So I’m On A Podcast!

Yep, my friends, you read that right: I’m on a podcast! Whee~!

Y’know, I’d actually wanted to work in the phrase “You can hear my voice” somewhere in this post’s title, coz I thought it was such a funny pun, being a mash-up of drama titles “Can You Hear My Heart?” and “I Hear Your Voice

but, I decided against it coz it is kinda obtuse, and if someone’s not in on the joke, I’d just sound like a pompous fool, wouldn’t I? 😆

ANYWAY. I got to be a guest on the Dramas Over Flowers podcast (you might remember the ladies from the excellent episode on bullying, that I shared previously), and you can listen to it right here!

How fun, to get a stab at the podcasting experience, and with friends whose company I already enjoy!

You can find the podcast show notes here, with timestamps.

As it turns out, we spent most of the time talking about me and how I relate to dramas (hur, that made me feel uber special, I hafta admit).

If I sound at all incoherent during the podcast, or if I say something tactless, please forgive me. It was probably because I was a little too excited and couldn’t think very straight. 😝

I hope you guys enjoy the episode!

Smooches. ❤️

~kfangurl

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merij1
merij1
1 year ago

I somehow missed this post and am only just now listening to the podcast.

Aside from the surprising share about the context in your life when you first went deep on K-drama, I am struck by the discussion about how some of us have a harder time experiencing the same emotional wonder with new shows that we felt with the earliest ones. Very interesting.

merij1
merij1
1 year ago
Reply to  merij1

The random reason you ended up spelling it “kfangurl” and why you switched from the original blue-haired avatar to the current Hatsune Miku one. (Be afraid, because one day someone will surely buy you that wig!)

You and the others talking about how supportive and lovely your supporters are. Because of course we are! I noticed you left out the part about how profoundly insightful we are, but I guess that goes without saying, right?

How distinct this blog is due to having a single voice at the helm, instead of the usual team of admins.

Why you were motivated to learn English as a child, after initially only speaking Cantonese.

The one-time incident with the blogger who copied your entire blog and the ongoing theft of content and how you deal with it.

merij1
merij1
1 year ago
Reply to  merij1

Ah, now you guys are talking about Something In The Rain and how week-after-week it’s consistently one of your 15 most viewed posts, despite you trashing it in your review! haha I can certainly explain that paradox. If the show hadn’t started out so good, those of us who hated the ending wouldn’t have cared so much when it imploded.

beez
2 years ago

– I know! No LMO at all! And trust me, LMO does not occupy my thoughts neither sleeping nor awake. lol For some reason in the dream I was there with you ladies recording the podcast in a large building like a hospital or a school. The podcast ended and our meeting broke up and as were all leaving the meeting room, I’m straggling at the end of the group and I hear a muffled sound as if someone had cried out in surprise as someone had placed their hand over their mouth and dragged them away. I went back to investigate and as I pushed against the door to the room opposite where we had held our meeting, the door met with resistance. I pushed really hard and suddenly this actress (I recognized her as a supporting acts but can’t remember which show I’ve seen her in) allowed it to open about 6 inches. I could see her and standing about 7-8 feet behind her, LMO had turned his back and his face was blocked by something like an open upper cabinet. (How did I know it was him then? Hey! It’s a dream shrug) I told them, their secret’s safe with me and I immediately left to catch up with the rest of the group, smiling smugly and self-righteously that I knew an amazing secret but I’m so awesome because I’m going to keep it to myself and not gossip about it to the world! HAHAHA!

When I woke up, I restarted the podcast from the beginning. 😆

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  beez

So awesome

beez
2 years ago

@Kfangurl- I was ALL IN for ALL of it!

beez
2 years ago

@Trent – so funny that your description pic things you didn’t like has me smiling remembering. And I hated the other couple. lolololol

beez
2 years ago

– I am so excited to physically hear your voice! Every time I tried to listen to the podcast, I got interrupted. Yesterday, I finally lay down but thought I’ll listen just before falling asleep. Well, I fell asleep and the podcast became part of my dream (which included Lee Min ho, which is totally weird cause I’m totally neutral about LMH).

Anyway, I finally listened to the entire podcast today. At the mention of you retiring – I do not have the emojees 😱. [Don’t panic anyone who didn’t listen yet, she’s not retiring.]

I so appreciate how much the Dramas Over Flowers’ members appreciate what you do. It’s obvious they fangirl The FanGurl! They called out many of the same things that we always talk about that we ❤ about The Verdict.

j3ffc
j3ffc
2 years ago

I’m kind of quiet this week (even compared to usual) b/c on a family trip with little time to watch or comment (barely keeping up with the two group watches, but still hanging in there), but was able to listen to the podcast on a long car ride. It was great hearing your origin story and thoughts on drama watching (from the entire group on the podcast – I listened to the Dramas Over Flowers team’s bullying episode, too, which was very interesting). Of course, we are all unnecessarily interested in your choice of spelling for your on-line moniker, so I’ll finally ask if you’ve ever heard the song “September Gurls”? It’s the only “u” spelling that I’ve encountered (but then again, I don’t get out much) and what first leapt to mind when I saw your name. You might try the version by The Bangles.

Evez
Evez
2 years ago

Aaahhhgg! My net sucks! It keeps on stopping! And 😁 yay! That I was able to hear your voice! You’ve got a lovely voice tone. I really, really love 💕 it! I couldn’t imagine the cutie girl as dp has a good speaking voice.

I am wrting down my comment while 🎧. I still need to repeat listening as it keeps stopping. You’re so cute and I do remember as how back then when you created a Gong Yoo squee fest over FB and we had a fun discussion over fb messenger about GY’s guesting in a variety show.

Look how far you’ve come! I have been a Kdrama viewer and a fan of yours for over a decade now. And even I don’t visit your site regularly I keep remembering you as a dear friend across the net. So happy that through you, I have learned about things about kdrama.

Through the years, I think I became more matured in choosing what drama I have to watch Your reviews make me slow down a bit and. Somehow, my drama watching isn’t as depth as you do. You have a very vast knowledge in watching and in writing.

Elzbieta Gozdziak
2 years ago

Congrats on dipping your toes into this new (for you) platform. I would have wanted to hear less about your private life and more about the mechanics of keeping a blog alive, attracting new readers, and of course, your plans for the future. Hope you will get a chance to speak to us more often.

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

I was particularly interested in your discussion of review hits as one way you have attracted followers.
Of course when you got to the bit about how a crisis in your personal life led you to blogging, it struck a chord with me as certainly I had a similar experience as an African music critic, and I do wonder what kind of workshops you ran, and given your one two punch of Singapore and Hong Kong, would like to know your favorite noodle dish.
Your review of Secret Love Affair is what originally attracted me to your site, and recommend it highly to anyone who wants to understand why you are such a media critic star attracting hits from all over the world or has or has not seen the series. It is a tour de force of the in depth personal reax, plot highlight acuity, musical score commentary, character and actor analysis that makes your site so effective and comforting.
The enthusiasm of the women running the podcast, their questions and interactions, really highlighted not only the nuts and bolts of your success, but the je ne sais quois of your personal style and personality that singles you out.

Last edited 2 years ago by BE
Kay
Kay
2 years ago

Such a wonderful podcast and interview! 🙂 It was great to hear you put all of your story together from the beginning to now. I know the past year + has been a struggle for you and for many of us. I really hope you are able to make things work with the blog so it can support it you.

I love your blog, and it was one of the first ones that I read when I got into kdramas way back when. Your reviews were particularly helpful then when it was hard to know what on earth to watch next (and they still are!). You have an amazing writing ability that you should be very proud of. Take care ❤

Kay
Kay
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

You should be proud! First you were a help and then you were a huge inspiration for me ❤

Oh, and here’s some timing for you. I appreciated the segment about content thieves which you’ve always been very open about. It’s something I struggle with a lot too. And right after I finished listening to the podcast, I find someone has taken 12 of my reviews yet again! Ugh! It’s such a pain 😥

Last edited 2 years ago by Kay
Timescout
2 years ago

Now, that was fun! 🙂 It’s always interesting to find out how people got into dramas and also into blogging. I started out with online fandoms of couple of western shows myself, then a happy ‘accident’ brought kdramas to my life and the rest, as they say, is history. 😉 Well, I had my own ‘existential crises’ last year that eventually lead to a rather lengthy break. Your blog was one of the things that kept me from totally drifting away. Your posts are always a delight to read and I’m constantly amazed at your ability to make them so incredibly detailed. I could never! 😀

Sean
2 years ago

Hello kfangurl, I have just finished listening to the podcast and it was so nice to hear the other side of the blog. Thank you for sharing some lovely insights and how organic your journey has been. Yes, another six hours of conversation would have been fine by me 😉

From my perspective I hope you do keep blogging as long as possible. I can’t always keep up with what’s happening on the blog, like I used to, but when I do it always makes me feel I have some balance back in my life. Interestingly, I find Patreon a bit easier to tap into at the moment.

Long may you reign in the blogging world 👑👑👑

Trent
2 years ago

That was a very enjoyable listen, I’m glad you got a chance to do it!

I feel like I’m a little bit the opposite of some of the crowd, in that I’ve had more visceral emotional reaction to the more recent (say, released in last 5 years) dramas I’ve seen than the older ones (with the caveat that I still haven’t seen too many “older” ones). I wonder if it’s a case of what you first “imprint” on? Hmmm.

(Whenever the _Coffee Prince_ love starts to flow, I feel like I have go stand in the “you’ve been bad” corner for awhile, since I seem to be alone in not having loved that one…).

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  Trent

Yes, while I like older shows very much–Queen Seon Deok and Chuno especially stand out, and Secret Love Affair, while not a way back show, still not all that recent, strikes me as being really great, and I can say I have watched it at least on four occasions. And I liked Coffee Prince well enough, but NOT because of the male lead. And no denying that the K Drama machine these days churns out a lot of schlock like television in general, but I more or less expect shows to keep popping up that I really love. My Mister is pretty recent and its final eight episodes were overwhelmingly touching. Youth of May just tore me up, to cite an example, that is eminently recent.

Trent
2 years ago
Reply to  BE

I’m only through the first 2/3 (8 eps) of Youth of May, but it’s already been an emotional ride, and I can tell it’s headed for some real heartache. Impressive bit of drama so far, for sure.

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  Trent

Go Min Si–I hope she wins some awards for her performance. I want to see more of her in the future as I assume this performance will garner more meaty roles, for which she seems completely ready.

Trent
2 years ago
Reply to  BE

Heartily seconded. She was definitely one of the reasons I was looking forward to watching this–I’d enjoyed her in the first season of Love Alarm (in a minor, fairly adversarial role) and in Sweet Home.

This (Youth of May) has been a well-acted, well-written, well-shot production, a cut above many drama offerings, IMO.

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  Trent

The final two episodes are simply devastating…and beautiful.

Sean
2 years ago
Reply to  Trent

I wouldn’t feel to bad re Coffee Prince, Trent. I have never felt compelled to watch, despite reading everything about it 😊

Kate
Kate
2 years ago
Reply to  Trent

I didn’t love it either (for many reasons), you’re not alone. It‘s perfectly fine to not love something just because everyone else seems to! 🤗

beez
2 years ago
Reply to  Trent

@Trent. It’s okay. 😥 I think certain themes in the older dramas that we love have become outdated and what once was innovative and even daring to push the line (for Kdrama) such as the concept of loving a person no matter what society says, made Coffee Prince a stand out. But when you look at shows that deal with social issues that have advanced beyond them, those very same shows that put a tiny crack in barriers can even be insulting now that we’ve moved beyond just trying to get people to open their minds a tiny sliver.

Coffee Prince Forever!!!❤❤❤

Trent
2 years ago
Reply to  beez

@beez Aww, thanks beez and everybody for standing up for my right not to be swept away by the Coffee Prince!

Just to elaborate a little bit… I actually appreciated what Coffee Prince was doing as far as challenging the entrenched man-woman ideal, and grappling with the idea that love is love in good faith. I think that was its strongest point, actually.

(I also liked the secondary couple, as screwy and messed up as they could be; I thought watching them work out their issues was fairly interesting).

What made it a difficult watch for me was that 1) I just didn’t like the character of the male lead (this is mostly independent of Gong Yoo, who’s great in other things). I thought he was mostly a big petulant man-baby who spent an awful lot of time acting like a jerk. He gets points for working through his societally-ingrained homophobia, but that aside, could not warm up to him; 2) I was just out-of-phase with the OTP dynamic. I gather that lots of people found this pairing, with its sparring and bickering and friendship-to-lovers vibe, irresistible, but while I like cute romantic bickering as much as the next person, the tone and chemistry of this one just struck me as off, from beginning to end; 3) I also gather that a lot of people really like the lovable crew of dudes at the Coffee Prince shop but I just didn’t. I found them mostly ranging from uninteresting to downright annoying. Mileages Obviously Vary!

Anyway, my quick thoughts on Coffee Prince, that no one asked for 🙂

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  Trent

Totally agree on Gong Yoo’s character. But the FL was the show. Yoon Eyn Hye as Eun Chan was among what has become now a kind of trope of the Korean gamine with gumption and a whole lotta charm as good as any I have seen. She kept me watching and in the game throughout.

Trent
2 years ago
Reply to  BE

Yeah, I recognize what you’re saying; I know everyone found Yoon Eun-hye delightful, and I can recognize that I should have found her as adorable as everyone else did…that’s why I say I was just out-of-phase on this, like I was on a cosine wave to everyone else’s sine wave or something. Not entirely sure why…but at least she wasn’t actively annoying, like the ML.

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  Trent

Well, I know KFG was not particularly impressed with second FL, but I really liked her, as she really seemed to be someone who grew in show by virtue of her own unwillingness to reflect upon herself and change as time went on.
But as we once spoke, it is probably a bias of mine to like the women in these shows by and large, and of course with some notable exceptions, more than the men.

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  BE

Her unwillingness to settle and her unstinting ability to reflect upon herself. Sorry.

Lady G.
Editor
2 years ago

This was such a beautiful podcast. Congratulations! You sound great, and not incoherent at all. I love your excitement!

It was brave of you to open up a personal story for us. It’s more understandable why you love and point out the organic and natural emotions presented in dramas (or lack of them!) Authenticity is important. I agree with the host who said she had visceral reactions to older Kdramas. I am the same. I feel less touched and involved lately. I think I loved the sentimentality and raw emotion of the earlier dramas, and many of the silly but lovely tropes. Remember the Squeeing over “All about Eve?” haha. It’s still on my mind. The older dramas and their soundtracks and scenes really stick to you.

My Kdrama story started 8 years ago, I just turned 41. I feel I don’t relate to the 20 somethings as much anymore. :p I still kind of avoid the youthful, idol and H.S. dramas. I recently watched “Alice” and “Kairos” and got such thrills and feels inside. I was shouting at the screen and kept clicking for “Just one more episode!” I was moved to tears because when I get excited/happy inside my eyes automatically tear up. LOL.

I don’t think I’ll be at the starting level again because RL intrudes. Still, It feels great to watch again! It’s true about retaining the languages! The Korean language has stuck more. I love knowing all the different words and phrases that pop up in Japanese too. I enjoyed your language discussion. 🙂 I also liked the conversation about content scrapers and such issues.

Being “Queen” of your own domain is fun, exciting, and frustrating. I totally understand the pressures and hoping that you don’t let the fans down. But the fans are very understanding and they help us to grow. 🙂

Last edited 2 years ago by Lady G.
Ele Nash
2 years ago

That was so moving, kfangurl. I chime with that feeling kdrama allows you to cry when you can’t cry about real life 😢 Thank you for such honesty – and this podcast makes me just love you and your wonderful blog all the more 😍 CPR kisses! Jang Hyuk obsession! You even answered the number one question of why you’re kfangUrl 😂 Thank goodness you stopped lurking, and you could never let us down 😘 Take it easy on the number of posts!

Ele Nash
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

Jang Hyuk always gets my attention! And it’s because you’re so welcoming (oh, and of course our shared admiration for you know who 😂) that I could ever dream of delurking!

Ele Nash
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

I’m usually wallpaper – especially in person – but, you know, kdrama brings out all these gushing opinions in me and, well, Jang Hyuk just brings out my inner super-enthusiastic fangirl so I find, here, I can’t shut up 😊

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  Ele Nash

Ah well, there is wallpaper and then there is William Morris (19th C Welsh craftsman, inventor of the recliner–Morris chair, printer, poet, fantasy writer–talk about some wild and derring do kinds of heroes living in faux medieval prose, and early advocate of international pacifism) wallpaper:
http://historicwallpaper.com/index.php/collections/show/william_morris/bird_anemone

Ele Nash
2 years ago
Reply to  BE

@BE 😂 If only I were as gorgeous!

kate
kate
2 years ago

Hey “K-drama club president” (LOL), this podcast gave me so much joy and I LOVE your voice (I will hear it from now on when I read reviews 😀 )

“as an innocent bystander I did not see the appeal of crying all weekend”

LOL how pure, this really made me laugh!

I could completely relate to your emotional reaction to Goong. Despite all its flaws (and there are many imo), a lot of the dysfunction and miscommunication between the 2 characters really resonated with me. And it is true to some extent that some of the older, less polished dramas can pack a bigger emotional punch but not as a rule, I feel? There were new(ish) ones that completely slayed me as well (“It’s ok to not be ok” for example)

The whole “I’m an introvert at heart” made me feel so seen. I lurked on a discussion forum for a particular TV show for months before getting up the courage to post but I have never looked back. The fact that it was such a welcoming crowd made a big difference of course. I am now friends with some of the posters from back then and even met them in RL, even though we’re all from different countries/ continents. If that’s not an argument for delurking, I don’t know 😉

I totally get that you occasionally question whether to keep doing what you are doing, so just know that you are bringing SO MUCH JOY into the world with your reviews/ blog <3 <3 <3

Last edited 2 years ago by kate
Kate
Kate
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

well you definitely brought lots (and lots) of joy to my world 🥰

and yay to delurking! It‘s only brought good things into my life, I‘d otherwise never have experienced.

I had commented before finishing the podcast so let me add that I whooped out loud when you said CPR is not romantic! People treating life saving measures as kissing is one of my pet peeves 🙄🙈

I feel like I should dip my toe into C- and J-drama world as well 🧐
I only watched half of the (too many?) episodes of the Chinese Boys over Flowers and then gave up. I didn’t even make it through the first episode of the Korean one. I‘m not a Lee Min Ho fan (apologies to all LMH fans) and in general I think the cool d-bag boy with a secret heart of gold routine does not appeal to me. There is a line between standoffish bad boy and plain cruelty and bullying imo. 🤷‍♀️

Long story short, thanks for the non K-drama recs 🙏

Kate
Kate
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

Yeah, somehow Meteor Garden didn’t work for me but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love others, of course! Let me check if I can find Nirvana in Fire with subtitles! Thanks for letting me know 😘

Kate
Kate
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

fabulous, yes, I can watch it on Viki 🙌
Will join after catching up. I just speed read through that post and am psyched for Kill Me, Heal Me. That’s been on my watchlist for a long time. 💕

Last edited 2 years ago by Kate
Kate
Kate
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

No worries. I usually try to give every show the benefit of the doubt. The few things I abandoned, I did so only after at least 3-4 episodes (except K version Boys over Flowers lol). I‘m exited! 🙌

Kate
Kate
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

💪😂

BE
BE
2 years ago

The Special, such an honor, whatta voice! Whatta star! Queen!

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

And you don;t really have blue hair? And still so celestial!

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

And next you will be telling me those big eyes of yours do not actually take up one third of your entire face. Please…don’t tell me or I might become bereft for days.
Question on your faves lists: It was late and I am bad knowing some name pronunciations, so after Jang Hyuk who were the male actors you listed?And aside from Kim Hee Ae and Shin Hye Sun, the third actress? And other than Reply 1988 and My Mister, the other best show?
For me insofar as K Dramas are concerned, I would probably list Han Seok Kyu and Lee Byung Hun, though he is an even better film actor; Kim Hye Ja; and Secret Love Affair and add Dear my Family to your list of contemporary dramas (I can think of several sageuks as well, and certainly Chuno is high up there). But pretty cool for me that we have some distinct faves in common.

j3ffc
j3ffc
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

Oh, CSB was soooo good in “I’m Not a Robot”, which definitely surpassed the relatively low expectations I had going into it. I’m a sucker for dual roles I guess (if they are well done).

Last edited 2 years ago by j3ffc
Shyama
Shyama
2 years ago

Great to hear what you really sound like!

manukajoe
manukajoe
2 years ago

That’s awesome, listening now! I had lots of Singaporean friends at uni so it’s a bit nostalgic. I don’t know Goong though. Thanks! Also one of the ladies has the same delicious Indian accent as my book-club friend ha ha.

manukajoe
manukajoe
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

我的前半生呢!I watched about 10 eps of this. It is so elegant as you said. But it was too close to the bone. All that she gives up. When she gave up her house and moved to that crummy apartment, I just couldn’t take it. That’s one thing, I find the C-dramas more unrelentingly miserable. The K-dramas find a way to inject more lightness and humour, even things like My Mister, there are moments of light. C-dramas not so much, I think.

manukajoe
manukajoe
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

A Thousand Goodnights! I did not expect this to come up. It looked so pretty and yet the first 3 eps were so bland. Surprised to hear it’s worthwhile. I’ll give it another shot.

BE
BE
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

Although I am early in it, because I saw a post on reddit about tattoos, or the taboo against such, in K Drama world, the tattoos, wonderful ones, on the young woman who is the daughter of our protagonist’s father, led me to think when your post is up I would kind of like to discuss the various cultural attitudes from country to country about them.

Also I failed to note above, how the idea of you commuting to Hong Kong struck me as interesting, albeit it does give me a hint as to the why of your cosmopolitan and internationally savvy point of view. Singapore and Hong Kong, for a country boy like me, albeit having grown up in Los Angeles and gone to university in the Bay Area, how sophisticated.

Leslie
2 years ago

Well, that was great fun and very well done! Congratulations!

Snow Flower
Snow Flower
2 years ago

Listening now!

phl1rxd
phl1rxd
2 years ago

Wow Fangurl – I am listening now and it is great!

Natalia
2 years ago

Congratulations! I’ll listen to the podcast.