#this is the moment kang started seriously considering marriage

[spicypussywave]

sailom denying like there isn't a hickey on his neck

DANGEROUS ROMANCE | EP 10

[lemonietrinket]

How Day6 would react to overhearing you admit your crush on him to one of the other members

AN: a request from anon. i feel ive treated this more seriously (and focused perhaps more on the confessions themselves, bc i interpreted ‘crush’ subconsciously as ‘having long-term-feelings for’) than you meant in your request but i hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

Sungjin

“hyuuun, i’m in love please make it stop.” “only way that’s going to happen is if you go tell him.” “...i hate you.”

sungjin... i picture is going to date to marry (or an equivalent if marriage is not for you, as though i get the vibe he’s quite traditional, for the right person he would be very easily convinced), so he takes crushes and confessions quite seriously

probably would feel bad for eavesdropping

then would feel happy that you felt the same way

but then more serious issue of now having to confess would take over

would spend a long time thinking of the best way to do it

would probably settle on a classic walk or cinema/theatre depending on what’s showing

would make damn sure he and you would be alone while confessing—so to save both parties from pressure and embarrassment should things go wrong 

also he’s quite a private guy and would want to let others know on his own and your terms

ngl probably wouldn’t admit he’d overheard you until like... a long time later

it would be under the initial reasoning that he would wait until you were stable so it wouldn’t have too big of an effect

but then he would forget

until it randomly came up in conversation 

like we may even be talking years here

maybe when you live in your own place, just the two of you, and you’re hanging out with him and younghyun who is just refusing to go home bc the food is too good at yours who brings it up 

“i don’t understand how it took so long for you two to get together, like even wonpil was starting to find yn’s pining sickening.”

and you would be salty, because “excuse me i hid my desperation very well!”

and sungjin would just immediately come to support you because he’s a loyal motherfucker and would begin, without thinking “she did, i didn’t know until i—”

that would be when he stops himself bc hes like oh shit i didn’t tell her and now two very curious sets of eyes are like staring at him and he’s 98% sure he can’t backtrack at all 

“when you what?”

and he would just sigh “when i overheard you telling younghyun that you liked me”

and there’d be a moment of silence, followed by laughter 

youngk would be confused, probably, having a surprisingly better recollection that you perhaps would “wait i remember that—how did it take you two months to work out what to do next?!”

and you end up just laughing harder, before noticing the the mix of emotions on sungjins face and reassure him “it doesn’t matter how long it took, we’re together now”

anyway overall sungjin is probably quite serious about it, but it will have a happy ending, you’ve just got to be patient lmao 

Jae

“dowoon, what do i do?” 

jae would be playful about it

after hearing you ask dowoon for advice since hes good friends with him he would be ecstatic, but would try and keep it lowkey

he’d hide out of sight of the doorway he’d passed by to have his little moment

and then he wouldn’t be able to stop smiling

his eyes would keep glancing to you for the rest of the day, even more than usual

but i think he would want to make things more official as soon as possible, as he doesn’t want to waste any time when he could do it sooner and be with you

and so he’d ask if you had a spare moment on the day or so, and take you some place quiet

not necessarily his room, more likely just outside the front door in the warm summer air

and ngl i think he would totally pull the “i think you know why i summoned you here today”

of course, yall have no idea, but you’re used to his occasional crackheadery—otherwise why would you crush on him so hard? “not a bit, but if its a trip to get snacks you don’t even have to ask, i’m in”

“well, that is a plan for later... depending on how this goes”

that’s the point where you would get confused and begin to wonder if something is up, but hel’l continue “i found out something really cool today yn.”

“really? was it the pin to brian’s credit card?”

he would laugh but shake his head, “nah even better” and that would give you the heads up that this was serious, and it would occur to you that he might have overheard something

but it becomes obvious when he follows with “a little bird... told me that someone, likes someone else, in our group. our friendship group.”

you briefly consider panicking, as the whole thing could still be construed as him not liking you back, but you put on a brave face and push through, “oh really? who?”

“that’s the problem, i don’t know, but i was wondering if you did.”

the chance was clear for anyone to see, and seeing the glimmer of hope, you seize it “well, i know someone who likes you... but i’m not sure if its mutual, so that might be why they haven’t said”

“if it’s who i think it is, then it definitely is... mutual” he would admit

and that would be the closest the two of you ever got to literally word-for-word confessing, because out of nerves neither of you would probably be able to admit it at the crux of the moment

however, like in all the movies idc if its cliche you would gravitate towards each other, and that would be the moment where you both recognised your feelings as well as shared your first kiss together

ok i’m going to stop before i combust 

anyway as for whether he’d admit he’d overheard you, he would probably be quite quick to the chase on that one too, probably right after the kiss and you’ve spoken about it a bit more, he’ll probably just say “i kind of accidentally overheard you telling dowoon, please don’t be mad at me”

but how could you be, you’d gotten what you wanted after all

in conclusion, jae is lighthearted about it and woudn’t waste any time

Younghyun

“wonpil did i tell you how much i love his eyes?” “hmmm... perhaps... but tell me again, to just to make sure.”

god bless wonpil his emotional support would be A+

right off the bat our youngk is a songwriter

he probably finds a lot of inspiration out of love

and so his feelings for you coalesce to create love songs that he may or may not use in the future

anyhow, it means that to cope with his feelings he’s probably half composed something small where he admits them 

with little intention of you probably ever hearing it at all

or at least, not without big chunks edited and names changed/cut

but when he overhears you rambling to wonpil who doesn’t mind the sappiness a characteristic you probably got off our brian anyway with his occasional borderline emo-ness

he’s grateful to his past-self for starting it, and realises that maybe its time to finish it

so it’ll take a week or so for him to finally confess

bc even though hes a bit of a flirt, i don’t see him wanting to tarnish love, since he owes it so much and its not fun to play with someone’s heart, especially not yours

so it might take him a little longer, and when he gets round to it, it’ll be perfect, just like you in his eyes

so prepare to be serenaded

yes, that sort of serenaded

in dim evening light, with the sun’s glow beginning to fade and make way for the stars, flickering like the candles laid out for you

again, that classical vibe won’t be missed on him

as for whether he’d tell you, probably only if you asked, but he would add that he’d been writing the song beforehand

he just may not admit to not planning on ever performing it

overall? when it comes to romantic flair, kang younghyun is king 

Wonpil

“sungjin, uh, do you know where wonpil is? i can’t—” “isn’t he at your hip?” “as much as i kind of wish he was, he kind of isn’t.”

wonpil, my lovely sweetheart

probably wouldn’t be able to stop himself from just

walking straight in when he accidentally overhears you to ask right there and then

like, you’re probably pestering talking to sungjin in the kitchen or another equally frequented place, so it was likely that someone was going to overhear anyway 

and maybe that was part of sungjins plan dont put it past him

but also it meant wonpil got further into the room the hunt for sustenance spurring him on, you know how it is before he caught onto what was being said, thus making it harder to back out

thus sungjin knew he’d overheard, but you with your back to the door were still clueless

and would’ve stayed that way had wonpil not continued and straight up asked or sungjin not said anything, which lets face it by this point he was really considering doing

he would be really excited about hearing that the feelings were mutual, and you were right there so what harm was really being done if he did just straight up waltz in?

as soon as you heard his small “you like me too?” you would whip around 

aaand that would be sungjin’s cue to leave

“do you mean that?”

“it only feels right when you’re by my side, pillie.”

the words you would exchange would be in a soft flurry of emotion tbh, out of disbelief but excitement for the future

most likely ending with you embracing, foreheads resting against one another’s

fluff hours only in the house of pil, ok?

Dowoon

“jae, do you think dowoon will be free tomorrow?” “yea why?” “i want to take him to the cat cafe—” “oh my god is it happening?! is it really happening? are you finally going to tell him? plan ILU is underway?” “keep it down!” “oh god everybody stay calm, stay fucking calm—!”

my bean

my lovely bean

would feel guilty over accidentally eavesdropping, and this would reflect in his shyness later

however, he decides to run with the silver lining of having the chance to be prepared for tomorrow

and so he would not say a word and try and act natural

especially when you ask him if he wants to go out somewhere with you the next day

he’s not sure how he did, he tried to hide his ears as best he could but he was also well aware you knew him too well

when the next morning rolls around, he’s up early, getting ready in nice clothes that he hopes aren’t suspiciously too nice

and then he waits, trying to calm is nerves, before realising that maybe ignorance is bliss

when the time comes and you make your way to the cafe, he finds it difficult to act surprised, but also to try and keep his breath steady

finally, near the end, after asking if he had a good time and wanted to come back, you confess you liked him and it’s as if a weight lifts off his shoulders

he would kiss your cheek soon after, without much warning, out of relief and joy and nerves and a whole lot of else

and you’d probably pull him in for a proper kiss by his collar as soon as you’re sure he’s ok with it

and then the fact he eavesdropped would be a secret that he would die with

~~~

Masterlist

[jejublr]

The Matchmaker | 02

Character(s): Royal!Seungcheol x Reader

Genre: Romance, Drama

Words: 2K words.

Summary:  In which Seungcheol is a King and you’re the Matchmaker trying to convince him that matchmaking might not be a horrible idea after all. Question is: can you do it without falling in love?

a/n: *in wonwoo’s voice* ur going to fast bb. idk what’s wrong bb. bc i like my fics confusing and disorganized so i’m sorry ur eyes have to look at this mess.

The Matchmaker Masterlist

In the warm fire glow, two men sat across from each other. One is a young man, his sharp features highlighted in a soft glow and the other an old but stately man with a regal bearing. In front of them is a game of chess that was long forgotten. The older man seemed to be lost in his own thoughts while the younger one tried not to fidget from the silence.

Lord Jeonghan didn’t expect the former king, now a Duke, to invite him to a game of chess in the royal library when he requested to meet him in person. It wasn’t like he rarely met him in person. The Diamánti palace is like his second home at this point. He would sometimes cross paths with the Duke and maybe join him for dinner, but when a royal invites you formally, chances are they wanted to discuss something.

But now that the Duke has left him in silence, he doesn’t know what to do.

“Tell me, Lord Jeonghan,” the Duke started, startling him. “What do you think about my son?”

“Your Grace?”

“My son. Seungcheol. You’re his closest confidante. I want to know what you think of him.”

Jeonghan shifted his feet.“Oh, um. As a King—“

The Duke shook his head. “I’m not talking about him as a King. I’m talking about him as a man.”

“Oh.” That’s unexpected, but an easy task. Heknows Seungcheol almost as well as he knows his own sister. “In my opinion, he is honest and put the well-being of others before himself. I think you can see it yourself but he’s also very selfless and caring. He can be stubborn but he means well. I have no doubt that he is a good person, Your Grace.”

The Duke hummed in contemplation, nodding along.

“Stubborn. Yes, yes. As expected from a son of mine but it does...annoy me a lot of times.” The old man grunted, his face twinged with a slight annoyance. “All I ask from him was to find someone to marry! How hard can it be? Doesn’t every person wants to get married at some point of their life?”

‘Ah,’ Jeonghan smiled to himself. ‘So that’s what he wanted to talk about.’ 

“I am tired, Jeonghan. And I am old.” The Duke stood out of his seat with a shaky sigh. With his cane, he staggered towards the window with Jeonghan hovering behind him. “I know I can’t control him when it comes to the matter of love but sometimes I wonder why he’s so stubborn. There are plenty of fine ladies to choose from but why won’t he? I know he is my son but sometimes I wonder what’s going on inside his head!”

“That’ll make the two of us, Your Highness.” Jeonghan chuckled.

Anyone who had lived their whole life around Seungcheol would know how stubborn the man can be. As a Lord and right hand man to the throne, Jeonghan out of everyone would know the King better than anyone. He can’t even lie to himself that Seungcheol sometimes make him feel like he’s much older than he actually is. It wouldn’t be a surprise if his hair is greying soon.

There was a brief silence as the King gazed upon the gardens from the safety of his window, his old eyes faraway. “I suppose you don’t know any alternative methods that he would be interested in? Perhaps my outdated ways had made him reject the idea of courting someone?”

Jeonghan squinted in thought. “Well…”

The Duke perked up at the tiny possibility in his voice and turned to Jeonghan. “Well?”

‘I’m sorry, Cheol.’ The blond apologized internally. It’s not like he has a choice. Partly because he’s cornered by the Duke himself and partly because...well, he agrees with the Duke.

Seungcheol has quite a few reasons why he’s so adamant to marry so soon. His worries are valid, of course, but it has gone past the point of reason. At this point, Seungcheol is basically lost in his own paranoia. Maybe someone professional would be able to find him someone who can pull him out of it.

Not only that, but if Seungcheol doesn’t come up with a possible bride soon, he won’t be able to ascend to the throne and the crown would be passed down to the next-in-line. Which doesn’t seem like a good idea because Lord Dorian is a drunkard and a recluse. 

Jeonghan reached into his trousers and pulled out his phone. 

“If you’d allow me, sir?” he asked and the former king gestured, giving him the permission to do whatever he was going to. The Duke waited patiently as he typed away on the gadget.

It only took him seconds to find the web page that he’s looking for and showed it to the Duke.

He reeled slightly at his proposal. “A professional matchmaking service?”

There was a slight hesitation in his voice but the Lord is desperate. So much so that he would take any means—any means—to find his son someone worthy of a companion.

“Yes, Your Grace,” Jeonghan nodded. “My friend Soonyoung used this very service. He just got married last month.”

The Duke met his gaze. “Tell me more about it.”

It wasn’t until the night of the coronation that Seungcheol himself found out about his father’s plans.

And he’s not very glad about it.

“But a matchmaker? Father, I don’t think it is a good idea.” Seungcheol had a bad feeling the moment his father pulled him aside into the throne room, away from prying eyes of the banquet.

The former King grunted, almost rolling his eyes at his son’s feeble excuse. Of course his son would think that.

“I know you might be unhappy with the predicament but I’m doing this for your own good.” The Duke grabbed his son by the shoulder, looking into his eyes. “I know you don’t like this and I wish I didn’t have to do this. But neither of us is getting younger. You’re not even trying to look for someone. I’m getting old, son. I’m afraid my years are numbered. I just…”

“Just what, Father?” Seungcheol’s brown eyes searched his and for a very brief moment, they reminded him of his late wife.

Oh, his lovely Haneul. It’s as if he can still see her in his memories. The loveliest, rarest flower of them all. 

He sees her in Seungcheol. Her selflessness. Her kindness. Her smile. Unfortunately, he could also see how disappointing he has been as a father in him, too. The rage in his son’s eyes, the distrust. He couldn’t blame him after the years of emotional neglect.

And now, as he gazed into his son’s eyes, he felt as if he’s betraying her.

His own marriage was based on love. He already loved his wife before he became King and they had gotten married shortly after his own coronation. It felt unfair and unjust to force his son to marry when he has not even found somebody. 

In a way, it felt like betraying his own wife. She would have wanted Seungcheol to marry for love.

The Duke frowned. “Nevermind. You can complain all you want but you know that it must be done. Consider this a favor as you seem to be having troubles finding someone yourself. You should be expecting the matchmaker to arrive in a month or two. Before then, I hope you will be preparing yourself.”

“I—” Seungcheol started but meeting his father’s stern gaze, he visibly deflated. He might be King but his father is his father. “Yes, Father.”

Jeonghan winced when the door opened harshly. Seungcheol walked out very quickly but silently, obviously in anger, and he quickly caught up to him. “What happened?”

“Apparently my father has hired a professional matchmaking service to help me find a potential queen.” He scoffed, fists balled at his side. He kept walking although Jeonghan was sure that he had no particular destination in his mind. He just wanted to get away from his father and there was no way that he’ll return to the ball with his emotions out of place. “I know he’s been pestering me about this for so long but what had gotten into him? This is just so out of the blue!”

Jeonghan didn’t know what to say since well, he was the one who suggested the Duke about the matchmaking. Noticing his best friend’s oddly quiet behavior, Seungcheol cast a sidelong glance at the light-haired Lord.

“Jeonghan, don’t tell me you have something to do with this?”

“Well, I’d never thought he’d take it seriously—“

Seungcheol grinded his teeth. “You traitor.” 

Jeonghan stopped walking, arms spread in exasperation. “I didn’t know what to do! Your father summoned me out of the blue and started asking me questions and—“

Seungcheol raised a finger at him, face scrunched and clearly trying very hard not to let his temper get out of hand. “Jeonghan, just—shut up. You know how I feel about getting married. I’m not ready. How could you betray me like this?”

“I didn’t mean it like that and you know it.” Jeonghan’s face was cool and controlled but his voice pleading.

And Seungcheol understands where he’s coming from, which made him even angrier because he knows that sooner or later, he wouldn’t be able to run away from what’s expected from him anymore.

Finally, the King turned away. “I need some time alone.”

Jeonghan stood for a while longer, but he knows that he should go. Talking to Seungcheol is pointless when he’s so caught up in his emotions. He watched as his best friend walk away.

Seungcheol ended up walking without direction. He’s as aimless as he felt inside, mind still reeling from what just happened. He only realized that he’d walked all the way to the west wing of the palace when he looked up to see a row of portraits of past kings and royalties.

Seungcheol rarely goes to this side of the palace. He always felt a little creeped out by the stern faces of past kings. He felt as if their steely gaze follow him whenever he passes this side of the palace. But that isn’t the only reason why he rarely goes here

His eyes stared up at a large portrait of a beautiful woman in purple.

Another reason why Seungcheol rarely goes to the west wing of the palace is because of her.

Kang Haneul. The late Queen of Cordovia. 

Looking at her portrait is almost like looking at a mirror. People often say he reminds them of her and right now, the thought only made him scoff despite the signs of tears prickling in the back of his eyes.

Why does he think of her the most when he’s hurt?

As a child, Seungcheol has been the closest to his mother. He loved his father but his mother was the one who’s always been there for him. She was the one who knows him best, who understood him the most. 

They’re like the two sides of the same coin. Inseparable. Wherever she went, he followed.

Seungcheol might not be the closest with his father back then but he always remembered him to be a jovial person. He was the most jovial; all of his antics were passed down from his father. But ever since his mother died, his father gone distant. 

All his needs are met, of course. But they rarely talk and when they do, it was kind of awkward. His father doesn’t laugh as often as he used to and even if he does, it doesn’t seem as bright.

It’s like the day his mother died, a part of his father did, too.

So, Seungcheol is afraid.

There’s nothing more he wanted than to become a better King. And maybe, just maybe, a better father.

Being a King is already a lonely feeling. He doesn’t think he can handle heartbreak. He doesn’t want to be like his father. 

It’s during quiet moments like these that Seungcheol felt most like a child, with his mother’s kind smile gazing down on him. So in a soft but broken whisper, Seungcheol rasped out.

 “Mother, what should I do?”

Next - 03. The King

[overthinkingkdrama]

hi! love in sadness anon again. if you can rec some good melos i would be thankful.

[Oh my gosh, anon. I suck. Seriously. I’ve been trying to sit down and get this done from the moment I got your ask and I just haven’t been able to do it. Anyway, hopefully you see this. Thank you for your patience.]

Little do you know how long I have been waiting for this moment. This is my time to shine! Jk, but I would be happy to give recs. It’s a delight. I started going through my MDL and realized just how many dramas in this genre I have actually seen and realized I would probably have to trim my recommendations somewhat not to seem like a crazy person. Also I have subcategories! Yay!

(I’ve included the *** next to titles that I have watched multiple times or that stand out from the rest of the pack.)

First of all, Movie Melos.

Sometimes you don’t have time for 16-30 hours of drama. Sometimes you want to get all your feels out in a single sitting and move on with your life. That’s where movies are so helpful. My favorite bite-sized melos are:

Always*** – An ex-con trying to get his life together falls in love with a blind woman, but his efforts to help her recover her sight might drag him right back into the violence he’s tried to escape.

Shoot My Heart – A young heir is forced into a mental hospital by his rich family where he meets a disturbed young man. They become friends, try to protect each other, and eventually escape. This one has a bit more of a comedic element to it than the other movies I’m recommending, but there’s plenty of the melo tone as the movie goes on.

Will You Be There? – After finding out that he’s dying of cancer, a man travels through time to beg his younger self to save the life of his first love.

Butterfly Sleep – This is a Japanese movie, but it also stars Korean actor Kim Jae Wook, who recently got a boost in popularity from Her Private Life. The movie revolves around a poor young man from Korea who ends up living with an older woman, a novelist who has just discovered she is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, and the passionate relationship that develops between the two as he helps her finish what will be her final book. #tragedy_tag

High Quality, Human Melodramas

So, this category is for if you want something with all the emotional gut punch of a really wild family drama, but you also want your melos to have actual artistic merit so when you tell your non-drama watching friends and family members about them they don’t end up losing respect for your taste.

Just Between Lovers – This is the story of two young people involved in and scarred by the same horrific accident, but survived and end up finding solace in one another as they deal with their combined traumas. If you’ve seen this drama around the kdramasphere on tumblr you might have seen a lot of gifs of the soft romance. Don’t be fooled though. The romance is indeed wonderful, but the themes are heavy and it can be rough sit.

My Mister*** – I really am just looking for every possible opportunity to recommend this drama. It has supplanted my former favorites and become my top drama of all time. It’s about two people, a troubled young woman in her 20′s and a structural engineer in his 40′s who have become beaten down and broken by life. Their two lives end up intersecting and they develop a really complex friendship that changes both of their lives. Acting, writing, directing…I have nothing bad to say about My Mister. This drama is actually perfect. 

The Smile Has Left Your Eyes – Do you like your melos a bit murdery? I know I sure do. Give me a sociopath any day of the week and I’ll say, “Thank you. I’ll take two.” This drama is about a young man who might be a monster. He becomes a detectives prime suspect in a murder investigation. At the same time he meets the detectives younger sister and they begin to fall in love. #tragedy_tag If this sounds like your thing, but you don’t like super sad endings check out Hello Monster, also starring Seo In Guk.

Secret Love Affair – I think it’s probably safe to say this drama is considered a modern kdrama classic, and for good reason. A story revolving around a woman who gave up her dreams for security, trapped in a loveless marriage, who meets a piano savant from an extremely underprivileged background and he sets off a spark for passion, music and love that she hasn’t felt in a long time. This is a quiet, pensive drama with a lot of wonderful music and atmosphere. YMMV depending on your tolerance for cheating and a slow-burn pace.

Alright, Cut the Crap Jona, Show Me the Extra Soapy Guilty Pleasure Dramas We All Know You Like…

Maybe you don’t go in for this type of self-conscious, “serious” drama watching. You’re going to watch these things in the sanctity of your own room and never tell a soul about them. Or perhaps you’ve evolved past needing other people’s approval to enjoy the things you like. Good for you, I say! As it should be. In that case, I have some top shelf makjang crack to deal you. This is the part of the list where the sliding scale of quality gets a little wobbly. Most of these shows contain a little, if not a lot, of crazysauce. All of them are over-the-top melo fun.

Baker King Kim Tak Gu – A drama about the illegitimate son of a conglomerate CEO who has inherited his preternatural baking abilities looking for his place in a family that will never acknowledge him. Yeah, the premise is pretty “what”? When I first watched this drama I thought it was supposed to be a satire of the makjang genre. To this day I’m not sure how seriously this drama actually takes itself. What I will say is it’s hella entertaining, even as it piles on more than it’s share of craziness (machinations, murder, affairs, chaebol fuckery, love polygons, gangsters, birth secrets, and on and on.) I was surprisingly invested and remarkably satisfied by the ending.

Ms. Perfect – This drama is something of a gothic romance/makjang melo mash up. It involves a woman whose marriage shatters just as she loses her home and finds herself desperate to take care of her family. She’s enticed by a mysterious woman to live with her in her huge house, but this stranger has eerie motivations of her own. Really fun, weird show. But brace yourself to be blue-balled by the romance. It’s one steamy make out session from being noona-romance catnip. 

Money Flower*** – I unironically love this drama. It’s very close to the platonic ideal of the Revenge Melo. It involves a Dantes-esque male lead, Kang Pil Joo, who is willing to destroy himself to enact his multi-decade revenge on a wealthy family that took everything from him. He is the shadow of a spoiled young heir who he plans to use to take down the whole evil empire of Chungha group, but in order to do that he has to orchestrate the heir’s marriage with the innocent daughter of a powerful politician, the woman who Pil Joo himself is in love with.

That Winter, The Wind Blows – This one is a lurid conman tail about a gambler who, in his attempts to pay back a dangerous gangster out for his life, pretends to be the prodigal brother of a blind heiress. He tries to get the money and skip town, but ends up falling in love with the mark which comes with a host of other complications, not the least of which is she thinks he’s her brother. This one is high on the guilty-pleasure-o-meter for me.

Come and Hug Me – Some people might disagree with my putting this one on here, but for me the premise is too wildly melodramatic to omit. The leads start out as childhood sweethearts, but the problem is his father is a deranged serial killer and her parents end up two of his victims. As adults he becomes a detective trying to make up for his father’s legacy of cruelty and she becomes a famous actress like her mother. Traumas resurface when she becomes the target of an apparent copycat and their past connection becomes the fixation of a ruthless tabloid journalist.

Thank You – After his fiancee dies of cancer, a Doctor travels to a remote island to fulfill her last wish–to help the family of a little girl the late fiancee was responsible for inadvertently infecting with HIV. Unexpectedly he finds himself attracted to the girl’s single mother. However, he will have to contend with the prejudices of the island people about AIDS and the reappearance with the girl’s father. This one is as heavy as it sounds, and the oldest drama on this list, from 2007, with all the idiosyncrasies that go along with older dramas. But it’s remarkably well done. From the same writer of a bunch of classic melodramas (I’m Sorry, I Love You; A Love To Kill; Innocent Man; Uncontrollably Fond, etc) but this is my personal favorite of hers.

The Last Empress – Okay, I couldn’t omit this one. I tried. Average musical actress Oh Sunny winds up married to the Emperor in an alternate history version of Korea and becomes embroiled in the machinations of the corrupt royal family. With a nice side helping of revenge plot. It’s demonstrably not a good show. It’s one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. But it had me hooked early on and then I couldn’t get myself free. What a magnificent train wreck this drama was. If you’re looking for problematic nonsense melos that were MASSIVE hits in Korea and you’re torn between this and Baker King, go with the silly bread show and keep this one in your back pocket.

Fated to Love You – This one is probably the most off-brand on the list, because it leans heavily on the comedic tone, especially for the first half. There’s a definite turn at the midpoint of the drama where it becomes MUCH more melodramatic (with all the tropes you expect to go along with that), but I think it pulls of the transition impressively well. Besides, it’s a fun watch with a fluffy feelgood ending with a bow on top. It’s a dash of sugar for your melodrama sojourn, a genre that admittedly can be a bit of a bummer.

There it is. I tried to do an extra good job with my list because it took me so long to get it out. I’m sorry again. Happy watching!

Jona

[kpoptimeout]

My Top 10 K-Dramas of 2018 - What’s Yours?

2018 is ending soon and K-Dramaland has once again brought us so many goodies this year. As per our blog’s tradition [For 2017 faves click here], below are my Top 10 favs of the year (my faves in alphabetical order so it might not be yours so please don’t judge)

My only specific criteria this year is that the show must have had started in 2018 to be considered a 2018 series (Hence, Hwayugi and I’m Not A Robot were in last year’s list and honourable mentions)

Lawless Lawyer (tvN)

Every year we have a few stellar Korean legal dramas and Lawless Lawyer is one of them. Starring veterans Lee Joongi and Son Yeji, the drama details a gangster turned lawyer who used unorthodox techniques to win cases and a lawyer-childhood friend-love interest who got into trouble for attacking a judge. After his return from the military, Lee Joongi has acted in many internationally well-received dramas but “Lawless Lawyer” is the first since his return to gain massive commercial success within South Korea and becoming one of the highest viewed dramas on Korean cable channel history. Son Yeji was also able to show her acting chops and shed her pretty girl image through this drama. It is understandable why this drama did well - it was action-packed, had a well-plotted storyline and also the right laughs at the right moments. If you love an amazing legal drama, go watch Lawless Lawyer already!

Memories Of The Alhambra (tvN/Netflix)

You know it’s nearing the year’s end when tvN drops another high budget and experimental drama with a star-studded cast to steal you and the critics’ hearts. This year it is Memories Of The Alhambra, which is an ambitious project jointly produced by tvN and Netflix. Following the success of jointly produced Mr. Sunshine which also made the list, the two studios teamed up for an even crazier project - instead of the guaranteed tear-jerking historical drama they went for a sci-fi/fantasy thriller exploring virtual and augmented reality and business in the digital age. You know they are taking this project seriously when they got the writer for “W” (the Lee Jongsuk and Han Hyojoo hit about the collapse of a comic book world into reality) Song Jaejung to write this screenplay. The show with top cast featuring Hallyu stars and veterans Hyun Bin, Park Shin Hye, and EXO’s Chanyeol with exhilarating graphics and filming in Grenada has been topping online and domestic Korean viewership since its broadcast on December 1st. If you enjoy creative sci-fi adventures with Asian leads, this is the drama for you!

Mr. Sunshine (tvN/Netflix)

One of the first tvN and Netflix collaborations, Mr. Sunshine was an unsurprising hit starring world-famous Korean actor Lee Byung Hoon and South Korea’s favourite young actress Kim Taeri. Other main cast include skilled and popular actors like Yoo Yeonseok, Byung Yohan and Kim Minjung. Throw in the historical Joseon setting and the imminent colonisation by foreign powers, you have a recipe for an awards-sweeper and crowd-pleaser! Besides a plot that easily draws in audiences, the set designs, colour grading, music, and costumes are all phenomenal and is a feast for the senses. My only knit-picking critique is it seems unrealistic that a Korean man can rise to as high a rank as Lee Byung Hoon’s Eugene Choi character in the racist 1800s United States no matter how brilliant Eugene Choi was. But besides that, if you love a historical epic with romance and war, this is the drama you would enjoy!

Ms. Hammurabi (JTBC)

This drama sees Go Ara and Song Dong Il reuniting in their father-daughter/mentor-mentee like dynamic following hit dramas Reply 1994 and Hwarang, with Go Ara being an idealistic former music student who dropped out and self-studied to become a judge, and Song Dong Il being the old geezer and life mentor who only managed to become a judge later in life. They are joined by INFINITE’s L being a by the books judge who likes Go Ara’s wholesome character. The drama is exceptionally touching, not only for its realistic depiction of life as judges in civilian law countries but also as a reflection of people chasing their dreams in different stages of their life. The drama also expertly deals with real-world issues like gender discrimination in the workplace, prejudice to marginalised groups and the issues that come with an inflexible hierarchical structure in South Korea. While there is romance between the leads, this is shown subtly and naturally, without it becoming a distraction to the engaging storyline. If you enjoy a thoughtful drama about society with great acting, this is a drama you would enjoy.

My ID is Gangnam Beauty (JTBC)

Maybe I am slightly biased because I loved the webtoon but I think My ID is Gangnam Beauty is one of the best Korean rom-coms of the year. First I thought the casting was spot-on - ASTRO’s Cha Eunwoo perfectly encapsulated the cold and awkward Do Kyungseok and Im Soohyang was able to display the insecurities of Kang Mirae even after plastic surgery well. The drama does a good job of touching on Korean society’s toxic beauty visual standards - it still makes the female lead insecure even after she gets plastic surgery and she gets ridiculed before and after plastic surgery. Meanwhile second female lead Hyun Soo Ah, played by Jo Woori, also struggles as a natural beauty due to fears of people no longer liking her should she ever fall below their expectations in any way. This is a thoughtful drama that does not just demonise characters for the sake of drama but gives us lots of food for thought about why people act the way they do regarding appearances. If you like a drama that is fun and cute but also has a good message, you should check out this drama!

My Mister (tvN)

There are dramas where you skip some scenes because you want to get to the main point. There are some dramas where you want every second of it. My Mister was one of those dramas you watch every second of. It was that good. While many Kdramas still having idealistic female leads who slowly get jaded and turn badass only near the end/are always protected by men and never turn badass, My Mister finally does the move of making the female poor but super resourceful, brilliant and cynical, and already super jaded to begin with. Played by top singer and actress IU, the female lead Lee Jian reverses the usual female lead tropes by slowly learning to see some good in the world and learn to dream following a life of extreme poverty and hardship. The other highlight of the drama is the male lead played by talented actor Lee Sunkyun, whose relationship with his brothers and mother, as well as his crumbling marriage with his wife provide a lot of food for thought on the meaning of family and life. By acting as a mentor of IU’s character while also being saved by IU from lots of drama unknowingly, we see two broken souls learn from each other to be better people. The drama also showcased how romance is not the only meaningful love that exists between communities. If you love an insightful slice-of-life drama with realistic intrigues, betrayals, and character development, you would love My Mister.

Radio Romance (KBS2)

Honestly at this point HIGHLIGHT’s Dojoon is just nation’s drama boyfriend and he continues to pick the good scripts as we can see in Radio Romance. The drama is simple - the assistant writer played by Kim Sohyun’s radio show might get cancelled and she manages to somehow get the top radio star played by Dojoon to host her show. Shenanigans happen and romance blossoms. It is stereotypical but done well, with the right amount of twists and just knowing when it should bounce back from the laughs and side stories. If dramas are all dishes, Radio Romance is like that cheesecake that tastes sweet and light, not so filling that it will you sick. It is the dessert you would always go for to feel good. If you like to watch something that makes you feel warm inside, this is the drama for you!

Something in the Rain (JTBC)

I am usually not super into “the younger dongsaeng has a romance with noona who he knows growing up all of a sudden” stories but there was something special about Something in the Rain. When I first began watching this drama, it did not feel like watching a regular Kdrama at all and more like an indie film from the West. There is a feeling of emptiness at the beginning, possibly to signify the resident noona and veteran actress Son Yejin’s unsuccessful love life. There was a lot of dialogue and cuts and it felt like watching a documentary about the lives of the characters. But it was this formatting of Something in the Rain that makes it feel so genuine. The pace of the leads building up their romance was steady and natural. Hence, it made issues they faced feel all the more real too. If you enjoy a realistic slice-of-life portrayal of romance, you would love this drama!

The Guest (OCN)

When I saw the trailer I already knew this was some scary shit. Following its many successful thrillers last year, OCN decided to dive in the more horror side of a thriller in The Guest. To fit this aesthetic, the drama was broadcasted only at 11pm instead of primetime but still had massive success and rightly so. The acting by the three leads Kim Dong Wook (man who can see ghosts and the future), Kim Jaewook (the cold, exorcist priest), and Jung Eunchae (a detective who does not believe in the supernatural) is phenomenal, making their team up to catch criminal possessed by ghosts all the more exhilarating. The actors who play the possessed are also amazing, making for most of the scares in this drama. If you enjoy a mystery and the horror genre, this is the Kdrama for you!

What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? (tvN)

Being the most searched Kdrama on Google in South Korea this year, it would not make sense for What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? not to make this list. The drama revolves around the successful but extremely narcissistic company vice chairman played by Park Seojoon and his capable no-nonsense secretary played by Park Minyoung, with the latter quitting after paying off family debts and not being in the mood to work for her annoying boss anymore. The whole process where Park Seojoon tries to retain his secretary of course blossoms into romance etc. etc. One of the reasons this drama did so well was that not only did it have a strong and capable female lead but Park Seojoon defied expectations in his role. As another Kdrama based on a webtoon, original webtoon readers felt like he was not similar to the male lead and were not sure how he would handle the role. But Park Seojoon did a fantastic job, to the point I wanted to bang my head on the table or slap his character whenever he did narcissistic shit. If you want a high-quality rom-com with some unorthodox twists, this is the drama to watch!

Honourable Mentions:

100 Days My Prince (tvN): The fourth highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history starring EXO’s D.O and Nam Jihyun, the drama details the marriage between a noblewoman on the run and a crown prince who lost his memory during a failed assassination attempt.

Are You Human? (KBS2): With the actual development of AI in recent years, more Kdramas have embraced the topic of robot-human romances. Seo Kang Joon and Gong Seungyeon star in this story involving a bodyguard and the AI of a chaebol masquerading as the real chaebol who is in a coma.

Still 17 (SBS): A drama involving a 30-year-old man who doesn’t want to grow up due to trauma (Yang Sejong) and a woman who wakes up after a 13-year coma so acts like a 17-year-old even though she is 30 (Shin Hyesun).

Welcome to Waikiki (JTBC): A comedy-drama starring rising actors Kim Junghyun, Lee Yikyung, and Son Seungwon who run a failing guesthouse called Waikiki. Oh, and there’s a single mother and a baby in this crazy mix!

What’s your Top 10 K-Dramas of the Year? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below and may the drama sharing begin (and the road to more excuse for holiday procrastination!)

Also, if you want to check out underrated K-Pop songs of 2018, here are the lists for idol songs, artist songs, and OSTs!

[phillianhk-blog]

#14 (The 1 Year Post)

Lillian,

We’ve finally reached 1 whole year (12 monch) of dating. Even though I feel like I’ve known you for 10 lifetimes, there is still something to be said about reaching this milestone.

Although we normally start by time-stamping our posts with recent/current events, I shouldn’t need to too much for this one. It’s our 1 year dating (Tinder matching) anniversary! :) some big things are that I just got back from Korea, and we spent another couple days with my brother in Berkeley before he flew back to the east coast. You were an amazing host, partner, and (future) noona. So very thankful for you.

We’ve definitely entered a new phase of our relationship. We’ve seriously started discussing not only the idea of marriage, but details - when, where, how, who, etc etc. and it makes me so very excited. Let’s continue to pray and rely on God for all things despite our planning, and align our will with His. But I am beyond thankful to have been led down this road with you! <3

To commemorate our anniversary, I’ve decided to do a lilykong.tumblr.com-style list :) Here are 12 memories (accompanied by a photo from each month of our relaysh so far)!

1. June 2016 (we don’t have any pictures together from this month, but this was from your Tinder profile and the picture that I screen-shotted to show everyone who you were hehe)

Our first date lasted about 6-7 hours, and I could’ve gone for another 10. You were genuinely the most easy, pleasant, and fun(ny) person I’ve ever met, even on that first day. Let’s just say that I was intrigued (enamored) with you from Day 1, which led to general nervousness, and general missteps at the end of the date.

2. July 2016 (our coming out party! Aka Adrienne’s birthday haha)

At 1 month, our relationship felt like it had been going on for 1 year. I never knew I could have so much in common or click so quickly with someone, ever. Turns out that, despite the odds, I’ve grown fonder and fonder of you every day since. I already felt so accepted by your friends at this party, which I am forever thankful for. It was also nice to finally meet your past boyfriend, Adrienne! :P

3. August 2016 (remember our Delores Park days? I think this was the day we spent seemingly all day there, and met up with Manny/Gaby et al)

In these early days, I felt like I had infinite energy. Looking back, it involved so much commuting, late nights, etc - but anything and everything seemed not only reasonable but desirable if it was maximizing time with you.

4. September 2016 (on one of our random walks along the Emeryville marina. I also have a video of this moment, during which you were singing “You are So Beautiful”)

Your (our) silly side really started coming out around this time. Spontaneous singing, baby voices, inside jokes galore. I loved every minute.

5. October 2016. (our first wedding together! Cheryl and Mitchell)

The first of many wedding invitations that we would receive, even within the first year. This one was also significant because it allowed me to meet your parents for the first time, and I loved them from the beginning (go Kongs!). Your parents were so welcoming and warm and it made me love you even more seeing where you came from. I was also really thankful for the opportunity to show our seriousness and where our relationship was going. 

Also, I bought airline tickets for the wrong day and had to buy another one, and stayed at the Days Inn near the indian buffet by your house without considering an Airbnb. I was a n00b to be sure :P

6. November 2016. (our first trip together, to Monterey)

This would not be a trip without hardship, but in hindsight I think it really helped us grow and was a crucial part of the process. I was humbled, and am still being humbled to this day. What are we without God? I think we really started to learn how to deal with conflict and seek God in all things around this time. Despite some obstacles, we ended up having a great time on this trip, saw some really great exhibits and a beautiful view at the aquarium, and had some B.O.M.B. Chinese food for dinner (ironic given this place’s history). Go Asians. This month would also mark the first time you meet my parents when they visited for Thanksgiving, which was also a significant milestone :) You were so great, we had dinner and followed up with some tea and fries and great conversations about the church.

7. December 2016. (a typical Lillian home outfit, in where many of our first memories were made, 702 Taylor St San Francisco, CA)

Even within this first year, we went through a lot of different seasons. The major division is when you lived in SF for the first half, and then moved to Berkeley. The SF days were fun - I used to go over after work on Fridays and spend all weekend there, and we would do stuff like this, cook at home and be our damn weird selves :) it gave us the weekend to really look forward to every week. City life was exciting, fun, uncomfortable at times, challenging, enticing, costly, wild at times, and unforgettable.

8. January 2017. (wedding #2! Rochelle and Matt “the celebrity” Kang)

I got to see a litttttle more of LA on this trip than the one before. We went to UCLA and Westwood, saw Venice Beach, got some of your favorite food growing up, and I met your sister! She was so amazing to me, and was (and continues to be) an unsolicited PR master to your parents haha. Along with you of course. I am so thankful to her and can really see her heart for you and for us. 

In critiquing this wedding, I realized that this was probably one of the first times we kind of started talking seriously about what our wedding would look like :) and a lot of it was to be....not like this one haha. But really, it made us realize that we value our families and parents so much, and most of all we want lives filled with loving others, loving each other, and receiving love - all else is secondary!

9. February 2017. (from a night when we went on one of our usual strolls through the city after dinner and sat at Union Square)

This was an eventful month - your birthday, our first Valentine’s Day, the Crunchies, our discovery of the 1951 coffee shop in Berkeley, the beginning of ProCrops. But I picked this picture because I remember how it felt that night - it was really clear and calm when we decided to sit down at Union Square. We sat, and kissed, and watched the few people stroll by. A random man told us that we looked good (second time that’s happened here). You were almost done with living in your SF apartment, and we wanted to really enjoy city living when we could.

10. March 2017. (wedding #3! Christine and Jason’s. Aka the one where I forgot my suit and had to buy and put one together in the morning before the wedding)

This wedding stands out for a few reasons: 1) we drove down! Faithful Henry got us there safely, despite hitting LA traffic, 2) the “the WON (1)” joke was born, 3) I had the suit debacle mentioned above, 4) it was the most enjoyable wedding we went to so far. But probably the most notable was that I finally got to meet David because he and your sister were in town the same weekend we were!

11. April 2017. (in Shan’s new baller Fidi apartment, for Aaron’s birthday celebrations! Aka when we realized that Shan and us occupy completely different socioeconomic classes)

This night was actually really fun (we went to Raven) and I’m glad we got to celebrate with Aaron and friends! I think this event is also significant because it really showed just how different of a direction you and Shan had gone in. You became even more deeply entrenched in the life of a public interest attorney at HAC, and Shan was living the young single wealthy professional life in SF. Let’s just say that I’m proud to be by your side. The nice things in life may come later for us, but I’m so glad that you have had the heart and conviction to serve the way that God has called you to serve so wholeheartedly and passion. You’re my superhero lawyer!

12. May 2017. (your 3-part sprinkle pastry-themed birthday cards to me hehe)

You’re always so thoughtful and creative with your gifts. I’ve been legitimately taken aback by how good and cool they are, and this one is no exception! We’ve already mentioned it before in the previous posts, but you made my birthday really special - not just because of stuff like this, but because of the kind of girlfriend and partner you’ve been to me over the past year.

Whew - that took WAY more time than I expected! But I had a blast going through old pictures hehe :)

Anyway, bottom line: I. LOVE. YOU. Happy 1 year babe, I can’t wait for infinity more.

Love (and even more love),

Phil