#Jung Jin Hwan

[mangodelorean]

Out-of-context screenshots | A Virtuous Business, Episodes 05-06

[the-djarin-clan]

We now have ‘Begins Youth’ among us, will we have fanfics based on it?

[prbni]

Chemistry between actors was amazing, but the storyline tho... in KDrama

Kang Sora as Oh Hara and Jung Seungjo as Goo Eun Beom in Strangers Again: the story ruined everything

Lee Jaewook as Baek Kyung and Kim Hye Yoon as Eun Dan Oh in Extraordinary You:only if Baek Kyung wasn't written as a red flag by the manhwa writer

Jeon Doyeon as Gil Bok Soon and Koo Kyo hwan as Han Hee Seong in Kill Bok Soon: the storyline was good for a crime thriller but unfortunate for them

Moon Sangmin as Lee Jihan and Jeon Jong Seo as Na Ah Jung in Wedding Impossible :they get happy ending but the storyline was messy imo

Lee Jaewook as Han Tae Oh and Choi Hee Jin as Kang Hee Joo in The Impossible Heir : yall know why. Everything in this drama was messed up except the chemistry between these two actors

Ki Do Hoon as Yangcha and Kim Ji Won as Tanya in Arthdal Chronicles: basically Kim Ji Won has chemistry with everyone she acts alongside

Lee Jae In as Lee Yoon Seo and Cha Woo Min as Ko Kyung Jun in Night Has Come: honestly I didn't even consider them before I saw all those edits on YT

Go Youn Jung as Jung Jisoo and Seo In Guk as Kim Seong Hyeop in Death's Game: even the smallest moments between them was enough to establish how beautiful chemistry they had

Lee Dohyun as Go Chang Myung and IU as Jang Man Wol in Hotel Del Luna: one of the best pairings in a KDrama to exist

[tokyohobi]

after rewatching bloodhounds again, of all the deaths in ep. 6, duyeong's & his wife's still gets me the most...he was so happy that he was about to become a father 🥺

[rosyfingered-moon]

Mr Queen fic masterlist

Noticing an influx of comments on my Mr. Queen fics now that it’s on Netflix, so here gentle readers is a masterlist. I spent the better part of a year writing these stories, most of which are novel-length!

Are you a cheolbong truther, and wish the show would have committed to the wacky queer love story of our dreams? Or does your heart beat for the silenced Kim Soyong, who got pushed out of her own narrative? I’m here to fulfill all your fix-it needs! ❤

Mrs. Queen

Summary: She has always been good at hide and seek. A retelling of Mr. Queen from Kim Soyong's point of view.

This was my first MQ retelling where Soyong and Bong-hwan are both awake and bickering inside their mind, wrestling for control. Soyong/Cheoljong endgame; Bong-hwan is mostly around to matchmake and cause trouble like the gremlin he is.

And I, and Silence

Summary: Jang Bong-hwan can feel his mind disintegrating, and he is looking for a way back to Seoul. Suddenly Kim Soyong is back. And, as it turns out, she is already married.

The last thing Kim Soyong remembers is jumping into the lake. Now she’s back mid-story and forced to fend for herself without any memory of what has happened in the past few months. Lots of angsty pining, gratuitous Emily Dickinson references, and the birth of my most beloved crackship ByeongJin (Jo Hwa-jin/Kim Byeong-in).

The Raw Ingredients

Summary: After a miserable year in Seoul, Bong-hwan finds a way back to Joseon. When she returns everything is very different from how she left it.

We’ve got magical trans girl Bong-hwan returning to Joseon, only this time in the body of a lowly palace maid. How ever will she get to her king? Well, with a little help of cunning minister Kim Soyong, of course.

Patchwork

Summary: Sobong returns to her king.

A ficlet with the same basic premise as The Raw Ingredients but much shorter.

The White Grass

Summary: Kim Soyong discovers the hard way that her clan would do anything to ensure that the next royal heir comes from the Kim bloodline, no matter who they have to hurt to do it. To survive in the palace she makes a deal with the king. AU where Jang Bong-hwan never came to Joseon. This one has some dark and gritty dubcon sex! It’s also got a Kim Soyong who girlbosses, gaslights, and gatekeeps her way to power in a patriarchal government, and accidentally falls in love with her husband along the way.

Whatever Souls Are Made Of

Summary: Kim Soyong and Jang Bong-hwan are the same soul reincarnated. On the same night, 170 years apart, they both drown. That’s when things get weird.

In this story Sobong is just one (1) person, but with two sets of memories from two points in time. There’s some multiverse theory, library sex, and a journey of self-discovery for our dear genderfluid queen! This is my personal favorite of the bunch.

[gozdziak]

Watching several dramas and enjoying them all….

[stuff-diary]

Mr. Plankton

TV Shows/Dramas watched in 2024

Mr. Plankton (2024, South Korea)

Director: Hong Jong Chan

Writer: Jo Yong

Mini-review:

As I mentioned in a previous post, Mr. Plankton was my most anticipated k-drama of the year. And, while I liked quite a few things about it, I can't help but feel slightly disappointed. For starters, both the plot and the tone are kind of all over the place. There was a lot of potential in this story, but I think the writer didn't know where to put the main focus. Also, the male lead is rather unlikeable, to the point that not even Woo Do Hwan's immense charisma can fully save him; he's definitely an interesting character, but sometimes it gets hard to root for him, especially during the first half. Still, the entire cast delivers powerful performances and the show's sense of humor is pretty funny, so the whole thing ends up being a highly entertaining experience. It wasn't the life-changing drama I expected it to be, but I enjoyed going on this crazy trip with these characters.

P.S. I used this random poster cause the official one is ugly AF.

[somanykdramas]

DESIGNATED SURVIVOR: 60 DAYS

GENRES: Drama, Political Procedural

SUMMARY: A temporary acting President has to deal with keeping a country afloat amid a crisis, internal espionage, and new suits.

THIS SHOW HAS EVERYTHING: Dust particles, botched press conferences, testy teens, VIPs, bombings, assassinations, military intrigue, national abandonment, hacking, camping, and eyeglasses.

HOT TAKE: I have not yet seen the American version of this show, but damn, this was a democratic rollercoaster of an experience. Everyone is out to win something whether it's an improved South Korea, dirty revenge, or just maintaining some semblance of governmental sanity.

This show has a real 'let's use the same 3 hallway sets over and over again' problem, but the familiar environments just made me care that much more about the acting masterclasses happening between their walls.

[coreancitizen]

"You can ask or order me to go and die. You can open your own door, but you'd need someone to escort me past my door. Who would it be? Who will you order to die in there?"

[iris-sistibly]

Throughout the years, King Cheoljong and Queen Cheorin ruled Joseon together. Peace reigned for many years, the country prospered, their people were happy, and so were the royal couple. The heavens blessed them with five healthy and handsome princes, and they have been happier than ever.

However, a couple of months before their 10th year of marriage, they found out that the queen has conceived once more, and on that very same day when her mother and father got married, the princess came into the world.

Of course, the kingdom rejoiced...

Lady Choi however, had mixed emotions, she dreaded the day that a tiny Kim So-yong would come into this world. The queen was already a handful, then the crown prince came. After that, a series of pregnancies and childbirths which brought the second, third, fourth and fifth princes, all born within the decade.

The queen didn't really expect to fall pregnant again, but Lady Choi did, especially when her majesty swore not to conceive again...a vow she makes every single damn time she gives birth. In all fairness, the queen loves all of her children more than life itself, perhaps she just hated the whole pregnancy process. The older lady couldn't blame her, no mother enjoys the nausea and vomiting, being sensitive to everything, weird food cravings, feeling tired all the time, back pains and so on. Not to mention the endless pre-natal education which she already memorized by now, and of course, labor pains and actual childbirth are always the worst.

The king had been supportive of course, always making sure to provide everything his wife needs, comforting her, being with her at the birthing bed while enduring her loud mouth (Lady Choi lost count on how many times the queen cussed her husband while pushing their child into the world). However, when the princess was finally born they were ecstatic, she inherited her mother's beauty. But Lady Choi swore she heard the king mumble a prayer for her daughter to NOT inherit her mother's...unusual personality, at least not all of it. For the record, each of his sons had gotten some of the queen's traits, but he has a feeling that the princess is going to inherit much more.

The royal couple always say that their children are the most wonderful gifts they've ever received, but for the nannies who look after the royal children, it's a nightmare. The chaos brought about by five young boys in the palace has become a normal thing, so it's no longer surprising for someone who sees or comes across a nanny running after or frantically looking for a royal child. They're at their wits end, and who understands them better than Lady Choi herself? That explains why she and the royal cook have been getting more company at the bamboo forest.

"I'll give her a year, when the princess learns how to walk, the new nanny will be joining us," said Man-bok.

Lady Choi scoffed, "Oh please, the moment the princess starts to crawl it will be hell for the nanny, I'd say it's about seven months," she said with confidence.

Placing a bet for how long a nanny would last until they snap had been the old couple's habit since the birth of the king's heir. So far, Lady Choi had a more precise prediction than the royal cook.

It wasn't long after they heard rustles, like someone was coming. To their surprise it was the new nanny, she looked like she hadn't slept for days and was clearly exhausted. "Oh my are you alright? You seemed so stressed out," the royal cook worriedly asked.

The new nanny looked like she was about to cry, "The princess is driving me insane! She really doesn't like me."

"How can you say that?" it was Lady Choi's turn to ask.

"She's the calmest baby when she's with her parents, but when she's with me she won't stop crying and squirming! And her brothers..."

"Why? What did the princes do?"

"They said their sister despises me," the nanny said miserably.

"Those little rascals," Man-bok muttered under his breath.

"Well...children do prefer to be with their parents than other people, the crown prince was like that when he was a baby," said the first prince's nanny, "Just give it some time, she'll get attached to you. I'm not saying it'll get easier after that, no way. In my case, I've been hearing complaints from some elders saying that the first prince is arrogant. But he's not, he's actually confident and assertive, kind, wise and just, he has all the qualities of a king this country needs."

The other nannies joined the conversation. The second child prefers being outdoors (meaning he escapes from the palace almost all the time which stresses the shit out of his guards and nannies), but his adventurous side has made him brave, bold, and street smart. The third born is a smooth talker, he knows how to get himself out of trouble with words, but he is the most level-headed and a true gentleman. The fourth son is usually quiet and prefers to read or practice calligraphy, but when he talks he is very direct and brutally honest. The fifth son, the youngest prince and a ball of energy can already identify almost all of the ingredients used to prepare their meals and likes to banter with the royal cook, however he is also the sweetest and most loving among the siblings.

They may differ in personalities but if there's one thing the boys have in common, it's their love for the king and queen. They have immense respect for their father and they take good care of their mother even at such a young age. Lady Choi commends how the king and queen are raising their children.

"The royal children aren't who you'd expect them to be, but when you really think of it, they're just...children," said the nanny to the second prince.

"They're not perfect, but seeing them grow into fine young princes, you'll realize that our job isn't so bad after all." said the fifth prince's nanny.

"Come to think of it, it's actually amusing how the queen birthed six charming yet mischievous babies, isn't it royal cook?" asked Lady Choi.

"Oh Lady Choi, we have the king to thank for their charms, and their mischievousness? We all know where they got it from."

They all laughed, the bamboo forest had been a safe space for Lady Choi since coming into the palace. It also brought her and Man-bok together, and now the nannies whom they have formed a close friendship with. At least now Lady Choi and the royal cook know that they aren't the only ones who are losing their minds yet still continue to serve the royal family as best as they could.

"But if it really bothers you dear child, you may let all of your feelings out, it will be our little secret," Lady Choi winked at her.

The new nanny nodded, took a deep breath and yelled as loud as she could. With her newfound friends and the bamboo trees as witnesses, "I can't wait until the princess gets older," Man-bok whispered to Lady Choi, they both snickered as they watched the poor young woman pour out her emotions.

She sure has a lot to rant about, and probably more in the future.

The Bamboo Forest (by: Iris)

*

This fanfic is solely based on the KDrama, Mr. Queen and has nothing to do with the real Cheoljong and Cheorin, as well as Korea's history.

Also, this has been sitting in my drafts for a couple of weeks. I've been imagining what Cheoljong and Cheorin's (from the show) kiddos would be like since I kinda feel sad that I didn't get to see their baby be born but...oh well.

[bamboobibi]

X (Twitter) : @.bts_bighit [Run JIN EP.10]

[passionforfiction]

Arthdal Chronicles

The first season of this fantasy story hits close to home. It depicts the cruelty and greed of villages that have the resources, food and technology to take advantage of others. The story doesn't waist time, the first episode starts with the Arthdal leaders asking the Neanthals to become part of their power. The Arthdal are afraid of the peaceful but strong Neanthals and pretend to negotiate, knowing they are not interested. And what do they do? The Arthdal leaders trick their own people and kill the Neanthals in order to take their lands. Asa Hon learns this when she is in the middle of the attack, and in order to safe Neanthal children, she leaves with a child and Ragaz, with whom she later has children with.

Arthdal continues to annihilate weaker villages, taking them as slaves for hard labor. It is Tagon, an Itgu in hiding, that makes all this possible for Arthdal. And even though he is loved by the village as a hero, his father and other leaders are trying to find ways of killing him, including making Mihol's daughter, Teaelha, into a spy. Even though Tagon is cruel, there is an innocence to his longing to be loved and accepted by the people. His relationship with Teaelha is of a love stronger than their ties to their families and interests. And even though we don't like what he does, some times we do wish him success in his endeavors and fight against the Arthdal leaders for power.

But it is the story of the Wahan Tribe that reminds us that Tagon and all Arthdal are cruel and greedy people that have no respect for others. This is a peaceful tribe in a far away land. They are more like Neanthals in their believes but they are also prejudice against Itgus like Eunseom, whose mother leaves him there before she dies. Eunseom's only true friend is Tanya, the daughter of the priestess and scientist of the village.

It is almost impossible to reach the place but Tagon and the Arthdal leaders find the way to reach the land, it takes them 10 years to reach it and less time to destroy it and take its people as prisoners and slaves. Here we see the struggle of these people who get separated, sold into slavery and fight with each other and their enslavers in order to survive. But it also shows the Wahan people mesmerized by the innovations and way of life in this civilized village.

Tanya ties Eunseom to her by naming him her dream and he will do anything to save her, but destiny takes them into two different paths. These two characters are also very naive, their innocence and sense of justice is what makes others follow them. They both want to forge a world where everyone is equal, no prejudice against people that are different, everyone on equal standing.

Tanya's relationship with Saya is a sad one at best. She is using Saya while Saya genuinely likes her. And even though, at some point she sees him as a friend and cares about him, she still uses his affection towards her. But she is not the only one using Saya, so is Tagon who separated him from his mother when he was a child and Teaelha who became his caregiver for Tagon. Still, Saya is not stupid and he knows how to play the game.

This first half ends with the downfall of the rule of the Arthdal leaders: Daekan, White Mountain, and Hae tribes; giving way to Tagon's rule under the name of Aramun; which damages the relationship he had with Teaelha. Tanya is now the high priest while Eunseom becomes a god for the Ago tribe and starts unifying weak tribes to end fights among them and focus on fighting against their common oppressor.

The second season starts 8 years after the final events of the first one. And the fighting is no longer centered on colonialism, but on taking down a threatening force that is not letting them continue with their expansion of territories. I have heard of people wondering why the change of actors for critical characters. I wouldn't have minded seeing the same actors since they are excellent ones and we got used to them. But I didn't mind the changes, I think that these new actors, brought some darkness to the characters that had been innocent and naive in the first season. They have learned to play the game and they are using what they have learned for their gain.

Tagon and Teaelha are no longer the close couple they had been, but they still love each other and have a son that unites them. Theirs is a tragic and powerful love story, tainted by the struggle for power.

In this half, we see Tagon's fall, and the rise of the ideology that drove Tanya and Eunseom into battle. But we are left with an open ending that promises more blood and restlessness. Saya wants Arthdal for his own since he can't have Tanya's love; and Teaelha wants to take Arthdal back as she promised Tagon; while Eunseom struggles to make Arthdal the land he and Tanya had envisioned.

It is the bloody story of a civilization in this fantasy world that reflects the truth about the history of our world so full of tyranny, blood and inequality.

It is not a story with clear lines and we will switch sides as their goals become twisted, but so is the story of rulers in the past and the present. This is a fantasy story, but it also criticizes what makes a country a country - it's bloody history of greedy men.

[ramennoodler]

Dramas 2023

Just some of my thoughts for some of the dramas of 2023...

-KING THE LAND !!!!! The natural chemistry between the main leads is just so so soooo real that it makes it hard to believe that they're "just friends" in reality; However, at the same time it makes sense, as both Junho and Yoona have been in the entertainment industry and have known each other for a long time (2pm and SNSD go wayyyy back, IYKYK). I'm kind of surprised it took them this long to meet for a drama project, but as a fan of both 2pm and SNSD, I'm so glad to see them both working together again. There are so many funny moments in this drama and the added sound effects and acting make some of the scenes so funny. I also like the easter eggs added in the drama haha. Definitely a feel-good drama. I ship the main leads..!! They already know each other so well and they're also starting to look the same haha. -See You in My 19th Life This series is based on the webtoon, and the drama was surprisingly not bad. Ahn Bo Hyun and Shin Hye Sun both are great together, and I feel like recently Shin Hye Sun has been typecasted into these somewhat typical bold, fearless characters that are also seemingly reflective of her own personality but in this drama I was able to kind of see somewhat of a different side to her (hard to explain hahah). And Ahn Bo Hyun...he's very versatile as an actor. And finding out that he's now dating Jisoo of BP...super unexpected haha !! The drama itself is somehow comforting with all the characters meshing well together. Pleasant~~

-Celebrity Hmmmmm this one was great but something about the female lead I can't put my finger on.. While I do feel like her acting has improved over the years and I see that in some scenes of this drama as well, there were parts where it just seemed flat but I'm not sure if it's just how her character was written. The storyline itself was definitely interesting nonetheless, and I didn't have much expectations going into it, but it does touch upon the effects of social media in modern times and I liked the mystery/thriller type of vibe.

-D.P. Star-studded cast; haven't watched this yet but excited to pick up where they left off for season 1.

-The Real Has Come The cast is talented and there are strong characters in this drama and lots of twists and funny moments. It's light and funny, but there's 50 episodes so there are definitely times where it's a bit draggy but also that's typical of any family dramas. -Oasis Jang Dong Yoon!!! Hahaha I think the cast did a great job with their portrayals though I feel like Jang Dong Yoon just has such a baby-face and looks like he wouldn't hurt a fly but he looked so cool playing this role as Lee Doo Hak. I liked the old-fashioned style of this drama as it took place in the 80s-90s Korea, so it was really refreshing to see the type of fashion, dialects and overall atmosphere during that time through this drama, and think about how much has changed. There were parts of the drama that felt a little repetitive, but I think overall the cast made up for it. -Apple of My Eye (금이야, 옥이야) Typical family drama, a little predictable but expected haha.

[k-star-holic]

'D.P.2' Kim Sung-kyun, dress code that bounces alone...beside Koo Kyo-hwan and Son Seokgu "I'm the only one who can't always fit"

[scorbleeo]

Drama Review: Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938

Source: Google Images

An unexpected case leads Lee Yeon back in time to 1938, where he reencounters Ryu Hong Joo. Once a guardian spirit of the mountain in the west, she's now the owner of a high-end restaurant in the capital city of Gyeongseong. He also meets his younger brother Lee Rang. Meanwhile, another former guardian spirit and ex-friend Cheon Moo Young has become hostile. Lee Yeon struggles to return to the present, to his loved one.

Source: MyDramaList (2023)

One of the Most Unserious Dramas Out There

Before we start: I did not watch the first one and am not planning to watch it at all. Going into Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 I admit I had to do a Q&A with my sister to understand what happened between the Lee brothers in this drama's modern world. However, one does not actually need to watch the previous drama to watch this and honestly speaking, from what I saw and knew about it, Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 is a whole lot more interesting and fun.

That being said, lets get on with how I felt about this drama. I am not kidding when I say, this is the most unserious drama for a drama anyone would think to be serious. Practically half of this drama was comedy and that is a praise. The comedy bit plays a part in making Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 so darn interesting and fun. Yet, this show also pulls on your heartstrings be it the brothers, the best friends or the best friends' righthand people.

I understand romance was a huge part of the first instalment but in this, it was just a tiny bit and I believe that is why I freaking loved watching this drama. In terms of what romance there was, I have no complains too. I mean, I adore the mermaid and the only complain I have is that I wished we could have gotten more scenes with her powers. When Rang said he liked someone who's stronger than him, he was not lying. The way Yeohee was written was right up my alley, she may not be as powerful as Rang but she saved him more times than he saved her and even when she was in danger, she still did not back down on a losing fight. For that reason, Yeohee is I really thought I would dislike the mermaid but nope, I love her.

Another thing I seriously love about Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 was the friendships. Any friendship in this drama was a pleasure to watch. Obviously, the friendship among our three mountain gods was my favourite. Don't get me wrong, Yeon is extremely lovable but in this trio, I need to worship my lady, Hongjoo and lovingly protect the cinnamon roll, Mooyoung. These three portrayed my kind of friendship where they were tight as children, still tight as adults and even with unfortunate circumstances, they might hate but they love each other more. Of course, the friendship among the roommates was a delight too. I only highlighted my top two favourites but I am not lying when I claim that this show did friendships so well.

Now, now. We have a problem though. At the beginning of this drama, Taluipa told Yeon even if he changes something in 1938, it does not affect 2023. I think its safe for me to say that we do not want that to be true, right? I am just willing to believe that what Taluipa said meant that Rang would still be dead in 2023, nothing Yeon did in 1938 changed Rang's decision in the future. I would even go as far to say that, everything Yeon did in 1938 further encouraged Rang to make that choice in the future. That is all I am willing to believe because I hear there's a third season and I need my best friends and roommates reunited to fight (without a doubt) the original mountain god. Yes, I know I said all I am willing to believe is that Rang is still dead but that's because I am sure there will be no Nine-Tailed dramas without both Lee brothers alive.

When the next instalment comes out, I will watch it as long as Hongjoo and Mooyoung are still around (if Jaeyoo, Miyeon and Yeohee are too, even better). I don't even care if there will be more romance although I wish there wouldn't be.

Rating: ★★★★★

P.S.: Anyone else felt that the big bad villains were so pathetic as compared to the smaller villains?

[dreamingkdrama]

The King: Eternal monarch

Genre: fantasy, romance

Episodes: 16

Starring: Lee Min-Ho, Woo Do-Hwan, Kim Go-Eun, Kim Kyung-Nam, Lee Jung-Jin

Synopsis: In 1994, the king of Kingdom of Corea is murdered by his brother Lee Lim, who seeks to possess a legendary flute that holds supernatural powers. King's 8 years old son (prince Lee Gon) tries to stop him and the flute is cut unto two pieces. Small prince in saved by a mysterious figure and Lee Lim slips away only with half of the broken flute. 25 years later, king Lee Gon is still haunted by what happened when he was a child and the mystery behind the police badge left by his savior. The police badge he held was issued on November 11, 2019 for Lieutenant Jeong Tae-Eul. Lee Gon discoveres the magical powers of the flute and travels to parallel world where he finally meets detective Jeong Tae-Eul.

Positives: I was little bit sceptical at the begining, it was kind of cheezy, rushed, the chemistry between the main romantic duo did not worked for me and I was confused by many scenes that seemingly did not conect with the plot. But it was jus a build up and in the midle of the series the story was a rolley coaster. I was surprised how the writers are able to manage all the time jumps, parallel worlds, all the side plots and characters. The cast was great, the main characters were great, but I would like to highlight Woo Do-Hwan and his dual role, because that was was a masterpiece. Also point's for the charismatic villain.

Negatives: It has slower start, and the plot with timetravelling and doppelgangers can be confusing. I would also appreciate more screentime for the antagonist, he was great, but I think he had much bigger potential.

Conclusion: It was really a fun drama. It has everything from funny momets to really sad scenes where I really cryied (Kang Sin-Jae, I am looking at you). The theme of parallel worlds is not original, but it's still interesting and I really liked how this trope was used in the story. At the beginning, I wasn't a big fan of Lee Min-Ho, but when the plot started to progress, he really showed some acting skills. Also, he is tall and handsome and he really looks very regal. They probably couldn't pick better actor for a king.

Action: 6/10 Romance: 8/10 Intriques: 8/10 Blood: 7/10 Whump: 7/10 Friendship: 8/10 Emotions: 8/10 Humor: 5/10