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| “ | If you cry like that, your heart will only hurt more. Cry out loud. | ” |
–To Yoo Dan Ah | ||
Yi Hwi is the son of the late King Jin Hyul and Queen Ahn Young, the younger twin brother of King Jin Jeok, and the half-brother of the late King Jin Won. Being adopted during infancy by Minister Yi Ha and his wife as asked by his mother Queen Ahn Young, Hwi was believed to have died after being born, a secret that his father desired to hide from others. After some time, he was brought back to the palace and met his twin brother Yi Jeok, the erstwhile crown prince of Ga Guk.
Following the king's death, his consort Yoon Yeon Lee orchestrated the Jeogwa Revolution and usurped the throne from Ahn Young. Hwi and Jeok fled the palace and, after a master plan by Minister Seo In Seon Woo was devised to keep the crown prince safe from his enemies, Hwi assumed the title of Crown Prince Jin Yeon (진연), the posthumous name of the supposed runaway crown prince after the coup d'état.
Ten years later, Hwi and Jeok founded the Deung Ha Bul Myung rebel army, leading it as its rebel monarch (반란군 군주, banrangun gunju)[1] under the guise of the Crimson Moon in pursuit of reclaiming the throne. Moreover, Hwi acted as a beautiful gisaeng named Nabi, and he was a famous painter using the pseudonym Hong Wol (홍월, lit. "Crimson Moon"), often shortened to Hong.
History
Birth and Early Childhood
Prior to his birth, royal physician Ma Mi Song diagnosed Queen Ahn Young to be pregnant with twins, which King Jin Hyul, unknown to his royal consort, prohibited to tell her about. Jin Hyul had a personal history and wished against twin princes being born, as he himself battled for the throne with his own twin brother that led to bloodshed and the ultimate demise of his rival twin. Physican Ma further told him that, though one was healthy, the other one had a faint heartbeat.
A newborn Hwi
As Ahn Young gave birth to the twin princes, the second-born was barely breathing. Though the king's desire to not have twin princes was not granted, he utilized the situation to his advantage and ordered to have no physician attend to the child. One of the queen's ladies-in-waiting heard of this and informed the queen about the dilemma. Nonetheless, she angrily immediately ordered them to fetch the physician.
Minister Yi Ha, the husband of Ahn Young's cousin, happened to be near the place and inquired about the commotion. The queen pleaded to her cousin-in-law for help; despite the circumstances, the child held on to the minister's finger. Taking this as a sign that the child wanted to live, Minister Ha acquiesced to take the child away and hide him from the king.[2]
On his way out, Physician Ma caught the fleeing minister and realized the situation. The physician halted him, however, and told him that the child would not survive the night if left unattended. Thus, the physician took the child to tend to him and requested the minister to find someplace for the child to live away from the palace. The royal physician also resigned from his position and disappeared from sight. From then on, the child was forgotten as if he had never been born.
Hwi under the care of his foster parents
Minister Ha talked with his wife about the dilemma. Though it would be hard, the wife happily took the child in under their care, as she herself also wanted a child after years of trying. A few weeks after the child was adopted, Queen Ahn Young sent the couple the name of the child: Hwi. As he grew, the couple kept him in the confines of their residence to ensure his safety and to keep his identity hidden. At a young age, Hwi showed a proficiency in painting, a talent he later honed as supported especially by his foster mother.[3]
Entering the Palace
Seven years after his birth, Jin Hyul became bed-ridden after acquiring an illness. One day, he allowed Ahn Young to bring back Hwi to the palace, showing that he knew of the second-born prince's survival after all. He gave a condition to the queen that no one should know about his royal lineage until the crown prince ascends to the throne, to which the queen agreed to.
Hwi meets Jeok for the first time
As a result, his foster father brought him to the palace. He introduced him to Crown Prince Yi Jeok, his twin brother (though unbeknownst to neither Hwi nor Jeok), though presumably as a double for the crown prince as he and Minister Seo In Seon Woo, who had knowledge about the twinship of the princes, thought of to further protect the crown prince. Jeok shunned this idea and asked the ministers to send the boy home, asserting that he had confidence under the protection of Bi Yeong Ship Mu. Instead of doing so, Seon Woo asked the crown prince to befriend the boy.
Jeok was apathetic towards Hwi and ignored him initially
Hwi followed Jeok anywhere he went, but Jeok was merely apathetic and neutral towards him. Subsequently, after getting to know the prodigious child, Jeok became interested in him, and the two became friends. They later grew closer to the point of mutually treating each other as brothers. Queen Ahn Young later visited the two and, seeing Hwi for the first time, embraced him as a form of "gratitude" for being there for the crown prince. She then presented them with matching clothes she personally sewed. Jeok commented that the "spare" clothes she had made had finally went to their rightful owner.
An eight-year-old Hwi gives Dan Ah one of her slippers
When he was eight years old, he went to Bi Hwa Rim, presumably together with Jeok and the king. He met Yoo Dan Ah who was sneaking in, finding a medicinal herb with a red fruit hanging from it to give her ill mother. After a brief introduction, Dan Ah realized that her slippers were carried away in the lake due to the strong current. He stopped her from chasing her shoes because of the dangerous waters gushing. He went to find her slippers, but he was only able to find one.[4] He apologized to her, saying that the other one must have already been carried away far from their location. Nonetheless, he promised her that he shall find her missing shoe and give it to her. Afterwards, he asked Dan Ah to leave because sunset was fast approaching, and authorities might catch her illegal intrusion to the restricted place. However, Dan Ah's knees were injured; thus, Hwi tended to her and carried her home, singing the Butterfly lullaby as she fell asleep.[5]
On his attempt on finding Dan Ah's other shoe, he was able to retrieve it and personally delivered it to Dan Ah's residence. However, the household was grieving because of the passing of Dan Ah's mother. He merely left the shoe on the stairs, which Dan Ah noticed a few days later, much to her delight.[6]
Jeogwa Revolution
Jeok and Hwi escape from the burning palace
That same year one night, Hwi was woken up by his mentor and told him to stay quiet. He saw the queen talking with Jeok, who later apologized to him, saying that she could not protect them until the end. Confused, Hwi left the burning palace with Jeok and Seon Woo, who also gave them a norigae. As per their mentor's final instructions, he and Jeok exited the Phoenix Doors and ran westward to Ju Wah Ae Rim to find a certain Wol Young Hwa.
On their escape, Hwi stumbled and got hit by a dagger that pierced his left chest. They hid on a house where they were caught by a young girl.[7] The girl's mother discovered them; seeing that the boys were escaping from the palace, she voiced out her disinterest in keeping the two to avoid future repercussions. Jeok pleaded to her and, eventually, the woman tried to kill the other boy to end their difficulty, but Jeok covered him. The latter insisted on pleading, later angrily gazing at her to at least let them stay for the night. The woman gave him a knife to end the boy's life himself in exchange for letting him in. Seeing as he might have offended her with his gaze, Jeok stabbed his own eye and continued pleading for her mercy. The norigae Seon Woo gave them fell from Jeok's pocket, which the woman noticed. Recognizing it, she picked up the norigae and introduced herself to them as Wol Young Hwa.[8] She took them in and treated Hwi's wounds.
After being unconscious for a whole week, Hwi woke up and immediately looked for Jeok. Seeing his black hair turn white out of stress, Hwi bursted into tears.[9] Jeok consoled him and told Hwi that he did what he could as a future king. Instead of crying, Jeok only smiled at him and named him as "Yi Hwi", recognizing him as part of his family. At this remark, Hwi vowed from then on to protect Jeok no matter what.[9]
Appearance
Hwi is a young man with fair skin and distinct jade eyes. He has long teal hair that is loosely tied in a red ponytail. He has worn many outfits of the same style but differed in the color scheme. He wears a plain white jeogori and a knee-deep baji tucked into tight vambraces on the arms and knees. He dons a joki reaching until his upper femur which he ties into a ribbon as its belt and wears ankle-high beoseon before wearing a pair of jipsin sandals. He is sometimes seen with a bamboo pack on his back where he puts his paintings that he sells as the painter Hong. He has a brown waist bag on his left side where he puts his art materials. He wears a red bracelet given to him by a young girl.[1] During the night as the infamous Crimson Moon, he dons a red mask which covers his entire face and carries a sword with him.
Personality
Hwi is a rather calm and reserved person who cares deeply for the people of Ga Guk. He is very quiet most of the time, though he can be defensive for other people when they are in a bad situation as a way of protecting them from others. Although he built the rebel army Deung Ha Bul Myung to reclaim his rightful throne, Hwi sometimes gets misled that he is a protector of many innocent citizens in which his companion Yi Jeok always reminds him that they must focus on their true goal of reclaiming the throne and not protect people from getting killed. During this occurrences, when Hwi's points are contrasted, he tends to get angry and upset especially when it comes to the protection of the people and the nation. However, he makes up for his mistakes and becomes understanding, bearing the burden of seeing countless, innocent civilians killed. As stated by Jeok, it is not Hwi's nature to kill someone naturally especially when it is someone dear to him.
Hwi is also very patient when it comes to his feelings especially with Yoo Dan Ah. Though he knows very well that she is his true love and that she is in love with his enemy and half-brother Yi Won, he accepts it and willingly does anything to protect her no matter what. He is also thoughtful and concerned of Dan Ah's welfare, as he questioned her presence during the outbreak of the plague at Moon's End Village helping sick victims. In order to at least make up for his misunderstanding her, he also helped in serving the victims.
Plot
Fateful Encounter Arc
During the eleventh year of the reign of Emperor Jin Won, Hwi journeys to the Deung Ha Bul Myung headquarters in Bi Hwa Rim where he encounters Yoo Dan Ah. She asks him the route leading to the creek but he tells her to go back since the site is off-limits to other people. She then follows him but eventually loses him since he climbs up a tree and goes his way. At the headquarters, Hwi is welcomed by the people and is given a bracelet by a young girl which she says will make his wishes come true. He then asks Baek Ho how the training of the members are doing, and he says that they are doing fine.[1]
Compact Heist Arc
Hwi is wounded by a poisoned dagger
Back at Hyang Ju, Won talks to Jeok about stealing the compact while changing into Nabi. "She" then goes to Yu Hyang Ru with him to act as a gisaeng.[10] Disguising as Nabi, he attends the evening meeting of Deung Ha Bul Myung about their plan of stealing the compact at Yoo Ja Gyeom's residence. He then volunteers to go since his specialty is blending with darkness and orders everyone to go since they are fighting over which will go.[11] After he as the Crimson Moon and Jeok steal the compact, he was wounded on the shoulder by Baek Yoo Shin's poisoned dagger and decides to hide in a nearby place. He is then caught by Dan Ah whom he silences and wonders if she is the Prime Minister's daughter.[12] She bites his hand and calls for help from outside, but Hwi gets her and almost falls on the ground. He then saves her from the fall, and as Dan Ah's repayment, sets him free without telling the servants. As he is found by Jeok, Hwi notices on their way out a pair of red slippers which seem to be familiar with him from ten years ago. He then ponders if she is the girl from Bi Hwa Rim ten years ago.[6]
Hong saves Woon from Won
Hwi then concludes that Dan Ah is the girl from Bi Hwa Rim. He is then called by Baek Ho with Mu Jin, saying that the body of the missing Inspector General was found. On the site of discovery, Baek Ho informs Hwi that the Inspector General knew little about the rebel army. While having their discussion, Hwi gets a glimpse of Dan Ah from a distance. When Dan Ah is chased by Nam Yang Heon, Hwi helps her to hide in a nearby place.[13] She accidentally sits on a painting tube, damaging the painting. She asks him if he is "Hong" and tells her that he is. She confesses that she likes Hong's painting and, upon realizing that she truly admires his paintings, Hong gives the painting to her. After denying it many times, Dan Ah finally takes it.
Shadow Village Conflagration Arc
As they come out of the place, they encounter Ma Mi Song who tells them that the slums is currently being raided by the Imperial Army. At the site, he and Dan Ah scurry to see two siblings who are orphaned and ill. They find Chung who seems to be arguing with someone. It is then revealed that Woon is being lifted on the neck by Won.[14] In order to ease the situation, Hong grabs Woon and kicks Won off of him, stating that he is only a child. They engage in a one-on-one fight but are stopped by Dan Ah. Chung shouts at the villagers that the Crimson Moon is nearby, leaving Hwi surprised.[15]
Hong asks Won if he is the Crimson Moon
Chung reiterates that Won is the Crimson Moon because of his red hair, so Hong asks him if he truly is the Crimson Moon. He denies this at once, but Hwi still wonders why Won, the mistaken as the Crimson Moon, is being chased. Dan Ah shuts the door to keep away from the angry villagers. The villagers breaks the door but finds the room empty. The three escape the room, but Won complains why they need to run because he can knock them down. He tells them that if he truly is the Crimson Moon, they will be accused with harboring a fugitive, but they tell him that he admitted he was not the Crimson Moon. The two believe him and promises that he will protect Won. As they reach a bridge, Hong pushes Won and Dan Ah to the water to hide from the villagers while he acts as bait to keep the villagers' focus on him. Later, he returns to them and hide themselves in the woods. Hong then gives Dan Ah some cloth to keep her warm, but Won grabs it and argues that he is cold as well. Thus, he decides to share the cloth by hugging Dan Ah, but Hong separates them at once.[16]
Chase Arc
Hong paints Dan Ah's shoes
Later that night, Dan Ah runs to Bi Hwa Rim after being reprimanded by her father. Hwi, being in Bi Hwa Rim as well with Jeok and Mu Jin, shows up before her again.[16] As Dan Ah struggles not to cry, Hwi advises her to cry out loud in order to release all her emotions. Hwi also notices her wounded feet and carries her to a boulder to tend to her, reminiscent of what happened ten years ago in the same location. Dan Ah continues to cry and tells him that she misses Won. She also does not care on becoming Queen in which he realizes that the Prime Minister may have already joined forces with the empress dowager. She then thanks him, and Hong gives her a pair of plain unhye which Jeok and Mu Jin left. Dan Ah tells Hong that she wants to wear beautiful flower shoes so that she may go to Won's side just like what her mother believed. Seeing the plainness of the shoes, Hong paints Dan Ah's shoes with flowers and tells her that those shoes will make her go to Won.[17]
Revolt Procurement Arc
Inside Physician Ma's clinic, Hwi hides from Dan Ah who became very worried about his huge wound. He tells Hwi that they cannot recover on their own because they worry about each other. He tells the physician that he has not given up yet and that "forgetting" her may be the best solution for the both of them.[18]
Later that night after Nabi's, Jeok's, and Seol Hwa's "secret discussion", Hong goes to the gallery to start earning for the 100,000 nyang they need for the guns they procured. He asks the seller of his paintings if his previous work has been sold, so the seller gives him the payment of 300 nyang. Realizing that it is not enough, he again asks the seller how much it will cost if Hong paints his "last piece". The seller panics while, nearby, Won listens to their conversation and tells them that he can get the money for him. Won asks Hong if his painting "Bi Hwa Rim" can make a woman fall in love with him, but he answers that it is not enough even to sway a person's heart. Sparking his interest, Won declares that he will buy Hong's last piece. He asks him how much he needs, and Hong tells him that he needs 100,000 nyang. He laughs at this regard, but tells Hong to follow him.[19]
Hong and Won in the gambling den
Hong and Won enter a gambling den in order to get Won's money to pay Hong. Won uses Hong's money to gamble, much to the latter's chagrin. However, they continue to play despite constantly losing. They then catch a gambler who cheats them and try to expose him. Won threatens him by pointing his pipe at his eye, but Hong stops him. The owner of the gambling den arrives and Hong tries to explain what happened, but the cheater reverses the story and points out that he and Won were the ones who cheated. Another gambler agrees to this and clarifies to the owner that they were indeed cheating. Convinced, the owner orders his thugs to drag Hong and Won out of the place. Won resists and gets beaten up, while Hong also gets hit and kicked.
They are then kicked out of the place and orders them never to enter the place again. Won tells Hong he now does not have any money to buy himself a drink, but Hong unexpectedly gives him one nyang to buy a cheap one. Hong apologizes to him that he was not able to protect Won. The latter remembers his "promise" from that night in the slums and tells him that one nyang is not fine then. He then asks Hong to drink with him, while Hong refuses.[20]
Won and Hong spend the night together as "friends"
Hong is eventually dragged with Won and spend the night near a lake. He notices Won staring at him and asks Hong if he has a sister because, according to Won, he looks like Nabi, much to Hong's alarm. He tells him all about his effort in order to see and meet Nabi, but ended up in a mess. Hong tells him that she left him because she did not like him. Won asks Hong if he ever met someone like her, and Hong quickly remembers Dan Ah, so he tells Won that he does have met someone like that. He tells Won that she was a beautiful person who made him live as the true self that he is, but she is going to be married to another man (Won). Interested, Won also tells Hong about Nabi whom he tries to forget. Won then tells Hong that it is the first time that he is able to have some fun and calls the two of them as "friends", much to Hong's surprise.[21]
Plague Arc
Hong finds Dan Ah in the village
At Moon's End Village, Hwi is with Mu Jin from a mission in helping the people of the plague-stricken land, giving grain and medicine. He instructs Mu Jin to return to Yu Hyand Ru instantly to sell Nabi's valuables in exchange for money as compensation while he himself will pursue the fake Crimson Moon. He also orders Mu Jin to keep his individual mission as a secret between the two of them. Later, he goes to Physician Ma's aid and helps the sick patients. He then finds Dan Ah also helping in the village.[22]
Creation and Conception
Hwi's early design
Muryui commented and described Hwi as "pretty" even during early stages of conception and especially when his final design was completed. Muryui also said that she "felt bad for Rok Ha" when talking about Hwi's design.[23]
Quotes
- (Referring to Dan Ah) "The more I try to forget her, the more I long for her."[18]
- (To Won about Nabi) "She left because she didn't like you. Is it really that difficult to forget such a person?"[21]
- (To Won about Dan Ah) "I only met her once, though. I liked her from the moment I laid eyes on her. Her surprised expression. Her eyes full of tears. A smile that lit up her face. She was a beautiful child. But her heart was even more beautiful."[21]
- (Referring to Dan Ah) "I know that you did nothing wrong. That you're not bad at all... But now, I know that I must point my blade at you."[24]
Trivia
- His name in Hanja means "shine" or "brightness" (輝).
- Hwi slacked off in military arts when he was a child.[7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 6
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 89
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 86
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 4
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 5
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 11
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 0.1
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 0.2
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 49 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Ch49" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, webtoon, chapter 7
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, webtoon, chapter 8
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 10
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 13
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 14
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 15
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 16
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 17
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 23
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 26
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 27
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 28
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 32
- ↑ Twelve Nights part two postscript
- ↑ Twelve Nights webtoon, chapter 45
| Characters of Twelve Nights | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ga Guk | |||||||
| Royal Family | Ahn Young • Hyun Bin • Jin Hyul • Jin Jeok • Jin Won • Unnamed Baby Prince • Unnamed Baby Princess • Yi Hwi • Yi Sae Gi • Yoon Yeon Lee | ||||||
| Ministers | Hwang Se Hyung • Kim Hak Gyu • Sa Hwa Hyeon • Seo In Seon Woo • Wi Ji Hyun • Yi Ha • Yoo Ja Gyeom | ||||||
| Bi Yeong Pal Mu | Baek Ah • Baek Ju • Baek Lin • Baek Ryung • Baek Sa • Heuk Rang | ||||||
| Bi Yeong Ship Mu | Baek Ho • Baek Yoo Shin • Gil Mu Jin • Yi Ha | ||||||
| Deung Ha Bul Myung | Baek Ho • Crimson Moon • Gil Mu Jin • Nabi • Seol Hwa • Seo In Seon Woo • Wol Young Hwa • Yi Hwi • Yi Jeok | ||||||
| Yu Hyang Ru | Nabi • Wol Young Hwa • Yi Jeok | ||||||
| Others | Chung • Hwang Se Ryeon • Hyun • Ma Mi Song • Nam Yang Heon • Sori • Woon • Yi Ha's Wife • Yoo Dan Ah • Yoo Dan Ah's Mother | ||||||
| Seo Seo | |||||||
| Royal Family | First Prince • First Princess • Jang Rei • Jang Rok Ha • Jang Ryun • Second Princess • Three Wives of Jang Ryun • Unnamed Baby Prince • Unnamed Baby Princess • Yeong Bi | ||||||
| Others | Gwak Ji Ryeon • Meng Gyeom | ||||||