Crimson Moon

*This article is about the character. For the song of the same name, see Crimson Moon (Song). For other uses, see Crimson Moon (Disambiguation).*

## Crimson Moon(홍월 / 紅月)

### Professions

Rebel
Vigilante

### Status

Identity discarded

The **Crimson Moon** was an infamous vigilante rebel against the government of King Jin Won and the leader of the rebel army Deung Ha Bul Myung. His distinct trait was a red mask, and he only acted at night. His true identity was Yi Hwi.

## Appearance

The Crimson Moon wore a dark brown jeogori with white linings and dark brown baji all tucked into black forearm guards with light brown linings. He topped them off with a dark brown joki with light brown linings held together by a matching-coloured belt. He also sported white beoseon and jipsin sandals. Befitting his persona, the Crimson Moon wore a red full-face mask with eye slits whenever he appeared. Other members of the rebel army also wore similar-looking masks as a symbol of their affiliation. As his choice of weapon, the Crimson Moon typically carried a sword with him.

## Personality

Hwi primarily fabricated this identity with a vision to retrieve the throne from his half-brother Jin Won, albeit mainly on the latter's mother Yoon Yeon Lee and her accomplice Yoo Ja Gyeom among others who orchestrated the Jeogwa Revolution, a coup d'état that deposed Hwi and the erstwhile crown prince, Yi Jeok. In general, the Crimson Moon did not hesitate to provide his help to others in need whether it was for the general public or for his dearest peers, a carryover of Hwi's personality.

Along the way, the Crimson Moon led the rebel army and appeared in villages where the administration is rotten with corruption, punishing corrupt officials and alleviating the burdens of the people by giving them resources whenever the group had access to them. As a result, even the large reward for his capture was not enough to sway the people and was the reason why no trace of him can be found.

## Plot

### Compact Heist Arc

One midnight, he and other members of the rebel army including Jeok, Gil Mu Jin, and Baek Ho infiltrate the chief state councilor's residence in order to retrieve the compact. He and Jeok are tasked to retrieve the compact, while the other two are assigned to find the missing inspector general. As the chief state councilor goes out of his room, the Crimson Moon steals the compact. As the former goes back to his room, he realizes that the compact has been stolen. The chief state councilor reveals to Heuk Rang that what they have taken is a fake. However, in truth, the Crimson Moon has taken the real compact, shocking the chief state councilor and immediately orders the captain to make haste in capturing the perpetrators.

While escaping, he and Jeok are tailed by Bi Yeong Pal Mu, including Baek Ju and Baek Ah. He suddenly gets caught by Baek Ju's lasso and gives Jeok the compact, forcing him to escape by himself. The Crimson Moon briefly battles Baek Ju and manages to escape with the help of a smoke bomb. However, Heuk Rang throws a poisoned dagger at him and wounds him, seeking refuge at a nearby location.

His mask is also removed in the battle, though his identity remains unseen by the pursuing soldiers. Though he is discovered by Yoo Dan Ah, she opts to let him flee in exchange for cushioning her fall earlier. Jeok arrives and knocks her unconscious, fetching him to leave the residence.

### Chase Arc

One rainy midnight, Nabi changes into the Crimson Moon and rushes to see Dan Ah, who failed to be met by Yi Won. He arrives in the middle of an assassination attempt on Dan Ah, and, as an assassin is about to kill her, the Crimson Moon saves Dan Ah and receives a slash on his back. He tells her to run away and takes care of the assassins from Nam Hyeon. On their escape, Won gives Dan Ah his shoes and continue to walk, while an unmasked Crimson Moon watches from afar, holding Dan Ah's shoes.

### Rebel Army Suppression: Execution

The Crimson Moon and his cohorts infiltrate the palace to search for medicine to give the plague patients. As they arrive, he notices and remarks how quite unguarded the palace is. As they enter the room supposedly where the medicine is located, they surprisingly find it empty. Just then, Jeok points out to him that Bi Hwa Rim seems to be under attack, much to his shock.

### Minister Retrieval Mission

After the ex-minister Seon Woo is captured, he is moved to another location. During a midnight mission, the Crimson Moon and Baek Ho search for him throughout the palace, but to no avail. Baek Ho remarks how they had hidden him without a trace, which gives the Crimson Moon an idea that he may be hidden in the heart of the palace where he could be guarded with utmost safety and secrecy.

He heads to the king's chambers with relative ease and finally locates Seon Woo. However, King Jin Won himself and Bi Yeong Pal Mu guards corner the masked rebel. Baek Ho and Mu Jin later arrive as backup and thwart the handful of soldiers. As Heuk Rang is ordered to take them on, Mu Jin releases a smoke bomb, allowing them to escape in a secret underground passage.

Mu Jin explains the origins of the secret tunnel, but he also informs them of two problems in their escape route: one, Heuk Rang knows of the secret tunnel, and second, the passage has no exit due to its incomplete construction. While waiting for Mu Jin to access the water canal to flood the tunnel, the Crimson Moon deflects the arrows being fired at them by Heuk Rang and his men, acquiring several injuries in the process. At that point, Mu Jin punctures through the wall that forces water from the canal above to flood the tunnel. They swim through the canal and escape the tunnel.

However, they are immediately found by the guards after turning the lights on. The Crimson Moon, Mu Jin, and Baek Ho each carry a dummy of Seon Woo to confuse the rebels. He reiterates their escape plan to lose the soldiers and meet at the North Gate strictly by five o'clock in the morning. As he wishes them all for their successful escape, the three split up. The Crimson Moon is chased by Baek Ah and his men, who fire arrows towards him. He covers himself with the load he carries, who turns out to be a dummy of Seon Woo, and disappears from the soldiers' sight. As the guard orders his men to search for him, the Crimson Moon appears to have climbed a tree above them.

With the Crimson Moon unable to head to their escape route, he decides to return to Nabi's quarters and changes into her chima jeogori. Soon after, he passes out completely due to his injuries. Unbeknownst to him, Dan Ah heads to Nabi's quarters and finds the unconscious Nabi. After Dan Ah soon finds out about Nabi's real identity as Hong, she later grasps a mask nearby in the room, which turns out to be the Crimson Moon mask. Despite being frightened of the wanted vigilante, Dan Ah recalls the time when he rescued her from assassins, convincing herself to nonetheless help the injured man. In the morning, Hwi awakens with Dan Ah by his side, who asks him who he is.

### Persecution Arc

Following Dan Ah's indictment, Nabi dons the persona of Crimson Moon to intercept a band of palace guards from killing Hwang Se Ryeon's maid. As he kills the guards, he escapes with the maid and heads to Hyun Bin's quarters carrying the maid with her.

### Crimson Moon Rebellion

*Main article: Crimson Moon Rebellion*

With the successful infiltration of the rebel army in the palace for their revolt, Hwi dons the persona of the Crimson Moon to set out and kill King Jin Won. At some point, the Crimson Moon is approached by one of his men, who informs him that the king seems to be on his own, with his servants also looking for him. Just then, the man is shot with an arrow, and the Crimson Moon is also hit on his left side with an arrow by Jin Won himself. As the king welcomes his half-brother after ten years, the two engage in a battle. Despite Won's drunkenness and clumsiness with handling a sword, which he admits later, the Crimson Moon has had a hard time fending off the king. Eventually, the Crimson Moon pins down the king, albeit at the cost of the king managing to remove his mask, revealing the masked vigilante to be his friend, Hong.

## Trivia

* His name in Korean is romanized as *hong wol*, which Hwi also used as a pseudonym when he sells paintings in the markets. More often, Hong Wol is shortened as Hong.
	+ In Chinese characters, "crimson moon" can be loosely translated to "赤年" (*chì nián*), which can be relatively pronounced as "Jin Yeon", the posthumous name assumed by Hwi (actually Jeok).

## References

1. ↑ *Twelve Nights* webtoon, chapter 7
2. ↑ *Twelve Nights* webtoon, chapter 10
3. ↑ *Twelve Nights* webtoon, chapter 22
4. ↑ *Twelve Nights* webtoon, chapter 43
5. ↑ *Twelve Nights* webtoon, chapter 55
6. ↑ *Twelve Nights* webtoon, chapter 56
7. ↑ *Twelve Nights* webtoon, chapter 56
8. ↑ *Twelve Nights* webtoon, chapter 57
9. ↑ *Twelve Nights* webtoon, chapter 67
10. ↑ *Twelve Nights* webtoon, chapter 82