Protected: Painter Of The Night: Yoon Seungho’s suffering path (fourth version)
Tag: Chapter 74
Painter Of The Night: Investigation 🔍🧐 (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/
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 all wondering why I am using a panel from chapter 59 as illustration, when the story has already moved on, and our beloved couple is actually celebrating their marriage. Everything started with the following panel: 
(Chapter 71) As you can envision, I am now examining each picture very carefully, hence when I saw this image, I couldn’t help myself associating it to the painter’s abduction. First, the painterofthenight-lovers will certainly remember the scene of the lord’s panic, when he left the room and saw the footprints on the ground misleading him to think that the painter had run away. 
(Chapter 60) In this picture, the manhwaphiles can even hear Nameless’ explication why the lord would jump to the wrong conclusion. The expression “on his own two feet” was actually visualized by the imprints left on the snow. We know for sure that Nameless knocked out the painter before carrying him away. He carried him the same way than he did with Lee Jihwa: 
(Chapter 59) What caught my attention is that the space between the footsteps on the wood (Chapter 71) is much bigger compared to the ones left in the snow. (Chapter 60) Why such a difference? It is related to the divergence of height between the lord and the painter. So here is the question? How could Nameless walk with small footsteps, when he is carrying another person? As you can see, the panel from chapter 71 serves as a clue for the presence of an accomplice during this night. I had already elaborated that Kim must have participated in this, but I could never prove it. But one might argue that this proof is not strong enough to validate my theory. That’s why I examined the chapter 59 more closely again.
(Chapter 59) This image caught my attention for two reasons. Thanks to the analysis “The five candles”, I realized the true meaning of the pictures with landscapes. They expose the actual situation, therefore the beholder should study them under the following elements: moon or sun, air, water, earth and fire. So in this picture, you can detect the absence of the moon symbolizing the lord’s illness. He is too weak to look after his lover. Striking is that the earth element is predominant here, as the tree branches standing next to the buildings are almost touching the sky. So since the snow is falling, it indicates the presence of water and note that water is almost everywhere: in the sky, on the trees, on the ground and on the rooftops. The only element missing is fire. Yet if the manhwalovers examine the image more closely, they will detect the presence of a light hanging on the side of the restroom. However, the candle surrounded by glass is not lit. To sum up my observations, this panel exposes the predominance of water and earth and the presence of a lamp with glass. In other words, this image symbolizes butler Kim, the new version of chapter 58 
. First, let’s not forget that Kim is often seen carrying a bucket of water 
(chapter 33) 
(chapter 56). Secondly, he is also linked to the lantern with a glass 
(chapter 20) 
(chapter 36) But more importantly is that in the image from chapter 59, there is no light, (Chapter 59) which can not be a coincidence. In my eyes, the valet is already aware of the future kidnapping, but he is not sharing his knowledge to the protagonists. He wants to keep them in the dark. Moreover, if you add the picture from the chapter 58, you’ll detect the absence of the glass lamp too. (Chapter 58) The presence of light comes from the physician’s room, where both main leads are making love. Hence the fire element is associated to Yoon Seungho and not Kim. All this indicates that the valet will apply his favorite philosophy: feigning ignorance. Both panels are actually exposing the valet’s complicity. Even before I realized Kim’s true personality, I had already explained that he was the one who put the protagonists’ shoes next to each other. Back then, I considered it as a gesture of kindness, whereas now I have a different opinion. As you can imagine, I perceive these two panels as evidences for Kim’s complicity. The butler will be the one creating the painter’s imprints.
But some might say that this is not enough, as they are just interpretations. Therefore I am now bringing up this final evidence: 
(Chapter 59) Note that the painter is standing in front of the bathroom. He has just cleaned himself and note that the lamp is in the background. How is this a proof? If the painter had run away, he wouldn’t have gone to the restroom… he would have left the room right away, just like the footprints are indicating. (Chapter 60) But since he went to the restroom before, it signifies that imprints should have been left behind. Yet there’s nothing like that. Therefore, this means that someone had to erase the imprints. It can only be Kim!! As for the doctor, I believe that he must have heard the painter visiting the restroom. (Chapter 59) Note, there’s the sound of the door closing. But when the disappearance of the artist was noticed, the physician didn’t realize the significance of this noise, only afterwards hence he hesitated to mention it, as it appeared so anodyne. However, as the readers can envision, if the physician had talked about the painter’s visit to the bathroom, then the lord would have realized that someone had tampered evidence. However, the noble due to the footsteps had sent for his domestics in order to start a research, hence the doctor didn’t think about this right away. But this doesn’t end here. I suddenly realized that the doctor could have heard something else, the sound of No-Name jumping and the painter‘s question: 
(chapter 59) But since the artist was silent right away, as the Joker knocked him out immediately, the physician could have jumped to the conclusion that Baek Na-Kyum met an acquaintance. So when the vanishing of the painter was discovered, the doctor assumed that the artist had followed the person he met during that night. Honestly, I can’t blame the doctor for his “passivity”, if my assumption is correct. Due to the lord’s agitated state of mind, the doctor could only realize it afterwards. With this new discovery, it becomes more comprehensible why the physician hesitated the next morning. He didn’t know what he should do. 
(Chapter 63) If he revealed what he had heard, then he imagined that he could bring the person who had „helped“ Baek Na-Kyum to escape into trouble. Observe the presence of the drop of sweat on his face. He was definitely uncomfortable. If he testified, then he could reveal the presence of a conspiracy. Nonetheless, I believe that he had jumped to the wrong conclusion: desertion. And with this new discovery, you can understand why the butler was so worried. He had no idea what the doctor had noticed. Imagine, the valet got caught by his own method (spying behind doors), however in the physician’s case, the latter was not doing out of malevolence. He just happened to become a witness, but he had assumed something else. That’s the reason why Kim was so worried, he had seen no one, yet the doctor had observed something. Kim never imagined that such a small detail (noise) could become a threat for him. This explicates why he chose to visit the doctor during the night. 
(Chapter 64) He needed to ensure that the doctor remains silent. Many manhwaphiles will certainly recall how Kim threatened the doctor…
(chapter 65) Back then, I had assumed that out of cowardice, he had not intervened due to Kim’s harsh words. Nonetheless, I came to a different interpretation. After recognizing how Byeonduck is tricking the readers, she gives the impression of a continuity, I believe that during that night, the butler visited two different physicians. According to my theory, there exist 3 different doctors. For more, please read the analysis “The mysterious doctor“. How did this idea come up? Simply by paying attention to the BEARD!! 
(Chapter 57) Note that the beard of this physician is covering the cheek and is straight. 
(Chapter 63) But now compare it to the physician’s beard in episode 65: The cheek is free on the side, and it has the form of a W!! First, he went to the one who treated the painter 
(Chapter 65) and from my point of view, he used pity to discover what the physician knew. Remember how he had used compassion the night before (chapter 57). Besides, if you contrast both statements, you will detect a contradiction. “This could be a matter of life or death“ implies that it was about saving someone, while in the second image, it is about killing someone: the other doctor! In my eyes, the valet must have begged the physician 
(chapter 57) to remain silent. If he revealed that he had discovered the presence of someone, then the other could get into trouble. In my opinion, the butler must have suggested that Baek Na-Kyum had tried to escape, because the lord had been abusing him. Don‘t forget that he had been treating the artist for his wrist. Then he must have seen the lord panicking too. 
(Chapter 60) But now, the manhwaphiles are probably wondering why he went to the other physician then. It was related to the lord’s behavior in the shed. He was acting like a sex-maniac. 
(Chapter 55) This doctor had reprimanded the butler and had been prescribing a tonic. So he visited the physician and used this opportunity to put the whole blame on the poor doctor. (Chapter 65) Because of him, the painter was now treated like a sex toy. The physician had poisoned the lord. Keep in mind that we always have a reflection within the same season. Baek Na-Kyum got “poisoned“, so it should be the same for the lord! Kim threatened the poor man for one reason. No one should discover that two different physicians had been treating Yoon Seungho!! 
(Chapter 65) The man never saw anything, Kim just described to him how the main lead had been behaving! Yes, he was acting like Yoon Chang-Hyeon who had gone to the doctor and described the son’s illness. 
(Chapter 57)
Now, it becomes comprehensible why the valet silenced the two doctors. Both were important witnesses who could reveal the butler’s complicity. The latter had been frequenting two different doctors, and he had made the decision on his own accord. He had acted like a noble, while in reality he was just a servant. Besides, if this doctor (chapter 63) had mentioned the presence of a third person, then Yoon Seungho could have asked the painter and the latter could have revealed the abduction. With such an innocent observation, the noble would start questioning the butler and he could realize that the imprints had been erased and new ones had been created. That’s why Kim had a huge interest for Baek Na-Kyum’s death, and hoped that the noble had killed him in the barn, hence he kept approaching the shed.
(chapter 61) 
(chapter 62)
(chapter 64) He needed to confirm his death. But since the lord was having sex the whole night, the butler had to make sure to bury the truth. If the artist had fainted, then the valet would have fetched the other doctor, the one who imagined that Baek Na-Kyum had escaped. And now, you comprehend why the man hesitated to question the painter after his return: 
(chapter 74) He was wondering why the artist would look so fine, as he had attempted to escape before. Another evidence for this theory is the following rule: a reflection within the same season. Since the doctor had been puzzled by Yoon Seungho‘s illness, I am deducing that he had the exact opposite disposition concerning the artist. He imagined what the artist had done. He had jumped to the wrong conclusion due to the injured wrist. Besides, he was “aware“ of the lord‘s mood swings.
So after the abduction, everything looked fine again, because Yoon Seungho was more focused on getting the painter’s acceptance. 
(Chapter 71) Consequently, he was not investigating the real circumstances of the abduction. But he has another reason for neglecting this aspect: he knows the culprit’s identity, unaware that unveiling the mastermind’s identity is far from enough. Real justice is to uncover truth. However, at the end of season 2, the wealthy noble was more like a teenager in love. That’s the reason why he was making a huge mistake.
I could understand the lord’s attitude, although this doesn’t signify that I couldn’t criticize him. He has always hoped for a home and as such acceptance, and the artist did fulfil his wish: he definitely selected him and chose to remain by his side. On the other hand, Yoon Seungho was no longer hoping for the painter’s confession. And this perception was confirmed in season 3: 
(chapter 85) He was already content if the artist would look at him, the moment you recall his first confession: 
(chapter 55). Hence in chapter 71, he’s blushing and happy, for Baek Na-Kyum is definitely starring at him with such a curiosity and desire.
Moreover, the painter talks to him, has even accepted his advances. That’s why he is no longer paying attention to the circumstances that led him to think that the painter had run away on his own feet. As for Kim, he was running out of time, because at any moment, Baek Na-Kyum could mention his visit to the restroom or meeting the Jester. Consequently, the former had to use any trick to remove the artist. Hence he encouraged the kisaeng Heena to take away her brother. 
(Chapter 67)
However, Byeonduck drew such a panel in chapter 71: Why? In my first version, I had expressed the following expectation: the imprints would play another important role again and this theory was confirmed in season 3. 
(chapter 100) Here, they revealed that the main lead had gone down on his knees, the moment he had seen the traces of fresh blood. Then note that in the shaman’s house, the lord had left a bloody foot print
(chapter 102), yet in the snow it was no longer visible. 
(Chapter 102) Someone had erased the traces by putting mattresses on the soil. However, while the lord was walking through the mountain, he was definitely leaving a bloody trail behind 
(chapter 102), a sign that someone had been helping him. And this can only be KIM!! And the last chapter from season 3 seems to confirm my initial investigation: The butler had erased the traces from the abduction. He knew about the kidnapping and helped Lee Jihwa and the Joker.
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Protected: Painter Of The Night: Painting and desires – part 3 (second version)
Painter Of The Night: Silence (fourth 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/
It would be great if you could make some donations/sponsoring: Ko-fi.com/bebebisous33 That way, you can support me with “coffee” so that I have the energy to keep examining manhwas. Besides, I need to cover up the expenses for this blog.
“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people” from Martin Luther King
With this quote, the famous American Baptist minister denunciated the passive attitude of many Americans, who didn’t feel concerned with racism and segregation in 60’s. Why?
(chapter 65) As you can see, the valet Kim is not revealing the truth, not out of fear, but he has the impression, this is not his problem. He chooses indifference. With this single attitude, the readers discover Kim’s true personality and past, confirming my last analysis about him. When he heard the painter’s refusal, 
(chapter 65), he was brought back to the past. The domestic was a witness of Yoon Seungho’s rape and as such of his sexual abuse. Striking is that in episode 65, he didn’t even open the door, but instead of helping, he let it happened. He didn’t act according to his belief. This means that in the past, he must have acted the opposite. The door was open. This signifies that he abandoned the young Yoon Seungho, when the main lead asked for assistance. 
(chapter 65) He refused to listen to the young master’s plea. And now, you understand why Yoon Seungho had sex in front of him outside the barn. Unconsciously, he wanted to confront the valet with the consequences of his actions.
(chapter 64) The teenager was left behind by the servant, and his hand couldn’t even stop him. But since it is a reflection, I think that the butler was the one who brought the main lead to the predator, naturally his intention was not to have him raped. And now, I grasp why the lord feels the need to hurt people with his hand, like for example strangling the painter 
(chapter 61) or grabbing the topknot of a noble
(chapter 8). His hand expresses not only his rage, but also his powerlessness. With his hand, he wasn’t able to stop the valet from leaving him behind. He had tried to stop his father from leaving his side with his hand too. 
(chapter 86) Furthermore, Yoon Seungho couldn’t even punish the valet for betraying him, because he had no authority and no strength. Back then, he was just a teenager. In chapter 63 and 64, Yoon Seungho was indeed reliving his traumatic past. Because the butler was recollecting two different memories (the night before and the lord’s sexual abuse), my first impression was that the young boy had been abused in the shed. (chapter 65) Yet, the storage room is the place where the valet betrayed him, as he changed his lord. 
(chapter 77) My theory is that the main lead was raped by “lord Song”, the king. Therefore I assume that the man was invited by father Yoon. Remember that the kisaeng Heena proposed to her donsaeng to seek the protection of a nobleman, as he is a low-born. 
(chapter 97) My idea is that the valet thought that by seeking the monarch’s protection, the young master’s suffering would end, for the king stands above the scholars and elders. Anyway, I believe that the valet made a bad choice and regretted it afterwards. Due to his guilt, he developed resent towards Yoon Seungho. And this explains why Kim said this to the painter in order to ease his pain: 
(chapter 12) He couldn’t tell him details, since he would reveal his complicity to the crime. Furthermore, since the valet led the painter to the pavilion, it is very likely that Kim was the one who offered Yoon Seungho to the pedophile, which makes his crime even worse.
With Kim’s silence came a huge price: fear and guilt. (chapter 65) Since he had not assisted the young master repeatedly
(chapter 77), he became more and more burdened by his guilty conscience. He turned into an accomplice, for he never revealed his involvement and mistakes.. He could no longer reveal the truth, because he would have to get punished. He feared father Yoon’s wrath and he had reasons too. He could definitely die. That’s the reason why he reproaches the doctor his passivity and silence, though in my opinion, it was not about the abduction, but about the tonic. Sure, in Joseon, there was no law called “Duty to rescue or Failure to provide assistance”.
“Failure to assist a person in danger is a criminal offence that condemns the failure to assist a person in danger. Contrary to most criminal norms, it is an offence of omission and not of commission, i.e. the perpetrator does not act when he should have done so.”
However, from a moral perspective, Kim committed a wrongdoing, and he knew it. That’s why he couldn’t forget and felt guilty. Even nowadays “Duty to rescue law” doesn’t exist everywhere, nonetheless many European countries, like Germany or France or UK possess one and its creation was partially influenced by the experiences made due to Nazism. And now, the manhwalovers can comprehend why my association to dictatorship was correct. Kim and other ordinary people are their willing assistants in the end. They prefer avoiding trouble out of convenience. Consequently, they turn a blind eye to injustice. Yet, though they try to forget
(chapter 65), they can’t, because they feel guilty and remorse. Note that right after voicing his wish to forget the incident, he recalls Yoon Seungho’s tragedy indicating his incapacity to forget. This explains why Kim gives the doctor the following advice: (chapter 65) Although Kim’s words in the panel are addressed to the physician, they actually reflect that Kim is speaking out of experience. He knows by experience that “silence is a true friend who never betrays”. Observe that Kim’s complicity was never brought to light, hence he never got punished. This explicates why Yoon Seungho is acting differently from his biological father in reality. Each time there was a crime, the lord let the painter defend himself and asked questions: chapter 11 and 62 
, (chapter 62) especially when you think that Baek Na-Kyum is just a commoner. But the problem is that he was biased, just like his father who had the impression that his son was a homosexual due to the testimonies of close people (Kim, Lee Jihwa and probably Yoon Seung-Won). After the rape, Yoon Seungho got punished. And this interpretation was proven correct in season 3 
(chapter 77). But here Kim remained silent too. 
(chapter 77) It was even worse than before, because after the straw mat beating, he was paralyzed. No one spoke for him and believed his words, and Kim wasn’t willing to step in. Moreover, I believe that Kim had another reason for remaining silent. 
(chapter 65) He disliked the idea of a scandal and trouble. If he had told the truth, he knew that his punishment would be death. Out of convenience, he ran away from responsibility and from the uncomfortable truth. 
(chapter 65) That’s why I believe that the author is not showing that Kim and the physician chose secrecy and silence, because they feared for their life. They only started fearing for their life, when the truth is about to be revealed, as the painter was not dead yet. As the victim, he was a witness. Because once the lord discovers the butler’s passivity and complicity, it becomes a matter of life or death for him. According to me, there are two doctors. So the chapter 65 unveils that the first doctor didn’t testify, as he wanted to help the artist. (chapter 65) In my opinion, the butler had deceived the commoner, he let him believe that Baek Na-Kyum had run away because of the lord’s violent temper. The painter had come wounded to his office. This negative perception of the young lord Yoon could only make the doctor jump to wrong conclusion. ,Striking is that this scene (chapter 63) revealed that the doctor was hesitating to give his opinion to the butler, he thought that the artist had run away. And what is the common denominator of all these scenes with the doctors. They all chose silence for different reasons. Just like Kim, the doctor had become an accomplice. As for the second, he remained silent out of fear, that he could get into trouble. (chapter 65) My theory is that the valet used the drug as an excuse to silence the physician. Now, the doctor is hoping that the boy says no word about it, so that his “wrongdoing”, the false medication, won’t be discovered. Kim blamed the doctor that after that, his master had behaved like a crazy man. The result was that both physicians chose silence!! Why? It is because the valet had pushed them to make this choice. And note the pattern. Kim used pity and compassion for the first doctor, and fear and brutality for the second! Exactly like in this scene: (chapter 12) In this scene, we have all three elements: pity, fear and silence (“can’t go into details”).
And despite knowing the truth, Kim makes the same decision like in the past. He chooses to sweep the incident under the carpet. He is glossing over the abduction with all fake excuses. (chapter 65) He has the audacity to say that his master won’t hurt the painter, although he even witnessed the roughness the artist was exposed to. Yet, for him harm was flogging or execution. From my perspective, this is no coincidence that the author showed us the valet sweeping. 
(chapter 65) This represents his attitude in life, therefore he is responsible for Baek Na-Kyum’s loss of innocence. His other leitmotiv is 
(chapter 23) He acts, as if he knows nothing reminding us of this scene.
(chapter 28)That’s why I believe that the butler was lying back then and had even allowed the artist to run away that morning. I see a new version of chapter 29. But let’s go back to chapter 65. Notice that he is the one removing the snowman built by the painter, the last reminder of the low-born’s innocence. In two occasions, he chose cowardice and silence. First, he did nothing to stop his master (chapter 65), as he didn’t desire to feel his master’s wrath. Secondly, he asked the physician to keep silent by making him feel guilty. (chapter 65) But if he had seen this, he could have intervened and reasoned his master. But he chose not. He was too embarrassed, for he had been caught “spying”. (chapter 64)
And the next day, he prefers to forget this incident. (chapter 65) What caught my attention is that he feels nothing for the painter, he doesn’t even express any regret or remorse. Since he knows that the artist won’t be killed, then everything will return to normal. He doesn’t consider the impact of Yoon Seungho’s violence used against the painter, which he witnessed on several occasions. For him what matters the most is silence, the absence of ruckus! And now, I can understand why the lord is not able to distinguish genuine from hypocritical care. When the lord was young, he saw in his valet a surrogate father, but he got betrayed in the worst way. He turned away from the wounded master. He closed his eyes, closed the door and ran away. Therefore, it becomes comprehensible why Yoon Seungho’s unconscious always expresses itself through the hand, the eye and the feet. This was the result of Kim’s abandonment, but not only from him: from his own family and even his best friend. And back then, the butler must have thought exactly the same in order to justify his behavior: (chapter 65). He legitimated his cowardice and passivity by saying that Yoon Seungho wasn’t part of his life and his adoptive son. He was just a noble, with such a statement, Kim was drawing a line. Due to his mistakes, he chose not to intervene any longer. But observe that in season 1 and 2, he meddled in his lord’s life, as he viewed it as his own business. Why? It is because he feared that he could lose his position. However, I think that in season 1, he was more influenced by his unconscious, but not in season 2.
After all these observations, I come to the conclusion that Kim has many common points with Lee Jihwa. He knows the past and feels remorse and repentance. But both are forced to hide their wrongdoings and as such their culpability. That’s why the chapter 65 reinforced my conviction that Lee Jihwa was indeed responsible for Yoon Seungho’s misery and the red-haired noble was aware of it. Yet, exactly like the butler, he denied his responsibility. Sure, many are to blame for the main lead’s tragedy as well: father Yoon, his brother and lord Song/the king. All of them lied and chose to remain silent.
From my point of view, Byeonduck has another reason for making Baek Na-Kyum going through the same experiences than the protagonist’s. This is not just to make Yoon Seungho realize what he has become and sees his own reflection in the end. In my opinion, the author uses the painter’s suffering to reveal the main lead’s tragic past. Since we all suffer for the artist, the manhwaphiles have to imagine that Yoon Seungho experienced it too, but in the worst possible way, as he had really no one by his side. While Yoon Seungho might be rough and hurtful towards the artist, he is still in love with the artist, hence he still cleans
(chapter 65) the artist after their intercourse and even gives him his own shirt. He shows a certain sense of responsibility.
So my actual theory about Yoon Seungho’s past is the following: Yoon Chang-Hyeon got deceived by many people, making him believe that his son was an idle young master before being stigmatized as sodomite. The king had to ruin the protagonist’s reputation in order to approach him. The real puppet master was lord Song alias the king. But every culprits had to suffer the consequences of their crimes and deceptions. I don’t think that even the king was spared. He also got punished by the gods, yet he never realized it. Yoon Chang-Hyeon thought, he could benefit from such an alliance, but he got betrayed by father Lee, but the scholar never recognized it. 
(chapter 82) Why didn’t he ask for a punishment after this humiliation? It is because he couldn’t. However, he must have definitely sought revenge. And the main lead became the sacrificial lamb, as in father Yoon’s eyes, his son was the reason for the purge: desertion, betrayal and probably drugs played a role in the purge. It is definitely possible that I have to change this theory about his traumatic past, but as you can observe, the main elements don’t change:
- coercive persuasion: sexual, physical and emotional abuse
- a wrongdoing and the innocence of the main lead, yet the father believes that his words are all lies
- the abandonment from everyone: Lee Jihwa, the staff, the butler, his brother and his biological father
- The responsibility of Jihwa and Kim in his misery due to their behavior (action versus passivity)
- sexual abuse committed by a repressed homosexual
- “prostitution” and gangrape As the king would share Yoon Seungho to his officials
As a conclusion, silence is as terrible as words. Both can kill in the end.
Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
That’s why it is important not to turn away from injustice. This is not just a question of courage. Not helping someone in the need is committing a crime, and it contributes to reinforce injustice. Fear for life can not be an excuse in this story, since the matter of life and death appears afterwards. The silence is related to a misdeed. Besides, this kind of behavior explains why Third Reich could exist. First, while some people were convinced believers, many chose comfort over trouble. Let’s not forget that Hitler could install his dictatorship, because the MP from the Reichstag voted for Enabling Act (1933). That law gave Hitler the power to enact laws without the involvement from the Reichstag. One might argue that Hitler used terror to coerce the MP, but this is not correct, as Otto Wels gave a speech against it and the socialist party (SPD) followed him. This was the only party that voted against it. I have to admit that while reading the last chapter, I couldn’t help myself thinking of the Third Wave.
In our case, it is not about Nazism, but about civil courage. Once one remains passive, the other follows creating a common movement: all become inactive and silent. IT takes courage to admit a mistake and a wrongdoing. And we have to imagine that in the past, the servant Kim remained silent once leading the others to close an eye as well. And the phenomenon is occurring again. The physician was a witness, but did nothing (not even asking for help after the painter’s disappearance). He was convinced that if he shut his mouth, he would help the artist! But this was simply wrong, for with his passivity and false conclusion, the painter could have died. The irony is that Kim is following him after their conversation. (chapter 65) Slowly, he is recognizing that his master won’t hurt the artist. Yet, during his visit, he thought the exact opposite. (chapter 65)
However, this time it is different because of Baek Na-Kyum’s panic attack and his sister’s intervention.
(chapter 65) The lord realized that something had happened. Due to the painter’s reaction, he was brought back the past. 
(chapter 66) Striking is that the painter’s words were the trigger for revealing the truth. 
(chapter 66) This stands in opposition to silence. Therefore it is no coincidence that Min revealed the truth. 
(chapter 66) The irony is that Heena suspected the main lead of kidnapping her brother and everything looked like her words were true: the wrist, the wounds around his wrist, his actual position (the mouth covered and his hands tied together…)
(chapter 66) 
(chapter 66) Thus the circumstances were turned against him. 
(chapter 65) But she was not present, when Min admitted Lee Jihwa’s crime. That’s how I realized that while chapter 65 represents silence, deception, cowardice and passivity, chapter 66 embodies the exact opposite. Min told the truth, Heena tried to save her brother by creating a ruckus! For Yoon Seungho, silence is a sign of culpability which he learnt from Kim. Hence he lied to the kisaeng 
(chapter 65), and later never spoke to the painter about the incident. If he had done it, he would have been forced to admit his misjudgment and wrongdoing. And now, you understand why Martin Luther King said this:
“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people”
The physician and the butler are no evil men per se, as they don’t find pleasure in death and suffering. However, like the following idiom is revealing, people can change due to their decisions:
The way to hell is paved with good intentions.
That’s why in season 4, the tragedy won’t be repeated and the truth about Yoon Seungho’s martyrdom, strongly intertwined with the artist’s, will come to the surface. You are wondering why now. The reason is quite simple: The doctor revealed his knowledge to Baek Na-Kyum, 
(chapter 57) It doesn’t matter, if the butler told lies to the physician in the past, as they are now perceived as truth. Remember what Kim confided to the painter: 
(chapter 86) He believes that he is the only one left who knows the past. But he is wrong, since the doctor also recalls the past. Hence how can Kim prove that he is telling the truth, since he told a different story to the physician? In addition, we have also lord Song. Besides, by giving the drug to Yoon Seungho without his knowledge and consent, Kim committed a wrongdoing. His knowledge won’t serve him in the end. I am deducing that the saying “silence is a true friend who never betrays” will no longer be valid. Therefore we have to expect a betrayal, and that would be from the physician, especially after we recall the butler’s warning in the first season, which was addressed to a different doctor from my point of view: 
(chapter 33) Let’s not forget that in chapter 65, the servant tried to put the whole responsibility on the physician, making him feel guilty. And since Byeonduck is even using elements from the first and second season, I believe, we will have a reversed situation in season 4, where the doctor will speak up and put the whole blame on someone. Neither the physician nor Kim expected that the painter’s body wouldn’t remain silent (chapter 65), a proof that the truth needed to be unveiled. It was impossible to act, as if nothing had happened, just because the painter had been returned to Yoon Seungho. And it is the same at the end of season 3. The painter gave his husband a task: 
(chapter 102) He needs to find the answer, which stands in opposition to silence and burying the truth (sweeping it under the carpet). This signifies that this time, Yoon Seungho has to gather information himself, and he can not rely on Kim: 
(chapter 98) As you can see, slowly people are forced to talk
(chapter 99), hence their testimony can be questioned and perceived as lie.
(chapter 100). This is important, because by getting confronted with lies, the lord will be able to discern the truth! In other words, silence embodies darkness and as such death. 
(chapter 74) Thus there was only silence in the lord’s nightmare. And this contradicts this statement: (chapter 65) Because Germans chose silence, the Holocaust could take place.
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.
Protected: Painter Of The Night: Yoon Seungho’s secrets (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.
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