oh wow, goosebumps. I've always been a JoIan truther and this theory just makes sense. I wonder how you add two and two together because this is such a great analyzation!!!!!
everybody clap!! i was wondering what's up with the moon? been seing them a lot especially all the lates chapters...thank you ヾ(☆▽☆)
As a TJIan fan your post just crashed me.
It seems so logical now. I even went back to chapter 94 and when I see how bright Jo is drown and how TJ is in shadows... I will just wait to see what will be TJ's faith as Joian seems to be the EG
I'm glad it makes sense hehe. I know DYK loves using parallels and symbolism, so I noticed that the last quarter moon appeared 3 times in Chaps 94–95, and I remember seeing a full moon in Chap 79. In those chapters, there’s always a panel of the moon above Ian whenever he’s moving.
So I started thinking, what if Ian’s journey mirrors the phases of the moon? And since the moon’s phases depend on the sun, and Jo is the obvious and only “sun” in the story, I connected the moon phases to the title and to Ian’s journey.
I got curious, so I looked up the symbolism of the moon. Since this is a fully colored story, you can clearly see the difference in the moon phases between the past chapters and the current ones. It feels like there’s a transition happening, both in the story and in Ian himself. So I made this long analysis lol thanks for the positive feedback
You nailed this i didn't paying much attention to the environment at all (●'◡'●)ﾉ it's all make sense
You are very perceptive, which is why I would truly appreciate hearing your thoughts. Why do you think DK chose the dirty bathroom setting for what I see as such an important and pivotal moment?
I absolutely love love LOOOVE the analysis you shared here <3 Thank you so much. This is exactly the kind of take that makes me appreciate this manhwa even more.
Yes, DOYAK loves using parallels and symbolism, but I could never quite piece together what she was trying to convey. I’ve always wondered what the title of the manhwa really meant, though I lowkey assumed it might foreshadow something tragic, like one of them dying on the beach.
But the way you broke it down? WOW! That was genius.
Aww, thank you for reading and respecting my post as a TJIan stan. Hehe, I didn’t mean to crash your ship. I’m glad you noticed the way light and shadows are used to contrast the characters. I’m also looking forward to TJ’s character conclusion, even though I have my own theory about how his arc might end, especially based on noir storytelling.
I just rely on DK words that she doesn't want to kill any of the main characters. I wouldn't mind if you share your theory as a DM.
you should seriously share this theory on X/Twt or on the clock app (T!ktok) people have been missing out on this superb analysis. I'm sure DYK themselves will be in awe because of how you saw through her visual storytelling. She might be surprised someone actually gets the message she's tryna convey hahahaha
Okay. Honestly, I think it was intentional. I believe the author wanted readers to clearly see how “unhealthy and toxic the TJIan relationship” was, and she used the setting as a mirror. She wasn’t subtle about it. She placed them in a “public dirty bathroom, a space where people go to release waste. It’s unsanitary and uncomfortable, which reinforces the unhealthy nature of their dynamic. When Ian was positioned in the toilet bowl, it also mirrored how Ian was treated. His feelings and thoughts at that moment were self-loathing and thinking he wasn’t worthy to be with Jo, like he saw himself as a piece of .
It’s not just that their relationship was unhealthy. They were unhealthy for each other. And the fact that TJ broke the mirror and never fixed it mirrors their relationship too. Once shattered, it was never repaired.
I remember even TJian stan had an “eek and eww” reaction when those chapters dropped lol but some still justified the setting, saying both Tj and Ian were just horny since that was their most awaited reunion arc. I was like, sure, but dyk could have done it better if she wanted to portray their longing for each other that gives a romantic and intimate vibe— like at least going to a hotel/motel room while making out, but she didn’t because maybe that wasn’t her intention at all.
Why their confrontation happened in the same setting?
Since this story is about Ian’s journey, and when you’re on a journey you usually make stopovers such as public bathrooms, convenience stores or restaurants to eat and a place to rest, the dirty public bathroom can be seen as one of Ian’s stopovers. That’s why the confrontation between TJ and Ian needed to happen there. It was a fitting setting. Just as people go to public bathrooms to release physical waste, Ian needed to release emotional waste.
What he had to let go of were years of negative and unresolved emotions or what we could call “exes baggage” for 20 years that he had been carrying along with his journey. That confrontation was Ian finally releasing those unnecessary and unhealthy attachments to TJ so he could continue his journey without the weight of those heavy feelings.
Bonus: After that heavy arc, Ian went to another stopover: the campsite, a place where he could finally rest. Why not a hotel or motel? Because the campsite was the only place where his past couldn’t track him. For Ian, it became his safe space. After all the physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion he had been through since Season 3 started, he truly needed a place to breathe. That was also when Jo instinctively found him there. I think the author showed us what Ian needed most at that moment: a comforting hug from Jo before he continued his journey.
Hope you know that all of your analyses feel like a breath of fresh air when opening this comment section
Thank you again for your insightful analysis.
Now that everything is coming to an end, I’ve already made peace with the idea that Ian and Jo will get their happy ending. Ian deserves to be happy and free. I love to see him simply enjoying a normal life—going out to diners, watching movies, taking walks, and all the little everyday things. The only thing I’m still unsure about is TJ’s closure.
Dyk has made TJ such a compelling and well-developed character. His flaws and loneliness are portrayed so vividly that they make him feel deeply human and relatable. In my opinion, he isn’t just the typical noir villain from the protagonist’s past. Because of that, he deserves a meaningful closure arc—something more satisfying than simply rotting in jail or sacrificing himself.
Thank you again for your insightful analysis.
Now that everything is coming to an end, I’ve already made peace with the idea that Ian and Jo will get their happy ending. Ian deserves to be happy and free. I love to see him simply enjoying a normal life—going out to diners, watching movies, taking walks, and all the little everyday things. The only thing I’m still unsure about is TJ’s closure.
Dyk has made TJ such a compelling and well-developed character. His flaws and loneliness are portrayed so vividly that they make him feel deeply human and relatable. In my opinion, he isn’t just the typical noir villain from the protagonist’s past. Because of that, he deserves a meaningful closure arc—something more satisfying than simply rotting in jail or sacrificing himself.
Thanks for reading and liking my post
As for the title Wet Sand, I’ve always imagined Ian figuratively walking on wet sand. The title fits the story perfectly, but it doesn’t reveal the conclusion. That’s why I think a character like Jo, who is the opposite of both Ian and TJ, exists to present two possible outcomes.
Jo could either be the catalyst for change or he could be the one who changes and adapts to the darkness. The question is: will he bring peace or will he bring more chaos? As the story progresses, I think we’re starting to see hints of a possible direction. We’ve witnessed Ian’s growth and transition throughout the story, with strong parallels that highlight those changes.
Regarding symbolism, I’ve always loved how Dyk uses it in her visual storytelling, like how often Jo and Ian are shown looking up at the night sky. That’s why I started noticing the moon reappearing more in the recent chapters which eventually led me to this analysis.
I’m not sure if I want to share this on X/Twt haha Wet Sand fandom on stantwt seems more focused on shipping wars lol and I don’t really post on TikTok
Lol thanks! I honestly thought it might be a bit annoying since it’s lengthy
I’m glad you’re open to the possibility of JoIan as endgame, but I also want to clarify that I’m not forcing JoIan on anyone. I’m just sharing my thoughts and analysis. At the end of the day, what really matters is Ian’s happiness and him finally living a normal life, because he deserves it more than anyone in the story.
As for TJ’s closure, I think it might come from him finally letting go of Ian and allowing him to move on to a normal life without holding him back.
TJ is actually an interesting and deeply flawed character. I don’t see him as the villain of the story, but I do think he needs to face the consequences of his actions in order to change. When people don’t face consequences, they tend to repeat the same mistakes because they never fully confront the impact of what they’ve done. TJ acknowledged that he was the cause, but he never truly acknowledged the effect his actions had on Ian.
The wedding massacre was a direct result of TJ’s choices and that’s something that can’t just be ignored. I think Dyk included that purposely as part of his character arc, so he would finally see the real consequences of his actions on Ian. I have a theory that Ian might get arrested because Chiwoon sets him up as the gang’s scapegoat.
Honestly, TJ going to jail wouldn’t feel unfair to me. Ian already went through that kind of suffering earlier in the story. While TJ was chasing power and money, Ian was already ahead of him chasing a normal life. That’s why TJ said in his monologue that he rarely sees Ian’s side profile. He mostly sees Ian’s back. Symbolically, Ian wasn’t walking beside him in the darkness anymore. Ian was already walking away, continuing his journey toward a normal life.
Ian was desperate for change because he had already endured enough consequences and accepted punishments that weren’t even his fault. He learned his lessons the hardest way possible and the story shows that clearly.
I’m not against TJ having a happy ending, but it would feel unsatisfying to me if he avoided consequences entirely. The story presents both Ian and TJ as flawed characters, but Ian has already paid a heavy emotional price. If TJ were to simply realize he wants a different life and skip the accountability Ian had to endure, it would feel unbalanced.
What I want for TJ is accountability. I want him to face the consequences of his actions, to genuinely reflect and to desire change on his own not just because he’s afraid of losing Ian or being left alone, but because he truly understands the impact of what he’s done. And maybe, through that, he’ll finally understand Ian and why Ian wanted a normal life.
I see Joian as endgame because TJ and Ian’s growth feels connected in a way that makes sense. It’s like one of them grows enough to let go and free the other from the trauma of their relationship, while the other grows enough to finally move forward. Their development doesn’t cancel each other out—it allows both of them to change in a meaningful way.
An ending where Jo turns to the “dark side” just doesn’t feel right to me. It would only reinforce the idea that Ian makes the people around him miserable, and I don’t think that’s the message Doyak wants to send. I really can’t see her taking the story in that direction.
As for TJ, I agree that he needs to face the consequences of his actions, and I don’t think he’ll avoid them. I also share your theory that, in the end, he’ll be the one to let Ian go and release him from the weight of their relationship. I especially felt that in Chapter 97, in the panel where TJ looks at his bloody hands and then at Ian sleeping. That moment felt like a turning point—like he finally understood that his actions were directly hurting Ian.
In my ideal scenario, TJ serves his sentence, and years later Doyak shows us how much he’s matured. Maybe he follows the advice of the only person he truly sees as a mentor, Jason, and builds a family of his own. Doyak has mentioned before that he’s actually a homebody, so I can imagine him eventually finding stability and a quieter kind of happiness.
This is related to the post about the “last quarter moon,” but I want to fully explain how I see the moon phases symbolizing Ian’s journey, how it connects to the title Wet Sand, and how it ties to JoIan.
Before the story even began, Ian was like a moon without a Sun. Before he met Joseph, there were no phases. Without the sun, the moon cannot reflect light. There is no full moon. No new moon. Just darkness.
Ian was stuck in a toxic orbit, surrounded by his own darkness and the darkness of the gang and TJ. He was stagnant, gloomy, emotionally heavy, filled with negative thoughts. He had no light source. No catalyst for change. Dyk already gave us strong visual storytelling to understand Ian’s darkness, so that part doesn’t need overexplaining.
Then Joseph enters the story.
Joseph is not just a bright personality or a “sunshine” character. He is literally the Sun to Ian’s moon.
When they met, it was like Ian’s moon finally found its Sun in orbit. And that’s when his phases started.
Waxing Crescent
This is the first visible sliver of light. Ian was the one who approached Jo. Even in darkness, he noticed a sliver of light. This phase represents the beginning of hope and emotional movement.
First Quarter Moon, half dark and half light
Ian spends more time with Jo. He experiences normal life, warmth, and things he never had before. But he also sees the huge contrast between their worlds. He is divided. Half of him still belongs to TJ and the gang. Half of him is beginning to reflect Jo’s light.
Waxing Gibbous
Only a small part of darkness remains. This is when Ian takes action. He realizes his darkness is affecting Jo. Instead of pulling Jo into it, he chooses to step away and face it alone. He decides to protect the Sun, even if that means being away from his light.
Full Moon, 100 percent brightness
Chapter 79, the dirty bathroom arc. Everything becomes fully illuminated. The lies, the manipulation, Ian’s pain and suffering. Nothing is hidden anymore. This phase forces him to face the truth. And that clarity helps him decide what he truly wants.
After that arc, when Jaime went to Ian’s apartment to kill him, Jo stepped into danger. Jo was even willing to kill for Ian. But Ian stopped him. He felt relieved, but also terrified. Because Jo was ready to enter the darkness with him. And I think Ian’s greatest fear is losing Jo’s light because of him. He doesn’t want Jo to become another reflection of his darkness like TJ.
Waning Gibbous
Now Ian reflects. After full illumination comes self realization. He knows what he needs to do. He has to fix everything from his past before returning to the light. He doesn’t want Joseph to live in darkness with him. He wants to live with Joseph in a bright, normal world.
Last Quarter Moon, 50 percent light and 50 percent dark
The light appears first. That is important. After clearing his name and TJ’s name with Big Teddy, Ian calls Joseph first. Then he packs his things, leaves his apartment, and drives to meet him. That was his decision.
TJ blocking his driveway doesn’t erase that choice. And when Ian wakes up in the hospital, he leaves without saying anything to TJ. The direction of his movement is clear.
Waning Crescent
This is the final stage before renewal. I still think the past might try to drag him back one last time. But his destination doesn’t change.
New Moon
The New Moon represents a new beginning. It is completely dark from Earth’s perspective because the moon is directly facing the Sun. It is aligned with the light.
Symbolically, Ian is no longer reflecting light from a distance. He is face to face with it. The one standing in front of Jo at that point is a “New Ian”. Not the stagnant, trapped version from before. But someone ready for a normal life without being dragged back by his past.
Now, why are the moon phases significant to the title?
Because the moon controls tides. And when tides reach the shore and saturate the sand, the result is “Wet Sand”.
Wet sand is unstable. It is hard to walk on. It leaves footprints.
That is Ian’s journey.
He has been walking on wet sand, trying to reach a normal life. Every time he tries to move forward, his footprints remain. The gang, TJ, Jaime can follow him because the traces of his past are still there.
Joseph, as the Sun, starts the phasing process. He becomes the guiding light on that unstable path. He is even willing to step into darkness for Ian. But Ian refuses to let him cross that line. He wants to preserve Jo’s light. He doesn't want Jo to become his mirror.
So Ian chooses to be the one who walks through the darkness in order to reach the light.
The gas station in Chapter 94 feels symbolic too. It looks bright, almost glowing. Like a doorway. A transition point. If Ian reaches it during the New Moon phase, that means he has stepped off the wet sand and onto solid ground.
The New Moon also causes spring tides, the strongest tides. And that final tide could wash away Ian’s footprints completely. If that happens, his past cannot follow him anymore.
No more toxic orbit.
No more being dragged back.
Just a new beginning.
That’s why I think the moon phases are deeply connected to the title and to Ian’s emotional journey.