Beanie level: Chaebol’s poor doppelganger

Sooo way back in March I said was finally going to watch some dramas I’ve been putting off. First up was Another Oh Haeyoung and….I’m only ep 6. I don’t know what it is, but I just don’t care. I’m not invested. I’m going to continue with it, but I’m so meh about it.

However, I did watch Memories of Alhambra and I liked it. Solid B-. I didn’t care for the romance and a couple of episodes in the middle were boring. Okay, and some of the world-building was lacking, but I got through this in a few days and generally enjoyed myself.

Now I’m watching It’s Okay It’s Love and I am enjoying it so far.

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I am one of those people who gets really excited about dramas and then never actually watches them because I want to save them for when I can really focus, need some happy, or whatever ridiculous reason I give myself. What does this mean? It means that I have YEARS of dramas that I still need to watch. Well, today is the day folx. My irrational saving of dramas for a rainy day has come. I can feel myself sliding into a life slump so it’s time to tackle this list and bring myself some joy. First up, Another Oh Haeyoung!

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    Do iiiittt! Enjoy yourself!

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    Oh same! I leave Melo shows for either sad days or happy days I leave happy shows for happier days and never revisit. Another oh haeyoung is a good choice for a rainy day, Enjoy!

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    Yessss to AOH^^

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    Enjoy!

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    Eric’s character is one of my most favorite kdrama male characters ever. For him alone I have rewatched this show many times, in spite of not liking much else about it.

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    Excited for you! AOHY is one of my top 5 faves! <3 <3 <3

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    I envy you. Enjoy!

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With new dramas starting/about to start, I am hoping I can stick with one to the end. I’ve dropped 4 dramas in the past couple of months. Please let one of these keep my interest.

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I actually watched a k-drama this weekend! I’ve shocked myself. I checked out Flowers of Evil and, after 5 eps, I like it, but there is something off about it. Not sure what it is though.

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In my last fan wall update, I mentioned I might be getting back into K-pop. Well, I think I am now an EXO stan. My how things change in a week and a half LOL

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    What prompted the change?? Especially in such a short period of time?? 🤣🤣🤣

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      Since they are the only group I am somewhat familiar with from the current batch of groups, I started listening to some of their of more recent songs and I absolutely love them. I have been pretty much listening to them nonstop for the past week. I then went down the rabbit hole of watching YouTube videos and have officially decided I need Baekhyun and Chen to sing everything LOL. I’m 34 so my days of real fangirling are behind me, but the inner 14 year old is screaming inside of me. I watched a clip of a performance from one of their live concerts and it pushed me over the edge LOL.

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        Lol don’t be ashamed!!! You like what you like, and WHO you like, and that’s okay!! ☺️☺️☺️

        I’m not a fan of S.M. Ent., and it’s been making it very difficult for me to like any artist or group that they produce/manage, and even though I’m not a super hardcore fan of them, I DO and WILL admit that EXO is actually a very talented group of people, regardless if they had S.M. Ent. as their agency 😊 And, this might sound harsh and like I’m a hater (which I’m not, I promise), it’s not always the case when you have actual raw talent from a group/artist but also a pretty well-known agency behind them, that’s why indie music and underground music exists 😅😅

        I’m happy for you that you’ve been able to find something that you really like and can enjoy to carry you through trying times like these!! 2020 definitely hasn’t been very kind

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          Yeah, I don’t love SM. Super Junior was my gateway into K-Ent and I remember when Hangeng filed his lawsuit and the utter chaos that ensued. I was still into K-pop when Exo debuted and I remember when Kris, Luhan and Tao left and filed their lawsuits. I’m hoping they will pull a Shinhwa (whom I am a big fan of) and leave to create their own company and promote then, but who knows if this current obsession will last that long LOL.

          Yeah, I realized that having something to focus on, especially this month which has been super frustrating, is necessary. Even though we’re slowly opening up here, I am still not going anywhere and am pretty much home. I wanna redecorate, but don’t have the funds; AMC theatres is opening up, but not in my state and even if they did I’m not sure if I would go to the movies. Going to the movies is probably the number one thing I do besides reading which I’m also not doing. Work sucks as of late so I think this Exo fangirling came at the perfect time.

          2020 really is a year LOL

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            I became a casual SUJU fan during their “Sorry Sorry” era (2009) and didn’t really fully get into Super Junior until their “Play” era (2017), but even so, I also heard about–and was really saddened– over the drama that came about with the lawsuit of Hangeng, and then was truly heartbroken when the lawsuit with JYJ took place, as I was a Cassiopeian, and I sat there that day thinking to myself, “So…. S.M. really didn’t learn anything with what went down with Hangeng, did they???”, and since then, my like for SM has been going downward from there.
            Years pass, and then history repeats itself for a SECOND time with the EXO members and since then, I have completely lost my hope in S.M. and it’s never coming back, ever.

            Yea, here in Canada, restrictions have been in place since March, with my own province (Alberta) passing through Phase 1 of re-opening, but we have since been in Phase 2 for the longest time, because we actually have quite a few outbreaks in quite a number of facilities, all ranging from long-term care homes, hospitals, (meat) factories, a few grocery stores, and we’re all here scratching our heads trying to think about who–but more importantly, what– brought about so many outbreaks at so many places all at once.
            On a personal level, in the last 6 months, I’ve thankfully had some good days but am not above admitting that I have also had quite a few bad days–mentally, physically, and emotionally– but I’ve come so far, 6 months into everything, and hey, I’m still here!! And that is what’s keeping me going– knowing that I’ve come this far, that I am strong enough to go further 🙂 And I believe you can, too, friend!!! 🙂

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        I think EXO got overshadowed on the international stage by BTS, but watching an EXO concert on YouTube really reminded me of how good EXO are. The Obsession comeback was one of my favourites.

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          It still boggles my mind how in the world did BTS all of a sudden explode and gain such international fame even BEFORE they began doing all their international activities (i.e. Becoming friends with James Corden)….. Well, EXO never really intentionally did anything to try to go international and SM seems to have given up on them, too 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤔🤔🤔

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            I was introduced to kpop by a local tv show around 2013 and at the time it was all about EXO. They were so hyped about the Overdose comeback. The show also followed BTS from the beginning(No more dream). At the time it would have been laughable to suggest that BTS would someday surpass EXO.
            I think SM wasn’t ready for the rise of social media and the direct connection it allows. I like a lot of SM music but I can see that they’re a very controlling company. They definitely seemed to forget about EXO for a long time.

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            Yea, I’ve grown to dislike SM as a company for a while now, for a multitude of reasons, and EXO is the only artist I like from SM in the newer generation of Kpop artists

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            Fair enough

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I think I’m getting back into K-pop. I’m also being reminded that I’ve gotten much older as most of the groups I was into 10 years ago have disbanded or are no longer active.

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DAY 6: BOOK THAT MAKES ME SAD

It’s been ages since I read this but I remember being so low after I read this. It is not an uplifting read. I am tempted to reread to see what I think now that I am older.

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    Ugh. I was depressed for days after I finished reading this. Had the same effect on me as Atonement.

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DAY 5: BOOK THAT MAKES ME HAPPY

I read this recently and had the biggest smile on my face by the end. There is a seriousness to it and it’s about a boy coming into his own, discovering and being proud of who he is. I absolutely loved this and highly encourage people to read it.

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With S2 of Forest of Secrets starting Sat, I\’m finally getting around to watching S1. I started it when it aired and just wasn\’t in the mood. Timing really is everything because it is SO GOOD!

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    Right??? I’m watching it for the first time too and I just can’t stop!

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      I kinda want to take the day off so I can just binge it. LOL

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        Hahaha I’m still on break from school and I’m so thankful for the extra bingeing time

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I laughed, I cried. I loved the last ep of IOTNBO! It\’s not a perfect drama, but definitely now one of my faves. It\’s been awhile since a finale got me in the feels. Is this what a drama hangover is?

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    I would like to give it a 95% perfection rating as it had only ONE plot hole that didn’t even matter that much because that villain was a textbook I mean fairy tale definition of maleficent arc type.

    Been in dramaland for 6 years for the first time in feeling drama slump. Hangovers, I have had before for goblin, w, circle and many more. But even FoS2 isn’t making me anticipate next week. Ahhh… I guess this is how warmth and a fully satisfied heart feels like in dramaland.

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      I gave it an A-. I have some issues with the ASPD aspect and the mom storyline though it had a purpose, but I just loved these characters. I’m still thinking about it and already thinking about when I am going to rewatch it.

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    Our troublesome trio never fail to make me laugh and cry at the same time. I’m so going to miss them so much <3.

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Dammit show! You have me swooning and then you just end!

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I’m trying to catch up without inundating the feed with my book posts and Day 4 of the book challenge which is Favorite Book in my Favorite Series relates to Day 3 SO my fav book in the HP series is the Prisoner of Azkaban. I think is the book where the series starts to transform and really set up the subsequent books.

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Day Three: Favorite Series

While I am still reconciling my feelings about the series since She Who Must Not Be Named is AWFUL (to say the least), this is technically still my favorite series though it may change in the future. HP had a huge impact on me as a kid and once I got more into the fandom as an adult, it was a safe space. This series is far from perfect, but it is (was?) my favorite for a long time.

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    I’ve read each of these books countless times. I love this series so much!

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    I think the big part of the reason why it’s hard for me (and maybe others too) to let go of the series is the memories I made while reading the series. The books aren’t that technically great, imho. and it’s all personal and I know that it’s ok to separate the work from the creator, but it’s hard when SWMNBN is so vocal about her bigoted views.

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      Totally agree. I reread the series every year and as an adult I could see all of the flaws, but there was good in the story. I was always emotional when it ended. The movies really do make me happy, but the fact that she is a bigot and double downs on it is just so angering, baffling and IRONIC. I mean, did she not even read her own books! There is definitely lack of diversity and insensitivities in it, but the fact that she can’t see the correlation between her views and the Death Eaters/HWMNBN is infuriating. It makes me so angry.

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        Yea! And all the actors/crew members who took part in the movies. So much good came out of the series.

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    I don’t usually say this, but I feel like this is one of the few instances where you can separate the art from the author – because this series became its own thing, a cultural phenomenon that impacted so many people in so many ways. It sucks that SWMNBN is terrible but I don’t think you should let that diminish the meaning of the series to you. I’m not saying you should ignore her behavior either – she sucks and needs to be called out forever for it. But I it’s OK to still say you enjoyed the series and that it’s meaningful while still not supporting the writer or her views.

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      I was reading a lot of comments when it all blew up and someone pointed out that the fandom is really what made HP great. SWMNBN created the world and it wouldn’t exist without her, but it was really fans who took it to the next level and created the culture. I’m trying to remember that.

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        That is kind of what I think makes it the exception to the rule – it was so big and so meaningful it took on a life of its own. Sure, SWMNBN created it and kept feeding tidbits to keep it alive, but it also spurred so many people to connect to one another. It’s part of the lexicon and even those who haven’t read it understand it. I think that while she is problematic and I hate the connection, it isn’t enough to mar the good the series did or the communities it created. If we let her destroy our love for HP then we are the ones who lose here, because sometimes art takes on a life of its own. Instead fans need to take it and rise above her and her views. So while SWMNBN will always be a dark spot, I don’t think that those who love it should let it lose the meaning it had to them.

        Plus, we still revere all sorts of male authors’ work without even discussing how terrible some of them were, and lots of those don’t even have the same sort of cultural impact as HP. At least here there has been a thoughtful discussion and understanding by the fans of how she is terrible but her work is still impactful.

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Day Two: Book read more than 3 times

There is one particular series that I have read multiple times, but I am trying not to use that for all of the answers so I’m going back old school. I LOVED this book as a kid. I actually started carrying a notebook and journaling because of this book. I was obsessed. I kinda want to read it again now that I am adult, but I’m a little scared since the kid glasses will be off.

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    I loved this book, and that was the very edition I had.

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      The minute I saw this cover and I flashbacked to my youth. I wonder if I could find it now.

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    When I was confirmed, I wanted “Harriet” because of this book. It was shot down and they made me pick another. 😞

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Since i joined the MS Kim Soo Hyun, I decided to start My Love From Another Star. 4 eps in and it\’s okay so far. I wouldn\’t say I\’m invested, but I do like elements of it.

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    YAYAYAYAYAYAYY! Another onboard of MS Kim Soo Hyun 👌. Hope you will enjoy your time at the deck called MLFAS. I really really hope you’ll love it 😁

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    For what it’s worth, it took me about 5 eps to become invested, but from then on, I was all in. It will be interesting to see if it’s similar for you.

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      I’ll keep you posted. I like certain elements of it and the little interviews at the end are great. I’m gonna watch more eps tonight.

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I saw the 30 Day Book Challenge and I wanna participate!

Day One: Best Book I Read Last Year

I don’t know if this is the “best” book, but this was my favorite! This book made me laugh and has a lot of heart. It’s quirky and I love stories set where I live so this was highly enjoyable for me.

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    I enjoyed the audiobook version earlier this year. Like you, I wouldn’t say it’s the “best” book, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good book. I liked this world and the people in it a lot.

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      Ohh, I am planning to reread it in October and I should listen to the audiobook.

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    I liked this one a lot as well! I dont think Ive read a better description of anxiety. Im pretty sure I AM Nina Hill but without the inheritance. I thought the ending was kind of meh though. Rushed.

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      I related to Nina so much. I think that is part of the reason why I liked it so much. And if the universe would like to send an inheritance my way I wouldn’t say no. Preferably from a long lost relative who lived a wonderful, full life.

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5 eps into IOTNBO and I\’m kinda loving it. There are things I\’m not fully on board with, but I am invested and intrigued. I also now get the Kim Soo-hyun love.

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    Welcome abroad on the drama ship and ‘Ms Kim SooHyun’
    MS= Motor ship

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      Glad to be aboard. This is only the 2nd drama of his I’ve seen and clearly I need to watch others.

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        What’s the other one? TMETS?

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          Dream High. I watched it when it was airing and thought it was meh. Definitely not representative of him as an actor, but none of his other projects interested me much.

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            I dropped Dream High for She who must not be named so can’t really say anything about KSH (Although as a pathetic fan I’ll just assume he was really good at his role 😅)
            You could try secretly greatly if you’re an action genre fan. It’s decent enough. And MLFAS is a top example among the rom-com genre dramas

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    Yes, I now get it as well.

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I figured out why I\’m having a hard time with Hospital Playlist. I LOVE the cast, but the eps are just too long. I find myself drifting an hour into it and there is still 30 min left.

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    I assume you haven’t watched reply 1988 🙂

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    Same thing happened to me while watching Prison Playbook! Loved it to bits, but the pace and the episode length were too much for my gold-fish-level attention span… I took up to watching roughly an half episode a day, and that worked out for me. Still hesitating to start watching HP for the same reason, though

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      I’ve decided to watch only one episode at a time and before I turn it on to really think if I have focus to watch it. The minute I start drifting I’m turning it off. I just really can’t do movie length episodes. My brain just can’t handle it. I can binge watch 4 hour long episodes of a show, but one hour and a half length episode? Can’t do it.

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I\’m trying to figure out what to watch next. Hotel del Luna. Yay or nay? I like the Hong Sisters, but I\’m still bitter about Hwayugi (I mean W.T.F). I\’ve enjoyed half of the dramas they\’ve written.

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    I enjoyed it but definitely going in with low expectations. It was really fun to watch and I feel pretty ok about the ending.

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    I really loved it. I think it recaptured the style they used to do well and IU and Jingoo are awesome. The side characters get well-fleshed out, too.

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    It’s a yay. Probably IU’s best role to date. Love the story also and the fantastic world that it created.

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Finished Her Private Life and I liked it! The back half was a little bit much, but it was light, frothy and cute which was desperately needed. Now to find another light drama to watch.

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