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I just want to bring up something which I think was brilliantly written and directed in The Matchmakers. It has something to do with Jung Woo and the Princess.

I remembered that when it was first revealed that Jung Woo has actual feelings for the Princess, people were confused. Some were speculating if he's just faking it to empathize with Soon Deok's dilemma and make her feel better and some were questioning if it was a last minute added story line.

I completely disagree and don't think that it was a randomly added storyline. Seeing as how the show has consistently potrayed Jung Woo to be a man who is enveloped with unfortunate rumors and secrecy, I think that THAT is the whole point of episode 1 and what the show wants US to believe as well when we were first introduced to him.

What we see in episode 1 is basically the rumours about him being played out for us. While what happened were mostly true, a fraction of it were also based off rumors. The point is that he is an isolated figure and people outside of his close circle would only know him through the rumours they've heard about him. Which was why it was directed in a way that us, viewers, would also only know him through those rumours. What we were given were only quick snippets of the events that happened with Jung Woo which doesn't show the full story. What solidifies the director's intention for me was that after we were shown the sequence of time passing while Jung Woo was left to live in isolation after the princess' death, the scene cuts to a group of men outside the gates of Gyeongwoonjae (Jung Woo's house) openly gossiping about him.

Now, what was the purpose of this scene if not to show that the scenes that were played out before this were based on the unreliable gossip made by outsiders? I think this scene perfectly illustrates that idea and most viewers might have overlooked this, including myself haha. It only clicked for me when I decided to rewatch episode 1. & now I'm smacking myself on the forehead for not realising lol.

The Jung Woo we were introduced to in episode 1 is basically the Jung Woo from the rumors and it was directed with those intentions.

& as the episodes go by, we, the viewers, who has only known him based on the rumors and snippets shown in episode 1 and made to believe that the rumours were true, begin to learn more and more about the real him alongside Soon Deok. The director and writer wants the viewers to be a part of the story and journey as well. I guess we can say that we are those people who believed in the rumours about Jung Woo too easily LOL.

I just find this so clever! 'Rumours', in itself, plays a huge part in the story & it also goes along with the running theme within the drama about novels being based on true stories but they can also be turned into rumours because they are not written to tell the exact full story. The show also consistently incorporates the idea of misunderstandings to show that 'not everything is as it seems' and that things are not always what they appear to be on the surface. Like Soon Gu's misunderstanding in regard to Soon Deok's marriage. Jung Woo's misunderstanding of Soon Deok's identity. Lady Park's misunderstanding of what happened with her son. The misunderstanding of the Maeng sisters based off gossip. Soon Gu's initial misunderstanding of Hwarok. Everyone's misunderstanding of Jung Woo, as a whole.

Bravo to the writer and director of this show!

#The Matchmakers #korean drama #kdrama #Rowoon #Cho YiHyun #Shim Jungwoo #Jung Soondeok #kdrama thoughts #Kim Seokwoo #the matchmakers #korean #drama

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I love how Rowoon consistently does 'loser in love' characters in his dramas and he does it so well. It has literally become his signature.

Haru? 'willing to risk everything for her even if I ceased to exist' type of loser.

Hyunseung? 'will do anything to make her love me back even if I'm just a hoobae to her' type of loser.

Jiwoon? 'will love him/her and it didn't matter if he/she's a man or a woman and a king' type of loser.

Junwoong? No romance but 'will love my grim reaper team mates forever even if I don't remember them for the years until my death' type of loser.

Shinyu? 'it started with a love spell but it didn't matter because they're just my inner real feelings anyway so I'm just gonna act on it' type of loser.

Jungwoo? an upcoming 'am in love with her but can't admit it because our love is not lawfully right and also because I'm a virgin and have no clue what all these feelings are about' type of loser.

+ Bonus:

Mujin? 'am in love with a shaman with a lowly status and willing to run away with her' type of loser.

#Rowoon #Kim Seokwoo #kdrama #actor #korean #Extraordinary You #Haru #She Would Never Know #Chae Hyunseung #The King's Affection #Jung Jiwoon #Tomorrow #Choi Junwoong #Destined With You #Jang Shinyu #Jang Mujin #The Matchmakers #Shim Jungwoo

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How can I not recognize you? The Matchmakers 혼례대첩 (2023)

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I must have looked cute.

Destined With You 이 연애는 불가항력 2023

#Please I’m in love with this man #there’s no denying it #Rowoon #Kim Rowoon #seokwoo #Kim seokwoo #Jang shin Yu #destined with you

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My thoughts on Rowoon leaving SF9 as someone who stans them since 2019:

Firstly, those of you who are not even a fan, who does not even follow Rowoon throughout his idol career and are here purely for the bandwagon, please kindly take a step back.

There has always been a reason why some fans knew this was coming and it's not because of the so called 'acting disease' which ya'll seem to assume. There's an unspoken reason which only true fans would know. He has been suffering from a herniated disc since 2020. Before that, he has been really involved with group activities but ever since the injury he sustained, he has not been able to fully participate due to the intense choreographies which he obviously wouldn't be able to do anymore.

Herniated disc is no joke and it doesn't just go away like any other minor injuries. Being put into acting projects is a more manageable and sustainable route for him to contribute to the company as well as his group's brand. Participating in multiple performances would just take a toll on his health because it's not just a one time performance, it's basically hours of practices and rehearsals which would be a sh*tty thing to do to yourself if you have a long ongoing back issues. His problem was so bad at one point that he couldn't even walk without the help of crutches.

It's a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation when it comes to Rowoon because when he priotises his health by not participating and doing other things to contribute instead, people get mad saying that it doesn't feel like he's part of the group then when he tries to participate like the latest comeback, people still get mad because of his dancing and bashed him for his lack of energy and passion. The man is still struggling with a herniated disc, of course he's not going to be able to dance as intensely as he used to. Unless you want him to break his back and paralyze himself in the future maybe.

To be honest, I can see why he may have felt slightly upset about the fans because of the bashing he received due to issues he has no control over. So before anyone mentions Eunwoo or Junho or whatever other actor idols out there who manages to juggle just fine, do they have any underlying health issues that could prevent them from performing choreo? Their situation is completely different so you can't really compare.

Sure, he can stick with doing the bare minimum choreo while aggravating his condition to become worse while also taking in all the bashing comments about his lack of energy for dancing but why should he? It will only make him feel guilty for bringing the group down because he would never be able to perform on par with them and he will only stick out like a sore thumb for all their upcoming performances.

So honestly, this is a right decision he made for himself as well as for his group members. Fans will just have to accept it whether they like it or not. I don't think he owes the fans any proper or detailed explanation for his decision because only real fans would know the truth from the start. If he were to state anything and reveal his vulnerabilities, it would just sound like an excuse to some people anyway so it's best that he does not mention it at all.

I expected Fantasies to be more understanding about his situation to be honest but I fully understand that the disappointment/anger felt are completely valid. I am too. I am disappointed that he's no longer SF9's Rowoon. But as a fan, I also could understand his struggles and the decision he made with him and his group members in mind. It is for the best. It's time for us to just move on and continue to support them as a group and support Rowoon on his new path as well.

If you find it difficult to support him after all this, then fine. You do you. But please don't invalidate the times where he has been nothing but an amazing member of SF9 who have contributed a lot to the group during their beginnings. Who has always been sweet, caring, and loving towards his members and fans. When they first started out, he was literally the PR of the group, going to various shows to promote the group as a rookie. When he started acting, and when he goes on shows, he would introduce himself as SF9 Rowoon while emphasizing on SF9. When he started gaining popularity and goes on shows with his group members, he would literally try to put the attention away from him and let the other members shine more because they deserve the attention as much he does. Please don't forget that Rowoon. Just as Rowoon is going on his new path, I hope that you'll erase all the negativity you might have felt and go on your own path as well.

#SF9 #sf9 rowoon #rowoon #seokwoo #kim seokwoo

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Adding on to my theory:

Nayeon is completely aware of the existence of spells and curses due to her family history and connections. Two years ago, she met Shin Yu while she was working and started dating him, although initially he was completely uninterested in her (context taken from her official character description). But you know what else happened two years ago? Eunwol started losing her abilities and was unable to manage the shrine thus having to be sent to the nursing home (again, context taken from the official character descriptions). Eunwol's role is to guard the Jang family's shrine and in a way, protect the Jang family from any additional harm (aside from the curse of the genetic illness). So when Eunwol left the shrine, she is unable to carry on her duty hence leaving the Jang family, especially Shin Yu, unprotected. This is too much of a coincidence. I also think that this is when Red Hands started making her appearance. This gives the Yoon family the opportunity to have Nayeon grab hold of Shin Yu for their family's political purposes (Jang family is known for their wealth and elite noble status that dates back to the Joseon era) as well as for herself since she did find him attractive at first sight. Whether the Yoon family used their knowledge of black magic to get what they want is a big question mark as of now. But what is confirmed, at least according to the character descriptions, was that Nayeon did purposely plan out a scenario where Shin Yu would have to physically touch/hug her to help her up in which after that, she described it as "Game Over" for Shin Yu... Sounds pretty suspicious and sinister to me tbh.

Destined With You Theory Post

A screenshot of blog post Hong Jo was reading in the earlier episodes.

I'll try to summarize as best as I can...

Basically the blog post Hong Jo was reading describes a dark and mysterious tale from the Joseon era:

It begins by hinting at a curse in the palace, raising questions about whether curses are real and if it started with someone called Aeng Cho. Aeng Cho seems to be the central figure in these events.

A quote from Hyojong Shillok on February 20th, Year 3 of King Hyojong's reign mentions that Aeng Cho is a shaman and she had secretive connections with Lady Yoon. The details surrounding her actions are described as eerie and secretive.

Lady Yoon, a consort, comissioned servants to collect various remains from the deceased, including skulls, hands, feet, teeth, hair, flesh and even items related to tombs. She gathered these items secretly and buried them beneath the ground where the king walked during the night.

The purpose of gathering these items was to curse the one who ascended to the throne, plotting to end the king's life by collecting the necessary materials for the curse.

Aeng Cho, who wrote the book on divination and magic, was known for her proficiency in various forms of sorcery. Lady Yoon learned curse spells from Aeng Cho, aiming to end the king's life.

According to my previous theory if Lady Yoon is Yoon Na Yeon's ancestor then her family is definitely heavily involved in shamanism/black magic even today and would know how to cast a curse from the knowledge being passed down from Lady Yoon, their ancestor, who learned it directly from Aeng Cho. So Aeng Cho wasn't the only one who knows about the book of curses. Lady Yoon knows it too.

#kdrama #korean drama #netflix #destined with you #rowoon #kim seokwoo #jo bo ah #lee hong jo #jang shin yu #theory #lady yoon #aeng cho #yura #eunwol #yoon nayeon

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Destined With You Theory Post

A screenshot of blog post Hong Jo was reading in the earlier episodes.

I'll try to summarize as best as I can...

Basically the blog post Hong Jo was reading describes a dark and mysterious tale from the Joseon era:

It begins by hinting at a curse in the palace, raising questions about whether curses are real and if it started with someone called Aeng Cho. Aeng Cho seems to be the central figure in these events.

A quote from Hyojong Shillok on February 20th, Year 3 of King Hyojong's reign mentions that Aeng Cho is a shaman and she had secretive connections with Lady Yoon. The details surrounding her actions are described as eerie and secretive.

Lady Yoon, a consort, comissioned servants to collect various remains from the deceased, including skulls, hands, feet, teeth, hair, flesh and even items related to tombs. She gathered these items secretly and buried them beneath the ground where the king walked during the night.

The purpose of gathering these items was to curse the one who ascended to the throne, plotting to end the king's life by collecting the necessary materials for the curse.

Aeng Cho, who wrote the book on divination and magic, was known for her proficiency in various forms of sorcery. Lady Yoon learned curse spells from Aeng Cho, aiming to end the king's life.

According to my previous theory if Lady Yoon is Yoon Na Yeon's ancestor then her family is definitely heavily involved in shamanism/black magic even today and would know how to cast a curse from the knowledge being passed down from Lady Yoon, their ancestor, who learned it directly from Aeng Cho. So Aeng Cho wasn't the only one who knows about the book of curses. Lady Yoon knows it too.

#kdrama #korean drama #netflix #destined with you #rowoon #kim seokwoo #jo bo ah #lee hong jo #jang shin yu #theory #aeng cho #lady yoon

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My 'Destined With You' Prediction/Theory

I posted this on MyDramaList and Reddit. Let's me share my theory here as well.

Ya'll I think there's more to the story than we think. Right now it's confusing because we're just seeing and being shown the surface. The show is definitely holding back some details and information on purpose. But I'm pretty sure we'll be diving in deeper next week once the past life's story is introduced and we'll be able to see the mystery being revealed layer by layer. Now that we know the existence of the 'black magic/curse' book, i have a feeling that there's another copy of it out there and someone is holding on to it and using it (the voodoo which Shin Yu and Hong Jo discovered) and its someone who knows the existence and location of the shrine. Apparently that voodoo was used to cut off the ties between two people (which in this case is Hong Jo and Shin Yu). I read this in a Korean community post. I just think there's a reason why Shin Yu seems almost stupidly loyal to Na Yeon. It just doesn't feel right. He doesn't seem to be emotionally in love with her but yet he's being stupidly loyal to her for no reason. Despite being told multiple times that what he's doing is wrong, he always seem to disregard it (as if breaking up is never an option he could consider). Almost feels like there's a unexplainable force that's constantly holding him back when it comes to Na Yeon. He seem to always put her up on this weird pedestal. Him believing that she doesn't have any faults even when its being presented that she's somehow involved in Hong Jo being transferred  (+ even when Hong Jo specifically said that Na Yeon slapped her, he completely dismissed it), finding her to be matchless/incomparable to other women even when he's obviously attracted to another and pushing the attention he received from others whenever they're together towards her to boost up her ego even when the attention was obviously on him and not her. He acts really differently when it comes to her too. He just doesn't act like his usual self, he acts weak when he's with her. Kinda like a puppet. & he was acting this way even before the whole 'love potion' confusion. Also the whole voodoo thing happened after Hong Jo met Na Yeon to tell her everything (about the use of spell) . BUT SUSPICIOUSLY, we didn't get to see her reaction... Now that feels rather on purpose. Why would they leave that out? Hmm. Now I'm really suspicious. What if Na Yeon is the one with a copy? Maybe her family is involved with shamans too. & she used one of the spells to 'seduce' Shin Yu two years ago. Its weird because he just seems so uninterested but felt compelled to tolerate her for some reason. He wanted to break up but couldn't even be firm about it. It just feel weird to me because that's not how he is to everyone else. He's only like that towards her. I feel like it could be an outcome of black magic being used on him. Apparently, from the historical records which we saw Shin Yu googling from the earlier episodes, there a 'Lady Yoon' mentioned that was involved with the death of Aeng Cho(which I believe is Hong Jo's past life). If Na Yeon is not the reincarnation of Lady Yoon then she is most definitely a descendent which would explain how she possibly would have a copy of the black magic book. The question is if it's Na Yeon, how is she able to obtain Hong Jo's PJs? I think the stalker is definitely working for Na Yeon and the stalker is the one that stole Hong Jo's pjs. She may lie that she received the photos from an unknown number but the stalker definitely knows her well enough to be able to, firstly, recognize Shin Yu as her boyfriend, and secondly, knows her phone number in order to send her those photos. Also I'm pretty sure she would know where the Jang family shrine is since she's been with him for 2 years and hangs out with his family. This is just a theory so just take it with a grain of salt.

In my opinion, this theory will also help to make Shin Yu more redeemable. Because as of now, his character is a red flag but notice how he's only becomes a red flag when it involves Na Yeon? What if he was blindsided by black magic and the root cause of it has been Na Yeon all along?

#destined with you #netflix #korean drama #kdrama #rowoon #kim seokwoo #jo bo ah #jang shin yu #lee hong jo #yura #theory #predictions #yoon nayeon

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Ok but can we talk about Rowoon's acting during the drunken confession scene?

The delivery of that long ass drunken confession and those eyes.

He's so...

I don't know about Hong Jo but like

Spell or not, I'm done for. It's game over for me. I'm gonna be thinking about that man 24/7.

#destined with you #kdrama #korean drama #netflix #rowoon #kim seokwoo #jo bo ah #Jang Shinyu #Lee Hong Jo

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They are both cursed in a way. Shin Yu, cursed to suffer from a genetic illness and haunted by his past in his next life, and Hong Jo, cursed to be lonely (without any family or friends by her side) in her next life. Whether it’s a punishment or a consequence of something magical, is yet to be seen. I don’t think they did anything incredibly bad in their past life to receive such punishment but it was probably a spell they did in the past that went wrong which resulted in disaster and death for both of them. As they say, once you play with magic, you’ll have to pay the price and its something that they’ll have to pay back in their next (current) life.

#destined with you #kdrama #Korean drama #Netflix #Rowoon #Kim seokwoo #Jo bo ah #lee hong jo #Jang shin Yu

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How do I know her name when I don’t even know mine? Why do I always have my eyes on you? I don’t even know who I am… Tell me why it has to be you. EXTRAORDINARY YOU 어쩌다 발견한 하루┃2019

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I appreciate that the show (and Shin Yu who said it at least 2 times LOL) acknowledges that Hong Jo is pretty. Because I hate it when shows try to make you think that the female lead is average and not pretty/attractive when they clearly are since they’re being played by a pretty actress.

#destined with you #netflix #kdrama #korean drama #rowoon #jo bo ah

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Ok but the reason Shin Yu is so cold, detached and unphased about everything is probably because he have experienced so much tragic and death in his family (due to the curse) to even feel or want to be attached to something/someone. Doesn't excuse him from being rude, of course. But its definitely one of his layers.

#destined with you #Kdrama #Korean drama #Rowoon #Jang Shinyu #netflix

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Ok but this is so true?

Netflix, seriously, what is wrong with you? Ya’ll need to learn to promote your newer/smaller shows that have yet to be renewed or cancelled. These newer shows still need time to grow their fanbases which requires some boosting from your end. What’s the point of promoting your older shows with multiple seasons that can promote for themselves and are either already renewed or is clearly safe from cancellations.

PROMOTE LOCKWOOD AND CO, DAMN IT.

#netflix #lockwoodandco #lockwood and co #lockwood & co #lockwood and co netflix #lockwood & co netflix #l&co #l&co netflix #tv show #twitter

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Just know that if they ever gonna c-word Lockwood and Co, they’re gonna have to deal with the spamming for a very long time. If they think the spamming is annoying enough now, the fans are gonna be even more incessant on it if they c-word the show.

So make the right decision, Netflix, and renew the show. Don’t upset yet another fandom. You have upset enough fandoms. Having to deal with the wrath of other fandoms of cancelled shows plus Lockwood and Co’s? At this rate, you’re pretty much on the route to becoming public enemy number one. The only engagements you’re getting on social media would be hate comments and people asking to renew their shows without them giving a flying f* about whatever content you are posting.

#lockwood and co #lockwood and co netflix #lockwood & co #lockwood & co netflix #netflix #lockwood netflix #Because i swear I don’t even care about whatever content they’re posting #I only see comments abt l&co under them and I am purposely liking those comments only

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A Poem Dedicated to Netflix

Dear Netflix, hear our plea, Fans of Lockwood & Co, we be. We wait with bated breath, For news of season two's depth.

The ghostly tales of London town, Kept us on the edge, never let us down. Lockwood, Lucy, and George's fight, Against the specters of the night.

The Skull, the Whispering Skull, His wit and humor made us dull. The trio's bond, their friendship true, A perfect blend of red and blue.

The cliffhanger left us wanting more, We need to see what's in store. Please renew the show, we ask, We'll watch every episode with a flask.

We'll wait patiently for your decision, For Lockwood & Co is our addiction. Thank you, Netflix, for season one, We can't wait for season two to be begun.

#Lockwood & Co #Lockwood and Co #Netflix #lockwood and co netflix #lockwood & co netflix #poem #renew lockwood and co #season two

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Imagining Locklyle’s First Kiss

I just need to write about their first kiss because I can just imagine it being sweet, passionate, tender and cute, all at the same time.

It was a quiet night at Portland Row. The team had just returned from a particularly grueling mission, and everyone was exhausted. Lockwood had instructed everyone to take the rest of the night off and get some much-needed rest. However, he found himself unable to sleep.

He paced around the library, lost in thought. Lucy was always on his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder if he had missed his chance with her. Lockwood was lost in thought when he heard a soft knock at the door. He turned to see Lucy standing there, looking just as restless as he was.

"Can't sleep?" she asked, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Lockwood shook his head. "No, I can't seem to turn my mind off," he replied.

Lucy nodded in understanding, and they fell into a comfortable silence. They stood there for what felt like hours, lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly, Lucy turned to Lockwood, her eyes meeting his.

"Can I tell you something?" she asked.

Lockwood nodded, his heart beating faster.

Lucy took a deep breath. "I know we've been through a lot together, and I don't want to push things too fast, but I've been thinking about you a lot lately. And...I don't know, maybe it's crazy, but I just feel like there's something between us. Something more than just friendship."

Lockwood's heart skipped a beat. He had been waiting for this moment for what felt like forever. He took a step closer to Lucy, closing the gap between them.

"I feel the same way," he said softly.

And then, before he could overthink things, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. It was a gentle, tentative kiss at first, but it quickly deepened. Their arms wrapped around each other, holding on tightly as they gave into the moment.

When they finally pulled away, they were both breathless. Lockwood looked into Lucy's eyes, and he knew that he had made the right decision. He had finally let go of his fear and allowed himself to love.

"Thank you for telling me how you feel," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lucy smiled at him. "Thank you for kissing me," she replied, shyly.

They stood there for a moment longer, lost in their own world, before finally retiring to their respective rooms. But as Lockwood lay in bed, he tossed and turned while grinning like a fool, unable to shake off the memory and feeling of Lucy’s soft lips on his.

#Lockwood and Co #Lockwood & Co #locklyle #Anthony Lockwood #Lucy Carlyle #First kiss #imagined #fanfic #short story #L&co #young adult #books