An Oreo A Day

[ionazeva]

Blossom.

I think this is my drama of the year. Even though it was aired in 2024.

I picked this up because I saw the cover (teaser??), of a man with white long hair (Song Mo). He was ruthless. Yet he was kinda gentle with the female protagonist (Dou Zhao).

This series is just the right length, and the perfect mix of political drama, thriller, action and romance. There’s family and love as its main themes. As well as loyalty to the family, country and to friends.

Loved how each character has their own way of blooming into their own character, with their own strengths and weaknesses.

They had the perfect chemistry. It was really enemies to lovers, and I love it. Never once it got a boring scene. I had fun watching their story unfolds.

The way Song Mo and Dou Zhao relates, understands and trusts each other. (Maaaaa I wanna marry a Song Mo that will treat me like a Dou Zhao.)

For those who wants to watch a powerful, smart female character, the lead actress took her role delivered her role perfectly. For those who wants to watch a good looking male general character with powerful moves and cool scenes, as well as very cute and loyal husband, the male lead was perfect.

In the first episode, you might be a lil confused with all the names and titles, and who’s the MC and CP. BUT, once it’s the 2nd episode, it’ll be clearer.

The sets, character designs and costumes were perfectly set up. Like never once I thought woah that looked like a wig or seems weird. Every single thing was perfect and pretty.

I liked how the main message is that you can never stop giving up until you actually fight for something until the end. It’s a beautiful message.

Watch Blossom now!!!

[ionazeva]

Have you seen Legend of Zhang Hai?

Forgive me for this is not the most freshest review from my mind— I finished the series and resumed my mortal life, feeling like I forgot to do something and when I logged in here, it’s to write a review!

Legend of Zhang Hai is 99.9/10. I was like, eh, it’s the typical seeking revenge after the MC’s family was wiped off, but BUT the writing?? the script? and character development?? it was brilliant! Some plot twists here and there, and highest qualities of camera work (?) and all scenes are so exquisitely breathtaking.

I love all the characters’ costumes/clothings and makeups. I feel like the sets has uniformity— how do I say it. It’s like the sets are believable enough to be in a one country. it didn’t feel too weird except for the last part.

Acting. Xiao Zhan?? An eyecandy with acting skills, and a witty ass character. Zhang Jingyi? The FL? She appears in various historical cdrama series as supporting casts before, but now she’s the FL— she’s so strong, I love her. An eyecandy as well. At first I was like, ehh? This pairing? but they made it work.

Some parts needs a bit of explanation— like, ahem, you’ll understand it when you see the first episodes but I guess it’s needed. But overall, it’s really a nice series if you wanna see smart and strong characters with a good revenge plot against the bad guys. You’ll love it. Watch it now!

[ionazeva]

My top favourite mystery costume chinese drama of 2024: Mysterious Lotus Casebook.

Here are a few reasons why.

1. It is a mystery series that are realistic and the explanations are logical. You’ll have fun trying to solve the mysteries.

2. Acting is 1000/100. MC’s eyes are able to portray various emotions without saying anything. All casts were perfect and has their personal stories shown, and their own character development stories.

(Except for the fact that there’s MC’s female interest that’s a bit too crybaby but you gotta be patient and wait, she actually grows!)

3. Story is well-written with enough conflict, drama related to both martial and imperial world. Not much of plot gaps. Expect lots of plot twists. Just 0.01% of romance.

4. I adoreeee the main friendship in this story. They are so cute and loyal, honest with each other. A mix of humour, teasings and small smirks/ smiles. I keep replaying some parts.

You might notice the typical poisoning that MC has to experience and the 10 years of not seeing each other, but hey it’s just a bit different this time. Why? You gotta watch till the end. Prepare lots of tissues.

10 years. Let bygones be bygones.

A drama that teaches you life lessons, and a box of tissues are what you need to get through this heart-gripping series. It’s worth it.

[ionazeva]

I’ve read Kokoro by Natsume Souseki.

My 心 kokoro hurts after finished reading it and I need to write this down to console my kokoro.

I wasn’t able to put this book down because it felt like the book, the story, the characters had much to tell me in the beginning only to realise until to the very end that, they aren’t really that different from other humans around them.

I wasn’t able to put this book down because the interaction between the characters of I and the Sensei fascinated me in the beginning. I was sucked into reading it until the end.

The author has a way of telling (little bits and not everything) and not showing, and I realised that I was fed everything, the emotions, the story only to it end abruptly without warning and to realise the bitter aftertaste of the things I have been fed with.

Not sure what would I expect from a Japanese author, these books never cease to amaze me with its heart-wrenching stories. Not as dark, but the aftertaste of the book is quite similar to Dazai Osamu’s 人間失格.

It was crude of me to assume that the book would just provide me pure entertainment and way of escape from reality when the book itself shoves the fact down my throat the harsh cold truth of life and of human. A stereotype I must say, but only because it always feels the same in the end, these Japanese books never really have good endings, do they?

Mind you, a good ending for people who are a fan of the hurt/comfort fiction is different from my definition of a good ending. This is where literature reflects society argument wins. I guess that’s why this work is so famous after all. I’m not much of a pessimist to agree with how the characters dealt their life. It felt unfair to the people around them.

The ‘why…?’ is always the same whenever I see similar nature of one’s solving one’s problem. WHY? Why??? Why…? (I pray to God no one, no one that I know or who knows me should be allowed to do the same and leave people around them hanging with the same ‘why…’ throughout their lives.)

Remind me to steer away from the works of the same nature. I can’t deny, these heart-wrenching literary works could be quite addicting despite its bitter aftertaste.

[ionazeva]

If you like two polar opposite (chalk and cheese) married coupleS trying to learn how to love each other, powerful love between twin sisters and strong friendships among the characters, please watch The Starry Love.

I love everything about this c-drama. At first, I was like… okay, just twins mix-up at a wedding?

Yet the love story between the couples (there’s 3!) with lots of funny scenes pulled me in and made me binged to the end.

I feel like everything is just so nice. The CGs are so pretty, the fight scenes were realistic and the story was well written. As well as lots of character development!

999/10. (You gotta watch it to figure out why I subtracted 1 from the 1000 rating I usually give, ahem it’s because the ending is acceptable, not sad I swear)

This cdrama makes you want to have a husband/wife that will love you and be there for you despite your flaws and destiny.

(I felt so single after binging it because all the characters are happily married couples!!)

Even the theme songs were so beautiful. The songs will keep plucking at your heart strings even after you finish the series.

Acting was 1000/100 because we have a handsome male lead who’s able to act five characters, a handsome male lead who has two sides and two female leads who grew to learn to accept their mix-up and adapted to their husbands’ background.

Please, go watch it now! Go watch The Starry Love! I feel like it is really up to par to In Blossom and Till the End of the Moon.

[ionazeva]

If you like mystery costume cdrama, well written plot and smart characters solving interesting mysteries, watch ‘In Blossom’.

It’s too dang good.

No cringey/ cliche stuffs. (Bonus: the characters don’t really believe in ghosts/ superstitions, so there’s no weird action fighting scenes that involves magic or inner power or unfathomable martial art skills(?))

No repetitive scenes, and I believe there’s NO FILLER EPS. It’s only 32 episodes!!

The acting was superb. It’s a gem. The female lead was too good. She’s an eyecandy!! She acts unbelievably well for two different person.

It’s just too good. I rate it 100/10.

If you watched Blood of Youth, the handsome bald monk is the MAIN CHARACTER in this series. And what’s better, HE HAS LONG HAIR in this one. Imagine the handsomeness. He’s such an eyecandy. Almost everyone is an eyecandy in this show. Even the second male lead is handsome.

There’s friendship, loyalty and strong sense of justice in this series. And it’s just good good.

Go watch it now!

[ionazeva]

What’s the point of writing blogs?

I dunno, but I feel the urge to do so? People keeps promoting making money online on social medias, but heck, I don’t even know what niche or what problem I even want to solve…

I mean: I have some dreams but that would require real life execution, and not on the Internet.

But, I do have the temptation to do something like a faceless instagram account for no reason/ vtubers… because I’m intrigued by the fact that I won’t be showing my face?

Like my hobbies, I’m tempted to do with so many stuffs as an ig acc, like ps service thing, fashion inspo, photography, writing… the curse of loving everything is that you end up not knowing what to hold onto.

As well as writing here feels like anonymous because on social media it felt personal yknow, the followers know who I am and I know who they are.

I guess: the anonymity?? is what makes it intriguing?? Is that problematic? I crave deep talks but I also like the idea of being faceless with the people you met…

Btw, I’m deep in the rabbit hole of vtubers and Uki Violeta kinda stole my attention atm.

Btwbtw, stan PLAVE!

[ionazeva]

I need to get

my life together. I have so many dreams, and so many hobbies and yet I just procrastinate and waste my time away like I own the whole world to begin with.

I have been at lost. As if I'm stuck in a rut of something. Even I, don't know what I'm actually stuck in. I want to, I can imagine myself finishing all my assignments early. To go on a morning walk or run. To drink coffee so I won't doze in lectures. To go on a gym for the sake of my mental and physical health. To just enjoy the present without worrying.

I'm writing this as to make all the thoughts that have been in my mind as something more.. concrete. I should have just wrote this down in a journal or something, not like I actually own one, and keep it personal, away from public but I feel like... if I write this down for at least someone there to read, it feels like a... vow?

Like I need to get something done instead of just keeping all my thoughts to the back of my mind and pretend that I don't care.

I don't want to ruin my life.

I'll do something, I guess. Little by little right?

Update (11/1/24) : Been posting this on private but I put it on public.

Procrastination is the cost of life you could have lived

Is a very impactful quote for procrastinators that I found on the internet.

[ionazeva]

Favourite friendship trope ever in drama series (wuxia edition):

A random bunch of talented individuals being loyal and besties with this someone who (pretends to) look like a nobody, realises that they are friends with somebody in their martial arts world.

TLDR: A nobody collecting his bunch of talented friends like Pokémon and them to realise that that he is a somebody, after everyone keeps hunting them down/ giving them special treatments.

Imagine when the realisation sinks.

The chaos that ensued.

Disbelief. Denial. Anger. Acceptance. Amazement. Yet the loyalty remains. The friendship grows stronger.

“So… he’s actually THE crown prince? The one we've been, ahem, talking about (read: spilling tea) behind their backs??”

“This guy is definitely NOT the crown prince. He’s just someone who looks like the crown prince.. right? RIGHT?”

“Bro??? You could have just mention it EARLIER before we end up dead?? because of the assassins that were hunting you down??— nevermind.”

“Oi, what else are you hiding from us?”

Bonus edition: Among the friend group, one is a just naive blooming youth, one is from a rival clan, the rest are just… powerful and talented.

You want to need to watch this in real wuxia drama?

Blood of Youth. 10/10 for beautiful costume, perfect acting and chemistry, not so cringey cgi, top humor and thrilling story that won't bore you halfway the 40ish episodes (each episode is only 30+mins). Just remember to note their names and relationships down and let your mind get blown.

[ionazeva]

Studying Japanese? Pt 2

This is only my only personal opinion. It worked for me and I just wanted to share.

Create a goal within a time frame. Ex: At the end of 2022, I have learnt 2000 kanjis. I want to pass JLPT N3.

You need to know where you are. What level of Japanese proficiency are you on. Take any online tests, and it should tell you roughly which level are you on.

Learn what type of learner are you. Visual, auditory, tactile or a mix? What time of the day are you most energetic? At night? During the day? Early morning? You sacrifice something to learn a new language.

Buy an offline dictionary/ download an online dictionary. For ios, I use Shirabe Jisho.

Find good textbooks online/ physical text books. I'm using Try! JLPT N1 with English notes. Gotta research to make sure your money is worth it. Refer here for a reddit thread on textbooks.

Find the time to study according your study method. Divide the session to learn on kanjis, vocabulary, grammar and speaking/ pronunciation. - For kanji, learn from a list. Use Kanji apps (refer here for some recommendations, remember to try and error because what works for everyone does not mean it will work for you). Find the meaning of the radicals. Search 'kanji + wanikani' to learn the mnemonics for the kanji. Use flashcard apps like Anki or create your own physical flashcards. - For vocabulary, prepare a small book to compile your vocabularies in. Read short newspapers online, articles in Japanese that you may be interested in. Watch shows with Japanese subtitles (use this Language Reactor extension, so you can learn a new word straight away from the subtitle) or listen to podcasts, and list down new words each day. Draw three columns. [ Word - meaning (in your native language) - example of a word ] - For grammar, use your textbook. To get more detailed explanation regarding a grammar, type 'the grammar that you are learning + Maggie sensei/ JLPT sensei/文法' These sites will explain more in detail and provide you with example sentences. - For speaking/ pronunciation/ listening, I use HelloTalk. I meet with people online to listen to them speaking. Just beware of disclosing personal informations online.

Discipline and consistency matters. No matter how shitty you feel/ how dumb you feel for not understanding something in Japanese-- Take only 5 minutes to learn for that day. Just 5 minutes. Continue if you feel like it, or just stop and continue your language study for the next day.

So this is it. I wish everyone of you all the best! Maybe you can make mastering Japanese as a New Year's resolution? It's never too late to start on something.

[ionazeva]

Random thoughts

Scroll to the very end if you want to skip and get the main message.

I want to write this in a light hearted way, without triggering anyone or myself. TW anyway: d3ath.

As someone who's fallen head over heels with historical chinese/ wuxia/ xianxia themed dramas/ 3D animes/ 2D animes, death and revenge is something that happens all the time.

In wuxia/ xianxia world, humans try to live the righteous ways, some will succeed, gain fame and happiness, and some will fail, succumbed to the way of evil, cause chaos and get hunted by righteous ones.

Laugh out loud, but when a side character gets killed so easily, I have these feelings... do they have families or friends? will they be missed? does it hurt to die for something you believe in? will their death be worth it?

Usually, they will fight people to death out of showing off their power, or revenge. When one dies, another seeks revenge on behalf of another and then they die. And the cycle continues and never stops unless if one starts to forgive the other.

In the wuxia/ xianxia world, they believe in reincarnation.

But in my world, I do not believe that.

We all live once and it is just over once you stop breathing. Well, there is the question of afterlife, but that's not the main point of me writing this.

In this world, we are all the main characters of our very own life, and side characters in the life of others. That is our main role, to live our life.The role of being the side characters, is our second role.

Since pandemic and lockdown happens, I have longed to wish to take a walk at the park or just crowded places, so I can observe the life around me, and just feel... alive.

I want to live in the physical world, rather than learning online, staying up in front of a screen for hours... it is indeed stressful. I want to meet new friends, I want to enjoy my college years and I want to freakin take my camera out and take pictures of useless stuffs.

To live. and to not live (?)

Pandemic pretty much simplifies it up just like that. Of course, our life and our existence itself is more complex than that (depending in what you believes in)... but I cannot help to feel like that.

I just hope one would continue hold on to the string of life, and wait a little bit more... to try find the little things in one's life and one's happiness... and wait until we win this war against the virus.

The pandemic is boring but time is still ticking. Time cannot be reversed.

Dear self, please please go use your time well and find something good to learn and upgrade yourself while you have time. At the very least, make use of the time and find the small little things in your life. Because, your life matters and all the memories in it.

"You're not just a side character, you're the main character and all the choices are yours."

[ionazeva]

“Life is pleasant to the eyes, especially when you have the right lightings and perfect filters to capture the small moments of it.”

— just another way of saying, “mind over matters!!” but in a slightly romantic way.

[ionazeva]

Studying?

As someone who literally got culture shookt at how frickin crazy Japanese school is, I realised the importance of time management as a student. I don’t remember how I found this app on App store though.

It’s called Flip.

It’s an app that requires you to actually ‘flip’ your phone (your phone facing the table or whatever surface you’re studying on) to start the timer. Effective if you need minimal phone distraction. (Make sure to silent your phone so you won’t be tempted to check your phone. >:| )

Only downside is, if you need to check up on stuffs on your phone and flips it back, e.g searching up the meaning of a word on your phone’s dictionary, it will disrupt the timer and gives you a bad grade on your study session.

It uses pomodoro timer method, and your phone will vibrate once a session is up. It will also vibrate when your rest ends and you gotta continue the session.

There’s free and premium versions. I think free should be just okay if you just want to use the ‘flip’ function and study more effectively.

Pros:

No phone distraction

Pomodoro timer

Exam countdown (for free users, only for one exam tho)

Ranking system (best for competitive students)

Available on App store and Google store

Cons:

Glitches (supposedly rectified but noting it here just in case)

Can’t use it when you rely on your phone to study

I used it back on 2019 so I’m not sure if there are newer cooler features. Check em out and off you go to your studies!

App store ・Google Play

[ionazeva]

Learning Japanese?

As much I want to make Tiktok videos to share about my new finding, I actually don’t have the time or commitment for it so I’m writing this here. Hopefully it helps!

I might have found the most helpful website for Japanese learners.

It’s called Kanshudo.

It’s an AI that measures how much you know Japanese and it kinda creates a study plan that matches your level. There are games, flashcards, reading, grammar reviews, vocabulary builder, kanji lists and so much more. It helps you if you want to achieve certain level of JLPT. 

It’s free and has premium access, but as far as I’m using a free account, I’m content.

Go there right now, and sign up. Be consistent in studying!

Kanshudo: Learn Japanese fast and effectivelyhttps://www.kanshudo.com

がんばって、みな〜　ファイト！

[ionazeva]

20th Chapter

This is actually something I wanted to write but have been procrastinating for long.

It was my birthday in April, and as the numbers grew to 20, I somehow feel... more, relaxed and content? I don’t mind getting no wishes. Quite proud when I bought myself an expensive cake I have always wanted. I don’t expect any presents and the day went... smoothly.

Suddenly remembered Song Joongki’s line from Vincenzo:

“Age is just a number, and it grows with responsibility.”

I think that’s the line... but it occurs to me, there could be a continuation.

“-but not with maturity.”

Because maturity is kinda a byproduct? After you grow up, learn a lot and kinda ‘participate’ in writing your life story more, you just grow mature. So, that day, I grew a day older, and hopefully an ounce wiser.

Is it adulting? I’m not sure.

Do I like the sudden realisation? Yeah, it kinda feels nice to spend your birthday with people you love, and the things you like to do.

If it’s your birthday and no one notices, fret not. Your birthday is the celebration of you coming to the world, and only you should enjoy the day with self-love. Appreciate and celebrate yourself. Not liking life? Then, consider it another chapter to go until you get to pen your own ending. 

“Die with memories, not dreams.”

[ionazeva]

Is it just me?

Is it just me but you don’t really have depression, you’re not that sad but sometimes you just don’t wanna do anything? Like literally nothing. All the works that you gotta do is done in your mind but you don’t really stress about it or anything? You wanna talk to your friends but at the same time you are comfortable enough to talk to yourself.

Not me going to Pinterest to find ‘ways to be productive’ or google it, and read it and then nods nods and just don’t do anything. Or maybe I’m just lazy and I’m wasting my time. Mom told me this lol.

“Be insanely busy so you won’t go crazy.”

I do have my passion, hobbies and priorities.. but I just feel like doing nothing aside from thinking that if I write this down on Tumblr it would help me overcome this thing- but yeah no. 

[ionazeva]

Day 1 of Chloe Ting’s Challenge

I died. That’s it. That’s the post.

Well, earlier before our country got its first quarantine national lockdown because of covid-19, I found the challenge.. on a Tiktok? Or maybe it was Youtube. I tried it once... and sadly, I didn’t maintain it.

Now, I’m restarting it... choosing the 2 Weeks Shred Challenge 2020 because that’s within the span of my break. She has 5 videos for Day 1, overall is 38 minutes and I believe I died at the end of each video.

Might do it in the mornings... so I get less shy to work out. To grow up in a family that occasionally works out or going out for jogs in the local parks, working out (like crazy) is a rare sight to fam. So yeah.

Not sure if I should change my diet or nah... I guess I’ll drink less sugar, eat proper breakfast anddd, no eating after 7 pm. tHat’s the only diet-related stuffs I’m willing to do. I tried counting calories before and it won’t work. Rice is lyfe.

Goals? 

getting back my original weight before first lockdown (63kg)

a working out routine...

feeling healthier and more confident, and less flabby sksk

I guess I should move my lazy ass and find the measurement tapes somewhere.. in the house. Aye, later.