The Liebster Award–Part 2

[Shucks, there’ve been a couple more (thanks again Snow and Ahjusshi Fan!)so I’ve updated this page to keep the Liebsters together. Scroll down if you’re interested ;)]

Well lookie here! I’m really chuffed and grateful for Erl at A Mix of Anything and Everything for nominating me for the Liebster Award (why do I feel like I’m writing my Oscar acceptance speech?).

I know everybody says this but it is true that I’d never really thought anyone would read anything on my blog, let alone receive something like this.  So I am downright humbled and well pleased that this has come my way. So Erl, I shower you with rose petals, and same goes for anyone who has ever read and commented here on my little corner of the world. Everyone gets rose petals!

The Liebster Award is given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers and is a way to recognise newcomers to the blogosphere. And google tells me that Liebster is German and means “sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.” D’awwww….

The Rules

There are rules involved and these vary somewhat from what I’ve seen, but these were the ones that Erl gave me:

1. Each nominee link back the person who nominated them.

2. Answer 10 questions which are given to you by the nominator.

3. Nominate 10 other bloggers for this award who have less than 200 followers.

4. Create 10 questions for your nominees to answer.

5. Let the nominees know that they have been nominated by going to their blog and notifying them.

Here are my answers to Erl’s questions:

1. What is your motivation to continue blogging?

My audience demands, nay craves, my work *in haughty British-accented voice*. Seriously though, it’s a lot of fun talking to fellow obsessives and finding a such a warm, welcoming community on the internet has been pure awesome. Plus, it keeps me on my creative toes.

2. What is your favourite blog post, one that you have written?

Hmmm, this is going to sound facetious but I like ’em all. Mainly because I consider it a minor miracle that any of them ever make it out alive since I’m so not prolific and I tend to hem-and-haw a lot before I post something (meaning I procrastinate). But I do have more fun writing silly stuff, the posts where I poke fun or eye-roll, as I am wont to do in Real Life. 

3. How do you spend a typical weekend?

I’m basically a huge bore and a hermit which means I’m at home, most likely eating, sometimes cooking, and watching dramas. Occasionally I surface for air, but I find it’s not entirely necessary.

Me & Lee Jong Seok have a lot in common: “I hardly leave my bed when I’m at home.”  (gif by hyunsuks.tumblr.com)

4. What has been your biggest blogging challenge so far?

All of it has been a challenge, from writing, creating header images, finding the time to reply to comments without sounding like a twit, to actually finding a drama that I like and want to write about. It’s all been a big ball of challenge, but the biggest one is trying to find my blogging voice and hitting my stride which is still a long ways off. I like blogs that either A) entertain me in some way or B) keep me informed, so I try to do the same with mine.

5. What is that moment in your life that you regret the most?

I don’t have a moment, more like a collection of moments. Like all the times I parked illegally and sped down highways because I would’ve saved a lot of money in tickets and fines.

6. What are your favourite and least favourite drama clichés?

I detest meddling mother-in-laws and noble idiots. And because I can’t just have one, I don’t like damsels-in-distress either because…oh read Feminist Frequency for why because Anita Sarkeesian says it better than I ever could. And one of my favourites would have to be bumbling cops. Gotta love incompetent police officers for comic relief.

7. Do you post under your real name? Why or why not?

No I don’t, although DDee (pronounced ‘Dee Dee’ by the way) is a small part of my real name. I’m a very private person and I enjoy the anonymity because it allows me to behave badly. When am I ever going to meet any of you lot in real life anyway?? (And if I ever do, I apologise in advance.)

8. Who is your ultimate bias?

♥  Gong Yoo, Amber and Kai  ♥

I’ve always wondered how and why ‘bias’ came to be used in K-pop parlance to describe favouring one idol over another. It’s a strange choice at first glance (since my instinct is to use the word differently) but then again, once you think about it, it’s brilliant. Since I’m a K-pop novice, I don’t really have one (although a couple of boys in EXO have caught my eye, as has Amber from f(x)). In dramaland however, it has to be the one and only Gong Yoo.  And if anyone can tell me more about the origins of ‘bias’, I’d be forever grateful.

9. Are you a coffee or a tea addict?

Coffee. Strong. The kind that’s locally roasted with butter that you get at kopitiams called ‘kopi o’, which means black with sugar. Served in a proper kopitiam cup and saucer like this: 

10. What is your idea of a perfect drama?

If there were such a thing as a perfect drama, beyond the trifecta of acting, directing, writing, it would be one that has a vision for itself and stays true to it, with a hefty dose of heart and soul.

My noms

Since this award is to big-up some newbies,  I thought I’d go a little beyond looking at follower-counts and choose ones that haven’t been nominated as far as I know (so that excludes my fellow nominees in this round), have a smaller number of hits (wherever stats are visible), and are updated fairly regularly. Here are 7 blogs that I chose:

Feminist K-drama Feels: tumblr has ruined my life since I discovered blogs like this one, run by two friends who critique and celebrate women characters in dramas.

Sphere Of Gray: Written in a remarkably assured tone of voice for someone so young. I’m jealous.

DramAdrenaline!: Sarah’s blog is a huge pleasure to read. She’s pretty hysterical and fun to chat with too.

Stuck on Hyuk: It takes some serious fangirl passion to dedicate a blog solely to Jang Hyuk, and Drama Fan and Gumi do it with humour and aplomb. Plus, DF never hesitates to share fugly photoshoots of K-hotties with me :D.

Bright Little World: From Greece, chatting with brightfotini is like a little ray of sunshine. She’s really busy at the moment and I hope RL gives her a break long enough to post more often.

My Myooz: Nelly was one of the first to welcome me to the blogosphere and she’s funny, and warm and Malaysian-born–all good things in my book. And I love her Eu-Mak Wednesday series.

Pops Mission: Being on blogspot I have no idea what her follower-count is, but I enjoy reading her easy breezy takes on dramas.

My questions are:  

1. If you could bankroll your dream drama, what genre would it be and who would you cast?

2. If you could travel back in time and be a fly on the wall in any drama shoot in the universe, which would you pick and why?

3. If you weren’t blogging about dramas what would you be blogging about?

4. How soon into your drama addiction did you want to start cooking and eating ramyun?

5. In what ways is your family similar to and different from the average K-drama family?

6. List 11 random facts about yourself.

Liebster 2: From Snow_white: 

1. Who is your favourite K-ent actor and actress?

So so many! Have a look at my header images for a sampling. Gong Hyo Jin, Shin Min Ah, Kim Sun Ah, Gong Yoo, Lee Min Ki off the top of my head. But I’m sure there are more.

2. Talking about favourites, what are your favourite movies, TV serials, actors and actresses outside Kdramaland? 

Oh boy this could go on forever. I want to be Tilda Swinton when I grow up. Also Maggi Cheung. I think ET is a work of art. The X-Files was my first fandom–I shipped Mulder and Scully before I knew what shipping meant. I love the Golden Girls and Cheers and other sitcoms from the 80s like Mind Your Language and ‘Allo ‘Allo (yes that’s how old I am).  

3. If your life were a drama, which one would it be?

You mean the life I dream of or life as it is? I dream my drama life would be a little Coffee Prince (Choi Han Kyul, coffee) meets Kimchi Family (food), with a little bit of Dal Ja’s Spring (Lee Min Ki) and Shut Up Flower Boy Band (music, flower boys). I would be doing this alot:

Life as it is would be a total drama flop–it would bore people to tears.

4. Dramas or novels? Why?

Oooh both! I love reading and I love dramas equally. Both work different parts of my brain and both can be as transportive and immersive. Alas dramas have occupied most of my headspace, and my free time, of late.

5. Which colour do you like the most and why?

I like blues, greens and earth tones. Why? I have no idea.

6. Your dream cast for a drama: main leads as well as second leads………….

Gong Hyo Jin! Shin Min Ah! Gong Yoo! Lee Min Ki! Song Joong Ki! Kim Sun Ah! There would be no second leads in my drama. Everyone get all things and goes away happy, and we’d all die from the eye-candy.

7. What is the best thing about blogging in your opinion?

Community! Finding others who are willing to indulge me is amazing. Everyone is so kind and generous. Reading the numerous talented bloggers out there is humbling too and it makes me face my limitations everyday.

Liebster 3: From Ahjusshi Fan:

1. What is your favourite movie? – from any country.

ET! From America. And outer space. And since a couple of us were just talking Bollywood today, 3 Idiots, with Aamir Khan.

2. What is the most wonderful thing that happened in your life.

Erm, I guess the day I met my hubby in a lift in a shopping mall. True story.

3. What are you doing right now other than answering this question.

I’m thinking of what to eat for dinner, and drinking water to help fill my stomach in the meantime. And scratching my head. And curing cancer. Multitasker extraordinaire!

4. If you were given USD 10,000 what will you do with that money? Please don’t save it.

Why can’t I save it??! I’d buy a new mattress. Then I’d buy my hubby and me a meal at the best sushi restaurant in Tokyo. I suppose I would then pay the bank but I wouldn’t be happy about it. Then I’d donate some of it, and then I’d give the rest to my mother. I owe her some money.

5. Android or iPhone?

Android! Apple products are overpriced.

6. Do you have someone you want to punch at this current moment?

YES. SO MANY. All of them local politicians. But I don’t support violence, okay. Except for those who invite it, like politicians.

7. Express yourself in 3 words

Yes. No. Maybe?

8. Express your k-drama crush in 3 words. 

O.M.G!!!

9. What is your favourite Korean phrases?

“Do you want to die?”, “I’m going crazy” and “How could you do this to me? HOW?! HOW!!”

10. Coffee or tea or milk?

Coffee! Strong! See Liebster #1. But I also like green tea, the kind with puffed brown rice. That is really delicious. And corn tea. Yummy.

My noms: 

Dramamochi

Heidi’s KDrama 52 week Challenge

Zany Delights

Drama Rookie 

My questions: 

1. If you could be an extra in any scene in any drama, what scene and in which drama would it be?

2.  Complete this sentence: Kim Woo Bin is….

3.  Japan, Korea or Taiwan?

4.  Money or love?

5. Who is your favourite drama hero of all time?

6. List 11 random facts about yourself.

• Amber f(x)
• Coffee Prince
• Dal Ja's Spring
• Exo
• Gong Hyo Jin
• Gong Yoo
• Kim Sun Ah
• Kim Woo Bin
• Kimchi Family
• Lee Jong Seok
• Lee Min Ki
• Liebster Award
• Shin Min Ah
• Shut Up Flower Boy Band
• Song Joong Ki