It’s that time of year again when we start to wrap this shit up and get ready for the next. And with that, I’m bringing back my BIASED awards of K-Music! However! This year I’m not going to be as biased as last and invite you all to take part in the voting process. That’s right, I’m not going to pick just my faves, yeah EXO I see you. I want to see who really caught your eyes and ears this year in the realm of Korean Music and Entertainment. This year I bring back some of the staple categories and introduce some new! So, enough of that, here are the nominees!
Since we’ve been spoiling you guys with a themed post for the last two months, we have to give a big up to the most wonderful time of the year. Join us on our Christmas countdown as we enjoy the 12 days of Korean culture. What is interesting is that while we were trying to figure out what to do for this month, we went deeper into the meaning behind the “12 Days of Christmas” and found that it ties a lot into religion. The two of us the decided that with this meaning, we could better curate the content we wanted to present to you guys this month. So please anticipate what our minds gathered from the description below and look forward to how we chose to interpret them!
This is the supposed meaning behind the gifts for the 12 Days of Christmas:
A Partridge in a Pear Tree – Jesus Christ
Two Turtle Doves – The Old and New Testaments
Three French Hens – The three virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity
Four Calling/Collie Birds – Four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Five Golden Rings – First five books of the Old Testament
Six Geese-a-Laying – Six days of creation before God’s rest on the seventh day
Seven Swans-a-Swimming – Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
Eight Maids-a-Milking – Eight Beatitudes
Nine Ladies Dancing – Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
Ten Lords-a-Leaping – Ten Commandments
Eleven Pipers Piping – Eleven faithful disciples
Twelve Drummers Drumming –Twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed
Disclaimer: We are in no way being sacrilegious. Please be respectful. It’s all in good spirits this holiday season.
Hello! We’re back at the end of this year to tell you about the “oppa” and “unnie” that we loved this year! We have actually decided to revamp things a bit and starting next year we will be doing a quarterly “oppa” and “unnie” to help alleviate our love and thirst! As usual, don’t forget that these won’t necessarily be Korean stars, but they will for sure be of Asian descent. We just thought it was better to use these phrases verses the million others.
Sugar Baby’s “Oppa”
Wang Yibo aka Yibo
Dear Yi-BOO,
I come to you humbly on bended knee to tell you that I will give you the best suck of your life that Xiao Zhan can’t even come close to. Wait, that’s a little inappropriate….. Please don’t sue me! It’s a joke! But seriously though, boo, you snuck into my heart this year. And no, it was not due to The Untamed, as I still haven’t watched that. DON’T SEND THE DIVORCE PAPERS YET. I am just waiting for when I can enjoy it without the hype because I don’t want to be disappointed if it doesn’t go well. I am doing this for us!!
Yes, Boo, that is your good side. ❤
I actually started falling for you a lot more this year when I saw you on a random variety show. Why are you so cute and funny and why have I just discovered it this year? I also had a period where I decided to watch Produce 101 China and boy you can danceeee. I didn’t even notice it was you when I watched Love Actually. Next year, I’ll be receiving the gift of seeing you in Legend of Fei and Private Shushan College (fingers crossed), I am excited to fall deeper into the characters you will bring to life. Thank you for this year and let’s get shit all the way fucked up next year!
Sugar Baby’s “Unnie”
Chen Yuqi aka Yukee Chen
Dear Yukee,
HOLY FUCKING SHIT. Girl, how did I fall so helplessly in love with you when I only saw you for ten minutes when I attempted to watch Ashes of Love!! I even heard that your character was great, but I never saw it to fruition all I know is that YOU are freaking PHENOMENAL. I miss you so much. I find you so cute and endearing and I want all the best and good things for you. I am so obsessed with you that I even watched Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre which is funny as fuck because I initially had it on my radar cause of Bambi and then I fell for you and was so nervous that you weren’t the main female lead and wasn’t gonna get the guy LOL.
Ugh. I love how bright her eyes are!
I loved seeing you blossom and grow and I know we have a bright future ahead of us. You served me so many lewks during fashion week that a bitch was completely stunted. I will be honest though, I lacked dramas and I know it is not your fault because you have filmed so many but I am hungry and I want it all. OBVIOUSLY I WANNA SEE PRIVATE SHUSHAN COLLEGE CAUSE LIKE YI-BOO, but like girl you have dramas with Alan Yu, Leo Wu AND Qu Chu Xiao coming up.. Do you see why I am impatient?? So here’s to the fun we’ll have next year baby girl! More filming and more dramas to air! Mwah! xx
Lazy Unnie’s “Oppa”
Hu Yi Tan aka Tall Squishy
Dear My Tall Squishy,
I fell for you out of no where! One moment I’m looking at Li Xian in Go Go Squid and then the next I’m begging for you to have more screen time as the broody cousin. The whole time I watched, I waited and wished for you to get the happy ending you deserved or just something. But that tells me, even though your lines were minimal, my love for you was grand. What you did with just a look, spoke volumes.
But it was in A Love So Beautiful that I realized that my love for your subtle acting and drop dead looks that made me catch my breath. Jiang Chen was in no way a lead that I should have fell for. But it was your portrayal of the way a love doesn’t have to be in your face to be meaningful was so touching, my heart clenched every time you were on screen. 2020 already looks like you’re lined up with show after show, and I really hope they they showcase all you can do. You’ll find this unnie right there cheering you on!
Go Go Squid
Lazy Unnie’s “Unnie”
Nam Ji Hyun aka Bubble
Dear my sweetest Bubble,
Whew! I know I’m late to the Ji Hyun party but at least I’m here. I finally discovered what the magic was when I sat and watched 3 of your dramas this year. I was enamored completely from the beginning and am now a forever fan. I don’t know what it is, maybe your adorable little overbite? (Caps probably but I’m not judging.) The way you make us fall for you the same way we fall for your male counterpart is amazing.
But it was more than your cute adorable looks that had me going in major girl crush mode. It was how I connected with each one separately. Even though the characters didn’t vary much from all three dramas I watched. I felt wronged when you were wronged in Suspicious Partner. I had empathy when you did in Shopping King Louie. I longed for a brother and life I never lived in 100 Days My Prince, all because you did! You have the ability to make us as viewers connect with you, no matter what the plot. And with that, you’re my Unnie of the year!
What would you do if you found out that you were, in fact, a character in a comic? And an extra character on top of that? Change the course of the story, obviously!
Eun Dan Oh is a 18-year-old high-school student from a wealthy family who suffers from a lifelong heart condition that inevitably means she will not live past her teenage years. However, when Dan Oh realizes she is experiencing long gaps in her memory as well, she comes into the unhappy inheritance of another fact in her life: she is a character in a Korean webtoon and all of her actions are predetermined by the artist who draws her. To make matters worse, she discovers she is only a supporting character in the cast. With her newfound understanding of the world she inhabits, she is determined to find true love in her own plot-line and circumvent the author’s plans for her character by utilizing the flashes of storyboard she alone is able to see.
MYDRAMALIST
Yes, I previously did a first impression on this drama, but for some reason I felt obligated to yet again copy and paste all that back here for you guys to read once again. Be grateful! ;]
Whew! Here we are guys!! At the end of a drama that definitely did not give me what I first expected which is not a bad thing. I went in thinking this was going to be lighthearted and easy, which was seriously naive of me considering our lead had a heart condition and this drama is based on comic book characters finding out that they’re in a comic book. Spoilerish Behavior Ahead!
Let me preface this review by saying that the writer of the comic book (in the show) is a little bitch. I have a theory that the writer is Kim Eun Sook cause who else writes female characters so shitty? Yes. I went there. Moving on, the plot of this story was surprisingly well done. It was romantic, cringe, suspenseful, angsty and repetitive. Oh so repetitive. Repetitive to the point where I literally did not even care in the slightest when the final four episodes came around and Dan Oh lost her memories. Matter of fact, throughout those last four episodes I was just like ARE WE DONE YET?
Actual representation of me.
I will say that I did find a few things very confusing, like I don’t understand how things allegedly went back to its place once the stage was set but then somehow they’re able to keep other trinkets and stuff like the shoes and books and what not? I dunno.. I also did not understand the writer’s (comic book not drama) purpose for introducing dried squid’s lover from Trumpet Creeper?? I also was annoyed by how petty the writer was too, like how you gonna be petty and lazy? Didn’t even bother drawing new characters.. Using the same dusty names? Wack.
The characters were very fun and there was something for everyone. I actually didn’t dislike a single character and wanted each of them to get the happy ending they deserved. I was surprised to see that Do Hwa became my favorite at the end of the day because he was so absolutely endearing. I literally wished with all my heart that he got the girl, but he was so content with his story that I was just like uwu. Shoutout to Ju Da for saying she wanted to date Do Hwa on MWF, Nam Ju on TTS and be by herself on Sundays. LOL. I liked Dan Oh a lot, not so much when she tried to hide things from Haru, but I liked her throughout because she was so darn cute. I actually liked Kyung more than Haru, please don’t come for me!! I know I am an adult and Haru is by far the better guy in every way: tall, handsome, sweet, respects women, wasn’t a bully. But fuck, Kyung was so pathetic and lonely and I wanted to give him a hug and all the love. That being said Rowoon could still very much get it.
The romance between Haru and Dan Oh was the catalyst for the entire show and I loved it. They were beautiful and sweet and truly honed in on that whole “soulmates” thing. I mean they found their way back to each other during every memory loss and story. I mean if I were the writer I would just stop drawing their asses, but Kdrama gotta kdrama so what do you do? Heheh. While I am talking about ridiculous behavior why do guys get to wear full coats, trousers, pants and women still have to wear a skirt and jacket? Like I know Dan Oh’s ass was freezing on that date with Kyung by the beach. Speaking of that date, I will admit that it was cute seeing Kyung happy, even though Dan Oh had lost her memory and wasn’t aware of herself. I shipped them a little bit! I can’t help it!! I guess Ju Da had the tea about wanting to date both. Hhehe.
I guess overall this was a pretty solid and enjoyable watch. I would likely recommend this as a good drama to watch to kill time. I am not sure if I would rewatch it, but I think it has a decent rewatch value. I will say that I am a little bit curious about that other story where they met again because Dan Oh’s bundles were popping!
Story: 8/10 Acting: 8/10 Music: 7/10 Rewatch Value: 7.5/10 Overall: 8/10 Fave Song: First Love (첫사랑)by Epitone Project
Genre: Comedy, Thriller, Mystery Origin: South Korea Episodes: 16 Air-date: November 20, 2019 to present Starring: Yoon Shi Yoon as Yook Dong Shik, Jung In Sun as Shim Bo Kyung, Park Sung Hoon as Seo In Woo. Episodes Seen: 2
The story of a man named Yook Dong-sik who coincidentally witnesses a murder and picks up the killer’s diary. While fleeing the scene, he gets into a car accident causes him to lose his memory. Due to the diary in his possession, he mistakenly believes that he is a psychopathic serial killer.
WIKIPEDIA
I’ve been giving so much content this week it must be throwing y’all for a loop! Hehehe. If you can’t tell ya girl has finally gotten some inspiration and creativity to write more and shit. We’ll blame it on this period of new beginnings according to my Co-star! So anyways, I feel compelled to give a brief tale on how I started my journey with this drama and then talk about my first impressions.
I have a slight affection for Jung In Sun ever since I saw her in Circle, not to mention how she killed it in Laughter In Waikiki! I was happy to see that she was getting more lead roles cause she deserves it! I don’t have any strong feelings towards Yoon Shi Yoon and find him to be a very capable actor. Therefore when this was first announced it wasn’t quite on my radar. This naturally changed when I saw the first teaser, but then I sort of forgot about it. Fast forward to last Friday when I went to lunch with my teammates at a Korean restaurant and this was playing in the background on one of the TVs and I thought “Oh shit, this actually does look interesting.” So here I am now.
Right off the bat, we are greeted with an arrest made for the serial killer who happens to be our male lead and then we are transported back to three months prior. They ensured that they were able to clearly highlight that our male lead was indeed a pushover nice guy that lacked a backbone, but interesting enough his choice of decor and interests didn’t mirror this. As for our female lead, I definitely see how she is hardworking and there’s something innately charming about In Sung, that for sure will have you sympathizing with her character all the way through. Even if shit inevitably hits the fan and she fucks something up, I imagine that I won’t be getting very upset with her for long throughout this drama. And then we have the actual psychopath played by Park Sung Hoon and I actually feel a sense of appreciation that they made him seem so charismatic because a lot of psychopath as history has shown, tend to be just that.
The pacing of the drama is a little bit slow so far and the plot is a little bit in-cohesive, but I trust that they may sort that out. I did find myself wanting to know more about the motivations of the serial killer and hope to see more glimpses of that. There is a hint of comedy and seriousness that I think are complimentary at times, but takes away the feeling of this being a thriller. For example, the scene in the second episode where they are in the restaurant and he is attacked by the gangsters, I couldn’t help but find it hilarious when he’s threatening to pour the hot oil down the gangster’s throat. Matter of fact, now that I think about it, the scenes where Dong Shik is supposedly tapping into his “psychopath blood”, are stupidly funny. Maybe it is because we as the audience, know he’s not this person so it rightfully feels inauthentic. I do feel like In Sung and Shi Yoon, have a good repertoire between them and that makes their scenes the ones I look forward to the most. I will not be actively watching this one as it strikes me as more of a “binge when completed drama”. I definitely do intend on completing it though, because I have so many questions that I need answered.
A story about first love and romances from the perspective of three couples in the workplace. It follows an independent young woman brimming with potential who crosses paths with a black-bellied boss.
Because of the prosperous meaning behind her name, Xing Yun is recruited by Xia Ke to work at his gaming company. He is determined and headstrong, a son who refused to take over the family business and chose to make it on his own. In her journey from a sketch artist to a gaming designer, she experiences many extremes and jumps many hurdles in dealing with her black-bellied boss. Their continuous bickering brings them closer and the girl who has never been in love before finds that the last hurdle is love.
MYDRAMALIST
This review is seriously overdue mainly because I straight up devoured and binged 16 episodes straight when this was just released before it was even on Viki and then decided to wait until it was on Viki because I was too lazy to watch on my laptop anymore. From that point onwards, I was like in a constant state of “should I, or shouldn’t I finish this drama.” I then proceeded to watch until episode 21 one day and finished up last night while gorging on a bottle of pinot noir. So let’s get into it! LIGHT SPOILERS BELOW.
As you all know by my Ruled By Venus post, I am enamored with Bai Lu. I find her to be a very promising actress and I have liked pretty much everything she has been in that I have seen so it should come to you as no surprise that I decided to pick up this drama. What did come as a surprise was how much I genuinely enjoyed it, even with its cliched and simplistic storyline. I guess that can be attributed to good chemistry with the cast.
This was a very cute, sweet and uncomplicated drama. The story was extremely easy to follow with no major issue lasting more than three episodes. I actually believe that this story had so many parts that I don’t really think was necessary for the development of the story, but it is what it is. The idea of Xing Yin needing to experience romance in order to do these game instances was comical to me. My favorite moments were when Xing Yun would scold Xia Ke about how as a couple they shouldn’t keep secrets and communicate with each. I feel like the last four episodes were a bit unnecessary and the issue of the investment was very drawn out. Matter of fact, I know I don’t know much about business, but like he’s filthy fucking rich as we are told in the later episodes, could he not invest his own money?
Story aside, we had a range of typical characters, but we had a cast that did wonderful in making you enjoy each of them. I admit that this is my second time seeing Zhao Lin, but I don’t have much comparison because in the drama I first saw him in, his character was very similar. However, Xia Ke, as stubborn and egotistical and patriarchal as he was, still had his cute moments; namely whenever he was around Xing Yun. Xing Yun, was a sweet, headstrong woman and I didn’t find her irritating at all. Well actually that one time she tried that self-sacrificing and fake dating bullshit. I thought his sister was sweet and the actress reminds me of Bai Bai He and I think they should be sisters in a drama. He Yu was kinda annoying if I’m being honest, but still cute. I LOVED Yao Qing!! I loved that she was this bad ass bitch and she knew her worth and what she stood for and that even though she love Xia Ke, she never tried any dirty underhand means to get him. I also liked Xing Yun’s female coworkers because I adore female friendships. I liked that they played a sort of devil and angel roles in offering advice to her.
Highlight of the drama was the romance. We had Shen Qing/Chu Nan, Yao Qing/He Yu, and Xing Yun/Xia Ke. I didn’t really care much about Shen Qing and Chu Nan’s because like Chu Nan treated Xing Yun as shit and I don’t play that so..NEXT. Which brings us to Yao Qing and He Yu! Like I said, I found Yao Qing, extremely likable and to be honest, I saw her and He Yu becoming a thing, happening from a mile away. Seriously what is is with cdramas and having the second leads suddenly fall in love with each other? Anyways, I didn’t think they were necessarily believable as a couple and probably would’ve been more charming had they gone the “let’s just hook up continuously and see what happens” route vs He Yu suddenly loving her. Yea Yea, apparently he just never noticed until they hooked up. Whatever. Moving on to XIA KE AND XING YUN. I’m going to be honest, I enjoyed them a lot and they’re literally the sole reason I will likely rewatch this drama. I like that we saw how much Xing Yun had changed Xia Ke. I appreciated their cute moments. And even when they got together, I wasn’t bored and thank God we didn’t have them break up from a stupid misunderstanding because lord knows there were a lot of them. My heart almost dropped when I saw her about to walk away with the cat incident, but when she turned around and took the keys!!! SLAY QUEEN!!! It’s a good thing that Xing Yun is so loyal and also a petty queen. We HAD TO STAN. The only thing I really disliked about the romance other than Bai Lu’s crappy wig, was them having a joint wedding with Yao Qing and He Yu. I WOULD LITERALLY NEVER. I DON’T CARE THAT SHE MADE AN OATH IN THE TEMPLE. FUCK THAT NOISE. OVER MY DEAD BODY.
So anyways, if you’re in the mood for something sweet, nonsensical, light. fluffy and binge-worthy then give this a go. I genuinely would recommend this as a pick me up after watching anything very angsty or if you’re in the mood for romance. If nothing else, you will definitely stick around for the kisses and skinship! Hehehhe.
Happy Thanksgiving to those that celebrate!! What would Thanksgiving be without food? Just a day of shopping, am I right? But who wants that?! My favorite part is the food. So, that’s what the inspiration for this last installment . Here is the Thanksgiving Menu with Dramas!
THE MAIN DISH – TURKEY
THE HEIRS
The Turkey is the staple of the meal. It’s usually what most have on their table. And Heirs is that drama that gets a lot of people into dramas. It’s really the staple in modern dramas. It can come across as a little dry at times, just like some people’s birds. But I think it’s the assemble cast that really gives this the flavor boost to be the center piece of the meal.
SIDE DISH – MASH POTATOES
HEALER
Healer, just like mash potatoes, is hearty and addictive. The plot is thick with twists and turns. But it isn’t muddled. At first this seemed like it was going to be boring and generic, but each bite (episode) kept you going back for second helpings. Also helped that Ji Chang Wook is super yummy.
SIDE DISH – GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
A KOREAN ODYSSEY
This one was a little unconventional, because this isn’t a normal dish in my household but when I did have it, I was all down for it. And that’s basically Korean Odyssey for me. When I watched, I was loving this from the first taste. But it was when I was stuffed, they kept force feeding me and the taste (plot) went sour. And by the end, it just left a weird after taste. There are times when I think of this show fondly, just like GBC, but it won’t be one I go into right away.
SIDE DISH – CORN SOUFFLE
SHOPPING KING LOUIE
Corny with the capital C. But oh so tasty just like this dish. The corn souffle is made with things we have around but when it comes together, your mouth is hit with a pleasant surprise. That is what this show was. The plot were things we expect with a Korean Drama but all together it had a level of corniness that just worked. Rich man, poor girl, amnesia, crazy family. All of it and it’s great!
DESSERT – APPLE PIE
ROMANCE IS A BONUS BOOK
Apple pie is warm and familiar. It is the quintessential dessert for the holiday season, and that is the exact feelings I got when I watched this drama. Just the same way that Cha Eun Ho and Kang Dan-i were old friends and comfortable with each other, it’s the same way Apple Pie is. Every episode made me feel warm and happy. It was sweet and sometimes a little tart. The perfect ending to a meal.
Thank you for joining us in this journey this month. From our families to yours, Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!
This has easily been one of the most lukewarm years musically for KPOP. Day after day, I have found the light and love that I had for this genre diminishing into nothing. I can barely recall most of this year’s releases. With that being said, I guess I didn’t realize how much I missed EXO and that a bit of my nonchalance towards KPOP was due in part to how empty I felt without them. Granted, we still had the subunits and the solos and SUPER-M, but I guess I was really just craving seeing all of them together again. It was difficult seeing Minseok and Kyungsoo leave. Not to mention the lack of Yixing for understandable reasons. Even while the teasers were dropping, I will admit that after the first one, I was still not feeling KPOP and I thought to myself, “well shit, if an EXO comeback can’t get me excited about KPOP then maybe my time here is done.”
When I woke up this morning, I saw the news of Godfrey Gao’s passing and I didn’t think that I would be able to enjoy EXO’s release because that incident was now weighing heavy on my heart. Especially since I literally closed out the tab for Gravity of a Rainbow last night and said I was going to add it to my watch list for after Royal Nirvana and Joy of Life. *SOBBING* But I’ve been trying this thing with grieving where I try to focus on things that make me happy so I am not overwhelmed and thankfully Obsession was the perfect solution.
I feel the need to state a disclaimer to say that I am no music expert and I don’t claim to be one. I didn’t study music theory or any of that shit. I am a consumer and I like what I like. End of.
OBSESSION BY EXO [ALBUM
AND M/V REVIEW]
Title: OBSESSION -The 6th Album Artist: EXO Label: SM Entertainment Release: November 27, 2019
Obsession – Title Track
Heheh. Did I listen to the leak when it dropped? You bet! Seriously at this point I am inclined to think that SM just be leaking they own shit. HOW DOES IT HAPPEN SO OFTEN?? Anyways, all my mutuals who heard the leak before me said that it was terrible and I was nervous. Now I’m not going to lie, the first few seconds threw me off and I thought that maybe this was actually a NCT song, but after the initial listen, I found that I genuinely like this song. When I say genuinely I mean it and not in a stockholm syndrome sense. Now when I saw the music video??? Take that like and put it on a thousand. STRAIGHT FIRE AND FUCKING FLAMES. The visuals from the MV are marvelous. The boys look insanely attractive. The choreo is strong, sexy, vibrant and makes me wet. Sorry not sorry. This doesn’t feel like a typical EXO release to me. I have rewatched this MV so many times and notice something different each time. The ending where they break their necks and bring back the clones.. fffffuck. The only thing that makes me sad is that I know Minseok and Kyungsoo would’ve ate this shit upppppp!!
B-Sides
Trouble
The vocal layering on this song is so good. I love the way Junmyeon’s voice sounds so silky too. Good feels bad and bad feels good. Y’all think you’re in trouble? BITCH I AM IN TROUBLE. I heard the trap reggae that SM hinted at in the song description during Chanhun’s rap. It doesn’t overpower the song, smart move. (9.5/10)
Jekyll
The bass and beat on this track is actually quite sickening. The chanting for the chorus reminds me of a NCT-esque type approach. This is such a haunting sound and fits into the whole concept of this album. I hear some elements that I really like. I feel an eventual grower with this one. (8.5/10)
Groove
Is there a better way to describe this other than Groovy? Because I am struggling. It feels like a nice song to grind to with a bit of a Latin flare. I absolutely love from 2:44 until the end. (8/10)
Ya Ya Ya
I just wanted to let you know that EXO said BLACK LIVES MATTER. They came in with that SWV sample and ate that shit right up. This is grown folks music and grown folks business. You don’t even understand!!! This is fucking awesome. Like I don’t wanna claim favorites because it has only been day one, but THIS ONE RIGHT HEREEEEEEEE. Haven’t heard a breakdown that didn’t annoy me in a long time. Ugh I am OBSESSED. Please promote this as the bside. (10/10)
Baby You Are
Compared to the other tracks, this one seemed to remind me the most of a typical EXO song. Which is by far not a bad thing, remember how I said I have been missing old KPOP? The strings on the chorus reminds me of a light rock sound that we used to hear a lot of in the early 2000s alternate songs. (7.5/10)
Non Stop
This is another classic kind of sound and kind of reminds a bit of Blooming Days‘ long lost cousin on his father’s side. It is definitely a vibe that I can dig. Subtle use of these fresh sounds with the trumpets and not sounding annoying, is a talent, truly. I feel the need to do a little Uptown Funk when this one comes on. (7/10)
Day After Day
I don’t know what the lyrics are saying, other than what I am able to pick up on and I just wanna say that this is that “text your toxic ex and say you miss them” music. Why do their vocals sound so destructive to my uterus? EXPLAIN. EXPLAIN. We know that I am a boring person and so yeah, I am eating this shit all the way UPPP. (9/10)
Butterfly Effect
This was the only song that I had to immediately replay my first listen. It also helped that it was the last song cause then I could do this guilt free. Baekhyun is my r&b king and I thank him every day. Yes, I am the angel of your lives! Don’t forget it boys. I feel the trans-formative nature of both the songs and the lyrics. (9.5/10)
Final Thoughts
Of course as time goes on my opinions are likely to change, but I doubt it will by much. As expected when it comes to EXO there’s never anything less than sheer talent. One of the most vocally cohesive boy groups that currently exist. A standout for me on the album was by far Junmyeon; I enjoyed hearing more of him. Each song evokes a different feeling. The exo vs x-exo was very apparent in the stylistic choices. With an album like this surely there is something for everyone. I know I say that every EXO album has no skips, but this one truly has none. Not to be dramatic but EXO truly saved KPOP for me because I was just about done with it all. Below are some of my favorite tweets!
Let the fall babies unite! ITS MY BIRTHDAY BABY! The precious only child of my parents arrived into this world miraculously on this day some years ago. I am one of those people who freaking loves their birthday. I love the attention, gifts, food. Even when I have to share the day with Thanksgiving, I’m all about the thankful celebration of ME! As I get older, the celebrations are a little less extravagant but none the less, it’s one of my favorite days in the world.
Now to piggy back off of Sugar Baby, I want to highlight some of my favorite Sagittarius’ who light the world on fire 🔥
Park Chanyeol – November 27, 1992
He has been my ultimate since I’ve gotten into this whole k-pop world and I don’t see that changing any time soon. He basically is everything that I love about being a Sagittarius. He’s driven but free spirited. EXO wouldn’t be the group they are without the energy that he brings to the table. Doesn’t hurt that he’s sooooooo attractive. It’s me and this big baby Yoda to the end.
Park Seo Joon – December 16, 1988
Talk about amazing on the screen. His acting ability and his genuine personality comes across 100%. I love him so much that I can forgive that he’s a December Sagittarius. But in all seriousness, he makes me fall for his characters even when I know I shouldn’t. Yes, I’m talking about you She Was Pretty. He makes me swoon and know there are still good men in the world.
Jang Young Nam – November 25, 1973
Birthday twin!!! I will admit, it was hard finding people for this but when I saw that me and Young Nam share a day, I knew she had to join the list. Talk about a scene stealer. She has been my favorite in every drama I’ve watched her in and there is something comfortable about her that I love. My soul sister.
Gray – December 8, 1986
Again, it was hard to narrow down my Sags, but I knew I had to list my boy Gray. I mean, his name alone gives me chills. Almost every banger he’s produced has touched me in some way. And the creativity… that’s Sagittarius culture all the way. AND he’s the year of the tiger? Soulmate.
Ma Hoon, Young-soo, and Do Joon are Joseon’s most successful marriage agency called Flower Crew and also known for their handsome features. Lee Soo, a blacksmith’s son, wanted to marry his friend Gae-ttong, a wild and carefree girl, and requested Flower Crew to help him arrange the marriage. However, Ma Hoon, the leader of Flower Crew, rejected him continuously until he finally sees Lee Soo’s genuine heart for Gae-ttong and agreed to arrange their marriage. On the marriage day, Lee Soo was captured and selected as the King of Joseon all of a sudden. How will the Flower Crew handle this crisis and what will happen to Gae-ttong and Lee Soo’s marriage?
WIKIPEDIA
Listen up y’all, I have a disease.. It is known as “finishing dramas syndrome.” This tends to flair up typically when I have somehow managed to keep up and watch a drama every week or binge three-quarters of a drama, but then when it gets to the last 2-4 episodes, the motivation to finish disappears. Is this something that I can blame on my zodiac sign? I swore I read somewhere that Libras have tiny attention spans. The reason I am mentioning this is because although I was literally on par and watching Flower Crew every week, I somehow did not finish the last four episodes until a hour ago. So yeah, at this point the reviews on this drama have probably been completed but here is mine! Mwah!
I started this drama because I was missing Kim Min Jae. Yep, that was the reason I decided to give this drama a chance. The plot didn’t particularly sound appealing but I’ve been so lost in the Chinese historical drama world that I decided that this Korean drama could be a welcome change while still feeding my hunger. LOL IKR WTF WAS I THINKING. I thought that with Min Jae, I could make it through anything, even if I didn’t make it through Goblin, Hit The Top, or Tempted. Mmm maybe he picks shitty scripts? I dunno. Add Seungyeon as the lead and I thought at the very least, the acting would be decent because they’re both very capable young actors. Thus, I set out on my journey with this drama.
While I didn’t find the first few episodes to be atrocious, I did find them a tad boring and not like what I thought this drama was supposed to be. That being said, I wasn’t immediately turned off and kept watching. This was also due to my innate need to be petty and continue this drama because all the Seo Ji Hoon stans were mad that Min Jae was the lead. Ji Hoon did look sexy as fuck as the locksmith, so I can understand.
However, after those first 4-6 episodes………..
I have said previously that I am a fan of messy plots as long as they are entertaining. The problem here isn’t that it is necessarily a messy plot, but rather something that manage to be stagnant and arduous. There was the overarching theme/storyline that we know is there, but we’re riddled with so many other things that even though it all connects, I am just left with a feeling of why should I give a fuck. And sure enough a fuck I did not give. It sucks to say, but this is straight up fifteen episodes of buildup with a shitty unsatisfactory payoff. The tensions of the political aspect was never felt. I never felt like there was any fear in anything and I felt that maybe the writer wanted there to be more than sixteen episodes? There was this idea of “a marriage case per episode” that I found interesting, but then that disappeared. It was like everything was expected to be serious and not serious. But honestly, that is to be expected considering they literally had a scene where they played ‘It’s Me (Pick Me)’ and the women were ‘auditioning’ to join the crew.
I am having a hard time figuring out what the saving grace for this drama is. A part of me wants to say it is the romance, but I am not completely convinced. Like in the moment the scenes were all great and romantic, and I think it was due in part to the chemistry between Seungyeon and Min Jae, but it wasn’t particularly memorable. I also didn’t like the constant miscommunication between them. To me, it was so contradicting to see Gae Tong, not just tell Ma Hoon, “Yo! I wanna be a noble lady for my brother, not Soo!” I know that she didn’t tell him sooner cause she thought he would send her home, but like that was definitely contradicting to what we’ve seen of her personality. Oh silly me, I forgot that women become timid, fragile, babies when we fall in love.
Since it’s not the romance then surely it must be the characters, right? RIGHT. Yeah no.. Definitely wasn’t that at all. While everyone did a good job with what they were given, I cannot stand dramas that try to come off as modern and progressive with their female characters because that ends up being the complete opposite. We have our female lead who got coerce into this marriage with her childhood sweetheart simply because he was there and like family. She then moves on to fall in love with a guy who was nice to her, maybe four times. There was Ji Hwa , who honestly could’ve been so much more than they designated her to, and I even thought they were going to do that, but talk about zero character growth. And of course, the Queen Dowager was a moron and the palace maid who died for no reason, but to increase Soo’s man pain. I won’t give a thesis lecture on the issues with the portrayal of the females in this drama, but like if you wanna be tropey, stick with being tropey and don’t try to do something else because it comes off as insincere.
I suppose now we’re left with the music and I mean, that was about as expected. A few songs stayed in my mind after each episode, but that’s because of stockholm syndrome. After completing all sixteen episodes, I just felt relief that it was finally over and maybe I can see Min Jae and Seungyeon again in something else.
Story: 6/10 Acting: 7/10 Music: 7.5/10 Rewatch Value: 6.5/10 Overall: 6.5/10 Fave Song:Â With You – Maktub
