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Painter of the Night

Make it a Bestseller

Tropes: Psychological, yandere, historical, trauma, tragic/toxic, power dynamics / class dynamics

Brace yourself, this is going to be a long one and I know this is a controversial opinion (sorry, not sorry).

Most of the time when I re-read manhwas for their review, I find that they’re either exactly the same or worse than what I remembered. This is probably the first time that I actually found a manhwa to be way better the second time round - and that contributed significantly to its spot on this ranking. When I first read POTN, I read it before it was completed, when episodes were still being released. I recall disliking the characters with a passion (particularly Nakyum), and feeling frustrated over how draggy the story was. I ended up stopping at some point in the last season, waited till the manhwa was completed, and skipped till the last chapter to decide if it was worth finishing -- and I decided it wasn’t so I never bothered finishing it. Since I started embarking on this blog, I felt that now would be the perfect opportunity to give stories like POTN a second chance to review them objectively. And I’m so glad that I did.

Getting re-acquainted with the characters was I think the main turning point for me. Nakyum, the main character, starts off as your typical timid, meek, spineless doormat bottom. I remember absolutely hating the way he was written, to the point where I would label other similar characters in other manhwas as the ‘Nakyum-type’ (cough…Kim Dan iykyk), and it remains one of my most-disliked character type. In my second reading however, I realised that I was maybe too quick to judge him, he is actually quite a layered character. From the start and at multiple points in the story he has been shown to be quite spirited and often fights back against Seungho and those he disagrees with. At first glance, Nakyum appears overly-naive, almost dumb at times. But on my second read, I actually found him to be very perceptive. He is introspective of his own trauma and baggage, he is always quick to notice the little things that people do and say, and his deliberate choice to see the good side of everything and everyone is not naivity but a part of his upbringing making this who he is. He is passionate and he loves so strongly, sacrificing himself for those around him- it’s actually bold even. (spoiler alert, I fully believe that he did not actually lose his memory but faked it because he wanted to protect Seungho).

Seungho on the other hand is psychologically troubled. He has gone through horrifying, traumatic things and is now completely mentally unstable. But right from the start, there was always a glimpse of who he was and his humanity. This is shown through his unwavering interest in Nakyum, his surprising acts of mercy and kindness, and he himself learning and realising this very unfamiliar feeling of love. He is going through something very foreign to him while still being haunted by the horrors of his past. He is frustrated, lost and scared, and he tends to retaliate the only way he knows how to - with manipulation and violence. But his love and care for Nakyum was always palpable. Seungho is one of my favourite characters of all time. He is just written so well - at the start you can visibly see his pain and suffering even though it wasn’t explicitly written, and then after you can see him grow and learn to give and receive love despite never having had that growing up. You see him become sensitive and vulnerable and fully empathetic and you can tell that these are remnants of who he was before. It’s really one of the best character arcs, and as character arcs go, this boy really suffered through his.

The way Seungho and Nakyum were written is really a masterclass in nuance and subtlety. None of the things that I described above was explicitly stated, which was I never fully appreciated it during my first reading. But their characerisation, growth and chemistry with each other absolutely makes the whole story. Seungho's juxtaposition with Inhun, someone who is seemingly good kind-hearted, and the stark contrast in their arcs is also just stellar writing.

Now, I would describe the plot of POTN as a psychological historical drama. It’s dramatic, it’s traumatic and basically everything you would expect from a period piece. The main story is long (129 chapters long to be exact) but that’s because it takes the time to develop the world, the characters, side characters, and all their backstories. The plot is riveting. It isn’t predictable so it keeps you second-guessing all the way till the end, with the thought of a tragic ending constantly looming over the reader. I also love that the author doesn’t just bore you with exposition. Instead, they choose to show it through visual art with subtle expression changes, through small but poignant actions or through soft dialogue that could just as easily go unnoticed.

My one issue with the story is the ending, which I felt was rather rushed. For a story that spent so much time developing their characters and plot with so much detail, a hasty ending is not only very jarring, but also a huge disservice to the whole story. I also particularly disliked the way Nakyum was written at the end, it was as if all the growth and layers to his character was thrown out the window and he reverts to the timid-bottom-archetype that he was initially perceived to be. It’s a bit of a disappointment and one I just couldn’t overlook but maybe the long-awaited side stories would change my mind.

POTN is definitely not for everyone and I can fully acknowledge the many negative comments that it gets. Some parts are difficult to read for sure, even I skipped through certain chapters. You do need to have a certain tolerance for red flag behaviour to be able to make it through the story, but I personally felt that the payoff was worth it. As far as the psychological-trauma genre goes, this really is up there for me.

Update: I have bumped this up to Literary Masterpiece! I like it too much and it just doesn't feel the same level as the rest of the (still very good) work in this category. Hope the side stories do not disappoint!

#bl manhwa #bl recommendation #manhwa #painter of the night #potn #seungho #nakyum #na-kyum #baek nakyum #yoon seungho #yandere #toxic yaoi #yaoi bl #yaoi #yandere male #male yandere #historical bl #yandere bl #literary masterpiece caterpillarbarry

Whenever I read bl manhwas I never fall for or like the top. I always like the bottoms more😭 does anyone else relate??

Like jooha from pearl boy is SO MHM. He's so pretty please give me a man like that I LOVE pretty men.

My red flag is that I read killing stalking and had a crush... On YOONBUM

KIM DAN FROM JINX IS SO KHHDSASGJK- come here bbg let me spoil you and give you the aftercare you deserve

I never read Painter of the Night only the first few chapters a few years ago... BUT NAKYUM KJJGDSSHJ omg, omg, omg I need him. He's so cute I need a man like him HES SO PRETTY

I read a married man and like LEE GEOM!!...UHG I FEEL SO BAD FOR HIM kkjhfdashjkk I wanna have soft sex with him and treat him right. Like, take him on dates and shi...

I'm a straight woman btw.

THE BOTTOM FROM NIGHT BY THE SHORE!!!! Ughhhgg I need him. It's not a want I need him, like let me be your sugar mommy and ill pay all your depts off.

SKYLAR. SKYLAR. SKYLAR. hes not a confirmed bottom BUT I NEED HIM YOU DONT UNDERSTAND.

THE MAJESTIC GUY WITH RELIGIOUS TRAUMA IN HOME FAR AWAY!!

I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT I ALSO LOVEEEEE XIE LIAN FROM HEAVENS OFFICIAL BLESSING!! I haven't read it but looorrrdddd he is so pretty