Category: Featured

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Three K-Dramas to Help You Forget Just How Stressful Life is Right Now

We all know the world is crazy right now. While some countries are going into a second lockdown, here in the U.S., all eyes are fixed on the results of this week’s presidential election. While staying up-to-date on everything happening in the world isn’t a bad thing, it does tend to bring with it, an overwhelming amount of anxiety. In an effort to help ease some of life’s stress, I’ve put together a short list of dramas that are sure to provide you with a much-needed and very welcome distraction.

Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol

Don’t let the name of this Netflix Original fool you. Behind this rather ridiculous title lies a sweet little drama full of warmth and charm. The story follows the adventures of Gu Ra Ra (Go Ara), a spoiled rich girl whose life is turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Determined to make the best of her situation, Ra Ra does the best she can to start a new life for herself. Along the way she makes all sorts of new friends, who help her on her journey. Of course, being a rom-com, there has to be a love interest and that role is filled nicely by Sunwoo Jun (Lee Jae Wook), an adorable young man with a heart of gold, who tries to play it cool on the outside but fails miserably.

The chemistry between Go Ara and Lee Jae Wook is undeniably adorable. There’s just something about these two that immediately makes me smile. This certainly isn’t a deep drama, but when your mind is overwhelmed by the stress of everything else going on in the world, it’s nice to have a drama you can turn to when you need a little dose of fluffy sunshine. I, for one, am thoroughly enjoying this drama, even if it sometimes makes me feel a little guilty for not playing the piano as often as I should…

Tale of the Nine-Tailed

For those of you who enjoy the romance but would rather skip the fluff, this tvN fantasy thriller may be just what you’re looking for. As the name implies, Tale of the Nine-Tailed follows the story of Lee Yeon (Lee Dong Wook), a thousand year old gumiho (nine-tailed fox) who gives up his position as the god of the Baekdudaegan, to scour the world for the reincarnation of his first love, Ah Eum (Jo Bo Ah).

Not surprising, it takes an insanely long time (as in 600 years) for Lee Yeon to finally find his beloved Ah Eum but eventually he does, in the form of a television producer by the name of Nam Ji Ah (Jo Bo Ah). The adventures that bring these two together are exciting, to say the least, but it’s not the supernatural excitement and intertwined fates that keep me coming back. Oh no. The thing that makes this drama absolutely irresistible is the way Lee Yeon is constantly looking at Nam Ji Ah. OH. MY. WORD. Every time he looks at the woman who holds his heart, I feel my own heart stop. I swear, if a man look at me that way, I’d melt into his arms and never leave again!

Of course, there’s more to this drama than heart melting looks and a tragic 600 year old love story. There are plenty of other supernatural beings vying for attention as this story unfolds and I am particularly intrigued by the dynamic between Lee Yeon and his half-brother, Lee Rang (Kim Bum). I like the way the story is going between these two so far and I’m very interested to see how their relationship will play out in the overall story.

With plenty of excitement and lots and lots and LOTS of pretty (I’m looking at you, Lee Yeon) you’re sure to find yourself sufficiently distracted by this drama. And even if you’re not, who doesn’t want an excuse to swoon over Lee Dong Wook for a couple of hours each week? (Yeah, I know, I’m letting my inner fangirl show but’s fine. She hasn’t been out in full-force in MONTHS!)

Zombie Detective

This last drama is an unexpected treat. I had heard of KBS’s zombie drama a couple of months ago but I just never got around to watching it, until recently. Now I’m hooked. The story is pretty self-explanatory. It starts with Kang Min Ho (Choi Jin Hyuk) waking up in a landfill as a zombie. How he died and became a zombie is a mystery that Min Ho is determined to solve, but doing so won’t be easy. Training himself to walk, talk, and act like a human, the zombie Min Ho enters the human world and inadvertently takes on the role of a private investigator.

Terrified of humans, Min Ho’s transition into the human world is nothing short of hilarious. His struggles to overcome his innate zombie-ness are both funny and endearing. I swear, I haven’t seen a zombie this adorable since Nicholas Hoult stole my heart as R in the 2013 film, Warm Bodies.

As one would expect, our zombie hero soon finds himself teamed up with a tenacious young woman by the name of Gong Sun Ji (Park Ju Hyun). Though their relationship doesn’t start off on the most conventional foot, the two seem to be well-suited for each other, as she’s a former investigatory journalist in need of a job and he’s a reluctant zombie detective in need of, well, everything. Together this unlike pair take on various cases, help solve some unique crimes, and I’m hoping, will ultimately uncover the mysteries behind the existence of zombies.

Bonus Round – Older Dramas Are Our Friends

While some people may enjoy the unexpected twists and turns of a new drama, there may be others out there who might find more comfort during these trying times, settling into an old favorite. Personally, I’m doing a bit of both these days. Thanks to Netflix Party (or Teleparty, as it’s now called) I’ve been watching Oh My Ghost with a dear friend of mine. While we may be separated by half a continent, we’re still able to get together once or twice a week to watch a drama and forget just how stressful life is for all of us right now. To be honest, having a party to look forward to is sometimes the only thing I’ve got keeping me going.

At the recommendation of that same friend, I’ve also started watching Healer. How I’ve managed to go this far in life without ever watching this drama is beyond me, but I’m watching it now and I’m loving every second of it. (Dear gracious, does Ji Chang Wook know how to make me swoon!)

But enough about my drama watching habits. What I really want to know is, how have you been coping with the stress of life these days? Have dramas been helpful in any way? What are you watching right now? Let me know in the comments below. It’s been ages since we last had a chance to chat and I’d love to hear from you! Until then, hang in there and just remember to breathe. You’ve got this!

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Making Monday Better: A Scary Good Halloween Playlist

With Halloween just a few days away, I thought it might be fun to take a little break from the endless ONE OK ROCK playlists and do a little something to celebrate this day of spooky goodness!

I suppose I should start off by saying that if you’re looking for a K-Pop filled Halloween playlist, this isn’t it. I guess that’s kind of obvious when Jack the Pumpkin King is headlining this list, but still, I just wanted to make sure I avoided any confusion. That being said, if a spooky K-Pop playlist is what you’re looking for, I’ve got you covered! A few yeas ago I made the ultimate K-Pop Halloween playlist and well, it might be a little dated but when it comes to Halloween, does that really matter? I think this current playlist would prove that it does not!

I thought that this year, instead of focusing strictly on K-Pop, I’d just make a playlist full of all sorts of creepy fun. And when I say “all sorts” I really mean ALL sorts! This playlist is about as eclectic as they come. Which, I suppose, gives you a pretty good idea of what my actual music collection looks like. I’ve gathered music from all over the place for this Halloween inspired playlist which, in all honesty, is what makes it so fun. There really is something for (almost) everyone. So have fun listening your way through this one and if you have any songs you think would be a good addition, let me know. Maybe I’ll add them! Until then, enjoy this weird little mix and be sure to have a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 🎃

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Making Monday Better: ONE OK ROCK 2018 Ambitions Japan Dome Tour ~A Playlist~

Another Monday is upon us and you know what that means! Yup! Another playlist is here to help brighten up the most dismal of weekdays! Woohoo!

As any OORer knows, yesterday was ONE OK ROCK’s “Field of Wonder” concert. To say it was a concert to remember would be such an understatement. It was an experience like no other. But I won’t spend this entire post gushing about how amazing it was. Instead I’ll just say that if, at any point during this pandemic, OOR decides to do another live-streamed show, I’ll be there.

With the concert now over life seems to have lost a bit of its color. It was fun, having something new to look forward to. Now life has gone back to the same old routine and honestly, it’s kind of depressing. Still, OOR did perform a new song during yesterday’s show and that does give me some hope that something good might be appearing on the horizon sometime in the not-too-distant future. I’m crossing all my fingers anyway. I am in desperate need of a new OOR album. Heck, I’d be happy with just a single. Honestly, anything I can use as a reminder to keep on keeping on would be great.

Until the day comes when OOR graces us with new music, I’ll keep listening to all the music we already have and I’ll keep making more playlists. (At least until I run out of concert setlists.) Because everyone needs to find a reason to smile every now and then. Even on Mondays.

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Making Monday Better: ONE OK ROCK 2017 Ambitions Japan Tour ~A Playlist~

Another Monday has somehow managed to creep up on us and you know what that means… Yup, it’s time to chase away the dreary doldrums of the day with a brand new ONE OK ROCK playlist!

To be perfectly honest, this playlist was a bit of a challenge to put together. It could be because I’m suffering from a serious case of fuzzy Monday brain or it could just be because there are so many different versions of these songs out there. Finding videos to fit this particular tour wasn’t easy. (The overlap between the 2017 Ambitions tour and the 2018 Ambitions Dome Tour makes things a bit tricky.) All I can really say is that, I tried.

Honestly, if you want the full concert experience for any of these playlists, you really need to go buy the official DVD/Blu-Ray. The 2017 Ambitions Japan Tour is one of my particular favorites. The Toruka moments in “20/20” are absolutely priceless (I can’t help but squeal every time I watch them) and their rendition of “One Way Ticket” is one of my all-time favorites. Between the emotion in Taka’s voice and Toru’s freaking guitar solo, I find myself in tears every. single. time. I can’t really help myself. It’s just soooo good!

Speaking of concerts… Was anyone else’s mind completely blown by the teaser trailer OOR released last night/this morning? For some reason, I was expecting this upcoming concert to be more of a hyped-up studio jam session, rather than a full-blown concert. But then I watched this latest trailer and my brain completely exploded.

I realize that this upcoming concert has “Stadium Live Streaming” in its title, but for some reason I just didn’t expect it to be held in an actual stadium. After watching this trailer I’m slapping myself in the head because, of course, if OOR is going to do a live concert, it’s going to be on the most ridiculous scale imaginable! Do feel silly for not expecting this upcoming concert to be anything less than epic? Yes. Yes I do. But that’s okay because now I’m even more excited than I already was, and that’s not a bad thing!

With a concert less than a week away and a new playlist to enjoy, hopefully we can all find a reason to smile today. But if, for whatever reason, you just can’t find something that brings you joy, go look up that Toruka moment I mentioned earlier. If that doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what will!

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Making Monday Better: ONE OK ROCK 2016 Special Live in Nagisaen ~A Playlist~

Believe it or not, it’s Monday once again and you know what that means! Another ONE OK ROCK playlist is here to help bring a little sunshine to your day! Woohoo!

I don’t have any idea how things are in your life right now, but in mine, they’re hovering somewhere between absolute chaos and utter despair. Last Friday, both my mom and my grandma tested COVID positive. While my mom is home, resting and recovering as well as she can, while trying to distance her from my dad (who is currently waiting for his own test results to come in), my grandmother, being the high-risk person that she is, was immediately admitted to the hospital. The fact that she’s now lying in a COVID ICU room, an hour and a half away from her nearest relative, is weighing heavily on me at the moment. So you can see why I need some pretty serious cheering up.

I’m not entire sure this single playlist can cheer me up, but any sort of distraction from my daily life is welcome right now and OOR is always a good distraction! Here’s hoping today’s playlist can work a little magic in both my day and yours!

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Making Monday Better: ONE OK ROCK 2015 35xxxv Japan Tour ~A Playlist~

As promised, I’m back on this most Monday-y of Mondays, with another ONE OK ROCK playlist that should, in theory, help make this day just a little bit better.

To be perfectly honest, I’m at the point in the day when I’m beginning to wonder how I’m still managing to function. It’s a bit of a mystery but I’m choosing to believe my love of OOR, and this concert set in particular, is compelling me to keep going.

You see, OOR’s 35xxxv North American Tour was the very first time I saw OOR live. It was only a few months after I’d moved to the Chicago area and I was in absolute shock, when I realized my all-time favorite band was playing in my city. I’d spent years lamenting the fact that I would probably never see OOR live. So, as you can imagine, buying that concert ticket and seeing them live, was a literal dream come true. And it’s why this concert setlist is just a little more special to me. It holds some serious sentimental value, and honestly, “Memories” is one of my all-time favorite songs. I actually want it played at my funeral one day but I won’t go into the “whys” on that one…

Like all good OORers, I’m still counting down the days to OOR’s “Field of Wonder” concert. And like all good OORers, I’ve been keeping up with all of the teaser trailers that have recently been released. To say I’m excited about this concert would be a HUGE understatement. I am freaking ecstatic!

I’m also very excited about the release of OOR’s newest concert video, which they also announced last week. At the risk of sounding ridiculously dramatic, my life literally changed during OOR’s “Eye of the Storm” Tour stop in Chicago last year, so having the chance to re-live a little bit of that magic, even via Blu-Ray, was too good to pass up. Yes, I know the Japan Tour is different from the North American tour, but it’ll be close enough. And yes, I have already pre-ordered the sucker. Why??? Well…

To be perfectly honest, I’ve been watching the concerts I already have in my collection, as a means of helping me cope with the overall crappiness of pandemic life. It might seem slightly weird to some, being lulled into a peaceful moment of serenity via a rock concert, but nothing makes me happier than being at an OOR show. Since there isn’t much in life that makes me happy, period, at the moment, letting myself indulge in a rare moment of joy has become a vital component of my daily self-care. Reading, yoga, and ONE OK ROCK may seem like an odd combination to some, but it works very well for me. So well, in fact, that it’s become part of my nightly routine. There’s nothing better than falling asleep to the sweet sounds of Toru’s wailing guitar and Taka’s screams…

On that note, I hope you have a chance to enjoy this new playlist. May it bring as much joy to you as it does me.

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TUNE OF THE WEEK: Why Do I Have To Pick Just ONE???

You know, I wasn’t even planning on writing a TOTW post this week, but when I saw Moonbin and Sanha’s new MV, just waiting for me on my YouTube homepage first thing Monday morning, I just couldn’t help myself!

Once again, the imminent change in the season has inspired a darker, more serious concept, and I, for one, am loving it. I will forever be a fan of the broody side of K-Pop and its ability to combine darker images with the catchy beats. It’s one of the many undeniable charms of K-Pop and this “Bad Idea” MV has pulled it off swimmingly!

But while I was squealing over my little ASTRO babies, I saw that Stray Kids had released the MV for “Back Door” and wouldn’t you know, I fell just as in love with this video as I did “Bad Idea”. For some unimaginable reason, I just can’t help but smile, every time I watch both of these darn MVs. So then I thought, why the heck to do I have to pick just one tune to squeal over? Why can’t I just mention all the videos that have made me smile this week?

So that’s what I’m doing. Because let’s face it, life is all kinds of messed up right now and it doesn’t hurt to have more than one reason to smile. And boy, oh boy! This MV certainly makes me smile! The boys themselves are as cute as ever, the choreo is freaking fantastic, and the bass-line is so dang catchy, you’d have to be a corpse to not feel it inspire even the tiniest bit of a smile.

But K-Pop hasn’t been the only source of joy for me this week. Oh no! J-Rock is doing what it does best: giving me ample reasons to smile as it simultaneously makes my heart skip a beat. While ONE OK ROCK has been busy teasing the crap out of their upcoming live-streamed concert, and Crossfaith has been promoting the crap of the live-streamed concert they held last weekend, MIYAVI has released this little gem of a video and you know, I just couldn’t let a chance to squeal over one of my favorite guitar playing rock stars go by!

In all honesty, it really wouldn’t matter to me what MIYAVI played. It’d love it regardless. But there’s just something about this version of “Over the Rainbow” that has me smiling. Maybe it’s just the simple reminder that no matter how gray things might be now, there’s always the hope that they’ll brighten again… Someday… That’s what I’m hoping for anyway.

Until that day comes, I hope this week’s “Tunes” have brought a little sunshine your way and have given you as many reason to smile as they have given me.

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Making Mondays Better: ONE OK ROCK 2014 MIGHTY LONG FALL AT YOKOHAMA STADIUM ~A Playlist~

Remember last week, when I mentioned a little something about ONE OK ROCK’s upcoming LIVE-streamed concert, “Field of Wonder”? Well, I may be just a teensy bit excited about said concert and as such, I’ve been thinking that doing a little pre-concert celebrating might not be such a bad thing. But how does one celebrate a concert that is exactly 26 days, 13 hours, 16 minutes, and 21 seconds away? Why, with a heckin’ lot of OOR playlists, of course!

I’m very much aware that putting together a playlist comprised of the setlist from OOR’s 2014 show isn’t quite the same as being at the show. Heck, it’s not even the same as watching the show when OOR streamed it on YouTube this past spring. But let’s face it, we’re not going to be going to any shows in-person for who knows how long, so I figure this is the next best thing.

If you’re looking for an exact replica of that incredible 2014 show, this isn’t it. I’m sure you could find something like that out there, if you really tried, but I’m not gonna go there. Instead, I’ve tried to use as many of OOR’s official music videos as I possible can, to recreate the set-list itself and nothing more. Sadly, not every OOR song has an official video, so I’ve tried to use the best fan-made videos I can find. Is it a perfect playlist? No. But if nothing else, it gives me something fun to watch while I slowly kill myself during my treadmill runs. (Anyone else hate those painful torture devices disguised as fitness machines, or is that just me?)

My plan is to create a playlist for every one of the concerts OOR streamed for us poor, miserable, pandemic-plagued fans, earlier this year. There were seven concerts in all, so doing one a week will take us way past the “Field of Wonder” date. I suppose I could do two a week, but having a weekly dose of ONE OK ROCK might be kinda nice. Maybe it’ll help lessen the inevitable post-concert blues???

Because I’m such a ridiculous fangirl, I have every one of these concert setlists already saved as playlists on iTunes (which you can find, if you really wanted to, by searching for me @TheZombieMamma). I also have the “Listening Together” playlist OOR created for Spotify, which I may turn into a YT playlist as well someday. It all depends on how crazy life gets and how interested anyone is in having it. I mean, I’m cool with endlessly sharing my love of ONE OK ROCK but I’m also aware that not everyone in the world shares my enthusiasm for this fantabulous rock band. After all, I really can curb the inner fangirl. When I have to.

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ZOMBIE’S DRAMA REVIEW: Revolutionary Love Episodes 9-10

There’s something truly special about a drama that makes you fall in love with its characters over and over again. I know I’ve had some ups and downs with this drama, especially at the beginning, but we’ve finally reached a point where our leading characters have overcome the worst of their flaws and are now traveling down a path that will ultimately lead them someplace wonderful. Well, maybe not wonderful but definitely someplace better than either of them have been before. Oh! Just seeing the direction things are headed is making me so happy! I could almost do a dance of joy! Continue reading “ZOMBIE’S DRAMA REVIEW: Revolutionary Love Episodes 9-10”

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ZOMBIE’S DRAMA REVIEW: Hospital Ship Episodes 37-40

It’s been over a week since I sat down to watch the last 4 episodes of this drama and I’m only now getting around to writing this review. I know that’s kind of lame but I wanted to take some time to ruminate over the way things ended, just to be sure I properly processed things before I sat down to rage against all the nonsense that filled these final episodes. I can’t say that I’m any more at peace with the way this drama wrapped up but maybe, just maybe, I’m a little less emotional than I was a week ago. Here’s hoping anyway… Continue reading “ZOMBIE’S DRAMA REVIEW: Hospital Ship Episodes 37-40”