#Cha Young Sunbae

[helianthus21]

#vincenzo#jang han seok#jang han seo#actually i have decided that i am going to bully han seok a little more so i will say that han seok stole han seo's personality#because unlike han seok han seo was actually well liked in school because of his personality#and han seok needed to get into wusang without raising too much suspicion#and he saw how han seo got along with everyone back in school without much effort#and he was like ah yes i have no idea how friendliness works but i will just act like him#and then he overdid it in his usual han seok style#and THAT is when jun woo turned into a mockery of han seo#thank you for coming to my ted talk#빈���조#han seok would never admit it not even to himself but he was jelaous of han seo bc he did not understand why ppl could like him#especially since he himself found han seo lacking in so many aspects#this is my canon now

obligatory "don't hide this in the tags" @seerya

the concept of han-seok creating jun-woo in his brother’s image bc that's a persona who'll be overlooked and underestimated makes me inSANE bc it WORKED and it made a mockery of han-seo at the same time bc every time jun-woo was treated like a doormat by his "superiors" for being awkward and foolish and bubbly, he could go to his brother and say "that's you. that's you their looking down on"

[dropthedemiurge]

Love for Love's Sake | Things you didn't notice (probably)

Finally, I am watching a good K-BL and can enjoy multi-layered meanings within language, culture and translated subs altogether (unlike with Thai series where I need to learn a new language again xD)

So I'll be pointing out some fun things that I noticed for fellow foreign viewers =) Beware of a long post!

Disclaimer: I'm not fluent in Korean, but I've been learning and using it for years + lived and studied in Korea for a while so I'm offering my perspective and knowledge but it might not be the Ultimate Truth

Episode 1

«I prefer lonely supporting characters instead of happy protagonists. Cha Yeowoon is still unhappy. ... - Where are you going? - To see my main (최애). I mean, Cha Yeowoon.»

The word Tae Myungha used to described Cha Yeowoon, as I heard, was actually 최애 (choe-ae). It's a slang that can be translated as "my favourite" and typically is used for K-pop group members, meaning "my bias" (think One True Pairing but One True Person instead). Then, as his fellow classmate gets confused, hearing such word referring to a popular student in their school, Tae Myungha changes to "I mean, Cha Yeowoon", and it works because the word and the name sound similar.

Myungha uses this word because in the intro he stated that Yeowoon is his favourite character in the book out of all. So basically, his first reaction was "- Where are you going? - I'm gonna run to find my blorbo<3", which is so admirable. I'd also get obsessed with making happy my fav side character that was treated unfairly by creators :D

«Kids like chocolate, right? ... (Yeowoon grabs an icecream, Myungha grabs the same, adding with surprise:) Didn't see that coming. Bi-Bi-Big (비비빅)? You eat like an old man.»

What surprised Myungha there? That Yeowoon chose this icecream->

It's a traditional icecream that is made out of red beans. This taste is usually associated with older people (because typically kids like sweet things and older people like less sweet/bland tastes), also red beans or read bean paste is used in many traditional desserts in Korea. Yeah, who would've thought that a high schooler would choose this icecream out of all options?

Later, Myungha gets the message "You can compare Bi-Bi-Big to big Ba-Bum-Bar (another icecream with "old man taste" from chestnuts), why the hell would you eat it?" and gets confused as the message seems missent. I am confused as well, because Myungha wasn't the one choosing this icecream and Yeowoon wasn't typing in his phone. Considering that the phone number is unknown, I can guess that it might be a commentary from the book's author who's watching Myungha playing his story game? Let's figure it out in the next episodes!

«- You eat like an old man. - Do you play sports? - No. - Weird. You're a whiner like I've always heard. - Kids these days have no manners.»

My quick translation->

«- You eat like an old man. - Sunbae, do you play sports? - No. - Strange. You sound like one of those older jerks (꼰대). - Kids these days have no manners.»

More on the differences between Tae Myungha and Cha Yeowoon:

Myungha tried to poke Yeowoon about his "old man tastes", and Yeowoon called him out for his conservative/stereotypical thinking.

Yeowoon keeps calling Myungha sunbae (because he knows MH's a senior in their school so he must be polite), and Myungha REALLY TALKS LIKE AN OLD MAN to him ("Kids these days" in the subs does translate this style of speech correctly! I'm glad). We all know he's much older before he was thrown into high school times (~25-30yo?), but his words and intonations really make you feel like he's 50-60yo or something xD

Yeowoon doesn't like this at all, though, so he calls Myungha a sort of derogatory term 꼰대 (kkondae), which is used to described old conservative people who are set in their ways and keep nagging and scolding young people for not behaving properly. And, as a runner, he implies that there are senior sportsmen that are hazing or nagging younger sportsmen like this as well, that's who Myungha reminds him of. No wonder the affection stats fell down in the minus zone so hard!

There you go, guys, these are my comments on the first episode of Love for Love's sake! It is filmed so well, I like the idea, and I really enjoyed it (if this one gets really popular just like Semantic Error, we might get more BLs about gamers or gamedevs and I WILL LOVE IT I am so here for it, hehe)

Stay tuned for more as I watch next episodes :]

[survivalistghost]

Top 10 kdrama friendships that had me bawling

#10 - alchemy of souls : mu deok/bo yeon + the boys

the only reason this doesnt get a higher rating is because they just didnt have enough scenes together. it was always pretty secondhanded, like the boys helping her with her servant exam in s1, or scenes between seo yul and mu deok/bo yeon. however, their friendship was amazing, and just adore this show in itself.

#9 - doom at your service : tak dong kyung, na ji na and cha joo ik

okay, they weren't a trio, necessarily, but they had such a great friendship through indirect interaction. joo ik and dong kyung had such a wholesome excited little sister and passive older brother relationship. and dont even get me started on the cuteness that was the friendship between na ji na and tak dong kyung.

#8 - strong girl do bong soon : do bong soon and gyeong shim

i wrote about this in my review of strong girl dbs as well, and the friendship between gyeong shim and dbs was so cool because both women were willing to go to such lengths for each other. one of the lesser-highlighted friendships of kdramas.

#7 - crash course in romance : nam haeng son and kim young joo

it takes a lot to sacrifice your national sports for your friend, and young joo made that sacrifice like a pro. their friendship was so cute, a bit annoying at times, but cute nonetheless. they were there for each through the goods and the bads, and that's all we really ask for.

#6 - lovestruck in the city : lee eun oh, suh rin i and kang geon

why! are! they! not! talked! about! ultimate peak best friendship, no romantic subplots to this gang, absolute delights. everyone should give lovestruck in the city a try.

#5 - twenty five twenty one : the gang

how could i say friendship and not have these people. this gang singlehandedly and platonically had enemies to besties, childhood besties, sunbae besties and just everything. right in the feels.

#4 - weightlifting fairy kim bok joo : the trio + the boys

the 'swag' trio. every time they did the swag thing it made me cringe so bad but they were very cute. the rooftop scene was legit so cute and the addition of the boys was even better. nothing beats these weightlifting girls and we stan.

#3 - extraordinary attorney woo : woo young woo and choi su yeon

this was sosososososo cute. the way su yeon was literally always there for young woo. she couldve easily been a villain, young woo took the guy she had a crush on, was higher in grades and well known. had an influential background. such telltale signs of bad women in kdramas. BUT this amazing person really was so good with young woo and totally spring sunshine su yeon.

#2 - the fabulous - the gang

everyone seems to hate the fabulous. genuinely, come at me. i dont give a shit about cinematic art or marketing strategies or whatever, this is my opinion gonna stick to it. i ADORED the fabulous. their gang was so amazing, the definition of supportive, cute and somehow maintaining that joke around stuff. they had their little pairs in the middle as well, but that didnt take away the overall love. go watch it.

#1 - hospital playlist - the band

im a recent to hosplay bandwagon, but. i fell in love. finished the (almost) entire show in nearly a week, an achievement considering it's my finals rn. we've got the piggies, buddha who is catholic, the guy who knows everybody and his dad. it was the little things with them for me, really. when they called jeong won andrea like that was so cute. when jun wan called seok hyeong ik jun's dad it made me laugh so much. and the fact that they're really not that close when u think about it but they still are? like that is adult friendships and we love.

[underthebrightmooninterests]

5 great Kdrama’s you probably haven’t seen

#1. At A Distance Spring Is Green

At A distance Spring Is Green: 2021, 12 episodes

coming of age, college romance

main lead: Park Ji Hoon & Kang Min Ah & Bae In Hyuk

summary: A coming of age story about young people in their twenties and the problems they face in university. Nam Soo Hyun and Yeo Joon, two boys with contrasting personalities, unexpectedly become friends when working on a project together.

Depicts the realistic worries and conflicts of university students in their 20's, centered around 1st-year student Yeo Joon. Even though Yeo Joon has an attractive appearance and comes from a wealthy background, he carries pain inside. His character is a puppy-dog freshman who takes a liking to a sunbae and follows him around, leading to an unlikely friendship between two very different boys.

opinion: (Can you tell I went through a Park Ji Hoon phase? lol) This drama really doesn’t have a revolutionary storyline which is why I think so many people didn’t watch it. But, I can name multiple reasons for why you should watch it, even if it’s only once. The warm romance between Park Ji Hoon and Kang Min Ah, the brotherly love between Bae In Hyuk and Park Ji Hoon and the dynamics of the trio together were all big reasons for why I enjoyed this drama as much as I did. Furthermore it has a meaningful plotline that you can analyze to your hearts content and watching the characters heal their traumas through their friendships with each other was very heartwarming. I haven’t read the webtoon it was based on but as far as the drama goes, I definitly enjoyed it and would recommend you give it a shot.

#2. 18 Again

18 Again: 2020, 16 episodes

romance, fantasy

main lead: Lee Do Hyun & Yoon Sang Hyun & Kim Ha Neul

After nearly twenty years of marriage, Jung Da Jung and Hong Dae Young seem to be well settled in their domestic lives. The proud parents of a pair of eighteen year old twins, the devoted couple have worked hard to build a happy home together. But what seems like an ideal life on the outside is really anything but. Fed up with Dae Young’s incessant nonsense, Da Jung is at her wits’ end. When Dae Young announces that he’s been fired, Da Jung gives up completely. Convinced life would be better without her husband in it, Da Jung wastes no time in filing for divorce. 

Shaken by his wife’s decision to leave him and utterly disappointed in where life has taken him, Dae Young takes a hard look at his life. It doesn’t take him long to see all the places where things went wrong, and soon he finds himself regretting absolutely everything about his life. The moment the thoughts of regret enter his head, his body is instantly transformed into that of an eighteen year old, while his thirty-seven year old mind remains intact. Suddenly given the chance to re-do his entire life, Dae Young changes his name to Ko Woo Young and enrolls himself in his children's’ school. Seeing life from an entirely different perspective, Dae Young soon finds that despite keeping his middle-aged brain, he still has a lot to learn.

opinion: This drama really had no right to be as good as it is. I watched this purely because a drama based on the 2009 Zac Efron movie ‘17 again’ just sounded so stupid that I just had to check it out. Someone please tell me why this was one of my favourite drama’s from 2020? The acting was great, the plotline kept you hooked and the drama managed to capture the story of life choices and regret better than the 2009 movie did. Also, it doesn’t have a weird incest plot line like the movie did which is a plus ig. Highly enjoyable story that makes you love and root for all the characters involved, there’s not really any huge negative points to note in my opinion.

#3. Hit The Top/ The Best Hit

The Best Hit: 2017, 32 episodes

Comedy, romance

main lead: Yoon Si Yoon & Lee Se Young & Kim Min Jae & Cha Tae Hyun

Lee Ji Hoon and Choi Woo Seung are two childhood friends who also happen to be preparatory students for the civil service exam, although Ji Hoon has a secret dream to be a singer and songwriter. One day they meet Yoo Hyun Jae, a popular but problematic member of a popular '90s idol group who accidentally traveled through time to the year 2017 from the year 1993. Thus begins the story of passion, love, and friendship among 20s youth in the entertainment industry.

opinion: I feel like I have to preface this recommendation by saying that it has been YEARS since I’ve seen this and I’m purely going by my memory of really loving this when I first watched it. I also don’t remember it being 32 episodes but the episodes are only half an hour so it’s basically just 16, one hour episodes. This drama was enjoyable, very entertaining and had a unique concept but there is a part of me that feels like they didn’t quite know what they wanted it to be. At some points it felt like a sitcom and in other points I felt like they spent so much time on the mc that it was just straight up romance. That being said, I don’t think any of those elements really take away from this being an enjoyable viewing experience none the less.

#4. A korean Odyssey

A Korean Odyssey: 2017, 20 episodes

Comedy, fantasy, romance

main lead: Lee Seung Gi, Oh Yeon so, Cha Seong Won

In 2017, Son Oh Gong and Ma Wang are in conflict with each other as they look for a true light in a dark world where evil thrives. Having made a contract with Seon Mi 25 years ago, entitling her to seek help from Son Oh Gong whenever she calls him in exchange for letting him free, the two meet again in a fateful encounter. From there, Son Oh Gong is bound to his protective role towards Seon Mi, the little girl he had met years ago.

opinion: When I tell you I was OBSSESSED with this drama while watching it, I really mean it. The acting is good, the comedy hits and the dynamics between the characters are very entertaining and probably one of its strongest selling points. Every scene between Lee Seung Gi’s character and Cha Seong won’s were GOLD. That being said, if I’d have to note one down side to this drama it would probably be the fact that the later half starts dragging a little and the drama could’ve probably been told in 16 episodes. I’m also still not sure how I feel about the ending. All of that being said, this is drama was good overall and fueled my Lee Seung Gi obssesion to what it is today.

5. Tomorrow

Tomorrow: 2022, 16 episodes

Action, fantasy

main lead: Kim Hee Soon, Rowoon, Lee Soo Hyuk

Choi Joon Woong seeks a job, but it's hard for him to get hired. One night, he witnesses a man trying to end his life and decides to stop him. He gets acquainted with grim reapers Koo Ryeon and Im Ryoong Gu, who belong to a crisis management team. Their purpose is to prevent people from committing suicide. After Joon Woong ends up in a coma and becomes half-human and half-spirit, he is employed by a company of grim reapers as the newest member of the crisis management team.

opinion: South Korea ranks fourth in the world when it comes to suicide rate. This drama explores that heavy topic with fantasy elements and surprisingly funny comedic moments. The topics in this drama are HEAVY but the drama does a good job at not becoming gloomy or depressing to watch. ‘Tomorrow’ does a great job at both tastefully discussing serious matters and undercutting the heavy stuff with sweet moments and comedy. minimal romance but maximum trauma.

[fantasynfiction]

Watching Vincenzo interviews again because my heart has still not moved on and there’s nothing better to do in my life (I actually should be doing work but that’s boring).

Here are the Jeonki/Chayenzo + Joon Woo Puppy highlights:

Song Joong Ki starting the interview and already feeling awkward. Such a cutie.

Jeon Yeo Bin looking super fine and Ok Taecyeon as puppy Joon Woo.

Song Joong Ki slipping out of character when answering about their first impressions of each other, calling Jeon Yeo Bin by her name instead of saying Hong Cha Young and then attempts to fix it. - “Yeo Bin-ie is...Hong Cha Young.”

Song Joong Ki telling himself to focus and then Jeon Yeo Bin copying him whilst giggling.

Song Joong Ki saying “Cha Young-ie” because this will probably be the closest we’ll get of him saying that as Vincenzo.

Song Joong Ki doing his impression of Cha Young’s “Vinchenzo Quassano” and asking Jeon Yeo Bin for confirmation. 

TvN bleeping out the spoiler that was probably most likely related to Ok Taecyeon being Han Seok. CLOWNS!!

The overflowing compliments Song Joong Ki has when talking about his first impression of Joon Woo and the staff asking whether it’s his personal opinion or Vincenzo’s. - “Both.” (Caption: Song Cenzo)

Jeon Yeo Bin describing Joon Woo as a poodle and Ok Taecyeong’s response. - “Are you saying I look like a dog?”

Ok Taecyeon referring to Vincenzo as Lawyer Ca and Song Joong Ki enjoying it.

Ok Taecyeon stating how he was jealous with the way Cha Young stared at Vincenzo differently and Jeon Yeo Bin denying that she was. - “No, I was just looking.”

Ok Taecyeon channelling his entire Joon Woo personality and talking about his impression of Cha Young in a lovey-dovey way. HE SURE FOOLED US ALL.

Song Joong Ki explaining his idea of a lawyer and using the infamous motto “An eye for an eye.”, whilst Jeon Yeo Bin and Ok Taecyeon whisper “Scary” beside him.

Ok Taecyeon responding to the same question and all the other questions there after with a “Cha Young Sunbae” related answer.

Jeon Yeo Bin cutely saying maekgeolli (beer + rice wine) instead of makgeolli (rice wine) and then being teased by her oppas.

Jeon Yeo Bin mentions spam and Song Joong Ki quickly teases her about it, causing her to panic and laugh. - “Because it’s CJ?” (CJ is the company that runs tvN and known for their spam product)

Song Joong Ki tries to create a smooth transition and follows up by asking her where the drama belongs to, but a confused Jeon Yeo Bin answers “Vincenzo”, leaving both her oppas laughing. Luckily Ok Taecyeon saves the day and responds with “tvN”.

Ok Taecyeon destroying everyone with his corny answers and causing Song Joong Ki to turn off the switch to step out of character for a breather. HAHAHAH!! - “My goal is to work hard beside the world’s best lawyer.”

Song Joong Ki quoting 2pm’s “Heartbeat”. - “Listen to my heartbeat”

Jeon Yeo Bin teasing Song Joong Ki... - “You look particularly lonely today.”

...and then Song Joong Ki teasing her back. - “Wait a minute. You, right now, the setting is a bit...Yeo Bin-ah”

Song Joong Ki smiling and complimenting Jeon Yeo Bin on her second attempt to stay in character.

THE INFAMOUS FIST BUMP!!

Song Joong Ki and Jeon Yeo Bin teaming up to tease Ok Taecyeon about Joon Woo’s love for Cha Young. 

Song Joong Ki tapping his fingers on Jeon Yeo Bin’s chair, whilst she is talking about her father Hong Yu Chan.

Ok Taecyeon K.O.ing the cast again. Song Joong Ki’s reaction and Jeon Yeo Bin laughing. - “Joong Ki Oppa is going to die from the cheesiness.”

Ok Taecyeon slowly losing his mind with his responses as Cha Young loving Joon Woo. Since this was before the Han Seok reveal, he was working extra hard to block off any spoilers.

Jeon Yeo Bin giggling as she already predicts what Ok Taecyeon’s answer will be for the question. - “I know nothing other than Cha Young Sunbae.”

HIGH FIVES ALL AROUND from Song Joong Ki to end the interview.

[valskomida]

I know I'm late to this party but you know what they say - better late than miss Cha EunWoo.

[vynnievicvic]

So after Vincenzo found out Jun Woo’s true identity being Jang Han Seok, and Cha Yong cut ties with him, Han Seok decided to shed his “innocent” disguise and later reveals himself to the public as the chairman of Babel Group, Jang Han Seok. But can you imagine what it would’ve been like if he DIDN’T drop the innocent “standard poodle” puppy act?

Can you imagine how disarming and unsettling it would’ve been for everyone around him who knew he was acting, despite no longer having a reason to? When he shows himself to be Babel’s chairman he doesn’t do the usual standard suave image but the bright-eyed, enthusiastic young CEO thats raring to take on the world. Imagine him using the innocent puppy image with the curly hair to improve his public image and generate a strong following of fans who claim that based on his face he’d probably never hurt a fly in his life.

Vincenzo publicly humiliates Han Seok by pouring pig’s blood on him and instead of trying to silence the media Babel group rewrites the story that Han Seok is a poor victim and the haters have done it again. At the meeting with Vincenzo and Cha Yong later on Han Seok doesn’t stay silent and brooding (and boring) but taunts the two by wearing his mask in a room full of people who know his true character.

He says things like “Sunbae, why would you do such a thing 🥺🥺🥺” “Vincenzo, do you really hate me that much?🥺🥺🥺” The act frustrates everyone on both sides to no end and Han Seok would’ve enjoyed every minute of clowning around because of that.

Vincenzo leaks the news that Han Seok was a murderer since he was a kid and the public goes “Yeah right” and everyone believes its another smear campaign by saseang fans because LOOK AT THIS GUY.

The fact that Han Seok refuses to shed his skin would’ve probably infuriated Vincenzo and Cha Yong to no end. The more tricks they pull the more Han Seok clings onto his act with his big eyes until his own team loses their minds also.

[daebakoreandrama]

Drama: Hometown Cha Cha Cha (2021)

Starring: Kim Seon Ho, Shin Min-a, Lee Sang Yi, Gong Min-Jeung, Kim Young Ok, Lee Bong-Ryun

Rating: ★★★★★

Despite the slow pace of the drama, I decided to give it 5 stars because of the moral of the story and HOW MANY TIMES IT MADE ME CRY >.< OMG

Now let's dive in some of my favorite scenes:

1) The Chemistry Between Hye Jin and Du Sik

I honestly loved that the director them be friends before they realized they had feelings for each other. Some would say that they were friends and some would beg to differ (haha) mainly because they had a lot of banter, but I personally think that was their way of showing their care for each other.

2) The community of GongJin

I think if I wanted to live in a community, I would choose to live in GongJin even though it's the countryside/suburb. The people of the community had so much story and background that it makes you grow to love each and other character despite their baggage and past. I think watching this drama really showed me that everyone goes through their own trouble and under all of it is just someone who wants to be heard and loved.

3) Their cute moments

Despite how CRINGE these moments were, I really did think they were cute. LOOK AT THIS DIMPLEs. How could you not smile at them!?

4) When the entire community thought they were dating when they weren't yet

This just reminded me of all the nosy aunties and uncles that ask when you have a boyfriend when they come over for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner >.<

and then when Du Sik had to act like he was Hye Jin's boyfriend for the day in front of her parents (hahahahah).

Don't get me wrong, her Sunbae was also super nice but I didn't get 2nd lead syndrome that much in this drama.

5) Their engagement scene

Legit when Du Sik said "no" and Hye Jin was like "... what do you mean no?"

But he was actually going to propose on his terms that day too LOL

6) Their Wedding Photos

I loved that they wanted to take photos on their own without the entire community behind the camera or watching them. They made their relationship truly about them and I'm so glad that Du Sik was about to find his own person that he could rely on.

7) The Grandma

Words can't describe how attached I got to this grandma. She was such a pivotal character in the drama because she was there for Du Sik when he was about to commit suicide, and when everyone in town had turned their back against him she was the only one who brought food to his door everyday. She was such a kind soul and not gonna lie, it kinda reminded me of my own grandma.

I think the directors did a beautiful job making the story come full circle because if I remember in the beginning of the drama, the grandma had said that she'd be there for Du Sik until he found his own person. And once Du Sik had reconciled with Hye Jin, the grandma passed away peacefully in her sleep :(

[mangacat201]

Let’s talk about love language in ‘Vincenzo’ for a minute

And I know that there’s a lot of fabulous treatises on it already, but I’m still flashed by the utter mastery that was the episode 19 end scene and I want to add one specific observation that has pricked my brain from that.

This is going to be a raw, unstructured, rambling flatus cerebralis with nyagh, maybe not enough evidence to back it up. But I don’t care.

So, love language in A side and B side cause ‘Vincenzo’ loves their dichonomies.

We all know that Vincenzo and Cha Young express their feelings for each other in gestures rather than words (and even if they use words it’s metaphorical, oblique, coded and never direct).

From conveying attraction with offer of a wine glass, seeking physical reassurance in a hug and then respecting boundaries of not being on the same page, via giving gifts that say ‘I want to you always carry a piece of me with you and remember when you look at it’ to gifts that are ‘you can trust me to bring down the Tower for you in retribution’ and ‘you can trust me to hold vigil for your loved one while you stymy your rage until you can actually grieve’ to we will share our greatest deeds and greatest misdeeds and not judge each other.

That is how they express their love.

We are all very frustrated that they’ve never come right out and said it, but the reason for that isn’t because WE don’t know how they feel about each other, it’s because until it’s said out loud and unequivocally that we can’t be sure THEY know how they feel about each other.

But, y’all love in words is never going to be their thing, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that holds true to the very end. And I have to say, I think it should.

Why? Cause there is someone who uses words over actions to try and express the same thing, which is Jang Han Seok, who from the very beginning when we didn’t even know who he was yet was very brash and direct - Sunbae, I want to go out with you, why don’t we date,... persistently and blatantly broadcasting his attraction and infatuation until ‘don’t you know how much I love you’.

(If I had half a braincell working, I could probably come up with some more instances, but I haven’t so I won’t, feel free to supplement)

But for all his openness and direct approach, these words are, if maybe not entirely disingenuous, then at least always performative. He sees something shiny he wants to own and control, but is incapable of the kind of love that reads to us as authentic and true. He knows what the words are supposed to represent and how to use them to effect, but is unable to grasp their actual meaning. Which is why someone like Cha Young, who has a strong foundation in the actual feeling of loving and being loved (familial in the beginning of the show, no matter how fraught her relationship with her dad is on the surface, and romantic as her connection to Vincenzo deepens) cuts through his bullshit with such scathing precision.

So, with love as with many other things, the show establishes that words are cheap and empty and actions speak much louder any day.

Which is words of love are reserved for the antagonists and actions of love for the protagonists.

[drivingsideways]

Kdrama women I love (Part 2)

 Part 1 (here)

Sorry, not sorry, I just can’t stop thinking about them!

Cha Soo-hyun from Signal: Imagine having a powerhouse like Kim Hye-soo on your cast and then saddling her with an awkward/tragic workplace romance in lieu of idk actual character development that happens ON SCREEN as opposed to off it. I mean, Signal is excellently made, but there’s no denying that Cha Soo-hyun got a raw-ish deal. I would have loved to see her grow into the badass cop she is when we meet her first, but most of her time onscreen is spent reacting to events set in motion by The Men, and just, like, why. In my head, the perfect fic for Cha Soo-hyun would cover the years after Lee Jae-han’s disappearance and before Park Hae-young’s entry; so much of her struggle in the early years was to be taken seriously as a cop, and I want to see her doing that without Lee Jae-han’s help. I would also NOT be opposed to a post canon OT3; it could be incredibly fun to write the tangled dynamics of that, especially now that Cha Soo-hyun isn’t the wide eyed rookie that Lee Jae-han knew, and Park Hae-young’s YEARNING to belong would neatly fold into what his sunbaes could offer. 

Ahn Young-yi from Misaeng: My god, this woman suffered in Misaeng. I just want the fic in which she lets herself be angry. I fully understand her choices in Misaeng- the tightrope that she’s walking in the hopes of survival- but I won’t deny that I felt robbed of the satisfaction of seeing her hurl a rock or three at the heads of her misogynist colleagues and boss. There’s probably a fic out there about how Young-yi starts to build her networks with the other women at One International, and how she climbs the ladder to power. I want this to be a story about women making space for the ones after them, and pulling them up with them. It’s the story she deserves, along with all the other women in that series, whose stories were sidelined to make space for The Men. 

Yoon Hee-soo from Into The Ring: That woman is going to be President in ten years and nobody will convince me otherwise. Love her pragmatism, her wicked, trollish sense of humour, her ambition and the fact that she cares deeply but isn’t performative about it. She’s the one I would trust to Get Things Done, just as I would trust Goo Se-ra to rock the comfortable status-quo. Together (and with the intrepid Gong-myung) they will CHANGE THE WORLD. Where’s the fic, world, where??? ( side-eyes self) ps. I hear there’s a season 2 in the works and if it doesn’t give me some version of this fic, I shall be very sad. 

Jang Ro-sa from Hospital Playlist : WHERE is the 70 episode show about the Life of Jang Ro-sa? I loved her from the first episode where she’s so matter-of-fact about her marriage of convenience; how on earth did she manage to raise a bunch of kids who ALL fell in love with God first and forever? Why didn’t she become a pianist? What are she and Jeong-su doing on that pilgrimage/ road trip ? I just want to know ALL of it. Someone write it * puppy face *

Kim Sang-sook from Into the Ring- Jang Hye-jin brings so much sparkling charm to her role as Se-ra’s mom, I just fell crazily in love with her. I just love how much she’s just herself and unfazed by other people’s opinions of her; i love that she fucks up on the regular but with STYLE. I think that’s a lovely trait that she’s passed on to her daughter- one that will carry her through her chosen life of MAKING THE WORLD BETTER. Anyways, where’s the fic where Sang-sook gets involved in some pyramid marketing scheme and Gong-myung has to bail her out of it and they both have to keep it secret from Se-ra and her dad? I demand this be put in my eyeballs AT ONCE. 

Do Hae-won from Beyond Evil: My god, a villain’s villain. Gil Hae-yeon puts the fear of the devil into you every time she slithers onto the screen with her weaponized cloying, subservient femininity. She seems so brittle, but beneath it is the hard rock of years of bitterness. The show doesn’t bother to do more than hint at the reasons why- because of course, female villains are never afforded the interiority of their male counterparts, or even chance for understanding- but I think Gil Hae-yeon manages to convey both her resentment at this world ruled by men and their rules. and her contempt for them as a class in every scene. I wonder how things would have been different- if they would have been- if she’d had a daughter, instead of a son. Anyways, an absolutely riveting performance, and I think that’s the only reason I am sort of tempted to contemplate a post canon fic for her. How does she survive jail? What does she do after? Who’s going to write it for me? (SIGH.)

Jung Geum-ja from Hyena- I don’t think a lot needs to be said about why Jung Geum-ja is literally one of the best female characters ever to be written in a kdrama. Kim Hye-soo is in her element in her role as this half-gangster/ half- vengeful angel, 100% unforgettable woman. Love to see sexpot Ju Ji-hoon fold like a pack of cards in the face of that unbearably sexy combination of wit, grit and panache; but ALSO love watching every woman in a radius of 5 kms faint from lust and longing to be her and be with her at the same time. Luckily for me, I don’t have to write any of the fic, everyone who’s watched the show just head over to Gin’s AO3 page and treat yourself. 

[jipuragi]

Jang Jun-woo: Hi Sunbae, can I get your number?

Cha-young: [visibly texting]

Vincenzo: She doesn't have a phone.

[koreandragon]

I can't wait for cha young to find out jun woo is babo, i just really want to see them face to face as he drops his act and his whole mannerism changes. "Took you long enough, sunbae"

[twilightofthejedi]

fic: barefoot in the kitchen

written for the 2021 chayenzo community fanfic challenge by @the-chayenzo-community !!! 

dialogue prompt: 

“close your eyes, and hold out your hands.” 

read on aoc: here 

“Are you listening to me?” Cha-young asked, her voice loud, and cutting him out of his reverie. They were sitting at the bar of some upscale restaurant, and the long day was beginning to catch up with him. He looked up at her, bewildered. 

“Sorry, Ms. Hong. I must have…” he trailed off awkwardly, because she was pressing the back of her hand to his forehead, frowning in apparent concern. “What are you doing?” 

“Just checking.” She raised her eyebrows comically. “If the great Mr. Mafia lawyer-”

“Stop calling me that-” 

“-is not paying attention at all times, then something is surely wrong with him!” she finished victoriously, and when he said nothing, grinned at him, wide and beaming. Her face was slightly flushed, and her smile was nearly blinding in its intensity, and it had the combined effect of making him want to- 

He shook his head, inwardly cursing at himself. “I’m fine. I was just thinking about next week. We need to figure out what we’re doing about the illegal stock acquisitions.”

She nodded, and turned serious. It was admirable how she could do that, how she could push her drink away and take out her phone to write down their plans. 

And if he moved a little closer to her, and let his hand rest a little longer than usual on her shoulder, well, that was nobody’s business. 

-----

The next day, he barely saw her. When he arrived at the firm in the morning, three cups of coffee in hand, she was pulling on her coat. She took her coffee from him, smiled in thanks, and breezed out the door, leaving him staring after her. 

“I think she said she had some errands to run,” Mr. Nam said, pointedly ignorant as always, taking his cup from him. Vincenzo nodded, and set his briefcase down. He opened his computer, set down his cappuccino, and soon was lost in the case files that he had uploaded the previous day. Mr. Nam periodically asked him for some document from the shelves, but for the most part, they worked in silence. When the quiet got too much, he put in his earphones to listen to Guilio Cesare, one of his favorite operas and one that he had frequently gone to watch in Milan, when he had some free time. When he had tried to show it to Cha-young, she had fallen asleep on his couch, and he had had to put her feet up on the cushions and cover her with a blanket for the night. 

Around noon, there was a memorable incident involving the monks, a runaway cat, and a feline fur allergy, which left poor Monk Chaesin covered in hives (before Ms. Jang stabbed him with an epipen), but other than that, the day passed by relatively uneventfully. 

She didn’t come back to the firm at all, which was highly unusual for her. He had grown used to hearing her move around the room, talking either to them or on the phone about anything and everything, and felt the silence most keenly, especially when Mr. Nam took out his own lunch, leaving Vincenzo to wander on his own to the snack bar for something to eat. Usually he would have gone out with Cha-young, and he couldn’t stop wondering where she was. 

When he casually asked Mr. Nam if he knew, the older man had just fixed him with a knowing stare, and Vincenzo had hurriedly ducked out of the room, willing the blush on his face to disappear. 

As it got dark, however, he was beginning to get worried. What if Jang Han-seok had decided that his lingering fondness for his sunbae didn’t matter anymore, and was having her kidnapped? He didn’t doubt that she could take care of herself (“Seven degrees in martial arts, Mr. Cassano. I’m practically a member of the mafia already”), but it wasn’t like her to go off the grid like this. 

Then he scowled at himself. Remember, you get the gold, ruin Babel, and leave. There’s a beach house in Malta waiting for you. Nothing else. 

But sometimes, he saw Mr. Nam lighting up with an idea, saw Mr. Lee trying to mimic the clicking of his lighter, saw his mother’s eyes soften when he walked in, saw Cha-young (when had he stopped thinking of her as Ms. Hong?) snort with laughter as he broke out sweating after eating too-spicy noodles, and wondered if it couldn’t be something more. Would he be content to live alone in Malta all his life? Or had he grown accustomed to the people and the life around him, to the point where he couldn’t imagine living any way else? To the point where he was beginning to think of the one-bedroom Geumga Plaza apartment with its tacky ceiling stars, as home? 

Could he imagine living without her? 

It was a question that had crossed his mind too many times to count, and each time he had banished the thought, because that led to a dangerous road, and he didn’t need all the feelings associated with it. He needed to stay focused, and think about his next moves, and how to outsmart his enemies. 

But his mind kept going back to her. 

He shook his head at himself as he turned his key in the lock of his apartment door. He got ready for the night, taking off his jacket, making a serving of ramyeon for dinner, and turning the TV on to play music from the classical channel. From the sounds of it, it was some Vivaldi concerto, hallmarked by its minor key and fast paced violin solo. 

He was pouring himself a glass of wine when there was a knock at the door. He frowned, and set the bottle down. Flexing his fingers, he went to the door, and opened it. 

Cha-young stood there, looking unbothered, holding an enormous box like it was nothing. She pushed past him into the apartment and set the box down on the counter. 

As she flopped unceremoniously onto his couch, and picked up his wineglass by the stem, he suddenly felt a hot flush of something. He inhaled shakily, and realized what it was. 

He had been going out of his mind worrying about her. She hadn’t picked up any of his calls, and had been incognito all day, and now she was acting like nothing had happened? He exhaled sharply, and she looked up, sipping from his glass, her eyebrows high on her forehead. 

“Where have you been?” 

“I was shopping. Why, does it matter? Am I not allowed to take a day off?” She stood up, crossing her arms. She stepped forward until she was in his space, and he backed up until his hip hit the kitchen counter. 

“No, it’s not that, I just didn’t know where-” 

“Why does that matter?” 

And isn’t that the crux of it. Why does it matter to him? If she was nothing but his work partner, then he would have no problem with her leaving in the morning to run errands, and not return to work. He might rib her about it the next day, but he wouldn’t have worried this much, wouldn’t have thought up all sorts of horrible scenarios in his head, all of which involved him finding her, broken and dead. 

He cannot think, not with her so close to him, so close that he can smell the wine on her breath that she had just drank, just drank from his glass, her eyes seeming to stare into his soul. He gripped the counter for strength. She tracked the movement with her eyes, and stared back at him. 

“I was worried, all right? I didn’t know where you were and I was worried.” There. He’s said it. He ran his hands through his hair, and she stared at him for a long moment, seeming to come to a realization within herself. Then, she stepped back, and moved to get the enormous box from where she had placed it on the counter. 

He stared at her. 

“What is this?” 

She rolled her eyes. “Just close your eyes and hold out your hands. You’ll see.” She pursed her lips when he did nothing, so he straightened up and closed his eyes, holding his hands palm up and feeling very stupid. He could hear her moving, and the sound of the box opening. She moved closer, and he got a whiff of her perfume. When he had first started working with her, he had hated it, because it had been some American brand. They had had a long debate where he had taken her to a perfume store and tried to get her to appreciate one of the many luxury European brands, but she had been steadfast in her defence of Tom Ford, and that had been that. He had grown to associate that scent with her, and the other day, had caught a whiff of it at the bank and had looked around like a fool, for her. 

Now, it was all he could make out, because she was standing out of reach from him, still doing something with the box. He felt like he had that day he had lost the bet about the bungeoppang, when he had waited, eyes closed, utterly at her mercy, for her to flick him on the head. He felt warm, like the temperature had suddenly increased by several degrees. 

She moved closer to him, finally, and placed something flat in his arms. 

“You can open your eyes now.” 

He did, and looked down, baffled. She had gotten him a record player. On top of it were several records of- 

“Opera?” he asked, looking up at her. She smirked, looking smug. 

“Yes. I got your playlist from Mr. Nam, and bought the records for them, as well as a few that I thought you would like as well. I did so much research for this, you have no idea. It was so boring, so you should be grateful.” He stared at her in shock. 

She had gone out and bought a record player, so he could listen to his favorite genre of music the way that God had intended: via vinyl record. It was nearly identical to the one that he had had back in his apartment in Milan. How did she know? She was smiling at him, waiting for his reaction, and her eyes were on him like he was something marvelous, luminous, and he swallowed a lump in his throat. 

Suddenly, in that moment, he realized that it really didn’t matter if he had his beach house in Malta or not. It didn’t matter if he had to fight Babel forever, because he would do it, he would do it all, as long as she was there right beside him. He could take on a god and he would win, because he would be able to look to his side and see her stare the god down with steel in her veins. 

And before he knew it, he was moving. He set the record player down on the counter, carefully, and surged forward. Her eyes widened slightly, and he cupped his hand around her neck and drew her to him, his lips finding hers. For a second, she was frozen, but she sighed into his mouth and responded, her one arm snaking around his back and the other hand threading through his hair. It felt like every place that she touched him was on fire, and he was floating through the superheated air. 

It could have been minutes, or years, or seconds before she pulled back, and smiled brightly at him. 

She leaned in to kiss him again on the mouth, and said, against his lips, 

“You have no idea how long I have been waiting to do that, Mr. Mafia.” He goggled at her, too shocked at her and himself to complain, and she smiled again, the quirk of her lips teasing. 

“Your ramyeon is burning.” 

He cursed, moving quickly to the stove, trying desperately to salvage the ruined noodles. She came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his body from behind, and laughed, her chin on his shoulders, and it was the most intoxicating sound he’d ever heard. Her perfume drowned out the burned smell of the ramyeon, her hair tickled his jaw, and he couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face. 

A warm feeling that had nothing to do with the weather spread through him, and it felt like coming home. 

[cassianandor]

Hi! Loved your last fic <3 Let's go angsty here. My prompt: Chayoung delivering the final blow to Jonwoo instead of Vincenzo, so as he won't have to kill anyone anymore (maybe not killing him, but shooting his shoulder or leg)

Hi, thank you! Ohhh, this was challenging, I had fun writing! I hope you like it <3

----

READ ON AO3

Can you save me (I say save me)

Pairing: Hong Cha Young x Vincenzo Cassano

Word count: 1218

Warnings: Violence, blood mention

Vincenzo came to the conclusion that his entire life led to that moment. The lonely nights as a child where he cried profusely at the orphanage, unaware of the reason he was away from his mother, the endless days training and studying in Italy so he could protect himself from the world. Whatever he had done to survive simply a step on the ladder he climbed to find himself where he was.

Not in the best of the scenarios, though. Being held at gunpoint by his foe in the middle of a warehouse downtown was definitely not in his plans, but Vincenzo liked to make things up as he went by.

Towering over Vincenzo as the latter kneeled down, Jang Jun Woo, or Jang Han Seok, smiled at him. “I guess I should return the politeness and ask you to say your last prayers.”

Vincenzo chuckled, humorlessly. “I already prayed for you. There’s not enough space for both of us in hell.”

Jun Woo let out a loud laugh, gripping the gun tighter with both hands. “That’s why you’re going there alone, you mafia bastard.”

Vincenzo’s eyes darted to the floor, but quickly made their way up again when he heard a gunshot in the distance. Someone came out of the shadows with a gun in hand, defying darkness just as a knight rides into battle. Vincenzo would’ve thought it was more poetic if he didn’t know better about the person coming to save him.

“Yah, Jang Jun Woo!” Cha Young shouted as she made her entrance, pointing the gun at him. “Let him go, you crazy asshole!”

Jun Woo turned around surprised, briefly forgetting he was holding Vincenzo hostage, but ultimately choosing to direct his weapon at her. “Sunbae? What are you doing?”

“I’m not your sunbae,” Cha Young declared. Her voice was unwavering and cold, and Vincenzo couldn’t help but to wonder that he had helped her become that way. It wasn’t a good thing. “I’m the person who’s gonna shoot you if you don’t let him go.”

With a scornful laugh, Jun Woo shifted sideways, frantically glancing between Vincenzo and Cha Young as he decided who to hold at gunpoint. His antics bored Vincenzo to death, they simply didn’t have enough theatrics to be entertaining like Cha Young’s. Ultimately, Jun Woo decided to threaten Vincenzo again.

“You know, you stole her from me,” The man said, leaning his head down with wide eyes. Vincenzo knew a bully when he saw one, and he wasn’t afraid. “That might be the thing that pisses me off the most, after the fact that you destroyed my company.”

Vincenzo raised a brow, far from amused. “Ms. Hong is not an object. She can’t be stolen.”

Jun Woo scoffed. “Argh, certainly not from you, Mr. Mafia Consigliere. But once again, consider your situation… What if I kill you in front…” He made a pause, then yelled the last sentence. “…of your little girlfriend! Wouldn’t that be nice? Sunbae.” Jun Woo stared at Cha Young again and the woman was still pointing her gun at him. “Stop embarrassing yourself. We all know it’s a fake.”

The other man didn’t realize, but he had given Vincenzo the impeccable time to get up without being noticed.

Cha Young caught it up in the air and started to distract Jun Woo for as long as she could. “So what?” She replied, taking a few steps in their direction. “You think I won’t shoot you?”

Before Jang Jun Woo could respond, Vincenzo took a hold of Jun Woo’s gun by striking him in the arm with a precise punch that had the gun flying towards Vincenzo. Cha Young took that as an opportunity to get even closer; the sound of her heels clattering against the wood floor as she ran through the warehouse was weirdly comforting, but Vincenzo wouldn’t dwell much on it at that moment.

It was, now, Jun Woo’s time to kneel before them, but Cha Young insisted that she preferred him standing up.

“Kill me now,” Jun Woo commanded, as Cha Young and Vincenzo had guns pointed at him. “Kill me now!” He shouted. “Kill me!”

Vincenzo pondered about that decision. If he killed Jang Jun Woo, would that turn him into the monster he had been so very much trying not to acknowledge? His ways were still of the Italian Mafia way, no matter how hard he tried to avoid it. Should he embrace his true self and put an end to that, or start in the new path Korea offered him?

A voice cut through his musings. “Mr. Cassano.” Cha Young called. “Leave it to me. I’ll do it.”

Vincenzo’s eyes went round, watching as she angled her gun properly and held it with both hands. “Ms. Hong.”

“I came here to save you, and I’m gonna do that,” She said, gaze still fixated on Jun Woo. She looked pretty in any circumstance, but from that angle she was completely mesmerizing. Reluctantly, Vincenzo’s heart skipped a beat. “You’re not a killer anymore.”

Vincenzo quietly smiled to himself then agreed. “Fine. Go ahead.”

The gun was certainly fake, but Cha Young made everything amusing when it came to her. What Vincenzo wouldn’t have guessed is that she would shoot each of Jun Woo’s legs for real, with a very real gun.

“Ms. Hong!” Vincenzo shouted, in bewilderment. Maybe he was underestimating her way too much for his sake.

“And you said it was a fake,” Cha Young mocked Jun Woo, doing little jumps. “Ha!”

Droplets of blood splattered across their faces as Jun Woo fell to the floor. Over the sound of him screeching in pain, a police siren could be heard getting closer.

“You called them?” Vincenzo asked, but he was already being dragged away from there.

“They’re looking for him. Let’s go,” Cha Young grabbed the gun in his hand and tossed it on the floor, intertwining their fingers as she led the way out of the warehouse. “There’s an alternative exit.”

Vincenzo couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment where it started, but it seemed that, lately, he spent his entire time the same way he was in that exact moment: walking beside Hong Cha Young. Not because she was simply another person that had entered his entire uninvited and turned things upside down, but because he cherished her more than words could describe. Life could never be boring by her side, and that was a treasure worth more than gold.

When they arrived at Cha Young’s car, parked in the middle of nowhere, Vincenzo finally questioned her. “Where did you get that gun from?”

“From your apartment!" She explained, way too excited about it. "It was easier to find than I expected."

Vincenzo couldn't regret giving her that spare key. After all, he was alive because of it. A smile gently appeared on his face as he opened the door of the car. “Ms. Hong, you truly belong in the Mafia.”

Cha Young was rounding the vehicle to get to the passenger’s seat, so all Vincenzo could see was the top of her head. “They wouldn’t be able to handle me,” She added, letting out a chuckle.

Everything culminated in the belief she was right. It was a privilege of few to watch a flower grow in the dark.

[cheirman]

ft.   hong   chayoung   (  @ethyreal​  )

han-seok would consider himself a workaholic,   if it hadn’t been for the very fact that he hated working.   no,  what he did wasn’t work,  what he did was   orchestrate a game.   an intricate one that came piled with more risks than rewards,  but that adrenaline was what made it that much more fun.   running on as little sleep as the human body needed to function,  he balanced his reality and the one he had strewn together at wusang law.   joon-woo the intern   had become a character,  one built from the   subjectively   better sides of himself,  perhaps the man he could have become in another life.   fatigue caught up to him and he rubbed the heel of his palm into his eye,  the other following cha young around the office.   ❝   sunbae,   take a break.   ❞   save for the honorific,  english rolled off his tongue with ease.

over the course of years,  babel had fought many,   one too many,   lawsuits and had come out victorious each time.   but the fear of losing always loomed like a ghost over his shoulder.   they had trusted cha young with their most recent case,  and from his humble sideline   he scrutinized her every step.   she’d worked tirelessly to prep for the case,  and he wholeheartedly believed she deserved a breather.   genuine words coming   from han-seok not joon-woo.   he sat up in his seat and dramatically waved the pointer stick at her like a staff.   ❝   i   order you   to take a break.   ❞   he mustered his most serious expression,  a poor impression of their senior mr. han.   it didn’t take long for him to double over laughing.   ❝   how was that,  huh ?   i’d make for a good boss,   don’t you think ?   ❞

[bisouschuu]

idk if it just me, but I think that in vincenzo they brushed over the fact that jun woo is han seok too quickly....especially when it comes to cha young, I mean she was his "sunbae" and they had a nice relationship so to me she admitted him as a villain a little bit too quickly