🦋🪐🌌☄️🌠🌻

women are constantly pressured to dissociate from the way our circumstances negatively impact us, and we are straight up not permitted more emotional expression in any meaningful way that is received well in patriarchal relations. in reality, we are marked as "more emotional" and therefore taken less seriously than men.

Men are only allowed to express emotions that fit the role of oppressor - lust, assertiveness, domination, anger, rage, violence.

These emotions are divided to sustain a hierarchy that places women below men. Anyone who violates this division - an angry woman, a nurturing man - is punished.

I think it really depends on a lot of factors!!

Admittedly we don't really have any confirmation as to which era the Saja Boys originate from except for Jinu, who if we set the movie in 2025, he was enslaved around 1625.

Thinking about the beauty standards of the time, there hasn't been much change with regards to money equating beauty. When the only way to have lighter skin is to be inside all the time, then it means you must have the money where you don't need to be outside doing the work. And trust me, people were doing the work. People in a village would gather together as a community and farm each other's fields during a good chunk of the day under the sun.

THAT SAID, beauty paled against someone's class, family background, connections, and wealth. Beauty was the very last resort form of achieving social mobility in a society where social mobility was practically impossible, if that makes sense. Even then, beauty could only get you somewhere you might not like.

However, when it comes only to beauty, a neat appearance and hygiene were even more important. Things like cutting your hair, getting piercings or tattoos (which were considered a blemish on the skin), having scars, or birthmarks (specially if they were prominent or highly visible) would make someone "less attractive."

It was important to be beautiful, but never seem to want to be beautiful or do anything to improve one's beauty beyond a little enhancement. (Or at least found out to be doing so.) Basically, if you could get away with it, you could.

Funnily enough, unlike in other parts of the world, the beauty standards for men and women weren't much different. A neat, "clean" appearance, lighter skin, and well-groomed appearance was most important.

There's a reason why Rumi is described as a very traditional type of beauty, with her oval face and straight eyebrows.

With all that in mind, and taking into account how much time has actually passed since the 1660s, the theory that they also come from the Joseon dynasty, and considering the current appearance of the Saja Boys, it's clear that a change in mindset has definitely occurred.

We also have to take into account that we don't know how much is actually in there of their souls/memories/personalities, etc. It seems that Jinu was singled out in the movie on purpose per the directors AMA when the movie first came out, so it's hard to say what's going on in their beautiful heads, you know? We don't know if it was their choice, or something Jinu recommended they wear, or made them wear, or something they chose themselves. The same about original hair colors, eye colors, actual appearance (the closest look is their demon forms, which doesn't say much about what they looked like before.)

We also don't know if they were all humans before being turned into jeoseung saja and if that is canon (i know it's a widespread theory and it does make sense but also like, the directors could choose that Seoul is made of bubblegum actually and we're all in the backrooms, and it wouldn't make any sense, but that would be the canon.)

With all that info, those caveats, and factors considered, and going with that theory then yes, I think in the beginning before they were ever involved with Gwima, they might definitely be if not self, then at least conscious about it. In their handsomeness, they might still be like "i'm good-looking for a PEASANT." I def think the social class, background, family connections, money, is a much bigger thing they might be self conscious about before their looks.

However, the patterns would have def made them feel worse about their appearance a lot quicker than their looks or skin color. Both because of shame, but also the "blemish" thing. By the time we get to 2025, they def don't give a crap about any of that.

1600s Jinu would be horrified at modern Jinu having short hair and piercied ears. 2025 demon Jinu wants to get a lobotomy so... you know... bigger problems.

it's a good thing to do

I want to do the thing

people will be mad if I don't do the thing

“Alright.”

“You sure? Cause if you're about to leave the room and come back in with a white nightie and drape yourself romantically across my fainting couch with your neck and half your bosom exposed, then I'm going to ask you to leave.”

“It's fine.”

"Really. Cause again, it just isn't a thing for me. This is the way in which I eat, it would be like if every time you had a sandwich the sandwich awkwardly tried to have sex with you. Which, again, no judgement on the sandwich! Full respect for the sandwich! But I. don’t. Want. To fuck. The sandwich.”

“… I solemnly swear that both slices of bread will stay on at all times, and I won't even try to show you my mayonnaise.”

“Phew. Okay. Can I ask why you're doing this then?”

“You live in a giant fuck off mansion with like a bajillion rooms and servants. During the cost of living crisis. Give me some rooms rent free and a stipend for food and entertainment and you can drain me fuckin' dry for all I care.”