#love kang sin jae

[carmenlire]

okay goddamnit, I watched the king: eternal monarch for the second time on the last friday of september and i have spent the weeks since completely and utterly consumed reading every fic I could get my greedy little raccoon hands on and I have things to say!

first of all, I think the sheer concentration of amazing fic for this fandom is unparalleled. I have read so many stories with an emotional depth and a dive into canon (before often diverging into the writer’s own plot) that has left me in awe. It’s been a month and I just read a series this morning that I absolutely adored. I’ve reread a few fics half a dozen times in less than a month. i’m unhinged and having the time of my life.

so saying, I don’t imagine that I’ll ever write my own tkem fic so I want to get my thoughts out somewhere on what I might have liked to have seen in the show or what I would want to do in my own fic because holy hell the source material is so rich and reading these fics has given me ideas and has helped consolidate what i love about these characters and relationships. So, going by relationship:

lee gon/tae-eul/jo yeong

1. the first fics I read on ao3 the day after my second rewatch were canon compliant with lee gon/tae-eul. then I read a few poly fics where yeong joins them and i really enjoyed the dynamic, with gon as the fulcrum for the three of them while tae-eul and yeong learn to meet each other on their own terms but, in the end, no less devout than their pull with gon. 

I would love to explore the idea of that further-- I particularly would want to play out either a) gon has been just as in love with yeong since he was eight years old but the pull with tae-eul and the badge was always in the background and as king, he chose the easier route (even with parallel universes lmao) of pursuing what the kingdom would expect. however, when shit all goes down, he’s forced to confront that it’s always been yeong and tae-eul and the three must navigate that.

or b) gon doesn’t realize how much yeong means to him in a romantic sense until he has tae-eul but something is still missing. it takes tae-eul? to figure it out and orchestrate things to her liking. we can go either full angst as gon agonizes over the worry that tae-eul will perceive she’s not enough (he doesn’t know she’s behind the machinations) or full chaotic fluff with her obviously encouraging him and him seeing tae-eul and yeong together and feeling how right it is.

lee gon/ jo yeong

guys. GUYS. the little snippets we get of the two of them makes my brain overheat with the possibilities. There are a few things that I would like to see more of/I haven’t seen yet with these two fated disasters:

1. I’m in love with the idea that jo yeong might have been in love with gon since he was too young to understand all that encompasses, but he has actively pursued other relationships and is experienced. I have a particular thing with gon discovering yeong with someone else:

a) maybe gon walks into yeong’s apartment just to find him in a compromising position

b) gon visiting yeong during yeong’s years at the naval academy-- only to see yeong and a fellow cadet in the shadows of a corridor

c) yeong, still a teenager, with a stable boy when gon decides to go for a ride one afternoon

d) the one time yeong decided to treat gon as hyung and not pyeha, the two of them “snuck out” (there was still a security detail, though gon doesn’t know it) and they both drink too much and gon looks for yeong when his best friend seems to have disappeared, only to see yeong in the middle of a dance floor dancing very intimately with a man before pulling said stranger closer and kissing him for all he’s worth.

the possibilities are endless. in all of the ones above, though, gon had no idea that yeong is gay and he is 1) betrayed that yeong didn’t feel he could tell him 2) immediately jealous and overtaken with the urge to say yeong is his. (in option d, gon feels immediate heat surge through him and is served with the awakening of his life). 

this of course devolves into years of mutual pining as, even when yeong comes out or doesn’t hide his preferences anymore, gon thinks yeong never feels that way for him and yeong has always felt like gon wasn’t into him and as king, nothing would ever come of his love for pyeha.

2. I think a compelling story definitely involves gon and yeong realizing their feelings and acting on them as children-- the adults around them allow it to happen up to a certain point (they’re only touchy with each other, they make it obvious each other are their favorite company, there’s a lot of talk of being together forever in the ways children do when they don’t realize life rarely works out the way it seems it should). 

however, there comes a point where gon is gently urged to pull away from yeong and set boundaries because he must think of the future and bear an heir. yeong is similarly talked to, with talk of how the king is unreachable and that he is the unbreakable sword and he must accept his duty. cue years of longing and angst.

b) equally as interesting to explore would be the two of them having a fling in their late teens/early twenties and it ends amicably as they both know nothing can come of it but both are hopelessly in love and it’s another ten years before they have the courage to say the other is it for them (i’m imagining gon ruthlessly researches each man gon shows an interest in and takes delight in threatening them behind yeong’s back. yeong, for his part, can never quite hold back his sneer or annoyance when gon mentions someone who’s caught his eye-- of course, gon only does so because it makes yeong so obviously jealous.)

3 Can we PLEASE talk about the ending of the show!! seriously, it struck me in the finale but reading the fics that mention it, I just need more exploration of the fact that in the end, it is YEONG WHO SAVES GON AS A CHILD! like i wanna talk about everything that means!!!!

a) after everything, yeong is gon’s savior. he is the one gon spends a lifetime looking for. yeong is the one who protects child gon and the loop of fate and destiny is sticky enough for me to choke on. i want to see them resolve their first timeline with that of the present day. with no tae-eul in gon’s past, i want to see gon realize what’s been in front of him all along.

(I love the idea of lady noh knowing it was gon back in 1994 and if i let my flights of fancy take off, i ADORE the image of gon carrying an unconscious, injured yeong out of the Cheonjongo just to be intercepted by lady noh. lady noh gains sufficient proof of who they are (decidely not lee lim’s traitors) and that makes the scene where they let four year old yeong interrupt the mourning rites even more significant and heartbreaking.)

b) the viewer is under the impression that yeong is fatally wounded after the second time at the Cheonjongo. I want to see gon 1) find yeong and see his world shatter at the price he thinks he might have just paid to fix things with his uncle 2) stay at yeong’s side at the hospital for days if not weeks and then he is there every step of the way for physical therapy 3) seeing yeong’s own reaction to nearly being killed and the aftermath of what must be severely traumatizing.

i) with this, i love the angst fest that is yeong deciding he’s given enough to the crown and gon and that he finally needs to live his own life. maybe he takes a step back, maybe he leaves indefinitely but i would LOVE to see gon finally being forced to realize how much yeong means to him and in what ways he wants him just for, at the same instant, yeong decides he has wasted enough time on gon and he needs to leave. can you imagine how delicious the angst and emotional journey would be as they find their way back to each other. my god.

ii) i would love to see yeong to be wounded and gon to save him, in a reversal of the bodyguard/king dynamic. in the show, we get eun-sop but gosh what if yeong had been the one shot? i wanna see gon’s reaction and see yeong treated with care.

4) I love outsider POVs and would enjoy the hell out of both yeong and gon being oblivious idiots in love but we see that everyone around them has known since they met the two of them that they would end up together: from lady noh to a tutor to an ex-girlfriend of gon’s to yeong’s parents, like everyone just being completely exasperated that these two just won’t make a move!

5) there are always rumors right? well give me a fic where they both play into it actively (while staying true to their characters). gon is always touching yeong, invading his space. those small hints of smiles we see when yeong is endeared or proud of yeong. there are whole social media accounts dedicated to tracking these small moments. neither gon nor yeong acknowledge why the rumors do nothing to make them uncomfortable, that they actually like it.

jo yeong/kang sin-jae

I didn’t even know this ship was a thing until I descended into the tkem tag on ao3 but I was immediately consumed! there are so many well written fics with this pairing and I just love the potential of it-- that in the first timeline, they are both men with a lot of baggage. two imperfect men meeting each other where they are and finding solace in each other. it soothes a corner of my brain that acknowledges that i’m a grown-up and i want to see messy people deserve happy endings too.

honestly, there are some very in-depth fics and i can’t think of many things i haven’t been lucky enough to read but i had to include this ship in this list because they ruined me. utterly and completely.

1) I wanna see sinjae/hyeonmin be at yeong’s side as the heir of the jo dynasty. he can go toe to toe with anyone no matter their title or influence and seeing yeong stand next to him, proud and in love at some gala or other is utterly lovely.

2) the two of them with kids! i love that these two people, flawed and a little dark, would be such good parents and would have that soft side for their children.

3) seeing how they play with gon. gon 1) being jealous and petty as a best friend to yeong 2) gon seeing how happy they are and absolutely doting and teasing them 3) exploring sinjae and yeong navigating the fact that gon will always be a man barely half a step below sinjae (which gets messier if you add in an element where yeong and gon have actually been in a relationship or slept together before).

Misc

with either sinjae or lee gon, i also love AUs!! rainhat has a bakery au with sinjae and yeong and i adore seeing their personalities in a different setting. give me rival teachers! an au where both yeong and gon are titled and on equal ground! a coffeeshop au! i love seeing the dynamics of these men and with either relationship, it would be so fun to explore outside of canon!!

#i literally have no idea of this is comprehensible #i am in a coffee haze with gonjo and sinjo just going brrrr in my brain #i've been obsessed for a full month #i love these fisc #i love these characters and their potential #elle don't read this unless you watch the show #please if u see this and wanna talk to me about literally anything about this show or characters or relationships please do!!!!!!! #the king: eternal monarch #tkem #lee gon #jo yeong #tkem fic #fic ideas #my writing tag #lee gon x jo yeong #jo yeong x kang sin jae #i am a jo yeong stan first person second #also woo dohwan has a fucking GRIP on me

[radialarch]

keep thinking about tkem/ninefox gambit fusion purely on the strength of jo yeong being the most kel kel imaginable but lee gon is obviously a nirai and you can't have a compelling plot without a shuos

#'koo seo ryeong is the shuos' i mean. correct. #i was gonna say i can't quite place jeong tae eul but wow actually the plot is how corea is a hexarchate and korea isn't #kang sin jae a kel in a world without kel #god eun sup would be so terrifying for jo yeong #what is he without formation instinct: purposeless; useless #but he's wrong about that. even without it his center is still the same #(lee gon never was his COMMANDER first.) #blogger yells at void #duty's just another word for love

[drivingsideways]

Twenty Questions

@rosyfingered-moon thanks for the tag! :D

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

62 ! :O

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

853,262

What fandoms do you write for?

Mostly tv. Actively, right now, none. Since 2018, it's been cdrama or kdrama, but I've written for Western shows previously.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

4 of the 5 are for The King: Eternal Monarch and 1 is for Beyond Evil.

Algebra (credit mostly goes to co writer @haraxvati for all the heavy lifting) - TKEM, Jo Yeong/ Lee Gon in the realest fake arranged marriage ever

A Soul Divided- TKEM, Jo Yeong/ Lee Gon in which Gon is a total failboat at pretending to be a normal citizen, but guess what, so is Captain Jo Yeong.

Destiny's Child- TKEM, Jo Yeong/ Lee Gon, or the Lee Gon Liberation Manifesto

Before You Came- TKEM, Jo Yeong/ Kang Sin jae, in which Kang Sin jae falls for a man who wants to be ravished by God but the dude ends up crossing the space time continuum for someone else entirely. Love works in mysterious ways etc.

Cat Whisperer - Beyond Evil, Han Joo won/Lee Dong sik. What it says on the tin, really. Dong sik ruminates on the acquiring and care of feral felines.

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! I respond to all comments, even if it's just a one liner or a key smash. If someone's taken the time to read and enjoy and engage with my work, I want to acknowledge that- and sometimes you make friends through AO3 comment space ! :')

What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Hmm, I have several fics which end on a bittersweet note, but none that I think are completely without hope? Deer Heart is probably one of the most emotionally violent fics I've written, but even that one ends on a hopeful note (at least I see it that way.)

A main character dies in the last instalment of The Stars 'verse, but someone bookmarked it with the comment " the hurt no comfort tag is propaganda bc this does hurt yes but there IS comfort and thats because there is love :') " which was honestly a comment that made * me * tear up ! :')

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

HUGE fan of cloyingly sweet endings for my blorbos, but I do think I end up in the bittersweet column most times? But I guess "Instructions for Dancing" may be literally the fluffiest thing I've ever written.

Do you get hate on fics?

No- I think an occasional comment that made me go ???? because the reader apparently wanted something different when they clicked on my fic, but no real hate, thankfully. I've been blessed with really sweet commenters for most part!

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do! Not sure what is implied by "what kind" here- hopefully hot (but also revealing something about the characters and the relationship?!) ? :)) Tbh, smut is not my wheelhouse, and I always find the process of writing it nerve wracking.

Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

It's not something that I find interesting to read or write usually. I have one unfinished and unpublished Black Sails/ Supernatural crossover that I think was a brilliant idea but I ran out of steam.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge!

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not to my knowledge!

What's your all-time favorite ship?

I love all my ships intensely, so it's hard to choose! Even if I'm not thinking about them on a daily basis or writing for them or reading fic about them, each of them has a piece of my heart.

What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Argh, don't ask me this! There are so many, so many. But in specific, there's a Black Sails au that I really wanted to write and have written maybe 15k of AN OUTLINE for, but yeah, never finishing that.

What are your writing strengths?

I think I'm generally able to deliver an emotional punch very well.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Oh dear. Everything? And I think that's fine- all craft is practice and discipline and I hope I will get better at "everything" as I write more and hopefully more thoughtfully than I have in the past.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I think there's only one fic in which I've used complete dialogue in multiple languages (with Google Translate as my guide, SORRY). But I'm pretty cool with the idea of it and I enjoy reading fics that have multiple language dialogues as well.

First fandom you wrote for?

On AO3 it was Supernatural , and was left unfinished- I have since deleted it.

Favorite fic you've written?

This keeps changing, and there's things I love and hate in all my fics, but I guess a drivingsideways "starter pack" should have Destiny's Child in it, and the last fic I wrote "Juche" turned out pretty well, I GUESS.

@cupofteaandstars @elderflowergin @haraxvati @sadviper if you want to! :D

#writing things

[theunbelievableinventor]

A RANT ABOUT THE KING: ETERNAL MONARCH ENDING

I want to say that this is not a post to hate absolutely anything or anyone, I love the show, I would just like to discuss and expose the directions I wish the story had taken…

I don´t like Lee Gon with Tae-Eul

I think romance is cute? Okay, but their personalities are so different that it doesn't feel right for them to be together… Opposites attract, but I don't think they work out well in the long run, even with Tae Eul showing her more vulnerable side… They are drastically different. Don't complement each other at all… But I'm not a fan of Lee Gon x Jo Yeong either, i will talk more about this later...

After we saw Tae-eul and Sin-Jae's backstory, it honestly didn't improve my view of the Lee Gon x Tae Eul dynamic at all, but it did a lot for me to like the strange companionship between the detective and Captain Jo…

Tae-eul never seems to reflect well on the things that happen around her, she's just reacting or is being impressed constantly (correct me if I missed a scene) she doesn't reflect on Lee Gon's actions, she only cares if they will seeing herself again, but with a magic flute and a boyfriend from another dimension who claimed to 'know' her before she even knew he existed…she doesn't ask Gon any of the questions that we would expect someone in her position to ask. .. it could even be the simplest, things like "Do you really like me for me now? or are you still hoping I'll save you from that night?" "What if I'm not the one you're looking for, and it's someone from a third world? Would you like me any less if that were the case?" you know… the basics

Back to the king and his unbreakable sword, He and Captain Jo are the epitome of what you would call platonic soulmates, it's wonderful that he's the one who walks in beside Gon on the NIGHT OF HIS TRAUMA, AS HE'S THE ONE WHO'S BEEN BY HIS SIDE HIS WHOLE LIFE. They don't need to be romantically involved to want and do the best for each other. Does it have potential? yes, but I can't see it like that. Honestly, I'd rather have Captain Jo with Detective Kang than the King

I WON'T LIE TO YOU, I didn't realize it was Lee Gon himself who saved his younger version until I looked it up on YouTube, it filled me with excitement and joy! I genuinely cried of happiness, it was such a beautiful gesture of self-love that was soon crushed by the persistent idea of the series trying to making us believe that the romantic love he cultivated with Tae Eul was something "magnificent" to the point that after all is over, he used the flute that started all his troubles going after the version he met of her in one of the many universes he now has access to * rolls eyes *

I don't care about spoilers, so I didn't contain myself and did some research, and one of them was the scene of him telling the little boy, son of the now Minister, his name, and it gave me almost the same feeling as when I found out that he himself had been saved. ..

But then they used the magic flute to travel between dimensions and… Ugh, it was kind of cute to see the scene showing the aging of the two, but as it was developed, it didn't make much sense for them being together as a couple.

How would I REWRITE: the child would actually be the son of someone present at the meeting, I don't know, some former classmate of Lee Gon, family member of someone from the court, whatever his parent, who would later become the romantic partner in life of our king, this with the passage of time shown in the final scenes… And yes, Lee Gon would pass his throne to this boy, I think it would be a good way to to make a repair parallel to the great envy and feeling of rejection that Lee Lim felt… I see this child's parent as someone from the "liberal arts" as Lee Gon so often uses the term to describe many around him, I think he would benefit from being with someone like this, since we met him, we know that he has a very sensitive side despite leaning heavily on science... I think it would be a more balanced relationship than with a police officer, due to his affinity with Einstein's theories and the quality of artists to express themselves to walk through what is abstract;

About his relationship with Tae Eul: the portals would be closed forever, but he would always remember her as his first girlfriend, and the person who helped him discover romantic feelings, being a dream for a while, after getting to know her closely. Although in love, and ignoring the factor of living in separate worlds, he would know that in the long run they would not work out.

The ending would have a Lee Gon who has overcome his trauma by learning to see opportunities to be happy in the life he has.

#eternal monarch #jo yeong #lee gon #tae eul #the king eternal monarch #lee lim #jo eun sup

[mirajanefairytailmage]

Rambling About a Show (08/13/2022)

⚠️SPOILER!?⚠️

This is another drama I started because I saw an edit on tiktok that piqued my interest. (First time that happened was a Gwi edit, The Scholar Who Walks the Night). Anyhoo, I enjoyed the storyline, the action, the romance, and the drama. I started this on Wednesday (08/10/2022) and finished it today. Here's my rambling.

So, before Court Lady Noh Ok-nam mentioned anything about chaos and it's revealed a version of Jeong Tae eul exists in Lee Gon's universe. I kept questioning if her being in the Kingdom of Corea creates some sort of paradox or something. Same with when Lee Gon is in her universe. Also, later on when Jeong Tae Eul ask Na-ri what she would do if she had met another version of herself. Na-ri's response is shocking but also she's got a point. However, that does not mean I condone in murder. It just means I agree with the whole two versions of one person shouldn't coexist in the same universe, because it messes with the balance of everything.

There were so many plot twists. My favorite is when it's revealed that Lee Gon's older self is the one who saved his younger self on the night of the treason. I had figured it was either Jo Yeong or Luna.

Lee Jung-jin did an amazing job portraying Lee Lim, one of the villains that I couldn't stand. I think Jung Eun-chae also did a fantastic job as Minister Goo. The funny thing is, I instantly didn't like Minister Goo when she first appeared. As I continued on, she showed that I had a good reason not to like her. She is power hunger, manipulative, rude, and wants to be in control. Lee Lim, he just wanted power and eternity, still pretty evil. Also can't forget that he killed his brother and attempted to murder his nephew, Lee Gon. So, both characters are pretty evil and unsettling.

I got emotional when Lee Gon figured everything out towards the end, and also figured out he might not be able to return to Jeong Tae Eul. There was also a possibility that Jeong Tae Eul may not have memories of Lee Gon. Which honestly broke my heart. Also when Jo Eun seob and Jo Yeong said goodbye, that scene made me emotional.

I wanted to talk about the cinematography towards the end of episode 11 and into episode 12. I personally felt that him and his guards riding into the scene on horseback made it all the more powerful and emotional. Sure, they could have pulled up in their royal vehicles, but it wouldn't have as much of impact as the horses. That's just my personally opinion. It also looked like an extremely cool shot. Gotta hand it to the entire crew and actors for producing such a gorgeous and impactful scene. Another powerful scene I was mesmerized by was when Lee Gon and Jo Yeong went back to the night of the treason togethr. Their entrance there was amazing.

I recognized several of the actors from other dramas I have watched. Kim Yong-ji (Na-ri), first character I saw her portray was Yuri in Tale iof the Nine-Tailed. Kim Go-eun (Jeong Tae eul), first character I saw her portray was Ji Eun-tak in Goblin/Guardian The Lonely and Great God. Lee Min-ho (Lee Gon), first character I saw him portray was Goo Jun-pyo in Boys Over Flowers (currently watching that whenever I visit my bestie). Jeon Moo-song (Prince Buyeong/Lee Jong-in), first character I saw him portray was Veteran Lee Young-cheon in episode 6 of Tomorrow.

I should also recognize Kim Young-ok (Court Lady Noh Ok-nam) from an episode of Tomorrow, but I don't. 😳 I saw Kang Ki-doong (Secretary Kim) in Prison Playbook as Prison Officer Song. I was wondering why Kim Kyung-nam (Shin-jae) seemed familiar but couldn't place his face until now. He portrayed Lee Joon-dol in Prison Playbook. That character is vastly different from Shin-jae, hence why I couldn't pin point where I've seen him before. I admit I have seen The Divine Fury, Woo Do-hwan (Jo Yeon) portrayed Ji-sin in that film, but it's been awhile since I've seen that film so I forgot about it. 😫

I admit there is so much I love about this drama. But as usually I'm only rambling about everything that stuck out the most to me. This was definitely worth the watch.

#rambling about a show #kdrama #the king eternal monarch #the king: eternal monarch

[amontageofloveandromanticpoetry]

몽생미셸 해변의 남자 PART 5| Man on the shores of Mont Saint Michel PART 5

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

And as I kiss the lips of another man, I missed the taste of ocean water.

My sorrowful tears mistaken as tears of joy in the wedding only entraps me in despair further.

The string of pearls that hung in my neck felt as heavy as my heart.

Blessed by the Abbey; this marriage, yet I curse myself from this moment on.

I tread in guilt in every step. Glass bites my sole, and every breath I take, my heart dies slower.

Those steps in the aisle, the man waiting for me in the distance was supposed to be the god I loved.

I die and weep, and I wished for my body to rot. I consider myself a corpse. Treading the island where my true love was made.

I have come to question Dieu in such short time in a day of supposed happiness.

Why hurt me in the most cruelest way possible?

I loved and only loved.

I know I have done no sin.

And if it was a sin to love the forgotten god in the sea, then I accept my fate in hell, for there will never be a love like this.

To hurt me is a worthy punishment for a love like this, and I will sleep with the knowledge that no love so great can ever compare to our love and pain.

I am married, yet I am lonesome.

I am now two, yet I am alone.

The most disgusting truth about the sea god's love is that I remember it.

And whenever I look at my groom, my heart aches for it was supposed to be him in his place.

There were truths to the Deity's words, and I lived by it.

I am a monster with a facade of a mortal woman. I touch something so beautiful, so wonderful, so lovely, and I shatter it.

If I could gouge my eyes for even daring to look at him with love, I will do so.

If I could take my arms for daring to hold him so tenderly and safely, I will do so.

If I could take my own life for deceiving him by promising him that my life is his, so be it.

The intricate swirls of waves and sand in his scales, I dared myself to miss.

I dared myself to long for him and his love for the little remaining time of my mortal life.

Please come back.

I can only wish in sorrow.

By: Kang Jae-Ho

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

#romance poem #romantic poetry #romance #romantic #short prose #prose poem #love poetry #love story #short poem #short story #lovers #loving #mermaid #merman #ocean aesthetic #ocean #sea #water #waves

[liim-bo]

SUBIN

BASICS

STAGE NAME \\ subin ( 수빈 )

MEANING \\ luxuriant, refined

BIRTH NAME \\ baek su bin ( 백수빈 )

ENGLISH NAME \\ susie baek

NICKNAMES \\ sue, binnie

BIRTHDAY \\ december 25, 1993

ZODIAC \\ capricorn

CHINESE ZODIAC \\ rooster

BIRTH PLACE \\ daegu, south korea

HOMETOWN \\ daegu, south korea

HEIGHT \\ 164.2cm ( 5'5" )

WEIGHT \\ 51kg ( 112lbs )

BLOOD TYPE \\ a

ETHNICITY \\ korean

NATIONALITY \\ korean

LANGUAGES \\ korean ( fluent ), english ( learning )

CAREER

GROUP \\ girls generation ( 2007 - 2010 ), limbo ( 2011 - present )

POSITION \\ leader, lead vocalist, face of the group

REPRESENTATIVE SIN \\ pride

REPRESENTATIVE VIRTUE \\ humility

COMPANY \\ sm entertainment ( 2004 - 2010 ), pledis entertainment ( 2010 - present )

TRAINEE PERIOD \\ 3 years ( sm ), 1 year 3 months ( pledis )

DEBUT \\ august 5, 2007 ( girls generation ), august 5, 2011 ( limbo )

DEBUT AGE \\ 13 years old ( girls generation ), 17 years old ( limbo )

STATS

VOCALS \\ 9/10

DANCE \\ 7/10

RAP \\ 3/10

VARIETY \\ 7/10

ACTING \\ 9/10

PRODUCING \\ 10/10

PHYSICAL

TATTOOS \\ cherry blossoms across left shoulder blade and back, bluebell on right ankle

PIERCINGS \\ four on left ear ( 2 x lobe, 2 x helix ), two on right ear ( 2 x lobe )

FACE CLAIM \\ kim hyun jung ( wjsn )

VOICE CLAIM \\ seola ( wjsn )

PERSONAL

SEXUALITY \\ bisexual

EDUCATION \\ chungdam high school

MBTI \\ enfj-a, protagonist

STRENGTHS \\ receptive, reliable, altruistic

WEAKNESSES \\ overly idealistic, intense, tendency to smother

STYLE \\

LIKES \\ low-rise jeans, snsd, 2000s fashion, flowers and their meanings, the across the universe soundtrack, aaron tveit, picnics with her members, simplicity, doing housework, spicy food, skinship with people she loves

DISLIKES \\ sm entertainment, companies who exploit their artists, doing aegyo, the sea, flavoured tea, the concept of ai idols, edm, when people disagree with her, suck-ups, seafood, wearing contacts

HABITS \\ shakes her legs when she's excited / eating delicious food

TALENT \\ can harmonise on the spot

HOBBIES \\ housework, gifting her friends flowers, hugging her members

FEARS \\ thalassophobia ( fear of the sea )

FAMILY

MOTHER \\ kang myung hee ( 1965 )

FATHER \\ baek joon ( 1965 )

BROTHER \\ baek young jae ( 1989 )

SISTER \\ baek seul gi ( 1990 )

TRIVIAL

ONE \\ subin is a former member of the girl group girls generation, under sm entertainment

TWO \\ in march of 2010, sm released a statement saying subin had left the group and the company, not really going into much detail but explaining that it was of her own accord 

THREE \\ about a week later, subin released her own statement to say that it wasn't her decision to leave the group, and that she was practically forced out of the company, but that she was happy to be rid of the place. to this day, no one knows the true reason as to why she was kicked out

FOUR \\ subin is still extremely close to all the members of girls generation 

FIVE \\ subin loves to clean; she says it's very therapeutic and calming. when the girls first started living together, they made up a rota to separate the cleaning tasks and make it fair, but subin gradually started to take over and do jobs that weren't hers, so that plan was scrapped...not that the other girls are complaining

SIX \\ subin describes her sense of fashion as "bella swan from twilight, but if she slayed"

SEVEN \\ her representative sin is pride

EIGHT \\ her representative virtue is humility

NINE \\ her representative symbol is a horse

TEN \\ her representative colour is violet

#subin

[hannametsola]

So, I wrote this loooong comment on a TKEM fanfic on AO3 about Kang Sin-jae and it turned into meta and all the reasons I think everyone gets Kang Sin-jae wrong. So of course, I need to share this with all of you ❤️

I like Kang Sin-jae. I don’t think he is the right guy for Jeong Tae-eul (based on canon), but he would be a great guy for someone. I think he deserves to be happy. I feel a bit salty toward the fandom for either thinking KSJ was a better match for JTE than LG or thinking that he was unnecessary and stupid emo. I enjoy what his character and life story brings to the show. I want to hug and kiss him until he forgets all his nightmares and I want to fight for him when his parents and supposed best friend can’t understand that he is in a world of trauma and emotional pain and still manages to do the right thing.

For me LG and KSJ are very similar. Both have trauma inflicted on them and both have an unwavering sense of right, justice and duty. Both of them look to JTE as the one that his hope, beauty and light in their world. For me why LG is romantically good for JTE and KSJ is not is because of how they treat her. KSJ puts JTE in a glass box that he admires but never dares open afraid that the darkness in him will taint JTE. LG tries to draw JTE as close to him as he can and shares as much of his worries and nightmares as he can. LG asks for JTE’s permission to go to his destiny acknowledging that JTE is his partner in the decision that will irrevocably change their shared past and future. KSJ hides from JTE when he is figuring out what his place is in the world and he is also thinking about who he wants to be for JTE. But he never asks JTE who JTE wants him to be. KSJ simply assumes that JTE would never love him the way he loves her. He might be right, but in an adult relationship it would still be JTE’s decision to make not his.

KSJ needs someone who understands that our ghosts never leave us, but we can still have moments of happiness, and that hiding your pain from the people who love you never helps. Protecting your loved one from the darkness in you only means they can never love you fully because they will never know the true you. I think he needs someone who’s also lost a lot. Someone that would know all about living with ghosts. And the two of them could find out together that it’s possible to be happy even if you only have half of your heart with you.

Love,

the only true Kang Sin-jae fan

#tkem #the king eternal monarch #the king: eternal monarch #tkem meta #jeong tae eul #kang sin jae #love kang sin jae

[multiplefandomotpsdisorder]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: 더 킹：영원의 군주 | The King: Eternal Monarch (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Jo Yeong/Lee Gon, Jo Yeong/Kang Sin Jae Characters: Lee Gon, Jo Yeong, Kang Sin Jae, Jeong Tae Ra, others - Character Additional Tags: Angst with a Happy Ending, Jealousy, Mutual Pining, Misunderstandings, Idiots in Love, The Entire Kingdom of Corea ships them, No Beta, We die like the guards in the first few seconds of a villainous coup, gonjo, Two halves of a whole idiot

Summary: Gon has been searching for his mysterious savior from that fateful night for ages, only to learn the white rabbit was right next to him all along. But, sometimes it takes losing what you have to realize its true worth.

Will Gon figure out in time what Yeong really means to him or will he be too late?

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29308836

#Lee Gon x Jo Yeong #gonjo fanfic #TKEM #Jo Yeong x Kang Sin Jae #Jealousy #misunderstandings #Mutual Pining #Idiots in Love #The whole Kingdom of Corea ships Gonjo/JoGon #angst with a happy ending #tkem fanfiction

[carmenlire]

tkem au where sinjae owns a coffeeshop and one day yeong becomes a regular. sinjae sees a cute guy with dangerous secrets and yeong sees a handsome barista who's a little surly but with an undeniable charm.

one day a tabloid reporter comes up to sinjae, just after yeong's left with his usual and asks what the captain's go-to order is. sinjae reacts in typical sinjae manner and it's only then that he decides that if the captain of the royal guard, the king's right hand man, wants to bring such nuisance to his life-- well then, he won't mind becoming a nuisance in yeong's.

cue sinjae finally stepping up what was brief perfunctory greetings into actual flirting. and oh, if sinjae was devastating when he was curt and focused on the job at hand, it's nothing to the way he smiles with a quip on his tongue, leaning in just enough as he hands yeong his coffee.

still. the day yeong decides to flirt back? sinjae actually has to check to make sure his heart's still beating. tae-eul laughs so hard there's a stitch in her side.

and so that's how sinjae's regulars are treated to the captain and their favorite barista falling into a courtship. it goes without saying that everyone in the neighborhood loves sinjae and finds the way the two of them dance around each other unbearably cute and exasperating. they are fiercely protective of sinjae, of course, and so no one leaks a word to those vile tabloids that like to hang around the handsome captain.

what should happen next? maybe sinjae's apartment is above the shop and yeong wanders down in his (sinjae's) sweatpants one morning, not realizing it was so late and everyone is treated to seeing the notoriously buttoned up captain in nothing but a ragged pair of sweatpants with SNU emblazoned down the leg.

or one evening as sinjae's alone and counting inventory, he hears the door jingle and doesn't even bother to look up as he calls out a bored "we're closed." he glances up just as his guest closes the door and starts walking towards him, looking utterly out of place in his quaint and quietly cheerful coffeeshop.

lee gon and kang sinjae take each other's measure over iced coffees and sinjae wanders upstairs several hours later with the rueful and somewhat disgruntled realization that he had just made friends with the most ridiculous man in the country and that taking yeong on meant allowing it to continue.

the thought makes him smile, too fond, but it's nothing to the look that steals over his face when he enters his bedroom to see his boyfriend passed out in his bed, having snuck in some time during the afternoon-- and sinjae doesn't want to know how yeong managed to break in what the hell he really needs to give yeong the copy of the key he had made several weeks ago-- after a brutal week long investigation on some confidential matter or another.

sinjae kisses yeong's forehead, tugs the blanket up higher, and heads to the bathroom to shower, all along thinking that had he known all those months ago that a single caramel macchiatto would set off such a chain of events in his life then, well-- he at least would've charged the captain extra.

#of course it all leads to yeong grabbing sinjae one day and kissing him for all the shop to see #yeong had forgotten himself for a moment and he tries to jerk away when he realizes they are indeed in public #sinjae grabs him and kisses him again and they both cant seem to worry about it afterall #they only have the good sense to bkush when one of the elderly women pats both of their shoulders and asks if they couldn't have held out #another week #she was almost gonna beat a friend at the bet thats been circulating at the coffeeshop all spring #i love yeong i love sinjae #id love just a regular nontraumatic au with them #tkem #my writing #my writing tag #my writing ideas #tkem fic #jo yeong x kang sin jae

[convenientalias]

I Rate Kdramas I've Watched Based On How Much They Would Be Improved By the Addition of a Cat

only including kdramas I've finished, and remember well enough to judge.

If I'm forgetting existing cats, that's on me, but have you considered we could add more cats anyway? just a thought.

Beyond Evil--If Dong-sik owned a cat he could pet it whenever he was feeling angsty. If Ju-won owned a cat he would have cat fur on his clothes all the time and everyone would be like "perfectionist germophobe how??" Also, imagine the power struggle when it turns out that Dong-sik's cat actually Really Likes Ju-won, or vice versa. The chaos. The trauma. The UST. Idek if it's better to give just one a cat or both. Anyway, 10/10.

Circle: Two Worlds Connected--Rare show that would be made worse by a cat because it would probably die during the time skip, emotionally destroying me forever. It would be comforting to Kim Woo-jin in part one but ultimately not worth it. 0/10.

The Devil Judge--Already has a cat so this is irrelevant. I feel the cat could have been made more of but it is there and this is a good thing.

Extraordinary You--I like the concept of a cat slinking around in the background, and no one can tell if it is or is not affected by the author's intentions. But it's not especially needed. 2/10.

It's Okay to Not Be Okay--Ko Moon-young already has a whole character-softening arc going on. Adding a cat to it would be fun but it's not really necessary. On the other hand, imagine if she had a cat from the beginning that she fiercely loves, and it's just as temperamental as her, scrawny and black and full of scratches. Also it probably cameos in some of her picture books. I would Like To See It. 5/10.

The King: Eternal Monarch--I specifically want Jo Eun-sup to have a cat that really likes Jo Yeong. And Yeong to be shameless in liking it back. Like, does he say anything about it, no, but does he restrain himself from picking it up and petting it during a serious conversation, also no. Lee Gon thinks this is adorable but already knows Yeong likes cats so it's no surprise to him. Kang Sin-jae also thinks this is adorable and Hilarious and flirts with him about it. 10/10.

Mine--Any cat in Mine would probably be extremely spoiled and subject to a custody battle at some point, aka either a peacock fate or another point of contention between Hi-soo and Ji-yong. I think the latter would be more interesting than the former but imagine just a big fat cat lolling around in the background and everyone grumpily giving it scratches in the aftermath of yet another family argument. Actually I think the family of Seo-hyun and Jin-ho should own it, bc they both are lonely ppl and would appreciate a cat, and Soo-hyuk would get to hang out with it too. 7/10.

Mr. Sunshine--I feel the cat in this drama should be some sort of communal cat. Maybe the American Embassy has a cat, or maybe Kudo Hina's hotel does. Either way, Mr. Sunshine is so much about finding connections with strangers and building community and finding one's place, and a cat would not go amiss. It would help to build common ground between ppl, temporary truces (you can't tell me Dong-mae would kill Eugene or Hui-seong in front of the hotel cat! It wouldn't be Right!) and so on. Anyway I just want to see any of the leads with a cat in their lap. I say any but I mean Eugene. 10/10.

My Country the New Age--Seon-ho needs more connection and warmth in his life but I feel he can't really be trusted with a pet, and also this is the kind of show where if he happens to feed a stray now and again, eventually Nam Jeon's going to kill the stray just so Seon-ho will be more traumatized. Hwi could take care of a cat, but he doesn't really seem like a cat person to me; maybe Bang-won could have one? Bang-won, fan up, cat in lap, staring at someone imperiously. Not a bad image. 3/10 don't give it to Seon-ho, I'm sorry dude.

Psychopath Diary--Is there a cat in this show that Dong-sik and/or In-woo respects for being a predator?? I feel like there might be. If not, there should be. 8/10, it's only logical.

Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung--If Yi Rim had a cat, it could sit on top of him while he slept and ward off nightmares. But eh, I don't get the sense he's really a cat person, or Hae-ryung either. (Don't ask me how my catdar works, it's a tenuous art. I could be convinced.) 2/10.

Save Me--Guseonwon having a communal cat would feel very natural to me. Maybe the Holy Father or Apostle Jo would be stroking it all the time so it would seem like an evil accessory. But it would actually be a very good cat. I think it would kind of spook Sang-mi due to her associating it with the villains, but when Dong-chul infiltrates Guseonwon he really gets along with it, which is taken as another sign that he's got great disciple potential. 10/10.

White Christmas--It makes no sense for the school to have a cat bc Susin must be much too strict. However, if Kang Mi-reu or Yoon Su had been secretly hiding a cat in the dorms all along, it would be completely hilarious. Out of place in the serious scenes (which is most of them!) but hilarious. 6/10.

That's it, that's all my cat thoughts, good night.

#kdramas #kdrama

[prettywordsyouleft]

Someone Real - Epilogue

Summary: You had nurtured a crush on Brian Kang since high school. So, when he asks you to pretend to be his girlfriend for a family gathering, you jump at the chance and your fantasies start to come to life. However, instead of how you imagined your feelings to bloom, your new neighbour Jae shows you another path to love.

Pairing: Jae Park / Brian Kang x female reader

Genre: romance / fluff / angst / fake dating + fwb au / neighbours to lovers au

Warnings: friends with benefits mentioning, angsty moments, there’s a bit of a love-triangle. In this part, there’s a light suggestive tone.

Word count: 793

Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Epilogue

“We really need to stop falling asleep here,” you groaned when you woke up to find yourself sprawled out on the couch with Jae under you again. “Even after all this time, old habits die hard.”

Jae smiled lazily, not opening his eyes. “Maybe we should just move the couch into the bedroom and the bed out here. At least then you’ll stop complaining about waking up on the couch.”

“You’re a nuisance,” you griped, sitting up only for Jae to tug you back down against his chest. “No way, Jae! I’m not even giving you five more seconds of my time.”

“It took you longer than five seconds to say that sentence.”

“You’re the one who pesters me about your sore neck and back. It’s because we keep falling asleep here.”

“Don’t blame me. You’re the one who falls asleep first, remember.”

Grumbling at his comeback, and even more so the smug smile that featured on his face, you eventually grinned. Jae, having waited for more of your bickering, peered out of one eye. “You’re smiling too. You acknowledge you can’t help but fall into my warm embrace every time.”

“Maybe a teddy bear would be a better choice after all. For one, it’s softer than you-”

Jae’s expression turned sour. “How clever.”

“Sometimes, I can be. Choosing you, however, some might say was a poor choice on my behalf.”

“Still, you chose me,” he reminded as he sat up, moving closer and kissing you softly. You melted into the embrace, kissing Jae three more times before you patted his shoulder gently.

“Time to get up.”

“Do we have to?”

“We have a wedding to attend, so yes, we have to.”

“You’re putting on the ugliest dress in your wardrobe, okay?”

Rolling your eyes, you got up and headed into the bedroom towards your clothes. “How about the most revealing?”

“Like you own something that sinful,” Jae responded with a snort, stopping in his tracks when you held up a familiar black dress. He launched into action instantly, coming over and snatching the dress out of your hands.

“No way. You wore that the day I proposed. No one else gets to see you in that dress.”

“It’s just a dress. Besides, if it makes you happy, no one will see me out of it other than you.”

“Don’t do this to me,” Jae complained, rubbing a hand down his face. “That’s it. We’re not going.”

“We can’t not go! It’s Brian’s wedding.”

“Yeah, the man who held your heart for ten years, right? Even more reason for us to skip it.”

“He came to our wedding. We owe him the same. Besides, who knew he’d end up with Lainey after years of her telling me what a jerk he was. I’m on Maid of Honour duties today.”

“Stranger things have happened.”

You smirked. “Like saying I Do to me?”

“Stop teasing,” Jae said, gathering you up in his arms and smiling down at you. “That was the second-best day of my life.”

“Second best? What was the first?”

“Managing to eat the entire menu at Taco Bell without puking.”

“It was not! Wait, you actually did that?”

Laughing, Jae shook his head and leaned down to nuzzle your nose with his. “The day you reached out for that box I was holding. That was the best day of my life.”

“Really?” He nodded. “Why?”

“Because when I saw you, I knew I was going to be ruined forever by you.”

“Hey! You said to stop teasing!”

Jae grinned. “I mean it. You ruined all my dreams and goals that didn’t have you in them.”

“Okay, maybe I like you more when you’re like this. Keep going.”

“If I keep talking, we’ll be late to Brian and Lainey’s wedding.”

Deliberating for a moment, you then grinned. “Not if we do everything together.”

“Just as we do now?”

“Just as we always will too.”

Kissing you softly, Jae then smirked at you. “Thanks for ruining my life, Y/N.”

“I couldn’t imagine anyone better to make new goals with.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Are you up for it?”

“I bet you won’t be able to keep up,” Jae stated, and you laughed, pushing your husband towards the shower.

“It’s you I’m worried about more than my performance.”

“HEY!”

Life was strange. You still lived in the same apartment as before, you weren’t inclined to follow your marriage up with children just yet or move to suburbia like you had once dreamed of when it came to wedded bliss. Then again, that dream was with a different man than the one you now loved.

You didn’t need to dream anymore either. You preferred what you had with Jae every day.

A love that was real.

_________________

Spinoff: Someone Unexpected

Thank you for supporting this series.

All rights reserved © prettywordsyouleft

[DAY6 Masterlist] | [Main Masterlist] | [Request Guidelines]

#kwritersworldnet #kdiarynet #day6 fiction #day6 fanfic #day6 romance #day6 fluff #day6 au #day6 scenarios #jae fiction #jae fanfic #jae fluff #jae romance #jae scenarios #jae au #pwyl; someone real #kpop fiction #kpop fanfic #kpop fluff #kpop romance

[lycheesqueeze]

4 K-Dramas that make me go  ✨w o m a n✨

Today I present to you the Crème de la Crème. Beautiful, pretty, smart and unstoppable: These K-Dramas make me want to marry the female characters. I promise after watching these four series you will question yourself again what sexuality you are. 

Strong roles for female characters are actually rare in K-Drama. Too often they depend on the help and validation of men, are portrayed stereotypical or in unrealistic ways. These following K-Dramas are breaking the standard roles of those female characters and make them the heroine of the story: 

- Hotel del Luna [호텔 델루나] // 2019 by Oh Choong-Hwan, Hong Jeong-Eun // 16 Episodes 

Hotel del Luna is a story about Man-Wol, who is forced to care for a supernatural hotel due to a sin she committed in the past. It is a guest house for the souls/ghosts of deceased humans who have unfinished business on earth before going to the afterlife. Besides Man-Wol there are also other staff at the hotel such as the receptionist Hyun-Joong and the human hotel manager Chan-Sung. The story evolves around Man-Wol’s past life, her relationship with Chan-Sung and the development of her character. 

Man-Wol seems to be a closed in and out of touch character. She loves to spend money on pretty things, acts invulnerable and classy. Her character is strong and independent and as the story develops, we realise, that even in her past live she always relied on herself. The second lead character, the human hotel manager Chan-Sung, helps her to overcome the grief of her past and move on to the future, so she can finally enter the afterlife. 

It is an interesting, sometimes sad, mostly entertaining drama with a heartwarming story. If you look closely you can spot other known faces such as Sulli, Lee Do-Hyun, Kang Mi-Na and Soo-Hyun. 

Main Actresses and Actors: Lee Ji-Eun (IU) as Jang Man-Wol & Yeo Jin-Goo as Koo Chan-Sung

- Run On [런 온] // 2020 by Lee Jae-Hun, Park Si-Hyeon // 16 Episodes 

Run On is a simple romance drama without a big plot line. It tells the story about the average translator Oh Mi-Joo who lives a pretty normal live. Through her job she meets the sprinter Ki Seon-Gyeom who retires shortly after and starts working as an agent for his friend Kim Woo-Sik. They start dating and throughout their relationship they have to face different kind of problems and how to overcome them. The second plot revolves around the unemphatic CEO Seo Dan-A who meets the young art student Lee Yeong-Hwa who starts working on an art pice for her. They too start dating. 

Oh Mi-Joo and Seo Dan-A are really strong characters who have their own live and principles. Although having different backgrounds they both display an independent woman who cares for herself first. All relationships in this drama are pretty healthy and something we can actually learn from. Another fact I really like is that we finally see more than only straight characters. Dan-A for example could be seen as a non stereotypical Bi-Character and Yeong-Hwa’s best friend is a gay character with the difficulty of coming out to him. 

As I mentioned before there isn’t much of an exciting plot line but the development of the characters and their relationship is fun to watch and makes it a relaxing drama. 

Main Actresses and Actors: Yim Si-Wan as Ki Seon-Gyeom, Shin Se-Kyung as Oh Mi-Joo & Choi Soo-Young as Seo Dan-Ah, Kang Tae-Oh as Lee Young-Hwa

- It’s Okay to Not Be Okay [사이코지만 괜찮아] // 2020 by Park Shin-Woo, Jo Yong // 16 Episodes 

A story about a sassy child book author who moves back to her old house and starts working at a mental hospital to give lectures about literature. She meets Moon Gang-Tae and his little brother and starts to befriend them. Gang-Tae also works at the mental institution and lives at his old friends house. Together the three start to overcome their past traumas and problems. 

Moon-Young the child book author is a mysterious woman who seems to be sadistic and a little bit crazy. She doesn’t fit into society norms and doesn’t give a s*** about other opinions. Moon-Young also has a fantastic taste in fashion and carelessly of her surroundings wears what she loves (extravagant clothing that looks like she hoped out of a fairy tale). As the story develops, we learn that she has a lot of suppressed trauma because of her mother who wants to kill her. The male lead Gang-Tae has to deal with the difficult relationship with his autistic brother. Moon Sang-Tae, Gang-Tae’s brother on the other hand has untreated trauma from his past, that leads to him being mentally unstable. The plot line focuses on the trio who heal each other through their friendship and trust in each other. 

I really enjoyed watching this drama. All characters are interesting and have their own motives and stories. Seo Yea-Ji is a great actor and fits the role of Ga-Young perfectly plus she is super pretty. I recommend this drama for everyone who wants to watch something out of the ordinary. 

Main Actresses and Actors: Seo Yea-Ji as Koo Moon-Young & Kim Soo-Hyun as Moon Gang-Tae

- The Uncanny Counter [경이로운 소문] // 2020 by Yoo Sun-Dong // 16 Episodes 

This Drama is about a high schooler named So Mun who is lives with his grand parents and is a pretty soft boy. He becomes a “Counter” and joins a group of other “Counter” to catch evil spririts. Together they start digging up the wrong doings of mayor Shin Myeong-whi and his partners while catching an unstoppable evil spirit named Ji Cheong-Sin who commits a lot of murders around their town. 

The reason I included this Drama is the strong role of Do Ha-Na who is part of the counter group and becomes good friends with So Mun. She is the definition of a strong woman who is independent and relies on herself. Nonetheless she needs help from time to time to overcome hardships. Other female roles such as Counter Mae-Ok and Mun’s friend Ju-Yeon are also non stereotypical female roles with interesting and special traits. 

The Uncanny Counter is not a romance Drama but more so an action or fantasy one. It is full of inspirational scenes, characters and interesting plot twists. 

Main Actresses and Actors: Jo Byeong-Kyu as So Mun & Kim Se-Jeong as Do Ha-Na

#hotel del luna #iu #yeo jin goo #p.o #kang minah #park yoona #lee do hyun #sullie #it's okey to not be okey #Kim soo hyun #seo yea ji #oh jung se #the uncanny counter #jo byeong gyu #kim sejeong #run on #im si wan #shin se kyung #sooyoung #kang tae oh #kdrama #kdrama recommendations #kdrama analysis #kdrama related #netflixkr #netflix #woman

[drivingsideways]

Seo-ryeong and Tae-eul, allies

She sees her shoes before she sees the rest of her.

Correction: she sees her feet, before she sees the rest of her- the tension of the high arch radiating up to the calves revealed by the thigh high slit of her indigo skirt, as she climbs the stairs ahead of Tae-eul. It's a quick, confident gait: the stilettoes not wavering a centimeter. Tae-eul, slowing down, feels her back tense in sympathetic reaction.

She pauses at the door, hand raised to knock, when she realizes that she's not alone, and turns.

Tae-eul has already realized who it is, so she's able reply with composure.

"Madam Prime Minister, what a surprise."

The stairs give Koo Seo-Ryeong even more of an advantage; she looms, larger than life, than reality itself on Tae-eul's doorstep, her expression guarded.

"Detective Jeong," says Koo Seo-Ryeong coolly. "I'm glad to find you at home."

A pause, an upward curl of lip.

"Your real home."

"I'm sorry it's not fit to greet Your Excellency," Tae-eul says, mildly, as she reaches the landing. Koo Seo Ryeong doesn't step back, so she has to awkwardly move in the small space between the door and the giraffe behind her to unlock her door. Perhaps it was something in the water in Corea, she reflects, but they really did seem to produce people who couldn't resist being unnecessarily dramatic.

Koo Seo-Ryeong waits until the lights are switched on before she ducks her head to step over the threshold. She looks around, taking everything in- there's not much, Tae-eul admits, but it still feels like exposing her underbelly to a predator. But Jeong Tae-eul isn't a fool; she knows which battles to pick.

As does Prime Minister Koo, she thinks, watching her face as her gaze lights on the wall with the photographs. Without a word, she makes her way to it; saunters, really, like a giant, sleek cat strolling the savannah. The tension from the stairs is gone, replaced by indolence; which one is the act, Jeong Tae-eul wouldn't place bets on.

"Would you like something to drink?" Tae-eul says, after a minute.

"Hmm?"

Koo Seo-Ryeong tilts her head, showing off her lovely profile, her porcelain-cheek finely contoured, the elegant line of her neck. Her hair is coiled in a loose bun settled at her nape, a delicate white- jade hairpin holding it in place. She looks like the queen she intends to be.

"No."

"Suit yourself," Tae-eul says, shrugging, as she walks to the counter and turns the coffee maker on. "Personally, I find that caffeine helps speed up my brain."

Koo Seo-Ryeong turns toward her then, a half-smile playing on her cherry red lips.

"What's the hurry," she drawls. "Do you have somewhere to be?"

A pause, then a long, fair hand lifted to cover her mouth, showing off perfectly manicured nails in that same blood-red as her shoes. "Oh, that's right, you must be waiting for His Majesty."

Oh for the love of—

"What do you need my help for?"

"Did I say that I needed your help?"

Tae-eul rolls her eyes, as the coffee-maker hisses behind her.

"Your Excellency," she says, trying to use her best traffic-cop-explaining-rules-to-eighty year old ahjumma-in-a sedan-voice, "I can't imagine anything less than an emergency has brought you to my door. So, let's get to it."

"Where's your mother?" Koo Seo-Ryeong asks.

Tae-eul blinks at her.

"Dead," she says, after a minute. "I was five, it was cancer, there was nothing we could do."

She thinks rapidly, trying to remember the factoids of Koo Seo-ryeong's life that she'd devoured during her brief time in Corea.

"Where's yours?" she asks, but she thinks she knows the answer.

"Lee Lim's got her," says Koo Seo-Ryeong, casually, as though reporting the weather, "Somewhere here, in this world."

"Are you sure?" Tae-eul asks, after a moment. "It's my understanding that he usually—that he doesn't leave any loose ends," she amends, at the last minute, because there's something in the rigid nonchalance of Koo Seo-Ryeong's face that tells her she's not ready to hear the words "dead" and "your mother" in the same sentence.

"Somewhere in this world," Koo Seo-Ryeong repeats, "I'm sure."

"And you want me to help you find her," Tae-eul prods.

Seo-Ryeong shrugs. "You're a detective aren't you- and you and that little hound dog that follows you around- you've been investigating Lee Lim for a while now, so—"

Tae-eul sends up a prayer of thanks that hyungnim isn't around to hear this.

"Why should I, though?" Tae-eul asks.

It's not that she hasn't already made up her mind- taking down the bad guy is the job description, hello, and that's the golden rule even if the person who benefits from the work is a snake—but Koo Seo-Ryeong is a mystery she'd never thought she'd get a chance to solve, and here she was, delivered to her doorstep.

Plus, this was work.

Koo Seo-Ryeong looks bored.

"Do I have to explain the advantages of taking down a common enemy? Are you really the child you look like?"

Tae-eul takes a sip of coffee to hide her grin- but not fast enough, because Koo Seo-Ryeong's expression changes into a storm cloud.

"I see," she says.

Then the expression smoothens out, like a magic wand has been waved.

It was fascinating.

Tae-eul wonders if she'd ever thought of a career as an actor, and then reflects that Koo Seo-Ryeong's makjang style was probably more suited to her current career.

"If those are the games you like," the Prime Minister of Corea is drawling, "I can guarantee that His Majesty is going to bore you to death in two weeks."

"I'll take my chances," says Tae-eul placidly, hopping onto the kitchen counter, and swinging her legs. "Alright, eonni- I can call you that, right? Since we'll be working together and all? Tell me everything you know."

"You may not call me eonni," says Her Excellency, from her throne at the center of Master Jeong's 2 x 4, "And I will tell you what you need to know."

"See," says Tae-eul, slurping her coffee loudly and enjoying the barely hidden wince from the woman opposite her, "That kind of thing isn't going to work. All or nothing, Your Excellency."

"The things that you don't know, and I do, could fill the library of Sungkyunkwan," declares Koo Seo-Ryeong.

A pause.

"I will answer any questions pertinent to the situation."

"Cool, cool," says Tae-eul, "I can live with that. What's your favourite dish, Your Excellency?"

A glare.

"Why is that relevant?"

"It’s relevant to our dinner plans. I can't think when I'm hungry."

A (glorious) sneer.

"Pathetic," says the woman who possibly secretly smoked two packs a day to remain that svelte and run a country.

Tae-eul shrugs, pulling her phone out. "Alright, fried beef dumplings it is, then. I take it you won't mind it spicy?"

They're poring over the files that Koo Seo-Ryeong had brought- intelligence reports, and her own notes from her meetings with Lee Lim, comparing them with the information that Tae-eul has so far on her side, when the doorbell rings.

"Oh yum, food," says Tae-eul springing up and scooting to the door.

It's Jo Yeong, looking like Doom, as usual.

"Oh, not food," she says, disappointed, and steps aside to let him make his dramatic entrance.

Seriously, Coreans.

But hyungnim's right behind him- or would be, if he wasn't leaning against the railing with a put-upon look on his face.

Behind her, she can hear the exchange of artillery fire as Captain Jo Yeong meets the bane of his life in Master Jeong's living room.

She closes the door behind her.

"So, what, you and that crazy woman are allies now?" Kang Sin-jae asks, as he thrusts a bag at her, from which the delicious smell of fried dumplings wafts up.

"Nope," she says, rooting around in the brown paper bag, because she knows a fried food aficionado when she sees one, and if she doesn't get to her share now, it was unlikely that Koo Seo-Ryeong would be considerate enough to leave her any. Besides, for a woman like Koo Seo-Ryeong, ally would rank higher that blood-brother or soulmate for other mortals, and Tae-eul hadn't earned it. Not yet. There was time, she thinks, for that.

"Nah," she says, again, over half a mouthful of crunchy goodness. "just two people working together. Shall we go in before there are bodies to bury?"

"What, again?" mutters hyungnim, but he opens the door for her, and follows her in.

#*offers this up to senpai * #*scurries away * #tkem #the king eternal monarch

[nettlestonenell]

The King: Eternal Monarch Catches Plenty of Hate Online

Why That Is, And Why You Should Ignore It

Part III: Subvert the Dominant Expectations for K-drama Stock Characters!

Missing here among the cast is the female who exists to give off the manufactured cuteness that is ‘aegyo’. Instead, we’re given Jo Eun-Sup, a male character who checks that box, to delightful effect. [see above]

The King Eternal Monarch lacks a tsundere Male Lead; locked-up and unable to access or show his emotions. In his (well-worn in kdramas) place we’re given instead a Female Lead that falls more in that direction (though never completely into it), Jeong Tae Eul is a motherless police woman who holds her emotions close to the vest, and whose years on the force have compelled her to compartmentalize and hold back emotionally as she works in the violent crimes department. [It’s textual, even. There are literal scenes structured around this plot beat.]

Their words, not mine

And furthermore, we’re shown that Female Lead occupying the [probably far more true-to-life] position of being simultaneously stoic about what life throws her way—but also being emotionally taken apart brick-by-brick by same throughout the series run.

There are entire take-down posts complaining about this women being able to be multi-faceted and equally strong AND emotionally affected by the crazy happening to her in the show.

I cannot with the absurdity of these viewers.

And as we were already talking about the expectations of LMH’s fan base, let’s mention Kim Go Eun, known for roles quite different from Jeong Tae-Eul. Rather, she was the heavily aegyo’d Goblin’s Bride for KES prior, and her most well-known roles appear to be as high school or college students (not mature adults), despite her actual age. The role of JTE could not have been what audiences familiar with her were expecting.

Just as LMH’s Lee Gon was not the acting turn his fans were expecting.

Behold, a kdrama male character played by LMH being deeply invested in what the female lead is going through,

Another blogger beautifully pointed out the adultness of the two leads (okay, most of the cast). These two are grown-up characters with grown-up responsibilities. Even the surface-immature Jo Eun Sup is single-parenting his pre-K twin siblings. 

Lee Gon and JTE have jobs that matter to both the plot and to them. They (like Kang Sin-Jae) worry about caring for their elders. Gon runs an entire country. PM Koo is ACTUALLY highly competent at her job [when she’s not breaking the law and violating basic ethics]. Na-Ri is both a business and a building owner, and all the mains we meet in the Kingdom are leading lives defined by their jobs. In TKEM universe the story happens because of characters’ jobs, not in spite of them.

If your expectation was a light romcom where the plot that took the most precedence was the love plot, and you were expecting a plot of cutesy misunderstandings and characters working at jobs that existed only to create complications to the mains getting together, you’re maybe going to hate this show.

If you expected predictable kdrama character tropes and don’t care for them being gender-flipped, you’re. Maybe. Going to hate. This show.

Start with Part 1

Part IV:  Cries of “no chemistry” between the lead romantic pairing

#the king eternal monarch #the king: eternal monarch #tkem meta #tkem #lee min ho #kim go eun #kdrama netflix #netflix kdrama #dumbassdictionaryds #kdrama #more like okay: drama!

[dramafics]

Heridas Abiertas (Exit Wounds) by @ibelongtomousse (blau)

Drama: The King: Eternal Monarch

Summary: Yeong gets not-so-accidentally married, dies for a while, considers a career change, and takes a vacation. In that order.

Rating: Mature

Pairing: Jo Yeong/Kang Sin-jae

CW: Grief/Mourning

Chapters: 8/8

Tags: Latin-American Literature, Happy Ending, Post-Canon

Notes: A dreamlike dive deep into the guts of a flashy but somewhat shallow show, endowing its universe with grace and depth. Two supporting characters, both prickly, damaged men, get a sweeping love story of their own, and in the process shed new light on some of the show’s dark corners. Full of poetry, allusion, delightful original characters and carefully crafted, beautiful sentences. This is a romance to savour.

#the king eternal monarch #tkem #korean drama #kdrama #kdrama fic #jo yeong #kang sin jae #woo doo hwan #kim kyung nam #fic rec