#It’s also been a while since season 3 audio drama
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Hidden Treasures: BBC Radio celebrates rediscovery of historic dramas, including plays by Pinter and Potter
Over 1,000 radio plays have been returned to the BBC Archives by the Radio Circle
Contents
Complete list of programming
Radio 4
Radio 4 Extra
Radio 3
Latest from the Media Centre
Over 1,000 radio plays have been returned to the BBC Archives by the Radio Circle, a group of radio enthusiasts and collectors, made up of reels and home recordings sent in by members of the public. BBC Radio 4, 4 Extra and Radio 3 will celebrate their return to the Archive with a season of special broadcasts of the recordings, including Macbeth, which when it was first broadcast in 1971 was the first ever stereo production of the play. The season also includes adaptations of works by Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, Edgar Wallace, Kingsley Amis and JM Barrie. Radio 4 will also celebrate the BBC Archives by broadcasting two plays by giants of twentieth-century literature, Harold Pinter and Dennis Potter, which have not been heard on BBC Radio since their original broadcasts in the early 1980s.
The collection of plays has been gathered by the Radio Circle, who have identified and restored recordings belonging to members of the public. Most recordings in the collection are of programmes which were not already held by the BBC Archives, making this a particularly special discovery.
The BBC Archives have evolved significantly over the course of the BBC’s history. In its early days, there were significant obstacles to keeping permanent recordings – including cost, copyright issues, and a culture that saw radio as a ‘live’ medium – but much progress has been made. The BBC now archives all output from its network stations, and the Archive currently spans multiple collections. The focus is now on bringing these collections together into one unified back catalogue, and the discovery of these additional recordings by the Radio Circle is an excellent addition to this resource.
Alison Hindell, Commissioning Editor for Drama and Fiction, BBC Radio 4, says, ‘I’m delighted to be bringing these rediscovered gems to listeners – there are some very special dramas which I’m sure listeners will love, with great actors such as Denholm Elliott, Bob Hoskins and Roy Kinnear. The BBC has always been at the forefront of audio drama and we’re in a unique position to preserve and celebrate the rich history of this very special art form. Many thanks to the Radio Circle and the BBC Archives team for their work on this.’
Carl Davies, Senior Curator, BBC Archives, says, “The Radio Archive is a vast and diverse series of collections with millions of recordings from the 1930s to the current day from all the BBC radio services. When new discoveries are found it’s a wonderful opportunity to add to the archive. The Hidden Treasure season is a great moment to highlight the hard work we undertake to curate, catalogue and preserve the BBC’s archive holdings, ensuring they are accessible for our audiences via radio output and BBC Sounds in the months and years to come.”
Steve Arnold from the Radio Circle says, 'We at the Radio Circle are so glad to have been able to return these cultural treasures to the BBC Archives and hope that listeners enjoy hearing these slices of audio history. Many thanks to all the members of the public who contributed to this project.’
Complete list of programming
Radio 4
Sunday 24 March
Hidden Treasures: The Dumb Waiter
15:00 - 15:45 (Original TX 31.7.81)
Gus and Ben are on the job, waiting and listening. Into the waiting silence rattles the dumb waiter with extraordinary demands for dishes they cannot supply - and who is operating the dumb waiter in an empty house? In a while their victim will come….
Pinter's writing in The Dumb Waiter combines "the staccato rhythms of music-hall cross-talk and the urban thriller." This production stars Bob Hoskins and Roy Kinnear and is an absolute tour de force.
Followed by a short feature about the Hidden Treasures collection.
Monday 25 March
Hidden Treasures: Traitor
14:15 - 15:00 (original TX 2.12.80)
Western journalists visit Moscow to interview Adrian Harris, a former controller in British Intelligence, who was also a double agent for the Soviets. Harris believes in both Communism and Englishness, believing himself to have betrayed his class, but not his country. The press find these beliefs incompatible and want to find out why he became a ‘traitor’. Harris is plagued by anxieties over both his actions and his childhood history.
Starring Denholm Elliott as Harris and Ian Ogilvy as James. Adapted and directed by Derek Hoddinott.
Radio 4 Extra
Radio 4 Extra will broadcast more Hidden Treasures plays in May, July and September. More info to follow.
Tuesday 26
No Thoroughfare
10:00 – 11:30 (original TX 18/7/64)
Written by Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins, adapted by Mollie Hardwick. In 1867 Dickens and Collins collaborated to produce a stage play. Two boys from the Foundling Hospital are given the same name, Walter Wilding, with disastrous consequences. After the death of one in adulthood, executors are commissioned to find a missing heir – leading to danger and treachery.
Wednesday 27
On the Spot
10:00 – 11:30 (original TX 27/3/76)
Edgar Wallace’s most famous play. A bleak story of gangland life in Prohibition Chicago. Gang boss Tony Perelli, recruits men for his gang and women for his bed with the same ruthlessness - and arranges for their disposal when they become a nuisance. But Minn Lee, the widow, is a little too much for him…
Thursday 28
The Riverside Villas Murder
10:00 – 11:30 original TX 26/7/76
By Kingsley Amis, dramatised by Frederick Bradnum. A mummy is stolen from a small-town museum along with some Roman coins, and a soaking wet man collapses in fourteen-year-old Peter Furneaux's living room, bleeding from the head. What was a suspected student prank is followed by murder.
Friday 29
What Every Woman Knows
10:00 – 11:30 original TX 29/10/83
By JM Barrie, adapted for radio by Stewart Conn, with Phyllis Logan and David Hayman. A social satire set in England and Scotland during the early 20th century, What Every Woman Knows centres around plain, spinsterish Maggie Wylie and John Shand, an ambitious young student, who promises to marry Maggie after five years if she agrees and if her family pays for his education. Written before suffrage, the play posits that "every woman knows she is the invisible power responsible for the successes of the men in her life”.
Radio 3
Sunday 5 May
Drama on 3: The Tragedy of Macbeth
20:00 – 22:25 (original TX 1971)
When it was originally broadcast in 1971 on BBC Radio 3, this was the first ever stereo production of Shakespeare’s Scottish play. Radio 3’s predecessor the Third Programme had been the pioneer of stereo on BBC Radio in the early 1960s while other BBC stations did not go stereo till two years after this production in 1973.
Macbeth is played by the TV and film actor Joss Ackland, who died less than four months ago at the end of 2023 aged 96. Lady Macbeth is played by the veteran star of British film and TV Googie Withers, and Robert Hardy, subsequently famous for his role in TV’s All Creatures Great and Small, plays MacDuff.
The production has a specially composed score by Stephen Dodgson and was produced by Raymond Raikes.
More information about wiped, missing or lost recordings, and a form to fill in if you think you may have a copy of a lost recording, can be found on the BBC Archives website.
Find out more about the Radio Circle, or discover more information about the history of radio drama.
Tagging @thisbluespirit - thought this might be of particular interest to you!
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The Gilded Age of Broadway Divas: Duets, Trios, and Other Crossovers
While I wait for my matinee show to start, here's our final compilation just six hours before our season finale. If you've been following along with this series, you'll notice how much overlap there is in the theatre. Everyone has been with, or sung with, or played the same role as everyone else. Here is just a taste of the sublime combined talents of our favorite Broadway Divas. And yes, this is my petition to have a musical episode.
#1: "Lily's Eyes," (The Secret Garden) Miscast 2022 - Audra McDonald and Kelli O'Hara
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I watched this, and my soul transcended space and time. Performed at MCC's 2022 Miscast gala honoring Christine Baranski (of course), Audra and Kelli have a brief tiff about which soprano is worthy of Soprano Island before joining together to sing the most resplendent duet you will ever experience in your life.
The Secret Garden opened on Broadway in 1991 starring Rebecca Luker as Lily. Kelli and Audra are singing the parts of Lily's husband and brother-in-law respectively. And like Lily, Rebecca Luker has since passed away. Knowing that they are singing not only to honor Christine, but also to Rebecca, their dear friend and fellow soprano, is yet another layer of heartbreak. I love this song.
#2: "Move On," (Sunday in the Park with George) Princetown concert 2022 - Audra McDonald & Michael Cerveris
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Former co-stars reunited in Princetown last year to sing this impromptu duet from the Pulitzer-winning Sunday in the Park with George. Sunday is filled with sublime music, and "Move On" is one of the best. In it, Dot appears to George, the grandson of Georges Seurat, and encourages him to move on with his artistry and stop worrying about perfection. The show itself is beautiful and complex, and a proshot is available for your convenience.
Audra and Michael had previously done a three-day, semi-staged production of this show in 2004, also featuring Patti LuPone as Yvonne/Blair Daniels (the role Christine Baranski created in the original pre-Broadway workshop). Interestingly, this trio would move on to take part in the Lincoln Center Broadcast of Passion in 2005 with Audra as Clara (the Marin Mazzie role), and Patti as Fosca (the Donna Murphy role).
Michael Cerveris would play Giorgio multiple times in his career, including the 10th Anniversary concert with Marin and Donna.
#3 Tonight: Quintet (West Side Story) - Lucky to Be Me: The Music of Leonard Bernstein (2010) - Kelli O'Hara, Donna Murphy, Michael Cerveris
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Speaking of Michael Cerveris and Donna Murphy, and joined by Kelli O'Hara, this audio comes from a 2010 concert celebrating the music of Leonard Bernstein. The youtube video incorrectly attributes this to a 2012 concert, but it is not.
"Tonight (Quintet)" is, of course, from West Side Story, where Bernstein wrote the music, and Sondheim wrote the lyrics. Because this was a concert, certain singing parts are taken by those who would not sing such parts in a full production...anymore. (Lest we forget Natalie Wood in the movie.)
Donna sings Anita, and Kelli sings Maria, the two young Puerto Rican women in the show. And I think we'll leave that there. Michael Cerveris sings the part of Riff, and they are joined by Cheyenne Jackson as Tony.
Also featured in this concert is the amazing, incredible, beloved soprano Victoria Clark, who has starred opposite all three of our Gilded Age actors at one point or another. As the Margaret to Kelli's Clara (Light in the Piazza), the Sally to Donna's Phyllis (Encores! Follies), and in Titanic with Michael Cerveris. Theatre, it's all connected.
#4: LoveMusik (2007)
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A little more on LoveMusik. While I've already detailed a little on my Donna Murphy post, here's some more about Michael Cerveris, two-time Tony winner. As Kurt Weill, Michael was nominated for a Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League Award, but did not win any. While the show itself was given mixed reviews, the performances of Donna and Michael were almost universally praised.
The 2007 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical included three Gilded Age nominees. Debra Monk (Curtains), Audra McDonald (110 in the Shade) and Donna Murphy (LoveMusik). All three lost to Christine Ebersole of the Grey Gardens variety. Fair. I suppose. However, Audra and Donna tied for the Drama Desk. And there WAS a wonderful clip of their award ceremony online for years, except now that I need it for this, it's been taken down. Of course.
#5: "At the Ballet," (A Chorus Line) - Audra McDonald & Kelli O'Hara
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Joined by Megan Hilty, Kelli O'Hara and Audra McDonald performed "At the Ballet" from A Chorus Line at a Lincoln Center Marvin Hamlisch tribute in 2013. Audra showcases a robust lower range I simply adore. Unfortunately the lower key change leaves Kelli's soprano in an awkward place, but I love her anyway.
A Chorus Line is one of the musical theatre greats, and while "At the Ballet" is often overshadowed by "What I Did for Love," it's my personal favorite. The original stage show ran for 6,137 performances, and was nominated for twelve Tonys, winning nine. After Follies, this is the show I most want to see fully staged. A 50th Anniversary revival was rumored back in 2016 for 2025, but I'll believe it when I see it.
#6: The Ladies Who Lunch (Company) - Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Celebration - Christine Baranski & Audra McDonald (ft. Meryl Streep)
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Legends. Icons. Divas. What more can I say about "The Ladies Who Lunch," performed by Christine Baranski, Audra McDonald, and Meryl Streep, mother to Louisa Jacobson? As the story goes, they had done so many takes that by this time, they were well and truly on their way to being drunk. And yet, Audra McDonald still sounds more exquisite than anyone on earth.
I watched this when it premiered "live" on YouTube during the early days of the pandemic. Several Broadway stars who would go on to The Gilded Age are featured, including Kelli O'Hara, Laura Benanti, Nathan Lane, and Michael Cerveris.
It has been almost four years, and I have still not recovered from this song's placement in the concert. Picture it: you have just been emotionally wrung out by Donna Murphy's revelatory "Send in the Clowns," sung whilst seated in front of an Al Hirshfeld print of Passion, with her cleavage out in true Mrs. Astor fashion. And then suddenly there's jaunty Company music, and an illustration of the great Elaine Stritch with her martini glass high. And then there is Christine Baranski in a bathrobe and a truly massive glass of red wine. And you think it cannot get any better. And then the second verse hits and there's Meryl Streep with a cocktail mixer. AND THEN Audra Fucking McDonald. They put those two songs back-to-back and expected me to recover one day? As if.
Bonus: "Lips Together, Teeth Apart" (2018) - Nathan Lane & Christine Baranski
While not a musical performance, I would be remiss if I didn't direct your attention to this masterpiece. Did you ever think you'd hear Aunt Agnes gunning to see Ward McAllister's dick? No? Well, here it is. Terrence McNally wrote "Lips Together, Teeth Apart" specifically for his 1991 original cast which included Christine as Chloe and Nathan Lane as her brother Sam. And they are going through marital troubles with their respective spouses. Nathan and Christine reunited in 2018 to perform this scene for McNally's 80th Birthday.
But the Gilded Age connection doesn't stop there:
In 2019, The New York Times Magazine ran a special "America 2024" issue, as a tribute to Terrence McNally. The whole thing is a fantastic read, and I'd recommend it. In it features photoshoots depicting scenes from several of McNally's plays, including "Lips Together, Teeth Apart." And look who's here: Donna Murphy as Chloe (the Christine Baranski role), Broadway's Leading Man Brian Stokes Mitchell, Michael Shannon as Sam (the Nathan Lane role), and Katie Finneran.
And on one of four covers for this issue, Celia Keenan-Bolger.
With that, the conclusion to my little Diva miniseries. I hope you've found this as entertaining as I have. And if you'd like me to go into more detail about anything you've seen throughout this series, let me know, because I have so much more gossip and drama that I had to restrain myself from adding.
LINK TO MASTERPOST
#the gilded age#aurora fane#dorothy scott#lina astor#agnes van rhijn#ward mcallister#mr. watson (gilded age)#kelli o'hara#audra mcdonald#donna murphy#michael cerveris#christine baranski#nathan lane#sondheim#terrence mcnally#broadway#musical theatre
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The Real Horror: let's talk money.
Since Folxlore is publicly funded, we wanted to give an insight into our budget, which hopefully might help other audio drama creators out!
To get Folxlore funded we go through the difficult and time-consuming process of requesting funding from Creative Scotland, the Scottish government body for public arts funding. We’re very lucky Scotland has an arts funding body, but the process of obtaining funding is competitive and takes a lot of effort. The success rate is about 42%, and we’ve gotten CS funding twice for Folxlore, which I think is a pretty damn good feat!
Part of being CS funded means that everyone needs to get paid fairly, so we pay industry rates for all our workers, while taking into account that our industry is indie podcasts, and not professional podcast.
Interlude: are we indie? Folxlore is publicly funded, we don’t belong to a network, and the show isn’t produced by a big team. We’re 4 people, we self-produce, and our sound designer Dev from Tin Can Audio distributes the show. We pretty comfortably put ourself in the independent category, but some people may feel the amount of funding we get means we’re not. Decide for yourself!
The amount of funding Folxlore gets is publicly available. For our pilot episodes, we received £800 pounds from Young Scot (we were still young back in 2018!). This we split equally between the four of us. Ross, Syd and I got £200 for writing and recording 3 episodes, and Dev got £200 for sound designing the 3 episodes. These are in no way realistic fees, but again, we were young and new to the thing and excited we got to do this new project we’d been thinking about for a while!
Then for Season 1, we received our first proper funding.
Season 1 Total Budget: £14,538
Season 1 Funding Received: £12,479
Writers fees - £8,160
We paid our writer team £1,020 per episode, which was the going BBC rate for 11-19 minute radio plays.
Sound engineer fees - £1,600
We agreed beforehand on a fee with our sound designer Dev. They were not yet a full-time sound designer at the time, but despite this, in retrospect, I think we should have budgeted more here!
Producer fees - £966
Producing the show took approximately 8 weeks of work between two people, so this is another area where we underpaid ourselves.
Voice actor fees - £450
Our biggest oversight and biggest mistake in the creation of Season 1 was our VA budget, which was pretty much nonexistent. For the pilot series, our writers had acted as voice actors without additional pay, and so when it came to Season 1, we operated on the same model. This was not fair to our writers, as they should have been paid separately and fairly for both their writing and their performance skills (for clarity, all three are experienced in both).
We did pay the 2 VA’s who weren’t part of the writers team, from our contingency budget.
Contingency budget - £1,322
Vital to any project! We had a 10% contingency. We ended up paying some VA fees from this, as well as some marketing costs.
The rest of our budget included marketing and equipment purchase & hire, some of which were in-kind match funding from Tin Can Audio and In The Works.
For season 2, we spent a good while rethinking our season 1 budget, and requested an increased amount of funding to reflect fair working practices.
Season 2 Total budget: £27,819
Season 2 Funding Received: £22,489
Writer’s fees - £8,408
We stuck with the same writer’s fee, although with inflation this was now £1051 per episode. We initially aimed for 8 episodes, but ended up making 9, so we split the total fee 9-ways after agreement from the whole writers team.
Sound engineer fees - £2,280
We also significantly increased our sound design fee to £285 per episode, to reflect Dev now being a professional full-time sound designer. They have since increased their fee, to be more in line with professional standards.
Producer fees - £2,470
We upped our producer budget from 2 weeks to 5 weeks, which is still not quite enough, but covers us a lot more. The going weekly rate by ITC standards was £494 per week at the time.
Voice actor fees - £3,300
Our biggest change from season 1 was our VA budget. We had a total budget of £3300 for VA roles. We split this up in lead roles (£200), small roles (£100), and minor roles (£50). These were based on line-count, but also emotional intensity of the role. We roughly planned for 10 lead roles, 10 small roles, and 6 minor roles, which is about what we ended up with. Because all VAs in Folxlore do more than one role across the season, everyone received a rounded out fee based on their roles.
Marketing budget - £1,410
Our marketing budget increased significantly as well: we included more time to develop a marketing plan, more intricate marketing ideas, and more time to implement the plan under our producing fees.
Contingency: £1,205
Because we’d done this before, we could decrease our contingency budget from 10% to 5% of the overall budget.
Access budget - £2530
Another big change from season 1 is that we had a designated access budget. This budget includes the creation of episode transcripts, 1 paid day off for our core team (most of us are full-time freelancers, so this was a rare treat and something we consider vital to a healthy work/life balance), a day of work for an access coordinator for the writing & recording sessions (me), and budget for any other access needs that might come up during the recording or writing such as travel, equipment, caring responsibilities, and any access needs that were yet to be determined for our hired VA’s.
In-kind funding - £5,330
Like with season 1, we had in-kind funding for this season amounting to nearly 20% of our total budget.
There were some additional budget lines for season 2 that we haven't discussed, as they are for parts of the project we haven't announced yet.
Keep in mind all these numbers are straight from the budget we applied to Creative Scotland with: things will always change during the course of a project and they certainly have for us. Also keep in mind this budget is in pounds!
We hope that was helpful for (prospective) podcast producers out there! We're always happy to talk through how to get public funding within the UK, as that's what we're familiar with: our DMs are open!
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ENNEAD volume 4 English physical release up for pre-order! Release date 12 November 2024!
ENNEAD by Mojito, the boys love manhwa set in ancient Egypt, volume 4 in English physical release, is up for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in paperback and hardcover! It should be available on more sites (particularly international ones) soon! Volume 4 doesn't have a cover yet (which is pretty normal, since volume 3 only got one recently), but since it's following the Korean release, it should be Horus (which is the one here).
Why the paperback and hardcover versions of the English physical release have different age ranges: "Seven Seas will release two versions of the series, which were originally drawn for different audiences: a paperback version rated Older Teen, and a deluxe hardcover version rated Mature. (Each version is standalone but has alternate depictions of some adult material.)"
This mimics the modifications of the censored and uncensored release available on webcomic platforms like Tappytoon, Witchcomics, Ridibooks, etc. Below is a list of episodes with differences between the versions.
Season 1: Episodes 28-32, 42-44
Season 2: Episodes 19, 45-47, 71
Due to the episode allocation of the volumes, volume 3 should be the first with actual panel differences. Volume 4 should also have panel differences.
Currently, you can order volume 1 and pre-order volumes 2-3 as well. Given they are seemingly just making an English version of the Korean + Taiwanese physical release (down to cover + interior design), there will likely be 6 volumes of season 1. Season 2 is not out in physical anywhere yet. If you're outside the US and want more options, try calling your local bookstore if you have one, and asking if they have it or can order it. If you'd like a visual rundown of the comparison between paperback and hardcover, Seven Seas made a video here.
The manhwa online is currently on S02E82 in Korean, and on S02E79 in English on Tappytoon (and various other points in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Thai). If you'd like to read one of those, here's a guide. The physical English release is not just a physical release of the Tappytoon translation. While the text is similar because it's translating the same Korean text, there are a number of differences, mostly involving punctuation, but sometimes with more heavily modified sentences, and there have even been some corrections for errors in the Tappytoon text.
In case you missed it, other stuff in the fandom recently:
The Japanese physical release of ENNEAD will begin with the simultaneous release of volumes 1-2 on 24 April 2024, with various order bonuses depending on where you order.
The Italian translation of ENNEAD volume 1 has been released and volume 2 has also released.
There's a pre-order page for ENNEAD volume 1 in German, also releasing 19 March 2024.
ACO's audio drama adaptation of season 1 is fully available to purchase digitally episode by episode. You need to buy the whole thing to get the soundtrack.
In a BNOW x ENNEAD collaboration, BNOW released an alternate reality card collection! There is a physical set of cards that can be purchased for international sale, and you can download the Korean BNOW app and use the cards you have to generate 3D models of the characters!
#엔네아드#エネアド#ennead#boys love#ennead by mojito#seth ennead#horus ennead#horuseth#fallfnewsposts#boys love manhwa#m/m
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my first danmei playlist -- part 2: the classics, historical style
[see more in this series are under the tag #my first danmei playlist]
Since modern "historical Chinese style" songs are infamous for containing incorrect traditional-style grammar, so the lyric translations are very rough ...
(links are to Mao'er/Missevan unless otherwise stated)
忘羡/"Wang Xian" by 吾恩，余夏 from 魔道祖师/Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (MDZS), Season 2
原来 陈情俱是旧人 / 撩动 心事如何能避尘
And so it turns out, old feelings are all stirred up by old acquaintances; how can one remain unattached to mortal affairs
I started reading danmei novels in 2022, but I read the MDZS novel and listened to the audio drama back in 2019 after the live action came out. This is like my gateway to the danmei fandom before I fully committed to coming here.
P.S. This is also my favorite version of WangXian. I still remember looping this song in my hotel room during several work trips that fall while I was frantically editing my slide decks.
晚夜微雨问海棠/"A Nighttime drizzle over haitang flowers" by 陈亦洺 · 喧笑lirz · 镜予歌 [youtube], fan-made music for 二哈和他的白猫师尊/Husky and his White Cat Shizhun (2Ha)
念想从未消亡 / 踏断红尘不肯相忘
The desire has never faded / and cannot be forgotten even with desperate efforts
Between it's length and content warnings, I never wanted to read 2Ha, but every time I slow down to listen to this song I get so tempted. Not because it gives a better idea of what happens in 2Ha, but I just feel like it has to be really good to inspire this much creativity from its fans.
悦神/"Pleasing the Gods" by KBShinya [youtube], fan-made music for 天官赐福/Heaven Official's Blessings aka TGCF
雨中红伞探白花 华服金面高楼下
一念间 桃源已成飞沙
Red umbrella seeks white flowers in the rain, fine robes with the gold mask descend from the high towers
In a single moment, paradise has become dust
I started and stopped the TGCF novel several times and didn't finish it until earlier this year, but I have been obsessed with that little melody at the beginning of this song ever since I heard it in the donghua trailer but in 2020.
天涯寻春/"Seeking far and wide for spring" by 柯暮卿, from 天涯客/Faraway Wanderers, Season 2
不过蓬蒿旧梦自在余生/懒知欢与恨
Only a humble old dream to live freely for the rest of my years / and be unaffected by joy or hatred
Faraway Wanderers is my first audiodrama (excluding MDZS in 2019). The entire "danmei ecosystem" -- authors, novels, voice actors, and musical artists -- was all so new to me back then. I remember really liking this song and looking up the artist, learning he is also the director for the drama, and a famous voice actor, and ... ooh boy I'm still in that rabbit hole today ...
把盏/"Raise a glass" by 落樱风, from 将进酒/Qiang Jin Jiu, Season 1
亦同他与天道比高 / 不负这年少
To challenge the way of the world alongside him / is not a waste of these youth years
Unlike most other titles on this list, this one didn't hook me right off the bat. I didn't truly appreciate it until after I really got into the story and understood all the references in the lyrics. After I fell in love with QJJ, I really like the feeling of this song, like it's a story slowly being retold by Xiao Chiye.
吹雪/"Flying Snow" cover by 贾诩, 梁毅, from 黄金台/The Golden Terrance, Episode 3 ending theme
风华流年/只怕今生缘浅
The best years are slipping by / I only fear we are not destined to have this lifetime together
The Golden Terrance is the first free (网配) audiodrama I listened to, and the amount of work people have put into their labour of love truly amazed me. I love this song so much I made a shortcut to it on my phone's home screen, just so I can pull it up with a single click.
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Spookiest moments from the first season of The Sandman
Since we are only two days from Halloween I have decided to compile the spookiest and creepiest moments from the first season of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman from Netflix.
I will be providing video clip links whenever possible for this list.
10. The fate of Rosemary in episode 4 and perhaps all of 24/7 (24 Diner in the comics and audio drama). This particular story isn't really scary to me but it is very gory and I know that is scary for a lot of people. The gore actually kind of bored me but that could be because I'm very desensitized to gore from watching too much of things like American Horror story.
The part of this story that actually does catch me off guard is the changed fate for Rosemary. You get so worried for her and her dog. The way the story was changed was definitely an improvement (in my opinion) but you get so worried for her, that I have to count it as a spooky moment.
By the way, Sandman fans so heavily approved of how Rosemary's fate was changed that just today I saw the phrase "I was hoping they Rosemaryed her." used by Sandman fan.
9. Poor Jessamy's death.
Jessamy's Death is one of the most gut wrenching moments in The Sandman. What makes it all the worse is the hopeful music playing while her plan to rescue Morpheus is set into motion. And then, just when it looks like she's about to free him... she gets killed very suddenly right in front of him. It's startling and heartbreaking at the same time. It leaves you feeling chilled, disappointed, and also pitying Morpheus for his reaction. The emotion conveyed by Tom Sturridge as Morpheus in that scene, without uttering a word, is incredible.
8. The banishing of Hector Hall's ghost to the Afterlife.
When Morpheus banishes Hector Hall's ghost, Hector looks like he is decomposing right before our eyes. No wonder Lyta Hall mistakenly thought of it as Morpheus killing him.
7. Funland and his death.
Funland is a creepy predator attending a serial killer convention. HIs death is a creepy moment because you think Jed and Rose had just been rescued but really they are now at the mercy of the rogue nightmare, The Corinthian.
6. Johanna Constantine's Nightmare.
Much like with DC"s John Constantine, we get a tragic flashback of what happened in New Castle, where a Dark Magick obsessed father (treated much like a drug addiction) opens a portal to Hell and accidentally invokes something. The demon claims an innocent little girl while Johanna Constantine is trying to banish the demon.
5. Johanna Constantine exorcises a demon.
Here Johanna Constantine banishes a demon but the one who is possessed is not who she suspected. (Though many of us saw the twist coming.)
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4. Death comes to collect a soul.
This isn't really "scary." In fact it's sweet. But there is an underlying creepiness to knowing the end is near and the mystery of what comes next. Here we see Death (Morpheus's sister) come collect an old man and take him to the afterlife.
Though this isn't necessarily scary it can still be disturbing.
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3. The summoning of Morpheus.
Roderick Burgess and his coven, The Order of Ancient Mysteries, attempt to invoke The Grim Reaper and get Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams by mistake.
The invocation scene is pretty intense but I must admit I actually think the audio drama version is better. It just feels more intense, more foreboding, or maybe that's because my mind has to come up with the visuals. It's definitely longer in the audio drama version, mind you.
At the exact moment that Morpheus feels the pull of the summoning spell, he was confronting the rogue nightmare, The Corinthian, who Morpheus meant to uncreate for having been roaming The Waking World and killing mortals.
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2. Invoking The Hecateae.
After Morpheus escapes his captivity he has to track down his tools that had been taken from him by his captors. This includes his ruby amulet (a conduit for his powers), his battle helm (he never actually goes into battle but it's a symbol of his authority), and his pouch of dream sand (He is The Sandman after all).
Having no clue where his tools have ended up Morpheus is left with no choice but to seek the aid of the Three-in-one. The Three-in-One represent the triple Goddess, Hecate (Goddess of Witchcraft and magick), The Fates, and the furies (divine vengeance against those that spill family blood).
The Hecateae are fickle and dangerous and very powerful.
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1. The Oldest Game.
Morpheus vs. Lucifer. Many people would tell you that there's nothing creepier than a depiction of The Devil. In this scene Morpheus challenges Lucifer to a sort of duel to win back his helm, which had been stolen from him during his long captivity at the hands of mortal sorcerers.
The challenge between Morpheus and Lucifer is known as "The Oldest Game" which some might recognize as the Wizard's duel from The Sword in the Stone or even the version from The Raven starring Vincent Price and Boris Karloff as rival sorcerers.
If Morpheus wins he gets his helm. If Lucifer wins Morpheus (and by extension the dreams of mortals) become enslaved by Lucifer.
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2022.07.18 - https://weibo.com/l/wblive/p/show/1022:2321324792677232148593
LYN: Hallo everybody, good evening. I am Modern Brother’s Liu Yuning. Welcome~
C: It feels like you haven’t streamed for such a long time.
LYN: Yes, just one day without seeing me and it seems like so many seasons have passed.
- Went to sleep one night and woke up with a sore throat, turns out he caught a cold
LYN: You might be listening and feel that I have a very thick nasal tone- that’s because my sinuses are full of snot. It’s possible that while I’m streaming I might have to blow my nose, and I hope that it doesn’t affect your viewing experience. Anyone who’s eating right now can eat a little faster.
LYN: I’ve taken medicine. I’m an adult, so I know how to take care of myself at least that much. I just caught a cold, is all. I know to grab an umbrella when it’s raining and to take medicine when I’m sick. I’ve taken some already- all sorts, I don’t care I’m eating them all. XD
LYN: It’s not like the drama you’re acting in cares about seasons, so it’s not like I can wear weather appropriate clothes on the camera. So I’ll be wearing dress shirts, to look a little more handsome. Mostly, the air conditioning on set is not turned on either, because it will create noise interference. It will just sound like this: /sound of a fan/ Why do I have that sound? Because my laptop is too hot and I’ve given it a fan. So, since it creates a problem with receiving audio, we usually don’t turn the A/C on and the set will be on the hotter side. Chengdu these days has been pretty hot... It’s not bad... But after we do one take the clothes are already soaked through with sweat, so we head back inside for the A/C. After a day of back and forth, hot and cold, I seem to have gotten sick. It’s alright. Only a small matter- who doesn’t get sick, right?
- His diet & exercise efforts are paying off, so he’s lost a little weight (presumably gaining muscle, though); says how he sees videos of himself from 2-3 years ago and calls himself a “baozi”, thanks his fans for sticking with him XD
- Speed of the comments is a little fast today, it’s making him dizzy. Asks the weibo staff if they can adjust for him, so he can “See all the praise my friends are giving me.”
LYN: You see? I mentioned it and now you’re all typing FASTER. I’ve noticed you’re all young people with a sense of rebellion aren’t you? I said the comments were going by too quickly and you’re over here typing faster. You want to see me throw up, is that it? Look at this. Who can see this clearly?? What is this? I told you not to type so fast and now you’re typing “haha” and making the comments go by even faster. This is a perverse speed. Look at this- WHAT IS THIS? Even if you have nothing to say, some people are just typing “haha” to get in on the action. Alright- whatever. It’s fine. You can type.
LYN: This just goes to show that I have high viewer ratings. I am SO popular and there are SO MANY COMMENTS that they just go by in a flash. Actually, you’ve fallen for my trap- this is exactly what I wanted.
LYN: Okay, that’s about enough. I’m sure you’re all tired as well. Let’s continue our chat while we wait for the staff to adjust the speed. Thank you.
- To him, streaming is like a hobby- where other people ride bicycles, hike, and skateboard, his hobby is to stream. He’s been streaming on weibo for almost two years now, and thanks weibo for always supporting him.
LYN: People who watch my stream are my fans or maybe some passersby, but also some of the people might have trouble getting to sleep; you can play my stream and I guarantee that within 10-15 minutes sleep will come to you- that’s how “boring” I am. But it is my honor to help you get to sleep. If you look at it a different way, it means that my streams are a very stress-relieving, and I can help you relax.
C: Was your hair styled?
LYN: This is all.. natural. Meaning I ran mussed it with my hands a little and left it. There’s not much style going into it right now.
C: I’ve brought five of my good friends with me to watch.
LYN: What a good friend. Good things must be shared.
C: Where did you get that shirt?
LYN: ?_? What sort of question is this? It’s going to be in a shop or from online. Or are you going to the bathhouse to buy a shirt?
C: Does your cold affect your acting?
LYN: More or less, it will. One thing that comes to mind is that I’ll look uglier when I’m on camera... but that’s not much of a difference because I always look ugly on camera. Even if I’m uglier by one or two degrees it’s still okay. It will make your nasal tone heavier and make you look more weary, for sure. Yesterday was the worst of it- when you feel like your whole head is blocked and you feel uncomfortable. Coincidentally, the take we did yesterday happened to be my “debut” scene. I was standing there with Tao-jie, and she asked me why I looked so haggard. I told her I was sick, and thought she was looking after me, but then she said, “Ok, well, don’t pass it to me.” Then we filmed the scene. I thought I came out looking SO UGLY.
LYN: Sometimes I like wearing glasses- and you can differentiate the reason for when I do and when I don’t. If I get up and get into hair and makeup and after all of that I think I look terrible, I will wear some glasses. They’ll help cover some of my “ugly”. So for my first scene yesterday I wore the glasses, to help cover, and asked Tao-jie if I looked okay- if now my appearance made me worthy of standing next to her. She said, “It does look better, but the glasses are considered an “appearance”. If you don’t wear the glasses and still look haggard, then it’s considered your “character”.” What does that mean?? But because my character in the drama is supposed to be falling on tough times, then actually my weary appearance helps make him more convincing. I thought about it, and she was right. All of a sudden my “ugly” wasn’t a flaw of mine, but an asset to the character. So I decided not to wear the glasses, but on the inside I was thinking, “It won’t be YOU who is cursed at for looking ugly when this drama airs, anyway.” Okay, so I listened to her. It all made sense.
- says that he still has a bit of an “idol burden” in daily life, but he will let it down when he is acting and can accept any appearance or state; always learning from the actors with more experience than him.
C: Does you new director yell at you?
LYN: Why are you trying to dig me into a pit? He doesn’t yell at people. Working with directors, it’s different every time. They’re not going to just sit there and praise you for a job well done. I actually really like the way this one works, because I really enjoy his thoughts and ideas. It’s already a great script but he will take a scene and add just small details that make it even more exciting and better to look at. I don’t think there’s a single scene that we’ve shot that will be wasted.
- Someone came to ask if it was time for class (to learn the Vietnamese song) yet, but it’s not because the stream hasn’t hit a peak number of viewers yet. :p LYN wants people to go out and spread the news that he is streaming, so he gets more viewers first. If you make an announcement that costs money, he will reimburse you for it (but not really).
C: Then do I announce it to my upper and lower neighbors?
LYN: You mean opening the window and announcing my stream to your neighborhood? There’s no need for that, since it counts as disturbing the public. Let’s not do that.
- has been watching some dramas, but won’t share which because they are a little... violent (??); watches his own dramas though, once when doing the voice acting and the second time when it airs officially.
- starts promoting The Truth, as agreed. Mentions the script for the variety show.
C: Ning-ge, you finally admit that the variety show has a script.
LYN: ?? What are you saying? It’s a reasoning show- how can it move forward if there is no plot? Of course there’s a script! This is a Murder Mystery show- how can we pull it off with no script? Only murder, no mystery?
C: There’s no meal discussion in this week’s diary?
LYN: Right... I know that people like to watch us relax and discuss while we eat. But why wasn’t there that portion this week? I forget, but it’s probably because in the last stretch we spend quite a few consecutive days filming the end of the show. There was no time for us to record a long meal session. We’re all hot right now- most of us are actors so we were flying around trying to get everything done. BY, SZE, GQL, and myself are all shooting dramas. ZS is doing three variety shows at once. ZKY... what has he been doing lately? Being spokesperson for a bunch of brands. We’re all quite busy.
C: Is there going to be a second season?
LYN: The first one hasn’t even finished airing yet- you’re thinking too much. But I think there’s a good possibility it could be cleared for a second season... because even though it’s reaching a smaller audience, it has pretty good ratings. After we wrapped up, my PD even asked me if I would be back the next time. It’s no problem for me, but if I’m not as popular next year and the ratings tank, just don’t blame it on me.
C: Will UN have a second season.
LYN: That’s probably a no. Well- I’m not the producer so I don’t know, but I haven’t received any news as an actor. There’s probably not going to be a second one. I think NPSS took back his copyrights. I’m not clear on it.
C: Which episodes of The Oasis are you on?
LYN: Probably the third or fourth to last episode? I went to shoot for two days as Liu Xialai from The Truth’s Reasoning Team.
C: What’s at the bottom of the screen?
LYN: You mean this? /points/ It’s my laptop screen. I was streaming the other day and thought it was overheating, so I bought a stand for it.
- admits he has been watching The Boys (American TV Series); doesn’t recommend it because it’s a little... bloody.
C: We’re all adults. // Then why are YOU watching (if it’s violent and bloody)?
LYN: I’m an adult! I also watch scary things. I just finished up the third season.
C: Ning-ge eat a can of yellow peaches.
LYN: You see that I’m sick and want me to eat a can of peaches? You think I’m a child, right? When I was little my parents had always told me to eat a can of peaches when I was sick. I don’t know about you, but that’s how it was where I grew up. You can ONLY eat the canned peaches when you were sick. Have a little sweetness and you’ll get better.
C: Ning-ge, why are you such a scaredy-cat?
LYN: What do you mean. I’ll tell you this- I’m more afraid of the dark and the unknown. I think I’m okay- not too afraid- as long as I can see what’s in front of me.
C: When’s ALZ going to air?
LYN: Someone asks me this every time, and I actually met the producer jie-jie a couple days ago and asked her. She said it isn’t confirmed yet, because it is co-produced by Shanghai Films & Media and they’re still in the process of editing. So... we just wait.
LYN: In terms of which will come out the quickest, I think the one I’m shooting now will come out the earliest. Since it’s a modern drama there isn’t much special effects to add in post, so they are already starting to edit. I think it will come out the first half of the next year.
C: What about Zuo Bufan (Floating World)?
LYN: I think that one is the latter half of next year.
LYN: Regarding Be Your Own Light, I guess it can count as my first male-lead drama, even though my scenes are very little. Only about 200 or so scenes. 220? Because this drama is split into three storylines, and I am only a part of Tao-jie’s story.
LYN: There are only small actors, no small roles. There are no “side” or “supporting” roles- As long as you appear in a drama, you are one of the characters.
LYN: It’s already impressive enough that I am able to work beside Tao-jie. That’s the ceiling for me and I am very satisfied. I have about 200 scenes for this drama, which is about on par with Hao Du from The Long Ballad. In Floating World I have about 100+ scenes, and for Zichuan I have around 200 as well. It’s enough. I am very satisfied.
C: When are you shooting 500+ scenes?
LYN: That’s not important. /sigh/ I’ll take my time and improve myself step by step until that day comes.
- [t/n: I guess people are asking the age-old question: “Why LYN? What makes him worthy?”]
LYN: In your eyes I may never be good enough, no matter what I do. Maybe you only think me worthy enough to sit here and stream for you. But here’s the thing- the people I am working with don’t look down on me, so what makes you think you are better than them? This is the difference between your reality and theirs. Take Tao-jie, for example. She was the one who recommended me for this drama. She is such an amazing person and didn’t see LYN as someone to look down on, but rather helped me. This is how you show your humanity. She doesn’t care if I am worthy enough or if I am professional enough- she only believed that I could do it and was willing to help me. This is the extent of her “reality”. So if you don’t think that I am worthy of what I have right now, it means that your “reality” has not been reached yet.
LYN: I’ve never been “worthy” enough for anyone but it doesn’t matter because I’ve still gotten to where I am today and still signed the contracts I have had. What can I do? It doesn’t matter if you think I’m “worthy” or not, I still have to do a good job. I used to be a cook, a waiter, a shop clerk, a salesperson- was I worthy? I think that as long as people can treat their jobs seriously and are able to continue forward on their paths it doesn’t matter if you’re “worthy” of your position or not.
LYN: I used to be a cook and I stopped, not because I didn’t like it- in truth, I didn’t like it all too much- but because I had gotten sick and my body couldn’t handle it. [t/n: something to do with his lungs]. It wasn’t anything contagious though! It was pneumothorax (?)- I don’t know if anyone here knows- there was a small hole in the lining of my lung and there was air there. [t/n: the air in this pleural space can start to compress the other lung and heart.] So I became a waiter, and got later got promoted to manager... until I didn’t want to do it anymore. All the while people were asking me why I was worthy. I had enough of the (food services) industry, so I wanted to try something different- I tried my hand at selling clothing. I was a salesperson at a pretty famous shop and people didn’t think I was worthy of that job, either. I came from a food services industry, what did I know about selling clothing? I wasn’t worthy. But I didn’t care, and just kept selling clothes... until our shop was in the green for sales. I don’t know about men’s clothing, but the women’s clothing sold pretty quickly. I don’t know why. :)
C: You’re worthy. You’re VERY worthy.
LYN: Are you saying I’m only worthy enough to sell you clothing??
LYN: Anyway, I just want to say to anyone working in any industry, don’t care too much about your “worth”. There will always be telling people you can't make it- they don’t matter and can’t influence your future development. The only one who can decide that is yourself. The only one limiting yourself is you- if you want something you have to take small steps in that direction until you attain it. You won’t know what you’re capable of unless you try. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says because they aren’t the ones living your life.
C: It’s almost time for me to enter society- I’m lost.
LYN: You don’t need to be lost. I’ve been there. When I first stepped into society I was wondering what should I do, what CAN I do? What will I do for the future? Am I going to waste my life away? Just living paycheck to paycheck? But let me tell you this- the moment you graduate and start thinking all these things. There’s no point. Thinking about these things won’t help you precisely because you can’t think of what you should do. No one knows. Of course, there are the few who have a set goal in mind, and that’s definitely one path towards success. But most of the time people don’t have a set goal in mind, and the way they move forward is step by step, through experiences. There are people you will meet or situations you will encounter that will help you grow as a person. These people and situations may give you an opportunity or a choice. You don’t need to be too lost right now- just DO SOMETHING first, and opportunity may come later. If you have some type of job in mind, try working towards that and later it will become clearer to you whether it’s something you want to keep pursuing or not.
C: I don’t have friends.
LYN: I don’t either. No friends, no co-workers. You just have to do it. Don’t consider anything too small. Im not trying to teach you a lesson or anything- many of you are far more successful than I am. More intelligent, and more cultured. I just want to share my advice- which you can choose to take or not. You’ve just got to get yourself out there, and don’t waste your time away. If you just stay in your house wasting time you’ll have no opportunities- you’ll meet no-one and get nowhere. Connections are very important, and that’s true for everyone. You’ll need connections to friends or co-workers. There are people who are very good at socializing, and they can survive anywhere. There are people who are strong in their skillset, so even if they don’t have connections they can still survive. There are people who don’t have any particular skillset, but are good at socializing- they can survive equally as well.
C: I have social anxiety.
LYN: Me too. Don’t get me wrong just because you see me chatting away on screen. I’m very afraid of any gathering that includes people who are like... director status and up. I really can’t do the pandering socializing as expected of people in my position. First of all, because I can’t hold a drink, therefore I am unable to share a toast with them for very long. Secondly, I can’t do the lip-service. It might not seem like it, but I really can’t do it. As soon as I’m at a table with a director I’m timid and weak- the only thing I’m there for is to eat. You talk amongst yourselves, I’ll be here, eating. But if there is someone I’m more familiar with at the table, they’ll tell me to go up and offer a toast. In that case I’ll say, “But there are so many people, I’m afraid to interrupt :(” and in that case they will have to take charge and make room in the conversation for me. I just feel like they’re such busy people, they don’t need nor want me there to inconvenience them. I will just sit there, very small, minding my own business and when everyone is about done for the night I excuse myself and make a getaway.
LYN: I have social anxiety too. You might not see it because this is my stream and I need to keep the mood up, but I’m really not great at socializing. :|
C: I don’t believe you. // Then how did you get so many jobs out of going to a dinner party?
LYN: /sigh/ Let me explain- sometimes when I stream and tell you how I got a job and give you all these details... you can try to believe only 20% of what I say. I’m only trying to share my work experience with you in a fun and relaxing way, but do you really think society is this simple, friends?? Does the world OWE me? Nothing is as simple as it seems. I just tell you the basics- and none of everything else that goes on behind the scenes. There’s no way I’m going to tell you in excruciating detail about a contract that took three months to complete. It’s not that simple, and please don’t think it is. There are people and media accounts that THINK they know how this industry works, but in reality they’re nowhere close to the truth.
- He only tells us about the successful contract negotiations, first of all, and he also only tells us the the basics of how he got the job. But there is so much more he is leaving out for the sake of simplicity.
- he’s trending!
LYN: I don’t believe you. I’m not ~wOrTHy~. Am I really, though?
- tries to play one of his own songs, but the audio isn’t working -> /troubleshooting/
LYN: I don’t believe (I’m trending)- how about this? Friends, slap me. To prove I’m not dreaming. Come on. Bring your hand over and slap me. Quickly!
- sang a bit of 黑夜一束光, then said he wasn’t going to sing because of his cold
- proceeds to start the lesson and review of the next installment of (chorus of) the Vietnamese song from two streams ago: HKT - TẢI THÊM MỘT LẦN ĐAU; types the “lyrics” for ease of understanding- as much as you can of Vietnamese lyrics written in a Chinese homophonic equivalent, that is... XD
C: I don’t know the song name.
LYN: It’s in Vietnamese- I don’t know it either. But there is a Chinese version of this song, called 错错错.
-- bathroom break #1
(Tactic 1: ”the neighbors are fighting”... actually their tv is too loud, and they’re watching Heroes XD)
- gently advises people not to go from somewhere very hot to somewhere very cold (with A/C) lest they catch a cold
- reiterates again that he CAN speak Standard Mandarin, but likes to use his hometown dialect to make himself more comfortable and to feel closer to the viewers; gives examples of the difference: instead of using -子 (zi) suffix, they will use -个 (ge) qualifier instead. Also uses -er sound more often with words.
C: Then, how do you say “This is my wife”?
LYN: Go home and ask your husband. Don’t stay here provoking me.
- Zhu Xudan has entered the chat.
C: Why don’t you connect with YCY?
LYN: ? She’s busy- why would I connect with her?
LYN: Let’s welcome ZXD-laoshi. Long time no see~
C: When’s your next drama going to start?
LYN: Next month on.. the 15th? 20th? 25th? I don’t remember. It’s a guzhuang drama but it won’t be in Hengdian to start, though. I think we’re going to start in Yinchuan first.
LYN: I won’t tell you what it is yet, but I think the announcement is going to be made soon. Since we’re going to start shooting soon, there will be an official announcement... and when I heard that I was preparing myself for the onslaught of criticism. /laughs/ /sighs/ It’s alright- a lot of people may not know me and think very little of me, so it’s alright if they criticize. Let’s just remember not to interact with these people, ok? I don’t want my fans to start any fights- everyone’s just working hard and doing their jobs, ok. None of us have it easy, you can let these little things slide. Another thing is, I don’t want you to attack people I work with or their fans. There are always going to be the reasonable fans and unreasonable fans, the kind ones and the mean ones. Everyone has them, even I do. But in the end it doesn’t matter what they say, but how the product comes out. If the drama airs and it flops then that just means I have to work harder. Everyone I have worked with and will work with is my senior- I’ve only debuted for 3, close to 4 years- so I hope there can be mutual respect among our fans.
C: Where are your abs?
LYN: I’m working on them- I already promised that on the new year- on December 30th- I will post a picture of my bare upper half to show you. I only just mentioned this last stream, why are you so hung up on it, like a child? This is like having a fruit tree at home and asking your mother when it will bear fruit- you have to give it some time. Let the seasons pass. Give me some time.
C: Is it having any effect?
LYN: Do you think it’s as easy as PS-ing abs onto my body?? I need time to accumulate muscle- it’s not something that happens in one day. Why do you thinking losing weight is such a difficult process? You need to work on it little by little, day by day.
C: Are you keeping a record?
LYN: Yes, I’ve been taking a video a little bit every time. I was thinking of making a compilation and seeing my progress. When all my training results in something, then I’ll upload it. Because what’s the point of showing you when there IS no progress?
C: Have you found a trainer yet?
LYN: When you get started on doing something, you’ll discover that’s all you get recommended when you’re online. So Ive been learning from online- how to train abdominal muscles, how to train chest, back, shoulder muscles, how to lose weight, etc. You’ll see all these videos and tutorials from online fitness gurus and I’m looking at them all.
C: Still working out when you’re sick?
LYN: Yes! I did some training yesterday.
C: Are you for real this time?
LYN: Of course. You think I’m still trying to fool you? Even though I have said something along these lines for seven or eight times already... but this time! This time... I’ll try to make good on the promise, otherwise it’ll make me look bad.
C: I’m afraid you’ll turn into a muscleman.
LYN: You think that’s something I can become just because I want to?? You think it’s so easy? If that were the case EVERYONE would be musclemen. It’s not an easy thing.
C: Does this mean that in the next drama you’ll be baring your chest?
LYN: No. I just want to do this for myself. Every year I have a plan for myself, and this year it’s to get fit. I know a lot of the actors I work with exercise and work out and I know I can’t compare myself to them, but I also don’t want to just fall behind/slack off.
C: Is Chengdu fun?
LYN: I don’t know, because I haven’t gone out for fun. Most of the time I’m working and there’s not much free time to shop or look around. When I first got here I did do a little shopping, though. Because this is a modern drama, so we were looking for appropriate clothing that I could wear. Other than that I have’t really had a chance to get around. Oh! But I did go to Sanxingdui- the museum.
C: The drama doesn’t provide clothing?
LYN: They do. You can choose to use theirs or bring your own. Of course most of the time I wear what’s provided, but sometimes I want to wear something that fits me better or something in my own style.
- went to an arcade and later exchanged his pile of tickets for two backpacks, so he could give them to his RV driver’s two kids. The total cost of the backpacks themselves probably wasn’t much more than 300RMB, but since they were acquired with game tickets then in actuality they cost much more. XD
C: Do you have a lot of (your own) clothing?
LYN: There is quite a lot, for 200 scenes. The difference between a modern drama and a guzhuang drama is that in the latter you may go for a long period of time wearing the same clothing, but you can’t for a modern drama. In a guzhuang drama if someone wears the same outfit for the first 10 or so episodes, you don’t think anything of it. But if a character in a modern drama does the same it looks a little strange, except it it’s a uniform. But for example, you won’t see the same t-shirt for ten consecutive episodes unless that character has some special circumstances. But even the poorest of characters have a different shirt to change into, right?
LYN: So I have a lot of clothing... I think for now it’s up to 80 outfits. 80 outfits for around 200 scenes, but no matter how much the drama provides to you, there is still the wish to add your own style into it.
C: I thought each scene would get its own outfit.
LYN: No, no. There are scenes that follow in continuity. For example, I go out. The next scene I am on the street. The next scene I enter a restaurant to eat with someone. The scene after that we’ve finished our meal but have started a fight with someone else. These four scenes all have the same outfit- it’s not like I’m going to have a sudden wardrobe change in the middle of the street.
C: Does this character count as having money?
LYN: I guess you can say that. He has some money because he has a restaurant- he’s a boss of his own. Even though it failed in the end... he was still the owner.
C: Are going to be fight scenes?
LYN: Some. If I remember correctly there’s at least one. I say it’s a fight scene, but actually it’s a “me being hit” scene. We’ll have to see how the director wants it to go. I’ve never shot a modern fight scene before. Well, I guess I have.
C: How do you like working with Tao-jie?
LYN: I’m very happy. There are always useful things you can learn from working with other actors.
C: Where did all your model figures go?
LYN: I see you’re not my fan. Quickly go subscribe to my weibo. You must not be my fan you don’t know what I’ve been doing lately, and even ask where my figures went. The thing is I couldn’t make a living and had to sell them.
C: You must have made a lot of money.
LYN: Not as much as I spent getting them in the first place.
LYN: Let me explain to my new fan- I’m in Chengdu shooting a drama right now, and that wall is in Hengdian. This is a hotel.
- someone wants him to play Jay Chou’s new song, but here we hit a copyright issue because you have to BUY the song, so LYN can’t just play it in his stream for free. >.<
- doesn’t like mentioning other people in his streams because there are a dedicated group of individuals who watch his stream like a hawk, waiting to take any snippet of material out of context and turn it into hate material.
LYN: I don’t want to mention other people, because I don’t want to accidentally hurt them in some way. But even so, this still won’t stop me from streaming. // There are very few artists out there who will tell you some... not very official things in their streams. It’s not because they’re trying to maintain their image or anything. I want to share my experiences with you because I started out as a very normal person who slowly found his way in the entertainment industry. But after my words are filtered through people with ill-intent I also started to understand why people don’t share. The less you share the less they can cause you trouble. But I still have a way that works for me, and anything I want to share that I CAN share, I will still tell you about. Don’t worry.
- lately there have been several articles of anti-LYN material floating around, but Ning-ge really thinks there’s no need for it. “We’re all in the same industry, why can’t we just lower our heads and pass each other without confrontation?”
- someone says it’s bc the media/gossip blogs are trying to leech of LYN’s fame.
LYN: What fame do I have? Who am I, even? Please don’t say that I have any fame or that anyone is trying to ride my coat-tails. I don’t have fame and I only ride other people’s coat-tails. XD
C: But the media accounts are all saying you’re “hot”.
LYN: There’s different categories of “hot” too- the bad kind and the good kind. Usually you won’t hear about the good kind.
- won’t be on Chinese Restaurant 6 bc he truly has no time [t/n: looks like Chen Linong and Yin Zheng will be regulars though!]
- says that there are definitely people who will say he’s not taking his drama roles seriously, but to defend himself clarifies that he has already done a script reading with the whole cast of YNGS twice while he was still in Hengdian. (Not counting the times he went over the script by himself.) He has already shared his thoughts with the director before he left, and also asked if the director had any points he wanted LYN to work on while he was in Chengdu, to which the director had no requests to make of him, other than “Come back on time.” So he’s already made the appropriate preparations.
- comments on how for a guzhuang drama the wig is the most important for actors- someone will look good in one drama while looking bad in another one, and it’s because of the wig.
LYN: For the next drama I’ll need FOUR wigs, and I spent a total of two whole days helping to prep for those. This drama has a high standard for their wigs, and not only that but mine in particular really needs a lot of hair. Not because I have a lot of hair, but because I’m tall and the hair has to be even longer to accommodate. I was sitting there for four hours (each wig) letting the hair artist fix the wigs, to match the shape of my face and patch hair- if there were three strands missing they would add three. If the top was missing two strands, they would add two to the top. Very detailed. So now I have two done and when I get back we’ll get to work on the other two.
- amusing the notion of getting together with some production companies to agree on a livestream set-up where he can go to some different drama crews filming around Hengdian and just... drop in on them to see the set and interview the directors and actors, etc. They could do one or two different drama crews a week.
LYN: I think it would be fun.
C: Do you have time, though? Mr. Male Lead?
LYN: Uh.. Eh! Who told you I was male lead? I’m not worthy!
LYN: I can try it, but I have to collaborate with the production companies. It’s not like I can do it just because I want to. Some are under wraps and it’s a complicated process where there needs to be negotiations, like whether the crew is willing to even let me check them out.
C: ZSX is in Hengdian.
LYN: He is, and it’s fine if I go to see him, but his crew might have a different opinion. Anyway, it’s a fun idea.
C: I’m already eating this “pie (in the sky)”.
LYN: Eat first, don’t go hungry. Whether or not it’s a “good” pie or a “bad” pie, you’ll know later when you have an upset stomach or not.
C: It SOUNDS fun.
LYN: I think so too. I just want to do something no one else thinks of nor has the ability to do. I mean, who else would put down their own identity (as an actor) and go around to drop in and stream about other drama crews? No one else, probably. I think people shouldn’t think too highly of themselves, but must know where their value lies.
C: Ning-ge, what about cameoing in every drama around Hengdian?
LYN: You think I don’t have any other work to do?? I only said that as a joke- maybe one day when I can no longer find work I’ll see about the cameos, but I have my own roles to act so why should I cameo for other people?
C: Disney.
LYN: Maybe when I have some time in the future I’ll have to try the Disney stream again. It’s a little inconvenient right now. I’m busy working! Maybe when I have some time off I will go to Disney and stream more often for you. I also have important things to do. My friends, you have to remember that my profession is as a singer and actor. Streaming is just my personal hobby. Someone said it earlier- some artists like racing, some like playing with skateboards, and exercising etc. But my hobby is to stream, but that doesn’t mean it’s my JOB (even though I /am/ pretty good at it).
C: Can you stop the stream earlier, I’m a little sleepy.
LYN: What time is it, even? /checks his watch/ It’s only seven, how are you sleepy? There’s something wrong with my watch... /shakes his arm/ It’s broken! /shakes it again, pokes it/ Oh, it’s running. That scared me.
LYN: You’re free to do what you want- if you’re sleepy then go to sleep. There’s no rule here that says you HAVE TO stay up, if you’re sleepy then go to sleep, because I know a lot of you have work or school tomorrow. But if you CAN stay up with me, do it. We can chat and you can listen to me blabber. Stay up if you can. Why? Because I only stream the one time a week. You can stand to stay up every once in a while, unless you have something really important to do.
- LYN is honestly tired of answering the “When is the concert happening?” question.
C: I’m from overseas, so how do I get a ticket?
LYN: I’m not even HOLDING A CONCERT yet what are you worried about getting a ticket for??
C: How much will tickets be?
LYN: I’m not even holding it yet, how would I know how much the tickets will cost????
C: You can hold an online concert.
LYN: I already talked about this- what other artists do and choose is their own business. But I won’t hold an online concert, because when I stream it practically IS an online concert. Even though I don’t sing that many songs, and the visuals aren’t that amazing. But I believe the best thing about a concert is the atmosphere when you’re there in person. If I just wanted to listen to someone sing, I would play their CD- and it would be perfect and clear. But at a concert you have the different nuances of a song sung live and the added bonus of screaming along with the other fans around you. // A couple years ago I had so many platforms contact me asking if I was interested in holding an online concert and I turned them all down. To me, if I hold an online concert, that just means I’m trying to trick you out of your money. To other people an online concert may be good enough but to me a concert must be held in person.
C: Ning-ge, you can do one for free.
LYN: ?! /laughs/ What you mean is you want me to hold an online concert, but not charge for it? I mean... it’s not like I can’t. People who know me know that I usually like to sing during my streams, and then singing at a big venue really makes no difference to me. ... You’re watching an online concert right now, friends. It’s just that the hair and makeup is a little lacking. But other than that, this is exactly the view from an online concert. Let me sing you a song, so you can know what it will feel like. I’m not even charging you for this, AND I closed the ability to send gifts. What else do you want from me??
LYN: Let me try a song, what do you want to hear? Something from my OSTs? I’ll give it a try and if I can’t do it (because of his cold) I will stop. It’s free anyway.
LYN: Ling Yun Ji? Not that one. I’ll try Meng Hua.
- /sings weakly/
LYN: LOL. Let me do it properly.
C: If you can’t sing, then don’t. Don’t try to fool us!
LYN: I was just testing it out, can’t you be nicer?? This is for free! Let’s do it!
-- 梦华 (A Dream of Splendor OST)
- they were talking a few streams ago about fan ranking labels in weibo, and how there was only one grade (iron fan); weibo has taken their suggestions into consideration and created different ranking labels!
-- bathroom break #2
(Tactic 2: His friend had a baby and wants it to see LYN, so that it can grow up to look like him.)
- drinking a giant jug of orange juice, for the Vitamin C
C: Ning-ge, is that millet porridge?
LYN: How hungry must I be to have millet porridge while I stream???
- but the Northeast does have a porridge that he can’t remember the name of, made with corn flour.
LYN: I used to have it a lot because my grandma would make it. We would eat a lot of taro and yams, she would steam them. I had a lot of potatoes and yams when I was little.
- ends up talking about some foods
LYN: Maybe I’ll get someone from home to send me some corn flour and I can make something for you to see. We’ll do a Food Stream.
C: Another “pie in the sky”.
LYN: Why are you like this? Everything I say is a “pie” first? [t/n: meaning easier said than done] There’s not even one bit of- hold on... Can we have some trust? Everything I say is a “pie”.... Where’s the trust? I was looking for a song called “Trust”... oh, here’s one. I don’t know how to sing it.
LYN: How about this? Friends- I’m telling the truth. I really didn’t- “说谎 (Tell a Lie)”. So friends, please stop saying I’m making pies. One day I really will make that cooking stream for you.
C: You can make a pie shop.
LYN: /grumbles/
LYN: Someday when I get back to Hengdian, before the end of the year, I will fulfill this promise to you.
C: What day is “someday”?// Hope it happens before I die.
LYN: Can you not be so negative? Last time I said I would do a stream when I was 60/70 and you all were saying that you’d be 80/90 by then. I have a lot of jiejie-fans. Don’t have such a negative outlook- it’s possible that when I’m 40 I won’t be able to bear it anymore and hold it then. We have to live with hope and anticipation for tomorrow.
C: When you’re 60 I’ll be 40.
LYN: .__. Are you 15 right now?? 12?? I don’t believe it, because on average my fans are around my age. They’re either my age or older/younger than me by just a little. I don’t have young fans because honestly my looks aren’t what younger girls are looking for. They don’t like my type... I’m not a flower boy.
C: /telling their ages: 16, 15, 17, 18.../
C: Young girls like your type exactly.
LYN: Really~? So does that mean in the eyes of young people, I also count as a “好男人 (Good Man)”?
C: /someone called it greasy/cheesy/
LYN: That’s on purpose! I see that young people are into the “big brother” vibes, I thought that was what you liked. Am I wrong? You don’t like that? Ok, that’s fine. I can sing it normally, and you won’t feel like it’s greasy. Listen.
- sings it again, “normally”
C: Jiujiu, hello.
LYN: I’m not your uncle. My fans’ kids usually call me Ning -jiujiu. Because they know me from their mom’s side. [t/n: instead of calling him Ning -shushu.]
C: Ning-ge, do you have male fans?
LYN: I’m sure I do but their numbers are probably on the smaller side. I believe that men who really like me are the “dragons amongst people”.
C: Then what about female fans?
LYN: We were talking about my male fans, why are you asking about female fans... If men are the “dragons” then I guess women are the “phoenixes”, right? What else do you want me to say??
C: My husband is a fan of your songs.
LYN: Thank you. Thank your husband. I don’t know if I should call him my jie-fu or my mei-fu, but for someone to call themselves a fan of my songs, I am still very happy.
C: What are male fans called?
LYN: They’re not called anything- “dragons amongst people” right? So next time I see a male fan, all I have to do is call him “Long-ge”.
- his female fans are called “Peng-Fei”, and not “Feng-jie” as the previous logic would suggest
LYN: If you’re sleepy, go to sleep. You don’t need to tell me.
C: Can you not have the face-slimming feature on?
LYN: It’s not on- that high. :| Just a little bit, because due to how the video is displayed it will make your face look a little bigger. So it’s on just a bit- but I have never adjusted the settings. It’s always been the same.
C: Turn it off, let me see.
LYN: You must be sick, why would I do that. You all always want me to turn off my filters. It’s really not on that high. Only 15/100.
C: Turn it to 100, let’s see.
LYN: Okay, this is 100. My whole shape changed.
- talking about his filter settings, but won’t turn them off because he still has an image to maintain (for his brand collaborations) XD
C: People who’ve seen you in person all say you’re handsome.
LYN: :) If they don’t, they’ll get hit. People can say that I’m ugly online because I can’t get to them, but if one day someone says it to my face- do you think I’ll hit them or not?
- the latter half of The Truth is very surprising, so you can stand to check it out :))
LYN: By the end of filming I was in a daze. [t/n: not sure if because he was tired or because of the unexpected twists, maybe both.]
C: What did you do on your breaks when you were young?
LYN: Do you mean to say that I’m not young anymore? What do you mean “What did you do ... when you were YOUNG?” Am I old now? But you probably mean on breaks from school. I’m not like you- I didn’t go to college. When I finished junior high, I went directly to cooking school. What did I do on breaks though? What all young people do- I went around to internet cafes and played games.
C: No wonder you like to stay up all night.
LYN: Exactly! A lot of people might thing this wasn’t the right thing to do, that you’re wasting the highlight of your youth away. But at the time you have no other choice, because there are no other choices to make or you aren’t clear on what you’re “supposed” to be doing. I think if this period of time made you happy, it’s enough. You might be clueless and lost right now, but later you’ll figure out what it is you want to do.
- Talking about what games he played back then; but also he really likes gaming and will check out whatever’s new.
- Says that if he couldn’t beat his opponent, he would get into the chat and start cursing them out XD But now he’s grown up and knows better, so that’s why he wants to teach his fans how to be kind and polite now. If you really want him to curse you out though, I’m sure he’d do it fluently. Amends his comment to say that more than cursing, he would frustrate his opponent in the chat, just annoy them to death XD
- Had a game account-for which he bought a lot of skins/equipment for- and later wanted to sell (for much cheaper than his initial investment, but some money was better than nothing). The person he was selling to wanted to check it out first, so he let them. They logged in, changed the password, and started trashing all the equipment for the avatar that he had bought and stole all his gold and potions (and also didn’t pay him for the account in the first place). LYN was able to recover the account and the items, but it took some time.
- In the end the account was tricked away by him from a different person
LYN: That’s why I’ll never try to sell one of my gaming accounts again. It’s not worth the anger and my high blood pressure.
C: This story sounds a little fake...
LYN: If it were fake then why would I spend so much time talking about it?? It’s a true story. I didn’t tell you this story to show you how naive I am, I told it to you so you can remember that I hold a grudge. I was well and truly tricked. // So now I’d rather my money was spent for nothing than ever try to sell an account again.
- /plays a gentler song at request/
C: You could have reported the account.
LYN: It was too late.
- he’s used to staying up late into the night bc for many years working in a bar, it was his regular schedule to get off at 12:30a, and then after getting home, washing up, and eating it would already be 4-5 in the morning. when he’s in a drama crew his schedule gets a little more “normal” because it requires him to get up very early in the morning, so he is unable to stay up all night.
LYN: I don’t WANT to be able to stay up all night. I also want to be healthy and have a regular sleep schedule, but my previous work just made it so that I am unused to what is “regular”. I don’t know if some of you have parents who’ve worked in some factory? There are usually the morning, afternoon, and night shifts. It’s not like they get a choice, that’s just the way their job works.
C: Cram schools are like this too.
LYN: Right. See? Who really WANTS to stay up all night? That’s just the way life is- some jobs require you to stay up all night. Who doesn’t wish for a nice work schedule, and a day off on Saturday and Sunday? When I worked in customer service, there were no such thing as holidays and weekends. So if you’re currently in school and are later able to find a regular job with a M-F workweek, S-S off, and a break for the holidays then you’re very fortunate.
-- happy new year
- someone comments on his hairline
LYN: When I was shooting for The Long Ballad- it was the only time- the makeup artist trimmed away this bit of my hairline, so they would have an easier time gluing the wig on. I thought everyone would have to do it, so I agreed. Later I found out that no one else did it, and all they really had to do was glue the hairline a little lower. Glue it a little lower and then it would make your face look smaller, too. I thought about it and yeah, they were right. It’s grown back a little now, though. But after the stylist cut my hair I had a bunch of product photo shoots, and the collab studio kept looking at the photos we were taking and always thought there was something weird about them. The hairline didn’t look quite right. I thought so too and had my stylist fix try to fix it, but it turned out that no matter how they tried to fix it, it still looked weird.
LYN: That’s what you slowly learn through trial and error. When I was shooting The Long Ballad it was my first guzhuang and I really didn’t know how much an impact the look of a wig would have on one’s appearance. But Hao Du was mostly wearing that hat, so it didn’t really matter where they ended up gluing the wig. After I shot Heroes I finally understood the importance of the wig. When you watch it sometimes you’ll think someone looks ugly in one scene and fine in another. I’m telling you- a large part of it is because of the wig. I’m not joking. It’s so important.
LYN: Now I have experience, so I can tell when it needs a better comb. I beg the hairstylist to comb through it and make it look smoother. I’m not like before when I thought nothing of it- just because I didn’t want to cause trouble and have anyone talk about me behind my back. I didn’t know that doing that was a little foolish of me. You need to have requests. I was too careful at the start but if you have requests that are within reason, people have no reason to refuse. I didn’t know that, but now I do. The problem here is that it’s your own problem if you didn’t know and also your own problem if you come out looking ugly when the drama airs; because no one is going to be blaming the hair/makeup stylist. You can only blame yourself for being ugly and having no requests.
LYN: I know better now, and can beg the hair/makeup stylists to help me out. I won’t blame them for it- I will say that I myself am ugly and need them to help make me more presentable.
-- bathroom break #3 (the final stretch)
LYN: I’ll wish everyone a happy new year again. I don’t know how many new years you’ve spent with me now. But I will wish for your growth.
LYN: Honestly, how many artists do you know who stay up past 12am to stream? How much do you think I must love streaming?? Tell me how many people can pull it off. Let me tell you, it’s normal for young people nowadays to stay up all night. They sleep pretty late. There are some out there who have only just gotten up.
LYN: Who else can sit here and just chat for four hours? I’m even impressed by myself. Not because I’m proud of myself, but because I need to give myself some support so that I can continue to keep doing this. Sometimes you need to give yourself the satisfaction. I’m happy to be able to give my fans a one-of-a-kind experience in chasing stars. Others like to have an air of mystery to them, but not me- I’m really just here to chat.
C: My Ning-ge is a real chatterbox.
LYN: Friends, please don’t think the the Streamer version of me is the real me. Honestly in real life I don’t talk this much. I have social anxiety. I’m like a lot of you- bold online but small and timid in real life.
C: Are you more of the cold type?
LYN: I’m not cold- it’s just that when I don’t smile I don’t look very.. nice. [t/n: he’s got a resting bitch face XD] I’m not a cold person but when I don’t smile I might look it.. I look fake or... not a nice person.
C: Looking for a beating?
LYN: Why did you have to go there??
LYN: Anyway, it’s probably because my eyes are small and I have mono-lids, so I look.. not as naive. But people with big eyes and double eyelids look sweet and innocent. My eyes look like they have a story.
C: How about double-eyelid tape then?
LYN: Some people are suited for it and some people aren’t. I really tried it, in the past. I was going to shoot a drama and the makeup artist suggested it. I looked scary, so ever since then I never used the tape again. I’m happy as is.
C: Ning-ge, your face is looking a little oily, do you want to wipe it?
LYN: No. I’m going for a dewy look. I will use the oil in place of water. So I look shiny and bright.
C: You talked so much that your nasal tone doesn’t sound as heavy.
LYN: Actually it’s still there, you’re just used to the sound because you’ve been listening to me all night.
- since they were on the topic of the sound of his voice, wanted to talk a little about his Cang Lan Jue donghua voice acting as Jiu Yuan, but decided against it.
- doesn’t use the posture corrector anymore, and also won’t comment on its effectiveness XD
C: Can we see your sixteen-pack?
LYN: Am I Wu Kong? I’ve heard of 6-pack and 8-pack but never 16-pack. What is that? Two people combined?? Honestly, each person’s physique is different. Some people are born with the ability to have 8-packs and some are born with 6. I’m the type with 6- if I were able to even make them appear. It’s just like with wisdom teeth- some are born with 1, some 2, some all 4.
C: How many packs do you have now?
LYN: How many? No matter how you count, it’s going to be six. It’s just six that you can’t see right now.
C: One big pack.
LYN: I’m not that bad. Actually, I don’t really have a gut. After I watched UN I swore to myself I wouldn’t have such a “rich” stomach again. I want to maintain my youthful figure. So I was able to get that belly fat away and am working on the abs. You can see them a little but they are not very well defined.
LYN: With abdominal muscles, you will always more or less have them if you’re thin enough. Some people have never worked out, but they’re thin enough so you can see their muscles. I’m not at the point of “thin” so I have to work out. It’s alright. There’s no rush. Wait for the year’s end. You can forget about seeing anything right now.
- hasn’t really weighed himself lately, because weight doesn’t really matter. it’s more of a difference of fat vs muscle.
- someone says he has been misinformed.
LYN: You have to make the effort to understand [any topic]. I only share what I know, what I learned, even though what I say might be wrong. But I did look this up, so let’s not pretend to know about something when you don’t.
- discussing the theory of being unafraid because you don’t know how scary the
world really is.
LYN: Why were people in the past so happy? Because they didn’t have the internet and know what “short videos” are. Because they didn’t know how anyone else was living. The internet is too vast now. People used to be happy making 3k a month. Now even 6k is not enough, because you know how well other people are getting along. People know TOO MUCH now, so they are no longer as happy, comparatively.
- ignorance is bliss.
- it’s not good to know nothing, but equally as bad to know everything. :|
- talking about his Ford Mustang, bc the internet will try to trick you into believing that cars under a certain price point are all crap :p
- people will sacrifice their legs to look cool driving a sports car XD
- if you want to know what it feels like to drive a sports car, sit in a large tub and hold a smaller tub as a steering wheel.
LYN: I don’t drive sports cars, but when I have time I will go to the 4S dealership to check them out. I don’t buy anything, I’m just there for the experience. I never test drive because I’m afraid of putting a scratch on the car. But I sit in it and listen to the sound of the engine while I sit in my tub. After I get a bottle of sparkling water I’ll leave. That’s what I usually do when I head back to Beijing.
C: Have you been to the 4S in Chengdu?
LYN: I haven’t yet, I don’t have the time. There really haven’t been any new models out lately that I want to experience. I heard about the Ferarri SUV, but there’s no test model yet. Later I want to try sitting in it and check it out.
- talking about stick shift vs automatic
C: I can’t find a tub, so I can’t experience the sports car.
LYN: If you can’t find one go buy one. You can look up the sound of the engine of whatever model car you like and play it while you sit in the tub, too.
C: My legs are long, a normal tub won’t do.
LYN: I’m not talking about the big tubs you use to take a bath, I’m talking about a normal sized one where only your butt fits. Your legs need to stick out so you can step on the pedals!
LYN: The seat is shaped like a bucket, and even the seats wrap you in, so that when you make a turn you’re not sliding around everywhere. They’re designed so that you can’t move, so that you stay in your seat. It wouldn’t be good if you made a turn and flew into the passenger’s seat. You’d be done for.
C: People who are too fat can’t drive a sports car then, huh?
LYN: It doesn’t matter. I don’t think it does. As long as you want to drive it, you will find a way to.
C: Can the seats be customized?
LYN: Do you think I work in a showroom?? Are you trying to commission a car from me? I don’t work in a dealership but I can tell you that nearly everything that goes into a luxury vehicle you can customize including color, seating, fabric, texture, even the STITCHING. If you bought a 5M sports car and wanted them to install a bucket for a seat, they’d do it for you. Whether you actually sit in it is your own business.
--
LYN: I used to have a friend who was able to drive all sorts of cars. I was chatting to him about which cars were good and when we got to Lamborghini-s he said they were just ok. Such a cool car! What was wrong with it? They don’t have air conditioning, and for the models that do they don’t work well. I guess that is a problem... but if you’re driving a Lambo are you going to care about whether the weather is hot or not?? That’s a prime opportunity to roll the windows down.
C: You really don’t care?
LYN: I don’t know about you, but if it were me I really wouldn’t care. If it were hot I could roll the window down and rest my arm on the door. Wouldn’t that be cool?
C: Makeup’s ruined. // Wig will go flying.
LYN: LOL.
LYN: I’m not trying to purposely diss Lamborghini or anything, that’s just what I was told. Maybe my friend’s AC was broken.
LYN: When’s the next time I’ll stream? I don’t even know exactly. So that’s all the more reason to subscribe to my weibo and it will notify you the next time I stream.
LYN: Thank you all for coming to watch my stream, even if it was just for a short while. Thank you for your support and company. Thank you Weibo, for your support and the fans for the trending topic.
LYN: I want to wish everyone a wonderful and relaxing night. It was great to have you. I’ll see you the next time~ Good night!
#Liu Yuning#lyn livestream#(4:33:19)#caught a cold - and how it affects his acting#what is being 'worthy'#life lessons with ning-ge#ugh socializing#muscleman lyn#some Be Your Own Light chat#mentions doing some streams where he jst goes around to the different drama crews in hengdian#some chat about gaming#(and getting cheated)#the importance of a well placed wig#car chat#[oop this took a while. he's already done a next one: 5 hours]
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Audio Dramas on Hiatus
Hi there!
Lately I’ve been looking into audio dramas that are older and while some are completed, there’s also several that are on hiatus/incomplete. There could be various reasons, but since all indie audio dramas are self-produced, I figured give these guys a shot, support them, and maybe they’ll come out of hiatus! All these shows have not been updated since 2020 or earlier. At the moment none of them are officially discontinued, but if there are announcements of it, I’ll definitely update.. If anyone has other recommendations (including discontinued shows), feel free to add to this list or send them my way and let’s share the love!
Last updated August 2022:
5 Week Countdown (Updated 2020): interactive audio voted horror, no official plans to continue, but implied continuing
Archive81 (Updated 2019): speculative horror with very creative sound design, no official plans for the future, but implied continuing.
Bastard Fur (Updated 2020): Werewolves and cults (NSFW). Midseason hiatus.
The Beacon (Updated 2018): Queer superheroes in-universe podcast. Cliffhanger season ending.
Blood Crow Stories (Updated 2020): Anthology with each season being a different horror story. Midseason hiatus.
Caravan (Updated 2019): Traveling through hell (NSFW). No official plans to continue, but cliffhanger season ending.
Gay Future (Updated 2019): Post apocalyptic gay future satire. Cliffhanger season ending.
The Glass Appeal (updated 2020): A tinker’s prison conversation logs. Cliffhanger season ending, planned next season.
Hit the Bricks (Updated 2020): 100 years after Wizard of Oz, the musical. Cliffhanger season ending.
Lake Clarity (Updated 2018): Investigation of a teen camp slasher horror. Cliffhanger season ending/season 3 trailer kind of.
Null/Void (Updated 2020): Scifi taking down an evil corporation. Cliffhanger season ending.
Return Home (Updated 2020): Comedy horror of a supernatural stuff in a town. Very painful cliffhanger season ending.
Splintered Caravan (Updated 2019): Action-packed heists, AIs, and gender-swappy body mods. Cliffhanger season ending.
Bonus- Shows that last updated in 2021 that seemed to have a next season/more episodes planned, but circumstances imply they are on a hiatus:
Dining in the Void
Fuck Humans (NSFW)
Hulm
Jar of Rebuke
Omen
Stonesinger Chronicles
Strange Case of Starship Iris
Valence
Wizard Seeking Wizard
Note, I mention the update status to prepare you if you want to avoid listening to a cliffhangers.
#podcasts#podcast list#audio drama#5 week countdown#archive81#bastard fur#the beacon#blood crow stories#caravan#hit the bricks#lake clarity#null/void#return home#splintered caravan#recommendations#podcast recommendations#personal#list
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The Greatest Show On Earth
Someone asked me the other day what's the most fun I've ever had working on a project, and what was the most rewarding. That's a tough question to answer. There have been novels that were absolutely fun (with bold italics) to write -- EARTHWORM GODS, THE COMPLEX, and the various CLICKERS books immediately come to mind. Certainly, the most I've ever laughed while working on a project was when Jesus and I would try to one-up each other with the CLICKERS books.
But for an overall combination of Fun and Rewarding? I'd have to go with SILVERWOOD: THE DOOR.
In 2018, I was approached by Serial Box (now Realm Media) -- a producer of audio dramas. They'd just obtained licensing deals for a number of media properties, including Orphan Black and Tony Valenzuela's Silverwood. I'd enjoyed the first two seasons of Blackbox TV’s Silverwood -- they were pioneering as far as made-for-YouTube original horror content went. So when Lydia Shamah (now Director of Original Content Scripted Drama at Audible, but then with Realm) asked if I'd be interested in serving as showrunner and head writer on a new Silverwood series, I immediately said yes.
Then I contacted a bunch of friends who had actually served as showrunners on various television and audio series, and I said, "Hey, I just signed a deal to be a showrunner, and I should probably find out what that actually is and what I've gotten myself into." And so I got a crash course from some of the best in the business.
The first thing I did was come up with an overall concept for what would effectively be season 3 of Silverwood. It had to be respectful of the continuity of the previous Blackbox TV series, and wrap up some plotlines from those. But it also had to be readily accessible to people who had never watched Silverwood and weren't at all familiar with the show. I also wanted to run the gamut, as far as the horror genre went. The first two seasons of Silverwood had lent themselves to cosmic horror, extreme horror, slashers, quiet horror, bizarro and more. I wanted a plot that encompassed all of those things. When I had that, Lydia and I ran it by Tony and then by her bosses at Realm. And once it was approved, we started putting together the team.
Throughout this initial process, I really enjoyed working with Lydia, and it remained that way throughout the rest of the production. To this day, she remains one of the best editors I've ever had the pleasure of working with, and she's a big part of why Audible's original scripted shows are doing so well. Tony was great, as well. Protective of his I.P., which he absolutely should be, but gracious and supportive and enthusiastic of what I wanted to do with it.
For the writing team, I was allowed to have three writers in addition to myself. I decided that the fair way to do it was to tap one veteran, one up-and-comer, and one talented newbie who needed a big break.
The up-and-comer was an easy choice. Stephen Kozeniewski was already making a stir in science-fiction and horror circles by then, and his stuff was firmly played in both of those genres -- something which was crucial to the pitch I'd developed. Furthermore, he had a good sense of corporate and business pathos, irony, and culture. (Everybody talks about the influence of Alien on his novel The Hematophages, but I'd argue that Office Space is the bigger influence on that book). And since one of the plotlines I'd pitched involved a group of office employees on a company retreat, I knew he'd be able to deliver on those characters and their stories.
The veteran was a hard pick. Lydia and I both came up with wish-lists, and then we narrowed it down. She suggested that, since I'd known him twenty years at that point, Richard Chizmar might be a good pick. I agreed that Rich would be great, but I had my doubts as to whether or not he'd do it. Those of us who know Rich personally know that he is absolutely all about his family. He dotes on them and is devoted to them, and he is disinclined to get involved in anything that will take time away from them. He's also, like myself, a creature of strict work routines. For him to abandon the comfort and familiarity of the Cemetery Dance office, and take a week away from his family to go sit in a writers room in either New York or Los Angeles? I didn't think he'd go for it.
Until he did. He was noncommittal at first, but after his family and Mindy and Brian at Cemetery Dance convinced him this would be a good career move, he joined the team. As he said, "I guess it can't be too bad if I've got Keene watching my back."
Now we had to pick a newbie. I knew that I wanted a woman, and I knew that I wanted someone who could alternate between extreme horror and quiet horror, often within the same episode. I finally settled on Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason, aka The Sisters of Slaughter. There was just one problem. I was only allowed one more writer, and they were a pair. So, Lydia and I went to the higher ups at Realm and said, "They're called the Sisters of Slaughter. You can't just hire one sister. You have to hire the pair".
And thus, the dream team was assembled.
What came next was the writers retreat -- what was supposed to be a week spent with all of us gathered together in a conference room in either New York City or Los Angeles, brainstorming and coming up with our characters and the plots of the individual episodes and such. Once again, Lydia came through for us. The Sisters both had young children at home, and they couldn't just up and leave them for a week. So Lydia convinced her bosses to rent us an Airbnb in the Sisters hometown in Arizona.
That week remains probably the single most fun and rewarding experience I've ever had working on anything. As I said, the CLICKERS series was always fun, but Jesus and I weren’t shooting for anything more than blowing off some steam with those books. SILVERWOOD: THE DOOR was a different kind of animal. We had things to say. The creative energy inside that Airbnb is impossible to describe. It was absolutely magical. We lived together in close quarters for a week (the Sisters went home to their families at the end of each day). Every morning, we woke up and had coffee and sat around a big conference table -- me, the Sisters, Stephen, Rich, Tony, and Lydia. We hammered out everything -- every character, every plotline, every episode -- the works. Tony contributed his knowledge as the creator of the Silverwood universe, and he was so gracious and excited and kind. Lydia contributed editorial notes, and let us know what was possible with audio -- a format that none of us had ever written for before that. She was our guide, opening us up to all kinds of possibilities that we wouldn't have thought of, otherwise. I served as showrunner, jotting down everyone's contributions onto sticky notes and placing them all around the room. And by the end of the week, those sticky notes formed a season long narrative -- a living, breathing story. It was fucking magic.
It occurs to me now, looking at these photos -- we were in Arizona for a week, and it was scorching hot, and that Airbnb had a private swimming pool in the back, and we didn't use it at all that week. Not once. That's how much fun we were having.
Mostly, we stayed on site for the week. But we did go out to eat as a group, and see a bit of the town, and have a few drinks at the local bars. And Paul Goblirsch of Thunderstorm Books visited us a few times and hung out. And there was a whole side misadventure with Rich and the home's Alexa A.I. assistant (Kozeniewski and I often refer back to that when trying to make each other laugh) . But the vast majority of our time was spent communing together, and being creative together, and basking in that wonderful group energy, and I've got to tell you -- it's very hard to go back home to your life when you've been basting in that sort of incubator for a week.
Back in Pennsylvania, I transferred all of our post it notes around the kitchen, and for the next month, Mary was constantly plucking them out of the sink, the cat bowl, and various things cooking on the stove. Then I got to work on writing the show bible -- a long, in-depth document that outlines the entire season's overarching plot, the plot of the individual episodes, the characters, their biographies, etc. I then wrote the pilot episode, and the team began writing their episodes, and I also wrote episode eight and the season finale, and then we went through many rounds of revisions and rewrites (because that is going to happen in episodic media work like this, just as it does in television, comic books, video games, etc). Eventually, Tony signed off on everything and Realm signed off on everything, and the next stage of production -- the audio narration -- began.
Here is what the kitchen looked like during that time. Photos by me.
I remain extremely proud of the work we did together on SILVERWOOD: THE DOOR. I believe it is some of the best writing any of us have ever done. I absolutely think it's some of my own best writing, particularly the burn victim in the finale, and the father-daughter main characters and their struggles with her OCD. That stuff was extremely personal for me. And that is part of the reason why it was such a satisfying and rewarding experience. It’s also scary as hell.
Sadly, although we left it open and set it up for a season four, nothing further was ever greenlit. Eventually, Lydia moved on to Audible, and Tony moved on to new horizons with Blackbox TV, and Rich, Stephen, Michelle, Melissa and I went back to writing books. The five of us ended up writing for Realm again with EXQUISITE CORPSE, and I wrote for the company again with NOT ALONE and THOR: METAL GODS. But none of those projects ever quite recaptured the magic and energy of that SILVERWOOD: THE DOOR creative retreat. I think for NOT ALONE and EXQUISITE CORPSE that's because they happened during the pandemic, and it was impossible to get everyone together. And THOR: METAL GODS was initially soured by a fly in the ointment, who luckily, wasn't involved in the final product or final drafts. Sure, it was fun to play with Thor and other Marvel characters, but that's all it was -- fun. Playing with Tony's characters and with Silverwood? That wasn't just fun. It was rewarding. It was a rare kind of magic that I wish I encountered more often in this job, and it was done alongside the best creative team I could have ever hoped to work with. They were a joy, each and every one of them.
While it lasted, it was the greatest show on Earth.
SILVERWOOD: THE DOOR is available in the following formats.
eBook:
Publisher - Kindle - Nook - Kobo - Apple
Audiobook:
Publisher - Audible - Apple
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Chinese audio dramas recommendation part 1(?)
My recent obsession: audio dramas!
It’s seriously the best form of entertainment when I’m working and since working days take up 5 out of 7 days, I source for audio dramas so much it’s taking up a lot of my working hours.
1. Mr Dior (2 seasons, completed)
My comfort audio drama. The number of times I’ve re-listened to this one is uncountable.
Synopsis: No matter what script is it today, you are always the lead in my memory.
7 years into their marriage, Zhang Dadiao/Zhang Chengfei (top) got into an accident one day. Even without any serious physical injuries, the impact of the accident caused his brain’s perception turning into the novels that were stored in his Smart Watch. As a result, it caused him to think he was different characters of different kinds of script each time, but one thing stayed constant: his wife, Jiao Qi, will always be his priority. Thanks to that, Jiao Qi had to put up his husband’s weird actions but also, learned new secrets his husband apparently had been keeping from him.
I really enjoyed the laughs and the tears from this story. Though I’ve been meaning to read the original novel but... it’s on hold for numerous reasons... And the manhua is still ongoing now. But nonetheless, each script has its countless funny moments, and the couple never fail to prove to us love does exist. And CEO Zhang loves his wife no matter what happens.
Adding on, the voice actors, Jing Xiang Shui Yi (Zhang Chengfei) and Yang Zai (Jiao Qi) had incredible chemistry together for this was their 2nd project together. Their voices do fit the characters well and did excellent jobs in conveying the emotions just by their voices. They made the characters come to life and made listeners fall in love with them too.
2. Accidentally Married a Man full of Vinegar (1 season, completed)
Another comfort audio drama. Too many re-listens.
Synopsis: While drinking his sorrows away in a bar one night, Chu Yi picks up his future husband then and there, drunk, and after doing the unimaginable. After that, a handsome customer appeared in his design studio, asking, “Mr Chu, have you forgotten me?”
“Excuse me, but you are...?”
“Qin Yiheng. Are you looking to get married this year? Because I do, and I think we’re compatible.”
With the growing pressure from both parents, they decided to get married when all they knew were each other’s names, and their skills on bed...? But as the saying goes, time reveals a person’s heart - for Chu Yi, he did realise how much jealousy his husband had in him, and for Qin Yiheng, how much he actually cared for his new husband. While others date first before getting married, this couple got married first before they started to date.
Qin Yiheng was someone new to the relationship stuff and all. It was cute that he didn’t understand why Chu Yi asked for certain things, or why would his assistant suggested him to do certain things because he was married. But of course he was a fast learner and soon enough, he captured his husband’s heart. The 15 episode audio drama captured their journey together, as they finally became a real married couple. And of course, Qin Yiheng’s growth as a lover as well.
Additionally, the voice actors too, Hu Liang Wei (Chu Yi) and Jiang Xu (Qin Yiheng) had incredible chemistry as well. Their voices were really soothing too for such a sweet drama.
3. Your distance (1 season, completed)
Synopsis: Distance is a social platform that displays the distance between parties. To prevent the chances of bumping into the person he wants to flirt with in real life, Ting Shuang chose to match with someone 287km away. Everything was going well, other than his ex-boyfriend who cheated on him pestering to reconcile. But things got worse when he realise Cycle, the guy he called “darling” to get rid of his annoying ex, was 4.8km away from him?! Slowly, the distance decreased to 3m when he was in school. Which means...?!
After much denial, Ting Shuang finally admitted that his hellish professor, Bai Changyi, was Cycle that he matched with. Despite the 12-years age difference, they started their life as a couple.
I enjoyed the drama as with the age difference, the two guys were from different generations. And Ting Shuang would not let Bai Changyi live (more like he didn’t let him forget how old he actually was). But what I enjoyed the most was how Professor Bai was really mature and exerted that in their relationship. When Ting Shuang was being immature and refusing to communicate, Professor Bai would use his ways to deal with that, not allowing the miscomm trope to even take place. And how they dealt with problems were different and refreshing to see.
The voice actors, Yang Zai (Ting Shuang) and Zheng Xi (Bai Changyi), were great with their characters. Zheng Xi had the voice to show the stableness of Professor Bai and Yang Zia’s voice, in contrary with his partner’s, showed the difference in their maturity. And that helped with the drama and plot a lot.
4. Ex-husband’s call (1 season, completed)
Synopsis: After being set up with a handsome police officer with a great body, Tong Qiu, a school teacher with a uniform fetish, started dating him with the consideration of marriage in mind. And after 3 months, they got married with the agreement that if Tong Qiu wanted a divorce in a year, Huo Zhixing would agree to it wholeheartedly.
Fast forward to a year later, Tong Qiu: “Huo Zhixing, let’s file for a divorce.”
But that didn’t mean it was the end to Huo Zhixing. No matter how much Tong Qiu had to remind his friends that that was his ex-husband, everyone could tell Police Officer Huo had other plans. And that kicked off the courtship from Huo Zhixing.
I felt that this audio drama had simply taught us that in a relationship, never hide your true self as that’ll be what keep a relationship strong. I’m not going to spoil much here as I really do encourage people to go listen to this, it’s a really heart-warming drama and I thoroughly enjoyed it and was really happy I found it. The small actions from Huo Zhixing were really obvious actually and was really cute when sometimes it got Tong Qiu questioning himself. And slowly seeing Tong Qiu looking over the uniform and at the police officer himself was a nice journey to follow on. And of course there was a tad bit of angst but it was definitely for character growth.
As for the voice actors, Dao Diao Nan (Huo Zhixing) and Tang Cu Pai Gu (Tong Qiu), I felt that TCPG had some moments in the drama that... his voice was a little off for the character in a way I can’t really describe. But nonetheless he did a great job for this character who is a teacher and had hid his different sides. Dao Diao Nan also did an excellent job where there were definitely moments in which you could tell his voice had much more to say beyond the script, and it was amazing.
Trigger warning for this one as a very side character committed s**cide.
Please feel free to drop any recommendations! I would appreciate them! And I guess from my recommendations it’s quite easy to tell I’m one that goes for lighthearted dramas haha so please don’t hold back anything you wanna share!
#audio dramas#chinese audio dramas#mr dior#Accidentally Married a Man full of Vinegar#your distance#exhusband call#recommendation
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A Lesson in Love - A “Character Analysis” on Asmodeus
I had to come for the tracks, wigs, and weaves of bitches when Pomade dropped because I saw people talking shit about my boy. This was a milestone “project” or “reward” I guess?
I hit 400 followers today while I was out running errands!!! Thank you guys SO SO MUCH for the love and support! I can’t WAIT to produce more content for everyone!!!
Below the cut there WILL BE talk of season 3, as well as some talk of chapter 16. There’s a healthy amount of theorizing on his personality as well, I hope you don’t mind! This came out more like a plea to get people to change their minds about how Asmo really is, rather than a comprehensive essay of sorts. So here we go!
There’s something we apparently still need to talk about in this fanbase. The unrealistic idea of Asmodeus being a sex freak, and an unreliable person in general despite there being little proof of it. We need to set a few things straight about Asmo moving forward.
December 25th rolled around and Asmo’s audio drama and song were released. I take it everyone enjoyed both parts, as well as I did. My timeline both on twitter and tumblr were filled with Asmodeus content, as well as the other brothers and such. But I mostly got Asmo content. However, in peeks and cracks, if I looked hard enough, I still saw people who absolutely loathed Asmo or who were indifferent to him. Keep in mind; I think it’s okay. You don’t have to like everyone.
I’ve only joined the fanbase in September, but even I could tell some of these takes were old fashioned. I downloaded the game on October 17th, a very important anniversary for me, while I
was still in bed in the morning. I blazed through the entire story of season 1 and now I am stuck in season 2, specifically in Chapter 24. I obviously don’t have every card of Asmodeus with his Devilgrams, but I have been analyzing his character over the past few days for this.
So needless to say, I have a considerable amount of information on him, as well as personal thoughts that may help some learn to love him. Or at the very least, from spreading a negative idea of him around as if it were true. Enough that should help clear his name, so to speak.
Let’s look at his title; Avatar of Lust. Now naturally the thoughts that come to your head are sex and other sexual bits. So I can understand how some people would come to the conclusion that he’s just a sex freak. But if you look under the surface of his title, like I’m sure you’ve had to for your own personal favorites (*cough* Lucifer, Belphie, and Satan ESPECIALLY) you would discover that Asmodeus is more than just about sex. In fact, sex takes up very little of his pass time, if you were to believe it!
In recent chapters, as I’ve been told, Asmodeus doesn’t really get around much anyways:
Granted, this was said while in Celestia, but I imagine not much has changed for him since his fall, as well as his brothers.
Not really comfortable being with just anyone, huh…? Sounds like someone who doesn’t have sex so warily often as you’d think!
Being lustful can come in many shapes and forms. It can be merely in appearance, which Asmo is not afraid of doing. He’s very comfortable about skinship and it’s very apparent in how he dresses and acts that he wants you to adore his body. To worship it! Maybe not sexually, but aesthetically! Being lustful can mean just thinking about sex or sexual scenarios often, which if you take a peek at Asmo’s chat’s either with you or his brothers, is very apparent too.
Personally, I believe that people would assume he is not good in a relationship because he would have a “cheating problem”. I don’t think Asmo is a monster, just like I don’t think any of the brothers are monsters. They may be demons (technically fallen angels) now but they used to be angels too. Their falling out with their Father doesn’t mean they’ve completely abandoned morality, it was a rebellion for Lilith’s right to live. Not for them to sin as they pleased. For all we know they might have been fine in Heaven otherwise! (with the exception of Lucifer.)
A monster knows right from wrong and chooses evil anyways. An ignorant person doesn’t know right from wrong. Asmodeus is not a monster, nor is he ignorant.
When Asmo genuinely loves you, I think he would take steps to calm down that side of him, if it were to exist. Lust is fairly limited, but it is a part of love to some extent. LOVE is vastly different. Love has many languages, and they aren’t all spoken either. For me, personally, I found that Lucifer’s love language can be either very direct, or roundabout so as to not let it go to your head, for an example. Asmo is just far more direct about his care for you.
I feel as though Asmo gets a lot of crap constantly for his presumed nature and because we don’t get to see much else of him at first, especially in season 1, his impression on us sort of stays. With most of the fanbase either somewhat new to the game or somewhere lost in the sea of the difficulty curve that is season 2, we can only assume based on what we’ve seen, and what others have headcanoned about him.
Let’s break and talk about Satan for a moment; this is going somewhere.
I’m led to believe that Satan can control his sin fairly well. He’s easy to get irritated, sure, but he isn’t as much of a walking ball of rage as I suspected. I would argue that, aside from Leviathan, Satan can handle his sin the best out of the brothers. But again, we’re forgetting about Asmo. The Avatar of “Lust”. Like I’ve shown before, he doesn’t really sleep around a lot, according to anon.
At worst, Asmo being flirty is through text and he’s not actively trying to sleep with you. It can be interpreted that way, but for me personally, it comes down to having a friend that is very up close and in your personal space.
(I myself am one of these types of people. Having ADHD, my social cues are always sort of off, and I’ve struggled with coping with it for years. With my best friend, we have seen each other naked countless times and have slept in the same bed as well. We were never romantic with each other. We were just very comfortable being close and personal with each other.)
I’d like to point out also that Asmo isn’t even there for most of season 1 too. Which can give you the idea that maybe he just was out sleeping around a lot, but to me he probably just went out partying a lot. You don’t get known that fast for sleeping around. Maybe in 5,000 years, sure, but I’d imagine being a party boy, as his Devilgram “Guided by Desire” suggests.
So the idea that Asmo isn’t in the house a lot because he’s out having sex all the time isn’t true is it? He’s probably just out partying, which can LEAD to sex with someone sure, but again, Asmo doesn’t feel comfortable doing that, now does he?
I feel like of all the boys, Asmo is the one who radiates with everyone else the most. Most people will never realize how surreal it is that Asmo is faking it until he makes it. He doesn’t always think he’s beautiful, or that he’s worth all the love he’s striving and straining to get. Something that is extremely relatable for a lot of people with self-worth issues. Asmo is just like that, but instead being sarcastic and self-deprecating, he simply works to make himself look as beautiful as possible, so that in his eyes, his beauty matches the affection he gets.
Which is why, when he falls in love with you, it’s strange. You are constantly telling him he’s nice and pretty, but you aren’t lusting after him. You’re just being nice. It may just be me, but when people are overly nice just for the sake of being nice, I’m very attracted to that. That is Asmo, to some extent. The fact that he reflects the insecurities and habits of others so clearly may make others uncomfortable, but that brutal honesty veiled behind insecurity is what a lot of people with self-image issues deal with.
Now for me to share my favorite personal idea for Asmo that completely changed how I saw him in season 1 onwards; Asmodeus is an empath. Now let me explain:
First, what is an Empath?
The term empath comes from empathy, which is the ability to understand the experiences and feelings of others outside of your own perspective. Seems simple, right? Everyone can do this to some extent. However, what makes you an empath is the fact that empaths genuinely feel the same pain as you do. So much so your experience becomes a very personal part of their own. They are capable of being able to feel other people’s emotions without them speaking, or even showing signs of it through their body language.
This would explain, for me personally, why there’s so little of him in season 1. The intensity of what goes on in the house, his sensitive soft-spoken mannerisms, the only time he truly gets mad is when he’s childishly arguing with Mammon? Asmo is afraid of true conflict, he’s afraid of violence and negative emotions. Let’s face it; everyone is indifferent or hates you at the start of the game.
While this changes fairly quickly, all the intense feelings come to a head in chapter 16. All those negative emotions swirling around, of course Asmo isn’t going to want to be in the house when it’s that intense. The attic didn’t just disappear completely, too. Belphie was still in the attic hating humans. That negative emotion could be affecting Asmo and he didn’t know why, so he could have been out of the house more.
Where Asmo can feel the emotions of others, it may mostly be the negative ones because they fill him with anxiety and panic if it persists. Which can be helpful in making him so urgent to want to make others smile and feel better, right?
Imagine being intimate with Asmodeus, and suddenly you aren’t in the mood for it anymore but don’t want to make things awkward. He could pick up on it in an instant and wouldn’t get mad because he understands how you feel completely.
Now to close this out about something that genuinely hurts me; Asmodeus is a narcissist.
I mean, the wiki says that he is, but personally? No, no he isn’t. Since when is loving yourself a bad thing? Sure he may go a bit far sometimes, but people with self-image issues need to go a little harder than the rest to make sure they're getting the love they need.
(Talking about myself AGAIN, but I do this a lot. At random, I will look up in my own mirror in front of my desk that I sit in front of all day and tell myself I am a cute bitch. I am VERY VERY cute and anyone would be lucky to have someone as drop dead gorgeous as myself. I say that a few times a day. In reality, I am very insecure about my looks. I do believe I’m cute, but sometimes it’s hard to say it. Which is why I force myself. Why wouldn’t Asmo do the same?)
Talking yourself up to be as beautiful as a sex god is no easy task, but Asmo isn’t the Avatar of “Lust” for no reason. When an insecure girl talks up her beauty, it’s her being strong and independent. When Asmo does it, its narcissism… it doesn’t really seem fair, now does it? Maybe he’s just an insecure person who needs to tell himself ALL THE TIME that he’s beautiful. That if he stares at his reflection long enough, he may see it too.
(Also, Simeon literally calls him out on being insecure. Insecure people tend to try and overcompensate where they feel they’re lacking.)
”Asmodeus is hinted to be insecure and seeking for love and attention. When Simeon was asked about what he thought of Asmodeus, he says that Asmodeus is still trying to fulfill the role of the angel he used to be; an angel that was adored and loved by many. Asmodeus laughs at Simeon's remark and brushes it off by saying that he is only jealous.” - A section from said Asmodeus Wiki.
People can choose to love or hate Asmo, obviously. Making things up about his character without having anything but speculation and having that dictate how he acts is plain silly. This entire “essay” if you can call it that, comes from the heart. I love Asmo as a character, and in the beginning he did make me uncomfortable, I didn’t like him that much. But I learned to look past that and figure out why he acts the way he does. Something didn’t sit right with me about him for a while, and it was that air of insecurity that I didn’t see at first.
All I can really ask for, is giving Asmo another chance as a character. He’s not as wild and wacky as Mammon, or as cool and sexy as Lucifer, or as edgy and precious as Belphie, but he matters in this story too. He fell from grace with his brothers for Lilith. Give him another chance, and let him show you that he is the Avatar of Love.
#obey me#obey me shall we date#obey me swd#om!#om! swd#om! asmo#om! asmodeus#obey me asmo#obey me asmodeus#Thanks for 400 followers!
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Non-anime Asian TV Shows that I liked
This is just a short list of some Asian TV shows I liked, list is not exhaustive. Thank you @cautionworksstuff for encouraging me to do this since you wanted to know more about other foreign TV shows other than anime.
When I say non-anime, it means shows that are not Japanese animated series.
1. Kingdom [Netflix] (South Korea)
This series hits HARD. It’s an original Korean Netflix series. Now, there’s a lot of shows/movies that are named “Kingdom”, so let me clear about this one: this is the one that is set with a Zombie apocalypse during the Joseon period.
It follows the story of the Crown Prince who is being framed for treachery by his evil stepmom (the Empress) and her clan, as soon as his father died. In the midst of that, a disease outbreak happens that turns everyone into zombies, and the Prince struggles to avoid being defeated by the corrupted government officials as well as to save his people from the zombie apocalypse.
What makes this one stand out from series/movies like The Walking Dead are two things: 1) the political setting - while there is a zombie outbreak, it’s also the battle for power, 2) the historical setting - the guns used here are very limited, and the science/medicine explained behind this outbreak is not like “oh due to biotech experiment gone wrong”, 3) unlike Walking Dead, they actually explained the cause of the illness, the cures and the weaknesses.
They are going to come up with a new one-episode spin-off(?) this month.
2. Girl from Nowhere (Thailand)
This is also available on Netflix. This series follow a character named Nanno, who goes to various schools as the new girl. In the second episode, she’s revealed to be some sort of immortal entity that goes on to expose the sins and wrongful acts of parents, teachers and students. She then punishes them as some form of karma. Beware, some episodes are downright disturbing and only for mature audience.
I don’t have a confirmation of this, but according to Wikipedia and actress Chicha Amatayakul, the character Nanno draws inspiration from Junji Ito’s Tomie, and the similarities are very obvious. From the way the people react to her, the hairstyle and the even to the beauty mark near the eye, the similarities are very obvious.
One difference though, I must say, is that Nanno is an extremely charming character as compared to Tomie. You will really root for her and can’t help but like her presence, even if she’s a little scary. When I read Tomie, I didn’t exactly felt the same magnetic pull as Nanno did for me. Season 1 was really good. Season 2 was more brutal but I think Season 1 was slightly better.
3. Trese (Philippines)
This was actually based on a Filipino comic series, with the same name. I had actually waited for this series to be animated. This series features Filipino supernatural beings. I had always wondered how it’ll be like if there was a cool anime about Filipino mythological creatures, such as the manananngal, aswang, tikbalang etc. I think their designs and stories are interesting and not very talked about in the media.
I had once complained about this. We have so many interesting Filipino mythological creatures, but why do we focus on mostly drama series on love and family, and not come up with a horror series featuring them?
This one’s available on Netflix as well, and it’s in three audios: English, Filipino and Japanese. I do recommend the Filipino audio because the pronunciation of the creatures are better. But that might be just me listening to my native language.
Although, just a tiny criticism - there are only six episodes so far. All in less than 30 minutes. This was an issue for me and also my family who had watched it because we felt the pacing was too fast. They didn’t explain what the creatures were, what they do, which can be confusing for people who are not familiar with the mythology. Yeah, I really think it’s because the pacing was fast due to the small number of episodes. If they slowed down, it would be great. Hopefully we get more episodes the next season.
4. Meteor Garden (Taiwan) [2001] OR Boys over Flowers (South Korea) OR Hana Yori Dango (Japan)
This was adapted from a manga called “Hana Yori Dango” (Boys over Flowers). It has been adapted in numerous shows, with Japan doing the first live action film in 1995.
The one that I had watched is the Taiwanese drama version, Meteor Garden (2001 version). There was also a Korean drama adaptation called “Boys over Flowers”. I didn’t watch that one but quite a number of my friends did. There was also the Japanese adaptation, as well as Thai and Chinese adaptation of it. I can’t say for sure which one is the best because I only remember watching the Taiwanese (2001) version and it’s close to my heart. The Taiwanese (2001), South Korean and Japanese drama versions are often being compared. I’ll let you guys decide based on this information.
I don’t remember much from the plot, although it was this drama was very hyped back then.
This was the summary on Wikipedia:
It tells the story of Tsukushi Makino, a girl from a middle class family, whose mother enrolled her in an elite high school to compete with the families from her husband's company. While at Eitoku, she encounters the F4, a gang of four young men who are children of Japan's wealthiest families, and who bully anyone that gets in their way.
5. The Little Nyonya [2008] (Singapore)
Saving the last for the one that resides a special place in my heart, and perhaps for a lot of people in Singapore.
Words cannot describe how much this was well-liked in Singapore. I remember everyone praising this. This was hands-down one of THE BEST drama ever produced in Singapore. I remember coming home, waiting at I think 8pm? Just to tune into local TV and then watch this show for a good 40minutes. I know they did a remake in China, which I didn’t watch, but I highly recommend the Singaporean version (since it’s the original and the setting is in Singapore/Malaysia anyway).
This series really introduced the Peranakan culture to the Singaporean audience. I like to think this story has two parts where it follows the story of a Nyonya (Peranakan Chinese woman).
The first part’s setting is during WW2. Huang Ju Xiang, a woman born into a Peranakan family and her mother was a 2nd wife. Because of her mother’s status, she’s been ostracised by her family and is tasked to do the household like a servant. She meets a Japanese man and yeah, since it’s in the midst of WW2, their love story was kinda “forbidden” too. The first part is actually my favourite.
The second part follows the story of their daughter, Yue Niang Yamamoto. This story is longer and Yuening has to face the same type of ostracisation her mother had endured by the Huang family.
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tag game
thank you for tagging me kiddo @i-am-just-a-kiddo ♥ it’s been a while since one of these ^^ tagging in return: @bang-won @yiling-recesses @ashenlights @psychic-waffles @lovelypattranite @liyazaki ♥ happy valentine’s day everyone!
three ships: (currently a lot in my head)
SeanWhite and DanYok from Not Me (bc last night’s ep left me spiraling but also bc seanwhite forehead kiss is my phone wallpaper now haha)
PranPat from Bad Buddy (bc i just adore they)
Heihua from DMBJ (bc i’ve been writing my heihua exchange fic and they are just always funky)
first ever ship: uuuhh am not really sure tbh. it’s either kaname/zero from vampire knight or dom/brian from fast & furious, depending how i look at it :’D
last song: 雨人 - Liu Chang (from The Lost Tomb Reboot OST)
last film: the new mystic nine movie aka The Mystic Nine: Qing Shan Hai Tang which i watched last night (before losing my mind with not me). it was pretty cool, tho i wish it had been longer. i loved it how it actually tied back to the drama version of mystic nine and i will be thinking about liu chang as yan sanxing (why sanxing??? out of all names-) for a while sigh
currently reading: am not reading anything tbh but i am listening to sally green’s half bad -trilogy as audio books! am at the last book, half lost, now and i am expecting to have my heart ripped out (this is funny bc the main character literally does stuff like this)
currently watching: i follow you’re my sky and not me weekly as the new episodes drop. i’ve also been on a rewatch roll lately and am currently rewatching love sick the series (2014) which is hilarious (also just. everyone is so baby. white, toptap, gunsmile, sing... jeez), only finished rewatching 3 will be free yesterday, and i also have my country: the new age going, tho that is happening very slowly bc each episode is super rough. oh i also finished watching i told sunset about you on friday! so now i know what that’s about. looking forward to starting new bls tho, am happy we get this steady stream of them haha
currently consuming: bls lol. it really seems to be the moment for me where i just consume every bl i’ve left for later while i was in my cdrama cycle. bc of this i finally got into gen y (tho i keep skipping most of the stuff that isn’t about markkit bc well, i just don’t care tbh) and also watched fish upon the sky in like. three days or something (it was funky but also a bit boring but ALSO made me fall in love with both pond and phuwin). now am just obsessed with various bl actors and keep watching some random tiktok compilations for fun aka i have no idea where my life is going but when do i (also i watched both seasons of the gifted right after/before bad buddy ended and it was a journey? i cannot get the concept out of my head now and i think i will just have to go scout nanon’s every drama ever sigh)
currently craving: more bl rewatches! there are a couple i’d love to watch again. also a couple of cdramas, especially reboot and psych-hunter. also am craving more ot3 content for things and some drama similar to 3 will be free. that one just always makes me so happy wow.
thank you if you read this far! have a wonderful day ^^
#tag game#sorry am literally just#so deep in this bl pit currently#i could drink them like soup#it's funny how i go at this in these cycles#guess next year is gonna drag me back into kpop again#looking forward to that lol
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what are all the podcasts you listen to?
anon I'm so glad you asked
Since it is a pretty long list including synopses (stolen from the podcast feed or website because I'm Bad at summaries and in some cases it's been a while since I listened) I'm going to put it under a cut.
I've separated the list into "Complete" (either finished or cancelled) and "Ongoing" podcasts. Some have additional comments by me. Current favorites are marked orange. My eternal beloved are Our Fair City and Wolf 359.
Complete
ars PARADOXICA: "When an experiment in a time much like our own goes horribly awry, Dr. Sally Grissom finds herself stranded in the past and entrenched in the activities of a clandestine branch of the US government. Grissom and her team quickly learn that there's no safety net when toying with the fundamental logic of the universe."
Blackwood: "Five years ago, Molly Weaver, Bryan Anderson, and Nathan Howell started a podcast focused on the local legend of a monster called The Blackwood Bugman. Quickly, the investigation grew out of their control, as they discovered that, not only are the legends seemingly true, many people in Blackwood have turned up dead or disappeared without a trace."
--> [this feels like the Blair With Project, but as a podcast. Didn't get a second season due to no funding, but it works as a standalone]
Dreamboy: "Dane, a spun-out musician spending the winter in Cleveland, Ohio, has two main goals: keeping his job at the Pepper Heights Zoo and trying not to waste all his time on Grindr. What he doesn’t expect is to get swept into a story about dreams, about forevers, about flickering lights, about unexplained deaths, about relentless change, and about the parts of ourselves that we wish other people knew to look for. Oh, and also a murderous zebra."
--> [very NSFW; does cool things with music! Didn't get a second season due to no funding, but it works as a standalone]
King Fall AM: "...centers on a lonely little mountain town's late-night AM talk radio show and its paranormal, peculiar happenings and inhabitants."
--> [cancelled after 100 episodes, ends on a huge cliffhanger]
Our Fair City: "A campy, post-apocalyptic audio drama."
--> [I know the description sounds like nothing but just trust me, I love it so much]
Steal the Stars: "...is a gripping noir science fiction thriller in 14 episodes: Forbidden love, a crashed UFO, an alien body, and an impossible heist unlike any ever attempted."
Stellar Firma: "...a weekly Science Fiction, Comedy podcast following the misadventures of Stellar Firma Ltd.'s highest born but lowest achieving planetary designer Trexel Geistman and his bewildered clone assistant David 7. Join them each episode as they attempt to take listener submissions and craft them into the galaxy's most luxurious, most expensive and most questionably designed bespoke planets. However, with Trexel's corporate shark of a line manager Hartro Piltz breathing down their necks and I.M.O.G.E.N., the station's omnipresent and omniinvasive stationwide A.I. monitoring those necks to within 3 decimal places, they'll be lucky to make it a week before being slurried and recycled into raw human resources."
--> [semi-improvised, I thought I'd have a problem with the improv bit because that's not usually my thing, but no, I absolutely devoured this]
TANIS: "...is a serialized docudrama about a fascinating and surprising mystery: the myth of Tanis. Tanis is an exploration of the nature of truth, conspiracy, and information. Tanis is what happens when the lines of science and fiction start to blur." [+ spinoff The Last Movie]
--> [I have no clue what the hell is going on here]
The Black Tapes: "...is a serialized docudrama about one journalist's searc for truth, her enigmatic subject's mysterious past, and the literal and figurative ghosts that haunt them both."
The Magnus Archives: "...is a weekly horror fiction anthology podcast examining what lurks in the archives of the Magnus Institute, an organisation dedicated to researching the esoteric and the weird. Join new head archivist Jonathan Sims as he attempts to bring a seemingly neglected collection of supernatural statements up to date, converting them to audio and supplementing them with follow-up work from his small but dedicated team. Individually, they are unsettling. Together they begin to form a picture that is truly horrifying because as they look into the depths of the archives, something starts to look back…"
Time:Bombs: "...a new audio drama podcast about the hilarious world of bomb disposal. Ride along with EOD technician Simon Teller on the busiest night of the year for him and his team - when business is, quite literally, booming."
Wolf 359: "Life's not easy for Doug Eiffel, the communications officer for the U.S.S. Hephaestus Research Station, currently on Day 448 of its orbit around red dwarf star Wolf 359. He's stuck on a scientific survey mission of indeterminate length, 7.8 light years from Earth. His only company on board the station are stern mission chief Minkowski, insane science officer Hilbert, and Hephaestus Station's sentient, often malfunctioning operating system Hera. He doesn't have much to do for his job other than monitoring static and intercepting the occasional decades-old radio broadcast from Earth, so he spends most of his time creating extensive audio logs about the ordinary, day-to-day happenings within the station. But the Hephaestus is an odd place, and life in extremely isolated, zero gravity conditions has a way of doing funny things to people's minds. Even the simplest of tasks can turn into a gargantuan struggle, and the most ordinary-seeming things have a way of turning into anything but that."
--> [starts funny, turns very intense]
Ongoing
Alba Salix, Roya Physician (+ The Axe & Crown): "A witch, her apprentice, and her fairy herbalist treat the ills of a fairy-tale kingdom." + "Gubbin the troll tavernkeeper deals with his clueless new landlord, his shady niece, and some new competition."
Archive 81: "A found footage horror podcast about ritual, stories, and sound."
Arden: "A (fictional) true crime podcast about cold cases and the reporter and detective who try to solve them."
Brimstone Valley Mall: "The year is 1999. Lurking somewhere between Hot Topic and the food court, five misfit demons from Hell kill time inciting sin in a suburban shopping mall. When the lead singer of their band goes mysteriously missing, the demons only have two weeks to find him before they play the biggest gig of the millennium - or face the wrath of Satan herself."
CARAVAN: "First rule of Wound Canyon: No one who gets in, ever gets out. So when a brilliant, ghostly specter flies through the sky amid the rain and lightning, Samir stumbles off a steep cliff and into a hidden world, one in which demons, vampires, and all other manner of paranormal creatures take sanctuary."
--> [also pretty NSFW and horny in general]
Death by Dying: "The Obituary Writer of Crestfall, Idaho finds himself deeply in over his head as he investigates a series of strange and mysterious deaths… when he is supposed to simply be writing obituaries. Along the way he encounters murderous farmers, man-eating cats, haunted bicycles, and a healthy dose of ominous shadows."
--> [I had to stop listening to this in public because it kept making me undignified laugh and snort noises]
Desperado: "Blood magic, Voodoo magic, old gods, new gods: We've got it all! Follow the story of misfits from all over the world, as they try to survive and protect their heritage from modern-day crusaders."
EOS 10: "Doctors in space, a deposed alien prince, a super gay space pirate and a fiery nurse who'll help you win your bar fight."
Girl In Space: "Abandoned on a dying ship in the farthest reaches of known space, a young scientist fights for survival (and patience with the on-board A.I.). Who is she? No one knows. But a lot of dangerous entities really want to find out. Listen as the story unfolds for science, guns, trust, anti-matter, truth, beauty, inner turmoil, and delicious cheeses. It’s all here. In space."
Janus Descending: "...follows the arrival of two xenoarcheologists on a small world orbiting a binary star. But what starts off as an expedition to survey the planet and the remains of a lost alien civilization, turns into a monstrous game of cat and mouse, as the two scientists are left to face the creatures that killed the planet in the first place. Told from two alternating perspectives, Janus Descending is an experience of crossing timelines, as one character describes the nightmare from end to beginning, and the other, from beginning to the end."
--> [absolutely harrowing horror]
Love and Luck: "...is a fictional radio play podcast, told via voicemails and set in present day Melbourne, Australia. A slice of life queer romance story with a touch of magic, it follows the relationship between two men, Jason and Kane, as their love grows both for each other and their community."
--> [soft and gay, feels like a warm hug]
Potterless: "Join Mike Schubert, a grown man reading the Harry Potter series for the first time, as he sits down with HP fanatics to poke fun at plot holes, make painfully incorrect predictions, and bask in the sassiness of the characters."
--> [the only non-fiction podcast on the list]
Primordial Deep: "When a long extinct sea creature washes up on the shores of Coney Island, marine biologist Dr. Marella Morgan is contacted by a secret organization to investigate the origins of the creature’s sudden and unnatural resurgence. Soon, she and a team of experts find themselves living on the research station The Tiamat, traveling along the abyssal plains as they search for answers far below the waves. But there are dangers in these ancient waters. Reawakened, prehistoric monsters are rising from the deep -- jaws wide and waiting, and in the darkness, something is stirring."
Red Valley: "No one at Overhead Industries wants to talk about defunct research station Red Valley, and account man Warren Godby is out of his depth. When he meets Gordon Porlock, a disgruntled archivist with a bag of tapes from the station’s last known occupant, they will begin a journey to the limits of experimental science, confront horror and trauma from the past, present and future, and try to remember the cheat codes from Sonic the Hedgehog 2."
Rusty Quill Gaming: "An actual play podcast following a mixed ability group of comedians, improvisers, gamers, and writers as they play through the extended, tabletop roleplaying campaign Erasing the Line, an original game world of the GM’s crafting."
--> [took me a while to get into because I have trouble focusing on non-scripted things, but eventually I got really hooked on the plot and attached to the characters. This podcast is really fucked up at times if you think about it]
SAYER: "A narrative fiction podcast set on Earth’s man-made second moon, Typhon. The eponymous SAYER is a highly advanced, self-aware AI created to help acclimate new residents to their new lives, and their new employment with Ærolith Dynamics."
--> [feels like Welcome to Night Vale but narrated by GLaDOS from Portal]
StarTripper!!: "Join Feston Pyxis on a road-trip through the cosmos, as he leaves behind his old life in search of the best and wildest experiences the galaxy has to offer!"
The Amelia Project: "...is a secret agency that fakes its clients' deaths, then lets them reappear with a brand new identity! A black comedy full of secrets, twists... and cocoa."
The Big Loop: "...a biweekly anthology series. Each episode is a self-contained narrative exploring the strange, the wonderful, the terrifying, and the heartbreaking. Stories of finite beings in an infinite universe."
--> [I don't like anthologies, except this one]
The Bright Sessions: "Dr. Bright provides therapy for the strange and unusual; their sessions have been recorded for research purposes."
--> [think X-Men, but with therapy instead of a school]
The Deca Tapes: "Recordings have surfaced of ten people that are locked into the same space together. We don’t know where they are, or if they'll get out. But the answers must be somewhere on these tapes."
The Silt Verses: "Carpenter and Faulkner, two worshippers of an outlawed god, travel up the length of their deity’s great black river, searching for holy revelations. As their pilgrimage lengthens and the river’s mysteries deepen, the two acolytes find themselves under threat from a police manhunt, but also come into conflict with the weirder gods that have flourished in these forgotten rural territories."
The White Vault: "Follow the collected records of a repair team sent to Outpost Fristed in the vast white wastes of Svalbard and unravel what lies waiting in the ice below."
Tides: "...is the story of Dr. Winifred Eurus, a xenobiologist trapped on an unfamiliar planet with hostile tidal forces. She must use her wits, sarcasm and intellectual curiosity to survive long enough to be rescued. But there might be more to life on this planet than she expected."
--> [think The Martian, but on a water planet]
Unwell, a Midwestern Gothic Mystery: "Lillian Harper moves to the small town of Mt. Absalom, Ohio, to care for her estranged mother Dorothy after an injury. Living in the town's boarding house which has been run by her family for generations, she discovers conspiracies, ghosts, and a new family in the house's strange assortment of residents."
VAST Horizon: "Nolira is an agronomist tasked with establishing agriculture in a new solar system, but when she wakes up on a now- empty colony ship, the whole of her plan disappears. The ship has been set adrift, with numerous mission-critical problems requiring immediate attendance outside of her area of expertise. Nolira is aided by the ship’s malfunctioning AI, which acts as her confidant and companion during the fight for survival."
Victoriocity: "Even Greater London, 1887. In this vast metropolis, Inspector Archibald Fleet and journalist Clara Entwhistle investigate a murder, only to find themselves at the centre of a conspiracy of impossible proportions."
We Fix Space Junk: "...follows seasoned smuggler Kilner and reluctant fugitive Samantha as they travel the galaxy, dodging bullets and meeting strange and wonderful beings as they carry out odd jobs on the fringes of the law."
Welcome to Night Vale: "Twice-monthly community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, where every conspiracy theory is true. Turn on your radio and hide."
Within the Wires: "Stories told through found audio from an alternate universe."
Wooden Overcoats: "Rudyard Funn and his equally miserable sister Antigone run their family's failing funeral parlour, where they get the body in the coffin in the ground on time. But one day they find everyone enjoying themselves at the funerals of a new competitor - the impossibly perfect Eric Chapman! With their dogsbody Georgie, and a mouse called Madeleine, the Funns are taking drastic steps to stay in the business…"
--> [one of THE funniest podcasts I have ever listened to]
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Please tell us about what your job working on Spongebob is like! I’ve been an avid fan my whole life but in more recent years after Steven’s death I felt the feeling of the episodes changed, how do you feel about it or do you feel like that’s not true? What do you do in your job to help shape the finished product of the show? Have you met any of the central actors and are they actually as cool as they seem? Obviously any questions you can’t answer because of your job is totally understandable but I’m just super curious because i haven’t really ever known anyone who worked on a show I admire so much and has always been such a part of my life. Thank you and I wish you so so much luck and success!!!!!
oh, this is the SWEETEST THING!!! 😭😭😭💖💖💖 i’m so glad you’re enthusiastic! i’ve only been freelancing for a month and i’m JUST STARTING full-time work, so i don’t exactly feel the most qualified to answer this in depth, but i’ll try with what background i have!
1) i think evolution and change is inevitable, and that certain things will grow and change over time. i know there’s a lot of controversy surrounding stephen and his legacy, and i’m not one to speak for him (especially since i’m such a newbie who never met the guy), but the sponge is in VERY good hands. the crew is incredibly hardworking and loyal, and many of his closest friends are working to make sure that spongebob is honored the best he can be.
i know this isn’t really what you were asking, but as someone who needs to spend a little less time on the internet i feel a little compelled to address all of the drama 😅 again, i feel a little swell-headed myself answering this because i’m so NEW and don’t have much experience at all, but. while shows may evolve and change in direction, the heart stays the same. listen to the people who actually knew stephen and knew what he was like and how he worked, not the outrage of a bunch of well-intentioned but rabid fans online who never knew him. (and as a side note, can we please stop with the “the artists are just doing what they’re told?” thing? i can’t speak for everyone, and i’m not working on kamp koral, but for me i’ve never once felt like my job was an obligation and that i was just being ordered around... i think everyone here loves what they do and they have a lot of fun and it SHOWS. i know the intentions are good, and no, you shouldn’t harass the artists over silly drama, but we’re not charity cases either 🥲)
but anyway, drama aside. i think you also have to remember that while things may change, the target audience is the goal. things may be different from the spongebob you and i remember as a kid, but you have to remember that spongebob IS for kids, and that a 7 year old probably isn’t going to be saying “hey, that’s wrong! that should be a reference to episode 72b, NOT 94a! the level of incompetence is outstanding!”
SO... i admittedly have a lot of catching up to do with the latest season(s), and i can’t feel that i can really speak 100% on how i feel about that, but change is bound to happen and at the same time the show is in VERY good hands and i’ve laughed out loud way too many times than what’s necessary in the work i’ve done so far, speaking as a crew member and a fan.
2) i’m a storyboard revisionist! my drawings are gonna be the ones you see on TV! there’s a storyboarding crew, and they do rough boards of the episode. an audio track is applied, and then us revisionists tighten things up—push the poses, make funny expressions, make the characters look more like themselves. we talk with our directors, see if there are any changes we need to make, if our revisions are good or not, what needs to be added, etc, and then we send it off! the animators’ll then trace over the revisions and then that’s what you see on TV! being a storyboard revisionist is the entry level storyboard artist job, and i love it. it’s such an honor to know that my silly little drawings will be on TV—an honor and a big responsibility!
3) i have NOT, but i’d LOVE to! i don’t know if i will—i really hope so! i’ve only realy been talking/zooming with my director, i know a bunch of my coworkers through twitter but i’ve only talked to them through twitter so far. but since i’m going fulltime, that’ll change! i don’t know if the voice crew does zoom meetings? i’d assume so, but i don’t know how all that works. i REALLY want to move to LA someday, i hope i can meet them!! (fun fact, clancy brown spoke at a school’s graduation in my county a few years ago in the next town over... needless to say i was incredibly jealous LOL)
thank you SO MUCH!! this is genuinely super heartwarming and encouraging. i hope i don’t sound like a raging braggart, answering all of this when i haven’t even started full-time work, but it’s been such an amazing experience so far and i’m so excited to be going full-time! the crew is amazing and i’m really excited to get closer to them. i absolutely hope i can follow this up someday with more insight, information, and experience! i feel like i’m speaking more as a super fan than a crew member here, but 🤣 thank you SO much!! i promise you guys are in for a treat!
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So you’re done with The Untamed and want more, what now?
Reposting this since I’ve updated it with new info/links. Again, I entered the fandom via The Untamed so I’m by no means a MDZS expert, just tried my best gathering all the resources I can which I hope will help some new Untamed/MDZS fan out there. If you spot any errors, don’t yell at me, just let me know and I’ll correct it as best I can, especially for any future reposts.
READ THE NOVEL
Read the original web novel the show was based on: The Untamed (aka “CQL” or “Chen Qing Ling”) was adapted from the BL web novel, Mo Dao Zu Shi (aka ”MDZS” or Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation) by author Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (”MXTX”). Yes the novel came first, CQL is only an adaptation. In the novel, you get the uncensored romance of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, where they are canonically married and living happily ever after. The novel goes full into R18 territory so please tread carefully.
All four volumes of the novel can be purchased from the original publishing site, JJWXC. The site’s in chinese but here’s a tutorial on how to navigate it and purchase the books: JJWXC Tutorial Link.
There’s also the option of purchasing the physical copies from Yesasia which might be easier but it’s also more expensive since they’re the middle man: Yesasia MDZS Link
It would be wonderful if you can support MXTX-laoshi by actually buying the books, especially since the cover art is so beautiful and the extra chapter volumes come with a lot of awesome extra goodies, but of course there’s also the option of reading the fan translations graciously provided by the Exiled Rebels Scanlations team at their site:
They translated all the novels including the bonus chapters in their own free time and are providing the fanslations for free so please give them some love for all their hard work.
WATCH THE ANIME (aka “Donghua” in Chinese)
Watch the anime based on the novel: The donghua was released before The Untamed. Two seasons are already available (23 eps total) with a third season in production and a special chibi version of the donghua in production as well. The Eng-subbed donghua can be seen using the WeTV app or on Youtube: YT MDZS Donghua Playlist
Grant it, the donghua is even more censored than The Untamed, but the donghua team still managed to sneak in some easter eggs (f.e. WangXian naked bathing scene in the cold springs from the novel...in The Untamed they were fully clothed) and more importantly, the animation is just gorgeous so it’s absolutely worth a watch despite the censorship.
READ THE MANGA (aka “Manhua” in Chinese)
Read the manhua which is ongoing and is being officially translated by WeComics, available on their app for free. Search under the name “Mo Dao Zu Shi”.
Unfortunately, the official translations are more than 20 chaps behind the raws and there have been complaints about the quality of the translations in the past, but I believe they’re starting to improve so since they’re official, it’s always better to support the official source.
The raw untranslated manhua can be found on the Kuaikanmanhua app. Other than being in Chinese, some of the chapters (f.e. the most recent ones) are behind a paywall, but here’s a tutorial on how to purchase the chapters, provided by @chiharuzushi on Twitter: Kuaikanmanhua Tutorial
The chapters are quite cheap...I purchase 1000 KK coins for 10 rmb ($0.14) and each chapter is only 68 KK coins so even if we end up with 500 chapters it’ll still be...er...quite cheap overall (don’t make me do the actual math). The most painful part is figuring out how to set up the Kuaikanmanhua account, but otherwise, if you can read Chinese or know enough of the story by now that you don’t really need to read the words, the manhua is definitely worth reading because it’s less censored than The Untamed and the donghua.
LISTEN TO THE AUDIO DRAMA
Listen to the audio drama, which is at this point the most faithful and LEAST censored adaptation of the novel we will probably ever get! Wei Ying’s voice actor in The Untamed is the voice actor for his audio drama counterpart. (Yes, almost everyone in The Untamed is dubbed by a voice actor, EXCEPT for Nie Huaisang. Ji Li, the actor for NHS, was the only one who used his own voice. Lan Zhan in The Untamed shares the same voice actor as his character in the donghua).
Each episode art of the audio drama is AMAZING. Google Translate works well on the site, you’d want to see the listeners’ comments cuz they’re just adorable and hilarious.
Official links on Maoer FM:
Season 1: Maoer FM S1 Link
Season 2: Maoer FM S2 Link
Season 3: Maoer FM S3 Link
The audio drama was supervised by MXTX-laoshi, the author of the novel, so a lot of love and care went into the production, and it shows. The audio drama is behind a paywall but I remember it’s relatively inexpensive. Here’s the tutorial on how to purchase the audio drama from the Maoer FM site: Maoer FM Tutorial Link
Ngl, it was tough at first navigating all that, Google translate helped, but once I figured it out, it was all so worth it because in addition to the MDZS, the site houses a lot of other wonderful audio dramas. There are also MDZS fan songs on the site that are near professional quality and oh so good.
Suibian Subs have kindly translated the episodes and their translations are available here: Suibian Subs MDZS Audio Drama
Show them some love too for translating the episodes, but please if you can, purchase the episodes so you can support the audio drama team which have done an amazing job.
There’s even a Japanese audio drama which the Chinese AD team helped spearhead, available on the MIMI FM app. Here’s a tutorial on how to purchase the eps (half of the first season is out): MIMI FM Tutorial
It’s in Japanese but just follow the pictures. I’m hoping that the Japanese audio drama will end up being the MOST uncensored version of MDZS since Japanese BL dramas are not afraid (and allowed) to go all the way to R18. XD
MORE THE UNTAMED CONTENT
Lastly, if you’re just thirsting for more Untamed content, there are two spin-off movies you can watch. The first one, The Living Dead, is kind of centered on Wen Ning and Sizhui post-CQL.
The second one, Fatal Journey, is focused on the Nie brothers, Nie Mingjue and Nie Huaisang, with a cameo by Jin Guangyao. It takes place prior to Wei Ying’s return from the dead.
Of the two movies, I definitely recommend Fatal Journey more. Both movies are available on the iQiyi app, which offers a one month free trial for first members. Each month afterwards for VIP is $6.99.
You can also go on the WeTV app for even more Untamed extras: WeTV put out a special edition cut of the show which tightened up the story AND features the original ending that was intended before censorship forced the production team to come up with the more ambiguous one we saw in its original run. It was a simple matter of rearranging certain scenes and getting rid of the separation part, but imho it really made all the difference to the ending.
There’s a ton of behind-the-scene cuteness that you can watch and also concerts with the cast in Thailand and Nanjing. VIP subscription to the WeTV app is $5.99/month and the Nanjing concert is for rent for 3 months at about the same price.
The show also put out two official soundtracks, one for the vocals and one for the score. Both are available on Amazon and iTunes. For Amazon though, you can search under “The Untamed” but they did this weird thing where the vocals one is listed as “The Untamed (Chinoiserie Music Album)” (wtf) while the score is just listed as “The Untamed (Original Soundtrack)”.
Finally, most of the male members of the cast took part in a fan meet and greet at the start of the show, before it became hugely popular. The entire meet and greet is available on youtube subbed: The Untamed Fan Meeting
That’s it for The Untamed and MDZS. If you end up liking the novel enough to want to read more by the same author, MXTX-laoshi has also written two other BL novels, The Scum Villain Self-Saving System (aka “SVSSS” or “Scum Villain”) and Heaven’s Official Blessing (aka “TGCF” after its Chinese title). Both have been fully translated by fans (but always try to buy the original if you have the means, as a way to support the author!):
SVSSS Translation: BC Novels Link
TGCF Translation chaps 1 - 24: Sakhyulations Link
TGCF Translation chaps 25 - End: Suika & Rynn Link
As with reading any BL novel (aka “danmei novel” for Chinese BL books), please heed the warnings and if it’s not your cup of tea, just exit out of the page and move on with your life. No big deal, right?
Anyway, hope all this info dump helps someone! If you’re brand spanking new to this fandom, welcome, and I’m so jealous of you! Would love to relive stepping into the world of MDZS/MXTX/danmei novels all over again since I feel like I’m already running out of stuff to read and I’m beginning to panic a little.
Happy watching/reading/listening!
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