The pavilion by the lake was buzzing with preparations for the evening meal. Maids set up the table and cushions while eunuchs lit up and hung lanterns. The dark purple hue of the evening sky signalized that the day was almost over and the lake’s surface shined reflecting the sunset’s beautiful color palette. And once the last rays of the sun disappear, the moon with stars would become visible finalizing a lovely picture of the day.
Continue readingAuthor: orladark
Wonderful World: episodes 1-4 opinion
Eun Soo Hyun (Kim Nam Joo) had a perfect life. She was a psychology professor and successful writer, a devoted wife and mother. Her world was wonderful… Until one day her life was divided into before and after when her 5-year-old son died in a hit-and-run incident and the man responsible avoided punishment. Crushed and heartbroken, Soo Hyun takes justice into her hands.
The pain won’t go away that easily. The healing is needed for our female lead and not only her. She would meet other people living with pain in their hearts and maybe together they would find a way to move on.
Continue readingA Good Day to be a Dog: an underrated rom-com of 2023
MBC’s rom-com “A Good Day to be a Dog” tells the story of Han Hae Na (Park Gyu Young) – a young teacher whose family carries a curse through the centuries. If she kisses someone the curse activates and turns her into a dog from midnight until 6 am. In order to break the curse, she must kiss the same person in her dog form within 100 days. Otherwise, she stays in her dog form forever.
Sounds complicated but it’s just a set-up for a light and funny rom-com where our Hae Na must find a way to kiss her colleague, a math teacher, from the school where she’s working – Jin Seo Won (Cha Eun Woo). The one who was scared of dogs due to his trauma from being a victim of bullying in his school days. It would be easier if they already liked each other but she kissed him by mistake! Omo, what to do?
Continue readingChapter 7: Building New Beginnings
Soyong methodically put one stitch after another creating a beautiful colorful embroidery. Her hand with the needle raised, pulled the blue string and then moved back, over and over again, shaping the bird’s wing.
The pavilion she had chosen for her embroidery session was in complete silence despite being rather crowded with three concubines joining her each with the company of maids.
Continue readingChapter 6: The King’s Broken Heart
A blissful feeling of waking up after a full and healthy sleep was graced upon Wonbeom in the morning. After years and years of suffering from nightmares, it felt like a nice change to slowly come to consciousness instead of feeling restless all of sudden and waking up abruptly sitting in his bed. Nor special Arabic jasmine tea nor the complete tiredness after exhausting training could accomplish this. Nothing felt better than happiness and Wonbeom hadn’t felt that hopeful and joyful in a long time.
Continue readingChapter 5: Fond Memories
The throbbing feeling of nostalgia gripped Soyong’s heart as she walked through the hallway of her home. She missed this place so much that it appeared in her dreams repeatedly. Soyong knows every tree or bushe in the courtyard, every brick on the wall surrounding their estate, and every creaky floorboard inside the house. She knew how to sneak out without being caught to watch the stars. Or where to hide when she and her cousins played hide-and-seek.
Continue readingChapter 4: A Face to Remember
The palace was always crowded with countless faces: eunuchs in their emerald-colored robes with black headpieces and maids with braids tied on top of their heads in strictly one hairstyle. There were also various court officials whose attire colors and embroideries differed based on rank.
Those faces could change every day, and Wonbeom didn’t care because the personalities behind them didn’t matter. All of them were someone’s spies. How he slept, what he ate, every book he read, every sideways glance – all were reported to someone.
Continue readingChapter 3: The Night Out
The morning greeted Soyong with a horrible headache and regrets. Her memories of last night were blurry but she remembered just enough to understand that she made a terrible mistake agreeing to the drinks. She thought she could manage it: leading the King to drink more than her and end the night early. But to her disappointment, the King refused to fall for her tricks.
Continue readingChapter 2: A Wish on a Star
Wonbeom’s hideout from the heavy rain reminded him of Kim Soyong. Their first meeting could be described as an accidental encounter from a typical romance novel with long stares and a surprising connection formed between the two.
Now Wonbeom was stuck under the same roof however the woman who stood by his side only appeared as Soyong but in fact was someone else entirely. Wonbeom used to be a powerless puppet King, now he reigns in full strength yet he can’t bring Soyong back. Some things even the Kings cannot do. That led him to make a wish at one starry night when the skies looked like falling:
“I wish Soyong could find her way home”
Continue readingChapter 1: Lost and Found
Soyong dreamed of warm summer nights. The paper lanterns were hung around the gazebo with a great view of the mountains against the starry night sky. She sat on the cushion with her gayageum on her lap playing her father’s favorite melody. Her dad as always proudly praised her skills and her orabeoni Kim Byeong-in smiled nodding in agreement. The next melody Soyong has chosen to play is for him, something very difficult so she can impress him even more.
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