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fuckyeahgongyoo · 3 days ago

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Feb 2025 | Gong Yoo Full Interview in W Korea (x) With Lee Ye-jin, Kwon Eun-kyung

In January, you went to Paris to attend the Louis Vuitton 2025 F/W men's collection, right? Did you have any free time besides fulfilling your official schedule?

I think I had about a day and a half of free time. The first day just passed because I was groggy from the jet lag, and on the other day, I walked around a bit. I did some offline shopping for the first time in a while, and if I saw a pretty café, I would sit in front of it and have a cup of coffee. While walking, I saw a shop that didn't look ordinary, so I went in. It turns out that the owner of that concept store is a world-renowned art director who also owns a well-known beauty brand. I heard that information from an acquaintance later on. While I was looking around, someone was making small talk next to me, and I thought, "Is this the owner?" but it turns out that person was the art director.

When celebrities come and go from a venue, there are fans waiting outside, cheering them on. Have you ever thought for a moment, because of the decibel level, "Is there a K-pop musician around near me?"

Yeah, I thought that at first too. If the people gathered there weren't specifically there to see me, I wondered if I would wave at them and then we would both feel awkward. But then I heard them calling out "Gong Yoo!" amidst the cheers, and it felt nice. These days, there are many foreigners who speak Korean well, right? When I first heard someone call out "Oppa!" I thought I must have misheard. I felt that fans came to the last show too, but this time the response was unprecedented.

It must be because the "Ddakji Man" from Season 2 appeared right in front of them, right? At the Louvre Museum, where the Louis Vuitton show was held, you walked by and made a gun shape with your fingers and pretended to shoot yourself in the head. It was quite a cute moment, unlike in the drama.

I felt that the reactions were much hotter, probably because the work had just been released. It's always surprising and delightful to meet a character from a show you enjoyed in real life. While walking and greeting him, I suddenly thought I should do something, and that gesture just popped into my mind.

Last November, when the Netflix series "The Trunk" was released, you did some promotional activities with Seo Hyun-jin, right? Did you have a chance to comment on "Squid Game" during that time?

I haven't had a separate interview. Even during the "Trunk" promotion period, it was a time when we couldn't mention "Squid Game," which was set to be released in December. Now I can talk about it.

There must have been many people waiting for Gong Yoo's story. Have you looked up reactions or reaction videos about the so-called "Ddakji Man" from Season 2?

Hmm. Even if you don't intentionally look for them, you can naturally come across related content on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and so on. Yes, there were indeed a lot of videos. Of course, it feels good to receive compliments.

First of all, I'm curious about your thoughts on Episode 1 of Season 2 of Squid Game. The title of Episode 1 is 'Bread and Lottery.' It was an episode for Gong Yoo's character, the Ddakji Man.

There might be parts I missed, but I think the director handled the direction, editing, plot, and so on very cleverly. Even though it's just the first episode of a series, it felt like watching a full-length movie.

Did you watch the series at home as soon as it was released on December 26 last year, or did you get to see it in advance?

After it opened, I watched it with close friends. But I saw the first episode earlier at the world premiere event at DDP. They only screened the first episode there. It was a day full of events, including the production presentation. I remember it being a grand event. Many actors were present at the production presentation. But did Gong Yoo attend that day?

There's a story related to that day. I received an invitation to attend, but I said I wouldn't go. The reason I declined every time there was an event related to this work was that I didn't want to take even a little bit of the spotlight from those who should truly be the main characters. It might have been my overthinking, though. Even during the screening of the first episode, I quietly said I would go and watch, but I kept debating whether to go or not.

But I got a call from the director. I came to DDP early to check various conditions before the screening, and they said that there are things that can't be conveyed through sound, visuals, or even the TV screen. Even in the scene where I play Russian roulette with Jeong-jae sunbaenim, they said they could see all the subtle muscle movements that couldn't be seen even after countless edits. "When would there ever be such an opportunity? It would be great if Kkong could see it on screen," he said. It seems he wanted to show it to me.

Last month, Lee Byung-hun, whom I interviewed, also mentioned that Director Hwang Dong-hyuk was very moved that day. Since "Squid Game" was originally intended to be made into a movie, the impact of seeing it on the big screen must have been even greater from the director's perspective.

Yes, it was great. However, since it was an event planned as a kind of fan event, the atmosphere was a bit different from a regular theater screening. It felt like everyone was enjoying the show together. For example, the reactions were immediate and abundant. There were continuous exclamations like "Oh!", "Wow!", "Ugh!"... (laughs). At the end of the Russian roulette game, when I held the gun, the audience kept saying "Oh, oh, oh," and when I shot and died, there was a collective gasp. I could understand why the gasp came, and both the representative and I burst into laughter at the same time. You had a rare and fun group experience. But since it was a bit different from the quiet and focused atmosphere of watching, it must have been hard to fully concentrate on the show.

That's right. At first, I didn't know I was attending, but gradually I could feel the gazes and reactions of those who recognized me. After it all ended, there was a mingling session with the staff. Now, I often find myself in a senior position. So, all the juniors come up to me one by one and say, "Senior, I watched it well." I saw actors from Season 1, including [Jung] Ho-yeon, and some passed by giving a thumbs up with both hands, everyone was sparkling and it was chaotic... Jung-jae sunbaenim came up to me and said, "Gong Yoo should apologize to the other actors, what are the rest of us supposed to do if you do so well from the first episode?" Everyone was grateful and happy to see me, but I felt embarrassed and awkward, not knowing what to do.

The plan to quietly stay for a while, as if you were there and not there, has gone up in smoke. For someone with an extreme 'I' personality, all of that is a shortcut to battery drain.

When I got home that day, I was completely exhausted. It's hard to objectively evaluate one's own acting, isn't it? Many viewers probably felt that "Gong Yoo really seemed to be showing something this time."

My role was to definitely raise the tension in the first episode before the story unfolded. Watching it, I thought I did my part. It was more like, "I didn't cause any trouble, thank goodness." I didn't approach this role with the ambition of "I'll take care of everything." I went into filming knowing that I was a key player in the story. Since my cameo in Season 1, I've thought of myself as a peripheral character in this work. I think I saw my position that way. So, when the work received immense love and attention, I found myself looking at it from a bit of a distance rather than being right in the center. The character of Ddakji Man was interesting, and the process was fun, and that was it. However, he made a strong impression by opening the door to a heavy-laden work. Dressed in a neat suit and speaking in a gentle tone, the man from Season 1, who seemed perfectly fine, reveals a madman's side in Season 2. How did you prepare for such a character? What conversations did you have with the director?

There wasn't any specific discussion with the director before filming. I looked at the script and thought, "Oh? This is interesting, totally crazy!" and tried various things on set. However, there was one significant difference compared to my usual approach to roles. First of all, the character of Ddakji Man is simple and clear. That's very comfortable for an actor. Since the director had clearly defined the character, I just had to follow the script.

And since I only had a supporting role for one episode, it was comfortable not having to think about the entire work. Usually, I have to consider everything from start to finish. I need to keep in mind how my character is intertwined with others, how to deliver lines or maintain attitudes in different scenes, and always maintain that consistency and balance. This time, I only had to focus on my character and my tasks. It felt straightforward, without any distracting thoughts, and it was a light feeling.

In commercial works, actors who take the first credit spot often can't avoid a huge sense of responsibility beyond their acting. But in this case, it seems you really enjoyed the pure fun of acting. Did you need to do some research to find references and recreate them in your own style?

No, I didn't look into that at all. It's not a regular human but a psychopath. There weren't many restrictions on expression and creation. That's why it was a more enjoyable experience. Recently, while chatting with writer Noh Hee-kyung, we mentioned that when playing a character like Ddakji Man, it's not strange to show 120%. Since the audience perceives the character as abnormal, they might accept whatever the actor does, thinking, "That person is really crazy." Normally, I tend to avoid going overboard. I try to show only about 70% or 80% instead of 100%, hoping the rest will be filled by the audience's emotions. This time, I felt free without such concerns or worries, so it was a refreshing experience. It felt like doing freestyle rap or choreography.

In front of people trembling with fear, he enjoys sadistic games and even plays Russian roulette, where he could die, without any hesitation. Did you perhaps feel a thrill?

Since I was embodying the character of Ddakji Man, I was able to express it very boldly. I felt exhilarated. It was exciting and thrilling. I even thought, "Was there a lot of anger in my heart?" (laughs). I borrowed the character to express it, but maybe there was something built up deep inside me.

While engaging in actions that are hard to even imagine, did something unknown to yourself get unleashed?

It's not that I didn't know; in fact, I do (laughs). I probably did. If I dig deep, there would be cynicism or remnants towards the world within me. I would have felt vicarious satisfaction by venting my anger while wearing the character's clothes.

There was an idol singer who once talked about the strange thrill they felt when they tried acting. They said they felt a catharsis by doing things they normally wouldn't or shouldn't do through acting.

Yes, I think keep acting to get that taste.

The person who first gets up close to the actor's face within the frame is the cinematographer, right? They sometimes capture a moment and think, 'Wow, I just saw something incredible.'

Cinematographer Kim Ji-yong is really good at his job. Since we've worked together on and , he knows me well. After filming a scene where I stomped on bread on the floor at Tapgol Park, he quietly approached me and said, "Wow, you really look like a madman." It was my first day of shooting. The perceived temperature was around 38°C, right? Before I could do anything, I was sweating so much in my suit that my underwear got soaked as soon as I got out of the makeup van.

Mr. Gong Yoo, you are quite close with Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, with whom you also worked on "The Crucible," right? What kind of person is he?

He has a mischievous side. You wouldn't believe how well he can tease people. He's really annoying, you know? When we meet, we undermine and mock each other (laughs). We have that kind of rapport. We tease each other back and forth. At the same time, he is definitely a reliable adult to me. There's a fundamental respect I have for him. Among all his qualities, what I like most is his logical and rational side. Just because he's a smart adult doesn't mean he just pushes his opinions. I believe he will always persuade me rationally, which makes it easier to interact with him. He is also very frugal, which resonates with me. Our relationship seems to be more than just that of a director and an actor. I understand the director's intention when he said he wanted to see a two-shot of Gong Yoo and Lee Jung-jae while making Season 1. Why wouldn't he? Even if Gong Yoo's screen time is very limited, he wanted him to exit with a strong impact.

For example, if I were to die unexpectedly in a game, it would be interesting, right? I thought that was the true essence of a cameo. It's cool too. But the director said, "It doesn't seem right to use Gong like that," so that's how it turned out. Ultimately, I think they used me very appropriately and effectively in Season 1.

Does the director actually call Gong Yoo "Kong"?

Yes. After the production of Season 2 was confirmed, he asked to meet one day. He said, "Kong, I have an idea for the story in my head, and Season 2 should ultimately start through Ddakjinam. Nothing else comes to mind. It makes sense realistically." I replied, "I'm not going to do it. I don't think I can."

At some point in the back-and-forth, Kkong had the upper hand, right? The director set the stage from the beginning with the justification that Ddakji Man had to be in it.

Yes, you laid it all out (laughs). After that, he kept saying to me, "Kkong, I've written the whole story, but if you say you won't do it later, it won't work out. It'll be a big problem." You know, if we had to completely revise a story that was already set, it would be a huge issue. I teased him for a while, pretending I wouldn't do Season 2, just like always (laughs). Of course, it was an easy decision for me from the start. There was no reason not to do it. Regardless of whether the work was successful or not, I participated willingly because it was a call from someone I liked and respected during Season 1. The content about Ddakji Man for Season 2 was all contained on a single piece of paper. Was he fully satisfied with Gong Yoo's acting?

The director isn't the type to give compliments easily. He's not someone who expresses himself sweetly. But he did contact me occasionally. For example, he showed the footage of my earlier scenes to [Lee] Byung-hun on set. It seemed like he wanted to brag about how well it turned out (laughs). He said, "Isn't the scene great? Didn't I do well?" and Byung-hun praised him, saying it was a face he had never seen from Gong Yoo before. Another time, he contacted me while having drinks with the editor. The editor said, "Gong Yoo did so well, I really want to convey this to you," and that's why he contacted me. "Everyone says Gong Yoo did well." That's indirect speech, isn't it? (laughs). You’re cute, you know?

Whenever the director shared such anecdotes, he would talk about them at length, but I would just respond nonchalantly with things like, "It's an honor for me" or "That's great" (laughs). Anyway, he really boosted my self-esteem like that.

As your career progresses and your influence grows, the criteria for choosing projects become more refined. I don't want to ask you to explain those criteria. I just want to hear an example of a project that drew you in when you read the script.

When I read the script for "Trunk," I felt this way about the character Jeong-won: "So rigid and pitiful." That's how it started. When I thought about why that empathy arose, I realized that similar processes often occurred when choosing other projects. There are aspects of a person that don't necessarily show on the surface. To put it grandly, it's like a deep abyss that only I know. If there's a part that touches that abyss, I usually end up doing the project. The moment I feel a bit of kinship, the answer of "I'm doing this project" is almost already decided. There are procedures to follow and a need for caution, so I don't say it right away. There are points that quickly draw you in like ink spreading in water, and it was the same with Jeong-won.

There seems to be an instinctive attraction. It's when you find yourself drawn to a work or character before you even start analyzing it.

Since I have to articulate that instinctive part into words, I often share my thoughts based on my own experiences. And naturally, my preferences also reflect in the works I choose. Love is an endlessly used theme, isn't it? You can talk about love as a beautiful wrapping, but you can also delve deeply into its darker aspects.

"The Trunk" is a work that resonates with my tastes as both an audience member and a viewer. It's a kind of fantasy, and it can be somewhat melancholic, but I was delighted by the fact that love could be expressed in such a way. You don't come across works like this easily. From the production company to everyone involved, we all shared the same sentiment, which is why the work came into being. Even without saying a word, we understood each other's feelings. In short, we came together with like-mindedness to create it (laughs).

A few months before the release of "The Trunk," I interviewed Seo Hyun-jin, and she mentioned that she was drawn to the 'ambiguity' of the script. She said it was the first time she received a script with so much blank space. Even after the filming wrapped up, the lingering impact of the work was still strong, which was impressive.

I felt this during the process of making the work, but I really noticed it while doing promotional activities with Seo Hyun-jin. Our perspectives and sensibilities regarding the work were quite similar. While filming various content, we often ended up discussing different aspects of the work. Listening to each other’s thoughts, we got to know more about each other. We often remarked, "Isn’t it amazing?" For instance, when we sat side by side for interviews, the answers we each thought of in response to the questions were almost identical. It seemed that our similarities brought us together for the work.

I don't think the driving force for moving forward as an actor is just about the success of a project like a box office hit. In a past interview, you mentioned feeling quite confused for a while after "Goblin." It's the same for office workers; after a certain point, they experience a sense of monotony. I'm curious about where and how you found the motivation to overcome such a period.

I think I've felt something similar to monotony, but I don't remember it being that severe. When I'm exhausted and struggling, it's important to find a way to recover. Ultimately, it seems that the 'project' is at the center. The project can be a factor that makes me feel like I can't go on anymore and makes me want to leave, but at the same time, it's also the project that makes me feel alive again, thinking, "Acting is the most fun."

In life, there is a shared existence where you inevitably have to be somewhat aware of others' gazes, and due to my personality as a human being, there are lives I can't experience myself. When I act within a work, I can do it without being bound by any of that. Through the character, I can shout, hit the wall with my fist, and curse. In various ways, I get to do things I can't or wouldn't do. It seems like repeating that gives me new energy. Whether it's vicarious satisfaction, exhilaration, or a sense of achievement, it might be what keeps me going in this job.

As long as I live as an actor, the fundamental and essential theme that supports me in life is the work itself. And we often try to break through our familiar routines by finding new hobbies. For Mr. Gong Yoo, it seems that was fishing.

I kept wanting to run away, and my thoughts were tangled up in a complicated mess. Well, you know, there are a lot of simple tests on the internet that you can take for fun, like various syndrome tests. Out of curiosity, I tried it, and it turns out I fit all sorts of syndromes. If you just accept it by saying, 'Oh, that's me,' it actually feels easier. That's why things like MBTI seem to resonate well among people. It seems that depending on the type of MBTI, there are convenient and easy aspects when you just accept someone as 'just that kind of person.' In a YouTube video hosted by Jang Do-yeon, you said, "I don't want to be defined, so I won't reveal my MBTI." If you search for "Gong Yoo MBTI", it only shows "SEXY." Is it still kept a secret?

Well, it doesn't matter anymore. I am an INFJ. Sometimes I get INTJ. The "I" trait is definitely strong, and the N trait seems quite solid as well. I often switch between "F" and "T," but as I get older, the "T" trait becomes stronger. I've learned through experience that living with "T" is much more beneficial than living with "F."

Is this an exclusive scoop? Thank you. So, what is the charm of fishing for you, Mr. Gong Yoo?

I have fond memories of my first experience. It was when I went to Jeju Island with my older brother, who had been fishing for a long time. While he was fishing, I just sat on the rocky shore, staring blankly at the sea, and it felt like the sea was giving me something. It was as if the sea was providing me with the 'time' I desperately needed, a time to just be still and escape my thoughts. And I've always felt like going to Jeju Island was like being in a different country. When you go abroad, you can momentarily forget the worries of your usual place. That's how it started, and after experiencing the thrilling rush of fishing just once, it developed into an obsession (laughs). I have to catch something. I heard that actor Park Byeong-eun is quite the 'expert.' I've seen him on TV catching various things while living in Jeju and delivering them perfectly packaged to his acquaintances.

Ah, he has now left the fishing world.

Did you catch all the fish and then come down the mountain? These days, it seems like you're more into other things than fishing.

In a way, Byung-eun taught me how to fish. It was because of him that I got to know the world of Tai-raba fishing on the boat. There are so many professional fishermen in Jeju. Those people and the captains all recognize Park Byung-eun. They say he has a nice style and a natural sense for using his body.

That brother took good care of people, sending them expensive cuttlefish and Jeju tilefish, or rare species that are hard to find even if you pay for them. Everyone loved him for it. It's wonderful to be able to share and give precious things you caught with your own hands to the people you care about. But he left. A traitor... Yeah, it was about time. It's understandable to get tired after so many years of fishing. He had been fishing for so long, so I can't say anything if he left.

If there's something that Gong Yoo needs right now, what would it be?

I've been maintaining a peaceful state lately. In fact, there was a bit of a storm recently, but I quickly found my inner peace (laughs). Sometimes, a restless wind seems to come and go in an irregular bounce, like a tree that keeps swaying. I don't really feel like I need anything in particular, but, hmm... if I think about it, there is a wind. I wish it would be a bit less noticeable and less visible.

It's fascinating. Seo Hyun-jin used the same expression. The calm state that comes to a sensitive person with their antennae raised must be that precious. If push comes to shove, I could pretend not to hear or see if necessary, but I guess I'm just not the type of person who can do that naturally. However, my overall state right now is like the calm after a wave has passed. Yes, it's just perfect.

#gong yoo #w korea #2025 #so much of the original interview was not included in the official translated version!#so i've included the full interview here translated from korean #of note: gong yoo reported his mbti is infj #also talks a lot about squid game 2 and the trunk #i am once again stunned at the way this man has with his words #and his authentic charm #and his humility #(okay i'll stop with the swooning)#interview: print

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ruanbaijie · 1 year ago

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🥕 art

[x] pretty cat by @tehijo-mtch

[x] satosugu by @vellatrelle

[x] deal with the devil by @cokalee

[x] crumbling by @sayatsugu

[x] the magician by @sumeriasmith

[x] link click s2 opening by @yuumei-art

[x] wings of pages by @yuumei-art

[x] inukoko 1 by @honeybreqd

[x] inukoko 2 by @honeybreqd

[x] aziraphale by @mistysblueboxstuff

[x] death by @lutszu

[x] yiling laozu with white hair by @lutszu

[x] decora x qing dynasty fashion bash by @xrnoodle

[x] premature end by @3-aem

[x] a nameless fish stripped of its scales by @planetsandmagic

[x] satoru, we need to dispose of the body by @irafook

🥕 edits

[x] happy jimmy day by @morkofday

[x] revenant by @rotblut

[x] yoon sae bom & jung yi hyun by @dead-end-street

🥕 gifsets

[x] happy haikyuu day by @nijimurasx

[x] stranger things ladies appreciation week favourite character by @ayoedebiris

[x] love between fairy and devil by @gusucloud

[x] run boy run by @hargreevcs

[x] yennefer of vengerberg in dark2light purplepeach by @yenvengerberg

[x] great houses of westeros in hotd s1 by @lady-arryn

[x] house targaryen by @padme-amidala

[x] the teachers by @jodielandons

[x] "it" + the personification of the wilderness by @taiturner

[x] once more, with feeling by @cal-kestis

[x] red, white and royal blue by @maxinesminx

[x] good omens s2 by @meliorn

[x] nawin, charn and tinn + chess pieces by @spicyvampire

[x] ted lasso by @trentcrimminallybeautiful

[x] vhagar and her riders by @zoya-nazyalenskys

[x] edmund pevensie by @maliagf

[x] anakin skywalker by @haydanakin

[x] spirited away + trivia by @kimdokjas

[x] I wanna go home by @xinxiaojie

[x] nam seon ho & seo hwi in mctna + their physical & emotional healing journey by @seamayweed

[x] crowley & aziraphale by @cobbbvanth

[x] lestat... you must think me an idiot by @fayevalcntine

[x] sandray by @khaotunqs

[x] ray pakorn by @khaotunqs

[x] izzy hands by @seance

[x] morgana pendragon + villainous tropes by @eddiediaaz

🥕 gifsets (part 2)

[x] tantai jin by @kimmomi

[x] sebastian valtor by @skloomdumpster

[x] robin buckley + favourite tropes by @robin-buckely

#*shoutouts #creator shoutout #wdym we only have 2 months left of 2023

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elderflowergin · 1 year ago

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3 K-drama moments (January edition)

1. Kim Hae-sook expressing her rage at a young Japanese officer in full satoori and banmal in Gyeongseong Creature. Until this point she has been a capable right hand to Park Seo-joon, restrained, deadly efficient and completely unshakeable. But long-simmering fears and frustrations are boiling over everywhere in Gyeongseong and elsewhere, resulting in this atypical, shocking conversation with a junior officer who sympathises with them but cannot bridge the colonial gap. Language is so significant in this genre, and it’s so visceral when Kim Hae-sook openly vents to this man in her own language, in her own dialect.

Gyeongseong Creature is a pretty dark take on human experimentation, the last gasp of colonial horrors in a dying empire and the endurance of community. Park Seo-joon (and Han So-hee to a lesser extent) have to be the heroes; nonetheless the story understands that liberation is won not by strong-jawed men who talk pretty, but by community, by ordinary people doing extraordinary things together.

Kdrama has a wealth of supporting actors and it's no different here, with Jo Han-cheol, Kang Mal-geum, the aforementioned Kim Hae-sook, Claudia Kim and lovely, lovely Kim Yoon-woo in an affecting subplot (you might have seen him as Ryang Eum in My Dearest). Hate that Netflix made this one a cliffhanger, but they got me. Now, please give us a grown up romance with Jo Han-cheol in it. Our man's earned it.

2. Jung Jin-young’s vividly joyous sex life with his partner played by Yang Mal-bok in LTNS. The astonishing tenderness of their meeting, their love story and the joy he has brought to her arid, parched life are all so well-done that I had a lump in my throat throughout the episode.

This show took atypical love and affair stories, the sort we tend to mock or criticise - the plain girl sleeping with the married colleague, the fiftysomethings rediscovering their zest for life in each other’s bodies, the married lipstick lesbian who keeps coming back into her ex’s life - and offered so much kindness and love in the writing and the framing of those stories. @drivingsideways remarked that it was so different from anything Kdrama has given us, and that is completely correct.

Esom and Ahn Jae-hong were beyond excellent as a troubled couple that maybe shouldn't have married all those years ago - people who were maybe always a little too different, and then papered over their differences with the routines of matrimony. I suspect this was all too real to appeal to the general audience and I don't think this is going to be nomination-heavy. But it deserves to be.

3. Hwa-rok running from the handsome Officer Jeong in the brilliantly written The Matchmakers. The youngest sister in the famously unmarried trio of Namsan, Hwa-rok is a very relatable babe who really wants to get married! Get a husband! Have SEX! - and manifests this through her popular erotica series. The bond between Hwa-rok and the shy, upright officer whose first introduction to her is all the erotica she writes is one of the most adorable plots on this incredibly cute show.

I have several feelings about The Matchmakers, namely that it is the rare romance I respect despite the minimal chemistry between the leads. The writing was top-notch and the lead acting didn't quite live up to it - this is not a criticism of Cho Yi-hyun or Rowoon, but rather a testament to the sheer wealth of talent in Kdrama and how accustomed we've become to actors elevating material. Rowoon surprisingly grew on me in this, with his physicality and his looks somehow making Gyeongwoonjae indelible despite his iPhone-knowing face. I might do a separate post on this yet, but it was absolutely worth the watch, and all of you were right, especially @haraxvati who bravely advocated for Rowoon's talents.

#3 kdrama moments: january edition #i am trying something new!#let's see if it works #LTNS #the matchmakers #gyeongseong creature

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theadusa · 1 year ago

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Everything I watch in Jan 2024

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

My Lovely Boxer (2023, Kim Min-joo)

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 12, 70 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 12, 60 min

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

Night Has Come (2023, Kang Min-Ji)

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 12, 35 to 40 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 12, 70 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 16, 70 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 10, 60 to 80 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 14, 70 min

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

My 20th Twenty (2023, N/A)

Main leads: Choi Yu Ju , Jung Su Bin

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 12, 15 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 16, 70 min

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

Taxi Driver Special (2023, SBS)

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 2, 60 -120 min

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

Brain Works (2023, Park Kyung-seon)

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 16, 75 min

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

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

Main leads: Yamada Ryosuke, Yoshine Kyoko

Country: Japan

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

Episodes: 9, 23 to 47 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 10, 60 to 90 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 17, 70 to 80 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 16, 70 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 16, 70 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 119, 25 to 28 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 11, 60 to 90 min

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

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

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

Country: S. Korea

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

Episodes: 16, 70 min

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

I am currently watching:

Marry My Husband

Doctor Slump

Because of Love

Do You Like Brahms?

The Real Has Come!

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

8 notes · View notes

reve-dream · 1 year ago

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Books actor Hong Kyug has read

1. 村上春樹「職業としての小説家」/Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami (2015)

[Nylon Korea March 2018 | Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

2. Livro do Desassossego/The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa (1982)

[2018.10.12 bluecages instagram post | 2021.10.26 naver fancafe post | Dazed Korea January 2022 | Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

3. Wenn die Haut zu dünn ist: Hochsensibilität – vom Manko zum Plus by Rolf Sellin (2011)

[2018.10.12 bluecages instagram post]

4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

[2018.10.12 bluecages instagram post]

5. Henry V by William Shakespeare

[2018.10.12 bluecages instagram post]

6. 제11회 젊은작가상 수상작품집 : 강화길 <음복> "The 11th Young Writer Award Collection: Eumbok (Partaking of Sacrificial Food and Drink)" by Kang Hwa-gil (2020)

[매경Economy interview ② 2020 | Cine21 June 2020 1259th edition]

7. Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas (2018)

[Cine21 June 2020 1259th edition | bluecages Q&A instagram story | Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

8. Bieguni/Flights by Olga Tokarczuk (2007)

[매경Economy 2020 interview ②]

9. 村上春樹「色彩を持たない多崎つくると、彼の巡礼の年」/Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami (2013)

[bluecages Q&A instagram story | Minumsa naver blog/Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람 | Dazed Korea January 2022]

10. The Shallows by Nicholas G. Carr (2010)

[bluecages Q&A instagram story]

11. 강화길, 서이제, 임솔아 <소설 보다 : 여름 2020> "See the Novel: Summer 2020" by Kang Hwa-gil, Seo I-je, Im Sol-ah

[bluecages Q&A instagram story | 2020.07.14 bluecages instagram post]

12. Agnès Varda: Interviews, Ed. T. Jefferson Kline (2014)

[bluecages Q&A instagram story]

13. 박은지 <여름 상설 공연>/"Summer Permanent Performance" by Park Eun-ji (2021)

[2021.11.03 bluecages instagram story]

14. 전하영, 김멜라, 김혜진, 박서련, 서이제, 한정현, 김지연 <2021 제12회 젊은작가상 수상작품집> "The 12th Young Writer Award Collection" by Jun Ha-young, Kim Mel-la, Kim Hye-jin, Park Seo-ryun, Seo I-je, Han Jung-hyun, Kim Ji-yeon (2021)

[bluecages instagram story]

15. 村上春樹「女のいない男たち」/Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami (2014)

[2022.02.08, 2022.02.14 bluecages instagram story | Allure Korea March 2022 | Marie Claire Korea June 2022 | Minumsa naver blog/Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

16. 한강 <작별하지 않는다>/I Do Not Bid Farewell by Han Kang (2021)

[Marie Claire Korea June 2022 | 2022.09.19, 2022.10.01, 2022.10.03 bluecages instagram story, GQ Korea February 2024]

17. 김진영 <아침의 피아노> "The Morning Piano" by Kim Jin-young (2018)

[2022.05.30 bluecages instagram story | Marie Claire Korea June 2022]

18. 정보라 <저주토끼>/Cursed Bunny by Chung Bo-ra (2017)

[Marie Claire Korea June 2022 | Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

19. 최은영 <애쓰지 않아도> "Don’t Push Yourself" by Choi Eun-young (2022)

[bluecages instagram story]

20. 太宰治「人間失格」/No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai (1948)

[Minumsa naver blog/Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

21. 장강명 <한국이 싫어서> "Because I Don't Like Korea" by Chang Kang-myoung (2015)

[Minumsa naver blog/Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

22. 松家仁之「火山のふもとで」 "At the Foot of a Volcano" by Masashi Matsuie (2012)

[Minumsa naver blog/Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

23. 박준 <운다고 달라지는 일은 아무것도 없겠지만>/"Although Crying Would Not Change Anything" by Park Joon (2017)

[Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

24. 한강 <소년이 온다>/Human Acts by Han Kang (2014)

[Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

25. 한강 <채식주의자>/The Vegetarian by Han Kang (2007)

[Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

26. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (1989)

[Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

27. 松家仁之「光の犬」 "Dog of Light" by Masashi Matsuie (2017)

[Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

28. 유현준 <공간이 만든 공간> "Space Created Space" by Yoo Hyun-joon (2020)

[Littor 36th edition/읽는 사람]

29. 한강 <여수의 사랑>/Yeosu by Han Kang (1995)

[Cine21 LIST 2022/GQ Korea February 2024]

30. Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski (2020)

[2023.01.17 bluecages instagram post]

31. 읽는 사람-허윤선 인터뷰집/Reader: Interview Collection by Heo Yoon-sun (2023)

[2023.04.15 bluecages instagram story]

32. 한강 <내 여자의 열매>/Fruits of My Woman by Han Kang (2000)

[Elle Korea September 2023]

33. 한강 <검은 사슴>/Black Deer (1998)

[GQ Korea February 2024]

34. 한강 <흰>/ The White Book (2016)

[GQ Korea February 2024]

35. Haruki Murakami 「一人称単数」 / First Person Singular (2020)

[bluecages instastory]

36. Yoshifumi Nakamura 「住宅巡禮」 "Housing Tour"

[bluecages instastory]

Goodreads Listopia:

#hong kyung #홍경 #책 #books #actor #배우

14 notes · View notes

dreamingkdrama · 2 years ago

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Masterlist:

Reviews - all dramas

Appreciation posts - all the handsome and beloved characters

All gifs and edits - all my gifs at one place

Random thoughts - ideas, articles, polls and other stuff

Currently watching and preparing gifs:

The king - Eternal monarch

Drama list:

🇰🇷 Alchemy of souls [Review]

Appreciation posts: Jang Uk, Go Won, Seo Yul, Park Jin

🇰🇷 Black knight [Review][GIFS]

Appreciation post: 5-8

🇰🇷 Bloodhounds [Review] [GIFS] [Episode highlights]

Apreciation posts: Kim Gun-Woo, Hong Woo-Jin

🇰🇷 Business proposal [Review]

Appreciation posts: Kang Tae-Moo, Cha Sung-Hoon

🇰🇷 Crush landing on you [Review]

Appreciation posts: Ri Jeong-Hyeok, Gu Seung-Jung

🇰🇷 Extraordinary Attorney Woo [Review]

Appreciation post: Lee Jun-Ho

🇰🇷 Hometown Cha Cha Cha [Review]

Appreciation post: Hong Du-Sik

🇰🇷 The Kings affection [Review]

Appreciation posts: Jung Ji-Un, Lee Hyun, Kim Ga-On

🇰🇷 The king: Eternal monarch [Review]

Appreciation post: Lee Gon

🇰🇷 My country: The new age [Review] [GIFS] [Episode highlihgts]

Appreciation posts: Seo Hwi, Nam Seon-Ho, Yi Bang-Won

🇰🇷 Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung [Review]

Appreciation post: Lee Rim, Lee Jin

🇰🇷 Sound of magic [Review] [GIFS] [Episode highlights]

Appreciation post: Lee-Eul

🇰🇷 Space sweepers [Review] [GIFS]

Appreciation post: Kim Tae-Ho

🇰🇷 Twenty five Twenty one [Review]

Appreciation post: Back Yi-Jin

🇰🇷 Under the queen's umbrella [Review]

Appreciation posts: Seongnam, Gyeseong

🇰🇷 Vagabond [Rewiev]

Appreciation post: Cha Dal-Geon

🇰🇷Vincenzo [Review] [GIFS] [Episode highlights]

Appreciation post: Vincenzo Cassano

10 notes · View notes

boysplanetrecaps · 2 years ago

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Boys Planet, Post Episode 8 Analysis: What Next for the Eliminated Trainees?

In this post, I’ll give you the full analysis of the Korean vs. Global vote for the top 30. Then I’ll tell you the ranking of the eliminated trainees (ranked 29 through 51), and I’ll discuss what I think will happen next for each of the eliminated trainees! I also found a few last notes from eliminated trainees posted on social media that I can share with you. I think it’s all decently interesting so click Read more or Keep reading or whatever, get your spreadsheets and calculators ready (jk, I already did that) and let’s go!!!!

Voting analysis:

Spreadsheets are the best, my friends.

Here is the top 30 as it would be if only Korean votes counted (no benefits). The number after the name is the trainee’s real rank in episode 8. Trainees whose “Korean only” rank is five or more spaces different than their real rank will be marked in bold.

Sung Hanbin 1

Han Yu Jin 3

Kim Tae Rae 7

Kim Gyu Vin 6

Kim Ji Woong 5

Zhang Hao 2

Seok Matthew 4

Kum Jun Hyeon 10

Wang Zi Hao 19

Park Gunwook 9

Hui 11

Park Hanbin 13

Yoo Seung Eon 17

Yoon Jong Woo 15

Ricky 14

Keita 8

Na Kamden 20

Zhang Shuai Bo 23

Lee Jeong Hyeon 24

Seo Won 18

Mun Jung Hyun 29

Lee Seung Hwan 21

Ma Jing Xiang 30

Jay 12

Takuto 25

Cha Woong Ki 26

Chen Kuan Jui 22

Hiroto 28

Haruto 16

Ollie 27

It’s kind of interesting that the Korean population really likes Wang Zi Hao, but is comparatively cold towards Keita, Jay, and especially Haruto. Given the way that the show works, it’s more important to have Korean support than global support, so expect Wang Zi Hao to have a decent chance at making the Top9 at the end, and brace yourself to lose Keita, Jay, and Haruto. I know, I’m bummed too.

It’s also kind of interesting that if the Korean population was in charge, the two “evil edited” trainees, Ma Jing Xiang and Zhang Shuai Bo, would be much higher ranked, and in fact, MJX would have survived this elimination. You’d think that the sinophobia that MNET manifests again and again would influence Korean voters, but it doesn’t seem to.

And here is the inverse -- the top 30 as it would be if only Global votes counted (again, no benefits). Again, the number after the trainees’ names is their real rank. Particularly noteworthy differences are marked in bold.

Zhang Hao 2

Keita 8

Seok Matthew 4

Sung Hanbin 1

Kim Ji Woong 5

Han Yu Jin 3

Jay 12

Haruto 16

Kim Gyu Vin 6

Park Gunwook 9

Ricky 14

Kim Tae Rae 7

Hui 11

Wang Zi Hao 19

Yoon Jong Woo 15

Park Hanbin 13

Kum Jun Hyeon 10

Chen Kuan Jui 22

Ollie 27

Seo Won 18

Lee Seung Hwan 21

Hiroto 28

Takuto 25

Yoo Seung Eon 17

Cha Woong Ki 26

Na Kamden 20

Zhang Shuai Bo 23

Lee Jeong Hyeon 24

Mun Jung Hyun 29

Ma Jing Xiang 30

Obviously, just that top 4 is interesting -- Zhang Hao in number 1, and Sung Hanbin sinking to 4th place behind Keita and Matthew. It’s also kind of interesting how the international community doesn’t seem to be super into Kim TaeRae, my little cousin, Kum Jun Hyeon, or titanium voiced Yoo Seung Eon. This does suggest that if any of them make it into the final lineup, they may end up not as popular down the road, though who really knows -- I mean, did anyone see Chaewon from Iz*one ending up where she is now? Or Yunjin, who didn’t even make the Iz*one lineup?

I think the varied support is actually kind of good news for a lot of the trainees -- if they don’t make the final lineup in Korea, they might be able to go a more ATEEZ/Everglow route of being popular globally, even if they’re not super popular in Korea. It’s still making a living through singing and dancing, and I think a lot of them would be glad for that.

Eliminated Trainees: Final Ranking and What’s Next

29. Mun Jung Hyun 30. Ma Jing Xiang 31. Cai Jin Xin 32. Anthonny 33. Park Ji Hoo 34. Wumuti 35. Oh Sung Min 36. Lee Ye Dam 37. Brian 38. Jung Min Gyu 39. Chen Jian Yu 40. Lim Jun Seo 41. Ji Yun Seo 42. Dang Hong Hai 43. Cong 44. Lee Dong Yeol 45. Krystian 46. Bak Do Ha 47. Lee Da Eul 48. Park Hyunbeen 49. Jung I Chan 50. Choi Woo Jin 51. Lee Dong Gun

I found that ranking online, and while I can't confirm it, it strikes me as accurate. Below, I'll discuss what I see ahead for the various eliminated trainees, including a few who were eliminated in the first cut. I got out my crystal ball and tarot cards and watched the crows outside for a while and then typed up what came into my head. Let's go!

The WakeOne trainees: Anthonny(32), Mun Jung Hyun(29) and Oh Sung Min (35)

I’m optimistic for these trainees because WakeOne has a serious pool of talent on their hands. They sent ten trainees to the show, and we can hope that most of them will make it into the WakeOne group, which will be called, oh I don’t know, Won1One or something.

Wakeone trainees Kim Tae Rae, Park Hanbin, and Haruto are both doing really well on the show, and seem to me quite likely to make it through the next cut. Lee Jeong Hyeon and Cha Woongki are a little lower ranked but are both getting noticed, in different ways. Anthonny, Mun Jung Hyeon, and Oh Sung Min at least survived the first cut, and Anthonny and Mun both almost survived the second. And Anthonny had a lot of early support -- he was ranked 8th i the first episode. So he certainly got some viewer’s attention, even if their gaze strayed later on.

The two trainees who were cut in episode 5 are less certain to debut in Won1One, but it’s not impossible. Park Min Seok, who you may have forgotten, was the leader of the blighted K-leftovers team in Eps 3-4 and ended up shooting up in the rankings from 84 to 61. I think if the voting period had gone a little longer, he might have survived. Min, who you may also have forgotten, was chosen by Keita for the Kill This Love team, and I trust Keita’s assessment of him, so Min must have some skills -- but he wasn’t particularly popular, so he’s the one I’m most worried about seeing again. 🙁

It seems likely that at least one of TaeRae or Park Hanbin will make the final Bepler lineup, so if so, while he or they are performing with Bebler, I’m hopeful that Wakeone will be getting some songs ready to debut their team as soon as they’re done. I’m looking forward to seeing them all again. Won1one, fighting!

The Yuehua trainees: Brian (37) and Ji YunSeo (41)

Yuehua sent eight trainees -- remember the two “Kick It” groups? Only Brian and Ji YunSeo have been eliminated; the other six -- Ollie, Ricky, Zhang Hao, Han Yu Jin, Kim Gyu Vin, and Yoo Seung Eon are all obviously doing pretty well on the show so far. I think it’s fair to say that at least two of those are going to make the final lineup (Hao + at least one of Yujin and Gyuvin), and I think Ricky is at least going to pass the next cut. SeungEon might as well, but Ollie probably won’t, in part because he jammed his smelly finger into the camera during the “Planet Camp” bit this episode and that will make viewers associate him with bad smells, subconsciously, and they won’t want to vote for him as much.

But regardless, Yuehua is 8 for 8 in terms of having trainees pass the first cut, and 6 for 8 in trainees passing the second, and that’s pretty good. I don’t see any reason for Yuehua not to debut a team of eight and call it, oh, I don’t know, Everboy, or Boyglow. No real reason to leave out Brian and Ji YunSeo. I mean, YunSeo was in that Backdoor team that performed on M-Countdown, and that video is still getting plenty of views -- so even though his popularity wasn’t super strong, he is going to continue to get exposure. He also is a really solid vocalist. And Brian is a cutie-pie who is also a native speaker of English. So I feel pretty good that Brian, YunSeo, and all the rest will land on their feet, just fine. Everboyglow, fighting!

The houses: Bak Do Ha (46) and Jung Min Gyu (48)

Both of these trainees are actors. Mingyu (the red house) already been in some minor dramas and stuff, and DoHa (the blue house) was in this webseries with Jiwon from Cherry Bullet. I think both of them left a good impression in terms of their personality and looks -- Mingyu is a bit more lovable, and Doha is a bit more “sexy”, but I think both were likable, and that’s important. I neither think nor hope that either will debut as idols, but I think both will do well as actors, and that’s cool for them and us! K-dramas, fighting!

Krystian:

Krystian’s going to be fine, ya’ll.

Check out his insta -- @krystianwang. I think the “I’M FREEEEE!!!!!” caption says it all. He also has a post with the Limousine performance with the caption “LIMOUSINE (R.I.P크리스티안)” - - that a R.I.P. for the Korean spelling of his name. He has another post with a selfie and the caption “No rush, no rush.” So yeah, I think he’s fine.

My prediction? I think he’ll go more of a B.I. / Jackson Wang route of just making the music he likes and releasing it through Youtube. I hope he does, in fact. I don’t think he’s made to be a team player.

Krystian, Jiayou! 加油!

The other Chinese trainees: Cai Jin Xin, Chen Jian Yu, Ma Jing Xiang, and Wumuti

I think Ma Jing Xiang will probably go into modeling. He’s 6’2 and 19 years old, and I just think modeling will be easier for him. I’m sure he’ll be fine!

Cai Jin Xin is signed with an agency called TopClass, which also manages Xiaoting from Kep1er but not really anyone else. Like MJX, he’s also 6’2 and 19 years old. I think he’s demonstrated that he has a lot of trouble with both vocals and dancing, and I think he’ll end up going into modeling as well.

Chen Jian Yu is a little bit of a different story. He seems really heart-set on becoming an idol -- he did Youth With You 3 before he came to Boys Planet. Problem is, though, that on his intake form he said that he is still looking for his specialty, and that seems to be the case, even though he’s 24. He’s signed with an agency called Star On Entertainment, about which I can find NOTHING online. So… I don’t know what will happen for him. But it’s not like he was notably dreadful, but he missed his cue in the Star Level test, and made a few obvious dancing mistakes in the GGang performance. I wish him well, and it’s not impossible that he’ll eventually land on his feet, but I’m not super optimistic.

Boys Planet was also the second survival show for Wumuti -- he participated in Under19, but he left the program right before the final episode citing “personal issues.” He did well there, and actually did pretty well here, finishing in 34th place. I think he has an amazing work ethic, as shown in the first hour of Episode 8. I bet he impressed all the industry people he met in those producer meetings, and maybe something good will come out of that. He’s devoted to this, and I don’t think he’s going to give up. Between his hard work, his sweet attitude, his charm, and his singing voice, I think he could find a place for himself. I’m not sure if China will embrace him, due to his status as an ethnic minority, but I hope so. Hey, go follow him on Insta! He’s @wumutit . He posted this note:

Chinese trainees, Jiayou! 加油!

The Vietnamese trainees: Cong (43) and Dang Hong Hai (42)

Vietnam is for sure into kpop -- when I was there a few years ago, I remember seeing a big billboard for GWSN (oh, GWSN! 🙁) -- but it absolutely does have its own music scene. I don’t know much about it -- I only know Love Charms by Bich Phuong, which is a complete BOP. I’m low key obsessed with it. If you listen to it and hate it, I will personally mail you some cheese crackers as an apology for having wasted your time. In any case, my point is that Vietnam is building its own music scene. Cong and DHH are both super popular in Vietnam, especially DHH, and if things don’t work out for them in Korea, I think they could easily make a good living as idols in Vietnam. DHH probably has a better shot -- he was more popular than Cong, and also is signed to Fantagio, while I don’t think Cong is signed at all. It’s not impossible that Fantagio will sign Cong and they’ll debut together. Fighting, guys!

The wunderkinds: Park Ji Hoo(33) and Han SeoBin (60)

I always think about this moment in episode 1, when Hui stole the first chair seat from Park JiHoo. That’s all we knew about JiHoo then, that he had just gotten that seat. What did he do to get it? Knowing him like we do know, I bet he challenged whoever it was to a rap battle or something. Did we see whatever he did? Nope.

I’m so glad we got to know him a bit more in later episodes. We also got a glimpse of his friend, Han Seobin, who seems to have earned the respect of the judges and trainees alike.

I think JiHoo and SeoBin probably would have hated being on Bepler anyway. They’re signed to H1GHR MUSIC, which is where the judge pH1 is signed, among a bunch of rap artists I’d actually heard of, like Sik-K, and producers I actually recognize as well -- GroovyRoom and Woogie. Go make your own music, you teenage geniuses. I believe in you.

The babies: Lee Da Eul(47), Lim Jun Seo (40), and Lee Dong Gun (51)

Lee Da Eul and Lim Jun Seo are both signed to 143 Entertainment, which is also home to iKON, as in, yes, that iKON, the one that used to be at YG. iKON moved there only a few months ago, when their contract expired at YG. So 143 must be doing something right.

143 is also home to a small girl group called Limelight, which features MiU, a Japanese trainee who was eliminated from GP999 in the first round. Their song Eye to Eye isn’t terrible, by the way. And Lim Jun Seo is in the video, if that’s a draw for you? Also, it’s not impossible that Kang Yeseo and Mashiro will end up in that group when their term of service is done with Kepler.

So what I’m saying is that 143 Entertainmnet seems to be on the way up, and has demonstrated a willingness to debut groups relatively soon after their members leave reality shows, even if they don’t do stunningly well.

I think people will forgive DaEul, because he’s a boy and boys get forgiven in Korea. And people always liked JunSeo just fine despite his obvious need for more training. So I predict that 143 Entertainment will put them in a group with one or two more boys -- maybe an ex Youth With You-3 trainee they dig up, or a few other lost lambs from LOUD or even Boys Planet -- and they’ll call it, oh I don’t know, BoyStage or something, and they’ll put out a pre-debut single that fuses trop house with both synth pop and yelling, and the video will get 1 million views over the course of 6 months. After that, my crystal ball goes dim. But fighting, boys! I wish you both well.

As for Lee Dong Gun, he is apparently a member of a pre-debut group called Rare House, so he’s being managed, though who knows if anything will come of that. He’s really pretty, and a good dancer, and is still really young. His singing obviously needs a lot of work. He didn’t exactly thrive on this show, but he certainly had some fans. We’ll just see what the future holds for him. Fighting!

The Dongsaengs: Park Hyunbeen (48) and Choi Woo Jin (50)

Park Hyunbeen is signed to Jellyfish, along with General Gunwook and his two sergeants who he lost in episode 5, Han Yu Seop (85) and Jang Yeo Jun (62).

Choi WooJin is signed to RedStart Media, along with my little cousin, Kum Jun Hyeon, and the two trainees who were cut in episode 5, Hong Keon Hee(84) and the talented Kim Min Seoung(58).

So in both cases you have one popular trainee in a group of four, with only one of the other three surviving to the second cut. But also in both cases you have some talent in the trainees who got cut. Park Hyunbeen is actually pretty charming on stage, Hong Keon Hee just sort of makes me smile, and Kim Min Seong, though completely ignored by MNET, is really great, you guys. He was on the Backdoor-K team! He’s the one who does the flip right at the end of Backdoor -- and you know that MNET hates him because they only showed it once. THEY ONLY SHOWED A BACKFLIP ONCE, YOU GUYS. (Right before he does the flip, the whole team shouts MINSEONG-AH! affectionately. Watch it again!)

Anyway, it’s hard to know what will happen, but I fear that both these groups of four will debut post-Bepler, and it’ll be like WekiMeki and Gugudan, or Astro or CIX or even IVE, where a few extremely popular trainees vastly overshadow the rest of the group.

So here’s what I propose, Redstart and Jellyfish, and hear me out. Put all eight of these trainees on a group together! Gunwook can be the leader and center, Jun Hyeon can be main vocal, and the rest can be sub vocals and rappers. You can name the group, oh, I don’t know, R.J.A.S.F., pronounced “Raz” (the J and the F will be silent). It’ll stand for “Red Jellyfish Always Swim Free” and the group concept will be that they are encouraging their fans to swim through life’s troubles with bright cheer. I mean, I’m on board, aren’t you? RJASF, Fighting!

The Nugus: Lee Dong Yeol (44), Lee Hwanhee (46*), Jang Ji Ho (63), and Winnie (80)

*Lee Hwanhee withdrew after episode 5, but was ranked 46 at that time.

I don’t know what’s going to happen to either Up10tion or NINE.i in the future. It’s not impossible that being on this show will boost these two groups. It happened for Nu’est when 4 of their members went on Produce101 Season 2. But it doesn’t strike me as super likely in this case.

So I hope for good things, but don’t expect them.

Seo Won, who is on NINE.i with JiHo and Winnie, is still on the show, but it seems extremely unlikely that he’ll make the final Top9. Neither JiHo nor Winnie made much an impact, unfortunately. So we’ll have to see.

Up10tion’s contracts are all up in 2023 and a bunch of them have already left the agency, but not the group. Will they start to get better songs now, if they have more control in the future? Will people give them a chance? I don’t know. But I do know that Spin Off by Up10tion is a great song that just gets better the more you listen to it. Lee Hwanhee’s vocals are all over that thing. Go give it a listen. It can only help. Fighting, guys!

The Conundrums: Lee Ye Dam (36) and Jung I Chan (49)

These are two who are a bit tougher to know what to do with.

Jung I-chan, who I think prefers to call himself E-Chan, just doesn’t seem set up to be a K-pop idol. His facial expressions show every stray thought he has. He seems to lose focus quickly and seems to lack self-control or a sense of what he might seem like to other people. On the other hand, he has some musical talent and a lovely singing voice. Please go check out his Youtube Channel. He posts a lot of covers that he’s clearly making in his bedroom on a little Casio keyboard or something, but they’re good. My hope for him is that he gets to make OST songs (those are soundtracks for dramas -- a good reliable source of income for people who can actually sing but can’t really dance or perform), because really, that’s what he can do: sing. Good luck, hon.

As for Lee Yedam, oof, this is tough. I think his agency wants to push him as a soloist, but it’s not going to work out for him as a soloist. Yeah, it breaks my heart. I think he’s so effing talented, you guys. And a cutey! Shorter guys are sexy too! I don’t know what the obsession is with height. Shorter people are better on airplanes! They eat less so they’re climate friendly! Hurray for short people!

Anyway, I don’t think his agency can field a whole boy group to put him on, so I hope that he breaks his contact and goes to another agency where he can be put in a boy group. Just as there are visual members, and sexy members, and cheerful members, a lot of boy groups have “unthreatening” members. You know, the boy who is a little more approachable than the others, and who girls can daydream is their boyfriend that they cheat on with the sexy member. On Exo, it’s Xiumin. On SHINee, it was probably Onew (when they debuted). On NCT, I’d say it’s probably Doyeon, but I don’t know NCT too well. On TXT, it’s probably Taehyun. You know what I mean? Often the approachable member is also super talented, too, and it’s not like they’re unpopular, but they’re just not usually people’s bias.

Lee Yedam would be ideal for that kind of role. He's a super talented all-rounder who would be a good addition to basically any team. He can pull off cute concepts and sexy concepts. He would be unlikely to be people’s biases, but fans of the group would be protective of how talented and sweet he is. So Yedam, if you’re reading this -- go find a bigger agency that can put you on a big team. Maybe go approach Jellyfish or Redstart!

Lee Yedam, fighting!

Everyone, fighting!

So that brings me to the end of this post. I can’t really see the future, but as always, I hope everyone find a soft place to land. I really, really, do.

And you, too, dear reader. May your bed be comfortable at night, may your coffee be hot in the morning, and may your afternoons be lazy and bright.

See you next time!

(And btw, sorry for the lack of images in this post, but it would have taken a long time to add them and I just want to try to keep up with the episodes!)

#boys planet

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