rilina

Happy lunar new year to everyone celebrating! 새해 복 많이 받으세요!

Here are a few things that I have on heavy rotation.

TWS has released the Korean version of the Japanese debut song: 다시 만난 오늘 [Nice to see you again (Korean ver.). The original Japanese version is one of my favorite TWS songs, so I quite enjoy the Korean version too, once my brain got past the inevitable linguistic confusion of hearing a different version of a familiar song. They did a short round of promos on Korean music shows, and it was fun to see how they added small easter eggs to the choreography for each performance.

Dokyeom and Seungkwan, the two main vocalists of Seventeen, released a unit album last month. It's packed full of songs to show off their voices. The title track is Blue. I also quite like Seungkwan's solo track, Dream Serenade, and the b-side, Prelude of Love.

I've also being doing a deep dive into all of ILLIT's 2025 music, and I really missed a lot! I really love their entire June 2025 EP, bomb, but if you need a more specific starting place, try 빌려온 고양이 (Do the Dance) or bamsopoong. 

I'm also listening to NMIXX's Blue Valentine.

What are you listening to lately?

I am enjoying your lists, and perhaps I will even attempt to assemble one, but wow, I am increasingly aware of how I am now unsure whether I have truly read certain books or just absorbed enough information about them through cultural osmosis that it feels like I did?

(Hello, I am in fact still around!)

I used some of my free time yesterday to dip into this year's Yuletide collection. It brings back a lot of memories of doing that on the old website many many years ago, often on an iffy internet connection from my parents' apartment in Seoul because I was visiting them for the holidays. A lot has changed since then. This year's reading often reminded me of how long it's been since I've revisited some texts, and I'm realizing how much I miss both reading and re-reading, because my experience of things I've re-read is so much richer. 

Anyway, a few stories for you from my quick scan:

Honeymoon in Apple-Green, with Paintbrush  by china_shop (The Dempseys Series - Jennifer Crusie)
Sophie and Phin on their honeymoon. Warm and witty, and all the references make me want to go re-read Welcome to Temptation.

After death, life by isabeau (Chronicles of Prydain - Lloyd Alexander)
A sharp Achren character study. Fic is often especially wonderful for revisiting female characters who are given, for one reason or another, only brief attention by the canon. Much as I love Gwydion the comments on the sons of Don felt very, very correct.

Sophie Hatter and the Infinite Bag by ASpellBinds (Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones)
Things go awry when Sophie tries to make Michael a birthday present. And it does so in the way that's totally true to book!Sophie and the interplay between Sophie and Howl (that mix of affection of exasperation) is spot on.

There's a Story in Which My Eyes Shut by SpaceJackalope (Lymond Chronicles - Dorothy Dunnett)
A gorgeous, resonant series of Francis's dreams over the course of the series that hurts and comforts in much the same way as the original novels. I know I'm missing some details in this one because it's been a million years since I read the books; maybe you will catch more of them.

Outsourcing by Daegaer (Saiyuki Gaiden)
I didn't realize how much I had missed this canon until I read this and was struck by my deep affection for all the characters (but in this story, especially Kenren). It made me laugh in very much the same way that the manga does.

What Yuletide stories have you been enjoying?

...at least if you are in the Northern hemisphere!

A small recommendation if you are at a point where you are replacing any of your bedding--this year I learned that wool duvet inserts are a thing! I haven't been a fan of down, so I've been using a down alternative (read: polyester) comforter insert for several years. I didn't love it. This month I determined it was time to replace it, so I invested in a wool comforter insert. It is so nice! Somehow it is both warmer and more breathable. It does have a weight that is nice without being oppressive, which I tend to like. 

Your mileage may vary if you live somewhere warmer, or keep your home warmer, etc. I got mine from Woolino, but IKEA also sometimes has affordable versions. There are also nicer ones out there!

As someone who lives in New England and keeps my home on the cooler side, my bed layers are:

• cotton percale sheets (super strong preference for percale over sateen or even linen, I like the crispness a lot)
• wool duvet in linen or cotton percale cover (rotate a couple)
• cotton blanket (primarily protection against cat hair and cat accidents, because it's easier to toss a cotton blanket in the laundry than wrestle with the entire duvet setup)
• wool blanket across the foot of my bed and feet (sometimes unfolded when its very cold)
• cat somewhere on top of everything

After nearly a decade, I'm thinking of buying a new ereader (likely a Kobo since I refuse to own a Kindle).

What do all of you have, and what do you recommend?

With my middle-aged eyes (I'm wearing multifocal contacts and have just ordered my first pair of progressives), I'd like to read on a bigger screen than my phone. I also have missed reading comics/manga and am wondering if I might read more again if I could do so on an ereader, which might have an impact on screen size needs.

The bulbs in my garden are poking green tips out of the earth. Flowers are still at least a couple week away in our yard, which doesn't seem to get quite as much sun as those across the street, where I can already see the first daffodils. Here are some songs as we get closer to spring!

( Bibi, (G)I-DLE, Woodz )

Here's what I'm listening to as we start off 2024.

( TWS, Woozi. trigger warning: death/suicide/grief )

Work blah blah blah let's talk about music.

( Red Velvet, Woodz, Epik High )

What are you listening to these days?