#soo won: not particularly

[inpursuitofnunchi]

Ahahahhahaha THIS EPISODE IS DELIVERING BANGER AFTER BANGER

Operation Slush Fund : ft. hyunwoo and haein (and them being absolute cuties in love !!!!!)

Hyunwoo's lawyer besties being FKN BADASSSS (they came, they ate and they left no crumbs)

Delulu imo and mbti enthusiast philosopher flirting (auntie you're gonna find love in a hopeless place) (he gifted her mulberries - dude you already have my vote)

[cparti-mkiki]

god i love early eurovision (1960s) stagings so much. it's just close ups of the singer all throughout and sometimes a medium or wide shot of them just standing in front of the microphone literally just singing, like at MOST doing a half assed little dance or something. it was just standard tv filming back then but as an added bonus it really forces you to think about the quality of song and singer instead of random dances, side show acts and overwhelming prerecorded background tracks. and the live orchestra really elevated it too

it's not like i want to go back or anything (the same show as it was in 1964 would have -4 viewers today) but a lot of modern eurovision feels like jingling keys in front of a baby, or like one of those electronic plastic toys that have lots of lights and noises. dont get me wrong, eurovision songs have been generally mind-numbingly stupid from the start, but god at least the focus at some point was on the actual songs. also old school performances are soo much funnier to me personally lol

[wonysugar]

hate rodrigo (literally) | aeri uchinaga

a/n: this is not even a fic this is a tiny little one shot that i wrote yesterday night AT LIKE TWO AM due to thoughts we had in a discord server ahem anyways I FELL ASLEEP THO. soo have this now!!

genre : really bad crack smut like i genuinely have no idea how to describe this

word count : like 600 something?

tags : one shot, smut (obvs), crack, ptv mention, falling in reverse mention, olivia Rodrigo mention, mcr mention, taylor swift mention (sorry @pupyuj)

pairing : angsty!giselle x whitegirlmusic!femreader (I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO LABEL THISSFJEKF)

your music taste wasn’t something you particularly shared with people, but you didn’t hide it, either. to you, it was music, nothing more, nothing less.

however, one of your friends, aeri, took music very, very seriously, and it really showed. she had a certain aesthetic, she wore certain things and god, did she listen to certain music.

“no like i genuinely can’t grasp the fact that you unironically listen to olivia rodrigo?” she laughed, leaning back on her bed as you stared at her in disbelief.

“god aeri, some of her songs are good, you just haven’t tried them.” you snapped back, wearing a convinced smile as you proceed to jokingly hit her arm.

“okay, sure, whatever. but just imagine getting to know someone, going on dates with them, all the sha-bang. then, when it’s time to get down and freaky, they turn on their sex playlist and motherfucking driver’s license starts playing??”

she was basically cackling at that point and you couldn’t do anything to stop it. defending your cause seemed like it would’ve been difficult, with how far up her own ass she was.

“yeah, because that isn’t a sex song? olivia rodrigo doesn’t make fucking sex music?? try putting a falling in reverse song while you get naked, see how that works out for you.” you fight back.

“oh i don’t know about you, but i’d be soaked for sure. plus, anything would be better than hearing young adult women sing about their previous relationship like it was a war they fought in.” she kid, crossing her arms in victory, as if she even won the argument in the first place.

“i’m gonna make you swallow those words right back up, uchinaga.”

“try me, l/n.”

-

“f-fuck y/n, go- mmh- slower..”

so, it wasn’t supposed to happen this way!

it originally was just the both of you, taking turns and putting different songs on the bluetooth speaker and rating them based on ‘how wet it got you’.

turns out, while that was a theory stage, there seemed to be a practice one too, and you’ve been in it for the past 10 minutes now.

thrusting your fake cock in and out of her, paying no mind to the very loud, very obnoxious pierce the veil song that was playing in the background, you pinned her hands above her head. your pace increased with time, and the decibels of her voice increased with the pace.

“oh my god y/n pleasepleasepleasepleasee i’m s-so sorry i- fuck me- i didn’t mean-“ she cried, poor thing probably didn’t even realize that her black eyeliner was running all over her cheeks. her arms and legs wrapped around you,

“shut your fucking mouth and take it, you emo fucking cumslut.” you slammed your strap into her as she yelled out your name. while she was pleading and begging for something, you were on top of her perfect laying-in-mcr-bedsheets body.

she, herself, wasn’t aware of what she was begging for, her mind was completely blank. all she could think about was how good her pussy felt when you pounded it so violently, when you were being so aggressive with her that you just used her body however you wanted.

you thought that whole thing would be a one-time occurrence, but no, it happened a second time, when she said that taylor swift had mid music. was she doing it on purpose or something?

anyways,

yes, you fucked her with the 1989 album playing.

[shanastoryteller]

Happy holidays shana! can i get yona of the dawn? thank you!

a continuation of 1 2

Soo Won is helping her put on her armor, having declined to participate in the tournament considering how her father got positively twitchy whenever Soo Won picked up a sword around him. He's going to be furious enough with with Yona entering, no need to make things worse

Usually he'd been helping Hak, but Hak is mad at him because he'd found out that Soo Won had bet against him, which is also why Yona is feeling particularly tender towards him at the moment.

"Yona," he says as he buckles her leather in place around her calf. She wants to feel fluttering and swoon over this, but the truth is that they've done this for each other too many times for it to feel anything but practical. "What happens if you win?"

She doesn't understand the question. "I show up every uppity warrior and noble who thinks they can win a kingship with some fancy footwork."

"Okay," he says. "And when you prove you're better than all of them, except maybe Hak?"

Except maybe Hak, who's first loyalty has been to her for years.

She probably should have known better than to think that she could pull one over Soo Won. Hak is easier to mislead, because she never lies to him, exactly.

That's a trick she picked up from Soo Won.

"I leverage my right to fight against my father's desire to surrender," she says, and tries to soften her words by adding, "How does my father expect me to make an advantageous marriage otherwise? No one wants to be king of a shrinking nation."

This is her land and her people and she's tired of giving them away.

It shouldn't surprise her father, but she knows it will. He should know better. She's spoiled and greedy and everything that's hers, she keeps. But he keeps giving away what belongs to her.

Soo Won ducks his head and it doesn't quite hide his smile. "Very good, Princess."

[scourgeblooms]

wanted to do a physical timeline for my commander and highlight how he’s changed through the years. this is mostly for my own entertainment BUT I do enjoy seeing the same thing from other folks so I’m posting it here in the hopes that other people share my sentiment. 

(I was ALSO totally inspired by @/manasurge’s hair timeline. it kicks ass. go look at it.) 

elaboration/rambling below the cut!

Personal Story, LW1-2: Popped out of the pod blunt, solicitous, and already maybe a little too paranoid for someone who was born yesterday, but all those traits made him uniquely qualified for a position in military leadership.  Healthy and floral, soft aspen-bark-like skin, delicate petals. black anthers produce pollen. undergoes more fashion changes than physical transformations during this time. gets a little banged up here and there (and maybe has some lasting respiratory effects from the toxic alliance era) but overall feelin a-okay. 

Heart of Thorns: it’s all gone to shit. took a spectacular headdive in both a physical and mental sense with breakneck speed. never “officially” answered mordremoth’s call, but anyone who spent time around him would notice a distinct lack of self control and logical thinking. took on a more sickly pallor, stress caused leaves to shrivel, rot, and decay. lost his lil flower top notch and ability to produce pollen. pupils narrowed to take on a more animalistic look, and enamel growth resulted in sharper, larger teeth. fingers also elongated into claws. never fully physically and mentally recovered from the hell jungle. 

LW3: chopped off most of his leaves to encourage fresh growth. lots of physical healing during this time, though it takes quite a while for his complexion to fully recover. takes on the role of aurene’s champion with gusto. relatively unaffected by bloodstone, but feels the effects of mordremoth’s loose/uncontrolled magic deeply. continues to hear mordremoth’s “voice” and is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. 

Path of Fire: still healing from HoT. continues to grow out his leaves. glow returns, as well as some of his eye color. likes the crystal desert, but finds the harsh, dry climate to be particularly challenging; he’s definitely more of a ‘temperate’ sylvari. does not handle dying well. death only adds to his paranoia and psychosis. has an increasingly hard time picking apart what is real and what is…. not. 

LW4: let’s get ready to kill an undead lich!!!! absorbs even more magic after the death of joko and kralkatorrik, and it starts to show in a there-and-gone shimmery aura that takes on a similar appearance to ley lines. starts to suffer from migraine auras. flower top notch grows back, but stays closed and dormant. picks up a few nifty necromancy tricks from the elonians, and the tips of his fingers start to show signs of necrotic decay; all that death magic can’t be good for the complexion, can it? 

Icebrood Saga: having another dragon in his head does not help his mental health in the slightest. braided leaves (courtesy of braham <3) to protect against frostbite. his ley “aura” gets more intense, hard to miss, and is a near constant. flower topnotch remains closed due to the cold weather conditions. after being shot by bangar, his wound is covered/healed by aurene’s brand. migraines increase in frequency, makes it difficult for him to focus. a bone deep exhaustion starts to set in, and more often than not, he catches himself thinking that a nice long nap underneath a blanket of snow doesn’t sound so terrible….

End of Dragons: back in a more agreeable climate, his topnotch finally blooms, but does not grow anthers or produce pollen. easily physically corrupted by void magic, and he feels soo-won’s pain and struggle deeply. the void corruption eventually shows up in the form of darkening leaves, and seeping out of his eyes/tearducts (it’s fine. don’t worry about it.). starts to incorporate chaos magic into his own necromancy practices. has a fucking terrible time in gyala delve. has a fucking terrible time saying goodbye to aurene. 

Secrets of the Obscure: nothing feels entirely real to him anymore. still willing to help, to fight, but it’s done on autopilot at this point. this magical, floating palace in the sky looks and feels like a dream, with the kryptis acting as the encroaching, inevitable turn to a real, living nightmare. still uses a bit of leftover void in his magical practices, but most of the corruption has left his system. that respiratory illness he picked up back in kessex hills comes back to bite him in nayos. finally grows back his anthers, but instead of producing pollen, it's an outlet for void/magic energy.

[dangermousie]

I saw a post where you analyzed some details in Flower of Evil (particularly the relationship between the lead couple) and your analysis was super interesting.

I dropped that drama ages ago somewhere in the second episode because it just felt like things had already gone so horribly wrong that there was no possible way that it could be brought back to a story that I'd enjoy. I was wondering if you might be able to explain how that isn't the case so I should give it another chance, ideally without spoiling anything too huge? Or do you think my first instinct was right? If I couldn't stomach the first two episodes it probably just isn't the drama for me? My original interest in watching it was for the romance more than anything else.

I would love to analyze (always game for FoE freakouts) and address the issue but I think I could do it better if you clarified a little what you mean by "it just felt like things had already gone so horribly wrong that there was no possible way that it could be brought back to a story that I'd enjoy."

Is it a worry that there would be no happy ending (and one that feels earned/logical not tacked on) for the couple and/or ML (or FL), or that the progression of the relationship would not be anything you like or not given sufficient importance? Or something else?

If it's the former, while I can't say whether you'd like it or not because it's very hard to predict what clicks and doesn't for another person (I have like two mutuals where I automatically know if they like X, I am guaranteed to do so) but I can answer that:

(a) This drama has a happy ending that felt right and justified and not tacked on for me - in terms of both characters individually and the ship. They both go through hell but emerge into sunshine on the other side; by the end of it, Hyun Soo knows exactly how much he's both known and loved by Ji Won (and it's huge for a man who believed on a deep level nobody could possibly love someone like him nor should they) but also he's accepted that he himself is not a monster but is capable of love. And Ji Won loves her husband as much as she did at the start and has proven exactly how much and this time it's based on true knowledge of all of him - because before that she loved him for what he was (his characteristics were all true even if his background was not) but now she knows exactly the traumas and events that shaped him and the issues that haunted him and...she still sees the slightly odd, quite introverted, very caring man she fell in love with. It's a process, she thinks things through and it takes her time to get there, it is not linear but it is so thorough and glorious. She basically goes with her whole behavior: I see you fully and I know you fully and because of that sight and knowledge I love you MORE. And he processes that but also, in an even huger emotional shift, he realizes that he loves HER, that he's always loved her, he just had no vocabulary for it and no ability to process that this is what he felt due to all the trauma and gaslighting and what not.

(b) This is a romance drama. Oh, it has a good plot with its share of mysteries and mini-mysteries, and it's a great character study and has a lot of other interesting things to say. But ultimately, it's a romance. It is centered not really on the mystery of who Do Hyun Soo actually is, or who was/is committing various murders, or when Ji Won would figure stuff out or w/e - it focuses on a relationship between husband and wife who desperately love one another. This drama had an INSANE fixation with shots of their wedding rings and it was for a reason because this is the story of their marriage more than it is anything else.

It actually features a trope that is very much my catnip and narratives (outside of Gong Xinwen novels) don't do often enough - where the woman is the rescuer and the white knight and the savior and the man is this beautiful, oddly fragile (despite being competent and potentially deadly) being in need of rescue. And I don't mean just in the metaphorical sense - she is the reason DHS still has his sanity and found happiness and healing - nah she rescues him in the most physical way possible, from drowning, from various other acts of harm. In a way, Ji Won and Hyun Soo are a noir couple with genders reversed - a tough pragmatic detective and an alluring romantic partner with a mysterious past and ambiguous in terms of morality vibe, a homme fatale. But who (which also happens in some noir), turns out an abused, gaslit person who needs saving and who has honestly is owed by the world for all the hell it put him through.

Once again, I can't say if you'd like the drama - but the above is why I love love love love LOVE it and thank you for letting me have a chance to rant.

[datesinredink]

Heyyy so maybe I'm insane but. Do NOT Take This Cat Home (which I'll shorten to Dnttch) yandere rottmnt au. Hmmm. I havent slept in 24 hours so I don't know how you would meet them but I do know that it would be very fun to think about how the weird eldritch horror/"OH NO THEY EAT PEOPLE" part would come into play.

Oh wait actually IDEA you could start off meeting one of the turtles (probably Mikey, he'd be most likely to stick around instead of eating you and convince you to take him home because he's so lost and hungry in this new place, couldn't you pleeaaase take pity on this poor turtle?) and then over time, since we know in the Dnttch universe, the cat multiplies in at least two ways (I, in fact have not seen all the endings yet), so the first turtle could gather the other three over time. One could be from a plushie in the pet shop or won at the carnival (prob Raph), the second could be from the movie theater (Leo, I think the hypnosis is weirdly fitting for him), and the final one... Wait. I'm not sure. THERES A LITTLE LIVE PETS TURTLE???? YEAH OK THATS FUNNY I'LL PUT IT IN.

Buuuuuuttttt after the four are all gathered and living in your house (despite your insistence that you couldn't possibly afford to support them. luckily, despite occasionally waking up and seeing one of them in the corner of your room drooling, they've never shown any need to eat) they've gotten a bit attached. They saw you as a possible meal, at first, then a convenient hiding place, but they seem to have found themselves getting attached. They decide that since you've helped them soo much, that they should at least return the favor before they decide to eat you(something you're frighteningly aware they've almost done- the still healing scar from the last time the red one visited your room) or leave.

Now, you feel constant eyes staring holes into your back, and your rude coworkers now either show up on the news with their bones picked almost clean or don't turn up at all. Now, sometimes they'll bring back one of their kills to share with you (after all, aren't you hungry? They've seen you eat, but surely it isn't filling enough to really sustain you- to them, that's why you seem so tired all the time). Since you always turn them down, maybe instead they'll just have you help them store the leftovers!

Raph, as they've taken to calling the biggest of them, eats more frequently than the others to sustain his growth, so there can sometimes be extras that the other three don't particularly want at the time. He even goes out of his way to help you with tearing and cutting apart the meat! It's almost sweet, if only for the weight of what exactly you're putting in Tupperware right now.

Leo gets more aggressive about your attention now, always begging you to play games or watch TV with him. Sometimes he's even fine with just reading comics in the same place, as long as he gets to hold onto you in some way. It's annoying at best in the morning when you have to go to work, but downright terrifying when his marks flare up late at night after you've just insisted for the 10th time that you're tired and don't want to deal with him. Usually, the threat of flickering blue light vaguely forming some kind of sword is enough to convince you otherwise.

Mikey tries his best to help you adjust to your new roommates! He knows how stressed out you are about work, you should tell him about it! He'll even take notes about how they can all brighten your day, so feel free to speak your mind about that horrible lady who yelled at you today. Was she your boss? A coworker? Maybe a customer who asked for the manager? He'll give you a warm hug and reassure you that everything will be ok, and that maybe you should teach him a new recipe from granny's cookbook tonight to take your mind off things! The scene you wake up to the next morning is Mikey humming to himself while the girl's flesh sizzles in the pan you let him borrow last night, Raph drooling over said slab of meat, as well as Donnie and Leo playing the most intense game of rock paper scissors (a game they're glad you taught them- how else would they make decisions) to decide who gets the first plate of food.

Donnie's always useful to have around, his fascination with human technology quickly being honed into electronic mastery. Despite his more reclusive nature, he's still gotten you out of many a pinch with malfunctioning devices, like when you sorrowfully cradled your old toaster in your arms on your way to trash it, only for him to take it from you and return it a couple days later fixed up like new. You appreciate his contributions, and though you're the beta tester for a multitude of his dangerous inventions, with the amount he does for you, it's hard to not feel like you owe him, especially when he himself openly agrees with that point. You just wish he'd give you a break from the explosions...

[tinysnailtales]

Thoughts from reading Yona of the Dawn Ch. 1 (Part 1)

"I had no idea it could get so cold outside the palace walls"

Yona is sheltered (and smothered), isolated within her life at the palace + ignorant of outside world. But will learn the world can be (literally but also metaphorically) cold and cruel

It may very well be Yona's destiny to succeed her father and rule.

"Father..." the first word Yona says (chronologically in the story)–an important figure to Yona and the story. One of the few people in her isolated life and someone whose presence will hang over everything.

"Do you think there's something wrong with my hair?" Yona's hair too, will be very important and hang over and affect the entire story. It is immediately introduced to the reader.

This moment also shows that Yona cares about her looks–she is self-conscious about her hair but likes her face ("well, my face is pleasing") and tries to look her best for Soo-Won. This preoccupation with looks may seem "girlish" or frivolous, but the meaning of Yona's hair goes deeper. Yona is also a combination of confidence and insecurity.

And, in typical fashion, what makes Yona special and unique is what she is self-conscious about.

Sometimes (usually) introductions and openings to stories can be quite clunky with their exposition. Regardless, here we meet Hak, who: is 18, grew up with Yona, and is her personal guard and a highly skilled general.

We also get an idea about his relationship with Yona. Hak and Yona are comfortable with each other to the point of teasing (in spite of their difference in station). It is interesting to see the popularity of the teasing trope for potential love interests. Though it shows a level of comfort, it also does involve poking at each other's insecurities. Yona is presented as the one more affected by Hak's words but I bet he is just as affected, only he keeps his reactions bottled up inside.

Hak is even the one to change the subject, bringing up Soo-Won. His knowledge of Yona's crush on Soo-Won further demonstrates their closeness and his pivot to that topic is revealing.

In a way, Hak and Yona behave like children with each other. And though 16 (Yona) and 18 (Hak) are presented as being at ages of maturity/relating to adulthood within their society, they are essentially still children. And sometimes the child self can be part of the truest self.

Nevertheless, Yona wants to be taken seriously and viewed as a woman (her care for her appearance, though "girlish," functioning as a way to signal her womanhood), but Soo-Won thinks of her as a child too.

It doesn't seem to be the equal-footing type of childishness seen with Hak and Yona, but more that of an adult looking down on and caring for a child. Yona is perceptive enough to pick up on this.

The head pat is particularly indicative of this relationship dynamic. How will different forms of physical touch function throughout the story? Soo-Won also does a lot of embracing Yona from behind.

I recently finished Fruits Basket, so this makes me giggle a little, but Soo-Won asserts himself as a replacement mother for Yona. They both have a deep care for each other, but there is a sharp contrast in how they each view the context of that care. Soo-Won nurtures and comforts Yona.

And while Yona is so loved and cherished (and pampered) by her father, she is still somewhat neglected by him (he is the King after all) and needed Soo-Won to step in. She's LONELY.

Soo-Won provided Yona with both companionship and care, and there is a repetition of him opposing her loneliness. Over and over we see him assert that he's there for Yona.

And with his "I'm right here" / "I'll always be with you" / "You're not alone," Soo-Won tells her to cry. He lets her cry. But it is always followed by the notion that she should cry so she can smile.

"It's okay. You can cry now" feels like a comfort, like an acknowledgment and acceptance of Yona's negative emotions. But the insistence on smiling feels like the opposite, like a suppression of emotions. There is an acceptance and rejection of Yona's sadness and negative emotions. A desire to see her happy fuels the push to move on from the negative.

The letting out of the tears and return of Yona's smile is sort of becomes predicated on Soo-Won's presence. Everything is okay because he is there. She can smile because he is there.

"You are the center of my world" – truly the fact of the matter. Whether intentional or not, Soo-Won made Yona reliant on him.

But of course, we can't forget Hak, her literal guard. This scene with the horseback riding has all kinds of symbolism.

"Relax. Hak and I will take care of you" –both Soo-Won and Hak save Yona's life at some point. Soo-Won in their youth, helping her recover from her mother's death and Hak when Soo-Won's plans for King Il come to a head (and after).

Soo-Won specifically acts like an anchor for Yona, in this scene and her life. He promises "Here, I'll hold you steady," and he does, or rather, he did. He will then go on to do the opposite, flipping Yona's world completely upside-down. Notably, Hak is the one who boosts her up in this scene.

The horseback riding also showcases how close Soo-Won and Hak are too and includes a nice nod to Yona's future endeavors with archery.

Though here, amusingly, Yona's desire to practice archery with Soo-Won is caused by a sort of lust for him. I think this moment emphasizes her attraction and that line between woman and girl that Yona is experiencing (her coming-of-age, if you will). While Yona sees Soo-Won as a man, he sees her as a girl (not a woman).

And as Soo-Won is her world, Yona's actions revolve around him. She doesn't really think a lot of herself, or when she does, it is only in terms of being with him. Soo-Won drives her actions and motivations. This emphasizes how small her world is– she is basically living for their interactions and doesn't think beyond that. She can't imagine anything beyond that.

Something I really admire is how open/honest Yona is about her feelings.

"'I do [like horses].' But I like you more." Yona doesn't seem very impressive when it comes to strength or skills, but her honesty is its own kind of bravery and strength.

It isn't exactly done with purpose, and involves some lack of filter when spoken aloud ("Nooo, why did I say that?! Extremely relatable, Yona), but it is endearing. Her thoughts kind of overflow and instinctually pour out.

Ah, the classic "fake relationship to lovers," I see you.

"Servant or not, Hak's the only boy I know close to my age..." Poor Yona, is so isolated and has such a small circle! This is also a funny bit of foreshadowing considering how many boys her age she will soon meet.

It's interesting with how much King Il gives Yona that he insists he will be the one to choose who she weds. And he clearly does not want Soo-Won to become king. Why?

Yona is also presented as a path to the throne rather than someone who herself could rule.

Also: "I've given you all you've ever wanted...everything except weapons" stands out to me as while maybe he hasn't given Yona weapons she can use directly, he has given her Hak, and isn't Hak the greatest weapon of all?

I feel like there has to be more to the story here. With information we learn later, did Soo-Won's father kill Yona's mother?

The emphasis on King Il as a coward makes me think cowardice will be a reoccurring theme.

Continued in part 2!

[tenjiiku]

i recently read strange weather in tokyo per your recommendation and oh my god!! a book has never articulated my inner dialogue and jumbled brain as well as it did! do you have any more book/song recs!?

Hello!! I am so very happy to hear that!! Hmm let us see.

Book Recs;

Almond by Won-pyung Sohn. I remember borrowing this book on Libby and never getting around to it until I had like 2 days left until the return date lol. Anyway I am glad I did end up reading it. Yunjae is my baby… you feel so many things reading his story and yet it is never portrayed the way you want it to be which makes it as enticing as it is painstaking. His and Gon’s friendship is so bittersweet and slowburn which makes the turn of events the novel takes so rewardingly emotional.

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa. Has similar themes to Almond, I would say. As you can most likely tell, I love love love love love human connection being written in its most intimate forms in literature. If you are like me you will enjoy this novel as well!

Significant Others by Zoe Eisenberg. I actually read this novel per Jennette McCurdy’s book recommendation lol (who is another wonderful author and person btw, her memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died left me thinking for days on my own familial relationships). Friendships are soo important and yet rarely delved into in a particularly meaningful or tasteful way to me. Female friendships especially. The older I grow and the more people whom I continue to fall out with and meet — this book does a wonderful service to detailing all of the intricacies of platonic relationships.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb. I read this book on a whim. The premise of a therapist receiving therapy sounds like something the average person would probably not connect with as much but I was happily surprised to find that this book was not like that at all. I read this in one setting on a two hour train and cried at the end.

Artists/Songs;

Hanroro. Recently I have been really into Korean Rock music lol. So random but anyway. I really love her voice. Her lyrics are also very teen spirt-y but her vocals and instrumentals bring it in an entirely new form to me. I really like Mayfly, Don’t be afraid to fall and Even if you leave,

PJ Harvey. Idk how to explain this one tbh. I just like feeling sexy!!! Idk what to say. Her album Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea has been on repeat for the month of February for me..

Riize. Literally talk saxy idk. Sohee I want U.. Seunghan I miss u 😓

[sleidog]

1 and 9 for the commander asks? 👀

Which dragon scared your commander the most?

Slei was probably the most scared of Soo-Won, but less so because of -her- and more so because of the implication behind having to take her out of the picture, he was scared for Aurene and what could potentially happen to her without Soo-Won everything more or less worked out in the end, but he had terrible anxiety throughout the entirety of EOD and hesitated the most through this campaign

9. Does your commander believe they’re on the right path?

i think he does, but Slei himself is probably not quite as sure! slei wasn't my commander through the entire game, he actually took up the mantle after HoT and as a result caused a lot of fallout in the pact and struggled to drum up enough manpower for dragon's watch [slei is a known ex convict; him being in a position of power didn't spark confidence, but those same people also had no idea -why- he was an ex-con either] as a result, slei probably worked harder than most commanders that follow canon more closely to gain the respect from his peers slei was particularly lucky that the commander before him did a horrendous job and the bar was set very very low lol so by commarison, slei definitely thinks he's doing the right thing by everyone else now

[evansbby]

GURLLLLLL

WHAT A ROLLER COASTER IT HAS BEEN BESTIEEEEEEEEEEE👁️👄👁️😵

OH MYY GODDDDD

This dumblr won't let me write long comments so here it is

Wanda bro she ain't a girl's girl she knew reader would be uncomfortable around ari but still draged her to see the practice nopeee hate it hate it hate it hate it absolutely hate it(I literally had a friend like this yrs back😐, OMGG it fucking sucks to friends with such people😵‍💫) ALL I SE IS A ONE SIDED FRIENDSHIP

Now coming to the boys😭

"You better be fucking sure, because I know guys like him. He's a fucking slimeball who would've been happy to touch you even if you were unconscious."

Sir and what did you do u fucked when she was high and you were the one who gave her the drug and not just fucked her you manipulated her to have sex with infront of like a hundred people then you would make her your girlfriend. And then u fucked left her to fend for herself when was high off her ass, you weren't worried that time , whether someone is gonna take advantage of her? And we don't even know how he manipulated her when it was her first time she was a Lil drunk that time too wasn't she! (I think she was this was mentioned in part 1) The audacity of this man like bro- just shut up.

He backs away as if you've stung him, or flung a vial of poison right in his face.

He is hurt???? He has the audacity to be hurt?? When for weeks he has been using her and throwing he like a chewing gum when he is done? Like the party was the first time he helped her clean up! The first time he took a pert in aftercare! And he is hurt??? And didn't your text just a few days ago read you have other girls! Wowwwww that text was like acid on my veins not gonna lie, Bro- you need to fuck off

"I am attracted to you"

My heart did a summer-sault here🥹

This was also the scene where he said he wouldn't take advantage of her I remember that. Man he is also a slimy motherfucker can't lie🥲 but ari took advantage of her the same night too so I gues this point is over-ruled. Also Stevie boy gets a point here for being so direct and hot and bde😗

"Say it, then. Say you'll text me tonight."

5 summer-saults🫡😃🤸🤸🤸🤸🤸

Stevie gets a point here too for being such a hot stern daddy😗

would Steve forget about you now that she was here?

Ari looses points here for making her this insecure 😭. Like if she might be insecure in general even before she met ari that is a possibility buttt butt butttt in this sentence right here she is not just in general insecure she is particularly insecure of Sharon🥺, which is Ari's doing making her belive she is not good enough💔 to be not just his but anyone's girlfriend. Good going ari good going 😤

A part of you wants to move away from Steve out of respect for Ari,

He was jealous!!!! Wowwww likee howw broo weren't you the one kissing your girlfriend a few days ago right in reader's face and now you are jealous. And still reader is too nice on him 🥲

"I told you he was trouble, didn't I? Now he's physically attacked you in front of everyone. He's a fucking psychopath-"

She got hurt and he still wanted to prove the point that he was right brooo Just stop being so self centred 😐

The brunet's features soften.

"That's a good girl,"

"You're being such a brave little girl."

Ok here he was really soft and making my heart all squishyyyyyyy but then reader said this was the first time he was being soo kind 🥲 bro has been seeing her for weeks and was the first time he was being sooo soft nooooopeeee he loosing points again not that he has any😐

"What, like Steve? I already told you he's dangerous."

And you are a prince charming 😃🤡

"Look, the only reason he even asked you out is because he wants to get back at me."

Woowwowwwwwooooowwwwoooowwwwooowwww it's not like you've given her all these insecurities and now you are being sooo sooo soooo insensitive about this topic tooo bro is really self centred and suddenly he care it's deff for her eon good and has nothing to do with his won personal reasons definitely I believe you Ari😐😐😐😐😐😐😵🤡

Because God forbid a guy likes me for me, right?

Have you heard that Audio on tik tok where a bunch of women (Megan fox and Harley Quinn) applys make-up violently,(the female rage) ya that's what I was feeling heree, Ari is loosing points again 😒

"Okay then, water it is."

Stevie gets a point here tooo ✋ becauseeeeee she didn't even had to say no to him he understood her before she even said it didn't force her in alcohol consumption I know the bar of standard is in hell but as we are comparing between the 2 boysss, Steve deff should get a point here. Ari literally manipulated her into taking that drug the night of frat party and here Steve didn't sooo definitely faar better than arii he is hereee😤

"I'm really happy you said yes to this date, baby girl,"

"You did wear it for me, didn't you? Just me?"

5 summer-saults again 🤸🤸🤸🤸🤸🥹

And also the part where he said he won't be Happy if she ever mentioned ari or if she is dating him just to make ari jealous

Omgggomggggomggggggggomgggomgggomhghghh I personally found that part really hott like my hot stern daddy is back again I love it when he makes an appearance it soo sexyyy and the was he said itt 😮‍💨🤤 bro his personality realllllyyyyyyyy hot let's be real here (more than the so called other main character 🤡)

So now whether the date was real or not?

- I personally think the date was definitely real I think he did plan them a date but seeing his sister stuttering so much and being so anxious did a number on him and brought back ugly memories and that's when his mood changed

Steve nods, looking distracted as he watches after his sister through the glass pane of the door. His smile from earlier is still plastered on his face, but it no longer seems to reach his eyes. The atmosphere, the air itself, suddenly feels heavier, different in a way, and you can't quite pinpoint what it is.

This is definitely the part where his mood changed just when Kiara left the room

I think Steve approached her on that night because he found her attractive and then when she told him she was associated with Ari that's when Maybe he decided to play her and use her to get on Ari's nerves

He is definitely attracted to her but also he wants to be with her to piss off Ari even he genuinely approaced her the 1st night he is definitely stringing her along not only but Ari definitely makes more the 50% of the reason

I definitely think Ari did something very horrible to kiaraa that's why Steve is behind reader to take his sisters revenge or something I mean he did make a mental note when Sharon said Ari was not the possesive typ and realised but Ari was possesive about reader so he went after her instead of Sharon

( also just realised if Steve was only after reader because of ari then he should have also tried this on Sharon but he didn't not that we know of)

So bottom line is Steve was trying to sleep with reader because of Ari definitely but also he is attracted to her

And when he saw the state of his sister may he was hit by the reason why he is on that date and thus the reason he got so violent

( also I'd like to add that I think he wanted to take her on date why would he let her meet with her sister? And also say that her sister and reader could go thrifting together?)

And now the scenes where they forced them upon reader!

Ok why is everyone only talking about Steve? Like Ari also forced himself upon her the morning after the frat party

And she did tell him stop multiple time but he just didn't and spanked her Bro- like why is no one talking about that. When he got jealous the pused her against the wall and choked her!! And shee was literally having a Hard time breathing and that smut with Ari was non consensual!

And Steve got carried away his mood changed when he saw his sister and was going to use for sex she did tell him multiple times to stop but he didn't and then on top of it he made that Ari comment

(Right now Steve doesn't have feelings for Reader I mean like common they have met like 3 times soo that is obviously he doesn't have feelings for her he is just sexually attracted to her)

Bruh I just wrote a para about how ari cares about her where did it go?????😭😭😭

(Ok soooo ari cares about her I can see ari cares about her he has been seeing her for weeks like he even watched mean girls with her so like bro does have some feelings for her)

Ok so my point is one is behaving like shit even after he has feelings for her like the morning after fart party he didn't apologize bro literally said I won't break up with my girlfriend but we can go on date when everyone is asleep 🤡 and didn't even register the part where he choked her and slammed her against the wall- like how was he behaving when he didn't have feelings for her? In the initial stage I mean he did took advantage of her and took her virginity and then left her with no aftercare 🥲 this guy has feelings for her but when he brokeup with his girlfriend he was behaving so nonchalant likeeee-???? Is she supposed to forget all the other time u treated her like shit! Just cause you broke up with your girlfriend?

And the other is behaving like this when he doesn't have feelings for her idk like he apologized for his behaviour which ari didn't when he got angry on Steve's topic!!! They are both fucking terrible and Steve actually stopped which ari didn't when they were both getting violent🙂 Steve registered the part where he shouldn't have done it and he lost control sorry but I didn't see Ari doing that

I think if Steve would have known for as long as ari knows reader he would've treated her better

(what I want to say is if Steve had the time to develop feelings for Reader I think he would've acting much less meaner than ari!)

Steve did loose many points in this scene so I guess his point is zero and ari has his scores in minus even after he broke up like bro was acting so casual ahhhhh I don't like him

I think I'm still on team Steve after reading this part

Gurl this got longggggg

It was an amazing chapter omggggg I fucking loved it soooo muchhh I always get thrilled for everything you writeeeee no surprise this was soooo perfect toooooo what an amazing ride reading this chapter has been 😮‍💨😮‍💨🥹🥹🥹🥹 I loved it sooo muchhhh and I loveee youuu💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

And Im still fond of Steve IDC what people sayyyyyy

My stern daddy can still redeem himself I know itttt🥹🥹🥹

(And also I have a question I hope daddy Steve did throw the ball purposely 😭 I mean he didn't but still there's a 0.000001 part of me that thinks he did .he didn't right.?)

-💗

OMGGG BESTIEEE first of all??? This review is insanely long and i LOVE that like it puts such a huge smile on my face!!! And secondly, please excuse my lack of emojis, i had to switch to my laptop so i could reply properly!!!

LMFAOOO yes!!! Finally, someone is calling out Ari's double standards... he's not exactly Mr. Consent now is he??? Hehehe. This whole chapter, I tried to write Ari in a kind of funny, indignant way. Like, I purposely made it so that he was sooo huffy and indignant about what Steve was doing yet delulu about how he himself isn't that different! Idk, just to add a bit of humour! Also with how Ari kept saying Steve "physically assaulted" reader when really she got accidentally hit by a ball that Ari dodged lmfaoo *skull emoji* idk, i just LOVE writing Ari's character so i tried to add these moments in to make you guys infuriated at his double standards bUT IT DID NOT WORK FOR MAJORITY bahahaha but i'm happy you recognised it!

Also lmao yes, HOW DOES ARI HAVE THE AUDACITY TO BE HURT?! After everything he put reader through?? It's quite believable though, WG is like a case study of IRL fuckboys and their different facets. Fuckboy science should be taught in schools so that us girlies know what to look out for bahahah.

I love the point system you're giving to Steve and Ari as you read the fic! And yes, Steve's forwardness is SO attractive, I agree! I personally find that very attractive in a man and so I gave him that characteristic! It also juxtaposes a lot from Ari and how he hides their relationship and is never honest about how he feels!

Also, how you related reader's insecurity back to how Ari treated her is sooo smart! I didn't even think of that but honestly it's so true! She thinks Steve will prefer Sharon over her bc deep down she thinks Ari prefers Sharon over her :(((( Bc Sharon is the one who is his gf but reader thinks she isn't good enough!!! AHHHHHH i love this analysis you did hehe.

Also lmfao not you giving Steve points for giving her water bahahaha. That's another clue that maybe he really DID plan the date, right? Bc if he just wanted to sleep with her... he could've easily somehow gotten her drunk by persuading her to have a drink... IDK JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT HEHEHEHE and yepppp, you pinpointed exactly where his mood changed...

LEMME KISS YOUR BRAIN FOR THIS REVIEW THO, A LOTTTT OF YOUR POINTS ARE SO SPOT ON!!!! and you understood it like you're in my brain, which means i did a good job writing it and weaving hints through the text without outright spelling things out WHICH MAKES ME HAPPYYY HEHEHEHE

[aetherblooms]

2, 14 and 25 for any OC of yours who can answer them!

2 and 25 answered here!

14. Is there any particular quirk to their magic? Is there something they can't do with their magic that others usually can? Is there something they can do particularly well?

All three of my main blorbos have some unique connection to a particular elder dragon's magic!!

Yvette was forcefully attuned with Soo Won aligned dragon magic as a sapling, so they more easily attune to water and they're very well-versed with healing spells, despite being a mesmer. I think I also go into how they're a mesmer/elementalist in the linked post above.

Like Yvette, Lukas had his magic altered by dragon magic when he was newly awakened, specifically with Zhaitan's, so all his guardian magic is stained black, and instead of being downed he enters a state similar to a necromancer's shroud. He's also a werewolf. As a treat.

Taliesin's necromancy has motifs of thorny vines and his minions are reinforced with blighted plant matter, a remnant of Mordremoth's lingering corruption. He also has access to druidic magic, but no celestial avatar.

[bookdragonofsomekind]

*****Manga Monday 02*****

Tokyo Ghoul volume 2

Summary:

Meet Kaneki who finally has found a job and a position in life that does not make him miserable anymore. After taking his first new steps in ghoul world he comes around new challenges. 

Because ladies and gentlemen it gets spicy. 

Kaneki has his first encounters with ghouls who aren’t bad at all and human hunting ghouls who are totally evil. So now Kaneki is more confused then ever and has to sort out on which side he will stand from now on… will he keep to himself or will he stand up for him and others and fight?

That might me a bit much for an 18 year old.

Poor Kaneki. 

New characters you will meet in this volume:

Yomo 

Ryouko Fueguchi 

Hinami  Fueguchi

Koutarou Amon 

Kureo Mado 

Uta 

Quotes I particularly liked:

"For us to blend into human society, it’s basically like walking on an endless tight rope.“ - Uta

"I was about to scream. The only thing I could do was to keep her from seeing it.“ - Kaneki

"What’s tragic isn’t that we can’t retaliate. What’s truly tragic is being consumed with vengeance and not being able to live your life anymore“ - Mr. Yoshimura

My thoughts:

As I said… it gets spicier. The plot I mean. I liked this volume way more than the first one. That might be because the first volume came with little surprises (again my partner is to blame) but the second one has me more intrigued.

First and foremost Kaneki. He has survived the fight with Nishiki and won. Even better, he now learns to make coffee. The job gives him stability and the owner of the "Anteiku" Mr. Yoshimura is his new role model when it comes to the survival in the human world. Because eating like a normal human being is still Kaneki's biggest nemesis. But not for very much longer. Now being a part of the ghoul world he quickly has to learn that ghouls can be as good as humans and humans as bad as ghouls. And that’s why I say it finally gets complicated! And I loved this by the way. Kaneki can not see black and white anymore. Ghouls bad. Humans good. Oh boy was he wrong. 

For example as good as a flower… Hinami Fueguchi. A little ghoula just existing beside her mother Ryouko Fueguchi. Hinami recently lost her father and is now fighting with her mother for survival. When I first saw Hinami with the book in her hands I almost instantly knew that Kaneki and Hinami will have a connection. And I am glad to say that I was not wrong. The interaction between him and Hinami was very cute. It showed Kaneki furthermore that ghouls can be as sweet and innocent as one can be. No monsters in sight. I also think that this was the first time that Kaneki bonded with a ghoul that is not Mr. Yoshimura. Having a good time and even smiling.

So… it was even more heartbreaking for him to see Hinami in such pain when her mother was brutally murdered. But a bit later more to that. 

Moving on to new characters! Uta. I have to say he is my new favourite so far. From his character design to his way to interact with poor, scared Kaneki. Uta not being afraid of physical touch and a creative mind Kaneki is in good hands with his future mask. 

A mask that Kaneki doesn’t know the usage of. He does not want to have trouble with anyone and he definitely does not want to hunt humans. I still don’t know exactly how Uta got the idea for Kaneki’s mask and I also don’t know if I like the mask or not. But hey it looks professionally made. Soo good job Uta. 

Someone who should visit the mask maker is Yomo. He is giving me spy vibes. I also think that you don’t want to mess with him. Knowing absolutely nothing of him… I don’t know… I like him. He cares for his people. He "shops" for Mr. Yoshimura and is kinda acting like the security for the 20th ward. He is clever and strategic. He doesn’t let his feelings overcome him. Unlike Touka. 

Touka is a troubled soul. In this volume she seems even angrier to me than in the one before. She is overcome with grief and therefore revenge. I can’t blame her. She seemed more then shook about the execution of Ryouko. I kinda got the theory that something like this tragedy happened to her when she was growing up. I mean where are her parents? (I hope to get an answer next volume or so). Also… who hurt her?! When she trains Kaneki to get control over his kagune, she mentions that she will train him like she was trained. Who in the ever loving fuck trains someone like this. I highly doubt that it was Mr. Yoshimura. But breaking someone’s finger just to get him riled up is something else. But I have to say, the girl can fight. And she is not afraid of cold blooded murder. It was awesome to see her fight those doves. And we even got a new fun fact: like Ryouko, Toukas type of kagune is an ukaku. Very pretty! Ryoukos I mean. Another fact about Touka. She is stubborn. Not listening to "orders" she attacks the doves anyway and deals with the consequences alone (if Kaneki would let her).

But now taking a closer look at the new trouble maker. Mr. Koutarou Amon and Mr. Kureo Mado. Aka bad cop and worse cop. You don’t want to stand on opposite sides of these two. I’m pretty sure that Amon has some glorified reasons why he wanted to be a hunter but for Mado I can’t say the same. He is just crazy and at first sight he is Igors brother from "Frankensteins monster". The way that he openly enjoyed the cold cruel murder of Ryouko or the fight with masked Touka… it gives me shivers. On the other hand Amon is not giving me that much safety either. For him the world is still black and white. And he is ruthless. Oh and even better… he’s ambitious. I’m telling you: best combination ever! Together they are like bloodhounds and they now have a new prey. Touka. And they just smelled blood!

The element of the doves is very nice.  It adds so much depths for Kaneki now living in both worlds. New conflict with his own morals. I have to say that I didn’t really expect to find out that the food source for ghouls would be corpses from successful suicide attempts. But it’s clever on the no killing part… even though I’m pretty sure that it is not ideal. I mean if a person who killed themselves isn’t found… there will be others searching for them. But hey… you win some you loose some. 

Gotta say… this volume really got me intrigued. I could say that I was missing something last time when I finished the first volume. But now… oh Boy I’m excited to start the next one. The characters Uta and Yomo really made it for me. Not to mention Quasimodo and his companion. Still, questions are there and no answers to be found!

Please leave your thoughts and be kind and don’t spoiler anything!

Thank you for taking your time!

Please feel free to discuss your thoughts, I would like to hear them!

I will see you in a week with a new volume!

[welcomingdisaster]

Tell me more about this guide on torture WIP narrated by Maedhros then pls 👀👀

hi hi hi hi!!

i'm very excited about that wip! (currently it's on pause as i desperately scramble to finish my trsb, and i'm feeling the loss).

it is, more or less, exactly what it says on the tin. the full title is going to be "A guide on advanced interrogation techniques, attributed post-humously to Maedhros Feanorian," i think, and it's an in-universe text distributed in himring, in which mae discusses his experience being tortured, his experience torturing, and a little of the healing process. he's soo over it and normal, he promises. look at how detached this text is! could a traumatized elf make this, maglor?

here's an excerpt from the introduction!

I will say few words in introduction, for far too much has been written already in these times about the nature and effect of pain upon the elven psyche. Some claim it is as acid, dissolving the body and the mind alike until naught is left; others posit it cuts away only the unnecessary and reals true nature, as cold river water washing sand off a stone. Others yet say it twists and disfigures, turning the fair foul, twisting clear song into discord. 

I shall not let that philosophical debate lead me astray in this text; closeness to the subject here only serves to obscure truth, for hope and anger both serve to obscure truth in such matters. Indeed this text shall serve only as a description of the practicalities of pain; of the methods of delivery, the devices of particular importance to such foul arts, the manner and personal characteristics of torturers. 

Another word of warning: to any seeking to obtain information or loyalty by use of methods described in this text would do far better to seek their tools elsewhere. No means are too foul to be used in the war against darkness, but my own experience as torturer has shown me the folly of such things. Information given in torture is rarely accurate; indeed it is only given to obtain momentary relief from pain. Loyalty won so, likewise, is rarely kept. I shall describe my own experiment in interrogation of that nature, particularly against orcish foes. Learn from them what you may, and take counsel as much from my failures as my victories. 

This text, then, is a scientific chronicle of the unpleasant, as a study of the enemy, and, perhaps, guide to survival. The power of the enemy is finite; the means of the enemy are predictable,  base, and boring in the banality of their cruelty; pain passes, and flowers bloom again even on burned ground. 

But perhaps I obscure my true motives in writing this text; perhaps I seek to make poetry of a private annoyance. Perhaps I seek only to answer the questions with I see in the faces of all those who lay eyes on the scars carved into my flesh. What? Where? Why? And how awful had it been? 

Read, now, and trouble me no more. 

i'm still very much figuring out the exact voice and structure but it's a very fun thing to write! thanks for asking about it. <3

[ratasum]

Since she's still on my mind, a fun fact: I've talked about how Kippa's attunements are a little out of whack. She's got powerful water and air attunements, a weaker earth attunement, and a vanishingly weak fire attunement, all as a result of her unknown connection to Soo Won (and later Aurene).

But one thing else is that her magic is linked directly to her emotional state. While sometimes she has a pretty tight lid on it, and can manage using her magic without it being affected, if she experiences particularly strong shifts in her emotions, it'll affect her magic as well.

Some examples:

Grief, disgust - water

Fury, confusion/frustration - air

Anxiety, fear - earth

Joy, excitement - fire

It's why during her last argument with her mother, all of the equipment in her parents' apartment got fried, as in her anger and frustration she let loose a burst of lightning, rippling through everything around her.

This was seen again in the aftermath of the destruction of Rata Thauma in the Thaumanova Reactor meltdown. She was overwhelmed, wracked by grief and guilt, and any room she was in was prone to spontaneous downpours and frost appearing on windows and the floor around her for weeks after.

In the event when she was at the Priory camp during HoT and they were set upon by dragon-controlled sylvari, the reaction was spikes of stone shooting from the ground in all direction in her fear, impaling the attackers on instinct (remind me to talk about this later; she felt EXTREME guilt over killing those sylvari, even if they had been controlled by Mordy at the time).

And when Rhenn kisses her at the end of PoF, in front of the Alchemy and everybody, she manages to light some hanging decorations on fire. Which is impressive since her fire magic isn't particularly strong!

Anyway I like magic being tied into emotions, and so that distinction goes to Kippa.

[thepersona]

Under the Queen's Umbrella: Midseason, spoiler-free review

*Warning: This is a long post that no one asked for.

If you're still on the fence about starting this show, then let this be a sign for you to give it a shot. It's a real shame that people seem to be sleeping on this series just because it's not driven by romance and cookie-cutter characters from other popular historical dramas.

It's a refreshing take on the genre, and if you're willing to suspend your disbelief even a little bit regarding certain historical inaccuracies (it is totally fiction / AU after all), then this show will be worth your while.

The Premise (if you don't already know): Queen Im Hwaryeong, played by the majestic Kim Hye-soo, is the wife of King Yi Ho (Choi Won-young), with whom she has five sons. The Crown Prince is picture perfect, but the other four have been branded as underachieving troublemakers by palace gossip. The Queen has to run around to keep them all in check, manage the ambitious concubines, and go toe-to-toe with the Dowager to protect her children. Further intrigue ensues, and the fight to restore honor turns into a war to stay alive.

Cast / Acting: This is yet another vehicle for Kim Hye-soo, who has been so amazing in choosing roles and stories since her small screen return in Signal (2016). Queen Hwaryeong is commanding, ruthless, and witty, but also loving, warm, and vulnerable. I live for the sarcastic bows she makes towards the Dowager, her eyebrows (!), and the physical comedy especially in the first two episodes. Just as the queen can move in any direction, KHS once again proves that she can do it all.

The small but terrible Dowager is so masterfully played by Kim Hae-sook (Start Up, Tomorrow). She knows just what to say and how to say it to get under your skin. I don't know how they do it, but between her acting and the editing / lighting, the Dowager's beady eyes have this dark vibe and you know that she's up to something lethal but in the blooper reel the actress' eyes sparkle with joy (?!) Talk about attention to detail. The scenes where the two women standoff are definitely the acting highlights of the series so far.

The casting is pretty solid for the rest of the supporting characters as well. Choi Won-young plays a wise king in a real bind. He's empathetic and insightful, and has a calming presence I rarely feel in the portrayals of kings in the sageuk genre.

The Grand Princes, princes, concubines, court ladies, and ministers all gel together quite well, but if we're talking Baeksang Awards, Kim Hye-soo has a real shot for Best Actress next year along with Park Eun-bin. (If one of them gets Best Actress, then the other should get Daesang, I don't care which, just let both of them be recognized.)

Writing / Characterization: I'm limited by my desire to keep this review spoiler-free, but it really is a refreshing take on the sageuk, and oddly enough, of the family/political drama genre in general.

The motivations are easy to follow but the alliances aren't always clear cut. Among the antagonists, you just know they're going to stab each other in the back and that no one's putting all their eggs in one basket. And based on the ep 9 preview, even the Queen seems to initiate an alliance with one of her biggest foes.

The Queen may have some plot armor but no one seems to benefit from deus ex machina (yet?). The twists and turns have happened within reason so far, though there are a few flashbacks that have yet to be explained in the latter half of the show, particularly regarding Grand Prince Seongnam's childhood and the Queen's early days as the Crown Princess.

I don't know if writer Park Ba-ra was actively aiming for a feminist show but she's done a splendid job so far. The women definitely run the show, and are far more nuanced than just "strong", but that doesn't mean the men have to be useless either. The King actually has something to do beyond believing the first piece of fake news that he gets?! And the princes have different goals, motivations and, methods to get what they want (Ep 8 is quite the masterpiece).

Ultimately, the central theme is motherhood, with the show being both an homage and a critique of maternal love. The Queen's relationships with her sons are used to represent the ideal in the modern sense (she's literally a working mom who needs to drag her kids to school). She nags a lot because she's worried but is affectionate and loves them unconditionally.

But through the King and the Dowager, the other princes and concubines, we get a kaleidoscope of how the same maternal love can yield vastly different results. It can even be harmful for both the children and their mothers.

There are some questionable points in the scenario. There aren't any princesses and the previous queen also had exactly five sons which is odd considering the infant mortality rate of the period. But it's forgivable once you give the plot a chance to unravel. I did have a hard time keeping track of all the princes' names at first but that, too, falls into place right away.

Direction / Visuals: Gorgeous. The cinematography is really something to behold. I especially love the overhead shots, wide shots, and the use of light and rain in general. They also like making the two women look bigger than everyone else because they literally have the most power. Episode 1 has my favorite shot when the first tragedy strikes, and episode 3 has the best painting at the end before the title card. (Can't put them here or I might spoil it for you, sorry.)

I did have a few qualms with episode 2 since they tried something a little too modern and unnecessary, making a family discussion look like a video call / chat room. It also had a running/crying scene with less than perfect backgrounds that were so obviously green screen. It distracted from KHS's acting, unfortunately. But quality has been uphill since then by allowing the stellar cast and intrigue to take center stage.

Midseason verdict: 9 / 10

TLDR: Watch it without expecting a documentary and you should be ok.

P.S.: None of the beautiful gifs are mine.