WARNING – This post contains shallow thoughts and lots of oogles.
Falling in love does wonderful things for brain chemistry, and nothing can get us through a helluva day more delightfully than dreaming about our latest crush. (Science for those interested is here and here.)
Less scientific version: When you see something you like, the pleasure center, a.k.a. NAcc, lights up in your brain. Repeated viewings makes it release happy hormones that flow happily through your body making you happy. One neurotransmitter – dopamine – drives you to keep looking at this object, and another – serotonin – rewards you for doing so.
Therefore, it makes sense that when we find someone cute, we can’t get enough of them.
I have never been dedicated to ONE Mine. There’s a trail of them following me through my drama watching life. I don’t have a specific type either. Ha Jung-woo, Shin (Big), Roy Qui, Lee Jung-jae, Jung Il-woo, Go Soo, Ethan Ruan, Song Kang-ho, LGX, PIE, Lee Jin-wook are some of the many on the list. As I see and learn more about a character or actor, I fall deeper, living with him in my fantasy world for a time until a new one comes along. I slowly let go of the current obsession, keeping fond memories of my loves forever and ever.
Right now, it’s all Chilbongie, and to some degree, Yoo Yeon-seok, all the time. He is not perfect, but he is oh so pretty. Depending on his current role, his face makes us afraid, icked out and SQUEEE! Watching him on Hwasin, I get the impression that cute Chilbongie is very similar to the man himself, only a lot less savvy.
In Reply 1994, his character didn’t jump out at me right away. Oppa so completely owned Najung’s heart, I couldn’t see Chilbongie’s worth. Slowly “hmmmmmm” moments stole my attention, culminating in me deciding to hell with the story, this is all about ME. I WANT CHILBONGIE FOR MYSELF.
( I may be guilty of objectifying the male body with this post, however, I believe the creative team had people like me totally in mind when they presented uri Little Pitcher That Could…Don’t blame me if I have taken the bait, hook, line and sinker, people!)
I love all the things! Where do I begin and what do I include? What did I miss?
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
The back. Is this the Korean David?
That little ridge of ligaments on his side that protects his rib cage. Serratus anterior. Thank you, Anatomy!
The black shirt.
The head tilt, my god, the head tilt.
The tricep, bicep and teres major. Do you know how many times I have replayed the wave?
The disappointment, disgust, resolve and apology after his sunbae’s tasteless and sexist comments about Najung.
The never-ending cucumber mask.
The egg disaster: Utter shock, suspicion, revenge and pouting.
The “Look I am being friendly!” shoulder nudge, and bonus! The Black Shirt is there, too.
The brown sweater of confession. I love that sweater and have looked everywhere online for one so I can pretend I borrowed it from my boyfriend. You know, the professional baseball player, number 77? I don’t know his whole name, but it’s Kim Something Joon.
The way he says the number 5. Oh so kissable.
The attempt at lying about “all the girls” that come to watch him play…
…when really only ONE matters.
The thrill of victory…
…the agony of defeat.
The eating of the hamburger. OK, maybe my brain was about to short circuit watching this scene but, my god, the hamburger.
Finally, on purpose, I leave you with the Sweaty Hair of Determination and Stubbornness. It is my strongest desire that the SHofDaS will be there for him as he moves on with his life, finds a new love (ME!) and lives happily ever after.
It may be a little painful getting there, ☹ but we know he will smile again. We have seen the future. ☺
Jomo's Findings 
jomo, I’m glad in a selfish way that the snowstorm prevented you from driving all the way to Toronto for the meet-up because this most perfect Chilbongie post shows that you used your time wisely! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your CB love^^
You are welcome! My son was bugging me while I was screen capping and writing this, asking why I was spending all that time on something so dumb. Finally I said, “Let me finish. Even if nobody ever reads this, I have to get it all down.”
Strange how much better I felt when it was posted. ☺
This is the torture and deliciousness of obsession. ♥ ♥ ♥
I really loved your Chilbongie and Yogi post–so deep and wise. This one is even better. Nice to know we have the same taste! I am glad I found your blog. I will keep coming…
Thanks! Nice to have you!
I wish you also included a pic of him during the good bye hand shake. Oh… he was so pretty there too!
Added! 🙂
Would it be too much to ask for a gif for it? Pretty, pretty Jomo pleaseee???
@nomad- I never did a gif before, but if I were to learn how, I would do the “Tsous les jarous” one first.. He was so freaking cute.
AH YES SCIENCE!!
i’d love to list more muscles worthy of mentioning but i’d just sound pervy. hehe
yoo yeonseok is also my main guy love right now. AM1994 introduced me to a side I never expected him to have. He was sooooo hateful in werewolf boy and was a bit of d*****b** in Architecture101. But chilbong, omg chilbong.. He made the character 100076823649x more lovable. His Hwasin and Strong Heart guestings showed that he’s also a sweetheart outside his chilbong persona.
looking forward to your post about the upcoming episodes! even if chilbong loses in the battle for najeong, i’m pretty sure we’ll still be able to celebrate how awesome he is.
If they gave us more muscles to oogle, I think I would explode!
I love Chilbong and I love science, so I thank you for combining the two in this lovely post.
I wish YYS would consider featuring in Human Movement text books, I might feel more motivated to study. And by study I mean oogling at his rectus abdominis muslces and pectoralis major muslces.
sorry, was too distracted by the pictures to realise my misspelling of muscles…
Got redirected here from the soompi forum of chilbong-najeong shippers and I’m glad I clicked it, I love love love this post, thanks for making it. Hugsss!!
Yay science! I can’t wait for next week’s episode where I’m hoping our Joonie will get WAY more screentime than the cameos that he had for the last 2 🙂
Hmm (Lego Lee avatar?) Anyway, I am an oppa shipper, but like I said before, I do not think it is all really over. Why have the proposal with FOUR episodes left? I actually have a friend who still thinks that the husband is Haitai because of the way BOTH Chilbongie and Trash Oppa look at each other over the baseball in the future–as if both are a bit melancholy. Why would the writers have the whole Yogi saying about “it’s not over,” if it were really over? As much as I like my OTP, I think it would be diingenuous of the show to have them end up together and still keep up the “oh my which one turns out to be her husband” bit till the end. In other words, keep up the hope, Jomo.
Yes, Lego Leeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Since my heart has been thoroughly crushed, I can’t deny it. I need to find solace in the next perfect man.
My next post will be “I Love Lego Lee Because I Have Eyes and Ears”
How about, “I love Lego Lee because I breathe”? That works for me, too. There is so much snow coming down here that they actually cancelled the final exams scheduled for this afternoon. Human Resources just sent out an email to people telling all non-essential personnel to go home NOW. I am already home, so I feel as though I have time now to rewatch the preview for episode six yet again. . . instead of grading those last six papers before a whole stack of term papers get submitted electronically this afternoon.
But I cannot for the life of me figure out what and why Answer Me 1994 would need any more episodes for if Na Jung and Trash Oppa are going to be together. I mean are they going to ship her off to America for school will the ex-girlfriend come back pregnant with his child? The only things I can think of a makjang shenanigans which also don’t fit this show. It has turned into something more frustrating then suspensefully entertaining.
Hmmm…I may just use your title after all…
I think with R94 that if we didn’t have a hubby mystery to solve and we didn’t KNOW she ended up with one of them, it would be less frustrating to watch them come together and separate and come together again in the next few.
Usually there is some doubt that the OTP will end happily. That is gone. There is no suspense if Oppa comes back or not. He does.
We can’t pretend either HT or CB scoot in now, either
What is left?
Having HT develop a relationship will be fun to watch, and I will be really mad if we don’t get a perfect female for CBie to love love love him back. She could be the balm for our sore hearts.
Objectify away, I’ll join you in the Chilbongie drool fest! If the show doesn’t have Chilbongie & Na Jung end up together then I’ll rewrite it in my head to have a happily ever after with the two of them. Oppa is great and all but I don’t melt in a puddle.
Loved it and CB let me know if you find the sweater
Bwahaha.. I like the science. Along the way, we need to rationalise the obsession to assure ourselves that we are still sane. I remember many moons ago I had this serious crush on a hoobae, a year younger, everything that came out from my mouth was about him but the minute I see him, I frozed and nothing right came out. For months I was this crazy person running around, I even thought about changing school and thankfully we did go out on a few dates and parted and that was the end of the craziness which I will always remember.
With Chilbongie, it’s turning out this way as well, I will come here to see the triceps, biceps and all everytime I think of him… Thank you!
I couldn’t refrain from commenting. Very well written!
Chilbong was the best thing on R94 for me. To this day still.
I don’t see Na Jeong growing up with Oppa, and it’s going to be a relatioship that will forever keep her in one role (and it did). Chilbong allowed her to be herself.
#whydoesitstillhurtalmostayearlater?
Your post made me come here and reread this. It does still hurt!!
You have inspired me. I should put up an annual post where Chilbongie fans can hang out and actively LOVE HIM. What would be the best date? The date he threw her the ball? Or the date he finally let go?
Jomo… we have a secret society where we actively LOVE HIM 24/7. Haha. But yes… every time there is a Chilbongie post I will reply and comment because that’s how how much I love the character.
As far as the date, I think the ball throwing would be appropriate :-). I think that date is a bit mpre exact than when he let her go.
very nice