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Kdramas - Blog Posts
“A esperança é a tortura mais cruel que te impede de desistir da vida.”
“Regret is the most painful thing you are experience in life”
Those who are left behind must work harder to live. We may cry from time to time, but we must smile a lot and get excited. We are obliged to do this in exchange for the love we receive
K-drama Goblin
Não saber o peso de suas palavras. O quão assustadora pode ser uma pessoa que fala duramente
K-drama W
Bro is majestic
I guess Justitia came to terms with the fact that she was in love sorta... too easily? Like one moment she could not believe her own tears and the next she's like oh yeah im in love he's in love we're both in mortal peril what else is new
I really want to see another season of this
There's still a lot to be explored in terms of human vs demon morality + I want to see more of Bitna and Daon's romance
I think the final episode perfectly set up the second season, it just has to be greenlit by the network and we're good to go
Definitely down for a season 2 of Judge From Hell! Felt that the romance wasn’t very strong in the last half of the episodes, but I had so much fun with the rest of the show that I can forgive it.
Also Park Shinhye is now an ultimate villain for me. Loved seeing how she transformed for this role, excited to see what her next casting will be
Top 10 K-drama Actors: Honorable Mention 2 Moon Woo Jin
The main reason why he’s not in my top 10 is because we have yet to see him flourish to his full potential, but I’ve known since The Beauty Inside that’s this kid is one of the most talented actors I’m going to see in my life.
We all know that if he’s listed in a tv show, there’s going to be some tragic past subplot and I can guarantee you, you will cry. That child can cry from his heart and make you cry along with him. And if he isn’t crying, his facial expressions and the way he tells the story will!
Just to list a couple of his works:
The Beauty Inside: Where he had to act like a grown up actress trapped in a child’s body. Hilarious and a great showcase of his talent.
What’s wrong with Secretary Kim? Where he portrayed the tragic past of Lee Young-joon (Grown up version portrayed by Park Seo Joon)
Psycho but it’s okay: Honestly, if you haven’t cried in at least one of the flashbacks or the combination of Moon Woo Jin’s acting with Kim Soo Hyun’s, you have my respect.
Come and Hug Me: Once again, playing the child version of the main lead, with an amazing performance. We also get the well known flashback combo of Moon Woo Jin (child) and Nam Da Reum (teen, btw, I should probably give him an honorable mention of his own, I actually considered putting the combo as an honorable mention).
This particular combo is also seen in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, and pretty much any k-drama where the main lead has a tragic past that is well explored. Nam Da reum also has a bright future ahead of him as he’s headed into adulthood, and I hope I can see him in a lead role soon enough.
Top 10 K-drama Actors: Honorable Mention 2 Moon Woo Jin
The main reason why he’s not in my top 10 is because we have yet to see him flourish to his full potential, but I’ve known since The Beauty Inside that’s this kid is one of the most talented actors I’m going to see in my life.
We all know that if he’s listed in a tv show, there’s going to be some tragic past subplot and I can guarantee you, you will cry. That child can cry from his heart and make you cry along with him. And if he isn’t crying, his facial expressions and the way he tells the story will!
Just to list a couple of his works:
The Beauty Inside: Where he had to act like a grown up actress trapped in a child’s body. Hilarious and a great showcase of his talent.
What’s wrong with Secretary Kim? Where he portrayed the tragic past of Lee Young-joon (Grown up version portrayed by Park Seo Joon)
Psycho but it’s okay: Honestly, if you haven’t cried in at least one of the flashbacks or the combination of Moon Woo Jin’s acting with Kim Soo Hyun’s, you have my respect.
Come and Hug Me: Once again, playing the child version of the main lead, with an amazing performance. We also get the well known flashback combo of Moon Woo Jin (child) and Nam Da Reum (teen, btw, I should probably give him an honorable mention of his own, I actually considered putting the combo as an honorable mention).
This particular combo is also seen in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, and pretty much any k-drama where the main lead has a tragic past that is well explored. Nam Da reum also has a bright future ahead of him as he’s headed into adulthood, and I hope I can see him in a lead role soon enough.
me looking forward to the next episode but then realising its the final one:
The Female Gaze in 2521: On Empowered Female Characters and Healthy Masculinity
Y’all I’m so excited to dive into this!
If you’re a kdrama fan, then by now you’ve probably caught on that kdramas often incorporate “the female gaze”. While it’s debated what’s considered the female gaze, we can all conclude that it is different from the omnipresent male gaze in media.
The male gaze describes the visual or aesthetic presentation of women in a way that depicts them as sexual objects, with personalities that tend to center towards men or their fantasies of how women "should" behave. That’s a bit of an oversimplification, but if you watch literally any popular show or movie, you’ll quickly notice the male gaze because it’s woven into the camerawork, the characterization, or body language of the characters on screen. See if you can catch it here.
Not so subtle, right? Kdramas are not free from it, either, but it is worth noting that kdramas do tend to pull an opposing card, namely the female gaze.
This tends to center female characters as being a spectator rather than an object, and typically holding more agency, meaning they lead their lives and choices. The male characters are often characterized as charming, sweet, polite, and romantic.
I see two forms of the female gaze in 2521: first, the empowered female characters and their depiction on screen; second, the portrayal of healthy masculinity in the leading male characters.
Since this would actually become a literal essay if I tried to encompass every instance or relevant detail, I’m limiting it to just a few observations. But trust me, this show is abundant with many more. If you want to discuss it more, feel free to message me - I’m a nerd for this shit haha
Anyway, leggo~
Let’s start with our empowered protagonists (abbreviated to FC for Female Character from here on)!
Hee Do’s character is a take on the classic “I’m not like other girls” trope but thankfully the writers have spun it into a refreshingly animated and enlivened perspective. She is loud, sometimes adorably obnoxious, a little childish, and passionate. Contrary to the typical loud kdrama FC, she is innocent but not naive. Also contrary to other FCs, she does not seek a love interest. Her main goal is to improve her fencing and transfer to the school where her idol trains.
I like how Yi Jin’s presence in Hee Do’s life lifts her up and helps her accomplish her goals, but he’s not an absolute necessity. This kdrama could very well have orbited around the high school friend group and Hee Do would still succeed. This is pretty poignant, since Yi Jin being there merely enriches her life. She still ultimately has agency over her choices and dreams.
Also, let’s highlight how none of these FC are sexualized, be it their school uniforms, fencing gear, or the beach scene. Yes, Korea is much more conservative with these things, and yes, I think the writers and directors were cognizant of the thin line they were treading with the age gap and Hee Do being a minor for a while. But still! I think it’s worth celebrating and pointing out that they often show her wearing her red tracksuit pants under her skirt while no one else does.
Seungwan is another FC who shines so well with the female gaze. She’s the one who makes an active effort to call out the abuse of the teachers at her school. She is an active participant in her life - she makes a clear stand that she will no longer tolerate witnessing abuse. Her agency is clear: she’s not backing down, and not stooping down to threats of being expelled.
Instead, she whips a reverse uno card and goes fuck this place, I’m leaving. That’s not to say empowerment comes without vulnerability and emotion. I think that’s what I enjoy so much about FCs done well in kdramas contrary to western media lately, because western media female empowerment these days seems to be “see, I’m a heartless bitch, watch me stand up for my beliefs and not even cry”. So when Seungwan explains the situation to her mom and says she’s sorry and starts crying in her mother’s embrace, it makes her moment of courage to leave and stand for her values that much stronger.
It’s brave because it has a toll. It’s brave because it’s an unfair situation to be put into. Crying about it makes that reality crash down on us much harder. Also, can we celebrate how this drama doesn’t attempt to give us beautiful crying scenes? A lot of male gaze centric media will make even women’s suffering an aesthetic viewing experience. But this? Not at all. We got runny noses, snot, creased eyebrows and sobbing breaths and shaking shoulders. Beauty isn’t the focus. It’s the feeling.
This feels like a good transition into part 2: healthy masculinity! Because! Let me tell you!! We have plenty of kdramas with men crying, sure. But I’ve never seen performances like this where 1) male crying is filmed in such an intimate way and 2) where the female lead is framed as the dominant comfort - but not an emotionless hero, either.
Let’s talk about Jiwoong’s crying scene on the rooftop when he found out Seungwan was leaving.
The camerawork doesn’t shy away from showing the growing hurt and welling tears in his eyes. She comes over to hug him, swooping her arms over his shoulders even though he’s the taller one. We see him cover his face but not shy away from letting it out. She pats him on the back. It’s refreshing to see a male character cry without him having to throw things or break shit lmao like men can just stand there and cry and allow women to see them like this.
Transition into Yi Jin’s crying scenes (oh man, Nam Joo Hyuk is my favorite actor for a reason: you can read his face so perfectly without him needing to speak). Yi Jin’s crying scenes are also devoid of being overly dramatic while still encompassing the intensity of his feelings and the weight of the moment. The scene that stands out the most to me is in episode 8 when he’s doing the live reporting via the hotel room but his computer crashes.
The deafening silence hits the audience hard. It’s meant to feel like a slap in the face because we’re meant to sit in his shock for a bit. The shock, denial, anger, and sadness washes over him as the camera centers a closeup of his face. He shakily puts down the phone, gets up, collapses next to the hotel bed, lifts up the sheets, and shouts - and I mean fucking shouts - into the duvet. This happens as the camera pans out so we all go from feeling caught up in his emotional turmoil to feeling the spaciousness of the room around him; how he’s so alone, how he has no one to rely on in this moment.
I fucking held my breath man. Because this felt so intimate. We don't normally see male characters on screen break down like this. And if so, it might be framed in an aesthetic or artistic way or even sexual way, like crying in the shower. This was just...plain hard truth. That shit was intense. Can I just say? Oscar worthy, my dude.
The second moment that stands out combines the two observations! We get an empowered FC and a representation of healthy masculinity all in one! That’s right peeps, I’m talking the tunnel crying scene.
God, what a performance. Note how the camerawork highlights that he is collapsed and lower than her.
Hee Do is the one holding his face. She’s the one who caresses his tears away. And mind you, even though we’re talking the Very Handsome Baek Yi Jin here, he is still a snotty crying mess. In traditional media, this visual is very much a male-dominant gaze: a helpless woman being saved by a heroic male protagonist in her moment of vulnerability, held in his arms, her tears being wiped away. This scene flipped the script, though. It’s beautiful to see a female character in this role. And again, just like with Seungwan, it’s not to say that she, being the hero in this moment, is devoid of emotion either. No, she cries too. She cries because she sees him, sees his pain. She doesn’t let it eat away at her and let her spiral. It isn’t an overly dramatic moment of hysteria and tears. It’s an acknowledgement: I see you. I understand you. Which is why their romance is all the more special. These are two people who have now seen each other at their worst. And they still choose to be gentle and soft and caring because the world around them is cruel enough.
What are your thoughts? Overall, I keep finding ways to celebrate this kdrama. Be it the writing, the visual directing and color theory, the character development and character arcs…….there’s just nothing quite like it. And I don’t think there will be something like it for a while. Hopefully this sets the new standard.
Love you fam :) Thanks for reading!
Peace out~
If you don't cry with every episode of Tomorrow... are you really watching Tomorrow?
Still in slump after the last kdrama I watched. Moon lovers really hits different. The first historical kdrama I watched and it was worth it.
I don't know about you guys but Lady Hae Soo fighting Prince Eun will forever be my favorite scene of the series.
I really liked the colour of Seo In Guk's hair in Doom at your Service, so much so it's my hair color now.
Image Source: Pinterist
I started rewatching Doom at your Service. It took my slow brain awhile to realize that the series is the novel she writes at the end.
It's been more than a month and I'm still not over how beautiful the kdrama Goblin is. I really loved the soundtrack and the way the story is pieced together. In a way, everyone you rooted for got a happy ending.
It's one of my favorites now.
Whyyyy
Someone is gonna die and I'm gonna cry my heart out. The first 60 seconds of episode 15 indicates that I am going to need ice cream.
Yeon is gonna do something stupid.
I should've known with all the crows that appeared.
I started watching Doom at your Service and I am broken.
This was too soon after Goblin.
Episode 14 hits hard.
Is it just me or does the last 10 seconds with the flashback photos hurt more than the entire episode. They've really gone in for the kill.
....
I was not prepared.
Episode 13 of Goblin left me speechless.
I did not see that coming.
These gifs are me rn.
Goblin, why you hurt me so. I've cried more this 24 hours watching this drama than in my entire life.
I have 4 episodes left.
On the bright side, I'm learning to multi-task. Reading subtitles whilst crying.
not me manifesting a man like this to be father of my children :)
Gwan sik's constant "if you don't like it then run away and come back to me" is the reason why geum myeong was able to leave yeong beom. She knew...she knew that her father would be by her side no matter what and I love how the show highlighted the importance of supportive parents. I'm so sad that it ended though. Dramas like these are so rare. They always end up leaving a mark.
My Thoughts on ‘Our Beloved Summer’
In a line or two:
Our Beloved Summer was such a healing, therapeutic watch that did not hide the 'humanness' of love.
The story:
The drama is about two exes--- Kook Yeon Soo and Choi Woong (high-school students when they began dating) who had a 5-year relationship and broke up. They meet 5 years later and agree (fact: are forced) to shoot a documentary similar to the one they shot in high school. What starts from a '100 Things I Hate About You' turns into an introspective, messy yet heart-warming return to each other.
My Thoughts:
1. I love the layers in Kook Yeon Soo's personality. She's smart, socially inadept, deadpan, and more sensitive than she lets herself acknowledge. I love how the flaws in her character actually make her more endearing and relatable.
2. Kim Ji Woong, our male lead's best friend, is actually the prettiest one here, according to me. He's at constant war with himself, but I also love how he returns to the camera to shoot people's raw selves and finds comfort in it.
I especially love his friendship with Choi Ung, who despite knowing that Kim Ji Woong has feelings for Yeon Soo, doesn’t push him away.
3. I thought the drama would come to be overwhelming given its storyline. But surprisingly, I couldn't keep away from it because of how comforting I found it to be.
4. Then we have K-pop idol NJ. She's such a fireball. She's funny, adorable, and yet so trapped and defined by people's idea of her. I love how Choi Ung and she decide to remain friends, comforting each other when things aren't going their way.
5. Okay, I love Choi Ung's parents so much! Honestly, the idea of running a restaurant and feeding people good food is the definition of a beautiful life for me. However, their care for Ung and his art is so cute and heart rendering.
6. It was through NJ that I realized how joy-crushing fame can be. You forget who you are and try too hard to become someone else's expectations of who you should be.
7. I think Choi-Ung's definition of happiness: "To do lie down and watch the sunlight stream through leaves" was when I first fell for him.
I love how he's never glorified 'living big'. He's so content with his wants. He knows exactly the kind of people he wants to be around and isn't afraid to go for an unconventional way of living if it makes him peaceful and happy.
8. When they all head for a 3-day trip for the shoot, I got really emotional watching Yeon Soo enjoy herself. It was so nice to see her smile and laugh and let herself free.
That was the first time I realized how lonely she must have been all these years, handling responsibilities and pushing people away to avoid hurt.
9. My favorite moment of the series was when Ung is waiting for Yeon's answer: will she travel to Germany with him as he enrolls in the architecture program? They meet at Sol Yi's restaurant and Yeon Soo chooses to stay back in Korea because that's what feels right to her.
There is this amazing moment where they know what they have to do for themselves and yet are so supportive of each other, without letting go of the love they've fought so hard to come back to.
10.Then we have Sol-Yi. I mean, who cannot love her? She's Yeon Soo's 'Reality Check Provider' and also her soundboard + BFF. I have to say I absolutely enjoy watching Park Jin Joo on screen. Even with her supporting role in 'Her Private Life', she was fabulous.
Here, Sol Yi is spontaneous, has a I-am-the-love-guru vibe and is atrocious in her choice of men. She cooks mediocre food but she doesn't give up on her dream. She's sassy, rude, amazing, and absolutely honest.
11. Lastly, I want to say I came to love Chae Ran so much. She's assistant produce to Kim Ji Ung and is also his unmistakable 'soulmate'. She possess so much sensitivity and yet is so calm and cool.
I love how she decides to wait for Kim Ji Ung to be in a better headspace before she confesses her feelings for him. That was such a mature, soft, 'ah' moment.
Learnings:
1. When the Universe gives you second chances, grab them with both hands and work to give them your all. People do not come into your life accidentally. Each one is there for a reason.
2. Love has a funny, soft, ridiculously amazing way to make itself known. Allow yourself to feel it when it knocks your door. (P.S: Open it wide and let love rain in your heart.)
3. Love is a fairytale, with all the sparkles, the imperfections, the laughs, the tears, the growth, the support, and the gooey-warm feeling you get when you're with someone right for you.
4. Forgiveness is hard. But regret is worse.
5. Whoever you were has made you who you are today. But you can always change if you don't like who you've become.
Last Words:
Oh, please watch this show. It is absolutely adorable, warm and mature.💕💕
~ Our Beloved Summer ~ Favorite Moments / Stills (2) 🌺
~ Our Beloved Summer ~ Favorite Moments/ / Stills (1) 🌺
~ My Thoughts on Yumi's Cells: Season 1 ~
I usually avoid ongoing dramas because I am more of a 'will watch once all episodes are out' person. But I couldn't wait to watch the show and so, I decided to go for it despite its bi-weekly episode releases. I am glad I did; I felt connected to the story for a longer period of time and it also gave me the room to let it ruminate and settle in my mind.
1. More than Yumi, I love her cells. I thought they were absolutely cool, amazing and it also made me realize how much work they put in to make a human function efficiently. I loved, loved the animations--- they were so funny and yet so human at the same time. I could totally relate to them, every single time and I laughed SO much.
2. My favorite cell hands down is 'Hunger'. I love the little ttetkeboki sign on its head, and I love how Yumi's palette and taste-buds are so in sync with her definition of happiness.
3. Yumi is such a cool character. She is sure of who she is, is so no-nonsense when she deals with people and I love how she's still hopeful about love, despite her devastating heartbreak. It was so nice to see Kim Go Eun in this story setting because as much as I love her in 'Sea of Hope', I was waiting for her persona to translate into an onscreen one. I fell in love with the Yumi I watched.
4. My heart also goes out to her because the way she deals with her romantic relationships is very similar to how I dealt with mine. However, I love how she arrives at the conclusion that she should be her own priority and not a secondary character in her own tale.
5. I loved the pace of the show. There was no hurry to any aspect of the story. The progression was so natural, so comfortable and so detailed, yet smooth.
6. This also happened to be the first drama that I've watched which is so honest about the strength, the insecurities, and the beauty of human relationships.
GIF Credit: Tumgir
7. I could also related hard to the 'Emotion' cell because I know how it dictates my own life, lol.
GIF Credit: Ahgasewatchtv.com
8. Despite the fact that he is super unfair to Yumi as a partner, I like Woong. He's crystal clear about what he likes and what he doesn't. He's hardworking, a good friend. and also has a vision for where he wants to be professionally. I personally loved how non-floofy he is. I like his simple and straightforward way of being in the world.
9. I also love Goo Woong's natural and easy connect with Yumi. This is why it bothered me to see him not share what was on his mind with her, or to run away from difficult conversations. This is also why I understood why it was better that weren't together, as much as I'd wanted them to be otherwise.
10. With Bobby, initially I found him to be pitiable. He was struggling to keep his relationship alive, one-handedly. He was also fascinated with Yumi but maybe couldn't approach her because his heart was elsewhere. I loved how he was a cheerleader that brought back Yumi's writing cell from the graveyard, and how Yumi and him become friends more than colleagues.
11. There is a sensitivity to Bobby that was very tender to see. From noticing Yumi's talent through her social posts, to spotting the missing 'couple' photo on her desk, to telling her how he'd noticed her at the café the night his girlfriend broke up with him, there was no sense of judgment that I could find in him. He was open, vulnerable and invited Yumi to be the same.
GIF Credit: Ahgasewatchtv
12. Yumi's 'Writer' cell also has my heart, haha! I can totally relate because I write for a living and the creative ups and downs were represented so nicely. I also loved her heart-filled captions that she shared via her social posts.
13. Chae Woo Gi was another favorite of mine. I would have liked to see more of him.
14. As much as Woong and Yumi's breakup sucked, I loved how Yumi learnt to choose herself because of it. I loved how she decided to see a breakup as an option to step out of a dead relationship, an unhappy one, where she had to fear losing out on someone each time she voiced what she wanted. I loved how she appreciated her time with Woong, still loved him but loved herself more to let go.
15. It was one of my favorite drama watches of this year. There is one moment that stands out in my brain--- Yumi's fake reaction to the 'battery' birthday present by Woong. Hahaha, sure she discovered a lovely necklace in it, but her initial reaction was priceless.
~ Kodoku no Gurume ~ Ep. 2, S7 ~ Favorite Moments
101 Guide on the intricacies of enjoying a buffet spread by Goro:
~ At first, I thought I’d do a Jang Ki Yong appreciation post, but now, I think I’d be super unfair to not do an overall appreciation for ‘My Roommate Is A Gumiho’ because, all of them were SO stellar and loveable. ~ ❤
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Credits: 1: Tumgir | 3, 11 & 14:Bitches Over Dramas | 5: Kdrama Kisses | 7: Kdrama Quotes Galore | 13: @dramaintherain | 15: Soomi Forums | 16: Tumblr
~ One of my favorites from ‘My Roommate Is A Gumiho’.❤ ~
~ Finished watching ‘What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?’ last week and these are some of my favorite lines from the drama. Also, I think Ji-Ah was so cute.❤ ~