Dear kfangurl: How has your fangirling changed over the years?

Leslie writes:

Hi, KFG. I just finished Dinner Mate, a B movie that was easy to watch with some good heart-string pulls, but was about 3-4 episodes too long.

Most of all it was a vehicle for a mature Song Seung Hun who is as beautiful (at least) and charming as ever. I say this even though it’s the first SSH drama I’ve seen! But I checked and, sure enough, he was your first entry in Pure Pretty, so I almost feel like I knew him when. 😆 Nice photos. 😅 Thank you for your delightful “reference” material, which stands the test of time.

The movie and my, ahem, research prompted me to take a stab at a question I’ve been percolating for a while, but haven’t been able to get to the heart of. The simple question is, has your fangirling changed over the years? Some details follow.

I notice that both of your KLoves and Pure Pretty features were first posted about 7 years ago, and there have not been many new entries for a while (although there continue to be new comments, so, still relevant!)

Are any original entries gaining or waning in your affection? Would you add any new KLove and Pure Pretty interests to the list, and have your criteria for the same changed over time? What role does fangirling play in your enjoyment of kdrama today? And not to complicate a good ogle, but does consent culture impact how you think about fangirling at all? It’s a lot. 😬

So, seriously, KFG. I know you’re super busy these days with all the right priorities for the blog, so please answer at your pleasure and your leisure. I’m rather satisfied with just being able to articulate my curiosity and interest. Thanks!

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Dear kfangurl: Can you talk about actors and their nicknames?

So, full disclosure, this post isn’t inspired by an actual Dear kfangurl question, but because Dear kfangurl is where all the lists on the blog live, I figured this would be the best place to put it.

This post is inspired by Beez and Trent, who recently had a conversation on my Kill Me, Heal Me group watch announcement post, where they discussed the nicknames of various actors and actresses.

I thought that would make a fun post, where I could share what I know, and you guys can share what you know, and together, we can paint a fuller picture together!

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Flash Review: Wonderful Nightmare [Movie]

Words that spring to my mind as the credits roll for this movie: uplifting, bittersweet, poignant, and even a little funny.

This is, again, one of those movies that I wouldn’t have watched, but for the in-flight entertainment system. Not that there weren’t other solid movies available in-flight. I actually started on Sado, but bailed hastily when Show got very dark, heavy and bloody very quickly.

[MINOR SPOILER] I just couldn’t watch the violent head-banging. So Much Blood. Owww. [END SPOILER]

Maybe another time, when I feel like I’m made of steelier stuff, I’ll give it another go.

For now, though, I’m actually rather pleased with myself for wimping out of Sado (thank you, Wimpy Me), coz I would’ve been rather sorry to have missed this little heart-warmer.

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Review: Dream High

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Fresh, fun and earnest, and backed by a breezy soundtrack that’s easy on the ears, Dream High ranks as one of my all-time favorite music-centric, high school dramas. Heck, it’s one of my favorite dramas, period.

Despite its youth-y premise, Dream High has a pretty universal appeal, with its emphasis on friendship, loyalty and finding & pursuing your dreams.

What the idol-heavy cast lacks in finesse, they more than make up for with earnestness. And then there’s Kim Soo Hyun, Uhm Ki Joon and Lee Yoon Ji in the main cast, lending acting cred and nuance to the overall package.

The drama takes an episode or two to get into its groove but once it does, it’s cracky, delicious goodness.

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Pure Pretty: TOP

I’m on a roll, you guys.

After rolling out my first Pure Pretty post on Song Seung Hun, I was just going to do a little bit of preliminary searching in preparation for my second Pure Pretty post, and got completely and utterly sucked in. There was just too much TOP goodness to gaze at. I couldn’t stop.

Let me state upfront that just because I’ve picked TOP to be part of the Pure Pretty series, doesn’t mean that I don’t think he’s talented.

It’s just that I don’t really follow his music – I’m not much into kpop to begin with – and therefore don’t have a lot to say about his personality or his music. I do think he owns the stage when he’s rapping, and it – HE – is hot.

I’ve seen TOP act, though. I first saw him in Iris and immediately decided that he looked very interesting. And handsome. And hot. Heh. Though I didn’t think he was so great at the acting, to be honest.

Recently, though, I watched him in The Commitment, and he’s gotten so much better! Which bodes well for me. I love TOP’s speaking voice. And TOP in motion on my screen. Mmmm.

In the meantime, though, let me just say that as I did research for this post, I’ve come to the conclusion that TOP is insanely beautiful. SERIOUSLY. INSANELY. BEAUTIFUL.

There just doesn’t seem to be a way to take an ugly picture of this guy. Really.

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Pure Pretty: Song Seung Hun

While I started this blog mainly to write reviews, every so often, I get inspired to try something new. A fair amount of the time, it’s conversations on the blog itself that serve as the impetus. And that is totally the case today.

Not long ago, I posted my Master’s Sun review, and wrote this throwaway line about consuming the drama together with the fanfic:

“When the drama’s consumed together with the fanfic, though, they go together like strawberries and cream, or peanut butter and jelly, or Kim Woo Bin and Lee Jong Suk, or Song Seung Hun and abs, or.. (you get the idea).

You could have one without the other, but having them together just takes everything to a whole new level. Amiright?”

And then today, I woke up to this comment from blog regular Asotss:

“You are soooooooo right ! Ah Song Seung Hun… Too bad his talent doesn’t measure up [to] his bodyliciousness. Could we still hope for a KLove Confession post, just for the photoshoots that only you can dig up ?”

That’s when inspiration struck.

Besides Asotss, a couple of other readers and blogging friends have also commented appreciatively on my Googling skills. I guess Google and I get along particularly well; Google’s shown me more than a few particularly lovely photos of my k-loves, after all.

Still, because Song Seung Hun doesn’t quite fall into k-love territory for me, I’m creating a whole new series.

Introducing… Pure Pretty! Y’know. Where it’s all about The Pretty. 😉

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Review: Master’s Sun

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Not one of the best outings by the Hong sisters, but not one of the worst either, Master’s Sun delivers what it promises: rom-com hijinks of the somewhat ghostly variety.

Driven mostly by sparky OTP chemistry and a lovely OST, which together made up for lapses in the storytelling, this drama is more mood than substance. And it’s a slow burn too, at that.

Essentially, a pretty fun, easy, unchallenging watch if you don’t think about it too hard. And I’ve just found a way to level that up in a serious fashion, which I’ll tell you more about in the review.

And no, the ghosts aren’t that scary. 

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Review: That Far Gone [Master’s Sun Fanfic]

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Classy, funny and sexy, That Far Gone is a smartly-written, tenderly-conceived labor of love.

A writer who clearly knows her subject and her audience, mywebfoot paints a convincing, believable fantasy world in which drama fans can indulge their imaginations and even their shipper hearts as they see the unfolding of a ‘real-life’ romance between So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin come to life in the pages of this fanfic.

A tantalizingly addictive ride not only for So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin shippers, but for anyone who took notice of their chemistry in Master’s Sun.

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An Appreciative Eye On: Kim Soo Hyun

Most of you are familiar with my 3 big k-loves. And although I’m currently spazzing over and lovin’ on Kim Woo Bin more — uunghh I wuv my Woobie ❤ — I love ’em each in their own special way.

If you’ve known me for a while, &/or taken a look at my fangirl motto on the side-bar to your right, you’d probably also know that having big k-loves — or major Woobie love, heh — doesn’t mean that I don’t have room to admire and.. appreciate (ahem) other talented k-men in dramaland.

In fact, I’ve got quite a few of those medium k-loves, at least a few of whom I plan on introducing to you guys this year.

First up: Kim Soo Hyun!

I’ve liked Kim Soo Hyun since his Dream High days in 2011, and have had my eye on him and his work ever since.

Every time he’s got a new drama or movie out, I perk up and take notice. And now that I’m watching You From Another Star, my Kim Soo Hyun radar has switched itself into Mmmm.. mode all over again. Which, really, is the catalyst for this post.

Come squee with me, y’all!

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