History Webcomic / DivineBells

[[caption-width-right:278: Do red camellias [[{{JustForPun}} ring any bells?]]]]

''Divine Bells'', also known as ''Godly Bells'' and ''Sinryeong'' (Korean ''신령''), is a [[{{KoreanWebtoons}} Korean webcomic]] by Lee Hye. It is a {{Fantasy}} {{Drama}} with a major [[{{TheQuest}} Quest]] set in a [[{{MagicAndPowers}} magical land]] divided into six countries. The titular [[{{AnimateInanimateObject}} bells]] choose their own masters and they determine the status, prestige, and influence of the countries their masters rule, however, the matter is rather more complicated. The presence or lack of these Bells also has great influence on the political status of each country. In particular, the political future of Myung-Joo's King, Hong-Ryung seems to be doomed without a Bell, but at equally great peril should he obtain one.

* DeceasedParentsAreTheBest: Hong-Ryung has this, since both of his parents were GoodParents. His half-brother, Mu-Hyang, likewise has this, although [[spoiler:Do-Ahn [[HappilyAdopted acknowledged him as his son]] (rather than begot him)]], since Chui-Bi is alive and [[spoiler:constantly trying to kill the younger brother Mu-Hyang is so close to]] (in other words his living parent is terrible in contrast to the dead one). Mu-Hyang's relationship with Hong-Ryung's mother, [[spoiler:Ga-Bi]], isn't directly touched upon, but is implied to have been quite good, making his step-mother ''also'' count.

** Yun and Guk-Yool's relationship ''[[UpToEleven consists]]'' of this.

* SelfFulfillingProphecy: Men with Divine Powers are treated as bad omens that will bring certain ruin to the world, purportedly because they have a lust for power which drives them insane and to kill anyone who is an obstacle to achieving said power. [[spoiler:Baek-Yeom states that merely due to having Divine Power he was constantly shunned, suspected of all sorts of evil, and considered destined to become a murdering maniac; so he decided he might as well live up to their expectations and take them UpToEleven]]. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] when Hong-Ryung points out to him that his actions only strengthened that superstition.

* {{Bishounen}} / {{Biseinen}}: All of the male main characters.

* {{Determinator}}: Baek-Yeom is this, starting with the fact that he [[spoiler:reincarnated himself after his plans were thwarted the first time (ironic, since his goal is to ''die'')]], and again when he is fighting [[spoiler:Hong-Ryung]], after losing an arm, he declares that he will continue fighting, even should he lose all of his limbs.

* GuileHero: Hong-Ryung has elements of this; aside from making him a HiddenBadass, since childhood he has used his wits to make all of Chui-Bi's [[AssassinationAttempt attempts to off him]] ''useless'', which he continues to do. He also created the Covert Corps: a group of elite warriors focusing on gathering and manipulating intelligence, who are loyal to him alone... without the rest of the court having any idea that it exists. The icing on the cake is the various ways he deceives a ''[[TheChessmaster chess master]] BigBad'', often on the fly, and more than once.

* IWillFindYou: Almost everyone is looking for Ga-Bi. The exceptions?-- Those looking for [[spoiler:Hong-Ryung]], [[spoiler:Mu-Hyang]] who is guarding [[spoiler:what belongs to his brother]], and Yu-Ha, who is searching for [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon]]; ''oddly enough'', all three individuals mentioned specifically are [[spoiler:Ga-Bi's children either by blood, marriage, or adoption]].
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold/ KnightInSourArmor: Ji-Eun; Wi-Jin at is left [[spoiler:captive]] in chapter ninety-six wondering whether her personality is good or bad because of this.

* LoveConfession: [[spoiler:Yun gives a [[TearJerker tear jerking]] DyingDeclarationOfLove to Guk-Yool (remarking on the {{Irony}} of his planed actions) just before preforming a HeroicSacrifice]].

* MarryForLove: The previous king of Myung-Joo, Do-Ahn, was unwilling to marry [[spoiler:Ga-Bi]] if it were ''using'' her, however, when he thinks "What if I do this because I want to?" he gives her an [[WackyMarriageProposal unusually phrased proposal]]. Flashbacks to their married life show them HappilyMarried.

* Really700YearsOld/ OlderThanTheyLook: Humans with great amounts of Divine Power stop ageing as long as their power holds out. In chapter twenty-six, Gang-Hui mentions that [[spoiler:Ga-Bi is practically immortal]].

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Hong-Ryung gives quite a few of these when ever he is angry. The first of these is in chapter seventeen to Dong-Hyung, in reaction to Dong-Hyung's naïvety. He also gives a long rather scathing one in chapter one hundred to Hyun-Joo for the latter's refusal to acknowledge what's in front of him, stubborn pride, and confused priorities; that one is ultimately [[InspirationalInsult productive]]. In chapter one hundred twenty-seven, Hong-Ryung gives one to Baek-Yeom, addressing where he went wrong; unfortunately, Baek-Yeom's response to being called insane is "Of course."

* ShipTease: Guk-Yool and Yun have a cross between this and WillTheyOrWontThey. Ultimately, it's implied that [[spoiler:their feelings ''were'' mutual, but Yun's death]] put a wrench in things.

* AntiVillain: [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon]]'s goal itself is harmless, [[DirtyBusiness the means, not so much]]. She's actually [[spoiler:not fully an AntiVillain, because of her complex role as a [[TheMole mole]] and ReverseMole, however, her being a good character is only revealed in the last five chapters, during which she messed up her act of heroism by failing to kill Baek-Yeom]].

* TheMole/ ReverseMole: [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon in a really complicated and convoluted way. She ultimately turns out to be a mole acting as [[TheMole a mole]] for Baek-Yeom. In other words, she was "good" and decided to infiltrate the Baek-Yeaom's circle, and during that infiltration was asked to infiltrate Hong-Ryung's fellowship, whom she ultimately betrays for the sake of continuing her initial infiltration and achieve her goal]].

* IWillFindYou: Almost everyone is looking for Ga-Bi. The exceptions?-- Those looking for [[spoiler:Hong-Ryung]], [[spoiler:Mu-Hyang]] who is guarding [[spoiler:what belongs to his brother]], and Yu-Ha, who is searching for [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon]]; ''oddly enough'', all three individuals mentioned specifically are [[spoiler:Ga-Bi's children either by blood or adoption]].

* IWillFindYou: Almost everyone is looking for Ga-Bi. The exceptions?-- Those looking for [[spoiler:Hong-Ryung]], and Yu-Ha, who is searching for [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon]]; ''oddly enough'', all three individuals mentioned specifically are [[spoiler:Ga-Bi's children either by blood or adoption]].

* TheHeavy: [[spoiler:Ga-Bi]] in a rare heroic example, mostly as a result of NiceJobBreakingItHero, though not everything [[spoiler:she]] does ends so badly ([[spoiler: sealing herself underneath Myung-Joo's palace ended well, for one]]).

* HappilyAdopted: This is the case with [[spoiler:Mu-Hyang (by Do-Ahn, and probably Ga-Bi to some extent)]], and is implied to be case with [[spoiler:Ga-Bi (by Baek-Yeom's father)]]. [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon]] has this as well, the second time she is adopted, this time by Ga-Bi]]. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:Yu-Ha]] is adopted by [[spoiler:Hae-Woon]] and seems to be cheerful.

* GuileHero: Hong-Ryung has elements of this; aside from making him a HiddenBadass, he uses his wits to deceive a ''[[TheChessmaster chess master]] BigBad'' and to make all of Chui-Bi's [[AssassinationAttempt attempts to off him]] ''useless''. He also created the Covert Corps: a group of elite warriors focusing on gathering and manipulating intelligence, who are loyal to him alone... without the rest of the court having any idea that it exists.

* GuileHero: Hong-Ryung has elements of this; aside from making him a HiddenBadass, he uses his wits to deceive a [[TheChessmaster chess master]] BigBad and to make all of Chui-Bi's [[AssassinationAttempt attempts to off him]] useless, he also creates the Covert Corps.

* HappilyAdopted: This is the case with [[spoiler:Mu-Hyang (by Do-Ahn, and probably Ga-Bi to some extent), and is implied to be case with Ga-Bi (by Baek-Yeom's father). Ha-Hyeon has this as well, the second time she is adopted, this time by Ga-Bi]]. In the final chapter, Yu-Ha is adopted by Hae-Woon and seems to be cheerful.

* DeceasedParentsAreTheBest: Hong-Ryung has this, since both of his parents were GoodParents. His half-brother, Mu-Hyang, likewise has this, although [[spoiler:Do-Ahn [[HappilyAdopted acknowledged him as his son]] (rather than begot him)]], since Chui-Bi is alive and constantly trying to kill the younger brother [[spoiler:Mu-Hyang is so close to]] (in other words his living parent is terrible in contrast to the dead one). Mu-Hyang's relationship with Hong-Ryung's mother, [[spoiler:Ga-Bi]], isn't directly touched upon, but is implied to have been quite good, making his step-mother ''also'' count.

* {{Determinator}}: Baek-Yeom is this, starting with the fact that he [[spoiler:reincarnated himself after his plans were thwarted the first time (ironic, since his goal is to ''die''), and again when he is fighting Hong-Ryung, after losing an arm, he declares that he will continue fighting, even should he lose all of his limbs]].

* DiedInYourArmsTonight: This is invoked no fewer than three times. This is played straight when [[spoiler:Hoa-Back dies in No-Woo's arms after his HeroicSacrifice]] and when, after Baek-Yeom runs her through, [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon dies in Hong-Ryung's arms]]. This same trope is partially inverted when [[spoiler:Yun [[HeroicSacrifice dies protecting]] Guk-Yool; he protects Guk-Yool in his arms whilst expending his powers to a fatal degree]].

* FakingTheDead: Happens numerous times throughout the story. First, [[spoiler:Hong-Ryung and Gang-Hui fake their own deaths to allow themselves to escape being killed by Hyun-Joo and operate in secret]]. Later, [[spoiler:Gang-Hui and Mu-Hyang]] use this to fool the BigBad into exhausting his energy and have him let down his guard. Also, [[spoiler:Ga-Bi]] did this because she was afraid that [[spoiler:her being [[Really700YearsOld nearly immortal]] would cause Do-Ahn and Hong-Ryung problems]].

* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Subverted by Mu-Hyang: he's actually a FakeDefector]].

* BastardAngst: Averted with [[spoiler:Mu-Hyang]], who is deeply grateful to Do-Ahn and Hong-Ryung, instead. You could consider [[spoiler:his [[InsecureLoveInterest rejecting No-Woo's childhood proposal]]]] to be an example of this, however, it didn't last for some unexplained reason, possibly just growing up.

* AssassinationAttempt: In part due to the story revolving around monarchs and their family, there are many attempts to assassinate such people for various political ends. [[spoiler:This is also attempted by the king of Bu-Ho on Hoa-Back for the same reasons]].

* WackyMarriageProposal: Do-Ahn's [[spoiler:initial]] proposal to [[spoiler:Ga-Bi]] is phrased as a means of resolving an error he made. There's also [[spoiler:No-Woo and Mu-Hyang]] proposing to ''propose to each other'' by referencing the former's proposal to the latter when they were still children; [[spoiler:the way it's phrased, Mu-Hyang rejects No-Woo's renewal of her childhood proposal by informing her that this time he'll be the one to say it]].

* DeceasedParentsAreTheBest: Hong-Ryung has this, since both of his parents were GoodParents. His half-brother, Mu-Hyang, likewise has this, although [[spoiler:Do-Ahn [[HappilyAdopted acknowledged him as his son]] (rather than begot him)]], since Chui-Bi is alive and constantly trying to kill the younger brother [[spoiler:Mu-Hyang is so close to]] (in other words his living parent is terrible in contrast to the dead one). Mu-Hyang's relationship with Hong-Ryung's mother, [[spoiler:Ga-Bi]], isn't directly touched upon, but is implied to have been good, making his step-mother also count.

* HappilyAdopted: This is the case with [[spoiler:Mu-Hyang (by Do-Ahn, and possibly Ga-Bi to some extent), and is implied to be case with Ga-Bi (by Baek-Yeom's father). Ha-Hyeon has this as well, the second time she is adopted, this time by Ga-Bi]]. In the final chapter, Yu-Ha is adopted by Hae-Woon and seems to be cheerful.

* AntiVillain: [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon's]] goal itself is harmless, [[DirtyBusiness the means, not so much]]. She's actually [[spoiler:not fully an AntiVillain, because of her complex role as a [[TheMole mole]] and ReverseMole, however, her being a good character is only revealed in the last five chapters, during which she messed up her act of heroism by failing to kill Baek-Yeom]].

** One of Hong-Ryung's near [[HeroicSacrifice heroic sacrifices]] takes place when he's trying to convince [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon]] to help him take down Baek-Yeom, [[spoiler:[[PleaseKillMeIfItSatisfiesYou with the reward of killing him afterward]]]]... this was apparently [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon's]] BerserkButton, so the deal did not go through.

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: Yun nearly does this, but is stopped by a HeroicBSOD. [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon does this to complete her goal.]] This also how Hyun-Joo feels about his more morally grey actions.

** Not dissimilarly, when Mu-Hyang believes he is dying, [[spoiler:he thinks that No-Woo is only there in his head, so he ends up [[NotSoFinalConfession explaining himself]] and giving a slightly [[AnguishedDeclarationOfLove anguished]] DyingDeclarationOfLove. This is PlayedForLaughs once he realizes that No-Woo ''is'' real, but returns to being something of a TearJerker when he faints from blood-loss.]] Later, in chapter one hundred nine, [[spoiler:No-Woo has him give one in direct language, and Mu-Hyang [[InterruptedDeclarationOfLove complies... only to be interrupted]].]]
* LuminescentBlush: Do-Ahn has this when proposing to [[spoiler:Ga-Bi]], as well as when she suddenly hugs him. Mu-Hyang gets one when he realizes that [[spoiler:his DeathBedConfession to a blood-loss-induced hallucination of No-Woo was actually a NotSoFinalConfession to the actual person]]. After this, thanks to [[spoiler:Mu-Hyang having said everything but the words themselves]], No-Woo gets this when particularly embarrassed about her interactions with him.

* MysteriousParent: [[spoiler:Ga-Bi is this for ''both'' of her children and not entirely without cause, although it [[PoorCommunicationKills probably could have been resolved by properly communicating to her husband]].]]

* Really700YearsOld/ OlderThanTheyLook: Humans with great amounts of Divine Power stop ageing as long as their power holds out. In chapter twenty-six, Gang-Hui mentions that [[spoiler:Ga-Bi is practically immortal.]]

* RedEyesTakeWarning: Zigzagged because ''all'' of Dae-Hyun's imperial family have red eyes. [[spoiler:The BigBad, both before and after he reincarnates has this, and this trope may also be considered to be played straight when Baek-Yeom is in a fake body (invariably, in the form of one of his brothers). Hyun-Joo also is an example, prior to realizing that he is being manipulated and faces up to that.]] On the other hand, both Baek-Yeom's father and [[spoiler:Jin-Won]] were apparently good men, and Gang-Hui's eyes are likewise red, which ends up subverting the trope.

* SeeksAnothersResurrection: What turns out to be [[spoiler:So-Hee]]'s motive for following the BigBad, and is briefly the suspected motive for [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon's]] actions.
* SelfFulfillingProphecy: Men with Divine Powers are treated as bad omens that will bring certain ruin to the world, purportedly because they have a lust for power which drives them insane and to kill anyone who is an obstacle to achieving said power. [[spoiler:Baek-Yeom states that merely due to having Divine Power he was constantly shunned, suspected of all sorts of evil, and considered destined to become a murdering maniac; so he decided he might as well live up to their expectations and take them UpToEleven.]] Lampshaded when Hong-Ryung points out to him that his actions only strengthened that superstition.

* WackyMarriageProposal: Do-Ahn's proposal to [[spoiler:Ga-Bi]] is phrased as a means of resolving an error he made. There's also [[spoiler:No-Woo and Mu-Hyang]] proposing to ''propose to each other'' by referencing the former's proposal to the latter when they were still children; [[spoiler:the way it's phrased, Mu-Hyang rejects No-Woo's renewal of her childhood proposal by informing her that this time he'll be the one to say it]].

** Mu-Hyang gives [[spoiler:one to his mother, Chui-Bi, primarily by informing her that not only is he aware of his illegitimacy, so is Hong-Ryung, and they fond out at the same time]].

* NoSenseOfDirection: Ga-Bi manages to get lost in her place of residence and [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} wonders whether her house disappeared]]. Dan has this as an InformedAttribute.

* BastardAngst: Averted with [[spoiler:Mu-Hyang, who is deeply grateful to Do-Ahn and Hong-Ryung, instead. You could consider his [[InsecureLoveInterest rejecting No-Woo's childhood proposal]] to be an example of this, however, it didn't last for some unexplained reason, possibly just growing up]].

* BerserkButton: It is a really bad idea to harm one of Hong-Ryung's subordinates or [[spoiler:his siblings]]. Gang-Hui also reacts like this to evidence of Baek-Yeom. [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon will show this in response someone to ''choosing'' death]].
* BewareTheQuietOnes: Hong-Ryung surprises quite a few people with his behaviour once angry -- namely, when his BerserkButton has been pressed or when giving a someone a [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech tongue-lashing]] -- although this is partially intentional on his part. [[spoiler:Apparently, he resembles his father in this regard]]. Ha-Hyeon also qualifies.

** For example: [[spoiler:The significance of the stone which breaks in chapter two is found out during chapter one hundred fourteen, when Yu-Ha speaks to Ha-Hyeon]].

* HeroicBSOD: Hong-Ryung gets this whenever he finds out that his survival has resulted the death of others.' Yun also experiences this when [[spoiler:Guk-Yool gets struck by an arrow]] right in front of him.

** One of Hong-Ryung's near [[HeroicSacrifice heroic sacrifices]] takes place when he's trying to convince [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon]] to help him take down Baek-Yeom, [[PleaseKillMeIfItSatisfiesYou with the reward of killing him afterward]]... this was apparently [[spoiler:Ha-Hyeon's]] BerserkButton, so the deal did not go through.