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postpunkpontypandyphantomthief · 1 year

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Updated! Fandoms I’ve been in

Back in 2017, I made a list of fandoms/media obsessions I’ve had but it was in a weird order, because some of the stuff was either just an interest and not a fixation, and some of it was stuff I observed but didn’t take part in.

so here’s an updated version of the list

Disney/Muppets (2004?)

Disney and the Muppets have always been part of my childhood, my mum would collect ornaments and I visited Disneyland in 2010

Barbie and just dolls in general

(2003 or 2004, then I became aware of doll fandoms in 2012 or 2013

around the time Monster high was released)

Fireman Sam (2005-2017-2022-present)

(I was introduced to the series in series 5, felt nostalgic for it again in 2017, became aware of the tumblr fandom during that time, then it kinda went dormant for a while until August 2022 when I got back into it again and got obsessed)

Hit Entertainment series in general (2005- present)

(while my interest in Sam in particular is what I’m mainly into from that company, I do sometimes post about their other shows, like Bob the Builder)

British Comedy in general (2005-present)

My first britcom was either Mr Bean or Father Ted, a few black adder clips would be shown in english class and I marathoned Little Britain during my GCSE’s.

The Simpsons (2006-present)

I’ll always love the Simpsons, I suppose it counts as a fandom as I follow a lot of fan artists from that series

Doctor Who (2006-2013)

During the hype of david tennant’s era as the 10th doctor sometimes I would watch this series with my mum so I have some love and nostalgia for it, I wouldn’t know a lot about it though as I was mostly a casual fan

Lazy Town (2006- 2017)

I loved Lazy Town as a kid, I saw the stage show in the grand opera house years ago and I remember the height of the you are number one memes, while I do love it, I wouldn’t say I’m as obsessed with it as before)

Spongebob (2007-2017-present

via some dvds that came with the newspaper and a KFC meal, I was exposed to Spongebob, I’d have a spongebob poster in my wardrdobe and then I learned about the musical at the end of 2017, this is also where I met one of my ex friends, I still love Spongebob

Pokemon (2007)

I was introduced to Pokemon via the Diamond and Pearl season and I spent most of 2014 watching a bit of indigo league and playing Pokemon Y

Mario (2008)

I would watch mario flash animations on youtube and play games on newgrounds, this is also how I got introduced to deviantart via the artist “nintendrawer”

Tinker bell (2008)

I was occasionally active on the Pixie Hollow virtual world and it was a fun time .Disney Teen Sitcoms (2008-2015)

I was obsessed with Hannah Montana and a lot of those shows, but then I got older and grew out of them around the time my mid teens started

.Alvin and the chipmunks (2008-present)

I still love the chipmunks, I have an Alvin plush from when I was on holiday in Florida back in 2010

.Jem and the holograms (2008-present)

I got into Jem via youtube recommendation while watching the Barbie and the rockers movies one day...I was obsessed

.Sonic (2009-present)

I came across some sonic shorts on youtube and saw bits and pieces of Sonic X on tv and online, then I got generations for my 11th birthday and it just escalated from there

.MLP (2008-present)

I had a few ponyville toys and I vividly remember the early brony fandom era

.Emo (2009-2017)

I got into emo music through a unique source....angsty sims 2/sims 3 videos

then in my mid teens I got properly into MCR and Panic! at the disco but my main fav band at the time was Simple Plan

.Monster High (2010)

I was there when Monster High came out, I got a Frankie doll and a Lagonna doll, I’d browse the old website, I had a monster high blanket and pencil container

.1D (2010)

I admittedly did have a 1D phase, I don’t have it anymore but I did used to like the boys,

.The Sims (2010)

I’d play the sims all day and I’d frequently browse the sims exchange for updates

. Nostalgia Critic/AVGN (2010-present)

Doug walker is how I got into film critique, I have mixed opinions on him nowadays but he’s good meme material and sometimes makes good videos

as for James Rolfe, I have his book in my room, I haven’t read it yet

.Nintendo (2010-present)

I’ve always loved Nintendo, but the peek was definitely when I was a preteen getting more into Pokémon and mario, I’d play my nintendo ds very often

.Hello Kitty/Sanrio (2011-present)

Yes, I was a sanrio girly, I had quite a bit of hello kitty merch

.Vocaloid (2011-present)

I technically got more into Vocaloid in my mid teens, but it was listening to the World is Mine song in 2011 that kickstarted my love for it

.Sailor Moon (2012-present)

Sailor Moon was the series that got me more into anime as an art form, I’ll forever cherish that series

TMNT (2012/13 - present)

been a fan since the 2003 series, the 2012 series got me more involved in the fandom then I explored the series more last year, watching Rise, the 90s ova and joining a forum message board about tmnt

.KPop (2012)

I got into Kpop via Gangnam Style and some early bratz songs featuring Boa, then I got more into the genre in 2019, dancing to Red Velvet while trying to recover from mental health issues Powerpuff girls (2012-present)

Powerpuff Girls influenced my art style a lot and was another series that got me to browse DeviantArt occasionally

.DC (2012-present)

I’ve always been a batman fan, I vaguely remember watching superman 2 in primary school one day, 2012 was when I got more into it though

.Marvel (2012-present)

I remember when Avengers was new, I remember liking Loki’s charisma, I’d sometimes watch spiderman on Disney XD .Anime in general (2012-present)

my exposure to anime was technically from either Sonic X or Pokemon back in the 2000s, but 2012 was when I got a lot more into the art form, this interest continues to this day

.Creepypasta (2012-present)

I remember when Jeff the Killer and Slenderman were getting big, I’ll occasionally browse analogue horror and creepypasta but not as much as before

.Steven Universe (2013-2014)

I enjoyed what I saw of the first season and I’ve been meaning to get back into it, but I did not appreciate episode’s being spoiled suddenly

.Dan & Phil (2014-present)

I still love Dan and Phil to this day, I saw interactive introverts back in 2018 and I have a signed copy of Dan’s mental health book, he’s an inspiration tbh

.Sherlock (2014-2017)

I was lowkey into Sherlock in the beginning because I had a thing for Benedict Cumberbatch (tbf who didn’t at the time) but then I got sick when season 4 was announced but apparently according to some fans, I didn’t miss much

Star Wars (2015-2018) I know I got into it during the Disney era, but I have seen the original star wars as well, I’m not as into it as I was at the time, maybe once I watch the rest of the classic series then I’ll understand the hype

.Hetalia (2015-present)very mixed thoughts on this one, another show that inspired my art, I was very active on the google+ community associated with the series, sometimes the songs lurk in the background of my mind, but not that much. .Filthy Frank (2016-2018)

Yes I liked his comedy sketches, even though they are very dated nowadays, I’ve moved on since then

.Dangan Ronpa (2016-2017)

I watched the first season of the anime and was briefly obsessed

.Heathers (2016-2018)

Heathers was amazing and got me more into music theatre but I projected onto the characters too much which was a problem

.Mystic Messenger (2016-2017)

I briefly downloaded that game and learned all the lore and saw all the memes, but the addictive nature of the game resulted in some of my old google+ friends ignoring me and I didn’t react well to that, I’m mostly over it now though

Gorillaz (2017-present)

I love Gorillaz, I got the now now album when it was released and I get annual messages from Murdoc in my emails, I still love that silly primate band so much, I recall some google+ friend being into it so that’s how I found it and then getting more invested in it in 2018

Supernatural (2016-2017)

I used to occasionally watch supernatural and while I wasn’t in the fandom when the super hell news was announced, I did indeed enjoy the memes

.Monty Python (2017-present)

I love Monty Python, it’s still very funny and I got to perform for Eric Idle once

The Young Ones + Rik Mayall (2017-present)

I watched King Arthur’s disasters as a kid and then in 2017 I found the young ones via a youtuber I liked and the rest is history

Drag Race (2018-present)

I gave drag race a chance in summer 2018 and I loved it, it also encouraged me to get into drag myself, I’ve met 3 of the UK queens and it’s just amazing

Left tube (2018-present)

I also was introduced to Contrapoint’s videos during that time and she definitely radicalized me into the leftist I am today (well her and Rik technically)

Rocky Horror (2018-present)

I watched the sequel first (Shock Treatment) because Rik Mayall was in it and I saw the stage version in 2019 (gonna see it again later this August),

I adore rocky horror

Queen (2018-present)

I was deep into the Queen fandom in 2018 and while I don’t listen to them as much as before, I still appreciate their place in music history

Good Omens (2019-present)

I fell immediately in love with this mini series and it’s book, it’s so gay

Beetlejuice (2019-present)

I then got obsessed with the Beetlejuice musical

Dead Or Alive (2019-present)

Dead Or Alive is my favourite 80s band, I met some my current pals back in 2019 via that fandom, good times have been had

Evangelion (2021-present)

I started the series in 2015 but resumed it in 2021, it has psychologically changed me in the same way that rik’s filmography has, I’ve met a few friends via the fandom for this series

Persona (2021-present)

I watched the Persona 4 anime in it’s entirety in 2021, it has also changed me, and so has Persona 5

(Futaba was the autism representation that I needed as a teenager)

Evil Dead (2022-present)

I got into this film franchise mostly via my friend @leakyrectum, and I’m happy I did, it’s made me appreciate Horror as a genre a lot more, as well as the icon that is Bruce Campbell.

Lupin the third (2023-present)

I just started Lupin part 2 a few months ago and I already adore it, I can’t wait to watch the rest and what I’ve seen of the Lupin fandom is very fun, welcoming and gay

#my fandoms #fandoms #my fandoms over the years #updated list

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brettyimages · 1 year

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1, 6, 9, 18, 25 !

1 what music did your parents listen to when you were growing up? So in the car I remember my dad had a bunch of cassettes - in fact he had a whole drawer full of mixtapes but there's only a few songs I vividly remember and they are Somebody Put Something In My Drink by The Ramones, which was fun as a kid, and Walk On The Wild Side and/or Perfect Day by Lou Reed, which I found frightening. (Actually I might also have seen that BBC Perfect Day cover that Brett Anderson was on in 1997 and that might have frightened me too). The other cassette I remember was this album of Irish pub music which was quite jolly. I'm not sure what my mum was into when I was growing up as she says she sort of lost a few years of pop culture to parenting, but she really liked Dance The Night Away by The Mavericks and still does. Both of them were into new wave and pop punk so there was mostly that going around so when I got into Green Day they were both on board.

6 who was your first musician crush? I think probably it was the members of Busted - first Charlie (for a short time) then Matt (for the rest of the couple of years they were together). I do remember trying to fancy boys like Westlife, who Smash Hits told me that I was supposed to be into, but it wasn't until I saw spiky-haired alt boys that I became interested.

9 what is the first song that really made you feel something? Gosh, I don't know. As I already mentioned, there were songs/artists that I found a little scary as a kid, and there was certainly always music that made me angry too. I'm assuming the question is specifically about melancholy being 'moved' by music, which is harder to pin down. One that comes to mind is Lost In Hollywood by System Of A Down, which is the last song on Mezmerize. I was 12 at that point so it's not the first song that made me 'feel something' but I definitely had a really deep connection to it and how sad the whole tone of it was, from the key to the delivery.

18 what artist changed their style and made you stop listening to them? what album was it? As a kid I turned my back on Avril Lavigne when The Best Damn Thing came out - I liked her because she was ~not like other girls~ when I was at the age that I was starting to decide who I was, and she had hair kind of like mine and dressed the way I wanted to dress. So when she appeared all platinum blonde dressed like a cheerleader, even though I was 14 or so by then, I was not interested at all. To be fair, her music took a sharp turn for the worse then too.

25 what artist/ album influenced your personality the most? Personality-wise specifically, I'm going to say AFI. I became obsessed with them when Decemberunderground came out and none of the friends I hung out with in school were into them (I made friends in the year or two later who I brought into my obsession). Davey Havok had that femboy aesthetic that I still go for in my choice of idol now, and they sort of showed me a different way to be. The main thing though was that they introduced me to Straight Edge, which was something I had been gravitating towards but not known the name for. That absolutely became a personality trait, not so much one that I shouted about but one that was foisted on me as my friends started getting into drinking in the park, smoking on the way home from school and having sex with their couple-of-years-older boyfriends. Thankfully I seem to have finally reached the point where it's not questioned or even noticed which is a relief after years of "wtf is wrong with you/you're wasting your life/we didn't think you'd want to come" but I'll always be grateful to Davey, even in his most preachy sxe vegan moments, for making me feel less alone <3

#thank you for asking Delia <3

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yououghtaknow · 3 years

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NEW CLIP: “Take Care”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32041894/chapters/79613032

#skam brighton #i love writing family clips <3 #this clip is inspired by halloween of 2020 when me and my parents watched little shop together #and my mum became obsessed with the music <3 #we sing the beginning of 'feed me' everytime we're in the kitchen together #anyways! i'm hopefully going to see in the heights in the cinema today which is exciting #also i've been obsessed with buttered toast lately. it tastes so good #so i'm going to have some toast and then go to the movies with my mum <3 #i'm still waiting to hear back on whether i got accepted to the arts programme i applied for #so my therapist recommended i do a lot of self care leading up to finding out so my anxiety isn't as bad #which i'm doing #hope you're having a good day/night reading this besties!

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izzyrmiller · 2 years

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I Watched “My Mad Fat Diary” For the First Time and it Uncovered Memories From my Teenage Years

Last week, I watched the 2013 E4 British teen comedy TV series, “My Mad Fat Diary”. It was my first time watching the show despite many of my friends hyping it up, often in shock when I told them I hadn’t seen it before.

It was added to Netflix this month, scoring a place in the “Popular” category. Considering I had finished watching the new series of “You” and felt maybe it was time to stray away from re-watching my comfort show, (cue “I’ll be there for you” by the Rembrandts), I decided to give MMFD a watch.

I absolutely loved every second of it. It’s the kind of show that has you in fits of laughter one second and reaching for the Kleenex the next. The show has flowing storylines that make for great binge watching and features actors such as the ever-brilliant Jodie Comer and talented directors including BAFTA winning Tim Kirkby.

The reason the show resonated with me so much was because the protagonist, Rae Earl, reminded me so much of my teenage self.

Rae Earl is not fictitious. She is a writer and broadcaster who wrote the book “My Fat Mad Teenage Diary” in 2007, which later became the very show I find myself fangirling over today. In the show, Rae is portrayed by Glaswegian actress Sharon Rooney. When we meet Rae, she’s just been discharged from a psychiatric hospital in Lincolnshire in the mid 90’s. Rae is 16 years old, tall, awkward and weighs 16 stone. She’s also funny, bright, obsessed with music and boy crazy.

The show follows Rae as she navigates the already hectic and often difficult life of a 16-year-old girl. It tackles issues of mental health, bullying, sexual assault, body dysmorphia and difficult relationships.

Whilst I was watching the show, I found myself reflecting on my own experiences as a teenager.

I, like Rae, was lucky enough to have a strong group of friends around me growing up. However, I too was tall, awkward, and about 3 dress sizes bigger than my most of female friends.

Scenes including the absolute dread that Rae feels when invited to a pool party, the fears she has about eating in front of others and the scary prospect of getting undressed in front of her love interest Finn, played by Nico Mirallegro, all mirrored experiences I had growing up.

What is great about MMFD is that it portrays an extremely accurate portrayal of mental illness, not just regarding Rae but the other characters as well. Chloe, played by Jodie Comer, deals with traumas such as abortion and domestic abuse. Dan Cohen plays Archie, originally a love interest of Rae’s who is struggling with his sexuality. Archie comes out as gay and is victim to homophobia at college.

Even the adults in the show are used to portray life’s difficulties. Rae’s mum, Linda, who is played by the brilliant Claire Rushbrook, struggles with parenting her complicated daughter. She marries her Tunisian boyfriend Karim who is an undocumented immigrant and wrestles with her daughter’s lack of acceptance for him and determination to meet her real father. Ian Hart plays Kester Gill, Rae’s therapist who aids in helping Rae overcome her mental health issues whilst secretly dealing with a divorce.

At its core, coming of age shows such as MMFD will forever be important. They remind us that life is not perfect and that we are not alone in our struggles. Part of me wonders if I had of watched this show when I was 16, I would have felt comforted that there was a female protagonist on TV that echoed my struggles as a teen. Sure, we had Skins and Glee that did their part in representing those who didn’t fit the status quo but shows like MMFD provide an authentic yet often disregarded school experience for so many.

In the finale of MMFD, Rae is on her way to uni, she’s mentally stronger, braver, and ready for a new chapter of her life. I hope for more shows like this that empower young people and help them recognise their true potential, despite their insecurities and issues with their mental health

#writers #journalism #mental health #my mad fat diary #tv #british #student #television #coming of age #first post

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ofbooksandaesthetics · 3 years

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Battle of the Bands

Attack on Titan/ Shingeki no Kyojin

Levi/Reader

Modern Band AU

Summary: As the guitarist of The 104th, you are invited to play with your favourite band The Scouts.

Warnings: slight profanity but not much

Author’s note: I listened to Queen of White Lies by Orion Experience 10 times in one bus journey and couldn’t help but imagine Jean singing it about Mikasa. And voila! This imagine was born :)

From a young age, you’d always been obsessed with music. From your dad playing jazz on a lazy Sunday afternoon to your mum playing R&B as she cleaned, you had always been surrounded by it. It followed you everywhere so it was no surprise when you were gifted a guitar for your 9th birthday.

You spent hours each day practising fingerpicking, then moving onto chords and then fully-fledged songs. As you grew so did tastes - and your guitar collection.

Before moving into the 6th grade, your family moved for a new job, leaving you without friends and having to start a new life in the city of Trost. The one thing that was ever consistent was the strings of your guitar and the beats from the speakers, which became your solace in the coming weeks. And said beats caught the attention of your new next-door neighbour.

Jean Kirstein was also massively into music, and when he walked past your house he could hear the amp blaring from your open window. He became enthralled and would often leave his window open to catch even just a few notes.

The Saturday before school started, Jean was forced by his mother to introduce himself to you (she said you had to have at least one friend before starting school) and by doing so Mrs Kirstein caused a life long friendship to bloom. He was forced into your house by your mother and lead upstairs to your room. He was greeted by band posters, from MCR to The Beatles, and an acoustic and electric guitar hanging on the wall side by side. But what caught his gaze was the massive “SCOUTS” poster above your bed.

“WOW! That’s so cool, you like The Scouts!” He exclaimed as he entered your room, causing you to jump from your magazine and stare at the brown-haired boy invading your space.

“WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?” You shouted, giving your mum a quizzical glare as she smiled at the boy's excitement. Your voice seemed to pull the boy out of his oasis and he met your eyes with a blush and a shrug.

“I’m Jean. My mum sent me, we live next door.” Before you could introduce yourself, he had already started to speak again “I’ve heard you playing your guitar. You’re really good!”

At this your mum left the two of you two it, only returning 3 hours later to find you both on the floor, with you playing whilst Jean sang along. Noticing the time, Jean jumped up remembering his mum warning to be back by dinnertime.

“It’s been great meeting you! If you want I can meet you outside on Monday and I’ll introduce you to my friends. They’d love to hear you play too! Connie’s really into the drums and Marco has been learning bass.”

Hearing this your eyes lit up and your mum’s heart warmed at the idea of you finally enjoying your new life.

“That sounds great, I’ll see you then!” You called as your mum lead him out.

4 YEARS LATER

The years passed quickly and it didn’t take you long to forget the pain of your old life and become enamoured with your new friends. Jean did indeed introduce to his friends Connie, Sasha and Marco, and it didn’t take long for you to become the best of friends. The five of you would all meet Connie’s garage, sometimes just chatting but more often than not bringing along your instruments for a jam session. Four years went by of you playing lead guitar, Marco jamming on bass, Connie smashing on percussion and Jean accompanying with his gruff drawl, whilst Sasha sat atop of the counter, sadly not having any musical talents other than occasional tamborining. And the four years went by easily until Sasha let out a suggestion.

“You guys should start a band. Like a proper one, with gigs and shit” She declared, soon after stuffing her mouth with a cake Mrs Springer had brought in.

“See at least someone appreciates my musical talents” quipped Jean with a quirk of his eyebrows, causing you all to laugh.

“I’ve got to admit, I’m down! We’ve been playing for years, we even played at last years prom.” Seeing no reason against the idea, you voiced your opinion.

“Yeah but that was prom. We know all of them anyway, if we did gigs it would be to strangers and critics and stuff” Huffed Connie.

“Yeah, and potential talent scouts! Imagine if we got signed! What do you think Marco?” Jean turned to face he freckled boy awaiting his response.

“I guess it could be fun.” He said, tilting his head to the side and turning to Connie. “I think we should”

With a consensus of four out of five, all eyes were set on Connie, pleading him to agree. He spluttered, not expecting you all to be serious. After a moment of staring at you all incredulously, he finally gave in.

“Fine! But if we got told we’re shit it’s on you guys” He sighed, but was drowned out by all your cheers.

2 YEARS LATER

After that day, you had all put in the effort to perfecting your craft and coming up with your own songs. You and Jean would have weekly sleepovers, pulling all-nighters to get the perfect verses. And it wasn’t long until you booked your first gig, which was a success. Nearly the whole grade had turned up to support you, and you soon became a local legend. And in honour of them, you had named your band The 104th, due to being the 104th grade since your school was founded.

Your increased fame, got you gigs outside of Trost, on larger stages than the small bars you were used to. You had released your first album and we’re having a small jam session, when Sasha’s, who had taken up the role as manager, phone rang. You all carried on with your conversation until Sasha quickly stood up and ran across the room, her voice getting slightly louder, causing you all to stare at her.

“OMG! That sounds great, we can be there for the soundcheck in less than an hour. Thank you so much, for this opportunity. We appreciate it! Thank you, bye!” She exclaimed with wide eyes as her smile grew and grew. After ending the call she whipped around, before letting out a screech

“OI, OI! What’s going on?” Asked Connie, as he walked up to Sasha flicking her forehead as she squealed again.

“GUESS WHO’S OPENING FOR THE SCOUTS?!” She all but screamed whilst running to the front of the garage and throwing your jackets at you all. Realising what she meant you stood in a state of shock before opening your mouth.

“What do you mean? Opening for The Scouts. As in THE SCOUTS? They’re playing tonight, we can’t open for them.” You justified, meeting Jean’s stunned gaze.

You two had always imagined what it would be like to meet your legends, let alone open for them. After your initial meeting, the two of you had gone on for hours about your favourite songs by the band and sang along to them. You had even let him in on your crush on the lead guitarist, Levi Ackerman, for heaven’s sake. As good as an opportunity this was, you were a nervous wreck. It was one thing to play on the same stage that your favourite band had stepped on, but to play with them and meet them. That was a thing of its own.

You were knocked from your thoughts by a shoe to your head, and as you focused back in you watched Connie running around like a headless chicken. Attempting to back up his drum kit, he panicked until Sasha assured him there’d be one there for him. The rest of you seemed to kick into action and you ran about gathering your equipment before rushing home to grab gig-worthy clothes. You all met up back at Connie’s house before all piling into Jean’s minivan. Connie and Sasha were as loud as always but you, Jean and Marco seemed to still be too shocked to talk.

As you rolled up to the venue, you saw a queue of about 20 Scout super fans lined up three hours before the gig even started. You wondered how many were your fans, as Sasha had sent out announcements on every social media site possible after you guys left. You hauled your guitar case out of the van before following behind Sasha into the main doors of the venue. The crew were rushing about everywhere, and if you weren’t already used to the atmosphere you were sure you’d pass out. As you walked into the main hall, your eyes fell to the band on top of the stage. All five of you froze, in the realisation that you were in the same room as your childhood heroes. Putting your kit down, you watched as Hange Zoe lazily sat on her drum set, tapping out a quiet beat, as the lead singer Erwin, counted in the beat. Miche Zacharias swayed his hips as he set out the bassline, and Levi almost languidly strummed his electric guitar.

The five of you were pulled behind the stage before you could watch their practice start but you could still hear it as they performed their soundcheck. Experienced in the world of gigs, the four of you prepped your instruments, tuning them in case they had been messed up in the hurry of your departure. And by the time you’d finished the Scouts were walking towards you. Hange greeted you first.

“HI! OMG, we’ve heard so much about you guys. You guys are practically famous around here!” She blurted out, her excitement surprising you all. Connie seemed to be frozen as his inspiration complimented you guys. Miche let out a greeting and moved on to sit down. Leaving Erwin and Levi in front of you. Erwin stepped forward and placed out his hand, shaking and greeting you all individually. Now there was just Levi left.

Your eyes met his and you couldn’t help but blush, as he gave a small nod. Appreciative of the small gesture, you calmed slightly until Jean ruined it

“HI! We love you guys so much. Y/N even has a crush on Levi!” He blurted, his face turning bright red after realising what he had said. You gasped and without thinking smacked him across the head.

“WHAT THE HELL’S WRONG WITH YOU? WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?” But before you could apologise and defend yourself to Levi and Erwin, you were escorted to the stage for your own soundcheck. Glaring at Jean, you got in position, and were done in half an hour.

After the soundcheck, you were given time to rest, giving you all time to calm down, after the more than lively introduction. You eventually forgave Jean for his outburst but not without consequences. He would be carrying your gear for the next year’s worth of gigs.

You hadn't yet gained back the confidence to talk Levi but had spoken to the other members of The Scouts. Miche and Erwin told you about how their touring band had ditched them last minute and how they needed another opening band pronto. You were astonished to find out that Hange herself had requested you guys, but it filled your heart with warmth knowing someone as famous as her held your small-town band in high regards.

Everyone could sense your apprehension to talking to Levi but we’re all shocked when the quiet man joined you whilst getting a drink. You almost blushed when you noticed him next to you but pushed the feeling down and smiled at him. Although Jean had embarrassed you beyond belief, there was no reason to push away your childhood dream and miss the opportunity to talk to him.

“You know you we’re what inspired me to start learning the guitar?” You said. Levi didn’t reply but you decided his silence wasn’t in annoyance. “My parents were always super into music anyway but when I heard your guys' debut album it pushed me towards the guitar.” You watched him finish making his tea and leave but before he sat down, he turned his head over his shoulder.

“I’m glad to hear it” He replied, turning again and leaving. You smiled, happy that he didn’t think you were a complete freak.

2 HOURS LATER

The time had finally arrived. From the side of the stage, you could see a sea of people filling the venue and could hear the symphony of chatter. The boys were stood next to you, panting with nerves. You had never performed to such a large crowd before. You took a sharp breath before turning to them.

“Come on boys! We’ve done this before and we’ll do it again. This is just another small step before we get our own main stage like this!” Your small pep talk seemed to calm the boys and caught the attention of Erwin and Levi who were waiting to watch your performance from the side-lines. You smiled at the two but we’re now filled with dread as you realised they would be watching. You threw that fear away and gave Marco a side hug as you fixed your strap, and then followed Jean to the stage.

The lights blinded you but once your vision cleared you all but gasped at the sheer amount of sweaty bodies in front of you. You beamed brightly and gave a wink to a figure in the balcony. At least you could seem confident even if you were dying inside.

The beat of the drum surrounded you and Marco’s strumming blared out from the amps. You started plucking at your guitar and forgot about the crowd. Jean’s gravely word floated out into the dark room, and it was easy to forget you were on a stage and instead it felt like you were back in Connie’s house. As the song reached the chorus, you and Marco joined in, accompanying Jean. Eventually, you loosened up to a point where all three of you were able to dance slightly to the beat during the bridge. This seemed to get the crowd going even more and you let out a laugh, completely forgetting your inhibitions. [I imagined them performing Queen of White Lies]

Once the song finished, Jean introduced himself, and you prepared yourself for another half an hour of playing and dancing. But it passed quickly and before you knew it you we’re all sat on the sofa. Connie was still flushed chugging on his 3rd bottle of water whilst the rest of you leant back with smiles upon your faces. Your attention was piqued as The Scouts took the stage and you all shouted words of encouragement to them. This brought a smile to their faces, including a small smirk on Levi’s. You all rushed to the sidelines to watch and we’re in awe as you saw the four of them play as if they were reading each other's minds. It was as if they were symbiotic, each knowing what to do without even the slightest hesitation.

Even though you tried to focus on all of them, your focus always came back to Levi. You watched how his brow rested into a scowl as he neared a faster part of the song and how he threw his head back when lost in the moment. Your eyes widened when he took his shirt off after four songs, which Jean noticed, and started to nudge you for. Time seemed to go by so quickly that you barely noticed them finish their final song. They waved to the crowd as they left but stayed in the wings as the crowd screamed for an encore. Erwin still seemed to smile and nudged Levi towards the five of you.

“Do you guys want to join us for the encore?” He asked gruffly, his eyes set on you. You looked at the rest of the band and you all nodded before you verbally replied.

“Of course! What song are you thinking?”

“Nirvana - Love Buzz? You guys know it?” Miche asked, wiping some water from his chin. You all nodded in unison and before you know it you were all kitted up and back on stage.

The crowd went wild seeing both The Scouts and The 104th back on stage and you couldn’t help but smile as you found Levi stood next to you. You guys let loose on the song and you even attempted to have a little contest with Levi during the guitar solo for dominance. This gained a smile for the man, and you guys finished the song in no time.

Leaving the stage for the last time, you gave out a clumsy bow before running off stage. You guys went to get changed and pack up your gear but before you could get in the van the Scouts we’re back in front of you. Erwin took the lead yet again.

“We loved having you guys on stage with us! And after some thinking, we’d love it if you replaced our old band with us on the rest of the tour.”

At this Jean slammed the van door and stared at Erwin in shock. The five of you looked at each other in shock. The silence was eventually broken by Connie, who let out a scream as he ran around the van, followed by Sasha letting out profanities. The rest of you gushed and thanked the other band profusely not knowing how to appropriately respond. After formally Sasha accepted the other, Hange launched into giving out hugs, whilst Miche and Erwin gave out handshakes. Levi ignored the rest of your bandmates and made his way to you.

“I look forward to more guitar battles.” Levi remarked as dryly as ever but with a small smirk playing on his lips. Luckily this time, the others were too distracted and you were able to reply with some confidence.

“You mean to look forward to losing right?” you quipped, knowing this would be the start of something great.

#aot au #snk imagines #aot imagines #attack on titan imagine #shinegki no kyojin imagine #levi x reader #levi ackerman x reader #levi imagine #levi ackerman imagine #aot au imagine #aot x reader #snk x reader #snk #aot

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iadoreyouharry · 4 years

Text

His Reputation

summary: Y/N and Harry are in High School. The two of them absolutely hate each other but have to work together at an English assignment.

pairings: Harry Styles x reader

warnings: Angst and swearing.

word count: 3,6K words

a/n : To be honest, i don’t really know if i like it that much, but i still wanted to share it with you! Please let me know if you liked it! :)

Today was the first day of senior year. Y/N couldn’t be any happier about finally starting her last year. She was over with this shit show of a school. First of all, Y/N didn’t have many friends. She tried to make them, but they were mostly put off by her appearance. She mostly wore dark clothes and didn’t always have a smile on her face. She barely put any effort into her make-up, only some mascara what was smeared out at the end of the day.

But nonetheless Y/N had one best friend. It was hard for Y/N to open up to people and she could be cold and distant to a stranger at first, but if you get her to trust you she was literally a sweetheart. And so, it happened to be that Y/F/N won the trust of Y/N.

In contrast to Y/F/N, Harry Styles was the person Y/N would never trust, even if he was the last person to exist on this planet. The hatred towards him was big.

Harry Styles was a captain of the High School football team and was pretty popular. Freshman guys looked up to him, they aspired to be as good as him in Football one day. And the girls would drool all over him in the hallways. Even though he got a generous choice for girls he was still single. Some people said he didn’t want to have a relationship because he focused too much on football, others said he might be dating someone secretly. Y/N didn’t care about all this bullshit over Harry. She lived her life without having to obsess over a stinky football guy. The funny thing, she was the only one.

“How can you not like him?” Y/F/N asked Y/N.

“How could you like him?” Y/N responded. “He is so full of himself, I’d almost think he wants to marry his self later.” Y/N chuckled when she saw him looking in the tiny mirror in his locker, fixing his hair. “Why would he care so much about his hair, god damn.”

Y/N closed her locker and walked away from the scene. Girls were admiring from a little distance, but all you can do was find the nearest bathroom to puke.

Harry tried sometimes to talk to Y/N, but it was short conversations. Y/N would respond back with short and cold answers and would cut off the conversation immediately.

Y/N may hate Harry, but Harry did find Y/N interesting. He was confused as why she didn’t like him? How could someone not like him? He knew he was handsome and attractive; how could she not see it. But because she didn’t like him Harry felt more attracted to her. She was mysterious and he liked it. He only didn’t show it. After trying to talk nicely to her, and not succeeding, he became cold and harsh to Y/N too.

After 3 full years of pestering each other on and off they were not thinking off ceasing this year.

“Hey, Raccoon, still didn’t learn how to do some proper make-up?” Was one of the first things Harry yelled at Y/N when she walked into school. Y/N’s reaction? holding up two middle-fingers in Harry’s direction with a fake big smile.

Y/N and Y/F/N said their goodbyes when they split to go to their classrooms. First period would be English. Y/N sat down in the back corner of the room to not be seen. The start was good, the teacher, Mrs. Anderson, talked about her summer break and introduced herself. She even showed pictures of her two dogs. But then hell broke loose. Mrs. Anderson paired people together to interview each other about their summer break and write a whole essay about it. Y/N hated projects where you needed to work together. But she hated this project even more when she heard who her partner would be.

“And then next, Y/N Y/L/N together with Harry Styles.” Harry looked to Y/N with a smirk on his face and all you could do was put a middle finger up. Gladly Mrs. Anderson didn’t see it.

After class Harry walked up to Y/N. “Please, fuck off.” Y/N said and grabbed her bag to leave.

“You need to talk to me, otherwise we will both fail this class.” He said and crossed his arms.

“Fine, then I’ll fail this class, everything to not have to talk to you.”

“For a fact, I know you can’t fail this class, or you can’t graduate.” A crooked smile could be seen on his face and his head was tilted a bit. “So, what do you say, mine place, or yours?”

“Library after school sounds just fine.” With those words, Y/N walked off to her next period.

After school Y/N walked to the library to work on the project with Harry. She had told the horrible news to Y/F/N but the only thing she could say was: “Maybe you two might actually talk for once, and maybe even slightly be friendly to each other.” Y/N thought she was crazy and that that never was going to happen.

Once in the library Y/N found a spot and pulled out her laptop to be ready for the interview she had to take. But Harry was nowhere to be seen. The thought of mailing him came through Y/N’s head, but that would look desperate, and Y/N was everything but desperate.

After a good twenty minutes Harry finally showed up, he was dressed in his football uniform, and his hair was one big mess. “Practice took longer than expected.” he said. He took place across from Y/N and laid back in his chair.

“I don’t care what the hell you were up to.” Y/N snapped. “Just be in time.”

“Jeez, why so grumpy?” Harry laughed. Y/N was already irritated and couldn’t wait for this god damn project to be over. “So, what do we need to do?”

“Didn’t you listen to the explanation of Mrs. Anderson?”

“No.”

Y/N sighed and tried to explain calmly what the two of them needed to do.

“So, we need to interview each other?” Harry asked, “and then need to write an essay about each other’s summer break?” Y/N nodded.

“Exactly, it isn’t that hard.”

“If it isn’t that hard, then why won’t you write both of our essays?” Harry proposed. “You wouldn’t have to see me, and I wouldn’t have to do anything.”

“Do I look like your little slave? I’m not going to do that, idiot.”

After a while the two actually started to ask each other questions about their break. Y/N tried to come up with good questions and tried to answer Harry’s questions as well as possible. But his answers were short and Y/N couldn’t work with those, and let’s not talk about the questions he asked.

“Aren’t you going to write my answers down?” Y/N noticed that Harry didn’t write anything down on his notebook during the whole interview.

“Nah, I’ll remember it.” He crossed his arms and smiled. “Or, I’ll just come up with something.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Oh, and who are you to say that? You’re not my teacher.”

The whole afternoon was full of the two fighting like this. and Y/N was relieved when they called it quits. They weren’t done, far from. Y/N didn’t have enough to get a whole essay to write, and she was sure Harry didn’t either, with his dumb ass questions.

“So, when are we going to work on this further?” Y/N asked when she packed her stuff.

“I thought we were done?”

“We are far from done, how do you think you are going to write a whole essay about my break with this little information.” Y/N rambled.

“Just, like I said. I’ll come up with some stuff.”

“You can do that,” Y/N said, “But I’m not going to, so we’re going to meet up again to work on this horrible project, if you like it or not.”

Harry put his hands in his pockets and was thinking about it. “Fine,” he finally said. “But, at my place tomorrow after school.”

“I don’t fucking know where you live, Styles.”

“I’ll just text you the address.” Harry already walks away.

How in the hell was he going to text her if he didn’t even have her phone number? Y/N decided that wouldn’t be her problem.

When Y/N got home she decided to make a start on her essay. Even though she didn’t have much to write about she stretched the hell out of everything and finally got at least one page full. The fact that the main thing Harry did in his break was playing football made Y/N laugh. How can a person be so dedicated about a school sport? When he didn’t play football, he hung out with friends. At least that’s what he had told Y/N.

Harry played so much football to get away from his house. His parents were fighting all the time and Harry didn’t like being in the middle of it all. At home he often was in his room listening to music on 100% volume to zone out of the real world. Harry liked music, he has a guitar and he also likes to sing, but he keeps that to himself. Sometimes he even wrote songs, but would never let anyone hear them. The lyrics would be hidden away in an old book in a drawer in his room.

Of course, he couldn’t tell Y/N this was what he was doing in the holidays. He had a reputation of being the hot football player who wasn’t afraid of anyone. And even though he knew he could get any girl, he still was insecure. He was scared people would see when he hadn’t slept all night because of his parents. The bags under his eyes would sometimes be so big, he put his mother’s concealer under it. Nobody would notice.

Harry was glad that his parents finally decided to get a divorce, and his dad would move out. It was quiet in the house, finally. And Harry got to have a good night sleep again. His bond with his mum had grew since, and he was really glad for it.

When he got home he went to the kitchen where his mum was preparing dinner. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and then sat on the counter.

“How was school, darling?”

“I’ve got to do a stupid project for English class with that stupid girl, Y/N.” Harry’s mum knew he didn’t like Y/N, but she disagreed about how he talked about her.

“Harry,” she said warningly. “You probably don’t even know her that well, maybe she’s a really nice girl.”

“Sure, that’s why she’s so cold and harsh to me.”

“Maybe she has her reasons?” Harry walks off unagreeably. He loved his mum, but in this case a little less. He knew Y/N was stupid. She didn’t like him, so why would he be nice to her? He tried it long ago, and that didn’t go well. Why even try now?

After school Y/N was walking to Harry’s house. It was a fifteen-minute walk and rain poured down. She forgot to bring an umbrella and was now soaking wet. She already felt the embarrassment of sitting in Harry’s room, clothes dripping on his floor. Amazing.

After fifteen minutes of walking, Y/N arrived at Harry’s place. It was a cozy house, not too small, not too big. Y/N didn’t expect Harry to live in a house like this. She had more the image in her head of a big house with big entrance and huge garden.

She walked up to the door and rang the bell. Anxiously waiting for someone to open it. After a few seconds a woman opens the door and squeaks when she sees Y/N. “Oh, you must be Y/N! come inside it must be cold!” Y/N follows the woman into the house and there they stood in the hall. “I’m Anne, Harry’s mum.” the woman says. “You’re soaking wet, darling. Do you want something warm to change into?”

“Oh, no I don’t want to bother-”

“I’ll get Harry to get you something warm.” She yells upstairs for Harry to come downstairs and get Y/N some warm clothes. Harry’s face speaks for itself, he’s already done with this bullshit, but does what his mum tells him to.

Anne told Y/N to just follow Harry and it would be alright. So, she did. Harry walks into a room, Y/N guessed was his. The walls were painted in a light color and it was clean. Y/N imagined his room full of football supplies, but she saw nothing what was related to football. While Y/N was looking around the room Harry was picking out some of his old clothes. He gave them to Y/N and told her she could get changed in the bathroom.

Harry had given Y/N some sweatpants and his old football shirt. It was way too big on her, but it was better than the wet clothes she was wearing. Anne offered to put her wet clothes in the dryer so Y/N handed them over to her.

When Y/N walked back into Harry’s room Harry looked up. He didn’t want to find Y/N cute in his old clothes, but he did. And he hated himself for that. It was just cute how the clothes were way too big on her. She awkwardly stood in the door opening and waited for Harry to say something.

“You can sit on my bed.” Harry offers while he was already seated at his desk. Y/N plops down and grabs her laptop from her bag. Y/N was confused, as to why his mum was so kind and caring while Harry was far from that.

The two, were to surprise, working great together. Harry finally asked some good, deep questions and Y/N was glad to give some good answers in return. After an hour the two were finished interviewing each other without any hassle.

Harry dropped on his bed with a big sigh while Y/N was still seated at the end of it. “Glad that’s over with.” he says while staring at the ceiling.

“Yes, indeed.” Y/N answers as she puts her laptop away. “I’ll get my own clothes again so I can leave.”

“They’re probably not dry yet.” Harry says. “You can stay a little longer if you want, I can make you a cup of tea?” In this hour of not fighting with each other Harry began to see why he was interested in her four years ago. He saw her ticking away on her laptop with her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth. It was funny how she made weird faces while typing out some of the answers. And he admired when she giggled sometimes. It wasn’t a lot, but for some reason it felt like home. He knew he couldn’t be harsh to her right now.

“Why are you so nice to me all of a sudden?” Y/N asks suspicious. Harry was never nice to her, so something’s got to be up.

“It was peaceful today, I liked it.”

“I thought that was just to get over with this project.”

“No, I-, do you want tea or not?” Y/N chuckled and nod her head.

She was still surprised Harry was acting so nice out of nowhere. She had do admit she really liked this side of him. But she was still scared he’d change at a glance. Maybe he only was this nice because there was nobody else and his reputation couldn’t be destroyed.

Harry already was off to the kitchen so Y/N was alone with her thoughts. She really wanted to believe he could always be this kind, but she needed to see him like this at school. She was scared that if she would open up, just a little bit right now, he would use it against her, and pester her even more with it.

After 5 minutes Harry comes back up with two cups of tea and hands one over to Y/N. “Thank you.” She says with a slight smile. It was silent while the two of them while slurping their tea.

“Y/N I can’t do this.” Y/N looked up at Harry in confusion. She knew it, he couldn’t fake being nice to her. Of course, she was right. It was just an act. “I can’t act like I hate you, when I actually like you, you seem really nice.”

“What?!” Y/N almost spits out her tea. “How?” she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. “Then, why were you always so rude to me?”

“Because you acted cold and harsh towards me!” he exclaims.

“Ow.”

Dead silence.

“I’m just not so open towards people I don’t know, I don’t trust people that easy and i can be cold, i guess.” Y/N explains. “I always thought you just picked on me.”

“No, in our first year of High School i really tried to talk to you in a nice way, but you always cut off the conversations.”

“So, because I was cold to you, you became cold and mean to me?”

“Yes, i guess so.” Harry takes another sip of his tea. “I guess the tea is hot today.” Y/N laughed and gave nudged his arm. “Can you trust me now?”

“Well, no.” Y/N says. “How can I know you really mean this?”

“I just don’t pester you the upcoming days on school? If you don’t either?” he extends his arm. “Promise?” Y/N nods and takes his hand.

“Promise.”

The next week the two of them didn’t snap at each other and it was peaceful between the two of them. They also didn’t speak to each other, but sometimes they would send each other a small smile in the hallways.

Y/F/N noticed the sudden change between Y/N and Harry. “What is going on, why aren’t you guys fighting all the time?”

“We came to our senses, and agreed we should stop being mean to each other.” Y/F/N was shocked. She saw the two of you fighting each day for the last three years, how was that changed of a sudden?”

“But, you literally hate each other.”

“Well,” Y/N begins. “I thought he hated me, but it was me who was harsh to him in the beginning, so he became harsh to me too because of that.”

“So you hated him for being mean, but it was your own fault?”

“Exactly.”

“And you’re sure he won’t start picking on you again?”

“I hope so.” Y/N gulped. “He promised it.”

“Let’s hope” Y/F/N says cheery. “Because I’m liking this truce.”

When Y/N was walking in the way of a bathroom she walked by Harry and his friends.

“100% you’re going to pick on her again next week.” She hears one of his friends say laughing.

“Yeah, absolutely.” Harry confirms and laughs with his friend.

“What the fuck, Styles?!” you blurt out. Harry looked up in shock after hearing you. He wanted to say something but you ran into the bathroom.

“Y/N,” he stood by the door to try and talk to you. He heard his friends behind him laughing but he didn’t care. Why did he care so much about this stupid reputation, it wasn’t meant for Y/N to hear that, he didn’t mean a thing he said, he just wanted his friends to like him? “Y/N, please.” he repeated after she didn’t respond after the first time. After the third time of not responding he walked into the girl’s bathroom not giving a fuck.

“Go away.” Y/N yelled. Harry could tell she cried a bit and tried to cover it up. “You don’t care about me.”

“I do, I really do Y/N.”

“Didn’t seem like it back there.”

“Y/N I have a reputation here.”

“Exactly, and getting a truce with me would ruin it, go ahead, let’s ruin each other’s lives again.” Harry wanted to come closer to Y/N but she pushed him away. “If that fucking reputation is so fucking important to you, mister fucking styles, then go ahead and save your reputation.” She punched Harry on his chest. For harry it didn’t hurt that much, but Y/N really needed to relieve her anger at him. Harry grabbed her wrists so she stopped hitting him. “Let me go!” she exclaims. Harry doesn’t let go and stares deeply into Y/N eyes.

“Fuck my reputation.” Harry says. He leans forward and crashes his lips onto Y/N. At first Y/N was in shock by the sudden kiss but was soon joining him. Their lips were in sync. Harry grabbed Y/N’s cheek and stroked it with his thumb and Y/N’s hands were all over Harry’s curls. The anger she had really was outed in the kiss and it made it even more passionate. The two couldn’t get enough of each other, and they both realized that this was the thing they both wanted, but tried to put that feeling away for so many years.

“Harry.” Y/N begins as the kiss came to an end. “Are you sure you want to get rid of that reputation, for me?”

“one hundred percent.” He grabs her hand and squeezes it. “please, trust me.”

“I want to, but how do i know you won’t keep talking about me like that.” referring to the scene with his friends from a moment ago.

“You still have my football shirt from the afternoon we did the interview?” Y/N nodded, Harry said she could keep it because it didn’t fit him anymore. That was a lie, he wanted her to have it, it looked adorable on her. “Please, wear that to school tomorrow, and I’ll gladly show you off to everyone in this school.”

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punchdrunkdoc · 3 years

Text

Updated K-Drama list (8)

After almost a year of watching KDramas, I’ve finally found a show that has knocked CLOY off the top spot!

The GREAT:

1. Its Ok To Not Be Okay - NEW ENTRY

A children’s author with antisocial personality disorder becomes obsessed with a handsome (but closed-off) carer in a mental health hospital.

I could (and already have) written loads about this show - it became my all-encompassing obsession for the 8 weeks it was on telly. I LOVE IT SO MUCH!! I had a feeling only 1 episode in that it might become my all-time favourite K-drama, and I was right. The quality never dropped for a moment, and it absolutely nailed the ending.

I pretty much love everything about it - the whimsical, fairytale-esque tone, the music, the costumes, the supporting characters, the side plots exploring different mental health issues, the humour, the set design, even the opening credits!

The two leads are so beautiful with SO MUCH chemistry that you could watch them read a phone book and it would be hot. But it became a real three-hander of a show, with the male lead’s autistic brother forming an integral part of the relationship dynamic.

Honestly, I can’t do this show justice with such a short review - just WATCH IT!!

Male lead: Soooo handsome, quiet and compassionate but with a steel core; it’s so fun watching him come out of his shell. Actor also seen in (AASI): My Love from a Star (honestly, he didn’t make much of an impression in that show, but he was amazing in this - he conveys so much emotion with the most subtle facial movements)

Female lead: Absolutely fascinating; so wounded and vulnerable, but projecting this awesome, no-fucks-given, blunt-as-hell exterior. Actress also seen in (AASI): Lawless Lawyer, Hwarang (minor character)

2. Crash Landing on You

He’s from North Korea. She’s from South Korea. They never should have met, but they’ll change each other’s lives.

This was my first K-drama, and although it’s been knocked off the top spot, it’s still fantastic. Its the full package - the entire cast of characters is great, the lead romance is ANGSTALICIOUS and its genuinely, laugh out loud funny (when its not making you cry or swoon). I’ve since discovered that they had a North Korean defector as a consultant working on the show, so apparently the NK scenes are fairly accurate which is SUPER interesting.

Male lead: Officially the best boyfriend ever - absolutely nails the small, romantic gestures. AASI: Hyde, Jekyll & Me.

Female lead: Smart, sassy, and funny. I love her.

3. Healer

The lives, and pasts, of a hot shot reporter, a spunky young tabloid journalist and a mysterious thief-for-hire intersect.

I ADORE this show and its so rewatchable. The plot was tight and engaging, and this is one of the few shows I’ve watched where there didn’t seem to be a lot of filler. The central 3 characters are great, and the romance was amazing. I especially loved that the male lead started off such a brooding loner, but he became super-affectionate as soon as he admitted his feelings. So many good hugs and lots of face-cradling in this one. There’s also a great riff on the Superman/Clark Kent dynamic which was fun!

Male lead: Effortlessly beats up 2 henchmen while comforting his girl over the phone. What more do you need? AASI: The K2, Suspicious Partner, Melting me softly, Backstreet Rookie

Female lead: She doesn’t let her vulnerabilities stop her from getting the story or being with the man she loves. AASI: What’s wrong with secretary Kim, I’ll go to you when the weather is nice, Her private life

4. Itaewon Class

A young man’s life is forever altered when he runs afoul of a powerful family.

This felt like a big step up in quality from everything else in this list, in terms of the production, soundtrack (which was brilliant), the lack of annoying sound effects, and just the overall ‘real world’ feel of the show. All of the characters were fleshed out and 3-dimensional, and they all had their ‘moment’ to shine. The story itself was gripping and so well done - some of the twists and reveals had me gasping! And what can I say about the 2 leads? I love them, both separately, and together. He is so wise beyond his years, and his journey will break your heart and inspire you. She is borderline sociopathic, but I adore her.

Male lead: Tenacious, principled, kind, innocent, caring, driven, loyal…and he can cook! AASI: What’s wrong with secretary Kim, Fight for my way, Hwarang

Female lead: One of the most original Kdrama female characters I’ve seen. Plus she retains her agency all the way through, which is (unfortunately) not always the case with these shows.

5. W - Two worlds

A surgeon gets sucked into the world of her father’s webtoon when the main character’s life is threatened.

This was a WILD ride! The first 4 episodes barrelled through plot at an amazing rate and certain events happen in episode 5 that had me wondering how the show could even continue! But it did…and the plot just got more insane! I loved this show SO much. It kept me guessing, had me on the edge of my seat, and even had room for some of my favourite romance tropes. The central relationship was great, and (because of the insane plot) you basically get 2 love stories for the price of 1. I’ve already watched this whole show again, which is why I’ve bumped it up the ratings a bit!

Male lead: Just a really, really cool guy. Can’t think of how else to describe him! Always in control, calm, unflappable, analysing the situation….but he can break out the cocky charm when needed. AASI: While you were sleeping, Doctor Stranger

Female lead: I really liked her - she had more agency than a lot of other female heroines and I really related to her freaked-out panic in the beginning when she didn’t feel like she was a capable enough doctor to save a life.

6. While you were sleeping

Not to be confused with the Sandra Bullock rom-com from the 90s. Instead, this is about a young woman who can dream the future who has her fate changed by a young prosecutor who suddenly develops the same ability

I was thoroughly and utterly charmed by this show. Everything was so beautifully done - from the cinematography, to the music (OMG the music!), even the title cards were interesting and quirky. The characters were all great - the main leads are so sweet and relatable, the second lead is cute-as-a-button, the villain is properly hissable, and none of the supporting characters/extras annoyed me! The storyline itself was brilliant, with so many great set-ups, pay-offs and twists, and the romance was lovely.

Male lead: A bit of a hot mess of a human being (basically, the polar opposite of his character in W!)…but all the more loveable for it. AASI: W: 2 worlds, Doctor stranger.

Female lead: Smart, sweet, loyal (I really loved her relationship with her mum) and quietly brave.

7. Descendants of the Sun

A special forces Captain meets a capable and beautiful trauma surgeon. They feel an instant bond, but their jobs and philosophy on life get in the way, threatening to tear them apart.

I absolutely LOVE the male lead character, and the romance in this was beautiful. Plus its chock-full of CompetencePorn, with lots of scenes of people being really, really good at their jobs (this is one of my favourite things!). However, it didn’t quite nail the angst, and the last minute was a bit twee which dropped it down the rankings a bit.

Male lead: A cocky, charming, absolute BADASS with the most adorable, cheeky smile.

Female lead: Sweet and a bit out of her depth in the dangerous situations…but put her in charge of a patient and watch her go!

8. Love in the Moonlight / Moonlight Drawn by Clouds

A young woman poses as a eunuch in the Royal Palace and falls in love with the Crown Prince

This was the first period piece I watched and it’s still my favourite - almost entirely because of the male lead and his beautiful face! The start had a really light, comedic tone (and a lot of modern anachronisms - high fives everywhere!) and I loved all the identity-concealing hi-jinks. But then the romance kicked into gear and the DELICIOUS angst started flowing, and I became obsessed with it. It’s like loads of bits of my favourite regency historical romances were mashed up and transported to the Joseon Dynasty. I loved it so much!

Male lead: Manages to look amazingly handsome despite all the period headgear, kicks ass with a sword, and doesn’t allow himself to be manipulated by the corrupt officials surrounding him. Also acts like an adorable goofball when he’s in love.

Female lead: Loved her at the start - she’s scrappy and independent and capable. Unfortunately, becomes too much of a plot device by the end. AASI: Backstreet Rookie

9. I’ll Go to You When the Weather is Nice / I’ll Find You on a Beautiful Day

A cellist disillusioned with life in Seoul returns to her small home town for the winter.

This was achingly sweet and wonderful. The slow unfolding of the story, the beautiful scenery, and the simple yet moving score all combine to make this feel like the type of small town contemporary romance novel I love to read on a rainy day in front of a fire. Whilst long-held, painful secrets are eventually revealed, there is no massive conflict involved, with no antagonist or over-wrought external drama. Its just the tale of two sad, lonely people who have withdrawn from the world forming a connection with each other and trying to overcome their issues (she has a fear of abandonment; he’s a loner who has a tendency to disappear). As a bonus, there’s a bookclub with a wonderful cast of secondary characters - I wanted to spend more time with all of them.

Male Lead: Precious Cinnamon Roll, to be protected at all costs. AASI: Are you human too

Female lead: Wears her heart on her sleeve. Refreshingly, she’s the instigator of the relationship and isn’t the usual passive, coy female. AASI: What’s wrong with secretary Kim, Healer, Her private life

10. Goblin

A 900yr old immortal guardian finally meets the ‘bride’ who will end his existence

Once I got over the slight ick-factor of the age difference between the two characters at the beginning, I really fell for this show and it’s world. It had me in floods of tears at some points, and it was laugh out loud funny at others. I especially loved the secondary character of the Grim Reaper and his reluctant bromance with the Goblin.

Male lead: Surprising innocent and funny for a 900 year old

Female lead: Also innocent, but in some ways wise beyond her years. Her tears will make you cry (the actress is very good at sobbing her heart out!). AASI: The King, eternal monarch

11. What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim

An personal assistant decides to quits her job in order to get a life. Her boss has other ideas.

This was my first Park Seo Joon drama, and he’s great in it. He somehow turns a self-centred, entitled and vain boss into an endearing character! The central romance is amazing - I can rewatch their scenes again and again - and its a bit more mature than some of the others on this list (be sure to check out the extended scene!!). It has some of the best kisses in Kdrama.

Male lead: Like I said, somehow makes vanity and narcissism endearing. Also not afraid to get his shirt off and flash his 6-pack. Bonus. AASI: Itaewon Class, Fight for my way, Hwarang

Female lead: I’m a sucker for uber-competent people so I loved this character. Park Min Young has become one of my favourites, and she is STUNNING in this. AASI: I’ll go to you when the weather is nice, Healer, Her private life

12. Legend of the Blue Sea

A mermaid comes onto land to find the man she loves

The (literal) fish-out-of-water scenes in the first half of this show were hilarious - the actress is a comic genius! The romance was nicely done, and there wasn’t a lot of extraneous plot or too many characters. It also nicely incorporates scenes from the Joseon era, so you get a partial historical romance thrown in for free!

I couldn’t stop watching this one and I’ve since rewatched it too! Definitely one to check out.

Male lead: Cocky, arrogant conman with a soft mushy centre. AASI: The King, Eternal monarch, Heirs.

Female lead: Steals the show - funny, smart and beautiful. AASI: My love from the Star.

13. Into the Ring/The Ballot - NEW ENTRY

An out-of-work young woman decides to run for office and faces all sorts of challenges in her quest to right some wrongs and earn a living.

This show has one of my favourite ever female characters - she’s headstrong, hard working, and quick to violence but so cute and charming with the most adorable laugh! She tries to act all cynical (that she’s only in it for the money) but she is actually really caring and kind. I sooo wanted her to succeed against the establishment of corrupt assholes that she worked with. Seeing her become disillusioned with politics and her colleagues was heartbreaking, and watching her fight back was great.

Her dynamic with the male lead was also great - he’s quietly in awe of her even when he’s exasperated and borderline scared of her. And he’s super supportive. It was so much fun watching her drag him out of his monotonous, dull life. They also weren’t stingy with the PDA which was so refreshing.

On a superficial level, the show was also visually interesting, with loads of cool angles and blue lens flare. And the overall light, funny tone made it so watchable.

Male lead: Adorkable

Female lead: The literal embodiment of sunshine and determination. I have a bit of a crush on her!

14. The King: Eternal Monarch

The reigning King of the Kingdom of Corea discovers a gateway to a parallel world - the Republic of Korea

This is the first drama I’ve watched in ‘real time’ but I think it would work better as a binge - there are a LOT of characters, and many have dopplegangers (because of the parallel world thing) so it became hard to keep track of who was who. I also think the progression of the romance is better appreciated in a binge (I wrote about it here - ignore the speculation; i got it so wrong LOL!). Unfortunately, the plot also had major holes in it (the ‘rules’ for the gateway/magical flute didn’t make sense) and It was difficult at times to differentiate Corea from Korea - a major failing of the editing.

Buuuuuut, it still made my ‘Great’ list because all of those issues were outweighed by the sheer epicness of this show. The gorgeous sets, the dramatic scenery, the ANGST-filled, beautiful romance…at one point the King rides a majestic white horse into battle with a sword on a neon-lit highway to save the woman he loves. I mean, come on! Plus, its really funny - the ‘fish out of water’ scenes when the King first arrives in Korea, the chalk and cheese dopplegangers Yeong and Eun-Seob, the King’s constant threats of beheading…I loved those elements so much!

Male lead: Gives Ri Jeong-Hyeok from CHOY a run for his money in the ‘Best Boyfriend’ competition. AASI: Legend of the blue sea, Heirs.

Female lead: A bad-ass cop. Takes a while to believe Lee Gon’s story, but once she decides to go all in…she goes all in, and loves unreservedly with her whole heart. AASI: Goblin

15. Tomorrow with you

A time-traveller struggling to live in the present meets a woman trying to let go of her past.

This reminded me a bit of ‘I’ll go to you when the weather is nice’ in terms of the melancholic tone, the simple but effective music, and the beautiful lighting etc. There were also some really interesting, innovative shots which I appreciated.

It took a few episodes to get into and it was a bit frustrating in the middle - so much could have been solved if people just TALKED to each other!! Plus the rules for this version of time travel weren’t really clear…But the last few episodes were brilliant; the way the story came together, and all the little bits of set up were paid off was really well done. These episodes alone were enough to bump this up to the ‘Great’ category (especially, given there was a bit of a Lake House vive at one point - I’m a sucker for that movie. The romance was also beautifully portrayed; I could endlessly watch their domestic scenes - they had such good chemistry and banter.

Male lead: Absolutely, but endearingly, terrible at relationships. He ends up falling in love against his will and largely without realising it.

Female lead: A bit of a mess and a borderline alcoholic, but so cute and innocent. I love the way she talks to herself, she’s so funny! AASI: Oh My Venus

16. Fight for my Way

Two life-long friends decide to go after their dreams

I fast-forwarded large chunks of this (I wasn’t interested in the secondary couple at all), but it still made my ‘Great’ list because this is one of the best friends-to-lovers stories I’ve seen. You truly buy that these 2 have known each other their entire lives (their bickering and teasing feels so natural). And then when they take the next step, they’re so affectionate and refreshingly open with their feelings. Speaking of which, this also has some great kissing scenes (Park Seo Joon is the master!)

Male lead: I love his contradictions. He’s goofy and childish…but can really turn on the sexy charm; he’s a badass MMA fighter…who loves when his girlfriend sticks up for him and protects him. AASI: What’s wrong with secretary Kim, Itaewon class, Hwarang

Female lead: Takes no shit from anyone and will fight for her man! AASI: Descendants of the sun (secondary character)

17. Suspicious Partner

A young, hardworking lawyer has her life turned upside down when she is put on trial for murder.

This was officially bumped up the list a while ago, and I stand by the decision. Its still overly long, but the serial killer plot had some nice twists and it was central to the story, so it didn’t feel extraneous like some of these types of plots do. Mainly, I just loved the central romance - the 2 characters sparked off each other so well and I loved their evolution from sort-of enemies to lovers. This is another show where I can endlessly rewatch their scenes together.

Male lead: Its Ji Chang Wook! He’s so good at playing serious guys who are secretly big dorks. AASI: Healer, The K2, Melting me softly, Backstreet Rookie

Female lead: Fate deals her a shitty hand, but she perseveres with grace and determination. She’s great. AASI: Shopaholic Louis, 100 days my prince.

The GOOD:

1. I Am Not a Robot

A man who is allergic to human contact finds companionship with a robot…or does he?

I honestly thought I wouldn’t make it passed a couple of episodes of this - the concept was just too ridiculous. But I’m glad I persevered, because it developed some real depth and some proper good angst towards the end and I LOVED the central relationship. I’ve rewatched loads of this one.

Actress ASI: Piece of Your Mind; Love in the moonlight (secondary character)

2. I Remember You - NEW ENTRY

A famous criminal profiler gatecrashes the investigation of a serial killer, hoping it will restore the missing memories of his childhood trauma

I really liked the set up of this - the lead character is introduced like a young Sherlock Holmes (the music even reminded me of the score for the BBC Sherlock series). The super-observant, socially awkward thing kind of dropped off as the series progressed, but I still enjoyed how the plot developed, especially with Park Bo-Gum’s character; I’ve only ever seen him play innocent cutie-pies, so this role was a bit of a surprise!

The female lead was like an anime character come to life (she was petite and cute with enormous eyes), but I also loved her personality; she was tenacious, and dogged and took no shit from anyone. She had a cute, antagonistic relationship with the profiler at the start (which I loved) which eventually led to some really sweet, touching moments.

Actor ASI: Shopping King Louis

3. Hotel del Luna

A hotel for wandering spirits gets a new human manager - and he forms a surprising connection to the enigmatic 1300 year old owner

If I had to describe this show in one word it would be ’lavish’. It’s a feast for the eyes - from the set design, to the costumes, to the CGI views of the hotel towering over the moon-lit Seoul cityscape, its stunning. It also plays with aspect ratios in a cool way (watch for the shots where the action spills over into the black bars top and bottom of the screen).

In terms of the characters, I really liked IU in this; her character may be uncaring, world-weary, and money-hungry, but she’s also immensely charming. I admit I got more platonic vibes with her and the male lead, but I still liked their relationship. I also really liked the stories of the ghosts passing through (some reduced me to tears with very little screen time) and there were a couple of GREAT cameos. Especially the one at the very end - I want more of him, please!!

Actress ASI: Scarlet heart

4. My Holo Love

A lonely woman falls for a holographic AI and then meets his creator…

I love the concept of this show (I’m a big sci-fi nerd), and I think this stayed in my ‘favourite’ list for so long because it was the first Kdrama of this genre that I saw. I still love it - especially because of how beautifully it’s shot, and how well the story comes together - but I’m not dying to rewatch any of it, unlike all the others shows that are now on the ‘great’ list.

5. Extraordinary You

A high school student discovers she’s a supporting character in a comic book

The plot of this was so cool, and the way the comic story played out interspersed with the characters ‘real lives’ was really well done. Plus the central couple were so adorable. It dragged in the middle section (several versions of the same conversations were had, and the same exposition was spelled out multiple ways for no apparent reason) which kept it out of my favourite list, but it redeemed itself with some good angst at the end, and it had a really lovely ‘epilogue’.

AASI: A couple of the secondary male leads have a mini-reunion in ‘I’ll go to you when the weather is nice’!

6. Just Between Lovers - NEW ENTRY

Three people impacted by a tragic shopping mall collapse start working on a building project together, unaware of their shared past.

I absolutely adore the male lead in this - he is the archetypal tortured hero (I constantly wanted to give him a hug and a warm meal). He’s also wonderfully romantic in his own, straightfoward, no-nonsense way. The female lead was really likeable - l love capable women and she is the definition of that (she even drives a lorry at one point!). There’s a lot of pain and angst in this show, with very little levity, but it strangely never felt heavy. I really liked it.

Actress ASI: Melting me Softly

7. Strong Girl Bong-Soon

A woman with inherited super-strength gets a job as a bodyguard for an eccentric young CEO

The lead couple in this are AD-OR-ABLE and I loved their relationship. But there was a weird tone issue in this show. The romance is super cute…but there’s a whole dark sub plot involving multiple women being held captive by a psychopath, and a really grating cast of ‘bad guy’ extras. I ended up fast forwarding most of that, and just concentrated on the romance - If someone could do a supercut of all their scenes, I would watch it on a loop.

Actor ASI: Hwarang, Heirs (minor character)

8. 30 but 17/Still 17 - NEW ENTRY

A 17 year old girl gets into an accident and wakes from a coma 13 years later.

I was worried going into this that the romance (between a 30 year old man and (essentially) a 17 year old girl) would feel icky and uncomfortable. But the writers made the wise choice of creating a 30 year old man with the emotional maturity of a 17 year old. He is so awkward and unworldly, that they actually work really well together. In fact, I loved their relationship. The secrets in this show took faaaar too long to be revealed, which made me worried that the eding would be too rushed, but there was actually time for a nice ‘epilogue’. Plus, all the supporting characters were great (including the wonderfully weird housekeeper Jennifer) and the cutest dog in the world was in this. So I definitely recommend it.

9. Mystic Pop-up Bar - NEW ENTRY

As punishment for past sins, a woman must solve the grudges of 100,000 people by entering their dreams

This was an unexpected delight. I started watching it after spotting a cute gifset on tumblr (which I didn’t realise contained huge spoilers!). The story and tone is (mostly) light and quirky, and I particularly enjoyed the worldbuilding - the banal bureaucracy of the afterlife in this even reminds me a bit of The Good Place. I’m a sucker for a ‘found family’ theme and this one was done really nicely. It also had 2 main ships - one really cute and innocent, the other took me by surprise with how moving it was. Similarly, some of the episode-specific stories and characters (i.e. the individual grudges) made me tear up.

10. 100 days my prince

A Prince loses his memory during an assassination attempt and ends up living as a peasant for 100 days.

Another period piece; the plots of these seem a little repetitive (Crown prince’s life is threatened by scheming Minister) but the central cast and the romance usually makes up for it. Same for this show - I really enjoyed watching the spoiled, grumpy puppy of a Prince try to cope with manual labour, and the female lead was capable, and endearing.

Actress ASI: Suspicious partner, Shopaholic Louis

11. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo

A young talented weightlifter experiences first love

Honestly, I wasn’t sold on this at first; the female lead was a bit much (lot of gurning and over-acting) and there was a weird disconnect between how she was described (big, overweight, manly, unfeminine) and how she actually looked (thin and beautiful!). But the back half of this show saved it; her relationship with Joon-Hyung was sooooo cute. He is adorable, and they were both so supportive of each other’s dreams. I finished this with a big smile on my face.

Actor ASI: Bride of the Water God, Scarlet heart (tertiary character)

12. Are You Human Too

A mother separated from her son builds a robotic replacement. Decades later, he has to take the place of the ‘real’ son.

I loved the evolution of the robot in this - it never went the way of a full Pinnochio story, but it was fun to see him learning about the real world and how humans interact. It also posed some interesting questions - what does it mean to be human? And how would you react if you were ‘replaced’ by an artificial version?

The actor in this was fantastic. The way he could change from the real Nam Shin to Nam Shin III with the most subtle shifts in posture and facial expression was really impressive. It took me longer to warm to the female lead, and by the end she was given very little to do…but her unflinching support and unconditional love for Nam Shin III won me over. Some of the supporting characters didn’t work for me, and it was far too long…but worth a watch for the lead actor’s performance. Plus, Nam Shin III is an absolute cutie-pie.

Actor ASI: I’ll go to you when the weather is nice

13. Shopaholic Louis/ Shopping King Louis

The young, shopaholic heir to a large department store empire loses his memory and has to live as a poor man

The male lead in this is an absolute puppy dog and I ADORE him. He squeals when he sees bugs, he can’t run to save his life, and he’s the type of guy who will punch someone and immediately apologise and ask if they’re ok. He’s spoilt, entitled, demanding and has no concept of the value of money…but thanks to the actor portraying him, he just comes across as innocent, sweet and lonely (he spends all his time shopping and accumulating stuff because they fills up his empty life). The female lead is just a really nice, kind person; at first Louis seems like he’ll be just one more burden she needs to take care of, but he makes it clear from the start that she can count on him to help her too - something she’s never had before. Their relationship develops so naturally and thoroughly that you cant help but feel they are perfect for each other. I watched this with a big smile on my face.

Actor ASI: I Remember You

Actress ASI: Suspicious partner, 100 days my prince

14. Oh My Venus

The previously much-lusted after ‘Venus of Daegu’ fulfilled her dream of becoming a lawyer - but she gained weight and lost her self esteem in the process.

I adored the female lead - she was so relentlessly bright and optimistic that you couldn’t help but love her and root for her. I was a bit worried going in that there was going to be a lot of fat-shaming, but the male lead made it clear that he was more interested in her internal health than her external appearance (and you could tell he started to fall for her when she was chubby, so it wasn’t superficial in that way). I wasn’t expecting for him to become so much of the focus in the second half of the show (I thought he was just going to be a hunky trainer; I should have known better - in a Kdrama there is always a Tragic Backstory looming!). Their relationship was so natural and cute - the bit with the dimples never got old - and overall, this was a fun, easy watch.

Actress ASI: Tomorrow with you.

Actor ASI: My secret Terrius, Master’s sun.

15. A Piece of your Mind - NEW ENTRY

A classical music recording engineer meets an AI designer.

I struggled to sum-up the concept of this in one sentence, because the ‘plot’ is so arbitrary (and the AI stuff makes no sense whatsoever!). It’s really more of a mood piece - the lighting, the music and the performance combine to make this a strangely ethereal show, dealing with unrequited love, grief and the importance of human connection. It’s slow and contemplative and a little odd in its structure (there’s very little set-up, so you feel like you’ve been dropped into episode 3 of an established show). This may put some people off, but I really liked it.

I started watching it because of the leads (who I’ve loved in other shows) and they didn’t disappoint. She is so kind and lovely; he’s a little odd - like a robot learning about life. But their relationship is so beautiful (it even included one of my favourite niche tropes: insomniacs who can only sleep around each other).

Apparently the episode run was cut down from 16 to 12 because of poor ratings, which is a real shame because i think a bit more time was needed to really sell the female lead’s emotional arc. It all felt a little rushed at the end, but I still enjoyed it, and admired that it tried something a little unconventional.

Actor ASI: While you were sleeping (secondary lead).

Actress ASI: I am Not a Robot; Love in the moonlight (secondary character)

16. Rookie Historian - NEW ENTRY

An independent, educated woman choses to become one of the first female court historians, rather than get married.

This show had a really interesting premise and I enjoyed watching the rookie female historians navigate court-life (battling workplace harassment, misogyny and patriarchal values) and developing a real friendship with each other.

The female lead was fantastic - she was headstrong, pragmatic, unapologetically intelligent, a lover of books and a hater of injustice. She shared that love of books with the male lead, who was sensitive, soft-spoken, and innocent. The ultimate beta hero, who’s romantic fantasies involved him feeding her cookies and fanning her while she sleeps!

Their romance took a backseat for a lot of the show, but I didn’t mind as the plot was exploring interesting topics such as intruders from the West, catholicism, and censorship, etc.

Actor ASI: My ID is Gangnam Beauty

Actress ASI: Bride of Habaek

17. Tempted/The Great Seducer - NEW ENTRY

In an act of revenge, a wealthy heir makes a bet with his friends to seduce a hardworking female college student

10 minutes into this I started to get major Cruel Intentions vibes…which made sense when I found out it was also an adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons! It doesn’t have the dark edge or overt sexuality of Cruel Intentions (which is one of my favs) but its still good - mainly due to the male lead. I ADORED him in TKEM and he’s really good here. I’m a sucker for the ‘bad boy falls in love for the first time’ trope and he played it so well. The female lead was also good - she was self-aware, strong, intelligent and took no shit. I was less interested by the love affairs of the adults around them, but overall it was a good show.

Actor ASI: TKEM (secondary character)

18. My Love from the Star

Alien stranded on earth meets an actress soon before he’s due to be rescued.

It took a couple of goes to get into this one, but I’m glad I finally watched the whole thing (the female lead was initially very irritating, but she improved a lot). I enjoyed the present-day romance and all the flashes back to the past. However, the ending was really abrupt and disappointing (which kept it out of my favourite list). There should have been 1 less filler episode in the middle, and a decent, fleshed out finale instead.

Actor ASI: Its ok to not be ok.

Actress ASI: Legend of the blue sea

19. Because this is my First Life

A rational-to-a-fault software designer and an aspiring screenwriter come up with an unconventional way to solve their housing problem

When I started this, I thought it was going to be all light and fluffy (the main character’s job in the beginning was to insert the product placement in Korean dramas - hello, Red Ginseng! - which I found hilarious and meta) but it had a surprisingly melancholic tone throughout and touched on issues of workplace harassment and gender roles. I didn’t warm to the male lead until right at the end (which was probably partly intentional - he’s very remote and closed off) but overall I found the story quite lovely. Plus it had a really great central female friendship and their conversations actually passed the Bechdel test!

20. My shy boss / Introverted boss

An extroverted actress takes a job at a PR company working for a man with crippling shyness

This was another deceptive show; I thought from the title and the synopsis that it would just be a light opposites attract comedy about an introverted man and an extroverted woman. But I was almost in tears by the second episode when the Tragic Backstory came to light, and we saw the full extent of the Boss’ struggles to communicate with other human beings. He has such a rich, funny, and smart inner monologue, and the way he overthinks every interaction is really endearing…which makes the contrast with his silent and withdrawn external persona all the more stark and heartbreaking. You really root for him to find happiness. This was overly long (a common pitfall with these shows) and there was some distracting shaky camera work in some of the close ups. There were also implications early on about workplace sexual harassment and possibly dubious consent in a one night stand which were dropped, leaving a bit of a sour note. Despite that, it was overall fairly enjoyable and has one of the cutest confession scenes!

The OK

1. The K2

An ex-mercenary takes a job as a bodyguard protecting the illegitimate daughter of a politician. A sort-of Snow White retelling.

This started off really well; there are some amazing fight sequences (hello, shower room scene!) and JCW has never been hotter - its worth watching for him alone. However, the back half became really bogged down in double crosses and manipulations, and it focussed too much on the politicians. The writers did well to give these characters some layers, but they were all essentially doing bad things for the wrong reasons, and I just didn’t care about them. The show was much better when it was following K2’s journey. The romance also started off well, but was a bit underdeveloped (mainly because they barely interacted).

Actor ASI: Healer, suspicious partner, Backstreet rookie, Melting me softly

2.Bride of Habaek / Bride of the Water God

A God of the Land of Water visits the human realm to fulfil a task before ascending to his throne. He enlists the help of a ‘divine servant’, a down-on-her-luck psychiatrist.

I started this because I liked the lead actor. His baby-face can’t quite pull off the intensity needed for this role, but he was still cute as the arrogant, imperious God brought low by his circumstances - no money, house, powers or (most importantly to him) driving license. I also liked the female lead - she so desperately wanted to hide her kind, compassionate heart from a world that had battered and bruised her. There were some good individual scenes (especially the 'confession’ moment, which was just lovely), but the show ran out of steam towards the end, and ultimately felt like a waste of potential.

Actor ASI: Weightlifting fairy Kim Bok-joo

Actress ASI: Rookie Historian

3. Her Private Life

A talented art curator tries to keep her professional persona separate from her fangirl obsession with a pop idol.

This was cute and I loved the central relationship - he was so supportive of her, and their interactions were refreshingly mature and their banter felt really natural. Ultimately, it was a bit forgettable (I’m not dying to rewatch any of it), and the last minute tacked-on childhood trauma subplot was really unnecessary.

Actress ASI: Healer, Whats wrong with secretary kim, I’ll go to you when the weather is nice.

4. Touch Your Heart

Star actress rocked by scandal works at a law firm to prepare for her comeback role

This starred the secondary couple from Goblin and I really like them, even though they are playing very different characters in this (more opposites attract, than doomed lovers). It’s a bit too ‘cutesy’ and I had to fast forward a lot of the secondary romances which I wasn’t invested in.

5. My Secret Terrius

A secret agent on the run gets embroiled in the life of his next door neighbour - a mum of young twins.

The romance in this was underwhelming; the two characters ended in a really cute place, but it felt like set up for a story I probably would have liked more than this one. In saying that, this was still a relatively enjoyable watch; the female lead was great - she was constantly underestimated as ‘just a housewife’ but she was smarter, and more determined and resourceful than the spies around her. The male lead’s interactions with the twins were adorable, and there was a good cast of supporting characters. However, I’ve already pretty much forgotten the main espionage plot!

Actor ASI: Oh My Venus

6. Lawless Lawyer

A gangster-turned-lawyer moves to Gisung to take on corruption with the help of a suspended female attorney

I liked this more at the beginning; it reminded me a bit of Itaewon Class, with a charismatic lead, an intricately plotted revenge scheme that the audience only becomes aware of as the series progresses, and a take-no-shit female lead who was introduced hitting an authority figure! However, it never really gripped me (it took me weeks to finish) and a couple of the villains were overacting and hamming it up all over the place. But I loved the two leads, and their relationship was good, despite feeling a bit rushed.

Actor ASI: Scarlet Heart

Actress ASI: Its ok to not be ok, Hwarang (tertiary character)

7. 1% of Something - NEW ENTRY

To gain his inheritance, an arrogant, aloof CEO has to enter into a marriage contract with a sweet primary school teacher.

I liked how streamlined this was: it was just a show about two people who fall in love despite their best intentions. There was no overly complicated plot, and even the conflict that keeps them apart towards the end felt very organic and unforced.

She is a delightful ball of sunshine. He is a little overbearing but has his own charm. And bear with the bad haircut and appalling fashion sense - he improves at the end!

8. Melting Me Softly

Two people are accidentally cryogenically frozen for 20 years. They have to navigate the modern world and their new lives together.

Another good concept, but it ultimately descended into little more than a light work-place romance. Had a couple of good kissing scenes, but it was overall a bit forgettable.

Actor ASI: The K2, healer, suspicious partner, backstreet rookie

Actress ASI: Just Between Lovers

9. My Sassy Girl

A 'sassy’ princess meets an ambitious scholar in less than ideal circumstances…

I enjoyed the fact that this Joseon period drama focused on a Princess for a change, and not a prince. She came across as more 'obnoxious and immature’ than 'sassy’ in the beginning, but once it was made clear that she was actually a decent, kind person underneath, I soon warmed to her. I also liked the relationship with the male lead, which amounted to a pretty good enemies-to-lovers story. It took a bit of an unexpected turn right at the end, but my independent, feminine self was good with it. Overall, this was a pretty easy watch, but nothing special.

10. Hwarang

Follows a peasant who joins the newly-created Hwarang (Poet Warrior Youths in ancient Korea) to enact revenge for the death of his best friend

I enjoyed the scenes of the Hwarang hanging out and bonding - so many cute bromances in this! But I couldn’t really connect with the central story and romance, due to a major case of SLS (Second Lead Syndrome) - as much as I’m a fan of Park Seo-joon, I adore Park Hyung-sik, and I found his character, journey and relationship with the female lead much more compelling. The ending still managed to feel somewhat satisfying, but I won’t be rewatching any of it.

Actor ASI: Itaewon class, What’s wrong with secretary kim, Fight for my way

The BAD

1. Hyde, Jekyll and Me

A woman becomes involved in the lives of 2 men, who share one body

Hyun Bin is sooo watchable in this, especially as the slick-haired, glasses-wearing, uptight Seo-Jin. And the show started well…but quickly went off the rails into a convoluted, dragged-out revenge plot. It was a bit of a slog to get through, to be honest.

Actor ASI: CLOY

2. Queen: Love and War

The long lost twin of a recently assassinated Queen assumes her identity to enter the Bridal selection to wed the resurrected King and seek revenge.

This was a bit of a mess (as you can tell from that synopsis!); it felt like the first few episodes were rushed through as a sort of ‘prologue’ before the main thrust of the story…but that prologue contained A LOT of plot with some major character revelations that were rapidly skimmed over (e.g. the female lead was introduced as having complete amnesia; but almost out of nowhere she casually mentions that she got all her memories back and now knows who she is). Because of this, it took me a while to get a sense of who the characters really were. A lot of the usual Joseon plot points played out (scheming ministers and untrustworthy queens) but it had some unique features - I especially enjoyed the bridal selection scenes and seeing the lead female outwitting her rivals in the various challenges. But ultimately, I fast forwarded a lot of this and it was pretty forgettable.

Actress ASI: Doctor Stranger.

Actor ASI: Backstreet Rookie (secondary character)

3. Backstreet Rookie

A struggling young woman takes a part-time job at the convenience store run by her high school crush.

I was really not a fan of this show, and probably would have stopped watching if it wasn’t for Kim Yoo-jung. Her character was really likeable - kickass, but vulnerable, and so loving and kind. You were really rooting for her throughout. The show also had some interesting things to say about inequality (there was a lovely scene between the male leads’s parents in episode 10 touching on this theme)…but that’s about it for the positives.

Overall, it was just too OTT and manic and most of the characters were barely more than cartoonish caricatures. One character was actually repulsive, and the fact that he got his own romantic subplot was just gross. I’m a big fan of Ji Chang-wook, but I didn’t like some of his acting choices in this, and his character spent far too long in a relationship with another woman, which meant the main romance felt underdeveloped.

And…it ended without a kiss. I was so pissed off! I put up with 16 episodes of crap, expecting a decent pay-off at the end…but no. I wouldn’t recommend this one.

Actress ASI: Love in the Moonlight

Actor ASI: Suspicious Partner, Healer, K2, Melting me Softly

The UNCLASSIFIABLE

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

A modern girl is transported 1000 years into the past where she becomes embroiled in the lives of the Royal Princes.

I honestly don’t know where I stand with this one! Did I love it? Did I hate it? I seriously don’t know!

I was reluctant to start this (I knew it didn’t have a happy ending) but I was told its a rite of passage for KDrama newbies to watch this show. And there were some great things about it - the male lead was amazing! So intense and tragic, with the most arresting face. The music was also GORGEOUS, as was the scenery - the whole production felt very sumptuous. The palace intrigue stuff was also more compelling than most of the other historic dramas I’ve seen. I recognised several of the Princes from other shows, and I became really invested in 3 of them…which made the constant threat of them betraying each other/killing each other AGONISING. This show was heavy on the Emotional Torture Porn, and some of it felt gratuitous, because I just didn’t understand the motivations behind some of the plot points/character’s actions.

I also wasn’t a big fan of the female lead; partly because the actress only seemed to have 2 facial expressions to work with, but partly because and any hints that she was a modern girl with modern sensibilities quickly disappeared. It was this independence and spunk that made all the princes fall for her (to varying degrees) but she lost all of that and it left me wondering why they bothered with the time travel aspect at all.

I finished the show feeling wrung out and with the overwhelming sense of “Why? What was the point of that?”

Buuuuuut…it has lingered with me - as @talenevertold said when we were discussing the show, “Nobody enjoys it in the process… but it leaves this unique bittersweet aftertaste…” and that’s absolutely true; and it probably true that this show IS a rite of passage that everyone should watch. But don’t say I didn’t warn you!

and...The MEH (i.e. DNF):

This list is getting long! I have a bit less patience with shows than I did in the beginning - there are so many to get through, so I’m not willing to waste my time on anything that either doesn’t grip me from a story perspective, is far too slow, has mediocre acting and/or is too soapy.

Master’s sun

Tale of Nokdu

The Heirs

Meow, the Secret Boy

Love Alarm

One Spring Night

Suits

Chocolate

Doctor Stranger

The scholar who walks the night

If I’ve made a heinous mistake by dropping any of these - get in touch and plead the case for why i should give them another chance!

#kdrama #kdrama recommendations

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faedawayyy · 3 years

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I WANT THE SKI LODGE/THIS CHRISTMAS TO REALLY KICK OFF ALL OF MY CHARACTERS IN INTERESTING AND NEW AND DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. LIKE I WANT TO REVIVE THE RP DAYS WHERE WE WEREN’T SO SCARED ABOUT KEEPING SHIPS AND MORE INTERESTED IN BEING DRAMATIC HOES AND HAVING AMAZING CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. SO LMK IF ANY OF THESE SUIT YOU? BUT ALSO PLS DON’T JUST TAKE ALL THE GUY ONES.

THIS IS POST 1: CHARACTERS THAT I CONSIDER O.G’S AND I’M TAKING THEM IN DIRECTIONS THAT MAAAAAYYYYYYBEEEE AREN’T AS STEREOTYPICAL...VERY FEW OF THESE INVOLVE LIKE, CHEATING OR SLEEPING AROUND.

DALLAS

he’s had a good 3 years of being in relationship and girl drama and having that just doesn’t...make sense...anymore? like him and zara definitely have things they need to work through but i think he’s found someone he really likes and isn’t even looking into everybody else.

HOWEVER, now that he’s with her, i think his family’s financial situation will become even more desperate bc they’re bankrupt and the calloway’s are like r i c h. so....

- SOMEONE HE’S LOANING A LOT OF $$$ FROM: yes, he makes lots from his singing career but his parents are in huge debt and on top of that, there’s margo’s rehab fees and spending problem. everything dallas has earned since his first album has gone to fixing his family and it just hasn’t happened yet. maybe he reaches out to someone over christmas for a big loan and they give it to him, without realising he has literally no plans on paying them back. if they’re going to be nice about it, i dont want it. i want tension w this. - DIRTY WORK: he’s obviously been a drug dealer before. i’m happy for him to go down that route but again, anyone who is maybe from a sketchy family, dallas would be happy to do their dirty work for them if the price is right. maybe someone knows his family’s situation and takes advantage of this. again, i rly don’t want people being really nice about it.

BRODY

he’s obviously, officially a dad now. i don’t think the pressure is getting to him, but the whole idea that this is his life forever definitely is. i’m always on the fence with him because he LOVES disney and nobody comes close. affairs just seem a bit old for him, but he still definitely fucks up now and then and i think i’m going to give him a bit of a partying/being out/spending addiction. sooooooo....

- PEOPLE WHO PARTY/GO OUT WITH HIM: think like, wolf of wallstreet or ‘the man’ music video by taylor swift. i think fake friends would definitely come in to play here - people who know he’s wealthy and take advantage of that to have really good nights out and tempt him to just blow tons of money on shit. ALSO, people using him for publicity and maybe people who sell stories about the wild nights out he has and how much he fucks up/isn’t a great father figure atm. - FRIENDS WHO COVER FOR HIM - TAKEN BY LEO: they don’t care enough to get him to fix up, but they definitely act as alibi’s and help him to avoid getting into too much shit with disney.

MASON

i’m reaaalllly liking the idea of mason maybe not being as perfect as he appears on the surface. i think that has slowly started this year but hasn’t been as dramatic as it possibly COULD be. he also has the whole secret of knowing james is alive and nothing has come of that yet, so these are the two directions i want to take him down. SoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO......

- ALLEGED MISTRESSES/FLINGS: mason isn’t brody or leo and it is just natural to him to stay loyal and committed to the person he’s with and obviously, he loves kendall. however, i do think he has a lot of unfinished business with exes (we could also develop new ones if they’re not exes already). we could maybe plot about him rebuilding his relationship with them but it gets misinterpreted and it’s made out as if he’s cheating or something when rly it’d be completely innocent. - SOMEONE WHO CATCHES HIM WITH JAMES AT A SECRET LOCATION - TAKEN BY GISELE: i’d love this one more than ^^^^^^^^ tbh! it’s obviously a hUGE secret that james is alive and mason knows his family won’t forgive him for keeping it a secret if he finds out. this could definitely bring out the nastier side of him and i think he’d even go as far as to blackmail somebody or pay to keep them quiet. we can develop it!

BLAKE

i struggle SO much with blake because he really is unproblematic. he can be a bit of an idiot but he’s not really into drugs, HE’D NEVER CHEAT, HE’S WITH THE LOVE OF HIS ACTUAL LIFE, and he’s pretty honest and kind for the most part. i’ve had a think, though, and i’ve came up with some of these. SOOOOO.... - MUSIC DRAMA: blake loves 5SOS but i also think his unique style of music is so different from the bands and he’s going to try and explore that in 2021. i kind of want him to work with other artists in the industry and lots of different drama could come out of this: >> tension with the other 5sos boys and maybe fans who start to fuel rumours that he’s leaving when he isn’t >> rivalries with some of the more established male artists. dallas would be great for this BUT he’s mine lol >> song-writing credits/arguments. maybe he writes with someone and they don’t feel like they’ve been given enough credit for how much they helped him. i’m very reluctant to do anything with blake’s personal life just bc that really isn’t him. AT THE VERY MOST, maybe some ex relationships for him to base his solo songs around.

HENSLEY

MY BABY IS ENGAGED. WHEN I TELL YOU I THINK I SHED A TEAR FOR HER LAST NIGHT, I’M NOT LYING. SHE’S SPENT THIS WHOLE RP PUSHING PEOPLE AWAY JUST TO BE LIKE “I TOLD YOU SO”....BUT !!!!!!! THINGS ARE CHANGING. ok, here are some ideas i have. these will take a little bit more development but still have a lot of potential. - AN OLD (TOXIC) FRIENDSHIP REVIVING: there was a time like pre-st judes where hensley was quite off the rails. LIKE, she’d go out, get drunk/high, just not go home for days and i think this all came down to losing autumn in such a weird way....maybe she gets closer to that person again, and they’re a pretty bad influence? i feel like this would put a big strain on all of her healthier relationships. she’ll definitely not stay in the toxic place forever but maybe this friend is kinda passive aggressive like: “oh? you’re getting married? that’s very...not you.” and stuff. maybe they come from a challenging background too and they were each other’s support systems but it wasn’t a healthy relationship. we could build this up! - ANY OF EVAN’S EXES/FLINGS: LISTEN BECAUSE SHE IS JUST SO CONVINCED SHE’S NOT THAT EASY TO LOVE, she does find any ex of evan’s threatening no matter what is said or how long ago it was. it’d be interesting to see how that develops bc i think f x f relationships are where hensley’s flaws surface more.

ISSY (TW: RAPE)

OKAY SO PSA: issy is still ruby’s sister but nadine and i have decided to send it back to ruby not knowing that because it was a lot more interesting when it was still a secret. ISSY is still a mum and happy with levi and building her life back up from how damaged it became with her adoptive father in australia. SOOOOO.... - THE FACT SHE’S RUBY’S SISTER - TAKEN BY KENDALL: somebody she opens up to but they’re like “lol ok whatever...no you’re not” and rather than helping her, they think there’s something wrong with her and try to keep her away from ruby bc they think she’s doing it for attention or she’s just some kind of stalker? this would make her feel even less sure about telling ruby. MAYBE said person can kind of tell others that she’s obsessed and it becomes a thing around the academy for a while... - BABY PLOTS: there’s been quite a lot of babies being born. I’D LOVE to do something that maybe gets carried into next gen. maybe issy brings avery on a lot of play dates (when he’s a bit older) with another baby and they jokingly talk about setting their children up? then in next gen, it’ll obviously be up to meg how avery feels about it?

#save #pLOTS

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jjmaebank · 4 years

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Cast your mutuals as your irl friends

oh el I LOVE THIS ONE:

@milaonthemoon you’re my best friend Kaitlin. She lives in North Carolina and I’ve never met her irl but we became friends when we were 13 online and both had hunger games fanpages. I love this girl to bits and FaceTime her all the time and im planning on finally meeting her this summer. She a bad bitch and she's the one who introduced me to kehlani. I’m also insanely jealous of her boobs and she looks like fucking Alexa demie from euphoria.

@obx-sos you’re my best friend at home Olivia. I’ve known her since I was 3 and she lives down the road from me and our mum’s are besties too. This girl is a fucking crackhead like she takes me on the WILDEST nights out and knows all the right ppl to get us vip places in the club. but she's also super smart and very opinionated. she is obsessed w saving the environment and wants to live in Costa Rica to preserve wild life, she also fucking reads history books on Stalin and hitler all the time, its kind of concerning. she also a baddie, she hates on all my exes more than anyone else and always pulls me out of heartbreak.

@maybe-maybanks ok lex you are my bestie at school Sara. I love this girl to bits she made me a personalised birthday card and cycled to my doorstep to give it to me. She’s innocent most of the time but she has a very freaky side to her which takes me off guard sometimes cuz like usually she’s so tame, but no she an inner freak in the sheets. she’s the most caring, beautiful person ever but she's also feisty and doesn’t hesitate to confront and yell at someone if they’re being nasty to her or her friends. she's a queen.

@spilledtee el you are my friend Lulu, she was the first friend I made when I changed schools and like I just aspire to be her. I acc met her at a music festival how weird tho. her music taste? impeccable. she also writes like no person I've ever seen, she gets all the creative writing awards at school and I've read her essays for English and I can't understand half of it cuz its so advanced and complex, way out of my league. she's so fucking smart she got into Cambridge (one of the best schools in the UK) for English and she's been in a two year relationship with my friend Nathan, they’re like my parents no joke.

@baby-bearie aarti you are my friend Benji. this boy will take the piss out of me night and day, the jokes never stop cuz im a dumbass but its all love. he has the most embarrassing pictures of me but tbh I have my fair share of him and make fun of him sometimes too. but he's also been there for me through A LOT. he always listens to me and gives me the best advice, like he doesn't sugar coat anything and just tells me how it is, he's got me through a lot. but then he gets all lol okay lets stop being emotional back to insulting each other.

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perkynurples · 4 years

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I was tagged by @orodrethsgeek to talk about 7 comfort films and tag some more people! Thank you for tagging me, this has made me realize I’ve watched precisely none of these during quarantine bc I’ve been in fic writing limbo... Maybe I should fix that :D

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

To literally nobody’s surprise. When this movie came out, I became so obsessed with it I took my family and my friends to see it like half a dozen times in the cinemas, and then I watched it non-stop at home. I was a very intense 13yo discovering for the first time what longing looks and lingering touches could really mean lmao

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

This one obviously holds a special place in my heart because the amount of times I’ve seen it... Well, let’s just say if you woke me up at midnight and asked me to quote it, my eyes would go black and I would comply, but at what cost. The LoTR trilogy, especially Two Towers, is a close second, but AUJ is where it’s at.

Ace Attorney

This rendition of the first AA game is what got me into the franchise, got me to play the games, and I adore it to bits. It doesn’t take itself very seriously, even though it looks like it does, and to me it captures the spirit of justice the games perfectly.

Ať Žijí Duchové - Long Live The Ghosts

A Czech fairytale CLASSIC, wherein a group of kids discovers a ghost girl living in the ruins of an old castle with her dad, and shenanigans ensue. Has some extremely memorable songs and a cast of adorable characters. I’ve seen this one dozens of times and used to only be able to calm down while watching it as a little kid.

Pitch Perfect

Don’t @ me, this movie is a lot of fun. I’m a sucker for the songs, and I always put it on when I don’t know what else to watch and need something groovy and familiar.

Miss Congeniality

Okay HEAR ME OUT. I fucking love this movie. Sandra Bullock getting a huge makeover and kicking ass in high heels? Ladies being fast friends? That one time that handsome guy swims in the pool? Michael Cain? I used to ADORE the cheerful intrigue as a kid and to this day it puts a smile on my face.

Love Actually

Predictable, but again, when I need something to put a smile on my face without fault, I watch this. My Mum and I always sit down to watch it around Christmas, and when the music swells as Colin Firth walks down the stairs in Portugal, we shovel popcorn into our mouths and cry.

This was a lot of fun! I tag (with absolutely no pressure of course!) @sweetlittlevampire, @leatherbookmark, @alien-crustacean, @elenothar, @acutebird-fics, @darkandstormyranger and literally aaaanyone else who wants to do this! <3

#dammit annie #ghdlkgh this was really fun

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rorybergstrom · 4 years

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𝑫𝑰𝑫 𝑺𝑶𝑴𝑬𝑩𝑶𝑫𝒀 𝑶𝑹𝑫𝑬𝑹 𝑨 𝑩𝑰𝑺𝑬𝑿𝑼𝑨𝑳 𝑹𝑶𝑳𝑳𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑲𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑺𝒀𝑵𝑻𝑯 𝑳𝑶𝑹𝑫 ???

hello, it’s nora again…. hitting u with another child. a south london-born softboi who deserves tenderness. has a burner phone and doesn’t use social media. does techno dj sets. plays the synth loudly through the night if u live in gorham his room always sounds like a space ship just landed. deals weed around campus on his rollerskates. hates that he can’t get new light up wheels because ana coto made rollerskating cool again. as is tradition, here’s the pinterest board. this intro is recycled?? so if theres mistakes, sue me??? and be sure to like and subscribe for more unboxing content x

application.

『 FIONN WHITEHEAD ❙ DEMI-MALE』 ⟿ looks like RORY BERGSTRÖM is here for HIS JUNIOR year as a MUSIC TECHNOLOGY student. HE is 23 years old & known to be ECCENTRIC, FANATICAL, NITPICKY & DOGMATIC. They’re living in GORHAM, so if you’re there, watch out for them. ⬳ ooc name. age. tz. pronouns.

aesthetics.

bed hair from a permanent state of slumber, calloused fingertips from strumming bass into the early hours and djing into the blacklit night, self-help books thumbed once and thrown beneath your bed, battered copies of choose your own adventure books, spliffs passed half-arsed across rooftops while light pollution obscures low-hanging stars, marxist literature in stacks against your bedroom walls, a burner phone twice-shattered and a stash of replacement sim cards.

tw ocd, anxiety, drugs

half-swedish, half-british. the swedish is on his mother’s side. he’s bilingual but thinks in english. only really speaks swedish around his mother. only child, and kinda put a lot of pressure on himself to be the perfect kid when he was young, but his parents are honestly, quite decent? and just want him to have a nice life, they don’t care if he isn’t successful or rich or anything, they’re honestly rather solid. (wow imagine having nice parents, a first for all my characters, im literally this meme)

grew up in peckham, a suburb of london. growing up, his mum was a model / actress / waitress who later retrained as a speech therapist and his dad worked in her majesty’s service at buckingham palace. his dad wasn’t allowed to tell his family what his job entailed but rory suspects it’s probably very boring and just involves a lot of…. logistics n security.

was bullied a lot at school. [cole sprouse voice] he didn’t fit in and he didn’t want to fit in. unironically wore a trenchcoat to school every day of his life. spent most of his lunchtimes in the library because it was his safe space. as a result he knows…. loads of useless information because 30% of his school years were spent reading anthologies on space and the vikings etc. would be good on a game show. obsessively recorded every episode of university challenge as a child.

middle-class and lowkey quite wealthy but rarely talks about money, one of those well-off people who still wears really old shitty shoes and only spends money if they absolutely have to

virgin who can’t drive

into star wars, not into the big bang theory. feminist. can’t watch horror movies

favourite film is where the wild things are. also loves the florida project. thinks kids are the sweetest thing and can’t wait to be a dad to some. right now is dad to one cat, whose name changes on a daily basis (identity is constantly shifting, duuuuude), but they were originally named ‘wheezer’

rory has been musical for as long as they can remember. first picked up guitar because he thought it would make this girl esther who he was in love with like him, but he just ended up falling in love with music instead.

formulated several different bands as a kid but ultimately had to give it up cos he was quite controlling and got fixated on making a certain sound so it wasn’t really fun for the others. got into electronic music because it was something he could do basically on his own and keep tweaking until he got it perfect

always drumming their fingers or strumming invisible guitar strings. tends to avoid parties bc he has quite has specific tastes when it comes to music and doesn’t like listening to r&b for eight hours while people throw up into plastic cups.

a techno connoisseur. has been making electronic music since he was about twelve.

after his parents divorce, when he was fourteen, rory & his mother moved to run-down suburban neighbourhood, pittsfield, massachussets.

big into photography. he mostly uses a canon 35mm camera, but occasionally uses disposable ones when he wants that more rustic feel.

moving to the states, their photography became more focused on suburban neighborhoods and are often quite dark and cinematic (think gregory crewsden). here are some shots of pittsfield i really like which rory has on his wall [1] [2] [3]

falls in love 12 times a day. never had a girlfriend or boyfriend. gets sweaty when someone cute looks at him. flirting?? what?? would prefer to idealise them from a distance

gender??? hm. doesn’t really know where he fits yet, sometimes he feels like a guy and sometimes they dont feel like anything at all. isn’t really bothered, cos they think it’s a social construct anyway. uses he/they pronouns interchangeably, but feels like ‘he’ is more fitting. won’t necessarily pull anyone up on it cos he knows having an identity that’s constantly…. in flux.. can be annoying for others … and doesn’t want to be a burden even tho it isn’t at all?? rory internalises guilt

everything is socially constructed. mirrors let you move through time. the whole thing’s a metaphor. he thinks he’s got free will but really he’s trapped in a maze. in a system. all he can do is consume. people think it’s a happy game. it’s not a happy game — it’s a fucking nightmare world, and the worst thing is, it’s real and we live in it

has ocd. tries to let it affect his life as little as possible, but obviously it’s incredibly hard to control a compulsive disorder. was teased for it at school when other kids started to notice. he was obsessed with the number five, would wash his hands five times, count stairs i groups of five, he could only use the corridors in one direction and always had to keep his hands busy. it manifests itself in hyper-fixations (trains when he was a child – specifically steam engines – then later he became obsessed with space and the patterns of constellations, and now he’s obsessed with synthesizers) and repetitive behaviours like counting stairs. doesn’t really affect his social life at all, he can jst get a bit locked-on n hyper-focused sometimes.

has insomnia. barely ever sleeps. finds it hard to switch off from work / writing / gaming / whatever’s preoccupying him in that moment. he’s always awake at 5am and quite often sleeps in through classes but still gets really good grades because he’s very good at his course. rarely attends classes. prefers to work independently. doesn’t really trust his tutors are intelligent enough to be teaching him, and is particularly suspicious of the lockwood tutors. a music snob tbh

secretly a small-scale drug dealer, only does weed n some party pills. rollerskates around campus dealing cos they dnt have a car

likes: techno, the webpage cats on synthesizers in space, allen ginsberg, vintage gramophones, floating points, lcd soundsystem, marijuana, soft dogs that let you pet them, late-night strolls talking about the universe, independent films, cigarettes, herbal tea, gallows humour, long showers, brown eyes, tchaikovsky, dr. seuss, constellations, photography, late night jazz, vintage game boys and girls who could rip his still-beating heart out of his chest and use it as an ashtray. dislikes: weddings, funerals, formality, button-up shirts that people actually button-up, bananas, hot coffee, social media, people who watch and play sports, rap music – especially of the misogynistic variety, indie wankers in wire-framed glasses that play ed sheeran songs at open mic nights.

plot ! with ! me ! i’d say all the usual “exes fwb hookups spiel” but rory… is very tender and tame… i feel like a deer in the headlights of love……. so give me

study buddies,

people who are also into techno and are music snobs about it,

people who love all kinds of music,

people who are in bands that maybe rory’s recorded and produced stuff for,

people he actually jams with (he plays bass and synth),

unrequited crushes!!

someone they met at a knitting club in freshman year and have remained friends with despite no longer going to it

people rory knows from open mic nights and gigs

library girlfriends / boyfriends that he stares at longingly while paging through leatherbound volumes

gamers !!! social recluses !!! hermits !!

people he deals weed to on his rollerskates (why r all my characters obsessed with rollerskates)

skaters. rory is really shit at skateboarding. like really shit. help the smol

hm now that rory has !Evolved! ig we can do hook up plots if u want but he’s not tht good at divorcing sex from emotion?? like he hooked up w teddy once n felt hopelessly inlove so..... if u want soft plots b prepared for crippling sadness.......

stay groovy XD XD

#radintro #plot with me cowards #said in a very soft and tender way. whispered. im but a small bug in a gutter.

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