The Genius 4 Episode 1 Review

So... I have already watched The Genius Grand Final Episode 1 on Tuesday GMT+8 time. ;) Ahead of everyone else who are waiting for English subs and I really want to tweet about it... but of course I dislike spoilers so I decided to write a blog post about my thoughts instead of spamming them on twitter, like I used to when there were almost no The Genius fans following me haha.

They started off this all stars season with such huge personalities, everyone was so competitive!!! Though, it did kind of feel like a mess as there were so many things going on at the same time...
I will try to go in order of the edit as I go through the episode.

I really like the BGMs of The Genius, and when Dong Min came out, Fall Out Boy's Centuries was brilliant. Remember Me for centuriesssss.
Min-Min-Min! It was pretty interesting to see that Koreans had different chinese characters for their name, I never understood until then... :/

For this season, one main point is that the Death Matches are previous games. Each elimination candidate will rule out a few games and they will pick 1 from the remaining games at random. Interesting!
It will be so fun to watch the players come up with new strategies and to see if the same players go head to head in the same games again. E.g Kyungran & Sangmin with Same Picture Hunt! XD

Players started the main match by forming alliances.
But, some of them decided to make side deals... :/ Wait, Kyunghoon with DongMin? Oo that could be good! They looked pretty closed in the BTS clip for the press conference too. However, Kyunghoon decides to make sneaky deals and not be fully trusting of both his alliance and Dongmin... ?
He decided to switch cards unofficially with Sangmin... O.o He then swapped it with Yohwan. Interestingly, he swapped it back with Yohwan unofficially after, I wonder why...
Also, awesome, Sangmin managed to get rid of his Death card with just a quick lie. The other 2 alliances (excluding Kyunghoon's) then teamed up in attempt to get a joint win for all their members. They tried to recruit Yoonsun and Junseok too. Though, Junseok is pretty much all for himself heh. He took off after getting his points with the Official Card they were using, haha sneaky, sneaky. (Recall Layoff in Season 2.)
Then Sangmin tries to achieve an individual win???!!! O.O I can't fully understand. I mean perhaps he felt guilty for ruining Kyunghoon's game and tried to get him out of the situation by taking the Convict card back, but it just ends up ruining his own alliance/"team" game, no? I wonder who will continue to trust him after this. I just realised that Sangmin has been pretty sneaky all this while but he didn't get as bad an edit as Kyunghoon/Yohwan haha. Side Note: It was pretty cool to see that Yoohyun saw Sangmin's sneaky move to use the Convict card, but it was too late to savage their team's game. Junghyun ended up taking the fall for his alliance, such bad luck... /: He was such a nice guy.

I must say all these players have such poker faces! :| Also, while I don't really like Sangmin's moves in this game, props to him for totally turning his game from starting as the DM candidate to becoming the sole winner. Though, he did make his team mates look like fools for sticking together. ):

Death match was alright.

Now, for me to pick who I support as promised! :D
However, I am still not sure what to make of the dynamics between the players. ):
I do like Dongmin and Jinho but I was thinking there should be a new winner this time round. It's really hard to predict the players' future games as some change their strategies as the number of players dwindle... Plus, there are so few females this season! ):

I will not be picking one single player as my winner's pick yet.
For now, here's a whole list of players that I think could make it till the end and support:

• Jang Dong Min (Sorry I had to include him again, he has such strong winner's vibe.)
• Im Yo Hwan (If he gets better in team games, he will go far)
• Oh Hyun Min (just because he's good)
• Choi Yeon Seung (I could have underestimated his abilities in my preseason cast assessment)
• Kim Yoo Hyun (poker players are good picks, aren't they?)

Why I didn't choose the others:

Hong Jin Ho - he stands out too much as a target, it will be a tough climb all the way to the top.

Lee Sang Min - He's really good... but he doesn't have me rooting for him. 

Kim Kyung Ran - She's nice and works in group, don't see her surviving in such a ruthless group of players. :/

Lim Yoon Sun - I like her, but I am wondering if her game play is slightly too straightforward? I look forward to her moves in the game though. 

Choi Jung Moon - She's smart but I haven't seen a lot of her capabilities yet... 

Kim Kyung Hoon - I actually liked him in S3, but his image... is so down the drain for now, I can't support him anymore hahaha

Lee Jun Seok - If he keeps playing for himself, who will support him at the finale? He's good though. 

So... did Sangmin get a good edit this episode? Is there any similarities with Kyunghoon's move in last season's first episode?

~~~

Depending on whether I watch the next episode before English subs are out, I might write another blog post if you guys want me to.
Do comment/tweet me @raycherr :) to discuss #TheGenius

Cheers! :)

Click here for all posts on The Genius.

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Heard it through the Grapevine Ep 17 - 20 Review

Heard it through the Grapevine A.K.A Heard it as a Rumor A.K.A I heard a Rumor [HITTG]

A sincere apology for how my reviews are turning out... :/ I ought to dive into the issues that were touched on in each episodes, after all this is a complex drama. However, this is more like penning down my (random) thoughts... :( Hey, I should buck up.
Erm. :/ maybe its because I'm so behind on the series that I don't feel any motivation to write in depth. Forgive me...

Ep 17
Okay, I'm sorry, I take back all my words from my previous post on this show. I am finally starting to understand the lack of development in a drama. Its not always a simple affair with the story revolving around a few main characters, after all in such a complex show about secrets and power, it is only right that the viewers get a more in depth look into other characters that might make an impact. Hence, with the need of telling the backstory of the other characters, they had to sacrifice the pace of development. However, in return we do get a better understanding of a bigger picture, which I think is essential in such a show.

Ep 18
Pace started picking up again, I found the progress rather smooth and enjoyed this episode. Who would have known that some older episodes would have left me disappointed, but for these few to arouse my interest again. Here are some possible reasons:
a) Exposing the secrets of Han Song and Han Jeong Ho gets more intense
b) More In Sang!!! More Lee Joon!!! ;)
c) I started to get used to the kind of development, and can't get over this drama

Ep19
Things heat up. Han Jeong Ho wants his kids to beg for forgiveness for going against him, but too bad he doesn't pay for the house that they live in. In Sang and Bom gets to stay and not back down. Finally, Bom's parents get around to understanding the complex situation. This was a great episode built upon nightmares and how the world's falling apart for the characters. ;)

Ep20
This episode was pretty good. It was slightly ridiculous which played on the black comedic effects. Let me throw ice cubes! and make my servants wear ridiculous outfits! Sounds fun right? It was also slightly emotional and thought provoking. My Brother or my Daughter? My Family or Others? More Money or Justice? To Ruse or to Expose? Also, a lawsuit against Han Song from Seo Chul Sik is boiling. I wonder how that's going to turn out... Is Han Song really the ultimate puppet master controlling everything? So intriguing! The drama is starting to feel so intellectual.

I recently found this video as well:

To be honest, i should really brush up on my knowledge of directors and writers... oh man haha
Ahn Pan Suk is really a director to look out for, the actors totally trusted him and I'm really impressed. I should definitely watch some other dramas by him after I finish Heard it through the Grapevine.

catch me on twitter @raycherr
might be going on a hiatus and hopefully come back with quality pieces of reviews.

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Heard it through the Grapevine Ep 13, 14, 15, 16 Review

Heard it through the Grapevine A.K.A Heard it as a Rumor A.K.A I heard a Rumor [HITTG]

This will be one of the shortest review because honestly I don't have much to critic about, except that the spark that made this show so interesting in the first few episodes is dying down... Or maybe the drama is a little different from what I imagined it would be.
Many things are happening and there is certainly progress in the story but they aren't what I feel are that interesting, or fast paced enough to keep my attention.
I will touch on the affair bit. Is a love affair romantic? Can an affair be romantic? Wouldn't the parties involved feel guilt? Or is the thrill and satisfaction in the moment overpowering everything else? I am not expressing my stand here but I just feel that its such a tiring affair.
Also, power makes people do crazy things. I mean crazy as in wow that's unexpected and its awesome; I also mean crazy as in hmm, look at the moral dilemma that you are tempting the others with.

To compensate for the short review, here's a short recap of what happened
Seo Noo Ri(Bom's sister) is jealous of Bom? There was a rumor going on about Noo Ri and someone rich. Info sure flowed fast yea. Then Bom helped Noo Ri with her amazing manipulation of power and connections, so everything's good and now Noo Ri is dating a good guy, Yoon Je Hoon (?).
Young Ra and Han Jeong Ho are now together? The stupid things that Han goes through to up the affair are bewildering, haha. Also, Hansong has way too much power, way more than In Sang imagined. (which I think will be further developed on in later episodes).
...

Alright, I will be back with another 4 episodes review again soon! Let's hope the drama picks up and that I find it entertaining to watch again! :)
Meanwhile, you can find me on twitter @raycherr cheers!
[P.S. I'm too excited for season 4 of The Genius to start, you can read my cast analysis here.]

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Thoughts on The Genius 4 Preseason

*You can skip my backstory and scroll down to read about my cast assessment (when Hong Jin Ho's individual photo appears).
Super stoked for this upcoming season of TVN's The Genius. By far, one of my favourite Reality TV game show ever, not just for the really smart players but also for the execution of the show. While it is similar and influenced by the Liar Game manga, the show has taken off on its own and truly caught my/our attention. I actually found out about the show from the second season and I watched the first episode thinking that this is really cool, having had one of the best death matches [Quattro]. After, I pretty much just binged watch the whole of season 1 and caught up to season 2. By then I was definitely a hardcore fan of the show. Now, this is like a huge thing in the Reality TV Game Show arena, attracting international viewers [say what? Ian Terry(BB) + Myles Nye?] to get in on the action. Such success! #proudtobepartofhegeniusfanclubhaha

Alright, enough of the back story, on to Season 4! Final Match! :)
... Wait...??? What? Final? Is it the last season??? D;
NOOOOOO Please continue the show please.
So, this is an all stars season with returning players from all the first three seasons. Recently, the list of players was announced and everyone's super excited, except that Sunggyu (season 1) so ought to be part of it too so BOO and CRIES. Such a pity he wasn't casted, but oh well still very stoked to see all the familiar faces!

{5 from S1; 5 from S2; 5 from S3} I did double count but woah, I don't know how it will all turn up but looks like S3 players might be in a better position if they team up as there is no overlap with other seasons...

CAST ASSESSMENT
Here's the list of players and pardon my fangirling in advance:
**Background = BG; Predictions = PDT

Hong Jin Ho

BG

Winner of Season 1, Placed 7th in Season 2, member of Crime Scene 1 & 2, Previous a Pro Gamer (usually placed 2nd), sometimes has problems pronouncing words, Very Observant, Icon of The Genius

PDT

I think JinHo will do quite well unless targeted by others or feel like others should get a chance to win, after all he has played twice. However, generally still has a competitive side and will get to see some surprises and brainy moves from him. Do not expect to see him win though.

Kim Kyung Ran

BG

Runner Up of Season 1, shown some smart moves in her season, Former announcer

PDT

Compared to JinHo and SangMin, Kyung Ran has not been back in The Genius studios for awhile and might be a bit rusty at first. While I do not have a clear memory of her game play, she could use this to her advantage. Very glad to see her back with a second chance. 

Lee Sang Min

BG

2nd Runner up in Season 1, Winner of Season 2, believed to have been through some setbacks, says that The Genius Studio is like his second home, Good social player, Singer-Idol

PDT

I believe that he will be targeted near the start of the game as an outstanding player who has made it very far in both of his seasons. Might try to persuade others that he is back for the games and can help them to win in order to stay in it. A force to be reckon with and can go either ways.

Lim Yo Hwan

BG

Runner up in Season 2, Rivals of Jin Ho as a Pro Gamer (beat Jin Ho to place first), Good in individual games, Do not work well in groups.

PDT

His unpredictability might put some other players off as he screws them over in group games, but the same trait also becomes his weapon in individual games, making him both a huge liability and huge threat to be taken out ASAP. Might create drama by targeting Jin Ho. Do not see him going far this time round.  

Jang Dong Min

BG

Season 3 winner, member of Crime Scene season 2, Good leader and speaker, Threatens to control, Comedian-Host

PDT

Very smart player that was underestimated in his season early on, however it is different this time. He is capable of pulling off good strategic moves, but does not work well with everyone. Hard to predict where he stands with this group of players but he will be someone that others are threatened by. Not sure if he will team up with Hyun Min to help further his friend's game.

Oh Hyun Min

BG

Runner up of season 3, Smart and strategic player, but not too good a social player, Student

PDT

While he only played once and didn't win, Hyun Min is a target for getting very close to the ultimate prize and he is fresh in other players' minds. Should team up with Dong Min as a Dream Team or make alliances quick. He should go far in this season if nothing goes wrong. 

Kim Yoo Hyun

BG

5th in Season 3, Super Lucky at times, Poker Player/English Teacher

PDT

Unless S3 alliance becomes a reality or that he becomes super lucky, I do doubt that he will go far. Seemingly a less strategic player, I wonder if he had some tricks left up his sleeves, after all he is a Poker Player right? Unless he is back as an upgraded version, I think that he will only make it till about halfway into the game.

Lim Yoon Sun

BG

9th in Season 2, Strategic player but wasn't well liked in her season, Lawyer

PDT

Thought that the players in her season didn't quite do her strategic side justice. Yoon Sun has a lot of potential to do well this season and if she is able to gain alliances quick, I see her going far, or at least hopefully further than she did in her season.

Choi Jung Moon

BG

9th in Season 1, Not that memorable nor strategic, Mensa member

PDT

Surprised to see her name in here as she wasn't that memorable a player. I only remember her screwing up in the Zombies game (she wasn't able to hide the fact that she was a zombie) but the fact that she has high IQ is something worth giving a second (and probably last) chance to prove herself. Not expecting much from her TBH.

Yoo Jung Hyun

BG

2nd Runner Up in Season 2, did surprisingly well in the death matches, but considerably not included in any of the group game as a main player, Former Announcer, Now a lawmaker (?)

PDT

I don't know how he is going to stand out as a worthy player among all these All Stars and prove that he can play the game well too. I hope he is not dragged along which I have a feeling he will be again... 

Kim Kyung Hoon

BG

12th in Season 3, had his guns blasting from the start, Seoul Graduate, not sure what he does now

PDT

I think that Kyung Hoon has much potential to do well. Playing with a more laid back approach at the start might just work in his favor, but he is known to stir up trouble and is competitive. If he stays collected, he is a huge competitor. If not, he must as well just be burning the whole place down as he screws up everyone's game. 

Choi Yeun Seung (Ooo side note, all the players from S3 casting calls are back!)

BG

2nd Runner up in Season 3, I believe he has great concentration, Oriental Doctor

PDT

Not someone who come across as a strong player either, and not very memorable. Don't think that Yeun Seung will go far this season, especially with all the All Stars, unless the other players decide that he is easier to beat at the end and try to take out the "stronger" ones first. I do think that he is a great alliance member though. 

Lee Jun Seok

BG

Last place in season 1, JinHo thinks that he is a huge threat, Harvard Graduate, Politician, Entrepreneur

PDT

Will definitely do better and has lots of potential to go deep in this season. I think that Jun Seok will be just as good as Jin Ho, and might even win. 

List of Players that ought to have been called back
Kim Sung Gyu
Certainly a bold and smart player, I am positive most people wanted him back. A pity to have left him out.

Cha Min Soo
Really smart Poker player that had it going really well from the start of the first season. A crucial mistake made by Jin Ho/himself costed him the game during team death match, this would have been a much needed redemption.
[edit: okay I remembered wrongly. ): Not really Jin Ho's fault...]

Doo Hee
Smart and memorable player, he really was in the running to be one of the best but he was really screwed over by ID cards that were stolen.

Yoo Su Jin
Made an upsetting mistake that costed her game to come to an end, this would have been a great chance for a great redemption.

Kim Gu Ra
A giant player that was targeted from the start, and his group game play was pretty good. Would have been a great to see him back, but nope, it didn't happen.

Kim Jae Kyung
Was at the wrong place, making a wrong decision at the wrong time. Her acting was superb in the first death match in Season 2 and I still can't believe how she fell out with the rest so quick in the second episode. She had much potential to do well.


Such a pity they were not selected instead! haha maybe next time? ><
Alright so as we wait for the show to start, tweet me @raycherr and tell me who you are rooting for? :)
Might be doing a draft on who we support with a friend soon! Stay tuned! (Delayed until further notice haha)

*some of my opinions of the players have changed after watching the previews...

Click here for all posts on The Genius.

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Survivor 30 Finale

Worlds Apart Final Episode and Reunion happened last week!

This season has been one of the more awesome ones in a while! The castaways were truly memorable, even those that were booted before the merge and I had a blast watching this season. I must say that I really think that all of them had potential to be winners/make it far, agreeing with Mike's description of a "Season of gamers". Some complained that the casts were not likeable but I think good TV is when the cast is interesting/controversial. Haha. 

Ohwell, let's get into what I was here for!!! XD 

MIKE HOLLOWAY WON!?!?!?! What???!!! How on Earth did that happen? He was the target ever since Joe was voted out, and he managed to stay all the way till the end? Much respect bro! Well deserved win! I especially like the episode when he demonstrated one of my fave strategic moves this season: Russian Roulette. It was nice to see how he tried to corner the other players. Also, in a way turning into an underdog was somewhat a blessing in disguise. 

And... um... Yep. My first impressions of Mike, anyone? My impressions on who is the best have been pretty spot on! Or... is it the editing? ):

Side note* On the subject of editing, raw footage was shown for the first time ever. Pretty damn cool and revealing. :/

Thanks for such an epic season.
(pretty stoked for the next)



You can find me on Twitter @raycherr
& read other posts of Survivor here

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Heard it through the Grapevine Ep 9, 10, 11, 12 Review

Heard it through the Grapevine A.K.A Heard it as a Rumor A.K.A I heard a Rumor [HITTG]

I'm back with a multiple episodes review! Woohoo!
Alright, to be honest, I felt that episode 9 & 10 didn't have that much going on and decided to watch another 2 episodes before writing about my thoughts. I did a bit of digging around and found out that episode 9&10 had the highest rating thus far in the series?! I'm very surprised! To me, this was not the kind of development that I enjoy as much so to reach an even greater audience in these 2 episodes airing week really bewildered me a little...
Not to say I do not like this drama anymore, but I'm wasn't too impressed hey. I did like the emotional part near the end of episode 9 though. *thumbs up* for the scene where Bom's mum had a conversation with her over the phone after delivering red bean rice cake.

However, the next week's eps (11, 12) were definitely better in my opinion! :) There were way more character development, from Seo Noo Ri (Bom's sister) to Lee Sun Sook (Yeon Hee's secretary). The change in attitude from the Han family was also a game changer in terms of how the story was going to continue. How on earth did the Seo family get connected to others with power? In the meantime, Bom is starting to feel like an outsider to her birth family as she starts to grasp on to Power. :/

Also, something did catch my attention in these episodes. Or should I say someone did?
Yep, Min Joo Young.
Who on earth are you?



Name: Min Joo Young
Specialty: Stalking
Job: Secretary for the 8th level of Hansong
Secret mission: Clear her brother's name + Find dirt on Hansong (?)
Notable Skill: Speaks Mandarin fluently!!! *impressed!

O.O Side note, she looks really young for her real age too!
Her character development in this few episodes was really a huge jump and had a really good edit in my opinion. So curious as to what is going on, as I'm not 100% sure what is her relationship with Hansong and the backstory. I realised I really like her when her colleagues started to doubt her, I was like Noooooo don't get caught! She's not doing nothing! Haha, and her poker face was superb too! :| Looking forward to see her character move forward and make an impact on all their lives.
... I am predicting that In Sang's father will lose the battle in the end... But maybe not? ): (Oh man, I am almost always rooting for the underdog to win, so perhaps I am bias. :/)

Ok, that's all for now, I will be back next week with another review! :)
In the meantime, you can read my previous reviews here.
And feel free to tweet me @raycherr.

P.S Sorry I'm so behind on this drama... *still decides to watch another show, oops

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Heard it through the Grapevine Episode 7 & 8 Review

Heard it through the Grapevine A.K.A Heard it as a Rumor A.K.A I heard a Rumor [HITTG]

Global Perspective! Everything's complicated! This is the truth and nothing can be simple! Or can it? At least In Sang believes that the complicated issues can be tossed aside, life is too short just thinking about the positive things.
\\(◕ฺ ▿ฺ ◕ฺ)// #hero
While I do understand where Bom's coming from when she expressed her frustration of being different and "outcasted" from the rich and powerful, I love how In Sang still has this vision about everything working out. It didn't feel like a fantasy vision that was impossible to me when he said it. Or is it just me, am I becoming too optimistic like him? ); omg Lee Joon is such a good idol actor.

Bom is portrayed as a pretty smart kid (and i use kid here because that is exactly how most people are treating her). She is turning tables around and probably even on her way to fulfilling her dad's dream of her becoming at least a Minister of Justice. However, things are complicated, aren't they? The spider web unravels in these 2 episodes, giving us a look into how different characters are related and what they struggle with/care about most. The episodes also took a turn in storytelling and focused more on the characters and emotions than moving forward in the timeline. So, it was more like branching out than progressing in the story. Pretty refreshing.

The episodes also revolved around generations, virtue, self control and traditions. So basically, they were what some deem as important while others might deem as old fashioned values. However, pride was also another issue brought up and hinted throughout the episode, which I thought held greater significance than the others mention above. Pride was what led to wanting to hold on to what are "good and valuable"; pride was what was stopping some from being "real". Notice how I used quotation marks? While some might think that they are "XXX", it is not exactly Black and White. Yep, haha and this brings us back to complexity. Wow.

Black comedy is all about complexity yea. Looking forward to the next episodes!
Just so I don't back out, I will write here that I will continue to watch and write about my thoughts asap soon (after I finish rewatching Orphan Black! ><)
Tweet me @raycherr, or... read my other posts on Heard it through the Grapevine here ヾ(๑╹◡╹)ﾉ” 감사합니다!

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Heard it through the Grapevine Episode 5 & 6 Review

Heard it through the Grapevine A.K.A Heard it as a Rumor A.K.A I heard a Rumor [HITTG]

Wow, after a few weeks haitus, I am finally back with a short review of Ep 5 and 6... I believe I'm about 10+ episodes behind, ohno!!! ): I really should find time to just binge watch and catchup, shouldn't I? ;)

So... I am so sorry, I became lazy [read: writer's block] and I didn't take any notes for these two episodes. I feel super guilty about it as I don't remember that much details... :/
Actually, it has been a few days since I watched, but I decided that I will still write about what happened since I would love to continue to write about the show, there should be more of a continuity.

Alright, enough of me emoing and giving dumb excuses, back to super cute Han In Sang!!! XD This is actually one of the few korean dramas that I remember the main characters' names well: Seo Bom, Han In Sang and their baby Han Jin Young. The writers must be doing something right. *claps* Now, the next level would be to remember the parents' names.
Now to the story, yes! The young couple registered their marriage officially and practically the whole world knows about it! What?!? That was pretty unexpected, especially with the twitches that the rich parents had for the next few days after the shocking news arrived. Hence, this is a step forward for the young family, congratz! In Sang's female friend(aka his mum's friend's daughter) wasn't too good at hiding her jealously too, and was quite interesting to watch, I wonder if she will start to get in the way of the new couple to break them up somehow, to stir up some trouble? Sounds like a plausible story development to me! :/ Plus there were so many jealous characters after news of the marriage were announced too, its funny! For example, the pregnant lady in the office, she was quite pissed about not having the best nanny in town.
Following, the families had their own worries too. Like rich father and his politics. Bom's sister and her job... :/
Soon after, the couple's parents FINALLY met!!! Having the upper hand, the rich family tried to exert their authority by putting out terms and conditions on the table, trying to force Bom's parents into a corner with money and prospects again. Luckily, In Sang overheard the conversation, ok the entire house heard it hahahahhaha, and he was embarrassed by his parents' lack of real empathy. Justice!
And there you have it, a fight in the big beautiful house as episode 6 came to an end.

Cheers, in the meantime, you can find me on twitter @raycherr as I try to find time to binge watch the drama!

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Writer's Block?

Alright, I'm not exactly a writer, not worthy of this awesome title yet, but I guess I do write about my thoughts on dramas and reality tv... :/

So, recently I started this blog, and I began to write about my opinions and thoughts on different shows, with 2 of them starting out as long term "projects" that I should be writing on at least once a week, namely Survivor Worlds Apart and Heard it through the Grapevine. However, while first impressions got me excited to tell the world how I felt, it started to feel like work after a few episodes passed. ): Once the novelty of writing about the new show I'm watching started to wear off, I had about probably only about a paragraph of things to write about... While I could have dive deeper into each episode and discussed the topics with depth, I just didn't want to take notes and dig at "nothing" or that I just couldn't be bothered to ponder and review them. Perhaps, I just think that I don't have anything worthy of discussion when I only skim the surface, sorry. I just wanted to enjoy the shows and became lazy.
Look at this:

#SurvivorWorldsApart Great impersonation by Rodney; very impressive fake idol; upsetting that Joe is out; is Mike the biggest threat now?
— Rachel (@raycherr) April 16, 2015

): I am embarrassed by how little thought went into that compared to a blog post. But then again, I don't think that entertainment should be work. It should be fun, no? ):
Alright, all play and no work makes Jack a mere toy...
I sincerely apologise to anyone of you reading(if any!) for starting on this journey and then taking a short cut, changing to tweets(I love Twitter, don't get me wrong) after a few episodes.
Sigh, hopefully one day I will get to finish a long term "personal project".

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Book Review: The Joy Luck Club

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Alright, so i admit this i my first ever book review >< so if this is somewhat lacking please do pardon me, and feel free to leave a comment if you have any constructive criticisms. Here goes nothing!

After searching for this book online, I found out that there's a film as well, with a screenplay by Amy Tan, but I have not seen it YET... hopefully soon.

So yes, I am really glad i decided to give this a go. The last book i remember reading that covered the Chinese culture is The Last Leaf/Chinese Cinderella. So when i spotted this book on the library shelves a few weeks back, I was like, I probably should go back to my roots again, so i picked it up, and never looked back. What a brilliant debut novel!

The story itself is a piece of beautiful artwork, complex yet appealing. It did take a bit more brain juice to get through as each chapter took a look at 4 different mother-daughter pairs. While their lives were interwoven (through the Joy Luck Club), it was slightly hard for me to remember clearly who did what previously, and I found myself flipping back and forth to link with what happened in the previous chapters. Perhaps I haven't read anything this deep and compelling in a long while, or that I read them in separate sittings... Either ways, this should not deter you from giving this book a go, the reward when you approach the end of the book is pretty heartwarming.

This book looks into the 2 different generations of Chinese women, the mothers who spent their childhood in China and the daughters in America. The stories revolve around their beliefs(influenced by their past and present) and how the daughters are both different and similar to their mothers. It also looked at how cultures are different, and how globalization made their lives a tad more complicated. Coming from different backgrounds, the Chinese mothers all had different values that contributed to who they were. They had different beliefs, different struggles. Such vulnerabilities displayed by the mothers made me empathize and think hard about whether traditions and heritage had any place in today's society. In fact, even if what they think do not coincide with yours, the writing allows for the reader to explore and not judge. I actually enjoyed the mothers' side of the story slightly more than their daughters'. The daughters are still learning and growing, and were supposedly more relatable to me. I guess I gravitated more towards wanting to know more about the "greater" challenges that the mothers faced and how they "tried to influence" their children instead. Most of the mothers' story-lines had greater breadth and depth, which makes for a more wholesome picture. While I unfortunately didn't manage to remember all the characters clearly in my first reading, they all came together to form a larger story that is memorable, or at least the emotions evoked are. That, I feel is most important. Overall, it is ultimately a story about reflecting upon who we are, and how relationships are shaped. Definitely a book for me to read again when I am slightly older, as for now I feel that this book will give readers varied afterthoughts as one's maturity changes and character evolves.

Now for me to check out other books by Amy Tan. Cheers!

~~ Feel free to tweet me @raycherr for book recommendations or opinions on The Joy Luck Club! :)

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