Sex. Love. Literature.

It’s time for part two of our Transmigration and Isekai discussion with the incredibly knowledgeable Liliana, host of the Tea and Soju Podcast.  We wouldn’t be doing our due diligence if we didn’t consider how romance, relationships, and frequently inevitable heartbreak often steal the show when isekai and romance get together.  We also share some of our very favorite examples, and then close out the episode by theorizing what kind of transmigration story we’d be most likely to land in. Many thanks to our pinch-hitter editor, Jordan, who handled this episode! Plus, Spotify users, vote on our poll to help us decided on our next episode. (Non-Spotify users can let us know what you think on Instagram.)Episode was recorded November 8, 2025Show Notes:​Support us on Ko-Fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​Listen to our Joy Sparked: SLL Song Recs playlist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50MNBI1kYKdJgxh8CzEJF1?si=d9df62854c684557⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Three Years of Tea and Soju: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ZQll2XXKjIL3JkHpet1KL?si=b0ba3bd2f7be486e⁠Love in the Clouds review on Tea and Soju: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/69FceiqgaLKDwbEdwq1VIr?si=sLptb2gPTbu6WyCAww6GaQOther lit mentioned this episode: The Romance of Tiger and Rose, Joy of Life (CDrama), Yummy! Yummy! Yummy! (Cdrama), Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir (Webnovel), The Princess Royal.The Grand Princess (Cdrama), Blossom (CDrama), Till the End of the Moon (CDrama), The Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Mr. Queen (KDrama), Go Princess Go (CDrama), Love Hina, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom, Scarlet Heart (CDrama), Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (Kdrama), A Dream Within a Dream (CDrama), When Destiny Brings the Demon (CDeama), Zenshu, Long Live Evil and All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan, Extraordinary You, Moby Dick, The Story of Kunning Palace (CDrama)Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast. Support us on Ko-fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US.Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes (usually) drop the last Friday of the month.

Get ready for some hot takes from your SLL girlies!  In the first of two episodes, we’re joined by the host of the Tea and Soju Podcast and friend of the show, Liliana, to talk all things transmigration and isekai.Don’t know what that means? We’ve got you covered! We start out by identifying the defining features of these culturally specific genres and name drop some of our favorite examples. We also debate the difference–if there is one–between isekai and portal fantasy, in which Ayanni definitely gets in her grumpy anime auntie bag.Many thanks to our pinch-hitter editor, Jordan, who handled this episode! Episode was recorded November 8, 2025Show Notes:​Support us on Ko-Fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​Listen to our Joy Sparked: SLL Song Recs playlist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50MNBI1kYKdJgxh8CzEJF1?si=d9df62854c684557⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Three Years of Tea and Soju: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ZQll2XXKjIL3JkHpet1KL?si=b0ba3bd2f7be486eLove in the Clouds review on Tea and Soju: https://open.spotify.com/episode/69FceiqgaLKDwbEdwq1VIr?si=sLptb2gPTbu6WyCAww6GaQOther lit mentioned this episode: Daebak K-Rambles Podcast, NoSleep4Dramas Podcast, May I Ask for One Final Thing, Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher, Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede, Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher, Love in the Clouds (CDrama), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, A Dream Within a Dream (CDrama), The Romance of Tiger and Rose (CDrama), Alice in Wonderland, Spirited Away, Magic Knight Rayearth, Prince Caspian, Oshi No Ko, Till the End of the Moon (CDrama), When Destiny Brings the Demon (CDrama), Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart Ryeo (K and CDrama), How Dare You (Chinese Animation), Anne of Green Gables, Blossom (Cdrama), Uncle from Another WorldDon't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast. Support us on Ko-fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US.Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes (usually) drop the last Friday of the month.

The final installment of our deep dive into R. F. Kuang’s Katabasis is finally here!! Even three episodes in, we somehow still have more to say about this dark academic journey to hell. Corinne flexes her academic muscles in a conversation about consent in fantasy (and academic reality). Then we wrap up by turning to the book’s ending and our feelings about Alice and Peter's relationship.As a bit of a content warning, Katabasis deals with abuse and suicidal ideation. Because these themes are pretty central to the novel, we won’t be able to provide specific timecodes for when it comes up in our own discussion, but wanted to make sure you know going in. Many thanks to our pinch-hitter editor, Jordan, who handled this episode! Episode was recorded October 19, 2025Show Notes:​Support us on Ko-Fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​Listen to our Joy Sparked: SLL Song Recs playlist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50MNBI1kYKdJgxh8CzEJF1?si=d9df62854c684557⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Under Review's episode about prestige: Other lit mentioned this episode: Tess of the RoadOn Future SLL Episodes: Isekai and TransmigrationDon't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast. Support us on Ko-fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US.Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.

Episode two of our Katabasis deep dive is finally here! For some reason, we start the first of our spoiler-filled episodes with a sports metaphor before grumbling about Alice and Peter as academic types with whom we are quite familiar (and spoiler alert, we don’t like them).We also consider Kuang’s construction of hell as a university–but with the pretty clear argument that salvation is definitely not a dissertation.As a bit of a content warning, Katabasis deals with abuse and suicidal ideation. Because these themes are pretty central to the novel, we won’t be able to provide specific timecodes for when it comes up in our own discussion, but wanted to make sure you know going in. Many thanks to our pinch-hitter editor, Jordan, who handled this episode! (Look at us, using another sports metaphor.)What's Sparking Joy this episode: N.Flying & Heyley WilliamsEpisode was recorded October 19, 2025Show Notes:​Support us on Ko-Fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​Listen to our Joy Sparked: SLL Song Recs playlist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50MNBI1kYKdJgxh8CzEJF1?si=d9df62854c684557⁠⁠⁠⁠​Check out the Under Review Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/under-review/id1616708064 Other lit mentioned this episode: Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Under Review PodcastOn Future SLL Episodes: Isekai and TransmigrationDon't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast. Support us on Ko-fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US.Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.

After a long wait, we're really excited that Yumi's Cells Season 3 is finally here! In this mini-episode (a return of La Petit's perhaps?), we briefly chat about the Kdrama, what our prime cell would be, and what we're excited to see this season. (You can watch Yumi's Cells on Viki!)Show Notes:Support us on Ko-Fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to our Joy Sparked: SLL Song Recs playlist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50MNBI1kYKdJgxh8CzEJF1?si=d9df62854c684557⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Other lit mentioned this episode: Inside Out, Cells at WorkDon't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast. Support us on Ko-fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US.Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.