The Sisterhood of The World Blogger Award – Writing Along, Crying Along, Eating Along

Some time ago, the administrator of dosirakbento wrote about how blogging introduced her to many wonderful individuals around the globe, and I cannot agree more. If not for this blog, I would not have met so many talented people who share my love of books, dramas … and food.

Seaweed soup with urchin and abalone shells!

So, like her, I feel that blogging is not really a lonely experience, especially since our motivations for setting up the blogs frequently overlap:

“Why do bloggers blog? Here are some reasons often cited:

• Because they want to change the world, no matter how quixotic it sounds
• Because there is something they love
• Because they want to spread that love around
• Because they wish to engage with a side of themselves their careers do not enable them to
• Because they dream of embarking on a writing career
• Because they NEED to stay sane

That last one cannot be underestimated. If you take a really good look around the blogging community, you will see talk of the following recurring: work/academic stress (Now, who does not experience one or the other?), depression, autism, caregiving burden, deaths. The more you read, the more you just want to envelope everyone in a giant hug. All these factors are likely why bloggers toil on their posts in spite of heavy work, family and/or school commitments. As time passes, the products of the hard work become their children in their minds. Some treasure their writings so much that they are reluctant to run ads on the sites or otherwise monetize them. Plagiarizers ruin everything.”

That excerpt is from a temporary post published on this site around a fortnight ago. Following a brief discussion with Terry Sissons from The Other I, I have decided to give it a permanent spot here.

This blog does not truly deserve so many nominations for awards, so I really thank everyone who thought of it from the bottom of my heart. A big thank you to regular readers, too,  for putting up with the two-month semi-hiatus and posts that were behind schedule. Even though I didn’t promise anything, I still hoped to release the formal posts at the same time each week. When will that multi-limbed, multi-selves and 144-hour day reality finally arrive?

For the time being, as far as the award section is concerned, it looks like this blog is taking a leaf from the Slow Food Movement … and practicing the Slow Philosopher’s Chair Movement. Here goes the snail-like response to Blue‘s nomination:

The rules are:

• Link the blogger who nominated you on your post.
• Put the award logo on your blog.
• Answer the ten questions that were given to you.
• Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer.
• Nominate five blogs and make sure they are aware they are nominated.
• When you have responded, leave a link in the comment of the person who nominated you.

Blue‘s questions:

1. Is there a popular drama that you actually never liked? If so, tell us why.

Ans: I’ve mentioned Boys Over Flowers before. It can be frustrating and painful to read criticism of dramas you like, so I prefer not to divulge any more names in the long list of answers I have for this question. If you cross your heart and swear that you have nerves of steel, here are a few hints:

• Dramas in which the top jerk in school dates the sweetest girl on Earth
• Dramas with leads of any gender who sleep around (why practice double standards?)
• Dramas with leads who paw the opposite gender without consent
• Dramas with harem themes

Are you okay?? Is your heart is still in one piece? Still breathing? There’s a first-aid box at that corner ...

2. Which drama trapped you forever in Kdramaland? How did you get to know it?

Ans: It’s always the next captivating drama that traps me in Kdramaland. ^^

3. Is there one unknown/barely known drama that you found amazing? If so why? What was good about it? Take this opportunity to promote it.

Ans: Fantasy Tower (Read a recap of episode 5 here.).
Fantasy, mystery, destiny, comedy, city, philosophy.

4. What is your favorite drama OST?

Ans:

5. What is your favorite korean dish?

Ans: Jjapaguri.

6. What kind of post do you enjoy writing most?

Ans: Posts on my favorite dramas, ethics and challenging topics.

7. Which actor/actress makes you cry everytime they cry?

Ans: I agree with Mitta that it’s the moment that’s tear-inducing. Sageuk-wise, the saddest scene was in Yi San, when Sado was reaching out to his young son from the rice chest he was being starved in. Outside of sageuks, a scene that left a great impression was Shin Se-gi’s first kiss scene in Kill Me, Heal Me, because of his tragic past and destiny and the way he shed a tear drop and turned back to Do-hyun. I wish the integration has been more of a two-way process, so that Se-gi finds the Do-hyun in him (i.e. he emotionally identifies with the responsible, prudent and kinder parts of himself, which are lost whenever Do-hyun becomes Se-gi) and melts into the host personality in a smoother way, rather than just retreating to the recesses of his mind. *Sniffs*

8. Tea, coffee or hot chocolate?

Ans:

9. Besides korean dramas do you watch tv shows from other countries? Which countries?

Ans: The usual suspects among K-drama viewers: US, Japan, China, Taiwan, etc.

10. If you could be one kdrama character for a week, who would you be?

Ans: Jeon Woo-chi’s self-cloning and shapeshifting abilities are impressive, but his world is too dark to inhabit. So if I have to be the entire character, I’ll choose …

Nominees:

I have already nominated five blogs in my response to apqaria, but I’ll just name five more anyway.

1. dosirakbento (Box lunches to change your work mood.)

2. My Drama Tea (Tips that change how we blog about dramas.)

3. The Cat That Watches TV (Tons of recaps + filming locations and relatively obscure dramas that change horizons)

4. The Empathy Queen (Words can change the world.)

5. Kindness Blog (“Kindness Changes Everything.”)

Since the award season seems to be over, nominees may like to consider postponing their responses until the next season. I am completely fine if you prefer not responding at all due to the resemblance to chain mail. Neither will I bear a grudge if you forget about this nomination by the next season.

My questions:

They are food-themed this time round!

1. What is the most memorable food scene you have read or seen?

2. What is your opinion of John Saturnall’s Feast / Chocolat / Shinya Shokudō / Midnight Diner? If you have read/watched none of them, skip ahead!

3. Intuition or formula when it comes to cooking?

4. Dark chocolate or white chocolate?

5. Is there anyone whose company makes even the worst dish taste heavenly?

6. What, in your opinion, is the worst crime against food?

7. What is the best quote on food you have come across in a book or drama?

8. What is your dream feast for a gathering of bloggers?

9. Which fictional character’s / celebrity’s cooking would you like to try?

10. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When a drama/movie/novel gives you radioactive lemonade, ______________ .

Hopefully, this set of questions is easier to answer. ¡Buen apetito!

[Published on August 5, 2015.]