#lee chun ho

[dauofblakes]

Duty After School Matching İcons

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[junkobato]

Upcoming Kdrama May 2024 💚

1/5: Frankly Speaking with Go Kyung Pyo, Kang Han Na. 12 episodes; rom-com.

4/5: the Atypical Family with Chun Woo Hee, Jang Ki Yong. 12 episodes, fantasy, romance, action.

11/5: the Midnight Romance with Jung Ryeo Won, Wi Ha Joon, So Joo Yun. 16 episodes; romance.

13/5: Crash with Lee Min Ki, Kwak Sun Young, Heo Sung Tae. 12 episodes; thriller, mystery, comedy.

13/5: Dare to Love Me with Kim Myung Soo, Lee Yoo Young. 16 episodes; rom-com.

15/5: Uncle Samsik with Song Kang Ho, Byun Yo Han, Lee Kyu Hyung. 16 episodes; business drama.

17/5: the 8 Show with Ryu Joon Yul, Chun Woo Hee, Park Jong Min. 8 episodes; thriller, psychological.

22/5: Not Very Strong, but Attractive Homicide Squad with Park Se Wan, Kim Dong Wook. 12 episodes; mystery, comedy.

24/5: Bitter Sweet Hell with Kim Hee Sun, Lee Hye Young, Kim Nam Hee. 12 episodes; thriller, mystery, comedy.

24/5: Connection with Ji Sung, Jeon Mi Do, Kwon Yul. 16 episodes; thriller, mystery.

Many new dramas! And so little time...

[intothemultifandom]

– 𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 || 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 (𝐝𝐚𝐬)

SUMMARY: Your brother always knew you were a good kid. PAIRINGS: Lee Chun-ho x sister!Reader ; minor Kwon Il-ha x f!Reader WARNING/TAGS: Canonical character death; Angst; Descriptions of violence AUTHOR NOTE: Takes place during Episode 5: "Maesong City University"

1.8k words

You were a good kid.

Truthfully, Chun-ho expected you to be harder than you were. With Eomma dying shortly after your birth, Appa skipping town not long after and him just starting his mandatory conscription by the time you were left with Harabeoji, Lee Chun-ho expected you to be a lot more angry and disobedient when he returned to take you with him.

Kids who didn't have parents to discipline them often were, he'd heard.

But Harabeoji was, well, Harabeoji.

"I may be old, but don't forget I raised your Eomma," Harabeoji smiled, eyes warm as you shuffled at his side, eyes darting between the two men curiously.

You'd spent nearly your entire childhood with him–longer than Chun-ho had anticipated–but he'd been offered a more permanent role with the military, one that meant staying a lot longer to plan taking you in and raising you with military benefits, and Harabeoji hadn't minded your extended stay.

Chun-ho may have inherited your Eomma's face, but you had her mature and easy-going spirit.

Raising you was easy, Harabeoji told him whilst you packed, because you were a good kid. Something Chun-ho got to see for himself overtime. In your spare time you liked drawing, listening to lofi music and reading.

When you were with Chun-ho, you liked testing out new recipes for the two of you to try, asking him about anything interesting happening at the base and joining him to watch the sports movie he'd play after a long day, nestling into his side to watch, too.

You hated bean sprouts, horror movies and washing the dishes but didn't mind drying so long as the space between you was filled with idle chatter.

Of course, like any other siblings you two had your fair share of arguments, too.

Sometimes you played your music a little too long into the night. Chun-ho was guilty of tracking muddied boots into the apartment, and you didn't understand why he'd wanted you to drop judo as an extra curricular, didn't understand the way the floor gave way beneath his feet the day you came home, face bruised and swollen.

But like Harabeoji and like Eomma, when you got upset with something Chun-ho said or a new rule he imposed you didn't yell or break things like Appa used to do (and Chun-ho, before conscription straightened him out) but would instead act rationally. Disappearing from Chun-ho's side before returning when you calmed.

You studied hard, joined extracurriculars that challenged you (as you'd defended judo), kept yourself surrounded with good people and updated him on anything he missed when he was gone.

Above all, you were happy.

Never lamenting on Eomma's passing or Appa's abandonment or faulting Chun-ho for his own shortcomings.

Truly, when Harabeoji said raising you was easy, he wasn't kidding.

Chun-ho was grateful.

Grateful that you'd grown up so normal and healthy, and that in your time together he got to see you come into your own hobbies and interests.

Grateful that you were always so easy with him, although convincing Harabeoji to let you join your class in mandatory training was anything but.

Chun-ho knew what the training was for, as prettily disguised as the government made it be with their promises of CSAT credits in lieu of early admission.

He knew just how dangerous and life-threatening the Spheres really were and had already proven to be, with Young-Hoon's needless death marking the beginning of the end.

Which is why when the Spheres finally attacked Sungjin High School and your platoon was forced to evacuate, Chun-ho was infinitely more grateful that you were right there with him.

Always at his side, even when at times he wished you weren't.

Admittedly though, in the aftermath of the chaos, of the bloodshed and massacre, the realisation that there were still things he hadn't known about you was something Chun-ho did not expect but something that crept up on him during the long nights spent overseeing your platoon.

In the two months your platoon stayed waiting in the downtown Sungjin Military base, Chun-ho learned that Kim Yoo-jung and Jo Jang-soo were perhaps two of your closest friends. Always the first to gravitate toward you during trainings and during lunch.

Though Yoo-jung could get overwhelmed at times with her role as Class President, Jang-soo seemed to be your other half, your main confidant—a constant in a class that seemed to shift around you.

One such force was Yeon Bo-ra, a spirited girl who was all sharp glares and sharper words and everything Chun-ho expected you to be once upon a time.

The past two months may have been hard on everyone, but you'd endured it with the surety of someone who had your family close by. A luxury not everyone had, as Bo-ra liked to point out.

Surprisingly, as often as Yoo-jung and Jang-soo came to your defence against Bo-ra during one her tirades, it was the natural ease that existed between you and Kwon Il-ha that had Chun-ho more intrigued into your place amongst your peers.

One night during dinner Il-ha had given you his bottle of water, hands brushing against yours longer than what was necessary.

It was there that Chun-ho realised that there was something, something more, between you and the usually hot-headed boy.

Your cheeks, usually pale, had been flushed as you accepted the bottle with an appreciative smile. Falling back into your conversation with Yoo-jung all the while Il-ha watched you with the kind of calm and attentiveness Chun-ho hadn't seen in him until then.

It had been a brief interaction, one your brother couldn't place exactly at the time, but the sincerity was there all the same, lingering in the space between you.

Chun-ho hadn't expected it, but seeing you with a first crush, teetering on the edge of something more–well, Chun-ho considered it a small mercy, all things considered.

Even if the War seemed endless and bleak, seeing you just be a kid was something your brother would always cherish. Now more than ever as he stands in the long abandoned classroom of Maesong City University, ready to die.

The room your brother's trapped in is quiet.

Where your platoon waits in the Seolbong Building across, is not.

Somewhere out there, in the desolate campus building, the mechanical and otherworldly whirring of the Spheres looms closer.

It had been risky, luring the Spheres in the neighbourhood to Maesong City University so they could blow them up with the bombs they'd made from dynamite and depleted uranium. But it had to be done.

And as this War had shown him, the kids in your class–yourself included–were made of stronger stuff.

In spite of the danger, of the fear and uncertainty he was sure you all felt, your class carried on, sticking together and covering each other when it mattered most.

As your Commanding officer, it was a humbling development but as your brother, it was reassuring and relieving all in one.

Knowing you were across from him, safe as you could be surrounded by your friends and platoon, Chun-ho felt nothing but calm serenity. And then–

"–Sir please," So-yeon's voice crackles through the device, wet and choked. "You promised."

The sound of her voice, so young and so scared, drags him back to reality — to the stifled quiet of the abandoned classroom where he almost falters.

But then the rational side of him wins out, and your brother thinks about your class and of you, of how you're somewhere in that room with So-yeon, and reminds himself that just like your class, he can be strong, too.

Firmly, he presses down on his mic.

"I'm sorry I can't protect you until the end as I promised," Chun-ho says, finding his voice.

"And for dragging you into this war as an adult. At first, I thought you were disobedient kids. But now that I think about it, I'm so grateful and proud of you all."

Through his walkie, Chun-ho can hear the raw grief and sorrow of your platoon. Different voices whimpering, crying and begging him to change his mind; but he can't, and he won't.

Quietly, he calls your name. Blinks away his tears as he listens to movement on your end, before a quiet voice rasps:

"Oppa?"

In your next life, Chun-ho resolves to tell you more often how much you mean to him. Resolves to spend his next life making it up to you everyday for leaving this way.

There's so much Chun-ho wishes he could say, but time is a privilege he doesn't have so your brother settles for something shorter, something only you'll understand.

"You have been the best sister I could have asked for. And the time we had together, it was glorious. So live well, okay?"

It's not goodbye, but Lee Chun-ho is confident those are the words that will bring you the most comfort right now. The words that will give you the strength to do what the others can't do in this moment.

And he's right.

In another life, Kim Yoo-Jung would've stepped up to initiate the bomb as Class President. And if not her, than Sergeant Kim as your brothers' second in command.

But in this life, you're here.

And because you've always been a good kid, you press the button in Yoo-jung's place.

And your brother? Well, your brother closes his eyes, and smiles.

Chun-ho's latest pick is playing on the TV. It's an American move: McFarland USA, or something like that.

You're tucked into his side, all warm and lazy contentment and outside, there is the quiet patter of rain.

"Oppa?" you ask, when the movie reaches a lull.

"Hmm?" he replies, tilting his head toward you.

In the next few months, you'll be taking the CSATs. Graduating high-school before making your way into the big wide world. It's a scary thought, daunting really, but you're confident that whatever you do your brother will support you.

There is one thing you'd like to know, though.

"What if I still don't know what I want to do after school?" you ask, hesitant.

Your brother blinks, as if momentarily surprised, before his face relaxes. "I think by the time CSATS are done, you'll have an idea of what you want to do. You're the smarter one between us, so you'll be fine."

"You think so?"

Chun-ho smiles, playfully knocking your knees with his.

"I know so," he repeats, sure and confident.

"And if you're still unsure, don't focus too much on what everyone else is doing and think about what you like. Sometimes, the best thing we can do in life is find what we love and follow it to glory."

"Is that you how feel about the Military?" you can't but press, curious.

Chun-ho lets out a quiet laugh, eyes soft and gentle as he takes you in. "Not just the Military," he says, something meaningful in his tone, right before a bang resounds from the TV.

"– Now shush, it's starting to get good!"

[sunnymimis]

TONEGAWA x OGBAEM MAFIA 🐍 Kozo and Tae-yong belong to @burukaji! The others belong to me!

[binging-asian-dramas]

My Liberation Notes. 8

Story: 9

Acting: 10

Chemistry: 10

Comparable to: My Mister (kdrama) ; When the Weather is Fine (kdrama); Just Between Lovers (kdrama)

This is one of those life dramas with excellent phenomenal simplicity storytelling. The characters are beautifully written and acting are 👌I will say the storyline starts off on a more depressing dark side of tone how life can be but it does get a more uplifting feel later in the series. It’s all about the struggles of relationships (the good and bad), family issues, growing up, and just trying to survive in a world where you feel like everything is hitting you at once. I can see where fans would say it could get draggy somewhat, but I didn’t really have a problem with it.

[k-drama-thoughts]

The Story of the Park Marriage Contract

Synopsis:

As a newly married woman in 19th-century Korea, Park Yeon Woo’s (Lee Se Young) life should have been a happy one. But when her new husband dies shortly after their wedding, her life goes from bad to worse when she’s kidnapped and thrown down a well. What should have been the end of her story turns out to be just the beginning when her fall into the well lands her in a swimming pool in modern-day Korea. Fished out by Kang Tae Ha (Bae In Hyuk), Yeon Woo soon finds herself presented with a strange request: to join him in a contract marriage. Lost in a strange new world, will Yeon Woo agree to make a dying man’s wish come true?

The Best Things About This Drama:

Familiar formula done well

Likeable characters

Doesn't over do the angst

I'm giving this one 4/5. There is a lot to like about this drama, especially Joo Hyun Young as Sa Wol, Yeon Woo's maid and friend, and Jo Bok Rae as Hong Seong Pyo, Tae He's secretary and friend. The time-slip storyline is a popular one, and they did a brilliant job making this one interesting and unique in a familiar landscape.

There is, of course, a lot of machinations and plotting around the corporate structure to mirror the political struggles we see in Joseon, and the familiar domestic drama among chaebol families was ever present. What I thought was particularly well done is that the true motivations and plots unfolded slowly, and each time it felt more like a puzzle piece fitting into place and not like a shock out of the blue.

The definition of fate and destiny is a recurring theme, as is what sacrifice and selflessness means to each person. They're subtle, but ever present. I appreciated that there was no singular accepted answer to the questions of what determines fate and what is a selfless act of love.

Lee Se Young is a beautiful woman and actress, and I enjoyed her performance as much as I enjoyed her character. The fact that she was allowed to be the more carefree and informal one to Bae In Hyuk's more rigid and formal personality was a nice balance. You got to see him evolve without completely changing his personality.

All in all, it was what I would call a cozy drama. Something that you could watch and enjoy without being completely emotionally wrecked by the end of each episode. I definitely recommend it for a great love story.

[k-star-holic]

Yoshihiro Akiyama orders 34 servings of beef..."Who's the youngest?" Won-sung on demand for water spoon settings ('President's ears')

[dangermousie]

What kdramas or cdramas do you have your eyes open for in 2025?

Ooooh, I love this ask!

Cdramas: I did this post recently which should sum it up

KDRAMAS

Can This Love Be Translated? - love the cast, love the set up!

Dear Bandit - sageuk about lady bandit and prince who swap souls. Nam Ji Hyun and Moon Sang Min. I am indifferent to the cast but the premise could be great (or terrible, but let's be optimistic.)

The First Night with the Duke - manhua soapy deliciousness

The Good Man - Lee Dong Wook as a mobster in love? Gimme.

Haesi's Shinru - not sure if it's still on but it's a sageuk with Ahn Bo Hyun.

The Haunted Palace - this sound kinda insane but I am so desperate for a period kdrama.

Hong Rang - sageuk, fakecest, angstttttt

Human from Today - gumihos for the win

Kiss Me For No Reason - adore both Ahn Eun Jin and Jang Ki Yong and the romance sounds choice.

Last Summer - romance with Lee Jae Wook. He's picked some awful projects but he's a great actor so here is hoping.

The Moon Flows in This River - "he is a mysterious person with a dark past but a strong will even in loneliness. His life is in solitude, but one day, he meets his heroine fatefully, and light begins to shine on his life. She has a bright and pure charm, and they seep into each other's lives and discover true love and hope."

Our Movie - aaaaangsty romantic melo with Namgoong Min? OH YES PLS

The Remarried Empress - sometimes I just want trashy makjang with A-list actors.

The Scandal of Chun Hwa - sexy sageuk romance, bring it on!

The Scent of Plum Flower - sageuk! I am desperate for a decent sageuk.

Serenade - not sure if it's still on but Yeo Jin Goo in a sageuk OH GOD PLSSSSS

Soulmate - Taecyeon in a Japanese x Korean BL coproduction? Yes pls.

The Tyrant's Chef - sageuk AND Park Sung Hoon as ML. Not a fan of Yoona but one of the few times I liked her in was in a sageuk (TKL) so here is hoping.

When Life Gives You Tangerines - Park Bo Gum and IU and this one sentence from the synopsis: "he doesn’t know how to act if Ae Sun cries or laughs, but he is a silent warrior who only loves Ae Sun from the very beginning and pours his all into loving her." AAAAAAAAA

When the Stars Gossip - If liking Lee Min Ho and Gong Hyo Jin in old school romance is basic, I will gladly be basic.

Wife of a 21st Century Prince - IU and Byeon Woo Seok in something that sounds like a Goong AU? Yes pls.

[kuebandungs]

Duty After School Imagine : 03

☆ Kwon Ilha x Reader ☆

DUTY AFTER SCHOOL IMAGINE Masterlist

◕ _______⁠_⁠_⁠__♡♡♡________⁠_⁠_ ◕

"Ouch! Did you hurt me on purpose?"

You hissed lightly at the man in front of you. Then continued your activity of applying medicine to the wound on his face.

"Shh, slow down."

That man—Kwon Ilha— said, and stopped your hand movement. He looked at you with a stare that was hard to interpret.

Feeling the unpleasant air around you, you cleared your throat softly. "So, don't be a tough guy," you said, pretending to be angry.

Ilha lets out a long sigh, he has no intention of releasing your hand from his grip. Instead, he plays along with your fingers.

"He's such a jerk! I can't keep quiet." he said.

You just shook your head in wonder. You don't know what kind of grudge Ilha has with the Ranking One in your class.

Even earlier, after Mrs. Park's shocking announcement about military training, Ilha had a fight with Younghoon that resulted in scars on several parts of his face.

"Never mind, there's no need to think about him. Why do you care so much about Younghoon?" you said as you pull your hand out of Ilha's grasp to organize the medicine box.

"Are you crazy?! I don't care about that bastard!" he argued.

"Okay, then. If you don't care, then don't bother him. You should have approached him so you could get smarter like him, instead of engaging in fight."

"Nope, not a chance!"

You chuckle secretly, feeling that the attitude of this man who always looks fierce at school seems funny.

"Alright, get some rest. Give my regards to your mother, I'm going home."

You got up from the chair in the living room of his home. After slinging your backpack over your shoulder, you head out.

"I'll take you home," Ilha said, following you.

"No need, I can go by myself."

"I didn't ask."

You gave him a lazy look. Stubborn Ilha. The boy who likes to be on his own. He who doesn't like to listen to others. After all, he was your best friend since childhood.

Behind his stubbornness, you know that there is a soft side to you. Ilha who likes to be on his own, is the same Ilha who will take care of you without being asked. The Ilha who doesn't like to listen to others, is the same Ilha who always provides his ears to listen to your stories.

"Why are you standing still? Don't you want to go home?"

As soon as you realized that you had been daydream, you instantly caught up with Ilha who was already walking.

--------------------------

DUTY AFTER SCHOOL IMAGINE

--------------------------

"Ilha, are you coming?"

You laughed at the man's sour face.

He had confidently said yesterday that he would not participate in this military training activity. But look at it now, there's a suitcase next to his seat. You laugh even more at Ilha's annoyed expression.

"My mom forced me to go, she said I'd just be lazy at home," he said.

"Well, I totally agree with Aunt Kwon." You playfully ruffle Ilha's hair, making him give you a fierce look.

Look, how can a guy who often makes other students dare not approach him —for fear of being bullied— be this adorable?

"Hey, it's still early in the morning but you guys are already being flirtatious like that!"

"I wonder, how can (Name) always stare so fondly at Ilha."

"What's so attractive about that guy?"

The astonished remarks were heard from Heerak, Hana, and Bora. You don't mind with their reactions. You return to your seat when Mrs. Park enters the classroom with a soldier.

"Salute. I'm Lieutenant Lee Chun Ho. I will be the 2nd Platoon Commander. Nice to meet you."

You stare unblinkingly at the soldier's figure. His aura really makes you feel hypnotized.

Meanwhile, Ilha who realized you were being mesmerized by Lieutenant Lee, could only glance sarcastically.

"Is there anyone who wants to be a clerk?"

Because you're enjoying the beautiful scenery in front of the class, you don't listen to Mrs. Park or Lieutenant Lee. Don't even realize that almost all of your friends are avoiding Lieutenant Lee's gaze.

"You're in the back," Lieutenant Lee's gaze suddenly falls on you.

You just blinked, too surprised to suddenly become the attention of the whole class.

"Me? Why, sir?" You ask confused, also trying to hide your blush in your cheeks from being stared at directly by Lieutenant Lee.

"You're going to be a clerk whose job it's to record the training and documentation of the member of Second Platoon to send to the parents. You don't mind, do you?" he said in a tone that sounds like an order.

You're so nervous that you can only nod slowly and ignore the mocking laughter from your classmates.

"Alright, three bonus points will be given to the clerk and the senior enlisted."

Immediately, a groan of disapproval could be heard from your classmates. They felt jealous that you and Yoojung —who were appointed as Senior Enlisted— were getting extra points.

"Huh, now you guys regret laughing at me?" You said with a satisfied laugh.

-------------------------

"Hey, hey, hold on! Give me 2 seconds!"

After that shout, you see Taeman running and are immediately chased by Ilha and others while pointing their guns, pretending to shoot Taeman.

You just shook your head and laughed. You actually wanted to play chase like them, but you were too lazy especially in this hot weather.

"Hey, stop playing around and get over here!"

Until a shout from one of the male soldier was heard. But, Ilha, Taeman, Bora, Hana, and Heerak were still having fun and didn't care.

Prit!!!

"What are you guys doing?! Hurry up and gather! NOW!"

Another shout makes you gasp in surprise. However, it also managed to make Ilha and others who had been playing chase stop instantly.

Lieutenant Lee, who had just shouted angrily, quickly approached Ilha and grabbed the weapon in his hand roughly. Then he gave a lecture to all the students of class 12-2 or what was now called Platoon 2 about not playing with firearms because it was very dangerous.

"Three fastest to the goal!"

All your friends are confused by Lieutenant Lee's order. The moments after, with hesitant steps, Youngshin started running towards the goal. Instantly you and the rest of your friends followed suit.

-------------------------

"It's all because of you, you know?" you whispered.

Lieutenant Lee's punishment is over. Now you and others are heading back to the dormitory. You walked next to Ilha.

The boy just glanced at you, not intending to respond you. That made you hiss in annoyance and punch his shoulder.

"Ouch! Why you hit me?!" screamed Ilha while clutching his shoulder.

You glance at him lazily. "No need to exaggerate, I hit you lightly."

"Was it light? You're using internal force!" protest Ilha.

"Shut up, I'm tired. I don't have the energy to deal with your nonsense."

Ilha secretly smiled wryly, "Oh really? You tired, aren't you?"

Without any prompting, Ilha wrapped his arms around you quite tightly. He sandwiches your neck between his arms and body. You who were surprised, tried to break free.

"Akhh! Kwon Ilha, let go of me! You're sweating, you know! Ilha, let me go!!" You were still trying to shake off Ilha's embrace, while the man was laughing at you.

"Hey, let go of (Name). She's having a hard time breathing."

You sighed gratefully, as Jangsoo's words just now managed to make Ilha's embrace weaken and you were able to break away from him.

"Woah, thank yo—"

"Really? Her face doesn't show that she's having trouble breathing."

You who were about to turn to Jangsoo to thank him, suddenly paused in shock as Ilha brought his face closer to you.

"Oh, your face is red. Was I too tight earlier?" Ilha looks at you worriedly when he sees the reddish color appear around your cheeks.

It feels like you want to run as far as you can and drown yourself in the sea. You really hope that this man who is still staring at you doesn't realize that the redness on your face isn't because of difficulty breathing, but because of him.

Yes, you can't lie if you are currently feeling misbehaving because of Ilha's attitude. You cover your embarrassment as much as possible, then push Ilha's face away from you.

Without saying anything, you rush ahead of Ilha and enter the girls' dormitory.

Meanwhile Ilha who sees you walking away from him, chuckles amusedly.

"She's so cute," he said softly.

"When are you going to confess your feeling? I'm tired of you guys being so standoffish."

It turns out that Bora had been next to Jangsoo, watching you and Ilha from the behind.

Ilha looked back at Bora. "Shut up! I'll say it later!"

"That's fine. If you're preceded by someone else, I'll be the one laughing the loudest."

"Damn you!"

[ ✓ ]

< 02. Soocheol

[mariacallous]

Author Han Kang won this year’s Nobel Prize in literature, becoming the first Asian woman to do so and the second Nobel laureate from South Korea. A woman being the first Korean author to win the prize is a breath of fresh air, especially as the poet Ko Un, long considered the most likely South Korean to win the prize, was exposed as a serial sexual harasser in 2018 by South Korea’s own Me Too movement.

Han’s win is also a triumph of South Korea’s fierce and resilient democracy. South Korea’s first Nobel laureate was Kim Dae-jung, an activist-turned-president who won the peace prize in 2000 for his efforts to restore democracy in the country and improve relations with North Korea. Han’s win echoes Kim’s path. Although Han initially gained international fame through her 2007 novel The Vegetarian, which won the 2016 International Booker Prize, her profile reached new heights with subsequent novels that delved into South Korea’s tortuous modern history: Human Acts was about the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, where hundreds of protesters were murdered by the dictatorship, and We Do Not Part was about the Jeju Massacre of the late 1940s by then-President Syngman Rhee, South Korea’s first autocrat.

Han’s Nobel Prize is a nod of recognition for the South Korean people’s struggle for freedom and democracy against the dictatorship that ruled the country for nearly five decades and still casts a shadow on Korean politics to this day.

Both Kim and Han are from South Joella province, the region that suffered the most under South Korea’s military dictators. Both gained renown through their connection to the 1980 Gwangju Uprising—Kim as a leader of the democracy movement that called attention to the massacre, and Han as the author of Human Acts, which examines the massacre from various perspectives, including an amateur mortician cleaning the bodies of the dead, a censored author, a survivor with post-traumatic stress disorder, and the dead themselves.

Han is part of a transformative generation of both political heroism and artistic talent. Han enrolled in Yonsei University in 1989, just two years after the death of Yonsei student activist Lee Han-yeol—the event that led to the fall of the Chun Doo-hwan dictatorship and South Korea’s transition to democracy. One year ahead of Han at Yonsei was Bong Joon-ho, a student activist who would go on to become an Oscar-winning director with movies such as Parasite and Snowpiercer, both sharp criticisms of capitalism. One year after Han at Seoul National University across town was Hwang Dong-hyuk, who would later win an Emmy Award as the director of Squid Game, a global hit TV series that also highlighted inequality in South Korea.

Though working in different mediums, Han, Bong, and Hwang were all forged in the crucible of South Korea’s tumultuous 1980s and ’90s. In those two decades, the country saw a brutal massacre and an authoritarian government that reveled in witch-hunting communists and the use of torture. Then the dictatorship fell, leading to electoral democracy, the Olympics, and a flowering of youth culture that sowed the seeds for the global popularity of K-pop and Korean dramas. But greater wealth and freedom soon gave way to hyper-competitive capitalism, inequality, and new uncertainties, causing some to pine for the simpler days of the past.

The works of South Korea’s democracy generation are resonating globally because, in the rhymes of history, today’s world resembles the South Korea that Han, Bong, and Hwang saw in their formative years. War and mass murder rage on, with their horrors felt more intimately than ever. Liberal democracy is barely holding on, with the masses willingly submitting to clownish authoritarianism. The world might be wealthier than before, but the small improvement in material conditions is cold comfort to those who lose out in the economic rat race. By looking back on their experiences, Han, Bong, and Hwang created works of art that ask painfully relevant questions for today’s world.

Han’s relentless focus on the violation of bodily integrity is what sets her apart from her predecessors and peers. Other giants of South Korean literature also dealt with the country’s tumultuous modern history, with authors like Jo Jeong-rae and Park Kyong-ni producing epic novels that vividly recount the decades of colonialism, war, and dictatorship. But Han distinguishes herself by drawing the connection of those decades to the effect on one’s body—something extremely personal.

The protagonist for The Vegetarian, for example, is an ordinary woman named Young-hye who suddenly finds meat disgusting, repelled by the implied violence in the food. In the face of subtle and overt violence committed by her husband’s family who cannot understand her decision, she slowly transforms herself into a tree. The Vegetarian gained popularity in South Korea with the rise of toxic misogyny among young men that fueled South Korean politics’ rightward turn—a trend that is now emerging in many parts of the world.

Han’s subsequent works widen the circle of violence from patriarchy to state violence, but her focus on bodily integrity remains the same. Human Acts opens with a stark image of massacred bodies piled on like meat at a butcher shop and one of the protagonists desperately trying to hold back the intestines from spilling out of them. The image is brutal, but not gratuitous—it is an image that must be confronted as reality, just like the horrific images of destruction in Ukraine or dead children in Gaza.

Softly but meticulously, Han’s works examine how social structures—as intimate as an oppressive family, or as distant as the dictatorship government across the sea—can cause such raw and exquisite pain. In doing so, Han asks the thorny but necessary questions for today. What must be done about all this pain? How can the world remain so cold and unmoved in the sight of such suffering? Having seen such suffering, how do we live with ourselves while maintaining human dignity, without drowning in self-hate and survivors’ guilt? Through masterful presentation of these questions, Han elevated the challenges that South Korea’s democracy generation has confronted for decades to issues for the whole world.

[philixx]

— 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐎'𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐖

✮ Ham Dan-I

— [Oneshots]

… coming soon!

— [Drabbles]

… coming soon!

— [Multi-Parts]

… coming soon!

— [Headcanons]

… coming soon!

— [Multi Char.]

… coming soon!

— [Yandere]

… coming soon!

✮ Ban Yeo-dan

— [Oneshots]

… coming soon!

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… coming soon!

— [Multi-Parts]

… coming soon!

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— [Multi Char.]

… coming soon!

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… coming soon!

✮ Ban Yeo-ryeong

— [Oneshots]

… coming soon!

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✮ Yoo Chun-young

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✮ Lee Ru-da

— [Oneshots]

… coming soon!

— [Drabbles]

… coming soon!

— [Multi-Parts]

… coming soon!

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✮ Eun Ji-ho

— [Oneshots]

… coming soon!

— [Drabbles]

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— [Multi-Parts]

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✮ Kwon Eun-hyung

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— [Multi Char.]

… coming soon!

— [Yandere]

… coming soon!

[955169839]

Lee Jun Seong and Shin Seong Ho for SPOTLiGHT Magazine Photography by Chun Young Sang

[junkobato]

Upcoming Kdrama May 2023 🧡

1/5: Run Into You with Kim Dong Wook, Jin Ki Joo. 16 episodes; sci-fi, romance, mystery. Trailer

5/5: All That We Loved with Oh Sehun, Jo Joon Young, Song Jae Rim. 8 episodes; romance, youth. Trailer

6/5: Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 with Lee Dong Wook, Kim Bum, Kim So Yeon, Ryu Kyung Soo. 12 episodes; historical, romance, fantasy. Trailer

10/5: Race with Lee Yun Hee, Jung Yoon Ho, Hong Jung Hyun. 12 episodes; business, melodrama. Trailer

12/5: Black Knight with Kim Woo Bin, Esom, Song Seung Heon. 6 episodes; sci-fi, action, adventure. Trailer

15/5: Oh! Young Shim with Song Ha Yoon, Lee Dong Hae, Lee Min Jae. 10 episodes; rom-com. Trailer

24/5: One Day Off with Lee Na Young. 8 episodes; food, life. Trailer

29/5: Delightfully Deceitful with Kim Dong Wook, Chun Woo Hee, Yoon Park. 16 episodes; drama. Trailer

31/5: Happiness Battle with Lee El, Cha Ye Ryun, Jin Seo Yun. 16 episodes; thriller, mystery. Trailer

So many new shows to watch!!!

*REBLOG FOR UPDATES*

[tinybeetiny]

Blissful Life Blissful Love: Character List

YAY I'm finally getting this thing kicked off! I hope you all enjoy reading through everyone, I put a lot of time and effort into giving everyone their own personalities and I hope they're not too repetitive. Let me know who your favorite is

CHAPTER LIST

Character List:

SYNCO:

Lee Yura: Leader/Main rapper/vocals/dancer

Baek Ha-Joon: Main vocals/dancer

Jung Dae-Ho: Main dancer/rapper

Choi Jaewon: Main rapper/visual

Kang Ban-Hwa: Maknae/dancer/ vocals

Harmony Queens:

Lee Sooah: Leader/vocals

Ahn Mi Cha: Main dancer/rapper

Chun Eun Ae: Main rapper/dancer

Choi Soon-Bok: Main vocals /rapper

Kim Mi-Hi: Visual/dancer/maknae

Lee Yura: Vocals

Groups/Idols that will be mentioned:

Ateez

TXT

Aespa

Itzy

Stray Kids

Maddox

Xikers

Enhypen

Many more

[444namesplus]

Ba Baa Baas Bae Baes Bais Bam Ban Bao Baos Bau Baus Be Bees Bei Beis Bem Ben Beo Beos Beu Beus Bi Bias Bie Bies Bii Biis Bim Bin Bio Bios Biu Bius Bo Boes Bom Bon Boo Boos Bou Bous Bu Bua Bues Bui Buis Bum Bun Buo Buu Buus Chi Chia Chias Chie Chies Chii Chiis Chim Chin Chio Chios Chiu Chius Chu Chua Chuas Chue Chues Chui Chuis Chum Chun Chuo Chuos Chuu Chuus Da Daas Dae Daes Dais Dam Dan Dao Daos Daus De Dea Deas Dee Dei Deis Dem Den Deo Deu Deus Dha Dhaa Dhaas Dhaes Dhai Dhais Dham Dhan Dhaus Dhe Dhea Dheas Dhee Dhees Dheis Dhem Dhen Dheo Dheu Dhi Dhia Dhies Dhiis Dhim Dhin Dhio Dhios Dhiu Dhius Dho Dhoa Dhoas Dhoes Dhois Dhom Dhon Dhoo Dhoos Dhou Dhous Dhu Dhua Dhue Dhues Dhum Dhun Dhuo Dhuu Dhuus Di Die Dies Dii Diis Dim Din Dio Diu Dius Do Doa Doas Doi Dom Don Doo Doos Dous Du Duas Due Dues Dui Duis Dum Dun Duu Fa Faa Faas Fae Faes Fai Fais Fam Fan Fao Faos Fau Faus Fe Fea Feas Fee Fees Fei Feis Fem Fen Feo Feus Fi Fia Fias Fiis Fim Fin Fios Fius Fo Foa Foe Foi Fois Fom Fon Foos Fous Fu Fua Fuas Fue Fues Fui Fuis Fum Fun Fuos Fuus Ga Gaa Gaas Gae Gaes Gam Gan Gaos Gau Ge Gea Geas Gee Gei Geis Gem Gen Geo Geu Geus Gi Gia Gias Gie Gies Gii Giis Gim Gin Gios Giu Gius Go Goe Gom Gon Goo Goos Gous Gu Guas Gue Gui Guis Gum Gun Guo Guos Guu Guus Ha Haa Haas Hae Haes Hai Hais Ham Han Haos Hau He Hea Heas Hee Hees Hei Heis Hem Hen Heo Heu Heus Hi Hie Hies Hii Hiis Him Hin Hio Hios Hius Ho Hoe Hom Hon Hous Hu Huas Hui Huis Hum Hun Huo Huu Huus

Ja Jaa Jae Jaes Jai Jais Jam Jan Jaos Jau Jaus Je Jea Jeas Jee Jem Jen Jeo Jeos Jeu Jeus Ji Jia Jias Jie Jies Jii Jiis Jim Jin Jio Jios Jiu Jo Joa Joas Joe Joes Jois Jom Jon Joos Jou Jous Ju Jua Juas Jue Juis Jum Jun Juo Juos Juu Juus Ka Kaas Kae Kai Kais Kam Kan Kao Kaos Kau Kaus Ke Kea Keas Kee Kei Keis Kem Ken Keo Keos Keu Keus Ki Kia Kie Kies Kim Kin Kio Kios Kiu Kius Ko Koe Koes Koi Kois Kom Kon Koo Koos Kou Kous Ku Kua Kue Kues Kum Kun Kuos Kuu Kuus La Laa Laas Laes Lais Lam Lan Laos Lau Laus Le Lea Leas Lee Lees Lei Lem Len Leo Leos Leu Leus Li Lia Lie Liis Lim Lin Lio Lios Liu Lo Loa Loas Loe Loes Lom Lon Loo Loos Lou Lu Lua Lue Lui Luis Lum Lun Luo Luos Luus Ma Maa Mae Maes Mai Mam Man Mao Maos Mau Maus Me Mea Mee Mei Meis Mem Men Meo Meu Mi Mias Mie Mies Mii Miis Mim Min Mios Miu Mius Mo Moa Moas Moe Mois Mom Mon Moo Mous Mu Mua Muas Mues Mui Mum Mun Muo Muu Muus Na Naa Naas Nae Naes Nai Nais Nam Nan Nao Naos Naus Ne Nea Neas Nee Nees Neis Nem Nen Neo Neos Neu Neus Ni Nii Niis Nim Nin Nio Nios Niu No Noa Noas Noe Noes Noi Nom Non Noo Nou Nous Nu Nua Nuas Nues Nui Nuis Num Nun Nuo Nuos Nuu Pa Paa Pae Paes Pai Pam Pan Pao Pau Paus Pe Pea Peas Pee Pees Pei Peis Pem Pen Peo Peos Peu Pi Pias Pie Pii Piis Pim Pin Pio Pios Piu Po Poas Poe Poes Pois Pom Pon Poo Poos Pou Pous Pu Puas Pue Pues Pui Puis Pum Pun Puo Puu Puus Ra Raa Raas Rae Rai Rais Ram Ran Raos Rau Raus Re Reas Ree Rees Rei Reis Rem Ren Reo Reos Reu Reus Ri Ria Rii Rim Rin Rio Rios Riu Rius Ro Roa Roas Roe Roes Roi Rois Rom Ron Roo Roos Rou Rous Ru Rua Rues Rui Ruis Rum Run Ruo Ruos Ruu Ruus Sa Sae Saes Sais Sam San Sau Se Sea Seas Sees Sei Seis Sem Sen Seos Shi Shia Shias Shie Shies Shii Shiis Shim Shin Shio Shios Shiu Shius Shu Shua Shuas Shue Shues Shui Shuis Shum Shun Shuo Shuos Shuu Shuus Si Sia Sii Siis Sim Sin Sio Sios Sius So Soe Soes Sois Som Son Soos Sous Su Suas Sui Suis Sum Sun Suo Suu Suus Ta Taa Taas Taes Tai Tais Tam Tan Tao Taos Tau Taus Te Tea Teas Tees Tei Tem Ten Teo Teu Thi Thia Thias Thie Thies Thii Thiis Thim Thin Thio Thios Thiu Thius Thu Thua Thuas Thue Thues Thui Thuis Thum Thun Thuo Thuos Thuu Thuus Ti Tias Tie Tiis Tim Tin Tio Tios Tiu Tius To Toas Toe Toes Toi Tom Ton Toos Tou Tous Tu Tua Tuas Tue Tues Tui Tuis Tum Tun Tuo Tuu Tuus Va Vaa Vaas Vae Vaes Vai Vam Van Vaos Vau Vaus Ve Vea Veas Vee Vees Vei Vem Ven Veo Veos Veu Veus Vi Vie Vii Viis Vim Vin Vio Viu Vo Voa Voe Voes Voi Vois Vom Von Voo Voos Vou Vous Vu Vue Vues Vui Vuis Vum Vun Vuo Vuus Wa Waas Wae Wai Wam Wan Wao Waos Wau Waus We Wea Wees Wei Weis Wem Wen Weos Weus Wi Wia Wias Wie Wies Wii Wim Win Wio Wiu Wo Woa Woe Woes Woi Wois Wom Won Woos Wou Wu Wua Wuas Wue Wui Wum Wun Wuo Wuos Wuu Wuus Za Zaa Zaas Zae Zaes Zai Zais Zam Zan Zaos Zau Zaus Ze Zea Zeas Zee Zees Zei Zeis Zem Zen Zeo Zeos Zeu Zeus Zha Zhaa Zhae Zhaes Zhai Zhais Zham Zhan Zhao Zhaos Zhau Zhaus Zhe Zhea Zhee Zhees Zhei Zheis Zhem Zhen Zheo Zheos Zheu Zheus Zhi Zhia Zhie Zhies Zhii Zhim Zhin Zhio Zhios Zhiu Zhius Zho Zhoa Zhoas Zhoe Zhoes Zhoi Zhom Zhon Zhou Zhous Zhu Zhuas Zhuis Zhum Zhun Zhuos Zhuu Zhuus Zi Zia Zias Zim Zin Zio Ziu Zius Zo Zoe Zoes Zois Zom Zon Zoo Zoos Zou Zous Zu Zuas Zue Zues Zuis Zum Zun Zuos Zuu

[inapat17]

Traditions in transition: cinematic perspectives on the modernization of post-war societies (4/4)

Before concluding this four-part series, I want to examine how Lee Chang-dong’s "Peppermint Candy" (1999) portrays post-war South Korea’s transition from a military dictatorship to democracy. The film not only encapsulates the essence of societal transformation but also serves as a poignant reminder of history's lasting impact on individual lives.

As usual, you can find my previous articles HERE. 

Part 3. Peppermint Candy (박하사탕, Lee Chang-dong, 1999)

Peppermint Candy's Trailer

Directed by Lee Chang-dong, an influential auteur of Korea’s New Wave of cinema, Peppermint Candy (1999) reflects on South Korea’s turbulent journey to democratization and modernity in the decades after the Korean War. Through its non-linear structure and powerful performances, Lee Chang-dong's film delves deep into themes of lost innocence, the impact of political and social change, and the haunting effects of guilt and regret. By revealing Yong-ho’s life in reverse, Lee Chang-dong juxtaposes personal memories with historical events, emphasizing the interplay between individual trauma and collective memory. In this way, he also effectively highlights how past experiences shape present identities. 

The film begins with the suicide of the protagonist, Kim Yong-ho, who throws himself in front of an oncoming train. This haunting act serves as the catalyst for a reflective journey into the events that led to his untimely death. We see him in the 1990s as a broken middle-aged man, jobless due to the economic crisis and struggling with the consequences of his actions. His relationships deteriorate, including his failed marriage. Further back, he is depicted as a corrupt police officer and a disillusioned soldier witnessing the violent suppression of the “Gwangju Uprising”, also known as the “Gwangju Democratization Movement”. A tragic and pivotal incident in South Korean history that took place from May 18 to 27, 1980. 

Peppermint Candy, Lee Chang-dong, 1999

Triggered by widespread discontent with the authoritarian regime of Chun Doo-Hwan, thousands of students and civilians in the city of Gwangju protested against martial law and demanded democratic reforms. The military’s brutal response led to the death of hundreds of protesters and left a deep scar on the national consciousness. To this day, the Gwangju uprising remains a significant historical event, reflecting the nation’s turbulent journey towards democratization and the enduring impact of state violence on collective memory. 

Peppermint Candy, Lee Chang-dong, 1999

Peppermint Candy critiques political oppression and the abuse of power by depicting this military and police brutality. Its protagonist, Kim Yong-ho, is profoundly affected by the 1980 events. In a heart-wrenching scene, he accidently kills a high school girl during the chaos of the uprising, a moment that haunts him throughout the film. The title “Peppermint Candy” serves as a powerful symbol of innocence and nostalgia, contrasting sharply with Yong-ho’s despair. Initially, we see him as an idealistic young man with dreams and aspirations. However, as he becomes embroiled in the corrupt and violent system, his innocence is gradually stripped away, leaving him a hollow shell of his former self. Ultimately, Lee Chang-dong paints a harrowing portrait of a man haunted by his actions and struggling to reconcile the past with the present. Yong-ho’s identity crisis mirrors the broader societal identity crisis during South Korea’s transition. 

Thank you for accompanying me on this journey. Your support has been truly invaluable.

Ruth Sarfati