You Know, I Kinda Think That Kim Dokja Had Actually Recognized Yoo Joonghyuk As The Punisher, If Not

You know, I kinda think that Kim Dokja had actually recognized Yoo Joonghyuk as the Punisher, if not at the beginning then at least later on, but he just… convinced himself that the two couldn’t possibly be the same. Because he considers the notion of Yoo Joonghyuk becoming a girl to be something that’s impossible. We see that early on when he met Kim Namwoon in the Underworld in chapter 113:

The Delusional Demon Kim Namwoon reflecting was as impossible as Yoo Joonghyuk becoming a girl.

Of course, Kim Namwoon was confirmed to be telling the truth about reflecting on himself right away (which was a really good foreshadowing for the Punisher, lol), but Kim Dokja still has a hard time believing it because it’s just something he considers to not be possible. And he puts Yoo Joonghyuk becoming a girl at the same level. That’s how impossible it is to him. Later on, he even says this in chapter 251:

A strange feeling entered my heart. Perhaps? I had a thought but it wasn't possible. It was impossible for such a thing to come true, no matter how I thought about it.

This is right after Aileen told him that the Punisher had disappeared at the same time Yoo Joonghyuk had departed with him. While he did momentarily consider the notion of the Punisher and Yoo Joonghyuk being the same being, he dismissed it as he was still convinced that it’s impossible. And this is at a point when not only has his favorite novel become reality, but he also knows that his male ex-boss had gotten pregnant and given birth. And even in the midst of all that, even with everything he’s seen possible under the Star Stream, the idea of Yoo Joonghyuk becoming a girl is still inconceivable to him.

Now that we have seen just how deeply convinced Kim Dokja is that Yoo Joonghyuk and the Punisher cannot be the same, let’s have a look at something else. Namely, Yoo Sangah’s POV in chapter 267:

A dazzling aura burst from Yoo Joonghyuk's body. Soft hair poured down like a waterfall while his large size became a smaller and sleeker body. He took the form that allowed him to practice the ultimate Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship. Yoo Sangah stared at the scene from behind and couldn't help opening her mouth. “…Yoo Joonghyuk-ssi?”

Yoo Joonghyuk slowly turned back, his long hair cut off by the Black Heavenly Demon Sword. The lines of the face had changed but it was clearly Yoo Joonghyuk. No, it was even more than before. Yoo Joonghyuk's gaze stayed on Kim Dokja's face for a moment.

Yoo Joonghyuk transformed into his female form during the 73rd Demon Realm’s demon king selection and Yoo Sangah witnessed the scene. The lines of the face had changed but it was clearly Yoo Joonghyuk—even in his female form, he is recognisably still Yoo Joonghyuk. Sure, early on the people at the now Yoo Joonghyuk - Kim Dokja industrial complex didn’t clock the Punisher as female Yoo Joonghyuk either, but they also weren’t too familiar with his looks at that point. That’s not the case with Yoo Sangah, and definitely not the case with Kim Dokja. Another point to note is how it’s mentioned that Yoo Joonghyuk has a smaller body in this form—a different skeletal structure, so to speak.

Now finally, there’s this bit in chapter 269 when Kim Dokja carries the dying Yoo Joonghyuk away from Surya and the other constellations:

Yoo Joonghyuk was barely breathing. The weight of his body was lighter than usual. He had suffered such severe pain that even the skeleton of his body seemed changed.

The bit I want to focus on here is “even the skeleton of his body seemed changed”. As mentioned, Yoo Joonghyuk has a smaller skeleton in his female form. So he’s a girl at this point. The main difference in his appearance at this point compared to the Punisher who Kim Dokja saw previously is that Yoo Joonghyuk cut his hair. And Kim Dokja recognised him. Even if he hadn’t actually subconsciously figured out who the mysterious Punisher was prior to this, he was definitely able to recognise Yoo Joonghyuk in his female form at this moment.

So the main conclusions here are that Yoo Joonghyuk is very much recognizable in his female form and that Kim Dokja is capable of recognizing him simply with a haircut. So I personally believe that Kim Dokja was fully capable of knowing that Yoo Joonghyuk = the Punisher, but he was just so adamant about Yoo Joonghyuk turning into a girl to be something completely impossible that he made himself believe that the two were different people.