Netflix announced 6 new Korean variety shows. The first, The Influencers, had seventy-seven of South Korea’s most prominent influencers, who collectively have a net market value of 400 billion won, will compete against each other to prove themselves as the best influencer in the Korean Peninsula. Between the seventy-seven competitors, there are a combined 120 million followers across platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. This seemed like a bad idea from the start. How interesting is a large group of attention-seeking, nouveau grifters on a survival game show? Social media “celebs” have one purpose in life: share TMI.

One should not be surprised that the series was spoiled by the winner. The winner of the show was originally promised ₩300 million KRW (about $226,000 USD) in prize money. With such high stakes at risk, many participants tried hard to win. On August 21, 2024, it was reported by Media Today that Netflix did not give Oking the payout, even though the show concluded filming ages ago.

This was due to him breaking the most important rule. In May 2024, months before the show aired, it was already spoiled online that Oking would be the final winner. Netflix determined that the person who had spread the rumor was none other than Oking himself, rendering his contract with them void, due to the strict non-disclosure clause.

Game shows are cheaper to produce than k-dramas. With Netflix adding more of them to their content pile, it seems the network is adding quantity over quality to fill its schedules.

9TAILEDVIXEN'S 3RD WEEK BACK AT WORK FROM SABBATICAL:

(A) I'm still battling the Post-Sabbatical Mountain of Work (TM) but am finally almost back to normal work levels. This is despite careful planning and delegation ahead of my sabbatical. It is what it is and so I push onwards.

(B) Aerial Yoga class has been progressing and I have bruises all over thanks to pushing against the silks twice a week.

Before every class, I have been testing my left knee to see how much it has healed by using it to push against the silks before class. It's less shaky this week. The instructor reckons it'll be another month or so before it'll be completely stable and I can resume practising aerial moves using both sides of my body.

(C) This Week in Korean Women's News

1.How South Korea can support female research leaders

As of 2022, nationally, across the academic, government and industry sectors, just 23% of Korea's research workforce is female. In South Korea, female students in STEM fields constitute 31% of university entrants, and as graduates — generally in their 20s — they are employed at similar rates to men in science and technology roles. But a significant gap emerges in their 30s and continues to their 50s, with a 30% difference in employment rates between men and women in these age groups.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02690-1

(b) 'Pilot' tops summer box office, highlights female directors in Korean cinema

The comedy film "Pilot," which premiered on July 31, has drawn 3.21 million viewers as of Aug. 13, making it the highest-grossing Korean film of the summer and the third highest-grossing Korean film of the year.

In an industry where female-directed commercial films are still rare, this achievement stands out. The ongoing struggle in the film industry has led to the sentiment: "What would we do without female directors?"

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2024/08/398_380840.html

Happy Friday, Beanies! We were doubly blessed last week because LYN streamed twice – second time on 17th to celebrate his fanclub's anniversary. In romantic (?) pink shirt and great mood (as long as he wasn't asked about a certain ADWAD scene that made the whole Weibo go wild... that he's not going to comment on, because he's “not shameless” - only we are, I guess))). This time – aside of being his usual playful-slash-snarky self – he sang quite a bit, but mostly tracks we've already heard before... not that it'll stop lazy me from sharing them anyway – what a great excuse to slack off, ty, Ning-ge!

Starting with my great fave “The night of Ulaanbaatar” - only half of it, unfortunately, but still! This “love dizzy” filter is so funny btw – not sure if you can clearly see, but it also gives him a bit of drunken pink blush, which looks awesome. Also, poor thing must've feel so hot in his winter hat! His hair has grown quite long too – he'll probably do something to it after being done with ADWAD...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oOmNWs3FaQ

Then his very first OST, “Let the wine” from SAND SEA drama – I believe it was also some symbolic date for that franchise, which is why he performed it. Anyway, it's a great song so no need for extra reasons to sing it once in a while, right? Feat fugly huge black glasses to pay homage to his character in another installment of said saga – and him dancing around like a drunk, to fit the title, I presume)))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDR19sxz-qY

When I got to lyrics of the next track – his own oldie “Do not seek” - my jaw was on the floor. How on Earth this killer breakup tearjerker is a fitting choice for a happy, celebratory occasion? The gall of this troll, I cannot! Honestly, I'm borderline uncomfortable by the song – it feels so... personal, you know. The kind of rabbit hole I don't think I have any right to go in, so just listen to it and move on. Maybe he got he's going too far which is why he only did half of it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EN1xTVAplU

Full audio for those who liked the pain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRzqQP37VNQ

And older live with subs – heavens, I really need to stop here, it literally gives me creeps!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK_Ko9ciW9A

I wonder why he was so into half-cut singing that day – surely not because of voice problems, he sounds fine to me. Too tired? Then again, he didn't have to sing at all if that was the case... Another familiar track with “One star”, I think I shared it very recently. At least mood-wise it's a bit of improvement from the last one...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Br2TgAmp4E

Do you ever have a moment when you randomly remember a drama and it causes a strong reaction? For example, I felt that way recently about remembering Big Mouth and how stupid I think it ended up being. Yesterday, I was hit with that feeling again when I remembered The Golden Spoon. With that drama, the thing that came to mind first was "ugh, she was SUCH a needless bitch😒😑😔". There was no need for her to share the spoon with the guy's dad and devastate him. I think when it was airing, I tried to somewhat understand her because she was lonely or whatever but ugh, no. She was so cruel with that.
And even with that, I still preferred the drama over the webtoon cause both she and Seongchun were vile and cruel and unlikable. Ugh, that webtoon didn't leave me feeling good at all.
I was tempted to rewatch The Golden Spoon for Lee Jong Won because I couldn't find his scenes on youtube but ugh, just thinking about her and the evil dad is making me go nah.

Clicking on this coz Sunjae on it.
Still can’t move on from Lovely Runner.
Watching other dramas but still can’t let go of LR feeling. Really missed Sol antics and Su jae loser.

The 2 best performances of Junho's career will always be "Just between Lovers" and "Chief Kim" [They also clearly demonstrate his range]

He was competent in "The Red Sleeve" but i feel like that drama as a whole was greater than the sum of its individual parts.

One of the plot lines in the first two episodes tvN’s LOVE NEXT DOOR (Netflix) that seems to have been overlooked in the recap and comments is the business state (or lack thereof) of Seung-hyo’s (Jung Hae-in) architectural firm. From the information revealed already the firm is not in good shape.
We are first introduced to Seung-hyo doing research at a columbarium for a design project he has in mind. Speaking with a long-time staff member (character actor Lee Bong-ryun) Seung-hyo is introduced to us as a serious and empathetic guy. The problem is that this project has not been commissioned (as far as I can tell) and is only a dream project of his. Doing this research is not helping to pay for the electric bill at the new office building the firm is just moving into. In retrospect it might not have been a good idea financially to take on a new office.
His architectural firm is a firm of 3 persons who don’t seem to be doing much architecturally.

In the recent KBS drama DARE TO LOVE ME (Viki) an important plot line revolved around a clothing design firm our FL Hong-do (Lee Yoo-young) eventually went to work for. It was a small firm that supposedly took Paris by storm but in reality not much in the way of clothing design was ever being done so I never bought into the idea.

Sometimes in dramas the professional work that leads are supposed to be doing gets short shrift I guess is what I am trying to say.

Question for long-term people on this site. When making posts with memes, do you put the memes on Pinterest and then copy the link to this site? I have heard some talk about this and wanted to confirm.

Also, for people who make their own memes, what are you using to make moving gifs or to add text to pictures?

Thanks