Lazy summer days....
Jul. 26th, 2023 01:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rogueslayer452++ Everything going down with Twitter (RIP, 2006 - 2023) just reads like some kind of unbelievably bad parody at this point. Billionaires really are cartoonish, aren't they? Except Muskrat is just adding more to the fact that he's a loser manchild perpetually stuck being an immature 13-year-old edgelord thinking they know everything when they know absolutely nothing at all and continues to double down despite still looking like an embarrassing idiot. It's such a trashfire trainwreck, which, while hilarious to watch how shit is going down in real time and how utterly ridiculous it is to a baffling degree, it's also quite sad. It's simultaneously the fastest yet slowest funeral of a social media site I've seen.
(Between that and Tumblr doing yet more stupid with its unnecessary changes to, ironically, become more like the Social Media App Formerly Known As Twitter, part of me wants people who want more of the blogging platform experience to migrate to DW, especially fannish folks who miss those good old days of blogging, and yet at the same time I don't unless people know how to behave because I don't want that toxic energy to come here, thanks.)
++ While I'm sure award shows are going to be borked due to the SAG/WGA strikes happening, I'm very happy that The Last Of Us has 24 Emmy nominations, sweeping the categories, and rightfully so with the categories, too. Whatever is going to happen during awards season, I do want to say that The Last Of Us is very deserving of being recognized because it wouldn't have been possible without every single person who worked hard to pull off such an amazing adaptation.
++ We have the official cover art for volume 3 of The Husky and His White Cat Shizun. And I cannot wait for my copy of the first volume of Sha Po Lang, which was just released officially yesterday and I'm just sitting patiently for its arrival.
++ I haven't mentioned some of the dramas that I've watched/been watching over the last few months. Some I haven't quite finished watching yet, but I like them enough that even if I'm taking a temporary pause I'll get back to them pretty soon. I may end up doing full length reviews for some of the them eventually, but for now here are just a brief overview of my thoughts.
BEYOND EVIL (kdrama, 2021)
A Netflix discovery that took me by surprise. A murder mystery that is so much more than it seems, this is right up my alley in terms of the level of suspense, character drama, and the layers that unravel of the tangled web of everything. I mean, yes, the main draw from anyone who has paid attention is the dynamic between the two male leads, Lee Dong-sik and Han Joo-won, because my god that is sexual tension so thick you could cut it through with a knife, and they all knew it and played it up as much as they could even though it's not that kind of a story (even though it totally is a romance between those two and we all know it). However, it's not just their dynamic that makes the drama so engaging. It's a big part of it, but everything else is just so well-done too, from the other characters to the writing and the direction and just the way it's paced, it really keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next, what the outcome is going to be. It's so good, very solid.
THE GLORY (kdrama, 2022)
Another Netflix discovery. Admittedly, I actually haven't watched all of the episodes simply because of the content in some of them, because this drama, while good, does go into some very dark and heavy places (severe bullying, physical and sexual assault) which is a central part of the revenge plot of our protagonist, Moon Dong-eun. However, I have watched enough to see her plans go through, seen the dynamics between the characters, especially in the second half where shit goes down and the comeuppance of her vicious bullies and abusers are finally taken down. It is, indeed, absolutely glorious to watch, so when I do eventually go back to watch the episodes I haven't seen I'll be better prepared knowing their fates. I do want to say, though, that all of the actors were spectacular in their roles, particularly the ringleader head bitch, Park Yeon-jin, the most vicious of them all, because her being unhinged was both terrifying yet entertaining to watch especially as she is spiraling towards the end. I know some people were hoping that there would be more bloody murder or that Dong-eun would've done bloodshed, I prefer this kind of revenge scheme much better. It took years of patience while plotting and scheming, and in the end she didn't have to lift a finger. All she had to do was set certain things in motion and it was the bullies who ended up destroying themselves.
Oh, and I have to say while I definitely adore Moon Dong-eun/Joo Yeo-jeong as a pairing, I am a heavy advocate for a Moon Dong-eun/Joo Yeo-jeong/Ha Do-yeong poly relationship because they deserve it. It would also be the icing on the cake as a final "fuck you" to Yeon-jin.
LOVE BETWEEN FAIRY AND DEVIL (cdrama, 2022)
I may have talked about this briefly before, but this was a discovery from last year when it premiered. I think this might be my first xianxia drama I watched in full (well, aside from the last few episodes because I don't want it to end). Admittedly, I was curious about it because I saw gifs of Dongfang Qingcang looking absolutely fabulous in his outfits, and so I was drawn into from that aspect, but then I got sucked into the story, particularly since the first thing we get in the first episode is our two leads first meet each other when they accidentally bodyswapped. I think that was the selling point for me. You got to have something to keep me tuned in, and really, the actors pulled playing each other really well, especially since the bodyswapping is a trope that has a few repeats in the beginning of the drama itself.
But seriously, the drama features a lot of tropes that somehow work very well. I like that it's also kind of a deconstruction of some of the things that often come up in similar dramas, too. All the characters are interesting and complicated, the women characters in particular, the dynamic between Xiao Lanhua and Dongfang Qingcang is so good, I love how they complement one another and how they grow, both together and individually, throughout the drama.
LOVE O2O (cdrama/movie, 2016)
Yes, the only reason I was curious about this was because I wanted to see the absolute ridiculousness of Bai Yu's character look because after seeing some still shots and thumbnails from the videos, I needed to see what the actual fuck, lol.
Although I actually ended up watching the movie first, and then I checked out the drama for comparison. Honestly, I couldn't even get past the first episode of the drama because it was far too cutesy fluffy for my tastes (the best friend roommate of the female lead grated me so much, tbh), while the movie was a bit more grounded and toned down without losing that lightheartedness of the story. So yeah, I much prefer the movie version. It may have been a very very (very) condensed version of the drama, but it was short, sweet, and made it easier to digest so I didn't have to suffer through 30 episodes. It's a very lighthearted, feel-good, low-risk kind of story that was enjoyable to watch. Bai Yu appears in both, though his character in the movie is apparently a combination of his character in the drama along with another character, and while he doesn't look nearly as outrageous as he did in the drama (which I ended up having to fast forward to see where he appears in that, lol) his character's in-game persona kind of made up for that.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN JINGLIAN MOUNTAIN (cdrama, 2019)
This was by pure accident, but what a joy this has been. It's a comedy kind of drama but also sort of a spoof or satire of sorts, but with really tender and heartfelt moments between characters at times? Is it a transmigration story without saying it is? Is it a reincarnation story without saying it is? It's hard to, and perhaps that might be the point, as in just go with the flow nothing makes sense and you'll have a great time, so the moment you start watching you know that it's going to be absolutely bonkers and you're just along for the ride. (Apparently it is based on a novel, but that's all I gathered thus far.) I adore the chaotic neutral energy from Wang Wu, and while the story isn't meant to be this the BL vibes from Wang Lu and Hai Yufan is just amazing, like they make no secret that they're toying with that aspect, as well.
This is one that I have kind of taken a temporary break from, not for any particular reason other than I'm not in the right headspace for it at the moment, but I will get back to it eventually because it is a joy to watch the wacky and ridiculous shenanigans that go down.
BEST MECHANISM GREAT MASTER / WEIR TECHNICIAN (cdrama/movie, 2020)
I'm uncertain about the title translation, but both seem to come up when researching and watching the English translation online.
I only watched this because of Chen Mengqi (Huo Wensi from Detective L) when I was searching for what else was available of the projects he's worked on. First of all, he's very cute in this, and his character, Sanchi, is very much the opposite of Huo Wensi, kind of overly confident and cocky at times, also he's very expressive in this role. I also very much appreciate the wig they gave him since it has the adorable boyish look. Secondly, while I'm not quite certain about the story in itself (the subtitles were very small and hard to read even by enhancing the quality of the video) I actually dig the steampunk vibe it has going for it. Otherwise though, it was hard to really pinpoint the entirety of the story, the climax felt very anticlimactic and it sort of ends abruptly in a confusing way. I don't know if it's based off of something else, like a video game or webnovel where there's more context to it, since I feel like I was missing a lot of information.
If nothing else, it was worth it to watch for him and seeing him in a completely different role.
++ Additionally, it seems that Wang Zhuocheng and Xuan Lu are in another drama together (Divine Destiny) recently where apparently they may be playing romantic interests of sorts? His character had fallen in love with a rock which ended up transforming into a person and they've spent lifetimes together? I don't know anything beyond that aside from what I've seen from gifsets and vague descriptions others have given. Sometimes it's better without context, lol. The only other thing I know is that they're not the main characters, they're secondary characters that most wish were the central focus anyway. Also, it's just been entertaining witnessing the reactions from The Untamed fans. I don't know, I find it funny.
(Between that and Tumblr doing yet more stupid with its unnecessary changes to, ironically, become more like the Social Media App Formerly Known As Twitter, part of me wants people who want more of the blogging platform experience to migrate to DW, especially fannish folks who miss those good old days of blogging, and yet at the same time I don't unless people know how to behave because I don't want that toxic energy to come here, thanks.)
++ While I'm sure award shows are going to be borked due to the SAG/WGA strikes happening, I'm very happy that The Last Of Us has 24 Emmy nominations, sweeping the categories, and rightfully so with the categories, too. Whatever is going to happen during awards season, I do want to say that The Last Of Us is very deserving of being recognized because it wouldn't have been possible without every single person who worked hard to pull off such an amazing adaptation.
++ We have the official cover art for volume 3 of The Husky and His White Cat Shizun. And I cannot wait for my copy of the first volume of Sha Po Lang, which was just released officially yesterday and I'm just sitting patiently for its arrival.
++ I haven't mentioned some of the dramas that I've watched/been watching over the last few months. Some I haven't quite finished watching yet, but I like them enough that even if I'm taking a temporary pause I'll get back to them pretty soon. I may end up doing full length reviews for some of the them eventually, but for now here are just a brief overview of my thoughts.
BEYOND EVIL (kdrama, 2021)
A Netflix discovery that took me by surprise. A murder mystery that is so much more than it seems, this is right up my alley in terms of the level of suspense, character drama, and the layers that unravel of the tangled web of everything. I mean, yes, the main draw from anyone who has paid attention is the dynamic between the two male leads, Lee Dong-sik and Han Joo-won, because my god that is sexual tension so thick you could cut it through with a knife, and they all knew it and played it up as much as they could even though it's not that kind of a story (even though it totally is a romance between those two and we all know it). However, it's not just their dynamic that makes the drama so engaging. It's a big part of it, but everything else is just so well-done too, from the other characters to the writing and the direction and just the way it's paced, it really keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next, what the outcome is going to be. It's so good, very solid.
THE GLORY (kdrama, 2022)
Another Netflix discovery. Admittedly, I actually haven't watched all of the episodes simply because of the content in some of them, because this drama, while good, does go into some very dark and heavy places (severe bullying, physical and sexual assault) which is a central part of the revenge plot of our protagonist, Moon Dong-eun. However, I have watched enough to see her plans go through, seen the dynamics between the characters, especially in the second half where shit goes down and the comeuppance of her vicious bullies and abusers are finally taken down. It is, indeed, absolutely glorious to watch, so when I do eventually go back to watch the episodes I haven't seen I'll be better prepared knowing their fates. I do want to say, though, that all of the actors were spectacular in their roles, particularly the ringleader head bitch, Park Yeon-jin, the most vicious of them all, because her being unhinged was both terrifying yet entertaining to watch especially as she is spiraling towards the end. I know some people were hoping that there would be more bloody murder or that Dong-eun would've done bloodshed, I prefer this kind of revenge scheme much better. It took years of patience while plotting and scheming, and in the end she didn't have to lift a finger. All she had to do was set certain things in motion and it was the bullies who ended up destroying themselves.
Oh, and I have to say while I definitely adore Moon Dong-eun/Joo Yeo-jeong as a pairing, I am a heavy advocate for a Moon Dong-eun/Joo Yeo-jeong/Ha Do-yeong poly relationship because they deserve it. It would also be the icing on the cake as a final "fuck you" to Yeon-jin.
LOVE BETWEEN FAIRY AND DEVIL (cdrama, 2022)
I may have talked about this briefly before, but this was a discovery from last year when it premiered. I think this might be my first xianxia drama I watched in full (well, aside from the last few episodes because I don't want it to end). Admittedly, I was curious about it because I saw gifs of Dongfang Qingcang looking absolutely fabulous in his outfits, and so I was drawn into from that aspect, but then I got sucked into the story, particularly since the first thing we get in the first episode is our two leads first meet each other when they accidentally bodyswapped. I think that was the selling point for me. You got to have something to keep me tuned in, and really, the actors pulled playing each other really well, especially since the bodyswapping is a trope that has a few repeats in the beginning of the drama itself.
But seriously, the drama features a lot of tropes that somehow work very well. I like that it's also kind of a deconstruction of some of the things that often come up in similar dramas, too. All the characters are interesting and complicated, the women characters in particular, the dynamic between Xiao Lanhua and Dongfang Qingcang is so good, I love how they complement one another and how they grow, both together and individually, throughout the drama.
LOVE O2O (cdrama/movie, 2016)
Yes, the only reason I was curious about this was because I wanted to see the absolute ridiculousness of Bai Yu's character look because after seeing some still shots and thumbnails from the videos, I needed to see what the actual fuck, lol.
Although I actually ended up watching the movie first, and then I checked out the drama for comparison. Honestly, I couldn't even get past the first episode of the drama because it was far too cutesy fluffy for my tastes (the best friend roommate of the female lead grated me so much, tbh), while the movie was a bit more grounded and toned down without losing that lightheartedness of the story. So yeah, I much prefer the movie version. It may have been a very very (very) condensed version of the drama, but it was short, sweet, and made it easier to digest so I didn't have to suffer through 30 episodes. It's a very lighthearted, feel-good, low-risk kind of story that was enjoyable to watch. Bai Yu appears in both, though his character in the movie is apparently a combination of his character in the drama along with another character, and while he doesn't look nearly as outrageous as he did in the drama (which I ended up having to fast forward to see where he appears in that, lol) his character's in-game persona kind of made up for that.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN JINGLIAN MOUNTAIN (cdrama, 2019)
This was by pure accident, but what a joy this has been. It's a comedy kind of drama but also sort of a spoof or satire of sorts, but with really tender and heartfelt moments between characters at times? Is it a transmigration story without saying it is? Is it a reincarnation story without saying it is? It's hard to, and perhaps that might be the point, as in just go with the flow nothing makes sense and you'll have a great time, so the moment you start watching you know that it's going to be absolutely bonkers and you're just along for the ride. (Apparently it is based on a novel, but that's all I gathered thus far.) I adore the chaotic neutral energy from Wang Wu, and while the story isn't meant to be this the BL vibes from Wang Lu and Hai Yufan is just amazing, like they make no secret that they're toying with that aspect, as well.
This is one that I have kind of taken a temporary break from, not for any particular reason other than I'm not in the right headspace for it at the moment, but I will get back to it eventually because it is a joy to watch the wacky and ridiculous shenanigans that go down.
BEST MECHANISM GREAT MASTER / WEIR TECHNICIAN (cdrama/movie, 2020)
I'm uncertain about the title translation, but both seem to come up when researching and watching the English translation online.
I only watched this because of Chen Mengqi (Huo Wensi from Detective L) when I was searching for what else was available of the projects he's worked on. First of all, he's very cute in this, and his character, Sanchi, is very much the opposite of Huo Wensi, kind of overly confident and cocky at times, also he's very expressive in this role. I also very much appreciate the wig they gave him since it has the adorable boyish look. Secondly, while I'm not quite certain about the story in itself (the subtitles were very small and hard to read even by enhancing the quality of the video) I actually dig the steampunk vibe it has going for it. Otherwise though, it was hard to really pinpoint the entirety of the story, the climax felt very anticlimactic and it sort of ends abruptly in a confusing way. I don't know if it's based off of something else, like a video game or webnovel where there's more context to it, since I feel like I was missing a lot of information.
If nothing else, it was worth it to watch for him and seeing him in a completely different role.
++ Additionally, it seems that Wang Zhuocheng and Xuan Lu are in another drama together (Divine Destiny) recently where apparently they may be playing romantic interests of sorts? His character had fallen in love with a rock which ended up transforming into a person and they've spent lifetimes together? I don't know anything beyond that aside from what I've seen from gifsets and vague descriptions others have given. Sometimes it's better without context, lol. The only other thing I know is that they're not the main characters, they're secondary characters that most wish were the central focus anyway. Also, it's just been entertaining witnessing the reactions from The Untamed fans. I don't know, I find it funny.
