#kim min seok

[dangermousie]

A love letter to late 00s/early10s kdramas? More likely than you may think

I have watched the first two eps (30m each) of the just premiered My Military Valentine with Nam Guyri and Kim Min Seok and I have discovered the most glorious time machine to 2008-2012.

A disclaimer - if you came to kdramas relatively recently, this really isn't a drama for you. But for those of us who used to watch and adore kdramas of mid-to-late 00s/very early 10s (I got into kdramas around 06), this is a very deliberate and knowing tribute and is designed to evoke a sense of nostalgia for back then dramas which it does brilliantly.

I feel as if I somehow time traveled to 15 years back or perhaps stumbled on a kdrama from that period I have not seen yet. It is such a delicious homage.

The premise is pretty straightforward - in an AU where South Korea and North Korea are close to reunification, a popular South Korean superstar and a North Korean commando cross paths and then he ends up having to serve in her unit. She's a consummate military officer, he's boyish and even immature but genuinely good-hearted. If you are screaming into your hands "this is off-brand King2Hearts with Spy MyungWol thrown in OMGGGGGGGG!" then you are the target audience.

EVERYTHING about this drama is old-school, deliberately so. The plot (even the idea of reunion was much more popular in dramas back then than it is now when I think it's much more fraught and distant), the setting (it is not set in 2024 but something like 2010), the characters (the ML is the immature protag romcoms in 00s used to love, FL is a good-hearted stern naive NK lady), the look (the way it's filmed is 100% from back then, with news montages, ML's frosted hair, the side part of the NK agent dude, the shots down from buildings, FL's whole vibe and look, the camera work, the lack of certain filters. Even the fact that neither of protags looks super polished and ML has a certain soft-faced and not starving look is reminiscent of early 00s dramas.)

Shot from the drama:

For comparison, here is Eric Mun in 2011 Spy Myung Wol as a top star in a drama about a North Korean Agent x SK celeb:

And with NK agent OTP:

Here is the OTP of 2012 King 2 Hearts, about a South Korean prince and NK commando:

Lee Byung Hun and his bleach blond hair in Beautiful Days from 2003:

Kim Rae Won and his soft face and light hair in Say You Love Me (2004):

And now, look at this song number from My Military Valentine. If it doesn't scream "Obama just got elected for his first term," I don't know what to tell you:

And the kiss as means of air transfer, old school style JUST I CAN'TTTTT:

[whumpetywhump]

Doctors - Ep. 8, 15 - 17

Kang Soo’s seizures

[kpoptimeout]

K-Pop Debuts and Comebacks for the First Week of February 2024 (Jan 29 - Feb 4 2024)

Jan 29

(G)I-DLE - Super Lady

Popular girl group (G)I-DLE slays in this powerful comeback!

Jan 30

VANNER - JACKPOT

Underrated boy group VANNER are suave in this fun and addictive track!

Jan 31

2BIC - Insane

Talented RnB male duo 2BIC is back to grace us with their heavenly vocals!

Feb 1

Kim Min Seok - Eternal Sunshine

Half of popular ballad duo Melomance, Kim Min Seok, releases this sentimental solo track!

Feb 2

Kim Sung Gyu - The Wind Is Blowing

INFINITE's leader remakes Lee Sora's 2014 classic in his 3-part digital project!

TWICE - I GOT YOU

Top girl group TWICE drops a touching pre-release single for fans ahead of their February comeback!

Feb 3

BOY STORY - Alpha

JYP's C-Pop boy group BOY STORY return as a more mature and seasoned group in this aggressive performance!

Feb 4

Monday Kiz - Only you

2000s K-Pop group turned one-man band Monday Kiz croons in this emotional ballad!

Thru, SUZO - PARADISE

Indie artists Thru and SUZO collab in this soothing electropop performance!

YOUNG POSSE - YOUNG POSSE UP

Talented rookies YOUNG POSSE show they are a different alternative girl group in this collaboration with top rappers Verbal Jint, NSW yoon and Token!

What is your favourite track of the week?

[theinfinitedivides]

me watching Ceo-dol Mart: oh this is a cute show!!!!! probably a mindless watch but i need something like this anyways let's see how this goes

me watching ep 4 of Ceo-dol Mart: oh these boys have Issues and Problems. they need a hug

[bemybaebaebae]

Kim Min Seok

[seriouslydidijustdothat]

Shark (1): The Beginning

(yes, 1, because the sequel is maybe coming out this year?? confused as to what it could be about but ehh, I’d watch it) - edited because they changed it apparently??

Reasons to watch:

you enjoy fights and a little blood (read: whump) - especially underdog vs bully situations

you don't mind a thin plot (I have QUESTIONS, but no spoilers so I won't name them)

you like any of these actors (in pain): Kim Min Seok, Wi Ha Joon, Jung Won Chang (lots of “oh HONEY” reactions on my part for all 3 tbh 😂)

you enjoy (even thin) found family (fanfic can fix anything)

you enjoyed Weak Hero Class 1 and/or The Uncanny Counter

(See here for my unhinged Jung Won Chang (Hyeok-u) reaction and screenshots)

Do not watch if intense bullying scenes are a no go for you, although this isn't Weak Hero Class 1 bad (except for the beginning?)

Here are the 2 cuties, look at them smiling aww :3

[dyingenigmaa]

PRISM MAGAZINE VOL.8 [HARMONIA] by Kim Min Seok

[unnieshimkoongkdramas]

Six Underrated Shows Worth Watching

1. Today’s Webtoon Starring: Kim Se Jeong, Daniel Choi, Nam Yoon Soo SBS Promotional poster On Ma Eum (Kim Se Jong) is a former rising Judo star who quit and is looking for her own path outside of Judo. She is an upbeat and hard working. She is hired as an intern PD for a webtoon company. The company is the center of a power struggle and is at risk of shutting down. I loved this show as a…

[kdramatelier]

[k-drama-thoughts]

Because This Is My First Life

Synopsis:

Who has time for love when finances are on the mind? Nam Sae Hee (Lee Min Ki) is a socially awkward man in his early 30s who has spent his life’s savings purchasing his own house. While he can now be called the master of his own home, his finances are in a sorry state and his job as an IT employee provides him with next to no disposable income after paying off his mortgage. Yoon Ji Ho (Jung So Min), also in her 30s, is a homeless writer who barely makes enough to feed herself. Dating is the last thing on the mind for these financially strapped singles. Through a turn of events, Ji Ho comes to rent a place to stay in Sae Hee’s house and they find themselves as landlord and tenant... and married?

The Best Things About This Drama:

Park Byung Eun

The ensemble cast

The poetry

I'll give it a 4/5. I have watched this drama twice and I enjoyed it both times. What you expect to be a quirky rom-com slowly evolves into a beautiful poem about relationships, love, and marriage. The performances are all amazing, and the range of emotions you experience are both heart-wrenching and gratifying.

[whumpetywhump]

Doctors - Ep. 17

[koko-na-d]

Neverending Story - A Time Called You

By: Kim Min Seok (MeloMance)

[theinfinitedivides]

MY BBYS <3333333

[dryedmangoez]

My Top 16 Favorite OSTs of 2023

“Perfect,” “encapsulate,” “capture,” “evoke”; I’ll use those words a lot here. But it really is those things that make a song well-suited to be part of a TV or film soundtrack. Here are 16 of my favorite OSTs of 2023! Continue reading Untitled