My mother still remembers that when K preceded something, it was usually followed by more Ks :(

Hello to all my K-Kiddos,

I just want to thank everyone for making my blog such a K-Tastic hit this year! Just today, I’ve had 9 unique visitors to the site… 9! So I’m going all out next year. I’ve quit my “job” in the districts of red lights, although I hesitate to call as such since its really more of a pastime, and I’m devoting every waking moment of mine to all things K. I’ve even gotten my brother (the handsome guy on the left of the page who makes the entirety of my insta-feed … to freelance for me and even post in my name on occasion. Best K-hristmas gift this year!

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I also want to share with y’all one of my deepest loves, and that is podcast consumption! If you’ve never listened to a ‘pod’, think of it like this – a lecture encapsulated into KBs of portable memory that you can take with you everywhere and listen to when all your friends ubiquitously proclamate for you to “back off, you smell like decaying cabbage, and you shade yourself from the sun like some sort of shriveling snail.” And you can stand proud, pop in your skull-candies you questionably acquired from your beloved brother, and delve into life’s deepest intellectual challenges, or listen to a funny fun story. Here’s my listicle of favorite pods continuing production in 2015! but only with listener support

1) Strangers – Throaty and terminally congested narrator and producer Lea Thau releases incredible stories with perpetually solid content, editing, and meaning. Unfortunately, she sounds as if she awoken from a 2 week binger every time she awakes groggily to record, but thankfully she’s not the one telling stories.

2) Serial – Normally my inner-hipster would admonish myself for enjoying something so mainstream, but it’s fine guys – I listened to it before it was cool. Still, the lack of pink ink will hide this from my judging readers. If you’ve never heard of this podcastic craze, I’ll allow SNL to satirize it for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATXbJjuZqbc

3) True Story – I’m tactfully inserting this horrific pod onto the list to juxtapose it to the brilliance that is Strangers. These short podcasts feature young trustifarian Stanford grads, who I imagine are attempting to explore meaningful humor of the minute details of their sorrowful existences. I suggest listening to “See You Next Fall”, sit in preponderance about in all the mundane things you could’ve done with that 6 minutes and lament the eternal loss of that time, then listen to an inspirational episode of Strangers like “Franky Carrillo: Life”. I promise it’ll make you want to befriend more brown people in your life.

4) How Jamaica Conquered the World – Cause of Jamaican accents and the story of “Cool Runnings”

5) KCRW’s Unfictional – I really like storytelling pods, okay!

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Okay everyone enjoy the New Year if yah follow the Western calendar! Byeeeeee

Video Variety – Steven Yeun Hungry for K-Fame

Steven Yeun contemplating Fan assisted suicide. One of many instances that had me gasping for air.

Anyone who needs a laugh (and especially those who don’t) need to stop what your doing, take a break and watch this amusing, humorous video series.  Though each lasts episode lasts about 7 minutes, give yourself 25 because like Pringles, once you start the fun won’t stop!

The “plot” involves a heightened version of Steven Yeun (Korean-American actor from The Walking Dead fame), and his attempt at Korean fame and glory by becoming a mokbang, or food eating vlogger, (yes, this is a thing) star.

Surplus Princess Review: Ridiculous but oh so WTF Fun

Due to this Summer’s rom comissance, I told myself I wouldn’t have time for yet another show, even one with one episode per week and/or one where I could finally figure out the internet’s fascination with Song Jae Rim (Nail Shop Paris).  Well when the time came for me to do something other than to literally watch paint dry (nails of course, almost like SJR subliminal advertising), I figured why not watch 46 minutes of horrible effects, cringey plot contrivances and the one mermaid who must employ or bust.

Well hold onto your scales folks, cause this crazy chick has drunk the once thought fishy, Ocean Spray flavored Kool-aid and mama is in like fin.

Video Variety – K-Pop meets Pitch Perfect…Sort of

So this week’s video will continue with the K-Pop theme from last week. This time with the group f(x) at the center, who find themselves working with American actress Anna Kendrick, and the results – hilarity of course!  Now as you may have noticed, I am a bit lacking in the K-Pop department, but Hollywood pop culture? I’m your girl.

Video Variety – Big Bang Secret Garden Parody

So to complete the Secret Garden referencepalooza, might as well include the greatest tribute done by a K-Pop group. Pretty much any infamous scene from the hit drama they cover and then some. But seriously, try not to laugh out loud while watching. I dare you.

SNL East vs West Part Two: Here’s What the Fox Said

So this seems pretty much inevitable no? I mean how can the topical sketch comedy show not have its own take on last years winner for the quirky MV that enticed the world for 4 minutes. (past recipients: 2012’s “Gangnam Style”, and 2011’s Rebecca Black “Friday”) Who said Ylvis is dead, he’s alive in the form of Norwegian comedy songsters who sing about animal sounds. If you don’t know about the noise the fox makes, I would suggest watching the original before both of these takes on the song.

Much like today’s news cycle, the shelf-life of such viral phenomenon is getting shorter and shorter, which is why it should come as no surprise that SNL original recipe and SNL extra Korean debuted their respective videos on the exact same day.

Just like part one of SNL (US vs KOR) series I’ll show each digital short before saying my opinions and crowning an eventual winner on who did it best. So let’s bring on some fox noises!

The SNL vs SNL: Korea Smackdown – Part One: The Standoff

While watching SNL (Saturday Night Live) Korea’s excellent GTA series, I wondered why SNL original recipe didn’t come up with their own version.  The US may not be as video game savvy as South Korea, but part of the brilliance of those videos is how they incorporate Korean historical events or holidays (like Japanese Occupation or White Day), so transferring the same structure with American history and culture would be easy and probably better than most of the sketches produced this season.

This led to some Youtube spiraling to see if one group has, shall we say, been “inspired” by the other, and which cast produced the better sketch based on the same idea.  This weeks sketch  – “The Standoff”, a simple premise that seems widely universal, all you need is guys (or gals), guns, and a ill-timed doctors appointment.  Stay tuned for both videos after the jump!