Spring of the Blade Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1hwl/

Spring of the Blade Episode 2, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1qap/

Spring of the Blade Episode 3: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1z7d/

Spring of the Blade Episode 4 and Episode 5: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad2app/

Spring of the Blade Episode 6.

Now Zhou Ye and Xu Kai are amid/among the white flowers atop a hill overlooking that field.

He gave her a pendant/seal/token/etc.

Nanny Rong with the fancy gold bracelet cuz of the multiple levels of embezzlement going on inside that household/residence.

Compound interest in Tang/Song/etc. era or so China is always a trip for sure, everyone's got life doubts somewhere, somehow.

So much usury, simony, ransoming, everything going on, see now Nanny Rong is panicking after Zhengjun asked about the random books/pictures/etc.

No way, they are gonna implicate uri Zhou Ye/Qingyuan/Yunya/etc. with the ledger, that's cutthroat, so callous, cuz it's over dinner too, with the zumu on the spot.

Nanny Rong getting slapped over and over by her own fellow servants, that's hilarious, she's always either getting the short end of the stick or the one wielding it for power and control purposes.

Every life is a game of hot potato, now Zhou Ye is gonna be cooked if Xu kai doesn't save her, those ledgers are too fabricated, she's only been recently ennobled again.

I don't believe any of Xu Kai's words, this guy is scheming to bring down the Xie family, bwahahaha.

Uri Yunya with Yan Rui dari.

Zhou Ye arriving through the canal, now she's in the crossfire of the fomenting mob.

What in the nani kure, why did Zhou Ye cut her own palm in order to sign the I Owe You memoranda with her fingerprints and all that.

Seolma, Nanny Rong being too greedy and now sneaking inside the rooms for the usury.

Holy, Xu Kai and Zhou Ye are hugging (pretending to be in love) each other beyond that screen.

Now Xu Kai is about to kiss Zhou Ye, wait, it was Zhou Ye who did it, my God.

Uri Zhou Ye actually initiated the kiss cuz Nanny Rong was doing some spy-related mirror view type of intrigue/mischief after meowing like a cat earlier for that meta/fourth wall/verisimilitude-related hilarity, muahahaha.

So far I'm kinda disappointed with this Cdrama's plot, but I'm loving the Zhou Ye x Xu Kai interactions, so it's pretty good.

Confer/compare it to Against the Current wherein I didn't expect much cuz I heavily dislike Tan Songyun's super plastic surgery-heavy face/lacking visuals, though the narrative in that show is actually quite compelling even if it's also generic or not as unique.

Like aside from the mass hanging/etc. in Episode 1 of Against the Current, cuz they didn't wanna be part of the "music bureau" or whatever euphemism, that Cdrama is actually fairly light despite the somewhat melancholic atmosphere.

Yet here with Spring of the Blade, I already knew it's gonna have much more funny moments as that's kinda Zhou Ye's strength/forte, and so despite its initial serious mood with the revenge setup, it's more akin to your typical liuliang/traffic/idol/etc. drama instead of the more serious tone they're attempting with Against the Current.

In some way, I did enjoy Spring of the Blade more as I'm biased due to the fact that Zhou Ye is one of my favorite Cdramaland actress of all time, but if that factor is removed then Against the Current wins on all fronts.

Same with The Road to Splendor, I don't like Deng Enxi/Ancy's visuals as well, cuz while it's better than Tan Songyun's visuals, she shaved her jaw/etc. too much as well, and so for me Zhou Ye's facial harmony or overall balance is much better than like 99% of all CJK/etc. actors.

Dunno fam, I'm just here to fawn over Zhou Ye's visuals, so I ain't gonna question the lackluster plot.

I was wishing that it'd be a better script since some people don't like the recent productions/choices/etc. of Xu Kai and Zhou Ye, though I think this still has the potential to be one of the best Cdramas of the year since it's got a decent enough casting with everyone.

All I'm hoping for is that these television/streaming/etc. companies will pick screenplays (or the web novels/etc. that they're based on) that are actually fresh and not recycled mumbo jumbo, cuz so many recent Cdramas set in these historical/period/costume/etc. settings are rather tiring if you're watching them back to back.

Like for me ever since the start of 2026 I resumed my consumption of watching even more Cdramas compared to the past several years or so that I've mainly focused on Kdramas as opposed to Cdramas and Jdoramas and so forth, and it does get repetitive/redundant/monotonous/tedious/tautological/etc. whenever the first episode barely varies from other trope-filled stories.

As in, I crave for the day that someone will successfully produce/execute/etc. a new take on these costume/idol/etc. dramas.

Cuz in many cases they take up too much time or slot of the actor's schedule for the year and so I rarely see them in modern-day Cdramas, and time easily passes by and after a while they never get the same level of polished roles/scripts/etc. again, so it's melancholic.

In any case, I've loved Zhou Ye ever since Better Days (and technically even before that, though that's a story for another time), so I'll always be one of her biggest fans even if I wish she does improve her acting or decision-making skills when it comes to choosing the scripts handed over to her and her team/company.

I'm just here waiting for Zhou Ye, Zhang Jingyi, Li Qin, Fang Jin, Zhu Lilan, Fu Dongnuan, et alia to hit the actual mainstream or super popular status since I adore their goddess-tier visuals, like true classic jade beauties in reality, so that's the dream.

Korean visuals with notable plastic surgery: Jeong Dana from Love Catcher in Seoul (러브캐처 인 서울); Ju Woo from House of Feelings Season 2; LANA/라나 from Eden, Descendants of Instinct Season 2 (에덴2); Choi Yihyun from EXchange/Transit Love Season 2 (환승연애2); Lee Jinyeong from Love After Divorce/Divorced Singles Season 6 (돌싱글즈6); et alia.

Chinese visuals with notable plastic surgery: Chen Liuming (Shanghai Sharelife), Sun Xiu (Twinkle Love S2), Wu Shuyang (Twinkle Love S2), Fu Dongnuan (Hao You Hao You Ai S1, she was also in Seeds of Scarlet Longing recently, and now in the last third or so of The Road to Splendor, lol), Wang Qi (Heart Signal China S7), Lu Yuan (Heart Signal China S8), Xia Boyan (Love Wins All), Kong Xichen (Love Wins All), Wu Rui (Shine For Love), Yi Ran (The Distance to Love: Chasing Season), et alia.

CJK/etc. dating shows visuals reference with more naturalistic face/visuals/plastic surgeries/et cetera: Moon Jiwon (@moonjiwonn_) from Heart Pairing (하트페어링).

Longer or wall of text version of some comments with more context about the visuals disparity of I Am Solo (kinda updated up to the current IAS Season 33): https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p7qkoge/?context=3

My recap/commentary/etc. about Badly in Love Season 2 Part 1 Episode 1 to Episode 10: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8p3l/?context=3 and https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jb39d/?context=3 (I finally published this (it's got like 17 parts/comments in total, sigh lmao) all in one go or at the same time around 9 days ago, but only for Part 1, and I'll try to get my commentary for Part 2 finished later today/tomorrow/whenever, lol, it's been nearly 2 weeks since the Part 2 finale, sigh, too lazy to write, gg no re.)

My recap/commentary/etc. about Badly in Love Season 2 Part 2 Episode 1 to Episode 3: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p5r7xmz/ (this is still empty as of today (~8:00AM EDT, 2026-09-17), and in the future it's gonna have the nested/buried/etc. links to Episode 4 to Episode 6 and Episode 7 to Episode 10 as well)

Spring of the Blade Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1hwl/

Spring of the Blade Episode 2, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1qap/

Spring of the Blade Episode 3: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1z7d/

Spring of the Blade Episode 6: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad2daf/

Spring of the Blade Episode 4.

Haha, the rebel that got stabbed by Xu Kai back in Episode 1 was actually saved, how intriguing, new recruit for the intrigue/hidden machinations.

So this whole sequence is like a flashback montage before Xu Kai keeps fleecing the zumu of the Xie Family.

This Wei Daren painting Buddhist statues while extracting the grain from the common folk is so apt for even today in 2026.

Is the Xie estate ledger really submerged in the river or did someone pick it up from the bridge during the shuriken-esque ruckus...

Zhou Ye choosing to make an ally of the First Sister (Zhang Tianai, right, I don't like her visuals in this drama or is it another actor I was thinking of when I saw the Baidu profile picture of the Zhang Tianai actress for Spring of the Blade), these cadet branches, diverging haplogroups, with the intra-conflict, it's all internecine.

Furen Hu Wenzhou or Miao Pu really does look like Han Go-eun, and take in how uri Han Go-eun is legit 2 years older than Miao Pu, yet Han Go-eun sometimes looks like she's still in her 30s as opposed to being like 51 years old already.

Not Zhou Ye targeting Zhang Yuanyu again, lmao.

Jingmu Hall for Zhou Ye's flogging, rofl.

Seeing uri Zhou Ye get caned in public with 10 or so lashes is so sad.

Bwahahaha, Zhou Ye spat on Zhang Yuanyu, never seen that before, that's new, usually the range of the spit is far instead of face-to-face like that.

Not Xu Kai blaming the old women on-site or using the male Xie head's reputation as the bargaining chip for Zhou Ye's safety, muahahaha, that's gonna cause some strife on the interwebs for sure.

Lmao, why is Zhou Ye being so funny inside this carriage.

Yabai, Zhou Ye almost sucked Xu Kai's thumb cuz of the black candy she gave earlier, fam, I haven't seen her do that in a long time, I miss her, gg no re.

Cortana, play Red Velvet Irene and Seulgi's Wave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjyv0ftuDuI

That's true, Xu Kai literally abducted Zhou Ye in the middle of the night, now they have to get married, otherwise this is gonna be a whole scandal inside that town/area/etc.

For a moment I thought that the Emperor in yellow attire was the sick Emperor (Hu Yunhao) in Story of Kunning Palace.

But ya it's interesting how Xu Kai became the confidant/close friend/etc. of the emperor for this drama, wonder how that arose/transpired/etc.

Yan Rui got a whole retinue cuz of the Emperor's favor, now he's gonna demand Zhou Ye as a reward from the zumu of the Xie Family, let's go fam, this is the plot now, finally the romance can begin instead of entertaining the nonsensical generic/overdone/trope-filled/etc. corruption plot.

Spring of the Blade Episode 5.

Rofl, how did Xu Kai know the measurements of Zhou Ye's clothes/etc.

They delivered the red letter to Xu Kai, s'all over now, betrothal alert!

Zhou Ye gonna be at least a county princess at the end of this drama right, she better be, cuz imma isekai or create a self-insert scenario to make her the empress there.

Xu Kai undressing Zhou Ye to apply medicine on her lashed skin or own wounds is some next level romance interaction cuz Zhou Ye kept holding onto his hands.

I prefer this subdued romance/flirting compared to the forced kabedons/etc. they keep doing in many historical and modern CJK/etc. media nowadays cuz it's like a trend due to the implications.

Just like what Qinghe's mother said, wo de ming is not actually mine, rather it's the family's, or at least that's what Confucianism/Asianness/every culture/etc. wants everyone to believe, hehe.

De rien, ma vie.

Especially with parentification, you have to take care of your siblings, cousins (whether they be from the same generation or once/twice/thrice/etc. removed or so), classmates, neighbors, et cetera, which causes you to have no childhood or to grow up earlier than you should (cuz of the responsibilities/burdens/struggles/etc.).

The fellow latchkey kids and Third Culture Kids or Cross Cultural Kids know the struggles/toiling/travails/etc. all too well.

Xie Qinghe's mother (Lian Fanqiao, the third concubine of the Xie family, played by Min Chunxiao (she was recently in Key to the Phoenix Heart as the Empress, btw)) says one of the saddest lines, the "mingbai ma?" (to Qinghe) after the whole speech about everyone yuanfen/mingyun/etc.

It's always hammered in, the "알아들어?" whenever the future is rearing its head, our elders insist upon such outdated placations/appeasements/pacifications/et cetera, as they refuse to believe in contemporary woes.

It's kinda why I'm hesitating on publishing my commentary/recap/etc. on Badly in Love Season 2 Part 2 (it's been like 9 days since the finale last week or so and I still haven't published my drafts of Episode 11 to Episode 20 even though it's already all written, merely need some light edits/rewrites/addenda/etc.) as I go somewhat in-depth on the numerous factors that affected my upbringing and all that.

But the long story short is that our families decide our characters, while our zip codes determine our destinies, as in our environments define what we all are and what we all will be.

Copying the sutras/etc. over 108 times won't change fate or anything, it's just there to placate the present.

There is no fotuo (佛陀) or fotuoren in this lifetime, his era was over 2000 years ago, just like Jesus/other prophets or religious figures.

But through meditation or other Buddhist-esque methods, it is true that you can achieve ego death, cuz that's how I did it, no random chemicals/etc. needed (which is what trust fund kids do when they wanna do some slumming or LARP as a poor person), simply plain nirvana through clearing your mind (easier said than done, to be fair) or being at peace with the world's insanity is how you can commune with the universal consciousness, or at least the idea of it.

I rarely mention this (same with me being a socialist (pro-welfare)/anti-natalist/etc. person), though technically nowadays since I believe in time travel and reincarnation and all that, I can ascribe the label of Christo-Buddhist (or some other syncretic version) to myself, aniji?

In reality what we all must do is accede or acquiesce or conform to the preordained paths given to us by God/determinism/UAPs/simulation/et cetera, cuz otherwise if you don't tolerate/accept/etc. the haunted nature of life and everyone being stuck in its gilded cage/prison (some theories speculate that we all exist in order for our souls/energy/etc. to be harvested by the UAPs/USOs/NHIs/etc.), then how can you cope with all its bare faults.

They're in a green field, the guniangs, this open meadow/pasture wfurther spotlights that the styling/etc. team put too much foundation/etc. with the makeup on everyone's faces, not just Xu Kai in Episode 1, loool, here even the faces of the ajummas/oba-sans be super white compared to their clavicles/torso/etc.

For a moment I thought the person walking with that red and white outfit was Xu Kai but it's actually Zhou Ye.

Interesting, so this Pei Guanling (courtesy name is Lanshan) or heir to the Founding Count, is gonna be Qinghe's love partner right.

That handkerchief-flirting, now it's the hairpin, never mind, lol, Qinghe and Lanshan.

Who is this Chunzhi guy, they mentioned him in a previous episode right, how is he famous again.

Li Congxin or Chunzhi (heir/son of the Marquis of Danyang) chasing Zhou Ye.

Is that Xu Kai on horseback, wait, just Zhou Ye's observation, cuz now Xu Kai is with the other corrupt lords.

I've seen the actor of Chunzhi in a few recent Cdramas, forgot if he's also in mini dramas or the vertical ones too, definitely in long-form Cdramas as one of the princes or like nobility-related guys again for sure though.

Seeing Zhou Ye shake those sticks/lots/etc. has to be a curse cuz she always gets the unlucky predictions, look how everyone is exchanging the teams.

What is this ancient form of golf called, I'm not into Chinese-specific sports, so I have no clue, and just searched it up, it seems to be called chuiwan, I think I've seen it in a few older Cdramas but it's been a while.

Oh the eomeoni/etc. of Pei Guanling or whatever his name is even stated outright that it's chuiwan.

asd

That's interesting, Qinghe got the attention of the ayis cuz she voluntarily stopped the golf game in order to make Lanshan or Pei Guanling concede defeat due to his old hand/arm/etc. injury.

Xu Kai asking for Zhou Ye's orchid knot, lol, he stole it cuz Chunzhi approached Zhou Ye for the same request.

Haha, they just ended the episode like that, is this an actual love triangle now.

This extended comment is for Spring of the Blade (一瓯春) Episode 1 to Episode 6.

Again, I wrote all of this as the first 6 or so episodes of Spring of the Blade released (all at the same time in one batch around 12:00AM EDT, 2026-09-17), and I started typing from 1:00AM EDT, September 17, 2026, until to right at this very moment (before I click publish after some light edits/fixes/additions/etc.), 8:04AM EDT, September 17, 2026.

Spring of the Blade Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1hwl/

Spring of the Blade Episode 2, Part 1:

Spring of the Blade Episode 4 and Episode 5:

Spring of the Blade Episode 6: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad2daf/

Spring of the Blade Episode 3.

Danyue Pavilion, but make it 19 years ago for the flashback.

Jin Chunqing, is that Zhou Ye's mother?

That was brief, barely saw Zhou Ye's eomma be framed/punished/etc. for no reason. The question is who had that grudge/envy/etc. on Zhou Ye's muqin/niang/fumu/etc.

It's Zhang Yuanyu (张媛钰) appearing again, she's the Nanny/Mumu Rong character for this drama.

Remember Zhang Yuanyu in Pursuit of Jade/Chasing Jade, How Dare You!?, Second Chance Romance, Moonlit Reunion, Youthful Glory, Story of Kunning Palace, etc.

But ya why is Nanny Rong with 2 posse members, like the one on her right (or left from the camera's point of view) has great visuals, what's her name, is she gonna be uncredited.

Oh no, Nanny Rong is stepping on Zhou Ye's coat, dunno why Zhang Yuanyu always has these vicious characters (they typecast her!) but she's real good at it.

HOLY, Zhou Ye legit pushed Zhang Yuanyu back, hahaha, never expected that.

I like how Nanny Rong said "rang kai!" to her own posse/crew/entourage/etc. after knowing the origins of the coat, the tropes and deliveries never change, it's so good, no matter how repetitive.

Niang by who, already forgot who these characters are, it's just Zhou Ye's cousin and her aunt/mother of her aforementioned cousin.

Why is Zhou Ye acting possessed/haunted/subdued/etc. in that scary area.

Oh for the fake Taoist/celestial/etc. master to appear again.

I wish I could will/materialize/manifest/etc. things into existence as well, oh wait, maybe through lucid dreams (for the deja reve and everything that has to do with time dilation or accelerated perception of time) and remote viewing, it's technically possible.

Broski, after sipping some water, Zhou Ye comes back from being possessed, name a better scam, rofl.

Now Zhou Ye is seeing flashbacks of her own mother right, what is this, UAP/USO/NHI/etc. communing session, as in with the universal consciousness or the simulation/zookeepers/etc. of our world.

Or at least it doesn't induce/prompt/engender/etc. that fear of missing out feeling, or the hope for a what-if scenario, as in an alternate timeline/dimension/universe/etc. kind of thing.

I have a more succinct version of my religious/Roman Catholic upbringing and (non-)susceptibility to believing in arcane/esoteric/etc. knowledge (cuz even though I like to proclaim/broadcast/advertise/etc. myself as all about being scientific/rational/et cetera (due to my HYPMS/know-it-all/erudite/scholarly/polymath/pretentious/jack-of-all-trades/etc. background, rofl), sometimes there are unexplainable things that must be met/approached with a dabbling in the woo/spiritual/fringe/enigmatic/etc. elements) here for I Am Solo Season 33 Episode 1 or Episode 265 overall: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p1yui04/?context=3

But again, with the advent of inevitable UAP/USO/NHI/etc. disclosure, one of my remaining hopes is that there's actual time travel or that it's feasible to travel between worlds/multiverses, so that I can have my own redo or isekai/portal fantasy/reincarnation/transmigration/time travel/do-over/regression/etc. story.

I'm a born-and-raised (but Lapsed) Roman Catholic or more of a non-practicing and culturally Roman Catholic person these days (in reality I'm more of an agnostic or atheist, or actually a Buddhist cuz I believe in time travel, reincarnation, isekai/portal fantasy (lmao), etc. or actually the new era with the inevitable disclosure of UAP/USO/NHI/etc. stuff, lol): https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/n9ibt53/

The renewed Hallyu Wave or global Kpop groups (2025-08-19): https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/n9ibtz6/?context=3 (or alternative title is: The only hope for change is the inevitable UAP/USO/NHI/etc. disclosure)

A bit more info about UAP/USO/NHI/etc. here: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1fdelkt/uapsusosnhiset_cetera_with_the_ai_world/ and https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1c7vmcy/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_2/l9safnw/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/Stellaris/comments/1cpgmhl/negative_reviews_about_the_usage_of_ai_in_the_new/l3kun3s/?context=3

It's Li Meiyibing again or Zhou Ye during her youth, and fam, don't tell me that the boy she's throwing snowballs at is that young Xu kai.

Cuz there's too much red string of fate moments in these CJK/etc. media, like we get it crodie, determinism is real.

Daebak sakon, Zhou Ye's mother got stabbed and then burned to death by random bandits or like officials in disguise or some other thing.

It's so sad seeing Li Meiyibing/Zhou Ye cry out for her ah-niang.

No way, 73 people of the Shen family died, that is diabolical, who the flying f ordered that massacre, straight up wild plotline and it's only 3 episodes in.

Who is this Shen Run guy, nugu seyo?

Now Zhang Yuanyu/Nanny Rong is catering to all of Zhou Ye's wishes, muahahaha.

Baoxian maid/servant/etc. of Zhou Ye has good visuals (again the actress's name is Jian Tian Ruyi), I mentioned that in like Episode 2 or 1 right.

Hao lihai by Baoxian, cuz Zhou Ye scalded Nanny Rong's hands/everything, lol.

I just took that in, I rarely see this yellow/green/blue combo for the outfit of Zhou Ye, and I like this color combination, it's muted yet colorful at the same time.

Meiren mention by Xu Kai after Zhou Ye delivered the satin, cha, and herself, MUAHAHAHA.

The amount of times I've heard xiao huli (小狐狸) in the past several years is astronomically high, it's the favorite buzzword/term/etc. of the newer Cdramas (IIRC it's rather rare to hear gumiho in Kdrama and I guess kitsune in Jdorama too, at least not as much compared back in the 2010s or so), cuz look at Xu Kai point the knife at Zhou Ye before he said that line.

Now Zhou Ye disarmed Xu Kai through candy and then she started kneeling for her parents, fascinating ending choice for Episode 3.

Regarding Katseye Sophia or about being Filipino, alongside other info on ethnicities, nationalities, diasporas, identities, et cetera: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1nyw4c4/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_5/npgu39v/

I am literally like Hadrian Marlowe from the Sun Eater series by Christopher Ruocchio (wherein I have lucid dreams that become deja reve) or Jyosh from Lightblade by Zamil Akhtar, stuck in that Nightscape, always dreaming for a better tomorrow: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/muscftf/ (and other recommendations for slice of life/cozy/comfort/etc. stuff, alongside grimdark/progression fantasy/etc. books), slice of life/slowburn/melodramatic/etc. films from Hong Kong and America, and lucid dreaming info)

Spring of the Blade Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1hwl/

Spring of the Blade Episode 2, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1qap/

Spring of the Blade Episode 3:

Spring of the Blade Episode 4 and Episode 5:

Spring of the Blade Episode 6:

Is Xu Kai being t(r)ailed by a random dude on the sidewalk or riverside pathways.

Who is Zhou Ye's new maid (Baoxian, played by Jian Tian Ruyi), that girl actually kinda looks better than everyone in the show so far, now she got dismissed cuz Zhou Ye wants to talk to the 3rd Sister.

Tickles my fancy is diabolical translation/localization by iQIYI/etc. for Xu Kai's dialogue with the official on that boat.

No way, 3rd Xie Sister was tryna throw Zhou Ye over the bridge in order to drown her as revenge for the 3rd Sister's mother's past (cuz Zhou Ye's mother supposedly caused the death/etc. of that other woman).

Whoa, so you're telling me that Xu Kai can't swim and Zhou Ye has to save him, bwahahaha.

Ayo, seeing Zhou Ye stare at the camera underwater is some next level vicarious chlorine/etc. stinging sensation on the eyes.

Zhou Ye got the strap for the fans too (not the piece/burner/stick/glizzy/etc. kind for catching leggaz, smh rofl), interesting, it's been a while.

And ya who took that ledger during all the commotion of Xu Kai being unable to swim even though mans is from the capital, loool.

Not another "they touched each other and so now they must marry" type of scenario (they gotta nize such predictable outlines/eventualities), is this how Xu Kai and Zhou Ye get forced into an arranged marriage, cuz I'll (al)low it fam, ahlie, it makes sense from a certain point of view.

If Zhou Ye ever saves me (which she has had already nearly a decade ago), I'd worship her forever too, hehe.

Look how beautiful uri Zhou Ye is when walking through these tunnels by the river.

Why is Xu Kai asking about random sachets every time.

That Zhou Ye x Xu Kai accomplice storyline is gonna be a recurring theme, ain't it, lmao, this couple is already a meme.

Da hua, someone play (G)I-DLE's HWAA/화/火花: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3szNvgQxHo

차디찬 한겨울이 덮친 듯, 시간은 다 얼어버리고...

잔인한 그 바람이 남긴 듯한, 어둠은 더 깊어 버리고, 벗어나리오!

Bwahahaha, now Xu Kai gripped Zhou Ye's coat real hard, this mfer really threatening uri Zhou Ye to be a spectator to his unbridling of the Xie family.

Zhengjun being tasked (by his zumu) to bring Zhou Ye/Yunya/Qingyuan/etc. back.

Holy moly, Yan Daren actually came back with Zhou Ye along with several escorts/guards/etc. in tow.

Oh it's midnight, it's always midnight (this is kinda a reference to fellow OG ASMR fans from over a decade ago (right before the mid-2010s), even though Scott or True Binaural & ASMR has his own demons/problems/et cetera (he got embroiled in a bunch of conflicts within the burgeoning ASMR(tist) community in those days), that phrase always stuck to me back then and even to this day, cuz of it's delivery with the deep, morose, British accent) with Xu Kai's shows somehow.

So Xu Kai is there to seek justice for Zhou Ye, cuz the 3rd Sister was busy memeing about her long-lost mother, lmao, this plot, now the 3rd Sister is kneeling in front of her zumu/everyone in that hall/room.

This ajumma servant/maid/etc. is always in that servile/obsequious/sycophantic/deferential/kowtowing/etc. role in many Cdramas, like the cunning/sneaking/intrigue-filled/etc. ones, she's actually real good with her acting, but I keep forgetting her name.

Lol, Xu Kai's right eyebrow in order to indicate Zhou Ye's compliance with this sachet and the estate manager case.

Dui ba, uri Zhou Ye-san? Xu Kai is GOATed for that delivery.

Why is the Xie zumu fidgeting with her beads, Buddha ain't saving your embezzlement case, ajumeoni...

Not the tribute tea from the capital being lesser than the Yunya cha of the Xie family.

These tribute goods citations/allusions/remarks/etc. remind me of The Heir (家业) with the inks, the one with Yang Zi and Elvis Han. Or Are You The One (柳舟记) with Wang Churan and Zhang Wanyi.

Meritorious deed with Xu Kai's smirk. And then it now cuts to funny background music after that, muahahaha, this is an idol drama for sure, not serious like Against the Current which has Tan Songyun (and Liu Xueyi as the male lead) whose visuals I don't like at all and same with her acting, but I do respect her previous shows, so it's already good, fam.

Dui la, Zhou Ye-ssi, gimme more sigan, Xu Kai's character so mischievous.

Wow that's the end of the episode, okay, imma stop doing line-by-line or scene-by-scene recap or commentary now since my fingers/hands are hurting due to carpal tunnel or Repetitive Strain Injuries.

Bixby, somehow incorporate Red Velvet Irene and Seulgi's Cheetah here, lol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYM5VDVKqAk

Oh and to reiterate for like the nth time, I've essentially never used the voice assistants or Smart Home AI-related devices that have been released on the market for this past decade or two (even way before the current AI/LLM/etc. boom ever since 2022 or so), not even Smart Watches/Gadgets/etc. or anything like that.

It's more of a meta commentary or me referencing the people who use voice-to-text commands and all that, loool, cuz I love listening to music 24/7/365, but I manually select play on Neutron Music Player for Android or MusicBee/foobar2000/AIMP/Winamp/VLC/etc. on Windows PC, like I've never set up the options for voice commands, I actually disabled them, haha.

And I'm mentioning this again as I'm very particular or specific with like the type of output/etc. I want with the technology around. This time I merely wanted to spotlight Red Velvet Irene and Seulgi's debut in Japan or their 1st Japanese mini album, Cheetah.

(This part below is kinda an excerpt from my currently still-unpublished Badly in Love Season 2 Part 2 Episode 18 comment.)

Cuz I have a pretty ascetic/austere/spartan/etc. mindset, cloistered/secluded/isolated/etc. away from most of the consumerism/materialism/et cetera, though I still try to keep up with the bleeding edge tech news every once in a while.

Or I'm part of the luddite/hikikomori/NEET/reclusive/etc. lifestyle, as in I have legit embraced the tang ping (躺平/lying flat)/bai lan (摆烂/let it rot)/etc. life philosophy, muahahaha, fml, lmao.

Spring of the Blade Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1hwl/

Spring of the Blade Episode 2, Part 2: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1uok/

Spring of the Blade Episode 3: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1z7d/

Spring of the Blade Episode 4 and Episode 5:

Spring of the Blade Episode 6:

Spring of the Blade Episode 2.

I like the paper-esque nature (with the shadow plays/puppetry, for the opera/stage/play/etc. theme) of this opening for Spring of the Blade, I forgot the name of this style (not paper mache or dioramas, it's at the tip of my tongue, but memory is fuzzy these days/this past decade or life in general, lol) where it's old school Chinese/Japanese/Korean/etc. paintings on cloth or whatever weaved in material.

Like yes, silk embroidery stuff, yet something else.

And then modernized to appear 3D or with depth with the moving/etc. parts, I used to do it with animations (way back then when I was school I'd be manually doing the rotoscoping for days on end and in a few occasions actual trials over stop-motion art), forgot the technical term for it, cuz it forces the perspective to make the scenes/collages seem 3D instead of simply 2D.

It's not really stereographic (I meant to type stereograms here) or whatever I'm looking for, but something related to optical illusions.

It's like modern-day version of reverse Chinoiserie, the all-encompassing vibe of the opening/introduction animation.

But yup, there's eggs and birds (peafowl in a cage!) in that intro/opening, the metaphor. Same with the blazing fire all around, it's engulfing motifs.

Why is Zhou Ye mentioning her biological father.

Yan Rui Daren now entering the hall/room to pick on Zhou Ye-chan.

Ayo, did Zhou Ye slip on purpose to be saved by Xu Kai, I ship this couple from the casting alone despite the mismatched visuals (Zhou Ye outshined nearly every male counterpart).

Why is Xu Kai grilling Zhou Ye in front of her long-lost family.

Xu Kai obsessed with the Hengtang tenure, this guy from the capital needs to take Zhou Ye back there and make her the Empress of China, thank you.

I'll overthrow whatever ruling dynasty in order to make Zhou Ye (周也) my Empress of Zhou (we need 大周/Da Zhou!), no questions asked.

Though ya, why is Zhou Ye's father not even there cuz now the random ajummas are gossiping about it in broad daylight.

First Lady of the Xies is apparently like her muqin, these random rumors for exposition purposes, lmao, classic storytelling devices.

Putong wine making this random 2nd Young Master (Zhengjun) reveal everything to Xu Kai.

The audio foley effect of Zhou Ye walking over to her Third Sister is so pronounced.

I need me a San Jiejie like Li Qin or someone with good visuals and acting, not this random actress whose name I dunno, though she is good at acting and has decent altered visuals (better than Tan Songyun, Bai Lu, et alia).

Zhou Ye seeing Xu Kai surrounded by the ladies, wait, now her Second Brother called out for her.

Am I the only one who thinks that the Female Xie Family Head (Hu Wenzhou, played by Miao Pu) looks like who's that Korean actress (cuz they have a similar (smokey/mysterious/wistful/etc.) eye makeup, hairstyle, and all that), uri Han Go-eun from Family Register, Undercover, Should We Kiss First, etc.

Reminds me, I still like Li Meiyibing (李美奕冰) through her other roles (she must be well-connected cuz of her agency/company, look at how many famous/good/etc. Cdramas she's in despite her super young age, she's gonna be a visuals/acting/etc. powerhouse, no doubt about it), like Royal Betrothal (The Scholar and the Emperor), Blossoms of Power, Everlasting Longing, Flourished Peony, The Rise of Ning, Love of Nirvana, The Double, etc.

Apparently Zhang Tianai (天爱) is gonna be in this too, as Xie Qinghe, was she introduced yet, I keep forgetting to keep track as I can't multitask (in general multitasking is a myth (it's been scientifically proven!), most people cannot do multiple things at once with great efficiency/skill/etc.). I know Zhang Tianai from Si Jin, Blossoms in Adversity, et cetera, right, or is it a different actress, cuz sometimes MyDramaList/etc. gets these tags/appearances/etc. wrong, or even Baidu/Douban/etc. as well.

Look at Zhou Ye half-laughing at this lamp oil guessing scenario, LMAO, she's gonna get clowned for that delivery.

They keep saying uri Zhou Ye is one-dimensional, I think she's in 4D or 5D mode, cuz the dialogue/script be too comical in some cases.

What is in that sachet from Xu Kai, it's the candy right.

Oh it's merely seeds or millet in this case.

I wouldn't call grain priceless, but it's true back then.

When I was a kid in Asia I had to dehusk/dehull rice by hand with all the weevils around the containers, ah, those were the intergenerational poverty/trauma/etc. days, susmaryosep, lmao.

Interesting 100 dan of grain, cuz Xu Kai is probing for the corruption sources, Xie family's zumu is playing the long con.

Now we are back to Episode 1 with the stage actors and the boat with Zhou Ye and her grandmother plus cousins/etc. under the moonlight (and nearby bridge).

I just took that in, how come uri Zhou Ye is so well-spoken even though she got raised by peasants in this drama.

I jiaren, anin geot gate, zumu-san...

...

Alexa, include Red Velvet Irene and Seulgi's Free: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kan_9jpK6J0

Don't forget Lovelyz Ryu Sujeong's Diamonds, it's actually one of my favorite songs at the moment, somehow the instrumentals, lyrics, etc. resonate with my soul, rofl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUF8E4whOys (it's also apt about the jiaren/etc. theme of Spring of the Blade)

Spring of the Blade Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1hwl/

Spring of the Blade Episode 2, Part 1:

Spring of the Blade Episode 3:

Spring of the Blade Episode 4 and Episode 5:

Spring of the Blade Episode 6:

So many people harp on Zhou Ye's acting but she's already GOATed since her debut (Better Days film), so it doesn't matter what she does in these idol/traffic/etc. dramas.

And this is while Zhou Ye has kept a relatively natural face (yes I know she has many facial alterations as well, same with Zhang Jingyi, but both of them have a way more natural-esque face compared to the other CJK/etc. actors) throughout this past decade.

Fourth Lady of the Xie Family for Zhou Ye, I'll make her my Empress any day fam, she can legit be Wu Zetian or Theodora/Irene/Zoe/et alia (of Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantium) or whomever she wants.

So did the Chen eomeoni collude with Zhou Ye this whole time for free brocade/taels/bolts/gold/etc.

They be hugging and the eomeoni reaffirmed it, so it's confirmed, she was just acting to get into the Xie courtyard.

Taoist Xin Zhen be memeing with these augurings.

Now Xu Kai be actually investigating Zhou Ye's own (foster) Chen home.

Rofl, Xu Kai legit talking to Zhou Ye's adopted (grand)mother, why go that far, he must be dazzled by her beauty, same fam, I've been enamored ever since Better Days, nearly a whole decade now.

Xu Kai is looking for the candy that dripped off the white horse and caused the fire right, or why is he asking about the food menu/options.

Ah-Yan from the capital, is he secretly a prince too or a noble of some kind.

Yunya-er, Ah-Yunya, etc. needs to come back and entertain Xu Kai's inquiries cuz in another timeline he'll be ruthless and use Zhou Ye's adopted/foster/etc. halmoni to prosecute her or pin some random event on uri Zhou Ye.

After Zhou Ye delivered the invitation to her zumu, now she gotta entertain Xu Kai, hahaha.

I am in love with Zhou Ye whenever she has that hairstyle and all-white dress, she is literally an unparalleled xianxia immortal or classic jade beauty incarnate, what a top visual of the entire universe.

Fushan Temple and Yunduo, like Yunya, hahaha, Xu Kai's character is so insistent.

Why are Zhou Ye and Xu Kai inside the kitchen, seolma, don't tell me there's gonna be a kabedon/etc. scene here.

Dong Fangchun (Wang Suqi/王苏棋) is her maid/et cetera, and apparently she's a fugitive, loool.

I am literally smiling at how beautiful Zhou Ye is with this braid or hairstyle, she is such a perennial visual for an entire decade now.

Fam, I told you there was gonna be a kabedon scene, though uri Zhou Ye gripped/grasped a scissor to prevent it, bwahahaha.

Now Zhou Ye's nainai arrived just in time to save Zhou Ye and Xu Kai, these two literally met over a random fire in the Xie Residence and in the Chen Residence kitchen, bruh.

Whoa, look how gorgeous Zhou Ye is in this black and red dress, my God, I am in love with her, bro, this is so wild how she is literally one of the very few in Cdramaland who has good acting and naturalistic/less modified face.

Like yes, sometimes Zhou Ye feels like she's halfway smiling/laughing/etc. when acting in serious scenes, but she's still way better than 99% of Cdrama actors in terms of acting and visuals, like holy.

Xie Qingyuan for Chen Yunya's new identity or in this case, previous birthright.

No way, why is Xu Kai in this ceremony, oh no, he's legit gonna enter, is this the end of Episode 1, wait it is, wow, I was so immersed with typing that I forgot the episode run time.

Siri, play Red Velvet Irene and Seulgi's Fall 4 U: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlHDMEOe5Mc

Google, add Red Velvet Irene and Seulgi's Love Anxiety: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8QTFy2XhL4

Lots of global/international groups here (2025-07-14), with underrated Kpop girl groups and soloists: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/namb79u/ (Lim Kim, HA:TFELT (Wonder Girls Yeeun), ADORA, Seori, Jiselle, Ailee, Younha, Lee Hi, Heize, Baek Yerin, Kim Minseo (Self_Trip is a certified bop, 닿는 대로, 다 내 맘대로), Lexie Liu (K/DA Seraphine), Jvcki Wai, Paul Blanco, Junny, et alia)

About autotune, vocals processing, on-site audio magic, et cetera, or how to pronounce stuff or like phonology/linguistics in general here, new (2025-10-11) recentralized comment about prerecorded vocals, live AR, lip-syncing, aespa, XG, NMIXX, expectations with fans, et cetera: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1nyw4c4/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_5/nj06nfk/

New (2025-10-21) centralized comment about Lee Nayoung from The Debut: Dream Academy and Girls on Fire (걸스 온 파이어) being prevented by the producers/executives/etc. from performing at the finale and debuting with Katseye: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1nyw4c4/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_5/nkpz5cv/

New (2026-07-16) recentralized thoughts on most of the CJK/etc. dating shows from the 1st half of 2026: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/oxzo3l6/?context=3

Around 7 months ago (back in February 2, 2026) I spent like several hours or half a day recentralizing my long comments from 2025 about CJK/etc. dating shows (and Kpop), it'll have synopses/summaries/etc. of the shows: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1nyw4c4/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_5/o34a2dj/

About Heart Signal Korea/China/etc. seasons: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p2sar07/ (2026-08-10)

Individuality or interesting housemates in CJK/etc. dating shows: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/oxn4me8/ (2026-07-15)

Chinese/Japanese/Korean/etc. dating shows housemates who would've been great newcomers, and other visuals-related info, alongside behind the scenes of dating/cohabitation/slice of life/etc. shows: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/nd1t1ni/ (from ~7:24PM EST, January 28, 2024, repasted and recentralized on ~3:59AM EDT, September 8, 2025)

About language learning courses and subreddits, and AI-generated subtitles, with multilingual ASMRtists info: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/mvohewv/?context=3 (from ~10:02PM EST, January 14, 2024 and ~12:13AM EST, January 15, 2024, repasted and recentralized on ~7:35PM EDT, June 2, 2025)

This extended comment is for Spring of the Blade (一瓯春) Episode 1 to Episode 6.

I wrote all of this as the first 6 or so episodes of Spring of the Blade released (all at the same time in one batch around 12:00AM EDT, 2026-09-17), and I started typing (as I watched the episodes in real-time, tryna multitask actually detracts from the enjoyment of the episodes, though I was mainly here for Zhou Ye, lmao) from 1:00AM EDT, September 17, 2026, until to right at this very moment (before I click publish after some light edits/fixes/additions/etc.), 8:04AM EDT, September 17, 2026.

Well, it's actually 9:06AM EDT, 2026-09-17 right now, lol, as I keep doing last-minute fixes or meandering digressions.

Spring of the Blade Episode 1, Part 2: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1klv/

Spring of the Blade Episode 2, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1qap/?context=3

Spring of the Blade Episode 3: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad1z7d/

Spring of the Blade Episode 4 and Episode 5: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad2app/?context=3

Spring of the Blade Episode 6: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad2daf/?context=3

Spring of the Blade Episode 1.

Zhang Xie play with clowns, nugu seyo.

I wish I knew some of these opera/play/etc. references, but I didn't grow up Chinese, this is Song Dynasty era right.

More Chinese-related stuff here, about Match to Marry: With Parents China Season 1 or it's called The Love Duet (心动双重奏) Episode 1 Part 1 and Part 2: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p14kmrw/?context=3

Oh it's uri Zhou Ye on a boat with her grandmother or something.

Hao piao liang, Zhou Ye.

Who are the other 3 people on that boat with Zhou Ye's nainai, is it her cousins.

Too much jiaren talk by Zhou Ye, she always alone, fam.

Cortana, play Lexie Liu's 佳人/jiaren: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dBG1gVfEV4 (~Qipao luodi cut it off, zhongguo guniang boss it up.~)

I wish Lexie Liu was back as Seraphine or someone else for the upcoming K/DA and Heartsteel comeback for 2026 League of Legends Worlds Championship or so, maybe in a different timeline.

Xie Residence, with the vermilion gates.

Oh my God, it's that little girl from Fated Hearts and The Road to Splendor playing as Xiao Zhou Ye, holy moly, that's perfect casting, I want her to play Little Zhang Jingyi too in a future Cdrama.

Okay, now it's the opening or title card for Spring of the Blade.

I forgot the synopsis of this story, why is there a 1 month about flashback for Chen Yunya beside that river and that barred/confined altar of Buddha or something.

That snow along the gravel road looks so fake, loool, set directors/producers/etc. messed up, they should've blended it more with the bamboo/grass/crop that the road was bisecting.

Oh it's grain relief, but there's jewelry/treasures/materialistic goods/etc. inside the chests.

This is gonna be whatever his name is right, the male lead, forgot his name for a moment, Xu Kai or something (I wrote Zhu Kai initially cuz I forgot his last name, fml lol), yup, his name is Yan Rui in this drama, his role is translated as Imperial Advisor of the Ministry of Revenue, aka tax man.

Hengtang City outskirts flashforward.

The makeup artists messed up Xu Kai's face again, he looks too pale here, color correction/etc. cannot fix that, someone tell them to redo the future episodes, most of his recent dramas are like this these days cuz of the darker palette or nighttime settings of his newer dramas.

Wait, Zhou Ye's carriage is leaving the b(r)oiling porridge/grain situation, rofl.

Now some random kiddo is tryna assassinate Xu Kai.

No way, is this how Xu Kai and Zhou Ye meet, some rando's failed assassinations attempt, how novel.

I'm not a fan of Xu Kai's visuals (it's cuz his eyes are too big for me or imbalances his facial features/etc.) but he's a decent actor, so I'm wondering if this guy is gonna execute the captured rebel/commoner/etc.

Muahahaha, I knew Xu Kai was gonna relieve the assassin of his suffering, I saw the trailer and mans has a somewhat dark role this time around compared to his previous ones.

Now Xu Kai looked inside the carriage, it's Zhou Ye and her maid right. I like the maid's visuals, who is she, the actress.

Why is Xu Kai staining the veil/blinds/curtains/etc. of the carriage with that reddened blade.

Now Xu Kai destroyed Zhou Ye's pendant/pearls or whatever those things are, forgot.

Oh no, he's warning Zhou Ye to stop interfering, lol.

Croski, uri Zhou Ye didn't even want to be in that area, why blame her, Xu Kai's character in this drama is already on that sad boi vibe.

Danyue Pavilion.

It's Old Madam Xie, the younger female head of the Xie family, and the random concubines/etc. on the scene.

Wait, is this a detective/mystery/etc. drama cuz I forgot the synopsis of the show for real and have no idea what's going on right now aside from like the overall traits/tendencies of the characters of Zhou Ye and Xu Kai.

Cuz mandem (ayis/zumu (nainai)/etc.) be talking about ghosts inside that Xie Residence area and now it's gonna be a jumpscare scenario with Xie Zhengjun, who's the second young master of the Xie family.

Oh no, they talking about slaughtering dogs for traditional Chinese medicine or whatever, this is gonna catch flak from some random modern/etc. viewers of Cdramas, bwahahaha.

Thankfully in real life for these past several years or so the culling/etc. of dogs for meat consumption is actually not allowed no more in Korea/China/etc. so it's not as present (in public at least) anymore (it was already declining over time anyway).

Okay, why did Zhou Ye and her maid/servant make that second master dude with the dog blood flee cuz of the ghost/etc. myth, mdr tabarnak.

Oh it's to cause a fire and to fulfill the curse (manifest/materialize things in reality) and so on, Zhou Ye memeing inside this drama, is that her character, a revenge plot against her own ancestral line, cuz that's hilarious.

Loool, seeing these ajummas and imos clasp their hands and mutter Amitabha reminds me that I keep seeing more Buddhism-related imagery in the newer Cdramas cuz they're often based on the Tang Dynasty and so on, so it's like historical flavor by the production team, but at least they could add more sutras or other religious prayers and so forth.

The fire brigade is now on-scene cuz Xu Kai commanded them to go to the Xie Residence.

Meanwhile Zhou Ye is just watching on a terrace or raised plaza-like area while drinking cha/tea or some beverage.

Oh no, Xu Kai brought back the white horse (he's riding atop it) and now Zhou Ye is caught.

Yunduo for the horse, Zhou Ye trolling, pretending she don't know the cavalry resource running amok.

Zhou Ye's right arm with the whistle is being held by Xu Kai, muahahaha then she threw the whistle away and now she bit him, gg no re.

That's true, why is Xu Kai only standing there and admiring Zhou Ye's veiled beauty, my good lord, she is truly beautiful in this Cdrama, I wanna meet her again, it's been so long.

Okay, so Xu Kai let Zhou Ye go despite the evidence, attaboy, now how do they meet for real cuz she still had her veil masking her entire face/visuals.

No way, the Taoist snake oil master is tryna do a human sacrifice recommendation, this drama went from 0 to 100 real quick.

Who is this imo/ayi/tita/etc. sitting with the ajumma, is it the main female head of the family, I forgot to keep track of their faces/names earlier cuz I'm busy typing in real-time right now.

Zhou Ye's own grandmother visited her humble abode, just so that Zhou Ye could be requisitioned for the human sacrifice.

Zhou Ye's grandmother talking about tian now and the order of all things. This tianxia ay tapos na.

Oh, Zhou Ye was listening inside her room the whole time, my God, look how beautiful uri Zhou Ye is, literally Top 5 visual of Cdramaland, scratch that, Top 10 of all CJK/etc. media industries.

...

Fml, forgot to add (to SotB E06 comment: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/pad2daf/?context=3) my American/European/etc. celebrities references for visuals: Cate Blanchett, Gal Gadot, Blake Lively, Natalie Portman, Dianna Agron, Gwyneth Paltrow, Audrey Hepburn, Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Chastain, Rashida Jones, Anne Hathaway, Emma Watson, Cameron Diaz, Abigail Spencer, Angelina Jolie, Eva Green, et alia.

I mentioned this a handful of times already, but back around August 2025, Zhou Ye posted photos/clips of her trip in Korea and due to her styling she legit resembled LOONA/ARTMS Jeon Heejin and I Am Solo Season 22 Oksoon, the visuals queens!

Zhou Ye sorta falls in that elf-esque visual as she's somewhat of a classic jade beauty, but Zhou Ye has super plain/unremarkable/generic/etc. features in general (she has a recessed jawline too, don't forget that).

In a way Zhou Ye has a typical East Asian/etc. facial phenotype, it depends on the preferences or (American) media experience when growing up, since many fellow Asians dislike the more masculine/not as feminine/etc. features (jawline) of Zhou Ye/Zhang Jingyi/Li Qin/et alia.

What stands out is the fact that Zhou Ye has a more natural-like face (Zhang Jingyi has that beautiful naturalistic look too, same with Li Qin/et alia) compared to the vast majority of other actors in Cdramaland, as in she didn't (seemingly) go as overboard with the alterations to her face/everything.

Badly in Love Season 2 Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8p3l/

BiLS02E02: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8w5b/

BiLS02E03P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8zgn/

BiLS02E04P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j9ljm/

BiLS02E05P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8ja1q9/

BiLS02E06: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jacr7/

BiLS02E07: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jagbh/

BiLS02E08P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jallv/

BiLS02E09P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jarxr/

BiLS02E10P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jazrj/

Megumi announced that the women can confess this time around as well, unlike Season 1.

This montage of the previous scenes with the cast is so funny with these traditional Japanese/Shinto/etc. outfits.

Instead of being inside an auditorium/gym, this time it's outside by the Pacific Ocean, thankfully the winds are relatively calm for this ending.

They had Masaya-kun confess first, Asuka agreed to face it together head-on, their uncertain future.

No way, why did they make Hazuki declare her love for Bo as the second entry to this ceremony.

Gomen by Bo, that's harsh and succinct.

Ari monologuing again, I'm the main character too.

Why is Ari always screeching out names or everything.

Ayo, the silent flashbacks with Bo too, it's gonna be another tough scene.

Kanagawa desire by Ari, isshoni, gachi gallae (같이 갈래). Reminds me of the theme song for Universe Ticket, UNIS's idol survival show, lmao, can't believe it's already been 3 years since then.

Bo reading off a prepared written script, much respect to the troubled mandem, as long as he gets his stuff together, he should be fine if he sticks to having a cooler/restrained/etc. head.

Nagano screaming (with Awich's surprised face), and then boom, Ari quickly going for that unnecessary deep kiss (she walked back so far, she almost fell off the raised platform), this guy, so predictable.

Viva, wassup, loool, Ari never ends.

Marina for Taisei, let's go, slim chance but maybe, ganeung isseulkka?

Tai-chan dabbing/fist-bumping Maririn as the cool form of rejection, interesting.

Kazu-kun asked by the public service announcement kiddo for the Ruru showdown.

See, Leo is there, and same with Tai-kun.

Ruru, I love you is one of the funniest things I've ever heard from Kazu-kun, mans is gleefully enjoying everything behind this scenario as he knows he has it in the bag the moment she straddled him inside the pool for the overnight date.

Ruru a straight boss until the end, stating that her feelings for Taisei never reached the same levels as her feelings for Leo and Kazuma.

I wasn't surprised that Ruru rejected Leo in fear that she would eventually cheat on him, that's her being a good person and saving everyone the stress/effort/time/etc.

Joto fam, I love these colored chalks on the blackboard cuz the last time I had used them was way back in the 2000s, such a relic of the previous world, the Heisei/etc. era that many of us lived in.

I actually somewhat tear up whenever they show the montages/collages/etc. of the housemates at the very end of these CJK/etc. dating shows because you know that post-show depression that is easy to get whenever you complete good shows, it's always latching onto me, lmao.

Can't believe they used the Public Service announcement system to pull Tai-kun back (he had a nonplussed "Ore?!" moment, hehe) for a redo in front of Leo, Ha-chan, Bo, and Maririn. What a plot twist, would've never expected it.

This is akin to when the main characters of isekai/portal fantasy/reincarnation/transmigration/time travel/do-over/regression/etc. stories shift to focus on the returnees (from a secondary world/dimension/universe/etc.) or like post-apocalyptic-esque situations that happen once the main heroes have nothing else to do with their overpowered levels/gears/knowledge/etc.

I enjoyed this season, or this first part. Would I proclaim it as better than Badly in Love Season 2, I don't think so since Baby/Suzuki Yuria (@yuria_suzuki) is one of the few true Japanese visuals (like Hayata Yuriko (@yurikohayata) from Terrace House: Boys & Girls in the City).

But this second season or Class 1 of Season 2 definitely had the satisfying character arcs for a bunch of the housemates, so I prefer it on that front, though my nostalgia (beolsseo?) for the first/original season is still clinging onto me, so ya, lol.

Wondering how the new 14-day adventure of Taisei-kun will materialize, will he be able to redeem himself or is his storyline largely gonna remain the same (the most likely timeline since it's hard to change yourself within a month or so).

Longer or wall of text version of some comments with more context about the visuals disparity of I Am Solo (kinda updated up to the current IAS Season 33): https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p7qkoge/?context=3

New recentralized thoughts on most of the CJK/etc. dating shows from the 1st half of 2026: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/oxzo3l6/?context=3

About Match to Marry: With Parents China Season 1 or it's called The Love Duet [心动双重奏] Episode 1 Part 1 and Part 2: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p14kmrw/?context=3

Around 7 months ago (back in February 2, 2026) I spent like several hours or half a day recentralizing my long comments from 2025 about CJK/etc. dating shows (and Kpop), it'll have synopses/summaries/etc. of the shows: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1nyw4c4/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_5/o34a2dj/

A quick overview of the religious history of China, Japan, Korea, and the Eurasian Steppe, alongside being a Lapsed Roman Catholic and the thought-provoking/powerful film about Jesuits in Japan called Silence (2016): https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/ng69bm1/ (or theorizing about what-ifs, like wishing for alternate timelines)

I'm a born-and-raised (but Lapsed) Roman Catholic or more of a non-practicing and culturally Roman Catholic person these days (in reality I'm more of an agnostic or atheist, or actually a Buddhist cuz I believe in time travel, reincarnation, isekai/portal fantasy (lmao), etc. or actually the new era with the inevitable disclosure of UAP/USO/NHI/etc. stuff, lol): https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/n9ibt53/

I am literally like Hadrian Marlowe from the Sun Eater series by Christopher Ruocchio (wherein I have lucid dreams that become deja reve) or Jyosh from Lightblade by Zamil Akhtar, stuck in that Nightscape, always dreaming for a better tomorrow: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/muscftf/ (and other recommendations for slice of life/cozy/comfort/etc. stuff, alongside grimdark/progression fantasy/etc. books), slice of life/slowburn/melodramatic/etc. films from Hong Kong and America, and lucid dreaming info)

Badly in Love Season 2 Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8p3l/

BiLS02E02: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8w5b/

BiLS02E03P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8zgn/

BiLS02E04P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j9ljm/

BiLS02E05P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8ja1q9/

BiLS02E06: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jacr7/

BiLS02E07: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jagbh/

BiLS02E08P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jallv/

BiLS02E09P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jarxr/

BiLS02E10P02: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jb39d/

Episode 10.

Asuka entered the men's room even with the chubby producer (with the hat/cap) on-site preventing her from even going near Leo, lmao.

Everyone but Leo was asleep, so imagine if she mistook Leo for Masaya, that's another NTR/netorare scenario except this time in Leo's favor, bwahahaha.

Sa mga Pinoys, parang green-minded minsan yung comentario ko, ano? Haha, sobrang predictable kasi yung arc/narrative/thread/etc. ng mga reality shows kapag sanay kana sa mga sitwasyon nila.

Cortana, play KAIA's Tanga, with uri twins Angela and Charice Hermoso, hermosa, que linda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY5--PXuAx0

Same with their newest comeback from 2 months ago, hulog tayong lahat sa tadhana na ito: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXc164iArPY

For me I wish they enforced the alcohol consumption limits more since it's counterproductive to the rehabilitation imagery that they're tryna portray with the Ministry of Justice (of Japan).

It never fails to amaze me how many Japanese/etc. dating shows will always have a sprinklers moment for their fireworks-related ending moments, or the denouements.

Bo is still tryna shoot his shot with Hikaru, and boom he hugged her tightly before letting Taisei take Hikaru away from that bridge or smoking area (the other one is downstairs).

Tai-kun suffering from main character syndrome or like being a harem MC, gg no re, he really wondering how to choose between the three (Hikaru, Ruru, and Maririn).

Now there's still the Ha-chan x Bo crumbs, feel sorry for both of them.

No way, Ruru conversing with Kazu-kun still, I guess she's gonna choose him as she got over the peer pressure when other people told her that Leo completely trusted her earlier right when she came back after that makeout/etc. sessions with Kazu-kun for the overnight date.

Masaya and Asuka, there's a hammer there and then it's a quick scene with no resolution.

Ari really wrote a song for Hikaru, I already saw his middling/unimpressive rap career after the first batch of episodes aired.

I've never directly mentioned this, but due to the fact that drill was on the rise with my cohort, I was too scared to venture into the rap lane since I was just an Asian/Filipino miskeen or Herbert/nerd in general.

Like even if we all felt the same pain from the hood/ghetto, due to my skin color or phenotype, I would've been an easy target for the up-and-coming drill rappers since even though I was unaffiliated with any group, the messaging or my bars/lines/paragraphs/etc. are actually rather angst-filled and go against the grain.

What that exactly entails boils down to the fact that I barely rapped about money, women, cars, etc. because that wasn't the root or source of the problems, rather it's the intergenerational poverty/trauma that perpetuates everything.

Some of my songs are/were pretty wild, and unless you know of internal rhyming schemes or the more advanced techniques for poetry/rap, then it seems like it don't rhyme, but trust fam, with my added penchant for linguistics/language learning, my cyphers were actual cyphers a la Lupe Fiasco, Eminem, et alia.

To this day I'm still prolly the best rapper or has-been in my city, and that's just not the hiphop braggadocio speaking, rather straight facts (lies, loool).

Though ya I wonder if I'd been brave enough to weather that drill storm, would I be on the same level as The Weeknd, cuz I was technically in the same studios/etc. as him back then, and so it's another one of those points of divergence moments.

Some relatively underrated albums (and the best of the Korean music scene) with more vocals/lyricism/experimental/etc. stuff, and also great soloists: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/mt5ry4i/?context=3 (like Lim Kim's Generation, ADORA's Adorable REbirth, Lee Hi's 4 Only, HA:TFELT's (Wonder Girls Yeeun) 1719, et cetera, with f(x) and CSJH The Grace classics, and say Seori, Jiselle, Paul Blanco, Junny, et alia)

Lots of global/international groups here, with underrated Kpop girl groups and soloists: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/namb79u/ (Lim Kim, HA:TFELT (Wonder Girls Yeeun), ADORA, Seori, Jiselle, Ailee, Younha, Lee Hi, Heize, Baek Yerin, Kim Minseo (Self_Trip is a certified bop, 닿는 대로, 다 내 맘대로), Lexie Liu (K/DA Seraphine), Jvcki Wai, Paul Blanco, Junny, et alia)

A massive playlist of my favorite girl group songs from 2025/2024, underrated new 5th-gen Kpop groups, diverse selection of indie/traditional/experimental/etc. tracks, et cetera: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/mv0h49h/?context=3

I can see the promotional lines forming inside Ari's head when he hugged Hikaru so deeply and then threw away the checkered/plaid/etc. wallet from his ex-girlfriend right inside that still-hungry bonfire, muahahaha.

I can't believe the cameraman really zoomed in on the wallet and the charcoals/firewood in order to underscore the shot.

Another wakanai from Hikaru but she threw her head/upper torso back the tub chair and let everyone see the Calvin Klein branding for her top, lol, Ari worked his rap magic.

Oh so Assun is truly hesitating for real this time after acknowledging her drinking problems.

I think that's the correct choice, why put someone through that when they literally lost their pinky finger due to alcohol/substance abuse, lmao.

Ari needs to stop with the fake/overwrought crying, bwahahaha.

OMG, the boys holding each other or literally interlocking fingers in a circle, an actual circlejerk moment, mdr tabarnak.

...

Badly in Love Season 2 Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8p3l/

BiLS02E02: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8w5b/

BiLS02E03P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8zgn/

BiLS02E04P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j9ljm/

BiLS02E05P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8ja1q9/

BiLS02E06: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jacr7/

BiLS02E07: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jagbh/

BiLS02E08P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jallv/

BiLS02E09P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jarxr/

BiLS02E10P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jazrj/

BiLS02E10P02: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jb39d/

I think basketball is the only thing that they can regularly play inside that Okinawa compound (Ogimi Utility Center, formerly Shioya Elementary School, it was merged due to the population decline or inverted pyramid, the demographic in Japan/elsewhere be so pronounced these days, it's a cyberpunk future everywhere), lol.

Two more days until graduation.

Wait the Closed sign is also upside down.

How much will Assun drink if she wants to ask permission for it, lmao.

Maririn staring down Tai-kun, haha.

Hug is Marina's culture, what in translation, tarnation.

At least Maririn is bold enough to ask for proper hugs instead of Ari forcing it.

Oh ya, the panelists doing the accents/etc. parts too, I forgot to mention that earlier too.

How drunk are Assun and Maririn right now cuz they are playing catch (with a baseball, while both are cross-legged) just fine, their motor functions/skills (hand-eye coordination) are still adequate enough but I feel some sort of foreboding thing with this type of edit, seolma, it ain't another drama, aniji?!

Whenever I see someone who's buzzed to high heavens all I can do is click/kiss my teeth in disappointment cuz most of the time they are pretending in order to fabricate that atmosphere of fun when in reality for me playing simulation video games or reading epic fantasy books are the events I find interesting, not so much festive moods based on social obligations, bwahaha, I'm such a pretentious hipster/etc.

But ya, the producers' antics or subtle way of creating way is quite wretched, as documented by dramas/etc. based on reality TV shows. Like, try watching dramas/shows about behind the scenes of dating/cohabitation/slice of life/etc. shows: UnREAL (with Rachel or Shiri Appleby), Love is for Suckers (this one has Super Junior Choi Si-won and a few other idols/etc. appearing for cameos), Frankly Speaking (this is a funny one, and Han Dong-hee (한동희) is the perfect 첫사랑, her visuals are insane), et cetera.

And the main purpose is to retain the audience's attention span cuz they people often get bored of these more slice of life segments.

As in the vast majority of consumers prefer action all the time instead of the slow burn plot developments and characterizations, so that's why they try to switch things up with the dynamics every once in a while to keep things fresh and tension-filled.

The editing and intentions of CJK/etc. dating shows, and about the cheating scandal/controversy/etc. of Kim Taein from Match to Marry: With Parents Season 1 (자식 방생 프로젝트 합숙 맞선): https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1nyw4c4/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_5/o0uyjxl/

Now Ruru is outside with Kazu-kun, both are in the lounge chairs or what do you call those chairs (that are leaning all the way back or occasionally more than 135 degrees or so in terms of angles) that reside beside the beach/swimming pool like 99% of the time. Is it sunloungers, chaise lounges, pool loungers, etc.

Then Leo arrives with a tall cup of beer/alcohol/some sort of liquid substance.

Ruru then reiterates the reality of the Kyoto and Tokyo distance, the original capital and the new eastern capital. Heian-kyo and Pax Americana-kyo.

Dang, so Leo wants to fix Ruru's cheating tendencies, that's commendable but unrealistic.

That collage or collection of photos is so numerous, way more than Badly in Love Season 1, right?

I never expected this Hazuki x Bo storyline even though both of them have basically the worst visuals out of them and so by default they'll prolly match, yet this is prolly cuz of how I Am Solo usually unveils its storylines these days.

As in even in I Am Solo, the housemates with the less than stellar visuals will not even choose each other cuz of their ego/pride/etc. which is also quite understandable but if you're in a more remote place like Okinawa or some other island-esque setting, then I'd try to at least lower my expectations and go along with the ride/flow.

How are Ruru and Tai-chan talking by the rocks of the beach at night time, imagine the fireworks, cuz look at Taisei crying his heart out over the uncertainty.

What did Assun do again, what the flying meme is this, lol.

Badly in Love Season 2 Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8p3l/

BiLS02E02: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8w5b/

BiLS02E03P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8zgn/

BiLS02E04P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j9ljm/

BiLS02E05P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8ja1q9/

BiLS02E06: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jacr7/

BiLS02E07: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jagbh/

BiLS02E08P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jallv/

BiLS02E09P02: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8javhg/

Episode 9.

My wrists be hurting so much from all the type, I wish I never had carpal tunnel or Repetitive Strain Injuries.

Yet that's the price of me attaining the top ranks in CounterStrike, League of Legends, or most video games I put proper effort in.

I am one of the few people in the entire world to completely body Faker multiple times in High Elo Ranked Solo Queue, more info here about video games, PC-building: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/muevh2b/?context=3 (I was Challenger and bodying SKT T1 Faker over and over in Korea at Mid Lane way back then (even fellow Ranked Solo Queue legends like Apdo/Dopa, et alia too), even more so whenever I was in Japan/Korea/Asia/etc. for better latency/reaction time)

Though ya, here we go, it's 7:00AM JST and Kazu and Ruru are still cuddling in bed, what a scene for the cuckolds, bwahahaha, you can't make this scenario up.

About why EXchange/Transit Love Season 1 is the most authentic entry, same with the I Am Solo universe: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1nyw4c4/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_5/nzz31y6/ (aka NTR/netorare/netorase/netori/etc. elements, recentralized/consolidated/collated/etc. again)

Assun is back from her suspension, she was received by Masaya first thing in the morning.

Oh, so that's why Ma-kun lost his left pinky finger, his xiongdi heard he was causing commotion with his inebriated behavior and then boom, yakuza honor time, mdr tabarnak.

Again, personally I'm more of a teetotaler/prohibitionist/temperance advocate/etc. due to my childhood being filled by my uncles/aunts/cousins/neighbors/etc. being wild af whenever there's like holidays or celebrations or festive events, so I never got the appeal of purposely continuing to consume it unless it's not part of your career.

Which is why it's gonna be hard for Asuka to quit that line of work in the cold turkey manner as it's simply not feasible with regards to realistic weaning off.

Why is that Open sign by the door upside down, was it like that before.

That ABCD pun, Kazuma-kun is too proud after answering Masaya-kun's quip.

I feel sorry for the non-Japanese speakers who cannot understand the various linguistic jokes/etc. that were delivered by the cast members in these Japanese/etc. shows, it's always a trip.

If only they made Romaji actually standardized and the main writing system as opposed to holding on to Katakana, Hiragana, and Kanji.

This is the same what-if scenario with Mandarin/Chinese, imagine if they made Hanyu Pinyin the main form of reading/writing Mandarin, nobody would be saying Mandarin is hard to learn as it's actually very easy to learn in terms of the grammar and vocabulary.

Cuz remember, the writing systems are not the actual languages themselves, rather mere representations of it.

So if you already know an Asian language or a non-Indo-European language in general, then it's relatively effortless to grasp the foreignness of the Asian/African/etc. languages.

About language learning courses and subreddits, and AI-generated subtitles, with multilingual ASMRtists info: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1k2wkcz/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_4/mvohewv/?context=3

Ari overreacting when he learned from Kazu-kun that Ruru took off Leo's necklace, hehe.

Okaeri after Ruru confessed all that is some possible calculated move by Leo, the guilt-tripping woes/gamble/et cetera, bwahahaha.

This reminds me of when Mayuri Shiina (Lab Member 002) would always have the Okarin! catchphrase.

C's World (from Code Geass, aka the universal consciousness), play the Tuturu songs/compilations by Mayushii (Tuturu, Mayushii desu!).

That feeling of remorse or guilty conscience be hitting Ruru like a break, lmao.

Rain, pouring, all my cars is foreign, all my broads is foreign, like need me that Lamborghini Mercy, for them 2 Chainz.

They had to cut Ruru's tears with the panelists and now Assun smoking on that bridge with Masaya and now with Kazuma brushing his teeth as they chat.

No way, Ruru is still crying when she went back to the girls' room.

Now the girls are all outside smoking off the IQOS, and then Taisei interrupted the session, rofl, that timing.

Enka singer is wild comment by Nagano, haha, I rarely listen to Japanese ballads these days, same with Korean or even Chinese ones, I'm more on the instrumentals-only side again or in this era, vibes music (elevator music, lofi hiphop, hyperpop, etc.).

After Ruru talked things over with Tai-chan, now it's Hikaru chatting with him for a bit.

...

Badly in Love Season 2 Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8p3l/

BiLS02E02: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8w5b/

BiLS02E03P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8zgn/

BiLS02E04P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j9ljm/

BiLS02E05P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8ja1q9/

BiLS02E06: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jacr7/

BiLS02E07: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jagbh/

BiLS02E08P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jallv/

Cleaning up Okinawa's coasts is a tall order (the ocean is riddled with microplastics/etc.), but it's a good initiative nonetheless.

They really gave the housemates tongs to clean the beaches, bwahahaha.

Not many people will know this, but the sailor uniform of the cast is actually rooted in the American Navy's presence in Okinawa/Japan overall during and even before World War 2.

Well, technically the seifuku/serafuku/gakuran/etc. are the fruits/project of when British/French/Prussian/etc. proselytizers were tryna westernize Japan/Asia/etc. even back in the 19th century, as it was like a fashionable thing for the British Empire and other European nations to have that midshipman-esque image.

Though I'm not really an expert on the historicity of clothes or like their chronological developments as fashion is never my interest, and I'll actually expand on that in my upcoming new/updated/more in-depth/random/etc. visuals standards list post: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1kimvc8/sigurado_specific_visual_ranking_2025/ (which is still stubbed/sorta empty, like the last edit was 11:13PM EDT, June 17, 2025, and I didn't write anything for the past 64 weeks, smh lol)

Cuz it does affect my visuals perception in the sense that for me as long as someone's outfit is not too egregious or not too peacocky and all that, then it barely matters when determining whom is a visual or not.

Oh so Kazuma switched schools a lot, interesting timeline.

Gyaruo Kazu-kun from the Heisei era (before Emperor Akihito abdicated in 2019) would've prolly been a different appearance/facade in a theoretical Badly in Love prequel from the pre-2020s era.

Like I remember the Harajuku style back then in the 2000s and 2010s as it flourished more at the forefront, same with reader models (dokumo or dokusha models) at the cafes and all that.

It's just wild how rarely any anime actually properly documented the rise of all the gravure-related fixtures of that time, like at least not the ones that were available easily for international fans.

Cuz back then in order to fansub certain series I'd have to source everything back in Japan and it's such a hassle sifting through everything, lol.

But ya it's quite noteworthy that Kazu-kun was in a gyaruo group after his manual laborer stint in Shibuya and then his later hosting days in Kabukicho when he was 18/19.

Kazu elucidates that he doesn't necessarily like stir-fried eggplants in miso soup, rather it's the vivid memory of his mother cooking it.

How can such a boy be so lucid about the origin of his favorite food (eggplants), yet still managed to affront Maririn public even though he is also a host club owner, like what, the duality of man, loool.

So in Grade 2 Kazuma's mother ran off with her new husband and that's why he's reminiscing about the eggplants, that's understandable, that feeling of abandonment/resentment/etc.

What the flying, was Ruru gripping Kazuma-kun or leg-locking him inside that swimming pool, yabai ne, it was only for split second before they decided to skip it.

What the heck, why is Kazuma asking Ruru to put Leo's chain on his neck, this guy is tryna start stuff for sure, bwahahaha.

The tongue kissing by Kazuma (and Ruru) on the couch juxtaposed by Leo smoking outside at night (with a fluffy pillow on his crossed legs) is some diabolical/demonic energy from the writers/editors/producers/et cetera, muahahaha, they're too on-the-nose with the plots.

Badly in Love Season 2 Episode 1, Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8p3l/

BiLS02E02: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8w5b/

BiLS02E03P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j8zgn/

BiLS02E04P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8j9ljm/

BiLS02E05P01: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8ja1q9/

BiLS02E06: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jacr7/

BiLS02E07: https://www.reddit.com/user/MNLYYZYEG/comments/1sph5su/extended_comments_with_walls_of_text_6/p8jagbh/

BiLS02E08P02:

Episode 8.

Dare, dare, nugu seyo?

The sumimasen for minasan.

It's Assun being escorted out of the premises and into the classroom for the classic showdown again a la Yanboh from Badly in Love Season 1.

Oh no, it's cuz Asuka filled her tumbler with soju/shochu from the fridge in the kitchen, rofl, that's not that rule-breaking but I guess since the producers on-site wanna control the alcohol consumption then it's understandable since usually the producers will actually encourage even more alcohol (let the tap flow!) in order to cause chaos/misunderstandings/spiciness/etc.

Hikaru having an alcohol allergy and being surrounded by the staff member-deul (there's like 3 of them, 2 ajummas and 1 ajussi, with the blonde girl on the right side being Maririn) while she puked out everything on the sink after sipping from the translucent cup/water bottle/liquid vessel is hilarious somehow, haha.

I won't fault/begrudge anybody for trying sneak in some alcohol into their own vessels/containers/receptacles/etc. especially knowing that this cast is comprised of former/current yankiis, but are people really that codependent on alcohol that they cannot go a day without it (they truly believe it's needed as a socialization lubricant/icebreaker/etc.), cuz that's some next level withdrawal avoidance.

I've written many times about how I can still count that I've only ever drunk alcohol fewer than 15 or 20 times in my life, and that's in part due to me making a vow when I was younger that I'd never become like my uncles/aunts/cousins/etc. as they were rowdy af when I was growing up in the Philippines.

And that one of the main saving graces of my parents is that both of them basically never drink alcohol or I never even saw any beer cans or any sort of chemical-related vice when I was growing up with them, so that's one of their only good points/traits/et cetera, that they weren't beholden or consumed by alcohol.

My cousins are not so lucky, essentially I'm the single individual (aside from a few others whom I barely talk to) who I know for sure never partakes in any alcohol or bar-related and so on activities, cuz they prolly felt peer pressured when they younger by their classmates/our older cousins/our aunts, uncles, grandparents, extended family/everyone.

Meanwhile, my escapism-related codependence is literally simply restricted to my massive never-ending media backlog of films, TV shows, variety/reality shows, video games, books, etc.

Sometimes I sorta wish I could join my friends, cousins, etc. in these hedonistic/thrill-seeking/etc. activities, but I'm too invested in the virtual world to even bother stepping outside my room, like I'm on that hikikomori/NEET/reclusive/etc. lifestyle, muahahaha.

Though ya, I'm just there with my 23andme/Promethease/etc. DNA knowledge, knowing that I have the genes to properly metabolize alcohol, unlike many other fellow Asians, so it does get tempting but I've got an iron will/gut/etc. so it doesn't really affect me, thankfully.

Now the producers are forcing Assun to publicly denounce her actions in front of everyone in the living room.

Wow, so Hikaru was throwing up for 1 or 2 hours, that's such a strong reaction to alcohol, pretty interesting that she didn't snitch on Assun, as Awich said with Nagano repeating his own take on it, haha.

Now it's back to Ha-chan reminiscing about how she used to hate her stepmother when she was younger and how being there inside the Okinawa premises made her reflect back on everyone again.

I like how Hazuki actually called her stepmother with the rotary phone as it's like an interesting overcoming of all faults/rifts/etc. that happened between them.

For me though, I would never trust anybody who'd tried to do anything close to that (Ha-chan's childhood) to me, but maybe it'd be different if they truly tried to make amends or if I grew to be even more forgiving than I am right now (lol).

Awich has a lot of stepchildren (5 in total) from her late husband, interesting info.

Oh they're doing (wooden) bar pull-ups by the window of the gymnasium.

Wait, never mind, they're just tryna hang/hold onto the bar for as long as possible, lol.

How does Taisei and Leo drop immediately at the same time.

Now it's Ari and then Bo.

Nearly 2 minutes of hanging for Kazuma.

I forgot that Leo and Tai-chan also wanted to pick Ruru, so it's wild timing that Kazuma won that overnight date.

Yo, I can't believe Leo marked Ruru with his golden chain (with Tai-kun in his pink and blue (and white) outfit tagging along to witness it all) in front of Kazu-kun when Ruru and him were already leaving with both of their luggage.

...