#potn mini analysis

[theprocrastinatingredkitty]

Ever thought of this part as a foreshadowing?

Seungho stating "for as long as I live" kinda indicates he doesn't have long to live for me, tbh

I love how Na-Kyum ran to the kitchen first bc that's the place that gave him warmth. But looking closely into it, since the hearth is the symbol of a home, it might foreshadow that they could get away from it all and run away as Seungho had promised Na-Kyum, but at the cost of them surviving

Since the hearth could also symbolize hardships through work in the kitchen, it might also mean that not only could we see domesticity from the pair in the future, we'd also see hardships on their end as well as they would be plunged into a poverty state as they run away from everything. Because it would also mean leaving the household behind to fend for themselves. Seungho, who grew up with servants, and Na-Kyum, who grew up well-loved with his sisters, don't know how to do household chores, especially cooking. Na-Kyum did once state that all his life he had done nothing but to paint

So. Kitchen. Warmth. But also workload and domesticity, and a place of potential harm from tools

And notice how Seungho exudes a literal and figurative warmth in this scene. The symbolic melting of the winter snow into blooming spring mirrors the healing of Seungho and Na-Kyum's heart, as the former is now loved, and the latter has now completely realized his folly of falling for a wrong man and seeing him for what In-Hun truly is--a backstabbing, manipulative, sorry excuse for a piece of shit.

But the warmth in this scene also tells something else--a setting sun, a symbol of death.

The fact that the glow of the setting sun shines behind Seungho tells me that danger will fall on him soon

I take this scene as a foreshadowing, that Seungho and Na-Kyum will experience even more hardships, followed by a moment of peace, and then even more hardships 🥹🥹🥹

[theprocrastinatingredkitty]

Something that made me question things

What happened to Seungho's poem? Has that been put up somewhere? Judging that it's already been a month, the poem should've been already up in some place in the Yoon manor, right?

Or, is it because Seungho himself wouldn't bring about to have his own work up because he thinks he himself is bad luck? The fact that the kisaengs referred to Na-Kyum's drawings as good luck means that at some point, he'd have to make something for the Yoon household, maybe even he and Seungho could paint a charm for themselves, to complete the balance of yin and yang, as is for them as husbands

Please don't get me started as to whom they are talking about. I have no idea which nobleman they're talking about, but I do have a hunch. Either that will be a new character, or someone who had already been mentioned before (Lord Song, maybe?)

Plus, the trailer for S4 raises questions for me as well,

WHO IS SPEAKING HERE?

It cannot be In-Hun, as Na-Kyum is referred as "a painter". It cannot be Min as well, as he's already dead. I don't think it's anyone from Seungho's family, either

This tells me we will have a new character for this season. The voice sounds young, too. So maybe this is the nobleman the kisaeng is talking about? Another eccentric?

[theprocrastinatingredkitty]

I want to know the name of this pretty noona because I think she gave her brother an unwanted thought inadvertently

I know she meant no harm, but her comment cut him deeply and now he thinks Seungho is repulsed by him

Also, initially I thought she was talking about Song, but

One kisaeng said Song hasn’t been around for a decade, so it can’t be him that the noona is talking about. Now I wonder who that nobleman is...

Further proof that it’s not Song could be seen here

It’s the same kisaeng. Assuming that she’s considered as one of Na-Kyum’s sisters, then it’s probable that this kisaeng had already been taken by other men, which means that the noble that pretty noona was talking about really isn’t Song

Now I wonder who’s she talking about 🤔

[theprocrastinatingredkitty]

One thing I noticed about this panel

The head seat is empty. Normally, those who have the higher status or ones with seniority status gets to sit in the middle with all the plush cushions, so technically, Seungho had to be the one who was supposed to sit there.

And yet, Seungho chose to sit beside Na-Kyum, amongst his (future) sisters-in-law, and notice that Seungho had even taken the lowest position in the seating arrangement--right next to the door.

Na-Kyum was supposed to move to the door the moment Seungho steps inside, but he gave Na-Kyum no chance to do so as he already plops beside him, completely ignoring the comfiest seat in the room

It's small actions like these that may seem insignificant to Na-Kyum, but to the outsiders, these noonas, I am pretty sure that this is a very strange act coming from a nobleman, one who ignores social norms and voluntarily chooses to take the lowest seat if it meant being with their little brother

IF THAT ISN'T AN ACT OF LOVE, THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS

[theprocrastinatingredkitty]

On the other hand, I see Seungho looks at the clothes like it's something filthy and disgusting to even glance at

Heavily implying that he knows he is being framed. Seungho sweats a lot when he's found out, right? But in this one panel, he acts like how he did when he saw Heena in c96: thoroughly dismissive. Seungho here looks as though he expected this outcome, but seems calm on the surface. He stands rigid with only his eyes moving, indicating that he's calculating his next move

I wonder who the officer is in the next chapter.... Is he someone who once had ties with the Yoons? Does he hate the Yoons? Does Seungho dislike the officer? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS

[theprocrastinatingredkitty]

This particular panel suggests that Seungho is now wordlessly begging Na-Kyum to save him from his father. This is not noble Seungho,

This is now Seungho who had lowered himself in front of his lord back in chapter 71, seeking forgiveness and leniency

"A simple change of seating arrangement has reversed our social rank."

[theprocrastinatingredkitty]

Rereading chapter 29 and

Assuming that this man is In-Hun's servant (as In-Hun is a middleclass man, after all, so he'd get SOME servants, or maybe even 1 servant, idk), where did this guy go during the time of the "murder" since chapter 88?

That man should've been somewhere in the vicinity during the time of the "murder" as he was shown washing textiles in chapter 29. A servant should've been checking out the house before he goes to sleep well late into the night

SO WHERE WAS THIS MAN????? You can't just say that "In-Hun probably hired him to wash clothes", that's not how Joseon law works. Either he bought a slave for life, or he bought a servant for life. NO OTHER OPTIONS.

I NEED ANSWERS ON THIS 😭

[theprocrastinatingredkitty]

There were some peeps who criticized Na-Kyum for thinking why he doesn't understand why Seungho was treated badly by his father even though Kim already explained it to him why

Yet, the reader has to understand as well, that Na-Kyum, despite being an orphan, grew up being well-loved by people who were not even his relatives, and those courtesans are not also family in a literal sense. And yet, they all love each other much like how an actual family would

For someone who grew up being filled with much love, Na-Kyum could never wrap his mind how anyone who is considered to be an actual family member, could denounce and hate their own kin. In his mind, just like in the flashback, if people who came from different families all grew up with a loving bond, what more for an actual family?

When reality slapped Na-Kyum in the face that the cruelest of monsters could come from within a unit that's supposed to be unbreakable, he couldn't help but compare his situation with Seungho's. This is also the same thing that happened with Seungho back in chapters 20-21. The noble couldn't understand why someone who grew up in a brothel would remain pure.

Seungho was forced to see the dark side of the kisaeng house, while Na-Kyum was kept away from such scenes for a very long time. Seungho had faced reality with sex while Na-Kyum remained relying on his imagination. That is their difference. That is why the paintings that Na-Kyum makes evokes warmth and affection--things that Seungho had been longing for. This purity that Na-Kyum has was the core reason why Seungho would never let him go. Seungho is filled with guilt while Na-Kyum is innocent

Their contrasting upbringing is why they don't understand each other at first glance. They question each other, why they act the way they do, yet now with the promise that Na-Kyum intends to stay longer with Seungho, this could be the key for them to understand how their mind and hearts work--for Seungho to learn from his mistakes towards Na-Kyum, and for Na-Kyum to learn how to love Seungho the right way, to gently coax him out of his dark shell