#park min sook

[roseeycreates-blog]

✨ Beom Ja & Min Sook✨ I know I have to create this edit. I love both characters so much 🤭😘💕

[haveyouseenthismovie-poll]

[Note: This poll is a re-do of an older poll, as the original poll received less than 2,000 votes.]

[forsapphics]

THE HANDMAIDEN (2016)

dir. Park Chan-wook

[passionforfiction]

Queen of Tears

This series is not perfect, but it is still good. It has a solid storyline, and great characters. Hong Hae In and Baek Hyun Woo have been married for 3 years and the love that had united them at the beginning seems to have disappeared in their distance and silence after a miscarriage that broke their hearts. When Baek Hyun Woo finally has the courage to present the divorce papers to Hong Hae In, she tells him she has a tumor and doesn't have much time left. His decision to stay with her gives them an unexpected chance at finding that love that had united them once. Family interactions between their very different families questions dynamics and help characters grow.

I like the fact that they didn't take the easy way out with our main antagonist. The story in itself is really good and I loved it, however, production was a bit careless with details that were too big to miss: Hae In's operation - how can a person with a brain tumor have a surgery with her hair intact. Or Hyun Woo's neck injury suddenly disappearing in a second, ext. These kind of details show some careless oversight. But we can forgive them - we laugh it off and keep watching to see what happens next.

I liked it and recommend it.

[binging-asian-dramas]

Hotel King. 7

Story: 8

Acting: 10

Chemistry: 10

Comparable to: Innocent Man (kdrama) ; Hotelier (kdrama); My Secret Hotel (kdrama)

A classic kdrama that is hella melodramatic. It has an amazing cast with a pretty decent storyline that gets amped up to 100% filled with betrayals, secrets, romance, murder, revenge, evil villains (like evil evil) and heartbreaking events. There’s also some funny situations to break up all the melodramatic moments. Lee Dong Wook and Lee Da Hae is magnificent in this their chemistry together is amazing as well. My only problem is that the drama is way too long and would of been a ten for me if it was edited down to at least ten to sixteen episodes. There was way to much repetitiveness to it going back and forth with the same issues, where no development of characters were happening nor the plot. Eventually it did get there. Overall it’s a nice drama especially if you like over melodramatic ones.

[genevieveetguy]

Return to Seoul (Retour à Séoul), Davy Chou (2022)

[rookie-critic]

Return to Seoul (2022, dir. Davy Chou) - review by Rookie-Critic

I was pretty excited for this one. I'd heard nothing but good things about it and the story seemed like a playground for great ideas; Freddie, a young woman who was born in Korea, but adopted as a baby and raised in France, comes back to Korea in search of her birth parents, mainly her mother. While there were a lot of things about the film that I really liked, there's one kind of glaring thing about it that I just couldn't shake: I didn't like Freddie at all.

I struggle with unlikable protagonists in films, it's probably the personal bias that I struggle the most with being objective about. That's not to say that I hate every story with an unlikable protagonist at its center, there are character studies that have absolute scumbags at their center (like Sean Baker's Red Rocket) that I really enjoyed. I'll probably never watch Red Rocket again, because it made me feel gross, but it was an objectively good movie for a lot of different reasons. I think therein lies my problem, Freddie is a selfish, mean character, which is sometimes needed in the moment, but more often than not she's just being cruel to people who don't deserve it. So much so that the one person she isn't awful to during the film leaves Freddie because she sees how horrible Freddie is being to everyone else. I empathize with Freddie's situation, but I absolutely cannot connect with her as a person, and that makes a lot of the film tough to sit through. After awhile it almost becomes an endurance test of waiting for the shoe to drop and for her to be terrible yet again.

Where I think the film works is in its depiction of someone on a journey to fill a void in their life. Freddie's goal, although not specifically stated by her or the film, is to find her parents, because that is the thing she thinks will make her happy, will make her whole. That's the thing that will fill this gap she has in her life that's preventing her from being truly happy. Anytime something gets in the way of this goal or things don't turn out how she wants, she turns to self destructive behavior, because that instant relief is easier than dealing with the pain of that void, or at least that was my interpretation. All of this is great and a high point of the film. Director Davy Chou even has these wonderful moments where the camera holds on Freddie for awhile, and in those moments you really get a sense of her, and those were the moments in the film that I came the closest to understanding her. However, even with these moments, it doesn't seem like there's ever any remorse for the people she's hurt, no growth from beyond that self destructive behavior, only lateral movements that almost always end her back up in the same exact, emotionally volatile state of mind, and the film takes place over a long enough period of time, with enough self-acknowledgement from Freddie of her self destructive tendencies, to where you would expect some kind of positive forward momentum. Also, and I'm not a doctor or a psychiatrist, but I really believe Freddie suffers from Bipolar disorder/manic depression, or at least a lot of her actions led me to believe that. However, the film doesn't seem interested in exploring that and never makes mention of it at all, which leads me to believe she wasn't written with that in mind, but all the signs are there. I feel like the story would have been more interesting had they explored this more, and might have given more context to why Freddie is the way she is.

I think the most frustrating thing about Return to Seoul is that it does so many things right, it has some great high points and the overarching story has all of the pieces in place for there to have been some kind of redeeming moment or, at the very least, slight character growth, but it never truly happens. One could argue that there is a light that illuminates some hope in the final scene, but I didn't read it that way. Return to Seoul is a good movie, as I've said multiple times, there are a ton of things to enjoy about it, but it stops itself from being great. I'm sure there are those out there that will connect with Freddie, clearly the film has been receiving widespread acclaim, but I couldn't find the in with her character, and it kept me from enjoying this the way I've heard others have.

Score: 7/10

Currently only in theaters.

[ragingtwilight]

How are your cats? 👁👁

stinky

[possession1981-moving]

Will he be as gentle as you?

KIM TAE-RI and KIM MIN-HEE as Sook-hee and Hideko THE HANDMAIDEN dir. Park Chan-wook, 2016

[stydixa]

KIM TAE-RI and KIM MIN-HEE as Sook-hee and Hideko THE HANDMAIDEN (2016) Dir. Park Chan-wook

[soparklgc]

✶ ━━Headcanon #1 Describe your muse's relationship with their sibling/s & parent/s .ᐟ

Siblings: Park So-Jin and Park Soo-Yeon

Seo Nam shares a unique bond with his younger sisters, So Jin and Soo Yeon. Being the eldest, he feels a protective instinct toward them, particularly given their family's tumultuous history. He has always taken on the role of their shield against the outside world, especially when they were younger and whispers about their father's actions floated around at school or in the neighborhood. His sisters, in turn, look up to him, admiring his cool demeanor and confidence, even if they don’t fully understand the weight he carries. Seo Nam strives to be a source of support, whether it’s helping them with homework or just being there to listen when they need to vent. However, he struggles to fully open up about his own feelings, preferring to keep his struggles hidden beneath a layer of indifference. This creates a subtle tension, as he sometimes worries they see him as invincible rather than a person dealing with his own chaos.

Mother: Park Jin-Sook

Seo Nam's relationship with his mother, Jin Sook, is one of his most cherished connections. After their father’s imprisonment, she became the rock of the family, and she worked tirelessly to support them. He has a deep admiration for her strength and often thinks of her sacrifices and the heavy toll they’ve taken on her. He feels gratitude and guilt toward her and wants to do more to ease her burdens, even if he struggles to show it. Their bond is loving but heavy, with an unspoken understanding of the struggles they both face.

Father: Park Min-Soo

Seo Nam's relationship with his father is filled with tension and unresolved feelings. After Min-Soo’s arrest for embezzlement and fraud, Seo Nam's idealized view of him shattered, leaving only feelings of betrayal. Seo Nam blames his father for the loss of his childhood, as he had to step up at an early age to fill the void Min-Soo left behind. The letters Min-Soo sent while in prison, trying to reconnect with the family, did not affect Seo Nam; to him, they felt laced with empty promises and manipulation. To this day, Seo Nam has chosen not to respond, convinced that forgiveness isn’t something he owes. With his father's release date approaching within the next year, he dreads the thought of having to face him.

[theadusa]

Everything I watch in Jan 2024

I was going to post my annual everything I watched in 2023 post but I feel like I missed my opportunity, so here is my everything I watched in January 2024... (Be Warned there are some spoilers, I do try to mark them throughout the review)

My Lovely Boxer (2023, Kim Min-joo)

Main leads: Lee Sang-yeob, Kim So-hye, Park Ji-hwan, Kim Hyung-mook, Kim Jin-woo, Ha Seung-ri, Chae Won-bin

Country: S. Korea

Run: August 21 to Oct 2, 2023 (KBS2, Monday and Tuesday @21:45 (KST))

Episodes: 12, 70 min

Thoughts: Lee Kwon-sook (Kim So-hye) is a boxer who is forcibly thrown back into the world boxing that she has retired from by a sports agent Kim Tae-young (Lee Sang-yeob). I really liked how they balanced the characters. Lee Kwon-sook is a cheerful girl who is constantly haunted by her past. And she is allowed agency to do what she can do, despite the efforts of others. And the relationship between Lee Kwon-sook and Kim Tae-young, though slightly toxic, works in an odd way. I did have problems with how they reconnected her with her father.I personally wouldn’t have forgiven him. However, I loved the relationship with Han Ah-reum, and just how that story ends. I thought it was done very well. Overall I have really enjoyed this drama. Rating: 

Unlock My Boss (2022-2023, Kim Hyung-min)

Main leads: Chae Jong-hyeop, Seo Eun-soo, Park Sung-woong

Country: S. Korea

Run: Dec 7, 2022 to Jan 12, 2023 (ENA, Wednesday and Thursday @21:00 (KST))

Episodes: 12, 60 min

Thoughts: Oh wow, this is more enjoyable than I imagined. Chase Jong-hyeop as Park In-seong is so fun. He is adorable, down to earth but capable. Jun Se-yeon (Seo Eun-soo) was amazing and I loved her complexities as a character. And the trio of Kim Seon-joo (Park Sung-woong), Park In-seong, and Jun Se-yeon, was so fun and I loved the little family they formed. I literally cried so much during this show for no reason. Like the zoom into the phone literally made me sob each time for no reason. Rating: Who knew electronics can have that much range?

Night Has Come (2023, Kang Min-Ji)

Main leads: Lee Jae-In, Kim Woo-Seok, Choi Ye-Bin, Cha Woo-Min, Ahn Ji-Ho, Jung So-Ri

Country: S. Korea

Run: Dec 4,, 2023 ( U+mobiletv)

Episodes: 12, 35 to 40 min

Thoughts: This started off really good. A class gets thrust into a mafia game to the death. You along with the characters are wondering who is the mafia among the students and who is forcing this game. It is really interesting, but the episodes follow the same pattern. The end you find everything out, and it's kind of stupied. They had a classmate who committed sucide due to a badly edited image of herself on a skimply clad woman’s body. Which is yeah bad. Then her parents take revenge on the whole class. They are placed in this mafia simulator to repeat the game over and over again. It ends with Lee Yoon-seo able to remember everything, but still trapped in the simulator. Like where their parents are. People must be concerned right. Rating: Sisphyus boulder, I guess…

The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract (2023-2024, Go Nam-jeong)

Main leads: Lee Se-young, Bae In-hyuk, Joo Hyun-young, Yoo Seon-ho, Jo Bok-rae

Country: S. Korea

Run: Nov 24, 2023 to Jan 6, 2024 (MBC TV Friday and Saturday @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 12, 70 min

Thoughts: This was a cute drama. It starts off with a cute romance between a progressive woman in Joseon and a sick scholar. However, it quickly becomes a tragedy and she is sent to the year 2023 with her hand maid Sa-wol (Joo Hyun-young). It quickly becomes a fish out of water for Park Yeon-woo (Lee Se-young), but luckly she meets the recacrante of her late husband Kang Tae-ha (Bae In-hyuk) and they make a deal. It is a cute drama and I loved the cast of characters. Yeon-woo is easy to root for. Sa-wol is adorable, and adapts quickly. Kang Tae-ha is prickly but has a heart of gold. It's dramatic and fun. It's nothing special, but oh is it so good. My favorite part is Yeon-woo and Sa-wol’s relationship. Literally there is a scene with those two that reflects a romantic scene in Perfect Marriage Revenage (2023) which I can’t stop thinking about. Overall I just really enjoyed my time. Rating: butterflies everytime I think about you…

Joseon Attorney: A Morality (2023,Choi Jin-young)

Main leads: Woo Do-hwan, Bona, Cha Hak-yeon

Country: S. Korea

Run: March 31 to May 5, 2023 (MBC TV Friday and Saturday @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts:  This was a lot like Taxi Driver. In the way you have an episodic feel with a charismatic male lead seeking revenge and helping people. I had a lot of fun with this show, and I don’t use the comparison lightly either. I really had fun with it. The romance was okay, but I liked the different stories, and the main revenge plot was easy to follow along with. Woo Do-hwan is a great actor and meant to be a leading man. It's definitely  not my favorite and there are a few things that needed changing but it was fun overall! Rating: Who do you call?... Joseon Attorney!!!

KBS Drama Special 14 (2023, Choi Ja-won, Yun Tae-woo, Cho Il-yeon, Choi Yi-kyung, Wi Jae-hwa, Kwon Oh-joo,Park Eun-seo, Jo Soo-yeong, Kim Ik-hyun)

Main leads: Lee Jae-won, Choi Seong-won, and Kim Kang-hyeon,  Kim Won-hae, Min Ji-ah, Ahn Se-bin and Park Ji-ah, Lee Min-jae, Kim Hyun-soo, and Kang Na-eon,  Moon Woo-jin, Park Seo-kyung, Park Ha-sun, Kim Joo-heon, Kim Do-hoon, Chae Won-bin, Kim Dong-hwi, Jo A-ram, Shim Yi-young, Joo Seok-tae,  Ren, Park Sang-nam, Hong Seung-hee, Hahm Eun-jung,  Kim Kang-min, Yoon San-ha, Baek Sung-hyun

Country: S. Korea

Run: OCT 14 to Dec 16, 2023 (KBS, Saturday 21:50 to 22:50 (KST))

Episodes: 10, 60 to 80 min

Thoughts: This is a yearly anthogolgy series that follows various characters in various time periods with various goals. I thought a lot of them were really cool and interesting. “Love Attack” was by far one of my favorites, but I also really liked “The True Love of Madam” which was shocking for me.  It was also hard to find any subs for “Overlap, Knife, Knife” so I had to rely on visual cues and the small amount of Korean I know. But I thought this was a fun anthrologie series, and the stories are fun and fresh. Rating: I love getting short and quick stories like this, its the reason I love short films so much.

A Good Day to Be a Dog (2023-2024, Baek In-ah)

Main leads: Park Gyu-young, Cha Eun-woo, Lee Hyun-woo

Country: S. Korea

Run: Oct 11, 2023 to Jan 10, 2024 (MBC, Wednesday 21:00 (KST))

Episodes: 14, 70 min

Thoughts: Apparently it is very different from the webtoon ( which I have never read), but I found it entertaining. It is cute and lighthearted. I always like when its past lives, I think it adds a fun element to romances. Though I do think the schedule of the show hindered my enjoyment, because it would be so long between episodes. They also lost me at the end, I can not lie. Rating/Spoiler: Also I would be so angery if I found out my family curse passed down for generations was over a misunderstanding. I would want an apology, reparations, and revenge. On another note, I would also be so pissed if I killed myself to save my servant's baby; then my boyfriend finished off the dying father, then cursed the child and its offspring. I would be pissed, like my scarfice was for not. Go off mountain spirit I guess…

My 20th Twenty (2023, N/A)

Main leads: Choi Yu Ju , Jung Su Bin

Country: S. Korea

Run: April 21 to may 27, 2023 (Wavve, Friday and Saturday)

Episodes: 12, 15 min

Thoughts: This show was good for what it was. It has the vibe of a college student film with a mix of those youtube series made by middle schoolers back in 2009. And I mean that with the highest praise. The sound mixing was off, they had limited cast (background actors is what you are looking for), no interesting lighting (but very well light- i.e the student film vibes), and the actors new to the scene. I loved every motherfucking moment. It was so cheesy, the script was bad, and nothing made sense. But I knew that it was made with passion. Rating: It would be horrifying being 20 forever

Taxi Driver Season 2 (2023, Oh Sang-ho)

Main leads: Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-sung, Pyo Ye-jin, Jang Hyuk-jin, Bae Yoo-ram, Shin Jae-ha

Country: S. Korea

Run: Feb 17 to April 15, 2023 (SBS, TV Friday and Saturday @22:00 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: Back in action the second season is so much fun and entertaining. I actually like it better than the first. And I said this once and I’ll say it again Lee Je-hoon is made to be an action star. He’s as great as Kim Do-gi. I also liked that Ahn Go-eun (Pyo Ye-jin)  had a larger role this season. I also just love the friendship in the Rainbow Taxi service. Just so fun. Rating: imagine being taken down by a taxi service…

Taxi Driver Special (2023, SBS)

Main leads:  Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-sung, Pyo Ye-jin, Jang Hyuk-jin, Bae Yoo-ram, Shin Jae-ha

Country: S. Korea

Run: Feb 16 to March 4, 2023 ( KBS)

Episodes: 2, 60 -120 min

Thoughts: This was fun seeing the cast reflect on the episodes and their characters. Its also cool just seeing a reply of everything that happened. You could tell how much Lee Je-hoon loves playing Kim Do-gi. Rating: I am excited for the 3rd season…

Brain Works (2023, Park Kyung-seon)

Main leads: Jung Yong-hwa, Cha Tae-hyun, Kwak Sun-young, Ye Ji-won

Country: S. Korea

Run: Jan 2 to Fe 28, 2023 (KBS2 Monday and Tuesday @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 75 min

Thoughts:This show is weird. I think most cop shows are weird but this one especially. I did like the bromance in this, between Shin Ha-ru (Jung Yong-hwa) and Geum Myung-se (Ch Tae-hyun). I did think neuroscience was weird and defies logic. The only good thing about it was when they didn’t completely vilify Pyschopaths, because it tends to be more complicated than the mainstream likes to show. It still left a lot to be desired but it was there. Also when he lowkey kidnapped and torture that kid, oh my god, like he was a little punk and deserved to go to trail but my god. Rating: This is lowkey giving Minority Report tbh…

My Cuteness is about to expire!? (2022,  Tanabe Shigenori)

Main leads: Yamada Ryosuke, Yoshine Kyoko 

Country: Japan 

Run: April 16 to June 11, 2022 (TV Asahi, Saturday 23:30)

Episodes: 9, 23 to 47 min

Thoughts: Maruya is your typical male narcissist who works in sales. He uses his cuteness to stake by in life, to make up for his average skills. One day he is visited by his future self, whom he deems ugly, tells him that his cuteness is going to expire. He decides, after relizing his crush, the only way to prevent this is to date Sanada, a robotic newbie to the sales team. It is cute and Maruya and Sanada are fun as a couple, plus if you have the time you could watch this in a day. Rating: I’m Ichinose calling every single person every 10 seconds sobbing…

My Dearest Pt 1 (2023, Hwang Jin-young)

Main leads: Namkoong Min, Ahn Eun-jin, Lee Hak-joo, Lee Da-in, Kim Yoon-woo, Lee Chung-ah

Country: S. Korea

Run: August 4 to Sept 2, 2023 (MBC TV, Friday and Saturday 21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 10, 60 to 90 min

Thoughts:  I was not expecting to like this more than I did. The angst in every episode is so insane. Episode 10 was actually unbearable. I also want to take a moment and appreciate Yoo Gil-chae (Ahn Eun-jin), she is such a complicated  character. She would do anything for her friends, she is willing to do the things that no other women (noble) are willing to do even during times of war. She will stab the man assualting her friend and cover it up. She would cut the amicable cord, she would stab the mother’s hand. She isn’t pure of heart, she neveer claimed to be. I love her so much. And her relationship with Lee Jang-hyun. The ending of episode 10. I was sobbing. Rating: I am trying to hype myself up to watch the next 11 episodes, people had to wait inbetween…

The Escape of the Seven (2023, Kim Soon-ok)

Main leads: Um Ki-joon, Hwang Jung-eum, Lee Joon, Lee Yu-bi, Shin Eun-kyung, Yoon Jong-hoon, Jo Yoon-hee, Jo Jae-yoon

Country: S. Korea

Run: Sept 15 to Nov 17, 2023 (SBS TV Friday and Saturday 22:00 (KST))

Episodes: 17, 70 to 80 min

Thoughts: This was an insane ride. Literally no one in this likeable except for a few, like I didn’t think Min Do-hyuk (Lee Joon) was as bad as the others but oh lordy. It is so melodramatic, which took me off graud for some reason. Going into it I thought it was going to be a serious thriller, but oh boy was I wrong. It was Makjang. Which is fine, and also coming back in style apparently. I’m sat for season 2, but not with much hope. Rating: I actually don’t know the timeline of any of these events, does it expand years months, idk…

My Demon (2023-2024, Choi Ah-il)

Main leads: Kim Yoo-jung, Song Kang, Lee Sang-yi, Kim Hae-sook

Country: S. Korea

Run: Nov 24, 2023 to Jan 20, 2024 (SBS TV,  Friday and Saturday @22:00 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: I was excited for this drama. I really liked Doom at Your Service which promised to have a similar vibe. Which it did to an extent. I actually hate Song Kang in romances and only really like him in nonromance shows. However I think he did really well as Jeong Gu-won. I liked the overall Romance in the show. But I did think the revenge plot got uninteresting and confusing after a while. I do like the ending, I was pretty satisfied with where everyone ended up, which has been a long time since I’ve been this satisfied. 

Welcome to Samdal-ri (2023-2024, Kwon Hye-joo)

Main leads: Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hye-sun

Country: S. Korea

Run: Dec 2, 2023 ti Jan 21, 2024 (JTBC, Saturday and Sunday 22:30 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: This was cute and was far above my expectations. I am always uneasy with Ji Chang Wook, I can’t forgive him for the Melting My Heart drama a few years back, but I would do anything for Shin Hye-sun. So I gave this drama a go, and I liked it. I loved the vibes, and I didn’t mind that revenge wasn’t the main plot. It's like the one line “my enemies will take themselves out before you get a chance to swing.” It was heartwarming and I’m glad that Cho Sam-dal was able to find peace in her hometown. I loved the feel of community. I loved all the Friendships. It was very lovely. And I’m happy at the ending. I will also give my entire heart to Cho Hae-dal and Cha Ha-yul. I loved their mother-daughter relationship. I wanted more screen time for both. Rating: I’m glad there is a little piece of heaven…

 Game of Witches ( 2022-2023, Lee Do-Hyun)

Main leads: Jang Seo-Hee, Kim Kyu-Seon, Lee Hyun-Seok, Oh Chang-Suk. Han Ji-Wan, Ban Hyo-Jung

Country: S. Korea

Run: Oct 11, 2022 to April 14, 2023 (MBC, Monday to Friday 19:15 (KST))

Episodes: 119, 25 to 28 min

Thoughts: *Major Spoilers+ Rant ahead.* This show makes me unneccsarly angery. It is a daily drama and a Makjang to boot, so literally put any and all expectations in the gutter. Everything is nonsensical, and drawn out to reach the 119 mark. Storylines get dropped or move way too fast. It has a strange family tree and for a moment every single person was supposbly related. They have so much evidence agsaint the scheming Kang Ji-ho (Oh Chang-suk) and Joo Se-young (Han Ji-wan) but it goes nowhere. Speaking of Kang Ji-ho, he was just straight up dispicable. I would say more than Se-ypung of Ma Hyun-Deok (Ban Hyo-Jung). He was a terrible partner and father from the start. He literally tossed his entire family out the door for Se-young and eventual power. He only paid attention to his daughter Kang Han-Byeol (Kwon Dan-A) when she was able to benefit him. He was at best neglectful and at worst abusive towards her. Han-byeol was the true victim. Hye-soo (Kim Kyu-Seon) actually had a motive in the beginning. She was just pathetic and weak but once she returned they weirdly sidelined her. Also I don’t know why Kang Ji-ho never got prosecuted for trying to kill Hye-soo. Like I find that to be one of his more egregious crimes. Like that is the mother of your child. You gave your child so much trauma, for what? Power? Like when they tried to redeem him at the end I was just fed up. You can’t make hime out to be the big bad guy for 118 episodes, and then have him do one good thing. He is a bad father, and when Han Byeol grows up she will resent him. Rating: Fuck this show, like actually.

 My Dearest Part 2(2023, Hwang Jin-young)

Main leads: Namkoong Min, Ahn Eun-jin, Lee Hak-joo, Lee Da-in, Kim Yoon-woo, Lee Chung-ah

Country: S. Korea

Run: Oct 13 to Nov 18, 2023 (MBC TV, Friday and Saturday 21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 11, 60 to 90 min

Thoughts: More devastating than the first part. Gil-chae is probably my favorite character I have watched. Her journey in this part is absolutely devastating but she survives. I enjoyed the refutement from blame, that people who experienced the worst horrors known are somehow blamed. Gil Chae pushes back on this sentiment herself. This entire time I just wanted Jang-hyun and Gil Chea together. Which took the entire part for them to finally be happy. I do think the ending was kind of wobbly, and they only really needed 10  episodes not the 11. But who am I to say? Anyways I enjoyed the show overall. Rating: My Dear Husband… 

Kokdu: Season of Diety (2023, Kang Yi-heon, Heo Jun-woo)

Main leads: Kim Jung-hyun, Im Soo-hyang, Kim Da-som, Ahn Woo-yeon, Kim In-kwon, Cha Chung-hwa

Country: S. Korea

Run: Jan 27 to March 24, 2023 (MBC TV Fridays and Saturdays @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: You must be wondering why did you watch this? It only has bad reviews- which is a lie, it is actually a polarizing show. And I can understand. If you go into this show with the lowest expectations imaginable and it might be fun. The scenery is pretty and they make decent use of it. Main Romance is actually not good, I felt no chemistry between Kim Jung-Hyun and Im Soo-hyang. I did like the romance between Tae Jeong-won (Kim Da-som) and Han Cheol (Ahn Woo-yeon) other than that The show overall fell flat. I did like the scenery and the setting. I thought it was fun. Also episode 16 was the most enjoyable episode, which is good for an ending. Rating: I would skip…

I am currently watching:

Marry My Husband

Doctor Slump

Because of Love

Do You Like Brahms?

The Real Has Come!

If you have any kdrama recommendations, please let me know!

[passionforfiction]

Under the Queen's Umbrella

This is a beautiful series. I smiled, laughed and cried. This is the story of a mother who loves her children and will fight to the teeth to protect them. As a mother myself, I could understand her feelings and her actions. Queen Im Hwa Ryeong is an intelligent woman, street smart, and she has learned to play the politics game to protect her five sons. He eldest, the Crown Prince and his own wife, little boy and his youngest on the way are her pride and joy. He is the model child everyone would want to have. She worries about his health.

When the king decides to look for a substitute for the Crown Prince's assistant, the Queen will have to prepare her other four carefree sons so they can show they are just as worthy as their other half-brothers. But as she tries to do so without alarming them, she runs around inside and outside the palace looking for them.

Her second son, Grand Prince Seong Nam, was taken away from her when he was born. She was able to bring him home after years of living outside like a commoner. He feels like an outsider inside the palace and likes to train outside, but he loves his brothers, and cherishes his relationship with his older brother.

Grand Prince Muan is a young man in love with a woman of low birth. His mother is constantly getting him out of her home and bring him back to the palace.

Grand Prince Kye Seong is a quiet young man who brings peace to his mother but carries a secret that could kill him.

Grand Prince Il Young is in his early teens and too young to care about politics.

As the political intrigues unravel, we see her relationship with her sons strengthen. This a woman who will protect, not only her children, but the king's other sons. . . She is strong and flexible, accepting and a problem solver.

I liked her relationship with her sons. How she interacts with each and gives them the support they need while also giving them wings. I also like her relationship with the King. Out of all his wives, the audience can see a special bond between them. He values her opinion and respects her. She respects him, although there are things she will always keep away from him in order to protect her sons. She is indeed her son's secret keeper and their support.

I really love what the title symbolizes. The umbrella she puts over her boys' heads when it rains and what it all means.

I truly love this story!

[glosskirt]

tsot (the scent of tangerines) storyboard

plans:

smau (not smut, but social media :3 :3)

jae-hwa based ooohhh

hinties of yoongi

COLD HWA at first but then she gets sweeter :3

fluffy madness

unfortunately i'll be adding swears 😱😱 (sorry :( )

no small caps this time 🤩

amateur writing hsandmjakfnaf

no romance, just friends!

planned synopsis

You were evicted from your apartment, and had only your cousin, Yoongi's place left to go. When Jae-Hwa found out, she insisted on you staying with her. When you arrived at Hwa's house, the whole place smelled like fresh tangerines, and she had orange-themed decor all over! When you got to the guest room, you found the theme not oranges, but strawberries! Your favorite fruit. Did you like it or did you hate it?

characters sjsksmnd

You (Min Y/N)

Min (not siblings or related to Yoongi or Y/N) Jae-Hwa (Hwahwahahaha)

Hwa Min-Jee (emjay)

Yong Hee-Young (young 4ever)

Park Sung-Hyu (hoonlvds)

Seol Sook (pookie sookie cookie)

Choi Kyu-Bong (kyuu)

Min Yoongi (your cousin :3) (Yuki 🐱)

Min Geum-jae (other cousin) (JJ)

and others..

now tell me, good story to you or not

[genkinahito]

Bear Man 웅남이 (2023) Director: Park Sung-kwang [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]

Bear Man  웅남이 　 「Woongnami」 Release Date: March 22nd, 2023 Duration: 97 mins. Director: Park Sung-kwang Writer: Kim Hwang-do (Screenplay), Starring: Park Sung-woong (Na Woong-nam/Lee Jeong-hak), Oh Dal-soo (Na Bok-cheon), Yeom Hye-ran (Jang Kyeong-sook), Lee Yi-kyeong (Jo Mal-bong), Baek Ji-hye (Yoon Na-ra), Choi Min-soo (Lee Jeong-sik) Website IMDB Look at that title. Bear Man. What does it make…

[darawonplease]

The first day of shooting ends. The contestants get closer thanks to a fun work dinner, when Dara discovers why Min looked so familiar. 

• chapter 12 – sunflower.

an. i’m finally back from and endless hiatus. ngl, it’s always hard to resume writing after so long. disclaimer! I have no idea how a real tarot reading works, but I wanted to included it as i found it fun. enjoy! 

Her soft panting got gradually more and more present, no matter how hard she kept it in. “Are you okay?”. Jiwon couldn’t help but ask one more time. “It’s you who told me… to let out the true crazy”. “That! It’ll all be useless if you get hurt”. “B-but!—“, Dara cut off her rebuttal as her attention shifted somewhere else; Min and Hyuk suddenly appeared beside them, quickly gaining ground over the suffering duo. She glanced at the curly actor; her body tensed up inexplicably. She was sure she’d seen him before, but where? “Ugh— we HAVE to win!”, Dara whined, voicing Jiwon’s exact thoughts. “You got this! Keep a suitable pace for you, we’ll gain ground at the next section”.   . “T-that’s crazy! Isn’t Sandara going at a faster pace?”, Sook widened her eyes at the incredible scene. “They seemed to comfort each other a lot, despite the unfavorable situation”. “Isn’t that what a power duo is supposed to do?”.

.

Jiwon held onto her tight. Just how badly did she want to win to do something so reckless? Her determination felt refreshing, nonetheless. A part of him started to respect her even more.

.

“The first teams to arrive to the finish line are: Team Min-Hyuk leading, Team EunDara second and Team Goeun-Jongwon last. The other teams are automatically out!”. The large race flag waved triumphantly at the side of the line just crossed by exhausted the contestants.

.

Jiwon carefully helped himself off of Sandara’s back and immediately pulled her into a celebratory hug, both taken over a rush of sudden excitement.

“We made it!”.

They jumped up and down, screaming victory before realizing how close they actually were to each other, suddenly pulling away from the embrace with some awkwardness.

.

“You’re way stronger than me”. The all smiley Jiwon didn’t even realize how proud he looked as he helped his partner fix her shirt. She kissed her flexed bicep. “I told you Hwangssabu-nim is the best! It’s all thanks to him”. “We would’ve been eliminated if it wasn’t for you. I told you to trust my judgement”.

 .

[later that day]

 .

“Don’t blame me, okay? This dinner was organized last minute… I just thought you wouldn’t care about joining, afterall… you hate work dinners. What makes this one different?”, Jiwon’s manager spoke up, heaving yet another sigh of frustration towards his own client as he carefully parked the car a few metres after the anonymous restaurant. “Nothing’s different“. The signature flowery scent hit his nose before her small figure could even enter his vision.

.

“Oh- Jiwon oppa, you came?”. Dara’s sulk lit up into a slight smile as soon as he entered. “Yes, Dohyun was kind enough to drive me here in a hurry”. The watery eyes, stiff posture; Dara clearly looked upset, it was impossible for him not to notice when he was looking at her so closely. “Are you okay?”, His voice suddenly softened. He realized he asked her that question so many times that day. She just nodded and led the new guests to the table where the lively dinner was already taking place

.

“I must be very late, am I not?”. Cho-PD’s face broke into a contented smile at the arrival of the precious contestant. “You’ve finally joined us!”.

.

“I thought I was the last one to arrive”, Jiwon pointed out after looking at the empty spots beside him and Dara.  “Here we are, sorry”, the co-actors made their way towards their seats, but Jiwon wasn’t the only one who’s enthusiasm seemed to dim, Dara suddenly grew silent too.

.

“Now that everyone’s here, I wanted to grab this opportunity to thank you for coming to this dinner despite the late notice” - Cho-PD raised his glass - Let’s have a toast, to the success of this shooting!”. The crowded table followed closely, making glasses clink left and right.

.

“You still haven’t drank at all Sandara Noona!”. “I’m okay, thank you”. “Just one glass, come on noona!”, Hyuk insisted. Her nervous fingers moved the shot glass away from her. “I’m not really in the mood for it”, she refused again. Jiwon stole the soju shot, emptying it in one swift motion.  “Ahh! I’ve been missing the taste of soju lately”. “B-but I poured it for noona..”, the actor protested in a low murmur.

 .

“It’s been a pleasure to meet with you all and getting to know you more. I’ll be leaving first but we’ll meet tomorrow morning for the second part of the filming. Make sure to rest well as it will be a very physically demanding challenge, don’t go too crazy with the drinking” - He turned towards his right - “Okay Jiwon?”.  A fat laughter broke at the table but Jiwon just smirked, unbothered.

.

The fun evening continued between delicious plates of braised meat and fried meatballs.

.

“Did you guys know that Jongwon-ssi knows how to do tarot readings?”. “I’m still learning, but I do am getting better at it”. The celebrity chef humbly responded to his show partner sudden boasting. “Wouldn’t it be fun to give it a try?”, Goeun encouraged him.

.

“Ask him if your bills are going to increase this year”. Dohyun playfully nudged at Jiwon. The liquor was already brightening his grim mood.

.

“Come on, let’s start from Jiwon-ssi!”. “A sunflower?”, Sechskies’ leader stared at the cards in front of him, failing to understand the link between them all. “… that’s unexpected”, Jongweon studied what he just revealed for a moment. “That’s the style of someone who only looks at one person. Soon, you’ll be dating”, he concluded.

“That’s nonsense, I have no luck there”. Jiwon scoffed. Even tarot cards seemed to make a fool out of his love misfortunes.

“Is there a candidate? Or someone you’re thinking about?”. “He has one, there is someone… “, the chef nodded. “I have someone?”, he tilted his head. “Someone near him”. Jiwon’s glance naturally turned towards Dara before hanging his head low. “Near me?! Yah! Who taught you how to read cards?”. 

 .

The work dinner naturally reached its end with people gradually leaving.

.

A chilly breeze awaited them outside, making Dara hold tightly onto the leather jacket she wore.  “Jiwon oppa, before you go…”, she stopped by his manager’s large car, “Thank you for giving me your lunchbox earlier”. He desperately tried to escape her sweet gaze, “How did you?...” .

“You’re a kind-hearted guy afterall!”, her cheeks plumped up like peaches.

.

‘Jiwon, you got this, take a deep breath-‘ 

.

“It’s nothing”, a sincere smile won over his need of pretending to be cool. There was no point in denying it. “See you tomorrow then, we better win!”.

.

Dara quietly got to her car and in its safety the smile fleeted her expression, leaving space to bitter tears. She gripped the steering wheel so hard it hurt, before sinking her face there as the heavy emotions she tried to contain all evening got the best of her.

 .

[earlier that evening]

 .

Cho-PD checked his phone one more time to no news. “Jiwon’s manager still hasn’t replied. I knew I should’ve stopped them before they left! I think we should start without them at this point. Can someone call those two smoking outside?”. “I’ll go!”, Dara gladly volunteered. ‘I must’ve seen him in that show, that must be it!’, she finally put to rest that annoying doubt of hers, excited to share this with Min.

.

The two actors stood a few meters away from the entrance. She recognized them immediately despite them having their backs turned towards the restaurant; Min’s curls were way too recognizable to be mistaken.

.

“I’ve been curious about her ever since Hyung had to suddenly get out of that club that day. She made such a pitiful scene at that party after he dumped her. See…he used to date her back then”.

.

A painful flashback came to haunt her once again. Of course Min was at the infamous YG after party with that opportunistic actor. She finally understood why the sight of him made her restless.

(refer to ch.4)

.

“Hyung said it only took 3 glasses of beer to take her home, can you believe it? One can’t be so bad at drinking, she must be pretending only to cry victim after she realizes how easy she’s been”, he chuckled after taking another hit.

“Let’s offer her some, see if what Hyung said is true”, Hyuk threw the cigarette butt on the sidewalk before stomping it off.

.

Dara quietly backed away from the entrance door but her feet wouldn’t take one more step, no matter how much she wanted to flee from that nightmare turned reality. The illusion of the two admiring dongsaengs happily approaching her just vanished into the disgusting truth. Perhaps that’s what the rest of the industry thought of her behind the smile and pleasantries.

.

Easy. Slut. 

What if Jiwon thought that too? She wondered.

-

previous chapter.  ⋆  next chapter.  ⋆ masterlist.