#kdrama thoughts

[kdramaxoxo]

Can we just take a moment to talk about the 'Doctor Slump' confessions?? Look at our two leads being open and honest about their feelings! Look at them having dialogue with one another about what could happen between them. LOOK AT THEM SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER AND TAKING THEIR MEDS TOGETHER AND

#doctor slump #kdrama #im living #kdrama thoughts

[k-odyssey]

Some 'Doctor Slump' thoughts (ep8)

I found the backstory to Ha Neul's chronic inability to put herself first illuminating. There is a part of her that deeply believes that she's not allowed happiness. That if she gets carried away, she'll be punished for it.

Another side to this is that she grew up needing academic validation on an extreme level. Reassurance that she's doing well, like grades... or a trusted senior's compliments. She was vulnerable.

Kyung Min looks like he has a pattern of finding vulnerable people and using them for his personal gain. Not sure yet what his deal with Jeong Woo is — just having fun manipulating, revenge, or something more tangible — but there is something going on. He was panicking that his two marks were getting close, so he snapped. Hit JW where he knew it would hurt with "you don't deserve happiness."

The way Ha Neul threw beer at him was perfect. She walked in there with a look of quiet confidence and got the satisfaction of embarrassing him publicly. He does look like he cares about people's opinions a lot.

But he deserves to pay for his dishonesty in full. Eagerly waiting for his misdeeds to be exposed.

I actually love how straightforward HN and JW can be (helped by her family). No need to question whether the other has feelings for too long. Whether they're a couple. There are no mind games. JW reassures her in a heartbeat.

They still don't tell each other everything. And that makes a lot of sense. They each come to this relationship with their own emotional baggage. They would tiptoe around each other, trying not to hurt or trying to protect themselves.

I really get how humiliated Ha Neul feels when she hears that he gave up a job offer for her sake. But part of me feels like he might've used this as an excuse because he dreads returning to work. He sincerely wants to be by her side, but clearly he's not over his PTSD. I didn't like how he worded his reason. If I were Hong Ran I wouldn't have told it to Ha Neul either.

Anyway, Ha Neul really needs someone to teach her how to have fun outside of dissertations and alcohol!!! Can't believe her idea of a date. Or actually I can, and it's sad. Having niche interests is perfectly fine. But girl, you can't seriously be asking your boyfriend to do homework on your first date 😂

#doctor slump #dr slump #kdrama thoughts #gifs

[kpopscatterbrain]

Kdramas i've watched this year

Some of these are older dramas but i'm a procrastinator

Black Knight (2023): Loved this one! I have watched it probably 5 times now. Kim Woobin kicking ass is all i need!

Under the Queen's Umbrella (2022): I didn't watch this when it aired (no idea why). I was worried that the plot would be overrun by romance but thankfully i was wrong. Loved Kim Hye-Soo's performance (i cried a little).

Island seasons 1 & 2 (2022-2023): Honestly i only started this one for Kim Nam-Gil. I loved the cast, but the flow of the plot was a little off (don't know how, i can't put a finger on it). Was positively suprised by Cha Eun-Woo's acting, i think he needs more roles like this! Hot villain alert no.1! Sung Joon as a bad guy is either a blessing or a curse. Cgi could have been better.

Taxi Driver season 2 (2023): Loved the first season so of course i had to watch the second one. Love Lee Je-Hoon. Love the main characters. Love the plot and the message of this drama. A masterpiece. Waiting for season 3.

Weak Hero Class 1 (2022): Only heard of this drama wayyy after it aired (thanks tiktok) and god does it deserve every award there is! I was a bit hesitant because Park Ji-Hoon was the main lead, but boy was i wrong because his talent got me speechless (weren't we all). I cried, i cheered, i shadowboxed, i cried a little more and in the end i called my therapist. Thankfully season 2 is coming.

Bloodhounds (2023): Woo Do-whan and Lee Sang-Yi in the same drama beating people up? Yes please! The plot wasn't mindblowing, but sometimes just simple ass kicking is enough. Bromance was bromancing. Park Sung-Woong with another great villain character.

Revenant (2023): After dropping Mr.Sunshine i wanted to see Kim Tae-ri in other dramas, so when this aired i gave it a go. Her range is phenomenal! I have only seen couple spookier dramas, so i made a mistake and watched this at night (slept with the lights on). The eerie vibes and plot twists were well made. Hong Kyung had great chemistry with Kim Tae-ri and his cop role was refreshing to see after his performance in Weak Hero Class (if you know you know).

Flower of Evil (2020): Okay, this is one of the dramas i procrastinated hard on. It's been sitting on my "have to watch" list since it aired and i'm the only one to blame (i hype up a drama in my mind, then don't want to watch it because now i'm afraid it doesn't go the way i think it does and then i get disappointed blaablaablaa). This year i finally got over myself and why. didn't. i. watch. it. sooner!!!! It is all i ever wanted in a kdrama. 1. serial killers 2. a psychopath (but is he really?) w/ an effed up childhood 3. mindgames 4. marriage problems (but has a lot of soft & cute scenes) 5. Lee Joon-Gi. Also as a plus (hot villain alert no.2) the bad guy is kindaa (i'm sane i swear). I would be lying if i didn't say that i found the wife slightly annoying (might be me, but she went too much back & forth and sometimes i had to take a breather while watching), but all in all this drama will be hard to top and i fell in love with Lee Joon-Gi.

Moving (2023): Honestly one of the best dramas of the year. I don't usually really go for plots that have a lot of romance in them (if you haven't noticed), but i found this one to be really well balanced and the romance scenes weren't "cringy". Although Bong-Seok and Hui-Soo were great and had great chemistry, i looooved the background stories of the parents. Park Hee-Soon also pops up as kind of a non-villain villain. I hope there is a season 2.

Song of the Bandits (2023): Kim Nam-Gil again. 1920s Korea and gunslingers... what more could i need? After Mr. Sunshine left me with a disappointment (this might be an unpopular opinion) i craved for a drama set around the same time period, but with a little less romance (i know, i am defective). I think dramas should explore this time period more, but i understand it might still be a touchy subject. The skills of the cast were obviously great, Kim Nam-Gil killed his role like always, but Lee Ho-Jung as Eon-Nyeon shined with her performance (i am now a new fan). Hot villain alert no.3! I have seen Lee Hyun-Wook in Remarriage & Desires and seeing him as a villain made me feel things. If there isn't a second season i will cry.

The Killing Vote (2023): A "serial killer" in a dog mask making the public vote on punishing criminals and everyone suspects each other? Cyber crime? Chemistry between two cops? Major hot villain (no.4)? Sign me up. I love when crime dramas make you question your people reading skills (i have the tism so i really got none) and have all kinds of theories flying around. I liked that even Kim Mu-Chan and Joo Hyun had obvious chemistry between them it didn't overshadow the main point of the plot. I liked Seo Young-Joo's delivery and i hope he gets more bigger roles. Kim Kwon.... why does the psychopath have to be hot? He also needs more bigger roles. !spoiler! Also Park Sung-Woong killing (heh) yet another morally grey character.

The Worst of Evil (2023): Okay, first of all i have to say... the wife ruined everything (some agree and some don't). We get another bromance duo of the year with Wi Ha-Joon and Ji Chang-Wook. Loved the crime organization infiltration plot, heavily despised the romance plot (sorry Bibi baby). I was constantly on the edge of my seat and the characters started to get so morally grey that in the end everyone needs group therapy. Action scenes were chefs kiss. A honorable mention goes for Lee Shin-Ki as Seo Jong-Ryul (or Chief Seo, knife guy, the man has many names) and Bibi for her performance as Lee Hae-Ryeon.

Evilive (2023): Heavily underrated. Kim Young-Kwang doing what he does best, playing a psychopath. This combined with a bromance plot with the one and only bromance master Shin Ha-Kyun? I'm sold. The dramas literal title "villain story" really sums up the plot. Sometimes you are not sure who to cheer for. Sometimes you are not really sure about your own sanity. But to be fair, so aren't the main characters.

Vigilante (2023): Love it. Currently re-watching it. Needs more attention. Needs more episodes. I'm in love with Nam Joo-Hyuk. The best crime drama of the year, the title is all i needed to hear. Beating up criminals in well made action scenes is my favorite genre. No romance. One sided bromance? Morally grey characters (am i repeating myself now?). Yoon Ji-Tae as a beefy cop and Lee Joon-Hyuk as a slightly insane admirer? If we don't get a season 2 i will start a riot.

#kdrama thoughts #kdrama review #kdrama recommendations #black knight #under the queen's umbrella #island #taxi driver #weak hero class 1 #revenant #bloodhounds #flower of evil #moving kdrama #song of the bandits #the killing vote #the worst of evil #evilive #vigilante #vigilante kdrama #kim woobin #kim taeri #kim nam gil #cha eunwoo #nam joo hyuk #kim young kwang #wi ha joon #ji chang wook #park sung woong #go yoon jung #woo do hwan #lee je hoon

[blueparadis]

Ah! Him.

#he is so ran coded y'all. 😭😭😭😭 #the glory #ha do yeong #jung sung il #kdrama #kdrama thoughts #might as well watch ‘the glory’ again just to see him #he feeds my ran rot !! #ran haitani #Go watch glory if he reminds you of ran haitani. #tokyo revengers

[honeymoooo]

****SPOILERS FOR MOVING, BE WARNED****

okay i'm only on episode 9 of Moving and i'm about to go FERAL because i'm realizing the reason Doosik is absolutely stunned by and drawn to Mihyun is because she's the only one in ANSP that feels like an actual human being.

like imagine doing missions as a black ops agent your whole adult life, making yourself a robot and a tool for anyone's use, slicing off a piece of your humanity every time you cloak yourself in shadows and potentially end people's lives. you follow your orders, and you don't question them. personal agency is for a person in another life. and you know something is wrong, that it's not supposed to be like THIS. but everyone around you just keeps following orders. and you wonder if you're crazy. you wonder if anyone actually knows how insane all this is.

and then she's there. a girl in undercover hanbok, top of her class, "failing" a mission because she actually shows compassion on hurt and afraid people. suddenly you're not alone, and that part of you, your humanity, that you've been suppressing, is screaming to life. someone who isn't a lifeless killing machine. someone who sees hurt and questions it. someone you can be a Person with, because they have been there, too. Doosik sees this spark that fateful night, and he falls. he falls because Mihyun is unquestionably beautiful in her humanity, and Doosik has been wondering if he has it at all. and with her, he has permission to be a human being again.

#moving #kim doosik #lee mihyun #jo in sung #han hyo joo #kdrama #kdramanetwork #kdramadaily #kdramadisneyplus #kdrama romance #kdrama thoughts

[ariays]

I just want to bring up something which I think was brilliantly written and directed in The Matchmakers. It has something to do with Jung Woo and the Princess.

I remembered that when it was first revealed that Jung Woo has actual feelings for the Princess, people were confused. Some were speculating if he's just faking it to empathize with Soon Deok's dilemma and make her feel better and some were questioning if it was a last minute added story line.

I completely disagree and don't think that it was a randomly added storyline. Seeing as how the show has consistently potrayed Jung Woo to be a man who is enveloped with unfortunate rumors and secrecy, I think that THAT is the whole point of episode 1 and what the show wants US to believe as well when we were first introduced to him.

What we see in episode 1 is basically the rumours about him being played out for us. While what happened were mostly true, a fraction of it were also based off rumors. The point is that he is an isolated figure and people outside of his close circle would only know him through the rumours they've heard about him. Which was why it was directed in a way that us, viewers, would also only know him through those rumours. What we were given were only quick snippets of the events that happened with Jung Woo which doesn't show the full story. What solidifies the director's intention for me was that after we were shown the sequence of time passing while Jung Woo was left to live in isolation after the princess' death, the scene cuts to a group of men outside the gates of Gyeongwoonjae (Jung Woo's house) openly gossiping about him.

Now, what was the purpose of this scene if not to show that the scenes that were played out before this were based on the unreliable gossip made by outsiders? I think this scene perfectly illustrates that idea and most viewers might have overlooked this, including myself haha. It only clicked for me when I decided to rewatch episode 1. & now I'm smacking myself on the forehead for not realising lol.

The Jung Woo we were introduced to in episode 1 is basically the Jung Woo from the rumors and it was directed with those intentions.

& as the episodes go by, we, the viewers, who has only known him based on the rumors and snippets shown in episode 1 and made to believe that the rumours were true, begin to learn more and more about the real him alongside Soon Deok. The director and writer wants the viewers to be a part of the story and journey as well. I guess we can say that we are those people who believed in the rumours about Jung Woo too easily LOL.

I just find this so clever! 'Rumours', in itself, plays a huge part in the story & it also goes along with the running theme within the drama about novels being based on true stories but they can also be turned into rumours because they are not written to tell the exact full story. The show also consistently incorporates the idea of misunderstandings to show that 'not everything is as it seems' and that things are not always what they appear to be on the surface. Like Soon Gu's misunderstanding in regard to Soon Deok's marriage. Jung Woo's misunderstanding of Soon Deok's identity. Lady Park's misunderstanding of what happened with her son. The misunderstanding of the Maeng sisters based off gossip. Soon Gu's initial misunderstanding of Hwarok. Everyone's misunderstanding of Jung Woo, as a whole.

Bravo to the writer and director of this show!

#The Matchmakers #korean drama #kdrama #Rowoon #Cho YiHyun #Shim Jungwoo #Jung Soondeok #kdrama thoughts #Kim Seokwoo #the matchmakers #korean #drama

[meenawrites]

Seo Yul Deep Dive - Part 1

Well, since my class ended early and I have 20 min to kill, why not.

SO Seo Yul.

First off, I think he's a fantastic second male lead, specifically because he's more complex than just being a secondary love interest to bring drama to the main couple. He's not at all, in fact he's the opposite of that.

Seo Yul is everything all the adults wanted Jang Uk to be in terms of obedience, principles, and morals. He is upright with a strict moral compass, obedient to his elders, and is prone to agonizing over what the right thing to do is, especially once Naksu enters the picture.

He is the foil against which Jang Uk is being measured.

It would have been quite easy and probably acceptable to just make him one dimensional and have him be there mainly to pursue Naksu and be another obstacle in the way of our main couple, but they didn't do that AT ALL! And I'm glad they didn't. In fact, Seo Yul is one of Jang Uk's dearest friends and he cares about him a lot and vice versa continuously throughout the run of the show.

Seo Yul's love for Naksu, or lingering love from his romanticized memories of his time in Danhyangeok serve to further Seo Yul's own character development as well as highlight just why Jang Uk is actually a better romantic partner for Naksu.

The way they love her is very different. I'm not trying to discount Seo Yul's love for Naksu in any way, I think he definitely does and did love her, but he is someone who is incredibly committed to his principles and to following the rules; it's just how he's constructed himself across his life. So Naksu's very existence throws him completely off balance. On the one hand, he's so glad the girl he once loved and thought would never see again is alive. On the other hand, everything he's been taught and everything he believes in is screaming at him to kill her, that her existence as a soul shifter is not right and cannot be allowed to continue. Yet she is also giving his best friend, Jang Uk, everything he's ever wanted–she is making him HAPPY. So Seo Yul is just kind of going back and forth in his agony over what to do. He feels a great sense of responsibility because he believed he was the only one who knew her identity for a while, and he's generally relied on by the adults in his life like Park Jin and Heo Yeom to kind of be their sword and do the right thing.

Jang Uk on the other hand (as I've seen described in a post somewhere) is more loyal to people than he is to principles, whereas Seo Yul leans a bit more towards the opposite.

So for Jang Uk, he's willing to bend his morals or defy what everyone around him says is wrong out of loyalty to the people he cares about, and Naksu quickly becomes one of those people to him. Like she tells him, everyone has always wanted her dead; no one has ever actually attempted to save her. And I think that strikes deep into Jang Uk's heart and he makes a decision very early on that he will be the one to protect her, and he accepts any collateral damage that comes with it.

Where Seo Yul is sitting and agonizing over the principle of Naksu's existence, all Jang Uk is thinking is how he's going to protect her and keep her by his side. There's no question in his mind, no moral quandary about it. He is as loyal to her as he is to Seo Yul or Park Danggu, or Maidservant Kim–some of the most important people in his life.

In essence, Jang Uk is the type of male lead who would let the world burn for the person he loves while Seo Yul would be willing to make the sacrifice if it meant saving the world.

I don't know if either is necessarily better as an attitude, and I don't feel qualified to comment on that. But Jang Uk's attitude is why he is better of a romantic partner for Naksu, because she needs someone like that, to feel like someone will love her to such an extent. She's been betrayed and discarded and used so many times across her life that she needs and wants that kind of unconditional love–chosen unconditional love, I should say. Because Jang Uk CHOOSES to be loyal to her no matter what.

This stark difference between Jang Uk and Seo Yul really comes to a head in the conversation they have (can't remember the episode) that goes something like this:

Seo Yul: We have a duty to protect the world from monsters. [referencing soul shifters and citing what he's been told his whole life]

Jang Uk: But we can also protect the monsters from the world.

I'm totally paraphrasing because I don't have time to go look up the quote, but yeah.

Underlying this conversation, they're both really talking about Naksu, but I'm not sure how aware both of them are that are each referencing her.

This continues on later, once Seo Yul has kind of finally made the decision to let them be, to let Naksu be happy because he does really want that for her. He was even planning on whisking her away to Seo Fortress to protect her and to take responsibility for her which weighs heavily on his shoulders. So we know he cares about her a great deal, maybe even more than his principles, which is what puts him in such mental agony in the first place.

I'm really glad actually that Seo Yul and Naksu got to have a closure conversation near the end of Part 1 (even if it all went to shit after) because they had so much history that needed to be addressed.

This conversation was really a turning point for Yul (again before the tragedy of the last episode) because he had finally made his peace with disregarding some of his principles that have been drilled into him and that he's held onto steadfastly for so long in favor of both his friends' happiness. His loyalty to people superseded his loyalty to his principles.

But then the tragedy happens. And not only does his worst fear come true that Naksu will run wild and cause havoc upon his world, but it comes with a huge price. Danggu and Choyeon's happiness is ruined, many people are killed by her hand or injured, and worst of all, Jang Uk dies on her sword.

Just when he's finally made peace within himself, it all falls apart, and he interprets it as the world telling him that he was wrong. That he should have intervened, done something, even if that meant killing Naksu. That he should have been more pro-active. That everyone else was right, and he should have done something about the monster.

He's a very subtle but very interesting character, especially when contrasted with Jang Uk.

He puts a lot of pressure on himself (possibly an attitude adopted because of other people's expectations of him growing up as the only Seo heir but we don't really know) and tends to take on everything quietly. He loves very deeply, and you can see it in the way he interacts with all the people he considers dear to him. He's very thoughtful and considerate and is always thinking of others at his own expense. His love for Naksu and for Jang Uk only added complexity to his character, and I absolutely love him. I think he's one of the highlights of the show.

I have to go to class but I will return for my thoughts on Seo Yul in part 2.

Let me know what you guys think or if I missing anything you thought was important!

#Alchemy of Souls #alchemy of souls spoilers #tvn alchemy of souls #kdrama thoughts #Seo Yul #Jang Uk #Naksu #Alchemy of Souls part 1 #hwang minhyun #Character thoughts #AOS rambles #Meena's thoughts #Meena's posts

[holykittydetective]

Just as things were getting cuter and sweeter between the two, Im Sol had to come back to the present. Kdrama writers ain't Kdrama writers without ripping you apart after they heal you! 🥺🫠

But this scene tho 😂🥺🥲

#writers on tumblr #lovely runner #byeon woo seok #kim hye yoon #ryu sun jae #im sol #kdrama thoughts #writers and poets #kdrama #kdrama aesthetic #kdrama series #lovely runner episode 3 #episode 3

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

#sons of anarchy #the shield #prison break #twin peaks #justified #true detective #homeland #american television #television show #tumblr polls #korean drama #kdrama #k drama #kdrama thoughts #south korea #tv shows #television #tv series #tumblr questions #korean show #korean series

[onhajoon]

This is my favourite shot of Shin Jae Ha in the entirety of season 2.

As an actor myself, I can't stop thinking about it because - LOOK. He is insane for capturing all that on his face in one go. Do you see how it's brimming with conflict and visceral emotions that look only barely contained???

But that's not even the best part.

This scene is the climax of his character arc. And the fact that you already know before he's even said a word that THIS is the most tortured his character has ever felt, the fact that you can tell just by looking at him- at the unspilled tears in his eyes, the tension in his facial muscles, the abject grief in his brow- is flipping monumental. His character never had this look on his face before, not once in the 15 episodes before this. Ever.

And that tells me he lived and breathed as On Ha Jun from start to finish. He was mad for this role and I respect him so fucking much for that.

#but so help me god if shin jae ha does not stop taking villain roles after biography of evil i will riot #i had a lot of emotions and had to get this off my chest because damn that scene was the BEST #it broke my heart but it still fucking ruled #top tier acting on everyone's part #taxi driver 2 #sbs taxi driver 2 #shin jae ha #taxi driver season 2 #kdrama #lee je hoon #on ha joon #kim do gi #beautiful characterization #couldn't have done it better if they'd tried #and acting is fucking hard #rainbow taxi team #kdrama thoughts #meta #character analysis #my musings #kim do ki

[kdramaxoxo]

'Queen of Divorce' ep 1-5 - Thoughts

Ok I just need to take a minute to talk about Queen of Divorce. First off, I love a noona romance with two leads in their 40's, so that's GOLD. It's a second chance romance which is so rare in k-dramas and I'm here for that!

The setup is that the FL is a badass who runs a company that helps victims (pretty much all ladies) with divorce. She went to prison because she was framed by her d*ck ex husband and learns to fight and be well, like super-hero-awesome. Her company has a fun team who run missions to try and win fights against jerks! HERE FOR THAT.

I'm on episode 5 and I can't QUITE put my finger on why I'm a little bored but I think it's two problems.

#1: The Villain Plot is just okay. The "villain" is the FL's ex husband who has remarried and won't give the current wife a favorable divorce. (like I said he's a d*ck). He's trying to build a lawyer city (I'm sorry this makes no sense and who cares) and his mom is your standard Big Bad Chairperson. He does really bad things and the FL lead is there at every turn to fight him but it's so uncreative! She doesn't even get to use her amazing fighting skills or anything! There's no humor in the story so it feels a bit too serious. Mostly he just does cruel things to foil their plans and emotionally abuse the FL, and they figure out how to fight back. It feels like it's dragging and I don't even care about this dude and HATE anytime the mom is on screen. I

#2: The show needs humor. Ok, this is Kang Ki Young's first ever romantic lead role and they are wasting his potential in my opinion. The show is FINE. Really it's not bad. BUT KKY is a master of comedic timing, usually has a LOT of charisma, and always is the most interesting side character of every drama he's in and they made him kinda bland? This show should 100% be a law COMEDY with romance, and instead it's a law show with some romance. A total missed opportunity to have funny and snarky moments with the main ship and the villains when they confront one another! Think of what could have been with some light moments built in throughout! I think his popularity in Extraordinary Attorney Woo is what gave him this role as a lawyer, but they really needed to take hints from the tone of that drama when making this one.

So, if you like more seriously and traditional chairperson plots and strong FLs, you'll probably like this show. I mean I personally DO like this drama overall. If you love Kang Ki Young and wanna see him kiss obviously watch this show lol.

#kdrama #queen of divorce #which literally no one is giffing #and i have only myself to blame since i mean I COULD DO IT #lol #but yeah they really needed this show to be a different genre #it's screaming for that! #what do you all think? #am i nuts? #kdrama thoughts

[k-odyssey]

Wedding Impossible | ep 7-8

It's been a while since I've watched a drama where a kiss makes me physically feel something. This one definitely did. And it had everything to do with the build-up.

You have Ji Han, who's been going through all five stages of grief re:his unwanted but very real feelings for his future sister-in-law. Invoking god and buddha. Folding paper cranes. Anything to stop feeling like a shitty brother.

And then the tables turn. He's told about Do Han's secret. Suddenly his hyung is in the wrong. Not because he's into boys but because it looks like he's using Ah Jeong. Everything is fair game now, as long as he can protect her.

Ah Jeong has also been busy crushing her feelings, after Ji Han's denial. She showed her vulnerable side, half-admitting that she liked him, and he shot her down.

She's a good actress but there's a difference between playing a role on screen/on stage, and turning your life into a web of lies. She's miserable, especially looking at her parents.

So we have repressed feelings on both sides. And the kind of exhaustion that comes from telling lies all day to keep up appearances. They even admitted that to each other on the set.

Ji Han finally decides to be honest, with himself and with Ah Jeong. About his own feelings anyway. Even if he has an ulterior motive for telling her then, he's finally saying something true. And she is broken and mad. Because she's been working so hard at keeping up the lie. She made a promise too.

But once the truth of his feelings is out, she can hardly pretend they aren't mutual and kisses him. And honestly, some of the best fictional kisses come after a big conflict. It has meaning. They're bridging that gap. They're embracing this love, in spite of it all.

Other things I enjoyed ep 8:

the choice of having no soundtrack during the important scenes (the brothers' fight, the confession). honestly a badly-timed song can easily ruin a build-up.

they both seem a little startled at the reciprocation. like "oh so you do like me."

Ah Jeong's interlude on set where she remembers who she is for a while. How Ji Han is a genuine fan of hers.

What Ji Han told the ex.

Ji Han kept calling Do Han selfish but I hope he takes some of that back later. I know it was mostly cuz he thinks Ah Jeong is being used. But he's also hurt at the lack of trust and I mean, it's hardly easy to come out in a conservative society. There was no guarantee that Ji Han would be accepting. Though it's disconcerting that he never tries to gage Ji Han's feelings. Could be as easy as watching a movie with secondary gay characters in it? To see if he reacts? Idk.

I'm conflicted. We'll see how that goes.

It's kind of funny to think how bad Ji Han and Ah Jeong will look from the outside. Though I'm sure she'd take the worst of the remarks. But considering she's only leaving a fake relationship for a real one, and he's only admitting to liking her cuz he knows his brother's gay, the gossip will be BAD. And there's really no easy way to fix that. Only live with it or Do Han comes out publicly.

Ji Han will be hurt when he realizes what was really happening tho (the contract). Not looking forward to this conversation.

Hope their little trip to escape reality next week won't mess up with the pacing. Should be fun to watch tho!

Edit: just fixed the episode numbers, oops.

#wedding impossible #kdrama thoughts

[kpopscatterbrain]

Kdramas/Movies with strong female characters

Dramas

Eve (2022): Lee La-El (Seo Yea-Ji) When Lee La-El was little, her father died unexpectedly. Powerful people were responsible for his death. After her family was destroyed, Lee La-El prepared for the next 13 years to take revenge. Starting by targeting Kang Yoon-gyeom, one of the main culprits who orchestrated the death of her father. Along the way she becomes torn between her desire for revenge and her feelings for Yoon-gyeom.

It's Okay To Not Be Okay (2020): Ko Moon-Young (Seo Yea-Ji) Ko Moon-Young is a popular children's book author with antisocial personality disorder. She had a troubled childhood and a turbulent relationship with her parents. She develops romantic feelings for a psychiatric caregiver after a coincidental encounter and often goes to extreme lengths to get his attention.

Hotel Del Luna (2019): Jang Man-Wol (IU) Jang Man-Wol is the moody owner of Hotel del Luna. The hotel catering to the dead has been bound to her soul in order to atone for the sins she committed 1,300 years ago. Through the new manager Gu Chan-sung, the mysteries and the secrets behind the hotel and its owner are revealed

My Name (2021): Yoon Ji-Woo (Han So-Hee) Yoon Ji-Woo’s father gets murdered suddenly. She wants to desperately take revenge on whoever is responsible for her father's death. She starts working for a drug crime ring that her father was a part of. Ji-Woo joins the police department as a mole for the drug ring.

Vagabond (2019): Go Hae-Ri (Bae Suzy) Go Hae-Ri is an NIS agent and is currently working undercover at the Korean embassy in Morocco. She is tasked to help the bereaved families of a fatal flight. She helps Cha Dal-Geon whose nephew was on the flight uncover a darker and more sinister conspiracy than they expected.

Sisyphus: The Myth (2021): Gang Seo-Hae (Park Shin-Hye) Gang Seo-Hae is an elite warrior. She can take down the biggest men with just her bare hands. She is a sharpshooter and a bombmaker. She learned these skills to survive in a world that is dominated by gangsters and military cliques. One day she time travels to save a genius engineer.

Mr. Sunshine (2018): Go Ae-Shin (Kim Tae-Ri) Go Ae-Shin is an orphaned noblewoman and a member of the Righteous Army. Her parents were independence fighters who died in Japan due to their colleague's betrayal. She trains as a sniper. An american soldier Eugene meets and falls in love with Go Ae-shin. 

The Glory (2022): Moon Dong-Eun (Song Hye-Kyo) Moon Dong-Eun was a victim of high school violence. She waited for the bully ring leader get married and have a child. Now she is the homeroom teacher of her tormentor's child. Her cruel revenge plot begins.

Tomorrow (2022): Koo Ryeon (Kim Hee-Seon) Grim reaper Koo Ryeon is the leader of a crisis management team. The teams objective is to save suicidal people. Choi Jun-Woong (Ro Woon) is a young job seeker who is unable to secure a job. One night, he accidentally becomes a new member of the crisis management team.

Remarriage & Desires (2022): Seo Hye-Seung (Kim Hee-Seon) Seo Hye-seung who lost everything in an instant after her husbands affair and su*cide. She signs up to a matchmaking company Rex for the upper class, and participates in the race of her desires for her revenge.

Under The Queen's Umbrella (2022): Queen Hwaryeong (Kim Hye-Soo) Queen Hwaryeong is supposed to act with grace and dignity, but she has troublemaker sons. The queen decides to abandon strict protocols to transform her sons into deserving princes through education and personal growth, all while navigating the complexities of motherhood and royal life.

Juvenile Justice (2022): Sim Eun-Seok (Kim Hye-Soo) Sim Eun-Seok is an elite judge with a personality that seems unfriendly to others. She hates juvenile criminals and gets assigned to a local juvenile court. There, she breaks custom and administers her own ways of punishing the offenders.

K-Movies

Kill Boksoon (2023): Gil Bok-Soon (Jeon Do-Yeon) Gil Bok-Soon is a single mother and a contract killer working for M. K. Ent. Highly regarded by her peers, she has a 100% success rate and is one of a few killers rated "A" by her company. Right before Gil Bok-Soon is set to renew her contract, she gets involved in a kill or be killed confrontation.

Ballerina (2023): Jang Ok-Ju (Jun Jong-Seo) Ok-Ju used to work as a bodyguard. Ok-Ju is friends with Min-Hee, who is a ballerina. Min-Hee asks Ok-Ju for a favor. She wants Ok-Ju to take revenge.

The Witch: Subversion (2018): Ja-Yoon (Kim Da-Mi) A young girl escapes from a mysterious laboratory where she was trained to become a murder weapon. 10 years later, the girl, named Ja-yoon, is living a normal life, apparently without any memory of her past, she becomes involved in a crime.

Special Delivery (2022): Eun-Ha (Park So-Dam) Eun-Ha is a special driver for deliveries. She delivers anything or anyone for the right price. Her success rate is 100%, but she gets involved in an unexpected delivery accident.

Brave Citizen (2023): So Shi-Min (Shin Hae-Sun) So Shi-Min used to be a boxer in her student days. She now works as a contract teacher at a high school. She confronts a school bully, who frequently torments other students.

#kdrama recommendations #the glory #kill boksoon #kdrama review #my name #hotel del luna #korean movie #kdrama thoughts #brave citizen #bae suzy #under the queen's umbrella #seo yea ji #tomorrow kdrama #ballerina netflix

[justanotherfangirluwu]

since there’s been a kdrama drought these years, I’ve went back and watched some old dramas AND THEY ARE AMAZING GEMS.

Under the Queen’s Umbrella

This is a story about a mother’s love and how it can take different shapes and forms, though they don’t always necessarily put the child’s best interest at heart. In a place where all the princes and their mothers fight for the title of Crown Prince, the Queen only fights to protect her sons and their loved ones. Think Sky Castle but set in the Joseon era.

The metaphorical use of the Umbrella symbolizes the Queens protection and though she may get hurt, she would never allow her son’s to get hurt.

5 star review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Flower Crew: Joseons Marriage Agency

The message of the story is that no matter who you are or where you’re from, you deserve happiness. When you find the one you love, the weight on your shoulder eases because you now have another shoulder to lean on and to share the burden.

A common blacksmith is kidnapped on the day of his wedding to become the next king of Jose-on. He recruits the help of the Flower Crew to make the lowly status girl a noble lady to be eligible for the Queen’s selection. New feelings and evil intentions threaten lives and the characters’ happiness.

5 star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mr. Queen

A comedic drama that indiscreetly tells the audience that love is limitless - it can transcend time and it is fluid.

A modern male chef is “saved” by being trapped inside a Queen’s body in the Joseon era. He tries to return but in the process changes some events to his modern life and the Queen’s for the better.

5 star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#under the queen's umbrella #kim hyesoon #moon sang min #sf9 chani #flower crew #kim minjae #gong seung yeon #park jihoon #seo jihoon #byeon woo seok #mr queen #shin hye sun #kim jung hyun #choi jin hyuk #na in woo #kdrama #wanna one #kpop #kdrama recommendations #kdrama thoughts #love #sky castle

[imsailorpluto]

The fact that Hwang Yang-jung (sashimi ahjussi♡) wouldn't have taken the job had he been married with kids is still haunting me. He obviously valued family more than anything, and he had none. His solitary lifestyle led him to his final demise. The regret in his voice and the way he automatically took the money out of his wallet as soon as he realised his buddy had a pregnant wife waiting at home shattered my heart.

He didn't get much screen time but he left such a strong impact on me for his constant emphasis on the importance of the only real life treasures... The man was a criminal, for he led an empty life. It makes me think what a thin line there is, between a family man who'd live best he can for his family, and a solitary man who would die as if he'd never even lived, as if his life meant nothing.

#bloodhounds kdrama #bloodhounds netflix #blodhounds #kdrama #hwang yang jung #lee hae young #kdrama thoughts #imsailorpluto

[wollybunny]

Extraordinary attorney woo Ep 9 — my tiny thoughts

Ok don’t mind this lq gif; it’s just my favourite part ever 😭

Some bits and pieces I thought were lovely for Youngwoo & Junho 🐳🐋

In the eyelash scene, Youngwoo was clearly more open to physical touch and intimacy — she didn’t really flinch or shut her eyes this time, and it was obvious that she had butterflies in her tummy the ENTIRE TIME!! (From the way the hurried off after, it was evident!)

In the same scene, Junho was obviously prolonging contact with her for obvious reasons 😩 and can we talk about the way he held her shoulders in the middle? Totally unnecessary but look at this Junho seizing the opportunity and going in for the kill

Youngwoo having lunch in the cafeteria instead of bringing her own lunchbox; though it was still kimbap but I think it really shows her embracing change in her life, slowly. And the fact that the scene was with Junho made it all the more significant

Even when Junho was jealous, he STILL couldn't help but smile when he saw Youngwoo smile — if this doesn't scream pure love then I don't know what does

The ways Youngwoo expresses her love to the person she likes — by taking care of them in the ways she receives love (though she followed the advice of kimbap ahjussi, but still). I’m pretty sure she considers these acts of love too, and her extending the same to Junho was just plain heartwarming 😩 especially the sidewalk scene, where Junho counters her by saying ‘shouldn’t I be the one to walk on the outside’ Ahh. He wants to protect her… we stan a neon green flag

Junho protecting her in the convenience store when the kids swarmed in :")

Them around kids — please… I was swooning so hard because now I can’t stop thinking about their married / family life. But Youngwoo being comfortable around kids is really something I enjoyed watching; she even became so much less inhibited. Junho was obviously admiring her in that scene 🫠

Youngwoo’s smiles. So many smiles in this episode. Was so happy watching her

How Youngwoo confessed not once but twice. It’s so refreshing that she didn’t back down; in fact, Junho keeping mum after he first confession only fuelled her desire to make her feelings more known. I think that’s beautiful, that she’s exploring this side of her emotions.

Junho’s confession — AHH. Screaming, crying, throwing up, punching the air. That OH moment from him was pure gold and the way he practically sprinted out of his house to see Youngwoo? It sent tingles down my spine. What’s even better is that his OH moment came after such a simple realisation (thanks Attorney Kwon lol) that he does not have the thought that it won’t work out between them. And that in itself, is enough for him to welcome his love for Youngwoo, despite his reservations whether he can be good enough for her, or their potential road bumps they might face down the line. It’s so simple, but a very crucial turning point for Junho, imho :”)

And the fact that the confession happened at the revolving doors — the place where they first met — is really them coming full circle, almost. And Youngwoo going round in circles in those revolving doors (and no longer terrified of it) + Junho coming in to hold the door for her — it's as if he's saying 'let me take care of you from this point onwards, Youngwoo-ya,' TT_TT

At this point, I’m slightly worried about tmr’s episode and if they are going to throw more roadblocks for our whale couple, but I’m interested to know how they will work things through.

Me thinks that Junho will be ever patient with Youngwoo; I mean, the fact that he’s even placing such emphasis and thinking about more deep matters if they start a relationship already says that he’s not taking this — and her — lightly. Far from it, because she’s way too precious to him.

And for Youngwoo, Junho is probably the first person she’s felt such intense attraction to that she might not know what to do with all these novel feelings / emotions; I hope she will continue to explore such changes TOGETHER with Junho, hand in hand.

Yes, hand in hand — I’m claiming it :-) 🙌🏼

#extraordinary attorney woo #extraordinary attorney woo Ep9 #eaw #woo young woo #lee jun ho #whale couple #park eun bin #kang tae oh #netflix kdrama #kdramadaily #kdrama #kdrama review #kdrama thoughts #ramblings #myramblings