334. The Fiery Priest 열혈사제 (2019) Korean

Kim Nam Gil, Kim Sung Kyun, Lee Ha Nui, Go Joon, Keum Sae Rok

Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A+

I don't know if I've ever had a drama that's stressed me out this much. I loved it, but I also was so worried about half the characters all the time, especially since the bad guys were just so bad. Like they really made them kick puppies. Like, they made them hurt children, and priests, and puppy priests, and really nice people. Also, half the characters that you know are supposed to be good guys are working for the bad guys. This was a corruption crime drama on steroids. It reminded me a lot of Lawless Lawyer, with the level of corruption, etc., but with a much larger comedy element. Even the bad guys were comedic, just not when they were killing people, etc. Also, we don't get the romance because, well, he's a priest. Waste of some good chemistry, but it's not about that. But what it doesn't have in romance is made up with some epic bromances.

I Was Sleepless in the DMV: My Epik High Adventures

I live in a not exciting rural part of the U.S., so when Kpop groups announce their World Tours, I usually don't have any chance of them being close at all. So, Lizabreff, Curdy, and I started what I now call "Destination K-pop" where we travel to new cities to see concerts and also play tourists. It's more expensive, yes, but we also get out of our state and see new things we would have less of an excuse to see. All the things! This is how I've finally got to see Los Angeles, Las Vegas (although I'd been there plenty times before), Chicago, Dalles, Philadelphia, and now, Washington, DC.

So, when Epik High announced their European Tour, I almost ended up buying tickets to their Amsterdam or Helsinki concerts. They were even during my spring break. But then my car died and I couldn't justify spending THAT much money (someday). But my obsession with Epik High made me almost bite that bullet, but instead the best news came of their North American tour.

Could this be a spoiler?! https://t.co/UP9CfUJ802

— 에픽하이 타블로 | Tablo of Epik High (@blobyblo) February 9, 2019

They were even asking where to go. Best news ever. I don't think I have snatched up tickets that fast.

NORTH AMERICA! It's been waaaaay too long. We're coming back to a city near you!

Tickets on-sale at https://t.co/qivcxrHser on Fri Feb 15th, 10AM local time. #EpikHigh2019Tour #에픽하이 #EPIKHIGH pic.twitter.com/2SyVPM5mw7

— 에픽하이 타블로 | Tablo of Epik High (@blobyblo) February 12, 2019

Considering the time when they announced the tour to the time the tickets were on sale anyway. I'm a history nerd, so the thought of going to see Epik High AND all the Smithsonian museums was too much to pass up. So I jumped on my next destination K-pop adventure and was quite sleepless in the DMV.

320. Martial Universe 武动乾坤 (2018) Chinese

Yang Yang, Zhang Tianai, Wang Likun, Wu Chun

Drama Rating: Dropped     Neck Score: A+

So this is different. I don't think I've done one of these for a while, because I am a finisher and I don't want to give up when I've already invested 20 hours in a drama. But I know I will probably never get back to this drama, so I'm officially dropping it and writing a review of it to the point where I just couldn't get myself to go on. I liked the premise of this drama, I liked most of the characters, I like all the actors, but I just couldn't stick with all the stupidity and drama. I like that the main character Lin Dong starts off as basically a loser and then does the classic fighting anime level up to become the best. But it was just taking too long. It's okay to have heroes who start off as losers, but have them start improving sooner instead of dragging it out. Yang Yang was doing a good job of it too at first. I totally forgot he was the same guy as in Love 020, who was a "Mr. Perfect" type. I'm not saying become perfect overnight, but it got really draggy seeing the same thing over and over. He can't win by dumb luck and the sacrifice of his comrades for forever. If you're going to Dragon Ball it up, then actually level up, dude.

333. Touch Your Heart 진심이 닿다 (2019) Korean

Lee Dong Wook, Yoo In Na, Lee Sang Woo, Son Sung Yoon, Oh Jung Se

Drama Rating: 7/10     Neck Score: A+

This isn't a law drama. It's not really a celebrity drama either. It's a romantic comedy that happens to be about a celebrity and a lawyer falling in love. The actual time taking place in the courtroom or on set is very limited. Which is fine with me. This is just pure cuteness and romance, fulfilling our eager wishes to see Reaper and Sunny get a happy ending. It's a shippers dream come true. It was clearly written to be that next chapter hinted at in the end of Goblin, and we're 100% okay with that.

335. Romance is a Bonus Book 로맨스는 별책부록 (2019) Korean

Lee Na Young, Lee Jong Suk, Jung Eugene, Wi Ha Joon

Drama Rating: 7/10     Neck Score: A+

This drama was definitely of the feel good variety, where you fell in love with all the characters and the dramatic crap was to a minimum. I also loved that it had more of a down to earth feel while still being the stuff of fantasies with a cute, perfect, younger guy/noona romance that brings on the feels. The fact that Cha Eun Ho (Lee Jong Suk) is an all around nice guy, extremely talented, and is super hot and respectful might seem a little less realistic, but it doesn't make it any less fun to watch. It made me like it more. He was supportive rather than "taking the lead" like is common in so many dramas. When Kang Dan Yi (Lee Na Young) made her choices, he respected them. When his superiors at work made choices, he supported them. Everyone had a good synergy. The realistic parts were the things they were all struggling with, and I loved how everyone had their own struggles, but that no one was unreasonably mean, bad, or unrealistic. By the end you just love everyone and are full of the feels and smiles. So I really loved it.

Harakiri 切腹 (1962) Japanese

Tatsuya Nakadai, Shima Iwashita, Akira Ishihama, Yoshio Inaba

Movie rating: 9/10     Neck score: A

My little brother really wanted to show me this movie, because it was one that he loved, but there are only a few people who he knew who would actually be interested in it. I was one of them, especially since it takes place in the period of Japanese history that I wrote my senior thesis on, so it was extra interesting to me, so I loved it. However, I can see why people might not love it, because if you aren't familiar with the history, it's slow pace and lengthy talking sequences might bore you.

Basically, it is about the Tokugawa period, when the extended period of peace threw off the class structure when all the sudden the warlords lost power to the shogun, leaving hundreds to thousands of samurai without jobs and stable incomes. Because of the class structure they weren't able to get manual labor jobs and were forced to scrap for a living. This show starts when a ronin (or jobless samurai) shows up on a lord's estate asking if he could use their courtyard to perform seppuku (aka harakiri) or ritual suicide where they cut their stomachs open horizontally, then vertically, and then they will have their head cut off by their second. This leads to the revelation of a popular scam of ronin coming to manors and asking for this favor in the hopes of showing their determination and either scoring a job or some money, which is a tricky balance of honor. Should the manor call bluff? Should they honor the request? Or should they potentially be scammed?

The movie is a lot of storytelling, both visually as well as through all the talking, and through the slow unfolding of the story, you get to see multiple sides of the tale, and realize things are not what they seem. It is a commentary on honor, appearances, and the social structure of society in that period. It can also comment on the periods following.

There are some very intense scenes, including some with fighting, made more intense when your trivia knowing brother tells you that it was shot using real swords that were sharp even. The tension is palpable. But besides the few scenes of physical action, the mental action during all the talking is also tense, as each reveal leaves you with some awe, as well as anticipation as to how the story will unfold when you start to connect the dots and realize that there is way more than meets the eye. It was basically some dang good writing, good action, good acting. I loved it.

330. The Last Empress 황후의 품격 (2018) Korean

Jang Na Ra, Choi Jin Hyuk, Shin Sung Rok, Shin Eun Kyung, Lee Elijah

Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A+

Some of you might already know this, but I love makjang (aka overly melodramatic). But not just any makjang, I like the classy, but crazy kind that twists through through all the emotions and all the drama without making you want to chew your leg off to escape it. The kind that is so fantastic that you just eat it up and want more. The Last Empress was exactly what I like. Not only that, but all the craziness was fortified by a stellar cast that made everything worth it, even at the crazier times. I have always loved Jang Na Ra, so seeing her take down the rotten royal family was the best. Also, and you might have heard this a time or two but, I love Shin Sung Rok. As a super fangirl, this show just might have been a dream come true. He was really in his element with the complex character that was the emperor. One part villain, one part hero, at least two parts lover, and a whole lot of crazy. The chemistry between him and Jang Na Ra was nothing short of amazing and that really complicated things because even when he was being a supreme douche bag and you knew he was lying, you still wanted to believe his fake cuteness because the chemistry was there. Now that's messed up and perfect makjang right there.

So, yeah, I might have a problem to begin with.

Note: Reading on might contain mild spoilers, so be warned.