Hwabyeong's Lover | MYG ✓

INSIDE

This chapter will look inside the characters' minds and story.

The title: Hwabyeong's Lover

Since the book is based on the poem "Porphyria's Lover," I didn't want to take that element away, it'd have been unjustified to both the story and the character.

The name Porphyria in 'Porphyria's Lover' in the medical world is a disease, "a genetic abnormality of metabolism causing abdominal pains and mental confusion."

So, Porphyria seems to be a source of pain and mental anguish for the narrator.

I needed a female Korean name to go along with that concept and after so much search, I stumbled upon this one.

Hwabyeong (or Hwabyung) is a disorder in which psychological distress is there, presented by physical symptoms. It's a mental illness which arises when people are unable to confront their anger as a result of conditions which they perceive to be unfair.

Now keep these meanings in mind as you read the story's further explanation.

[The term HB, which means "anger or fire" and "disease," is known as a chronic anger syndrome. HB patients experience chronic suppressed anger and express unique symptoms including feelings of unfairness, subjective anger, external anger, heat sensation, pushing-up in the chest, dry mouth, and sighing and psychological symptoms such as feelings of unfairness and resentment.

[ Source:  https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2015/203612/
For extra knowledge, if anyone is interested. ]

So, here Hwabyeong is representing what Yoongi's character was suffering throughout the story, plus she herself too was a source of his pain and mental anguish. So title actually means, Yoongi. 

Chapter 1 - I

The story begins with Yoongi lying in bed thinking. The sudden rainfall and onset of the storm are depicting his suffering and feeling. He is so neck-deep in depression that he hasn't been going out even for necessities. 

To divert his mind, he sat in front of the window. The outer storm was calming his inner one. He is 100% sure his heart will get broken, he'll get hurt.

Comparison with bears is just an indication of his wish to sleep forever aka death.

"So, lately, he had been stocking up on all memories with his beloved in his mind and reliving them that when the cold blow ultimately comes he'd willingly embrace the sleep for good."

He of-late has been thinking about his love and cherishing all her memories. "Cold blow" is a reference to the breakup (Yeah let me get dramatic ffs) such that when it happens "he'd willingly embrace the sleep for good," he'd end himself because he doesn't want to live without her.

CHAPTER 2 - GET

"Achoo"

I could have started the chapter ordinarily but where's the fun in that? This is seriously inspired by that one Yoongi YT live in which he sneezed while painted and it was so damn cute that I had to include it.

Now he was finally feeling a bit peaceful and she's come again to ruin it lmao. There were heavy winds so she uses her force to shut the door close and takes off her dirty shoes.

He keeps staring at her, watching her every move. Her actions of closing the window and lighting the fireplace first, then taking off her wet garments implies that she cares for him more and before herself. Seeing him sitting in front of the window in the cold room with no warmth hurt her.