Beanie level: Noble idiot

I’m enjoying this tale of workplace terrorism/social justice more than expected.

#happyifyoudie
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this is commensurate with my interests. please continue.

#happyifyoudied
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    I’m at the part where she tells him that he has to “die to live” and I am loving it. Teeeheeee. Oh I hope hope hope they don’t dilute it too much for the drama. She’s so gleeful.

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Yeah. I am still crushing on fandom for being adorable in its love for To All the Boys I Loved Before.
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Some rhetorical questions and reflections on My ID is Gangnam Beauty episode 12. In the comments because SPOILERS (kinda) and also they are critical and long because I do tend to go on.












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    What is this pretty/ugly binary in Gangnam Beauty? Is this a translation issue?

    Why do all the boys keep being surprised by Mi-rae’s responses and anxieties? I mean, is the show trying to point to how physical attractiveness is excessively imbricated in many young women’s self-worth to an extent to which most young men cannot fully comprehend or appreciate? Maybe. After all, Hye-sung seems to get it.

    OR is it trying to point to her anxieties as “insecurities” as opposed to justified emotional responses and predictions about potential future stressors formed in relation to a life’s experience of how peoples’ ignorant opinions can have tangible toxic consequences for one’s life? Because these guys have seen first hand the casual and targeted disrespect and harassment she has received for her appearance as it is now, but don’t seem to be able to extrapolate from that what it must have been like for her throughout her childhood and adolescence. The empathy and imagination gap is bizarro.

    The show seems to bounce between pointing at structures and then doing jazz hands to distract us with “but everyone’s got problems so just rise above it, baby”. So while I’d like to think Kyung-seok and Woo-young’s seemingly superficial grasp of it all gets addressed, I’m afraid the onus for change and growth will be entirely on Mi-rae to “build her confidence”. And obviously her self-esteem and personal growth is an important part of the story, but Kyung-seok and Woo-young still do not seem to grasp how their experience of the world has been profoundly shaped by the fact that they are both attractive young men. They have had no difficult conversations and self-interrogations on this front. They have a whack-a-mole approach to addressing their peers’ mistreatment of the female characters on the basis of appearance. Kyung-seok does not seem to recognise that his emotional imperviousness is partially due to the aura of protection his beauty bestows. Woo-young thinks that he knows the “type” (🙄) of woman he is attracted to, which seems to rely on a certain “look” in the first instance. If Mi-rae is the only person who has to work at learning and growing and changing, then this show will only ever have been about Mi-rae overcoming her “ugliness”, and all its associated traumas, to become a suitable partner for Kyung-seok. Which is … disappointing. Well. No. More like profoundly infuriating.

    So much for not ragging on the show this week. LOL.

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      I have to watch it in a detached state or my eyes might get stuck in an extreme eye roll. I’ve sensed from early on that I’m going to be extremely disappointed in the ending. Woo-young telling her his “type” followed later in the day by Mi-rae assuring him that he’s such a good person pushed me toward a cliff this week. I may be hate watching now.

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        I feel like I’m still in this very naive place with Kdrama. I seem to start every show with this strange confidence and hope that it will be sensitive in how it handles its topic matter and themes, and then feel utterly betrayed when it doesn’t. Bah.

        Ugh. The physical type thing – thanks for revealing your shallowness, Woo-young.

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      Hi, loved what you said above. I like KS but he does makes me a little mad when he doesn’t understand Mirae very well even having been to the same school and in theory knowing what she has been through there. I liked very much that she refused him first because it isn’t about her self worth it is about putting herself in first place. She has just become a regular student and it’s fair not to want to be the main source of gossip and bad comments from everyone around, even if these people are idiots she still faces the consequences of being alienated and loosing potential opportunities and friends. I wish she said this much, that it isn’t just about her own sense of value. Then realized what she feels for him is worth the battle and finally accepted him. About the TA I do love him but yes his inexperience in some areas makes him unaware of her background. I love him for being honest saying everybody DOES start liking someone by being attracted by them, it’s a very nice opposite to KS wanting to believe he likes Mirae despite her looks, but I kind of hate he thinks people have types. Though it seems this is a popular crazy idea in their culture.

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        “I liked very much that she refused him first because it isn’t about her self worth it is about putting herself in first place.”

        Yes! She has the right to choose to protect herself as much as she can. They don’t know how long their relationship would last. She has never dated before. She just wants to be able to live her life and not been the centre of attention. And he doesn’t really offer her any reassurances. He doesn’t try to communicate why they would be happier together than separate. He doesn’t express admiration for her or explain why he is drawn to her. He offers her very little to justify why she should take this risk. He just expresses his wish to date her, demands to know her feelings for him, and dismisses her anxiety about dating. *sigh* I get that he is young but good golly he is so immature.

        I kinda get what you mean in terms of Woo-young’s honesty about being physically attracted to her – because Kyung-seok never really communicates why he wants a romantic relationship with her rather than a friendship – but his whole “type” thing is, to me, such a childish, basic notion of attraction. I’d understand it if it were character attributes, but a specific type of physical appearance? Gross.

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      Not a rag! I think something the show skirts over is just how much Mi Rae gets Kyung Seok and Woo Young to think about these things. In the webtoon, we do get these moments of these two really having to think about what she says, her feelings, and how her experiences have shaped her but in the drama it’s not really there if at all. I think that something the webtoon achieves that drama doesn’t and changes is that many of the people Mi Rae encounters has problems that are similar to her own and how she is so observant and takes that in and it’s really that, that’s helping her grow. It helps her in her relationship with Kyung Seok but he’s not some ideal and in fact, she doesn’t even recognize OR like him at first, lol. She’s actually really scared of him at first. There is a lot of Kyung Seok evaluating that has been left out. And Woo Young too. Eun is a character that helps them out but since they push her to the side in the show, we don’t get to see that. In the webtoon there is even a part where Kyung Seok realizes in order to win Mi Rae he’ll have to try and become a guy that SHE would like but that’s not here either. D’: I enjoyed the show and many of the changes, but there are some things I want to have a word with the writers about lol.

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The To All the Boys I\’ve Loved Before fan fiction is so good and so sweet. But I really didn\’t mean to stay up reading until the dawn chorus …😴

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what happens when a pair of adorkables make and execute a plan:

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How addicted is too addicted? When you can’t wait for either raw or subbed episodes and consider watching the YouTube clips?

Asking for a friend.

#SportsAreRuiningMyKDramaSchedule
#30but17
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Ah lookit. This is so innocent I SIMPLY CANNOT.

#RevengeNoteS1

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You fair broke my heart with this, Woo-young. I’m going to need some time to forgive you for this casual wtf-ery.

(1) staff member enquiring into student’s dating life = not okay
(2) assumption that one’s romantic opportunities are entirely dictated by whether one has offers and not, yknow, by whether you reciprocate anyone’s interest

Please get over your Mi-Rae crush and go back to being one of the few decent men in this show.















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    I found that scene really uncomfortable to watch. I guess we were given a heads up when someone said he usually dates model types.

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    It. Is. Never. Okay. To. Date. Your. Students.

    I like this character. Yes he is a good man, yes they are both adults and close in age, but everything about this is inappropriate, and I hope hope hope it will be addressed instead of romanticized.

    Additionally, even as I think of it more, having one of his students as a roommate, even if it is an act of substantial kindness, is fraught with complicated power dynamics that are not good.

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      I hate it so much. I hate it I hate it I hate it. It’s not okay. It’s not cute. It is an abuse of a position of trust and responsibility. And it can be difficult to makes boundaries clear when the age gap is negligible, but none of that negates the power differential that makes anything approaching equality next to impossible.

      Honestly, I had mentally glossed over the oddness of their cohabitation. But you’re right.

      Aargh. This show.

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    I didnt like this scene either. I don’t mind the crush but did not like that he decided to act on it in this way. Or that she should want to date because she is pretty so the boys will want to is just…..
    But I do ship him with Oh Hyun-jung, so not sure how to work that out. Also, really like the big brother relationship he has going with KS. He is a bit of a caretaker and it is really cute when applied towards his roommate.

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      At least with Hyun-Jung they’re in different departments, so they don’t encounter each other in a teacher:student relationship. But he is Mi-rae’s teacher.

      As @egads mentioned, the cohabitation hijinks are a bit weird. Even if it comes from a place of kindness. There aren’t any boundaries between person and professional with Woo-young. Everything is quite muddled.

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        In real life I’d be concerned, unless they had a prior relationship, if he just moved in with his TA. And the TA would probably have to acknowledge a conflict of interest.
        But for the sake of the show it doesn’t bother me. I like the forced cohabitation trope even with bromance I guess. 🤷‍♀️
        But absolutely in real life our young men should be protected just as much from potential harm.

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    Just curious, what a TA means in Korea. Where i come from TA’s are usually students who assist teachers in class/projects. Teachers Assistant.
    They are usually Masters students or Phd or research scholars. So technically they are students but get paid to assist teachers.
    Is that not the case here?

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      That’s what I’m assuming it means. That’s what it means in the UK and Ireland, too. I’m assuming Woo-young is a PhD student?

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        Well, clarification: in these islands teaching assistants are usually called “tutors” or “demonstrators”. They usually run tutorials or laboratory demonstrations, which run alongside lectures and seminars given by more senior teaching staff. In these roles they can have some to total responsibility for managing/leading their class group sessions as well as any associated administration and assessment and marking. They may also have office hours and be a point of contact for students about the course/module/programme. This seems to map to Woo-young’s role/responsibilities. In any event, it seems he is both a student and a member of the teaching staff.

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      Yep it works both ways – upperclassmen TAs are lower salaried and are still in education, whereas graduate TAs are higher up the ladder with more responsibilities. I’m not sure which of the categories woo-young fits into, but if he’s still in education whilst at the university, for me personally, it doesn’t pose much of a problem. It’s clear he’s still part of the department, and shares similar status to the rest of the upper classmen.

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        That’s cool that it’s not a problem for you but even if Woo-young is a senior undergraduate student this behaviour is pretty problematic and inappropriate. He is a student and he is a staff member in her department. It’s not appropriate for a staff member to quiz their student on their dating preferences. Never mind intend/hope to date them while they are still one’s student. It is grossly unprofessional.

        Honestly, if I caught one of my fellow postgrad tutors having this conversation with a freshman student I would absolutely skin him/her alive.

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          For sure, in RL it would most definitely breach professional conduct, at least where I’m from, or at the very least, be frowned upon, but in drama terms, Woo-young hasn’t really crossed the lines in terms of letting his personal feelings dictate his professional duties – for that reason, I’m willing to cut the guy some slack. Plus, I imagine university codes of conduct varies from place to place, so maybe it’s not wholly unacceptable in some countries.

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            The conversation itself is unprofessional. Having this conversation at all was inappropriate. The fact that we know he is interested in Mi-rae romantically makes it worse. As her senior/tutor he should never say or do anything that indicates whether he is attracted to her or whether anything she says could be construed as flirtation or an expression of romantic interest. She should be able to be confident that he is interested in her academic progress and general wellbeing only, without wondering or worrying about ulterior motives. The show presented this as a nice scene but it was another example of a male character offering unsolicited commentary on the attractiveness of a female character, with the added ick of that guy being a tutor.

            I don’t really get the drama/RL distinction. In that, yes, this is drama, and many dramas (not just Kdramas) are pretty regressive in their politics. But I don’t think I should need to switch off all my critical faculties when I watch a drama. I try to celebrate the fun and thoughtful and beautiful parts, and I criticise or take the mick out of 1 in 10 problematic AF parts.

            There aren’t any policies around this in my university or in most universities in my part of the world in fact. In fact, these kinds of scenarios have been romanticized and normalised for a very long time in European cultural representations of tutor/tutee relationships. I don’t think this is a question of needing to engage in cultural relativism.

            Again, it’s cool that this doesn’t bother you. But it does bother me, and I do think my reasons for being irked by it are legitimate.

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            Ah I apologise, my stance was not intended to negate yours – your reasons for being irked are completely justified, and valid. All part of the viewing experience I guess – to each their own! 😅

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        I think it’s a bit tricky since he directly is engaged in teaching her a class and she is a freshman. I have known TA’s and students in a relationship but it was usually a post grad student and a PHD TA. It was more of an equal dynamic since they seemed more like colleagues at that point.
        I wish the show just kept him as a senior. Not sure why he had to be a TA. I heard in the webtoon he is just a senior.

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          It’s definitely a tricky scenario, partly because it deals with professional ethics which is based around conflict of interest.

          Whilst it’s a lot more clear cut for teaching professionals (lead educators), those who hold the role of a student/grad TA, the rules do seem a tad bit more skewed, in that even though they’re expected to adhere to professional codes of conduct, they’re not bound by them.

          I also think such codes of conduct are not universally applied, but are, to some degree, culturally shaped. Policies which govern the West, especially in relation to the workplace/educational settings, need not hold the same level of stringency elsewhere (and vice-versa) – like the system of seniority for example.

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          It can be tricky. But once folk are in that teacher:student relationship, i.e. one is the other’s teacher in a formal capacity, then dating and conversation of this type should be off the table.

          Students dating one another outside of that? Cool. Whatever. The problem is that he’s a TA. It’s a pity the show decided to change his role, as you say.

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    I also think that it’s inappropriate of him to ask Mi Rae out. He is no longer a sunbae only, but a teacher (or TA) in their Chemistry lab course!
    The fact that he likes Mi Rae alone is enough to destroy her, not to mention he thinks of dating her!
    Kids might spread rumor that he gives her/her team special favors, or she seduces him for grades only… >.<
    I just wish that the show write him as a sunbae only – who stays at school for post doc. or who runs a private lab next to the school that the kids visits regularly, not any teaching involved!

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      The fact that he likes Mi Rae alone is enough to destroy her, not to mention he thinks of dating her!
      Kids might spread rumor that he gives her/her team special favors, or she seduces him for grades only… >.<

      Yup. Terrible no good bad idea.

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I can’t tell whether I like Familiar Wife, or whether I am REALLY INTO Han Ji-min (and Ji Sung and Jang Seung Jo) but primarily Han Ji-min.

Please advise.

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    I like her but I love her relationship with his sister in the new timeline. The sister might be my favorite character right now.

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    My first time watching any of these actors, well except for Cha Hak-yeon, and they are so great.

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    i mean i said it episode 2 but i’ll repeat she could get away with anything w me she’s so pretty i can’t fault her

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    While hating the premise that Joo-Hyuk is so selfish that he’d literally trade his family for his fantasy, it’s refreshing that he gets his comeuppance when he realizes that Woo-Jin’s life in his fantasy is also better off (not to mention that his fantasy is just that – a fantasy). I’m giving this show a chance to redeem Joo-Hyuk into a mature, responsible father/husband/co-worker who can find value in his RL and make the changes to make it his and their best life. After all, you only go around once.

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      I also hate the premise. Which is why I’m so confused as to what is keeping me coming back for more. I think it would be nice if they weren’t destined for one another – because I do hate fated things – but I know that’s not the story they will probably tell.

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        The actors/actresses are so watchable, that helps a lot! But also it’s a kdrama, so zany is the name of the game and I’m okay with the over-the-top stuff that I hate, because we can already see Joo-Hyuk is beginning to recognize his own fatal flaws and reflect on his behavior (and even repent). Which, I might add, doesn’t always happen in RL!

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    I love Familiar Wife (I find it really compelling) and I’m really into Han Ji Min (and Ji Sung and Jang Seung Jo).

    I’ve liked Han Ji Min in a couple of other dramas but she’s just great here.

    Ji Sung is great as usual.

    Jang Seung Jo first crossed my radar in Money Flower; he was really good in that and I’m happy to see him playing a totally different kind of character in this drama.

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I love a good kiss fakeout.

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I am kinda sorta still dipping in and out of Witch’s Love. Yoon So-hee is REALLY PRETTY, ok?

But also this sister-relationship is me and my sister. And I am Aeng-doo.

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    Hee hee I love how her unni donned on her glasses and went to look for her.

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when you’re the main character but most of your dialogue consists of 아니, 괜찮아 & 뭐.
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I started Familiar Wife on Monday, and so far

(1) I like Han Ji-min a lot, her voice is all raspy and crinkly around the edges.
(2) I’m leaning more toward this pair than the destined one. They have a shared sense of the ridiculous and a buzzing energy that makes me want them onscreen for longer.
(3) Joo-Hyuk needs to get a grip.

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    It makes me wonder how well they got along in Joo-Hyuk’s real life for something like this to happen in the life he think he wants.

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tbh I’m good if this turns out to be another close call. Seo-ri is still so childlike in so many ways. I want the show to be careful of that, of her.

But also – Woo Jin/Yang Se-jong’s intensio gaze? Omo *fans self*

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    My thoughts exactly! She’s not ready for that kiss. I hope she’ll be the one to initiate their first kiss when she’s truly ready.

    Yang Se Jong was super intense in this scene. I could feel he barely contained his attraction 😀

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This is a placeholder post for my blether on My ID is Gangnam Beauty episodes 7 & 8.

But first? 😴
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I found this on my hard drive. Insecure!Poong from Wok of Love.

I miss this show. I miss Junho’s face on a weekly basis. Siiiiiiiiiiigh.
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Listen, I’m not saying Caught in the Heartbeat is the best Chinese crime drama you’ve never seen. I’m just saying it’s the best Chinese crime drama I could possibly want right now. #whatisthisscene #gropingforscience
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So 30 but 17 has departed from Viki but has been replaced by Lovely Horribly. This is like pouring salt in the wound, Rakuten. Ya jerks.

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I love fandom and Archive of our Own. Giving the people the Nam Shin/Young-hoon content they want – nay – they deserve.
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