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Why does this seem like a really useless purchase that I want to make anyways? 😅

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🎃 Halloween is just around the corner and we've got some thrilling reads for you from JSTOR Daily - where academia meets current events.

First up, ever wondered why Victorian mansions are synonymous with haunted houses? 👻 Dive into the eerie world of architectural horror and uncover how these grand structures came to embody our deepest fears in "How Victorian Mansions Became the Default Haunted House."

Next, let's stir the cauldron and delve into the mystical realm of witchcraft. 🥀 In "Herbs & Verbs: How to Do Witchcraft for Real", explore the authentic practices of witchcraft, from spell casting to potion brewing.

And lastly, join us in a poetic journey through shared imagination and the belief in the supernatural. 🕯️ "A Belief in Ghosts: Poetry and the Shared Imagination" is a captivating read that combines spectral musings with literary critique.

JSTOR Daily is your go-to source for smart, historical takes on what’s happening today, and they're offering free access to related articles this Halloween season. Check out their full Halloween roundup here.

Happy reading, and remember, things are not always as they seem... 🌙

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Man why did I ever write any of this.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

New KM Rant. Because I’ve missed a lot. - Part 1

TRIGGER WARNING: SUPER LONG READ THAT’S PROBABLY FULL OF TYPOS. Okay, no clue where I should start, so I’ll get right into it. Btw, this is Sae. I would say that I was inactive for a long time, but that’s not true. I was here, I just didn’t really…..post much? I guess life got a little busier, a lot of things changed for me, lots of stuff to sort out. I’d say I haven’t really missed any of KM’s “moments”, I just didn’t talk about them. Like I’ve said at least a million times by now: First, I don’t think I really need to talk about them, because so many people already do that. And second, even if I were to talk about them, I’m not very good at expressing myself with words. The truth is, I like to analyze moments too, or read analyses. I do that in my head all the time. The reason why I don’t share most of those “analytical” thoughts (lol, my amateur a*s), is because I AM REALLY NOT GOOD AT EXPRESSING MYSELF WITH WORDS. That’s why I stick to the basic “guess I could just share my thoughts” kinda thing. And that’s what I’ll be doing now. I don’t think I’ll be making any kind of analysis in the near future, or far future… Or any future. So my KM hiatus (can I call it that?), dates back roughly to around the time Map of the Soul: Persona was released. And there are SO MANY things that happened since then, I think it’s impossible to talk about them all. And even now I’m not really sure which moments I’ll pick to talk about. Just keep in mind it’ll be chaotic, because that’s my nature. I doubt there will be any chronological order, or any order at all….. Right now, as I’m typing this, I’m looking at a thread of KM gifs (I’ll put the link at the bottom in case you wanna go through it yourself later), and I’m going to be picking some and just genuinely talk about what I think about them. I think at any given moment that’s all we can do. Since none of us knows for sure, but we believe in some things. These are just my opinions, not facts. If anything, please put your tinfoil hat on now. Edit: I actually got super tired while doing this, so this rant will have a second part. I just don’t know when. Another Edit: You can see all the gifs at the end of the post. I’m using only photos for each point, because I’m having difficulties making the gifs stay in place without ruining the text. Okay, let’s get started!

1.Rose Bowl

The reason why I’m starting with this is totally not because it was the first gif. There were so many arguments about whether JK really sucked/kissed/nibbled JM’s ear. I can see how many people (non-shippers and shippers of different ships) may have been shocked by what happened. I mean, even some people who strongly believe in KM’s romantic involvement were shocked that JK did what he did, in front of so many people. To me, that was a clear “yup”. There are so many videos of that moment, from so many different angles. When people said JK was just whispering to JM, my mind just went

“Are you fluffin’ blind?”

. But for the sake of politeness, I’ll explain why I think JK sucked on JM’s ear. First, because I see it, lol. To the people who say that the string of saliva was edited: I can’t confirm or deny it. But I believe on such a low quality video, you’d have to be a tech-savant to be able to do that. Even if there was no string of saliva, there’s JM’s ear flapping back into place after being released from JK’s mouth. You can clearly see JK’s opening his mouth. And you can see JM’s reaction. I don’t know what the people who don’t believe that happened, til this day, are thinking, I don’t know why they don’t see it. But this is it for me. I know there were some people who cried “brothers” and “fanservice” too….

Keep reading

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Source ~ Aurora Toys

Palm Pals - Belle the Strawberry Cow

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People really boycotting him because of who he married. Enetertainers of any kind, actors, singers, comedians, etc, are people who provide content for us to enjoy. That is their job. Their private life and personal choices are not our business. If people who loved him for over 20 years turned away from him just because of the person he chose to marry, were they ever really fans?

I understand that in the West and East the word "fan" takes on completely different functions, but isn't this way too much?

And then we wonder why celebrities meet tragic ends. People were really there to witness the end of brilliant, fucking beautiful human beings like Jonghyun, Sulli, Hara and now Moonbin, and they still choose to do this?

No one can force you to like his choices or support him, no one can force you to go to his concert and continue supporting him if you don't want to. But do you really have to go online, curse him out publically and ostracize him? Is that really neccessary?

Does him falling in love and marrying someone that you don't like truly warrant such hate?

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Hi pt.2

I've been gone for a while and what made me want to come back to this was the news about Moonbin.

First I want to express my condolences to his family, friends, ASTRO members and AROHAs.

It's a tragedy. There's no other way to describe it.

What really struck a cord with me this time is that we're the same age. He was a brilliant young man, kindhearted and talanted, full of potential, comfort for many. I don't know what truly happened, so i don't want to make comments of the sort "I wish someone was his comfort too". While it's true that we all might think this and feel a little guilty... I just feel like if I say things like that, then what are his family and friends supposed to say? I don't know if I have the right to express such thoughts and feelings.

The truly sad thing is, that with past tragedies that happened - Jonghyun, Sulli, Hara - absolutely nothing has changed. I can't help but feel like all these deaths are in vain. Because society didn't learn anything from them. We kept letting them down and now another person has left us. And for what? None of it was their fault. Why are they the ones that feel like they have to leave, no matter what, to get away, when they haven't even done anything wrong? How many people is it going to take, to make us kinder to each other? To pay more attention to the people around us and the people we idolize? Idols are people too. They're just like us. Actually, I consider a lot of them to be stronger and better than me, because I know for a fact I wouldn't last a day in their shoes. But they are still human, with their own feelings, thoughts and demons.

I'm not pointing a finger. I feel guilt. I wasn't really a big ASTRO fan. I listen to quite a lot of their music, but never followed them that closely. Of course, I knew Moonbin. Not like his fans do, but who doesn't know Moonbin? His smile lit up the screen of so many variety shows, he has so many iconic stage fancams. Even people who were never fans of ASTRO would be hardpressed to say they've never seen or heard of Moonbin of ASTRO.

So yeah, some rusty cogs are turning in my mind and I feel guilt for consuming content carelessly. Right now I can't even express eloquently how the two connect in my head, but there it is. If you feel like I do, you'd probably understand what I mean.

I always tell myself that I wish I had a platform where I could spread positivity. The truth is I've always had the tools to build one, just couldn't be bothered and made excuses as to why I didn't have this platform, or why even if I had it - it wouldn't matter.

In the end all I made were excuses.

Moonbin, Hara, Sulli, Jonghyun and all the people I've never even heard of, deserved better. Way better.

The truth is, they're better off without this world, but this world is not better off without them.

May you all rest in peace.

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Hi pt.1

So I kind of abandoned this blog. It wasn't intentional, but there wasn't really anything I wanted to say for a while. Some of the shows I said I would finish - I did, and some - I didn't. Overall, I didn't really want to say anything about the ones I finished as I saw no need for it. People were already expressing thoughts similar to mine, so I left it at that.

With life things piling up my desire to consum Korean content, as I usually do, slowly decreased. It started feeling like I've already seen it all and there wasn't really anything new that could make me excited. Of course, this is a natural cycle in my life. I swear this always happen and I can't be the only one.

Anyways, recently I've been getting back to it. I've caught up on a lot of things. I've discovered some new things I enjoy. (Not neccessarily Korean content.) Life has been moving on and the cycle has started once again.

I've made a list of new things I want to (maybe) watch. Nothing is decided yet, I don't know what I'll actually end up watching.

I've always wanted to do music recommendations, but those aren't easy to do. However. I am trying to come up with a fun way to do this, so we will see.

I just want to ramble about things.

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Well....

I've had a really hard time finishing any kdrama recently and I have no idea why. I'm done with uni for a while, this should be the time when I catch up on everything, but I just don't feel like it.

Unfortunately, I have yet to finish Unlock My Boss, I have also started watching Brain Cooperation (Brain Works) and Island. I haven't gotten past episode 4 on both. I've also yet to finish the show Namjoon was on. Also stuck on episode 4.

LOOK, I will do it at some point. However, I found it interesting that I got stuck on episode 4 on three out of the four shows I was watching.

Interesting fact: A lot of Asian countries consider the number 4 to be bad luck. China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam are all very superstitious, but the reason why they consider the number 4 to be bad luck, is because it has an alternate meaning of "death/die/dead". Or could have that meaning in specific cases. (I'm no language expert, but if anyone could explain in more detail, please.)

Often in those countries, in elevators the button for the 4th floor is recplaced by an "F", or is just missing in general.

Anyways, I thought this could be interesting for someone. Idk who.

I'll finish those shows.

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Happy new year?

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Reborn Rich the final episode

What an ending.

It's so bittersweet but I love it. Maybe it's my obsession with Jin Do Jun, but if you follow the actual chronology of things - Do Jun was reborn as Hyun Woo first. Because he died first. And if fate cannot be changed then he was meant to recover his memories as Jin Do Jun, which had alread been burried within him. Even before Hyun Woo "died" (for a week), it was meant to happen. So who is really who at the end? As Hyun Woo called it, you could think of it as repentance, but for me personally, Do Jun existed in Hyun Woo long before Hyun Woo got "reborn" as Do Jun.

All that being said, I do have some very smaaaaaall issues with the ending.

First, it felt rushed. Honestly the last 3 episodes or so felt really rushed compared to the rest of the drama's pace. Everything that needed to happen still happened, but it was just.... I don't wanna say half-baked but.....

Second, Hyun Woo got shot straight in the head point blank. You're telling me he miraculously survived that? Sure there are some miracles that happene even in real life, but it's a patter I hate with tv shows, nto just kdrama. At the very least, he would've needed years to recover. Although, if I really want to defend it, I could say the years he spent as Do Jun somehow changed Hyun Woo's brain's perception of time which afforded him just enough time to recover. Still, between Do Jun's and Hyun Woo's death, Do Jun would've had a much higher survival rate than Hyun Woo. Sure, Do Jun's car got slammed pretty hard, but it's not comparable to getting shot at point blank IN THE FREAKING HEAD, now is it? :/

Also I would've loved to see the actual process of Mr. Oh Se Hyun working with Do Jun's mother, instead of just hearing about all the things they're gonna do..... but we don't get to see them.

Jin Sung Jun's character deserved more too. Sure he was greedy, but he was not guilty of ordering Do Jun's murder. Both times he was innocent. He knew everyone would've suspected him, which is was exactly what his father wanted. It's the reason why he got the company in the first place. Sung Jun deserves some justice too. I feel like it would've been that more epic if the show had gone back to the conversation between Hyun Woo and Sung Jun from episode 1 and committed to the bond that was forming. Imagine if we had Hyun Woo and Sung Jun working together in the final episodes. Hyun Woo gets to finish Do Jun's deed and Sung Jun finally has a change of heart and pays tribute to his grandfather and runs the company with the same heart his grandfather had.

On a more positive note (says anticupid), Hyun Woo did not end up in a relationship with Min Young! Which makes logical sense, for once. I'm not saying I'm happy that they didn't get together, I'm saying it happened for the right reasons. But I'm sure most of the ship's fans will be satisfied that she seemed to recognize Do Jun in Hyun Woo in the end. One could imagine they did end up meeting up and like.... making babies. Idk.

I liked the future Min Young a lot more. Although for her to become the Soonyang Grim Reapper and wear only black because she was mourning for Do Jun, I really would have loved to see more of their relationship developing at least? As it was all based on only a few times they talked? Briefly? But I guess human emotiones are unpredictable, so it's possible. Anyways, there's that.

A little sad the endings of the rest of the characters were rushed by too, but I didn't see anything that made me think "hmm this doesn't make sense". Honestly, is there not going to be a season 2? Now I'm kinda disappointed, because I wish we had spent more time with how the other characters' life continued. As well as more to see of Do Jun with his family. But I get it, it was never the focus of the show.

All my other thoughts about this drama flew out the window.

I can say it was a lovely experience. I enjoyed this so much despite constantly finding something to nag about. I loved following Jin Do Jun's life, and that particular era in South Korea's history. The real footage they used. I loved Jin Yang Cheol's character, I loved Lee Sung Min's acting (as well as Joong Ki's, always).

It made me cry a couple of times and any drama that invokes real emotion in me keeps a spot in my heart. Especially when Ha In Seok went to testify and thought Hyun Woo was Do Jun (was he wrong though?) and wanted to protect him. The unspoken hero of this show. It was a fantastic story, even if we look at it only from Do Jun's perspective, it makes for an amazing story. Had Hyun Woo not even been a part of this drama, I would've still loved just watching Do Jun and his grandpa. Hyun Woo's growth at the end was the bonus for me. I get to exprience something which unlocked his cage and his heart. The boy who grew up in poverty and had many hardships because of it, the boy who willingly walked into a cage because of his trauma caused by poverty. He put his emotions aside, thinking that money was more important than them. Finally, he was freed from it all.

With a new look on life, a new heart and a new dream, he was able to leave all of his hurt behind and live in a way that not only fits him better, as a human, but also a life that Do Jun would be proud to see him live.

Ugh. I'm gonna miss Do Jun's smile though. I know Joong Ki plays both, but that smile is now Do Jun's until the day I die and there's no changing my mind.

Alright, time to go cry in a dark corner. I love-hate this ending.

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Unlock My Boss episodes 5&6

The more I watch this show the more I fall for it. It doesn't happen to me often, to have a slow start and keep watching regardless. I honestly thought I was going to stop watching it after episode 2. Then I went back to it when I was bored and I was like "okay, this is getting somewhere". Even now, before I watching episodes 5&6 I didn't even feel like it. I just forced myself to start episode 5 because I don't want to have piled up unfinished drama.

And here I am, liking it more and more. It took 3 minutes of episode 5 to draw me back in. For some reason when there are new episodes out I don't feel immediately compelled to watch them, I sort of dread it. But then I watch and my comfort switch turns on. Granted, there is some angst in this, but for the most part it just takes my mind away from stressful daily issues. It doesn't require a huge amount of focus. It doesn't demand my attention like Reborn Rich does. It makes me feel at peace watching, the pace is easy-going. Despite the long episodes, it doesn't tire me out after watching two in a row.

I keep falling for all of the characters too. At first they felt so "default", just plain. But with time I keep discovering new things to like about them.

I don't know, I can't quite wrap my finger around it, but I like it. It's therapeutic.

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Reborn Rich episode 15 ✔️

I KNOW I said that I wasn't gonna post about episode 15 separately, but I couldn't help myself after watching it. Mostly because of the ending.

So this is a bit of a brain fuck, but let's attempt to put it in words starting with Hyun Woo's perspective. Hyun Woo kills Do Jun. But as Do Jun said, everything that happened in his past (Hyun Woo) life, will undoubtedly happen again. You can't change the outcome in the end. That means that even if Hyun Woo kills Do Jun, in any universe/life, he will undoubtedly reach the point where he gets killed and is reborn as Do Jun again. Which means that this will keep happening, because the show has not introduced a version of events where the outcome can be influenced and changed (yet, it may happen in the next episode, I think it will anyways). So if we run with the theory that you cannot change the outcome, it means Hyun Woo and Do Jun are stuck in a loop where Hyun Woo constantly kills Do Jun, who is actually Hyun Woo from the previous loop and bears all his memories. WHICH LEADS TO THE QUESTION: Who was first, the chicken or the egg? Obviously there is no Do Jun, if this loop keeps happening we can't really assume it had a strat or that it will have an end. So did Do Jun really exist born AS Do Jun himself and not carrying someone else's memories?

Of course, this theory falls through if in the next episode Do Jun manages to change the outcome and survive (again, I feel like this is a very likely scenario because otherwise it makes no sense that they are stuck in a loop, because it's really only one person then). However, the sole reason Do Jun started this journey to take over Soonyang was to take revenge for Hyun Woo's death. But we saw Do Jun, after having taken over Soonyang, having doubts about what his real goal was by the time he took over. His mind and heart were moved by his grandfather and in the end, I belive, the path he walked was for his grandfather.

I only wish we saw more of Do Jun's parents in this show though. I wish they showed us how growing up with a different family and growing to love them had an effect on him too. We can see tiny bits here and there, and we can see that Do Jun sincerely loves them. I do understand that from the moment he woke up in the car with them he already had the mind of a 40yo, but still, he spent another lifetime with them. It would've had an impact on him, an important one imo, and I wish we could've seen it. But anyways.

Yeah, the Hyun Woo kills Do Jun bit is very wacky. I lowkey wish Do Jun doesn't survive so the loop can reset. Or rather, I want to see if it will, because if Do Jun dies again it should natrually reset. I'm interested in that. Probably more so than a happy ending where Do Jun surivives and lives the rest of his days peacefully. I just think the loop is a very interesting material to work with. Imagine if they did reset it and in a fictional season 2 Do Jun and Hyun Woo meet earlier and Do Jun tries to convince Hyun Woo that's it's actually... well him. And they work together to stop the loop and change their inevitable fate. How cool would that be?

That being said, I don't think it will happen. I just like to imagine it.

Anyways, that's all I have from this episode. Well, there is more, but I don't want to break my word. I want to keep it for the last post after I've seen episode 16.

Honestly though, Hyun Woo and Do Jun working together in a time loop. Double the Joong Ki.

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Reborn Rich episode 14 ✔️

Before I watched episode 14, I went back and watched the first episode to remind myself of some things.

We’re so close to the end but there’s still so much for Do Jun to do, I feel like. Not only about taking over Soonyang but figuring out who ordered the murder of Hyun Woo, plus I still feel like we’re owed to know what happened to Do Jun in Hyun Woo’s version of events. What accident was Sung Jun talking about in the first episode in his father’s office? I think whatever happened to Do Jun in Hyun Woo’s life must be coming soon for the Do Jun now. Maybe that’s how we find out.

My favorite moment of this episode was Do Jun watching his grandfather’s video. That made me bawl, even though I hardly ever do. There’s something so special about their bond and this man’s ending.

Another one worth mentioning is Yoon Ki and Lee Pil Ok in the car. I don’t know if she cried because his words made her regret what she’s done or because she didn’t succeed. Either way, I was hoping the drama wouldn’t make her exist so quick and eventless. But who knows, maybe she’ll come back one more time before the end (although I doubt she’ll have any significant role if she does). How ironic that the ones she hated the most and wanted to separate from her family the most, are the ones that help her in the end.

Other than this, I don’t think I’ll say anything much this time, until the end. I want to hold off on making any predictions even though I have some. I want to talk about it when it ends. How it actually ends vs. how I thought it would.

One thing is for sure though, Do Jun (Hyun Woo) seems a little lost in his path and I don’t think there’s much time left in the drama for detailed progression, so I think we’ll get a big dramatic moment where somehow he has outsmarted them all with something that wasn’t even mentioned before. A rushed ending. I hope not, but I think it’s headed that way. What’s happening right now is too much to wrap up in two episodes. Unless there’s a second season. Given this drama’s ratings, it could be that they opted out for alternative ending and leave space for season 2. Which I hope they don’t. Anyways.

The ring scene was unexpected. They haven’t even properly dated, they’ve barely even met if you think about it realistically and suddenly a ring? This romance has been very disappointing with no chemistry and Min Young’s character making no sense, but at least it wasn’t the focus of the show. Which could be the reason why they didn’t pay much attention to it.

That’s about it.

I’ll probably be skipping posting about episode 15 separately. I think I’ll do a big overview to wrap it up after the last episode. Seems like the right thing to do as it’s ending and a lot will be unpacked (fingers crossed). There's still a lot I want to talk about, but I don't want to talk out of my ass when the ending is at the tip of my nose. I'll just wait a bit.

Maybe I should mention now I’m currently also watching Unlock My Boss, but after Reborn Rich ends I’ll probably pick up Trolley. I’ll have to look up at what else is coming up. Connect is also on my list. It’s a short one though. Feel free to suggest something to me, if you want to.

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Reborn Rich episode 13 ✔️

I usually take notes as I watch, as to not forget what I want to talk about. This time I didn’t. I just enjoyed the episode in its entirety. We’re so close to the end and this was such an emotional episode I just couldn’t force myself to keep pausing.

I assume some people would think Jin Yang Cheol’s death was anticlimactic and brushed over. For me though, it was a perfect ending to him and his character. Because death is not something we can predict, even if we know someone is dying. We always think “there’s one more day” as time passes, and one day you really do just find them collapsed, when no one asked you if the timing is okay. Death doesn’t knock or make appointments. It takes when it wants to and it leaves you to deal with what it left behind. I feel like that’s the kind of ending Jin Yang Cheol got, a realistic one. No matter how rich you are, death just doesn’t deal in currency.

Once more I felt how sincere Do Jun’s feelings about his grandfather were. From a man that he read about in a book, which inspired his career path as Hyun Woo, to his actual grandfather. A grandfather that grew to love him in his own way, that formed a special relationship between them. If before the car accident Do Jun’s sole goal was revenge, now it’s keeping his grandfather’s legacy and protecting his honor, which is a form of revenge on its own. Because, truly, by the end no one else cared about Jin Yang Cheol as much as he did. Or at least no one cared for him as they would for a father and a grandfather. His entire life, a wallet to his family. His own wife thinking she should receive compensation for enduring this marriage that she chose. We could argue that she didn’t choose it, because for that time period her parents probably arranged it. Which would be true for Jin Yang Cheol as well. However, I feel like the reason why she is truly accept is because she always knew that he didn’t love her, not like he loved the woman he actually chose himself. Which leads me to believe that even arranged, she probably wanted the marriage and had feelings for Jin Yang Cheol from the very beginning, which was not the case for him.

Another thing, I’m a little surprised they chose to introduce a new character to us at this point in time, the granddaughter. Unless she was in the first episode and I forgot about it? There’s a whole bunch of stuff I’ve probably forgotten at this point. I think before the final two episodes I’ll go back and rewatch the first. Anyways, I wonder what her function in the plot is going to be.

And the thing with prosecutor Min Young? I will really stop repeating myself as I’ve said it all before and my opinion remains unchanged about her character and the romance aspect.

This is all for this episode, short but sweet. I’m not feeling to well so I was planning to watch this tomorrow when I feel better, but I just couldn’t wait. Still, there are a few things left I want to talk about that I’ve been thinking of for a while, but I think I’ll leave that for the final episode.

[lemon-inferno]

Unlock My Boss episodes 3&4 ✔️

Where to start?

First, I know this is a webtoon-based drama, but I really have to say: the filming and editing style of this show are really refreshing. At first I found them a little odd, but I suppose it was just because I'm not used to this. However, after these two episodes I'm finding it very refreshing and it makes watching and following the story more interesting.

Speaking of, this drama is a lot faster-pased than most I've watched. It has time jumps at just the right moment to save you from all the boring and unnecessary conversations and scenes.

The predictibility is now beyond me. At first I thought I had somewhat of an idea about what's gonna happen, kind of still do, but the characters keep surprising me. (This would not be the case for someone who's already read the webtoon, fortunately for me, I haven't).

I love how it can get from serious and intense, to ridiculously funny, to very emotional in a split second. Humor is one thing I've had an issue with in kdramas. It's always either too dry, too cheesy, or with a punch line only a fluent Korean speaker would get. I should say this show has quite a lot of those punch lines, but luckily it's not to a point where I wouldn't understand it. This is the first time in a while a kdrama has made me laugh uncontrollably for minutes at a time. It might be considered cheesy too, but I love how scenes cut in and out with different scenarios that In Seong is imagining.

Another thing I love, all the movie references done by mirroring scenes from them!

I wasn't sure wether I was going to continue watching this drama, because to be honest the first two episodes didn't really grab me. They just left me with a feeling of "what the fuck did I just watch". I'm now realizing how much of a mistake that would've been.

I definitely recommend this show if you're looking for something new and refreshing, just give it a little time to get to where it needs to be. If you're thinking of watching it, consider giving it a headstart in your heart and go into it with the mindset that it is going to be awesome. :)

[lemon-inferno]

Reborn Rich episode 12 ✔️

Aaah, what an episode! I watched it a little late, but it got me so immersed. Okay, there’s just a few things I want to say, so let’s just start in order.

The scene in the hospital where the chairman first realizes something is wrong with his mind was heartbreaking, but what I saw in it was more than that. The great man Jin Yang Cheol who founded Soonyang and gave it his life, the thing he lives and breathes for. His dream that he held in his hands. Suddenly we see him as a withered, pitiful old man. It’s about feeling the power of life and how fragile humans are actually.

Next one is when he went to the board meeting. I saw the tears in Do Jun’s eyes when the chairman was smiling at him and clapping. That was probably one of the sincerest smiles Jin Yang Cheol has ever given anyone and it made me really feel how he has bonded with his grandson over the course of the show. What set it in stone for me was the elevator scene. In that moment, when Do Jun did literally wipe his piss off the floor to hide his shame, Do Jun was the only person in Jin Yang Cheol’s world that he felt really loved him and treated him like a grandfather, a family member, not just a wallet. I know that Jin Yang Cheol is not a warm man, he may not have been the best father or husband, but he is a good man in his own right. And he is a brilliant businessman. He gave everything to his wife and children that they needed. With all the money that had afforded to them, even if it wasn’t Soonyang, they could’ve built successful businesses of their own. We may try to excuse it with accepting money as their father’s affection, but we all know any grown man (and woman) should know better, especially with the education that you’ve been lucky to receive. They’re just greedy and blame that greed on their father.

As for the grandmother, Lee Pil Ok, I knew something was up with her when she revealed her cold side a couple of episodes ago, but I didn’t think she’d be the one attempting to kill her husband “for her children”. Since Yoon Ki isn’t her son, and Do Jun isn’t her grandson, she couldn’t bare lose the company and the money to the “other woman” as well. I think that’s her intentions behind it, even if she can’t comprehend it herself and blames it on her love for her children. We could say it’s both actually. Why do her children have to lose to this woman as well? She probably hated that thought so much it made her resent Jin Yang Cheol despite the things she’s gained from her marriage with him. She and her children were given everything, all they had to do is use it right. To think she’d to this to the person she’s spent her life with. The accident that she caused gave him something worse than death. As we saw, he risked his life to get rid of this state for two hours. We can deduct that he’d rather be dead than be in this helpless state and have to depend on people who want to take everything from you. The reason why he was so reluctant to give Soonyang to any of them was because none of them cared to know what Soonyang really means to him and appreciate the effort he’s put into it.

Speaking of characters, I like that they revealed more of Sung Jun’s genius. He’s actually someone I wish we had seen more of, because I really like him. He’s in a constant state of conflict (in my eyes), because on one hand he’d do anything to protect his father and doing the right thing by respecting his grandfather and not causing trouble. Why I think this is, is because, Sung Jun is smart enough to do what Do Jun did. Maybe not on the same scale, but if he was acting alone with himself as his only interest, I believe he could’ve taken the company from his father, easily. Why I think he doesn’t is because he more than anyone knows how badly his father wants to inherit the company after so many years and so much he’s sacrificed. He also knows that his father is only using him as an excuse to keep fighting for the company so he could “have something to leave to his son”. I really do think Sung Jun is was smarter than anyone gives him credit for. I’d also like to think that the photos that were taken when he was at the factory, were a genuine side of him. He found temporary peace there, even if it’s not peace he was looking for. Eventually he got yanked back onto the chess board, because he was a very important pawn for his father. But in the end, no matter how smart, his genius is misplaced.

And last, for a reason, I don’t even get why Min Young is in this even with her function as a prosecutor. Even though they’re both good people, their values crash. Min Young must always follow law and the order it goes through to achieve something, in that she is absolute and refuses to look the other way even for someone she loves. Do Jun on the other hand has already tasted everything life has to offer. From all the suffering he went through with Hyun Woo to everything he gained as Do Jun. He will not harm innocent people, but he’s not afraid of paying back those who have harmed him or his loved ones with interest, even if it means doing something shady. This is why I never could see this relationship. No chemistry between the actors, no chemistry between the characters. Just when we think Min Young will finally do something, she doesn’t. I mean, I do fully except her to go through with this investigation, but at this point in the show, why? We didn’t really need her initial scene at the gallery with Hyun Min to find the culprit. And now we don’t really need her to catch the culprit, because Do Jun has the evidence and could report her at any moment. I assume that’s not gonna happen and Min Young will still be the one to trigger that, I just don’t understand why.

Amazing episode, can’t wait for the next one.

[lemon-inferno]

Reborn Rich episode 11 ✔️

Wow this episode was really something. I have less to say about it though, because I think what I said about the las episode it still valid for this one.

I’m not going to talk about Min Young anymore. My opinion remains the same, even more so after this episode.

I did almost guess who the culprit behind the car accident was. First I thought it was Sung Jun and Hyun Min that planned it, together. But she found out later on that it was him. The reason why I thought they did it together, is because I think they were behind Hyun Woo’s death as well. Sung Jun and Hyun Min’s relationship makes way more sense than Min Young and Do Jun’s to me. Their love/hate dynamic is something I thought would suit this show and I said I wanted such a relationship in my previous post. Now I can see it with them.

The rest of the episode was really just a lot of wholesome moments that I was longing for after so much drama. I love that Do Jun’s character has kept that calmness of a 40-year-old man from his previous life, but when so many exciting and dramatic events happen, his calmness begins to feel a little stifling.

I was surprised (but not?) that the driver, In Sook, saved Do Jun and the chairman. I hope his character lives and recovers. Although we haven’t seen him and Do Jun interact that much throughout the show, I get a sense of warmth thinking about the two. I could easily imagine what In Sook was feeling when he decided to sacrifice himself and save Do Jun, even though we haven’t seen that much relationship development.

What I was surprised by, was Do Jun’s father – Yoon Ki. I’m really glad he stepped up like that and told his siblings off, but I’m a little confused what’s happening with his movie business and is he actually managing both that and the hospital? I know logically they probably hired someone to manage it for them, but it would’ve been a little nice to see it, or have a hint of it.

Overall excited to see more of Do Jun’s family. I completely understand his mother’s worries and reasoning, logically I would agree with her in such a situation. But I still want Do Jun to just go ahead and do his thing with his parents’ full support. I love his family and I love his brother! Hyung Jun brings such a fresh energy and it’s a nice breather whenever he’s in a scene. We haven’t seen much of him either, but I love him so much. He’s probably the most precious and wholesome character in this show. He’s just a dude that wants to sing, loves his family and loves what he does, doesn’t need anything else (except Do Jun’s money, lol).

One thing I’m still a little bit confused about is – Was Do Jun born as Do Jun first, or as Hyun Woo? Because in his memory as Hyun Woo, when he remembered the photo of 4-2, he saw his own face. I originally thought (like from the very first episode), that Hyun Woo was actually Young Ki and Hae In’s son. Since Hae-In showed up and asked what happened to her son, I assumed the siblings did something to take him away from the succession picture, which doesn’t necessarily be murder. I thought maybe they somehow took him away from the family when he was young and he lived his life as Hyun Woo without knowing he’s Do Jun. Then why he got reincarnated as as Do Jun would make more sense too. After this episode though, I’m a bit shakey on that. While remembering about 4-2, he saw his own face and said “The reason why I don’t remember anything is because I died”. I’m really unsure of how the two overlap still. So, in some universe, the two lives happened simultaneously, for Do Jun to be able to restore a memory about himself, but in Hyun Woo’s life? But I guess we’ll find out soon enough.

The cherry on top for this episode was when the chairman took Do Jun’s hands. For the first time he was showing his feelings. Jin Yang Cheol kept looking for the one who resembled him the most in terms of values, not qualities. Which is something all of his three other children got wrong. All he wanted in the end was to have someone cherish Soonyang and grow it more, as it was the fruit of his long labor of a life. He desperately wanted it to be his oldest son and grandson, because those are deep rooted traditions that have even made it into law, in many countries across the world. He was conflicted about keeping those traditional values and breaking them to protect his own. In the end however, he came to face with the truth he couldn’t run away from – that Do Jun is the only one capable of carrying out his legacy the way he envisions it. I shed a single tear while he was holding Do Jun’s hands. He may not have been a good father, but he’s not a bad person and he’s a damn good businessman who always kept his eyes on his dream. A man’s life coming to an end with the end of a century. It’s bittersweet.

I’m excited for next episode. I know it’ll be sad to see the chairman like that. Such a strong man is suddenly riddled old and weak, terminally ill and mentally suffering. As a plot it’s a brilliant ending for his character, I think. Well, it’s not the end yet, but we can see it. Joong Ki is an amazing actor and his character is the main focus of the show, but my personal favorite might just end up being Jin Yang Cheol. Such a good, rich character (I don’t mean in money). It was a story about him just as much as it was about Hyun Woo/Do Jun and boy did he nail it.

I cannot wait for the end of the show and what it has in store for us. There’s only one other drama I’ve wanted to end sooner so I could have a finished story in my heart, this is a close second. Some people may disagree with me, but if the ending is wrapped up really good, I don’t want this drama to ever have a second season. I want a full story to be able to hold in my heart, or the feelings of it. A complete journey that deserves to end with Jin Yang Cheol.