Boy, real life is stranger than k-dramas.
South Korea's largest K-pop company, Hybe, said Thursday it will file a complaint against executives of its sub-label ADOR, including CEO Min Hee-jin, on charges of breach of trust and other offenses (including mismanagement of using a shaman to make business decisions.) The move comes amid a widening conflict between the two sides over an alleged attempt by Min and others to take over control of the subsidiary company. Min has denied the allegations and countered by accusing Hybe of copying NewJeans' main concept and choreography for a new rookie girl group. Hybe said it has secured evidence supporting its claim that the ADOR management plotted to seize control of it under Min's initiative since it began conducting an audit of the label Monday. The audit targets were found to have discussed "terminating contracts with NewJeans," Hybe said. Later, Min had a rambling press conference to refute the allegations, claiming much of Hybe said was out of context jokes and retaliation for raising concerns about the other Hybe groups copying her NewJeans group concepts, which in itself is odd since they are all under one corporate umbrella. And to be honest, all female k-pop groups look and act pretty much the same.

If this sounds like FIFTY-FIFTY Part 2, you are partially correct. That case involved third party contractors attempting to poach global group FIFTY-FIFTY away from its small music agency. The ADOR case appears to allege that the sub-label CEO was conspiring to break the label away from Hybe, terminating NewJeans exclusive contract with Hybe then going independent with Min’s group. This is another example of managers getting greedy and companies being overly possessive of their talent. Once again, caught in the adult crossfire are the members of NewJeans who did nothing wrong according to current news reports. This gets messy because Hybe is taking the playbook of publicly releasing its story and dirty laundry to Dispatch to gather support and sympathy from the public.

I read the webtoons Again My Life & The Uncanny Counter to compare them to the dramas. I also rewatched the dramas (or parts of them) and overall, I liked the changes made for the dramas.

For AML, they simplified things, added more humor or modernized it but it's honestly not drastically different in the grand scheme of things (until talking about the grim reaper assistant & all that haha). I *think* they added Hee Woo's MMA career solely/mainly because of Lee Joon Gi because that's not a thing in the webtoon (even though Hee Woo does end up learning martial arts/self defense due to being bullied). I didn't realize or maybe I just didn't remember how even the guys in his orbit were enamored with him (in the drama) haha. Both guys proposed to him haha (even if they're joking). If it weren't for the show, I wouldn't have read the webtoon & if it weren't for Joon Gi, I might not have watched the drama cause all the business stuff bores me, goes over my head, etc. One change for the drama was them pairing Hee Woo & Hee Ah in the end. That was unnecessary and forced (in my opinion even though he called her woman to Han Mi meaning he saw her differently at least compared to Han Mi) and wasn't what happened in the original. Even though EVERYONE is interested in him, Hee Woo isn't romantically interested in anyone.

For TCC, the drama has WAY less violence or maybe I should say "graphic" violence. I mean I've read way more graphic webtoons but considering the drama, I was surprised by what actually happened in the original. This doesn't happen in the webtoon either but I was always kinda confused how So Mun didn't end up gaining healer abilities since the cast said he had everyone's powers. Well, even without it, he's SUPER powerful (both in the drama & webtoon). I liked that they let him graduate high school in the drama.

Hi

lunch break in a moment.
I am really pi**ed at old geezers theyall make these sounds, it is like an effin orchestra, there are ten of them in the news room now and I just can´t even. should record and do a remix. There was a band called Noisy nation once? Noisy Nation Reprise...

we had a WTF winter moment, woke up one day with around 80cm of snow, looked out the window, all cars were gone LOL. Tallinn Snow even trended on X and everyone was like "why????" bc the sahara sand had JUST brought +22C

what else... I thought I ordered a CD but what arrived was LP, now what. I dont have an LP player. ok lunchtime

I saw a video about how rookies are being cast in dramas more nowadays because it lowers production costs (and has the added benefits if giving rookies opportunties, experience, and exposure). It made me think of how (a) people kept commenting on the female lead of Love Song for Illusion wasn't "qualified" or good enough for her role (I think they said it was her first role) even though that project didn't seem particularly high stakes. I mean I *think* the biggest name in the cast was Park Jihoon and he mainly had recognition from Weak Hero Class 1. His brand recognition did its job for the most part. (B) people here often say they're put off a drama because of rookie leads/cast.

The video also mentioned that top stars' salaries/appearance fees take up a HUGE portion of the production budget compared to other countries.

So who else is heaving a sigh of relief that it is the finale week for Queen of Tears.

On HYBE vs MHJ,

I’m not going to judge on who the villain is, but … their stances they showed to the public are very enjoyable to watch since I’m so interested in things like PR and HR. For me, HYBE won my respect because despite stating that they are the one who is being betrayed, through their press release they are not playing victim and asking for sympathy but instead appear powerful, unshaken, and classy as they should be as one of the biggest ent. company in SK.

MHJ on other hand throw a massive pity party with her press confrence. I’m not very sure if it was her strategy to appear stressed and beaten or she is actually having mental breakdown which is more than possible given her situation no matter whether she is lying or telling the truth, either way, it made her looks unreliable as CEO even more as “Mother” of less than 20 years old kids. Who is in the right mind will give their kids being taken care of by her after the way she presented herself on that press con? She is not a good influencer for anyone especially young souls. What really turned me off also the fact that she used those young kids and their families as tools to gain supports by keep mentioning them. That is very cowardice of her. She is no protector for them.

Thank you @ladykrueger for the OTP couple name for the Carry Sun-Jae and Run leads.

#SunSol have my whole heart.

Pale version of Joo Won or not I have to attend Seo Ki-joo's birthday party on Monday. Is it his 35th birthday or 36th!? The subtitles keep confusing me.

Happy Friday, Beanies! Hope you had a better – and less rainy – week than I did. Today we don't really have a theme, so it will be a bit of everything in terms of music. LYN did promise to stream again in a few days, so maybe next time I'll give you something really cohesive and fun... maybe not, I'm so lazy and uninspired these days – too much humidity in the air, my brain is molding(((

First of all, we missed some OSTs (keep 'em coming, boy!) - like this one for SWORD AND FAIRY1 remake. I recall he also sang for another installment of this earlier this year... and I liked neither song lol – he's too good for this kind of generic weepy ballad thank heavens he's not a k-artist or 90% of his OSTs would've been like that, but not every song MUST be an unique banger, I guess. MV version – wow, Tencent finally learned not to cut his songs? Finally! Is that from-zero-to-hero fiancée of Shen Li?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O22GlCqRMZk

Lyrics version with subs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsmD_xIKFzk

Next is the most recent one - “Dawn” from currently airing Republican spy drama IN THE NAME OF THE BROTHER, which is far more memorable and exciting. I like the genre fitting doomed vibe and retro sound – he's really good at it, isn't he? Couldn't find any subs, so here's an MV in all its typically depressive and bloody glory:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN29qMHY5zs

While we're still at it, another propaganda song – if I understood correctly, it's him covering an old hit for some anniversary, perhaps party-related... Anyway, it's still pretty listenable. Song title is “Hometown in clouds” or so – I'm likely quite close, if MV is any indication:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQaDmjPDGzw

I feel like the theme for today slowly shapes itself – sad/sentimental ballads lol. It wasn't intentional, I swear! Anyway, here's some oldie – from drama TO LOVE – hello, another familiar face from TLOSL! One more and we'll get a whole reunion party))) I'm a little conflicted about this track – it's somewhere between nice and too angsty, but not entirely in either aspect... I've always had complicated relationship with violin *sigh * MV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bErpybeXYA

Lyrics with subs – omg, it's a confession/proposal song, no wonder it made me feel uneasy)))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyhhxpL4FAo

Just found out that Seo Yea-ji has an IG account now. @yeyeji_seo

QoT has reminded me of my private category of dramas-which-are-flawed But have-one-amazing-episode. The best example is episode four in Her Private Life. They go to visit an artist, get soaking wet, have to stay overnight, and the ML really looks at the FL for the first time and we can see the crush. Episode four is almost be a standalone play. There is a journey, a secret revealed, hidden love, longing, and a poetic script. Lovely restrained acting by the leads. The rest of the drama starts well, but then becomes a layered birth secret makjang mess, leaving episode four as a shining bright star in the muck.
QoT is vying for a spot on the list, there are lots of issues with the narrative as a whole, but I will always be fond of episode ten. HI tells ES to go jump, while defending HW. All to a background of rippling water and Jaws-reminiscent music. It's a strong declaration of love that suprises everyone within the drama, and leaves me cheering. QoT still has two episodes to redeem itself, hopefully episode ten will not be the only bright spot.
Does anyone else have favourite episodes? Not those dramas that are good all the way through, and you have to decide what is your favourite bit. But dramas where you say " I'm glad I watched it just so I could see that part, even though the rest of it dragged"

CLIFFNOTES FROM 9TAILEDVIXEN'S TRAVELS:

1. Asian Artists Anyone?

I've been soaking up a TONNE of art as part of my sabbatical travels and discovered Matthew Wong (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/05/16/matthew-wongs-life-in-light-and-shadow) whose paintings just spoke to my soul so deeply and viscerally that my jaw dropped when I first saw them. Sadly, Wong died by suicide in 2019 at just 35 years old.

Now that I've discovered Wong, I will be on the lookout for the work of Asian contemporary artists to see if there is anyone else whose art will resonate with me. Any recommendations from Beanies are most welcome!

2. Korean Women's News

(a) The Dire State of Women’s Rights in North Korea

While the country espouses an official commitment to gender equality, the reality for women is one of discrimination and limited opportunities.

https://thediplomat.com/2024/04/the-dire-state-of-womens-rights-in-north-korea/

(b) How North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is using the rise of women to maintain his grip on power

North Korea has always been a deeply patriarchal society, but experts say that a growing number of women in the country are less interested in marriage, and are more focused on money — especially new ways to make it.

Faced with crippling sanctions and left reeling after natural disasters and famine, many North Korean women decided to stop relying on the state and start taking care of themselves and their families.

Their slow rise left Kim with two choices: Crush the movement, or use it to his regime's advantage.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-26/north-korea-rise-of-women/103115408

(c) Korea has most 'skinny fat' young women: report

South Korea has the highest percentage of "skinny fat” women in their 20s out of 17 countries surveyed, according to a report. Data collected between January 2018 and December 2022 showed 15.8 percent of South Korean women in their 20s fall within this category.

The report attributed restrictive diets without strength training as the primary catalysts for the prevalence of skinny fat young women in South Korea. Such dietary patterns can lead to muscle loss, ultimately lowering one's basal metabolic rate, or calories burnt, and making it easier to gain weight in the long run.

Citing the pressure to be thin -- particularly among young women -- in South Korea, the report further talked about the role of social norms in fostering an unhealthy diet and exercise habits.

https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240404050582

HI open thread! @lapislazulii had a great idea to post music that reminds you of the OTP or throwback to 2008 or anything else that may be related to Lovely Runner--the very cute, very addictive, very heart-fluttering-- show that has taken the Beanie fan pages by storm (and also my secretary's computer wallpaper). I have been basking in the smiles and dimples of Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon and little musical snippets playing in my head when I see them as well. So, go over to your Beanie fan wall and post any music you might think is appropriate and we will put together a "Lovely Runner" playlist! Please hashtag #lovelyrunnerPL so we can find your songs! Doesn't that sound fun???

Hi, beanies de mi corazón. 💚
I hope you had a great week.

This week I rewatched Innocent Man.

I've watched this show three times already, but I never thought of it as a good or interesting drama, just a fun one. However, this time I was able to appreciate a lot of things from it: The characters are complex, the dialogue is meaningful, and the BGM is always on point. 😆

I'm actually shocked at how much I want to talk about this story and characters with my friends, because I feel like it's been a while since I've found characters interesting enough to actually listen to them.

These days, all I do is skip scenes. It kinda feels like the individuals that aren't the main characters have nothing to say (sometimes even the main leads don't have much to say). Especially villains. They have become a challenge to watch most of their scenes. They feel like pointless homework.

But Innocent Man made me want to listen to the story of every character in the show. And it made me think with every little thing they said.

I think only two shows have done that this year so far. TMTYLM and Sand Flowers.

Tell Me That You Love Me, Like Flowers in Sand, and Innocent Man are very different, but the characters were... alive.

But the particular thing about Innocent Man that caught my attention, is how awful the characters in this show are. LOL

ALL the main characters are a mess, but the show still it possible to tell their stories and it made me care for them.
So I just wonder why other shows can't do that.

Why is it so hard to make villains interesting? why can't we have side characters that feel natural and part of the story? and why is it necessary to make the main leads perfect?

I remember thinking that Ma Ru (the ML) was an idiot for always going back to save and protect Jae Hee (SFL), the person that ruined his life and abandoned him. But when I was watching Marry My Husband I couldn't stop thinking how is it so easy for the FL to take revenge on someone she used to love so much? How is it that she never hesitates or feels conflicted about things?

I didn't really feel that connection that she was supposed to have with this best friend that manipulated her for an entire life time. On the other hand, Ma Ru had such a hard time getting out of that toxic relationship and his revenge was completely unsuccessful.

It was very relatable to see how his hate for someone that he loved was only hurting him more. And how instead of revenge, putting distance between them is what really helped Ma Ru cut her out of his life.

And I'm not even going to talk about Jae Hee because she's by far the most interesting villain I've seen in years. If I start I'll talk all day about her. LOL

Anyway, maybe I was just exhausted of the same people and same stories over and over again, so Innocent Man seemed a little too good in a rewatch, but even if it isn't a masterpiece or wtv, it was a show that had characters with a story...

After trying for weeks, I finally fell for the charm of Shōgun (I just needed to push through ep1, apparently ahah), so I'm now already halfway and enjoying it a lot!
What is not charming for me is the British guy: I find him to be a lacking actor compared to the main Japanese cast he often interacts with.
I thought maybe I'm just too used to asian dramas and he feels out of place because of that xD
But then I looked him up and saw he played opposite Dakota Johnson in the recent movie version of Persuasion, on Netflix, and realized I did not like him there either.
Just me? 😅

DB Staff- perfect choice for photo!!

Ah sequels. You may or may not know that I am a fan of Weak Hero Class 1 and I've even read the webtoon. Because I like and know of the story, I've been anticipating the second season HOWEVER the more time that passes, the more nervous I get about the end result. Will it at least be able to match S1?

I've seen 2 sequel series and some of a 3rd and all failed to match up to their first seasons (I think they were still considered successful but still)

I'll start with the one that I think was the most successful and that I know has a 3rd season in the works: Taxi Driver. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the 2nd season or think it's bad that it's getting a 3rd season because I think it's kinda cathartic seeing Do Ki and the rainbow taxi crew helping the desperate but even with how record breaking (I think it broke records) it was, it pales compares to S1. Some say it's cause of the big bad being an over aching villian who was related to the cases. I didn't mind that so I can't say much on it. For me, I think it was the tone (maybe) and resolutions. I think the show more comedic than S1 because the characters are in a healthier mindspace so the show is a little lighter. Again, not necessarily bad but I think apart of S1's appeal was a certain grittiness. I could be wrong. Next, resolutions. S1 had the bad guys unlawfully imprisoned (some were killed I think) and then legally imprisoned. S2 had one episode where a guy is left obsessively searching for money near land mines so I guess we're suppose to assume he eventually gets blown up? Another guy was left in a trash heap. I think Do Ki had a bit of a Batman/Joker dynamic with the bad guy. All that to say, the vibes were certainly different haha

D.P.'s 2nd season is largely forgettable aside from ONE case and the actor's performance. I think this was the actor's first drama since he usually does musicals. The 2nd covered the same topic and *tries* to give some commentary on how perspective can affect things as well as some conclusion and yet, it just didn't land as well as S1 (except for 1 case). It was only that one episode and we got a whole heartbreaking journey which felt like it was removed from the actual show.

The uncanny counter S2 actually followed much of its source material just like S1 and yet, it was somehow missing the heart, humor, and development of previous season. I think it was alot going in, a little bit of time, and more focus on the visual effects such as the telekinesis (which again IS a big skill set the counters & evil spirits all use in the webtoon). I don't think the show is *bad* but again, it just somehow lacks in comparison.

It makes me wonder how Weak Hero Class 2 will do because it's more characters and expectations for it.

Happy Friday!!
Have been thinking about age gap dramas all year. So many shows coming up with Noona age gaps. Then I saw this article in Soompi.

"The noona romance, a popular sub-genre, is gaining momentum as dramas that depict older woman being wooed by a much younger man give us some heart-fluttering love stories. The age-disparate relationships use the trope to address different kinds of issues and topics."

https://www.soompi.com/article/1654115wpp/7-charming-noona-romances-to-binge-watch

What are your thoughts??
Do you prefer Ajusshi or Noona relationships in a drama?
How does the culture where you live feel about these kind of relationships?

For myself- looks are key. If either actor looks much younger or older than each other that won't work for me.
Yes yes- we all have opinions about Goblin. (she was too young) Any other shows that stand out- good or bad???
I dropped one earlier this year because of my "look" issue.
In my culture it is still common to see older men with younger women, but I rarely see the opposite.
I'm all for happiness and if they can find a great partner I'm for it.

Oh, one other Korean drama issue- Anything where guy is young and below military age, but women is older, is not believeable to me. Are they really going to wait around???

Have a great weekend!!!

Happy weekend Beanies and keep Beaning On!

Ever since Easter, which is a month ago, pneumonia has been terrorizing our family. My niece got ill, followed by my sister, followed by our mother and me since last week. One by one suffering from the same symptoms and receiving the same pneumonia diagnosis.😷

So, imagine my shock when, after listening to my lungs, my doctor tells me I do not have pneumonia. If not pneumonia, then what exactly? Don’t get me wrong, I am very relieved to hear this news, but the muscle cramping and high fever and the splitting headaches and the nearly coughing my head off, are not reassuring at all.🤔

“Just a very, very bad cold…” The doctor shrugs and prescribes me the same amount of medicine and house arrest as my pneumonia suffering relatives.🤯 My body seems to be overdramatic, because I have never heard of someone with a nasty cold suffering from pneumonia symptoms.😅

With 무교 (mugyo - Korean shamanism) being in the news in the Kpop management world, this is a useful short read:

https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/no-en/brd/m_21237/view.do?seq=141&srchFr=&srchTo=&am

I wonder how some Korean names get romanized. For example, Yoo Jae Seok's surname can be Yu or Yoo. Cho Byeong Gyu's name can also be Jo Byeong Kyu or Cho Byeong Gyu (and other variations).

이 can be romanized to Lee or Yi (which I realized during Twinkling Watermelon haha)

Lee "Jun" Young vs Lee "Joon" Gi

And there's many other examples.

Even though I knew Taxi Driver used real cases, I'm always so creeped out, appalled, and outraged to learn these cases featured in the show are the real deal and not made up for tv.

When I've commented about things that happened in dramas, someone on here was like "well it's only a drama and they exaggerate" but I've always felt dramas are reflective of society, particularly the darker side of society.

It kinda sucks that the badness that happens in a show like Vigilante happens everyday in reality but the vigilante part is the wish fulfullment fantasy.

Even the actors of Taxi Driver called the show a fantasy.

Does knowing that the cases are fictionalized versions of events take away some of the appeal of watching the show?