#long live IOTNBO

[sweetestlamb]

Stronger Part 3 (Unbreak my Heart)

Summary: Gang-tae finally gets a reality check.

Author's note: Slightly tipsy as I wrote this, life has been very busy but I have plans to write a naughty Search:WWW fic so I wanted to get this out first. The next chapters will be the climaxes and y'all can let me know if you want smut in this series, or if you like it nice and wholesome. 🙃🙃🙃🙃 But no worries the smut would come muchhhhh later.

Mang-tae lays limp on the night frosted ground, gleaming button eyes peering up at him in judgement. With a deep rooted sigh he bends over to retrieve the doll, pocketing it before turning from the empty spot she no longer resides.

The happiness that bubbled up at her unforeseen appearance has twisted and crystallized into a rancid pool of disappointment and melancholy at her just as sudden disappearance.

He doesn't understand.

Opening up had been difficult, the most challenging obstacle he'd faced in their.... predicament. She'd been poking and prodding for as long as he'd know her, enticing him to crawl out of his self imposed prison, until he broke. Unleashed all his pain and misery on her like torrential showers thundering from the heavens. Voicing hidden horrors and his not so hidden desires, he'd tried to subdue his feelings but as always she made him act out of character.

The thought of that mad woman harming her made his skin boil with heated anger, so much so that all he could do was kiss her back to life; his grim thoughts had painted morbid tales of her demise and seeing her there on the staircase, painfully gorgeous had been so heart shattering he almost wept.

But somehow that hadn't been enough. His secrets and his scars weren't enough for her, she'd seen the real him and taken his advice to get lost. She wasn't supposed to listen to him, she never had before.

"Geesh what was that about? She looked like a witch out here! Did you two have fight? Why didn't she try to kidnap you and take you home?" Jae-su's bewildered voice cracks through the thumping of his heart, weighty in his chest.

He fumbles to think of an answer. He's at a loss, maybe he was the one who wouldn't understand her for a hundred years.

"I... don't... It's nothing. We're fine. Let's go inside." His friend scoffs, condescending eyes calling him a liar but he ignores them, running away instead.

At least he still has Sang-tae.

"I can't. I'm busy." His brother carelessly rejects his offer to hang out and watch cartoons, stuffing pencils and a notepad into the satchel slung across his body. Fidgeting as he fixes his hair in the mirror, visibly excited about his events for the day. He tries not to be jealous that he isn't a part of those plans.

He fails.

"Where are you going? Can't I come?" He pleads, staring up at his older brother with wide beckoning eyes.

Sang-tae stares back nonplussed, "You're not as cute at the alley cat, that won't convince me. That isn't convincing at all Gang-tae."

With a groan he rolls on the bed roll, before clambering onto his feet. Pulling out his phone he sends Jae-su a text, Do you want to hang out? He freezes as his eyes unknowingly land on her messages underneath, tricks to get him back in the castle and teasing selfies that he had saved once he received them.

He'd composed many messages to her before his thumb destroyed them with systemic viciousness, leaving no letter untouched. There was still a minuscule part of him that envisioned her coming back of her own volition. She always came back, boomeranging back into his life every time he attempted to flick her out. It was a law of his universe.

Yet it had been days since their last interaction and he'd heard nothing from her, no calls or messages, simply radio silence. He was beginning to become worried.

The honk of a car snaps him from his thoughts as Sang-tae perks up at the alarming sound, happily flailing before running out the doors.

He follows blindly, stopping in the doorway gazing down at her familiar car, instinctively he grabs Sang-tae's arm hindering his movement and escape.

"Where are you going?" He asks stupidly as if he can't see what is so painfully obvious.

Sang-tae looks at him with a look that mirrors his own thoughts, "My bestie invited me to a book conference, I'm going as her illustrator. We're going as partners, it's too to make connections she said. I'll be gone all day."

He can't hear Sang-tae's excited spiel over the blood rushing to his face, she hadn't contacted him at all but clearly was still conversing with his brother. Why was she only upset with him? Annoyance and jealousy ebb in equal waves in his blood line.

"Hyung don't you think that's too much? I thought you weren't talking to her right now." He instigates, feeling petty about being the one left out.

"I was but I forgave her, sometimes best friends fight but she apologized so I forgave her. She's going to be a better best friend now."

Sang-tae speaks calmly and certainly, pulling away from his firm grip and skipping down the stairs before hopping into the car.

Finally he allows his eyes to land on the window, readily expecting her answering gaze, eager to lock eyes with her and get lost in time with her.

Her smile is blinding and tender, eyes soft crescents.

But they aren't on him, they are locked instead on Sang-tae. Cloying possessiveness curls around his control and without any acknowledgement of him, they're gone in smoke and the smell of burnt rubber.

He gets drunk, disgustingly so, sloshing the liquid on his sleeves as he loses his balance and almost pitches off the table.

He'd bitten the bullet and finally sent her a message, readying for her to call and for them to fight their way back into their... predicament.

Instead he'd gotten a taste of his own medicine, it was poignantly bitter. It hadn't even been read. He wasn't sure if that made it better or worse.

"I told her everything, things I never even told you! But she's ignoring me, why? Why would she do that?"

Jae-su's eyes are huge as he rambles on, snatching a shot of soju from his hand before he can slam it back, he whines making grabby hands.

"Why did you get so drunk? You said that you only wanted to have a few drinks." Jae-su sighs exasperated, falling back onto the table folding his arms behind his head.

"Jae-su, what did I do wrong? Why won't she answer my messages? I stopped running, I let her catch m--"

"Yah!" They both jump from the volume of the scream, Gang-tae almost falling to the ground in his shock.

Sang-in's rage filled face swims in his vision, intoxication stuttering his movement.

"You think you did her any favors? You think meeting you did her any good? Do you know what she was like after you left her that day? She cried everyday. You broke her. You made her come back to this wretched place, do you know what that castle means to her? You're a selfish prick. Did you even say sorry to her for everything you've done to her?" Sang-in's spit showers his face in a wet splash, a feeling of deja vu overwhelming him.

He blinks back, dazed.

Jae-su shakes himself from his trance, jumping to his defense, "What's your problem? Of course he apologized to her! What are you accusing my best friend of?" He points his finger into the manager's face as they slap and hit each other.

That day. His blood runs cold, remembering his cruel words, berating and belittling her all because he couldn't deal with his feelings for her. Couldn't be honest with his brother or himself.

One time event.

Her tears salty like the sea water that crashed at their feet.

Realization drops on him like a dead weight, severing his air flow.

Did you even apologize?

Did you even say sorry?

He racks his brain scouring his memory desperately, that conversation playing out in his mind like a movie, scene by scene.

Telling her about Sang-tae and his trauma, the effects that had on him and the way he was allowed to live life, inviting her to join this life, be with them.

And, I, need you.

All about him.

He hadn't asked her if she was okay after being targeted by a patient, her skin pale as he ascended the stairs to wrap her in a hug. Her voice was not a part of the conversation, he'd said let's talk but in all honesty he had been the only one to talk.

About his pain.

His suffering.

All about him.

Gosh.

"I'm an asshole." He whispers aloud finally, finally understanding.

Sang-in and Jae-su both pause at his soft declaration, hands tangled from their scuffle.

"You are. But somehow you got the bitch and the nice girl. You don't deserve either."

He has never felt smaller in his life.

Why are you mad?

Stop acting up.

Those had been his messages, the only messages he'd sent to her, nothing but shameful regret fills his veins now, he hadn't done nearly enough. Not by a long shot.

He'd woken up the next day with a killer hangover and a sour taste in his mouth, wanting the ground to swallow him up. He wasn't that lucky.

He'd called her, one, two, three, many times. Each time going to voice mail, testament to her avoiding him.

Mun-yeong. Please.

I need to talk to you.

He'd lost track of the amount of times he'd looked at his phone hopefully, only to be crestfallen when it wasn't her. If this was anything like she felt when he ignored his messages he would never do that again. That coupled with Sang-in's snarky comments and withering glares made him want to pull his hair out.

The castle looms over him as he hesitates at the gate, before pushing it open with a loud creak.

His knocks boom on the hollow wood of the door, pounding as hard as his heart. The castle is silent, he pounds once more.

"Mun-yeong! Ko Mun-Yeong, please open up! I need to talk to you." He hangs his head, hand sliding down the smooth wood.

The silence is deafening.

"Please, Mun-yeong. I'm.... sorry."

He falls to the steps, the strength disappearing from his bones.

"Get up. Stop making such a scene, this was always the outcome. Only I can take care of her."

He twists his head around, eyes too tired to form a true glare but the intent there.

"Where is she?" He demands, fury and shame emboldening him.

Sang-in scoffs at him, walking away after peering through the windows.

He feels his eyes prickle from his emotions overtaking him, life without her was like going from high definition to black and white, his life was lack luster and empty.

"Wait." He begs, tears caressing his cheeks, "Please, where is she? I have to make this right."

Sang-in pauses on the last step, hesitation evident in the sharp angle of his shoulders before he starts walking again, leaving him shattered on the ground.

Sang-in stops at his car, steel eyes as he looks at him with pity, "Maybe it's your turn to start chasing."

The truth can be humbling.

[rosekim]

Here's one thing about good dramas: it's so hard to get back on reality after watching. I'm really picky when it comes to watching and reading, but once it pique my interest, I can really get so attached to the point that it's hard to stop watching it.

It's the thing that I hate and love about Korean dramas. They can make feel so lost in reality. They can lit up my desire to live with what I'm watching, to be just... there. And forget about everything else.

It's been so long since I last felt this. The last one was right after watching Crash Landing On You. Now I'm on this feeling again after watching It's Okay to Not Be Okay. I don't know how do I forget about them, how to stop thinking about it.

It's beautiful, isn't? To feel the love just by watching on small screens.

It's fascinating, isn't? To sympathize with their characters even if you know it's just an act.

It's magical, isn't? To actually get lost in reality by just merely watching.

Sigh. Now I don't know what to watch again to sway this feeling. I have this desire to write a story with IOTNBO cast as my character referrences, but then, I was so attached with the drama right now that I can't think of them other than Mun Yeong and Gang Tae. Well, I guess I should just sleep, hoping to forget or lessen this feeling the other day. That is what I previously did after finishing CLOY anyway, then the next few days, voila, they're already the main cast on my new story haha.

That's all. Just wanna release this heavy feeling in my chest. This is my first time watching an on going drama and didn't expect it to be this hard haha. If you know any good drama that can give me the feels like IOTNBO gave, please do tell me. It would mean a lot ♡

[wanderchyld]

Final PBIO/IOTNBO analysis and theory

This post is my final analysis and includes some questions I have as we go into the final weekend of one of the best dramas in history. It is VERY long as I consolidate and expand on my previous analysis and theories.

I also lost a big chunk of this post while I was working on the draft just a few hours before posting, resulting to this post as a little inconsistent. Excuse me if my points are messy and some points missing with some issues untouched (because I forgot 😭). I think most points can be linked back to my past theories so you can read up on them if you haven’t.

List of my theories before ep 14:

Do Heejae and the other woman

Moonyoung’s background and Go Daehwan

Head Nurse is NOT Do Heejae, she’s the previous housekeeper

Maybe Head Nurse really is Do Heejae

As usual, please note that anything I quote may be a mix of Netflix’s subs and my translation because I know Korean and Netflix tends to miss nuances sometimes.

Firstly, Park Ok Ran’s dead.

Let’s get this out of the way first. (You can read my first theory on her role in this whole saga.)

“She can’t come anymore.”

Can’t have her exposing Park Haengja. Or plot twist: she is alive and returns to save the trio from the villain 😆

No one’s memory is reliable

Not Kangtae’s as established in ep 6 that he didn’t remember his mother brought them to eat jjamppong because he’s the one who liked it, not Sangtae.

Not Sangtae’s. In spite of his good memory, it was established in ep 10 that he didn’t remember Kangtae saving him, so his memories can be flawed as well.

Therefore, not Moonyoung’s, and definitely not Go Daehwan’s.

There are few things that we can be sure because they are concurrent:

There was a female body in the basement that was disposed or disappeared.

The murderer of Taetae Bros’ mother wore Moonyoung’s mother’s a one-of-a-kind brooch.

There was a body in the reservoir.

Taetae Bros’ mother was the new housekeeper (I saw that some people disagree but here are the supporting screenshots).

There were definitely two women

My theory that there were 2 women in Moonyoung’s family still stands and I’m expanding on it.

Let’s look at the family photos first. There are multiple versions of the family photo, and I suspect they were taken at different times. Here they are in what I think is the chronological order.

1) Photo in the basement: Go Daehwan had full-rimmed glasses, Moonyoung wore a scarf and stood closer to him with his hand on her shoulder, and the lady wore a fully black high neck top with the brooch on the right.

Before the family moved in, on the day Go Daehwan showed the lady around the house, he was wearing the full-rimmed glasses, and the house looked lived in (fully furnished, fully decorated, shelves full). 

2) Go Daehwan’s photo: Go Daehwan had half-rimmed glasses, Moonyoung stood right in the middle and without the scarf, and the lady wore a blazer over a straight neckline blouse with the brooch on the right.

3) Park Haengja’s photo seems to be the same as Moonyoung’s: Go Daehwan with half-rimmed glasses, can’t tell whether Moonyoung was wearing a scarf or not but she sat nearer to the lady who wore the same blazer over a straight neckline blouse without the brooch.

Go Daehwan had half-rimmed glasses when he realised his wife killed Taetae Bros’ mother.

Photos are evidences of relationships. In a group photo, the people who are closer would pose closer to each other. These family photos tell us that Go Daehwan and Moonyoung were actually close, and showed us the progression of Moonyoung’s relationship with the woman.

But why were multiple photos taken? If they were the same woman, why are they still hiding the woman’s face in the photos?

When Go Daehwan killed his wife, he said, “If I die, my daughter will become a monster like you.”

Why was it “my daughter” and not “our daughter?” It’s even odder for Koreans because being a very collectivist society, they don’t claim people or objects as mine. They say “our country,” “our father,” “our daughter” to show unity even when they actually mean “my country,” “my father,” “my daughter.”

Moonyoung insisted she’s an orphan. Technically, when one biological parent dies, the child is an orphan (single orphan). So perhaps Moonyoung’s not wrong. And as explored in my second theory post, she might have been referring to her biological mother. The abusive woman was probably her stepmother.

Go Daehwan told Director Oh that his wife loved Moonyoung “terribly. Very terribly,” and we have Moonyoung who doesn’t want a child to not get jealous over Kangtae’s affection. Judging by the family photos (Moonyoung posing closer to the woman each time), perhaps the stepmother was jealous of the father-daughter relationship and became obsessed with Moonyoung.

Would a child be afraid of their parent because they didn’t want to be hated? I was just afraid my mother would scold me (which was a lot). Right, we can argue that her mother was abusive, but this is something to think about.

Park Haengja: stepmother and crazy aunt

Bluebeard the French folklore, which ep 6 was based on, is about a man who married several times as he killed his disobedient wives. According to Wikipedia, his final wife had invited her sister and others over for a party before she snuck away to explore the forbidden room. Bluebeard found out and was about to kill her on the spot when her sister and brothers arrived to kill Bluebeard.

It was also in ep 6 when Taetae Bros moved in that they specifically had a shot of the dolls in Moonyoung’s old room (the brothers’ new room). I mentioned this previously: one male doll as Go Daehwan, two female dolls in similar dresses as Moonyoung’s mother and stepmother, and one small female doll.

You can see the two dolls behind little Moonyoung in her memory of her father reading her a book.

The dolls are a representation of the Go family in the house because in ep 7, only the small female doll (Moonyoung) was left, and I think there are 2 more new figurines as Taetae Bros on that cabinet but I can’t be bothered to search for a clearer shot 😁

When Go Daehwan strangled little Moonyoung, afraid she would become like her mother, they featured one of the dolls in the shot.

The point of mentioning the dolls is: Moonyoung’s mother wore a similar dress as the dolls in most of the flashbacks.

Ep 13 was based on the Korean folklore The Story of Janghwa and Hongryeon and its popular movie adaptation The Tale of Two Sisters (2003). IOTNBO has more links to this story than “the bystander is worse than the abuser.”

In the movie, Moon Geunyoung’s character frequently dressed in floral patterns (like the dolls’ and Moonyoung’s mother’s dresses).

In both the folklore and the movie, the sisters were named after rose and lotus flowers. In the folklore, it’s the sister that died who was named after the rose flower. In the movie, it’s the surviving sister that was named after the rose flower. The rose is also a motif of Moonyoung’s mother.

The flower language of rose is love and passion. Personally, considering how Moonyoung always thought of her mother when she brushed her hair, and her love for a head pat, I think the rose also symbolises her mother’s "affection."

The movie is a story of two sisters who were abused by their stepmother so badly that one of them died. As it turns out, the remaining sister developed dissociative identity disorder (DID; the same disorder as the patient Yoo Sunhae) with two other personalities: her dead sister (Moon Geunyoung’s character) and her stepmother.

I take this as a lead that Moonyoung has a stepmother, who also happens to be her aunt obsessed with her sister. Wicked Witch of the West (WWOTW) coveted Wicked Witch of the East’s (WWOTE) ruby shoes; perhaps the aunt wanted to be in her sister’s shoes, figuratively AND literally.

Now here’s another “coincidence” from the same:

Left: Moon Geunyoung. Right: Im Soojung (sister with DID).

The story Go Daehwan read to little Moonyoung mentioned a bad wizard that wasn’t invited to the birthday party so he went to the castle.

The story Go Daehwan read to little Moonyoung mentioned a bad wizard that wasn’t invited to the birthday party so he/she went to the castle to cause trouble. 

Glinda the Good Witch of the North described WWOTW as worse than WWOTE.

Go Daehwan, who had recognition and memory impairment, said his wife has an angelic face but a devil lives within. Perhaps he remembers two persons as one.

We learnt from Sangin that 1) Do Heejae came from a prestigious family of medical professionals, 2) she dropped out of 3rd year of med school, and 3) she cut ties with everyone in her family. Could she have a sister in nursing? Could she have cut ties with her family because they cray cray (or the good old "you’ll starve with a creative career")?

Park Haengja has not claimed herself as Do Heejae, and the woman in the family photos are still covered.

Following these, we can assume that Park Haengja’s the bad witch who is neither Do Heejae nor Moonyoung’s birth mother. She’s the stepmother and crazy aunt (I cover more about the sisters in the next section).

There’s always a crazy aunt or uncle.

It’s just too easy if Park Haengja really is Do Heejae. I’d also be disappointed in the writer if she takes this route because it’s cliché villain and this is not a makjang drama with illogical plot twists. It would also be a step back from all the efforts this show has been making to dispel stigma against mental illness.

So they were sisters and...

...one of them died. In water. 

As per my first theory, the WWOTW and WWOTE are sisters in some adaptations of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. WWOTE died under a house then disappeared into thin air, and WWOTW pretended to die in contact of water but she returned disguised as a good person. Sound familiar?

The Story of Janghwa and Hongryeon is a Korean folklore of a stepmother who abused two sisters to their death. She had her biological son push Janghwa the older sister into a pond and she drowned. The remaining sister couldn’t take the abuse any longer and drowned herself in the same pond.

The song “Oh My Darling Clementine” has a few variations but here’s the traditional lyrics (I removed repeated stanzas):

Oh my darling, oh my darling Oh my darling, Clementine You are lost and gone forever Dreadful sorry, Clementine In a cavern, in a canyon Excavating for a mine Dwelt a miner, forty-niner And his daughter, Clementine Light she was and like a fairy And her shoes were number nine Herring boxes, without topses Sandals were for Clementine Drove she ducklings to the water Ev'ry morning just at nine Hit her foot against a splinter Fell into the foaming brine Oh my darling, oh my darling Oh my darling, Clementine You are lost and gone forever Dreadful sorry, Clementine Ruby lips above the water Blowing bubbles, soft and fine But, alas, I was no swimmer So I lost my Clementine How I missed her! How I missed her How I missed my Clementine But I kissed her little sister I forgot my Clementine

These stories are all about 2 sisters and dying in water. Whether they’re sisters or not, a woman died and she’s related to Go Daehwan somehow.

The Murder of the Witch of the West

Do Heejae’s novel hold huge clues. Here’s my translation of an excerpt from volume 9 shown in ep 10.

… __’s scalp skinned with a hunting knife without hesitation. The corpse’s lips sewed in a fence stitch. The body dismembered with a hand axe and thrown into the trunk. Yooyoung persistently as she watched the back of the West Witch leave unhurriedly after finishing the killing and leaving notes.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Why do you choose to kill happy people only?"

But as usual, there was no answer. Was it because of Yooyoung’s tenacity to catch the West Witch? Yooyoung always sees the West Witch at the crime scenes. A faceless woman who always observed Yooyoung work hard on finding the criminal before leaving abruptly. Yooyoung began to look at the crime scene from the criminal's perspective. Why here? Why kill by stabbing this way? As she simulates the crime, Yooyoung finds herself assimilating with the criminal. She felt a thrill from imagining that she stabbed and cut the victim. She’s getting confused. Is she a detective or a murderer?

Around the same time, a murder occurred. The West Witch mimicked a passage from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, everything was in line with the Wicked Witch of the West, right down to the signature butterfly design. However, Yooyoung somehow felt guilty.

...

The suspect was a middle-aged woman in her 40s.

Yeah.

The misunderstanding

Othello killed his wife because he mistook his wife for committing adultery.

Romeo and Juliet mistook each other’s plan. Romeo died from drinking real poison, and Juliet faked her death before realising the mistake and killed herself with Romeo’s dagger.

Janghwa was framed and wrongfully accused by her stepmother for being unchaste. Her father believed it. When Janghwa ran away, her stepmother and stepbrother chased after her, and her stepbrother (under her stepmother’s instruction) pushed her into a pond to drown to her death.

What did Go Daehwan misunderstand? What misunderstanding did his recognition and memory impairment cause? Why was his wife being crazy but looked so shocked when he turned her around?

I do not believe that his memory of killing his wife is a complete memory because it has been mentioned multiple times that his memories are corrupted. I think it’s fragments of different memories pieced together.

What’s going on with Park Haengja?

There are a few possibilities.

Park Haengja is Do Heejae’s sister who coveted her sister’s position and grew obsessed with her sister’s novel.

Do Heejae’s Moonyoung’s biological mother and Park Haengja’s her stepmother.

OR Moonyoung’s biological mother died when she was born, Do Heejae’s the stepmother (abusive but still her mother because she raised Moonyoung), and Park Haengja’s the obsessive aunt.

She got so obsessed she came to believe she’s Do Heejae.

So obsessed she was always keeping an eye on Moonyoung to fulfil the prophecy that is the novel. ("You’re my greatest creation," and volume 3, shown in episode 10 with Park Ok Ran’s copy, has passages that describes episode 3.)

Park Haengja’s the one who killed Taetae Bros’ mother (screenshots of Do Heejae vs murderer below).

She took advantage of Go Daehwan’s cognitive impairment and instigated him to kill the real Do Heejae. She’s the one who saw Go Daehwan kill the woman and hide her in the basement.

Do Heejae wore her butterfly brooch on right, the murderer wore it on the left. Do Heejae always wore red nail polish and a gold rose ring, the murderer did not (although she could have had them removed if it’s premeditated).

Moonyoung’s mother:

Murderer:

Moonyoung’s mother:

Murderer:

Clearly Do Heejae didn’t wear her brooch all the time, so it would have been easy to steal the brooch. However, Do Heejae wore her ring all the time, so Park Haengja can only get the ring after she dies and "truly” become Do Heejae.

End.

I think I recovered most of my points but they’re still feel incomplete 😭

Let me know your thoughts 😊

[andotherbiases]

deleted scenes from JOTY 4 + small announcement

I mentioned that I had to cut one of my favorite scenes from Journal of a Teenage Year Chapter 4: 겨울 | WINTER but here it is anyway! There are actually two scenes here, meant to be read one right after the other. The first just sets up the second. 

I decided to cut them for various reasons: 1) there were too many of these short scenes that made the story jump around too much, 2) I wanted to handle their living situation a different way, and 3) it would have dragged the story out and not pushed it forward. 

As always, these are not unedited but I hope you enjoy them still. 

As for the announcement: I’m going to be taking a small break from writing. I posted my first IOTNBO fic on July 7th so it’s been 2.5 months of writing or editing nearly every day. I’m a little burnt out, not to mention my real life is going to get a lot busier. I will still update a “tame me” and “love is a game” as I have time, but I hope this break will let me return refreshed and ready to write something new again. As I mentioned, my “to write” list is like 8 fics long so it isn’t that I am out of ideas! Thank you for all the support these last months, and I hope to meet you again in with something good in the future. 

When school starts up again, it is a much more relaxed affair. With the college entrance exam behind them, seniors just need to attend a few weeks of class and sit for their finals before they graduate. There is a visible lightness among students, a giddy anticipation of things to come, and there is more laughter, more playfulness, than their hallways and classrooms have seen all year. 

It’s too cold to sit in the courtyard, so he sits with Moon-young in a classroom where they warm themselves with an electric heater. Jaesu is with them, seemingly the only one who will brave their “disgusting display of affection” (his words) and he’s mouthing off about plans for graduation and after. Moon-young sips from her carton of coffee milk and scribbles in her journal as she listens to them bicker about whether they should find a place to live together once they move to Seoul. 

“You haven’t even heard from your schools yet,” Kang-tae points out. 

“I know I scored high enough on the entrance exam to get in,” Jaesu points out. “They have to take me.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works.”

Jaesu just ignores him. “Maybe we should plan a trip to Seoul next weekend to see what’s available. I’m sure places are already getting snapped up!”

Kang-tae glances at Moon-young who stares pointedly back at him, eyebrow raised.

“Let’s talk about this once we hear back from our schools,” Kang-tae tries to be the voice of reason. 

Jaesu’s eyes narrow. “Don’t tell me…” He points a finger at Kang-tae then Moon-young. 

“Jaesu…”

“Moon Kang-tae! How could you do this to me!”

Moon-young snickers. 

Kang-tae shoots her an exasperated look. She isn’t helping the situation. “Nothing has been decided yet, okay? Can we please talk about this once we know for sure we all got in?”

“You got a higher test score than I did, and Moon-young is smarter than both of us put together. It’s a no brainer,” Jaesu scoffs.

“What could go wrong?”

-----

That weekend finds them at yet another book store, Kang-tae trailing after Moon-young as she makes her way up and down the aisles, half distracted in her search for her next acquisitions.

He clears his throat. “So, about what Jaesu was saying earlier.”

“Hm?” Moon-young looks up from the book in her hand. “Ah, about you wanting to move in with me.” 

Kang-tae rubs at the back of his neck. “Well, I was just thinking--”

He watches as she steps past him and moves to another aisle. Kang-tae scurries after her. 

“I know it’s not normally done, and, of course, I would ask your father--” 

Moon-young suddenly stops, and Kang-tae nearly collides into her. She spins around to face him. 

“Why should you ask him?” she questions, stepping closer. Her eyes flicker up at him, her lips twisted into a teasing smile. “What, are you asking him to marry me?”

Kang-tae gasps and sputters. “I--I...”

She laughs. “Oh, look at your ears,” Moon-young says with affection as she reaches up to brush his hair that has fallen over his eyes. “Besides, my father isn’t the person you should be asking.”

With that, Moon-young turns on her heel again to continue her casual peruse of the stacks. Once again, Kang-tae is left trying to catch up with her. 

“What does that mean?” he asks. “Who do I need to ask?”

Moon-young pulls a book from the shelf and skims the back cover. “Shouldn’t you be asking me?” she replies. 

Kang-tae feels his face flush. “Oh, right.” 

She raises an eyebrow at him, returning the book to the shelf and walking away. 

He follows. “You don’t want to?”

“Are you asking me?” 

Kang-tae squares his shoulders. “Moon-young.”

“Hm?”

“Do you want to live with me?”

The book in her hand closes with a snap. Finally, she turns to face him. 

“Sure, why not?” Moon-young replies coolly, but the sparkle in her eye and the way she’s smiling at him give her happiness away. 

“I mean, if we both get accepted, of course.”

[mollydollyjournals]

I still feel really sick...and my head is painful now too. And I'm sad. I'm always at least almost sad I guess. This time it's because I went back to watching It's Okay to Not Be Okay and 1) Seo Ye Ji is so beautiful and graceful and I've just watched the episode where she's wearing The Outfit that the internet went crazy for because her waist is about as big as my thigh and oh my god, 2) reminds me how little the world thinks of autistic people, and 3) support. And community. I want those.

Hb is here but not really. It's a lot like the little conversations you have with acquaintances - 'hi how are you' 'yeah not bad thanks and you' 'yeah good I've been digging up the garden blah blah bullshit.' It's more than that because we talk honestly about whether we've been ill, if we're unhappy, the bad stuff. But only slightly, because it's still surface level talking with no real feeling or connection. Every day he asks me 'how bad is it today' and I'll say something like 'I slept horribly. I have really bad anxiety. I feel sick, probably gonna stay in bed. Also my brother got in a fight with another patient in hospital and got moved to the intensive ward' And he'll say 'lol life. I'm tired bc med withdrawal, feel like I'm drowning. Quiet day. My dad is out of surgery. I fed the cats earlier.'

I don't know if he feels like I do about it. It's something I've only really been able to put into words just now as I write it. That although we're very open and honest with each other, there's no depth of feeling.

It's the complete opposite with bf. We're both quiet people, so we won't always talk much. But I feel like if I say some of the bad things above, I get a hug. A proper one. I get the comfort feeling of having someone next to me. I wonder if it's how we both want things to be or if it's just how we both are for other reasons. Is there some reason hb offers all the tangible support but none of the feeling? Does it just not translate to me?

I want to talk more to bf, but I need to feel more with hb. I find that I don't often have much to say to bf other than the odd comment here and there, or that I miss him. But then I don't have much to say to hb either, just that we live together and have to sort things out together. And he's a very talkative person as it is so he'll often talk to me unprompted even if I barely respond.

I still just need a hug. Some physical company. Even when I ask hb for some company, even when he actually obliges, he'll talk at me a bit, sit somewhere in the room with me and do his own thing, eventually give me a brief hug and leave. It's more than I was getting for a lot of last year, when I barely saw him at all for months. But I want to actually be next to someone.

I haven't even told bf exactly how little I've seen or spoken to hb this past year. I don't know how to put it. He's more experienced with polyamory than I am and I don't know how it'll look to him. On one hand, it's only the truth. I have a relationship that's so distant it's barely a relationship anymore, even though we live together. On the other hand, I don't want it to come off like I'm using him as my therapy and to fill the gaps in my "official/real" relationship.

I did tell him once when I was thinking about moving out not long ago. But I didn't say much on why. I guess to him it'll look like we had a really big fight due to lockdown stress but everything is otherwise fine. I guess it looks like I'm getting laid because after all I live with one of my partners. And that I have company and can talk and hang out. But I think he sees and hears more from his housemate than I do from my husband.

I keep thinking 'I just need to lose weight.' Then what? Stupid ED brain. Weight loss can't fix this. It can give me the confidence to take more photos and flirt more, and to go back to work. How do I know I'll even have any work or earn enough. If I did, I could really think more about leaving if I have to. But it's not going to fix it. Losing weight won't teach me how to hold or start a conversation better or make hb start acting with some genuine feeling.

So I want to drink. I don't know what that'll fix either. Just temporarily quell the panicking feeling that bf is sick of me and I'm disgusting. Then I'd just go back to feeling like this. It's only the end of day 2 alcohol free. I feel really sick and alcohol will just irritate my stomach. My head hurts. This episode of IOTNBO has someone not being able to sleep because of nightmares, and someone else just holding them to make them feel safe. I need that. I think it's contributing to my body dysmorphia. I feel like I'm expanding and I need someone to hold me together. I don't know if it's that I need a hug or I need to be smaller. Probably both and they just feed off each other.

It's nearly 6am. I'll see hb even less this next week because I've gone nocturnal. He has this same sleep disorder and will go nocturnal himself later, but probably once I'm back on normal time.

I just have my stupid cat lying next to me because he's afraid of the rain outside. And the hope for weight loss and maybe a message from bf tomorrow, maybe he can start a conversation where I can't. Again. A couple of hours ago I was 156.6. I haven't had anything since then. I guess I might be 154.6 tomorrow. That's only just about okay. I'd really rather be considerably less. I'm probably going to weigh myself again now, but I don't think I can take 2lbs off my weight now. I don't know.

I just want to feel okay. It's all well and good people saying it's okay to not be okay. I don't want to not be okay. I want to be safe and protected and wanted and loved. I don't want to be sick and in pain and tired and alone anymore

[hupomeno]

15.7.20 

Hello, i haven’t written in awhile :). All’s smiley tho.

i’m working from home today, but i’m still gonna start my mornings slow and intentional with a cup of iced coffee. Hence i’ll be spending some time to document and reflect in this space. 

First off, thank god for aircon !! Though replacing it was truly a heartache for my bank account. I’ll always remember the 2 months without it when it was faulty, sweating through the humid morning conference calls and especially in my sleep...they are the worst. I’ve actually bought and replaced quite a lot of my belongings. Praise His providence over me and i blame the convenience of Shoppee as well... (on the bright side i’m buying my supplies at a cheaper price than i would to grab them at retail price). 

Next up, i was supposed to be back in the office everyday for the month of July (until i’m done with my contract), but working here is one hella adventure haha, no one told me it includes experiences such as running away from MOM when they came to check on our headcounts one faithful day. We went to the extent of driving out to a mall and had Toastbox. Eventually all of us got sent home because we didn’t want to take the risk of a corporate fine. Truly a Singapore Corporation; Kiasu and Kiasi ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ.

My somewhat nerve wrecking e-orientation happened over the last 2 weekends as well - it went better than i expected honestly. Gotta give it to the planning comm for throwin their creativity off the roof to tweak the games to fit the digital setting. I still feel strongly that nothing beats meeting people face to face. 

First midweek that i don’t feel burnt out; kudos to the leave i took on Monday as i had slept over at my boyfriend’s place. At first i thought it would feel like i had unintentionally spent my leaves by using it to stay indoors and chill. Turns out to be the best decision - my bf thinks so too ! We were able to catch up on our drama series (IOTNBO) on Netflix and spent the rainy afternoon chatting about our lives at the moment. He is so precious.. and i’m still learning so much from him. We went to P.S Cafe that night for dinner, a real treat for our tummies. I long for more days like this with him. I guess that’s what i’m saving up for at the end of painful work days. 

Ok, back to chionging the rest of my agendas before the stipulated deadlines. Also finding the keys to kick-start my engine for school. I still can’t get a hang of the messy interface of my uni portal. But ok la, aim to not be a blur & slow sotong ! 

[wanderchyld]

I have quite a list hehehe. They're all post-2010, so they're not thattttt old.

On Netflix

When The Camellia Blooms — young unwed single mom deals with stigma in a new neighbourhood. Meets the perfect man every person deserves. Oh, and a serial killer's on the hunt for her.

Fight My Way — slice of life romcom of 4 BFFs entering their 30s, dealing with dreams vs reality, and relationships. They are also 2 couples, main couple go through the 'besties to lovers' process and the other couple struggle with their long-term relationship.

The Light in Your Eyes — ageism and regrets. A 25-year-old woman has time travelling ability that comes at a cost - each time she travels back, she ages. Her dad got into an accident so she travels back in time multiple times to save him and it caused her to turn into a 70-year-old woman. Only 12 eps but prepare lots of tissue. Don't read or look for any spoilers.

Search: WWW — 3 hot, successful women in tech (web portals) deal with competition, corruption and dating hot men. 'nuff said.

It's Okay, That's Love — another mental health themed drama. About a novelist with OCD (eg. he can only sleep in his bathtub) and a psychiatrist with commitment issues and sex phobia due to her mother's infidelity.

Hotel Del Luna — hotel only hosts ghosts of people who are not ready to leave yet. The unwilling hotel owner is a beautiful, fiesty lady who has her own resentment to deal with (for the last 1000 years) before she leaves.

Age of Youth aka Hello, My Twenties — 5 college girls living and adulting together.

Because This is My First Life — another slice of life romcom. 30-year-old female trio struggle with career frustrations, patriarchy (sexism, workplace harassment, and relationships (1 marries for a roof over her head, the other 2 face diff types of commitment issues). This drama is like a warm hug.

My Love From The Stars — ICONIC kdrama. Same male lead as IOTNBO but the star of the show is the female lead. I kinda forgot the storyline but it's basically about a top actress dealing with her own vulnerabilities, an alien (yes) stranded on earth for centuries, and them falling in love and helping each other. The actress is beautiful, hilarious and extra without being too extra, if that even makes sense. She really brought the character to life.

Crash Landing on You — Beautiful and successful South Korean businesswoman lands in North Korea in an accident. Hot North Korean soldier finds her and tries to help her return home. They fall in love in the process. This drama highlights a lot of difference between the north and south, which is quite interesting. And if you like men, you need to know the actor Hyun Bin. Even if you don't like men, you'd still appreciate this Greek god.

Secret Garden — another iconic kdrama by Hyun Bin. Rich man and stunt woman switch bodies, hilarity and struggles ensue, they fall in love.

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God aka Goblin — man was punished by becoming immortal (he would remember each and every death) and can only finally die by falling in love with a particular woman. Hilarious, heart will ache at some points, amazing cinematography, and the bromance is great. The main couple's age gap is off putting though. But this drama is quite iconic, it's one of the highest rated cable TV shows in Korea.

Signal — A cold-case profiler in 2015 and a detective in 1989 work together to solve a series of related murders spanning 3 decades using a special walkie-talkie to communicate with each other.

Not on Netflix

City Hunter (2011) — based on a Japanese manga. Young man was groomed since young to revenge against a corrupted government. His "father" (a victim of an operation the government covered up) originally planned to kill each of the involved politician but the young man wishes to teach them a lesson instead and expose them to the public. Public sees this unseen force of justice and dub him the City Hunter.

Queen Inhyun's Man aka Queen and I — romcom mixed with history. In a time of crisis, a scholar from ancient Korea gains a talisman that enables travelling to and fro modern Korea. He uses the modern resources of history and travels to deal with the crisis, and enters a cute relationship with a modern woman in the process cos hey, it's a romcom after all hahaha

Shut Up Flower Boy Band — teenage garage band deal with friendship, rivalry, family and romance.

Don’t mind me. I’ll be over here rewatching It’s okay to not be okay until it’s the weekend again, ‘cause why not.  

But I also need you guys to recomend me some other dramas cause I’m new to this world and I have absolutely no idea were to begin

[sweetestlamb]

Fic author ask- thanks for the tags @sunsoothed and @serxeins this was long but very fun and insightful!

Name: Sweetestlamb(it's my nickname for my favorite futbol player) or A to my closer friends on here. 👋🏾😊

Fandom: I honestly started out with rpf about my favorite team at the time, it was actually a very popular story but the team started making crazy decisions and I just lost my desire to write so I abandoned it😞😞 but I rediscovered my passion with IOTNBO, and that ignited a flame that stems across many many kdramas. My motto is the more obscure the better 😂😂 I love creating for fandoms that have next to nothing written for them.

Two shot: I've got a few but you can check that out on the masterpost it's easier than listing them. But my favorite two shot was probably Behind the Scenes. I have a rule about NOT writing about real people, but I broke it to write that one and I still love it to this day. But I think moving forward I'll continue to live by that rule, characters only. Anything else just feels invasive to me.

Most popular multichapter fic: Probably Bring Me To Life, it's my longest fic and it's crazy because it was only supposed to be a one-shot. But then I saw people making fanart and videos and really loving it and I was so blown away and inspired! 😍🥺 But honorable mention to Stronger, I personally loved that one and many people were satisfied to see MY getting the apology she deserved. (It's me, I'm people.)

Actual Worst Part of Writing: Ummmm this is very obvious but writing 😂 I usually have all the ideas swimming around in my brain but actually getting the motivation to write has been difficult lately. I will say I used to be discouraged if a story didn't get as much attention, but I'm over that. Now I read back my own stories to laugh at my own lame jokes. When I first started writing for IOTNBO people were so excited and my stories would get hundreds of notes, I try not to let that discourage me from writing though.

How do you choose your titles?: I'm a dweeb, they're mostly titles of songs that I thought were clever or that fit the story I had in mind. Fun fact: most times I put the songs on in the background while writing.

Do you Outline?: Usually no, because my stories are shorter in terms of number of chapters. I did outline for BMTL though because that was getting longer and longer and there were times I had an idea but I would forget it because I didn't write it down. (I currently have a outline of a rewrite of the school camping trip in my drafts just sitting there for the future.)

Ideas I Probably Won't Get Around to, But Wouldn't It Be Nice: Mmmm only about MILLION of them 😂😂😂 I literally watch kdramas and rewrite almost all of them in my mind. Like MRIAG would have been focused on the second couple in my fic and I've imagined a hilarious first time scene for them in my head. But honestly no clue if I'll ever write it because of the other stories I need to finish.

Callouts @ me: Why can't you get straight to the point sometimes? We don't need an additional paragraph about why the character doesn't like the color yellow because of background childhood trauma, you're just confusing your readers. This literally only makes sense to you!

Best Writing Trait: Evoking emotions, it always makes me very proud to hear that my story made someone feel something. Whether that's sad, happy, or horny 😉

Spicy Tangential Opinion: Not all comments are necessary, if after reading my 10k fic that took me all day and all night; gave me a twitch in my eye and carpal tunnel and made me forget how to spell "if" because I forgot how to word all you have to say is "write more/update soon!" Please leave me alone. That comment frustrates me like no other because it just comes off as entitled and you didn't give me any real feedback on my hard work. 

Can't think of who to tag but my writers, this one's for you!

[sweetestlamb]

Need You Now

Summary: The Vice Chairman reminds his secretary and lovely fiancee just who she belongs to. The office might not be the most appropriate place but he’s never been one to follow the rules. 

Author's note: Honestly blame @truccieeboo​ she recommended this show and I ended up binge watching it in two days, I thought it would be cheesy and instead I fell in love and then my pervert mind came up with this. It’s my first venture outside of IOTNBO and that’s pretty huge for me. I didn’t think anything else would inspire me but this just came flowing out. It’s a bit spoilery if you haven’t watched it yet so read at your own risk I guess. Dedicated to @truccieeboo​ since I honestly have no idea if anyone else wants this lmao. Anyway I give you office smut! 

I miss her.

That annoying thought has plagued his mind day, she'd sent him a text in the early hours of the morning informing him to go to work without her. She had spent the night at her place, packing for her move into his house, he had been adamant about them living together; the wedding was mere days away and he couldn't stand to be away from his beautiful fiancee. He'd offered to come and help her but his hungry eyes had accidentally trailed to the supple cleavage peeking through her blouse and she'd rolled her eyes and declined his selfless offer.

He was only human, a perfect one with the looks and intelligence of a God, but still just a man. Who wouldn't look at their woman like that when they were looking so delicious? She was breathtaking, those huge innocent eyes framed by wispy dark lashes, her pert pink lips and her rich coppery mane usually tied back in a flowing ponytail. Assigning a photo of her as his phone background had been a brilliant and idiotic choice simultaneously.

Currently it was idiotic. Director Sik droned on beside him, regaling his latest mishap with his ex-wife, his brain was capable of processing information like no other yet he found himself barely retaining a word his frie--acquaint--employee was saying. Instead he was entranced by her idyllic smile shining back from his phone screen. He could recall her adorable high pitched giggle when he'd told her to smile, shyly posing for him while he snapped the photo.

She was perfect. He still berated himself for the amount of time it took him to realize that, years spent repressing himself and living a lie. Years spent resenting everyone around him and suffering in silence until she helped him find the light, in some ways became his light. She was the best thing that ever happened to him, he would gladly relive that dreadful past to have her in his future.

And she's going to be mine, forever.

"I'll never let her go." The words spilled from his mouth, determination and promise coating them.

Yoo Sik looked at him in confusion, "What? What are you.... Oh! Are you giving me advice? Is that what I should say to my ex-wife? Should I go to her house and make a commotion and tell her that I'll never let her go?"

Yoo Sik suddenly stood up passionately, "You're right! I shouldn't let her go, I just need to walk right up to her and...."

He never heard the rest of that asinine sentence because she suddenly filled his vision. Clipboard in her hands as she immediately started firing off orders to the others, there was something captivating about watching her work; she'd come a long way from the meek incompetent girl he'd hired all those years ago. A strong confident woman now, his invaluable second hand and the love of his life. He happily watched her in action, then his vision blurred as she stepped from behind the large front desk and he was able to see her outfit, an outfit he'd never seen before, surely if he had he would have forbade her from wearing it outside of his house.

She wore a long sleeved soft peach chiffon button down, slightly transparent with a camisole underneath, curving around her perfectly round breasts but that wasn't what made him blood boil with possessiveness.

It was her skirt. She'd never worn a skirt that short before, it sat high on the tender meat of her thigh, miles of milky skin on display. When she turned to the side to speak to an intern, he noticed the high slits exposing more of that tempting skin.

What was she doing revealing all that skin to others? That skin belonged to his eyes exclusively.

Then he watched as the intern stared at her in a daze, before his eyes darted down to her bare legs, youthful hunger flashing in his pupil.

Slamming his fist on his table he stood up, anger emitting from his pores.

"--What? I'm just following your advic--"

"Director. Do you like your job?" He abruptly cut off his useless jabbering, finished with his one-sided conversation, he'd been benevolent enough to let Yoo Sik come in his office and whine about his pitiful life. 

The director stared at him baffled, he stared back straight faced, full lips pressed into a angry line.

"....Yes?"

"Then get out. Right now." His clipped tone left no room for arguments, though he doubted anyone would ever be stupid enough to argue with him.

It would be their last argument in this world.

Director Sik jumped at his order, scrambling to collect the documents he'd brought with him as an excuse to commence their conversation.

"Say no more. Here's me leaving, liking my job."

Without another word he was up and sprinting towards the door, only his voice halted his movement, "Send in secretary Kim. Tell her it's an emergency."

**************************************************************************************

Mi-So stopped in the middle of her sentence as she watched Director Sik all but fall out of the Vice Chairman's office, looking like a spirit was following him, face ashen in fear.

That could only mean one thing, her bulldozer was in a bad mood.

She hadn't seen him all day, coming to work separately -her idea- and then she'd been in meetings all day. Her skirt ride up her thigh and she pulled it down in exasperation, she'd made the mistake of packing all her office clothes away and in the morning had to pull on whatever was on top. This particular skirt had been a gift from a friend, as they'd all teased her and giggled that she could now be a sexy secretary.

She had never worn it here, too modest to have that much skin revealed. But this morning she'd been desperate, waking up late and she couldn't be tardy after telling him that she didn't need a ride to work. So she'd put on stockings to combat the skirts length.

No one had commented, at least not verbally. But she'd felt the eyes all morning, judging eyes from other women and....not so judging eyes from some of the men. One of the managers had made the grave error of brushing against her naked skin and she'd flashed her dazzling engagement ring, reminding him whose woman he was getting handsy with, then assigned him to organize three days worth of files. He'd scampered out the room with apologies and his tail tugged between his legs.

She didn't bother to mention that those files had already been organized by her days prior. He would learn his lesson.

Her mood had soured after that interaction, so seeing the Director so shaken up leaving the Vice Chairman's office was not a pleasant sight.

Finally he spoke stuttering before finding his voice, "Secretary Kim, the Vice Chairman needs you in his office. It's an emergency."

An emergency.

She jolted at those words, turning to the intern immediately, "I'm sorry I'll have to go. You can speak to secretary Kim Ji-A for more instructions." Bowing her head to both men, she circled around them stalking to the Vice Chairman's door, pulling it pen and striding inside, closing the heavy door behind her.

A familiar sight greeted her, the Vice Chair-- her fiancee sprawled on the sofa that sat centered in the large space, long legs spread open, the jacket of his suit hanging open exposing the pristine white shirt that laid underneath. His muscles peeked through the thin material, instantly her brain provided vivid images of his naked torso, the riveting dents of his six pack. He was a beautiful man, it was impossible to deny that.

Especially when he took every opportunity to remind her.

Daily.

Bowing once more, she broke the thick silence in the room, "Vice Chairman, you asked to see me."

Moments dragged by, when she lifted in her head in question, his gaze was intense, penetrative as he stared at her his pupils hard cold dots.

"Secretary Kim. How do you think I'm feeling right now?"

His voice was void of any overt emotions, but she was a master at reading him, being one of the only people that he showed his true self to. The tight line of his jaw was the first tell and his fingers clenched tightly in his lap was another. His eyes were the last, they churned with visible frustration and... jealousy.

"You're angry."

A slight smile overrode his face, pride shining through, before it was hidden away like a cloud covering the sun.

"Correct. Now do you know why I'm angry?"

Various replies filled her mind, but none quite sticking out as a justifiable answer based on his reaction, he couldn't be this upset because she didn't sleep over or that they couldn't arrive to work together. So as they had discussed before, she simply answered honestly.

"No. I don't know why you're upset Vice Chairman. Did something happen?"

"I'm not the Vice Chairman right now, I'm not angry at secretary Kim, I'm upset at Kim Mi So, my fiancee, my woman."

A shiver crawled down her spine at his words, her body heating up at the possession in his voice, she would never admit to him- Lord knows how big his ego would grow- but she loved how jealous he got, pulling her away from other men and glaring at them when their eyes lingered too long.

Once when an overeager coffee barista had gotten too friendly; smiling a little too brightly, offering her a free treat while stuttering out a compliment that never made it past his lips as her fiancee stepped in, swiping the proffered treat and silencing him with one dark glare. He'd slammed his credit card down on the table, arm curling around her waist as he dragged her away.

She'd let him pull her away, clinging to his arm and disarming him with a sweet smile. His jealousy fading away as he smiled back at her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

It made her feel desired and oddly protected, it didn't make complete sense to her as she prided herself on independence and self-efficiency but she accepted that he made her act out of character at times. His love changing her in ways she'd never expected.

"Why is my fiancee upset then?"

He growled at the word, fiancee, as much as she was his woman he was also her man. The perfect man, not only for his looks, abilities or impeccable style but his heart, loving her like she never imagined was possible.

When he was upset, she was upset. His pain was hers as well.

Finally, he catapulted out of his seat, stalking towards her with a dark glint in his eyes. He invaded her space, backing her into the wall heat radiating and burning her up. She had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze, as he towered over her.

She gasped as she felt his finger on her knee, meandering up her thigh until he reached the end of her skirt, tugging at it, hard.

He then voiced her thought, her sudden realization.

"Why did you think it was acceptable for my fiancee to wear this to work? Just like that pretty smile is mine, this." He gripped her thigh in a tight hold, "This is mine, this is for my eyes only. Are you trying to drive me crazy?"

Arousal ran through her bloodstream as he roughly pulled her into his hard body, her breasts smashing into his muscled chest. Her lips fell open as he bent down only to scoop her into his arm, she scrambled before clutching onto his shoulders.

"What--why--what are you doing?" She panted taken back by his ardor, their engagement  had tampered some of his heat and seeing it now in its full former glory was terrifying...but magnificent.

"Reminding you who you belong to."

He tightened his hold on her, hands clasped under the meat of her ass, stomping purposely across the room in wide strides, with a wide swipe knocking the documents that littered the desk before disposing her on the grandiose surface.

She glanced down at the discarded paper in concern but he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him instead.

"Focus on me."

As if she had any choice, it was hard to focus on anything else in the room, sometimes the world when he was in her orbit.

"Yes, oppa." She declared, demurely looking up at him from under heavy lashes.

The thread of control that seemed to remain snapped at her words, he lunged at her, cupping her face and smashing into her lips. She gasped at the force and like the business man she knew him to be, he took that golden opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth.

His taste overwhelmed her senses as he devoured her, hands sliding in her hair, tugging at her, twisting and moving her to his liking.

It took all of her strength but she pushed him away softly, remembering exactly where they were and what they were doing.

Ignoring his piqued glare, she tried to talk sense into him, "We can't do this here. We're at work. You can show me who I belong to tonight." She pleaded, trying to tame the wild beast before her.

His eyes searched her face, breaths coming out in harsh puffs and for a moment she thought he would listen and back down.

But he wouldn't be her Vice Chairman if he did that, she knew that better than anyone. 

"You are the only thing on my agenda today. I can't wait until tonight, I need you now."

A traitorous moan escaped her mouth at the declaration and he was back on her like a leech, sucking at the soft skin of her neck, just enough suction to leave a mark. She writhed under his ministration, heat gathering in her warm center. She couldn't help but squirm helplessly on the table feeling like prey under his gaze. 

Suddenly his fingers were tugging at her shirt, rapidly unbuttoning her top and tossing it over his shoulder. His eyes dropped onto her heaving chest, locked on the flesh that spilled over the top of her tight camisole top.

His intentions were crystal clear, with a swift movement she grabbed the remote that controlled the blinds, slamming them shut. As soon as she did, he grabbed it from her grip and tossed that to the side as well.

He peeled the shirt down, eyes darkening as more of her skin was exposed, rolled down until it was wound around her waist.

"Beautiful." His voice was deep but soft as he molded his hand around the soft mounds, she knew this particular bra was one of his favorites, ice blue and lacy, thin enough that her nipples teasingly peeked through.

The first time he'd seen it, he had thrown her on his massive bed and taken her apart with his tongue and fingers.

This time was no different, he bent down to bite her nipple through the lace, mouth sweltering hot around her tight peak. Large hand, squeezing at the breast not in his mouth. Her heels knocked against his desk as she thrashed under his assault.

Her mind was racing as he wrecked her, she had been very vocal about them not slacking off at work, adamant that they shouldn't blur the lines and mix business with pleasure.

It didn't get any more blurry than what they were partaking in now. But she couldn't stop him, wanted him as much as he wanted her. For someone who had been previously inexperienced and too traumatized to even kiss her, he was quickly becoming a pro in all bedroom activities.

I, Lee Young-Joon , who is great at everything will become a sex God and blow your mind.

She'd carelessly laughed at his declaration before he set out to do exactly that and made her swallow her laugh.

He reached behind her expertly unhooking her bra, instinctively she clutched at her breasts covering them, his eyes sparkled at her coy action, teasing smirk spreading across his rosy lips, before he pushed her hands away.

"Those are mine too Mi-So-ssi."

She blushed, twisting her head away, before it snapped back as he latched onto her naked chest, ravenous as he suckled and fondled her.

Her pants and moaned permeated the room, loud even to her own ears.

He pulled off her breast with a soft pop, voice rougher now, "Those moans are mine too, give me more." Swiftly he backed away, prying her legs open, tugging her stockings down her legs in a fluid motion before pressing two fingers at her moist opening, massaging the growing wet spot in her panties. She moaned louder at the sudden sensation.

"Unbutton my shirt." He demanded, standing to his full height dwarfing her easily.

With trembling fingers she obeyed his command, slowly opening his shirt, button by button until his naked chiseled chest came into view.

"Enjoying the view?"

No hesitation she replied, "Yes. I am."

"I'll allow you to look then." He actually stepped back, hands held high as he let her take in his majesty.

She mentally chuckled but took her fill of looking, staring hungrily at his pecs before trailing down to his muscled torso, itching to do more than look.

They were in sync as she'd grown used to, he'd spent the time peering at her breasts and he closed the short distance between them, done with their staring contest.

Kissing him was always electric, sparks running through their lips like live wires, she would never get enough of it. Their mouths opened simultaneously, tongues swirling in a dizzying dance. He pulled her close, rubbing their chests together as she moaned into his mouth.

They kissed for what felt like hours, his lips devouring hers and she willingly surrendered to him, his hands rough as he explored her hot skin, rubbing at her slides before groping at her breasts in equal turns.

When he pulled back, she was light-headed, drunk on him.

"Look at my pretty Kim Mi-so. Mine."

"Yours." She echoed, quivering from his touch.

Then he begun to tug on her skirt, she shifted forward precariously on the table’s edge before explaining, "The zipper is on the back."

He nodded at her instruction, leaning over her shoulder and finding the zipper, painfully slow he pulled it down and with a deep breath he tugged it down her legs, taking her rolled shirt with it.

That left her nearly bare on his table, only her panties preserving her dignity.

The hunger that had simmered down flared up once more, viciously as he shoved her back onto the desk, her ponytail dangling over the edge. She couldn't see him but she left his hot breath grazing her inner thigh.

He spread her legs wide, her cheeks were burnt scarlet at his rough treatment.

Then her panties were moved to the side and she was exposed fully to his eyes.

He wasted no time, diving into her tight opening tongue relentless as he licked at her folds, sucking her swollen lips into his starved mouth.

Flattening his tongue he tasted her in broad strokes, drinking her juices and flicking at her clit. She shook on the table, arousal dousing her in red waves. A finger sunk into her and her back curved from the pleasure, he groaned from above clearly turned on at the delectable sight she made.

He plunged into her pussy, going deeper until his finger disappeared inside her completely, drawing back and sliding in again. As she loosened around his grip, he shoved another finger in, corkscrewing into her tight heat as his tongue continued to lap at her.

She vibrated on the desk, nonsense and incoherent words falling from her lips a jumbled mix of please, more and his name.

A third finger entered her and the stretch burned but they both knew she needed this, he was far bigger than three fingers. He had bragged many times about his impressive length that was like no other, she'd listened nodding along absently as she often did with him. But when she had first gotten a glimpse at him she saw how true his words were, even soft it had been intimidating. Long and girthy, she couldn't conceive how he would fit inside.

They practiced since their first time which had been painful to say the least, she tried to grit and bear it but he'd seen right through her. Stopping to comfort her. They'd learned that getting her extremely wet and working her open was fundamental. He took pride in this too, the foreplay and making her feel good.

A fourth finger slipped into her and she melted, her walls loose and open under his touch. With a suck to her hidden bead and a harsh thrust in her he pulled away. Dark eyes locked on her glossy ones, he openly preened at her pleasure wasted face.

"I'm very good at that, huh?"

She purred in agreement.

"Lee Young Joon what aren't you good at?"

Though he was talking to himself, her little arrogant lover, she couldn't argue with his statement. Her body felt like jelly from his attention.

He stood up again, circumventing the desk she watched in confusion until he reached his destination, his looming massive wheeled chair. He sat down grandly, legs opened wide as he gazed at her, it was hard as she was upside down.

With a strong pull he grabbed her, collecting her off from the table and plopping her into his lap.

His dress pants scratched against her wet heat and she grinded down onto him, lost in the pleasure, shyness all but forgotten. He watched her whine in his lap, hands tight on her hips, not controlling her movement simply holding on. His erection was stiff and hot under her, poking her where she needed him most.

With a grunt he reached down pulling his zipper down and freeing his cock, it slapped against her skin causing her to gasp in arousal, ashamed of how much she wanted him.

"Please." She begged, and he rubbed the head across her wet folds, teasing her with a light push in but stopping before he could penetrate her.

"Please what?" To anyone else he would look calm and collected but she knew better, the vein in his neck protruding as he fought to stay in control and tease her. 

He looked at her in challenge.

She rose to the challenge.

"Please oppa, show me who I belong to."

With a wolfish grin he grabbed her panties, gripping the sides, and in a swift move of his hands, he ripped them clean off her skin the frayed material falling to the floor.

Fourth one this month but he always replaced them. So, kind. 

Reaching under her thighs he lifted her up only to slam her down onto his rigid cock, groaning as she slid down his length, deeper and deeper until he completely filled her. Despite all his foreplay, she could feel him tugging at her walls and her head fell onto his sweaty broad shoulders. 

Their position gave him very little leverage but he wasn't one to falter under disadvantages, instead he worked around them. He grabbed her waist, dragging her up his cock before ramming her back down. They both moaned at the sensation, he growled at her, "Ride me."

She scrambled to obey, grabbing the arm of the chair for balance and pulling her legs up to rest her weight on the seat, then she bounced on his thick length, driving it further into her, smothering her screams in his neck.

He reached up to tug her ponytail, roughly pulling her head back, glaring at her, "I told you those moans are mine. I want to hear them."

At her downward thrust he slammed up into her and a scream was ripped from her throat, ringing in the air and reverberating off the walls.

His answering smile made her heart tumble.

"Good girl. Louder." He grabbed her ass, drilling deeper into her and she couldn't stifle the shout his thrust expelled.

She rode him, hard but steady, legs shaking from exertion, he was perceptive as always and she found herself being lifted once more and turned until she was placed on the desk, her ass hiked up in the air.

Her empty hole was filled again as he slid into her, his hands forcing her to bend further until her chest was flush against the table, her ass high in the air.

She could feel everything as he plunged into her over and over, merciless as he drove his cock into her. He felt even larger from this angle and she scratched across the table, breaking apart under his onslaught.

The pleasure started to edge onto too much and she tried to move away, he grabbed her waist dragging her back onto his dick, fucking into her at a speed that made her walls ache.

"Don't run. This is mine. Mine, mine, mine!" He fucked deeper with his insistence, reaching under to rub at her clit smearing her juices over the swollen lump and she felt her orgasm approaching like a freight train. The wave of pleasure crested in a long sweep and then crushed down on her, shaking and sputtering as he shoved her over the edge.

"Ahh--ahhh Young Joon!!"

Those were her last words until her eyes rolled over and pleasure seared through her veins, her walls clamping around his thick length. He thrusted through her contractions, grunting into her ear, mine mine, mine, before following her over the precipice, raining down on her, his hot release coating her walls and leaking out the slides.

He collapsed onto her back, barely catching himself on the desk, arms bracketed over her shoulders.

Panting deeply he swiveled inside her, delighted at her tired moan but he too was sensitive and slowly he pulled himself free from her tight grip, spent cock flopping onto his leg.

Sighing he fell back into his chair as she laid boneless on the desk before he swatted at her ass, with a yelp she turned to pout at him.

"Get off the table or I won't be able to stop myself from taking you again." He warned her, staring down at her swollen and sullied opening, his own cum dripping from her.

She struggled to sit up, blushing at the promise on his face, scampering off and out of his reach, gathering her clothes off the floor. She pulled her skirt back up sans underwear, tucking her shirt back in and buttoning up, then found her shoes and stepped into them. Ignoring the uncomfortable wetness between her legs, she would have to make a trip to the bathroom. 

In minutes she was semi decent again, not resembling someone who had just been defiled on a table.

Taking a deep breath to find her courage she looked up at him, still shirtless with his penis hanging from his pants, she pointedly looked back down at the floor.

"Will that be all Vice Chairman?"

"Yes Secretary Kim. You may go."

With a subservient bow, she turned on her heel heading to the door, her hand on the handle then she heard his voice again, dark and raspy, "Oh and Secretary Kim, don't wear that skirt to work again. Next time I won't be so lenient and I'll fuck you right out there in front of everyone."

She gulped at his threat, no promise. Breath hitching at the devious notion.

Swallowing hard she nodded, "Yes Vice Chairman."

Slipping through the door, she walked back to her chair, limping slightly. Body deliciously aching all over. 

****************************************************************************************

Back in his office Young Joon smiled as he bent over to pick up his woman's destroyed panties, pocketing them after a deep inhale. Today was starting to be an excellent day.

[wanderchyld]

More PBIO/IOTNBO Theories

Read my theory on Do Heejae and Head Nurse here

Again, note that if I quote anything, it might be a mix of Netflix’s subs and my translation because I know Korean and Netflix tends to miss nuances sometimes so I sometimes ignore their subs or change it another language.

Is Moonyoung an orphan? Probably.

Moonyoung has mentioned twice that she’s an orphan, and… I think she really might be an actual orphan adopted by Go Daehwan and Do Heejae. (Ahem, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’s Dorothy is an orphan too.)

In ep 1, she told Juri that she’s an orphan and she knew that. Juri replied, "But your mother is alive," before Moonyoung interrupted that she registered her death a long time ago.

Considering that they were friends and fell out before Moonyoung transferred schools (I assume due to her mother’s death and her father landing in the hospital), Moonyoung definitely didn’t confide in Juri about what happened to her parents. Juri didn’t know Do Heejae died. Then how would Juri know Moonyoung’s an orphan if Moonyoung meant she became an orphan from Do Heejae’s and Go Daehwan’s soul’s deaths? Moonyoung probably told Juri she’s an orphan when they were still friends.

In ep 11, Netflix subbed her words to Sangin as "Family? I’m an orphan," but the original words are actually, "Family? I’m originally an orphan." Dun dun dun~

Someone (I forgot who and when) said Go Daehwan built the house to celebrate Moonyoung’s birth and for his wife to focus on her writing. Only Moonyoung knows the accuracy of this information. In ep 6, when Moonyoung told Sangtae the Bluebeard story, she voiced over a flashback of Go Daehwan showing a woman around the house (which strangely looked already lived in, completely furnished and decorated with full shelves), but her stomach was flat and they were not carrying a baby. She was also wearing heels; no pregnant Asian would wear heels even in the first term.

Now, let’s take a look at Sangtae’s collection of Moonyoung’s books. (He has 2 copies of Moonyoung’s bestsellers or his favourites of her books! 1 for keeping and 1 for his drawings. How cute is that ❤️)

Left to right: "The Boy Who Fed on Nightmares", "The Anglerfish’s Grip", "Even If It’s Money, Oh? Mummy", "The Ugly Dog’s Child", "The Girl Who Rode The Wooden Horse", "The Cheerful Dog"

Technically, 머니머니해도 어? 머니 (Even If It’s Money, Oh? Mummy) translates to Even If It’s Money, Oh? Money but “어? 머니” is a play of words on mother. When you put these 2 words together, it’s 어머니 or mother. The cover also has a mother and child to confirm the word play.

Why isn’t it "Oh! Mummy" and not "Oh? Mummy" like they’re unsure about the mother?

Back to ep 1, Sangtae was playing an ep of Dooly.

The particular scene played was of a conversation between Dooly and his guardian Go Kil Dong, where Dooly said he decided he would love Go Kil Dong.

The point: Dooly’s an orphan and he loves Go Kildong. Moonyoung told Sangtae, in ep 9, that she likes the character Go Kildong too.

There have been some mentions that Moonyoung looked like her mother and that she’s as beautiful as her. But maybe Moonyoung’s birth parents are beautiful too? Lol

Moonyoung’s obedience and abandonment issue

Moonyoung has always known she’s an orphan. When a child is adopted, it is natural they feel insecure and become afraid of being abandoned. Balmain’s creative director Olivier Rousteing mentioned an interview that he was adopted and grew up with a lot of love from his adoptive parents, but he still had that insecurity and was afraid they would send him away so he worked very hard to be good since he was young.

Moonyoung must have felt the same, and I’m betting Do Heejae used abandonment against little Moonyoung so she would be obedient to her.

What else could cause excited little Moonyoung to be mean to Kangtae in a split moment with her mother? By that age, most kids would have felt comfortable talking back to or disobeying their parents even just a little, and the parents would allow it sometimes (even my 4-year-old cousin started at 3). But little Moonyoung couldn’t even assert herself.

There have been hints that Moonyoung has abandonment issues and it is embedded in her brain that children have to be obedient to their parents or they would be abandoned.

1. What she said to Kangtae in ep 3 caused Kangtae to be got offended by her objectification, however, it really reflects on what she thinks about the parent-child relationship.

“Children dump their parents when they pass their expiration date and reek a rotten smell. Parents embrace the children who often behave cutely, and dump the stupid and useless child.”

(These are Moonyoung’s actual words. I know Netflix translated differently but this explains better why Kangtae was so offended he had to get off the car.)

2. In ep 7, Director Oh read Go Daehwan’s files to look into the family’s relationship. In one session, he mentioned that Moonyoung was obedient to her mother.

Had insomnia for 3 days. Said his daughter is so scary he couldn’t sleep. Then he smiled and described his daughter as pretty like her mother. Seems to have ambivalent description of daughter. When asked if his daughter is good-natured, he questioned whether a daughter who is obedient to her mother is good-natured. When I answered I’m not sure, he doesn’t say anything and stared out the window. . . . Session ended as he looked tired.

So obedient that if her mother told her to do bad things, she would do it.

3. She felt abandoned when she learnt Juri didn’t want just one friend.

4. She has a book (The Ugly Dog’s Child) named after The Ugly Duckling which is about a baby swan born into a family of ducks that felt unwanted by practically everyone (ducks, geese, etc.) before a bevy of swans accepted him.

Fun note: The Ugly Dog’s Child is a wordplay. Just remove 1 character and it's The Ugly Son of a Bitch. 😆

Go Daehwan’s deal

Here are some things Go Daehwan has said about Moonyoung and Do Heejae.

To Juri in ep 1:

“If Moonyoung comes… die.”

This could be interpreted in 2 ways:

He would die because Moonyoung would kill him. (Juri’s interpretation)

Moonyoung would die.

This scene comes after the horrible dad tried to kill his daughter thinking it would protect her. This insinuates that Go Daehwan tried to kill little Moonyoung to protect her.

To Head Nurse:

“She’s so pretty, just like an angel. Moonyoung’s mother.”

To Director Oh:

“My wife? She’s very intellectual and elegant. She loved our daughter terribly. Very terribly.”

A conversation with Director Oh:

Go Daehwan: She’s the same as that woman. Everyone’s deceived by that woman. A devil lives under that angelic face.

Director Oh: Every human has good and bad traits.

Go Daehwan: That woman is a monster. She killed someone. I’m telling you, she killed someone. Director Oh: Where is that monster?

Go Daehwan: I killed her. I’m sure I killed her but she came back. She came to kill me. She’s going to kill me.

Go Daehwan’s condition corrupts his memories, so he has been mixing Do Heejae and Moonyoung up. This condition may have caused him a mental breakdown too when Moonyoung was little. 

Earlier, Director Oh suspected Go Daehwan strangled Moonyoung at the hospital because he mistook her for someone else (Do Heejae).

Park Ok Ran told Head Nurse that Othello killed his wife because of a misunderstanding.

I’m guessing…

Do Heejae found out she killed Do Heejae so he killed her.

Moonyoung was seen by the lake with a woman drowning. Maybe he thought Moonyoung was the culprit.

He realised Do Heejae was grooming Moonyoung to be a mini-me, so he tried to kill her to release her from Do Heejae’s clutches and prevent her from becoming worse. (Remember he questioned whether a child is good-natured if she was obedient to her mother.)

The Anglerfish’s Grip might be based on Do Heejae’s obsessive control over Moonyoung.

End.

I have no idea how this links to Head Nurse aka Do Heejae’s sister if it’s true.

I have another theory but let’s see what happens in this weekend’s eps 😅

Random note: The Anglerfish’s Grip was a little hard to translate. 손, 아귀 directly translates to "hand, anglerfish" but when the 2 words are read together, 손아귀 translates to "grip." The book cover has an anglerfish (the book Kangtae picked up in ep 1 in the meeting room) so I translated it as The Anglerfish’s Grip.

[augusteofarles]

Strangers From Hell will always live rent free in my brain I think lol if you like the main lead (Im Siwan) check out “The Merciless” really fun movie.

And yes lmao WDH was basically the driving factor to me starting those shows lol he carried tkem if you ask me. 

I may one day get back to finishing Goblin too, I just kind of dropped it because of the main couple and also I got spoiled on the ending and wasn’t very fond of some of it. But I live for the bromance in that show, and of course the main lead. (If you like him, you will enjoy “Train to Busan” a lot, unless you don’t like zombie flicks!) 

I like IOTNBO so far! I haven’t gotten too far into the story but the visual alone for this show and the unique style it has is already telling. I’m definitely going to finish it sometime soon, it’s just that FOE kinda took over right when I was watching that lol. 

I’m not surprised that “Save Me” comes along with SFH because, like SFH It’ll have you STRESSED and wanting to get into the screen and save the heroes lol. I’ll be honest I initially started watching that because of WDH but the show itself is incredible and the acting by the rest of the cast is amazing too. 

As for Flower of Evil...LISTEN  A;DLKJFA;LDKJF !! Last night’s episode alone has destroyed me (in a good way) and I’m still not able to give a comprehensible/unbiased review because all that will come out is incoherent screaming. So i’ll just simply say WATCH IT (and then come cry to me about it). 

I’m so glad you actually prefer historical dramas! I was kind of worried when I was making the list and realized that A LOT of the dramas I’ve watched have been historic 😅 because apparently most people seem to be put off by historical settings (which HOW???). If you are going to watch your first historical Kdrama then I’d wholeheartedly say “My Country: The New Age” is the best one I’ve seen. If you like Woo Do Hwan if TKEM, he’s going to own your soul after you see him in this. This show is what made me a fan of him initially. I’m always annoyed at the fact that this is not the role he’s best known for because he’s incredible as Nan Seon-ho. Though I gotta say again this is a very heavy show, so if you want to start lighter, than choose one of the other Segeuks haha. 

I haven’t seen Nirvana on Fire but I’m pretty sure I’ve heard about it. I’ll check it out sometime! (also al;kdjf; I’m sorry for the MDZS drag lmao😅😅😅!!)

This turned into a really long reply. I’m really glad you like the list, let me know which dramas you like most and have a nice day too!😊😊😊

helloo, this might seem like coming out of nowhere but i would love to get kdrama recs from you!! i've literally watched 2 dramas because i saw you talking about them and they seemed cool so i checked them out and I ended up loving them!! (strangers from hell and tkem) so would love see your recommendations. stay safe and have a great day

I’d love to give you recs! though by kdrama fan standards I’m relatively new myself. I’m guessing you don’t have a specific genre in mind since the two you mentioned are vastly different haha (SO glad you like Strangers from Hell because it’s one of my all time faves!)

I’m sorry I’ve been wanting to make a list so this turned into more of a list of kdramas I’ve watched overall lmao but I mention which ones are my FAVES next to the titles so I’d recommend starting with those as those are my recommendations. 

THE FLOWER OF EVIL (FAVE) (this one gets its own category right now cus its a mix of a lot of things and my current obsession that I literally can’t shut up about lmao but be warned it is still airing so you might wanna wait till all the episodes are out. But actually don’t wait and come talk to me about it in my inbox after you’ve binged all the episodes PLZ aldkfa;ld;alk)

THRILLERS (fave genre)

Save Me (FAVE)

The Guest (TW: can be considered horror too)(FAVE)

Duel 

Strangers from Hell (FAVE) (just including this to have it on the list)

CRIME DRAMAS

Signal (FAVE)

Life on Mars (FAVE)

Tunnel (FAVE)

Mad Dog (I might be the only one that liked this lmao)

He Is Psychometric 

Watcher (still watching)

ROMANCE/MELO (though a lot of these can be categorized differently I suck at categorizing and also too much romance isn’t my brand)

Just Between Lovers (FAVE)

Descendants of the Sun

It’s Okay to Not be Okay (still watching)

The Legend of the Blue Sea

Healer

W-Two Worlds 

I Am Not a Robot 

Cheese in the Trap 

The K2 

Goblin (I did not finish this drama because I was uncomfortable with the main couple but it is considered a classic by MOST so I’m including it and it is an amazing production overall)

When the Devil Calls Your Name (still watching) (this isn’t really romance tbh but idk where else to put it lol)

SAGEUKS (HISTORICAL DRAMAS):

My Country: the New Age (FAVE is an understatement for this one, I live and breathe My Country, but be warned YOU. WILL. CRY. and maybe need therapy )

Kingdom (FAVE)

The Crowned Clown (FAVE)

The Tale of Nokdu 

Rookie Historian: Goo Hae Ryung

100 Days My Prince

Love in the Moonlight (still watching)

The Untamed (this one is a Chinese drama but I think you will enjoy it, it’s a censored BL (based on a book that i DO NOT RECOMMEND AT ALL LOL) )

LIGHT/COMEDY 

Psychopath Diary (still watching)

Thirty But Seventeen (still watching)

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (still watching)

To-Watch List 

Extracurricular 

Train 

Heartless City 

Come and Hug Me

Kill Me Heal Me