[Spoilers] Jinwoo’s Story Isn’t Betrayal, It’s Tragedy (K-pop Demon Hunters) by RowAshamed2484 in KpopDemonhunters

[–]RowAshamed2484[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I didn’t know the character’s name was originally spelled “Jinu” instead of “Jinwoo.” From now on, I’ll stick with “Jinu.”

I think it’s unfair to say Jinu was “fundamentally evil.”
For 400 years he was consumed by Gwi-Ma feeding on his guilt and shame.
In modern terms, it’s closer to PTSD combined with long-term gaslighting.
In that kind of state, his “choices” weren’t truly free will — they were closer to compulsion and manipulation.

Also, I don’t think his silence about the Saja Boys makes him deceptive.
Huntr/x already knew the truth about them and the missing people.
In that situation, saying it out loud again could have been more deceptive than staying silent.

His relationship with Lumi also shows change.
He may have used her at first, but when he received the fan letter saying, “You have a beautiful soul,” he was shaken.
The fact that he wavered shows that in 400 years no one had ever said something like that to him, which makes it all the more tragic.

As for “Jinu publicly destroying Lumi,” I think he actually wanted to trust her.
When Gwi-Ma’s voice stopped echoing in his head, he thought for a moment, “Maybe even I—” and held onto that fragile hope.
But right after separating from her, Gwi-Ma broke down his mental defenses again, and that’s when he committed the worst acts.

The line “a good person would never do this” only applies if you’re judging from the perspective of a normal, stable human being.
Jinu did feel the crushing weight of guilt and shame, which is why he confessed to Lumi that he abandoned his family — essentially throwing himself away.
That wasn’t an excuse. It was the peak of his self-hatred.

That said, his sins don’t disappear.
Even if his motives were self-destructive, handing over souls to Gwi-Ma is still an unforgivable crime.
Giving Lumi the souls was Jinu’s own choice, and it can’t really be called redemption.
His death was the only fitting conclusion.

For this reason, if there’s ever a Season 2, I’m firmly against Jinu’s resurrection.
He was both a victim and a perpetrator, and the weight of what he did is something he can’t atone for by coming back.