Author: ZombieMamma

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Zombie’s Adventures in Vegas: Day 4 – All Good Things…

One would think that after three incredible days in Vegas, there would be nothing left to say, especially not about the day I flew home. Oddly enough, adventure still managed to find me one last time…

Waking up far too early yet again, my friend was out the door before I was even dressed, off to drop her daughter off at work and bring back a life-saving cup of strong black coffee. While she was away, I reluctantly started packing. Despite not buying much, I still had to get a bit creative with my packing. I was very glad I decided to bring my big backpack because dang! By the time I was done, that sucker was full!

With packing complete and coffee consumed, it was time to check out of the hotel and head to lunch. Breakfast? Dinner? I’m not really sure what it was, but considering it was the only meal I had that day, does it really matter what it’s called?

Having consumed absolutely zero Korean food over the past few days, it only made sense to end our adventures with a little Korean BBQ. And what better place to scratch that itch than by visiting BTS’ favorite Korean restaurant? In all honesty, we weren’t going to bother going because the place had been packed all week and neither of us really felt like waiting in line for ages to eat a meal that would cost us way too much, when we could just as easily get something similar elsewhere. But then, as we were loading up the car, I started thinking… (A dangerous thing to do, I know!)

Here I was in Vegas, with one of my dearest friends, enjoying a BTS-filled week of wonder and joy. When would I ever have another chance to do something like this again? When would I be in a place where I could eat a meal at a restaurant known to be one of my favorite band’s favorite places, with dishes that were actual member favorites, with a friend who would appreciate it all every bit as much as I did? The answer was obviously never, so then I started thinking some more… Why would I let something as silly as a price tag keep me from enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Sure, the meal set was ridiculously overpriced but so what? My friend had done so much to make this week possible, covered so many of our expenses herself, it would be absolutely wrong of me to not do this one little thing in return. So I did the only thing I could do, I offered to make this one last hurrah my treat. Because why not? It’s Vegas, baby and you really do only live once!

I’m happy to say it didn’t take her much convincing to join me on this little adventure, so off we went! It was early enough in the day that we were one of the first in line at the restaurant, which was great because it meant we got to sit on the bench right in front of the storefront, under the awning and out of the sun. I guess the K-Pop gods were still looking out for us! Little did I know just how much! 

Being one of the first in line, we were very naturally one of the first to be seated. Not long after seating us, one of the older gentlemen working (and by older I mean my age, so not actually old at all) came over to talk to the ladies at the table next to us, before working his way over to us. While we chatted, he casually asked if we liked BTS, to which we casually replied in the affirmative, adding that we’ve been fans for a very long time. When he wrapped up the conversation and walked away, we figured that was the end of it but about halfway through the meal he came back, as servers usually do, to check on how we were doing and start up a little more chit-chat. This time, as we were chatting, he happened to just casually throw out that BTS had been in for dinner at around 02:00 that morning. My friend and I were happy to hear that, as it’s not every day you occupy the same space as your favorite humans within such a short amount of time. But that little tidbit of news was just a teaser for what he was about to tell us. 

Turns out, not only was BTS eating dinner in the same restaurant we were now dining, mere hours earlier, but they were sitting in the exact same seats we (and the three ladies at the table to my left) were now sitting. To say our collective minds were blown would be a bit of an understatement. I asked my friend if she had any idea who might have been sitting in her seat but in the end, she didn’t have to guess because the same gentleman came back again and told us exactly who was sitting where. The woman closest to me at the table next to us was sitting in RM’s seat, across from her was where Jin had been sitting, and next to her was where J-Hope had been sitting. My friend, turns out, was sitting in Suga’s seat and I was sitting in Jungkook’s. 

Now, I’m not one to go absolutely bat-shit crazy, just because I’m breathing the same air as my favorite idols (I might get a little excited every now and then but nothing too crazy, I swear!) but finding out that you’re sitting in a seat that was occupied, only hours before, by BTS is an unexpected surprise, to be sure! I mean, when you think about it, what are the freaking odds? The restaurant wasn’t small, they could have seated us anywhere, but they sat us right there, at that exact moment, with no chance of anyone else having sat there since BTS left… It’s just one of those things that’s too crazy to really comprehend and yet, it happened. We sat in their seats, eating foods that they love, at a restaurant they love, right after seeing them give us a show we all loved… Talk about a surreal moment! And to think we almost missed out on this weird and random happenstance because of something as ridiculous as money… It’s wild, man. Absolutely wild!

Had the K-Pop gods really been smiling on us this entire time? I don’t know but there had been plenty of moments over the past few days when it felt like they had been and that was definitely one of them!

From the restaurant we went around the corner to visit a pretty groovy K-Pop store where I spent way too much money buying albums I should have owned years ago but somehow never got around to buying as a physical copy. I would say don’t judge me but really, I don’t care if you do. Life was rough in those days and I’m just happy I have the means to make up for lost time now! Bringing home five albums wasn’t on my things-to-do-in-Vegas list, but considering out of those five albums, three of them had Jimin’s photo card in them, I’d say it was totally worth it! (And yes, for those of you who don’t already know or haven’t been able to figure it out by now, Jimin is my bias and has been for a very, very, very long time.)

The worst part of traveling is knowing that eventually, you have to go home. With the day quickly getting away from us, there were just a couple more stops we had to make before we headed for the airport. Luckily, one of those stops was next to a cute little cafe that just happened to be advertising a BTS-themed drink on their sidewalk sandwich board. Unable to resist one last little treat, we stepped inside and I walked out with the cutest little ARMY-themed latte which, coincidentally enough, was also quite tasty. Drink-in-hand, it was time to head to the airport, my heart overflowing with joy so intense, I had to fight really hard not to just break down and cry.

To say this trip was unforgettable feels like such a ridiculous understatement. Spending four days with people who heal your soul is always a good thing, but doing that in a city full of fellow ARMY who are overflowing with an abundance of joy that rivals your own, is something else entirely. The city felt alive with this overall sense of community and camaraderie that I’m convinced you could never find anywhere else on earth. I mean, I suppose if BTS takes over another city like this, you might be able to experience the same thing there, but I don’t know… There’s just something about Vegas. It has an energy all its own and when you pair that with the love and devotion of tens of thousands of ARMY, it’s really nothing short of magic. 

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Zombie’s Adventures in Vegas: Day 3 – Coffee is a Necessity, Concerts are Life!

With one concert behind me and another beckoning, I knew this third day in Vegas was going to be another one for the history books. I just had no idea how memorable this day was actually going to end up being! Which, at this point, seems to be par for the course…

This is NOT the coffee we had but honestly, does anyone really want to take photos of the world’s worst cup of coffee???

After two full days of Vegas shenanigans and only three hours of sleep (again), one could hardly blame me for taking my third day in Sin City a little easy. Up far too early (yet again), there was only one thing to do: HUNT. DOWN. COFFEE. Sadly, the closest coffee was a friggin’ Starbucks which was hands-down the most disappointing experience of my entire trip. Having spent three agonizingly long years working as a barista/trainer, I do have to marvel at this location’s ability to royally screw up 6 shots over ice. Standing there, watching my shots die (twice), I really wanted to cry. (Talk about depresso espresso!) Miraculously, I pulled myself together long enough to gather my sad, pathetic coffees and trudge back up to the room. 

It’s truly wondrous, the magic that happens when you’re with a good friend. Despite the god-awful coffee, the vibes for the day picked up as soon as I walked into our room. Agreeing that neither one of us actually felt like doing much, we decided that the best way to spend the day was to order room service and chill. Naturally, when you’re hours away from a BTS concert and a dedicated fangirl for life, “chill” really means “spend the entire day making more freebies.” Which is exactly what we did.

Of course I had to make a little something for myself! And no, I’m not biased at all!

Armed with more beads than my grandparents at Mardi Gras (and yes, they absolutely DID go to Mardi Gras and the amount of beads they brought back for us grandkids was so impressive it lives as a core memory in my brain to this day), we got to work. Our goal: to make as many lightstick charms as we possibly could while my friend’s daughter worked. (Poor kid, having to work when BTS has claimed the city… Boo!) Combining our creative energy, we spent the next few hours crafting as we talked and laughed and just enjoyed a peaceful moment spent in each other’s company. 

While sitting around in a hotel room for hours, making BTS crafts might not seem thrilling to a lot of people, I can tell you with absolute certainty, it’s exactly what my soul needed. There’s something so cathartic about pouring creative energy into something you love and when you get to do that with a friend, it’s even better; especially when you and said friend have spent the last decade existing on different sides of the country.

With charms made, packaged, and work done for the day, it was finally time to get ready and head back to the stadium. Despite having experienced the wonder and magic of BTS the night before, I was still a mess of nerves and excitement. I mean, it’s not every day you get to see BTS, and that whole not knowing which surprise songs they’re going to do really adds a level of excitement and anticipation! After all, they played one of the songs of my friend’s DJ, Spin sign yesterday. What if they played one of mine tonight??? The very thought was enough to make the butterflies in my stomach breakdance!

Wending our way through Mandalay Bay, we once again found ourselves in the middle of a giant freebie exchange and with these freaking adorable charms in-hand, my friend was absolutely swarmed! I mean, I had stickers & photocards to hand out, which were happily accepted, but man! These charms made people go absolutely feral. I think pairing them with a bias photocard might have had something to do with that but still! It was so funny, watching her surrounded by near-feral ARMY while I stood off to the side with my handful of freebies, just chillin’. 

Once the charms ran out we made our way back across the bridge and into the stadium. Again, club seats are the way to go! We were on the opposite side of the stadium, but the food was equally delicious. Char siu pork over rice, with Hawaiian mac salad and seasoned vegetables? C’mon! It was a whole-ass Hawaiian plate lunch and it was so freaking tasty! Delicious food aside, we also had our own little merch booth which actually had the one thing I’d been looking for: the friggin’ lightstick cradle. Unable to resist temptation (yet again) I had to buy it because I am nothing if not weak and pathetic!

With tummy full and merch in-hand it was time to find our seats. An easy enough task, considering I was one seat in from the end. Though I was a little sad I wasn’t sitting with my friend for this show, I had no problem talking to the girl next to me. Which, to be honest, is really odd because as I’ve already said, small talk just isn’t my thing. I suppose I felt the need to say something before the show started and I broke down into a psychotic mess of a fangirl, just so she knew I was at least sorta normal. Or could be at times anyway… 

Not that normal would be the word to use to describe me once the show started. I swear, the second I saw that smoke-bearing runner took the stage, I completely lost my shit. Again. 

From that point on, there was no hope for me. I was so caught up in the moment, all I could do was sing and dance and do my darndest to try to embed this night in my memory for all eternity. I’m honestly not sure how well I did that last part, because gosh darnit, I was such an emotional mess! Still, there are moments I most definitely remember.

I remember Hobi’s very first “Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!” during the opening lines of “Hooligan” and the way 70,000 voices joined him in perfect unison, yet with a level of unbridled excitement so wildly exuberant, it set the tone of the entire rest of the evening. I remember the energy that carried on through “Aliens” and how everyone in the entire stadium was singing along as RM declared, “Everybody know now where the K is!” I remember smiling like a damn fool as the choreography for “Run BTS” made my freaking brain melt in exactly the same way it had the night before.

I remember feeling every broken heartbeat as they sang their hearts out to “they don’t know ‘bout us” and feeling my soul answer the call to wild abandon during “Like Animals.” (Seriously, one of the best tracks on the entire album and certainly my favorite!) I remember screaming “FAKE LOVE!” with all the emotion only someone who’s lived through life’s most bitter heartbreaks possibly can, and being transported to a place of peace and reassurance as BTS performed “Swim.”

Once again, I felt the heartbreak so obviously present in “Merry Go Round” and how sincerely I wished the men who brought me so much joy could find an equal measure of joy somewhere in this big wide world. 

I remember the absolute elation that took over when those first few notes of “2.0” started playing. I swear, that song is so freaking good, but seeing it live takes it to an entirely different level. That choreography is just… *chef’s kiss*! If I hadn’t been losing my absolute shit, I would have been in utter awe. (Though maybe I hit that level of awe first and that’s exactly why I lost my shit???) I’m gonna be honest with you, at this point in the show, I was just so overwhelmed with emotions so big, there was no way my poor little heart could contain them so things started to kinda blur together. I know they performed “NORMAL” because the emotion of that song had my heart breaking and soaring, all at the same time. (I really, REALLY love that song!)

And then they hit us with “MIC Drop” and to quote RM, “GODDAMN!” If you’re imagining a sold out stadium going absolutely wild, take that mental image, multiply it by about a thousand, and you might get close to the level of energy in the room at that exact moment. But then they went into their “FYA” / “FIRE” combo and holy fuck!

I know that between all these different sets, the guys took time to talk to us, smile at us, make our hearts flutter, and our minds melt, but do I remember what they said? No. I remember their smiles and their silliness but their exact words??? Beats the heck out of me!

I know that when they performed “Body to Body” the entire stadium sang the “Arirang” sample with a unified voice so loud you could clearly see the looks of pride and gratitude on every member’s face. I know that when “IDOL” started, we once again lost our shit and most definitely needed that moment between sets to at least attempt to collect ourselves. 

I remember Jimin being sick, which broke my heart because I absolutely hate it when my favorite people are sick. I remember that despite being sick, he still treated us to one of his incredible acrobatic flips and how it nearly stopped my heart because seriously, my dude. If you have a fever, you probably shouldn’t be flippin’! 

I remember my heart stopping when the band came back, singing “Come Over” as they made their way back to the stage. It didn’t matter that I’d seen them sing it the night before, it hit just as hard this second day and maybe even harder, just because I was so much deeper into my feels.

I remember Jin’s pigtails and the way they bopped around during the “Butter” / “Dynamite” set. I remember him shaking each member’s hand as he thanked them for working so hard to make this tour a success and the way he and Jungkook were absolutely hilarious with their shared antics throughout the night. I swear, those two are such an adorable pair; I can understand why people might mistake them for brothers! I remember V trying to kill us all by unzipping his hoodie to reveal a chest that was most definitely NOT covered by a shirt! I remember more of Suga’s wiggles and his ridiculously adorable smile during his closing comments. I remember RM being far too handsome for anyone’s good. (Seriously, that man needs to back ALL THE WAY OFF!) I remember Hobi stealing all our hearts with his unfiltered sunshine, lethal smile, and stunning moves.

And then came the surprise songs…

When they played “Boyz with Fun,” I thought I had reached the pinnacle of fangirl euphoria. But when I heard that first note of “Danger”? I. LOST. MY. SHIT. 

Did I go into these concerts expecting to cry? No. No I did not. Did that stop me from bawling my eyes out as I watched them perform one of my favorite songs, off one of my favorite albums? Absolutely not! Tears of joy streamed down my face as I watched my beloved boys (who are most definitely no longer boys) sing and dance and goof around to one of the songs that solidified my love for them, for all eternity.

I would have loved to have captured just a tiny piece of that glorious moment on camera but there was no freaking way I could even keep my phone in my hand, let alone film anything with it. I was so far gone, I’m pretty sure the poor dude sitting next to me thought I was having some sort of psychotic episode. To be fair, I probably was, but this song has so much sentimental value attached to it, I just couldn’t help myself!

Dark & Wild was THE album for me. At the time of its release, it was the epitome of what K-Pop could be, should be, and needed to be. The very same friend I was in Vegas with, was the friend I squealed over the phone with as we listened to this album together for the very first time. It was the album they were promoting, the first time I saw BTS perform in-person. That tousle-headed Jimin was the one I accidentally ran (quite literally) into at LAX. Dark & Wild was the album that solidified my love of BTS for always and for ever, so to have them play “Danger” on the last night, of the first leg of their 2026 tour, with my friend sitting just a couple rows in front of me, hit something residing at the very core of my being so hard it made my soul sing!

I wish I could give you a better recap of these concerts but the truth of the matter is, I didn’t go to see BTS to write about the show. I went to enjoy myself in every way I could which is exactly what I did. I was one of 70,000 other ARMY who gathered in Vegas to show BTS just how much we love them, just how much we missed them, and how happy we were to have them back. The energy that last night was beyond intense. Everyone goes to Vegas to have a good time but this… Being there, in that moment, was an experience beyond what anyone could have possibly imagined, myself included.

To say BTS ended the night on a high would be an understatement. By the time they got to “Please” and “Into the Sun,” the crowd was absolutely feral, especially when Jungkook changed the line, “Nobody knows me, honey…” to “Nobody knows me, Vegas, no one like you…” which he sang, in this perfectly glorious line of harmonies to the underlying track that sent the entire stadium into a frenzy! I have no doubt, every single person in that stadium left that night with a heart full of joy and a head full of memories. My dearest wish is that RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook are able to say the same. I hope they left Vegas knowing they’re as loved beyond measure and that ARMY will always be here to support them. No matter what.

Ending the night on such a high, there was really only one thing left to do… Grab mediocre food at midnight, miss the last tram back to the strip, be forced to walk back through the last of the casinos I hadn’t seen yet, and meander our way across the strip as we reminisced about our favorite moments of the night. Back at our room, my bed beckoned the second I walked through the door and I was far too weak to resist. Allowing myself to be wrapped in its sweet embrace, I let sleep claim me, my soul and peace and my heart full.

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Zombie’s Adventures in Vegas: Day 2 – It’s Showtime!

When you wake up knowing that in just a few short hours, you’re going to be seeing one of your favorite bands live and in-person, the day just feels different. The sun is brighter, the birdsong is cheerier, the coffee is stronger… Well, the need for coffee is stronger anyway, especially when you’re running on Central Time while the rest of Vegas is grounded solidly in Pacific Time. Ugh! Why does 06:00 come so early!?

Despite my horrid brain’s incessant need to wake me up at 06:00, no matter where in the world I actually am, the day started off as well as any day could. Having experienced so much of what Vegas has to offer the day before, my friend and I agreed there was absolutely no reason to rush out and do things, especially not when we had a concert looming before us. Taking the morning to chill, listen to music, and get ready, we finally made our grand appearance in the world right around lunchtime.

Staying at Park MGM meant we had a wide variety of food options available to us but with this being a trip of firsts for me, we decided the best place to find sustenance was the Hard Rock Café. Being the music lover that I am, it’s a little hard to believe that I’ve never been to a Hard Rock in my life, but I have to say, the experience was pretty neat, even if the food was overpriced. (Though I will say that 20% off for K-Pop fans with concert tickets was nice!) Having finished our meal, we were invited to wander around the restaurant, which we were more than happy to do. Seeing little bits of music iconography, right in front of us, was pretty cool! The place had everything from a drum set that once belonged Bon Jovi’s Tico Torres, one of Kurt Cobain’s acoustic guitars, several animation cells from The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine,” stage outfits for everyone from Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. to Elvis, to David Bowie and KISS, and an entire display of guitar picks that ranged from John Lennon to Joni Mitchell to B. B. King and so many more! Having a bit of a weakness for guitar picks (and the players who wield them) this particular display almost made me cry!

After a quick trip through the gift shop, it was off to buy water and batteries, because spending any amount of time in the desert requires copious amounts of water to survive and also because I am a weak-willed fangirl who, after spending more than a month resisting the temptation to buy ridiculous amounts of concert merch, finally caved and bought a lightstick. Finding the only Walgreens in town that actually had batteries in stock, it was clear the K-Pop gods were smiling upon us. With our necessities secured, it was back to the room to work on concert signs!

I’m gonna be honest with you, I never remember that signs are a thing you can actually bring to a show. Usually, I’m so caught up in the excitement of just being there, that the existence of signs flies straight outta my head. Lucky for me, my friend is a veteran fangirl who never forgets such things. With craft supplies aplenty, we got to work! 

Being my own worst critic, I’ll be the first to admit my sign wasn’t stellar, but it got the job done and it did it so well, that as we were headed over to the pre-sale merch pickup, we were actually chased down by a couple of younger fangirls who wanted nothing more than to tell us they loved our signs and give us a couple of freebies. Apparently being old, or at least OG ARMY, has its perks??? When I showed them the “DJ, Spin” side of our signs, they cheered, so I’m guessing they approved of our choices. In all honesty, this entire experience was just adorable and it made me unexpectedly happy. But isn’t that usually how it goes when you run across fellow ARMY in the wild? There’s something about being around people who love the same things you do, it just makes you feel good!

Now that I think about it, that’s probably why this time in Vegas was so much fun. It wasn’t just because I got to see BTS again (though that was definitely a big part of it), it was because I was in a space that was absolutely overrun with fellow ARMY. Seriously, everywhere we went, ARMY were there, soaking in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Though we didn’t always acknowledge each other, there was just this collective sense of belonging that made the city feel both alive and welcoming. It was truly incredible.

Incredible is probably the best way to describe the rest of the day. From the merch pickup, we somehow managed to wander into a massive freebie swap that left several of the casino employees in awe. Standing on the outskirts of this absolutely insane spectacle, we were approached by one such employee who asked us all sorts of questions about where we were from and what all of this was about. It was really fun, having a chance to share a little bit of K-Pop concert culture with him, especially when he was so visibly in awe. He couldn’t believe that people actually went out of their way to make things for total strangers and then give them away for free. Having never experienced anything like this before, he thought it was one of the coolest, nicest, things he’d ever seen in his life and honestly, I couldn’t agree with him more. 

With my friend’s supply of freebies exhausted and our bags absolutely overflowing with all the freebies we’d received from others, it was finally time to head to the stadium. Joining the throng, we made our pilgrimage over the Hacienda Bridge, somehow managing to find a place in line directly under one of the only trees in the area. See? I told you the K-Pop gods were smiling on us! We spent our time waiting talking to pretty much everyone around us, because what else are you supposed to do while you wait? Part of the fun of going to concerts is meeting new people and with 70,000 ARMY waiting to get in, there was no shortage of people to meet!

Getting into Allegiant Stadium was a lot easier than I thought it would be and having club access meant finding our seats was a breeze. Once inside there was nothing to do but chill, which is exactly what we did. With all sorts of delicious food calling to us, finding something to eat was easy. Happily settling on a Korean-inspired pulled pork sandwich my taste buds were delighted and my tummy was full. Is there really any better way to kick off your night of fun? I mean, I suppose I could think of a couple of ways that might be better, but realistically how often does one run into the members of the band you’re about to see, right before the show? (Though now that I think about it, that did actually happen to me once…)

Naturally, all of the excited butterflies I’d been trying to suppress for over a month hit me in full force as the minutes to showtime ticked by. I’d tried sooooo hard to keep my composure on the outside, but inside, I was an absolute mess! Luckily, I had quite a few friends, from all over the place, who I was surprised to find were also at the show that night. Even more convenient was the fact that most of them were very near where I was sitting! Again, the K-Pop gods were so kind! Running over to say hi to as many friends as I could find made the minutes to showtime fly by and before I knew it, IT WAS TIME!

There is absolutely no way I can give you a play-by-play of the concert itself. I was so caught up in the moment, I think I transcended to an entirely different plane of existence. I remember the lone runner, carrying a smoke flare that filled the stadium with a gray haze, signaling the time we’d all been anxiously awaiting had finally arrived. I remember the insane eruption of the crowd as our beloved BTS took the stage, back after too many years away. I remember being so happy I thought I might actually explode. And the way my brain broke when I realized that despite sitting in the 100 section, once he shed his jacket, I could clearly see Jimin’s pecs and deltoids and traps and lats and biceps and triceps and abs and… and… OMG, just thinking about it is making my brain melt again. HELP! He said all the protein he’s been eating has been going straight to his hair BUT HE LIED!!! That flimsy little tank top left absolutely nothing to the imagination! God bless his stylists and all their descendants for many generations to come! (I told you I had a problem processing muscles in real life, for whatever reason, they just break my brain!)

I remember Hobi’s bright smiles and Suga’s little wiggles and RM’s dimples and Tae’s little ab flashes and Jungkook’s ridiculous everything and Jin’s blown kisses. I remember my heart swelling to near-bursting when they sang “Like Animals” and I felt that call to abandon all external expectation and live your life as the truest version of yourself, in the very depths of my soul. I remember my absolute freak-out and my friend shedding tears of joy when they played “Attack on Bangtan” as one of the surprise songs. I remember the show being over far too soon and the overwhelming feeling of euphoria that seemed to permeate the entire stadium as we all tried to gather our collective senses and find a way back to real life.

Walking out of the stadium after the show, I was definitely riding a post-concert high which was convenient because the evening’s activities weren’t over yet! Making our way back to the hotel to ditch signs and SO. MANY. FREEBIES, we immediately headed for the MGM Bridge to take pictures of the city in all its BTS glory. OH. MY. GIDDY. FLIPPING. AUNT. Talk about a sight to behold! The entire strip was lit with BTS everything! Every billboard, every marquee, the Sphere, the Observation Wheel, the Eiffel Tower, the Luxor, Rio, and Mandalay Bay, you name it, it was red and it was AMAZING!

A couple of friends from NYC were in town for the show and since we didn’t have a chance to meet up at the stadium, we met up at one of the BTS-themed after parties held off Fremont Street. Since one of my friends had some sort of connection with one of the party organizers we not only got in for free, but were given the VIP treatment, which was totally wild and completely unexpected. I mean, it’s not every day you get escorted to a green room full of snacks and drinks and have a chance to chit chat with one of BTS’ dancers. To be fair, I didn’t really say anything to him because I’m a socially awkward weirdo who hates small talk and mingling, but my friends did, so go them, I suppose.

In all honesty, I’m not really a club person either (I know, huge shocker there) and it really is an absolutely awful place to try to catch up with friends you haven’t seen in over a decade because dangit, you can’t hear anything when the music’s poundin’! Still, we spent a couple hours boppin’ around acting like we weren’t all too old for this shit when in reality, I am 100% too old for that shit! (Have I mentioned how much I hate mingling?) Also, it was super weird to have the club photographer camp out on our side of the venue. I don’t know if he actually thought that having VIP status made us noteworthy or what, but he took way too many pictures for my liking (including one on the way out… blegh!). All I can do is hope the favor the K-Pop gods showed me earlier in the day carried over into the 02:00 part of Thursday because I really don’t want to be trapped on some stranger’s camera roll! 

After partying like it was 1999, it was finally time to call it a day. Happy, exhausted, and overwhelmed by pretty much everything, collapsing onto my bed was nothing short of glorious! If I’d had any mental power left, I might have taken a moment to marvel over the fact that I’d get to get up and do the whole thing over again tomorrow (or later that day, as the case may be) but the truth was, my brain had already melted so many times that day, sleep claimed me before I even had a chance to heave a happy sigh of contentment.

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Zombie’s Adventures in Vegas: Day 1 – Welcome to Borahaegas!

I’m convinced there are a handful of moments, in every person’s life, that leave an indelible impression. What these moments are, exactly, depend entirely on the person, as is the impact they make. Personally, I’ve experienced more than my fair share and seeing BTS live is most definitely one of them!

Having recently returned from a 4-day stay in Las Vegas that was nothing short of a dream come true, I can say with absolute certainty that this trip will live on in my memory as one of the best moments of my life.

It all started about a month ago, when a very wonderful friend of mine messaged me out of the blue, asking if I had tickets to see BTS. When I wailed over the fact that I wasn’t able to get them, she surprised me with the most unimaginable news ever: she had an extra ticket for Vegas and it was mine, as long as I could get there. When I tell you I have never booked a flight so fast in my life, I mean it! With a flight booked, a room secure, and a ticket waiting for me, there was nothing left to do but pray I could find a ticket for Thursday night somewhere that wouldn’t cost me my spleen and wait. And wait. And wait.

Lucky for me, the month of May is full of end-of-the-school-year insanity. Couple that with a speaking engagement at a product safety & stewardship conference in Kansas City (Yes, my real job is just thrilling, can’t you tell?), a trip to the Pokémon Fossil Museum Exhibit at the Field Museum in Chicago, a harrowing 10 minutes as I scrambled to purchase a Thursday night ticket before they all sold out again, and a couple of last-minute BTS-inspired crafts to wear during my trip, and time flew by quickly enough. Before I knew it, it was time to pack up my bedazzled handicrafts and head to Nevada. To say I was excited would be the understatement of the century.

Running on three hours of sleep and zero caffeine, I landed in Vegas at 07:30 on Tuesday morning, which, if I’m being honest, is an experience in and of itself. Most of the city is asleep, which is funny, coming from a place where most people are at work by then, but also very convenient when you want to hit up Cafe Lola for their special BTS drink. (No lines!) Naturally, after reuniting with my dear friend and fellow OG ARMY (after spending more than a decade apart), that’s exactly what we did.

From there, it was off to the hotel to drop off my luggage before setting out on a day filled with BTS-centered fun. No stranger to Vegas, my friend knew all the best places to visit, both as a first-time visitor and as ARMY. We rode the BTS monorail, wandered through The Venetian and visited the Grand Canal Shoppes (including a stop by Bauman Rare Books which was freaking incredible! If you’re a book nerd like me, you need to add this to your list of must-see sites in Vegas!), and grabbed donuts and coffee at Donutique, a ridiculous little patisserie that sells some of the most insane donuts I have ever seen in my life!  

From the Venetian, we wandered our way over to The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, making a stop at the ARIRANG pop-up store, because even though we couldn’t get in (*sob sob*) we were still able to grab our stamp for the “BTS THE CITY ARIRANG” Stamp Rally. Continuing our adventure through the Shops, I nearly lost my shit when I found Hobi’s adorable pink LV shoes in the wild. I don’t know why I got so excited over these shoes, other than I love shoes and I never thought I’d get to see these little gems in real life, much less touch them, but I did! As our adventure continued, we stumbled upon the ARIH pop-up, which meant we had to stop by for a quick visit. I absolutely detest taking photos of myself but I was willing to set aside my loathing if it meant getting a chance to win a cute keychain! I didn’t end up winning the one I wanted, but I did go home with a little click-y keyboard fidget that my neuro-spicy children absolutely love, so I’m calling it a win. 

The adventures continued outside of Caesars Palace, with a quick stop and photo-op at the “Welcome to Borahaegas” inflatable and then it was off to the Bellagio! When I tell you that casino is next level gorgeous, I mean it! The Mother’s Day display they had set up was quite literally mind-blowing. An over-the-top display of flowers and birds, faberge eggs, and a pink pony carousel, it was almost too much to take in at once! 

We wrapped up our adventures on the Strip with a trip to the Arte Museum to experience the wonder that was the Arirang Exhibition. Trying to find the words to describe this immersive experience isn’t easy. The exhibit starts with this infinite waterfall that both boggles the mind and confuses the senses. From there, you wander into a room of roses that immediately brings Dorothy’s field of poppies to mind. The room itself smells incredible, which was not something I was expecting, but very much enjoyed! Each room in the exhibit had something incredible to offer. From interactive flowers that bloomed and sparkled when you touched them, to boldly colored animals wandering (or in the case of the Arirang whale, floating) their way around the room, to a giant wall of water that transitioned from massive tidal wave into the Arirang symbol, the entire exhibit was a treat for the senses. The highlight of the exhibit had to be the Arirang Garden and the immersive 15-minute mini-concert that included “No. 29,” “Body to Body,” “Swim,” “2.0,” and “Into the Sun.” With visuals playing on every wall, our trip through the Garden was so much fun. Everywhere you looked, there was something new to see and it was all incredible! Of course, we had to include a stop by the Arirang Café to enjoy a sweet little pick-me-up and even that was an experience, with the Arirang logo being projected onto our drinks at a table that was an interactive experience, in and of itself. It was honestly so wild!

Finishing our time on the Strip with the Arte Museum exhibit was honestly perfect but our adventures in Vegas were far from over. Having been told by other Vegas veterans of a pizza place around Fremont Street, my friend and I decided to head that way for dinner. While the pizza was fine, it was experiencing the utterly insane energy of Fremont Street that really made an impression! With zip lines whizzing overhead and a giant dancing gorilla to greet us, I had no idea what we’d just walked into! But that was only the beginning! Have you ever been bedecked with Mardi Gras beads by a gorgeous, half-naked Chippendale dancer? Because I have and let me tell you, standing in front of that much beauty (the man had the most gorgeous eyes!) and muscle (OMG, how was he even real?), while he fishes out purple beads because they’ll match your hair, then calls you baby as he puts them around your neck is an EXPERIENCE! I don’t think I breathed the entire time I was standing there, trying to figure out where to look because his eyes were too pretty and his chest was too bare and I didn’t want to be rude and stare so I just froze while my heart stopped and my brain melted. How I managed to walk away from that experience, I’ll never know. But I don’t think I started breathing again until that pair of gorgeous men were well behind us. Oh the things you experience in Vegas! With my brain struggling to understand how one can go from a strong, intelligent, independent woman to blathering idiot at the sight of muscles and a little male attention, we decided it was time to go.

Of course, one can’t come to Vegas and not visit the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign; but especially not when they turn it red in honor of one of your favorite bands! It was neat to see such an iconic piece of Vegas landscape in person but honestly, the sign is a whole lot smaller than they make it look on TV and in movies! Still, it was a fun little side-quest and something my friend had never done, in her 30+ years of coming to Vegas, so it was definitely worth it! 

Seeing the entirety of Vegas go all-out for BTS was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. Everywhere you looked, there were “BTS THE CITY ARIRANG LAS VEGAS” signs: casino marquees, the Sphere, billboards on the strip, stand-up signs on the street, the Las Vegas sign itself… Naturally, I took pictures of every single BTS sign I could possibly find and when I tell you there were a lot, I am NOT joking! When BTS says they’re taking over a city, they TAKE. IT. OVER. Everything was covered in red for BTS and being there, in the middle of it all, experiencing something I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams, made my little ARMY heart so freaking happy! 

To say I ended my first day in Vegas on a high would be an understatement. Little did I know this was only the beginning!

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BTS is Back, Baby!

There are very few bands in the world capable of dragging this Zombie out into the world again, but BTS is definitely one of them. So here I am, with a few rambling thoughts on a comeback I didn’t realize how badly I needed until it hit me with all the force of a raging typhoon.

It’s been more than a week now, since BTS made their long-awaited comeback with their fifth full-length studio album, Arirang, and though I know the interwebs are already flooded with about a zillion different opinions on the album, I couldn’t help but feel the time has come for me to share my thoughts as well. Not so much because I think what I have to say is all that important, or even relevant, (Because let’s be real here, how many people out there even know this little blog of mine even exists anymore? Or perhaps the real question is, do people even read blogs anymore???) but because I feel like if I don’t at least attempt to let out some of the feelings I’ve been feeling over the past week, my heart may actually explode!

With the release of Arirang, their Netflix concert live-streamed from Seoul, their NYC Spotify performance, their double appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, their appearances on a number of interviews and variety shows, including Epik High’s Epikase and Hot Issue Ji, and the release of their Netflix-exclusive documentary, BTS the Return, BTS made their global comeback in a way that only BTS could. Which means that not only have we been blessed with what is easily one of the best BTS albums ever recorded, but we have SO MUCH CONTENT available to keep our little ARMY hearts happy for a very, very long time. And that’s a good thing because seriously, have you looked at the world lately? Having a reason to smile every time I sit down to doom scroll is such a glorious relief! I’d honestly almost forgotten what it was like to feel anything other than endless rage, day in and day out, so to feel joy again, after so long, is like taking a big breath of fresh air on a warm “Spring Day”, after enduring endless months of gray, frozen winter. (Eh, eh, see what I did there? ㅋㅋㅋ)

It’s having this feeling of “Euphoria” (sorry, couldn’t help myself) back again that’s making it hard for me to understand why anyone might be less-than-thrilled with BTS’s Arirang. Have people so quickly forgotten what it was like, living in a world where you didn’t have Jimin’s smile on standby, there to brighten up your day, anytime you needed it? Or what it was like to listen to RM & Suga discuss their music and to actually feel how much thought and sheer passion they put into their work? Maybe some people aren’t really digging their “new” sound, but seriously, isn’t having BTS back in your life on a daily basis enough?

Of course I have to put “new” in quotation marks because honestly, any day-one ARMY will tell you that Arirang is every bit as much “BTS” as every other album they’ve ever released. Heck, I would argue that it’s even more so because it feels to me that they’re not only embracing who they are as individuals, but also who they are as both Koreans and global icons. There’s a level of maturity to Arirang that albums like O!RUL8,2? could never reach, but that’s because the members of BTS aren’t the same people they were 12 years ago. Just as I’m not the same person I was 12 years ago and, odds are, neither are you. 

The members of BTS have lived lives none of us will ever understand, they have experienced things none of us will ever experience, and they have chosen to step back into this ridiculously insane life as global superstars, because they recognize that the music they make isn’t just music. It’s a message, of hope, of encouragement, of understanding, of solidarity, and most importantly, love. If you take time to really listen to Arirang, to look up the lyrics you don’t understand, to sit with them and the message therein, you begin to understand that there’s so much more to this album than a collection of killer tracks, it’s not just music, it’s a baring of the soul. 

Which, again, is why I have to wonder at so many of the negative comments I’ve seen regarding this album. “It’s not Korean enough.” “It’s not BTS enough.” “It’s too pop-y.” “It’s not pop-y enough.” “It’s got too much English.” This list of complaints goes on and on and on and every time I come across one, my reaction is the same because, seriously!? BTS was gone for four years and the second they come back the only thing some people can do is complain about how it doesn’t meet their limited expectations and dares to challenge their personal understanding of who BTS is? For the love of Jimin’s jams!

Being an American, I can’t speak to the depth of Korean authenticity BTS has imparted in their album on any sort of personal level, because again, I’m not Korean. But that doesn’t mean that information isn’t out there, for anyone willing to look. There are plenty of Korean content creators, who have shared some truly interesting and insightful context for this album and I have thoroughly enjoying hearing their thoughts on everything from the history of “Arirang” (as in the folk song itself) and its inclusion in “Body to Body,” the resonance of the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok which is featured in “No. 29”, the social significance of “Aliens” lyrics, and so much more. There are so many layers of “Koreaness” to this album that to say otherwise just feels so wrong. For anyone interested, I’d recommend taking just a couple of minutes to check out the National Museum of Korea and posts by creators like Jinwoo Park on Instagram. I’m not kidding when I say Park Jin Woo’s posts alone have inspired a whole new level of respect for BTS, their vision for this album and its execution. It’s really quite fabulous!

As for those who choose to be upset over the musical styles BTS chose to showcase with this album, I’m not even sure what to say. Day-one ARMY know that BTS started out as a group of baby thugs who thought hip-hop meant rockin’ big chains, truly tragic hair (sorry, RM), and a big tough-guy attitude. (See 2 COOL 4 SKOOL’s “We Are Bulletproof Pt. 2”, for reference.) The fact that they chose to use the first half of Arirang to remind us that hip-hop, in all its forms, is and always will be the very foundation of the group, is something that makes my day-one heart so freaking happy, I’m almost at a loss for words. Almost.

To those who first discovered BTS during their more pop-centric, colorful, “Dynamite,” “Butter,” “Permission to Dance” days, I can understand why tracks like “Hooligan,” “Aliens,” and “2.0” might throw you off a bit, but these tracks and this style aren’t new. They’re just the group’s latest take on a style that’s been evolving since their debut. I’m sure I’m not the only early-ARMY who remembers the last time BTS took a trip to LA to hone their craft. Surely someone out there remembers what we got as a result? Dark & Wild still ranks as one of my top favorite BTS albums and for good reason. Anytime these guys go to LA to work, they come home with a friggin’ masterpiece! 

As to the amount of English used in Arirang, to quote my children, “Be so for real right now!” Having spent the better part of two decades listening to non-American artists, I can tell you that any international artist who wants to increase their global reach knows that adding English lyrics is an absolute must. HYBE management knows this (they said as much during the documentary) and so English lyrics were used, not to overshadow the Korean, but to ensure that its reach went as far as possible. Because, as should be abundantly clear, singing a song with English lyrics doesn’t automatically negate the culture from which it originates. You think One OK Rock is any less Japanese because they release albums filled with songs in English? Of course not! The very idea is preposterous and so is the notion that BTS is somehow less Korean because they’ve given us songs in English. The use of English is just one more point of proof that BTS understands who they are and what is expected of them. To be a global phenomenon you have to connect to a global audience and like it or not, English is one of the ways an artist can ensure that connection.

Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I’m not here to tell anyone that they’re right or wrong. I’m just here to apply my personal artistic and creative literacy to an album that has been on repeat since its release over a week ago. (Sometimes having a neurospicy brain that likes to hyperfixate isn’t such a bad thing!) For me, Arirang is everything I wanted in a BTS comeback album and so much more. It’s got enough high-energy, hip-hop tracks to make my Dark & Wild-loving heart happy but it’s also got a depth and range that absolutely blows me away. Being a long-time lover of BTS’s slower tracks (“Save Me” and “Lie” still somehow manage to make my heart do the strangest things), loving songs like “Swim” and “NORMAL” has been so easy. “NORMAL” makes me weep everytime it plays, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like having such a sweet reminder to just keep swimming, even when life feels too big and overwhelming, is exactly what the world needs right now. But for me personally, it’s “Like Animals” that has completely stolen my heart. 

It’s no secret that as much as I love K-pop, rock is the music of my soul. So the very first time I heard “Like Animals,” my soul wept. This song is like nothing I ever dreamed BTS would release but it’s everything I needed. The impact of a power ballad should never be underestimated but one that floats somewhere between late-90s grunge and early-2000s emo, with its transitions from clean acoustics into this grungy, distorted, wailing guitar… Oh be still my wildly beating teenage heart! 

To say I love this song would be such an understatement. But it’s not just the melody that has soul weeping, it’s the lyrics as well. As someone who has spent too much of her life being forced to live a box of preconceived ideas of who and what I should be, who has spent the better part of the last decade fighting to tear myself out of that soul-crushing box, and who has only in the last couple of years begun to explore what life can be now that, for the first time in my entire life, I’m free to be who and what I want, I can tell you, this song hits hard and deep. To be invited to “eat this life until your heart is full” after being starved (for years) of all the beauty and goodness this life has to offer, and to be reminded that there are so many others out there, just as free and “untamable” as you are now, who are happy to welcome you into the fold, so to speak… How does one even begin to describe what that feels like? It’s overwhelming in all the best ways, which is probably why I have such a hard time listening to this song without bawling my eyes out. 

To say I love Arirang feels like such a gross understatement. It’s such a fantastic piece of art that brilliantly displays the many facets of BTS and there isn’t a single track I don’t love, for one reason or another. Every time I listen to it, I find something else to love and I couldn’t be more grateful to BTS willingly stepping back into a role they could have just as easily walked away from. After all, how many K-pop groups have enlisted in their military service and then faded quietly into oblivion? To understand the weight they were picking back up by returning as BTS, and make the conscious decision to step back into that life couldn’t have been easy. I have the utmost respect for each and every member of BTS and I am eternally grateful to them for making this comeback. Not only does having them back give me new reasons to smile every day (I had seriously forgotten how much fun their social shenanigans could be), but I’ve got a brand-new album on repeat that is straight-up “FYA!” (Yeah… I went there.) For the first time in a long time, the sun seems to be shining just a little bit brighter and my heart is full, all because BTS is back, baby, and with any luck they’ll be giving ARMY reasons to smile for a long, long time!

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Holy Buckets, She’s Still Alive!

I know! I know! I know! It’s been about 18 million years since I last posted anything on this long-neglected website. I have no excuse, other than life has been… a lot, these past few years. But in all honesty, hasn’t life been a lot for all of us these past few years?

Despite going MIA as Zombie Mamma, I’ve been around… Writing for Rakuten Viki, writing occasionally for Kpopconcerts.com, and most recently, taking a job as a full-time instructional writer who specializes in… wait for it…

Boats!

Yeah… Don’t even bother trying to ask about that. I still can’t quite figure this one out. But here I am! Writing about boats… Learning how to operate boats… Attending boat shows… Visiting super awesome boat building facilities… Making friends with actual boat captains… And meeting said boat captain’s very awesome friends… Which brings me to the whole point of this rambling…

A couple of months ago, I was attending a boat show in Annapolis, Maryland and while I was there, my co-worker captain friend introduced me to one of her good friends. We had a lovely lunch together and spent a good portion of the afternoon just talking and as we parted ways, my new friend asked me if I’d be interested in being a guest on her podcast.

Now, as you may or may not know. When it comes to dramas and music, I have no problem being on podcasts and panels and whatever else comes my way, because talking about stuff I love is easy. But when it comes to talking about myself, especially in a public space, I get a little nervous. After all, who really wants to know about the Mamma behind the Zombie? I have a hard time believing anything about my life is all that special. (A bit effed up maybe, but special? Not so much…)

Be that as it may, when Alka asked me to be a guest on her podcast, Changing Platforms, I found myself inexplicably saying yes. Blame it on too much time in the sun or the bottle of wine we shared at lunch… Whatever the case may be, two weeks after I got home from Maryland, I was on a call with Alka, recording the podcast I present to you now.

Unlike anything else I’ve ever done on this site, this podcast is a very open and honest conversation about me, my life, and how many strange and unexpected turns it’s taken over the years. Of course, I can’t really have any lengthy conversation about myself that doesn’t ultimately lead to Korean pop culture and entertainment; because apparently that isn’t something everyone just randomly becomes an expert in??? Who knew!?

So there you have it, a rare glimpse into the inner workings of one very Zombified Mamma. If you gave the podcast a listen, or a watch, depending on where you get your podcasts, then you’ve proved Alka right (when she said people who like to hear my story) and me wrong (when I told myself there’s no way anyone would ever want to hear my story and I was crazy for agreeing to this in the first place. Yeah, I know, I’m still working on that whole self-love thing. It’s just that it’s REALLY HARD!) Feel free to leave a comment, if you want, or just drop a long-overdue hello. Because let’s be real here, it’s been WAY too long since we last met and I’ve gotta say, I’ve really missed ya!

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Three K-Dramas to Help You Forget Just How Stressful Life is Right Now

We all know the world is crazy right now. While some countries are going into a second lockdown, here in the U.S., all eyes are fixed on the results of this week’s presidential election. While staying up-to-date on everything happening in the world isn’t a bad thing, it does tend to bring with it, an overwhelming amount of anxiety. In an effort to help ease some of life’s stress, I’ve put together a short list of dramas that are sure to provide you with a much-needed and very welcome distraction.

Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol

Don’t let the name of this Netflix Original fool you. Behind this rather ridiculous title lies a sweet little drama full of warmth and charm. The story follows the adventures of Gu Ra Ra (Go Ara), a spoiled rich girl whose life is turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Determined to make the best of her situation, Ra Ra does the best she can to start a new life for herself. Along the way she makes all sorts of new friends, who help her on her journey. Of course, being a rom-com, there has to be a love interest and that role is filled nicely by Sunwoo Jun (Lee Jae Wook), an adorable young man with a heart of gold, who tries to play it cool on the outside but fails miserably.

The chemistry between Go Ara and Lee Jae Wook is undeniably adorable. There’s just something about these two that immediately makes me smile. This certainly isn’t a deep drama, but when your mind is overwhelmed by the stress of everything else going on in the world, it’s nice to have a drama you can turn to when you need a little dose of fluffy sunshine. I, for one, am thoroughly enjoying this drama, even if it sometimes makes me feel a little guilty for not playing the piano as often as I should…

Tale of the Nine-Tailed

For those of you who enjoy the romance but would rather skip the fluff, this tvN fantasy thriller may be just what you’re looking for. As the name implies, Tale of the Nine-Tailed follows the story of Lee Yeon (Lee Dong Wook), a thousand year old gumiho (nine-tailed fox) who gives up his position as the god of the Baekdudaegan, to scour the world for the reincarnation of his first love, Ah Eum (Jo Bo Ah).

Not surprising, it takes an insanely long time (as in 600 years) for Lee Yeon to finally find his beloved Ah Eum but eventually he does, in the form of a television producer by the name of Nam Ji Ah (Jo Bo Ah). The adventures that bring these two together are exciting, to say the least, but it’s not the supernatural excitement and intertwined fates that keep me coming back. Oh no. The thing that makes this drama absolutely irresistible is the way Lee Yeon is constantly looking at Nam Ji Ah. OH. MY. WORD. Every time he looks at the woman who holds his heart, I feel my own heart stop. I swear, if a man look at me that way, I’d melt into his arms and never leave again!

Of course, there’s more to this drama than heart melting looks and a tragic 600 year old love story. There are plenty of other supernatural beings vying for attention as this story unfolds and I am particularly intrigued by the dynamic between Lee Yeon and his half-brother, Lee Rang (Kim Bum). I like the way the story is going between these two so far and I’m very interested to see how their relationship will play out in the overall story.

With plenty of excitement and lots and lots and LOTS of pretty (I’m looking at you, Lee Yeon) you’re sure to find yourself sufficiently distracted by this drama. And even if you’re not, who doesn’t want an excuse to swoon over Lee Dong Wook for a couple of hours each week? (Yeah, I know, I’m letting my inner fangirl show but’s fine. She hasn’t been out in full-force in MONTHS!)

Zombie Detective

This last drama is an unexpected treat. I had heard of KBS’s zombie drama a couple of months ago but I just never got around to watching it, until recently. Now I’m hooked. The story is pretty self-explanatory. It starts with Kang Min Ho (Choi Jin Hyuk) waking up in a landfill as a zombie. How he died and became a zombie is a mystery that Min Ho is determined to solve, but doing so won’t be easy. Training himself to walk, talk, and act like a human, the zombie Min Ho enters the human world and inadvertently takes on the role of a private investigator.

Terrified of humans, Min Ho’s transition into the human world is nothing short of hilarious. His struggles to overcome his innate zombie-ness are both funny and endearing. I swear, I haven’t seen a zombie this adorable since Nicholas Hoult stole my heart as R in the 2013 film, Warm Bodies.

As one would expect, our zombie hero soon finds himself teamed up with a tenacious young woman by the name of Gong Sun Ji (Park Ju Hyun). Though their relationship doesn’t start off on the most conventional foot, the two seem to be well-suited for each other, as she’s a former investigatory journalist in need of a job and he’s a reluctant zombie detective in need of, well, everything. Together this unlike pair take on various cases, help solve some unique crimes, and I’m hoping, will ultimately uncover the mysteries behind the existence of zombies.

Bonus Round – Older Dramas Are Our Friends

While some people may enjoy the unexpected twists and turns of a new drama, there may be others out there who might find more comfort during these trying times, settling into an old favorite. Personally, I’m doing a bit of both these days. Thanks to Netflix Party (or Teleparty, as it’s now called) I’ve been watching Oh My Ghost with a dear friend of mine. While we may be separated by half a continent, we’re still able to get together once or twice a week to watch a drama and forget just how stressful life is for all of us right now. To be honest, having a party to look forward to is sometimes the only thing I’ve got keeping me going.

At the recommendation of that same friend, I’ve also started watching Healer. How I’ve managed to go this far in life without ever watching this drama is beyond me, but I’m watching it now and I’m loving every second of it. (Dear gracious, does Ji Chang Wook know how to make me swoon!)

But enough about my drama watching habits. What I really want to know is, how have you been coping with the stress of life these days? Have dramas been helpful in any way? What are you watching right now? Let me know in the comments below. It’s been ages since we last had a chance to chat and I’d love to hear from you! Until then, hang in there and just remember to breathe. You’ve got this!

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Making Monday Better: A Scary Good Halloween Playlist

With Halloween just a few days away, I thought it might be fun to take a little break from the endless ONE OK ROCK playlists and do a little something to celebrate this day of spooky goodness!

I suppose I should start off by saying that if you’re looking for a K-Pop filled Halloween playlist, this isn’t it. I guess that’s kind of obvious when Jack the Pumpkin King is headlining this list, but still, I just wanted to make sure I avoided any confusion. That being said, if a spooky K-Pop playlist is what you’re looking for, I’ve got you covered! A few yeas ago I made the ultimate K-Pop Halloween playlist and well, it might be a little dated but when it comes to Halloween, does that really matter? I think this current playlist would prove that it does not!

I thought that this year, instead of focusing strictly on K-Pop, I’d just make a playlist full of all sorts of creepy fun. And when I say “all sorts” I really mean ALL sorts! This playlist is about as eclectic as they come. Which, I suppose, gives you a pretty good idea of what my actual music collection looks like. I’ve gathered music from all over the place for this Halloween inspired playlist which, in all honesty, is what makes it so fun. There really is something for (almost) everyone. So have fun listening your way through this one and if you have any songs you think would be a good addition, let me know. Maybe I’ll add them! Until then, enjoy this weird little mix and be sure to have a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 🎃

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Making Monday Better: ONE OK ROCK 2018 Ambitions Japan Dome Tour ~A Playlist~

Another Monday is upon us and you know what that means! Yup! Another playlist is here to help brighten up the most dismal of weekdays! Woohoo!

As any OORer knows, yesterday was ONE OK ROCK’s “Field of Wonder” concert. To say it was a concert to remember would be such an understatement. It was an experience like no other. But I won’t spend this entire post gushing about how amazing it was. Instead I’ll just say that if, at any point during this pandemic, OOR decides to do another live-streamed show, I’ll be there.

With the concert now over life seems to have lost a bit of its color. It was fun, having something new to look forward to. Now life has gone back to the same old routine and honestly, it’s kind of depressing. Still, OOR did perform a new song during yesterday’s show and that does give me some hope that something good might be appearing on the horizon sometime in the not-too-distant future. I’m crossing all my fingers anyway. I am in desperate need of a new OOR album. Heck, I’d be happy with just a single. Honestly, anything I can use as a reminder to keep on keeping on would be great.

Until the day comes when OOR graces us with new music, I’ll keep listening to all the music we already have and I’ll keep making more playlists. (At least until I run out of concert setlists.) Because everyone needs to find a reason to smile every now and then. Even on Mondays.

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Making Monday Better: ONE OK ROCK 2017 Ambitions Japan Tour ~A Playlist~

Another Monday has somehow managed to creep up on us and you know what that means… Yup, it’s time to chase away the dreary doldrums of the day with a brand new ONE OK ROCK playlist!

To be perfectly honest, this playlist was a bit of a challenge to put together. It could be because I’m suffering from a serious case of fuzzy Monday brain or it could just be because there are so many different versions of these songs out there. Finding videos to fit this particular tour wasn’t easy. (The overlap between the 2017 Ambitions tour and the 2018 Ambitions Dome Tour makes things a bit tricky.) All I can really say is that, I tried.

Honestly, if you want the full concert experience for any of these playlists, you really need to go buy the official DVD/Blu-Ray. The 2017 Ambitions Japan Tour is one of my particular favorites. The Toruka moments in “20/20” are absolutely priceless (I can’t help but squeal every time I watch them) and their rendition of “One Way Ticket” is one of my all-time favorites. Between the emotion in Taka’s voice and Toru’s freaking guitar solo, I find myself in tears every. single. time. I can’t really help myself. It’s just soooo good!

Speaking of concerts… Was anyone else’s mind completely blown by the teaser trailer OOR released last night/this morning? For some reason, I was expecting this upcoming concert to be more of a hyped-up studio jam session, rather than a full-blown concert. But then I watched this latest trailer and my brain completely exploded.

I realize that this upcoming concert has “Stadium Live Streaming” in its title, but for some reason I just didn’t expect it to be held in an actual stadium. After watching this trailer I’m slapping myself in the head because, of course, if OOR is going to do a live concert, it’s going to be on the most ridiculous scale imaginable! Do feel silly for not expecting this upcoming concert to be anything less than epic? Yes. Yes I do. But that’s okay because now I’m even more excited than I already was, and that’s not a bad thing!

With a concert less than a week away and a new playlist to enjoy, hopefully we can all find a reason to smile today. But if, for whatever reason, you just can’t find something that brings you joy, go look up that Toruka moment I mentioned earlier. If that doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what will!