Dramalover - Blog Posts

~My Thoughts on ‘Gohoubi Gohan’~

In a line or two: This one will make you want to live better and fall in love with food again.🥟

The Story: 

Ikeda Sakiko, a 22-yr-old young-adult, has moved to Tokyo for her first job in a stationery company. Sakiko’s first love? Food. The show is about Sakiko’s journey as she navigates the ups, the downs, and the learnings of her work life. For her hard work, Sakiko rewards herself every week with ‘Gohoubi Gohan’ a.k.a. ‘Rewarding Meals’.

Thoughts:

1. Nobody does food dramas like the Japanese. No offense to the ‘Let’s Eat’ series fans (I am one too). They have this stupendous knack of combining life lessons, positivity, and love for food in a show. It’s almost reverential.

2. I think Sakiko’s character is so amicable. She’s a newbie at work but she’s also sure of who she is. Her colleagues tease her playfully for her incessant thoughts around ‘what should I eat next’, and Sakiko unabashedly acknowledges her passion. She’s kind but not meek. She’s polite but that doesn’t stop her from being assertive or sharing her thoughts. 

3. Sakiko has 6 colleagues and I absolutely love how every episode is crafted around her getting to know one of them over a meal. From awkward moments to relishing chilled beer after a long work week, friendship springs from sharing grilled skewers, cheese-oozing burgers and piping hot ramen. 

4. I especially loved Sakiko’s solitary food-date. She decides to head to a Taiwanese restaurant by herself in the spirit of exploring new food. Her enthusiasm at the amount of soup in the ‘soup dumpling’ is adorable. 

Watching her eat with thorough love, the owner steps in and recommends local suggestions which Sakiko devours. The gusto with which she opens her mind to an entirely different palette is to me, as a foodie, so inspiring.

5. I love female friendships. The one between Kominato-san and Sakiko is endearing, fun and comforting. 

The former is a lover of all things bread and on their first meal together, where they randomly meet at a hamburger restaurant after work, we see the two bond over deliciousness. Kominato then offers to take Sakiko to eat her hometown food specialty, and over a grill teaming with hot food, the two have heart-to-hearts. 

6. When she’s not exploring food outdoors, Sakiko cooks her Gohoubi Gohan at home. These are equally excellent to watch. From her first French toast experience, to enjoying sushi like her family back home would, Sakiko takes utmost care to prep and enjoy her meals. 

When she cooks, there is an overpowering tenderness in the way she treats the ingredients. Her monologues are joyful, intimate and wholesome. They make you smile and make it hard to stop doing so.

7. A favorite moment of mine was to watch Sakiko spend her bonus on getting premium ingredients to cook herself a lavish ‘Hot Pot’ as her Gohoubi Gohan. I love how she even brought an ‘ingredients manual’ to pick her choices from. 

8. I’m not against ‘hard shelled’ male characters, but I think Isogai’s was a bit too anal for my liking. He’s Sakiko’s senior and one of the most sought-after employees in the product development team. He may not have the intent to communicate harshly, but his words are often demeaning, sexist, and condemning. He does make up for his behavior, but I can’t say I’m his fan. 

9. I watched this drama as my break time between work, and I think it taught me so much about how to approach situations at a workplace, how to choose the right time to say what you feel, and how, there are so many kinds of people out there, all trying to live life in the best way they can. 

10. I am the biggest fan of food commentaries and Sakiko provides an ample amount of them. I love how descriptive, detailed and warm her thoughts on food are. She takes her time to savor various flavor combinations, cherishes the classics, deeply respects the ways of cooking and eating that she’s brought up with, is constantly looking for ways to step out of her culinary comfort zone and expand her taste buds.

11. Another favorite episode of mine was the one where Sakiko steps into this fancy bar. The bartender, a cool, helpful man in his late 60′s, introduces her to the charming world of cocktails. From fresh seasonal fruits to drinks with floral notes, Sakiko learns to treat herself without guilt. The two share a comradery where Sakiko confesses her newness to the world of liquor flavors and the bartender careful guides her to unique, enjoyable ones. 

The show is filled with heart-warming moments and makes you want to hug every character for having the ability to enjoy food so well. I couldn’t have asked for a better ‘Gohan’ drama to the start of my J-drama explorations for the year.

Favorite Learnings:

1. You have your own place in this world. You don’t have to fit it. 

2. Life can get hard sometimes. During such moments, going back to what you love will reconnect you with joy. 

3. Never stop trying new things, even when they feel scary and challenging.

Last Words: If you love food and you love watching people enjoy what they eat while learning kind, lovely things about life, you can’t miss this one.🥞🍛🍜

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Image Credits (www.aitado.blogspot.com) : 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24 ,25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30,31, 32, 33, 37, 38, 39, 

~ Finished watching ‘What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?’ last week and these are some of my favorite lines from the drama. Also, I think Ji-Ah was so cute.❤ ~ 

‘Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol’ Taught Me That to See the Good in the Bad is Indeed, a Very Brave Thing

‘Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol’ is an absolute beam of light, there's no other way to describe the show. It is a haven for when you're lost, a huge hug of positivity when you're having low days and a thoroughly adorable drama.

The Story:

We have our lead protagonist, Gu Ra-Ra, a 24-year-old whose perpetually positive and cannot but look at the silver lining of every bad occurrence. She shines through adversity as she meets Jun Suwoon, a 19-year-old runaway who wants more from life than his family's stifling expectations.

It is in Eunpo, a little town away from Seoul, that the two meet accidentally. From here on we see the story of Ra-Ra and her jolting awareness of the real world as she loses everything she owns and has to now stand up on her two feet.

The show is so heartwarming because of the community of beautiful people Ra-Ra meets in her new, sleep town. Thanks to them (and a lot to Jun), Ra-Ra opens up her own piano academy 'La La Land'.

Dr.Cha: 

Jin Su-Kyeong:

Jin Ha-Yeong:

Lee Seung-Gi:

TWD: (The ‘Want Divorce’ Club)

Kim Man-Bok:

Detective Chu:

My Learnings from ‘Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol’:

1. Take life one day at a time.

Life is utterly unpredictable so sleep your worries away, and take one day at a time, as it comes. Gu Ra-Ra's 'let's do what we can do today' mantra is gold.

2. Love. Love is what makes the stars go around and rewrite themselves.

Oh man, if I can just hug Jun Woo and Ra-Ra for the beautiful, beautiful love they harbor and nurture, I'd have broken my screen by now.

3. Sometimes, we don't find family, it finds us.

To all the lovely people of Eunpo, I am smitten by the way you found Ra-Ra when she most needed companionship, love and comfort. It made me believe that there is sometimes more than just one family for some of us, and that sometimes that 'other' family finds you in the form of new friends, neighbors and landladies.

4. People may forget the rest, but they will always remember that one, unexpected act of kindness.

Ra-ra’s father was her biggest cheerleader and that is what made Ra-Ra stick to the piano. That one moment when her father cheered for her, defines Ra-Ra’s attitude when things get rough. It is this unexpected act of love that shapes Ra-Ra’s way of seeing the world and it showed me how powerful kindness can be. 

My Last Thoughts:

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Credits: Picture 1: letsott.com | Picture 2 & 3: Twitter (Hani, KPopandKDrama) | Picture 4: IDN Times | GIF 1 & 8: Tumgir | GIF 2: @dramaintherain​ | GIF 3: southsounder.com | GIF 4 & 6: Gfycat | GIF 5: Netflix | GIF 7: WiffleGif | GIF 9: Bitches Over Dramas 

~ My favorite quote from ‘I Am Not A Robot’. I think Ji Ah and Min Kyu make one of the cutest, prettiest K-drama couples.🌼  ~

‘Flavour: It’s Yours’ Taught Me That Talent & Ego Cannot Go Hand In Hand

Of all the romance C-dramas I've watched over the past year, the story troupes have always been very similar : childhood friends meet as adults, fall in love and help each other become their best selves.

But with 'Flavour: It's Yours' (also known as ‘Instead Of Tipsy Why Not Get Drunk), it was a very welcome change.

First up, I love the idea of a wine critic losing his taste buds after he accidentally kisses a girl who's lost her own since she was 10. What?! Who comes up with concepts like these?! Can I please meet them?

The Story & Its Characters:

Lu Wei Xen is China's top wine critic and he's established himself as one of the pioneer voices in the wine-making industry. Various wineries seek his counsel to determine their latest flavors and marketing strategies. Going against his father's wishes to inherit his family business, Lu Wei Xen is formidable, arrogant and talented.

He Bu Zui is a woman who's lost her taste buds due to a traumatic experience in her childhood. Her father, who was once the owner of a winery decided to shut it down in order to heal Bu Zui's condition. Our heroine is now threatened by a cheap gangster-landlord to repay her  father's debt. Using her loss of taste buds as a weapon, she participates in drinking contests and earns money to get her family by.

Unknown to her, her childhood love's (Yi Nan Ke) brother Yi Be Dao is back in town and he has some serious evilry up his sleeve. Sparked by the desire to avenge his father's death, Yi Be Dao will go to any limit to resolve the mystery behind it and find the murderer. 

What Yi Be Dao doesn't expect is crossing paths with the ambitious, headstrong yet soft Mi Ya. Working as an editor at a reputed wine magazine, Mi Ya is extremely independent. She's smart, sassy and isn't afraid to go after what she desires.

After Lu Wei Xen and He Bu Zui accidentally exchange their taste buds through a kiss, we embark on a journey of how the two try to reverse this ordeal for Wei Xen. How can a wine critic still retain his no.1 spot when he cannot even taste wine anymore?

They decide that they only way to break the curse and help get Lu Wei Xen’s taste buds back is to “exchange saliva” through a lot of kissing (since that’s what triggered the weird condition in the first place). So our hero hires our heroine on a contractual basis to help do just this.🤷🏽‍♀️

Mu Chun Feng poses as Wei Xen's competitor and he does a damn fine job at it. I loved watching the wine battles the two of them hold.

I also have a soft spot for Xia Fan who plays Lu Wei Xun's biggest fan. He's a popular vlogger with a huge fan-following and is known for his live sessions. He's a complete fan-girl when it comes to Wei Xun's talent and addresses him as 'idol' in the cutest way. He's also super loyal and stands by his hero when the latter is going through hard times.

What I liked:

What I loved about this show was that while romance was still a big part of it, there was also a murder mystery woven in, in such a seamless, interesting and exciting way. Both the male and female leads were their own persons and were chasing their own individual dreams. The villains' were villain-y enough to make the chase worth it and the side-character narratives were as interesting as those of the leads.

What I didn't like:

~ I'm all in for good kissing but it can't be a forced affair. I thought the show took 'dominant male lead make-out' a bit too far.

~ I also found Yi Be Dao's character too regressive and his vengeance for his twin's death lacking complete knowledge of the situation that caused it.

~ Mi Ya is exceptionally amazing as a woman and I found her too accommodating for a toxic man like Yi Be Dao, even though eventually he does change his ways.

My top 3 learnings:

1. Talent and ego should never go hand in hand.🍜 2. Choose to be seen and loved as you are. 🍜 3. Let that shit go. (It really is too heavy to keep carrying) 🍜

My last thoughts:

In short, I was totally blown away by how unique this drama was and how mature it is compared to its typical, commercial C-Drama cousins. So if you're reading this, I know you're wise enough not to pass this one by.

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GIF Credits: GIF 1: @movielosophy​ | GIF 2: An Asian Drama Vortex | GIF 3: Pi Yanuo | GIF 4: Tumgir | GIF 5 & 9: Foolish Asian Drama Life | GIF 6: The Ofy | GIF 7 & 8: Tumbex 

~ ‘Little House In The Forest’ Showed Me The Joys Of Mindful Living ~

I feel K-Variety shows have a way to help you tap into your Zen. My encounter with them has made me fall in love with how positive, uplifting and fun they can be.

'Little House In The Forest' is a special one among the litter. I received the link for the first episode from my friend who'd just stumbled upon the show and was already head over heels for it.

I won't lie, she had very good reasons to be.

What the show is about:

The central theme of the show is around how simple, mindful living can actually boost people's happiness.

We have 2 celebrity subjects in the show: 1) Subject A: Park Shin Hye 2) Subject B: So Ji Sub

The subjects are brought to individual cabins, set in different parts of a forested area and they are given various tasks through the days. These tasks are actual experiments in helping them discover happiness and calm in the everyday.

Our celebrity subjects are then required to do these tasks and share their honest experiences on how effective these experiences were for their overall well-being.

The tasks are simple yet really soothing to watch, but what makes the show fun is the distinct personalities of the celebrities.

The Guests:

Subject A, Park Shin Hye is cheerful, likes playing music when she's cooking, loves to eat and is a thorough maximalist (her weekly pantry that she gets from the city is proof of this).

USP: Park Shin Hye's attention to food is superb to watch. She thoughtfully plans her meals and ravishes them with respect and contentment. She cooks up the coolest menus and is quite proud of her flavors.

Subject B, Ji-Sub is a quick contrast to Shin Hye. He's quiet, unintentionally funny, likes to eat but isn't ballistic about it and needs very little to live well (his luggage i.e. a medium sized rucksack is proof that he's probably a modern day monk in hiding).

USP: Ji Sub surprises you with his sensitivity to things. At first, I did confuse his introverted personality for aloofness but he's brilliantly creative. He has this knack of building things out of thin air, such as a simple towel rack, a footstool and my favorite, a hammock.

I love him more because ramen is his favorite meal in the whole world (*take all the brownie points*)

We also have some random cuties who appear on the show. One of them is Bong, the cloud-white dog who will only follow human orders if there's food involved in the bargain. He's shamelessly selfish and won't chill around with the guests even when they ask him to stay for company. He likes sunny, windy days while sitting in grass and is also quite fond of flowers.

Side note: He has a hilarious first encounter with Ji-Sub where the two of them take offense and depart with sorry disappointment.

Then there are the cows. Yes, cows. These creatures of the nearby forests wander into the meadows that surround our guests' cabins and they often take a liking towards the camera.

However, when our guests get friendly with them, they find themselves and their homes surrounded by an entire herd that refuses to leave (oops).

And last but not the least, the narrator that comes in with a calming synopsis of the tasks, explains their meanings and pulls you in to try them as well.

The Tasks:

I especially enjoyed the experiments of happiness our celebrities received. A few of my favorites among them were:

1. Decorating a part of the cabin with your own unique art: Shin Hye painted a flower meadow around her window ❤

2. Taking 3 hours to prep, cook and enjoy lunch: Ji-Sub had a slow, barbeque style meal outdoors and enjoyed it with the surrounding mountains and clouds.

3. Capturing the colors of the rainbow through photographs of objects around them: The two of them traveling through the surrounding woods to notice flowers, dew drops and streams to capture these colors is very beautiful to watch.

4. Building a little something for the cabin as a goodbye gift: I loved Shin Hye making a cute bird nest outside hers for creatures to come and give the cabin company in her absence.

5. Turning off your smartphone post 6 p.m.: Ji-Sub was a stud as had switched his off from the morning itself (lol) while Shin Hye almost had a panic attack without hers for the evening. 

6. Going for a solo picnic.

There were a total of 44-46 tasks that the guests performed and there were glimpses of the omitted ones in the last episode (the director's cut).

What I Liked:

1. I loved the theme of the show in itself. It is positive, nourishing and very beautiful to see simple living in action.🌼 2. The celebrity guests, who with their contrasting personalities make the tasks so much more fun to watch. 🌼 3. Bong the doggo.🌼 4. The various happiness tasks that can be done even when if you're living in a city. 🌼 5. The resourceful nature of Ji-Sub who lives calmly even when he spends a winter night without electricity. 🌼 6. Shin-Hye's meal combos and her manner of eating. 🌼 7. The beautiful, simple and well-structured cabins in the woods. 🌼 8. The woods. 🌼

What I Didn't Like:

1. I feel they could have shown more tasks rather than just the select few.

My Learnings:

1. Happiness is not faraway. It is right here.

This is the biggest message that the show gives out. It displays how happiness is day to day affair and how we can welcome it where we are, without needing to head off to a cabin to look for it.

2. Who you are is enough and you deserve rest.

Both our celeb guests warm up to the idea of rest which for them, is such a stark contrast given their hectic lifestyles. I love Ji-Sub's evolution through the show: how he slowly gets more comfortable showing who he is onscreen, sheds off much of his shyness yet is naturally himself.

3. Listening to yourself requires you to sit down with yourself first.

If you really want to get in touch with your feelings, you have to let go of the mental clutter of thoughts and sit down with yourself. Letting go of excess to focus on what's important enhances your time and gives it an enriching, peaceful quality.

My last thoughts: 

This is a BEAUTIFUL show. One that deserves your time and one that is perfect if you want a feel-good watch. It adds value and purpose and helps you make better choices to live more fully.💕

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Image Credits: 1 - burnsocial.com | 9: Channel Korea |

~ If it isn’t obvious, I am shipping Lim Ju Kyung and Han Seo Jun all the way. ~ 💕💕💕

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GIF Credits: GIF 4: Pinterest | GIF 5 & 6: Tumbex | GIF 7: Amino Apps | GIF 8: Hey Bae | GIF 9: Soompi | GIF 10: You Are A Wonder | 

~ Current drama watch is ‘Itaewon Class’. I love those off-the-road, traditional Asian food joints. I love the vibe: the portable stove that holds a pot of ramen or soup, bottles of soju and tiny glasses, pickled radishes and kimchi in small, porcelain white dishes.  I couldn’t help screengrabbing these stills and this beautiful quote from the first episode. ❤ ~

Through ‘Goblin’ I Learnt Life Is Beautiful In Both, Colors Of Light & Dark

Ah, where do I start with this show? The 'Goblin' was my first 2021 drama pick. I had heard SO much about it -- one of the highest drama ratings ever scored, the love story of Eun-Tak and Kim Shin and of course, the hardcore shipping of Wang Yeo and Kim Sun. 

My YT recs were spammed with "Goblin: funny moments" featuring the Gob and Deok-hwa. And then, I happened to read a Google Review by someone who was raving about how the world built is so vast, so intricate and so fascinating. My mind instantly packed in high expectations for the show.

I get why Gong Yoo is so popular but can I say I love him more when he's doing off-screen interviews? (Have you seen his recent one with IU on Palette? *adorbs*)

The show has everything for a fantasy lover like me --- Korean mythology, magic, fantastical characters and badass Gods. 

What I didn't enjoy very much, contrary to popular opinion, was Eun-Tak's character. I found her obsessive and more of a crybaby than anything else. No offense to the actress, who I'm convinced is massively talented.

The story revolves around Kim Shin, a cursed 900-year-old Goblin who was a general-of-war in his last life and is seeking his wife in the mortal world. The latter is the only one who can help him end the treacherous curse and send him peacefully to afterlife.

Eun-tak, an orphan since she was 9, can see ghosts and converses with them. She's also very aware of her destiny as the Goblin's wife. A high-schooler, she meets her destined husband (Gong Yoo) and  soon enough, the tale gets complicated as the two battle fear of death, their growing love for a each other and the wretched curse.

There is Wang Yeo, a scaredy-cat of a king who is similarly cursed to be a Grim Reaper for repenting his past-life sins. I must say, the GR (Grim Reaper) is hot.🔥 He's also one of the most fascinating characters in the show for me -- shy, reserved, melancholy, with a soft lover's heart. 

Personally, I liked his bromance with the Goblin more than the latter's love story with Eun-Tak. (** insert: the MIB'ish slow-mo scene where the two of them walk towards Eun-Tak to save her. Also, the beaut BGM**)

But I am also heartily biased towards 'Sunny' aka Kim Sun, Wang Yeo's queen and Kim Shin's sister in her previous birth. Sunny is everything that Yeo is not -- bold, courageous, unafraid of chasing the man she dotes on and a strong woman with an even stronger pool of self-love.

The story is slow-paced, highlighting how transitory life is and how beautiful it is to be alive. We see the gradual progression of days as the Goblin and Eun-Tak fall in love and how the latter shows our hero what it means to live fully. Just following this up with some of my favorite learnings from the drama now:

1. You cannot change the past but you can learn from it. Something Wang Yeo does so beautifully when he regains his memories as a GR and repents for his past acts of cruelty and injustice.

2. Choose yourself, over and over again. Ah, I learned so much from Sunny, especially about how sometimes, forgiveness is not the answer and you cannot force yourself to offer it.

3. Through pain and discomfort, we grow. I could see this with Kim Shin's character --- first a deft goblin with a cocky attitude, we see his heart open up to the vulnerability of being human, of loving someone even when there isn't a guarantee of a happy ending and letting pain help him rise to be a better man, to himself and those he loves.

While Goblin is a fascinating drama, I wouldn't call it a favorite nor something I'd like to re-watch. Maybe because the expectations I set for it were too high and the show felt a little too long and intense. Another lesson learned: never read Google reviews of a drama before you happen to watch it yourself.

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GIF Credits: | 2 - Yahoo News Singapore | 5 - Wattapad | 6 & 17 - Giphy | 11 - Pinterest | 

~ I started watching Traveler (Season 2) yesterday and I am already in love with Kang Ha-Neul. Also, I didn’t expect Ong Seong Wu to be so timid and cute. I’d thought he’d be more of a snob, but he’s as soft as a puppy. Also, also, hello Argentina and Buenos Aires! ❤ ~

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From: Episode 1

Me: *falls in love with dramas*

Me: So this is what it’s like to be a fan...

My heart:

Don’t Let Your Past Dictate Your Present Is What  I Learnt From ‘Chocolate’

For every drama I've loved so far, there's an inner Anvi screaming "O, my god! What a show! Go watch it!". It's screaming very loudly for this one as well.

My third drama to be precise and my first Korean one, ‘Chocolate’ (2019) had my heart in a knot and made me weep like a baby. It took every broken piece inside me and took its time in gluing it back with a little bit more magic and love.

Man, this show. Oh man, this show.

A tale of two childhood sweethearts, Dr. Kang and chef Moon Cha Young, the two reunite after nearly two decades with only Cha Young recognizing her first love. Dr. Lee Kang, an illegitimate heir of a big medical institution, lives with his step-family who wants nothing more than his inheritance. A boy who once dreamed of becoming a chef, Kang now seeks revenge for his mother's death.

Moon Cha Young has had it rough in life. A survivor of a terrifying building crash, she finds solace in food and cooking. Suffering from post-traumatic disorder, Cha Young keeps to herself, until Kang's best friend falls for her.

(I won't spill the beans further because that would just unravel the plot making it pointless to watch. Which is precisely what I don't want --- I want you to watch the drama and fall head over heels for it and cry buckets just like I did.)

Kang and Cha Young cross paths once again in a hospice for terminally ill patients and it is here, amidst stories of love, death, family and friendship that they begin to know each other.

The drama is tear-jerker, NGL. But I didn't mind that one bit. It isn't a light watch, it is mature and heavy and worth every minute of your precious time.

As is typical of drama male leads, Kang's initial treatment of Cha Young pissed the shit out of me even though I could understand where his attitude stemmed from -- Cha Young after all, broke the heart of his only and best friend. Still, I wanted to punch the man in his face a lot of times. And I also wanted to shake the hell out of Cha Young for returning to him time and again like a wounded puppy. Thank god she stopped after a while, thank god for some self-respect.

I also love, love the side-cast in this show. What freaking cool actors and boomers. I particularly love head nurse Ha Young Shi who's totally cool, gives zero shits about gender stereotypes and goes all in with her heart. Then there is Lee Joon who's narrative I particularly enjoyed, especially the way he chose to let his own heart guide him rather than his family's expectations of him. I loved Director Kwon Hyun Sik, a father figure to Kang and an absolutely beautiful man.

My learnings:

1. Some people are worth those second chances. 

Some people are worth placing your trust back into and trying once more. Some people are worth the fight. 

2. Don’t let your past dictate your present. 

Let your present dictate your choices, your heart. The past is long gone and if something from it comes revisiting, it is worth looking at in a brand new way.

3. It’s never too late to open your heart again.

For me, 'Chocolate' still remains one of my favorite dramas till date. I love the slow-paced nature of the show, I love how it wrings out all kinds of emotions from you and how it heals you in ways you don't even realize.

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GIF Credits: | GIF 2  - Soompi | GIF 7: Tumgir | GIF 11: Netflix 

Image Credits: Hancinema.net

'Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo' Taught Me That When You're Tired, Rest, Don't Quit

I have a LOT OF FEELINGS for this show. I am going to leave it at that.

The Story:

Kim Bok-joo, our young weightlifter finds no greater joy than when she's lifting weights. Her ultimate dream is to bag a gold medal. She's loud, huge, can break a few teeth when messed with and has the softest, purest heart. Her father, Kim Chang Gul runs a fried chicken joint and is as animated as his daughter.

Jung Joon-Hyun, is an upcoming star-athlete in the swimming department whose main struggle is to not mess up during the start-time of a race. Being one of the prettiest boys on campus, he suffers from abandonment issues & a rough heartbreak. However, he's got a killer smile and a warm heart that's open to healing.

The story pans around different subjects:

From the life of university athletes, to how love can be right next to you even when you cannot see it,

From addressing what it means to 'be and look like a woman', to how friendship is the knight in shining armor during your darkest times,

From what it means to be a team, to how choosing yourself over others is sometimes exactly what you need,

From unabashedly chasing your crush to knowing how 'family' goes beyond blood.

This drama was such a wonderful surprise for me. It is hilarious, sweet, impactful and a deeply comforting friend, especially when you need a pick-me-up. I am already planning a slow re-watch so that I can truly savor it, once again.

My favorite bits about the show include: ~ Bok-joo's refreshing personality and her confidence in being who she is.🐷 ~ Her heartwarming relationship with her father, Chang Gul  🐷 ~ Coach Choi Sung Eun and her strength + badassery 🐷 ~ First love 🐷 ~ Chung Nan Hee's pickup line of the millennium: "Do you like Messi?" 🐷 ~ 'Swag' 🐷 ~ Joon-Hyun and Bok-joo (forever and everrrrrrrrrrr) 🐷

Learnings:

1. The questions is: how beautiful are you on the inside? It was so nice to see a female lead character that focused on being beautiful within. I loved how Bok-joo never lost her innocence or the essence of who she is. For her, all that mattered was having a good heart.

2. And when you're tired, learn to rest, not quit This was my favorite learning. As we watch Bok-joo struggle with her love for weightlifting and this deep, repressed desire to do things that girls her age explore, it is heartwarming to see her take a break from her passion without entirely giving up on it. I'd like to give a small shoutout to her father, Chang Gul for being an absolute cutie and supporting her.

3. Some people are like sunshine and they deserve to be kept warm Joon-Hyun is one such person who lights up in Bok-joo's presence, while she feels thoroughly comfortable in her skin with him. It is this ease and this love between them that makes you realize how people can be each other's suns and moons.

My last words:

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GIF Credits: | GIF 1, 7 & 13: Pinterest | GIF 2: Steam Community | GIF 3: gfycat | GIF 4: KpopMap | GIF 5: @kdramascenarios | GIF 6: A Gypsy Socresses’s Library | GIF 8: Kdrama Fangirls Review Stuffs | GIF 9: Coffeecaramello | GIF 10: Cosmo.ph | GIF 11 & 15: We Heart It | GIF 12: @seokjinings | GIF 14: Wattapad | GIF 16: OneHallyu

‘Hotel Del Luna’ Showed Me That Sometimes, You Get To Choose Who You Call ‘Family’

I wasn't ready to see IU on screen. I wasn't ready for that killer walk in a purple high-slight gown with a rifle in hand. I wasn't ready either for a drama world filled with magic, humor and sass. But it happened and there I already adding 'Hotel Del Luna' to my 're-watch' and 'favorites' lists.

The Story:

The story commences with Jang Man Wol, a 1000-year-old woman for whom the flow of time has stopped. As a manager of 'Hotel Del Luna' (a pit-stop for souls to rest and move on from the earthly realm to afterlife), Man Wol is snooty, obsessed with money, high-end fashion and the latest cars.

In comes Koo Chan Sung, a Forbes-listed hotelier who's bound by a curse to work for Del Luna and hence, he comes to be the 99th caretaker (private secretary) of Jang Man Wol.

We now enter the world of spirits and their stories that deal with our deep attachment to the past, need for revenge, the beauty of letting go and the very scientific bearings of karma. These are wonderfully conveyed in the drama through humor, sensitivity and wisdom.

The hotel staff consists of 3 primary ghosts: Kim Sun Bi, a misunderstood Joseon scholar with a tainted name, Choi Seo Hee, a wronged mother seeking vengeance and Ji Hyun Joong, a brother who is waiting to step into the afterlife with his still-living baby sister.

What I loved:

~ Man Wol's potty mouth + impeccable wardrobe + kind heart 🎃 ~ Beautiful stories of spirits' healing  🎃 ~ The bubbly deity Ma Go Shin and the superbly deadpan Grim Reaper Sa Shin 🎃 ~ The interplay between past and present of each character's story 🎃 ~ Korean mythology and magic 🎃 ~ Man Wol & Goo Chan Sung's love 🎃

Learnings:

1. "Do not judge a book by its cover."

The saying particularly fits Man Wol's character which on the surface, seems selfish and self-centered but actually houses a lot of compassion and justice within. With every episode, through Koo Chan Sung, we come across various layers of Man Wol's personality which seem otherwise absent. This taught me to look beyond what I perceive people to be and allow myself the chance to really know them.

2. Choosing what's best for the one you love is an act of deep courage.

This is my favorite part of Man Wol and Koo Chan Sung's connection. They choose what is the best for the person they love and help them bloom into the best versions of who they are. While it seems like the obvious thing to do, it is far from easy but this is exactly why true love is termed 'selfless'.

3. And while you're here, live. Do not simply exist.  Time and time again, whether it is through the stories of the ghosts or through Man Wol, I learned the power of living each day to the fullest. Which includes lots of laughter, walking your own path, ticking of that wish-list of dreams and loving people deeply.

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GIF Credits: | GIF 1: Quora | GIF 2: @foriu​ | GIF 4: J’Marei, Soompi | GIF 5:  Shine Smile | GIF 6: Bir Otakunun Dunyasi | GIF 7: Tumblr | GIF 8: Aghasewatchtv | GIF 9: Giphy | GIF 10: El Blog de Wendy

‘Dinner Mate’: One Of The Most Underrated K-Dramas Of 2020

My first access point to K-dramas has been Netflix, so it was quite a while later when I realized there are thousands of great dramas not listed on the platform that I could probably access elsewhere. Of course, there were a lot of trials involved in stumbling upon a high-quality, free streaming platform, but I managed.

The Story:

'Dinner Mate' a 2020 drama, fit the bill for my next watch. Two strangers share a meal coincidentally and what follows is a relationship where they refrain from sharing personal details as they continue meeting over dinner to enjoy food.

I came to love this drama SO much. Every element in the story has a purpose and a place. 

Dr. Kim-Haeyoung, a psychiatrist uses food therapy to heal his patients while Producer Woo Do-Hee breathes and slays B-Class tacky content at 2N Media Box. Both of them have survived terrible heartbreaks from long relationships.

What unfolds is not just a story of healing but also of how the acceptance of our pasts can allow us to make the most of the present moment. While their ex-lovers show up, demanding a place back in their hearts, it is wonderful to watch Kim-Haeyoung and Do-Hee let go of residual pain and hurt, as they begin to accept and flourish the love that's blooming between them.

I love badass characters, especially female leads and Do-Hee is one of them. She's bold, fierce, proudly weird and says exactly what's on her mind. Kim Haeyoung is calm, composed and yet bears a childlike curiosity that always leads him to unexpected adventures.

Jin-Eol and Jae-Hyuk, the ex-lovers of our protagonists map a trajectory that begins with entitlement to the love they once walked away from, to fighting a one-sided fight and finally, understanding the beauty of letting go. There's my favorite Nam A-yung, the 43-year-old CEO of 2N Media Box. She's as wild as her wardrobe but has a heart that's more open than any of the lead characters we see.

The story is simply beautiful with elements of humor, heart and emotion seamlessly supporting and elevating each other. Every episode is a delight to watch, every moment dripping with insight and meaning. 

This is one of those underrated wonders which I'd proudly download and re-watch over and over.

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Pictures | IQUI & Doodle App

GIFs | 1&2 - Dramabeans | 3&4 - Soompi Forums

~ Quote from: More Than Friends (2020) ~

~ ‘Hyori’s Bed & Breakfast’ Reaffirmed My Love For A Simple Life ~

A lot of folks on my IG feed kept posting stories of them watching reruns of ‘Hyori's Bed & Breakfast’. After a point, curiosity got the better of me and I decided to add it to 'My List' on Netflix. It took a while before I actually got down to watching the first season, but man, when I did, I had to stop myself from falling head over heels for it.

A bit about the story:

The show revolves around K-Pop sensation Lee Hyori and her house on Jeju Island where she lives with her husband Lee Sang-Soon and their pets. The couple decide to open their home for a 'bed and breakfast' experience to selected guests.

Introverts by nature and unaccustomed to company, Hyori and Sang-Soon are initially quite apprehensive about the idea. But as the days go on, we watch them turn into beautiful caretakers to every single guest they host. 

Their pets are whole different level of cute. There's Mi-Mi the cat who's stoically disdainful of human beings, there's Sam-Sik who's so fat that she gets mistaken as a pillow most times, and then there are 5 dogs, among which Mocha is my personal favorite.

As the B&B opens, we watch people from all walks of life come in and make a home here. From college friends, to old couples, to high-school siblings and even scientists and explorers, the guests have a wonderful charm of their own.

If you've watched this show already, you know how IMPOSSIBLE it is not fall in love with IU a.k.a. Ji-Eun. 🐼💕

Even though I don't listen to K-pop music, knowing IU for the first time onscreen through the show felt like finding a kindred spirit. She's warm, kind, cool, extremely talented and humble. I love how she took over Sang-Soon's coffee duty at the B&B.

I've learned a gazillion things from this show but here's listing down my 4 favorites:

1. As we watch Hyori make peace with her super successful past as a K-Pop superstar, we also watch her in love with her present. Choosing to lead a life that feels right to her is what brings her immense peace and satisfaction, even if it isn't a life everybody (her fans, more specifically) would have her choose. Living in her own authentic way, I took pride in the way Hyori stayed true to herself.

2. Sometimes, discomfort is a pathway to new adventures. This is beautifully proven when we see Sang-Soon and Hyori open themselves up to other people, other ways of thinking and being, through the show. Initially awkward, we see them grow more confident and then even excited, to welcome new folks home.

3. When you watch Hyori and Sang Soon with each other, it just reaffirms the fact that the right kind of love will always find you if you allow yourself to be found. I felt my heart soar as I watched the ease, comfort, honesty, care and affection the two showered on each other without the need for words or loud actions.

4. Last but not the least, this show's taught me that we should laugh, as much as possible and be kind, as often as we can. Be it absolutely terrible jokes between Hyori and Sang-Soon or the camaraderie between IU and the guests or just our pet babies faffing around the bonfire for a piece of meat, the house was always filled with sounds of laughter and quiet, steady, care.

Picture Credits | Korea Boo, Netflix, (Art) The Doodle App