This Month On Patreon: December 2021

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Hi everyone! It’s already time for my December edition of This Month On Patreon! Wow. We are literally at the end of the year! Time to gear up for the New Year, my friends! 😅

This is my monthly post on:

1. What’s happening on Patreon in a given month,

2. Exactly when you can expect to see various Patreon-related reviews in the month,

3. What shows I’m considering for coverage on Patreon, to replace shows that have completed their cycles, and

4. What you can expect, as a patron.

I hope you guys find this helpful &/or informative, and I hope you’ll consider supporting me on Patreon! ❤️

Click here to go directly to my Patreon page!

Why I’m on Patreon

My work has been on hold indefinitely, because of the pandemic, and this is my way of trying to create a viable alternative source of income. As it stands right now, it’s murky and uncertain, whether work can resume for me, and if so, when that might happen.

I love this blog and if I had to switch careers, I would most likely have to quit blogging (those of you who’ve blogged before, or are still blogging now, would know what I mean when I say that blogging takes up a LOT of time 😅).

Rather than quit the blog, I decided to try blogging full-time, and that’s where Patreon – and everyone who values what I do on this blog – comes in.

I am very grateful for all the support that has already been given (thank you to all my existing patrons, you guys are the best! 😘). At the same time, the amount raised each month isn’t quite enough to cover my living expenses, and is still quite far from being a proper income, which is why I do hope that my Patreon page will be able to continue growing.

If you value the work that I do here on the blog, please consider supporting my work on Patreon. ❤️

Psst! If you’re curious about the nuts and bolts of the work that goes into maintaining this blog, here is a Dear kfangurl post about this very topic; I hope you enjoy!

Shows currently covered on Patreon + their tiers

Early Access (US$5): +Yumi’s Cells

Early Access Plus (US$10): +Lost (Human Disqualification)

VIP (US$15): +The Bond [China]

VVIP (US$20): +Melancholia

Ultimate (US$25): +The King’s Affection

Ultimate (US$25): +My Name (bonus show!)

* Just to be clear, the tier benefits are cumulative, so if you sign up for the Ultimate tier, you wouldn’t only receive episode notes for The King’s Affection and My Name, you’d receive episodes notes for all the other shows as well! Yes, that’s right, the Ultimate Tier is enjoying an additional show right now, as a thank you bonus! ❤️

* I publish one set of episode notes each day, so each show’s episode notes will publish once in 5 days, since I usually cover 5 shows on Patreon. For example, Yumi’s Cells E12 will post today (1 December 2021), and Yumi’s Cells E13 will post in another 5 days, on 6 December 2021.

* For actual examples of episode notes, you can go here and here. 😊 These are my E1 notes for Yumi’s Cells and Hometown Cha Cha Cha.

When Patreon-related reviews will post this month

This month, several of the shows I’m covering on Patreon will finish their cycles. Here’s when you can expect to see the reviews:

Lost: 4 December 2021

My Name: 6 December 2021

Yumi’s Cells: 11 December 2021

Do stay tuned for those! 😃

Replacement shows I’m considering

This isn’t yet cast in stone, because I’d need to check out the shows to make sure I like them enough to cover them on Patreon, but here are the ones that I’m considering:

Lost: possibly to be replaced by The Red Sleeve Cuff

Yumi’s Cells: possibly to be replaced by Our Beloved Summer

* My Name is a bonus show for the Ultimate Tier, and therefore there won’t be direct replacement for it.

Other back-up shows I have in mind (in case the shows don’t make my cut): One Ordinary Day, Snowdrop, On The Verge Of Insanity, The Veil.

If you have other great shows to suggest, do let me know in the comments! Please do remember to bear in mind their airing schedules, though!

Patreon Highlights

If you’re new to my Patreon page, here are a handful of things you might like to know:

1. ALL tiers receive my episode 1 notes for any show that I’m covering on Patreon.

Therefore, if you’re curious about my notes for The Rational Life, but aren’t sure whether you’d like them enough to want to join the Ultimate tier, joining the US$1 Adblock tier will give you immediate access to The Rational Life E1-2 notes. After this, if you wish to upgrade to the Ultimate tier, Patreon would simply charge you the difference, while immediately unlocking all the posts that your new tier entitles you to. That’s exactly what Michelle did with Vincenzo, and I’m happy to report that it worked out really well! 😃

2. The Ultimate tier also receives E1 notes for all shows that I’m watching (or have checked out), INCLUDING shows that I’m NOT covering on Patreon.

This has included E1 notes for shows like True Beauty, Lovestruck in the City, Sweet Home, Shanai Marriage Honey (Japan), Must You Go?, Love In Between (China), A Thousand Goodnights (Taiwan), Zombie Detective, Here’s My Plan, Hello, Me!, Taxi Driver, At A Distance Spring Is Green, Monthly Magazine Home, Takane and Hana, You Are My Spring, The Witch’s Diner, D.P. (Deserter Pursuit) and My Name. I call these posts Early Access Extras, and as a patron on the Ultimate tier, on average, you can expect to see about 2 of these posts each month.

In case you’re wondering, whether I eventually review these shows on the blog, really depends on how my experience with the various first episodes works out. I’ve carried on to review a number of the shows listed above, but I’ve also chosen not to continue watching a handful of them as well.

I’ve also introduced the occasional bonus show for this tier, starting with My Name.

3. You can interact with me and with one another, on Patreon.

There is a comment feature on Patreon, so, much like here on the blog, you’d be able to comment on posts and share your thoughts with me and with other patrons. There is also a private message function, so you’d be able to message me directly on Patreon, if there’s something you’d like to talk with me about, but you feel isn’t relevant to the posts on Patreon themselves.

Aside from a web browser, you can also access my Patreon posts and messages on the Patreon app. You can find the Patreon app on Apple’s app store here, or on Google Play here.

4. You can feel safe to pause your subscription, or move between tiers at any time.

Moving between tiers

Because you are charged upfront on the 1st of each month, that tier’s privileges will continue to be open to you, even if you choose to move down a tier sometime during the month, or if you choose to pause your subscription.

For example, if you were on the Early Access Plus tier, and on the 15th of the month, you decided that you’d like to move down one tier, to the Early Access Tier, you can make that change right away – but because you’ve already paid for Early Access Plus privileges, those will remain open to you until the end of the month. And then you will be charged your new tier rate, at the beginning of the following month.

If you choose to upgrade your tier, you can also do so at any time, and you will simply be charged the difference, eg, US$5, if you’re moving from the Early Access tier, to the Early Access Plus tier, and the additional privileges will be immediately unlocked for you as well. You will then be charged the new rate on the 1st of the following month.

Pausing your subscription

If you choose to pause your subscription on the 15th of the month, you will not be charged on the 1st of the following month, and your Patreon benefits will remain open to you until the end of the month. Thereafter, feel free to reactivate it at any time.

Please let me know if this explanation isn’t clear!

5. There’s now an annual subscription option available!

I only activated this option recently, because someone expressed interest in it. I just.. hadn’t realized that you guys believed in me enough, to want to sign up on a yearly basis. 😅

With the yearly subscription, you receive a 5% discount, and you will be charged on each anniversary of your join date. The only downside to this, is you don’t have the flexibility to move between tiers from month to month, according to which shows spark your interest.

6. The Patreon page has become a cool little community!

Besides the episode notes, there are lots of other conversations going on, on the monthly Drama Exchange posts that I create. One is the Drama Exchange: Spoiler-free zone, where you can safely exchange drama recommendations and chat about other things, without the danger of encountering a spoiler, and the other is the Drama Exchange: Deep Dive Zone, where you can discuss other shows that you’re watching, that I’m not covering on Patreon, in all its spoiler glory. Since these posts have been introduced, literally hundreds of comments have been exchanged, on each one!

ALSO. As part of the Patreon community, you’ll get various updates from me, including k-ent news that I come across, as well as personal updates that I don’t share elsewhere. I’m very blessed that the Patreon community has turned, effectively, into my inner circle. I’d love for you to join me, if you can! ❤️

I suppose it goes without saying, but just in case it isn’t clear, these conversations are open to all patrons at all tiers.

What about one-time contributions?

If you prefer, you can also support the blog through easy one-time contributions by clicking on this other cute lil icon below.

I’m told that you don’t need to have a Paypal account in order to do so, but if that changes, or is different in your region, a Paypal account is pretty easy to set up; there are no sign-up fees involved, and you don’t have to keep a balance in it, unless you actually want to. You can choose to link a bank account, a debit card, or a credit card, to facilitate your contribution.

Click here to go directly to my Paypal.Me page!

Thank you!

..And that’s about it, for this month’s updates! If you have suggestions for other things that you’d like me to include in these monthly update posts, do let me know in the comments, and I’ll see what I can do, to incorporate them into future posts. I aim to publish future update posts on the first of each month.

Thanks for reading, thanks for your support, and thank you for being here! Big hugs to ya! 🥰❤️😘

Once again, you can find my Patreon page by clicking on this cute lil icon below:

Thank you for your love and support! ❤️

15 Comments

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Shahz

10 months ago

Should have said Long Night( C drama) as a recommendation as that show is amazing🔥🔥 We were hooked on it on Patreon. And it is only 12 episodes.

10 months ago

Reply to Shahz

And even I managed to get through Long Night (C drama) albeit with lots of hand holding from Shahz! But I did and LOVED IT.

Shahz

10 months ago

OVOI is excellent. One Ordinary day is a remake of Criminal Justice and The night of. Both series were excellent but what I will say as good as an actor Kim Soo Hyun I just don’t think he will be able to hit the heights of Riz Ahmed. Riz Ahmed is haunting as he goes from ” Bambi in the headlights” to hardened prisoner.

Jennifer and I have started Red Sleeve and it so much fun. I was dead against starting another Sageuk( really struggle to finish as I get bored) but Jennifer nudged me along nicely.

Hellbound as Trent said I would highly recommend. The first two episodes are a bit yes okay? So but when you get to episode 3!!!! Woah show has a lot to say and says it well. There are only 6 episodes so not too much of a commitment.

seankfletcher

10 months ago

I must say I am enjoying My Name, kfangurl. Han So Hee is superb, but some might not find it any easy watch. Hell hath no fury like a women scorned…

Author

kfangurl

10 months ago

Reply to seankfletcher

@seankfletcher I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I’m enjoying it too! It’s really not my usual preferred genre, but it’s turned out to be very engaging (albeit with some difficult scenes to get through)!

Trent

10 months ago

Reply to seankfletcher

It really hit the sweet spot for me, too, for some reason; I binged it in a couple days the first time and now rewatching in sync with KFG’s Patreon watch, and it’s standing up pretty well a second time through. I am definitely a fan of the performance HSH is delivering, but pretty much everyone is giving a fine performance in their roles..

Shahz

10 months ago

Reply to seankfletcher

I enjoyed it as well Sean. You didn’t have to engage brain too much but engaging non the less.

10 months ago

Reply to seankfletcher

@seankfletcher – My Name is so not my lane, but Han So Hee was also in Nevertheless which KFG did a hardpass. And I indulged and watched every last minute 😂 It does have a Fantastic OST if that matters to anyone? 😂😂😂

My point besides trying to get others to watch Nevertheless so I have someone to talk to about it 😂😂😂 is that its impressive Han So Hee could pull off two very different roles 🙂

Trent

10 months ago

Argh…forgot to add before I semi-inadvertently hit “post”:

Any chance of doing Hellbound as another bonus extra? Loved your treatment of My Name as a bonus. It’s not an easy watch, but once you get past or acclimate to the intensity, I found it very thought-provoking and in the end quite moving (that’s not going to be anywhere near a universal reaction, I realize, so…)

Author

kfangurl

10 months ago

Reply to Trent

@Trent Ooh, interesting suggestion about Hellbound. I was planning to take a peek, because it’s overtaken Squid Game’s success on Netflix, and really quickly too. But there’ve been mixed reactions from the k-fandom, so I’m not super sure that I’ll like it (unlike Squid Game, which seemed to enjoy a lot more positive word of mouth, despite its detractors).

If my initial peek at Hellbound goes well, perhaps it might be worth covering it as a bonus – let’s see? 😊

Trent

10 months ago

Reply to kfangurl

I think it’s probably a little tougher to get into than Squid Game, most likely because its central premise is even more off the wall than SG’s, if you can believe it; if you can’t swallow an explicitly supernatural phenomenon at the core, it’s going to be tough sledding. If you can take it in stride, for the sake of the drama, then it forces a confrontation with some religious themes that may also be…uncomfortable? (I dunno, different folks have different backgrounds and beliefs and approaches, so hard to say there).

But I have to say, it zigged in a direction I wasn’t exactly expecting, at least a couple of times (not that I had set expectations going in; I was mostly bewildered at the outset at what show had up its sleeve given the outlandish premise). I’m not sure that you will get a great answer on if it’s for you just the first episode, unfortunately… the thought-provoking part grew on me slowly, and then the latter half (last three episodes) I was like, huh, I’m…actually impressed with the path show charted and pulled off (and like I said, in the final episode, actually quite moved. Maybe I’m just weird, though, so take that into account).

Trent

10 months ago

Yay, another couple new shows to embark on! So let’s see:

The Red Sleeve: I originally was probably going to give this one a pass, because another sageuk romance… I mean, I’m already watching (and enjoying!) The King’s Affection. But the ratings have been climbing so steadily, and the word of mouth around here has already been so positive, that the FOMO is building to unbearable levels. Probably going to have to take the plunge soon. Plus Lee Se-young was awesome sauce in The Crowned Clown, so…

Our Beloved Summer: I hadn’t been giving too much thought to this one…on the other hand, I’m probably in the minority in actually liking Kim Da-mi’s character in Itaewon Class, and I liked her in The Witch, and she will be playing opposite Choi Woo-sik, her foil (one of them) in The Witch, hmmm.

One Ordinary Day: At first glance, I wasn’t super interested, but the more I look, the more it looks like it might be kind of interesting? We’ll see how buzzy the first few eps are, maybe?

On The Verge of Insanity: Everyone keeps talking this one up so much, I feel almost obligated to give this one a shot at some point soon, right?

Snowdrop: Not gonna lie, I’d have to rip up my Blink card if I weren’t excited about this one… add in Jung Hae-in, who’s been great in everything I’ve seen him in (I haven’t seen Pretty Noona though), and the writer/PD team behind SKY Castle, and yeah, gotta give this a look. Only potential fly in the ointment is they say it’s going to be available through Disney+ ? And Disney+ itself doesn’t appear to have any reference to it yet? What the heck?

The Veil: I have to get back and finish the last few episodes of this. It started out pretty fast paced and exciting, lots of bulked-up Namgoong Min (too bulked up, to be honest) kicking butt and being all secret agent-y, and then it slowed down and got too convoluted in the middle episodes. Not sure I’d recommend it, honestly.

Additional shows:
Thinking very seriously about jumping into Happiness; word of mouth seems pretty good and it sounds like the kind of thing I’d probably enjoy.

Wish I could recommend Jirisan more enthusiastically. I still find it generally entertaining, and I really like the change of pace from the usual urban drama that comes from being set in a national park; the scenery is fantastic. Really feel like they’ve kind of bobbled the central plotline, however, which is a long-running mystery and is frustrating at least as often as it’s exciting…

I was feeling kind of wobbly about Inspector Koo, but Sean had sufficiently positive things to say about it that it’s kind of bumped back onto my radar.

Author

kfangurl

10 months ago

Reply to Trent

@Trent I’ve also suddenly bumped up Happiness on my list, because it sounds like such a bizarre mashup of zombies & contract marriage. I mean, I love the contract marriage trope, so I’m curious to see how the heck this show is combining the two. 😂

I haven’t looked at The Veil except for the promos, and even with just that limited exposure, I agree that Nam Goong Min’s too bulked up. 😅 I was just curious to see how he does in this, since it’s a different sort of role for him. I did hear some good things, but that was earlier, so with you and Leslie (who messaged me on Patreon) weighing in on the second half not being so amazing, I’m rethinking its spot on my watch list!

Also, looks like I will have to defer Snowdrop to next month’s pool of dramas, because I just checked again, and now the premiere date is listed at 18 Dec instead of 11 Dec.

I hadn’t been originally interested in One Ordinary Day either, but like you, the more I saw of the promos, the more intriguing it looks. Plus, Kim Soo Hyun does have a good track record for picking good scripts.

I’m interested in Our Beloved Summer mostly because of the leads, both of them being more active in movies than dramas.

And YES, I hadn’t been keen to add another sageuk romance to the schedule, since I’ve already got The King’s Affection going, but there’s just been too much positive buzz around The Red Sleeve, to pass it up!

10 months ago

Over On Patreon because of Shahz some of started and happily finished as we like to call it – OVOI – On The Verge of Insanity. Sean has lot of good things to say about it. I vote for this one if I get a vote for what you might watch next 🙂

And Red Sleeve is a must another one Sean suggested and I convinced Shahz to watch 🙂

Author

kfangurl

10 months ago

Reply to JJ

@JJ Yes, I’ve seen (well, glanced at very briefly, while averting my eyes to spoilers!) all your enthusiastic comments on the show! I am curious to take a look, just not sure yet, if I’d like it as much as you all, for Patreon coverage. Let’s see!