#it's okay not to be okay

[the-suicide-effect]

"And the sad part is I was getting better.

And now I'm not"

[enii]

I am doing the best that I can💕

[borderlinexblondie]

𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧. 𝘕𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘐'𝘮 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. 𝘐'𝘮 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 🌸💞

[youknowihavenochingu]

Shirtless male leads in kdramas 🔥

Gong Yoo- Coffee Prince

Park Hyung Sik- High Society

Ahn Hyo Seop- Lovers Of The Red Sky

Ji Chang Wook- The K2

Lee Dong Wook- Bad And Crazy

Woo Do Hwan- My Country The New Age

Park Seo Joon- Midnight Runners

Kim Soo Hyun- It's Okay Not To Be Okay

Ahn Bo Hyun- Military Prosecutor Doberman

Rowoon- The King's Affection

[a-myriad-of-thoughts]

What I absolutely love about some of my favorite kdramas:

Goblin (2016): the bromance

Shopaholic Louie (2016): the fluff

Witch At Court (2017): the protagonist's character development

Lawless Lawyer (2018): how deliciously villainous the main villain was

Beauty Inside (2018): the second couple

Touch Your Heart (2019): sunny x grim reaper AU lol

Hotel del Luna (2019): IU's acting skills

It's Okay Not To Be Okay (2020): the creativity of the storyline

Do You Like Brahms? (2020): the realistic & mature romance + slowburn friends-to-lovers

The Penthouse (2020-2021): the rollercoaster ride and the absurdity of it all

Run On (2020): the life lessons & meaningful dialogues

Flower of Evil (2020): the endless plot twists

Hospital Playlist (2020-2021): the cohesiveness of the characterizations, even with the supporting & minor characters

Law School (2021): the mystery pervading the show's entirety

Tomorrow (2022): the deep, angsty love story with a happy ending

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022): our beloved Woo Young-woo

Cafe Minamdang (2022): how everyone's a crackhead. in their own way. lmao

[lurkingshan]

The Asian Drama Generational Trauma Challenge List 

gif by @youdontloveme-yet

As @waitmyturtles has been making her way through her OGMMTVC I have been continuing to watch way too many dramas and thinking about the ones I want her to watch when she’s done with that project. And because I know Turtles, it’s always the dramas that feature themes around intergenerational trauma, filial piety, and lots of emotionally fraught interactions between parents and children that ping my “Turtles needs to watch this” radar. As I was mentioning the shows I wanted her to watch, Turtles joked that maybe I should make her a new challenge list that is focused on intergenerational trauma.

And if y’all haven’t learned this about me yet, you should know that I have no chill and absolutely will embark on a whole project because you make a stray comment in my direction. So here we are!

gif by @piningbisexuals

I wanted this list to be inclusive of a broad range of Asian dramas, exploring how it shows up in different Asian countries and through both het and queer lenses, so I consulted quite a few friends. Shoutout to @wen-kexing-apologist, @so-much-yet-to-learn, @bengiyo, @shortpplfedup, @ginnymoonbeam, and @emotionallychargedtowel for helping me refine this list. We landed on the following criteria:

Modern dramas only—not necessarily current but set in a time period recent enough that we don’t have a whole additional set of social mores to layer on top

The drama explores intergenerational trauma, not just intergenerational dynamics (so shows like Reply 1988 that are very much about family but not necessarily trauma are not on the list)

Intergenerational trauma is a primary focus and a major theme of the drama, not a background theme, a surprise reveal, or just part of a character’s backstory to engender sympathy (waves goodbye to most chaebol romcoms)

We are using the word trauma in a broad sense here–a lot of the complex trauma featured in these shows would not meet the formal DSM diagnostic criteria as a Traumatic Event

We did apply a quality filter–the execution of the story needs to be good enough that the intergenerational trauma themes stay intact, even if the drama overall is not a total slam dunk

gif by @gifetc

Note also that this list is not chronological and there is no suggested watch order. I also do not recommend binging all of these dramas one after the other. Some of these shows are heavy and you’ll want to space them out. This is a challenge to complete over time!

I decided to share this on tumblr in case others are similarly weird and wanted to undertake this challenge with us. If any of you see this and decide to watch some of these, please tag me with your progress and thoughts! I have also linked each show’s MDL page so you can see the synopsis and general warning tags, but if you want specific content warnings for any of these shows, feel free to comment or message me.

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

So after a lot of preamble…

Generational Trauma Challenge List

10 Years Ticket (Thailand, YouTube)

180 Degrees Longitude Passes Through Us (Thailand, Gagaoolala)

About Youth (Taiwan, Gagaoolala)

Bad Buddy (Thailand, YouTube)

Come and Hug Me (S Korea, Viki)

Flower of Evil (S Korea, Netflix or Viki)

GAP (Thailand, YouTube)

Go Ahead (China, Viki)

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (S Korea, Netflix)

Khun Chai (Thailand, YouTube)

My Mister (S Korea, Netflix)

Our Dining Table (Japan, Gagaoolala)

SKY Castle (S Korea, Netflix or Viki)

Something in the Rain (S Korea, Netflix or Viki)

Until We Meet Again (Thailand, Viki or YouTube)

gif by @gabrielokun

Good luck, happy crying, stay hydrated, and please pace yourselves!

(Tagging friends @neuroticbookworm, @kyr-kun-chan, and @chickenstrangers who I have already discussed this with.)

[dramasauce]

Happy Belated Bday to my friend @shipperholic-me! This is a list of her favorite kdrama couples!

[hollywocd]

gyu young like/reblog if you use or save

[somewhere-rich]

I cried hysterically in my room for 3 hours straight. Now my head hurts and so does my heart.

Damn these emotions.

[j2micons]

like or reblog if you save!  

[the-suicide-effect]

"The worst part about being sad is that you don't even know what makes you happy anymore"

[enii]

Not today...

[borderlinexblondie]

𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘦. 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰���'𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘦. 𝘕𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯. 𝘐𝘧 𝘐'𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢𝘥 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘥. 𝘐𝘧 𝘐'𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵. 𝘐'𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘐'𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨.

[youknowihavenochingu]

The hotties of dramaland 🔥👑

Ko Moon Young- It's Okay Not To Be Okay

Myul Mang-Doom At Your Service

Man Wol- Hotel Del Luna

Han Seo Jun- True Beauty

Yoon Se Ri-Crash Landing On You

Park Jae Eon- Nevertheless

Cheon Song Yi- My Love From The Star

Kwon Si Hyeon- Tempted

Yang Hye Sun- My Roommate Is a Gumiho

Ryan Gold- Her Private Life

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Currently Watching - February

Because I love a good little list - in alphabetical order! 😊

Regularly updated during the month, latest update 28.02.2023

This may contain spoilers!

1. Bed Friend (2/8 on iQiyi)

The trauma is strong in this one! As is the tension and longing looks of King. Do you have feelings for me? Should ask yourself, buddy. But it is interesting and the first episode was promising.

2. Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu aka The End Of the World With You (5/8 on Gaga or Viki)

This feels depressing and heartbreaking and I love it! Done right this can become a little sad gem. This is way more explicit than I thought...and there are so many plot twists! Now we have the supernatural element and the boy can influence the weather? What else is there to come?

3. Boyband (1/6 on Youtube)

And so they decided it is no longer free with subs on youtube...why starting with the first epsiode, when you can't keep up with it?

4. Chains of Heart (2/10 on iQiyi)

Cinematography and scenery - stunning! Really pretty and dark and atmospheric. The plot - I don't get it yet? I really have no clue who some of those people are and what is going on. The acting? Everything between okay and cringy. And there are some scenes which are so damn fucking long! Unnecessary long!

5. History 5 (9/10 on Viki)

I hate it here.

5. Island Part 2 (2/6)

It starts where part one ended and I really appreciate we got to see something from their past! There was so much to explain and they finally did it. Great first two episodes.

6. Moonlight Chicken (6/8 on Youtube)

I love EarthMix so much and I missed them and now I am just so happy they are back and damn they are fine! I felt so shy watching the first episode. Let me just sit here with a huge grin on my face. I won't be normal for the next few weeks...and GeminiFourth are so lovely too and took over the whole show for me! Oh this series is so good.

7. Tin Tem Jai (1/10 on Gaga)

I don't know when I am going to drop it, but the first episode was...not that good. I have no idea what is happening and why this little girl is everywhere...I just...I don't know...And Park looks annoyed like everytime he is on screen...

8. Utsukushii Kare Season 2 (3/4 on Gaga and Viki)

Yeah, I like it. And today my heart broke together with Kiyoi's.

Finished in February

Series

1. The New Employee (7/7 on Viki)

I thought it would be 8 episodes, but apparently there are only 7. Fine by me. I liked this one a lot. It felt mature and they did great with the communication. It is Woo Seung Hyun's first relationship, so of course he is sometimes a little bit overwhelmed and shy, but he learns and trusts and Kim Jong Chan helps him and also learns so much in the progress and they both are just so perfect for each other. It is a 8,5 out of 10 for me.

2. Love at the End of the World (9/9 on Gaga)

What the actual fuck have I just watched...I left my best friend 20!!! voice messages while watching this. Some scenes left me speechless, some depressed and some I couldn't take serious. I don't know why it had to be this graphic, but okay. The end of the world is near and we accompany four different couples through their last days on earth. And those last days are fucked up, just as this movie and its plot twists are. It is a 6,5 out of 10 for me, because sometimes I just like a fucked up story.

3. It's okay not to be okay (16/16 on Netflix - no bl)

I am not okay and that is totally okay...the moment Kim Soo-hyun smiled it blew me away and the acting and the story hit me with all its force and I am in love with this series. I love it so fucking much! I don't know how to get on from it right now. This series has such powerful messages and I love all the characters and all the ups and downs and all my painful tears and happy tears I shed, I love every moment, every single emotion I felt while watching it. So fucking good. If I could, I would give this 100/10, and yes, this is my blog and I can do what I want, but let's keep it real, I'll stick to my rating: This is clearly a 10 out of 10 for me.

4. Work from heart (7/7 on Youtube)

Well, this one was...cringy and boring? And the pacing was something else. I liked the chemistry between the main, but everything felt a little bit rushed. The ending was unexpected heated. The ex was a big red flag and really annoying at some point. 5,5 out of 10 for me

5. Individual Circumstances (8/8 on Viki)

After years spending their lives apart from each other an almost worn out movie director and a famous writer meet again. The past has to be processed and the writer deals with their history and present in one of his stories. It started strong and overall I like it, but what was that kiss in the end? Korea you can do better, we know that! It is a 7 out of 10 for me.

6. Ameiro Paradox (8/8 on Gaga)

Well it had its moments, but sometimes there was just no progress. It started in a good way, but I just lost interest halfway through. But it is not a bad series, just a little bit boring from time to time. A 6 out of 10 for me.

7. I Will Knock You (12/12 on Gaga)

Not gonna lie, I had my problems with this one. I can understand where people come from when they say it is good, because I get the message and that is a really beautiful one. Don't judge people without knowing anything about them. To change is not always bad. Some people can bring out the best in you and love doesn't judge and I guess some more, I can't think of right now. I enjoyed the second half of the series. But till the end, I didn't like the characters that much. So for me this is a 7 out of 10.

8. Sh**ting Stars (16/16 on Viki - no bl)

This is one of those dramas that put a huge smile on my face. I really liked it! It is funny and cute and Gong Tae Sung is the biggest, softest puppy in love out there! He is just so awwww! It is a good 9,5 out of 10 for me.

9. Lonely Connections (6/6 on Gaga)

This series left a feeling of solitude in my soul. I have to let you go, so you can be with the one who loves you. This series shows different kinds of romantic and sexual relationships, the different types of love and desire. Does it mean I love you when I have sex with you? Can I love someone and still desire someone else? At some point it is very explicit, so not for everyone. I liked the tone of the series. It is very artsy. Overall 7,5 out of 10 for me.

10. The Love that Dare Not Speak Its Name (6/6 on Gaga)

Well this was a quick one with a runtime of round about 15 minutes in total! But it told a whole story. The acting was a bit stiff and the dialogues were not that good. It is the story of two roommates who become friends and best friends and one day, out of the blue, one of them confesses. Well yeah...I really like the titel! 5,5 out of 10 for me.

11. Move to Heaven (10/10 on Netflix - non bl)

This is such a little gem. I have cried for like 8 hours straight. Such a fucking good and touching story! I want a second season! Now! But it is really a beautiful drama about growth and family and love and grief. One of the easiest 10 out of 10 ever!

12. Physical: 100 (9/9 on Netflix, non bl)

Well this was fun. Most of the fun came from watching with my best friend, but still. My last favorite came in third, so I am not that dissappointed 😅 and damn all of the contestens were strong af! I won't rate it, because, I don't know how 😅

13. Red Balloon (8/8 on Gaga)

Gaga is going to kick out a bunch of movies and series, among others also this series, so I took time today to watch it. It was sweet and heartbreaking and brutal and sad. It deals with a bunch of homophobia and mobbing and that was difficult to watch, especially because non of the teachers would really help...that was so frustrating. 7,5 out of 10 for me.

14. My School President (12/12 on Youtube)

It hurts so much to put it in my completed folder. This was such a wholesome series. There were no unnecessary cliffhangers, no unnecessary drama. The communication was superb! The characters were so well written and the character growth is just chef's kiss. I love every singel second of this series and I will come back to it, if I need something to comfort me. Because it is just wholesme and lovely and healing. And Tinn is the biggest, cutest green flag walking in bl-land. I adore him. I give it 20 out of 10, because that is what its deserve.

15. Never let me go (12/12 on Youtube)

I like this one. Yes, there were plotlines I don't understand. Palm, why did you have to leave, again? Just stay together, because alone both of you are unhappy! The best part of this one was definitive the chemistry between Pond and Phuwin. Those two did a really great job! 8 out of 10 for me

Short Film

1. Table Manner (on Gaga)

This one...I don't like it that much. It was a little bis boring. There was a sweet kiss, but the story was just not that interesting. 5,5 out of 10 for me

2. Plus Minus (on Gaga)

Not to be msitaken with the taiwanese Plus & Minus, this one is a Pinoy short film with a confusing plot. The time line is not linear and most of the times I didn't know when the scene took place. 5 out of 10 for me.

3. Firsts (on Gaga)

For everything there is a first time. Problems occure when you can't deny your desires anymore, when there is no going back for you. Then you have to be true to yourself. You can't pretend forever and you have to make a choice. A great short film that displays the intimacy and vulnerability really good through words and actions. 8 out of 10 for me

4. Pure Vanilla (on Youtube)

Such a sweet short film, just as the titel promised. Two coworkers who have feelings for each other, but don't know if the other person feels the same. Really cute. 9 out of 10 for me

5. One Afternoon (on Gaga)

It is a quiet short film with not much talking, but nevertheless is it quite intense. It is a different point of view than we usually get. We see most of the film through the eyes of the younger brother and how he deals with discovering that his brother loves another man. 7 out of 10 points.

Movie

1. Tinted with you (Viki)

A historical drama with time travelling and some really nice scenery. It is always difficult to tell a good time travel story. At some point I just had to stop thinking about all the problems which could come with the things they did, but okay. It is not a bad bl, but a little bit boring. For me it is a 6,5 out of 10.

Dropped/On Hold in February

1. Cutie Pie 2: You (2/4 on Youtube)

Oh this is so boring! I couldn't bring myself to watch any further, even though it only has four episodes and I watched with double speed...I was in love with the first season, before it lost me on the way with its sugary, lovey dovey washed story and this second one is just...no. I can do so much more with my time...

Looking forward to in February

Moonlight Chicken (Feb 8th)

Utsukushii Kare Season 2 (Feb 8th)

Marry My Dead Body (Feb 10th)

Egoist (Feb 10th)

Moments of Love (Feb 14th)

Boyband (Feb 16th)

Jack Frost (Feb 17th)

Bed Friend (Feb 18th)

Chains Of Heart (Feb 18th)

Island Season 2 (Feb 24th)

Tin Tem Jai (Feb 27th)

Café in Love

A Shoulder To Cry On (-Viki and Youtube page were created)

The Luminous Solution

Future

[ithinkilikeit-reactions]

You know why I love Kwak Dongyeon so much? ‘Cause he just seems like a dude who wandered into acting and is vibing. Therefore he is my new actor husband