#Korean folk magic

[cosmicgardencreative]

Disclaimer: Not something I would recommend without seeking guidance from a mudang (Korean shaman).

Just wanted to take a moment to appreciate being able to find solutions in getting past some metaphysical obstacles. Tbh I feel like I would get “that stare” from my Korean relatives (Buddhist) just as much as my white American family (a third of them being Mormon).

Still, it’s nice getting in touch with my heritage through the occult. And now to mentally prepare myself when people come in and go, “Is that a security system…? 🤔”

[verademialove]

“The things that you like are important to me. From now on, tell me all of them one by one.”

A Korean Odyssey (2017)

[thestalkerbunny]

I'm not caught up on kitsune lore, actually.

You have come to the right place, my friend.

All I think about is weird fox based lore.

We'll cover the 3 big ones of Japan, Korea and China.

THE FOX BREAK DOWN.

WHY THE FOX?

The fox in many cultures-in this case countries residing in the Eastern areas of the world-have been symbols of mystery, trickery, transformation and deception. This may account to the fact a fox is naturally a very fast and intelligent animal, that is rather nocturnal and has a way to always evade danger that it finds itself in. They're problem solvers. They also scream like women in distress. Or when they're happy-they scream like cars trying to rev up.

THE KITSUNE: Japanese messanger of the gods and local nuisence

The most popular of foxes in media, art and story, the Kitsune story comes from Japan. It has been the subject of movies, games, animes, mangas and even folk tales for generation. To put it simply, a Kitsune is a fox that possesses paranormal abilities. People already believed that foxes were supernatural in general-but with time and age, they'd grow smarter and wiser. A kitsune grows a new tail for every 100 years it lives-with those that have 9 tails being very powerful and with 10 tails earned, will ascend into GODHOOD.

-sound familiar to someone you might know?-

Kitsune and humans have always lived together and gotten along mostly. Fox Urine actually repels rats-so stones soaked in the urine of foxes would be placed near fields; which most likely led to people finding foxes sacred and becoming a symbol of the Japanese Deity, Inari Okami-the God of agriculture-and eventually being regarded as their messengers.

Kitsunes had the ability to shape shift-often doing so into beautiful women (and sometimes men depending on the story) and getting themselves married, but usually getting run off by their spouses' dogs (which they are afraid of) They also have a tendency to reveal themselves when they get drunk or are careless as the tails are the one part of themselves they can't hide properly (which is tricky if you got 9 of 'em.) Beautiful women with certain face structures and high cheek bones are often called 'fox faced'

Kitsune can be good or evil-some of the more wicked ones going out of their way to possesse humans and have to be exorcised to free them.

THE KUMHIO: Korea's nightmare manic pixie dream girl

The Kumhio is my personal favorite-hailing from Korean, the Kumhio (or Gumhio depending on spelling variation) is a fox similar to the Kitsune in many aspects. It's a very long lived 9 tail fox, it has supernatural powers of illusion, shapeshifting and magic. But the Kumhio is different in it's behavior. The Kumhio's favorite meal-unlike the tofu loving Kitsunes-is human livers. And they go about acquiring it in a very interesting way. They will become women (or men) and manage to get hitched up to whoever is most convenient and begin to systematically prey on everyone in the household. First the animals, then the servants, the family, and often times leaving the spouse for last. They are also known to dig up fresh graves to get the livers. They also sport something similar to the kitsune that was not mentioned-a Bead they keep inside their bodies that they can cough up. This is called a Fox Bead. Putting this bead in your mouth can give you IMMENSE knowledge of the sky land and seas. Often times this is only shared by the Kuhio via a sort of 'deep kiss' where it puts the ball in your mouth and then takes it back with it's long unnatural tongue. But most cases have been people trying to steal it/accidently swallowing it. Although humans are a Kumhio's prey-if a Kumhio abstains from killing and consuming a human for 1000 days, it too will become mortal and then can enjoy all mortal perks (getting married, sharing a life span with someone, not being a literal monster) They are sometimes in mythology (depending on who you ask and which variation of the story you read) regarded as a lesser creature, but still very very dangerous. I wouldn't wanna fuck around and find out with one of these puppies.

FAVORITE PIECE OF MEDIA INVOLVING A KUMHIO:

Laon, it's a great horror read, kinda short, but still great. I love it unironically.

THE HULI-JING: Your friendly neighborhood fox ghost

The Huli-Jing is another Fox Spirit, this time from China. Much like Japan, it has the same properties as the Kitsune; Supernaturally weird, crazy long lived, can become god, people tend to like them. Until they do fucked up stuff. One case had a huli-jing posesses an important woman in power and she and her husband while posessed basically started torturing and murdering people and starting a massive revolt against their dynasty. Unlike Kumhios who suck life essence from the mouth (and eat your liver) The Huli-Jing will go the Succubus route and.....steal semen. That's right, the foxes are turning into hot hot women and are stealing your life force via your jizz boys, keep it in your pants. But despite that, many villages in history love the Fox Spirit-a saying going as far as villages shouldn't be established without a fox spirit milling about. They're seemingly friendly provided you pay them the right respects. Many people would have in home shrined dedicated to them to make offerings right there.

TLDR: Foxes are fuckin' spooky, turnin into women, stealin' your semen, your liver and making your goddamn rice grow. fuckin' foxes doin' FOX SHIT.

[mayaheronthorn]

Ladies, gentlemen and non-binary folks, I want to present you my TID fancast!!!

This is purely based on looks so don't come for me if the actor is a loser (I've never seen half of them in my life. Pinterest saves lives)

PART 1 (freaking Tumblr won't let me post more pics 🙄)

Tessa - Mackenzie Foy

I always imagined her as elegant with daring eyes so I think this cast is pretty solid 😤 And she kinda looks ageless to me 😳

Will - Louis Partridge

Listen, Will is described as a pretty boy and I will stay by this. Somehow I always see Will's fancast as a 30 yo man and I'm crying 😭 Louis is perfect for me 😍

Jem - Cha Eun-Woo

KICKING MY FEET BECAUSE YES ✨ Eun-Woo is my dream Jem, I swear. And I know he's Korean but once I got my eyes on him, the Jem image never left 😭

Charlotte - Harriet Cains

She's magical and I love her so why not 🤗 she also has XIXth century face me thinks 😍

Henry - Eddie Redmayne

Well he's adorableeee 😭 He gives me such Henry vibes, I wanna cry

[rei-ismyname]

Uncanny X-Men #4 FROM THE ASHES

Just going with raw thoughts here. Spoilers, of course.

Yikes

- We keep flashing back to the whirlwind romance of Sarah and Charles.

- I assume up there is its end.

- Either she's also a psychic or has some power stealing ability. Chuck was shown under Cerebro last issue and she tore off after the Outliers. So either she needed to know how to use it or she borrowed Chuck/Philip's telepathy. More on this.

- The pregnancy. They've been together a month which is not 'too soon' to know, assuming they had sex immediately, at least with 2024 knowledge. We know Chuck fought in the Korean War 1950-53 after Oxford so this is 1949 at the earliest, but who knows with comic book time. Not sure what pregnancy detection was like back then, though there's not much wiggle room to say definitively from a missed period.

- Neither baby trap nor woman scorned are especially great beats to use for a rounded villain, and I feel like they're trying hard to rehabilitate Chuck, so having him run out on a baby mama would not be a positive move.

- I'm getting the impression she's either a mutant or a supernatural being of some kind. 'I knew in that instant' makes the most sense to me if that's true.

When we last left the homeless team Logan had left for the same reason he always does - he feels like he shouldn't be around people. Me too buddy. It's getting a bit old to me he's just dealt with this in his solo which is implied to be a flashback/take place before Uncanny.

- Rogue 'knows' he's in trouble and exactly where he is. They act like it's a mystery but it's pretty obvious Chuck is behind this, or a psychic. Law of narrative economy says Chuck.

She's right.

- Are either of those true? I honestly can't remember early Rogue that well.

- I have to assume we're toning down his healing factor this era. Good good, though he should be acting differently.

Rogue doesn't have final girl instincts, that's for sure. I know comic books need fights but teams also need leaders. Rogue is not looking all that competent. Her leadership kinda needs to be shown to us and new readers.

- Rogue hits harder than Logan but he's a lot more durable and lethal. You have a teleporter. Just leave!

- Going with my earlier mutant/supernatural being theory, she's really got a one track mind. 'Motherhood' is not much of a personality. Bit surprising from Gail Simone tbh.

- Krakoa mention! Pretty sure Kurt is referring to the WHR Krakoa AKA we're not seeing it anytime soon. Kurt and Logan were the two biggest skeptics of Krakoa with Logan never trusting it so I'm just going to say this is straight up out of character. Kurt might say it to someone else but definitely not to Logan. Sigh.

Are these folks actually stressed here? He's survived a lot worse casually.

There she goes sniffing the 'childlessness' on Rogue. It's feeling kinda gross and uncomfortable to me at this point. Even a cisnorm tradwife demon or whatever surely has other interests.

- Same goes for Kurt. We know he likes God, despite coming off a huge crisis of faith on Krakoa. Dude has other interests. After that priest misfire in #1 I'd like something else. Personality. 4 issues feels like enough to say that Gail Simone doesn't know how to write Nightcrawler. This is basic shit and maybe she should have used a new character. She clearly wants the Rogue book but the familial relationship with Kurt is recent and not strong.

She's saying a lot without giving us much here, except the implication of magic.

- 10 has some magical significance, such as association with death and rebirth, the universe, perfection and power, transformation and divinity in humans.

- They're already out from Charles' thumb. Some impressive topographic knowledge there though.

- Okay then.

- Brian is Charles' father's name. It wouldn't surprise me if that was significant here. I don't want it to be, but...

- I might be missing something here but aside from vibes this asks more questions than it answers. Confirms the supernatural being theory, though this looks like a death/trauma rebirth as opposed to 'born that way.' Maybe she was chosen.

- Surprisingly candid though.

Get fucked Jubilee. You're not the last X-Men. Delusional.

- Logan has a healing factor. He doesn't really need Jubilee.

- Uh huh. Eldritch knights? I don't know and Gail doesn't want to tell us right now. That's fine.

-These 'X-men' are planning a raid on Graymalkin but they're looking like they'd struggle raiding a pantry. Cyclops has a point here, and considering the assessment of the kids was 'they don't fight as a team, they just attack' that applies to everyone here.

- I bet the Eye of Agamotto gets used next issue. That's a Chekhov's Gun that needs to go off and Gambit won't pull his weight much otherwise tbh. Seems unlikely Rogue is winning that fight solo and the team pulling together as a team using all resources would be a nice W for them. A sorely needed one.

- I feel like this had pacing issues more than anything. The Rogue fight was a bit repetitive and nobody is using their head. If we get a second wind into a win next issue that's not going to feel earned or satisfying. Characters should make mistakes. They've been punished for them, now we need to see a regroup and display of what makes them a team. What makes Rogue a leader and what makes them X-Men.

- When they fought the Outliers in issue two they were inexplicably losing and then they just won. I don't want that again. Tension has been established and a promise made - several promises even - we need to stop treading water and pay that off.

- A bit meh overall for the flagship book, but I have my biases. What did you think?

[bts-trans]

240709 Big Hit's Tweet

🎉 #ARMY_DAY 🎉 [#방탄밤] 연습실에서 재회한 두 사람! 공연 스페셜 게스트 #jhope 따라 아미 모두 직진🚗 #오늘도히비히비합 (https://youtu.be/4NLjqdrQHRg) #ARMY_DAY를위해준비한방탄밤보따리 #행복가득한7월9일 #방탄기록을담아🎞 #아미데이 #방탄나와라뚝딱💜 #toARMY #fromjhope

🎉 #ARMY_DAY 🎉

[#BangtanBomb] The two who reunited in the practice room! ARMYs head straight on with #jhope's special guest performance on 🚗 #HibihibihopToday

#Prepared_For_ARMY_DAY_With_APresentBundleOf_BangtanBombs #FilledWithHappinessOnJuly9th #RecordsOfBangtan🎞️#ARMYDay #ComeOnOutBangtanThumpThump*💜 #toARMY #fromjhope

(T/N: *In old Korean folk tales, goblins had the ability to thump their magic bat and ask for whatever they wanted, and it would appear. The original phrase is '금나와라 뚝딱/Come on out, gold, thump thump!'.)

Trans cr; Annie @ bts-trans © TAKE OUT WITH FULL CREDITS

[mask131]

So you want to know about Oz! (6)

The "Oz" world is definitively one of the big slices of American culture, and yet it has managed to reach many countries outside of the USA!

For example, Japan. The Wizard of Oz is one of the several American works of fiction that were brought over to the Nippon world and that Japanese folks took quite a liking to! As a result it regularly pops up there alongside more European "foreign classics" like Alice in Wonderland or the Grimm fairytales.

The first Japanese Oz adaptation I know of was an animated movie created in 1982 by Toho, adapting The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

It was one of the two most famous anime adaptations of the Oz books. The other I talked about before: 1986's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz series, which is to this day one of the most complete Oz adaptations ever made for screen. Indeed, this anime doesn't just cover "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", but also "The Marvelous Land of Oz", "Ozma of Oz" and "The Emerald City of Oz". In fact, when I first got a DVD of the series as a kid I was VERY confused as to why suddenly there were all these weird events and characters comng out of nowhere, since I was only aware of the very first book.

[Looking at these animes allows one to notice several big cultural changes from American to Japan. For example, these adaptations have a tendency to give a purplish-skin to the Wicked Witch of the West, as opposed to the greenish skin of the Witch in American media... And it reflects how in Japanese visuals purple is the color most associated with toxic products, radioactivity and poison, whereas it is "green" the venomous and radioactive color in American media]

There is a second series that is more... unique to say the least. 1991's The Wonderful Galaxy of Oz (Space Oz no Bouken), which is a retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz... but in space! We are not in the early 1900s but in 2060, "New Kansas" is actually a planet, Oz an ENTIRE NEW GALAXY, and the quest for the "Brain, Heart, Courage" becomes a quest for magical crystals of "Love, Wisdom and Courage" to fend off an intergalatic invasion... Yeah that's very Japanese for you.

Adaptations of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" also appeared from time to time as individual episodes in fairytale anthologies series - from 1976's Manga sekai mukashi Banashi, to 1993's World Fairy Tale Series, passing by a stand-alone OVA from (1983 I believe?).

Outside of animes, the world of Oz notably had great success in the domain of Japanese video games.

Most people today are familiar with the game "The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road", which was originally released in 2008 under the strange name... "Riz-Zoawd?". And which is ... quite loosely adapted from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. (You don't have one wicked witch to defeat but four seasonal witches to fight ; the magical shoes are given to Dorothy by the Wizard of Oz who summoned her to the land, etc...)

And while it is not available anymore, there was this app game that was quite talked about and documented online. It was a dating sim part of the "Shall we date?" line: Oz+ Shall we date?

A dating simulation taking place after the events of the novel, but in a world where Dorothy's companions became pretty young human men, and the Land of Oz doesn't have four Witches but four Warlocks... And this game actually had, surprisingly, quite a lot of Oz lore to it! I will definitively say that it was a precursor of future games like "Twisted Wonderland", in the idea of an "actually serious at worldbuilding genderbent game".

There are a few others but I unfortunately cannot fnd them back for now... Oh well!

And while I am at it, this is NOT a Japanese work, this is a Korean manhwa, but I think it still deserves a mention: "Dorosi" (published in English as "Dorothy of Oz") which is a very interesting reinterpretation of The Wizard of Oz as a sci-fi/science-fantasy series (the Witches are not witches, but hyper-advanced scientists delving into robotics, genetics and other sci-fi technology; a lot of the characters are just mutants or equiped with android-prosthetics, etc, etc...)

[holocene-sims]

oc questionnaire tag

here i am, trying my best to catch up on tag games 😭😭 i have no idea who tagged me in this one anymore because this went around so long ago, and after scrolling through three months worth of notifications, i don't know if i found everyone who tagged me, but i do 100% remember @stargazer-sims @dandylion240 & @jonquilyst tagging me!

BASICALLY thank you so much to everyone who tagged me, and i'm so sorry if i missed acknowledging you here because i am pretty sure i did miss folks! but anyway, i'll tag in return:

@windermeresimblr @slightly-ludic @nikatyler @swallowprettybird @changingplumbob @vercosims @sertrallne @nectar-cellar @sparkiekong @papermint-airplane

NAME: bae yunha (배윤하)

NICKNAMES: yun, yunie, princess pear (배공주) 🍐

bonus fact: princess pear is spoofing off her name and the translation of princess peach (피치공주), who is yunha's main/ favorite character in mario kart! as for the name thing, yunha's last name doesn't mean pear, but the word for pear is pronounced and spelled the same exact way as her last name (배). so,,, the nickname is kind of princess bae, as in princess bae yunha, but it's also princess pear at the same time lol

GENDER: cis female

STAR SIGN: pisces ♓

HEIGHT: 5'5"

ORIENTATION: bisexual

NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY: korean 🇰🇷

FAVORITE FRUIT: peach 🍑

FAVORITE SEASON: winter 🎄

FAVORITE FLOWER: orchids 💜

FAVORITE SCENT: oddly specific but miss dior blooming bouquet perfume (it's her favorite perfume but she rations it out in the tiniest of portions because it's $$$$$) 💟

COFFEE, TEA, or HOT CHOCOLATE: all of the above! yunha doesn't discriminate against liquids, she just likes them in different contexts. she drinks coffee out of the house at coffee shops, tea at home (unless it's boba, at which point she'll buy it at a boba shop), and hot chocolate during winter, mostly if it's snowing ☕

AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP: 10 😴 she likes her beauty sleep!

DOGS or CATS: cats! she likes both, but she prefers cats 🤍

DREAM TRIP: paris and/or france more generally! she's aware it's not, like, the romanticized place it's portrayed as in media, but she wants to go to see the museums and architecture, check out the cafes, and walk around the parks and whatnot

NUMBER OF BLANKETS: just one! she's always slept on the floor on a futon, and in her opinion, it's a bit much to have too many blankets when you're doing that because the blankets aren't really anchored onto anything, so if you have more than one, they start getting tangled and crawling off the mattress in multiple directions

RANDOM FACT: she has an uncanny ability to solve puzzles! she's the girlie you give the "solve the maze without lifting your pen off the paper" challenges, and she's proud to say she has never looked up a walkthrough for games like portal or the stone matching mini-games in skyrim 👑 part of the magic is definitely stubbornness btw. she will stare at the puzzle until it's either solved or the universe decays into oblivion, one or the other! she is otherwise not competitive, though; that attitude is quite literally reserved only for puzzles

[hamstergal]

Just a lil Get To Know Me Via My Stuff thingy

Tagged by @cappadocius

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3 ships you like: Marcille/Falin (dunmeshi), Cater/Idia (twisted wonderland), Nadja/Laszlo (wwdits)

First ship ever: …. probably Arthur Dent & Trillian (hhgttg)

Last song you heard: Fever, covered by the Cramps

Favorite childhood book: I have to pick ONE?? Either the Giving Tree, And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, Ramona Quimby Age 8, or that collection of fairy tales from around the world that used to belong to my mom.

Currently reading: Delicious in Dungeon World Guide

Currently watching: Frieren, Cherry Magic, Dunmeshi, and uhhhhhh Drawfee and Korean baking channels on youtube

Currently consuming: in about half an hour, homemade italian wedding soup & biscuits

Currently craving: sleep

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Tagging 9 folks: @daisyneptune @starry-night-rose @xerox-candybar @hitherepumpkin @atwstedstory @comingyourlugubriousness @fumikomiyasaki @transriddlerosehearts @jasmariswonderland -- No pressure! Just have fun with it, and pass on the good vibes

[fallloverfic]

I am legitimately confused by repeated comments that ORV's opening is slow or boring or uninteresting, especially people who say you need to read [insert some very large number of pages/chapters] to get to the "good" parts. I've seen this on multiple socials at this point and I originally wrote this post months ago, but recent potential news has brought back people saying this again, particularly in recommending it to other people/trying to get other people into it.

I would personally argue that ORV has a good opening. A very good opening. And the early part of it is very good, too.

ORV opens with a literal train of angst, attempted friendship, workplace harassment (Sangah getting harassed by her boss), some neat Korean folklore (dokkaebis hello), graphic violence (remember when Bihyung just kills the president on TV?), a group of people in a subway attempting to beat an old woman to death, Dokja winning a pissing contest with a teenage edgelord, a bunch of people getting murdered, bonding in times in despair over a really unique form of problem solving, a man breaking open subway doors with his bare arms, young love, and magic, fleeing onto a bridge that gets exploded to bits by an evil gremlin, a horde of zombies appearing, the protagonist getting new magic powers, and then his getting held by the neck over said broken bridge in a complex back and forth with the "true" story protagonist before getting dropped into the mouth of a giant sea monster.

It covers topics like the limits of human compassion in times of strife, the complicated presence of the military (Dokja hated his time being drafted v Hyunsung's military leadership doesn't save anyone), international relations (Sangah is learning Spanish), trope subversion (I mean it is and isn't the entire book and Dokja's character, but he's constantly trying to be 5-10 steps ahead of what's going on, including literally fleeing Joonghyuk until Joonghyuk grabs him by the collar), workplace harassment, bullying, and it's all taking place during multiple apocalypse scenarios.

This is the like first 11 chapters of the book. And it never stops. There are "slower" moments, moments where characters take a breather (like it takes a while for Dokja to negotiate his contract with Bihyung, which is slow if you ignore the fact Dokja is arguing with an interdimensional being/alien for the limits of his own life and autonomy in the most dangerous streaming event imaginable, knowing he may still die if he gambles wrong on his personal wikipedia brain), but it's still frequently confrontational, whether that confrontation is about what characters mean to each other, what lives are at stake, finding your purpose in life, adaptability to complex circumstances, overcoming trauma and self-doubt...

And it's more intense in a way in the manhwa adaptation because you can clearly see most of it visualized (e.g., how visually wrecked the characters get, how young the kids are, how terrifying the monsters are, how scary the odds are, and how dangerous Dokja's gambles can really get with a fickle streaming audience), and Sleepy-C's art is gorgeous.

I just have to wonder (though this is more of a rhetorical question), what on earth do people consider fast? Because I am quite honestly terrified of what the answer is.

Like I get that ORV is long. It can be hard to recommend very long books to folks (and as the manhwa keeps going, long comics). To each their own, everyone is different, what appeals to me won't appeal to others. But there's a difference between "it's hard to recommend a very long work to someone" and "it's hard to recommend something that's long and takes a while to get into", and maybe folks are just writing the former a bit weirdly. I completely understand having trouble recommending long series to people. Also ORV has a very complex plot and I don't blame folks having trouble recommending that. I'm writing fic for later parts of orv and other manhwa and I dread explaining all the context for all that to someone who hasn't read them.

That being said, ORV has a very good introduction. Both chapter 1 of the novel and episode 1 of the manhwa are very good. They're not perfect, I can't say I was hooked from the immediate moment I started reading the page, but both of them have good introductions and it doesn't stop, and there's stuff to love in just about every chapter/episode, and I was definitely hooked enough by the time I finished to keep going to chapter/episode 2. Chapter 1 of the novel has great angst and character building, and it's funny and sweet and tragic. When I first read Dokja trying, earnestly, to recommend TWSA and getting harassed about it and worrying it will hurt this art and artist he cares about, but not being able to do much else to give thanks for this experience because of his circumstances, I cried. The first page/episode of the manhwa has them delicious boys love vibes and gorgeous art (and cute baby Dokja, I die for him), and the promise of a fascinating story ahead, and then the following page/episode has more gorgeous art and angst and great characters (combining them cause the first page feels sort of more like a teaser than a first page, though Episode 0 ends with a spread of Kimcom that makes me tear up). We'll unfortunately never know if I'd have loved ORV as much if I'd read the novel first, but I like to think I would cause ORV's opening is just that good.

I just truly, truly do not understand the sentiment that idk the opening and the first [insert large number of pages/chapters] aren't good or interesting or engaging enough. Maybe I'm out of touch. To each their own on what appeals, maybe I'm built different (doubt it though) but it just feels kind of dismissive of ORV's opening, in both the novel and the manhwa, which are both really good. Will it win over everyone? No. It's fine if you weren't grabbed by the opening or the first [insert however many pages/chapters/arcs]. It's fine if you took a while, even a long while to get into it, or never really did, and maybe don't like the manhwa, which is a great gateway into the story, or don't like the novel for whatever reason and prefer the manhwa. And at the end of the day it's just random opinions online, we all have different ones. Make the posts that appeal to you on your blog, complain on your socmed, whatever. But the opening is good, it keeps you very engaged with a lot of difficult scenarios, the characters are great and fun and funny, in those parts especially, and idk why I'm supposed to pretend that's not the case.

Anyway I don't like writing complaint posts. The opening and general start are excellent and Imma go back and cry over Dokja again ty singNsong for my tears.

[richincolor]

We've got five different books on our radar this week! Which ones have caught your eye?

Kindling by Traci Chee HarperCollins

Once, the war was fought with kindlings—elite, magic-wielding warriors whose devastating power comes at the cost of their own young lives. Now, the war is over, and kindlings have been cast adrift—their magic outlawed, their skills outdated, their formidable balar weapons prized only as relics and souvenirs. Violence still plagues the countryside, and memories haunt those who remain. When a village comes under threat of siege, it offers an opportunity for seven kindlings to fight one last time. But war changed these warriors. And to reclaim who they once were, they will have to battle their pasts, their trauma, and their grim fates to come together again—or none of them will make it out alive.

Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School by Tiffany Jewell Versify

From preschool to higher education and everything in between, Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School focuses on the experiences Black and Brown students face as a direct result of the racism built into schools across the United States. The overarching nonfiction narrative follows author Tiffany Jewell from early elementary school through her time at college, unpacking the history of systemic racism in the American educational system along the way. Throughout the book, other writers of the global majority share a wide variety of personal narratives and stories based on their own school experiences. Contributors include New York Times bestseller Joanna Ho; award winners Minh Lê, Randy Ribay, and Torrey Maldonado; authors James Bird and Rebekah Borucki; author-educators Amelia A. Sherwood, Roberto Germán, Liz Kleinrock, Gary R. Gray Jr., Lorena Germán, Patrick Harris II, shea wesley martin, David Ryan Barcega Castro-Harris, Ozy Aloziem, Gayatri Sethi, and Dulce-Marie Flecha; and even a couple of teen writers! Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School provides young folks with the context to think critically about and chart their own course through their current schooling—and any future schooling they may pursue.

Snowglobe by Soyoung Park & translated by Joungmin Lee Comfort Delacorte Press

In a world of constant winter, only the citizens of the climate-controlled city of Snowglobe can escape the bitter cold—but this perfect society is hiding dark and dangerous secrets within its frozen heart. Enclosed under a vast dome, Snowglobe is the last place on Earth that’s warm. Outside Snowglobe is a frozen wasteland, and every day, citizens face the icy world to get to their jobs at the power plant, where they produce the energy Snowglobe needs. Their only solace comes in the form of twenty-four-hour television programming streamed directly from the domed city. The residents of Snowglobe have fame, fortune, and above all, safety from the desolation outside their walls. In exchange, their lives are broadcast to the less fortunate outside, who watch eagerly, hoping for the chance to one day become actors themselves. Chobahm lives for the time she spends watching the shows produced inside Snowglobe. Her favorite? Goh Around, starring Goh Haeri, Snowglobe’s biggest star—and, it turns out, the key to getting Chobahm her dream life. Because Haeri is dead, and Chobahm has been chosen to take her place. Only, life inside Snowglobe is nothing like what you see on television. Reality is a lie, and truth seems to be forever out of reach. Translated for the first time into English from the original Korean.

Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana Wednesday Books

All My Rage meets The Poet X in this electric debut that explores a Muslim teen finding her voice in a post-9/11 America. Nida has always been known as Mamou Abdul-Hafeedh’s niece - the poet that will fill her uncle’s shoes after he was wrongfully incarcerated during the war on terror. But for Nida, her poetry letters are her heart and sharing so much of herself with a world that stereotypes her faith and her hijab is not an option. When Nida is illegally frisked at a Democratic Senatorial candidate’s political rally, she writes a scathing poem about the politician, never expecting the letter to go viral weeks before Election Day. Nida discovers her poem has won first place in a national contest, a contest she never entered, and her quiet life is toppled. But worst of all, Nida loses her ability to write poetry. In the aftermath of her win, Nida struggles to balance the expectations of her mother, her uncle, and her vibrant Muslim community with the person she truly wants to be. With a touch of magic and poetry sprinkled throughout, Sarah Mughal Rana's Hope Ablaze is heartbreaking, often funny, and ultimately uplifting, not only celebrating the Islamic faith and Pakistani culture, but simultaneously confronting racism and Islamophobia with unflinching bravery.

Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury Margaret K. McElderry Books

Sunny Behre has four siblings, but only one is a murderer. With the death of Sunny’s mother, matriarch of the wealthy Behre family, Sunny’s once picture-perfect life is thrown into turmoil. Her mother had groomed her to be the family’s next leader, so Sunny is confused when the only instructions her mother leaves is a mysterious “Take care of Dom.” The problem is, her youngest brother, Dom, has always been a near-stranger to Sunny…and seemingly a dangerous one, if found guilty of his second-degree murder charge. Still, Sunny is determined to fulfill her mother’s dying wish. But when a classmate is gruesomely murdered, and Sunny finds her brother with blood on his hands, her mother’s simple request becomes a lot more complicated. Dom swears he’s innocent, and although Sunny isn’t sure she believes him, she takes it upon herself to look into the murder—made all the more urgent by the discovery of another body. And another. As Sunny and Dom work together to track down the culprit, Sunny realizes her other siblings have their own dark secrets. Soon she may have to preserve the family she’s always loved or protect the brother she barely knows—and risk losing everything her mother worked so hard to build.

[ninja-muse]

As you might know if you saw my review the other day, my December felt very slumpy even though I read a lot of good books. I suspect this is because of book hangovers and working a busy Christmas retail season. (I also didn't write much because I kept coming home too wiped to think.)

But it was a good month! I managed to get to a couple new releases that I really wanted to, and I knocked a lot of books off my physical TBR because none of my ARCs looking interesting. I did have a DNF again, though, of a book that I was really hoping would be great. Isn't that always the way?

I also had two rereads! One because sometimes when you're at a loss to read, you pick up Pratchett, and one because I'd promised myself I'd get to it this year and dash it, I was going to! Weirdos of the Universe, Unite! was one of the most seminal books of my childhood, and it wasn't until I reread it that I realized just how much it was. I saw a lot of my personal attitude to life in Maddy, it was probably my first true urban fantasy even though there's a whole act on a spaceship, Baba Yaga is there as a very cranky but practical sort of witch…

As for my book haul, I just want to say that it was Christmas and I didn't actually buy anything? My parents came through with some really oddball picks, as I'd expected, my sister gifted me one of her favourite reads of the year, and friends helped feed my T. Kingfisher addiction. (More on that in my yearly wrap-up.)

But the book I'm most excited to have gotten is Hogfather, and not because of the pretty cover though that's a bonus. It is, in fact, the most astounding misprint I've ever seen and I couldn't pass up a chance at a free copy. I mean, how many times do you find a beloved book in which the entire thing is bound backwards?! Thank goodness the publisher didn't want it back, is all I'm saying.

And that's probably about it! I have no idea what book I'm going to start 2024 with, because I sort of read 200+ pages of Persepolis Rising last night so I could knock it off my list and now I'm recovering from the binge.

And now without further ado, in order of enjoyment…

A Power Unbound - Freya Marske

Jack, Alan, and their friends must find a hidden artifact and foil a plot. This would go better if Jack and Alan got along.

8/10

🏳️‍🌈 main characters (gay, bi man), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (gay, bi woman, lesbian, genderfluid) 🏳️‍🌈 author

All the Hidden Paths - Foz Meadows

Velasin and Caethari are still feeling out their relationship when they’re summoned to the capital and almost immediately find themselves targeted again..

7.5/10

🏳️‍🌈 main characters (mlm), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (mlm), mute secondary character, cast of colour, 🏳️‍🌈 author warning: anxiety, aftermath of trauma, dubious consent

Last Chance to See - Douglas Adams with Mark Carwadine

A bumbling science fiction author travels the world in search of endangered animals.

7/10

Illuminations - T. Kingfisher

Rosa wants to help her artist-magician family, but instead she accidentally releases a creature bent on destroying them!

8/10

Lovecraft Country - Matt Ruff

Two Chicago families in the 1950s become caught up in a world of cults, ghosts, monsters, and magical danger. Fortunately, they’ve had lots of practice at mistrusting white folks.

7.5/10

primarily Black cast

warning: depicts Jim Crow-era racism, including slurs; also abusive family dynamics

Persepolis Rising - James S.A. Corey

Thirty years on, the system has achieved a new normal. So of course one of the colony planets decides it’s time to shake things up.

7.5/10

very racially diverse cast

Remarkably Bright Creatures - Shelby Van Pelt

A cleaner at an aquarium mourns her losses. A young California man seeks his absentee father. The resident octopus tries to bring them together.

7.5/10

Jamaican secondary character, Korean-American secondary character

Ragnarok - A.S. Byatt

A child in wartime discovers Norse mythology, and the ways myths and the world reflect each other.

7.5/10

warning: animal cruelty and injury

While Idaho Slept - J. Reuben Appelman

Four students are murdered in a single night, and what came before and after.

7/10

warning: violent murders

Monstress, Volume 3 - Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (illustrator)

Maika finds temporary refuge from the people chasing her, but the local leaders want a favour in return.

7/10

one-armed protagonist, cast of colour, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (sapphic), Taiwanese-American author and Japanese-American illustrator

Reread

Weirdos of the Universe, Unite! - Pamela F. Service

Mandy and Owen get assigned a mythology paper, but then the characters they pick start coming to life and insisting they have a great purpose.

Black secondary character, Indigenous secondary character, Chinese secondary character

warning: somewhat lazy depictions of Indigenous and Chinese people

The Unadulterated Cat - Terry Pratchett with Gray Jolliffe (illustrator)

A humourous celebration of all things cat.

DNF

The Undetectables - Courtney Smyth

Someone’s committing Occult murders and a crack team of Occult investigators has been called in. Or, they’re totally going to be the crack team someday, at least.

main character with fibromyalgia, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (lesbian), fat secondary character, Chinese-British secondary character, 🏳️‍🌈 author

Currently reading:

Music from the Earliest Notations to the Sixteenth Century - Richard Taruskin A history of early written European music, in its social and political contexts.

The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle Victorian detective stories

major disabled character

warning: racism, colonialism

Stats

Monthly total: 11+1 Yearly total: 128/140 Queer books: 2 Authors of colour: 1 Books by women: 6 Authors outside the binary: 0 Canadian authors: 0 Off the TBR shelves: 7 Rereads: 2 Books hauled: 8 ARCs acquired: 2 ARCs unhauled: 2 DNFs: 1

January February March April May June July August September October November

[roo-bastmoon]

Checklist for Face Day

While you wait around today, please use a QUEUE on YouTube instead of a playlist, as this is the last day of tracking for Set Me Free Pt. 2 and it takes too long for playlists to count. Here's a good one.

Around 8pm EST, you need to start playing Jimin-discography playlists on Spotify to set him up with a high position on their Daily Global Artists chart.

Later tonight, Jimin's interview will appear on Jimmy Fallon, on NBC at 11:35pm EST--approximately 25 minutes before the Like Crazy Music Video Premiere. If you cannot watch it in your region, Our Magic Shop on Discord will be hosting a stream of it under the magic-shop-media thread.

Jimin may also go live on WeVerse before the premiere drops. You're gonna wanna have a few screens around you tonight so you don't miss out.

It is crucial you use another device while all this is going on so you can tune in for a clean stream of the Music Video Premier because those views will be added for the charts and it is extremely unlikely a premiere video will be frozen or deleted.

Cometh the hour, you watch the crap out of the music video--you like, you share, you send it to all your friends and social media accounts and encourage folks to watch it.

Next you're going to want to go to all your pre-sale emails and actually go in and download your purchases. If you do not download your sale, it does not count for the chart.

Then you're going to go into every iTunes and Amazon account you have and you're going to order a digital copy of the FACE album if you haven't already.

One credit card or gift card = 1 account = 1 album purchase. Buy as many as you can afford. There is no faster, cleaner way to chart an artist than to buy their digital album.

Then it's time to actively stream on your premium accounts.

TURN OFF YOUR VPN!

FACE will feature five original songs in this order:

“Face-off”

“Interlude: Dive”

“Like Crazy”

“Alone”

“Set Me Free Pt.2”

In addition, the tracklist will be bolstered by an English-language version of “Like Crazy.”

Stream the whole album but our main job is to prioritize Like Crazy Korean and English versions.

You know the drill. Search manually on YouTube for the first 24 hours. Play it all the way through at 51% volume. Click around on other Jimin or BTS music videos for about a minute. Search again. Play again.

Prioritize both versions of Like Crazy but build in diversity, pause, adjust things, act like a human. You can listen to it 50 times, then you need to switch to another premium account.

Because YouTube is being a little bitch and fucking up the stream count for Jimin right now (don't stop using it--every stream is critical right now, but you can be grump about it while you do), I also signed up for a free trial of Apple Music today and have liked Jimin's profile there.

DO NOT ADD HIS SONGS TO YOUR LIBRARY. If you bought FACE songs from iTunes, go into your Apple Music account and delete them from your library for now. If they are in your library, Apple Music will automatically play from there and it won't count for charts.

Just go under Jimin's profile and play them that way. You can keep playing them from your main account without having to switch Apple Music accounts. No limits on number of plays, just click around on other songs for 30-60 seconds from time to time and don't loop. This is gonna be critical for supplementing YouTube handicaps.

While you're working on that, you gotta fire up your premium Spotify accounts. Make sure all your accounts are following the artist as a monthly listener.

You know you can play something 20 times on Spotify and then you're done with that account for that song for the day. So keep an eye out for how many times the songs of FACE play in your list and set an alarm so you can switch to the next premium Spotify account and keep working.

There are two ways of charting FACE on Spotify. You can play the album all the way through, with the songs all in order, or you can prioritize the title track and use the rest of the album and other BTS songs as filler.

I'm gonna be following JRJ-OT7's lead on this because Jennifer has more than earned my trust when it comes to chart goals, but if you want to tailor your own experience, here are examples of how to flesh things out (album order vs. title track priority):

If you're making your own lists and queues and whatnot, please remember to include fillers like On the Street, Smoke Sprite, and Vibe as new releases and the Astronaut, Wildflower, More, Fake Love, and Sweet Night for milestones. Please also add in Left and Right, Dreamers, and Stay Alive as we only have four days left to help Jungkook break the 1 Billion Record.

So to recap:

*Watch and share the hell out of the premiere video.

*Prioritize the title track Like Crazy (English and Korean versions) but it's a short album so hit all songs in your playlists.

*Download your pre-sale purchases.

*Prioritize making digital purchases today. Make new accounts and use gift cards if you need to.

*Premium streaming accounts count three times as much in the charts. Use free trials for YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Stream the album like crazy on all of those. (If you have premium accounts, you can open all of those in their own browsers and hit 'em all at once on one device if you have to--headphone recommended so you don't go nuts.)

*Delete Face songs from your library in Apple Music first.

*Search manually the first 24 hours on YouTube, then switch to playlists.

*Shazam the songs as you play them.

*Never loop. Never shuffle. Never use VPN.

*Ignore the bullshit from antis and drama queens. Today and tomorrow belong entirely to our artist. We focus on Jimin and only Jimin, and we encourage each other with a positive attitude, good humor, and sheer grit.

I intend to be awake and stream actively for 24 straight hours starting at midnight EST tonight, so I'm going to hop offline now and get some rest.

If you have questions, you might want to take a look at the BTS Tutorial masterlist.

Good luck and God's speed, puppykitties! Let's lift our boy up!

[linuxgamenews]

Unleash Your Potion Brewing Skills: Potions: A Curious Tale

Potions: A Curious Tale launches the adventure and crafting game on Linux, Mac, with Windows PC. Thanks to the skilled folks at Stumbling Cat for their fantastic work in this adventure. Available now on Steam. Potions: A Curious Tale launch is the latest creation from Stumbling Cat. This isn't just any ordinary adventure – it's a magical journey that has just hit Linux, Mac, and Windows PC, and it's enchanting. Playing as Luna, a young witch with a knack for brewing potions. Your journey is a classic tale of discovery and growth. With your cat companion, Helios, you dive into a world filled with seven mystical biomes. Since each is brimming with its unique wonders. Potions: A Curious Tale is due to be like launching into a storybook where every page is a new, exciting chapter. Now, Luna's not just any character. She's on a mission to prove her worth and silence the doubters. How? By mastering the art of potion-making. The heart of this experience lies in Luna's master recipe book, packed with over 100 potion recipes. These are a blend of elements like fire, water, earth, and more. The challenge? Gather ingredients from across these biomes, ranging from the ordinary to the outright bizarre. Picture mixing mushrooms, ashes, and feathers for an explosive effect. Or blending blueberries with thyme for a healing touch.

Potions: A Curious Tale - Launch Date Trailer

But it's not all about potion-making. Luna's path is strewn with puzzles that demand more than just combat skills. You'll need to think on your feet, outsmarting dangers with strategy rather than brute force. And when you are gathering ingredients, Potions: A Curious Tale launches into a game of wit. While you coax critters, avoiding hazards, and turning every test into an opportunity. What truly sets the Potions: A Curious Tale launch apart is its art style and music – think fairytale meets folklore. Each setting, from lush fields to fiery caves, is a feast for the senses. And the story? It's also a rich tapestry of myths and legends from around the globe. Delivering a message about growing up, earning respect, and learning that even adults aren't perfect. Renee Gittins, the creative force behind this world, has poured nearly a decade of passion into bringing Luna's story to life. It's a story meant to inspire, especially for women and diminished communities. So they can chase their dreams, no matter where they are. Potions: A Curious Tale adventure and crafting launches on Linux, Mac, and Windows PC via Steam. Priced at $16.99 USD / £12.74 / 14,44€, with the 15% discount until March 21, 2024. The game is accessible to a global audience, thanks to localizations in English, Chinese (both traditional and simplified), French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, and Russian. This isn't just an adventure; it's a journey of discovery, strategy, and magical wonder.

[sensitively-taken]

“Because sometimes you need to have nightmares to appreciate the dreams.”

– Jay McLean

HAPPILY NEVER AFTER — MASTERLIST

 welcome ! this is the masterlist for a halloween & fantasy collab co-hosted by athena, @soobisms and rin, (formerly @karsohn, now @svhnflwr)!! :)

| theme :: fractured fairytales and horror. endings do not always end with “always and forever” and most definitely not without at least any kind of dark truth. our writers took your favourite fairytales, tall stories, and fables and twisted them into tales you’d never want to listen to as a bedtime story! ✧

— NCT DREAM

LET DOWN YOUR HAIR by @fae-renjun

pairing. flynn rider!jisung x fem!rapunzel!reader genre. rapunzel!au, dark-ish!au warnings. swords, dark magic, princesses kidnapped and kept in towers, reader and jisung kill lots of ppl together word count. 2.4k+

— TXT

ASHEN by @writingmochi

pairing. beomgyu x fem!reader synopsis. a girl, a folktale, a boy, and a shifting reality genre. psychological horror, folktale retelling (based on folk tale cinderella with inspirations from video game omori (2020) and movie everything everywhere all at once (2022)), thriller, slow burn, drama, historical au, nobility au, regency au, medieval au, rich kid au, fantasy au, angst, fluff, a bit comedic in some parts warnings. unreality! (be very careful!!),child negligence, anxiety-inducing, mental breakdown, discrimination, suffocation (warning for claustrophobics !) implicit violence (no detail), a bit of suicidal tendency, a tiny bit suggestive, will be very meta in some parts, fast pace flow that might give you whiplash, unique stylistic choices (ever-changing typeface fonts and colors), slow first act word count. 18.7k

PRETTY LITTLE MONSTER by @dat-town

pairing. hunter!taehyun x fem!oc synopsis. what makes a monster? what if you're one, too? genre. supernatural au, bits of horror, based on the Korean folk tale 'the fox sister' warnings. lots of mentions of blood, murder, cannibalism (as in eating human liver), character death, emotional manipulation, ambiguous ending word count. 5.2k

copyright 2022-2023 soobisms & karsohn, all rights reserved.

[unfounder]

Top Underrated Artists You Should Discover on ROVR: A Journey Beyond the Mainstream

That dusty vinyl record that is in your grandma’s attic, remember? The one with the cover that had been damaged and a band name that was hard to fathom? Its sound was like no other you ever heard on the planet; it was a pulsating energy that transports you into another world. That is what is magical about finding amazing underrated music—this sonic expedition does not follow any predictable patterns and rather ignites a love for unexpected things.

ROVR isn’t an ordinary radio station. We are the antithesis of clichéd, expected and brainwashing mainstream media. Our radio has reinvented itself as a curator of sound-like universe where rare pearls glitter even brighter than ever before. From the Ethiopian jazz revival’s pulsating rhythms to the hauntingly beautiful throat singing of Mongolia, ROVR grants you access to the unheard of treasures from all over the globe.

The Global Groove

The internet has opened doors for a wide variety of music genres from across continents. One genre making waves again is Ethiopian Jazz. It’s made up of soulful melodies, intricate horn sections, and captivating rhythms. Explore Mulatu Astatke’s music who has been dubbed “the father of Ethio-jazz” his music is full of life and energetic. Check out his famous track "Yekatit (Dimitri from Paris Remix)" on ROVR and get ready to be transported to the heart of Addis Ababa.

Crossing Borders

Music should have no boundaries. The best artists are constantly going beyond the limits, obliterating the distinctions and inventing sounds that cannot be pigeonholed. Think of Sophie, a Scottish electronic music producer whose vibrant combination of pop, electronica, and hyperpop reframed the sound of the late 2010s. Her music is a riotous blend of candy-colored melodies, glitchy textures, and playful vocals—a sonic fun park that will leave you grinning from ear to ear. Check out her ROVR single “Bffa CULT” if you want to dance on your couch.

Finding Local Hidden Treasures

There is something special about discovering artists from where you live. Musicians from our areas infuse their work with local influences – they tell stories unique to their regions through sound. Bandcamp reviews and local radio shows are a great place to find such a diamond in the rough. Luísa Sonza is causing quite a stir with her Brazilian fusion of pop, funk, and bossa nova resulting in an irresistible sophisticated feel. You can listen to “Braba”, one of her top songs on ROVR; this experience will leave you hanging at its climax barely able to contain yourself amidst all the energy that propels Brazilian pop music forward

Genre-Bending Mavericks

Innovation doesn’t exist alone. Quite often, artists will look at various genres and come up with a fusion that is entirely unique; this kind of music defies every conceivable stereotype or conventional music norm. On ROVR, musicians like Lido Pimienta, Canadian singer-songwriter who combines electronic music with Colombian folk and indigenous chanting are present. Her songs describe her journey through life as she learns about herself and her people in a beautiful way. Find out more by listening to the incredible song called “No Se” on ROVR and you will realize what it means to create genre-mashing kind of music.

Bringing Treasures to Light

All over the world, underground music thrives. For example, we have witnessed rapid expansion of Korean Indie Rock scene. Some groups such as The xx have made profound lyrics alongside intricate guitar work which is essentially touchy-feely for individuals searching for meaning in their lives. They sound sad but hopeful making them ideal for introspective nights. Listen to one of their touching songs called “Arirang” on ROVR if you want a taste of real Korean Indie rock from its soul.

And Now….

The thing that is special about “underestimated music” is its power to astonish and motivate, forcing us outside our comfort zone, exposing us to new cultures, and sparking an interest in the unexplored. ROVR goes beyond being just a music platform; it opens up a window for sonic discovery. Therefore, pick your earphones and join us on this musical trip as we take you through amazing experiences.

What will become of the future of discovering music? Will AI algorithms be responsible for our playlists or will accidental surfing on the net keep leading us? One thing remains certain- journeying to find new music matters as much as the new music itself. For this thrilling escapade let ROVR be your compass.