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Open Thread #761

Happy Friday everyone!

Here is your Open Thread, which is here for you to chat about anything you want, whether it be drama-related or not. Nothing’s off-topic here! Spoilers may be rife, so proceed accordingly.

 
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COKE - music - yeah - tomorrow

Heat its true - spring where have you gone to - humidity less than 20% is the saving grace. no food for humans - this is why i always say food sector is where your invest in - everyone needs energy.

This week i was more or less done for - true entertainment. I easily go for no water no food for more than 24 hours but this time around i also had to walk for 9 km and had no food no water fir more than 24 hours. I thought my body could handle it.

Monday morning i only had 1.8 ltr of water and 100 gm of cookues. that's it. by evening my body was burning - cheat was feeling different pressure - night time i tried to sleep - had sleep of 2 hours. So much easiness couldn't sleep - walked for hours in garden - whole body was exhausted - sit then cheat won't let you feel comfort - walk whole body in pain - next morning i had go visit convenience store - avoid main street for reasons and i ended up having travel of 9km - heat is true, my whole body in heated - heat beat too fast - i'm breathing thorough mouth - completely dry mouth - this this stupidity

somehow reached home - i had only 1 ltr milk, 2 ltr water and 1 kg curd and it brought the pain in my arms - thigh burning and in pain

Reached home - mother scolding me took - took cool water and poured over my body - i'm huffing n puffing - least of sweat - yeah
took half hor for hearbeat to become normal - did use ac, cooler, table fan - mother - hand fan and i'm secured. today is same day - just that drank 1 ltr water -

total entertainment -

i'm fruit guy and haven;t touched ant fruit for straight 15 months. It's not about control or taking love but very much being a fool.

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I read several Korean on-line publications and k-entertainment stories often show up on my feeds or research. I have gathered a few odd facts so far this year. Time for a Korean Pop-Quiz! Take a guess or two. I will post answers later.

1,. Did you know Jang Na Ra has an older sibling in the entertainment industry? What does her sibling do?

2. The 2022 surge of Korean celebrity marriages continues with press reports often saying the couples pledge themselves for how long?

Hint and bonus question: What other significance does the answer have in Korean culture and history?

3. When a couple marries they are in a wedding bliss. What is the post-wedding stage felt by many newlyweds called?

4. Korea has extremely high beauty standards of perfection. The Miss Korea beauty pageant has been a stepping stone for the winners into the entertainment field. From 2010-2019, how many winners have credited with an acting role?

5. What invasive animal species was introduced to South Korea in the 1958 as a source of food but escaped/released into the wild and is now considered today one of the most problematic non-native species?

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1. He's a sugar daddy. (Sweet dreams--get it?)
2. they pledge themselves for 16 episodes
Bonus question answer: Joseon emperors drank 16 cuffs of coffee before assuming the throne.
3. The newly-wed nosedive
4. 0 -- They are all working for world peace. (this is more a Miss America joke)
5. Bullfrogs--problematic because they explode when cars run over them.

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😂👍🏼😂

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That's really cynical: everyone knows #3 is the Dyson houseclean.

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I know the answer to none of these but I would guess that all those winners of Miss Korea have been credited with an acting role?

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ANSWERS:

1. Jang Seong‐won is an actor. I found out when I read a story where he was spotting Na Ra trying to do a hand-stand. When she pushed her legs up, she mule kicked him directly in the groin causing him to collapse to the floor (to the laughter of the gym instructor).

2. 100 years. The number 100 is significant in dating relationships as it signals that after 100 days the couple is now in a serious relationship. The number 100 also denotes the the number of days parents would wait to register their new born on their family registry because of the high infant mortality rate.

3. Post-wedding change is called Honeymoon Blues. Melancholy and depression often occur after a couple gets married and after their honeymoon period. Welcome to Wedding Hell is a new series which takes on the romantic fairy tale wedding ending trope

4. Five (5): Lee Sung-hye, Kim Yu-mi, Yoo Ye-bin, Lee Min-ji, Seo Jae-won (cameo).

5. American Bullfrog

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I recently watched Yumi's Cells and loved it, so much that I needed more so now I'm reading the webtoon from the start and it's sooo funny?!
They really did a great job with the animation in the drama, keeping a lot of the same humor, but sometimes the webtoon is even funnier xD
I'll be reading that for months now (400+ chapters?!?!?! 😅)

Speaking of webtoons, is it just me or the fast pass system is a tad expensive?!
It's great they're mostly available for free too, but I wish there was a middle ground between 1-2 free chapters per day (or per week) and spending all that money in coins ahah!
I don't know, I'm not quite used to webtoons and similar works tbh xD

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Oh, I'm reading daily jojo from the same author, its ongoing tho! It's so gooood~
Yumi's cell I'm gonna binge read in vacations, so kept on hold for now!
yes, it is expensive.. but recently they had this scheme of reading some 30eps from canvas on sundays to get 5 free coins, ha! I've collected some coins through that!
What else are you reading on webtoon?

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I am enjoying reading daily JoJo too! It was funny how they showed the attitudes of the various versions of ourselves that hinder or boost our success rates with our daily decisions. I noticed we are seeing less of this during the pandemic versions but I guess that is about the focus on the different characters reactions to the benefits and restraints of the infection control measures that came in.

Thankfully I have avoided buying the coins as I have enough distractions via the various Kdramas on the go to patiently wait. I also read the webtoons for Our beloved summer and Love and leashes. The webtoon version of Love and leashes was better than the film but the English version ended part way through the webtoon series. It’s been a few years since the translation ended so it’s unlikely the end will be uploaded so not sure whether the ending of the film compared to webtoon version.

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Yes, I did participate in that event once a couple weeks ago, but didn't need the coins and now that I do they've expired already oops! This weekend I'll remember to do it though! xD

I'm reading and loving "See You in my 19th Life".
Got interested since it's going to be adapted into a drama later this year (supposedly starring Shin Haesun and Ahn Bohyun, very exciting pair imo!); sad thing is I just finished binge reading all the available chapters today, so it's an episode a week from now on, quite the change! ><

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Thanks for the info on See you in my 19th life I started to read it now too. I like the concept and hope the drama brings it to life.

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You're welcome! ^^
I have such high expectations for it, I hope the drama delivers!!

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I follow Lore Olympus every week patiently. I find the fast pass system too expensive so I consider that single chapter it my Sunday breakfast joy. ^^

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I love Lore Olympus! I read the first volume as a library book and immediately had to find it online to continue it. I had been reading a Persephone/Hades romance series but it's mostly smutty with very little actual plot. Blech

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I am really looking forward to season 2 of Yumi’s cells. When season one finished so abruptly I was in shock because I had not realised it was based on a webtoon with more seasons to come. I was so glad I found the webtoon. It was a bonus that I was reading it after it was completed as there were a couple of times when the writer took a break, I don’t know how long it was for but that would have been hard for me to handle as I struggle waiting for the weekly drama episodes to be released!

I have been binge watching shows since box sets were a thing and love doing that with the completed Kdramas. I know when I am loving a drama when I keep extending how many I will watch because it has me gripped. I have held out for Pachinko for this reason and will watch that when there is a lull in the release of dramas I want to watch.

Yumi’s cells and the webtoon were closely matched which I really liked as one of the biggest problems for me is watching a film/drama after reading the book etc and the filmed version goes rogue. I am a bit worried this could happen with Pachinko as the book was so good.

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It was definitely an abrupt end, yup!
Only reason I took it well is because I knew about that development beforehand (because spoilers lol), but it still hurt! uhuh!

In fact I'm not sure I will enjoy season 2 as much as I loved S1 (..and Woong! :(( ).
Right now it feels like the second lead is going to get a shot with the female lead and I'm not feeling it ahah!
But we'll see! I'm still looking forward to it since I loved the format and the animated cells are just too funny and cute for me! ^^

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I loved the format too it’s like an adult version of Inside Out. It was comedy gold watching the cells interact with each other. They added a whole new dimension to this genre and I love it. I will watch it for that alone. I think I can handle the intro of a new lead for Yumi because he is a positive character. After her first serious boyfriend broke her heart she needs someone who is decent and can be open with her which was a major factor in the breakup with Woong.

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"adult version of inside out"!! haha!

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I've been hearing Casting news for Yumi's Cells 2. Shin Ye-eun ('Meow the Secret Boy') has a role as a barista I believe. I'm a fan of Shin, she's become the go-to actress to add legitimacy to low budget web series and anthologies.

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I don't know how the webtoon world works and I've always been confused there too. I tried to watch/read Misaeng but it only had 1 episode free. Yumi's had a few episodes free. I see daily jojo has around 30 episodes available so how do I access all of them? Is it like dramas where some are premium?

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I'm still learning too tbh! ahah!

In my experience for completed webtoons there are a few chapters available for free, while the rest can be unlocked either one or two daily for free or an unlimited number when using coins.

For ongoing webtoons I found that all the released chapters are readily available for free, but new ones come out weekly instead (which is understandable), and can be read in advance with coins, still one weekly though.

Coins can be bought but it can get pretty expensive: 10 coins for 0.99$, and single chapters take from 3 to 7 coins to be unlocked, so it goes up pretty fast!
I used coins only a couple of times tbh!
..sometimes coins can be won through special events, but I'm not much familiar with that part yet.

Hopefully this is clear enough, and correct, also! ^^

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yes, when you start a completed webtoon, it shows you x no. of eps free... after that most of the time it goes on daily pass, which means 1 episode per day!
Daily jojo is ongoing so I think you can easily access all of them right now (once its finished they'll change the access)

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Ji Chang-wook needs to fire his agent, then get on the phone with an OCN executive to get an action vehicle greenlit for himself.

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I think after K2 he said that action is tiring for him so he didn't proceed with any other action project. He does experiment a lot with genres and roles but hardly any works.

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I think it was smart after Healer and K2 to avoid pigeonholing himself as an action star, but action romance was probably his best fit. Maybe he would work in other genres if the projects he picked were better. He's a conundrum.

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I totally understand him not wanting to get typecast, and filming endless action scenes must be exhausting, but there are lots of variations on 'action' that could work for him. He has the looks, the ability to deliver deadpan comedy, and the willingness to be ridiculous to succeed in George Clooney-type roles, especially now that he's older and doesn't need to fit into the boyish mold.

I'm among the few here, apparently, who really liked Lovestruck in the City and his role in it (except for the drinking, oh my g-d seriously too damned much drinking). I also really liked The Sound of Magic. Playing against type in more offbeat roles and dramas might be his niche. He has had crappy luck with/choices of projects, relative to his talent and the buzz he had after Healer, but even the top actors can't necessarily choose their projects freely and we've all seen promising shows go pear-shaped so often that it must feel like a crap shoot for the actors and their agents, too.

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He doesn't want it. He doesn't want to be stereotyped as action actor. Personally, I find his choices pretty interesting. I didn't like The Soung of Magic, but he really did well with the magic tricks.

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I like that he does not play the same character all the time. I am curious to see him in a villain role. He played a few scenes in Sound of Magic with a dubious vibe. I liked those! :-D

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I didn't like Sound of Magic either, but I thought JCW was mesmerizing to watch and fit the creepy, sad, magnetic magician role perfectly. And man he can SING!

I keep saying this - JCW has everything it takes to be a TOP STAR (not actor, but star). He's the entire package and really should be in the A+ league.

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Agree! He is decent enough actor too.

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I'm all for avoiding type casting but his choices have ranged from middling to just plain bad over the years.

Which is a pity because he has genuine talent .

Hyun Bin and Lee Joon-gi are perfect examples of actors who can carry action projects while still delivering great dramatic performances as well, he could manage both if he had a better agent.

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A couple of thoughts.
I enjoyed JCW in THE SOUND OF MAGIC but I am really more interested in his other upcoming drama (that is if it is made available to US viewers) from KBS: IF YOU SAY YOUR WISH/TELL ME YOUR WISH. MDL reports that it will air in August. Besides JCW in the cast is Choi Soo-young who was so good recently in RUN ON and MOVE TO HEAVEN.

Re OCN dramas. For me over the last few years the quality of dramas coming from OCN a has been inconsistent. Looking at a list of their dramas:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programs_broadcast_by_OCN
Some of my OCN favorites from the last few years include WATCHER (2019), MISSING: THE OTHER SIDE (2020), THE UNCANNY COUNTER (2020), and SEARCH (2020).
On the flip side OCN is responsible for my ‘Stinker of the Year’ for 2021: DARK HOLE and so far this year: A SUPERIOR DAY.

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In terms of consistency and producing stinkers, the exact same thing cold be said about every other network in Korea though, broadcast or cable.

I merely mentioned OCN because they are a niche channel dedicated to producing genre fare that JCW is suited to.

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1. I'm so invested in all the ships from Shooting Stars except for the main one.

I like the male lead when he's with Yeol, but I always want his scenes with the FL to end fast, and I skip his scenes when he's alone.
He's not the first male lead with the personality of a 12 years, I mean, I don't have a major problem with immature characters, but really don't like him as the main lead.
I feel like the leads don't complement each other... I kinda feel like watching a kid being obsessed with his babysitter. Like dude get a gf with your age.

2. I'm (re)watching Yu Mi's with a friend but we're so damn slow (5 episodes in two months) I think I'm going to watch season 2 next year.
My friend's reaction are priceless, tho.
I'm thinking of watching 25-21, Flower of Evil, Happiness, W, and 88' with her too... Someday... *5 years later*

3. I have so much to do today I'm gonna cry. I want to be tomorrow Tabong, the one that already did all this stuff. 😔

Have a nice day/night, beanies ^^

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I am loving that reference to daily JoJo! I hope future Tabong wins!

Lucky you to have a real life Kdrama buddy to watch and discuss the episodes with. I hope that you get through the list you want to watch, hopefully it doesn’t get too long with so many great shows coming out.

My watchlist on Viki and Netflix has got ridiculous. I hope more shows go for the shorter format 8-12 episodes that are well written in advance of airing to avoid the loss of focus when they use the feedback from viewers to shape the writing in the later episodes. I get bored and use Dramabeans recaps to get through the padding episodes and then pickup watching the show again for the last couple of episodes. I am so gutted there isn’t a Dramabeans recap for Find me in your memory as I am at a bit where it’s proper getting on my nerves! Fast forwarding is not an option either as keeping up with the twists and turns would be impossible.

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Friday Tabong almost cried 😂 but yesterday Tabong was really happy. Today Tabong too. Friday Tabong sacrificed herself and saved our weekend.

Flower of Evil and Happiness won't work :( but I hope I get to watch 25-21 and W with her.

I like the 12 format with shows like Happiness. And I think I would've enjoyed Tomorrow a little bit more if it was shorter. But not my romcoms or slice of life.
I can't imagine a shorter Misaeng, Ho Gu's Love, or Reply 88'. Those shows were perfect with their 16/20 episodes.

I love Find Me in Your Memory! I remember one or two episodes with the dramatic break up/noble idiocy, yep it can be frustrating.
But I don't think they would avoid those tropes even if the episodes get shorter tbh. I think it's up to the writer.
If the show had 12 episodes I bet they would get together in episode 6 and not in episode 8. And they would break up in episode 10 and not 14. 😂

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Well done for doing the right thing on Friday to win the weekend.

I agree there are series where it always feels too short but I think the neatness of the writing is key in making something feel too short or too long.

The Find Me in your Memory annoyance (as mentioned elsewhere in a post) is the main character’s trying to be a hero not calling in the police or the bodyguards who were there one week then disappeared, even a private detective agency would work. There are also too many potential suspects. The suspension of disbelief is being stretched when they go to the trouble of finding her a secret place to live then she wanders the streets on her own.

I don’t do well with thriller dramas I find them to scary so these elements are too much for me at the best of times so episode after episode is too much. I think I should just accept the problem is me choosing the wrong genre😳

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Thank you! 😊

That's true. I enjoy my 50+ episodes family dramas with no problem, but I can't stand those (16ep) shows that get extended just because of the views (Reply 94' I'm talking to you).

Oh yeah, you're right. People in dramas do that when they're I'm danger. "I have a safe place and I have people to protect me but I think I'll just go around alone and fight the world"

Well, I also think you're choosing the wrong genre 😂 thriller dramas aren't changing their dynamics.

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Just finished Binge watching a J-Drama called "Don't call this a mystery" (The English version name differs) with Masaki Suda as the lead. And I enjoyed all the ten episodes and two special ones.

I am not sure what I plan to watch on the weekend though. Considering the bad weather alert in my country any outdoor activity is not possible. So maybe books?

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I am also so enjoying DON’T CALL IT MYSTERY on Viki US. I am half way through. Masaki Suda’s handling of all that dialogue is amazing. I hope Viki will be licensing more Jdrama mysteries.

FYI. I recently noticed on Viki US’s “Coming Soon” list the cdrama mystery: MEDICAL EXAMINER DR. QIN: THE MIND READER (2022) (24 eps.) which is reported to begin airing in China on May 21. It looks like the episodes may be available almost simultaneously on Viki.

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I am re-watching some J-Dramas which Viki recently acquired. But before this I have watched Anime called "Korato lives alone" on Netflix.

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Ah! It is "Kotaro lives Alone" and it seems the live action adaptation is also on Netflix now. Not sure I have a heart to watch it though.

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I try watching J-dramas on Viki but I have no knowledge of them and am picking them blind. As a result getting some VERY odd dramas whose plots I'd be embarrassed to describe here. Just today I sampled 'Sweat and Soap' about a very small but very busty office worker who sweats a lot. How can this even be a series premise?

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Welcome to J-Drama land!

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I like Japanese shows a lot. If you tell me your preferred genre, I can give some suggestions.

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That description of Sweat and Soap had me laughing uncontrollably as I had a image of you watching the drama and asking yourself ‘What am I watching?’ in disbelieve that this made it through all the hoops that need to be passed to make and market a drama. 🤣

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since I'm not able to reply on your comments abt korean books, I'm doing it here...
Pachinko was my entry in historical fiction, ha! How are you finding it?
My main reason for exploring korean fiction was to find some great thrillers/mysteries (as I assumed they would be as great as kdramas) so I read some.. and unfortunately I was disappointed (just in this genre tho)
Then I started with Japanese books...and there's no turning back, I found gems literally in Japanese fic~ they're just soo good! just one drawback is that the number of books translated in English are less! oops

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I like slice of life books but can’t handle thrillers and mysteries so Pachinko was exactly the kind of book I like. So glad you found a source for the books you like. I love getting lost in the world of the books I read or more recently listen to and it is so annoying when you can’t do that because the story sucks!

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Need any book recs? One of my favorite past times is handing out book recs like candy.

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:-D What genre/writers do you like to read? I was planning to read translation of a Japanese mystery novel or re-read one of my favourite books called "Anansi Boys".

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I read pretty much everything (fantasy, fiction, nonfiction) EXCEPT business strategy, pop psychology (think Malcom Gladwell), and thrillers.

I like using FiveBooks (fivebooks.com) to gather recs from subject matter experts.

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The five books.com is going to be a game changer for me thanks so much for the recommendation. I am always looking for great fiction and have started to listen to Korean novels so far I found Pachinko, Please look after mother and Kim Jiyoung born 1982 which were great listens.

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I enjoy fantasy, poetry, detective fiction the most. I like reading plays as well. I have around 700+ book at home. And a few on shelf which are still unread.

On the note of fantasy, did you ever read Discworld series by Terry Pratchet?

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@reply1988 - Have you read Severance by Ling Ma?

@jillofalltrades - I've attempted Discworld but didn't click with Terry Pratchett. My favorite recent fantasy reads have been Ken Liu's Dandelion Dynasty series, Robert Jackson Bennet's Founders Trilogy, and EJ Beaton's The Councillor.

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Thanks for the recommendation but I don’t read sci fi books. I watched Star Trek Voyager back in the day and have watched dramas with concepts like time travel or humanoid robots but they have to be light hearted. I scare too easily for anything heavy.

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okay, I'm curious about the Japanese translated mystery novel which you are planning to read.. cause I've been reading them for a while now, so have kept tabs on them! also Japanese mystery recs are welcome, if you have any!

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Hi,

I am currently reading "The Decagon House Murders" and also bought "The Honjin Murders" Both are slightly old books.

I tend to read more than one book during the same period. (One is kept near by bed and other in my back pack which i read on my way to office). These days I am listening to "The Magpie Murders" on my way to office.

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Ah! One more thing, I just finished watching two season of "Junkyouju Takatsuki Akira no Suisatsu". Pretty interesting, especially you are interested in Urban legends, folks tales and ghost stories.

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hello!! ohhmyygod!!!! My last read book is "Decagon house murders" omo,omo! That's one of my best read of 2022 so far for me! How are you finding it? Do lemme know once you finish...
I was trying to find other works of author, but only I could find was "Another" (manga then anime) which I've already seen (before even knowing he was the author) No other books were there (atleast not in English)
the honjin murders is in my TBR list!
The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda is my next read (once I finish my exams tho)

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What are the odds! I am halfway through it and loving it. Let's gush over it once I am done reading!

And I know that it is hard to get translated versions of Japanese mystery novels.

I searched for "Criminologist Himura" novel series in English but no avail! And thanks for The Aosawa Murders recommendation.

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oh please give, I'll love candies!
If you have any candy for mystery, thriller, detective, crime genre...

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Try The Rook by Daniel O'Malley for mystery x superhero.

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...and The Shadow of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon for mystery x crime x thriller (?).

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I have been a fan of Braynt and May series by Christopher Fowler. But the books are esoteric mysteries with a lot about cultural and local history of the city of London!

On my next visit, I plan to do a personal tour based on the locations in a few books !

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https://youtu.be/Q98aCklzCBE

Just wanted to share this documentary by DW. Looking into the history of work really puts your concept about it in perspective. The world hasn't been the same always and jobs are a fairly new concept. While the documentary is good enough, i feel we're stuck in the cycle and the solutions seem a little far fetched in this society that has started worshipping money.

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Last week I got some great suggestions for shows with strong female characters as romantic leads, and I've started watching several of them. My favorite so far is "Into the Ring/Memorials" recommended by @cubely, to thank you! The show is, as you said, definitely xD! (and that's the first time I've ever used xD in a sentence.)

I have a couple of questions for experts in Korean culture, though. The lead character, played by Park Sung-Hoon, has one of the worst examples of what I think of as the "cereal-bowl" haircut I've ever seen. I know that's on purpose, partly to show how strait laced his character is; maybe also to disguise the actor's age difference with his female star, who is supposed to be his "noona" even though in real life she's years younger.

But I don't understand why this haircut appears so often in K-dramas of the last 6 years, especially since in ALL the publicity or modeling shots of actors and idols they have styled or parted hair (and look great with it, I might add!)

Now, I can hardly criticize anyone's hairstyle. I'm trying to convince my wife to let me pay tribute to my 70s roots by growing my hair shoulder length, mainly because I don't feel like getting a haircut. (She says she doesn't want it to look like she's married to an aging surfer dude, and has threatened to get me drunk and cut off my not so flowing locks while I'm in my cups, robbing me of my powers.)

Still, I have no idea why in so many kdramas, the male does not just put a little part in his hair--either in the center or on the side, since that then highlight his handsomeness. In Into the Ring, it would definitely help explain why Goo Se-ra finds Seo gung meong so good looking.

The second question I have is a more serious one, about Korean elections. When did political campaigns first start using troupes of singers and dancers to accompany the candidate? At least the way it is portrayed in kdramas, it makes every campaign fun, in a very campy way.

Our equivalent in Southern California is a gathering of supporters of far right politicians on highway bridges, who wave flags belligerently and shout obscenities at the traffic passing underneath--definitely not fun!

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Right, you commonly see the bowl cut on Korean schoolboys, is it supposed to reflect a childlike character in an adult? A lack of maturity? Naïveté? As you say, there’s never been a real-life picture of a Korean male celebrity with that cut (except one guy I remember in variety). Even, the famous Yoo Jae Sook wore a bowl cut wig for his dorky cameo in “Gangnam Style” and Kim Soo Hyun wore the style in “Secretly, Greatly” as an NK spy undercover as a sort of neighborhood simpleton. Well! I agree, what is with that haircut?

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Are you talking about Lee MinKi's appearance in Happy together? I only remember him sporting a bowlcut (with a twist) in a variety show.

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I’ve seen the big party-type political rallies in dramas for as long as I’ve been watching (16 years, holy cow), sometimes even touring neighborhoods on flatbed trucks or sort of open-sided buses, all in the candidate’s color and wearing sashes like beauty queens. And vans driving around blaring the candidates’ messages. Also for store openings and product launches there commonly are multiple scantily-clad dancers with loud music. Korea also has cheerleaders for professional baseball 🤷🏻‍♀️

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Yay! I'm glad you're enjoying the show!! :)

As for Park Sung-Hoon's haircut, it was on purpose in my opinion.
In fact there are a few scenes towards the end where they actually styled his hair differently, a little parted, and he looked so much better, almost too much!! I remember thinking Gong Myung was too good looking for the way they seemed to portray his character in the beginning! ahah!

I don't have much knowledge about South Korean political campaigns customs, but I know it's an actual thing they do! ahah!
I was once watching a vlog in Seoul where the couple filming showed one of those campaign trucks obnoxiously blasting slogans or playing music, saying how it can be quite annoying too!!
For sure it was not to the extent shown in a drama, though, but I can't say it never happens like that either! xD

P.S. I checked my comment from last week because I wasn't sure what I wrote then...and I realized I better stop using so many laughing emojis (xD) and use more punctuation instead to now cause misunderstandings next time!! ahah!
(meaning: I used that laughing emoji but it wasn't supposed to be part of the sentence, really. Apologies! ahah!)

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@cubely Thanks! As far as xD goes I was just making fun of myself. As an old guy, I never get or receive texts except to remind me of my appointment at the dentist. LOL (not really, since the dentist's office isn't exactly my favorite place to visit!)

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Happy World Bee Day! 🐝🐝🐝🌻🌻🌻🐝🐝🐝

Our pollinators need our help and protection ❤️

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I hear there's a new Hong sisters drama coming out in a month. Starring Jung So-min, I believe. This will be their first project since Hotel Del Luna.

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Waiting for it. Wait! Is it on Disney by any chance? I hope not!

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thankfully not, Netflix & tvN

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Yay!

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Happy weekend Beanies and keep Beaning On!

Sick nephew, mini heat wave (it felt like one, so it counts in my books!) and construction work down the street at the crack of dawn equals little sleep. Exhaustion made me miserable and way more paranoid and vulnerable than usual, which made dealing with some big triggers quite challenging.

Fortunately, everything got settled in time to enjoy the weekend! Aside from sleeping without an alarm I have not planned much to ensure that I will be resting enough, but that will change from Monday onwards.

Next week is a long holiday weekend and I will be spending most of it at my friend’s place. The perfect getaway with the perfect partner in crime whenever I need a nudge to have fun. June should be mostly a trigger free month, so I hope to spend most of that time on good shows and fun activities, just like I will be doing next weekend. Also sneaking in some spring cleaning!😁

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😁 enjoy it!

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thank you! :)

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Gosh it sounds like all that could happen has happened in that one week but surely that now means you will have a run of few good weeks! So glad you have the perfect antidote in your partner in crime hope you have the fun time you need.

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Sleep makes all the difference! Amazing how one week can be so rough, until you realize you spent most of it awake. ;)

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So true a good nights sleep can change the perspective on most things.🙂

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I tried to avoid listening her songs because they reminded me of my ex. But, now, I've been listening to Taylor Swift all day long and I think I am okay so far.
It is like a sign of finally being able to move on psychologically, I hope.
The songs are precious to be skipped just because of an ex.
Have a great weekend, beanies.

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I've been thinking about my recent live watches (love all play, 2521, our beloved summer) and wondering how I keep ending up in pain despite avoiding shows like my blues. I guess my question is do they even make fluffy-yet-substantial dramas anymore? Will there ever be another weightlifting fairy or into the ring?

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I wonder that a lot. Shooting Stars is doing that for me right now.

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Shooting stars is good for laughs! The shoelace tying with disproportionately epic bgm really got me.

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Shooting stars really has been consistently funny, they have got the balance just right for me. I love a good rom com but sometimes they become silly and take it too far.

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I am so glad you raised this as I keep thinking I wish there were more Goldilocks dramas (just the right amount of drama to be interesting but not too much to bring up tension or sadness when all I want is something that brings joy and help me to relax). It’s so annoying when something starts well and then suddenly becomes a thriller or they go gross on the humour.

Hospital Playlist was my only consistent one but close but not quite there Melo is my nature, Yumi’s cells and Mr Queen which were all good but had something that took the edge of the feel good factor at key points.

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👏🏼 I love that, “Goldilocks drama”!

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I think you could be on to something big here. Why don’t we go on a quest to find the perfect Goldilocks drama and when we find it make sure we let everyone know. We could potentially compile a top 10 go to list for de-stressing

I agree we use Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok joo as our benchmark. I have not seen Into the ring yet so will add that to my watchlist. If anyone see’s any contenders please share.

Is anyone else in on this or am I on my own? 😳

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I’m always interested in finding Goldilocks dramas (although of course, your mileage may vary on what would fit the bill 😄) - Weightlifting Fairy def a good start. So many people told me to watch it, which made me super reluctant but it was actually a really nice drama.

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Yes I agree we will like different things so the list of 10 should give enough scope to have a variety that would mean at least one will be a good fit for most people. Weight lifting fairy is a young coming of age and it seems that into the ring is more adult focused. I haven’t watched it though so don’t know for sure.

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Yeah there's a lot of variety in genres but personally I was thinking of de-stressing type dramas as you mentioned i.e. I wouldn't include forest of secrets for example, even though it's perfect.

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Also yes, into the ring is adult-focused. It's about the quirky female mc's forray into community politics. It's a low-key hit with beanies.

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Yes its definitely about stress release. I work in mental health so the last thing I want is to be working in my down time. Whilst I could watch the drama - Its ok to not be ok despite the mental health side it was the thriller elements that were too much for me. Tomorrow, however was never going to be on the watch list! I have been able to read the weekly recaps.

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Personally my go-to de-stressing watch is Oh My Venus…. It’s not a masterpiece of good writing or anything but it’s just relaxing to watch (I do fast forward the secondary storyline on most rewatches)

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I liked Oh my Venus, great support crew especially the cute ‘Ma’am Ma’am’.
Best friend who lost weight and became cruel not so much. 😒 I agree it’s a nice watch no major energy shifts when trouble hits or noble idiocy kicks in. I think it could be a strong contender for the top 10.

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What do people think of adding The Producers as a potential for the list. No major plot twists, mockumentary behind the scenes of making tv. I thought there were some great comedy moments and side stories were low key.

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I’m getting just a teeny tiny bit addicted to some sageuks notwithstanding the usual and at times tiresome tropes. I have started watching “Moon embracing the Sun” and really miss watching Kim Yoojung, Yeo Jingoo and Im Siwan interacting with each other. Me thinks they outshone their adult counterparts.

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What do you like most about them?

I like a good historical drama for the costumes and gorgeous sets but the fight for power always leads to levels of violence that take away the joy for me. It’s so predictable that women fighting to be the King’s special one and have the child who will gain the throne will lead to power battles that it gets too tiring to watch. I end up fast forwarding and sometimes missing the double crosses and undercover elements of the story. I have started a few low key ones like The red sleeve, Bosam: Steal the fate, and Flower crew: Joseon marriage agency but stopped because they got too thriller/violent for my feeble self to manage! I will go back to them later. I liked Rookie historian, and Love in the moonlight.

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@Reply1988: I agree with you on all the problematic aspects and never watch them uncritically but it intrigues me that these sageuks both mythologise Korean history and are keen on selectively exposing its classist and gendered brutality. On a much more superficial level, I love seeing Hanboks on gorgeous actors, and seeing their hairs fastened by pinyeos.

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Yes the gender and class stories are horrific and were also present in the couple of Chinese historical dramas I watched before I became a willing member of the Korean Borg system! (Resistance is futile). Like you said what is shown and the harsh reality are two different things. I do wonder about censorship because I know if they go too far off the party line the criticism can be harsh and lead to cancellations.

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@Reply1988: OMG: Why had I not thought of the Borg analogy? Bravo/a to you, clever Beannie as I was assimilated early last year and haven’t looked back. It still amuses and bemuses me but I love this ride.
I know there is censorship but I wonder if it would kick in unless it completely deconstructs and/or vilifies a much beloved Monarch. As much as I love Junho’s acting, The Red Sleeve was a mess in some ways as it tried to both romanticise I (Lee) San/King Jeongjo’s control over Seong Deokim and invented disturbing interactions such as him choking her and behave like a big turd. I mean it facetiously but should have been censored to spare us but it became a smash hit with unending praise for Junho and much less for Lee Seyoung who worked so hard on her role.

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Hi all
Sorry, it’s another tech support call-out! Does anyone know what the symbols on our pages represent? I have worked out the likes and comments but it’s the two people with the arrows I am struggling with.

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@reply1988: Ahhhh, my fellow Beannie. They denote how many follow you (pointing inwards) and how many you follow (pointing outwards). It is an incomplete functionality as it doesn’t go beyond that.

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Thank you. I would never have worked that out!

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@Anytime! Btw, I love your username. That series has a hold on my heart.

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Thank you. I noticed people had such interesting names on here. I lead a different life with my online Kdrama buddies compared to real life where people hear subtitles and walk away quickly, so thought I might as well go all in with my name too.

Do you have any Kdrama buddies in real life?
I so want to have people I can do the equivalent of a watch party with so we can compare notes.
Reply 1988, Hospital Playlist and Prison Playbook were all programmes I wanted to dissect as there were so many layers to characters and the stories.

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@Reply1988: No. I wish I did. I would’ve loved that. I have a friend of Korean descent who has a limited tolerance for KDrama but once in a while indulges my need to talk over things I have liked or disliked, etc. I have been studying Korean for more than a year too so both have been a wonderful companions for me in the isolation of the pandemic, and continue to give me joy.

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Wow learning the language very impressive. I have been tempted but my opportunities to practice would be limited so I have decided to put it on the wish list for when I get to live my rich life of having enough money to have time to proactively seek Korean speakers to practice with on a regular basis. Who are you learning with? I see so many learn Korean ads on my Instagram feed as it picked up that I interact with a number of Kdrama posts.

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I am venting because I just watched episode 10 of Shooting stars and yet again I am experiencing my go to happy place being bulldozered for the sake of ratings. The lack of decent rom coms was being lamented by @ayrulent post 13 below and this is a prime example of a rom com having a random genre added part way through. It’s like that style of jazz where the different musicians improvise to show off their talents but to my unrefined ear it just sounds like the warm up tuning process has suddenly happened half way through a song.

This was the one drama that I was refreshing the app throughout the day and night to see if the subtitled version had been released. Now I think I will wait for the series to finish airing so I can binge watch the last few episodes. That way if it stays rogue I can get it over with quickly rather than having weeks without the much needed change of tone. But if it does get back on track, which I am hopeful it will, I can get there quickly.

I am so disappointed that writers don’t just write the whole season before releasing it so it can be well thought out I understand you need something to keep it interesting but it was fine without the anti fan themes of the housekeeper and dead friend revenge storyline.

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Hello Beanies... i am here literally after ages almost 2.5 months... work was too much and then i tried to take a break from kdramas so stopped watching kdramas for one whole month.
now restarted with Shooting Star reluctantly cause its fun but at times make me care less abt the male lead.. he is not my kind of male lead. But then Kang Yu Sung managernim came and stole my heart away with this heart warming smile and true Gentleman Mannerisms..... and then happened Ho Young- Yu Sung ^2 triangle which is the best part of this drama...
Hiw cute Ho Young dint gave Si Deok name of her ex to not give him hint she isnt over him but gave SD name of her crush in a blink without thinking.. thats love.. gurl for sure.

Now my favorite thing.. My Liberation Notes.. being sick wasnt this rewarding ever before.
I had this fever, cough n cold and was unable to sit for work, so while i was sleeping with my blanket on in this torturous heat i tonight to watch something n MLN looked gloomy (as i was feeling sad so needed something to let me cry at least cause i cant cry otherwise) and rest is unbelievable.. 12 episode binged in hardly 2 days (i did ff few parts of LMK as his story was the least i connected with) rest of the drama, finding new oppa (SSK 😍) and the feels this drama gives while you watch all are the perks i never thought one can get on being sick n skipping work.
Still not recovered and weakness is not letting me work for long so kdramas are my support system fo few more days and Woori is how ill utilize it. its such a fun show so far... i love Woori n Kang Jae together but its already painful to imagine how Kang Jae will let Woori go to Raphael. KJ is so much in love with Woori already and what will make him term his back on her is something i feel sad. Raphael is good human being no matter how much crappy life he shows he is living... so may be it will be woori to bring out his real personality out...
but ill feel sorry for Kang Jae always. i feel bad for any such 2nd male leads when they are genuine and loving n caring to female lead and still theyhave to let her go.
so my 2+ months of break was rewarding n entertaining.
thats all from me for this post.. more in next if ill not go back to sleep 😴 or may be once i wake up (slept at 2am at night n woke up at 7 so still feeling sleepy).
Zzzzzzzz

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@kdramaswimmer gosh sounds like you have had it tough and needed time out of the busyness of life so your body made you stop. Hope you feel better soon. I am glad you found the perfect drama to fit your mood.

I saw your comments on your fanwall re the cinematography of the period drama and it sounds like you and Kdrama are a match made in heaven😊

Keep focused on your healing, sleep as much as you need to, stay hydrated and eat food to heal and we look forward to seeing you on the other side of illness when you feeling yourself again.

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