Resa's Top 10 Audio Drama Podcasts in 2022

Happy holidays everyone! It is the end of the 2022 and lots of people are making their wrap up posts. Although my current favorites are still shows that are on hiatus from before 2020, there were a LOT of new and ongoing shows in 2022. So here is my new annual personal list of favorites that I thought excelled or improved in 2022.

New or ongoing shows in 2022:

• Trice Forgotten is my favorite new 2022 show. It's queer mostly Southeast Asian "pirates" dealing with historically researched shenanigans. It's got bilingual characters, intriguing plot stuff, a great sense of humor and very convincing world building. The music is epic, the sound design is so cool & very oceanic, and the voice actors kill it. As a major bonus, each episode is also followed up by a research episode explaining the historical research with actual historians and professionals. NO SHOW, TV or audio drama, is doing this today! Please check it out.
  
• Desperado- They returned for a new season in 2022 and have really stepped up the quality!
  
• Gay Pride & Prejudice- One of the better modern adaptations of Pride & Prejudice, and not just because it's gay.
  
• Hi Nay- Currently, this is still the only horror audio drama featuring bilingual Asian main characters and this year they've also used their platform to raise important issues currently going on in the Philipines. One thing I'm finding very cool about the audio drama-sphere is that most western entertainment usually use Chinese/East Asian characters first for "Asian representation", but I'm finding that South Asians are appearing first in the bulk of indie audio dramas!
  
• Human Error- We finally have a full-cast gay zombie show! Not as gory as I would like, but it's quality and throws you in for a loop with its take on the zombie storyline.
  
• Malevolent- Every piece of praise you've seen for this one-person show is very much warranted.
  
• Mission Rejected - This show has seriously stepped up in quality compared to it's origins and the episodes released this year have been their best work.
  
• Quiet Part Loud - Jordan Peele managed to create a story that prioritizes audio storytelling and it does it very well. Admittedly, it's on the same level of other well-produced indie shows so you can't really tell the difference in budget, but if you are a loyal indie fan that is hesitant/worried,  I can vouch that this one is worth checking out.
  
• Skillset Pod- Aster Podcasting Network's Under the Electric Stars is still great, but I'd like to highlight Skillset Pod too because it's got those creative sound monsters that you only get in weird audio horror, but with queer mostly Southeast Asians. APN is really filling the much-needed void of Asian creators telling Asian/Asian American stories.
  
• WOE.BEGONE- Another one-man show that was amazing, but now he's got guest actors this season and the fandom has really grown to appreciate it! I'm so proud of how far this show has come.
  

Honorable mentions for 2022:

• Hubris Podcast- I left this off the top 10 because I participated in 2 rounds of this show and plan to be in more and while it's a stressful experience, it's a rewarding experience. The episodes that come out are also really good considering time limit! 
• Someone Dies in this Elevator- I also wrote a story for it and am a little biased, but it's an anthology worth checking out and also supports a TON of creatives. The new season being released right now have some PHENOMENAL writing. 
• The Sheridan Tapes- This show had the BEST original music out of ANY podcast this year, absolutely HANDS DOWN. The music absolutely killed it. The sound design and voice acting is great as usual. However, I found the story a little lacking this season perhaps because I wasn't super convinced about the end-of-the-world plot.
   

5 rediscovered old shows in 2022 that you should definitely check out:

- Vacant Arcadia- a cyberpunk musical with actually cool themes, PHENOMENAL vocals, and also VERY gay.
- Shoebox podcast- part of the Shoebox fanfic universe that is a Marauder's prequel.
- Splintered Caravan- this is fast-paced heist after heist after heist and the production quality is amazing.
- 3D Escape Room Frequency- an "interactive" puzzle solving audio drama that slowly reveals the true story, this is the most UNIQUE concept I've heard any show do, and I definitely suggest giving it a try.
- Blood Crow Stories- They're finally on spotify! I've been listening to them on Soundcloud for the past couple years.

LGBT+ Podcasts, part 1: Recommendations List

NOTE: This post was last updated in May 2021. Since then, a lot of audio dramas have updated or debuted!

Hello all! It's been a while. I'm a few years late compared to when it was trendy, but lately I've been listening to some more fiction & audio drama podcasts. They're an amazing form of media you can consume while multitasking- at work, running an errand, doing homework, tuning out your zoom call, and so on. 
I specifically mention LGBT+ podcasts, though, because although mainstream media is increasing in queer content, fiction podcasts seem to have the largest diversity and quantity in terms of good queer content. For the purposes of my blog, I'm interested in fictional narrative or serial audio dramas with established LGBTQIA+ main characters/couples.
This will be a two-part blog post and this first one is dedicated to an overall best-of ranking list of my personal favorites & some popular recommendations. See part two for reviews on my top 5 audio drama podcasts.

REVIEW: GURU Energy Drink and Clover Organic Greek Yogurt - Social Nature

Social Nature is a review website for sampling various organic products. I have been doing a number of reviews for them and likely to do even more. Here are a few of the ones I have done thus far!

Clover Organic Greek Yogurt: 4/5 ★★★★☆
"I tried the peach, strawberry, & plain yogurts. They were light, creamy, smooth to the taste. The peach/strawberry had a tiny sourness, but it wasn't too intrusive in the strawberry one. I highly recommend putting some granola in the plain one because it gives an interesting crunch/texture. I definitely felt refreshed after eating them & definitely look forward to review more."

Guru Organic Energy Drink: 4/5 ★★★★☆
"I got the Lite version & kind of wish I got original instead. On the positive side: it certainly did not have the artificial sugary or metallic lingering taste like red bull or rock star or monster did. It also did keep me energized so thats a plus. However, this version had a light soda taste that was kind of fruity (which I am personally not fond of)."

This is a slight #spon, although I don't have any freebie codes, but feel free to sign up and join in yourself!

Evolution of Dance Covers (Summary)

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As some of you may know, I've been in various dance/masquerade competitions for a while, and Kpop competitions in particular since 2013. During which time the state of dance covers in general began to flourish and evolve. This will be a considerably more mixed personal post (even more so that fanaccounts and reviews) about this evolution, especially in the American internet. I will also be talking about Jpop and Kpop alongside each other.

Resa's Recommendations - Manga & Anime

Hi everyone! This summer, CON SEASON is starting up once more!
Thus, why not a better time than to talk about my favorite mangas and animes?

Oh, the good ol' Hetalia days. Click here for 2016 vlog!

By the way, if you happen to be coming to FanimeCon 2016, make sure you stop by Fanimaid Cafe and Fanimaid!Live, as well as Fanime Cosplay Chess!

Funky Hair Dyes for Dark Hair (Updated!)

Updated 2022.
This is my giant post all about hair bleaching, dying, and hair care. Accumulated from 10 years of dying my own hair at home, with lots of trial and error.

Old: How I used to dye my hair with Special Effects (but still some relevant tips).

So see below for lots and lots more detailed information.

NatureBox [RESA HONEST REVIEW]

NOTE: This is not a sponsored post. More photos below.

So a ton of social media people has been promoting NatureBox in the last year and as YouTube trash, I finally gave in and tried one of their promos. I ordered: dried mango, mini Belgian waffles, salted caramel pretzel pops, chocolate granola, and mocha almond bars.

SHINee - "Everybody" MV [Review]

So SHINee came back a couple weeks ago with "Everybody" MV and I couldn't help cross-posting a review I made.

Basically this MV is two extremes: its either really bad or really good, not much in between.

Trouble Maker - '내일은 없어 (Now)' M/V - [Review]

Well. Looks like Cube achieved their desire for a 19+ MV, at least by Korean standards. Anyways, I feel like writing a spontaneous review.
     Compared to their first plot-based MV, this time I feel that the artistic direction was better and more cleverly shot even if the song and plot is just as shallow. That's probably one of the advantages of a music video over a TV show or movie and they were able to utilize it (adds another layer)! Awesome. SM can take a page or two out of their director's book (snickers at the Wolf/Growl drama MVs). So warning: spoilers below!

MVNEGood? SNSD "The Boys" & Secret "Love is Move" MVs Review

This week, we reviewed SNSD's "The Boys" and Secret's "Love is Move". Review vlog link here. Extra footage here.

Final Verdict: "Secret has a good video. Everything is coherent, looks nice, matches, and their style is still the same."

"The Boys" Final Verdict: "This video has fallen into Super Junior video formula trap. It has great art direction for separate individual members and moments. However, SM has made a big mistake by randomly tossing those gorgeous scenes with modern sets with electro-pop music. Major disappoint."

MVNEGood? JYJ "Get Out" MV Review

This week, we reviewed JYJ's "Get Out" MV. Review vlog link here. Extra footage here.

T.S.AAV Final Verdict: "By far this is JYJ's most improved music video. The video's story seems rather shallow to me due the larger amount of relevant dance/singing shots."

Rayestar Final Verdict: "Better than Ayyy Girl by far, and it's simple and easy to understand without the dramatics.

MVNEGood? Brown Eyed Girls "Sixth Sense" MV Review

This week, we reviewed Brown Eyed Girls "Sixth Sense" MV. Review vlog link here. Bloopers here.

T.S.AAV Final Verdict: "Artistically, I think this video (and the song) is very well done. Great symbolism, art direction, costumes, set, etc. The only issue I have, is the fact that this is highly highly manufactured to imitate a Western MV. Nothing wrong with that, it just sort of raises the question of whether or not, then, all those protest songs from America and Europe actually mean anything anymore if an entertainment company can just produce one. "

Rayestar Final Verdict: "I wonder what the budget was for the video. The music video itself was great in terms of symbolism and overall visual, but the comeback itself is clearly lacking both music and dancing."

MVNEGood? Kyujong "Yesterday" MV Review

This week, we reviewed Kyujong's "Yesterday" MV. However, there were terrible technical difficulties so we left this message instead. We truly apologize for the three week delay. 

T.S.AAV Final Verdict: "I think this is a good solo debut song, but the storyline is rather empty and there are a couple weird spots here and there in the video. however they're only noticeable if you're a crazy critic and willing to watch it objectively."

Rayestar Final Verdict: "Personally, I think Kyujong stands out more as a solo artist more than he ever could in the group SS501, where his voice was overshadowed by the stronger vocalists. Even now, though, Kyujong says he isn't aiming to compete or be compared to the other members. He just wants to make a decent debut, which he cleanly accomplished."

MVNEGood? KARA "Step" MV Review

This week, we reviewed KARA's "Step" MV. Review vlog link here. Bloopers here.

T.S.AAV Final Verdict: "It's a decent music video, nothing too amazing, nothing too horrible. The colorful art direction and scheme matches the music, which I like."

Rayestar Final Verdict: "It's awesome that KARA's finally dancing, but unfortunately, that's about the only thing that's great, because their music hasn't improved any. However, this is what defines KARA, so their comeback will more likely than not continue to boost their popularity."

Infinite - Paradise MV Review

T.S.AAV Review Only. Look forward to my vlog version.

-To quote a YouTube comment: For those of you who want to know what the MV means... basically the boys have well, died, and this girl is still waiting for them. They're begging her to move on or accept it. The train represents the journey to Paradise, and at the end, she walks out of the house, basically saying, goodbye. and thats why when she looks back L's not there.

>Lovely interpretation, thank you. 

-I REALLY love the song. I don't really like the video. This kind of gives away my age, but the chorus really reminds me of Pokemon. You know that really old 1st episode in the original english dub Pokemon anime, when Ash is rescuing Pikachu for the 1st time in the rain…. this sounds like it. A lot. 

-It's really high tho, I wonder if they'll be able to hit it live. Nonetheless, Im really beginning to love their 90s pop music style.

-Sungyeol and Sungjong still have the least lines, but when Sungyeol is singing... you see the girl more clearly than him, whereas you see Sungjong singing + closeup...

-The flashing lights inside the bus goes with the beat and that.is.lovely. Also makes it appear that they are moving.

-Inside the house, its also great that each time she passes by a member, he's initially in the dark or on the floor (in Sungjong's scene, I like to think that under the cloth is actually his body and the one sitting is his ghost)

-One thing that really urks me about Infinite is that they tend to look the same- their hairstyles are either slicked up/back or bangs swept to one side. This also happened in their other videos, which is why it's so hard for me to distinguish them apart. Which is ridiculous cause Super Junior, which has 13-15 members still manages to look completely different from each other.

MVNEGood? U-KISS "Neverland" MV Review

This week, we reviewed U-KISS's "Neverland" MV. Review vlog link here. Bloopers here.

T.S.AAV Final Verdict: "This is inarguably U-KISS's best music video, dance, and song so far. No cheesiness, no failed Engrish or manbras. However, big flaw- unless you're a hardcore delusional Kissme, there wont be anything else interesting for you to rewatch a year from now due to lack of interesting content."

Rayestar Final Verdict: "Definitely their strongest song and dance yet, and it's been ranking high on the charts. Too bad this heavily implies that it too Alexander and Kibum leaving the group to make them better, but hopefully U-KISS will be able to win their first first-place award soon. They deserve it."

MVNEGood? Miss A "Goodbye Baby" Review

This week, we reviewed Miss A's "Goodbye Baby" MV. Review vlog link here.

T.S.AAV Final Verdict: "I loved it. The set, the story, everything fits the message the song portrays. There's a couple technical difficulties, but, for Miss A's third MV, it still works out great."

Rayestar Final Verdict: "Miss A's comeback is reminiscent of 'Bad Girl Good Girl', which helped them earn Rookie of the Year. Even though the vocals aren't that strong and the dance is nothing special, they delivered their concept home."

MVNEGood? MBLAQ "Mona Lisa" Review

This week, we reviewed MBLAQ's "Mona Lisa" MV. Review vlog link here.

T.S.AAV Final Verdict: "This is a meaningful song, lovely metaphor comparing an unattainable to Mona Lisa's song, even if its a little extreme. The video is a little off in terms of referencing Europe and Mona Lisa."
Rayestar Final Verdict: "Not bad, from chill/sleek to beautiful ballads, but too bad that they're in TVXQ/Big Bang's shadows. Used quite a few sets."

U-KISS "Neverland" MV Review

 Can't help it… I need to do a mini-review of U-KISS "Neverland".
I'm really starting to enjoy AJ's deep English singing voice… anyways…
First thing- I think people should look up translations before they pass off the MV as making no sense. Unless its for SM's boy groups- their dance MVs are pretty much meaningless. But otherwise, most other companies with fewer groups to invest in, invest in creativity and it works.
So, back to "Neverland." More under the cut.

MVNEGood? - Super Junior "Mr Simple" Review

This week, we reviewed Super Junior's "Mr Simple" MV. Review vlog link here.

Unfortunately, this week, we lost a lot of the more important footage that would have gone into the review. So you can read them here.

T.S.AAV Final Verdict: "It's not that good. It's just Sorry Sorry and Bonamana with color. At least it makes sense though- it's a simple song, with a simple dance video, with simplified guys."
Rayestar Final Verdict: "The song is very Super Junior. It may be Sorry Sorry and Bonamana with color, but Super Junior looks and sounds like they've always been. The upside to Mr Simple is that their concept has changed to be more complexed through its ironic meaning. It's not really simple."