Great analysis! (I loved what you said about his eyes looking brighter and more alive omg)
Yeah his current appearance is due to the decline of his mental health but when I saw him as a child in the dream I also thought the author was purposely drawing a parallel with his childhood self because he looks the same now. It's not that he's regressing but if he doesn't make peace with the pain his inner child experienced he can't become his final mature adult self who was traumatized before, but who was also healed by loving and being loved, that's why I'm so excited for the story going forward and for Nanjo to hopefully showand verbalize his feelings soon.
Okay, so I’ve already seen both new and longtime readers talking about how much Mokyeon has changed. But I think there might be another reason behind his current appearance, beyond it simply reflecting his mental health struggles, and i think the author is trying to showus that with those “little clues” So Here are my thoughts on this!
I think the way he looks now might have something to do with his younger self. Things like growing his hair back, having slightly bigger eyes than before, and losing all his muscle mass might not just reflect his struggles with mental health. To me, they could also symbolize him reconnecting with the pure, childish side of his personality that he lost because of the people who hurt him.
But the thing is, that side of him was never truly gone. He simply buried it beneath the facade he built to protect himself. Now that he’s slowly letting his guard down, that younger, softer, and more vulnerable side of him is starting to resurface (hence on why he is so sensitive now during sex or a virgin as he says lol). His eyes also seem brighter and more alive than before, which could symbolise the hope he’s slowly begin to regain. And let’s not forget that he also has someone he can love and trust now! Haven’t we all heard how love can change a person? Because that’s exactly what I’m seeing with Mokyeon. Before, he always seemed so gloomy and dark, with barely any spark in his eyes. But now, it feels like that spark is slowly coming back. And maybe having someone he can finally feel safe with, someone he can love and trust, is part of the reason why we’re seeing this change in him.
that’s why some of you feel that he looks more childish and soft now, rather than macho, cocky or cool that he used to be.
It’s almost as if he’s returning to his younger self, but in an adult body. Not literally of course, but emotionally! as though he’s finally getting the chance to reconnect with the part of himself he never really got to be.
(Maybe that’s also why the author calls him a “man child”, lol.)