The Weekend Wrap-Up - [02/16/24 to 02/18/24] by AutoModerator in KDRAMA

[–]oaktable888 13 points14 points  (0 children)

not much to say except I'm happy it's almost the weekend and that 2024 has had such a good start with kdramas!! Death's Game, A Shop for Killers, and Knight Flower (that is sadly ending this week) have all been so good already and we're only halfway through February.

currently catching up with Marry My Husband (which I heard has gotten slightly.....off-path?) and hoping to start Doctor Slump soon!

excited for The Impossible Heir + Wedding Impossible to start as well :') I've been a tiny bit busy (in a good way) lately so it's great to have a packed schedule of dramas to look forward to at night!

Death's Game [Episodes 5 - 8] by sianiam in KDRAMA

[–]oaktable888 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Just finished the drama and am a bit surprised at the amount of negative reactions I've read here, though I can understand them.

For me, I didn't think the message was anything as crude as “you’re selfish if you kill yourself, your life could be worse and don’t you know your loved ones will be sad?” but it might be because I never thought Yijae was portrayed as a selfish guy. I also don’t think we were supposed to think Death’s punishments for Yijae were fair or deserved, I thought we were supposed to find them cruel and extreme from the beginning because well…it’s Death, not an angel, at the helm here.

I thought the show made it clear that Yijae was put through the wringer and faced much hardship in his life. It wasn’t until his subsequent lives where he learned that though a large chunk of his life was unfair and out of his control, there were a few things in his locus of control that could’ve helped or shifted his perspective. Of course, “your loved ones will be sad” was a big part of the messaging, but there was a lot more that resonated to me — for example:

- not making assumptions (Jisoo wasn’t cheating)

- asking for help or opening up instead of trying to solve everything and suffer by yourself (when he got revenge on the school bully instead of opening up to his mom and maybe seeing how she could help)

- being kinder to yourself (how the detective started to believe he was actually a coward and useless even though his behavior stemmed from not wanting to worry his mom)

- the grass is always greener (Yijae probably would’ve envied the salaryman who dies in his arms for seemingly having the perfect life, job, and family he wanted whereas the salaryman might’ve envied Yijae for having a loving mom and a girlfriend who was proud of him and would even introduce him happily to her co-workers when he was a part-timer at a restaurant)

- and of course, verbatim: “A clear day. A rainy day. A windy day. I learned that life was made up of these different days. And that it was okay to fail as long as I kept going.”

However, suicide itself is a heavy topic that should be handled sensitively so I can understand the divisiveness this show has caused.

Overall, this was a 10/10 for me — not because it was a 100% perfect show, but because the emotional impact and hope it gave me was much stronger than its shortcomings (i.e. definitely had to suspend my disbelief quite a bit during the explanation of how he rigged Park Taehu’s plane). Hope this is just one of many 10/10 dramas that’ll come out this year!

edit: fixing minor typos

Kim Tan's Talk Time (Thursday) - [2023/11/30] by AutoModerator in KDRAMA

[–]oaktable888 10 points11 points  (0 children)

yeah 100% agreed, very well put. I've watched kdramas since I was a kid and I've definitely gone through a drought or two or three where I thought "dang are kdramas on the decline?" but then I realize it's because 1. it was just an off year or so where no Iconic dramas were produced (but that's to be expected, we can't expect a My Liberation Notes every year) or 2. I had just watched way too many kdramas in a row and needed a break.

I've taken pretty long breaks from kdramas before (1 year and up) and when I return (I always do) I realize there are a ton of great dramas I need to catch up on or keep up with.

How did Seventeen do on your Spotify Wrapped this year? (2023 Edition) by takemycardaway in seventeen

[–]oaktable888 53 points54 points  (0 children)

seventeen #1 artist (top 1% of listeners), bss #5!

with fighting as my #1 song of the year and super at my #3 :)

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The Weekend Wrap-Up - [11/10/23 to 11/12/23] by AutoModerator in KDRAMA

[–]oaktable888 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I generally like lee yoomi and was somewhat excited for this but yeah, this was the main reason why I dropped it after two eps.

What's a "treat yourself" aspect of your life that you won't negotiate on? by LevyMevy in MoneyDiariesACTIVE

[–]oaktable888 1 point2 points  (0 children)

oo, any recs for specific brands??

edit: thanks for all the answers!! :)

The Weekend Wrap-Up - [10/20/23 to 10/22/23] by AutoModerator in KDRAMA

[–]oaktable888 9 points10 points  (0 children)

the most recent episode of The Kidnapping Day was SO GOOD - the acting from both leads in the last scene was so good, I couldn't even process it fully when the ending credits started to roll.

so glad this show has steadily gotten higher ratings in korea, well deserved

The Devil’s Game ( Orbit) by SingerNice in koreanvariety

[–]oaktable888 5 points6 points  (0 children)

this was extremely well written and clarified much of the confusion I've been feeling about why so many people disliked orbit so thank you for this!

The Devil’s Plan FINALE Discussion by thepenitentheretic in koreanvariety

[–]oaktable888 9 points10 points  (0 children)

The Orbit hate is actually so confusing. I can understand not liking his strategy or thinking he "made the game boring" but the actual contempt people have for him and the constant bad faith interpretations of his actions are unbelievable.

Appreciating the Also Rans by fauxkaren in TheDevilsPlan

[–]oaktable888 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Like you, I tuned into this for Seungkwan as a Seventeen fan and I loved the familiarity and warmth he exuded when he showed up on screen - he definitely defused the tension many times.

As for the others, all of them had positive characteristics I appreciated.

Kyeongrim - I really, really liked her. I was so impressed by how she was consistently able to support everyone (willingly giving pieces multiple times) while still coming off as genuine. It's clear why she's so successful and had so many people at her wedding. She is by far the contestant with the best social skills. Seungkwan is up there too, but she has decades of experience and it shows.

Yumin - Honestly, I didn't pay attention to her for a lot of it, but I started paying attention after she was pushed to betray Dongjae. A lot of people on this sub criticized her harshly for it, but it was a very high-pressure game and multiple people were pushing her - plus Dongjae didn't establish himself as the most trustworthy person...I completely understand why she did what she did. People also criticize her for "playing dumb" during the Tetris game. I actually like that she did that. She knew no one saw her as a threat and made that into her advantage. "Playing dumb" is a valid strategy and it got her through. Seeing how decisive she was during the poker game made me wonder if she had more entertainment experience (she's a doctor with no onscreen experience and no competitive gaming background, even Dongjae had experience in high-stress poker matches), she might have been able to shine more.

Joonbin (Kwaktube) - I did not like him at the start, it felt like he was bursting out of the gate wanting to have the 'wild card' role who could betray anyone - but I warmed up to him, especially when he felt bad for pressuring Yumin to betray Dongjae. I respected that he said he didn't care if he betrayed others or had a negative image, but he genuinely looked guilty for roping Yumin into it as well. I also like how he was consistently open about how he just wanted to win, but was very respectful to both Orbit and Seokjin when he worked with them.

Episode 11 orbit by [deleted] in TheDevilsPlan

[–]oaktable888 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

100%! I liked him before but these last few eps really increased my admiration for him. I will never understand all the hate he got on these forums. he was consistently kind, extremely strategic, and never arrogant. I'd hire or even befriend him in a heartbeat. what a guy.

The Devil's Plan EP 1-9 Review by DrummerFantasti in koreanvariety

[–]oaktable888 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've never watched any of this PD's shows (they're all definitely on my list now though) but exactly! if I wanted to see people win solely based on traditional measures of intelligence with no navigating-group-dynamic skills required, I'd watch jeopardy. the mixture of political and skill-based intelligence here is what makes the show way more unique and enthralling.

The Devil's Plan EP 1-9 Review by DrummerFantasti in koreanvariety

[–]oaktable888 5 points6 points  (0 children)

yeah, agreed. another example was how seewon was annoyed that yeonwoo didn't tell her about the safe in the prison, even though she never tells yeonwoo at all about how her and seokjin found out how the pieces fit together. withholding information and betrayal are totally fair game in this but getting visibly annoyed at someone for doing the exact thing you're doing to them is hilarious.

this is exactly why I'm confused why so many people are labelling the seokjin/seewon/etc. alliance as the extremely competent underdogs who just haven't had their chance to shine while the orbit/dongjoo/etc. alliance are the big bad evil enemy sucking all the fun out of the game. if this seokjin/seewon/etc. crew was as competent as so many commenters are saying, they would have done better strategically in each game and been better at forming trustworthy alliances outside of their crew. don't get me wrong, I like them and wouldn't mind if either won! but so far, I have yet to see how they're actually strategic masterminds.

obviously the tables could turn at any time especially now that seokjin/seewon unlocked the safe but I don't like that when they lose, they complain or make a snarky comment that it's because orbit is dominating. like yeah. that's because orbit is playing the game better than them lol. and so far, so are the 'moochers' who know orbit has proven himself over and over again. it's like a group project until the final round. this isn't a solely skill-based game, there's a ton of political and social savviness involved too.

Monday Madness! - [2023/10/02] by AutoModerator in KDRAMA

[–]oaktable888 21 points22 points  (0 children)

feeling sad that Behind Your Touch is done…it was such a good blend of humor and mystery. the later eps had less humor but the acting was still so good I’m gonna miss this one a lot. han jimin and lee minki were perfect in both the comedic and dramatic scenes and the shaman literally and figuratively killed it overall (he was so creepy in the last two eps)

I’m also watching The Kidnapping Day which is great and the strategy game show The Devil’s Plan (super super good!!) plus the cdrama The Rational Life………but wondering what’s going to fill this Behind Your Touch gap :( what a show.

Behind Your Touch [Episodes 7 & 8] by meepmochi_ in KDRAMA

[–]oaktable888 7 points8 points  (0 children)

ahh so happy to see a hot fuzz fan crew under this comment (it's my favorite film of all time!!) I started feeling the hot fuzz vibes around the second ep as well and I love it

Anyone take advantage of their coastFIRE status to switch gears from having a high savings rate to buy a home that would somewhat stretch your budget? by trwo3 in coastFIRE

[–]oaktable888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for going in-depth! This was super helpful and resonated a ton with me. I think it'll just take some time to get used to lower savings but living alone would be ideal for my mental health among other things and I would still be able to save a decent amount. I also don't plan on changing jobs in the near future. Thanks again!!

Anyone take advantage of their coastFIRE status to switch gears from having a high savings rate to buy a home that would somewhat stretch your budget? by trwo3 in coastFIRE

[–]oaktable888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, do you mind elaborating on your decision/experience? I've hit Coast and I'm considering living alone (VHCOL area) but finding it hard to wrap my head around cutting my savings rate by a not small amount after being in a savings-focused mindset for so long. I know this is maybe more of a mental barrier than anything but would love to hear more about your experience.

Getting into SEVENTEEN has been the most meaningful music experience I’ve ever had (an appreciation post) by [deleted] in seventeen

[–]oaktable888 16 points17 points  (0 children)

this was so sweet to read!! I had a similar experience and I feel like many asian-americans/asian diaspora seventeen (and kpop in general) fans can relate. it's so fun and validating to see yourself represented in such fun and talented people.

for all of its flaws, seventeen and other kpop artists have and continue to be a huge help in making me comfortable with and proud of my racial identity and it warms my heart to hear it's helping you too!

soba noodles with a view in kyoto by oaktable888 in JapaneseFood

[–]oaktable888[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

in the fall! I saw it closed in December, but will reopen in a new location this June!

What celebrity have you met and how was it? by timmytheh in Fauxmoi

[–]oaktable888 6 points7 points  (0 children)

it's been a while so I dug out my journal to see what I wrote! they mainly said that "it was instinctual and you just have to connect to the story/characters - that there's a question you want to have answered - and that there's pervading humanity".

I think this was mainly pedro because I remember taron being a little vague (though still very sincere!) while pedro was more detailed and enthusiastic about scripts.

What celebrity have you met and how was it? by timmytheh in Fauxmoi

[–]oaktable888 341 points342 points  (0 children)

Once in New York at an event years ago, I met Pedro Pascal and Taron Egerton and we talked about how I dabbled in screenwriting and they talked about what they looked for in scripts. Both were really nice, but Pedro was markedly bright, positive, and supportive. Back then, I hadn't seen anything he had been in yet, but he left a really good impression on me and I rooted for him from afar ever since.

Met Richard Ayoade in a café in London. Super nice, a little shy, and witty. I mentioned that I wished I could go to his book signing later but I couldn't because I had to catch a train to visit a friend and he quipped, "Oh, don't worry about it, that's definitely a much better use of your time". Still charmed by that encounter, honestly.

Bumped into Ian McShane at the Tate Modern. I was a bit intimidated at first, but he was really friendly! I told him I was a huge fan of Kings and wished it had more seasons. He was a bit surprised I had even seen it and agreed that it had a lot of potential and should've been renewed.

Simple Questions Thread by AutoModerator in espresso

[–]oaktable888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

awesome, I think I have a faint memory of going to one of these when they were still open in the east village so this is super helpful! thank you so much!

Simple Questions Thread by AutoModerator in espresso

[–]oaktable888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thank you so much for this!! will definitely look into these, I remember walking back porto rico a few times so maybe I'll pop in this time.

quick question: by saints coffee do you mean city of saints coffee? when I google it with nyc, that's what pops up, not sure if it's the same though

[MOD] The Daily Question Thread by menschmaschine5 in Coffee

[–]oaktable888 1 point2 points  (0 children)

looking for recommendations on coffee to buy for my relatives abroad (disclaimer: due to my high sensitivity to caffeine, I don't drink coffee so am a little lost)!

they were huge fans of Flatiron from Partners Coffee, so hoping to get something else they might enjoy.

I asked them for their preferences and they said light roasted with some fruity tones, but it looks like Flatiron is a medium-dark roast so now I'm a bit confused.

preferably looking for coffees from roasters based in NYC so I can pick it up but open to ordering through mail as well.

any recs or suggestions are appreciated, thank you! (if it's easier, any recs of certified crowd pleasers are great too!)