Open Thread #89
June 26th, 2009 // by javabeans
I’m moving this weekend! This month has been absolutely insane, with work piling up and the demands of packing and trying to organize a major change around prior commitments… yeesh! If you don’t hear from me, I’ve been crushed by boxes. Smothered by the literal weight of one’s own (material) life, how… poetic?
SONG OF THE DAY
Chris Cornell – “Wave Goodbye.” One of my favorite vocalists sings about another one of my favorites (Jeff Buckley). [ Download ]
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“Smothered by the literal weight of one’s own (material) life”
what’s wrong JB?… if ever there is… Ola =)
I read this blog quite a lot, and never really comment on here.
However, I just have to get this off my chest:
I can’t believe MJ’s actually dead. He’s like literally, dead.
JB, hope the move goes smooth. Lift from the legs. *demonstates by doing a squat* not from the back.
Oh, a potential warning for those who buy DVDs. This is could be coincidental and I don’t want to name any online stores unfairly because I don’t have proof…. BUT:
Twice over the past few months (most recently, yesterday), I have had to cancel my CC and get a new one with a new number because I started seeing unauthorized purchases being made online. Basically, someone got my CC number and started charging random things like telespoofing subscriptions and making overseas merchandise purchases. No harm done, the CC isn’t charging me for that stuff, and I am getting a new card sent out asap.
But both of those events happened right after I made a purchase through a well-known Asian online store. YES, can you believe it? Both times, I made a purchase of an authentic DVD set (region 1) that had to be shipped from the Hong Kong warehouse. I’ve made many DVD purchases from this place when the shipping was from inside the US (with no harm done and no negative results), but the two times I have made purchases that resulted in shipping coming from HK, very soon thereafter, my CC number was used by someone probably overseas.
So, please be safe out there in cyberspace purchasing land! After you purchase anything through any online company, especially those coming from Asia, yes, even from asia, please be sure to check your credit card statements online regularly thereafter!
Good luck with your move, JB!
What a week…Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and my own sweet 90-year old grandmother.
Happier topics…City Hall! SO SO SO GOOD…I can’t eat, I don’t want to work, I already never sleep…I’m up to episode 15 and planning to keep on going until I get caught up. It’s JUST.THAT.GOOD.
Happy Friday y’all!
I’m so sad over MJ’s death. Rock With You was my favorite song to sing at the Noraebang.
@Samsooki
If I’m right, do I see the name of that suspected online store mentioned twice on your comment?
Just wanted to say how sad I am about Michael Jackson ’s death… I still can’t process it. His songs rythmed my early childhood and my adolescence, having
grown up in the 80’s . He was such an inspiration and was loved by so many people transcending races and cultures… He was a real genius and an astounding performer and dancer. It makes me feel so sad.
Good luck with the move!
MJ…I still remember the night Thriller first aired…a dark stormy night…I had to watch it with my hands covering my eyes and peeking through the spaces in between my fingers. Yeah, I was (am) a scaredy-cat.
@ Samsooki, what recap project are you working on?
And when are you gonna make up those billable hours?
When you are done, you will be so glad you did it – moving that is. Enjoy your new place and have a great week.
@6 Snikki -
Yes, I think that Asia is lovely in the summer. Does that answer your question?
I don’t want unfairly accuse any company, especially since this particular company I have ordered maybe a dozen times this year, and have had no issues so long as the order doesn’t go through HK and so long as the billing company name on the CC statement does NOT have the words “Ltd” at the end. If the order goes through HK and I see _________, Ltd., then I might be worried.
Of course, maybe it is just a coincidence. Who can say for sure?
@8 hjkomo –
“What recap project are you working on? And when are you gonna make up those billable hours?”
Well, over on Soompi’s CH thread, I put together a crack team of volunteers and am putting together a little recap project. I am doing a little bit of everything for the recapping, spot translation, writing, commenting. For those who might be interested, please drop by the Soompi CH thread for updates and how to contact me if you want to help.
As for my billables, I got yelled at yesterday by the managing partner. So I yelled back and said, “DUDE, HOW CAN I WORK AND THINK, when City Hall Episodes 17 and 18 were so intense!!!” hehe. Okay, I didn’t say that. But I was thinking that.
JB,
I would offer to help you with your move, but I think you live in the States and I live in Canada, thus the 2 will probably never meet.
Happy blogging when you have time again. My life would never be the same without you.
wahh >_< just
watched triple ep 2 & 3
i love Yoon Kye Sang *wohoooo*
JB, hope your move goes well
Aja! Aja! Fighting!
God I love Fridays…
As with many other people, I am very sad over MJ’s death… it was just so sudden and out of nowhere. Yes, he had a hugely publicized screwed up personal life, but you cannot deny that he was one DAMN talented person who influenced countless other musicians from different generations and countries. He changed the face of music forever and it’s sad that he left us at such a relatively young age.
I’m also very sad about the death of Farrah Fawcett. I had just found out yesterday around lunch that she had passed and then when I got back from lunch I read that MJ was in the hospital and I was like WTF… 2 icons in one day… insane.
In happier news…. almost caught up with Shining Inheritance. I kind of want to be a few episodes behind though because each ending is so like ‘omgwhatsgonnahappennext’ for me so i always want to watch the first like, 10 min of the next one before I can stop.
@Samsooki – haha you’re so clever
If it’s the site I’m thinking of, ocrap cuz i buy from them allll the time (it’s the only really comprehensive asian media sales outlet that i’m aware of). I haven’t seen any unusual charges I don’t think, but I didn’t really double check…
JB – good luck with your move!! Are you leaving LA and all our great food and horrible traffic?
Dear Javabeans – Happy Moving! Just look forward to the moment when you can put your legs up….
@ 10 Samsooki and 4 langdon813
“I can’t eat, I don’t want to work, I already never sleep…I’m up to episode 15 and planning to keep on going until I get caught up. It’s JUST.THAT.GOOD. ”
“As for my billables, I got yelled at yesterday by the managing partner. So I yelled back and said, “DUDE, HOW CAN I WORK AND THINK, when City Hall Episodes 17 and 18 were so intense!!!” hehe. Okay, I didn’t say that. But I was thinking that.”
Same here, we City Hallers have no life – it is that pathetic!
Samsooki – keenly waiting your CH re-cap. When’s it likely to have the first instalment?
@14 epyc -
Honestly, not sure. Today and tonight, I hope to nail down how we are to do things, what flavor and style of recapping, and this weekend, we will begin. Hopefully by Sunday night, we should have stuff on the Soompi thread for comments and review. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes though, so I don’t want to broadcast this as a sir edmund hillary flag planting. Alodia asked me to help, and I agreed. We will see how it goes.
City Hall-internet problems so cannot wait to catch up once I see the ENGLISH subs version of EP 15 onward. I wish my Korean is good enough to not need subs but alas I am a long way off. Plus the political jargon does not help.
@samsooki—-sorry you got credit card fraud. I have used this reputable company ALOT when it had shipping in the USA too. Now I have not bought from them in awhile. I have gotten fraud even when NOT making purchases abroad. Just be vigilant about your credit card bills and especially after travel. I have had fraud three times and not from some random Asian site at all either. Vigilance for all who use their credit card. Also my credit card is good about checking on fraud alerts even when I am making legit purchases.
@Dramabeans–good luck with the move. I so dislike moving! I moved last year and I am a packrat. Needless to say, I got rid of stuff, but I still have alot of stuff so I can feel your pain. Sad to say, I still have tons of boxes not unpacked since I moved in last fall. (I just would rather do other things than unpack and buy furniture… then again the money issue to buy the stuff gets in the way (~_^ ).)
Second open thread to write in, can be addictive. LOL I never really read the comments area much just read the articles. I just watched and finished the Korean Version of Hana Yori Dango. Now need to catch up on Family Outing/City Hall and figure out my next new drama.
Sad about the passing of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. Though he went through alot in his personal life, he is still a pop music,dance legend and icon who has influenced many people to want to sing, dance and perform. May both rest in peace. Save for Ed McMahon the guy I remember doing “Star Search” and of course the “Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson and late night ads.
@ Samsooki
If you don’t mind me asking, what made you decide to start doing recaps?
I only ask because I’ve started doing recaps for Shining Inheritance. Very cap heavy, lol. But I don’t do it as an official episode recap though, I do it mainly as a recap of my favorite scenes of an episode. It’s time consuming but it’s fun because I get to kind of rewatch/relive my favorite scenes. That said, I take probably over 400 caps each episode and it’s a pain in the butt to scale it down to the 20-40 that I usually use. So I usually end up using dialogue with it, so it doesn’t kill anyone’s dial up.
I would do an official episode recap but right now I’m only doing it because I love the show and love little moments and scenes. If I were to do it officially, I’m afraid that my love for it might get lost in all the boring parts.
That said, I’m loving Shining Inheritance! I’ve been spoiling myself on Soompi and it looks like things are getting more exciting.
I also started the first episode of the j-drama Kekkon Dekinao Otoko (sp?) the drama that The Man Who Can’t Get Married is based on. It was so amusing! Any drama that, in their first episode, has mentions of anal procedures and multiple shots of a mans buttocks has got me on board!
@ lovenyc52. Let’s not forget Ed McMahon. I used to watch him host Star Search all the time! Sooooo many of our singers and celebrities, now in their 20s and 30s, had performed on that show as children and unknowns. Tragedies do come in threes.
I haven’t caught up with the latest episodes of City Hall. I knew they were going to breathtaking and intense, so i’m going to save them for tomorrow afternoon when I can watch them with no interruption or worry about things I have to do later.
On non kdrama news, I checked out Chen Qiao En’s new taiwanese drama, Easy Fortune Happy Life. It’s a bit cliche (main guy treats her like dirt at first, but her fresh country ways and pure heart gets him crawling to her), but I’m addicted! It’s heartwrenching and hilarious. And Chen Qiao En knows how to keep the country-girl role fresh and distinct from her other roles.
It’s really a great pleasure to read ur recaps.. they’re great and detailed! It became one of my daily routines (smiles)
Triple and Level 7 Civil Servant are truly enjoyable to watch! LJJ and KJH(screaming!)
Fighting!
yay for shining inheritance
waiting impatiently for the saturday/sunday eppies
btw i’d like to thank dramabeans for always giving good music. i loves it! <3
anyone interested in dream? kim bum and son dambi? might be a bit strange they don’t really fit as a couple for me.. i’m not ready to see kim bum with anyone but kim so eun </3 </3 </3 i was hoping for a kim bum kim so eun drama ! this is one of those instances i wish they were like taiwanese dramas aka rainie& mike in two dramas together. even tho taiwanese dramas are too cheesy.
@17 mishane –
“If you don’t mind me asking, what made you decide to start doing recaps?”
Well, I’ve been thinking about various ways to value-add on Soompi (and on dramabeans). And City Hall is one of the first dramas that I started watching while it was still on the air, and now I am completely caught up, I feel like I can help make it more enjoyable for other people, especially ppl who haven’t seen it or haven’t seen all of it yet. I’d like to give it a shot, and see what happens.
Can someone please enlighten me what “hajiman” means? According to my Korean friend, shiro = I don’t want, while ande (or is it andwae?) means cannot. If my hunch is correct, “hajiman” means stop it?
Thanks in advance!
On a separate note, JB, I can fully empathize with your move-related stress. Moving is NOT fun. I actually have panic attacks whenever I have to move, or even just to pack luggage. It can be overwhelming.
@ 20 ambs
Hehe, I agree with you. I can’t wait until Saturday, so I can watch Shining Inheritance. This is the first time ever that I’m using viikii and first time I’ve been obsessed with a drama that I must watch it as soon as it airs.
Damn it, this is why I don’t watch currently airing dramas!!
@asianromance – oh that’s right…
man. 3 icons in one week… this week sucks. Chen Qiao En is my favorite TW actress 
She is just so cute and I love the spunk she shows in all her dramas. Lately though, I haven’t heard of any TW dramas that sound interesting (though some people on this site have recommended Black and White). The last one I watched and absolutely adored was Fated to Love You. I may have to check out this drama. The two main guys are kinda hot. Plus I can watch this without subs haha. 
Re: the moving thing.
I went to boarding school for high school (= 4 years of moving in and moving out) and then dormed 4 years of college (=another 4 years of moving and moving out) for a grand total of 8 years doing move ins/move outs.
I NEVER want to pack another box ever again. I’m going to buy a house and stay there for the rest of my life. I absolutely hate making a place my “home” and then packing up again a year later.
@22 queen bee
“Can someone please enlighten me what “hajiman” means? According to my Korean friend, shiro = I don’t want, while ande (or is it andwae?) means cannot. If my hunch is correct, “hajiman” means stop it? ”
shi-reoh. “I don’t want to.”
an-dweh. depending on context, “this/that cannot be” or “this/that won’t work.” or “not for me.” you might hear this said as “an-deh” but that’s kind of a satoori (accent) and it is technically not how to pronounce it. I tend to say, “an-deh” rather than “an-dweh” because my pronounciation tends to suck badly.
ha-ji-mah. “stop it.” this is a command, said to a peer or to a person beneath you, not to a person above you or to stangers. note, this word and the two words above are all in “ban-mal” which means that it is meant for intimate talking or talking to peers or people beneath you. for polite conversation, or conversation with people you don’t know, or people above you, you have to use “joh-deh-mal” which is a much more honorific form of speaking.
ha-ji-man. “nevertheless” might be the best way to translate this.
RIP…MJ!!!
Javabeans.
Very best of luck with a smooth uneventful move. Please allow yourself a bit of pamper and relax time to recharge, as all your life trappings are not needed in their new places right away. Happy New Home.
R.I.P. Kim Tae-ho – (1986. Feb. 09 – 2009. June 25.) who passed away after his tragic motorcycle accident.
Kim Tae-ho – Appeared in ‘Blue Fish’, ‘Sex is Zero 2′, ‘Hometown Legends’ etc.
@ Samsooki.
Not just DVD’s, have been bitten twice with Music CD/DVD sets from I’m thinking the same place.
Good Luck with your move! But won’t you miss the smog and traffic? Know what you mean about all the accumulated stuff, I came to this country with 2 suitcases and now find it hard to go on vacation with just 2 suitcases!
@langdon813
Condolences on the passing of your Grandmother. Cherish the memories.
@ Samsooki. Thx for the warning. I’ve used that site without any problems but it’s good to know and be aware there maybe issues.
Just finished watching Accidental Couple after reading the review. Predictable story made highly enjoyable by Hwang Jung Min! I’d never seen him before and now want to see some of his movies. Hope he does more dramas.
Ok all you City Hallers out there, are you like me, unable to wait for next weeks episodes to come! I know it will be the end but I still want more. Luv it! Luv it! Luv it!
[Sorry to gush. I know not everyone is a fan but this one hooked me!]
Oh well it’s Saturday tomorrow and I’m back to work after being off for 11 days. Not sure if I can face it!
Happy viewing everyone!
my sympathies, JB, moving is soooo traumatic and exhausting, physically and mentally. hang in, and keep reminding yourself it will be over soon.
of course we are all wondering where you are moving TO. or should I move that q to “Ask JB” thread?
there seem to be rumors you are moving northward on I-5, even to my territory (Seattle-Tacoma). good luck!
i just purchased some stuff from that site… *crosses fingers* i should be okay tho… i’ve used them before w/ no issues.
Ed, Farrah, Michael. then i read about Kim Tae-ho. i’m so bummed…
it was so freakishly coincidental that i heard about MJ and i was listening to Junsu (2PM) cover of “You are not alone”. gave myself goosebumps.
working all weekend. next week better be an EFF OFF week. my brain hurts so much!!!
Can someone explain something to me about Shining Inheritance Episode 15?
When Hwan confronts Eun Sung about what kind of person she really is, that she seems kind and nice but what is she really about.
And Eun Sung gets upset and says that she ISN’T kind or nice and that she thought he was a different person than this and that he’ll never change.
Huh? So confusing. A better person than what? The old Hwan would never have called her kind and nice, so what did she get all upset at?
Glued and totally addicted to City Hall and Queen Seon Duk. Been watching Shining Inheritance also. It has all been really enjoyable to watch. Once you start watching an episode, you get suck into watching all of them! It is so addcitive.
Good luck on your move java!
Also, mouring the loss of MJ, FF, and EMcMann. Especially MJ, he is and was truly the KING OF POP.
@28, coco
Thank you! My grandmother’s death was not really unexpected; we’ve been more or less prepared for a couple of weeks. She was such a diva; apparently she didn’t want to share her day with Michael Jackson or Farrah Fawcett so she waited until 12:01 this morning. So typical of her…what a great gal!
@ Samsooki
Thanks for the advice; I’ve got a few things saved in “the cart” there so I’ll be vigilant about checking my credit card statement once I actually make a purchase!
@32 mishane – I think when Hwan asked her what kind of person she is, it’s because after seeing her in action he saw that she wasn’t the manipulative liar he first made her out to be, but after all of Seung Mi’ s lies he doesn’t know what to believe. Because Eun Sung seems honest and genuine and doesn’t seem like the kind of person to cut off family, but on the flip side he has known Seung Mi forever and has no reason to think she would lie to him. So now he’s conflicted, especially with his growing feelings for Eun Sung.
Then Eun Sung replies that she’s NOT nice or kind because I don’t think she sees herself in that kind of ’saintly’ light. She sees herself as just a person doing what she needs to survive and what she feels is right. Maybe she also doesn’t feel nice and kind since she is now inheriting his grandmother’s legacy. And the comment about him being a different person – I think that has something to do with his recent change in work attitude and their previous agreement of keeping personal and work lives separate. She thought he was changing into a more understanding person but then after Seung Mi’s lies, his attitude towards her changes drastically again, and she doesn’t know what to make of it.
This is just all IMO and I could be way off the mark haha…
javabeans: all the best in your move! yeah, we could do with a lot of elves. as for me, sometimes i wish i could just throw everything away and start afresh all over! but of course, that’s not likely to happen. cause i will always need the computer and the wireless router. ah, and a few other things like the guitar, the piano, the tv, the books!, the cds, the pillow, the drama sets and a comfy teddy…
i don’t really like writing technical papers. cause tell me how do you exactly write a technical report using your own words? i sure didn’t invent the word CCD or PAL or “camera system”.
i am very sad today because i heard the news of MJ’s trespassing as i woke up this morning :s now i only feel like crying whenever i hear “heal the world” or “we are the world”
people can say whatever they want about the man ( i think that the only ones who know the real truth are the people involved in the multiple trials ) but they have to acknowledge that MJ was really committed with helping poor/sick/miserable/youth people, and also all the environnemental question
happier topic : i am invited for a wedding ! yay !
have all a great weekend, and JB, please dont let you be crushed by boxes ! i will be moving next month too ^^”
@mishane – I’m addicted to Shining Inheritance and am stuck on episode 14. I’ve downloaded up to Ep 17, but refuse to watch anymore until its over. The waiting is killing me, but I hate the suspense! I love, love this series!! I seriously have to stop watching currently airing dramas!!!
I am currently watching “Ruler of Your Own World” and I’m surprised how much I like it. Its one that I’m renting from Netflix and it has the following cast:
Yang Dong Geun as Ko Bok-Su
Lee Na Young as Jun Kyung
Gong Hyo Jin as Song Mi-Rae
Lee Dong Gun as Han Dong-Jin
The cast isn’t your typical eye-candy, but they are actually very appealing, especially the main lead guy with his really bad afro-perm. Highly recommend it!
MJ’s death is unreal to me. I may not have liked all of his work, he had so many amazing songs. And he was groundbreaking! And a lot of his music was socially-oriented. Say what you will about his private life(and there is a lot to say/ponder), you can’t deny he was amazingly talented.
@samsooki,
aigoooo, i have ordered so much from that particular co. over the years (and so far no probs but your story does sound suspicious). thanks for the tip. Wish there was a way to know in advance if order was going to come from HK or from the states. I liked it better when everything came directly from their HQ in a far western state…
Truly, this week has been horrible!
I’ve heard about so many deaths: MJ, FF, my cousin’s grandfather, and many more..
It must have to do with the planets and their inauspicious alignments. lol
May all those who have passed away rest in peace.
As many of you have commented, I CANT WAIT till tomorrow when Shining Inheritance airs. Truly, this show is really good. I especially love the acting of Lee Seung Ki. He can show emotions with his eyes. Eun Sung and Woo Hwan seem perfect for each other. Also, Haru2subs is doing a great and quick job subbing the project. Thanks Haru2subs!
Dramabeans, are you moving out of LA to some other city or are you just changing your residence in LA? Hope you have a good moving experience without any mishaps or additional tiredness!
I hope this weekend is not too relaxing or too tiring, because I don’t want to be bored. I want just a right amount of excitement. Work during weekdays is killing me, especially the traffic I have to deal with in-between my home and work. Stupid Houston!
Hope everyone has a great weekend! Next weekend is a 3-day holiday!
asianromance & lovenyc52:
I’m also watching Easy Fortune Happy Life. It’s a little cheesy in places, but very enjoyable nonetheless. The two leads seem to have chemistry. The gangster character is a hoot, and the male lead is rather dishy!
(can’t seem to remember any of their names, lol)
I just hope it doesn’t get overly draggy.
@ 35 lovenyc52
–And the comment about him being a different person – I think that has something to do with his recent change in work attitude and their previous agreement of keeping personal and work lives separate. She thought he was changing into a more understanding person but then after Seung Mi’s lies, his attitude towards her changes drastically again, and she doesn’t know what to make of it.–
Thanks! I didn’t think of that. For some reason I thought she was thinking of how he was originally and I was confused because why would original Hwan call her nice and kind? But your explanation does make sense. Thanks!
JB – Hope the move goes all well! As a moving gift, I give you the holy shovel. Specially made for moving large mounts of boxes.
I’m feeling a bit off today though. Summer heat, boredom, summer school… the horror of boring summer days… It feels gross to just sit and get sticky by the humid heat. I’d rather be soaked in sweat actually doing something that just sitting on a chair feeling gross with nothing to do. Either way it’s pretty disgusting.
I’m suppose to continue my practice with Hanja characters, but remembering all these characters drains the life out of me. So here I have two choices = 1. Go study hanja while sitting for hours in the hot humid heat or 2. meet the fiery wrath of mums. Hmmm….
Shaved ice with red beans sounds yums atm~
So far I’ve been watching Sons of Sol Pharmacy with my mom from the beginning and it was too funny for words. My mom would relate to the mother so well and burst out laughing when she hit the sons for still being single. It was a good time, and off to episode 4 tonight!
@Samsooki: If youre talking about the place I think youre talking about, I had a friend talking about Park Hyo Shin’s cd, which is not even a real cd. The golden album, or something like that, isn’t a real official album and apparently they added in their own songs. It was quite expensive, from what I heard.
I’ve now decided that I should just not order from there anymore. Better safe than sorry.
Ooh!!
I have pictures and video from seeing So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin!
It was a fun experience. So Ji Sub was literally 6 feet away from me, without any barrier. I could have just walked up and touched him. He only stayed for about 5 minutes. Didn’t know a word of English.
I enjoyed Gong Hyo Jin’s appearance much more.
I went to the dentist today, and spent the majority of the time explaining that, no, I do not have a boyfriend, no, I do not want a boyfriend at the moment, and no, I’m not worried about not getting married soon. I’m only 21, geez.. Although, oddly enough, my mother is starting to express concern as well. o.O Just because I don’t date much doesn’t mean I won’t EVER date! Besides, the boys around me just aren’t worth it. *sigh*
Also, the new hygienist employed by my dentist is probably the most violent person to ever be in my mouth. D:
Hygienist: *stab stab stab STAB* Oh look, you’re bleeding. You must not be flossing enough.
Me: D: You just STABBED ME!
I miss the old hygienist.
——
And..er..yeah. So, I dropped The Man Who Can’t Get Married because it just didn’t even begin to compare favourably to the Jdrama in my opinion. Rather disappointing, but whatever. I did, however, pick up Crazy For Love, one of Yoon Kye-sang’s dramas. I’m not totally sold on the leading lady yet, but I like YKS well enough. It seems to be a mediocre drama, but I’ll watch it for YKS and that actor from Powerful Opponents whose name I can’t remember.
———-
For those of you watching Atashinchi no Danshi–who’s seen the final episode yet? I watched it unsubbed already, and I have to say I was mildly disappointed. I don’t want to spoil anyone, but it was comparatively anti-climactic, and gave NO CLOSURE to the Sho/Chisato relationship.
(Although Fuu + Kyoko-san = adorable.)
Who was your favourite brother? It took me forever, but around episode 8/9 I decided I was in love with Takeru. XD Sho is my second favourite brother, but Takeru made me laugh EVERY episode.
Also, WTF Tokita-san. Crazy mofo.
—–
@mishane – “I enjoyed Gong Hyo Jin’s appearance much more.”
*gasp* Bite your tongue! SJS is the sex.
But I’m glad you had fun. YOU GOT TO BREATHE THE SAME GENERAL AIR AS SJS. *jealous*
So Ji Sub appearance:
Dressed all in black. He’s not as tall in person. Was accompanied by a translator. Seemed a little nervous. Doesn’t know any English. Funny, when he walked in, he looked behind him immediately to make sure the translator was behind him. I think he was nervous on his English skills. Lots of girls screaming Saranghay. He said “I Lub New Yok”. Then he laughed nervously.
Made eye contact. I was sitting to his right. I think he liked my hat, lol. Tip: If you want someone to notice you wear a hat! I had on this funky Debbie Gibson type hat and was wearing leather leggings and I’m pretty sure he was staring at my hat. And then after 5 minutes or so of questions he left. But not before he glanced at me and waved. And it’s all on video people!
Oh, I won an autographed poster of his movie ‘Rough Cut’ but I’ve never been the type of person who cares about autographed things (it’s so impersonal to me) so it’s laying on the bottom of my dirty room floor. Anyone want it, lol?
(By the way, he left that night for Korea. They said he had a plane to catch. I overhead the coordinator saying that he was at a reception at a restaurant around the corner which I could have sneaked in to, cause I know the owner, but I’m not the type to freak out over celeb encounters. Plus, he knows no English, I’m not the biggest fan of him and . . .that’s all).
Gong Hyo Jin appearance:
Can I say, that if I wasn’t a fan of her before, I am now?!
She’s adorable! She had a translator too but I think she’s one of those that can understand the language but can’t speak it (like me and Spanish. I understand Spanish but can’t speak it). The reason I say is because the coordinator asked her a long question in English and GHJ didn’t wait for the translator and answered it immediately (in Korean).
Also, she was really proud of her movie. She was also much more confident that So Ji Sub. She spoke a lot more than him. Didn’t seem nervous. Seemed very charismatic (she made some jokes). She has a foot tattoo! I know because I was sitting 2 feet in front of her.
She’s not as skinny as I thought she was. I mean, she’s skinny but she’s not Lee Da Hae thin. I think I’m about the same size as her.
so, NO So Ji-sub ass-grabbing scenes? awwww..hehe
still a good experience, i hope!?
@mishane LOL I AM THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO CARES ABOUT AUTOGRAPHED THINGS ME ME ME!
@45 kender – i totally need to go to the dentist but i hate going
my friend’s roommate was my hygenist before but she moved away and now i don’t want to go back. Haha I watched the Atashinchi no Danshi final ep w/o subs too and though I can pick up the general meaning of the episode, I need the subs!! Yes, I agree it was anti-climactic and I needed much more Sho/Chisato closure (or any, at all!! sigh) My favorite brother always was and always will be Sho. I felt that he was just there for her pretty much every step of the way. Even when Fuu had exposed the reason she was there in the first place, Sho was the only one who was like ‘maybe we should hear her out?’ Takeru was my 2nd favorite cuz he was just sooo hilarious and out there. I think I’m also biased towards Sho since he and Maki were the reason I even picked up this show in the first place. 
And yes Tokita-san… no words haha… he was just a total nut. But his cape and rainbow glasses were hilarious.
@44 mishane
Cool! I’ve been wondering how it went. Was the event well attended? How did you end up winning the poster?
Good Luck Moving. . . Throw tons out !
my last move I gave away so much . . . but now I even have been trowing stuff out like a crazy person. . . . feels great !
Samsooki . . . YES ! the same thing has happened to me. . . My credit card warned me and issued me a new card right away before I even knew what had happened !
Ever since I moved from California and can only use comcast cable and they dropped their Asian channel I am lost ….so I have to rely on the online stores. . . . bummer !
@ 47 mzpakipot
Haha, no butt grabbing from me. He was literally in and out. I almost wish I went to the restaurant/lounge he was at but I had work at 6 AM the next day and . . .well. . .I’ve had my share of celeb experiences. But, I got my smile, my eye contact and my wave. Hehe, we made eye contact a few times (which I attribute all to my hat. I think he wanted it for himself!)
I’m good with that.
@ 50 langdon813
It’s a very very small theater, mostly for indie movies so I think there was only about 100 people or so. That’s why there was no barrier. It was a theater and a tiny little stage. Not ’showy’ at all. Very intimate.
Most of the attendees were Korean women, lol.
As for the poster, they passed out slips of paper, we had to put our info on it and they picked about 7 names or so and gave them prizes. I was surprised to win, but it wasn’t a big deal.
He shook some peoples hand in the first row. I think one girl died of a heart attack, lol. She almost jumped him on the stage. I’m telling you, the only thing separating So Ji Sub and his crazy fan girls were their own self control. And I guess NYC fangirls have better self control than I thought.
Shining Inheritance has seriously become my new obsession for the past few days. I wasn’t going to start a new drama while I was waiting for subs for Triple and Queen Seon-duk (which I’ve started watching and the first couple of episodes were interesting—I really liked the child actors who played Kim Yushin and Dukman respectively). But I seriously have been on a marathon downloading and watching Shining Inheritance for the past few days. It is so predictable, but still I have no idea why I’m so interested in it. I really hope the step-mother gets what she deserves and as much as I wanted to cut slack for Seung-mi, the last episode (15) really made me mad! Ugh! I think in the end it will be as Hwan’s grandmother had said, that he really needs to learn how to judge a person and hopefully he will. But at the moment I still like Jun-soo better…if Eun-sung ends up with him, I’ll be happy with that too (though that probably won’t happen).
Does Shining Inheritance remind anyone else of the drama 1% of Anything?
@MISHANE’s meet up wth korean celebs ^-^
*me sighing and drooling with envyyyy……. *
hhhaaaaaaaayyyyyyy…….. what did i do to deserve this????!!….. hhhaaaaayyyy….
everybody here seems like a city hall fanatics….mmmm…. havent watched it….
anybody watching JDRAMA too?
am just wondering what’s hot with jdramas today… been watching Mr. Brain and Bloody Monday…..while am still deciding what korean drama i should watch next……
HAVE A HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!!!
@JAVAB
…..mmmmm…. *grinning* i know how you feel….. LABEL YOUR BOXES!!! ^-^
@ 54 Taohua
–Does Shining Inheritance remind anyone else of the drama 1% of Anything?–
Haha, I can’t believe you said that. When I first started watching Shining Inheritance, I was impatient and couldn’t wait for subs so I started watching 1% Of Anything, because it had a similar storyline and I thought it would keep me satisfied until subs came out for SI.
Unfortunately, it did not. The story was weak for 1OA. There wasn’t the delicious backstory of the Evil!Stepmother to keep things interesting. It was very . . bland. Shining Inheritance is like the chicken quesadilla that you take a bite out of and at first it’s mild but then you hit the jalapeno peppers and damn, it’s spicy! 1OA is . . . oatmeal.
I got stuck on episode 9 of 1OA and haven’t been convinced to finish watching it. Just so boring. If you’ve watched it, does it get any better?
@ mishane.
where to go to watch video of your eye contact w/ SJS?
i’m envious you were acknowledged, even if for your hat!
that’s awesome… and ur so non-fangirling… which is awesomer!
JB, we’ll be moving this weekend as well, although I won’t be carrying or I(hopefully) won’t be crushed by any boxes coz I just found out I’m expecting. My poor husband, though…Good luck on your move.
I echo the enthusiasm of everyone who loves City Hall! I am so loving this drama right now. I can’t wait for new episodes.
RIP, MJ.
Ok I take back a lot of what I said about city hall (though not all). I’m now on ep 14 and it has gotten so much better since ep 8. I will collect my thoughts down for later but I’m really enjoying it.
Lucky for me since I started on CH so late, I have many more episodes to watch.
Samsookie, I have often wondered how you function as a lawyer with your kdrama obsession. My other lawyer friends work like 80-90 hr weeks. When are you sleeping for god’s sake.
@ lb_tmi
I haven’t uploaded my video yet. I looked on Youtube because I know the NYAFF puts up their own video of it but I couldn’t find it. All I could find for now is this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WTADYJBZU8.
I was sitting to the side, right in front of the announcer that brings him in. On this video, at 0:11 seconds, near the end, is when he looked to the left, glanced at me the last time, nodded and waved at me. Heh. Lol, I’ll wait until I get a clearer video and then share the link. Heh, I don’t kid myself. I think I’m a fairly attractive female. I do think the hat helped extra tons as there were many attractive young Asian females there and I’m pretty So Ji Sub had a nice wandering eye.
Look at you guys, making me into a bigger fangirl than I am! I was so nonchalant during the actual event. Even when we made eye contact, I didn’t even wink! Like when I winked at Josh Hartnett at bar we were both at, then we ended up dancing the night away. That’s tucked in my mind as my favorite celeb encounter.
@55 MEIKO – yap I watched Bloody Monday when it first came out. I loved it – it was so different than the other fun and silly jdoramas I had been watching. I had been looking foward to it because of the 2 main guys who played Takagi and J (both ex-Gokusen boys!) Though I had liked Narimiya Hiroki in Gokusen, it was when I saw Orange Days that he really caught my eye. And I actually liked him better than Miura Haruma in this…his character was just very interesting to watch
i hope you enjoy it too!
You know the evil stepmom and evil stepsister in Shining Inheritance reminds me of the “CRAZIES” in Stairway to Heaven. At lease in SH they are tamed enough not to kill Eun Soo.
-
Dang! I thought I’m the only one WHO CAN’T SLEEP, WHO DON’T WANT TO GO TO WORK, and WHO CAN’T EAT (ok, i take back the last one since i’m munching on some fries now… kekeke) after CITYAHLL ep17&18.
Reading some comments, i guess i’m still pretty normal – or the rest of the world is extremely insane – whatever it is, i’m glad knowing i’m not alone.
@samsooki,
Thanks for the cc fraud heads up. Yikes! I always trust these online shops for Asian Dramas. I thought they are 100% safe. I only use my cc on DVD purchases online. A few years back I have no intentions of getting a cc, but I applied for one just to be able to purchase MNIKSS DVD. lol
Goodluck to your recaps! Fighting!
“City Hall is one of the first dramas that I started watching while it was still on the air.”
– i know! that’s why I was surprised when i first saw your post in soompi.
(wordpress is acting up on me…. weird!)
@60 nycgrl –
“Samsookie, I have often wondered how you function as a lawyer with your kdrama obsession. My other lawyer friends work like 80-90 hr weeks. When are you sleeping for god’s sake.”
Well, first, I don’t work that many hours. I used to when I worked down on Wall Street (Water Street, actually), but I stopped doing that many hours after I got married – wasn’t worth it to kill myself for bonuses and stuff because then my wife would get all my money and i would be dead, hehe!! But, yes, I am kind of suffering for sleep these days, mostly due to k-drama watching. Second, I once billed 86 hours in a week (my peak ever) and I was delirious by Sunday evening. If you have friends doing it continuously for weeks and months, they are crazy robots and not human. At my peak over time, I probably averaged 55-60 hours of billable, no where near 80.
These days, i am desperately hoping for for 3-4 months of continuous and complete suckage that passes for dramas, so that I can get caught up with sleep and everything else.
LOL.
Good luck with the move – I hope the weather’s better for it there than it is here!
Has anyone seen the k-drama Insoon Is Pretty?
UGH.
I thought episode 1-4 were so good and I had so much hope for this drama. I thought the subject matter was compelling (girl leaves prison and has to be re-integrated into society, has to deal with finding her mother, who turns out to be a popular actress). There’s so much potential there for a nice human drama story.
Except.
It got derailed. I’m on Episode 9 and I’ve given up. I have no clue what story they are trying to tell! It’s like they lost sight of the goal. Now, In Soon is an actress? What? Que? I feel like its 2 COMPLETELY different stories just pasted together. And believe me, it does not mesh. I was expecting something more somber and in the tone of Kevin Bacon’s ‘The Woodsman’ but this is nothing like that. They don’t even explain what really happened to get her imprisoned.
Has anyone watched this? Has it gotten any better? I’ve put it away permanently for now but if anyone has seen it and can thinks it’s actually. . .good, I might pick it up again. MAYBE.
That said, I started ‘Robbers’ with Lee Da Hae and it’s interesting so far. Lee Da Hae really is a beautiful girl and she keeps my eyes on the screen. Hopefully it doesn’t start sucking either.
And something I noticed about j-dramas vs k-dramas.
I find that if I want a nice collection of dramas, ones that are different from each other and have different human interactions and different stories to tell, I should stick with j-dramas. The cliche’s there aren’t as obvious as they are in k-dramas.
But k-dramas, if you’re in the mood for a cliche (which I am sometimes) and really want that romance kick, then you should go for a k-drama. Everything in a k-drama appeals to the romantic in a person.
Which is why I don’t think Korean adaptations of Japanese dramas will ever surpass the J-drama. Because I think in a j-drama, it encompasses more than just the romantic aspect of the story, and delves more into social issues and other character interactions, while I think the Korean drama will just make it based on the main pair. I’ve noticed that most j-dramas have a comprehensive cast that all get equal screen time, while most k-dramas have the main 3 (or 4) who get ALL the screen time.
Of course, this is generalized statement, as I haven’t watched enough of either genres to get a good idea, just a general feeling.
@hjkomo
Sorry for not answering you any sooner but I was swamped with work last weekend and even got to read last weeks Open Thread the Tuesday after.
I cannot PM you at Soompi. First I thought I was just too dumb to do it, but then I read that kb had the same difficulties when trying to PM Samsooki.
Well, to make the long story short bought Star in my Heart last week. Nevertheless, thanks for the offer! As you like food, you can ask me for a nice “German” recipe anytime.
@langdon813
Regarding last week:
Did you watch “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall”? I really liked it.
When you like British TV watch “Ultraviolet” a mixture of Vampire and Police drama with a different approach to the topic.
As to being regarded let’s politely call it differently after having been counted on as the ultimate movie, TV and book news source for years when turning to Asia I can absolutely emphasize.
@24
I love Black & White but if you liked Fated to love you be aware that Black & White is a crime story first and a human drama / romance second. Just take look at Black & White and then decide.
By the way a colleague in Shanghai mailed today that he bought the first 12 episodes of Black & White in “good” quality with french subtitles for about 3 EUR. LOL!
@ All City Hallers
How is it that every episode of City Hall is better than the last one? The quality of the story telling, pacing, escalation of “romantic feeling” everything is very consistent. It is really my No. 1 at the moment!
@ mishane, word.
I did watch insoon when it was out. I can’t resist KHJ and KMJ. (and Lee Wan) but why does the script has to be THIS cringe-worthy lame couple eps in?!@$!%! But Kudos to KHJ, she has that power to be natural even saying the lame-est lines. Sadly, I think KHJ is trapped into another one with Partner.
Good luck in your move, JB!
Keep your focus on your new beautiful place.
Just made an offer on a house. This is our 5th try, multiple offers again. I think I’ll have an ulcer soon…ARGH! So in my chaos, I’m keeping myself insane by dreaming of the day I’ll really get to pack and move.
i feel your moving pain! been constantly moving since the end of april, i tell ya! i promise i’ll return your elves as soon as they get their lazy asses off my suitcases!
good luck
) hwaiting! keep some good wine to top off the weekend on a good note 
helloooo! omg i just finished watching What’s Up Fox and I loved it! definitely recommend it to everyone
have fun…it’s friday!!!!!!
@ 73 linz
–omg i just finished watching What’s Up Fox–
Haha, that’s next on my ‘romantic kdrama’ list. Either that one or ‘Witch Yoo Hee’ but I’m leaning towards What’s Up Fox.
@AnitaLotti – Ya my friend told me that it wasn’t a ‘romance-driven’ show, which is fine with me since there are plenty of those out there. I was just taking a look at the ratings (which of course, are not always indicative of how good a show is) and they were pretty low. But since there are quite a few people recommending this show to me I think I will have to take a peek and see
And since it’s almost done airing, if I end up liking it I won’t have to wait for each week’s episode! A big plus for me as I get really caught up in the shows I like.
@ mishane, STAY AWAY FR WITCH YOO HEE!
@74
People at Viikii said that the ratings are actually very, very high but counted a bit differently??? Well, I don’t know about that, but Black & White builds up the suspense very nicely. You are lucky not to have to wait a week in between the episodes.
@ 76 mookie
Really? It looked cute! And javabeans recapped it. . .although I only read the 1-2 episode recap.
@ AnitaLotti
Oh, no! Sorry you weren’t able to PM me. But don’t forget to check your cc statement.
re: Ultraviolet – loved it…who could resist Jack Davenport?
but was bummed that is was only one season…I wanted to see more!
..was even more bummed about NY-LON. Now there’s a series I would’ve given an arm and a leg for…to not have had it cancelled on a cliffhanger.
Tenant of Wildfell Hall – After years and years of waiting, I was sooo happy when it finally came out on dvd.
@ mishane
Insoon Is Pretty was one of the most underrated dramas of 2007!
but not everyone’s cup of tea, I guess…if you don’t like PD Pyo’s style.
Glad you’re liking Robbers, though. Another underrated drama.
Witch Yoo Hee is one that is fun to watch because of the mocking factor. Yeah, it was that bad, but JB’s recaps made it oh-so-fun. I think I laughed for days on end after reading recap (15?).
@69 AnitaLotti
I have not seen “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall”; thanks for the recommendation! I’ve also not seen “Ultraviolet” but I think Stephen Moyer from ‘TrueBlood” is in it, is that right? Doesn’t matter really, you had me at “vampire”.
And yes, I am apparently now the OFFICIAL WEIRDO in the family. Last Friday I went out to dinner with my sister and a good friend that neither of us had seen in for a while, and in due course had to suffer through my sister’s “we’re a little worried that she never does anything but watch Korean TV shows; we may need an intervention” speech to our friend.
**insert eyeroll here** I’m to the point now that if they’re not willing to see what the fuss is all about, then I’m not willing to take any crap about it.
@74 lovenyc52
Black & White is fantastic, I’ve really enjoyed it a lot. Of course, it certainly helps that Vic Zhou and Mark Chao are very very cute.
Also, I tried not to do this but I just can’t contain myself:
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG
Just finished Episode 15 of City Hall and…I need a cold shower. WHOA…that is some man.
This song is so appropriate! After a few weeks in my peri-surgical rotation, I’m moving on to another one at an ICU. I really enjoyed this previous one that I was turning into a scary workaholic, but I am hoping this one will be enjoyable…or a helpful learning experience at the very least!
I am very excited to be catching up on Triple this week! Yeayyy!
@ langdon813
Yes, Stephen Moyer is in Ultraviolet…and NY-LON. Watch NY-LON!!!!
Tenant of Wildfell Hall – Toby Stephens!!!!
okay, Tara Fitzgerald, Rupert Graves and James Purefoy, too.
@ 79 hjkomo
–Insoon Is Pretty was one of the most underrated dramas of 2007!
but not everyone’s cup of tea, I guess…if you don’t like PD Pyo’s style.–
See, I want to like it, I really do! But I have no clue where they are going with it. So far, they’ve made no mention really of Insoon’s past. I mean, there was the initial drama of it, but now she’s becoming an entertainer?? Wouldn’t that come up?? I don’t get what they are trying to do with her character. Or with the relationship. She freaked out on the male lead in episode 7 (I think) but I couldn’t get for what reason she flipped out.
I don’t know. If they had made it a normal drama and took out the part about her becoming famous (which was so WTF to me) I would have liked it. They should have kept it simple, she gets out of prison, goes back to real life, deals with the aftermath of whatever she did or didn’t do (also, I’m 9 episodes in and they barely mention the prison thing anymore, which is what the whole show is about!!) and deals with how it will affect her relationships.
Sorry I went all ranty, I just got so confused with the show. Lee Wan’s character also confuses me. Who the hell is he? And it’s not even set up in a way that I really want to know who he is. I mean, give me something show! I want to WANT to watch!
Happy weekend everyone! Congrats JB for moving out of LA as well. Are you moving within the state? or moving away away? Anyway, soon, it’ll be all over and you’ll be able to situate yourself happily/comfortably in your new environment.
I used to live there for 9 years and am now living in a tiny town (population of 8000) in Ventura county. I can keep my front door open all day long and nothing happens. my car is unlocked in my driveway as well… The only thing is I still work in LA, not everyday, but I do have to sit on 101 & 405 for 2-4 hours one way each time I go to work! A madness!
Anyway, thanks for the subbers on Viikii, I’m finally catching up with “Triple”, it’s very cute and refreshing. .. and “Shinning inheritance”, I’m with you guys, can’t wait till the next episode. Disregarding all the usual predictable K drama characteristics(a sudden misfortune, evil step mom:can’t stand her, spoiled family members with entitlement mentalities and on and on…). It’s cute and funny enough. I guess partially because, there are no really good Jdramas this season, only one I follow was Atashinchino danshi and it’s already over.
Yes, @45 Kender, it was so so ending, yet somehow it felt like it was suitable in a way.
I tired to watch Kimutaku’s “Mr. Brain” which put me to sleep and that was it. Nothing else is going on. I check with Woopie(J drama site) from time to time since I like working at home while listening to Japanese to keep me current with the language. May be something more interesting or intriguing next season.
@69 AnitaLotti
“Ultraviolet sounds interesting, I might rent it from netflix.for when I’m traveling. thank you for your info..
Anyway, I’ll be working tomorrow selling my jewelry at “lavender festival” in town. But for everybody else, have a great weekend!
i’d force myself to watch Black & White for the Vic factor alone.
i’m shallow that way. it’s on my list for summer watching.
I absolutely LOVED witch yoo hee! more for the eye candy tho.
how can anything w/ Dennis Oh, Kim Jung Hoon be bad? Two of my most recent obsessions. YEAH BABY!!! (total bias, as both were pretty bad acting wise)
P.S. JB, Thank you so much for the recaps, they are so helplful on top of being insightful on deciding which ones to watch and so on!
@72, linz
Forgot to say, I really liked “What’s Up Fox” too! Great chemistry between Ko Hyun-jung and Chun Jung-myung; and honestly, could he be any cuter?
I saw a photo of him and Gong Yoo recently in their military gear (I think on this site actually). Talk about an overload of adorableness (despite the manly uniforms and buzzcuts)!
@hjkomo
I will give NY LON a try.
@langdon813 (& celestialorigin)
At least someone who listens to my recommendations now…
Excerpt from a telephone conversation today: “What are you going to do this weekend? I know you are stressed by your job, but you really should do something else beside watching Asian drama all the time…”
Did somebody watch “Legend of the Seeker”? Went AWOL from Asia a couple of weeks ago, when I read about it on a blog. Recommended to fantasy, New Zealand and romance fans.
ugh! a bit depressed now. have you ever written something stupid online with your real name (there is only like 4 or 5 people in the internet world with the exact same name as mine) and geographic location attached? i did it 6 years ago- when I was a moody teenager- and now, after it disappeared from google for a whole year, it has come back again.
regarding jdramas, so atashinchi no danshi ended this week. I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a similar kind of fluffy drama airing after this?
Insoon is Pretty – I started the drama because I thought the premise sounded wonderful and different. Unfortunately, I had to quit the show because it became a mess without direction.
Witch Yoo Hee was…fun as long as you understood it was really bad. I mean, really, the costumed witch scenes? And Dennis Oh…oh please don’t open your mouth….
As for j-dramas – anyone seen Ghost Friends?? I’ve been watching Mr. Brain and it really is very very boring. Boss, another j-drama, is laughable with the female detective making random criminal profiles out of the flimsiest evidence. Outside of Shining Inheritence, I have yet to find my new obsessive drama….
Has anyone seen Man of the Vineyard? I keep trying to watch it, but watching Yoon Eun Hye in another romantic kdrama with the same mannerisms in Goong & Coffee Prince is just boring. Does it get better after Ep3?
I just wanted to send out a thank you to Samsooki and andromytta for helping me get acquainted with downloading and dramafever invites….or maybe I shouldn’t be saying thank you because productivity is now at an all time low. Maybe I should now ask for a support group. K-drama is like k-rack for me…totally addicted.
Do not watch Witch Yoo Hee, its bad, and I mean really bad. Even Jae Hee couldn’t save that show *shudder*
If Jae Hee and Dennis Oh were the main coupling then it would have been atleast watchable.
As for Jdramas, Yamapi’s new show about basketball will be airing soon, my sisters been doing cartwheels ever since it was announced.
I’m back just because I can’t get into getting myself organized for tomorrow’s show.
@89 b020,
Ghost Friends: it sounded interesting, but same deal, boring. I couldn’t go on after the first episode.
Just found this drama “ぼくの妹” オダギリジョー 長澤まさみ =”My sister” staring Joe Odagiri( isn’t he famous?) and Masami Nagasawa on http://www.woopie.jp/channel/watch/13010 and is so far it’s promising judging from first 25m. It even has Chinese subs. Anyways, seriously, I’d better get back to work.
De-clutter during moving is a good fengshui!! Just throw away, recycle or give away those things that you have not used them in the past two years!!
Hehe…recently, I have donated 100,000 books to the libraries!! Am now feeling so light!! Planning to donate another 100,000 books by the end of July!! ^__________^
@samsooki,
After your review of City Hall last week, I gave CH another shot. I kind of skimmed your review because I am terrified of spoilers and have stayed away from comment threads ever since because I want to catch up.
I am only at episode 8 because BON subs only just released ep 8 and 9 subs.
Anyway, the first time I stopped watching CH at about ep 3.5 because I hated the caricaturization all the characters. I also found the lead actor Cha Seung Won boring and without charisma. The whole story of small town politics and the provincial fashion show was trite.
Then…then after episode 4, something changed. The story definitely takes a turn for the better and the characters come alive. The conflict is larger, more metaphysical, and more socially conscious, and the dialogue is smarter, incisive, insightful, honest, and soul searching. You can almost see both Kim Sun Ah and Cha Seung Won, both masterfully talented actors, settle into their shoes, sit back, and let out their inner awesomeness. Instead of just two actors parroting lines, they finally became two leads in a story that matters by embodying the souls of their characters.
And now I also think that Cha Seung Won is the bomb (hot bomb) because what is not evident in earlier episodes is how Machiavellian he actually is. Earlier he seemed more a spokesperson for a corrupt politician, but now I can see that he is himself a skilled politician and he knows how to play dirty. I have no idea if he is a good guy or an opportunist or a good opportunist, all of which makes him that much more intriguing. I sense that he is a decent person but can anyone be decent when in politics?
I have no idea where the show is headed, and I like that. I also don’t know why the writers chose to open this, what appears to be, very smart drama with four absolutely horrible slapstick episodes. What on earth were they thinking?
I love the references to Hyun Bin in ep 7. Lulz.
Anyway, I am not a good reviewer or an effective writer but I hope people will give CH a shot. I think it is a worthwhile drama. I find myself pausing every few minutes to catch all the dialogue because so much is said rapidly and so much of it post ep 4 or 5 is really good.
The OST is lovely as well.
@89
The Vineyard Man was boring in the first few episodes but it did pick up towards episode 7 so I suggest you either fast forward or stick with it till then.
I love “A Man Who Cant Marry”. it’s light hearted and less annoying then “Brilliant Lagacy”. It’s nice to see a korean drama with the two leading ladies get involve on some kind of love triangle.
@ 94 Nom_Kitteh
I find the first 3 episodes of City Hall entertaining – but i’m a big KSA fan.
Seriously, it’s episode 4 that did the magic! Even me, I watched ep1,2,3 all because of Kim Sun Ah. I don’t find the first 3 episodes bad but i’m still waiting for the spark. And the spark suddenly sparkled at ep4 and never stopped after that.
@ 88 asianromance
You might try to contact the original site and see if your posts can be removed. It’s a shot. The problem are that pages are cached — but I don’t know for how long. If you think employers might google you, you might try to explain yourself to them ahead of time. If family members are wondering, take the time to explain where you were at.
We all do stupid stuff when we are young. The problem with the internet is it broadcasts that to the world and for years to come. But try not to be too depressed.
Interestingly, I am seeing more and more of these instances as the younger generation move into the work force and more employers do basic google searches as a standard rule now.
I meant to say “not get involve in a love triangle.”
@94, 97,
I’m in the City Hall mania too! Just got into it a few days ago, and I’m absolutely in love with it right now. *thanx to Samsooki’s short review of the drama…hehehe..*
Agree with you that Ep 1 to Ep 3 weren’t that bad, still passable with KSA and CSW’s good acting. But it was the end of Ep 4 and the rest after that which turned everything to gold for me. You guys just summed it up perfectly… I don’t know what to say…
In less than 3 yrs since I started watching Korean Dramas…more than 100 dramas….there are few I couldn’t finished because of violences and few because I didn’t like it either because chemistry between the main leads or bad writing or If I am against the value of the story…or bad translating.
*InSung is pretty is one of the drama( I sold it back to the store)
*Rival is another one that I tried to watch quite a few times and end up put it back
in the closet unfinished.
*Tear of diamond…make me mad…couldn’t finish it.
*How to meet a perfect neighbor…didn’t like it, barely finished…gave the DVD to
a friend
There are few more dramas I started watching then quit…but I will give it more try….Life of a retired woman…
@94 Nom_Kitteh, @100 ripgal –
Each episode thereafter builds and builds. Gets better and better. Episode 15 is a standout, mature watchers only! Then comes Episodes 17 and 18… all I can say to others is take a deep breath, relax, it is just a drama, it is only a drama, let’s all just calm down and take a breath. Hehe. My wife doesn’t get emotional during k-dramas or get into them like I do, but let’s say she had remind herself to take a breath during these episodes. LOL.
Every episode, Cha Seung Won shows more and more of his range and depth of acting ability. And Kim Sunah is just awesome as her character grows in strength, shedding her uncertain and inexperienced level 10 civil servant mindset and meekness and becomes as strong as a force of nature, as strong as a hurricane.
It is so fun to watch this, and to root her on.
In all the previous Open Threads where people have been raving about City Hall, has anyone actually laid claim to Cha Seung-won? If not, I’m hereby naming him as my own. I’m all caught up on subbed episodes of City Hall, so I decided to do a little investigative work on The Tall Hot One; turns out he’s not that much younger than me (only 6 years)! FINALLY someone I can lust after without feeling like too much like a pervert.
Oh noes…what to do about Lee Minki, though? I know…BOTH MINE!!!
Well, that was easy.
Off to find something else to watch with CSW in it. Recommendations, anyone?
@103 langdon813,
You’re funny.
Cha Seung Won is really dynamic and his ability to deliver lines, his maturity and confidence… really good.
I don’t know anything else that has CSW, but I think Fashion King (tba 2009) has him in it too.
@ langdon813
Haha, yes I looked him up. He actually has a son named 차노아, Cha Noah, which I think is a pretty interesting name [I like the name actually].
City Hall has me back into my obsession with model-esque guys. For some reason I had neglected my love for these guys [LOL], but seriously. Am I weird or does anybody else go, “Whoa,” when you see Cha Seungwon’s legs in his suit? They are so loooong. And his figure, most definitely model-esque.
Anyway. I haven’t been watching dramas much this week, unfortunately [my drama-fever was at an all-time high last week]. Instead, I’m trying to write something… and failing. Just yesterday I was copy&pasting 2 pages of stuff I had spent all afternoon working on and found out I had copy&pasted the wrong direction, so I ended up losing all that I wrote.
Wow. I feel all drained.
On a side note, yesterday I saw the Transformers movie. Intense, intense. Typical action movie. But intense nonetheless. Quite honestly, though, I can never really tell what’s going on when the Transformers are fighting. Because to me, all I see is a ton of CG, bits of metal, and mashing of stuff together. But aside from that, Transformers was a pretty interesting movie.
@104, Samsooki
Aw, thanks! I think I’m just giddy over this show; how can something rip my heart to shreds yet make me so happy at the same time? City Hall almost-but-not-quite topples Coffee Prince from my #1 Favorite Drama spot; that’s how much I’m loving it. So far, everything you’ve recommended that I’ve watched has been spot-on, so I thank you for that too!
The guy playing Soo-in (another cutie!) looks familiar; what’s he been in before, does anyone know?
Off to hunt down the Fashion King…
Javabeans, good luck with your move! Gah, I hate moving! I moved into my place about two years ago and still have unpacked boxes! Here’s hoping you don’t get smooshed by a box avalanche!
Onto some other topics that seem to be prevelant here: I was shocked to here about MJ’s passing. This news shocked me on two levels. First, of course was that he passed at such a young age! The second was the way I found out about it, one of my coworkers was telling someone that “Thriller” was the first CD he ever got. I felt old, as “Thriller” was the first CASSETTE TAPE that I ever got.
@ambs: (I think it was you?) I too, am VERY interested in “Dream”. I’m a big Kim Bum fan. He’s MINE! *lol*
@Max: Glad to be of service. Also, if you do find that support group, let me know. I found myself saying just this morning, “I don’t want to go to my meeting, I want to stay at home and watch KDramas!” Well, actually, I was whining.
@105, A.
“Am I weird or does anybody else go, “Whoa,” when you see Cha Seungwon’s legs in his suit?”
At first it was the legs (whoa), then the voice (big whoa), then when he said “If you keep doing that, I’m going to —- —- — —” (WHOA! WHOA! WHOA!); then it was the car (PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD…); then it was the sidewalk (KILL ME NOW).
Nope. Not weird at all.
Wow…something just now hit me, like one of those weird things that doesn’t occur to you until you actually say it to someone else. Michael Jackson was my first celebrity crush….and now he’s gone. That’s just….I don’t know….something.
I believe alodia claimed Mr Cha Seung Won at soompi already.
but i think you can claim him here. LOL
I like his behind more! That’s my big WHOA! opss! did i sound pervy?
btw, do not miss the quick shower scene. LIKE WHOA!
@ 94 Nom_Kitteh
Welcome to the City Hall club!
I had a better start because I watched the first 6 episodes in one go (from E-subbed at Viikii) and got hooked then. Thinking back, it is lucky that I did it that way as I might have otherwise missed this great drama due to initial mediocre review.
As Samsooki said at the last Open Thread, CH is a drama in its own class and very different from other dramas. It is so rich of materials as if several stories have been weaved into one that it does not belong to any single genre. You want a comedy, it is seriously laughing out funny and hilarious. You want a romance, it definitely is and a very deep, endearing and complex one that is awesomely enjoyable and painful to watch. (It doesn’t hurt to have the HOTTEST kiss of all dramas!) It is a social piece as well. It is so smartly written and crafted that you do have to re-watch to catch in full (if you can) the meanings behind.
Not to give you any spoilers but please watch the drama very carefully as there is a lot of cross-referencing throughout the whole drama. Many lines, scenes, features shown in earlier episodes (that is, as early as episode 1) serve a purpose in later episodes.
CSW and KSA – you are the best!
With two more episodes to go, I am really nervous about how it will be wrapped up because I don’t want CH to fall from my no. 1 drama position for a bad ending…..
What the—? Hello? I believe I was the first one on the internets to comment on CSW’s acting chomps and I therefore rightfully have claim on him. I refuse to consider counterarguments and counter evidence. Psssh.
Seriously though, seeing photos of him with his wife, son, and beautiful daughter just melt my heart. Like, I have nothing left but puddles.
And yeah, those suits are perfectly tailored for his model-body. What a beaut.
I wonder how many men realize how often we check out their legs and hips and butt.
The downside of all this excitement is the wait I have in front of me for the subs. I keep refreshing the BON subs wiki page for updates — like that will help. So it will be a while before I get to 15 and 16.
____________
About Michael Jackson
I am having the hardest time with it.
He was loved. More than he could ever imagine.
Here is one of my favs of his. It’s a cover, but still, the VOICE, that voice *shivers*:..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7POawPXZueo
—————————————–
(Thank you for the welcome, epnyc. In fact, thank you to all who have been discussing CH. I am afraid to read too closely b/c of spoilers but it is nice to be in your company.)
Hey Bird
Are you here? How’s your recap of CH going? I really, really want to read it. (There’re other recap projects going but it would be great to see the interpretation of other CH fans.)
Thanks for the ’sit back and relax, it’s just a drama’ advice, Samsooki. I just finished watching the sub-version of ep 17 and 18. Want to post some thoughts at Soompi but I just can’t calm down. There’s so much I want to say but don’t know where to start. Need to go out for some fresh air, do some grocery shopping or seeing a movie to calm myself down before re-watching and writing comments…….
@ langdon813
CSW was in a drama call The Bodyguard a few yrs back so check that one out.
All I can say is his wife is one lucky lady!
langdon, CSW mostly done movies. I really didn’t know CSW till City Hall, but his movies were blockbusters in S. Korea. I’m planning on watching his old movies soon as my City Hall Fever goes down.
@Samsooki
Haha! Thanks for the clarification. My friend pronounces an-dweh as an-deh too—but then my friend didn’t grow up in Korea, thus the “accent.”
-
@LOVENYC52
hello! sorry, was and still working…. sshhh…
yeah! actually am enjoying both jdramas…^-^ I am just on episode 2 of Bloody Monday, but so far it’s good and interesting…., yes, different from the typical jdrama…
^-^
@76 AnitaLotti and @79 langdon813 – just watched the first episode of Black & White and omg already in love with Mark Chao. And Zai Zai just cracks me up in this – so different from his previous ’serious’ roles. I think I will continue this one. It’ll be a nice change of pace from Shining Inheritance. Thanks for the recs!
@117 MEIKO – still at work??
sorry to hear that..especially on a friday!! glad you’re enjoying bloody monday though! are you currently watching any other jdoramas? i went through a phase where i only watched jdoramas and only recently got back into Korean ones with Shining Inheritance.
*GRINNING*
am having fun reading the comments today….
Wow, I guess City Hall is one interesting drama then! LOL!!!
I should check it out soon….
Am still trying to decide which kdramas i should watch next….
Triple?
The man who cant get married?
City hall?
Queen seon Duk?
That fool?
Brilliant legacy (i started watching it weeks ago but…it gets annoying at times…most times..hehe!)?
?????????
^-^
in the meantime am on jdramas right now….
@ langdon813
even before City Hall started, I already proclaimed in soompi that HE’s MINE!
I don’t know him pre-City Hall news. But since I’m a big fan of KSA, i started researching about him. Found out that he’s a very famous and excellent actor. Grabbed a copy of Bodyguard before City Hall started airing. So even before his Jo Guk, i declared – He’s mine!
But as City Hall progress, a lot of people started claiming CSW as theirs. lol
Ok, i wouldn’t mind sharing him… spread the city hall love~
@epyc
exactly! first 3 episodes may not appear that interesting, as again, it was in ep4 when people started falling in love with the drama. but this drama is worth a dozen re-watch and you’ll get to pick up clues and hints hidden all throughout the episodes. so realy ep 1-3 is not a waste of time.
@LOVENYC52
yup… working…urg! Actually, it’s quiet now, so i get to check this site (*giggling* am getting obsessed with JavaB’s site)
Other than Bloody Monday, am watching Mr. Brain….^-^ Someone mentioned that Mr.Brain is kinda boring…. hehe…. it gets dragging but am still good, the thing is, every episode has different case and different popular actors doing cameos so it gets good after awhile….
I’m trying to watch Atashinchi No Danshi….but I cant get past ep1…
@MEIKO
I don’t usually make recommendations since i’m afraid my taste is different from the rest. But i’m confident to recommend City Hall to you. I think no one can go wrong with City Hall. ^_^
@121, alodia
I was pretty sure he’d been claimed already but thank you for sharing! Instead of MINE I’ll shout OURS!
And you’re right, whatever it takes to spread the City Hall love we must do!
For the last hour or so I’ve been watching Family Outing with CSW as the guest. So funny, I love that show!
@ALODIA
^-^ mmmm…… thanks! And from what i have been reading seems like you are right…
Ok, ill check that out first…
My first impression of City Hall (from the title alone) is of an endless fights, argument, politics among the townspeople and among the officials…situated in a old town with very old city hall…..then an official falling inlove with a mere local poor pretty girl…possibly a love triangle with a rich local cute guy….^-^
I guess am wrong…….^-^
WHO IS THIS CSW??? LOL!!!! let me check him out via dramawiki……^-^
@MEIKO – ahh so you don’t like fluff dramas like Atashinchi? Because I was going to suggest that and Meichan no Shitsuji as fun and silly dramas to pass the time. I actually really loved Atashinchi cuz of the chemistry between all the characters – they played off each other quite well. I also really enjoyed Nodame no Cantabile because though it is 90% ridiculous and very like a manga come to life, it also has its serious moments to kind of balance it out… not to mention the amazing music. It made me wish I didn’t quit piano after 12 years of lessons!!
@lovenyc52
oohhh…. I loved Nodame Cantabile!!!! It was one of the funniest jdramas i have watched! the love story between those two were so cute!!!
Is Atashinchi funny like that? I was on that episode where she was being chased by the loan sharks and she was saved by an old man who took her somewhere in a helicopter…. i stopped there… hahaha! mmm…. i was thinking, “hhhuh?!” ^-^
smiling… you call those kind of jdramas “fluff”…hehe!
mmmm I would probably check it out again…. and the Meichan too… Thanks!! ill put those on my list….
@MEIKO – ok so you DO like the same kind i do haha
Ya I think with Atashinchi you need to get past the first episode cuz it’s kind of weird. But once I got introduced to the brothers I was hooked. Especially with Sho *squeal!*. Oh, little bit of trivia. One of the guys who works at the netcafe is actually the younger brother of Eita, the guy who plays Mine in Nodame.
In Meichan no Shitsuji, there’s a lot of eye candy as well
Mukai Osamu and Mizushima Hiro were both pretty yum in it…. and it was just a really fun show. You’re lucky that it’s all up and subbed now. I had the HARDEST time waiting for subs each week haha.
@lovenyc52
LOL! yummy like tamaki h. ? *giggle*
ok, ok, sounds like they are funny, good dramas afterall…. ill definitely put those on my list! thanks! as long as there are interesting cuties!!!
^_^
@MEIKO – haha don’t even get me started on tamaki… *drool* can’t wait for his new movies to come out!!
@ 86 langdon813
Gong Yoo?!?! Where?!? Where’s MY Gong Yoo?!? The mere mention of his name gets me excited!!! Ok, sorry… carry on…
@lovenyc52
Btw, these are just some of the jdramas i have watched…they quite good too (for my taste…most of them are not fluffy thought):
a million star falling from the sky
zettai kareshi
ai no uta
anego
bambino
hana yori dango
brother beat
engine
itazura na kiss
gokusen1
hana kimi
hotaru no hikari
kimi wa petto
kurosagi
nobuta wo produce
pride
slow dance
@lovenyc52 and snikki
LMAO!!!!!!
aahhh…. miss Gong Yoo…. LOL!!!
ok…, gtg… have a good weekend!!!
@MEIKO
“My first impression of City Hall (from the title alone) is of an endless fights, argument, politics among the townspeople and among the officials…situated in a old town with very old city hall…..then an official falling inlove with a mere local poor pretty girl…possibly a love triangle with a rich local cute guy….^-^
I guess am wrong…….^-^”
– Sorry to burst your bubble – but you are indeed wrong! City Hall is much more than that (and much less cliche-ish than that)
@ 125 Meiko
“My first impression of City Hall (from the title alone) is of an endless fights, argument, politics among the townspeople and among the officials……..with a rich local cute guy.”
NO, NO, NO, it is nothing like that at all. The official synopsis does not do justice to what this story is about and the reason why people don’t find it interesting in the first place.
First up, CH does not have the cliches you find in many other dramas. It has a very fresh storyline although still practically about two people of entirely different background cross their paths, start a very odd relationship, and then fall hopelessly in love against all odds.
It starts off when this arrogant, ruthless and sophiscated political genius gets sent down to a country town – much against his own will – for a political maneuver. He finds all these country folks despicable including that lowest grade civil girl whose only job seems to be coffee delivery while holding endless part-time jobs as if money is the only goal in life. She wants to enter a beauty pageant for getting the prize money to pay off her credit card debt but she is too old for that. Meanwhile, he finds this ignorant and weird girl to be the perfect tool for his political gain.
What follows are hilarious fun, intriques, hopelessly romantic romance, and intense conspiracies. It is enchanting and deep at the same time. We audience are at awe at how the two change each other for the better. He, a better man in finding meanings of life and she, a woman empowered to serve the people she loves. It is nothing like what we see in other dramas but one which you make you laugh and cry at the same time. And you will SO fall in love with these two characters. Go watch it and finish the story this week with the rest of us!!
I just can’t help myself from spreading the City Hall love. I haven’t been this passionate since Coffee Prince, honestly.
@MEIKO. Definitely the first episode of Atashinchi no Danshi is sort of weird cuz she marries the old man who pays off her debt. It doesn’t get going till episode 2 and you meet all the brothers. The whole family aspect of it really gets you shedding tears for them. A lot of people love Sho- the actor who plays him also plays the playboy musician from Nodame Cantabile (the one who always tell his multiple girlfriends ‘of course i’m not cheating on you!’).
@langdon813 . I have a huuuuge crush on City Hall’s Soo-in! I remember looking him up- the actor seemed to have started acting just last year. I think most recently he was in a star’s lover and the world they lived in- both dramas, i don’t really want to watch them even though he’s in them.
Hi everyone!
I love KSA. Because of KSA now I love CH. Anyone who wants to watch CH but finds boring first 3 episodes ( like most of you guys found boring as I did.) just fast forward it. Than when you finished wathing episodes 16 go back and rewatch episodes 1 trough 3. Belive me no longer boring. You will see the details that you didn’t notice. And makes it longer, cause ones you started liking the CH you want more and more and you want it never end. I am telling to stop after 16 cause you are going to be full of seratonin ( hormen that makes you fell like you are walking above the clauds.) so you can see the beautiness of the first episodes.
And about seing So Ji Sub, I realy wanted to see him. I wanted to take a picture with him and also woud definitly grab his behind if I was there. I have no shame whatsoever. But I am out of luck as always. I live in NJ and decided to go on vacation out of US. When SJS in NY, of course I was out of US. AGGGH I am going to die. I deserve to suffer, why why I decided go on vacation. Sigh, big sigh.
PS. Samsooki and Alodea, I love your works on soompi, Thank you very very much guys, it is always fun to read your comments.
I just came across this thread.
@104
Cha Seung-Won is mine. lol. I’ve been his fan for many years now, he is a very talented and hardworking actor – good in various genes, not just comedy. He starred in many good/popular movies (sold more than 20 million tickets), I personally recommend them over TV dramas.
* He caught people’s attention with his acting in movie “Libera Me” in year 2000.
* He worked with Kim Sang-Jin in 3 successful comedies (Kick The Moon, Jail Breaker, Ghost House) which sold more than 10 million tickets, establishing him as the king of comedy.
* Followup works were all hits at the box office: “My Teacher Mr Kim” (fans love this film), thriller “Blood Rain” (Mr X wrote a review on it in 2005, he considered CSW’s performance here his best), “The Big Scene / Murder, Take One” (also very good, from the awesome director Jang Jin). Jang Jin directed him again in 2007 movie “My Son” (broke many viewers’ heart).
* His most recent work is action movie “Eye For An Eye” with Han Seok-Gyu (also a top actor). The director is Kwak Kyung-Taek (Friend), it was reported last year that CSW would make a cameo appearance in director Kwak’s TV drama “Friend”.
@105
I don’t think Fashion King will get materialized; I read one of his recent interviews, he said that he will be doing promotional works for movie ‘Saving My Wife’ (this is 2nd time he worked with Song Yoon-Ah, following Jail Breaker in 2002) after wrapping up City Hall.
He’s mostly in movies so I don’t know when we’ll get to see him on the small screen again. We never know though… He was supposed to star in MBC drama White Tower in 2007; PD Ahn Pan-Seok worked with him several times, most recently in movie “South Of The Border”. CSW was the original choice to play the lead character Jang Joon-Hyuk and Kim Myung-Min (i’m also a fan of his) was chosen to play Choi Do-Young. CSW’s schedule didn’t work out at the end, KMM ended up playing Jang Joon-Hyuk and the role Choi Do-Young went to Lee Seon-Gyun. KMM gave an amazing performance there, I sometimes wonder what it would like if CSW were to play this role. Hehe.
@ ASIANROMANCE and EPYC
^-^ LOL! ok guys! thanks! You have convinced me…^-^ for the kdrama, i will watch CH first…
and ill definitely put the Atashinchi on my list….
THANKS for the comments, helps me choose, really. ^-^
sorry for the late reply….was working….sleeping…. just woke up….urg! life!
~ Cha Seung-Won’s profile at Darcy Paquet’s Koreanfilm.org
Cha Seung-won (b. June 7, 1970) received an engineering degree from Mokwon University before embarking on a career as a model in 1988. After finding success in modeling, he was cast in the TV sitcom “New York Story”, which would eventually pave the way for his debut in film.
Although his debut film Holiday in Seoul (1997) and many of the films to follow did not establish him as a major star, in 2000 he would score a significant hit playing the villain in firefighting film Libera Me. The following summer, the runaway success of Kim Sang-jin’s comedy Kick the Moon (over 4.3 million tickets sold) secured his place in the industry as a leading actor with strong star appeal. All of his films since then have been successes at the box-office.
In early 2003, Cha took on a slightly more serious role as a corrupt schoolteacher who is transferred to a country school in the film My Teacher, Mr. Kim. The film grossed over 2.4 million admissions and drew Cha additional praise for his acting abilities. His next role then re-united him with director Kim Sang-jin in a successful comedy {Ghost House} about a man who buys a dream home, only to discover it is haunted by a young female ghost.
In 2005 Cha put aside the comic roles he had become known for and appeared in the grisly period-set thriller Blood Rain. The film’s better than expected commercial success confirmed Cha’s popularity among Korean audiences. In late 2005 Cha will appear for the first time in a film {The Big Scene (also known as Murder Take One)} by reknowned comedy director Jang Jin.
Extracted from Mr. X’s SEP-11-2005 review on CSW’s 2005 movie “Blood Rain”
http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/blood-rain-dvd-review/
[[[[....Cha Seung-Won ironically said, in an interview after the screening of the film: “I finally graduated from middle school. Now the real studying begins.” He’s got a point. While Koreans have elected him as one of the few bonafide box office draws, it was a long and painful process for him. Starting with modeling in the late 80s, getting a few decent roles in TV Dramas, finally debuting on the big screen, with only one-dimensional characters which did little to further his career. Then came ’리베라 메 (‘Libera Me’), not exactly a great film, but his performance there raised more than a few eyebrows. Do we have a good actors on our hands? It wasn’t until Cha met and started working with Kim Sang-Jin and writer Park Jung-Woo that his potential got fulfilled. Several surefire comedy hits followed, establishing him as the (male) King of Comedy. Women loved him because he showed warmth, he was masculine without unnecessary machismo, and had a great sense of humour; men respected him because he was like the older friend next door, who acted tough but was always great fun to deal with. But the moment you realize people really like your work, something changes. You stop thinking about the quick bucks, and start worrying about your future. For how long could he continue to do comedies? Until people got tired of him? Then that positive greed and hunger to become a better actor comes out. One could safely say ‘Blood Rain’ is the turning point of Cha’s career. Assuredly stoic and stubborn in the first part, slowly allowing his conscience to get the better of his rationality in the second, Cha gives what could be considered his best performance to date. Charisma and ability to deliver ad-lib aside, this role required a lot of focus: he couldn’t explode with his screen presence, because Won-Gyu’s tongue is sharper than his physicality. For that reason alone, his efforts doubled, and although it’ll take time for him to adapt to his new ‘clothes,’ and maybe even more to be accepted by critics as a ‘serious’ actor, I think he’s got all the potential in the world to do that.]]]
Extracted from Mr. X’s JAN-02-2006 review on CSW’s 2005 movie “The Big Scene”
http://twitchfilm.net/archives/004670.html
[[[[[......The script was sent to heavyweights Seol Kyung-Gu and Han Suk-Gyu, who both refused for different reasons -- Han was working with Im Sang-Soo on 그때 그사람들 (The President's Last Bang), and Seol didn't want to play a prosecutor once again after 공공의 적 2 (Another Public Enemy) -- so the final choice went to Cha Seung-Won. Jang wasn't completely sure Cha could handle a role like this, but he couldn't ignore the drawing power of the talented actor, who was close to reaching the 20 Million tickets sold with all his films. But he effectively transformed in 혈의 누 (Blood Rain) and responded instantly to Jang's filming style, more focused on rehearsals and direct interaction than storyboards and camera tricks.
The main reason why the film works, outside of Jang's usual creativity, is that Cha was able to quickly absorb the working style of the director, so he didn't feel out of place.....]]]]]
Okay, okay. It’s Helena who originally “owns” CSW. It was her who introduced CSW to me/us prior to City Hall.
@mishane
I don’t remember whether 1 % of Anything improved per say, instead I would say the flow of the story and the lack of character development was frustrating till the end. The ending ended too nicely—I didn’t mind that in the twdrama Prince turn to Frog, but in 1% of Anything it seemed a bit force. Also, I was so frustrated with the main guy character. Actually Lee Seung-ki’s character in Brilliant Legacy/Shining Inheritance isn’t exactly more complex but at least his evolution into a better person is better developed. It was one of my first dramas, so I don’t remember being it bad but I’m sure I would find more problems with it now. Brilliant Legacy is pretty cliche, but surprising watchable. I really hope no complications arise (due to the stepmother’s meddling) between the grandmother and Eun-sung towards the end (that would be redundantly cliche).
Ah! I’m really behind on my City Hall viewing—it was the drama that I looked the most forward to last “season” and I’m so behind now. I think a City Hall marathon needs to be in my plans for this weekend! That sounds good actually—I’ve been missing the intense chemistry b/t KSA and CSW…
@ Helena
What a lot of fantastic information on Cha Seung-won, thank you for posting it! You’ve given me several things to look forward to seeing after City Hall ends (which I”m so not ready for).
Plus you’ve inspired me to step it up…if I can’t lay claim to CSW, I better go study up on Lee Minki if I want to hang on to him.
All,
How are you all understanding CIty Hall past ep 9? I finished ep 9 and there are no more subs!!! Is someone recapping it? I have stayed away from soompi because I have serious phobia about spoilers (like serious, serious phobia).
I tried Viikii, but the print of their videos is so LQ, it spoils my enjoyment. It also makes me feel sea sick. lol.
Anyway, I ended up watching Family Outing to get my CSW fix. Am I the only one to think that CSW and Hyori had mad chemistry, after the second part of that outing (when they make breakfast together)? I don’t know a thing about Hyori but I thought she was adorable. I would love to see the two of them in a drama but if I were CSW’s wife, I would not give it a green light.
@Helena,
Thank you so much for the information about CSW! How does a 40 year maintain abs like that?
Does anyone have photos of his son? He’s like 20 or something, right? If mom and dad are that beautiful, then I can’t even begin to imagine what that son looks like.
happy caturday everyone!!!
@149, Nom_Kitteh:
I would ask on the soompi CH thread if anyone knows of a place to DL the episodes with hard or soft subs.
***
Update: I recapped Eps 1-2 of CH, and am on Ep 3. Tomorrow, maybe Eps 4-6?
(btw, doing proper recaps is hard! gotta DL the raws, making your own screen caps, re-translating the dialogue, watching scenes multiple times, formating, commenting, editing, and more editing…. I have NO idea how JB does it so well and so often.)
@Nom_Kitteh (and Samsooki)
the only subs for city hall are through viikii (streaming lq vidoes in parts – but overwhelmingly fast! kudos to all viikii subbers) and hardsubs hq though BON.
dont worry nom_kitteh.. i’m doing ep10 now for bon. i’ll work faster for you,
(sigh)… rest in peace michael jackson.so sad.
@Samsooki,
Thank you for doing recaps!! Hyun Bin thinks you are a total gem. He told me.
@alodia,
Oh, you are such a sweetheart! Thank you for working so hard on the subs. A hug and kiss just for you from CSW.
To all Viikii subbers, sorry that in my earlier post I didn’t thank you for the excellent and incredible work you do. Thank you!
If anyone needs help with subs editing or anything else a non-native speaker can do for CH, let me know. I am be happy to help!
Someone at Viikii is posting the last two episodes of Black & White at warp speed tonight, subs and all!
Just in case they hang out here too, whoever you are, you rock!
*smooches*
So…after finishing Black & White, I’ve also got to finish The Devil (which I put on hold to watch City Hall); start Triple, and I think I might also start Who Are You. I’m also planning to watch Friend, Our Legend. That should keep me busy for a while!
No twitting from JB. JB is really busy moving house. It’s easier to lift and move the house rather than you move.^^ It takes sometime to recover from aches and pains too. I hate to pack and unpack boxes. When I pack, in the beginning I look at things which one to keep, most of the things are wanted to keep and the boxes got multiply. Towards the end no more looking, just tuck everything as time is running out. When I reach the new place, unpacking takes so long that it’s time to move again while some boxes still untouched and have forgotten what is there inside. Better to throw it away. I hate moving house.
finally able to catch up with this thread, was quite busy over these 2 days – (no, not moving house. i still have unpacked boxes from the last move 4yrs ago)
just finished watching Sons of Sol Pharmacy on KBSW – i lost track which episode but it was entertaining as usual. finally we got a hint on the reason of the 2 fathers’ (decades old) feud
my 3yr old son had his first exposure of MJ – caught the reruns of his old hits on the music channels – he was OOOOOO…
I will miss Black & White.
No more getting up on Sunday mornings with two completely subbed episodes waiting to make my day…
@epyc, samsooki and other CH fans
hello guys!! are you still there? haha i’ve just read your comments, so i apologise for my late reply!
actually yes, i’ve been recapping CH on the sly (am halfway through episode 3!), but am waiting for dbeans to give the go-ahead before they’re posted here, if everything works out well (:
i’m afraid you’ll have to put up with my extremely wordy style, though.. i’m giving blow-by-blow accounts of every single scene
also, i’ve got no screencaps! i watch dramas streaming live on this chinese server with mandarin subs, and their videos are pretty LQ.. i’d really appreciate it if someone could point me to somewhere where i can download caps, pick out the ones i want, use them and credit the capper.. any pointers? :/
sorryyy for the late replyyy!! hope you’re still around! (i know samsooki will be
)
Testing post
So sad to see the end of Black&White. But now that it is over I guess I will have to see what all the fuss is over City Hall. Looking forward to it.
@ Helena
Thank you, thank you for the CSW information. City Hall is my very first time seeing him in a drama (and My Teacher Mr Kim is the only other piece I’ve seen). I have now acquired several his movie DVDs and will start them once CH is over.
Wave to all other City Hallers – it is simply fantastic to see the late surge of fans converted as City Hallers! I will be very sad to see it end this week…… all this craze of not wanting to work, sleep or eat because of CH. Will I function normal on this Friday??????
@160, epyc
I don’t think ANY of us City Hallers will be functioning normally this Friday, but I hope we’re left with a shiny happy feeling when it ends!
Boy, this drama has really set the bar pretty high, huh? Just like Han-gyul and Eun-chan from Coffee Prince, I know Jo Gook and Mi-rae are going to live in my heart for a long long time.
I feel so sorry for people who don’t watch Kdramas.
On a sad note, my grandmother’s funeral was today, so tonight I want to watch something light and happy. Triple, here I come!
ahhh, i was following up on city hall ever since it started airing, but i wasnt too keen on the story at first. i mainly watched it for lovely kim sun ah. but then, city hall turned out to be quite interesting, despite me having troubles understanding the politics stuff (even with subs, i feel like things get lost in translation, and i usually watch with chinese subs b/c they come out first, but my understanding of chinese is still limited xp). and then i was caught up with stuff in life so i couldnt watch city hall. after all that junk was over, i was hesitant to start catching up cause i remembered how difficult it was to keep track of the characters and their political tactics. but now i feel sooooo guilty for having missed out. i will most def. do a marathon soon since its summer vacay time!
Hiya all!
Late to open thread a usual…..
Just finished watching MNIKSS!!!
I liked it alot…… but i’m not a fan of the main actress, though the lead is very cute and Daniel Henney, oh so pretty! don’t know bout the acting though, and as for the korean…… i have to say i think my pronounciation is better..though maybe that was put on as part of the character?….who knows…. it was sweet though.
Just started a filipino drama….wow! soooo many differences…..and i though korean drama’s did sad……i’m only on i think the third episode? and we’ve already lost two parents and a sibling or something….hmmm….nevermind.
Wishing everyone a great week from sunny sydney. JB, hope the move went well……or is going well…….i hate moving!
ah dramabeans, just dropping a note to let you know that i’ve solved my screencap problem!
i figured out how to work bittorrent.. heh heh.
hope your house-moving went okay!!
hi bird! are you the famous person whom i read that will do recaps for City Hall?
I’m not sure if you are working with the Soompi CH team, but still can’t wait to read your recap. I also can’t wait to read Samsooki’s team’s recaps!
@city hallers,
Gosh, City Hall is ending this week. I hope Ms. Kim (scriptwriter) will not let us down, either way she gave us a one hella wonderful Ride! She has redeem herself when she said that this is her BEST WORK EVER! She deserve to show-off her craft. She’s an amazing writer! CSW and KSA: they have an undeniable chemistry. Best Couple Ever! Umm…I am feeling the separation anxiety already.
hullo to mzpakipot, epyc and other fellow CH fans!
sorry for not replying earlier! i’m pretty bad with threads.. hehe. it sure looks like you guys really anticipate the CH recaps! it feels great to know that i’m not the only one going crazy here
i’m finishing up episode 4 now, but we’ll have to wait for dramabeans to give the go-ahead before i can post them! this is her site, after all 
and gosh, it’s really, REALLY tough work doing recaps. i’m progressing so slowly, even though it’s the holidays right now and i’m just bumming around! dramabeans must work at lightning speed
@ Helena thanks for all the amazing back story on Cha Seung-Won. I’ve been a fan of his but he was never on my mine list until city hall. I think he is one of those guys who gets better with age like fine red wine.
I especially love your background info on white tower which is one of my top 5 kdrama. However, I can’t imagine anyone playing Jang Joon-Hyuk except Kim Myung-Min. For me he is so indelibly engraved in my brain as Jang Joon-Hyuk. Though I have to say it would be interesting to see CSW play that role.
I was busy recapping this weekend a certain drama series whose name escapes me at the moment, but there was an OST montage moment in the series, and I was pumped! I am a sucker montages of all kinds.
1. Movie training sequences / montage. Rocky III and Rocky IV training montages are so awesome, that’s all I listen to when I run on the treadmill. I actually run faster and I run longer distances when I have my playlist going.
2. Movie tournament / games montage. Karate Kid I and Bloodsport might have the best movie tournament montages of all time. I don’t know a single guy who, if left by himself in a room that has no cameras or windows for people to spy on him, won’t shadow box to Karate Kid / Bloodsport music. My wife rolls her eyes and closes the door to leave me alone to dream about fighting the evil Chong Li in the finals of the Kumite, but she doesn’t understand that Chong Li can’t be allowed to win. This is something that women have to understand and just accept.
This goes for everything related to a guy, whether he is shadow boxing and ESPECIALLY when playing video games like Virtua Fighter 4 or Mike Tyson’s Punchout. You have to let your man try to win and be the hero. It might take him hours, but he has got to have the chance to beat the final boss. Give him a shot to be the hero.
3. And to that k-drama and k-pop MVs. They are different than, say, an uplifting Bloodsport montages, but the principle is the same.
Who didn’t enjoy Kiss’ “Because I’m a Girl” (여자 이니까) MV or Lee Seung Hwan’s “Mistake” (잘못) MV?
A few years ago, pre-koreandrama watching, I didn’t know what k-dramas was about, but i stil had the same personality and the same desire for …. something, I just couldn’t identify what it was, and i used to just download k-pop MVs. How far I’ve come…. LOL.
happy monday / short week!
Hello everyone!
I feel inclined to tell the world how good ‘Spring Waltz’ is. I’m not sure how others would take to it, but I personally felt a really strong attachment to the drama and absolutely adored it. Most of it.
It’s not a new drama…quite old (in drama years), as it aired in 2006.
The drama is different from your everyday dramass, not as cliched, and distinctly unique on its own.
It has lovely, soothing music, a cast that is not too bad (though DANIEL HENNEY makes it all so much better!!! and Han Hyo Joo (shining inheritance) is in the drama as well). I love the overall feel to the drama as it is sad, but so romantic. A serious, romance drama it is, a nice change from the usual less serious, cliched, dramas. Many episodes leave you screaming SO SWEEEET that you stop to wonder why your life isn’t like that. Or why it would never happen in this cruel, realistic world.
Nice story line, interesting characters (personality wise) and as i’ve said Daniel Henney = GOOD, and a big part of the drama, piano music (as the main character is a pianist).
So if you have time on your hands, and are looking for a nice, sweet drama, watch Spring Waltz!
Has anyone started watching Friend, Our Legend?
What are we to do when City Hall actually ends this week! I guess I will just have to look forward to Queen Seon Duk and Shining Inheritance. I will miss CH so I hope the writers give it a great ending!!!!
I would really love to see Jo Guk’s mother having a look at the changed personality he is when being together with Mirae. She is always complaining about his “cold personality”.
But, ceecee, you are right: No City Hall, no Black & White any more. O.k. there is Triple, but I am not completely hooked, maybe Partner will get good, luckily there are still some episodes of Family Honor left to be subbed at Viikii to tide me over. I haven’t watched Shining Inheritance up to now – in this case I will wait until the end and have a nice drama weekend.
Javabeans, you should be through the worst part of moving – so imagine me standing at the door with virtual bread and salt for your new home.
@171, langdon813 –
I am planning on watching Friend. And Partner and Triple and Story of a Man and Shining Inheritance (maybe in the fall / winter). I am pretty torn however, on whether to watch Friend contemporaneously or not.
I am following City Hall right now, and it is KILLING me to have to wait a whole week for the final two episodes. As busy as i am with other things, trying to watch Star In My Heart (dvd), Cinderella Man / New Heart / Good Job Good Job on MBC America – DVR , Two Outs in the Bottom of the Ninth Inning (still in its plastic shrink wrap DVD), and recap CH, and post on DB and Soompi, and handling my billables and workload, and trying to make plans to get out of town this weekend…..
…it is killing me that I have to wait another 24 hours before I get to see Ep 19, and then 48 hours before I get to watch Ep 20!
And don’t forget Sons of a Sol Pharmacy (My Too Perfect Sons). I am on Ep 21 of that. Do I even sleep???? LOL. I am nuts!
Funny how us drama addicts are so absorbed into korean dramas. It basically takes over our lives. I am constantly watching one of my many dramas in between patients. Little do they know. Lols. Right now I am refreshing every hour to see if they uploaded any of episode 12 QSD.
Should I start watching Black & White?!
@174, Samsooki
I’m right there with you waiting for the last two eps of City Hall. When I said in an earlier post that I can’t sleep, can’t eat, can’t work…I absolutely was NOT kidding. Seems like all I do these days is troll DB and Soompi like a junkie, looking for something, anything, about City Hall. It’s so unhealthy and I JUST DO NOT CARE.
Right now I’m also watching Triple (cute) and Who Are You (even cuter), which is not enough to keep me preoccupied 22 hours a day, so I’m starting Partner and Friend this week too. I just finished Black & White.
OH! How did I wait so long to get to this??? STORY OF A MAN…OMG! I am really interested to see if you become as obsessed with this as I was. I still get goosebumps just thinking about certain scenes. Until the City Hall obsession took over my life, this was my absolute favorite drama other than Coffee Prince. Definitely it’s still in my top three. It is really dark and twisty though, fair warning.
Good luck with your trip planning! I’m going to Denver in August…do you guys think it would be too rude to take my laptop with me, you know, just for Kdrama emergencies? Doesn’t my Lee Minki have a new drama coming out in August?? I already feel some separation anxiety coming on.
**patiently waiting for CH recaps**
@175, cecee
You should definitely watch Black & white if you’re a fan of Vic Zhou. I really enjoyed it. Lots of plot twists and turns!
@ Langdon813
Laptops have been invented to take them along, so just do so. It is, of course, to lessen the stress of having to work off a dramaload when coming back.
Always remember: As far as addictions go, K-drama is one of the better ones. Even obvious symptoms like sleep depriviation will be made up by constant infusion of happiness hormones.
I watched Bodyguard with CSW for comparison: He is like a country bumpkin version of Jo Gook , if at all – absolutely no comparison.
I’m not sure I can deal with dark and twisted. I know how JB and a lot of other people feel about Story of a Man. I’ve not seen it, I’ve not seen previews or read any recaps by JB, so all I know is that people say it is dark and intense. That scares me a lot. LOL. My life is intense and dark enough without needing added darkness and intensity. I can barely watch City Hall in fact. I think in 2010, I will only watch dramas where every episode ends in a mini-happy ending.
I mean Hye-Rim’s story line in Sons of a Sol Pharmacy? Jeeeeeeeeeeez.
In addition to just about everybody on dramabeans, my mom highly recommended Story of a man to me, which kind of messes with my head. Will I like something my mom likes? Isn’t that weird, sort of ? Then again, she also liked Return of Iljimae and Flowers For My Life (꽃 찾으러 왔단다). Maybe she and JB have the same taste. LOL!
By the by, my mom calls the drama, “A Man’s Story.” The drama title in Korean is 남자이야기, which really is kind of ambiguous. “남자” means man or male, and “이야기” means story. So is it “A Man’s Story” or a “Story of a Man”?
@ceecee
Give Black and White a shot – it is really unlike any other TW-drama I have watched.
@177 AnitaLotti
“Happiness hormones”? I like it! Ah, there’s nothing like getting validation that you’re not alone in the world. My people!! **tearing up a little**
I’m going to Denver to spend a long weekend with friends who have no clue about this obsession of mine. I’ll have to figure out some way to discreetly sneak in some quality drama time. I think I’ll miss you guys too much!
@178, Samsooki
Story of A Man, aka A Man’s Story, aka Slingshot…someone please explain why some dramas have multiple names?!
If City Hall is almost too dark for you, then perhaps you should pass on Story of A Man (may I commend your mom on her excellent taste, however). Chae Do-woo is one of the creepiest/sexiest villains I’ve ever seen in any drama or movie. Honestly, if I thought about it long enough, I could probably compare him to Hannibel Lecter, minus the whole cannibalism aspect. Extremely brilliant, always firmly in control of his emotions (except when he isn’t, then OMG); singleminded in his purpose…simply a fascinating character. I wish you could watch it but I get why you might not want to.
I think I will give it a shot this weekend. Should be a nice break since everyone will be off! Thanks Langdon813. I will let you know what I think when it is done.
You’ll love Denver. It is a great city. Beautiful.
I’ve recently been introduced to Black & White (saw it on TV) and i was instantly hooked! I’ve got about 10 episodes to catch up
The main leads are so incredibly hot (especially Mark Chao) … and Vic Zhou is definitely an interesting actor!
i’m usually not into the whole police drama, but this drama seems really exciting
Just back to this Open Thread and see so many new posts…
@ bird, langdon813, Samsooki, AnitaLotti, cecee, and all other City Hallers
The final curtain is now with us. Two more hours we’ll have ep 19 and then ep 20 tomorrow. I think we are really blessed to have a drama as good as this. Like someone said at Viikii, we are ‘disabled’ by it. But then, we are spolt by it too. I don’t know how other dramas will now measure up. And after seeing CSW, I honestly will have a hard time to be excited by another male actor.
I was so keen to watch Triple earlier on but have no interest to start it at all with the CH fever going on. I have a full set of Story of Man too but there’s no motivation to watch it either.
With the withdrawal coming in this weekend, maybe I’ll have a change of scenery to see the T-drama Black and White since so many of you like it.
@183, epyc
I’ve made it up to Ep 5 of Triple and it’s definitely starting to grow on me; it’s basically light and fluffy and generally enjoyable. The three male leads are adorable, which doesn’t hurt a bit.
Story of A Man, Black and White…well, everyone knows by now how much I enjoyed both of these dramas, but they’re both really intense, so I guess it depends on what you’re in the mood for. Both of them have scenes where I literally either gasped in shock or watched through my fingers, LOL! I will say this; Kim Kang-woo is jaw-droppingly good in Story of a Man…so much so that I want to watch everything he’s ever been in, which is exactly how I feel about CSW. Two completely different actors and characters, each awesome in their own way.
You know, I almost don’t even want to watch the last two hours of CH because I can’t bear to think of it ending. But of course I will…
I am totally spamming this thread but OH MY GOD, I AM SO IMPATIENT FOR EPISODE 19!!!
I’m losing it.
I’m so sorry to the wonderful people subbing this show, I know you’re going as fast as you possibly can and I do appreciate it, I really really do! But it feels like Christmas and I want to open my presents! Argh…venting, venting…doesn’t help.
Ugh. Off to make dinner…apparently SOME people around here still want to eat.
@ langdon813
Thanks for the preview of Triple which I will definitely watch at some stage because YKS is awesome. And I love fluffy fun too. Will also catch Story of a Man, perhaps a bit later. What I don’t want now is another romance – I don’t think any other romance/love story will top CH for a long time.
What willpower you’ve got – I just can’t help watching the raw (without knowing what they say) and now waiting the sub.
@epyc
I have to confess, I did watch about 20 minutes or so of Ep 19 without subs, hoping that my understanding of about 20 words of Korean had somehow magically turned into a command of the entire language. Alas, that was not the case, so I turned to Triple to keep me occupied. It really is getting better and better. I don’t have a clue how some of the relationships are going to play out and that makes me happy! I’m also watching Who Are You and YKS is great in that as well.
Now back to basking in the glow of City Hall…better yet, I think I’ll watch it again!
I plan on starting on Story of a Man after CH and maybe Triple–I can’t watch too many kdrama or I start losing all my social life. I can’t wait till Ep 20, ep 19 was so good but I had to wing it with my mediocre korean. My god, their acting is so impressive. I can already feel symptoms of withdrawal already.
I started on Triple ep 1 but took a nap right in the middle of the epi. Hmmmm…must be the anticlimax of CH. There is no comparison with Ep 19 of CH. Most likely I will have to revisit Triple after CH. I think the ratings of Triple will only get better after CH is over. But then again, Partner is garnering better ratingw than Triple. Choices, choices, choices…
I know a lot of people have flooded dramabeans’ open threads with comments and questions about City Hall, and even a few other threads not related to City Hall, lol.
Maybe some of you haven’t seen it and are wondering whether you should. Or maybe you watched the first few episodes and didn’t think much of it.
Well, here are my thoughts, after watching the first 18 episodes, and literally dying here in the office, because Episode 19 was last night and Episode 20 finale is airing as I type.
First, an admission. City Hall starts off kind of choppy. It does. It doesn’t really seem to get going with one particular plot point or another, even after a few episodes. Maybe this is because a lot of the stereotypical plot devices so prevalent is many k-dramas are conspicuously absent here. There are no amnesia accidents, no accidental fate / destiny kind of meetings, no fake or contract marriage / relationships, and no immediate family corporate conspiracies to grab your attention. The initial setting of a drama is a slow backwards city where picayune and minor corruption is the norm and nobody really cares.
Until somebody, a woman, starts to care. And as this woman of no certain status, family, money or education, starts to care, she begins to attract enemies as well as supporters. This is the story of that woman, and how she suffers tremendously because of that care, and how she fights back and gains in confidence and strength, first to become mayor of her city, and then to defend her city as mayor. This is the story of how this woman fights despite knowing that she may not win, despite knowing that the shady path would be the infinitely easier path, and despite knowing that she being used as a pawn in a political game with national implications.
Shin Mi Rae is a woman with a heart so big and so strong and yet so delicate that ‘compelling’ is too light of a word to describe her character. City Hall is a story of how she evolves and grows stronger to protect her people, at at the end, is able to overcome even the most powerful and wealthy of enemies.
But even THAT is just the secondary story, because above all, City Hall is a love story between Shin Mi Rae and Jo Gook, the political prodigy who has the pedigree, financial backing, intelligence and charisma to be President of Korea. And I can say that I’ve never seen a love story told like this before. And I’ve not seen kisses like the kisses that I saw. LOL. And I’ve never seen a character like Jo Gook before, played astonishingly well by Cha Seung Won.
***
So, if you are annoyed by the flooding of City Hall posters who seem raving mad and crazy about a drama that maybe starts off a little boring and choppy, then please forgive them and forgive me. And give City Hall a chance. It will be worth it.
@190, Samsooki
“So, if you are annoyed by the flooding of City Hall posters who seem raving mad and crazy about a drama that maybe starts off a little boring and choppy, then please forgive them and forgive me. And give City Hall a chance. It will be worth it.”
Raving mad and crazy…guilty as charged. I was late to the CH party, but I’m going to be one of the last ones out the door when it’s over. Which is today.
Pardon me for a moment while I wail in despair…Noooooooooo…….!
Unlike many, I loved this drama from the first episode (I credit CSW for that, since I already loved Kin Sun-ah ever since MNIKSS). Their scenes together are so electric and powerful and REAL that they’re almost impossible to watch, yet you can’t tear your eyes away.
It’s just wonderful.
I watched City Hall Ep. 20 three times in a row now, can’t bear to part. The story really has absolutely the right mixture of ingredients: storyline, comedy, tragedy, romance and actors. I even think they might have had enough possibilities to extend to 24 episodes. Ah, wishful thinking!
I am still on City Hall high right now.
It was an amazing ride, and I don’t think i’ll be able to get off of it.
Thank you everyone for spreading City Hall love in here, especially Samsooki, Langdon,epyc, and all CIty Hallers!
Thank you javabeans for this wonderful site! I do hope you will give City Hall a chance.