Interesting. Nice take on this. From what you’re describing, it seems like hyunsung has borderline personality disorder. I can def see that. If the manhwa could be longer, they could hav expounded more on the issues and introspectives of hyunsung and why he was behaving like that.
ah thanks. i looked at the symptoms of bpd and the disorder does match a lot of my analysis, so thanks for pointing that out!
i agree that it would have been interesting to see a more in depth look in hyunsung's issues, as well as elaboration on his past and how that informs his current thought processes. same for the stalker. i haven't read much manga that really close in on the psychological aspects of characters, the only ones i can think of are The Beast Must Die and Black Mirror, if you're interested
but maybe it's for the best that a lot of character motivations and behaviors are unclear and vague. that mystery really leaves it open to interpretation, so whatever kind of story this is is what you make of it ^^ it can be happy or sad or hopeful or scary. then its no longer just the author's story, but the reader's as well. though i do hope my own theory carries some weight hehe
ok so when it was brought up that hyunsung might have his own issues, it got me thinking some more. i originally put this in a response but decided to just make a separate comment:
in chapter 35.3 there is a specific panel where the stalker is standing next to hyunsung, and then in the next there are these long sharp thorns coming out of hyunsung and stabbing the stalker. it comes with the text "i've returned to my old self" and how his being with hyunsung would be "painful" for the stalker, so he should leave
why would hyunsung think that the stalker would be better off leaving him? rather than afraid of being harmed himself, he seems more concerned that the stalker has a painful fate because he is with hyunsung
which brings me to my next question: why is hyunsung alone? from the beginning, he lives alone, he doesn't appear to have any friendships (aside from an acquaintance at work) and no known family.
my theory is that maybe hyunsung doesn't have lasting relationships, is all alone, because he doesn't understand, or is unable to love. everyone ends up leaving him because they are disappointed with his lack of empathy, inability to understand. maybe he learned to leave them first, so he wouldn't get hurt when he's abandoned. that's why he feels sorry for the stalker, because the stalker is desperately obsessed and in love with someone that simply cannot give that back. so hyunsung thinks the stalker should leave, because the stalker will only be hurt more when he never gets his love reciprocated.
this could also explain why hyunsung tries to escape the stalker one final time when he seemingly had accepted his relationship with the stalker. he still believes that the stalker will ultimately be unsatisfied with hyunsung and abandon him, so hyunsung tries to leave first
perhaps this also spans to his other emotions as well because throughout the story hyunsung doesn't have much emotional range, and tends to just be indifferent to things. the only time i remember him being emotional was when he was afraid of his stalker
so maybe the end is supposed to show how someone who loves too much (like seriously) and someone that can't love enough were able to come together and give companionship to each other because no one else would, no one else COULD, accept their messy selves but each other
of course this is a lot of conjecture, but i would appreciate other thoughts, or if you could correct me since i'm a bit fuzzy on all the details