Liebster redux

So the Liebster happened. And it was very fun. Then a few more sets of questions were thrown my way. And it’s not like I don’t adore sharing my opinion on things so, without further ado, I give you… Edited to add one more set! (6.12.2013)

source

…more about me (and my thoughts on k-dramas, blogging and extreme eating).

First set of questions come from Curioser and Curiosor of SPQ&R:

1. If you were organizing an award ceremony for KDramas and you got to decide the most meaningful storytelling categories to be judged, what would they be? Name as many as you like and briefly tell us what you are looking for in the winner(s). Not very original and pretty darn obvious, but I’d go with: (1) Slice of Life: Dramas focused on character interactions and quiet changes — not very plot heavy; (2) Coming of Age: Dramas focused on the challenges of leaving childhood behind and becoming an adult — a slightly more structured plot than the first category; (3) Hero’s Journey: Dramas focused on the character(s) becoming something more than they’d imagined they could be — the most plot-heavy of the three categories. I think you could put a lot of different genres under each of those three headings. Which could make for some interesting compare/contrast. (And probably really low viewer ratings.)
2. If you had to compare your experience with KDrama with literature, which literary titles come to mind and what is the analogy you would draw with KDrama? Here you can be as general or as specific as you like. I was trying to think of specific genres and… it’s too varied, honestly. (Which is awesome!) However, unlike most of the television I’d been used to, k-dramas tell a complete story with a fully-formed arc that begins and ends. And unlike movies (which do have the story-arc), the story is long enough to include secondary characters and plots — little deviations that more fully flesh out the story’s world. So! If the standard U.S. television show is like a never-ending serial, and movies are like a short-story, k-dramas are novels. And novels are my favorite form of fiction. (No wonder I fell so hard!)
3. Suppose you were given the green light and full budget to produce your own KDrama series, what story would you tell? Tell us about the genre (melo, rom-com, sageuk), the source (original, remake, history, mythology). I’d hemmed and hawed on this one for an embarrassingly long time when it hit me… A continuation of White Christmas about 10 years later. It should have been obvious because I’ve been thinking about a possible book based on the idea for a while now (in a very casual, won’t actually happen, day-dreamy kind of way). It’d be a mystery-thriller, very noir (like the original drama) and open with a double-murder (Yoon Su’s parents) and enough clues (maybe a cryptic note?) to alert the now-adult surviving students that their past has come back to haunt them. I’ve thought out careers and who’s still in touch with whom, new secrets being kept… everything except the actual murderer. (I go back and forth on that one.) It’d be so incredibly awesome you don’t even know! In my head, anyway.
4. Now for the gimme: Have you ever tried to stuff your mouth with food the way they do in KDrama (especially in  contemporary comedies)? If so, how did that turn out? [Full disclosure: I’m reeeally impressionable so I tried it once and… well.., Oh, wait, I’m the one asking questions now, so have at it!] Hah! No — that particular cultural-tic did not tickle me. (I actually tend to picture the spit-bucket lurking just outside frame when those sort of scenes are shot. You know there has to be a spit-bucket.)

Four out of eight reasons White Christmas is awesome.

Second set comes from Eye Candy and Miss D of All That Drama:

1. What is one feature you wish you could add to your blog and why? Ooh! I hadn’t thought about this before, but your question got me thinking and… it’d be very cool if a popular (high comment numbers) post could somehow get floated up to a special spot so people passing by could see there was a conversation going on and join on in. It’d have to be date-sensitive too so it’d be current conversation. Just some way to keep the party going even if I have other posts coming along. (I think the “current discussions” section on my side-bar kind of fulfills this task — but it’s not all that visually grabbing.)
2. What were you doing before you watched kdramas? Trying to figure out what that big black hole was in my life? Okay — slight exaggeration. Though, I had begun to pull further and further away from U.S. television around the time I stumbled across my first k-drama. Plus, I’m used to some sort of on-line fandom interaction and, as shows got cancelled, I missed having something to write about. So there actually was an empty place. I didn’t expect k-dramas to fill it at first — but there was enough meat to various dramas to get me thinking. And from that writing eventually and inevitably followed.
3. What show ending do you wish you could re-write and how would you? Hmm… So many shows to choose from. (A bad or unsatisfying or even just slightly off ending has tainted — or all out ruined — many a drama for me. I honestly think the ending is the biggest slipping point for all stories.) I’ll go with Nice Guy, because it was so, so, so close to being awesome-sauce. But the ending was sadly flat. I’m too far away from it to think of specifics, but I’d have definitely had Eun-gi (Moon Chae-won’s character) figure out who was going what a lot more quickly (shortly after she got her memory back, I think) so she could play the game as well. And then I’d have her actually outsmart her enemies, getting her company back on her own. And I’d have her make a physical and courageous choice to love Ma-roo (Song Joong-ki) that involved her actively saving his life and getting him to the hospital for surgery. Basically be the proactive and involved character she’d been in the beginning. Then her wooing him at the end would have felt a lot more — of course! — than pasted on and fan-servicey.

[Added 6.12.2013.] We’ve got a third set of questions! Jandoe from You Don’t Know Me threw down a gauntlet in the comments below. I love gauntlets! So I picked it up and ran with it (and the metaphor) and here you go:

1. If you could relive your life totally differently, would you? Why or why not? If there was a way to do it as just a look-see rather than a full on commitment, sure! Just to see where the multitude of other paths available to me throughout my life may have led. If it was an “all sales are final” offer? No. Definitely not. I’ve watched too many time traveling shows to not realize — that way lies madness. Even Time Lords screw it up for goodness sake — surely we humans aren’t ready for that sort of power. (Plus, on the whole, I’m pretty happy with where I am, and where I might be heading, right now.)
2. What does “being in the moment” mean to you? Not being distracted by regrets over the past or fears for the future and being totally present with what you’re doing now. Even if it involves planning for the future or handling consequences of the past. Though… I think it’s probably supposed to be more intense than that — like laser-focusing on what’s going on right now. Which I think can only be sustained for brief periods of time. Of course, I love to day-dream which I think goes against that sort of thing so… maybe not the best person to ask? What was the question agai– Squirrel!
3. If you could turn back time to your younger self to impart some life lesson you now know as an adult, how old would then-you be, what wisdom would you impart and why? Let’s say my age now, speaking to myself at… twelve (ah puberty… that harsh mistress) and I’d say: Go crazy playing with makeup and fashion and hairstyles! Don’t be worried too much about getting it right the first time — this is the time to experiment! Join any club that looks interesting. You can drop it if it doesn’t work! Wear sunscreen!
4. Describe yourself through pop culture references, who/what would that be and why? I prefer Spock to Kirk, Han to Luke, Zuko to Aang and — just to throw in a wildcard — Spike to Angel. I’d love to be Scully but am probably more Willow. I’d actually be happy with being Gabrielle because her arc is awesome — plus there’s the bard thing. (And yes I’m noticing I’m casting myself as warrior-girl’s best friend — someone’s got to handle the research! And the cooking.) My ship is Serenity with the Tardis a close second. And if it came down to it: Batman would beat Superman. (If he doesn’t have a piece of kryptonite secreted away in a lead-lined pocket on his utility belt… well then congratulations! We’ve just landed in Bizarro World.)
5. Pick a favorite song and tell us why! Maybe because I’ve been traveling down pop-culture memory-lane but this song popped into my head and won’t come out: “The World Is Just Awesome” or the boom-de-yada song. Because come on! It’s awesome and inspiring and funny all at the same time. And it’s spawned so many remixes. (Also — if you’ve read my last Liebster post — I feature right around the 45 second mark.) Weird thing? It’s a commercial. A commercial! (I’m not sure what that says about me…)

I didn’t identify the pop-culture references I sprinkled throughout my answers. Bonus points to anyone who identifies any of them! (One is really, really obscure — I’ll be curious if anyone gets it. Has nothing to do with the pic.)

And that’s it! Once again — this was a fun exercise. And once again — I highly recommend you follow the links. There are two three cool blogs lurking on the other end.