Image: Twitter/TvNDrama

Title: Blind

Director: Shin Yonghwi

Writer: Kwon Kikyung

Number of episodes: 16

Stars: TaecYeon, Ha Seokjin, Jung Eunji

Ryu Sung-Joon (TaecYeon), Ryu Sung-Hoon (Ha Seok-Jin) and Jo Eun-Ki (Jung Eun-Ji) become involved in a serial murder case involving jury members as the victims. These three individuals try to uncover the truth behind the deaths.

*** 

To be honest, I watched a lot of things lately. Start from k-drama, movies, anime, and others. Since I am too lazy to make an update on my blog, it feels like the spider web has come around again.

Blind is the latest mystery drama that showed on TvN. Once again, I watched this k-drama because of Mbakdew. Well, not gonna lie, her recommendations are always good and exciting. 

The Story

Just like the synopsis said, Ryu Sungjoon works as an enthusiastic detective. He is always determined to catch the bad guys. His determination led him to be the top detective since his arrest rate is high. Then, his older brother, Ryu Sunghoon works as a judge. Sunghoon is portrayed as someone who is really perfectionist, smart, and calm. Everyone respects him the most because of that.

One day, a murder of a young woman happened. This murder is called a Joker Murder Case since the killer makes a smile wound on their victim's case. To be honest, I was surprised because there is no censor at all at the beginning of the episodes. I almost wanna throw my laptop away when seeing the victim's condition. It's too much scary. 

After a long investigation, Sungjoon's team succeed to bring the main suspect for the murder. His name is Jung Manchun--a Chinese immigrant who works at the victim's father's factory. During the investigation, Manchun denies all of the charges. He even asked for a jury trial for his case. Sunghoon who become the judge for Manchun's case, in the name of rights for all, granted Manchun's request.

Even though Manchun tried to plead so hard for his innocence. the juror still finds him guilty. When the decision is final. Manchun became so upset and promised to take revenge, especially on the juror. At first, no one pays attention to Manchun's threat, but after he succeeds to escape from the police and take Eunki hostage, everyone knows that that guy is serious.

When the police once again can catch Manchun, everyone was so surprised that the other murder happened. Now, the victim is Yeom Hyejin, one of the jurors and also the daughter of Chief Police Yeom Kinam. Since it's getting more serious, and the fact that Manchun has an alibi, now the main suspect, in this case, is Sungjoon. Yeah, at the Manchun'c court, he is being accused as the real killer for the Joker Murder Case.

Complicated yet engaging

Actually, this drama is not only about the Joker Murder Case. All of this happened because of what happened at Hope Welfare Center. This center is an institution like an orphanage, but the authorities there treat all of the children in a very bad and cruel manner. They use violence, starve them, and won't give them a chance to escape.

Everyone that is a victim in the murder case is somewhat related to that center. So, to unravel the mystery around the murder case, everyone should face the horrible reality that happened at that center.

To be honest, I thought Blind will only be a single murder case mystery. Without any other elements. But, from the first time, they showed what horrible things happened at the Hope Welfare Center. The way all of the dots are connected is very unpredictable. 

Then, the truth behind the joker Murder Case is really not what I expected. Of course, that truth is very heartbreaking for me. Aww, poor Sung Joon on this occasion. I still couldn't believe that Sung Joon's mind has been manipulated since from the very start. Gosh... 

Conclusion

If I have to make a comparison between Blind and Big Mouth, I will prefer Blind more, The story is satisfying and I could sympathize more with the character. TaecYeon's acting is amazing here. In Vincenzo, I also love how his character is developed. 

So, one of the best mystery k-dramas that I ever watched so far.

8 out of 10 stars

Sincerely,

Ra

Image:Tanakhir Films

Judul: Semesta
Sutradara: Chairun Nissa
Penuliss: Cory Michael Rogers
Produksi: Tanakhir Films
Durasi: 90 menit
Nonton di Kineforum

Melalui lensa keyakinan dan budaya di tujuh provinsi di Indonesia, film dokumenter ini mengikuti individu-individu yang berjuang untuk mengatasi perubahan iklim.

***

Semesta (Islands of Faith) merupakan film dokumenter yang membicarakan perubahan iklim melalui lensa para warga yang telah dari lama berdamai dengan alam. Dalam film ini, terdapat tujuh cerita yang berasal dari tujuh provinsi di Indonesia. Masing-masing cerita menggambarkan bagaimana para masyarakat asli Indonesia, mempunyai caranya masing-masing untuk berdamai dengan alam. 

Karya dari Talamedia

Kalau aku tidak salah ingat, film ini merupakan film pertama yang diproduksi oleh Tanakhir Film (sekarang Talamedia). Nama Mandy Marahimin dan Nicholas Saputra tersebut sebagai produser film satu ini. Seperti yang telah aku singgung sebelumnya, film ini mengangkat kisah 7 pejuang lingkungan hidup dengan 7 latar belakang dan berasal dari 7 daerah yang berbeda.

Pertama, kita akan diajak untuk menuju Bali. Tjokorda Raka Kerthyasa akan membawa kita memahami bagaimana perayaan Nyepi dilakukan di Bali. Seperti yang kita tahu, banyak sekali tempat suci nan sakral di seluruh Bali. Ketika Nyepi, terdapat tradisi-tradisi khusus yang pada akhirnya ternyata memberikan dampak positif terhadap pengurangan emisi karbon. 

Setelah dari Bali, kita pun akan menyelami kehidupan Agustinus Pius Unam, seorang Kepala Dusun di Sungai Utaik, Kalimantan Barat. Dalam kepercayaan orang Sungai Utik, mereka hanya diperbolehkan untuk menebang tiga pohon saja dalam setahun. Kemudian, mereka juga memiliki aturan-aturan tertentu dalam berburu dan memanfaatkan hutan yang ada di sekitar mereka.

Perjalanan dilanjutkan ke Bea Muring di Nusa Tenggara Timur. Romo Marselus Hasan bersama warga berupaya mendirikan PLTA dengan memanfaatkan sumber air alami. Entah mengapa, aku merasa sedikit familiar dengan kisah ini. Yang pasti, Romo Marselus dan warga berupaya saling membantu untuk membangun kembali PLTA di desa tersebut--yang sempat rusak karena diterjang banjir.

Keempat, kita akan bertemu dengan Mama Almina Kacili, Kepala Kelompok Wanita Gereja Lokal di Kapatcol, Papua Barat. Nah, kisah yang satu ini bagiku menarik karena mereka menjelaskan praktik Sasi yang ada di Indonesia Timur. Secara singkat, Sasi ini merupakan aturan yang diterapkan untuk mengatur wilayah laut supaya tak boleh dijaman selama 8 bulan. Hal ini dilakukan supaya biota laut punya kesempatan untuk beregenerasi.

Kelima, kisah datang dari M. Yusuf di Desa Pameu, Aceh. Ketika hutan mulai rusak karena ulah manusia, sejumlah gajah turun ke desa dan mulai mengusik warga. Akan tetapi, M. Yusuf meyakini bahwa hal tersebut bukanlah salah si Gajah. Apa yang terjadi merupakan ulah dari manusia sendiri. Maka dari itu, Yusuf sebagai imam di desa tersebut memberikan pemahaman kepada warga bahwa menjaga hubungan baik dengan alam sangatlah diperlukan. 

Keenam, perjalanan kawan-kawan Semesta bergeser ke Imogiri, Yogyakarta. Iskandar Waworuntu mendirikan Bumi Langit--sebuah ruang hidup yang menjadi tempat bagi kita untuk dapat menyaksikan dan belajar tentang pentingnya saling menjaga hidup antara manusia dengan alam. 

Terakhir, kita diajak ke Jakarta menuju Kebun Kumara. Soraya Cassandra dan suaminya mendirikan Kebun Kumara untuk memenuhi misi mereka untuk tetap bisa dekat dengan alam meski hidup di perkotaan. Selain mengolah sendiri kebun mereka, Soraya juga nemberikan pelatihan bagi orang-orang yang tertarik dengan isu tersebut.

Menarik untuk ditonton

Kalau boleh jujur, pesan yang disampaikan oleh film ini sederhana. Setiap orang memiliki perannya masing-masing ketika berhubungan dengan alam. Akan tetapi, melalui film ini, kita juga diingatkan bahwa alam memang sedang tidak baik-baik saja. Banyak tradisi yang dilakukan yang terus tergerus karena mereka yang terlalu serakah, bisa jadi oleh perusahaan maupun pemerintah.

Dari ketujuh cerita, cerita yang menarik buatku adalah cerita Nyepi di Bali dan juga tradisi Sasi di Papua. Entah mengapa itu menjadi suatu hal yang baru untuk kupelajari. Secara sinematografi pun, cerita pertama terlihat begitu sinematik dan enak untuk ditonton.

Akan tetapi, sebagai film dokumenter, Semesta tidak bisa dikatakan utuh meskipun memiliki benang merah yang sama. Aku tak tahu apakah memang seperti ini film-film yang dapat dikatakan omnibus. Yang pasti, ini seperti ada 7 film berbeda yang dijahit menjadi satu. Bukan berarti tidak bagus, sih. Hanya saja film menjadi terasa sangat panjang dan patah di setiap transisi.

Kesimpulan

Well, tak bisa bohong kalau Semesta menjadi salah satu film yang menarik untuk ditonton. Film dokumenter memang bisa menjadi salah satu media yang menarik untuk menyalurkan gagasan tertentu. Termasuk konsep perubahan iklim dan bagaimana cara untuk hidup damai dengan alam.

6.5 dari 10 bintang.

Sincerely,

Ra

Image: Cultura

Title: When The Camellia Blooms

Director: Cha Young-hoon, Kang Ming-kyung

Writer: Im Sang-choon

Number of Episodes: 20

Stars: Kong Hyo-jin, Kang Ha-neul, Kim Ji-suk, Ji E-suu, Oh Jung-se, Yum Hye-ran, Son Dam-bi

Watched on Netflix

Dong-Baek is a single mother living in the small town of Ongsan. She runs the bar-restaurant Camellia, while also taking care of her son Pil-Gu. The people of Ongsan frequently gossip about Dong-Baek. She grew up as an orphan, is a single mother and runs a bar where many of the men in Ongsan frequent. Regardless of what the locals may whisper about Dong-Baek, local police officer Hwang Yong-Sik is deeply in love with her. Meanwhile, Dong-Baek's ex-boyfriend Kang Jong-Ryeol suddenly reappears in her life. He is a famous baseball player, that hid their relationship when they dated. While Dong-Baek tries to find happiness, something truly sinister lurks in the background. A serial killer roams Ongsan and Dong-Baek may be a target.

To be honest, When the Camellia Blooms is part of the KCKC Class at Bangtan Academy. Since the story is a little bit slow-paced for me, I have difficulties finishing it off.

Dongbaek and The Ongsan Town

When The Camellia Blooms tells the story about Dongbaek (Kong Hyo-jin), an orphan who is also a single mother. She decided to move to Ongsan--a fictional town here. Boldly, Dongbaek also decided to open a bar called Camellia. 

Well, life is always hard for Dongbaek. When she was a kid, her mother abandoned her. Then, she has to raise her son on her own since she broke up with his boyfriend. Living by herself and also getting a lot of mistreatment--because of the stereotype regarding a single mother, has affected Dongbaek's life very much. She tends to be a shy and quiet person. She is also, what should I say, not confident at all.

Thankfully, Yongsik (Kang Ha-neul) succeeds to make Dongabek's life more lively. His bright character has made Dongbaek could see her life differently. She is no longer a timid person with a dull personality, but she became a great and cool woman in the end.

My Thought

As I said before, this k-drama is a little bit hard for me to watch. One thing that I despise from the very start is Dongbaek's timid personality. As the main lead character, I just feel she should stand out more and be tough. I am aware of her trauma and all of her conditions, but her attitude in the first episodes has made me irritated. To some extent, she reminds me of Nabi from Nevertheless. 

Aside from this k-drama being one of the materials at KCKC Class, I bear to watch it because I want to know the real identity of Joker. As you know, a detective or crime series is my cup of tea. If there's no Joker case, I don't think I will continue to watch this.

Anyway, if I could spill a spoiler, I managed to know Joker's identity from the very state. Well, to be fair, I have a strong gut that the sink-man (I don't know his name as Heung-sik before), is suspicious. Then, I am glad that I was right.

The family story

Not gonna lie, most of the side stories in this drama are related to the family relationship among Ongsan People. Start from Dongbaek with his son Pilgu (Kim Kang-hoon) and also her mother who suddenly appeared, Dongabek with her ex-boyfriend, Kang Jong-ryul (Kim Ji-seok), Yong-sik with his mother, Hyang-mi with his brother, Gyu-tae with his wife, Ja-young, and also Jong-ryul with his wife, Jessica.

It will sound complicated since each of them has its problems. But, what I like the most about this drama, the writer succeeds to give a solution for each character.

Conclusion

At first, I thought I will only give 5-6 stars for When the Camellia Blooms. But, the more I watched the entire episode, I happened to love the story.

Therefore, I would like to give 7 out of 10 stars for them.

Sincerely,

Ra

Image: Google

Title: To My Star

Director: Hwang Da Seul

Scriptwriter: Park Young

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Youth

Stars: Son Woo Hyun, Kim Sang Min, Ko Jae Hyun, Jeon Jae Yeong, Kim Jin Kwon, Han Ji Won

Watched on WeTV

Actor Kang Seo Joon was once one of South Korea’s biggest and most popular stars, but his career is now in decline. Despite his fall in popularity, he believes he has had a change of fortune when he meets and falls for a dashing young chef named Han Ji Woo.

Despite having wildly different personalities, the two enter a relationship. However, their love comes under threat when the more conservative Han Ji Woo and the free-spirited Kang Seo Joon realize that their outlooks on life, love, and everything else appears irrevocably different.

***

Honestly, I don't remember how I found this series. But, since I still want to watch a BL drama, I decided to find a good recommendation for it. Then, it turned out To My Star is one of the best.

The story

To My Stars tells the story of Kang Seo Jun, an actor with a declining career because of some misunderstanding rumours. In order to avoid the press' attention, Seo Jun's agency asked him to stay low and move to Han Ji Woo's place. Well, to be exact. Ji Woo, a young and talented chef, rented a room from Seo Jun's boss. Therefore, it's effortless for Seo Jun to stay at Ji Woo's place.

Both of them have very different personalities. Ji Woo is a quiet type, meanwhile, Seo Jun has the very opposite personality. At first, I don't know how their story would be developed, but, how Seojun is being honest toward Ji Woo and how Ji Woo gives special attention to Seojun, is enough to make me melt.

What I really like

One thing I remember for sure is how this series didn't make me cringe. I still remember how I really struggled when watching Cherry Winter After Blossoms. Yes, I am aware that the setting is different. But, To My Star is way better than CBAW. Seo Jun and Ji Woo's chemistry is built little by little. It just makes my heart warm watching it. 

Then, I loved how Ji Woo started to care for Seo Jun. He knows how Seo Jun still got trauma from his past. The way Ji Woo knows how to make Ji Woo calm. I love their intimate relations on this.

In my opinion. this mini-series definitely need a continuation story--and I am glad they have released the second season. I would do a separate review for it.

Conclusion

To My Star is a very good BL story. Even though it looked so simple, this mini-series definitely deserved more and more love. 

7.5 out of 10 stars

Sincerely,

Ra

Image: Amazon, edited by me

Title: The Cheat Sheet
Author: Sarah Adams
Narrator: Renee Dorian and Teddy Hamilton
Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC.
Date of publication: December 14th 2021
Duration: 8 hours, 57 minutes

Listening on Storytel

Is it ever too late to leave the friend-zone?

Hi, my name is Bree Camden, and I’m hopelessly in love with my best friend and star quarterback Nathan Donelson (so is half of America, judging by the tabloids and how much the guy dates). The first step is admitting, right? Except, I can never admit it to him because he clearly doesn’t see me that way, and the last thing I want is for things to get weird between us.

Nothing but good old-fashioned, no-touching-the-sexiest-man-alive, platonic friendship for us! Everything is exactly how I like it! Yes. Good. (I’m not crying, I’m just peeling an onion.)

Our friendship is going swimmingly until I accidentally spill my beans to a reporter over too much tequila, and now the world seems to think me and Nathan belong together. Oh, and did I mention we have to date publicly for three weeks until after the Super Bowl because we signed a contract with...oops, forgot I can’t tell anyone about that!

Bottom line is, now my best friend is smudging all the lines and acting very un-platonic, and I’m just trying to keep my body from bursting into flames every time he touches me.

How am I going to make it through three weeks of fake dating Nathan without anything changing between us? Especially when it almost-sort-a-kinda seems like he’s fighting for a completely different outcome?

Send help.
XO Bree

***

So, in order to finish this book, I tried to listen to it on Storytel. Well, at first, it's hard to catch the story, but the more I think about it, it's fun to listen to an audiobook.

The Friendzone

Bree is hopelessly in love with her best friend, Nathan Donelson. Nathan is a star quarterback and very popular. However close are they, Bree never got a chance to admit her feeling. Well, to be exact, she didn't want to admit it because she believe that Nathan doesn't feel the same and that confession will ruin their friendship.

On the other hand, in fact, Nathan has the same feeling as Bree. He also has the same fear. He doesn't wanna losing Bree if he confessed to her. So, just like that. Bree and Nathan are avoiding to confess to each other because they don't think the other party has the same feeling as theirs and, their friendship is more important than anything else.

One day, Bree accidentally spills something personal about her and Nathan to a reporter because she is too much drunk. It's inevitable. The world finally knows what's happening. As Nathan is practically a celebrity, his agent offers an opportunity for Nathan, but it will involve Bree. So, after that, the journey of a fake relationship between Nathan and Bree is begun.

Just be honest

After all this time, I believe being honest with each other is very important. Even though I ain't into that level, I understand sometimes we just don't wanna ruin our friendship if we are trapped in a friendzone. I believe, it will be better if we can be honest first. Whether it will be a good thing or end up being awkward. Confessing with someone, moreover to your friend, will be hard. But, doing nothing and keeping silent won't bring any good, too.

Just like Bree and Nathan. Since this novel uses two POVs, it feels so frustrating when they actually like each other but still overthink about the others. I mean, sometimes it annoyed me. Assuming about everything won't give a clear answer and it just makes you feel stupid, or more, like a fool.

What I like

Not much that I like about this novel. Neither from Bree's character nor Nathan's. But if I have to choose, I appreciate how Nathan tried to pay Bree's bill without saying anything. He also knows what's the important thing for Bree. Start from Bree's dream to make an affordable ballet dance class for any girl who is interested in it.

Other than that, I don't think I have another favourite scene.

Conclusion

I really like using audiobooks for now. At least, I can do my chores or else while listening to it. So, it definitely won't be my last attempt to use Storytel. 

For The Cheat Sheet, I think this is just an okay contemporary romance. Not really much happening and the story is not that engaging for me. 

So, let's give 3 stars for it for now :)

Sincerely,

Ra

Title: Fantastic Beasts: The Secret of Dumbledore
Director: David Yates
Writers: J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Mads Mikkelsen, Ezra Miller, Alison Sudol, Jessica Williams, Dan Fogler, Callum Turner

Watched at Cinepolis, Depok Town Square

Set several years after the events of its predecessor, the film sees Albus Dumbledore tasking Newt Scamander and his allies with a mission that takes them into the heart of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald's army.

Well, actually Fantastic Beast franchise is a franchise that I have really waited for. Unfortunately, this sequel is not as interesting as I expected it to be. There are so many factors that made me disappointed.

Newt is still... Newt

Albus Dumbledore, once again, assigned Newt Scamander to fight Grindelwald as he began to lead an army to eliminate muggles. With the help of his partners on this adventure, Theseus Scamander (Newt's brother), Jacob Kowalski, Bunty Broadacre (Newt's assistant), Yusuf  Kama and Lally Hicks (one of the professors from Ilvermorny). 

In the magical words, there is Qilin, a magical creature that can see into one's should as well as the future. This creature also has the ability of precognition, especially when choosing the next leader of the wizarding world. Knowing this, Grindelwald tried his best to kidnap the newborn Qilin and took advantage of it. 

As Dumbledor couldn't battle Grindelwald because of their blood pact, Dumbledore asked Newt to do it. Smh, Dumbledore. Why do you always disturb Newt's calm life?

After that, Newt's and his fellow partner's journey has begun. 

My thoughts

I have so many thoughts when watching this movie. I still love Newt and his characteristics, but I have so many things that I despised from this movie.

First, I know that it's inevitable for replacing Johny Depp for Grindelwald's role, but I think Mads Mikkelsen hasn't given that huge impact like what Depp does in the second movie. I just feel that charismatic but also scary vibe from him is not enough. 

Second, if the title of this movie is Fantastic Beast, I don't think the representation of the beast here is enough. I mean, all right, there is the Qilin who is the main creature in this movie. Then, I also love how Nibbler and Pickett are back... but, I just feel that should be more of them. It should be the main element of this movie, right?

Third, I still don't understand how Dumbledore broke his blood pact with Grindelwald. As I remember from the similar pact that was made between Severus Snape and Narcissa Malfoy, it's not easy to break the pact and Severus should do his vow no matter what. Ehm, or actually the blood pact is different from the unbreakable vow?

Fourth, so political but not enough background. I can understand why Rowling wants to take the story to a bigger level. I mean, she tried to introduce us to the magical world outside the schools. But, I think the background of it is explained vaguely. I still couldn't grasp the structure of the minister of magic from each country. Then, how about the supreme leader that Grindelwald pursued? Is that position could be equal to the general secretary of the United Nations? I just couldn't understand it.

What I like

Even though the experience when watching this movie is not really great, I still love the interaction between Newt and all of the fantastic beasts. I love how Pickett and Nibbler accompany Newt everywhere. Can we just get Pickett and Nibbler in real life?

My favourite scene would be when Newt tried to save Theseus from the prison. The way they have to do the crab dancing to control the Blast-Ended Skrewts is hilarious. I really love that part. 

Then, I love how they picture Lally as a smart female wizard. She is really amazing and killing it. She looks very charming here. Maybe, she could be my favourite character after Newt.

Conclusion

So, that's all for my thoughts. I know that it's mostly about my ranting, but tbh, that's what I feel. I really hope the next movie would be more focused on Newt and his magical creature world. Well, even though it's inevitable to fight Grindelwald too.

One thing for sure, I hope Rowling will still include Pickett and Nibbler in the next movie. 

6 out of 10 stars

Sincerely,

Ra

Image: Asian Wiki

Title: Mystic Pop-up Bar
Director: Chang Geun Jun
Script writer: Ha Yoon-ah
Cast: Hwang Jeong-eum, Yook Sung-jae, Choi Wonyoung
Number of episodes: 12 episodes
Watch on Netflix

Ssanggab Cart Bar opens only at night on the rooftop of a building. Wol-Ju (Hwang Jung-Eum) runs the mysterious food cart. Customers who visit Ssanggab Cart Bar consist of normal people and the dead. While drinking alcohol and eating dishes with Wol-Ju, the customers of Ssanggab Cart Bar talk about themselves and try to heal their internal wounds.

***

I watched this k-drama because of the Korean Culture K-drama Class (KCKC) at Bangtan Academy. This drama kinda reminds me of Hotel del Luna. The vibe and the story are similar, IMHO. I also love how they incorporated the spiritual element into modern life. It's interesting to watch.

The Pop-Up Bar

Mystic Pop-up Bar is a magical bar managed by Weol-ju, a hot-tempered woman who can enter your dream to fix your problem, and Chef Gwi (Guibanjang)--the former Afterlife Police Agency who voluntary help Weol-ju run the bar. 

Weo-ju should help the other people through their dream because she had a great sin, which was committing suicide on the sacred tree. Therefore, the afterlife court sent her to the Living Realm to settle the grudges of 100.000 souls and comfort them as a punishment. 

Then, there is Han Kang bae, a young man who has the ability to make people confess the truth by making physical contact with them. This ability really benefits Weol-ju to settle the last 10 souls that she should help. Therefore, she made a deal with Kang bae and promised him that she will get rid of Kang bae's unique ability.

My thought

As I said before, this drama reminds me of Hotel del Luna. There will be different cases for every episode and the supernatural element on it is very unique. Not to mention the comedic scenes that the director provided. It's very fresh and makes me smile all the time. The episode when they pretend to be part of the CIA is very funny. I couldn't help myself not to laugh because of that.

What I love about this drama are so many cultural and social phenomena that have been discussed. Starting from the sexual harassment in the workplace, the difficulty to apply for a job, the decision to have children, and others. I think I got a very diverse knowledge and perspectives after watching this drama.

In my opinion, the director and script-writer have succeeded to make a compact story that is not boring. They also succeeded to give a very meaningful message in every episode. Aside from that, how the story is wrapped up with more serious issues at the end is very clever. I can feel how sincere Weol-ju and Guibanjang are when taking care of Kang-bae. I also adore how Kang bae eventually trusts Weol ju.

Trivial thoughts

I think I should mention it here, there are two things that make me suspicious about Kang bae and Guibanjang's identities. Anyway, this will be a very spoiler part.

I do wonder why Weol-ju has naturally cared for Kang bae. When it ends up, technically he is Weol-ju's child, it does make any more sense. Moreover, I kinda feel the big noona energy from Weol-ju.

Then, about Guibanjang's identity, I don't know why, but I have known that he is the crown prince from the earliest episode. I feel proud because I can guess correctly.

Conclusion

Overall, I really love this drama. I think Mystic Pop-up Bar could be on my top-tier list. The story is great, the characters are so lovable and the conflict is just enough. Not over dramatic but still complicated.

So, 8 out of 10 stars for the Ssanggappocha.

Sincerely,

Ra

Image: Google

Title: 2gether

Director: Champ Weerachit Thongjila

Screenwriter: Pratchaya Thavornthummarut, Bee Pongsate Lucksameepong

Stars: Win Metawin Opas-iamkajorn, Bright Vachirawit Chivaare 

Watch on Netflix

Tine is a very handsome student and cheerleader in college, while Sarawat is one of the campus’ most popular guys and is also in the soccer and music club. When Tine is chased by Green, who he does not reciprocate feelings for — he ends up begging Sarawat to fake date with him in order to chase Green away. Somehow, just like the tale as old as time goes — pretend somehow starts to turn into reality. However, before a "happily ever after" there is the process of falling in love, and the slow realization that somehow they aren't pretending anymore. Somehow, they do not want to.

***

So, I think this is the first time I watched Thai TV Series in full. Something that I realized when I watched this series, it's not really different from Indonesian soap operas. Lol. I still remember about the place where they eat is similar to warteg here. 

Tine and Sarawat

Well, I am interested to watch this series because of the premise. Tine is a very handsome and cute student and cheerleader in college. We could say that he is a pretty boy and everyone adores him. Then, there is Sarawat, a cool boy with huge charisma. He is a member of the soccer and music club. Due to his coolness, he is the most popular boy on campus and everyone chased him. You know, when all of the girls chase him with all of their might.

When Tine is chased by Green, he is really frustrated. He didn't know how to "get rid of" Green from his life. So, after discussing everything with his closed-friend, Fong, Phuak, and Ohm, they gave the idea for Tine to fake date Sarawat. Note, that dating girls wouldn't be enough to make Green give up. Therefore, Tine needs someone that Green couldn't dare to snatch Tine away.

After so much drama and misunderstanding, finally, Tine and Sarawat being a couple and start to adjust their life. 

My Thought

At first, the premise looks so promising. So, actually, Tine is a bi, since he is still attracted to girls but also cannot resist Sarawat's charm. Most of the time, there are so many cliche scenes here and there. 

Tbh, I like the premise when they said that Sarawat actually has fallen for Tine for a very long time. But, it's not as smooth as I want him to be. I know that there are a lot of sweet scenes between Sarawat and Tine. Unfortunately, their intimate moment is so limited.

But maybe, my favourite scene would be when Sarawat is being attacked by his enemy. I think it was the beginning of Tine finally realizing how he was attracted to Sarawat.

Then, since this is the first time I watched the Thai BL Series, I couldn't believe how everyone around Tine and Sarawat are also gay couples too. Start from Type (Tine's brother) with Man (Sarawat's friend), Phukong (Sarawat's brother) and MIl (Sarawat's enemy), until Green and Dim. That makes the story isn't focused at all. I do wonder if this is really common in the BL universe? 

One tiny note, I just remember about Sarawat and Tine's background. The fact that Sarawat is an IR student is something that  I like the most. Then, Tine is a law student. What an interesting background of them.

Conclusion

This is an okay series. I somewhat adore Tine and Sarawat's relationship. But, since there are other couples here, the focus in this series has been dispersed and I didn't really fancy it. I don't know whether I will search for another Thai BL drama again or not... but let's see.

5 out of 10 stars.

Sincerely.

Ra

Image: gramedia, edited by me

Judul: The Midnight Library

Penulis: Matt Haig

Penerjemah: Dharmawati

Tebal buku: 368 halaman

Tahun terbit: Juni 2021

Penerbit: Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Baca di Gramedia Digital

Di antara kehidupan dan kematian terdapat sebuah perpustakaan yang jumlah bukunya tak terhingga. Tiap-tiap buku menyediakan satu kesempatan untuk mencoba kehidupan lain yang bisa dijalani sehingga kau bisa melihat apa yang terjadi kalau kau mengambil keputusan-keputusan berbeda... Akankah kau melakukan apa pun secara berbeda jika kau mendapat kesempatan untuk membatalkan penyesalan-penyesalanmu? Benarkah kehidupan lain akan jauh lebih baik?

Nora Seed harus membuat keputusan. Ia dihadapkan pada kemungkinan bisa mengubah hidupnya, memiliki karier yang berbeda, tidak putus dari mantan kekasih, dan mewujudkan mimpinya sebagai glasiolog. Ia menjelajahi Perpustakaan Tengah Malam untuk memutuskan apa sebenarnya yang menjadikan hidup pantas dijalani. Setelah kehidupan yang diisi berbagai penyesalan dan kegagalan, akankah Nora Seed akhirnya mendapatkan kehidupan yang bisa memberinya kebahagiaan sejati?

***

The Midnight Library adalah buku rekomendasi dari Mbak Dewi untuk #12Challenge. Kemarin sempat mencoba "baca bareng" Kakpin dan Kak Wardah. Untungnya aku tidak mendusta, meski yang paling lama kelarnya.

Nora dan pilihan-pilihan hidup

Di ambang kematian, Nora sampai di Perpustakaan Tengah Malam. Sebuah perpustakaan yang memberikan ketidakterbatasan kemungkinan hidup bagi Nora. Ya, Nora bisa mengambil satu buku di perpustakaan itu dan menjalani hidup-hidup yang berbeda dari kehidupan akarnya. Mrs. Elm menjadi pemandu Nora saat menjalani berbagai kehidupan dari buku-buku di perpustakaan itu. Apakah Nora bisa menemukan kehidupan yang ia inginkan?

Dari awal, vibe buku ini memang cukup depresif. Mau tidak mau, kita akan dibawa hanyut dalam kehidupan penuh penyesalan dari Nora. Mulai dari penyesalan putus dengan Dan (pacarnya), tidak ikut Izzy ke Australia, atau mundur dari The Labyrinth. Jujur, ceritanya cukup berat. Aku betul-betul harus fokus saat membacanya.

Pembahasan soal mental health sebetulnya menjadi pembahasan utama dalam buku ini. Bagaimana seorang Nora memahami penyesalan-penyesalannya dan akhirnya bisa menemukan arti untuk hidup.

Bagus tapi aku agak bosan

Sebetulnya, jenis buku magic realism itu bagus, kok. Apalagi menyangkut isu kesehatan mental. Pesan yang mau disampaikan juga cukup mengena. Permasalahannya, aku merasa agak bosan ketika membaca buku ini. Menurutku, ceritanya lambat sekali. Entahlah. Aku hanya merasa konflik yang ditampilkan tidak sebegitu linearnya. Apalagi, dengan berbagai kehidupan yang harus ia jalani, kisah keseluruhan Nora terasa terputus. 

Kalau ditanya apakah ada lovable character.. aku rasa enggak ada. Aku bisa bilang tema buku ini memangs serius. Jadi, kalau tidak fokus, akan susah untuk bisa memahami keseluruhan ceritanya.

Kesimpulan

The Midnight Library memang bagus, kok. Meskipun agak membosankan, ceritanya cukup kompleks dan ngasih value lebih. Jadi, setelah selesai membaca buku satu ini, mari kita membaca hal-hal yang ringan setelah ini karena terus membaca buku berat malah bikin enggak semangat. 

3.5 dari 5 bintang.

Sincerely, 

Ra

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

***

Well, when we don't have any idea about what to read, sometimes rereading our favourite book could be the best option. So, here we go. I would like to share some of the books that I love to reread when I need some escape.

Ps, most of it will be Indonesian books or manga

1. My Faded First Love (Kieta Hatsukoi) - Wataru Hinekure

I think, at this point, I won't hesitate to read Kiekoi again and again. The story is so wholesome and Aoki-Ida is indeed a very sweet couple. I still despise how they decided to end the manga next month, I still wanna read more about their story. Hope the author will take a further decision to continue this manga.

2. Harry Poter Series - J.K. Rowling

I mean, Harry Potter is one of my all time favourite series. So, it's not surprising if I choose this series as one of my comfort reads. The fantasy is great and not as high as LOTR for example. I still couldn't finish LOTR until now. Maybe high fantasy is just hard for me to digest.

3.Trilogi Mawar Merah (Red Roses Trilogy) - Luna Torashyngu

Mawar Merah is one of my all time favourite teen lit books. The story is about a female assassin, moreover, in Indonesia's setting, it's very rare to be found. Therefore, its uniqueness is the element that made this book my comfort read.

4. Eiffel, Tolong! (Eiffel, Help!) - Clio Freya

Another teen lit book that I really love. I could say that this book is the book that introduce me to an online book community. Therefore,  Eiffel, Tolong! is very memorable for me. The story is quite light even though there is a lot of uniqueness there. I mean, who would think about a spy story in the middle of Paris?

5. Let Go - Windhy Puspitadewi

This book is a book that I would love to reread because the friendship story is amazing. Sadly, it's hard for me to find a copy of it. The physical version has no longer available and the digital version is nowhere to be found. Sigh.

6. Restart - Nina Ardianti

For me, Restart is one of my favourite contemporary romances. I just love how Nina Ardianti tells her story. It's engaging and not confusing. I love how drama Syiana is and Fedrian is just a gorgeous male lead character.

7. Omen Series - Lexie Xu

Of every series made by Lexie Xu, my comfort reads would be the Omen Series. This horror story is a series that I didn't expect to like. Then, the twist in every story is also unexpected.

8. Dear Dylan - Stephanie Zen

The story about a celebrity who falls in love with a fan maybe sounds so cliche. But I found out that this book is interesting. The way Stephanie Zen portrayed both Dylan and Alice's stories is really great. I don't feel bored when reading it.

9. Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles Series) - Marissa Meyer

Well, for now, if I want to reread something, I remember that this series is worth rereading. I love how Meyer turns the fairytale story into a modern version. Therefore, this story is captivating in some way. 

10. Fly to the Sky - Nina Ardianti, Moemoe Rizal

I don't know how many times I reread this book. Fly to the Sky, is really my comfort book. Edyta with her quirkiness and Ardian who is quiet but charming at the same time. Since I have the physical of it, I always choose Fly to the Sky whenever I got a reading slump.

Well, that's all for my story today. 7/10 of it is an Indonesian book. So, maybe you will have interested to read them. 

Sincerely,

Ra

Image: media matamata

Title: Twenty Five Twenty One

Director: Jung Ji-hyun

Writer: Kwon Do-eun

Stars: Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Bona, Choi Hyun-wook, Lee Joo-Myoung

Number of episodes: 16 episodes

Release date: February 12-April 3 2022

Watched on Netflix

"Twenty-Five, Twenty-One" tells a love story between Na Hee-Do (Kim Tae-Ri) and Back Yi-Jin (Nam Joo-Hyuk).

Na Hee-Do is a member of her high school fencing team. Due to the South Korean financial crisis, the high school fencing team gets disbanded. Getting through all the difficulties, she becomes a member of the sabre fencing national team.

The South Korean financial crisis also causes Back Yi-Jin’s father's business to go bankrupt. This leads to a life change for Back Yi-Jin, from living the life of a wealthy person to a poor person. While studying, he works part-time jobs like delivery newspapers. Later, he becomes a sports reporter for a broadcasting network.

While watching Business Proposal, I also watched Twenty-Five Twenty-One. Well, let's just call it 2521 since it's too long. Compared to Business Proposal, 2521 will bring a more serious side to a k-drama. It talked about friendship, dreams, and also love.

Yi-jin and Hae-do's Story

From the title, this story is about two people in their 20s. There's Yi-jin, your charming male lead character. Unfortunately, the 1998 financial crisis has led Yi-jin's family into bankruptcy. Consequently, Yi-jin should live by himself and try to find a job as soon as possible.  He must also drop out of college. Things that really broke my heart were when Yi-jin said he would promise not to be happy for the sake of his parent's employee, who should also suffer as a result of the bankruptcy.

There is, on the other hand, Hae-do. A young talented girl who adores fencing. Fencing has been a part of her life since she was a child. It's also a part of her last memories of her father. Due to the financial crisis, Hae-do's school decided to close their fencing club once. This decision enraged Hae-do. So, she attempted to transfer to another school, specifically Go Yu-rim's, a young fencer whom she idolized. 

She hoped to become friends with Yu-rim and improve her skills. Unfortunately, those fantasies will not become a reality so smoothly. Hae-do's mother opposed Hae-do's wish to transfer. Then, when Hae-do finally meets Yu-rim, she is surprised that Yu-rim is so cold and harsh towards her.

Perhaps it was fate that brought Yi-jin and Hae-do together. I believe they require each other's presence to achieve their goals. Yi-jin for resolving all of his family's problems, and Hae-do for her determination to be Korea's greatest fencer. At first glance, I believe this drama will not be overly focused on the romance aspect, and I am quite right about it. 2521, in my opinion, is about dealing with life and achieving your goals as best you can.

The Story and The Diary

The story started when Kim Min-chae, Hae-do's daughter, opened and read Hae-do's diary. Starting from there, Min-chae finally knows that what her mother has accomplished is far from a flowery path. Min-chae learned about Hae-friendships do's with Yu-rim, Moon Ji-ung, and Ji Sun-wan in addition to the fencing journey. Anyway, I enjoy watching their friendship. Don't forget to include Yi-jin in the same frame.

To be honest, despite its comedic elements, I would say that this drama has a serious tone. Mbak Dewi ever told me that this drama is interesting because of the "Mistery of Mr. Kim." Yes, as you can see, Min-chae's surname is "Kim." Meanwhile, Baek Yi-jin, the male lead character who has a love interest in Hae-do, has the surname "Baek". So, who is Min-chae's father? I heard that many fans worked hard to solve the mystery. Even 2521 has an alternative title because of it. Yeah, it's called "Finding Mr. Kim".  They observed every detail of the drama to find the clue. Unfortunately, we won't know who Mr. Kim is until the very end.

And apart from their wholesome story, the ending of this drama is hugely essential. I believe that the majority of viewers would agree that the ending of 2521 is terribly frustrating. For this, I must quote MbakDew... "2521 is the story of two people. How could they not mention Yi-jin at the end of the story?" Yes. I fully agree. The production team is extremely cruel. They provided no information about Yi-jin. There is also no hint of the "now" Yi-Jin at all. It really frustrated me.

I mean, I like the story; the main message is wholesome, the friendship story is something I wished for, and Hae-do and Yi-jin's relationship is fluffy but not overly so. But, with such a vague ending....? This is not your typical k-drama, that will give you a second season, please. Sigh.

Conclusion

Aside from my frustration at not being able to see the "now" Baek Yi-jin, I still enjoy the story. Every episode is intriguing, and the story is very interesting. Yeah, I love their execution for 2521. Oh, I should also mention the ost for this k-drama is really good. My favourite would be "Your Existence" by Wonstein. You should check this out.

Anyway, I still have a lot of movies and dramas to review, so please bear with me.

7 out of 10 stars.

Sincerely,

Ra

Image: WeTV

Title: Cherry Blossoms After Winter

Director: Yoon Joon Ho

Genres: Romance, Youth, Drama

Number of Episodes: 8 episodes

Watched on WeTV

The death of his parents forces a seven-year-old boy named Seo Hae Bom to move in with an adoptive family who have a young son of the same age named Jo Tae Seong. Seo Hae Bom is in awe of Jo Tae Seong – he considers the boy to be everything that he is not: tall, handsome, popular, caring, and worthy of love and attention. The diminutive Seo Hae Bom thinks himself inferior and is humbled by the kindness of the family that took him in. Things become slightly different for the duo, however, after Seo Hae Bom and Jo Tae Seong end up in the same high school class. All of a sudden, they are spending more time than ever together at home and at school. An unexpected romantic spark ignites between the two – but what will Cupid have to say about all this?

***

I found Cherry Blossoms After Winter, a BL miniseries on WeTV. This mini-series, in my opinion, is perfect if you're looking for a fluffy romantic story. The series followed Hae Bom (Ok Jin Uk), who has been residing at Jo Tae Seong's (Kang Hui) house since his parents passed away. As a humble person, Hae Bom tried not to take the kindness of the Tae Seong family for granted, especially Tae Song's mother, Ha Eun Sun (Lee Hyun Kung). As a result, after Hae Bom graduates from high school, he plans to move out.

Jo Tae Seong is a typical main male protagonist. He is tall, attractive, intelligent, well-liked, compassionate, and deserving of love and care. Tae Seong decides to get closer to Hae Bom after learning of his plans to leave his house. After all, he had never thought of Hae Bom as a brother or a friend. Tae Seong has a feeling to Hae Bom for quite some time

My Thought

This miniseries is based on a webtoon of the same name. Because this is a short series, it's natural to compress the plot into only 8 episodes. The plot is not particularly complicated. The central conflict of the series concerns how Hae Bom and Tae Seong resolved their misunderstanding their coming-out to Mrs. Ha. Nevertheless, Haebom does not want to let her down.

This miniseries is an okay drama in my opinion. I can't think of a single likeable character that I adore. When I originally saw the first episode, I thought Hae Boom appeared to be extremely awkward. It's difficult to imagine their romantic side because they appear like Hyung and Dongsaeng.

Because I also read the webtoon, the story has been shortened because there are so many plot lines that need to be cut. I'm not sure if there will be a second season, but I believe their college years will be more meaningful because there will be so many conflicts.

Nonetheless, I admire Tae Seong's efforts to justify his feelings for Hae Bom. It's one of my personal favorites. Apart from that, I'd like to point out that Jin Ah (Johyun) and Yong Hee (Cha Gun) are two other great friends in the BL universe.

Conclusion

CBAW is a really light and fluffy BL story that you can watch. However, please be cautious of the level of cringiness here.

5.5 out of 10 stars

Sincerely

Ra