#midnight watches tdj

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Tower of Cards

Right I don’t know if I’m thinking too much into it but, Kang Yo-han pretended to knock the tower (which represent the mission he wants to execute) once and it was on the second time he actually succeeded. As he did this he even made it a point to say to Ga-on ‘you thought I’d do it.’ 

Which leads me to believe it will take two ‘attempts’ for them to be successful that there will be a a ‘failure’ we all see that allows them to get the job done. Welcome to my TED talk 

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Judas

I was sceptical going into episode 9 not knowing if Ga-on was putting on a performance for Yo-han especially due to the Judas comment made by his mentor. Now I think we can all agree that the ‘judas’ comment was partially foreshadowing his own relationship between the Mentor and Gao-on.

And i will once again praise the show for its writing, and will admit i am still scared about Ga-on disappointing Yo-han, and betraying him.

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Ngl Idk if this is gonna be the most profound take on the scene with Yo-han and Ga-on but it is mine. 

Nobody else really said this (maybe they have I’m not massively active in the tags) but I felt really uncomfortable watching him (Yo-han). I was so visibly cringing (idk if that’s the right word but i was tensing up) and i first i thought it was because i’m not really an affectionate person. I have actually cringed at slow dance scenes or prolonged hugging or just other similar scenes in other shows and movies. I’m not saying that those scene must be bad therefore i don’t like them, no, i just don’t like some of them regardless of whether they’re good or not. 

But on a second thought what i believe it was, was seeing him so vulnerable. It was kinda out of character. Not out-of-character in the way it shitty writing he would never do that, but out-of-character it good writing, characters develop. What i mean is we tend to not see Yo-han ask for things, and when he does he usually already tends to have a upper hand. The scene was a clear display of Yo-han not having control, feeling like he lost something. He felt like he needed Ga-on to help complete his plan, he wanted him to be on his side, we’ve heard him say this. So it was really uncomfortable seeing him put himself out there and direct Ga-on to cut Soo-hyun out as if Ga-on would just fall in line, when he clearly wasn’t. It was seeing Yo-han who usualy the expert in ‘animal’ behaviour make such an error in judgement.

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The shoe fitting the crime (Part 1)

I’ve been quite hesitant about posting my take on the punishments as i tend to not articulate myself well during text posts. I tend to just type out my thoughts and post not caring much for how i structure myself. It felt as if to convey how i felt about something that is woven into multiple episodes deserved more care than my usual nit-picking of isolate moments. Something that i didn’t think i could do justice however, it felt as if i would be doing a dishonour to the themes of the show if I didn’t post my thoughts. Not that I’m saying they’re worthy enough to listen to, but shows like these are created to stimulate ideas, and my mind has been thoroughly stimulated. And with the end of the show approaching i thought this is the time before it’s too late. (Yes I am aware the title is not the saying, I’m obsessed with Malaphor)

Reality vs Media:

The thing I want to touch on here are two things in particular. I have two opinions which I think aren’t mutually exclusive. They are that media affects reality, what I mean by that is that media is something we consume and as humans we process this. It can be as ‘trivial’ as seeing a characters outfit and then a adopting a similar style, learning facts about a characters culture that may or may not exist within our own world or gaining an insight into a topic you once had a strong stance on. I remember growing up and believing if you weren’t fostering to adopt it was a cruel thing, it wasn’t until exposure through some of my friends and tv shows that I realise adoption isn’t always the end result nor the best option in certain case.

          This however does not mean that your opinions on characters would be the same if they existing in our reality. What do I mean by this? If we take them out of the circumstances of being able to observe them from afar, during an activity in which we detach ourselves from the consequence of their actions we may have a very different perspective of them. Media especially in the form of Movies and Shows (Plays etc.) focus in on characters, they shape the way we experience their (the media in question) worlds. We can often find ourselves more likely to sympathise with the main characters due to the fact we learn about them, we see the “logic”  behind their actions, where as we tend to only see the consequence of other’s actions on to the main character. I’m not saying this is clear cut, but it does mean we have this bias, intentional by the creators, to understand the main characters more. Personally I strongly believe, ‘Understanding something does not equate to Justifying something,’ but I can see that’s how I take to interoperate those words. I know people who colloquially use those words interchangeably. For example I’m into true crime, so I might say I can understand why serial kill their victim, be it due to craving power or sexual gratification. Something I do not seek nor justifies what they did. They actual also touch on this in the show as well which i love but i brought this up not for that purpose but how we consume the characters on our screen.

          What do I mean? I love Yo-Han and Sun-’ahs characters, i love characters like them. However i am also well aware of the fact i would most likely dislike them in real life. No amount of backstory or tragedy (generally speaking) would make me think manipulating and murdering people for self gain is a positive or justifiable trait. I’m not talking about murdering in self defence be it in the moment or SA victims fighting back, but these are grown adults. Yes Yo-han was an abused child who never knew affection (Understanding) but there is a period in our lives where the actions we commit become our responsibility. I’m not gonna give a definitive age because it’s a grey period even in my own life. But there has to be, and it sounds harsh, even typing it this out i feel like it’ll be misunderstood and that i have no sympathy which is not what i’m saying. Yes technically even in adult you can blame the root of your actions on your shitty circumstances but if you’re not actively trying to improve yourself, it doesn’t have to be all at one and i do believe it’s a very personal thing, then that becomes a you problem. Anyway i feel like i’ve got distracted within in my points, what i mean is that most ppl who love these two characters wouldn’t love them in reality it’s the separation and the ability to digest them how ever you’d like that makes them appealing.

          However liking these characters doesn’t mean you sympathise with murderers or are bad people. The thing about media is that we can like it for different reasons, i love this show but i also love ‘shitty’ predictable tv too for contrasting and similar reasons. When we appreciate shows we do so for a multitude of reason, the writing, the acting, the actors, the cinematography, the soundtrack.... 

This also works on the flip side it’s so easy to hate and nit-pick characters for even the smallest of flaws and to extrapolate from there. Something i will talk about in my other parts if i ever continues what ever this train wreck of a post was

Crime vs Punishment:

Intent vs Effect:

Justice:

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I just read your analysis on Yohan cherishing his last moments with his niece since he thinks he's going to die and now I'm emo again 😭 pls pls let Yohan and Elijah live, also I saw a theory that Gaon was instead going to sacrifice his life saving the two since Soohyun died anyway, what do you think about that?

i think you're referring to my post about Yo-han and that dinner scene, if u are then yh it makes me emo to knowing Yo-han is finally at a stage where i think he's letting his walls crumble himself only to perhaps die/betrayed in the final episodes.

Idk if u want me to ramble so you don't have to read all my word vomit and skip down to where I answer your question. If not enjoy the ride.

We initially see external forces (NON Yo-han characters) trying to infiltrate this wall be it Sun-ah, Ga-on and even the House keeper at times. And we'd usually see these met with resilience (on Yo-han's part) and the only times he'd 'tolerate' it would mean it be beneficial to him/his plans and even then it wouldn't be with open arms. Take the scene where Sun-ah asks him to be kinder to her, or the Jenga scene, very different, however even in the Jenga scene we're met with that resilience to remind us that Yo-Han does not need anyone, or one step further Yo-Han would like everyone around him to believe he does not need them.

We the visibly see this change when he apologies to Elijah. The first apology is prompted by Ga-on, but episode later once Ga-on leaves Yo-han makes that decision by himself (Internal forces). His image that he has created is no longer more important that the relationship he has with his niece or how his niece sees him. And as heart-breaking it is to see him still be turned away it depict a realistic reaction from a hurting child. This is also shown when he offers to cook/ask Ga-on if he want food. I'd also like to highlight the importance that it was through food he attempted to comfort Ga-On. I could also write more on that but i don't think most ppl would want to hear that so we move.

Answer:

So, i would hope that none of them die, and already we've seen 2 'keyish' characters die and idk whether to interpret as we're safe or that alot more blood is to be shed. If one of them (Ga-on and Yo-han) was to die I would be more scared it would be Yo-han. If you asked me from the beginning of the show till about the time he got shot i’d be heavily inclined (90:10 spilt) that if either we’re to die it be him. I don’t think this is rooted in many ‘hints’ from the show but from having watched other shows and personally I find it more satisfying to watch a character like him die. Fucking heart-breaking but none the less satisfying due to the fact his life revolves around this idea of him completing this mission. However if anything was to hint at his death it would be the whole Christian  symbolism we see all the time from the show. And if we remember Judas comment from earlier, if Ga-on is his Judas the he must be Jesus. We often hear Yo-Han talk about how nobody is not sinful and i don’t exactly want to say this religion believe this or that, but there is the belief that Jesus died for everyone's sins, and it may not be in the same way but i feel like there a link there. I also think Yo-han dying to save Ga-on would be a nice (not exactly parallel) parallel to Yo-han unable to save Isaac. I would like to add any of the 3 we’re to die i feel like them doing it to save each other would be valid.

So I implied i’m leaning less to Yo-han dying but i’d say it’s still a 75:25 spilt to him. Ga-on dying to save Yo-han and Elijah, seems like the only way i’d accept his death. I don’t think it’d be such a clear cut consequence but i do see Ga-on sacrifice himself to indirectly save them. IDk if that makes sense. The fact that Soo-hyun has died to me actually makes it seem like his death would have less of an impact, yes they could play up the relationship with other characters but it would seem almost cheap for him to die. Especially as his character keeps flipping sides, i feel unless in the least two episodes they really solidify where he stands it doesn’t have a great pay-off IDK maybe i should have more faith in the writers but Ga-on dying doesn’t seem like the appropriate thing to do. 

As i was correct my spelling mistakes I though of another scenario and that would be if one of them killed the other. For Ga-on to die by Yo-han’s hands would be ‘great’ to see. It would have link well to scene where we see Yo-han warning Ga-on that he obliterates those that stand in his way, but also it play for great betrayal from Yo-han who otherwise is kinda quite Loyal. It would also parallel nicely to the card scene in a similar way Soo-hyun’s death did to Ga-on and hers last meal together.

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Please interact with me

I really wish i had ppl to theorise TDJ with, so if ur lonely too slide into my inbox or anon send me ur theories. I’d love to interact with more ppl.

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As someone who watched The Devil Judge, I feel like Yohan and Gaon's bond leans more towards a familial bond, as they're both lonely and longed to belong in a family again. But I do see many TDJ fans who strongly believes Yohan and Gaon's relationship to be on the LGBTQ radar, applying to other characters like Jinjoo and Sun Ah as well. I don't mean to offend anyone, I'm just curious about what's your take on this?

Hi, sorry for the late answer. I've just been really busy with moving and didn't see this. I don't really tend to get invested into relationships that much. What i mean by that the only time i tend to have opinions on the are when I tend to despise the 'canon'. For example Student-Teacher dynamics that aren't used to highlight how predatory and gross it is but instead choose to romanticize them, or just couples I don't like together often in Love triangles where i believe one option is clear the better choice, i.e. i hate Ross and Rachel, massive SLS from the Heirs. I also tend to like relationships between characters and love when they clear have feeling for each other but never get together i don't know why but i like the storylines more than getting what i want. I hope that last line makes sense.

Having said this when it comes to the dynamic between Yo-han and Ga-on, i think there 2 ways to look at it, no not romantic or platonic but through the eyes of it being a piece of media and almost meta or taking it as face value. I think with character relationships people can view them as what they like. I always struggled with the concept of 'friends vs acquaintance' growing up at what point is that line drawn. Now, funnily enough, i often find myself asking what is the difference between wanting to be friends with some vs wanting to f*** them vs wanting to date them. Lets take humour for an example, I want my friends to be funny, i would also want the person i'm with to be funny, if i wanna f*** someone they wouldn't necessarily have to be funny but it wouldn't hurt. The attribute of being funny is shared between ppl i like romantical and platonically the only difference is i want to be friends with some of them and date the other. Neither is better than the other it just comes down to which ever box they land into.

I hope what i said made sense, because what i'm going to say next carries on that thought. Nobody can determine how you feel about someone but yourself, they might make accurate 'educational' guesses but essentially it's just whether or not ur feeling it. I then tend to view 'shipping' under a similar set of rules. Lets say a Story has 3 characters: A, B and C.

A and B have a good relationship(generic sense of the word not romantic). A and C have some sort of rivalary. B and C are family.

Ppl can interpert A and B to have stronger 'compatibility' than A and C, while other will Favour A and C's dynamic, and those that ship B and C are gross.

What i'm trying to say is I can see it, and i can see reasons against it. Either way i don’t mind the facts but i enjoy the dynamic regardless. Ppl are gonna watch things and connect more with certain aspect than other, ppl will reject certain scenes or moments because the feel like it's a bad choice and honestly i couldn't careless except as i said before it's just plain out wrong like Insect or it's Canon and i don't agree like Ted and Robin from HIMYM.

About the other characters maybe it's because their background character's it lets each individual project their own ideas and head canons on to them.

As Fandoms we tend to be more interested in aspect we can speculate on then things that are set in stone.

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I’ve been think about what Yo-han’s plan could be. I’m not claiming ik what it’s gonna be, i also think what i’m gonna talk about isn’t gonna happen but there’s something about imagine that type of angst that is oddly satisfactory despite being so heart wrenching.

So what ‘plan’ am i talking about, you many ask. Well we talk about Sun-ah being parallel to Yo-han so where Sun-ah kills a man and plays it off as suicide Yo-han kills himself pinning it as murder. 

Now i’m not tryna convince you this is what’s gonna happen because like i said i don’t think it will i have many scenes that would contradicted this “theory” but let me paint the picture for you, suspend your beliefs for a second. How a man who witness a group of people destroy his brother his only hope decides to bring them down for good.

Imagine Yo-han knowing he can’t punish them directly for Isaac’s murderer, but he can make damn well their punished for his own. And who would think to miss him right, he believes he’s led a solitary life, perhaps on purpose knowing the day would come where he would pin his end on the organisation that killed his brother. He helped created this new justice system where he creates the perfect punishment for each criminal now I do have something to say about his punishments but that’s gonna be a different post. And what’s more fittings for the Elite, who twisted reality into whatever favoured themselves, than to be convicted of a crime they didn’t commit. 

However a small voice in him always knew he would struggle to leave his niece behind. He’s convinced she wouldn’t miss him, she believes he has something to do with her parent’s deaths. He would hate leaving her behind, alone even if she never wanted to be his family. Now imagine that slow-mo scene of them having dinner having a completely different connotation. He’s at peace now knowing if he leaves she’ll be looked after, she’ll be free of any burden of vengeance. Her parent’s killers would be punished and she wouldn’t have to live the life he did, consumed by it. 

And once he’s gone he is missed, but he’ll never know. Not about how his brother’s daughter wept for him. How for all the days Ga-on would cook for her, she’d wish she could go back in time to share them with her grumpy uncle. How she wished she’d lingered around longer after the conversations used to end, that she had more time to bask in his presence. But his mission had been completed, and to his brother he would return.

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Ep 10 Review

Less so an insightful take on the episode with hindsight but more my first reactions to the scenes as they play out, and perhaps a summary of my thoughts at the end with predictions

>I understand why Ga-on didn’t murder the guy but a part of me wished he did/an opportunity to commit a ‘serious crime’ occurs a gain and he follows through with it.  We often see characters like him (Kim Ga-on) where they have a strict moral code pushed to the breaking point, but never truly taking that ‘irreversible step’ whatever that may be for the given shows. They often retain their own moral compass and only really bend in what they believe in, and in this case be shaped by the perspective Kang Yo-han is showing. Quite literally may I add as he holds him still; stopping him running into the fire; directing him to observe the man dancing amongst the burning paper or even the greed of humanity through the risk of negotiation/loss of money. Characters like Ga-on have their world’s image destroyed and him traveling by himself to murder the man portrayed that broken boy he’d be very well. It was unexpected and I LOVED the writing for that and it is already above other shows with similar storylines because of that but i wish he’s given another chance to do something he can never take back in the name of ‘justice’. I want to watch how he lives with himself after, how he’d rationalise his actions and the aftermath. I’d prefer for him to feel guilty but not regret i feel as that would be a clear indication he’s grown into a different man 

> Yo-han really got me wanting to get my cards out, and some dominos so i can made a trail to push over,

> I love how Yo-han made ‘who would i play with?’ a passing comment but looked so offended and smug idk how he did it when Ga-on doubled down on it.

>Listen I'm not saying Yo-han is a superstitious man but I am imagining every time he’s plotting he makes a tower and if he gets an ace once it topples he knows he's on to a good one

>lmao the assistant getting shifty when the minister complained bout ppl doing anything for money

>Idk if it they intentionally did it like this but it seemed like Ga-on approached Judge Oh with the video like he hadn’t yet suggested the idea to Chief Kang. If it was like that it’s like their trying to fix the gap they had created, and i think depending on who's idea it was it alludes to two different things, Yo-han’s: he noticed how Sun-ah is probably trying to approach Judge Oh especially after how she was agreeing to her ideas in the meeting of her photoshoot. So now he’s trying to rectify the damage he caused by favouring Judge Kim because ‘only two are need for a majority’ Ga-on’s: he’s trying to maintain a friendly relations ship between Chief Kang and Judge Oh as he’s trying to fix most of Yo-han’s relationships.

The two are such contrasting reasons and its probably me misunderstanding anyway but I love it.

>Ngl and maybe TMI i love that she insinuated she’s murdered ppl by saying she reeks of blood, but as someone who gets periods i would just assume she means i actually smell.

>Argh i love Elijah and how she just shits on them for having such a flawed understanding of ‘hacking’. Elijah Supremacy👑

>He knows how to make an entrance, also sidenote: i live for this soundtrack

>Ah he fucked up, now she’s gonna seek the professor out and start asking questions

>That so sad cuz its true he is poor in what matters

>Someone mentioned it before that Yo-han talks to Sun-ah like she's a child at kindergarten and i can’t unhear it

>Sun-ah seems to be more embarrassed by being a maid than I thought, it seems to be less of a reaction of someone who pissed at the elite but someone who hates her past and wants to blend in.

>Someone also stated that the ppl who have been on trial are representative of the seven deadly sins and with the show already having such heavy Christian symbolism it seemed like a valid observation. So would his be ‘Pride’ i feel like that closely ties with patriots. That or wrath due to the reparation of ‘justified anger’ 

>Damn he stole his grandmother’s funeral money

>I can’t wait to finally see her as a proper villain 

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Ep 9  Review

Just some basics thought from dumb b that isn’t understanding anything

*Spoiler down below*

>My heart dropped when he covered the camera and pointed back at the car  > Ga-on punching the man that was attacking Elijah was the most satisfying thing to watch, may have hit rewind a couple of times 😍 > the bastard fan laughing made me 🤢 > May have hit rewind to hear Ji sung say the word crazy a couple of times >Kinda sad that Sun-ah had nobody to celebrate her win with. I love the parallel between her and Yo-han how they both alone at the top, ambitious from childhood > i said it before i love how they allude to thing, write things in for it to be explained by later scenes, the delivery of yohan recalling the promise he made his brother *chief’s kiss*  >OMG i love that they don’t eat her food cuz its so bad. explains why Yo-han was so ready to scoff Ga-on’s food down and so quick to run when the maid caught them > the way he wipe the taste of his tongue lmao >the way he looked after during the convo with Elijah, first smiling in disbelief the actual pain about how they’ve kept it a secret from her that they don’t like the taste > love Ga-on making dinner for them knowing they used to eat the food because of how much she prepared and therefore will eat his, given it also taste better >also as i’m writing this i just remembered the preview of them supposedly getting revenger for Ga-on’s parents but the episode has been so lovely so far > i love catching Yo-han play with the necklaces causes it such a subtle indication of his morality and the promise he made his brother, can’t wait to rewatch the show and catch it > i take it back i can’t handle him being upset, when the camera panned down to him listening un on their family conversation. my heart broke. >HE WENT BACK BY HIMSELF!!!!! i thought that Yo-han saw how angry he was and was gonna let him kill him. DAMN >fuck man, he would have killed the man if they didn’t show up. i really thought he’d stop on his own but he need that external force. > i love that line ‘u should still be the devil’ i love the writing, i love how it conveys such beautiful ideas, and hits so hard.  >HOLY FUCK! my brain was not ready for this after the calm and sweet episode it had been till now. the fact the bastard was lying still, convinced Ga-on he wasn’t the devil. I was scared that when Yo-han showed up he was gonna hurt Ga-on for messing up the plan, then when he grabbed the other man i thought he was gonna kill him then Ga-on would be angry. Damn >also side note Yo-han be serving that all black look >please let it be water he threw on the caravan, but fuel on the money >Yo-han had to show him that he was still the devil, and had to pull him back twice to stop him running into the fire >imagine thinking ur gonna die and watching ur husband/step-father run to save money 🤦‍♀️

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Episode 11

A shitty review with little nuggets of insight

>Ngl my first thought was ‘damn he really must lonely. definitely spend a lot of time building towers out of cards’ >Ga-on put his foot in it, thankful Elijah unknowingly changed the conversation  >Argh i loved the family dinner scene. The layered conversations, while maintain a façade for his niece. My favourite scenes are always moments when there’s a intense change in emotions like when Yo-han is being polite about having dinner then switches to a parental figure when talking to Elijah. Ji-Sung does a great job of it and it’s like my favourite acting thing, in and out of this show. Idk if anyone else relates or if that makes sense? >and there she goes discovering Yo-han’s weakness, it really showed on her face. >I love this show man. Everything about it. I was wondering when the other maid was gonna show up >u can’t help but feel sorry for her at times she envies his family, and wishes she wasn’t so smart so she could be fooled that for even one moments she could know what it’s like to feel wanted. >lol when he got caught watching them play games, then ran away. it was also kinda sad but u got to laugh the pain away. >i love it i love that this show can make me contemplate about the ethics in punishing criminal, the philosophy on who it lands on to judge them and at the same time make me giddy that a 30/40ish year old man is playing Jenga with his niece  >u could see one of the towers falling. i saw a post before saying they felt sorry for the ppl who had to keep building the tower of cards up, i feel for them with the Jenga too man >one of them are gonna die is that what it is. it alludes to him thinking once it’s over he’ll definitely confess. but that’s why it’s not gonna happen their not going to let him confess properly one she’s gonna die or he’s gonna die. >ngl i for a second i thought the file was in the cigar, but nah she’s just taking one last drag before she kills herself  

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Ep 9

i didn’t get a chance to watch the new episodes till now and ngl i only just watched the preview, but i can’t believe i just realised how it must have felt for yo han to be able to carry out ga on after the bomb. He failed to save his brother the first time, and now years later while executing his vengeance mission he was able to same the man that shares his brother face.