#at first i wanted to make tdj set since you also like it but then i tripped and accidentally rewatched all 16 eps of beyond evil so...

[yohankang]

ASIANDRAMANET SECRET SANTA 🎁

There is no democracy in any love relation: only mercy. To be at someone’s mercy is dialectical damage: they may be merciful and they may be merciless. (insp.)

↳ Happy holidays Mona @thoresque​!

[b612sunsets]

Hi! I really like your posts on TDJ! I was wondering if you had any thoughts on what the other characters (ie Jinjoo, Soohyun, Elijah, Sun Ah, etc) think about Yohan and Gaon's relationship. Thank you!!!

Hii :3 and thank YOU! Yes, I do have some thoughts on it but a lot of them will change in later episodes and we can't be too sure. I'll do the ones you mentioned + Jungho and K.

Jinju -> Gahan:

In the first few episodes, it seems that Gaon and Yohan don't get along well or like each other that much in front of her, specially Gaon. While Jinju herself is a fan and tries to mediate between them when the tension is high for the sake of their team. She believes they should talk, ask for help and trust each other in everything because they're in this together as work colleagues but slowly her opinions about Yohan and consequently Gaon changes when they both start to keep her out of their business and encounters. So right now she must see them as strangers who left her out and are on the same side, they represent a threat to her new ambitions and beliefs. A vision that has been and will be encouraged by Sunah.

Soohyun -> Gahan:

Soohyun was very cautious and believed in the public opinion: besides Gaon being wary of Yohan, he is a powerful judge adored by the people, they shouldn't mess with him or doubt him. But after witnessing Yohan's other side when destroying the yellow car, she sees him in another light and get suspicious of him like Gaon. The difference is: she's determined that Yohan is the bad guy no matter what and that what everyone else says about Yohan is the truth even without proof but if it's Yohan saying it, they should be careful. Even when it does seem like Yohan has a good reason and could be innocent of what they're suspecting him, she thinks his ways of seeking justice are wrong and he's still bad.

In episode 8, when she questions Gaon for just stopping by at his own house but staying at Yohan's all the time, Gaon barely looks at her as he answers with an almost fond smile that he has someone to take care in there (Elijah and Yohan) and we can see Soohyun feeling troubled by that response. Gaon hasn't be telling her everything for a while now (ever since the hospital) and it seems that Gaon is having a change of heart with Yohan while keeping her out of it, so according to that and the tvN character description, she will continue to investigate Yohan and want to find out his secrets. She won't like their close relationship and the strange deaths that will appear around them. She's worried that Yohan could have brainwashed Gaon and is a bad influence to him. Which is kinda true but depends on your point of view, Yohan has been pretty straightforward with Gaon about his intentions and Gaon already had this thing inside him, Yohan just brought it back and out of him.

Elijah -> Gahan:

She sass the hell out of them, sees them both as annoying and hates Gaon for resembling her father at first but then is slowly won over by Gaon's charm and motherly ways. She starts seeing him as a friend she never had and then even a family member when she worries/gets sad that he's not home and promotes him to ahjussi status like Yohan. Gahan is the bridge between Elijah and Yohan and Elijah and Gaon. Elijah is the same thing for them (the nanny included). I'd say she sees them as a parental figure but that's just my biased opinion :P Who knows? What I'm sure is that she thinks of Gahan as her only family left.

Sunah -> Gahan:

She's been watching them since that donation party thing and could see how smitten Yohan is with Gaon, going as far as acting like his chaperone and showing Gaon his true intentions, the ugly truth behind their corrupt world. She doesn't waste time on using that information to get to Yohan and poison Gaon's already wary mind about him. Later, she does it again when trying to make it seem that Yohan was the one that hurt Soohyun so Gaon would lash out and be against Yohan. Gaon must be another one of her precious chess pieces for this whole game. She won't hesitate in using Gaon to get to Yohan and vice-versa. Gahan is the weakness and strength point of each other as well as a crucial opening to whoever wants to take them down and Sunah sees them as such.

Jungho -> Gahan:

The reason for Gaon's suspicions in the first place. Jungho put Gaon against Yohan without a chance of thinking it over or meeting him with a clear mind. He wanted Gaon to be Yohan's Judas. Gaon investigates and gets closer to Yohan, his mind set on betraying Yohan in the end but then he falters and gets confused about what he's learning and seeing for himself. To the point it becomes painful and troublesome to think about choosing sides and betraying Yohan. Jungho keeps pressuring him to make a choice and in that conversation at Gaon's house when they're sitting on the ground around the table with Soohyun, Jungho is already aware of Gaon's behavior and words but still firm that Gaon has to do what he is told (give everything he has found out about Yohan) and continue to betray Yohan.

And then Gaon does make a decision but to Jungho's surprise, he didn't choose him. After everything Jungho did to discipline Gaon and give him that job, Gaon ended up being Jungho's Judas and not Yohan's. So that's what Jungho must think. I have a feeling he knew from early on that there was a big chance of this happening because of the person Gaon was in the past. But he was willing to risk it anyway and that was the result.

K -> Gahan:

As Gaon is investigating Yohan and thinking he was "oh so subtle and smart", K was investigating Gaon before that and tracking his steps to see how much he would uncover about Yohan. K has a strong respect and loyalty for Yohan from what we have seen so far. Maybe Yohan is like a father figure to K after he lost his father (Yohan is helping him with it) and the closest thing to a best friend Yohan ever had. It seems to me that Gaon was just another job and problem in the way for K, but when he saw Yohan going as far as almost killing a man for hurting Gaon and letting Gaon get away alive with things others never would, if they had done it with Yohan, he reacts kinda like Soohyun. K questions Yohan like Soohyun did. "Then why are you doing this?" "I don't know. He related to me so much that I was a bit flustered. I've never experienced it before" after Yohan saying that, all distracted with a little smile, we can we see K's troubled and thoughtful face. It's when he realizes Yohan is also getting confused by Gaon and their closeness. Yohan wants to do anything he can to make Gaon work on their side so he doesn't have to hurt or kill Gaon.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

In conclusion, as we can see, all of them think of Gahan as some kind of threat, bad duo and their enemies that are stronger and dangerous together and quickly became close partners, be it friendly partners or more ;) haha as for K and Elijah, it's like "you're annoying but you became my second dad figure and made my other dad figure more bearable to be around and now I love you" and "you suck at this, but you're making my best friend more soft and happy, so I can accept your flaws and now your spot in our team".

I hope you liked it!

[leamy-world]

Some afterthoughts on The Devil Judge (spoilers for all the drama!)

Hello everyone! I hope you’re doing well!!

I wanted to write my thoughts after the finale aired because ep. 13-14 made me a mess and were too nerve-wracking! After these two episodes, i only wanted the week to go by fast to see how the finale unfolded (but at the same time, this drama entertained me sm i didn’t want it to end haha).

Watching this drama each week and reading your reactions and thoughts made me enjoy it even more, i’m glad i came back on tumblr! It was a really nice ride (more like an emotional rollercoaster haha)! It motivated me to write my thoughts and analyses on fictions i watched in the future, especially My Mister and Beyond Evil!! I forgot how much fun it was to do that and putting my thoughts into words gave me a little closure to my watch haha

These are just some afterthoughts & personal interpretations i had and were maybe probably already discussed, but i couldn’t get them out of my head haha

See you around and take care!!!

THE CAST. It left a strong impression on me and i can’t see other actors playing their respective roles!

—   Yohan portrayed by Ji Sung … i have no words, this devil judge left me speechless! His character, to his Devilish Smile (and hollow laugh in front of CKH and his son, or Gaon), his variating voice intonations (like damn, he’s a living ASMR like Lee Sung Kyung), his held back emotions and touch-starved and even desperate touches when it came to Elijah and Gaon, to his rage and unhinged moments! 

I winced seeing him contort in pain when Sunah revealed Elijah accidentally lit the church fire, and the two times he hugged Elijah totally destroyed me. His last scene with Gaon showed how gazes & micro-expressions alone could convey unspoken words as strongly. I’m weak for these kinds of scenes, My Mister for example did it and killed me haha

For this post, i rewatched some scenes and damn, Elijah and Yohan’s support of Gaon after Soohyun’s death was really emotional …

(They had no business in making Gaon have this kind of dream, those german scissors left a ... strong impression on him haha)

—   Kim Min Jung’s depiction of Sunah’s was hauntingly beautiful, a femme fatale who kept a broken child deep inside (and at the same time surfacing on her manners and personality) and a strong businesswoman. It’s a fascinating character i loved hating as a villain but still sympathized with. The scene where she murdered the former foundation’s president sent me chills down my spine (i still have her shot of her, sitting at his bureau and manipulating his speech video)! 

The melancholy slipping through her facade when she visited the mansion the first time in a while, as well as her devastation in front of the President’s scheme, by the young girl’s bed at the hospital were memorable. The tension between her and Yohan was incredible: they both managed to keep a very disturbing but enthralling aura, tangled with nostalgia at the same time each time they met.

(Looking at her reflection is a recurring pattern for Sunah’s character, i found this shot above interesting, divided in the two ends of the mirror, as if her self can’t be found on the other side anymore)  

—   This was the first time i saw a drama with Jin Young and i really loved his playing! Never thought I’d say one day i enjoyed someone’s tears and rage on screen, but his crying scenes stuck with me, especially in the prison yard and the last episode (he deserves therapy after all he went through, really) … And his letter to Elijah … (i’m glad nobody harshly revealed the truth to her, i’m really glad!)

I loved to see how his gaze evolved through this journey with Yohan. His endearment to Soohyun, Elijah and Yohan was very precious ;; Even though Yohan was the one who was first seen feeling lonely, Gaon’s loneliness since his parents’ death slipped through his seemingly fine world, i found that interesting! (And on a lighter note, i’ll always remember the truth behind Mrs. Ji’s cooking, Gaon’s epic reaction, and the pure comedy she gets to own a healthy food shop thanks to Yohan!!) 

I also enjoyed his supportive friendship with Jinjoo!!

—   Park Gyu Young’s acting was also on point! It’s really too bad she didn’t get more screen time because i wanted to know more about Soohyun!! I felt robbed haha, because when TDJ began airing, they introduced her as one of the ‘main’ characters of this story ;; The scene when she was on CKH’s suicide scene really left a mark on me + when she was confronting Yohan, especially after she took Elijah out!

—   Elijah. Just Elijah, our best girl!!! Apparently it’s one of Jeon Chae Eun’s first roles, she did so well!! Along with Ji Sung and Jin Young, she gave a whole new definition to the Domestic Scenes, i swear. These scenes will keep a special place in my heart for a long time! Her adorable smile and cheekiness were a refresher in this show!

(They could change TDJ’s concept in a second season and make us a domestic slice of life series, i wouldn’t mind AT ALL! Take my money!!)

Seeing her complicated relationship with her uncle unfold before us deeply moved me. The complete loneliness she silently depicted moving to her bed in the wheelchair, after Gaon left the mansion was heart-wrenching. And also the scenes after Soohyun’s death, hurting with Yohan seeing Gaon’s pain (the way she spoke her worry for the two of them, Yohan couldn’t let the words out properly to Gaon).

—   CKH’s character, played by Jang Young Nam, was amazing. Her acting already shattered me when i watched Nobody Knows! Her cold gaze, her harsh tone, she was badass i have to admit! 

The narcissistic rage was well depicted in her character, and even though i get where many’s opinions on her death come from (i share it too sometimes, but i feel it more for Sunah), i found this final decision fitting to the character, especially if you look how she treated her own son (each hold felt like a grip from rage eg. in ep. 3, as she maybe felt her son was the cause of her demise).

(HUGE SPOILERS FOR BEYOND EVIL BELOW!!!!) 

She reminded me of HKH’s ending: seeing his path to success was crushed with no way out of it except death on his own accord (in his eyes, because it was his absolute life aim, every single being, to his own wife and son, and means, even bending the justice independence, were his expendable ways to pave his path), HJW’s father was set on suicide before his son barged in. 

(Funnily enough, the filming spot for CKH’s house is the same for HKH’s house haha)

—   And also … Lawyer don’t-worry-i’ll-get-you-out-on-probation Ko deserves a round of applause for the best lawyer he is hahaha

THE STORY’S DEVELOPMENTS (AND SCRIPT). I feel like this story could very well have been developed on 20+ episodes! Even if i know some scenes in a script are sometimes (bound to be) cut in the drama, TDJ’s script leaks make me feel there was SO much more to be told, and so much more to explain some plot events in the airing drama!

Because the story was ambitious, both character and plot(twists which give you whiplash)-driven (and also the filming context with the pandemic), i feel like some choices were made.

The lines of thought about justice and the drama’s attempts at its ‘true’ definition are not lost on me. It was really interesting!

On a side note (there will be many, bear with me haha), the symbolic behind the app’s name, DIKE, which i’m pretty sure (correct me if i’m wrong, i only have some very rough basics in korean haha) is the korean romanization of Nikè, or in ancient greek Νίκη, the greek divinity of Victory ( ‘ㄴ’ in korean sounds like an ’n’ but its pronounciation is more abrupt/brisker, to the point of what could be sounding to ears like a ‘d’).

Nikè is most of the time represented as an attribute to other greek divinities who also embody the victory eg. Zeus or Athena, thus seen as a bestower of victory (in any domain, be it war, games = interestingly enough, the live court is set in a colosseum-like room, arts, …)  to the humanity on behalf of these gods (Nikè sometimes stands in her palm as an attribute of Athena, like the owl or the helmet). But sometimes Nikè was also revered an independent protective divinity.

Nikè is represented as a winged divinity in a long robe, flying above the victorious, assisting the humans in their works/challenges eg. handing them a laurel crown as a sign of victory, or a helmet, etc. Its mostly known representation is the Winged Victory of Samothrace (or The Nike of Samothrace) sculpture in the Louvre. The brand Nike also used it in its logo.

It calls back to Yohan’s line: « I make sure i win before the game starts », and in fact, since the beginning, unbeknownst to everybody witnessing the trials and participating to them, the app was his way to win. It foreshadows the ending of the story, Yohan finally taking down the foundation. It also adds to his god/devil image: he assumes the role of the intermediary/abyss of the « gods » (the Justice), taking in all the hubris of the society in order to bring the justice (well, guess we could say it put some hold to the cycle of the powerful culminating to chaos?) back, in some sort of catharsis through DIKE.

It might be a stretch, but Nikè’s winged representation could be found on Gaon’s tattoo (at first to me, it looked like a phoenix/winged angel, which symbolizes a ‘reincarnation’/new beginning for Yohan finding peace, a second chance to his past and Elijah thanks to Gaon & Gaon finding a new world even if his first crumbled ie. his parents and Soohyun’s death and professor Min’s betrayal).

(The whole virus plot by the end of the story made me feel a little uncomfortable given the actual context and the conspiracy theories that are spreading, but it wasn’t used carelessly and served the commentary of the powerful and how far they would go, i think? That said, a fiction, especially a dystopia like this, stays a fiction but when they used it, it gave me a forced laugh haha)

Now, if someone gets to translate some script bits, i’m really looking forward to:

K’s backstory!!!!!

Isaac and Yohan’s past!!!!

More about Elijah!!

Where’s the cat???

What was the script saying for Gaon and Yohan’s confrontation in ep. 12? When Yohan faced the window, waking up from a nightmare after Gaon left?

ABOUT SOOHYUN’S BACKSTORY. (Now, this will get long, i’m sorry but i needed to let my thoughts out haha) The drama introduced her as one of the four main characters with Gaon, Yohan and Sunah. I had so many expectations for her character! Especially from the three scenes we got of her:

➔ In the first episode, we see her save a young girl in the street from two men, looking up at the poster « A safe Korea will be realized from now on. »: it was a great introduction to the blatant lie of the ‘safe’ dystopian world that was being created in the story. It also showed how Soohyun felt in front of this insecure world. A side note, but seeing her hug the young girl like that reminded me the hugs she gave Gaon: she wanted to protect him from this unjust world with all her might (especially the scene in the restaurant where she hugs him). ➔ Her two confrontations with Juk Chang! ➔ Her dilemma and emotional turmoil when she erases Gaon’s presence in CKH’s office.

She was portrayed in the story as Gaon’s pillar since his parents’ tragic death and his moral compass. She’s the lawful citizen, despite feeling helpless to the world’s changes, who hopes it could be saved as long as the rule of law is preserved by everyone, and this begins by respecting it themselves. 

But she was not standing around and i kind of regret this was not shown more in the story: she kept doing her best in the « system », fighting from the inside the injustice hoping the little changes could make a difference someday. Because she couldn’t take Yohan’s path, in no way: the system/the law must be respected for it to be sustained. And i’m glad they addressed this point in the drama: Yohan chose to take on the role nobody wanted or even dared to assume, knowing fully well he became a criminal the second he began his plans (just as lawyer Ko said he was no longer a lawyer once he sided with him). 

This must not be glorified, nor vilified. As he said, it was a choice he decided to make. She mirrors his choices to some extent and i would have loved to see more of their interactions or her thoughts about that! And how she worked through the system to change things, her vision of the justice. They showed us the flashback of her career choice in high school, and it could have been interesting to learn more about her! 

A backstory about her saving the youth and meeting Sunah by accident would have been very interesting (given Sunah knew all about her since the beginning and ordered to kill her). Their meeting wouldn’t have foreshadowed Sunah’s plans, quite the opposite, and it would have given more ‘substance’ to her plans. We were robbed of this relationship haha! 

And of course, seeing her side with Yohan & Gaon for a short while (because seeing her team up with them all along the way could’ve been a little ooc) would have been dope. Her arresting Juk Chang while the two of them stop the gang was the closest thing we had to their teamwork ;;

Among the drama’s main focuses (the self-pity of the powerful and the never-ending cycle of their greed, the power displays it ensues which come in many forms in the system’s game), the conception of justice was developed all along the drama. It would have been really interesting to see whether Soohyun’s conception of justice could have changed in her own way!

And professor Min’s potential manipulation of Soohyun!!! Some scenes on their interactions could have been nice to see and explain why she focused solely on Yohan, the only side of the whole story she knew! Her reporting to the professor about her investigation (and him feeling she got too close to the truth) would have made sense because, as she saw Gaon growing apart from her as he was getting closer to the Kangs (especially since she saw him interact with Elijah when they invited her to the café, like Sunah saw how Gaon fit in their family at the dinner scene), she would’ve wanted to protect him without him knowing because she knew it’d have hurt him. It could have paralleled Gaon’s reports on Yohan to the professor at the beginning of the drama. And that could have explained (aside from the whole love triangle dynamics they had) her reluctance to tell Gaon Yohan was the one who told her his whereabouts when he was in danger in ep. 13 ; this scene also was one of the only moments addressing the lack of communication in their relationship. Seeing her feeling confused over Yohan could have been interesting!

(This also got me wondering whether in the script, Yohan’s injury was ever addressed.)

Also, i’m curious about her family, if the script mentions something about them: did they know Gaon?

About the loveline between Gaon and Soohyun: while the friendship could have stayed as is (it already felt pretty genuine in my opinion and strong friendships also deserve to be portrayed in stories), i’m convinced this drama wanted to set Gaon as the center of a subtext love & morality triangle between Soohyun and Yohan (and K and Sunah on Yohan’s part). I think i would’ve appreciated Gaon and Soohyun’s loveline so much more if they developed it more! And it had to develop in the very same episode she died: apart from the confession and kiss scene (i’m curious about the scene’s description in the script), the flashback of their moments, seen from Gaon’s pov, came just right in to ‘explain’ it! 

Of course it wasn’t the main focus of the story and there was already so much happening, but their new relationship development and her death almost had no impact on me even if it was set as a turning point for Gaon (and K for Yohan, as a cement to their respective decision to fight the system and how they would do it), and it made me really really sad! Of course it was a plot device (and i now wonder what would’ve happened if she or K wasn’t dead), but if it was bound to happen, the emotional impact was lessened!

Jinjoo’s character development and her relationship with Sunah happened really really fast, and i wonder how the script describes it!

Sunah’s involvement with the juvenile care center!!!  Her scene at the hospital left me really sad.

(Also, on the love plot, Gaon and Yohan jealousy bits weren’t used later as an expression of their envy towards the other’s status/life/etc. and were actually directed to people outside ie. Sunah/K/Soohyun in the plot, which makes me think they really wanted to set it as a love triangle!)

ABOUT SUNAH’S DEATH. I feel really really conflicted on this point. Her story was a parallel to CKH (and of course Yohan, i’ll talk about it below): two women — coming from totally opposite backgrounds — climbing their way up by their own means in this power circle. And despite all their accomplishments unnoticed (because they were the ones seeing through their plans while the others were mainly seen tearing each other into pieces), they could still be ruthlessly ejected from this world any day, part of it because they were belittled as women all the same, and chose to end her life on her own accord, still having agency over it. 

As someone else pointed it out, it also acts as a « poetic » retribution for her murder of Soohyun and K. BUT her exiting the scene in some other way staying alive could have contrasted with CKH’s suicide (especially since she overthrew the president who was the only one on her side getting in her way and even killed him in the end). Especially in a show that deals about how the justice can be carried out!

Of course, Yohan and Sunah were a foil to each other in their respective fights and traumatic past: the drama showed us how having someone to reach out to and protect (Elijah, Isaac and Gaon to Yohan ; Soohyun, Yohan and Elijah to Gaon) can become a driving force. Sunah, despite thinking this could be a weakness, also longed for companionship (from Yohan mainly, but also from Jaehee), and had no one to stop her crossing the line and preserve her from herself and the world. At least someone hearing her story, staying by her side and trying to understand her. 

Each time she said ‘can you be a little nicer to me?’ to Yohan made me feel for her (and also that one call with Jaehee), it was the only cries of loneliness she silently let out!

On a totally random note, i would have loved to see her interact more with Gaon (especially by the end of ep. 15, when Yohan was arrested)!

The story gladly didn’t end Yohan’s traumatic past and growth in death, but what about Sunah? In any case, Sunah was a really good and complex character, i enjoyed her character!

What about Jaehee? How did she react to Sunah’s death???

What about CKH’s family after her death???

I would have loved to hear more about Sunah’s plans as well! Scenes where she would play with Gaon for example (in Yohan’s presence or not, like at the photoshoot)! 

(This comment above foreshadowed, along with the dinner scene in ep. 11, she used him all along!)

Her involvement behind the scenes was only exposed in ep. 15 but i wanted to know more about her (motivations aside from her focus on Yohan, what did she plan to do before finding out a look-alike to Isaac, ...)! Given the elements in the plot, i get the idea she planned this whole business with the foundation first to reach the top and wanted to bring Yohan up with her (eg. leading the foundation or becoming the president) or down without her along the way, because she wanted his companionship. Maybe the script expands on it more? Did she really believe in the Dream Home project? Because as we saw her speech in the juvenile care center and her strong reaction to the youth being harmed in these schemes, i believe she kinda wanted to protect them as the best revenge on her past, because nobody could do it for her?  

THE ENDING SCENE. The ending was pretty good and didn’t give us an all-out tragedy, so i’m really glad! I still can’t believe Gaon was ready to blow his life away once he learnt Yohan’s death AND wanted to die with him (falsely) realizing Yohan wouldn’t change his mind, dead set on his decision (no pun intended!). And Yohan’s reaction to this ............... Now, their last scene is left to the viewers’ interpretation, but it felt to me like a new beginning to Yohan and Gaon’s relationship! As it was already said by many people on tumblr, Yohan wasn’t sure if Gaon would still be by his side despite it all, and he didn’t expect Gaon to feel this way. They’ll definitely meet again, it’s a promise of more in the future (especially Yohan’s nod, on the verge of tears and Gaon’s two relieved/endeared smiles, full of forgiveness). Gaon will join his new world once he’s done or they’ll come back to him once Elijah’s recovered.

And this game of hide and seek/hunt reflected their relationship development: Yohan felt unattainable at first, but he chased after him in the maze that was his devilish game, symbolized by the crowd, chasing him motivated by his suspicion, curiosity, anger and hate, disbelief and disappointment, empathy, worry, affection, desperation and love, until he finally reached him and they understood each other among all the crowd, living metaphorically in the same time, facing each other on the same (ground) level.

(A scene in the first episode, Gaon seeing a maze of Yohan’s reflections, maybe symbolizing he could not see through his facade in the beginning, being an enigma to him at first sight ; the choice of the reflections in the mirrors through the drama is interesting and reflects the story: depending on the angles, a story can hold as many meanings as there are points of view, the complete image surfacing once everybody’s story is told)

(Just like how, in ep. 4, Yohan shows Gaon the wicked system right under their noses, Gaon’s enraged and confused gaze directed right at Yohan after they all block his view by clinking glasses ; Yohan hoped he would understand what lies beneath but Gaon understands it fully through his own past in ep. 7-8)

(The crowd is cleared from their/our view in the final scene, leaving the two of them facing each other without any obstacle/reflection on their path)

Gaon kept Yohan’s watch all the time even in moments of doubt, sorrow and rage (the best PPL in drama history so far haha), Yohan finally got to Gaon and entered his world as Soohyun did, reaching out when he needed it the most, to stop him doing something he would regret deeply. It was symbolized by the scar he got on his left hand from preventing Gaon from stabbing him (that’s also why he caresses his scar in a bittersweet way, lost in thoughts, reminding him of their last meeting).

As @i-guess-it-rains said + according to the BTS’ editing (it passed off as a joke but i can’t erase it from my brain now haha),  the way the scene where Yohan defused Gaon’s bomb was framed looked at the same time like Yohan was also carefully handling Gaon’s heart (the bomb countdown clock radiating a red glow on his chest), on the verge of exploding. Now i have The Nights lyrics in my head haha (« My heart is going back to you, i just don’t know »)

On another note, i realized that in ep. 12, after Gaon left, he’s seen trying to call Soohyun in order to reach for her since their last confrontation, but right before, his finger glides over his contact, hesitating on Yohan’s contact before choosing to call Soohyun.

While in ep. 8, he only reaches out to Soohyun after his breakdown in the prison yard (without thinking to call Yohan because he was in the core of his doubts and pain at that time and needed space to reflect on all the events):

And it parallels to Sunah attempting to reach out to Jaehee in her loneliness at the top, hesitating before deciding to call her.

Now i hope TDJ will be on Netflix! It’d be very nice to get to watch the drama in high quality and have more people to see it!

I heard it got a webtoon adaptation so i also look forward to it once it will be translated!

A SECOND SEASON? When i first saw the ending, i thought it got wrapped up nicely and didn’t « need » another season, but it also left some parts open and laid out a new background for further developments (the system repeats itself but in another form, Yohan leaves the scene with his signature smile, maybe up to something else again, saying metaphorically or irl to Gaon he’ll come back if he doesn’t do well), kinda like Stranger/Forest of Secrets s1 or The Guest ending (the corruption doesn’t end there). I also heard it got high viewing rates in SK, so maybe it will be taken into account? And well, i’ll miss the cast so i would welcome the idea haha

THE SOUNDTRACK. The whole OST was stellar (and their titles are on point really!)! Getting to hear it without voices or noise over and with my headphones on made me realize it was even more beautiful! Because I Have You, Warmth That Melts Loneliness and If Only… are the end of me (especially If Only aaaaaaa)! Don’t get me started on Enemy of Truth’s title to the OST playing for the church fire because it’s devastating ;;;

If Only’s title … It leaves us filling in the blank space, the dots to Gaon’s thoughts when he learns about Yohan’s past and how it impacts him to this day.

The 4 songs were amazing (there’s also Different from the Outside but i still didn’t get its lyrics). Tempest was definitely etched in my mind as TDJ’s main theme haha And The Nights was my favorite!  

➔ Tempest was Yohan’s iconic theme and depicted his lonely path to revenge after the tragic events in his life, and his (fated) encounter with Gaon, how deeply it will change him in this journey in ways he didn’t expect. It perfectly introduces (with Chet Faker and Flume’s Drop the game) and concludes the drama!

➔ What you gonna do was THE revenge epic song making everyone revel in the ‘bad guys’ despair and Yohan’s badass moves! 

➔ The Nights felt like it was both Yohan and Gaon’s theme and Gaon’s sorrow after Soohyun’s death: at first i thought it was only Yohan’s, but his revenge and the last episodes proved me wrong! The song’s lyrics mirrored themselves (‘my/your night shines on you/me’), as if a complete understanding between Yohan and Gaon was found on their dark road. Yohan’s night shines on Gaon: Yohan’s broken past and all his misunderstood or hidden sides, his dedication to Elijah. Yohan’s rage (almost wrath since the biblical and god symbolism are there haha) and desire to take the inique system down waked Gaon’s own rage, buried deep inside, and made him move forward too. Gaon’s night shines on Yohan: all the time he spent with the Kangs, Gaon’s deep empathy and understanding, helping him reconnect with his niece, their dinners at night, his rage exploding when the truth about his parents was revealed, his desperation on the last two episodes (in ep. 15, seeing Gaon’s realization everything was a lie and Yohan was innocent, and in ep. 16, Gaon wanting to die by his side). Gaon’s night also shined on Soohyun, who wanted to protect him with all she got each time she saw him crumbling down.

There was still light on their dark road (which looks like a callback to Nightmare’s lyrics, « Save me from myself / Save me from this darkness that has lost its light »).

➔ Nightmare felt like it was Yohan and Sunah’s theme. When it last played when Sunah’s death happened on screen, it left me speechless (and if i remember correctly, the ‘save me from myself’ bit was played right when she shot herself … o u c h)!

[ahiddenpath]

Crossovers?

Okay, so I like reading Anne Bishop.  Like...  a lot.  She writes dark fantasy romances, and while they have their problems (most commonly recycling character types, being generally opulent/over-indulgent/more than a bit much, and drawing things out waaaay too much in The Others series), her world building is top notch.  

(If anyone is curious, my favorite books from her include The Shadow Queen/Shalador’s Lady from The Dark Jewels series and Written in Red from The Others series.  TSQ/SL expand on some concepts from TDJ’s main trilogy, but in a less high-stakes fashion.  The main trilogy is fate-of-the-world stuff with so much violence and dark themes.  The main characters are powerful beyond belief, but don’t take action against an opponent they could handle because of an honor system preventing interference between realms, which is trying.  While I like the main trilogy, there was something almost... approachable and friendly about TSQ/SL in comparison, as it features comparatively powerless characters whose problems are on a territory scale instead of an... everything scale.  As for Written in Red, it’s an all-around awesome book, seriously, go read it.  My only complaint is the repetition and sometimes needless details surrounding how Meg views and interacts with the world.  The sequels grow progressively slower until the plot moves like molasses, but the first book stands beautifully on its own.)

BUT ANYWAY, I bring it up because I keep thinking about a Digimon Adventure/The Dark Jewels crossover.  I have way too much on my plate, so this is in the ‘playful and indulgent imaginary stage.’  I wanted to write down and share my thoughts, and to ask if anyone... knows The Dark Jewels?  Or would be interested in reading a dark high fantasy fic featuring the Chosen?

More below the cut!

In The Dark Jewels series, a small percentage of humans belong to the Blood.  They possess magical powers in return for being care takers of the world.  Each member of the blood has a power level determined by the jewel they possess, and darker jewels are more powerful.  They also have a caste that can shape the nature of their power and even their personalities.

The main trilogy takes place in a time when Dorothea, a dark-jeweled witch, abuses her power, taking control of a territory by spreading her ideology among witches.  The tainted Queens and their followers abandon the Protocol that they follow to prevent abuse of power and serve the world, ushering in a dark age.  The Blood of all castes and species begin to dream of Witch, the mythical woman that walks in the darkness and will restore the honor of the Blood...

So yeah!  There’s your setup!  Now let’s plunk our babies in this beautiful mess, lol!!!  Conveniently, there are many lands in this setting with vastly different names, so I would just create a place for them to come from, leaving the Japanese names intact.  I tried to color code the Chosen’s jewels to their crests, but I had to tweak a few things for the narrative.  Also, I decided not to make a character stronger than the Gray, since dark jewels are so rare and powerful.

Hikari:  A Rose jeweled Queen.  Hikari was hidden away at birth to protect her from Dorothea, who seeks to corrupt or destroy all Queens.  Although she is young and bears a light jewel, Hikari had no choice but to come into power young to protect her people from Dorothea’s machinations.  The burden on her shoulders is unimaginable.

Taichi:  A Gray jeweled Warlord Prince in Hikari’s court.  He was sent into hiding with Hikari and trained to protect her since her birth.  His jewel is uncommonly strong, and even among other Warlord Princes, he is considered aggressive.  Hikari’s safety, the success of her court, and the prosperity of their people are everything to him.

Yamato:  A Sapphire jeweled Warlord Prince.  While he wants to support his people, he harbors resentment towards Hikari and Taichi over the capture of his brother and the resulting damage.  The permanent injuries he sustained in the battle to free Takeru are a secondary, but heavy, complaint.  

Sora:  A Red-jeweled Healer in Hikari’s court.  Her job of healing injuries often includes a psychological element, managing the volatile tempers of people living in hiding.  Although Taichi and Yamato are the chief protectors of their people, Sora is likely the most instrumental person to their well-being.  She has struggled to heal Takeru and Yamato’s injuries and minds for years, along with the resulting rift between them and everyone else.  

Koushiro:  A Purple-Dusk jeweled Warlord Prince.  Koushiro was abducted a few years ago by Dorothea’s followers while performing reconnaissance.  They broke his mind trying to recover information about Hikari and her hidden people.  Hikari’s court desperately wants to rescue him, but were forced to wait until they were old enough to embrace their full power during the Offering to Darkness.  Although frankly, they don’t know how to deal with or help a Warlord Prince whose mind is injured...

Mimi:  A Summer-Sky jeweled Priestess in Hikari’s court.  Generations ago, her family belonged to the aristocracy and produced dark jeweled blood and Queens.  Mimi can’t help comparing their secret encampments and hard, hidden lives to the grandeur described by her parents.  And why does she have the boring duties of a Priestess instead of the important duties of a Queen?  One day, during a supply run at a village, Mimi overhears witches talking about a very different life than the one she knows...

Jyou:  A Purple-Dusk jeweled Warlord in Hikari’s court.  While his skills aren’t on par with a natural healer’s, he is knowledgeable in creating medicines.  He works closely with Sora in caring for his people.  Unfortunately, the enormity of his task leaves him stressed and constantly worried. 

Takeru:  A Yellow jeweled Warlord.  He was captured while distracting enemy forces from Hikari as a child.  Though Yamato eventually rescued him, much was suffered and lost, and his presence can be like a walking divide among his friends.

Eimi:  An Opal jeweled Black Widow.  Abducted in early childhood by Dorothea’s followers, Eimi was secretly trained in the arts of Black Widows while Dorothea destroyed and defamed any Black Widows that she could not control, thereby outlawing a caste of the Blood.  When Eimi’s training took a morbid turn, she began sending her hopes and prayers as deep into the darkness as she could.  One day, a voice answered, and everything changed...

What do you think?  There are some good ideas in there!  I’m not sure if I could handle this without exploding into longfic mode again, though, lol!  I’m also not sure if anyone would be interested in this XD  But it was fun to daydream about!  I’d love to hear thoughts from you!