#also AMAZED how many my favorite songs are used as an ost in the show

[dramaism]

watched 1,5 seasons of the originals while i was on vacation and I've come to the conclusion:

one season of the originals >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8 seasons of the vampire diaries

[dumbistsmartass]

saying something about every hatchetfield production

spoilers, some nonsense, zero consistency with what I talk about, hurriedly written text, and back Cinderella’s Castle, QUICKLY, the kickstarter ends on May 4th. Also I mostly won’t be talking about the message to take away from all of them because I plan to make that another post.

TGWDLM: the catalyst of it all, it set up many fan favorite characters. Also my personal interpretation is that the musical we watch is actually happening in canon and is being put on by Pokky/Paul. Also how much of someone’s personality remain after infection?

Black Friday: it does pretty good as our first (true) intro to the LiBs it works very well. We get more General Macnmara who quickly becomes one of my favs. It also adds a lot of my other favs to the Hatchetverse, Hanna, Lex, Ethan, and Tom

NPMD: probably my favorite of the mainline musicals. I really hate Dirty Girl tho. The musical version of Hatchet Town is better than the OST version. The characters all have really good chemistry. I love Grace as a warning about the consequences of using religion as a fear tactic, when she sinned and wasn’t instantly punished for it she decided to take matters into her own hands and became a bloodthirsty maniac. The fact we got so close to a good ending if Max hadn’t fallen is darkly funny.

Hatchetfield Apeman: I don’t know how to feel about this one, it’s an interesting story but I think shouldn’t have been the first nightmare time story as it set a bad precedent for a lot of people.

Watcher World: I FUCKING LOVE WATCHER WORLD. The horror buildup of “what the fuck is happening here?” was genuinely amazing. The idea of a paranormal amusement part made for the amusement of an elder god id so cool. I feel uncomfortable saying the work “Sniglet”

Forever and always: one of my favs, the mystery of the two Emma’s is amazing, and the twist of which Emma Paul chose is amazing. It does make me wonder tho, is Emma a robot in every timeline? Also im just gonna assume that Tinky is connected to this one.

Time Bastered: another of my favs, the way it connects with FaA and the very clever time travel writing were highlights. The Ted is The Homeless Guy twist is really clever, and the ending is tragic

Jane’s a Car: holy shit my opinions on this one is so mixed. I love the bonding of Becky, Tom, and Tim is so wholesome. I REALLY hate that scene. Also is Jane turned into a car in every universe?

The Witch in the Web: our true into too Webby. Massive lore dumbs sort of weighted it down for me but it was still good.

Honey Queen: god I love this one. The fact that the LiBs aren’t mentioned until the very end was a really good choice. Both Zoey and Linda going to any length to win was some great tension.

Perky’s Buds: I went into this one expecting it to be kinda mid, and I was right but it was on the high end of mid. Ziggy being NB and played by a real NB actor is great! The bird hive mind is genuinely kinda unnerving despite how cute they are. I personally think they should have died, then content on the rooftop with the fire would have been such a good ending, but the police showing up to arrest them packs less of a punch.

Abstinence Camp: again, one of my favs, I fucking love this one and it also has the best Nightmare Timr song. It’s a fun way of exploring the “if you have sex in a horror movie you die” trope. Grace once again gets some sort of power and abuses it.

Daddy: I have mixed feelings, it’s a genuinely interesting plot but it get pretty uncomfortable. The song at the start made me think it would be a more empathetic take on Sherman Young but it definitely fucking wasn’t.

Killer Track: what is there to say? Killer track is actually so fucking amazing, if you will watch anything from this list watch this. I’m saying nothing else

Yellow Jacket: not at all what I was expecting, but it was great! From what I heard I was sort of expecting a high school drama with Pokky doing his bullshit in the background, but I loved this too. Also the ending hurt me.

Workin’ Boys: Pokky strikes again, but I’m not sure why TBH. Motherfucker just decided to fuck with his one most loyal subject and for what?

[arnieb95]

🎶💕💎for the ask game! ^^

Thanks for the ask!

Since I have a LOT of different media I fixate on, I'm gonna include just two right now, RWBY and Fate, since those are the two I think the most about lately (if anyone wants to ask about anything else, that's fine too)

🎶  if your hyperfixation has songs/an ost, what is your favorite song from it?

RWBY's soundtrack is absolutely incredible and I love all the songs, my favorite though is This Life is Mine, surprising to no one, a Weiss song:

Fate also has a lot of amazing tracks across the many different parts of the series, the EMIYA theme though is certainly a classic:

Night of Fate is a close second though:

💕  tell us about one of your favorite characters and why you like them!

Weiss Schnee is my number one favorite character of all time and I can hardly express just how much I love her. She embodies everything that I love in characters, she comes from a shitty family and never experienced much genuine unconditional love in her life, and this made her cold and mean at first, as an attempt to guard her own heart from pain. However, once she encountered the love of her team, the walls around her heart melted and she has one of the biggest hearts in the whole show. She's also a bit of a drama queen and I love watching her suffer. She's also half of my favorite ship of all time, Whiterose. She's been on my mind constantly for 2.5 years now and shows no signs of stopping

Artoria Pendragon/Saber is a very close second for favorite character of all time and she has consumed so much of my thoughts since I first got into Fate 5 months ago. She is LITERALLY King Arthur, but a girl, and she sees herself as a sword, a living weapon, a king, a servant of her people, and a failure, unable to save anyone. Not once does she consider that she is a person too and deserves her own life and happiness, everyone else must come first. And so, to deal with this and the shitty hand life had dealt her, she suppressed her own personality, "the king doesn't have emotions" her closest friends would say. AND THIS JUST DRIVES ME CRAZY, I WANT HER TO SEE HERSELF AS A PERSON JUST ONCE!!! (I know she does, to an extent, at the end of the Fate route, and slightly less in UBW, but it's not enough)

💎  are there any fun facts or trivia that you would like to share?

For those who don't know, RWBY was envisioned by Monty and first shared with, I believe it was either Kerry or Miles, maybe both, after he had been animating a different show all night, saying just, "Red, white, black, yellow." He also drew the first map for the world of Remnant on a napkin with ketchup

Fate has the most batshit insane timeline ever, with so many spinoffs, sequels, prequels, aus, and so on that I am definitely lost sometimes. The bottom line though is read/watch the FSN routes and maybe Zero, and just have fun with it

[no-brain-just-akutagawa]

Wow, that's a lot of asks! I thought I'd just answer them separately, but as you can see a lot of them overlap, so I decided to put everything together under a cut haha

1. Favorite fictional characters this year.

I’m locking the door, we’re not leaving until 2024.

No but seriously oh my, there were so many! For the sake of shortening the list a little bit, I’ll choose 5 characters I’ve met this year, but I could spend hours naming all of them haha To illustrate, Jolyne Cujoh won’t make the cut despite batches 2 & 3 coming out this year, because batch 1 came out last year and she’s not a new character for me.

In no particular order:

1. Pochita from Chainsaw Man

2. Suzuya Juuzou from Tokyo Ghoul

3. Reigen Arataka from Mob Psycho 100

4. Anya Forger from Spy x Family

5. Okkotsu Yuta from Jujutsu Kaisen 0

2. Favorite ships this year

For this one I wanted to pick new ships as well, but if we’re being honest my year was dominated by one particular ship and it was fyolai. What’s funny is that I was more neutral towards at in 2021, I liked it, but I wouldn’t call it my favourite ship, and then I was doing my twilight meme saga and something in my brain just switched, I got an idea, thought haha just kidding…. unless?, and haven’t been the same ever since. The frenzy I was in throught the spring is indescribable and I literally did this to myself. Fyolai is the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing on my mind when I go to sleep. Someone send help...

…and more fan content

*histerical laughter*

3. Favorite TV shows to watch this year

My 2022 definitely belonged to Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure. Part 3 was fantastic and part 6 was everything I imagined it to be. I originally started watching Jojo for the sake of having context for part 6 and I didn't even expect myself to get so into this world, I'd pick up the manga. What a bizzare advnture indeed!

There was also the 2nd season of Vanitas no Carte which I'm a manga reader of, so I knew what was going to happen. But still, seeing it animated was amazing. The only issue I had was that some aspects could've been done a bit better and the vibe seemed a bit of compared to how the story was presented in the manga. Maybe that's because of the differences between the used medium or Bones having to make so changes for the anime to work better, but reading the chapters felt more serious. But animated Naenia is still one of my favourite fantasy horror creatures and I want more of her.

Then there’s Stranger Things season 4 with which I have a complicated relantionship. I loved the first volume and I wish it hadn’t been cancelled in the middle of the season, that’s so unfair! (for context: the 2nd volume was of course released as planned but I despise the last two episodes of that season with passion and would rather pretend that the show was cancelled than accept them)

Of course I have to mention Chainsaw Man (which will appear again on this list haha), because I'm a huge fan of the way Mappa animated it. First of all, seeing chcracters animated gave them so much life and let each character stand out on their own. The decision to do a new ending each episode was also brilliant and each weak I was waiting to see how the new ending would look. Finally, the soundtrack was absolutely perfect, both the songs and the OST.

Lastly, the end of the year brought a lot of joy with Mob Psycho 100 making a comeback. I finally watched it and yes, it deserves ALL the hype it gets. I wanted to watch it for a long time and was waiting for the 3rd season to end to binge it, and it was a wild experience. This show is just so wholesome, it even made me care about episodic characters (not Dimple though, I don't like him, I'm sorry Dimple Stans) and I'd happily watch season 4 if it existed haha

4. Favorite books read this year

Definitely Dracula! Dracula Daily is the best initiative I’ve seen in a really long time (maybe ever) and I’m incredibly grateful I got to read it this way. And the fact that it was so synchronized with 2022 was fate. I wished for my 2022 to be vampiric and homoerotic and that came true in the most unexpected ways.

5. Favorite song, album, or artist to listen to this year

*cracks knuckles*

Okay no no no, I will be concise, I promise.

For the song, I don’t really have one favourite, because it’s way too hard to just choose one haha And yeah I picked first death, but it's not a definitive number one just one of my favourites and a song I felt desrves more hype, because it's excellent.

The reason why I picked it is because it’s beautifully different from anything I’ve ever heard and I’m so fascinated by the layers in this song. There’s just so much going on in the instrumental and because it’s really fast-paced I had to listen to it a few times before I even caught all the elements. Of course I have to mentions the vocals as well, because they’re perfectly utalized. In a way I feel like they’re more of an intrumental than the instrumental? Idk if it makes sense, but I feel like we’re meant to listen to this loud and very present intrumental and so the singing is a bit drowned out by it? It’s like the vocals and the instrumental are one in this song. And there’s also a lot going of with the vocals as well, switching from whispers to screams, lower voice to higher voice, it simply sounds wonderful in this song. I also find the usage of chainsaw noises an amazing easter egg, because this song was made as the 8th ending of Chainsaw Man.

Similarly Chainsaw Blood by Vaundy also utalizes this sound and is one of my favourite songs of 2022 as well. I didn’t expect the soundtrack of csm to give me 2 of my favourite songs of the year, but it was a very pleasant surprise. And as much as film credits fit the first episode, it’s such a shame that this song didn’t get to be an actual cinematic ending like the rest, because for me it perfectly encapsulates the vibe of this story.

Now, when it comes to other new releases I’d definitely put:

Love Dive by Ive - this is like THE song of the year and it deserves every bit of hype it gets, it's stunning in every aspect. I've heard it so many times and I'm still exicted each time I hear it play

Cheshire by Itzy - it's so underrated! It's one of my favourite Itzy title-tracks and it didn't even get much promotion compared to Sneakers (which was an objectively weaker song. I have a lot to say about the way JYP has been messing up when it comes to Itzy promotion, but the fact that this song was a part of a 4-track mini-album instead of a hugely promoted full album hurts my soul

Talk that Talk by Twice - to me it felt like The Feels pt. 2 and as a well-known The Feels enjoyer I couldn't be happier. I really like that Twice is now doing more mature concepts and keeping their youthfullness at the same time. It's not an easy task, but they're doing amazing

Limbo! by Nature - if you want to check this particular song out make sure you watch this dance practice video, because it’s so hilariously silly, I’m in love with this choreography. I love it when k-pop groups do "silly" concepts

Lightning by Charli XCX - I will go back to Charli in a second, but I just wanted to highlight this song

Shinigami Eyes by Grimes - at first I wasn't sure about this track, but it grew on me over the year and I find this new era of Grimes really fascinating. Just give us more music!!

Pop! by Nayeon - a perfect way to end this list and one of the song I didn't expect to even come out, because I had no idea Nayeon was having a solo debut. One day this song just materialized for me and I fell in love right away

The case with albums is a bit different, because there weren’t many new releases I’d be really into, so I spent the majority of time listening to older releases and making my discoveries there.

One of the exceptions was The Gods We Can Touch by Aurora which is a phenomenal album, literally one of the best I’ve ever heard, and funnily enough, it was released in January 2022. It raised the bar so high haha

Another album from last year I especially enjoyed was The God’s Machine by Blind Guardian, which was their first album under this name in like 7 years and it was everything I wished for (but please, guys, don’t make me wait another 7 years next time haha).

And lastly there was Crash by Charli XCX and I was so surprised by this album, because for the past few years she’s kinda been the face of hyperpop and so I didn’t expect her to go back to her pop roots. The effect was fabulous and now it’s probably my favourite of all her projects.

Now onto the artists! Once again there were so so many. Taylor Swift had an album (which was great btw just not my favourite of hers), I discovered Queens of the Stone Age thanks to my dear jojosis, Grimes made me hope for the Fairies EP for the entire year (I’m literally begging for Book 1, c’mon now I need this album), it was so fun.

It was also an interesting year, because it turned out that Siouxsie and the Banshees is actually that awesome band I didn’t know the name of, which led to me saying well I might as well give The Cure a second chance, right? and becoming obsessed with them. I connected the dots. I connected them!

*has to log out to cool down her emotions*

7. Favorite TV show episodes of the year

I’m glad you picked this question, because it’s so unusual to just pick specific episodes. To maybe list a few chronologically as I watched them:

s4e1 (Chapter One: The Hellfire Club) and s4e4 (Chapter Four: Dear Billy) of Stranger Things were both amazing episodes. E1 started the show with a bang and showed us that ST has amazing potential and can balance wholesome moments with horror elements really well while also being incredibly aesthetically pleasing. E4 has a phenomenal storyline, the stakes were crazy, and the Running up that Hill scene was possibly the most cinematic moment of the show.

s5e13 (Kiss of Love and Revenge (1)) and s5e14 (Kiss of Love and Revenge (2)) of Stone Ocean were hugely an Ermes arc and this was exactly what I needed for her character. They were also done absoltely beautifully and the scene with Gloria’s soul was one of the best moments of the whole show. s5e27 (Sky High) was also an amazing episode and the worldbuilding was hilarious, because what do you mean Rikiel can see some weird rods?? I had so much fun watching it and trying to figure out what was supposed to be scientifically realistic and what was simply bonkers. To be honest this whole season was wonderful, it’s just that there 3 episodes stood out the most to me.

s2e1 (Ripped Apart ~Someone Is Watching~) of Mob Psycho 100 was the best opening for the season this show could have and the scene in which Mob helps Emi put back together her book is one of my favourite scenes of the whole show, because Mob used his ability to help someone instead of using it for fighting purposes. Personally I really like slice-of-life stories that incorporate supernatural elements in the daily lives of characters. For the same reason s3e7 (Transmission 1 ~Winter Break~) and s3e8 (Transmission 2 ~Encountering the Unknown~) were also my favourite episodes, because it was like a break from all the action. I wanted to have a full episode dedicated to the Telepathy Club and these 2 gave me exactly that.

s2e16 (Hollow Mind) of The Owl House is another episode I want to highlight. The whole show is excellent, but I chose this particular episode, because it’s so dark and nice. Belos is one of my favourite villains of all time and this episode really shows why.

8. First fandom of the year

I had to think about this for a moment, but I’m pretty sure Spy x Family was my first new fandom of the year. So far it’s been a great experience though if I’m being honest I didn’t expect it to become this big. I knew it’d be popular, but THIS popular?? I even have friends who don’t watch anime on a daily basis tune in and watch new episodes and that’s adorable. The power this family has!

11. Biggest squee moments of the year (For ye youths who no longer use such awesome terminology, that means the fandom moments that made your heart cry out in overwhelming joy. Can y’all believe that “squee” didn’t quite stand the test of time??)

Tumblr Sexyman Contest! Seeing people come together to celebrate a Twitter contest through fan art and memes was a really beautiful moment. And Toby Fox wrote a fic! Like, are you kidding me?? Literal creator of Undertale writing a fic about a sexyman contest?? That was so cool. I was lucky enough to get interested in this subject before it ended, so I could watch the chaos unfold in real time and it was one of the wildest fandom experiences in my life. Oh, I have to mention for those who don’t know – hours after Sans was crowned the winner, Queen Elizabeth died and people RAN with the idea to incorporate her death into the contest. Yeah, things really got WILD.

Idk if that counts as crying out in overwhelming joy, but when chapter 101 of bsd was released I just happened to be at home and the noise I made upon seeing the drowning come true as a prophesized was hilarious. Like yeah I know that 2 lives are in danger, but I was so happy to be right. I can't wait for another jail break arc chapter and let me remind you I also said that Chuuya will survive and that in this universe vampires can't drown because they don't breathe. Oh, and also the newest omake also made me squeek in joy. Higuchi my beloved.

I also have to mention Stranger Things once again, because I was so happy when I was watching the first episode. It had been a long time since the previous season, so seeing these characters again was really nostalgic. And with this season taking a more horror-oriented route than the previous one, I was also squeeking with joy upon those clocks and everything. Like poor Chrissy, but I was having so much fun sjdhchcjsk

14. Favorite m/f ship of the year

It has to be jonmina (Mina and Jonathan Harker), it simply has to. Jonathan mentioning her in his shorthand all the time, Mina travelling through Europe to see him and marry him in a hospital, Jonathan willing to become a vampire to stay with her, they really deserve the title of my favourite m/f ship of the year. The bar is now astronomically high.

18. Fandom that you never expected to get into

To be honest I’m such a choatic person, anything can happen, and I fully know it. It’s like expect the unexpected, you know? But with that being said, I would never imagine myself getting this into Chainsaw Man. The reason I started reading it in the first place was because I saw that it was finished, and if I was waiting for the anime, I could as well read it to kill time, right? Well, no one told me part 2 would be coming out in summer! I had to learn through youtube showing me a headless chicken animation recommendation for me to be like wait what I don’t remember this chapter?? and the rest was history. No but really, part 2 is so good so far. It fixed most of the issues I had with part 1 (which was great, don’t get me wrong, it’s just that there were issues which aren't present anymore so part 2 is even better) and I can’t wait to read more. Also the anime was finally released and I feel like watching it with sound and movement definitely helps the story.

23. The most missed of your old fandoms

I really miss interacting with the Taemin branch of the Shinee fandom. It’s not gone or anything it’s just that now Taemin has to complete his compulsory enlistment, so there’s nothing going on. Other members have solo activities, but because Taemin is doing his enlistment, group activities are on a hiatus and I have to wait for him to be back to get new content and new music. I’ll wait patiently as long as it takes, but I still miss his comebacks and seeing Shawols come together to celebrate them. But let's not end on a negative note, because we still get cat updates and Kkoong is an adorable little kitty!

And that concludes today's ask time! Thank you everyone who left an ask in my inbox and happy new year to all of you as well ^^

@tachiehara, @platykool, @lady-tortilla-chip, @sensitiveheartless

[melodyreviews]

For todays "Tuesdays Reviews" and also my first review I choose 'FML' Seventeen's 10th mini album!

This mini album is definely one of my favorites from them because of how many details they put on this mini album, it feels so right, so cohesive, so genius.

Seventeen doesn't have any concept, I mean, they don't have a storyline and it's not a problem since they explore various concepts and references and this album really shows this.

F*ck My Life

This song oh my god it really hits my soul, the lyrics is so spectacular, so amazing and it hits me deep down. It's a song I truly relate and it gets me emotional but not in a crying way.

I like how Hoshi's voice is kinda soft in this music compared to others songs in this album, actually, in this song, all of their voices are kinda soft but still strong in a way.

It's a calming song full of emotion. It's ironic while listening to this song I can feel/sense anger but I also can feel and sense a pure void, a true nothing, the same you sense when you're lost in this world, it's like feeling something when you feel nothing at all. The MV shows this all, it shows chaos and them trying to find themselves/each other in the middle of it, it also shows a storm of emotions while being subtle about it.

The key point in this song for me is how you can listen "Fight For My Life" as "Fuck My Life" because of how the emphasize the "For" in a way that's similar to "Fuck". Truly a masterpiece.

2. Super

I will be honest, the first time I listened the song I was like "Oh... I just don't feel the Seventeen vibe for this one..." I really didn't like it at first but then I listened it again and I was like "Oh no THIS IS Seventeen", I really liked it listening again. The performance is powerful and the lyrics and the performance referencing Journey to the West and Dragon Ball (which is based on Journey to the West) is so so so good and genius.

Jeonghan rapping feels so nice and for me is such a new side from him that I wasn't expecting but it came out so good and fresh, everyone was good as always but Jeonghan really owned this for me alongside with Hoshi because Hoshi was just so powerful and energetic performing that left me flabbergasted.

I won't deny, I hated the jeans outfit but they were so endearing performing in sync with the dancers (that are referencing the shadow clones I presume) that I don't mind the jeans outfit anymore, it doesn't bother me because my attention is on how good they are.

It feels so good too to notice how Dino says "Son-Ogong" in korean meanwhile The8 says "Son-Ogong" in a way that you can almost hear "Sun Wukong" in chinese. I also noticed that the song although it's about Sun Wukong it's also about them, kinda referencing their journey in Kpop, it feels as if it's their own Journey to the West.

3. April Shower

This song is also calming but unlike F*ck my life it's a calming that just feels warm and refreshing, like when you're in summer and you get some fresh water in your face with a nice breeze.

When Dino sings "늦봄에 April shower 내리면 우산을 접어 빗속을 걸어" I just feel butterflies, really. This song shows how good their vocals are and shows us a brighter side of Seventeen in this album.

4. Dust (Vocal Team)

This song feels so romantic, I was wondering what thing this song reminded me and then I saw someone saying that sounds like a K-Drama OST and bingo, that's it, it reminds me a K-Drama OST. The music really feels romantic but not in a cheesy-couple way, you know? Even the lyrics is like a hopless romantic but still with hope? The lyrics is sad but the melody is cozy and vivid, like do I feel sad or do I feel nice and like dancing? It gives me mixed feelings in a good way.

5. Fire (Hip-Hop Team)

Being honest this song is my least favorite in the album, it's not that the song is bad it's just my personal preference, it's not my cup of tea. I can hear the funk beat at the beginning and for me it just feel strange listening funk when it's not in portuguese. Their verses are really good, it's just that the beat isn't for me and that's okay, it's a personal preference.

6. I Don't Understand But I Luv U (Performance Team)

This song is definely my favorite from this album, this song just feels so sexy but also feels so romantic, longing, beautiful and kinda sad in terms of melody and lyrics combined that I can feel my brain chemistry being rearranged, seriously.

Dino and Hoshi's voice range gets me every single time I hear this song and Jun's vocals being so vevelty-like as always has me ascending to heavens. The8 voice is also really good, sounding like honey and I'm being serious, every part of this song just matches so damn right that I feel like the time stops.

This song really feels like it's written for Carats while being about Carats and their relationship with Seventeen, specially International Carats, that part about loving someone even if you don't understand what this person says is just so on point about the idol-international fan relationship and the inconditional love that this bond has.

General thoughts

The mini album feels so nice, it's like they're telling their own story, talking about the hard times and the bad feelings they had but also talking about the good times and the bright feelings they had and their relationship as a team and also their bond with Carats, as I said earlier, it feels as if they're telling us their own journey, making their own Journey to the West, and to me that's the most brilliant thing about the album, mixing their history as a group with a well-known story that has various versions. Seventeen once again amazed me with this mini album, that for me is the best album/mini album from this year. I can't wait for their next comeback to see if they will amaze me even more.

[asianhappinesss]

The K2 (2016)

Summary

Kim Je Ha is a former mercenary soldier known as “K2” who suddenly turns into a fugitive when he is wrongfully accused of killing his girlfriend while he is serving in Iraq. He finds his way back to Korea and gets a job as a bodyguard for Choi Yoo Jin, the owner of JSS Security and the wife of Jang Se Joon, who is running for president.

Je Ha uses his new job to plan his revenge on Park Kwan Soo, the leader of the current ruling party and Se Joon’s rival, whom Je Ha believes ordered the murder of his girlfriend.

When Je Ha is assigned to guard Go An Na, the reclusive illegitimate daughter of Se Joon, they begin to develop feelings for each other. But what happens when the person who wants to harm An Na the most is Yoo Jin, Je Ha’s boss, and revenge ally? Where will Je Ha’s loyalty lay?

Review

An Action Hero but also establishes the fact that Strong Anti-Hero Females are a lasting trend

I saw some clips and action scenes of ‘The K2’ on YouTube and became interested in the show. I finished the show within a span of 1.5 days with ample sleep ofcourse. I have to say this is the most action packed K-drama I have seen thus far (DOTS, following second). I wanted to find out why the show is called K2, what is the significance. 15 mins into the drama and there is some punch packed action. My hopes rose, seeing how well it was choreographed. It’s safe to say the action didn’t disappoint and you find it packed around pretty much the whole drama. Although, the excessive pause made it unrealistic to some extent and fast pace of camera sometimes made it hard to follow through. I had to go back a few seconds sometimes to know what happened. The background music and ending credit song caught my attention from the first go. I searched out for it and found it was the main theme for the drama, furthermore the words that I wasn’t able to grasp (other than all of the dialogues in Korean) were in German. The words had a lot of meaning attached to the story and for a Kdrama having a ost composed in German was much surprising (my initial guess was spanish since that’s where the story began). To tell you the truth, it’s absolutely catchy and is still ringing in my ears. Most of the ost is instrumental and pretty good depicting the mood of the story. Soft for emotional scenes and thriller for suspense or action. Few episodes into it and you could guess with the main theme playing that you will witness some action or dynamic transition in plot. Coming to the story, it is not something entirely new to the universe. An agent (Kim Jeha) like no other, suffered a tradegy, gone rogue, fighting against the world but still being good and fair to the innocent. He fights for the right, wants revenge and along the way encounters love (Go Anna). However, the intricacies are what makes these stories and characters a bit more unique. It’s always interesting to watch these kinds of stories roll out every time. (Action with a purpose, as I call them are a favorite genre of mine). There are some things I absolutely loved about the drama. If there was a damsel in distress it wasn’t without a strong antagonist and that too a female (Choi Yoo Jin). Not often do we see this gender being given so much authority and control to move the story. I loved the character of Choi Yoo Jin even though she was evil, very evil but there was something about her that made her vulnerable and deserving of bit sympathy. Amazing acting by Song Yoon-ah, she ruled the show for me. She has so many layers and ultimately turns out to not so bad a character. Infact, she is better off than likes of Mr. Jang (father of Go Anna). I wanted to like this character, giving reasons for his shitty behavior of a playboy or towards his own daughter (he still loves her mother, he is trying to protect his own daughter) but even after his whole sacrifice at the end I haven’t been able to like him. I understand that his political career was the only thing he had left and it was to avenge his love. But you need to draw a line and not hurt and put the only thing you could possibly love through danger and much emotional turmoil again and again. The character of Go Anna played by Im Yoon-ah is much in controversy. Some say her acting isn’t as strong as her kpop gig, some say she doesn’t compliment well with Ji Chan Wook and there is no chemistry, others say she has improved a lot. Well I have nothing to compare her with, neither her past works nor many actresses. I honestly found her acting well according to the role given to her. I felt the role demanded of her to show less emotions, to act aloof. I felt the sparks between Go Anna and Kim Jeha but I wish they burnt like fire, I wish for more scenes where the chemistry could be explored more. Nevertheless, it was great. I also enjoyed the love traingle between Kim Jeha, Go Anna and Choi Yoo Jin. It touched upon a restricted topic of older woman loving a young guy. From the first go I felt that Choi Yoo Jin started liking Kim Jeha but

it wasn’t very clear, the show makers deliberately kept it that way I guess and I loved it. The way she should stood strong, caught hold of her feelings amidst her goals and also the way she unfolded and exposed herself to Jeha. Coming to the titular character, Ji Chang Wook, he has done some amazing work. It was my first drama of Ji Chang Wook. I am completely mesmerised by his ability to induce intensity and comedy equally well into the scene. He has performed some amazing action and was truly the wolf of show. Few of my favourite scenes include the inital fight scene (episode 1), the car chase with Kim Jeha and Yoo Jin (episode 2), bathroom fight (episode 3), taking Anna to infirmary (episode 7), euroem and ding (episode 8), how Kim Jeha looks at Anna through CCTV and then his eye shades episode, all the tiny details make your heart melt, the ending (episode 16) and choi yoo jin’s role in it, she was literally the queen of the forest! After finishing the show, it was difficult for me to imagine any korean actor that I famously know of other than Ji Chang Wook to play K2. He has done sweet justice to his role. The drama kept me engrossed throughout and due to the suspense attached I was constantly on my feet. The only disappointment I have from the show is not being able to K2’s real name. The whole soundtrack of the show is so so good it be enough to make you want to watch the show. I love the soundtrack of the show so much that I usually have it playing on repeat. All in all, I love the show a lot and I do keep coming back to it. Why Watch it? - If you are looking for an action packed Kdrama - If you are a Ji Chang Wook fan - If you are a Im Yoon-ah fan - If you are a Song Yoon-ah fan, trust me she’s too good in this - If you like action entangled with romance and suspense - Amazing Ost - If you like female anti-heros who move the story forward

[annepikachu]

How EXO saved 2020 - the EXOL Edition

(Because EXO is home to EXOLS)

Year 2020 had been an apocalyptic one that has handed over the baton to year 2021 as well. People are living with the trauma of suffering from the pandemic and of witnessing others suffer. Many of them try to hold on to music made by their favorite artists.

EXO is home to us EXOLs, helping us keep strong. EXOLs around the world had the privilege to engage themselves in the various solo and unit activities of EXO in the year 2020. There were no such group activities since 2019 Obsession era because of the mandatory military service the members have to perform. But even while being enlisted Xiumin and DO served us with their amazing acting skills. We were happy to see them appearing the same military musical "Return: The Promise of the Day".

Suho had performed in the musical stage "The Man Who Laughs" until March. He had also released his solo EP "Self-Portrait" as a gift to us before his enlistment. The EP shows a new side of Suho through six rock oriented songs where he also participated in the songwriting process. In his "Heart 4 U" episodes he shared the details and some behind the scenes of album making. (Heart 4 U is EXO's personal relay reality programme). We also watched Chanyeol and Sehun appear in some episodes of his Heart 4 U episodes. During the album promotion he also engaged us to draw his portraits which he would personally check on social media and gift some copies of his album to those fans whose artworks were chosen as his personal favorites. He also re-recorded the OST "Sedansogu" for the web drama "How Are U Bread" where he is the main lead.

Baekhyun blessed us with his vocals throughout 2020. He released his second solo EP "Delight" which sold over 1 million copies, making him the first solo singer in South Korea to earn the title "million seller" in 19 years after the k-pop icon Seo Taeji in 2000. EXOLs participated in the viral "Candy Challenge" where one had to replicate the dance steps of Baekhyun (and his choreographer Kasper). Before that he also collaborated with BOL4 in the song "Leo" from BOL4's comeback album. Baekhyun rendered four k-drama OSTs namely "My Love" (Dr Romantic 2), "On The Road" (Hyena), "Every Second" (Record Of Youth) and "Happy" (Do You Like Brahms?). He released a winter single "Amusement Park" and teased us about his upcoming Japanese release and online concert which made us eager to look forward to 2021. Apart from his official activities we also got several KyoongTube contents on his YouTube channel.

Lay provided us with a lot of contents. He released the single "Love You More" with artists Steve Aoki, Will.I.am, and featuring Jessica Carrie Lee. He won the competition of IQIYI's "I'm a Singer-Songwriter 2". (He later released all the songs he had written and performed in his album "Producer" in 2021). He also appeared as a mentor in the Chinese dance survival show "Street Dance of China 3". He has also been filming for his drama, "Challenges at Midlife". He released his fourth solo album "LIT" in two parts, first part featuring songs having traditional Chinese musical influences and the second part featuring songs with a modern outlook. EXOLs participated in the "Boom Challenge" where one had to replicate the dance steps of Lay dancing to his single "Boom" from his album.

Chen released his own rendition of Park Hyo Shin’s famous ballad, “Breath" on his YouTube channel. He shared with us the good news of his marriage with his partner and that they were expecting a baby. Chen released "You", a collaboration with Dynamic Duo. He also released "Your Moonlight", an OST from the k-drama "Do You Like Brahms?" He gifted us a soulful single "Hello" right before his enlistment.

Chanyeol and Sehun (EXO-SC sub-unit) released their self-written and self-produced full length album "1 Billion Views" featuring hip-hop and R&B songs. EXOLs went crazy with the "1Billion Views Challenge" where they were supposed to hold a mobile phone and perform the dance steps but they ended up performing the steps while holding television, chair, gas cylinder, pets, mattress and what not. (We all know 'Chanyeol started it' because he did the challenge holding a tab instead of a mobile phone.)

Sehun has been confirmed a role in the upcoming “The Pirates” sequel. He was also shooting for "Busted 3" TV show.

Chanyeol collaborated with several artists in various songs namely "Yours" (with Raiden, Lee Hi, Changmo), "Regards" (with the legendary Lee Sun Hee), "Ocean View" (with Rothy) and "Faded" (Devine Channel featuring Loopy). He also rendered OSTs "Go Away Go Away" (with Punch) from the k-drama "Dr Romantic 2" and "Minimal Warm" from the webtoon "She's My Type". His "Heart 4 U" episodes were full of adventures. Chanyeol was back on the new season of the adventure show "Law of The Jungle". He was also confirmed a lead role in the jukebox road movie "The Box" where he will also be performing and singing many soundtracks in the movie. Fast forward to 2021, the movie ranked number 1 in the Korea Daily Box Office Chart in less than 24 hours of its release. He released several vlogs and songs on his YouTube channel. Sehun too was present in some of the videos.

Kai released his debut EP "Kai (开)" featuring R&B songs. His "Mmmh Challenge" saw the rerun of "1 Billion Views Challenge". "Mmmh Challenge" required the participants to balance a small bottle of water on their heads and dance to the song "Mmmh". But as usual the EXOLs (Extra-Ls) balanced anything but bottles on their heads and joined the challenge. Yes they balanced big water jars, pets, a stack of matkas, chairs and so on.

We were beyond happy when Xiumin was discharged from his mandatory military service. He was the first in EXO to enlist and was back with us already.

These are not all. The Instagram lives and posts, vlives, online fan-signs and fan-meets, OP updates from military, and interactions among the members acted as cherry on top. The members continue to provide us with a lot of contents in 2021 as well. DO is also discharged from military. Now they have announced one of the biggest gifts to us - their 9th Anniversary Special Album "Don't Fight The Feeling" and we couldn't be more excited.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Anne 🇮🇳 (@baekhyuns_pikachu)

[puppy-phum]

2020 – a (content creator) year in review

I decided to make this into a mix of these two games I was (kinda?) tagged into so thank you for @leonzhng and @tiesanjiao ♥ I hope you don’t mind me doing it like this ^^ all the questions were just so interesting that I wanted to try!

(bc of the amount of questions, I’m placing them under a cut so that I don’t flood anyone’s dash) 

Me

(this is the 2020 year in review that hanyi tagged me to ♥ sorry am so late!)

Top 5 Movies you saw this year

wow tbh I didn’t watch many movies this year as I realized yesterday when I was thinking about this for certain reasons. Or at least I feel like I didn’t watch that many? Nothing really stuck with me it seems.

Because of this, I will only mention two: Parasite and The Old Guard. Those were both wonderful in their own ways and I’m very happy I got to watch them both ^^

Top 5 TV shows you watched this year

this one is difficult bc I watched so many (and forgot even more?) but:

The Lost Tomb Reboot (my introduction to DMBJ. this drama stole my heart and helped me through the tough autumn semester!) 

Joy of Life (it’s nuts that this happened during 2020? it feels like it was ages ago)

Kingdom (such a positive surprise and I really hope we get more of this :o I really recommend!)

Detective L (easy, nice aesthetics, amazing costumes. Bai Yu was a delight as Luo Fei)

Sand Sea (I am still baffled by how much I loved this bc I had so many doubts? am happy I did tho)

Bonus: Guardian (bc it has come to stay and the rewatch has been so emotional but so rewarding)

Top 5 songs of 2020

this is a tough one too bc I’ve heard so much new music during 2020 but I will try to put it simply:

Black Swan by BTS (I absolutely adore this song. I listened to it on repeat when it came out at the beginning of the year, I have cried for it a ton, I enjoy every stage I see for it and it’s just a masterpiece. it has also helped a bit with my writing struggles that I’ve felt creeping up on me lately)

Always by By The Coast (an amazing song that always leaves me in my feels. inspires me a lot all the time)

Love me or Leave me by DAY6 (this whole album was a masterpiece and I listened to it on loop for like. two weeks? this was my favorite song on it even if I adored the rest too, especially Zombie)

all of my life by Park Won (listened to this a lot in relation to my xicheng and the wedding I finally got to write for them ;; that’s one good thing that came out of this year tbh)

雨人 by 刘畅 (Liu Chang) (with the Reboot’s ending song, this one is my favorite on that ost. I love Liu Chang’s voice, I loved Liu Sang as a character and as I said, I loved Reboot as a drama. I get super emotional about this ost so I think it defined this year a lot for me)

Top 5 books you read in 2020  

All For The Game -trilogy (listened to these as audiobooks but that counts right?)

The Song of Achilles (as an audiobook too and really adored the reader’s voice)

The Smoke Thieves -series (I really just binge read the two first books in this series and am so excited for the next one!)

Call Down The Hawk (love love love)

Guardian novel (am not very into these novels usually but I was positively surprised this time? it was so cool to finally get the original story and compare it with the drama version)

5 positive things that happened in 2020

joined mdzsnet and met all the amazing ppl there and got to become part of this loving community and :’) I’m so thankful, it’s been a joy

learned more about editing? or started doing it regularly. I still can’t do shit but am having fun learning more all the time and I really hope that maybe the upcoming year I can switch to PS and try out giffing?

went to Halsey’s concert! it was in february so a bit before all the hassle with covid happened over here ;; it was super cool and so nice and I just. I love Halsey

fell into the DMBJ hellhole which am very much enjoying. it’s a great universe and the story is so good and the dramas have been so fun to watch and. it feels like a good continuation to The Untamed somehow haha (also brought me a new friend! you’re amazing ashen!! ♥)

started therapy and it’s been... a journey. but towards something better I think? it’s something I would’ve needed ages ago but it’s better late than never I suppose

My Creations

(this is the other part where ali was being super sweet and mentioned me ♥ thank you for being so awesome!)

1. first creation and most recent creation of 2020: wow it’s been a while since I’ve looked at this horrible creation but here ya go jkdhgk [x]. I’ve come a long way from this (and my xicheng has come a long way from this too). most recent one is this xiaoge edit that I absolutely adore [x]. 

2. one of your favorite creations from 2020: this wwx edit that was part of my agust d2 edit series [x]. I loved to give him blue instead of his typical red. 

3. a new style you tried this year and a gifset edit that uses it: this [x] wwx edit which I don’t know if I like or not but I was playing around with the font and all the effects instead of just normal screenshots + coloring. also I just adore the quote. 

4. a creation to be proud of: I could mention that xiaoge here but in addition, I will also say this wu xie edit for reboot [x]. I managed to capture my vision so well, I was surprised. for cql, this songxiao edit [x]. I loved how it turned out in the end. 

5. a creation that took forever: this wangxian edit [x]. like I’ve said several times, I lost sleep bc of it. I just kept struggling with the third pic and how to place the text there D: 

6. your creation from 2020 that received the most notes: this lwj/wangxian edit [x]. I had many ideas for this edit when I first started making it and I never managed to capture my vision in the way I first intended... the pictures I was supposed to use just never fit quite right sigh. I dunno why it was this one that gained all the notes in the end bc I personally think I have better ones too but am still thankful :’D 

7. a creation you think deserved more notes: as said, dmbj fandom on tumblr is very small so I really want to say the two already mentioned ones (wu xie and xiaoge) and then my pingxie edits [x] [x]. also these wwx edits which I personally am very happy about [x] [x]. and from my agust d2 series, this yun bros one [x].

8. a new fandom you joined and a creation you made for it: really just dmbj this year and I’ve already linked all of my creations for that :’D tho I have plans for another pingxie edit and a liu sang edit! oh and maybe I could mention guardian here with this shen wei [x]. I had so much fun while making it (also the quote just haunted me relentlessly until I gave it a moment). 

9. a creation you made that breaks your heart: this must be my easter islanders (lwj and jc) edit [x] that just. awoke many thoughts in me? I’m going to put a link to the version where you can read my ramblings underneath :’D 

10. a ‘simple’ creation that you really love: my creation for the creator (gif?) challenge that was going around! [x] it was simple and nice to do and I loved the result. also, it was nice to work with jl for a change :’) 

11. a favorite creation created by someone else: oh wow ok so this is going to be rough bc I have so many favorites ;; you can look at this post here [x] to see more! 

but to love my two taggers am going to say these [x / x] [x] [x] [x] [x] by hanyi (I always love your edits, the colors you choose, the thoughts you put into them (and your humor too!). there are so many cool things you’ve done that I just stay in awe of! I adore all of it ;; ♥) and these [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] by ali (I love all of your gifsets so much, they have such pretty colors and such good scenes, and I am thankful every day that you make all the amazing dmbj content, pls never stop ;; I should go through all of your creations properly one day! I noticed you have sand sea stuff too and let me scream?) ^^ ♥

12. your favorite content creators and blogs that you appreciate: this is going to be a huge list and I’ve already made my love heard for some but no hurt in doing it again so @i-am-just-a-kiddo @ashenwren @tiesanjiao @kholran @lzswy @englishbunnyrocks @leonzhng @aheartfullofjolllly @yibobibo @inkblue-black @cross-d-a @bloody-bee-tea @fytheuntamed @mdzsnet @lifegoesmon @creeds-eagle @underaswift-sunrise @sarawatsaraleo @lan-xichens @mylastbraincql @wangxianbunnydoodles @manhasetardis @distantsnows @ohsehuns @minmoyu @linglynz @highwarlockkareena @yiqiie @aowyn @alienwlw @wangxiians @kingbadcat @sassyassassy @tytangfei @lanzhannnn @skzmxtp @leoyunxi @yoonqiful @softjeon @rapbabenamjoon @ronan-adam @miyakuli @pavusdorian @arsuf @brolinskeep @gawincaskeyy and so many others! (sorry for all the random ppl on this list that I’ve never even talked to ^^’ just know that you make my dash a wonderful place! ♥) 

I won’t tag anyone separately here but everyone who’s already been tagged or sees this is free to do this (or link me posts if you’ve done these already!) ♥ have a nice day everyone! 

[empty-dream]

Just watched and read Tower of God

Aka Tower of Scandal

There is a so-called The Tower that can grant anything to anyone who ever set foot on its top. Among people climbing it is a girl who wishes to see the stars and a boy who has nothing but her.

When I saw the original author's name in the anime, I was like "Hm, cool but does it stand for anything tho?" When I found out, it's "Oh. No wonder they use the shortened version."

Imma make a general opinion here. See the reblog for Webtoon Season 2 and 3 as well as the deeper stuffs. (Although it's just gibberish in it)

The Webtoon is still ongoing, right now already hitting 3 seasons with 450+ episodes (chapters). Good lord that's a lot of chapters, and each of them is pretty long. 

To put it in perspective, one chapter can fit 2 separate fights plus exposition, while usually 1 chapter of standard weekly manga has like 1 fight and side exposition. It took me a full week to read the webtoon and that already cut a lot of my sleep time.

One of the vivid experience reading the webtoon is the art improvement. Sure the earlier chapters are kinda amateurish, but overtime it gets better and even better. By the time it enters the later part of Season 2, every flashy fight scene is spectacular and the art style is solid A+.

The worldbuilding is amazing. The power system and lore of the world are explained really well and they are really interesting. The floors and sites that the cast visit have amazing visuals and stories. As for the tests, I can get by without actually reading the rules lmao. It's like a real adventure.

Lots and lots of characters. For Season 1 only, I love the dynamic between everyone in the batch, some friendly, some hostile, some mysterious. The ones that are really close are heartwarming. For Season 2 and 3, well let's say it gets rowdier and crazier.

Great character designs. Like, everyone looks different from various distinct races and with physical attributes. So many characters I'd like to draw. They also dress differently. Even their attires differ from arcs to arcs. Tower of Fashion, indeed.

I love the story about The Shoes in the King's Display Case. It really tells the problems with the Jahad princesses system and by extension the government of the tower. It’s one of the first signs that being in the tower, on a high position at that, doesn't sound all that glorious anymore if you're more on the humane side. The narration right now starts with Anaak Jahad, but later this is constantly explored from various perspectives with various motives.

Also btw this is one of the few media that realistically shows what will happen if you fight in a pair of high heels.

Look, I went here just for the girl-with-dream and boy-with-only-her story. I just thought hey that's an interesting storyline. Like it'd be cute, romantic, and maybe will be angsty after a while. Who knew the whole thing would be played like that.

This is like a shounen manga, except that there are more complicated political thriller, power abuse, and humanity issues in it. Many protagonist traits, among other things, that usually are viewed as good in other comics are now being questioned and deconstructed so thoroughly and mercilessly.

A lot of people say Bam's boring but let's be real, he's basically a baby. He literally lives in an underground cave alone until Rachel comes along. He does know nothing except her. Watching him getting to know the world in the tower and meeting new friends - essentially learning about the world outside that cave - is really fun to me.

Get yo self a boy like Khun, who will lie, cheat, beg and bribe to make you well. Not to mention kill and die for. Your name has to be The 25th Bam tho.

What is it with local smug light-haired boys being really close with the shy brunette boys???? The funny thing is, the chummy, attached-right-off-the-bat, no-personal-space atmosphere between them is pretty much anime original, compared to the webtoon. Now imagine when the anime reaches the webtoon Season 2 and 3, where even I went "Dude. Holy. Shit."

Rak best boy. Everyone and their mother loves Rak. 

Keep an eye on Shibisu. Yes, that joke character with a purple tracksuit. You won't regret it. 

*prostrate in front of Yuri Jahad* YOUR MAJESTY!!!!!! The shits that she pulls in the entire series *chef kiss till I die*

Tbh I am confused which ones are the correct spelling of the characters' names?

Convoluted multi-layered plot twists drama: *exists* Someone somewhere: All according to keikaku. 

I really went 5 episodes thinking that is just Khun's multicolor hair instead of his bandanna what the fuck. 

Mr. Lero Ro I admire you and your sensible ass.

No I won't say anything about Season 2 and on from the Webtoon here because the whole thing is a giant spoiler. But just a very important heads up: David Hockney is mine.

I knew Kpop boyband Stray Kids exists but this is the first time I listen to their works. The OP and ED songs fucking rock. They feel modern yet at the same time kinda ethereal. That high pitch <33

Also I like the OSTs in that I don't actually have a favorite track, but every track is suited well with the scenes. Apparently the guy, Kevin Penkin, is also the one who composed for Made in Abyss. No wonder I got the same vibe.

The anime adds lots of extra scenes but also redacts a lot of the webtoon scenes and exposition. As far as this writing, I personally don't think it's a major problem.

Tl;Dr: I was looking for a cute boy-girl story how did it become like this. 

[siarven]

About Me Tag

Thanks for tagging me @kittensartswriting <333 :D I hope your job applications go well in these daunting times :’)

Name/Nickname: Jana

Gender: dragon genderqueer of some kind, she/they. quarantimes stole my gender :T

Star sign: taurus

Height: 172 cm

Time: 1:38PM now 9:00PM :’)

Birthday: 13 May

Favorite band/group: I have too many so these are just some of them. The Amazing Devil, The Mechanisms, Florence + the machine, twenty one pilots, Wardruna, Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, Brothers of Metal

Favorite solo artist: Avi Kaplan, Sleeping at Last, Hozier, AURORA, Marko Hietala, Billie Eilish

Song stuck in your head: the totoro theme but the cute version the cockatiel sings XDDDD

Last movie: Soul <33333 ;W; I suspect it will be my fave film of this year

Last show: Wandavision

When did I create this blog: .... at the end of 2015

What do I post about? Mainly writing related things, inspo stuff, sometimes art if I remember to upload it :0

Other blogs: @siarvenart (art blog), @lirhin (memes/cats/book fandom blog), @moth-song-archives (TMA/podcast side blog)

Do I get asks: sometimes

Why I chose my url: siarven is my online handle in general :)

Average hours of sleep: ...... good question. ~7?

Lucky number: 13 mainly out of spite

Instrument: flute and piccolo in a wind band, also kinda singing but I was only in a choir for 2 years so now it’s just for me xD

What am I wearing: some tshirt, some sweater, some sweatpants :P

Dream job: concept artist / writer

Dream trip: visiting my Australian friend, also going properly hiking in Finland with Karkki (not just 2 days like last time :D), visiting my friends in southern Germany/writers’ meeting!!!, visiting my friends in the US and Brazil, .... generally having fun with friends in nature with a camera and binoculars, doesn’t really matter where :D

Favorite food: I like too many foods but salmon spinach lasagna like my mom makes it is possibly my favourite,,, yes i know it’s kinda basic given how many other incredible foods there are but. >:C ... tbh also half the dishes in my fave japanese restaurant AND okonomiyaki like my friend makes :D

Nationality: German

Favorite song: I can’t pick one and I’m not sorry: Change on the Rise by Avi Kaplan, Who are you, really? by Mikky Ekko, Child of Wonder, Eric Whitacre, Natural by Imagine Dragons, Sonera by Two Steps From Hell, It’s Alright by Mother Mother, creature by half-alive, A Stutter by Ólafur Arnalds & Arnór Dan, God’s Whisper by Raury, The Horror and the Wild, Farewell Wanderlust, Welly Boots, Battle Cries by the Amazing Devil, Fear not this night from the Guild Wars 2 OST, I hope your world is kind by AURI, Queendom by AURORA, Glitter & Gold by Barns Courtney, Church by Fall out Boy, Walk on Water by Thirty Seconds to Mars-- I will stop here XD

Last book I read: Blackbirds by @andtheotherwriter <333 I am deeply sorry that I’m not quite done yet (it’s def not bc of the story) but i had a case of reading-block and didn’t read anything for almost a month BUT I got back into it yesterday and shall finish binging it this week so I can scream properly :3 Or, audiobook book 1 (book of 3) of the prydain chronicles bc @ettawritesnstudies made me XD I really enjoy the series so far :DDD thanks :D

Top three fictional worlds: Roshar (Brandon Sanderson, Stormlight Archive), but honestly just the cosmere in general? I love his worldbuilding so much. Otherwise, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (manga, and yes I will just steal that :D even if i haven’t read it yet bc the film is already amazing and i cant wait to read the manga), Temerant (The Kingkiller Chronicle, Patrick Rothfuss)

I’m tagging @ardawyn @andtheotherwriter (as i’ve already tagged you anyways :P) @cosmicnuetral @face-first-into-flames @big-urchin-energy @astraeaillustrative if you want to <3

(etta i know you got tagged already by Karkki so idk say you got tagged by both of us or sth, or not XD)

[guyinlovewitheremika]

Oooh could you expand on why you liked the op?? I honestly don't know what to make of it yet, especially since it felt so different from other ops, but I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Absolutely will do!! This took longer than I wanted cause everytime I sat down to write I started getting distracted from the OP and just listening to it on repeat lmao

To start this off, I should add that throughout the week leading up to release date, I was following a couple of leakers on twitter who did drop some info on the OP; mainly that Shinsei Kamattechan were returning, the title, that it wasnt gonna feature any characters and instead be a metaphor for the “cruelty of war”. Knowing all of that had me pretty excited but also gave me the right expectations, so it wasnt too jarring to see at first. 

But, to jump into this, first of all, I just loooove the visual style in general. It mostly just being static shades of white and light grey, with these very washed out colors exploding and flowing onto the image...it’s absolutely gorgeous! Like I just really dig this color scheme. And it’s highlighted even further by the gorgeous, fluid animation...these explosions look so good! I’m also just a big sucker for familiar characters/entities being represented in a sort of timeless way...be it a portrait, a statue, a monument, whatever (think smth like this), so seeing Eren and the other titans at the end there was just an absolute treat. Whatever that thing is, I want some kind of print/purchasable piece of merch of it because that heap of titans looks amazing. 

The song also just bangs tbh. It’s such a weird agglomeration of instruments and vocals but I find it comes together really well. The childrens choir, the piano at the beginning, the distorted vocals and most importantly that E-violin!!! so fucking good! Honestly I just love the way this song sounds and Im more hyped for the full version than the ost release atm (even tho I love what we heard so far from that too). The combination of the visuals with the music too is great here...I’ve never seen a flamethrower used in combination with the beat of a song before (outside of mad max fury road I guess lol?) but goddamn its just such a cool fucking combination I cant get over it. 

I have some thoughts on the imagery and the symbolism and my interpretations of it all, and I wanna get into those too, but really, the main thing I absolutely love about this OP is how different it is. Just as the marley arc is probably the most different of all in the manga, just as the new studio has made a show that, in many ways, looks feels and sounds vastly different from the old Attack on Titan, the OP encapsulates all of that by just being this new thing and succeeding at it

I love WIT’s OP’s, I love Linked Horizon’s work on the show. But honestly, the “Linked Horizon hype OP” genre pretty much peaked with Guren no Yumiya for me. I still like all the others, but overall, OP 1, 2, 3 and 5 just feel a bit too same-y for me, especially given that I honestly don’t think any of the follow ups surpass the original. Heck all these other songs even reference GnY in some capacity--I cant help but feel like they could never let go of Guren’s success and never tried something else. Except for Red Swan of course, which is also my 2nd favorite WIT OP. It’s slower, it’s sadder, it’s melancholic, and vastly different from all the others, and I really appreciate that. It tries to be its own thing and it succeeded for me. And “My War” even more so feels like it has a very distinct, unique vision, goes all out in that way, and it just works beautifully.   

And it’s that distinct, unique vision that I wanna dig into lastly here, because, just as the marley arc does for this manga, I find that out of all the OP’s, My War most explicitely depicts and visualizes many of the core thematic ideas of Attack on Titan and brings them directly into the forefront. I’ve seen a bunch of cool interpretations of the song at this point, and someone may have somewhere already said all this, but I wanna throw it in here regardless

After countless battles, sacrifices, victories and losses, Eren and the survey corps were able to win the war against the titans that their walled world was stuck in for a hundred years. Their gigantic enemies were defeated, and freedom ought to lie ahead. But no, beyond the shores is just more...more oppression, more war, more death and more sacrifice. The history their king to from them is one of war and oppression, a never ending cycle of violence, spanning back 2000 years, continuing forward. One oppressive regime falls, only for the next to take its place. This has been the history of mankind since the dawn of man, and it continues on and on and on. 

This is what this episode shows us, another military battle around another walled encampment, and this is what this opening shows us...a world perpetually at war. Man’s hatred for one another leads to conflict, to war: it’s continued existence in history and continued technological advancements are the perfect visual representation of this. Man’s capacity for war breeds more war, and it takes lives and it takes freedom and it doesnt stop, it just keeps consuming. 

The Opening starts off with battleships, artillery fire, mortars, flamethrowers, nuclear explosions and a titan spine forming among them all, until the birds of freedom fall dead out of the sky. Neverending armies of soldiers march the streets, airships rule the sky, but all the soldiers, all the military craft, the marleyan military and the paradisian soldiers all fall to pieces and get destroyed. War and conflict rage on and all the pieces fall to the ground, littering the earth in nothing but death and destruction. And at the end, atop this mountain of corpses and mayhem, the titans arise, reaching forward, attacking. They are born from mankinds neverending cycle of destruction, the physical manifestation of our inner demons that lead us to kill each other. 

I thoroughly believe that this sequence of events most perfectly encapsulates all of attack on titan. Look at the marley arc: the years of their attempts to wipe out Paradis island lead the island and the attack titan straight to them, delivering a terrible blow to them during their declaration of war. 2000 years ago it was the warmongering, slave hording king fritz who had a girl hunted for sport who brought about the era of the eldian empire, creating a system to eternally maintain the titan’s ability to wage war and rule the lands that would wind up ripping humanity apart. Look at the final arc: all of humanities hatred towards the island devils birthed the final attack titan and his horde of demons who have come to trample the world underfoot. The titans have always arisen as the consequence of man’s tendency towards conflict and death. Eren’s titan first formed from inside a titan who just killed him, his last titan was born out of his own death yet again. Titans are man’s desire to kill given shape, and the more man kills and fights, the more titans arise. 

It’s a bleak and terrible look at the cruelty of the world, that I think the OP highlights immensly well. It’s a gorgeous looking and sounding 90 seconds, and despite its contents being essentially horrifying, its fun to look at and listen to. Isayama once said about Eren’s attack in marley that “what eren does here is the worst thing. but if you were able to feel just a little bit of excitement from it, then it was worth drawing manga all this time”. Somehow, one way or another, we’re drawn to conflict, despite how terrible it is. And I think this opening manifests this beautifully 

[9hwa9joong]

My Top Songs [2020]

Hi all!

As 2020 comes to an end (thank whatever higher power there is), I wanted to share a list of my favorite songs! (the following are songs RELEASED this year) (I’ve included a list of songs that I heard this year, but weren’t released in 2020, after it). These are mostly korean/chinese.

Alright, this is in NO particular order, just my favorites. I’ve mostly included one song from a group/solo act and added their other great releases in description. It is mostly music that I listened to, so if your favs are not here, feel free to rec me good music! ENJOY!

(the list ended up becoming quite long, so read under the cut)

Black swan(orchestral version) by BTS

BTS had a great year musically. 2 korean albums, 1 japanese and lots of solo stuff. My most played songs are Dynamite (listen, she did what she had to do), Stay Gold (if gold had a sound, this would be it), Black Swan, Blue and Grey (i live for melancholy), Life Goes On (spring day’s successor), Filter(park jimin is a threat), Friends (my feels!), Louder than bombs (TROYE SIVAN), UGH (murder music), 00:00, Moon (jin solos are beautiful always) and Your Eyes Tell (honestly, show me one bad japanese single, i dare you).

Ghosting by TXT

I got into TXT a lot more this year, as opposed to being a casual listener that I was last year. Many people say they have a no-skip discography and I believe it’s true. My most played songs were Blue Hour (i ADORE this song), We Lost the summer, Wishlist, Can’t you see me (the song that made me a stan), Fairy of Shampoo (ethereal), PUMA (choi yeonjun is a threat), Eternally (an ATTACKK!) and their f2020 cover.

Answer by ATEEZ

Ateez is another group i really got into this year, mesmerized by their performance abilities. My most played : Star 1117 (i’m very soft for this song), To the Beat (a true bop), Inception (holy jongho vocals), One day at a time and Good Lil Boy (does hongjoong ever have a bad rap verse?). Their Black Cat Nero cover also blew me away!! (i’m lowkey obsessed).

God’s menu by Stray Kids

I’ve been keeping an eye on Stray Kids ever since hellevator came out and this is my favourite song by them, so far (yes, i had a heart attack when i first saw Hyunjin). Most Played : Back Door (the beat drop gives me life, the choreo is probably my fav), All in, Easy (do they ever have a bad chorus?), GO LIVE (the beat??!! killer), Another Day (i am a slow jam hoe) and My Universe.

Pacman by eaJ   

I didn’t think it was possible to love him more after day6 but Jae’s solo music has proved me wrong. Yes, i love Pillows (with Keshi) to bits but pacman is my first love. Most Played : It just is (Seori and their golden vocals), LA TRAINS (vocals!!!), Pinocchio (the mv is adorable, the beat is so fun), 50 proof (the vibes man, it's the VIBES) and TRUMAN.

Left & Right by Seventeen

Another group with amazing releases this year, I’m slowly getting into Seventeen more these days. Most Played : Fallin’ Flower (so beautiful, the vocals), 24H (the beat change?!!???), 17 (Joshua, DK and Pink Sweats) and HOME;RUN (this is a brand of fun that is entirely their own).

Not by the moon by GOT7

I am no stranger to GOT7, i’ve liked their music for years now but this is one of their more lyrical releases this year and i adore when GOT7 does this type of music. Most Played : Poison (jackson opens it and the vibes are immaculate), Last Piece (the way the vocals flow into the rap) and Thank You, Sorry.

So Beautiful by DPR IAN

This is literally the first song i’ve heard from this artist, please rec me more. I also adore No Blueberries with DPR LIVE and CL.

Eight by IU, Prod. SUGA

IU is an indisputable vocal queen, and her music always comforts me greatly so when i heard she was having a song produced by Yoongi, i promptly lost my shit. It was everything I expected and more and embodies sorrow and pain with great grace. Give you My Heart from the ‘Crash Landing on you OST’ was also a loved song this year.

Cry for me by TWICE

How do i talk about the queens? TWICE is the group i go to when I want fun music with good vibes but this song has such bad b*tch vibes that i am in love. Most played : More & More (a bop), Don’t call me again, I can’t stop me (i love the way it flows), Handle It (the vocals??? How pretty this song is???) and Say Something (seriously, eyes wide open is an amazing album).

Criminal by Teamin

Where do i start with Lee Taemin? I love almost all his solo stuff. He grabbed me by the neck ever since ‘Move’ and hasn't let go. Criminal is SO taemin that i don't think anyone else could have delivered the concept with such grace and grit. Most Played : 2 Kids (the chorus is so good), Clockwork, Idea (i love the vibe) and Pansy (i'm a ballad hoe).

Maria by Hwasa

Listen, i loved Twit when it came out but i love Maria as her sound so much more. Most Played : I’m bad too (feat. DPR LIVE) (i love the beat, the vibe and the flavor), LMM and Orbit from ‘The King: Eternal Monarch OST’ (as soon as her voice comes in, i loved the song).

Breath by DEAN, Rad Museum, Mokyo

I’m not aware of many DEAN releases this year, please feel free to rec me if I missed any.

Dear my friend by Agust D ft. Kim Jong Wan (NELL)

D-2 was everything expected from the second mixtape off Agust D and yet it brought a fresh wave of singing and melodies, once again proving the man’s production genius. This song is so reminiscent in it’s lyrics and still so real, its my favorite off the record.Other songs I loved : People, Deachwita and What do you think? (i DID love the complete mixtape though).

Given - Taken by Enhypen

Yes, I watched  I-LAND. Given-Taken was a better debut then I expected at first. 10 months (the chorus and beat) and Flicker off their debut album were also played a lot. 

I just want to stay with you by Zion.T

The King: Eternal Monarch was a much awaited drama for a lot of people and it’s OST is one of the best ones this year. Zion.T’s amazing vocals really did an amazing job of expressing the love in the story. Other songs I really liked from this album were Gravity by Kim Jong Wan and the Hydrangea Instrumental by Lee Geon Yeong.

The purge by Jay Park, pH-1, Woodie Gochild, Sik-K, and others.

H1GHER: RED TAPE is my hype album of the year. All artists involved did an amazing job. Seriously, get yourself some bomb ass beats, as a treat. Other loved tracks : Telefono Remix (Woodie Gochild is great at his flavour of delivery), Closed Case and The Arrival.

Soul by Lay (zhang yixing)

Yixing’s album LIT was his best project till date, no arguments. He’s really evolved into such a refined musician, especially with how well he merges traditional chinese instruments into Hip Hop/RnB beats and I adore the vibe of this album. Although the album is great entirely, Soul is my favourite for how softly and prettily it flows. Other loved tracks: Eagle (the BEAT), Fly, Boom (bops on bops on BOPS) and Call My Name.

100 ways by Jackson Wang

It is astounding how well Jackson has formed his own style of music ever since starting off with Papillon. He’s also sort of come into himself as an artist and it has birthed some great music. Other loved tracks : Pretty Please (i love the vibe of the song!) and Should’ve Let Go (ft. JJ Lin).

SUGA’s interlude by Halsey 

Idk how else to explain it but Halsey and Yoongi have great music synergy. There’s something about their song/lyric writing that matches very well and needless to say, I adore the song. Blueberry eyes by MAX is also another great Yoongi collab.

In Your Time by Lee Suhyun

It’s Okay to not be Okay had an OST that was dreamy, gritty and very fairytale-esque, much like the drama itself. Among a bunch of great songs, this one is my favourite. Other loved songs: You’re Cold by Heize (always delivers!), Breath by Sam Kim (OST angel), Hallelujah by Kim Feel (chills!), In Silence by Janet Suhh (literally how angelic is her tone??), I’m your Psycho by Janet Suhh (it’s creepy in a dreamy way) and Brother | Her World | Through the dark Tunnel of time | Butterfly - all amazing instrumentals by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee (seriously, go listen to the album).

By my side by Junny

Another great discovery towards the end of the Year, Junny has vocals for DAYS and admirable delivery. Other loved songs: AURA ft. pH-1, edge (this is so hypnotising in it’s beauty) and I will. Please feel welcome to educate me more about this artist!!

Make a Wish by NCT

NCT always provides bops and NCT U is my favourite sub-unit, for their unique style of music, so when they came out with this song I was ready and they delivered! Most Played : 90’s Love  (the old boy band theme was so well done), From Home (i’m a sucker for slow songs), Nectar (yes, i adore WayV’s music), MAD DOG by NCT 127 and Kick It by NCT 127 (this is the flavour of NCT i LOVE).

Zombie by Day6

Day6 has always been in my daily otations and as always, they put out good music after good music. I loved both the original Korean and the English versions of this song (they do rock well, what else is there to say?). Other loved songs : Tick Tock (oh the vocals, the way the beat moves!), Love me or Leave me, Day and Night... actually the whole Album is great, go listen to ‘The Book of us: The Demon’.

Fearless by Ma Di [other chinese songs]

Chinese songs have been a surprisingly pleasant addition to my daily rotation. Fearless from the “Go Ahead” OST takes the top stop because of how well it embodies the struggles of stepping into adulthood, the melody and MaDi’s amazing vocals. Other Chinese songs I loved: Praise for Red Plum Blossoms by Xiao Zhan (the perfect welcoming of spring paired with  such expressive vocals), Remaining Years by Xiao Zhan (Joy of Life OST) and his OST for the Oath of Love.

 ____________________________________________

The following is the list of songs I heard in 2020, but were not released in 2020. Please let me know if you like them, or if you know other similar music! (I know, I know, I’m late to the game) Enjoy!

DEAN - Sometimes I hear Howlin' in my head 

Zhang Jie/Zhang Bichen - Simple Wish 

Li Ronghao - If I were Young

JJ Lin - What I Miss

Ateez - Mist | Twilight | Wonderland | Say my name | Thank you 

Stray Kids - voices

Seventeen - Trauma

Loona - Hi High

Day6 - Shoot me 

GOT7 - You calling my Name 

RADWIMPS - Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do?

Baekhyun - UN Village

Taemin - Goodbye | want

Aquillo - Silhouette

Talos - To Each His Own

Cigarettes after sex (literally everything)

__________________________________________________

I know this was long, if you read it till the end, I hope you all enjoyed it still.

Have a smooth year in 2021,

-love, c.

[dontmesswithnoheroin]

ok so im binging 3% because it’s a great Brazilian series and honestly you should watch it too, and there is this beautiful credit song (s04e05 credit scene) which i immediately want to add to my playlist on spotify and so i search for “3% ost” and “3% soundtrack” on spotify and google, but nothing sensible really shows up in the search and this is where my troubles begin. for the past hour i’ve been looking for this song and now i’m just too deep to stop, but im also tired...

the english cc captions i always use on netflix sometimes will give you the title of the song, and this is indeed the case here. however! they simply gave the wrong title. the song:

is groovy and all, and bless the artist’s heart, but it is a remix which only samples the original song that i am looking for. great. i take a minute here to question netflix and their quality standard for captions, then decide i can not simply stop here, the song is good, i want to listen to it on loop until i can’t stand it anymore and nothing’s gonna stop me.

i figure im probably searching in the wrong language. i look up the word soundtrack in Portugese (trilha sonora according to google translate???) and look up spotify playlists “tres por cento trihla sonora”. success! there are many good fan made ones, it seems. so i dive in. the best part about this whole experience is that i realize that Brazilian music slaps my dudes. they always write come to Brazil, but tbh no please Brazil come to Europe. i will pay money for this. anyway, so i decide im gonna find the song by listening to excerpts of the songs on the playlists. although i come across many bops, i dont not recognize my beloved song. i did save the playlist though:

ok so then i remember Portugese captions also exist. i search after the lyrics and finally - FINALLY - i have the song. 

Último Desejo by Noel Rosa

i search it, play it and... it sounds like an old ass song and nothing like the one im looking for. ok it’s a cover. no worries. i go on spotify again and search for ultimo desejo

and of course - of course

it’s one of those songs. the one that has hundreds of covers. and so i go through like the first 20. and man is it an experience. but i find it! i finally get the right fucking song:

I say to myself, now finally you can listen to the whole song. and so i do. the beginning is as i remember it from the series. the scene right before credits is quite gloomy, and so the song has this nostalgic, sad vibe... except for when it transforms the mood completely into upbeat, dance song. im surprised, but i only remember the part they used in the series, which didnt (obviously) express the whole range of the song. in any case, it won me over in the end and landed in my favorites.

satisfied, i came back to the series and played it. the credits played again. and. well. you know what happened.

i got the wrong song. i listened to so many that i forgot how the original sounded like. back to the drawing board.

well, not really. im hella distracted all the time and instead of trying an app to find the tune, i decided to listen to all songs called Ultimo Desejo on spotify. and also look up the lyrics, their english meaning (it’s a love song i think?) and other Brazilian music. anyway, my dive into Ultimo Desejo was the real introduction to how varied and amazing Brazilian music can be. here are some of my personal favorites:

although i must say, they get better after the wall of what seems to be the Portugese Witcher audiobooks:

including but not limited to pearls such as these two:

anyway so after i got sucked out of the hyperfixation again, i ran the song through a tune search app and it had no matches, of course. so i used googles music search and that one disappointed me too. seems like the only way for me to enjoy this song will be rewatching the credits again and again. which you know, is not so bad. but if you are Brazilian and can help me and tell me what song they used, you will be saving my life and sanity. also, I love u. 

[untitledtallgeesepodcast]

There were a total of five OSTs released for Gundam Wing (the fifth was dedicated to the music of Endless Waltz, which will not be covered in this post or this playlist). Caitlin asked if I (Cathy) would create a playlist of my favorites. I didn't think she expected I would also write a novel. But here we go.

Let’s listen to some of the music of Gundam Wing!

(All song titles will be described with their English name and also the strangely romanized Spotify name.)

There are three main categories of Gundam Wing OST songs: (1) shoot 'em up fighting tracks which usually feature loud riffs, drums, and blats and blares coming at you at the same speed and frequency of mobile suits firing pointlessly at the Gundams, (2) instrumental, orchestral songs meant for the intermission period of a ballet that was never written or performed, or (3) synthy stuff with saxophones that wouldn't be out of place in a dingy rainy bar scene of a tame movie from the 80s. Most of the really recognizable tracks are in the first OST. OST 2 tends towards less interesting instrumental waltz-like stuff, Sanq Kingdom ballroom music as I've termed it in my head. They're fine, tolerable pieces of music, but you don't hear them and instantly think "Gundam Wing." By the time you get to OST 3, you're digging into the really deep cuts of Gundam Wing OST tracks, some of which I don't remember being in the show at all. (OST 4 is almost entirely character songs.)

We open with two of the best OPs—nay, songs—to have ever been made, "Just Communication" and "Rhythm Emotion," both by TWO-MIX. "Rhythm Emotion" was not, as you may have imagined, a mid-season swap-out. It was only used for about 10 episodes, and you may have even forgotten what it sounded like until just this moment, but "Rhythm Emotion" is no slacker. With alien, wintery synths that make you feel like you're soaring through the sky and between enemy mobile suits, this is one of those songs you would hear heavily remixed for knock-off DDR machines in arcades for years to come. The breakdown is cheesy, overemotional, and yet gives me the same goosebumps I would feel, years later, when listening to Love Live's "Snow Halation." Its more accomplished older sister, "Just Communication," dates itself from its opening note, but it owns its place in time and history unapologetically. Timeless, instantly recognizable, and eminently singable, you could, as Caitlin says in Episode 1, play this in a karaoke room full of randos and you're guaranteed to have someone scream along. There are some songs that make everyone feel like the star of their own shounen anime when they hear it, and "Just Communication" is one of them. Turning it up full volume in your car is like blasting "Take My Breath Away" while speeding on a motorcycle with a leather jacket. You are invincible through all 4:20 minutes of this song.

After that, perhaps one of the most famous instrumental tracks from the series: "The Wings of a Boy that Killed Adolescence / Shisyunki wo Koroshita Syonen no Tsubasa." (That boy is Heero Yuy. I know you know that, but this OST makes it explicit with its last instrumental track, "Code Name Heero Yuy," which is just another version of this melody.) There are a lot of songs like this, fighting tracks that hurry along at a clip, heroic but a little bit anxious ("When the Dragon Swims / Ryu ga Oyogutoki...," "Break Out," "Scattering Left Light / Kakusansuru Zanko" which barely sounds like music and is clearly hoping to be the soundtrack to your next laser tag game). I want to call out among them "Mission Accomplished / Ninmu Suiko," which has a last half that is so tied in my head to the world of Gundam Wing that when I hear it, I am instantly transported. It's almost a letdown that it's just an OST track, because it builds up such amazing tension that it releases just as quickly. "Mission Accomplished" is a bridge between these energetic tracks and more headbang-y, hard metal type fight songs like "Use the Cloak of Darkness / Kurayami Karano Tsukai," one of my all-time favorite guitar riffs from the GW OSTs. A lot of OST 1 is full of this "Enter Sandman" type stuff, though you still get reprises in the later OSTs, like "Well-Planned Tactics / Butsuryo Sakusen." The back half of "Cloak of Darkness," though, is a completely different track, this time pure fascist military fantasy. A lot of OSTs were like this, two short BGMs together masquerading as a one- to two-minute track. I'm not sure if it was just more expensive to list out a bunch of 45 second tracks, or if Otani Kou just ran out of emo names for all of them.

One thing I didn’t realize until this project is that there are no less than five variations on Relena’s theme in OST 1 alone:

Soft Hair and See-through Eyes / Yawarakana Kami...

Inside the Girl's Heart... / Syojyo no Mune no Oku Niwa...

To Beauty, to Elegance, and to Noble-mindedness / Karen ni Yuga ni...

I Feel Like I Can Cross Even That Rainbow Bridge / Ano Niji...

As Relena Peacecraft / Relena Peacecraft Toshite

When you've heard one, you've heard them all, so I’m putting on "Soft Hair...,” the wonderfully 80s and slightly boozy "adult contemporary" version of it, completely with a Kenny G sax. The others feel much more pure and dignified, especially "To Beauty...," which I think of as "waltz music" as it shows up in many of the early series' ballroom scenes. ”Rainbow Bridge..." is a worthy remix/variant, and for another similar boozy 80s feel, also try "Coolheaded Bloodthirstiness / Reitetsu na sakki" from OST 1. While I’ve left most of this playlist in chronological album order, I’ve moved up "I Believed We'd Meet / Kanarazu Aeruto Shinji” from OST 3. This track is not particularly noteworthy to me, but I leave it here as an example of how even later in the series, Otani Kou makes references to this refrain, even if it's not played note for note.

Because like any good soundtrack, Gundam Wing reuses themes and motifs. "Searching for Peace Buried Amid the Corpses / Shikabane ni Umoreta..." and "That Clown Doesn't Need Make Up for Tears / Sono Doukeshi..." share the same melody, only one is a fighting song and another is a mourning song. I actually like the rendition in "Hourglass of a Sad Color / Kanashimi-iro no Sunadokei" (also from OST1) better, but while "Hourglass" is a straightforward BGM track, "That Clown..." shows off one of the more interesting aspects of the Gundam Wing OSTs: its frequent blending of synths, cheesy sax, and more classic orchestral strings. You can hear it in second half of "That Clown...", but also in tracks like "Unknown Pressure / Michi no Pressure," or OST 3's " Behind The Scenes of The Blackout / Anten no Butaiura de," which is a typical "woe is me" orchestral track that is for some reason constantly interrupted by digital "beep boop" mumblings. Without that blend, you're left with a lot of grave-sounding tracks with bombastic Phantom of the Opera-worthy brass sections, like "Soldiers Who Don't Have a Gravepost / Bhyounaki Senshitachi" or "Legend of Zero / Zero no Densetsu." Not that those songs are bad, which is why I include the last of the instrumental tracks from OST 3: "Who Will Give Their Life / Darega Tameni Inochi," which takes itself very seriously and very earnestly, just like the show itself.

One of the other frequent moods of these OST is anxiety, perhaps no better demonstrated than "You Can Hear a Voice Calling the Soul /Tamashii wo Yobu Koe ga Suru", which has a guitar emitting screeches of existential despair. “Signs of Consciousness / Ishiki no Taido" is from this same school, but its second half is more "I am walking into a rave already a few minutes into what I know is going to be a bad trip," which is not really a mood I remember from the series itself. By the time you get to OST 3, you start venturing into tracks that wouldn't be out of place in a horror film. You can hear an example of it in "The Eyes of a Mobile Doll / Mobile Doll no Me," which is on this list because it sounds like a fever dream, but you could also check out "The Abandoned Horse of the Age / Jidai no Sutegoma," which is not on this playlist and has the same effect. Some of them, like "I Don't Like Fairytales / Otogi-banashi wa Sukijyanai," are inspiringly atmospheric, almost hypnotic. Is Gundam Wing horror? [Treize Voice] Yes, the Horror of War.

Some quick call-outs in the odds and ends group: “Tokimeite Harmony” is the 3x4 theme, a literal duet between a violin and a flute, and it’s there for that reason and that reason alone. I could not tell you for the life of me where in the series “Yasuragi no Hitotoki...”, “Kizuna,” “Sonzai Syomei,” or “Kioku no Gyakuryu” come from, but they sound like beautiful tracks from a video game I’ve never played. Similarly, “That Day Was The Last Day I Saw Your Smile / Anohi Saigo ni Mita Egao” is uncharacteristically fluttery and beautiful for a Gundam Wing OST piece, an almost Ghibli-esque track which nevertheless ends on an anxiety-inducing note of unrest.

And finally, the character songs. I leave you with one for each of the six main characters, and then a bonus.

Heero Yuy: "With Only My Words / Oredake no Kotoba de." Did you expect Heero's singing voice to sound like this? Neither did I. I have no idea why they thought this was a good image song for Heero. It's not. I leave it here because you must listen to it. The better "sounding" song is "Flying Away," which shows up in this CD later, but it doesn't give me the same dissonance as this one.

Duo Maxwell: “Wild Wing.” "Good Luck & Good Bye" is the superior song. (there's a little bit of Wang Chung “Everybody Have Fun Tonight" to it), but the sheer hilarity of this chorus (WILD WING BOYS!) means that i have to include it.

Trowa Barton: “Clown / Doukeshi.” What to say about this? This is a typical ballad, something you may play during a romantic moment of a kdrama or during the slow motion death scene in a Hong Kong film that would be released around the same time as GW was. I feel bad for Nakahara Shigeru who clearly is straining himself singing this. but it is nothing if not period accurate.

Quatre Raberba Winner: “Star’s Gaze / Hoshi no Manazashi.” Poor Orikasa Ai. Quatre’s voice is passably bishounen in the series itself, but it's hard to hide that his seiyuu was a woman when it came to the image songs. That said, her voice has a much fuller quality than her fellow pilots, and this is actually a decent-enough filler song. You could imagine debuting an idol maybe in the late 80s with this track.

Chang Wufei: “Knock at Tomorrow's Door / Asu eno Door wo Tatake.” If Wing were a kpop group, Wufei would be the rapper. You don't get to argue with me here. It's hard enough to imagine Wufei actually singing, but Ishino Ryuzou's singing voice also doesn't bear that much resemblance to the voice he adopted for the character. 

Relena Peacecraft: “Love is Not Crying Yet / Ai wa Mada Nakanai.” One of the most unexpected of the image songs is this bossa nova inspired track for Relena. Like Orikasa's ballad, this song almost works as a real song, and the purity of Yajima Akiko's voice is incredibly charming, which makes it all that more surprising that she's actually best known for being the seiyuu to the eponymous Shin-chan of Crayon Shin-Chan.

I do not include the image songs for Zechs and Treize, simply because they're boring. Both of them are extremely well-known and popular seiyuus, who have since done a number of musical projects. You can tell that they will fare better at that endeavor than Trowa’s seiyuu, but there's really nothing interesting to say about their songs. As always, the men of Gundam Wing are shown up by their female counterpart: Lady Une's "Brightness & Darkness" is positively anthemic and fun to listen to. Sayuri doesn't hit all the notes perfectly, and you can sense there is Fleetwood Mac / Stevie Nicks impersonator out there who could really knock this one out of the park, but if I were to keep one image song out of the whole bunch, it'd be this one.

[kdramaanalyst]

THE KING: ETERNAL MONARCH REVIEW

EDIT: I AM SO SORRY, THIS IS A SECONDARY BLOG AND I JUST LEARNED THAT I CAN'T REPLY TO COMMENTS. PLEASE CHECK MY PINNED BLOG WHERE I WROTE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU!

Spoilers ahead!!! Read at your own risk. Once again, I am not an expert and these are my personal opinions. If you have disagreements, let's talk it over. Don't judge me, let's judge the show together instead and have an understanding.

For the first drama that I am going to review, I chose The King: Eternal Monarch. A lot of viewers who supported the show with all of their hearts could still not get over its ending. Others who like to binge-watch are relieved because they can finally watch the entire series without waiting for a new episode to air. While some are still mulling over about watching it. Well, I hope I could help you with this review.

• Introduction to the Drama

Short gist:

The story revolves around Lee Gon, present King of Kingdom of Corea. He witnessed his father’s death when he was young, an incident that haunted him until he grew older. Due to unfortunate circumstances, a legendary flute with powers called Manpasikjeok that can open different worlds was cut in half. He was able to get hold half of the flute, while the other half was obtained by Lee Lim, his uncle who killed his father. Lee Lim had been going back and forth two different worlds, plotting foul pursuits to fulfill his evil desires, and disrupting the peace between the two worlds. In order to restore balance and order, Lee Gon also traveled between worlds, meeting Jeong Tae Eul who soon became a significant person in his life.

If you've been watching Korean Dramas for quite a while now, you must be familiar with some of the characters of The King: Eternal Monarch, especially the lead.

If you call yourself a k-drama fan and you don't know who Lee Minho is, give yourself a slap (just kidding, please don't take that seriously). Lee Minho has a good reputation because of his experience, acting skills and obviously, his gorgeous face. He has an impressive list of successful dramas and movies! Most of us probably knew him through his breakthrough role in Boys Over Flowers.

Meanwhile, Kim Go Eun, despite being fairly new to small screen (she first started appearing in movies), is also highly distinguished by a lot of k-drama fans. In all three dramas she starred in, including The King, she always got the lead role. His leading men are no joke either. And because of Kim Go Eun, many of us still wants to be the goblin's bride.

Among the cast also includes the familiar faces of Woo Do Hwan, Kim Kyung Nam, Jung Eun Chae, and Lee Jung Jin.

Anyway, I'll try to share every thought I have from the first time I watched it until it ended. I will also try not to give so much spoilers because the drama just ended. I will talk first about my experience watching it and then I will list at the very bottom some of the issues I have and that list contains major spoilers so watch out for that. As you notice, I always warn you with spoilers using red font color.

• The Experience

When I watched the first teaser of the drama, I got intrigued and a little confused. What worlds are they talking about? Do they have super powers? Is this a historical drama? Questions were instantly formed in my head.

It also reminded me of the drama Queen In Hyun's Man because of a similar scene where the leading man is riding his horse in the middle of the city and finding his woman. But that's just it, the two dramas are completely different. I just mentioned it because others may have felt the same way.

I don't usually watch dramas while it's still fresh. I wait for about two to three weeks before the schedule of the ending so I can binge watch without waiting so much. When I watched The King, there were already 12 episodes available on Netflix. Usually, I would finish 12 episodes in 1-3 days, and if the drama is really good and it's MY STYLE (i said that in an obviously fake Korean accent), I could watch it for an entire day.

However, I finished those 12 episodes in 2 weeks...

Why??? Why did it take me that long???

I wouldn't say I was bored, it's just that during the first few episodes, nothing caught my interest yet. I wasn't convinced that it was a good drama. There was nothing special and I didn't know what to look forward to that's why I couldn't watch it continuously. I got lazy. The pace was slow and the story build up was a little stagnant. It was too slow that I even started watching a long length saeguk just so I can watch something else.

I could have skipped some parts and dropped it but I continued watching and gave it a chance. Though it was a good thing that I didn't stop because as I watched more episodes, the story actually became more exciting. Finally, I saw some progress. I started to get invested in the drama after the eighth episode. That's when the story felt more alive. Finally, there were revelations, more conflicts arose, more emotions were shown, and the story got deeper. I began to appreciate the drama. However, I still don't like the fact that it took me 8 episodes before I started to like it.

• Points that I Liked About the Drama

1. The plot seemed like it's going to be too science fiction-y but it's just the right amount. I was worried that it might be too much for me to handle but it was just okay (i am a potato who dislikes thinking so much, but that depends on my mood lololol). I liked how there's a mix of history in the drama, as well as of politics but it still feels modern. There is a balance.

2. The distinction between the Kingdom of Corea and Republic of Korea is impressive. It's obvious that they put a lot of effort in building their vision of KOC to life.

3. Many people were saying that it's hella confusing and so much was going on. I don't think so. They actually made it easy for viewers to understand about parallel worlds. You don't have to study science facts just to get this drama's concept. I think the slow pace did its job well in this part.

4. The story is unpredictable. You never know what's going to happen next, that's the strength of The King's concept. Because of the two different worlds and the crazy number of characters, there could be a lot of possibilities and backstories.

5. The action scenes are commmendable. I liked the action scenes, the one during the last episode is probably my favorite.

• Points that I Didn't Like About the Drama

1. The slow pace. I don't think I still need to explain more but it totally ruined my whole experience of watching the drama.

2. Many characters didn't leave much impact. Their acting was great, however, I don't see a lot of personalities that standout. The most remarkable ones for me are the characters played by Woo Do Hwan. The other characters, especially the lead, the prime minister and the traitor were okay, too. The others were just bland and years from now, I probably won't remember most of them.

• The Ending (spoiler alert!)

The ending was good. It didn't feel rushed and everyone had a separate ending of their own. I just wished there was more Nari and Eunsup / Yeong and Seung A moment in the end, the conclusion was fine though. I don't like that Prime Minister Koo ended up in jail but Luna became a cop...

I just have one issue regarding the ending that they decided on. In the end they didn't show if Tae Eul became a queen. Well, it would be weird if she became one considering there is Luna in KOC. They can't be together in ROK, too because Gon's counterpart was able to live. So... what? They just kept traveling whenever they have time? Because if that's the case, doesn't that mean they will hide their relationship forever??? I liked that they ended up together but I wish they also kept this in mind. Because it kinda makes me sad. Lol.

• Final Thoughts

Overall, it was alright. It was over-hyped by netizens due to the amazing casting and promotions, but it's not bad at all.

Would I watch it again? No.

Would I recommend it? Yes. Give it a try! I honestly thought I wouldn't like it but I still did, even if it took me 8 episodes, I wouldn't say it wasn't worth it. If you enjoy fantasy dramas with complicated twists and conflicts, this drama is for you. Just have patience and prepare yourself mentally when you've reached the middle. This drama is gloomy and a little heavy, too. It was serious and has a very few humorous scenes.

I am giving The King: Eternal Monarch a 7/10. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• The King: Eternal Monarch OST Top 5

There are 13 songs in total and everything is so good! I wish I got to hear more of the songs in the drama, some were just played briefly. I swear every song makes me feel things. Choosing just 5 songs is really hard. If you don't watch dramas but love music, give these a listen!!!

My Day Is Full Of You by Zico, Wendy

Orbit by Hwasa

I Fall In Love by Ha Sungwoon

I Just Want To Stay With You by Zion.T

Please Don't Cry by Davichi

Now I'll move on to some of my "issues". This section isn't really what you think. The word "issues" is just intriguing ㅋㅋㅋ but this is just a compilation of my opinions, observations, feelings and other stuff no one might care about in the series. If you have answers for my questions or if you can explain it for me, please enlighten me. Major spoiler ahead!!!

• Issues

1. During the time when Lee Gon was time traveling and finally got back to Repuplic of Korea, it probably took him a lot of time, right? He even took his time to take care of Tae Eul in the hospital. I wish they also showed what was happening in Kingdom of Corea during that time because he's a king and his absence might have caused a ruckus in his kingdom. I can even picture the palace lady Noh getting really worried as Lee Gon travels. The moment he came back, they only gave him updates as if everything was okay.

But since they didn't show it, I guess it is safe to assume that nothing much happened in his kingdom back then. 🤷‍♀️

2. When Gon and Tae Eul met again in Gwanghwamun, why did Tae Eul hug him? In my understanding, at that period of time, Tae Eul only met him twice—once when she was 5 and once when she was 27. So why did she hug him suddenly as if she knows he's going to be a significant person in her life? Their dialogue when they met again when she was 27 wasn't even enough for her to act that way.

3. I hope they also gave Nari more lines and importance. Maybe it's just me, but at first, I thought she and her KOC counterpart would have more significant roles. When I think of it, even without her, the story could still go on. Though this is just a minor issue. ✌

4. Prime Minister Koo. She was a villain, but I didn't really hate her until the last 4-5 episodes (can't recall the exact episode, sorry), though I wouldn't say I hated her so much. I actually liked her at first! She's ambitious, fierce, independent and intelligent. She just got blinded by greed.

My issue here is, am I really supposed to feel like that? In my opinion, her character has the potential to become more heinous and despiteful. I was wondering why they didn't turn her into someone like that? She was just greedy, bitchy, a little sly and annoying.

5. Lee Gon's and Tae Eul's love for each other was a little shallow. Sure, the man who saved Lee Gon when he was a child, had Tae Eul's ID. But how sure was Lee Gon that the woman who owns the I.D. is not a villain? The woman in the ID could lead him to the man who saved him, yes, but it still bugs me how easily they fell in love especially on Lee Gon's part. Maybe I'm just thinking too much. I am sorry. 😅

In spite of that, I still liked their love progression. I didn't ship them that hard but their chemistry wasn't cringey and forced.

6. The scene where Lee Gon gave Tae Eul flowers and then left, was a little confusing. It didn't break my heart, too. I just felt a little sad while watching that scene because Kim Go Eun's acting was good.

7. Who the f is thay yoyo boy??? My guts tell me he's a part of the flute or something because he knows a lot. But I wish it was explained more. It looked weird how he just suddenly appears sometimes and suddenly talks some sense. He remains a mystery.

8. Why the f is Jeong Tae Eul a flat earther??? Well, at least she had a character development in the end. It just annoyed me lmao

9. I don't get why people keep comparing The King: Eternal Monarch to Goblin. Why??? They don't even have the same plot or concept.

10. Court lady Noh was from Republic of Korea... What? Was that necessary?

Don't mind me. Don't mind me. Don't mind me.

Anyway I hate how tumblr wasn't able to save my draft when I was writing additional content. I lost half of it and it makes me furious!!! I had to redo the draft but I can no longer remember some of the things I wrote. I am sad because I lost something that can't be brought back again. This experience earned me a lesson.

That's it for my first review. What are your thoughts? I am a horrible reviewer, I know, but I will do better in the future. Thank you for reading!!!

[noyin]

🤔 what are your top favorite musicals? Also loz headcanons? Or I'd like to read a rant on why you like skyward sword or phantom hourglass. -💖

Lol okay here we go

Top musicals

Les Misérables! (I have so much love for this musical. It's so beautiful)

Cats (the costumes are great and the songs are super catchy)

Aida (Very underrated, and the songs are great, and Adam Pascal)

Phantom of the Opera (I love this, it's a classic)

Sweeney Todd (Funny, dark, and also gory? My aesthetic)

Count of Monte Cristo (The songs are great, the costumes are so good, and the story is emotional and I love it)

I'm not sure I have any Zelda hcs but I CAN and WILL gush about Phantom Hourglass and Skyward Sword.

Okay where do I start. Phantom Hourglass. What is there NOT to love about it? The story is so heartwarming and it makes me cry every time.

The world is so creative with so many different kinds of themes. Like, honestly, the isle of ruins, the isle of ember, and the isle of frost are brilliant.

Also the temples and bosses? I loved King Mutoh's Temple and the Temple of Courage, and how the bosses in those two include the use of ds' split screen. Also ghost ship part? I loved that we got the opportunity to go on it!! ONE LAST THING the Temple of the Ocean King gets unnecessary hate! I think the idea of going back to a Temple is very clever, not only that, but the Temple itself is very fun and has the potential of being challenging (I've cleared the Temple without using any time) - and BELLUM!! one of the most interesting and fun Zelda bosses in my opinion

AND lastly!! The CHARACTERS!! I love Ciela, Linebeck, Tetra, and Oshus. Honestly I could go on with Linebeck alone. First he's a prideful, cowardly jerk who you sorta grow to love anyway, and THEN he genuinely starts to care about Link rather than himself, even when he's afraid. I just love him sm (also his theme is one of the best themes I've ever heard for a Zelda companion)

So!! Skyward Sword! Holy crap!! First off?! The story is so good?! Like the only reason Link goes on a journey, the PRIMARY reason is bc he wants to rescue Zelda, his childhood friend. So. Pure. Yeah, call it linear, but it what it does, it does REALLY WELL.

Anyway the ART of this game?! The watercolor aesthetic?! YES PLEASE. This world feels so soft and nice. The scenery is beautiful!! And the TEMPLE DESIGN is so brilliant. Not only are the puzzles great, but the aesthetics are mm!! Like the Ancient Cistern? The Sand ship? The Skyview Temple? I love.

Also let me gush a little about the characters. I need to show some respect to my guy Groose. He goes through such an amazing arc, from being a bully to someone who's found a purpose and has become accepting and kind? We stan this himbo. Also Ghirahim may be the most INTERESTING rival to Link. He's super weird fabulous and he definitely leaves an impression. Even his arc from being a conceited adversary to a rage-filled and desperate is really great.

Oh oh oh and one last thing!! The ENTIRETY OF THE SKYWARD SWORD OST IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING

Anyway!! I think I should stop there!! Thank you for letting me gush!! 😊💕