A Poem A Day/Jinx/ Painter Of The Night: The true Face of Family 👨‍👨‍👦‍👦👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

1. A Poem A Day and Family

The trigger for this essay was the K-drama A Poem a Day which I was recently rewatching. You might not know this, but I created this blog because of my analyses about K-dramas. Funny is that through them, I discovered Manhwas. That’s how I ended up reading BL-Manhwas which became my new passion. However, during my summer vacation, I was feeling nostalgic and melancholic, thus I decided to watch this terrific story “A Poem A Day” again. Like the title is implying, the story is revolving around poetry. In each episode, they included poems which were reflecting the situation, emotions and thoughts of characters in the series. And that’s how I came across this beautiful and touching poetry

The woman on the right is Woo Bo-Young. She is the protagonist of A Poem A Day. She loves poetry, but she couldn’t study Korean literature because of her family situation.

The poem gives a very good definition of family. A real family is when people share their pain, attachment and happiness. This signifies that their members have no secret, they are allowed to cry in front of others. Interesting is that the blanket, a pars pro toto for the bed, is a metaphor for the embrace. This explicates why in this image, the characters are presented as a family, as they are hugging each other. The blanket represents warmth and protection. Interesting is that this vision is rejecting the notion that men shouldn’t cry (“Cry together”). It doesn’t matter who is weeping. And now, it is time to examine more closely how this poem was illustrated in A Poem A Day.

In episode 6, Woo Bo-Young was spending the evening with her mother and her half-brother, for she needed comfort from her mother. When she was very young, her father died and left not only a huge amount of debts, but also an illegitimate son. That’s how Bo-Young and her mother discovered the existence of an affair. Despite everything, the mother decided to adopt him as her son. Because he didn’t share blood with Bo-Young’s mother, the woman made sure that he wouldn’t feel burdened or excluded. Thus she showered him with love and understanding which sometimes made Bo-Young question who was the real relative in this family. Though this jealousy is totally normal, this scene exposes their mutual affection. Simultaneously, this scene also displays the slowly drifting apart between Bo-Young and her half-brother and mother as well. At the restaurant, she didn’t share all her worries and emotions to her family. She didn’t get the comfort she had hoped. In other words, this poetry exposes her growing maturity and as such her quest to find a loved one! Yes, by finding a partner, Bo-Young will start her own family. On the other hand, this poem reflects how these 3 became a family as well.

And this drifting away is also symbolized by the birthday’s party Bo-Young organized for Lee Min-Ho. His own family had totally forgotten about his birthday. So when Bo-Young saw Min-Ho alone, she brought him to a buffet and offered him a cake. At the same time, the poem exposes the abandonment and betrayal from Lee Min-Ho’s family. He might live in comfort (“a sweet and soft ice-cream”), but he never felt part of his own family, for the parents only had eyes for the elder son. Thus they were never present for important events in his life. In other words, he could never voice his pain or share his joy and pride with them. He only caught their attention, when he caused trouble.

What caught my attention is that Choi Bum Young made a difference between “we become a family” and “be a family”. For him, family is not symbolized by sharing the same blood. The verb “become” insinuates not only change, but also something alive. Living under the same roof is not a synonym for family either (“No matter where you are”). As you can see, the house is not the symbol of a family. This means that the poem was exposing the existence of fake and true family. Under this new perspective, you comprehend why I selected such a title: The true face of family. Besides, the lyricist outlines that family is associated with hard work and trust. A family is created, when people feel safe and loved, but for that to happen, the members must open up their heart and their mind. That’s the reason why trust and respect are so vital. At the same time, the Manhwaphiles can grasp why the poet included the notion of effort. The person has to overcome the barrier, the fears. Hence it is not surprising that Choi Bum Young included the notion of struggles. Once the trust is there, the “you” is able to help the other. A real family is, when people face problems together. Therefore it is not surprising that the poetry emphasized the notion of “sharing”. The members should divulge their emotions and thoughts! Striking is the recurrence of the personal pronoun “You” which outlines the responsibility of a member. One has to share his agony or happiness to others first, if he wants to have a family. As long as the person doesn’t open up, there is no family. One has to take the first step and the others will follow. This explicates why the personal pronoun “you” turns into a WE! Thus this poem implies that Lee Min-Ho was partially responsible for his own suffering as well. He never shared his resent to his brother and parents. He should have argued with them much sooner, yet he let things happen. To conclude, family is not just made of sunshine and rainbows, but of clashes and troubles. Hence discussion is not excluded at all. To conclude, family symbolizes responsibility, faith, affection, communication, support and cover! The family is represented by the personal pronoun “we”.

As you can imagine, the moment I read this poem, I couldn’t help myself connecting it to Painter Of The Night and Jinx. Thus I decided to utilize the poetry as foundation in order to define the families in the Manhwas. Moreover, we can detect the evolution of families or we could say the loss and birth of a family. And the criteria in order to define a real family would be the embrace, the weeping and its acceptance, sharing the same cover, meals, secrets and emotions.

2. Family in Painter Of The Night

2. 1. Baek Na-Kyum’s “families”

When Na-Kyum had this dream, he was remembering his own family. (chapter 87) Not only the painter and the 3 noonas were sharing the same bed, but also they were taking their meals together. (chapter 87) They would even caress each other and laugh together. This scene oozes happiness. Consequently, it is no coincidence that during that night, they shared their honest thoughts to Baek Na-Kyum giving him good advices. But more importantly, the painter was there, when his noonas were struggling. (chapter 94) He cried in front of them. His tears symbolized his compassion and love for his noonas. He regarded them as his family. And it was the same for the artist. He had the noonas by his side, when he was in trouble or agony. (chapter 94) (chapter 107) However, at some point, it changed! (chapter 94) Jung In-Hun entered his life and consoled him. Thus I deduce that this image (chapter 68) represents a turning point in Baek Na-Kyum’s life. During that night, the scholar took away the young painter from Heena, hence he couldn’t help her. And now, observe the learned sir’s reaction. He didn’t allow the painter to cry. He shouldn’t share his pain. (chapter 70) In fact, he diverted Baek Na-Kyum’s attention from the incident to the moon. The learned sir was smiling the whole time. (chapter 70) He was acting, as if nothing had happened. The fact that he didn’t bear the tears from the painter exposes that the learned sir never considered him as a family. Therefore it is not surprising that he got abandoned, when the learned sir struggled: (chapter 75) But we have other scenes where Jung In-Hun didn’t behave like in the poem. When he discovered the truth, he had not been approached by Yoon Seungho due to his talent (chapter 19), he pushed away the painter. (chapter 19) He was mad, because Baek Na-Kyum was the cause for his sponsoring. (chapter 19) However, the family serves as pillar and protection. When the scholar’s pride got hurt, he rejected Baek Na-Kyum. He only approached the painter, when he needed him (chapter 10) (chapter 24) (chapter 35). (chapter 111) For me, in episode 10, he was definitely aware of the existence of a plot, thus he led the painter to the pavilion. Then in episode 24 and 35, he wanted the artist to spy on his benefactor. Finally, in episode 111, he knew that by taking away his former pupil, he would hurt Yoon Seungho, for he was aware of his affection for Baek Na-Kyum. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Jung In-Hun didn’t bid farewell to the main lead in episode 44. Baek Na-Kyum’s presence was not necessary for the preparation for the civil service examination. And this brings me to the last scene between the learned sir and the painter. (chapter 118) He is now crying in front of him, as if he was considering him as a part of his family. He is trying to create the illusion that he shares his suffering, just like he shared his happiness during the parade. (chapter 111) But in the gibang, the learned sir changed his attitude towards his former pupil, for he kissed the painter. (chapter 117) It was, as if the former was starting his family. Baek Na-Kyum is now his “bride”. But naturally, everything is just an illusion. Why? It is because the Manhwaphiles never saw Jung In-Hun share his bed or room with the artist! (chapter 27) (chapter 38) He was also never seen taking his meals with him. This explicates why he never visited him, when the painter was sick. In fact, the learned sir is connected to the air and the courtyard. That’s the reason why he is always seen roaming around with Baek Na-Kyum (10: pavilion, 18-19-27-35-44: courtyard, countryside/city: 29-37-70 and ) But more importantly, he is not sharing his true thoughts and emotions to the young man. (chapter 118) He never explained how his face got bruised! This shows that he approached Na-Kyum for one reason. He was in trouble and he needed him. But he acted, as if he was becoming responsible for him. (chapter 118) (chapter 118) He didn’t expect a rejection. Why? It is because now, he was treating the main lead as family member. Nonetheless, don‘t get me wrong. In Joseon, servants were considered as a part of the household and as such of the „family“. I don‘t believe that the teacher views Baek Na-Kyum as an equal. Yet, the latter is in reality a free man. (chapter 118) Thus out of fear, he made a false love confession which resembles a lot to obsession and possessiveness. His words display his worries and despair. Another important aspect is the absence of the personal pronoun “we” in their conversation. We only have “you” and “me”. (chapter 118) (chapter 118) There is no union. Because he didn’t take the protagonist’s feelings into consideration, this “seduction” was doomed to fail. Thus I deduce that when the learned sir trampled on Baek Na-Kyum’s heart and loyalty in the library, (chapter 40), the latter learned the following lesson: Jung In-Hun had never been his new family. That’s the reason why he was so wounded. Therefore it is no coincidence that his karma is to be abandoned the moment he needs Baek Na-Kyum the most. But why did he not consider the painter as a family member? It is because he came from the gibang. Moreover, he was blinded by his desire to succeed on his own, not realizing the true role of a family.

And this brings me back to Heena and the noonas. The moment Jung In-Hun meddled in the painter’s life, the relationship between the noonas and Baek Na-Kyum deteriorated! And this coincides to these nights: (chapter 86) (chapter 107) The sexual abuse is something they hid from Baek Na-Kyum! They could never share such a burden with the protagonist. But there is more to it. In fact, Byeonduck illustrated the slow deterioration of Na-Kyum’s s family in season 2, 3 and 4. First, the painter couldn’t talk to his noonas like in the past: (chapter 46) He was forbidden to announce his departure which indicates that Heena was hiding something from the other kisaengs. Moreover, notice that he never talked back to Heena. He listened to her, though he was in pain. (chapter 46) He could only express his sadness with his tears. Then when Heena reentered his life, she was seen next to his bed while hugging. by his side (chapter 66) This means that she would no longer share his cover. This is no coincidence that in the gibang, the noona could no longer enter her brother’s room. (chapter 96) Little by little, Heena got excluded from the painter’s life. She could no longer share her meals with him. (chapter 93) This explicates why in season 4, Baek Na-Kyum can not penetrate Heena’s room. (chapter 105) She is hiding more and more things from her brother: her “illness”, her involvement in the murder of nobles and her lies. On the other hand, the painter still considered her as a part of his family because of her intervention in episode 68/69: (chapter 68) Their argument was reflecting their trust, though here the kisaeng was questioning her brother’s maturity. Due to her concerns, Baek Na-Kyum felt that they were still a family. However, I sense a rupture, when they argued in the kisaeng house. The artist was no longer trusting Heena’s words: (chapter 97) Interesting is that from that moment on, Baek Na-Kyum and Heena never faced each other! She didn’t join his side during the parade. This means that their argument in the kisaeng house represents their last reunion. And what did Heena do in this scene? She cried (chapter 97), while the painter didn’t, though he looked disturbed. (chapter 97) He lost all his colors. However, such a scene could be perceived as a sign of indifference, especially for the kisaeng. And this observation made me realize why the kisaeng asked Yoon Seungho not to reveal his suspicions about Jung In-Hun’s involvement to her brother. (chapter 105) Here, she implied that Baek Na-Kyum would cry out of pain and shock. But she had seen that he had shared no tears, when he heard about his murder: And it happened again in the shrine. (chapter 99) Simultaneously, the request from Heena exposes that they are no longer sharing agony and as such struggles. Moreover, this made me realize why the artist left the mansion after the nightmare. It was out of fear and obligation. For me, he had sensed that Heena liked the learned sir and as she was still part of his family, he had to make sure that this was not true. Yet, even after witnessing the faked crime scene, he still trusted Yoon Seungho. Hence I am deducing that the absence of tears is the trigger for their separation which stands in opposition to their embrace in the mansion: (chapter 66) . (chapter 68) And what was her reaction, when she saw her brother in tears and yelling at his lover?: (chapter 105) She remained silent, passive and rather indifferent. This impression gets reinforced, when she is lying next to her colleagues. She is not sharing her thoughts and emotions, rather pensive contrary to these kisaengs: (chapter 105) She is even turning her back to them. This displays the dissolution of this family. The kisaeng is no longer sharing her fears, her tears and emotions to others. Therefore she can not sense “happiness or relief” like the others.

But the gradual alienation between the protagonist and his noonas becomes more perceptible in season 3. In episode 93, they could share their happiness (chapter 93), but the moment the lord joined his side, the honesty started vanishing. Notice that the painter couldn’t talk about his past (how he met Yoon Seungho and how he got abandoned by Jung In-Hun). It was reduced to “I was caught up with something”. He had so many secrets that he couldn’t share to his noonas. And it was the same for the kisaengs. (chapter 93) They also had secrets, hence they were seen whispering. Baek Na-Kyum could confide less to Heena. Why? He sensed that the kisaengs might show no understanding. And note how the painter reacted, when he met his noonas in episode 105. (chapter 105) He lied to his noona, he didn’t voice his worries. He didn’t enjoy his time spent by the kisaengs’ side. He didn’t eat with them either. This is the sign that he was moving on, he was on the verge of starting his new family. In other words, this scene (chapter 105) corresponds to the bird flying from the nest which was witnessed by Heena and the kisaengs. Because the painter was not sincere to his noonas, it is not surprising that they acted the same way. Here, (chapter 105), the kisaeng’s words are a reference to loss of virginity. Yet the painter didn’t grasp the true meaning. Only in his dream and nightmare, he realized the significance of her words: (chapter 109) Hence I come to the conclusion that we are witnessing to the birth of Baek Na-Kyum’s new family: Yoon Seungho. (chapter 118) That’s the reason why the painter decided to run away with his lover. (chapter 118) However, in order to become a real family, the painter needs to call his husband like this: (chapter 72) Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why the noonas were no longer entirely honest with Baek Na-Kyum in the gibang. They couldn’t share their thoughts and secrets to the artist, as they had played a role in the separation of the couple (chapter 99) and the nobles’ execution. Besides, they also had secrets which they had to hide from their donsaeng.

2. 2. Yoon Seungho’s family

He never had a family to begin with. Why? First, the mother was neglecting him because of her hatred for her husband. This is what Byeonduck revealed. From my point of view, her detachment towards Yoon Seungho was linked to the first sexual experience and that her first son would resemble her husband. As for Yoon Chang-Hyeon, the father had definitely troubles with him. (chapter 57) I believe that it is related to the protagonist’s sensibility and intelligence. My assumption is that Yoon Seungho is a Highly Sensitive Person.

Therefore due to his particular personality, he could not share his thoughts and emotions to Yoon Chang-Hyeon and his brother, hence he expressed his emotions through painting. Moreover, due to his ambitious father, pranks were not well perceived. Therefore it is not surprising that he was forced to face adversity on his own, for he had no protection. Interesting is that Yoon Chang-Hyeon views the ancestors (chapter 85), his second son and even lord Song as his family (chapter 116) Hence they are sharing a drink, their secrets and emotions together, though it is obvious that the man in purple is deceiving the patriarch. However, the elder master still trusts and listens to his words. (chapter 107)

And what about Kim, the so-called faiithful butler? Was he not his surrogate father? It is the same. The latter never considered him as his family. Don’t forget what the butler said to the painter. (chapter 26) The latter was not allowed to cry! Therefore the artist heard the same reproach from the main lead. (chapter 26) The valet disliked the tears, because he refused to share the suffering. The reason is simple. If he did, this would have increased his guilt. Furthermore, Kim never shared the cover or his meals with Yoon Seungho in the past (chapter 83) and in the present. Here, (chapter 17) he even refused to bring him his breakfast. But one might argue that Kim cried in front of the protagonist in the shed, he even expressed regrets: (chapter 108) So we could assume that he was starting to view the main lead as a family member. But no… for me, it is just an illusion. First, note that he never let the lord see his gaze while weeping. Besides, the noble’s heart was not moved either. They were not crying together, a sign that the two were drifting apart. Moreover, in the shed, the valet never shared the information about the fire at the shrine. (chapter 108) The noble had to use threat and force in order to push the butler to voice his thoughts. Finally, at the end, the valet never vowed his loyalty to Yoon Seungho, but to Baek Na-Kyum. (chapter 108) Moreover, like exposed above, family in the poem symbolizes trust, love, responsibility, comfort and protection, but the valet failed to fulfil his duties which he admitted in the shed. As a conclusion, the butler didn’t keep such a promise. Moreover, what did the butler do after the painter’s abduction? (chapter 64) (chapter 64) He ran away. He never saved the painter, just like he didn’t argue with his master in that moment. But he could have, since the latter had no sword by his side. Imagine that he had a heated discussion with Yoon Seungho the very next day, and in the courtyard, the protagonist had the sword in the hand. (chapter 68) A sign that he knew that the noble would never slay him! And in the past, the valet had not come to his rescue, shared his suffering or defended his honor. And now, you comprehend why I am more than ever convinced that the valet was never Yoon Seungho’s family: no tear, no joy or no secret shared! His expression “bird of misfortune” embodies the gap between the two characters.

And that’s how I realized why the staff never cared for the couple in the end. It is because the staff would eat together, while Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum got excluded. In season 4, Yoon Seungho was even forced to give up on his own room for the painter and the maids (chapter 109) The latter would even get the opportunity to eat sweets and sit in the patio (chapter 109), while the lord was relegated to the courtyard. (chapter 109) And the poem mirrors perfectly the birth of Yoon Seungho’s first family. Baek Na-Kyum is his very first family. Thus he could share his pain, his fears, his resent, (chapter 62) and his hope to be happy for one moment: (chapter 63) I selected the terrible scene in the shed for two reasons. It symbolizes the verse “how to become a family”. This explicates why in season 3, the artist was slowly using the personal pronoun “we”. (chapter 78) This means that the two protagonists were learning how to become a true family. And one of this important step was “crying together” which occurred after the sexual abuse in the shrine, (chapter 102) However, Yoon Seungho had to learn the importance of “secrecy”! He kept his crime from his loved one hidden, not understanding that a real family is to “endure all hardships” together. Consequently, I judge this night as the finalization of their “Wedding”, though it is still not official. During this night, we have all the criteria. They share their worries (chapter 110), their happiness (chapter 110), they sit together while eating (chapter 110), they embrace each other, they share the same bed. And the lord makes the following promise: there won’t be any secret between them. He will share everything with his lover. (chapter 110) So when the brother gave the petition to the artist (chapter 116), he even reinforced their bond. It was, as if they had no longer any secret between them. Thus they talked about the document in the pavilion making sure that no one would listen to their discussion. (chapter 117) Therefore, it is not surprising that during that same night, the couple slept under the same blanket while hugging each other. (chapter 117) The symbol for the new family! But a family is not made just of two members! Is Yoon Seungwon a part of Yoon Seungho’s family? Let’s not forget that he considered the artist as his brother’s wife. (chapter 116) What caught my attention is that Yoon Seungho was not followed by his lover, when he met his brother in the gibang. (chapter 118) And this reminded me of this scene: (chapter 37) He wished to send away the artist, but the host refused. Then if you pay attention to his behavior, you will notice that none of them were seen eating together! (chapter 118) Neither in the mansion nor in the kisaeng house. The table between them symbolizes the gap between them. Another important detail is that his brother didn’t serve him a drink which is actually a custom in Joseon. (chapter 118) Compare it to Black Heart’s behavior: (chapter 43) In fact, the two guests were drinking on their own! Yoon Seungwon had even started drinking before the protagonist’s arrival. (chapter 118) Moreover, exactly like the scholar, Yoon Seungwon is just employing the pronouns “you”, “I” and “father”. There is no WE at all. (chapter 118) Moreover, he doesn’t want to share the pain and suffering with his father. And while he shared a secret with Yoon Seungho in the past, (chapter 118), I believe that he is hiding something from his brother again. Thus we see constantly him with a drop of sweat. (chapter 118) (chapter 118) Striking is that he is at no moment mentioning the painter, which actually represents the lord’s source of comfort and joy! He is more talking about the past than the present. He is hoping for a change of heart. That’s the reason why I come to the conclusion that Yoon Seungwon called the main lead as brother (chapter 118), but it is only a name! In reality, he desires to use the main lead. He needs him more than ever! Let’s not forget that the patriarch could discover Yoon Seungwon’s betrayal at any moment. Finally, I would like to outline that family stands for effort and understanding, nevertheless the younger master never showed compassion or worries for his brother, who had just recovered from a stabbing. His speech was full of blame. (chapter 118) Thus I conclude that Yoon Seungwon is not a part of Yoon Seungho’s new family and his smile in the library was fake. His words were just a lip service. (chapter 116) Don’t forget that during the same night, Yoon Seungho got stabbed and the younger master knew it.

And now it is time to examine the families in Jinx.

3. Family in Jinx

3.1. Kim Dan’s family

It is clear that though the grandma moved to the hospital (chapter 22), the physical therapist still views her as his family. This corresponds to the verse “no matter where you are”. This explains why he listened to her and started treating the champion differently. From my point of view, they became a family, because they slept under the same cover (chapter 21), shared their agony, fears (chapter 5) and their happiness together, though this needs to be relativized. (chapter 11). I will give more details later. Another evidence that they are family is that the grandmother would often sing him songs. Then we could say that the grandmother shares her meals with the doctor, for she is often saving yoghurts for her grandson. (chapter 05) She is happy, when she hears good news from her grandson. (chapter 07) When she feels lonely or miserable, she asks for his presence. (chapter 21)

Furthermore, she often caresses her grandson, a different form of embrace. (chapter 5) Nevertheless, there exist two negative aspects. First, I noticed that she didn’t question Kim Dan about his career, only when it was necessary. (chapter 07) She is not that involved in his current life. (chapter 05) Secondly, what caught my attention is that the halmoni is not letting her grandson weep. With her attitude, she implied that he had overreacted (“Now, now none of that”). (chapter 21) Moreover, the poem outlined the necessity of crying together (“be able to cry together”), yet the halmoni was not upset, when she found the little Dan in tears. She didn’t understand his abandonment issues. Thus I deduce that the shared agony was only in one way! If the grandmother was scared or suffering, her grandson should feel the same. (chapter 5) This explicates why Kim Dan was willing to sacrifice himself for his halmoni. (chapter 16) It is because he knew that her grandmother disliked tears. Besides, in a previous essay, I had already outlined that such an attitude was considered as abusive, for such a young child should have been shielded from harm. However, he was exposed to violence very early on. Under this new perspective, it becomes comprehensible why Kim Dan started having secrets from her. Finally, the family portrayed in the poem implied the notion of effort and work. But the moment the grandmother refused to share his agony, she stopped putting energy in her relationship with Kim Dan. This means that as time passed on, she became more and more passive and relied more and more on the main lead. Another interesting aspect is that Kim Dan came to enjoy K-dramas because of his grandmother. (chapter 30) This shows that Kim Dan’s preferences are all influenced by the halmoni. We could say that he didn’t truly develop his own identity. It was, as if he had become the second version of “grandma”. And now, you comprehend why he rejected sex: (chapter 20)

Therefore it is not surprising that as time passes on, they are slowly drifting apart. Notice that he barely visited his grandmother. (chapter 30) Because the grandmother didn’t allow her grandson to share his struggles (no tears), Kim Dan has been hiding many things from his grandmother (chapter 07): the beatings from Heo Manwook, his firing from the hospital, the sexual assault from the perverted hospital director and the moneylender, his deal with Joo Jaekyung and the fact that he moved to the penthouse. This means that little by little, the physical therapist is sharing less and less his happiness with her. I doubt that he told her about his trip to Busan, his first MMA fight as spectator (chapter 15) and his first sparring with Joo Jaekyung (chapter 26). But this is a sign that Kim Dan is maturing. Therefore it is no coincidence that after their first day off spent together, Kim Dan is already under the champion’s spell. (chapter 30) And at some point, the grandma will notice her little boy’s transformation and the growing distance. And Choi Heesung could be the trigger for a first quarrel (chapter 30), because the doctor feels more attracted towards the champion than the actor. I have already outlined that so far, the physical therapist’s life had been determined by the grandmother. But a discussion is not necessarily a bad thing, quite the opposite, for to be a family means to share thoughts and emotions.

3.2. Joo Jaekyung’s “families”

So far, we don’t know if the celebrity has a family. However, what caught my attention is that Team Black is a company that Joo Jaekyung created for his personal needs. Though it is an enterprise (incorporation, where he is the shareholder), I noticed that Park Namwook treats the members like a family. They share their meals together (chapter 22) (chapter 26), they get support from each other (chapter 14) (chapter 23) or they argue (chapter 07). Moreover, they call the older members “hyung” (chapter 5) (chapter 23) which is another evidence that Team Black functions more like a family than like a company. What caught my attention is that the doctor is not addressed as hyung (chapter 30) but as Doc Dan or doc. (chapter 23), though the manager Park Namwook had introduced him as hyung. (chapter 07) The reason behind this different title is the champion. The latter addressed him like that: (chapter 22) It exposes that the physical therapist occupies a particular position at the gym. On the one hand, it could be interpreted that he has not been entirely adopted as a family member. On the other hand, the physical therapist didn’t exclude that he could have other clients. (chapter 25) This means that his “adoption” is not definitive and official. Nevertheless, I would like to outline that though Team Black’s structure resembles a lot to a family, we can not say that it is a true family. Why? It is because Joo Jaekyung is hiding many things from his hyungs and members. He is not sharing his problems to his coach (his insomnia, his jinx, his sexual orientation, his insecurities eg). Imagine that he preferred deceiving his admirer (chapter 15) than admitting that his shoulder had been plaguing him. And it is the same for Potato. He didn’t talk about the incident with the office room and the sofa. (chapter 25) According to me, Jeong Yosep knows about the true relationship between the physical therapist and the alpha black wolf. But he kept this information to himself as well. However, like pointed out before, family stands for communication and not secrecy! Moreover, so far, we only saw the fighters share their happiness. And what about their struggles or defeat? To conclude, Jinx is actually showing us the transformation of Team Black as company into a family. How they “become” a WE! Park Namwook does consider Team Black as his gym, but he has his own family. However, this is not the case for Jeong Yosep or Joo Jaekyung, who lives as a loner wolf! In my opinion, Team Black will turn into a real family, the moment Kim Dan loses his halmoni. Remember the quote from the poem: “If you can’t say you’re hurt when you feel hurt you’re not family“. Kim Dan won’t be able to hide his sadness and broken heart. In the beginning of the story, he lied to the coach and Kwak Junbeom about the reason for his injuries: (chapter 11), because he considered them as superior and colleagues. In other words, the fighters will share their pain with doc Dan helping him to overcome the loss. But this change can only happen, when the owner of Team Black has a change of heart himself as well. Remember how he pushed Oh Daehung and the other members away. (chapter 22) He didn’t want them to come to his house. (chapter 22) So far, he didn’t want people to cross the line, but thanks to the physical therapist, this will change. That’s how both protagonists will come to view more and more Team Black as a family. They will share their struggles and happy moments together. I have one evidence that Kim Dan is the key to turn Team Black into a real family. It is because Joo Jaekyung came to the gathering (chapter 9), though he had been avoiding such events in the past.

But in chapter 30, the Manhwalovers could discover that the champion belongs to an Entertainment agency as well. (chapter 30) But he is there an employee. Thus I am suspecting that the talent agency is working differently from Team Black. If there is a scandal, I doubt that the company would side with the star in trouble or they would try to find ways to get rid of the issue, like finding a scapegoat in order to bury the truth. As a conclusion, I am expecting to see companies run differently so that the readers can perceive Team Black as a family company, although it is an incorporation.

Naturally, there is no doubt that Kim Dan will become the champion’s real family. The author let us see such a scene. Right after their First Night together, the champion shared his bed with Kim Dan. (chapter 4) This was a reference to the blanket in the poem, though here Kim Dan slept in a cocoon. This was a sign that he didn’t feel safe. However, as time passed on, I detected a change in Kim Dan’s sleeping position. He is lying on his back and even in the middle of the bed. (chapter 29) It is because Joo Jaekyung always put him there! This exposes that the champion is still thinking that he represents a disturbance to the Sleeping beauty. One thing is sure: Joo Jaekyung will become the blanket taking over the grandmother’s past role: (chapter 21) At the same time, this signifies that Kim Dan will have a similar function in the champion’s life either. Thanks to his presence and embrace, the boxer will be able to relax and to fall asleep.

Another important detail is the doctor’s tears. When Kim Dan met the celebrity for the first time, the former started crying, when he thought hat he would get punished. (chapter 1) This was the reaction from the champion: (chapter 1) He questioned the cause for the tears. He was naturally annoyed (“the hell”), but he didn’t make fun of the doctor. And now, pay attention to the memory Joo Jaekyung had from their first night. He remembered his tears which had moved him deeply: (chapter 6) This shows that the celebrity is not judging the physical therapist as weak due to his tears. In episode 28, he even showed concerns, when he heard the doctor crying. (chapter 28) (chapter 28) He questioned the doctor once again, why he was in tears. However, he didn’t ask the doctor to stop weeping or to wipe his tears. He wanted to understand him. This exposes the fighter’s tolerance and interest in Kim Dan. For me, it reveals that Joo Jaekyung is willing to share the pain or fears with Kim Dan. Therefore it is not surprising that Kim Dan is remembering this moment! (chapter 30) He was allowed to express his emotions. Interesting is that this image is now connected to red, not to grey/black. (chapter 20) or orange/pink (chapter 30) The switch of color indicates the doctor’s increasing feelings and sensuality for Joo Jaekyung. That’s the reason why I am expecting that one day, the two protagonists will cry together, something that the grandma hasn’t done until now.

But let’s return our attention to the poem and its illustration in Jinx. A sweet and soft ice cream cone isn’t enough to become a family. Just because they shared one meal together (chapter 13), it doesn’t signify that they are a family now. And it is the same for the penthouse. (chapter 18) They might share the same flat, but the penthouse is so huge that they can technically live apart. Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan are slowly spending more and more time together, either because the champion feels like it (chapter 19) or it is necessary . (chapter 27) During the day off, they shared their thoughts,, their emotions (chapter 27) (chapter 27), their happiness (chapter 28) and their fears (chapter 27) (chapter 29) Because Joo JAekyung confessed his fears and health issues to Kim Dan, it shows that he was trusting him. For me, this night represents another step how to become a true family. “If you can’t say you’re hurt when you feel hurt you’re not family.” This day and night were so magical that it affected the protagonists’ life forever. From that moment on, Kim Dan is feeling more attracted to the champion, hence he is peeping at him. (chapter 30) And it is the same for the champion. Now, he is slowly regretting that they live in two different rooms and they have their own bathroom. Therefore he came to the doctor’s bathroom under the fake excuse that he had run out of toothpaste. (chapter 30) What was so funny is that he had opened the door like a huge bear. Why? It is because he was so annoyed how to explain his intrusion. (chapter 30) This shows that little by little, the champion is regretting his words to Kim Dan in the master’s room. (chapter 29) For me, he will be forced to recognize that work is not bringing him closer to Kim Dan, especially after Choi Heesung met the main lead. (chapter 30) For me, this scene is the bathroom represents another step how to become a true family. (chapter 30) However, like Mingwa voiced it, they have a long way to go, for Joo Jaekyung and Kim Dan are hiding their true thoughts and emotions from each other. (chapter 30) Kim Dan had to hide his blushing, while the champion had to lie for his appearance. Moreover, the fact that he tried to hide his underwear (chapter 30) indicates that their intimacy has not reached its peak. He doesn’t feel comfortable around the athlete to be seen in underwear. Moreover, the champion is also hiding his jealousy and possessiveness towards the main character. (chapter 30) But like I said, they need to open up their hearts and mind in order to become a true family. From my point of view, the halmoni could play a huge role in their union. How so? It is because she entrusted her grandson to Joo Jaekyung. The latter also conversed with her (chapter 21) and even paid her hospital bills. She even took his hand (chapter 22) and gave him a yoghurt. (chapter 21) So the moment the grandma vanishes, it could also wound the champion’s heart, especially when his sex partner is so heartbroken. It would be interesting if the champion came to voice his feelings about her. If you can’t say you’re hurt when you feel hurt you’re not family.

And because the champion saved Kim Dan, paid off the debts and gave him a house and a place to feel safe, he embodies responsibility, trust, support and protection which is the true face of family. That’s the reason why the physical therapist is slowly transforming, developing his own interests and as such his own identity. But the closer the doctor gets to the champion, the bigger gap becomes between him and his grandma which can represent a source of conflict. And now, Choi Heesung met Kim Dan, thus he could disrupt the fragile harmony between Kim Dan, the grandma and Joo Jaekyung. Don’t forget that the grandmother is a huge fan of the actor and she is actually suffering from Peter Pan Syndrome. To conclude, Jinx is exactly like Painter Of The Night. We are witnessing the start of a new family breaking boundaries and taboos. Yet, both “families” are real and true, for they embody selflessness, honesty and trust.

Feel free to comment. If you have any suggestion for topics or manhwas, feel free to ask. If you enjoyed reading it, retweet it or push the button like. My Reddit-Instagram-Tumblr-Twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.

Jinx: “I wanna f⭐ck!” ❤️ – new evidences

This essay represents the second part of “I wanna fuck””. In the first part, I had presented the following theory: the huyngs were behind the champion’s phone call. (chapter 5) However, I couldn’t be very concrete. Who was involved in the end? Park Namwook, Jeong Yosep or both? In this composition, I will give you the answer, though here, I can only determine the intervention of one person with certainty. This means that the support from the other coach can not be excluded. I am quite sure that you are dying to know who was behind the phone call.

1. The doctor’s number cellphone

First, it dawned on me that the person behind this must have known that Joo Jaekyung had Kim Dan’s cellphone number. And this brought me to episode 1. (chapter 1) The champion had stored his cellphone number. So who had given it to him? Park Namwook or Yosep Jeong? Mingwa left us a huge clue in episode 5! Observe how Joo Jaekyung approached his hyung: (chapter 5) He asked him if the physical therapist had contacted him yet. It is because the athlete had used the official channel to hire Kim Dan. He was hiding behind his manager. Thus in the car, he had voiced this wish! (chapter 5) He wanted Park Namwook to get in touch with the physical therapist. Thus it is no coincidence that his hyung replied that he would call the main lead. (chapter 5) In other words, the champion was acting, as though he didn’t know Kim Dan’s cellphone number. So at the gym, when the champion didn’t hear any news from Kim Dan, he went to the office with his cellphone in his hand. However, I would like to outline that at no moment, Park Namwook questioned his celebrity if he had tried himself to contact the doctor as well. The fact that he was holding his cellphone in front of his hyung could have caught the coach’s attention and triggered such a question. (chapter 5) If he had known that Joo Jaekyung had his cellphone number, he could have asked him to call the doctor, just like he had requested from his colleague to fetch the doctor. (chapter 17) Here, he was well aware that the champion knew his address, for he had brought him to his home after the gathering. Observe that at no moment, the coach Park Namwook made such a request from the champion! Each time the hyung needed Kim Dan, he called him personally (05-13-16-17). (chapter 13) Thus I deduce that Park Namwook wasn’t the one who gave the doctor’s cellphone number to the protagonist. It was the coach Jeong Yosep!

2. The other evidences

And the other evidence is indeed in episode 5! It is only visible the moment you pay attention to the former wrestler’s words. (chapter 5) Because Park Namwook was acting on the champion’s order, he identified himself with Joo Jaekyung, therefore he employed the personal pronoun “us”. But like pointed out, Namwook had no idea that the champion had his cellphone number. This explains why the moment the champion heard “us”, he switched the personal pronoun to “me”, hence he got upset. (chapter 5) However, here he was just thinking. He never voiced this thought. He had to, because he couldn’t reveal that he had his cellphone number too! This would expose the doctor’s rejection and the champion’s humiliation. However, this is what Jeong Yosep said: (chapter 5) HE is blocking YOU!! This means that he knew that the celebrity had his cellphone number. Moreover, he could see the cellphone in the champion’s hand. He could clearly see that the fighter’s bad mood was related to the fact that Joo Jaekyung couldn’t reach the main lead. From that moment on, the former national athlete could only jump to the conclusion that they must have met afterwards!! This explicates why he connected this incident to his own marriage and divorce. And now, you comprehend why I came to the conclusion that the coach Jeong Yosep knew about the special relationship between the two protagonists very early on!

3. Lie and truth

And this brings me to the following observation: (chapter 15) Here, the champion confessed to Park Namwook that he had lied. But by doing so, he created a false image about himself: he was a spoiled brat! This could only reinforce the coach’s biased perception about Joo Jaekyung. (chapter 27) Hence I deduce that the coach Yosep judges the celebrity differently. He is well aware that Joo Jaekyung listens to them. He knows that the term “hyung” is not an empty word for the main lead. Thus he had given him the following advice: (chapter 5) There was no reproach from him! At the same time, the lie from the sportsman (chapter 15) displays that the protagonist prefers appearing as a spoiled brat than as a weak man! This shows that the fighter is also partially responsible for Namwook’s false perception about the emperor.

The reality is that he had been telling the truth: he had indeed pain in his shoulder. (chapter 27) It is because he didn’t desire Park Namwook to be worried. However, I don’t think that Jeong Yosep bought his lie. Let’s not forget that he had been training with him before the match. He had recognized the change in his behavior. Moreover, who had taken the jacket from Kim Dan after the match? (chapter 15) For me, it can not be Namwook, for the latter only had eyes for his emperor: (chapter 15) Hence I deduce that Yosep must have been the one who took care of the physical therapist! Why? It is because of the yin-yang philosophy! Hence I had developed the following theory: Namwook was married, since Yosep was divorced. This theory was confirmed recently, indicating that this pattern serves as basis for the progression of the story.

And observe what Joo Jaekyung suggested to Kim Dan, when the latter urged him to take a day off: SEX!! (chapter 27) This resembles to this situation: (chapter 19) He had behaved like a workaholic, but he had taken a break, when the champion called Kim Dan: (chapter 19) As a conclusion, everything is pointing out that Jeong Yosep has been the one behind the champion’s urges in episode 19! Like I said in the first part, he could have suggested it to the athlete by talking to his colleague Park Namwook about his wife and his family, a new version of this scene, though the words were not directed at the champion so obviously. (chapter 5) Observe that the panel is somehow similar: (chapter 19) The gym looks empty. This signifies that the celebrity’s sparring partner is quite protective of Joo Jaekyung and somehow knows about his loneliness and his sexual orientation. I perceive the coach as very sensitive and observant. No wonder why he likes knitting. He is detail-orientated. Hence he was not surprised when the champion exposed to the group that Kim Dan was living with him! (chapter 22) For me, he is the hidden motherly figure in Jinx. Thus my prediction is that the former national champion will be the one supporting the couple! However, because Yosep gave Kim Dan’s cellphone in secret behind the manager, I come to the following deduction: someone will do the same! Giving the physical therapist’s cellphone number behind Joo Jaekyung’s back! For me, Heesung will ask for it! So who would give it to the actor? Park Namwook or Yoon-Gu? What do you think?

Feel free to comment. If you have any suggestion for topics or manhwas, feel free to ask. If you enjoyed reading it, retweet it or push the button like. My Reddit-Instagram-Tumblr-Twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.

Painter Of The Night: Lord Shin’s killer 👿🔪 🩸💀

1. Summary of my previous results

When I wrote the essay the shadow behind the shrine, Lezhin had only released a few panels from season 4. From these few panels, I had come to develop the following theory: Lord Shin had been killed by an elder, an old bearded man. And the latter had disguised himself, though his shoes were betraying him. (chapter 103) The shoes were revealing that he was an official! However, the moment Jung In-Hun resurfaced, I suspected him for a moment, because he had been wearing the boots. (chapter 111) Nonetheless, episode 115 exposed his true role in the conspiracy. He was just an accomplice, for he had entrusted his glasses to the author of the letter. (chapter 115)

2. The new discovery

So who was the shadow in the woods? Then I had a revelation. Thanks to my follower @Chikatta_11, I could distinguish the form of the shadow much better. (chapter 103) The ghost is wearing the hat of an elder, a patriarch. (chapter 67)

This signifies that the person behind the crime must have rushed, for he didn’t remove his jeongjagwan, when he chased lord Shin to the mountain. But this would contradict my idea that the person had disguised himself, for he was wearing the pants of a “low-born” due to his color: grey. (chapter 103) This reinforces my theory that the assassin was not working alone. He needed to have at least one accomplice, for he had to drive him into the woods. (chapter 103) This had been truly a manhunt! Because both people are wearing items belonging to the upper class, I come to the deduction that the perpetrators were elders, both officials.

3. The hat and its owner

And who was wearing a jeongjagwan? So far, we only saw Father Yoon (chapter 82) and Father Lee wearing one. But I am excluding the patriarch Yoon, as the testimony from the masked guard represents the elder’s innocence. (chapter 107) Besides, he doesn’t have any high position and the form of his hat is a little different (3 peaks on the side) (chapter 103) . Thus it could be father Lee or it could have been another yangban, like for example lord Shin’s father himself who was forced to kill his son.😨 And this would explain why lord Shin got so shocked, the moment he recognized the identity of the shadow (chapter 88) Remember what I had written in the essay “The shadow behind the shrine”. This picture exposes betrayal, something lord Shin was not expecting at all. And what is the worst betrayal? The son backstabbed by his own father! And we would have two elders involved! Naturally, this signifies that they were working together during that night.

Under this new perspective, it becomes comprehensible why lord Song mentioned this crime as a normality: (chapter 107) If the king executed his own son, the patriarch Yoon Chang-Hyeon could do the same. It was actually justifying the violation of Confucianism. For me, this topic was brought up, because a father had been put in the very same situation! He had to sacrifice his own son. And note what the gossiping woman criticized on the street: (chapter 106) The young nobles would always be protected by their fathers. Therefore it is not surprising why the schemers desired Yoon Chang-Hyeon to experience the same, the abandonment and the loss of a heir! Hence the second young master got targeted first. Thus lord Song only proposed the main lead’s assassination after making this first suggestion: (chapter 107) He was initially trying to repeat the same action from the past, but he failed. Therefore he targeted Yoon Seungho, and this time, the elder master gave in: (chapter 107) However, the cause for this assassination was blackmail. (chapter 107) It is because he needed a justification for the meddling in the Yoons’ affair. The document in question is the petition Yoon Seungwon stole from his father: (chapter 118) This explicates why the assassination failed, as Yoon Seungho was not the real owner of the paper. (chapter 116) In other words, both brothers were protecting each other in a certain sense. But by entrusting the petition to Baek Na-Kyum, Yoon Seungwon turned the painter into a target! (chapter 116)

So when lord Shin recognized the face in front of him, he got shocked. (chapter 103) He thought that his father as an official would protect him, like he has always done in the past. And this observation brings me to the following panel: (chapter 88) In the bedchamber next to Baek Na-Kyum, Yoon Seungho was recalling a memory, but he couldn’t just identify the face, for his memory had been long repressed. The latter had refused to listen to him exactly like with lord Shin in the woods: (chapter 103) Striking is that the mysterious man refused to help the injured aristocrat too. In fact, he killed him, for he represented a threat for him. Because the main lead imagined to see his father’s shadow who refused to listen to his words (chapter 88), I come to the conclusion that this shadow was Kim’s. (chapter 88) Why? It is because the latter has always refused to side with Yoon Seungho and embodies passivity and silence. Note that the shadow remained silent. But let’s not forget that the murderer was wearing special boots, a clue that he has a position in the administration. Because lord Song in episode 107 (chapter 107) stated that he was no longer an official, we could exclude him as a suspect, unless he is lying. For me, he is not telling the truth. Honestly, he is wearing a purple hanbok which is actually reserved to people close to the royal family. Moreover, the hanbok has a design indicating that he is not poor, living in seclusion. Besides, let’s not forget the comment from the kisaeng welcoming him. He hadn’t come to the gibang for a while. (chapter 107) Why? There exist 2 possibilities. Either he lived in exile or he was living in Hanyang and working as an official. I am more tending more towards the second possibility. Why? It is because he spent a lot of money for that night in episode 107: (chapter 107) Hence the kisaengs were asked to welcome the important guest at the gate. He was definitely a rich influential nobleman.

Furthermore, I would like the manwhaphiles to recall Min’s statements. He was powerful, thus he could have people killed easily (chapter 76) or he could save Yoon Seungho, even when the latter had assassinated lord Jang (chapter 102) Why was he so sure? It is because his father had a high position. He was definitely relying on his father’s influence! And now, observe the evolution of the story. Black Heart is now framed for everything, he has become the scapegoat! (chapter 113) This explicates why Min was accused of lord Shin’s murder. (Chapter 107) The purpose was to hide the intervention of a third party! Note that Yoon Seungho suspected his father immediately after visiting the burned shrine. He is not envisioning the involvement of other elders. Anyway, the blame on Black Heart signifies that the reputation of Min’s family has been tarnished, unless this gossip was created for the learned sir’s ears. If this gossip is circulating around, not only Min’s father lost his heir, but also he failed in his duty to keep the lineage (chapter 82) Another interesting aspect is that Byeonduck revealed the names of the perpetrators in the shrine: “Lee Jihwa”, lord Jang, lord Shin, lord Park and Min. Finally, according to my theory, the Webtoonist created different people who looked like “lord Song” from episode 83 (chapter 83), for the latter had been seen wearing a purple hanbok with a design. However, the hair color, the shape of the beard and the design of the hanbok indicate that we are dealing with different people.

  • chapter 107:
  • Chapter 115:
  • Chapter 116:

Thus I am suspecting that these men could be related to the perpetrators in the shrine. They would have a motive to target the protagonist and the Yoons in general! It is because they lost their sons, but they can not denunciate Yoon Seungho for his crime, because their involvement would be exposed. In my opinion, their crimes and lies from the past are now coming to the surface! That’s the reason why they are not seeking for justice, rather for revenge and a new purge would be the perfect.tool to bury the truth. Under this premise, it explains why Jung In-Hun was approached and was tasked to rekindle with Baek Na-Kyum. (chapter 118) They needed him to betray Yoon Seungho.

But I have another reason to suspect an official, an elder involved in the murder of lord Shin. It is related to the Jeongjagwan and its symbolism:

Is this a coincidence that the perpetrator was wearing such a hat in the mountain? (chapter 103) I doubt it! Actually, it exposes the elders’ hypocrisy! They embodies the opposite notions: cowardice, immaturity and stupidity! As you can imagine, I am more than ever convinced that father Lee is involved in the new plot. My reasoning is the following. Who saw “lord Song” with the purple hanbok? (chapter 83) Yoon Chang-Hyeon and Yoon Seungho… thus he purchased the ghost in town (chapter 106). But the Lees were present either, yet they never talked to the guests directly. (chapter 83) How did Lee Jihwa know his name? (chapter 83) And observe what the learned sir said after burning the letter: (chapter 115) Min has also been investigating Yoon Seungho’s past in order to find his weaknesses. However, he couldn’t find the person lord Song! As you can see, this name oozes mystery and danger. And this reinforces my theory that people have been impersonating “lord Song” and the latter’s name has become a taboo! And that would fit to No-Name’s situation. (chapter 76) He doesn’t possess a name, and as such he has no identity. Moreover, he is wearing a mask indicating that he is playing different roles. Moreover, he often vanishes. He is like a ghost! Exactly like lord Song… Yoon Seungho only knows his name, but he has not been able to identify his face! (chapter 86)

4. The position of his corpse

At the end, the manhwalovers could see his corpse lying on his stomach. It was, as if the culprits didn’t wish to see lord Shin’s gaze. He had been stabbed from behind. (chapter 103) Another important detail was the absence of footprints in the snow. The imprint would have revealed the identity of the perpetrators: the boots, the evidence of the involvement of officials. To conclude, the elders are responsible for the young lords’ death: Min, lord Jang, lord Park and lord Shin! By tricking Yoon Seungho and Min, the result was that they were forced to dirty their own hands.

Feel free to comment. If you have any suggestion for topics or manhwas, feel free to ask. If you enjoyed reading it, retweet it or push the button like. My Reddit-Instagram-Tumblr-Twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.

Jinx: At the crossroads: between 🤍,💙 and ❤️‍🔥

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwaJinx 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 JinxHere is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex,  and the previous essay about Jinx Eternal yin and yang  (part 2)

It would be great if you could make some donations/sponsoring: Ko-fi.com/bebebisous33  That way, you can support me with “coffee” so that I have the energy to keep examining manhwas. Besides, I need to cover up the expenses for this blog.

1. Joo Jaekyung a jerk again

Once again, Joo Jaekyung was labelled as one of the worst semes in BL manhwas. Why? It is because he criticized Kim Dan for his incompetence (chapter 28) and his attitude (chapter 28) Hence he grabbed the doctor and brought him back to the swimming pool (chapter 28) He wanted to make sure that Kim Dan wouldn’t escape from him and ruin the flow. (chapter 28) He was taking advantage of his fear of the water! For certain readers, the champion had not changed at all. He was still rude and selfish. However, these manhwaphiles were overlooking two important aspects. First, the athlete’s selfish attitude was necessary! How so? It was to teach Kim Dan to become more selfish! Don’t forget that Mingwa is applying the philosophy yin and yang. Secondly, certain manhwaworms took all the champion’s words at face-value! I would like to point out if the doctor had truly hurt him with his teeth, his phallus would no longer be erected!! Moreover, he wouldn’t have some precum on his phallus (chapter 28). As a conclusion, he had enjoyed it so much, hence he said this: (chapter 28) From my perspective, he needed an excuse to stop the fellatio, as he could no longer wait for the penetration. Thus he asked if the doctor was already loose right after. (chapter 28) He wanted more. Finally, observe that he had kissed the doctor and asked for a blow-job before. Why? It is because he had experienced Kim Dan’s rejection at the gym! (chapter 27) Back then, he had grabbed his butt directly. Therefore he had learned that he couldn’t go for a penetration right away. This stands in opposition to the sex sessions at the gym, where there was no time for foreplay! (chapter 8) (chapter 24) As you can see, the different intercourses expose the fighter’s transformation. He is getting gentler despite his roughness. Exactly like I had anticipated in the previous essay, the couple is now facing each other while having sex. And Joo Jaekyung prefers facing his lover (chapter 28) in the end despite this statement. (chapter 28). He gets a climax each time he sees his partner oozing sensuality and pleasure. In other words, Joo Jaekyung learned an important lesson in the swimming pool, he might be enjoying such a view (chapter 28), yet he favors this position (chapter 28), for the doctor is more proactive! The blushing, the squeezing, the kissing, the scratching, the moaning are the evidences of the doctor’s participation!! Pay attention to the doctor’s fingers on the champion’s back. And Joo Jaekyung could sense and see it!

Moreover, his reproaches to the doctor let transpire his frustration: Kim Dan is never seeking his closeness! While Joo Jaekyung got jinxed with such a view (chapter 27), Kim Dan always appears as calm and indifferent towards him. Hence he keeps rejecting him or he is passive during the intercourses. That’s the reason why the champion asked from the doctor to become more active next to the swimming pool. (chapter 28) This shows that the boxer has sensed that Kim Dan has not truly accepted him. It is no coincidence that the physical therapist chose to turn his back to the champion, when he was on his lap. (chapter 28) It was the doctor’s method to draw a line between him and his client. He desired to keep Joo Jaekyung at a distance. What the boxer didn’t know is that the doctor had also been charmed by a certain view: (chapter 28) This made his heart race! (chapter 28) Too overwhelmed by such a view, he decided to show his back to the champion. He wanted to remain level-headed. This was the negative version of this panel: (chapter 27)

But there exists another explanation why Joo Jaekyung appeared cold too. (chapter 28) The idiom “mess around with foreplay” divulges the champion’s deficiency. He is really bad at foreplay. He knows about his lack of dexterity and gentleness! Hence he asked the doctor to prepare himself! (chapter 28) However, Joo Jaekyung got impatient (chapter 28) To conclude, behind his rude remarks, he is masking his own flaws and insecurities!

2. Selfishness versus Selflessness

Like mentioned above, the champion’s selfishness serves a huge role in the doctor’s transformation. Kim Dan is encouraged to become more selfish! Don’t forget that the physical therapist was once again acting like he had done it with his halmoni. He would do everything for the person for whom he feels responsible. Thus he was already imagining his own future and this would be determined according to Joo Jaekyung’s needs! (chapter 22) This explicates why he decided to sacrifice his night and day off for the champion. (chapter 27) One might say that this had been suggested by the fighter. (chapter 27) However, don’t forget that Joo Jaekyung never asked the doctor to spend the whole night thinking about the activities he would propose. (chapter 27) What we were witnessing is a new version of the past with the halmoni. Because she had adopted him, he felt obligated to dedicate his whole life for her! Everything in his life was evolving around her: his career, his emotions, his home, his meals, his money, his time eg. By putting the whole burden on her grandchild, Kim Dan internalized this pattern. Hence the moment the “goddess” praised the protagonist to her grandson (chapter 21) and the champion made his grandmother smile chapter 22), the doctor felt also indebted towards the athlete. He could see the generosity from Joo Jaekyung. The consequence was that he acted the same way with the athlete than with his halmoni. He would cook for Joo Jaekyung without eating with him (chapter 22), he would sacrifice his day-off for the champion etc. Selflessness was repaid by selflessness. However, this means that he is still neglecting his own life and as such his own desires and needs. It is not by chance that this expression from episode 22 (chapter 22) appears in episode 28: look alive! (chapter 28) This exposes that he was still in denial about his own life! And because the athlete acted like a selfish person, the doctor is encouraged to behave the same way. Consequently, I conclude that this scene at the swimming pool corresponds to the doctor’s spiritual awakening. He is alive, he is a man on his own! He is now making choices for himself. Like my friend @becalmandhappy_1111 realized, this scene (chapter 28) at the swimming pool corresponds to the moment the imoogi is grabbing the yeouiju!

“Yeouiju is pretty much the same dragon ball that you think of from the anime. A mystical orb that grants your wishes. In Korean mythology, a snake (Imoogi) goes through a 1,000-year spiritual training session. It then obtains a Yeouiju to become a dragon and rise to the sky. But there’s a catch. It must hold only one Yeouiju. A greedy Imoogi will collect more orbs and can never be a dragon. It just ends up being a stronger Imoogi. I think there’s a lesson about greed here. The supernatural power of Yeouiju is the reason why Korean dragons can fly in the sky, call the winds and summon the rains. […] When a dragon loses its Yeouiju, it will lose its power, fall to the ground and become an Imoogi again. So, Korean dragons are often depicted holding that orb tight in its mouth, or sometimes under its chin or even inside its brain.” Quoted from https://linguasia.com/korean-dragon

This would explain why Joo Jaekyung likes carrying Kim Dan in his arms. or enjoys kissing his partner. Observe that the swimming pool is situated in the penthouse which is close to the sky. And exactly like I had predicted in the essay “The duck and the dragon in the bathroom”, in this scene Manhwa lovers could assist to a new metamorphosis of the protagonists. Another spiritual awakening! Their true self comes back to the surface! On the other hand, this signifies that the characters are slowly moving away from their old believes! Hence I come to the conclusion that chapter 28 announces the slow emergence of a new religion. Therefore the character went under the water 3 times: (chapter 28) It was, as if he got baptized! Don’t get me wrong: the new religion is not truly developed yet. But where was the transformation of the couple visible? We could detect a change in these two panels (chapter 28) (chapter 28)

3. Spiritual awakening and the birth of a new religion

I am quite certain that you are surprised by this selection. How does the champion’s words reveal a change? (chapter 28) It is because for the first time, the champion is satisfied with only one round! 😮 Compare the previous intercourses with Kim Dan at the penthouse: (chapter 4) (chapter 7) (chapter 12) (chapter 20) Joo Jaekyung never wanted to stop after one round! However, after his first climax, he wishes Kim Dan to leave his side. This is a true novelty! The moment I detected this modification, I began wondering why the fighter would ask Kim Dan this: (chapter 28) In my opinion, such an attitude is exposing the fighter’s anxieties: he dislikes intimacy and as such embraces! This explicates why Joo Jaekyung shook the doctor in order to get rid of him. On the other hand, I also think, he felt satisfied for the doctor had shown his pleasure. Striking is that despite the shaking, the doctor disobeyed Joo Jaekyung! He still clenched onto him! (chapter 28) One might argue that the doctor is unconscious! However, I don’t think that he has truly fainted yet. The evidences for this interpretation are the way he is holding onto the fighter. Observe that he has already moved his head, as we can see his hair now, whereas before his head was resting on the champion’s shoulder (chapter 28) Furthermore, the muscles from his back are tense, but if he was unconscious, he would lose control of his body like in this scene: (chapter 12) In fact, his arms would relax and he would fall in the water. Finally, he was thinking, when he was in the boxer’s embrace: (chapter 28) Certain readers thought that these words were coming from the athlete, but it is not possible. First, the sportsman has no notion of time and indirectly of time flow! First of all, Joo Jaekyung is known for his impatience. Thus he is not thinking about the future. Note that until he met Kim Dan, all his life was evolving around his jinx! He needed to have sex the night before a match! (chapter 2) That’s how his time was defined. He would only think in a short term, one fight after another! (chapter 27) Furthermore, I would like to underline this expression “I barely have enough time to train” which contrasts to Park Namwook (chapter 27) and Dr. Lee’s statement (chapter 27) As you can see, Joo Jaekyung had the impression that he was always running out of time. He always feared his jinx and as such the night before the fight, as he needed to have sex with someone! Moreover, I would like to outline that Kim Dan as his mirror and teacher is constantly referring to time: day, week, saturday, minute, second. (chapter 27) (chapter 28) (chapter 28) Why? It is because Joo Jaekyung has no life outside the gym! All his days looked the same, until the protagonist entered his life! Besides, if you’ve already read my essay “Whatever took you so long” about Painter Of The Night, you already know the importance of time in a human’s life! Without time, a person can not have memories. This explicates why babies and young children have no memories of their early childhood, for they have no notion of time. But the problem is that without memories, the person has no identity either. To sum up, there is a strong connection between time and identity. We could say that time is a construction of the self, for through time, people make experiences! This shows that exactly like Kim Dan, the champion is not really living! This corresponds to the 1000 years of the imoogi. But this signifies that Joo Jaekyung has no time perspective either!

Time Perspective is the process by which people categorize, archive and recover personal and social experiences through temporal frames (past, present, and future), influencing various aspects of human behaviour and cognition.” https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255907745_Time_Perspective_and_Self-Esteem_Negative_Temporality_Affects_the_Way_We_Judge_Ourselves

Hence he is never talking about his past, present and future. What does he truly want in life? We had the perfect illustration in this scene. (chapter 05) The words “Today and something special” from Park Namwook triggered the champion’s memory: the presence of Kim Dan at his penthouse. (chapter 5) And right after, he expressed this wish: (chapter 5) Interesting is that there exists a strong link between time, time perspective and self-esteem! Someone with no notion of time and no time perspective has a poor self-esteem! Therefore it is not surprising that the athlete doesn’t trust his own talent. Hence I deduce that this sex session played a huge importance in the champion’s life. He could see with all his senses (touch, sight, hearing, taste) that he had pleased Kim Dan! (chapter 28) He had been accepted as the doctor’s partner! Another memory was created, and as such Joo Jaekyung is slowly learning the notion of time! This is important, because the notion of time generates the possibility of dating!

What an irony, for the doctor has the intention of pushing the champion away. He dislikes the idea of losing control over his body and mind! (chapter 28) This means that while Kim Dan is slowly accepting the idea of sex in general, he doesn’t want to have it in his life. This means that Kim Dan has decided to view the champion as a friend and nothing more. Hence Mingwa had added the blue heart💙, when she announced the release of episode 28. This emoji represents bromance and as such a platonic connection. We could add that Joo Jaekyung is now “friend zoned”. That’s the reason why I crossed the heart in fire in the illustration. This signifies that he will treat Joo Jaekyung as a lone wolf and Kim Dan will keep acting as a hamster, whereas he has already turned into a real duck! But why? It is because the doctor has been advocating pure love so far. Loving someone more than yourself yet in return not expecting anything is pure love. Hence the Webtoonist had mentioned 🤍 in the tweet too. But by saying this (chapter 28), he was also moving on from his own belief “pure love”. He is learning to prioritize himself. He doesn’t desire his life to be affected by the champion.

On the other hand, Joo Jaekyung represents sex! Two different religions: pure love versus fuck! … This is no coincidence that Joo Jaekyung employs this expression “For fuck’s sake” (chapter 28) Then he complained about his lack of competence in bed (chapter 28) What caught my attention is that he described the intercourse as work and not as pleasure! (chapter 28) As you can see, the champion had not got rid of his old principles entirely yet. However, we know for sure that he is now looking for sensuality and pleasure. Hence he likes kissing the doctor. To conclude, in the swimming pool, Kim Dan made the following decision. He is no longer rejecting the athlete’s philosophy (fuck), but he doesn’t want to be part of it. At the same time, he is dropping “pure love” as well, for he is thinking about himself for the first time. He chose “bromance” and “friendship”!💙 This corresponds to the blue of the swimming pool. (chapter 28) It is his new philosophy. However, what Kim Dan failed to realize is that by holding onto the athlete and by scratching his back, (chapter 28), he was marking him as his lover! His decision is contradicting his own actions! It is because he still fears sex!

As for the champion, it is the opposite. He is slowly accepting that Kim Dan is crossing the line! (chapter 28) He could have pushed the doctor away very easily, but he didn’t do it. (chapter 10) And remember that after this embrace, Joo Jaekyung brought the doctor to his penthouse, for his heart got moved!! From my point of view, the athlete’s heart is little by little warming up to the idea of affection! In other words, he is slowly adopting the doctor’s philosophy (love)!

This explicates why Mingwa created this vision. It was like a premonitory dream : (chapter 25) Kim Dan would be on the champion’s lap, the latter would long for his lips, and the doctor would hug his companion. It was announcing how Kim Dan would get the upper hand in the relationship! (chapter 28) Don’t forget that according to the champion’s belief, the sex sessions are all like surrogate fights. By putting the doctor on his lap, he was admitting his inferiority! This shows that he is moving on from his fake faith. Thus I deduce that we should have a new version of this position in the future which will reflect the doctor’s increasing power over the fighter and his gradual transformation.

But since Kim Dan has decided to reject passion in his life, this signifies that he isn’t truly living yet.

To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead.” Quote from Bertrand Russel

If he lived truly, he wouldn’t try to control his mind and body constantly. Yet, he got closer to his true self. It is because he is admitting the existence of his eyes, mouth and ears! (chapter 28) This scene is the negative reflection from the sex session in the bathroom: (chapter 20) Here, the champion was comparing the doctor’s hole to a baby! (chapter 20) Consequently, I came to the following deduction. Kim Dan will try to find a new partner for Joo Jaekyung! (chapter 19) His reasoning is the following. The champion likes having sex and he has been treating him more or less like a sex toy, the doctor will try to find a subterfuge to divert attention from himself. Because I detected many similarities between episode 12/13 (chapter 13) and episode 28 (chapter 28) [the kiss, the foreplay, the marks of passion (chapter 13) (chapter 28)], I am now expecting the return of Cheolmin! Here, Kim Dan faked his fainting, yet the champion has already experienced such an incident and he has not forgotten it. Finally, he always bought the doctor’s white lie as well. (chapter 11) And that’s how Kim Dan will discover the existence of the club!! (chapter 13) Hence my impression is that he will suggest to Joo Jaekyung to go to the club with the hope that his friend will find a new partner! He just needs to say that the champion likes to go there. The day off, Saturday, would be the perfect excuse. However, since the doctor is so innocent, he will not realize that by going there, he will become the target of other guests! This uke could resurface! (chapter 2)There is not ambiguity that the champion will never bring the physical therapist to the club on his own. He has already marked the doctor as his partner. And the result can only be that Joo Jaekyung declares Kim Dan as his boyfriend! The emoji 💙 would get a new meaning: the heart of the dragon! This means that the doctor’s decision in episode 28 will push Joo Jaekyung to question his fake belief: the jinx, the existence of a line and the rejection of love in his life. Keep in mind that the champion always makes decisions by instincts, he never ponders on things like the doctor! Similar to this scene, where he paid off the doctor’s debts.

Feel free to comment. If you have any suggestion for topics or manhwas, feel free to ask. If you enjoyed reading it, retweet it or push the button like. My Reddit-Instagram-Twitter-Tumblr account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.

Painter Of The Night: Terrific Power Of Love 🤍💖💢

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwa Painter Of The Night. But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents of Painter Of The Night.

It would be great if you could make some donations/sponsoring: Ko-fi.com/bebebisous33  That way, you can support me with “coffee” so that I have the energy to keep examining manhwas. Besides, I need to cover up the expenses for this blog.

1. Jung In-Hun’s kiss: his intentions

It was really a shock for many readers (including myself), when we saw Jung In-Hun kissing the painter. (chapter 117) I am quite certain that many were outraged and disgusted by the scholar’s smooching. First of all, why did the learned sir do it? One might say that it is related to the petition which is in Yoon Seungho’s possession. (chapter 117) The learned sir was tasked by the mysterious noble wearing a purple hanbok to retrieve the document. I would like to call my avid readers’ attention that we never saw the man introducing himself to the former teacher. He could have definitely impersonated someone, for this trick has often been used in this story. Anyway, in exchange for this favor, Jung In-Hun got promised a high position in the government.

The problem is that the villain can no longer enter the protagonist’s property due to Yoon Seungho’s final warning: (chapter 115) Thus Jung In-Hun has only one option left. He needs to utilize a spy and traitor in order to get the document. Because Jung In-Hun has known the painter since his childhood, it is not surprising that he chose to approach Baek Na-Kyum. As you can imagine, episode 117 is a new version of episode 24 (chapter 24), where the angry learned sir asked the naive artist to spy on their benefactor and episode 35 (chapter 35). In the latter, the scholar gave the same task to the main lead, but his attitude was totally different. He was acting like a gentle and concerned man, hence he stroke Baek Na-Kyum’s head and cheek. (chapter 35) He had two reasons for that. First, the painter was still recovering from his long illness. So he couldn’t act so coldy, for his selfishness and heartlessness would have become obvious. The learned sir had to justify his egoism and indifference. During his illness, he had at no moment visited him, but he had his reasons. (chapter 35) He hoped for the painter’s understanding. All this because he needed the low-born more than ever. He had not renounced on discovering Yoon Seungho’s weakness yet. However, in season 1, he failed to achieve his goal, because after the night spent with the main lead, Baek Na-Kyum refused to divulge any information about the meeting between the host and his brother Yoon Seungwon. (chapter 38)

This observation leads me to the following conclusion: Jung In-Hun is kissing the painter to order to obtain the painter’s heart and as such his support. He imagines that if he acts like this, the artist will be swayed and will listen to his request. This would mean that the artist would betray the main lead. (chapter 117) Hence we should consider the scholar’s kiss as the kiss of Judas. The latter, known as the Betrayal of Christ, is the act with which Judas identified Jesus to the multitude with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests and elders of the people to arrest him. Thus I am expecting an arrest of the painter in the future. Since he is the love interest of Yoon Seungho, he has once again become the target of the next plot.

2. Betrayal or love?

However, I think that this interpretation (request to act like a spy and retrieve the petition) doesn’t reflect the whole situation. Why? It is because chapter 118 exposed the scholar’s despair. He was so under pressure that he began acting like a sexual assailant which divulgued his hypocrisy and recklessness. (Chapter 118) While he had faked his pity and empathy for the painter, when the latter was exposed to gangrape (chapter 118), the ending of the episode is showing him as a monster, acting like Min and his friends. (Chapter 118) How is his despair perceptible? First, the wounds on his face are displaying that he got exposed to violence.

The wound on the cheek can not be the result from Yoon Seungho’s punishment, though the readers saw the main lead slapping the scholar. (chapter 115) However, this is impossible. Time is the proof for the lord’s innocence. 7 days have already passed since Yoon Seungho’s violent outburst in front of the learned sir’s home. Don’t forget that it took Yoon Seungho 6 days to regain consciousness. (chapter 116) And the manhwaphiles saw that the painter spent the night with his lover after their conversation at the pavilion. (chapter 117) This means that Na-Kyum’s visit to the gibang could only take place after that night. That’s how I came to the conclusion that the meeting took place after 1 week (6 days+ 1 night). However, the swollen cheek will easily vanish within one week contrary to the stabbing. (chapter 117) Therefore after the release of episode 117, I had imagined that the wound from the learned sir was faked with the rouge from the noonas. Yet in episode 118, I detected the busted lip which can not be faked. The scratch is the evidence that the wound is real. Jung In-Hun knew too well that he couldn’t frame his previous sponsor for this. Hence he avoided to reply to the painter’s interrogation. (chapter 118) Furthermore, his cheek was perfectly fine, when he left his home. (Chapter 117) This must have happened on his way to the gibang or in the gibang itself! So who would do this? Yoon Chang-Hyeon? The noble with the purple hanbok? I will answer to this question further below.

(chapter 118) Striking is the darkness surrounding the learned sir’s gaze. The dark circles and the absence of light in his eyes is exposing Jung In-Hun’s stress and fear. He reminded me of Yoon Seungho from chapter 57: (chapter 57) It is less pronounced, for Jung In-hun only met this mysterious man once contrary to the main lead. Even Baek Na-Kyum noticed the transformation, hence he got scared. (Chapter 118) He couldn’t recognize his former teacher. The learned sir had become like a violent beast. But why would he be so frantic and hopeless that he became violent in his gestures and words? It is because he had been threatened again. The wounded lip and cheek are the evidences that he has been coerced to convince the painter that the latter should return to his side. (Chapter 118) His grabbing and yelling ooze urgency. One might think that the mysterious aristocrat with the purple hanbok is behind this, for he once voiced a menace towards the villain. (chapter 117) However, observe that in their meeting, Jung In-Hun spoke about affection (Chapter 118) and this doesn’t belong to this man’s world (power, lineage, yin/yang, education). And it is the same for Yoon Chang-Hyeon. The latter embodies hatred and rejection for sodomy! (chapter 86) He was even willing to kill his own son, moreover he threatened Yoon Seungho to have the painter killed. (chapter 116) That’s how I deduced that the person behind this intervention is actually longing and hoping for love from Yoon Seungho. Thus he requested from the learned sir to take back the painter.

This is the reason why Jung In-Hun also kissed Baek Na-Kyum. (chapter 118) The smooching was to persuade the painter that he was in love with the artist. This was the negative version of Baek Na-Kyum’s declaration of love. First, the confession (chapter 94), then the kiss (chapter 95) The artist had kissed the main lead for two reasons. He desired to convey the sincerity of his attachment and to prove that this was real. Yoon Seungho shouldn’t imagine that this was just an illusion, as he often questioned his own senses and sanity. In the gibang, the learned sir changed the chronology: first the smooching, then the confession. Why? It is because he thought that the painter still loved him, when Baek Na-Kyum showed concern for him. (Chapter 118) Due to his arrogance and vanity (the negative aspects of self-love), he jumped to the conclusion that nothing had changed. The painter seemed to be still naive. (chapter 118) Hence his surrogate father smirked. The irony is that there exist different kind of love: friendship, family… At the beginning, the artist was still viewing Jung In-Hun as a friend. Thus he got worried about his wounds. Yet observe that he had no intention to bid farewell to the former teacher. (Chapter 118) He is no longer considering him as a father figure, let alone a close one. Imagine the irony! In reality, the low-born was announcing to his former role model that he was abandoning him. Yes, it is the positive reflection of the scene in the library: (chapter 40) Jung In-Hun’s words came back to bite him. He is the one acting like a prostitute, like a man consumed by lust! (chapter 118) However, like mentioned above, my theory is that he was acting on the order of someone powerful. Consequently, I come to the deduction that he is reflecting Yoon Seungho’s sexual abuser, the pedophile. Thus the author added two mirrors in the room: (chapter 118) Baek Na-Kyum, as the mirror of truth, is not only confronting the scholar with his bigotry and dishonesty, but also the mastermind behind this encounter. This explicates why the learned sir spoke about love: (chapter 118) It reflects the pedophile’s situation, it comes too late. Because for me, the learned sir’s words are reflecting the abuser’s thoughts and emotions, it signifies that studying to his expressions is crucial. (chapter 118) Object of my desires caught my attention. This idiom is exposing that the person wants to possess the painter. That’s how Yoon Seungho was perceived by the pedophile. He only saw the main lead as a possession, as a doll… a male kisaeng. He never treated the protagonist as a person and showed no real respect. Moreover, object of desires made me think of the mirror of erised from Harry Potter once again. Thanks to Yoon Seungho, the man could outlive all his sexual fantasies … which is in reality an illusion. Furthermore, my theory is that they had a fake BDSM relationship. Fake because it was never consensual, hence Yoon Seungho was forced to accept such a sexual habit. And what did the painter reply to his former teacher‘s fake love confession? (chapter 118) This was the same for Yoon Seungho. The sexual abuser had only been obsessed with his own reflection and desires to the point that he never paid attention to his sex partner’s gaze… the loss of light in the gaze, the absence of tears … Besides, there was no agreement, everything was based on coercion and Kim knows that. That’s the reason why Jung In-Hun had tears in his eyes! It is because the main lead used to cry as well… asking for his pity and mercy. Since the scholar never cried before, I believe that the latter had asked to shed some tears in order to move the heart of the counterpart. (chapter 118) That’s what the sexual abuser had experienced in the past. Note that even when the painter was crying, the learned sir never wept. Hence these were just crocodile tears, for the learned sir had a goal in his mind: he needed the painter’s heart. Love is not war, hence using strategies can never conquer a heart, Tricks can never serve as a good foundation for a marriage. Trust, sincerity, mutual respect, empathy, selflessness are necessary.

We have another clue that behind the learned sir is standing the lord’s sexual abuser: (chapter 118) Baek Na-Kyum was never his young protégé, only his student. Why? It is he never protected him, he just consoled him! (chapter 94) However, like I had already outlined, Yoon Seungho was offered “protection” in exchange for his favors. That’s how the main lead got rewarded with the mansion and the proprieties. But now, Yoon Seungho is willing to give up on everything for Baek Na-Kyum. (chapter 117) This means that he is already cutting off ties with his fake protector. Yes, the latter was never his savior, because even now, he allowed Yoon Seungho to become wounded! If he had been serious about his promise, then he should have stopped Min and the other from meddling in the main lead’s life. No matter what… he has to keep the main lead by his side.

But I have another reason to suspect that the pedophile must have intervened. The wounds of the teacher reminded me of this scene: (Chapter 11) Back then, the painter had the burst lip and the glowing cheek too. (Chapter 11) He had protected Jung In-Hun, when the latter was suspected of ruining the painting. And how had Yoon Seungho acted in that scene? He had spoken like a powerful person, like a ruler! (Chapter 11) As you all know, my theory is that behind the name “lord Song” is hiding the king. But since I made a connection between episode 11 and 118, I deduce that Jung In-Hun has been put in the same position than the painter. His karma… for feigning ignorance and letting Baek Na-Kyum take the fall. He is paying for his wrongdoings all at once (11, 29, 35, 40). And what had Yoon Seungho said to his future lover? (Chapter 11) (Chapter 11) Yes, so far no one has been talking or thinking about the king as someone involved in the main lead’s suffering. Yet, I would like to outline that the gibang belongs to the state and as such to the king. Only a rich and influential person could hire the kisaengs for the day (chapter 118) Not even “lord Song” or lord Haseon from episode 107 couldn’t pull such a trick. (Chapter 107) He had announced his visit and the kisaengs had to gather next to the gate. There, the mysterious man selected only one woman. (Chapter 107) However, in episode 118, the kisaeng talking to Baek Na-Kyum expressed that there were different parties. Each kisaeng was participating in a different festivity (“It’s not usually this busy”). She would have mentioned it, if there was a huge party in the gibang. But there is another clue for the king’s intervention: the pipe is no longer visible in the noonas’ room (chapter 96: it’s on the table), just like there are now two mirrors and the number of rouge has also increased. (Chapter 118) Finally, this painting, Hokjado, is actually mocking the monarch. (chapter 105) The tiger in the painting usually represents the ruling elite, and its ridiculous expression is a satirical commentary on their behavior. He is here portrayed as a lazy man focused on smoking and pondering.

But why did Jung In-Hun wait for so long? It is because the schemers knew that the artist would never leave his lover’s side, as long as the main lead was unconscious. (chapter 116) It signifies that this panel is a new version of this scene: (chapter 103) And what is the common denominator between these two scenes? Both protagonists rejected the help from the staff, especially from butler Kim.

Additionally, I am suspecting that the schemers needed to wait for the recovery of Yoon Seungho for another reason! The latter had to witness the betrayal from his loved one. Yes, episode 118 gave us another clue for this: Jung In-Hun is ready to drop all his principles out of “love”, whereas in verity it is for his own sake. From my perspective, the schemers were slowly losing their patience. They must have recognized that they were running out of time! Yes, time is on the couple’s side. The longer the painter remained by Yoon Seungho’s side, the more power Baek Na-Kyum would have over the protagonist’s heart. In other words, he is escaping from the claws of the pedophile. The walk through the mountain announced a turning point in the main lead’s life. (chapter 102) He was already giving up on everything, even his own life, if he had not the artist by his side. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why killing the painter is not the first option for the pedophile.

For him, the best solution is that Yoon Seungho witnesses the painter’s betrayal and abandonment. However, he needs to be comforted by a close one… so that he doesn’t feel totally alone and abandoned, because he could decide to commit suicide again. That’s the reason why Yoon Seungwon is trying to convince his brother to find a new goal in life, to start a new life. (chapter 118) He is implying that he should take the exam and get a high position…. he should go to Hanyang. That way, he would cross the path of the ruler. Striking is that the young man employed the expression “bondage”. Is this a reference to BDSM? For me, Yoon Seungwon is helping the invisible hand which explains why he is betraying his father again. (chapter 118) He did it in the past, and he is repeating his actions. He shows no regret or remorse for the past (chapter 118) except his promise: (chapter 118) In fact, he blamed his brother and his father for everything, even Yoon Seungho’s way of life. His concern and affection for Yoon Seungho are totally superficial and trivial in the end. Why didn’t he ask about his wounds? He met him the next day after he regained consciousness. (chapter 118) Finally, I would like to outline that by saying “my father” he is actually excluding Yoon Seungho as family member contradicting his own words (brother). (chapter 118) It was, as if they had two different fathers. Note that despite the father’s cruel action, the young noble still calls Yoon Chang-Hyeon as “father”. To conclude, Yoon Seungwon doesn’t consider the protagonist as his brother despite his words. The younger master is the reflection of the learned sir, the one faking “love, honesty and concern” for a close one, whereas in reality these persons are more worried about their own future and comfort. (chapter 118) But the elder brother is no fool, he even starts questioning Yoon Seungwon’s actions: (chapter 118) Who gave Yoon Chang-Hyeon the idea that they could enter the palace again? It can not be the patriarch, for he would have asked for this much sooner. I come to the conclusion that back then, the Yoons got fooled concerning the cause for the treason. They were told that it was because of the petition… hence the younger master chose to hide the document by his brother. (chapter 118) From my point of view, he must have listened to the suggestions of an adult, for he was back then too young to understand what was happening. On the other hand, the monarch condemned the elder master for the fake reeducation (“pretense”). (chapter 37)

Among the indicators of democratic institutions in Korea, the one I want to address in today’s column is that of petitioning. Joseon people could petition the king or the government for all kinds of things. It was acceptable, and oft-seen. It was not a rare or dangerous thing to do ― it was the heart of interaction between the government and the people.” Quoted from https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2023/05/739_281254.html?utm_source=KK

Thus I come to the conclusion that the petition is in reality the evidence of the Yoons’ innocence, yet the schemers had to maintain this lie alive. Hence Yoon Seungho was portrayed as a blackmailer (chapter 107), whereas the main lead had decided to protect his family despite their betrayal and abandonment. Under this new light, it becomes comprehensible why Yoon Seungwon has no interest to expose the petition contrary to the past. (chapter 118) It is because he knows the truth now. Nevertheless, he is choosing to keep his brother in the dark, for this revelation would make him appear as a liar. He definitely feels bound by secrecy. (chapter 76)

As you can see, both protagonists got to hear a confession… (chapter 118) (chapter 118) Both were supposed to ooze concern, affection and regret, as if they wanted to redeem themselves. However, the verity is that their actions were actually exposing their despair, selfishness, greed and their superficiality. Once again, they were betraying their acquaintance for their own interest. The lack of empathy for the main lead can be detected, when Yoon Seungwon portrayed him as a lucky person. (chapter 118) For this winning hand, Yoon Seungho had to suffer a martyrdom. Hence it becomes comprehensible why he is envisaging to renounce on everything. (chapter 117) He was only happy by the painter’s side.

In addition, the confessions from Seungwon and In-Hun have another common denominator: crime! In the final panel, Jung In-Hun appears as a lunatic on the verge of raping Baek Na-Kyum. (chapter 118) It is because he has been rejected!! (chapter 118) This reminded me of the rape at the pavilion. (chapter 25) On the other hand, I had made this connection, even before the release of episode 118. Why? It is because through deductions, I had already come to the conclusion that this was a stolen kiss.

3. The scholar’s downfall: kiss and prostitution

What caught my attention is the progression of the intimacy between Jung In-Hun and his student. First, he kissed his hands (chapter 24), then he hugged him (chapter 29). While the first embrace took place in a deserted area (close to the port), the second hug was witnessed by many people. It was in the open, moreover the so-called “hero” had jumped off the horse during the parade which could only catch the attention from the crowd. (chapter 111) Between the two embraces, we shouldn’t overlook the caresses on the head and cheeks which I mentioned above. As you can imagine, the kiss of Jung In-Hun represents the climax of their intimacy. Striking is that the affectionate gestures always took place in public (street twice and the courtyard).

So it looks like the scholar’s smooching contrasts to the previous scenes. However, this is just an illusion, because Jung In-Hun kissed the artist in the gibang, the symbol of prostitution! Since season 1 I had connected him to prostitution, and I had always predicted that the learned sir would end up selling himself for his own interest. What I had not expected is that he would offer his body to Baek Na-Kyum!! 😮🤮 Thus I interpret that the prostitute is not the painter, but the learned sir. He is giving up on his principles out of fear, greed and hatred! (chapter 34) His kiss is displaying his hypocrisy, which the artist could only feel. Hence he didn’t reciprocate the smooching. His lips remained immobile. (chapter 117) At the same time, this signifies that Jung In-Hun is trying to replace Yoon Seungho! This is the negative version of the First Wedding night! (chapter 19) Therefore I come to the conclusion that this kiss is like the embrace from episode 29: fake! It is because the learned sir needs him! This statement stands in opposition to the protagonist’s love confession. (chapter 117) The latter is willing to give up on his possessions and comfort for his lover. (chapter 117) His presence and affection represent the biggest treasure for Yoon Seungho. Baek Na-Kyum is his only source of joy and happiness. However, for the learned sir, the “need” has a different foundation. He can lose everything, if the painter doesn’t choose him. And if he were successful, he would even get power! As you can sense, for the learned sir, Baek Na-Kyum is just a tool, while for the Black Knight, he is a necessity! Without him, he has no reason to continue living. Jung In-Hun is desperate to survive, while Yoon Seungho is pushed to give up on his suicidal thoughts THANKS TO His father: (chapter 116) If he dies, the painter will follow him in death. However, the lord doesn’t desire to be the cause for the artist’s death. He seeks to make him happy. Thus he needs to survive in order to protect him.

Under this new light, the manhwaphiles can grasp why I selected “Terrific power of love”. The learned sir is betting his life that this kiss will move the artist and out of his adoration for him, Baek Na-Kyum will betray his lover. He still believes that he has power over the painter’s heart. We could detect his arrogance in their first reunion: (chapter 111) His gaze oozed not only arrogance, but also blindness. Imagine that he was smirking in front of the painter while looking at the wealthy aristocrat. It was, as though he thought that the artist wouldn’t notice his disdain and vanity. He imagined that the artist was still naive and ignorant like in season 1. This explains why the painter expressed his disapproval about the learned sir with a smile later: (chapter 111)

On the other hand, the problem for Jung In-Hun was how to reach the painter. The scholar couldn’t encounter the protagonist by chance in the street either, like in episode 111 (chapter 111), for Baek Na-Kyum is always accompanied by his soul mate (chapter 40, 45, 74-75, 91-97, 104-105) In addition, people would have recognized him due to the previous parade and noticed his interaction with the artist. Nevertheless, the villain needed privacy, as he was inciting the main lead to commit a wrongdoing: betrayal towards Yoon Seungho. So their meeting could never be mere coincidence and happen in the open. Their reunion had to be planned properly and in secrecy. Thus it signifies that it had to happen behind the dark knight’s back. I would even add that the beloved couple needed to be separated! And now, you comprehend why their meeting had to take place in the gibang! In season 3 and 4, the kisaeng house is the place where the main leads got separated from each other, though the intervention from the noonas didn’t always work like expected.

  • chapter 93: – first separation, for Yoon Seungho had to take care of the noona Heena Here we witnessed his return. However, the kisaengs badmouthed Yoon Seungho (chapter 93) Their attempt was to create a riff between the couple.
  • Chapter 94: Second separation. Why did Yoon Seungho go to the well back then (chapter 94), when the painter thought that they would go to the pond. (chapter 94) Why didn’t the artist follow his partner right away?
  • Chapter 96: Heena was supposed to interrupt the couple, but this attempt failed. (chapter 96) She intervened too late, and her brother didn’t notice her presence.
  • Chapter 97: People outside the gibang had to meddle forcing the main lead to leave the painter’s side. We know that it can not be the kisaengs due to this statement. (chapter 99) Yet, we never saw the face carrying the light (chapter 97) But it can not be the officers, for they were carrying torches. (chapter 97) Yet, the light in the previous image is nearer to the ground than to the top of the door. Besides, carrying a torch in a building made of paper and wood is quite dangerous. For me, the person approaching their suite could only lift such a candle light (chapter 19) We have two possibilities left: the kisaeng Heena or the butler. (chapter 98) This confrontation didn’t occur in episode 93, for the kisaeng’s back was illuminated by the candle light, whereas the room was darker in episode 93. (chapter 93) The light was standing further away from her in this picture. Hence I deduce that the lord must have revisited the kisaeng during that night. Because she was not holding the candle light, I can only deduce that the person witnessing this second conversation was butler Kim! Besides, we have another allusion to him through the reflection of episode 19 and the first Wedding night. Then later, Heena tried to convince her brother to leave Yoon Seungho’s side (chapter 97) by blaming him for Jung In-Hun’s murder, but her intervention failed. In reality, the separation could only take place thanks to the intervention of Yoon Seungho’s staff. In episode 97, the servants were definitely manipulating the painter with this corpse (chapter 97), whereas in episode 98, the maids had to play their role as well: badmouthing their master (chapter 98). He was a cruel and violent lord!
  • Chapter 105: Here the couple was separated again. While Seungho was with Heena, the painter was kept busy with his noonas. They all tricked the couple. Whereas Heena faked her recovery (chapter 105: Heena was strong enough to follow her brother to the door, and this quite quickly, for she witnessed their argument), the other cast doubts in Baek Na-Kyum (chapter 109) and finally the third one lied to her donsaeng. (chapter 105) Yoon Seungho had mentioned that he would return to the kisaeng house in order to fetch his lover. (chapter 105) Yoon Seungho was just thinking of a momentary separation, whereas the kisaeng implied that his departure was definitive. This shows that they had hidden the main lead’s true intention from the painter. This was no coincidence in my eyes.

Consequently, I deduced that this kiss was the result of the involvement of many people (kisaengs, noblemen and the king) and in particular of Yoon Seungho’s staff. We could say that this is the evidence of their betrayal, for they leaked information to an outsider. (chapter 118) However, I believe that Jung In-Hun was lying, for his visit could be leaked to the owner of the mansion. He has no idea that no one is siding with the main lead. But by saying this, he was covering up for the gibang, and as such Heena. She was definitely her source of information.

Moreover, who is convinced that the painter’s affection for the learned sir is not trivial and fleeting? Heena! (chapter 68) Why? It is because she has always loved the learned sir and projected her own thoughts and emotions onto the artist. In my eyes, this encounter is to prove the kisaeng wrong, to confront her with reality and her prejudices. What caught my attention is that each time, the painter couldn’t meet Heena, her absence was justified that she was serving a nobleman outside. (chapter 93) (chapter 99) (chapter 118) In my opinion, her absence has a purpose: Baek Na-Kyum should never suspect her involvement in this meeting. (chapter 118) Notice that the painter is already thinking that she was not expecting him. Yet, it is clear that he would come to the kisaeng house, for Yoon Seungho had been invited by his brother. The invitation had already been proceeded the day before: (chapter 117) So if something were to happen, Heena could feign ignorance and as such innocence. After their last argument, the noble has learnt that he shouldn’t keep his distance from the artist and he should confide to him, hence he talked about elopment at the pavilion.

This image (chapter 117) exposes the complicity of Heena, especially if you consider it as a new version of this scene: (chapter 97) Back then, the noona was also scared, for she was trembling and became quite rough, a sign that she had been threatened as well. But she is not working alone. From my perspective, she is supported by her sisters. The presence of the second mirror is the evidence of their complicity (chapter 118). On the other hand, I don’t think that they are aware of the truth.

The moment I saw the kiss scene from episode 117 (chapter 117), I couldn’t restrain myself connecting it to the one from episode 19, the First wedding night: a stolen kiss. (chapter 19) I had already pointed out the revelance of stolen kisses (chapter 25) (chapter 77) in a previous analysis. However, I will only focus on the comparison between episode 19 and 118, for both represent a first kiss!

First, the smooching between the hypocrite and the low-born occurred in front of a closed door. (chapter 118) And remember that in episode 19, the painter had caught the main lead by surprise, when he entered the room. (chapter 20) Back then, he wanted to discuss about the vanishing of the bottle. Observe the contrast:

chapter 19chapter 118
door opendoor close
the gibang – the studythe gibang – private room of the noona
witnessno witness
nightday
Baek Na-Kyum is aloneBaek Na-Kyum is alone
Baek Na-Kyum drunk – heartbrokenBaek Na-Kyum levelheaded and happy
Baek Na-Kyum got rejected by the scholarJung In-Hun got rejected
Baek Na-Kyum is invited to join Yoon Seungho in order to show the erotic paintingThe painter is not invited to meet Yoon Seungwon
a painting: an important paper (erotic publication – a wrongdoing)a petition: an important paper (crime)
the absence of the noonas – they were not introduced yetthe absence of the noonas

And what had happened in episode 19? Min had tried to play a trick (the expensive wine) in order to approach the artist and even taste him. As you can imagine that I could only come to the conclusion that the encounter from episode 118 had long be planned… even the kiss! This was not done on impulse contrary to episode 19 (chapter 19) And this was the same at the pavilion: (chapter 25) There, the lord imagined that with the kiss, he could reinitiate the first wedding night, but the opposite happened. This led to the painter’s rape. This happened, because the main lead’s anxieties and pain had been triggered. Once he had tasted the tenderness from the painter, he could no longer forget it. And what had said Yoon Seungho back then? (chapter 25) Thus I am deducing that this scene (chapter 118) has an important function in the couple’s life: to trigger their memories! Yoon Seungho has long forgotten that he got raped, He was brainwashed that he led a life of debauchery in order to provoke his father and he still believes this manipulation: (chapter 118) A lie that everyone around the main lead has kept alive… even Yoon Seungwon! But since the main lead has now opened up his heart to Baek Na-Kyum (chapter 96), this means that he has finally accepted his homosexuality. Consequently, the sexual abuser could have the impression that he just needs to remove the painter from the main lead’s side and that’s it. He can replace the artist… impersonation once again!

Besides, don’t forget that the lord’s confession in the very same room is connected to greed and possessiveness: (chapter 96) These notions are all reflected in the confrontation between Baek Na-Kyum and Jung In-Hun: (chapter 118) It was, as if the painter was a prize. Now, he only has eyes for the protagonist, whereas he only felt contempt towards him before.

When I saw this panel, (chapter 118), I couldn’t help myself thinking of the embrace between the two main characters. (chapter 105) Hence I came to the conclusion that the stolen kiss from Jung In-Hun represents a farewell, though the learned sir has no idea of this signification. Thus I thought of Judas’ kiss. The learned sir failed to achieve his goal exactly like in season 1. Even back then, he was distressed and under pressure, for he had recognized that he needed to pass the civil service examination first.

Because Jung In-Hun refused to listen to the lord’s warning, (chapter 115) the scholar will be soon confronted with reality: (chapter 115) In my opinion, he will be framed for the incident in the shaman’s house.

Why? It is because Jung In-Hun is behaving like a monster, and he mentioned the incident in the shaman’s house just before. (chapter 118) While the learned sir considered his words as a love confession, they actually appear as an admission of his complicity. He is recognizing that he knows. In addition, the absence of his glasses is the evidence of his wrongdoing. The moment the learned sir gave his spectacles, he knew that Black Heart and his helpers had planned to hurt the main lead. So the scholar was indeed an accomplice. (chapter 115) Hence I have the impression that this stolen kiss will have huge repercussions not only for the learned sir, but also for Heena. (chapter 118) Observe that the painter wanted to ignore the words from the fake teacher. So he could have a change of heart and report the incident to the authorities. He doesn’t know that his lover killed Black Heart and his friends. The learned sir was admitting that his nightmare had truly happened. (chapter 118) Hence the learned sir could get into trouble.

As for Heena, she loves the learned sir, and with this stolen kiss she is actually confronted by her belief. (chapter 68) The learned sir’s feelings for the artist were actually fleeting and trivial! He never had Baek Na-Kyum’s interests in his heart. He used the painter for his own benefit. But will she recognize this in the end? And if she advised the pedophile, then her words could backfire on her, for this trick didn’t work out. If so, she could come to resent her brother, for the latter led to the learned sir’s demise. Remember my prediction: the former scholar’s death.

But why did the scholar make such a move in the gibang? Yoon Seungho is not far away from his loved one! It is because the schemers want him as a witness. All along, betrayal and abandonment play a central role in this story. This came truly to the surface in season 3: (chapter 83) (chapter 88) From my point of view, the schemers are projecting their own thoughts and emotions on Yoon Seungho. Moreover I am quite certain that they have already calculated the possibility of a rejection. The painter’s so-called wrongdoings from season 1 (chapter 11: the ruined painting, chapter 29: desertion) and season 2 (chapter 61: the desertion) were all perceived as rejections. If he is caught with Jung In-Hun alone, they anticipate that Yoon Seungho will react like his father. He won’t be able to discern the truth. Baek Na-Kyum is not faithful and is now tainted. Or even worse… Yoon Seungho might commit a crime. This thought seems to contradict my previous statement: Jung In-Hun is acting on the pedophile’s order. Nonetheless, my theory is that there exist two conspiracies:

The one with “lord Song”, though for me, there are at least 3 “lord Song” as they look different (beards-hanboks, hair insertion: the ear serves as orientation) (chapter 107) (chapter 115) (chapter 115: flower pattern and no sleeve, the beard covers the jaw ) (chapter 117: no pattern, the lips are covered by the moustasch, straight) (chapter 117) There are simply too many divergences to say that it is a mistake from the author. This would actually mean that she is quite sloppy. Furthermore, I decided to rely on my eyes and not a belief: there is only one lord Song. Thus you comprehend why I never called the man talking to Jung In-Hun lord Song. So if my theory is true, this would signify that these men represent the previous gang “dogs of Joseon”, the older version of this: (chapter 101) And No-Name was treated exactly like Lee Jihwa, but he got framed and sentenced. Finally, I would like to point out that there were 3 black men involved in the first fake sexual education: (chapter 86) A coincidence? I don’t believe this. Besides, I discovered a relevant detail about petition and government.

“Of course, therein lies the irony ― that the time of kings, the Joseon dynasty, had democratic institutions. But there were several. I could write a column on each ― for example, student demonstrations. Korea’s student demonstration were hallmarks of Korean political life from April 19, 1960, through the 60s, 70s and 80s, until true democracy evolved in Korea. The “samsa” was the censorate ― the three offices of government that had the duty of criticizing the king and the government (and the censorate had great power in the Joseon court; the three arms of the censorate often, really often, criticized the king and his appointments). The king would sometimes withdraw the offending appointment or decision, and sometimes he would not, but he had to deal with the censors who were obliged to keep him on the straight and narrow of good Confucian, moral government. The king was required to attend lectures on Confucianism, which implied the adherence to ethical government.” Quoted from https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2023/05/739_281254.html?utm_source=KK

The “samsa” implies 3 representatives of these offices. This would explain why lord Song is asking for the petition from the Yoons. These men could represent the 3 samsa.

And the second plot would be the king.

Another clue for this theory is Min and his friends’s death. They got killed, because they were also left in the dark. And we know that the story is going in circle. In my opinion, all the persons from the past have to make sure that their deceptions and tricks don’t get detected… neither by the victim Yoon Seungho nor by the pedophile. Just like the main lead and his father, there is no ambiguity that the monarch has been deceived as well. (chapter 107) Far away from the protagonist, he had to rely on his helping hands and his advisors. He trusted their words. Finally, we have the vision from Lee Jihwa: (chapter 101) That’s the moment when the truth will come to light. Someone will get angry, because he got confronted with the painful reality: he was a man consumed by lust, he was selfish, cruel, abusive, ignorant, coward, and even naive. He was never destined to be the protagonist’s life companion. (chapter 116) He was in truth Yoon Seungho‘s bird of misfortune. He is responsible for his misery. Before, I had assumed that right from the start, the pedophile could have been eyeing the pure teenager, but it is also possible that everything happened due to back luck. Each person made a mistake, out of fear they lied to cover up for their wrongdoing and chose Yoon Seungho as scapegoat. Father Lee tried to hide his son’s sodomy out of shame. If so, the king became responsible, for he never investigate the matter properly. It was his role as ruler to give justice and he failed terribly. In fact, he benefitted from this. Hence it is normal that he is now judged as the main culprit for Yoon Seungho‘s misery. Contrary to Baek NA-Kyum, the main lead can not act, as if nothing had happened. (Chapter 118) It is because the main lead had repressed it for a long time, in fact he had been brainwashed that he had become a prostitution out of revenge. Now, he knows that he has been longing for love and acceptance all along.

4. Yoon Seungho and the pavilion

Like the illustration is exposing it , I detected a strong connection between chapter 10 and 117. The common denominator was the pavilion. The learned sir brought the artist under the pretense for a walk in order to seek seclusion and privacy. While he faked his worries (chapter 10), he wanted the painter to stop working for Yoon Seungho. He desired him to leave the propriety, for he saw Baek Na-Kyum as a rival. Unlike the painter, the scholar had not been invited to join the party the night before. Hence he had to portray Yoon Seungho in such a bad light! (chapter 10) Back then, the vain and stupid man thought that the main lead had truly liked his poem. Thus he imagined that he could get the attention from the protagonist, once he got rid of his competitor.

Interesting is that he selected the pavilion and this for one reason. He needed witnesses for his innocence. As you already know, I had come to the deduction that the learned sir had participated in the prank. Moreover, people from far away couldn’t detect that the learned sir was inciting the artist to sedition and disobedience. He wanted to maintain his image of respectability and selfless and caring man. (chapter 10) This is not surprising that the author employed a panel from that chapter. (chapter 118) Back then, the artist had not detected the manipulation. Hence he had protected his former teacher, when the latter got accused of ruining the painting. This confession from the scholar (chapter 10) stands in opposition to Yoon Seungho’s. The latter has no expectation from the artist. (chapter 117) The latter is the one deciding about the lord’s fate. But why did he go to the pavilion with the painter? For privacy and intimacy! They needed to discuss the matter about the brother and the petition, a dangerous matter. (chapter 117) Here, the painter was acting as the main lead’s right-hand and advisor. He is taking over the butler’s function. He was full of concern for his loved one asking him to postpone the reunion (chapter 117) And the moment the artist voiced his fears (chapter 117), the noble suggested to leave everything behind. (chapter 117) He wanted to fulfill the artist’s wish, the symbol of his deep and selfless love. Striking is that there was no kiss and sex proving that true love can be expressed in many ways, and not just by physical intimacy. This contradicts the learned sir’s confession. He is just waiting for a signal from him. (chapter 117) And what would people see from far away? 2 people showing closeness and attachment, they wouldn’t expect a desertion, an abandonment!! And now you comprehend why Yoon Chang-Hyeon was sitting in the pavilion in town (chapter 116) It was, as if he was trying to get an alibi for his crime: he had planned to have his son killed, but it didn’t happen as expected. Thus he was forced to join his son. (chapter 116) This means that he was exposing his crime to people in town. Furthermore, he even confessed his hatred for his own son. He yelled this: (chapter 116) Yet, by stating this, he was admitting that he was violating social norms (Confucianism). That’s how I realized that the pavilion is not only the place where Yoon Seungho’s emancipation takes place, it is also the symbol for betrayal and abandonment.

None of these yanbang behaved like they should have: hardworking, educated, humble and honest! That’s the reason why I am suspecting that this conversation in the open will backfire on the elder master Yoon. Was the street totally empty during that night? No… because he was drinking in the pavilion. Besides, don’t forget that the tailor was a witness of Min’s wrongdoing. (chapter 101) Finally, a long time ago, I had developed the theory that the pavilion was the place where Yoon Seungho got abused.

In the name of love (for the Yoons, for Yoon Seungwon, for Yoon Seungho, for Baek Na-Kyum, for the scholar), the schemers and accomplices did terrible things. The reality was that love was a synonym for hatred, power, greed, ambition, fanatism, lust, survival, sexual fantasies… And now, take a closer to this panel: It is the same pavilion than Yoon Chang-Hyeon’s. This means that the couple will purify this place. At some point, the lord and his knight will come to admire the pond with the lotus flowers: (chapter 117) Byeonduck let us see a glimpse of their future.

Feel free to comment. If you have any suggestion for topics or manhwas, feel free to ask. If you enjoyed reading it, retweet it or push the button like. My Reddit-Instagram-Tumblr-Twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.

Jinx /Doctor Frost: Joo Jaekyung‘s shadow 👤

Please support the authors by reading the manhwas on the official websites. This is where you can read the manhwas. Doctor Frost Jinx But be aware that the last manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Here is the link of the table of contents about JinxHere is the link where you can find the table of contents of analyzed manhwas Here are the links, if you are interested in the first work from Mingwa, BJ Alex,  and the previous essay about Jinx “Tragicomic loss of innocence“ (locked)

It would be great if you could make some donations/sponsoring: Ko-fi.com/bebebisous33  That way, you can support me with “coffee” so that I have the energy to keep examining manhwas. Besides, I need to cover up the expenses for this blog.

1. The origins of this essay

Since the beginning, people have been wondering about Joo Jaekyung’s past and family and this interest keeps increasing, the more the champion interacts with Kim Dan. Why? It is because Jinx lovers are sensing the tyrant’s transformation. (chapter 1) Slowly, he is getting tamed and as such he is becoming a social being! Right now, he has become much more considerate towards the physical therapist. (chapter 25) Note that he is standing in the ring, but he is smiling. And this change can only push the manhwaphiles to question about Joo Jaekyung’s raising and past. His metamorphosis is referring to the famous debate “nature versus nurture” in psychology.

“The expression “nature vs. nurture” describes the question of how much a person’s characteristics are formed by either “nature” or “nurture.” “Nature” means innate biological factors (namely genetics), while “nurture” can refer to upbringing or life experience more generally. […]

A person’s biological nature can affect a person’s experience of the environment. For example, a person with a genetic disposition toward a particular trait, such as aggressiveness, may be more likely to have particular life experiences (including, perhaps, receiving negative reactions from parents or others). Or, a person who grows up with an inclination toward warmth and sociability may seek out and elicit more positive social responses from peers. These life experiences could, in turn, reinforce an individual’s initial tendencies. Nurture or life experience more generally may also modify the effects of nature—for example, by expanding or limiting the extent to which a naturally bright child receives encouragement, access to quality education, and opportunities for achievement.” Quoted from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/nature-vs-nurture#:~:text=The%20expression%20%E2%80%9Cnature%20vs.,or%20life%20experience%20more%20generally.

This shows that Joo Jaekyung’s environment played a huge role in his mental and emotional development. Because of Kim Dan, it becomes obvious that the boxer has a big heart. In addition, he had no loved one by his side. He has definitely trust and abandonment issues. In other words, he had not opened up his heart to anyone else before. But does it mean that he has always been on his own till his fateful meeting with the doctor? No, I don’t think so. Why? First, he trusts the coaches Park Namwook and Jeong Yosep (chapter 5) and the doctor Cheolmin. (chapter 14) He listens to them, hence he calls them all “hyung”. But here is the question. How did he come to meet them and even trust them? Imagine that he is still keeping his distance from other fighters, yet he is the unofficial owner of Black Team. He can determine the salary and the transferring. This displays that his mistrust is not just a matter of time. Consequently, my hypothesis is that someone introduced the hyungs to him. Here, I feel the need to remind my inquisitive readers that I had found many clues in the name Joo Jaekyung [For more read “The bright calamity“] which had triggered many new ideas. One of them was that the protagonist could be in verity the real heir of that chaebol family, because Joo can have the following significations: master/owner/host and helmet/descendants!! I had also voiced the possibility that he might have lost his parents due to a terrible incident (crime). With this, we would have the explanation of the abandonment issues and the absence of motherly affection. If this theory is true, then it means that he would be an orphan. Therefore he needed to have a guardian. Yes… exactly like Kim Dan. He was raised by someone else. And don’t forget that Kim Dan is his fated partner, thereby they share some common denominators. Therefore in my eyes, the only difference would be that the doctor was abandoned by his parents on purpose which would not be the case for the famous MMA-fighter. And now, it is time to reveal my theory concerning Joo Jaekyung’s past. Actually, I had made this discovery much sooner, and even planned to present it in the essay “The bright calamity”. Yet, as the latter had become so long, I decided to postpone it! I was waiting for the right time, until I couldn’t help myself announcing on Twitter the discovery of a clue in episode 5, when @jaekyungxdan wondered about the athlete’s childhood. Thus people got intrigued about my new finding and theory.

2. “I just tried a little something new”

Do you recognize this quote? Joo Jaekyung mentioned it in the car after his match in chapter 5. And now, if you take a closer look at the illustration, you will identify that two images are from episode 5. (chapter 5) For me, it is a very important episode. So what do these panels have in common? The main lead’s cellphone. In fact, the latter exposes a lot about the athlete’s private life.😮 We have the best example from Kim Dan. (chapter 16)(chapter 16) (chapter 16) The minions saw the amount and came to the conclusion that Kim Dan was selling his body.

And now, it is time to study the emperor’s recent calls more closely. (chapter 05) According to me, the mysterious doctor from episode 13 is Cheolmin hyung. Consequently, I had only one name left: Seo Gichan. Who is this man? Because I had made a connection between the names and personality, I immediately started reading the information about his name. Yes, the website giving significations to Korean names has become my little something. Moreover, observe that Seo Gichan appeared first! For me, the order is exposing the importance of a person in Joo Jaekyung’s life. This explains why Kim Dan was only called 8 times after talking to the faceless man. I have the impression that this man had reassured the young fighter. Since Cheolmin hyung is connected to the club, it is comprehensible why the main lead called Kim Dan 23 times after his conversation. He had dropped the idea of finding a lover through the club!! And now, I would like to outline another relevant detail. When did we see the champion using his cellphone? (chapter 1) (chapter 2) (chapter 19) They are all related to sex and as such prostitution. So when he called the MFC match manager, it is related to his jinx. Hence the champion got upset. I could even include this scene as well. (chapter 17) The champion paid off the doctor’s debts, thinking that he was freeing him from “prostitution”. (chapter 18) And guess what? The name “Gi” can signify “prostitute” or “flesh, muscle”. (chapter 5) A coincidence? I don’t think so. Hence I came to the conclusion that this man is responsible for the athlete’s negative perception of sex. The latter is connected to prostitution. How so? Gi can also mean “man of sixty or seventy“. This means, he is an older man! That’s how I deduced that Seo Gichan has been the champion’s guardian! The negative version of Kim Dan’s halmoni! (chapter 22) He is the reason why the champion became a fighter, just like Kim Dan became a physical therapist for his grandmother. This explicates why the athlete knew how to talk prettily to an elderly and how to assist the sick grandmother (chapter 21). Joo Jaekyung is used to this. But there’s more to his name. However, before exposing more about his name and his personality, I would like to examine this panel again. (chapter 5) When the protagonist is starring at his cellphone, there’s a fighter standing behind him. For me, this image represents a metaphor. There exists a shadow in the athlete’s life. Yet the champion is not detecting the colleague’s presence, too blinded by his frustration and anger. He had never been ignored and as such rejected before!! Nevertheless, we shouldn’t overlook the fact that the main lead had called Seo Gichan and Cheolmin hyung before! This exposes the increasing obsession of the athlete for the main lead. Kim Dan is Joo Jaekyung’s shadow, but when I selected this title, I was naturally thinking of Seo Gichan! He is the one who had been influencing the athlete’s life so far. However, for me, the last image represents the transition. Kim Dan is little by little taking over the old man’s place. Yes, we are actually assisting to the champion’s spiritual and mental emancipation. He’s maturing into a real adult by rediscovering his inner child. Thus on one hand, he is taking care of the doctor and the halmoni, on the other hand, he plays more and more pranks. (chapter 24)

3. Seo Gichan: the ghost in Joo Jaekyung’s life

How can I be so sure that he’s been acting as the athlete’s guardian? First, Seo can signify “son-in-law” or “husband“, an indication that he is like family to the main lead. Furthermore, his name is related to food: potato, yam (sweet potato) and millet/broomcorn millet. It was, as though the man had been making sure that Joo Jaekyung would eat properly. This would explain why Joo Jaekyung is eating on a regular basis. (chapter 13) (chapter 18) As a child, he was encouraged to drink his glass of milk and not to drink these sweet yoghurts. (chapter 21) They were definitely judged as unhealthy, for they contain a lot of sugar. It is no coincidence that Seo can mean “order, discipline and age”. This man was definitely strict. Hence the main lead never experienced a caress and a warm hug from his guardian.

However, since the elderly man is not wearing the same name than the fighter, this means that they are not directly related. Hence Joo Jaekyung had never tasted a family meal!! (chapter 22) (chapter 22) Seo Gichan must have never cooked for the athlete, he simply hired a nutritionist! (chapter 22) However, I doubt that Seo Gichan is living like the athlete. I am suspecting that he enjoys good meals. Why? It’s because Chan can mean “meal, eat, food, delicacies“!! Moreover, Seo can refer to hungry. Hence I don’t think that he is as slim and fragile as the halmoni, quite the opposite! Why? First, his name Gi can signify “rhinoceros” or “piebald horse“, an indication that he must be robust. Additionally, this ghost is linked to “west”, “dawn” and willow, which reminded me of Park Namwook. The latter is represented by “morning sun, rising, mountain cherry and camphor tree“!! How does the coach look like? (chapter 7) Quite chubby! Thus we can assume that he resembles to the coach and the emperor is taking after his mentor to a certain extent.

Moreover, we know the halmoni’s face, but we don’t know her name… and it is the opposite for Seo Gichan! This is not random for me. We all read his name, yet we haven’t seen him in person. He has a similar role than the halmoni in the champion’s life. (chapter 22) Is he actually real?

I have to admit that after reading all the different meanings of Seo Gichan, I came to the following conclusion: he is one of the villains of Jinx! First, Seo means “daybreak, dawn“, while Joo Jaekyung fears the night and is suffering from somniphobia. This contrast could only raise my suspicion. On the other hand, this would explain why he would trust this man and rely on him. At the same time, the faceless man could feign ignorance about the main lead’s suffering.

What caught my attention is that his name always embodies opposite notions. Seo stands for loyalty (oath, vow, swear), for forgiveness and generosity (to forgive, to give, have mercy, to assist, to give, to live), while Seo is also connected to scheme, stratagem, to weed, to dig, to hoe, to die. In addition, Gi can embody plot, to deceive, to cheat, to abandon, relinquish, discard, exile, banish and scuttle! Then Seo can allude to weird, odd, strange, divergent or WISE. This is another contradiction. How is it possible? For me, this mysterious man is a hypocrite, but Joo Jaekyung has not detected it yet. While Seo can signify “perch”, “rest of birds”, “to dwell“, “relax“, Gi can represent “bridle, halter and restrain“! I perceive that the elderly gave Joo Jaekyung a fake home, where the latter was restrained and manipulated. Seo was the willow where the dragon could rest , the reality was to divert his attention. Under this new aspect, you can grasp my illustration. In addition, Seo can also signify “to narrate, chat, express and relieve”, a sign that he has been manipulating the athlete filling his head with prejudices. Hence Gi can also mean “to ridicule“.

This ghost is definitely selfish and greedy, for his name is connected to the following notions: “wish, want, hope, hungry, oneself, self, her/his/its, sixth in order, numerous, to hoe” (in Australian, it means eat eagerly) and “to store, to compile, to gather”. Due to the words “craft, skill, wise, chess, chess piece, stratagem, plot”, I deduce that he must be very intelligent and even cunning. Nonetheless, I can not be sure 100%, but since Seo can represent villa, office and bureau, I have the impression that he is running the chaebol company in Joo Jaekyung’s name. By becoming a fighter, Joo Jaekyung has not the time to deal with business. Further, the name Chan can represent “to carry on, to inherit“, while it can also mean “to exile, banish and scuttle“. In other words, he took over the young man’s place. Hence Joo Jaekyung lives in a recent and modern penthouse and not in the family villa.

But how did I come to this hypothesis? Look once again at the illustration on the left side on the bottom. What do these little images (plow, winnow basket, millet, yam) have in common? They are all related to agriculture and farming. Besides, Gi can also signify woodworking chisel, hoe, tool/utensil and finally “headland“. In agriculture, headland is the area at each end of a planted field. Hence I came to the following deduction: Seo Gichan comes from the countryside, from the peasantry. As soon as I made this connection, I couldn’t help myself thinking of Potato (chapter 23) For me, their path will cross, especially since Potato is a reflection of Kim Dan. The former could view the physical therapist as a source of danger for his idol. But let’s return our attention to my interpretation. Seo Gichan comes from a humble background, but he could raise socially, the exact opposite of the grandmother’s destiny. This is not surprising that Gi can signify “rise, raise and get up“. Hence he was not rich and powerful from the start. So how could he come close to a chaebol heir? It is because he was his guardian. He must have gained the chaebol family’s trust. Thus he could indoctrinate his pupil telling him that poor people are to blame for their misery. In other words, Seo Gichan must have sold himself as a self-made man which would explain why Joo Jaekyung is such a hardworking athlete and he is not living on his wealth. I have the feeling that in reality, he is more like Heo Manwook, the loan shark. He took advantage of the situation. (“Gi”: machine, opportunity”)

Because he is not related to the champion directly, it becomes comprehensible why the penthouse contains no direct reference to Seo Gichan. However, I believe that he did leave a trace there, though it is not obvious. It is the painting: (chapter 18) In the analysis “The bright calamity”, I had elaborated that this painting was reflecting the protagonist’s name and as such his personality. But we know that Joo Jaekyung has no knowledge about culture: (chapter 19) For me, the painting reflects not only the champion, but also the mysterious man. Why? His name can also signify “book, divination, lucky, auspicious, oath and libation cup“, hence I included the bowl from episode 9 in the illustration. All these idioms belong to the semantic field of religion and faith, thus we have the church in the picture. And that’s how it dawned on me why Joo Jaekyung came to choose abstinence and is refusing to drink alcohol with his fellows. It is because he is drinking with his “master Seo”, his priest!! Besides, Gi can refer to “base, basic, foundation“. He is the owner of the champion’s past (Gi= to record, note and remember“). Thus he could distort the champion’s past memories and childhood. Under this new light, it occurred to me that Seo Gichan is the cause for the champion’s false belief: (chapter 18) How so? It is because Seo Gichan must have presented himself as his lucky charm (“Seo: lucky, auspicious, propitious; Chan: libation cup, praise, compliment, brilliant, glorious“). And this leads me to the following observation, Gi can also mean mythical male unicorn. As soon as I found this, I looked into it and discovered Qilin.

“qilin, Wade-Giles ch’i-lin, in Chinese mythology, the unicorn whose rare appearance often coincides with the imminent birth or death of a sage or illustrious ruler. (The name is a combination of the two characters qi “male,” and lin, “female.”) A qilin has a single horn on its forehead, a yellow belly, a multicoloured back, the body of a deer, and the tail of an ox. Gentle of disposition, it never walks on verdant grass or eats living vegetation.” Quoted from https://www.britannica.com/topic/qilin

This discovery could only reinforce my hypothesis that the protagonist is the real heir, the true ruler, but he has been fooled by this old man. The latter presented himself as a qilin, thus the dragon felt a connection with his spiritual guide. He had the impression, they were similar and as such close. Both are creatures of water (Gi: Yi River), and to fire and as such light (bright, brilliant, summer heat, hot weather). No wonder why the protagonist would trust Seo Gichan so much. However, the reality is that the elderly man stopped Joo Jaekyung from turning into a dragon by keeping him by the coast. Headland has another signification: it is also a narrow piece of land that projects from a coastline into the sea. Under this aspect, my avid readers can grasp why I selected the yellow and blue picture in the illustration. It is an allusion to the coast and ocean, to fire and to water, but also to border, as Gi can mean “flag, border, breakwater, jetty and boundary“. In my eyes, Seo Gichan is the red flag. But the fake qiling used “cotton wadding, the perch and willow” to stop Joo Jaekyng from flying over the ocean and find his yeouiju! He wanted him to remain an imoogi! [For more, read the essay “Tattooed identity”]

So while Seo Gichan poses as qilin, in reality he is just a rat, mouse and rhinoceros. As you all know, the rat symbolizes betrayal, greed, but intelligence. The mouse inspires no danger, and it is known for its gentle and nurturing nature. No reason to mistrust him. As for the rhinoceros, it is also connected to the positive features:

  • strong,
  • reliable,
  • private,
  • protective,
  • wisdom,
  • loyal

However, in the theater play “Rhinoceros” written by Ionesco, this animal embodies different notions: brutality, intolerance, blindness, indoctrination and dictatorship! Interesting is that Seo Gichan is connected to “gas, vapor and steam” which was used in Doctor Frost as a metaphor for hatred, indoctrination and manipulation as well! (Doctor Frost, 175) And that’s how I realized another divergence between the halmoni and Seo Gichan. Kim Dan’s grandmother might have played a role in Kim Dan’s suffering, but it was not done on purpose. She had trouble herself, the main culprits were the parents. Moreover, though both (Seo Gichan and the grandmother) wanted the main leads to remain “boys” and “children”, the grandmother was more focused on the past because of her imminent death, while I am quite certain that Seo Gichan is more thinking of the future! He wishes to take over the inheritance, though he must be quite old. In other words, he is not realizing his own immortality. That’s the reason why I believe that he will be the biggest enemy of our beloved couple, for Kim Dan represents a threat to his power. Gi means “afraid, careful, abnormal, unbalanced, lopsided“, hence I am suspecting that he will use tricks to get rid of the physical therapist.

While Seo Gichan is connected to “valuable stone, fine jade, virtuous/refined thoroughbred horse, irregular pearl, delicacies, addicted of/fond of“, I deduce that he is living in luxury and comfort and this thanks to the protagonist. He is living happily, whereas his pupil is still suffering from a trauma. The reason is that he can feign ignorance, for Joo Jaekyung can have everything. Gichan might have suggested “fighting” in order to help the protagonist to overcome his issues, his “violence”, well aware that in reality, he needed a therapy. This “fragile peace” could be maintained, until Kim Dan entered his life. To conclude, the “guardian” had a reason to ignore the champion’s suffering. Hence his life was trapped in the winter: his true nature was dormant like in the painting. The tree is not blooming. (Chapter 18), for the sun Seo is ruling elsewhere, probably in the villa and the company. If you recall the description of the fighter’s name, the latter can symbolize gem and pearl. So the two characters are both jade and pearls, though Gi is referring to “irregular pearl“. This exposes that this ghost has less value than the true gem.

And because Seo Gichan can symbolize “deceive, cheat, discard, exile, banish“, I could only come to the conclusion that he will use tricks to separate the couple: Randy Booker, Heo Manwook, the green haired uke, probably Hwang Yoon-Gu (though it can be only temporary), the perverted hospital director (if he is not Seo Gichan), and Kim Miseon, like for example an arranged marriage. But the dragon is not alone!! How so? After discovering the Qilin, I searched for mythical Chinese creatures. And this is what I found:

“In ancient Chinese astronomy, the sky ecliptic was divided into four sections. Each of these sections contained seven mansions, and together they formed the 28 Mansions. The 28 Mansions may be considered to be equivalent to the zodiacal constellations in Western astronomy, although they reflect the movement of the Moon through a sidereal month rather than the Sun in a tropical year. This enabled the ancient Chinese to mark the travelling positions of the Sun and the Moon, as well as to determine the time and seasons. Each section of the sky is assigned to a mythological creature, collectively known as the Four Symbols. These creatures are the Azure Dragon of the East, the White Tiger of the West, the Black Tortoise of the North, and the Vermillion Bird of the South. Apart from their astronomical significance, each of the Four Symbols is surrounded by various mythological associations.

The Azure Dragon is the mythological creature in the East, as it is said that when the seven mansions in that area (Horn, Neck, Root, Room, Heart, Tail, and Winnowing Basket) are joined up, they form the shape of a dragon. The Azure Dragon corresponds to the season of spring. […]

The mythological creature in the West is the White Tiger, and its seven mansions are the Legs, Bond, Stomach, Hairy Head, Net, Turtle Beak and Three Stars. The White Tiger corresponds to the season of autumn. The White Tiger’s element is metal, and it was held to be the God of War. […]

In the North, the mythological creature in the Black Tortoise, and its seven mansions are the Dipper, Ox, Girl, Emptiness, Rooftop, Encampment and Wall. The Black Tortoise corresponds to the season of winter. The element of the Black Tortoise is water, and this mythological creature is commonly associated with longevity and wisdom (just as these virtues are traditionally attributed to ordinary tortoises in Chinese mythology).    

The mythological creature in the South is the Vermillion Bird, and its seven mansions are the Well, Ghosts, Willow, Star, Extended Net, Wings and Chariot. The Vermillion Bird corresponds to the season of summer. Interestingly, the Vermillion Bird has been considered to be identical to the phoenix. The phoenix is traditionally associated with fire, and this is also the case with the Vermillion Bird. As a mythological creature, the phoenix is considered as a symbol of good luck. Quoted from https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-asia/four-mythological-symbols-china-001792

Thus I came to associate the following characters to these mythical creatures:

  • Azure dragon: Joo Jaekyung
  • Vermilion bird: Kim Dan. By living with Joo Jaekyung, the duck is taking over the vermilion red (life) from his lover. This means that for the transformation to be complete, the athlete has to bring his partner to the ocean, to the beach.
  • Black Tortoise: Hwang Yoon-Gu (his name can refer to tortoise).

White Tiger: Park Namwook

And now, you are wondering why I didn’t pick up Jeong Yosep as the tiger. It is because the Black tortoise is always accompanied with a snake on its back and I am expecting that Potato and Yosep represent the second couple in Jinx. The coach is rather a discreet person, quite the opposite of Namwook. Besides, the latter considers Team Black as his gym. (chapter 22) Moreover, the White tiger is the king of terrestrial beings which coincides with the manager’s function. Namwook is the representative of Team Black. (chapter 7) Thus I believe that together, they will be able to free Joo Jaekyung from his suffering and his mental prison changing his destiny. In reality, the main lead was destined to greatness.

Okay, all this was based on an analysis of the name Seo Gichan, so there is no guarantee that it is the truth. But so far, many of my assumptions were confirmed later. Now, it would be great, if you could give your thoughts after reading this.

Feel free to comment. If you have any suggestion for topics or manhwas, feel free to ask. If you enjoyed reading it, retweet it or push the button like. My Reddit-Instagram-Twitter-Tumblr account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.