Meida Round Up: Girls and Demons

[forestofglory]

It's that time again! More thoughts on media:

The Truth Season 3 case 8 (I think, the numbering is confusing now)— this case featured Chinese style horror, and it was very creepy but in a fun way. I also enjoyed the earthly 20th inspired costumes

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming— I’m writing about this even though I didn’t finish it because I think some of you might enjoy this. The first bit was really fun! The main character is a wildlife biology PhD student, who when she finds herself on an alien planet is upset that it's full of dinosaurs all from different time periods from each other! (Very relatable really) The book has a very fun voice. Unfortunately it ends up becoming too much sex for me.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh— A Korean inspired fantasy YA novel about a girl who chooses to sacrifice herself in place of the designated Sea God’s Bride and enters a spirit world full of mythical beings and complex politics. (I read this even though the mom is dead, and really there’s no narrative reason for it) This was lovely and very atmospheric, though the ending left me a little dissatisfied. (Content Note: Infant death)

Painted Devils by Margaret Owen— Second book in the Little Thieves trilogy. Very fun and twisty in a similar way to the 1st book.

Kpop Demon Hunters — It's an animated movie about a kpop girl band that are magical girl-sque demon hunters, there's lot of musical numbers.A Koren friend of mine described it as “an American movie set in Korea” and I think that’s spot on. She specifically complained about how the worldbuiling/theology feels too christian. It doesn't fully work through the consequences of all the violence but the flight scenes are very swooshy and fun, and I liked the themes a lot. I also really liked the female friendship aspect.

Comments

[yue_ix]

I've greatly enjoyed Kpop Demon Hunters! It has lovely animation and fun themes, gorgeous settings and really fun light. Even though I've watched it in French with the kiddos, the songs were bangers (I checked them out in English and Idol is better in EN but in FR my favourite song is Golden). There were also interesting poking at kpop culture, notable even as someone who mostly know of it through fandom osmosis - about industry pressure, and fan obligations, dating, and gender. The songs have been earworms for over a week in our house now, and we still don't mind. The tiger and the magpie were a big hit, too. :D

[forestofglory]

I'm going to have to take a look and see if I can find the FR version of Golden now!

The tiger and the magpie are great!

[soc_puppet]

Oh shoot, I could have warned you about Kimberly Lemming 😅 Wonderful stuff, if you're into erotica. If that's not what you signed up for, though...

[forestofglory]

Well I did really enjoy the main character's voice even if the book turned out not to be my thing.

[lauradi7dw]

I didn't find Christianity overbearing in Kpop Demon Hunters. In terms of recent Kdramas, I found the Christian concepts in "Heavenly Ever After" the most confusing - even the explicitly Christian minister character clearly is accepting of the choice of many Heaven residents to re-incarnate back to Earth.
https://youtu.be/JVRUmvxIZJs?feature=shared
That's not an option I remember from Boomer era Protestant Sunday school lessons...

[forestofglory]

Huh, what an interesting blending of regions

[lessonsinescapology]

The songs were nice but it was a very American movie with Korean window-dressing.

[llonkrebboj]

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea sounds interesting (choosing to be the sacrifice, I mean). I may check it out if the library has an ebook version 👀

\o/ Ah I watched kpop demon hunters too! It was a lot of fun xD especially pausing at every little thing and googling them. Lots of folklore, art history and cute little wordplay things that were tossed in for a fun and beautifully animated move. And isn't it exactly an American movie set in Korea though? 🤣 At least I assumed so when english was listed as the original language among multilingual options! Double confirmed when the cast list was basically all Korean Americans in the credits xD

[forestofglory]

I read my library's ebook version of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea! I hope your library has one too.

No you are right that it is an American movie. I guess what I meant was that I'm not sure to what extent it tries to feel like a Koren movie but its not succeeding in doing so.

[llonkrebboj]

It does have it as an ebook \o/ yassssss. I've got a couple of nonfiction/poetry books on my plate rn, but when we circle back to english fiction this will be top on the list xD

Ah I see! Yeah I thought it felt like a diaspora movie, perhaps not quite in the same way as Turning Red but with that sort of vibe. Was thinking of sharing my watching notes but wasn't sure if it would be appropriate 🤔

[xmarksthespotwhereistand]

You are watching The Truth! I have some questions on how to get into this, may i come to you?
Kept hearing about the Kpop Demon Hunters, now i finally know it's an animated movie. (I heard about it around the same time when i heard about the AI idol so i was afraid of something worse, i don't know, actual exorcist idol group?)

[forestofglory]

Sorry for the late reply, I'm happy to answer questions about The Truth!

And yeah and actual exorcist idol group would be bad