The First Stalker

   During my latest research in the topic of connection between plants and blood, I came across a nice legend, explaining how the race of Stalkers was born. Don't let me be misunderstood, the ancient Greeks gave us philosophy (blergh) and art (yey!). But they also left some humongous baggage of weird archetypes and complexes (Oedipus, enyone?). This website gives the legend of The First Stalker in the best narrative form I found, so I'll quote it here.

Music Once Again

   Goddamit, the OST for Thor 2 is so so booooring! But Brian Tyler was never my favorite score composer anyway, so it's not like I'm disappointed or anything.

And you know, when even Ryan Gosling scolds you for not writing more often, it means something's not right. Ekhem, back to music and NO Jjong today. Let's commemorate this with one minute of silence.

November Music

   I have not been a great blogger recently. Those who know me, are aware I even abandonned Twitter (what seems like an impossible task, but...) to focus on reading and writing. I read a lot and I wrote a lot, of course, but not a half of it had anything in common with my PhD course. I was listening to music, though. Like, a lot. 

That doesn't mean I was out of touch of everything Korean, no. You know I cannot leave voices for a long time, so no, Jonghyeon and others (*cough cough*) were my companions the past few weeks and I'm updated. However, this post is about the music I mean to introduce to everyone, cause I know few people bother to check my constant scrobbling.

11 AM teaser

   Should I say - FINALLY! It's been over a year and a half of waiting. And full teaser is now out (the previous one, shorter, was released some days ago).

Sci-fi about time travel. I'm always iffy about such things, since time travel motif is full of loopholes (nomen omen) and it's hard to avoid mistakes and paradoxes, but... WHO CARES??

On The Radio

   I missed listening to the radio so I tuned in (online) and began discovering and rediscovering some great music. Few of those tunes and songs I present here. I bet majority of those are known to you, but maybe this will trigger your memory and you'll set on a journey of your own.

You Surely Can't Be Serious!

I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.  So I'm back, disinterested in currently airing Kdramas as never before. After having a blast this past Spring, nothing actually caught my attention, not when Under The Dome started and got into me. Yes, I do have Cruel Palace to finish, waiting for two dramas, but not excited about one (medical, brr. Oh, Jihun, the things I'm willing to do for you!). 

Will probably be back to blogging, but real life is somewhat so persistent, it gives me no time to do anything much. Well, this and my innate striving to not do what I should knowing exactly what I'm doing. Or not... well, you got the point.

August But Not Rush

   Before I disappear again for my hometown holiday, maybe some music update? I found this list of 500 Essential Rock and Roll Songs, so if anyone wants to check, I'll paste it below. You remember the list of 1000 songs you Have To Listen before You Die? Yes, similar list. Highlights? No Oasis' song this time.
Don't worry, I didn't forget about my eternal voices, I'm listening to them as well.

Music From Nothing

   Some of you heard about this, some maybe haven't. I'm putting this up here just because one of my friends reminded me of it and it's totally worth it. Just watch it next time you want to whine about how bad your life is.

Introduction to Wreck-the-Fanfic Project

I have never really understood the appeal of fanfics (fan-fictions). If someone wants to write, or feels the genius inside telling her (or him but rarely) to write, what's the big deal of writing your own story? For me, fanfics are the least creative form of literature. Yes, I hear your voices, goddamnme!! the defending of the genre, the opinions that some are really good etc. Some may be, for all I care, I read only the horrible ones. But for me, being in various fandoms half of my life, fanfics are not actually Pulitzer award worthy pieces of writing. It may be because I came across nasty, incoherent and bad ones first and I'm biased? Maybe. 

I don't understand what is so hard in writing YOUR own story, with names and places created by you. Inspiration from people around, motifs or even celebrities is fine, it is something natural, but writing slash fanfic with real people somehow doesn't sit well with me.

I find majority of fanfics a worthless piece of wasted space (to put the euphemism before the page break).

Sword And Flower a.k.a. Tricks and Nonsense

   One thing first - I'm a first episode girl, I've been saying this all the time. I may not want to watch some drama (SKKS casus) but I try eventually and then decide. I fell in love with SKKS after watching first episode and I didn't fall in love with Sword And Flower. At all.

Japanese literature for dummies Part 2

   Previously we took a closer look into hedonistic lives of high aristocracy of Heian who spent their lives devoted to pursuing pleasures and honing the literary skills (real or imagined). In other words - Part 1. The very same period gave us eternal Genji complex that every writer and work suffers from, and of course neverending battle between Spring and Autumn (I didn't mention it, Princess Nukada's poem in Man'you). Right now we will dissect more next periods in Japanese literature.

Is This Summer?

   Before we dive into some new/not new music, please remember the awesomest ever movie Three Musketeers (1973) and the scene when d'Artagnan had to sell his "horse". Now read the title along the old man's intonation. You get the resignation now?

Adopting my amazing friend's viewpoint, I'm trying to listen to the new album as if the previous ones didn't exist. It's also kind of adopting of what Banana Yoshimoto demands with her books - every time a new one is released, she asks bookstores to remove previous ones from the shelves. It's a very postmodernist approach, right?

Kim Jonghyeon in June

   

   It's because it's been a while I posted anything about this man.

Some of you know these, some does not. 

Media and Condemnation by Memory in the Internet Age

 There was a good article appearing in Korea Focus, dealing with recent scandal in Korea on top levels. This is why I think it's worthwhile to read a lot of words.

Mid-June Blues

   Weeeell, yeah, I know, it's not technically middle of June, so?

 Some music to soothe us or irritate us.

I Iz In Your Head Hearing You Gutter

   The thought of someone hearing my thoughts gives me the creeps. Not because it's the ultimate violation of privacy, but because of the very nature of thoughts. We tend to filter them (unless your name starts with Jong and ends with hyeon) so that we can at least pretend to be normal, coherent and we can uphold the image of ourselves that we want to project onto people around.

S. Korean Law System

   I am not a lawyer. Heck, half of the jargon they speak is kind of a foreign language to me. But since we have few dramas now that deal with crime, law or Baksa Adeul... I mean hawt criminals, I went here and there and now I present links and facts about Korean law.

Fête de la Musique 2013

   

   Last year I wrote about World Music Day, so I'm making it a precedence.
This time, dance included^^

Cruel Palace Off The Chest

   Except for Monstar this drama became the one I check the subs for the most often. We are after 26 episodes and drama is scheduled to 50, so that makes us sitting right in the middle of the events. There were few episodes I felt a bit boring, but in overall, I'm enjoying this series a lot. Apart from 2 ladies on twitter no one seems to watch it (among my friends of course, not talking about the whole twitterverse) and I just comment for the sake of commenting, me seems. 

Monstar spazz

 

   I prayed for music drama and music drama I got. Music drama with singing, dancing, stages! I pinned my hopes on What's Up! back then but in overall, on music level it disappointed me. Both Monstar and Mnet twitters were flooded just now with cuts from episode 5 I'm waiting (actually - WE are waiting, hay ladies!) for.

Vanity conquers all

A woman holding a designer handbag crosses a street in this undated file photo. Many Korean female consumers crave designer bags with the belief that the high-end accessories, fake or genuine, make them appear richer than they actually are.

 I understand where this trend comes from, but it's kind of alarming.

7th ‘Musical Awards’ Korea

   Looks like Rebecca won all major awards. Oh well, apart from Les Miserables, it had no real competition. I'm happy to see La Cage Aux Folles won Choreography Award though.

Monstar - singing scene

   I can tell with nearly surgical accuracy when the obssession hits. And I can hear this faint sound of tiny feet circling around, closer with each round and closer...

Ladies and gentlemen, I present you singing scene from Monstar ep 1.

Dramas Keep Fallin' On My Head...

... But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red
Cryin's not for me
'Cause I'm never gonna stop the dramas by complainin'
Because I'm free
Nothin's worryin' me...

Nothing would be surprising IF I didn't have 4 articles waiting and a month to write them. Plus, some other things. Oh well, fangirling won't do itself.

Japanese literature for dummies Part 1

   A short introduction to Japanese Literature. Otherwise known as You're-Not-Japanese-So-You-Won't-Understand. It's really short, because there's absolutely no use in writing elaborated post on something that is highly personal. Books are personal, same as music. I may like something, but other people may hate it with passion.

Liebster Award - Coming Out Time!

   This kind of thing is perfect for nourishing the bonds between people, especially that we meet every day, talk about (almost) everything, we even know what kind of risotto we prefer and whether we drink tea with sugar or not. This gesture is another stamp on the relationships.

We like similar things or we hate them, but we still stick together despite our differencies, which makes the group of people so interesting.

Short music news

   I'm not doing a proper review. I never did. Lately I've been reading some books and articles on structure, anthropology and culture of popculture (focusing on music, damn I'm rhyming) so I know I'm not a proper critic. However I really like to talk about music, about what moved me, what didn't and why Jonghyeon is a supernatural being.

Well, OK, no Jjong in this post but... (in Minho's voice) he's back!

M is for May Music!

   Finally listened to Younha's new album. The artwork of the cover is some basic photoshop and it kind of put me off, because I don't quite like those clouds and blending with face on the Moon. Because as we all know, there can be only one face on the Moon.
 

Sharkey Updates

   

   Seeing Namgil-nim being called ajusshi is not the reality I wanted, to be perfectly frank. That makes me ajumma and I refuse to be one. I'm a kickass nuna, thankyouverymuch. 

Additional music

   The other day we had this talk with a friend on Twitter about Lee Hyori's new song and MV Miss Korea. This coming after hilarious viral news about Miss Korea/Seoul (unclear) and I find it pretty good timing. Lee Hyori is lately known mostly for her ties to social and animal problems. People love her or hate her for that, but still she's one of the few celebrities who actually are vocal on few things (no wonder Im Seul-ong wants the same and I can see his point clearly).

May The Music Be With You

Lame title, I know, but with recent news regarding SHINee's very own Dino and his accident, I'm happy I can actually write here.

As for new music, to be honest, nothing knocked me down my feet (SHINee excluded, thankyouverymuch), however I feel obliged to report on this 1% of whatever I'm listening to and maybe someone would find this useful. Doubtful, very doubtful, but whatever.

Jonghyeon's Not Back Yet

And looks like he won't be back so soon.
I rest my case.

Safe Little Home

   This post serves only one purpose - to apprehend the meaning of double standards that are so pervasive in the academic world, be it thorough research or casual critical thinking. 

Problem lies in my own country's scientific and cultural establishment that rarely ventures beyond the boundaries, that doesn't feel the need to "boldly go where no one has gone before".

Music Round-up

   I'm so behind with drama episodes and some new music I'm actually ashamed to show up here. However, I managed to muster up the remnants of my courage and write few lines about recent releases that caught my attention.

But first... SMEnt made SHINee comeback without Jonghyeon. Yes, you read that right, my fellow martyrs of SM brilliant tactics - WITHOUT the ultimately overwhelming shining bling!

Add this to the long hate-list.

I'm So Furious, Yeah

   

   

   Well, actually not that much but... In days like this what a girl wants is just some drama to make her life brighter or at least bearable. Sadly as for Kdrama, nothing makes me thrilled. It might be also some other evil neighbour's creation that I can't get into the mood of watching anything. Autumn's Concerto came, crushed all and left, leaving me unable to get into any Kdrama. Actually no, that's not this series' fault. It's because current "Main 3" prime-time productions are crap. 

And Mandate of Heaven I'm pinning all my interest on now just aired first episode today.

All About Love - Jam Hsiao

   Some time ago I promised the review of this album and somehow other evil things were coming my way. Well, here it is, not the actual review but just my quick thoughts on this.

Kim Namgil photobook

   Some of these pics of a Korean actor are taken from Japanese release scanned by Chinese website and attached on Taiwan fanclub's website. Ah, the cooperation! See, all those countries can live in peace and harmony, just throw them Kim Namgil. Peace preserved!

April Music

   Ever since April 1st Jonghyeon has been in hospital, but the single with his song for King's Dream drama was released. Drama is a crap, but not the song. And before you judge me - I'm not a deaf fan saying all songs by someone are masterpieces and should be adorned with diamonds. I fiercely hate Jjong's Girls and Kangta's 7989. And I don't listen to those. 

The Fluff and Bluff

      And so I started Gu Family Book for my own undoing. I have few dramas I'm watching (see side panel) and few dramas I'm watching irregularly because of no subs or slow subs. I just stare at people (*cough cough*) in Di Jin because of no subs whatsoever, and I'm hopelessly waiting someone will sub Happy 300 Days, because it does seem like an awesome, slice-of-life drama.

I'm Not Gonna Bite You...

... unless you wanted me to. Do you you want me to bite you? Is that what you're trying to tell me? (quote after: Shark).

After weeks of yes-no drama-llama plot device in practical use, we got confirmation that Kim Namgil-nim will appear on Shark. His female counterpart would be Son Yejin and she's one of those actresses I highly approve of. She can kiss act.

When A Drama Flashes Abs

  Little did I expect from #WhenAManShowsHisAbs that is When a Man Loves To Show His Abs except for abs, and abs I got. I don't even know what's going on with the plot. OK, I get the basis, like there is this gangster with dove's heart and this hardworking girl...

It's quite fast, and maybe it's a new trend among Kdramas, because usually it takes around 4 episodes to lay out the whole intrigue, and we got proposal by the end of ep 2. This may be also a trap, because writers may use up all their stuff earlier than expected and last 3 eps may be just filled with flashbacks, sobbing, brooding, noble idiocy, accidents, you name it.

Let's Say Spring Music

   It's still snowing, the Spring is reluctant to come to Europe. But finally I managed to get out from Kpop slump and listen to something. As usual - Melon and Bugs charts come handy. This past quarter those are heavily hip-hop (read: hep-hap) infected, and although I'm able to listen to rap parts in songs if I have to, I'm not able to listen to full heavy hiphopped song. Cause I don't like it. Don't judge me. Or judge, I don't care. 

That's why I think Seo Inguk's song could do just fine without this rap by Verbal Jint.

For f*ck's sake, just don't swear!

   I love Knetizens because I always liked stories about insanity, creepiness and in overall The Fall of Ushers. They are consistent in fact - they can never, ever let you down in category of "let's ridicule ourselves. Again". So if anything happens in Kfandom funky world - check comments and your world will soon become brighter. Well, brighter than K-ent anyway. (pun intended).

Frustrations

   I don't mind idols casting in dramas, this way we can check if they can act (Eunji) or not (Yunho). But, dear PDs in the Land of Morning Cray, you DO have amazing actors yet you don't use them and if you do - in some crappy productions that even Yunho would do (I guess that will be added to my repertoire of insults from now on. Come and get me!).

But I'm filling a complaint to UN, Interpol, UNICEF and every other organization that deals with abusing human rights for not casting Choi Daehun in any drama/movie.

Kdrama paranoia

   Last seasons we've been having same pattern repeating in few dramas, or motif, some similar line and elements. As I said, I don't mind same plot-line, because every drama offers a different approach to the same topic. But looks like writers just can't think out of the box when speaking about the general settings. 

Last season was plagued by better or less good time-travel motif. I liked Rooftop Prince version, other people didn't, they liked other dramas, I didn't. It happens.

This year, we have humanity's fate at stake.

Spring in Dramaland

 If anyone has allergy to Kpollen, well, annoying times approach. You better have your meds and tissues.

Last season was somehow dry for Kdrama. I dropped almost all dramas that started airing last year or at the beginning of this one, with the exception of Missing You, which, although being a happy trainwreck from around ep 15, managed to clutch me tight within its grip and I genuinely anticipated what the next episode will bring. 

But spring season looks quite promising (all pinky and fluff and petals, I will explode with kawaii soon).

Some March Sonnet

Appreciation post of the glory that graces this blog and has Birthday today.

Using Shakespeare's Sonnet Nr 26.

War of K-arrows

   

   Do you, fellow readers, remember those dark times when we waited a whole week or even more for subtitles? Some of you for sure, cause we're old, ahahaha!

With Hallyu sudden rise after 2010 we got a little more comfy with growing communities of fans translating vids fairly fast, like viki or DSC. Depending on the show, subs were even available the very same day (oh, hay Faith).

As everything in this world, going global has consequences.

Sageuk slump

   By sageuk I mean also to include daeha. It may be only my biased view but lately there is a significant slump in period drama production and those that are made, somehow fail to deliver. Last year there was only Mushin that made me stick with it all through 50+ episodes. I also watched Queen Insu, but since the show reminded unsubbed, I probably lost lot of it in the course.

Talent and wit of Korean Air Force wow global audiences

   Some weeks ago I was tipped by a lovely friend of mine regarding military parody of "Les Miserables" and of course I loved that from the first sound. I love musicals, I love parodies, so I had my day. I meant to write about this for some time but somehow something else was on my mind all the time.

Turns out - this is slowly becoming new viral sensation. This time with full sense, talent and coherence. They sing so damn well (no wonder Dino was pissed once).

Oh and English subs too.