#min si ho is a queen

[dilebe06]

Drama Quiz 2023

Bene, ma non benissimo

Drama visti in totale: 72

Japan (14): Alice in Bordeland 2; Ikebukuro West Park; Gomenne Seishun! ; Silent; Danger Less; Kazuku No Uta; Bakura no Yuuki; The Days; Don't Call It Mystery; One Piece; Fuujhinshi; MIU 404; High&Low The Wrost Episode 0, Yu Yu Hakusho

Korea (27): My Love From The Star; Cafè Minamdang; Weak Hero Class 1; Kairos; Extraordinary You; The Spies Who Loved Me; How to Buy A Friend; Love To Hate You; Under The Queen's Umbrella; One The Woman; Taxi Driver; Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo; Fanletters, Please; Tale Of The Nine Tailed; Black Knight; Mystic Pop-up Bar; Reborn Rich; Gaus Electronics; Best Mistake; W; Tale Of The Nine- Tailed 1938; Destined With You; The Forbidden Marriange; Moving; Strong Girl Namsoon; See You In My 19th Life: My Lovely Boxer

Taiwan (3): Small And Mighty; Nowhere Man; Danger Zone

China (18): 11 Left; Medical Examiner Dr. Qin; City Of Streamer; I Am The Years You Are The Stars; Please Feel At Ease Mr. Ling; My Deepest Dream; The Love You Give Me; Goodbye My Princess; Eldest Princess Above; Gank Your Heart; Just Fiancée; Seal Of Love; A Familiar Stranger; My Lethal Man; Back From The Brink; Love Under The Stars; Three Body; Plese Be Married

Thai (7): The Gifted; Ps: I Hate You; Midnight Museum; The Stranded; My Dear Donovan; I'm Tee, Me Too; The Gifted; Graduation.

Hong Kong (1): Forensic JD

Indo (1): Antares 2

Turkey (1): Mezzanotte a Istambul

Dovrei essere contenta vista la quantità dei drama visti quest'anno. Ma ahimè quantità non implica qualità: a differenza degli altri anni, non ho trovato serie capaci di farmi innamorare...capaci di rimanere nella mia mente per settimane e settimane.

Quel drama che ti prende il cuore e si fa amare anche con mille difetti...ho visto drama carini, apprezzabili e godibili ma roba alla Black o alla The Untamed - per capirci - non ne ho trovata.

ma comunque:

1) Il drama più bello che hai visto: Reborn Rich

Ok, diciamo che questo drama è tutto, tranne che perfetto. Il finale poi andrebbe riscritto da capo e la storia d'amore per me, poteva benissimo essere eliminata.

Nonostante ciò a me questa serie è piaciuta molto. La recitazione è stata d'altissimo livello per tutti gli attori, con alcuni che hanno letteralmente spaccato lo schermo data la loro bravura.

La trama non è nulla di innovativo per carità - tizio sfigatissimo che torna nel passato e grazie alle sue conoscenze trova rivalsa e giustizia - ma ho amato tutta la parte anni 80' e 90' e 2000: i vestiti, i film, gli eventi e tutta la cultura che faceva parte di quel periodo. Come dimenticare l'attesa per lo scoccare degli anni 2000? Quando alcuni pensavano che sarebbe finito il mondo?

E' poi così soddisfacente vedere il percorso del protagonista, i suoi piani e soluzioni per raggiungere i suoi obbiettivi e inevitabilmente ti ritrovi a fare il tifo per lui, soprattutto in confronto agli altri personaggi. Song Joong Ki tratteggia un personaggio che per certi versi ricorda il buon Vincenzo e siccome ne ero un po' orfana, trovo bello ritrovare anche qui. Anche se qui la scena viene letteralmente rubata da Lee Sung Min che regala un interpretazione del Nonno del protagonista da Oscar. la dinamica tra Nonno e Nipote poi, credo che sia la cosa più bella e che più mi ha convinto di questa serie.

Ho poi trovato interessante come nonostante la serie fosse un mini corso di economia aziendale, tra azioni, borsa, indice di mercato e compagnia, io non mi sia mai annoiata. La serie ha un buon ritmo, svariati colpi di scena ed è emozionante osservare il viaggio di Joong Ki per ottenere la sua rivincita.

2) La storia d'amore che ti ha conquistato di più: My Dear Donovan

Ci sono state tante storie d'amore che ricordo con piacere soprattutto sul lato Korea. Ma faccio il salto della quaglia e voto per My Dear Donovan direttamente dalla Thailandia.

La prima cosa che ho apprezzato è che il lead non fosse il solito CEO arrogante, con la puzza sotto il naso che guarda un po', si innamora del caso umano di turno. In My Dear Donovan, il Donovan è un ragazzo normalissimo che nonostante faccia l'attore e quindi si presume sia superbo come pochi, in realtà è dolcissimo e molto alla mano.

La storia d'amore è semplice ma ben costruita passo passo, con la protagonista imbranatissima in amore ma una volta trovatolo, è decisa a stargli accanto nel bene e nel male. Come ogni relazione ha i suoi alti e bassi, litigate, dubbi, fraintendimenti, problemi di comunicazione ecc ecc ma loro reggono botta - soprattutto grazie alla lead - e superano le difficoltà che gli si pongono davanti guidati dalla voglia di stare assieme.

Carini da morire.

3) Il drama che ti è piaciuto di meno: Gaus Electronics

Ok, questo drama è stato visto unicamente per la presenza di Kwak Dong Yeon, attore che avevo adorato in Vincenzo e che volevo vedermi in un ruolo più centrale. Ed perché era una commedia leggera. Io e @veronica-nardi ci guardiamo sempre mattoni, robe serie e per una volta volevamo qualcosa di più spensierato.

Ma Gaus è troppo spensierato. Ed ha una comicità che non mi ha quasi mai fatto ridere. Un po' come Welcome To Waikiki. Quella voglia di far ridere a tutti costi mettendo appositamente scene assurde che dovrebbero essere divertenti ma che lo senti da lontano che sono forzatissime solo per suscitarti la risata.

Più vedo questi genere di drama koreani e più penso che una certa comicità possa farla ed esser convincenti solo i giapponesi.

4) una serie che meriterebbe un sequel: Mezzanotte a Istanbul

Ne ho due. Il primo è Mezzanotte a Istanbul. Necessito di un seguito perché la serie si è conclusa con un colpone di scena che presuppone un continuo ma che ad oggi, nulla si sa. @ili91-efp nulla?

Le domande lasciate aperte sono milioni e tutte le teorie che mi sono fatta sui vari viaggi nel tempo, il ruolo e l'identità della protagonista, sua figlia, il lead e tutta quest'altra roba, DEVE essere risolta.

L'altro è Moving. Anch'esso è finito facendoci presupporre un continuo, con la presentazione di altri ipotetici villain - un intero alfabeto a quanto pare - ma soprattutto voglio vedere come continua la vita delle persone con i super poteri? Le varie famiglie avranno trovato la pace? O il Governo - come si evince dal finale - non ha ancora finito con loro? Dateci il sequel!!

5) Il personaggio preferito: The Gifted

Nonostante la serie di The Gifted sia affondata nella mia opinione personale come il Titanic in quella celebre notte, una cosa positiva me l'ha data: Wave.

Wave mia stella polare nel nulla cosmico.

Quando inizia la serie Wave ci viene presentato come un vero "dito in culo". Ossessionato dai voti e dalla classifica della scuola, Wave non è interessato a stringere amicizie o conoscere persone. Anche perché soffre di una terribile mancanza di fiducia negli altri e teme di poter essere usato.[ SPOILER] cosa che è effettivamente successo. [FINE SPOILER]

Durante la serie Wave mostra un evoluzione clamorosa. Quello che dice e fa' , mi ha riempito di gioia e di un orgoglio senza pari. Durante il drama rimane un personaggio a tutto tondo, deciso e chiaro, dimostrando però di poter e voler cambiare.

[SPOILER]

Il voler andare nella stessa università dei poracci di Pang rinunciando ad una formazione a 5 stelle per amicizia - anche se per me questi due sono già fidanzati e sposati. Ma non lo dite in giro. Per me sono un BL nascosto - dimostra un cambiamento, un apertura che non ha eguali in nessun altro personaggio della serie. [FINE SPOILER]

6) Il personaggio più odiato: Goodby My Princess

Ci metto quasi tutti i personaggi di Goodbye My Princess. Dal principe in questione, al second lead. Dalla Nonna imperatrice al cane che passa sullo sfondo. Ho augurato ogni male a più di metà personaggi ed ad ogni morte non ho mai versato una singola lacrima. Ok, qui più che colpa dei personaggi era colpa della scrittura della serie.

Ma ancora... se ripenso al lead [SPOILER[ che uccide il second lead davanti alla moglie e dopo gli professa il suo amore, [FINE SPOILER] mi sale un crimine così forte che vorrei entrare nel drama per pestarlo.

Ed è infatti il lead di Goodbye il mio vincitore in questa categoria. La serie ce lo presenta come quest'uomo desideroso di vendetta e potere che manipola, usa, intriga e ammazza chiunque gli si pari davanti. E nemmeno gli affetti più cari sono in salvo dalla sua missione. [SPOILER] Qui ricordo che nella prima vita ha mentito alla lead, la usata, gli ha ammazzato Nonno, Madre e reso pazzo il Padre. L'ha rapita e voleva sposarla con la forza.

Nella sua seconda vita, siccome sta poraccia non aveva sofferto abbastanza, si ritrovano sposati e senza memoria di cosa sia successo prima.

Il lead, nonostante sappia che la famiglia della ragazza sia morta, le mente di nuovo, facendole credere che siano ancora tutti vivi. Forse prova un fascino perverso nel vederla scrivere a dei genitori che MAI RISPONDERANNO. Poi s'innamorano - dio solo sa come - ed il lead inizia a insultarla, stalkerarla... da bravo uomo tossico non comprende come la moglie sia infelice della loro vita matrimoniale e anche se lo capisse NON GLIENE FREGHEREBBE NULLA. L'importante è che lei stia lì. Aggiungiamo sequestro di persona ai reati di quest'uomo.

Con una simile mentalità non può sopportare che la lead sia legata ad un altro uomo, quindi, quando ciccia fuori il second lead e nonostante sappia che sia il maestro della moglie e che lei ci tiene molto, lo ammazza davanti e a lei OBBLIGANDOLA a vederlo morire.

Disperata e obbligata ad un matrimonio tossico la lead finalmente recupera la memoria della sua prima vita e la tegolata che gli arriva in testa è terribile! Quado poi il lead decide di fare guerra al regno della moglie, la ragazza si ammazza pur di fermarlo.

Ma per tutta la serie il lead, con le mani ancora sporche di sangue e sanità mentale della moglie [FINE SPOILER] ci ripeterà che l'ha sempre amata.

OHHHHHH.... l'amore!

Io non so quante imprecazioni ho tirato verso questo personaggio. Ogni volta che era in scena, avevo la bile che saliva a livelli astronomici. Bugiardo, manipolatore, tossico...

7) L'ambientazione più brutta: Back From The Brink

Back from the Brink. Quella foresta di alberi finti tipo recita della scuola mi danno ancora fastidio a pensarci.

Idealmente erano anche paesaggi belli essendo il drama un fantasy, c'erano molte location che visivamente - da lontano - erano belle.

Ma una volta viste da vicino si vedeva questo effetto finto che pareva tutta roba di plastica.

8) Il finale più bello: PS: i hate You

Poetico.

Il finale di questo drama, non solo racchiude perfettamente il mood della serie ma lo fa con un colpone di scena che si poteva annusare da lontano ma che quando accade è così assurdo che non ci credi. Non solo.

Il finale di Ps I hate you chiude splendidamente tutte le trame e da' ai personaggi la conclusione perfetta.

Niente buonismo, niente cose strane per far arrivare al lieto fine forzatamente la storia...finisce tutto come dovrebbe finire.

[SPOILER] ho amato che Saras, l'unica delle cinque ragazze a prendersi la responsabilità dei suoi misfatti, fosse anche l'unica che alla fine sorridesse. [FINE SPOILER]

Finale perfetto. Non lo cambierei di una virgola.

9) Un attore e un attrice che ti sono piaciuti tantissimo: Reborn Rich e One Piece

Attore preferito: Lee Sung Min. La sua interpretazione in Reborn Rich è stata così toccante e intensa che mi sono commossa. Soprattutto nella parte finale della storia quando la trama prevedeva un'interpretazione più emotiva, ha dato il meglio di se. La scena dell'ascensore rimane una delle più toccanti viste quest'anno.

Vorrei però dare il premio di consolazione a Lee Je Hoon in Taxi Driver. Qui la storia prevedeva che l'attore in questione fingesse di essere diverse persone e non importa il tipo: dal coatto di periferia al tirocinante imbranato, Lee Je Hoon ha interpretato in modo magistrale qualsiasi ruolo richiestogli. Bravissimo.

Per le donne invece, voto per Emily Rudd in One Piece. Considerando la giovane età e la pressione del dover intepretare un personaggio così famoso, Emily ha fatto un ottimo lavoro. Il cambiamento della personalità del personaggio durante la serie, è perfettamente realizzato dall'attrice che fa notare molto bene questo passaggio cruciale del suo personaggio.

La sua recitazione non è ovviamente intensa come quella di altre attrici nella mia lista ma voglio dargli il voto sulla fiducia e sul grand lavoro svolto.

10) La morte di un personaggio che ancora non hai superato: Goodbye My Princess

Onestamente non ricordo di morti che non avrei voluto accadessero. Ma trovo allucinante come in Goodbye My Princess [SPOILER] siano crepati TUTTI tranne l'unico a cui auguravo un Erasmus tra i lombrichi.

Scherzi a parte, ci sono rimasta male per la morte della lead poiché sta poraccia aveva avuto una vita di merda, con un matrimonio orribile e l'unico modo per sfuggire a tutto è stato il suicidio. [FINE SPOILER]

Non si meritava quella fine. Non così. E non lei.

Chiariamoci, non è perché mi freghi qualcosa di lei a livello emotivo - mi stava simpatica ma nulla di più - il mio " morte non superata" è più ad un livello di giustizia divina.

Goodbye My princess mi ha insegnato che non c'è giustizia a questo mondo.

11) La OST che ti è piaciuta di più: High and Low

Qui me la gioco facile. Se nel quiz c'è High and Low, stai certa che vincerà nella categoria musicale. Sarà perché in realtà questo drama è uno spottone al gruppo degli Exile?! probabile

Comunque sia, l'OST che voglio far vincere è Top Down degli Exile appunto, canzone che accompagna il Liceo Housan.

Mado' che carica che da'! Il ritmo e quelle note ti fanno venir voglia di saltare sulla sedia e ballare come se non ci fosse un domani.

ALZATEEEEE IL VOLUMEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

12) L'attore e attrice peggiori: Café Minamdang/ Back From the Brink

Come attrice peggiore voto Oh Yeon Seo di Cafe Minamdang. Purtroppo a me questa attrice, non c'è verso che mi piaccia. L'avevo già vista in Korean Odissey ed era stata la sua recitazione il più grave motivo per il drop di quella serie. In questa, continuo a trovarla troppo rigida e finta. Una recitazione che non mi convince, con quegli occhi spalancati e quella rigidezza che proprio non mi piace.

Stesso discorso per Neo Hou di Back from the Brink. Ho trovato la sua recitazione troppo rigida con il risultato che il suo personaggio doveva essere altero e freddo ma sembrava troppo compassato. Anche nelle scene presumibilmente più divertenti, la sua rigidità facciale mi ha impedito di godermi i momenti.

13) Una serie che merita più conoscenza: Miu 404

Voterò per MIU 404 premiandolo per essere sì una serie investigativa ad episodi ma capace di sviluppare la trama orizzontale lungo tutta la storia. E non sempre è così. Ha un buon livello di indagine, qualche mistero e personaggi interessanti che creano delle bromance molto carine.

Inoltre ha un buon ritmo e umorismo alla giapponese che non guasta mai.

Merita di essere più conosciuto secondo me, perché è davvero un buon prodotto, uno dei migliori che ho visto di questo genere ad episodi.

14) Il momento che ti ha fatto saltare sulla sedia PS: i hate you

PS: I hate You si è portato a casa qualche premio quest'anno, tra cui questo. Il momento che mi ha fatto saltare sulla sedia non è stato tanto per la rivelazione ma perché era così assurda, così "malefica" - ma che si sentiva da lontano - che quando succede davvero puoi solo coprirti la bocca con la mano sconvoltissima.

E sì, [SPOILER] mi riferisco alla sorpresa di Pitch come psicopatico che ha complottato per uccidere la sua stessa sorella ed avere la ragazza dei suoi sogni come premio e giocattolino nel finale. [ FINE SPOILER]

E' stato stupendo perché io già a metà serie avevo annusato che c'era qualcosa che non andava ma mai avrei pensato che sarebbero arrivati a quel punto.

Capolavoro.

Della psicopatia.

Ma ancora capolavoro.

15) Il protagonista maschile preferito: High and Low The Worst Episode 0

Io sono piuttosto sicura che non è la prima volta che Murayama Yoshiki si prende questo premio. Ahimè sono una sua fan sfegatata: potevo perdermi l'occasione per premiarlo ancora una volta? Dai che è l'ultima.

Tralasciando battute da fangirl, leggendo la lista, grandi lead maschili capaci di prendermi il cuore e farmi empatizzare con loro...non ce ne sono stati. Carini sì. Alcuni più interessanti di altri ma ancora dimenticabili.

Ed allora voto per questo ragazzo - anche se ormai dovrebbe essere sulla venticinquina - ma l'età scolastica del Liceo Oya è variabile - capace sempre di farmi sorridere e stupirmi.

E' chiaro che una delle cose che apprezzo di più in un personaggio è la sua crescita ed evoluzione. Posso amare un characters quando lo vedo crescere, cambiare ed essere una persona diversa, rispetto all'inizio della storia.

Murayama è così. Parte come ragazzino a cui piace fare a botte senza nessuno scopo, per diventare un leader competente e capace anche di prendere decisioni impopolari per salvaguardare il futuro dei ragazzi. E quando nel finale decide di lasciare finalmente la scuola, è come se passasse il testimone agli altri ragazzi che adesso dovranno portare in alto la bandiera dell'Oya come aveva già fatto lui.

Tra i vari personaggi dell'intera saga di High&Low, Murayama è quello che ho amato di più e su cui la serie stessa ha sviluppato la storia. E ci sarà un motivo. XD

16) La storia d'amore che non ti è piaciuta: Extraordinary You

Per non far vincere di nuovo Goodbye My Princess - anche se questa categoria sarebbe la sua, praticamente - voterò per Extraordinaey You.

Non ho mai capito perché e per come questi due si dovessero amare. La lead si incuriosisce del personaggio senza nome che fa da sfondo alla trama del fumetto, iniziano a parlare e s'innamorano. La storia d'amore parte anche in modo carino e per i primi episodi più interessare ma dopo un po' annoia.

Erano perfetti assieme e grondavano miele fuso non c'è mai stato conflitto, tensione, pepe nella loro storia d'amore. Tanto che i classici impedimenti sono stati tutti esterni alla coppia.

Ed alla fine ho trovato la loro storia d'amore piatta e super scontata. Anche perché lui, avendo la personalità di un budino, faceva tutto ciò che la lead gli diceva, lei lo guardava con gli occhi a cuore ecc ecc...

Una coppia noiosa.

17) Miglior bacio: Tale Of The Nine- Tailed 1938

Voto il bacio tra Lee Rang e Jang Yeo Hee.

Finalmente una gioia per quest'uomo!

Dopo un corteggiamento serrato da parte della sirenetta dei nostri cuori e dopo aver ricevuto vari rifiuti, finalmente Lee Rang abbandona tutte le paranoie, insicurezze e dubbi e mi regala un gran bel bacio. Anche perché nato dopo episodi ed episodi di ottima chimica trai due personaggi e occhiate languide da una parte e dall'altra. XD

E' stato bello vederlo sciogliersi a abbandonare l'ossessione per suo fratello per vivere finalmente questa storia d'amore.

18) Il drama che hai fatto fatica a finire: The Gifted 2

Oddio, in questa risposta ci poteva entrare benissimo anche The Midnight Museum ma si è salvato poiché così assurdo e fuori di testa che volevo arrivare alla fine, solo per scoprire cosa gli sceneggiatori si sarebbero inventati di altrettanto inconcepibile.

Ecco perché il voto va a The Gifted 2. La prima stagione mi era piaciuta ma la seconda mi ha terribilmente annoiato e non vedevo l'ora che finisse: personaggi involuti, villain con un plot armor esagerato, buchi di trama, cosa che accadono ma che facciamo finta che non siano mai successe...un delirio.

Inoltre tutta la parte centrale della stagione, non vede la trama fare passi avanti. [SPOILER] Da quando Pang e gli altri si allontano - intorno al 4-5 episodio - fino al 10/11 episodio, non succede nulla di rilevante ai fini della trama. Sì c'è la lotta tra il governo e il preside, la non morte di Time e Korn ma nel disegno globale, tutto questo potevano cancellarlo e voilà il finale non sarebbe cambiato quasi per niente. [FINE SPOILER]

19) Scena d'azione migliore: Yu Yu Hakusho

Incredibile ma vero, non è High And Low a vincere in questa categoria. Anche se le botte sono state meravigliose come sempre!

Voto per combattimenti di Yu Yu Hakusho che sì, c'era troppo sangue e budella per i miei gusti ma le legnate tra Yusuke e Goki nella discarica delle macchine, mi rimarrà nel cervello per mesi.

C'è Goki che prende una portiera di una macchina e la lancia dritto per dritto in faccia a Yusuke. Quello salta al centimetro e con mosse da contorsionista, schiva la portiera che si va a conficcare in un altra auto a 2 cm dal protagonista!

Poesia!

20) Miglior Villain: Reborn Rich

Voto per il vecchio Jin Yang Cheol.

Ok, è un villain un po' atipico ma per il lead e noi spettatori, ha sicuramente rivestito il ruolo di antagonista da sconfiggere.

Il nonno del protagonista infatti, non è malefico, infido o perverso. Quest'uomo è un cinico bastardo, arguto capitalista inflessibile, esigente, a tratti crudele, machiavellico, spregiudicato...ma ha anche dei difetti

Ma allora perché il migliore?

Perché se è difficile creare un eroe in una storia, ancor più difficile è creare un avversario credibile da battere ed il Nonno del protagonista è stato un incredibile rivale per il nipote. Per Do Jun battere il nonno in affari è l'unico modo per mostrare quanto vale, a costo di farlo soffrire.

Ed il finale del personaggio del Nonno è incredibilmente triste e se la serie è riuscita a farmi empatizzare con un tale personaggio, un uomo mostrato spesso nel suo lato peggiore, c'è solo da fare degli applausi.

21) Il finale peggiore: I Am The Years You Are The Star

Qui il premio c'è a mani basse. Dopo 24 episodi che mi rompi il caz..o sulla SICURISSIMA morte della protagonista. poiché malata di una malattia sconosciuta ma incurabile... [SPOILER] lei guarisce. Da cosa non si sa. Come non si sa. Ma lei adesso sta bene. Giusto in tempo per coronare il suo sogno d'amore. Non è bellissimo??! [FINE SPOILER]

Quando sono arrivata al finale ero così basita e fuori dai miei panni che mi sono trovata a ridere istericamente per 10 minuti buoni.

Questo non è un finale. E' una presa per il cu..o.

22) La protagonista femminile preferita: My love from the star

La star Cheon Song Yi. Donna con i contro cazzi ma capace di essere alla mano e super divertente. Nonostante il ruolo da attrice famosissima, Song Yi rimane una ragazza alla mano che fa cose che tutte noi potremmo fare: cantare ubriache davanti alla tv, fare telefonate senza senso o scenate degne della migliore tragedia greca.

Ma oltre a ciò, Cheon Song Yi è anche una donna decisa, che sa quel che vuole e risponde per le rime a chi non la rispetta.

E se qualcosa va male, non si deprime pensando che la sua vita è rovinata ecc..ecc ma prende le cose come vengono. Decisa sì a rimettere in piedi la sua vita dopo i vari problemi ma senza piangersi addosso ogni 3 minuti o implorare l'aiuto di altri.

23) La scena o frase che ti è rimasta impressa: Reborn Rich

Di nuovo Reborn Rich e qui metterò papale papale la scena incriminata: [SPOILER]

Io non credo che potrò mai dimenticare il 12° episodio: la scena nell'ascensore, quando il Nonno dopo una sfuriata colossale al lead, si fa la pipì addosso e guarda il ragazzo con lo sguardo disperato è di una potenza stratosferica. Credo di aver pianto. Tornando alla scena dell'ascensore, quella è emblematica per mostrare i diversi livelli di attaccamento dei due nipoti verso il nonno: mentre il maggiore mette consapevolmente il nonno in difficoltà, mettendolo appositamente in imbarazzo, desideroso di mostrare agli altri la demenza del Nonno per il proprio tornaconto, Do Jin protegge la dignità dell'anziano, rovesciando appositamente il secchio d'acqua per nascondere la pipì del vecchio e non far capire alla donna delle pulizie lì presente, quello che era successo.[FINE SPOILER] Nonno e Nipote si ritrovano a proteggersi a vicenda cementificando un legame già stupendo e regalando allo spettatore tutta l'intensità di questa relazione ormai arrivata alle battute finali ma che è stata così incisiva e bellissima lungo tutto l'arco della serie.

Ci ho ripensato per giorni a questa scena e ancora adesso mi fa scendere la lacrimuccia e mi fa commuovere.

24) Il villain peggiore: W

Cosa c'è di peggio di un cattivo scritto male??

Uno che non esiste. e voilà

Eh già. Perché il fantastico autore di questo fumetto ha pensato bene di dare al villain un valore emotivo e non narrativo e quindi non strutturando nessuna storia attorno a lui. [SPOILER]

Il cattivo di W e poi anche del fumetto, non ha motivazioni, non ha background, non ha nulla. Semplicemente è un cartonato che sta lì per ammazzare la famiglia del lead, incastrarlo per omicidio della stessa e ciao. Adios amigos. [FINE SPOILER]

Terribile. E lo so che dovrei prendermela con lo scrittore del fumetto per aver creato sto mostro di nonsense, ma siccome si vota il "villain peggiore" e l'autore non si è impegnato manco mezzo secondo per crearlo, il voto della vergogna se lo prende lui.

25) Una bromance spettacolare: Tale Of The Nine Tailed

Qui voto per il fratelli volpe. Lee Rang e Lee Yeon lungo tutte le due stagioni hanno un rapporto molto strano: Il minore è legatissimo al fratello - quasi ossessivo - ama suo fratello ma lo risente per averlo abbandonato. Vorrebbe passare del tempo con lui ma ha sempre il terrore di affezionarsi e poi soffrire nel caso che Yeon [SPOILER[ lo abbandoni di nuovo. [FINE SPOILER]

D'altra parte Yeon adora il fratellino ma vorrebbe vivere una vita sua, stare con la ragazza che ama e vorrebbe che anche Rang trovasse una sua strada che sia a prescindere dalla vita di Yeon.

Nella prima stagione tra i due fratelli c'è maretta e una dinamica conflittuale ma che allo stesso tempo è amorevole. Nella seconda, le cose vanno ancora meglio ed i due fratelli finalmente si riappacificano e trovano ognuno la propria strada.

Una bromance carina, profonda e divertente che rivedo sempre volentieri.

25 BIS) L'anno scorso la sfida era vedere:

Un cdrama storico o wuxia

Un drama tratto da un libro/novel/manga/webcomic

Un drama che ha vinto almeno un premio

come è andata? ci siete riusciti?

Yes! E non ho nemmeno dovuto cercarli. Mi sono capitati e solo quando sono andata a fare il quiz, mi sono accorta di aver completato la missione.

Back From The Brink per il drama Wuxia, One Piece per il drama tratto da manga e Moving per aver vinto il Grand Bell Awards nella categoria Miglior Serie. oltre ad aver vinto una fraccata di altri premi.

La sfida di quest'anno è di vedersi un drama/film co-prodotto o con attori (principali) di due o più paesi, entro la fine del 2024. Dite che è fattibile? XD

Qui ho barato. Onestamente non avevo idea di quale drama vedermi con queste caratteristiche...ma poi leggendo la risposta al quiz di @lisia81 mi sono illuminata: One Piece.

Cioè!

Non è che è fattibile, è già fatta praticamente.

[beri-allen]

ao3: beriallen she/her, 18+

Bulgasal: Immortal Souls 1. a little more and i'll go (dan hwal/min si-ho; t; 1/1) 2. if our lives are ours, what shouldn't we do (dan hwal/dan sol, dan hwal/min si-ho; t; 1/1) 3. we had so much going for us (dan hwal/dan sol, dan hwal/min si-ho; g; 1/1)

Crash Landing on You 1. i carried you for aching (seo dan/gu seung-jun; t; 1/1)

Hannibal 1. only grab air (will graham/beverly katz; t; 1/1)

House M.D. 1. calendar girls* (allison cameron/thirteen; t; 1/1)

Memories of the Alhambra 1. room 601 (yoo jinwoo/jung heeju; t; 1/1) 2. magic hours (yoo jinwoo/jung heeju; m; 1/1)

Once Upon a Time 1. the human (wooden swan; g; 1/1) 2. memory serves (wooden swan; t; 1/1)

Please Come Back, Mister 1. wish i were here (han hong-nan/song yi-yeon; t; 1/1)

Queen of Tears 1. 5 times hong hae-in died (baekhong; t; 1/1)

Running Man** 1. might just as well (monday couple; g; 1/1) 2. four times jihyo holds gary's hands and one time she doesn't (monday couple; g; 1/1) 3. no good unless real (monday couple; e; 1/1) 4. another night (monday couple; t; 1/1) 5. fine (monday couple; t; 1/1)

School 2017 1. 3 times taewoon confesses and 1 time he doesn't (ra eunho/hyun taewoon; t; 1/1)

Search WWW 1. the theory of time (song ga-gyeong/cha hyeon; g; 1/1)

Story of Kunning Palace 1. the dreams of butterflies (jiang xuening/shen zhiyi; t; 1/1)

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes 1. born liar (snowbaird; m; 1/1)

Twenty Five, Twenty One 1. we call it something different, something wrong, and something right (ko yurim/na heedo; t; 1/1)

Wednesday 1. slow, long, and excruciatingly painful (wyler; t; 2/2) 2. you have shrunk to the size of my thoughts (wyler; t; 2/2) 3. i predict a riot (wyler; m; 5/5) 4. the gift of the magi (wyler; t; 1/1) 5. the rite of spring (wyler; t; 1/1) 6. stop (wyler; e; 1/1) 7. the long game (wyler; m; 1/1) 8. the devil and the deep blue sea (wyler; t; 1/1) 9. interrupted remembrances (wyler; t; 1/1) 10. technicolor glasses (wyler; t; 1/1) 11. i put a spell on you (wyler; e; 7/7) 12. oh god, i think i'm falling (wyler; e; 2/2) 13. joyeux noël (wyler; t; 1/1) 15. in the heat of the moment (tynid, wyler, minor petroclair; e; 2/2)

*imported from lj **rpf header & icon image credit: x

[kwavecl]

Los 59th Baeksang Arts Awards anuncia a los nominados para las categorías de cine y televisión.

¡Los 59th Baeksang Arts Awards han anunciado sus nominados para las categorías de cine y televisión!

Los candidatos fueron elegidos entre dramas, programas y películas que se emitieron o se estrenaron entre el 1 de abril de 2022 y el 31 de marzo de 2023. Sin embargo, las obras que se estrenaron durante el período de proyección del año pasado también se incluyeron en el grupo de este año. Se encuestó a 60 expertos de la industria antes de las nominaciones finales. Además, las producciones que se excluyeron el año pasado porque se estrenaron durante el período de proyección también se incluyeron en el grupo de este año.

Echa un vistazo a los candidatos finales de la televisión y el cine del año pasado a continuación:

Mejor Drama

JTBC “My Liberation Notes” Netflix “The Glory” tvN “Our Blues” ENA “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” tvN “Little Women”

Mejor Variety Show

tvN “Earth Arcade” Psick University “Psick Show” Netflix “Physical: 100” TVING “EXchange 2” Coupang Play “SNL Korea 3”

Mejor Show Educativo

wavve “National Office of Investigation” (literal title) Netflix “In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal” EBS “Your Literacy Skills+” (literal title) MBC Gyeongnam “Adult Kim Jang Ha” (literal title) KBS “Hidden Earth: 3 Billion Years on the Korean Peninsula”

Mejor Actor

Son Suk Ku – JTBC “My Liberation Notes” Lee Byung Hun – tvN “Our Blues” Lee Sung Min – JTBC “Reborn Rich” Jung Kyung Ho – tvN “Crash Course in Romance” Choi Min Sik – Disney+ “Casino”

Mejor Actriz

Kim Ji Won – JTBC “My Liberation Notes” Kim Hye Soo – tvN “Under the Queen’s Umbrella” Park Eun Bin – ENA “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” Song Hye Kyo – Netflix “The Glory” Suzy – Coupang Play “Anna”

Mejor Actor de Reparto

Kang Ki Young – ENA “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” Kim Do Hyun – JTBC “Reborn Rich” Kim Jun Han – Coupang Play “Anna” Park Sung Hoon – Netflix “The Glory” Jo Woo Jin – Netflix “Narco-Saints”

Mejor Actriz de Reparto

Kim Shin Rok – JTBC “Reborn Rich” Yeom Hye Ran – Netflix “The Glory” Lee El – JTBC “My Liberation Notes” Lim Ji Yeon – Netflix “The Glory” Jung Eun Chae – Coupang Play “Anna”

Mejor Nuevo Actor

Kim Gun Woo – Netflix “The Glory” Kim Min Ho – ENA “New Recruit” Moon Sang Min – tvN “Under the Queen’s Umbrella” Joo Jong Hyuk – ENA “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” Hong Kyung – wavve “Weak Hero Class 1”

Mejor Nueva Actriz

Kim Hieora – Netflix “The Glory” Noh Yoon Seo – tvN “Crash Course in Romance” Lee Kyung Sung – JTBC “My Liberation Notes” Joo Hyun Young – ENA “Exaordinary Attorney Woo” Ha Yun Kyung – ENA “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”

Mejor Entertainer Masculino

Kian84 Kim Kyung Wook Kim Jong Kook Jun Hyun Moo Hwang Jae Sung

Mejor Entertainer Femenina

Kim Min Kyung Park Se Mi Lee Soo Ji Lee Eun Ji Joo Hyun Young

Mejor Película

“Next Sohee” “The Night Owl” “Hansan: Rising Dragon” “Hunt” “Decision to Leave”

Mejor Actor

Ma Dong Seok – “The Roundup” Ryu Jun Yeol – “The Night Owl” Park Hae Il – “Decision to Leave” Song Kang Ho – “Broker” Jung Woo Sung – “Hunt”

Mejor Actriz

Bae Doo Na – “Next Sohee” Yang Mal Bok – “The Apartment With Two Women” Yum Jung Ah – “Life Is Beautiful” Jeon Do Yeon – “Kill Boksoon” Tang Wei – “Decision to Leave”

Mejor Actor de Reparto

Kang Ki Young – “The Point Men” Kim Sung Cheol – “The Night Owl” Park Ji Hwan – “The Roundup” Byun Yo Han – “Hansan: Rising Dragon” Im Siwan – “Emergency Declaration”

Mejor Actriz de Reparto

Park Se Wan – “6/45” Bae Doo Na – “Broker” Ahn Eun Jin – “The Night Owl” Yum Jung Ah – “Alienoid” Lee Yeon – “Kill Boksoon”

Mejor Nuevo Actor

Noh Jae Won –”Missing Yoon” Jinyoung – “Christmas Carol” Byun Woo Seok – “20th Century Girl” Seo In Guk – “Project Wolf Hunting” Ong Seong Wu – “Life Is Beautiful”

Mejor Nueva Actriz

Go Yoon Jung – “Hunt” Kim Si Eun – “Next Sohee” Kim Hye Yoon – “The Girl On a Bulldozer” IU – “Broker” Ha Yun Kyung – “Gyeong Ah’s Daughter”

La ceremonia está programada para el 28 de abril en Paradise City en Incheon a partir de las 5:30 p.m. KST. El programa se transmitirá en vivo por televisión a través de JTBC, JTBC2 y JTBC4, y también se transmitirá en vivo a través de TikTok.

Fuente: soompi.com

[newsintheshell]

THE MOST HERETICAL LAST BOSS QUEEN: FROM VILLAINESS TO SAVIOR, anime in cantiere per la fantasy romance novel di Tenichi

A luglio, Ai Fairouz si calerà nei panni della regina cattiva pronta a salvare in regno!

Ora credete anche voi al cestone delle news di cui vi parlavo ieri? Non sono pazzo (non del tutto, lo giuro :v). In neanche una settimana, siamo già a quota dieci annunci e vi anticipo che ne ho un altro in canna!

Dopo il grande successo di “My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!”, il sottogenere delle antagoniste come protagoniste, che non sono così cattive come la storia presumerebbe, sta prendendo sempre più piede (ma ricordiamoci che la vera capostipite è quella piccola perla di Maoyu Mao Yusha). 

Alla mischia, oggi si aggiunge “THE MOST HERETICAL LAST BOSS QUEEN: FROM VILLAINESS TO SAVIOR” (Higeki no Genkyo to naru Saikyo Gedo Last Boss Joo wa Min no tame ni Tsukushimasu), la cui serie animata, in produzione presso OLM TEAM YOSHIOKA (Life with an Ordinary Guy who Reincarnated into a Total Fantasy Knockout), è appena stata annunciata per luglio 2023.

L’adattamento della fantasy romance novel di Tenichi è diretto da Norio Nitta (Kirakira Happy Hirake! Cocotama) e sceneggiato da Deko Akao (The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt, The Case Study of Vanitas), mente il character design è in mano a Hitomi Kono. 

La colonna sonora, invece, è realizzata da Hanae Nakamura, Tatsuhiko Saiki, Kanade Sakuma e Junko Nakajima, che non a caso hanno tutti lavorato alle musiche di serie come “My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!”, “I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss” e “Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte”.

Pride Royal Ivy ha solo otto anni quando si rende conto di essersi reincarnata, destinata a diventare la futura regina cattiva e il boss finale di un gioco otome. In questa nuova vita ha tutto: un'arguzia affilata come un rasoio, poteri da boss e grande influenza sul regno, in qualità di principessa ereditaria.

Determinata a seminare disperazione e distruzione in tutto il paese... Ma, aspetta un momento! Che razza di futuro marcio sarebbe?! La principessa Pride decide, invece, di abbandonare il piano da perfida maniaca e di proteggere i suoi potenziali futuri fidanzati, oltre a fare di tutto pur di salvare chiunque può! Riuscirà questo boss finale a guadagnarsi l'adorazione del regno?

Svelati già anche i principali membri del cast:

Pride: Ai Fairouz (Power in Chainsaw Man)

Steyr: Maaya Uchida (Catarina Claes in My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!)

Tiara: Haruka Tomatsu (Asuna Yuki in Sword Art Online: Progressive)

La light novel è stata lanciata online nell’aprile 2018 e da giugno 2019 è edita da Ichijinsha, sotto l’etichetta Iris Neo, che la pubblica corredata delle illustrazioni ad opera di Suzunosuke (Last Boss Majo wa Katabutsu Jusha to Tawamureru). 

La serie di romanzi conta attualmente 5 volumi, mentre la versione manga, disegnata da Bunko Matsura, è giunta al terzo volumetto, per ora.

* NON VUOI PERDERTI NEANCHE UN POST? ENTRA NEL CANALE TELEGRAM! *

Autore: SilenziO)))

blogger // anime enthusiast // twitch addict // unorthodox blackster - synthwave lover // penniless gamer

[FONTE]

[magentashow]

A Guide of Korean Showmanship Blogged Anxiety Attack

Top U-back is a 2018 Korean charming funny collection routed by Yook Hak-chan as well as written by Lee Si-eun. It stars Kim Ji-seok, Jeon So-min, as well as Lee Sang-yeob.

The tale line in Korean dramas is normally enchanting and also family-focused. The show is written with traditional Oriental values as well as respect for seniors in mind. A lot of these dramas have actually been filmed while they were being broadcast on television. The authors of these shows are usually well-known and also appreciated worldwide. They are also thought about masterpieces of narration. Furthermore, they show the culture and history of Korea. This makes them a popular selection for television audiences worldwide.

Richard Nichols, a long time Korea scholar, has a comprehensive guide to modern-day Oriental drama. The publication opens with a summary of Oriental drama created because 1910 and also wraps up with an appendix that covers theater manufacturing in Seoul.

One of one of the most popular dramatization of all time, "Twin Tops Bar" informs the tale of a strange 500-year-old female who has the power to make anybody admit. The actors in the drama include Lee Min Ho, Yook Sung-jae, Choi Won-young, as well as Kim So-hyun.

A lot of Oriental dramatization function a primary love interest and also a second love interest. This is a typical trope, though the majority of these dramas take care of to integrate their charming tropes without being cringeworthy.

Reincarnation is one more topic in Korean dramas. A mythical door, opened up by the half-uncle Lee Lim, makes the Kingdom of Corea exist in 2 identical globes. The Emperor Lee Gon sets and discovers this alternating fact bent on stop Lee Lim's atrocities and retrieve the other half of the Manpasikjeok. At the same time, he locates himself entraped between two worlds.

While You Were Sleeping was one more Korean drama composed by Park Hye Ran. The shooting started in February 2017 and also Lee Jong-Suk signed up with the cast in March.

One more prominent Korean drama, Royal prince of Tennis, is based on the life of a prince. Kim Hye-soo plays the King Lee, and Kim Ha-soo plays the Queen Dowager.

Temptation had some adverse reviews. Its reduced scores made several visitors question whether the writer was high while he was creating it. The plot of this dramatization was based upon the Chinese film Companions and American film Indecent Proposal. Ultimately, Temptation averaged 8% ratings in Korea.

An Oriental drama written episode is a records of an episode of a Korean drama. Here are some examples of Korean drama composed episodes Banni Chow Home Delivery written.

The dramatization starts with Han Ji-pyeong and also Ms. Choi having a discussion. Han Ji-pyeong informs her that he's concerned regarding her sibling's circumstance as well as asks her to call her if she remains in trouble. When she hears this, she's horribly distressed, so she goes to her grandma, asking for help. Han Ji-pyeong agrees, as well as he reverses to pay her back.

The collection has some interesting persisting personalities as well as is a superb family members dramatization. Eun-bi's little girl has a terrible family and also a mysterious past background. She reveals that she had a secret sibling and also a struggling youth. In the episode before the collection premiered, she was a target of intimidation and seclusion. Her homeroom educator as well as director attempted to conceal the case, but the fact is out. Now her sibling signs up with the institution to subject the cover-up.

After the episode is finished, Dal-mi's memory is restored, and also she is able to read her diary. In addition, she satisfies her fictional sweetheart, and also she begins to really feel guilty regarding knowing concerning her twin sister.

The tale line in Korean dramatization is typically romantic and family-focused. The publication opens up with a review of Oriental dramatization composed since 1910 and concludes with an appendix that covers movie theater manufacturing in Seoul. While You Were Sleeping was another Korean drama composed by Park Hye Ran. An Oriental drama written episode is a transcript of an episode of a Korean drama. Here are some instances of Korean dramatization composed episodes.

[11quillen11]

Thoughts on Bulgasal Episode 14

Things I liked this episode:

- MIN SI HO!! Look at her!! She is so brave, so strong, so kind!! Her and Doyoon continue to be my undisputed faves and I am so happy we got to see more of them this episode!!

- I was really racking my brain trying to figure out why Hwal would have stolen Eul Tae's soul while also asking Eul Tae to turn him back into bulgasal later. Originally I thought maybe Sangwoon had found another way to become human so he wanted to join her, or maybe Sangwoon really wanted to become human so he was going to offer Eul Tae's soul to her as a fucked up gift or something. Turns out that no, Hwal was just a dick. He was dying (I thought bulgasal couldn't die? Also, that neither could die as long as the other survived and stuff? So why was he dying?) and since he didn't have a soul, he wouldn't have had been reincarnated, he would have just disappeared. Hwal, being too petty to die however, stole OET's soul just to fuck the system and survive. What a piece of shit.

- This might come as a surprise, but I really liked Sangwoon this episode. See, I like her when she's willing to give Hwal a chance because she needs him and because they've been spending so much time together, but she still understands that he is dangerous and acts accordingly. Before she got her (blessed) flashback, Sangwoon was idioticly completely disregarding all the red flags because...? Idk why, she was just dumb I guess.

- That last scene. Hwal was mad at himself for Haesok's death, but couldn't process that anger so he redirected it at any and everyone. But when he was left completely alone, with no one to redirect his anger towards, and without even the benefit of a visual distraction, forced to confront his own thoughts, at last, he grieved. I still think it kinda sucks that our protagonist is getting this major character evolution so close to the end, but by itself, this whole sequence was excellent and the acting was amazing.

- Overall, this episode was very tense and suspensful. I was on the edge of my seat all throughout, I was invested in what was happening rather than just impatiently waiting for crumbs of information.

What I didn't like:

- They really won't let my girl Siho use her powers will they? They better have a fucking good reason to hold back on her discovering the truth until the last two episodes, because right now I just feel robbed of the amazing character growth and angst and tension that could have arisen from her learning the truth about everything.

- Those would be nitpicks if they weren't consistent with Sangwoon's characterisation up to this point: 1) why didn't she tell Hwal when she spotted/felt the monster? Girl knows she can't fight for shit but decides to just go for it alone? With her sister's life on the line as well? Sangwoon, please, use your brain for once!. 2) I really, sincerely, do appreciate that she was so concerned about Ms Lee and what to do with her body, but I wish she would still have expressed a greater sense of urgency as well. Like, Siho and Doyoon were in mortal danger and she didn't seem concerned enough imo. 3) Why does she never ask about Hwal's dead wife? He keeps talking about his family and this episode he litteraly called Siho "Dan Sol", and Sangwoon is just never curious. This whole thing is so weird. If the writers didn't want to deal with the awkardness of Hwal falling for the person he initially thought had murdered his wife and son while the reincarnation of his wife was right there, then by god just make Sangwoon the protagonist!!

- We still didn't get as much in the way of reveals as I would have liked, which continues to make me think that this show only needed 12 to 14 episodes, not 16.

I think that's all :)

After this episode, I have hope now that the last two episodes might be satisfying, at least.

[dramastream]

Women in Netflix Original Survival Horror Dramas:

Asahina Aya as Kuina Hikari in Alice in Borderland (2020-) Tsuchiya Tao as Usagi Yuzuha in Alice in Borderland (2020-) Cho Yi Hyun as Choi Nam Ra in All of Us Are Dead (2022-) Ha Seung Ri as Jang Ha Ri in All of Us Are Dead (2022-) Lee Eun Saem as Park Mi Jin in All of Us Are Dead (2022-) Kim Shi Ah as Luna in The Silent Sea (2021) Bae Doo Na as Song Ji An in The Silent Sea (2021) Kim Sun Young as Hong Ga Young in The Silent Sea (2021) Lee Yoo Mi as Ji Yeong in Squid Game (2021-) Jung Ho Yeon as Kang Sae Byeok in Squid Game (2021-) Bae Doo Na as Seo Bi in Kingdom (2019-) Kim Hye Jun as Queen Cho in Kingdom (2019-) Jun Ji Hyun as Ashin in Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021) Kim Hyun Joo as Min Hye Jin in Hellbound (2021) Won Jin Ah as Song So Hyun in Hellbound (2021) Go Min Shi as Lee Eun Yoo in Sweet Home (2020-) Go Yoon Jung as Park Yu Ri in Sweet Home (2020-) Lee Si Young as Seo Yi Kyung in Sweet Home (2020-)

[leo-princeofdarkness]

...in the same story. 

[highladyluck]

Fortuona Athaem Devi Paendrag playlist

Direct link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5KLghlM9nCF1WLKBNoLt5z?si=b1e1d244810e4ae9

26 songs, 1 hr 23 min. A character playlist for Tuon Athaem Kore Paendrag, aka the High Lady, aka the Daughter of the Nine Moons, aka “Precious” but only if you’re Mat Cauthon, aka Fortuona Athaem Devi Paendrag, aka the Empress of Seanchan.

She’s a fascinating mixture of good and evil, person and tool, sympathetic and unsympathetic by turns. I tried to capture that in this playlist, which is organized roughly chronologically by her personal timeline.

There are spoilers in the playlist and commentary for Winter's Heart through A Memory of Light, since this is meant to mirror the narrative.

Track List:

1.      Second Child, Restless Child – The Oh Hellos

2.      Game of Survival – Ruelle

3.      Sit Still, Look Pretty – Daya

4.      When I Rule The World – LIZ

5.      Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival

6.      The Thief and the Moon – Shawn James

7.      Pomegranate Seeds – Julian Moon

8.      Zebra – The Magnetic Fields

9.      Jolene – Dolly Parton

10.   Maybe, This Time – OK Go

11.   Big Guns – Ruelle

12.   Fascinated – Ivy

13.   The Bullpen – Dessa

14.   Pretty Little Head – Eliza Rickman

15.   Greek God – Conan Gray

16.   Emperor’s New Clothes – Panic! At The Disco

17.   Rat Queen – The Mountain Goats

18.   Carmina Burana: O Fortuna – Carl Orff

19.   you should see me in a crown – Billie Eilish

20.   Muse with a Dagger – Taylor Castro

21.   Please Don’t Say You Love Me – Gabrielle Aplin

22.   Daisy – Ashnikko

23.   Mother’s Daughter – Miley Cyrus

24.   I Walk The Line – Halsey

25.   Glory and Gore – Lorde

26.   Trouble – Stripped – Halsey

Commentary and lyrics underneath the cut. Listen to it here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5KLghlM9nCF1WLKBNoLt5z?si=b1e1d244810e4ae9

1)      Second Child, Restless Child – The Oh Hellos

See, I was born the second child With a spirit running wild, running free

The Empress’s second child, the only one who goes across the ocean.

2)      Game of Survival – Ruelle

Are we the hunters? Or are we the prey?

"Keep this doll to remind you that I will always hear you if you say my name. If I am still alive, of course."

3)      Sit Still, Look Pretty – Daya

Oh, I don't know what you've been told But this girl right here's gonna rule the world Yeah, that's where I'm gonna be because I wanna be No, I don't wanna sit still, look pretty

Tuon wishes she looked more intimidating, and threw a full-blown temper tantrum when she was told who she’d have to marry.

4)      When I Rule The World – LIZ

When I rule the world, then I'm gonna make you sweat Dog collar 'round your neck, on your knees and scrub the deck

I promise I didn't forget about the sul'dam thing. This should be as jarring as her initial POV in Winter's Heart is.

5)      Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival

I see the bad moon a-rising I see trouble on the way I see earthquakes and lightnin' I see bad times today

Such a good “Seanchan invade Ebou Dar” song! I definitely stole this from someone else’s Mat playlist, but I don’t think it’s on 8tracks anymore.

6)      The Thief and the Moon – Shawn James

Said the Thief to the Moon "I'll extinguish your light soon I'll put an end to all the light that you shed On this world in its darkened state"

I can imagine this as a Seanchan myth; covers Tuon's opinion on her prophecy & getting kidnapped.

7)      Pomegranate Seeds – Julian Moon

Kore, Kore, fauna and flora How did you get your throne? (Hey!) You made a deal You traded daffodils For a kingdom of ash and bone

Had to sneak in a reference to Tuon's middle name. Tuon's POV on her bargain with Mat.

8)      Zebra – The Magnetic Fields

so there's one thing I crave when my days become ho-hum and blah I want a zebra

Took this from my Mat/Tuon book playlist because it is truly the funniest song on there. It's a zebra in our hearts!

9)      Jolene – Dolly Parton

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene I'm begging of you please don't take my man

This is very tongue-in-cheek, but at the same time, if you pay attention you can see that Tuon's particularly annoyed by/threatened by Joline Maza.

10)   Maybe, This Time – OK Go

So listen, I'm not trying to prove anything at all here But don't you think that maybe, this time, you were wrong?

Mat to Tuon after confiscating the a'dam from her.

11)   Big Guns – Ruelle

Every little move is fixed Like a game of chess The blood on your hands is thick And you're placing bets Can't hide in the den of lions

A really perfect song for Tuon's 'lion on the high plains' realization; I know technically Mat doesn't have cannon or grenades yet, but shhhh, the rapid-fire crossbows are more or less machine guns. Let me have this. Call it foreshadowing if you must.

12)   Fascinated – Ivy

Never turned out like we talked about Never could tell how to read your mind Never found out what you're all about In this lifetime, baby, you will be mine

Tuon's POV on the marriage ceremony.

13)   The Bullpen – Dessa

Forget the bull in the china shop There's a china doll in the bullpen

Returning to Ebou Dar to kick ass and take heads. This was the song that made me create this playlist, because of "china doll in the bullpen," which is such a great description of Tuon.

14)   Pretty Little Head – Eliza Rickman

Catch yourself a looker, let him go, go, go Wanna have your baby, but I'm so, so slow

Tuon misses Mat, but don’t you dare breathe a word about it. Besides, it’s just business.

15)   Greek God – Conan Gray

And since you always swear that you wanted me gone Then why don't you go get your gun? 'Cause you don't really hate me (You're a little baby) You don't wanna end me (You wanna befriend me)

The Tuon vs Rand confrontation (take two, where Tuon's actually there.) Rand has quite enough confidence, really, but most of the song really works.

16)   Emperor’s New Clothes – Panic! At The Disco

Welcome to the end of eras Ice has melted back to life Done my time and served my sentence Dress me up and watch me die

Declaring herself Empress after meeting with Rand.

17)   Rat Queen – The Mountain Goats

We who have never once tasted The stench of defeat Victory sweet as the dregs of the fast food dumpster Look how they jump when we show up Like they've just seen a monster

H/T to @anyboli, who first suggested this to me as a Tuon song. This is a good soundtrack to planning the raid on the White Tower…

18)   Carmina Burana: O Fortuna – Carl Orff

O Fortune, like the moon you are changeable[…]

I literally cannot imagine a Tuon playlist without this song. It’s White Tower raid time!

19)   you should see me in a crown – Billie Eilish

Count my cards, watch them fall Blood on a marble wall I like the way they all Scream

Yeah, this was inevitable too. I’m using it for that absolutely horrifying POV of hers where she's in the damane training room and decides it's time to plan a full-out attack on the White Tower.

20)   Muse with a Dagger – Taylor Castro

You're making fun of my people Pretend I don't hear you Cause I won't forgive myself For fueling or burning you

Tuon's thoughts on Mat in the garden. This didn't lean as as far into the dagger/knife imagery as I'd hoped for- remember, this is the blog that insists Athaem means Magic Dagger Curse- but it seemed so strangely apt for the two of them that I had to include it.

21)   Please Don’t Say You Love Me – Gabrielle Aplin

There's no need to worry when You see just where we're at Just please don't say you love me Cause I might not say it back

Her conversation with Mat in the garden.

22)   Daisy – Ashnikko

Respect a bitch, I'm a maverick Flexible, so elastic But don't you dare bend a bitch backwards

This is what you married, Mat. (The Mat POV version of this character sketch is probably Cake's Short Skirt Long Jacket.) I will not apologize for the number of #girlboss songs on this playlist.

23)   Mother’s Daughter – Miley Cyrus

Oh my gosh, she got the power Oh, look at her, she got the power So, so, so Don't fuck with my freedom I came up to get me some

The confrontation with Egwene. I see this as mostly Egwene's POV, with Tuon doing a sort of echo, the way she does in the original scene. They are fascinatingly alike here, and the way Egwene controls the scene and gets in Tuon's head- when that's Tuon's signature strategy- is amazing.

24)   I Walk The Line – Halsey

You've got a way to keep me on your side You give me cause for love that I can't hide For you I know I'd even try to turn the tide

Tuon admitting that her heart tells her to return to save Mat (and the armies of the Light).

25)   Glory and Gore – Lorde

Glory and gore go hand in hand That's why we're makin' headlines (Oh! Oh!) You could try and take us (Oh! Oh!) But victory's contagious

The Seanchan army comes back for the kill.

26)   Trouble – Stripped – Halsey

Don't forget me, don't forget me I wouldn't leave you if you'd let me Hmm, when you met me when you met me You told me you were gonna get me

Death threats are just their deranged way of flirting; if Tuon wanted Mat dead she wouldn't warn him, you know? And in that final scene with the fireworks Tuon's telling Mat that she wants him around, and he understands it as such.

[tellywoodtrash]

immj2 03.04.21 lb

aryan is literalllllllly the fuckin dumbest. zero peripheral vision or gut feels.

lmaoooooooooooo yeah right, i’d like to see you shoot at vansh bhai, aryan. i really wanna see this lololololol.

lo aa bhi gaya vansh. (fuck he looks good in this shirt!!!!!! damn my stupid hormones making me horny for the absolute baaaaaaaaare minimum.)

ANGREEEEEEEEEEEE ZINDA HAIIIIIIIIII BHAGWAAN KA LAAKH LAAKH SHUKAR, MAIN MAHA MRITYUNJAYA JAAP KARWAUNGIIIII ISKE NAAM PAR

vansh [seeing an obviously shot angre]: angre, kya hua???

samosa khaate waqt ketchup kandhe pe gira diya........... DIKH NAHI RAHA HAI KI GOLI LAGI HAI TERE CHUTIYE BHAI KI WAJAAH SE?!?!!?! ANGRE DESERVES SO MUCH MORE THAN A FUCKING RAISE, MY GOD.

plan ke hisaaaaaaaaaab se. god i hate all the men in this show so much. angre honestly, why are you suchhhhhh a chaaatu for vansh’s ootpataaang plans?!?!

anyway long story short, vansh saw aryan spying, went and replaced all of aryan’s bullets with blanks, and sent the sms about riddhima being alive. LMAO DOES THAT MEAN HE ALSO CONNED A COOL 2 CR. OUTTA ARYAN?!?!!?! ASDKSADJLASKDJLKASDJKAS GOOD JOB, VANSHHHHHHHH.

angre like why i had to die for this tho???? oh angre, you sweet summer child. do you know NOTHING about your bhaiyya/bhaabi’s amaaaaaaazing relationship????? you think he’d give up a chance to emotionally manipulate her like this????

how’d the dumbass finalllllllllllllllly figure this is real riddhima tho??? also he has fully made his peace with treating his PREGNANT WIFE this way huh????

ishani/siya having a girly convo about siya’s “date”. ishani’s like “was it sizzling, burning, sensational?”

uhhhhhhhhh siya, if you’re feeling all these things, you should go see a gynaec. sounds like an STI to me.

this is a very creepy convo ishani is leading, about how far siya got with vyom. who wants such specific sexual details from their sister????????

asalkdjlaskjdlaskjdlaskljk ishani is like “men are like goats [....] they’re dumb. and women are powerful.” can’t say i disagree.

anyway this convo is really dumb and cringey and i can’t take it anymore. inke bhaiyya ka chutiyaapa dikhao, instead of this nonsense. 

angre is over the moon ki this is riddhima bhaabi itself, unaware that boss is fuming ki uska chutiya kat raha hai.

6 ghante 6 ghante 6 ghante blah blah blah FUCKING OUT WITH IT ALREADY

the only time i like vansh as a person is when he’s smirky over buddhu banaao-ing aryan. 

idhar aryan ne aake chugli kar di sabke saamne.

yeh anupriya ka kya hi chakkar hai, idgi. is she fr on vansh’s side now??????

riddhima khud entry maaar rahi, to prove aryan right.

everyone except siya’s reactions are like ugh, this bitch again 😒😒😒

LMAO VANSH/ANGREEEEE LOST RIDDHIMA AND SHE REACHED HOME BY THEN

ouff 10 min of dadi’s mafia queen reactions nonsense now.

lo vansh bhi aa gaya.

ASALKJDLASJDLSKAJDLKSAJDLKSAJDLKSALDKJLAS DADI STANDING ON THE STAIRS PULLING THAT KHAANDANI RIFLE ON HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM LEGIT LOSING IT LMAO.

ALSO ISHAANI IS STANDING BEHIND DADI, FULLY FOR IT. BAGAAAWATTTT KII PYAARI BEHENAA NE!

riddhima trying to interfere to save vansh (why???), and dadi’s like STFU B.

lol vansh playing stone cold stupid, like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

he’s spinning yarn after yarn ki “YEH riddhima hai, WOH jisko maara woh humshakal thi. MERA PYAAAAAAAR WOULD NEVER GIVE ANY OF US DHOKAAAAAAAAAAAA.” pftttttttt.

vansh breaking it down for the truuuuuuuuuuuuuly stupid, ki he shot a girl who had riddhima’s face, she was dead, aryan confirmed it. now there’s a riddhima standing in front of all of them. thus............???????

bechaara aryan. bachpan mein thode aur badaam khaata toh shaayad itna bewakoof nahi hota.

lollipop girl is nodding appreciatively at all this drama; she’s honestly the most relatable character here. if i was a houseguest here, main bhi roz roz mazze looot rahi hoti in chutiyon ka.

le aryan ne phir bandook taan di riddhima par, to get her to uglofy the truth. ab toh isko pakka maar padne waali hai. remains to be seen by whom. hoping it’s vansh as per usual, but i shall take dadi also.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA RIDDHIMA’S LIKE ARYAN HAD KIDNAPPED ME. OMFG LOLLIPOP LADKI’S EXPRESSION AT THAT. SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE WANTS TO BE ADOPTED BY VANSH/RIDDHIMA’S DEVIOUS ASSES.

anyway riddhima flipped the whole damn game and is like dadi, aryan wanted to make you distrust vansh and that’s why he did all this and lmaoooooooo even vansh is a little stunned for a second or two and then jumps in and starts haan mein haan milaao-ing with wifey’s story.

ARYAN LIKE HEIN HEIN HEIN HO KYA RAHA HAI YEH SAB?!!?!?!? HAAAYE BECHAARA. SO SO STUPID HE IS. 

riddhima rubbing it in reallllllllll good in front of dadi ki aryan tried to killllllllll meeeeeeeee!!!!! and now aryan’s like bitch imma kill you both istg and got the gun on them.

LOLLIPOP LADKI’S AMAZING FACES LIKE GO ONNNNNNNNN, DOOOOOO ITTTTTTT, I’D LIKE TO SEE YOU DO IT, SIR. LMAO MAN I LOVE HER.

ASLKADJLAKSJDLASKJDLKSAJLDKJSLAKDJLAS DADI’S GOT HER GUN SET ON ARYAN NOW!!!!!!!!!!! honestly, this whole family is just so fucking dysfunctional, there needs to be a wholeass team of mental health specialists monitoring them and writing case reports about them at all times.

vansh trying to talk aryan down and got shot in the arm for it. pehli baar aryan ne zindagi mein kuch sahi kiya hai.

LOLLIPOP GIRL IS HORNY AT THAT ALSO. MAN SHE’S SUCH A WHORE FOR DRAMAAAAAAAAA AND I FULLY RELATE TO IT.

oh goddamnit. he didn’t get shot. coz aryan sucks at aiming, just like he does at everything else.

ASLKJFDSLKJFLSDKJFLDSKJFLKDSJ VANSH STALKED UP TO HIM AND WAS LIKE “TUMHARA NISHAANA HAMESHA SE HI KHARAAB THA” AND GAVE HIM ONE SOLID SOCK TO THE JAW FOR THAT HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

someone make rrahul trim his damn beard, that thing is like a foot off his face. there must be whole ass beehives and civilizations inhabiting it.

aryan passing by dadi and is like you’re making a big mistake believing vansh/riddhima and their lying asses. and what did he get for that? one jhaapad from dadi also. lol. just not his dayyyyyyyyyyy, man.

LOLLIPOP GIRL’S SMIRKING AND HAS HER ARMS CROSSED AND I LEGIT ONLY CARE FOR HER REACTION SHOTS IN THIS SHOW NOW, LITERALLY NO ONE ELSE.

oh shit dadi is throwing aryan out the house. does he have anyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy skills to fend for himself outside this place? he’s gonna die in like 15 minutes.

dadi warning vansh ki if aryan’s baat sahi nikli, she gonna murder his and riddhima’s asses too. hey vansh??? now would be a good time to take your 5000 cr. and fuck off outta this crazy house rn.

riddhima can’t stop reliving angre’s death.

vansh’s here and just sooooooooooo cool about it. shouldn’t that tip her off?!?!?!?!

she’s like BITCH WHY ARE YOU SUCH A PSYCHOPATH, YOUR BEST FRIEND IS DEAD AND YOU’RE LIKE MEH????? HE DIED FOR YOU.

ohohohohohohoho ofc, he’s like he didn’t die for ME, he died for YOU. you and your dhoka are why he’s dead. today angre’s dead, tomorrow it’ll be me. waaaaaaaaaaah bhai. amazingggggggggg manipulation only. you should write papers and give TED talks about it, that’s how much of an expert you are at this.

do not tellllllllllllllllllllllllllll me she falls for this shit. pls god do not.

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HER BRAIN FINALLY WORKED!!!!!!!!!!! SHE’S LIKE IF ARYAN’S SUCHHHHHHHHHHH A POOR SHOT THAT HE COULDN’T HIT YOU WHEN YOU WERE LIKE 5 FEET AWAY FROM HIM, HOW TF DID HE GET ANGRE RIGHT IN THE FUCKING HEART FROM SO FAR AWAY?????????? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SIS, THIS THE KINDA SHIT I’VE BEEN WANTING TO SEE FROM YOU FOR AGES NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

lol vansh is really pushing on the 6 ghante thing and she’s like ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, i get it now.

toh ofc he has to resort to sexy fuckery and pulls her under the shower to seduce it outta her.

riddhima don’t think with her pussy no more. she’s like you want the truth????/ i gotta confirm some shit first. took the gun (which he’d taken from aryan earlier) and left.

yup she went outside and found a blood ka packet. lolllllllllllllllllll vansh ki khairrrrrrrrrrrr nahi ab.

sopping wet saiyyaan is like what youuuuuuuu doing??? and she pulled the gun on him. bwahahahahaha. sis not so much of an idiot anymore.

LMAO SHE SHOT AT HIMMMMMM AND HE CAN’T BELIEVE IT. I LOVE ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.

she’s like bitch you and your lies and your dhokasssssssssss.

oh dang she fully called out his game, from sending aryan to manipulating her into being guilty for angre’s death. MANNNNNNNN, WHY DIDN’T WE HAVE THIS RIDDHIMA FROM THE FUCKING START????????????

oh now he’s gaslighting her about the dhoka. he’s got some nerve. i swear to god he’s asking to be shot for reals.

she’s like you know what, i woulda told you, but now, after all this fuckery, imma take it to the grave. bwahahahahahhahaha, i love it. exactly what my petty ass would do.

challenge challenge challenge and tashan waala walk-off. lol, what’s the point, tum dono ko jaana toh ek hi kamre mein hai.

ishani’s freaking the fuck out at angre’s haalat. oh damn. she really does love him!!!!

angre’s all mehhh, it’s part of the job, and OMG YES ISHANI IS LOSING HER SHIT AT VANSH BHAI’S CONSTANT CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“tum pehle mere husband ho, phir unke bodyguard!!!!!!!! HE HAS TO UNDERSTAND HIS LIMITS!!!!!!” OMGGG  YESSSSSSSSSSS QUEEEEEEEENNNNNN BURN IT ALL TO THE GROUND. LEAVE THIS HOUSE WITH YOUR BOY AND NEVER LOOK BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

idhar riddhima and vansh seem to have made up???? she’s waking him up cheekily, and he’s all “good morning to youuuuu too, my love. 😏😏😏” they fucked in the night, for sho.

he’s like is this love or repentence for yest? and she’s like bitch tf i got to repent for????

lmao the way she’s staring at him as he drinks his coffee makes me think she’s poisoned it. or spat in it, at the very least.

standard pulling and falling and sexy stuff. lol these two are so dysfunctional. constantly trying to sex the other into submission. at least it’s more equal now, than just him making all the moves.

yeah, she’s doing all this shit to protect him from some shit FOR SURE. ugh yaaaaar. oh well, at least she got some chracter development outta it.

lol he got mad at her for not melting at his do takke ka seduction. son, you thought a bloody forehead kiss was enough? we’re not saying SHIT for less than 3 orgasms.

riddhima cooolyyyy regarding jeeta-jaata chalta-phirta angre, who thankfully has some sharam for his actions.

she’s like don’t worry, i’m not mad at you, i know vansh put you up to it; and he’s like yeah you know i have zero self respect when it comes to vansh bhai. he says jump, i ask how high.

and she’s like you’re your own person dude. and i hope you’ll one day realize that and do what you think is right, not just what vansh tells you to. DUDE I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY DIDN’T GIVE US THIS RIDDHIMA TILL NOW. 

asdkljlaskjdlaskjdlaskjdlaksjdlkasj vansh speaking chinese was really not necessary but....... lol ok.

wtf even is this black box, dude?????? like.............. you know what, idec anymore. nothing in this show is worth wasting brain cells over.

snort, vansh assures his shady business friends that the black box is in safe hands, and instantly riddhima comes and picks it up from the table.

some sultry talk about love and war as they keep taking the box from each other. lol man you’re both so fucking lame.

anyway he put it in the safe and is being patronizing to her, and she’s like be careful at how you play this........ “kahin meri dukhti ragg pe haath na lag jaaye....” OH DAMN. DUDE. I THINK SHE’S LOST THE BABY OR SOMETHING. IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT’S HURT HER MASSIVELY TO BRING ABOUT SUCH A DRASTIC CHANGE (OTHER THAN THE SHOW MOVING FROM TV TO ONLINE)

asldkjsaldjlskadjlksadjlksajd she’s threatening to tell dadi that he played this whole farce in front of her and he’s like U WOT MATEEEE

anyway both of them smilingly fucking each other up about 6 ghante ka raaz and how the other one will lose. man, y’all need SO MUCH THERAPY.

riddhima’s here talking to stupid shunya fucker; and he’s just laughing and talking about his stupid saxophone.

he’s all only the two of us know about this deal we have, no one else in the worldddddddddd knows......

and she’s like actually................................. there’s a third person.

cut to: MY DIL JAAN JIGAR KA TUDKA KABIR, STILL IN CHAINS, SCREAMING RIDDHIMA’S NAME, AND GROWLING ABOUT HOW VANSH WILL KILL HER WHEN HE FINDS OUT HER SECRET.

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh boy. why did she have to tell vyom that kabir knows? now vyom’s gonna try and kill kabir for sure and i want the reverse to happen!!!!!!!! please god gimme some #kava love where vansh saves kabir from vyom to make up for that one time kabir saved his life from chang!!!!!! i just want my two boys together!!!!!!!!!

precap: same old chutiyapa. vansh got her fingerprints off a glass to open her phone; she tries to steal the black box from his secret room and he catches her. abbe yaaaaaaaaaaaaar. 

[dramapic]

MASTERLIST

I update this list everytime I watch and review a show. 

Disclaimer: These reviews are subjective and only reflect my opinions. There are no drama on that list that I’ve turned off and all are worthy of a watch. 

Recs welcome!

#1 Crash landing on you 

(사랑의 불시착)

Grade: A++

Genre: Modern, Star-Crossed lovers

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Son Ye-jin (who plays Yoon Se-ri) and Hyun Bin (Ri Jeong-hyeok) have amazing chemistry and every episode plays out like the chapters of an excellent fanfiction. Classic romantic tropes, humour, angst, action, CLOY has it all. Moreover, if you’ve never watched a Kdrama in your life, CLOY is a great starting point—not only will it introduce you to Korean culture but also to popular tropes and codes of the genre.

#2 Rookie historian Goo Hae-ryung 

(신입사관 구해령)

Grade: A++

Genre: Historical, Age gap

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Delightful from end to end, with lots of humour and an engaging story. The romance between Goo Hae-ryung and himbo-prince Dowon will make your heart go soft, especially if you’re into reverse gender dynamics (she’s older and kisses him first *le gasp*)

#3 Memories of the Alhambra 

(알함브라 궁전의 추억)

Grade: B+

Genre: Modern; Sci-fi; Fantasy

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: No

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Intriguing premise, great cast and tons of special effects but the romance between Jin-woo (Hyun Bin) and Hee-joo (Park Shin-hye) won't go down in history. On top of that, the ending is a bit wishy-washy in that annoying “maybe there’s more to come” kind of way. Give us a clear cut ending, damnit!

#4 Good doctor 

(굿 닥터)

Grade: B- 

Genre: Modern, Medical drama

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Good heart but the writing is really clumsy at times and the hospital politics don’t make an awful lot of sense. On the bright side, Joo Won is great in the role of Park Si-on.

Note: I haven’t watched the American remake so can’t compare. 

#5 My love from the star/ You from the stars

(별에서 온 그대)

Grade: A

Genre: Modern, Sci-fi, fantasy, Star-Crossed lovers

Episodes: 21

Happy Ending: Yes-ish

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Jun Ji-hyun is absolutely stellar in the role of Cheon Seong-yi, a ditzy Hallyu* star whose career is going south while Kim Soo-hyun plays the emotionally closed-off alien to perfection. Lots of pinning, a dose of angst mixed with a pinch of wacky humor. 

*Hallyu means “Korean wave” in Chinese and refers to the popularity and spreading of Korean pop-culture outside of Korea. 

#6 Hwarang The Poet Warrior Youth 

(화랑)

Grade: B

Genre: Historical, Coming of age, fake siblings who catch feels

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Cute boys and interesting lore rooted in true facts (the bone rank system and the real Hwarang, the “Flowering Knights” of the Silla kingdom) but the story drags. I guess I expected more bromance and frolicking and less angst. Lastly, the main girl starts off quirky and fun but they quickly transform her into a sobbing mess which becomes real annoying real fast. 

#7 Love in the Moonlight / Moonlight Drawn by Clouds (구르미 그린 달빛)

Grade: A 

Genre: Historical, Romance, Coming of age, Posing as the opposite sex

Episodes: 18

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

A classic tale of a girl raised as a boy who ends up in a situation where she needs to do her best to not blow her cover while catching feels (As someone raised on Versailles no bara and Ribbon no Kishi, it remains one of my favourite tropes)

Sweet romance and good characters. The fact that Crown prince Lee Yeong doesn't turn emo when he starts developing feelings for Eunuch Ra-on before discovering she's a girl is the cherry on top of the cake. 

#8 Something in the rain

(밥 잘 사주는 예쁜 누나)

Grade: C 

Genre: Modern

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes, but it still doesn't make you happy

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Wasted potential! 

Great start but the characterization falls apart quickly and you end up wondering why the main characters keep sabotaging their lives. By the end, despite their reunion, you're left with the impression they've learned nothing and that their relationship is doomed to fall apart. 

On top of it all, watching Jin-ah fight sexism in the workplace and gaining nothing is depressing af (I don’t need realism in my escapism, thank you very much).

Too bad because Son Ye-jin and Jung Hae-in look really good together and the acting is top-notch. My advice is to watch the first 8 episodes then make up your own ending in your head.

#9 Moon embracing the sun 

(해를 품은 달)

Grade: B+

Genre: Historical,Star-Crossed lovers

Episodes: 22

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

A traditional historical drama with all the tropes that go with the genre + a hint of esoterism.

If you love ill-fated relationships, tragic love triangle, evil queens, and amnesia, this is the show for you. Beware, the interrogation/torture scenes are rather brutal. 

#10 My sassy girl 

(엽기적인 그녀)

Grade: B- 

Genre: Historical, Rom-Com

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Cute and lighthearted but easily forgettable. Still worth a watch thanks to Joo Won & Oh Yeon-seo's chemistry. 

#11 Coffee Prince 

(커피프린스 1호점)

Grade: A 

Genre: Modern, Posing as the opposite sex

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Solid story, great cast but be ready for a lot of bickering. 

Yoon Eun-hye is a precious bean who manages to sell the story of Eun-chan, a struggling androgynous working-class girl who mistakenly gets hired by a rich guy to play his boyfriend, then becomes his employee, then falls for him while not correcting his assumptions about her gender. Opposite her, Gong Yoo (from Train to Busan fame) is 🥰🥰🥰

Sidenote: Despite Han-kyul's struggle to accept his feelings for Eun-chan, homosexuality isn't treated as a joke or a shameful thing. The one time he goes seek “medical help”, the doctor is depicted as an old, clueless idiot. And honestly, the story would work too if Eun-chan was a guy. 

#12 My girlfriend is a Gumiho/My girlfriend is a Nine-tailed fox 

(내 여자친구는 구미호)

Grade: B+

Genre: Modern; Fantasy

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Viki - Available on Netflix (FR) too

Campy and goofy. It does look a bit dated (it’s from 2010) and the story is a little predictable but Lee Seung-gi as Cha Dae-woong, an aspiring action film actor and Shin Min-ah as “Gu Mi-ho” the nine-tailed fox looking for a mate are super cute. The show is also a good introduction to Korean folklore.

#13 Goblin / Guardian: The Lonely and Great God / The Lonely and Great God – Goblin 

(쓸쓸하고 찬란하神 – 도깨비)

Grade: A+ 

Genre:  Modern, Historical, Fantasy, bromance

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes-ish

Watched on: Viki 

Unpopular opinion but since I’m not into older guys, I wasn’t invested in the romance between Bride and Goblin until late in the series. I loved everything else though. The show has such a unique tone and atmosphere. It goes from super serious to goofy in no time. The cinematography is gorgeous (especially the historical sets) and you'll cry your eyes out.

#14 Healer 

(힐러)

Grade: A 

Genre:  Modern

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

If you're into toll broody guys and fearless smoll girls, you’ll love Healer. The story is great, the characters are great and the way Jung-hu (played by Ji Chang-wook) and Ji-an (Park Min-young) are horny for each other is peak drama! *chef kiss*

#15 Kangchi the beginning/Gu family book 

(구가의 서)

Grade: B- 

Genre: Historical, Fantasy

Episodes:

Happy Ending: No

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Engaging coming of age story of a half-human half-gumiho looking for his place in this world. If it wasn't for the wishy-washy ending it could have been the perfect mix of action fantasy and romance. 

Special mention for Dam Yeo-wool (played by Suzie Bae) who is a female character who's allowed to be a bit of everything at the same time (strong, kick-ass, funny, cute, romantic) 

#16 Queen for seven days 

(7일의 왕비)

Grade: A 

Genre:  Historical, Romance, Villainous crush

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: No

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

With that title don’t expect a HEA but there are plenty of sweet moments along the way to make you appreciate the journey. 

Chae-kyung loves the Prince and the Prince loves Chae-kyung but the King wants to kill the Prince and Chae-kyung is loyal to the King but the King is a tyrant and everyone wants the Prince to take his throne. On top of that the King wants Chae-kyung. Big mess. Lots of feels.

The story is (very) loosely based on real-life Queen Dangyeong, which makes it even more poignant. I cried my eyes out at the end because I’m a big softy.   

#17 Korean Odyssey

(화유기)

Grade: A-

Genre: Modern, Fantasy

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Kinda

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

The show (very loosely based on Journey to the West) has its faults including the wishy-washy ending and the fact that Jin Seon-mi/Sam-jang starts off as a doormat but I ended up liking the relationship developing between the assholish Monkey god and the naive human girl more than I expected.

The side characters are compelling, and the banter and bickering between the deities work really well. If you grew up with Dragon ball, you’ll have a blast trying to match-up the Japanese and Korean names of everyone without looking up Wikipedia.

Lastly, not something I imagined saying after seeing him in Gumiho and Gu family book but Lee Seung-gi as Son Oh-gong = BDE *fans herself* 🥵

#18 Strong Girl Bong-soon 

(힘쎈여자 도봉순)

Grade: A- 

Genre:  Modern, Super-Heroine

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Trigger warning: Graphic depiction of violence against women

A++ super-heroine story, bad side characters 

First, every girl should aspire to find a Min-hyuk in their life. Someone who'll love them because of their strength, and support them unconditionally. Someone who won't ask them to change or pretend to be somebody else.

Second, western media should learn that a super-heroine can HAVE IT ALL—the superpowers AND the love AND the family. 

My only complaint with the show (and that's why I gave A- instead of A++) is the inclusion of many cringy side characters/situations that spoiled my overall enjoyment (see the caricatural flamboyant gay co-worker, Bong-soon’s mom hitting her dad, the mobsters...)

#19 The K2 

(더 케이투)

Grade: B- 

Genre: Modern, Political

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

The romance is bad and the political story far-fetched but Ji Chang-wook is 🔥🔥PEAK HOTTIE🔥🔥

That being said, I didn’t completely dislike the political intrigue and it was interesting to see the good guy working for the villains (sort of). 

#20 Weightlifting fairy Kim Bok-joo 

(역도요정 김복주)

Grade: A+ 

Genre:  Modern, Coming of age

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Uplifting coming of age story and super sweet romance. Bok-joo (Lee Sung-kyung) & Joon-hyung (Nam Joo-hyuk) are precious children on top of being cutie-patooties. Bok-joo’s insecurities hit hard, especially if you’ve ever been outside the norm of beauty standards.

I liked how the show normalizes therapy and taking care of your mental health.

In one word…

SWAG! 

#21 The scholar who walks the night 

(밤을 걷는 선비)

Grade: B 

Genre:  Historical, Fantasy, Vampire, posing as the opposite sex

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Guilty pleasure. 

Don’t ask me about the details of the main storyline, I’ve already forgotten most of it. Sometimes all you need is a show where a hundred-something years old good vampire with a sad backstory and the main girl who is thirsty for the good vampire are fighting a sexy evil vampire. 

PS: Did I mention the sexy evil vampire?

#22 Romance is a bonus book 

(로맨스는 별책부록)

Grade: A+ 

Genre: Modern, Friends to lovers

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Imagine reading a relaxing book under a cozy blanket while sipping hot cocoa. That’s how that series made me feel. 

Everything is sweet and soft from the characters' fluffy jumpers to the soft palette of color used for the sets. People make books and love books. There’s a mystery but no unnecessary angst. If you need a break from everything, jump in that ship. 

#23 Hotel Del Luna 

(호텔 델루나)

Grade: A- 

Genre: Modern  

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Sorta

Watched on: Viki - Available on Netflix (FR) too

Interesting world-building and a good cast of side characters but the romance lacks a bit of oomph. 

On the + side, the hotel sets are gorgeous and Man-wol's wardrobe is to kill for.

#24 Suspicious Partner 

(수상한 파트너)

Grade: A- 

Genre: Modern, Star-crossed lovers in an office

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Toll serious who hates criminal falls for smoll weirdo falsely accused of murder. A must watch for anyone in search of a quirky romance.

#25 Touch your heart 

(진심이 닿다)

Grade: A 

Genre: Modern  

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Viki

Tooth rotting sweetness. The series is just a pretext to watch two good looking people (Lee Dong-wook and Yoo In-na) being nice and awkward around each other. What do you need more? 0

Note: If you watched Goblin you can also pretend it's a spin-off series about the reincarnations of Grim Reaper and Sunny. 💡

#26 Because this is my first life 

(이번 생은 처음이라)

Grade: A 

Genre: Modern, Fake marriage

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

The Fake Marriage AU you’re looking for, mixed with slices of modern, messy, complicated life. 

The main storyline revolves around Ji-ho an assistant drama screenwriter who struggles to find her place within the patriarchal structure of Korean society, and Se-hee, a socially incompetent computer designer who only cares for his cat and his mortgage. The way they end up in a fake marriage as well as the development of their relationship feels organic and doesn’t rely too heavily on comedy like it’s often the case with that trope.

The show also follows the stories of Ji-ho’s friends, Su-ji and Ho-rang who have different aspirations in life—Su-ji’s goal is to become CEO while Ho-rang only cares about becoming a housewife. I loved that the show makes a point to not pit women against each other and advocate living your life the way YOU want rather than trying to follow societal expectations of what love, work and marriage should look like. 

Also they have the cutest cat.

#27 What's wrong with Secretary Kim? 

(김비서가 왜 그럴까 )

Grade: A- 

Genre: Modern  

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Viki

I wish Secretary Kim had more agency in certain situations but the romance develops well and the horny moments are caliente 🥵🔥 

#28 Where your eyes linger 

(너의 시선이 머무는 곳에)

Grade: A++ 

Genre: Modern, BL, Coming of age, Friends to lovers

Episodes: 8

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Viki

Bite-size BL gem to devour in one sitting. 

Stellar acting from the two leads and the balance between fluff and angst is just right. There's no graphic violence that sometimes plagues yaoi and BL and the story is believable. I got emo remembering my first love. 

#29 Live up to your name 

(명불허전)

Grade: A- 

Genre: Modern, Historical, Time travel, Star-crossed lovers

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Trigger warning for graphic depiction of violence

Big surprise. I was looking for a cheesy comedy but it was actually a thoughtful story about humanism. I even teared up a little. 

Trigger warning for needles. They do some pretty impressive procedures with those acupuncture needles. 

#30 W - Two Worlds Apart 

(더블유)

Grade: A 

Genre: Modern  

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Imaginary men > Real men, especially when they're played by Lee Jong-suk. Nuf’ said.

Imaginary men > Real men, especially when they're played by Lee Jong-suk.

The silly premise hides a solid story that keeps you on your toes and I was suprised by the rollercoaster of emotions I went through.

“Option 3″

“That’s 4 fingers”

#31 Life 

(라이프)

Grade: C 

Genre: Modern

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Kinda

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Unless you want to learn how fucked up the private health sector is becoming in Korea, there's not much to gain watching this show. 

The story starts off well though. The problem is that by the middle of the series the writers have dropped the main mystery (the circumstances surrounding the death of the director) to deliver an exposé on the political machinations of big corporations, and then shoehorn an explanation at the last minute (“it was all but a misunderstanding”). Very underwhelming.

The relationship between the two brothers played by Lee Dong-wook and Lee Kyu-hyung is the only bright spot.

#32 Pinocchio 

(피노키오)

Grade: A- 

Genre: Modern, Fake family members who catch feels

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

On paper, the story sounds a little crazy but it all comes together nicely.

Lee Jong-suk and Park Shin-hye have great chemistry and deliver a stellar performance as “uncle” and “niece” (not related by blood) who can’t fight the romantic feelings they harbor for one another. The main storyline has enough twists to keep you entertained and surprised. 

My only complaint is that it drags a little. 16 episodes would have been enough. 

#33 My Holo Love 

(나 홀로 그대)

Grade: A 

Genre: Modern, Sci-fi

Episodes: 12

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Fake men > Real men 

Imagine a Black Mirror episode about a love triangle between a woman suffering from face blindness, an emotionally supportive AI boyfriend and the disenchanted creator of said AI, minus the nihilism. *chef kiss*

#34 Legend of the blue sea 

(푸른 바다의 전설)

Grade: B++ 

Genre: Modern, Fantasy, Fairy tale, Star-crossed lovers

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Viki

Park Ji-eu (the writer) read the little mermaid and decided to give her a happy ending. Great chemistry between Lee Min-ho and Jun Ji-hyun but the spark is missing for me. 

The antics of modern-day mermaid Shim Cheong are a little predictable and Joon-jae needs to be less of a control freak at times but the story remains enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised to see Shim Cheong’s character grow, making the power imbalance between the clueless mermaid and the con-artist less pronounced by the end of the series. 

The side characters are interesting but underused, and I wish Tae-oh was more developed. On the other hand, the Joseon area sets and costumes are absolutely gorgeous (Don’t tell anyone but Joseon!Lee Min-ho is hotter than Modern!Lee Min-ho 🥵)

#35 Tale of Arang / Arang and the Magistrate 

(아랑사또전)

Grade: B 

Genre: Historical, Fantasy,

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

One word: Campy.

Interesting lore but the pacing is a little off—there’s a lot of back and forth between the characters and the locations and the love triangle doesn't add much. 

#36 My ID is Gangnam Beauty / Gangnam Beauty  

(내 아이디는 강남미인)

Grade: A+ 

Genre: Modern, Coming of age

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

If you’ve ever been bullied for your looks, you’re gonna bawl your eyes out. 

The show does a great job of calling out the unhealthy beauty standards imposed on Korean women but the topic is universal enough for the story to resonate with everyone. I love that you never see Mi-rae’s old face because it’s not our perception of her lack of beauty that matters but the fact she suffers greatly. Don’t you hate in western shows when they take a beautiful actress, give her a pair of glasses or a fat suit and call her ugly, making sure the audience feels shittier about themselves? Here, the writers concentrate on Mi-rae’s transformation and her coping with the consequences of her decision to do plastic surgery. 

It’s also not a revenge fantasy where the ugly duckling suddenly becomes the most popular girl at school. Being a “Gangnam beauty” leads to a new form of suffering. 

Romance-wise, it’s the slowest burn of slow burns because Mi-rae and Do Kyung-seok are the most socially awkward beans on the planet. I love them, Your Honor. 

#37 Tale of Nokdu 

(조선로코-녹두전)

Grade: A

Genre: Historical, Posing as the opposite sex

Episodes: 32 x 30mns

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Viki - Now available on Netflix (FR)

Fun and lighthearted all the way through.

The story of a guy who puts on a dress to investigate a village of widows could have gone very wrong but it was well handled. It’s refreshing to see the classic trope of posing as the opposite sex reversed and Jang Dong-yoon is never cringy when he’s pretending to be Lady Kim Nok-soon.

#38 Bride of Habaek / Bride of the Water God

(하백의 신부 2017)

Grade: B

Genre: Modern, Fantasy

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Content warning: Crime against fashion

Promising premise and lore (I'm interested in reading the original comics now) but the writing fails to deliver an epic romance and a cathartic ending. Moreover, the sets lack imagination (or money?) and in the end I failed to ever feel immersed in a fantasy world.

The unfortunate consequence of the clumsy writing is that the male characters who are meant to be arrogant/confident Gods (Habaek and By-ryeom) sound like they're negging their love interests more than wooing them, and the relationship between Mu-ra and By-ryeom particularly irked me.

#39 Strangers from Hell / Hell is other people 

(타인은 지옥이다) 

Grade: A+

Genre: Modern, Psychological Thriller

Episodes: 10

Happy Ending: Spoiler

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Content warning: Violence 

What a departure from everything else in that list! Absolutely worth a watch if you enjoy thrillers and shows like Hannibal. If psychological horror isn’t your cup of tea though, you might give it a pass. 

The storyline and the characters are a little cliché (it goes with the genre) but the cinematography and photography are fantastic. You can notice how the pension becomes more and more sinister throughout the series via the use of dark greens and browns and pale yellows, as opposed to the mundanity and coldness of the city (greys, and cold blues).

Last but not least, the acting is top-tiers. Im Siwan does a great job at portraying Jong-woo, an aspiring crime novelist who slowly loses his marbles but the true revelation for me is Lee Dong-wook. After seeing him so many times in roles where he plays awkward yet charming men who can barely express emotions, I was intrigued to see him take on the role of a serial killer, and holy cow, he's the perfect mix of sinister and alluring. Towards the end of the series, his character Moon-jo acts like a black-hole whenever he appears in a scene—a towering, dark presence who sucks the light out of the room (If he carries any of that darkness in the upcoming Tale of Gumiho, it’s gonna be *chef kiss*).

#40 Empress Ki 

(기황후)

Grade: A

Genre: Historical, posing as the opposite sex

Episodes: 51

Happy Ending: From a certain point of view

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Trigger warning for violence against women (not graphic but implied)

51 episodes.

Fifty.One.Episodes.

That's a lot of episodes considering the story starts with the ending. 

Did I enjoy this show? Yes, very much so. Do I think it's for everyone? Nope. 

You'll enjoy Empress Ki if you're into old-school historical sagas or you wished Game of thrones had no gratuitous nudity and violence. If you’re looking for an historically accurate biography of the real empress Ki though, then look away because Empress Ki is basically a lengthy fanfiction trying to justify how the Goryeo native Seung-nyang married the wimpy Emperor of the Yuan dynasty whilst trying to portray her as loyal to her motherland and to her first love, the Crown Prince of Goryeo. 

Personally, I didn’t care for the love triangle formed by Seung-nyang (Ha Ji-won), Wang-yoo (Joo Jin-mo) and Toghon Temür (Ji Chang-wook) but I liked the politics and the backstabbing. Also, contrary to GoT, the bad guys get their comeuppance at the end so it makes watching the side characters die less painful.

#41 Meow, the secret boy / Welcome 

(어서와)

Grade: B-

Genre: Modern, Modern fantasy

Episodes: 24 x 35mns 

Happy Ending: I guess

Watched on: Viki

How do I put it? It's not *terribad* but it's not *good* either. 

I was super on board with the concept—if Lee Seung-gi can bang a nine-tailed fox in My girlfriend is a gumiho, I have zero issues with Sol ah, our heroine, falling in love with Hong-jo the cat-person after being dumped for no reason by Jae-sun her boyfriend—but it didn’t exactly develop that way, and as soon as they explained why Jae-sun had broken up with Sol-ah, the writers lost me because I like when things happen for a reason. 

#42 Clean with a passion for now 

(일단 뜨겁게 청소하라!!)

Grade: A-

Genre: Modern, Rom-Com

Episodes: 16 

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Super zany and tropey but that’s why it works so well. The only reason I’m giving it a minus is because it’s trying to be woke but in the end there’s still a lot of unsolicited grabbing and some iffy remarks/pick-up lines said by every male characters (IRL that’s the kind of story that ends up with a restraining order and a lawsuit for sexual harassment).

#43 Mystic pop-up bar 

(쌍갑포차)

Grade: A

Genre: Modern, Fantasy

Episodes: 12

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Trigger warning: Heavy themes (miscarriage, pregnancy, loss of a child, death of loved ones)

You know how the meme goes... Sometimes a family is a hot-tempered bar owner, a cursed kid and an ex-Afterlife-Police officer with a secret past. 

It took me a few episodes to get into it, but once the characters were established it became really enjoyable. 

The tone of the series leans toward wacky but the core of the story is actually pretty dark if you look into it. Every grudge they solve for their “clients” gives a clue about Wol-joo’s personal story and by the last episode I was crying my eyes out.

Last but not least, Wol-joo’s collection of modernized hanboks is *chef kiss*

#44 My secret Terrius 

(내 뒤에 테리우스)

Grade: A

Genre: Modern, Action, Comedy, Bromance

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

An enjoyable action drama to watch with your family or your significant other.

Koreans prove that you can write a story about a black ops agent on the run who becomes a childminder without reeking of toxic masculinity. Contrary to American comedies where the manly-man-hero working undercover is incompetent and believes that working with children is a woman’s job and a waste of his manly-man talents until he has an epiphany of some sorts, Kim Bon (played by So Ji-sub) never once expresses discomfort to the idea of looking after two kids. In spite of his sober demeanor, he’s a caring and attentive person from the start and watching him gradually becoming a part of this spunky family while investigating a national security threat made my heart go awww.

Opposite him, fearless and resourceful mom Go Ae-rin (played Jung In-sun) brings a lot of energy, and the twins are absolutely adorable.

#45 Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

(달의 연인 - 보보경심 려)

Grade: A--

Genre: Historical  

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: No

Watched on: Random streaming site

Don’t get attached—Moon Lovers is the missing link between Empress Ki and Boys over flowers, but with a sad ending.

I did binge watch the series but there are some frustrating aspects to it that prevented me from giving a perfect score, notably the fact that Wang So remains possessive and demanding with Hae Soo throughout the years—for instance “You’re my person” is a romantic statement until it evolves into “You can never leave me.”

The other problem of the series is that Lee Ji-eun (UI) does cute and goofy really well, but she doesn’t have the emotional range needed to portray a character who goes through many heartbreaks and betrayals. As a result, Hae Soo appears a little fickle in her infatuations with the princes.  

That being said if you’re a sucker for tragic romance and you believe that power corrupts even the purest of love, you’ll have a blast.

#46 Forest 

(포레스트)

Grade: B++

Genre: Modern, Romance

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Viki

UST in the woods (Dat first kiss 🥵🥵🥵)

The characters and the story are a little cliché but who doesn’t love a story where the protagonists are clearly attracted to each other but can’t act on their desires because their moral values are opposite?

*slams fist*

San Hyeok is your typical heartless businessman who refuses to confront his childhood trauma, and Yeong Jae is a surgeon who suffers from panic attacks and cares too much about other people. They’re both good looking and fate brings them to a remote village in the middle of the forest where they have to share a house. Really, I wonder what’s gonna happen?

#47 100 Days My Prince / Hundred days husband

(백일의 낭군님)

Grade: B+

Genre: Historical

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Viki 

Trigger warning: Important character death.

Cute and charming but also very annoying at times. Obviously, the story is tropey af (fake marriage doubled with amnesia, you can’t really beat that) but it also includes elements I’ve never seen in any other dramas like the fact that the Crown Princess is pregnant with another man’s child (le gasp!). The things that annoy me the most were the unnecessary flip-flopping of the heroine towards the end of the show for the sake of creating artificial drama (just let them be together FFS!) and the fact that the male characters take a lot of decisions for Yeon Hong-shim.

Romance wise, Do Kyung-soo and Nam Ji-hyun are really cute together but in the end I found myself more interested in the political intrigue and the side characters than the main romance because slow burn has its limit. In essence, it’s the perfect drama to watch with your conservative family because whilst the main couple is living under the same roof and is technically married they don’t get frisky. 

#48 I Am Not A Robot (로봇이 아니야)

Grade: A++

Genre: Modern

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Angsty with a good pay-off.

With a premise like that, things could have gone wrong really quickly but the writers managed to write a story that isn’t a man wanting to fuck a robot because real women are scary so big kudos for them. Seeing Min-kyu celebrating his Roomba’s birthday because he has no other friends will instantly melt your heart and from that point on you’ll cheer for his recovery. The show has the right amount of angst without becoming a mess and they handle the big reveal very well, making sure to show how hurt both Min-kyu and Ji-ah are by the situation, without making you doubt that they can find each other again. The other strong point of the show is that it’s not just about romance, it’s also about friendship and learning to let other people in your life. 

The acting is incredible to the point that by the end I wondered if Yoo Seung-ho and Chae Soo-bin were making out in front of my salad or if I was still watching the characters Min-kyu and Ji-ah being lovey dovey. 

#49 Sungkyunkwan Scandal (성균관 스캔들)

Grade: A

Genre: Historical, Posing as the opposite gender

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Viki

Hana zakari no kimi tachi he with gats.

This show checks so many boxes when it comes to my favourite tropes story-wise and character-wise that I instantly fell in love with it. It might feel a little dated for a younger audience and it definitely suffers from the second male lead syndrome (who wants unseasoned boiled chicken when there are not just one but two juicy rotisserie chickens on the table next to you?!) but it’s still very much enjoyable. Also, they don’t shy away from using the word “homosexuality” and having one of the second lead confessing to having romantic feelings for his friend (I’ll take any scrap of bi-representation, okay?)

#50 It’s Okay to not be okay  (사이코지만 괜찮아)

Grade: A 

Genre: Modern

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Found family. 

In spite of one ridiculous plot twist (that I was aware of when I started the show) this show has made me feel all the feelz. The three main actors all did a phenomenal job portraying their characters in all their complexity and fragility and I ended up crying so many cathartic tears in the second to last & the last episodes.The relationship between Sang-tae and Gang-tae is one of the best sibling relationships I’ve seen on-screen in a long time while the romance between Moon-yeong and Gang-tae blends perfectly elements of comedy and melodrama. Mental illness isn’t treated as something to be ashamed of, whilst showing that you can grow and recover from trauma and finding your own happiness.

PSA from my boyfriend, who dropped the show before the end: 

The plot twist is so stupid that it takes away from the rest of the series. In my opinion it negated the positive portrayal of mental illness built up until then. They completely lost me.

^ We discussed a lot about it which is why I wanted to share his POV to balance my own review.

#51 coming soon

[woo-do-hwan]

The June Review

Dramas & Films I watched in June

The Romance of Tiger and Rose (2020) [9.5 out of 10]

I finally watched this so I could stop avoiding spoilers and tbh it did not disappoint. I finished this in about 2 days and I honestly don’t know what to do with myself now. I might have to start calling Lu Si the comedy queen because of the one heck of the performance she put on. I also loved the chemistry between the leads and by ep 10, it was so obvious the male lead was so in love with her, my heart just burst for them. The couple also reminded me of Donghua & Fengjiu in some instances bc Han Shuo is whipped for his woman just like Donghua is. Anyway... I might have to go rewatch this bc I feel empty inside now. 

My Dear Lady (2020) [6.5 out of 10]

I watched this curiously because of the summary but it seems most of the plot happened towards the end of the drama and by the end it felt rushed. I also got bored often watching most of this but the acting was still good. 

Kore Wa Keihi de Ochimasen! (2019) [8.5 out of 10]

I do truly enjoy watching some jdramas bc they’re just 10 episodes with no exaggerated or lengthy plot line and this was exactly it. It also had the subtle romance plot which doesn’t take the majority of the 10 eps which I quite enjoyed. And pretty much each ep came with a different story which I also loved with odd exception of the romance plot and the two last episodes. 

Kleun Cheewit (2017) [7.5 out of 10]

This isn’t my first lakorn and it certainly won’t be my last either. The chemistry between the two leads were amazing. I’m not sure what else to say... felt like they dragged out some parts and some things were a little so-so but good drama. 

Mystic Pop Up Bar (2020) [9.0 out of 10]

This is probably one of the best dramas I’ve watched this year, at first I wasn’t planning on watching it but I decided to give it a try and little did I know, I was going to be hooked two episodes in. I did mostly watch it for the back story (with the young actors) and I hope when they’re older they might consider doing another drama together. But I’m a sucker for tragedy & angst which I also try to avoid most of the time going into dramas (this is a very odd combo). The plot was great. A great drama, and I notice this also applies to books, when the audience guesses and already knows of the plot twists before they are revealed. It’s quite satisfying when all the pieces fall into place and that is exactly what happened. Mystic Pop Up Bar also kept it light-hearted bc you needed the humour after watching some of the angsty scenes, phew. 

Someday or One Day (2019) [8.5 out of 10]

I guess you could say this is a murder mystery for most of the episodes. The twist and turns are quite unexpected and I quite enjoyed watching. Greg Hsu could have my heart any day of the week. (this list is getting longer and longer with each passing day)

Want More 19 (2018) [7.0 out of 10]

A short web drama. I mean... the main reason I was here was for Day6′s OST ‘Chocolate’ It’s a great song. Also an amazing band. Again, it’s just a breather in between long-winded dramas. 

The Legend of White Snake (2019) [7.0 out of 10]

I know I said below another drama review that I had changed my ways and don’t skip through things now. Well... I skipped through this one mainly because I got fed up and bored, this consistently lasted through a whole chunk of eps. So I kind of skipped to the end... I didn’t miss much if I’m being honest and I wasn’t a fan of the ending. 

Tokyo Tarareba Musume (2017) [8.5 out of 10]

I went through a phase of watching dramas but regretted not paying enough attention to them the first time I watched them, either by skipping through the episode or just missing out episodes in general. Now that I’ve changed my ways and want to fully appreciate dramas, no matter how good or bad, I decided to rewatch this. There’s nothing better than watching Sakaguchi Kentaro be an angsty af man. Anyway, I enjoyed this very much. Jdramas have a lovely charm about them by not being too long and don’t drag out the storyline either. 

Good Casting (2020) [8.0 out of 10]

A better title for this show would be Chan Mi and her sidekicks... I wasn’t really a big fan of her character. She was literally everywhere & I think that’s where the plot falls... maybe I would have liked it more if we actually had a chance at seeing more of the other main characters. I think I was trying so hard to find a reason to like it but there wasn’t much to like about it. The premise of it sounded so appealing but again, it was just another drama that fell short. 

When My Love Blooms (2020) [7.5 out of 10]

Let’s be real here... I was watching this for Park Jinyoung & Jeon So Nee, I don’t know about you all. Honestly... I felt like Jinyoung & Jeon So Nee’s storyline would have worked well in a standalone drama. That would be quite interesting to see. Anyway, great chemistry between those two as well. I can’t say much for the present day storyline, easiest way to put it, I didn’t like it. But I suppose it’s what I get for a melodrama with the added extra drama tag. (Note to self, stop watching melodramas) 

My Woofy Poofy Love (2018) [8.0 out of 10]

It’s quite refreshing to watch short web dramas like this in between heavy dramas. You are angst free while watching fluffy web dramas. This was pure sweetness and very uplifting to watch, especially because I’ve been watching some heavy dramas recently. 

Where Your Eyes Linger (2020) [10 out of 10] (BL)

I’ve never given out a 10 before, they’re rare, extremely rare. Perfect actors, perfect length of episodes, perfect storyline. I loved it. I loved the way it reeled you in the first couple of episodes, with the fluff and the humour, then it eased you in and gave you a taste of the angst to come before completely ripping your heart out. And they gave us a kiss! A KISS! It was one of the softest kisses ever. PLEASE GIVE US SEASON 2... Ahem. At the moment, it is one of the best dramas I have seen this year. (I’m going to have to compile a list at the end of year of the best dramas, aren’t I? There’s bound to be more than one, Mystic Pop Up Bar is heading for a Best Drama crown this year too) Anyway. Go watch it, it’s worth it. 

The King: Eternal Monarch (2020) [7.5 out of 10]

Okay, if you follow me, you’ll know I was watching this for Woo Do Hwan and also Kim Kyung Name (you might have not known that one) and the queen Kim Go Eun. I mean it’s definitely not the best drama I’ve seen all year, it’s only June, there’s plenty of time for another drama to come out and impress everyone. But with this one... there was nothing really keeping me there except those three. My interest did peak around the middle episodes but died down quickly after. I wasn’t in love with Kim Go Eun/Lee Min Ho pairing but that’s just me, certain episodes they clicked with me and others they didn’t. I wanted more out of that final ep but I don’t at the same time. I wanted to see more of everyone’s life instead of the brief snippets we got, not to be biased but I wanted more to see more of Jo Yeong. I guess you take what you can get... we were teased with so much, the excellent cast, the hype for it and having a well known writer behind it but having watched it, it was a big let down, for me at least. 

Born Again (2020) [7.0 out of 10]

For an overall mystery/crime/fantasy/melodrama drama (If we can call it that) it wasn’t that bad... if we exclude the horror of the romance plot. The writer glorified what Jang Ki Yong’s characters did and that was not okay, he clearly needed help. Main Female lead ended up with the wrong guy. Lee Soo Hyuk deserves better. The stylist and him need a raise for his outfits during the later episodes when his past self takes over his current body because hot damn he was pulling that off better than any other character I’ve seen in a suit. 

My Holo Love (2020) [8.0 out of 10]

I loved the beginning of the drama but my interest died down after the plot was revealed (an evil man wanting the AI)... but I did however love the last scene of the series, that was a nice way to end it. 

Novoland: The Castle In the Sky (2016) [7.5 out of 10]

I just struggled to get into the storyline, I’m not sure whether to go back and watch the “happy ending” (ep 29) because I was fine with how they ended things. 

Maybe, Maybe Not (2019) [8.0 out of 10]

This a web drama, sweet and short ^.^

Long Time No See (2017) (BL) [8.5 out of 10]

This is just a short little drama, I loved the chemistry between the leads and it was very action packed for the few episodes it had. 

Snow Flower (2019) [Movie] [7.0 out of 10]

There is just something about Japanese movies... and sometimes dramas. It’s hard to explain, where they can be the most melancholic and beautifully filmed thing. It’s the odd feeling I get when I’m drinking coffee and it’s raining outside and I’m just overwhelmed and feeling nostalgic. Have you ever watched a film where you thought it was good, not extremely good, just good and not really have any qualms with it. This was the movie. Setting itself to be a sad movie with it’s summary surrounding terminal illness, but it’s hardly reflected upon. It focuses more on the romantic side of things which I didn’t mind. If you’ve got 2 hours to kill then it might be worth the watch.

Secretly, Greatly (2013) [Movie] [8.0 out of 10]

Worth a watch. It’s a good spy action movie with the comedy elements added into it as well. 

[hyunpic]

Queen first of all I love your blog, you're hilarious and deserve all the happiness in this world. Second of all I have a question: if you could make out with Taehyung for 5 min BUT there's a 25% chance you catch covid, would you do it? (Let's imagine he can't get corona for a sec it's just you). I asked this to my sis who's a JK stan but she's a weak-ass ho so she said no. Me though, if it were Jin? A bitch ain't hesitating

first of all thank u <3 and second of all i would make that make out session last more than 5 minutes and i know you said he wouldnt get it but i would suck the corona out of him just in case with no regrets what so ever - no fucks given 😌 so the answer is a big fat yes

[mintymiknow]

Scintilla - Finale | Bang Chan

summary & more info | masterlist

Characters: Stray Kids, Reader

Pairing: Bang Chan x Reader

Summary: With the enemy finally taken down, you and your friends have to get ready to face the next chapter in your lives, from rebuilding what was broken to carrying out your true duties. [also contains the epilogue] 

Genre: Royal fantasy [Red Queen AU]

Word count: Approx. 8.5k

Warnings: !!! Suggestive towards the end, but nothing explicit happens !!!

A/N: It’s bittersweet, but...Scintilla has officially come to an end! I can’t thank you all enough for supporting my first series. I know it lacks in certain areas, and I’m sure there were many plot holes and mistakes, but I’m very happy to have had people who enjoyed reading still. Y’all make me cry. It wasn’t always easy to write all the chapters, but all your support and encouragement really made my day. Now, while the series itself is officially over, I may still write one shots and side stories that are set in this universe ;) Well, enjoy the finale now! Feel free to send a messages/ask if you have any questions or thoughts. Ily all!

“Shh! You really don’t know how to keep your voice down!”

“Yeesh, someone’s crankier than an old woman.”

“Are we really going to do this here?”

“You’re all dead.”

“We all just literally nearly died a day ago, and you really want to kill us off again? Harsh.”

“Hyunjin, I swear – ”

You feel a familiar warmth creeping up your skin, setting every cell in your body on fire as if they’ve slept too long. When you hear Changbin’s voice shushing everyone, you slowly peel your eyes open to reveal the little drama happening in front of you.

Jisung seems to be laughing as Changbin tries to pull him back while Seungmin watches in irritation. Hyunjin chuckles at their antics as he sits next to your bed. The boys are much too loud to hear or notice you shuffling in bed, sitting up so that you could join them, “I must admit, this is an unexpected sight to see when you’ve just woken up.”

The boys’ eyes are immediately on you, bursts of “yay”s and cheers of joy erupting in your own room. Changbin rushes over to you, taking his place and sitting next to you on the bed, “How are you? Does anything still hurt? Tell me you’re ok!”

You pat your brother’s arm, “Bin, I’m fine.”

“Y/n!” Hyunjin is next to grin, giving you a secure but gentle hug, “I was really worried when you passed out!”

“Well, I’m up and about now.” you chuckle, turning your eyes to Seungmin and Jisung, “Hi boys.”

Seungmin offers you a small smile before relaying his message to you through his Whisper abilities.

“It’s all over now, huh?”

“Yes, Minnie, it is.”

With that, you both grin at each other until Jisung breaks the calmness. He brightly grins, causing you to laugh, “Y/n, can I just say, I feel like a hero. Like damn, I feel like a hero.”

“I’m sure you are Sung. You all are.” you laugh as Changbin playfully rolls his eyes, “Where are the others?”

“Lover boy is in one of the guest rooms. Jeongin and Felix should be with him.” Hyunjin states, shrugging afterwards, “Minho and Woojin went out to make sure no rebels or Council cronies are still lingering around Miroh.”

“I can’t wait to hear all your battle stories.” you chuckle, stretching your stiff body from staying in bed for a prolonged time, “But I do need to know…how long was I out and what did I miss?”

Changbin hums, “Well, after Minho and I got to you guys, you fainted. The other guys rushed in just about that moment, minus Woojin and Jisung ‘cause they were making sure the Council was kept an eye on.”

“The commotion in the castle didn’t go unnoticed.” Seungmin confesses, “The people of Miroh somehow found out about what was going on inside and were obviously puzzled, which we’ll deal with. Anyway, Jeongin was sent out to find either Bambam or Jinyoung. Hours later, they came back with several other people.”

Hyunjin nods, “Jinyoung came with Choi Youngjae, the Skin Healer of the Choi House and Kang Younghyun, the Nymph from Kang House. I believe he said that Youngjae could, well, obviously heal people, and Younghyun had medical knowledge.”

Changbin continues the narration, “You, Minho, and Chan were brought to one room to get treatment from Youngjae as priority. The rest of us were treated by Jinyoung and Younghyun. You’ve been asleep for about a day? Minho was severely injured, but he was able to stay awake. Wait! I mean, we all slept, don’t worry, but he woke up when we all did. Same with Chan.”

A spark of awe and amusement glimmers in Hyunjin’s eyes as he speaks, “Yeah, and a crowd of citizens were gathering in front of the castle, demanding answers and whatnot, so that’s when Bambam came to the rescue and handled the situation like a pro.”

“Right now, he’s discussing with the remaining Councilors – the ones who live away from the castle and weren’t part of Ho’s scheme – and a few other High House Elites on how to proceed. Bambam didn’t want to disturb you, so he said he’ll handle it first.” Seungmin points out.

You process all their words, nodding at each statement they say. Once the boys have finished recounting, you pull the covers off you and grin, “Well, the fight’s over, but there are still some things we need to finish up. But…” you gently smile at each boy, “I’m really proud of you all. And more than that, I’m really thankful.”

Changbin smirks playfully, “We all promised to stand by you, sis. You got what you were promised.”

You laugh, giving your brother a big hug, “Thanks Bin, you’re the best.”

“You too Sung.” you get up, giving Jisung a hug, “You and the Newblood boys really made things better for us.”

Jisung grins as he returns the gesture, “Y/n, we’d do it all for you. Anytime. I mean, come on! You’re Miroh’s awesome queen! She’s gotta have the hot bad boys from the Newblood side.”

“I think I’m going to vomit.” Seungmin deadpans as Hyunjin squints his eyes.

“Is that so?” you laugh, “Well, I’m sure a million other ladies would like that as well.”

Changbin gets up from the bed and throws an arm around your shoulders, “I know you’d want to see Chan and Minho, so go ahead. We’ll be helping with some castle clean up while you check on the two.”

-----

Just when you reach the second floor of the castle, which was still messed up from the battle earlier, Woojin and Minho had just ascended the stairs. The three of you look at each other for a few seconds before you finally break into a sprint and jump into Minho’s arms. The Magnetron’s eyes widen in surprise as he instinctively catches you before steadying himself. Woojin chuckles as he comments, “Looks like she’s recovered already.”

You release your hold on Minho before offering the Gravitron a warm smile, “Are you feeling better, Wooj? How’s everything?”

Woojin smiles, his warm voice a refreshing sound to all, “I’m a bit hungry from walking around Miroh, but I’m more or less good. I do have to find Jisung though.”

“He’s upstairs with Changbin and the rest.” you chuckle, “Probably third floor?”

“I’ll check.” Woojin says, giving you a high-five before making his leave.

You turn your attention to Minho, “Did Youngjae heal everything?”

“Yeah, don’t worry.” Minho nods, a small smile gracing his lips, “You?”

“I feel sore, but I think all the injuries are gone.” you answer before looking down at the ground.

Minho can’t seem to decipher your mood; he knows you’re happy that the battle’s over and everyone’s practically safe, but he senses an uneasiness and gloominess to your mood today. He tilts his head, raising an eyebrow, “Y/n? Talk to me.”

“I’m worried.” you say bluntly, avoiding his gaze.

Minho sighs, “About? Y/n, you do know that everything that happens from now on will definitely cause us worries, right? Our very backbone and support structure – the Council – just messed things up for the whole of Miroh and basically every city under our jurisdiction.”

You nod, “I know, Min, but…that’s not what I’m super worried about.”

“Then what is it?”

“You.”

“Why?” Minho inquires, raising his eyebrow yet again.

“Your father…” you start, “The Council. You do know that we’re either going to have to execute them or send them to Dolorem.”

“I know.” Minho says quietly, a small, very subtle hint of pain in his voice, “But he knows the consequences of his actions. I can’t and will not do anything about that.”

“You know we’ll always be here for you, right? You can let it all out on us when it’s too much.” you slowly chuckle, offering your best friend your hand.

Minho grasps it, giving it a light squeeze while smiling warmly, “I know. I always have.”

-----

“Y/n!” Felix exclaims, nearly knocking his seat over as he jumps to his feet.

In an instant, he’s in front of you and enveloping you in a bear hug. “Thank goodness you’re awake!”

You gently rub his back and giggle, “Hey Lix.”

His eyes are sparkling and glowing as he begins to narrate his battle with one of the Councilors from earlier. The way his voice rises with excitement has you listening intently until Jeongin pulls you two apart. “Hey! I want to see y/n as well!” he jokes around, giving you a wide smile.

You reach up to ruffle Jeongin’s hair, “Hyunjin tells me you were really brave in fighting Lady Jung.”

Jeongin blushes, eyes narrowing like crescents as he smiles wider, “I wouldn’t go to that extent, but if he says so, then I guess it’s true.”

Chan was watching you interact with the two younger boys with a fond smile smoothing over his lips. A warm feeling spreads in his body as he watches the younger boys behave so enthusiastically around you; you were truly part of their little Newblood family. As the two exchange stories with you like excited children, Woojin pokes his head by the door and grins, “Hey guys.”

“Hi Woojin-hyung.”

“You both should probably let y/n and Chan rest and talk in private.” the older male smiles, “Besides, we need help clearing out the castle.”

“Oh, right!” Jeongin’s eyes widen.

“Roger that.” Felix grins.

He gives you one last hug before teleporting out. Jeongin does the same before following the older male outside. Woojin gently shuts the door, and you soon hear their footsteps moving farther away. You decide to finally turn your attention to Chan, but as soon as you turn on your heel, you immediately feel his arms snake around your body. The sudden action causes you to squeal in surprise before allowing your giggles and chuckles to escape your lips. You return the favor, bringing your arms around his neck. “I assume Youngjae treated all your injuries.” you whisper against his neck, fingers playing with the little hairs on his nape.

Chan hums in response, pulling away just enough to look into your eyes, “Yeah, he did.”

“You took quite a beating.” you give him a concerned smile, tilting your head to the side.

The male chuckles, pecking your lips several times before smirking, “You’re one to talk.”

“No, no, I’m good.” you laugh.

The male decides to cup your face, squishing your cheeks as he places more kisses on your lips and nose. “Ah! Chan!” you whine, trying to pry his hands off of your face.

He merely laughs, eventually abiding by your wishes and letting go. The laughter dies down, and you and Chan are left in silence, your eyes staring up at his own and getting lost in the warm color. His hands have fallen from your waist to your hips as his lips gravitate towards yours. You meet him halfway, closing the gap in an instant. It’s a slow and gentle kiss as opposed to the fiery and passionate ones you usually share with each other, but it was a perfect match to the situation at hand.

You were both broken down and healing from a rabid battle not too long ago, every inch of your bodies and emotions still raw and vulnerable. Every touch Chan ministered to your body was a feather-light caress to the skin, lips supple with fluid, velvety movements. You pull him closer to your body, wrapping your arms tighter around his neck as the remnants of your now-gone injuries burn in your memories.

Felix opens the door to call the two of you, but screams as soon as his eyes set on your intimate deeds. “This is the second time! Why is it always me?” he exclaims, running away from the scene.

You and Chan pull away with you burying your face against his chest in embarrassment. Chan rubs your back as he tries his best to not laugh at this “predicament”. Hyunjin watches Felix flee before waving as if you two kissing were a completely normal thing to see, “Bambam says he wants to speak to you two since we need to settle on how to deal with this whole mess.”

“We’ll be right there, Jinnie.” you respond, voice muffled by Chan’s shirt.

Hyunjin chuckles before walking off, muttering something along the lines of “what a cutie”. You pull away, face flushed and skin burning for reasons other than your Burner abilities. “Time to face the music, babygirl.” Chan gently squeezes your arm.

Letting out a deep sigh, you give him a small smile, “Let’s hope the citizens are willing to listen.”

“Whatever happens, you’ll be ok. We’ll be ok.” the male kisses your temple.

“Let’s go.”

↠  A week and a four days later

With the help of Bambam and Im Jaebeom, one of his Elite friends, you and Changbin were able to clear things up with not only the citizens of Miroh, but also with all the towns and cities under your jurisdiction.

“A few members of the High House Council had conspired against the Royal Family’s remaining heirs, enlisting the help from SKZ’s captain, Ho, and handful of their rebel group. The two parties wished to overthrow the Seo siblings, claiming ownership over the throne for themselves.” Bambam had explained calmly, eyes unwavering and serious as he looked onto the crowd of people listening.

You were given the chance to let the people hear everything you had discovered; all the dirty secrets the Council held, the truth behind your father’s death, the involvement of SKZ and Ho, how Chan and the rest aided you and the other Silver boys – all of the details were spilled, causing the citizens to react in either shock or anger. You were as transparent – and vulnerable – as glass as you told the citizens everything, but you knew that if you truly were going to be queen, they would have the right to know what had been going on behind closed doors.

The Council members who had been labelled traitors were to be sent to Dolorem for punishment for all eternity until they died. Ho was dead, and his followers were either executed or sent to Dolorem. Plans for your Silver friends were discussed by the remaining good-natured Council members and were to be announced not too far from now. Plans for reconstructing the said Council and Chan and the other Newblood boys were also undergoing discussions on where and how they’d proceed from now on, because clearly, they were “heroes” and not enemies to the Silvers for “helping save the prince and princess”.

One thing, however, was set in stone: you were going to be crowned officially queen tomorrow.

Right now, a day before your official coronation, you, the Silver boys, and the Newblood boys decided to spend leisure time in Yellow Wood’s beautiful lake – the very lake you and Chan first swam in. The very lake where it all started.

And this time, Minho and Seungmin were with you all.

“Y/n!” Hyunjin, Seungmin, and Changbin all scream, scurrying over to you and Chan who were already in just your undergarments.

“Quick! Someone cover my sister!” Changbin yells, running over to cover Chan’s eyes, causing the latter to merely laugh.

Seungmin burns a million shades of red as he covers his own eyes, crouching down on the floor, “This is absurd! This is improper behavior! A princess must not strip in front of all these men!”

“Y/n, quick! Hide yourself!” Hyunjin panics, blocking you from the view of the other Newbloods as he closes his eyes.

Minho looks as if he was already fed up with everyone’s stupidity, especially when Jisung wouldn’t stop his attempts in pushing the Magnetron towards the water.

Woojin can’t help but let out a loud laugh as he throws an arm around Seungmin’s shoulder, “You guys, you can’t swim with your full clothes on. You gotta at least take some off.”

“What?” all the Silver boys scream in disbelief, including Minho.

This causes Jisung and Felix to chortle before stripping their shirts off. “Oh come on, rich kids.” Felix teases, “Let loose.”

Jeongin is already in the water, splashing everyone else, “You all are taking too long. What gives?”

After much convincing from Chan and Woojin, plus whining from you and Jisung, the four Silver boys end up following their instructions and strip their shirts and pants off. Changbin pouts, “Yeah, listen up. Even if I did all this, I still can’t swim.”

“Yeah, y/n mentioned Burners hate water.” Woojin laughs, already joining Jeongin in the water. The younger male beams, “Chan-hyung can carry y/n, but I don’t know about you all.”

“Yup,” Chan smirks, taking your hand in his as he guides you to the water, ready to keep you in his arms like before.

Hyunjin shrugs, “I swim in Miroh so…”

Without another word, he splashes in, tackling Jeongin and submerging themselves underwater within seconds. Seungmin looks apprehensive, but Jisung ends up pushing him in either way.

“Jisung!” Seungmin yells as his head emerges from the water.

Jisung starts to laugh when Seungmin decides to splash him, but that only lasts so long since Hyunjin drags Seungmin with him and Jeongin to the farther parts of the lake. Felix grabs Changbin’s arm, teleporting themselves into the water. Woojin and Felix keep him calm, the older male using his gravity manipulation to allow Changbin to “float”.

“What about you, Lee?” Jisung taunts Minho who stands on the wooden platform by the lake.

Minho shakes his head, a small hint of pink dusting his cheeks as he turns his face the other way. “Oh my gosh.” Jisung squeals, “You can’t swim either!”

Minho glares at him, the pinkness on his cheeks more evident, “I don’t have time to – ”

Too late. Jisung has pushed Minho into the water without any warning, causing the Magnetron to panic. Thankfully, Woojin was nearby. Minho clings onto Woojin’s back like a child, gritting his teeth as he yells at Jisung who is now in the water, “Han Jisung! You piece of – ”

“Relax, weirdo!” Jisung laughs, “Woojin’s got you!”

Minho is hesitant, but when Woojin assures him that his Gravitron abilities will allow him to stay afloat, the Magnetron slowly lets go of his hold on Woojin. Jisung swims over, chuckling as he gently splashes Minho, “See? Not so bad.”

Minho nearly pouts, splashing Jisung back, “I hate you.”

Soon, everyone gathers in the middle of the lake, laughter ensuing as each of you fool around and enjoy the simplest of things together. Later on, Felix, Jeongin, Seungmin, and Hyunjin venture out into the wider, more open area of the lake. Jeongin said something about fish and other creatures being there, so obviously, Hyunjin wanted to check it out and inevitably dragged Seungmin along. “Whoa! They’re biting me!” Hyunjin screams.

“Don’t worry, it’s not any harm!” Jeongin chuckles at Hyunjin’s dramatic flailing.

Seungmin laughs as well, interest piqued by the brightly colored fish swimming around them. He and Felix follow them around and dive underwater a few times to see more of the beauty underneath the water.

You, Chan, Woojin, Changbin, Jisung, and Minho remain in the shaded area of the lake, opting to simply converse with each other and crack a few jokes from time to time. Jisung’s silly antics in the water has everyone cracking up, and you notice – and even hear – how Minho’s laugh was also present; a sound you used to think was long gone.

They even have little competitions like “who can breathe underwater the longest”, which of course, brought out your brother’s competitive side.

While they were arguing about hot water or cold water, Chan brings his lips to your ears, whispering, “Do you want to go to the cave again?”

Your eyes brighten as you grin widely, “Yes please!”

The male chuckles, swimming away with you in his arms. Just like before, he dives down with you, emerging in the cave not too long after. The crystals were still the same, glowing in all their glory. “It’s still beautiful.” you gape, eyes wide with wonder as the crystals light up the dark cave.

Chan reaches up to touch a few, “They never stop shining like this, you know?”

“That’s amazing.” you grin, eyes still glued to their colorful structures.

You then finally rip your gaze away from the crystals, eyes now on Chan as he simply smiles at you. “I’m really thankful you brought me here, Chan.” you tell him, voice small and slightly shy, “It’s like…our little private getaway.”

“I guess you’re right.” Chan laughs, “I like the sound of that.”

You let out a breathy laugh before gently leaning your forehead against his. Chan hugs you tighter, pouting his lips to plant a quick kiss to yours. “Are you ready for tomorrow?”

You pull away slightly, giving your lover a sheepish chuckle, “I know I should be, but I’m really nervous.”

“It’s alright.” Chan smiles, eyes crinkling as his smile stretches wider, “You’ll do great.”

“But you know…” you trail off, gaze ripping away from Chan’s as your eyes opt to look at the water around you, “I don’t know if I have what it takes to be the queen of a whole nation. Beating the Council and Ho is one thing, and so is spouting all those honorable words about uniting people and creating a peaceful kingdom, but you said it yourself. Saying those things and actually doing it are completely different. I don’t think I can – ”

“Y/n.”

“Chan, what if I mess up?”

“Babygirl, listen.” Chan chuckles, and once you’ve stopped babbling and look at him, he continues, “You have to take it one step at a time, ok? Sure, think about the big picture, but don’t forget that you have to progress little by little. You can’t do everything at once.”

“You’re right.” you chuckle, sighing in what seems to be relief, “I’ll do what I can.”

“You’re much more capable than you think you are, y/n. I believe in you, your friends do, your brother does. You should believe in yourself too.”

You laugh at this, eyes sparkling happily, “Ok, ok, I got it.”

Chan chuckles, smiling wider when you start to run your finger along his nose bridge. When you plant a soft kiss on it, the male hums contentedly before burying his face in your neck. “Whatever happens, I’m proud of you, babygirl.”

“Thank you, Chan.” you whisper, running your fingers along his wet hair, “Thank you for everything.”

You stand in your room, staring at your reflection in the mirror for what seems to be forever. After quite a while, you’re actually wearing a grand, luxurious gown and not simple, casual clothes. The people have gathered in front of your castle, awaiting the official proclamation of your crowning just like how it was for your father a few years ago. The commotion of Miroh’s citizens – as well as a few Reds and Newbloods visiting from other cities – can be heard from your room as you take deep breaths to calm yourself.

Bambam pokes his head into your room, smiling gently as his calm voice breaks the silence, “Y/n, we’re all ready for you.”

You clasp your hands together, whirling around to face the elegant man, “Alright, this is it.”

“Indeed.” Bambam chuckles, extending his arm to you.

You gently loop your arm around his as he ushers you into the throne room. “Changbin and Minho will directly be beside you during the coronation.” Bambam explains while walking, “Hyunjin and Seungmin will also be by the side, and luckily, your Newblood friends were given the privilege to watch the whole ceremony in our…‘special’ area.”

“Special area?” you raise an eyebrow while chuckling.

Bambam grins, “All the citizens are watching from below, yes? Your Newblood friends will be watching from the balcony parallel to the throne room’s one. So, same level as the throne room, but different balcony.”

“Alright.” you chuckle.

Once the giant doors have swung open, all your friends begin to gasp and cheer lightly, eyes overflowing with a glimmer of awe and joy. Bambam leans down to whisper, “I’m just going to get the last few things settled, so go and mingle with your friends for a bit, ok?”

“Thanks Bam.” you grin, giggling when he sends you a wink as he walks over to another group of Elites.

Changbin is the first to run over to you, enveloping you in a big hug, “Today’s the day, sis, and my, aren’t you looking like a perfect queen?”

You chuckle, slapping his arm playfully. You nod at his white suit that matches your own white gown, “And never would I have imagined that you’d wear something as grand as this.”

“Hey,” Changbin laughs, “the queen’s brother has to look just as good, right?”

“That’s true.” you smirk, giving your brother’s hand a gentle squeeze, “I’m glad you’re with me through this all, Binnie. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”

The prince laughs, shaking his head lightly, “We got here together. We got here with those idiots.” He gestures towards your group of Silver and Newblood friends, “And I couldn’t be any prouder of you, sis. I have no words. And I am 100% certain that Father and Mother would be proud as well.”

“I really do love you, baby bro.” you chuckle, giving your brother another hug.

“I do too, sis.” the prince laughs.

Hyunjin fake-cries as he jogs over to you, dragging Seungmin along. “Y/n! You look amazing! I’m crying, it’s really happening! You’re going to be queen!”

You give him a hug before laughing at his fake-crying face, “Aw, Jinnie, don’t worry. Even as queen, you’re still my little Jinnie.”

“Oh, this is making me so sad.” Hyunjin continues to joke around, “My best friend’s a queen.”

Seungmin chuckles, giving you a nod, “Y/n does deserve it, after all.”

“We all deserve what’s about to happen, especially you.” you smile.

The young Whisper mimics the action, “I won’t disappoint any of you, y/n.”

“You never did, Minnie.” you assure him, squeezing his arm lightly.

You continue to play around with your Silver friends until the Newblood gang walks over. Your eyes widen with delight as you see them wearing formal attire for the first time. “You guys look amazing!” you chuckle, giving Felix a pat on the back.

“Thanks.” Felix beams, “Hyunjin and Changbin helped us get these cool suits.”

“I feel so rich and famous.” Jisung chirps in, spinning around to flex his olive-green suit.

“Jeongin!” you squeal, gripping Jeongin’s hands in yours, “You look so cute!”

The young male laughs, a shade of pink dusting his cheeks as he winks, “Cuter than Hyunjin?”

You wink back, whispering loud enough for Hyunjin to hear, “Yes, cuter than him.”

“Hey!” Hyunjin laughs, “Who helped you get that suit, Innie?”

Woojin laughs, throwing an arm around your shoulder, “Yeah, yeah you’re all cute in y/n’s eyes, but we all know who she thinks is most handsome.”

“You?” you joke, tilting your head innocently.

“Now, we don’t want my best friend murdering me, y/n.” Woojin clicks his tongue, shaking his head playfully.

Chan stands there, arms crossed across his chest as a wide grin plasters itself on his face, “Oh, no, no. I wouldn’t murder you, Wooj. I mean, I agree with y/n. You look good, even better than y/n herself.”

Changbin and Felix start to laugh with Woojin, clapping their hands like seals. You pout at Chan, “Hey Bang Chan! I have all the power to kick you out of this castle right now, you know?”

Chan laughs with his friends before wrapping an arm around your waist, tugging you close to his side, “Yeah, I know, but we also both know you aren’t going to do that.”

“Mhmm.” you cross your arms, raising an eyebrow.

The Sounder winks, placing a quick kiss on your cheek, “I’m messing with you. You look really pretty, babygirl.”

You blush at the compliment and nickname, resulting in you burying your face in Chan’s chest. The male ends up laughing even more, clearly amused at your situation. Changbin grimaces, “I am really happy for you two, but please, not in front of me. I want to gag.”

“You’re just jealous you don’t have a girlfriend.” Jeongin snickers.

“Neither do you.” Changbin spits back, but before the two can continue arguing, Seungmin stops them.

Bambam then saunters over to your group, “Alright, y/n. Show time. Chan and friends, please proceed to your designated area. The rest of you, with y/n.”

Chan and the other Newblood boys nod and leave the room as Bambam leads your Silver group to the throne room’s balcony. Standing by the door was Minho, smiling at you gently. No smirk, no coldness, no snarky comments. He simply smiled, nodding his head towards the door, “You made it, y/n.”

You give him a tight hug, flashing an equally gentle smile, “We made it, Min. We.”

Bambam swings the large glass doors open and the crowd goes wild. He raises his hand as a gesture to request for silence, and as soon as the crowd quiets down, he speaks, “Citizens of the whole kingdom, the past weeks have brought about many hardships for many of us here in the High Houses, as well as for many Newbloods.”

Bambam continues to give an inspiring, well-articulated, and very dignified speech that enamors everyone’s attention. As he ends it, his cool demeanor switches to that of a sunnier one, “You have waited years since our late King Seo passed. So with that, it is time to officially present to you, your new ruler. Ladies and gentlemen, your new queen, Seo y/n.”

You walk out onto the balcony as the crowd begins to cheer and dazzle you with their bright smiles. You hear Changbin whistling and Jisung screaming your name as well. Minho walks over, silver crown in his gloved hands. As Bambam proclaims you queen, Minho gently places the jewel-encrusted crown onto your head, giving you a smirk, “My queen.”

You giggle and grin at your best friend before pinching his cheek. Minho laughs, stepping aside so the crowd could see you. You give them a few demure waves. Your eyes glaze over everyone, stopping in their tracks as soon as they land on Chan. There he was, clapping and smiling with his dimples on full display as he maintained eye contact with you. “That’s my girl.” he says, sending his message over with the help of his Sounder abilities.

Giggling, you respond, “You’re cheeky, aren’t you?”

Afterwards, you begin to give your speech; no rehearsed lines, no dagger-eyes from the Council watching your every word, no formula to follow – just your own heartfelt words. When you finish – addressing your shortcomings, the help you received, and how you will work on becoming the queen your kingdom deserves – the crowd cheers once again, clapping in unison as you bow. Bambam then grins, giving your back a quick pat, “Now, with all that has happened within the structures of the Council, a few changes were also agreed upon.”

“Lee Minho, officially appointed as Captain of the Royal Guard.”

Minho steps forward, smiling and bowing towards the crowd. You and all your other friends cheer him on, though quite noticeably you hear Jisung shout something like “That’s my best rival!”

“Seo Changbin, officially appointed as Vice Captain of the Royal Guard.”

Hyunjin continues his fake-crying while the Newblood boys whistle. You squeal and maintain your happy-jumps as Changbin falls into step beside you. “That’s my brother!”

“Hwang Hyunjin, officially appointed as the New Council’s Official Representative.”

“Go Hyunjin!” you all cheer when Hyunjin shyly giggles and waves at the crowd. Jeongin and Felix do a little victory dance while jumping around in circles.

“Kim Seungmin, officially appointed as the queen’s Head Adviser.”

Seungmin shyly steps out onto the balcony, chuckling as you and Changbin smother him with hugs. “Yay Minnie!” Woojin cheers, clapping excitedly.

Bambam nods, a proud and endeared smile on his plump lips, “For the final change…as the Council has been reconstructed into the New Council spearheaded by me and a few other Elites, we have all agreed – with the consent of the queen and her adviser – that a new ‘division’ be made within the New Council. It may come off as controversial for some, but we at the New Council are gladly welcoming this change.”

He continues, “Bang Chan and Kim Woojin of the Newblood group are now the respective captains of SKZ; no longer a rebel group, but now under the New Council’s authority for works and reformations to be done with non-Silver cities. They will serve as the Newblood and Red’s official representatives to the New Council, and we will work hand-in-hand to bring improvements to all parties.”

A mixture of shock, surprise, and joyous cheers fill the place, but you and your friends smile wider and clap harder than ever. This was just one of the moves into finally following your father’s footsteps.

-----

“What’s this called?” Jisung asks Changbin while holding up one of the pastries being served in the castle’s ballroom.

After the coronation, a small ball was held, with a few Elites and your Newblood friends invited, of course. While the Elites were busy conversing with Minho, Chan and Woojin, you and your friends were by the food tables. “Oh, this tastes heavenly!” Jeongin gasps after taking a bite of one of the pink-colored desserts.

Hyunjin laughs, “I knew you’d like that one. That’s Seungmin’s favorite too.”

“It is heavenly.” Seungmin agrees, taking a bite of his own dessert.

“Y/n,” Felix points at your head, “What’s it like wearing a crown?”

“Well, despite it looking heavy with all these crystals, Bambam made it so that it would actually be pretty light.” you tap the crown on your head, “And it stays put on your head as long as you don’t move around too vigorously.”

“Then we know it’s gonna fall off your head when you and Chan – ” Jisung teases, but Changbin smacks his arm.

“Can you not?” your brother yells, shoving a cinnamon roll into Jisung’s mouth who happily eats it anyway.

You let out an airy laugh, “Maybe I can ask Bambam to make little crowns for all of you one of these days.”

“I’d like that very much.” Felix chuckles, patting his lightly-colored hair.

Hyunjin throws his arms around Seungmin and Jeongin’s shoulders, “You know, I know we’re all having a blast here and all, but it’s crazy to think that not too long ago, so much was happening and our lives were literally at stake.”

“Good thing we got that sorted out then.” you smile, “Who knows what or where we’d be if Ho’s side won. If he’d even keep us alive.”

Jeongin nods, “That’s true. It just feels so…comforting to know that we’re entering a new ‘era’ with y/n as the ruler.”

“I do have a pretty impressive set of friends, Innie, so this queen is considered blessed.” you smile, “If Changbin never brought me along to District 9, if none of us ever got to meet you Newbloods, it would be so different. It still amazes me as to how this all worked out.”

“Hey,” Jisung grins, clasping his hands together, “we all make a pretty good team, right? So, let’s celebrate! To a new queen, to new friends, and to new memories!”

The ball didn’t last too long, ending approximately one or two hours before midnight. When all the guests had left the castle, Bambam explained that the Newbloods are more than welcome to stay in the castle for as long as they want. However, Woojin and Chan explained that they had to go back to District 9 to settle things in their own city. As such, the Newbloods would at least spend the night in the castle before leaving tomorrow morning.

No one wanted to exactly go to bed yet – perhaps making the most of the time they had in the castle with each other – so Felix, Changbin and Jisung decided to hang around in the castle garden. Hyunjin and Jeongin opted to take an evening stroll in Garden Fantasia while Woojin, Minho and Seungmin stayed in one of the cozier offices somewhere in the second floor.

You, on the other hand, were drained and exhausted from all the interactions and socializing. It didn’t help that you had to do it in an elaborate gown and wonderfully high heels. You told the boys you’d see them in the morning, and while they happily said their “goodnight”s, Chan chose to go with you.

As soon as the two of you are in your room, Chan shuts the door and chuckles, “I take it you’re not one for those fancy balls and parties.”

“Never was.” you laugh, “Changbin, Hyunjin, and I would always try to sneak away before, but Minho and Seungmin would always stop us.”

You kick your heels off and walk over to your vanity, removing all your jewelry and placing the crown inside a chest, “I think all I need and want is a peaceful sleep.”

Chan is already behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist. “Then why don’t we get some rest, yeah?” he whispers against your neck.

You smirk, “You do know you aren’t technically allowed to stay in my room, right?”

“Yeah, but Bambam did say ‘just for this one night’, right?” he giggles, spinning you around to face him.

You pretend to think for a few seconds, pouting your lips a little. “Hmm…fine. But only because this stays between you, me, the boys, and Bambam. Not another soul.”

“Promise.” Chan grins, holding his finger up.

You wrap your pinky finger with his, giggling when he places a kiss on your finger afterwards. His kisses trail up your arm, around the area of your shoulder, and finally the side of your neck. You hum at his actions, pulling him closer to you as you feel his lips on your skin. Not too long after, his kisses move to your jaw, and then finally to your lips, kissing you without hesitation. As you get lost in the captivating feeling of each other’s lips moving against each other in perfection, Chan reaches his hand up to tug at the last pin holding your hair together. Your hair falls freely, cascading around your face in a graceful manner as the male glides his hand along to your cheek.

Your lips never leave his, hands running down Chan’s chest just as his other hand finds the buttons of your gown. You grip the lapels of his suit, only to have him remove it from himself. Meanwhile, his hands unbutton your gown in a slow, sultry manner, each centimeter of movement revealing the skin of your back. Eventually, the gown falls to the floor, pooling around your feet and leaving you bare and vulnerable as you bring yourself closer to Chan. His hands smooth over every inch of your skin, igniting a dangerous flare underneath, leaving sparks of ecstasy in their wake. His right hand then settles on the small of your back while the other helps you unbutton his shirt.

Within seconds, you’re both under the sheets of your bed with Chan towering above you. The kisses haven’t stopped, perhaps becoming even more hungry and passionate as time passed. Chan decides to lather your neck with more kisses, gently nibbling and sucking on the skin from time to time. Your fingers caress at his bare back, leaving a trail of blazing fire wherever they went, in the same manner his gentle touches had you feeling alive.

He brings his lips back to yours, both of you kissing so hard, it was as if you couldn’t consume anything else but each other. After more mingling tongues and raspy words of love exchanged between the two of you, Chan pulls away, resting his forehead against yours as you both catch your breath. A comfortable silence stretches between you two as you remain in place as your hearts beat as one. You bring your hand up to caress Chan’s cheek, gently whispering, “Chan?”

“Hm?”

“Will you please stay?” you start slowly – a bit apprehensive over your own words – before clearing your throat and speaking bolder, “I mean, please stay in Miroh for the time being. I’d like you to stay. All of you.”

Chan’s fingers gingerly trace your jaw before they rest on your cheek, thumb stroking the skin softly. “Y/n, I’d love to stay here more than anything, but District 9 is in a vulnerable and ‘leader-less’ state. You have Miroh, and I have District 9.”

You nod in understanding, lips inevitably forming a small pout. Chan chuckles at this rather adorable sight, opting to press feathery kisses on your pouted lips. He then speaks, voice low and hushed, “But…because I love you, I’ll stay. I’ll stay for a few days, but the boys and I will have to go back to District 9 to settle things.”

“That’s all I ask.” you hum, closing your eyes contentedly, but they shoot open when his prior words suddenly sink in.

Your eyes widen as you look at his smirking expression. Chan raises a cocky eyebrow, chuckling at your tomato-like cheeks, “What is it, babygirl?”

“Baby – ” you feel your brain short-circuiting at everything that was happening, butterflies going into a frenzied chaos in your stomach. You gulp and clear your throat, forcing yourself to remain poised as you calm yourself, “You said…you love….”

“I love you?” Chan guesses, smirk now softening into a warmer smile, “Yeah. I do, y/n. I have since the day we went swimming in Yellow Wood. I loved you since then, and I love you ‘til now.”

You pout your lip in an attempt to suppress a rather giddy smile from breaking out, but Chan’s giggles are making it hard for you to do so. Eventually, you end up biting your lip as your eyes sparkle with glee at the male’s words. He starts to laugh, causing you to blush even more than you already were. “Chan!”

“What?” he laughs, “I mean it, y/n!”

You take a deep breath, reaching up to cup his face in your hands. Tears start to well in your eyes; it wasn’t that you doubted the man. You somehow knew that indeed loved you, but to hear those three words with your own ears, to hear them now in your most open and vulnerable state with no walls or guards to put up between your heart, you couldn’t help but cry just a little. With a soft smile and starstruck eyes, you whisper, “I love you too, Chan. More than you know.”

Chan whispers against your lips, “I know.”

Later on, he plops down beside you, pulling your body close to his. Relishing in the warmth you give him, the male buries his face by the crook of your neck, placing soft kisses on your chest as you run your fingers through his hair. When you begin to hear him snoring softly, you giggle to yourself, closing your eyes in bliss.

Chan was right. A scintilla was all you needed. A scintilla of faith and support from the people you most cared about. A scintilla of their belief and trust in you was more than enough to drive and push you to fight. A scintilla of hope to bring light into your kingdom. And, a scintilla of light – small as it may be – was more than enough to guide you to where you were now.

↠  EPILOGUE – one and a half years later

While you were still far from completely uniting the people as your father wished, there was progress. A hint of discrimination still lingered around, but the relationships and ties between Silvers, Newbloods, and Reds was slowly improving. Chan and Woojin oversaw most of the work on the Newblood and Red side while you and the New Council did so for the Silvers. Your ‘factions’ worked together very closely to come to agreements, terms, and deals for the benefit of all.

Kings from many kingdoms flocked to Miroh for your hand in marriage, but you politely declined as it was no secret your heart belonged to a certain Newblood. Though you and Chan weren’t married, nor were you engaged, the people in your kingdom were more or less aware of the relationship between you two. Chan and the Newblood boys did not permanently live in your castle, perhaps sleeping over for a few nights if there was a lot of work to do, but they mostly remained in District 9 to do work. Chan, specifically, promised to visit you as frequently as possible or when he wasn’t overseeing work on the Newblood-Red side.

“Y/n, has Minho returned from Dolorem yet?” Seungmin asks as he steps into your office.

You look up from the table, shaking your head, “No, I heard he’ll be back late afternoon.”

“Hmm.” he hums, handing you a set of papers, “Isn’t he with Woojin and Sungie?”

You nod, taking the papers from him, “Yup. The New Council gave the go signal to have Dolorem’s prisoners kind of ‘work’ in Dolorem – the whole Dolorem restoration proclamation thing – so that would include the former Council members, including Lord Lee. Minho went to keep an eye on his father while Jisung and Woojin are with him for safety measure. Woojin’s overseeing the whole thing since he can neutralize the prisoners if they decide to do anything funny.”

“Did Innie make it to Chryseum safely?” you then inquire, remembering that the young man had errands to complete in that city.

Seungmin chuckles, “You sound like a mother. But yes, he made it safely. He’ll be there for a few days before returning here to report.”

“It’s just…he’s usually with Woojin so to have him and going around alone can be worrisome!” you laugh, shaking your head in amusement.

“Ok, sure.” Seungmin grins, “Well, Hyunjin and I are going to Elysium for a meeting. If you need anything, Changbin should be around the castle. Chan and Lix just finished work in Greensborough, so they might drop by too.”

“Ok, take care.” you smile, waving at your friend as he makes his exit.

The door clicks shut, and you turn your attention back to your papers. Minutes pass by in silence as you read the sheets, signing here and there. “Oh, Changbin needs to see this.” you note, picking the sheets of paper and heading for the door.

You’ve only stood up from your table when the door swings open. Chan enters the room, a bright smile on his lips. You repress a squeal, dropping the papers back on your table as you sprint towards Chan. You throw yourself onto him, the latter immediately snaking his arms around your waist as he erupts into a dorky chuckle, “Hey babygirl.”

When he sets you back down, you raise an eyebrow, “I still don’t know why you chose ‘babygirl’, out of all possible nicknames, to use for me.”

“Because you’re my babygirl?” Chan jokes, laughing some more when you playfully roll your eyes.

You giggle anyway, allowing Chan to envelope your hands in his. “How was Greensborough?” you ask brightly.

Chan answers, “Doing good. The projects Jisung suggested are slowly happening, so there’s that. But…I wasn’t able to get the flowers you asked for. They sold out.”

“It’s fine, there’s always next time.” you chuckle, “We can even go together.”

“Sounds good.” Chan grins, squeezing your hand, “But…I did get you something else, from Hillstone on the way back.”

You tilt your head in curiosity, eyes wide with wonder, “Hmm? What’s that?”

Chan smiles, placing a soft kiss to your forehead before pulling something out of his pocket. He reveals a flowery box and slowly opens it, revealing a shiny gold ring with a single red gem encrusted in the middle. You gasp, eyes now wide with surprise as Chan gently lifts your hand, slipping the ring onto your ring finger. You bring your hand up, staring at the simple yet dazzling jewelry. You bring your other hand up; on your right ring finger was the ring your parents gave you – the flame making ring. On your left ring finger was the one Chan just gave you now.

“Chan, I…wow.” you say, breathless, “It’s beautiful.”

The male laces his fingers between yours, pulling you close to his body, “Woojin’s always asking me if I intend to marry you. You’ve asked me several times if I ever wanted to ‘become your king’. Hyunjin…well, Hyunjin tends to force himself as matchmaker along with Jisung.”

You giggle, suddenly remembering all the time those two young men would play cupid to you and Chan, “Yeah, I know. So, this is your way of telling me…?”

Chan smiles fondly, lowering his voice, “Marrying you would be an honor, y/n, but I don’t think I’m ready for stepping into the whole royal life. But, I can’t imagine myself marrying anyone but you. So, this ring – ” he lifts your hand to place a kiss on the ring, “ – is my promise to you. My promise that when I know I’m ready to ask for your hand in marriage, I’ll replace this ring with an actual marriage one.”

You stare at him with watery eyes, biting your lip in glee as the fluttering butterflies visit your stomach once again. He brings his forehead to rest against yours, lips ghosting over yours as he whispers, “So please, wait for me, babygirl.”

“I’ll wait for as long as you need, Channie. I always will.” you whisper back, protruding your lips to kiss his chastely.

“Besides, I’m not marrying you until you let Berry sleep on your bed.” Chan jokes, giving you a mischievous wink.

You laugh, playfully swatting his chest, “Well then, I guess we’re both going to have to wait a little more. Berry’s not sleeping on my bed anytime soon, Chan.”

Chan laughs, dimples coming into view as he pinches your cheek in amusement. “Ahh! Chan!” you whine.

To appease you, the male, kisses your cheek before intertwining his fingers with yours, “Come on. Felix is excited to see you after a while.”

You jump gleefully and nod; before you let Chan pull you along outside, you take one glimpse at the picture sitting on your table – the picture of child you and Changbin with your parents, happily smiling and laughing.

“I know that someday, one of you will take the throne and unite two worlds…completely. When you do, it’s going to be the most beautiful thing you’ll ever witness.” your father had said when you were younger.

Those words have always been your driving motivation.

You walk hand-in-hand with Chan down the hallways, and as you do, your eyes trail over to your interlocked hands. His hand is tightly clasped around yours – the hand where his “promise” ring was – swinging your hands gently as you both walked on.

Truly, it was beautiful.

[shellyb04]

More Kdrama reviews

So I’m finally back with more kdrama reviews!

Reply 1988- Five friends and their families in one neighborhood in 1988. I can see why people really loved it, but for me, it had some pacing issues. I felt like some episodes dragged on unnecessarily. But the last episodes hit me in a really personal place so it gets a bump for that 8/10

To the Beautiful you- Girl pretends to be a boy and enrolls in all boy school to help her sports idol make a comeback. 6/10. Wish there was more time to after she left the school and more with the other students. It was okay but I wanted...more.

Jugglers-9/10 Secretary and boss romance. I really like this one. Yes, it is fairly predictable but the main leads chemistry is so enjoyable and I liked the secondary leads quite a lot. I did roll my eyes a lot with the "villains" of the show though.

Happy Once Again or One More Happy Ending- Mi Mo and her friends navigate life in their 30s. The four are in four different points on their life despite being the same age. 9/10 I really liked the friendship between the women and how they deal with things in their lives. Only real complaints are that I wish we had less of the doctor and his ex-wife and the weird Conan O'Brien cameo completely took me out of the show.

Protect the Boss-Immature boss with agoraphobia whipped into shape by his "punk" secretary. I love the supporting cast in this a lot as well as the main couple. Could have been shorter and been better though. But it did flip a few tropes in ways that I really liked. 8/10

The legend of the Blue Sea- A mermaid falls for a human in the Joseon era and in modern times. 9/10 I was really skeptical about this one at first. It was gorgeous but started kind of slow. But once I began to understand the plot, I was HOOKED. There were a few twists that kept me guessing. And the love story was great as were ALL of the supporting characters. The main guy is Lee Min Ho and I really like him. I just really loved this one. (Although I do have some questions during the ending)

King 2 Hearts- 10/10 South Korean prince meets North Korean Intelligence officer. Hate to Love, but then the King is assassinated and now there are even more political ramifications. I loved this show from start to finish as you watch the Prince grow into a man and work with his significant other to solve problems. The supporting cast is good. I really like all the characters especially the queen mother. The villain is a bit cringey, but smarter than I first thought. You definitely root for his punishment. The only slight detriment is one that most Korean dramas seem to share. Their English speaking actors are SO BAD. There's one in this that is pretty good, but the rest not so much.  Still I really loved this one and plan to revisit it.

I am not a robot- A man with a human allergy makes friends with a newly designed robot...who is actually a human. Cute story. I think the "antagonists" were totally unnecessary to the actual plot. There was a lot more to play with, but overall pretty cute. I felt like the main couple made sense and I loved that she was an inventor. 8/10

Healer- A thief for hire gets entangled with a reporter. 10/10. The mystery works for me, All of the relationships work for me. The romance is *chef's kiss.* The only teeny tiny nitpick is I would have loved a tiny bit more epilogue showing more of the characters new normal. But that is so minor. I just LOVED this one! Seriously, this one is just so good.  

Playful kiss- Korean Itazura kiss. 7/10 There were some things in this version that I really liked (Ha Ni not being nearly as clumsy comes to mind) But overall I definitely prefer Mischievous Kiss Love in Tokyo.

Extraordinary You- A girl realizes her life is a comic book...and she's only a supporting player. But a nameless background extra seems to hold the key to changing her fate.  9/10 I LOVED the concept, the parody of romance comics, and the main couple. Really I enjoyed all the characters in one way or another. The only real flaw was the last episode didn't give me enough.

She Was Pretty- Childhood friends and first loves are due to meet up, but girl has gotten "ugly" and has her best friend impersonate her. Then girl gets job where naturally, guy works. As cheesy as the set-up sounds, it is really good. Has a bit of an Ugly Betty vibe at first. 10/10 Both the men are absolutely lovely. The main woman is very real and I understood where she was coming from most of the time. Second love interest is wonderful (Si Won of Super Junior) and I fell in love with him. Also he is super easy on the eyes. The chemistry is there between everyone. The friendship between the two women is amazing! Just really good.

Oh my Ghostess- A virgin ghost possesses a woman's body because she needs to have sex to move on. The person she possesses is a shy timid girl with a crush on her boss.  Can the both get what they want? 8.5/10 I liked this one, but the beginning was difficult to get through and I felt some dubious consent vibes throughout as the main guy doesn't know about the ghost. And the woman doesn't know what happens while she's possessed. Ultimately, it all works out, but there's a bit of weirdness in the middle. The acting is pretty good and the side characters are okay, but the fortune-teller/shaman woman is hysterical.

Secret Garden- Rich CEO man and stunt woman switch bodies. 9/10 The only major complaint I have is some of the side stories. I hated the evil Mom and wished she and her sister had been more than moustache twirling villains. This one did get me near tears toward the end as well.

Five Enough-A widowed father of two meets a divorced mother of three. They fall in love and begin to meld into a new family. The drama also follows the widower's brother, sister, and sister-in-law as they find their own relationships. There is a subplot with the ex-husband and his new wife as well. 10/10 This is the first longer drama I watched at 54 episodes it was a lot to get through. The majority of the storylines were so well done and the reality of how to combine the family felt truthful. There were no real crazy plot twists, just a story about family. The only storyline I could've done without was the ex-husband and his new wife. I felt like they were rather unsympathetic no matter how much the drama tried to get me to care. The main couple and the sister's love story were my favorite. I originally started to watch for Sung Hoon, but was quickly drawn in by all the family.

[iyeolie]

kdrama recs!

although i already have a tag for my favorite asian dramas in general (check out here if you want) i wanted to make a post dedicated to the dramas i’ve watched that hit differently.... i’ll explain

these dramas aren’t necessarily my fave of all time or at the very top of my fave list, but i did enjoy all of them a lot. the dramas on this list are the ones i enjoyed from start to finish, every episode, practically every scene. the ones i did not want to end. they were easy to watch and the struggle to not click “next episode” was real. so if you’ve got nothing else to do maybe check one or two out!

          ‣  goblin

starring : gong yoo, kim go eun, lee dong wook, yoo in na, yook sungjae

plot : kim shin is turned into a goblin tasked with protecting certain people from the life of misery. the only way to end his immortal life is to find his bride that can set him free of his sword. kim shin accidentally becomes roommates with a grim reaper, wang yeo, and as natural enemies the two clash. ji eun tak is a high school student who is able to communicate with the dead. she gets involved with the goblin and grim reaper. could she be the goblin’s bride who holds the power to release him from his eternal misery and set his soul free?

thoughts : this is my number one (1) fave kdrama and drama over all! it has everything: unique plot, interesting characters, humor, drama, fantasy elements... this is the drama i’ll always recommend to anyone and everyone. there’s not a dull moment and there is always something that grabs your attention. the depth to each character is crazy and how they all connect is insane. you grow close to them all and end up routing for them with all your heart. couldn’t recommend it enough.

          ‣  high-end crush

starring : jung il woo, jin se yeon, yoon bora, lee si eon

plot : choi se hoon is the ceo of an entertainment company and knows his stuff well. he is very arrogant and doesn’t take no for an answer. yoo yi ryeong lives alone on a mountain and doesn’t have any desire for money and fame. the two cross paths and se hoon ends up offering yi ryeong a contract from his company, she rejects him. the determined businessman won’t give up on her and ends up developing feelings along the way. can two people from different worlds come together?

thoughts : the fact that i almost didn’t watch this drama will haunt me forever. i’m sO happY that i gave it a go. i expected nothing but ended up with so much. this mini drama made me laugh and cry, and took me on a hell of a ride. the story between the couple is hilariously sweet and melts my heart. jung il woo stole my heart with this drama, he did an excellent job as the lead and his character made the drama what it is. if you have 5 hours to spare i highly recommend this one, enjoyed every second.

          ‣  hospital ship

starring : ha ji won, kang min hyuk, lee seo won, kwon min ah

plot : song eun jae is a capable surgeon at a large hospital in seoul. due to circumstances she ends up quitting her job and boards a hospital ship that provides medical care for locals in rural villages. on board are army doctors who have unwillingly been assigned their posts, except for kwak hyun, who volunteered. although eun jae has a cold personality, she is perfectionist and very skilled. with her on board, the hospital ship is able to admit patients and help with the most critical medical problems, all while out at sea.

thoughts : honestly i didn’t have any expectations going into this one, but i was pleasantly surprised. all the different characters clashed together and made the story very interesting, everyone came together and became an unexpected family. all the cases they dealt with were just insaane and made the drama so entertaining to watch! they always had the odds against them but somehow made in through them. very addicting.

          ‣  extraordinary you

starring : kim hye yoon, rowoon, lee jae wook, lee naeun, kim young dae

plot : eun dan oh is a student at a prestigious academy. one day she discovers that the world she’s living in is a fantasy world of comics, and she isn’t even the main character! she is only an extra and the writer has set her up with a lame story line that she doesn’t want to follow. dan oh realizes she is one of the few characters that are aware and tries to change the story to free herself from the writer’s grip. she meets a nameless student, number 13, who dan oh thinks can be the key. they work together to try and change their fates, but this comes with a price to pay.

thoughts : this drama was almost impossible not to watch one episode right after another! suuch a cool plot and it was hard to try and predict what was going to happen next. the drama kept its secrets very well and dragged it out, making you as a viewer really miserable wanting to know more, but this is what made it so good. things uncovered slowly but surely and you changed your mind about things over and over. big brain energy on this one!

          ‣  cinderella and four knights

starring : jung il woo, park so dam, ahn jae hyun, lee jung shin, son naeun

plot : eun ha won feels alone in the world and has poor contact with her father and stepmother. she lives a hard life trying to find ways to pay for her education. she gets involved with the three famous and rich cousins : kang ji woon ; a rebel-minded loner, kang hyun min ; a playboy money machine and kang seo woo, a sweet singer-songwriter. because of ha won’s non-nonsense personality, the cousins grandfather thinks she’s the perfect person to discipline his spoiled grandsons to get along with each other. however in the process ha won finds herself in the middle of a quadrangle love story.

thoughts : man, honestly this drama is THE reason why i’m even making this list. i was hooked from the start and STAYED hooked the entire drama. park so dam being the queen she is played her character so fantastically, i love how powerful and confident her character is. how different the cousins personalities were made it hilariously interesting to watch. i myself fell in love with each guy and had the hardest time picking who to root for! second and third lead syndrome is real. this is the one drama that i can honestly say i did not want to end, i’d watch this forever if i could lmfao

          ‣  falling for innocence

starring : jung kyung ho, kim so yeon, yoon hyun min

plot : kang min ho is a cold-blooded corporate raider who treats his workers and people ruthlessly. he is self-defensive and a suspicious sociopath, but he suffers from heart problems and is expected to die in the near future. unless he gets a heart transplant from a suitable donor, he is done for. kim soon jung’s fiancé gets into a car “accident” which ends in fatality. luckily for min ho, the fiancé is a match and min ho gets another shot at life. after the heart transplant, min ho starts to notice changes in his behavior : a rare result of heart transplants. he ends up falling for soon jung and she teaches him the meaning of true happiness and what love is. are his feelings really his, or the memories from the previous owner of his heart?

thoughts : i thought this drama wasn’t gonna be anything out of the ordinary going into it, but i was wrong. the character development the main character went through is one of the best ones i’ve seen and very inspiring at that. how he went from night to day because of his transplant was really something to witness. jung kyung ho killed it obviously and made his character believable. seeing how the characters deal with the situation made me not being able to stop watching.

          ‣  one spring night

starring : jung hae in, han ji min, kim jun han, joo min kyung, lim sung eon

plot : lee jeong in decides to prioritize happiness in her life. she has a long time boyfriend who wants to marry her but she’s not so sure what she feels. to treat her hangover one spring night, she goes to the pharmacy. yoo ji ho is the pharmacist who ends up helping her. ji ho is a single dad and unsure whether a woman could want a man like him. he however immediately becomes interested in jeong in and does whatever he can to meet her in person. the two fall in love despite their situations. the two however now have to deal with the obstacles that family, friends and society sets for them.

thoughts : this drama is like a warm safety blanket for me. i started it on a whim, skimming through netflix just wanting to watch something before bed. i ended up clicking on this and booy am i happy i did. it’s a nicely slow-paced, sweet and romantic love story which touches your heart in the best way. the whole vibe of the drama is just... i don’t know how to describe it’s just... chill?? and nice?? and comfortable?? it was my night time drama before bed, so i have nice memories from watching it. loved their love story. also a+++ for the osts!!!

         ‣  madame antoine : the love therapist

starring : sung joon, han ye seul, jeong jinwoon, hwang seung un, lee joo hyung

plot : go hye rim is a famous fortune-teller known as “madame antoine” and insist she is spiritually connected to the late french queen marie antoinette. choi soo hyun is a highly awarded therapist specialising in women’s psychology. coincidentally, his psychological treatment center is also called “madame antoine”. soo hyun develops an experiment with the hypothesis that love does not exist. he tricks hye rim into participating in the experiment to study her behavior when approached by three different men. however, hye rim isn’t told what the experiment is about and doesn’t know that the men’s feelings for her are fake, or are they?

thoughts : a fortune teller and therapist love story?? sign me the f up!!! i loved seeing these two bicker every other second but overcoming their differences to be with each other. this couple is really what they mean by “you’re hot then you’re cold”, it was on, off, on, off all the time, but i also couldn’t be mad at it. the drama was easy to watch and i couldn’t not click the next episode. all characters were extremely likeable and made me wanna be friends with them too rip. after finishing this one i kinda wanna learn some psychology tricks..... they were both really cool ><