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[Staff Spotlight] Get to know LollyPip

Explain your username (and/or avatar).

I have two dachshunds, Lolly and Pippin, and I named myself after them, plus it’s a fun play on the word “lollipop.” Lolly is the Big Boss of the house, while Pip is the pretty, but kind of dumb, little sister. I write all of my recaps snuggled up in a recliner with Lolly beside me offering a running commentary, and Pippin curled up in my lap, propping up my keyboard.

What is the first drama that you watched (or the first drama that made an impression)?

My very first drama was Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, which really grabbed me with its wonderful characters and cute story. I thought Jung Il-woo was particularly fantastic so I looked for another show of his that I could watch, which happened to be 49 Days. His portrayal of the Scheduler ripped my heart out and ignited a love of K-dramas that hasn’t faded since!

Tell us about a job or two that you’ve had in the past.

I’ve done quite a lot of things, depending on where I was in my life at the time. I’ve been an actor (musical theater), a pastry chef, a dental assistant, and a dental office manager. In addition to writing for Dramabeans, I’m also a retail manager at a local garden center, which I love because it lets me indulge my passion for plants!

Have you ever lived a moment that you thought belonged in a drama?

Oh, most definitely. I was once dating a man who I thought was The One, and by everything he said, he thought so too. Then one day, without warning or explanation, I came home to find all of his things removed from my apartment, his phone number changed, and he refused to answer his door or talk to me. He forbade our mutual friends to tell me why he’d decided to disappear himself from my life, and to this day, almost fifteen years later, I have still never found out why. I can definitely understand why some drama characters spend years struggling to overcome a bad breakup.

What’s your favorite drama that you’ve recapped?

Well, it was Heart to Heart for two solid years, because I just loved the characters and their quirky love story so much. But it was recently supplanted by Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-ju, for reasons that will be glaringly obvious to anyone who saw the lovely little drama. The show was just note-perfect in every way—casting, tone, story, romance, it was all just amazingly well-balanced and so sweet it made my teeth ache. Recapping it hardly even felt like work. And the best part is, the OTP are now dating in real life!

What drama genres do you especially like?

My very favorite genre is rom-coms, I love a sweet, light romance. Friends-to-lovers is my very favorite rom-com trope. I also have a soft spot for fusion sageuks, especially if there’s a magical element to them. They can be so fun when done right!

What drama genres do you especially dislike?

I’m not a fan of police procedurals or mysteries. But even then, I’ll check a show out if the casting is particularly good. If the characters are interesting and the story moves at a quick pace, I can really enjoy a good whodunnit.

Is there a drama character you’ve ever strongly identified with, and why?

I very much identify with Hong-do from Heart to Heart, and Dok-mi from Flower Boy Next Door, for basically the same reasons. I’m a social introvert, so I can be social when it’s called for but then need a LOT of alone time to regenerate. I could very much see myself becoming a shut-in if the conditions were right!

What drama character would you want to be?

If I had to choose, I would pick someone like Oh Hae-young, or Choi Ae-ra from Fight My Way. They are fearless, intelligent, and they live without worrying what others think of them. When they want something (or someone) they go after it/him, because nobody every got what they wanted by being shy about it. Even when they’re wrong and they know it, they still do what they want because life is short. People may not always like them, but they always respect them, because they demand that respect.

What was your major in school?

In college I was a musical theater major, and have performed and worked with a number of famous names. But I realized that was a hard road if I wanted to do things like, you know, eat, so I left and went to chef school. I was a pastry chef until some health issues made it impossible, but I still love to cook and bake, and I do some local theater when I have the time.

What’s a random skill you have?

I have a few! I have a very green thumb and love to garden, my house and yard are filled with plants and I grow vegetables every summer. I particularly love orchids, and a cousin of the African violet called the streptocarpus. I also knit a lot—it gives my hands something to do while watching dramas. And I’m a big gamer; I love to play video games when I have the time.

Favorite non-Korean movie and/or TV show?

My favorite movie has to be The Dark Crystal. It’s such a gorgeous fantasy story, that really holds up even after all this time. I can’t wait to see the new prequel series! I don’t really have a favorite TV show, but I really love Netflix’s recent influx of original sci-fi/fantasy series like The OA and Stranger Things.

Which Hallyu celebrity would you actually want to meet and spend an hour with?

This answer would probably change if I were recapping different shows, but I’d love to meet Park Seo-joon. He’s a particular favorite of mine, and I feel very lucky to be recapping my fourth drama of his. He’s not only handsome, but he seems to be smart, thoughtful, and to really love acting. I think it would be amazing to sit with him for an hour and talk shop about acting. (If the question were about K-pop idols, my answer would be Xiumin/Kim Min-seok from EXO. He’s been my top K-pop bias for years, and I’d love to talk about music and dance with him.)

Which of the 7 deadly sins would be your undoing? (Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, or sloth.)

Oh, sloth, for sure. Most of my hobbies and interests involve sitting down, and I could easily spend the vast majority of my time in my comfy chair with Lolly and Pippin, doing a whole lot of nothing.

Your favorite drama has an unholy alliance with your most hated drama and produces a mutant baby drama. Describe the plot.

This is a hard question! My favorite drama is Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-ju because Bok-ju is the best, and my most hated is Boys Before Flowers because Jan-di is the actual worst. The plot would be about a bipolar girl named Jan-ju who goes to college to study sports rehab, because she’s bad at both athletics and medicine. She meets Joon-joon, a handsome athlete who’s on the national long-distance diving team. Joon-joon can’t seem to decide if he likes Jan-ju or not, so they spend four years dating, but only on Sundays and alternating Tuesdays and Thursdays. Eventually Joon-joon proposes to Jan-ju on the beach, but she throws sand in his face and leaves him for her awesome girl buddies who are way cooler than Joon-joon ever was, then she flounces off to America to follow her true dream of being a Vegas showgirl.

 
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How can you be so good at many things? Nice to meet you, Lollypip!!!

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My favorite recapper(is there such word?) of all time. Every time I scroll or swipe DB recap, I always look for your name coz in you I trust the dramas that I should watch. Mostly, I watch comedy romantic especially when the female character is cray2 like Oh Hae Young or Bong Hee( my new favorite!). I dunno about Fight my way, still contemplating whether to watch it or not though I love Park seo Jun, he disappoints
me in Hwarang so, it'll take time bfore I watch him again. Though I might not watch 49 days or flower boys ramyun shop, I just love the way you write. You seems like a big yolo with all your previous jobs coz I'd never imagine myself doin such different jobs other than teaching. Sending major love to you LP.❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Lollypip, I would totally watch that mash up drama!

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Like so many others here, @lollypip has been a major part of my drama-viewing selection process. My rule of thumb is: If @lollypip liked it, that means I shall like it.

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Lollypip I think we are the same person.
I LOL'ed so hard at Jan-ju/Joon-joon!!! That needs to be a real drama!!

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I see that you took the time to answer a lot of comments, thanks for that! Besides the laziness lol, we don't have much in common but I enjoyed getting to know you a little better!
I'm not watching Fight My Way but back then, I really loved Shopping King Louis recap and it is also thanks to you that I got to watch Perfect Wife! So thank you for everything Lollypip!

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Though it's kinda funny imagining @lollypip's mutant baby drama, I don't want Weightlifting Fairy anywhere near BOF/BBF...I remember attempting to watch that, and until this day, I have not watched any other LMH & GHS drama. I like GHS as a person, but her dramas argh...

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Alright, so I LOVE dachshunds, theater, cooking, gardening (though I'm not very good), knitting (though I haven't done any in years), Oh Hae-Young, Weight-Lifting Fairy KBJ, sitting around the house...and, of course, watching dramas! Seems like we could be great friends! Great getting to know another DB staff member!

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Hey, good to know a bit about you LollyPip!

I'm glad to have caught a glimpse of you in pics of the Anniversary party and to be able to put your face to your 'name'. I think it's amazing that you're managing your job and DB work, and getting out the recaps so promptly.

Do you choose the shows you wish to recap based on your interests only or balance that out with when they are aired, so that... you know... you have the time to recap them after work?

I am aghast that anyone can treat their significant other in such a cruel way as yours did you. It's beyond comprehension. And what's even weirder is how come the friends stayed mum after all these years. Nothing would warrant that kind of behavior except maybe, he was a spy about to get compromised and he did it to save your life!!! ?

I lol-ed over your fave-hated show mash-up. Actually sounds like something some writer might come up with *shudder*.

I look forward to keep reading you. Take care and here's wishing that you keep having a sweeter life! ?

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Someone needs to make your mutant baby drama comes true.
What could be better ending than becoming Vegas showgirl.
AWESOME womance drama.

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Hilarious plot... someone make a drama out of it...would love to watch....????

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Lollypip, ❤️❤️❤️ for all the things that make you YOU! And because a Venn diagram of us would look pretty much like an 3/4 eclipse. Here's to ?the pastry chef who doesn't most identify with Sam Soon (way too easy) and my fellow PSJ lover! He has to sing for you, too, though, when you meet ? Thank you for all the wonderful recaps and the humor over the years, can't wait for more. If Lollypip's recapping, I'm probably watching whether I planned to initially or not.

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Between drama titles and characters, every positive reference you made was like music to my... eyes?

I love female characters who are confident, brash when civility fails, and loyal. Meanwhile, Heart To Heart really spoke to me and somehow came across as one of the most extremely genuine dramas I've seen in spite of all the silliness stirred into the pot. And of course being so introverted that it's a problem in life is one of those things that I'm sort of relieved to see so often since I deal with it as well.

Cool insight. Thanks!

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Hi @Lollypip!!!! Great to know more of you! Thanks you for your recaps!
About Park Seo-joon, have you watched him in 2days1night the special episodes for Hwarang? He was especially highlighted there! :D
And my sister also loves Xiumin from Exo. I was converted to bias him becos of her.

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I'm so happy I took the time to read your staff spotlight! I found myself saying "girl me too!" a lot and I just love that. I've been a silent lover of this site for a long time now but I completely fell in love with your re-capping style when I made the plunge and decided to watch Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Ju. I agreed so much with your every comment section, that drama was basically a guideline on 'How To Do Shit Right'-the kdrama edition.

I'm so here for Park Seo Joon and how wonderfully he acts (I even started following him on Instagram because I was so taken lol). I first fell in love with his talent while watching Witch's Romance (so good).
I have so many favorite tropes, I'm such a sucker for them. But friends-to-lovers is also up there as one of my most favorite. Which is why I've been soooo hooked by Fight My Way. One of my fave Korean actors and fave drama tropes? YES PLEASE.

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I looooooooooooove all members of dramabeans team, but no offense to others, you @lollypip is my favorite so far (based on the staff spotlight answers)!

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Best fusion of the most and worst loved!

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I am in a train and i laughed out loud so hard when i read the unholy drama union part! Lol

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Hi fellow introvert! Another introvert here ?

Like you LollyPip, I too get exhausted from socializing and need time (loads) for myself to re-energize ? so my favourite thing to do is curl up on my bed and get lost in the world of kdrama or a nice book. ?

It was lovely getting to know you LollyPip, thanks for sharing! ?

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Aw, Lollipip seems like a warm and cuddly person. ?

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? how in the world did i not know Lee Sung-kyung and Nam Joo-hyuk were dating irl. ? they were freaking adorable in the drama?

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Turns to sister: "the couple from weightlifting are dating in real life!!!!!!!!"
Sister: " you didn't know ?!?!?!!!!!!"

Even in an introduction, dramabeans writers deliver the news.

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JAN JU ?????
Then again Bok Di sounds hilarious too ?

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I feel so related to you! Everything you like is what I like too! And this makes me happy!

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Omg I laughed out loud in my office when I got to your baby mutant drama! Anyways, after studying in depth all those dramas over the years, did oyou find even the tiniest enlightment for a best guess on why he disappeared?

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It's a wonder whenever I need a show to watch, I would look out for what you're recapping or have recapped. I too love rom-coms. It's a pleasure meeting/reading you, Lollypip. Thank you for all your hard work. I've always wonder how anyone would enjoy a show if they have to watch it to write/analyze about it. You must love your work cuz it show in your writing. Everyone here at beanies are awesome. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lollypip.

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I always knew we were the same person ;-)

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Hello @lollypip! Honestly I always read your nick as "lollypolip" from the lollipop of course. I'm looking forward for more recaps from you!

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Nice to know you better, LollyPip. You sound even cooler then I thought you are.

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What! the Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-ju OTP is dating! How did I miss this?

I love all your creative endeavors @lollypip. I love plants and make art about them all the time but always kill off my plants.

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I'm loving this segment!

? on Exo!

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Thank you for sharing @lollypip! I wish you all the happiness in the world. *hugs* Love your recaps!

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Wow, your life experience demands respect! Actress, pastry chef, dental assistant, writer for Dramabeans... Gardening and knitting. It's inspiring to see how many things you have managed to fit into your life. I respect you, sunbaenim!

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I think I knew that there have to be some reasons why I like you recapping Fight My Way. Normally I don't like rom-coms, but my preference changed after I decided to watch Oh Hae-Young Again. That one was lovely, just lovely and relatable.

It's good and heartwarming to know that there are still people who like gardening, baking and being an introvert in this world. Many of the people I've met nowadays tend to be somewhat extrovert and seemed to have decided that whatever they wanted they were going to get it then and there. As for me, I don't like gardening. I LOVE nature but my thumb doesn't turn out to be green I guess. My mom has this special kind of talent but I just don't.

What makes you so relatable for me is that you like many things that I like. I don't watch a lot of Kdramas (just began like 5 months ago when I finished my Master's) but I love Xuimin right from the moment I saw his acting in Defendant. That boy just caught my eyes, I knew that he is a good actor. I also like the lead actor in Fight My Way. I haven't watched anything in which he starred apart from a couple of episodes of KMHM. For me he's not that good-looking, but perhaps because of his character he portrayssss and/or the way he portrays it makes me think that he's quite charming. And that's precisely what I like in any actor or actresses.

I love cooking too. I'm not that good with baking (but I already succeeded in baking my first cinnamon rolls) but I love to cook food from any part of the world if I happen to wanna cook it. Lately I cooked a lot of Korean dishes (recipes on Maangchi's site are just great) and most of them turned out quite nice, at least I think so I suppose.

Another thing before I finish this long comment of mine is that I, too, had a hard break-up. I think in my case the situation is a little bit more complicated. I was the one who decided that we broke up but that was because I didn't feel loved at all. I was the one who liked him first (is this like a Kdrama trope?) but it turned out that my best efforts still could not make him love me. I was heartbroken and decided to say the word break up. After that everyone thought that I rejected him (that, in a sense, was correct) and he was totally devastated. We never reconciled and I am still single for almost 12 years up to now. I never really told me too why he didn't like me and I kept asking that question like a million times. 12 years have passed and I just came to an understanding that people cannot control their feelings: If he wasn't that into me, he just wasn't that into me. He was not the wrong one, neither was I. Because somebody does not love me does not mean that my values or how lovely I am are decreased (what?!? lol), his either. It just means that in this lifetime, he is not the one for me, and I am not the one for him. And it's just like that. So cheer up ok? @lollypip

Oh I almost forgot another thing, I, too, love Oh Hae-Young and Ae Ra. And I think I...

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(*scream* this is the first time my comment got cut! Anyway, I'll continue now) And I think I know the reason: They are ordinary yet very unique and special. They respect who they are, both their bests and flaws, and that turns out to make others respect them.

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I love garden too. But unfortunately I have a very un-green thumb. All plant would wither if I water them. how I wish we were neighbor... *sigh*

Slothing is not a sin, right? I love slothing as well, with good books, laptop, snack and drinks. Life is perfect. ^^

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i would definitely love to watch your Jan-ju's story. I, too, hated Jan Di in BOF. In fact, I hated BOF entirely.

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Hi Lollypip! I have a feeling our tastes are so similar, and it showed in your choice of dramas to recap. I would also love to meet PSJ in my choice of kdrama stars. :) I have a feeling we would get along really well in real life. Looking forward to reading your recaps.

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Awesome! I don't know why I kept being surprised that I have niche fav drama/films in common with you gals. I guess it's more surprising that it happened with every Get to Know so far, but it shouldn't be since we all love K-Dramas after all! I think your break up story sounds a lot like the beginning of a K-Drama. And your mutant baby drama made me laugh and wince in recollection of the more painful parts of BBF! Very fun, LollyPip!

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Hey LollyPip, I've always loved your recaps! The dramas you've recapped have all been the sort that I like and you're my fave recapper after javabeans and girlfriday!

That man sounds like the absolute worst! And I never imagined that you worked in such a variety of industries. A musical theatre actress, imagine that! Thanks for being a part of Dramabeans!

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