Hi! I decided to make monthly recommendations blog entry to the films & shows that I saw and music that I listened but mostly those recommendations are not solely that I saw it this month since I've been doing film & music recommendations in my other socials but I decided to do one here (yes, I'm really that bored lol).

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FILM RECOMMENDATIONS

The Breakfast Club (1985) - The Breakfast Club is one of my all-time favorite films and my favorite from John Hughes (I guess some of his films were cliches but they are the good kind of cliches which I appreciate tbh I wish there are teen movies today like the way John Hughes made). The Breakfast Club is about this group of students with different personalities from the 80s who got themselves into detention and during that whole day they spend their detention on a weekend, they somehow find their selves and sharing the inner struggles as a teenager as they deal with adults. I first watched this in my second year in uni and it brought me that nostalgic feels though I'm not an 80s kid but that nostalgia alone gave that impact to this film. I love the dialogues from this film as well as the characters. If you want to watch a film that gives you good vibes but at the same time wants to explore teen movies in the 80s then this is the perfect film to start. 

Call Me By Your Name (2017) - I've been following this film since the beginning of 2017; Before I'm actually satisfied reading reviews from Sundance about the film and everyone who first watched this raved how good it was, witnessing the success of this film were overwhelming and during the journey of the cast and the crew were really an amazing moment for them. I became a Timothee Chalamet stan since the beginning I follow the updates of this film back in early 2017. I got to know the film adaptation first before reading the novel lol. I watched this film last December of 2017 before Christmas and it didn't disappoint me, my expectations for this film met what I expected. I like how you're also a part of the film while watching it, more like you're the fourth wall in their world, witnessing these characters. Honestly, there were mixed reviews and reactions to this film and I respect that. The romance within the film, I like how there's no antagonist more like you're watching these two people experiencing love without prejudices. Ohhh friends, I really love the dialogues and cinematography. I'm the type of person who appreciates a good exchange of dialogues and cinematography but trusts me I'm no expert, I'm just a viewer appreciating things. The cinematography really has that summer vibe in 80s Italy, they used one 35mm lens for this film that explained the grainy texture and some specific angles. I don't want to be biased but Timothee Chalamet gave the best performance for this film (that last scene!!!!) and too bad he didn't win at the Oscars but he really sure did win a lot from recognition, indie awards, popularity and love from different people (ordinary fans, media to celebs).This is also one of my favorite films of all time at least in my top 5.

Chungking Express (1994) - this is one of my favorite Hong Kong films that I watched and also in my top five all-time favorite films. This film solidifies my love for Asian cinema The cinematography for this film is very enigmatic that draws you in to watch. The content gives a mysterious feel and the characters are in depth that makes you curious, the intriguing content that you want to unfold and the setting that contributes to the whole film. Generally, this film makes me like Wong Kar Wai films. In my own perspective about the content, yes it's about love but a love that surrounds with these four people and how they deal with it as well as the character's conflicts.

 

Whisper of the Heart (1995) - this is my favorite Studio Ghibli animated film next to My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, it's an animated romantic drama. I really like the plot of it because it involves this girl who likes reading books who dreams to be a writer, lives in an apartment with her parents and the eldest sister when she noticed that the books that she reads were previously checked out by this boy. Honestly, the story is close to me because I relate lol; The animated film featured the mid 80s Tokyo, Japan. I love the art and how it shows the nature and setting that contributes to the content. I' am really weak for animation that also features its settings.  My sister originally recommended this to me because she loves Studio Ghibli animated films then I eventually love it too (*coughs the influence lol) This light animated films really makes you nostalgic to that kind of setting even though you haven't experienced it lol and gives you good vibes. Totally recommendable to watch with friends who like animated films with genuine plot and content. 

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SHOW RECOMMENDATIONS

 

SKAM (2015-2017) - I don't know if you all heard this Norwegian teen show on socials but if you already watched this or heard this then lets hi-five :)) I discovered this show last 2016 in early December, I happened to watch the third season first then binged watch the whole thing from season 1 then 3. Skam only had four seasons and to be honest, I wish there's still more. Skam is about the daily life of teenagers at the Hartvig Nissen School. Each season, there was main characters story but the cool thing about this show is that while airing, new clips, conversation on social media post was published in real time on the NRK website on a daily basis. Following this show while it still airing last December 2016 was so fun, you got to fangirl with fellow viewers too and we watched through google drives lol & genuine people translating the clips, post, eps in English so that everyone will understand. To be honest, I never thought this show will get so popular. I guess some people who haven't watch this yet will associate this show in to Skins but the difference between them Skam provides a positive side of how these teenagers in Norway deals with their issue & it's so refreshing to watch this kind of teenage shows since teenage shows always depict the destructive side of their life but Skam has a different approach that is so relatable to everyone. I love the characters most especially Noora, she's my fashion inspiration, I aspire to be her at least I want to get her wardrobe lol I also like Isak and Sana. This got so popular that at least six countries are remaking this as of now Skam France & Germany already airing their adaptations while Skam Italy might start around this week too, there's a part of me I wish they don't copy all the content because they literally copy and paste everything from the original though lol.

 

A Love So Beautiful (2017) -  is a Chinese web series starring Shen Yue and Hu Yitian. It is a story about a cheerful, creative girl who has a long time crush to her smart, popular classmate and neighbor. I watched this web series on its premiere day and friends even though I'm 1/3 Chinese, I struggled to understand the dialogues though their body language and actions were good enough to understand and when this got popular I'm so thankful for the people who translate this :) The premise actually reminds me of the Taiwanese drama 'It Started with a Kiss' which is one of my fave Asian dramas I remembered I ship Ariel Lin and Joe Cheng so much before and the characters having a cute height difference also reminded me of ISAK but the difference between the drama I guess this web series not only focuses on their high school life but also as they went to college & being adults though ISAK did have it too but they made it in to two seasons whereas A Love So Beautiful did it in one go. I usually don't watch C-dramas unlike before but I discovered this makes me want to venture to watch more good C-dramas. A Love So Beautiful gives you that youthful romance with a good vibe. Btw, Shen Yue is the female lead for the remake of Meteor Garden which will air maybe around May since they already wrapped up filming. I grew up watching Meteor Garden even my mom became a fan before and it became a phenomenal hit in my country that they brought the actors who played F4 here & did a concert, I'm actually excited for the remake because the chemistry between Shen Yue and the actors who cast as the new F4 really hit the roof, so yes hopefully it's going to be good?

Residential Complex (2018) - is a Japanese drama that depicts the stories of families who live at co-operative houses/apartment complex. This jdrama just had their final ep last night. Unfortunately, this jdrama doesn't have any English translated sub yet but hopefully, there will be soon. I actually watched this for the leads & when I saw them together through the drama, they really have chemistry, I remembered that Kyoko Fukada & Kenichi Matsumaya have their prime years as an actress & actor during in their early 20s.  And I guess for me, this is the first time that I watched a jdrama in a public network that showed a gay couple that has a romantic plot but also dealing with their issues and I want to give kudos to the writers and actors for it because for all we know thee topic is still a taboo in the country but seeing it in this show, I guess kinda gives you that they are somehow slowly opening that topic. Kudos to Takumi Kitamura and Hidekazu Mashima, their chemistry is so cute and genuine, like ugh I can feel it. There was this scene that I cried but not ugly cried and it really tugs your feels, I like how they deal with their issue being a couple in the same gender and their relationship in the drama is so sweet that I want to cry. Overall, this jdrama have that homely feels that scope you in to different stories of people who lives in the apartment complex. I hope someone will sub this (I beg lol)

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UPCOMING SHOWS THAT I ANTICIPATE 

This year, there are so many dramas to look forward to. From veterans of actresses, actors and directors comebacks to the big station’s leading dramas to offer. But drama land of 2018 offers some eye candy dramas from a new generation of actresses and actors. These are the three dramas that I’m looking forward to and probably binge watch.

Hana Nochi Hare: Hanadan Next Season (Japan-April 17, 2018)

Plot: 10 years have passed since legendary F4 members Tsukasa Domyoji, Rui Hanazawa, Sojiro Nishikado and Akira Mimasaka have graduated from Eitoku Academy. Since their departure, the school has been on a steady decline.Korekuto 5 is formed at the high school with Haruto Kaguragi (Sho Hirano) as the group’s leader. They are worried about the school’s steady demise. They decide to find deadbeat students and kick them out of the school.Haruto Kaguragi likes ordering stuff that makes him look bigger physically. He uses his butler’s name for his online orders and receives the items at a convenience store. Oto Edogawa (Hana Sugisaki) works part-time at the convenience store. She also attends the same school as Haruto Kaguragi. Oto Edogawa is actually from a poor family, but she pretends to be from a rich family to fit in at school. Her fiance is Tenma Hase (Taishi Nakagawa) and he attends a rival high school. (via Asianwiki)

It’s been rumored before that they will remake Hana Yori Dango in 2018 with a new cast with household names rumored to be on it, but apparently it is not the case, it’s confirmed that they will adapt the web comic sequel of the hit manga Hana Yori Dango by Yoko Kamio and it will be a TV series to be broadcast with the same network as Hana Yori Dango (2005) by TBS. They officially confirmed the cast for the adaptation. Hana Sugisaki (Blade of the Immortal) as Oto Edagawa, Hirano Sho (Johnny’s Jr. idol group Mr.King) as Haruto Kaguragi and Nakagawa Taishi (ReLife) as Tenma Hase. 
In all honesty, I haven’t even read the manga but this is somehow a positive coincidence since China is remaking the hit 2001 Meteor Garden with all new young cast and the same producer. We are getting two adaptations of Boys Over Flowers this year but Japan has a new approach of bringing this hit franchise to the new generation of drama viewers. 
With the cast, I am familiar with Hana Sugisaki and Nakagawa Taishi since I have watched their dramas and movies though I’ve heard Hirano Sho but haven’t seen any of his works as an actor. I noticed that they are casting popular idols in this franchise, I don’t know if there is somehow a recommendation or thought with the casting or if the producers solely chose an idol (specifically Johnny’s Ent. idols) I don’t have anything against it but it’s a same pattern where Matsumoto Jun cast as Domyouji in 2005.
In case of Matsumoto Jun even though he is a popular idol member of Arashi, he brought out the character Domyouji in to life that it solidifies his most memorable role. Matsumoto Jun and Inoue Mao have an enigmatic chemistry that until now people are still rooting for them that’s how Hana Yori Dango became one of Japan’s trendy dramas. 
Maybe there will be comparisons with this and the hit 2005 Hana Yori Dango but I am being positive with this new adaptation. What I like about the casting, the cast are in the same age range and probably they will announce more casting news about this drama adaptation. I hope the cast have chemistry to bring out their characters and attract new fans for the franchise.

Meteor Garden 2018 (China-May 2018)

Plot: is an upcoming remake of the 2001 series of the same name. It is an adaptation of Yoko Kamio’s Boys Over Flowers.

When news came out that they will remake the hit 2001 Meteor Garden back in December, the internet explodes (well in my country though, the hashtag soars up to the trends), this still proves that the Meteor Garden fever is not yer over. Meteor Garden remake will also be produced by Angie Chai who also responsible for the hit 2001 adaptation. The confirmed cast are Shen Yue as Shan Cai, Dylan Wang as Dao Ming Si, Darren Chen as Hua Ze Lei, Connor Leung as Mei Zuo, Caesar Wu as Xi Men. 
What I like about the casting is that they are all rookies, none of the cast are idols or popular actors and actresses because usually people will cast household names to make a buzz about it especially Meteor Garden is a solidified Asian drama but I like the fact that they take a chance for rookies. 
Shen Yue just finished her first drama ‘A Love So Beautiful’ (a drama also received well) before they announced that she is the heroine but there are already rumors that she is the one and I’m glad she’s in for the role.For our new F4, the actors who will play the iconic group are in the same age range and Dylan Wang who will play Dao Ming Si is the youngest among the cast. Based on their social media updates Dylan seems the playful type that he goes along with all of them which seems fit with his character. When they released the pictures of the new cast, I actually got the right castings of who will play the characters. Dylan Wang has that dynamic impact even his individual photoshoot screams Dao Ming Si so it wasn’t hard that he is playing the popular leader of F4, Dylan Wang really stands out. Darren Chen has that innocent face and tall stature that can tell he is playing Hua Ze Lei. Connor Leung and Caesar Wu seem visually refreshing to know they are playing Mei Zuo and Xi Men.

Clean With Passion For Now (Korea-October 2018)

Plot:  Jang Sun-Gyeol has mysophobia (fear of germs) and runs a cleaning company. He meets Gil O-Sol. She has a bright personality and she does not mind getting dirty. With the help of Gil O-Sol, Jang Sun-Gyeol faces his mysophobia and also falls in love with Gil O-Sol. (via Asianwiki)

This is my most anticipated drama this year knowing my favorite actress is in it and her come back drama. I’ve been waiting for confirmation news of Kim Yoo Jung to take project roles for 2018 and finally this month her agency confirmed that she will be the main lead for the drama adaptation of the hit webcomic. Kim Yoojung (Love in the Moonlight) will play Gil Oh-Sol the heroine of the story, Ahn Hyo Seop (Queen of Ring) as Jang Sun-Gyeol and Song Jae Rim (Our Gab-Soon) as Choi-Goon. 
According to Kim Yoojung’s talent agency, she has a positive feedback with the script and the content of the drama. A lot of rumored casting for Yoojung’s partner also spread around and also this month it confirms that Ahn Hyo Seop will be her co-star and lead for the drama. Oh boy, I was so happy when they confirmed its Ahn Hyo Seop because age-wise it’s appropriate, visually they look good, the height difference will be darn cute, you can really tell they have already that chemistry but some have hesitation towards Ahn Hyo Seop’s capabilities of acting since he is a rookie actor playing a lead role co-starring with Kim Yoo Jung who is a young veteran to the field, a lot of people expect but I hope we give him a chance; 
One of the drama representatives of this drama told that they hold an audition for the role of Jang Sun-Gyeol and it’s been a tough competition probably there are good actors too but Ahn Hyo Seop prevails, they said that he understands the character so I’m really holding to that article saying they cast Ahn Hyo Seop because he is worthy of the role. 
I’m excited about this drama and the plot seems fun too. This will be Kim Yoo Jung’s comeback drama after Moonlight Drawn by Clouds and her first drama as a young adult. Friends, I’m gushing about how these three casts have the same kind of interest, they own and love cats so you can already imagine what their first conversation would be like. 
Unfortunately, this kdrama suppose to air next month April but got pushed back for the second half of the year release due to Kim Yoo Jung's condition and I wish she will get recover soon but the thing I love about this drama production is that they are all like a family. From the cast to staff/crew they all supporting Kim Yoojung and they are willing to wait for her. It's a big move to JTBC that they decided to push the release of this drama and thank goodness that they are willing to wait for Yoojung to recover and be back healthy as well as to the cast, they have to adjust their schedules for it but they are all genuinely supporting Yoojung and will wait for her. I wish all this kdrama a success because they are already winning my kokoro for the best kdrama prod. fam 

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MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Grace by ADOY (from the album CATNIP) - I discovered this song two weeks ago thanks to my spotify recommendation list and oh my I love it. When I first listened to this song, I thought it was an English indie band but I found out that it's a Korean indie band. Aside from my love for kpop, I also love Korean indie and underground music scenes, I've been listening to K-indie since 2011 and my first listen to a K-indie song reminds me that nostalgic rainy day. My mp3 player before was half kpop/jpop songs and k-indie at that time lol I'm actually glad that K-indie scenes are getting recognize nowadays since mainstream music agencies and producers are collaborating with them and to Korean shows and dramas that use their songs. Back in 2011, it's hard to get songs from a K-indie artist because you can't purchase it on itunes, it's either in Melon or other Korean music sites but now it's accessible but I still get lost in my youtube K-indie recommendations which I'm thankful since I'm discovering songs lol

Spring Rainbow by Shin Rizumu - (I hope my translation to the title is right lol, I also somehow understood it as Spring Day but yep I hope at least its close to the correct one lol I'm learning nihongo but I'm still grasping the basics) I really like venturing indie music and this one is a Japanese indie song from Shin Rizumu (I'm actually surprised he's a '97 liner, he is the same age as my sister lol) It's very rare for me to listen to an artists in their 20s especially a boy who is in to jazz, light indie songs because usually, boys in their 20s are Jpop idols & their songs dominate the charts which I don't have any against with because I also listen to Jpop songs so discovering Shin Rizumu's music, I want to pat myself lol .You can read more about Shin Rizumu and his music here. He is also on spotify and his latest album from 2017 was there too.

Plastic Love by Mariya Takeuchi (1984) - this song was recommended by my sister, and when she played it for the first time on her phone, I immediately fell in love. The funky and jazz sound are so good that complemented to Mariya Takeuchi's voice. This song kinda have those anime OP songs in the 90s which I love :)) Comparing this song to the new generation of Jpop songs really gave that big gap lol I really like these kinds of Jpop songs and when I searched this on youtube, I'm so thankful for yt lol because it recommends me to other Japanese artists who also have the same kind of genre and it's good. There's a part of me that I wish there are still Jpop songs like this, for me this is quality, I don't know maybe there are some indie artists who still make music like this, I just didn't know or discover yet.

Mundo by IV OF SPADES - Okay, time to recommend some local songs in my country. I usually listen to bands here. And among the new generation of OPM bands, IV of Spades is definitely on the spotlight. It brings me back to my high school days that I listened to my local fave bands singing songs about love :)). Here's the English translation of the song for foreign friends ^^. I guess what appeals me to this song was how they incorporate their sounds together and blends with the lyrics.

I guess my music taste really varies, I listen to a lot of genres, but back in uni years I often listen to indie bands/artists from different countires, of course, kpop & jpop are a part of my music playlist ever since. Nowadays, I usually listen to jazz, lo-fi and French jazz/bosa nova especially when I write to my journal at night while drinking tea, it somehow calms me and put me to sleep because I have bad insomnia, I don't get sleepy easily at night, listening to jazz & drinking chamomile tea before bed kinda helps but I don't often do that because I might run out of tea bags and teas are so expensive here especially the organic ones lol (yes, I drink tea instead of coffee, /sobs I don't drink coffee; I think I'm fine with frappe but not espressos & strong coffee)

   

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I guess I wrote so much for March recommendations, this is me talking a lot when it comes to my favorites :)) The dramas that I've been anticipating this year are all eye-candy youth dramas because we really need some youth romance that will give us good vibes and butterflies lol. I usually recommend films and music on my twitter and other socials but I guess making blog entries here about it gives me more explanation on why I recommend it and also I want to share it.  

If you already happen to watched the films, shows and listened to the songs that I recommended, I'm glad to hear some of your comments and opinions about it ^^~ btw Chapter 07 of my taekook fic might probably publish tomorrow evening or Sunday afternoon if I happen to finish editing it ^^~ I hope you all have a good weekend ahead! ^^