Just like completely separate from the story, but like what ever happened to like…the gr...

I agree, but from reading all of these for so many years, I've noticed a pattern that they usually base it on the Russian: North and why it's always cold, European and Asian: usually East, West or central, and Egyptian and African: South being hot or desert. They usually only go from that side of the map because the majority of the novel, webtoon, manga, etc are from those sides of the continent. So if you see it that way, it makes more since lol.....that's how I've thought about it and understood it ┑(￣Д ￣)┍ but I've always has somewhat of an issue on this too since I'm from North America and we have every season and my Northern states are not that much different, they definitely are not always in freezing cold weather year round or baren lol

Hahah, I think it’s cause these are usually based in Korea/China and the most desolate is the North, south is beaches and heat, east is desert…plus a cold male lead with no family is like the barren desolate north that needs the FL to lighten it up

This makes sense it’s just super odd to me. Also, by this logic, where the north is representative of Russia, then where the fuck are the penguins. Genuinely. Like if it’s that fucking cold, there should be some goddamn penguins in these manhwas.

But like the desert is more desolate than the north, like you can eat tree bark but you can’t eat sand so wouldn’t it make more sense to run away to a place that’s actually barren not like a place where ondols where created??? Or maybe it’s because the main couple can’t get it on when it’s so hot you feel like you’re melting…? Actually wait that makes sense, in the cold youd probably be more willing to get it on to ‘share body warmth’, that’s how the FL would ‘lighten up’ the desolate north

Hahahahaha

There's actually multiple reason/possibility most of these stories are medieval European stories where in Europe yes the North is colder than the South

"Why duke of the North?" When I hear North i immediately think of the cold part of Canada (where I live) Europeans are the same and for Korean it's somewhat similar but there's also the Mongol that where North and north korea hence associating the harsh to the North

Therefore was born this characterization a cold territory with an even colder duke for the Fl to melt his heart

A dangerous territory so that the Ml can appear as dependent/op fighter that the kingdom need and so the others can't take away from the north

In the end the "Grand duke of the North" is a character type and other duke's in pther stories don't have that title as duke is a title on itself

Penguins only live in the Southern Hemisphere, you would need to go to Antarctica, South Africa, South America or New Zealand to find them.
In the cold North you find Ice bears, Pola foxes and Polar rabbits and so on.

I am from Mongolia, and when I read those stories I just take north as us without questioning.

Thank you for saying this, I was just thinking what the hell bro is on about, did they miss their geography/biology classes or what

I grew up in the Arctic Circle in Europe, so v much up North. We don't have polar bears, but we do have decent wildlife (ie. Arctic foxes which are endangered, a lot of interesting arctic bird species imo, European lynxes, moose, reindeer (which are somewhat domesticated), and more. We also have the regular brown bear ofc. We also have cows who are specifically more used to the colder climate). I was actually really happy to see actual reindeer used in some manhwa for the Duke of the North :'D


Anyway, yeah, ended up rambling about Arctic nature at the enf, feel free to skip reading if you want **

To add to the general discussion, ppl gotta remember to think about where these stories are from/who created them and what their perspectives are. A lot of people have already pointed out the specifics depending on one's location. Esp if you're american/from NA, Arctic America and Arctic Eurasia have similarities, but they also have their differences - even Arctic Europe and Arctic Asia have those, despite being on the same continent, especially culturally ╮(￣▽￣)╭




**I've also spent a fair amount of time really high North, the Northern edge of Europe/Fennoscandia, and while there is a lack of growth of things like trees, it's often times partially due to the climate and partially due to the higher elevation. This might be bias with how there is the mountain range that stretches across Norway, while it no longer being exactly mountains on tje eastern side but more like massive hills. Some places with lower elevation have actual forests and trees (mostly birch and pine), and the higher you go, the less of that you get. Usually I get greeted by more and more birch trees, until it's just that, and when you go higher, the birch trees become more like bushes than actual trees. Despite being barren, we still have all 4/8 seasons (depending on your perspective, I find dividing the seasons into 8 with the transition periods much more accurate than only the 4 - ie. winter, spring-winter, spring, spring-summer, summer, etc. Could be bc of the environment I grew up with, and how long all the transition periods are), and it gets plenty coloutful in the summer and spring. Things do grow, just more slowly and not as tall ad they do in the south. **

(Thanks for anyone reading this long-ass comment lol, hope you found it interesting)

One more thing, something that a lot of people forget about these Northern territories is how dark it can get in the winter and how bright it is in the summer. Like where I grew up, I never felt like the sun had the same setting time, but it was constantly changing as the days went by. The only exception being the summer and having the sky be bright 24/7 for multiple weeks (4-6 weeks), even more the more north one would go. To anyone confused, the sum would "set" and "rise" from the horizon, but only the sun itself would disappear from view (for a few hours at least) - the sky is stil bright. It's called midnight sun, look it up!

In contrast, in the winter it can get really dark. I believe in my hometown the shortest daylight is a few hours (and usually it's still cloudy and dark durimg it), but more north you go, the darkness can be continuous for multiple days, if not weeks. Can't remember the specifics rn.

Adding to all this that the main thing that bothers me is the title "duke" instead of "marquis". That was an actual title and they ruled the more distant territories. The reason they were given so much power (sometimes even considered equal to a duke, depending on time period/location) is BECAUSE they protected the borders. They are basically treated as a glorified leader of an army. At least, that's my understanding of it. It's been a while since I studied the various different nobilities across various countries. But yes, they were very important because they were basically the armies for the royalty. The royalty only paid them a stipend, I think, but the rest mainly came from their own pockets, which could drain their resources quickly. What I never understand is the stories where they have an army in the north that is spectacular, good armor and supplies, enough food, etc but are supposedly poor too. That's hecking expensive. Have they not seen the trading price of eggs???