Unbothered Unnies

Sugar Baby’s Review Corner: And The Winner Is Love

And The Winner Is Love

Genre: Friendship, Historical, Romance, Wuxia, Drama, Martial Arts
Origin: China
Episodes: 48
Air-date: May 28, 2020 – June 19, 2020
Starring: Leo Luo as Shangguan Tou / Yu Chuzhi, Yukee Chen as Chong Xue Zhi, Zhou Ting Wei as Yuwen Mu Yuan, Tian Yi Tong as Lin Feng Zi

A story between Chong Xuezhi, the young mistress of the Fire Palace who sets out on a journey and Shangguan Tou, the master of the Moon Valley who only has eyes for her. Chong Xuezhi, the young mistress of Fire Palace, ventures into the martial world for the first time. She meets Shangguan Tou, the graceful yet imposing master of Moon Valley. The Lotus God Nine Stance Technique, which serves as the Fire Palace’s greatest treasure gets stolen. Chong Xuezhi is banished from her home and assassins are sent after her. She survives through the help of Shangguan Tou and they fall in love. Chong Xuezhi is reunited with her second father Lin Chang and learns that her mother left behind two secret manuscripts to counter the Lotus God Nine Stance Technique. Meanwhile, a mysterious man who has mastered the technique has committed multiple murders, instilling fear amongst the people. Despite the hardships and misunderstandings between them, Shangguan Tou and Chong Xuezhi join hands to reveal the evil mastermind and bring peace back to the lands.
MYDRAMALIST

It’s been months but I have finally finished it. I had the inspiration to complete this drama before I started Love Is Sweet and boy binging 20 episodes was not as fun as it sounds haha. This drama was basically a Ashes of Love reunion so it was highly anticipated for that reason. I, personally, did not have the much high expectations, but as usually I am always swayed by pretty faces. And we all know my obsession with Leo and Yukee runs deep. I love when my favorites star in dramas together. Hehehee.

This drama is like the most basic and predictable story you can ever come across. There are really no surprises if you’re an avid wuxia drama watcher. I could predict the bad guys immediately, I knew how certain arcs would end. I knew when I got to episode 21 that a bunch of nonsensical shit was immediately going to happen. I was actually solidly pissed off when Xuezhi eavesdropped on the conversation and believed that Tou slept with Fengzi with no proof whatsoever. The number of misunderstandings were so large and frustrating. I also was a bit frustrated with Xuezhi’s overall character and she is definitely one of my least favorite characters that Yukee has portrayed. On the opposite spectrum, I AM IN LOVE WITH SHANGGUAN TOU. HE IS SO DAMN FINE. WANNA SUCK HIS COCK NOW. The sexiness that he exuded just made me shiver constantly. I didn’t particularly care for Muyuan at all… Even by the end I was just like mmm k. As for the other characters they were just carcartitures of every character present in a wuxia drama, ever.

The best part of this drama is how freaking bomb the chemistry between Yukee and Leo is. Like gahhhhh. The last drama I saw with Yukee was The Love Lasts Two Minds and it was literally drier than the Sahara Desert. ~~Alan Yu on my permanent shit list for the rest of my life idc idc idc~~. Also I highkey wanted to see them together in Ashes of Love so I was glad that I was right about the chemistry here. Leo is certified chemistry king! I have seen the kisses on Love Is Sweet hehhee. I can’t wait to gush over my other favs. Nah but for real why did I win like this?????

In conclusion, would I watch this again? Absolutely. I am sorry, but I am such a whore for these two that I could watch paint dry if it starred them. I put up with a lot for who I like.. #SorryNotSorry

Story: 7/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Music: 8/10
Rewatch Value: 7/10
Overall: 7.5/10

Sugar Baby’s Review Corner – I Bought My Boyfriend On A Loan

Kareshi wo Loan de Kaimashita

Genre: Drama
Origin: Japan
Episodes: 8
Air-date: Mar 9, 2018 – Apr 27, 2018
Starring: Mano Erina as Ukishima Tae, Yokohama Ryusei as Setsuna Jun, Hisamatsu Ikumi as Iyama Yume, Ono Yuriko as Ando Hiyori, Fuchikami Yasushi as Shiraishi Shunpei, Hasegawa Kyoko as Namba Reika

Tae Ukishima works at the front desk for a company. Her dream is to marry a competent man and live as a housewife. Her boyfriend is Shunpei Shiraishi and he works at the same company. They have dated for the past year. To marry him, Tae Ukishima pretends to act like a naive and shy person in front of him. Her real personality though is to speak frankly and making sharp remarks. Tae Ukishima wants to relieve her stress and she decides to purchase Jun Setsuna as her boyfriend. To pay off his debt, Jun Setsuna becomes an obedient boyfriend to Tae Ukishima
mydramalist

How does one manage to pick a drama that has a 5.9 rating on Viki and MDL to watch? There’s something wrong with me.. Hahaha… Like I willingly decided that I needed to see what this was about and I can safely say that curiosity did not kill this particular cat. I am very well aware of how this drama would’ve been quite a lot for many people to stomach as it was quite absurd. However, I do recognize the strong depiction of themes that the writer was going for, but it coming from a male writer brings an added amount of cringe to this.

The basis of this show is quite simple and there are some strong themes to explore. I think that if I interpret this as a satire show created in 2018 for this absurdness, then it doesn’t upset me much. I do not know if this was meant to be taken that way, but I really didn’t get the idea that this was something not meant to be serious. Two standout moments of this drama would be the conversation between Tae and Jun when she contemplated returning the ring to Shunpei; he explained to her that he was nice to her because he had was indebted to her and that there is a difference between fake kindness and real kindness. The next moment was between Reika and her rented boyfriend, understanding that it is best to allow children to form their own opinions when it comes to the bonds of divorced parents.

Of course this show had many flaws from the constant abuse of the males, the idea that women need to be meek and submissive, and the whole slavery/selling people on the black market kind of thing. I think I wasn’t particularly upset about these things because I have become accustomed to Japanese dramas having this type of shit done all the time? It was kinda funny because this drama reminded me a lot of This Guy Is The Biggest Mistake of My Life in some aspects. The ending was absolutely what I expected it to be. I did have a few questions though, but we will let it rest.

Overall, if you go into this drama expecting nothing or it to be the worst drama ever, you probably won’t be disappointed. It was an easy watch and at times very hard to stomach. I really didn’t think it was horrible though.. Sorry guys.

Story: 6/10
Acting: 7/10
~~Music: N/A~~
Rewatch Value: 6/10
Overall: 6.5/10

~~Fave Song: N/A~~

Sugar Baby’s Review Corner – Lonely Enough To Love

Lonely Enough To Love

Genre: Romance, Slice of Life, Drama
Origin: South Korea
Episodes: 10
Air-date: Aug 11, 2020 – Oct 13, 2020
Starring: Ji Hyun Woo as Cha Kang Woo, Kim So Eun as Lee Na Eun, Park Geon II as Kang Hyun Jin,

A story of young people residing at a co-living house. They do want to date, but they don’t want to be serious. They prefer being free, but they also don’t want to be lonely. Cha Kang Woo is a single man in his 30’s and he works as a psychiatrist. He is full of curiosity about human beings. Even though he is an attractive man, he is afraid of having a romantic relationship due to trauma from his past. A woman appears in front of him and he begins to have feelings for her. Lee Na Eun is a freelance copy editor. She is generous to good people, but she does not tolerate injustice. She hopes to become a novelist one day. Due to her situation, she has not had a boyfriend in 4 years. She begins to stay at the co-living house and develops romantic feelings.
mydramalist

Talk about a promising start that led to disappointment. I remember once saying that I can enjoy a drama that loses its way in the middle, but gets to an ending that is worthwhile. This is not the case for this one. This drama had the potential to be something refreshing and new, but it stuck to the same old ridiculous quirks and cliches that got aggravating as time went on.

What I liked: I really enjoyed the way the show started out because I really thought there was such a strong case for this to become really good. I have mentioned numerous times that I am a huge fan of slice of life dramas especially when one boasts the ideas of elder millennials who don’t have time to date, but dislike being alone. I thought that each member of the share house had the potential to develop very interesting stories. I actually enjoyed a majority of the characters on the drama to some extent….

What I didn’t like: So while I enjoy the characters, I do think there was wasted potential in every story arc. I really think this show would have benefitted from having each episode be an arc for each character cause then it would have been more defined and dedicated. I did not like Na Eun at all, she was so dull and uninteresting with a very abrasive personality. It really was a wonder why she had all these men willing to take an interested in her in the first place. I really did not get it at all. Listen I wrote her off the minute she got scammed by the agency cause like the fuck is wrong with you dumb dumb? Also the overacting that she does for everything really just got to me in the end.

Special shout out to the random white guy, David. He is my inspiration for when I go to Korea and walk on into a role in a kdrama.

Heeheh. So yeah, this one is a skip guys, it’s really not worth much of anything because even the chemistry was dry which is like very hard to do because Hyun Woo looks at everyone like he is in love with them….. #SAD

Story: 6/10
Acting: 7/10
Music: 7/10
Rewatch Value: 4/10
Overall: 6/10

Fave Song: until the eyelids become heavy – JIN

First Impressions: Netflix and Procrastinate

When I told Sugar Baby that I wanted to do first impressions, I was shocked at myself. I haven’t really been watching dramas and if I do, I take forever to finish them. But these have been on my “to-watch” list since they were announced. See if I’m gonna keep Netflixing and Chilling with these three dramas.

Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol

“Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol” is a romantic comedy about a pianist named Goo Ra Ra who hits rock bottom after her family’s sudden downfall. After she finds her way to La La Land, a piano academy in a small village, she ends up crossing paths and falling in love with the tough and mysterious Sun Woo Joon, who seems to be hiding a lot of secrets. Goo Ra Ra is an immature and mischievous pianist. With her bright laughter and sunny disposition, she’s a simple, confident, and lovable person, having the charm of making anyone laugh no matter how difficult the situation. Goo Ra Ra also enjoys making jokes and acting unpredictably even during serious moments as she has lived a life without fear, being able to gain whatever she wanted with money. Something happened that caused her to become bankrupt. She doesn’t have anything now, and she is frustrated with her situation. Sun Woo Joon doesn’t care what other people think about him, but he has a warm heart. He is free-spirited and doesn’t have a specific dream or goal for his life. He makes ends meet by working part-time jobs. Goo Ra Ra and Sun Woo Joon meet at the small private piano academy LaLa Land in a country village.
mydramalist

Genre : Romantic Comedy
Origin : South Korea
Episodes : 16 (60 mins.)
Aired : October 7 – November 26, 2020
Where To Watch : Netflix
Starring : Go Ah Ra | Lee Jae Wook | Kim Joo Heon

Thoughts: I went in with very little expectations. More like close to none because 1. Sugar Baby ragged on it. 2. I am not a big Go Ah Ra fan, at all. 3. The concept seemed corny as hell. 4. The title of obnoxious. After two episodes, I’m not sold on it 100% but there is something about this show that has charm. It’s definitely not Go Ah Ra and her naïve Goo Ra Ra, because she is ANNOYING. I get being sheltered but she was beyond gullible. It isn’t even my Lee Jae Wook that has me sold. His Sun Woo Joon is mysterious but kind of reminds me of his characters in both Extra-Ordinary You and Search: WWW. I think it’s the promise of the ensemble cast coming in and being the glue that holds the weak parts together. Just because the show is as ditzy as its main characters, I might just keep up with it weekly.

Are You Still Watching? : Continue Watching

First Impression Score: 6.5/10

Private Lives

Swindlers come across a secret of the nation and try to reveal the secret. They must go up against a large company by using all of their skills. Lee Jung-Hwan is a team leader for the major corporation. He looks like an ordinary company employee, but he is a mysterious figure. Cha Joo-Eun is a swindler, who has the looks of a sweet & innocent woman. She supports herself with her crimes. Jung Bok-Ki is a professional swindler. She often targets other swindlers. She is elegant and also charismatic. Kim Jae-Wook is Jung Bok-Ki’s partner in crime.
mydramalist

Genre : Thriller, Mystery, Comedy, Romance
Origin : South Korea
Episodes : 16 (1 hr. 15 mins.)
Aired : October 7 – November 26, 2020
Where To Watch : Netflix
Starring : Seohyun | Go Kyung Pyo | Kim Hyo Jin | Kim Young Min | Tae Won Seok

Thoughts: I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this one. Even after watching 2 episodes, I feel like I don’t have a clear grasp on Seohyun and Go Kyung Pyo’s Cha Joo Eun and Lee Jung Hwan. The first episode gave me the biggest Catch Me If You Can vibes with Cha Joo Eun being the daughter of con artists. But by episode two, when Lee Jun Hwan is introduced, I’m left trying to figure out how he really fits into this dynamic. Another pet peeve I have with this show is the fact that the term “documentary” is being used to describe a con. I don’t know if it is a lost in translation moment, but it takes me out a bit. Not sure if I will keep up with this weekly. I’m bored but intrigued.

Are You Still Watching? : To Be Determined

First Impression Score: 6/10

Record of Youth

This is a drama about the growth record of young people who strive to achieve their dreams and love without despair in a generation where dreams have become a luxury and the passionate record of young people who beeline for their dreams in their own way, presenting excitement and empathy. Sa Hye Joon is smart and handsome. He is a nice guy and a popular model, but what he really wants is to become an actor. He has auditioned for many acting roles, but hasn’t found success yet. Unfortunately, Sa Hye Joon doesn’t have much presence as an actor. Meanwhile, Ahn Jung Ha works as a make up artist. Bright and cheerful on the outside but lonely on the inside, Jung Ha takes out her stress and frustrations by fan-girling over idols.
mydramalist

Genre : Melodrama, Romance
Origin : South Korea
Episodes : 16 (1 hr. 15 mins.)
Aired : September 7 – October 27, 2020
Where To Watch : Netflix
Starring : Park So Dam | Park Bo Gum | Byeon Woo Seok | Kwon Soo Hyun

Thoughts: Alright, I’ve drunk the Kool-aid and finally started this drama. I was always going to watch it because 2020 is the year I decide to give Park Bo Gum a chance in my heart. As for the show, I’m not wowed. It comes across as your typical slice of life melodrama. And it seems like Bo Gum is determined to ALWAYS play this kind of “simple, good natured handsome guy”. At least in the roles I’ve seen him in. On a usual day I would drop this because it dragged a bit for me but the slow burn actually feels nice. Especially with the goddess that is Park So Dam. Her hair color is horrible but I’m intrigued by her character. I want to know why she quit her office job and is now a makeup artist. I also want to know more about Bo Gum’s Sa Hye Jun and his best friend, Byeon Woo Seok’s Won Hae Hyo, friendship. Some of the things that have unfolded has felt predictable, like the whole military and possible time jump, but just means I’m ready for more.

Are You Still Watching? : Absolutely

First Impression Score: 7.5/10

Sugar Baby’s Review Corner – The School Nurse Files

The School Nurse Files

Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Drama, Horror
Origin: South Korea
Episodes: 6
Air-date: September 25, 2020
Starring: Jung Yoo Mi as Ahn Eun Young, Nam Joo Hyuk as Hong In Pyo, Lee Joo Young as Han Ah Reum, Yoo Teo as Mr. Mackenzie, Park Se Jin as Jang Ra Di, Song Hee Jun as Baek Hye Min

Ahn Eun-young is a school nurse with the power to see human desires, feelings, and spirits that exist in the form of, “jellies.” Some of these jellies can take on dangerous, monstrous forms. Ahn is appointed to a new high school where mysterious incidents are taking place. Along with a fellow teacher, Hong In-pyo, a man with a special energy field around him that protects him from jellies, she tries to solve these mysterious cases.
wikipedia

I am honestly still trying to digest what the fuck it is that I watched tbh. I can’t explain it, but this drama was a trip and I lowkey feel like I would love to rewatch it when I am high off shrooms? Does that make me a weird person? Hehhe. So here we are with another Netflix original story and like this legit was Netflix made because you can tell by the approach taken with the nature of the episodes as well as the fact that this is only six episodes and there’s no season two so it’s not like a Love Alarm case, but more of a Triad Princess case.

So here’s the thing, the story had a very unique and interesting premise. I was enthralled within the first few moments by the sheer quirkiness surrounding it. I remember initially writing off this drama until I saw a preview and I just loved the idea of someone seeing a whole different world to everyone else and then working to save people that way. I think that in and of itself is why I ended up continuing since it was only six episodes. I do think some time was spent in divulging into the whole history of why the school was like an epicenter and the different people who would eventually matter in the storyline. However, I felt like the pacing of the story was off a bit and that the drama kind of faltered on the character development portions. I felt like no one served a true purpose in this drama except the Eun Young which I mean makes sense as she’s the lead, but still…. Episodes 5 and 6 were confusing to me and it could’ve been because I was getting bored, but I just ended this series feeling like I sort of wasted my time and nothing really had a purpose?

In respects to the graphics though this was one of the bests that I have ever seen. We really gotta love a good Netflix budget because the design of the jellies, auras, sword and illumination was simply stunning. I actually wished that we had spent more time seeing the world through Eun Young’s eyes more. I think that if we had like one episode just entirely composing of that it would’ve been more hearkening when we got to the point of her saying how peaceful it was when she was without the jellies. Yes we did get to see the jellies, but it was always in bits and pieces.

The acting was fine. I don’t particularly think this was any standout performance from anyone on the cast. Were the characters believable? Sure. I mean it wasn’t like we really got into the depths of these characters. I will say that this did feel like a more Nam Joo Hyuk and it will be interesting to see how Start Up goes next week.

So yeah all in all, very unique story, but I mean I don’t think I would recommend it to anyone unless you wanna watch some weird shit. I rated it up because I really really did love the way the graphics were done. I think this drama would have benefited from being a little weirder. The serious bits were very uninspiring.

Story: 7/10
Acting: 8/10
Music: N/A
Rewatch Value: 5/10
Overall: 7/10

Fave Song: N/A

First Impressions: Friendzone and Foxes

Because I have drama ADHD (yes I am trademarking it at this point), I decided to ignore the dramas that I am almost finished with and check out a few premieres that I was looking forward to instead. You’re welcome once again for my being awesome as fuck. VIKI TAKEOVER.

More Than Friends

Genre: Friendship, Romantic Comedy, Youth
Origin: South Korea
Episodes: 16
Air-date: September 25, 2020 to present
Starring: Ong Seongwu as Lee Soo, Shin Ye Eun as Kyung Woo-Yeon, Kim Dong Joon as On Joon-Soo, Ahn Eun Jin as Kim Young-Hee, Baek Soo Min as Han Jin-Joo, Choi Chan Ho as Shin Hyun-Jae, P.O. as Jin Sang-Hyeok

Due to a misunderstanding, Lee Soo and Kyung Woo-Yeon have held a crush on each other for over 10 years.
Lee Soo works as a photographer and he is attractive. Kyung Woo-Yeon works as a calligrapher. She has had a crush on Lee Soo for the past 10 years, since she was 18 years old.
asianwiki

Thoughts: I am such a sucker for Ong Seongwu.. This is is second drama and I am already salivating at the mouth for him ugh. I love me some slice of life dramas, I especially love a good friends to love and mutual pining. This drama had me so invested within 20mins. I was like all kinds of hurt when he rejected her because I was like whoa whoa whoa tf?? I thought there was supposed to be some misunderstanding? Listen… I am sold on this… There is female friendships, hot men, adult relationships.. It really has a good vibe yall. Also Lee Soo is too much of my type for me to drop this. Hot man with childhood trauma that he should’ve definitely sorted out at his big big age of 28? Sign me up. Heheh but for real, I also like Woo Yeon even if Ye Eun is reminding me too much of Eunji in certain frames. I can relate to Woo Yeon’s struggle of this boy spewing all kinds of romantic things then just saying he wants to be friends and thinking it can just be like that? Pfft. I love that we will be seeing Lee soo yearn for her as she works to overcome her crush. It also doesn’t hurt that her new admirer is very hot too. Like yess girl! Have your cake and eat it too!

Recommendations: Ong Seongwu whore, Slice of Life and if you wanna self insert as someone in their mid to late 20s.

Where To Watch: Viki

First Impression Score: 8/10

The Tale of Nine Tailed

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Thriller, Drama
Origin: South Korea
Episodes: 16
Air-date: October 7, 2020 to present
Starring: Lee Dong Wook as Lee Yeon, Jo Bo Ah as Nam Ji Ah/ Ah Eum, Kim Bum as Lee Rang, Kim Yong Ji as Ki Yoo Ri

The story features the mythical nine-tailed fox, or gumiho, Lee Yeon who has just settled in the city. Able to transform into human form, he goes about cleansing human spirits, all the while creating havoc. Enter the talented television producer Nam Ji Ah whose current show features urban myths. With nerves of steel, she will stop at nothing to secure unusual, if not dangerous, subject matter to showcase. She sets her sights on Lee Yeon who appears just too good to be true; irresistibly handsome, intelligent, fit; in fact the ideal guest. But his heartlessness will render doubt in her that he is indeed of this world. Step-brother to Lee Yeon is the captivating Lee Rang, reputed to be the most dangerous of all gumihos living among humans. Despite being half-human himself, he harbors a deep-seated contempt for all people. For sport, he will unleash his seductive prowess upon his human-du-jour, by promising to grant them their wishes, only to trick them into paying a hefty price for their earthly desires.
mydramalist

Thoughts: It feels like it has been forever and a day since I’ve watched a modern Korean fantasy drama that is actually mythical. I love it guys! First of all, Lee Dong Wook, I come humbly to you on bended knees asking to suck that dick. That Fox hair looks so damn snatched on him like what? Also I apologize sincerely to Kim Bum for saying he be looking a little old and dusty, in some frames you were certainly eye catching. I didn’t know prior to going into this show that it would be a soulmate story, but naturally it makes sense that it’s a soulmate/reincarnation story! I will say that so far the highlights have been the relationship between the brothers and how competent our female lead is. I am such a sucker for bickering brothers trope and it’s giving very much The Vampire Diaries season 1 Damon & Stefan dynamic. Poor little Lee Rang feeling abandoned by his brother aww. Ah, but yes as I mentioned Ji Ah is a female lead with sense. She is very astute and intelligent and I pray and beg they don’t turn her into a dumb dumb. I can’t wait to figure out more about the dynamic between Yoo Ri and Rang as well. So while this is certainly cliched, it’s still very much entertaining. Also the animation for the title sequence is gorgeous.

Recommendations: Lee Dong Wook/Kim Bum whore, Goblin/Korean Odyssey fan and enjoy a female lead with some sense.

Where To Watch: Viki

First Impression Score: 8.5/10

Lazy Unnie’s Couch: Bromance

Because of one simple word from a soothsayer, Pi Ya Nuo has been raised as a boy all her life. By chance she saves underworld mob boss Du Zi Feng and his sister. His sister falls in love with Pi Ya Nuo at first sight. Things gets complicated when the she becomes “sworn brothers” with the mob boss, just as her 26th birthday comes closer, and with it her chance to finally live as a woman. As her 26th birthday approaches, she must decide if she wants to return to a woman or continue to be Du Zi Feng’s best pal.
mydramalist

Starring: Baron Chen | Megan Lai | Bii | Sean Lee | Katie Chen | Mandy Tao
Episodes: 30 (45 Min.)
Aired: October 18, 2015 – February 21, 2016
Network: TTV

I’ve finally finished a show! It’s been a while since I actually had the mental ability to focus enough to finish something but here we are. Anyway, back in August, I was in the mood for some cheesy dramas, and Bromance was one of the shows that made the cut. Now when I say cheese, I mean a plot so unbelievable that it could only be played out in dramaland. The plot is barely that but the power of actors chemistry and ridiculous circumstances kept me going.

So that plot, we had our lead… person? Pi Yanuo was born a female but because of her superstitious parents, lived her life as a male until her 26th birthday. If she didn’t, there would be so much bad luck that death may even come to her. Yikes! Then we have Du Zifeng, an orphan who was adopted by gang chief and raised well to do. But due to a tragedy, Du Zifeng’s father goes missing at sea. Both Pi Yanuo and Du Zifeng meet by chance and become swore brothers. ALL IN EPISODE ONE! So the whole series is basically them falling for one another, but what I kind of liked about this was Du Zifeng fell for Pi Yanuo before her secret was revealed. He basically resolved himself to his feelings for Pi Yanuo regardless of gender. I thought that was really sweet.

A lot of the show had funny moments and outrageous ones with a whole gangster subplot which was insane. There was even a love triangle sprinkled in there but it wasn’t that important because the dynamic between Pi Yanuo and Du ZIfeng was so strong, you know there was no coming between the two of them. There were other aspects of the show that I could have done without. The second leads and their love story was dull as hell. Yang Na Na and Wei Qing Yang just didn’t have the chemistry nor was it a storyline that could hold up to the main. If their story was its own show, maybe. Both had parent issues and even a health scare. It just seemed too much jammed in for a second lead. I found myself skipping their scenes.

Overall, I did compare a lot of it to Coffee Prince and yes, there were similarities but I think the biggest difference for me was the fact that when presented with the idea of falling in love with a man, Du Zifeng, went for it more willingly than Gong Yoo’s Choi Han Gyul. There were moments when I would be yelling at my screen, wondering WHY they don’t realize that Pi Yanuo is a she, even when “he” dressed up as a woman MULTIPLE times, and even played his pretend sister! But that just falls into the unbelievable things we’re made to believe.

Acting : 7/10
Story : 6/10
Music : 8/10
Overall : 7.5/10
Recommended For : Coffee Prince lovers

Fave Song : ‘Back In Time’ by Bii

Spins On The Turntable: Blackpink – The Album

Blackpink – The Album

Title: The Album 
Artist: Blackpink
Label:  YG Entertainment
Release: October 2, 2020

Well.. it is finally here… I have been following Blackpink since predebut. I remember asking and pleading for more songs every year. It took an emotional toll on me to constantly ask for more from YGE for these girls and sitting back, watching the treatment that other groups in the company got was difficult. I won’t lie guys, this is not an album in the least. Eight songs is nowhere near album especially by YGE standards, not to mention that two of them were pre-releases. Once again the girls are being given the bare minimum and getting the short end of the stick. If you’re a long time reader of this blog, you are aware that Jennie is my bias. She is my ultimate bias of the currently active promoting girl groups and the last two years have been quite tortuous for me. I say this blatantly so that you guys can be well aware going into this review. So let’s get into it.

Title Track – Lovesick Girls

In the lovely YG style of combining guitar with a poppy retro sound, I knew immediately that this would be one of my favorites on the album and one of my favorite Blackpink title tracks. It reminds me of a that old Big Bang style with a proper chorus that we’ve been missing throughout their entire discography except for As If Its Your Last. I think that there is so much charm in various parts of this song more notably the way the second verse comes in and the ending part of the song. I genuinely enjoy everything that this track has to offer and I’m not just saying that because Jennie and Jisoo have writing credits. This track plays with the disco elements that David Guetta loves to infuse in his tracks and was probably why he was credited as a producer. I also get the distinct impression that Jennie found the inspiration for her car scene in the beginning from Rihanna’s We Found Love. This is also one of my favorite music videos because we rarely see them with outside videos. Rosé’s bathtub scene was just absolutely breathtaking. I also love the way the Jennie and Rosé’s voices work so wonderfully together and it’s why the ‘We were born to be alone’ hook gets stuck on repeat. This song just feels like a genuine breath of fresh air when you stack it against the other lead singles that they have released. When you see Jennie Kim please refer to her as producer/songwriter!!

B-Sides

How You Like That (Pre-Release)

I can’t remember if I gave this a proper review during my roundup but my guess would be no as I definitely did not like this horse crap when it was released. It actually has grown on me more as time as passed. I loved the beginning instrumental and the instrumental during Lisa’s rap. It does it’s job as an album starter to get you hyped and ready to see what else is being offered.

Ice Cream (Pre-Release)

I don’t hate this song, but it has a very poor replay value. Do you know the songs you play once every six months and they bop? This is how I would describe Ice Cream. It just becomes so gnawing the more you listen to it. So flavorless and basic. I suppose this was more of a collaboration than a feature, but I think there was way too much Selena. Also the rap in Ice Cream was a bit too long. It could’ve been cut in half or rearranged. The first part was fine, but then the ‘Mona Lisa’ part just… yeah.

Pretty Savage

This is a very noisy song. A good kind of noise though. Very typical of the YG and Blackpink style of this heavy trap beat accompanied by a light guitar pre-chorus in the instrumental. This song will be good to listen to in the car with the bass blaring. Rosé ate in the bridge and basically from that point onwards in the song is addictive as fuck. I think what I dislike the most was the post-chorus talk chant thing that Lisa does in the earlier part. The lyrics are also really good and probably one of my top three.

Bet You Wanna ft. Cardi B

The beginning arrangement of this song is very similar to Ice Cream, but this song is miles ahead. First of all we can hear Jisoo lines. Cardi is sliding on the beat. Jennie and Rosé are cutting up the vocals. The adlibs that Rosé does are actually mesmerizing. I keep replaying this song because it really sounds like an upbeat infectious song that is so melodic.

I feel like I have stated many times that I am a useless whore for songs with oriental beats on it. Blackpink knew this.. They knew this. This song is so sexy?? I know people dislike it, but I love every choice made on this song. I love the kind of anti drop that it does because I find it so sickening. I swear to god the more I listen to this the more I fall deeper into it. Lisa’s first rap is so puny and melodic. I even like the back to back that they do in the second verse even though I do believe it could’ve been only Jennie’s but then it would’ve probably ended up being a Jennie solo song. Thank you, future bounce for being the Jennie akgae you are.

Love To Hate Me

If I had posted this review immediately after the album this song would’ve gotten so much more praise. The thing is that I love the sounds throughout and the way that it has a sort of classic dance pop approach to it as well. My problem is that I can’t listen to the rap. I am sorry guys, but it doesn’t sound good to me. The blaccent is just too much and it’s like every time I replay it the value goes down. Apparently that is the part of the song that everyone loves, but these people also enjoy hearing Soyeon rap or whatever it is that she calls it so…. Vocally Jisoo had me by the weave on this and is the reason I have given it 3.5 stars. Also, the hook does get stuck in your head. I just think a different kind of flow would’ve been better for the rap.

You Never Know

A ballad song on the album to help round it out and slow down the vibes. The girls sound absolutely beautiful. We didn’t get much of sub-vocalist Lisa, but this song showed that she has a tone that works when given the right material. It is a truly beautiful and the best of all their ballad songs. I actually enjoy Rosé’s voice the most here, she really showed the main vocalist that she is. Lyrically the best song on the album.

Final Thoughts

This was a pretty decent “album”, I can’t explain, but this is exactly what I expected to get from Blackpink and there weren’t many surprises. I do think it could’ve been a little less english even if my favorites were the english songs. I think this felt like the type of album that had one song to appeal to everyone. It has the time of songs that would either be a grower or age poorly as time goes on. I feel like the people who are lukewarm towards Lovesick Girls will end up giving it the treatment that As If It’s Your Last got when the time comes. I think we need to figure out this rapping situation though because the style that Lisa is using is not my cup of tea and it befuddles me that the “main rapper” only has 20 secs of her rapping. I will honestly say that chaenie were the highlights for me and it made me crave hearing more of their voices together.

Concept: 4/5
Vocals: 5/5
Raps: 2.5/5
Cohesiveness: 4/5
Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Monthly Roundup – September

September went by in the blink of an eye, but also felt like it lasted quite a while. I was a little shocked to see that CLC’s song only came back this month because it felt like it was a while back. Hahah. Overall I would say this was month was pretty good. I mean we have gg SOTY contender!!!

Black Lives ALWAYS Matter

All By Myself

Jamie – Numbers (feat Changmo)

Initial: WTF is this shit? All she does is waste her talent.

Now: I’ve been bopping.. Stockholm syndrome kinda worked ://

Taemin – Criminal

Initial: I missed his pre-release and I’m not gonna listen to it… and if I did listen to it then I clearly didn’t remember. The song is fine, I am just not a Taemin girl it seems. Like he does nothing for me and I don’t get the hype at all. The MV is nice though.

Now:

HA:TFELT – La Luna

Initial: Dipping into her latin pop bag and serving lewks. She’s so cute. Song isn’t too bad either. Play it right before or after Hyolyn’s new song.

Now: Why is she so hot? Let’s talk about it.

CL – Post Up

Initial: Yas bitch! Talk yo shit!! I miss 2NE1.. YG did them so dirty sighs.

Now: I only listened to this once lmfao. Oops.

Sik-K, Golden, pH-1, Jay Park – Gotta Go

Initial: PH-1 is just so damn good at spitting bars. idc idc idc… he literally was the highlight of this along with the dance.

Now: Still team ph-1.

Punchnello – Fine! (feat Kid Milli)

Initial: Cute MV. I love the bars and the flow.

Now: Punchnello def one of my favorite AOMG rappers.

Three’s A Crowd

CLC – Helicopter

Initial: So I can’t act like I wasn’t a little bit bitter seeing that all we were getting was a single while Shitdle has gotten two minis this year, but whatever…. This song is definitely a grower. I LOVE THE LOOKS OF THE MV. SEUNGYEON THE QUEEN YOU ARE. YOUR VOICE SOUNDS SO VELVETY. WAP ALL DAY EVERYDAY. The song also kinda reminds me of Bon Bon Cholat in some instances which is great as well cause Everglow is coming back later this month. Hheheh.

Now: I actually heard this insane mashup and I am living for it. This song goes hard. CLC has no bad songs. The english version is also flames.

Lovelyz – Obliviate

Initial: I genuinely cannot tell you the last time I enjoyed a Lovelyz song. This one isn’t bad at all, you know I have always liked when GGs do the deep house sound, plus the girls look absolutely stunning.

Now: Beautiful gowns. Nice gowns.

Super Junior D&E – Bad

Initial: Mmm.. Yeah I’d fuck Donghae for sure.. Let the ahjussi’s have their fun, I have already forgotten the song.

Now: LOL.

SuperM – Tiger Inside

Initial: I am shocked cause I expected to hate it… but it is actually decent. LMFAO. This means that title track is gonna suck arse innit? Also WHY IS LUCAS SO FUCKING HOT?? FUCK.

Now: Pretty sure I like this more than their actual title track lmfao

A.C.E – Goblin (Favorite Boys)

Initial: I go through phases of really liking A.C.E and then forgetting they exist. I really really really like this. The sound is good and they are serving LEWKs in the MV.

Now: SO. FUCKING. GOOD.

Mamamoo – Wanna Be Myself

Initial: I wanna go on record and say that I miss Mamamoo’s pre-fame stuff. They were doing things that were actually interesting. This is whatever tbh. It’s not bad, but forgettable.

Now: So when is Purple Kiss debuting?

Stray Kidz – Back Door

Initial: I can’t explain it but some Stray Kidz songs just get to me and I like this one??? Send help.

Now: Can’t. Stop listening. WTF.

Fromis_9 – Feel Good (Secret Code)

Initial: So cute. Very much makes me Feel Good.. the rap was unnecessary. Much better than Fun but not as good as Love Bomb.

Now: This song just screams good vibes.

Treasure – I Love You

Initial: Teddy is a menace to society. Always ruining perfectly decent songs with his crap.

Now: No more Teddy.

Everglow – La Di Da

Initial: UGHHH LOOK HOW THEY ATE THAT AND CUT IT TF UP LIKE ARE YOU DUMB???? ITS SO FUCKING GOOD. Aisha and Onda stood out so much to me. oh wow. Personally love the MV style so much.

Now: SOTY SOTY SOTY!!!

The Boyz – The Stealer

Initial: I’ve listened to this more than once and I still forget what it sounds like.. Sorry oomf. Juyeon is still fine af though.

Now: N/A

Cignature – Arisong

Initial: It’s the way I’ve forgotten every song they’ve ever released lol. This song is fine I guess.

Now: Oh I like the noisiness of the chorus hahah.

SuperM – One (Monster & Infinity)

Initial: Kai and Lucas look so hot.

Now: N/A

New Kidz On The Block

Lunarsolar – Oh Ya Ya

This a girl group under JPlanet Entertainment consisting of four members: Eseo, Jian, Taeryoung, and Yuuri. They are allegedly a vocal based group. Maknae is a 2001 baby. Jian’s role model is Jennie so I like em already tbh.

Initial: For some reason this wasn’t what I expected seeing the description as a vocal group. Very tropical club sound. It’s not bad at all actually. Very easy to listen to. Decent debut.

Now: Song is ok. Nothing new to comment.

WONHO – Open Mind

So last month I posted the pre-release and here we are now with the debut. It is still just so weird to think that he isn’t a part of MX anymore.. I wish that Hanbin could now take some notes as well. I miss you!! Fuck.

Initial: Absolutely no one who watched this video was paying attention to the song. I fluctuate between whether I like men that beefed up or not. Like in some shots I’m like “fist me daddy” in other shots I’m like “he must have a small cock”… Please give me a moment. Thanks.

Now: Forgotten the song many times over but do not forget the body. COCK.

YooA – Bon Voyage

It’s impossible not to know who Yooa is if you have been a long time reader of this blog. She is a member of Oh My Girl and the face of the group alongside Arin. It was quite obvious from the get go that she would likely be the first solo debut for the group.

Initial: Somebody’s culture is being appropriated here but it ain’t mine soooooo… hahahah. #SorryNotSorry

Music video looks so ethearly and beautiful. Full album review here.

Now: This has grown on me so much. Like the mini is so good. Like YooA wtf. Ugh ate it up like the bias she is.

Namjoo – Bird

Apink is not short of talents and they’ve been super fresh on the scene lately. It was a bit surprising to see that Namjoo was next up for the debut, but she is probably my bias so needless to say I was excited. Heheh.

Initial: I enjoy the verses, but ugh the chorus is just not very good. Namjoo does look so damn good though. So I found out that this was co produced and written by Soyeon and I think it’s time we have this conversation.. Soyeon is not the producer that KPOP industry keeps trying to convince me she is. Now when I listen all I can think is that this was a Shitdle song.

Now: The live stages are good. Song is still trash.

Checkmate – Drum

With J.Seph going to the military soon, I suppose it is only safe to expect that another co-ed group will try to fill the void that KARD will make (she says sarcastically.. jk Jseph is my friend!!) Checkmate is a co-ed group under GRACE COMPANY Entertainment. They consist of 5 members: Sieun, Suri, Nason, Yongseok, and Noah.

Initial: I was just kidding when I called them KARD lite but like this is literally a KARD song? Sorry not sorry. Nothing to see here.

Now: It’s a pretty basic sound that’s easy to digest.

XUM – Ddalala

I enjoyed NeonPunch so much especially their song Tic Toc! It was sooo good! Was a little disappointed by the disbandment news. So XUM is made up of three former NeonPunch members, Dayeon, Bekah and Iaan.

Initial: This is no Tic Toc.. Booooo… Ugh so over this whole badass gc concept. Fuck Teddy for making noise acceptable.

Now: N/A

Ghost9 – Think of Dawn

It’s a known fact that all these competition shows do is breed more and more groups. So here we have Ghost9 consisting of nine members: Junhyung, Dongjun, Shin, Kangsung, Junseong, Prince, Woojin, Taeseung and Jinwoo. I will claim Junhyung as my bias solely because we share the same birthday.

Initial: They kinda feel like a low budget Ateez and I’m not exactly mad about it. I can see them growing this sound. The more I listen to the chorus the more I like it.

Now: N/A

Best Song : EVERGLOW – LA DI DA

To All The Oppas and Unnies We Loved – Third Quarter 2020

I can’t believe the year is a third way over and 2020 has been some bizarro version of itself. Either way, we have found some love and happiness in our hearts and we are spilling it out here. See who we loved in the third quarter of 2020!

Sugar Baby’s ‘Oppa’

Ong Seongwu aka Swoon Woo

Dear Baby Daddy #(?),

It’s actually kinda funny because I’ve wanted to claim you as my oppa for a long time now and I always ended up saying ‘not yet’.. Fortunately for you, I have not claimed any new men in the last few months and so here I am to love on you as gift for your upcoming drama More Than Friends. Let me paint you a picture of a girl a few years ago ignoring popular group Wanna One until someone RT’d a gif of this fine ass boy from MAMA… After some careful research I found out it was you. Unfortunately, I did not want to care about the ten (?) other members so guess who was happy she could finally solo stan when yall disbanded? Heheheh.

You were handcrafted by God, herself. You can sing, dance, act and are funny to boot. I swear you are one of the best new idols to have graced us and I am thankful that I could witness you in this lifetime. I was truly blown away by you in At Eighteen and I know that you’ll give me a lot to love in your upcoming drama as well. I will be supporting and loving you every step of the way, my baby.

PS- God made you short because she knew you would be way too powerful if you were over 6ft.

Sugar Baby’s ‘Unnie’

Sun Qian aka My Squishy

Dear Squishy,

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray. I have such a deep adoration for you, Qian. I think that you are absolutely stunning and a really nice and relaxed actress. You put a smile on my face in everything that you do and I am eager to see more of you. Right now I am devouring Way Back Into Love as this is the role that I knew I needed to see you in after watching Dr. Cutie and Take My Brother Away. I am even contemplating putting on Meteor Garden just for you.

As you venture into Actor Please Take Your Place, I will be supporting you every step of the way. I hope that this is the opportunity that you need to shine even more brightly. I have faith in you and your abilities. I know that you will have your big break because you deserve it. I love you. Please continue to stay this cute and lovable.

Lazy Unnie’s ‘Oppa’

Gong Yoo aka OPPAAAAA

Dear My True Oppa,

It’s been three years since you were forced into my life. And I am thankful. You were my first “oppa”. Seeing you play Choi Han Gyul was eye opening and a pleasure. From that moment on, I needed more. From the Coffee Shop all the way to a zombie packed train, I needed it all. I fell head over heels for your looks but stayed for your compelling acting.

The way that you have never dropped on my list of favorite actors is astounding. Only negative thing I can say is there is not enough of you. I need you in more rom coms, I need you on more variety. I watched your spot on Lee Dong Wook’s talk show and you were the cutest ever and it made me miss you even more. You’ve apparently found the fountain of youth and look not a day over 30, but the fact that I can honestly call you oppa adds to your charm.

Lazy Unnie’s ‘Unnie’

Yoon Eun Hye aka Sweet Pumpkin

Dear My True Unnie,

Thank you for setting the bar for every female lead I’ve watched since your Go Eun Chan so high. You gave me a character that I laughed with, cried with and even got frustrated with. Your beauty wasn’t hidden behind the tomboy look because your beauty radiates from within. After watching you in Coffee Prince I needed more and found my princess in Goong. I realized that it was you that elevated your male counterparts.

Even though I haven’t watched your later things, I know that Korea and the rest of the world is ready for your return to the spotlight. I need you to come back and teach these youngin’s what real chemistry is with a costar. Or maybe I just need another drama with you and Gong Yoo. You both can’t give us the on-screen kiss heard around the world and never again! *sigh* I guess I’ll have to settle for the documentary. *sigh*