Responses
I would’ve loved Sam-myeong actually manipulating the king. It just doesn’t feel like he has that big of an impact in the story. Everything happens to him, but so little happens because of him. I hope when he learns the truth about his daughter he’ll finally snap out of this weird honey moon phase and try to regain some agency.
Perfect analysis about this whole situation, and the characters
It’s truly shocking how drastically Sam-myeong has changed—it’s as if he’s become an entirely different person which is really unsettling given his background.
His steadfast character was the very reason I started following this manhwa in the first place. He could have used his influence over the ML to guide and ground him like he did in chapter 45—acting as his voice of reason and help him rule the kingdom righteously, instead of being dragged down with him into darkness and depravity.
He keeps telling himself that he is a failure—as a husband, a father, a physician, and even as a human being.and as painful as it is, it’s true.
While the ML’s actions can be somewhat justified given everything he has been through—since surviving such trauma would test anyone’s sanity—it’s still disappointing to see someone like Sam-myeong fall this far. With his strong will, level of education and skills, and having once lived a peaceful life with a wife and kid, it feels especially tragic to watch him lead such a hollow existence,and see him indulge in acts he once found disgusting and despise,even in the presence of his friends, makes his downfall feel all the more tragic like a true fall from grace.