Responses
And what's more someone made a very good point to me about that.
People judged Inhun harshly because (among others) his homophobic behaviour... Which back in a day was a standard view.
Historical circumstances are needed the most when they are in favour of Seungho's and Nakyum's relationship and its dynamic. In other cases Jihwa, Inhun didn't get the same privilege of historical aspects.
Let's start with the fact that people love to "hide" behind "historical circumstances" but the truth is they only take parts which match their narrative.
If everyone is so hyped about history why readers take only an exaggerated to maximum even for BL standard, toxic dynamic between "uke" and "seme".
No one talks about Seungho and his friends living more liberally than some people living in rather open-minded and liberal countries nowadays, no one cares that SH or Jihwa don't have wives, no one cares that Seungho (without any consequences) attacks fellow nobles, even stepped on one in
public, that he kills as if it was a pretty normal everyday occurance.
Let's not pretend there was NO law at the time.
But I'm not historian, I'm basing these thoughts on logic and some reading.
So all in all people care about history aspect as long as it's in their favour.
And let's be honest SH's actions even for a noble are at times rather extreme.
Even if we will excuse/justify or explain Seungho's actions with everything: him being noble, his past trauma what NK has to do with it. He is innocent. Why should he keep up with the abuse both physical and mental one? How can he fall for someone like SH after the mistreatment he has faced from his hands? It's both unbelievable and unrealistic.
I know many people will also try to play with: but NK is lowborn, his mentality is different than nowadays people, card. There is a difference between being submissive towards your abusive master and falling for them. What's more NK hasn't lived through the biggest part of his life as a slave.
Seungho's trauma and mental state. They are severe. Love isn't a magical medicine, love won't cure someone with such disarranged, problematic behaviour Yoon represents. It'd be a naive, twisted fairly tail at best.
Also I see people love to emphasize: Seungho's noble, he is traumatized etc. Let's be realistic: he and NK will never stand on equal grounds. SH can act nice for some time but when NK will disagree, won't play along... What then? Another round of brutality and violence.
And the double standards of some of you.
Historical aspect only plays in Seungho's favour. Jihwa doesn't have such privilege although he is a noble too.
Tbh Jihwa's actions are much more "understandable" than SH's. He has been by SH's side through a big part of their lives. They've known each other since childhood. He was there when SH had his nightmares etc. And his beloved not only didn't reciprocate his feelings. He chose some "dirty" lowborn. Maybe that boy even bewitched his Lord Yoon.
Both jealousy and stain on honour played a big part in Jihwa's actions. And in the end he couldn't do that... Although SH didn't have bigger problem with killing innocent guy in ch1.... But who cares.
Not saying that Jihwa's actions were right. They were wrong.
Just exposing hypocrisy of some readers.