#pool party lee sin

[tallulahowens]

♥ your first question: what is your aspiration in life?

i. pretty hurts - beyonce // ii. southern belle- scotty mccreery // iii. all she wants to do is dance - don heneley // iv. one in a million remix - bosson // v. new class - selena gomez, drew seeley // vi. cowboy cassanova - carrie underwood // vii. church bells- carrie underwood // viii. better man - little big town // ix. i hope you dance - lee ann womack // x. woman's world - little mix // xi. beneath your beautiful - emeli sandé and labrinth // xii. sweetest sin - jessica simpson // xiii.  little me - little mix xiv. kiss - prince // xv. blue jeans - jessie james decker // xvi. i feel pretty / unpretty - glee cast

[LISTEN]

"Oh, my aspiration in life would be to be happy" ♥

same deal as with E, below are my rambles xD beware

i. pretty hurts - beyonce mama said, "you're a pretty girl" what's in your head, it doesn't matter brush your hair, fix your teeth what you wear is all that matters

this song to me is all about the pressures to attain physical perfection, something tallulah has had to deal with her entire life being a pageant girl. her mother, desperate to provide for the family, always taught tallulah to use her looks and her charm to her advantage no matter what. and sometimes it wasn't enough.

ii. southern belle- scotty mccreery somewhere down south there's a swingin' screen door sundressed beauty on a hot front porch knocking one back baby, oh my Lord, have mercy

you can take the girl out of texas but you can't take the texas out of the girl. no matter where she lives or what pageants she was entered in, tallulah is a southern gal at heart. its apart of her no amount of make-up and tulle can erase. she loves to ride horses, get her hands dirty, and girl can shoot her whiskey and her pool like champ, not to mention she's also a fierce mama bear.

iii. all she wants to do is dance - don heneley never mind the heat comin' off the street, she wants to party, she wants to get down, all she wants to do is, all she wants to do is dance

this a nod to teenage tallulah. even being a pageant girl, tallulah always had a wild spirit what couldn't quite be tamed completely. she loved to go out on the town and dance her little heart out whenever she got the chance. i like to think that wildflower of girl still exists in tallulah somewhere.

iv. one in a million remix - bosson you're one in a million, you're once in a lifetime you made me discover one of the stars above us

why, yes this is in fact the song the contestants in miss congeniality dance to to open the show. so this song is dedicated to tallulah's pageant life, her miss america win, and honestly the more fun side of it all. i like to think tallulah did actually enjoy many aspects of competing like participating in the choreographed dances similar to one from the movie. she also got to show off on her horse during the talent portions, and the girl does love wearing a gorgeous gown.

v. new class - selena gomez, drew seeley you're the new classic, you're the new PYT stands for paid, young and trying everything, just to touch your dreams, you look so classic, fantastic

tallulah was never really your average beauty queen. she started out as the dime store contestant dressed in her mother’s repurposed hand-me-downs and bedazzled riding boots. it was something the judges couldn’t get enough of and i like to think in a small way she helped paved the way for girls to celebrate their differences in pageantry, hence the new classic.

vi. cowboy cassanova - carrie underwood he's the devil in disguise, a snake with blue eyes, and he only comes out at night gives you feelings that you don't wanna fight, you better run for your life

ooof this one goes out to mr. james calloway, texas oil tycoon and the man who swept the newly minted miss america right out of her cowgirl boots. i picture the first day tallulah met him going something like this song. he was posted up against the record machine in some dive bar they shouldn’t have been in. naturally, she blew him off at first, but he was persistent and those eyes. damn girl couldn't get enough of it.

vii. church bells- carrie underwood jenny was hosting Junior League parties and having dinner at the country club, everyone thought they were ken and barbie but ken was always getting way too drunk

more carrie because she is tallulah's absolute favorite singer and she literally IS a carrie underwood song. it took a lot of restraint to only narrow it down to two but ANYWAY this song was the inspiration for tallulah, and i pretty much took bits and pieces from the song to shape her character. it also comments on how things in tallulah's marriage started out picture perfect and then slowly crumbled.

viii. better man - little big town sometimes, in the middle of the night, I can feel you again but I just miss you, and I just wish you were a better man

in tallulah's eyes this one is about grief because at the end of day she really did love james, and it kills her to think that she could love someone with demons like his. even after he passed, she still catches herself wishing he was still around and is reminded of the times when things in their marriage were magic.

ix. i hope you dance - lee ann womack Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance, and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance. I hope you dance…

this song is dedicated to tallulah's daughter, miranda. they had been through a lot in the last 3 years and tallulah tries her best to raise her best she can. even though she has some trouble letting go and watching her babygirl grow up, her wish for miranda is to get out there in the world, embrace life, take chances, and of course dance.

x. woman's world - little mix every day she tells her daughter "baby, you're not just a pretty face" she says "you gotta work much harder"

sucker for some parallels, so tallulah's mother always told her that she was just a pretty face, and now that tallulah is a mom she wants miranda to know that her daughter is more than just a pretty face. and of course that she can be whoever she wants to be in this world which i also think is something tallulah is trying to work through too. and finally, tallulah also does a lot of volunteer work with junior league and mentoring pageant girls, so i imagine its a message she makes sure they know, too.

xi. beneath your beautiful - emeli sandé and labrinth you've built your wall so high that no one could climb it but I'm gonna try, would you let me see beneath your beautiful?

tallulah has been pretty closed off romantically since her husband's death and has been throwing herself into her work and her charities and her daughter. it has been three years and miranda is almost a teenager so i like to think she is ready to start dipping her toes into the dating pool again and let people see beneath her beautiful.

xii. sweetest sin - jessica simpson your fingertips on my fingertips your skin upon my skin would be the sweetest sin

the day tallulah does actually let someone, and they are intimate, this is the song that's playing in the background. that's all. it's the sweetest sin and i cry.

xiii.  little me - little mix I'd tell her to speak up, tell her to shout out, talk a bit louder, be a bit prouder, tell her she's beautiful, wonderful, everything she doesn't see

if tallulah could go back in time and tell her younger self a couple things she would tell her to stand up for self more and that she is more than just her pretty face. i think these are things she still tries to remind herself.

xiv. kiss - prince you don't have to be rich to be my girl, you don't have to be cool to rule my world, ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with, I just want your extra time and your kiss

tallulah's absolute favorite movie is pretty woman, and she loves the scene where julia roberts is singing to prince in the bathtub. catch her doing work around the house jamming out to this bop, probably scrounges up an old walkman for the occasion too because sometimes she's extra like that.

xv. blue jeans - jessie james decker i step in my blue jeans homewreck in my blue jeans, i got it from my momma so im blessed in my, I sing in my blue jeans, bling in my blue jeans when I hit the country club I get in free with my

tallulah might be a former beauty queen and love to get all dressed up in gowns and tiaras, but girl sure can rock a pair of blue jeans like no other. her collection of denim and cowgirl boots rivals no one. i like to imagine when she's feeling herself this is one of the songs she's blasting, and miranda is groaning somewhere in the background.

xvi. i feel pretty / unpretty - glee cast you can buy all the makeup that MAC can make but if you can't look inside you find out who am I, too be in a position to make me feel so damn unpretty, i feel pretty, oh so pretty i feel pretty and witty and bright

one final nod to beauty to beauty standards because i like that it's a bookend with "pretty hurts." tallulah has come a long way from the pageant days, but there are still times now where she feels pretty and other times where she feels unpretty.

you are the real hero if you got through all that xoxo

[thehigherthetide]

today i will categorize every league of legends champion as either hot or not. some exceptions and exclusions.

aatrox: hot

ahri: hot

akali: hot

akshan: hot

alistar: hot

anivia: not hot

aphelios: hot

ashe: my favorite nsfw artist draws her so beautifully so hot

aurelion sol: hot

aurora: cute but not hot

azir: hot

bard: not hot

bel’veth: hot

blitzcrank: not hot

brand: ironically, not hot

braum: very awesome but not hot

briar: not hot

caitlyn: hot

camille: hot

cassiopeia: as she currently is, not hot

cho’gath: hot

darius: ugly

diana: hot

dr. mundo: not hot

draven: situationally hot, he looks good in his newer skins

ekko: not hot

elise: hot

evelynn: hot

ezreal: also situationally hot

fiddlesticks: hot

fiora: hot

galio: not hot

gangplank: ugly

garen: super ugly

gragas: ugly

graves: hot

gwen: hot

hecarim: hot

hwei: hot

illaoi: hot

irelia: hot

ivern: not hot

janna: hot

jarvan iv: only hot in pool party and nightbringer and maybe lunar beast

jax: hot

jayce: not hot

jhin: hot

jinx: not hot

k’sante: hot

kai’sa: hot

kalista: hot when she was alive

karma: hot

karthus: not hot

kassadin: not hot but i can see the potential

katarina: hot

kayle: hot

kayn: hot

kha’zix: not hot

kindred: hot, both of them

kog’maw: not hot

leblanc: lol ugly, lor hot

lee sin: not hot

leona: not hot

lillia: not hot

lissandra: not hot

lucian: situational

lux: not hot

malphite: lol ugly, lor kinda hot

malzahar: please give him an asu please i know he’s hot

maokai: not hot

master yi: lol ugly, lor super hot

miss fortune: hot

mordekaiser: hot

morgana: hot

nami: cutest girl in the world, not hot

nasus: not hot

nautilus: hot

neeko: not hot

nidalee: lol ugly, lor kinda hot

nilah: hot

nocturne: hot

olaf: lowkey hot

orianna: not hot

ornn: hot

pantheon: hot

pyke: hot

qiyana: hot

quinn: hot

rakan: hot

rammus: not hot

rek’sai: not hot

rell: not hot

renata glasc: hot

renekton: hot

rengar: hot

riven: hot

ryze: not hot

samira: hot

sejuani: hot

senna: hot

seraphine: not hot

sett: not hot

shaco: soul fighter shaco is kinda hot

shen: hot

shyvana: lol ugly, lor hot

singed: not hot

sion: not hot

sivir: hot

skarner: not hot

sona: hot

soraka: hot

swain: hot

sylas: hot

syndra: not hot

tahm kench: hot

taliyah: not hot

talon: kinda hot in the katarina webtoon

taric: not hot

thresh: hot hot hot

trundle: not hot, not even traditional trundle

tryndamere: ugly please ashe just give me one chance

twisted fate: only cutpurse is hot

twitch: not hot

udyr: not hot

urgot: not hot

varus: hot

vayne: hot

vel’koz: hot

vi: lol kinda ugly, arcane hot

viego: situational

viktor: hot

vladimir: not hot

volibear: hot

warwick: hot

wukong: lowkey hot

xayah: hot

xerath: hot

xin zhao: hot but especially firecracker

yasuo: situational

yone: always hot

yorick: hot

zac: hot

zed: hot

zeri: not hot

zilean: not hot

zyra: not hot

[jollysalmon]

💙 Pool Party Jinx cosplay- Kitty Prize 🌿 Pool Party Qiyana cosplay - @venividi.vinsi 💚 Pool Party Zoe - Angdey 🪨 Pool Party Taliyah cosplay- Luxxio 💎 Pool Party Riven cosplay - Charin Cosplay 🥥 Pool Party Ahri cosplay and Pool Party Lee Sin cosplay - Jophiel &Shariel 💜 Pool Party Fiora cosplay - Deleo Cosplay 🏐 Pool Party Syndra cosplay - Efiozo 🌸 Pool Party Caitlyn cosplay - Orohime Dreamland 🌺 Pool Party Miss Fortune cosplay - Jolly Salmon 🌻 Pool Party Leona cosplay - Senapi Cosplay 📷 Photo by The Puddins'

[marynicolaart]

tell me who😎

[mizii]

Wallpapers Pool Party

Graves

Heimerdinger

Jarvan IV

Lee Sin

Leona

Lulu

[shojinfire]

//Wild Rift splash arts + God Fist hell yeah

[roguekelsey]

My entry for this week's Art Race challenge over on the League of Legends Amino, the theme for this week was pool party.

[0mr-t]

WHO IS NEXT ?

[notoriouslydevious]

Goodbye & Good Luck Riot KateyKhaos

Yesterday Katey posted to her twitter saying that next thursday will be her last day at Riot (so most likely Sept 16th, 2021). 

She was known as the Nami-Mommy throughout most of the community and worked on a BUNCH of skins.  She posted this on her Riot anniversary on June 30th of all the skins she worked on: 

Since it's pretty hard to read from the picture, I'll do my best to list them all: 2014: Reaper Soraka Victorious Morgana Battlecast Kog'maw Captain Volibear Constable Trundle Winter Wonder Orianna 2015: Wild Card Shaco King of Clubs Morde Order of the Lotus Irelia Prehistoric Cho'gath Pool Party Rek'sai Pool Party Draven Captain Fortune Battle Boss Blitzcrank Arcade Riven Project: Yi Project Fiora Championship Kalista Warden Karma Warden Jax Marauder Alistar Marauder Olaf Marauder Ashe Marauder Warwick Demon Vi Slayer Jinx Void Bringer Illaoi Snow Day Syndra Blood Moon Elise Challenger Ahri DJ Sona Firecracker Jinx Sweetheart Annie Debonair Galio Headhunter Akali Urf the Nami-tee Archduke Nasus Definitely Not Udyr Order of the Banana Soraka Guardian of the Sands Rammus Arclight Vayne Risen Fiddlesticks Queen of Diamonds Syndra Ace of Spades Ezreal 2016: Challenger Nidalee Lunar Wraith Morgana Sweetheart Sona Heartseeker Orianna Death Blossom Kha'zix Hextech Ward Mecha Zero Sion Mecha Zero Ward Super Galaxy Kindred Super Galaxy Fizz Freljord Taliyah El Leon Gnar El Macho Mundo Deep Sea Nami Star Guardian Jinx Mechs and Minions Ward Victorious Maokai Elementalist Lux Elementalist Ward 2017: Heartseeker Quinn Love Dove Ward Festival Queen Anivia Dragon Sorceress Zyra Moo Cow alistar Dreadnova Darius Cosmic Blade Master Yi Cosmic Dawn Rakan Pulsefire Caitlyn Pulsefire ward SKT T1 Nami SKT T1 Syndra Pentakill Kayle Star Guardian Ahri Star Guardian Miss Fortune Star Guardian Soraka Beekeeper Signed Arclight Yorick Death Sworn Katarina Death Sworn Viktor Death Sworn Zed Mecha Rengar 2018: Sweetheart Rakan Sweetheart Xayah Lunar Empress Lux Lunar Guardian Warwick Lunar Guardian Nasus Dragon Master Swain Resistance Illaoi Pizza Delivery Sivir Dark Star Cho'gath (I went to HS with Brian, the guy they made this skin for ♥) SSG Ezreal SSG Jarvan SSG Xayah SSG Rakan SSG Gnar SSG Taliyah Pool Party Zoe Pool Party Caitlyn Pool Party Gangplank Mafia Braum (or now "Crime City" Braum) High Noon Thresh High Noon Urgot Divine Sword Irelia Enduring Sword Talon Infernal Amumu Count Kledula Trick or Treat Ekko Program Nami Victorious Orianna Pajama Guardian Soraka Pajama Guardian Miss Fortune Pajama Guardian Ezreal Pajama Guardian Lux Pajama Guardian Lulu Ice King Twitch Frozen Prince Mundo Winter Wonder Soraka Hextech Renekton 2019: Blood Moon Pyke Blood Moon Aatrox & Prestige Blood Moon Sivir Firecracker Vayne & Prestige Firecracker Sejuani Coin Emperor Tahm Kench Heartpiercer Fiora Heartbreaker Vi Papercraft Anivia Papercraft Nunu Arclight Brand Pretty Kitty Rengar Fuzz Fizz Corgi Corki Meowrick Dunkmaster Ivern Hextech Jarvan IG Leblanc IG Camille IG Fiora IG Kai'sa Dark Star Shaco Dark Star Karma Arcade Kai'sa Arcade Caitlyn Battle Boss Yasuo Demacia Vice Garen Demacia Vice Lucian Dragon Oracle Udyr Hextech Rammus Elderwood Ahri Elderwood Nocturne Elderwood Veigar Championship Ryze Valiant Sword Riven Majestice Empress Morgana Splendid Staff Nami High Noon Ashe Witch's Brew Blitz Bewitched Miss Fortune Count Kassadin Dawnbringer Karma Dawnbringer Nidalee Nightbringer Vladimir Nightbringer Lee Sin 2020: Mecha Kingdoms Garen Heartseeker Jinx Heartseeker Yuumi Furyhorn Cosplay Veigar Pajama Guardian Urgot Coven Zyra Coven Leblanc FPX Malphite FPX Vayne FPX Lee Sin FPX Thresh Spirit Blossom Yasuo Spirit Blossom Cassiopeia PsyOps Master Yi PsyOps Ezreal PsyOps Pyke PsyOps Viktor Championship Leblanc K/DA All Out Seraphine Cosmic Destiny Nami Battle Queen Janna Elderwood Xayah Elderwood Rakan 2021: Ruined Karma Ruined Shyvana Ruined Draven Space Groove Lux Space Groove Nasus DWG Jhin DWG Nidalee PROJECT: Sejuani Sentinel Irelia It honestly scares me that not one, not two, but now THREE people in the skins department are leaving back to back (Stellari, Zeronis in October of 2020 and now Katey.. like what the fuck is going on??? At least Steve Zheng is still getting commissioned.. I think). I will certainly miss Katey wherever she flips her fins. 🧜‍♀️♥

[jollysalmon]

💙 Pool Party Jinx cosplay- Kitty Prize 🌿 Pool Party Qiyana cosplay - @venividi.vinsi 💚 Pool Party Zoe - Angdey 🪨 Pool Party Taliyah cosplay- Luxxio 💎 Pool Party Riven cosplay - Charin Cosplay 🥥 Pool Party Ahri cosplay and Pool Party Lee Sin cosplay - Jophiel &Shariel 💜 Pool Party Fiora cosplay - Deleo Cosplay 🏐 Pool Party Syndra cosplay - Efiozo 🌸 Pool Party Caitlyn cosplay - Orohime Dreamland 🌺 Pool Party Miss Fortune cosplay - Jolly Salmon 🌻 Pool Party Leona cosplay - Senapi Cosplay 📷 Photo by The Puddins'

[lebrookestore]

ignite it; l.tn

Pairing: Ten Lee x reader

Themes: angst, suggestive, sad-ish, the reader is not in the best state of mind, making out

Warnings: suggestive, unrequited love, self hate? kind of, tens an asshole, a toxic relationship, everyone is fucked amen

Wc: 2k

Playlist: here

Taglist:  @danishmiilk​ @channoticedmeuwu​ @chicksung​ @1-800-seo​ @blueprint-han​ @jenosslut​ @cupidluvstarrz​ @kkakkdugi​ @yunntext​ @vera-liscious​ @leetaeyonglover​ @kunrengui​ @unknown5tar​ @kisshim​ @the-rooftop-fight​

Authors note: ahem, this is a very self indulgent fic, it turned out to be longer and spicier than I had anticipated, its a bunch of making out and angst, enjoy! I got carried away h a h a. I even made a spotify playlist oh em gee

The incessant ticking of the clock was the only thing keeping you sane at the moment. You had ten minutes before he would arrive, ten minutes to pull yourself together, out of a hole you had dug yourself into. Sighing, you took your cup to your kitchen, placing it in the sink and running a hand through your hair.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Time was something that always roped you in. You never had enough, you had too much, you had none. The minutes ticked by as you walked to your bedroom, taking your sweater off.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Was it a sin to feel this way? You had never felt it before, it felt so wrong, yet so right. Every touch was like throwing alcohol on a flame. All it did was help it burn brighter.

Five minutes.

You didn’t want Ten to arrive, you wanted him to stay far away from you. You wanted to never see him again, because every moment you spent with him ate at you, it made your skin crawl. He gave you that momentary high, before you crashed back down to the ground, keeping you roped in.

You kept going back, for that mercurial high, those few hours where you could pretend you had it all, when you could pretend that he was yours, when all you were was a distraction. Stress relief, a girl with no face he gave his attention to. 

Why did you keep going back?

A desperation coursed through you as you glanced at your phone, awaiting the text that told you he had arrived. You wanted him to come, you wanted him there with you right now, kissing you, making you forget everything. How could you have ever doubted him? It was Ten after all, the boy you loved. You trusted him with everything you were, you wanted him to be there-

No you didn’t. You wanted him to leave, but god, you wanted him to stay as well, stay with you and never leave.

It was a dangerous game.

He left so fast as well, you would never see him for more than a few hours on end, before he would disappear, only to show up late in the night, apologizing profusely, telling you it was his terrible memory. He told you he loved you, he promised he did.

He remembered everything else, everyone else, but you.

You remembered when you first met Ten, the pretty boy with an even prettier smile, in the pouring rain. He gave you his umbrella and walked away in the rain, his hair matting against his forehead as he smiled at you, assuring you it wasn’t a big deal.

You met him again later by chance, and he smiled at you again. You swore you had never been more entranced by such a simple gesture before. He was in your college, and you had bumped into him on campus. You promised to give his umbrella back the next day,

You didn’t see him the next day, in fact, you didn’t see him for a whole week, yet you carried the umbrella around. It was about more than just the umbrella, you wanted him to give you that smile again, to thank you and smile again.

You finally saw him and finally returned the umbrella, and left, suddenly feeling empty. You had no reason to run into him again, so you decided to forget about him, until you ran into him at a party. From there on, the two of you got closer, until one day he finally kissed you.

You didn’t see him for a week after that.

He came back, and never made any indication he remembered the kiss, in fact he made no mention of it. He would cut you off every time you tried to bring it up, offering to hang out some other time, or talking about something absurd and unrelated.

Finally, he spoke about it, telling you he liked you but didn’t want anything serious. You agreed, assuring him you liked him back. You said it was alright, it was fine if he wasn’t ready for a relationship, you were fine.

From then on, you tolerated it all, the late night calls, his random mood swings, the times he would seemingly disappear for days on end, before returning and kissing you, avoiding your questions and promising to make it up to you.

He loved you after all, he said, he loved you.

He did, right?

Tick. Tock.

You still didn’t know what the two of you were, and it had been months. Months of running around each other, of missing him and having him before losing him again. Maybe he liked playing games with you, maybe he liked the way you broke slowly for him, forgiving him every time.

You loved you after all, you loved him.

Your phones screen lit up, and it was embarrassing, just how fast you clicked on the notification, eyes glossing over as you read the message.

[00:45 am] Ten: I’m here

You swallowed the lump in your throat as you walked to the living room, past the hall and to your main door, right hand gripping the knob. Everything inside you screamed to leave it shut, to stop this game right now. You didn’t want to be a pawn anymore, you wanted to roll the dice, pull a six and win.

And leave.

But he was so close. Even that thought made you shiver, just outside your door was Ten, the boy your loved, the boy you wanted. Just thinking about it set you off, igniting a fire that lay dormant when he wasn’t around. A euphoric flame that you didn’t want extinguished.

You opened the door, holding your breath.

Tick. Tock.

He stood there, looking gorgeous as usual, hair messy, lips red, eyes staring into yours. He had his hands in his pockets, as he held the gaze, taking a step forward and licking his lips.

“Y/n”

All he had done was said your name, but fuck, even that made you want to drag him by his collar inside and kiss him. It sent shivers down your spine, and even if it was well past midnight, you felt alert and awake, buzzing with energy only he gave you. That short lived adrenaline shot.

“Ten”

You sounded breathless, and he hadn’t even done anything. He stepped inside your house and shut the door for you, looking back at your expectant eyes, before leaning forward and capturing your lips in an intoxicating kiss.

Your hands quickly found their way to his hair, his hands found your waist pulling you closer. Tugging slightly at the hair at the base, you tilted your head, staggering back as he followed.

The game had begun.

Fuck he was right there, you were in his arms as he kissed you. You felt that flame light again, burning brightly with fury. You hated the way you liked it, the way you wanted it to never stop. The sparks jumped brighter, but you weren’t so sure it was a good thing.

You hated the fact you left yourself go through the same thing again and again, the same excruciating pain, just for a few moments of happiness. When he came around, you forgot all the hatred you held, you only remembered that he was there.

Stop, please stop, you thought, before your mind did a full one-eighty flip, pulling him closer. Ten pulled away, pushing you against the wall before he kissed you again. Your fingers fisted the ends of shirt as his lips trailed down to your jaw, leaving butterfly kisses all along it. They travelled down to your neck, and you were lost.

Lost in between kisses and touches, trapped within your own mind wasted. It was so wrong, but it felt so, so right. You didn’t know how to stop, you were utterly lost to him. You felt yourself going dizzy, you couldn’t think straight.

This wasn’t how love was supposed to be right?

At first it was wonderful, you would get those first crush butterflies, you would feel giddy every time he was around, every time he kissed you, Now even the thought of Ten filled you with dread, a dread that would pool in the pit of your stomach, until it was replaced with wanting him. 

It was a rush, pulling him closer, only to lose him again, why the fuck did you still want this?

He cupped your face, kissing you once again, before pulling away. His half lidded eyes stared back at you. You wanted to follow him, and kiss him again, but you waited. He pulled you along with him to your bedroom, he pulled you along like a puppet like he always did.

You were attached as he strung you along, and the ironic thing was the fact he had asked for a no strings attached relationship. Correction: he asked for no relationship at all.

Every kiss burnt, setting your skin alight. It was painful against your lips. It was messy, it hurt, and it was wrong. You shouldn’t enjoy it, you shouldn’t want him, but you did, fuck you wanted him all the time. You wanted him to be yours.

“I’m sorry”, he whispered against your lips. He sounded genuine, like he meant it, but it was all a lie. You knew how things would go, he would come along, he would apologize, he would promise he loved you, and he would leave, leaving you empty.

He would light you on fire, and leave you to burn out.

Of course you forgave him, you always forgave him, because you didn’t want him to leave. Because you hoped that one day he would come back for you, and he would stay. You still held onto that foolish hope that the initial feeling of happiness would come back to you.

That flushed feeling of butterflies, the giddiness, the giggling and late night talks. You wanted the Ten you had met before back, but you wanted the Ten you knew right now as well. You wanted it all.

You would end up with nothing, you knew. 

You were greedy, but you didn’t care. You still wanted everything you could have, even if it was only for a moment. You let yourself get lost in him, lost to him like a moth drawn to a flame. 

Make me forget, you thought, make me forget you. You couldn’t forget him even if you tried. You loved him, didn’t you?

“It’s okay”, you said in between kisses, as his lips trailed down your skin, searing hot. 

Maybe you weren’t in love with him, you were in love with the idea of having him. You were in love with his smile, his eyes, the way he spoke. You were in love with the memories you had, and you held onto them.

You sometimes wondered what you would be like if you had never met him. If you hadn’t been out there in the rain that day, if you were still oblivious to Ten’s existence and everything about him, his pretty smile, his dark eyes. Everything that you loved about him.

Your love was tainted, but you believed it was beautiful in it’s own dark, twisted way. Maybe it was a fairytale told by wronged side, the side of the story that no one liked. You hated it too, but you couldn’t stop it. You lived for that tainted beauty.

All fairytales came to an end at one point, but this one never had one. It was a cycle, the same thing over and over. You were afraid of the end, knowing it wouldn’t be a happy one. It had no chance to be.

His tongue swiped your lower lip dangerously, asking for permission. you nodded weakly, wrapping your arms around his neck, basking in the familiarity of the situation. The flame inside you burst out, angry and wanting. You let yourself fade away in his arms, mind going blank. 

He ignited you once again, only to leave by the end of it, a dying fire left behind.

After all, fires were meant to be extinguished.

[odanurr87]

My thoughts on... Hotel del Luna

From left to right: Pyo Ji-hoon as Ji Hyun-joong; Yeo Jin-goo as Gu Chan-sung; Lee Ji-eun (IU) as Jang Man-wol; Bae Hae-seon as Choi Seo-hee; and Shin Jung-keun as Kim Sun-bi.

Released in 2019, Hotel del Luna was my introduction to the works of the Hong sisters as well as actors Yeo Jin-goo and Lee Ji-eun (IU), and what an introduction it was! The first episode of the show was excellent, giving us a hint of Man-wol’s tragic past that left me wanting to know more, then moving forwards in time to reenact that scene from Beauty and the Beast where Belle’s father is caught trying to steal a rose from Beast’s garden to give to Belle, and finally reaching present day as Man-wol tries to recruit Chan-sung and introduces him, and us, to this world of gods, ghosts, and souls with lingering grudges, that reminded me of the wondrous world of Harry Potter. Everything clicked for me in this episode, from the beautiful cinematography and music to the strong performances, particularly IU’s as Man-wol who knocked it out of the park and, incidentally, has a most impressive wardrobe and an uncanny ability to look amazing in every single one of her outfits. This was a highly promising start for my next modern fantasy show after Goblin and I couldn’t wait for the next episode. But what is this show about and why should you watch it?

Plot synopsis

21 years ago, Gu Chang-sung’s father cut a deal with the beautiful and mysterious owner of Hotel del Luna, Jang Man-wol, so that she would save his life in exchange for his son. Regretting the deal afterwards, the father left the country with his son hoping to spare him his fate. Believing himself to be safe, Gu Chan-sung has returned to work as assistant manager in one of Korea’s top hotels but Jang Man-wol is intent on collecting on the old debt by having him work in her hotel instead. However, Hotel del Luna is not your typical establishment, as Gu Chan-sung soon finds out, providing a service for souls who need healing or have grudges left to settle before moving on. While initially afraid of the prospect of becoming assistant manager at a hotel that serves ghosts, Gu Chan-sung finds himself intrigued by the challenge and curious about the story of the beautiful owner who runs it.

A magical atmosphere

Stepping into the world of Hotel del Luna feels like taking the train at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and attending Hogwarts. In fact, our intrepid hero, Gu Chan-sung, also receives a magical letter welcoming him as Hotel del Luna’s new manager, and while there’s nothing magical about the subway that takes him there Jang Man-wol does use a little magic to ensure their first encounter goes undisturbed. The hotel itself reminded me of Hogwarts, not because it is filled with ghosts and can only be found by them (and the very much alive and fearful human manager), but because of the feeling of perpetual wonder knowing that behind every door lies a new magical mystery waiting to be discovered, be it a room only people who are alive can enter but not exit, the sky lounge, a swimming pool that is actually a beach in some undetermined plane of existence, or a beautiful garden with a magical tree that holds one of the hotel’s biggest secrets. Of course, one should not forget CEO Jang Man-wol (if one wishes to live) who, while certainly a very different character from Albus Dumbledore in terms of personality, always knows more than she’s letting on and is usually in control of any situation, even if the outcome isn’t always the one she anticipates. There is also the wonderful supporting cast in the form of the different incarnations of the deity Ma Go-sin (played by Seo Yi-sook, who looks like she’s having a blast playing the different sides of the goddess), a reserved but diligent Grim Reaper (played by Kang Hong-suk), and the welcoming staff of the hotel, represented by the trio of Kim Sum-bi (the bartender), Choi Seo-hee (the room manager), and Ji Hyun-joong (the hotel receptionist).

In the same way we cannot divorce Harry Potter from its music, given its distinct signature by that legend that is John Williams, I cannot forego mentioning Hotel del Luna’s mysterious, magical, and ethereal, instrumental soundtrack. Let me take you on a brief musical tour, shall I? Let’s start by taking subway line 4 and going to Hotel del Luna. The receptionist seems to be asleep so why don’t we let ourselves in? Wow, looks like the hotel’s throwing a party, apparently they’re welcoming human guests for the first time in years and the staff is particularly excited about it. That explains how we managed to get in (remember, this is not really a hotel for living, breathing, people). I can see that the bartender is busy receiving food orders and members of the staff are decorating the hall with real flowers. Hey, where’s that kid sneaking off to? Let’s follow him. Oh, that’s the Samdocheon Tunnel, which marks the boundary between this life and the afterlife. The Grim Reaper and the manager are there to bid farewell to one of the hotel’s guests. Apparently, there’s a bridge beyond the tunnel that takes 49 days to cross! I’m not eager to cross it just yet so let’s return to the hotel. Wait, why is there water everywhere? Looks like a water god managed to get past the receptionist (not that difficult when he’s asleep) and the CEO isn’t very happy about it. Yup, she definitely doesn’t look happy. We’d better make our exit before she figures out we shouldn’t be here.

To complement this excellent instrumental soundtrack, my favourite among all the kdramas I’ve watched to date, there’s an amazing selection of songs by artists like Red Velvet, TAEYEON, Heize, Punch, Chung Ha, and Paul Kim, among many others. IU herself sings an absolutely beautiful song that plays in one of the most highly-anticipated scenes of the show but which, sadly, has not been released. However, just as important as having a great soundtrack is using it well. If you’ve read my reviews of Angel’s Last Mission: Love or Strong Woman Do-Bong Soon, you should have an idea of how much I value using the right music at the right time to convey or accentuate the proper emotions during dramatic, comedic, or romantic scenes. Correct music usage can lead to your soundtrack being memorable, whereas incorrect music usage will surely render it forgettable. Fortunately for us, Hotel del Luna knows precisely when to use its music and how. It knows when levity is called for and when it’s not, when to highlight the wondrous side of magic and when to show its darker side, when to use Heize’s “Can You See My Heart” or Punch’s “Done For Me.” I believe it was John Williams, when talking about the music of the original Star Wars trilogy, who said that he wanted the score to tell the story of what was going on in the screen. I believe Hotel del Luna’s score achieves this feat.

Another aspect that contributes to the magical atmosphere of the show is, without a doubt, its incredible cinematography (from camera angles, through its beautiful use of lighting and colours) which, combined with its excellent score, can create scenes that are best defined as poetry in motion. I particularly liked how it favoured studio sets for shooting many of its scenes, giving the sensation that we’re watching a superb play that encourages us to send our imagination into overdrive. Even some of the more noticeable VFX work, like the city view from the hotel’s sky lounge plays into the notion that one cannot always tell what’s real and what’s fake in Hotel del Luna, as Man-wol warns Chan-sung that the view from the sky lounge is not from this world, but the fall will kill him just the same (Man-wol being Man-wol). Because I’m not knowledgeable enough to explain the show’s cinematography in technical terms, I’ll leave you with a trailer that captures some aspects of it and, luckily, also showcases Jang Man-wol’s incredible selection of dresses.

A part of a greater whole

In my review of Bring it on, Ghost I mentioned the show followed a certain formula that is often poorly executed in Western shows. There is a main story-arc that encompasses the whole of the show and there are side stories where our protagonists confront the “ghost of the week.” One of the strengths of Bring it on, Ghost lied in how these side stories would sometimes tie into the main story or would be used to expand on a character’s backstory so that they rarely came across as filler. Hotel del Luna executes the same formula with a lot more thought and care, often laying out the groundwork for events later down the episode, what is expected, or even later down the show, what is a bit more impressive. The Hong sisters remain true to their initially-stated intention throughout the show and reinforce this with the aid of these side stories, preparing both Gu Chan-sung and us for the inevitable dénouement of the show. Let me try to illustrate my point by way of an example. I don’t want to give more for fear of completely spoiling the show for you.

Episode 5 tells the story of a ghost bride whose parents want to give a soul wedding so she will be able to peacefully pass into the afterlife. Unfortunately, the chosen partner for this soul wedding ends up being Gu Chan-sung’s best friend, Sanchez, so while Man-wol goes shopping as Audrey Hepburn with the parents’ black card (our girl has very expensive tastes), Gu Chan-sung tries to figure out a way to spare his terrified friend. After some twists and turns, what is often the case with this show as the truth is not always what it seems, it is revealed that it is actually the groom’s parents who want to marry off the bride so she’ll let go of their son, who’s in a coma. For those who’ve watched Bring it on, Ghost, the parallels with the ghost side story from Episode 10 are fairly evident, as the ghost bride needs to find the strength to let go of the person she loves and she ultimately does so in one of the most beautifully composed scenes of the show. This is one of those “poetry in motion” scenes I was talking about. As the groom runs away in shock and fear, the bride gathers the courage to cut the red string of fate tying them together, under the intent gazes of Gu Chan-sung, dressed as the groom, and Jan Man-wol, dressed as a bride (in red).

You need a stronger will to let go than to hold on.

This scene is a portent of events yet to come, when the day finally arrives where Chan-sung and Man-wol will also have to part ways. Indeed, several episodes later, the room manager will remind Gu Chan-sung of the words Goddess Ma Go-sin then told the ghost bride, “You need a stronger will to let go than to hold on.” The bride’s selfless act of letting go of the person she loves, breaking free from her earthly tether of her own volition, can be seen as a challenge to Man-wol, whose hatred for the man who betrayed her has been her sole drive for the past 1,300 years but also a curse that has bounded her to the hotel and prevented her from dying. Could she, like the bride, unburden herself by letting go of her hatred? Is it possible for someone with such a long and deep resentment to simply let go? This is a recurring question throughout the show and one that puts her at odds with her increasing desire to protect Gu Chan-sung, as she fears her actions, born of her hatred for the people who wronged her, might end up harming the man she loves.

Side stories such as this one often give us further insight into Man-wol, whether it be a glimpse of her past or challenging her beliefs, making her question herself and her actions, however briefly.

A fairy tale romance

Man-wol is a tsundere character, both a Beauty and a Beast, who has been nursing a thousand-year-old grudge against the people who betrayed her and consequently filters every human interaction through a lens of cold cynicism, expecting the worst from people. Chan-sung on the other hand, is a proper gentleman, a type of character we don’t often see in kdramas and a natural consequence of his training as a hotel manager. He’s friendly, cultured, well-mannered, kind, clever, and someone who's very much in control of his emotions most of the time. The evolution of the relationship between these two characters is the centrepiece of Hotel del Luna, a breath of fresh air in a landscape that often feels the need to use love triangles, or other polygons, as a shortcut to properly fleshing out the relationship between two characters. While there are elements of a love triangle present, such as expressions of jealousy for the sake of comedy, Hotel del Luna chooses to forego this trope and commit fully to the main characters’ fairy tale-like romance.

When you tell her you’ve been dreaming about her.

Another trope the Hong sisters mostly dispense with is that of misunderstandings, which are kept to a bare minimum, as Man-wol and Chan-sung are very open with each other regarding their thoughts and feelings, although Man-wol is, understandably, less transparent about her feelings in the beginning. It was incredibly refreshing to witness two characters that could guess each other’s thoughts and were willing to have an open and honest conversation about it rather than to hold back for the sake of drama. Of course, this did become somewhat frustrating for Man-wol (and fun for us) when Chan-sung started gaining more confidence, feeling at ease with Man-wol, and rebuking her selfish or materialistic actions. Their playful banter and bickering throughout the show is, to my mind, a clear indication that they’re comfortable with each other, as strong a sign of the chemistry in their relationship as half a dozen kisses, if not a better one, what is a good thing because those are few and far between. On the other hand, it makes those moments much more valuable and meaningful. The love between Man-wol and Chan-sung comes across in the gestures they make, in their facial expressions, in the words spoken and left unsaid. When Man-wol tries to comfort Chan-sung but doesn’t know how (Video), when she confesses she wants him to stay with her till the end and they share an intimate hug (Video), when Chan-sung breaks down and cries at the thought of not being able to see Man-wol ever again (Video), when the two have a conversation on the balcony under the moonlight (Video)... These are a precious few examples of the beauty, strength, and depth of feeling, of their relationship.

When the adult catches you in a lie.

While Man-wol is not the same ruthless person she was at the beginning of the show as she is at the end, she still retains some elements or traits of her personality throughout the show (there’s still a little tsun in her dere), as it should be. In one episode Chan-sung is remarking upon how much nicer she has become and she replies, “Gu Chan-sung, you’ve made leaves and flowers grow and have changed me a lot. But you won’t be able to change my core personality. Don’t even expect that.” Even as she says this you can see her looking a little uneasy about something, a little girl about to be caught in a lie by the adult who’s trying to keep her out of trouble. It is thanks to Gu Chan-sung’s patient and enduring love, that protected her from the worst aspects of her own self, that Man-wol is able to let go of her anger, both literally and metaphorically. But Man-wol also deserves praise, as she reciprocates Chan-sung’s love and equally tries to protect him from the dangers of this new world he has entered but most of all from herself, to the point she is willing to renounce her revenge and extinguish her existence to ensure she can never harm the man she loves.

Conclusion

It should be evident by now that I absolutely love this show and it is, without a doubt, my favourite out of all I’ve watched thus far, including Goblin. This is not to say the show is without flaws. Its almost single-minded focus on the story of Man-wol and Chan-sung has some collateral damage, most notably in the form of a character’s loved one, an event used as a means to highlight the pain experienced by those left behind, anticipating the day when our main protagonists will be forced to part ways. In another case, a poignant encounter for Chan-sung is not properly fleshed out, perhaps intentionally so but it seems like a wasted opportunity. Additionally, the introduction and development of the secondary villain’s arc (Man-wol is both the love interest and the main antagonist) felt a little weak, but is still a functional plot device that leads to some of the show’s best scenes. Finally, there is also the way the Hong sisters handled the riddle of Chan-sung’s dreams, which I may address in a separate post because it has too many spoilers.

If you’re a fan of fantasy dramas like Goblin, there’s simply no reason for me not to recommend this show and, hopefully, I’ve given you a few to persuade you as to why this is such a standout drama and, to my mind, the Hong sisters’ best work to date. It’s even on r/KDRAMA’s banner as one of those must-watch shows. If you do decide to watch it, I advise you to pace yourself so you don’t have to say goodbye to Hotel del Luna’s wonderful family too soon.

[aer-in-wanderland]

구미호뎐 | Tale of the Nine Tailed - Lost in Translation EP03

The saga continues: part three in a series in which my sister and I pick our way through all the (mis)translations, humour, and cultural subtext that dropped from the fan-subbed version of TotNT. Thank you so much to everyone who bought us coffee - this one’s for you. ;) 

Before we begin, for anyone just joining us: EP01 / EP02. 

We pick up back where we left off last episode with Yeon dressing Ji Ah’s wound. 

Yeon’s line that’s subbed, “Stop being a crybaby” can be a bit hard to translate. The word he uses is ‘eomsal,’ which literally means, ‘the exaggeration of pain; feigning pain; a great fuss about nothing.’ So he’s essentially saying she’s overreacting. I'm not a fan of the use of the word ‘crybaby’ here though personally.

“Long time no see, Lee Yeon.” > > > 12 Hours Earlier.

We see Thirsty meet his ignominious end in a toilet (we never got character names for these guys so I’m just going to call them ‘Thirsty’ and ‘Hungry’).

Elsewhere on the island, Rang fishes a curse doll with the man’s picture on it out of the surf. That’s quite the atmospheric shot. Point to the director.

Episode 03 Title Card: The Secret of the Dragon King 

We open the following morning as Ji Ah and the man who found the body (who Ji Ah refers to as ‘Captain’) examine the scene.

Sub: “Being at sea wasn’t enough and he drowned himself to death.” I’m not sure that sentence even makes sense. I would have translated the man’s line as: “Ho~ Let no one say he wasn’t a seaman. He managed to kick the bucket by drowning [even on dry land].” 

Sub: “Talk about it being all for nothing. This is what he gets after throwing himself at his life.” Um, what now? The line is: “Human lives are so futile. And after he clung so viciously to life, too.”

Lol Yeon. “I see someone threw a party.” I like this sub. What he literally says though is: “Oh~ Looks like it was a really special night.” (‘special’ here is in English). 

Sub: “He smells like a stinky fish.” What Yeon literally says is: “Ugh, a smell like rotting fish is coming from this kid!” Yeon refers to the man as ‘yae,’ which literally means ‘this kid,’ but can also be used to refer to inanimate objects. So, either way...pfft

Appropriately, the BGM playing as Pyung Hee casts her curse is ‘Shaman.’

Back over to Yeon and Ji Ah as they investigate the body. The chyron on the screen reads: ‘The first survivor of the Milky Way (Deceased)’ Irony-(probably)-not-intended. 

We get another chyron not long after, over a shot of Pyung Hee’s father’s head being returned to shore that reads: ‘Seo Gi Chang (Died aboard the Milky Way)’

Lol None of this has stopped Yeon from nomming on his banana milk. I had thought the milk made him seem like a little kid, but according to Korean fans, it’s also, apparently, commonly enjoyed by old men. heh

Sub: “Besides, they’re not good looking enough.” This is a mistranslation. Yeon’s line is literally: “And besides, I don’t like the look of their faces.” What he means, though, is the feeling they give off, rather than their actual ‘looks.’ It’s a common expression in Korean. If I was translating instead of explaining, I would probably render this as, “I don’t like the look of them.”

As Ji Ah drags him out, however, Yeon can be heard saying, “Ah~ I judge people by their looks~!” I’m 98% sure this is another LDW ad lib. Basically, LDW made a joke of his previous line, as if to say Yeon cared about the look of them because they weren’t attractive enough, when really his line meant they seemed shady. It’s almost as if he predicted the bad sub...

We get a brief scene featuring the second (and only named) survivor of the Milky Way, Jin Shik. Oh, and his headless ‘visitor.’ Creepy.

The music underscoring Hungry gorging himself on raw meat is making everything worse (or possibly better, if disturbing is your jam)

I’ve said it before, but I would watch an entire series of Yeon and Ji Ah being a supernatural investigative duo.

Pfft Yeon refers to Seo Gi Chang as ‘the head’ (mogaji). I’m not sure if I should call that indelicate or irreverent. It’s a bit of both, really. 

Yeon’s line here is subbed as, “What happened on the boat?” but it should more properly be: “What did you do on the boat?” He’s not just asking after the sequence of events; the line is a clear accusation.

Sub: “We met an unexpected storm that day.” Actually: “Rough wind and waves hit the side of the fishing boat.” (i.e. causing it to capsize) 

I appreciate that Yeon sits back here and allows Ji Ah to take the lead. 

So, as it turns out, the 11th hell is actually a fishing boat (I’m sure the cast of 1N2D will back me up on this).

Fun fact: This sequence was filmed in a green screen pool and then made to look like the middle of the ocean with CG.

As an aside, I love that Ji Ah deduced the whole story on her own and that she uses that knowledge to corner Hungry psychologically. Also, that her strategy proves more effective than Yeon’s threat of violence. It’s not so much a ‘you catch more flies with honey,’ as a ‘brain over brawn’ sort of deal. 

Ji Ah: You were frightened, weren’t you? Twenty-eight days straight on a perilous life boat without water or food. They’re the perfect conditions for a person to go mad, aren’t they? First-degree burns from the hot August sun striking your body mercilessly, the boat pitching about all day; despite not having eaten, you feel as if you’ll throw up. Clenching your teeth and waiting to be rescued only works for a day or two. The more you think about it, the angrier you get. ‘Why, me? Why?!’ Around the fifth day was the crisis point. Since, in that time, not a drop of rain had fallen. Dehydration would have set in first. [...] But it’s odd, isn’t it? For having starved for 28 days, you lost too little body mass. [...] What did you eat?

Meanwhile, Yeon’s contribution to all of this is: “And you couldn’t have used a delivery app in the middle of the open ocean where there’s no wifi signal.” Pfft He has, of course, caught on to her strategy. As usual, though, he decides to take the cheeky route. 

Side note: I find it interesting that, in this universe full of monsters, the first incident Yeon and Ji Ah end up investigating together turns out to be an entirely human horror. 

Yo. Hungry deciding Ji Ah is food is just...ugh. Never trust a cannibal. 

Luckily for Ji Ah, her guard dog fox is on the job. 

Over to Rang, who asks a weeping Pyung Hee what she’ll give him in return for granting her ‘wish’. We don’t get to see her answer him, but it was included in the backstory collection.

It’s unclear to me just how much Rang is involved in ‘granting’ Pyung Hee’s wish. Like, is he the one fueling the curse somehow, or did he just teach her what she needed to know? I’m inclined to believe it’s more the latter. 

We cut to Taluipa at the Afterlife Immigration Office, who’s pissed that someone’s messing with her Death List. There’s a fun mythology-related chestnut in this scene: when Hyeonuiong comes running in, he’s carrying a watering can. Taluipa accuses him of having been watching dramas, but Hyeonuiong insists he was watering the Uiryeongsu. 

The chyron for it reads: ‘The Uiryeongsu. A tree that measures the sins of the dead by the weight of their clothes when they’re hung on it.’ The hanja for ‘Uiryeongsu’ (衣領樹) literally mean ‘clothing-amount-tree,’ so its name is essentially its function. In traditional mythology, it grows on the near bank of the Samdocheon. This is also the same tree that the Uiryeong’geom (geom = sword) mentioned in EP13 is made from.

“You watered a tree for 3 hours?” Pfft Hyeonuiong and watering can, exit stage right. 

Minor detail: I just realized I can actually see from Taluipa’s List in this scene that one of the two fishermen is named Kim Gil Sang. Still not sure which one though, so I’m going to stick to calling them Hungry and Thirsty. 

The Dragon King Scroll

Back over to Ji Ah, who examines a creepy scroll hanging in Jin Shik’s vacant quarters. Once again, the show cuts into its own dramatic tension with a moment of levity as Yeon startles both Ji Ah and me by popping open his bag of snacks with a massive bang. The contrast between Ji Ah, who’s in serious investigator mode, and Yeon, who just continues his one-gumiho snack parade, blasé as can be, adds humour to an otherwise grim situation. 

Yeon’s response of, “Oh. Sorry.” is in English, making it sound, if possible, even less sincere.

On the off chance that anyone was wondering, the snack Yeon claims as his favorite here is 솜짱 (somjjang). According to the Korean fans again, this is also a food commonly enjoyed by elderly people.

Subs: “Do you know how many people in Joseon died during the 50 years of war? 3.5 million. I’ve seen more deaths than all the funeral companies in this country.” This is another case of diagonal translation. Yeon’s line is more properly: 

Yeon: Between the Imjin War and the Manchu War, do you know how much of the population of Joseon-era Korea was lost in just 50 years? 3,500,000. I’m a guy who’s seen more funerals than all the funerary companies in Korea put together.  

[Note: Yeon is talking about The Japanese Invasions a.k.a The Imjin War (1592-1598) and The Qing Invasion of Joseon a.k.a. The Manchu War (1636)]

As a linguistic aside, Yeon refers to himself here as a ‘nom’ (rhymes with ‘home’). If you read the breakdown of EP02, you’ll recall that ‘nom’ can mean anything from ‘guy’ to ‘bastard.’ It’s not that Yeon means to call himself a bastard, though. It’s only that the typical alternative here (i.e. ‘person’) carries the implication of 'human.’ Since Yeon is, of course, not human, he opts for ‘nom’ instead. The word gets a lot of mileage in this show in relation to all the supernaturals for that reason. 

Lol This exchange about the Dragon King was great. Point to the writer. I would translate it as: 

Yeon: You’re right, but it looks nothing like him. 

Ji Ah: You’ve...seen him? 

Yeon: Back when I was a mountain god. Well, in today’s terms you’d say we attended a leadership conference together. They over-glamorized him. He’s not this good looking.

Ji Ah’s reaction is perfect too. Her, ‘I don’t even know where to begin with that statement so I’m just going to move on’ look came across loud and clear. 

Yeon’s line as he leans over Ji Ah’s shoulder is subbed: “This is just like ‘Where’s Wally?’” In Korea, the game is called ‘find the hidden picture’ (‘sumun keurim chatgi’). So the line is actually: “What is this, ‘find the hidden picture’ or something?” I’d say there’s a 50/50 chance this line was another ad lib by Lee Dong Wook.

On an entirely different cultural note, ‘Where’s Wally?’ is know as ‘Where’s Waldo?’ in North America and exactly nowhere else. Don’t ask... 

This scene features the first mention we get of Imoogi. Imoogi are among the most famous Korean mythical creatures. In most tellings, they are essentially proto-dragons, though occasionally they can be baby dragons. For example, one imoogi tale claims its imoogi was the son of the Dragon King (the same one Yeon attended a ‘leadership conference’ with). Most of the lore agrees that if an imoogi stays submerged in deep water for a thousand years, it earns the chance to become a dragon, though the caveats vary widely, and many imoogi fail. Finally, while the imoogi in TotNT is evil, imoogi aren’t categorically so; some are good, some aren’t.

Rang and the Mudang

Fun fact: Kim Beom explained in his Instagram LIVE that he chose to wear a red suit partially because the color gave off the feeling of a villain, but also because it contrasted well with the green of the forest. He also named this as his favorite Lee Rang outfit.

For anyone keeping track, Rang speaks to the mudang in banmal. She, in return, addresses him as ‘Lee Rang-nim’ and speaks very respectfully.

Okay, there are a couple of things to unpack in Rang’s following exchange with the mudang: 

Mudang: The Corrupt God, King of the Wicked. He is Lee Ryong-nim.

Rang: [Laughs] What’s with that? Ugh, I seriously just cringed! If you slap a fancy title* from the next world in front of its name, does a snake become a dragon?

First, the mudang’s line here is said in an archaic cant. Second, ‘Lee Ryong’ (properly pronounced, ‘i-ryong,’ since there’s actually no ‘L’ in ‘Lee’), is another name for imoogi.

Finally, when Rang says ‘a fancy title from the next world,’ he’s referring to a posthumous name/title. Nearly every kingdom to have occupied the Korean peninsula has used posthumous titles (시호), most often for deceased royalty. By giving one to Imoogi, the mudang is venerating him. Rang mocks this, seizing on Imoogi’s failure to become a dragon. (Let no one say he and Yeon aren’t brothers).

The subs have Rang referring to Yeon as just ‘Yeon,’ but he actually calls him ‘Lee Yeon.’ That’s a very impersonal way to refer to one’s older brother, which is, of course, intentional on Rang’s part. It serves as another linguistic cue to the audience as to how Rang regards Yeon at this point. 

A note on the evening primrose: tvN released a short blurb about it, since, as far as I can tell, the mythology was invented for the show. It reads: 

Evening primrose that has grown while feeding on the blood and flesh of corpses is the same as poison to gumiho; if they so much as touch its powder, their bodies catch flame.

While the subs consistently just say ‘evening primrose,’ this should more properly be ‘burial ground evening primrose,’ which is how the various characters refer to it. 

Fun fact: ‘Evening primrose’ in Korean is ‘dalmaji-kkot’ (달맞이꽃), which means ‘flowers that welcome the moon’. 

Sub: “Half-brothers, to be exact.” The term Rang uses in Korean is quite literally, ‘brothers from different stomachs,’ so it refers specifically to half brothers who share a father but who have different mothers. I mention it only because Korean viewers will have been given slightly more information about their familial relationship here than was provided in the subs. 

Back over to our leads, as Yeon urges Ji Ah to leave the island post-haste. His line is subbed: “I’m saying you may die if you stay here.” That’s a perfectly fine translation. For anyone curious, though, his line is quite literally: “I’m saying if you stay here, [the conditions are] perfect for dying.” 

Sub: “That’s none of your business.” Yeon’s line is more properly: “That’s not for you to know.”

Ji Ah’s response to this is very literally: “I have no intention to go home for a reason I don’t know. So Lee Yeon should find the person Lee Yeon came here to find. I have to know why my parents came to this island.” This is the first time Ji Ah uses Yeon’s full name as a second person pronoun (so basically to mean ‘you’) when speaking to him. It’s hard to make generalizations about any form of address that don’t have multiple exceptions, but in this case, using his name is a more neutral, and somewhat more familiar, alternative to some of the other pronouns she’s been using when speaking to him. To my sense, it softens her rejection of his advice a little bit.

Back to Rang. His line is a bit awkward to translate, but essentially what he says is, ‘Calling my brother a ‘mountain god’ is an overstatement/ putting it nicely.’ I might approximate this as, ‘Sure, my brother was called a mountain god.’ This is the only time in the entire drama that Rang refers to Yeon as ‘uri hyung,’ and it kills me a bit that it’s not out of fondness, but rather derision. ㅠㅠ

Similarly, when Rang says, “I’m a fox, after all. I have to repay eunhye properly,” he is, of course, using eunhye sarcastically.

The subtitle here once again says ‘the underworld,’ but Rang’s line is actually: “I’m going to go to hell, without fail. Together with Lee Yeon.” The subs really need to do a better job of distinguishing between hell and the afterlife. 

We see Ji Ah instruct Jae Hwan over the phone as to what to search for in the library records. She’s split off from Yeon since we last saw them. 

Elsewhere on the island, Yeon also makes a call, only his is to Halmeom (Taluipa) to ask about Imoogi. When this episode first aired, I thought it was odd that Yeon was using ‘Imoogi’ as if it were a name, since this would be like referring to Yeon as ‘Gumiho.’ He later taunts Terry-Imoogi about just that though (i.e. not even having a proper name), so obviously it was an intentional decision on the writer’s part. 

Sub: “If by chance Ah Eum was born again into this world, I can’t let that thing coexist with her.” This sub went a bit sideways. The ‘by chance’ has been mis-attributed. The line is properly: “There’s no way I could possibly (i.e. by any chance/under no circumstances can I) let such a thing exist in a world in which Ah Eum has been reborn.” Yeon is already sure that Ah Eum has been reborn at this point. He’s saying that because she’s been reborn, he can’t allow Imoogi to coexist with her under any circumstances.

Rang vs Ji Ah

Ji Ah returns to Pyung Hee’s to find ‘Pyung Hee’ reading Moby Dick. This is an ironic enough choice of literature to clue her in to the fact that this isn’t really Pyung Hee. Smart cookie. 

On a character note, I loved that Ji Ah’s knowledge of, and love for, world literature was threaded believably throughout the drama in a way in which it feels natural that she caught on to Rang’s hint here. Point to the writer. 

Again, for anyone keeping track, Ji Ah and Rang speak to each other in banmal, as has been the case since Rang revealed himself at Ji Ah’s house in EP01. Not because they’re close, obviously, but because they have zero respect for one another. It’s a bit of a power play on Ji Ah’s part, too, since she’s (hundreds of years) younger. 

Over to Yeon, who barges into the local market owner’s personal quarters to interrogate him. His line when he catches sight of the scroll on the wall is subbed: “Look at this.” This should more properly be: “Check these people out. There’s one here too.” The word he uses that I translated as ‘these people’ is ‘i-geot-dul,’ which is very literally ‘these things,’ so I sort of understand the confusion in the subs. He means the islanders though, not the scrolls. In contrast, ‘there’s one here too’ does actually refer to the scroll.

The knife Yeon throws hits directly over the slit pupil of the scroll dragon’s eye. Nice aim.

Back to Ji Ah and Rang. When Ji Ah accuses Rang of orchestrating the deaths of the Milk Way survivors, ‘to distract us,’ what she says quite literally is ‘to cover our eyes and ears.’

When Rang applauds Ji Ah’s deductive abilities, his line is subbed, “Awesome.” This should more properly be, “Outstanding,” or, “Exceptional.” I honestly believe he’s being sincere in his praise. Being Rang, though, he’s probably just delighted this makes her more challenging to toy with.

Having completed his interrogation, Yeon’s eyes change as he erases the man’s memory of the event. I suspect the reason Yeon is so cavalier about revealing he’s a gumiho is because he can basically ‘undo’ it whenever he wants using this power.

Ji Ah’s quiet, “I decline” is so satisfying. Also the way Rang pulls back in surprise haha I guess he’s not used to being turned down. 

Rang’s exchange with Ji Ah is subbed as: “Loosen up. Why be so stiff when it’s just good old me?” / “Let me give you some advice since that’s how you feel. Don’t gamble with another’s tragedy just for kicks. There’s a word for people like you, you know. A colossal jerk.” This is difficult to translate, and I think the subs have done a pretty good job, but a closer translation would be:

Rang: Augh— So uptight! Are you going to keep acting this uptight, just between us* (literally, ‘between you and me’)? 

Ji Ah: Between you and me, then, I’ll give you just one word of advice: Don’t carelessly role the dice atop others’ misfortune. People call jerks like you ‘sleazy bastards.’ 

[*Note: Rang’s phrasing implies that they’re somehow close/on good terms, but he’s being sarcastic, of course.]

First off, the word Rang uses for ‘uptight’ (빡빡하다) means ‘stiff; uptight; rigid; inflexible; strict.’ By this, he’s referring to how she never lets her guard down. I don’t know that any of those words properly conveys that, though. 

Second, while I translated Ji Ah’s line about the dice very literally here (in keeping with the spirit of this post), I actually like how the subs handled it from a translation/subtitling standpoint. 

Finally, the subs have Ji Ah calling Rang ‘a colossal jerk,’ but the term she actually uses (‘yang’achi saekki’) is a much stronger expletive. ‘Yang’achi’ is a term for a thug, gangster, or hoodlum. ‘Saekki’ literally means ‘child of.’ In practical use, though, it’s close to ‘bastard.’ (I really didn’t think I’d be explaining the finer points of Korean expletives when I started this series, but here we are). I approximated this as ‘sleazy bastard’ above. 

Pfft Rang being genuinely offended at Ji Ah’s language. Jo Bo Ah talked a bit about what she thought of all the explicit language Ji Ah uses towards Rang in her wrap interview. 

Subs: “When he finds what he wants, you’ll be begging for mercy.” No idea where they got 'begging for mercy.’ What Rang actually says is, “When he  finds what he wants, you’ll see hell.” Unlike in the subtitle, Rang’s warning actually has substance to it, since he’s referring to the fact that, once Yeon identifies Ji Ah as Ah Eum’s reincarnation, their fate with Imoogi will repeat itself. 

By the time Yeon rushes back to Pyung Hee’s, Rang is long gone. His line subbed as: “What did he say?” is, quite literally, “Lee Rang, that nom, what’d he say?” This use of ‘nom’ manages to come off as fairly mild. (He may be a jerk, but he’s Yeon’s jerk). 

Ji Ah’s response has undergone cultural translation to become: “Even when I order pizza, I never go for half-and-half. I always choose just one.” Honestly, though, I don’t know that it was necessary. What she actually says is: “Even when I order chicken, I don’t go for half-seasoned, half-fried; I’m the type to just pick one.”

This scene was originally longer but part of it got deleted. They released the clip, though, so I’ll translate the full exchange here:

Ji Ah: I'm saying I turned him down, your younger brother. Since I bet on this fox.  

Yeon: Let no one say you aren’t a learned (wise) woman. Is that all?  

Rang (voiceover): Don't trust Lee Yeon too much.  

Ji Ah: That's all. But...you said the two of you are brothers.

Yeon: Yeah. We’re brothers. 

Ji Ah: Why are you so hellbent on destroying each other? 

Yeon: It seems like you don’t know since you’re an only child, but, as a rule, the relationship between siblings is a lot like noir, just without the guns.

Ji Ah: There you go, deflecting the question again. Is that a secret, too? 

Yeon: If you ever happen to run into that guy again just the two of you, no matter what, run fast. That kid* despises humans. Especially humans that look like you. 

Ji Ah: Why do you keep taking cracks at people's faces?

Yeon: ...I'm hungry.  

Ji Ah: Why don’t you take the opportunity to pack up and leave while you still can? Your younger brother...it seems he’s preparing some sort of special event. 

Yeon: That’s what I’m waiting for.

*Note: The word Yeon uses that I translated as ‘kid’ is ‘jashik.’ This is another word that, depending on how it’s used, can either be fond or rude. ‘Jashik’ literally means ‘[one’s] child,’ but it’s also commonly used in the sense of ‘punk.’ It’s a bit softer than nom. You wouldn’t use it to refer to yourself, though. 

Ji Ah’s “Why do you keep taking cracks at people’s faces?” (meaning he’s insulting/taking issue with how she looks), is referencing their exchange the previous night when he told her not to smile because she was ugly.

We cut briefly to Shin Joo eating at the Snail Bride as he sizes up Yoo Ri from a distance. Come to think of it, we never got this BGM for the Snail Bride, either...

Ramen Heart-to-Heart

Lee Yeon’s one-gumiho meokbang continues. I feel like Yeon has been nomming on something in nearly every scene this episode. 

The BGM while Yeon and Ji Ah eat is a remix of Yeon’s theme, ‘The Fox’s Wedding Day.’

Sub: “Just because these ladies wear baggy pants in floral prints doesn’t mean they have kind hearts. Get digging, and you’ll find all sorts of dirty secrets.” Yeon’s line is more literally: 

Yeon: Living is all the same [everywhere]~ Just because grannies in the countryside wear flower-patterned pants doesn’t mean that even their insides are flower-patterned. If you start digging, venomous and insidious years come pouring out. 

Ji Ah’s response then plays off of Yeon’s turn of phrase: “Is that the case for you too? I just wondered, ‘With what pattern did you live all those long years?’” (referring to the ‘pattern’ of his heart).

On a minor cultural note: the word Yeon uses is ‘mombbae pants’ (몸빼바지), which are a fashion(?) staple in the countryside. You’ll know what I mean if you run the hangeul through a google image search. That’s where the subs got ‘baggy’ from even though Yeon doesn’t explicitly say it. 

Sub: “Why have you been searching for your parents all this time?” Yeon’s line is more properly: “Then what about you? What has made you wait for your parents for such a long time?” 

Sub: “I’m the same. I’m waiting for the one I miss.” I would have translated this as: “I’m waiting for someone I miss,” which is literally what he says. 

Sub: “Why did you part ways when you still miss her this much?” This is a bit hard to translate into natural-sounding English. The word Ji Ah uses is ‘mi’ryeon,’ which means ‘lingering attachment.’ So her line is quite literally: “Your face is so full of lingering attachment, how did you come to part ways/break up?”

Sub: “The first being I loved was a human girl who ended up dying. It’s why I’m still hung up on her. Happy now?” Hmm... I would translate Yeon’s line as:

Yeon: My damn* first love was a human of all things, but she died, so I’m foolishly unable to let go of my lingering attachment. Happy now? 

[*Note: Yeon is cursing is the phenomenon of first love itself, not Ah Eum.]

His statement is witty, because the word he uses for ‘foolish’ is also pronounced ‘mi’ryeon.’ In this case, though, 'mi’ryeon’ means, ‘foolhardy and dense enough to be stubborn to a preposterous degree.’ Which is probably a fair assessment given he’s been waiting 600 years. The sub for this line made it sound like he’s saying, ‘I’m hung up on her because she’s a human girl who died,’ which would just be weird. 

Shin Joo Meets Yoo Ri

Okay, minor detail, but what exactly was Yoo Ri trying to accomplish here before Shin Joo stopped her from entering an off-limits area of the Snail Bride?

The BGM here is called ‘Skip a Beat’ (‘Kanju Jump’). I found the track title slightly surprising since it’s actually taken from an ad lib made by Kim Yong Ji (Yoo Ri) in a later episode. 

For anyone keeping track, Shin Joo and Yoo Ri are speaking in a mix of banmal and jondaetmal in this scene.

We next see Shin Joo on the phone with Yeon, whining about the whole ordeal and asking an unsympathetic Yeon to come back and retrieve his necklace for him.

Yeon’s line that’s subbed as, “Deadly?” could mean more than one thing. The line is literally, “What? The thief was deadly?” The word for ‘deadly,’ though, could equally mean that she was a knockout (i.e. gorgeous). It’s probably a bit of both.

Subs: “There’s nothing more pathetic than being blinded by a woman’s beauty...” / “But you also ruined your life by falling for beautiful woman.”  For the record, neither of them actually uses the word ‘beauty/beautiful’ here. I would translate this exchange as: 

Yeon: You... The most pathetic thing in the world, is being blinded by a woman, and... 

Shin Joo: But being blinded by a woman and wrecking your life is something Lee Yeon-nim did too, isn’t it? 

Yeon: What, you punk?!

Lol Yeon’s “What, you punk?!” is a familiar refrain whenever Shin Joo unwittingly(?) insults Yeon. The word is ‘imma’ (임마) or sometimes ‘inma’ (인마). Yeon consistently uses the former.

‘Bad Fate’

Subs: “Why is that branch broken? It must’ve hurt.” Yeon is actually personifying the tree here, which makes sense seeing as he can communicate with it. So his line is more literally: “Now why has this kid gone and made a fuss breaking [his] branch? It must’ve hurt.” Which is cute.

I actually really appreciated this short scene of Yeon healing the tree. Yeon may no longer be the master of Baekdudaegan, but this scene showed that it’s still very much a part of who he is; not just his powers, but the care he has for the forest. 

Fun (?) fact: It turns out this simple scene was actually a huge pain to film. 

Subs: “I hope you grow well.” Actually: “Eat well and grow well.” I realize that sounds awkward in English, but the line is a directive. He’s once again speaking to the tree. 

Sub: “The wind is blowing from the northwest. Something is coming.” I would have translated this as: “A northwest wind blows... Something is coming.” That’s partly a tonal choice, but it’s also a more literal reflection of the original Korean. 

We finally catch back up to the end of EP02, as Jae Hwan calls Ji Ah from the library to tell her what he’s found. This time, we see her connect the first dead body in 1954 to what the forest spirit told them more explicitly. 

The dates of the four incidents are: August 13, 1954; August 25, 1961; September 6, 1979; and September 7, 1987. Ji Ah quickly deduces that these all work out to be the same date on the lunar calendar: July 15th. In 2020, that works out to be Wednesday, September 2nd. If you’ll recall, the wedding at the start of EP01 was held on August 29, so it’s only been 3 days since Yeon and Ji Ah crossed paths at the wedding hall. 

“Long time no see, Lee Yeon.” What is it with Imoogi and choking Yeon?

Subs: “You should’ve let me go.”  More precisely: “I know, right? You should have let me go.”

Yeon’s final “What are you?” should probably have been subbed as: “I’m asking what you are!” since both his tone and phrasing have grown more insistent. 

Subs: Our ill-fated relationship would’ve ended if you hadn’t stopped the boat from crossing the Samdo River. More literally:

Jimoogi: Our ak’yeon should have ended. That is, if only you hadn’t stopped the boat from crossing the Samdocheon. 

The word the subs translated as ‘our ill-fated relationship’ is ‘ak’yeon’ (悪縁), which literally means ‘bad fate.’ In contrast to the broader, ‘destiny’ sort of fate (‘un’myeong’) however, ‘yeon’ (縁) is inherently relational. It refers specifically to the fate between two people (or even between a person and a place). ‘Ak’ (悪) means ‘evil.’ So 'ill-fated’ is a bit misleading as a translation since the word actually refers to the relationship between Yeon and Imoogi (i.e. mortal enemies), rather than the fact that Yeon and Ah Eum’s story ended tragically (as in, ‘an ill-fated love’). 

WAIT. Subs: “No. That woman is born with a face that only I can recognize. And I don’t see it in you.” What?? That doesn’t even make sense. Yeon’s line is: 

Yeon: No. That woman is born carrying a sign that only I can recognize. You don’t have it. 

Obviously, Yeon is referring to the fox bead, and I’m fairly sure that was apparent since the line was intercut with the scene in which he imparts the bead to Ah Eum, but that seems like a pretty critical line to fudge up. 

Jimoogi: “You really don’t know anything, do you, Lee Yeon?” It’s weird to me that they have Imoogi addressing Yeon as just ‘Yeon’ in the subs. That makes it seem like they’re friends or something...

Subs: “The scar is gone.” Actually: “The wound disappeared.” 

Deadball

Subs: “We hate each other too much to play catch. I actually meant to kill you.” Wait, WHAT?! Yeon’s line is: 

Yeon: Our relationship is too makjang for that. That was meant to be a deadball, actually. 

Makjang, for the uninitiated, is a slang word taken from the phrase ‘the final scene’ (‘majimak jangmyeon’) that has come to refer to an entire genre, as well as particular dramatic elements or conventions of Korean storytelling. Dramabeans explain the term here. When Yeon says his relationship with Rang is ‘makjang,’ he’s essentially saying it’s overly fraught, not that he hates his brother. 

He also doesn’t say he meant to kill Rang. ‘Deadball’ is a Korean baseball term for a pitch that hits a player (typically causing the game to be paused). So Yeon’s just saying he meant for the ‘ball’ to hit Rang, rather than for Rang to catch it. 

On a personal note, it really bothers me when the subs spread all over the internet and they’re wrong like this. I don’t mind slight changes in phrasing or wording, but when they grossly misrepresent the characters like this it can be a bit upsetting. It’s no wonder I sometimes feel like I watched a completely different drama. ㅠㅠ

Yeon’s cheeky smile™ XD

The BGM in this scene is actually ‘The Forest of the Agwi.’

Subs: “Run away.” Yeon’s line is quite literally: ‘Get away from here,’ or even, ‘put distance between here and you.’ I mention it because I really appreciated that, despite all the danger she confronts, Yeon never once tells Ji Ah to ‘run away’ (‘domang ga’). His second ‘run away’ in the subs is also just him telling her to hurry up (literally ‘go quickly’).

The following banter between the brothers is something I mentioned in an ask a while back because all the humour had been lost in translation. To recap, though, one recurring joke the show uses plays off the word for ‘bastard/son of a bitch,’ which translates literally as ‘child of a dog’ (kae-saekki). As you might imagine, this gets a lot of mileage in relation to Rang, our resident ‘baby fox’ (agi yeou) a.k.a. ‘child of a fox’ (yeou-saekki):

Rang: This is domestic violence, you know?

Yeon: (Nodding) They say you’re supposed to raise wild children* with a firm hand (literally: hit them as you raise them), but I couldn’t do that, so I ended up raising a fox child into a dog child (son of a bitch), didn’t I?

Rang: And who was the jerk who kicked that child (saekki) to the curb? You treat me like a stray dog any chance you get. 

Yeon: My little brother, I’ll have to gift you a muzzle this Christmas. 

Rang’s line was subbed: “You keep blaming it on me, when you were the one who turned me into an orphan.” which I find fairly problematic since that makes it sound like Yeon killed Rang’s parents. It’s also just plain wrong; to the extent that I’m not even sure what went wrong in the translation process. 

The word Yeon uses here for ‘wild children’ is ‘horo jashik’ (호로자식), which many Koreans understand to mean something like a barbarian child, but the true origin, as it turns out, is a parentless child. It’s also a term used predominantly by elderly people heh

Finally, because the dog jokes dropped out ‘muzzle’ became ‘mouth guard’ in the subs, which is both less funny and less sensical. The two are also conceptually opposed, since ‘muzzle’ implies that Yeon means to protect the world from Rang whereas ‘mouth guard’ is more about protecting Rang.

As Ji Ah continues to put distance between herself and the brothers, she happens upon the mudang’s house, which she immediately clocks as such from the obangi. 

I like that Ji Ah doesn’t immediately call the mudang out for lying, but instead continues to question her knowing she’s lying. Sometimes the lies people tell can be as telling as the truth. 

When Ji Ah questions her, the mudang tells her the fishing ritual is held during the ‘Ghost Festival’. This is a Buddhist festival similar to All Souls Day. In Korean it’s called ‘Baek Joong Nal’ (literally ‘hundred-gather-day’) meaning ‘the day when all the spirits gather.’ It falls on the full moon of the seventh lunar month (so July 15th of the lunar calendar), which is, of course, the date Ji Ah identified as the day when the murders were taking place. That’s why we get the zoom in and the flash to the newspaper dates: Ji Ah has put everything together. 

Chyron: “Obangi (五方旗) A five-colored flag symbolizing ‘life, death, illness, sacrifice, and ancestors’”. This is the quick quotes version. Obangi have their roots in the Chinese philosophy of Wuxing, but for more on that, I’ll refer you to Wikipedia. In Korea, the colors of the obangi (red, blue, white, black, and yellow) are known as the five orientation colors, and are closely tied to both shamanism and fortune telling. You’ll notice these same colors flying outside the fortune teller’s in EP06.

I also appreciated that Ji Ah didn’t just foolishly drink the tea here. She was properly on her guard. It’s only that she mis-identified the source of danger.

Back over to our fox brothers. Rang’s line is subbed: “That was plenty of time.” This is more properly: “I think I’ve bought more than enough time by now.” So he’s actually quite overt in telling Yeon exactly what he'd been up to.  

Subs: “Don’t you know why she ended up on this island?” More closely: “Do you still not get it? Why that woman ended up coming to this island of all places?” 

We see the mudang encircle the creepy well with burial ground evening primrose to ward against Yeon, who is currently searching the island for Ji Ah to no avail. 

Subs: “You tricked your mom while you were in her womb.” This is a bit difficult to translate. The word the mudang uses that was translated as ‘tricked’ is ‘ggweda,’ which means to ‘lure’ or ‘entice.’ So what she means is that the part of Imoogi that was reincarnated with Ji Ah ‘lured’ her mother to the island by sending her recurring dreams. 

Gumiho

Lol Yeon: “I am the original mountain spirit, the master of the mountains and streams. Lift this darkness and lead me to her!” This is more literally:

Yeon: I am the original mountain god, the master of your mountains and streams.* Part this darkness and lead me to that woman!

[*Note: ‘Mountains and streams’ here can also be taken to mean ‘nature’ at large.]

Lol The line is met with silence and the soft hoot of a lone owl. That’s basically the director’s version of *crickets* isn’t it?

This line is another rare case in which Yeon speaks archaically, and it serves to make the command sound more formal and potentially magical. It’s also worth noting that he’s addressing the forest directly as a whole here (thus the ‘your’). 

Fun fact: When Lee Dong Wook did his TotNT VLIVE, his promotional team made him perform this line again live just to mess with him haha

The BGM here as Yeon heads off through the forest led by his (supernatural?) fireflies is ‘Opening Title: The Legend of the Fox.’ It sounds vaguely Harry Potter-ish to me (not complaining). 

For the record, Ji Ah is now speaking to the mudang in banmal out of disdain. 

Sub: “Be a sacrifice. You are a very special child.” Pfft ‘Be a sacrifice’ sounds oddly funny to me. Her line is: “Become a sacrifice. I’m told you’re a very special child.” So the implication is that this information came from someone/something else. 

Does anyone know what BGM this is as Yeon sprints though the forest? I think it might be another unreleased track, but I’m not positive...

Yeon’s “Halt!” is once again in olden speech. It indicates linguistically that he's in Gumiho mode.  

Out of curiosity, is it not odd for people watching with subs when Ji Ah’s only utterance is ‘Lee Yeon’ but the subs just say ‘Yeon’? 

Subs: “This has nothing to do with the old master of the mountain. Why don’t you keep walking?” I would have translated this as: “It is a matter unrelated to the former master of the mountain. Beg, go along your way.” She’s once again using olden-speech in her second sentence.

Lol Sub: “Says the living corpse.” I like this sub. Yeon’s line is quite literally: “With the ‘juje’ of a living corpse...” ‘Juje’ is essentially your station or lot in life, and it’s used almost exclusively derogatorily. 

Sub: “Who was it that provided you with longevity you don’t deserve?” More closely: “Who was it? The one who gave you a lifespan so much longer than you deserve?”

Yeon: “I asked you whom you serve!” (literally ‘what’ you serve). Yeon once again drops into an archaic cant for this line. It serves to underline his full age and gives his demand an extra air of authority. 

Yeon’s TAILS. I can’t believe this was the last we saw of them. ㅠㅠ Personally, I interpreted the firey tails as being a sort of ‘shadow’/ projection of his actual tails, which I assumed were actually more physically there (since he talks about shampooing them in the teaser interview). My sister thinks differently, though. Guess we’ll never know...

The BGM for this sequence is naturally ‘Gumiho.’ If you read our EP01 breakdown, you’ll know I was fully expecting this to be Yeon’s theme. But no, it’s the whimsical 'The Fox’s Wedding Day’ instead haha

Okay, Yeon just casually smiting the mudang is pretty badass. Seeing as he can command lightning, I’m pretty sure he was joking when he told Ji Ah, ‘even gumiho are afraid of electricity.’ 

If by chance you wondered what was going though Yeon’s mind when he smote the mudang, it’s featured in the EP03 subtitle poster.

I appreciated that Yeon just accepts Ji Ah at her word here when she tells him all she needs from him is one arm for support. I feel like in most dramas the male lead would have just forcefully swept the heroine off her feet amidst her protests, which I always find more problematic than romantic.

For that matter, when it became clear that Ji Ah really did need help, I appreciated that she didn’t act shy or coy and just accepted being carried without making a big deal of it. 

Pfft The way Ji Ah’s eyes flash when Yeon tells her the mudang was just a human being says it all. 

Yeon: “So you say... Excuse me, but you nearly died just now, you know?” This line is once again cheekily in jondaetmal.

*Ominous close up of the well*

Thank You

We catch up with Shin Joo at the supermarket as he talks to Yeon over the phone. 

Shin Joo’s ‘PD-nim’ has once again become, ‘the director lady’ in the subs. *Sigh*

Subs: “Your love story is more than just famous among us.” Actually: “Just how famous is Lee Yeon-nim’s love story in our world? It’s obvious your younger brother* must have been playing tricks!” 

Shin Joo refers to Rang here as ‘donsaeng-bun’ (younger sibling + polite word for person) for the same reason he calls Rang, ‘Lee Rang-nim.’ It’s an extension of his regard for Yeon, rather than for Rang himself.

Lol Shin Joo hanging up on Yeon. His love for supermarkets and fried chicken are actually in his character profile. Apparently, they’re what convinced him living as a human was worth the existential crisis that came with it. 

Sub: “I’m too much of a human to easily fall asleep after such an event. Join me.” More literally: “I’m human, so on a day like today I can’t sleep sober. You* have a glass, too.”

The word Ji Ah uses for ‘you’ here is ‘ja’ne’ (자네), which is a polite term... except it’s only used to refer to people younger than you. So’s she’s talking down to him politely haha This is what prompts Yeon’s line that follows it:

Sub: “I never said anything since it could make seem old-fashioned, but you’re too informal with me when you don’t even know my age.”

 Yeon: I kept holding it in thinking you’d call me an old fart, but you’re [using] banmal really blatantly. Just how old do you think I am?”

Yeon’s ‘Just how old do you think I am?’ is rhetorical. It’s not that Ji Ah is necessarily unaware of his true age, but rather that she acts as if she is. 

Sub: “Those over 60 are universally considered as grandpas.” Actually: “You know everyone over 60 can be called a grandpa, right?”

Pfft Sub: “Be as informal as you like.” What Yeon literally says is, “Please lower your speech,” but he uses very respectful language to say it. I’m not sure if he’s being sarcastic, or if he just hates the thought of being considered a grandpa that much haha It’s probably a bit of both.

Aww Ji Ah promising to protect Yeon. I luff her. 

Ji Ah: "Do I perhaps have something you’re looking for?” I love that she doesn’t miss a thing.

Lol Yeon: “Who am I, Jesus? Just drink what you have.” 

The Vanishing

Subs: “Don’t ever resort to cursing people again. Karma can sting.” Quite literally: “You were lucky you kept your life, but don’t do such a thing* as cursing others ever again. They return, you know. Back on the one who casts them.” 

*Yeon uses the disparagement marker ‘ddaui’ (따위) to refer to the act of cursing someone here. You may recall it from our EP01 breakdown. 

Ji Ah chooses this moment to come running in to announce that the island has turned into a ghost town over night, which is enough to make even Yeon pause, perplexed.  

I love the way Yeon and Ji Ah exchange looks here on the dock. They don’ t know what’s up yet, but they intend to find out. 

‘Blue Moon’~~~ This worked great scored over the drone-camera pan out. I may be slightly biased, though.  

And that concludes Episode 3. Once again, thank you to everyone who commented or left feedback on the last episode! Never hesitate to send me your thoughts, even if they’re just to say what you found funny or surprising. It helps me to know what’s of interest for one thing, but I also just enjoy chatting about the show. ;)

A brief note on pronunciation/notation: for words like ‘sa’ingeom’ and ‘mi’ryeon,’ the apostrophe is there just as a pronunciation guide. So in the case of the former, to indicate that it’s pronounced ‘sah-in’ and not ‘sine’ or ‘sane.’ Similarly, for the latter, the apostrophe is just to indicate that this should be pronounced ‘mi-ryeon’ and not ‘mir-yeon.’ I could have just as easily done this with ‘Hyeon’ui’ong’ except that’s a lot of apostrophes and I set an earlier precedent of not. It’s not an aspiration or anything fancy. Hopefully that makes sense. 

Once again, I’d like to credit my sister for being the main researcher and fact-checker for these, in addition to weighing in on all the translations. I don’t always take her advice, but I do always appreciate it haha. 

Thank you also to everyone who bought us coffee! Your support is truly felt and appreciated ♡ As usual, this took an ungodly amount of time, so every coffee helps haha. For anyone just joining us (or not), if you’d like to see more of these, please consider buying us a coffee. If you follow the link, you can buy a $2 cup of virtual coffee. This helps me to gauge how much interest there is, and also how much value people place on these. If you cared enough to read all the way to the end, please at least consider it. Once I’ve established there’s enough interest, I’ll proceed with Episode 4. ;)

[leejeongz]

Stray kids reaction to seeing you in swimwear for the first time

Slightly suggestive

😏thanks for requesting darling!! I hope you enjoy😏

Bang Chan:

while visiting his family in Australia, Chan decided to take you to the pool he used to go to as a child. This wasn’t planned because he wanted to see you in a swimsuit, but he knew that he’d be able to and he wasn’t going to pass up on the opportunity.

You went into separate changing cubicles and got changed. You guys, being the smart couple that you were, had already put your swimming attire on underneath your normal clothes so it didn’t take too long, but Chan was done first so he waited outside for you. You finally came out, pushing your hair out of your face while Chris stood gobsmacked. He took hold of your hands after bushing down your arms. He smiled at you and gave you the biggest kiss, not caring for anyone watching.

“Sorry, you just look amazing!”

Woojin:

You and Woojin had been dating for a year so he decided to surprise you will a mini break for your anniversary. You arrived at his house with a small suitcase and asked him politely if he’d give his opinion on a few of your outfit choices since you weren’t 100% sure on the weather.

10 hoodies later and you finally came into his living room in only a bikini. He smiled at you softly before saying “it’s perfect.” He didn’t want to make a big fuss over it because he didn’t want you to get embarrassed, maybe on your holiday he’d say something more but for now, he wanted to keep it subtle. Didn’t stop him from dreaming about you that night though.

“I think the pool is indoors, I’m sure you’ll be warm enough, honey.”

Lee Know:

This slime ball knew that if he planned a pool date he’d be able to see you in a swimming costume, so that’s what he did. You received a text on your day off from your boyfriend asking you to meet him at the pool, so you did so. When you questioned him as to why you were here on your day off instead of snuggled up in bed, he simply replied with “you’re too lazy” which you couldn’t deny.

That day, you’d planned to wear your sexiest swim suit because you knew exactly what Minho’s intentions were, of course you wanted him to suffer. When he finally laid eyes on you, he smirked, making sure you knew it was a joke and he wasn’t going to straight up have you in the pool or smth.

“Wow, why did I do this to myself? You’re absolutely stunning.”

Changbin:

While visiting your home town you decided to take Changbin to a near by beach. You threw your necessities into your beach bag while in the bathroom and Changbin put on a T-shirt to pair with this swimming trunks.

You innocently strolled out of your bathroom wearing your swim suit and a cute wrap that was slightly see through. Changbin dramatically sat down on the bed, raising his eyebrows flirtatiously. His lips formed a pouty o shape before he smiled greasily. You pointed at the door to indicate that you were gonna go now whether he was or not, but he quickly ran after you placing his hands on your hips.

“Perhaps we should forget the beach.”

(Lol who would choose the beach in this situation smh)

Hyunjin:

For your birthday, you received a spa day voucher from your cousin and decided to take your boyfriend, Hyunjin, with you. You went into separate changing rooms and returned at similar times, wearing nothing but a robe, swimming attire and flip flops.

You first went for a massage. The two masseuses told you to take of your robes and Hyunjin looked over to you immediately, a little panicked. But to his surprise, you had already removed your robe. He took a double take, his eyes finally falling to the floor when you look back at him. He smiled to the ground.

“Where was the warning?”

Han:

A water park date should be fun, right? Your turn to organise the date and this is what you settled on, what could go wrong? You called him the night before to update him on your choice while he stuttered on the other side. “But y/n... that means... you... will be wearing... a swim suit” he whispered as if it was a sin. You explained to him that it was fine and you’d get to see him shirtless so it’s a win win and he soon came around to the idea.

However, when the day came, he was so nervous, for no reason. He stood waiting for you, not wanting to go on anything without you. You stepped out, dressed in a pale lilac coloured swimming costume, while Jisung tried to focus on just looking at your face. “What do you think?” You asked, running your hands down your body like on those cringy adds.

“I think... we should add you to 3racha because you look hot and spicy” he winked before you pushed him into the pool.

Felix:

You couldn’t swim... but you really wanted to learn!! So Felix, the amazing boyfriend he is, found time in his tight schedule to help you. Your first lesson was today, and you were really nervous. You’d brought the nicest swimming costume you could find, hoping that Felix wouldn’t get mad because he’d be too distracted.

When you stepped out of the changing room and jumped into the pool, he was right there dragging your hand to the bar at the side of the pool. He ran his hands down your body in a joking manner and stopped himself from kissing you in front of the kids also in the pool.

“I know your tactics y/n, they aren’t gonna work on me. That colour really does look good on you though.”

Seungmin:

Grabbing your bag, you shut the door of your parent’s car and made your way towards Seungmin who was stood patiently waiting for you at the entrance of your local indoor water park. You were a teeeeny bit late, but he didn’t mind, he was just excited to throw water at you and get you stuck in the rapids.

You quickly changed and met him in the calm kiddy pool which was empty since it was a school night. You stood at the edge, slightly conscious that he was going to push you in from behind since you couldn’t spot him in the pool. Instead, he came up behind you and wrapped his arms around you, a nice surprise for once. He turned you around and took a full look at you before smiling and proceeding to push you into the pool for looking so damn good.

“I couldn’t resist, I also don’t want anyone else to see you looking so good, okay?!?”

I.N:

Your younger sister’s birthday party was TODAY and you had yet to buy a swim suit. You rushed out that morning, accompanied by Jeongin who was also going to her party, to buy one suitable. You headed to your favourite shop and found one you liked immediately.

You wanted to go try it on, so Jeongin waited outside but soon received a picture. You asked for his opinion, a simple question right? Wrong!!! Jeongin typed over 500 messages to try and tell you that he liked it, but he just couldn’t find the right words so instead just sent a few heart eye emojis. How was he supposed to cope later that day when he actually get to see you wearing it in the flesh?!

“Yeah it was erm... nice”

Gifs aren’t mine

[a-wild-yuumi-appeared]

// no one gonna talk about how we’ve already seen Pool Party Orianna in Lee Sin’s splash art but then they scrapped that design for the one she has now?

[edenslostwallflower]

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆.

( repost, don’t reblog )

BASICS

NAME: Leanna Katherin Tuesti

NICKNAME: Potentially Lee, but she’ll answer to anything once she learns that’s what they call her.

AGE:  Program: 22yrs (Prior to FF7). Body: 2-3 Months (FF7R) 2yrs (AC) 3yrs (DoC) . Mindset/Body Physique: 20ish

SPECIES:  Robot

PERSONAL

MORALITY:  LAWFUL / NEUTRAL / CHAOTIC / GOOD / GREY / EVIL

RELIGION:  She would look God in the face and analytically read him down to the last atom. 

SINS:  greed  /  gluttony  /  sloth  /  lust  /  pride  /  envy /   wrath

VIRTUES:  chastity  /  charity  /  diligence  /  humility  /  kindness / patience / justice

PRIMARY GOALS IN LIFE:  To assist those who request/need it in any way she can. 

KNOWN  LANGUAGES: Common. Can speak any other language once downloaded. 

PHYSICAL BUILD: scrawny  / bony  /  slender  /  fit-ter /  athletic  /  curvy  /  herculean  /  pudgy  /  average (on average)

HEIGHT:  5′5″

WEIGHT:  115lbs (most of it’s in her torso segment)

SCARS  /  BIRTHMARKS: N/A (possibly scratched out shinra logo on her shoulder)

ABILITIES  / POWERS:  

Incalculable knowledge at her fingertips so long as she’s connected to a network. 

High health pool when fighting because metal.

Basically a walking, talking supercomputer with morals.

Able to absorb lightning based attacks to return at a higher output in the form of a limit break.

Can hack into other computer-based systems.

Able to run several days on a full charge. Can be upgraded. 

May or may not have the ability to understand certain human things a machine couldn’t possibly know or experience because of reasons.

Strange ability to actually get Reeve to take a break. May or may have not locked down his entire computer in order to do so.

RESTRICTIONS-

Cannot do things humans do. Eat, sleep, bleed, breathe, itchy nose, etc.

Lightning based attacks cause significantly more damage and force her to power off for a large portion of the battle. 

Cannot fight indefinitely, she will need to be repaired at around 40-50% damage or she will automatically remove herself from the party. 

Unable to connect with people on certain levels at first as her view of the world is very cut and dry. She lacks the understanding that is mortal turmoil on a normal basis.

Has PTSD despite being a machine that activates under certain conditions and gives her something similar to anxiety attacks in the form of behavioral malfunctions until she calm down. 

FAVORITES

FOOD:  Spaghetti (’it looks fun to eat’)

DRINK:  Anything pink.

PIZZA TOPPING:  Plain cheese.

COLOR: Lavender (she likes her eye color).

MUSIC  GENRE: Synthwave Classical

BOOK GENRE:  ALL OF THEM

MOVIE  GENRE: Mystery & Rom-Coms

SEASON: Spring

CURSE  WORD: !@#@% (she picked it up from either barret or reno)

SCENTS: Vanilla, spruce, wildflowers, the sea, dusty old rooms, old book pages

FUN STUFF

BOTTOM  OR  TOP:  She likes the bottom bunk.

SINGS  IN  THE  SHOWER:  Nope.

Tagged by: @animus-inspire​ (thanks dad!!)

Tagging: aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh hecc. do it.