Wow I’m always so amazed when people analyze and catch all these things. My brain cell just reads and goes ouu pretty art and interesting story
I'm the same xD I just like the art and story but reading stuff like this makes me go back to reread it uwu
That's the point! (๑•ㅂ•)و✧ I want to lead people to read this manhwa.
Furthermore, I have the impression that Seungho will become BNK's muse in the end... so that the passionate and intense gaze coming from Seungho will return.
Lol I give u a like just for taking the time to even write all that XD. True fan right there.
Thanks for the compliment and for recognizing that writing such an essay requires time.
Thanks so much for writing this. I’m also writing my analysis too and never thought about the progression of BNK’s paintings. One thought that did cross my mind was that Nakyum has never painted In-hun in a sexual way. The only time we see a painting of In hun is as an inaugural ceremony.
Actually, I have the impression that BNK saw in In Hun the father he never had. Sure, you could reply that he felt attraction to In Hun. However, he never crossed the line and I would even add that BNK's relationship with him was linked to the Oedipus complex. The Oedipus complex describes a child's feelings of desire for his or her opposite-sex parent, yet since BNK has always felt an attraction to men (was a homosexual from the beginning), it becomes clear why BNK only had eyes for In Hun. And just like any child and teenager, the oedipal complex disappears as the person becomes aware of the flaws of the parent. He cuts ties with him and distances himself from the parent until he has found his own identity. I would say that the chapter 44 symbolizes this moment: BNK distances himself from the father.
Sure, there is a theme of paternal relationships in this and I was recently thinking this in relation to Seungho to Nakyum especially in how Seungho treats him in certain situations which can also be read as grooming (apart of me wonders if Seungho does this because he himself was groomed). And because of those actions NaKyum transfers his fatherly affection from Inhun to Seungho.
I don't think that Nakyum transfers this fatherly affection from In Hun to seungho because unlike in In Hun's case, BNK was physically attracted to our seme and it was not the case for In Hun. BNK fell in love with him because he was impressed by his manners and knowledge. That's why he called him "learned sir". He had the impression that In Hun was a wise man and this explains why BNK could live for one year without any masturbation or sexual desire. He even said "I adore you, I admire you"... so his love was really more "intellectual" than physical. But for Seungho, he felt differently... his sexual desires came back and BNK has no idea that Seungho has far more experience and knowledge than In Hun. That's why I have the feeling that BNK will really fall in love with Seungho, the more he discovers new sides from the seme.
I am expecting a poem from him... and maybe he will decide to go to Hanyan, once he realizes that he needs to change his way of life.
Wow, you have an eye for details. Regarding what you said about NK having painted IH’s painting from his perspective, I think we could also infer that NK deep down all along knew of IH’s contempt towards him. He estimated that IH wouldn’t have liked the painting if NK had drawn himself alongside him because it would have suggested intimacy between the two, which NK was clearly aware IH wouldn’t be pleased with. From IH’s lenses, NK could picture that the image of them being portrayed closely together would also tarnish IH’s reputation. In other words, NK was fully aware of IH’s thoughts about him, which means that he really was only in denial, he didn’t want to accept he’d never stand a chance with him, and instead convinced himself he could change that as a coping mechanism. So he settled for trying to please him (the painting, an example of that) to earn his approval. But now he’s learned that his attempts have always been in vain. IH will never accept him. Him throwing away the painting symbolizes his resignation.
Yes, you are right. He was in denial but there is more to it. I also feel that it was connected to his low self-esteem as well.
Let us not forget that he was raised in a brothel, gisaeng house... so his social status must have played a role for his low self-esteem. But since the teacher gave him a poem and even taught him a little how to read, he felt so indebted.
If you pay attention to the images our painter produces from the moment the painter Baek Na Kyum (BNK) is living with Yoon Seungho (SH), you will notice two things:
1. the small changes in his paintings showing the growing attraction to the lord and the evolution of their relationship
2. our painter’s state of mind and personality
The first painting BNK created was this one.
http://www.mangago.zone/read-manga/yahwacheop/uu/yahwacheop-chapter-3/10/
It was never finished as the painter destroyed it out of shame and guilt. He has been influenced by his teacher that sodomy and the paintings are vulgar and immoral. Striking are SH’s face and gaze. In the former paintings created by our main character, we saw that the people involved in the erotic images had no individual face. There is a simple explanation for this: our painter had no model. He could only create these paintings through his imagination. That's why he is shown drawing sodomy outdoors.
http://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/5539284/
However, the beholder can sense that even these paintings, like the one published, ooze warmth and love, since this image was not created as a sex manual. Yet we could barely see a face. The facial expression, especially the gaze, is quite vague. Yet in the first picture above, NK not only painted real SH’s face but he was able to catch the lord’s inner thoughts as well: SH is attracted to NK, he is showing some lust because the gaze is aiming at the painter. Notice the contrast, his partner Jihwa is only shown from the side with closed eyes illustrating the lack of interest of the painter for the partner. In other words, the first painting reveals the attraction between Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum. This explains why our painter destroys it afterwards because this would be an admission that BNK is a sodomite, that his love for In Hun is somehow tarnished and that SH’s presence affects him greatly. It also would mean that BNK broke the promise he made to his teacher… he is somehow convinced that all is vulgar and dirty. On the other hand, this explains why SH is actually happy with the work, although our innocent man ruined it. The master does feel attracted to BNK, he has witnessed NK’s reaction while painting. That’s why he asked the painter later while trying to seduce him with his gaze if BNK wanted to join them as well.
http://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/5275202/
This happened during the second session. However, BNK showed some disgust which displeased SH. In this particular scene, the reader witnessed for the second time the effect of In hun’s brainwashing on BNK. The latter has been denying his own sexuality: he is attracted to men.
Then in the second one, it is almost the same.
http://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/5276125/
We don’t see the face of his partners, only Seungho’s face is directed to the painter. Actually, our seme is looking straight in the eyes of the painter. Here again, SH is in the center of the picture. Just like the first one, the image outlines the attraction and sexual tension between our seme and the uke. It was as if the painter was making love to the seme through his picture… However, they don’t touch each other. That’s why SH’s urge to have sex with BNK is getting stronger, as he wants to taste him for real.
Nevertheless, this painting gets damaged by Jihwa. The latter wanted to get revenge on behalf of one of Seungho’s sex partner because the latter had complained that the lord didn’t focus on him as they were about to have sex. He felt that the lord’s gaze was always on the painter and not on him. Striking is that shortly after Jihwa visits our seme for another sex session. After the appearance of our painter, Jihwa made a similar experience… he also observed how the lord would keep looking at Baek Na Kyum. Contrary to the behavior of the former seme, Jihwa decided to catch Seungho’s attention by using an unique sexual position he saw in a different painting. Jihwa’s action did affect Seungho but it was short lived as the lord left Jihwa’s side in order to see what the painter had accomplished so far. Jihwa couldn’t even keep him by his side. Notwithstanding at the end of the sex session, the lord pays no attention to the uke, he returns straight to the painter’s side. He doesn’t even bid goodbye to Jihwa which irritates the uke a lot.
http://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/5539287/
In the third painting, this time Seungho’s gaze is not directed at the painter. This can be elucidate quite simply. It reflects Jihwa’s action, the latter used an unusual position to catch the lord’s attention and gaze. The painter did picture the reality. However, the beholder can observe the similarities between this picture and the formers. Only Seungho’s gaze is painted, all the others have their eyes closed or their face is not painted. On the other hand, this painting reflects a progression. Our lord’s body is getting more and more exposed. While in the first two paintings, the viewer could only see a part of his body, here Seungho is painted entirely. We feel that the distance between our seme and the painter is reduced.
The fourth painting is interesting as it shows the change in the relationship between BNK and Seungho.
http://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/5275455/
chapter 25: For the first time, the painter and the lord appear together in a painting
Both are now physically close, the painter is now in the picture… even in the center of the picture which reveals two aspects:
-BNK is now admitting that he masturbates, that he likes being touched by a man, he is reacting to SH’s touch…
– However what catches the attention of the viewer is that BNK hasn’t drawn his own face. There are many reasons why he did it so. First, he wants to remain anonymous… which reflects his own denying. He doesn’t want to show his homosexuality, his attraction to SH. Secondly, he doesn’s know his own reaction as he has never seen himself while doing such a thing. And this explains why Seungho puts BNK in front of a mirror and let him see his own reactions. Seungho wants him to witness his own pleasure and would like him to admit that he likes having sex with Seungho. Furthermore, it shows an underlying aspect: his own low self-esteem. In his mind, he doesn’t consider himself worthy to be painted. This will clearly shown in the last painting. Sure, his first worry in the 3rd painting is that he doesn’t want to be recognized in the picture as he wants his relationship with master Yoon to remain secret. He doesn’t want the teacher to know the truth. Seungho’s face is still the same: longing, sexual tension, lust and warmth. It was as if Seungho was protecting the painter… he sits behind him. This also explains why SH proposed to do it this way. He knew that he couldn’t sleep with the painter right away. He had to lower his inner walls.
Another important painting appears in the episode 40 contrasting to all the former pictures. First, the topic of the drawing is different. It is not about about erotic and sodomy but about an inauguration.
http://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/5275483/
Here, the topic of the painting is the ceremony of In Hun who receives a high position. Notice the contrast between the former image and this painting. In Hun is sitting while the crowd is standing indicating his “noble” position. Besides, he stands above all the crowd, it was as if he was unreachable. Among the crowd, you can observe BNK who is portrayed again with no face. And this is no coincidence. You can only recognize him by the clothes. The way BNK and In Hun are standing to each other points out the gap between him and the teacher. There is still this respect and high regard for the noble… he considers himself so lowly, as if he was not important. He is not worthy being mentioned, hence he remains anonymous. However we shouldn’t forget that he is the creator of this work. This also mirrors In Hun’s point of view indirectly, yet BNK is not aware of it. It outlines that BNK has internalized In Hun’s mentality. It proves that BNK keeps having this false perception of In Hun. Besides, this contrasts with all the other paintings with Seungho. The master showed respect to the painter, felt attraction and wanted to included him in the painting. As you can conclude, BNK has felt this all along but just unconsciously.
That’s why BNK will wrinkle the picture later after the confrontation. He is hurt and frustrated. He does resent his teacher. Later, he will admit to the lord his homosexuality he suppressed before and even concede that he did enjoy his night with him too. Yet simultaneously he has internalized In Hun’s values: he was born to be a prostitute which causes him a great suffering. At the end of the first season, Baek Na Kyum asks the servant Kim to throw away this painting, once he hears that the teacher left the mansion without saying goodbye to him. His gesture symbolizes that the painter is cutting off his ties and attachment to In Hun. He knows that he means nothing to In Hun.
After hearing from his learned sir that the latter only considers BNK as a prostitute because it has always been his destiny, our painter is so hurt that he keeps painting restlessly. All the pictures are inspired by every sexual experience Baek Na Kuym shared with Seungho. In the first drawing below, the beholder can recognize the first night, the sexual experience at the tailor shop, the day where Seungho spends the whole day with him after BNK had tried to run away, the blowjob after the rape.
http://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/5539294/
http://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/5539289/
What caught my attention was that all the paintings picturing Seungho with BNK (paintings in the chapter 41) have a common denominator: they lack details. We don’t see any intense and passionate gaze from the lord, the face of the uke is not even drawn. It was as if BNK was painting these pictures as a robot. They definitely lack warmth and love. BNK even paints the rape where the beholder sees tears falling on the drawing. Striking is that in that moment, BNK was crying due to In Hun’s harsh words. However, when he was forced to have sex with Seungho in that pavilion, our uke was also crying. So the tears can be linked to this event as well. Our uke is painting as he has finally resigned to his fate. He will do what Yoon Seungho is asking: paint but without any passion and lust. However, the painter has not realized that Seungho has stopped inviting his usual sex partners. The lord is no longer interested in the paintings, only in BNK’s affection and love. That’s why he gets upset when he sees the beautiful drawing of In Hun’s ceremony. It is full of details and well drawn as well, while his paintings with BNK are poorly made. He painted as many as possible which shows the lack of care and affection. In my opinion, these paintings symbolize Baek Na Kyum's loss of innocence. The warmth and love from the drawings shown in the beginning have disappeared. Some readers complained that BNk would cry too much, they would even call him a cry baby. But his behavior was to outline his purity and innocence. A "child" cries, when he is upset and hurt... BNK was definitely too naive and believed every word the teacher said to him. So the tears BNK has in the chapter 41-42 are the last tears in my opinion, hence he doesn't cry, when In Hun leaves him without saying goodbye. That's why he decides to get rid of the ceremony painting.
As conclusion, the paintings not only reflect the mental state of the painter but also the evolution in the relationship between the lord and the painter. Therefore I am looking forward for a future painting, where BNK admits everything and shows no embarrassment and where BNK confesses his love for Seungho. This means, a painting with Seungho and BNK’s own face, with the expression of love and pleasure. Imagine this: their love would be shown in a painting which could create a scandal: a noble like Seungho sleeping with a low-born painter.
That's it. Feel free to comment.