered himself as a man but as a spirit, he couldn’t recognize the existence of his heart. This explains why he makes such a mistake in chapter 53. Moreover, I feel that my association of the eagle was so point on either, as the latter flies high in the sky. That’s the reason why this bird symbolizes free spirit.
(Chapter 49) During that night, he chose to acknowledge the existence of his body. This signifies, he couldn’t realize before that his heart had always been the trigger for all his actions concerning the painter. In other words, he always rationalized every decision he made in the past. I suspect that his trauma is the first reason why he refused to recognize the existence of his body. This could reinforce my belief that the protagonist had been raped in the past. The other cause for his denial was after the terrible experience he had, the aristocrat decided to view his body as a tool to harm others and to protect himself. These were his secrets. He’s just a spirit and his body his armor.
2. Yoon Seungho‘s transformation
Therefore I come to the conclusion that when he had this huge revelation, he was also coming back to life. He might have been hurt by the painter’s rejection, they were just sex partners and nothing more, yet in this moment he decided to follow his heart but thought, it was just his body. He was no longer a free spirit but a man made of flesh and blood. Therefore we can see in the next chapter (episode 50) this tender scene: 
(chapter 50) His mind was no longer controlling his body, he acted on his impulses. He let his heart do what it wanted. He no longer ponders like in the past. This explicates why he confuses the mind with the heart. We could say that he was deceived because of all the time he spent thinking. Imagine his reaction when he realized after making that decision that the painter was no longer reacting. He got scared that the painter had fallen sick again, he imagined for one moment that this was a repetition of the incident after the sex marathon. Now, you might be wondering why I bring up this scene again. I would like to point out that in chapter 32, when he said
(chapter 32) he was already living under the illusion that he was just following his mind. He made the decision consciously that he would have more rounds with the painter, whereas in reality, he already was under the influence of his heart. He felt unsatisfied with the first round as he had just forced the painter to acknowledge his sexuality. Deep down, he wanted Baek Na-Kyum to accept him as his “husband” but despite the painter’s facial expressions and his climax, the noble sensed that there was something missing. So he kept having sex with him until the painter felt sick. In chapter 49, it was different, as he had already learnt to pay attention to his lover. Nevertheless, this indicates that the lord’s learning process was not complete. During that night he finally accepted the existence of his body. On the other hand, this also illustrates that he was slowly giving up on the idea that the painter could ever open up to him. Striking is that both made a similar decision during that night. While the painter chose to accept the lord only physically, the lord made the same decision. That’s the reason why in the end, I believe that when I confused the noble’s thoughts with Baek Na-Kyum’s, it doesn’t change much, as the thoughts are quite similar. Both acknowledge the existence and influence of the body. We could say that their expectations were aligned. This outlines how similar the two characters are. Both were living under the influence of their minds. One was brainwashed, while the other chose to live as a spirit in order to avoid any pain. Nonetheless, I believe that he was also brainwashed.
Yoon Seungho thought that he would be content with his actual situation. He could have sex with him without any other expectation. But the reality was different: the moment he accepted his body and as such his heart, he was already dying. 
(Chapter 50) His mind might have chosen to resign, yet his body was telling the opposite. His heart wanted more, but his wish was denied by Kim. The author revealed that Kim was selecting the lord’s hanbok. Consequently, I am deducing that the butler had predicted how his master would feel. His heart would be bleeding. Notice that the valet Kim only tells him the truth, after the lord is dressed up and not before. They meet at the scholar’s chamber, when he discovers that Baek Na-Kyum only views himself as a prostitute, hence everything changes. Now he can’t even let his body lead. If he did, then he would make the painter feel dirty. In other words, he would hurt him. 
(Chapter 50) How strange that the moment he comes back to life, he has to die a second time, he can’t let his body take the lead. That’s why he remembers the painter’s sleeping face. His mind is telling to distance himself from Baek Na-Kyum, yet his heart is showing him something else: the painter.
(Chapter 50) The man gets torn due to the conflict. Therefore I have a different interpretation of the last panel. One might say that he becomes a ghost again. It was as if he was vanishing again… disappearing in the books. (Chapter 50) This symbolizes his second death. Thus we have the black and red hanbok indicating death and blood. However, he can no longer become a spirit like before. Due to the acknowledgment of the existence of his body, he can only transform into a shadow. In addition, he can no longer return to his former self: a spirit. His image has now changed, from a spirit to a shadow. How strange… Since I am an optimistic person, I still perceive a positive progression. He is slowly coming back to life, despite the hurt and pain. He is slowly materializing himself.
One might say that his concession (chapter 49) was the first step of his distancing from the commoner. This is only partially true, because he makes an important discovery before: he is indeed a man of flesh and blood. Although he confuses the heart with the mind, we shouldn’t forget that during that night the aristocrat recognized the existence of his body, This means that he is indirectly accepting the existence of his heart. All this will help him to understand what love is. In other words, he is one step closer to the truth. His body existed for a moment and at some point, he will come back to life for real, the moment he realizes that the painter is returning his affection. For me, this realization marked a turning point in the lord’s life despite the setback. Another observation is the lord only needs to distinguish the mind from the heart. As a conclusion, chapter 49 helps us to understand why there was a regression in the relationship between the painter and the aristocrat. On the other hand, it explains why the lord also couldn’t return to his older self too.
In chapter 51, we hear through the maid that Yoon Seungho has now returned to his older self. This is only partially correct again. Sure, he had somehow died for a second time after hearing about the incident. Kim was not telling the truth, for he only mentioned the scholar’s betrayal after the painter had had a change of heart. He was no longer perceiving himself as a prostitute. Nonetheless, Yoon Seungho couldn’t live like in the past, where he used his body as tool, because before he had acknowledged his body and even wanted to let his body take the lead. Furthermore these words implied that he could only react to the painter. That’s why he was a shadow of himself. People were upset because they imagined that the main lead would organize sex sessions like in the past. However, he couldn’t have sex like before, as his body could only accept the low-born. The painter was no longer a prostitute, so was the lord either. He could no longer use his body as a tool, for he was no longer a spirit. That’s why he invites many lords and spends his time drinking or even smoking. He was trying to numb his body, he needed to do that as he was masking his broken heart and soul. He couldn’t allow his body to feel the pain. But without the painter, he couldn’t take the lead. Thereforehe was entirely dressed in chapter 52 and had no erection,
(chapter 52) when he got a fellatio. His heart was telling him that he could only get attracted to the painter, therefore he doesn’t feel the need to have sex with his guests. Striking was his passivity as a host. He said nothing and did nothing except smoking. He was not taking the lead literally speaking contrary to episode 8. Since he was only a shadow of himself, there was no real desire. At the same time, it also explains why he remained passive to Min’s attacks. The latter was acting like the guest of honor, and as such taking the lead. There was no fire in Yoon Seungho to fight back and this illustrates why he gave in in the end.
(Chapter 52) Simultaneously his body was indeed taking the lead in his chamber too. The moment he discovered the painter’s presence at his door and even heard his guest’s words, he couldn’t help himself to react. 
(Chapter 52) That was his heart pressuring him to kiss Black Heart. He wanted to protect the artist. He simply let his body take the lead. To conclude, the lord‘s resolution in the study became a reality.
This proves that his body didn’t really die in chapter 50, he was just deeply hurt. His body was now acting on his own. Despite his relapse, his mind/heart still revolved around his “former lover”. While in the past, I used to think that this laugh belonged to Yoon Seungho, I realized that it was in reality the Joker’s laugh. However, this doesn’t change anything. 
(Chapter 51) Baek Na-Kyum from far away had the impression that this was his lover’s laugh. The lord was masking his wounded heart with these fake parties. Either he laughed so loudly in chapter 51 or ignored his guest’s remarks in chapter 52. 
(chapter 52) In the last picture, he still wondered why the painter came to his side, he must have heard about the rumors. But since Black Heart understood the lord’s actions perfectly, he kept rubbing salt into the wound so that the host finally gave in. (Chapter 52) Here, since his mind was the authority making the choice, I come to the conclusion that the lord was admitting his defeat. His retreat was explainable, as the main lead was no longer a free spirit, but just a shadow of himself. Notice that we only see the door opening violently, as if the noble was indeed a ghost. 
(Chapter 52) Nonetheless, there was a certain rage and brutality in his gaze. Thereby he might have been defeated in that moment, yet.he had not lost the war. Why? It is because he was boiling internally. He was furious. His mind chose to give in to prove Min’s words wrong. But why? It is related to his brainwashing and past trauma. He shouldn‘t take it to heart. 
(Chapter 50) If he does, it will bring him only misery. And in the bedchamber, it looked like Kim‘s words were correct. Black Heart had bothered him so much that the only solution he had was to give in. That way, he would no longer be bothered. He would be left alone and find his „peace“. However, deep down, he was so annoyed and angry. Notice that his rage changed him. He became proactive allowing his body to take the lead.
3. The conflict between the mind and the heart
However, the moment he left the chamber, his feet led him elsewhere. He was not looking around, his gaze was looking straight,
just like his steps were guiding him to a different room. Strangely, he was indeed following his body and not his mind. The mind made the decision to bring the painter back, the body chose not. That’s why he stopped the moment he heard the scream from the painter’s room.
That’s how the readers discovered the contradiction. That’s also the reason why this manhwa is not easy to understand after first reading.
I also detected another opposition between chapter 52 and 53. The lord refused to ignore Min’s disguised attacks and even gave in, because he had no reason. However the moment the lord discovered that his loved one was bullied physically and emotionally, he turned into a beast and beats the servant Deok Jae. He proved Black Heart‘s statement right. Baek Na-Kyum was precious to him.
The artist was indeed the light igniting the fire or better said, the heart making the lord live. What caught my attention was this drawing:
We barely sees the lord attacking the vicious domestic. He is indeed represented like a shadow. The noble materializes himself the moment he stands next to the painter. In front of others, he is a shadow, but he turns into a vengeful ghost, when the painter appears close to him. Baek Na-Kyum is the reason why Yoon Seungho becomes a man of flesh and blood, why he uses his strength against another man. The main lead is not only allowing his body to take the lead, he shows some fighting spirit again. Strangely, we never really see the lord’s beating the servant
Either the manhwalovers hears his voice, sees a glimpse of his robe or a tooth rolling on the floor.
This illustrates my interpretation: the noble had transformed into a shadow, but in the presence of the painter, he comes back to life and shows a fighting spirit. This explains why he intervened at the door with the kiss and why he attacked Deok Jae, when he discovered the assault on his lover. His love for the painter allows him to reconnect with his body. He feels the need to protect his loved one and to punish the servant for his wrongdoings. Therefore the hug in this chapter is so meaningful: 
(chapter 53) He feels warmth coming from Baek Na-Kyum. This also helps him to feel that he is more than just a shadow, he is a man in reality. Furthermore, the painter didn’t even resent him for the slap but instead even embraced him. 
(Chapter 53) He wasn’t even forced to hug him like that. The noble got shocked because he had hurt the painter again.
He acted on his impulses and the result was that he wounded his loved one. He must have felt agony for one second, until he got embraced. The hug could calm down the beast, as the latter felt the affection. Furthermore, note how the low-born is even burying his face on the lord’s shoulder. That’s the reason why the latter touches Baek Na-Kyum so tenderly.
From my perspective, Yoon Seungho wants to remove the white headband, which he always felt as burdensome. It truly represents a hindrance between them. However, he doesn’t have time to enjoy his time with Baek Na-Kyum as they are disturbed by Black Heart. Despite the embrace and the tenderness, the noble still doesn’t understand his own emotions.
He still thinks, the mind and heart are the same. He hasn’t even realized that he is no longer an empty shell in the past. In chapter 52, his mind was busy pondering on Baek Na-Kyum, while his heart was racing the moment he detected the artist‘s presence at the door. He couldn‘t let Min see the artist.. That’s why Min, the cunning fox, becomes his teacher in chapter 53. He teaches him that his heart is influencing his actions. However, he does more than just teaching. He is actually mocking him the whole time. He compares Yoon Seungho to a killjoy. He should have wounded the servant much more, it would have been more fun. Then he describes his love for the boy Na-Kyum as a weakness
We have to imagine that the noble is making fun of him here, because he listens to someone and the worst is that this person is a low-born. The latter symbolizes humanity and seriousness, while Black Heart stands for brutality and fun. He is no longer independent and strong. Min is laughing at his host and the “lesson” is actually a series of humiliating remarks. The kiss even represents the climax of the challenge. 
(Chapter 53)
The reason for all this is that Min senses the lord’s weakened condition. He thought that the painter had died therefore the lord had returned to his older self. Yet he anticipated that the man would only be a shadow of himself and he could seize the occasion to usurp the throne. Yet, the problem is that the painter isn’t dead. So the lord has not lost his strength for real. He might have lived like a shadow for a week, yet the mere presence of the painter brings back the lord to life.
In the final panel, what caught my attention is the way the lord puts his hand on the painter’s head. His hand covers the artist’s ear. It was as if the aristocrat didn’t want him to hear Black Heart’s words. So does it mean that he doesn’t want the painter to discover his weakness (liking him)? From my perspective, I doubt it. His instinct is to protect his lover from Min’s poisonous words. Let’s not forget that the host knows Min’s personality: he likes saying poisonous and hurtful things. Seungho is well aware of the painter’s innocent disposition. He almost got killed by the scholar’s words so this could happen again. Yoon Seungho’s body ensures that the painter is protected. He will do anything so that the latter doesn’t get wounded. What sounds like a weakness in Min’s words represents the opposite in my opinion. The lord is no longer a spirit, but a man full of flesh and blood, when he is next to the low-born. Just like the painter became an empty shell for a while, the same happened to the lord, yet the length is different. The distancing lasted for one week.
People kept asking if the lord would deny this or not. Yet, what mattered the most was that Yoon Seungho had finally discovered the existence of his heart through Black Heart’s words. What he mistook for his mind all the time was actually his heart. Since he had initially recognized the existence of his body, he could no longer live like before.
4. The return of the shadow
Striking is that in the shaman‘s house, we have a reflection of this scene. However, the roles are switched. This time, the painter is Black Heart‘s teacher. Since the Joker viewed life as a game, he saw blood and pain as entertaining, the gods decided to teach him a lesson. In the study, Min had reproached his host to be a killjoy, he should have beaten the domestic to death. 
(Chapter 53) Thus in the shaman‘s house, the lord fulfilled his wish. He wouldn‘t stop because someone had asked him to.
(Chapter 102) As you can see, Min was put in a similar situation, the only difference is that he was now the target of the protagonist’s fury. The gods decided to reveal to Black Heart how wrong his thinking was. A life of a commoner is not different than the noble’s. Yoon Seungho‘s heart got broken, the moment he saw the painter‘s bloody face. 
(Chapter 102) Therefore he transformed into a shadow with a bleeding heart. 
(Chapter 102) This is no coincidence that Min couldn‘t stop the main lead. How can a human influence a shadow? It is impossible. As you can see, Min‘s joke in front of his friends came to bite him in the end. 
(Chapter 101) In the shaman‘s house, he was not beaten to death, but stabbed to death. This was the usual punishment for a noble. The irony is that because the painter was unconscious, he couldn’t stop Yoon Seungho. The latter let his body take the lead and committed murder. He couldn’t act differently, as he had lost his reason to live. The main lead had once again confused the mind and the heart. This explicates why he couldn’t detect that the painter was just unconscious. And that‘s how Min became a spirit.
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Painter Of The Night: Hearsay (part 2) – 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/
In this essay, I’ll focus on the new character Nameless who appeared for the first time in the chapter 43. What caught my attention in the latest episode was the way how Byeonduck presented him, it was through hearsay. That’s the reason why I selected this title in the first place. 
(Chapter 51) 
(Chapter 51) And now, if we look back at his first appearance, he was indeed recommended by hearsay. Min was the first one mentioning him to Jihwa. So in the following panel, the speech bubble represents Min’s voice. He is the one describing Nameless to Jihwa.
Nameless or No-Name is portrayed as someone greedy and ruthless. Because of the interruption of the intercourse, Jihwa has even the impression, Nameless is selling himself for money. It looks like he has no conscience, only money matters to him. That’s how the gossip portrays him. However, in the chapter 51, we also discover that he has another reputation. He is supposed to be a good lover or better said, sex partner. (Chapter 51) It looks like he has made a name for himself among people through hearsay, although he doesn’t have a name. How ironic! Since he doesn’t possess a name, it was as if he didn’t exist. A name defines a person as such, it gives an origin (family name, parents etc.) which is really important in Asia. Since this story takes place in Joseon, the importance of family and name is even more relevant. Without a name, the man has no root so that we could say, Nameless is like an orphan. In other words, he shares the same fate than Baek Na-Kyum, an orphan with unknown origins. I could even add he lives like a shadow through hearsay. I believe, there is no coincidence that Nameless was introduced through gossip twice. It is a part of his figure, he lives through grapevine for a purpose in my opinion.
Because of this detail, I couldn’t help myself connecting him to our main lead Yoon Seungho. The latter also uses rumors as a tool in order to deceive people. Remember my theory that Yoon Seungho acted as the biggest sodomite ever in order to hurt his father and manipulate people around him. At the same time, the aristocrat utilizes hearsay as a shield in order to protect himself. The least people know the true Yoon Seungho, the better it is as his weaknesses can’t be exposed. That’s why I called him the master of deception. Therefore I think that Nameless uses the same strategy, he hides behind hearsay. Note that we have two rumors in the chapter 51, the one about Yoon Seungho returning to his bad habits and the other about Nameless. Therefore I come to the conclusion that both gossips mirror each other and are no coincidence. This reinforces my impression that Nameless created this image about himself through gossips for a reason too. And here is the question: Why would he do that? What is his purpose to have such a “reputation” as greedy and ruthless? I doubt that avidity and cruelty are his true motivations. Just like in the noble’s case, we should question this hearsay. Hence I will examine Nameless, not through gossips but through the pictures Byeonduck gave us and make some speculations.
When he appeared for the first time, he was dancing with another artist following the music played the musicians. This picture reveals that Nameless is working with others. His work as entertainer is just a cover, since he does dirty work behind the scene. We can definitely say that Nameless is the chief of the band because of the following picture: 
(chapter 51) The minions must be the musicians and the dancer. As you can observe, the man is not just some criminal driven by greed and brutality, he has abilities for he was able to impose himself as the leader of this band. I detect that he is methodical and quite decisive. Remember that he gave instructions to Jihwa in the chapter 50. 
(chapter 50) Strictly speaking, he is a strategist which is visible when he tells Jihwa that he has other channels.
As you can observe, he resembles a lot to Yoon Seungho. Some readers started even imagining that they might be related because they look similar. However, this is for me too soon to adhere to this theory. What I can definitely announce for sure is that both characters have a similar thinking and personality. Hence this doesn’t surprise us that both are described as ruthless as well. When the manhwalovers read that Nameless was working on other channels, they immediately connected it to Deok Jae. The resentful servant is spying on his account as he wants to get revenge on his master.
(chapter 51) They were not wrong with this association, however I feel that in that cabin, there was another channel that Nameless was working on. (Chapter 51) Why would he have sex with her? Why would she approach him? I have the impression that the hearsay (him being good at sex) was relayed to her intentionally. Remember that in Painter Of The Night, nothing is there by accident. Jihwa might have caught them randomly, yet there is no ambiguity that this intercourse has its importance. Therefore I tried to determine the identity of this woman. 
(Chapter 51) If you regard her clothes, you’ll note that her appearance resembles the one belonging to maids. 
(Chapter 47) The colors of the jacket and skirt are quite similar. However, there is a huge difference between the two maids. Although the servant in the picture above is the head-maid at the kitchen, she doesn’t own any expensive hair pin or ring, while it is different with the woman sleeping with Nameless. She possesses two jade rings and a golden hair pin. This is not something a maid would own. We have 2 possibilities. Either the woman disguised herself as maid by wearing such clothes and hid her real identity or she is a maid close to a lord and the latter gave her jewels for her sexual services. The third possibility is that she works as a gisaeng which would explain the contrast between the jewels and the clothes. She belongs to the lowest social class, yet she has to distinguish herself through her hair dress and jewels. This idea was proposed by one of my readers Anyway, in my opinion, Nameless approached her for a reason. He is digging for information. We have two possibilities: either he is spying on nobles (the clients of the gisaeng house) or he wants to know more about the painter. Let’s not forget that the latter was raised in a brothel. While Jihwa believes that Nameless is doing it for money, I think that he is using his body for information. Why do I come to this conclusion? It is quite simple. Since I sensed so many parallels between Yoon Seungho and Nameless, I am using the protagonist as role model. Because the noble used his body in order to defeat nobles and to hide his own self from others, I believe that the commoner is acting the same way. Both have a negative reputation through gossips and hearsay.
Because I explained that the lord hid his traumatic past behind his bad reputation, I have the impression that Nameless is also hiding his tragic past behind the hearsay. We have definitely proof that the “criminal” has a terrible past: his body.
Thanks to one of my followers, I was able to discover the signification of the tattoo on his chest. Notice, he has the same tattoo twice: Thief. So he was condemned because of theft and this twice. This is something he can never erase hence I come to the conclusion that this is the reason why he covered his whole body with tattoos.
(Chapter 51)
By having so many tattoos on his body, he made sure that the tattoos “thief” wouldn’t catch the attention and be perceived as a weakness, there are tattoos among others. Sure, my problem is that I can’t discern the meaning of the others. On the other hand, I am quite certain that he uses tattoos as a cover to hide his weakness, his wound.
Another observation is that Nameless is quite observant, just like the rich noble. He realized how weak Jihwa was due to his gestures (the shaking hand, the noble biting his finger nails)
(chapter 50) that’s why he ordered him to stay home in the chapter 50 and here asks if he has been drinking. He can perceive people’s personality very well. I would even add that Nameless’ heart must have been touched, when he noticed Jihwa’s bad habit: biting his finger nails. He must have sensed that this noble had still an innocent soul. Striking is that although the red-haired noble is just a wreck and even insults the “criminal”,
the latter never gets upset. He always remains calm and still treats his “client” with respect. He continues calling “sir” or “my lord” all the time. Notice the contrast of Nameless’ attitude towards Jihwa and Deok Jae. He never threatened the aristocrat, while he had a killer gaze in front of the domestic. 
(Chapter 51) Even the evil domestic got scared, when he experienced this gaze.
This attitude unveiled Nameless’ disdain but also mercilessness towards the domestic. He pays no attention to the servant, whereas he is treating Jihwa so differently. He shows a certain care, which is unveiled when Byeonduck lets us enter his mind. This image represents the commoner’s perspective. 
(Chapter 51) That’s the reason why this zoom on his chin covered with tears was preceded with the drawing of Nameless’ face.
The latter looked at Jihwa’s mouth and tears, while the commoner allowed the noble to voice his worries and anxiety. His eyes don’t express any disdain or arrogance in the last painting. Here, we could say that Nameless is not cold-hearted, quite the opposite, he is sensitive. Sure, he doesn’t allow the red-haired aristocrat to mistreat him, yet he shows a certain curiosity and concern towards his client. In fact, this reflects the purity of his heart. He senses the noble’s sinlessness which stands so much in opposition to the criminal’s reputation. In this scene, the manhwaphiles can detect another similarity with Yoon Seungho again. The gaze and action reveal more than any word. And here is the next question: why would No-Name be quite nice to Jihwa?
Since I observed so many parallels between Yoon Seungho and Nameless, I couldn’t restrain myself imagining that both could be working together in reality. But I have to admit that as good as this theory sounded, it is now quite certain that they have no ties. On the other hand, I still believe that at some point, they will be working because both could be reunited by a common desire: their resent for the nobility. We know for sure that the powerful protagonist despises social hierarchy and judges people based on their skills and work. He had no problem to take a painter coming from a brothel as his “wife”, so why not having a “commoner” working for him? While composing the essay “White versus Black”, I realized that yin and yang
symbolizes perfectly the main characters’ personality. While Yoon Seungho has still a pure mind (White), his heart has been corrupted due to his tragic past (black) that’s why he keeps hurting the painter over and over again. On the other hand, Nameless has a pure heart, yet he has a corrupted mind due to a traumatic experience. His “vicious” mind could be the reason why he is able to perceive a conspiracy and even plot a crime. He doesn’t lose his temper, when he is threatened.
From my point of view, he even envisaged this possibility. Striking is that his head is indeed covered by a black veil which corresponds to my association with the black mind.
Surprising is that the manhwalovers discover the black cloth at the end of the chapter. Does this belong to Deok-Jae? If so, then this represents his vicious heart and mind. He resented the painter and bullied him in many different ways illustrating the darkness in his personality. This would also explain why the criminal has no remorse to kill the vicious servant. He really hates that kind of people. Let’s not forget that based on my theory, Nameless is sensitive to innocence and kindness due to his pure heart. Simultaneously, this could also belong to the ruthless criminal, a sign of his brutality. He won’t spare anyone standing in his way. So the rumored ruthlessness becomes a reality in the chapter 54. He has no problem to get rid of an annoying witness. He will dirty his hands, if he needs to, he feels no remorse to kill someone.
What caught my attention in this picture is that Nameless is looking at Deok-Jae through his mask. It was, as if he was now transforming into the butcher he is supposed to be. The eye is looking at the domestic, the latter has already become his target. From my point of view, there are two reasons why Nameless decides to eliminate the servant. First, he has this desire to protect the red-haired noble whom he views as innocent. We shouldn’t forget that the criminal was the one who reminded his client of the gravity of the wrongdoing. Since Nameless has sensed that the aristocrat is plagued with huge pangs of conscience, he has become aware that Jihwa has been incited by someone else. Because the commoner has a corrupted mind, he can perceive the darkness in other people, like Deok-Jae, but also he can think like a vicious person. That’s why he has been working on other channels. I have the feeling that he is trying to uncover the conspiracy which led Jihwa to hire him. That would explain why he told Jihwa, he had to wait for a while. Nameless decided to look into the matter, when he noticed the red-haired aristocrat’s anxiety. He wanted to uncover why Jihwa would want to get rid of a low-born. Since he has a pure heart, it is definitely possible that he abhors the idea of murdering innocent people. Yet, his black mind is the reason why he is able to plot against others.
Since Nameless was convicted as thief, it is definitely possible that he had such a tragic fate due to the purge, since Yoon Seungho became a victim of betrayal due to the purge. In other words, if my theory is correct that the commoner suffered a traumatic past like Yoon Seungho, I doubt that he would let nobles manipulate him, especially if he was framed himself in the past. Therefore the suffered injustice could be the butcher’s real motivation. This explains why he is working on other channels. He needs to find out the identity of the mastermind behind this conspiracy. He wants to keep Jihwa away from this event. Besides, Nameless would be the perfect enemy for Min as he embodies White heart. So far, Yoon Seungho can’t defeat Min with his broken and corrupted heart. With his viciousness, the criminal can uncover the secret, while Yoon Seungho’s mind is too pure to even imagine such a plan. Moreover, his mind and heart are too preoccupied with the artist hence he has become blind and deaf to what is happening around him. Right now, the lord is in a weakened state, the perfect opportunity for Min to strike.
As you can observe, the theory of the protagonist working together with the ruthless commoner has been abandoned, yet I am quite sure that they will join forces at some point. Furthermore, since Byeonduck is using elements from the first season but has changed the chronology, I came to realize that Nameless’ actions 
(Chapter 54) reminded me of Jung In-Hun’s behavior in the first season. He used commoners in order to dig up some secret so that he could blackmail Yoon Seungho.
(Chapter 29) Therefore I have the impression that the commoner is behaving like him, yet this time it is in order to unveil the identity of the mastermind. That way, he could protect Jihwa and at the same time, he would be able to get rid of a heinous person. On the other hand, since Min has become aware that his plot failed because the assassination didn’t take place, Black Heart can only condemn the red-haired aristocrat and Nameless. It is definitely possible that Min chooses to hurt Jihwa as retaliation which can only push the criminal to become very hostile to Min. From my point of view, Nameless will become a great helping hand for Yoon Seungho in the future. With his Black mind, he can even predict what villains will do. The protagonist’s mind is too pure to recognize the viciousness in the scholar. He might have perceived his hypocrisy and stupidity, nonetheless he still doesn’t know what Jung In-Hun afflicted to the painter. From my point of view, this explains why Yoon Seungho couldn’t defeat the scholar so quickly. He was too naive in this aspect. However, the main character needs to have someone with a black mind so that they can anticipate the scholar and father Yoon’s moves.
The final reason for my theory that Nameless will become the protagonist’s ally is the way Nameless is used. Byeonduck seems to have created a second OTP because Nameless keeps touching the noble’s wrist and is quite caring.
Consequently I can’t imagine, the noble being involved with Nameless and the latter becomes Baek Na-Kyum’s real assassin. Their “love story” would be too tragic because there is no ambiguity that the influential noble would go after these two, if the painter or someone else close to him would get hurt. Besides, based on my theory (White versus Black), Nameless with his corrupted mind is the only one capable to defeat Min with his black heart. The darkness of the mind can fight against Black Heart. Furthermore, Nameless can help Yoon Seungho to defeat Jung In-Hun and Father Yoon later. Observe that so far, the main lead never attempted to get revenge on his father. He just hurt his father with his behavior and the rumors, yet father Yoon was never really attacked or defeated.
As a conclusion, Nameless will play a huge role in the future, not just as a killer but as a double-agent. I consider him as the alpha and the master of deception among the commoners. His mask as entertainer symbolizes his disguise. By meeting Jihwa, he realizes that there are still some pure people in the world which will lead him to change his life. Nameless resembles a lot to our protagonist Yoon Seungho, hence I felt their collaboration would be quite interesting, if my theory was correct. Nonetheless, after the end of season 3, it looks like Byeonduck doesn‘t plan to use No-Name and Jihwa a lot. So if the Joker appears in season 4, it will be brief.
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 the support.
Protected: Painter Of The Night: Baek Na-Kyum: a fiancée, a wife, a favored servant or a prostitute? – part 2 (third version)
Protected: Painter Of The Night: Who is this Baek Na-Kyum? – part 1 (second version)
Painter Of The Night: “Master and Man” (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/
Yes, I chose this title because of the Russian short novel written by Leo Tolstoy. In this story, the rich land owner Vasili Andreyevich Brekhunov died by saving the servant’s life Nikita, because he realized that the low-born’s life was as worthy as any other man. Furthermore, he also got aware of his own selfishness, for he was responsible for their predicament. They were caught in a snow storm and the noble initially abandoned the peasant. However, at the end, the lord changed his mind and revealed another side from himself. This outlines that status is very superficial and the readers witness the master’s conversion leading a huge change in his behavior and thoughts towards commoners and low-born.
In the following analysis, we will examine the lord- low-born relationship between the nobles Yoon Seungho and Jung In-Hun and the commoner Baek Na-Kyum, when the latter becomes sick. All this was triggered because one of my followers asked me this: Why didn’t Seungho return home for days? From my point of view, the conversation between the nobles and Yoon Seungho, triggered by Min 
(chapter 33), forced the lord to realize that the artist was indeed a precious treasure, and he was not willing to share him. 
(chapter 33) At the same time, due to Black Heart’s words, the noble was reminded of the painter’s health conditions. Although the lord was talking about the artist, as though the latter was just an object, the reminder forced him to recall that Baek Na-Kyum was a human who could die. That’s why he returned in the end. His abandonment reflected his cowardice, he didn’t desire to be confronted with the consequences of his bad behavior. Consequently, just like in the Russian novel, the main lead was reminded that the low-born was just a human. As you can see, both characters had a similar disposition and also a change of heart.
Striking is that the butler tried to cover up his master’s cowardice and abandonment. He diverted Baek Na-Kyum’s attention by showing his concern for his master.
But before this, the servant Kim mentioned that the lord’s room was the best, as it was the warmest. 
(chapter 34) Kim’s remark was in fact insinuating that the lord had been very generous and caring for him. He gave the impression to the low-born that the noble was treating him like a noble, as the latter had sacrificed his bed for his recovery. However, this was not true, as the lord had brought the artist to the study before the doctor’s arrival. 
(chapter 33) At the same time, the butler was not entirely lying either. The lord had indeed shown generosity and care, since he had called for the physician. Yet, once he had heard about the doctor’s precription, the aristocrat had ran away from his responsibilities 
(chapter 33) and left everything in Kim’s hands. Remember my statement: Kim is always telling half-truths. Kim was in reality the one who brought him to the noble’s bed. 
(chapter 33) He needed to portray his master in a much more positive light in order to obtain the painter’s cooperation. The valet hoped that the artist would follow his order 
(chapter 34) and become the lord’s sex toy:
So in my opinion, while Yoon Seungho had indeed showed worries and benevolence towards the painter, he was relying on his right-hand, therefore he never came to verify if Baek Na-Kyum was recovering properly. 
The irony is that although the valet treated the painter as a honorable guest (bringing him to the lord’s chamber and taking care of him as if he was his master), in truth he was just viewing the low-born as an object and tool. was truly making sure that Baek Na-Kyum would get the best treatment, but the domestic used the opportunity to praise his master indirectly.
And now you understand why Yoon Seungho didn’t return to the mansion. First, he felt guilty, as he knew why the young man got so sick. His remorse were definitely bigger, as the artist could lose his life. He even heard the critic from the doctor.
His guilty conscience is actually visualized in the chapter 33. He has no erected phallus and looks exhausted. 
(chapter 33) While he was at the sex orgy, he remembered the exhausted young face of the painter, while they were talking about him.
The black coloring about the head is a sign for flashback and memory. We saw in another chapter that Byeonduck uses the color black to announce that this is a flashback. However, I feel that Yoon Seungho avoided his mansion because he was confused too. He wanted to find out if his “obsession” for the painter was related to sex. We shouldn’t forget that in the past, the lord used to go to such parties very often which is revealed during the chapter 33.
It becomes clear that the moment he slept with Baek Na-Kyum, he dropped off his visits there. Yet after the sex marathon, he started visiting the sex parties again. the relapse was a sign of his torment. But there are other explanations as well. He thought that going back to the sex parties could help him to lower his strong libido for the uke. He wasn’t sure if his urge for Baek Na-Kyum was caused by the lack of sex, as he had stopped going to these sex orgies or if it was related to something else, to the person itself. Furthermore, I believe that by going back to the sex orgies, he experienced that he was no longer interested in sex, but he was looking for something else. He wanted to be with the artist. And now, you comprehend the second relapse in chapter 51: 
The lord was suffering, but unlike in the past he couldn’t keep his distance from his lover. He needed to sense his presence. He was no longer his sex partner, but he wasn’t treated like an object or a servant. During these two separations, Yoon Seungho was full of worries for Baek Na-Kyum which he was trying to forget, yet he couldn’t. At the same time, he was reflecting on his past actions:
– Why did he force the man to sleep with him for so long and overlook his current state? What drove him to drop off his visits to the sex parties, when he used to go there very often?
I perceive the lord as someone who does think deeply, hence he wouldn’t be spending so much time in front of his window in general. From my point of view, Yoon Seungho had to introspect himself and was making sure despite his sense of guilt that his “obsession” or love for the painter was not related to his strong stamina but to his desire to share his thoughts with him. He wanted to have a true companion. Let us not forget that Yoon Seungho has never experienced love before and has never received love from his father. So he had no role model, hence he was confused and couldn’t recognize the true cause for his behavior. He didn’t know how to show love. So far, the world he grew up was full of treacherous and vain hypocrites where there is no love. Let us not forget that even Jihwa doesn’t reveal his love for him. Furthermore, his past made him experience sex without pleasure and even without love. However, the moment he met the painter, he could finally connect his sexual orientation with ecstasy. In the first season, without the painter he was experiencing if his “obsession” with the painter was related to sex or to something else. Like I had truly recognized, the noble had not realized the existence of his feelings for the commoner. I believe that he couldn’t name his affection as love due to his lack of knowledge. He was confusing his mind with his heart. There is no denial that he was already in love with Baek Na-Kyum, as the man affected him so much right from the start. The moment they met, he acted differently. Besides, love is never a constant feeling. It changes all the time. Moreover, there are different kind of love. He was attracted by the painter due to his paintings, then due to his face and gaze… little by little he fell for him. However, the lord never realized it, unlike his servant Kim. However, in my opinion, the butler only judged it as an obsession and not as love. He imagined that his master had fallen too deeply into sodomy
(chapter 18) In my eyes, the butler’s cowardice is connected to the social norms. He had deeply internalized the social values from Joseon, hence he represents a reinforcement of authorities. As you can see, there are many explanations for his behavior: guilty conscience, out of concern, self-introspection… On the other hand, he is only partially running away from his responsibility, as he had asked the servant Kim to take care of the artist. This is why this “abandonment” stands in opposition to the scholar’s. The latter betrayed during the rape, as he didn’t intervene and acted as if nothing was happening. And the next day, he brought him back to the mansion and abandoned him by letting Yoon Seungho drag him to the bedchamber. At no moment, he tried to stop his sponsor. That’s why he remains invisible in chapter 32.
But if we look back at the first picture at the beginning, you’ll notice that Kim’s words are reflecting something else.
(chapter 33) He was acting as a mediator between the master and the low-born which looks like a good thing. In reality, he was meddling in their relationship. Who was he to intervene? That’s why he acted like a father. With his words, the butler was implying that his lord had been affected by his illness, hence he remained away. However, I believe that in the valet’s mind, there existed a different explanation. For Kim, his master was just a coward. That’s why he said this comment in front of the physician: 
(chapter 33) He anticipated that his master was avoiding to face the consequences of his selfish behavior. For me, Kim doesn’t truly love his master. He views the Yoons as terrible, but he will never confront them. But for his own safety, he needed to deceive the painter. Let’s not forget that Kim had played a role in his escape and the low-born could reveal it to his master. That’s why he needed to fake his care and concern for the painter so that the artist wouldn’t mention the past. Thus he begged the young man not to wander around as a sign of care and gentleness.
Simultaneously, Kim needed to manipulate the painter so that the latter would realized that he had won Yoon Seungho’s trust. He desired to obtain his obedience. What appears as mediation was in reality manipulation, which would create misunderstandings. He hoped that Baek Na-Kyum wouldn’t go to the teacher’s side. He was well aware of his master’s jealousy. In other words, this scene revealed many important points:
– The lord might have been away but he thought about him and made sure that he would get the best treatment
– Yoon Seungho’s behavior has drastically changed, he hasn’t returned home hence there is something upsetting the lord
The loyal assistant is acting like the lord’s lawyer. And here, in the chapter 34, we can see the contrast with Jung In-Hun’s attitude. Baek Na-Kyum asked Kim about the teacher. Was he worried about him? Has he asked after him? Kim denied all of his questions which upset the young man.
That’s the reason why he cried in the bed, covering his face. His gesture revealed his pain, but it also indicated that he didn’t want to be confronted by reality. Kim showed him that his admired sir had abandoned him, but the artist was in denial. He only explained it as a lack of concern. He was veiling his face in front of the truth. On the other hand, this scene was important for another reason. It truly exposed the learned sir’s stupidity and blindness. Without the artist by his side, Jung In-Hun meant nothing to the protagonist. Note the contrast between the butler and the scholar’s attitude. The former had understood the artist’s importance, though he didn’t like it, while the learned sir seemed to be in denial. The low noble didn’t even imagine that Baek Na-Kyum could lose his life. Then if you compare both aristocrats, you’ll detect the huge difference. Although both nobles were away from him, one kept his distance out of concern and guilt, the other felt nothing. The words Kim said did affect the painter, he could sense that the powerful noble had been caring and kind. Kim’s words made sure that the low-born wouldn’t push away his master like in the past, and wouldn’t blame him for his sickness. At the same time, the butler was trying to “tame” Baek Na-Kyum.
And Yoon Seungho’s humbleness and selflessness was revealed with the kiss. 
(chapter 32) However, the valet Kim was not present, hence when he lied to Baek Na-Kyum, he had no idea that in reality his words were containing more truth than lies in reality. That’s why I chose the kiss as illustration for the analysis. The roles were switched. The master acted as a servant, and the low-born was now the lord. The male lead was acting like Vasili Andreyevich Brekhunov from the Russian novel. Yoon Seungho was even willing to give water to the exhausted man. This situation was repeated in chapter 76: 
(chapter 76). The lord made sure that the painter would feel better with the water. But let’s return our attention to chapter 33. In the bedchamber, the main lead was to blame for Baek Na-Kyum sickness, as he hadn’t paid attention to the artist’s condition. He had acted selfishly, exactly like the protagonist from Master and man. Both realized their huge mistakes, came to regret and took some responsibility, although the chronology in the Russian story diverges. But this shows that both aristocrats came to realize that commoners were humans and no possessions.
This is not surprising that In-Hun’s indifference and even selfishness hurt the young man more at the end. It was really visible in the next chapter. The young man had to hear that what Yoon Seungho did was not normal 
(chapter 35) and his preparations for the exam were more important than the painter’s life. 
(chapter 35) For the first time, Baek Na-Kyum could sense that Jung In-Hun was selfish and not kind. Moreover, he even reminded him that as a low-born the noble shouldn’t spend so much money for him. Indirectly, Jung In-Hun was telling him that if he had been Yoon Seungho, he would have done the opposite: not giving him the best room, not sending for the physician and not spending so much money for the medicine. In that chapter, Baek Na-Kyum could finally see glimpses of Jung In-Hun’s true personality. Therefore I think that the servant’s words did influence the young man, he didn’t blame and resent the noble for his condition. He saw the caring gestures, although he was absent… whereas Jung In-Hun was absent due to his own interest. (chapter 35) Here, the low-born’s head is down which indicates a certain resignation and pain. While the one did change his behavior and showed a new side to the young painter, the other remained indifferent. The caress on the cheek could no longer mask the learned sir’s lack of concern and selfishness. 
(chapter 35) No wonder that after his departure, the artist was disappointed and heartbroken.
To sum up, one aristocrat felt remorse and guilt, hence he tried to redeem himself by taking care of the artist to his own detriment, he even left the mansion for days, the other acted like usually. Here, we can see some similarities between Yoon Seungho and Vasili Andreyevich Brekhunov. Both are able to feel empathy. Baek Na-Kyum started seeing the powerful master’s caring side. Due to Kim’s words, he thought that the lord even sacrificed his own comfort and health for the young man… just like the Russian land owner sacrificed his life for Nikita, the peasant. The chapters 34 and 35 are important, because they marked a turning point in Baek Na-Kyum’s life. The perfect image that Jung In-Hun had been able to create was starting showing cracks. Little by little, the painter could sense that his relationship with the teacher was defined by his status, while Yoon Seungho’s behavior made him realize that he was not treating him like a low-born, but like a human. This explains why later Baek Na-Kyum lied to the teacher for the first time. The lord had showed him his vulnerable side and had even let him stay by his side, when the brother visited him. The artist felt the learned sir’s lack of empathy and concern for him and his selfishness. In his eyes, he was just a low-born, and Baek Na-Kyum could already sense it. Therefore he lied.
But let us not forget that he still hoped that the servant Kim had not told the truth, hence he went to the teacher in order to get confirmation. Yoon Seungho’s conversion was also visible, because after his return, he spent the whole night thinking how he could improve his relationship with the artist. And notice that from the chapter 36 on, he started lowering himself in front of the painter literally and figuratively. The blow-job in this chapter
contrasted so much to the blow-job in the chapter 28.
Their places had been switched: the low-born had become the master. First, the noble acted like a master with the soft punishment
(chapter 36), until he saw the painter’s erection. He was willing to give up his position as master. That’s why he prioritizes the painter’s pleasure all the time. 
(chapter 36) So their relationship master-servant stopped at this moment, hence he lets him stay by his side, when the brother Seung-Won is in his chamber.
(chapter 37) Notice that his position had changed. He was sitting by the lord’s side. He even asked the artist to sleep by his side and let him stay in his bed without waking him up the next morning. As you can observe, the characters’ position illustrated their actual position in their relationship. When Baek Na-Kyum woke up the next morning, he was alone in the bedchamber. The lord preferred to leave his bed and eat elsewhere. In other words, Kim’s words from chapter 33 became a reality. He let him rest in his bed. Yoon Seungho showed so much consideration that in the chapter 39, he even went to the kitchen in order to fetch the low-born. 
(chapter 38) He didn’t even send his loyal assistant. He had become the “servant” himself. In other words, we witnessed the lord’s slow conversion during the chapter 36 and the small changes from that moment. The nature of their relationship had changed, hence he claimed Baek Na-Kyum as his bride unconsciously. 
(chapter 40) So both characters, Yoon Seungho and Vasili Andreyevich Brekhunov transformed into a different person, more selfless and caring. They were willing to sacrifice things for them: status and pride. On the other hand, the nature of Baek Na-Kyum’s relationship with the teacher changed for the worse: from a teacher to a student, it became a lord-servant relationship, and the painter sensed the change of their relationship. But let us not forget: Jung In-Hun never considered the young man as a student, for him he had always been a low-born. It is just that he was so good to deceive the commoner.
And these observations in the first season were confirmed in the second season. The only difference is that this switch of social position from chapter 33 on was more momentary. The lord still viewed himself as a noble, he never realized his transformation. Yet in chapter 71, the noble chose to confirm the change of status:
(chapter 71) Baek NA-Kyum was no longer a low-born, but a noble, while the main lead was his “servant”. This explicates why the noble was no longer asking for him in the evening 
(chapter 74) and visited him secretly during the night. But this switch of position didn’t remain a secret, the moment the lord embraced his panicked lover. 
(chapter 76) At the end of the second season, the lord’s true personality is more and more unveiled: he has a kind and generous heart, and he is able to reflect on his wrongdoings, which contrasts to Jung In-Hun. And now, you can comprehend why right from the start, I was fascinated by the infamous sodomite. The first season let us see glimpses of his warmth and selflessness. This means, the noble’s courage and strength will shine more and more.
As a conclusion, Yoon Seungho is a figure that resembles the noble Valmont from the “Dangerous Liaisons” and the land owner Vasili Andreyevich Brekhunov from “Master and man”, a man full of redemption despite his sins. As you can see, from a simple question “Why didn’t he return to the mansion?”, it became an analysis about master and servant and the transformation of Yoon Seungho.
And here again, I could use a classic story for an inspiration and comparison which shows how well written this manhwa is.
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 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.
Protected: Painter Of The Night: Jihwa, chronicle of the foretold death of a childhood friend? (second version)
Painter of The Night: Min, the introduction of a new villain? (Third 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/
What caught my attention in the chapter 43 is the man with the green robe. His name is Min and just like Seungho, he is a noble. 
(chapter 43) Here he is described by his friend with a black heart. However, in the first season, he was shown in different chapters (8, 9, 19, 33, 36, 41 and 43), but he was among others and as such, he was never properly introduced. His presence increased until the chapter 43 marking a pivotal moment. In the first version of this essay, I desired to prove that Min would play a bigger part in the second season. And this was proven correct. Nevertheless, I still need to introduce him. But who is this man, what do we know about him in the first season?
But first let’s go back to the chapter 41, where he was shown hunting with Seungho.
This means that he is quite close to Seungho, as the latter spends time with him outside the sex orgies. Striking is that in this chapter, the man with the green robe was tasting the water, when he asked Seungho to confirm the rumor about the incident at the tailor shop. Seungho warned him not to cross the line, as he could share the same fate than Jihwa. During that scene, the author draw two pictures focused on the hands. The man with the green robe grabbed the wrist of our main lead 
(chapter 41) and even put his other hand on his waist.
And these pictures are not random as usually. Remember how Seungho reacted, when Jung In-Hun touched his shoulder, he was about to kill the teacher. 
(Chapter 30) He was so upset, hence imagine how he felt, when he sensed Min’s hand on his wrist and then waist. With such a gesture, Yoon Seungho could only get more irritated. And here, our main lead only pushed his hand and insulted him by comparing the man with a mouse . 
His gestures towards our seme revealed something in my opinion. The waist is a very intimate place. It gave the impression that Min was interested in Yoon Seungho sexually. It was, as if this man wanted to become Yoon Seungho’s lover as well. The gesture is quite deceiving, which explains why Yoon Seungho thought that lord Min was wooing him. However, the protagonist was misinterpreting the gesture and interest. In truth the noble was lusting after the painter. This explains why Yoon Seungho was not sensing the danger coming from the “friend“. But then why doesn’t Jihwa feel threatened by him? Then remember that he grabbed Seunho’s wrist. A man in Asia will usually grab his girlfriend’s wrist. In other words, the man with the green robe was treating him like a woman (the waist, the wrist). Everything was pointing out that he wanted Seungho to be his uke. Yet, the reality is that he wanted to “screw“ the main lead. He wanted to ruin him out of jealousy. He desired to have the painter. “Screwing“ someone can have two different meanings. But there‘s more to it which I will explain more below
However, like I had really sensed right from the start, Min was in truth a seme, just like the protagonist, hence Jihwa never felt threatened by him. If I look back at chapter 33, his sexual role was implied, as he was smoking and still had his topknot on, just like Seungho, while the ukes in this scene had all their hair down. (Chapter 33) As conclusion, anyone observing the scene in chapter 41 would come to the conclusion, that this man wanted to have Seungho as lover, just like Jihwa, but in a different role. He would like to be the top. As conclusion, the lord Min was a seme who seemed to be interested in Seungho. Thus he considered Baek Na-Kyum and the red-haired master as rivals, whom he needed to eliminate. And that‘s how Yoon Seungho perceived his gesture and words in the woods. This explicates why he compared him to Lee Jihwa. In the main lead’s mind, Black Heart was paying attention to his every moves and was always updated about his interactions with the painter out of jealousy. The reality is that Min was terribly envious of the main lead. His real center of interest was in truth Baek Na-Kyum. Thus he kept looking at him during their first meeting. 
(Chapter 8) 
(chapter 9)
However, the chapter 43 revealed more information about the master Min and his personality.
The readers could realize his dangerosity here. Why? First, it was revealed that this seme knew all along about Jihwa’s feelings for Seungho, and he played with them. He enjoyed toying the red-haired aristocrat. Black Heart misled the childhood friend so that the latter would run to Seungho’s mansion, especially if you recall that during the same night, Yoon Seung-Won visited his brother. This explains why he lied in the inn. The noble with the mole knew about the deception, as he had a drop of sweat on his face.
(Chapter 36) Naturally, here Kim had played a huge role in this deception too, as he allowed to leak information to the red-haired master’s servant. 
(Chapter 41) Yet, Min knew that Jihwa wouldn’t be able to resist and run to the lord’s mansion. He had already calculated that the childhood friend would discover the truth. He would be hurt and realize his mistake. He even ridiculed Jihwa by comparing him to a dog. 
(chapter 43) Here, he reminded me of Seungho with his sarcasm and his ironical comments from chapter 6. 
(chapter 6) He enjoys making fun of Jihwa and is as cunning as Seungho, though in reality the main lead‘s true personality is totally different. 
(Chapter 43)
Consequently, I couldn’t help myself associating Min to a snake… he was like the devil, inciting the stupid Jihwa to commit a murder. I would even say that he was employing the red-haired noble as his hunting dog. In my first version, I had suspected the man before to be jealous, as he was the one who had even asked Seungho to bring the painter to one of their sex parties. (Chapter 33) It was, as if he wanted to ensure that the artist meant nothing to the protagonist. As you can see, the vicious man gave the impression that he was jealous of the painter. His reproach towards the main lead sounded similar to the childhood friend’s. (Chapter 18) 
(chapter 41) It was, as if he wanted to play with Jihwa and get rid of Baek Na-Kyum at the same time. The latter is viewed as a source of danger, for Min keeps thinking about him. The noble considered the artist as a witch who put a spell on him, Here, he was projecting his own thoughts. 
(Chapter 43) It looked like both ukes represented a threat. He was definitely using Jihwa so that if anything would go wrong, only the red-haired aristocrat would be blamed. The man with the black heart tried to diminish the consequences of the murder. He said that the murder should look like an accident, hence this attempted murder can never happen at the mansion. Back then, I had envisioned that they would wait, until Baek Na-Kyum left the mansion, and this expectation was proven correct.
Now it becomes clear why the man with the black heart is doing such a thing. Although Min claims that he wants to be entertained, when he lied to Jihwa in the past, he had already prepared to set the trap for Jihwa. He knew where to hire the killer. 
(Chapter 43) He had already anticipated Jihwa’s reaction. While Min declared that it was funny, when Jihwa came crying, he added that he was disappointed that he only saw just tears. He wanted him to “come with his tail between his legs”. (chapter 43) And this outlines his cruelty. It was, as if he was “castrated”, had lost his masculinity and virility. As you can see, the guy was making fun of Jihwa and even insulting him. But the latter didn’t pay attention to these words, too wounded by the scene he had witnessed in the study of his friend. By acting like that, he gave the impression that he didn’t care. In truth, it exposed the antagonist’s naivety. He even didn’t see any danger coming from the man with the black heart.
But striking is that after Jihwa’s arrival, he proposed right away to the noble to have Baek Na-Kyum killed. He was indeed acting like a jealous man. (Chapter 43) Now, Yoon Seungho was neglecting him. But in order to convince the upset red-haired noble, Min added more fuel to the fire with his comments:
– His childhood friend had been bewitched
– At some point Baek Na-Kyum would become Seungho’s mistress
He was implying that the red-haired aristocrat was on the verge of losing his love. All this pointed out that the guy was manipulating Jihwa to ensure that the latter would decide to kill the lowborn. That’s the reason why we saw Jihwa’s imagination of that night. The Joker‘s words distorted the memory from the red-haired master. 
(Chapter 43) The words the man with the green robe said had a huge influence on him. Not only his mind is black, but also his heart which outshines this man’s evilness and dangerousness. Let us not forget that he is a seme… but since he has been forced to be the bottom because of Yoon Seungho, all his actions can be judged in a different light. People could see him as someone who has been longing to become the main lead‘s lover. Thus he said this in season 2: 
(chapter 52) and in season 3 
(chapter 92) But this was just a deception, his real target was the painter. However, after season 3, I realized that in truth, Black Heart had only been a puppet himself, though Min seemed to be like a personification of the devil… his lies, his words in order to incite Jihwa to commit a crime, his words ridiculising Jihwa and even Seungho.
Some questioned this perception in the beginning, for when Min appeared in chapter 8, he was an uke, he couldn’t be a top.
But the readers were overlooking that the main lead got raped and he even used to be a bottom. So roles can be switched. It becomes obvious, when you read this scene. 
(Chapter 16) Here, the main lead desired to discover the painter’s sexual preferences. So when Min stroke the main lead’s waist, he never realized the true signification of his action.
(Chapter 41) The main lead could only assume that Min was interested in him, he wished to become his only partner. Deep down, he desired to become the top, but since Yoon Seungho was not willing to change his position, Black Heart was willing to remain a uke. Note that Min invited the main lead in chapter 19 to the kisaeng house, and offered him wine, right after the main lead had cut ties with his childhood friend. 
(Chapter 19) It was, as if he was wooing him, hoping to take over Lee Jihwa’s place. Then in chapter 33, Min is the one asking for Baek Na-Kyum.
Striking are his words: “We would have all welcome him”… In the first version of this essay, I had demonstrated, that these words were the proof that Min was in fact a seme, but he was only a uke because of Yoon Seungho. The second season proved me right. He wanted Seungho to bring over Baek Na-Kyum so that they could taste him… I doubt that they would have allowed the painter to be a top. especially when sex sessions are viewed as battles. However, every action from Min were in fact ambiguous. He gave the impression that he was happy to be favored by Yoon Seungho 
(chapter 33), he would seek his company (chapter 51) 
(chapter 52) and he was jealous of the painter, for the protagonist was only paying attention to him.
As you can see, due to his words and actions, Min created the illusion that he wished to taste Yoon Seungho, especially when he acts like a hunter. Imagine how his reputation would change if Min was able to tame Seungho and have him become an uke. Min is a player and hunter because of his behavior and words (hunting scene, his offer, his manipulation with lies etc)… Thus, you comprehend why in my first version, I had the impression that his real target was not the painter, but Seungho. It was caused by the ambiguity of his actions. Striking is that in the shaman’s house, he never tried to taste the painter at all. He even allowed the other nobles to taste the painter first. 
(Chapter 101) Note that he even pushed Lee Jihwa to become a top. 
(Chapter 100) It was, as if Min was not interested in the painter at all. His true goal was to get rid of Lee Jihwa and Baek Na-Kyum, his rivals. But we know the truth… Black Heart wished to be noticed by Baek Na-Kyum, thus he said this to him in the shaman’s house: 
(chapter 99) But if he wanted to become his lover as uke, he would be not different from Jihwa. However, this man is definitely not seeking for Seungho’s love. His actions and words don’t fit the profile of an uke, of a person longing for Seungho’s love, rather he fits the profile of a hunter and player.
After season 3, I came to realize the cause for this contradicting attitude. In my eyes, Black Heart was already acting on the king’s behalf. The mysterious lord Song wished to keep the famous sodomite as his lover/wife, and the painter represented a hindrance. Using Lee Jihwa was the perfect tool to achieve his goal. He would get rid of two rivals at the same time. Yoon Seungho would blame his childhood friend for the painter‘s death, once alone again, the king could approach Yoon Seungho. Thus the latter was treated as a prey by Min in each season. But while he used the artist as an excuse to hunt his prey, the hell-raiser, he couldn‘t admit that he wanted to have the painter for himself. Baek Na-Kyum was a commoner. What appeared as a tool, became slowly a goal. 
(Chapter 56) But Min was still in denial, hence he justified his requests as an urge, while he was also longing for the painter’s affection.
Due to his words and the color of his robe, master Min reminded me of the snake in the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the one who brought misery to Adam and Eva, here in this case this seme is leading Jihwa to his own demise. Hence I came to develop this theory that Min would become the villain of the second season. My interpretation was just based on my own knowledge and European background. Striking is that this man persuaded Jihwa that nothing would happen to him, Baek Na-Kyum was a commoner and if this looked like an accident, then he wouldn’t get caught. 
(Chapter 43) And remember that Jihwa is a noble… and in the bible, God got aware of Adam’s original sin, hence the latter was banished from paradise. Thus I had been expecting that Lee Jihwa would lose his title as noble, as his crime would be discovered. And this prediction became true which the author revealed in the creator‘s note.
Finally, I would like to point out that Seungho compared Min to a mouse indicating that Seungho didn’t consider him as a threat, he even saw Min as harmless. 
(chapter 41) A mouse is small and has no real claws. This shows that Yoon Seungho was underestimating him, but also was misinterpreting Black Heart’s action. He was acting like a jealous concubine, thus he compared him to Lee Jihwa. Here, we had the impression that the protagonist was well prepared. He thought, he knew why Min asked him to bring the painter for their sex party and why the lord Min asked about the veracity of the rumor about the incident at the tailor shop. But no… he didn‘t detect the longing and envy from Black Heart towards the painter. I compared him to a snake due to his cunning behavior and his cynical and seductive words… But the reality was that he was a fool himself, for he had no idea about Yoon Seungho‘s past. The abduction did occur and this twice, but note that Min had to become involved himself in order to achieve his goal. The irony is that when Min said this to Yoon Seungho 
(chapter 102), he was again giving the impression that he had acted like a jealous man who was longing for Yoon Seungho‘s attention. He had acted like a vicious concubine, but in Joseon, „jealous concubine or queen“ would get sentenced to death, like the Queen Yun and the concubine Jang Ok-Jun. 
(chapter 101) No one in his right mind would torment a loved one like that. Yoon Seungho was not recognizing what jealousy and envy are and what these emotions could trigger people to do! Black Heart would torment Baek Na-Kyum, for the latter was rejecting him. So imagine the king‘s reaction, when he discovers that Min got killed. 
(Chapter 102) First, he lost his loyal helping hand, secondly he got misled and even betrayed by Lee Jihwa. In other words, the opposite had happened. Instead of obtaining Yoon Seungho, the king lost his “wife“ who decided to kill himself. To conclude, the villain from season 2 and 3 was in reality a pawn, the shadow of the true villain, lord Song. This explicates why Min‘s behavior was particularly ambiguous in season 1… All his actions and words could be perceived as a jealous man who desired to become Yoon Seungho‘s top!! The king would have never approved such a thing! And this could be the other reason why he will vent his anger on the Lees.
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Bebebisous33s' analyses in K-Dramaland and Manhwas 