#ji sung's acting was so good SO SO SO good!!!

[underthebrightmooninterests]

5 Amazing K-drama’s you might not have seen (kdrama recommendations)

These are all from the past few years and are all relatively recent.

#1: Flower Of Evil

Flower of Evil: 2020, 16 episodes

crime, romance

main leads: Lee Joon Gi & Moon Chae Won

summary: Although Baek Hee Sung is hiding a dark secret surrounding his true identity, he has established a happy family life and a successful career. He is a loving husband and doting father to his young daughter. But his perfect façade begins to crumble when his wife, Cha Ji Won, a homicide detective, begins investigating a string of serial murders from 15 years ago. Ji Won notices changes in Hee Sung’s behavior and begins to wonder if he could possibly be hiding something from her

Why i love it: I’ve been watching K-dramas for years and this drama is probably my favorite that I’ve ever seen. From the acting to the cinematography to the amazing plot twists. A female lead that isn’t annoying and dumb, a plot that isn’t unnecessarily dragged out and side characters as fleshed out and interesting as the main characters. Anyone with an interest in crime or action dramas has to have seen this masterpiece.

#2: Her Private Life

Her Private Life: 2019, 16 episodes

office romance, comedy

main leads: Park Min Young & Kim Jae Wook

summary:  A dedicated professional, Sung Deok Mi lives for her work as an art gallery curator. Devoting herself to her work, she is exceptional in every way, save one. Beneath that cool, professional facade, Deok Mi carries a dark secret. A secret she desperately wants to keep from the world. A secret that has driven lovers away. A secret that rules every moment of her personal life... 

Sung Deok Mi is the ultimate Cha Shi An fangirl. The devoted manager of a Shi An fansite, Deok Mi eats, breathes, and sleeps for Shi An. He is her sun, her moon. Her entire universe revolves around him. This is the secret Deok Mi must hide from the world. And hide it she does. At least until Ryan Gold, the art gallery’s new director, saunters into her life. A once famous painter, the former artist turned director considers himself an indifferent being, unconcerned with the lives of others. But when he uncovers Deok Mi’s secret, everything changes.

Why i love it: I HATE love triangles with a burning passion and haven’t seen popular dramas like ‘Love Alarm’ or ‘True Beauty’ purely because I feel like the love triangle is going to drive me insane. But ‘Her private life’ did the impossible and not only managed to make me still love the show despite the love triangle. But they also showed me how, if done right, a love triangle can be really fun! I genuinely like all the characters in this and I love how mature they go about the dynamics between the characters. And seeing a plot where the female lead is a fangirl and it’s not portrayed in a way that I feel like is offensive, makes the little fangirl inside of me really happy. All around this is a cute drama with just the right amount of angst. Every fangirl deserves a partner like Ryan Gold.

#3: Ghost doctor

Ghost doctor: 2022, 16 episodes

medical, fantasy, comedy

main leads: Jung Ji Hoon (Rain) & Kim Bum

summary: Cha Young Min is a genius doctor, with excelling skills at surgery, but he is arrogant and selfish. One day, he gets involved in an accident and due to this, his spirit possesses another doctor's body, Seung Tak. These two doctors are complete opposites, with opposite personalities and medical abilities. 

Young Min is arrogant and cold-blooded, only cares about his career and doesn't care about any of his patient's personal stories. Seung Tak is the luckiest and richest resident doctor whose grandfather is the founder of Myung-shin hospital and whose mother is the chairman of the hospital. Never wanting to be a good doctor, he becomes possessed by a ghost doctor.

Why I love it: I’ve always liked both Rain and Kim Bum as actors and I closely followed all their projects. So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered they were going to do a drama together. I mostly just love the concept of this drama. It pulls off the buddy comedy and fantasy elements perfectly. And even the emotional heartfelt moments and plot twists hit home the way they should. At the core of this story is the bromance between Rain and Kim Bum and I think the drama does a good job at making sure that the love-plotline doesn’t steal the attention away from it. All around, it’s a cute and funny drama that I have rewatched a few times and enjoyed every time.

#4: Under the Queen’s Umbrella

Under the Queen’s Umbrella: 2022, 16 episodes

historical, comedy, political

main lead: Im Hwa Ryung

summary: Within the palace exist troublemaking princes who cause nothing but headaches for the royal family and are about to be turned into proper crown princes. Their mother, Im Hwa Ryeong, is the wife of a great king. But instead of having an aura of elegance and grace, she is a prickly, sensitive, and hot-tempered queen. Once more serene, she changed since people kept pushing her buttons. She is a queen who sometimes abandons her pride and is even known to swear! Every day of her life is full of trials, but she withstands them all, for the sake of her children.

Why I love it: This is one of those dramas that I find difficult to describe. I intially scrolled past this on Netflix every time because the summary just didn’t appeal to me even though I love historical dramas. But then I saw someone on twitter talk about how underrated the show was and I decided to check it out. OMG, I can’t tell you happy I am that this person tweeted about it. The relationship between the queen and all her son’s and the way she steps up for them is just so *chef’s kiss*. Acting, cinematography, plot, this drama isn’t missing anything in my book.

#5: Weak Hero class 1

Weak Hero Class 1: 2022, 8 episodes

Action, school

main lead: Park Ji Hoon & Choi Hyun Wook & Hong Kyung

summary: Yeon Shi Eun is a model student who ranks at the top of his high school. Physically, Yeon Shi Eun appears weak, but by using his wits and psychology, he fights against the violence that takes place inside and outside of his school.

Why I love it: I’m not a very emotional person and don’t cry easily at things. But when I tell you that this drama BROKE ME. Omg, my sister and I were in shock for like three days after watching it. This drama is based on a webtoon and the show was so memorable that for the first time in my life I started reading a webtoon. This show centers around the friendship of the three main leads and how they deal with bullies, gangs and abuse. It’s been months since I first saw it and it’s still often on my mind. Definitelly recommended but maybe not to the faint of heart lol.

[aurum-rays]

When you rewatch most childhood movies, the cult classics, the nostalgia rides, I realize how sexist and problematic they were and I was secretly hoping Veer Zaara wasn't one of them(I watched it when I was like 10 so I don't remember). This movie surprised me.

Veer Zaara features strong, resilient female characters. Be it our protagonist Zaara played by Preity Zinta or the catalysts of the love story Saamiya (Rani Mukherjee) and Shabbo (Divya Dutta) or even Zaara’s mother (Kirron Kher) and her Bebe (Zohra Sehgal).

Zaara Hayaat Khan is a feminist, one who is against the societal norms laid for a woman. It's refreshing to see this in her introductory song "Hum to bhai jese hai wese rahengey" sung beautifully by Lata ji, but as this 3 hour musical drama progresses it gets disappointing to see Zaara whittle herself away to the same norms she was against in the first place.

Everyone around her constantly tells her it's her responsibility to be a good wife and a good mother and to guard the respect of their families. Zaara crosses the border to fulfill a final wish of her ‘BeBe’(grandmother) all by herself.

In the midst of a rescue operation, she demands her things be lifted off along with her all while hanging on to an Air Force professional in his uniform.

She pushes the crowded men away and speaks with authority "I have a ticket and I need to get on this bus". In all these instances Zaara is scared yet heroic. She phones her mother and tells her that all her life she didn't do anything and probably won't in the future too and will probably end up being just like her mother - a good wife and a good mother, so she wants to do this one thing so she can respect herself. This is what irked me. I understand she's from an orthodox family but she can still have dreams and ambitions. From the start of the movie, she is portrayed as a rebel, one who doesn't comply with societal norms and laughs in the face of stereotypes. I can only imagine how curious she would have been as a child. That alone is enough to give her some dreams.

She fearlessly tells Amitabh's character what he is doing is unfair to the girls. If I went to someone’s house for a day especially someone I barely knew I wouldn't even dare to question their acts. Zaara does and she makes him spellbound. She doesn't go “I'm just here for one day so I’ll just mind my own business and leave”. She questions the injustice. "Imagine what girls could do if they were given the right education. Some of them might even surpass Veer".

I loved Zaara in all these scenes. She fearlessly stands up against mistreatment and calls them out no matter who the other person is. All this makes you root for her until it doesn't.

In a scene where Saamiya visits Veer's (Shahrukh Khan) hometown and finds Zaara there, she says to Shabbo "Yeh kis sadi ke log hai… ?" (transl. “Which century are these people from?”)

That's exactly how I felt too. “Kon hai ye log? Kahan se aate hai?”( transl. Who are these people? Where do they come from?) Spending their whole lives in the name of the person they never got to be with. Sacrificing everything and working to fulfill someone else’s dream. Zaara has always been that kind of person. She crosses borders to fulfill her bebe's wish and gives all her life to fulfill Veer and his Tau’s wish. She keeps doing everything for others. She spends her life making others’ dreams come true. She lives her life in the memory of her lover. This also reminded me of Sita aka Princess Noor Jahan from Sitaramam (also maybe Madarasipattinam's Amy).

If Saamiya saw these women she'd again say "Kon hai ye log?"

Even after decades of releasing love stories on-screen this "sacrificing" trope hasn't changed and remains to be a classic which I am not a big fan of. Why do these characters not have any characterization of their own? (Zaara) even if they do, it all changes when a man comes into her life (Sita/Noor Jahan). Ultimately the heroin has to either die or spend her whole life in the memory of her Romeo. (Remember what Mr. Dashwood says to Jo in 2019’s Little Women?)

Maybe I don't understand love stories. Maybe I don't understand love? I don't know. But I think in real life none of us are that insane to write our whole life in someone else’s name and live and breathe just reminiscing our lost lovers, at least I am not. Maybe that is why these movies will remain classics because they are too insane to happen in real life.

[alloveydovey]

Blah blah, dramas of this month. This is the ACTUAL month of rewatch lol.

It’s Okay, That’s Love, 2014 (kdrama) 8.5

A psychiatrist who has issues getting intimate in her relationships meets a flirty famous author who might have a lot more issues than he lets on.

Okay, so, mixed feelings. It's very different from what I've seen before, so that's a good thing. It took me a while to get into it because I didn't like the secondary characters that much. One of them is 28 and is after a high schooler, and the other one has a whole family somewhere but lives with FL, ML, and the dude in love with the teenager-- and like? He's also in a weird relationship with his ex-wife. Maybe I can't take complex characters cause what is this man doing with his life? Or maybe that's part of the theme of this drama. What are we all doing? lmao, anyway. It's more adultish, and it deals with mental health. Zo In Sung and Gong Hyo Jin are great, their acting very natural, and their chemistry is fire. It did take me a while to end it, sooo... I don't know. I'm still not sure how to rate it. Overall good, though.

One Spring Night, 2019 (kdrama) (rewatch!) 9 ⭐

A librarian meets a pharmacist. She’s already in a relationship, and he has a kid outside of wedlock.

I guess this is where cultural differences collide. This drama would make absolutely no sense where I'm from. ML is a father whose girlfriend runaway after having the child... ok? Single parents (even young ones) are a common thing where I'm from. FL breaks up with her boyfriend, but he, her father, and his ex's father as well don't seem to get the memo and insist on a wedding... absolutely insane. I do get it, though. I get that in their culture, such things (maybe a little hyperbolic) happen, so I forego the cultural contrast and absolutely adore this drama. It's one of my favorites. And not just because of Jung Hae In (although, yeah, he was the reason I watched it the first time lol). The whole cast is amazing, you hate almost every man in it, but the women... the women are so worth it. Hae Ji Min is such an amazing and realistic FL. And the comfort... It's one of those cozy dramas perfect for watching every once in a while. Even the repetitive songs hit differently.

Because This is My First Life (kdrama) (rewatch!) 9

FL loses her job and on top of that doesn’t have where to live. ML wants monthly rent to keep up with his mortgage. A wedding contract ensues.

This is probably my favorite marriage contract/fake relationship drama. Also, the softest FL and ML ever. Even with their awkwardness, Jung So Min (I loooooove her) and Lee Min Ki manage to grasp you. My only two cons are the ending and one of the secondary couples. The unnecessary, always present separation between FL and ML. Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it doesn't. I feel like it might have made sense here, but at the same time it was one of the separations I hated most. Happy ending, though, so yay. I loved the girl with the bra problem and the sentimental boss, they were badass. But yeah, I hated the other secondary couple that broke up and made up over and over again. Extra notes: It was the first drama I saved music from lol.

Boys Over Flowers, 2009 (kdrama) (rewatch!) 7.5

Jan Di gets a scholarship at a rich kids' school and stands up to the F4, a group of popular guys who love to bully the shit out of everyone who they dim as bothersome.

I watched BoF when I was fourteen, and to be honest, I didn't remember much other than the fact that it wouldn't be one of those dramas I'd rewatch again. Well, let's ignore the fact that I'm here watching it again lol. I’m into 00s dramas lately, they’re kind of addictive so I had to re-check this one.

I didn’t remember Joon Pyo being so soft. I mean, still a menace to society, yes, but I think my mind got stuck with the first episodes and I low-key forgot that he actually falls for Jan Di way earlier in the drama and that he's just a caricaturized dumbass. And as for our FL, she could be a pain in the ass, but Jan Di could also be pretty fucking badass. Obviously the drama is way outdated, an adaptation from an even more outdated manga, and has a million red flags. Outside of that, I didn't think I'd be able to rewatch it. It gets extremely annoying at one point, but maybe the nostalgia won me over, and I low-key mostly enjoyed this. Extra notes: One of my favorite secondary couples/ Fuck Ji Hoo I never liked him lol.

Love in Contract, 2022 (kdrama) 8

FL works as a wife for hire. In between various clients, she’s had a consistent one for the past 5 years, a quiet and awkward man who she doesn’t know much about. Now, when she decides to retire, she has doubts about how to approach the end of their business relationship (fake marriage) with her longest and favorite husband/client.

I should stop reading drama reviews before watching them cause, unlike everyone else apparently, I enjoyed this drama a lot. Sure, it’s not perfect, but it’s far from being bad. The chemistry between Park Min Young and Go Kyung Pyo is everything. It also has an openly gay character who is possibly my new favorite character ever. It does drag at the end, but I don't think it diminishes the rating of the drama.

A Piece of Your Mind, 2020 (kdrama) 8.5

ML is trying to capture the personality of the woman he loves (but hasn’t seen in years) inside a device he invented. A classical music recording engineer ends up connecting with that same woman, and they both meet in— spoiler.

I admit I still haven’t finished this one but I’m really into it. Great story, great visuals, great OST. It’s a slow drama, but I feel like it’s meant to immerse you in its little melodrama world. It's both heartbreaking and comforting at the same time. Apparently, it has a low rating, and I can understand why it might be that way because it's a soft drama, but I absolutely adore it. Jung Hae In never disappoints. Also, Chae Soo Bin might be becoming one of my favorite Korean actresses.

Rich Man, Poor Woman, 2012 (jdrama) 8

Poor Woman is restlessly looking for a job and ends up working for the project of Rich Man’s company. Poor woman likes Rich Man. Rich Man is bratty and in serious need of social skills. However, fire chemistry ensues.

This drama was a surprise, for sure. The chemistry between the leads is amazing (old rom-com style), and the storyline itself, though sometimes focusing a little too much on the company and the partners-turned-rivals, is quite capturing. I did wish that it could concentrate a little more on the two leads and their romance since they were great together. I usually hate when dramas have their leads get together in the last episode (jdramas do this so much man) but here... well, I hated it, but it's okay cause they were cute af. (Also there’s a follow up movie apparently).

Haven't finished yet and don't know if I will ⬇️

Amidst a Snowstorm of Love, 2024 (cdrama) 8

ML falls in love at first sight with a girl in Finland. She plays billiard which is coincidentally the sport he gave up.

I have a lot of mixed feelings here because, yes, this is extremely romantic, which is what I always look for. The chemistry absolutely takes the cake, and the actors deal with it incredibly well. But... For me, love at first sight lacks substance. I rarely like it, and here, it felt like she liked him because he was good-looking and attentive (sometimes a bit too much... like back off, she's not a kid), and he liked her because... he just did. She obviously had great qualities but, yeah, I don’t know. I need a little friction to enjoy a good romantic drama. Also, it's not important, but I don't like billiards, so a lot of this was a bit boring for me. The writing felt also a bit off.

I might finish it because the characters and setting are interesting enough. Romance is cute and seems promising as well.

My Boss, 2024 (cdrama) 7

An inexperienced lawyer ends up sharing a flat with her boss after they accidentally rent the same place. Both are complete opposites.

This is actually from January, but I tried seeing if I'd be able to finish it now and still no. Back then I was looking forward to this one cause it seemed like a cute silly rom-com, but it might have been a little bit too much on the silly. The actors are okay, their chemistry is fine. I guess what really made me drop it was the writing. Which was not good... at all.

[quincyhorst]

DRAGON FIVE: Seol Hyeon Dae

More FD Bench, now with reserve DF Hyeon-Dae. Unfortunatey the one I have the less of, but I still like him anyway </3

He has three younger siblings who are eager for cinema as him, and they beg for in an appearance in his future movie. Hyeon-dae always keeps his promises, though he can't guarantee how good will their appareances be. (They are in dire need ofimproving some acting skills...)

At least they are good supporters of his soccer plays, so he appreciates that.

...He's actually the nicest guy of the whole group. He has no resentments, no self-pressure, no pettiness, no actual anger... He's just a guy with huge ambitions and that's it, as "vanilla" as that might sound. But that doesn't make him an outsider from the other benchers; in fact he does help keeping the group around most of the time.

Ji-Nan grew a liking for him because of that, and they like to hang out around the town when practice is over. Chung-yoon also likes to join in at times, liking to talk with Hyeon-dae (And to keep an eye over the keeper).

Sung-Joon is slightly harder to interact with to due to how much of a show-off he is, but HD did just fine by convincing him to appear in one of his movies; his future award being a "new step for Korean media" (At least that's his choice of words). Both a blessing and a curse, now SJ won't stop talking about that whenever he's with Hyeon-Dae, and how great of an actor he will be...

And while HD does know a lot about korean movies, he isn't very interested on K-Dramas. SJ is the one to talk with him about that.

...Meanwhile with Jung-Won he talked just a bit, but they seem to be in good terms. JW offers a lot of interesting technical information about cameras, surprisingly, so maybe a collaboration could happen in the future.

I guess he could be the "leader" of the benchers? Sung-Joon tends to claim that title himself given he's older, but all the rest believes Hyeon-Dae fits the role better. Even if he doesn't always know what to do most of the time (?

Final thing for now, but midway the asian eliminatories, he had quite the curious encounter in a japanese camera shop: With Adel Siddique, a bencher of the Qatari team with the same exact dream as his (Read their profiles pls). After having a nice conversation about filming equipment the two decided to keep in contact -be it phone numbers or the few social media of the era-. They are still on good terms in the future, but the truth is that they are now focused on their individual careers. Does this mean that they could end up competing for an award? Most likely. I won't say who gets to win the Oscar tho (?

A random tidbit that I want to add here to end is that, for some reason, Hyeon-Dae's 3D sprite made his pupils look like literal minuses ➖➖, similar to those of a goat. The anime went with an approach closer to his actual sprite; pupils still "blocky" but more normal-looking.

(Source for the pic)

Honestly the latter medium made him look so much better overall. That bowlcut can't be fixed tho, I'll say that (? 😭🙏

[kinetic-drama]

Ep. 1 – Our Beloved Summer

Our Beloved Summer is a k-drama that should be savoured slowly, in those late August days full of laziness and cravings of the May breeze. The two leads, Choi Ung (Choi Woo-shik) and Kook Yeon-soo (Kim Da-mi), are ex-lovers who never want to meet again. They met in high-school through the shooting of a reality show, where the top student, Yeon-soon, sits besides the one with the worst grades, Choi Ung. Fate – or, actually, a second season of the show – will bring them back together.

The brilliant banter and script is carried out by the lead actors impeccably, making the show enjoyable and light. The drama depicts a complicated relationship of two people different to their very core, the difficulty of communicating openly with the person you love, and the harshness of a break-up and the sweetness of a second chance. The rest of the cast is pretty much perfect in my opinion, and the cinematography is one of a kind, with aesthetic camera angles and unforgettable scenes. Truly a gem of its genre, this k-drama made me want to rewatch it over and over again, just for the excitement of walking with the characters through their journey of discovery of love and themselves.

If you've seen this drama and want to know more of my thoughts, keep reading below!

And here we talk about the serious stuff. In all honesty, this is one of my favorite k-dramas. Not only for its characters, tropes, and message, but also the aesthetic. You know I'm a sucker for pretty coloring, rain kiss scenes, contrasts of lighting, photography and addicting soundtrack. We need more dramas like this one, high-quality shooting paired with cured acting and an abundant amount of chemistry, pettiness, glances, side stories and character development.

It's one of the first k-dramas I've watched and one of the few I've felt the need to start again as soon as it was over, so it definitely holds a special place in my heart. I'd be lying if I said I didn't first start it because of its cast (I knew Kim Sung-cheol from literally one episode of Vincenzo and he was just too pretty), but finding out the trope was ex-lovers to enemies to lovers again – oh god. I was in love.

I usually hate love triangles, but this one was perfect??? The second male lead, Kim Ji-woong, has the most likeable character I've ever seen in a supporting role. He knows Choi Ung and Kook Yeon-soo still have some unresolved stuff to deal with and never tries to force his own unrequited feelings into their relationship, but his role never feels too shallow, maybe because of his personal life story and his closeness to the leads. At the end of the day, he knows he's just an observer, like he himself says, and accepts gracefully enough the line that separates him from being happy with the person he loves.

The rest of the supporting roles are perfect, from the leads' friends, family and co-workers and their relation with said people. Even the role of NJ, the idol who takes interest in Choi Ung, never comes off as plain and useless. And the lack of unnecessary conflict and misunderstandings and excessive jealousy is exactly what I adore about this k-drama.

About our main characters, I have a lot to say and at the same time so little. Their childish interactions and messy relationship, on the border between hate and love, create the perfect game of push and pull, all adorned with a great amount of chemistry and comic moments. This drama doesn't just tell the story of two characters, but through them shares the incommunicability between people, so different but still so similar. Neither of them are good with words and expressing feelings out loud, and neither of them seem to understand what the other needs to hear. It deals with the mutual hurt, awkwardness and resentment of a hash break-up that happens when both are still in love, they are just unable to deal with it. All this in contrast with the silent understanding of the messages brought by thoughtful actions, private smiles and small touches. It's all about finding happiness and love in those little, short moments, showing a certain side of yourself to that person only, in the case of the cold Kook Yeon-soo, or letting your world be shaken to the core and feeling alive once that person comes around, in the case of the quiet Choi Ung. But as the k-drama demonstrates, most times only actions are not enough.

This view of love, in my opinion, is what sets this show apart and makes it a must-watch.

[kdrama-movies-more]

My Sweet Mobster Director- Kim Young-Hwan : Interview

[1][2][3]

(google translate)

- It ended with the highest topicality. I watched the last episode with the actors and staff, so it seems like they were very close.

"I keep in touch with the Deerz on a regular basis. Actor Kwon Yul couldn't come because he had to film overseas, but when I contacted them, they all came."

- Who first suggested we meet?

"The production company CEO and I are close because we were college classmates. I wanted to repay him in numbers, but I feel bad because it only became a hot topic. Still, I think he liked the work as a whole, and since it became a hot topic, I thought we could all get together and watch it, so I contacted him. I personally contacted the lead actors, and actor Taegu said that his company contacted him first. It was difficult to gather the entire staff, but the key staff came."

- The atmosphere must have been really good.

"I've been working as an assistant director for so long that I always wanted the atmosphere on set to be bright, so I talked and laughed a lot on set. I also talked a lot with the actors on set so that they could act comfortably. As a result, the atmosphere was relatively good."

- Casting actor Uhm Tae-goo was a bit unexpected. It felt like an adventure, but what aspects did you look for when casting him?

"I also thought it was an adventure on the first day, but the power of three women was a big factor in turning actor Um Tae-goo into Seo Ji-hwan. First of all, writer Na Kyung is a personal fan of actor Um Tae-goo. She may not have written it with him in mind, but she said she wanted actor Um Tae-goo to play the main character. Production company CEO Kim Jung-mi handed me the book, and it was decided when she gave it the okay. I was filming another drama at the time, so I couldn't see the script, but before I saw the script, I had questions about Um Tae-goo's romantic comedy. However, when I read the script, there was a lot of talk about prejudice in the plan. It's a story about a former gangster who becomes very lovely. I personally thought it was possible because I was impressed by actor Um Tae-goo's 'little stories'. So I pushed ahead. At that time, SLL's Park Sung-eun, the head of the production company, had the same thought as the production company CEO. She thought it would be refreshing. After reading the script, she put a lot of effort into the programming. The power of the three women was that big."

- Actor Tae-goo also said in an interview that he was thankful for the work because he was cast in the romantic comedy genre thanks to 'A Little Story'. Are there any similarities between that work and 'A Woman Who Plays With Us'?

"The actor himself finds acting like that really hard. He had a really hard time when we filmed a short film. He said that when I first met him, he saw potential in that project. He said that because of his personality, that kind of thing was really hard for him. That acting was about a woman he had a crush on who couldn't contact him for a long time, getting angry, and he had a hard time figuring out if that emotion was right. But I remember him saying that he was thankful that I understood that. When we were filming this drama, he had a really hard time until the first 10 episodes. But he was a good actor, so he kept going in the end. I've co-directed about 10 projects, and out of all the actors I've worked with, I did the most takes and filmed the most. I put a lot of effort into getting the tone and manner right."

- He said he wasn't sure when he was filming or even after filming.

"I also edited parts 1 and 2 for a long time, but I wasn't sure either. I wondered if people would prefer and like this look. There are many reasons, but I wondered if the loner would work, and if I could go with the image of Ji-hwan as a character like this, so I asked a lot of the opinions of the female staff members on the production team. I tried to find a middle ground."

- What did you tell the actor?

"I talked a lot with actor Tae-goo on set. Since he always had a lot of worries, I told him a lot of things like "You can do it" and "What you're doing is right" to give him confidence. Since the acting was always different every time we acted, we ended up using a lot of jump cuts in the editing. I think I thought the most and paid the most attention to making the actor Uhm Tae-goo look like Ji-hwan. I wanted to make Ji-hwan look lovable and cool. I really loved Ji-hwan."

- There were a lot of cute and sensible edits, and the viewers really liked them.

"If it weren't for actor Uhm Tae-goo, I would have edited it less. Of course, there were a few scenes that were intentional, but I think most of it was edited to match what the actor acted."

- Do you also monitor communities and SNS a lot?

"It's really hard. I stayed up all night. I thought, 'Is it just me having fun? Is it just us having fun?', 'They say it's fun, but why aren't the numbers coming out?', and I also thought that there were some points where it was difficult to overcome the barrier between Part 1 and Part 2. In particular, there were some differences of opinion in Part 1. Some thought it would be better to go with a lively feel as much as possible, so I personally feel regretful. It was a bit crazy, so I was worried a lot. There were parts where it was difficult to overcome the hurdles because there were excessive settings and things that had to be pointed out in the beginning, so I feel regretful. Nevertheless, the viewers watched it well, and even adults, including my mother, said that they fell in love with actor Um Tae-goo. When I called my mother the next day after Part 16 ended, she said, "I just found out about actor Um Tae-goo, and at first I couldn't hear his voice well, but at some point I got into it and wanted to see him again." My mother, who is over 70, said that actor Um Tae-goo is the most charming and cool male actor she's seen recently. My mother-in-law's friends also fell for actor Uhm Tae-goo's charm. I thought it was only the young people who fell for it, but it was surprising."

- Is this the first time your mother has said something like that?

"It's my first time. I've worked with many top actors, but back then, he only said, 'It was really fun,' but this is the first time he expressed his affection for an actor."

- In fact, Seo Ji-hwan is a character that I think is filled with 'coolness'. I think the writer wrote him with a lot of selfishness.

"I think it might be because the writer is such a fan, but the initial planning intention and script direction also changed a bit. I wanted to focus on the initial love triangle. Hyun-woo was a minor character in the first draft. Actor Um Tae-goo's romance could be an adventure for me too, so I needed someone who could create a stable romance line. That's why I asked actor Kwon Yul. This was my first time working with him, but if you look at his previous works, he's quite stable and smart. I wanted to cast him with slightly contrasting images, with actor Um Tae-goo doing a romantic comedy, alcoholic actress Han Sun-hwa playing a cute girl, and actor Kwon Yul, who has played a lot of villain roles, playing a prosecutor. Since it's a drama that deals with prejudice and stereotypes, I created that combination of three people and cast the rest of the actors."

- I can't help but praise actress Han Sun-hwa. She portrayed the character very lovably and received good reviews, but what did the director think of actress Han Sun-hwa?

"When casting, I looked up all of his previous works and thought that his character interpretation was so great. We had a meeting and said, "Let's do it," and we did a script reading right away. I think his character interpretation and expression were amazing. As fans will know from watching the making-of, the script is very dense. He worries a lot about whether to raise or lower his voice, and he prepares a lot. You never know where actor Um Tae-goo will go. It's different during rehearsal and different when we start shooting. He accepted all of this well. That's why I'm the most thankful and grateful."

- I heard that actor Uhm Tae-goo doesn't look at the script on set because he memorizes it all. So I thought he acted according to the rules, but that wasn't the case?

"It depends on the temperature, humidity, and atmosphere of the day, and also on how the other person acts. Actress Han Sun-hwa receives all of that, reacts, and really holds the central axis well. That's why I always say thank you. In the end, this drama has to have Ji-hwan be cool, and she made that happen. She's really lovely."

- Have you ever told actor Uhm Tae-goo this?

"I did it once. I thought that the acting tone of an actor can't be the same, so I said, "Han Sun-hwa is working really hard, so we need to love her more, cherish her, and cheer her on." In the romantic comedy genre, when the female lead has a hard time, the male lead shows up pitifully and shows off his coolness. So I told the actors on set, "We need to be thankful to Eun-ha." The female actor had to film continuously from the first call to the last, meet Hyun-woo and Ji-hwan, meet the deer cubs, and play with the kids. Because she had to do so much, I put a lot of effort into making sure Eun-ha didn't lose energy. Actors Um Tae-goo and Kwon Yul also helped a lot."

- Since there is a romantic comedy as well as a film noir, I think a lot of effort was put into striking a balance between the two genres.

"The story would be too shallow to aim for just a typical romantic comedy, so I wanted to add in parts that viewers would find cool and like from Ji-hwan's narrative. I had no doubt that that part was (actor Uhm Tae-goo's) specialty. That's why I discussed it with the writer here and there and added a lot of it. In particular, the scene where he confronts Hyun-woo is not simply a confrontation between two men who like Eun-ha, but a scene that can add weight to the story of a prosecutor and a former gangster."

- Is there a scene that was the most difficult or took the most effort to film?

"I thought the playground scene was the identity of our drama, so I prepared the most. We rehearsed a lot. Actor Tae-goo had a hard time at that time. It was the scene where Ji-hwan first lets loose in front of Eun-ha. Although Eun-ha is a woman who plays with him, I thought the most and paid the most attention while reading the script in order to express the image of a man who wants to play there. I wanted to film cherry blossoms falling. It was also hard because the weather was cold. That's why I feel the most attached to it, and it became a turning point for our drama."

- Actor Uhm Tae-goo said that the scene where he appears while being hit by the wind was the most difficult.

"I filmed much more than what was in the script. Since it was my first time as a solo lead, I felt a lot of pressure about the amount of lines. I felt it was hard for me because I had to go back and forth between being serious and relaxed. You could see that it was hard. And I couldn't say anything about this scene. The script says that it comes in cleanly, but since Eun-ha and Ji-hwan start dating and the biggest part is their hair and outfits, I think they were really surprised because I filmed it too much. We filmed Eun-ha entering first, and she's so quick-witted. But Ji-hwan was having a really hard time, so I told him to "do it with confidence."

- In fact, Seo Ji-hwan is a character that I think is filled with 'coolness'. I think the writer wrote him with a lot of selfishness.

"I think it might be because the writer is such a fan, but the initial planning intention and script direction also changed a bit. I wanted to focus on the initial love triangle. Hyun-woo was a minor character in the first draft. Actor Um Tae-goo's romance could be an adventure for me too, so I needed someone who could create a stable romance line. That's why I asked actor Kwon Yul. This was my first time working with him, but if you look at his previous works, he's quite stable and smart. I wanted to cast him with slightly contrasting images, with actor Um Tae-goo doing a romantic comedy, alcoholic actress Han Sun-hwa playing a cute girl, and actor Kwon Yul, who has played a lot of villain roles, playing a prosecutor. Since it's a drama that deals with prejudice and stereotypes, I created that combination of three people and cast the rest of the actors."

- I can't help but praise actress Han Sun-hwa. She portrayed the character very lovably and received good reviews, but what did the director think of actress Han Sun-hwa?

"When casting, I looked up all of his previous works and thought that his character interpretation was so great. We had a meeting and said, "Let's do it," and we did a script reading right away. I think his character interpretation and expression were amazing. As fans will know from watching the making-of, the script is very dense. He worries a lot about whether to raise or lower his voice, and he prepares a lot. You never know where actor Um Tae-goo will go. It's different during rehearsal and different when we start shooting. He accepted all of this well. That's why I'm the most thankful and grateful."

- I heard that actor Uhm Tae-goo doesn't look at the script on set because he memorizes it all. So I thought he acted according to the rules, but that wasn't the case?

"It depends on the temperature, humidity, and atmosphere of the day, and also on how the other person acts. Actress Han Sun-hwa receives all of that, reacts, and really holds the central axis well. That's why I always say thank you. In the end, this drama has to have Ji-hwan be cool, and she made that happen. She's really lovely."

- Have you ever told actor Uhm Tae-goo this?

"I did it once. I thought that the acting tone of an actor can't be the same, so I said, "Han Sun-hwa is working really hard, so we need to love her more, cherish her, and cheer her on." In the romantic comedy genre, when the female lead has a hard time, the male lead shows up pitifully and shows off his coolness. So I told the actors on set, "We need to be thankful to Eun-ha." The female actor had to film continuously from the first call to the last, meet Hyun-woo and Ji-hwan, meet the deer cubs, and play with the kids. Because she had to do so much, I put a lot of effort into making sure Eun-ha didn't lose energy. Actors Um Tae-goo and Kwon Yul also helped a lot."

- Since there is a romantic comedy as well as a film noir, I think a lot of effort was put into striking a balance between the two genres.

"The story would be too shallow to aim for just a typical romantic comedy, so I wanted to add in parts that viewers would find cool and like from Ji-hwan's narrative. I had no doubt that that part was (actor Uhm Tae-goo's) specialty. That's why I discussed it with the writer here and there and added a lot of it. In particular, the scene where he confronts Hyun-woo is not simply a confrontation between two men who like Eun-ha, but a scene that can add weight to the story of a prosecutor and a former gangster."

- Is there a scene that was the most difficult or took the most effort to film?

"I thought the playground scene was the identity of our drama, so I prepared the most. We rehearsed a lot. Actor Tae-goo had a hard time at that time. It was the scene where Ji-hwan first lets loose in front of Eun-ha. Although Eun-ha is a woman who plays with him, I thought the most and paid the most attention while reading the script in order to express the image of a man who wants to play there. I wanted to film cherry blossoms falling. It was also hard because the weather was cold. That's why I feel the most attached to it, and it became a turning point for our drama."

- Actor Uhm Tae-goo said that the scene where he appears while being blown by the wind was the most difficult.

"I filmed much more than what was in the script. Since it was my first time as a solo lead, I felt a lot of pressure about the amount of lines. I felt it was hard because he had to go back and forth between being serious and relaxed. You could see that it was hard. And I couldn't say anything about this scene. The script says that it comes in cleanly, but since Eun-ha and Ji-hwan start dating and the biggest part is their hair and outfits, I think they were really surprised because I filmed it too much. We filmed Eun-ha entering first, and she's so quick-witted. But Ji-hwan was having a really hard time, so I told him to 'do it with confidence.'"

- Actor Uhm Tae-goo is famous for being quiet. Was he like that when he communicated on set?

"It's a short answer. There are no real words. If he feels something different from what he thought, he explains, but that rarely happens and he always says, 'Yes, I'll try'. About 80% of the conversations I've had have been like that."

- I heard don't use KakaoTalk either. Is it the same when making phone calls?

“I tend to talk on the phone, but on set, it seems to be a bit like that. Because he is a very considerate friend, I feel sorry for having to do many takes and making the staff and actors wait, so I say, “I will try.” “We always talked on the phone before important scenes, and since we were filming every day, we talked about the script and the tone and even asked questions about things we didn’t understand, so we stayed like that until the end of filming.”

- I think I was so shy during the interview that I just kept looking at the top of my head. (Laughs)

"But he keeps trying, so sometimes he talks a lot. He chats a lot with people he is comfortable with. In particular, he talks a lot with actor Kwon Yul because he has been close with him since 'Ingtoogi'. In the case of actor Kwon Yul, he is a relative person. He is a very funny and smart actor who plays the role of mood maker because he has a lot of time to spare.”

- The cast of Deer was also new and fun. How did you cast them?

"I think I auditioned and met with hundreds of people in a month. I met and talked to at least 100 people for each character. Actor Yang Hyun-min, who plays Jae-soo, said it would be difficult because he was cast in 'Lovers' first, but I asked him. I thought he was the only friend who could help me maintain my balance. I also thought of an image of Man-ho that looked scary but also cute. I met a lot of friends who had that kind of expression and caught their smiles while chatting with them. I cast actor Lee Yoo-joon, who fit the role best. Dong-hee is a pretty boy, so I thought I'd choose an idol from the beginning. I met a lot of idols, but actor Jae-chan definitely has a genius side. His gaze and expressions don't come out calculated, but rather, they come out as if they're immersed in the character. I regret not being able to devote much screen time to him because the story of Dong-hee unfolds later. The role of Hong-ki is a conman who is lovable, so I had the most auditions, and I was cast last. Actor Moon Dong-hyuk didn't have much material on his acting, but as we talked, I realized that he also has a genius side. I judged that he would be able to show it on set, so I cast him last. "I casted it."

- I think it was a really refreshing combination, as they put a lot of effort into casting. And the actors really played their roles well.

"Our biggest role is to create a scene where those guys can act as comfortably as possible. In the case of 'Disgusting,' which people liked, the situation in the script was over, but that scene was so boring. There's a scene where they peel tangerines, but if the scene ended like that, it would be too bland, so we suggested doing one more take. I said, 'Honestly, I don't know what to do, but let's do one more take and say something.' When Mi-ho (played by Moon Ji-in) called Jae-soo 'Disgusting,' he said, 'What's disgusting?', 'It's a good thing,' and then 'It's disgusting, bro.' I was confident that this scene was right. It was a scene that was created through ad-lib."

- I think there were a lot of other ad-libs too.

"The "Let's go, baby!" that fans like a lot is also an ad-lib by actor Tae-goo, "Oppa will cook ramen." We were filming under a time crunch, and "Let's go, baby" was the end, so it felt bland and boring. I prepare a lot, but at the time, I thought that just following the script would be effective, so I didn't prepare anything separately. But I was bored. So I said, "I'm sorry, but let's go one more time," and that came out on the third try. In the fourth part, there's a line where he says, "Do you want to eat ramen before you go?" I think I remembered that moment. When he was taking me there, he suddenly said, "Oppa will cook ramen," and I thought, 'That's right.' Actor Kwon Yul also said, "Are you crazy?" for real."

- One of the scenes that was personally impressive was when Ji-hwan peeled a tangerine for Eun-ha. It was so lovely and cute that I told actor Um Tae-goo about it, and he said, "The script only said that he peeled a tangerine." He then said, "I was worried if he would accept that kind of scene, but I'm glad (that he said it was good)."

"That's right. The script only says he peels a tangerine, but that's the first time I've seen someone peel a tangerine like that. That's just Uhm Tae-goo."

- The ending scene was also refreshing. I thought it was a fake ending because it was a drama. Whose idea was it?

"It wasn't in the original script. It was just about running to play with the kids, but since it's our drama, I thought we could do anything. It's a scene that comprehensively reflects the opinions of so many people. I wanted to show that this drama is really over as I take off my Burberry coat. And I wanted to express that it's a so-called 'traditional drama' that doesn't lose that from the beginning to the end. But it would be boring if I just ran, so I asked for opinions from 20 to 30 people. I'm close friends with director Nam Dong-hyeop of the movie 'Handsome Guys.' I told him that the ending was boring and asked him for ideas. After combining so many people's opinions, this scene came out. People say that the director is the captain of a drama, but I don't really agree with that. I think it's a collaborative effort, so I try to listen to many people's stories."

- Did director Nam Dong-hyeop give you any feedback?

"I've watched 'Handsome Guys' 5 times. That friend of mine also went through a lot and enlisted. But that friend didn't watch it. He watched parts 3 and 4 not long ago and called me and said, "Parts 3 and 4 were so much fun." That friend has been busy lately, but we still met once or twice a week without fail, and we've been encouraging and cheering each other on since before, telling each other that we can do it."

- The overseas response to 'Playful Woman' is also very good. Do you feel that?

"They say that, but I haven't been overseas yet, so I haven't felt it yet. Something like this happened before. I co-directed the SBS drama 'Today's Webtoon.' It didn't do well in Korea, but after it ended, I went on a trip to Vietnam. 'Today's Webtoon' did really well in Vietnam. They suddenly upgraded our hotel room to a sweet home. I thought, 'So this is how it goes when a drama does well overseas. The actors must be really happy.'"

- 'Today's Webtoon' is a bit disappointing in the ratings, but it is a very good drama without any provocative elements, and it is also a work that is encouraging. In particular, I was impressed by actor Kim Do-hoon's good acting in that work.

"Actress Kim Se-jeong worked really hard, so I feel sorry. And I received more comfort from her. It's also one of the driving forces behind my directing. Working with top actors and creating high-quality works is meaningful, but I feel a greater sense of accomplishment when I find friends who haven't been given many opportunities yet, create something with them, gain strength, and receive support. I first met actor Kim Do-hoon on SBS's 'Doctor John', and even though my schedule didn't allow it because I was also on KBS's 'Love According to the Law', I asked him to do 'Today's Webtoon' with me. I was grateful that actor Kim Do-hoon worked so hard. I knew he would do well. He also just came and did the special appearance in episode 15 of 'Playful Woman'. It wasn't a prior arrangement, but he readily came when I told him we were filming. He's a friend I'm really grateful for. I also recommended him for 'Handsome Guys'."

- Do you have any plans for your next work?

"I'm thinking about romantic comedies right now because I want to do something that people can watch comfortably and enjoyably. There are many people who are good at making genre films. I've been working as an assistant director for a long time and have done a lot of works that are relatively close to genre films. There are a lot of people who like them, but I'm getting a little worn out. I'm only concerned about how to kill someone or how to kidnap them. I think I need to tell a warm story when there are so many genre films. Since I've done it once, I think I can do better next time. I'm looking for romantic comedy books and talking to two places."

- Is there anything you would like to say to the viewers who have given you so much support and love?

"I'm so grateful for all the love and support. They even created directorial intentions that I hadn't even thought of. They even made up nicknames and cheered me on, which really helped me out. It was a time when I was so grateful and happy to think that our drama is really loved by so many people. On the last day of the broadcast, we all watched it together and said that we worked hard, and I wondered what we could do to make the viewers feel less regretful after the drama ended. Even now, we're thinking about what we can do, and they have all the props from the drama. I'm talking to the channel about signing the props and giving them out to the fans."

- So, is there a fan reaction that you remember the most?

"Personally, I wasn't really sure about this scene. It was the scene where he falls on the grass and confesses to Eun-ha. We did a lot of takes, but I wondered if it was okay for the male lead to confess to the female lead like this. I worried a lot about whether viewers would take it as a nerd, and whether the male lead would seem weak or uncool. I edited that scene a lot, did all the music, and spent a long time in the post-production. I intentionally did the deer scene. I wanted it to become really cool after that. Since it was a confession scene that no one had ever seen before, the viewers saw me as a nerd. I was so grateful. I was so grateful to actor Tae-goo at that time. We talked a lot about that scene. It was a confession scene that was more atypical than I had expected. I also said, "Just one more time, just one more time," and the actor said that we should do it one more time when we finished filming that day and were filming another scene in the same place. So we re-filmed the confession scene a few days later. We mixed the final cuts and used them."

- I think it turned out to be a good scene because so much effort was put into it.

"That's right. The person I cared about more than my own family was actor Uhm Tae-goo. He's the person I cared about the most in this world, and I spent the most time on him. I monitored and looked at him the most. I think it was close to 20 hours out of 24, but after filming, I only checked and watched the scenes where Ji-hwan appears in the office."

- Isn't this the last time you cried when we filmed and parted ways?

"During the last shoot, embarrassingly, tears flowed down my face without me realizing it."

- Then I think you would like to work together again in another drama.

"Of course. If I get the chance, I want to meet all the actors again, not just the three of them. In particular, actor Yang Hyun-min is my persona. He is a friend who took charge of the stories, gags, and everything I wanted to say. I was so grateful that the actors did such a good job analyzing the characters. There were so many times when I was grateful. When I read a book and see actors who go above and beyond in their emotional lines or acting, I am moved. I think, 'They're doing this like this?' I received so much strength from the actors while filming this drama, and I think that was the driving force that allowed me to film without losing my original intention until the end."

[sungvis]

⚠️; crying, overstimulation, use of toys, name calling,mean! jisung etc. (reader is a female!)

"Sungie— i can't take it-" you were at the edge of the bed with jisung standing in front of you your body was weak and shaky you had about two orgasms almost going on your third and how was that?, The answer is a vibrator the vibrator was buried deep inside of you destroying you completely "well too bad you gonna have to take it yea?" He scoffed at you which made you whine but he didn't care you've been a Total brat to him teasing him, talking back and more so he just snapped and decided to punish you. Once you felt a knot in your stomach you knew you were gonna cum obviously "gonn- gonna cum" "go ahead brat, cum" from the last two experiments of cumming you were kinda embarrassed and probably because you went to a girl who was confident and bratty All the way to his submissive little slut jisung always had power over you he made you feel weak and small.

Once the wave of pleasure hit you you were so close to screaming, it felt like the pleasure went all over your body your legs were now sticking together as they got even more shaky from your previous orgasm, Han spread your legs apart as he took the vibrator out of you, you squirmed as he took out of you "Sungie..I need your cock I've waited too long" you complained "well I don't think you deserve it, the way you've been acting is not helpful for you to have my cock hun..., but I have an idea tho but first beg for me to fuck you" Jisung sounded plain "go ahead" "please fuck me I need you.. please " "good enough" jisung pushed you upper body down then dragged you towards him, .. jisung lined himself between your legs letting himself in your cunt, you moaned when he went deeper and deeper into you cunt "shit, your so fucking tight" he was not giving you time to adjust he just started at fast pace "ji—sung-ah" you moaned loudly when jisung stated going faster you felt so much pleasure you wanted to cry it was way too much to handle and before you know your eyes are blurry and once you blink there is tears falling down your cheeks "aww is my baby crying, is it to much?" He said sarcastically "too m-ahh fuckk" You sobbed try to push him away softly"well too bad, Hun I'm not stopping until I'm satisfied" han circled his thumb on your clit, it made it more effective you felt sensitive from the other times you couldn't take it no more but before you knew it you came, you moan his name loudly. Han stopped for a second then started to thrust faster then he did before "j-ji"

"I said I will stop when I'm satisfied.."

[dangermousie]

Empress Ki ep 2 aka Ji Chang Wook conducting the world's most expert scene stealing operation since Kim Nam Gil as Bidam in Queen Seon Duk

Seriously, even back when I was first watching the drama, and assuming with everyone else that the main thrust was going to be Wang Yu x Sung Nyang, I sat up and went...wait a minute at the way JCW basically took over the whole thing in ep 2; every time he appeared, the drama just got about five times better and it wasn't in the least bad without him.

Anyway, everyone is ready to conduct business as usual, the Korean delegation to escort the political headache that is the Yuan exiled heir to the throne, the heir's guards to continue so they can conveniently murder him as per orders and get rid of a potential problem AND get an excuse to attack Goryeo. Except annoyingly, Togon just won't cooperate and continue on his trip to be murdered, like a good little prince.

Bayan, the general in charge's reaction is predictable:

Taltal (hi, Taltal, I love you later btw!) is somewhat more discerning:

Nah, claims Bayan. Man, if someone was ever justified to go on a full murder spree on his court, it's Togon. I am rooting for you, young man!

Oh well, we will murder him a day later decides Bayan. He probably gets overtime. Except oops, next day...

Of course the murder bros don't trust it so they check his pulse and he IS weak for real. (We later find out it's because he's literally starving himself, having the eunuch eat it in secret or throw it out also in secret.)

And then Togon totally shows his deliciously manipulative streak, by bringing up his late father to Bayan (who recently reminisced that he misses the old Khan who he was loyal to, so he's not super excited about murdering his son per El Timur's orders tho he will of course do it.)

And then he asks for a favor and the general tenses because nostalgia or no, he's gonna carry out his murder orders. Except Togon asks for...snacks. Acting like a spoiled little kid. You can see Bayan be hit with relief and contempt in equal measure.

Bayan's eyes are rolling so hard they are about to fall out. He's got a busy schedule of murder, he's not planning to fatten up the victim beforehand.

And then this gentleman volunteers to help look for them. I swear to God, Togon was born to be a troll.

And now we find out this is an excuse for him to disappear without it being suspicious, so he can arrange for Togon to escape and not be murdered. Pretty petulant boy is not a moron, after all.

God, he is so ridiculously pretty!

[imswansong]

Sexual/Sacred Joke (Translated)

This is an 18+ Vogue interview from 2010 with Shin Hakyun so read at your own risk

Shin Hakyun appears in Director Lee Hae-young’s sex-fantasy film Festival as a macho man who is preoccupied by size. In order to surprise this quiet, bashful actor who only opens his mouth on screen, I threw at him some mischievous questions filled with sexual innuendos. 

Now, the readers won’t be interested in your serious narrative. So let’s pretend that this interview is one big sex joke, and play a game. 

Ah… Okay, hehehe (he sounds like he doesn’t understand).

Do you think all directors are perverts?

Us filmmakers, we all have perverted tendencies. We just live quietly without showing them.

Live without showing… So you admit that you have perverted tendencies. 

I don’t know. But I’m certain that those tendencies are provoked by the directors.

Actors occasionally seem to feel pleasure by swinging a whip or shooting semen all over the place on screen. You attempted a threesome in Thirst, right? I do think it’s heartbreaking that you had your wife taken from you by a vampire, but wickedly, you were lying in between Song Kangho and Kim Okbin.

They were tangled up in each other’s pleasure and ended up killing me before finally having sex, and I involuntarily found myself on the bed between them. It wasn’t my intention.

Hm hm, are you prepared to speak about the filthy desire sitting in your heart at any moment?

No. Expelling that filthy desire through acting is enough.

What do you think about the comedic expulsion in Joint Security Area and Save the Green Planet?

You’re talking about older things. They are merely victims. They are abnormal people who were driven to insanity by society.

Do you act for communication or pleasure?

Communication 6, pleasure 4. I’m not good at communicating. I was born that way. I wasn't able to tell my stories since childhood.

So you’re very repressed.

Is it a problem that I don’t have much to say? I’m saying that I have a big desire to communicate, but I don’t want to express that through speech.

I understand. But we all have to say something. That’s how interviews work. Should we talk about the center of acting-based pleasure? Is it the mouth? Hands? Ears? Chest?

The brain. The brain becomes very sensitive… and the cells roar, I don’t know how to describe it.

Try your hardest to think about what to say.

So… This is… Just, it’s like that. It definitely feels like something is being relieved…

Let’s say it’s the feeling of ejaculating. Then what about size?

Size?

A man’s size.

In Festival, this guy is a macho cop who has no hopes or plans for the future. We don’t know if he says he’s big because his genitals are actually big, or if he’s actually not that big but is lying instead. Like most men do.

How about you?

Me? I don’t think size and confidence are directly proportional. Saying that makes me feel smaller for some reason.

Oh! You don’t feel like someone who's small. So you don’t need a Na Hoon-A-esque performance. But are sexual confidence and sexual jokes directly proportional to each other?

I tend to only listen.

Are you saying you’ve never told a sex joke before?

There are many times I don’t talk at all in any situation.

Have you read erotic novels? Ones like Let’s Go! To the Rose Inn by Ma Kwang-soo, Try Lying to Me by Jang Jung-il, The Road to the Racetrack by Ha Il-ji. 

I like classic novels. I’ve been re-reading The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky and King Lear and Othello by Shakespeare.

I expect nothing less. You starred in this movie with Oh Dalsoo, Sung Dongil and Ryu Seungbeom. Their sexual tendencies are also diverse. Sung Dongil prepares a whip and handcuffs and waits to be dominated, Ryu Seungbeom who loves dolls more than women, fairy Oh Dalsoo who wears laces and moves around gently…

I’m so jealous of those actors. They’re really funny if you see them on set. They act and talk freely. But compared to Oh Dalsoo, I’m a talker.

I know that Shin Hakyun and Oh Dalsoo fall in a similar category. In comparison to Sung Dongil and Ryu Seungbeom who are always hopping about, you two are pure, silent, and internal perverts. How was it with Won Bin, who you filmed My Brother with?

That guy talks less than me. He’s really quiet, to the point where I’m curious [about him]. I heard he likes games, but… when compared to him, I think I would have to keep from talking more.

Oh, but not now! How much do you consider women’s feelings?

Women’s feelings? I’m happy when the other person is happy. I work hard to satisfy the woman. Depending on the situation, I would use various actions and techniques.

How would you feel if you found your lover’s vibrator?

In the movie, I see it in secret and pretend not to know. I’m an unconfident person who even failed his examination for promotion, so size matters more to him, and thus he is hurt by his lover owning a vibrator.

I read Park Min-gyu’s novel recently and it had a similar story. A car salesperson returned home and asked for a meal, and his wife asked “Haven’t you eaten yet?” which made him go ballistic and cause a scene in their house. At that moment, he finds a vibrator in their closet. His mind goes blank and he runs away from home, sailing off to the moon.

I understand. But sexual capability isn’t too important to me, so I think I would be fascinated by the vibrator. [I would ask] Where did you get this? Do you normally use it? Is it good? I would respect it as it’s a form of play that doesn’t pertain to the man’s abilities.

Are you closer to a sadist or a masochist?

I despise getting hit, and I also hate hitting the other person because they wouldn’t enjoy it.

Do you have masochistic tendencies when you work? In Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, I heard you were beaten by Song Kangho so much that you had bruises all over your body, but you didn’t scream once.

There is a side of me that exudes newfound energy when I’m exhausted and abused.

Sexually, what do you think is between the rebellious teenage phase and the greasy old person phase?

There would be the youth who freely enjoys everything and the middle-aged person who is filled with fantasies.

Which one do you fall under?

I don’t know, I’m not sure where I would fit in. Regardless, I’m healthy. Hehe.

What would you say to all the withered virgin men and women?

I don’t even get to meet any of them.

What if they came to you for advice/counseling?

So? What do you want me to do? That’s your problem.

As a reporter, I have no choice but to invade the actor’s private life. We are pitiful torturers. You understand, right?

Yes, I know. I’m sorry I can’t be a fiery sacrifice for you.

I heard you drink alone for more than half of each year?

I drink every day. I like feeling intoxicated. I considered brewing alcohol on my own if I didn't act.

When are you most bored?

I’m most bored after finishing a project when I’m waiting without any future plans. I’m also bored when I have to drink on the set while waiting, without the presence of my character.

How did you feel when you first watched Like a Virgin, Director Lee Hae-young’s first installment of his sexual fantasy work?

It was touching. It was cute to see young Ryu Deokhwan crossdressing in a Chinese-style dress and applying lipstick. Also the scene where the father looks down at his son while riding an excavator.

What would you say if the actual Madonna entered this room, completely nude?

Please leave! I’m scared. You’re not my type. I like round women.

Have you ever pictured yourself wanting to slap Marilyn Monroe’s buttocks?

What buttocks? I do want to have a drink with her. Even though we wouldn’t be able to understand each other and there would be no need to talk in the first place.

If you had to act as either a priest or a monk who is facing some sexual challenge, who would you pick?

Song Kangho hyung played a priest in Thirst. The monk role would be more fun. It would be the Buddhist version of Thirst, called Did You See?... (T/N: “Did you see” in Korean is pronounced “Bwat-ji,” which sounds similar to Thirst’s Korean title “Bak-jwi.”)

Oh! You told a joke for the first time.

You’re asking troubling questions so I can’t be serious. Try asking this question to other actors. They’ll all be good at [answering]. I can’t talk or sing and I freeze whenever I even see a studio camera. I’ve had no reason to train for this type of conversation, either.

Try playing on the boundary between jokes and serious talk. Let’s make the claim that, for instance, Lindsay Lohan wants to have a threesome with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and 45 minutes later, she will announce her marriage to Brandon Flowers of the band The Killers.

I’d do anything if it’s for acting in a film…

What do you mean by that?

I could act as a gay or transgender character, or I could run around the Myeongdong streets while naked.

That’s not a scene I would particularly want to see. If only one film could remain in this world, what should it be?

Wealth and honor, hehe. (T/N: Term for “wealth and honor” in Korean is pronounced “bu-gwi-yeong-hwa” and the word for “movie” in Korean is “yeong-hwa.” Shin Hakyun was making a pun based with the last two letters/syllables of the first word, which overlap with the word for “movie.”)

You keep smiling/laughing only.

Smiling is my habit. In school, I was friends with everyone. Smart kids, carefree kids, kids who always fought. They were all nice to me, and that was because I always smiled without saying anything. Since then, smiling has become a habit.

So smiling was your version of camouflage. It is a bit sad for being the origin story of a million-dollar smile.

Hehehe.

What pose would you do if you were chosen as the cover model of Playboy?

I would show my back. I’m not confident about my front. My butt appears in this film Festival as well. It is a shame that I had to look oily and plump due to my character being a lazy drunk.

When does the orgasm of acting come around in this film?

This movie begins with a scene where I ejaculate.

Ejaculation, right off the bat?

Haha.

Lastly, please say a word for all the pitiful audience members of this generation who are struggling with sexlessness and frigidity.

I think frigidity has more to do with mental factors rather than physical… But I don’t have that, so… I’d only know if I’ve experienced it… I’m not even a doctor, what should I say? Anyway, I’m healthy when it comes to sex. I’m not indifferent. I’m sure of that.

@capricorniohash, @pass-in-the-night, @seveneaglestar, @ladykyrin

[staydandy]

The Devil Judge (2021) - 악마판사 - Whump List

List by StayDandy Synopsis : In this world bereft of law and order, Head Trial Judge Kang Yo Han signals the need for change. His courtroom is the subject of a reality show where he mercilessly punishes the guilty, earning him the “Devil Judge” nickname, a divisive figure with an aura of mystery that belies his true identity and ambitions. On a quest for true justice, does rookie Judge Kim Ga On have what it takes to challenge the notorious “Devil Judge”? (MDL) AKA : The Demon Judge | Devilish Judge | The Devil Judgement | The Devil's Justice | The Merciless Judge

Whumpee : Kang Yo Han played by Ji Sung (right) • Kim Ga On played by Park Jin Young (left)

Country : 🇰🇷 South Korea Genres : Mystery, Law, Political, Crime, Friendship, Bromance

Notes : This is a Full Whump List • This is the a revision of my Partial List, which only had 2 episodes on it! Honestly I've rewatched this show half a dozen times or more, and on the recent rewatch I decided to expand on my original whump list. I can hardly believe I left so much out of the first list, but that just goes to show how much my list-making has changed. • My favorite episodes are pink : 00 • Even though I'd love another season, they did wrap it up well. So the most I can hope for is these 2 acting together again in another show! Their chemistry is amazing!

Related List : Devil Judge (2021) - partial list

Episodes on List : 14 Total Episodes : 16

*Spoilers below*

01 : Kim Ga On is knocked to the ground by an explosion … #plantdaddy 😆

02 : (at end) Kang Yo Han & Ga On are caught up and blown to ground by an explosion … Yo Han carries/drags a mostly unconscious Ga On away

03 : … continued from previous ep. ... (replay) Yo Han & Ga On are caught up and blown to ground by an explosion … Yo Han has a cut on his forehead, Ga On is sleeping, bandaged.. wakes in pain (in Yo Han's house) … startled awake, still sore, holding his side … moves too suddenly, pain … startled awake (again), pain, Yo Han changes Ga On's bandages 😊 .. slapped on the back on his wound … Yo Han is in a fight … Yo Han bumps Ga On in his sore ribs (Yo Han just loves torturing him)

04 : *ah this is such a cute moment, Yo Han picking out Ga On's clothes for their date 😁 … the hand on his back leading him in 😆 … Ga On is pinned to a wall & choked … [flashback] Yo Han is inside a burning building, which collapses on top of him while he's trying to protect someone

05 : [present] Nightmare … [flashback] Ga On's face is bruised up from a [not shown] fight … [present] Yo Han is hit over the head & knocked out, kidnapped & tied up

06 : … continued from previous ep. ... Kidnapped & tied up … knocked out with a drug.. wakes in his car, unsteady … Ga On is pushed into a pillar … in a fight … Yo Han & Ga On fight

07 : *Yo Han reads 1 line in a self-help book & thinks he's now an expert in talking to teenage girls 😂 … Ga On has a nightmare … falls to his knees in grief

08 : (replay) Falls to his knees in grief … [flashback] Yo Han hospitalized … [present] discreetly stabbed with a hair pin

10 : Yo Han & Ga On fight against a gang *I love when they overlay a fight with a good song. In this case the song is: What You Gonna Do, by Zeenan

12 : Ga On is slapped … Yo Han has a nightmare … shot … Ga On in a fight … Yo Han is forced to watch a friend's murder (not Ga On)

13 : … continued from previous ep. ... Bleeding heavily, collapses … gasps awake, been given first aid to stop the bleeding for a bit … Ga On getting his ribs bandaged … Yo Han given further medical attention at home.. rips out his IV.. anxiety attack … Ga On is hit in the head with a rock, bleeding.. Yo Han is hit with a rock … Ga On watches his best friend die (not Yo Han)

14 : … continued from previous ep. ... Watches his best friend die … unsteady, falls to his knees in grief

15 : Ga On is choked by Yo Han … Ga On tries to stab Yo Han, who stops the blade with his hand … has phantom pain in his back … arrested, handcuffed … panicking … Ga On holds his head in pain/disbelief/grief (? not sure which), falls to his knees … Yo Han dragged away

16 : Imprisoned … in a fight, a chair broken over his back … attacked ... Ga On is knocked to the ground by an explosion that Yo Han sets off

More Whump Lists for this show: WhumpsList

[consumeronionbulletin]

Queen of Tears (2024)

On the surface this seems like just an ordinary romantic drama with an interesting premise. It turned out to be a master class in acting, editing, cinematography and (even) writing. I loved these characters and was genuinely sad to see it end.

What Worked

The two leads were amazing. Kim Soo-Hyun put in his best performance so far, and Kim Ji-Won did an excellent job making you like a character that was written to be cold and unlikeable. I'd say it was her best role, but you know My Liberation Notes was still better.

The rest of the cast was great too. Park Sung-hoon was great at playing the villain and making him both sympathetic and contemptible. Kwak Dong-yeon did an excellent job at turning the biggest idiot kid brother into someone you were cheering for at the end.

This drama, more than most, also did a standout job of using editing and film work to help set the mood for the story.

What Didn't Work

This show is as close to flawless as you can get. There are things that I wish they'd done differently, but those are more about taste than quality, because the show was excellent.

The Performances

The cast was excellent across the board. I've already mentioned the two leads. I could probably go through and say something nice about each actor, but that would be way too long. There were a few actors that were new to me that especially liked watching.

Yoon Bo-mi as "Secretary Bestie" Na Chae-yeo. This actor did an excellent job of grounding the scene and making Kim Ji-won's character more human and likable. She was also very funny on her own.

Lee Mi-sook as "Worst Mother Ever" Moh Seul-hee. The show didn't do much to explain the whys of her character, but Lee Mi-sook was so interesting to watch, that I mostly didn't care. Really good performance overall.

Kim Jung-nan as "Fighter Auntie" Hong Beom-ja. I had a hard time taking this character seriously at first, but the actor did a great job of showing you how much Beom-ja cared about her family, which made me start to care about the character. Alot of fun to watch (even if they should have given her a proper loveline at the end).

Jeon Bae-soo and Hwang Young-hee as "World's Best Parents (2024)." It would be hard to make Hyun-woo's parents unlikeable, since they get to be the moral center of the show in some ways, but it was also important to make them interesting in a cast of over the top characters. The actors did a good job with that, and I really enjoyed watching them play off the rest of the cast.

TL; DR:

If you like K-dramas you've probably already seen this. That being said, I like K-dramas and I still haven't watched this writer's other big hit Crash Landing on You, so it YMMV. Bottom line: it's your precious little life, choose wisely.

[elderflowergin]

2022 kdrama/movie roundup!

It was a tough year for keeping up with anything because life, toddler, etc, but here are the things I watched, in part or whole, that I remembered. Hot Takes Incoming!

Sell Your Haunted House - Jang Nara in boots. Kang Mal-geum in dark lipstick. Touching, gay, many mother issues. The girls were fantastic. The boys weren't bad.

25 21 - I was dropped back into the 90s. Surprisingly, I didn't hate it. The girls were fantastic. Na Hee-do was correct to dump Baek Yi-jin. Moon Ji-woong, perfect boy. Ji Seung-wan for PRESIDENT!

Why Her? - Someone thought it'd be a great idea to throw Seo Hyun-jin's ex-client (shudder) current-student (TRIPLE SHUDDER) Hwang In-yeop into the romance mix when billionaire CHOI YOUNG-JOON and Crown Prince Bae In-hyuk were already there. And they thought it'd be funny if Hwang In-yeop won. NO.

Eve - The superior commentary this year on the horrors of capitalism. It ends with reparations (Park Byung-eun hands over his entire empire to Seo Yeji, who promptly divests it), rich people dying in horrible ways and Seo Yeji doing the tango. Were the makjang knobs dialled up so high they're broken? Yes. Was it fun? YES, because I got to see Park Byung-eun's range, which includes Pained Hottie, and Seo Yeji running men's feet over in cars wearing couture. We can ask for no more.

Juvenile Justice - No one asked "What happens if we take three of the most charismatic working actors in Korean entertainment today and squeezed the life out of them?" But someone answered anyway.

My Liberation Notes - Lee El, a revelation. Mr Gu, a revelation when he started talking, and not the good kind.

Grid - Kim Mu-yeol. Kim Ah-joong and Jang So-yeon had a great year. I didn't understand the time thing at all. This is a me problem, but probably the only time I'll face it this year. Right? RIGHT?

Bloody Heart - Jang Hyuk has done nothing wrong, ever. The girls were fantastic. Lee Joon, I heard your script was meant for Lee Joon-hyuk. Sorry.

Pachinko - The girls were fantastic. Kim Min-ha, baby, you're gorgeous. JUNG EUN-CHAE was everything. Sorry to Lee Min-ho, who had the tough double role of acting as Ko Hansu and also like he belonged to this cast of greats.

Our Blues - Great acting, but my own blues were sufficient for me. The girls were fantastic. Unwanted to wanted pregnancy storyline: no thanks. This is a me problem, but probably the only time I'll face it this year. Right? RIGHT?

Extraordinary Attorney Woo - 75% love; 25% NOT THIS AGAIN.

Little Women - The girls were fantastic. I ran out of air by this point in the year. I'll come back for you, gothic interior design, poison orchids, and Song Joong-ki in the best role he's played all year!

Through the Darkness - Almost too many twirling moustache psychos and dead girls. I did it for Kim Nam-gil because he's so pretty in this and in case it wasn't abundantly clear by now, I don't think with my brain. The lone living girl - Kim So-jin - was fantastic. Jin Seon-kyu, well-adjusted stealth hottie!

Reborn Rich - Samsung owes Lee Sung-min its entire semiconductor business as @rain-hat said. Lee Sung-min owes me reparations for making me watch this show for him primarily (secondarily Park Hyuk-kwon, Kim Shin-rok, Park Ji-hyun and Kim Nam-hee for their acting; Kim Young-jae because he is THE DILF). I'm manifesting NO TIMESLIPS in 2023 dramas.

Under the Queen's Umbrella - Kim Hye-soo pushing up her hanbok sleeves to carry babies and do embroidery should be projected onto my tombstone unto eternity. The girls were fantastic. And I know this is unusual, so bear with me, but: the boys? FANTASTIC ALSO.

Movies:

Vikram - Fahaadh Faasil, my thoughts are nasty and you don't want to hear them. The girls might have been fantastic had they been permitted to live and not be dumdums. That was never going to happen, of course. There was torture and a baby in significant peril, but it was also the most fun I'd had in a while. I should get my head checked.

Ponniyin Selvan - The sheer scale of work and sweat that has gone into the enterprise of making Vikram seem taller than Trisha Krishnan for the last twenty years! Iconic. The girls were fantastic.

The Naked Kitchen - This is sold as a story of a woman choosing between two men. That is a lie. It's about a man coming to terms with his marriage drifting into polyamory, and enjoying it. Shin Min-ah and Ju Ji-hoon fuck in a museum, which was also weirdly sweet.

Asura City of Madness - AHJUSSHIS WHY. Hwang Jung-min's shirttails worked very hard in 2012. Jung Woo-sung ate glass and has pathological issues about being as handsome as he is. We love him for it. We did not love this.

Hunt - Love is your bestie learning how to write and direct just to write and direct you in the role of a lifetime for you, personally. I don't know if that's what happened here, but that's what love is. And chemistry is whatever these two guys have in this completely ordinary movie that did not give any feelings. Hwang Jung-min, pussy OUT.

Decision to Leave - A well-deserved love letter to Tang Wei, just beautifully shot, gorgeous.

Il Mare - Absolutely lovely little film, reliant almost entirely on the star power of two actors who are so charismatic they don't need to meet in the movie to convince you of their romance.

Laal Singh Chaddha - There was a very beautiful wedding at the end. Aamir Khan's face must hurt.

Darlings - A movie that appreciated and respected noted hottie Shefali Shah.

[wangmiao]

Can you tell me where your pfp is from? I know it's the Adamas scene, but it doesn't seem to be a screencap, right? There's no such shot from this angle in that scene. BTW, I love all your Adamas gifs!

hello, friend! you are correct! they are not from the actual scene, but bts photos. here are the photos, and two more bonus photos of this scene with fuller views from different angles.

it’s honestly my fav scene of 2022. it was so emotionally fueled and ji sung’s acting was just sooooooo good. i’m glad tae sung is there for woo shin. he’s probably the only person who could understand what woo shin had been through. and woo shin obviously trusts tae sung enough to collapse into his arms and let out all his raw emotions at that moment. 

and thank you! I’ve been having fun giffing this show! to be honest, the writing of adamas really was a mess lol, but I don’t regret watching it because of the A+ acting. and now is my shameless self promoting time, to view all my adamas gifs: click here

[idolskpop]

Nam Joo Hyuk Goes Viral Amid Military Service: Fans Gush Over His Stunning Transformation

Nam Joo Hyuk, the popular actor and model, has been making waves online even while he is on a hiatus for his mandatory military service. Fans and netizens have been raving about his amazing weight loss and handsome appearance in some recent photos that surfaced on the internet. Read on to find out more about the viral sensation that is Nam Joo Hyuk.

How Nam Joo Hyuk Captivated the Public with His Military Look

On October 7, Nam Joo Hyuk became a hot topic among various online communities after some of his photos in the military were shared on a forum. The post was titled “Nam Joo Hyuk’s Impressive Weight Loss” and it showed the actor attending a public event while serving in the military.

(Photo : Pannchoa) The photos revealed that Nam Joo Hyuk had lost some weight and gained some muscles, making him look more fit and toned. He was wearing his military uniform and holding a microphone, looking confident and charismatic. His sharp features and clear skin also added to his charm and attractiveness. https://twitter.com/222PERCENT_/status/1710137942428307525?s=20 The photos quickly spread on social media and received a lot of positive comments from fans and netizens who were impressed by his transformation. Some of the reactions were: "Nam Joo Hyuk looks amazing!" "He really suits the military uniform." "Wow! He’s even more attractive now." "It’s clear why he’s a celebrity. He is so handsome." "Nam Joo Hyuk is incredibly good-looking…It’s frustrating!."

What Nam Joo Hyuk Has Been Up to While in the Military

Nam Joo Hyuk enlisted in the military on August 16, 2023, as an active duty soldier. He is expected to be discharged on May 15, 2025. He is currently serving in the Army’s 22nd Division, which is also known as the “White Skull” Division.

(Photo : Pannchoa) Before he enlisted, he had finished filming for his upcoming drama “Vigilante”, which is based on a webtoon of the same name. The drama is an action-thriller that tells the story of Kim Ji Young, a model police academy student by day who becomes a dark hero at night who punishes criminals who escape the law. Nam Joo Hyuk plays the role of Kim Ji Young, who leads a double life and faces various challenges and dangers. The drama also stars Lee Yoo Young, Kim Sung Kyun, Park Hae Joon, and more. “Vigilante” is set to premiere on November 8 on Disney Plus, a famous online streaming platform. The drama has already generated a lot of buzz and anticipation among fans and viewers, especially after it was screened at the 28th Busan International Film Festival. The first three episodes of “Vigilante” were shown at the film festival on October 9, and received a warm response from the audience. The cast and director of the drama also attended an open forum after the screening and shared their thoughts and experiences.

(Photo : Disney+) The director of the drama praised Nam Joo Hyuk for his strong immersion in his character. He said that he liked the actor’s eyes as they conveyed the right emotions that the role required. He also said that Nam Joo Hyuk had worked hard to prepare for the action scenes and had shown great passion and professionalism. Nam Joo Hyuk also expressed his gratitude to the director and the cast for their support and guidance. He said that he had enjoyed filming for the drama and that he hoped that the viewers would like it as well.

Why Nam Joo Hyuk Is One of the Most Loved Actors in Korea

Nam Joo Hyuk is not only known for his good looks but also for his versatile acting skills and charming personality. He debuted as a model in 2013 and then ventured into acting in 2014. He rose to fame with his roles in dramas such as “Who Are You: School 2015”, “Cheese in the Trap”, “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo”, “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo”, “The Bride of Habaek”, “The Light in Your Eyes”, and more. He has also starred in movies such as “The Great Battle”, “Josée”, and “Remember”. He has won several awards and accolades for his performances, such as the Best New Actor Award at the Baeksang Arts Awards, the Excellence Award at the MBC Drama Awards, and the Best Actor Award at the Seoul International Drama Awards.

(Photo : Netflix Korea Instagram | The Swoon) Nam Joo Hyuk He is also known for his philanthropic activities and social causes. He has donated to various organizations and causes, such as supporting children with leukemia, providing relief goods to flood victims, sponsoring scholarships for students, and more. He is also loved by his fans for his humble and friendly attitude. He often interacts with his fans through his social media accounts and fan meetings. He also shows his support and friendship to his fellow actors and celebrities.Subscribe to IDOLS KPOP for exclusive updates and captivating content. Read the full article

[langernameohnebedeutung]

I'm genuinely enjoying All Of US Are Dead so far (take everything I say under the headline: I'm not finished yet) but honestly, I'm getting really tired of the female character's having nigh zero agency of their own.

Nearly all the big action scenes belong to the guys - the most obvious one being the race to the first classroom they were hiding in, where the guys push back the zombies and the girls just...huddle behind them or the library fight scene or the scene where they climb down the façade and Cheong-San ends up swooping in again - meanwhile the girls basically get herded this way or that.

I've lost count of how often the female characters had to be snatched out of harm's way or by one of the boys heroically swooping in to save them - like, this is literally one of the covers:

- and it's just one of many, many scenes like this one, especially in the first few episodes.

Plus, when I-Sak dies, they literally show a montage of On-Jo and her trying out make-up and going shopping together? That's the most interesting way the writers could come up with to show that a teenage girl would be sad about losing her best friend? In fact, considering how devasted On-Jo is - how she doesn't want to let go of I-sak even when she's already turning, how she almost stays in the room even when the zombies are already breaking down the door, how she keeps talking about how cold I-Sak's hand was when they stood next to each other at the window - the seriousness this loss is given in the script and the good, serious acting in the scene where she turns and the scenes where On-Jo mourns her almost make these flashbacks of them giggling for photos in funny hats and putting on eye-shadow at the mall...kind of jarring. I actually think those scenes might be more effective without the flashbacks.

Plus: So many scenes of discussing their assigned romance-plots during times of crisis.

Then you have the plot of Nam-Ra (token class-president due to her rich mother's donations, is never taken serious), Na-Yeon (hysterical, irrational, ruins a promising young man's life with a false allegation - like, this is the one that I found the most annoying), then you have the Eun-Ji storyline of her getting filmed naked by her bullies, attempting to commit suicide but being interrupted by the zombie apocalypse - - - only to die another, equally meaningless death trying to destroy all those phones that no one was ever going to look at (which could be a great way to talk about futility or desperation, but you don't need to kill her to tell that story) and Hee-Su who has a pregnancy storyline and despite all the time we spent with her getting away from the school - setting up a journey through the apocalyptic city - gets killed off really quickly as well.

I feel like the exceptions are Mi-Jin and Ha-Ri but they're really minor characters - and another thing I've noticed is that any even slightly over-weight character (and so far, I'm pretty sure I've only seen boys who were even the least bit chubby) are always the comic relief. And in the bathroom scenes where Mi-Jin und Ha-Ri are stuck, most of their 'empowerment' happens at the expense of turning Joon-Sung into the butt-end of some joke, usually about how unmanly he is, that he's a coward who has to be saved by women (contrasted by our main-characters, where the guys are constantly saving and herding the girls and have conversations about self-sacrifice, putting yourself in danger, being brave yadda-yadda)

And a lot of female characters who are in positions of power/protecting others are quickly removed: Mrs. Park disappears for a really long time after announcing that she was going to make that PSA she did and even when the kids are back with her, she is strangely silent for a teacher even during important strategic discussions - mostly she's just weighing in for moral stuff and to mediate their fights. This I'm actually okay with because it does establish her believably as a teacher while also letting the kids take centre stage - because it's their show. But together with all the other female characters this becomes a pattern: Cheong-San's mother is killed off really quickly in an attempt to save her son that makes you wonder why it was even necessary to include that story line (I haven't finished the show yet, I hope Cheong-San will at least find out and see his idea that she cared more about her chicken restaurant than him a little challenged. But also, the chicken restaurant was doomed anyway considering there is an apocalypse, so I'm not sure how much that even matters) and same with Hee-su, who also gets zombified protecting her baby pretty quickly. Now, our closest male equivalent would probably be Mr Song, the cop - who has, at the point where I'm at, not really done much but he's still in the game and I'm going to see if he also gets killed off too or saves the day (or both)

And looking at other end of the spectrum, away from our heroic characters, we also see the same dilemma there: The men get a lot more diversity personality-wise. We have, of course, Mr Lee, mad science teacher who experimented on his son and bred a zombie virus in a school, the school bullies, the principal and his obsession with the upcoming inspection, the military commander, a lot of minor characters like those social media pranksters. The most prominent female 'antagonist' is, again and I cannot stress enough: Na-Yeon, who is constantly portrayed as nagging, annoying, mean, snobbish, and ends up making a False Accusation against a Good Guy - and ends up zombifying him when she's asked to apologise. So far, this is the storyline I have the biggest issue with, as you can probably tell.

Apocalypse stories, stories about the collapse of systems - zombie stories are at their best when the catastrophe works as this great equaliser where instead of established systems and instruments of power, other abilities and talents become important and life-saving and giving underdogs a time to shine. This is btw one of the main-reasons why the Final Girl in horror movies exists - think of Ripley in Alien, the point is that her resourcefulness and her self-discipline (like reminding the rest of the crew to abide by protocol) help her survive. This also plays a major role in All Of Us Are Dead - they are students, they are kids. That's the point. They make he best of their surroundings (like dangling the fire hose out of the window and climbing down) and bringing in their personal talents and knowledge - like the archery gang or building the makeshift toilet and other survival stuff. It really works well in that sense. So I actually feel like it's a bit of a let-down that this concept doesn't really reach the girls much, so far.

[lgbtally4ever]

I can’t understand why they left out two of his best roles! Shopaholic Louis, A/K/A Shopping King Louis! In this rom-COM, he plays an amnesiac chaebol, who’s not only GOOD at shopping—he’s the KING! Anyway, he was amazingly adorable, astoundingly funny, but intermittently touching and sweet. Co-stars Nam Ji-Hyun. Don’t miss it. On Viki

And…

With a very honorable mention to Café Minamdang! On Netflix

The Smile has Left Your Eyes is really great, too, but extremely sad. Suspenseful, sometimes depressing, but highly entertaining and displays Seo In-guk in all his best, most glorious displays of acting talent and beauty. But, he NEVER disappoints. Also starring Park Sung-woong and Jung So-min.