#Kim Jong Nam killing

[postoctobrist]

literally in a grad school biodefense course and an assignment is finding a way to kill james bond with any natural toxin (can't be ricin or tetrodotoxin; it's been done) and i'm just staring at the grading rubric going "nova would love this"

well obviously you can’t use any animal for this because Bond will beat it to death with his shoe. poisoning his martini with IIRC digitalis was very effective in Casino Royale, albeit he was able to access some very effective telemedicine. so you want something that’s going to incapacitate an athletic (if seriously alcoholic) man very quickly. I think the weakness to play on here is women. Bond loves creepily touching a woman, so I wonder if you get some kind of transdermal poisoning going on there somehow, do him Kim Jong-nam style. Fuck I’m going to be thinking about this all day

[read-marx-and-lenin]

ooo, ooo, me next!

I support North Korea, but I’m relatively new to it - what’s the deal with the (alleged, at least) assassinations e.g. Kim Jong-nam?

Whether or not the DPRK was involved with Kim Jong-nam's death, there have been reports of Kim having received money from the CIA in exchange for information, so if that is true there could have been motive from either side to have him killed, either by the CIA to both dispose of a burned informant while pinning the blame on a foreign adversary (the claim was that Kim was killed by VX nerve agent, which is a very rare poison that the US has plenty of but the DPRK has never been alleged to have used before or since), or by the DPRK to get rid of a corrupt and treasonous individual working with the enemy against them.

In addition, the accusations by the ROK against the DPRK and claims of VX nerve agent were made before the autopsy was complete and before the body was positively identified as Kim Jong-nam. Malaysian police were never able to produce any evidence of DPRK involvement, even after allegedly attempting to bribe one DPRK citizen living in Malaysia at the time (Ri Jong-chol) into falsely confessing.

[bitchofdarkness]

the way Seokchan sacrifices himself to save Yeonghu with no hesitation was peak romance and the two of them deserve to be in a better show :((

It was so damn heartbreaking 🥺 they were both ready to give up for one another, but Yeong-hu was too weak to stop Seok-chan 😭 On the one hand I'm glad we did get this kind of elaborate ending with last words, because there was a possibility that they would discard Seok-chan the way they killed off Jong-hyun (Idk why he died twice, but oh well...) so one second dramatic/shock effect. On the other hand, I am not okay with Seok-chan dying at all. He was such a sunshine, he fucking persuaded one of their enemies ffs 😭 I'm convinced that the only reason why Yeong-hu later on listened to Eun-hyuk and stayed near the cocoon was because of a "WWSCD - what would Seok-chan do?" moment. It's so obvy, even in S2, that Sergeant Kim only changed by adopting some of Seok-chan's views.

Seriously, Heo Nam-jun and Kim Mu-yeol have crazy chemistry, they should work together again some day. And for crying out loud, definitely in a project where neither of them dies.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 2.13 (after 1940)

1945 – World War II: The siege of Budapest concludes with the unconditional surrender of German and Hungarian forces to the Red Army. 1945 – World War II: Royal Air Force bombers are dispatched to Dresden, Germany to attack the city with a massive aerial bombardment. 1951 – Korean War: Battle of Chipyong-ni, which represented the "high-water mark" of the Chinese incursion into South Korea, commences. 1954 – Frank Selvy becomes the only NCAA Division I basketball player ever to score 100 points in a single game. 1955 – Israel obtains four of the seven Dead Sea Scrolls. 1955 – Twenty-nine people are killed when Sabena Flight 503 crashes into Monte Terminillo near Rieti, Italy. 1960 – With the success of a nuclear test codenamed "Gerboise Bleue", France becomes the fourth country to possess nuclear weapons. 1960 – Black college students stage the first of the Nashville sit-ins at three lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee. 1961 – An allegedly 500,000-year-old rock is discovered near Olancha, California, US, that appears to anachronistically encase a spark plug. 1967 – American researchers discover the Madrid Codices by Leonardo da Vinci in the National Library of Spain. 1975 – Fire at One World Trade Center (North Tower) of the World Trade Center in New York. 1978 – Hilton bombing: A bomb explodes in a refuse truck outside the Hilton Hotel in Sydney, Australia, killing two refuse collectors and a policeman. 1979 – An intense windstorm strikes western Washington and sinks a 0.5-mile (0.80 km) long section of the Hood Canal Bridge. 1981 – A series of sewer explosions destroys more than two miles of streets in Louisville, Kentucky. 1983 – A cinema fire in Turin, Italy, kills 64 people. 1984 – Konstantin Chernenko succeeds the late Yuri Andropov as general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. 1990 – German reunification: An agreement is reached on a two-stage plan to reunite Germany. 1991 – Gulf War: Two laser-guided "smart bombs" destroy the Amiriyah shelter in Baghdad. Allied forces said the bunker was being used as a military communications outpost, but over 400 Iraqi civilians inside were killed. 1996 – The Nepalese Civil War is initiated in the Kingdom of Nepal by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre). 2001 – An earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter magnitude scale hits El Salvador, killing at least 944. 2004 – The Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics announces the discovery of the universe's largest known diamond, white dwarf star BPM 37093. Astronomers named this star "Lucy" after The Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". 2007 – Taiwan opposition leader Ma Ying-jeou resigns as the chairman of the Kuomintang party after being indicted on charges of embezzlement during his tenure as the mayor of Taipei; Ma also announces his candidacy for the 2008 presidential election. 2008 – Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd makes a historic apology to the Indigenous Australians and the Stolen Generations. 2010 – A bomb explodes in the city of Pune, Maharashtra, India, killing 17 and injuring 60 more. 2011 – For the first time in more than 100 years the Umatilla, an American Indian tribe, are able to hunt and harvest a bison just outside Yellowstone National Park, restoring a centuries-old tradition guaranteed by a treaty signed in 1855. 2012 – The European Space Agency (ESA) conducted the first launch of the European Vega rocket from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. 2017 – Kim Jong-nam, brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, is assassinated at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. 2021 – Former U.S. President Donald Trump is acquitted in his second impeachment trial. 2021 – A major winter storm causes blackouts and kills at least 82 people in Texas and northern Mexico.

[mlembug]

I find these translator notes pretty fascinating. (the context is that this is a fansub for the anime made for for cult recruitment purposes by Aum Shinrikyo, the cult responsible for 1995 sarin attack on Tokyo subway)

I'd say the combination of casual explaining the translation choices given the subject matter, but also mention of quieting questioning the inconsistencies through "10 precepts" and guilt-tripping you into your good behaviour which is similar to a certain other religion.

(id is very long so I'm also putting it under the "Keep reading" line here, in addition to putting it directly on an image)

YouTube comment by "Garlic Goblin Ziusudra"

This fansub project left me gasping. No, not in admiration before Shoko Asahara, I won't start to frequent Aleph's meditation circle, don't fret! But because it was mentally taxing. It was my most ambitious solo project to date… I juggled with complex Buddhist concepts along the way. Also, I felt as if the stampede of a Brahma bull rammed into me with unbridled idiocy. I needed a long sleep to recover from all that, I tell you. Now, I'll write footnotes around the project I think you may need to know:

1) I covered this project purely because of its entertainment value. Besides, I think Aum Shinrikyo is a poorly known cult, and I sincerely hope my translation shed light on what they were about. Being well informed is power. 2) trying to keep a straight face, I translated the script in a manner I think an authentic disciple would, full of misguided admiration. Since the cultists regarded Asahara like a god, his pronouns all start with a capital letter. 3) the kanji of "spirit force" roughly translates "transcendental human power". Spirit force isn't a fully accurate translation, but sticking with it shorten the sentences considerably… Shoko Asahara basically baited you into the cult, thinking you could become like a super hero from Marvel after passing meditation stages. 3) I interchangeably translated そんし (尊師), as "our guru" "our leader" and "the Holy One". Funnily enough, そんし is the way you pronounce Sun Tzu's name in Japanese. If you misinterpret, it comes as if the adepts have an unhealthy admiration for the Art of War 😂 4) note the Abrahamic component of the cult with the 10 precepts. Aren't they a formidable tool of peer pressure, used by a guru to quell any dissent? I am sure Asahara used these vague commandments more than once to quiet those questioning the inconsistencies in his teachings or attitude. Anyway, the long lasting members end to be the most efficiently brainwashed ones, gurus know how to weed out the obdurate people from the ones they desire. 5) Imagine believing that transgressing precepts gets you to reincarnate in the three lower paths of Reincarnation. You would be terrified to stand against the bullcrap of Asahara, wouldn't you? "Chouetsu Sekai" tells you in substance that obeying the guru will either reward you with blessedness or doom you to a next life of suffering hell. Very efficient tool of manipulation, am I right? 6) Vajratissa wasn't an original character created for this OAV. He genuinely existed, like Kalu Rinpoche. It was the holy name of Tomomasa Nakagawa, a senior member. He was a physician with a legitimate background, acting as a scientific arm of the cult, much like fellow death row mates Masami Tsuchiya and the veterinarian Seiichi Endo. I ignore what exact parts he had in conceiving the chemical weapons, but he had a clear interest in the topic. During his time in the death row, he even wrote a paper about the VX nerve agent and accused Kim Jong Un of recuperating Aum Shinrikyo's stock to kill Kim Jong Nam! Nakagawa was one of the few members expressing remorse for the sarin gas attack and the death of Sakamoto family. He didn't deny responsibility and fully accepted his hanging. He is definitely a more complex and intriguing figure than the guru. 7) I know, I know, the last part is particularly disgusting. It is a thing to enroll consenting adults, but another to indoctrinate children like that Noriko. By the way, the mother is Shoko Asahara's spouse and Noriko his daughter. I am not exactly certain whether Uma Parvati is Asahara's wife holy name or the narrators refers to the Hindu goddess (the spouse of Shiva). I'd lean towards the first option.

[sageglobalresponse]

5 popular Korean TV series stealing the hearts of Nigerians in 2024

Korean dramas capture Nigerians' hearts with their captivating stories, talented actors, and unique blend of genres.

K-dramas, the creative expression of Korean culture with a unique blend of drama, romance and humour, have captivated Nigerian viewers.

With their intriguing stories and distinctive mash-ups of genres, Korean TV shows have emerged as a prominent force.

It's not just the stories that captivate Nigerians. Korean shows boast a powerhouse of talented actors who bring these characters to life with remarkable authenticity.

Best Korean TV series in 2024

Here’s a list of Korean series that are particularly popular among Nigerians in 2024:

1. Queen of Tears (2024)

Synopsis: The series depicts the crisis and rekindling of love between Hong Hae-in, played by Kim Ji-won, a third-generation chaebol heiress of Queens Group, and Baek Hyun-woo, played by Kim Soo-hyun, the son of farmers from Yongdu-ri, and their three years of marriage.

Director: Jang Young-woo and Kim Hee-won

Cast: Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, and Lee Joo-bin

Where to watch: Netflix

https://youtu.be/Gg2D8zrzlOA

2. Marry My Husband (2024)

Synopsis: The series begins in 2023 when Kang Ji-won played by Park Min-young, is terminally ill with gastric cancer. After catching her husband, Park Min-hwan played by Lee Yi-kyung, in bed with her best friend, Jeong Su-min, a scuffle ensues in which Ji-won is accidentally killed by Min-hwan.

Ji-won then awakens in the year 2013, having been sent back in time following the intervention of her late father's spirit. As she relives her life with the same knowledge and information as in the previous timeline, she discovers that to live a better life, she must transfer her misfortune to others. She then resolves to have Su-min marry Min-hwan to exact revenge and escape her miserable fate.

Cast: Na In-woo, Song Ha-yoon, and Lee Gi-kwang

Where to watch: Prime Video

https://youtu.be/lfJGSxXf9Xg

Director: Park Won-guk and Han Jin-seon

3. Doctor Slump (2024)

Synopsis: It is a romantic comedy series about the hate-turned-love relationship of Nam Ha-neul played by Park Shin-hye and Yeo Jeong-woo played by Park Hyung-sik, who had promising prospects in their careers, but fell into a slump due to different circumstances.

Ha-neul and Jeong-woo were high school rivals who despised each other and parted ways after high school. But when they are forced to quit their jobs as doctors, they end up living together at Ha-neul's house.

Cast: Yoon Park, Gong Seong-ha, and Oh Dong-min

Where to watch: Netflix

https://youtu.be/xCwAwwm4-sY

Director: Hyun Jong Oh

4. Love Song For Illusion (2024)

Synopsis: The story follows Yeon Wol played by Hong Ye-ji, who hides her identity and becomes an assassin to avenge her family. Her mission is to assassinate the king but she falls into a trap set by an unknown person. She wakes up the next day with no memory of her past and is appointed as the crown prince's concubine.

Director: Lee Jung-seob

Cast: Park Ji-hoon, Lee Joo-won, Hwang Hee, and Ji Woo

Where to watch: Viki

https://youtu.be/3vkGu5R1IKo

5. A Killer’s Paradox (2024)

Synopsis: The series follows the story of Lee Tang played by Choi Woo-shik, who was discharged from the army six months ago, struggles with his life and dreams of visiting Canada. He works at a convenience store and relies heavily on his parents for support.

One night, he is assaulted by a customer, leading to a violent confrontation and the subsequent murder of the customer. Tang is guilt-ridden and prepares to turn himself in, but discovers his victim was a serial killer.

Dutiful detective Jang Nan-gam, remains uncooperative and keeps investigating. It is unclear if Nan-gam is onto him, but Tang continues to kill, revealing his hidden talent for accidentally offending evildoers.

The story explores the question of whether Tang is serving justice or evading it.

Director: Lee Chang-hee

Cast: Son Suk-ku, Lee Hee-Joon, Kim Yo-han, and Jung Yi-seo

Where to watch: Netflix

https://youtu.be/X2rXQ0rEfPI

[yhwhrulz]

Today's selected anniversaries: 13th February 2024

1891:

Frances Coles was killed in the last of eleven unsolved murders of women that took place in or near the impoverished Whitechapel district in the East End of London. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitechapel_murders

1961:

Geode prospectors near Olancha, California, discovered what they claimed to be a 500,000-year-old rock with a 1920s-era spark plug encased within (pictured). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coso_artifact

2017:

Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was assassinated using VX nerve agent in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Jong-nam

[enterenews]

Heo Joon-ho and Kim Ha-eon found the missing forest…

Heo Jun-ho climbed the mountain to find Kim Ha-eon.

In the 7th episode of tvN's Monday-Tuesday drama 'Missing: They Were There 2' (playplayplay by Bangiri Jung So-young/director Min Yeon-hong and Lee Ye-rim), which aired on the night of the 9th, Panseok (played by Heo Jun-ho) running around to find Ro-ha (played by Ha-eon Kim) was broadcast. burnt.

Jang Pan-seok investigated the death of Ro-ha, who came to Industrial Complex 3 while his father was serving a prison sentence. Go Sang-cheol (played by Nam Hyun-woo), who was killed in an unfair way for infiltrating a drug organization, was adjusting to Industrial Complex 3 while hanging out with Ro-ha. Outside, Shin Joon-ho (played by Ha Jun-min) scrambled to find Ko Sang-cheol's body. The missing person task force uncovered the corruption of the mental hospital that hospitalized Roha's mother through a broker.

Panseok, who saw the shoes Roha was wearing when she first appeared at Industrial Complex 3, said Eun-sil (Lee Jung-eun), "Ro-ha went to the mountains looking for her mother and got lost. I climbed the mountain with hope in one word. This mountain also appeared in Roha's painting. The flagstone, lying down in the direction of Roha's gaze in the painting, realized something, "Roha, are you here?" when the same scenery appeared. When he put together several pictures of trees, it became a forest. Thanks to Jong-a's (Ahn So-hee) search ability, he knew that the mountain was Cheonjungsan.

[vilaspatelvlogs]

Kim Jong Un के सौतेले भाई Kim Jong Nam के 'हत्यारों' ने 'Assassins' डॉक्यूमेंट्री में सुनाई 'नई' कहानी

Kim Jong Un के सौतेले भाई Kim Jong Nam के ‘हत्यारों’ ने ‘Assassins’ डॉक्यूमेंट्री में सुनाई ‘नई’ कहानी

लॉस एंजिल्स: साल 2017 में नॉर्थ कोरिया के तानाशाह किम जोंग उन के सौतेले भाई किम जोंग नाम की मलेशिया की राजधानी कुआलालंपुर के इंटरनेशनल एयरपोर्ट पर नर्व एजेंट से हमला कर हत्या कर दी गई थी. इस मामले को लेकर अमेरिकी फिल्म डायरेक्टर और डॉक्यूमेंट्री मेकर रेयान व्हॉइट ने ‘असासिन्स’ नाम से एक डॉक्यूमेंट्री बनाई है, जिसमें किम जोंग नाम की हत्या से जुड़े कई पहलुओं की जांच की गई है. इस डॉक्यूमेंट्री में…

[whumpetywhump]

Flower Of Evil - Ep. 4, 8 & 9

[gwenchana-gwenchana]

A list of things I will never be over in no particular order: back with a vengeance

part: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1. I know I've mentioned Ji Sung in almost every list I've made but I can't help it. This man has been doing dramas for a long time. Secret Love was so fucked up. There are still scenes in it that I still randomly think about. If you haven’t watched it yet you definitely should.

2. The totally platonic with absolutely no romantical tension whatsoever bromance in You're All Surrounded that was our second leads. It took me so long to get on board with Jung Ho but his two besties were loyal af and lowkey in love with each other.

3. The first couple of episodes of My Secret Romance were fun but then I didn’t keep watching- I don't remember why. But all I can think about when I think about that drama is his wonderful offended/exasperated face which he used a lot in the first couple of episodes. I just love the way his eyebrows scrunch. But can I find that particular gif?? No. So this one instead:

4. The theme song for Kill Me Heal Me is iconic and I love it. One word or note plays and it's stuck in my head for days.

5. And not to keep talking about School 2013 but I'm going to keep talking about School 2013. I loved the bromance turned to enemies turned to secretly pining for each other turned to maybe friends turned to literal husbands that was Kim Woo-bin and Lee Jong-suk. Like they -SPOILERS- decided to open a noodle shop together and live happily ever after. -SPOILERS- That is literal husband behavior. Someone fight me on this! I would love to make a PowerPoint.

And cause I can add more gifs I choose to add more of these two:

6. But ALSO pertaining to School 2013: I love the complete 180 they both do with the baby delinquents. These two tall boys who both got held back and have lived complete lives (like they are both emotionally 60-year-old men who don't know how but they are still in high school) long before they both meet again in the tiny angel woman's classroom. Not only do they have to confront each other but they both decide that the baby delinquents need guidance and who better than them. They have lived those lives already and don't want their ducklings to go down the same path. I just love it.

7. I liked Korean Odyssey a lot. I love Lee Seung Gi and his bff who is in every drama with him. It was cute and fun BUT and this isn't something I love but something I super do not love-- we are back in that trend of every kdrama ending being open-ended/ that pretend-happily-ever-after thing that leaves a bittersweet taste in your mouth after you turn off the show. I blame this drama and these writers for kick-starting this whole trend again. Because these bittersweet open-ended endings lead to the "artistic bleak real world sucks" type of ending where everyone dies all the time. I've already lived through this once and will not survive another round. I might have to stop watching dramas considering recent dramas like Vincenzo and Crash Landing On You and how they did that open-ended bullshit.

8. Also not to bring School 2013 up again BUT that moment in School 2013 where Go Nam Soon comes home after getting the shit beat out of him and he lies on his bed in his empty lonely house and tells himself that he’s okay over and over. Literally, stab me in the heart and it would hurt less.

9. This is School 2013 adjacent but only because Jang Na-ra picks great drama's to be in. Her style in I Remember You— first of all I love her and her pretty face. Second of all, I really liked really everything she wore. I'm a big fan of the grunge-leather-flannels-and-black look. So surprising, I know.

10. And to bring it back to Healer once again-- I have to mention it every post it seems-- but when he's pretending to be Bong So and they go to interview the first jackass... are you with me here? I don't remember the jackass's name. But okay the moment when Cha Young-shin is having a panic attack because of the violence in front of her and Bong-soo can't do his parkour ultimate fighting skills stuff cause he's Bong-soo and not Seo Jung-ho. So he creates a distraction for the guards and helps Cha Young-shin get out of her panic attack by being helpless Bong-soo who doesn't know how to do anything. She gets out of her panic attack with a purpose and a need to protect her underling. And she does. She saves him. And it's perfect. I love them.

[katierosefun]

hey uh 8 months ago u posted: "i might compile a list of kdramas that either have very cool queer-coded characters, are explicitly queer, or just have a very queer vibe just to fuck around again so".. did u by chance ever post it? if u havent, no worries, but if u have the time, i would love to get ur recs- especially those w/ queer-coded characters or just a queer vibe (im researching q-coding for something im working)

aaah, thank you for reminding me of that list! i've actually got some time to kill (more like i'm procrastinating going to sleep), so actually, here's a list now!:

beyond evil

this show just immediately becomes number one on my list when it comes to queerness, queer coding, or almost explicitly a queer story in ways that i really just . . . have not stopped thinking about ever since watching this show. basically, this show is about lee dong sik (shin ha kyun) who, twenty years ago, was accused of kidnapping and possibly murdering his twin sister. now, hot shot new detective han joo won (yeo jin goo) starts working in dong sik's small town. when the murders start up again, these two go down a long path in finding out the truth of what happened those twenty years ago. the acting is just phenomenal: yeo jin goo and shin ha kyun are truly an acting match made in heaven, just because both are insanely talented.

what makes this story incredibly queer, i think, is just the relationship between han joo won and lee dong sik. neither are very much so interested in a heterosexual romance, which is interesting, because there are def. female characters that could have been their love interests, but not once is that ever enforced or even implied? i also have a post here somewhere about how dong sik in particular is pretty queer or expresses queer-coded traits (ie. his relationship with religion, his relationship with past male colleagues, his tendency to flirt exclusively with men), and han joo won expresses similarities (ie. unwillingness to engage in romantic relationships with women in particular). but more than that, these two share just such a deep relationship that it's incredibly difficult not to see them as romantic--it's also worth noting that the writer, director, and cast members themselves have very much so worked this story into something that's much more romantic. (ie. the writer and director noting that these two have a relationship that has very much evolved into love, yeo jin goo talking about how he thinks han joo won probably moved in with dong sik, shin ha kyun and yeo jin goo heavily improvising some of the most . . . romantic scenes in the show).

there's a lot of shows that i've been told are queer, only to be very sorely disappointed because i realize those particular recs take a very long stretch, but beyond evil is one of those few shows that i think. genuinely. is queer. i promise you won't be disappointed.

school 2013

and yet another show that i think is perhaps one of the queerest stories out in kdrama history. i'm pretty sure this was both lee jong suk and kim woo bin's debuts as actors too, which is such an iconic move on their part. but basically, this series is about the difficulties high school students go through in the korean education system. while this story is very much an ensemble story, jong suk's character go nam soon is, i think, the main character. he's not very academically inclined, doesn't have too much of a dream...and i think he genuinely is depressed because he hurt and separated himself from his best friend park heung soo (kim woo bin). things become very complicated when his best friend transfers to nam soon's new school, only now, these two are something between enemies/rivals/ex-friends-who-still-care-about-each-other-but-still-hold-a-lot-of-resentment-and-etc. so you can imagine all the angst.

there's some genuinely lovely scenes between the two of them. also worth noting that kim woo bin actually kissed lee jong suk (yes, there are photos) behind the scenes for one of the most dramatic scenes of the show. there's another rather queer pairing in this show (more like a queer . . . trio?), but the story between heung soo and nam soon is just such a key component of the story that i had to mention it first. this show def. has its cheesy moments, but nam soon and heung soo sleeping next to each other time and time again over the course of the series and also very slowly getting over their own hurts is just . . . this is very much so a love story, and i think when this show was airing, a lot of people were speculating the same. (also worth noting that jang na ra, who played the iconic teacher jung in jae in this series, explained in an interview that she genuinely things heung soo and nam soon love each other . . . so--)

sungkyunkwan scandal

ah, yes, but if we're getting a teensy bit past queer-coded-ness and instead moving into explicitly queer characters, i just have to mention this saeguk classic, sungkyunkwan scandal. this show is about an intelligent young woman named kim yoon hee (park min young) who, for the sake of money, pretends to be a man to enter the nation's most prestigious (and still one of the most prestigious universities today!) university, sungkyunkwan university. in the process, she meets her roommates--the stiff son of a government official lee sun joon (park yoo chun) and the wild horse of a student moon jae shin (yoo ah in). along the way, she also meets moon jae shin's best friend, the flirty son of a merchant goo yong ha (song joong ki).

what i really love about this kdrama is that unfortunately, a lot of kdramas will take the whole "gender bending" trope and have the main male love interest(s) go through this whole existential crisis of "oh my god aM i gAy? tHis iS aWfuL", which, of course, leaves a pretty bad taste in your mouth when you're, y'know, a queer viewer. but what i love about this drama is that while it def. starts with that reaction (understandable, given the era), it actually goes into a wonderfully progressive direction? even though the protagonist is a woman, the main male love interest very much so decides "okay, fine. then i'm gay." but it doesn't stop there?

there's a lot of characters who point out in this show that it's not a crime to love someone of the same sex. in one specific moment, goo yong ha confesses to lee sun joon that he has romantic feelings for his best friend moon jae shin--and jae shin and yong ha's relationship is very much so . . . queer. a very genuine gem.

while you were sleeping

okay . . . so full disclosure, this is probably one of those that are more of a stretch, but so many people ship all three leads together, so that's why i'm including them. also, i really do think they're all bisexual and in love with each other, so it works.

basically, this show is about three extraordinary individuals: nam hong joo (bae suzy), jung jae chan (lee jong suk), and han woo tak (jung hae in). these three can see snippets of the future in their dreams. by fate, all of their lives get entangled together, and what's really lovely about this show is that while the two male leads are in love with the main female lead, there's never . . . a real sense of a love triangle? these three work incredibly harmoniously together. (also, some of jung jae chan's scenes with han woo tak can very . . . easily be interpreted as ohhhh, he's got a crush. also, these three characters just radiate so many parts of the bisexual spectrum. hong joo and woo tak are on the very competent, distinguished bisexual side of the spectrum, while jae chan . . . jae chan's on the chaotic side. which is why i love them all.)

nevertheless

okay, so another full disclosure with this one: nevertheless is one of those shows that i just wish was better and also a show that i skipped about like 95% of the scenes, because the show is actually about the art student na bi (han so hee) dating the mYstEriOus student park jae eon (song kang). (spoiler alert: park jae eon is the walking example of a red flag.)

but ANYWAYS, if we look over their scenes (i love han so hee and song kang, they really are both lovely actors . . . and i think to be fair, they both said in interviews that people like park jae eon suck), we can find the genuinely touching coming-of-age queer romance between yoon sol (lee ho jung) and seo ji wan (yoon seo ah). these two are canonically in love with each other, and it's really genuinely lovely. i feel like wlw relationships in kdrama are specifically hard to come by, but this one, for its little screen time, was still so genuinely heartfelt and authentic that (okay, maybe i'm oversharing a bit) i felt as though i was really reading a page out of my own diary? like, the tentativeness and fear of potentially ruining a perfectly good friendship is so real in this show--but they really are quite sweet. :'))

shows i haven't watched, but i've heard very good things in terms of queerness/are now on my watch list because i've heard it's . . . got some queer-coded characters/queer stories:

the devil judge

okay, so i'm planning to watch this soon, so i don't have real thoughts on it so far, but as far as i can tell, it's about a dystopian korea where the legal system is especially fucked up. the chief judge and his . . . clerk? co-judge? share a very . . . . . . interesting bond. that's it. but i do know there's been some parallels drawn to beyond evil, which i still think is the peak of queerness in korean drama, so i suppose that must mean something!

move to heaven

so, while move to heaven isn't literally about a gay couple, this show is about a young man and his . . . uncle (? or friend? idk, i've only watched the first episode of this show) who basically clean out the apartments of those who have passed away, thereby giving some sense of healing to their loved ones. there's one episode about a gay couple, and i've heard it's incredibly beautiful. it's sad that there's obviously going to be death, but i've also heard that it's done with so much genuine respect and love and compassion for gay couples in korea.

unfortunately--and i end with this show on this rec list for this very reason, gay couples are still very much discriminated against in south korea. the discrimination is brutal. same-sex couples aren't allowed to register as a family unit, which interferes with matters regarding medical insurance and adoption, should any of these couples want children. and of course, there's everyday discrimination in the workplace, in school, etc. while i think people have slowly been getting better about queerness in korea, they're still incredibly conservative with queerness. so to have a story that so lovingly depicts a queer relationship means a lot--and i hope that in the future, there'll be more explicitly queer love stories. of course, i think there's a lot of power in queer-coding, esp. within the limited confines of mainstream korean television, but you know, times are changing, and i hope that shows like move to heaven and others will continue to push the envelope in queer representation in korea and beyond.

[angelnumber27]

The story about the women who thought they were on a prank show putting nerve agent on Kim Jong Nam’s face and killing him is so insane like imagine getting paid $120 and thinking you’re on a prank show, being given nerve agent under the false pretenses of it being something else, not knowing you’re assassinating someone, then being arrested and charged with murder because you technically just killed someone, then serving at least two years in prison for it. The women could have died themselves had they not washed their hands so quickly. The whole thing is just absolutely wild to me

[mirajanefairytailmage]

Rambling About a Show (08/13/2022)

⚠️SPOILER!?⚠️

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[seoul-bros]

Kdrama Master List

Love in the Big City Ep, 2 Spoiler Alert

Squid Game Ep.1 -Spoiler Alert

Squid Game 2 with Yim Siwan

San Yawn's Love in the Big City

Happy Birthday to Lee Jong Suk

OSTs that perfectly represent the kdrama

The Rise of the Kdrama Heroine

Kdrama Timeline Part II

Kdrama Timeline Part I

Mouse

Complete change of mood (Spoiler Alert)

3D Mouse

Poor Detective Ko

Mouse (IMDb 8.6)

Gyenongseong Creature

Gyeongseong Creature 2

Gyeongseong Creature OST

Queen of Tears

Queen of Tears Ep 12

QOT Episode 11

Queen of Tears Episode 11

Queen of Tears Episode 10

Vicenzo representing the Queen of Tears

Queen of Tears

Tale of the Nine-Tailed

Tale of the Nine-Tailed - Feasting on another Lee Dong Wook series

My Demon

My Demon Elle Photoshoot Part 2

My Demon Elle Photoshoot

My Demon Episode 4

My Demon

The KIlling Vote

The Killing Vote

Song of the Bandits

Song of the Bandits (Part II)

Song of the Bandits

Through the darkness

Kim Nam-gil is SK's first criminal profiler

Twenty Five Twenty One

Twenty Five Twenty One and the 1990s Financial Crisis in Korea

Little Women

Spolier Alert: Finishing Little Women 29/10/2022

Will Little Women make it out alive? 06/10/2022

Thirty Nine

Ramen, Cats and Peonies

Our Blues

Came for Jimin's OST staying for the quality acting in "Our Blues"

Pachinko

Learning Gyeongsang Satoori with the Busan boys!

Hyun Bin

Hyun Bin's BTS brain freeze 11/09/2022

[jaejoongs-nipple-piercing]

Because it's the first time (SHINee Minho) ✅ (watched once)

Revenge Note 2 (Samuel) ✅ (watched twice)

It's ok, that's love ✅

Kill me, heal me (Ji Sung and Oh Ri Jin)✅

Protect the boss (Jaejoong) ✅

Codename: Jackal (movie)✅

Vincenzo (Taecyeon)

Time Slip Doctor Jin (Jaejoong)

Triangle (Jaejoong)

My secret love (Ji Sung and Oh Ri Jin)

Tunnel (with N)

Tazza

Legend of the blue sea (Shin)

Boys over flowers (Korean and Japanese versions)

Meteor Garden (Chinese version of Boys over flowers)

Secret Garden ✅

The heirs

Empress Ki

Woojins' movie/drama about the secret class nobody can find out about

Kdrama that Wonho has a cameo in

Coffee Prince

Drinking Game/Drinking Solo (working on it)

Secret Royal Inspector and Joy (Taecyeon)

Let's Fight Ghost/Bring it on, Ghost(Taecyeon)

High Kick Through The Roof (1 & 2)

My ID is Gangnam Beauty

What's wrong with Secretary Kim?

Spy (Jaejoong) ✅

Witness drama with Luhan helping a blind woman

The Untamed (Xiao Zhan and Yibo)✅

Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Untamed) anime ✅

(Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai BL dramas go here)

Thailand F4 drama

I am not a robot ✅

Cherry Magic (Japanese BL)

Beautiful Reborn Flower (C-drama)

Dream High (K-Drama)

Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth (K-drama)

Ghost Doctor (K-drama)

Dream Garden (C-drama)

Do it all your way (K-drama)

Tree with deep roots (K-drama)

The Guardian (K-drama)

High-end crush (K-drama)

TharnType (Thai drama)

The Red Sleeve (K-drama)

Meow, the secret boy (K-drama)

Let me be your knight (K-drama)

Entertainer (K-drama)

User not found (K-drama)

The beauty inside (K-drama)

Sword snow stride (C-drama)

Psychologist (C-drama)

Now, We are breaking up (K-drama)

Cinderella’s Sister (K-drama)

Strong woman Do Bong Soon (K-drama)

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (Goblin) (K-drama)

Scarlet Heart: Ryeo (K-drama)

Color Rush (K-drama with Hwall from The Boyz)

My roommate is a gumiho (K-drama)

Dr. Jin (K-drama with Jaejoong)

Manhole (K-drama with Jaejoong)

Photo people in Paris (variety show with Jaejoong and Samuel)

Photo people in Tokyo (variety show with Jaejoong and Woohyun)

Fall in love with my king (C-drama)

The maid of the blind master (C-drama)

The birth of a Mrs (K-drama)

Flower of evil (K-drama)

Tale of the Nine tailed (K-drama)

Emergency couple (K-drama)

More than friends (K-drama)

2018 SBS Gayo Daejun music festival (Korean)

W (K-drama)

Short lived love (K-drama)

Weight-lifting fairy, Kim Bok-joo (K-drama)

Listen to my heart (K-drama)

Playful kiss (K-drama)

The return of Superman (Korean variety show)

While you were sleeping (K-drama)

After school club (variety show)

Sunset in my home town (K-drama)

Voice (K-drama)

Happy Together (K-drama)

By chance (K-drama)

The king (K-drama)

Commitment (K-drama with TOP)

Star: Radiant Love (K-drama)

Big (K-drama)

Dramaworld (K-drama)

The Divine Fury (K-drama, horror)

Children of Nobody (K-drama)

Midnight Runners (K-drama)

Familiar Wife (K-drama)

Ms. Perfect (K-drama)

Idol King of Cooking (K-drama)

Tomorrow Boy (K-drama)

Cheer Up! (K-drama)

2015 Idol Star Athletics Championships-New Year Special (variety show/competition)

Suspicious Partner (K-drama)

So I married the anti-fan (K-drama)

True Beauty (K-drama)

Backstreet Rookie (K-drama)

Silent sea (with Gong Yoo)

Miracle that we met (K-drama with Kai)

Haru ga Kita (J-drama with Kai)

Andante (K-drama with Kai)

7 First Kisses (K-drama with Kai)

Chico Bank (K-drama with Kai)

EXO Next Door (K-drama with Kai and rest of EXO)

To the beautiful you (K-drama with Kai)

SMTown the Stage (movie with Kai )

Miracle (Korean special with Kai)

EXO’s Ladder Seasons 1-3 (Korean tv show with EXO members)

Kai’s bucket list (Korean tv show)

New World (Korean tv show with Kai)

KAIst (Korean tv show)

The Takfather (Korean tv show)

Hello, You ( Korean tv show)

Honeymoon tavern (Korean tv show)

Six Sense 2 ( Korean tv show)

Gym Jong Kook (Korean tv show)

EXO Arcade 2 (Korean tv show)

Idol Dictation Contest (Korean tv show)

The Devil Wears Jung Nam 2 (Korean tv show)

Miscellaneous Goods (Korean tv show)

STAY BODYLUV (Korean tv show)

SuperM: As We Wish (Korean tv show)

Mtopia highlights (Korean tv show)

Mtopia pre-release (Korean tv show)

Mtopia cookie clip (Korean tv show)

Mtopia (Korean tv show)

After_zzZ (Korean tv show)

SuperM Midterm Exam (Korean tv show)

RARE-TAEM (Korean tv show)

Dong Dong Shin Ki (Korean tv show)

SuperM: The Beginning (Korean tv show)

Midnight Idol Season 1 (Korean tv show)

Let’s Go, Man Soo Ro (Korean tv show)

Workman (Korean tv show)

Stage K (Korean tv show)

Sim for you: special hard drive run (Korean tv show)

Sim for you (Korean tv show)

EXO Arcade (Korean tv show)

UNDER19 (Korean tv show, special director and in episode 11 as a guest)

Music Bank in Berlin (Korean tv show, guest in one episode)

Star Road: Kai (Korean tv show)

Amazing Saturday (Korean tv show, in episode 118 and 135-136)

EXO From Happiness (Korean tv show)

EXO Tourgram (Korean tv show)

Park Jin Young’s Party people (Korean tv show)

2017 Idol Star Athletics Championships (Korean tv show)

Star Show 360 ( Korean tv show)

Exomentary live (Korean tv show)

Yummy! Yummy! (Korean tv show, in episodes 3-4)

Knowing Bros (Korean tv show, in episodes 85, 159, 208, 245, 309)

EXO’s Second box (Korean tv show)

EXO Channel (Korean tv show)

SurpLines EXO (Korean tv show)

EXO 90:2014 (Korean tv show)

The Ultimate Group (Korean tv show)

XOXO EXO (Korean tv show)

Roommate Season 1 (Korean tv show)

EXO’s First Box (Korean tv show)

EXO Oven Radio (Korean tv show)

EXO’s Showtime (Korean tv show)

The return of Superman (Korean tv show, guest in episode 257)

Comedy Big League Season 5 ( Korean tv shiw, guest in episode 388)

A song for you 1 (Korean tv show, guest in episodes 1-2)

After School Club (episodes 9 and 165)

I live Alone (Korean tv show, guest in episode 372)

Beatles code 2 (Korean tv show)

Weekly Idol (Korean tv show, guest in episodes 103 and 108)

Immortal songs: singing the legend (Korean tv show, guest in episodes 116, and 118-119)

Hello Counselor: Season 1 (Korean tv show, guest in episode 145)

Running Man (Korean tv show, guest in episodes 171 and 209)

Yoo Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook (Korean tv show, guest in episodes 277 and 508)

Happy Together Season 3 (Korean tv show, guest in episodes 513-514)

Radio Star (Korean tv show, guest in episode 646)

Star King (Korean tv show)

Infinite Challenge (Korean tv show, guest in episode 345)

Pops In Seoul (Korean tv show)

Happy Camp (Chinese tv show, guest in episodes 20130706 and 20140705)

MUSIC STATION (Japanese tv show, guest performer)

Infinite Showtime (Korean tv show with ot7 infinite members)

No.Mercy (debut

Ever Night (C-Drama)

Legend of Fuyao (C-drama)

Hot-blood dance crew (Chinese dancing variety show)

Idol Producer (with Jackson and Lay, Chinese idol singing show)

Whirlwind Girl (C-drama)

Whirlwind Girl 2 (C-drama)

The Golden Eyes (C-drama with Lay)

Never gone (C-drama with Kris)

Sweet Sixteen (C-drama with Kris)

Negotiator (C-drama with Tao)

Forward Forever (C-drama with Tao)

The Mystic Nine (C-drama with Lay)

The Fate of Swordsman (C-drama)

Princess Agents (C-drama)

The Fox’s Summer (C-drama)

The Love Knot: His Excellency’s First Love (C-drama)

My Amazing Boyfriend 2: Unforgettable Impression (C-drama)

Cinderella Chef (C-drama)

So I married my Anti-Fan (C-drama)

The Last Wish (C-drama)

The Song of Glory (C-drama)

Eternal Love (C-drama)

Once Upon a Time (C-drama)

The secret of love (C-drama)

@bandluvr97