#december kdrama challenge

[fake-married-my-dead-fiance]

My Best Female Lead of 2024

Despite her being robbed of a good ending, Son Hae-yeong from No Gain No Love, played by Shin Min-a

Fascinating that they can introduce a character as resenting foster children and then still make her really sympathetic. I loved her ambition and devotion to fairness.

Runner up:

Kang Bit-na/Justitia from The Judge from Hell played by Park Shin-hye

Morally grey female character!

Best from an older drama that I watched for the first time this year:

Yoon Sae-bom from Happiness, played by Han Hyo-joo

(@whenthegoldrays December Kdrama challenge)

[madirye062]

December K-Drama Challenge

Day 11: Favorite Actor

Park Ji hoon and Choi Hyun Wook

I adore these actors and was enamored with them in Weak Hero Class and have several of their other projects. If Choi Hyun Wook could stop making me cry by ending up in the hospital and Park Jihoon could play a happy character that would be great!!

[whenthegoldrays]

PSA for my kdrama mutuals/followers!

I'm doing a little kdrama challenge in December, a roundup of the best (and occasionally worst) things I've seen this year. If anyone would like to participate as well, here's the daily list I'm using:

Best Male Lead

Best Female Lead

Favorite Lead Couple

Favorite Second Couple

Best Male Villain

Best Female Villain

Favorite Bromance

Favorite Sismance

Best Dad

Best Mom

Favorite Actor

Favorite Actress

Favorite OST

Favorite Kiss

Favorite Second Lead

Most Annoying Character

Favorite Supporting Character

Favorite Family

Underrated Show

Overrated Show

Show That Made You Cry

Funniest Show

Best First Episode

Best Ending

Disappointing Ending

Show That Needed More Episodes

Show That Needed Less Episodes

Show you would recommend to everyone

Favorite Sageuk

Comfort Show

Show you never get tired of

This is the general format I'll be using (example from last year), but you can format your posts however you like if you participate :)

And tag me in your posts if you do decide to join!

[authorhjk1]

December Special!

Round Two!!

Hi everyone! This will be our last and final round throughout the coming week. The links in this post will direct you to the four polls for the four chapters. Keep in mind that I will decide on the order randomly as I write along.

I put all the options into this post, beacuse I do not have the nerve to type all of this four times. Tumblr doesn't let me copy text and paste it into a post.

Have fun!

Chapter

Chapter

Chapter

Chapter

1.

You knew this might happen. You read the script of your knew role in the upcoming kdrama. And yet, you are surprised when your co-star pulls you aside after filming that day. Seo Yeaji's face can switch in a heartbeat. From a cold and emotionless mask, to an adorable , cute smile. While she asks you, if the two of you could practice the next scene, her face shows a new expression. Lust. It's quite a spicy scene after all.

2.

Idols are always stressed, overworked and tired. On top of that, they can't even relax properly. They have to be careful about their food, words and actions. And one thing, that some people might neglect, is sexual satisfaction. That becomes a problem for Karina, Jihyo and Eunbi. Having bigger breasts only adds to their problems. Due to stress, their milk production starts to rise. When the three of them invite you to join their pre-Christmas party, they obviously have ulterior motives.

3.

IU's and Kang Seulgi's competition started, when they caught each other, having sex backstage during an award show, a couple of months ago. At first, it picked up slowly. Random challenges, send via text on kakaoTalk app, answered by pictures as proof of the accomplished mission. Now, the two of them are tied, desperate to come up with something new. Luckily, IU and Seulgi have a lot of fans, who are more than happy to help them out.

4.

You and Irene are coworkers with a special history. The two of you tried out more kinks and positions and places than even married couples. But some things are still missing. Luckily, Irene has a friend who got hired a couple of weeks ago. You were planning on welcoming her properly anyways.

5.

After just being hired by Dreamcatcher Company, you are already tasked with shooting Jiu's and SuA's special clip. Jiu knows that you are an Insomnia and that SuA is your bias. Maybe you will get to shoot another type of special clip with the two of them, thanks to Jiu.

6.

You meet your exgirlfriend IU at a high school friend's wedding. After the memories of your school times come back, the two of you sneak off.

7.

You have worked with a couple of idols already. They are often models and embassadors for brands after all. Now you are tasked with filming a small video to promote Jimmy Choo's newly designed dress. The woman who appears in your studio is no other than Cho Miyeon.

8.

Yuna has always been quite kinky. But her Christmas present for you this year is on another level. It's Ryujin. She is kneeling on her bed, wrapped in red lingerie and a bow like a gift. Her hands are tied behind her back, while her eyes are covered with a red blindfold.

9.

You have already tried everything. Drinking warm milk with honey, listening to music, reading a book. Nothing. Working out, spending more time on your job. Nothing. Even after bringing that girl home last night, Yunjin, you vaguely remember her name, didn't help at all. You still can't fall asleep. It's late at night and you are lying in bed once more. Sleepless. Then, your doorbell rings. That must be your neighbor. Chaewon. After telling her about your insomnia, she said she might know aomething.

10.

Going to college is already hard enough, considering your background. Bad grades, devorced father, stepmother and stepsister and so on. The only reason you got in was because of your scholarship. You are not a good student. But a talented football player. And now everything becomes even more difficult. While trying to learn for your upcoming test, someone knocks on your door. Tzuyu, your stepsister. Her and her mom, Jihyo, seemed to have gotten into a huge fight once again. Can you cheer her up?

11.

The one thing you love most about your job is the fact that you see beautiful women pretty much every day. Being a photographer enables you to make them take any kind of pose in any kind of outfit. Of course, when you started your career, you never thought about it like this. Until you meet Im Yoona.

[ryoun]

oh my gosh I love your new theme!! and your edit for the challenge today >>>>>

@whenthegoldrays :

*blushes* THANK YOUUU ELLY! 💜🥹 you’re the sweetest! and i really enjoyed doing your december kdrama challenge (tho i didn’t able to complete the list due to lack of resources and time) but expect some in the future ✨🥰 (already had them scheduled aha)

[seouldramaspot]

The 8 Show: A Dark Comedy Thriller Exploring Survival and Morality in Isolation

The 8 Show (Korean: 더 에이트 쇼) is a 2024 South Korean dark comedy thriller television series, written and directed by Han Jae-rim. The series, which stars Ryu Jun-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, Park Jeong-min, Lee Yul-eum, Park Hae-joon, Lee Zoo-young, Moon Jeong-hee, and Bae Seong-woo, is based on the Naver webtoons "Money Game" and "Pie Game" by Bae Jin-soo. It revolves around eight participants who must navigate cooperation and conflict in an isolated setting where the game concludes with a death. The show premiered on Netflix on May 17, 2024.

Eight strangers enter a game where they are confined in a building, earning money for every minute the game continues. Each night, they are isolated in separate rooms on different floors and must purchase provisions at exorbitant prices using their earnings. During the day, they collectively buy provisions, facing the challenge of higher floors earning more and having better living conditions. This disparity leads to power struggles and efforts to discover how to extend the game time.

Cast

Ryu Jun-yeol as Third Floor / Bae Jin-su

Chun Woo-hee as Eighth Floor / Se-ra

Park Jeong-min as Seventh Floor / Yoo Phillip

Lee Yul-eum as Fourth Floor / Kim Yang

Park Hae-joon as Sixth Floor

Lee Zoo-young as Second Floor

Moon Jeong-hee as Fifth Floor

Bae Seong-woo as First Floor

Episodes

The series consists of 8 episodes, all released on May 17, 2024.

Episode 1: Jin-su joins the game and learns the rules, discovering the disparity in earnings among floors.

Episode 2: The group learns how to earn more time and faces a crisis when time nearly runs out.

Episode 3: A talent show is devised to entertain viewers and extend the game time.

Episode 4: A brutal game of the King Game reveals manipulations and power plays.

Episode 5: The game becomes more violent, leading to a revolt by the lower floors.

Episode 6: The subdued top floors are tortured, and the game time is manipulated.

Episode 7: Torture and betrayal ensue, leading to Floor 1's death in a desperate act.

Episode 8: The aftermath of the game reveals the fates of the participants.

Epilogue: Floor 3 copes with trauma, organizing a memorial for Floor 1, while the other survivors move on with their lives.

Production

Development: Initially titled "Money Game," the series is based on the webtoons by Bae Jin-soo. Han Jae-rim directs, with production by Studio N and Magnum Nine, and investment by Lotte Cultureworks.

Budget: The series was produced with a budget of over ₩24 billion (US$20.98 million).

Casting: Ryu Jun-yeol and Bae Seong-woo were the first to be cast, with other actors joining later. Chun Woo-hee replaced Lee Ji-eun.

Filming: Principal photography took place from May to December 2022.

Honest Comment:

I'm curious about this series because of the title " The 8 Show" like what is the meaning of it? at first episode it is like the kdrama series The squid game but it is a show for all the anonymous people can watch. There are numbers to choose once you enter the building at first I didn't catch about the numbers but when I watch the series I kinda like the series because it is full of surprise. Some says that it is similar to the Squid game but I assure you it is different it is about how many you can earn money while the clock is ticking. Every episode has a different story and style we can see the emotions and attitude of all the cast in the series. For me the show is great love the storyline it is just like there is still missing in the show.

[eddydreaming]

Death's Game - Review

Hey there! Today I want to talk about my first kdrama of the year… Death’s Game. It is divided into two parts, but I will discuss it as if it’s only one. In my opinion, it was ridiculous to divide it into two parts, if they wanted to release the first 4 episodes first and a couple of weeks later the rest, then fine, but no need to make it have two parts. Enough complaining, let's get into it.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Episodes: 8

Release dates: December 15 2023 and January 5 2024

Main Cast:

Plot:

“He's perennially unemployed, his ex-girlfriend has moved on, and he's just lost all his life savings to a Bitcoin scam. Burdened by societal pressures, Choi Yi Jae decides to take his own life. Insulted by his flippant attitude towards dying, Death comes to punish him with her game: he must experience death over and over again through 13 other lives. But if he can find a way to survive the imminent death coming for these lives, he gets to live out their lifetime. His life was a bust, but what about the lives of others?”

(Source: mydramalist)

REVIEW - NO SPOILERS

The main reason I started watching this drama was the crazy cast it has. Like, how can it have so many famous actors? Again, it’s crazy. I mean, look at this:

Then, I decided to watch the trailer to know what I was getting myself into, and I thought, once again, that it was crazy.

My first impression of the drama, without even having watched a single episode, was huge, so the second it came out there I was. I wasn’t prepared enough though. 

The first few episodes of the show were hilarious and entertaining. However, as the story progressed, it became more intense, and before I knew it, I had already finished the first 4 episodes. Okay, it’s alright, now I only have to wait a week to watch the other 4, right? Nope, I had to wait until the 5th of January, because someone decided to torture us watchers by making us wait all that time.

The second part of the drama was even better than the first, particularly the last episode. It was the most thought-provoking thing I've watched in a while.

This drama is not for everyone: its main theme is s**cide and d**th. Of course, it can be hard to watch for many people, but the meaning of life that it tries to convey is worth everything. 

REVIEW - SPOILERS

I recommend not to read this part if you haven’t watched the drama yet. I know some people like reading spoilers and that it makes them want to watch something more, but I am gonna give huge spoilers, including the end, that will for sure affect your experience. 

Now, can we talk a little bit more about a specific character? The ML’s mother. She made me suffer A LOT. Her thinking that her son had committed s**cide because of her hurt me greatly. Because of that, the last episode was… wow. I swear I cried for a whole 30 minutes. 

I truly liked how they got to merge all the stories into one, making all the lives Yi Jae had lived linked. It was thrilling, infuriating and sad, those would be the three words that describe it the best.

One of the most shocking parts was the painter assassin’s death, a death planned by Yi Jae himself. It was horrid, and remembering while writing about it right now gives me the chills. I thought it was unplanned, but he had intended to die in such a way just as a plan for his vengeance. That is outstanding from the ML, so anguished when at the beginning seemed like such a fragile and weak person. That part is when we see the most massive change in the ML, a fundamental character development. 

The ending couldn’t have been more perfect, I couldn’t have asked for more really. He decided to live his mother's life, who had planned to s**cide. That way, he survived Death's challenge, and so she gave him another opportunity, an opportunity to get back to his life. He achieved it.

Yi Jae wanted desperately to go back to his life because he could see that the people he had left behind cared for him deeply, and they deserved him to stay alive. The end is with the ML talking with his mother, who had called him right before he jumped from that roof.

¿DO I RECOMMEND WATCHING IT?

Yes, yes and yes once more. It was shocking and I cried a lot, but it was all worth it. It’s been a while since I watched it, but I still recall the intense emotions it evoked.

The content may be too intense for some viewers. However, if you are hesitant and my review has not been enough to persuade you, go and watch the trailer or give the first episode a chance. If it doesn't capture your interest by the end of the first episode, then it may not be to your liking.

[koreandragon]

@kdramaspace 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW CHALLENGE: ↠ December 26: Dramaland “Unwrapped” | Dramas with your favorite soundtracks/OSTs of 2021

my kdrama ost playlist

[seatawinan]

Introducing Best of 2021 4-week BL challenge!

It’s almost December, which means it’s award season! Time to make lists and look back at all the awesome shows that have kept us company throughout another strange year! 

Everyone is more than welcome to join in with their own picks and contributions, whether it’s gifs, text posts, screencaps, fanart or more. I will be restricting my choices to BLs exclusively but you can do this for any other kind of media like kdramas or movies as well!

Awards:

[7] favorite shows

[6] favorite characters

[5] favorite otps

[4] favorite friendships

[3] favorite locations

[2] favorite lines

[1] favorite kiss

[+] any bonus content (shows that are still airing, other categories, runner-ups etc)

There is also a shortened Version: (For those who can’t make gifs everyday, you can make a weekly gifset of your favorite/s)

[Week 1] favorite show/s (Dec 1 - 4) 

[Week 2] favorite character/s  (Dec 5 - 11)

[Week 3] favorite friendship/s  (Dec 12 - 18)

[Week 4] favorite line/s  (Dec 19 - 25)

[Week 5] favorite kiss/es  (Dec 26 - 31)

How it works:

Starting from December 1st I will be posting one gifset/day following the order the “awards” are listed in, but it’s not mandatory at all! Feel free to change it up however you want, just have fun with it! The challenge is 4 weeks long but I will use the last few days of December for any extra content that I might have left out but still want to include, so it will run through the whole month. If you want you can just post your favorites all at once, or select only one category, basically just tell me what shows you loved this year! I will be using the tag #bestofbl2021 for all my posts and if anyone else plans on joining it would be neat to use the same tag as well so we can all see each other’s posts in on place!

tagging users who did this last year/ those who might want to join: @mark-kit @tawanv @earthfluuke @pondnaravit @ohmnanons @tachineko @pran-pat @kuraioshiro @nanons @mrdumpling @liyazaki @laowen @jeffsaturs @jaehwany @zhaozi

[baek1nho]

every month of 2021

post your favourite or most popular post from each month this year (it’s okay to skip months)

I was tagged by @deokmis, thanks jp!

january: kdrama couples + matching outfits & kds challenge (villain from hell) lee hong nae as ji cheong shin

february: kdrama over flowers event (inho & seol) & run on week emotional support character (lee younghwa) 

march: jang hanseok in ep 7 & kim sung cheol in vincenzo 

april: characters i see in myself & solhwi in ep5/6

may: my wenzhou compilation & kexing in his purple outfit & unhinged kexing

june: wenzhou + little moments & this rainbow gifset of itsay & ipytm & the asiandramanet event fav ship with wenzhou & this parallel of zishu being perceptive of kexing being upset

july: yoon park in yams ep 1 & this go ahead/flourish in time parallel & this miao & haoyue compilation & kexing in ep 17

august: zhou zishu for wohdaily event, this gahan moment, death prompt for the wohdaily event 

september: this gahan compilation & the love equations + the bike & kexing with his hair over his shoulder

october: this wenzhou typography/blended set & wenzhou + hands & wenzhou no personal space & bokjoo & joonhyung

november: the ling family & lu fangning + favorite outfits & wenzhou ‘my soulmate’

december: this run on screencap edit & my jbl rewatch: ep 1&2 & my patpran ep7/ep5 typrography set

tagging: @yohankang @moonlightsdream @ashinlae @therukurals @surii @jaehwany

[pinkbelugacollective]

2021 AO3 Year in Review!

Base template borrowed from @athina-blaine, here’s my 2021 AO3 Year in Review!

Number of Fanfictions Published: 20 new unique works! 1 continuing work!

Number of Fandoms Written for: 8 unique fandoms!

Top Fandom: Black Clover (12 unique works!)

First Published Fanfiction: To the Rhythm of His Love, a Black Clover fanfiction, published February 3rd, 2021 

Last Published Fanfiction: Saaye Ye Mere Hain Tujh Mein Samaaye, a Chimera fanfiction, last chapter published December 31st, 2021

Fanfiction with the most Kudos: To the Rhythm of His Love

Fanfiction with the most Comments: Leoht Unfæger, a Beyond Evil (Korean Drama) fanfiction

Top One-Shot (Kudos & Comments): To the Rhythm of His Love, a Black Clover fanfiction

Top Multi-Chapter Fic (Kudos & Comments): Leoht Unfæger

Fanfiction Most Proud of: Glass Tempest, a The Guest (Korean Drama) fanfiction

Most Challenging Fanfiction to Write:  A Shroud of Pink Blossoms, a Forest of Secrets (Korean Drama) fanfiction

Fanfiction That I Wish Got More Attention: Glass Tempest, a The Guest (Korean Drama) fanfiction

Favorite Quote:

“You float, you inhabit flesh, you go back to floating, in the sea, always the sea.”  - Glass Tempest, chapter 7

Favorite Passage:

Except it's a lapse in judgment, isn't it? Not real love or affection, or anything remotely humane. Hwa Pyeong washes the encounter away under the spray of hot water in his shower, even though both Kil Young and Yoon will question why the hell he's showering in the middle of the night. But it's necessary, a part of the ritual where he sheds himself of the mistakes he just made under the cover of snow, and comes back a new man.

A worse man, an inhuman.

It's not love and the housekeeper is not pretty, because Hwa Pyeong cannot love yet another person, not when he can barely breathe loving two people, not when he doesn't even love himself.

So he stands, still as stone, letting the hot water wash away his shame, his horror, and whatever is left of his humanity.

-  Glass Tempest, chapter 5

Total Wordcount Published: 195,195 words! (Beating last year’s record of 168,291 words! Mayhaps I am insane :’>)

This year I focused on writing longer stories, and managed to publish multiple chaptered fics, including a bite-sized fiction writing exercise. This was the year I got back into Korean dramas after an almost ten-year hiatus, so I was able to delve into different fandoms across several months. I managed to push out a couple of fanfics, most of them multi-chaptered, as a way to honor one of my oldest genre fandoms!

I also took this year to get back into outlining future publications. I have about seventeen stories outlined across multiple fandoms. Between the plague, my ever-increasingly insane career choice, my family, and the thots I call my besties, I once again didn’t expect to get too much writing done this year, but like any other demonic itch, I could not rest until I penned the stories I had sitting in my head. This was the first time in YEARS that I clocked in 20-40k of writing within weeks. I wrote 30k for one story in under a week. I don’t know what power I’ve come into, but I am grateful for it. Hopefully it will continue through 2022, so that I can publish many more stories!

Looking into 2022, I want to continue publishing longer fics, hopefully chaptered fics. I would like to finish the Naruto novel, but I’mma leave that one up to Allah. I would like to continue writing for different fandoms as well, and will likely delve into more Kdrama fandoms, and maybe some manga fandoms as well. I would also like to join some book-exclusive fandoms.

I also want to continue writing more darkfic, and explore even more unique horror tropes found in contemporary horror literature. This year, I wrote an evil ghost falling in love with its human prey, because everyone loves a mansplain/manipulate/manwhore. For some reason, I was compelled by the post-canon itch, and wrote multiple post-canon fics for different pieces of media. Also got a little sappy and wrote a few love stories. Who knows what kind of dastardly things I’ll come up with in 2022.

Thank you to everyone that’s enjoyed my stories thus far. Hope y’all stick around for the nonsense in 2022!

[fake-married-my-dead-fiance]

My Underrated Kdrama of 2024

This one is hard, because Lovely Runner was my favourite and it got tons of love online, even if the ratings weren't as high (I suspect a younger audience was mostly watching it online). I didn't really love a drama that was ignored, things seem to have aligned pretty well. My current favourite, When the Phone Rings, is also getting a ton of attention.

Over in Cdrama land, way too many people thought Fangs of Fortune was not the best thing they had ever watched in their lives and all of them were WRONG

If you liked Alchemy of Souls, I think you'd enjoy this. Go watch it! It's so good!

(@whenthegoldrays December Kdrama challenge)

[katierosefun]

oh golly gee, somehow january has already flown by (happy first month of 2022!), so we’re back with a wrap-up on whatever the heckity heck i consumed over the past month. my break went on a bit longer than it did in past years, so i had plenty of time to watch and read more stuff than i usually would...so hold onto your hats!: 

kdrama: 

happiness 

i started this show in december, stopped watching because of finals, then finished it during my last two weeks of winter break...and absolutely adored it. basically, this show is about sae bom (han hyo joo) getting fake-married to her friend yi hyun (park hyung sik). both work in different branches of the police force (sae bom as specialized police, yi  hyun as a detective), and they get fake-married in order to live in an apartment...except not everything is at seems. basically, there’s something new breaking out--tentatively called “madman’s rabies”, but really...guys, this is a zombie story. 

and yet. take it from me, someone who’s terrified of zombies (like. for some people, ghosts scare the living fuck out of them. for me? it’s zombies), this show is so much more than a zombie story. there’s fake marriage, yes, and there’s also found family, and also just overall what does it mean to be happy? and so what the fuck did we learn from covid anyways? and also all the wonderful messages about social class that we like from a survival story. 

god. ugh. this show just hit all the marks. the romance was so...i enjoyed it so much more than i thought i would, and the found family dynamic was so!!!! (god.....god sae bom can you be my big sister please) also, just like...i was so fascinated by how this show discussed covid? i actually didn’t think i’d want to watch a show that was set so closely near the pandemic, and yet...the theme of the chaos in the pandemic alongside...a zombie story...was so well done and cleverly thoughtful that i was able to watch it and feel like i was watching a real story about coping with the traumas and fears that we are unfortunately still going through today, esp. with omicron numbers going up. 

basically...i rather enjoyed this show. it’s only 12 episodes long, but weirdly, the episodes feel incredibly short, and just. overall. a very satisfying show. 

our beloved summer 

man...i haven’t watched a kdrama in primarily pastel-y/washed out/soft colors in so goddamn long, i almost forgot they existed. admittedly, i’ve watched quite a few darker korean dramas for the last few months, so i think a part of me was actually relieved to watch something that wasn’t about murder or death or zombies or the like. i watched this show while it was airing, and to be honest, i didn’t think much of it at first, but like a lot of viewers, i wound up feeling a lot of bittersweet things regarding the story. 

basically, this show is about old sweethearts yeon su (kim da mi) and ung (choi woo shik), who only started dating after being paired up together for a documentary project. now, a few years after their rather miserable breakup, they are to be in yet another documentary together as a “ten years later” sort of project. of course, now they’re at both pretty different paths: ung is now an artist, and yeon su works in a company. on paper, i think they’re both pretty successful, even despite their own challenges--but they are also both absolutely miserable, and as you might guess it, it’s because they both rather terribly miss each other. 

i really didn’t expect to actually like this drama? i like both actors, but i didn’t know that after months of really heavy and fast-paced plots, i wouldn’t know how to handle something that’s more centered on real life . . . and yet funnily enough, that was the charm of the show because even though i’m nowhere near the same place in life as our characters, the emotions were very real. i dunno how many people relate to the feeling of the one that got away or feeling still rather hung up on someone they once deeply, deeply loved--but this show was kind of a soothing balm for those feelings. very charming, very real, complete with all the slow bittersweet-resentful-but-still-loving feelings that you might expect from a show like this. if you want something soft but also something to pluck at the heartstrings, this is the show. 

all of us are dead 

i hate zombies so much, so i don’t know why i watched two zombie things in one month, but i did. 

anyways, this show is based on the webtoon of the same name--and even though i heard the webtoon’s much better and that there are significant differences from the webtoon itself, i personally thought this show was . . . hm, well, i had mixed feelings for this show. i think that in terms of zombie flicks, it’s fantastic bc it’s got the gore, the very real fear, and this themes about well, what do we do with / about kids anyways? and we have to stay hopeful and friends are important were done decently. (other themes . . . not so much, in my opinion.) 

but basically, this show is about a high school being ground zero of a zombie outbreak. there’s a pretty big cast, all of them filled with relatively new actors (which is so exciting, i can tell some of these kids are going to grow into incredibly big stars, if this series isn’t already kinda launching them into that path)--and despite my personal issues with some of them, i did like them, mostly because they were all trying so hard to live. like, idk about you guys, but i feel like if i were in their position, i would have just turned into a zombie right then and there. but like! they were trying so hard, whether it was in the act of fending off zombies or comforting each other around a campfire. seriously, i adored those moments the most. 

overall, i think this show is something that people who really love zombie stories for the horror might enjoy. there’s some frustrating plot points, and there’s some even more frustrating characters (not just in the “oh, they’re the worst” kind of way, but more like in the “? ? ? what’s their point?” kind of way), but ? ? ? y’know, it was fun to watch. (however, massive trigger warnings for implied s*xual assault, h*zing, su*cide, gore . . . there’s so much of it, and some of the gore stuff especially gets kinda brutal.)

tv shows: 

the haunting of hill house 

you know. . .i started this show in december and paused it for a while because my headspace wasn’t really able to handle the themes at that point, but around middle january, i picked up this show again and i am very glad that i did. not just because i felt like my mental health was better, but also because i thought . . . while the first half of the show was brutal (which was also what i watched during december), the second half of the show was . . . god. no words to describe how beautiful it was and how it really nailed the overarching theme of the show and how once again i am hit with the idea of horror and ghost stories as love stories and healing and god oh god 

but anyways. i. i feel like i’m late to this train but for those who don’t know, this show is about the crain family and a terrible tragedy that happened to them while the parents were trying to fix up the old hill house. now the crain siblings are all adults, but they’re still plagued by the trauma of that one horrific night and the strange happenings of the house--and it takes off from there. 

god. this show . . . i really can’t go too deep into this show without feeling like i might get perceived, but it was so beautiful and so compelling and so wonderful to me in terms of what it means to really live and also what it means to be a family, and how sometimes being a family is so complicated and messy and painful, but there is also something really lovely and sometimes there is happiness and joy and also there really is something unique about sibling bonds and also there is something so heartwrenching about loving someone who might slowly be falling apart before your eyes and oh god oh god oh god. i finished this show after i got my booster shot, and i cried so hard my fever respiked, so that should . . . that should give you an idea of the emotions i was going through. a solid show. 1000/10 would recommend, i even think i like it better than bly manor, which is saying something.

movies: 

okay....so i tried to watch this back in december, and i got through maybe 80% of it before going “you know what? now would be a fantastic time to chop of my hair with safety scissors. why not. why not!” and then proceeded to do so. because that’s kinda how this special makes you feel. (and not just bc of bo burnham’s long hair. just like. in general. desire to do something within your control.) 

that said! i really . . . is enjoyed the right word? i definitely thought inside was good, in that it really captures the whole . . . mood these days. or at least, my mood. it’s understandable why this special appealed to so many people when it first came out, when everyone was still trying to get used to the first few months of the pandemic. 

if i’m about to be honest, now that we’re officially in 2022, i suppose . . . seeing this comedy special really just made me. sit for a while and contemplate the state of the world. truly the epitome of “ha ahahaa . . .  the world is . . . not great right now but here’s some funny songs to go with it! :)” which. you know. you know. that said, my favorite songs are probably content, comedy, welcome to the internet...and look who’s inside again, all eyes on me, goodbye. (basically. the whole tracklist is fantastic.) 

given this comedy special was released . . . almost two years ago (huh) . . .i would be surprised if others hadn’t already watched this, but! i do recommend it--just maybe. make sure your head’s in a marginally okay place right now lol

the tale of princess kaguya 

i watched this right after watching inside, which was a really good idea because this was one of those movies that reminded me that, as the movie suggests, we are born to truly live. 

for those who aren’t quite as familiar with this studio ghibli movie, the tale of princess kaguya is based off the japanese folk tale the tale of the bamboo cutter. in this movie, a bamboo cutter finds a little child in a flower. this child grows quickly to become the most beautiful in the land, and given her funny “birth”, the bamboo cutter is convinced she was sent from the heavens to become the princess. i won’t go too much into detail with the plot other than that, because i feel like this is one of those movies that you should really go in blind--just as you should with quite a lot of studio ghibli movies, honestly. 

that said: i adored this movie. the only studio ghibli movie i’ve actually watched fully is spirited away and the secret world of arrietty, and i’m trying to remedy that. i initially chose this movie because it looked like it was just beautifully animated (and it is! look at this gorgeous frame!), and ofc, i came for the animation but stayed for the genuinely beautiful, fairytale-esque storytelling, the lovable protagonist kayuga, and the themes about sorrow, parent-child relationships, and what it means to truly live. what a good movie. stellar. i cried, just as i expected. 

the world of us 

you know when you stumble across a movie, show, book, whatever that is very good but also hits a little way too close to home? and so you finish it and feel empty but also healed but also just kind of like. someone patted you on the head and saw you for who you were and you feel a little terrified but also this bittersweet knowledge of being known? because that was how the world of us was to me. 

basically, this movie is about a young girl named sun (choi soo in), who’s an outcast in her school. then a new girl named jia (seol hye in) moves to the town, and she becomes quick friends with sun. for one blissful summer, they’re closer than close in the way that all childhood friends are. but then the school year starts again, and jia becomes quickly sucked in with the popular girls of the class, effectively leaving sun alone again. what ensues is mostly a lot of the bitter, very childhood-typical-esque passive aggressive bullying that would make any formerly bullied child want to crawl under the covers. overall though, it’s . . . such a touching movie. don’t be fooled by the pastels--this movie doesn’t pull back the punches on the hard-hitting themes of friendship and adolescence and all the saddest, messiest things that come with that. 

anyways. ‘tis a good movie. i felt so much during the first 30 minutes, and the next 60 minutes were somehow even better and more feels-y. 1000/10 recommend, and if you were a former bullied kid/had scarily similar experiences with sun, also be prepared to feel a lot of compassion for kids who are just Going Through It. 

joan’s galaxy 

i mean, technically, joan’s galaxy is a television episode, but it’s about an hour long and it’s a part of an anthology series, so i’m going to call this a movie. but basically, joan’s galaxy is about a world in which some people can live up to 100 years, while others can live up to 30 years because of a fine dust disaster. one day, a young woman who might have been able to live for 100 years learns that she’s actually one of those types who can only live up to 30 years. she winds up meeting someone with this same condition, and they bond over the course of about 50 minutes. 

this was just one of those rather simple, but rather lovely films that made me feel satisfied. it was a sweet love story more than anything else, and it made me feel a bit bittersweet towards the end, but oh...what it means to love someone, even if only for a brief moment. 

kiki’s delivery service 

you ever just watch a movie about burnout and suddenly feel better? because yeah. for those who don’t know, this movie follows the little witch kiki, who, now at 13 years old, is off to fly to some new city so that she can  become the local witch. she winds up starting a delivery service, and the movie kind of takes off from there and explores how she navigates her new life. 

y’know, as a kid, i could never finish this movie because i would always get stumped right around seeing kiki unable to fly/being terrified of losing her witch powers. even though i knew studio ghibli movies mostly had happy endings, something about that scene just always unsettled me. but this time, i finally finished the movie, and i’m very glad i did, because y’know. this movie really said that sometimes you just need to rest before finding your magic/spirit again, and that’s so touching. highly recommend. a really stellar studio ghibli movie, i think everyone should watch this at least once in their lives. 

what a man wants 

. . . the things i watch for shin ha kyun. the things i watch for shin ha kyun--and the things shin ha kyun makes me watch--

well. anyways. this movie is about two married couples who live (. . . together, i think? or like their houses are connected i think) and how the men are cheating on their wives. it’s all very much so a comedy, with some pretty . . . idk how to describe it? some of the twists were actually rather funny, and i actually laughed a bit in the hahaa!! that’s what you get, stupid cheater! 

you know, kinda iffy premise aside though, i weirdly liked this movie? like. it was funny but funny in the “oh dude you’re just digging yourself an even deeper grave and you deserve absolutely every bit of it” kind of way. also funny in the “oh geez y’all suck and i’m going to watch this trainwreck of your life and laugh” kinda way. maybe funny in like . . . reverse midsummer night’s dream kinda way? (idk where that comparison came from, but it makes sense in my head lol) 

tbh, would i recommend this movie? uh. idk. not really? i mean, i kinda liked the conclusion of the movie--kinda--and i thought there was some lesson and some takeaway in the movie (ie. don’t cheat on your partner! at the end of the day, you need to remember who you actually like/love!), but i also feel like if i didn’t already like shin ha kyun and song ji hyo, then i would have never gotten through this movie. so, i’ll leave it at that! 

the prince of egypt

maybe cheating because i’ve watched this movie many times before, but man . . . i was listening to this while waiting for an email from a law school i applied to back in november, and needless to say, i was incredibly stressed out. so i dunno. i decided to watch this movie because you know, there’s something incredibly significant about hearing how can you tell where your value lies and there can be miracles when you believe and i suppose i’ve just been feeling very down lately. so this movie was . . . a really beautiful reminder to me that it’s so impossible to judge the value of your life through only the present moment--and i suppose, as someone who’s religious myself, this movie really deeply moved me, and i kind of remembered through this movie oh, that’s what’s comforting about my own faith, even if i’ve felt angry and distanced from it these days. but you know, i think the creators of this movie were brilliant in making this movie so touching for people of the 3 main faiths that are aware of this story (judaism, christianity, islam) . . . like, oh. idk. i have more thoughts but i’ll write them down later.

music: 

to the island by ahn ye eun

oh my god. i just love ahn ye eun’s voice so much. i was already familiar with some of her past songs, most notably night flower and chaanggwi, but then this month, she also released haechi (which made me go insane...beyond evil fans know why), and so i decided to go into her ep which was released last year...and i regret not knowing about this ep sooner, because it was so beautiful? for those who aren’t aware, ahn ye eun is an incredibly unique korean indie songwriter and singer for specifically for how she comes from the very traditional korean music scene. her use of traditional korean instruments, as well as her incredibly unique voice, has been used for a number of saeguk (historical) dramas, and it’s easy to see why--she’s just so good at capturing so many emotions and also bringing in a musical vocal tradition that isn’t mainstream at all. 

even if you don’t understand korean, i highly recommend you give her songs a listen. i would recommend night flower and haechi first, just because those are my favorites--but this whole ep is such a gem. (or, if you’re just looking for incredibly emotional music to listen to without getting caught up in the lyrics, ahn ye eun is def. worth checking out too. i love this woman, and i can’t stop refreshing her spotify page to see if she’s releasing anything new.) 

the man upstairs by robyn hitchcock

you know, the first time i ever heard robyn hitchcock was through the ghost in you when i first watched amazon prime’s the wilds. and anyways, i dunno why (maybe nostalgia for that time), i decided to give the whole album a listen because i needed something quiet in the background . . . and oh man. oh man, this album was so great. it really is all quiet music, very minimalist with cello and acoustic guitar and vocals, but they make me feel very happy. my favorites are still totally the ghost in you and san francisco patrol. 

this empty northern atmosphere by gregory alan isakov

like the man upstairs, this album is incredibly quiet, although i would say gregory alan isakov—at least in this album—is more in the folk tradition than robyn hitchcock (who i would say is more singer-songwriter than folksy? although those genres kinda mix). but anyways, gosh. i adored this album. i got into it originally because i adore if i go, i’m goin’, which was the last song playing in the haunting of hill house. i found that the entire album is just as lovely, with really beautiful, homey sounds and comforting lyrics and just like. you ever feel like the sun’s rising or quietly summer-setting when you’re listening to music? because this is the type of music you play when the sun’s rising or when it’s summer and you just hear cicadas and you see fireflies buzzing above your head and you watch pink clouds roll by and this music would be playing in your head and you roll over on your side to reach for your sibling or your lover or your mom or whatever. that’s the kind of music in this album, and i adore it.

allegiance

you know, i had no idea this musical even existed until i heard it mentioned in a moth story by annie tan called “drumstick, please!. tan mentioned it as one of the only (if not the only) broadway musical featuring asian americans (her specific words being “people who look like me”), and so i gave it a whole listen immediately after. guys, i cried at least 3 or 4 times while listening to this relatively short musical (about an hour of songs). 

so even though i haven’t actually watched the musical, i think that, judging by the songs, it’s about a japanese-american family during japanese internment back in world war ii. for those who aren’t aware of this point in history, basically after the japanese bombed pearl harbor in hawaii, president roosevelt executed order 9006 on feb 19, 1942, effectively putting largely japanese americans into camps. it’s a bit of history americans don’t really like to acknowledge or go too into detail--but the trauma of that one bit of history still has impacts on so many japanese-american families today, and this musical really kinda goes into that. even though i’m not japanese-american myself, i did very strongly relate to this unspoken urge to present myself as American As Possible so that White Americans Could Accept Me or At Least Tolerate My Existence--which i think is a pretty common thread for lots of americans who come from immigrant families. so like. all the characters felt real and sympathetic, and by the end of the musical, you kinda come to the conclusion that a) family is important and b) dude, it fucking sucks that american society is structured in a way that it makes its immigrant children turn their backs against their own families. overall a stunning musical, really lovely. my favorite track probably has to be higher and how can you go?, which made me cry way too many tears.

[chipou-art]

It’s that time of the year y’all ! Here’s my 2021 summary of art 🤲

January

• I rework all the designs of my agrums ocs and did a lot of digital art ! Improving a lot my ocs designs

• Playing : Overwatch

February

• Creating my Artstation account to post all my school work there ! A lot of assignments to do this month so I didn’t draw that much for myself but when I did I drew my precious ocs

• Playing : Overwatch, Smite

March

• I’ve got Covid :( watching the volume 8 of Rwby during this time. I did the “draw your friends ocs in your style” challenge and I uploaded my Artfight profile but I still have a lot of homework

• Playing : Heroes of the Storm, The Sims 3 & 4

April

• Drawing a lot on Photoshop to improve my digital art + creating a Bubblehouse account to post my art stuff ! I’m finally allowed to rest and I’m enjoying my holidays 🏄‍♂️

• Playing : Heroes of the Storm, Starbound

May

• It’s Overwatch anniversary so I played the game a lot to buy the skins I wanted 😤 playing Stardew Valley for the first time and I fell in love with the game ! My final group project started so I drew a lot for school this time, still drawing mostly on Photoshop

• Playing : Stardew Valley, Overwatch, The Elder Scrolls Online

June

• 2nd year exam over 😤 it went very well ! Enjoying my summer holidays with my friends, going outside a lot and drinking a lot of bubble tea, doing a lot of K-pop art too

• Playing : Heroes of the Storm, Sea of Thieves

July

• Artfight just started ! I’m Team Cyberpunk and I did 6 drawings this time ! Got vaccinated against Covid too

• Playing : The Sims 3

August

• I’m turning 20 y.o 🥳 Currently watching the kdrama Imitation and did a lot of fanarts 💖 doing a lot of watercolours outside since I didn’t have my iPad during all the month

• Playing : nothing :(

September

• Starting my driving lessons before the start of school year ! I did a lot of traditional drawings this time, especially watercolours and sketches

• Playing : Skyrim, The Sims 3

October

• School started and got my first group project to do ! Trying to do a more simple art style with a thinner line

• Playing : New World, Skyrim, Heroes of the Storm, The Sims 3

November

• Drawing an Illidan for the 17th WoW anniversary ! My diploma project just started so I’ve got a lot of things to do 😫 went to an anime convention with my friends too !

• Playing : Skyrim, Valheim, Smash Ultimate

December

• Back with my WoW obsession so I drew a LOT of Illidan who is my favorite character ever in case you didn’t know 👉👈 got fully vaccinated against Covid 💪 I spent Christmas with my family and mostly drew WoW fanarts

• Playing : Valheim, Overwatch, Star Wars Battlefront II, Stardew Valley, Operation Tango

~

Thanks everyone for reading, I wish you all a very merry end of the year 🤲💖 For me, this year has been way better than 2020, still intense and stressful but very exciting at the same, my anxiety went 📉and I spent wonderful times with my friends. I’m very proud of the person I’ve become and I can’t wait to see what 2022 is made of !

[kritu-studies]

10.12.20

i keep changing my study location but here is my set up on my dining table. I’ve started studying here with my sister. (she made the cake that’s in the background)

i’m finally starting @myhoneststudyblr​ winter challenge so here is my catch up post. find the questions and answers under the cut! 

i haven’t rechecked my answers yet so i apologise for all the typos and errors.

1st December - Do you like winter?

I absolutely love winters. It’s my favourite season!

2nd December - What is your favourite thing about winter?

The oversized sweaters and staying indoors

3rd December - What is your least favourite thing about winter?

Travelling becomes really hard. Waking up and going to school at 6 in the morning used to be painful since it was so cold. I haven’t faced this issue considering my entire school year was online, but the walk to the bus stop in the cold wind has tramustised me forever.

4th December - What is an unpopular opinion that you have about winter? 

i don’t know actually, maybe i’ll come back and asnwer this.

5th December - Are you usually busy during winter?

Always. I’m in my final year of school and we’re having mock exams in Jan. My winter break is a prep leave in disguise. We haven’t had a proper winter break since the 9th grade. 

6th December - Do you get a break from school/uni/work during winter?

Not at all, as kids we were given lots of homework (i always did in the last few days though) and now i study for my exams which start from 5th Jan.

7th December - How do you stay motivated during winter?

I stay away from my bed. Once i’m in my bed then i know i won’t do anything else. i’ve started mapping out my work to make sure i know what i need to do when. Having structure really helps. 

8th December - When should people start preparing for, decorating and celebrating Christmas? 

Whenever they feel like!! People have very diffferent schedules and only have certain days where they have enough time. So preparing and decorting should take place when one knows they’ll enjoy as well. 

9th December - What do you usually do during the holidays?

I normally sleep when i have days off. I like watching kdramas and catching up on NCT’s never ending content. I’m trying to learn christmas songs but can’t seem to find sheet music for it. 

10th December - What is a cherished family tradition from your childhood?

We don’t have any traditions per say but we’ve always spent christmas with someone. We watch christmas related movies and have dinner.

i haven’t rechecked my answers yet so i apologise for all the typos and errors. 

[bisexualhobi]

(Im not a company stan big hit can suck my ass)

1. Txt is not an aspect of bts? They are another group with a completely different identity. They are talented enough to match bts thats why armys love them and stan them. You are insulting them (and other groups) by saying that they are just another money making machine for bighit as a replacement for bangtan??

2. Idols hate bts lol everyone knows they do. They are from the biggest most prestigious companys yet they are huge flops compared to bts and that alone is enough for them to hate bts.. ik u are not asian but its a huge thing in asia, like if u work in a rich/huge company or are from a rich family u are so much superior to everyone else and then if someone without a strong background becomes more successful than them, the rich ones automatically hate them (if this sounds like the plot of a kdrama its because. Well. Kdramas are asian dramas and are based on real life)

3. Liking bts doesnt make one superior but liking continuously problematic groups does make one inferior and this is the main reason of twt fanwars because 90% of twt armys come from non western cultures and are deeply affected on so many levels by all the shit these groups and companys pull out every single month 👁👄👁 (dont say its just companys fault lol you know that nct member said lets not talk about this topic and its not just one example) ps: dont pull out the bts rapline were also problematic card bc they apologised for it and havent done it again

ok i’m gonna address point by point what you mentioned here. btw i’m assuming you’re different from the last anon i answered regarding “bts isn’t kpop” but if you are the same anon sorry for repeating stuff

1. i didn’t say txt is an “aspect” of bts. i mentioned them because what they are is the second bg big hit has created from scratch and the immediate successors of bts, a company that, until txt, had NOTHING but bts going for them. and even though txt is already becoming successful, the fact is that, just eyeballing it, bts brings in about 90 to 95% of big hit’s total revenue. big hit has a challenge regarding what they will do to cement themselves as a company beyond bts, and txt is the first step in that direction. when i say cash cow i mean a secondary source of income. my intention was not to disrespect txt at all, which i made clear in that textpost!! i don’t even stan txt and i’ve kept saying that they were far better than bts on the end of the year performances!!! i said, and i quote “txt ate them up because txt is a new group (that has a lot of passion and are hardworking ofc, this isn’t attacking them personally)” 

just a little caveat though, an idol group is always a money making machine for a company... like. it’s important to me that you know that. like, i hope you know that big hit isn’t looking to make groups saying “oh boy, i hope they flop! i hope they’re happy doing what they like and i will never care about the utilities :)” idol companies are literally some of the most money hungry industries because they often operate at a loss. don’t for a second think that bts and txt and any group is more than an asset for the company, whose sole purpose is to make money.

2. idols hate bts?? listen, in the entertainment industry there’s always gonna be drama and backstabbing, so i’m sure there’s animosity between many groups, i’m not naive enough to say that no one hates bts, the same way i’m sure there are plenty of idols who hate exo, who hate red velvet, who hate x or y. but the way you say this is such a delusional, paranoid way to put it. afaik, the last celeb/musician to trash talk bts publicly was befree or whatever tf his name was, that asshole rapper who mocked namjoon and yoongi and called them sellouts for joining an idol group. and that guy is a fucking failure! i think he even went to jail, didn’t he? so please, tell me who these other idols hating bts are, and where are the receipts so i can blacklist them. 

“huge flops” lmao good way to put all the other groups’ efforts down. stop thinking bts’ accomplishments are your own. they’re not. you have no idea the amount of effort each idol group, small or big, puts in just to be able to debut, so stop disrespecting THEM by calling them all flops. i know i’m not korean, i’m not asian, but i have korean friends and according to them all these groups who are supposedly “flops” are doing well in korea. just because they don’t have international success doesn’t mean they’re not commercially acclaimed in their own country. not everyone is out to get bts, i promise you. do you know who’s out to get bts? their akgaes. their sasaengs, and their antis, all those people online who send jimin death threats, who break into their property, who take pictures of their families. THOSE people hate bts and do more harm to them than an idol who says they didn’t like their new album or who said they don’t dance well. like please let go of the victim complex for one minute.

3. one part of stan culture i fucking despise with my whole being is fanwars using cultural appropriation and racism as “gotcha” cards. this is a clear example of this. first you say it’s inferior to like groups who have participated in ca. alright. i will give you that. the you turn and say bts hasn’t done that and that groups such an nct who have done it recently are to blame personally, it’s not just the company’s mismanagement. okay! so by your logic, being a bts stan is superior because even though they HAVE done problematic things, they apologized. it’s really transparent how you pick and choose what is an acceptable apology and what isn’t based on your personal feelings about the group in question.

i just need to know if you are black or if you are muslim or from a minority that has been hurt by cultural appropriation, if you are then you will know that when an idol group apologizes for doing such things, it is no one’s place but their own to decide whether to accept that apology or not. i am not black, or asian, i am a latin woman who can’t tell you whether it’s okay for bts to do the things they have done. you are contradicting yourself by saying other groups who’ve done cultural appropriation are worse, and then turn around and say to me “dont pull out the bts rapline were also problematic card bc they apologised for it and havent done it again” because guess what? not everyone has forgiven bts either! they have said the n word! they have done native american culture appropriation as recently as december 2020 and neither them nor big hit apologized for that! yoongi releasing the mixtape with that jim jones sample in it was NEVER addressed by him. it was a company statement. so who are you to say that the people still hurt by yoongi’s actions, whether intentional or not, can’t talk about it and be mad at them? IT DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY. 

i am not here to pass moral judgement, that’s why i don’t bring up ca in arguments. it is not my place to say whether what nct did with the muslim aesthetic should be forgiven, the same way it’s not my place to tell people who like nct that they are “worse” for liking them. people who reduce their stanning to how many “woke points” you get based on the artists you like clearly don’t care about activism in real life, they just care about it online for fanwars. to feel better about themselves for liking “unproblematic kings” and well i have news for you, NO CELEBRITY IS UNPROBLEMATIC. bts has learned from their mistakes, but they will continue to make mistakes every once in a while, case in point, the jim jones thing and the native american teepees appropriation.