https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240816-seoul-breaks-118-year-record-with-26th-tropical-night-1

My interested article this week was about the tropical Seoul night when it was now broke the record with its 26th tropical night in a row (25 degrees celsius, 77 Fahrenheit) and marked the longest streak since modern weather observation began in 1907. Such Korean evenings are typically called tropical night. The intensified Seoul heat will continue to break records until probably next week. Last Monday, despite the 26th South Korean tropical night, the data from Korea Power Exchange showed that South Korea's electricity demand reached an all-time high with 102.3 gigawatts compared to August 2023's 100.6 gigawatts.

Language-interested Beanies: Did you ever have a scene in a kdrama that taught you a word in Korean in a super memorable way? That you’ve never forgotten afterward? I’ve learned loads of words from watching kdramas, but almost none stand out to me as much as this example from Live Up to Your Name (one of my favs). *light spoilers to follow* Im and Kyeong have just traveled back from Joseon times to the present, and she’s been injured. He rushes into the emergency room with her in his arms and yells until someone comes to help them (she is hopelessly embarrassed, as she is not in any danger of dying right at that moment), and the person tending to her asks him what his relationship with her is. Is he her boyfriend? “No no no no no” he quickly denies, and then pauses, blinks, and says, “아직은” - “Not yet”. Beanies, I died. And I have never forgotten it!

Weather - warm july - but not so much

Warm August - high high humidity - frustrating - high precipitation but not much rain -

Rain - BORING - i expected powerful rain - i expected powerful monsoon - but woah - it's rain - good rain - not the awesome, magnificent rainy season i expected.

not much floods - not much cloud burst - not much land slides -

what a boring season it turned out to be.

Seriously, monsoon what are you doing - show your beauty

I'm expecting something beautiful till 20 September

Happy Friday, Beanies! Also hello, Hakyeon)))

After 1.5 months, which felt like far longer tbh, LYN finally emerged online with new livestream. There was little music this time and even less seriousness – I don't think he was in any mood for that, having too much to talk about instead))) Hopefully we'll be compensated for it later – he promised us 2 albums (one mini in collaboration and one full solo) after wrapping up ADWAD somewhere mid-September. Troll energy was so strong that he even sorta blackmailed CICADA producers by claiming they sent him meh OST demos and thus he's not going to sing for that drama at all, for the first time in his entire career... Someone woke up and choose violence, I see)))

He did butcher a few songs for a good measure: first trying one from female artist in, I presume, original key, which understandably did not work (it's quite bad, I'm not gonna share it), then moving on to Cantonese repertoire with “Half moon serenade” (feat an attempt to use guitar as a violin because why not), which also ended prematurely, but at least he sounded more normal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWFZzehHA_Y

More Canto with a fitting titled “Rascal” - or at least a half of it, I'm pretty sure original version runs for 4+ minutes – before he moved on to scold fans for spamming him with pickup lines in different languages (notably English and Korean) because he's able to understand this much and make his lack of amusement known, heh. One of the few instances when I deeply regret not making a Weibo account years ago, it would've been so fun to join the party!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h5DPJhZF00

That's pretty much it - he did not make my job any easier. Alas, we have to move on to other, less fresh content. Like this old OST for GOD OF LOST FANTASY xuanhuan drama – I know nothing about the show, and lyrics don't help much either. Sounds gorgeous in epic and angsty way – right on money with “Breaking the fate” title. With utterly unhelpful subs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItGRI-45Rd0

Speaking of old OSTs – how about one for Japanese anime? Practice of recording “local release only” songs still feels very weird to me – some of them aren't even translated versions but new stuff entirely... That's some dedication. Anyway, he sang “Yesterday boy” for PENGUIN HIGHWAY, which looks sentimental AND zany in a way that only anime can be, plus sounds great. MV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJi3ouYP7qk

It even got a stage performance! Not sure what's worse – the raincoat or the monstrosity of turtleneck he's wearing underneath... Other than that, very cute ah, the fluffy cheeks, long time no see!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fclyj3yyoo8

And full version performance with lyrics – now I wonder if movie is a total tearjerker...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TH9reMgUx8

CLIFF NOTES FROM 9TAILEDVIXEN'S 2ND WEEK BACK AT WORK:

(a) Post-Sabbatical Week 2

I've been working steadily and making sure I finish work before 9pm most days. So the post-sabbatical bottleneck is gradually being whittled down to manageable levels and hopefully I'll be all caught up by the end of next week.

(b) Aerial Yoga

My wonky knee and ankle are still healing so I haven't been attending as many classes as I wanted to. I've kept it to Thursday morning class for the past couple of weeks because that instructor is wonderful at teaching beginners and she very helpfully focused on flows that accommodate my knee and ankle.

I can do cool inversion (upside down) poses now like hanging by my legs and doing a silks-assisted handstand before pulling myself up into a double hip-lock that safely suspends me mid-air.

(c) This Week in Korean Women's News

1. Educational rebalance could get more South Korean women working

The advance of women in South Korea has emerged from the country's heavy investment in education. As a result, girls now outperform boys on various educational metrics including college enrollment rates, which as of last year stood at 78% for girls and 74% for boys.

Yet South Korea still lags badly in gender equality, with its female labor market participation rate remaining considerably lower than that of other members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Educational-rebalance-could-get-more-South-Korean-women-working

2. The rise and fall of North Korea - the sleeping giant of women's football

Despite living standards being well behind most other nations, North Korea has been one of the strongest female football nations on the planet.

Their record at youth level is even better. In 2016, they won the U20 Women's World Cup, defeating Spain, the United States and France in the knockout rounds. That same year, their under-17 team also lifted their age-grade World Cup.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c4ngy9xjpzro

Friday open question re: Cdramas.

I've seen a number of mentions related to cdramas such as "...S+ Level drama". This ranking seems to have something to do with the quality of the production team on a drama? Does anyone have more information on this practice they'd like to share, or provide historic context for same?

With thanks in advance...

POSSIBLE UPCOMING SAGEUKS AND PERIOD DRAMAS
1. Apple TV+’s PACHINKO SEASON 2 (1945+). Airs: Aug. 23.
2. TVING’s QUEEN WOO. Airs: Aug. 29.
3. tvN’s JEONG NYEON. Airs: Oct. 12.
4. tvN’s WON GYEONG. Airs: Dec. ?
5. Channel A’s CHECK IN HANYANG. Airs: Dec. ?
6. TVING’s THE LOVE STORY OF CHOON HWA.
7. Netflix’s HONG RANG.
8. JTBC. THE TALE OF MRS. OK.
9. Disney+’s MURKEY WATER.
10. Disney+’s THE HOOLIGANS/LOW LIFE (1970s).
11. SERENADE/SARAENAEDAE.
12. HAESI’S SHINRU.
13. HANDWRITTEN/LITERALISM.
14. tvN’s MILJU.
15. SECRET MEMOIRS OF SUSEONG PALACE.
16. Netflix’s WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU TANGERINES.
17. MADE IN KOREA (1970s).
18. MBC’s THE SCENT OF PLUM BLOSSOMS.
19. DELUSION (Horror-1935, 1800s).
20. JTBC’s GOD’S BEADS.
21. SBS’s RETURN TO THE PALACE.
(Note: This list is totally unofficial and what I have picked up from the usual kdrama sources in english and generally in the order I became aware of them. Dates are from MyDramaList. As you see there is not much information for many of the dramas on the list. I probably have missed some. Feel free to add, amend or correct the above listing.)

I just saw BTS' Jimin's father signs autographs and even planned on holding a fanmeet? For himself just because he's Jimin's father?!

Wow, that is so... Korean? Asian? Is that offensive?
I just can't see something like that happening anywhere else. Like it's one thing to use your kid's fame and money but actually be treated as a mini/pseudo celebrity? It just makes me think of how the family is so interconnected in everything so when someone is "good" everyone is considered good and when someone is considered "bad" everyone is considered bad.

Jimin is a huge celebrity so his father becomes a celebrity? And folks are just okay with that?

@britney 's mention of celebrity culture reminds me of a totally unrelated news item I ran across yesterday, when I was looking up the cast of another kdrama. (Sorry if this is old news, I really don't keep up on celebrity gossip the way I should!)

Although I hate the toxic gossip and "scandal" mongering culture that seems, to an outsider, to dominate Korean popular entertainment almost more than in any other country, the one thing I have an amused tolerance for is the "shipping" of couples who star in romances. Its been going on in Hollywood gossip for more than a century, and as intrusive rumors go, its relatively harmless, since it doesn't involve ginned-up censure or outrage that kills careers.

I appreciate that fans want to see fictional love be translated into the real thing, since it gives a show's fantasy grounding in real life. Also, production companies, agencies, even the actors themselves have a pr interest in encouraging speculation about whether the romances being shown on the screen are "real" or not -- hence the many "behind the scenes" shots released that show the actors actually holding hands when they don't have to! or kissing even more passionately than the story called for!

Its because we want to believe these relationships are real, yet are deep down aware of the artificiality of them, that I was particularly amused by the celebrity news that I ran across yesterday. Gong Min-Jeung and Jang Jae Ho are going to be married, having been long time acquaintances, who cemented their romantic love on the set of Marry My Husband.

For those of you who didn't watch this show, they played an estranged couple, where Jang Jae Ho's character was a repulsive cheating husband, and Gong Min-Jeung's character took the courageous step of standing up to divorce him--in other words, exactly the opposite of any couple you'd "ship." And yet...behind the scenes... So, as the gossip news sources always say when announcing a relationship "congratulations to the happy couple!"

(As a postscript, I've always liked Gong Min-jeung as an actress--she plays these intelligent, self-aware characters, often as a voice of wisdom foil to the FL.)

I’m always a bit puzzled when a Kdrama character gets trapped in the trunk of a car fully conscious and—especially—unbound. In the USA, every passenger car built after 2002 is required to have a trunk release mechanism built inside the trunk to prevent someone from getting trapped with no means of escape. Is this not a requirement in South Korea? If it is, it would be great if dramas showed people escaping using the latch, to build public awareness of this safety feature. Not to mention avoiding yet another plot hole situation.

I've written a lot of very critical hate posts on actors that I strongly feel were miscast, who didn't convince me they were meant to be their characters. I do feel bad about that, but then I remembered that there are very good reasons for getting upset that certain actors who are still very wet behind the ears in terms of their ability to do justice to their roles, that these actors keep getting juicy roles time after time. And here's my self-justification: Every drama is a miracle of a good screenplay, money, director, on set workers, supporting cast all coming together. It is a result of blood, sweat, and tears. Every staff member and technician is a professional and knows their stuff inside and out. Directors know their cameras, sound knows their mics, logistics know their schedules, warddrobe knows their fabrics, etc. There is no room for error, there is no tolerance for not mastering your craft. Nobody hires a makeup artist who can't do makeup. Shouldn't actors have a bare minimum of acting ability as well? All these people working for them, shouldn't the casting director at least cast actors who can deliver? I feel like some actors really aren't doing their part and they're less capable and trained than their counterparts behind the scenes. I have family in the film industry who worked grueling 12+ hour days behind the cameras who are specialists in their field. When you cast a mediocre actor with a pretty face with minimal training, you are disrespecting and making a laughingstock of all the staff members' toil. It's like their lives are worthless. As someone who has been very interested in directing, if I was ever lucky enough to get my hands on a quality script, there are definitely actors who I will never allow to step food on my set. Their lack of acting ability and lack of training and experience is an insult to everyone's hard work.

Has anyone else noticed that long-promised IU/Bogum period drama 'When life gives you tangerines' (alt title 폭싹 속았수다 'You Have Done Well') never showed up? By the director of 'Mask Girl', I recall. Netflix doesn't usually sit on a completed drama for more than a year, do they? It maakes you wonder about the quality of the product if they just shelve the drama.

Even though I haven't seen The Impossible Heir, I have watched some promo interviews with the cast and I liked their vibe. Especially the dynamic between Lee Jae Wook and Lee Jun Young. It would be nice if they could do another project together or vlog together haha

But the reason I mention them is for two things. 1: during one of their interviews, Jun Young mentioned how he's "short" and Jae Wook laughed since Jun Young is only 2cm shorter than him. Jun Young said he used to be considered tall and then all these taller actors showed up and I didn't think anything of it until I saw a scene of him in the Cinderella show where he was looking up at a male character. He really DID seem short! Haha. I never realized that actors seem to be getting taller. And I thought on average Korean guys were like 5'10- 6'1" (or 6'). I have no idea if this is accurate but I just absent mindedly thought that.

2: their off screen dynamic made me wanna see them onscreen. The clips I've seen of them in the show made me wonder why the show had to go in the direction it did. Why the betrayal when they could've just had an epic friendship? Was it not possible to turn the world upside down and have all 3 find happiness or satisfaction? I don't remember if this was an adaptation or original but still, it sucks that it couldn't go an unexpected route and have the guys stay together to the end.

Also made me think of how fun it is when real life friends team up in projects as friends or as enemies such as Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung. I don't know about all the real life interpersonal relationships of the actors but it would be cool if more casting like that happened.
Another pairing I think I wanna see together again: Lee Jong Suk and Shin Jae Ha.

It's so weird to have something I want to watch this weekend. I can't wait for RITHouse's episodes and all the new dramas we're getting tomorrow. I hope these premieres are all great (delulu much).

Anyway, have a great weekend, beanies de mi heart.

PS. So many reports in this thread but there's nothing more newsworthy to me than @welh not being in the OT comment section.

I recently watched a video about how the adaptation of a specific scene changed the feel of it and nuances of the characters.
In case anyone is interested: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U4od66oyD98&pp=ygUKTGFuY2Vsb3R0aQ%3D%3D

It made me think of drama adaptations. I can't remember many except all the different versions of Boys over Flowers. I think there's at least 5 and I think people often say this version is better than that version over any given one but I've always wondered how. What could it possibly be so different when the concept, characters, and characterizations are supposed to be the same.
Similarly, I saw someone mention the Chinese version of Moon Lovers is better than the Korean version. I haven't seen it and I didn't past episode 1 of the Korean version but again I wondered what was so drastically different that it stood ahead. I think the Chinese version is the original so it does have that going for it.

(Sorry I don't remember the folks who talked about it expect @gikata)

Anyhoo, to those who have watched adaptations as well as the original dramas, what do you think makes them stand apart? Even if it's small things like standing up and leaving vs staring blankly.

I'm texting a dear young friend who is going to Chicago as a DELEGATE to the Dem National Convention. I love Chicago having visited several times trailing hubby on a conference. I got to go out and experience a city that knows and loves itself. It loves music and movies and food - oh my, the food. Mostly I loved sharing space with black women which I did in high school in the Eastern USA, but not so much here in the mountain West.
How envious I am of my friend attending such a momentous occasion in such a great city. Happily, I pass the torch to a new generation of smart, savvy, mouthy & strong women. You go girls.

Next week Thursday, we will be dropping the first two episodes of Happiness for the Community Watch. If you want to join the discussion, please drop a comment ❤️

FYI we just finished Rain or Shine/Just Between Lovers and the last two episodes have ongoing discussion here:
https://www.dramabeans.com/members/Seeker/activity/1617241/

I flew to SF then drove to Reno then back to SF for the weekend.