Fans of The Ghost’s Nocturne will be enjoying the release of season three this August in Korea, and out of a plethora of FOMO – I will be reading the series to join them. There is nothing better than following a series weekly, whether it be a reality show like Survivor or a nail-biting anime like Jujutsu Kaisen. The anticipation as the week draws closer to an end and another installment is released is second to none. I discovered manhwa during the initial release of season one of Jinx. It was a shocking introduction to a fandom that goes feral between updates. There is no way I will miss out on that excitement for season three of The Ghost’s Nocturne! In fact, after reading the first season, I think the fans should be more feral and the hype even more significant than I’m finding it to be on social media. I’ll tell you why season one has sold me on this series.
The originality of the plot blows me away. This isn’t a simple stereotypical BL setup with an in-debt bottom and a rich top who use each other for mutual gain. Ananas wrote a story of mutual gain but one much stranger than I’ve ever seen. In this case, the bottom is wealthy and high status but is haunted and desperate in his spiritual and sexual life. When a spirit propositions him and offers to ease his suffering in exchange for sexual favors – no amount of status or wealth can offer a better alternative to our protagonist. Little does he know, the evil spirit is as desperate for his generosity, if not more, for he has been cursed to live during the daytime as a puppy until a human falls in love with him. Do you see what I mean by odd? The premise is unlike anything I’ve heard before, and it is laid out so smoothly and matter-of-factly.
The artwork in this manhwa is second to none. Historical BLs can turn me off immediately as they don’t often have the same fashion and pizzazz the artwork depicting modern Asian fashion offers. I do not find this to be the situation in the Ghost’s Nocturne. I think the illustrator, C.R. Jade, wonderfully uses color to build the world above ground for the living, using the color green and associating that with the human prince while contrasting the underground ruler in devilish red and ominous black garb. When the traditional hairstyles are let down, and the official royal clothing is exchanged for sleepwear, we get a completely new character design for our central lover boys. You could almost follow this story without dialog, as the artwork effectively conveys the plot and characterization.
Speaking of characterization, this story has developed two characters so unique and mesmerizing that I needed to write about them only halfway through the available episodes. Lee Nok is a twenty-one-year-old prince and heir to the throne of his remarried father. What he lacks in sheer domineering strength he makes up for with his immense green-eyed beauty, impeccable grace, and unshakeable propriety. The only moments his façade of perfection cracks are when his hypercritical father is around or when he shows rightful suspicion of his stepmother. He shows heartwrenching emotion in private regarding his deceased mother, and although he fears the circumstances surrounding him, he never cowers but instead fights back in her honor. He is insistent on living a life she would be proud of and quickly becomes a favorite BL bottom when you watch him take up arms against the top.
Jae-shin, the toxic top and prince of the underworld, is spoiled and shallow in comparison. His life gambling, getting high, and playing with humans for his entertainment would make him unlikeable to the reader if his red eyes and claws didn’t make him inarguably irresistible. Although he doesn’t understand the meaning of consent or the preciousness of mortal life, you will find yourself routing for him to figure it out to end his curse and see him in a loving embrace with Lee Nok. As he lives each day as a dog, unbeknownst to Lee Nok, he observes and learns from this human what it means to be vulnerable, afraid, and alone.
Overall, the pacing of the developing romance is spellbindingly fast, and the two characters are so irresistible you always want to see them together (even when it is a toxic dynamic). The compelling subplot makes for a more profound read than smut alone. I honestly can’t wait to see how Jae-shin steps in to foil anyone’s plans to mess with Lee Nok. After I read season two, I will write another post and make predictions for season three. Lexi and I plan on making this our first podcast, so we look forward to more of the Ghost’s Nocturne conversations! If you want to read the story with me in preparation for the new season, you can find it at Lezhin Comics. Let us know on socials where Lee Nok and Jae-shin rank in your top BL love interests! I’m off to binge-watch the rest of the available episodes and make some bootleg merchandise.
Yours in Deep Delusion,
Courtney