Please support the authors by reading Manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the Manhwa: Jinx But be aware that the Manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link of the table of contents about Jinx. Here is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed Manhwas. Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex, and the 2 previous essays about Jinx The Song Of Life (locked) and The Fabric of Silence
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People might have been wondering why I haven’t published anything after the release of episode 78. My silence is linked to my health. I was sick exactly like Joo Jaekyung. I had to remain in bed for a while. But enough about me.
When Doc Dan returned to Team Black, the fighters were so overjoyed that they immediately proposed to celebrate his comeback with a party. 
(chapter 78) Their noisy excitement — hugs, wishes, smiles, jokes, even talk of meat — gave the impression of a long-awaited reunion. Yet the suggestion was cut short by Jaekyung, who rejected it like this: 
(chapter 78) In other words, a party was “missed.” At first glance, this might appear to be an exception, a rare moment of denial in a story otherwise filled with shared rituals. Readers might recall the welcome party
(chapter 9) in episode 9, the champion’s birthday dinner 
(chapter 43) in episode 43, the talk of hospital get-togethers 
(chapter 61), or the festive tone of fighters after director Choi Gilseok’s victory 
(chapter 52).
But the closer one looks, the clearer the pattern becomes. The missed party is not an isolated accident; it is the rhythm of Jinx itself. Whenever celebration hovers near — a victory, a birthday, a reunion, even a funeral — someone is not present. In addition, the celebration arrives too early, too late, in the wrong place, or in the wrong form. Jaekyung wins titles, but the gym shares the glory while he remains uncelebrated. 
(chapter 41) Why did they not organize a party in Seoul to celebrate his victory in the States? Dan devotes himself to work, but his departures are marked by silence 
(chapter 53) rather than farewell. 
(chapter 1) The few rituals that do occur — a premature birthday cake, a noisy hug, puppies chasing after a car — 
(chapter 78) always miss their mark, either hollow in substance or unseen by the very people who should be honored.
The title The Missed Party therefore names more than one canceled occasion. It captures the way the two protagonists move through a world where rituals of belonging are constantly distorted or denied. And in a culture where such celebrations carry deep social weight, the absence is all the more striking. The missed party becomes the haunting motif of their lives: recognition always promised, but never truly given.
The Meaning of Parties in Korea
In Korean culture, parties and team dinners (hoesik) hold a strong ritual function: they create bonds, display hierarchy, and confirm belonging within a group. Farewells, birthdays, and victories are all expected occasions for collective recognition. Yet in Jinx, these moments of celebration are strangely absent or hollow. When Jaekyung wins, his fee doubles, but no feast marks his achievement. Instead, the manager presents the “wolf” as his “trophy”. To conclude, others share in the reflected glory while the champion himself remains excluded, a fighter without a banquet. (Chapter 41) And this absence of recognition and respect is mirrored in the physical therapist’s position. He is not surrounded by the fighters and included by the manager. He is standing on the sideline. It was, as though his good work was not recognized 
. (Chapter 43) Even the “dragon’s” birthday, supposedly a day of personal celebration, is reduced to an awkward dinner at his expense, with a cake arriving a day too early 
(chapter 43) or gifts from sponsors and fans he never wanted. 
(Chapter 41) In Germany, it is considered as a bad omen to celebrate a birthday too soon. Rituals that should affirm intimacy instead expose distance and lack of respect.
A striking contrast appears in chapter 52, when the fighters from King of MMA (chapter 52) gather at the very restaurant used for Jaekyung’s birthday. This time the feast is paid for not by him, but by Choi Gilseok — the rival director who had just won money betting against Jaekyung. The excuse for the banquet is twofold: the humiliation of the champion’s tie and the arrival of new members. Yet the sponsor of the event is absent, his presence felt only through the bill he covers. Unlike the wolf, whose victories go unmarked, Choi Gilseok uses food and drink to project power and buy loyalty. Yet, this celebration with the absent director displays not only hypocrisy, but also resent and jealousy due to the selection of the location. The cruel irony is that Jaekyung’s fall is more celebrated than his rise. 
(Chapter 52)
This cultural backdrop makes the silences and absences in the Korean Manhwa all the more striking. Parties are repeatedly mentioned but rarely materialize, and when they do, they are strangely hollow. In chapter 61, for instance, a nurse suggests inviting the star to their next hospital get-together. (Chapter 61) The excitement is palpable — “loyalty” and celebrity sparkle in their eyes — but what stands out is the way Dan is erased in the process. They do not invite him; they want access to the famous fighter through him. His role is reduced to a conduit, the man who happens to be “close with Mr. Joo.” The irony is brutal: after two months of work in the hospice, Dan has never once been shown attending such gatherings himself. His own belonging is not on the table. He is used as a bridge to someone else’s fame, while his own exhaustion and lowered gaze silently testify to his exclusion.
But wait — is Dan not also responsible for his isolation? At no moment does he try to be close to them. He avoids their chatter, keeps his distance, and carries himself like someone already half absent. Chapter 56 seems to confirm this impression: even approached by one of the nurses, doc Dan uses work to avoid their company. 
(chapter 56) However, this is just an illusion. What caught my attention is that the nurses wondered themselves why such a skilled therapist would come to a small-town hospital.
(chapter 56) They speak about him, as though he had no reason to stay there, as if he were a stranger passing through. Right from the beginning, he was treated unconsciously as temporary, someone whose presence required explanation rather than welcome. Finally, no party was held for him, no ritual of inclusion was offered. His distance and their detachment mirrored each other, producing the silence that would later define his departure. 
(chapter 78)
The paradox becomes even clearer when we turn to the star himself. Despite his status as champion, he never receives a proper victory celebration. After each match, we never see a celebration. 
(chapter 5) It ends either in the car or in the locker room. 
(chapter 15) The high peak of his celebrated victories takes place at the gym where Park Namwook gather the fighters in front of the Emperor congratulating himself for his “good work” and the spectators for belonging to a winning team. (chapter 41) Yet no feast is held for Jaekyung, no toast to his perseverance. The two men at the center of the achievement are left without ritual acknowledgment, while the institution absorbs the honor. They remain a wolf and a hamster without a feast — fighting, winning, but never celebrated for who they are. And now, you understand why the manager could make such a suggestion at the hospital: 
(chapter 53) For him, the physical therapists were just tools and as such replaceable.
Even Jaekyung’s birthday party in chapter 43 reveals this paradox. 
(chapter 43) A birthday, especially in Korea, is typically a family-centered celebration, held at home or among close friends. Yet Jaekyung’s “party” takes place in a restaurant, under Yosep’s casual announcement that they would be having a “dinner party.” (chapter 43) The phrasing itself is odd, almost bureaucratic, as though the event were an obligation rather than a gift. Jaekyung himself had to pay the bill, reversing the usual logic of being celebrated. They even started eating before which is actually a huge violation of social norms. The cake appeared the day before his real birthday, an empty gesture more about timing than sincerity. And while fans and sponsors showered him with gifts throughout the month, Jaekyung revealed that he didn’t want any of them. The ritual forms were there — cake, dinner, presents — but the meaning was absent.
But there is another telling absence: Dan himself was left in the dark about the “surprise.” (chapter 43) The fighters never included him in the planning, as if they feared he might leak the secret. In reality, this exclusion only repeated his deeper past: once again, he was not considered part of the group’s inner circle. Had he been told, he might have brought the card and the gift of his own, softening the sting of Jaekyung’s reaction. 
(chapter 45) By keeping Dan in the dark about the “surprise,” the fighters created another problem. Their silence pushed him to offer his own present on the same day as the gifts from sponsors and fans — exactly the kind of attention Jaekyung resented. He had already said he did not want those presents, and now Dan’s sincere gesture was placed in the same category, indistinguishable from the flood of unwanted offerings. What could have been a private, meaningful moment was absorbed into the hollow ritual of the group. Hence the champion never got to read his card! (chapter 43) In trying to celebrate, the team only ensured that both Jaekyung and Dan felt more isolated than ever. Instead, his silence reinforced the impression that he was peripheral. Unconsciously, Team Black treated him not as one of their own, but as an outsider to be managed. And even within the celebration, another absence was visible: Potato was missing, and no one seemed to notice. (chapter 43) The party did not affirm Jaekyung’s existence, nor Dan’s place beside him. It only reinforced their shared isolation, hidden under the noise of clapping and cheers.
Thus, Jinx presents us with a paradox: in a culture where parties are essential rituals of belonging, both Dan and Jaekyung remain excluded. They are surrounded by the signs of festivity, but the substance is always missing. Their lives are structured not by recognition but by its absence, not by celebration but by silence.
Dan’s Missed Parties
If the star’s parties are hollow, Dan’s are almost nonexistent. The only party where we see him smiling is his birthday, when he was a little boy. 
(Chapter 11) One might think, this celebration embodies a perfect birthday party. However, observe the absence of friends. It took place during the night too, a sign that his birthday was not celebrated properly. Everything implies his social exclusion. This made me wonder if this memory represents the only birthday party he ever had with Shin Okja. His life is a sequence of departures without ritual, absences without acknowledgment. Each time he leaves a place of work or community, he slips out like a ghost, denied the closure that parties are meant to provide.
At the hospital in Seoul, where he endured the predatory advances of the director, his dismissal was brutal and final. (Chapter 1) He was not only fired but blacklisted, erased from his profession’s networks. No farewell dinner was organized, no colleagues thanked him for his work, no one marked his departure. 
(Chapter 1) His stay had been so brief as well. Besides, his absence was engineered to be total, as though he had never existed. The very ritual that should have affirmed his contributions instead became a ritual of erasure.
At the gym, the pattern repeated itself. The spray incident turned him first into a scapegoat. Park Namwook yelled, the fighters remained passive, and even Jaekyung rejected his presence. In the space of a few minutes, Dan was ostracized, his innocence ignored. 
(Chapter 50) Then later the athlete questioned the physical therapist’s actions and told him this 
(chapter 51) out of fear and pain, the physical therapist thought, he was fired. Once again, he left in silence, unacknowledged. No one stood up for him, no one tried to reintegrate him, no farewell was offered. (Chapter 53) And keep in mind that according to me, in this scene, the manager already knew the truth. So he had a reason to dismiss a farewell party. The absence of ritual here was particularly cruel: Dan had given his skills and energy to the fighters, but his exit marked him only as disposable.
The hospice, where he briefly found genuine warmth, provided no closure either. When he left for Seoul, the staff were shocked, even saddened — but his departure was so sudden that no send-off was possible. (Chapter 78) Their affection was genuine, but the ritual was missing. Dan slipped away in silence, just as he had at the hospital and the gym. In the panel, what caught my attention is the reaction of the director. He is crying while keeping his distance, a sign that he is the one the most affected by doc Dan’s departure. For me, the author is alluding to the director’s regrets. If only he had treated doc Dan better… only too late, he had recognized that he had become accustomed to his presence. Doc Dan had always been a silent but active listener.
This absence of farewell may stretch back to his earliest traumas. If his parents truly died by suicide, it is possible that Dan never attended their funeral. Poverty, shame, and debt may have erased even that ceremony, leaving him with no closure for the loss of his own family. We can use Joo Jaewoong’s funeral as a source of inspiration. 
(chapter 74) The silence of his grandmother on this point suggests that even the most basic ritual of mourning was denied him.
The pattern becomes symbolic in the death of the puppy. 
(Chapter 59) Only Dan and the landlord marked the event with a quiet burial. Since no one knew about it, it left the ritual incomplete. For Dan, the small act was meaningful, but its invisibility to the larger community echoed his own life: recognition always hidden, always partial, never public.
Even in moments that looked like parties, Dan was left on the margins. Jaekyung’s birthday party, with its cake and noisy cheer, contained an intimate truth: Jaekyung’s sudden, raw confession, “
(chapter 43) This was the real heart of the evening, the only moment where ritual turned into intimacy. And yet even this was missed by Potato, who was absent at that crucial moment, lingering elsewhere with Heesung. The party’s form was there, but its essence — the recognition of Jaekyung’s loneliness and Dan’s importance — was overlooked by the two men at its center due to the presence of alcohol.
Thus, Dan’s life is a chain of missed parties. At the hospital, the gym, the hospice, even at funerals, he departs without recognition. And when celebrations do occur, the essential truth is missed — noticed only by those who are absent, while those present look away.
The Puppies’ Party
Nowhere is the irony sharper than in chapter 78, when the puppies run after the departing car. 
(Chapter 78) To them, departure is not tragedy but play, a noisy farewell parade. Their barking and chasing become a spontaneous party, a joyous ritual of attachment. (Chapter 78) It is pure, instinctive, and alive. And yet, neither Jaekyung nor Dan sees it. Shut in the car, burdened by urgency, contracts, and exhaustion, they miss the little parade given in their honor.
The contrast is devastating. Humans, with their expectations of formal ritual, repeatedly fail to mark Dan’s contributions. They miss every opportunity to acknowledge him. But the animals, in their innocence, succeed where people fail: they celebrate simply because they care. The puppies recognize bonds better than the humans who claim to love him.
What makes this little parade even more striking is that the puppies do not separate between wolf and hamster. Their joy is directed at both men together, at the bond symbolized by the car’s departure. (Chapter 78) In this sense, the puppies achieve what the humans cannot: they recognize attachment without division, gratitude without debt. Their farewell is not tied to work, contracts, or hierarchy, but to presence itself. (Chapter 78) By running after the car, they express loyalty and responsibility, acknowledging the care they have received. It is the only party in Jinx that includes both protagonists as they are — not as worker and champion, not as scapegoat and boss, but as a pair worth celebrating. Finally, they have no idea that the couple plans to return soon, as they have no notion of time.
(Chapter 78) Striking is that here, doc Dan is making a promise to Boksoon and her puppies, but the latter have no idea. Therefore imagine this. On the weekend, the moment the car approaches the landlord’s house, the puppies will recognize them and celebrate their return! And this time, both characters will witness this welcome party: (chapter 78) How can doc Dan not be moved and even smile? Why did the champion reject the landlord’s suggestion (taking a puppy)? He had no time… Having a puppy will not just force him to slow down and take his time, but also attract real and genuine attention from the members of Team Black. (Chapter 78) The animals would even change Joo Jaekyung’s behavior and the fighters’ perception of their hyung. 
(chapter 78)
The Illusory Reset
When Dan returns to the gym, the fighters smother him with hugs and noisy affection. They beg him not to leave again, propose a welcome party, and act as if everything is back to normal. 
(Chapter 78) But this “reset” is an illusion. Dan is only contracted for two matches. Interesting is that no one is capable of perceiving the truth, as the main lead’s explanation is ambiguous.
(Chapter 78) He doesn’t limit the number of matches, only that he will focus on the “wolf”. So for them, his return is not limited in time. Nevertheless, his paleness and dark circles speak louder than their words: he is exhausted, fragile, still haunted.
The fighters, however, do not see his state. 
(Chapter 78) They are more worried about another possible departure than about his condition, as though his leaving again would be a greater tragedy than his ongoing suffering. This exposes that the members are not totally oblivious and their reunion is not a repetition of the past. On the other hand, warm words and a noisy welcome are enough for them. They take his generosity for granted, just as they always have. Therefore they ask for his magic hands. (Chapter 78) Their celebration is shallow, a ritual meant to restore their own comfort rather than acknowledge his reality.
Here, the cultural weight of parties in Korea sharpens the irony. Gatherings are strongly intertwined with alcohol
(chapter 9), and abstaining from drink often means being excluded from group belonging. Yet Dan, on medication, cannot drink. His doctor’s recommendation makes it impossible for him to participate in such “public” rituals. Even the customary sharing of a huge bowl — a symbol of intimacy and unity — must be avoided. For Jaekyung, who once used alcohol to dull his own struggles, 
(chapter 54) this becomes another reason to refuse such parties: they risk exposing Dan to temptation and harm. Park Namwook, knowing Jaekyung’s history of drinking, has no interest in promoting such events either. 
(Chapter 78) Hence the latter has no interest to organize a welcome party and even maintain the ritual with the bowl!! What might appear to others as grumpiness or stinginess is in fact a form of protection.
In contrast, Potato embodies another response. 
(Chapter 78) Having missed Dan most deeply during his absence, he now wishes to spend as much time as possible with his hyung. His longing shows that no party with Heesung and the landlord — no noisy drinking night — 
(chapter 58) could fill the hole left by Dan’s departure. But his form of attachment is still caught in the ritual of surface-level affection. What Potato craves is real closeness, hence he keeps hugging the physical therapist, (chapter 78) but what he proposes are the same shallow gestures that miss the truth of Dan’s fragility. The chow chow’s words — “Nothing beats seeing you at the gym” — unintentionally reveal this dependence. On the surface, it is a casual expression of joy and longing. Yet beneath it lies another truth: if the hamster were to leave Team Black for good, the gym would eventually lose all its members. From the start of the story, Dan has embodied teamwork. He is the glue that holds the fighters together, not by authority or charisma, but by care. Without him, unity dissolves into rivalry and noise. The irony is that the fighters sense this truth but cannot articulate it. They attempt to celebrate his return with hugs and the promise of a party, as if rituals could substitute for recognition. In reality, what they crave is not the feast but the fragile cohesion that Dan alone brings.
Striking is that Jaekyung’s refusal of the welcome party is linked to his position as director of the gym. It marks a turning point. Indirectly, he rejects the idea by redirecting the fighters’ attention. He points out their indifference toward him. For the first time, the athlete is voicing his dislike openly, he felt excluded. Due to this combination, the athlete doesn’t realize that he rejected the party, as if he refused to participate in hollow rituals that only disguise exhaustion and perpetuate harm. (Chapter 78) It becomes clear that for the athlete, such parties built on illusion can only harm Dan further. To conclude, thanks to his intervention, he protected the hamster from rituals that mistake noise for acceptance and even care. 
(chapter 9)
Park Namwook’s position within Team Black also sheds light on the dynamic of missed parties. In earlier chapters, he was the one who orchestrated gatherings 
(chapter 26), or allowed whether welcome parties or surprise celebrations or pre-match meals 
(chapter 22). These events were never about genuine recognition but about maintaining power and appearances, boosting morale, or reminding the fighters of their dependence on the team structure he managed. The “surprise” birthday party in chapter 43 bore his fingerprints, (chapter 43) yet he stayed conspicuously absent when the cake was presented, only appearing later at the restaurant. 
(chapter 43) This absence is revealing: Namwook preferred to avoid direct conflict with Jaekyung’s visible displeasure, leaving the awkward burden of paying and performing to the champion himself to Yosep. In other words, his parties were tools of control, not gifts of belonging. By chapter 78, however, the balance has shifted. 
(chapter 78) Standing in the back, Namwook watches as Dan returns and is embraced by the fighters. He notices a “different vibe” between the two leads, but fails to grasp what it means. Doc Dan is actually free and has the upper hand in their relationship. Hence he can no longer ask this from doc Dan: 
(chapter 36) Doc Dan should put up with everything. What he cannot admit is that Dan is no longer replaceable. (chapter 78) Once erased, the therapist now belongs; once central, the manager is now the outsider. Namwook is pushed into the very silence he once imposed on others. The irony is sharpened when Jaekyung openly asserts his authority: (chapter 78) With that, the wolf reclaims his rightful place. In other words, by respecting the hamster, the protagonist is learning to protect his own dignity and interests. (chapter 78) Namwook’s illusion of control dissolves, his “decisions” and rituals losing their force. Even the proposed welcome party collapses in an instant when Jaekyung refuses, proving that Namwook no longer directs the rhythm of the team. The missed party is thus his own as well: the final chance to assert authority through ritual slips away before his eyes, leaving him stranded on the margins of the very world he once managed. And in this reversal lies a striking symmetry: the silence that once excluded Dan now excludes Namwook, completing a cycle of poetic justice. What Dan endured in season one (chapter 41), sidelined and voiceless, is now mirrored in the manager’s quiet erasure.
If Dan’s health were to worsen, the most striking reversal might occur: a match could be cancelled not because of the champion, but because of his therapist. Such a possibility would mark a profound shift in the logic of Team Black. In season one, Jaekyung fought regardless of his condition; his insomnia, shoulder injury, foot injury and depression were ignored, never reasons to stop the machine. Dan was expected to keep patching him up in silence while the show went on. But if a fight were cancelled due to Dan’s weakness, it would confirm his irreplaceable place in the system. The team’s future would depend not only on the fists of the champion but on the presence of the man who heals him. For the wolf, this would be more than logistics: it would be a choice of care over profit, proof that he has reclaimed his authority to protect rather than exploit. And for Namwook, such a cancellation would represent his ultimate defeat. A missed party of the grandest kind — a fight night erased from the calendar — would signal the collapse of his management logic. 
(chapter 69) Yet unlike all the hollow celebrations that came before, this missed event would finally have meaning. It would not be absence through neglect, but absence as recognition: proof that Dan’s life matters more than ritual, profit, or performance.
The Real Parties They Missed
If there was ever a “real” party in Dan’s life, it was the small gathering by the seaside with Heesung, the landlord, and Potato. (chapter 58) A simple evening of drinking and laughter, it gave him a fleeting taste of inclusion outside the world of gyms and hospitals. Yet even this was flawed: Dan’s health made alcohol dangerous, and Jaekyung never knew of the event. For him, it became another missed party, a moment of warmth hidden from his eyes.
The traces of this seaside evening resurface in chapter 78, when Potato joins the fighters to welcome Dan back. Unlike the others, however, he arrives noticeably later. 
(chapter 78) This delay suggests a split loyalty: while the team is already celebrating, Potato is likely still tied to Heesung, perhaps even speaking to him on the phone. His tardiness betrays how his heart is pulled in two directions — caught between the actor’s orbit and the gym’s renewed center around Dan. Yet the embrace of the fighter, and his tearful reaction at seeing Dan again, show that his real place lies with Team Black. (chapter 78) The return of Dan shifts Potato’s focus: he no longer has to trail after Heesung, but can make his hyung and his own career a priority once more.
And here lies the seed of conflict. In chapter 59, 
(chapter 59) Potato had made a promise to treat Dan to a meal if he ever returned, squeezing his hand with the sincerity of a puppy. That promise, innocent as it seemed, carried a hidden trap: in Korea, such “treats” almost always involve alcohol. And he could try to recreate the party on the coast. Potato, unaware of Dan’s medical restrictions, may offer him exactly what he must refuse. Only Jaekyung knows the truth of Dan’s fragile health; only he can act as his shield against such misplaced affection. Secondly, Potato possesses pictures of the puppies 
(chapter 60), which he took on the day one of them died!
What makes this tension more explosive is the role of Heesung. He alone knows that Jaekyung resorted to drinking after Dan’s departure 
(chapter 58), and his presence ties alcohol directly to the champion’s vulnerability. At the same time, Potato’s loyalty is beginning to shift. He once orbited Heesung like a hidden lover, but Dan’s return rekindles his attachment to the gym and as such will affect his relationship with the gumiho. (chapter 78) The “puppy” now prefers Dan’s company at the gym to the actor’s beck and call. The small seaside party that once united them may become the fault line that divides them: an invitation, a bottle of soju, a clash between past habits and new priorities. For Jaekyung, it will be the ultimate test — not whether he attends the party, but whether he transforms it into something different, a celebration without alcohol, a ritual of care rather than destruction. As you can see, I am expecting the return of the fox Heesung.
And yet, even beyond the noisy welcomes and the hidden seaside gatherings, the theme of absence reaches into the most intimate farewells. When Dan prepares to leave the hospice, he leans toward his grandmother, seeking an embrace, a moment of warmth that could ease the separation. 
(chapter 78) But she does not return the gesture, as she might believe that he is just holding her straight. Her arms remain still, her body heavy with silence. Instead she talks, urging her grandson to leave the place as quickly as possible. So she doesn’t enjoy this moment. What should have been a small celebration of love — a hug of recognition, a party for two — dissolves into emptiness. Halmoni, who had always claimed to be his anchor, fails to give him the ritual of belonging he craves. The one gesture that could have affirmed their bond is withheld, turning tenderness into yet another missed ceremony.
Hwang Byungchul mirrors this failure in his own way. 
(chapter 78) Sitting stiffly in his hospital bed, he waves away any possibility of affection. His body language, arms crossed, his words reduced to commands about training, erase the emotional bond that might have connected him to Jaekyung. Where halmoni’s silence is passive, Byungchul’s is active — he refuses intimacy, replacing it with obligation. For both figures, farewell becomes an empty form, stripped of the recognition that makes partings bearable. In these moments, the absence of a hug, the denial of tenderness, is more devastating than the loudest rejection. It is a party that never begins, a rite of passage left unspoken.
This is crucial, because in Korean culture, embraces are rare, and when they occur, they carry profound weight. To hug someone is to cross into genuine intimacy, to declare loyalty and affection without words. The absence of such a gesture from halmoni and the director therefore marks not just emotional distance but outright exclusion. They cannot — or will not — celebrate Dan or Jaekyung as individuals worthy of deep affection. they only know pity, pride or annoyance. Their failure underlines the story’s central rhythm: the rituals that should affirm identity are constantly missed, postponed, or corrupted.
Placed against these failures, the quiet “parties” between Jaekyung and Dan acquire even greater weight. A home-cooked meal,
(chapter 22) 
(chapter 13) a breakfast in silence 
(chapter 68), the embraces in the dark 
(chapter 66) (the wordless recognition of suffering) — these become the true celebrations of Jinx. They lack alcohol, noise, or spectacle, but they carry sincerity. They reveal that belonging can be built not through grand gestures but through repetition, through the transformation of fleeting kindness into ritual. This implies the existence of conscious and choice. And yet, these moments remain fragile. After their return to the penthouse, there is no shared meal, no laughter, only nostalgia and sadness. 
(chapter 78) Even Jaekyung is troubled by the reminder that Dan’s stay is temporary, as if the very walls of the penthouse resist turning into a home.
(chapter 78) In other words, the wolf’s task is no longer to win battles in the ring but to protect these fragile celebrations — to make Dan feel at home, to turn missed hugs into embraces, missed parties into warm meals, missed gestures into habits of care. Only then can the cycle of exclusion be broken. Only then can “The Missed Party” become, at last, a real one.
Conclusion
Both protagonists are marked by missed celebrations. Dan’s life has been a chain of exclusions: fired without farewell, blamed without defense, departing without closure. Even in death — (if we include the theory of his parents’ vanishing), the puppy’s burial — rituals of belonging were denied. Jaekyung, for his part, wins victories without feasts, carrying glory without intimacy.
The fighters and nurses offer illusory parties, mistaking noise for recognition, affection for change. But the true parties are elsewhere: in the puppies’ joyous run, in the hidden rituals of wolf and hamster [the embrace, 
(chapter 68), the shared meal (chapter 68) and in the landlord’s quiet kindness
(chapter 78). For me, it is no coincidence that the senior followed them to the street and waved at them! 
(chapter 78) He expressed not only his genuine feelings, but also his longing: he hoped to see them soon. He had come to appreciate their presence which is not related to their work. The Missed Party becomes not a single absence, but the haunting rhythm of the entire narrative: recognition always arriving too late, always seen by the wrong eyes. And perhaps the story’s promise lies here — that one day, the real party will finally be held, not in karaoke bars or gym halls, but in the unbreakable bond of two men who learn what true friendship and belonging mean. This means, the more the champion and his fated partner develop new routines, the more it will affect the gym and as such Park Namwook, which can only feel more and more excluded.
PS: If in the next chapter, the night continues, then I can’t shake the feeling that Joo Jaekyung might pat doc Dan’s head and not yank his hair, like he announced it. 
(chapter 78)
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(chapter 73) 
(chapter 74) 
(chapter 74) What do they share? You might already have noticed it. At first glance, the answer seems obvious: each sentence turns around the word after. But if we pay closer attention, it is not just after that repeats, but after all. And here, the “all” quietly carries the weight of everything. A slight shift, but one that feels significant. But why this expression, and why here? Why does it resurface precisely in the context of Jaekyung’s family and past?
(chapter 70) For the first time, the flow of time shifted. Besides, no explanation, no certainty—just an admission that something happened beyond his planning or reasoning. Where the earlier lines spoke with closure, this one arrived without a verdict. But what does this “confession” signify for the athlete now? 
(chapter 73) He was announcing his desire to leave this place, as if he wanted to abandon his father. Nevertheless, he just said it out of anger and frustration. Yet, those words pierced Joo Jaewoong, for they reminded him of his wife’s betrayal. Unable to face his own failures, he retaliated by thrusting her image back onto the boy. 
(chapter 73) locked in confrontation, while in the past, the woman had already shown her back — a gesture of refusal that foreshadowed her desertion. She had withdrawn in silence; the man, however, lashed out in noise. Both abandon, but in different registers: hers in silence and absence, his in noise and abuse. But the father’s gaze was selective. 
(chapter 73) — all were rewritten into a story where the woman was the sole traitor, and the child nothing more than her extension. In this way, the boy was denied recognition as a victim in his own right. He had been abandoned too. He had been abused either. He became instead a mirror in which his father projects the wound of being left behind. 
(chapter 73) Why? It is because the father didn’t trust him, as he didn’t trust himself either! Because the father attacked him verbally, the boy replied in kind — escalating words he would later regret. 
(chapter 73) The cycle of reproach was sealed. From that moment on, he understood the danger and the destructive weight of words. 
(chapter 73) To speak was to wound, to be wounded in return. Besides, the boy could never speak of this truth. He carried the memory of that last conversation in silence, crushed by the belief that he bore guilt for his father’s death. Shame and responsibility bound his tongue. That is how words, once used against him as weapons, became impossible for him to wield in his own defense. However, this was only the beginning of his withdrawal into silence. His fists would become his language, his body the only safe instrument of reply.
(chapter 73) The betrayal he lamented was nothing more than the logical outcome of his own principle. There had never been a we — only a man clinging to his pride, a woman turning her back, and a child caught in between. His after all 
(chapter 74)
(chapter 74) In the past, the boy had dialed her number from the same public booth 
(chapter 72), clinging to the hope that she might answer one day. Eventually, those attempts ceased — but not the attachment. What remained was the number itself, saved under “Mom” on his phone 
(chapter 74) Here, he was old and rich enough to buy his own cellphone. The phone number was no longer a channel of communication, only a relic: a fragile thread he could not sever, because the fact that she never changed her number sustained the illusion that reunion was still possible. That dormant hope was shattered only when she finally picked up — not out of recognition, but by mistake, assuming the unfamiliar call must be important. 
(chapter 74) And so, after years of silence, his voice reached her at last.
(chapter 74) repeating “please” twice — not out of kindness, but because he had become a source of threat to her new life. 
(chapter 66)
(chapter 74) unless she had once suggested that possibility? His words reveal that he had been clinging to a seed she planted long ago, a future she quietly abandoned while building a new life elsewhere. And what was that seed? Not just her vague suggestion that “once they have money”, or 
(chapter 72) “the father no longer represents a menace to her” but the very fact that she gave him her phone number. To a child, that number was more than digits on a page — it was proof of connection, a lifeline, an assurance that she could be reached, that she might one day answer.
(chapter 74) Furthermore, it gaslights him into believing that the abandonment never occurred — that the break is only beginning now. 
(chapter 72) neglect, starvation, abuse, loneliness, betrayal — and yet the parents invoke it not to acknowledge his pain, but to hide their wrongdoings (justify their betrayal) and as such their failure! By placing after all at the front of her sentence, 
(chapter 74) When the boy once caused trouble, the police looked for Joo Jaekyung’s guardian. In the cutthroat town, they reached out to Hwang Byungchul — not because he was legally responsible, but because everyone knew the boy was close to him (“we”). Guardianship, then, is never erased by silence. Even if you abandon the child, others will still hold you accountable.
(chapter 74) In a city of anonymity, hearsay cannot replace documents. She left a paper trail — a legal identity that binds them together. Should the champion cause trouble in Seoul, or even become the victim of a crime, the police would have to turn to his legal guardian. And that can only be her. 
(chapter 26). Oh Daehyun mentions that the young fighter broke the punching machine so many times he was blacklisted. Such destruction could easily have brought police intervention — and if it had, they would have been forced to search for his legal guardian. That guardian is none other than the mother who abandoned him and her new family. In other words, her erasure was never complete: every act of the boy risked pulling her shadow back into the open. Furthermore, this is what Kim Changmin revealed to his friend and colleague: 
(chapter 26) But Joo Jaekyung had long discovered sports and MMA, when he arrived in Seoul and met Park Namwook for the first time. 
(chapter 74) He had left his hometown because of the director’s suggestion. 
(chapter 74) who redirected him before he was swallowed by the wrong path. The discrepancy between these accounts exposes more than just the manager’s manipulation: it points to the shadow of another intervention. How could he afford to destroy machine after machine without consequence? The only plausible answer is the “mother” and her new family, whose money and silence allowed him to pass as the “self-made” Emperor while erasing their own responsibility from the tale. And now, you comprehend why The Emperor was made voiceless. [For more read 
(chapter 74) For doc Dan who embodies the present, such a statement can only become the ultimate truth: the star had been an orphan like him.
(chapter 74) At the moment when Joo Jaekyung shattered the cellphone, Hwang Byungchul was not by his side but standing at a distance, directly in front of him. This means he must have seen the boy’s face — the tears, 
(chapter 74) Once again, the director was there — but his presence was mute. He placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder, yet he never lent him an ear. He never invited the boy to speak, never created a space where grief, anger, or longing could be put into words. In other words, he was present in body but absent in voice and heart. Thus the director’s pat was a gesture of pity. It was a substitute for words, a way of saying “poor boy” while protecting himself from deeper involvement. But precisely because he withheld speech and listening, it denied Jaekyung the chance to articulate his own grief. It comforted without connecting.
(chapter 74), through fighting. Thus the director’s quietness, his refusal to engage, became a formative wound in itself. He chose the safety of distance over the risk of involvement, and in doing so, left the boy’s cries unanswered. 
(chapter 74) 
(chapter 74) He was given a chance to step in, to finally become the guardian he had failed to be on the night of the boy’s deepest collapse. Therefore it is no coincidence that he claims to have raised him, while the readers are well aware of the truth. 
(chapter 74) Yet the way he handled the moment revealed the full extent of his contradictions.
(chapter 74) or sometimes stood beside him, kept him in sight. On the surface, this could seem like loyalty, but in truth it was another form of failure. Facing him head-on meant constant confrontation, constant judgment. His presence was physical, but never protective; it was discipline, surveillance, not refuge. He never had his back!! 
(chapter 74) The father was dragged into memory as a warning: “Do you want to end up like him?” The mother, already gone, was turned into a conditional model: “Would she even want to live with you if she could see you now?” In both cases, the boy was denied his right to grieve. His parents were not mourned, but transformed into instruments of discipline. He was forced to run from one shadow and to chase another, leaving him no space to simply exist. The director maintained the future champion trapped in the chains of the past. 
(chapter 74) For him, she was a symbol — fuel for perseverance, as he was projecting his own mother onto the boy’s! For the teenager, the mother was the deepest wound. By naming her, the director imagined he was motivating; in reality, he was tearing it open once more. But how could Jaekyung reveal the truth — that his own mother had rejected him, not just once, but twice? To admit this would have been to confess that the hope she dangled before him, the dream of reunion, had been nothing but a cruel game. His silence was not pride but a shield, for voicing it would mean exposing that even his mother’s love had been counterfeit.
(chapter 74) Thus his silence was not indifference but defense: he was protecting her name, even when it burned him to do so. In shielding her, he also buried himself.
(chapter 74) That is how another pattern emerges: every exchange the boy endured was never true conversation, but always structured as an argument or a challenge. Even here: 
(chapter 72) At home, his father turned dialogue into a bet — a contest of strength where affection was absent and only victory mattered. Later, in front of the police station, the director reproduced the same pattern: invoking the mother not to console, but to provoke, to test, to challenge. In both cases, words became weapons. They did not open space for Jaekyung to speak; they cornered him, forcing him either to resist or to submit. This explains why in season 1, the two protagonists had similar interactions. 
(chapter 74) For the first time, he shifted ground and no longer invoked Jaekyung’s parents as warnings; instead, he summoned the memory of his own mother. After everything she had done for him, he insisted, the boy should repay her sacrifice by leading a better life. Yet here again the same logic returns: time weaponized, gratitude demanded, obligation imposed. What might have been a tender remembrance of maternal care was turned into a debt-ledger pressed onto Jaekyung’s shoulders. 
(chapter 74) For him, discipline was always bound to her presence, her food, her care, her silent labor that sustained the gym. By invoking “the mother” as a motivator, he was, in truth, repeating the only model of loyalty and endurance he had ever known. But this was borrowed authority, not Jaekyung’s. What may have given the boy a flicker of purpose in the moment — to endure, to fight “for her sake” — 
(chapter 74) could not last. It was never his voice, never his wound being acknowledged. It was an external script imposed upon him. And so, over time, that imposed motivation faded, eclipsed by the title and the money. 
(chapter 54) The director’s form of guidance could not sustain him; it was external, borrowed, conditional. Therefore, it is not surprising that he was never contacted after the main lead’s departure for Seoul. By then, the director had already become like his own mother — reduced to a memory 
(chapter 70) and nothing more. He neither possessed the boy’s number nor showed the desire to stay connected; worse, he had told him explicitly never to return. 
(chapter 74) Through both words and attitude, he conveyed that their paths were to diverge for good. Yet, this was never truly his intentions. In cutting him off so decisively, he enacted the very separation he condemned later. The boy had taken his words too seriously. 
(chapter 56) 
(chapter 66) His care always comes after, never before. The word itself reveals his stance: he notices change, but belatedly, when damage is already done. The main lead is now escaping his control. And now, you comprehend why PArk Namwook blamed Joo Jaekyung and slapped him at the hospital. 
(chapter 52) That way, he could divert attention from the “before and circumstances”. And in season 2, the man hasn’t changed at all. Instead of asking what caused Jaekyung’s crisis, he chides him for straying from the routine — for not showing up at the gym, for being absent.
(chapter 52), either for not rising above (after everything) or for drifting from his prescribed path (lately).
(chapter 52) The slap at the hospital was more than a physical outburst; it was the eruption of long-repressed truth. Where he once swallowed pain in silence for his mother, and later endured fists in silence for his coach, here he answers back. Lately thus marks not only Namwook’s delay but also Jaekyung’s refusal to bear the weight alone anymore. 
(chapter 52) 
(chapter 73), the mother’s silence through the cellphone
(chapter 45) his true life hidden elsewhere. Like her, he conceals his absence behind a phone call, creating the illusion of presence without truly standing by the boy. 
(chapter 45) 
, (chapter 70), while remaining oblivious to the rot within their own world and the medical world. The director accused Joo Jaewoong of “choosing the wrong path,” 
(chapter 74) never admitting that boxing itself was already entangled with the underworld. Likewise, Park Namwook reproached Joo Jaekyung for the mess, while in reality he had been a victim. The incident with the switched spray was reduced to two people: doc Dan and Joo Jaekyung. Funny is that by invoking lately and after all , they have the impression that delayed blame could substitute for real support. Both stand as authorities who issue reprimands only once the harm is irreversible—always too late, always at a remove. In doing so, they preserve the illusion of responsibility while avoiding the real corruption at the core of their institutions. They deny the existence of “victims”. By doing so, both Hwang Byungchul and Park Namwook sustain the illusion that the system itself is clean, and that all fault lies with the individual fighter. In their eyes, there is no exploitation, only bad choices. This explains why the CEO’s fabricated apology disturbed Namwook 
(chapter 69): for the first time, a figure of authority assumed responsibility, however insincerely. What to others looked like shallow PR, to Namwook appeared as a dangerous break with the rule of denial. It highlighted the emptiness of his own guardianship, where reproach replaces protection and victims are erased from the narrative.
(chapter 74) Honestly, it would be funny, if the champion used the same words than his own mother against the manager 
(chapter 70) Thus the manager is confident that the star can return to the ring. By cutting the manager off in such a moment, Jaekyung would be affirming that he no longer accepts neglect disguised as toughness. Both “directors” are trapping the champion in the chains of the past and the future. For them, there’s no present and as such no happiness or fulfillment. Hence Hwang Byungchul is even bored, when he watched the MFC match. 
(chapter 71) Deep down, he has been longing for company too. Now, he is finally talking…. 
(chapter 70) As you can see, it is never too late… Thus we saw this on the roof of the hospital: a real and intimate conversation between the “guardian” and his pupil: 
(chapter 71) The director has changed!
(chapter 65) So for someone like Joo JAekyung who suffered from constant betrayals and abandonment, his lover’s childhood must have sounded like a “blessing”. She tells the story of Dan’s life as if he had simply always been without parents. When she recalls, “He grew up without a mom and dad… my heart just breaks for him,” the formulation makes it sound as though nothing was ever lost, nothing was ever taken away — it was simply his condition from the start. Doc Dan didn’t get hurt by his parents through their words or actions.
(chapter 65) She can appear as the perfect role model in the athlete’s eyes. No wonder why he listened to her and brought doc Dan to a huge hospital in Seoul. But here is the thing…. 
(chapter 65) The grandmother’s narrative culminates in a deceptively simple phrase: “And then, one day, he just grew up.” Unlike after all, which implies endurance, patience, and a long lapse of time, her then one day compresses everything into a brief, almost casual instant. In her telling, there is no slow accumulation of wounds, no process of wear, no history of pain to be endured. The transformation is presented as sudden and natural, as if nothing of significance had preceded it.
(chapter 57), and his forced maturity to a single, fleeting day. No trauma, no endurance — just inevitability. By collapsing years of hardship into a harmless “day,” she erases both the past and the victim. And now, you can understand why doc Dan is trapped in the present! By erasing the “before” (abandonment, trauma) and trivializing the process of “becoming an adult,” she collapses time into a single, static present. Kim Dan is not allowed a past that hurts (because she erased it), nor a future that could unfold differently (because “he just grew up” is presented as inevitable).
(chapter 62) cannot, by themselves, sustain love. Emotions flare and fade, tied to the immediacy of the present. Thus the mother could break her promise and even lie to him later. What endures is not emotion alone, but the principles that Fromm identified as the essence of love: care, responsibility, knowledge, and respect. These qualities stabilize the fleeting nature of feeling and transform the present into something continuous, something that can grow. In this sense, the teddy bear bridges the gap between “present” and “future”: 
(chapter 65) it transforms the fleeting moment of emotion into a promise of constancy. After all, before it’s too late, what both men longed for was never glory or escape, but a home where they could rest — not alone, but in each other’s arms. By discovering emotions and learning to live in the present, the champion also rediscovers his inner child. His line — “Is this a joke?” — marks that shift, since jokes, like emotions, only exist in the immediacy of the moment. It is only a matter of time, until he laughs because of a joke. By embracing doc Dan like a teddy bear, he allows himself to cling and regress, no longer the wolf or the Emperor but simply a boy seeking warmth. Even his cold becomes symbolic: 
(chapter 70) illness forces him to slow down, to be vulnerable, and to receive care — something denied to him in childhood. In this way, love turns the regression into healing, transforming weakness into the possibility of renewal.
(chapter 5) and if it’s true, then this person would be the second husband. 
(chapter 27) 
(chapter 13) He is definitely sure that this man won’t betray him. He is not judging him for his job or “sexual preferences”. He embodies fairness, tolerance and impartiality. And since in his cellphone, Doctor Cheolmin is registered under the name Cheolmin hyung, it exposes his closeness with this cute doctor. He is like a “brother”. 
(chapter 13) This gesture with the hand implied not only that he was just looking forward to meeting him again, but also generosity. And if there was a request from Cheolmin, it was just about an information: 
(chapter 13) It had nothing to do with money and promoting his hospital.
(chapter 33) According to me, the man was calling his friend Cheolmin, because he truly believed that the actor had been hurt. The fact that he went to the rooftop in order to call the person is indicating that he desires to hide his contact from Park Namwook and Jeong Yosep. In other words, he was seeking secrecy, exactly like the actor. As you can see, the dragon and the gumiho had a similar attitude. They thought that the rooftop was the perfect place to hide a secret. So by calling Cheolmin who is working at a hospital, the MMA fighter was making sure that there would be no scandal. However, when he called him, he discovered the truth. Choi Heesung had faked his injury. Therefore how could he use his connection with Cheolmin, when there was no emergency? In his eyes, he would have abused his busy friend’s generosity. That’s the reason why the star chose not to intervene. If he had revealed the truth and as such accused the actor of deception, he would have no one by his side to prove the truth. It was one man against two. Secondly, by revealing his presence on the rooftop, he would have been forced to mention his close friend: Cheolmin hyung. His connection with the athlete would have raised some question. And because he didn’t utilize the Joker in that situation, he became a victim of a trick. It is important, because the champion’s decision to hide Cheolmin’s existence from Jeong Yosep and Park Namwook is a sign that deep down, he is not trusting his two other hyungs. In my eyes, it is related to his homosexuality. But there could be other reasons as well, for example he met this doctor, before he became a celebrity. 
(chapter 33) For me, the doctor was the person Joo Jaekyung was talking to. Interesting is that contrary to episode 33, he didn’t leave the inn in order to talk to his acquaintance. In fact, he did it in front of the door. By acting that way, he didn’t attract the attention from the members. No one questioned the celebrity why he was talking on the phone for quite some time. They just imagined that it was work-related due to the selfie with a stan. 
(chapter 43) They didn’t even bother to wait for him to arrive before drinking and eating, though the man was the birthday child. He was actually the guest of honor. 
(chapter 43) This exposes violation of social norms and even the disrespect towards Joo Jaekyung. He is just seen as a cash cow, hence there was no thank you from them or even a short invitation for him, like Park Namwook and Kim Changmin had done it in episode 9. 
(chapter 9) 
(chapter 9) In fact, Joo Jaekyung was totally neglected at the restaurant, no one even paid attention to his actions. Under this light, I recognized why Mingwa created this incident: 
(chapter 43) It was not just to bring the two main leads closer, but also to expose the wrongdoers. If they had waited for him, the champion wouldn’t have drunk some soju from the glass of water, for Kim Dan couldn’t have used his glass.
(chapter 43) That’s why the manager got red, a sign of embarrassment. He realized that they should have all waited for the birthday child. Moreover, don’t forget that the star was even paying the bill. And now, you are wondering if I didn’t diverge from my original topic, the Joker and Cheolmin hyung. No, as this new interpretation helped me to understand why Joo Jaekyung talked to his hyung in front of others. He already sensed that no one was observing him or waiting for him. 
(chapter 41) Because I detected ingratitude, selfishness and rudeness from Team Black, I couldn’t help myself thinking that the other person must have behaved differently, which put the young man in a good mood. Therefore he overlooked the incident with the switch of glass: 
(chapter 13) Here we have a threat from the champion to which Cheolmin replied with a joke. Here, we have the same situation: a threat, but people got scared 
(chapter 43) before Park Namwook tried to relativize the incident. 
(chapter 13). Hence I believe that the other reason why our cute PT didn’t meet Cheolmin in season 1 is that he was not ready to interact with him. Kim Dan needed to mature, to free himself from social norms in order to accept such a man as a “role model”. That’s the reason why I am expecting the return from this mysterious doctor in season 2. In my opinion, he will play a central role in dethroning the king Park Namwook at Team Black, but also in helping Kim Dan to obtain justice. Keep in mind that according to me, the protagonist was a victim of many crimes committed by doctors. (The hospital director, Kim Miseon, MFC doctors)
(chapter 35) He offered his assistance, but at no moment the main lead thought of even asking for his help. 
(chapter 46) If he had voiced his struggle to Heesung, the latter would have understood him and “talked” some sense to the dragon. And it is the same for Potato. In the locker room, when Kim Dan was criticized for his sloppiness, 
(chapter 50) he didn’t ask from Potato to vouch for him. He could have reached to him, requesting from him to testify in his favor. Yes, I believe that not only the actor and the maknae are to blame for their passivity, the physical therapist is also responsible for his own suffering. He is not seeing that he has already gained two friends. However, he didn’t treat them properly. No wonder why Kim Dan ended up alone at the end of season 1. At no moment, he confided to Potato or other members about his struggles, he kept everything to himself which is similar to his soulmate. 
(chapter 30). Here, I am excluding the scene with his drunkenness. Nevertheless, from his words, Heesung couldn’t detect that he was raised by a single grandmother. He already had a hard time to “accept” the champion’s benevolence 
(chapter 18) He was brainwashed to rely only on himself. Why? It is related to his halmeoni and his childhood. The elderly woman gave the impression that she raised him without any help. She did everything on her own which is only partially true. The young boy was forced very early on to help her. 
(chapter 5) 
(chapter 47) Hence he was taught cooking. In addition, we can already envision that when he was a high school student, he had to take a part-time job. She definitely minimized his assistance, creating a debt towards her.
(chapter 7) and 
(chapter 23), he just acted as their “PT” and nothing more. In other words, he acted, as if they only had a professional relationship. This explicates why Kim Dan never talked about himself, in other words he never shared any information with them. However, I doubt that he just considered them as his “patients”. He was happy to give his assistance. For me, the fact that he never lowered his guard is a sign of his low-esteem. So they had a strictly professional relationship, except with Potato. 
(chapter 26) However, even here, Kim Dan never shared his cellphone number with the maknae. If Potato had it, he would have tried to contact him immediately. To conclude, though I criticized Yoon-Gu and Heesung for their indifference and neglect, I feel that Kim Dan is partially responsible for this too. He didn’t take the first step to improve their relationship. Friendship is a two-way Street!
(chapter 7) She needs to pay a nurse to give her some company. Therefore she is forced to rely on her grandson. Then she doesn’t pay any attention to her grandson’s needs and circumstances, for she is only focused on her own suffering and “unhappiness” chasing after an illusion. 
(chapter 53) Because she has no one by her side except Kim Dan, she has no problem to move to a different place where she doesn’t know anyone. Her grandchild is her “home”. This move reminded me a lot to a uprooting. It was, as though the male lead was not allowed to settle for good. Don’t forget that her deteriorated home let transpire that she didn’t consider this place as her true home. It was just a stopping-place. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Kim Dan could never get any friend. Through the cards, I could find more evidences about my past interpretation. The halmeoni is responsible for the protagonist’s self-blame, lack of confidence, suffering and isolation. 
(chapter 7), he is a maniac, 
(chapter 9) he is a stubborn workaholic 
(chapter 27) 
(chapter 27) 
(chapter 43) The moment this expression “darker path” grabbed my interest, I wondered why the manager and coach would employ such an expression. It implies that he still saw the athlete’s career as a dark path. 
(chapter 49), it signifies that Joo Jaekyung could have become involved in this type of games: 
(chapter 47) And from my perspective, Park Namwook is aware of this. As you know, for me, Joo Jaekyung became the official face of MFC, the one covering up the dark side. He stands in the light to mask the true nature of that organization. For me, “darker” is the indication that the manager is aware of the connections.
(chapter 46) In this picture, I detected a contradiction from the hyung. If the star is bringing a lot of money, why would he become a target? In fact, people would rather bet on the man, as his victory seems more probable than his defeat. No one has an interest to bet against him, unless the schemers are malicious and malevolent. The word “target” is not random, it implies the existence of a scheme. Hence the manager should have been even more prudent concerning his star’s safety. Yet, he allowed him to return home alone during the night and he had no guard by his side. 
(chapter 48) This remark outlines the manager’s neglect. His boy has no protection, though he had already become the target of a “malicious fan” according to the “fake investigation”. Moreover, in the office, Park Namwook is finally admitting the existence of illegal gambling, a topic which was never brought up before. 
(chapter 46) He is explaining this, as if that was something new. However, even the members from TEAM Black already knew about them. 
(chapter 49) The drop of his face is not only indicating his discomfort, but also his lie. It is because if he had met the director from King Of MMA, he could have been suspected of being a traitor or a spy. Thus I come to the following theory: Park Namwook knew about the meeting between the director of Choi Gilseok and Kim Dan. Let’s not forget that the physical therapist encountered the villain right in front of the gym and Kwak Junbeom was a witness of their meeting. 
(chapter 48) This raises the following question: did he know about the anonymous message? 
(chapter 48) It is difficult to say, but this incident is revealing the manager’s complicity. How so? It is his job as a manager to protect his boy from the public. No personal information should be so easily accessible. He has to make sure that his cellphone number is not given to any random guy. Yes, his cellphone number was leaked not only to journalists, but also to rival gyms. I am suspecting that the leaking could be linked to „favors“ and free PR. One might say that the Entertainment agency could be behind the leak. However, my avid readers shouldn’t forget that the person who pushed Joo Jaekyung to sign a contract with the agency was Park Namwook. 
(chapter 30) He explained this choice by saying that many athletes would sign such contracts. His justification outlines his herd mentality. That way, he would delegate his responsibility to the agency. Hence Park Namwook is accountable for the signature of this contract. Thus it dawned on me that the manager has played the same role than the halmoni’s in the end. Both put a leash to their “relative’s neck”, though it had never been their intention. There is no ambiguity that these two characters were definitely motivated by their selfishness, greed and dream. Finally, we should question ourselves why the manager and coach is so obsessed with money and is treating his “boy” like a doll. His mentality was definitely influenced by his surroundings. However, at the gym, most of the fighters were portrayed as little kids who got corrupted over time. Since I detected similarities between the two main leads, I can only come to the deduction that Kim Dan is the champion’s emancipator. While the doctor needed money to get liberated from debts, the other needs to find a true family in order to be free from fighting restlessly. But there is more to it.
(Painter Of The Night, chapter 7) Jung In-Hun from Painter Of The Night is the perfect illustration. The latter had the impression to be superior to others due to his knowledge. He imagined to have fooled Yoon Seungho. Thus he envisioned that he had been able to manipulate the main lead, whereas the opposite had happened. Finally, the scholar had the tendency to dream big, which led him to his doom. On the other hand, since Matthew Rayner 
from Under The Green Light decided to wear spectacles in order to avoid rejection and fear, I deduce that Park Namwook represents a combination of both metaphors. On the one hand, he is hiding his true thoughts behind the spectacles. He also has high ambitions and he is not entirely honest to his “boss”, like I exposed it in the last composition. On the other hand, there is no doubt that the man is also motivated by fears. 
(chapter 53) They serve him as shield literally and figuratively. No one would punch or slap a man wearing glasses. Furthermore, he is protecting his own heart and mind that way. It was, as if he was closing his eyes to reality. That’s the other reason why I believe that the coach is not entirely ignorant about the existence of corruption in MFC. Yet, I couldn’t help myself noticing the absence of Park Namwook’s eyes, especially at the end of the season 1. Jinx-philes could only see them, when he voiced his anger towards his “champion”: 
(chapter 52) After that outburst, they vanished behind the glasses. 
(chapter 26) The shadow is eyeless, mirroring his mentor’s mentality. In other words, the man with glasses symbolizes emptiness and lack of compassion and even morality. 
(Chapter 52) By putting them back, he is displaying that he is acting again. His hidden eyes may also hint at an emotional or moral blindness, as though he either cannot or chooses not to see the deeper consequences of his actions or the corruption around him. And now, you comprehend why he stands for fake gratitude and fake compassion. His mouth is not reflecting his mind.
(chapter 52) 
(chapter 52) Park Namwook removed his spectacles, when he cried. However, notice that he still protected his eyes by using his arm. A sign for his dishonesty in my opinion. Moreover, it indicates how guarded and mistrustful this man is. At the same time, it becomes clear why he had to remove them. It is because the glasses are a mask. The tears would not have been visible. I would even add that this man was mimicking a crying person, as his weeping stopped very quickly. He needed to awake compassion or sympathy, for he had acted like a ruffian at the hospital. He had used violence on a patient.
(chapter 19) However, in chapter 47, Mingwa revealed that in the past, Kim Dan had many pictures taken with his grandmother 
(chapter 47) . 
(chapter 47) 
(chapter 47) 
(chapter 47) One might argue about this interpretation, as these panels are presented as “memories”. However, the author left three important clues that these memories were pictures in reality. First, the perspective is not from the protagonist’s, but from an invisible third person’s. Then in the last image, in the background, you can observe a family posing for a picture in front of a person with a cellphone. This was the allusion that someone must have taken these pictures. The last evidence is the bouquet of flowers, the symbol for congratulations, but also affection!! After this realization, I couldn’t help myself wondering about the whereabouts of these photographs. Where are they? 
(chapter 17)
(chapter 17) 
(chapter 17) They are nowhere to be seen!! I would even add that this place contains no traces of Kim Dan’s presence! 
(chapter 53). And here, I feel the need to correct my past interpretation. Back then, I had assumed that this was the doctor’s repressed wish to go to the beach. It turns out that this was Shin Okja’s. Thus I deduce that the papers on the board are related to her health issues. Then in this image 
(chapter 19) The framed photograph isn’t visible on the chests or the shelves, when Joo Jaekyung confronts the loan shark and his minions 
(chapter 19) This exposes that this “souvenir” was not put on display in this house contrary to his stay in the expensive penthouse: 
(chapter 47) Thus I conclude through the absence of his pictures and belongings that nothing was exposing the presence of Kim Dan in this small flat. We could say that he had been living as a ghost child (the piggy bank) in his halmoni’s place. It implies the existence of an invisible wall between himself and his grandmother. This perception reinforces my previous interpretation. This place was like a “cursed place, where the “Sleeping beauty” was waiting for his “prince charming”. 😉 Therefore, when the doctor removed the framed picture from the drawer, it symbolizes his own “release”. It is no coincidence that one week later, he became “a man and as such an adult”. 
(chapter 19) He was slowly detaching himself from his halmoni’s shadow. The mirror is a reflection of a photograph. Here, he is facing reality: he has a long phallus and he can have a climax.
(chapter 7) and actions.
(chapter 38) 
(chapter 42) or “waiter”. As my avid readers can detect, there is a strong link between “pictures” and “pride and love”. Their absence is the expression of neglect from the grandmother, who was definitely too focused on herself and her own suffering. At the same time, it lets also transpire the low self-esteem from the grandmother. In her humble dwell, there is no picture of her as well. 
(chapter 19) She was wearing the same shirt, when Kim Dan was speaking on the phone. In other words, the photo was also bringing painful memories to the grandmother. My theory is that the grandson’s parents vanished after that day. But this was not the same for the boy. He remembers the warmth from his relative. He is not making the link between this moment and his abandonment. In addition, this picture represents a frozen moment in time. It was, as if the woman desired to turn back time or hoped to stay in that moment forever. This explains why she kept the picture and continued treating her grandson as a child. For her, he was still the little boy from that time. However, at the end of season 1, it is no longer possible for her to treat Kim Dan as a child, because she needs him to move to the West coast. 
(chapter 53) It requires money, sacrifice and energy, but she is no longer paying attention to these aspects. Her time is now limited, thus she doesn’t feel responsible for any future debt. Striking is that she is not recognizing him as a man, but as a puppy dog.
(chapter 47) Why? By acknowledging him as an adult man, she would give him a choice. He could refuse to do her a favor. As a puppy, he can not live on his own. Besides, by turning him into a dog and as such animal, she is denying him his right as a human being. She is appealing to his instinctive nature, his loyalty. And the moment I thought of a dog and death, I couldn’t help myself thinking of the famous dog Hachiko who kept waiting for his owner’s return at the train station, unaware that the latter had died a long time ago. As you can see, doc Dan’s pictures are strongly intertwined with reality and confrontation. Therefore the pictures with her grandson were not shown or treasured. The grandmother has been avoiding mirror and even pictures. As a person suffering from “Peter Pan Syndrome”, she is trying to do anything to escape “death and responsibility”. How ironic is that she just needed a picture to express her wish to move to the West Coast! 
(chapter 53) Yes, the image from the brochure is creating the illusion that the woman on the wheelchair is her. She is smiling and “looking healthy”. It looks like she will have a better life there, less painful than at the hospital. In other words, this photo represents the exact opposite: illusion and fakeness. This 
(chapter 53) The words “I should go” displays that he is doing it out of obligation. To conclude, photographs in Jinx are also embodying dream and illusion. 
(chapter 38) Clouds are a reference to heaven and dream, while the green display displays loneliness and emptiness. They have no one by their side. Furthermore, just like Kim Dan, Joo Jaekyung has no family pictures in his house
, (chapter 19) which could be seen as a clue that he is an orphan. Or in the best case, they live, but there is a huge wall and gap between them and the fighter. I would even add that no one could even identify the owner of the penthouse. He is a famous MMA fighter, yet there exist no picture of himself in this flat! Not even this one: 
(chapter 1) That’s why I had compared the penthouse to a hotel room in a previous essay. So we could say that he also lived like a ghost. However, since he is a celebrity, he should be rather compared to a god. He has no home and privacy. Thus the penthouse contained no memories, until the doctor started living with the champion.
(chapter 5) The first personal video and message from his manager only appeared in chapter 43. This shows that the owner of Team Black had no family at all and not even friends. This observation brings me to my next remark. What about the gym Team Black? 
(chapter 5) There are only pictures of the champion and of no one else. Not even from Park Namwook or the ex-professional fighter Jeong Yosep. Everything is revolving around the celebrity. The absence of pictures from others is indicating neglect. The gym was not advertised as a great place to have fun! It is all about fame, wealth and glory! Therefore it is not astonishing why the rats left the sinking ship. 
(chapter 52) The champion’s image is tarnished, he will get less admiration and sponsoring. The decoration of the gym exposed the mentality of the owner, Park Namwook. The gym is about the celebrity, money, fame and sponsoring! Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the other members were neglected and why the athlete disliked it so much to be taken in pictures. 
(chapter 30) It is because the photographs are a synonym for “money, glory and fame”. Choi Heesung was using him to get attention. His name 
(chapter 46), his face and body are like “merchandises”. 
(chapter 45) Imagine that the doctor had to work to exhaustion to give him an expensive gift! Yes, his gift was strongly intertwined with money, business and work! However, birthday is a symbol for home, pleasure, joy, simplicity and genuine gratitude. This has nothing to do with work and “replacement”. Yet, contrary to the other presents, the champion did open the hamster’s gift, for the latter had brought it personally. 
(chapter 45) Yes, his birthday was turned into a business event, a merchandise where he even had to pay for his own birthday party. 
(chapter 35) Such a success and glorification could only drive an edge between himself and others. In addition, the images could never boost the fighter’s low self-esteem. Yes, the absence of his own picture in his home is another important clue for his unhappiness and self-loathing. Because the doctor brought “work” home, Joo Jaekyung started avoiding the physical therapist: 
(chapter 47) It was not just because the athlete had been encouraged by his mentor to trust no one, to see relationship as a business. 
(chapter 46) This remark leads me to the following conclusion. Since the manager started sowing distrust in the champion’s heart, we can see it as another proof that this man has never truly loved “his boy”:
(chapter 40) Thus he can mistreat him, if he is not pleased.
8chapter 35) When this article was released, the author selected a photograph exposing the champion in good health! He was raising his arm and as such using his “injured shoulder”. The content of the article contradicts so much the image which can only raise doubts among the readers. By using such a picture, they created the illusion that the athlete was hiding something. And this remark brings me to the last articles about the fallen legend: 
(chapter 52) His beaten face is exposed to destroy his “good image”: he appears not only as weak, but also as a bully. This shows how the medias are trying to manipulate the public with pictures. His face and body are damaged, therefore he has less value. This deceptive trick becomes more visible, when you include Baek Junmin. 
(chapter 52) The article utilized a picture of the fake fighter taken right after the match. He is smiling and barely injured… yet, the reality is that he got so wounded by the champion that he needs a long time to recover. As you could observe, all these photographs symbolizes money, business, work, superficiality and publicity. Thus they are strongly intertwined with temporality, fake love and emptiness. No meaningful moment…
(chapter 46) The ones in this panel ooze privacy, selflessness and intimacy. The champion is seen carrying bottles and opening the door for the doctor, a sign of Joo Jaekyung’s respect for the doctor. Yes, these images expose the truth about the athlete: he really treasures his physical therapist. He is also seen listening to the doctor. This observation corroborates my previous interpretation. The pictures with the physical therapist symbolizes verity and reality. The problem is that Joo Jaekyung never got to see them, hence he didn’t realize his affection for the doctor. However, Choi Gilseok could notice it. In fact, the celebrity was delivered a different kind of truth: 
(chapter 33) A black car was following him. But they couldn’t take any picture, for the windows of his car were tainted.
(chapter 53) which left him deeply impressed. Joo Jaekyung was turning around his head and looking at him! This shows that the star was paying attention to him. And what had happened in that moment? What is the light next to the protagonist? Yes, these were the flashes from the cameras! 
(chapter 40) It is no coincidence. Though he had no memory of the previous night, he felt this moment as magical. He had saved him and claimed him as a part of Team Black. Then he had look at him back, though he was facing journalists. However, the journalists didn’t take a picture of such a moment, for this was not relevant to them. It shows not only the true value of “memories”, but also that both were now truly living! During that night and day, both created wonderful memories. 
(chapter 41) Kim Dan experienced that he was not alone, he was part of “Team Black”, while the other heard a love confession for the first time. This memory displays 
(chapter 17) He is relying too much on his eyes. He paid no attention to details and their words. Hence their words are not visible. In addition, the author created such a panel.
(chapter 17) in that scene.. But why is he trusting too much his eyes? It is because he adopted this poor habit from his mentor and hyung, Park Namwook. who judges people based on prejudices and impressions. When the manager faces a problem or some criticism 
(chapter 17), he prefers blaming his “boy” 
(chapter 49) 
(chapter 27) In addition, he had to rely on the expertise of doctors, but he only trusts himself, his hyung and no others. But let’s return our attention to Kim Dan and his letter.
(chapter 53) The letter stands in opposition to the articles and photographs. Through the letter, the main lead is teaching to the wolf this important life lesson. He needs to use his mind and as such his heart to see the truth and reality. 
(chapter 53) Thus he voiced his discomfort and annoyance. However, this time, he is not questioning the origins of his actions. He knows now that the doctor means a lot to him. He is not a waste of time. It is no coincidence that the moment he paid attention to Kim Dan’s thoughts and emotions, he opened up his own heart and mind, because according to Erich Fromm
(chapter 53) The latter might have no photograph of Kim Dan, but his face is now engraved in his memory. To conclude, the letter should be perceived as a mirror of truth to the athlete. He needed to hear the hamster’s words without seeing his face in order to see him properly. 
(chapter 26)
(chapter 26) The gym will face some changes. 
(chapter 1) The problem is that Kim Dan blamed himself for his suffering, as he must have often not paid the interests on time. That’s the reason why he got surprised, when he saw his enemy in front of his humble home. 
(chapter 1) Due to the lack of rest and time, he didn’t have the opportunity to ponder on his life and even have dreams on his own. Therefore he had no ambition. At the same time, he couldn’t become energetic and proactive due to his low self-esteem and his abandonment issues.
(chapter 2) I selected these two images, because they refer to their respective past and jinx. Both represent bad and painful memories, hence they contain a grey veil. While one is hurt physically, the other is suffering emotionally.
(chapter 29) The vision about his opponents is mirroring his own reflection. That’s how he views himself. He is surrounded by enemies who will attack him, as soon as he exposes any weakness. Thus it is normal that he is always on the alert. Episode 29 divulged that he was on survival modus. Consequently, it is not surprising that he could trust no one. Should one get too close to him, the former could become a traitor in the last moment. Moreover, this interpretation explicates why he has been so rough on his own body. First, he considered pain as a normality, the side effect of his profession and as such his corruption. In addition, he didn’t have the time to take care of his wounds, for he could get “killed” at any moment. Surrounded by this wave of “rotten bodies”, he imagined that once defeated, he would be swallowed by darkness and literally vanished. This vision displays another important aspect of the athlete’s philosophy. His job is not connected to fun and dream, but to work and nightmare. And now, you comprehend why I selected this panel in the middle of the illustration. 
(chapter 25) It is no coincidence that he employed that expression in front of his fated partner. To conclude, chapter 26 stands for life and happiness, proving that their life is not cursed per se. Consequently, red was the dominant color of this chapter. This pigment stands for love and life. Both felt alive during that day. Moreover, we could see glimpses of the sportsman’s true psyche as well, when he proposed to spar with the main lead. He desired to help the doctor himself. Hence he acted as his mentor and teacher in the ring. There, we could see his generosity, interest and open-mindedness. He wasn’t looking down on the doctor, he saw him as a true member from Team Black.
(chapter 29) He has no one by his side. And this observation leads me to my next interpretation. The existence of Joo Jaekyung’s belief is exposing Park Namwook’s neglect and bad management and coaching. We could say that he is partially responsible for the champion’s misery and bad luck. Therefore it is no coincidence that the sparring took place during his absence. 
(chapter 26)
(chapter 49) But why hasn’t the athlete confided to his manager yet? First, homosexuality is definitely a taboo among boxers and MMA fighters. Their masculinity and strength are questioned. Secondly, his coach views him as a spoiled brat. 
(chapter 26) 
(chapter 31) 
This shows that Park Namwook has no real respect for the champion. According to my theory, the athlete comes from a wealthy family, hence he is labeled as “spoiled kid”. Due to his social status, the manager can only judge the main lead as “lucky”. Besides, he is successful, for he earns a lot of money and has many fans. He embodies the “American Dream” perfectly. He has everything to be happy in the manager’s eyes. Therefore he couldn’t comprehend the bad mood from the champion. Moreover, Park Namwook embodies social norms and prejudices, and he has many about his star. Not only the latter has a bad temper, but also he is a stubborn workaholic. 
(chapter 46) Yet, according to my interpretation, the main character’s departure was not the sign of stubbornness, but rather of fear and avoidance. Since the manager doesn’t know his star that well, he judges him based on appearances. Moreover, I believe that he has the tendency to generalize, just like certain readers. Since the athlete beat a doctor and was quite brutal with a fighter, he is stigmatized as “thug” or a “spoiled kid”. I am suspecting that the way the hyung met the celebrity affected his perception about the young fighter.
(chapter 46) Despite his attitude, Joo Jaekyung still listened to his hyung’s warning, for from that moment on, he kept his distance from everyone, including the physical therapist. But there’s more to it. Park Namwook keeps associating his star with “good luck”. 
(chapter 1) 
(chapter 30) In addition, he knows about his private life and love life. 
(chapter 31) Despite his struggles, he accepts his actor. This is the symbol for unconditional love and support. Therefore it is not surprising that Choi Heesung confessed his trick. He was sure that his right-hand wouldn’t betray him. What about the champion? When the latter discovered the verity
(chapter 33), he didn’t report it to his hyung. He also kept it a secret. That way, he was not only protecting Kim Dan’s misdiagnosis, but also Park Namwook’s misjudgment. On the other hand, he acted as a real boss, for the comedian is an important client. 
(chapter 40) However, he is far from being a honest man. How so? First, he describes himself as the owner of the gym which is not true. 
(chapter 23) He promised the fighters that they would win, but the reality is that they failed terribly. 
(chapter 47) Therefore he bought chicken for them. Instead of showing compassion and understanding for his hungry and miserable champion, he allowed Potato and Oh Daehyun to buy junk food behind the celebrity’s back. 
(chapter 37) This shows their lack of mental and emotional support. For me, Park Namwook symbolizes ignorance and blindness. Therefore he is portrayed with no eyes.
(chapter 23) He never confronted the members with the truth. They lack skills 
(chapter 46) or endurance. I would even say that neither Park Namwook nor Jeong Yosep had high expectations for the other members from Team Black
(chapter 46). It was, as if they didn’t have the goal to create a new champion. How come? It is because the gym was initially created for Joo Jaekyung’s needs. And now, Jinx-lovers comprehend the dilemna. Team Black needs to redefine itself and its purpose. Moreover, Park Namwook’s true wish is to open the gym for “kids”. And that’s how he treated the staff from Team Black, like little kids. No wonder why many left the gym in the end. They didn’t feel truly supported by the manager and coach. Jeong Yosep and Park Namwook didn’t put any real effort to turn the members into professional fighters. That’s the reason why none of them had a MMA manager, only a coach and nothing more. 
(chapter 52) So what other fact was Park Namwook referring to? The fighter Baek Junmin and director of King Of MMA had paid Kim Dan. This shows that he had heard the conversation between the two protagonists. 
(chapter 52) And what did the manager do, after the champion had left the room? He abandoned Kim Dan, followed by the other men. At no moment, he asked Oh Daehyun or Yoon-Gu to take care of the physical therapist. But by following the celebrity or remaining passive, they had implicitly supported Joo Jaekyung’s decision. They had taken his side. And now, you comprehend why all these men chose to put the whole blame on the celebrity. 
(chapter 52) It is because they didn’t want to feel responsible for doc Dan’s departure. Their admiration and trust in the celebrity is superficial. In other words, they are following the hyung’s lead. Hence there is no regret, only reproaches.
(chapter 1) 
(chapter 49) He should be responsible for his contracts, yet the reality is that the Entertainment agency is the one managing the champion’s career. 
(chapter 41) However, as his manager, it is his duty to protect his star, as the career of a MMA fighter is rather short. Imagine, he let Joo Jaekyung fight three times within 3 months (April- June- July). It is definitely too much. To conclude, he is not doing his job properly, as he is trying to put a lot of responsibility on others (Kim Dan- Joo Jaekyung – the Entertainment agency). According to Mingwa, Kim Dan had been taking care of administrative tasks. However, as the director of Team Black, he should be the one handling it. After the incident at the health center, Park Namwook didn’t contact the press to explain the whole situation. 
(chapter 52) Park Namwook never tried to correct this negative reflection, for this is how the manager perceives the man himself. He is an ill-mannered child. This explicates why Park Namwook could slap the patient in his bed. So we should judge the argument between the fighter and his manager 
(chapter 29) He is not standing next to the main lead, but he is facing him. He is like an opponent. Another divergence is that Kim Dan was alone, whereas Park Namwook utilizes Potato and the others from Team Black to corner Joo Jaekyung. The doctor was willing to listen to him, whereas the other gets upset, when the other admits his suffering. Since the gym is facing a crisis, the patient should find a solution to the problem. 
(Chapter 53) Moreover, he had not earned his patient’s trust. Kim Dan was the only one paying attention to his injured shoulder. 
(chapter 22) Besides, by announcing it in front of this circle, the champion divulged that there existed a certain distance between the manager and the sportsman. Finally, the fact that Park Namwook is still left in the dark about the fighter’s jinx is the evidence that he is a really bad manager. For me, it is because he is afraid of making decisions. He lets other take his burden and responsibilities. Yet, Myles jury declared that a manager needs to take a lot of responsibilities. The gathering in the break room stands in opposition to this one: 
(chapter 52) For the first time, the champion is no longer looking at his cellphone. He shared his thoughts to others and exposed his powerlessness 
(chapter 40) These two situations have many similarities. Both were confronted with an accusation, they were surrounded by people, who were acting as righteous and honest workers. Both were coerced to admit a wrongdoing. In addition, they are actually abandoned by Team Black members, especially the manager. No one is looking for them out of concern. The reality was that they were not their “true colleagues and even less friends. However, like mentioned in a previous essay, the men in black were actually covering up a crime in order to hide the corruption from the organization. This makes me truly wonder if Park Namwook is truly ignorant about MFC’s corruption. He could simply know about the crimes, but he chose to close an eye to the whole situation. 
(chapter 40) He had rescued him. So by slapping the champion
, (chapter 29), I deduce that the slap had the opposite effect than this wonderful night. The gap between the hyung and the athlete got bigger. This represents the moment where Joo Jaekyung is emancipating himself from the hyung’s influence. By refusing the letter of resignation, he clearly indicates that he is rejecting Park Namwook’s suggestion.
(chapter 53) He won’t hire someone else. Moreover, the morning after the couch confession, Joo Jaekyung tried to seek closeness with Kim Dan 
(chapter 30), but failed due to his roughness and cowardice. Hence I assume that the slap was the trigger for the champion to switch Park Namwook’s position with Kim Dan’s. The latter is finally recognized as a friend and even as a competent physical therapist. He is on the verge of becoming Joo Jaekyung’s “hyung”. So far, the athlete has been calling the physical therapist “Kim Dan”. And exactly like that wonderful night, Joo Jaekyung will attempt to seek the doctor’s closeness, resolve the misunderstandings and close the gap between them. He will follow his footsteps, but have a different attitude. Why? It is because the grandmother will be next to them.
(chapter 37) They imagine that Joo Jaekyung’s recent demise will reinforce his former belief. The prematch-sex session with his regular partner didn’t prevent the misfortune, therefore he needs a replacement. That’s the reason why they made sure to isolate the celebrity. However, they couldn’t be more wrong, for the champion experienced the doctor’s departure as something worse than the whole scandal. 
(Chapter 53) This explicates why the idiom “jinx” is not even brought up, when he recalls their last sex session. He is not blaming the doctor for not procuring him a “good fuck”. The reason is simple. It is because he had already made this resolution: 
(chapter 49) He was no longer relying on the ritual. 
(chapter 53) He is now missing him, but he is not capable to express it properly. For the first time, he is confronted with reality. His penthouse feels cold, lifeless and empty. 
(chapter 19) Yes, we should see episode 53 as the negative reflection from chapter 19, the doctor’s arrival at the penthouse. 
(chapter 19) 
(chapter 37) or sightseeing attractions. Here, I feel the need to add this French song from Daniel Balavoine (1985): “Aimer est plus fort que d’être aimé” (Loving is stronger than being loved”).
(chapter 21). By interacting with Kim Dan, he will be able to reconnect with his true self which will change him forever. Notice that after the night in the States, at no moment, the champion mentioned his jinx, but spoke about his physical health. In reality, he was including his mental health. This shows that he was already moving on from his jinx. Moreover, after the tie and the suspension, he is not mentioning or thinking about his former belief. The reason is simple. Because of the doctor, the champion was allowed to perceive glimpses of the truth: corruption and the existence of tricks. This image 
(Chapter 44) So he was able to create good memories. Besides, he came to fall in love with Joo Jaekyung. Thanks to the latter, doc Dan could overcome his fear 
(chapter 26) The more he spent time with the celebrity, the more confident he became. He was able to voice his opinion and he started becoming more passionate about his job as PT. He studied sports rehabilitation, a sign that he was taking the champion’s career seriously. So when he wrote these words to his soulmate
(chapter 42) This shows that his self-loathing is gradually vanishing as well. The fact that he is employing the personal pronoun “I” indicates that he is able now to distinguish himself from his grandmother. 
(chapter 35) He is still cheering the athlete on and even wishing him happiness. This exposes that the physical therapist discovered “happiness” through the celebrity. He is no longer believing in the athlete’s jinx.
(Chapter 53) Here, I feel the need to remind my avid readers that though the doctor was victim of a trick, he was not entirely innocent either. He should have come clean with the champion concerning his meeting with the director from the rival gym. His lie still played a huge role in the champion’s mistrust. But why did he not tell him later? It is because he was under the influence of the manager. 
(chapter 48) The hyung had been his mentor and advisor. Thus he copied his actions and followed blindly his recommendations. 
(chapter 41) At no moment, he questioned his words and honesty. 
(chapter 43) How could the athlete be kinder to his own body, when his hyung was slapping him constantly? He was definitely pressured by the former wrestler. This shows that the 29 years old man is lacking critical thinking. On the other hand, we can not blame Kim Dan for trusting the man so blindly, as Joo Jaekyung was behaving the same way. Yet, the fact that Kim Dan cries
(chapter 44) The intimacy is rather superficial, for it is limited to pleasure and sensuality. This has nothing to do with the partner’s personality. Secondly, during that night, the champion was drunk. In season 1, both protagonists only discovered physical closeness without sharing their thoughts and emotions 
(chapter 44) . 
(chapter 44) He never told the athlete that he was so cute or handsome. He kept his thoughts and happiness to himself. The only moment they shared real intimacy was this night: 
(chapter 29) Moreover, during that sex session, the athlete employed dirty talk. 
(chapter 29) It was not to express affection.
(chapter 2) prostitution and rough sex. He never experienced true romance and the birth of “first love”. The courting and seduction were totally absent. His first kiss is connected to fighting, pain, survival and protection. 
(chapter 14) It had nothing to do with innocent and pure love. For me, Kim Dan didn’t have the time to fall in love with the champion properly. He could even say that his affection is related to his job and he could reduce it to mutual physical chemistry. Thus I deduce that he became a ghost again for one reason. Both need to experience the innocent first love. In other words, we should expect a new version of this magical night: 
(chapter 20) Till that moment, he lived like a ghost. He had been trying to deny the existence of his own body. And how did the athlete describe his lover in the bathroom? First, he compared him to a whore 
(chapter 19) before describing him as a baby. 
(chapter 20) However, we should expect a more pure version, where both act as innocent and inexperienced teenagers, similar gestures: 
(chapter 44) There should be no drug or no time pressure!! However, there exists another reason why I have such an expectation. First, the grandmother should be close to them. Her presence should represent a hindrance, as the latter is falling back into childhood. Secondly, right from the start, Joo Jaekyung was under the spell from Kim Dan. 
(chapter 1) He was so attracted to him physically, hence he didn’t pay attention to his partner’s personality. In fact, he had a negative perception of his nature: 
(chapter 1) By becoming a ghost, the champion is forced to perceive the main lead as a person and as such to pay attention to his personality (dislikes, likes, qualities, career). That’s the reason why I believe that in season 2, he won’t make the same mistake again. He will study the doctor and get to know him better. That’s how he will be able to identify his feelings for the protagonist. He doesn’t love him because of his cute face and body, but because of his big heart and warmth. He is so responsible, generous and dedicated that there’s no one else like him. He embodies true kindness and loyalty. His care and worries are genuine. That’s why the champion will voice his affection differently from the past: “Secret and innocent love behind work”. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why both characters had to go to the seascape. Nature is the perfect place to nurture innocent and pure love. Consequently, I don’t think, the author will rush to create a new chapter full of sex… rather full of tenderness and caresses! Thus Mingwa created such panels: 
The hands are no longer fists used to express anger and resent, but they are wide open, they are expressing love and tenderness. They will convey a different message: respect, teamwork, and communication. Finally, through such gestures, both are able to reconnect. The hands are encouraging them to express their own thoughts and emotions. They are giving them reassurance and confidence. Season 2 stands for sharing, honesty and communication. Expect a revolution at the gym!
(chapter 7) Kim Dan had just punched his boss. How would he react to this wrongdoing? In fact, I realized that all the episodes with the number 7 are strongly connected to an intrigue and riddle. Why? The answer lies in the number. 😉 So what does 7 symbolize in the end?
(chapter 18) He believed to see someone selling his body to a loan shark, while in reality the main lead was about to get raped. Hence we have -7! This represents the absence of reflection and even the refusal of meditation. 
(chapter 18) On the other hand, the quotes above mentioned 14 or 21, because they are also related to 7 (multiplication). This signifies that we should also see chapters 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and 49 as a reflection from number 7. Since the latter can be the result of an addition or substraction, I deduce that we should include the following numbers as a reflection of 7 as well: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Finally, if you read the analysis “”
(chapter 47) He didn’t get included in the conversation. This explicates why when Kwak Junbeom witnessed the encounter between Choi Gilseok and Kim Dan, the sportsman didn’t approach the PT in order to protect him or his champion’s interest. 
(Chapter 52) He will realize that he needs to select his opponent more properly. 
(chapter 5) He remained passive, because he had already an answer to his silence. He was refusing the job. He implied that his lack of reaction had been caused by the champion’s action. In addition, he reproached his boss that he was getting worked up for nothing. His behavior displays that he saw no value in Kim Dan. Moreover, Mingwa left a clue why the man has always been passive all this time. It is not just a question of fear. The other reason is that he used prejudices and superficial thoughts to explain people’s attitude. Hence he never investigated the matter why the doctor didn’t contact them. His attitude in episode 52 hasn’t changed at all.
(chapter 52). By mocking him, he was provoking Joo Jaekyung and he knew it. Yet, he never expected that he would be punched so violently that he would be KO. In episode 7, the champion “invited” the doctor to enter the shower room, 
(chapter 7) reminding us of the kidnapping in episode 16. Here, on the other hand, Heo Manwook must have judged his presence at doc Dan’s house as an “invitation” 
. (Chapter 16) and not trespassing. Each challenge or invitation is strongly connected to moving. Heesung had to drive through town in order to discover the secret between the two protagonists. Moreover, I distinguished another similarity: abduction and sequestration. Kim Dan was forced to stay in the shower room or his home or in the penthouse (34,43). Chapter 25 represents the exception, for it was the only case, where Kim Dan was given a real choice. 
(Chapter 25) He could refuse the sparring. Thus I deduce that in episode 52, the opposite is happening to the doctor. Something happened to him, and he could do nothing. On the other hand, this signifies that at the hospital, the members from Team Black were seeking the consent and support from their boss. 
(chapter 44) Kim Dan agreed to have sex with the fighter, because he wanted to know him better. Thus I deduce that the athlete discovered new aspects about Kim Dan’s life. 
(chapter 8) In 25 and 34, we never saw Park Namwook. He was either outside the gym or in his office. Then in episode 43, Potato was missing, but no one mentioned his absence. But I would even go further, all these chapters are strongly linked to the doctor’s vanishing. Notice that in episode 7, he got dragged to the shower room, but no one caught his disappearance, not even Park Namwook. 
(chapter 25) He received only attention, when he got strangled due to the maknae’s mistake and notice that the protagonist was too focused on training the others that he neglected his soulmate. Then in episode 34, Kim Dan was supposed to meet Choi Heesung, but he missed the appointment due to the athlete’s trick. 
(chapter 34) 
(chapter 34) Since the latter had not replied, Choi Heesung assumed that Kim Dan was not free. And now, you know why the actor never contacted the angel and asked about his whereabouts. The main lead never replied and confirmed the meeting. Then in episode 43, no one missed Kim Dan at the table, when they ate their dinner. 
(chapter 48) This should have caught the coach’s attention. In addition, it dawned on me that the fighter could have reported this meeting to the coach, saying that he would come late due to the other director, a new version of this scene: 
(chapter 11) So Park Namwook might have already been aware of this, which would explain why he felt uncomfortable, when he met Choi Gilseok.. 
(chapter 30) In this scene, we see that the doctor made a decision on his own, as he knew that he was not needed. Park Namwook should have asked why Kim Dan would join the gym later, if he had not been informed. As you can see, through the comparison, I realized Park Namwook’s huge wrongdoing. He didn’t miss doc Dan during that time, I would even say, he didn’t look for him. But he knows where he lives and he has his cellphone number. Like mentioned in a previous analysis, the vanishing of the coach and manager at the gym was exposing a professional mistake. 
(chapter 52) And funny is that as soon as I contrasted these episodes, I had another revelation. How did Joo Jaekyung know that Kim Dan was supposed to meet the actor? 
(chapter 32) Kim Dan had no saying in it, the justification was that it was for the champion’s sake. Hence my assumption is the comedian must have complained to the manager that Joo Jaekyung had interrupted their time together. 
(chapter 32) The sly fox was aware that the celebrity would never dare to contradict his hyung. 
(chapter 31) That’s the reason why Park Namwook asked the doctor to fetch the celebrity in episode 34. 
(chapter 34) Kim Dan could refuse to go to that meeting. He was not obligated, for there was no contract between the artist and the “hamster”. They had never asked for his consent. Choi Heesung used work to meet the doctor, but the manager had also heard from the actor’s manager about the comedian’s love life 
(chapter 43) Yet, Park Namwook joined them for the dinner at the restaurant. Only through the comparison, I detected the absence of the manager which I consider as a sign of his neglect. Yosep’s gesture 
(chapter 43) represents the positive gesture from Namwook’s slap.
(chapter 35) He needed Potato to work off some stress. That’s why the reason why NO ONE wondered about the young fighter’s absence during the birthday party. 
(chapter 41) Thanks to the chow-chow’s intervention, the champion discovered the truth. 
(chapter 52) The result was that his face got bruised. 
(chapter 7), 16 
(chapter 16) 
(chapter 16), 25 
(chapter 25) 
(episode 25) and 
(chapter 40), but also paid attention to his actions and work. 
(chapter 25)
(chapter 41) However, notice that her desire to watch the match was related to her grandson, the source of her pride and joy. As soon as I made this connection, I had another revelation. Gradually, the chow-chow’s admiration is shifting towards the doctor. 
(Chapter 25) and showed no fear to fight with stronger men. 
(chapter 52) I sense some future tension between him and coach Park Namwook, for the maknae embodies enlightenment, great intuition and open-mindedness, whereas the other stands for prejudices, ignorance and herd mentality. Naturally, the manager is changing for the better, nonetheless his metamorphosis is progressing much more slowly. Only in episode 52, he questioned why Baek Junmin was placed next to his athlete. 
(Chapter 52) Yet, he didn’t complain to the staff or to director Choi Gilseok. He remained passive contrary to the young member from Team Black. Moreover, because Kim Dan has always felt a certain closeness to Yoon-Gu, I believe that the latter will be the reason why the champion and Kim Dan can rekindle. Thanks to him, he can approach the poor doctor and convince him that Team Black is his home. 
(chapter 29) I doubt that it will be just for the athlete’s sake and recovery, for this would make him a hypocrite. He is truly interested in the doctor’s well-being. Let’s not forget that his worries in episode 43 were genuine. Moreover, since Joo Jaekyung’s name number 3 and Potato 4, we come to 7! They will work together. Joo Jaekyung will share his knowledge how to rule in the ring.
(chapter 26), his tolerance, patience, understanding 
(chapter 37), his humbleness 
(chapter 25), his dedication and meticulousness. 
(chapter 49) Yoon-Gu could only perceive Kim Dan as the symbol of loyalty. Hence I come to the deduction that after meeting doc Dan, he must have realized that only one could change the situation, it was Joo Jaekyung and no one else. 
(chapter 43), but also Park Namwook’s neglect. How so? First, look how Kim Dan came to offer his services to the members from Team Black. Kim Changmin had an old shoulder injury which had been neglected: 
(chapter 7) But the coach should have noticed it and advised him to go to a doctor. He was responsible for them. But no… and we have two other evidences in episode 52. First, the manager didn’t ask about Potato’s injury. Secondly, he slapped a patient, because he felt “provoked” by the outburst from Joo Jaekyung. 
(chapter 52) Why? One might say that he was worried for his star. But for me, the drop of sweat is showing a certain discomfort. How so? A surgery means that the athlete can no longer fight for a while. Without him, the coach is put under pressure, for he needs to ensure that other fighters can enter MFC. 
(chapter 13) Furthermore, he heard from the grandmother that he had a weak constitution. 
(chapter 21) Finally, let’s not forget that the doctor took a drug recently, but the champion never verified how it affected his physical therapist. 
(chapter 41) That’s how it dawned on me that the news about Kim Dan could be referring to his health too. But does it mean that doctor Dan is now ill, especially when you look at Potato’s facial expression here? 
(chapter 25) Back then, his dream was to train and spare with the athlete, thus I deduce that his new dream got “crushed”. But what was his new wish? To work with doc Dan! Thus he assisted him and asked for his opinion. He trusted him blindly. Therefore I have the impression that the physical therapist stopped on his own working for Team Black. However, I don’t think, Kim Dan made this choice himself. The news definitely caught the athlete by surprise. 
(chapter 52) Either he is sick, or it could be a reference to the doctor’s mental health as well. This would mirror the champion’s unwell-being. 
(chapter 10) Let’s not forget that after his first night, the doctor numbed his physical pain with soju, while he was not eating properly. 
(chapter 5) He would spend money for soju, but not for healthy food. Not even his grandmother was aware of this habit. But by living with the champion, he could no longer live like in the past. He had stopped drinking any alcohol, but notice that it changed after the drug incident. He was encouraged to drink again: 
(chapter 47) 
(chapter 51) And this brings me to my next observation. All the episodes are showing the champion’s weak mental condition which got even worse over time. From this 
(chapter 7) to this 
(chapter 34) and to this: 
(chapter 34) Though the celebrity was getting easily irritated, the manager never took the matter seriously. He saw it as the result of bad education, hence he never tried to change it either. 
(chapter 43) and care are not selfless, for the PT could improve the celebrity’s performance and even treat his shoulder injury in such a short time. However, what Park Namwook is not realizing is that he is becoming responsible for Kim Dan and his return. 
34 and 52) is not the expression of fun, rather it indicates fear, frustration and anger. In episode 25, the maknae wounded the doctor out of jealousy and frustration unconsciously. He wished to be close to the celebrity. Interesting is that chapter 43 represents the true exception. Here, the readers could discover the champion’s true face: he was behaving like a brute and thug 
(chapter 43) 
(chapter 43) To say that the athlete always has a bad temper 
(chapter 25) Why? It is because the doctor protected him by explaining the circumstances: he was learning jujitsu. He diverted the champion’s attention from Yoon-Gu. He had not been “caught”. However, when Kim Dan was offered to become the celebrity’s sparring partner, Potato got angry and voiced his anger and wish: 
(chapter 34) He employed the exact expression than the manager, an indication that the latter had influenced the actor. I consider his thoughts as another evidence for the coach’s intervention. However, he couldn’t report it to Park Namwook, for he had used work as a reason to meet the protagonist. On the other hand, I am quite certain that he divulged the incident to Potato in episode 43, therefore the latter agreed to the statement of the other fighters: he was a thug. 
(chapter 47) Chapter 52 contrasts to all the previous scenes, for this time, the champion got caught and sentenced. 
(chapter 1) Kim Dan was watching a match from the celebrity and heard the comments from the moderator. He was not only the strongest man in the world 
(chapter 1), but also a tyrant in the ring!! 
(chapter 1) And the moment I connected these two chapters together, I had another revelation. The champion’s image in the ring was also created by the media! To conclude, both medias were not portraying the athlete correctly. However, the words “a tyrant in the ring” made me realize why the celebrity lost his title and reputation at the health center. He needed to be defeated outside the ring. Thus the plotters asked the staff from the clinic to place the two fighters next to each other. 
(chapter 52) They wanted to trigger Joo Jaekyung’s rage 
(chapter 52), and they succeeded. This seems to corroborate my previous theory that the physical therapist from episode 1 had been wounded, because the athlete’s fears had been triggered. And now, you comprehend why the last picture resembles a lot to the one from episode 1, the “tyrant in the ring”. This shows that not only MFC doctors and nurses were involved in the scheme, but also the medias. They created the hype around the champion. Hence it dawned on me why the plotters had to remove Alfredo 
(chapter 47) and switch him with Baek Junmin. It is because it would have been impossible to ruin his image outside of South Korea. In the States, the athlete had a very good reputation. 
(chapter 37) He gave interviews constantly. 
(chapter 40) Even Dominic Lee had showed his appreciation. 
(chapter 40) Moreover, it was easier to get helping hands in the country.
(chapter 51) The latter had booed after the announcementof the result. The fight was the evidence of the corruption of MFC (jury, moderator and MFC security guys). The viewers had not bought the verdict from the jury. And now, it is time to return our attention to episode 1. What was Kim Dan doing in the bus? 
(chapter 1) He had been watching videos about his future client. All his matches had been recorded. But here look at the title of the article from Korean News: 
(chapter 48), a hour, when people in South Korea are busy. This would explicate why the match was not shown on TV. And now, you comprehend why there is no mention of the tie and why all the pictures come from before or after the match 
(chapter 1) He contributed to this legend: a tyrant inside the ring. So he didn’t change his MO. 
(chapter 40) Finally, the members are acknowledging Kim Dan as a part of the team. 
(chapter 15) Fans only knew the celebrity as fighter and not as the owner of the gym. On the other hand, Kim Changmin, Oh Daehyun and Potato will be motivated to help their devastated doctor and defend their mentor and trainer’s honor. That’s how they will emerge as real fighters. 
(chapter 36) Notice that the more he got under pressure, the more the champion trained the members, but the final game was different. 
(chapter 47) Namwook was in charge of the schedule and he did nothing to stop the new match. He simply accepted the switch. Anyway, someone will question his passivity and words. That should be Kim Dan, especially when he will notice the smear campaign he was exposed to, a new version of this situation. 
(chapter 52) Yes, the cute puppy is the new version of the main lead in episode 1. 
(chapter 51) Moreover, people saw parallels between this slap 
(chapter 51) If the celebrity had truly offended the doctor, the latter could have slapped him like in the past. He knew how to overcome his fear and do it. 
(chapter 26) This contrast outlines that Kim Dan hadn’t been that offended, he was just heartbroken and sad that the latter didn’t trust him, like he imagined. 
(chapter 46) He had to leave the gym, for he noticed that he would become the target of gossips. 
(chapter 46) He refused to face reality. That’s the reason why he became a traitor. He was tasked to bring members to the gym King Of MMA 
(chapter 52) so that he would become the next champion.
(chapter 52) Themselves… and their dream. They were imagining that they were one step closer to the spotlight. Through Jinx, Mingwa is criticizing our modern society and indirectly Jinx-philes who would easily jump from one ship to another. Twenty days earlier, the so-called hero was insulted for treating Kim Dan poorly. 
(chapter 36) The main lead was here put under immense stress due to the article. 
(chapter 36) Yet, he still took his job seriously, hence he spent time training himself the fighters despite his shoulder injury. 
(chapter 43) or chibbies. 
(chapter 7) If you read my essay “Guilty Truth or Dare – part 1”, you know that the beating in episode 1 was in fact an anomality. In chapter 36, 45 and 52, Joo Jaekyung never utilized violence, only when he was provoked 
(chapter 46) I am not saying that he shouldn’t change. But he is a far better person than he is perceived. He is loyal, tolerant, sincere and generous. In fact, he shared his PT with the fighters. 
(chapter 47). Thus I am already anticipating a rude awakening for the sportsmen, the moment they realize that in that new gym, the law of the jungle is ruling. Moreover, they should realize that they will be used as tools to make money. Choi Gilseok will throw them under the bus, if it is necessary. They will keep rigging the matches, as now MFC has become the official ground for betting. The dark side of MFC is coming to the surface. Baek Junmin is the perfect example. Choi Gilseok and his “Shotgun” provoked the main lead on purpose. However, the fake Angel of Death never realized the consequences of his words. 
(chapter 52) He lost consciousness and two front teeth. Moreover, he is shaking, a sign that he got severely injured, something I had predicted. This explicates why the corrupt reporter used a picture before the beating 
(chapter 52) Secondly, for me, the director is the epitome of cowardice. Hence he resorted to the cheap trick. Let’s not forget that in the past, he wagered on the champion’s loss with the drugged beverage. I doubt that he would repeat the same mistake. To conclude, the fighters felt good, when they left Team Black. 
(chapter 9) King Of MMA stands for the philosophy: “it’s everyone for himself”. Hence the generosity from the director is fake, he will ask for something in return! Remember how he lured the doctor to commit a crime with his “sweet temptation”. I am still expecting the usage of steroids and other tricks. Moreover, through their participation, they become involved in money laundering.
(chapter 21), the manager’s violation becomes more obvious. The hospital is a place where a patient needs rest. And what had Kim Dan done in the past? He had not revealed his problems to his grandmother so that she wouldn’t worry too much. He had tried to solve them on his own. Stress is not good for an ill person. In other words, the manager revealed his true face: 
(chapter 52) But that means as well, the athlete will emancipate himself from his hyung. Furthermore, he showed him that it was okay to weep in front of others, though his weeping was short-lived. 
(chapter 09) He had failed his task. Keep in mind that Joo Jaekyung had warned him. 
(chapter 46) He had voiced expectations for the first time to Park Namwook. He should become more proactive. In other words, he was starting putting some responsibility on the manager of Team Black. But the problem is that Park Namwook has the mentality of a child! He fears responsibility and as such making decisions. He is suffering from Decidophobia. 
(chapter 50) So when he is accusing the champion of behaving like a child, he is simply projecting his own thoughts and emotions, exactly like Baek Junmin: “He’s all talk”. 
. )chapter 52) 
(chapter 47) It is no coincidence that he delegates tasks to others. 
(chapter 7), he turned into a trainer and coach. On the other hand, I doubt that the champion should do everything on his own. Exactly like his hyung, he should ask for help and advices, but contrary to the past, there would be a real discussion where everyone comes to an agreement. All of them should make the decision together. But let’s return our attention to the manager and coach.
(chapter 5) and the emperor’s talents thinking that he could do the same with the other fighters. But that’s impossible. Each sportsman is different. One thing is sure. He hid his fears behind people. His dream was to live a life on a script, like wrestling which is impossible. But now they have all abandoned the ship, thereby it is becoming more difficult to avoid responsibility. At the same time, it explains why he is asking for the return of Kim Dan. It is his way to avoid accountability.
(chapter 51), even to voice his emotions and thoughts without resorting to violence, though the doctor was wounded by them. Here is another contrast.
(chapter 52) He has to get surgery and he got suspended. 
(chapter 41) He wanted to kill the mastermind behind the plot. From my point of view, the champion is incited to discover the existence of other means to get justice. According to my theory, the fighter is a chaebol. So he has power, but he was never taught to use his power properly. As time passes on, he will realize that he has to report a crime on his own, file a lawsuit but not for himself, for others. Finally, he will come to utilize medias to expose a crime. Hence I am expecting a new version of this scene at some point 
(chapter 35), where he contacts a journalist and reveals everything with the help from his loved one. From my point of view, he became a fighter because of manipulations. That way, the truth could get buried.
(chapter 45) He had never judged him for his yelling and reproaches. He had accepted everything from him, the good and bad. 
Joo Jaekyung must have realized that Kim Dan misunderstood his words in the locker room. 
(chapter 26) I can only feel good, when the two protagonists are smiling. 
(chapter 26) Both were listening to each other. 
(chapter 26) It was the happiest moment, for all the characters were genuinely cheering and smiling. 
(chapter 26) 
(chapter 36) They will no longer feel good while recalling their decision and even this evening
(chapter 140) 
(chapter 149) Both were suffering from survivor guilt. To conclude, Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan represent the bitter medicine for their scars. I mentioned “bitter”, because through their loved one, they are forced to face painful moments. That’s how they can overcome their past and discover happiness. However, while looking for a new title, I rediscovered the first illustration 
, and it suddenly made click in my head. To conclude, I had another revelation concerning episode 50.
. (chapter 50) At first glance, the champion is blaming Kim Dan for the wound. He betrayed him. However, his words could have a different signification. Don’t forget that a message always has 4 sides according to Schulz von Thun. 
(chapter 51) But note that he never accused Kim Dan of assault, but of leaking information. That’s the reason why I don’t think that this inquiry “What have you done” was about seeking accountability. In that case, he wouldn’t have rejected the doctor’s offer. By letting him treat his wound, Kim Dan would have become responsible for the injury. 
(Chapter 50) It becomes comprehensible why the Emperor refused the offer. The rejection was the symbol of his “trust” in Kim Dan unconsciously. Astonishing, right, though people and Kim Dan had the opposite impression. Yet, because of the “tie”, Kim Dan felt responsible for the incident, therefore he apologized. 
(chapter 51) This means, the main lead recognized his responsibility. He should have checked the spray more carefully. The champion could perceive this excuse as a confession of his complicity. Hence he asked his lover if he was the spy. 
(chapter 51) This signifies that in episode 51, he dared to question his physical therapist’s loyalty. Yes, we have another “Truth or Dare” in episode 51.
(chapter 50) This is the face of a scarred man. Yet, contrary to the past, he is not expressing his fear through rage. That’s the reason why his emotions were controlled. Under this new light, Manhwaworms grasp why the athlete asked such a question from his soulmate: 
(chapter 51) Interesting is that he was more pained by the idea of a betrayal from Kim Dan than the tie, if you compare these two panels: 
(chapter 51) He could sense the wound in doc Dan’s voice and gaze. It is important, because the sentence “You don’t trust me?” is actually constructed like a statement and not like a question. It only becomes a question through the tone. Through the latter, the champion could detect his partner’s genuine pain. The wounded tone could only move the champion’s heart. Kim Dan dared with a single question to shake the fighter’s confidence. No wonder why he reacted badly. 
(chapter 51) Thus Kim Dan could overcome this shocking but terrible discovery: he hadn’t earned the full trust from Joo Jaekyung yet. 
I believe you = I trust you 
(chapter 15) He told him something that he didn’t know. Note that after the terrible meeting with the actor, Joo Jaekyung couldn’t even find the answer himself: 
(chapter 35) He was still clueless about the trigger for his behavior. With this inquiry “You don’t trust me”, the hamster pushed his destined partner to face his biggest fear: trust someone and in particular him. This conversation can only incite him to meditate about their relationship. So while in episode 15, he behaved like a pouting child 
(chapter 15), in the latest episode, Jinx-philes can perceive his growth and maturity. 
(chapter 15) This painful incident was a wake-up call Thus I come to the following deduction. Kim Dan will try to earn the champion’s trust, whereas the champion will be forced to take a leap of faith towards Kim Dan. Contrary to episode 34, the champion could see the truth directly through the doctor’s gaze and voice: 
(chapter 34) As a conclusion, while the champion thought that his loved one had dared to cross the line, he was confronted with truth. He was biased and mistrusting his room mate and PT. This shows that though dare was the opposite choice of truth, the fighter ended up to be confronted with verity.
(chapter 34) This signifies that in the sauna, truth was not standing in opposition to daring. The sauna reminded me of the cavern where an imugi hides, until the latter leaves its hidden place and find his star, his yeouiju. Only then, he can turn into a dragon. To conclude, because of Heesung’s pressure, the imugi had to select between daring or lie. In other words, telling the truth became the challenge itself. Heesung knew that Joo Jaekyung would never confess. 
(Chapter 34) What Heesung wanted was actually a lie by omission or commission which would have been presented as the truth. Through this game, the actor thought that he could impose his will onto the celebrity. He anticipated the athlete’s silence. This signifies that he knew about the star’s denial and turned it against him. Besides, that way Heesung could maintain his good image: he had not stolen his partner and as such there was no cheating. No one was betraying him.
(chapter 34), but also his hand.
(chapter 34) Despite his words, the gumiho still got scared. The racing of his heart is an indication of his fright. Therefore he ran away more or less after ordering his trainer not to meddle in his love life. 
(chapter 34) Note that when he did this, he avoided his counterpart’s gaze. Deep down, he knew that he shouldn’t provoke his frenemy too much. Only when he was at the door, he turned around and LIED! 
(chapter 34) Yes, after that incident, he chose to give him a fake excuse for his departure. As you can see, this conversation was strongly intertwined with the notion “truth or dare”, but both ended up lying. Whereas the champion didn’t admit any feelings, the other acted, as if there was nothing wrong and he was not scared. The gumiho thought that if he were to remove the champion from the doctor’s side, the latter would be able to open up to the actor. 
(chapter 34) What does it reveal? The actor had been projecting his own thoughts onto the future dragon too. He was the one who didn’t dare to become more honest with the physical therapist. He used work to spend time with Kim Dan. One might say that Heesung failed terribly. Yet, this is just an illusion, because his “failure” pushed him to become more honest with Kim Dan. Thereby he asked to meet the doctor again. 
(chapter 34) The champion dared to challenge his rival. 
(chapter 35) Yes, by challenging the athlete because of Kim Dan, the comedian ended up telling the truth. 
(chapter 34) He was not telling the truth, when he stated that Kim Dan was his “possession”. This explicates why he couldn’t stay by the doctor’s side 
(chapter 35) On the other hand, the artist could only tell one part of the truth: the presence of feelings. However, the deceptions in the penthouse exposed something else: 
(chapter 45) or left the doctor in the locker room in episode 51. 
(chapter 45) It is because by denying his affection, he needs to justify his presence next to him. He is his PT… forcing his enemies to portray the doctor as a traitor or a bad PT. However, they failed, as the champion is not doubting the doctor’s innocence concerning his wound on the foot. Nevertheless, the incident is not closed, as the culprit has not been brought to justice.
(chapter 50) First, the schemers’ MO corresponds to the game Truth or Dare. Choi Gilseok asked his minion to cross the line. This explicates why they are trying to use tricks and manipulations. Daring means no truth, thus someone will be framed: Kim Dan. Yet, the plotters are not aware that thanks to the cute hamster, the alpha is turned into a mirror of truth. Hence he couldn’t get deceived by the MFC security guys: 
(chapter 40) 
(chapter 36) The lawyer, the journalist and the manager pushed him to choose “dare” and not truth! That’s why there was no interview and the leak was not investigated. He had to prove his strength. 
(chapter 36) And exactly like at the sauna, daring became a synonym for verity. No wonder why the fighter is never rejecting the challenge. It corresponds to his past attitude: he has been burying the truth and as such the past. But let’s return our attention to the plotters.
(chapter 29), the journalist without a face 
(chapter 42), Baek Junmin whom the champion couldn’t truly identify 
(chapter 47), then he recognized the director without naming him, 
(chapter 48) and finally the ghost from the past 
(chapter 54). These characters are all connected to “Truth or Dare”. 
(chapter 50) This scene exposed that the champion repressed a certain incident which is rather common among victims of a trauma, especially people suffering from PTSD. This shows that some traumatic event took place for quite some time, but the champion acted, as if nothing had happened. 
(Doctor Frost, chapter 140 ) That’s how the champion became a zombie, he couldn’t live properly due to his untreated scars. 
(doctor Frost, chapter 139) But thanks to his fated partner, the traumatic past is slowly coming to the surface.
(chapter 48) Should the athlete remember this night, he will realize that he was the one dismissing his physical therapist, although the doctor could have come clean later. At the same time, Joo Jaekyung’s attitude could be mirroring the parent or guardian’s in the past. They didn’t have the time or the inclination to listen to their son, hence the traumatic incident got buried. 
(chapter 27), hence truth comes to the surface! Kim Dan and Joo Jaekyung feel attracted to each other and have come to love each other. When they speak their mind, they feel comfortable around each other. Truth is strongly connected to communication. Hence the painful conversation in the locker room was necessary. “You don’t trust me?” also reflected the doctor’s attitude. He never tried to approach his room mate 
(chapter 45) He lied, when he portrayed himself as grateful. He was avoiding his gaze either. No wonder why the fighter got even more mad and threatened to fire him. Such an attitude could only increase the celebrity’s mistrust, as the latter could discern a certain dishonesty. 
(chapter 49) The latter didn’t even greet the director or acted, as if they didn’t know each other. He exposed the existence of a secret, an uncomfortable secret. Consequently, I believe that the champion could only jump to the conclusion that Kim Dan had been indeed acting behind his back, even coerced to do something. 
(chapter 51) Note that the star never came clean with the truth either. 
(Chapter 35) Through the doctor, the champion is encouraged to become honest to himself.
(chapter 33) Simultaneously, it exposes that the champion has a secret, which is strongly intertwined with betrayal, love, money and deceptions. I couldn’t help myself thinking of “blackmail”. Kim Dan had been coerced to do something, as the director was holding something against him. Hence we have the question: “what have you done?”. Remember how the actor chose to approach the angel. 
(chapter 9) And what did happen after they left the restaurant? The champion discovered the truth: 
(chapter 10) 
(chapter 10) Kim Dan was terribly poor, but he was also on his own, missing his grandmother.
(chapter 34) “Are you drunk?” With this question, the protagonist revealed something about himself. He associates dating and love confession with drunkenness. He implies the existence of a lie. But a confession is strongly associated with verity and sincerity. On the other hand, for the sportsman, no one in his right mind would admit to be in love and in our case to love another man. For me, one part of the problem is that the champion is afraid of admitting his homosexuality. The latter is still a stigma in South Korean society. But there’s more to the game Truth or Dare. If you paid attention to the origin of the last quote, you will realize that this fun is linked to bullying and even hazing.
(chapter 49) Furthermore, bullying is never done alone, but in groups. 
(chapter 37) Finally, note that the schemers are working in teams exactly like the bullying students. Therefore I judge Park Namwook’s attitude as the teacher’s who is closing the eye to the truth. He is rather passive and puts the whole responsibility on his “boy”. 
(chapter 37) Interesting is the athlete described this night as a party which made me think of a students’ party. Therefore I couldn’t help myself wondering if the champion didn’t go to college, but due to an incident, he was forced to drop out. And the latter could be related to a party organized by students. The latter chose to cover up the incident by remaining silent. I would like to outline that the doctor got fired, though he was actually sexually harassed by his superior. The nurse never testified in his favor, she chose to close an eye to the crime. 
(chapter 1) It is important, because it implies that Kim Dan avoided to socialize and participate in gatherings. Interesting is that in season 2, Jinx-philes discover that Kim Dan had been bullied in the past. 
(chapter 9), yet Park Namwook made sure that the physical therapist wouldn’t be abandoned drunk. Thus he tasked his boss to bring him home. And as for Potato, it is clear that Oh Daehyun would take care of him, as he was sleeping in the dormitory next to him. In other words, no one was left behind drunk. But this scene contrasts so much to episode 43. First, no one was missing Potato. No one asked about his absence. Secondly, pay attention that the fighters invited Kim Dan to join them for another round, while they were neglecting their boss, though it was his birthday party. 
(chapter 43) Moreover, they never wondered about his physical condition. Was he drunk or not? Funny is that the intoxicated character was the one who forced Kim Dan to go home. 
(chapter 43) That’s what a friend is supposed to do.
(chapter 35) So the auntie could keep an eye on the judo fighter, and it was only a matter of time, until his friend would return. Nevertheless, this scene is implying a certain problem: a drunken person shouldn’t be left unguarded. Thus imagine that during a party, an unconscious person is brought to a room and left there unguarded, as the friend desires to keep partying, similar to this scene: 
(chapter 37) The person could get sexually assaulted, and no one would notice it. Secondly, I would like to outline that the hazing party from the article reminded me a lot to bullying. These freshmen were humiliated, and the perpetrator excused her behavior behind traditions and social norms. So the champion could have been betrayed by a friend, as the latter would have justified his action similarly. So instead of admitting his mistake, he could have justified the incident like this: the victim was responsible for his misery, because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. It was just his misfortune or better said his jinx. Yes, for me, the jinx is indicating that people responsible for the champion’s traumas were denying their wrongdoings.
(chapter 3) Neither Kim Dan nor the protagonist were seen both naked in the shower room. 
(chapter 8) 
(chapter 20) 
(chapter 30) Therefore I perceive the champion’s last comment as relevant. In my opinion, Kim Dan’s gesture reflected the champion’s mind-set. So by saying this, Joo Jaekyung was forced to admit the absurdity of such an attitude. Therefore Manhwalovers can understand Joo Jaekyung’s annoyance at the sauna. He imagined that he would be alone there. 
(chapter 34) He feels uncomfortable naked around people… As soon as you connect this place to a wound, my avid readers can finally better interpret the champion’s irritation in episode 36: 
(chapter 36) Kim Dan’s entrance could be perceived as a violation, for the champion was naked. This intrusion caught him off-guard. But since his gaze was covered, his anxiety masked behind his anger was diminished. On the other hand, this led him to leave the bathtub undressed and have sex in the kitchen. 
(chapter 36) For me, everything is pointing out that one of the champion’s fears is intimacy with water. He has long internalized this association. Don’t forget that the sexual encounter in the swimming pool started with clothes, before they got completely removed. 
(chapter 27) Under this new perspective, I don’t think that it is a coincidence that the champion felt the need to take a shower after meeting Baek Junmin and recalling the past. 
(chapter 49) This helped him to overcome his trauma and past wound. 
(chapter 8) they dared to have sex next to Oh Daehyun and the other fighter. However, note that in all these scenes, neither the doctor nor the champion were honest. They were both lying… not only to their counter-part, but also to themselves. 
(chapter 51) doesn’t represent the final moment where both main leads opened up their heart and mind to each other. They were not truly honest to themselves and to each other. There was no water… and according to me, the spray was a pepper spray, so the champion’s ankle should have been cleaned and not simply covered. For me, both characters need to prove their trust and loyalty to each other. But they are moving in the right direction, for Joo Jaekyung divulged a huge information to Kim Dan. 
(chapter 70) His sexual orientation was exposed in high school, his friends were behind the rumor 
(chapter 70), although we have to envision that his crush played a huge part in it. Why? It is because he didn’t want to be associated with homosexuality. 
(chapter 70) Not only he cut off ties with him, but also he made sure to isolate the main lead from other students. The worst is that this person acted, as if this ostracizing had never occurred. 
(chapter 69), as if he had done nothing wrong. For me, it shows that the traitor never grasped the significance of his actions. Hence Park Sung-Woong could forget Dong-Gyun, while the latter could never forget him at all. The result from this huge betrayal was that the cute uke decided to keep his distance from people. 
(chapter 70) He could no longer trust people, he avoided meetings. In order to outline how severe betrayal trauma can be, the Webtoonist showed us the immediate effects of betrayal trauma: physical and emotional reactions 
(chapter 70) 
(chapter 70) and the long term effects: 
(chapter 69) he is trembling so much, he can not look at his former friend. Readers shouldn’t underestimate the issue. Betrayal trauma is so severe that it is comparable to being hit by a white truck. The pain is so great that it affects the brain functioning and as such personality.
(chapter 9), trust issues 
(chapter 05) Then when he stayed at home,
(chapter 32), it was clear that the doctor’s actions were constantly on his mind. He was so bothered that he had to bring him to Heesung. He made sure that Kim Dan would forget Choi Heesung in the car. 
(chapter 33) Interesting is that this trauma resembles a lot to PTSD.
(chapter 49), the latter was not loved, as he didn’t reach the first place like his older brother. Then we have Interpersonal with Nam Dong-Gyun and his high school friend. However, since the rumor circulated at school, and no adults intervened, we could see it as a reference to Institutional betrayal. Finally, Mingwa presented the last type (partner) with Hweemin. 
(chapter 51) But why is betrayal trauma so severe? It is because everything appears as a lie, as an illusion. All the memories become tainted. The victim can only question his own senses and judgment. How could he not detect the lies? Since PTSD and betrayal trauma share some common points, it is not surprising that such persons come to blame themselves and develop huge self-loathing. 
(doctor Frost, chapter 139). And now, it is time to expose my latest observation: 
(BJ Alex, chapter 51) Ahn Jiwon caught his first lover cheating on him at a club. Interesting is that the new lover resembles a lot to Joo Jaekyung! Mingwa said that characters from BJ Alex will only appear, but Jinx is not connected to her previous work. Note that they were kissing in a public place. Moreover, the club is a location where students not only meet, but also drink alcohol together. However, once Jiwon saw Hweemin, he dragged him outside so that they could talk. In other words, the “new lover” was left behind. Thus I come to the following conclusion. Joo Jaekyung has been suffering from betrayal trauma exactly like Ahn Jiwon. He was betrayed by his guardian 
(BJ Alex, chapter 51). If this theory is true, then Mingwa would finally outline the devastating effects of Betrayal trauma on people, something she barely touched in her previous work.
(chapter 51)
(chapter 23) The fur of this animal corresponds to the color of Sardonyx. 
(chapter 23) We have here the orange shade. Moreover, he is also perceived as a lucky charm by Oh Daehyun and Kim Changmin. In many occasions, we could see that he embodies communication and can improve relationships. 
(chapter 22) Compare his reaction, when Oh Daehyun was talking about his penthouse 
(chapter 22). The latter was silenced with a threat. 
(chapter 22) Then when Potato got rejected by his idol, Kim Dan felt the need to ask the young fighter why he was so upset. Therefore he left the office. 
(chapter 23) 
(chapter 23) Imagine that he didn’t show any interest in Joo Jaekyung all this time. If the chow-chow had not been hurt, the doctor would have remained in the office. Furthermore, Potato was paying attention to the couple’s interaction.
(chapter 23) A sign that he stands for connection and advice. Interesting is that right after, Joo Jaekyung listened to his sex partner in the treatment room. 
(chapter 24) Thus he gave a task to the maknae.
(chapter 24) And Jinx-philes will certainly recall what the pure fighter did during his task: he called Joo Jaekyung! 
(chapter 23) Another symbol for communication. He should voice about his desires. As you can see, his presence helped to improve the relationship between Kim Dan and his boss. Then the next morning, Potato also showed curiosity towards the physical therapist: 
(chapter 25) Once he heard Kim Dan’s intentions, he offered his help and while practicing, both men came to exchange their thoughts and emotions. 
(chapter 25) This explicates why Joo Jaekyung came to propose the sparring to Kim Dan. We could say that Yoon-Gu’s presence gave the doctor’s courage to accept the challenge. 
(chapter 26) One might say that he felt sorry for Potato 
(chapter 29) And now, you comprehend why the relationship between the main couple improved so much between 22 and 29, it is because of the lucky charm, the “Sardonyx chow-chow”! Thanks to his presence, he encouraged the main couple to communicate and to be more curious about each other. He stands for respect, responsibility and connection. Only through conversation, it is possible to get know someone. No wonder why he is so treasured by Team Black. 
(chapter 31) He said that he didn’t expect anything from the doctor, but the reality is that he wanted to date him. So he had expectations. He was not direct with the physical therapist, as he initially didn’t know what he truly desired. He was just put under the charm of the angel. So what did he like in the physical therapist? His talent or his personality or his face? 
(chapter 30) Hence Kim Dan had problems to accept his appreciation as a fact. I don’t think, the artist was aware of the consequences of his behavior. Interesting is that after bumping into Potato
(chapter 31), the actor changed his tactic. He stopped offering presents, he became more direct. He proposed to hire him as his private physical therapist. 
(chapter 31) So he used work to get closer to the physical therapist, which was quite similar to the champion’s approach. Simultaneously, Yoon-Gu was able to detect Heesung’s true intentions. 
(chapter 31) He was interested in the main lead romantically and sexually. We could say that the maknae pushed the comedian to meditate and to be more honest to himself. I would even say that he has a similar effect on the physical therapist, for the latter started pondering on the champion and himself. 
(chapter 36) The fact that he took over the youngest member’s task during that evening indicates his influence. The problem is that the Sardonyx was not present, therefore his dark thoughts couldn’t be pushed away. This scene reveals the hidden power of the gemstone. But there’s more to it. Mingwa created the positive reflection from that night in the States: 
(chapter 37) Yes, Kim Dan stood up to Joo Jaekyung, by stating that they would keep eating. Kim Dan was incited to protect Potato and Oh Daehyun. As their huyng, he should become responsible for them. This scene embodies “courage, strength, happiness but also communication…”, as they were having a happy time together before the star’s interruption. Hence the athlete was so jealous of them, for he had been excluded. Because of his intervention, Yoon-Gu felt indebted towards doc Dan, therefore he was the only one who worried about his friend. 
(chapter 40) Once again, Potato helped the main lead to perceive the champion in a positive light. Soon after, he came to accept his feelings for the star. Under this new approach, it becomes comprehensible why after chapter 41, neither Kim Dan nor Joo Jaekyung talked to each other properly. 
(chapter 41) 
(chapter 40) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the hamster accepted the harsh criticism from his employer in the penthouse. 
(chapter 47) thanks to him, one fighter spoke up and revealed his knowledge about Baek Junmin and the underground fighting ring. 
. 
(chapter 35) His presence encouraged the comedian to question himself and his expectations. We could say that thanks to him, Heesung was incited to meditate and not to fall back into his old bad habits. Note that Heesung was actively listening to Potato’s words. 
(chapter 35) He was opening his mind and heart truly to the Sardonyx. This scene stands in opposition to the conversation at the VIP club, where both seme showed their selfishness, disdain and intolerance towards each other. 
(chapter 33) Solitude, Unhappiness, Judgement and arrogance versus modesty 
(chapter 35) The shades corresponds to the gemstones onyx (black/white jacket), sard and sardonyx (brown-dark orange), then we have the Peridot (the green bottles of soju) and finally blue (Sapphire)! Under this new approach, my avid readers can sense why these characters were fated to fall for each other during that night. This was the power of the magical hidden gemstones. 
confronted him with the truth. He should admit to himself that he was sexually attracted to the celebrity. 
(chapter 38) He was the one making the connection between the doctor’s sudden illness and the nutrition booster. 
(chapter 32) 
(chapter 26) The red protection gear incited the athlete to see this sparring as a game, it helped him to rejuvenate and rediscover fun. Thus he was smiling. 
(chapter 25) 
(chapter 35) He could smile again and move on from his past failure. It encourages its wearer to embrace life’s challenges with courage and determination, knowing that they possess the inner strength to overcome any obstacle and emerge victorious in the end. My avid readers can grasp why red spinel shares some similarities with Sardonyx: courage and strength. 
(chapter 45) This is a sign that the champion had liked that night, but exactly like doc Dan in the past, he chose to lie to himself out of fear. How is this related to Potato? Don’t forget that he was not present at the birthday party, but more importantly he was no longer acting as a supportive friend and confident. Because Yoon-Gu’s philosophy is not to intervene and to admire from afar, he is not realizing that he is actually abandoning Kim Dan and even Joo Jaekyung. 
(chapter 25) The latter had been repressing his homosexuality. I see some parallels between the two characters. Joo Jaekyung ‘s sexual orientation was strongly connected to his career. He could have sex with men, as it was his way to chase away bad luck. Thus I come to the following conclusion: the relationship between doc Dan and Joo Jaekyung can only improve, when Potato interacts with them. It will push him to accept his feelings for doc Dan. While the champion was jealous of him in the past 
(chapter 26), I feel like the chow-chow could become a great source of comfort for Kim Dan and also for the boss of Team Black, just like he did it with Heesung. How so? It is because he stands for courage and strength. Moreover, the moment the owner of Black Team knows about the relationship between Heesung and Potato, he won’t longer feel threatened by them. He needs to discover the existence of friendship. Besides, since Kim Dan sees the maknae as a puppy dog, 
(chapter 31) He needs to ensure that the physical therapist is not snatched away by Mr. Choi Gilseok. At the same time, I feel like Kim Dan has a good influence on the chow-chow, for thanks to doc Dan, Potato could receive more recognition from his idol. The star entrusted his Black card to Potato, when he gave him his first task
(chapter 24). Then he accepted the request from Doc Dan and announced to Potato that they would be sparring together from now on. 
(chapter 36) It was, as if the doctor’s presence had activated Yoon-Gu’s qualities from the Sardonyx and Red Spinel: lucky charm and communication. Note that in the States, Potato and Oh Daehyun made sure to deliver the incident with the drugged beverage to the coach and manager. 
(chapter 40) And now it’s time to examine Heesung’s gemstones: Diamond and Sapphire.
(chapter 31), then the hospital and halmoni: 
(chapter 48), I have the feeling that the actor could also be linked to that company or another huge company. 
(chapter 33) In this scene, we could see a glimpse of his diamond nature. I don’t think, it was random that in that evening, he drank a martini, as the form of a martini glass is similar to a diamond’s. 
(chapter 33)
(chapter 33), aggressive 
(chapter 30) the latter treated him like a human. He could sense that his offer was not motivated by greed or admiration, for he didn’t know him that well. He was just an uncut diamond. And how is the god Saturn alias Kin Dan connected to the diamond Heesung? 
(chapter 31) Though he was not entirely honest to Kim Dan and to himself, his generosity towards the physical therapist was still genuine. In other words, the doctor is responsible for the actor’s change. What caught my attention is that the last gift at the gym were flowers, a sign that he was trying to convey his feelings differently. He was definitely more humble. Under this new aspect, it becomes comprehensible why the actor decided to hide his presence in the penthouse and still to confess his love in the café later. He could perceive the doctor’s innocence. He never saw him as a prostitute. His attachment to Kim Dan was stronger to the point that he chose to help the physical therapist in the end. 
(chapter 35) His selfishness came back to the surface. As you can see, for me, Saturn lets Heesung’s diamond heart shine. Through him, he could experience what true care and dedication is. Furthermore, he was encouraged to become more proactive. Thus he ended up challenging the athlete directly. 
(chapter 31) Since Potato and Heesung view both doc Dan as an angel, their mission should be to protect their lucky charm. And that’s how next to his soulmate, he will be able to shine as a hero… He would no longer use dirty tricks to achieve his goal. I would say, he would become responsible for Potato and Kim Dan in the end. And this brings me to the second April birthstone: Sapphire.
(chapter 46) It was their karma. But it is the same for the famous MMA fighter. The latter threatened the doctor that he could fire him
(chapter 48) Thus I deduce that the moment Kim Dan gets the support and protection from Heesung, the former could indeed become the infamous “lord of karma”. So far, Kim Dan has not been even thinking that he could press charges against Kim Miseon. 
(chapter 48) The reason is that he views himself as powerless. But like I had already announced, Heesung is a trickster himself, therefore he can perceive the deceptive nature of humans. This corrupt doctor could get into trouble because of the actor. 
(chapter 48) Kim Dan as Shani Dev was pushing away evil spirits, but at his own expense. Moreover, this signify that the alliance between Heesung and Kim Dan will bring bad luck to the schemers… as Heesung is the sapphire giving power to Kim Dan. Furthermore, the myth of Shani Dev made me realize why there is no “family” and love in the penthouse. Kim Dan needs to receive the support from Potato and Heesung, because their assistance would boost his self-confidence. Since the maknae represents courage and strength, I believe that his influence will rub off on the comedian too. But because Shani Dev symbolizes karmic justice, people came to view him as a god of misfortune.
(chapter 31) It was not his right to intervene in the doctor’s business. The protagonist is actually a free-lancer. Hence he should be the one to select his clients. This shows that as long as the athlete doesn’t consider the comedian as a friend and supporter, he will never achieve his goal. He needs to value human relationships and see people as precious gems and not everyone as a rival and source of danger. On the other hand, I would like my avid readers to keep in mind that Joo JAekyung still remained silent, when he discovered that the comedian had tricked him. 
(chapter 35) In ancient times, travelers would often wear sapphire as a talisman for protection against illness and misfortune, seeking its benevolent energies to guide them on their journeys. The problem is that he was not present in the States, hence there is no ambiguity that if he came to hear about this incident, he would resent the athlete. 
(chapter 18) The doctor is unaware of this, but one of his purposes in the champion’s life is to clean the scene, MFC and its corruption. On the other hand, the illustration contains many pictures of the two main leads having sex. 
Why? It is because the characters are acting like fighters. At bottom left, the doctor’s embrace resembles a lot to the one he used during the sparring (see the image in the middle). Their gestures are sudden and quite abrupt, which contrasts to the image on the right bottom. The kiss from the doctor holding Joo Jaekyung’s face represents the exception from all the selected panels. This shows that this Summer Night’s Dream indicates a huge transition in the sex sessions. But let’s return our attention to the images illustrating roughness. Right from the start I detected a strong connection between fighting and sex. [For more read 
(chapter 14) 
(chapter 36)
(chapter 29)
(chapter 15) This means that if the fighter is on his own. He can not rely on others. If he is not able to return without the assistance of spectators or his seconds, he is declared as defeated. So we could say that any interruption is condemned, as it is ruining the flow of the fight.
(chapter 15) Funny is that conversation is permitted, yet mouth gear hinders the fighters to talk. Should they remove it constantly, the referee can judge it as a violation (“Timidity”), for the fighters can not fight, as long as they don’t wear the mouthpiece. This signifies that the sportsmen are encouraged to express their thoughts through the hands. 
(chapter 15) 
(chapter 12). The absence of kisses and caresses can be explained with the presence of mouthpiece and hand wraps in the ring. Moreover, in the arena, there is no warning up, therefore we have the explanation why the champion never included foreplay. On the other hand, the fellatio was used as the symbol for submission. The rival was always brought to his knees.
(Chapter 6) 
(chapter 39) I would even add that the opponent’s challenge was to overcome the long intercourse. I doubt that he gave his past partners a break while having sex. 
(chapter 39) At the same time, it explains why the champion didn’t take the partner’s pleasure into consideration. It was a battle in bed, which was led by the protagonist. The latter was not only acting as MMA, but also as arbiter and MFC matchmaker. With his money, he could determine the time, the location and the duration.
(chapter 5) Their gestures were seductive, a sign that they were not fearing the champion. The challenge was here the difference of weight. On the other hand, by approaching Joo Jaekyung, they looked confident about their skills. That’s the reason why he would have sex with them, until they passed out. 
(chapter 33) He was testing their stamina and as such he desired to demonstrate his superiority. He had to make them KO in bed. However, the green-haired uke represented an exception, because he managed not to pass out. That’s how he became the athlete’s regular partner. 
(chapter 2) This means that Joo Jaekyung failed to defeat this competitor in bed. This explicates why the “goblin” came to look down on the star. In fact, he realized that he had the upper hand. 
(chapter 42) That’s the reason why he no longer put any effort in this relationship. There was a certain balance, but it was based on money. That’s how it dawned on me why Mingwa included this memory in the champion’s narration: 
(chapter 1) 
(chapter 4) 
(chapter 8) 
(chapter 12) 
(chapter 39). As Jinx-philes could observe, till the night in the States, the champion privileged to have sex from behind. How do we explain the difference and when did this change occur? 
(chapter 2) The champion’s ecstasy served as a measurement to view himself as victorious. This statement implies that he was not only the fighter, but also the arbiter. This corroborates my previous statement. During sex, he was the fighter and the referee. He acted as the MFC matchmaker.
(chapter 43) In my opinion, during that night 
(chapter 2) The goblin might have not voiced his thoughts to the celebrity before, but Joo Jaekyung could perceive his soul through the gaze and facial expressions. Hence the star’s domination was quite superficial. In fact, as time passed on, the athlete could only get bored of the goblin. 
(chapter 42) It is because there was no challenge. The guy was accustomed to the champion’s roughness. Hence he never feared the star. He could only judge him as weak. Because Joo Jaekyung was missing the thrill, he came to look for the “wimp”! On the one hand, the latter would treat him with respect
(chapter 1), on the other hand, he would cry and tremble in his presence. Then right after the session, he left the room in a hurry. 
(chapter 1) That’s how I realized why during that night, the champion felt the need to call Kim Dan. 
(chapter 1) It is because the “hamster” had not only feared him 
(chapter 1) He had grabbed his anaconda!! But this represents a breach of rules in MMA! That’s how I realized that the doctor’s action pushed the fighter to violate many of his own rules: interruption of the flow! 
(chapter 21) Then after facing Heesung, he stopped the intercourse too, 
(chapter 3) He was defying the champion’s authority. 
(chapter 3) Despite his fear, the hamster wouldn’t become submissive like the others. While the green-haired uke faked submission and the others got defeated by KO, Kim Dan remained true to himself. He embodies honesty and modesty, the opposite values of the “goblin”.
(chapter 4) That’s the reason why the two main leads were sleeping under the cover. This explicates why he selected the doctor as his definitive partner. I also discovered another infringement during the “Wedding Night”: the champion refused to wear any protection during sex.
(chapter 2) Let’s not forget that during a match, they are supposed wear a sex gear. Interesting is that he grabbed the doctor by the hair 
(chapter 4). It is important, as it represents a real transgression of MMA rules indicating how powerful the doctor was. The champion needed to break rules in order to get him. Funny is that he thought that after such a long night, he had been able to submit the cute hamster, but he was totally wrong. The latter chose to ignore him. 
(chapter 6) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the athlete offered this deal to the physical therapist: 
(chapter 6) He was trying to regain the upper hand in their relationship. He wished to keep his position as the owner of time. But the problem is that despite this contract, he wasn’t able to control Kim Dan. The latter chose to approach Kim Changmin 
(chapter 7), while he kept his distance from the champion. This scene made him realize that he was still powerless. 
(Chapter 39) Hence I come to the conclusion that Kim Dan’s role in the champion’s life is to teach the champion that he doesn’t own time. The reason behind this lesson is simple. It is to show him how pointless it is to race against time. 
(chapter 12) or having sex in front of a mirror 
(chapter 32) I could mention other defies linked to sexuality, having sex without getting noticed, either in the shower room 
(chapter 8) or during a phone call 
(chapter 24). Then we have this bet concerning the doctor’s sensitivity. 
(chapter 29), thus the champion tried an experiment: 
(chapter 12) On the other hand, the athlete always met some resistance 
(chapter 27) Kim Dan would never agree to the champion’s requests immediately. They would fight about the time, location and position. Furthermore, note that Kim Dan went so far to punch the protagonist: 
(chapter 11), yet the reality taught him a tough lesson. He got to hear something terrible: 
(chapter 12) With his words, he was telling the sportsman that he was a terrible lover. He denied any admiration for him. And since sex is a synonym for wrestling in Joo Jaekyung’s eyes, doc Dan’s declaration signified that his title as champion was questioned. Though the champion came to enjoy their intercourse 
(chapter 12), it was short-lived, as the doctor fainted after one round. 
(chapter 44) Why? It is because this sex session will have an impact in their work, MMA. During that night, they became real fuck buddies. Sex was not related to work and fighting. But why did the notion come to the surface for the sparring? It is because MMA fight consists of challenges, which implies consent. Striking is that so far the champion never rejected a challenge. Yes, Joo Jaekyung was put in the same situation than Kim Dan in the end, but the one putting under pressure was the MFC Matchmaker and naturally the agent from Entertainment agency. Don’t forget that both are earning money thanks to events. And how did the champion got convinced by them? “You think, you can do it?” With their words, they doubted his talents 
(chapter 42) There, the doctor tried to control the champion’s time, as he suggested him not to go to the training. No wonder why Joo Jaekyung reacted that way. On the other hand, the athlete replied with a defy. Thus I deduce that at some point, the doctor will react to these words. As you can see, the champion needs to learn to say NO to them. That’s the reason why I started suspecting that in episode 5, Joo Jaekyung might have planned a match, as he felt invincible thanks to Kim Dan.
(chapter 12) And because the doctor never reacted the way the champion expected it, the latter was forced to infringe more and more MMA rules, like this one 
(grabbing the groins is forbidden). To conclude, the doctor is there to teach the champion to distinguish between love and fighting. This explicates why the physical therapist embodies violation of MMA rules. We have the perfect example in this scene: 
(chapter 40) This explicates why he was willing to risk his life for his sick grandmother.
(chapter 36)
(chapter 44) His gestures represent a transgression of MMA rules, as he had stretched his fingers towards the main lead’s face. 
(chapter 44) By taking the initiative, the physical therapist is teaching his “mentor” how to express love. Interesting is that during that scene, the athlete remained passive. It displays his consent and trust towards the doctor. He knows that the latter won’t hurt him. That’s how I realized that the kisses are strongly connected to consent. Let’s not forget that when Joo Jaekyung smooched the hamster for the first time, he took him by surprise. Because the latter felt uncomfortable, he made the following request: 
(chapter 15) This request insinuated consent. Then when the doctor smooched the champion’s ear, the latter objected to it. 
(chapter 44) Hence the physical therapist stopped. Consequently, I come to the deduction that the more they will kiss, the closer and the more respectful the protagonists will become, for the kiss symbolizes consent.
(chapter 14) Then it was out of desire 
(chapter 24) and out of excitement and attraction. 
(chapter 27) However, I noticed that it is linked to their position. They face each other. In chapter 15, Kim Dan was turned around, hence they were no longer having sex from behind. 
(chapter 15) In chapter 24, first it was from behind, but then it changed, as the star desired to see the hamster‘s erected phallus. 
(chapter 24) He wanted to make sure that the doctor would enjoy this break. Yet, what caught my attention is that in chapter 39, Kim Dan initiated the kisses and embraces, because this is what he likes. 
(chapter 39) Here, the athlete was caught by surprise, and protested, but he got silenced very quickly. 
(chapter 39) Finally, so far, it was not a ritual, hence we only had smooches in chapter 14, 24, 28 and 39. This signifies that Kim Dan is the one who will introduce kisses and embraces as rituals. Moreover, if someone were to kiss one of the protagonists, the other would view this gesture as a crime against his partner.
(chapter 32) Joo Jaekyung entrusted his neck to the doctor. The latter stroke it for a long time. And now, you comprehend the initial hesitation from Joo Jaekyung in the hotel room: 
(chapter 39) Therefore it becomes comprehensible why in the penthouse, he allowed his lover to approach his fingers towards his face. 
(chapter 44) He felt safe. This explicates why he could fall asleep so easily.
(chapter 39). On the other hand, since the doctor was under the influence of the drug, the champion couldn’t take the confession seriously. It is important that the champion doesn’t recognize the doctor’s feelings right away, for he needs to feel insecure. That way, he is pushed to change his behavior, to become more proactive and protective of Kim Dan. Hence I consider this Summer Night 
(chapter 44) contrasts so much to this one: 
(chapter 44), though the doctor had not sex in mind at all. He brought him there to rest. However, the presence of fighting has not vanished totally in episode 44: 
(chapter 44). Joo Jaekyung still provoked his lover 
(chapter 44), but the latter was able to reject his defy by asking a question. One might think that he did that out of habit. On the other hand, I believe that Joo Jaekyung doesn’t know his partner that well, hence he is bothered. He can never predict his actions and decisions. He was definitely worried about his recent change of behavior too. Moreover, note that Kim Dan was the one leading the intercourse, for he determined the time flow: 
(Chapter 44) 
(chapter 44) It shows that the power is shifting, Kim Dan is slwoly getting the upper hand in their relationship. He can control time and place. 
(chapter 27) But he got rejected by Kim Dan back then, because the physical therapist considered sexuality as shameful. As you can see, the doctor’s actions are changing the champion’s perception of sex. It is no longer fighting, but resting. On the other hand, the doctor can seize the occasion to express his love through his caresses and kisses. At the same time, he could use it as a treatment for his insomnia.
(chapter 4) 
(chapter 10)
(chapter 42) 
(chapter 44) See the contrast to the night on the couch: 
(chapter 29) Contrary to the past 
(chapter 4) Joo Jaekyung is not hiding his pleasure. He is moaning loudly, as he has his mouth wide open. It exposes once again the increasing trust in Kim Dan. He no longer mistrusts him, in his eyes, he is no longer a prostitute. That’s how the doctor won the champion’ s heart. Now, his heart is truly beating for the doctor. Little by little, the hamster is taming the wolf. The latter needs to recognize that by loving the doctor, he will become powerful.
(chapter 8) Secondly, in the analysis “
(chapter 31). It is important to recall that the artist came to discover the angel, for the latter offered his assistance unrequested. 
(chapter 8), as he felt that he had no other tool to keep his partner by his side. In addition, in order to control his jealousy, he always employed the same method: SEX!! 
(chapter 37) He was envious that they were the source of Kim Dan’s happiness, whereas he was not. Finally, when the athlete confronted them, the doctor sided with them. 
(chapter 27) and smiles are an evidence that the protagonist is feeling more and more comfortable around Kim Dan. 
(chapter 41) Yet, he was still crossing his arms while talking to the physical therapist. This shows that he has not completely lowered his guard yet. Finally, Manhwaworms shouldn’t overlook the doctor’s drunken confession accompanied with kisses and embraces. 
(chapter 43) However, I would like to outline that in this scene, he didn’t feel jealous, as Kim Dan was excluded. Hence he had no reason to claim the doctor as his. As you can see, the star’s jealousy was the trigger to change his behavior in front of the members. Thus I come to the deduction that we were witnessing the positive aspect of “jealousy”. He was not questioning the doctor’s integrity and trust. Therefore it is no coincidence that contrary to episode 7, 9, 22 and 37, he didn’t look grumpy, when he stated that Doc Dan is coming with him. 
(chapter 43) It was seen as a miracle that Joo Jaekyung was showing such a care for someone. Kim Changmin, as a representative of Team Black, was not at all envious, because they are used to sharing (dinner, dormitories, etc). The boxer felt that he just witnessed a wonder. It is important, because through this scene, we have an explanation for their passivity in the States. They thought that the athlete didn’t really care for Kim Dan. 
(chapter 37) I could also include the scene with the new jacket. 
(chapter 36) When the sportsmen were all fighting against each other to give their new cloth to Kim Dan, the champion intervened by throwing his jacket to Kim Dan. He was not smiling at all. In fact, he gave the impression that Kim Dan was causing trouble. 
(chapter 36) At no moment, Oh Daehyun and the others could detect the main lead’s jealousy. That’s how it dawned on me why Kim Dan was not informed about the surprise birthday party. 
(chapter 43) He was as astonished as Joo Jaekyung. I deduce that they desired to protect him, in case the celebrity would react so negatively. 
11, 36, 37), they imagined that Joo Jaekyung was treating him the same way than them: if he was not rough, then he was indifferent. 
(chapter 43) So he never took the doctor’s choice into consideration. Although Joo Jaekyung is no longer dragging the doctor like in the beginning of the story, he is not truly respecting Kim Dan’s decisions. But how did this rivalry between Joo Jaekyung and his team start?
(chapter 7) He occupies a special position, for he is only working for the alpha as doctor. But note that doc Dan crossed the line, the moment he started taking care of Kim Changmin’s problematic shoulder. 
(chapter 7) Thus I deduce that Kim Dan still needs to find his own place at the gym. This can only generate tension. Moreover, it dawned on me, neither the champion nor coach Jeon Yosep nor Park Namwook recognized the consequences of his arrival at the gym. 
(chapter 7) First, they made the mistake not to bring Kim Dan to Busan. 
(chapter 36) After that event, they learned their lesson. However, note that the champion refused that the physical therapist would follow Oh Daehyun and the others to their fight. 
(chapter 23) On the one hand, he was reminding his companion that he was only working for him, on the other hand, the uniform and the treatment from the members were giving the impression that he was also part of Team Black. 
(chapter 36). Moreover, by mopping the floor, he acted like an errand boy, as if he was the lowest member. I doubt that he got consulted for the next fight too. 
(chapter 1) This indicates that the doctor has not the mind-set of an entrepreneur and free-lancer. He allowed Choi Heesung and Joo Jaekyung to determine his work. 
(chapter 42) and didn’t look for new patients. He needs a role model as entrepreneur and doctor. In my eyes, that’s where Cheolmin comes in. The latter should become Kim Dan’s mentor. Moreover, I would like to outline that by intervening in the doctor’s life and career, the champion was blurring more and more the boundary between private life and profession. 
(chapter 9) and the welcome elixir. 
(chapter 25) It is relevant, because the doctor is not technically involved with the other members. He is attached to them, because they are very nice to him. 
(chapter 9) There exists no contract between them either. Their relationship is simply based on the goodness from the characters. And now, you comprehend why the champion had to come to this welcome party. It is because he feared that the doctor would feel closer to them than to him. His money was already competing with the heart from the fighters. Is it a coincidence that the champion felt the need to remind them that he was the one paying for the party? 
(chapter 9) Funny is that for his birthday party, money was no longer rivaling with the fighters. Furthermore, he was joining the table for real. 
(chapter 13), Park Namwook and Oh Daehyun are representing the other extreme: junk food (too salty, greasy, too much sugar) 
(chapter 22) 
(chapter 26) The members didn’t recognize how gentle the celebrity was towards his partner, therefore Park Namwook imagined that Kim Dan had been coerced to spare and the punch was the expression from anger and frustration against the alpha. Thus he came to misjudge the situation. That’s how Kim Dan got excluded from the ring. And this observation brings me to the following conclusion. Till episode 43, none of the fighters realized that Kim Dan was receiving a special treatment from Joo Jaekyung. They were totally oblivious of the truth, even during this incident! 
(chapter 23) In addition, I would like to outline that Potato had been favored by his hyungs
(chapter 22), because the latter was somehow neglected by the champion. They were compensating for the lack of interest from the captain. Interesting is that no one was missing Potato during that day and party except the readers. Why? It is because little by little, his adoration for the champion is vanishing. He is starting to have a life on his own. It is important, because Kim Dan could receive now more attention from the members than before, especially because he is receiving the good grace from his boss. Don’t forget that Park Namwook never protected them from his bad mood. 
(chapter 36) He could become their speaker, their lawyer… a new version from this scene: 
(chapter 36) or he was sitting in the office. It is not surprising that he kept his distance at the hotel, when the champion was taking his meal. 
(chapter 37) But it started changing, after the athlete declared him as a part of his team. 
(chapter 43) before his intervention with the MFC security guys. Hence I believe that this statement and embrace 
(chapter 43) He should bring him home. If you read the essay “
(chapter 11), he chose to close an eye to this. Thus he remained passive. 
(chapter 43) Though the doctor’s hands had been bleeding, Kim Dan chose to treat his patient first before taking care of his own wounds. His selflessness could only catch Joo Jaekyung’s notice. Doc Dan’s benevolence can only make him realize that fame can never be a source of joy and adoration is totally different from true love and warmth.
(chapter 18) Then in episode 22 and 41, the physical therapist stood by the side acting like a cook. 
(chapter 22) Consequently, the physical therapist has been working as the champion’s nutritionist. We could say that in episode 42, it is the same, as he is once again wearing the apron. 
(chapter 41) And the champion came to enjoy this little moment during his long day. They became a part of his routine. This signifies that the association between breakfast and work was slowly vanishing. It was gradually turning into a moment of intimacy. 
(chapter 42) Thus he couldn’t talk to Kim Dan. On the other hand, the cook had done his job, for the dishes were cooked perfectly 
(chapter 42) Hence Joo Jaekyung couldn’t complain to the physical therapist. 
(chapter 42) This means, the “intimacy” vanished, while the notion of work got reinforced. Consequently, I deduce that this little change, a tired doctor, unable to converse with him, will definitely affect the fighter in the long run. The latter will be forced to meditate about the cause for his exhaustion, but more importantly about his emotions and his real expectations from Kim Dan. Why was he annoyed, though the breakfast was made? Does he view him as a employee or a friend? This is what he stated in episode 18: 
(chapter 18) His stay was justified with work. Kim Dan had a similar reaction. He considered the breakfast as a part of his “work”. 
(chapter 22) and their desires 
(chapter 18) Intimacy without real warmth. 
(chapter 4) His silent departure made the celebrity smile. 
(chapter 4) However, in his mind, Kim Dan had not run away, for he had spent the night in his bed. 
(chapter 4) The smile became the symbol of his miscalculation. He imagined that he was still in control of the situation. 
(chapter 4) He had misinterpreted doc Dan’s action. So we could say, this was his biggest mistake. After their separation, he could no longer get in touch with the physical therapist triggering his biggest fears. No wonder why he got so mad. 
(chapter 18) , when he changed his mind and asked for sex as “breakfast”. 
(chapter 18) The trigger for his change of attitude was the following announcement from Kim Dan. 
(chapter 18) The physical therapist expressed his wish to leave the penthouse as soon as possible. Why? It is because Joo Jaekyung had drawn a line which the physical therapist shouldn’t cross. 
(chapter 18) I would even add, he hates pity… exactly like Kim Dan. 
(chapter 37) That’s why he reacted so strongly in the States. In my eyes, he imagines that someone could deceive him, if he was kind or if he loved someone. That’s the reason why he is acting so tough. What an irony! He is deceived, even if he is so brutal and strong. We have the perfect example with the MFC doctors and the MFC matchmaker. To conclude, in episode 18, Joo Jaekyung made sure to protect his heart from Kim Dan out of fear. And this could only backfire. The doctor chose that it was better to leave the champion’s side. But his declaration triggered the celebrity’s hidden anxieties. 
(chapter 19) He would do it at any moment and at any place. Yet, we know for sure that the champion’s libido was different in the past. It was strongly intertwined with his matches. He considers sex as hard work and as such bothersome. 
(chapter 18), but deep down, he was masking his abandonment and trust issues. For me, both characters made huge mistakes, for they were not honest to each other. Back then, Kim Dan was still rejecting sex, and as such denying the existence of his own pleasure. They could only misunderstand each other, because both were in denial about their own emotional and mental state. Hence they could only commit wrongdoings.
(chapter 22) For Joo Jaekyung, it was a mistake. Kim Dan had crossed the line. But the moment he tasted the food, he liked it so much 
(chapter 22) that it put him in a good mood. Thus he smiled. 
(chapter 22) However, observe that the champion tried to “deceive” his partner after tasting the food. 
(chapter 22) It was reduced to a basic skills so that for him, the breakfast is still viewed as a part of his work. However, by watching the athlete enjoying his dishes each morning, Kim Dan got accustomed to observe a content man. It is quite clear that the champion is enjoying his dishes so much. 
(chapter 41) His chewing is betraying his happiness. Through his happy chewing, the doctor started perceiving the athlete differently. He was acting more like a happy child. 
(chapter 41) His expression made Joo Jaekyung smile.
(chapter 40) For me, Joo Jaekyung had enjoyed this night for many reasons. Kim Dan had been proactive. He had even accepted all the requests from the athlete 
(chapter 39). At no moment, he had rejected him. Moreover, he had voiced his pleasure 
(chapter 39) something that Joo JAekyung had been longing to hear from him. 
(Chapter 39) Finally, they had many rounds during that night. We could say, he had become the perfect lover during that night. However, the word “mistake” from Kim Dan triggered the champion’s memory. 
(chapter 39) He had thrown all his rules over board.
(chapter 39) Imagine the doctor’s embarrassment, if he got to hear that he had peed twice while having sex. 
(chapter 39) Moreover, he had challenged his sex partner by peeing on his face.
(chapter 41), it signifies that for him, it was a funny memory. I am more opting for the last option, for he was smiling like in the moment he discovered his partner’s secret talent. 
(chapter 41) That’s how I realized how the champion would affect the physical therapist forever. Through him, he will come to accept the usage of the fists. He will stop accepting the emotional, mental and physical abuse from others. 
(chapter 10) 
(chapter 42) after getting insulted by the ex-sex partner. 
(chapter 42) Yes, his hand gesture reminded me a lot of the fighter’s: 
(chapter 37) As you can see, the protagonists are influencing each other through their conversations and interactions. And this brings me now to the final breakfast scene, chapter 42.
(chapter 42) I would even add that he is no longer following the athlete’s rule. 
(chapter 18) There is no ambiguity that the champion noticed the doctor’s dark circles. 
(chapter 21) However, since the physical therapist has been working each night behind the champion’s back, I assume that such a scene 
(chapter 1) The latter had also vanished suddenly!! According to Park Namwook, the champion had beaten him. 
(chapter 42), I have the feeling that his partner is about to go through the same experience. With his disappearance, Joo Jaekyung would not only lose his delicious dishes, but also his only companion who was able to make him smile and laugh. 
(chapter 41) to this 
(chapter 42) In the car, he yelled at doc Dan. He advised him not to cross the line. He was no fighter. He should stick to his job, overlooking that Kim Dan was acting as a good physical therapist. He was right to ask the celebrity to stop his training. 
(chapter 41) However, there exists one difference to the first breakfast the physical therapist put on the table. 
(chapter 22) The soup looks a lot like a seaweed soup, a typical dish offered in South Korea for a birthday. And now, you comprehend why in the illustration
, the first breakfast is facing the birthday cake 
(chapter 41) In fact, he is crossing his arms, as if he was putting a distance between himself and the gifts. In other words, his birthday is connected to business and artificiality which contrasts to the doctor‘s past birthday: 
(Chapter 11) This simple party made the cute boy smile making him forget his worries and fears. 
(Chapter 36) Yes, he is not allowing himself to eat „unhealthy“ food or to enjoy a „drink“. Under this new approach, it becomes understandable why the athlete got so furios, when he caught the trio having a party. First, he got upset, because he got excluded. He got jealous, because Kim Dan was laughing with the others. 
(Chapter 22) And this is something the champion has been missing. When he paid off his debts, he wanted to make the doctor happy, hence he was looking at his facial expressions. 
(Chapter 18) In other words, as long as Kim Dan is not laughing and smiling, the other can not find real happiness either, and I would even say, real peace of mind. But in order to make his partner happy, the latter has to cross the line. He needs to stop living like a champion all the time, and as such to become human. This implies that he needs to make mistakes, for error is human. At the same time, humanity is a synonym for benevolence and vulnerability. This corresponds to the charity event. 
Bebebisous33s' analyses in K-Dramaland and Manhwas 