This is an explanation and interpretation of my story, The Inferno's Kiss. If you haven't read it, I suggest you go read it now. I mean, you can read later after you finish this or along as you go, but I'd really like to know what you guys thought about the plot and how you interpreted everything. 

 

 

 

THIS CONTAINS THE WHOLE ENTIRE STORY. MAJOR SPOILERS RIGHT HERE. 

 

read at your own risk. I warned you. It's much nicer and better if you read the actual story. 

 

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I know many of you are probably confused by the story. I made this story really intricate with all the symbolism. I'm sorry if you guys couldn't understand it. That's my fault. So, I will explain the story from beginning to end. I suggest reading everything over again or reading along as you read this so as to understand things fully. 

I'm kinda sad that no one bothered to write their interpretations, but whatever. 

The meaning of the title: Merriam Webster has two definitions for 'inferno'. 1. A large fire that is dangerously out of control. 2. Hell. Daehyun can be seen as the 'inferno' who is out of control. He can't be stopped. He's insane. It can also mean Hell, meaning Dante's Inferno (the different circles of hell in the story. Go to the very end to see what I mean.) The Inferno's Kiss. Make sense now?

 

canto i

The scene starts off with Mieun vacantly staring outside the window. This is meant to serve as a little 'prologue' and it is a glimpse of what the aftermath is after canto vii. 

Mieun's on her way home on her birthday on an unspecified year. She hears someone or something breathing behind her. Hm, wonder who it could be...Her parents immediately welcome her home, and here, you can see her parents' over-protectiveness. 

Here, you can see the motif of 'good' in the story. Mieun lives a sheltered life at home and believes that life is all good and normal. She is blind to the 'truth' and lives like a pretty, living, breathing 'doll' who does everything her 'owner'/parents tell her to do. Or maybe more like a puppet. The description of her whole meal was meant to emphasize how she never questions anything, how innocent and naive she is. 

Now, a year later, the day before her birthday, Mieun is itching to go outside - as usual. She tries to placate herself by reading The Inferno. And here, you learn how much she loves to read, which will later come into play in the story. 

Her parents call her to dinner, and she comes down, only to find her parents seriously discussing over something. Yes, it's Xi Luhan (who I will explain later). So, she can't go outside. This literally drives insane and breaks her little 'bubble'/ 'wakes her up'. 

As you can see, her parents have already prepared years beforehand, knowing that one day, their little 'doll' would break. The rope is what you can consider as 'glue' to patch her up. But this glue, however, does not stick. 

Suddenly, Mieun realizes how wrong, how broken her world is. It's not as 'good' as she thought it was. Then you learn that she once found out through reading. However, she couldn't bear the hard truth and decided to close her eyes instead, making herself believe that life was still good. Eventually, she began to believe that life was good again, once more, until her parents' actions jolt her awake.

The weight of the truth is too much for her, and she breaks down.

In this chapter, you see a recurrence of the theme 'nighttime'. Basically, it symbolizes the dark unknown. Evil things lurk outside our little bubble, but it is only whether we truly have the courage or the foolishness to venture out at our own risks. Nighttime is basically a representation of the dark. Shadows, or ghosts, symbolize the silent, malicious influence around her as they 'grow louder, wailing outside'. They can also be seen as the souls of the dead later on. 

Her parents serve as a manifestation of control. They're so controlling that they eventually drive their own daughter crazy, making her desperate enough to venture into the evil. 

 

canto ii

Here, you, the reader, are introduced to Xi Luhan. Xi Luhan can be seen two ways once you've finished the story. In both ways, he is a manifestation, the incarnate of evil. 

Xi Luhan can be seen as just the background as to why Mieun's parents are so protective. He can just be another criminal, but a dangerous one, an insane one. 

I, however, prefer to see Xi Luhan as Hyun's alter ego, making up the person we now know as Daehyun. He is the darker side of Daehyun who appears periodically throughout the span of the story. Xi Luhan is dark. 

Mieun's dream. In a way, it shows her struggle with Temptation who tempts her to go outside. But the ropes, everything she has learned since young, hold her back. She cries because she wants to go to him. His pull is too strong. Then, Temptation says a very curious thing: he just smirks at her when Mieun pleads him to help her cut her ropes. There is a reason for his silence. Mieun is already free; she just doesn't know it. This translates to Mieun is free to go outside. Nothing is holding her back. This opens her eyes to realize that all she has to do is break the rules. This realization in her dream 'breaks' the ropes in reality. Or, you can also think of it as Daehyun literally coming through her window, cutting her ropes, making the dream real.

Mieun then suffers from the wailing of the ghosts outside, which is basically more temptation, luring her, calling her to go outside. She first tries to fight it, but eventually it becomes too strong for her to resist. 

There is also a recurring theme of 'cold' and 'shivering' mentioned in this chapter and onwards. There is a reason, which I will explain at the very bottom.

The description of the trees is also foreshadowing. Mieun is like a brittle leaf, just barely holding on, but the wind (the temptation) is too strong for her, and she falls to the ground, her innocence starting to now 'decay'. 

Now, it almost seems like she is possessed, driven by some unseen force (her obsession to go outside has finally overtaken her sanity). The candle in the kitchen also symbolizes Mieun. It symbolizes how right now, her innocence is wavering. The dying out of the flame foreshadows the death of her innocence. And possibly, the death of Daehyun as well. After the flame dies, she is left in the dark (evil). 

Her ring also symbolizes her innocence in a way. The moment she loses it on the ground outside shows that her innocence is gone forever. The way she doesn't even hesitate to steal the key from her mother shows how far she is willing to go to go outside. She suffers a brief conflict with her conscience, but we all know who wins. 

Also, her nightgown also symbolizes her innocence in a way. The pure, white nightgown is briefly described in the beginning. As she squeezes herself through the door, the nightgown becomes torn and muddy (her innocence). 

She also loses one of her slippers of lamb's wool. A lamb is a common symbol of innocence. Losing one of her slippers was accidental. But with her own free will, she kicked off the other slipper. The slipper is just like her innocence being lost and the remains being tossed away.

Again, when the street lamp dies out, she is left alone in darkness. Something evil is coming.

 

canto iii

Yeah, more dolls. If you read the author's note, Hwajae is a shortened version of the Korean word 'fire', and Jeonhan is a shortened version of the Korean word 'safe'. Now pay attention to these dolls in the flashback. 

Again, Mieun exhibits solely focusing on one thing: the red ribbon. It's like she obsesses over one certain thing until she gets it (i.e. going outside). The whole entire time, she is clutching her dolls. And then, in the end, Jeonhan falls into the river, washed away. It symbolizes her innocence and 'safety' disappearing.

Curiosity is also an important motif in this story. All the consequences that happen in this story are caused by Mieun's decisions, which are fueled by her curiosity. And as I said, it was that same curiosity that would eventually cost her, her soul. 

As she kisses Daehyun, Mieun 'loses' her identity. Is she Mieun? Or is she Eunmi? I'll answer that question later. 

Here, you are introduced to the crazy, many sides of Daehyun. The strange thing is that she loves him when she's with him, but the moment he leaves, her senses clear up, and she is able to think. Yes, Daehyun is mad, Mieun. 

 

canto iv

We meet Hyun, Mieun's childhood friend. It's when she's living in the woods. Hyun can also be seen two different ways. He can be seen as a ghost, someone who never really existed. Just a figment of her imagination. Or, (the more reasonable explanation) we can view Hyun as Xi Luhan's alter ego. He is like the complete opposite of Xi Luhan, the erratic, insane side of Daehyun. Hyun is constant, waiting for her on the same day a year later. Hyun is like the innocent side of Daehyun. He's not Jung Daehyun. Don't confuse Hyun with Jung Daehyun. 

The blood on the wall is to show how blind Mieun is to everything around her. She can't see the truth. Or rather, if she can, she refuses to believe it because she cannot bear the hard truth. She is in a sort of dream state, not exactly sure what she is doing or where she is. Mieun is blind to Daehyun's true nature. In fact, she even sees him as her 'savior' in a sort of twisted way. The kiss is just another example of that. A kiss is supposed to be loving, but Daehyun's is not. It's harsh, cruel, erratic, dangerous. 

The pictures....I had a reason for them, but now I can't remember. It's okay, they weren't that important anyways. 

Again, Mieun is back to her senses and feels cold and alone. 

The wind also symbolizes temptation, calling to Mieun, tempting her. 

Daehyun telling her to not look under the bed. He had just come from reading the diary as you can probably guess. When he read it, he realized what he's done. He tells her not to look under the bed because he's afraid that she'll leave him or perhaps he thinks that she is just a figment of his imagination and the minute she reads it, she'll disappear. 

Yes, Eunmi might've been pregnant. I don't know why I put that in there. But doesn't it make it more gruesome? Killing his only love and his child inside her womb. 

And stupid Mieun with her curiosity.

 

canto v

Curiosity can lead to some crazy things that are best left hidden as Mieun soon finds out. Basically, it's Daehyun's diary. It tells of his "projects" and how he started to not want to kill anymore because of her. How he started to grow weary of killing. He just wanted to be with her in paradise. He has a fascination with paradise, simply, because it was something he had never seen before. He wonders the same as Mieun in the first chapter. Would he even end up in paradise? 

It tells of how Eunmi found out and tried to leave him.

Then, Mieun turns to the next page, and she sees something. Something that you do not know yet. All will be revealed in the 'sequel'. ;)

 

canto vi

NOW, Mieun starts to regret everything. And just as she was always been, she is not strong enough to handle the painful truth. She wishes she could just close her eyes and forget. But alas, she cannot. Finally, Mieun's eyes are open.

And the ghosts are awake.

This basically means that Mieun has awoken to the truth. Just another way to emphasize things. Like all the souls of the dead are now coming to haunt her once she has found out the truth.

"For the last time, Mieun ran outside." Hmm..

As she runs, she sees a younger version of herself. She's been here before. When? 

When she met Xi Luhan. 

This is the part of the story where the reader realizes that Xi Luhan and Daehyun can be thought of as one and the same. Did you guys get it?

He says that lovers are similar. If he's a killer, what does that make her? Then we see Daehyun's pain. He can actually feel. Oh dear, is Hyun starting to emerge now? 

Either way, he really does love her. But who is her? 

And what? He killed for her? 

When Mieun goes crazy, I wrote that part to show how sometimes, humans can be like animals. Without our rationality and thinking, what are we? She sees herself killing Daehyun. But then she sees him watching her and she sees him dead on the ground. What?

 

canto vii

It turns out that she was just hallucinating. And then she starts crying. Her words and tears finally shake Daehyun. You can see when she starts crying as a child, he slaps her and tells her to shut up. He does the same here.

It's almost like he is afraid of tears. 

Now, it is Daehyun who becomes the animal. Fear can make people turn into animals. It can make you lose all reason, all rationality. And this is what happens to Daehyun. He feels something and suddenly kisses her. And the moment his lips left hers, he fell back, clutching his chest. Wait, what?

We meet Jung Daehyun. Jung Daehyun was a weakling. And oh, how cold he was. He was so cold. Honestly, I'm not sure if the whole disease thing and the heart thing is real, but I didn't have time to properly research it. I don't think it exists, but let's pretend. It's a story. Plus, this takes time in the oldern days, so it would be understandable if scientists discovered something they thought worked but didn't in the end. 

His parents attempt to murder him, and Jung Daehyun really does die that day. Junng Daehyun is the original. The very original. But after he dies, Daehyun is born. Just Daehyun. 

A girl saves him in the woods. Now, Daehyun is an insane person. Perhaps this is why he loves Eunmi and Mieun so much. A girl in the woods. How many girls lived in those woods back then? Not many. Are they all the same, or are they all different? It's all up to you who you want to interpret the girl as. Perhaps she is an angel from paradise?

Now we find out that Daehyun didn't want to kill, but when he meets Eunmi, he wants to kill. What? You might say. Didn't you just say that Daehyun wrote in his diary that he didn't want to kill anymore? He doesn't, but when he's around Eunmi, he becomes so intoxicated, he has to kill. He doesn't want to leave her, because he knows that if he stops killing, he'll die, leaving her all alone. It'll be explained further later in the 'sequel'. Love can do crazy things to people. In the end, he grows weary, feeling that the end is near ("the clock is ticking"). Now, all he wants is to be with her in paradise. And he can't do that if he kills, right? He's torn in two, not knowing what to do. 

In the end Eunmi finds out, so he is so frightened that she will leave him, and he will have killed for nothing. He is afraid everything will go to waste. He can't live without her either, or so he believes. But he becomes so crazy, he kills her. 

As he lays, dying on the grass, Mieun is struggling. She wants to think she is still innocent, but she left that behind a long time ago. 

In the end, as he is dying, Hyun emerges. Even in death, life is just a delusion. He wants to hear that she loves him.

In the ending, I purposely aimed for a bittersweet ending. Some of you may have been disappointed with the suspense building up, but I did this for a reason. One, to lead into the sequel. Second, I used his death to show that Hyun is still alive, somewhere down, down there. I used his death to contrast even more with his personality when he was still living. 

What promise did he make? 

And finally, as he dies, he is supposed to feel cold, right? But no, he feels warm. Why is that? 

But Mieun is still so, so cold. 

 

In the Inferno, hell is cold. Now look back at all the times the characters were cold. Hm, you see where I'm going there? 

Daehyun is finally warm. He's no longer cold. I wonder where he ended up? Y'all might disagree with me, but there is a reason for everything, isn't there? 

If you know the Inferno, there are nine circles of Hell. I included 7 here. 

Lust, Greed, Anger, Heresy (when Mieun disobeys her parents, thus committing 'heresy'), Violence, Fraud (In a way, Daehyun and Mieun reflect this. Daehyun with his split personalities. So many different faces. Like a fake. Mieun, still pretending that she is innocent. It's a twisted, stretched truth, but it's there), Treachery (Daehyun's parents, Xi Luhan, etc.). Can you see any others? I'll leave this much up to you to think. Y'all need to think about something, haha. 

Mieun and Eunmi? Are they one and the same? Or are they different? I like to see them as one. Mieun has her alter egos, too. Mieun doesn't love him. The Eunmi part of her does though. Or Eunmi can simply be Daehyun's dead wife who was killed after she tried to run away, and Mieun can simply be someone with a similar name, in the woods, and who Daehyun is disillusioned to believe is Eunmi. Her feelings for Daehyun are confusing. That's how they're meant to be. There's nothing set in stone. Who knows? It's up to you to guess. 

 

Here is my own interpretation of The Inferno's Kiss. I left some things up to you to sort out.