#the korea herald

[bandhyukoh]

[The Korea Herald] Star musicians add own touches to films as music directors

Disclaimer: This article belongs to The Korea Herald. Find the original source here. By Kim Da-sol. October 18, 2023.

[...] Oh Hyuk, leader of the band Hyukoh, also has experience as a music director, having composed the music for the upcoming film, “The Dream Songs.” Directed by Cho Hyun-chul, an actor and rookie filmmaker who is best known for his roles in “Hotel del Luna” and “D.P.,” the film tells the tale of two young girls who have feelings for each other.

Oh and Cho have also worked together in "Rustle," Cho’s earlier independent film.

“I asked Oh Hyuk if he could make sad but also awkward-feeling music. We understood each other without having to talk too much about it,” said director Cho.

[htyfnetwork]

HOW TO MEET THE THREAT OF COMMUNIST AGGRESSION (with Gunnar Aasland from Norway, Vangala Jaya Ram from India, Johnny Antillon from Philippines, and Chin-Tai Kim of Korea)

from 1954 the world we want

[voxyldy]

07.06.2023

.@BTS_twt's Jimin is the first K-pop artist to rack up 500K monthly listeners on @pandoramusic! Reaching the feat on June 27, he went onto mark 594K on June 30, heading past his group BTS' 571.9K listeners! His monthly listener is now beyond 610K and growing daily! 💜 #JIMIN

Source: Kpop Herald/ The Korea Herald

[boricuacherry-blog]

[hoonieyun]

letter from: sunghoon ⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

the snows gonna fall and the trees gonna glisten and i'm gonna puke at the thought of you kissing. the boy who i love who's now in love with you... -sabrina carpenter "cindy lou who"

pairing: park sunghoon x reader (slight x sim jaeyun)

genre: angst - heartbreak - betrayal - infidelity

warnings: suggestive, profanity, alcohol, cheating, and overall 18+

summary: a holiday surprise turns into holiday heartbreak

christmas herald masterlist ⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

word count: 3886

Surprising Sunghoon for the Holidays was a plan you had been working on for the last few weeks. Going to University in different countries was a task in and of itself but keeping secrets from your boyfriend Sunghoon proved to be a difficult task on its own because he always wants to know your whereabouts. It’s a habit of his that he’s always had since before you two were even dating and over the last year or so, he’s been more adamant of knowing where you are even if you’re in another country. 

When the opportunity presented itself and you’d be able to come home back to South Korea for the Holidays when you thought you couldn’t because of your research, you couldn’t pass up the chance to visit your family and loving boyfriend for Christmas. You had been coordinating with Jake, you and Sunghoon’s best friend, to pick you up at the airport and you’d be staying with him in the meantime while you prepared to surprise Sunghoon and because Sunghoon and you were childhood neigbors, you didn’t want to stay at your parents just in case he sees you back home. 

There would be a Holiday Party that Sunghoon’s frat is throwing and when Jake told you about it, you thought it was the best moment to surprise him. You’d be arriving two days before the party so you’d have enough time to prepare yourself and continue acting like you weren’t back in South Korea. You told Sunghoon that you had a long research day during the time of your flight so you wouldn’t be able to respond. 

Thankfully, even though Sunghoon always asked about your whereabouts, he never asked you to share your phone location with him so you never asked as well. 

You were so excited to see him after not seeing him for upwards of a whole year since you had transferred to a new University at the beginning of the year when you were asked to conduct research on molecular biology. It had been a passion of yours since you were young and the opportunity to study abroad at a University specializing in molecular biology with a connection to a major hospital was too good to not accept. You and Sunghoon both knew it would be hard being so far away but he would never want you to choose him over an amazing opportunity like that; and for that you would forever be grateful for him. He understood you like no one else could and you couldn’t wait to finally be able to hug and kiss him again. 

The airport is bustling with hundreds of people trying to fly home for the holidays much like you were and as you step through the security exit, the cold winter air of Seoul whips by and the chilling air that gives you a shiver is slightly comforting. You give Jake a quick phone call to let him know you’ve arrived and had your bags, you give him your arrival terminal number and he lets you know that he’ll be there in 15 minutes and sure enough, 15 minutes later you were loading your suitcase into his trunk and buckling your seatbelt in Jake’s car. 

“Yooo, YN it’s been so long dude! Can’t believe you’re back in Seoul!” Jake says as he merges into the highway, heading towards his apartment. You laugh at Jake, he was always the brighter and more outgoing between him and Sunghoon. They were complete opposites but of course they ended up becoming the best of friends regardless. 

Sunghoon balances out Jake and together you’d think the two of them were siblings. When you started dating Sunghoon, he was a bit nervous to tell Jake because as the three of you became friends; he was afraid your relationship would make Jake feel like he was merely just a third to the pairing of you and Sunghoon, but nothing changed. 

Jake was happy, maybe even happier than you and Sunghoon, about your relationship. He always knew Sunghoon a lot better than you did so he was someone you could reach out to whenever you weren’t sure how to talk to Sunghoon about certain things. You just wished that you could know Sunghoon as well as Jake did. 

The car suddenly comes to a halt and you realize Jake has parked and is heading to his trunk to grab your luggage. Luckily, you were able to fit everything you needed including your personal items and presents you brought for your family and Sunghoon. Jake gives you a little rundown of his apartment and shows you where you’d be sleeping. His apartment wasn’t gigantic but he got lucky and was able to score a place with 2 rooms for an affordable price. You’d be staying in his office/spare room and while you would’ve been fine just on the couch, you were grateful for Jake’s generosity. 

The day comes to an early end after you’ve settled in. Taking a shower and getting dressed in more comfortable clothes, you and Jake just spend the rest of the day going over your plan to surprise Sunghoon. Jake ensures that Sunghoon has no idea and that he’s been so preoccupied with his own life that Sunghoon wouldn’t know about the surprise whatsoever. Jake’s words made you excited for the surprise and made your restless. You couldn’t wait to surprise Sunghoon and you just wished the day would come sooner. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

After the longest two days of your life and telling Sunghoon a handful of white lies, his frat party was finally upon you. With your hair done up and makeup just how you like, you were sitting in Jake’s passenger seat wearing the dress that Sunghoon got you on your birthday. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t nervous but you knew that as soon as you see Sunghoon, all of your worries would cease to exist and you’d only be filled with love. 

You and Jake head inside of the frat house, the party already in full swing. Groups of people with red solo cups in hand, empty beer bottles scattered on various surfaces, and a random array of snacks in the kitchen that didn’t necessarily provide anything but sustenance so that people don’t pass out from all of the alcohol. 

“Sunghoon just texted me, he’s upstairs.” Jake tells you and you follow him up there. The unfamiliar frat house was definitely owned by a bunch of men as there were minimal decorations and the decorations that were there were all just photos of the frat members and random wall ornaments that consist of boxing gloves, a rubber chicken that shrieks, and an assortment of fruit hats. When Jake notices the confused look on your face he tells you that it’s a long story. Jake was also a part of this frat but because he was a casual member, they let him live outside of the frat house. 

As you and Jake approach the top of the stairs, he leads you to Sunghoon’s room and you can hear a few voices come from inside, one being Sunghoon’s and another being an unfamiliar voice of a girl you didn’t recognize. You look over at Jake and he urges you to go inside and just as you’re slowly pushing the door open, it reveals Sunghoon on his bed with a girl in his lap, their lips just centimeters away from one another. 

“What the fuck?” comes out of your lips, a lot louder than you meant. 

Both heads turn towards you, shock clearly spread across Sunghoon’s face as he sees you and the girl filled with confusion. 

“Baby, what are you doing here?” Sunghoon asks, standing up and pushing the girl off of his lap. She scoffs at his actions, “Baby?” she asks, her glance bouncing from Sunghoon to you. “Don’t call me that…” you say, trying your best to fight off tears as you leave Sunghoon’s room, lightly pushing past Jake. 

“What the fuck man?” a side comment from Sunghoon directed to Jake as if any of this was his fault. Jake, however, doesn’t respond but shoots daggers at Sunghoon’s back as he chases after you. 

“YN! Baby, wait please!” Sunghoon pleads as he weaves through the crowd of people at his frat house. “Yo! Hoon, I just saw your girl!” Heeseung says as Sunghoon walks past him. He gives Heeseung a small smile and nod before going back to trying to find you. He sees you slip through the front door just in time and he picks up his pace, afraid that if he lets you go now he’ll never be able to get you back.

“YN! Wait, please!” Sunghoon shouts as he’s running down the steps out through the front door.

“What? What do you want?” you say, stopping in tracks but refusing to face him. Afraid that if you even looked at his face the tears would fall and would continue to fall until you run out of tears. “Let me explain-”

“Explain what? What is there for you to say…?” you interrupt, facing him and in the moment of silence, Sunghoon says nothing; realizing that he doesn’t know how to explain what you just saw without making himself look any worse. 

“Whatever” you scoff, turning on your heel to leave but a voice stops you in tracks once again. 

“Tell her the truth, Sunghoon.” Jake says and you and your now ex-boyfriend both turn around to face him. Jake is standing at the top of the steps at the front of the house, Sunghoon is looking at Jake like he’s just been betrayed by his best friend and you’re looking at Jake like he was witholding information from you. 

“What are you talking about Jake?” you ask and he joins the two of you on the front lawn. 

“Tell her or I will…” Jake says to Sunghoon and the two are glaring at each other with so much hatred that you could see steam coming off of their heads. 

“Baby, don’t listen to him, okay? He’s lying…” Sunghoon says frantically, moving over to you and cupping your face in his hands. In any other situation, you’d melt into his touch but opposed to melting, you felt nothing but ice. You roughly tear his hands off of you and avert your gaze to Jake, “What are you talking about?” you ask and Jake doesn’t hestitate to tell you what Sunghoon has been hiding from you. 

Ever since you had moved away, Sunghoon had fallen into this hole of loneliness and the only way he found comfort was in another woman. It only took you being gone for 2 months for Sunghoon to find someone else to fill the you shaped missing piece in his heart. And although the girl he chose wasn’t you and could never be you, it was enough to stop him from feeling lonely. 

Of course he still loved you but the longer you were gone the more he found himself loving the other girl too. Sunghoon was doing a good job of keeping his affair a secret but when the other girl started questioning Sunghoon’s love for her, he was faced with a hard decision. Does he risk taking her out in public or continue to hide her away and show how much he loved her in the confinement of his room? 

He ultimately decides to take her out on a night on the town and he just so happens to run into his best friend, Jake. The two best friends get into a heated argument about Sunghoon cheating on you and since then, the two haven’t been best friends let alone friends at all. 

This was only a month ago and although Jake planned to tell you one night when you called him, he couldn’t bring himself to do it when you had told him about your plan to surprise Sunghoon when you fly back home for the Holidays. 

Jake figured that if you were coming back home, you should see it for yourself, so he went along with your plan and had a plan of his own. He’d make sure that Sunghoon was with the other girl when the two of you arrived at the party and you’d see for yourself that Sunghoon was cheating you. 

All of this information was overwhelming you and you hadn’t even realized that you were now bawling your eyes out as Jake explains. Sunghoon breathing heavily as he stares at Jake, his own best friend, betraying him. 

When Jake is done explaining, the silence between the three of you is so loud that you could no longer hear the music from inside the house. “You done, Jake?” Sunghoon asks and Jake narrows his eyes at his best friend. 

“You forgot the part where you told me that YN didn’t deserve me and that you’d be a better boyfriend for her than I am…” Sunghoon says, now it was his turn to expose his best friend. 

“What?” you ask, now even more confused than before. 

“Yeah, Jake here wasn’t as happy for us to be dating than we thought.” Sunghoon explained and he was right. Jake wasn’t happy when he found out his two best friends were now dating, not because he didn’t want to be a third wheel. No, it was because he loved you and was angry Sunghoon stole you from him. 

He just wishes that he made the move before Sunghoon did and ever since the two of you started dating, his hatred for Sunghoon only grew because Sunghoon knew that Jake liked you and he decided to make a move on you first so that he could have you over Jake. 

The two of them always had a secret competitive relationship that you didn’t know about and when you noticed it, you assumed it was just boys being boys. 

But to them, you were simply just a prize to be won. 

“Are you fucking serious..?” you began. Anger boiled inside of you as the two boys in front of you threw insults at each other to make the other look worse when in reality, their attempts to get on your good side was only driving you further away from both of them. 

“YN, please. I love you, don’t listen to Jake, okay baby?” Sunghoon says, trying to grab your hands but you quickly retreat away from him before he could even touch you. 

“We’re done.” you begin. 

“I can’t believe you’d even think, I would trust anything you said after what I saw upstairs. You disgust me and I never want to see you ever again. 

Sunghoon, I loved you and I spent everyday while I was away thinking about you and waiting for the day I finally get to hug you again and when I got here to surprise you only to be surprised myself and have it thrown back in my face is fucking humiliating. 

Merry Christmas… I guess. I hope she was worth it.” you say, your voice trailing off in the end as your lips began to tremble and once again tears were pooling in your eyes. Sunghoon didn’t know what to say but he knew that he fucked up and the hurt in your eyes and voice was proof of that. 

He had never seen you in so much pain before and knowing it was because of him was a reality check he didn’t know he needed. What began as a way to get one over on Jake and to take the girl he had a crush on turned into a two year long relationship that he loved but ended so quickly because of how selfish he was. Selfish, that was a word to define Sunghoon because although it seemed like he had so much, he always wanted more. 

Wiping away your tears and choosing to walk away before you couldn’t keep yourself together anymore, you’re stopped when a hand grabs ahold of your wrist and when you realize it’s Jake and not Sunghoon, a part of you breaks as a small part of you wished it was Sunghoon. Unsure of what you’d do if it was Sunghoon, you weren’t necessarily excited to see Jake either. 

“YN, let me take you home. It’s dark out.” Jake says, his voice small and for a second you contemplate it but oppose. Sunghoon was nowhere to be seen when you peered behind Jake and you could feel another part of your heart shatter. 

“Let me go, Jake.” you say softly and when he does, Jake looks at you confused, like you were treating him like he was the one who had just cheated on you. “Are you upset with me? YN, I just told you what your boyfriend has been doing for the last few months? You should be thankful…” Jake says and you scoff. 

“Thankful? Jake, you hid the fact that my boyfriend was cheating on me! You should’ve told me as soon as you found out but instead you held onto it so you could use it against him all because you had a crush on me? 

Is that supposed to make me feel better? Neither of you had any sympathy and care for me because if you did none of us would be in this situation. I’m grabbing my things from your place and going to stay with my parents. Please don’t follow me, I’ll text you when I’ve grabbed my things and left your place.” you say and leave, not even allowing Jake to get a response in. 

Jake watched as your figure got smaller and smaller the further you went down the street. A feeling in his chest that he couldn’t describe. Jake had liked you for so long and he was so blinded by his anger for Sunghoon he didn’t realize he would hurt you at the same time. He wanted to be with you so bad that he didn’t realize how selfish he was being. So selfish that he was willing to hurt his two best friends just to get what he wanted. 

���｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

You spent the last few days of your little Holiday break with your family and when you told them what happened, they tried their best to comfort and console you but their efforts weren’t enough to fix your brokenheart, having lost not only your boyfriend but also your best friend. 

Countless messages and missed calls from Sunghoon and Jake filled your phone and as you pondered on the endless decisions and outcomes of what played out a few days ago, you couldn’t help but think of only one thing that would allow for you to heal with as much time as you needed. Not only time, but distance. 

After talking with your family in a conversation that seemed to go a lot better than you thought, you soon found yourself grabbing the last of your personal items from your childhood home and packing them in a box to send them to your new home. 

You had decided that the only way you could move forward from this was moving away from South Korea for good, or at least for the meantime. You were going to focus on completing your research, graduate from University, and acquire a position at a medical institution to put all your hardwork to use in progressing the research and creation for a cure for molecular diseases. 

Being away from all of this was going to be hard because Korea will always be your home but with the amount of pain you’ve experienced here in just a matter of days, going back to your new home away from all of it will definitely help in healing. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

Stepping onto the plane that was going to fly you thousands of miles away seemed a lot easier today than it was just almost a year ago when you first left home. The conditions are a lot different now and although you were excited but reluctant before, there was nothing but solemnity now. Although it felt like you were running away from your problems, you knew that facing it would be a lot harder than ignoring it. 

Finding your seat on the aircraft was no issue at all as you luckily secured a spot at the front and after you nestle your bag in the overhead bin space, you think about what life you want to live moving forward. Unsure of what that could look like, you are sure that you just want to be happy. 

Soon enough, the flight staff is closing the door but a small commotion occurs and several staff members are dealing with a situation at the gate so the plane wasn’t able to take off just yet. Choosing to not dwelve in what was happening, you place headphones over your ears and decide that closing your eyes as you wait for the plane to take off would be a good choice. 

The events of the last week replayed in your head and just as you’re drifting to sleep, a small tear falls down your cheek. A single tear, that serves as a reminder that you would no longer be crying over this and the pain you felt will not be something you’ll ever feel again. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

Sunghoon speeds to the airport after he’s left your parents house, although your siblings refused to tell Sunghoon where you were, your mom always had a soft spot for him and subtly hinted at where he could find you. 

So here he was now, leaving his car parked in front of the airport with his hazard lights on as he ran inside to try and find you. The ticketing agent stops him from walking through and after some time convincing her to let him through because he was trying to fix his relationship, she still wasn’t buying his story; so Sunghoon buys whatever ticket he needs to get through; not caring about how much it cost if it meant he could fix what he broke. 

He runs to your gate and hopes that he’ll catch you but to his dismay, the staff agent at the gate is closing the doors just as he’s running up. He gives her the same speech he gave to the ticketing agent but there was nothing he could do to convince anyone to let him through. Several staff members were now crowding around the door and trying to get Sunghoon to leave or else he’d be escorted out by security and potentially put on a no-flight list. 

If he hadn’t lost all hope before, he certainly has now. As he walked away from the gate and the staff member closed the door to the ramp that led to the plane, he could feel his heart shatter into thousands of pieces. It only took a few minutes before the plane was starting to take off and he watched from behind the glass to see the plane ascend into the sky, taking you away from him. 

The love of his life was getting further and further away and he’s forced to live with the fact that he broke something he didn’t realize was so precious to him until it was gone. 

Until you were gone. 

copyright 2024 - present © hoonieyun all rights reserved

all writing here is fiction & not in any association with characters mentioned.

if you enjoyed reading this please consider reblogging and following <3

[vestaignis]

Вот так цветёт дикая китайская слива - Мэйхуа. Мэйхуа - самый главный поэтический символ в Китае. Слива входит и в "4 благородных", и в "три друга зимы". Её цветение приходится на конец зимы-начало весны. В Китае слива мэйхуа была вестником весны, нередко её цветение совпадало с празднованием китайского Нового года — Праздника весны 春节 чунь-цзе, который отмечается в конце января-начале февраля по лунному календарю.

Родиной мэйхуа считается район реки Янцзы, откуда она широко распространилась по всей Восточной Азии, включая Японию, Корею, Тайвань, Вьетнам. Произрастает на каменистых склонах гор на высоте от 300 до 2500 метров над уровнем моря. Мэйхуа зацветает раньше других цветов и выдерживает морозы до -50°. Нежные цветы нередко покрывает снег, создавая удивительный контраст. Цветы сливы отличаются разнообразием: есть белые, розовые, красные.

В эпоху Тан (618-907) в китайской живописи появляется отдельное направление — живопись мэйхуа, которое окончательно оформилось в эпоху Сун (960-1279). 

This is how the wild Chinese plum, Meihua, blooms. Meihua is the most important poetic symbol in China. Plum is included in both the "4 noble ones" and the "three friends of winter". Its flowering occurs at the end of winter-the beginning of spring. In China, the Meihua plum was the herald of spring, often its flowering coincided with the celebration of the Chinese New Year — the Spring Festival 春节 Chun-tse, which is celebrated in late January-early February according to the lunar calendar.

The birthplace of Meihua is considered to be the Yangtze River region, from where it has spread widely throughout East Asia, including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. It grows on rocky mountain slopes at an altitude of 300 to 2500 meters above sea level. Meihua blooms earlier than other flowers and withstands frosts up to -50 °. Delicate flowers are often covered with snow, creating an amazing contrast. Plum flowers are diverse: there are white, pink, red.

In the Tang era (618-907), a separate direction appeared in Chinese painting — Meihua painting, which finally took shape in the Song era (960-1279).

Источник://anashina.com/sliva-meihua/, //russian.news.cn/importnews/2019-02/01/c_137791307_10.htm, //russian.people.com.cn/n3/2017/0130/c31516-9172556-5.html, /chainka.com/blog/simvolika/255-tsvetushchaya-sliva-mejkhua, bogachkova1957.livejournal.com/86338.html, /koryo-saram.site/glavnyj-simvol-nachinayushhejsya-vesny-i-zhizni-czvety-slivy-매화/, /dveimperii.ru/articles/tsvetuschaya-dikaya-sliva.

[commajade]

the seoul queer culture festival/seoul pride has been growing exponentially in size over the last two decades (from ~50 people in 2000 to ~135,000 in 2019) and the conservative pushback from christian groups and police have been increasing as well. every year church groups host massive protests and rallies with homophobic slogans and chanting on their sound systems right next to the pride parade, i've seen them. this year, the government outright denied the lgbt organizers a parade permit and gave that spot to a christian organization instead. the sqcf's organizers are accepting help via paypal, please support them if you can!

here's an article from the korea herald:

[loving-n0t-heyting]

Im reading about the doctors strike in SK and my impression is that its proooooobably bullshit? So the obvious prima facie case against the strike is that a) SK has a doctor per capita rate just underneath the US, whose cartel-imposed doctor shortage i have had to experience firsthand and ii) the strike is in response to the govt mandating larger incoming med student classes to correct for this shortage. Looking pretty bad! Youd better have some serious defeaters for these reasons for me to take you seriously, korean medical union!

And the excuses offered are, uh, not great. Not great as either rebutters or undercutters. The rationales for the strike include complaints like underpaying wages and fear that an influx of new students will exacerbate a concentration of doctors in low priority fields and urban areas. The second complaint here just seems obviously specious: you can add as many new doctors to the cities or dermatology as you please and it wont delete the inevitable new rural surgeons. As for pay... salaryexpert tells me the average south korean doctors base salary is ~127M₩, glassdoor gives an estimated salary for physicians of ~70M₩. Both within the upper ventile or so of sk worker income (the salaryexpert estimate is in the fucking sk stratosphere). A korea herald article from last june confirms that these incomes are exceptionally high among oecd countries

The striking doctors also assure us the public is served just fine by the current low per capita rate of doctors, a claim with which 84% of south koreans disagree

So yea im calling bullshit. Sorry to be a tool of a reactionary govt and a scourge to labour but physician cartels are past the limit of my solidarity

[topconfessions]

I am so done with all the comments and new profiles "top's wifey" deluululand. I had to go on a trip down memory lane and search for old interviews and things I remember him saying about himself that I actually believed it to be true.

최승현 Choi Seunghyun

"Even when fans evaluate me sometimes, it makes me think ‘they really don’t know about me’. Herald Times Interview 2010

"Both of us are independent and we do leave a certain amount of distance between us, that is my ideal type of relationship." Choi Seunghyun, With Magazine 2010

"I think it’s because my mind is complicated. When other kids were playing in the playground, I spent most of my time at home by myself." Vogue Korea 2010

"The solitude and loneliness became some kind of energy within me that just piled up, it comes out in the times that I need it." Vogue Korea 2010

"Actor Choi Seung Hyun and Rapper TOP. Are they different? Choi Seung Hyun: They’re both TOP. I don’t think there is a real Choi Seung Hyun LH: You’re strict about that. Who is closer to the real Choi Seung Hyun?

Choi Seung Hyun: That doesn’t make sense either. There can’t be someone as Seung Hyun. I never have a place where I can show the plain Choi Seung Hyun. I have things I want to hide and I have things I have to hide." L'Officiel Hommes Magazine 2013

"I might look like a mischievous boy or an arrogant rapper but I am actually dark inside". L'Officiel Hommes Magazine 2013

I can’t even look at people I’m close to in their eyes. I try, but I can’t. You know, the feeling that your thoughts will be revealed if you look at the other person’s eyes. Ah, I think too much. [laughs] 10asia Interview 2013.

"I live in a mind of a fairy tale. I’m not realistic, and have lots of delusions. I’m the type to get deep into my own thoughts. I am assuming that I was born to be like this [laughs]. You know, like destiny. I was born with the fate to agonize." 10asia Interview 2013.

"I am influenced and inspired by things that don’t speak. By beautiful and pretty objects rather than people" Esquire Magazine May 2015

"When I'm cheerful, I'll be very cheerful. When I'm reserved, I'll be very shy. It's from one point to the other end, there is no inbetween." Men’s Uno Malaysia 2016

"When I was younger, my mind was always inexplicably dark and melancholic because I couldn’t stand myself." TTTOP x Sothebys 2016

"The most difficult thing is myself. I don’t understand what type of person I am. I don’t know what I want or what I’m thinking." Cosmo China 2016

"Making people laugh is a defense mechanism to cast away the tangled thoughts in my head." Men’s Folio May 2016

This sums up my attitude towards all of my poor impulsively spending and financial decisions 🤣🤣🤣🤣 baby I'm delusional too.

But yeah. This is what I was trying to explain to anons who keep saying other stars did worse than him but dont get hated. Like he didn't have a solid sense of self and he wasnt happy with himself as a person so he didn't have proper growth to establish an identy above T.O.P in bigbang. But thats the most Aquarius and sag shit ever. 🤣🤣🤣🤣😢😂😂😂 the distance in dating. Lord. I used to day dream scenarios of marrying him when I was younger lol. He would've been like "I'll give my vows from across the room on the big screen, thanks" 🫠😩😅

But you picked some great ones. THANK YOU SO MUCH cause honestly? I was not about to dig back to find all those old interviews and sites. He said a lot of other stuff too but this is the gist. He said more bizarre things about dating too. His most normal was the castle(?) Or like it was very dark with a purpleish lighting and he was answering fan questions?

But thanks again. This answers the other anon question on where she (or he) can go to learn more about top.

[technofeudalism]

north korea bad is popping off on reddit again. top post on the CIA-controlled subreddit with 43 million subscribers masquerading as a news community. i was intrigued by the source being NZ Herald but when i clicked on the article, my questions were answered.

now. for those of you unfamiliar. Radio Free Asia is basically a US propaganda organ that masks its intentions by attempting to appear objective.

although many will suggest that they no longer have direct affiliation with the CIA, and that may be true, it does not change the fact that they are funded by the US government and have been spreading blatant lies with literally no source to their extremely over the top claims for many years.

that being said, these perpetual lies happen to include misinfo regarding China's versions of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Some of the RFA articles reviewed lacked key context in describing purported issues with Chinese-made vaccines. This could enable the spread of anti-vaccine misinformation at a time when research suggests that exposure to online misinformation about vaccines can increase rates of vaccine hesitancy.  In one example, a November 10 article on RFA’s Cantonese website, headlined “Clinical trial of Chinese vaccine halted in Brazil after causing serious incident,” lacked important context from local authorities. A serious incident had indeed occurred: the death of a participant in a local trial of the Sinovac vaccine. But Reuters reported November 9 that the death had been deemed a suicide and that an official had denied any link to the vaccine, a detail not noted in RFA’s article.  The article, presented as a news story, also contained editorial comment dismissing China’s approach to vaccines. “This accident not only renews criticism of the ‘Great Leap Forward’-style of vaccine research and development, but also presents a serious setback for China, which is devoting all of its resources to this Covid-19 vaccine competition,”  the first paragraph reads. RFA continued to describe the trial’s suspension as owing to “severe adverse effects,” not mentioning the participant’s reported cause of death, in at least two subsequent articles.

there's a lot more at the source. it's a great read. but there's one more piece to this that is important to understand.

it has also been confirmed that, from spring 2020 to mid-2021, the Pentagon and by extension the US Government itself engaged in misinformation campaigns in Southeast Asia regarding Chinese vaccines.

The U.S. military’s anti-vax effort began in the spring of 2020 and expanded beyond Southeast Asia before it was terminated in mid-2021, Reuters determined. Tailoring the propaganda campaign to local audiences across Central Asia and the Middle East, the Pentagon used a combination of fake social media accounts on multiple platforms to spread fear of China’s vaccines among Muslims at a time when the virus was killing tens of thousands of people each day. A key part of the strategy: amplify the disputed contention that, because vaccines sometimes contain pork gelatin, China’s shots could be considered forbidden under Islamic law. The military program started under former President Donald Trump and continued months into Joe Biden’s presidency, Reuters found – even after alarmed social media executives warned the new administration that the Pentagon had been trafficking in COVID misinformation. The Biden White House issued an edict in spring 2021 banning the anti-vax effort, which also disparaged vaccines produced by other rivals, and the Pentagon initiated an internal review, Reuters found.

what a coincidence that Radio Free Asia just so happened to be engaging disinformation campaigns against the same exact vaccines as the State Department during the same exact timeframe. very strange.

obviously none of this information matters even a little to anyone on the shithole of a website that is reddit. xenophobia is dominating the convo as always. you could post literally anything about north korea on reddit and it will instantly shoot to the top of any decent sized community. but i had to post this somewhere or i was going to lose my mind.

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen Talk Finding Their ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ on Broadway: ‘It’s a Really Charming, Kind Little World’

It’s best to let Darren Criss describe the simply complex story of Maybe Happy Ending, the new musical he co-stars in with Broadway newcomer Helen J. Shen. “There’s what the story is and then there’s what the show is about,” the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning singer/actor/songwriter tells Billboard in an interview you can watch above.

“Those aren’t necessarily the same things,” he notes about the musical love story from Will Aronson and Hue Park, in which the former Glee star and Shen appear as obsolete Helperbot robots who meet cute and fall in love. “Thematically, it’s about two elderly people in hospice who decide to break out of the situation to go connect with their family,” says Criss about what sounds like a potentially dark theme.

And while that “grim, depressing construct for a show” doesn’t sound like the stuff of uplifting Broadway magic, Criss promises that the musical’s creators have somehow morphed that idea about the chilly march of time and hard lessons about love and life into a “really charming, kind little world” filled with Helper robots who are living embodiments of our iPhones and other digital assistants.

Because many of us imbue our inanimate digital devices with human-like qualities, sometimes holding on to them well past their best-by use date, Criss says the musical asks what happens when those objects become more like us?

Shen makes her Broadway debut in the play alongside theater/TV/movie veteran Criss, 37, after turning heads last year in the ensemble of the Off Broadway musical Teeth. She says one of the most exciting parts of performing in the show is the chance to take the lead in a completely new piece of theater not based on any existing intellectual property or a reboot/revival, but something that theatergoers have never seen before.

“It’s super overwhelming. The idea of it has been something that I’ve dreamed about my whole life,” says Shen, 24 of originating a character on Broadway. “And to have it come to fruition with this particular story, with this particular group of people I just feel… abundance. I feel so lucky and grateful.”

Both say they feel really blessed to be part of the show, with Criss noting that he has typically starred in “iconic” roles in his previous Broadway runs, including as Harry Potter in A Very Potter Musical, J. Pierrpont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors and Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, among others. “These are things people know and love,” he says of those classics.

“[Which] were great, with or without me. I now go in there trying to do my own thing and make it my own and there’s the excitement of the challenge, but also the pressure of living up to a certain thing and wanting to do your own thing,” he adds about trying to find something of yourself in a well-known role people may have seen many other times with other performers. “Whereas this, it’s an open canvas, not only for us, but for the audience. They don’t have any preconceived notions. That’s the best thing about this.”

Because it is a new experience, audiences don’t know what to expect, which both actors say makes attendees really listen and sit up in their seats to take in all the nuance of the show that also heralds the Broadway debuts for creators Aronson and Park; it began its life on stage in Seoul, South Korea in 2016 and was later produced in Japan and China as well.

Maybe Happy Ending, directed by Michael Arden (Parade), is open now at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway.

[dailykoreanpop]

[230323] KpopHerald’s official twitter update:

Returning to their home ground after a yearlong journey around the world, @ATEEZofficial spoke comfortably about the experience, thoughts about their career and plans for the future. Here's the full interview: bit.ly/3TGhzWf. #ATEEZ #BreakTheWallTour #에이티즈

Credit: Kpop_Herald 

[htyfnetwork]

NAKCHUNG PAIK (KOREA) ON HAPPINESS From The World We Want episode "What Do We Go to High School For?", 1955

[myobsessionsspace]

Jimin & Jungkook

Travel Show

Korean Title: ‘이게 맞아?!’

English Title: ‘Are You Sure?!’

Masterlist for:

Promo images, articles, Tweets, Shorts, photos, photobook shorts etc

Posts leading up to the show

Posts by other bloggers on episode thoughts & summaries

Fan video edits

Fan art

…

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Promo:

Big Hit Teaser

Weverse Notice

Disney+ Promo Tweet

Promo Schedule

Official Poster - Summer Version

Teaser Poster

Main Poster

Disney+ Korea Video Edit

Disney+ Korea - Sapporo (no subs)

Photobook BigHit Tweet

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

YouTube:

Show Announcement by Jimin & Jungkook

Launch Trailer

Teaser Trailer

Main Trailer

Jimin OFF? & ON! Short

Jungkook OFF? & ON! Short

USA Trailer Short

Jeju Trailer Short

Sapporo Trailer Short

Sapporo Compilation Short

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Photobook YouTube Shorts:

Photobook Preview

USA

Jeju

Sapporo

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Some Pre-Release Atricles:

Billboard

Vogue Japan

Hype Beast

The Korean Herald

Naver Entertainment

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

My Posts Inspired By Show

All My #Are You Sure?!

How They’ve Always Been [Picture Posts]: (1), (2), (3), (4), (5)

Jikook, Tough Times & Travel

More excited for the show than JK for GCFT?

Musings

More Musings

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

source video

Pre Show Videos

Jimin’s 2017 Tokyo Vlog

Sky & People

Jungkook’s GCF Tokyo

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Videos & Edits

#AYS Fan Edits (click to see)

Fan Edit (Lara)

Fan Edit (homeisjungkook)

Fan Edit (Slaaverin)

Fan Edit (rockstarjikook)

Fan Edit (credit)

Fan Edit (busanzfilm)

Fan Edit (wonsummernight)

Fan Edit (9795folder)

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Fan Art

credits in art

#AYS Fan Art

Post One

Post Two

Post Three

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Awesome Posts By Others

Gif Sets by minieggukie

Summary & Thoughts by jmdbjk

USA Part 1

USA (Kayaking)

USA (Camping)

USA Part 2

Jeju Part 1

Jeju Part 2

Sapporo Part 1

Sapporo Part 2

Sapporo Part 3 (Finale)

Summary & Thoughts by akookminsupporter

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

Episode 7

Episode 8

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Some Images

[whencyclopedia]

Qilin (Chinese Unicorn)

The qilin (麒麟, or simply lin 麟) is a Chinese mythical creature, frequently translated as "Chinese unicorn." While this term may suggest a one-horned creature, the qilin is often depicted with two horns. However, like the Western unicorn, the qilin was considered pure and benevolent. A rarely seen auspicious omen, the qilin heralds virtue, future greatness, and just leadership.

Throughout history, the qilin can be found in Chinese literature, art, and accounts of day-to-day life. As one of the Four Auspicious Beasts – alongside the dragon, phoenix, and tortoise – the qilin also embodies prosperity and longevity and has a heavenly status. References to the qilin date back to ancient Chinese texts, where this revered creature is regarded as a sign of good fortune and an indicator of a virtuous ruler. Its association with the philosopher Confucius (l. c. 551 to c. 479 BCE) underscores its significance as an auspicious symbol. Qilin imagery was favoured across various Chinese dynasties, and its popularity extends across other Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

The Qilin in Classical Texts

In the classic The Book of Rites (also known as the Liji, date uncertain), the qilin is listed as one of the four intelligent creatures along with the phoenix, dragon, and tortoise, often referred to as the Four Auspicious Beasts. Each of these divine creatures symbolizes different virtues considered essential for successful and harmonious coexistence. Broadly, the dragon symbolizes power and strength, the phoenix renewal and grace, the tortoise longevity and stability, and the qilin prosperity and righteousness. Together, these beings convey a collective message of good fortune and balance.

The Classic of Mountains and Seas (the Shanhai jing, 4th century BCE), a proposed mythological geography of foreign lands, mentions several one-horned beasts, but none are specifically identified as the qilin. The earliest known reference to the qilin in ancient texts can be traced back to the Western Zhou period (1045-771 BCE), which is the first half of the Zhou dynasty, the longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese history. The qilin also appears in the Shijing, also called The Book of Odes or Classic of Poetry, said to have been compiled by Confucius in the 4th century BCE, making it the oldest extant poetry collection in China. The Shijing contains just over 300 poems and songs, with some thought to be written between c. 1000 to c. 500 BCE. The piece in question, "The Feet of the Lin", appears at the end of the section that captures the voices of the common people. From Bernhard Kalgren's translation, The Book of Odes (1950):

The feet of the lin! You majestic sons of the prince! Oh, the lin!

The forehead of the lin! You majestic kinsmen of the prince! Oh, the lin!

The horns of the lin! You majestic clansmen of the prince! Oh, the lin!

Here, lin refers to the qilin, and its defining physical features are likened to regal offspring and relations. Karlgren calls this "a simple hunting song, and an exclamation of joy" (7) and suggests it was originally about a real but rare animal, such as a type of deer, which became a fantastical legend later. In James Legge's translation of the same poem, he notes that the qilin had a deer's body, ox's tail, horse's hooves, a single horn, and fish scales. The qilin's feet are not used to harm any living thing, even grass; it never butts with its head, and does not attack with its horn. As a popular and freely available translation, these notes are frequently cited and show the qilin as supremely peaceful and benevolent by choice.

In the 5th century BCE, we find the qilin, again mentioned as the lin, in The Spring and Autumn Annals, a historical record of events occurring in the state of Lu. This chronicle records that a lin was captured in the 14th year of Lord Ai's rule, 481 BCE. Later scholars analyzed and attributed great significance to this event, as Confucius himself, the compiler of The Spring and Autumn Annals, might have done.

From James Legge's translation of The Chinese Classics, volume V, 1872, page 832, (translator's square brackets):

In the hunters in the west captured a lin.

Continue reading...

[hoonieyun]

letter from: jongseong ⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

on the fifth day of christmas, you asked me what's on my wishlist and i told you all i wanted was forever with my boo... -ariana grance "true love"

pairing: park jongseong x reader

genre: romance/fluff - marriage proposal

warnings: nothing really but always 18+

summary: jongseong proposes on christmas day

christmas herald masterlist ⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

word count: 2932

The drive up to Jay’s winter family cabin up in Northern Washington was long but scenic. It had a lot of beautiful sights and fun pitstops that you’d never see back in South Korea. The two of you were vacationing in his home state for the holidays and after spending a few days in his hometown, your plan was now to drive up to his family’s winter cabin and spend Christmas there with just the two of you. 

You and Jay have been together for almost 3 years now, January 1st would not only be bringing the new year but also marking the 3rd year of you and Jay’s relationship. You two have known each other since Jay moved to Korea from Seattle and it just so happened to be that your mom was from Seattle but moved to Korea when she met your dad. The two of you have been inseperable since. 

Growing up together people would often make comments about how you two looked perfect for each other or just assumed that you two were dating and although you weren’t at the time, you couldn’t help but imagine a life where Jay was your prince charming– until about 3 years ago during your first year of University where Jay drunkely confesses that he’s had a crush on you since the two of you were 16. He embarrassingly tried to ignore it the next day but when you returned with a confession of your own, the two of you would spend the next few weeks dating and this eventually led to him finally asking you to be his girlfriend as the clock struck 12am on the new year. 

The last 3 years of your life have been magical and spending it with your best friend who just happens to be your boyfriend made it all the better. Both of your parents already knew the two of you would eventually end up together, the only question was when. 

“You doing okay, honey? We’re almost there.” Jay says, his calm voice pulling you out of the memories of the last 2 Christmases that you’ve spent together. When you first started dating you spent Christmas with both of your parents, then the next year only with your parents because Jay’s moved back to Seattle, and this year you spent a few days with his family before making the drive up to the cabin like you were doing now. 

“I’m alright, don’t worry honey.” you respond, giving him a warm smile, one that he returns with his own. Warmth. That was a word you could use to describe Jay: warm. 

Even on the coldest nights in Korea or here in Washington where it seems to be cold about 80% of the year, being around Jay was the warmth that you needed to forget about the freezing cold that threatened to nip at your skin, creating goosebumps that littered your body. Even when you weren’t feeling cold, Jay’s warmth was able to provide you with a type of serenity and solace that no one else could. Like he was this beacon of light that instantly soothed you whenever he was around. His kind, caring, and affectionate demeanor was what drew you to him. You truly were the luckiest person alive to be on the receiving end of Jay’s love and you wouldn’t trade him for anyone else in the world because he let you feel the love and warmth you deserved to feel in a world that seemed to be freezing over with an icy cold pandemic that caused people to be unkind and mean spirited. 

Jay glances over at you with that smile that you loved so much, grabbing your hand with his and pressing a kiss onto your knuckles, “I can’t wait to spend this time with you. It’ll be unforgettable.” he says before placing another warm kiss on your skin and setting it back down on your lap so he could drive with both hands on the wheel like the responsible guy that you knew him as. 

After another pitstop to use the restroom and taking photos of the snow covered trees, you arrived at the cabin just a few hours before the sun would start to set. It was Christmas Eve and you and Jay planned to just settle in and have a calm day when you arrive and on Christmas Day you would have a wonderful dinner cooked by Jay and spend Christmas cuddled up in front of a fire most likely watching a Christmas movie you’ve seen x amount of times. 

“We’re here!” Jay says enthusiastically, running out of his seat and over to your side of the car to open it for you but not before puckering up for a kiss as he helps you out of the car. The two of you unload the trunk of your things, just a few bags of clothes and food to last you the week as you’d be there until the New Year. The cabin was beautiful, it was surrounded by the tallest of trees that were covered in snow, several string lights were strung from different trees, and the cabin itself had its own charm. It had high reinforced windows, beautiful oak logs and panels that made up the cabin itself, and near the front of the door you found small footprints in the snow that you could assume to be from a family of deer somewhere in the snowy forest. 

As Jay brought your bags and his into the cabin, you quickly check the hidden compartment of the trunk that lifted and revealed a section that was hidden into the bottom of the trunk itself. There laid your Christmas gift that you hid from Jay before you left for the drive to ensure he didn’t see you pack it into the car. You shut the compartment back up when Jay called for you and decided that you’d bring the gift in another time when Jay was preoccupied with something, perhaps while he’s cooking dinner tomorrow. 

“Coming, honey!” you shout, closing the trunk and carefully skipping over to Jay who waited for you at the entrance of the cabin with his arms open. You quickened your pace as you got closer causing you to slip on the ice on the patio but of course, Jay, your knight in shining armor, was there to catch you before you could even come close to falling. A gasp leaves your lips but it leaves just as quick when you realize Jay has caught you with his strong arms wrapped around your waist. 

“My savior!” you say dramatically, acting like you were about to faint from the situation and Jay decides to play along; throwing your legs into the air and catching you bridal style. “Fear not my lovely maiden! Your knight in shining armor is here to save you from your cute clumsiness.” he announces, walking the two of you and plopping you down onto the couch that was in the living room just a few feet from the front door. “Hey! I’m not clumsy…” you say, pouting.

“Aww, honey– yes you are.” Jay responds, placing a kiss onto your pouty lips in the middle of his sentence. 

The rest of the day goes by fairly quickly as you and Jay spend most of it lounging around in each other’s warmth, laid up on the couch with his arms wrapped around you while you watch various Christmas movies. 

Soon enough, you’re yawning and looking out the window to be met with the big and bright moon gleaming into the cabin through one of the windows; the shadows of snow falling from the sky bleeding into the moonlight. “Sleepy?” Jay asks and you look up at him, head still on his chest before nodding. “Off to bed we go!” he says, picking you up again bridal style and taking you to the bedroom where he tucks you in goodnight with his arms acting as an extra layer of warmth to the fluffy blanket covering the two of you. 

“Goodnight honey.” Jay says with a kiss to your temple, his low and sweet voice almost lulling you to sleep. 

“Goodnight, my love.” you respond quietly, sleep soon taking over as yours and Jay’s light snores fill the room. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

It’s Christmas morning and you’re awoken by the scent of pancakes, bacon, and eggs on the stove; an indicator that Jay is in the kitchen cooking up breakfast for the two of you– before you’re even able to throw the thick blanket off of your body, Jay is emerging from behind the bedroom door and walking over to your with bright eyes and a smile; holding a breakfast bed tray with the most delicious smelling and looking food. Eggs, just the way you like it, a stack of pancakes, crispy bacon, and a cup of hot cocoa in a mug that the two of you had made in a ceramic class one day when you first started dating. 

“Babe!” you say with a bright eyed pout as you watch him come closer with the tray of food, Jay’s smile only getting bigger. “Breakfast for my queen.” he says as he sets it down over your legs. “This looks so delicious, thank you my love.” you say, sharing a kiss as a thank you to him for his kindness. “Did you eat?:” you ask and he nods, “Just a bit, don’t worry I’ll bring myself a plate over, i just want you to have a bite first.” he explains and you scrunch your nose at him with a small smile. 

You soon take a bite of the pancake’s and it’s probably the best pancake you’ve ever had. Jay was a great cook but it’s the simpler foods that he cooks that is your favorite. It induces a nostalgic feeling like you’re 4 years old trying pancakes for the first time and it becomes your hyperfixation for the next month or so where that’s all you can ask your mom to make when she asks you what you want to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Like Jay. You would choose him at any time of the day. 

You cut him a small piece of the pancake and he takes the bite before excusing himself to grab his own plate so the two of you could have breakfast in bed together. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

It’s about 5PM when you’re doing the finishing touches to your hair and makeup for a Christmas dinner prepared by Jay. Your hair is done in simple voluminous curls that falls over your shoulders that hold up the black velvet dress you’re wearing with red bows and white fur accents. It’s cold but the warmth inside of the cabin allow for you to wear a dress so that you don’t freeze to death during your dinner with Jay. 

You could smell the food he’s cooking from your bathroom and you can’t wait to eat whatever delicious food he’s cooked up. 

“YN, honey! Dinner is ready, my love.” Jay shouts from the dining room and as if you teleported into the room, you’re walking in just as he’s finished setting up the table. He’s wearing a simple white button up that hugged his toned arms and physique and a warmth in your stomach begins to settle as you look at Jay, thinking about a life where he was your husband and not your boyfriend. 

“Wow, you look… wow” Jay says, truly at a loss for words at your beauty. 

“You don’t look so bad yourself, handsome.” you say, wrapping your arms around his neck as he wraps his arm around your waist; slowly dipping you into a kiss like you were in a romance movie of a lifetime. 

“Let’s eat.” Jay says, pulling out your seat and pushing it in as you sit down; always a gentleman. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

You’re just about done with dinner when Jay suddenly clears his throat. “I know we agreed to not get each other gifts, but I couldn’t not get you anything.” he says and you teasingly narrow your eyes at him as he grabs a small wrapped box from the cupboard in the kitchen. “Did you really hide it up there?” you ask with a chuckle. 

“Of course, I knew you’d never find it because you can’t reach up there.” he jokingly says and you pout at him as he puts the gift in front of you. Urging you to open it with his eyes, watching you with excitement as you carefully tear into the wrapping paper. 

The item inside leaves you speechless, mouth agape, as you pull it out. Inside was a glass snowglobe, a ballerina in a pink dress spins as you shake the snowglobe. “How did you find this?” you ask, looking up at him with teary eyes. Jay explains that he spent months looking for it and one day when you guys were in Seattle, walking around downtown, the snowglobe caught his eye. He urged you and his parents to continue while he sneakily bought it and rejoined you all at a food stand. 

It wasn’t just any snowglobe. It was the exact snowglobe you had when you were younger and dreamt of becoming a ballerina. Your dreams however, are cut short due to a knee injury, and the snowglobe was the last thing that helped you cope with your dreams as a child. You lost the snowglobe when you had moved cities for college and were devastated when you lost it in the move– and here you were now reunited with the beautiful object that reminded you of your youth and now also serves as a reminder of the kindness and love that Jay has for you. 

You give him a tight hug and endless kisses as a thank you that he doesn’t decline, returning with a hug even tighter and accepting all the kisses you wanted to give to him. 

“Well, I’m glad you ended up getting me something because I got you something too…” you confess and Jay raises his eyebrows with a little smile as you walk away to grab your gift. You had sneakily brought it inside from the car when Jay was in the shower. 

His gift was fairly large so he instantly ran over to you so that you didn’t have to carry it from across the room to where he was sitting; the two of you moved to the living room to open his gift. 

“Merry Christmas, honey.” you mutter and Jay gives you a smile before opening the box, mouth instantly open before he could even fully see the item inside of the large black box. 

“You did not…” Jay says, looking over to you and you’re just nodding excitedly as he continues to open it, pulling out a glossy deep blue guitar that had little white spots that fall into the consellation of taurus– Jay’s sign. 

He had been looking for this guitar for almost 2 years now and had no luck, luckily for you– you were able to find it one day when one of your friend’s was parousing around in the UK. They instantly called you to ask if that was the guitar and you nodded, telling them that you would send the money to purchase it and whatever cost the shipping would be, you’d paid for it. 

“I can’t believe you found it, oh my god…” Jay says, placing the guitar on his thighs as he slightly plays with the strings, a small tune rings through the cabin as he adjusts the tuning. “Thank you, baby. Oh my god I’m speechless…” Jay says, getting up to give you a kiss on the lips like it was the first time you two had ever kissed. 

He puts the guitar back in its case, “I’ve actually got one more gift…” Jay begins to say. 

“YN, you’re absolutely the best thing to happen in my life. I can’t imagine a life without you– you’ve taught me a different type of happiness that I wouldn’t find in anyone else. 

You’re the person I look for when I walk into a room. 

You fill me with love that I’ve never felt before. 

You allow me to make mistakes and encourage me to learn from them. 

Growing up our parents and everyone around us seemed to have this premade story that we would end up together and I held that story in my heart, knowing that it wasn’t just a story but it would eventually become the truth. 

Our story. 

You’re my best friend, my teacher, the love of my life…” Jay says, kneeling down on one knee and pulling out a small red velvet box. 

“YN, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?” Jay asks as tears are falling from your eyes. 

You’re saying yes before he can even finish the question, jumping onto him with a hug as he chuckles at your reaction; engulfing you into a warm hug. “100% yes.” you mutter into his neck as the two of you stand up onto your feet. He gently places the ring onto your finger and once again the two of you share a kiss in front of the fireplace, snow falling outside, and the moons shining into the cabin through the crystal windows. 

A kiss that feels like it’s your first kiss together and in many ways it is. It’s your first kiss as fiancés and you can’t wait to have your first kiss together as husband and wife. 

copyright 2024 - present © hoonieyun all rights reserved

all writing here is fiction & not in any association with characters mentioned.

if you enjoyed reading this please consider reblogging and following <3