Analyzing romance in books and media to justify my singleness. New to tumblr. Wants to retire as a food blogger. She/her.
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following up on my prior ask! i found the luyang arc pivotal for xff and xh (i mean, who wouldnt? we got that beautiful rain scene!), but so much of their conversations confused me because of the way they use metaphors and dance around answers! i apologize if i come off as spamming ur inbox, lol!
some things i wanted to understand more:
-ep 16 tearoom: when xff talks about him inviting her over after every "show" and how what he says is apathetic but always hits the mark and makes her in debt. but now hes showing his cards and asks him if he wants to join?
ep 17 in the rain: when she says "you never tell the truth" and he says "what about you? even after drinking you havent told the truth once" what is she referring to? him i can kinda guess but her? idk!
-ep 17 eating dumplings: when xff offers to invite him to watch a play (her helping the ye family) and he says "i dont watch plays" why is he mad?! lol and why does she respond "if you like these buns and want them in the future, ill settle everything" when he says that when its found out to be a "misunderstanding" who does she think has to take the blame (referring to himself as he would tip them off)
-ep 18 eating dumplings (again): when she asks about how he tried cases in the past and he tells her she doesnt have to make him put up an act before she confesses? where did this come from? did i forget something in the past?? and then even more... "today onward, i am once again despised by everyone" what does he mean? when wasnt he? why does she respond with luyang is beautiful and the night duty is coming??
idk theres so much i think i grasp but then i relisten to it and confuse myself lmao! theres definitely more (like the huixiang pawn speech she had with him) but the luyang parts im most interested in! so sorry that this is so long and such word vomit!! thank you so much if u do take the time to respond! i think you have such a good comprehension and a way with words that seriously has added to my enjoyment of this show SO much more. thank you!!!!!
I welcome all word vomits but oh boy you're really stretching my memory here 😂
Ep. 16 Tearoom
Fangfei is still annoyed at Duke Su because of her jealousy over seeing him with another woman at the brothel in Episode 15. In that episode, she had assumed he was following her to Luyang but then thought differently once she saw him with Wu Lan. I think her calling out his sudden "apathy" is essentially her implicitly asking if their odd little relationship has changed (i.e., why are you acting differently?). Which is why he asks:
Duke Su: Are you getting angry at me? Fangfei: Can't I? Duke Su: Your words are really pleasant then. (smiles)
He just confirmed that she's behaving the way she is because she's jealous, which is why he finds her words "pleasant". So he reassures her by telling her who Wu Lan is even though she has nothing to do with Fangfei's dealings with the Ye family--he's like a husband keeping his wife informed about his struggles at work lol
Ep. 17 In the Rain
He's referring to her real identity as Fangfei (which he's known about for a while but wants to hear directly from her about) and I believe she's referring more generally to all his private dealings, which keeps entangling him in her plots (e.g., General Biao, who they had that drinking competition with).
Ep. 17 Dumplings
This was the day after Fangfei's drunken flirtatiousness in the rain so my guess is that he was fishing for her to reveal her true feelings about him ("does that mean you remember what happened that night?") and he gets frustrated when she friend-zones him by wanting his help for her scheming versus talking about this shift in their relationship. Especially since one of the last times they talked about theater, it was when he tricked her into being his cover during the theater attack and she told that him that she now clearly sees what their relationship actually is. Her talking about the theater after their almost kiss probably feels like taking one step forward and two steps back for him!
But Fangfei's "If you like these buns, I'll settle everything" is ultimately her asking for his help to execute her plan and trying to settle the score. Remember, at this point in the drama, she's always counting how much he helps her so she can pay him back and not have to owe him. (Which is why one of my favorite flirting moments of theirs is in Episode 16 when he swoops in during her drinking competition and tells her that his help won't be put on her tab.)
Ep. 18 Dumplings Part Deux
Oh that's just another flirtatious way of giving Duke Su permission to ask her questions about her real identity! By this episode, he's interrogated her at the nunnery as well as his residence but they're always interrupted and/or she leaves when he gets too personal. She's telling him she's willing to share more about herself because of how much he has helped her up to this point.
I'm not quite sure what "today onward, I am once again despised by everyone" refers to (maybe if the palace finds out how he has helped Fangfei given that I think at this point he knows of Princess Wanning's involvement in Fangfei's death?) but I wonder if Fangfei's night duty comment is her reflecting on how even though she just experienced momentary success there is still a long road of challenges ahead of her. That's why Duke Su reassures her that she's strong and a survivor ("right now, all the lights in Luyang are on. If you were a restless spirit, you would have long been reduced to ashes") and she promises him that she "will live on well."
--
Hope these ramblings were helpful!
The Language of Tea, Unspoken Words, and Their True Meanings
This brief scene in My Journey to You EP 22 is so beautifully framed and everything about it is so good ... the feels ... omg it's almost too much. The entire scene is only about two minutes long but like it's overflowing with brotherly love. ❤️
The scene starts with Gong Yuan Zhi (GYZ) presumably at his residence just minding his own business, cleaning his deadly little weapons, and looking the most chill he's ever looked since EP 1. Like you never see him this calm and still. Like EVER!
Then ...
Enters Gong Zi Yu (GZY). The man just waltzes into GYZ's private sphere. And GYZ didn't protest. He didn't make a fuss. He didn't hurl insults. He didn't tell GZY to get lost or go away. He didn't didn't even look up. Just kept his focus on cleaning his little weapon.
This is like not what you'd expect after 22 episodes of conflict between these two cousins/brothers. In this private sphere, there is no pressure to perform. No one is here to observe their interactions. So. It would be the perfect place to reveal one true self. But family is a complex institution and things are not what they seem which also makes perfect sense.
GZY picks up the teacup and drinks from it ... unprompted and uninvited. Although to be fair, GYZ didn't tell GZY that he couldn't drink the tea. In traditional Chinese culture, tea is kept warm and comes with bajillion meanings.
One: Power, Status, and Serving Tea
Serving tea comes with its own set of rules. Generally speaking younger and lower social status people serve the tea. This is a sign of respect. So for GZY to simply pick up the teacup without asking GYZ who is younger and has a lower status meant that GZY considers the two of them to be peers. Like he doesn't expect his brother/cousin to serve him tea just because he holds a higher position within the family. And that little smirk ... like he knew his little brother was demure for reasons.
Two: Cold Tea is Reserved for Enemies.
GZY then commented that the tea was cold. This was done with a touch of sarcasm and a bit of humor but it's packed with hidden meanings. There is a saying that cold tea is reserved for one's enemies and that when the tea has gone cold, it's time for people to depart/move on. Personally, this could also mean people drifting apart from one another. Here GZY is joking that GYZ is serving him cold tea (being enemies) on purpose. It's a lighthearted comment because GYZ never offered the tea to begin with. This is also the first time GYZ address GZY by his title. Another sign of respect given in the private sphere where no one is watching them.
Three: You Might be in Danger [aka Your Life is Important to Me]
GZY then proceeds to warn his cousin/brother about a potential security threat ... that GYZ's secret weapons may have been compromised. Basically saying that the weapons and the poisons may no longer be effective. GZY is explaining all this calmly and without blaming GYZ for anything. He could have said hey BRO ... your little poisoned weapon might not protect you anymore ... so yeah you might wanna take a look into changing it. But, that's NOT what GZY did. The warning was done with great care. Like genuine care.
Then GZY gifts his little cousin/brother with a brand new weapon crafted by their official blacksmith. I mean GZY is so very worried here that a simple warning is not enough. No. His little cousin/brother needs to be able to protect himself and so he needs a new secret weapon. GZY tells his little cousin/brother that he has complete control over the weapons/poisons he wishes to use and that there is no need to inform him of it. This is an sign of complete trust that his little cousin/brother won't harm family members and that when the time comes, GYZ would help protect the clan. GZY could have demanded to know the details but he chose trust instead. GYZ was not expecting this blind faith from his older cousin/brother.
Just look at GYZ's face. He was definitely not expecting this level of care. Sure. They're both from the same clan but this level of attention just SCREAMS brotherly love. It's all familial love.
GYZ lost his immediate family when he was very young and he always thought that the only one who genuinely cares for him is his adopted brother. But even with the special bond with Gong Shang Jues (GSJ) GYZ never felt he was loved for who he was. Always thinking that he could never be the brother that GSJ lost and so he's filled with self-doubt and uncertainty. But here, you can totally see that he finally realizes that GZY also cares for him ... the way an older brother might look out for a younger brother [cries ... so much feels right now!!!]
Four: It's No Big Deal. DO NOT Make This into a Big Deal
Unprompted GYZ got up to make tea. I cannot get used this demure little killing machine. GZY understands this gesture and so he said nonchalantly that there was no need to thank him. Like this is no big deal bro! I said it's no big deal. I repeat ... do not make our little interaction into a big deal because little cousin/brother ... it is not.
Action speaks louder than words and that is what we see here. GZY, as an older cousin/brother is just doing what he believes older brothers do. Like this is no grand gesture. Like what else was he supposed to do ... watch his little brother's life dangling in the danger zone? Yeah no thank you.
Five: Serving Tea as an Apology
GYZ brew a new cup of hot tea with the intention of serving it to GZY. The act of serving tea is a sign of respect from the junior member. One can also serve tea to elders and people with higher social status as a form of apology. GYZ brew a new cup of tea with this intention in mind.
By this point GYZ realized that he was wrong about GZY. Their conflicts stem mostly from the belief that GZY would be a terrible leader for their clan since he lacks motivation, drive, skill, and a bunch of others demerits. However, all of it proved to be a personal bias/misunderstanding on GYZ's part. So now that everything has been cleared up and GYZ is basically giving his cousin/brother the respect that is due.
GZY exited out before receiving the tea from GYZ is also a tell in their relationship. GZY is saying, without saying a word, that he's not here to gloat or lord over GYZ. That he understands why the misunderstanding took place. I mean GZY was not exactly shinny leadership material for most of his life and his daily behaviors prior to the leadership change never actually inspire confidence in the clan protection department.
Siblings will fight. Siblings will squabble. Siblings will have misunderstandings. These are just normal things that siblings do. and so GZY didn't need that tea from GYZ. There was no hard feelings despite their numerous spats. That they were doing what brothers do because they're family.
The fact that GYZ matures enough to want to apologize with tea is also another character development.
And the love ... both fraternal love and familial love. There's so much of it in this two minutes scene and my heart ... so much feels ... feels tidal waves everywhere.
NORTH AND SOUTH (2004) | Episode 4
hey! so sorry to bother you about this, but i want to say i ALSO saw ur posts on reddit (only knew it was you cause i checked the icon just now!) and i loved ur posts about the episodes there too, lol! just letting you know!!! thanks for providing beautiful, in depth reviews of the episodes. i genuinely want to know your thoughts on other things in the series, but only if thats okay!
Aww thank you so much 💙 Blushing over here like Duke Su.
Please ask away! It's been a while since I finished The Double (so my memory might be a bit spotty) but I'm always down for nerding out about Cdramas!
Listen if you ever think your writing is bad and you want to give up, a published author beloved by thousands (I don’t understand why) wrote the line “When he was wiping that cow shit on me, it was quite possibly the most turned-on I have ever been.”
what I’m saying is please don’t let Colleen Hoover win, don’t give up on your work.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Look buddy, i’m just trying to make it to Friday.
Dude, she wouldn't even move in with you. How do you expect her to quit her job so she can move out of the country with you?
Something in the Rain is one of those rare dramas where it's a bit too true to life with its maladjusted characters operating purely on trauma responses and the refusal to communicate. The realism is almost triggering lol
The Time of Fever
No Gain No Love: Final Thoughts
No Gain No Love is a great example of "vibes over everything" but I'm really going to miss this morsel of a drama come next Monday. Despite its many flaws, it was fun and touching--the perfect pick-me-up to start your week.
Would recommend if you enjoy dramas that:
Are committed to being deeply deeply unserious
And yet at the drop of a hat can become heartfelt about difficult topics in a refreshingly unfussy way
Have women characters who feel modern and real, and who get to be unapologetic about what they want despite what society might think
Talk frankly about sex and relationships
Don't rely on the main couple for the emotional beats of the story and instead explore the many types of love between friends, family, and everything in-between.
And if you're looking for something complex, meticulously plotted, and, you know, not borderline insane? Maybe save it for a rainy day. Like Hae-yeong’s box from the attic.
every day people tell me that the untamed is good, i’ve seen the first episode, stop gaslighting me
So how does No Gain No Love answer the age old writing question of "how do you avoid the penultimate episode slump?"
By having a chaebol beat his girlfriend's murderer father with her foster sister's two lightsaber dildos.
Obviously.
I want whatever this writer was on when writing this scene because clearly it's the good stuff.
Question: Am I missing something or does the FL from Something in the Rain only exist to torture this man? Because my goodness she is so frustrating and I only have three more episodes to go.
So, after breaking up with the ML in probably the most spectacularly humiliating way possible, the FL shows up at his door oh so casually as if nothing is wrong.
"You're really angry, aren't you? I miss you."
She doesn't acknowledge anything that has happened in the past 72 hours like how she:
Demeaned their relationship by going on a blind date with another man;
Went behind the ML's back to meet with his birth father who he had gone no contact with for years because the man had abandoned him and his sister shortly after their mother died, moving to another country to start his "real" family;
Invalidated his feelings by suggesting he is immature for not wanting to connect with his father who, again, is a dead beat who left his older sister to raise him alone;
Disrespected his wishes once again by allowing said dead beat to get so shit faced drunk at her house that she was “forced” to ask the ML to come and pick him up;
Subjected him to even more verbal abuse from her vicious social-climbing mother who just a few weeks earlier had beat him and told him he wasn't good enough for her daughter...
And instead asks if he has tea in the house.
My face exactly, Joon-hee.
She somehow spontaneously gains a shred of empathy and FINALLY apologizes, explaining that she just wanted to "end a hectic situation". The ML, who must be a saint, acknowledges the situation and tries to share his feelings about what happened:
ML: I told you I understand that. FL: You are mad at me. ML: Even if things were difficult, you shouldn't have said that we should break-up. FL: At that moment I was angry. ML: I get it. Fine. FL: You're not fine. (pouts like a child)
Emphasis on the "tries" because when he starts sharing his frustrations and how worried he was about her during that fight with her mother, she skirts the issue:
ML: Do you know how I felt just now? FL: (Nods) I do. ML: Sure you do. FL: It was my mistake. I won't do it again. (smiles coquettishly) ML: Don't try to end the conversation. FL: When people get angry, they tend to say things they shouldn't. It's not like you don't make mistakes.
And then cuts him off because the "kettle started boiling".
Once she moves her emotional manipulation to the kitchen, she asks:
FL: Since the water is boiling, can we have ramyeon? ML: Why are you acting like this? FL: I'm too hungry. I don't have the energy to get scolded.
He picks out a pack of ramyeon, which she petulantly rejects and signals for him to pick another flavor. He does, shaking his head in disbelief, before heading to the closet to create some distance.
She then calls to him from the kitchen, "am I going to eat ramyeon by myself?"
This is the image of a man defeated.
Sir, I really don't understand how you're justifying to yourself that she's worth it. She has the emotional intelligence of a gnat.
FL: I said I'm sorry. I want to make it up to you, but I don't know how. That's why I'm being like this. ML: I'm trying to talk it out with you. Why do you take it so lightly?
So of course she moves to the bed for more emotional manipulation.
She needs therapy and he needs to grow a spine.
On one hand, I’m impressed that Something in the Rain actually has a complex (and occasionally unlikable) female lead who really illustrates how childhood trauma manifests in unhealthy behavior and thinking well into adulthood.
But I also have never wanted two characters to break up so badly as I do here so that she can work on herself and heal without hurting him so much in the process.
She exhausts me.
Side Note: The ridiculous amount of pouting this grown ass woman does makes my eye twitch.
One of my fave Cdrama production teams so I'll need to check Be Your Knight out! (Although I do miss the dreamy visuals of Director Zeng Qingjie.)
To @renewedmotionforjudgment's point about maximizing the creative potential of the short drama format, I think something A Familiar Stranger also does well is it picks a theme and unpacks it not only in the writing but in the visual storytelling. It's a very layered but efficient approach to communicating the show's main ideas.
I talk about this a little in my visual analysis here, but it's incredibly striking how Director Zeng uses camera close-ups, parallelism, fourth wall breaks, and other techniques to illustrate the theme of trusting our intuition versus what we see on the surface. The visual storytelling gives insight into things like the ML's character (e.g., all those direct stares into the camera) and the sister's relationship with the prince (e.g., the difference in intimacy with how the sex scenes between the two couples are shot) without needing to spend time on exposition. We can feel (and therefore know) all this through our eyes instead.
was just telling @renewedmotionforjudgment I'm 2 episodes into Be Your Knight and I love this short drama production team (Familiar Stranger, Provoke, Hard to Find, Butterflied Lover). They GET IT.
Republican drama?
Dark, wet streets! Grimy alley ways! Close-up on high heels stepping out of a glossy black car.
Waking up tied to a chair. Flipping coins to decide your fate. Secret twins. Snow falling over the slow-mo princess carry of a woman he knocked out.
Suits suits suits! Fighting a gang of men with a bat. Mysterious gangsters. Burning a secret file in a room lit by candles.
Pose as my fake husband or one of us will DIE
Did you kill the real one? ... ominious vague flashback so the viewer is unsure
This is exactly what I want. 100% dream logic.
Currently on 4th ep of something in the rain and I might just get a crush on jung haein idk kskkskskskks
Do you ever get reminded of that one really intense longfic that you had every intention of writing and had meticulous notes and complicated outlines for but then something happened and you aren't in the fandom anymore and you still have the desire to write the fic but it's slightly hollow now because it's a good idea and you think it would have been a great fic but you haven't been in the fandom for literally years and you don't have that bit of passion for it that you did when you were writing it and have just a weird moment of nostalgia where you want to reread it but it never existed
Opening credits for Pantsless Panting aka Lust in the Dust aka Love in the Desert aka SPF100 Sexing are AMAZING!
The stretch which is just kissing, the whatever that threesome thing is, everyone being so gorgeous, that BANGER of a song, the fact that it looks like a mini of my dreams only with proper length and a budget!
If the drama is half as good as the opener!
THE JUDGE FROM HELL 지옥에서 온 판사 episode 02, dir. Park Jin Pyo (2024)