when young shin witnesses his father kneeling as he receives the decree from the king, he sees this as the ideal picture of devotion between retainer and a good king, just like in the storybooks. however, his father is far away from him and his back is turned to him so he cant really see his face, which symbolizes his naivety and ignorance of the truth. in the next scene when young shin witnesses his father working at night, their positions are closer and he's now able to see part of his tired face, implying that he's growing closer to the truth and reality of the relationship between his father and the king, and he is becoming aware that it's not idealistic and something is wrong. when his father visits him and is kneeling down to tie his shoelaces, shin atp knows the king is bad. his father's kneeling represents not honorable loyalty, but helpless submission to the king and his authority, and even tho they are facing each other now, his father's averted gaze not daring to look up (whether out of guilt for his son or deference towards the king's possession) as he asks the question shows he knows what the king is doing to his son and his choice of turning a bling eye. his son knows that and that he knows that his son knows. tying his shoelaces while it shows his love, it also shows how insignificant and limited his ability to help his son. stop reading this like 4 years ago and forgot how peak this story was
when young shin witnesses his father kneeling as he receives the decree from the king, he sees this as the ideal picture of devotion between retainer and a good king, just like in the storybooks. however, his father is far away from him and his back is turned to him so he cant really see his face, which symbolizes his naivety and ignorance of the truth.
in the next scene when young shin witnesses his father working at night, their positions are closer and he's now able to see part of his tired face, implying that he's growing closer to the truth and reality of the relationship between his father and the king, and he is becoming aware that it's not idealistic and something is wrong.
when his father visits him and is kneeling down to tie his shoelaces, shin atp knows the king is bad. his father's kneeling represents not honorable loyalty, but helpless submission to the king and his authority, and even tho they are facing each other now, his father's averted gaze not daring to look up (whether out of guilt for his son or deference towards the king's possession) as he asks the question shows he knows what the king is doing to his son and his choice of turning a bling eye. his son knows that and that he knows that his son knows. tying his shoelaces while it shows his love, it also shows how insignificant and limited his ability to help his son.
stop reading this like 4 years ago and forgot how peak this story was