Beanie level: Entertainer-in-training

RoundUp2022

The Female Lead you will never forget

2022 hasn’t been the best year for leading actresses, at least from what I’ve watched, but even so picking one is not easy. I always love a real woman, so I liked Yoon Tae Goo in Through the darkness and as I always love LSK so I got really fond of Oh Han Buyl in Sh**ting stars because both of them were hard working women that wouldn’t run away from their responsibilities, but I also liked Cha Na Rae in Gaus Electronics because she made me laugh so much.

But above all, Yoo Jeong, the Crowned Princess in Bloody Heart. Let’s leave aside the fact that Kang Hanna is an absolute girl crush, and an amazing actress as Yoo Jeong was an extraordinary woman herself. I can’t remember who said this, but it was a wise beanie, that the whole drama was about making the Crowned Princess the Queen, and I can’t agree more. Yoo Jeong was an intelligent woman who knew how to navigate in court because she could read the room, she was in love, yes… but she knew love wouldn’t make her happy or a Queen. She needed to be smart, and attract others to her cause, and make her cause the King’s, so she could survive.

I’m never close enough to characters in sageuks because women characters usually lack a certain realism to make them more attractive to modern viewers, so I was delighted to see a woman that could have actually existed in Joseon, fighting with the weapons she was given, and using them in the most intelligent way, Who would care about the King when we have her as Queen?
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RoundUp2022 teaser

I was going through the dramas I watched this year and I realized I watched more dramas than I thought. Obviously not as many as last year as, fortunately, I decided I had reached bottom and I was done with messes on large scale. So here it is the list of the dramas I watched.

Finished k-dramas

The Red Sleeve, yes it ended in January 1st, so it belongs here
Our beloved summer
The one and only
Twenty five twenty one
A Business Proposal
The Sound of Magic
My Liberation Notes
Our Blues
Shooting Stars
Showtime begins!
Through the darkness
Grid
Tomorrow
Money Heist
Through the darkness
If you wish upon me
Alchemy of souls 1
Glitch
Love in contract
Gaus Electronics
Bloody Heart
Trough the darkess

Watching k-dramas

Love is for suckers.
Reborn Rich.
Summer strike.
Adamas.
Never give up.
The good detective 2.
Tracer.

Oldies

Live up to your name.
The package.

Non Kdramas

Rainless love on a goddess land.
A dream of Splendor.
Love between Devil and Fairy.

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    May I assume that THROUGH THE DARKNESS is a favorite of yours this year? 😇 It definitely is one of mine.

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    Gosh.. that’s a lot.

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    TTD#1 – for the hair
    TTD#2 – for the hair
    TTD#3 – okay fine, for the story.
    I understand you.

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      The hair… and now we have Siwan and his hair too… Pickle!!! What am I gonna do???

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      For KNG, the late 80s hair style and those dark polo shirts were a great combination.

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#2022RoundUp

So after the last suggestions made on the OT post, this is the list I’ve got. If you want to change / add / delete anything, let me know but keep in mind we start December 1st!!!

1- FL you will never forget.
2- ML you will never forget.
3- Favourite womance / bromance.
4- Greatest disappointment: the drama that could have been but wasn’t.
5- The drama that will always live in your memory.
6- Your favorite OST/BGM.
7- The OTP you didn’t think you would adore.
8- The drama beanies convinced you to watch and you can’t be grateful enough.
9- The oldie (not 2022) you loved the most.
10- Favourite villain.
11- Favourite bestie.
12- Drama beanies loved but you didn’t / Drama you loved but beanies didn’t.
13- Favourite kiss.
14- Most unnecessary subplot.
15- Nam Da Reum Award: which younger version of main character impressed you the most.
16- Your 2022 crush.
17- Favourite directing.
18- Non k-drama recommendation.
19- Your guilty pleasure.
20- Best used trope / Best subverted trope.
21- Most stylish drama.
22-31 – Freestyle

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FF any scene in which PD Kang or them are not.

Screenshots from episode 1

Love is for suckers.
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PD Kang is by far the best in Love is for suckers. A strong, competent and profesional woman who gets the job done and takes care it things. Take her as your role model!
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#2022RoundUp

Have you had time to think about what you want to talk about? Any more ideas on the themes? Here is my last suggestion. Please fell free to tell me if you want something added or deleted. I’m all ears.

1- FL you will never forget.
2- ML you will never forget.
3- Favourite womance / bromance.
4- Greatest disappointment.
5- The drama that will always live in your memory.
6- Your favorite OST/BGM.
7- The OTP you didn’t think you would adore.
8- The drama beanies convinced you to watch and you can’t be grateful enough.
9- The oldie (not 2022) you loved the most.
10- Favourite villain.
11- Favourite bestie.
12- Drama beanies loved but you didn’t / Drama you loved but beanies didn’t.
13- Favourite kiss.
14- Most unnecessary subplot.
15- Best cameo.
16- Your 2022 crush.
17- Favourite directing.
18- Non k-drama recommendation.
19- Your guilty pleasure.
20- The drama that could have been but wasn’t.
21- Most stylish drama
22-31 – Freestyle

And always remember you can find here the no-rules for the RoundUp.

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    For #2 does Chang-hee count

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      Of course he does!! Isn’t he the one of the best, if not the best, even being as imperfect as he is?

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    By the way, tagging @turtuallysarcastic just because 🫢

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    You already know my 18 drama and 19 scene. But ofc it’s never a bad idea to refresh everyone’s memories again and again.

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    I feel like this year is going to be hard, but I’m ready! I like how I get my drama list ready for next year with these posts:)

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    Ah i want to do this too but i don’t watch many dramas this year…

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#2022RoundUp

I think I accidentally deleted my previous post, so here we go again.

I’m listening to your suggestions and also went back to the topics in 2021 and 2022. And as Sic suggested, I’m changing “Best” for “Favorite”.

1- FL you will never forget.
2- ML you will never forget.
3- Favourite womance / bromance.
4- Greatest disappointment.
5- The drama that will always live in your memory.
6- Your favorite OST/BGM.
7- The OTP you didn’t think you would adore.
8- The drama beanies convinced you to watch and you can’t be grateful enough.
9- The oldie (not 2022) you loved the most.
10- Best villain.
11- Secondary character that stole your heart and the show (SL, villains, kid…).
12- Drama beanies loved but you didn’t / Drama you loved but beanies didn’t.
13- Favourite kiss.
14- Most unnecessary subplot.
15- Best cameo.
16- Your 2022 crush.
17- Favourite directing.
18- Non k-drama recommendation.
19- Favourite bestie.
20- Your guilty pleasure.
21- The drama that could have been but wasn’t.
22- Most stylish drama
23-31 – Freestyle

Tell me what you think. Should we add / skip any question?

You can find here the no-rules for the RoundUp.

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    @isagc I deleted my post I deleted your comment, just post about whatever you want the number 1 rule of RoundUp is that there are no rules.

    We like to talk about dramas aired in 2022, but you can just talk about whatever.

    I know there is a certain beanie who already said she was going to talk about a certain Cdrama and I am not looking at you @mmmmm 🤪

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      Ok!! Thank you! I’ll talk about the dramas I have watched this year, no matter the year they were released 🙂

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      Hahaha 😝 You know me, this is quite obvious. And I already asked for your permission! 😎

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    I’m excited to go down my kdrama memory lane for 2022! I’ll have to check my journal as I don’t remember anything from the beginning of this year!

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I have just lived a k-drama situation. My next door neighbour just texted me to ask if I was at home, so I replied I was and if she needed any assistance. She said “Yes! Go to the door!”, so I went, open the entrance door to find her bald dresses asking me to zip her dress up, while her dog was barking around. She told me about this party she’s attending and needed to wear a long dress and that one was the only one she had and had been struggling to zip it up, so she asked for help.

So minutes later I hear her on the lift on her way down talking to someone on the phone.
Hope she has a good time.

By the way… did I mention I was on my pajamas?

Jinja 🤦🏼‍♀️

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    You’re such a sweet neighbor! Im giving you one pink heart. 💖

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    What are neighbors for if not to help zip up ball gowns? 🤷‍♀️

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#2022RoundUp is here!!

It’s that time of the year again, and although this year has been a little random to me, I think it will be so fun to repeat again the Beanie Roundup for 2022.

For those new to it, it’s just a way of sharing during the month of December our thoughts on drama, what we loved or not loved, or maybe just read some suggestions for dramas.

Surely lots of things have changed on Dramabeans this last year and it’s just great: many more people commenting, more news and opportunities to interact, making it even funnier so why not add something more to our wall.

As always I am opened to suggestions, this is not my list is our list. Themes can add or removed according to your comments. There are not rules, just having fun.

I am ready to hear you!!

1- FL you will never forget.
2- ML you will never forget.
3- Best woman / bromance.
4- That mess you watched and you still wonder why.
5- The drama that will always live in your memory.
6- The OST you are obsessed with.
7- The OTP you didn’t think you would adore.
8- The drama beanies convinced you to watch and you can’t be grateful enough.
9- The oldie (not 2021) you loved the most.
10- Best villain.
11- Secondary character that stole your heart and the show (SL, villains, kid…).
12- Drama beanies loved but you didn’t / Drama you loved but beanies didn\\’t.
13- Most memorable scene.
14- Saeguk Special Edition: most unnecessary death.
15- Best cameo.
16- Your 2022 crush.
17- That shirtless scene out of the blue you are so grateful (screenshot will be welcomed).
18- Non k-drama favourite.
19- Best secretary / assistant.
20- Your secret pleasure.
21-31 – Freestyle

Wonder what rules are there for RoundUp: click here

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    Oh Eaz I’ve missed this! Thanks for initiating this event once again! It’ll be fun reading Beans’ posts. As we have a lot of new faces this year, I’m excited to read their takes on these prompts! I think I’ll have to break the rules a little bit by mentioning some Cdrama I adore (you know which one that is) because my Kdrama bean count this year will be unbelievably low. *flabbergasted not flabbergasted*

    And I think your link to the Roundup rules is broken..

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      You can break the rules because… there are on rules!!

      And you are right… link broken, I can’t be cool and will never be a great hacker ahjumma, but maybe if I say it again: click here
      Maybe 🤪

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        This link works! You can be a hacker ajumma! 😛

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      M, I think I know your answer to #2
      🤭🤭🤭

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        I didn’t know you have the mind reading ability! But I have it too ‘cos I think I know what your guess is and let me tell you rn that it’s CORRECT. LOL

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          😆 🤣 😂
          I was thinking of him too as my pick but it seems like the Aerospace Engr is closer to my heart 🤭 so Lord Moon Supreme will be my runner-up 😍🤩😍

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    I think this year it will be hard 😅

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      I have nothing to write on “that mess you watched” because I haven’t finished any mess.

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        I didn’t watch so many dramas but some of them were big mess like Law Café…

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        I have. Let me spoil you it is The Sound of Magic. 🪄

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        I think if you got over halfway through the “mess” it should count! 😆

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        Haha one show immediately popped in my head when i saw this question. It was just released in my country’s NF and trending at no 1, and i’m just dying to tell my poor countrymen/women dont watch the stupid show. Just watch the other 3 kdramas on no 2,3,4 spots.

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          Which show is that? Or would you want to keep it to yourself until the roundup time?

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    How is it roundup time already?!? Where did time go??
    ..last year’s roundup feels like it was yesterday..🙈

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    This year is going to be hard, there have been so many good dramas. Last year I watched a lot of dramas but all my answers were from the same two or three..

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    14- I don’t remember watching sageuks this year so can I make a weekender/daily drama edition? :c

    17- I’m not greatful for shirtless scenes, but I love dimpless. I watched Birthcare Center this year and Nam Yoon Soo smiled the whole show, so yeah, I was blessed. Can I used that?

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    I was looking forward to this but feel like I may not have an answer for all of them.

    I think that some may be revamped since I only watched one drama with chaebols or CEO that requires a secretary/assistant so #19 can be a bestie instead to widen the pool? Well there is still a month to go so the new dramas may still fill up my list.

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    May I suggest the category of something like Favourite Directing/Favourite Cinematography or Most Stylish drama?
    Also, “Greatest Disappointment”.
    I never have entries for the shirtless scenes because I think shirtless scenes are overrated so maybe something else instead of that this year?
    We actually had lots of good kiss scenes this year so perhaps an entry for those? Favourite kiss scene would be better than “best” if so.

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I think I am quitting The Law Cafe after watching episode 11&12.

Something similar happened with Today’s Webtoon. As much as I loved both FL and specially this very real to me Kim Yu Ri, I just don’t care about the story. I don’t even find the romance specially attractive. Sincerely I found much more chemistry between Seyoung and Seungi in Hwayugi than in this one.

I do love the side characters, and also the use of the fourth wall, but I found myself not even looking at the tv while this week’s episodes were playing.

I am trying to learn from my last year’s mistakes, and even if it’s only four episodes left, I think I’m saying goodbye to this one.

*deep sigh*

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    I just watch it because I didn’t have anything else on Mon-Tue…

    They can add every sexy moments they want, watching the ML lying to her during more than the half of the drama is boring. Even when she asked when he loved her, he still lied…again…

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      I know! There is no growth on him.
      I just find him boring.

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    I watch like half episode, sometimes, while I’m doing the dishes. I just can’t get invested. I don’t care about the plot, I’m watching it for the romance but I don’t feel like there’s a lot of romance so it’s just hard. 😂 I don’t even remember if I’m in ep 7 or 8.

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      It doesn’t get any better… lots of boring kisses.

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        Oh, no.
        Then I should dropped it (sorry Seung Gi oppa. I tried).

        Thanks for the warning!

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    I’m finding The Law Cafe to be such a “what might have been” kind of drama. I’m enjoying it enough to keep watching it, but at twelve episodes in I don’t feel like I know the characters well enough to care about the angst blocking their romance. In the moments when it’s the main couple and the friends with the baby, they feel like real people but those are pretty few and far between. I know it’s based off a webtoon so I expected over the top and cartoony but …. I think the pieces just aren’t coming together well. At the moment this is easily my least favourite Seung gi drama 😕

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Facebooks reminds me that this day on 2017 I was asking for suggestions for new tv shows to watch and a friend recommended me two: W and Goblin. When another friend told me she liked Goblin too, I said I would watch. And I did.

If feels strange that it has only been 5 years.
Not only kdramas came to my life, but also kpop and babes.

And most important of all, so many new friends, specially Beanies and Hottest. So happy I’m here with you all.

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    Oh, congratulations on these five years!! ¡Felicidades por tus cinco años en k-dramalandia!
    (Yo llevo uno y no hay día que no lamente no haberme metido en esto antes. But now I’m watching series non stop XD).
    Btw, I have not seen Goblin yet. As we say in Spain, me da pereza, but I know I should give it a try.

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      I think you should watch because it is a lovely drama as long as you don’t think about the age gap between OTP. Second leads story is so beautiful (go and watch later Touch your heart and you’ll melt!).
      But I will never rewatch, precisely because of the gap difference.
      And of course Gong Yoo.
      Did I mention Gong Yoo?
      Just in case: it’s Gong Yoo.
      Que no te dé pereza, conozco a muy pocos que no les haya gustado!

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        I think I won’t mind the age gap in that fantasy context.
        I’ll watch it soon, so I can form my own opinion 🙂

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          Personally, I didn’t mind the age gap. I think the FL was pretty different from the others girls of her age and the story about her age as 9, 19, 29 years old was well explained.

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    Happy anniversary!🎉🎉🎉

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    Happy anniversary!!
    W is such a nice drama to enter kdramaland. Lucky you.

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    Congrats on the 5 year anniversary! 🙂

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    Omg E! I was so excited about the LDW-GY pairing that i made an FB post on the day Goblin premiered, so now i get a yearly reminder too 😁

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I have finally finished Bloody Heart and I want to share with you all my love for the drama.

I am not a sageuk person (although my watching list from last year says otherwise, I know), because usually I find it really boring the whole bearded ahjussis in small rooms plotting political plots too boring, not for me really. I usually find myself playing Candy Crush or choking Twitter or Discord during those scenes. Very few sageuks made me like the political plotting, maybe just Six Flying Dragons (yes,I know, but I am not a sageuk person, believe me!).

When I fist heard Kang Hanna had accepted her first proper leading role and it was a sageuk, I confess I was a bit disappointed because I wanted to see her shine. And let’s admit it, sageuks are rarely dramas where an actress can shine, although there are exceptions. But after watching the drama, I am really glad she took that decision and proved me wrong.

I began watching when it was airing but summer got in the way and I had almost forgotten how much I was enjoying the drama. Then two weeks ago I resumed episode 7 and I couldn’t stop until I finished it last weekend. I loved it: from the top notch writing, directing, cinematography, music and production design, to the excellent acting specially of Jang Hyuk and Kang Hanna. Not that Lee Joon did bad, because he didn’t, but comparisons are terrible, goes a Spanish saying…If I don’t see Hang Hanna winning every single award available with this role I will be VERY mad. Absolute girl crush. I’m blinded by love.

One of the things I liked the most about the drama was how good politics are described and played, exactly like the Go board the King spends hours looking at. What I found boring and made me wanted to FF in most sageuks, kept me intrigued and wanting to know what the next step would be here. So, it’s probably not sageuks that I don’t connect to, just bad writing…

The other thing I loved was female characters. Writer-nim took the time to describe some real women, who acted like women in power historically acted, navigating through the space they were giving, forming alliances, looking for the best way to live their life. From Yoo Young who is a educated and intelligent young woman who has to hide one secret after another until her name is cleared, to the Dowager Queen who lives a suffocating life and tries to escape it and take revenge against those who created her life, to Lady Jo who is just a chess pawn and realizes too late she’s been used, to Lady Park, the woman who will always be by Minister Park side no matter what he does, to the court ladies taking parties and being treated as disposable beings. All of them real, you would hate them a minute, but understood them the minute later. Real women. I can’t stop saying this because in historical dramas (Korean or any nationality) there is a tendency of making women real according to our present standards, which automatically makes them unreal.

One last mention to Jang Hyuk, who managed to make the evil ahjussi with beard a real man, human, not just an antagonist, but someone you could understand and even still consider him “the bad guy”.

I can’t recommend this drama enough. So far the best drama in 2022 for me.
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Beanies, today Junho held his 100th solo concert. I was able to watch it on streaming and join the fun with other fellow hottest. Congratulations, babe!! Let’s have another 100 concerts together 🐧💛
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Not drama related but husbands related. I need to share the love.

Wooyoung has been going live for the last year in what he used to call Dance with me! on 2PM vLive channel. He could be for one hour or one hour and a half chatting with fans and dancing (freestyle) to the music he wanted or the songs suggested by fans. I would watch these lives even without subs because watching Wooyoung dance is hypnotic, there is a reason why he is main dancer. Whenever I watch him I can only think of the insane amount of hours spend in the training room. It’s not only being gifted (something he obviously is) but also so much work behind.

These vLives were the inspiration for his new project: Wooreography, yes from Wooyoung and Choreography where he dances freestyle to a song he chooses. I still prefer his vLives because they felt fresher (I was in Heaven the day he danced to Hallucination because fans kept asking), but I’m not going to say no to this.

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I’m already late for BVVIP but I just wanted to share this, so…

Junho already had a fan meeting in February where he mainly spent time with fans and sang 5 songs each day. Last weekend he held a fancon and spoiled fans with much more songs, two hours and a half of Junho, which for obvious reasons weren’t enough for this beanie. Last day was also streaming so I could watch. This weekend he will have his fancon in Japan, Tokyo Budokan, and again there will be a streaming, now with his Japanese songs.

This video is made from fancams of one of Junho’s biggest fansites, a nice medley of the three different days performance of Pressure. Enjoy.

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I reckon it, I have been so random in my watching dramas and almost everything this summer.

Right now I am watching Today’s webtoon and enjoying it. I particularly like how JunYeong keeps telling everyone that working hard and being your best version is not enough and should not be used to encourage, because it can actually discourage so many poeple. I was precisely ranting not long ago about this: I hate those encouraging words that tell you “Be the best version of yourself”, because: what if I don’t want to “improve” (as if I were some software that has a new version every 2 months), what if I am happy being how I am, why do I have to be improving all the time, can’t you see that if I am never the best I can be, then I can be frustrated? The excess of possitiveness is actually negative!

I am also watching If you wish upon me and I’m enjoying it despite all the tropes I see coming, mainly because I had forgotten that Wookie is actually a good actor (even if he tried so hard to convince us he’s not); Alchemy of souls although I am four episodes behind, I will try to catch up this weekend.

I failed to fall for EAW because I could not deal with the unrealistic court setting. If I am having a totally unrealistic court setting I demand hornet bees, sorry. I also couldn’t finish episode 1 of Jose Psychiatrist don’t ask me why.

I want to watch Adamas and The Good Detective 2, but I hate going to the dark side when I pay so many streaming services.

And I have finished my first drama!!! I’m so proud, after having tried almost every single drama I was recommended. The one that finally worked for me was A dream of splendor and I loved it. I don’t know if cdrama peeps think it is that good, but I enjoyed it, laughed a lot and found the OTP simply adorable.

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Dear beanies, I have just checked… almost three months away from here.
So new avatar and let’s go once more into the breach!!!

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I don’t know if you know about this @ally-le but every time I come across anything Highlight related I always think about you.

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Oraenmaniya, beanies. Long time no see.

I think it’s been a month since I last posted here, and I’ve been missing it.

I have been watching dramas, and also wanting to talk about dramas, but sometimes real life makes it hard.

I’ve been having some health issues. Not big problems, just exhausting ones. I’ve been struggling with my migraines and the treatment I’ve been given to make them decrease, having ups and downs and just not feeling in the mood of anything.

But today is a good day, first Friday in months with no headache, so I wanted to check here how you all have been and share my thoughts about the dramas I’m currently watching.

It’s always nice to be home again.

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    I’m really sorry to hear that. I wish you to get well, I miss you here 🙂

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      I’ve missed you all too. I’ve been checking the wall. So many wonderful posts 🙂

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    Take care of yourself Eazal!

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    Oh no, migraines are so debilitating. I am glad today’s a good day hope it’s stays like that for a while.

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    Welcome back!!!

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    Welcome back! Always great to have you around here. I hope you have more good days coming forward. Migraines are so incredibly difficult to deal with.

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    Welcome back! We’ve missed you…

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    @Eazal I am glad that you are doing better ♥

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    Hi eazal, I’m sorry to hear about your migraine issues. I have a lot of pain issues and so pay attention when anything even slightly related comes across in what I’m reading. I thought both these articles were interesting this week. Maybe you will like them.

    I thought the comments by author Ainsley were the good part here and it led me to considering her books:
    https://www.huffpost.com/entry/does-lymphatic-drainage-work_l_6287d9d9e4b0cda85db066e5

    This one was even more interesting for me, including much of the comments section.
    This Nerve Influences Nearly Every Internal Organ. Can It Improve Our Mental State, Too?
    https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/02/well/mind/vagus-nerve-mental-health.html?referringSource=articleShare

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      Thanks so much! I will read them.
      Everything is related, my migraines are mainly tensional so yes, I know everything is related and being aware of it helps… problem we forget so many times!

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        Right? I’m learning that I have to go far afield of traditional western medicine lately 🤷🏻‍♀️ Of course it’s easy to get swept up in potential quackery but I think it’s at least worth a look.
        There are also two guys named Sarno and Van der Kolk who have written extensively on alternative pain causes and treatments (somewhat controversially). And there’s a graphic “novel” called Pain is Really Strange that you might enjoy.

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    Welcome back @eazal!
    Glad to know you are getting better! Wish you better days always!

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    Good to hear from you! Glad to know you’re doing well today. Please take care! 🙂

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    I hope you get better soon and have more good days E!

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Someone send help.

I have just finished ep. 13 of Forest of Secrets.

And it hurts the same as the first time. No matter how many times. It always hurts 🥺🥺🥺

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