Scene analyses and comparisons: Sam-Girl-Wolf-Rose edition
As you know, for the past couple of weeks, I’ve been on the prowl for a good show to watch. I’ve sampled a bunch of series, but so far, none has really stuck. The ones I’ve found interesting have been on the mild end of the excitement spectrum, but nothing’s really gripped me.
Maybe it’s because I haven’t been very into any of the series I’ve been trying that I’m finding myself more critical of little things. For instance: scenes or beats that aren’t merely reminiscent of earlier dramas, but downright lifted from them and transplanted into the new one. It’s one thing to wear an influence on one’s sleeve (for instance, the striking musical similarities in Hello! Miss’s score to Dal Ja’s Spring were really obvious to me, but never got in the way); it’s another thing to pilfer directly.
(Random) SONG OF THE DAY
Vintage Blue – “Your Song” [ zShare download ]
First off, I tried I AM SAM because I heard it was light and funny, and I’m always up for light and funny. It stars the girl I recognized from hit sitcom Unstoppable High Kick, and I tend to be slightly more interested in series when I can at least recognize a cast member or two.
But immediately, from the first scene the series took the opening sequence of 2006’s bizarro, off-color teen sex film DASEPO NAUGHTY GIRLS — and without even trying to make the scene its own, I Am Sam just lifted the scene from Dasepo, apropos of nothing.
In both versions of the scene, a hapless, ineffectual high school teacher finds himself at the mercy of his rowdy, disobedient class, and hangs his head in shame. Shouldering the responsibility for being unable to teach his students properly, he invites the head student to come up and spank him in punishment.
In I Am Sam (above), the teacher is alarmed to see his students accept his proposal without hesitation, and shrinks back to have his bluff called. In Dasepo Naughty Girls (below), the teacher actually gets a perverse sadomasochistic thrill (it ain’t a sex comedy for nothing), since Dasepo is much racier than the made-for-television-broadcast I Am Sam. But that just highlights Sam’s lack of originality even more — not only did it directly copy previously released material, it watered it down.
By the way, the movie Dasepo Naughty Girls is not to be confused with the cable TV show bearing the same name, although both are based on the same blue manhwa series centering around taboo and sex-themed goings-on at Useless High School. The film is silly and free-flying, more raunchy than erotic, imbued in a rich candy-coated color palette, and boasting a roster of young new talent, including Kim Ok Bin (Over the Rainbow), Park Jinwoo (Nonstop 5, Bad Family), Yoo Gun (Hello God, Bad Couple), Kim Byul (Taereung National Village), Eun Sung (Que Sera Sera), Lee Kyun (Hello Francesca), Lee Yong Joo (Goong)…
The cable TV version is completely different in tone — darker, more perverse, weird. But that’s something for another post.
And then, there’s TIME OF DOG AND WOLF, which I should’ve been much more interested in seeing, because I think Nam Sang Mi (Bad Family, Sweet Spy) is adorable. But when I watched the first episode, it felt so… empty. All flash and no substance.
Its high-octane opening should have been exciting — Lee Junki speeding away in a furious high-speed car chase — but it was like a James Bond movie without the Bond. I don’t have much of an opinion on Lee Junki, but I’ve noticed his tendency to overact, back when he was the sensitive second lead in My Girl.
(I stole this pic from the thread at soompi; sorry, I don’t know any further credits.)
(Can we talk about My Girl for a second? I see why people consider Lee Junki cute, but I don’t really get the appeal. And as Jeong Woo, he was vastly annoying with his over-emoting — oh great, now he’s crying again. Poor him. I never believed he was truly in love with Yoo Rin, so all his tears and blubbering got on my nerves. I would actually yell at my screen, “I don’t feel sorry for you at all! Next!” Between him and Park Shi Yeon of the flaring nostrils, it’s a wonder My Girl was so charming — actually, I think Lee Dong Wook was the only actor who didn’t overact in the entire series.)
Anyway, so Time of Dog and Wolf left me bored, and then I forgot about it. Until, that is, I randomly picked another old series to watch, 2005’s GREEN ROSE, which immediately brought back to mind Dog and Wolf’s first episode.
Similarly, Green Rose immediately kicks off with a high-speed car chase — our hero, played by GO SOO, is desperately trying to shake off the authorities, unsuccessfully. In total contrast to Wolf and Dog, the opening of Green Rose had me intrigued and invested — I’m still not sure why, and I’m not going to oversimplify it as an acting comparison between the male leads, although that is one factor.
It could be that Dog and Wolf kicked off its action without context — a guy in a dark car, chased by dark-suited guys in more dark cars. But Green Rose pays more attention to emotional context — Go Soo drives a newlyweds’ car decorated in “just married” ribbons, in sad, sharp contrast to the grimness of his situation. It could also be because of Go Soo’s interpretation of his character, who drives on with solemn, desperate, but cool determination. He’s got the Bourne Identity underdog thing going for him — clearly outnumbered, clearly screwed, driving a battered car into a dead end — that makes us want to root for him. And when he’s caught, his despair is stark, as he looks at the water below, preparing to jump — and rather than giving us a Fugitive-esque moment where we know he’s going to survive the fall, Go Soo is at the end of his road.
It’s a pretty ballsy way to start off a series, because Go Soo closes his eyes in finality, and thinks:
“I could have been happy, too. Mother, Su Ah… We could have been happy. Couldn’t we?”
And then he jumps…
“At just 26 years and eight months old, in the cold river waters, I died.”
This is seven minutes into the first episode. Then we backtrack to happier days.
Normally, Green Rose is exactly the kind of series I’d hate to watch — there’s NO HOPE, and seriously, you think I’m gonna stick around?? It’s a hair melodramatic for my taste, and as far as I’ve seen it’s not really funny at all. Even the lovely Lee Da Hae wouldn’t be much of a draw in a series I dislike. But for some reason, there’s something compelling about Green Rose — and I’m sure many viewers felt the same, given its success during its initial run two years ago. But we’ll see how things go…
(Oh, by the way, please don’t spoil me for Green Rose — I don’t really care about the others, but in the event I stick with Rose, I’d hate to lose steam by having things spoiled. Thanks!)
Tags: Green Rose, I Am Sam, Lee Junki, My Girl, Time of Dog and Wolf
I was wondering if you could blog Get Karl, Oh Soo Jung since you introduced the series earlier on in the site
I wanna watch it but I like reading your sypnopsises to see if they’re good 
javabeans – you know yourself best but truly the first episode of time of dog and wolf is just something that you need to get through for the rewards ahead…watch a couple more eps…i dare you *bwa ha ha*
i agree you have to clench your teeth so you can get through the first episode of time of dog and wolf, but it is definitely worth watching. the suspense keeps me at the edge of my seat every time.
Have you seen the drama, Someday? With Bae Doo Na, Lee Jin Wook, Kim Min Joon, and Oh Yoon Ah?
Currently watching it on AZN and I’m really enjoying it.
yeah time of dog and wolf doesnt interest me that much either. its got action, but not the intriguing kind. and i watched green rose and when i watched “resurrection” i thought i was watching the same drama, with different actors. granted when i actually watched resurrection (only clips of the couple, i love han ji min and overacting uhm tae woong), i found it was different, but that whole revenge-girl-doesnt-know thing… blah.
Hmmm.. yeah id like to get ur opinion of Get Karl too. I have mixed emotions about it. Im not that interested. But I loved the movie version, just that im not feeling any chemistry here. About I am Sam, i suggest watching further.. in the start i also understand ur comments. But past that, its quite amusing and Yang Dong Gun makes for a funny teacher. I love the back cast (Mr. Kim!! :hot:) and Top (Big Bang). I share all ur sentiments about Time Bet Dog and Wolf. Its a rare few who have felt that, I mean the people who arent big LJK fans that would consider it full or substance just cause he was in it. Honestly, I say Jung Kyung Ho (Misa) does a much better job with his second lead character and the character has more life. I get what you mean about the similarities of the first scene. I liked Green Rose too, despite it being called a dramatic series. The cast is awesome, the acting superb. I wont spoil it, not everyone may like it. But I am one of them who do.
I’m totally with you on the whole Lee Junki appeal thing. I don’t find him that attractive either, although I wouldn’t call him ugly. I also thought that he overacted on MY GIRL and never was that much interested in his character on the show. Like you, I tried watching the first episode of DOG AND WOLF, but thought the show lacked a certain spark that COFFEE PRINCE had. If you are still looking for a show to watch I would suggest ONE FINE DAY, especially if you are a Gong Yoo fan. It’s a little on the melodramatic side and tends to drag towards the end, but I found the first couple of episodes to be really entertaining. Just a recommendation for you to think about. Oh, and thanks for all the great postings on Coffee Prince. I really enjoyed reading all of your great summaries.
I’m in the same predicament of finding a new drama to watch, especially with high expectations after finishing Que sera sera with subs. I recently started on 9 Ends 2 Outs (love Soo Ae) and to my surprise it wasn’t really about baseball at all (which it seemed to scream of in the promotional pics). I have to say while I am annoyed with the second male lead, I find how they question what is the borderline of a “best friend” relationship or “lovers” relationship between a girl and a guy. They say it is possible to be best friends between different genders and the drama makes a compelling portrayal, but as the story develops, I also begin to question where to draw the line because sometimes it seems like the beginnings of a romantic relationship. I’m sure all of my thoughts are terribly muddled in this paragraph but I hope you give it a try (there are some early episodes up on youtube)!
very cool comparisons you’ve drawn. i reckon there really have just been too many rehashed plots/ scenes that finding a great decent enough drama to watch becomes quite an adventure. agree with you on lee junki – for the life in me i couldn’t possibly figure out his appeal (where ? where? where? – ok maybe a teeny weeny bit cute in the clazziquai sweety vid, just maybe)!!! eeeek (sorry to the LJ fans out there)! true with his overacting in my girl, but i think lee da hae’s acting albeit absurd gave much needed character to the plot. she really was quite hilarious (my dad, yes my DAD, watched along because of her crazy antics, strange)! anyway do let us know how you find green rose, i’ll reserve my comments for this one once you’ve sifted through it. happy viewing!
Like Jolee I recently started watching 9 ends 2 outs and i found myself really indulged in it. Its about friendship and the relations people have amongst one another…
Pardon me javabeans (said she who puts foot in mouth but must ask anyway), have you ever consider K-movies? I find that some are quite original and charming… with less of the six degrees of Kevin Bacon feel that K-dramas often have. Good luck on Green Rose! Off topic: if you truly can’t find anything that catches your fancy this weekend, please check out the movie “Once” by John Carney. It’s a gem!
javabean…I’m currently in the CP withdrawal mood…so like you and many others out there…I’m trying to look for something appealing to watch. I haven’t watch “I Am Sam” yet and if it’s kinda like Dasepo Naughty Girl…then I will give it a pass since I didn’t like the movie.
I was watching TODAW because I needed to watch something else besides melodrama. Agreed with you that the first episode is very treacherous to watch and if you are not a LJK fan…there’s no reason to continue. Although I’m not any of the cast fan, I pushed myself to continue watching hoping that it’ll get better better and now I’m currently up to episode 14. Although it does get better…perhaps I’ve watch a decent amount of action movies/drama…I don’t find the story to be unique or different. Furthermore, I’m maybe the few that think there’s really no strong chemistry between the leads (which is also one turnoff factor for me). Nevertheless, I will finished TODAW cuz there are only 2 episodes left.
I’ve watched both “Resurrection” and “Green Rose,” and I find I enjoyed “Green Rose” more although it has the same revenge concept but it’s lighter in a sense. Would not want to spoil you in case you plan to stuck with “Green Rose.”
In the meantime, I will continue to visit this website to see what you are blogging next. It maybe not something that I might be interesting in…but I love to read your blogs nontheless…
Lastly, just a huge thanks to you for the wonderful Coffee Prince blogging…it’s interesting to read your comments as well as your thoughts….
Can you please please summary !!!!!!! 9 END 2 OUTS !!!!!!!
Yes, almost all the kdramas have the same story line, fate, triangle love, serious illness, etc.. I love romantic comedy, got to have happy ending like coffee prince – ONE OF THE BEST KDRAMA, so refreshing! Hope you’ll find something you like, Javabean. Have a good weekend.
So I’m not the only one who’s not enamoured over the TODAW hype. phew.. Unlike some ppl out there who advocate the greatness of the drama over its excellent execution of action and emotion at the same time, I totally didn’t feel the hype. The drama sure did improve from Ep 1 onwards because I felt bored when I started watching and it did captivate me from Ep 5 onwards, but still lacking the X-factor which can really pull you in and not make you yawn or look away when some scenes come into play.
Besides, I’m also with Marzy on the leads’ performances in the drama. I actually thought LJK’s performance wasn’t as gripping as his performance in My Girl. And I also thought Jung Kyung Ho did a much more creditable performance in this drama. I’m not saying LJK’s bad or anything..it’s just that I didn’t feel anything when he cried or glared or thought about avenging his mother’s death. But I DID feel something when JKH broke down into tears thinking about LJK’s character Soo Hyun’s death. I instantly teared at that scene..when I felt nothing when LJK cried! It’s really weird..cos I actually felt quite a bit for him in My Girl when he cried. And I was impressed that he could cry so naturally and it did trigger my empathy for him at some point. But here, I just couldn’t bring myself to feel him..it’s so freaking weird. Thus, I didn’t bother to continue commenting..for the fear of lashes at me from Junki fans..hehehe..
And yes, when you mentioned Green Rose. It’s a very well executed drama. Altho it’s not my fav but I remembered liking it a lot when I watched it a few years back. However, it’s a bit long..like 24 eps..I remembered skipping some scenes. But overall, I’d rate it as an enjoyable drama with so much to offer..esp with gripping performances from Go Soo and Lee Da Hae. I’m pretty sure you’ll be impressed with the acting..and the chemistry. (I remembred you said Lee Da Hae can have chemistry with anybody in the H!M thread once..hahaha.. even with a rock! XD I hope it does so in this drama with you as well..)
Oh yes..have you tried watching Capital Scandal by Kang Ji Hwan and Han Ji Min? I really think it’s a very well made fusion drama, set in the 1930s of Korea. I really enjoyed watching that drama, with a perfect ensemble of cast, storyline, chemistry and humor. And I know you love to have a good laugh… this drama is one that you must not miss. But yeah..some ppl might find it a turn off with too much exaggeration..but I absolutely loved it.
ahh “the lovely Lee Da Hae” … she’s so loverly. although i haven’t watched any of the titles you mentioned here, I feel happy to read you write good things about Lee Da Hae and Lee Dong Wook. as you can probably tell, I’m a Da Hae-Dong Wook shipper.
“Green Rose” has been sitting in my “to-watch” list for almost a year now. But whenever I read the blurbs, I get depressed. Should I, just like Go Soo’s character, jump in and bear it?
javabeans.. mp cp withdrawal is killing me too..
like you i tried to watch other series that could somehow take at least my mind off coffe prince…
and so i rewatched My girl… which was my fav series of all since Coffee Prince, but having a diffrent perspective now… the Yoo Rin girl kinda annoyed me.. now.. and yes Ms. Lee Da Hae over reacted… if not for Gong Chan’s cold attitude mannerism.. i would have been so irritated now.. LDW kinda balanced everything…
and Lee Dong Wook still takes my breath away.. he’s still My Gong Chan…
ow and about Green Rose.. i’ve watched that a year ago i guess… it’s kinda long given the plot of the drama… though i like both the main actor i think it’s Go Soo(?) and the lead villain (forgive my not knowing his name) (both great actors… ) but it was still worth finishing up…
o w… and this is not totally realated to the ones i mentioned above but i saw a future drama with the lead cutting her hair short for the drama, also i saw some singers and actresses trying to pull an Eun Chan effect…
however none of them can really pull it off…
I was going to give up on Dog and Wolf after the first couple of episodes, it was all a bit flashy with no substance, but kudos to the scriptwriters, the plot really develops into an emotional rollercoaster. I’m patiently waiting for the subs for this one as to not spoil it for myself by watching it raw, which is my usual OM for kdramas.
Javabeans, there’s a lot I could say sparked off by that post (O so what’s new, but I mean a lot I could say that would be more or less relevant, unlike some of my other excursions) but I’m somewhat stymied, for the time being at least, by your perfectly understandable request to avoid spoilers for GR.
I think that with your usual (aka totally amazing and in truth highly UNusual) insight and perception, you have at once latched on to things that would only strike the rest of us after many hours of repeated viewing and after seeing the whole of both series (or as much of HDW as anyone not privy to the planned ending can have seen at this point in time; but I also think that once you have seen both the scenes you consider here in isolation in their full plot context you will be led in a slightly different direction when it comes to overall judgment. Though not necessarily one more favourable to HDW than GR, because I believe that though HDR reflects the general improvement in production values since the time of GR, the top-layer slickness hides a much more threadbare, mechanical and ill-constructed, although ingenious plot.
As you will see (especially if you can be persuaded to follow through on HDW as well as GR) the similarities come to look less like plagiarism and more like tongue-in-cheek citation. Except that there are all sorts of reasons why tongues go into cheeks, and not all of them make for good drama. Much later into GR, you will find two characters discussing the enigma that the male lead presents them with. “Do you think maybe he’s lost his memory like they do in dramas?” one muses. “No, that’s just in dramas” is in effect the reply. And although there is memory loss in the GR plot, too, it is actually a rare instance of being both medically and psychologically quite plausible, and it isn’t inflicted on the lead characters, though the loss and regaining of another character’s memory does decide their fate. Whereas the memory loss, much more central in HDW, is this time actually supposed to be made more believable by a knowing reference. “Don’t worry”, a buddy consoles the memory-loss sufferer. “You’ve seen those TV dramas where people lose their memory, your memory will come back soon”. (I’m citing roughly from what I can glean from the raws here, without having had time to check against the subs, but I’m pretty confident I got that bit). That sort of silliness was what first started to turn me off this drama, until one event in particular made me almost physically sick at the morbidity of the imagination behind that particular plot twist, and I stopped watching the live feeds week by week. The fact that I then turned to CB to catch up, and watched my way back up do date on the streamings this week was yet another sign of CP withdrawal. ANYTHING to pass the yawning hours….
Well, as I say, I can’t say much more yet without spoiler side-effects, but let me just say a little bit about the two opening episodes in isolation.
One major thing both these scenes have in common is that they will be reprised in full, second by second, in a later episode; and that they are designed to be seen in order to be re-seen in that later, fuller context (in particular, the context what has happened in the immediately preceding hours and minutes). That is perhaps more powerfully signalled in HDW by prominent features that plainly make no sense on first viewing and which have no counterparts in the GR opener. Who is the woman in the car? Why is she looking at the guy like that? Why does the driver, though apparently rescuing her from a batch of thugs, though he’s plainly of a thuggy appearance and manner himself, force her to get out of the car by pointing a gun at her head? Who is the guy standing on the quayside and why does she tell him what she does, and why does he react in that way? And what’s with that slowly sinking little whittled elephant figurine that was previously dangling behind the windshield? All these are signals saying “Come back for more if you want to know what this is really about, beyond a mid-budget batch of car-smashing sensationalism”. Perhaps these teasers aren’t strong enough, even though they are helped out by the first part of the flashbacks that make up the rest of the episode: in particular, the little elephant makes the first of a number of very crucial appearances (it will later acquire some more sophisticated elephantine figurine companions of a distinctly sinister kind), signalling (if we hadn’t already guessed) that the weepy parting kids in days of yore are the couple briefly reunited then violently parted again in the chase and shootout.
The opening of GR has far fewer such carefully planted enigmas, and they are less played up anyway (one of them, understandable only during the reprise, is the attitude of the senior of the two detective buddies to the fugitive, and the urgency with which he urges him not to jump, but to no avail: that is the point at which a very important thread in the drama is first anchored into the fabric). And despite the hardware and plot-placement similarities, the GR scenario really is a lot simpler, and therefore perhaps more initially appealing. We don’t know why the GR fugitive is fleeing, but we see his desperation (but we also see, unlike the fugitive in the HDW opening, and much more like the archetypal Fugitive of TV/ movie fame, that he’s no desperado) and we grasp as much as we need to be going on with about how he flees and why he jumps when cornered. There is no central enigma in his behaviour, looks and gestures like that of the driver towards his temporary passenger in HDW, nor is there any room or need for the sort of complex panic and uncertainty the HDW driver is in: in GR it’s plainly enough about someone (apparently) ending his own life when he can’t escape capture, but in HDW, the driver plainly doesn’t want to die, and the reason why he does (or seems to) is somehow related to the woman, his dealings with her, and a little wooden elephant.
But as usual, I’m somewhat overstaying my welcome, so bye for now at least.
i was looking for a drama to watch after coffee prince too, and like you i wasn’t really interested in the other popular dramas…
but then one night i decided to watch tv with my parents and they turned on “catch a kangnam mother” or something like that…anywho, it’s hilariousss
obviously it’s audience is for ahjummas, (and i’m definitely not one), but it shows korea’s obsession with having their kids educated and sent to a good college with good dose of humor
the first episodes are a little slow, to set the plot and characters, but around episode 5 it starts to pick up…try it out?
haha, or not
i like it because it’s new and fresh and doesn’t have love squares/rectangles…yet…but..it tihnk…there might be?????
haha
please try 9 end 2outs!!!It’s really nice!!!
YES 9 end 2 outs! I think it’s great, too!!!
*sigh* CP definitely left such a huge void… so I’m simultaneously watching 2 jdramas – hana kimi and hotaru no hikari; and 3 kdramas – 9 end 2 outs, what’s up fox and soulmates. my A.D.D. is working overtime, I have to stop myself from clicking more from mysoju.com. (so help me g*d)
like you, I like anything that’s light and funny too. hana kimi is a lot of laughs! the premise also deals with a girl pretending to be a boy to be with this guy. though this romantic-comedy is huge in exaggerated antics and oftentimes corny (I think it’s from a manga that literally comes to life), still it cracks me up…
about 9 end…. I’m on my 5th eppie and so far, it’s not bad…although it’s predictable. the main girl (can’t recall her name, sorry) has acted in a lot of heavy dramas before, so she’s a revelation here doing comedy. the main guy (can’t recall his name too, I know, I’m terrible) is a dish. but like david beckham, he’s not gifted with a velvety voice to match his dear sexiness. guess that God is really fair…
at this point I miss Lee Sun Kyun talking through my speakers. must.watch.coffeeprince.again. lol!
i wasnt too fond of time between dog and wolf myself when i watched the first couple of eps…but seriously its just one of those series that gets u really hooked the more u watch…and since ep 6 ive been madly addicted, every ep is a new revelation, a new cliffhanger. the suspense is torture. and jun ki annoyed me too in my girl especially with his cying! but here i actually find myself enjoying his acting a great deal. the writing simply gets better and better. ive watched green rose, and between them, both TBDAW is defiinitely a more satisfying watch. hope u could give it another try.
hi dramabeans! maybe you can try Get Karl, Oh Soo Jung! I first encountered the series when you mentioned it in one of your posts, I forget when, but I gave it a shot and I’m seriously in love with the series
It’s actually my favorite this season, the lead characters (especially oh soo jung’s character) are quite refreshing, quite different from your standard k-drama characters. maybe you’ll like it as well 
I agree with what you say about Lee Junki… I understand why people would favor him, but His recent drama, didn’t interest me. It was hard to get past the first episode for me. Very empty feeling.
Even in my girl… it almost seems as if he’s trying a little bit too hard…. poor soul, sometimes it doesn’t seem natural enough…
I recommend you to see “포도밭 그 사나이”(Grapery The Man, 2006).
It is different from any other dramas in Korea.
You must be fall in love with its environments and characters from episode 3.
Like most of you guys I’m in between dramas after Coffee Prince. What other drama is worth watching…? I’ve considered 9 ends 2 outs, but I have doubts. How about MAWANG? Was it any good?
You give great insights javabeans hope to hear more of them. ^_^
I think not only the scenes from various dramas replicate each other, the roles seems to be duplicating themselves too!! I think the k-directors seem to tell the actors/actresses what to do instead of giving them room to inject individuality in the the roles. Hence the mannerisms, gestures of the characters in the k-dramas seem to be typical, almost like they are following a protocol. I really enjoy kdramas but I do wish they move away from the the typical 2 men-2 women love relationships. *Yawns*
I enjoyed the first 5-6 episodes of Green Rose a lot. The first episode drew me in immediately and I marathoned 6 episodes at one go. Gripping stuff, especially the scenes that were shot abroad. But after the promising opening, the series began to drag. Go Soo’s acting was also uneven; there were many scenes where I wished he would be less impassive. Honestly he seemed so wooden at times! I like Lee Da Hae better in GR than in My Girl; her serious roles appeal to me more. But my favorite GR character was the baddie.^^ Overall GR is pretty neat stuff, not as good as Resurrection in my opinion, but certainly a very watchable drama and far better than a lot of the nonsense out there.
Time of Dog and Wolf. The first episode was boring. And I agree with you about Lee Jun Ki’s overacting in the early episodes. Even as a fan, I wished he didn’t look so intense and outraged in the emotionally-charged scenes. The plot also seemed too farfetched at times. BUT… as the drama progressed, the little things that annoyed me at the beginning didn’t seem to matter. I was sucked into the intrigue, the suspense, the heart-stopping plot twists and turns. Midway into the series was where I fell hard for Junki’s character, where he seemed to really settle into his role and become one with Lee Soo Hyun/Kay. It’s hard for me to think of him as Jeong Woo in My Girl; his acting there is nothing compared to what he’s doing in TODAW. Although I enjoy light and funny fare, my favorite dramas have always been those that made me feel a deep sense of heartache for the characters (usually the male lead, oops!). Despite its thrilling action scenes, TODAW resonates with me because of its emotional depth. And, unlike Green Rose (at least to me), TODAW gets better and better with each episode. It’s one of the better dramas of 2007. And yes, I’m officially a TODAW addict.^^
you know what i do when there aren’t any good korean dramas out there?
i go japanese.
doramas always have something good going on
I think Nam Sang Mi is so adorable as well, which is why I watch Bad Family (after having watched Sweet Spy). Have you seen it yet? It’s pretty funny, and the characters are generally well-played as well (especially one of Nam Sang Mi’s little brothers and Hyun Young–you know, that woman with the weird, high-pitched voice). I highly recommend if you haven’t seen it yet.
Interesting post, javabeans. Enjoyed reading it very much. I do notice a tendency in korean pop culture to recycle things over and over again. Its *very* annoying. But then I guess in any type of pop culture, you’ve got to look for the good stuff. And its definitely there as far as k-dramas go.
Anyways, with your drama sampling these days, why don’t you give Alone in Love a try like you’ve been meaning to? After reading that you were thinking about watching Alone in Love, I decided to give it a try myself, since it wasn’t the first time I’d heard people say Alone in Love is really good. The first three episodes were incredibly slow and I basically yawned through them. Then a scene towards the latter half of episode four completely caught me off guard like a right hook I never saw coming by reducing me to a touched, sniffling mess. Then the next two episodes made a turn for the incredibly bittersweet and painful, and I was officially an Alone in Love fan XD. The humor is worth commenting on too. Sometimes its so deadpan–think Ran taking out her kimchee from an empty morgue fridge– that it might take you a second or two to realize what you just saw was really funny. And at other times you might begin to laugh, only to realize a second later that what you just saw wasn’t funny at all, but incredibly sad and painful.
With trendy dramas and melodramas like Coffee Prince, MISA, My Girl, Hana Yori Dango, etc, you get the sense that the producers are very aware of the audience. You know exactly when the producers wants you to cry, laugh, and sympathize with or hate the character. And thats not a bad thing if they have the skills to make you react the way they want you to. Alone in Love is the kind of drama where you know the producers are aware of their audience (cause it wouldn’t be so good otherwise), but they don’t show it. In well-done trendy dramas, you laugh knowing its supposed to be funny; in Alone in Love you laugh because it just is. Its like the difference between make up thats obvious but skillfully applied and make up thats applied so skillfully you don’t realize its there. In the former you admire what the makeup does; in the latter you admire the thing that wears it.
I would love it if you gave Alone in Love a try. It takes patience to get into it, but when you do its rewarding. The frosting is there (the drama looks fantastic aesthetically) and the substance is there (flawed, hurting characters that drive the storyline with dry wit, humor, and their own respective brand of idiocy). The drama could definitely use more exposure, and while a handful of people have talked about it with lots of insight and depth, it hasn’t nearly been talked about enough. And I get the sense that with this kind of drama, it’ll be a long time before everything that can be said about it has been said.
I actually agree with you a/b Lee Junki. I really don’t understand his appeal, but perhaps I’m too westernized in thinking that men should be muscular and “manly.” He somehow give me this sense of weak and sensitive, even if he plays an over the top man-man role, such as Time of Dog and Wolf. Newho, i’m also lacklustre with the recent dramas, but one that I’m really beginning to like is 9 ends 2 outs. It kind of reminds me of the lay-back, fantasy-like, world of Coffee Prince, and nothing beats a long school/work day with a cup of light sugary happiness.
I agreed with you about acting in My girl. I think LDW has done a great job. His acting was good, natural and so caring. I like that drama because of him not LJK. ^^.
I think you shoul try 9 outs 2 ins as I read that you enjoyed “Soulmate”. I think this drama is realistic and fun as well.
Enjoy reading your blog everyday!!
#34 Si ’s description of Alone in Love….I love the description and examples given. Thoughtful! I am also in the midst of Alone in Love and hope to appreciate it till the end.
I hope you can hang on to TODAW, I’ve found difficulty in digesting the 1st episode as well. But, like many popular opinion out there, once you got over the 1st episode, TODAW is really quite good. The plot & storyline is very interesting and keeps you on your toes. I felt that Jun Ki had justified himself from his My Girl Days. Go watch it!
I hear that TIME OF DOG AND WOLF gets really addicting after 6th episode. I’m waiting until the series ends so I won’t have to go through what I’ve gone through while watching CP. I thought the first scene of I AM SAM was really bad too. I couldn’t believe they decided to put someone who was trying acting in drama/movie for the first time in the first scene, not that his acting was bad. That scene was just really boring and it made me want to stop watching it completely, but I’m a YDG fan so I’m still watching it. It’s actually gotten better since. I was worried about the show because of all the new faces, but they have not disappointed me yet. I’m especially becoming more and more fond of the bin-trio. They’re so cute & funny!
#34 si: Yes! Another person with similar sentiments regarding Alone In Love! I love this series. While Coffee Prince impressed me with its notable soundtrack, Alone in Love left me in awe many times from its visually stunning screen compositions. It does not scream for notice yet its subtlleness is amazingly effective when is viewed in hindsights. Coffee Prince often is regarded as a coming-of-age story of young people and their first love. Alone In Love explores the same theme of personal growth in a more adult setting. The drama focuses on the characters’ simple daily life, the potholes of miscommunication and the beauty of second chances. Alone In Love is not melodramatic, has no unimaginable plots and no far-fetched colorful characters. Perhaps that is its charm; it is as real as you can get. The music is haunting, fragile and touching- just like the characters themselves. The matured and sophisticated performances matched the witty and intelligent script. Alone In Love has a big screen atmosphere and it is filmed/directed in the same vein. Yes, it tells the story in a languid pace, thus may not appeal to some. But for those who would like to experience a different type of drama, it promises to leave them thoroughly affected at the end. So javabeans, please consider giving this honest and unpretentious drama a trial. This fine piece of drama is as far removed from the typical cliched K-dramas as you can get.
I was in the same predicament too, of finding a new drama to watch which i really like. I’m currently watching 9 End 2 Outs and I quite like it but don’t love it. So after Coffee Prince I watched Capital Scandal which I really enjoyed and found all 4 leads as compelling as each other which pretty much never happens for me.
Anyway at the moment I’ve decided to finally unearth Queen of the Game which I downloaded last year and never got round to viewing, the only reason I started now was I watched 200 Pounds Beauty and fell in love with Joo Jin Mo, so checked around for his other stuff. If you haven’t watched this then give it a go. I love it!! Like Green Rose (which I really enjoyed) it’s a revenge drama, but I think the relationships are a lot more compelling and Joo Jin Mo is a total bastard in this, but you still love him anyway.
I also fail to understand the hysteria over Lee JunKi, he does less than nothing for me.
Like everyone else, CP withdrawal is all we have going right now. I’m on my second helping! Thankfully, I haven’t finished Bad Couple and Flowers For My Life; so I still have those to keep me busy.
Thanks for your summaries!
I’ve watched the whole series of Green Rose, I love the music and when I started watching it I feel like I have to finish it so I did….and it was….eventhough….
haha…i’ll leave the rest up to you if you’ll like it or not…
wow, CP withdrawal huh?
i have to say that after CP i haven’t bothered to watch anything again.. nothing stands out as of the moment and i refuse to “waste” my time hehe..
i’ve seen GR too, while it didn’t really gripped me like CP, i thought it was ok (considering that i’m not really into action/dramatic series).. i watched it for LDH but in the end, i was most impressed by Go Soo, i think he was a good actor, he certainly made me cry
so while i probably won’t be reading your summaries on GR, i wish you’ll find it satisfying if u ever decide to blog on it
ps, will u still finish Hello Franceska? – note: no pressure –
thanks javabeans! i still come to your site everyday to check on your wonderful writing
girl, you need to give Time of Dog and Wolf another try.
I am not a fan of any of the cast members. I too thought Lee Jun Ki was annoying in My Girl. The second male lead was freaking annoying in I’m Sorry, I Love You…and i have never seen the lead actress before. However….once you get past the first episode, which i will admit it is REALLY hard to get through (but unfortunately it is important as it sets the foundation for the rest of the drama), the drama becomes one of those that you just can’t stop watching…It pulls you in and you just want to know what will happen next. There seems to be a lot of people who gave up or were about to give up after the first episode but decided to give it another try and are now addicted to it..haha
i think that out of all the action dramas that i have seen, this is the best one. It is very enjoyable to watch even though the plot might not be as original as we would like it to be. I just finished ep 13 and man is it good.
Try giving it another try. I promise you that the story will pick up the pace. This is actually a drama that does not drag AT ALL. Everything happens so fast after the first couple of episodes but without jeopardizing the execution of the plot. I think Lee Jun Ki is doing a WAAAAAY better job here than in My Girl, and so is the other guy.
And i agree that there is not much chemistry between the two leads but i think that is because this is more of an action drama than romance. The romance factor is very subtle. Normaly i am more into romance dramas and so i did not think i would like this, but after watching the Devil, it opened my eyes to other possibilities
Just like in Ressurection and The Devil, the romance factor plays a smaller role in TODW…
Personally, I was originally quite disposed to thinking a lot of Lee Jun Ki’s acting after watching his turn in The King and the Clown (2005), and I have yet to see any of his (weepy?) K dramas. However I totally agree with you on the ????? moments in Time Between Dog and Wolf, where everything in the first ep felt out of context. I suppose that was to whet the appetite for what lay ahead, it just left me with a raised eyebrow and completely turned off. The opening sequence, coupled with the fact that the main characters look waaaay too young to be playing NIS agents with that level of experience (it may be worth it to suspend disbelief however) were so wtf? to me that i could not even finish watching.
What I can’t believe is that you beat me to the punch on Green Rose! Aaaagh! I was originally intrigued by the premise as it seems to leans more towards action less of the woe-is-me attitude, fingers crossed . Putting my unfounded tinsy bit of green envy aside, if you could kindly point me towards a clubbox (no seeds on d-addicts) it would be much appreciated.
I would usually deal with CP withdrawal by watching Eureka, Monk & The Daily Show, but alas, American TV is on hiatus (all of them, @ the same freaking time…) so tried a C-Drama, Why, Why Love but the common thread with the previous 3 I’ve watched so far is that the guys are cool, calm, collected while the girls are some seriously desperate human beings. They tend to be overacted and use silly audio effects *blech*, but desperate times and all that.
Too bad you’re not into jdrama, or I’d definitely recommend you Nodame Cantabile.
I agreed with Ange. Nodame Cantabile is hilarious.. I enjoyed watching it a lot.. ^^..
I think you should try watching 9 outs 2 ins and Capital Scandal. These scripts were well-written..
Firstly, a big thank you to you, Javabean, for being such a great resource during my CP fever from I’m yet to be totally recovered from …. like many others here!!
I’d strongly support what others have said about Alone in Love. It indeed changed my view on k-drama. I’m surprised by the maturity and sophistication displayed in this high quality drama – offbeat but not without humour. Its quiet depiction of how relationship might go wrong or succeed is mersmerising. The total production value is impressive from its cinematography. set design to music – I particularly like its urbane feel that is not commonly found in Kdrama. The acting by the lead and side characters are universally good. A 4.5/5 star drama to me!
Another one that I’d recommend is Surgeon Bong Dal Hee which I saw about a month ago. This could be said as Kdrama’s answer to Grey’s Anatomy. I like the main leads and their slow burn chemistry. I’m very disappointed that there is no discussion of this drama at all in any of the usual forum. Hope you could give it a try.
“CP Addict Withdrawal Syndrome is a malady affecting all Coffee Prince’s (Kdrama) addicts that after watching the Last Cup left them with a mixed emotions of joy, bereftness, sadness and listlessness.”
I coined this after my friend ask me why do I look so low yet smiling and wearing a faraway look. She hasn’t seen Coffee Prince yet so she wouldn’t understand. But it made her intrigued. Feel free to edit/add or modify using the Coffee Prince’s way. I think that it is one of the worth mentioning part of the series(aside from the chestnut one,the hug, the kiss, in the beach) when they try to describe what is being Eun chan/ Han Gyul.
I also suggest that you try out Surgeon Bong Dal Hee. I just finished watching that and I really like it. Perhaps the reason is that I’m interested in the medical aspect of the drama. But, overall it was a very satisfying experience and I learned alot about cardio-surgeries.
I completely agree about Time between dog and wolf. LJK is not attractive at all.
Then, After SBDH, I was really interested in female lead, Lee Yo Won. So I tried out Fashion 70s. I pretty much skimmed through the series(crunchyroll) since it is like 27 episodes, but it was really good as well.
Also, thanks for all the wonderful summaries and drama-infos you have posted. Really helpful!
Like the majority of CP fans, the conclusion of the series have left me in Kdrama limbo…wandering from one Kdrama to another but not really finding anything interesting.
Since CP has turned me into a GY admirer, I rewatched 2 of his Kdramas , One Fine Day ( I really hated the ending when i saw it the first time and still did when i rewatched it but for GY’s sake , i endured it ’til the end .LOL) and Hello, My Teacher ( which managed to make me cry again). I also rewatched his Kmovies : Superstar Mr. Gam, My Tutor Friend, She’s on Duty and S Diary , the last 2 movies with Kim Sun Ah ( As much as i love Hyun Bin in MNIKSS, I can’t help but wonder if the drama would have reached as high a rating ,53% WOW!!!, that it reached if GY played the part of Hyun Jin Heon…hmmm). The only GY movie that i did not watch is Spy Girl ( i’m just not crazy over Kim Jeong-Hwa, partly maybe because i have not gotten over the fact that i wasted so much of my time watching her Kdrama, 1% of Anything)…OKAY, i’m way off the topic, Sorry.
I started watching 9 end , 2 outs and Get Karl!Oh Soo Jung . 9 end, 2 out is painfully dragging IMO . I also find the second lead, Lee Tae Sung, annoying. I can totally understand why the rating for this Kdrama has been so low. On the other hand, i like Get Karl! because i find the drama funny and having Oh Ji Ho as Karl is a definite plus, for me.
TODAW doesn’t really interest me for the simple reason that i didn’t particularly care for LJK’s acting abilities in My Girl ( Loved LDW in that drama, though). I dont get all the hype sorrounding TODAW, maybe for that reason I should give it a try…hmmm, i’m not even dare think about starting to watch it since i might end up kicking myself in the a*$ for wasting my time…LOL.
I think, for the time being , i’ll just resign myself to re-watching all the kdrama that i have previously enjoyed like MNIKSS, QSS and Lovers in Paris. LIP was actually the very first Kdrama ive seen and started my kdrama obsession. Little did i know when i started watching LIP that it would open my eyes to a whole new world …the world of Korean dramas, movies and shows. It also sparked my interest in learning about Korean culture ( next time we go home to the Philippines, we might stop by in Seoul for a few days…if i can convince my husband)`and helped me discover my (and my husband’s ) love for Korean cuisine which, by the way, has become an everyday staple at our table just like SINIGANG or ADOBO . It is so funny because we make more trips to the Korean supermarket than we do at the Filipino stores. Now, if only learning to speak, read and write in Korean language is as easy as learning to cook Korean cuisine, then it would really make my day. Unfortunately, i am not gifted when it comes to learning a foreign language but that only makes me want to strive harder. Who knows, maybe by the time another Kdrama as good as CP comes along, i would know enough to understand the drama without the subs
*wishful thinking*
Sorry if i got carried away with my ramblings…Javabeans, I am looking forward to your next project. Thank you for making my CP experience more fun and enjoyable. Hmmm…i think i’ll re-watch ( for the nth time) CP again…Arghh…CP withdrawal is so painfully hard and trying…kekekeke
Javabeans, sorry for the double post…this is really off the topic but i want to ask you something…i dont know if you live in LA area but if you do, do you happen to know of amy good Korean restaurant that serves authentic Sam Gae Tang? Preferrably close to Hollywood/ BH / Koreatown area. I found a recipe online but before i try my hand at cooking it at home, i want to see what it taste like first . That way, for comparison’s sake, i would know if my cooking taste wierd or something
I think you update really little these days.
# 54 HELLOGOODBYE “I think you update really little these days.”
Oh come on! Give her a break! As far as I’m concerned, if javabeans decided she needed to take a two year world cruise without Internet access to recover from all her efforts over recent weeks, I’d be sad, but not annoyed, in view of what she’s given us. And I’d still be waiting at the keyboard in best KDrama “Two years later…” fashion for when she got back. And I bet I wouldn’t be alone.
Nam Sang Mi is adorable…and TBDAW gets sooo much better…don’t give up!! It really starts to pick up after a few eps…I can honestly say this drama has me hooked. I would love to see you do write ups on it…it’s total love:P:P
LJK totally overacted in My Girl but he is actually much better in this…he looks so manly o.0
“I think you update really little these days.”
Seriously? SERIOUSLY?? -_-
Maybe you should try it.
Seriously guys!i’ve been jumping from one drama to the next and rewatched all my fave drama before but……. so what have u been watching lately yourselves?any good drama to watch out yet?
I totally thought the same about Lee Junki in My Girl. My mom and I would watch it and laugh because there he goes again with his crying. I swear, I though you could make a drinking game out of it. As for looking for something post Coffee Prince, it’s been a little difficult. I do have a few suggestions though if you haven’t taken a look at them yet. For Korean romantic comedieis, I’m currently watching 9 end 2 outs–about friendship evolving into a relationship. For Japanese drama, I’ve been watching Hotaru no Hikari and Hanazakari no Kimitachi e.
I agree with what some of you have said about TBDW. The first 3 episodes are meh… but thats pretty much bc they set the plot for whats to come. If you can get past those 3 then trust me you’ll be rewarded later!
Not that TBDW isnt lacking at times but what it lacks in originality it more than makes up for in suspense and excitement…
LJK has totally redeemed himself for his my girl performance… its kinda hard to believe that its the same actor that played these two characters. I agree with 56: he is so manly here… hehehe….
So for those of you who gave up after the first few episodes try and give this drama a shot. I dont think you’ll regret it!
LJK….I so love to see his nicely set of teeth, beautiful lips and chin, not to mention his megawatt smile…he does tend to overact…but, oh well….While waiting for javabeans’ ( patiently) next endeavor I just have to be happy with my “House MD” dvds….cheers to you javabeans!!
I think HELLOGOODBYE was joking…..seriously…
#55 THANKS GRAMPS!!! I could not have said any better. I’d be there waiting with you….
more CP withdrawal.
cant also seem to find new drama to int’rest me.i’ve seen GR long time ago…GO SOO is good in portraying his part.thou its a sad revengeful drama (if there is such a word for it to describe)it is worth watching.
Yup,
Koreans are running out of ideas. It’s unavoidable. There’s only so many ways you can reinvent a tired old love story; but, I have to give them credit, it was good while it lasted.
Anyway, about GREEN ROSE…. the reason why that series was so good was because that whole series was based on THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK by a famous French creole author.
One story that often gets remade by Hollywood about every few years or so.
I guess I’m in the minority but I really liked Lee Jun Ki in My Girl. I was turned off by his appearance and in fact, I thought his first scene was lesbian and was surprised that kdrama didn’t mind showing girls making out (even if they were in Italy) till I realized that one ’she’ was really a ‘he’. But in terms of his character’s personality, I loved it and thought he did a great job (acting-wise) on that drama. I just had a huge problem with the way he looked.
hey! I agree with #45 yeli.
I think TODAW is kinda boring in the beginning because of the flashbacks and the lackluster opening. However, the series really sends your adrenalin rushing through when you watch the subsequent episodes. You wouldnt want to miss any of the scenes for a quick toilet break (no exaggerations here). Each episode has its own action and suspense and at the end of each episode, you just cannot wait for the next wednesday to arrive.
I started watching this series because i was bored and i totally had no interest in the cast. the only cast I knew were the 2 male leads. I have stumbled upon the drama wiki website for TODAW several times but it always doesnt seem to interest me. Until the day I started watching the first episode. You’ll get to see LJK’s acting -which I think has greatly improved from his My Girl days which was just mediocre (perhaps his role was just too minor for him to shine).
Seriously, I think you should give TODAW a try
it is a different genre from the typical romance dramas – plus, the storyline is quick paced and does not drag. This show is something worth your time reviewing it. Somehow i find that the ratings are showing injustice to the show.
Another show would be 9 End 2 Outs! That show has a very simple and realistic storyline but it somehow just glues me to the screen whenever I watch it.
I watched GR a long time ago and I thought it was okay. It could’ve been better if they kept up with the pace and acting. Good luck watching it. After CP, nothing’s really sound interesting to watch. although i’m tempted to download Capital Scandal and ToDaW. I switch to J-dramas when i can’t find any k-drama that sustains my attention. Try checking out “Haikei Chichiuesama”. It’s a beautiful series with a little bit of drama and comedy. Another drama similar to it is “Yashashii Jikan”, a couple years older than the first one. The setting is like Cheers where everybody knows your name LOL! but seriously, they serve coffee instead of beer. and they also let customers grind their own coffee beans to help release stress…i thought that was very clever.
By the way, I never got to thank you for all your hardwork during the CP period. I really enjoy reading your summaries and comments
# 65catinmyfridge “Koreans are running out of ideas. It’s unavoidable. There’s only so many ways you can reinvent a tired old love story.”
Well, there are also only so many ways you can combine six two-digit numbers. But the total of those ways is quite large enough to make playing the lottery a mug’s game. Or, as Schoenberg remarked when someone unwisely claimed that he had turned to 12-tone composition because the possibilities of traditional melody and harmony were exhausted: “there are plenty of tunes still to be written in C major”.
All story-telling and all drama reinvents and recyles ancient plots and familiar motives. Sometimes it’s done well, sometimes badly. But done it always is. That’s the only unavoidable part. Korean writers, directors and players have been doing it astonishingly well in recent years. They won’t do so for ever, because such bursts of collective creativity in individual cultures always burn themselves out eventually. But I don’t think the Korean wave has crested yet, and when it eventually does and duly dies away, it won’t be because a finite number of plot combinations has been worked through and exhausted.
“Anyway, about GREEN ROSE…. the reason why that series was so good was because that whole series was based on THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK ”
Well, that would be The Count of Monte Cristo, the most influential revenge plot in recent Western European culture. The Man in the Iron Mask is quite a different story. It could be argued that parallels with CMC are just as close in DAW as they are in GR. But that isn’t why either Korean drama is good or bad, or why one may be better than the other.
wow…i havent seen the similarities mentioned cos i have yet to watch any of the new dramas yet…but mayb i will soon?? im not too sure…
but hey…theres lots of similarities in lots of various dramas, ppl take wat they think is good and incorporate it into the story line…kinda stupid i think tho cos originality is best! plus it would have more appeal to!…but then theres the idea of using something which has already proven itself to b successful so y not? but personally i get why u would b irritated by the fact that these “new” dramas ending reminding u of a drama u’ve seen already….especially wen its really obvious too?
but hey hope ur able to find an exciting drama which doesnt lack originality soon
34 si,
you have beautifully written the gist of alone in love. I was having second thoughts in watching it. but now, because of your comment, I am now excited to watch! I will definitely start watching it on the weekend. thanks so much!
Yey! I’ve seen green rose but will not tell you anything. Go soo is one of my fave korean actor (Gong yOO is my most fave right now). MIss him already, i wonder when he’s coming out from his military service. I think he’s a good actor, if not because of that, he might not make it because he’s a little short compared to the the typical kdrama leading men. Park Shin Yang is not your typical kdrama leading man also, but boy can he act?!!! He’s so great in MOney’s Warfare. I think we will win an award bec. of that kdrama. By the way, do you know any old Kdrama of Gong Yoo? I’ve collected hundreds already but this is only the 3rd i’ve seen.
Shucks!!! you know what, i reviewed his filmography and it seems i’ve seen all of his movies and kdramas written there. I wonder if those are just the recent ones…hmmm…
Also read that he’s slated to enter the military soon, meaning next month =(. Awwww, i’m gonna miss him. Good thing some of the best guys i like came back already =).
Re LJK yes, he tend to over act. He looks good at least and love it when he dances (^-^).
By the way, since you are in between projects (^-^), i’ve been meaning to ask you, can you give the meaning of each actors name? Like Eun, Kim, Lee, or Lee Eun Hye, Lee Minwoo. I know Byul means star, Bada means sea or ocean. I become curious when i watched a Kdrama that came from CHina. They subbed even the meaning of the characters’ name – there’s spring roll, beautiful morning, rice, gold etc.. It gave me headache but found it funny later when i catched on. If those are some of the meanings, i thnk i like it.
Thanks so much and God Bless =)
everything lee jun ki touches turns to gold to me. you have to admit that he has crazy acting skills. yeah. like everyone says u get into the plot after the first 2-3 episodes. i hope you give time of dog and wolf a chance ;D cuz i think after coffee prince, todw is the drama with high ratings right now. lols. i’m not feeling KARL. KARL seems boring to me. something is missing. i love 9 ends 2 outs. even though the plot is dragging a little bit, the chemistry between hyung tae and nan hee attracts me. lols. the only person i hate is im yoon ah. the crazy teenage girl.
Hmm…about My Girl
Interesting…Seo Jeong Woo was one of the only “third-wheel” k-drama characters that I actually felt pity for! It was overacted, yes……and, I think that we just didn’t get enough info on WHY he was inlove with Yoo Rin….so, it did feel a bit unbelievable for him to be truly in love with her…
But I felt like his “crying scenes” were more believeable than the rest! (especially in Goong…Oh..i hated Lee Yul)…
Now “kim sae Hyun” Is a different story. Honestly, IDK what is the big deal with that girl. I hated her in MG…because all she did was Scoff the whole time!! She seriously had no other reactions…..she just went “humph” and like u said “flared her nostrils”!! I don’t get why she even became famous!!
*by the way..i’m not korean, so Im not familiar with the korean “standard of beauty”…but is the actress that played kim sae hyun in MG…..is she considered pretty in Korea??*
Anyway…..I loved Green Rose!! I won’t spoil it for you………and I hope you stick with it!
It might get long and draggy at times……but it’s a wonderful drama!!!
I was totally turned off my the first episode of time of WOlf and Dog too…
But…it does get better. I promise.
A lot of people in korea have started watching the series later…
the characters do get some development.
hi. i would recommend you to check 9 ends and 2 outs. some people say the pacing is too slow but i think as a whole its really sweet and nice. this is the drama i’m currently watching together with coffee prince
check it out. You mught like it…
You might want to try Lovers in Prague or All In (I liked All In better than Green Rose, but Rose is a good choice too). I really enjoyed watching those. CP withdrawl has actually pushed me towards some Jdoramas.
#45 yeli took the words right out of my mouth! TODAW is really worth watching – even if your thing is romantic comedies. even though it is more on the melodramatic side (identity, twisted/bad fate, redemption, romance) it does not wade in the “cesspool of sadness” for 16 eps. like A Love to Kill (that drama made romeo and juliet look like “my big fat greek wedding”) anyway the first ep is not horrifically bad – just slower compared to the other 15 eps. i just finished watching ep 13 and at the end of every episode i am astounded that the plot has turned AGAIN in a completely different direction. even though the romance isn’t very obvious (esp. from LJK’S side) it is understandable. he’s playing a character who cannot afford to have a romance, he’s haunted by his past and can’t invest himself in a relationship like he knows he should – so he doesn’t try to tie her down. another thing about this drama is that the character development is really great – LJK really does a good job acting especially when things “change dramatically” about midway through the series. ( i don’t want to spoil it for anybody) anywhoo i just want to get the point across that TODAW is really enjoyable even for those who don’t enjoy the action genre…i would looove it if you posted episode summaries for TODAW…alas it is a free country….
“…it does not wade in the “cesspool of sadness” for 16 eps…”
star_bucks, that’s such a neat description of the Time of Dog and Wolf plot. Love it!
TODAW doesn’t have characters staring into space in endless stupor as they bemoan their ill fate. It doesn’t have the tiresome love triangles or quadrangles that keep going around in circles and make you want to choke some people to death. Neither does it have meddlesome parents and ex-girlfriends/boyfriends. The premise of the story is very sad – a man who’s trapped between a powerful triad and a National Intelligence Service out to exploit him and who, in a sense, no longer exists as a person on this earth – and yet it doesn’t wallow in its sadness. The drama doesn’t drag at all. Every episode has its surprises that keep you on edge. Each episode is better than the one before it. The three young leads are amazing and I love them all, including Jung Kyung Ho who exasperated me to no end in Sorry I Love You. His character is just adorable in TODAW, so impetuous and prone to ‘going nuts’ (to quote what Nam Sang Mi’s character said about him). I adore Nam Sang Mi and think she’s perfect for her role. Since I’m allergic to actresses who wail like they’re being skinned alive, I’m grateful that NSM’s crying is so natural and understated. Her eyes just need to fill with tears and I can immediately sense her pain and bewilderment. As for Lee Jun Ki, all I can say is I’m beyond proud of him.^^
#74becca. I’m pretty sure Park Si Yeon, the actress who played Kim Seo-hyun was Miss Korea, plus she is/was (not sure whether they’re still together) dating Eric from Shinhwa, that probably can’t hurt her profile.
Alrite!!so theres nothing as exciting at the moment….I keep reverting to CP everytime I try watching a new k-drama….everything seems so bland!!But life goes on and I have found something else to keep me occupied these days…9 end 2 outs!!It might not be as captivating as CP but yes it does grow on one after a while…I especially like the lead actor..hmm he is fit!!I did enjoy him in “Love Story at Harvard” ,hence I thought i should give it a go.Maybe you guys should try watching it aswell?!!
Anyway, Javabeans I just love your style of writing…keep up the good work!!Thoroughly enjoyed your summaries on CP!!ahhh maybe i’ll go back to reading them again
I’ve almost finished watching Green Rose (episode 19) and have really enjoyed watching Go Soo who reminds me of an older version of Li Wan whom I also like. Lee Da Hae is fast becoming one of my favourite actresses too. I’ll be getting this series as soon as I’m done, along with Hello Miss.
For those who are bored and have started watching japanese dramas, Nodame Cantible is hilarious. Also check out Hotaru no Hikari if you like quirky characters. For some interesting mysteries, check out Galileo. Handsome scientist meets rookie female cop and fireworks (actually laser beams) are shooting off (literally).
For those who think javabeans is too slow, poo on you. Just be thankful she even shares her wonderful thoughts and comments with us. I am amazed that she can find time to even post up to 3 daily postings. You’re my angel.
whoops. i realise i’m really late in commenting here (: anyhow i just chanced upon this site today, thanks a lot for all your reviews and info!
i must agree with what most people have said about TBDAW here. but am i the only one who didn’t find the first episode draggy? haha, maybe because i was already in love with junki and couldn’t wait to watch this series. all the anticipation really was worth it, though, and TBDAW really blew me away with its excellent acting and plot development. it was a fresh change from the typical romance k-dramas, and junki’s performance was superb. (i’ll also have to agree with what you said about his slightly annoying angsty scenes of my girl, though i really like the way he cried, haha.) each member of TBDAW’s cast is so immersed in his role, and everyone’s fleshed out so well that there aren’t really any two-dimensional characters. starting from around episode 4, the drama’s pace really picked up and i would be all emotionally charged after each episode, ha ha. i also thoroughly enjoyed episodes 11 through 16.
so if you haven’t finished it yet, do watch it! (:
i’ll be sure to check back here for more updates in the future and thanks again!
OUCH! that hurt. But yeah, I could probably sympathize with you on your view of LJK in ‘time bet WOLF and DOG’ (or whatever really the title is). I haven’t finished it yet am still on chapter 10 (or 11?).
I have mentioned a few times I dislike tearjerkers with pathetic endings. I don’t like having a heavy heart and as what I’ve heard with Green Rose its nasal draining. besides, the guy who starred there often act with his eyes totally distracting my concentration on all of his scenes- it looked walled or something. For some freaking reason he doesn’t look to other people directly in the eye (is it just in the series that he does that or in real life as well?). Nevertheless, am always drawn to watch his other feel good heart pinching series. He seemed to play endearing roles the kind -where you’d like to hug him or be hug by him and say or have him say ‘its okay honey everything’s gonna be alright’.
Back to LJK’s ‘Time… ‘ I know he had some moments there where his fish-eyeball seemed to pop out of its socket but please do watch it entirely. I like the way it paced up to its plot (huh? pardon my grammar). You may consider it shallow (double ouch) but its quite entertaining. I don’t see that kind of action at the same time enjoyed watching it like in those other series i’ve watched before it. In LJK’s ‘Time… it had good supporting character actors which gave a bit of balance to what was exaggerated (I must have been blind ‘coz I didn’t notice. I was sooo into LJK). Who was that mafia leader? I think he’s veteran and sooooo cool (Can I have a crush on him too?), I think he was effective in his role. There’s this young kid playing mafia protegee, I think I saw him opposite Soo Ae, he’s cute in that series – 9 innings?.
I think that I Am Sam opening was meant to be a joke. The main character is always acting out scenes and using lines from various dramas/movies. It’s funny. I think if you get a little further into I am Sam you’d see that it’s not so bad.
hey!!!!! i love your korean tv drama,to marry a millionaire,,,,…..
u two are very equal
act more films
i am one of ur fans
i like u
i like ko soo most among the actors
then i like lee dae hee most among the actresses
i am from myanmar but i am chinese
wish u two will be more successful among the actors and actresses
i like green rose drama very much
i am one of ur fans
stay like rich guy
ur face is kind
i mean u Go Soo
wish u will be success
Well i love… Lee Jun Ki since Time between Dog and Wolf was my all time favorite i have been recommending it to everyone i know who are in to K drama, It put me at an edge through out . People complained about the ending but i liked it there was some HOPE of happy ending .. I really think it was better than Green Rose , which was too draggy , and my sis fav… And trust me my sis and i are total opposite, so no wonder.
WELL … i am looking forward to his next drama or movie… Now i have become a loyal fan, m sure i will not be disappointed ……….
I love TBDAW. Anything if anyone tried to watch it until ep 3 will feel satisfied with the excellence of the drama