byebyeballoon

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best part of KPop Demon Hunters is all the ridiculous faces the girls make

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anyways i just love the way kpop demon hunters stayed true to its roots in korean/asian culture, especially around the core theme of community vs individualism

the fact that it's not a single chosen one but a group of three

the fact that the honmoon is not powered by the hunters themselves but by the energy and love of the fans

the fact that gwi-ma turns people into demons by promising that he is the only one who can help them when he is in fact reliant on his army of demons to collect souls for him

the fact that "your idol" is about surrendering yourself to a single higher power while "golden" is about soaring to new heights together

the fact that gwi-ma preys on people's individual insecurities and shame to get inside their heads while rumi, mira, and zoey set them free in the end by encouraging them to embrace their differences and reminding them that they're not alone

the fact that you can see the audience cheering individually and even pushing into each other to get closer to the stage during "your idol"

while they're linking arms and cheering together and hugging during "what it feels like"

i have not seen the live action lilo and stitch but it feels like that movie sits on the opposite end of the spectrum from kpop demon hunters as a case study for how to tell a story in way that is culturally authentic and still resonates with a broader audience

and i think given that the core theme of the movie is all about community over individualism, the ending, particularly as it relates to rumi and jinu's budding romance, is really the perfect culmination of that broader theme

rumi and jinu's connection has all the hallmarks of that all-encompassing, all-consuming, borderline co-dependent first love where you keep your relationship a secret and sneak out of the house to meet up and feel like the other person is the ONLY person who really gets you

i'm the only one who can understand you, i'm the only one who will love you is the kind of thing that sounds romantic when you're 16 until you get older and realize how toxic it actually is and i love that the movie counters that in "what it sounds like" with rumi realizing that she had that love and support all along from her girls, and later, from the fans who continue to cheer them on through their comeback

it's about connection and sisterhood and love and sharing your fears and lifting each other up and becoming stronger and better together

and as compelling as i found rumi/jinu and as much as i would like to see their relationship explored more in a sequel/series, i just really love that this movie, which is clearly targeted at young women, ends on the message that romantic love is not the end all be all, that friendship is just as important if not more so than a romantic partner, that single women can lead successful, fulfilling lives, that true happiness and freedom start from within

it's crazy that this message still seems revolutionary in 2025 but given the current state of the world, it feels more necessary than ever

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"I've been wanting to ask, why does the bird wear a tiny hat?" "I made it for the tiger but the bird keeps taking it." KPOP DEMON HUNTERS (2025)

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Okay I love Park Bo Gum and the writing on Good Boy was interesting, but it rubbed me the wrong way that the character Dong-joo kept getting the shit beat out of him, he would end up in the hospital and ignore the drs warnings time and time again. The character should have been dead by the end of the show, let's be real. He had so much brain damage, they even wrote in him losing his sight (for only half an episode). The number of blows to that character's head... yeah he got diagnosed as 'punch drunk', but his symptoms always dissipated in time for another fight scene? There was a big one basically every episode. Like I'm all for modern shows, but idk. The characters were interesting, esp as former athletes of various sports which was unique and I enjoyed the cast. But as a series, it just didn't tick off enough boxes for me to be willing to rewatch the show or want to suggest it to others to watch. It depends on what you're in the mood for I guess. Just be warned it's super violent. 😬

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Anyone else feel vindicated when watching a show they thought was gonna be bad, ends up being terrible? That's how I felt about Pump Up the Healthy Love.

It was such a slowly paced show. Yeah there were funny moments throughout, but it was disappointing that the main character only took up hobbies to try and impress men or win a guy over. 😬 Major yikes.

Plus they only ever showed the one fat gal at the gym eating, and had her obsessed with food. 🙄 I was glad the few times they showed her exercising, but it was far and few between the other gym goers.

The biggest positive was the disability rep of the main gal's sister's boyfriend. He was a major flake and the constant breaking up irked me to no end, but they wrote in that he had constant dislocations of his joints (like a person with EDS). A trainer had to learn that they can be wrong, and sometimes pushing a person to work out isn't the answer bc they can become injured as a result of that. Even then, it was only discussed the one episode and was meant for the character development of the trainer, so I felt meh about it.

Spoilers below the cut.

Plus I was big mad at the 'suicide' scene, where the character was too big and using too small of a rope. The fact that it broke multiple times while the person attempted to take their life had me rolling my eyes. Someone else had to step in and tell them why it wasn't working. 🙄 "Ever thought to try exercise instead?" That's how they were saved and they never had a suicidal thought again? Gimme a break.

Also you can argue all you want about liking the show, but the tropes and writing just did nothing for me. Remember it's okay to have different thoughts about tv shows and you won't change my mind lol. I should have skipped it like I originally planned. 😅

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Pt II for Heartbeat memes.

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The picture in question:

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Heartbeat memes Pt I!

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Last Sweet Home memes. I didn't have many for the 3rd season. 😅

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Sweet Home s2 memes Pt2.

The first meme is more so about In-Hwan's scars, bc there were some in the other soldiers that didn't look as consistent.

Potential ones under the cut:

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Season 2 of Sweet Home memes. All joking aside about being offended by my saying that sentence, Alexis said I was right about the character being Renesme-like and Sweet Home doing it better lmao. She also called the baby "Kentucky Fried Chicken/a deep-fried rat." 😂

Spoiler under the cut and (plus the other meme I shared before that is gory, so tw blood).

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This meme gets its own post.

Netflix: 2.

Me: 0.

Shows: Vincenzo and Sweet Home (season 2).

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Reblogging bc guess what we're watching finally. 👀 Alexis is loving it for multiple reasons.

Yes I have already finished the show. No Alexis hasn’t caught up yet, or else I’d be re-posting her memes too.

If anyone else has seen the show, you know what I mean. If not… enjoy:

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Kpop Demon Hunter memes finally for y'all! I'll reblog Alexis' memes too.

Special shout out to the movie for subtle disability rep that didn't feel awkward as well:

Spoiler(ish) under the cut:

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Behind the scenes clip Taecyeon posted to his Instagram story since the video link couldn't be viewed in America. But damn he looked good in the above clip! Can't wait to watch the episode. ����

It reads, "Rehearsal of several underwater kisses haha (ㅋㅋㅋ means laughter)." By the link, "In reality, like this."

Even though I can't watch it, here is the link to the video on YouTube.

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Also Alexis and I are watching Kpop Demon Hunters tomorrow. Be prepared for memes! You have been warned.

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The wind blowing the dude's shirt open to show his abs had me howling with laughter (but you can hear my mom's giggle bc I pointed it out for her to catch lol). 😂 This movie was so funny. Omg it made my night and birthday month.