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

~ Kodoku no Gurume ~ Ep. 2, S7 ~ Favorite Moments

101 Guide on the intricacies of enjoying a buffet spread by Goro:

'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

~ A small look-book of Jang Man Wol’s killer wardrobe and a big talent-appreciation post. ~ 

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GIF Credits: | GIF 3 - Soompi | GIF 4 - Blight @Wattapad | GIF 7 - KPop Map |  GIF 9 & 11 - Giphy | GIF 6, 10 & 12 - Dramabeans | GIF 11 - @foriu​ | GIF 13: Literature and Movies | GIF 14 - Pinterest | 

“How your life feels is more important than how it looks.” - homebody club.

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| Passport Journal |

A Small Guide on How to Sit with Yourself

My Teacher said, "Sit with yourself for 15 minutes everyday. Take this time to reflect and just enjoy your solitude."

It's the best advice on self-love I've received. I do this every morning, with a cup of coffee alongside. Here's a tiny guide I'd like to share for you to experience this joy too:

* Choose your favorite spot (at home, a café or even the metro)

* Not mandatory: It's good to have trees or the sky to look at

* Put your phone away for the next 10-15 minutes

* Consciously pause all the mental to-do lists and planning of activities or goals that's surprisingly always running in the background, even when you're not aware of it

* The minute you do this, you might hear yourself exhale or sigh a bit louder than usual. (It's a good sign)

* Feel free to have a coffee or a mug of tea for company

* Notice the most predominant feeling present inside you in that moment

* Allow this feeling and any other ones to fully move through you without stopping or analyzing them

* Once you've felt all of them deeply, allow yourself to talk to yourself or the Universe about things that feel too tough to solve, hurtful or confusing

* You may feel a sense of release, even if the answers aren't coming to you yet (don't worry, they'll come. Answers have a unique way of showing up when we least expect them.)

* Right now, notice if your breathing has softened and slowed down. Enjoy this state of presence with yourself

* Talk aloud to yourself if you'd like. (I find this particularly comforting.) It doesn't have to be profound talk. Even a regular catch-up with your thoughts, something that changed your perspective yesterday, a new learning, a meal you'd like to eat again, all are good.

* You may want to chill with yourself past those 15 minutes. Go on, it's a fine idea.:) 

* For some, it may be discomforting at first-- the silence, the weirdness about meeting yourself-- and that's cool. 

* Try to keep coming back to yourself everyday if you can. Mind you, it can get addicting. :) 

P.S: I'd like to thank you my wonderful Teacher who made me meet myself in this soul-easing way.

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 | 

In need of some love and light myself today so sharing another favorite quote from ‘Iburigurashi’. 

These are screengrabs I’ve taken while or after watching an episode. Returning to post these brings the same warmth and fuzziness in my heart as it did the first time I watched these scenes. 

I’m always grateful for positive things in this world, especially on the days that feel a bit too hard. I’m always grateful to be Loved, even though I may not understand the ways in which I’m being taken care of. 

Sometimes, a shoulder to cry, a show to return to, or a Friend who’s picture you can look at and talk to are enough to soothe the rough edges of life. 

I hope you find those too, in case you may need them today. 🌸

~ Another day, another flashback to a mini journal spread ✨~

~ My Thoughts on ‘Yuru Camp’, Season 1 ~

I was looking for an easy-going drama, and ‘Yuru Camp’ was exactly the one my tired mind needed. I am a sucker for nature & food-centric stories and this is the kind of healing I always want more of.

1. Right off the bat, I fell in love with the little while scooter of Shinma Rin and the breathtaking views of Mt. Fuji. I usually travel with my friends, but I could see the beauty of camping solo through Rin's passion for her hobby.

2. Rin may not be people-friendly but there is something very grounding about her. I think she's true to her heart in her own unique way and follows it. I love how comfortable she is with her herself & how much she relishes her own company. It was so lovely and refreshing to see that. On the other hand, it was also cute to watch her awkwardly open up to people and friendship. Nadeshiko was the primary reason for this happening, but I also loved Rin's efforts in taking the initiative to be a better friend. There's also such a caring side to Rin and this comes forth every time Nadeshiko does something reckless or stupid. Lol, I love that concern and the hilarious camaraderie the two share.

3. Now, a little about Nadeshiko, because even though she's shown to be a bit naïve, I found her very soulful as a person. For one thing, I love anyone who devours a cup of instant Nissan like they're eating the most delish dish in the world. Nadeshiko will always have my heart for it. Amidst getting lost and napping on the pavement, I love how she's always up for new things, new people and ideas. Her first camping experience with Rin, the serene beauty of Mt. Fuji against a pale, full moon instilled in her a love for the outdoors.

4. Even the school's outdoor club was such a cool venture. I loved how they find these perfect hot springs for their first outing and relish in the warmth of nature's water-gift. I even loved how they enjoy a dessert date, tasting each other's picks one after another.

5. My favorite moment was when Nadeshiko and Rin make a hot-pot on one of their camping trips. The mandu look so plump and juicy and the sheer deliciousness of having hot soup with dumplings almost bursting with filling brings goosies to my heart. I love how they relished each bite, especially Rin's face when she had her first one.💕

6. Another favorite moment was when they went camping in a forest, by the lake. Tall trees, an evening sun, and our 'Secret Blanet Society' of Rin and Nadeshiko was superb. There was also this moment when Nadeshiko's sister enjoys a cup of hot coffee sitting by the lake, when she comes to drop off her sibling at the campsite. That is such a peaceful and heart-filling moment too.

7. There is a solo trip that Rin takes, where the route to the camping site is blocked and she decides to persevere and take a longer detour. On the way, she buys buns filled with meat and vegetables. She learns how winging it is also a joy of travelling and finally, on arriving at the campsite, she watches a night sky shimmering with stars, tiny lights lit up in the village houses below, while enjoying a crispy-yet-soft grilled bun for dinner.

8. The show was such a lovely respite from my anxieties around regular life. It really made me feel all warm and happy on the inside. It also made me realize how much I love feel-good Japanese dramas that have no agenda except to cherish the beauty of simple things and everyday moments of living.

'Mr. Queen’ Taught Me “Be You. The World Will Adjust.”

I have no shame in proclaiming this so early into this year but… 'Mr. Queen' or ‘Queen Cheorin’ is my favorite drama watch of 2021.

Quite honestly, I don't know where to start with this show. There is so much happening in it, right from the very first scene and yet, it doesn't overwhelm or addle you (well done, team TVN).

A time-travel story, prominent Korean chef Jang-Bong Hwan's spirit suddenly transports back to the Joseon Dynasty and settles into Queen Kim So-Yong's body. Strangely, it is exactly at the same time when the Queen decides to jump into a palatial lake.

So what does a man from the 21st century do trapped in a woman's body from a couple of 100 years ago? Of course, he tries every possible trick in the book to swap back to his own physical being.

But the deities have other plans and we then see how Bong Hwan's spirit decides to own his role as a Queen until the heavens deem it right for him to return to present times.

I shall pause here and applaud the absolute brilliancy of actress Shin Hye-Sun who's done such a fantastic job portraying a narcissistic male spirit in a feminine form. She's a complete rock-star, our Queen Cheorin. She has zero hoots to give, she damns patriarchy in the face, she teaches the king a thing or two about how to run a goddamn country, she leads the creation of ramen as we know it today, she's bold, selfish and hellish funny.

King Cheoljung is another interesting entity. Sporting a façade as a 'puppet king', he's actually the mastermind behind the revolt brewing up among the masses. He was never really into Kim So-Yong because his heart is already tied to Jo Hwa-Jin. His marriage to So-Yong is nothing but an extension of court politics and this infuriates our very handsome but clearly-a-bit-twisted second lead, Kim Byeong-in.

In Byeong-in's defense, he's loved So-Yong ever since they were children and he's aware of her being despondent in finding no comfort or companionship in Cheoljong.

We then have two classic bitches-of-the-first-order in Queen Sunwon (great grandmother-in-law) and Queen Dowager Jo (mother-in-law). The former is supported by the slyest villain in the history of Joseon dynasty Kim Jwa-Guen and is evil enough on her own, mind you. Topped up with Queen Dowager's crappy antiques, the trio deserve an ovation for the amount of times they can piss you off.

The story follows the survival of Jang-Bong Hwan as Kim So-Yong amidst political intrigues and secrets that compose the palace and its people.

The show is hilarious. The comic timing, is absolutely woot-worthy and it just keeps wanting you to sit your ass down and move on to the next episode and then the next. Even through the darkest moments of storytelling, the show finds a way to make you laugh. And this, more than anything else (exception: Shin-Hye Sun's stellar performance) is the reason why I simply LOVE and adore the show.

I cannot not talk about Court Lady Choi-Hwa, a sensational, traditional mother-figure who's about to lose her shit thanks to the baffling antiques of our Mr. Queen. From walking with her skirt held up to her knees, from burping in your face, from taking over the Royal Kitchen and to dancing in the rain, So-Yong's sudden change of character causes Lady Choi to almost faint.

So-Yong, Lady Choi and Hong Yeon's femme bonding is one of my favorite parts of this entire tale, hands down.

There are so many sensational and cute side characters in the show but I'm going to list down some key learnings I picked up:

1. Have the courage to love yourself first.

Often, it is easier to love another before loving ourselves first. But to sit down with yourself and give yourself the love you crave for is a no-bargain deal, even if it means not having the space to love others.

2. Celebrate your weird, your crazy and your wild.

Life's really, really rather short to be anything but the whole of you. I love that about So-Yong: her ability to be radically herself and celebrate it.

3. You are only defeated when you think yourself to be.

No matter what life throws at you or if time has your back or not, you cannot be defeated until you allow yourself to be. I think this is one of my favorite qualities of King Cheoljung.

I'd like to rewatch this drama, at a slower pace, with large bowls of chili popcorn, now that the suspense is over and I know how it ends. My last words: So-Yong eating ramen. ❤

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GIF Credits: GIF 1 & 13 - Tumbex | GIF 2: Choi Jin-Hyuk y Dramas, Tumblr | GIF 3: @labelledejour​ | GIF 4: Aghasewatchtv | GIF 5: MyDramaList | GIF 5: Kenh 14 a | GIF 11: Dramabeans | GIF 12: Bitches Over Dramas | GIF 14: Tenor | GIF 15: @thingskateknows​ |