K-dramas

My Korean Drama Playlist

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Korean Drama Playlist

This Korean Drama playlist has changed over time and is a constant work in progress. Songs are always being added and a few were deleted too. I started watching Korean dramas when the pandemic started and I’m hooked!

Many dramas that I watched had really good music that I wanted to hear again, so I started researching the songs and created a playlist on Amazon Music. I’m not sure which song was first and my favorite songs don’t necessarily correlate with my favorite dramas. But some do!

All the titles are in English, but most of the songs are sung in Korean. The last song on the list is from a Taiwanese drama that is in Mandarin. A few of the songs are in English, so I can understand the words. The others I don’t understand the words, but can feel the emotion. Which is one of the reasons why I loved the songs so much while watching the dramas.

Like the Bruja Full Moon Magic playlist, I mostly listen to this one while I’m driving. I have other playlists, but these two are much shorter. This one is definitely a different mood! Romantic and dramatic, like a Korean Drama. Below is a list of the songs, the artists and the dramas featuring the songs. If you’re looking to watch a few, I saw all of them on Netflix and this list is a good start!

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1. So Hard For Me by Jeebanoff (Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol)

2. Sing My Song by Gu Keunbyul (Revolutionary Love)

3. Shine Your Star by 03ohn (Mr. Sunshine)

4. I’m Here by Yang Da II (Memories of the Alhambra)

5. Memories of the Alhambra by George (Memories of the Alhambra)

6. La La La by Rachael Yamagata (Something in the Rain)

7. Something in the Rain by Rachael Yamagata (Something in the Rain)

8. We Could Still Be Happy by Rachael Yamagata (One Spring Night)

9. But It’s Destiny by 10cm (Crash Landing on You)

10. Sweetest Thing by Seventeen (Chocolate)

11. Tree by Car, the Garden (Chocolate)

12. Is You by Ailee (Memories of the Alhambra)

13. Just Like A Dream by Ben (Another Miss Oh)

14. What Is Love by Park Yun Ha & Yu Seung Woo (Another Miss Oh)

15. The Song You Picked Saves Me by A-Lin [feat. J.Sheon] (Memory Love)

16. Quando, Quando, Quando by Moon (Our Blues)

Time Travel With Merriam-Webster

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If there’s one genre that gets me every single time, it’s time travel. I absolutely cannot resist the concept.

So I was thrilled to recently read that a physicist came up with calculations that eliminate the paradox problem. You know the issue when someone goes back in time and has to worry about changing something and destroying the present? Apparently things would all work themselves out somehow. Yay?!?!

Not only is the time travel genre fun, but it’s a great way to learn some history. I find myself wondering if certain parts of the story lines are true, so with some quick research, I’m able to find out.

Recently I enjoyed a couple of time travel series on Netflix. Since I also love foreign films, the variety of time travel shows available exponentially increases with more languages included. Back to 1989 is in Mandarin and placed in Taiwan. Live Up to Your Name is in Korean and takes place in present day South Korea and goes all the way back to the Joseon Dynasty.

So why am I bringing up time travel today? Because Merriam-Webster is playing along with the idea. They have a link you can go to and travel back. Pick the year you were born or any other year. You’ll find out when certain words were first used in print. The earliest year you can go back to is 1500, then by century and generally before the 12th century.

I went back to 1964 and it surprised me to find some of these words used so early. They seem more modern! Others are interesting in that the terms have changed and are used differently. It also makes me think about how the more things change, the more they stay the same. Below are a few.

AAA, black hole, carryout, colorism, condo, drink-driving, endangered, fentanyl, garage sale, gender identity, gigahertz, grandparenting, graphic novel, gun control, homophobia, hydrocodone, mack daddy, minicam, miracle fruit, mitochondrial DNA, naloxone, pants suit and pantsuit, point-and-shoot, precalculus, precooked, quinceañera, rat fink, red bush tea, retribalization, reverse discrimination, skinny-dip, slow-wave sleep, street hockey, table sugar, tostone, triple jump, xanthan gum, zip-code

If you have a few minutes, take a trip back and let me know what you think!

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Screenshot Image: Merriam-Webster

Recently Watched: Chocolate ~ A Korean Food Drama

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Chocolate Korean Food Drama

If you’re looking to escape into another world for a while, there’s a lovely place you can go on Netflix. To the world of Lee Kang, a neurosurgeon and Moon Cha Young, a chef who eats chocolate to center herself when she’s suffering. They live in South Korea, but the story takes us to other countries as well. The show is in Korean, so unless you speak it, you’ll be reading subtitles.

The two meet as children over a shared meal at Kang’s family restaurant. Kang asks Cha Young to come back later so he can make her a chocolate sasha, which I don’t really know what it is, unless he means this Japanese snack.

But because they are kids and her family had other plans, she isn’t able to return. He waited for her and was devastated when she didn’t show up. A year later she came back to find him, but his family had moved away.

They never forget each other and are fated to meet again. Repeatedly. Their lives are forever intertwined through a series of serendipitous meetings, but there are so many misunderstandings and hurt feelings. It’s dramatic and romantic. So much longing. And filled with food. The food scenes are stunning. I could practically smell it watching them cook.

The food is a third main character and made me want to get some Korean food. Then I was zapped back to the realization that I’m living in the middle of a pandemic and can’t go to a restaurant as easily anymore. Then I got swept up in the story again and relished the recipes. The precision and beauty. Colors, sounds and textures.

There is a depth to the characters lives that makes it easy to get caught up. We come to know their inner lives. There are painful family stories, intrigue, disasters, war, and some humor too. I found myself getting really aggravated at certain points, but couldn’t stop watching. I was so hooked! Chocolate is a real love story and they get me every time.

The music is haunting and sets the tone for the series, further increasing the tension and emotion. I definitely recommend you give a listen. The cinematography is captivating too.

I’ve been a fan of Korean dramas (K-dramas) for several years now and have been finding a lot more on Netflix recently. I’m surprised there isn’t more buzz around this series. I really enjoyed it and was disappointed to read that there won’t be another season. There’s a lot to like about Chocolate, but it is basically a soap opera. So if that’s not your thing, this probably isn’t for you. Otherwise, enjoy this series and get a respite from the day to day of quarantine life.

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Image Credit: YouTube

Recently Watched: Nine: Nine Time Travels

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On this last day of the year, it seems like the perfect time to share one of my favorite television series with you. There’s something magical about moving from one year to the next in the span of one second. And the magic in this series is time travel. One of my favorite things!

I watched Nine: Nine Time Travels over a period of a few weeks. It’s dramatic, mysterious, fun, heart-wrenching, romantic and surprising. I looked forward to watching it each day and hated for it to end. I really loved this show.

The 20 episode series is in Korean with English subtitles and originally aired on tvN  in South Korea in 2013. I saw it on Netflix and it’s still available to watch.

The stars Lee Jin-wook and Jo Yoon-hee are so engaging that I was swept up in their story immediately. Wikipedia gives a good plot summary below.

The science fiction/romance series is about a man who finds nine magical incense sticks that allow him to travel 20 years back in time. He attempts to keep his family safe in order to change the world he lives in today. However, this is not without consequences as his actions in the past affects the lives of many in the present, including his.

As a fan of time travel, it’s always interesting to see the device chosen to facilitate the travels. The use of incense was very different than most, because it’s so relatable for me. Sometimes I’ll combine it with candles when I meditate. I love the smell. There’s something very calming about it — watching the smoke floating and knowing that it will burn itself out. The time component of the way incense burns is a key element of the story.

The lead character is a news anchor named Park Sun-woo who is able to travel back exactly 20 years to the day. So with each day that passes, he can go back to a different day in order to solve a mystery. The show is quite a ride! The twists and turns!

I hated when the show was over, but there is some good news. For the future. According to a 2013 article, actress Yunjin Kim, known from the shows Lost and Mistresses, is working with ABC on a show based on the series. She will be one of the executive producers of the show.

Since it’s now going on five years since that article, I’m not sure the status of the show, but it’s something to keep an eye out for.

This is the last that I’ll be here for 2017. See ya in 2018!

Happy New Year!

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Screenshot: tvN