Open Thread #104
October 9th, 2009 // by javabeans
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I have a chem exam today. My chem professor is one of those teachers who expect you to already be experts on the subject. I’m not. I took Chem my junior year of high school with an amazing teacher (the type that wants to be friends with the students and wants to see the succeed so they give a lot of help). Now, I have a professor my second year of college who likes to think he’s Einstein.
At least I get to go home for the long weekend.
So…any good dramas I can watch this weekend? Ones that aren’t entirely cliched and where the main female isn’t naive and comedic? If that makes any sense to anyone. Thanks!
Employee Appreciation Day=Barbeque All Day Long!!! Woot Woot!
YAY, OT Friday at last!
I didn’t think I’d get to be here today since my computer died, but when I woke up this morning I found that my husband had set his laptop up at my desk. So sweet…he knows how I feel about Fridays these days! I guess the divorce is canceled.
I bet the big topic for today is going to be You’re Beautiful! Isn’t it GREAT?!
@1 Reese
I can highly recommend 9 End, 2 Outs if you haven’t seen that one. Sounds like it meets your criteria; the story is definitely not cliched nor is the female lead naive or comical. I loved it.
You’re Beautiful is Totally Amazing!!!!
Park Shin Hye is sooo adorable, i only watched the first part of the first episode on viikii and i decided i love this drama…. Hong sisters really shows their charm here…
Oh, and happy friday to you guys…
@Reese –
There are plenty of good dramas that aren’t cliched where the main female lead isn’t naive or comedic. Lessee… off the top of my head, I think you can watch any of these from dramafever…
– Friend Our Legend (no female leads, they are secondary characters)
– New Heart (main female lead is a cold fish med resident in thoracic surgery)
– Beethoven Virus (an overacting Lee Jia is a bit annoying but the drama is v. good)
– Two Outs In the Bottom of the Ninth (9 End 2 Outs), as said above, is very good too, and Soo Ae flexes her acting muscles quite a bit. Still, there is a lot of comedic elements, and Soo Ae does a good job balancing drama, a bit of melodrama, and comedy together.
My facebook page has BLOWN UP with statuses on Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
During the last Open Thread, people were wondering if they could watch anything that Polanski made, or anything that Polanski’s supporters made.
Here’s an article on that: http://jezebel.com/5373532/will-you-be-able-to-watch-anything-created-by-polanski-apologists
Also, I found this article (http://jezebel.com/5373655/it-aint-the-butterfly-its-the-tootsie-roll-an-ode-to-fairly-inappropriate-school-dance-anthems/gallery/) which reminds me of all the inappropriate dances we did in high school.
“Cotten candy sweet and low let me see that tootsie roll”
Oh YEAH.
Happy Friday. Boy am I glad it’s the weekend. I just want to sleep Saturday and Sunday away! What are you doing for the weekend, javabeans? Btw, I made you a header and posted it in the Rotating Headers section, but maybe you were busy and didn’t see it, so here it is again: http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7483/javabeansheader.png Not obliged to use it of course, but hope you like it!
@3 & 5: Thanks for the Recs. I’ll definitely check them out. I’m just sick of the comedic, naive, overreacting main female characters. To me, it feels like every drama I find interesting (summary-wise) ends up with me disliking it because of the main leads.
First time poster!
I absolutely love dramabeans.com. My post if far past due.
Wishing everyone a great weekend!
@ 9 Reese
My favorite female characters EVER are Sujini from Legend and Makino from Hana Yori Dango.
BUT
You probably won’t like them because Sujini is comedic and Makino is a bit naive, A LITTLE.
I love them because they are both strong kick ass females. Sujini could kick your ass in a fight and she fights on the King’s right side and gets treated as an equal because of her skills. And I love Makino because she’s a strong female who stands up for herself.
That said, I miss watching really kick ass women in my drama. Lately I’ve been watching wet blankets. Not fun. Can’t wait for IRIS, I know I’ll have a kick ass chick there, too bad she’ll probably be a ‘bad’ character.
@Mishane, i’m pretty sure you’re not talking about kim taehee, right
i’m also lookin forward to see some kick-ass women n IRIS…
i’m in between watching You’re Beautiful on Viikii and refreshing this thread, and i have to make this comment,
Dang, A.N.Jell dorm (can it be called dorm, or maybe apartment) is so nice (to put it mildly)….
and i have one question, can anyone tell me the title or the singer of Sol’s Pharmacy soundtrack, the ballad one with the sad tone, coz i know the main theme is sung by Eru right, but i when i tried to find that particular song, i couldn’t find it coz i don’t know who sung it nor what the song called.
@ 5 Samsooki…
Finally someone I can talk to about Friend, Our Legend.
So the girls are actually secondary to the guys? I’m only up till Ep 6 (loving every single minute of it) and their friendship’s starting to crack, which I really dread, because of the girl.
I hope there’s more to than the guys fighting/or sacrificing something because of the girl. I’d rather they focus on the trials and tribulations of the four friends instead..
Point aside, I think Hyun Bin’s really good in here. Love his short crew-cut like hairstyle. And when he’s angry, I just SWOON like mad. He’s better off not smiling..haha..
I totally forgot about 9E2O. I have to finish that one. I liked the first few episodes I’ve seen.
Do you guys believe that plants have feelings? I left for vacation leaving my bamboo plant with my co-worker. I came back to an almost dying plant. I had to pluck out all the yellow leaves. Now my bamboo looks like a palm tree with mostly stem and very few leaves left on top.
She said she watered it, and I believe her because other people said she did. Now, it’s either my plant missed me (I know, I’m crazy) or my plant doesn’t like my co-worker. And of course, it could also be that my plant just wants to die.
I heard some people talk to their plants, and there’s also that god-awful film, The Happening.
I literally just finished watching Queen of Housewives two hours ago. IF YOU HAVEN’t SEEN it AND PLANNING TO, DO NOT READ ON.
I must say it was better than I expected, but didnt like that Ji Ae kept holding up a grudge front with her hubby. I felt so sorry for him. He was and looked so hurt that he had given up. He who was so faithful and forbearing gave up.. Girls should not be that mean…but I also know us girls want our guys to show us love even when we don’t…Still it was heartbreaking to see him go through that… So conflicting…
I was a bit sad that the presidential couple didn’t fall in love. I was hoping that they would be able to find a love they didn’t know existed, but hey not everything ends perfectly. At least the other couple did.
Choi Chul Ho is so handsome when serious, but when he’s acting like an idiot he loses his appeal. His hard and angry stares at the beginning of the series made me smile, but when he was happy, it made me worry. lol
Thought I’d hand my two cents while it was still fresh even though is late… That’s the bad thing about waiting til the dvds come out.
@ 1 Reese
I’ve got a drama to recommend–Manhattan Love Story. It’s a Jdrama, but it’s one of the absolute best I’ve seen. It’s the kind of drama where (if you’ve seen others before) you recognize everyone as being a minor character from some other drama.
As for the plot? It mostly takes place in this coffee house, Manhattan. The owner hardly ever speaks, but he watches the people who comes and goes, and wishes that someone, ANYONE, would love coffee as much as him. Naturally, no one does. They’d all much rather come in and talk about their love lives.
What I really loved about this drama, is that the focus of who the “main character” is changes every episode. Which, also, is how the love story goes. A is in love with B who loves C, and so forth. Really, I’m not sure I can praise this drama enough because it didn’t get the love it deserved when it came out.
re: You’re Beautiful.
Mrs. Samsooki is more reserved after watching it, but I am excited about this one.
I normally don’t watch dramas while they are airing, because it is too hard to keep up and with my kind of personality, once I invest time to start watching (which means I like it a lot), then I can’t wait a week for the next episode. Makes for difficult viewing experiences.
But, I had the chance yesterday afternoon (while at work, no less) to review some ___ for _____, with respect to ______. So, I took a peek at Episode 1. I was going just skim to the parts that required my attention, but something happened…. I stopped to watch. And I kept on watching without fast-forwarding. And then I watched the whole episode. And I watched the whole episode and I totally forgot the original point of me peeking at the drama in the first place. hehe!
Then when I got home, my wife and I both watched Ep 1. And I thought, wow, the main character really grabs my attention right from the start. Graceful effusion of emotive ability, I thought. Facile empathy draw, and easy on the eyes, I added in passing. Then I saw the chemistry, and I got the plot thickeners, and man, I am digging this drama.
Yes, it’s early. My wife is reserving judgment for at least a few more episodes, but I am not. This drama is great (right now) and will only get better!
OMG Am so so bored. It’s only 11:30 and am so bored.
To entertain myself, here’s a list of dramas that I would not recommend to anyone:
Smile Again – crappity mccrap craptastic
Hello! My Teacher- People loved it, I hated both the characters
Miss No Good – Hot kisses, horrible acting
Smiling Pasta – So sickly sweet I gave myself a toothache
@13 ripgal –
I don’t really know how to describe Friend, Our Legend. I see it more like a survey of the times, focusing on the 4 friends, and in particular, on two of the friends.
You know this. People make mistakes. They do stupid things. They make errors of judgment, and then errors get compounded with things like pride and jealousy, with flexible and hypocritical principles like “honor” and “loyalty.’ A lot of what goes on in dramas is based on the concept of human frailty and fallibility. Friend Our Legend is no different, and with that in mind, the drama takes shape.
And what I see when I watch this drama is a bunch of individuals struggling to survive in a tumultuous and harsh period of Korean history and development that was just incredibly unfair to a lot of people.
This drama sort of brings out the dirty mattress of fairly recent Korean socio-political history. Things that the generation above us, those that spent time in Korea during that period, would know all about and probably would have buried deep in their minds. I know that my own parents and my relatives back in Korea who visit occasionally, don’t like talking about what Korea was like back then.
Against that backdrop, Friend Our Legend lays out the lives of four friends as they grow up with dreams and expectations that didn’t quite turn out the way they wanted.
Being that Friend Our Legend is more of a survey, there will be episodes and scenes where you will see into the lives of the girls even more than the guys, but the focus of the drama is on Binnie and Kim Min Joon.
There is a scene upcoming where the girls meet up after years of not seeing each other, and it is just a great, great scene. The dialogue is so clever, so witty, and so perfect, acting as both a commentary on the times and place that Korea is in, and on the lives of the girls who struggled to become women during a time when Korea was anything but egalitarian.
If you look at Korea now, and you see what it was back just 3 decades previous, the transformation is unbelievable. There is an inherent sadness to Korean history, and that sadness is part of every adult Korean who lived through those times. It is how Koreans in Korea are built, why they are so defensive and/or aggressive about certain things, why their catch phrase, “hwai-ting!” with the fist pump, as cute as it is, has other meaning.
It is a good drama, for sure.
I totally just failed my Chem test. I’m…surprisingly calm about it. I felt prepared going into it (yay for flashcards) and then once I looked at the paper, I realized the study guide he gave us didn’t really cover half of what was on the test. What an idiot. I knew I should have just studied everything in my notes.
@Mishane: I can’t wait for IRIS either. That’s definitely my type of Korean drama. I loved Black & White (the twdrama) and after watching that, no drama could compare so I couldn’t find a good drama to watch. Bleh. I can stand the comedic/overreacting/naive characters only very rarely, but I’ll check out Legend, maybe it’ll be a needed relief at some point. Have you seen Lobbyist?
@16: I actually have that on my to-watch list. Unfortunately, I’m not really in the mood for Japanese dramas right now. But I will definitely get to it!
@Reese
I also wanted something a little different and fun to watch, the drama I am currently watching on Viikii is Romance Zero. It is the drama not the movie. It is about a dating service, very funny and refreshing. Give it a try you might like it!!
@mishane
I liked Hello! My Teacher, but I prefer the other title Biscuit Teacher and Star Candy…I just find that title more descriptive of the 2 main characters. ( Let’s face it Gong Yoo is definitely Star Candy.) I will admit that it did drag a little, but overall it was not as bad as some dramas have been.
Wow, Samsooki… WOW!
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. I had a great read. ^_^
As I need to get my sleep right now, I’ll reply to your post the minute I get up tomorrow.
But once again, thanx! I feel like I’ve learned a bit or so about Korean history here…hehehe..
Happy Friday! I took today off work and am currently in bed reading this thread. yay! I came up to NorCal for the weekend to watch the musical “Rent” in the city. Original Mark and Roger are on tour with them so i’m very very excited. Totally my favorite musical so I’m super happy to watch with some of the original cast.
@mishane – haha i remember all those songs and dances… classic! brings back memories haha. also, i ADORE makino!! she is such a great character – yes naive at times but never really DUMB you know? and like you, also looking forward to kick-ass females in IRIS…
re: shows you don’t recommend. i totally watched miss no good and smiling pasta. i don’t know how i finished them but i did. miss no good – i adore both will pan and rainie, and while i thought will was pretty good for his first lead role, rainie was….. umm … just over-the-top i guess. it did have good kisses though huh 
smiling pasta – it was during my phase of ‘must finish whatever i start watching’ and so i did. it wasn’t horrid, just not good.
re: You’re Beautiful – like a lot of people, if i like the show i don’t like waiting every week for it. drives me bonkers. i may have to wait till it’s at least a few weeks in to start so that i can play a slow catch-up
unless it becomes another CH-like discussion, then i may actually have to watch it in real-time to join in on discussions haha.
sigh. went to sleep with a headache and woke up with a worse headache and a sore throat. i think i’m gonna go back to bed for awhile. this better not worsen tonight!!!!!
@colleen i love that title too! XD
LOL @ lovenyc52
I WENT THROUGH THAT PHASE! Where I made myself finish every drama even if I didn’t want to. I’ve since learned that I was only punishing myself so I just stop watching now. But I usually give myself up until episode 10 or so before I truly just give up.
@ Reese
No, I haven’t seen Lobbyist, is it any good?
Honestly, I would recommend Legend to anyone, Asian drama fan or not. It’s such a tightly written plot!! You can tell that it was written out way ahead of time and not slapped together at the last minute. Also, they poured money into this. The set, the costumes, everything screamed MONEY MONEY MONEY. I would honestly describe it as a Korean Lord of The Rings. It’s definitely in my top 10 dramas.
It’s another drizzly grey wet cold day in London and I just can’t wait for the day to be over. Only another hour to go.
I haven’t watched any kdramas in ages as the show recaps aren’t really pulling me in. However, “You’re beautiful” sounds like a go-er, based on everyone’s reviews. I’ll just have to be patient and wait for the subs.
On the plus side, I have finally booked my tickets to Seoul in December. Yippee! And what makes it even better is that my Korean colleague will be in Seoul at the same time to show me the sights and where to eat (most importantly!). Can’t wait!
happy OT everyone! i noticed that some ppl here watch taiwanese dramas. anyone excited for “hai pai tian xin” (temporary eng translation is shanghai sweetheart, which i think is inaccurate xp) with show luo and rainie? i am totally anticipating this one! i may be biased because i am a total show luo fan, but i think this drama just might work. i usually pass on tw dramas because they are either so ridden with cliches that dont work, or have such convoluted plotlines, or have horrible slapstick humor, that i cant stand it after watching the first 10 minutes. but whatever show luo is in, i will watch hahaha. and it turns out the story is actually pretty darn interesting. rich boy is overprotected by his family (who’s worried he might get kidnapped cause they’re so wealthy) and is the most innocent, nerdy-dressed kid on the block. meets rainie and they fall in love. smth happens to rainie so she is forced to leave show. show is embittered by the experience and years later, turns into a rich playboy casanova-type. he encounters rainie once again and plans to take revenge, but only finds himself falling deeper in love with her. how cute is that? have u guys seen the pics of show’s character? possibly the most hilarious and adorable thing i’ve seen ever.
the thing i’m most excited to watch for is prolly the transformation of show’s character. not only am i hoping that show wins the golden bell awards next fri, i have a feeling his work with “hai pai tian xin” might earn him another nod next year!
btw the drama airs 11/1, so be exciteddd!
Happy Friday OTers! Here in London the weather is typical first week of school weather: grey and and miserable (and my macbook just told me that ‘grey’ is the Brit spelling. Cool beans); just like Dido’s lines in Stan. ‘The tea’s gone cold (tea’s interchangeable with coffee and air) I’m wondering why I got out of bed at all. The morning rain clouds up my window and I can’t see at all’. Indeed.
So, You’re Beautiful! I’ve been widdling about on this since Wednesday: do I watch it on Viikii or do I wait for HQ? I’m super excited so I’d like to wait for HQ but dang nabbit I think I’m going to cave. My Korean’s gotten a lot better so I’m sure I could manage with HQ raw but i’m anal about needing to understand every word.
So here I sit, thinking about this instead of starting my 3 chapter reading on the European Convention on Human Rights. *facepalm*
I also have some of Hans Christian Anderson’s Fairy Tales in front of me. I love fairy tales, but who knew the original Little Mermaid was so sad?
@ Reese: Capital Scandal has a great (TINY!) heroine; no sex until Korea is liberated!
@ Samsooki: Has Friend finished airing? And have they got rid of the dumb censor blur?
@25 mishane
Ooh, Korean LOTR? I am definitely intrigued.
I now have a personal rule that I must watch a period drama at all times, no matter what else I’m watching. I’ll have to check this one out after I finish Hong Gil Dong (hopefully this weekend).
Right now I have to finish MFL (last 2 eps), watch Ep 2 of You’re Beautiful, finish Hong Gil Dong (I’m up to Ep 13, got sidetracked by life, ugh), maybe continue Smile, You (but maybe not), start IRIS next week
Happy Friday everyone!!!
i have nothing to contribute to drama watching.. yet again.. because i have not found the time to do any drama watching this week. it was such an exhausting week.
it was the one year anniversary of Grampa’s passing.. my only father figure in my life, and both mine and my hubby’s fathers passed before i knew them. so it was kinda rough for a while this week..
good note, i bought my plane tickets to Thailand.. will be there for 3 weeks. YAY!!! and i met my hubby’s cousin from Australia as they came to visit.. much too short.. only a day w/ them.. planning on visiting them next year!!! YAY!!!
@Mishane: Lobbyist is probably my favorite Kdrama right now. I loved it. There are some parts that drag a bit, but the rest of it was pretty good. Also, there are a few times where you don’t like the main female because of the character’s actions, but its all good. I definitely recommend it.
I’ll have to watch the first few episodes of Legend this weekend to see if I like it.
@21: I’ve seen it, thanks for the recommendation though.
LOL @ crzycpl, snap! Is the weather vile or what? I almost have to laugh, it’s so cliched (for want of a better word).
@ annieee, OMG, SO EXCITED ABOUT SHANGHAI SWEETHEARTS. I spent like 10 minutes staring at the promo pic, Rainie’s rock chick clothes and awesome hair, and SHOW OMG. I LOVE HIM. <3 I'm also excited about Vanness' drama, but must refrain until it's all done/subbed. twdramas end up superhit or supermiss, and when they don't go OTT they can be so amazing. Damn, I used to get through dramas so fast and now I have a list taller than me and no time to get through it all!!
@annieee – oooo!! show luo is in a new drama..and with RAINIE? superb. i adore show. he is freakin hilarious and adorable to boot! k just looked it up on dramawiki and saw that lee wei is in it as well. nice casting! i’ll definately have to keep my eye out for this one. thanks for the heads up. i haven’t been following any tw dramas lately cuz everything pales in comparison to black and white ha.
Part of what makes You’re Beautiful great (so far) is that the cartoony, silliness of the show and the show’s slapstick are all filled out in DETAIL. From what I’ve seen of the Hong Sisters, they’re among the chattiest of writer(s) Gab, gab, gab. And this helps flesh out the lead heroine, who on paper is the 2nd most ridiculous creation we’ve seen this year. (Next to Tae Yoon’s pama.)
Love Park Shin Hye’s performance so far. Looks easy, but this is an awesome, awesome display of finesse. The timing is especially onpoint. I’m rewatching the part where she forgets her plane tickets. Keep in mind that most young actresses would do a “HUH? ONOS!!!” reaction with their eyes (and their neck), then go onto the next part. Here, she actually does 4-5 different reactions in sequence during that part.
BTW, one of the music themes in this show kinda sounds like Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn. Well you couldnt be that man I adored You dont seem to know, dont seem to care what your heart is for . . .
am I the only one who watched Three Rivers on Sunday night? or rather, recorded it on DVR so I could FF through it? wow, i forgot how uttering mind numbing american tv is. this is supposed to be a super duper high-tech medical center but it is so fast-paced and slick the show feels stone cold even during the warm and fuzzy moments. everyone wears solid t-shirts in different bold colors — with all the medical instrumentation and modern architecture it looks like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.
ok, so what about Daniel Henney, the only reason i tuned in? yes, he can speak more fluently and easily in english than in korean. ^^ and he’s no better or worse than the other actors. with his hair slicked back, he looks different — less handsome somehow. perfect show to debut on american tv — not much required of him. ^^
you can be sure i will not be visiting three rivers again.
hello everyone!
friday had ended here, but…yay weekend! it’s time to catch up with kdramas!
i find that comments on My Fair Lady 16 are…amusing.
and why there is certain person keeps comparing Dramabeans and Popseoul?
by the way they commented, well it seems they came from…Popseoul.
Anyway! Next Wednesday is IRIS’ day! Weeeeeeeeeeeeee…so excited.
I’ve been dropped few dramas lately, but somehow I really want to finish Dream. I don’t know why, it could be worse than My Fair Lady, but there is something that makes me want to continue it. Probably it’s Joo Jin Moo…and Kim Bum.
Well yes I can be shallow like those particular comentators. so what.
is there anyone here who is using Blackberry and just upgraded BBMessenger v.5? I did it yesterday and I lost all my contacts! HEH. And most of my friends who did it, did not get the same problem.
But the good thing is, i totally love this version.
@28 xiahkixiri –
So, You’re Beautiful! I’ve been widdling about on this since Wednesday: do I watch it on Viikii or do I wait for HQ? I’m super excited so I’d like to wait for HQ but dang nabbit I think I’m going to cave. My Korean’s gotten a lot better so I’m sure I could manage with HQ raw but i’m anal about needing to understand every word.
Wait for the HQ! If I were a betting man, I would bet that there will be excellent excellent subs coming as well…..
Has Friend finished airing? And have they got rid of the dumb censor blur?
Honestly? I’ve not noticed the blurring that was prominent early. Either I’ve just been mesmerized by BInnie, or they stopped doing it.
Happy Friday!! Just a couple more days before Iris!!! I’m so excited!!! I’m holding off on judging her in this, but out of the enire cast – Kim Tae Hee, in my book, is the weakest actor. Maybe she’s improved since I saw her last in the horrible Harvard story, but if she doesn’t do more than have that silly doe-eyed innocent look, how am I supposed to buy that she’s a top criminal profiler?
I can’t wait to dnld You’re Beautiful & Iris!
Oh, and while I’m on my drama hiatus, I have finished a lot of books, but my favorite so far is The Girl Who Played with Fire!!!! The sequel to Girl with Dragon Tattoo. Forget Dan Brown, Patterson, Evanovich, even Follet can take second seat to this amazing book!!! I love, love these books and I highly recommend that you guys either check it out at the library or buy it – its worth the hardcover price!!!
@Reese – have you tried Worlds Within? It’s my favorite drama hands down, and the heroine is competent and ambitious and not silly or comedic.
Also, yay, someone else who loves Lobbyist. There were draggy parts but it was good overall, with an untraditional storyline and a very strong heroine.
@ mishane – I confess to liking Smile Again and loving Hello Teacher. But agreed, Smile Pasta was sweet but too much sweetness can ruin anything – I almost got a diabetic attack after watching it.
@ samsooki: Easy for you to say to wait, you’ve already seen the first ep twice! =p It’s up raw with pretty good quality on Youtube, available to download at a million places and all anyone’s talking about. I’m weakkkk…
So question for those who watched BOF as it aired: will You’re Beautiful recreate the same fan mania?
@Belleza
I totally thought that You’re Beautiful was going to be like the half-dozen other dramas that came out this year that I had high hopes for and then fizzled.
This is the case where I went in thinking that I would be bored, annoyed, slightly amused at points and then indifferent. But the drama Ep 1 watching was really the opposite of that. I didn’t fast forward, I watched the whole thing, and I enjoyed what I saw.
Doesn’t the pouty guy look like Chang Whe from HGD? I thought for sure it was him…..
hmmm..i really had no idea what this open thread is about, but it seems like guests just saying random stuff..so here goes mine: LOL
i’ve been a fan of javabeans since i came across this page when i was searching some information about winterplay..and everything was presented elegantly, so i’ve been a regular reader since then..
today, i read about the opening of ‘you’re beautiful’ and decided to watch it on mysoju, and hell, i really did enjoy it, just like what javabeans said..
amazing work javabeans =D
@ annie
I heard about Shanghai Sweethearts and I’m excited for it. I love Rainie but I haven’t liked one of her dramas since Why Why Love, so hopefully I’ll like this one.
Did anyone see the tw-drama My Queen? Did anyone like it?
I’m in love with You’re Beautiful, as everyone else – YAY for a kdrama that just entertains you through and through! Can’t wait to watch it again with excellent subs from WithS2!
Oh, and Obama won the Nobel Peace Price for good intentions!!??!! I was really happy about a year ago when became president. But this is too early, and besides I live in Oslo that will turn into Fort Oslo and the police will have to spend more than $10 million on security messures out of my tax money!
Happy weekend everyone!
@ 1 Reese
“Ones that aren’t entirely cliched and where the main female isn’t naive and comedic?”
I’m surprised Samsooki did not mention this one: My Name is Kim Sam Soon (perhaps he didn’t mention it because chances are, you’ve seen it). Sam-soon is the opposite of naive and comedic. Oh, the comedy is all there in the drama, but it’s inherent in the writing and situation. We’re not laughing ha ha ha AT the heroine, we’re laughing at what the heroine encounters and her actions with respect to living her life. It’s funny because its poignant, and refreshingly cliche-lite. Sam-soon on top of the mountain, both literally and figuratively, heart pounding stuff of legends.
@ belleza
You’re Beautiful – all I can do is gape and gape some more at how perfect Park Shin-hye’s portrayal of the heroine is. Her acting is exaggerated as required for a nun-cross-dressing-as-a-boy-idol-member situational comedy (how can this possibly work, I couldn’t imagine, but it does, so that just confirms how awesome the Hong sisters are when all cylinders are firing), but it is also one foot away from the dreaded OTT-status which is a downward slippery slope into creating an extremely annoying heroine (again, Gu Hye-sun’s portrayal of Jan-di in BBF). I had only previously seen PSH as mini-Choi Ji-woo in our mutually beloved classic Stairway to Heaven……, and she wasn’t a hundred shades of awesome the way Moon Geun-young AND Han Ji-min as young Song Hye-gyo in Autumn in my Heart and All In, respectively, were.
But if she continues to deliver this pitch perfect performance as adorable, klutzy, innocent Mi-nyeo – she’s the next MGY in my book, and I would vault her to the head of the young un’s class. It’s too early to tell, but all signs point to yes, yes, yes. And lastly, I’m shallow, so I have to say, I didn’t ever find PSY “pretty” or even “cute”, she was just “meh” to me – after two episodes of You’re Beautiful, I now find her absolutely adorably pretty. Her expressions are wide and reflective, great palate for showcasing Mi-nyeo’s fish out of water situation.
I’m really worried about this ridonculous Wed-Thurs fight brewing, it will literally eat my brains alive:
You’re Beautiful – definite must watch.
IRIS – drool, definite will watch
Hero – Jun-ki! Kim Min-jung, Eom Ki-joong – MUST watch.
This is way worse than the That Fool, City Hall, Man Who Can’t Get Married, Partner fight earlier this year – City Hall, h-waiting!
I might as well go on a three month sabbatical from work….
@ mishane 18,
Since you threw down the gauntlet, here’s my list of my “worsts,” from kdrama (keep in mind that I don’t even look at the kdramas that get poor reviews in general, like Witch Amusement or Three Dads One Mom):
– Full House (I know lots of people love this, but I thought the writing stank, and the acting was annoying. I had to fast forward.)
– Attic Cat (I thought the “hero” was cruel and unfeeling, not a lovable cad at all, and the heroine needy and mental. And then I found out about the actress and that was it.)
– Good Job, Good Job (my first attempt at a longer drama, a dismal failure. I love Chae Rim in Dal Ja but what’s with the river of tears? And ever since this show I can’t watch ANYTHING with Kim Jung Hwa, even though 1% of Anything sounds cute and War of Money has my fave Shin Dong Wook. She’s so whiney.)
On a happier note, I am re-watching City Hall with my husband this time – Yay! We are up to episode 4 and so far he is really loving it, with the constant comment that there is nothing this good on American TV. He especially likes how no character is all good or all bad (granted its early days yet for a few of them) and the incredibly rich, witty dialogue. We are having a blast.
We’re having horrible weather here in Mississippi right now; really intense thunderstorms, lightening, torrential rain…YUCK! The tornado sirens went off too; I’ve got two dogs and a cat cowering under my desk right now! If I get cut off again like I did my last post, you’ll know why!
@38 b020
Thanks for the book recommendations! I’ve got book club next week and haven’t cracked a book in at least two months. I always like to keep them on their toes though, so one of my contributions next week is a Dracula pop-up book.
My serious book is probably going to be Await Your Reply, by Dan Chaon. It’s been sitting by my chair for about 3 weeks now! But I can’t seem to get in the mood to read. I’d say I was going to try and get to it this weekend, but that’s probably a lie. Hong Gil Dong is much more appealing to me at the moment.
Too bad I can’t discuss K-dramas at book club (although I’ve tried, on occasion)!
Ugh….SO incredibly busy! I mean…I knew that I would have to hit the ground running after coming back from being in Germany for a year but dude, senior year is kicking my fat butt. I only got two hours of sleep last night, a friend is visiting me, I’m volunteering at 8 AM tomorrow morning and I have so much homework. Just sooo much homework. Oh midterms…
Speaking of Obama…interesting that he received the Nobel Peace Prize. Of course, the efforts he’s putting into international relations right now are crucial and working (I was abroad when he was voted into office…everyone loved me for being American). But I do think that it’s a bit too early. I’m not sure why the committee is comparing Obama to Willy Brandt b/c even though he was Chancellor of Germany at the time of his award, he held numerous other positions that interacted with the Iron Curtain problem way before his time as Chancellor. Obama hasn’t really had any substantial showings of international politics as an important player before the start of his presidency. And as much as the Republicans are giving him crap about it, I’m pretty sure Obama is thinking, “what……??????” about the award. I mean, what is he supposed to do, Republicans? Give it back? And dude…it’s not like he was asking for the prize! Just an awkward situation all around.
The Nobel Peace prize – in Alfred Nobel’s 1895 will, he stipulated that the peace prize should go “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses.
The award has essentially been given for the president’s speechmaking ability, since he hasn’t done anything concrete yet on the above criteria. But Obama can’t decline the NPP, so his critics should just discuss and be done with it, stop belaboring the point, bring it up with the the committee of five Norwegians. I’m wondering who the other 204 nominees were…..
@ 46 skelly
Hey you have the same worst lists also! I forgot to add those to mine.
Attic Cat and Full House suffered from the same symptoms, no creativity! They recycled the same exact storyline in every episode. In Full House it was: she threatens to leave, leaves, then comes back. She threatens to leave, leaves and then comes back. She threatens to leave, leaves and then comes back. Rinse, repeat.
In Attic Cat, same thing! She kicks him out, forgives him, he comes back. She kicks him out, forgives him, he comes back. She kicks him out, forgives him, he comes back.
I haven’t watched My Fair Lady, and I’m not going to, but after reading the recaps, it sounds like My Fair Lady suffers from the same thing: He’s her butler, then he’s not! He’s her butler, then he’s not! He’s her butler, then he’s not!
Get more creative K-drama writers!! It’s like you put plotlines in a hat, pull one out, and if it’s the same as the one you used before, screw it, let’s use it anyway!
@42 moimoiness –
just a quick point about mysoju… there are places on the internet that take the work done by others (like subtitles), without permission, and then allow streaming views on their sites. Sometimes those same places take the work done by others, and then make boot-leg DVDs out of it.
What mysoju.com does is capitalize on these streaming sites by collecting the links and putting them in one place.
Sometimes, many times, those links lead to streaming sites that have stolen from others. Now, mysoju argues that it isn’t doing anything illegal, since it isn’t hosting any of the stolen work, just collecting the ilnks. But regardless of what they say, what is true is that mysoju doesn’t seem to care whether their collected links have stolen material in it.
I’ve been on every side of this – I started watching dramas and the first place that a friend suggested that I check out was mysoju, and at first I thought it was great -a one-stop place for a lot of dramas. Then I found out what they were doing was wrong, for many reasons and on many different levels. And then I found out how much work it takes to actually create subtitles.
I think that with a bit of effort to learn more, you will be able to get your k-drama fix, complete with excellent, high quality sub-titles, and without using sites like mysoju.com. =)
Has anyone watched Loving you a thousand times? I’m only on episode 5 but loving it. The drama is moving at a good speed and it’s awlays making me wanting to watch it more. Great acting all around.
@45 ockoala
“Ones that aren’t entirely cliched and where the main female isn’t naive and comedic?”
I’m surprised Samsooki did not mention this one: My Name is Kim Sam Soon (perhaps he didn’t mention it because chances are, you’ve seen it). Sam-soon is the opposite of naive and comedic. Oh, the comedy is all there in the drama, but it’s inherent in the writing and situation. We’re not laughing ha ha ha AT the heroine, we’re laughing at what the heroine encounters and her actions with respect to living her life. It’s funny because its poignant, and refreshingly cliche-lite. Sam-soon on top of the mountain, both literally and figuratively, heart pounding stuff of legends.
Well, I didn’t mention MNIKSS because my thinking was to go away from love-triangle-ish dramas…. Granted, My Name Is Kim Sam Soon is my all-time, hands-down, favoritist of all k-dramas, it is true. And the main character is ANYTHING but cliched. She is the opposite of cliche.
But, MNIKSS is still a love-triangle k-drama, and inherent in that, despite the brilliant and heart-achey acting, despite the brilliant dialogue, wonderful soundtrack and superb overall performance by Binnie and Kim Sunah, is the best of the cliches: a poor girl who comes from poor family, involved with a son of a rich family who doesn’t accept poor girl. Beyond that, though, every other cliche in the world is blown to pieces.
MNIKSS has emotional depth beyond just about any drama I’ve ever seen, and that includes favorites of mine, like HGD, Dalja’s Spring, Bad Family, and maybe even Coffee Prince (maybe not City Hall though, lol!)
But anyway, that’s why I didn’t include it. I thought to avoid all cliches altogether, and so went in a different direction…
@39: Thanks for the Rec. I actually haven’t watched Worlds Within yet, though I could have sworn it was on my list. I’ll definitely check it out.
@45: I actually have already seen it. I believe it was my second drama…ever.
Thanks for the rec though.
@52 KLT: I am! Well, more like I will be. I watched episode one, but I’m waiting for them to get to at least episode 15 before I start watching, that way I don’t have to wait for subs.
@36 djes – i DLed bbm 5.0 last nite and it didn’t erase my contacts (thank god!). i like the new layout but it’s…really BIG haha. but i love that u can post profile pics and customize more stuff. still gotta figure out this barcode thing though..but otherwise i love it!
re: mysoju usage – i remember awhile back there was this whole discussion about mysoju and dramacrazy and back then i had no idea the whole concept was bad cuz they were linking to sites that used stolen material. since then i have rarely used it and have stuck to viikii or d-addicts to DL from the fansub group. i normally watch viikii to get my fix (cuz their video quality isn’t that great, but subs are decent to get the message across), and then at that point i can wait until the HQ dl is available
ok so are we also talking about dramas we would not recommend?? let’s see…
1: tokyo juliet – ridiculous and annoying. again was in that ‘must finish at any costs’ phase. i think i feel the same about ‘tokyo juliet’ as lb_tmi feels about ‘a love to kill’. 17 hours of my life i will NEVER GET BACK. for those who thought ariel’s character was annoying in ISWAK, to me her character was 1000x worse in tokyo juliet.
2: love contract – started off good and then slowly it became wtf?! and the end was super WTF?!?!?!
besides the ones that mishane referred to in her post i can’t think of any else that i have thought was a total waste of time. i stopped believing i had to finish a series just cuz i started it. i will now straight up drop it if it doesn’t catch or keep my interest within the first 5-6 episodes. ex: loved why why love in the beginning and then somewhere towards the middle i got annoyed. i think that was the first one i didn’t finish and when i found out what happened at the end i was like, oh good i’m glad i didn’t finish haha! sorry mishane – i know you loved it!!
alright off to the city to play and watch RENT!! i’ll check back on this thread tomorrow to see how it will have inevitably grown exponentially
@ Samsooki
I honestly didn’t think MNIKSS was a love triangle drama. There was barely an emotional connection between the leads and their secondary characters. We knew Sam Soon wasn’t going to end up with her skeevy ex boyfriend, that would go against all k-drama rules, plus there were no redeeming factors in him to consider him worth fighting for.
And as for JRW, secondary girl. . .well, I never really felt like she was threatening at all, especially since she had Daniel Henney at her side.
IMO, MNIKSS was solely a Hyun Bin and Sun Ah show, with small episode cameos by the secondary characters.
I consider love triangle/square dramas to be ones like My Girl (where you had Lee Da Hae/Lee Junki, Da Hae/Dong Wook, Dong Wook/Lip Gloss girl), where there was equal ground between the two. I mean, Lee Da Hae could just have easily ended up with Jun Ki than Dong Wook.
Another love triangle that comes to mind is (the one I hate) Full House, where Song Hye Kyo could have ended up with Secondary Male who was very nice and sweet compared to Rain’s childishness.
To me, love triangles are classified by the likelihood of the OTP leaving their OTP to be with the Second Guy/Girl, and in MNIKSS, I just never felt like there were any threats coming from the other side.
KLT,
Count me in as another Loving You 1000 Times fan; I decided to try another long kdrama, after Good Job, Good Job was so bad, and I liked Loving You… because of the heroine, whom I really enjoyed in Soulmate, and because the first eps had a sortof Brilliant Legacy feel about them. In fact, I wrote up a list of similarities between the beginning of Brilliant Legacy and the beginning of Loving You 1000 Times:
- feckless but charming chaebol heroes who need to learn some discipline and get a real job. And in both cases, they’ve just returned from school in America.
- plucky, luckless heroines who are trying to finish school and start a career
- heroine’s Dad is plunged into debt, and the Dad is dead, nearly dead, or otherwise out of the picture
- evil step-mom who hates heroine, spends money like crazy, and will use anyone to keep herself and her favorite daughter in clover
- foolish, money-hungry, status-conscious step-sister of heroine
- therefore, it is up to our heroine to save the family fortunes
- hero has wise, grey-haired granny who adores him
- The Same Set (even some of the same furniture!) is used for both rich families! This is the part that really boggled my mind..both heroes even jog down the stairs in the same way…
The Brilliant-Legaciness pulled me in, but the quality of the acting (except for over-the-top, annoyingly bug-eyed stepsister) and the plot twists are keeping me in.
@ 55 lovenyc52
HEHE, regarding Why Why Love, I felt the same way. I adored the drama so so so much but I like to pretend that the last 4 episodes didn’t happen and that the stupid liver storyline was non-existent. To this day, I only watch until around episode 11 or 12.
@ 57 skelly
OOOh, you’ve intrigued me! Is that getting subbed though? I don’t think I saw it on the To Be Subbed list.
@ Samsooki
I knew there was a very logical reason why you didn’t mention MNIKSS. You’re absolutely right, the love triangle is pretty much the holy grail of k-drama cliches, hence my reference to MNIKSS being “cliche-lite” because having that one major cliche in set-up does kinda negate the rest of the drama breaking new ground in so many ways.
But ultimately – it works marvelously well because we’re all fools for the love triangle angst, aren’t we? When done right, it has tension, agony, indecision – all the hallmarks of good conflict inherent in bringing our hero-heroine together at the end of the day.
How does Kim Su-na end up acting in two of my absolute fave dramas – I like to think its because she’s versatile, heart felt, and a gorgeous actress, who finds and elevates her dramas. You know my take at the end of the day – City Hall all the way!
Heh, talking about love triangles, there are a few dramas in which I rooted for secondary guy, including: Full House, Goong, Brilliant Legacy, Hana Kimi, Nobuta wo Produce, Hana Yori Dango, Lawyers Of Korea, etc.
I don’t mean that I would have preferred the secondary coupling, just saying that the secondary coupling would have been just as fine as the main OTP. (Except for Goong, I hated the Prince, I wanted her to be with Prince Shin).
Friday! Yipee!
Making kimchi today =) Should actually be studying now, but it’s the long weekend, and I get Fridays off, so byebye hwk for today!
Hope my kimchi turns out well…although they did turn out superbly last time I made them, I’m experimenting a little, mostly because I don’t have a blender anymore ><
Gave up on My Fair Lady after the 3rd episode…just didn't seem to do it for me, I guess. The plot was just too predictable. Want to start Queen of Housewives, but really need to force myself to study!!!
Have a great weekend everyone ^__^
And Happy Thanksgiving for those in Canada!
@mishane
My Queen is my fav 2009 drama. I love the female character. She is not perky, cutesy. She looks a little bit like Cate Blanchett. And that Ethuan Ruan , not the most good looking guy out there but the most likable and just great body language when he’s kissing. He is like Gong Yoo in that regard.
Tdrama kisses rock. I also love their soundtracks.
@Reese
I recommend the Tdrama My Queen if you are looking for a great female character. I just love her!
@ mishane,
Check out viikii for Loving You 1000 times – they are subbing it there, and it has a big following already which means faster subs. I usually watch twice – once when it first comes out, freshly segmented with no or minimal subs, just to get the general idea, then I watch it again in a week or two when the subs are nearly done, to get all the plot points. Cracks me up, though, the way the grandma is subbed – she’ll natter away for 10 minutes, and you get one line of dialogue. I guess she takes a long time to say very little, LOL.
As for love triangles, I tend to be subversive on these – lots of times, I prefer the seconday pairing, like in Brilliant Legacy or in Lawyers of Korea (did she REALLY want to spend the rest of her life with that jerk? Was he really going to be a “good husband” this time around? I think not, human nature being what it is). Why does the nice guy always have to finish last? Nice guys of the world, arise! Overthrow the oppressive bootheel of the scriptwriters! You have nothing to lose but your cliches!
@56 mishane –
re: MNIKSS
My feeling on MNIKSS is maybe a bit different from others.
I always felt that what made MNIKSS so…. real(??) was the fact that the main character Sam Soon could have, and it is even arguable that she should have, gone with her second choices – the cheating ex-bf or the blind date guy she keeps bumping into. And, on the flip side, is arguable, and certainly possible, that Samshik should have gone with his ex-gf.
The side characters may have been secondary, but the choices that both Samshik and Samsoon had to make were very real, and arguably, both made the wrong decision at the end to be together (of course, I like them to be together, hehe.)
Samsoon’s love triangle really was between herself, Samshik and the reality that many 30-something individuals (both men and women) have to face – which is to say, second-best options (the cheating ex-bf, the mysterious good-looking wallflower of a man who keeps letting Samsoon go, being single and dealing with it, etc.)..
Samshik had a different love-triangle – himself, Samsoon and an ex-gf that he loved dearly and thought he could be with forever. Now, did Samshik change into a different person during the time they were apart, or, did Samshik just develop the capacity to love another as deeply, or even more? This is a very difficult question to answer. Do people really change, or do they just grow bigger hearts?
Anyhoo, I could talk about MNIKSS all day and night. =) After all, I’m Samsooki.
@28
Watch it on youtube. The quality is really good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwf81obIn7U
I absolutly LOVE LOVE LOVE You’re Beatuful!!!
It’s a really great drama!
Park Shin Hye is amazing, and really cute and fun but
the guys are soooooo hot!!!!
I like shin-woo!
I SOOO can’t wait till next week…
what am i gonna do?
@61 mishane
i was totally on Team Yul when i was watching Goong.. nothing about Prince Shin deserved Chaeyoung.. i was SCREAMING at my monitor for her to hook up w/ Prince Yul..
then i re-watched goong w/ my daughter a few months ago.. and i totally did a 180. Team Shin all the way..
I’m stuck in university in a city where it’s been raining nonstop for the last three weeks. Where is the snow, people? Where is the mind-blastingly freezing lovely Canadian weather? But no, instead we’re stuck with April showers, frozen worms, and the smell of damp manure and pesticides. This is October – give me snow or nothing at all!
I prefer snow over rain purely because then I can sanely wear my scarf, gloves, shawl, three layers of sweaters, and my winter parka – without looking like a lost re-incarnated snowman.
I’m watching Dal Ja’s Spring for the fifth time, right now. I love the opening sequence of the first episode, where the mother is trying to wake up Dal Ja with the worst most annoying, “When I was your age…” rant (which I can relate to oh so well!), with then the grandmother interrupting with her own “When I was your age” rant to the mother. That was pure <3
While I'm eagerly waiting for the subtitles for You're Beautiful, I'm watching Medaka, Buzzer Beat (soundtrack is driving me INSANE) , Manhattan Love Story, aaaaand Roseate-Love. And now am re-watching Dal Ja's Spring! I'm gonna have an awesome time pretending to study for my midterms ^___^
~
@ 63 Sonam
I totally agree… My Queen was an awesome drama. The female lead, the secondary male (Senior!) and all of them were awesome. Most of the time, Twdramas drive me insane with their endless amount of kidnappings and mistaken identities and small secrets totally blown out of proportion. My Queen was rather different in that regard ^^
Samsooki, mishane, et al
Oh, I love a good MNIKSS discussion!
Samshik represented Sam Soon’s last chance for love, but only in her mind. We know that there’s another perfectly eligible, perfectly suitable, perfectly attractive man who is very interested in her; but he sees what we see. She only has eyes for Samshik.
Samshik loves his girlfriend with the heart and mind of a boy experiencing love for the first time, so when she comes back to him with her tale of woe and sad eyes, he’s right back where he was in the beginning. But Samshik the man wants Sam Soon.
The best part of this tale is how two adults decide to risk everything to be with the person they truly WANT; not the person who’s most suitable or even the most compatible, but the person that they can’t bear to be apart from. That’s why I love the part where Samshik tells her that he couldn’t call her while he was traveling in the US, because just the sound of her voice would make the separation unbearable and he’d be on the first plane back. Swooooon.
Yeah, I love MNIKSS too!
Okay I REALLY need to see Sam Soon. It’s on the very, very soon list. It just took me so long to find! And really, download limits will be the death of me. How do you expect me to limit my downloading when there are dramas to be watched?
So, dramas to stay away from?
- Autumn Tale -> Yep, early on, finish what you start syndrome. OH. MY. GOD. Ridiculously contrived melodrama. Even the ‘happy’ moments are sad. Wallow wallow wallow, pointless emoing, ridiculous ending to end everybody’s pain. Sheesh. BUT I’d do it again because Won Bin. Drama to end my finish what you start syndrome. Proud of myself for making it halfway. She was pointlessly mean to him, he came across as a dull pushover, everybody had to fall in love with her, random wig she wore sometimes; just, WHAT. And the thing is I love the leads and I can see the potential and chemistry, but I just couldn’t stand it.
- Tokyo Juliet -> First say 5 eps were adorable, love them both. Then it got realllly stupid: someone likes her, they break up, get back together, someone likes him, they break up, get back together. Blah. Also her thing about beating his dad because her mum left and he broke up their family was just rendered completely pointless because HE didn’t break up their family, her mother left of her own free will, abandoned her family at a time of financial difficulty and then went, OF HER OWN FREE WILL, to his dad. FAIL.
- Miss No Good -> I like all 3 leads, but it made my head hurt. Hurrrrrrrrrrrrrrt. But, damn, Dean Fujioka is SO CUTE. He has such pretty, pretty eyes.
Can I pitch in on Friend? I’ve just finished it all and I’ve just never seen this quality of excellence dripping in every department. I experienced it like watching a 20 hour long movie epic which I literally spent 100 hours+ watching. The lacking thing to make it more ‘mass friendly’ was… I would not call it entertaining, and I could not think of one friend I know personally to recommend it to, so it’s a first for me as well to enjoy its entirety alone…and later on, treasured the solitude (even when hubby want to budge in to watch alongside, I refused the distraction of his possible questions) And for the first time, I don’t know how to discuss a drama that evoked such emotions in me, that I think is so masterful….maybe so much so I’m rendered speechless.
There are parts I know I’m missing out since I know nth of Korean history. I tried to read up, but I’m not kidding myself, I’m just inept in getting the full blown impact of many scenes.
I was one of those ranting on the excessive blurring in the beginning, but I stopped noticing 3 eps in, everything else was just soo gripping my full attention. And now, after I’ve finished the whole drama, what blurring?!
@ripgal, on paper, it seems like their relationship cracked because of the girl. But PD Kwak was just brilliant. He laid down so much on the complexities on the characters and the tension in their relationships. I took it as just another passage of growing up. Yes, it’s there. True both of them have crushes on that same girl (actually 3 of them), but it was presented, in just how they looked at her, at that concert scene, how on diff levels, true to their characters, the intensity of their desire towards her, how they r going to act towards their emotions, were destined. There were no ifs and buts.
The focus is on binnie’s and KMJ’s characters all the way. There were just sooo many factors contributing to their at times explosive intense love relationship mixed with pensive guardedness right fr the moment they met. There was an intent ‘keep your friend close and your enemy closer’ element fr their very first meeting (the playground fight that didn’t happen, but stones were held in pockets…) And out of that spun DS’ adoration, almost an idolization of the charismatic yet self-indulgingly selfish JS, an adoration that JS can never reciprocate in intensity, when he is so far fr this overly sensitive softy DS has always been inside and to which DS always held a silent grudge. It’s fate, it’s circumstance, it’s their personalities and everything that happend to them, that festered the way they act and think that bound them together, pulled them apart.
I can’t find fault in the actings, they ranged fr superb to great….but I do want more fr the lead actress. There was a great plot development concerning her in the last eps that eased my frustration for many latter eps towards her…and I cant help but ponder IF the actress can deliver more to forebode it.
@Belleza
Look what I found while I was randomly browsing the net (well, actually, I was checking a blog about Japanese stuff, but whatever). http://www.cupnoodle.jp/ I thought it was completely amusing! I spent like 5 good minutes LOLing after watching the second commercial. Oh Kimutaku, WHYYYY? Seriously, the second CM is lulzy!
I’m gonna sound like a total fan-shipper, but this is too (pseudo) juicy not to explore:
So, we all know My Fair Lady ended (with a whimper and a sigh), but it appears no harm, no foul, the Yoons, MCW, and JIW will all be fine. And MFL was enjoyable in its limited capacity.
I saw some pictures of the cast and crew celebrating the end of production party, and lo and behold, YEH shows up wearing an oversized red and black check shirt (nearly – I didn’t do a side-by-side analysis) identical to the one YSH wore TWICE in the drama.
I noticed because there were comments about YSH looking nice in his casual non-butler wear, and that being his fave shirt cuz he wore it more than once. I mean, anytime the same outfit is recycled – unless its the night after a binge and you’ve vomited all over the dude who carried you home, and he has had your outfit dry cleaned, and now you both are headed to work at the restaurant he owns – this it’s just noteworthy for maybe having an underlying meaning.
So, does YEH wearing the same eye-catching shirt to a party that YSH wore twice in MFL mean something? I realize my love for the DC-HN couple in the drama was 100% influenced by how much I like YSH and YEH, but in real life, I would squee if they dated, but hate to spread rumors when the Yoons have vocally said nothing is happening. Just some fanshipping for thought. Or…YEH could have just pulled it out of the wardrobe dept and put it. Either way, phew, glad MFL is over, I don’t know how much more together-not together-together, ad nauseum, I could take even despite my love for the couple, and because it allows me to fully giggle and heart You’re Beautiful.
happy friday everyone!
had a horrible week and am sitting in a Borders right now. I’ve actually been at this borders 2 other times this week and both times AND this time they have Madonna songs playing…. I was at a Burger King half an hour ago, half a block away, and they had Madonna songs playing too…..i’m a bit tired of her now….
omg someone just made an announcement. Very cheery sounding with a lot of ums and ers.
MNIKSS SPOILERS ahead
@69 langdon813 -
Here are the questions to answer though:
Let’s say that Sam Soon was wrong – Samshik did not REALLY represent her last shot at love. As anyone who has been through their teen years knows, the efficacy of the statement, “I will love you forever,” sometimes only lasts about 2 weeks, or shorter if you are still in high school. Sometimes, love lasts forever. Sometimes, it doesn’t.
1. Could Sam Soon have found love with the blind date guy?
I believe the answer is yes.
2. Should Sam Soon have chosen someone other than Samshik, like the blind date guy or the cheating ex-bf.
I believe the answer is yes, with a maybe. The cheating ex-bf was still up to his tricks at the end, but, that doesn’t mean he was beyond redemption. Honestly, people mature at different rates. What I DO know is that Samsoon was a total catch, and all three of the guys – Samshik, cheating ex-bf, and blind date guy all knew it. They ALL wanted Samsoon for the same reason – she rocks.
But, Samshik is the one guy who can screw with Samsoon, break her heart, break her heart again, mend it, and then break it again. And someone like that isn’t always the person you want to spend your life with.
That said, at the end, I really really hope they made it and stayed together, because that’s the kind of relationship that makes being with someone worthwhile – the kind that you fight for, the kind that makes you earn it.
3. Should Samshik have chosen someone else other than Samsoon?
For the sake of family, perhaps. Family is important. It becomes more important as time passes – something that children and twenty-somethings maybe don’t realize.
There is a lot of idealistic notions of “love” and “true love” and “love forever” and things like that, but honestly, even though i believe in those notions, I am aware that it doesn’t necessarily happen for everyone, and, even for those that it does happen to, it doesn’t always last forever. Family, generally speaking, lasts.
If Samshik couldn’t get his family to accept Samsoon, then there is a substantial argument that he should have let Samsoon go.
***
That said, I’m fully a proponent of Sun-Bin, the OG of k-drama coupling.
Okay. I found MNIKSS subbed on YT, decent quality. To stop staring at Viikii’s You’re Beautiful page and dithering over it, to enable me to wait for HQ, I’m going to watch the first ep of Kim Sam Soon. Forgive me.
@76 xiahkixiri -
I would use dramafever.com
@mishane
“Loving You A Thousand Times” is being subbed, in fact, the first 4 episodes have been released!
http://withs2.com/subtitles-status
http://withs2.com/view/loving-you-1000
With all the talk I’m actually excited to be checking out You’re Beautiful this weekend. Good thing I don’t have too much to do. The first episode of Smile was decent, too, but I’m not feeling the male lead’s character. Don’t get me wrong, he’s hilarious, but he does nothing for me in the swoon department. And really, if I’m going to watch a show in a language I can’t understand, I’m a need some eye candy. He’s funny enough to keep me interested for a few more eps but I’m not sure if I’ll make it all 30/50.
Oh and, even though it’s been dragging lately… I’m sad to see Sons of Sol Pharmacy end this weekend. I really bonded with all the Non-Bokifer characters. This is the one good thing about tedious, drawn out American sitcoms. It’s like, I have a connection with Will Smith because I really feel like we grew up together all those years on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Oh, a quick note on the Obama thing. I am of that camp that believes that it’s too early to be giving him a Nobel Peace prize. I really just think it’s premature. If this was a year or two from now, I would probably have a different opinion. But, that’s not the point I wanted to make. I just wanted to say don’t assume that everyone who takes issue with this decision is a) Republican b) Conservative c) Racist. I’ve been hearing/reading comments all day to the effect of “these Republicans just can’t get over it.” But, at least in my circle of acquaintance, at least half of the people I know who have doubts about whether this is the best choice are VERY Staunch Obama Supporters. So anyhow, something to think on…
My sister was quite upset at the end of MNIKSS, she said that the drama ended quite well but as a couple they didn’t resolve any of the issues that they were gonna face. From my point I think the biggest problem taht they didn’t really deal with was the trust between the two. Would Samsoon really not become a controlling and obsesive girlfriend, she felt threatened by every women which she should have but seeing Samshik’s fickle nature I would worry about those two.
Happy Friday…man I am exhausted today, I hope I am not getting sick. I am super happy with Your Beautiful because it is a fun and….more FUN:)
Man, I need a job for the next 5 months before finally going to Korea but no one seems to be hiring. Smallville tonight:)
@43 mishane
You should definitely check out My Queen. It’s not your usual idol drama and my favorite TW drama this year. It’s not your usual May-December relationship story – its sweet, realistically portrays the challenges of such a relationship, and has solid character development in the plot. This is a mature drama and the producers/writers toned down the silliness normally found in idol dramas.
I agree that Ethan Ruan is not the best-looking TW actor but he can act…. and kiss very, very well (hehehe). This guy can move me to tears…: ) He’s managed to choose his projects well and he’s even better here than in Fated to Love You in the emo scenes.
And did I mention the soundtrack is? It’s fantastic. From the opening themse song (…Fish Leong’s “No ifs”) to the closing theme and the songs/themes used in between.
I loved, loved this one.
Let me change gears and say…. I LOVE “YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL”. JGS is great… casted perfectly. I love his scowls, which does not detract from his good looks. I cannot wait for Episode 3. This show is hilarious. JGS and PSH has got such great chemistry so far… I hope they don’t stick us with just a peck or unromantic kiss when they finally get together… hehe (i sound like a perv). But you know, it would be a waste of such great chemistry. Besides, these two have kissed on a CF before…
On Obama’s NPP, I do agree technically it’s too early. And yeah, he’s awarded for his speaking abilities. But reading on how they reached the decision to give him the NPP, they have some valid arguments.
Obama did turn around how the world view USofA. It’s not nec his own efforts, but he did make change in how the world want to deal with US. We can’t deny just with him as the president, the whole image of USA did a 180, and even just as a mascot, he at least open some doors so talk can begin btw many hostile fractions.
@samsooki, yes Samsoon rocks, but she’s not written as a total catch. She would be the first one to admit she is not. What works for Samsoon and Samshik in their relationship is they do bring sth to the table that is irreplaceable by others. Samsoon bashfully injects a humanity, humility in Samshik that he’s shut. She made him FEEL again, all sorts of human emotions. with more cheese, she enriches him, makes him breath again, laugh again, dead mad or a hot mess again…. Samsoon on the other hand saw the vulnerability in Samshik, she knew he’s sacredly kept to himself, but he let her in. They shared an emotional intimacy Samsoon may have never experienced in her life. She’s not exactly practical in love, she knew it, with her ex, I thought it’s just an elaborate Samsoonie fantasy based on infatuation. She didnt even know he’s well off, didnt even have the chance to fight her battles the reality of being in a relationship that has social class diff blatantly involved. So in Samshik, she got to experience a romance that despite all the other diff, they can communicate freely and oddly be on the same page. They GET each other, they r soo well acquainted w/ each others faults to the point of despise before these feelings developed which they both knew they tried mightiest to vend off….in vain, and thus made it more genuine. They can build their romance on sth more substantial than all that hoopla of dreamy hormonal induced misconceptions. She can’t get it fr that blind date nice guy. He’s fallen for her because she acted nice, she’s fun to talk with…but she has many more facets to her, many not guy-magnet quality and she’s not interested in what IF he can’t accept ALL of Samsoon. She’s feisty and she can bite, he’s not someone she can ‘tango’ with. It’s not necessarily tangible, but they have fallen for each other and that’s essentially what that curtails…. every other potentials out there will become wallflowers.
@ samsooki: I wish! I’m in the UK, no dramafever for me! I actually went and registered last week and tried to load MNIKSS ep1, hoping that it might magically mistake my IP address and play for me. (What, technology ain’t perfect). So, YT it is!
You’re Beautiful feels like a adaption of a manga, or as if the Hong Sisters took ideas from existing manga, and created their own storyline. Which I believe that they did…
http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=20927
Hi everyone,
Wet and miserable Friday here. I woke up on time this morning and went back to sleep b/c it was so dark I thought it was still the middle of the night. So the day got off to a rocky start.
@ 18 mishane
Disliked dramas:
Hello My Teacher: It could have been over in 10 episodes, and I think I just don’t like the lead actress. But I had a bet with myself early on that Gong Yoo would cry in every episode, and sure enough, he pretty much did. Man, that guy can cry.
Other dramas I disliked:
Wonderful Life: I discovered I’m not a fan of Eugene and I really can’t stand Kim Jae Won. So My Love Patzzi was a struggle for me, but I’m a strong Kim Rae Won fan and I made it through. Wonderful Life just sort of dragged on and no one was terribly sympathetic except the guy next door with the lovely lips (who went on to star in Hello! Miss) and by then I’d seen enough dramas to know he was never going to get the girl.
Mr Goodbye: It was okay, but just that, and I was sorry I’d invested the time in watching it. There were some good episodes in the middle, but again, it could have been edited down a few episodes to useful effect.
Let’s Go to School, Sang-Doo: I felt betrayed by the ending.
And just recently, I’ve started two dramas that I think I do really quite like–What’s Up, Fox? and Triple–but I haven’t had the motivation to finish them. I’m on about Ep 10 in both of them. And have been stalled there for a month or so. It’s odd, b/c usually when I do like something, I feel completely compelled to finish it. But these, I like, I think I want to find out what happens, but the sense of urgency is totally absent.
Can I weigh in on MNIKSS?
The cheating ex-bf? Never never never. She could never should never have ended up with him. He was never going to develop. He only wanted her back b/c he saw someone else (better than him) found her attractive. I don’t believe he could even see what was attractive about her even then. He was just grabbing back the discarded toy.
Could she have made a ‘wiser’ choice in blind-date guy? I also don’t agree that was possible. Samshik’s presence in her life made her aware that she couldn’t settle happily for less. Less than the mature self- and other-knowing love he represented, that is. So it was him or no one. And she was staring a future of ‘no one’ in the face.
I also just loved the not so neatly tied up ending. They are true to their commitment to each other, but the rest of the world doesn’t magically transform to accommodate them.
@ 71 mookie and Samsooki on Friends..
Such in-depth analysis of the drama. Granted that I’ve only seen 6 episodes of it, I can’t give a thorough and wholesome judgment of it. I may not even be able to give one even after finishing it, since it was already so tough for you and Samsooki…:P
But I can definitely agree with you that the direction and acting is really top-notch. A lot of emphasis on dark and greyish colors, but nothing of that bothered me at all. It sat very well with the theme – a sad story relating the trials and tribulations of 4 friends going thru youth, adolescence and adulthood.
I do agree with you and Samsooki that the drama relates their friendship in sort of a passing time meter in different periods. Survey of times? I totally agree. And since I know nothing of Korean history, thank you Samsooki for the explanation. Never knew the period back then was that hard.
All of the guys were great, but Hyun Bin stole the limelight a lil bit for me. I think you (mookie) know how I always have something to say about HB’s acting and the characters that he plays in his dramas… it’s either good or good enough, but never great? heehhe.. But here he totally blew me away with his portrayal of Dong Soo. The intensity and depth he gave to Dong Soo was gripping, and gave me chills whenever he displayed his outward rage or explosive emotions. So real, so raw…so scary. Never have I seen HB like that, and there he just struck me with awe. Very fine performance I’d say. And with that, I think I’ve yet to see the best of him in here, since I have another 14 episodes?
Okay, away with the story.. there was one lil funny moment in Ep 6…whereby they played Tae Yang’s song about the 4 friends… and all 4 guys started to dance and all? That was purposely inserted into the drama to create some fun right? It had no relevance to the story at all right? I was like HUH? What happened to JS and ST? hahaha..
===
And since we’re on MNIKSS talk right now..
If Samsook in MNIKSS made you a HB fan (to anyone out there), check him out in Friend… he WILL blow you away.
If you haven’t seen the “I Don’t Care” Karaoke dance scene from Smile, You… drop what you’re doing and watch it now. Funniest thing I’ve seen in forever! On Viikii it’s Episode 3, part 4 about a quarter of the way in. So hilarious!
By the way, I’ve decided I like this show. It’s funny. Both overtly so and in the subtle details. Good stuff.
@79, Z
Sol’s Pharmacy’s going to end?? NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
i only watched the KBSW version so i’m a couple of weeks behind the actual airing, but it’s so sad to hear it’s going to end soon…
@89 I’m loading it right now. I love karaoke scenes.
So let me ask more widely… Karaoke Scenes… What are your favourites?
I would give awards to the Karaoke Scene in MNIKSS for the funniest (still makes me laugh out loud); and to the Karaoke Scene in My Little Bride for effectiveness at moving the plot along (revealing the characters’ feelings in their choice of song).
actually Ripgal, I do see some faults in binnie’s acting in his past roles. But I did not see him near horrible. I bear a grudge with actors, if I’ve seen them in sth horribly stinky, or they did one bad job, I don’t forget. First run of mnikss, couple eps in, I was not wow’d by binnie’s samshik in any way shape or form. The rational half of me will totally agree he can be bland as he tends to underact. I still cringe when he’s forcing tears every time I watch that elevator w/ HJ scene in mnikss. And up till this day I can think of some terrific Kactors that can do a great job as Samshik. Since I just finished Bali, JIS will be FANTASTIC, for example. Oddly, it’s not till we checked out other stuff he was in, and saw the progress, that we’re goners. It was Ireland for me, his style of acting speaks to me with a genuine honesty…as in he conveyed to me he understood his character, he WAS being the character in whatever he was in that I can turn a blind eye to him not technically there yet in emoting. I would not call him born to be an actor, I do think his shyness/introversion can be a tad hindering, I was never quite sure how confident and conscious he was with his acting even when I found him spoton fantastic in a specific scene. I was not sure if it’s just glimpses of raw talent I was seeing or deliberate deliveries. But with Friends, he’s never been more sure of himself, and I was shocked to read in his interviews how confident he knew he’s done a great, proud job in his DS. He’s passionate about it and he has worked hard like many many artists r in this industry, but in Friends I think I witness a actor announcing his real arrival, he’s at the point he can reap the benefits.
I did rewatch bits of mnikss just for my sanity while watching Friends.. and another thing y I think I cant recom Friends is that… it took away some of my enjoyment of mnikss! the good thing: I saw how much binnie has improved in last couple years… but then it also pronounced how ‘not exactly there yet’ he was in way too many scenes as samshik. I shouldnt be this critical, but after seeing how much more he is capable of, his samshik is now lacking to the point that I’ll go ‘what if binnie does Samshik now?!’ arghh…
Hey guys…I’ve been away for several hours; back online now with my shiny new laptop! First stop – Dramabeans and the OT thread to see what I’ve been missing…and I FINALLY got the Lee Min-ki header! FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY!
I’m choosing to see this as a sign that things are looking up; it’s been a tough week.
Now…gotta open a new window and go read the new article about Kang Ji-hwan!
@langdon,
“Too bad I can’t discuss K-dramas at book club (although I’ve tried, on occasion)!”
Yup, one of the Borders around here ran a K-drama book club. That’s how Korean my place is.
@Samsooki,
“I totally thought that You’re Beautiful was going to be like the half-dozen other dramas that came out this year that I had high hopes for and then fizzled.”
This one was going to be special (either really good or really bad) because it’s a true Idol Drama. Even now, there’s only a handful that get made per year, and generally SBS is not the station that programs them. But SBS hit a homerun with Brilliant Legacy, which was a Cinderella/SBS Weekend Drama remixed with starlets and up-and-coming actors. This is no small thing. By essentially casting people who are probably 5-10 years younger than the typical age,
This goes back to the original poster. Everybody was yapping about how weird it looked, but if you go to a store that sells Taiwanese idol dramas, they all look like that. The point being that, You’re Beautiful pretty much looks like the Korean version of the Super Cute Super Silly Taiwanese Idol Drama. It’s got lots of androgynous idols doing androgynous stuff with each other. It’s based less on huffy “girl and boy hate each other but really like each other” screwball fun for “oops i did it again!!” situational comedy. This show is just so . . . Taiwanesey.
I love the concept of this show being essentially Hana Kimi, if Hana Kimi was starring Tohru Honda (esp. with her super formal of diction) and Kyo (angry guy . . . but also neurotic in a kind of helpless/sweet sort of way) from Fruits Basket. The fact that we have a female character who’s so utterly NICE and SWEET means that a whole style of Korean rom-com dynamics may simply not happen with this show. After all, how can the lead male hate her if she’s so NICE and SWEET. And it means, different style of comedy.
@ockoala,
“and she wasn’t a hundred shades of awesome the way Moon Geun-young AND Han Ji-min as young Song Hye-gyo in Autumn in my Heart and All In, respectively, were.”
Park Shin Hye’s kinda in MGY territory in that people take for granted that she’ll be a top lead someday. She’s close to being a veteran K-drama actress, and in terms of actual chops, I think she’s more there than, say, YEH. She’s also a better dancer than probably 80% of the current K-girl groups. And she’s hosted a lot of variety programming. You can’t get away from her.
like everyone ..loving you ‘re beautiful…i was not expecting much frm this drams but its really good …after BOF i haven’t watched the dramas during its airing…
@ xiahkixiri : i doubt you will get all the ep subbed in youtube..few days ago i tried to re-watch samson but couldn’t find all ep with subs.i think veoh have it..i haven’t checked now but before i watched it there.
Thanks to all who posted on Friend Our Legend. Been trying to get some comments on it and now I have plenty to cheer me on. It’s in my next-to-watch list.
@ 92 mookie
You’re so right mookie. About how when you start liking an actor because of his portrayal of a certain role, and you cringe later on when you watch his previous roles, in which his acting skills are not quite there yet at the time. So true.
But that’s the good thing about being an actor who has passion for his work and art. If you’re serious about something that you’re passionate about, you learn, you mature and you make progress. HB has shown maturity in his acting never seen before in Friend (I didn’t watch Snow Queen, Ireland or Worlds Within so I can’t judge him on those). But counting from his portrayal of Samshik to Dong Soo in Friends, all I can say is that the latter completely overshadowed Samshik in terms of complexity and intensity. Character and acting-wise. Of course you can say that there’s a difference therein Samshik and Dong Soo, because they’re so vastly different. But it’s the difference in the conviction and heart that you see in the eyes of HB back when he was Samshik and when he’s Dong Soo right now. It’s a good feeling I must say, considering how judgmental I may get of HB at times (miahne hehehe)….to the extent that I kinda feel proud for him, even tho I’m not a fan of his.
@mishane
Like many others here, I highly recommend My Queen. It is quite different from the other Taiwanese dramas I’ve seen. It’s definitely one of the first older female/younger male dramas I’ve seen from Taiwan. (Sidenote: a friend from Taiwan asked me if I’m into relationships like that because I watch so many dramas like that (Dal Ja’s Spring, Kimi Wa Petto, etc.), but I really just identify more with the business woman who’s older and mature than the high school girl trying to be cute) .
Back to the show, love the main actress, love Ethan Ruan, love pretty much everything in it, so in short, definitely watch. Fated to Love You is good too, also Ethan Ruan.
Hi guys, Happy OT/Friday:
@Samsooki
MNIKSS I have to agree with some of you regarding Samsoon’s final choice. NO for the cheating ex. As mentioned in @reluctantbutaddicted, he never love Samsoon. He had a (sexual) relationship with her, but not a meaningful one. I agree with @reluctantbutaddicted that he only “join” the chase for Samsoon when his new fiancee’s oppa(Samshik) is dating Samsoon.
As for the nice blind date dude- I would consider him always as a 2nd choice(even Samsoon’s sister notices that he’s ok, but that’s all). I think as Samsoon and Binnie had their fights, Samsoon realized that she should not just “settle”. Yes, socially she is not compatible with Samshik, but she’s no dud, either. She’s one heck of a pastry chef ( and thus she demanded Samshik to pay her well). She also knows that she should keep/fight for Samshik ( I mean she did fight with Hee jin for Samshik, no excuses)
Having said that, I also know that the ending is not the perfect one. Those two ended with each other, but they still have to gain acceptance from his Mom, and who knows, they relationship might last for a little longer, no more, but as least they both are willing to give their best shot, together.
@langdon813 So I see that your “divorce” got cancelled-lol. And, your wonderful son has brought you “Fort Knox” ENJOY the new laptop
@Reese Sorry to hear about your Chem test…I grad from Berzerkeley so I knew a few of those “jerks”/prof who enjoy demeaning students just to make themselves superior- Don’t give up, keep at it. It’s still early in the school year, aim for improvement =)
@lovenyc52
I don’t know if you read what I wrote on OT103 (BTW, it’s gone ???), but preview for next week’s NCIS- Ziva is having trouble reinstating to the team.
@all Tamna Islanders
I’m almost done with the drama- Yes, now I have joined (belatedly) the Park Kyu team. OMG the man can emote. I feeel sooo sorry for him. On one hand, his Confusian upbring stiffled his expressions of love toward Beo Jin. At the same time, though I was getting mad at Beo Jin for being so insensitive to Park Kyu. I mean , do you have to mention William EVERYtime you meet PK???? Even I can feel PK’s yearning for you in his eyes( and I’m a laptop away- lol)
@MFL
I know I’m in the minority here, but I personally think this drama was not THAT bad…I mean,to me, WIAN was sleep inducing at helf way point. I agree the writers and actors(esp JIW) could have been better, but the 2 Yoon’s did a good job (with what was provided to them to work with)
Episodes 3 and 4 of Smile, You are cute
I think I’m sticking with it!
Happy OT everyone! I am so excited to be able to post! I’ve missed everyone so much! I couldn’t even wait to read all the posts!
This week has been crazy…I drove up to VA to take care of an injured friend for the week(she was in a car accident…pretty bad injuries) so I wasn’t able to really have any internet alone time but we did manage to watch You’re Beautiful(she’s also my drama buddy) and DANG IT…I LOVE IT! Jang Geun Seuk is perfect!! I’m excited that I feel so comfortable with this drama. I feel like the characters are already so fleshed out that though there is room for growth there isn’t anything that is lacking in them(for me right now). I am truly so thankful for that being the last time I loved a show (currently airing) from the beginning was Story of a Man. With that said, I have to admit its exhilarating to find a drama to be crazy over for a bit. Its also wonderful when you’ve been in a drama drought for a couple months. Its sweeter somehow
Now I think my drama plate will be full for awhile, Creating Destiny, IRIS and You’re Beautiful. I do plan to watch Hero but I’m already spreading myself thin on the Wed/Thurs route. Its going to be so hard to choose when I get really strung out and wake up to watch eps live.
Anyway, hope the weekend is a wonderful one.
Back to playing OT post catch up….
So, I totally have watched every single one of my dramas on mysoju.com. Oops!
I got signed up fine with DramaFever, then an “oh btw, you’re outside the US so no-no for you.” I get that copyright laws vary from place to place, but unless I missed it, there’s mention of its limitation on the site. Maybe I did miss it, heh, but still! Le sigh.
I’ve just finished watching “Story of a Man” (loved it!) and I’m ready to start another. Maybe “Iris”? Hmmmm….
I like to watch from streaming sites, like the ones mysoju gathers together, before I download. I’m not a trusting viewer, heh. But, I did trust that mysoju was ok. I downloaded ALL of Snow Queen (which took forever) watched two episodes, and then I deleted ALL of Snow Queen. So, now I decide if I actually like the drama before I let it take up space on my laptop. Or external, when I get one… .
Maybe I’ll have to change my view on downloading blind, but I’ll search around first. Need my drama fix!
Btw, hayell no…Sam Soon should never, ever, ever go back to her cheatin’ ex. He was only interested in her because others were, too–and because she refused to go back to him. So, half of his interest is lost already if she accepts him again, right? And, if she accepted him again, well, he wouldn’t have to worry about competition anymore because he knows she doesn’t cheat. So, there goes the other half of his interest. Then, he cheats. ^^
The blind date guy, ok, maybe. The ex, wth. No.
Btw2: Still loving Shin from “Story.” ^^
Totally in love with You’re Beautiful now! Ep 2 is hilarious! I probably woke my husband up laughing but it just couldn’t be contained. That hour just flew by. Crack indeed…it’s a LONG time until next week. What I loved the most (no spoilers here!) is how certain events have already been turned topsy turvy and we’re only two hours in! Ordinarily we’d be at at least 7-8 eps into a drama before taking such a turn. Who knows where we’re going now?? Those Hong sisters are brilliant.
Glow in the dark_____!!
_____ covering the naughty bits!!
Baby _____ in the locker room!!
The numerous gratuitous shots of nearly-nekkid men didn’t hurt things one bit; in fact I’d venture to say it enhanced the viewing experience quite satisfactorily.
@ 91 reluctantbutaddicted
I love that scene so much! Number 2 is What’s Up Fox? and number 3 is Queen of Housewives. It might sound weird/strange but karaoke scenes are one of the defining scenes in a drama for me.
@ 94 belleza
“I love the concept of this show being essentially Hana Kimi, if Hana Kimi was starring Tohru Honda (esp. with her super formal of diction) and Kyo (angry guy . . . but also neurotic in a kind of helpless/sweet sort of way) from Fruits Basket.”
LOL! I will now be watching the show in a different light. I think this is a good comparison. The thing I liked about this show instantly was the Hana Kimi vibe I got from it. When I first read Hana Kimi, I was in a manga slump/rut and it gave me something to get excited about. The same thing with You’re Beautiful. Despite a lot of drama recs, I haven’t been this excited by a drama since What’s Up Fox?, which I watched earlier this year.
__________
Any Taiwanese drama recommendation? I’ve wanted to try TWDramas but I don’t know where to start.
@ 103 – langdon813
I soo agree with you!
I cannot possibly wait till next week. The storyline is amazing and it’s so fun to watch and time seriously flies when i watch it.
I can fill in the blanks!!!!!
Seriously, this drama is really fun, and cute, and just AMAZING!!!
the cast is amazing as well, almost as good as F4
You’re Beautiful – it’s settled then, collective crack for the entire Dramabeans family for the next 8-10 weeks!
Can’t help myself, watched eps 1-2 again, and dayum, Park Shin-hye and Jang Geun-soek are pitch perfect right off the bat. We’re so lucky to have this to savor and experience.
@ cingdoc
I enjoyed My Fair Lady, you’re not the only one who didn’t find it that bad. I really have seen many more much, much worse dramas, and even dramas that are so much worse than MFL that it’s actually more entertaining than MFL for the sheer trainwreck value. Expectations and talent associated with MFL was so high, that why there is heightened criticism and dissection. But if we take a step back, it’s actually cute, sweet, charming, and featured very good actors doing well. It’s a win for me personally, even the middling ending. I can’t fault anyone involved except the horrific scriptwriter.
@ doublethink101
“Any Taiwanese drama recommendation? I’ve wanted to try TWDramas but I don’t know where to start.”
I think you’ve got a handful of recommendations for the t-drama “My Queen” in this OT alone, should be good, or at least worth checking out. I have not seen it and the story is not my cup of tea, but I’ve heard its quite good from others as well.
Other consensus good t-dramas:
Fated to Love You – all time bestseller, cute, plot moves briskly, could have had a better second half, but doesn’t negate how good the first half is. Catapulted the leads Ethan Ruan and Chen Qiao-en into drama A-list status.
ISWAK – It Started with a KIss – gosh, there has been a lot of discussion on ISWAK in previous OT – also a fave of my OTers – amazing chemistry between leads Joe Cheng and Ariel Lin – story was very tight, adapted my a manga.
Black & White – breakthrough drama of the year (decade) for t-dramas, ala IRIS, all filmed in advance, gritty, big budget, twisty and turny police drama, awesome acting by lead Vic Zhou, and introduced the world to newcomer Mark Chao (currently belongs to langdon813’s flock of baby boy collectibles) – probably my fave t-drama ever, not a romance, but does have romance in it.
Prince Turned into Frog – relative oldie for idol-dramas, but actually really good, with Ming Dao and Chen Qiao-en (IMO, the best pairing with Qiao-en was Ming Dao), enjoy for the simplicity of the story and the romance, imagine reading a teenage love story, but somehow it’s not dumb or immature.
T-dramas are for the most part sillier and more slap-stick than its k- and j-drama counterparts. The acting talent is also not as deep, but all the ones I listed above are worth the time spent watching them. Good luck on your t-drama journey.
I’m so late to post, and I wonder if javabeans will read this, but may I make a request?
javabeans, if it’s not too much work,can you please run a poll as you did at the end of 2007 so that your faithful readers can vote on favourite/least-favourite dramas, actors, quotes,etc. for 2009? I just re-read your 2007 polls and they look like such fun.
My chime in on MNIKSS:
Just on the issue of her louse of an ex – I initially wrote him off, useless set-up character I thought. But on a rewatch of MNIKSS (this drama is infinitely re-watchable), I found him less one-note and caught some of what made Sam-soon fall in love with him.
And she did love him, as he did love her. But what he did to her ended her love for him. And his love for her was as shallow and fleeting as his character. But there was love, Sam-soon knew it, which is why she was so very hurt. And we saw it, the flashback was sweet in Paris.
Just because a guy is a cheating asshat doesn’t mean he can’t and didn’t love – it’s just that once that love faded from red-hot, he was ready to move on. He did not understand that love meant commitment.
As for Sam-shik, I like to believe he is not the one and only for Sam-soon. Granted, they are a great couple, but as Sam-soon has shown us, life changes, moves forward, like it did for Sam-shik and Hee-jin. Someday, perhaps they won’t together, we’ll never know. But we know our Sam-soon, she’ll be fine no matter what life deals her.
I love MKNISS – it may not be as perfect of a romantic fairy tale as City Hall – but its rich, thought-provoking and challenging.
@ 106 ockoala
As I write this it is exactly 1:06 AM…
Thank you for the recs. I have now found a way to spend my fall break. The only TDrama I’ve tried is Hana Kimi and it was too silly and slapstick for me to get past episode one. I’ve heard good things about Fated to Love You and It Started with a Kiss, but it’s always good to get OTers’ input.
@ 109 doublethink101
I used to get all my t-drama recs from my sister, but now I also trust in my OT friends. Glad you’ll check out t-drama during fall break.
Fated to Love You is less slapstick than ISWAK, but honestly, since ISWAK is adapted from a manga, it’s not too silly or jarring.
FTLV starts off with a bang! (in the first episode – those who have seen it know what I mean), and if you don’t like it by the end of the first episode, it’s probably not you’re drama style or story.
ISWAK took me a few episodes to love it, and I did, because of the chemistry between the leads and a lot of very endearing side characters. Again, you’ll know quickly (like Hana Kimi) whether you’ll want to watch it or not. So you won’t be wasting too much time if you end up not liking either.
Toodles!
Ooohhh! I wish I had some time watching You’re beautiful… Sigh… Sounds soooooooooo appealing… May be some time next week… I’m envious of all of you… Have fun weekends everyone!
I loved Sam-soon, it was the first modern K drama that I watched. It gave off such a Bridget Jones vibe to me , not that it was a remake or anything, but it had a similar feeling. Started Your Beautiful, I wasn’t going to watch but I was bored last night when I got home from work. It was so adorable I’m glad I gave it a try. Smile,you has also started out well, wow if IRIS doesn’t fall on its face I’m going to be one happy little Kdrama watcher for the next few months! As for Kdramas to avoid can I just say Bad Love. I should have known better, it has bad in the title. I have never wanted to reach into the screen, grab a character, slap them upside their head and tell them to climb down off the cross and get over themselves like I did in that drama. The good thing is that this one was the story that taught me that no, you dont have to finish a bad drama. I do have to say that I’m still a little bitter about the hours I wasted watching that show. I want those hours back.
@ockoala
Are you feeling better?
MFL – just finished it- I cried most of the last episode- esp the part when Hye Na “imagines” Dong Chan by her side.I actually read the recaps before I watched the video. Sorry JB, but I have to disagree with you. Yes, MFL is not perfect, but the acting alone done by the 2 Yoons were well worth it.
A little disturbing news- what is this world coming to when a bright ,young, female UCLA student get slashed, in front of her classmate, by her disgruntled lab partner??? I hope she will recover soon from her serious injuries. (I felt disturbed from the standpoint of a UC alumni, and a fellow science major. I hope the attacker was not planning to be a Pre Med/ future doctor!!!!)
Goodnite everybody…
@Samsooki
I looked up ” forthnight”- 14+ days eh? REST now…sleep as you two know will change…just ask all of us Mom’s…
@Andromytta and @gotanexamlater
Where are you 2???? Are you guys ok??
ON TWdrama….I’m watching an older TWdrama crack: The Rose atm…. w/ ff and some tolerance of bits of hilariously bad acting, cant take my eyes off it. It must be the first time I’ve seen ambiguously gay incestuous stuff believable, rooting for some more, and enjoying every juicy bro on sis/ bro on bro innuendos. It hit a right note of never pretending to be holier than thou in say Autumn in my Heart. Fun stuff. Hardcore Shoujo all the way and proudly so….meaty kisses btn guys that r bros, and the baby bro really hitting and breathing down the neck in lust of the big sis and said the words of he’ll take her/’be my woman’… Some lines r projectile-vomit funny. I have a very soft spot for ISWAK so Joe Cheng is forever watchable in my book, esp when he’s in a robe 90% of the time and a Yonsama do Yonsama will be envy of. Just to confirm TW is the only land that real life shoujo rocks, they do it with a stubborn conviction that is soo wholeheartedly sincere and adorable…almost to the pt that I’m not sure if shoujo manga deserves such honorable treatments.
I have given fated to love you 2 eps, friends keep telling me it get exponentially better later on… nth ‘wrong’ with it in the confines of TWDramaland. (BUT…emmmmm the whole first ep with all the beddings and mistaking the woman as your fiancee or the dude for your bf AFTER the deed….errrrr….okkkayy?! wait, wtf?!@?$@) It’s just me and Ethan Yuan did not develop intense love, crucial to sustain sitting thro any entire TWdrama.
Chen QianAn is one of the few that no matter what lines she’s thrown into, she can deliver as convincingly as possible… so I checked out Easy Fortune Happy Life. Blue is still crankily hot…and Roy Qiu is 99% identical to Mike He in looks, but even more pretty if that’s possible and with much much less makeup.
TGIF, yay! Now I have the weekend free to do whatever I want, how nice!
Re: MNIKSS and Samsoon’s choice
My 2 cents worth (because MNIKSS is my 2nd fav, all time, after CH!)
To me, there’s no doubt it should have been Samshik. But not for the reason some of you mentioned. I believe the ex-bf did genuinely love her once…it was the 1st episode when they were in the hotel restaurant breaking up, when he said that he had once loved a girl with chubby cheeks who once had a dream, who would go to every bakery to be the world’s best patisserie. He loved the ambitious and passionate woman that Samsoon was, but that’s the “extent of his love”. It seemed that in the 3 years that they dated, daily life took over, his love waned and he just grew bored, or you can call “outgrew” their relationship. I can see that happening in real life; that to me, was a very genuine portrayal of real life breakups. So when he joined in the pursuit of her later on, that’s because seeing other people appreciating her made him see and remember her…”worth”??? I feel that he’s not a complete jerk in following his heart, but because the story has him written as the “bad guy” all that rationale gets lost in front of us.
As for the blind date guy, he was never a contender, and his appearances (twice? 3 times?) served more as comedic setups to propel the story forward, more than anything. But he was also portrayed as a pretty good catch – good career, good personality, interested in Samsoon afterall, and not one that if Samsoon had picked, would have been a “settle”.
So the fact that despite the men around her, she still chose Samshik has always bugged me. What is this story-set-upped love that makes Samshik the absolute one and only for her? I think it’s because they essentially grew closer together, for lack of a better phrase. They slowly grew to understand each other, went through ups and downs together, appreciated each others’ good and bad points, made each other laugh and they simply enjoyed each other’s company. To Samsoon he became a man worth fighting for, not because he’s the last one left, but because he’s the only one around at the time that’s worth her fighting for. Love is all about timing, isn’t it? That’s why I loved the show so much..it was written realistically up to the end, because they tell you, so, the main leads have made their decision to be together, what happens next is up to them. Like with the cheating ex-bf, Samsoon and Samshik could very well break up after a couple years after the initial passion fades, who knows? But that’s life, and love! It was consistent in that tone to the end, and that’s why I think the ending was perfect.
@Samsooki – You asked a question that I want to comment on. Did Samshik change into a different person during his time apart from the ex-gf, or did he just develop the capacity to love another as deeply, or even more? Do people change, or do they just grow bigger hearts?
I loved your question! It really made me think hard about Samshik’s transformation in the show. Here’s my take: I think Samshik did change into a different person. During the time apart, his initial confusion and heartbreak turned into resentment and his swift return to her side after she reappeared stamp from the fact that he never got closure in the first place. It seems to me that his resentment seems to be the dominant feeling in their time apart. If I put myself in his shoes…who could continue to love someone who you’ve both loved and hated at the same time, for years, even if she did have a good reason for leaving? I would find it unrealistic if his love didn’t combust and fizzle out in the years apart. Add to that the “out of sight, out of mind” effect. Samsoon’s timely appearance helped accelerate his change. I loved that the show DARED to show this “change of heart” in Samshik. It went against the cliche and suited the storyline perfectly.
In other notes I am up to Ep 12 of City Hall rewatching, with my hubby too! It’s his first time watching a korean drama and he’s loving it. Said to me tonight, “I was worried after she became mayor that the story will go downhill, but it looks like they are gearing up for something even better!” I am worried (for lack of a better word) that after City Hall there won’t be anything other dramas I can share with him, because there simply is nothing better out there. A bold statement, but one that I believe to be true.
Dalja’s Spring – Finished ep 17 last night…Funny, in watching DJS I was strongly reminded of Soulmate. I can’t pinpoint how yet but I was wondering if anyone saw any similarities between the 2? Anyway, the show’s getting really really good, but somehow I can’t pluck up the courage to watch the next few to the end. I simply cannot take another obstacle and possible heartbreak, period. I sense it coming with the new character, and I just…cannot…I want to keep my happy memories of the 2 of them intact. I think I’ve watched one too many heartbreaks in these shows (CH, MFL, Full house, to name a recent few) and I’m just so pained and tired…albeit in a good way. I might have to do a U-turn and watch a completely different genre for a while. Get me some male-bonding and action dramas, any recommendations?! No heartbreaks, please! Intrigue, high-energy, exciting, mystery, anything but matters of the heart. I _don’t_ want to FEEL for a while.
Having said that I might cave..it’s only 3 episodes left afterall. oh, I don’t know! We shall see how the weekend goes…You’re Beautiful looks exciting from what everyone’s saying here. I just hope there’s no heartbreaks in store…
re: 17 @ Samsooki
I am usually doing the same with respect to other dramas. I wait till all the episodes are aired and then spend a day a two to watch it all at once. I made a mistake when I let myself start watching MFL right after ep 4 was aired. My days became ruled by the broadcasting, translating etc etc time, and it had nothing to do with the quality of the drama, which was a big disappointment plot wise. I just liked the Yoons
I am going to hold myself tight with IRIS. I really like LBH’S acting, and I didn’t get the chance to see him in his movies (not in The Good, the Bad,,,, and not in his Hollywood debut). Therefore, now I have to avoid the posts that will make me want to peek in this drama
but reading what JB has to say became a part of my daily routine… That’s tough 
got back from the city not too long ago. RENT was amazing, as usual. adam pascal and anthony rapp just ROCKED it and i got chills listening to them. i mean, i’ve seen the show 2 times before and saw the movie but it just doesn’t come CLOSE to seeing THEM live.. amazing.
the only downer was the couple sitting next to me. first off they bought the tickets off a friend of ours (off craigslist) who specifically asked for a certain amount (exactly what she paid for them, not a penny more), but when they met up to exchange money and tickets, the girl brought $40 less than the agreed upon amount saying ‘oh i thought you said this amount….’ (shady shady!!). anyway, this shady couple….STANK… and it’s not just a lil B.O… it literally smelled like they both had not showered in a month and had been living on the streets. i kid you not. it was so bad that every time they shifted, a fresh wave of stink came my way. i had to reapply scented antibacterial gel several times during the show so that it would slightly cover the smell. horrible. i have never smelled anything like that other than on the city streets. it really makes me wonder about people’s personal hygiene routines.
@cingdoc – no i didn’t get to read the comment on OT103 but thanks! ya i got the general feeling that ziva’s reinstatement was problematic watching the preview but not hearing what they were saying and reading the word ‘murder’ or something kinda threw me off. also at the end of the last ep when she asks to become a special agent, gibbs hesitated in signing the form and THAT’S WHERE THEY ENDED and i was like W….T…F….?!? so ya. hopefully this next week will have some good stuff
ok and re: Tamra… now you feel our pain… and our utter PK love. and his wonderful emoting and the yeeeeeeeearning that’s so evident in his eyes EVERYTIME HE LOOKS AT HER. oooook now i wanna return to the island.
@104 doublethink101 – by far the best TW drama is Black & White. it’s an action-packed twisty turny series with the romance taking a backseat to the bromance. wonderfully acted and directed. if you want a more romantic one i’d go with Fated To Love You
ok apparently i need to get on this You’re Beautiful train.. watching it week by week may kill me though. i do adore park shin hye….
and i need to get my a$$ back to dramafever and watch MNIKSS again. all these discussions are making me want to watch it!! …. after this busy ass weekend though.
@samsooki:
thanks for the information, i never knew about that, my friend just suggested it to me..
do you know any good place where i could watch a ‘legit’ one, please?
i would really like to watch you’re beautiful again, coz it’s so beautiful..
@ockoala – ok i went back to read some posts i had skimmed through and realized that you also recommended 2 of the ones i did for doublethink101 haha. and i was going to recommend ISWAK and Frog Prince as well (loved both!!) but i am always hesitant to recommend ISWAK as much as i love it… ariel’s character is such… an acquired taste? it’s funny – you totally either love it or hate it. i don’t really know of anyone who was lukewarm about it. and frog prince introduced me to the ming dao/chen qiao en pairing <3! my 3 favorite tw-drama pairings are ming dao/chen qiao en (really liked them in ying ye 3+1 as well), ariel/joe (in iswak of course) and mike he/rainie (in devil beside you).
@ xiahkixiri
Unbelievable, but I seem the only person that haven’t seen the whole MNIKSS series. A a matter of fact, when it was broadcast in my part of the world (i.e. The Holy Land
) I didn’t have interest in KDramas, but now I was looking for this drama so much, and I was totally unsuccessful, and reading Samsooki’s comments and other really intelligent observations, just made me want to watch it so badly!!!!!!
I am rooting for rightful usage of contents, but I cannot log in for DRAMAFEVER, and there is no other way for me, to watch it. Therefore, xiahkixiri, I will be really grateful, if you could share the info about MNIKSS on YT with me.
I should have worked the whole day, but somehow I am spending hours upon hours just reading this thread and enjoying it so much!
JB and the DB Community people- you rock!
@ 106 ockoala
“You’re Beautiful – it’s settled then, collective crack for the entire Dramabeans family for the next 8-10 weeks!” -ROLF .
BTW, a week ago I went to the Korean Culture center, where I borrowed “Friend”, the movie. Still didn’t watch it. After all the recs here, I think I will watch the movie, and right afterwards, the series. (OMG, this Korean stuff totally controls my life now, and I am not Korean, don’t understand Korean, haven’t been to Korea, although planning it for a long while…).
@ Reese
I would highly recommend Swallow The Sun, it is a superb high quality drama.
No silliness, naivety or comedic female leads in this.
Just a superbly crafted production, well acted / directed and a highly intelligent script.
I too am sick of the overacted, comedic type leads, which might be able to sustain my attention for movie length, but for an entire drama length series!
This series is definetely not to be missed if you are tired of the dull, dreary and worn out world of drama cliches.
@ cingdoc
Thank you for checking up on me, you are so sweet! Yes, I’m feeling much better, it was not a serious boo boo, but a fly-by. However, I’m dragging all the kids to their peds (you’re not a peds doc, are you?) for flu shots ASAP.
As for My Fair Lady – oh, I’m totally with you, I really moistened my eyes during the last ep, when Hae-na imagines Dong-chan still around. And it was a really missing him moment, not a oh I wish he was around to butler for me moment, which showed me that she’s grown more independent. Again, if you strip away the inane plot machinations and repetitions created by the writer – the essense of the HN-DC relationship is very sweet, very believable, and the couple has a nice chemistry and connection together. I liked MFL at the end of the day for the actors and the lead roles (TY-EJ was underdeveloped, but that’s like the last thing I can critique when OMG everything else about the plot was pretty useless).
Sooooo……Creating Destiny. Misleading trailer alert……
Blame the marketing department, I guess.
@123 ockoala
Good morning little sister! Glad you’re feeling better!
I woke up early this morning and finished MFL; have to agree that the scene where Hae-na is imagining Dong-chan with her got to me too! That’s what’s been so frustrating about this drama all along; every now and again you get a glimpse of how great it COULD have been, and it’s just depressing. Such a great cast…such a waste of their combined efforts. Oh well, onward and upward…
As far as YEH and YSH being a couple in real life, I say go for it! And it’s got nothing to do with Lee Min-ki’s supposed crush on her. Nothing at all.
@114 Mookie
Your take on Tdramas is so spot on. I was amazed by the daring The Rose. I thought Joe Cheng was awesome in it with his diva act. He looks so good with long hair. My only problem was with the leading guy. He was like a zombie. So awkward. I am not crazy about Ella but I prefer her to Ariel. Like someone said Ariel is an acquired taste. I didn’t care for ISWAK at all.
I agree Roy looks like Mike but I think he much more intense and manlier. Mike is more boyish. Roy smolders. I couldn’t take my eyes off him in EFHL. I also feel Roy is the more natural subtle actor.
Hi langdon-unni
How’s the new impenetrable computer? I spent the morning at the car dealer service department, when really I want to do is watch some dramas, sad, huh?
I’m actually re-watching TBDAW this week, on Lee Junki fix – so much so, I’m gonna nab Illjimae when I reclaim my Hong Gil Dong dvd set back from my sister-in-law. I know I promised to watch ROI, but it’s a little too serious/somber for my mood right now, you know what I mean. Sometimes, a little cheese is what we crave with our nachos. And I crave Junki cheesy goodness, can’t help it, JB keeps posting darling pictures of Junki lately.
I think you, I, and Cingdoc came away from MFL with pretty much the same overall reaction/review – enjoyed it, but understood its limitations and gnashed our brains over all that potential and talent, the could of beens and should’ve beens. I’m a little (okay, A LOT) frightened at the back-forth going on in the comments section in JB’s recap of the final episode (JB, it makes me so sad ppls can’t have considerate divergent discourse, it’s not a surprise, but don’t let it get to you, okay?). As for the Yoon coupling in real life, I was been a doofoid, that’s all, but it was kinda like YEH wore YSH’s shirt as a symbol, perhaps only as deep as to commemorate their pairing and good working relationship.
(so your Min-ki has a crush on YEH? hee hee, let’s make sure YEH gets herself hitched sooner rather than later, no?)
I’m not joking when I say that the next 2-3 months are gonna kill my concentration at work, and throw socializing into the back burner on Wed-Thurs nights. Why, oh why, can’t IRIS be a Mon-Tues drama?
And I’m ready to resume my short movie reviews for OT-ers now:
The Restless – with Jung Woo-sung and Kim Tae-hee (and a bunch of other people, who, trust me, you’re not going to much care about).
The Restless was a movie that was made for me to LOVE, absolutely love every second of it. Why? Because it has all the elements of ockoala movie-catnip: (1) Jung Woo-sung (mine!), (2) fantasy wuxia (I grew up on HK fantasy wuxia movies of the 90’s – starring the likes of Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung, Andy Lau, Jet Li, Jackie Chan – it’s like kung-fu, but everyone defies gravity, logic and wears flowy robes and had manes of glory), and (3) pretty damsels in distress.
But The Restless ended up not being a movie that I did love, even with the above three elements all present. Why? Because of 3 reasons: (1) unbelievably bad, I mean scratch your head makes no sense, plot – it’s like the writer scribbled the following on his script – suffering warrior, middle heaven as a waystation for dead spirits, girl who looks like dead wife, and a magical stone to open the portals – and used that to make an entire movie without filling in the missing gaps or tying the elements together, (2) Kim Tae-hee (I cannot discuss KTH’s performance without seeming like an anti, so I won’t, I’ll just leave it at that), and (3) bad wuxia special effects, they need to hire a HK action coordinator stat, and goes to show that Korea wuxia has a long ways to go, it’s not terrible, but is pretty silly rather than awesome.
In conclusion – not even staring at Jung Woo-sung for pretty much every scene can save this movie or cause me to recommend it to anyone OTHER than die hard JWS addicts (like me). What is the killer about The Restless is that JWS’s acting got worse, he adopted one expression, the wide-eyed, slighty stunned look, throughout the entire movie (and dog-nabbed it, I swear it rubbed off on him because of you-know-who). And half his face was also obscured by his mane of distress. At the end of the day, there are way better JWS movies, and way better fantasy wuxia movies. Check out The Restless when you have absolutely exhausted the former two options.
The Rose…I LOVE that drama. For one reason only…Joe Cheng. I’m not crazy about Ella and the other lead guy makes Daniel Henney seem skilled by comparison, but Joe Cheng was amazing in this part. AMAZING. He’s close to the top of my “flock of baby boy collectibles” (tm ockoala
).
Talk about a character that’s hard to sell! Kui has abandonment issues, gender-identity issues, inappropriate sexual urges towards his siblings (male AND female), and gorges himself with food constantly in an effort to fill the emptiness inside him. And throughout all of this bad behavior, he’s flouncing around in silk robes and ruffled blouses with a gorgeous flowing mane of hair and wearing a scowl on his face that would send small children running to their mothers.
Is he a boy? Yes! Is he a girl? Yes! Will you fall in love with him?
Absolutely.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=236r_BL0E9U
The Rose:
I’ve read the manga, but cannot for the life of me watch the t-drama – I actively have an adversion to Ella (I’m sorry, Ella fans, just chalk it up to my weird tastes, okay?). But the Kui character is written by the manga writer as a billion shades of awesome flouncy coolness – he’s like an effete, hipster queen, and he sees through everything.
I can imagine Joe nailing it! My sis loved him as Kui.
@127, ockoala
@128, me
HA! We posted at exactly the same time. Great minds!
This laptop is awesome! Plus, now I can download stuff, I won’t always be limited to streaming video. I have an external hard drive too, so the possibilities are endless. Happy, happy, joy, joy!
I need to dive back into HGD today…it’s raining and chilly here and I can’t think of a better way to spend the afternoon, really.
Nothing at all against Lee Junki, but Jung Il-woo has ruined me, I’ll never be able to see anyone else as Iljimae.
@118 moimoiness –
I would try: http://aja-aja.com/regular/you%27re-beautiful
Check out the rules for aja-aja.com use, wave hello to the aja-aja.com women, and you are well on your way!
VERY true Sonam and langdon, The Rose’s lead dude Wang is NOT watchable if u regard what he’s doing as ‘acting’, he’s in a ‘league’ of his own. DH at least tried. Ella was just spitting out lines like in some highsch play.. she and sadly the gorgeous muscle-bot WuZun are the reasons I can’t sit thro 5 min of TWHanaKimi…. but Joe Cheng made it all up and more. and it is earnest and know its ’stance’. They r doing a spot on craptastic shoujo, Like a working girl in cakey makeup with a heart of 14Kgold.
You know ockoala, Joe’s Kui is way more what the writer fantasizes her Kui could be. He’s not only nailed it, he gave it flesh and blood and dimensions and perfect yonsama shampoo CF do. With the same do and the same robe, he can change his sexual orientation fr scenes to scenes in all fluid flamboyant way. JIS would be soo sooo envious as well.
It’s just when watching TWdrama, it’s always a very very good exercise of tolerance for me. To enjoy it in any degree I can’t be critical about anything. It’s longer, it’s generally less stellar to hilariously bad acting, but it has great entertaining value. You really dun have to even THINK whether or not to check your brain at the door. Put on a shiny polyester frilly robe like Joe’s Kui and just enjoy the ride.
ahhhh Roy Qiu… he’s really Mike He with the acting chops. dreammyyyy
@83 mookie –
Hrrmmmm…. I dunno. I think the blind date guy + Samsoon could have worked out very well. Maybe, he was the 2nd best option that Samsoon SHOULD have gone for?
See, what happens, if 2 years down the road, Samshik has to decide between his family and Samsoon? If he chooses family, then Samsoon is left with nothing except the love of her life, breaking her heart, again.
Maybe the blind date guy isn’t so awesome, maybe he’s not a Binnie, but he seems to be a good guy, and in the long run, that might have been better for Samsoon than the tempermental Binnie, who kicked over her bike. *btw, I would NEVER kick over another person’s bike. Binnie, as a guy, should have realized he crossed the line. Guys don’t mess with another person’s wheels. That’s just something you don’t do, and that makes Binnie kind of a punk.
@87 reluctantbutaddicted –
See, you aren’t willing to give the cheating ex-bf another chance, but who is perfect in this world? Don’t we all make mistakes? If the cheating ex-bf changes and matures and becomes a better person, then couldn’t he be considered a catch for Samsoon?
1. He’s good looking.
2. He’s rich.
3. He and Samsoon have a long history together.
(kind of a critical point in the negative – Samsoon would have a VERY difficult time honoring and respecting the cheating ex-bf due to his history, and she should never marry someone she can’t respect. It’s a timebomb waiting to explode…Okay, I change my mind, cheating ex-bf is off the table. But, NOT for another woman. If cheating ex-bf becomes a better person, then I think he would be a tremendous catch, no?)
@99 cingdoc –
Bleh, I disagree. hehe! I think the cheating ex-bf was trying to have his cake and eat it too, but he’s not a blind fool. I think he did really like Samsoon at the end – seriously, why not? She’s tremendously charming and attractive. A little bit annoying at times, but that’s 1000x better than being an airhead or being self-absorbed or selfish.
But here’s the thing, and this is for everyone. Why is “settling” always the wrong thing? Can’t it be possible that in this day and age, being able to be with someone that you respect, like and enjoy being with, and vice versa, almost like 80% of a successful relationship? I mean, how many marriages end in divorce because all there was, was a hormonal connection with no maturity or compatibility?
If Binnie and Samsoon finally get married, but Samsoon is never accepted into Binnie’s family, then how much more difficult did she make Binnie’s life, and vice versa? And what if they separate after a while? Was it worth it then?
I’m just saying – I want Samshik and Samsoon to be together, but they gotta understand the consequences, and it isn’t always that waiting on the perfect guy will lead to long term happiness…
@108 ockoala -
Yeap.
@115 kdxmel
You are watching MNIKSS, CH and Dalja Spring at the same time? That’s like 3 of my 6 favorite dramas of all time! All you gotta do is squeeze in Coffee Prince, Bad Family and HGD and then you can just stop right there – that’s all you need to see…. unless You’re Beautiful evolves from a trendy awesome smash hit… into an epic drama of legendary proportions… Oh, how silly of me, I seem to have left out another dozen must-see dramas…. lol.. never mind. Just keep watching. It’s endless.
I’m int he middle of watching Episode 2 of You’re Beautiful and I had to pause and get this off my chest: Why, oh why does she keep going into his room? No one is that naive. No good can come of this!
@ 133 Samsooki
I take your point re cheatin’ ex’s potential for growth, and thus suitability for another woman on whom he doesn’t cheat, but I didn’t see that in his character at the end. I didn’t see that he’d matured particularly. Whereas Samshik had, clearly.
Basically, it’s hard for me to justify the ’settling’ option when there’s no reason someone as resourceful and alive as Samsoon could not live a rich and full life single, should that be the way things turn out. “Settling” would be saying, ‘this is as good my life’s ever going to get, better grab this while it’s going’, whereas choosing Samshik is an expression of optimism, belief in herself and him, and, I think, a clearly open-eyed choice (she recognizes that his family might never accept her; though that doesn’t mean Samshik will discard her b/c of his family… it’s a stand-off for the moment). So for me her choice of Samshik over 2nd best guy is a statement of her acceptance that uncertainty and the possibility of best-case happiness which may result in remaining single is as good a life if not better than just scraping along with a nice guy just to get married. It’s what is happening in practice in many Asian societies, Korea among them, increasingly, especially among educated urban women, and Samsoon is the personification of that trend. It’s a life without needless self-sacrifice due to fear of singlehood, not a life without love. And I like and respect her for that.
And given how much Samshik had matured by the end, it would be hard for me to imagine him lacking the backbone that might eventually be necessary to stand up to his family.
You’re Beautiful :
The comments on this OT persuaded me to watch the first two episodes (last night and this morning) and you guys were right, it is looking very good indeed. Made me laugh several times, with little foreshadowing (I love the surprise laugh moment). So I’m with was it ockoala or langdon813? I’ll be keen to watch this one week-by-week with all of you. But will I be able to stand the suspense?
@All Tamna Islanders:
I’m going watch the last 3 episodes tonight…Am I going to see more PK’s yearning for BJ…Should I just yell @ my laptop so that BJ would finally realize that her Man is in front of her? OMG I can’t stand seeing PK tearing up again(I think he ’s just as good in crying as MY Gong Yoo (Agree? Samsooki)
My pet peeve/ranting for the day:
Why??Please tell me why???that not all the songs appeared in our favorite drama’s OST- for e.g. Coffee Prince- why does everybody’s favorite (Noreul Saranghae- the morning song sang by Han Kyul) is not on the OST. Granted, I got it by buying the actual CD sung by the original singer, Han Dong Joon. But, how about the great duet sung the 2 Yoons in MFL -not in the OST…Loving, loving you by Park Sung Woo for CH….I mean I WANT to support the artists; I am WILLING to buy the OST, but don’t make me go searching all over the internet/Koreantown to find the CD, just to burn 1 song and compile them all into 1 CD so that I can listen to it while I’m commuting/relaxing after a hard day @ work….end of ranting…SORRY guys.
@ockoala
I’m glad that you are well again…As for my patients base, they range from 5 years old to 103 (the oldest one I’ve seen), and no, I’m not a MD (though I’m often the doc who finds the early signs of certain diseases;I counsel them and refer them out STAT). It helps that most of my patients have been in our practice for the past 18 years, so we have great relationships with them….enough reality, need to escape back to kdramaland…Tamna Island, I’m coming…
@137, cingdoc
TEAM PARK KYU!!!
Enjoy the last 3 eps! I miss the Island so much. I can’t wait for the DVD in all its full, 20-episode glory.
And yes, get ready to yell at your laptop just a little bit more! And cry, laugh, sigh, and swoon…all the usual Tamra activities!
@langdon813
Since I’m a latecomer for the Island tour, when did those XOB producers began the rude editing of the series? episode 14??
As for the yelling, I think my hubby is soooo going to admit me to the looniebin, but then I rebutted him by reminding him to go watch the trifecta of sports: his hockey (Ducks), his baseball (Dodgers) and his basketball (Lakers)…he just returns to his man cave….end of story. he he
@my fellow So Cal
I think the cooler weather makes me want to do a Phoenix run…black seasame soup anyone???
@139, cingdoc
Episode 11 is when I started to notice the editing, but it does get pretty glaringly obvious in the last 3 episodes (the very ones you’re about to watch).
Not to say that they didn’t do a great job, I really think they did. Because so much had already been filmed when word came that it would be cut, within the short time frame they were given to do it I think the editors did the best they could.
It’s just going to be really nice to have never-before-seen footage to fill in the blanks. Plus, more Park Kyu could never be a bad thing.
Just one observation about Hong Gil Dong so far tonight. There’s a song that recurs throughout some of the action scenes and it cracks me up. It’s like the Korean version of Motley Crue’s “Girls, Girls, Girls” or something. I have no clue who it is or what the song is actually called, but when I hear it I immediately start imagining leopard-print spandex, big 80’s hair, and guys wearing a lot of makeup. Probably NOT what they were going for, huh?
About halfway through Ep 14 so far. Still loving every minute!
OK everyone *drum roll* I finally got a CH banner after hitting refresh so many times (trying to get reservations at momofuku ko was easier). Whoa! I can’t believe such a little thing would excite me so much!!! I feel like I hit the jackpot.
I’m kind of sad to see Sons of Sol Pharmacy ending but not for what people might think. Someone on this board came up with the unbelievably fun to say nickname Bokifer last week and now the show is ending and I’m sad I won’t have a reason for using Bokifer anymore so I have to try and use it as much as possible.
-Bokifer grow a spine already and say you detest the not-so-handsome-decoy-doctor-who-looks-strangely-better-with-the-emo-glasses-since-it-covers-up half his face and that you cringe everytime he touches you
-Bokifer I’m glad they stopped playing that annoying song every time your scenes come on
-Bokifer I can’t believe you wore that fugly dress to the red carpet.
I feel better already.
@langdon813
I’m half way into epi 14 of TI- Those PK’s eyes….yearning…This episode ,though, it’s BJ who is doing the crying…mean PK’s Mom, I mean BJ already has those chipmunk cheeks(in a cute way), she didn’t need to slap BJ so hard. In contrast, I looove how wise and understanding BJ’s mom is. The woman might be of lower caste class vs PK’s noble woman/mom, but at least she is not judgemental. Besides, I think it’s cute how she’s PK’s drinking buddy. Continuing my island cruise,,,
@langdon813
Sorry, you’re my official Park Kyu’s expert now. Just finished epi 14- The Kiss betwn William and Beo Jin. From her reaction after the kiss, I think she loves PK more than W. I think she loves W, but more as a friend. Also, I think W represents something special to her- the obvious one is that he’s a free person. He came from a different world than her “little” Jeju, where all the female has only one destiny- being a diver. But, with PK, she feels the love( at least the rest of us do). I am looking forward to see the ending and rooting for Park Kyu!!!
LOL on the muscular diver and her Mom, esp when they were doing the demonstrations at the “Day Spa”????
Watched Creating Destiny….I will say it has the appearance of being too long for me but I will keep my opinion high. I think it has potential but not as funny and punchy as I’d like for it to be. Too much time with the older family members but hopefully that will dissipate as the story continues…
Overall, I think that it will be fun after we(all) get to Korea…
Any thoughts?
So I watched You’re Beautiful and I’m instantly taken by how good Jang looks in there! I was completely turned off by his image posted here a month ago (what’s with the eyeliner, oh wait, idol drama nevermind). But seeing him act is a real surprise. The man can act. He’s not too over-the-top like his other band members and he somehow manages to make his cold and aloof persona endearing to watch. You know the ice-man is just going to melt soon in front of our heroine! And Park Shin Hye is so adorable, innocent, and sweet you just can’t help but smile whenever she’s on the screen. This is definitely going on my weekly watch list!
@Samsooki –
Nope, I meant that I’d finished watching MNIKSS, CH, Full House, MFL to name a few all within the past couple months. And they all contained one too many heartbreaking moments that just culminated to my current refusal to finish DJS. I know, it’s silly, but not knowing what happens next, I just can’t bear to watch DJ and TB go through another heartbreak, which is what I assume will happen. Of the other 3 you mentioned, I watched CP too (another of my top favs), but never saw Bad Family or HGD. Based on yours and quite a few people here HGD seems to be interesting so I might check it out. Thanks!
@135 reluctantbutaddicted, *clapclapclap* I could not have said it half as good.
@Samsooki, is 2nd best option ever real in love?! it’s an oxymoron for me. there’s no consolation prizes to win, it’s not a competition that placing second have a significance. He’s not the one, SO….he’s not the one. We can’t possibly give up the best in fear of the unknown down the road in 2, 3, 4, 5+ years. Samsoon has been through some growth herself thro out the drama, @ the namsan ride, she was a firm believer in having a partner in life to cross the Atlantic with no matter what, but later on, we saw she climbing Hallu Mt herself, for herself, set the goal to lose that extra pounds she wanted to for herself alone w/ nth to do with the pervie Samshik. And how she persisted on the name change. I think this holds true for many single ladies these days.. what you are suggesting is ’settling’ and the more mature, confident and independent we r as we get older, the less tolerable that notion will be. We saw samsoon giggling like a high sch girl when samshik did random nice gestures. We only saw her smile politely to that blind date guy’s pleasantries.
I really won’t call what the ex felt towards Samsoon love. He’s too dense and selfish and the only person he’s capable of loving is himself. He’s been going mememememe till the end of the drama. I’m not going to give any power to his ‘words’ (or bs). His actions spoke way louder. I’m not saying he’s rotten to the core, he’s assertive, he’s physically attractive, can say sweet things, there is a frankness to him, and he knows himself very well. Yes, he said he’s ‘loved her but that love has faded’ and thus ciao!…. but don’t forget Samsoon is not born to be some clingy stalker, she’s tried many means to just contact him without luck for a month, and it’s CHRISTMAS EVE and he’s not even human enough to send her a word all this time… and thus in desperation, she followed him to the hotel, caught him compromised with another woman. HE accused her of ‘y the stalking?!’ If it’s really as he said so, he could be a man, grew some testicles and broke it off, tactlessly over the phone, an email, I don’t care…but he did not even bother. And how thick a skin to do all his subsequent shenanigans? He just loved the feeling of gloating in having a ‘gullible’ samsoon to worship him, boast his ego, even when she’s moved on, he did not show any signs of waking up, never once he’s thought in her shoes, be one tiny bit considerate, if he did care one tiny bit for samsoon, y would he suggest her taking him back WHILE he’s still dead set to marry CR ?!!? (he’s all scared when samsoon called CR at the bar ep11) Also, their relationship has never been equals, he regarded her as his inferior, he’s stepped all over her, and I bet he’s instilled a lot of her low opinions esp on her looks in her. He’s always made her feel small. Samsoon would be sooo MAD with herself if she even thought of him redeemable, he is a cheater, still is and that is one big nono, is there any hint or basis on him having any hope of changing?! y should samsoon or all us gals gave a blatant (almost proud of himself) cheater a chance?! because he’s 1.good looking, 2. rich, 3. have history?! This is not diff fr encouraging a victim to stay in an abuse relationship. What history did they really share?! Samsoonie was hurt with him treating her like a ‘kept’ woman, she’s never met his family, his dear ones, she didn’t know him at all, and that dude did not even start to understand BIZARRE. He’s one of those good on paper scumbags. Yeah, so should we be open to the thought of samsoon being coerced into being his mistress just because he’s rich/cute/spent some time tog?!?
sorry for the rant. in all honesty the ex was there for comic relief as one big jerk so samsoon has a b8tch to beat up fr time to time.
@147 mookie
BRAVO, girl…couldn’t have said it better….Samsooki, that’s what I was trying to tell you…BTW, you weren’t ranting, don’t apologise for speaking the truth =)
I’ve been a regular visitor of DB for years now. But I’m a silent reader and OMO knows that I only speak up once the name Kim Sun Ah is mentioned. I read Open Threads to get drama recommendations but I never participated until the City Hallers invade Friday OTs. *waves*. But I went back to lurking as I/we wait for the next City Hall Recap installment (plus the fact that I’ve been busy with work). Last week though I noticed that some actually watched WIAN (really???) and a few were discussing them last week. I want to join in, but I was very late so I decided to wait until this week’s OT. I’m actually a bit late now as well, but how can I let this pass? lol Especially when some of you guys are discussing MNIKSS?! I never expected reading about MNIKSS on OTs. You guys makes me want to blow-off the dust on my MNIKSS DVD and watch it right this very moment. *^^*
—————————————-
ON WIAN
It’s not “that” bad, was it? :p
Plot is so-so; Characterization is down the drain… *sad*
Initially Heo Cho Hee is supposed to be a feisty-sexy officer of the Cultural Heritage Administration. I was picturing KSA ala Lara Croft opposite the hot playboy LDG. But it seems like I saw Samsoon’s 3rd sister (if she have any). I read once that it was KSA who pointed out that the original characterization of Cho Hee is unrealistic, thus the change. However, as many people pointed out, they see Cho Hee underneath Samsoon’s shadow. What they did to avoid Samsoon, they slowly turned the initially strong and smart Cho Hee to a helpless cry-baby. Pick a later episode and compare it to Cho Hee on Ep 1 or 2 and it seems like they are 2 different people.
Plus the fact that KSA was injured in the middle of filming – which resulted to the hospital scenes of Cho Hee and less and less chase/fighting scenes for her.
For the romance part, it’s such a pity! Coz I really think that KSA and LDG’s chemistry is so sexy and hot (ok, this is prior to KSA-CSW pairing). Final episode was such a disaster, but after reading the supposed-to-be final episode script, there were 3 romantic sequences that was not filmed. Maybe the director thinks it’s not needed anymore. Well, it doesn’t seem like they can still save WIAN, I could have been happier if those 3 sequences were included.
At the end of the day, I can still say I enjoy it. I even dreamed of Cho Hee and Bum Sang a few times. :p I can re-watch it once in a while too (like ONCE in a while).
—————————————-
on MNIKSS
MNIKSS would always and forever be SPECIAL and will always have a special place in my heart. I’m glad that after 4 years I was able to find another drama to enjoy and to love – CIty Hall – maybe as much – maybe even more. But still MNIKSS IS MNIKSS and WILL ALWAYS BE MNIKSS. lol
—————————————-
I’m still stuck with CITY HALL and I don’t know how I can move on… Had 2 marathons in the last 4 weeks – that’s A LOT considering my work schedule.
But now that I’m done with my latest re-watch of City Hall, I have tons of to-watch while waiting for CH’s Director’s Cut DVD before the year ends.
TO RE-WATCH:
MNIKSS – right away! I suddenly miss samsoonie and samshikie
HIT – i was still a bit new to kdramas when I first watched it and i love it despite the fact that i watched a bootleg copy with incomprehensible subs. (this drama made me into a subber) so i’m excited to watch it again with proper subs.
WIAN – this is my ONCE in a while – honestly, haven’t watched it in full after subbing it. i’m quite excited though – just to see KSA opposite LDG again and to enjoy Park Ki Woong’s cuteness and to crush on Lee Joo Hyun again.
BAD COUPLE – i find Gi Chan and Dang Ja cute and I miss the music! Love the OST (ok, honestly I miss the cute Kim Hyang Ki more)
LOVERS IN PARIS – erhm… just thinking i might enjoy it more if i try to watch it again, since I became an Eun Sook fan after-all (wish me luck!)
TO FINISH WATCHING:
Soul (watched raws until ep8)
World’s Within (forwarded everything, i just need to watch it once and for all – for a friend’s request)
Lovers (until ep4)
On Air (until ep3)
La Dolce Vita (ep1)
TO WATCH:
Mermaid Story
Bad Family
Sand Glass
Flowers For My Life
Que Sera Sera
Story of a Man
GAVE UP:
LAST SCANDAL *sigh* no matter how good – no, excellent, CJS is, i just can’t stand watching her (yup, even before her death)
BRILLIANT LEGACY i just can’t no matter how i love LSK – maybe i’ll pick it up sometime in the not-so-near-future
@langdon813
Just stayed up and finished Tamna Island- it was GOOOOOD.
If this is the shortened version, I can imagine the original version being even better. Yes, I definitely loooove Park Kyu now. If I may, I wanted to do a comparison between Park Kyu and Iljimae(JIW)- At first, I thought PK was just a stuffy scholar, but then in the middle of the series, let’s do some sword play. Mind you, our JIW is still better in that department, but that’s ok. TI was a period piece; it had the crazy villian (the SeoRin lady),but I never once thought of it as a swordfighting drama. The 2 leading men, though, were charming. Both were the silent type. They both suffered for their loved ones ( Iljimae for his mother: Park Kyu did it for Beo Jin). I’m glad both had happy ending. This is definitely one that I would rewatch again.
Minor eh??? What was that “bro” handshakes William and PK did at the end; what’s next- high 5’s- lol
I think I better catch some zzz, still have to work…don’t want to look like Lee Dong Gun,(panda eyes) he he.
@60 ockoala
“How does Kim Su-na end up acting in two of my absolute fave dramas – I like to think its because she’s versatile, heart felt, and a gorgeous actress, who finds and elevates her dramas. You know my take at the end of the day – City Hall all the way!”
—-Omona! I so love you ockoala! You made this little KSA fan so happy…
@mookie,
It feels soooo good reading you write about MNIKSS again… brings back our good old samsoonie loonie days… i miss those days… i have the company of city hallers and i love all of them to bits.. and i wouldn’t have enjoyed city hall as much without them. but just like mnikss, samsoonie loonies also have a special place in my heart. ^^
@samsookie
seems like we like the same dramas… MNIKSS, Chall, Dal Ja’s Spring are on my top 10… (mnikss and ch tied on number 1, 2-5 are left blank lol, 6 is HIT, 7 is Dal Ja’s Spring, 8 is Bad Couple, 9 is Who Are You?) For Bad Family – i know i’ll love it. My mom has watched it and she liked it and she practically told the story already (plus i can see some scenes while she’s watching and im in front of my pc) – i just have to find the time to sit down and watch it to make it official on my top 10. HGD – i’ve heard a lot about it… maybe i should put it on my to watch list… I may be a minority – but for Coffee Prince, i’ve seen it – thanks but no thanks. I adore GY, story is just ok for me… but just like CJS, no matter how cute and good (and no matter how she adores and respect my KSA), i just simply can’t stand watching YEH… i swear, i tried.. i just can’t
@ kdxmel
You’re not my long lost twin sister, are you? kidding~
it’s great to know i’m not alone going crazy over mnikss and city hall.
——
EVERYONE GOT ME! I’ll watch MNIKSS now.
Gosh I miss them… Ever since I first saw it, I always watch it at least once a month (or once every other month). But after watching it last Aug 2008, i’ve been busy subbing WIAN and as soon as we wrapped up WIAN, along came City Hall. I was actually thinking of watching MNIKSS again last Thursday as I finish the last few episodes of City Hall (again). I never knew that you’ll be discussing mnikss come Friday. :p
I’m starting my MNIKSS marathon NOW. Good bye~
Happy Friday everyone!
Dilemma…what am I going to do about You’re Beautiful? I usually don’t watch a drama until it’s done airing or it’s shown on my local Korean channel at a decent time (meaning not during work hours) though I have to admit my new job is going to allow for more drama watching. But all this talk about how good it is is making me anxious to watch it. What about the suspense of waiting a whole week for the next episodes?? Arghh….I have a feeling I’m just going to give in to my curiosity.
As for MNIKSS, I’m so glad I bought the DVD box when I was back in Malaysia. Will be watching this soon maybe Monday since it’s a holiday. KBS Hawaii started showing MFL this week and I had to watch it despite all I’ve heard. I adore YEH and wouldn’t miss it for the world. It sounds like most of you didn’t think it was so bad considering the acting calibres of the leads.
@Samsookie
How are you holding up? Packed the bag for the hospital yet? Trust me, you won’t want to be scrambling with packing when the water breaks at 4 in the morning….ahh…speaking from experience. And as cingdoc mentioned, get some sleep because this word will no longer exist in the parenthood dictionary once the baby is born.
Finally caught Haeundae in the cinema today. (It just opened in Singapore on Thursday.) It was really, really great. Bawled like a child at the ending parts. Love Ha Ji Won and Sol Kyung Gu!
I just got finished watching the last episode of Sons of Sol Pharmacy.
I’m really going to miss it because it’s one of those shows where I never skimmed through. I really think it would be a honor to marry one of the sons (I can’t even pick which son I like best!). Mama Song may be a tough hurdle to jump, but she is just trying to bring out the best in the girls…she honestly doesn’t want to be that evil mother-in-law. It ended so quietly, but beautifully. Time to go cry my eyes out.
I’m curious to know which son anyone would date/marry and why? Like I said I can’t pick since I started liking one then liking another…
*Takes deep breath* My first time participating in an Open Thread. So here goes…
My recommendations; In no particular order, within the last couple years, & ones I’ve finished.
Korea:
1. Partners
2. New Heart
3. 9 Ends 2 Outs
4. Worlds Within
5. City Hall
6. Return of Iljimae
7. Painter of the Wind
8. Coffee Prince
9. Goong
10. The Devil
Taiwan:
1. Black & White
2. It Started With A Kiss (ISWAK) 1 & 2
3. My Queen
4. Romantic Princess (purely eye-candy and anime script)
5. ToGetHer (I really liked the cinematography for this idol drama)
6. Wayward Kenting (not for your average viewer – very realistic and slow)
Japan:
1. 1 Litre of Tears (touching, inspiring, and memorable)
2. Hana Yori Dango 1 & 2
3. Last Friends
4. Liar Game
5. Innocent Love (I must have a thing for dramas that Utada Hikaru sings the themes for)
6. Orthros No Inu
China:
1. My Youthfulness
2. Struggle
3. Return of Condor Heros (actually all the Jin Yong novel remakes by Zhang Ji Zhong)
4. Great Empress of Northern Wei
5. Chinese Paladin 1 (Was upset, tho understanding with the male lead b/c I really liked both female characters – pure storyline/eye-candy)
6. Chinese Paladin 3 (Really liked the 2nd main couple – figures right? lols – again, storyline/eye-candy)
7. Aristocrats
That’s all I can think of for now. Gosh, that’s a long list – my life seems filled with endless dramas – literally. Hahaha…
Gah, how come every single OT is so much fun? And all of JB’s posting so interesting? I’m not complaining, just wish I had more time in my day, that’s all.
I cooked the family a nice pot of Son-tofu, using the packets they sell in the korean supermarkets, cuz otherwise I’d be throwing every spice in the pot and coming up with something horrific (like when Hae-na tried to make Kimchi-jigae for Dong-chan, not edible). The result is yummy, and I’m salivating to dig in. A byproduct of my k-drama love is my increased desire to eat Korean food. It happens every week instead of every month. And on my way home from the supermarket this morning, I passed by a small store front advertising “Anna’s mondu” and I immediately thought of Story of a Man. This is hopeless. I’ve given up fighting it.
^ LOL ockoala, my cousin was bragging to me about the awesome soon-dubu he makes, so I eagerly asked for his recipe since I’ve been trying to figure it out and I have no idea how people make it from scratch. And he goes, “Recipe? I just buy the packets!”
ALODIA! *hugs*
Before you go, what is your take on MNIKSS cheating ex-bf?
Can he be redeemed?
Yes, he’s a cheater. And as ppl say, once a cheater….?
But, can a cheater be redeemed? And, I have to disagree, there IS something to be said about being (1) rich, (2) good looking, and (3) intelligent (with a history together). It means that the cheating ex-bf isn’t some unknown crazy sociopath. He’s a guy that Samsoon knows, and she knows him better than anyone else knows him (better than his own parents know him, probably). Doesn’t that count for something?
And what about wallflower blind-date guy? I really like him! He seems sweet, thoughtful and he dresses well, is polite… AND, Samsoon likes him!
Does ANYONE think that cheating ex-bf is worth a second shot, other than me?
@157 javabeans
Btw, in NY Times the other day, there was an article on fried chicken.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/dining/07chick.html?_r=1
And in the article (the inset) they had a recipe for Korean-style fried chicken.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/dining/071crex.html?ref=dining
So, a few days ago, I bought all the ingredients and we tried it. I followed the directions to a T, and it was quite possibly the worst fried chicken I’ve ever had. 4 hours of my life (grocery shopping, prep, cooking, eating, tossing, cleanup) gone that I will never get back.
I love korean-style fried chicken, but this was not it. It was a greasy, soggy, chewy mess.
Just wanted to share. If you ever come across a korean fried chicken recipe that works, please please share!
@ JB
The soon-tofu packets are a godsend, I’ve discovered it also invariably costs more to buy all the individual spices and concoct your own pot from scratch. Check 1 for delicious, check 2 for cheaper – what’s not to love, packets all the way, baby! Glad *creative* minds think alike, your cousin, me, and the rest of the k-housewife world.
@ Samsooki
The cheatin-ex is NOT worth another shot, once a cheater, always a cheater (I have personal experience to back it up – it happened to me much alike KSS, I had to track down the cheater – not a memory I’d like to relive – but suffice to say, he cheated on the girl he cheated on me with later on as well).
However, I’m totally with you, the ex loved Sam-soon, why quantify it as “love” guys? Love is love, some folks understand and cherish the feeling, others treat it as a thrill and move on when the rush fades – but love is love, the feeling of wanting to be with that person, however ephemeral or permanent.
_________________________________________________________
My recipe for great korean fried chicken – step 1: grab purse, step 2: get into car, step 3: start the ignition, step 4: get on the road, step 5: drive to the nearest Kyochon, step 6: order the fried chicken, step 7: voila, best k-fried chicken ever!
Seriously, Samsooki, I am a vocal proponent of NEVER making fried foods at home. It’s an egregious waste of good cooking oil, it makes your kitchen and pretty much the entire house smell like fried oil, you run the risk of burning yourself in random spots with the backsplash oil when you drop the item into the pot (cuz who owns a fryor, right?), and its costs a heck of a lot of money and time (as you can attest yourself now) to do the entire experience. That’s why when I’m out dining, I always try to order the food item that is too diificult to cook at home, which means always ordering the fried item on the menu.
My langdon-unni might disagree – she’s a southern lady (perhaps a Paula Deen in the kitchen), so she might actually attempt to fry foods in her kitchen and succeed. I’d say for the rest of us, it’s KFC or Popeyes for my chicken fix.
*waves at Alodia!!*
I have a mini deep fryer, it’s in a cupboard now. Believe me, it’s one of the worst choices in the world to own a deep fryer.
PRO: You can have fried food at any time of the day!
CON: You can have fried food at any time of the day!
You can use the cooking oil a lot more if it’s in a deep fryer, but then you’ll be tempted to deep fry everything you have. I believe that’s how deep fried Oreos came to be.
I really sense another Open Thread Fanclub in the making and I am officially signing up as future dedicated follower of You’re Beautiful. I watched the first two eps once RAW and twice subbed, if that doesn’t say it all…
The thing that bothered me a bit in the trailer was the haircut of Hwang Tae Kyung. I thought: “Will I be able to get into a hero with this kind of fugly hair?” But taking in the differenct characters the ANjell’s member have to play, his haircut fits him perfectly: he sees himself as not just eye-candy, not just any boy group member to fawn over, but a serious musician, an artiste, somebody who wants to set himself apart from everybody else. Also the severe style fits his obsessive personality. This just fits into last week’s hair discussion, does it?
My prediction: As two of the three boy band members know of Go Mi Nam’s secret they will keep Jeremy in the dark and use his attraction to Go Mi Nam as an amusing side gag.
I am truly happy that the decision what to watch on Wednesdays/Thursdays is of minor importance to me as we do get to see everything when we have time / it is subbed. Deciding between IRIS, You’re beautiful and Hero would be a near unsurmountable task.
THE ROSE was one of the first TW-dramas I have seen and I was totally glued to my computer then. I didn’t know who Ella was (never having heard of S.H.E.) and only wondered why she was seen as fat and ugly? I hadn’t seen ISWAK either (The Rose made me look up everything be Joe Cheng). As to the main character, I just assumed his “western look” must be fashionable in Taiwan. Even today I sometimes rewatch certain scenes of the drama. On the fun side: I sometimes remember the soap opera in “Aunt Julia and the scriptwriter” with Keanu Reeves when watching it.
Autumn’s concerto was good but not mind blowing up to now. I will keep on watching as it has Vaness Wu for a hero (though you can really save a lot of time by just watching the extended trailers at Viikii, you will not miss much of the storyline).
Have a nice week everybody!
Paula Deen uses WAY too much butter (although I do confess to owning several of her cookbooks). And to going to a couple of her book signings…she was wearing really cute shoes both times.
Me: “Thanks, Paula!”
Paula Deen: “You’re welcome, darlin’.”
Now why did I thank her, exactly? For the privilege of contributing my dollars to her vast empire? Who knows.
Anyhoo…there’s really only one trick to great fried chicken and it has nothing to do with coating or seasoning; soak the chicken in buttermilk for an hour or two before you fry it. Seriously, that’s it! It will melt in your mouth.
As far as seasoning goes, I use McCormick Season & Fry. It’s absolutely perfect. You don’t even have to salt the chicken after it’s done, unless you’re a saltaholic. Once I discovered that stuff, there was no going back. It’s kind of hard to find around here anymore, but really, any brand of fried chicken coating or seasoning will do; it’s the buttermilk that’s the most important part.
@ockoala
I know I love you for a reason; you are my kind of cook. Unfortunately for me, my mom is a traditional housewife, so I had to learn to “keep house”(and of course FAR below her standard) I actually cook well, and therefore get “stuck” with ALL the holidays’ cooking, so much so my local Stater Bro meat manager knows my name. This ended about 4 years ago when I finally had a horrific kitchen accident (my arthritc hand give out , and yes, the items that I was cooking dropped into the pot, and HOT oil splashed onto my face , and missed my right eye by 1/2 inch!!)Now, for most celebration, including Chinese New Year meal, Rowland Hts or Monterey Park here I come.
@langdon813
in case you didn’t read my earlier post(#150)….I’m on board of Team Park Kyu….yes, he got his girl!!!! So cute the way they looked @ each other at the end of the episode.
@Samsooki
Are you trying to get a debate going (again) on the cheating bf.?…No, No way for me. I think most of the girls do not forgive a cheater too well…trust is VERY important. We’re not saying that Samshik is THE (final) one for KSS, but I think she deserves him ,and he’s damn lucky to have her.
So…since I’m done with MFL and TI, I can either 1) take a break on kdrama- nah…who am I kidding or 2) join the You’re beautiful ( I like Jang Geun Suk) …but I think want another rom com ( something that makes me cry and laugh heartily)…any suggestion?? Maybe I might rewatch CH…I miss the “designer purse”
Hey cingdoc, sorry about that, I didn’t scroll up high enough! Did you agree about the editing of the final episodes? Not that I wasn’t pleased with the outcome (trying to be mindful of spoilers) but I really can’t wait to see the unedited version for it to all make perfect sense! Plus, it will be awesome to watch it in on the big TV in all its glory.
And you should definitely jump on board with You’re Beautiful, I think we’re going to have a fantastic time with this one! I think this it’s going to be everything we love and more, if the first two episodes are any indication! Nothing to cry about (yet) but you will definitely laugh your head off!
Uh oh….I’ve got a BAD feeling.
I just finished Episode 18 of Hong Gil Dong and quite frankly I’m scared to death! And there’s no one to hold my hand! Do I sneak a peek at JB’s recap of Ep 19 to see if I’m going to have a heart attack at some point? Or go in unspoiled and risk it?
A really BAD BAD BAD feeling….
But I don’t really want to know anything in advance, so…I’m going in. Be prepared for possible blubbering and incoherent posting if things go horribly wrong.
*bighugs* Alodia!!!!
but samsooki, what the ex was doing was literally psycho behavior…the only pt on his side was he’s not ‘unknown’…but he’s still continuing his cheating ways, just later on w/ samsoon being the other woman. redeeming him for what purpose though?! see, I bet u rem that sampling cakes scene, he saw samsoon, he had CR in his arms and he just smirked, it’s not till samshik did his speech he went in shock and disbelief. What was that saying?! 1. he has no care of samsoon’s feelings of seeing him with fiancee, he even went the low route of proudly smirking. 2. He really saw samsoon in a very low light, he saw samshik there all along, and not until samshik’s proclaimation did he show any concern/jealousy and the shock…as in disbelief samsoon can do so much better… was deplorable. Rem that convo in the car, tactless much?! he can move on to someone better but NOT samsoon?! I bet our samsoonie did kick his balls purple in that beating scene we didnt see in full light.
I’m not saying all cheaters r not redeemable, but THIS one is not showing me any change of action he’s going to even want to ‘redeem’ himself. You can’t just listen to sweet word,s reminiscing on ‘history’ shared and turn a blind eye he’s got one fiancee clinging on his other arm. Rem that line Samsoon said to HJ?! ‘Memory is just memory it has no power.’ If your argument is valid, we have to hold on to every bf we’ve had IF he’s shown some renew interest in us no matter what. *shivers*
I really dont see how being 1.rich, 2. good looking, 3. having a history tog as having any influence on dudes changing their cheating ways… I’m intrigued to know y u think so though. Because even the ex was leagues better than any man on earth, he’s a cheater (present tense), ie he will never be totally yours when he’s cheating. Should we be in a less than half ass relationship just because he has some attractive qualities such as 1rich2cute3history?! Yes, samsoon knew him well, maybe as well as any human, I don’t think what she knew of him shed a great light on him though, do u? so what’s the logic that she should redeem just because she knew him well?! It’s only his loss. she’s loved him, but the history they shared was not exactly once in a lifetime rosy, right?!
Blatant Cheating (doing it consciously, habitually) involves a lot of lying and pretense, and hurting someone u ‘love’ repeatingly, for samsoonex, he was even on another lvl of grossness in his entitlement almost, he did not even try to hold up a more decent front. HE just blatantly 2-time/3 time as if he’s the right to coz he’s 1.rich2.cute3.theyhadahistory. it ended up rotting what bits of genuine ‘love’ or whatever the cheater had inside him(/her), even if there WAS sth real going on. Who had to time and leisure to sieve thro all the bull just to redeem a cheater?! y bother with a rotting tree when there r glorious forests out there?! Again was Samshik any less rich/cute? They did not share some history tog in Jeju/Hallu?! it’s not the quantity of time spent with a person that has value, it’s how u treasured those precious abeit fewer moments closer to your heart that counts.
Like is not love Samsooki, the core message of mnikss is love has no formula, no boundary.. we do not fall in love because of all those extraneous factors of a guy being nice/dress nice/think nice/talk nice etcetcetc. If you do think that should be the way to go for samsoon, she should have never ever fallen for samshik just on the note that he’s been stinky to her. And it’s samsoon’s decision, never ours or the moms… I’m not saying that blinddate guy has any problem, it’s more samsoon only had her eyes for samshik. You made it sound like girls have an obligation to fall for guys when they possess certain qualities and like us. He can be the thoughtful prettiest crown prince of the universe but we can still have a choice to care less.
@165 langdon813
I must rewatch TI…personally, I thought the series ended well( Maybe because I just finished MFL, so my expectation of a perfect ending was low). Oh heck, I will need any excuses to return to the Island/Park Kyu…
@117 lovenyc52 (sorry, I was sleepy and busy watching TI…but I like to reply to all my regular OT friends here as much as possible)
I’m glad that you had a good time at Rent….but sorry about the olfactory nuisance…could you imagine other people besides you guys, thinking that since you guys sat together,were friends…YUCK….I agree, those people stung more than one ways ( didn’t pay correctly and their b.o.)
That’s it, I’m jumping on the You’re Beautiful bandwagon!
@langdon
I totally agree about the buttermilk. My husband and friend thinks it’s the best fried chicken ever when I make them with buttermilk.
@samsooki
Cheating bf – most women would say that’s a no-no. I think the circumstance of the cheating may play a part in my decision though I’m afraid trust may become an issue later.
I just had the best “Thanksgiving” dinner ever: Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, Chinese noodles, Italian pesto pasta, French-Canadian poutine, Indian bread “roti”, fried masala-potatoes, accompanied with a glass of orange juice. Yum! It was the best home-cooked meal I’ve had in ages *grins*
I’ve found a few Drama City episodes, which aired way back. The ones I’ve been watching are the standard rom-com happy-ending-guaranteed episodes, but wow…. they’re really good! In one hour, they deem to hit all the grades with solid acting, and bringing a new freshness with the old cliches (the ones I watched had the “younger man/ older woman” plot in one, and the “landlady/tenant” cliche in the other). But the Younger Man was Park Ki Woong (positively adorable as a ‘playboy’ who has a tragic past!). The other Drama City episode had the ‘landlady’ as an ex-convict and the tenant as the detective who had arrested her in the past. Can I ’squeeeee’ any louder about this? It was wonderful!
~~
@ the MNIKSS topic
I’ve been lurking on the thread, checking a few times a day, just to read these posts. They’re so insightful and they’re bringing a new layer to my initial view of the drama!
~~
Happy Sunday ‘evening’, everyone!
@167 mookie
In case you missed it….I totally agreed with you (see # 148)….Samsooki….No, no, no to the nth degree to the cheating bf
@langdon813
Thanks for the fried chicken recipe, buttermilk eh? I will try it (although I might have a problem since I’m lactose intolerant, but then with my cholesterol prob, I shouldn’t eat the fried ck ,too)…oh he**….did I mention to you how much I looove fried green tomatoes???
@all fried chicken lovers (Samsooki) but who doesn’t want to injure themselves:
I would totally do @ockoala ’s way and go to the nearest korean store/ kfc/Churches etc, or if you want to do my “slightly” easier way:
2 pkgs of chicken drummets ( easy esp. for kids, very “finger” food)
1 teaspoon of salt
3/4 cup of flour
Clean chicken drummets thoroughly and let them dry
Dredge drummets with above mixture and fry in 1/2 inch of preheated oil in a TALL pot ( learned this from the accident to avoid splashing) in Medium heat
Since it’s drummets, cooking time for EACH SIDE is about 4-5 min.
Averaging about 10 pieces per pkg, 20 in total , and cooking 6-8 pieces at one time, and 8-10 minute each round x 3 , I made this Just the other night under 1 hour. Enjoy…
Optional dipping sauce ( from my grad school roommate)
1 stalk green onion(diced)
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 tsp of sugar
1 clove of garlic (minced)
1 small red chili pepper (finely chopped)
Mix well, and use with the fried chicken
Trust me,@ ockoala, being a working mom, most of my weekdays’ cooking time need to be under 2 hours. Stews from the scratch and most extensive cooking are on my days off…
@ langdon-unni
DO NOT read JB’s recap of Hong Gil Dong before watching. I will be here to talk with you about it afterwards.
@ cingdoc
That’s how my mom makes fried chicken drummets! She tosses it in a salt, pepper and green onion mixture, and it’s like crack when paired with beer. I’m still too lazy to make it myself, so I drive home with the grandchildren and tell her they want to eat it, and she makes it for us.
@ockoala
If you are from Gardena, this would have been the recipe of choice for most of my roommate’s neighbors ( according to her )…I modified the recipe as time went by. If your Mom “denies” you, I will volunteer for you and the little ockoala’s =)
Clarifications: the beverage of choice for the little ockoala’s is not beer, right?? jk
back in socal finally! this truly was a lazy/busy weekend haha. no drama watching AT ALL!!
so now the question is: do i start on You’re Beautiful now and join in all the discussions and at the same time, suffer the angst of waiting every week??… hell who am i kidding, the answer is yes. i’ll get to watch MNIKSS whilst i wait!! all the MNIKSS discussions have got me dying to continue it.
@cingdoc – haha thanks for the sympathy. even if they did smell to high heaven, it was such an awesome show and i got to meet anthony rapp after the show, so it was worth it
i’m so glad you enjoyed TI! Team Park Kyu all the way!! their chemistry is just so awesome huh? I really can’t wait until the 20-episode DVD set is out. must watch the unedited version to see what awesome parts they cut out of this wondrous show.
ok… waiting for 3 Rivers now.. haha. we’ll see if it’s improved this 2nd episode.
Oh God. I was right to be scared. So right. Glad I wasn’t spoiled. I don’t know if I can watch any more tonight. My heart is broken.
I would like to nominate my hubby for Hubby for the week-
Since he knew that I didn’t sleep much last nite when the teenagers had more girls over for a sleepover (which consisted of NO sleep), and I had to take care of the girls(ok, tweens), he left me alone to my kdrama (You’re beautiful) and volunteered to get my favorite take out dinner on a cold Fall nite- pho!!!! lots of xxoo for him
sidenote- one of my patient told me that there’s a pho restaurant in the Seattle area named – What the Pho? ( have to enunciated correctly to get the joke)
^lovenyc: very good plan!!
*hugs* cingdoc. Seriously, I’m all for rapist=castration/bodily harm to ensure it’s 100% no chance of…, cheater=exile to irredeemable doucheland. falling in love with another person or more than 1 person at a time, I have more empathy towards, the whole falling part is not nec humanly controllable. Having ur love falling for someone else is hard enough to bear, but the dagger’s always been the cover-ups and lies involved if he/she is cheating on u. If u choose to be with a cheater, just do not expect an honest, trustworthy relationship, whatever rocks your boat, I guess that must work for some peeps. Consider opportunity cost, investing, gambling more time on a cheater rob u the sanity of being happily single or all the excitement of hot samshik(s) coming your way.
Arghh!!! all u masterful cooks! *envy* (cingdoc, langdon, please adopt me….)I went to get us some Korean fried chicken (kekeke only 15 min drive away…) I’m not good at following recipes, lousiest baker on earth because the geek in me need to understand y 1/3 tsp of baking soda not powder and y both?!, and y not 1/4?!”?! … then I’ll always end up reading up on the science behind all the gluten…and the liquid:? ratio…..and lost interest in mixing up the batter. I’m the #1fangirl of Christopher Kimball though. Cooking is my fav spectator sport.
my fam is a gen ‘ahead’ of ockoala. My mom pulled that trick all the time, eating at granny’s. She never cooks…I have a crippling disability in that dept, so my roomies can all cook, now hubby cooks. I’m a terrific dishwasher loader ( me so proud)
Your hubby is such a sweetheart! Mine is catchin up on his Law and Order/CSI Miami and I’m the one driving out to get fried chicken…
@mookie
lol…sweetheart,while I totally agree with you, the christian part of me has to disagree with your method of castration…he he…the other part of me,though, would not hesistate for a nana second if I was in a jury panel and would sentence the pervert to above mentioned punishments.
Are you a So Cal too? You can join us next year when we get together with langdon813 when she comes out to So Cal…
I am watching “You’re beautiful”…..very good so far….perhaps the title can be edited to “You’re beautiful and funny and good eye candy” he he…
@langdon
When the group appeared in all white, you know what was the first thing on my mind- PARK KYU….OMG can’t get him off my mind!!!!
^ *sob* I’m in Norcal, cingdoc noona…..And I’m beyond curious with 85C. I was there twice now, both times on the way to weddings..ie. the wkend and short on time. The end of the line: IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT?! Tell me what to do, anything. to get sth there in 30 min?! I can bribe or give out free ‘painfree’ flu shots to my comrades in line with me..
sigh…I think I’ll have to give up on some dudes. Sunday, stuck at work, sensing my pms hours away, I was dragging sth to the lab, passed by 3 ‘coworkers’ or dudes I say hi/bye with, who speak my mother tongue…and growl when I don’t speak it in front of them (even when others r around). I cater, no big deal. So me laboring this heavy thing half my wt, 3 dudes chitchating down the corridor, I say hi, they say hi.
Dude 1: o that looks heavy.
Me: *squeeze a smile* (Duh…)
Dude 2: are you going to help her?
Dude 1: er…no, what if my work insurance don’t cover if I hurt myself.
Dude 3: smart, man!
Dude 2: I was not going to help anyways lolz
mook: ……
I do not really need the help, and I’m totally fine with the not helping. But I don’t like hearing about how much a blip u r, dude!
I’m officially changing my username to GLUTTONFORPUNISHMENT.
So apparently I DID have it in me to watch one more episode…and (of course) it was the death scene and goodbye scene and OMG, PLEASE KILL ME NOW.
Kang Ji-hwan is seriously one of the best actors on this planet. And who is the man playing his father? He’s right up there with KJH. Simply unbelievable. When I thought I couldn’t possibly have any more tears left in me after ROI, Tamra, MiSa…along comes HGD to prove me wrong, so very wrong.
I took a break after Ep 19 to clean the kitchen. Unloaded the dishwasher…sobbing. Rinsed the dirty dishes…sobbing. Reloaded the dishwasher…sobbing. Let the cat out…not sobbing, but still crying. Decided what the hell and watched Ep 20. More (much more) sobbing and a trashcan full of Kleenex. Do I look as pretty crying as Sung Yuri does? Rest assured, I do not.
I feel like I have a code in my nodes.
Sniff.
@ cingdoc…Okay, that made me laugh. The boy band in all white making you think of Park Kyu! Tamra disease…it’s hard to cure, isn’t it? Almost as bad as City Hallitus.
I’m SO glad you’re watching You’re Beautiful!!
@ langdon-unni
Sh*t, you’re only on episode 20 of HGD and you’ve cried through every household chore tonight? I don’t know what to say, except, KJH amazes, amazes some more, throw glittery dazzling dust on you until you can’t blink, and all you can do is gaze at his magnificent emotiveness. All perfectly appropriate for whatever scene, and completely heartfelt and genuine. He turns on a dime, I tell you.
All I can say is, enjoy the final turn of the ride, sister, and let me know when you come to the end and whether you need some help getting off. I sat on the ride for days and days afterwards, until they took a plier and pried me off it, HGD is jsut that glorious for me.
@ mookie
85 degrees c, do what I do, which is arrive at 8 a.m. on weekends with my babies to enjoy breakfast, and buy pastries for the rest of the week. Line is only 10 deep, and you’re in and out in 5 minutes, not bad. BTW, I don’t do it because I want to, I do it cuz the ockoala babies wake up at 6 a.m. screaming for food, like little baby birds squawking. I have to forage for food at ungodly hours for them. Upside, I hardly ever experience the 85 degree c line of terror. I hear it strikes fear into people pulling into the parking lot.
I also take orders for friends, and buy for them on my early morning trips, and then they come by, pay homage and an offering to me, and get their bread.
@ cingdoc
I think my mom says her recipe is Taiwanese in origin, but honestly, after hanging out with y’all, I’d say half the recipes punting around Asia pretty much don’t much have an ethinic origin anymore, and are just delicious food for the soul – like k-dramas.
One thing is for sure…I’m going to have to put in a LOT of treadmill time before I come to SoCal next year. Y’all are making me so hungry, sounds like I’m going to do nothing but eat the entire time I’m there! And I really have no problem with that.
That, plus smooching on the ockoala babies if they’ll let me!
Off to bed! I lub you guys!
@mookie
I knew I love you for a reason; I’m a Nor Cal transplant ( 24 & 680)…and sure, I already have 2 girls, what is one more….he he
85 c- well, that’s more ockoala’s territory. I live in the So Cal boonies, so I only go to OC and Asian hangouts on the weekends (more so in the Summer time). I have a very impatient 3rd generation banana hubby (you know what that means, right?); if the line in the dim sum place is long, we are definitely NOT waiting. That’s why I was thrilled 3 weeks ago, in order to cheer me up after I’ve heard about my cousin and was moping around, he took me there-even didn’t complain once while we waited for 45 min. (Don’t tell him, but he’s a keeper- he**, what am I saying, we’ve been together for 23+ years)
@ockoala
I was laughing the whole time while I was reading your post…I think I need to babysit your lil ockoala’s so that you can rest/ watch k drama in peace…I’m ready for grandkids ( as long as it’s not from my 16 y o- YIKES), so I will practice with yours,ok?
@langdon
poor thing…if you feel too sad, rewatch u r beautiful…OMG, I can’t keep myself laughing out loud…even hubby has to come and stop me, but…he joins me lol when he saw the ummm, “glowing” balls….he he
@115 kdxmel:
Agree with you on “Love is all about timing, isn’t it?” If I remember right, back in the nights of ‘Sex And The City”, one of the girls likened getting hitched to flagging a taxi. When it’s available and you’re looking, then that’s good timing.
And “available” does not only mean un-attached; it also means ready to get into a serious relationship. A great love of your life may have come at a time when you’re not ready to settle, so you might miss out on that.
I so loved MNIKSS, that was my first k-drama and what a choice to get into k-drama addiction! I introduced my girlfriends to k-drama and it was MNIKSS that I recommended; of course they loved it to bits.
@alodia
Long lost twin sister? Yes! LOL, like you I’ve been stuck in CH for weeks now, nothing else even compares…but mnikss is one of the first korean dramas I’ve watched and seeing all the discussion here reminded me of what made me love that show so much. KSA (she’s such a fiesty spirit, ain’t she? strong and resilient, mature but never forgets how to have fun), great character development( even the ex-gf matured in the end, i also loved how Daniel’s character “got” the girl in the end. so it seems persistence DOES work sometimes in dramas, huh?) Ahh I could go on and on but my paragraph is turning out too long again!!!
—
I’m watching You’re Beautiful for the 2nd time, this time with subs (previously watched it with JB’s recaps). Like many here I can’t stand the thought of waiting for weekly eps but I think this is gonna be worth it!!! The emotional attachment isn’t strong yet (not like CH, i can’t ever imagine having to go through what the CHallers went through) so for now I’m actually HAPPY to be WAITING for next week’s ep. Kindda like, something to look forward to, in a positive sort of way!!
@149 alodia
My first time to see you post.
Let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for CH and WIAN subs.
Like I said in my post above, MNIKSS is my first k-drama and that turned me into a KSA fan.
I did enjoy WIAN and loved, loved, loved CH.
Cheers!
Thanks for the tip, ockoala! *sigh* 8am wkend is not doable for me when I’m on vacation in Socal…. my bud lives 2 hours fr OC (sans traffic). and it’s too much to ask her to get some ready for me when I visit her.
Maybe it’s a mixed blessing then, I could not try it out, so I won’t love them like your ockoala babies and crave.
@cingdoc unni, I’m strange, I miss the fog when I used to complain constantly living near the beach. I’m technically a Midwest transplant, so living quite far fr SF now (when I do have SUNLIGHT)is actually closer to ‘home’.
lolz I have a banana hubby, he’s not really by birth, but the scorn I got fr my chinese friends when he told them he loves Panda Express …I was not fast enough to shush him. I said, ‘wei, his wifey is moi, the girl whom you pranked like telling me putting water with washed rice in rice cooker will result in congee/juk and I believed….. Panda Express is heaven sent.’ I mean there’s nth wrong with PE, but when my mominlaw saw my back cupboardful of shirakiku microwavable rice. I saw fr the despair in her eyes that she had mentally disowned me. (my mom eyes glowed when she saw such a great invention…of coz)
@ sleeplessinwgtn
“A great love of your life may have come at a time when you’re not ready to settle, so you might miss out on that.”
Yes! Agree, agree. Another reason why i love mnikss so much is that it really explored the idea of “timing” when it comes to relationships. I kept wondering as i was watching it, if the ex-gf had come back earlier, and she and HB had gotten back together, and therefore had more time to get “settled in” their rekindled relationship, would the appearence of KSS have swayed HB? I would like to say No. HB would have been a happy bf at that time, his mental state of mind would not have been in turmoil thus allowing KSS to seep in…
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I would like to join sleeplessinwgtn and thank Alodia for her hard work in subbing CH and wian too! You made it possible for people like us to enjoy what is possibly the greatest story ever told. Thank you!
@188 kdxmel –
if the ex-gf had come back earlier, and she and HB had gotten back together, and therefore had more time to get “settled in” their rekindled relationship, would the appearence of KSS have swayed HB? I would like to say No. HB would have been a happy bf at that time, his mental state of mind would not have been in turmoil thus allowing KSS to seep in.
That’s an excellent point.
I would agree, HB would have stayed with JRW. And Samsoon would have gone with blind-date guy, probably. And I’m not sure if that result would have been so bad. Samsoon and Jin-Heon (aka Samshik aka “heonnie”) would have been happy in their ignorance, no?
I guess my point is that we all make do with what our circumstances allow. Substitute “fate” or “destiny” for circumstances, if you wish, but the bottom line is that whatever our end result, how we got to where we are now, that’s all we have and so we have to believe that what has happened (and what will happen) will be for the best.
Now, that’s sort of cynical, but on the other hand, honestly, I DO believe that “true” love happens. It is just that I do not believe it happens for everyone in every case, nor does it always have to happen, and sometimes it happens more than once for the same person. Is it random or ordained or manufactured… well, I’m not that smart to know the answer to that one…
@187 mookie
You should count your blessings…As stated before, my mom is as old fashioned as it gets when it comes to housewife -EVENTHOUGH she herself was a working mom before the trend was “in”. Since she used to cook as soon as she comes home, every day, she is totally in shock when she saw my hubby helped me (dishes duty) after I have done dinner. Needless to say, her visits to my house stress me out!!! My mother-in-law has gone for a while already, but she was cool. She was actually happy that her son got a “Chinese” wife- a professional who works, and does houseworks. As for my 2 girls, well, that’s another story- the oldest one could only make ramen, but doing great in school. The younger one ,besides doing well in school ,also loves to cook and bake…BUT, never cleans up afterward. I usually do not push the issues…I often feel sorry for them -the amount of homeworks nowadays- the testings, the test preps etc, is really quite a lot for such a young age. But what to do, these are the necessary evils that kids have to do in order to go to decent universities (like UC’s). ***sigh**
@samsooki
I’m with you on that – I don’t think either alternative pairing would have been bad at all (Samshik and JRW, Samsoon and blind-date guy). I absolutely agree that both pairs would have been happy in their ignorance. You’re not being cynical at all. To me, true love is what you make of it. I mean, I believe either pair would have made it work easily, and in this alternate universe, Samsoon would have seen the blind-date guy as her true love, and Samshik too, would have, actually, ALWAYS have, seen JRW as his.
Okay, this is it…the home stretch for me and Hong Gil Dong. Ran out of Kleenex last night but got a couple of rolls of TP handy (tmi? hehe).
Technically I’m still at work, so let’s hope Ep 21 doesn’t kick my butt like 19 and 20 did.
Let the handholding begin now…wish me luck!
mianneh, bear with me….
@kdxmel, you have good points, BUT…. in that alternate universe, the ppl there will no longer be our samsoon or our Jin Hoon There will no longer be mnikss, we’ll have a chaebol having a long time gf, and a 30yo marrying a nice guy she met on a blinddate…and none of us will still be crazy about that drama all these years.
JH (aka samshik) and HJ: they did not really know each other and their relationship as well as they thought. A big flight of fancy in MNIKSS was the HJ vanishing act. I lost many debates with my gfs as to how that was realistic. It was not, esp the silly notion he could not take it that she was very ill and thus she had to get out of his sight, the without a word part, and EXPECTED he would be finnee with it 3 yrs later. HJ was written well, but when we girls/boys put ourselves in her shoes, would we just do EXACTLY as order per President Na? and did not even think of sending an encrypted email or call fr a phone booth and just say ‘muak’?….and do anything to contact JH for 3 LONG yrs..+ she may die tmr?!?! I just do not know how it’s possible to live thro the yrs, going thro what she did and did not once miss JH to the point she’ll go the heck with President Na. If she was just gone for 3 days…I’ll go along, but for anybody who’s really been in a long distance relationship, the no contact for 3 yrs part is as unrealistic as it gets. My pt is when we met HJ, she was still naive and unrealistic in relationships, whereas our JH has grown. They could still be tog if we scratched out that whole3 yr part… but my gut is telling me even if there were no bumps, they would have grew apart. I’m the cynical one, I really don’t think any relationship is ‘easy’. And thinking it is ‘easy’ was exactly HJ’s mistake in ‘having faith’ in their relationship. It’s nth to do with true love or not, which I think they are and I do agree we can have as many true loves in our lives… but it’s just the reality catching up on them. The same is true with samsoon and samshik, and that’s y the ending is PERFECT.
But even for 3 days… if our JH knew of how HJ ‘conspired’ with President Na for his ‘good’… he would bear a grudge. He’s been fighting his battles with his mom who can be conniving and ruthless. If his girl was so naive (or dumb) to be manipulated by his mommy dearest. It’s a big turn off. Then there’s the trust…she’s kept sth major fr him, and in a way she did not have faith/trust in him to have the strength to get thro it all with her.
The blind date guy…true, it would be fine for the samsoon then. but what’s connected all of us with samsoon is how we can live thro her, facing all the issues faced by a 30 yo. She’s at the point she still dreams, but she also conforms, she has established her own bearings/identity, but she has doubts and still growing. When she met the blinddate guy, she’s still recovering fr the relationship with her ex, has pressures to get married and she is willing to settle with (any)one she is comfortable with. Falling in love, at that moment was a fantasy she’s given up. Yes, we saw her having a good time with the guy, but mins in, she’s already thinking of marriage. Yet, when venting out on samshik later on, I saw her missing a potential, but she did not refer to his name once, she thought he was her last resort she just want to hold on. Thro out the drama, we didnt see samsoon missing the guy, if he happened to be around, sure she’s open for a date or so, but being comfortable with him or he’s hubby material… was no longer good enough for the later samsoon. In a way she’s not unlike samshik when they met, looking for love was the last thing on her list, she’s still raw fr the hurt. She thought she can do without it and just find a guy to marry, but that’s not true. With the juxtaposition of samshik and blinddate guy, we know our samsoon can’t, never settle.
@193 mookie –
Wait.
Are you saying that…. if Samshik dumps Samsoonie at the end, or they “mutually” separate, because Samshik cannot get permission to marry from his mother, and Samsoonie’s mother can’t just sit still and watch her daughter be looked down upon by another family, then you think that Samsoonie wouldn’t develop the capacity to love another, say, like blind date guy?
Why does Samshik have the ability to develop and have a heart big enough to love Samsoonie, but Samsoonie can’t change and develop to love blind date guy?
It wouldn’t be settling, at that point. Who knows, maybe blind date guy is really really awesome too….
@ mookie and Samsooki
“With the juxtaposition of samshik and blinddate guy, we know our samsoon can’t, never settle”
I disagree that “blind date guy” represents settling at all. BDG represents the unknown, just like the ending of MNIKSS represents the unknown. Love, finding love, finding love again, does not end at 30, 40, 50, 60 or even 70. While the 16 episodes we spent with Sam-soon and Sam-shik convinces us that they genuinely love each other at that time, and for a period of time, they may get married and have fat babies or they may break up.
I see the presence of BDG throughout the drama as representing the possibility that when one relationship doesn’t work out, another one may be out there. He’s the physical manifestation of the adage that there may be love when you least expect it. We may think BDG represents settling because, well, compared to Sam-shik, he’s not as cute, as rich, or on the surface as compatible with Sam-soon. But remember, other than a few short encounters with Sam-soon, we don’t know ANYTHING about BDG, or about how Sam-soon and his relationship may play out. Granted, I never want to find out, because I want SS-SS to remain together forever. But I love the “realistic” elements thrown into MNIKSS to remind me that this drama isn’t about fairytale endings.
BTW, I LOVE the discussion about how if SS-SS met at a different time, either before HJ left, or after HJ had returned for a period of time, then their relationship might never have developed. I completely agree. It might still have happened, but chances are, both would never have had the opportunities to bond and bicker and feel this unwarranted attraction to each other. Love is like this, it’s sometimes very opportunistic. And real.
This OT is the first time there has been such a long discussion about MNIKSS, and I think it’s long overdue, because that was one drama after I watched, I had all these questions, thoughts, and more questions – much of which we are endeavoring to flesh out here.
May I?
I tend to agree with mookie that once trust has been broken/deteriorated, it’s so hard to build and mend. So I think Samshik and JH would have had a hard time being in a relationship – the past would be rehashed whenever they fight, and only patience and very true love from both sides can heal wounded hearts. So even if there wasn’t Samsoon, Samshik would probably end up leaving JH…just don’t know how long it takes him to realize the love between JH and him isn’t what he wants.
Likewise, Samsoon can not go back to ex-bf – too much bad history and personality/life-style differences. However, her possibility of falling in love with Blind-date guy, if Samshik had not intervened, could have been great. Afterall, accepting something/someone new without preconditions/history is usually easier emotionally.
I absolutely adore KSA, she made MNIKSS completely unforgetable and enjoyable. And she’s such a hoot in real life too. Bian – fangirling here.
MNIKSS is great. No argument from me! But as far as we know, they’re together and happy and getting nosebleeds on a regular basis.
But what about the poor wretched insane King?
What about the fake sword (!) and poor misguided Chang Whe?
What about poor Yinok and her stupid pretty clothes and stupid pretty hair ornaments and no red-bean buns anywhere in sight?
What about poor Hong Gil Dong, who (sob!) knew all along what “I LUB YOU” meant?
Moving right along…Ep 22 awaits.
I have a lot of mixed feelings.
Sometimes I feel like Samsoon is the immature one and Jin-Heon is the mature one. But then other times, I think Jin-Heon is the immature one and Samsoon is the adult.
But they are in such different positions, you cannot compare them. Being a single 30-y/o woman in Korea, with an inconsequential family background and not much education (no college), is worlds worlds worlds worlds away from being a single 27-y/o man who graduated college is from a very wealthy family.
The fact that Samshik likes Samsoon a lot is almost irrelevant with respect to Samshik’s mom. The point is not who you like, but who would you marry. And Samshik will not be able to marry Samsoon because Samsoon is not of Samshik’s socio-economic-familial class.
And from Samsoon’s mom’s POV, again, the issue isn’t who you do like, but who can you marry. And Samsoon’s mom knows that even if they do get married, Samsoon’s problems won’t be over, but she will fight that battle (of being looked down upon) every day for the rest of her life.
The first like 10 times I watched MNIKSS, I really was so happy that they got together. But then, the next like 10 times I watched it, I sort of began to feel uneasy, because Samsoon is either thumbing her nose at convention / Samshik’s family, or, she is willing to suffer through a lifelong series of humiliations just to be with Samshik.
And Samshik-ah, dude, you don’t get how much Samsoonie’s life will be difficult EVEN IF you guys get married? Do you think everybody will suddenly accept her and then be nice? Don’t you know that you will be fighting the same battles as Samsoonie, but now, either you are going against your family, or going against your wife?
Now, when I watch MNIKSS, I watch with the blind hope that Jin-Heon’s mom will have a 3 ghosts of Christmas’ ala Christmas Carol moment and then love Samsoonie the way that Jin-Heon does, and they can all be one happy family. Because if not, then I think that Samsoonie’s older sister should beat some sense into Samsoon and get her to marry the blind date guy.
@197 langdon813
In about an episode (ep 23), you are about to reach one of the all-time, no questions from me, all-time greatest scenes ever by an insane king. The monologue scene by the cherry tree is so great – probably in my top 3 dramatic scenes of the whole drama. Can’t wait for you to watch!
the pt is, samsoonie did not even think of the word love with blinddate guy. Sure if samsoonsamshik broke up, who can predict what the future curtails? But I think with samsoon picking samshik, she’s so ready to love like there’s no tmr with this dude, she no longer clung onto the notion she has to conform to the social norm of getting married, which u insisted that’s what her ultimate goal in life should be, I disagree vehemently. she’s sooooooooo ready to make babies with samshik out of wedlock, rem? Her priorities shifted, now she cant live without being in love with samshik, if she has to sacrifice everything for it, she’s still willingly going into it with no regrets.
I do not think love is developed based on having a ‘big enough a heart’. To look at it selfishly, we want to be in love because that is the only way we can be happy atm, we do not love because we want to make other parties happy, coz ultimately we’ll get to the point that we cant be happy UNLESS that person is happy. Love is unpredictable, it can be a selfish beast, it is irrational, it can be ugly, and it also can be soo many awesome pretty things. samsoonie knows of it all, is opening her arms to take in the good, bad, ugly in the name of love. I do not think falling in love = u developed a bigger heart, esp in the case of samshik. He’s always had a capacity of love, he loved HJ…he did try to savage their relationship, but what they had, dissipated with the cruelty of time and circumstances. I regard what samshik was going thro with HJ and samsoon as… samsoon crept into his mind, without him putting effort in making that happen (on the contrary, he tried his mightiest to NOT have her in any part near him, let alone his heart…) so, she occupied what’s left vacant by HJ (she’s moved into the cherished memory dept of JH) and the greatness of mnikss was, we were intricately shown how bits by bits fr scene to scene samsoon was creeping in his stubborn head, occupying a larger part till the blockhead of samshik finally got it that she’s there to stay. It’s like we have a finite space in our heart left for that special irreplaceable someone, if it’s done occupied, there’s no room for anyone else no matter how super…. that’s what I got fr mnikss.
You know, I have enough faith in those 2 that the Pr.Na thing will not matter in their eyes, they may pop out some babies, and get married in Vegas… or not marry at all. They r daring like that. If they break up in the future it would be on their own terms, samshik can still be a butthead and childish and he has not really fully grown a complete sensitivity chip. His communication skills r not stellar… but it is servicable with samsoon, but she might not be able to stand him down the road, or vice versa… but I doubt these 2 rebels at heart will give Pr Na more than a shrug. Samsoon’s mom is a softy, and a fangirl of Hyunbin (only a true fangirl gushes at his eyelashes), her only weapon is her handbag (and salt?!) Samshik head would be hard enough to take blows thro the years of training taking hits on the upside of his head fr samsoon alone (which he so deserved)
The reality is, samsoon thought of blinddate guy as a potential for marriage and sadly nth more than nuisance she can step all over at the end, and in the beginning @ the blinddate, she has to be practical, checking off the checklist of ‘how to spot a nice guy’ yet in turn shut down her heart. The ‘falling’ of the falling in love part just intrinsically meant u can’t be practically checking off lists at the same time. She may develop some affection for him since he maybe good for her if Samshik was out of the picture, but they will not have what she’s had with samshik. Just as samsoon loved her ex, what she had with him was not the same as well. Think about the time samsoon spent with the blinddate guy, she’s not without guards, she was in a kind, timid voice, calm and collected, smiled without showing her teeth, she was all nonchalant talking about bumping into him when sis was all excited…still thinking of the first cake order as she’s walking towards her date, she was Kim HeeJin, not waken to the fact that she could be so much more with being in her own skin as Kim SamSoon… she’s not her complete in your face samsoonie who will pinch up her voice a la Pr.Na in one nanosecond and spun out a storm out of her mouth. She will crack out roaring laughs in the hysterics… she will be a clingy 15 yo gloating o so innocently just coz she’s sipping fr the same straw as her honey. Frankly imo the blinddate guy was kind bleh, his behavior was the same as a pushover.. (he just stood there, gave out a sigh of ‘o well..’ while samsoon walked off the movie with samshik… and how puffing mad samshik’s laser glare at the poor dude. U know, this is the godzillion time this has happend, it’s to a point a man (in kdramaland) would physically fight (repeatedly punch samshik in his gorgeous smoldering face) for a woman he’s interested in. he’ll just let samsoon be, so she may still stay insecure in many things, she wont get the slap on her head that she nevere needed those tummy tuckers..and slowly bored to tears in their marriage. Whereas samshik forcefully stimulated a new confidence in Samsoon, he made her so much more sure of her real self, he made her love herself for what she truly is.
And selfishly, I don’t want my samsoonie to change and develop whatever to accommodate a guy. She did that for her ex, she did not have to change herself for love to happen.. as we can see with samshik.
Why do we get married, ideally we marry a irreplaceable person we can’t imagine living the rest of our lives without. What made someone irreplaceable though? seldom is it a list of fine qualities, but the exp we shared tog. The growth and transformation exp by samsoon and samshik with each other was irreplaceable. That’s y the blinddate guy can only be wallflower. He can be a perfect candidate for my future daughter I must say, but just not with our samsoon.
@ 199 Samsooki
“The monologue scene by the cherry tree is so great – probably in my top 3 dramatic scenes of the whole drama”
I agree – FYI, the crazy King in HGD is an altogether different beast that the crazy King in Illjimae. I have sympathy for one and not the other. Crazy Kings are not all a dime a dozen.
I don’t want to say more on the last few episodes of HGD, until after langdon finishes. I lub you all so much, too!
samshiki, what u point out is very realistic considering marriage…
but when I’m watching mnikss, I should say fangirling over mnikss, I let myself step a foot in fantasyland… I don’t let all that socio-economical stresses weigh in much.
Me and all girls and kids and men love cakes.. samsoon is a very talented patisserie, at the end of mnikss, she’s just starting out…. in couple years, she may be a VERY successful sassy filthy rich entrepreneur in commercials for AE.
samshik’s family… is nowhere near say EoE’s complexities, he’s the heir apparent of his mom. When she steps down, he can do whatever his heart desires and he’s never those follow the dots, join the lines kinda chaebol. If he cared about his status, reputation in the bigger society, he would not act like a sour puss to all those dates and shied fr any social events. Seriously samshik and samsoon will plug themselves to LV where he’ll be smirking, showing off curvy samsoon to all the ‘monguls’ with identical trophy wives attached.
And, first run, I don’t care for what the future holds for them at all, I don’t need them to be happily ever after for me to be more than satisfied. They love each other. Even if the next moment after the kiss Samshik said sth super moronic (totally possible) and samsoon kicked him down the stairs…. and he died.. I’m still contented they have loved.
That’s y I tortured myself watching April Bride and still cry buckets yet left satisfied.
Sorry Langdon, I stopped watching HGD 2 eps in, and I didnt feel the urge. Watching drama is opportunistic as well. I do feel your heartache watching the last couple eps. hang in there! Iris is knocking!!!!
@ mookie
Good points! Clearly you’ve really thought about MNIKSS. I’ll just have to agree to disagree with you. Your observations on BDG is all spot on, but we’ve only seen superficial glimpses of BDG, plus more importantly, BDG to me represents the possibility, the existence of a happy future for our beloved Sam-soon should she and Sam-shik not work out (what if he gets mowed down by a car, and she’s left alone, and SS is no longer the best option).
While normally I NEVER think about these issues when I’m done with dramas (together, happy, check, ockoala happy as well and moving on to next drama), MNIKSS challenges the viewers to form their own outcomes, opinions, while positing alterntive views. But always stressing how our heroine is and will be fine in living her life to the fullest. I see BDG as what he has always represented – a possible option for SS, maybe worse, maybe the same, maybe better, than Sam-shik for Sam-soon. We’ll never know.
SS-SS h-waiting! MNIKSS is so awesome!
Speaking of casting perfectly (strip aside good/bad acting by the actor), I wonder how often shows become bad or is a shade from becoming awesome because of weird casting logic – which seem to be happening rather frequently.
Been thinking: How the heck is Bae Soo-bin the same dude, even after full face/off surgery, as Han Sang-jin? (I guess I must swallow the same pill as the one taken to believe that Nic Cage is John Travolta post-surgery…..)
And how is Go Hyung-jung the MOTHER of a full grown dude (that chicken loving Bidam I’ve been hearing about).
And my baby Jang Geun-soek as Chang-whe, when he’s up against Kang Ji-hwan AND crazy King! – his voice, purrfect, his baby-face plotting a revolt – I just want to stick in back in school, or a boy band.
I’m not thinking along the lines of Gu Hye-sun as Jan-di, who I believe was perfectly cast, but she proceeded to regress in her talent and overact, not what I expected. But casting Kim Bum as a mixed-martial arts fighter – epic miscast, even with Bummie’s million and one cute facial expressions.
Just pondering…..I’m sure y’all have many more weird casting choices to share.
@mnikss
Since we are having such a forum about MNIKSS, I’m rewatching it with a different POV (have to do something while I’m waiting for You’re beautiful **sigh*).
I just finished epi 1 , and I’ve already notice something that I didn’t in the past 6 viewing- that JH already attracted to Samsoon while SS gave her speech about the box of chocolate( at the job interview).
With a new sense of observation (possibly after reading all these postings), I noticed the dynamics between these 2. In the initial encounter, I think JH just thought of SS as a crazy woman ( first in the men’s room, then at his mom’s hotel bakery kitchen)…oh was he wrong. Of course, he discovered the crazy woman could really bake (while he was cleaning the mango mousse off his face), and then when he listens to SS’s intelligent, heart warming speech about her passion for baking, I honestly see, right in front of me, that JH had a “wow, this woman is something else moment”.
I think , to JH, Samsoon is someone he actually wants (not knowing at first). I mean we all know that SS did not fit in the “norms”- socioeconomic, model like figure, education level- none of that. But to JH , that’s boring, not stimulating (emotional and attractiveness). He knows he can get that easily ( look at all his blind dates his mom set him up with), and of course Hee Jin. No, I think the man has grown up and wants something better; someone that would not kowtow to him, his mom, his social circle, and stiil love him unconditionally, whether he is rich or not, AND help him to be a better person (emotionally). As I stated before, I love MNIKSS not for the perfect ending, but the fact that both SS and JH grew , and that they decided on their own terms how they will be together. I think this way, if and when they do part ways, there will be no regrets( for them nor the viewers, like us )
I finished Hong Gil Dong. Thank you a thousand times over to Samsooki, ockoala, hjkomo, and countless others who recommended this so highly and so often.
The only thing I can think of to compare this feeling to is a scene from As Good As It Gets, where Melvin tells Carol (paraphrasing) that she’s the greatest woman on Earth, and maybe other people don’t know that about her, but the fact that he does makes him feel really good about himself. That’s how I feel right now.
The difference is that here there are many people who DO get it, and don’t think I’m crazy for sitting in front of my computer crying my eyes out, and who understand exactly why I feel so grateful that I devoted 24 hours of my life to something this profound.
Hong Gil Dong is as good as it gets.
@ langdon
Amen, sister. Just let it sink it and savor the journey, and let’s send off Hwal Bin Dang well. I still can’t re-watch episode 24……. I’m sure you have lots to say, but perhaps not saying much is saying everything when it comes to HGD. I couldn’t quite shove the DVD in my sister DVD player fast enough, and sit her down to watch it.
@ ockoala
That’s exactly it. I feel like anything I say wouldn’t be worthy; it couldn’t even come close to doing it justice. I just know that I’ll carry it with me for a really long time. Probably forever.
Wonder how long it will be before the tears stop leaking out of my eyes? I think I’m done, but then I see a heartbreakingly lucid King accept his fate under the cherry blossom tree, or hear Chang Whe say “I wanted to let them see spring”; or Yeon tell Gomi to keep laughing…and Gil Dong and Yinok holding hands while flaming arrows that look like shooting stars hover in the air above them.
I think it’s going to take a while.
ok just had to pop in and say i decided to start You’re Beautiful today! only halfway through the first episode and i’m already hooked. it’s fun and funny and cute! the a.n.jell members are perfectly cast! hongki is adorably bubbly, geun suk is darkly angsty, yong hwa is mellow and level-headed and shin hye is SO EFFIN CUTE!
confused and adorable. i haven’t seen her in anything since tree of heaven so it’ll be nice to see her not crying every 3 minutes *keeping fingers crossed on that one*
i’m not a fan of FT Island (indifferent to them), but i smile everytime i see hongki already. kid is so… HAPPY!
and i’m back. finished the first 2 episodes of You’re Beautiful as well as read JB’s awesome recaps. This show is definitely a keeper so far. Can’t wait for this week’s episodes. I understand it’s up against IRIS starting this week huh??
Woah, it’s Tuesday yet the OT is still so lively…
I’m printing this page so that I can read this on my way to work. ^^
#158 Samsooki
ALODIA! *hugs*
Before you go, what is your take on MNIKSS cheating ex-bf?
—> SAMSOOKI!!! *waves* You just threw me under the bus there! lol
All these years I’ve just been reading discussion about MNIKSS and never have i expressed my thoughts (other than squeals of delight and hands-down praises for KSA) in words. I’m really bad with words – specially for something i truly truly like…
Plus i think you’re asking the wrong person… for someone who’s never been in love / never been in a relationship, what could be my take on a cheating ex-bf???
i’ll try tomorrow, let me read the new additions. ^^
#160 ockoala
My recipe for great korean fried chicken – step 1: grab purse, step 2: get into car, step 3: start the ignition, step 4: get on the road, step 5: drive to the nearest Kyochon, step 6: order the fried chicken, step 7: voila, best k-fried chicken ever!
—> Thanks for the recipe! Really helpful and useful since I’m practically helpless in the kitchen (i can only cook 2 dishes kimchi bokeumbap and pesto pasta lol)
Oh and my mom loves Fated to Love You so much that she keeps on pestering me to watch it (don’t have time, got a long list of K-dramas to watch). Qiao En Chen is the only actress she likes ASIDE from Kim Sun Ah.
#185 kdxmel
@alodia
Long lost twin sister? Yes! LOL, like you I’ve been stuck in CH for weeks now, nothing else even compares…but mnikss is one of the first korean dramas I’ve watched and seeing all the discussion here reminded me of what made me love that show so much.
—> Sis! lol
been stuck with CH for months and was stuck with MNIKSS for years. and i now just realized that re-watching MNIKSS while still trapped on my CH world is not a very good idea. Putting MNIKSS Disc 1 on my DVD player is as exciting as meeting your first love again… Now that I’m halfway through MNIKSS my heart is fluttering yet it still beats for CH… I’m officially going CRAZY!
I would like to join sleeplessinwgtn and thank Alodia for her hard work in subbing CH and wian too! You made it possible for people like us to enjoy what is possibly the greatest story ever told. Thank you!
—> the pleasure is mine… ha! anything for KSA. *^^*
#186 sleeplessinwgtn
@149 alodia
My first time to see you post.
Let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for CH and WIAN subs.
Like I said in my post above, MNIKSS is my first k-drama and that turned me into a KSA fan.
I did enjoy WIAN and loved, loved, loved CH.
Cheers!
—> Hi! I remember you from BON’s blog and your posts there always makes my day. I’m a big lurker here, you can only see me post if KSA is mentioned – and recently on some older OT’s invaded by Cityhallers and of course on Samsooki’s CH recaps. And then now because of the unexpected MNIKSS discussion.
You’re most welcome and again, the pleasure is mine. I’m thankful to BON as well and all the wonderful wonderful WIAN and CH Team for making the subs possible – of course our dear Samsooki included.
And I did enjoy WIAN and I could go on and rave about it all day long AMONG KSA FANS (lol) and my subbing experience with WIAN is somehow special and unforgettable. And for die hard KSA fans who waited for her for 3 long years, WIAN is indeed special.
————————
Just added “How to Meet The Perfect Neighbor”, “Hong Gil Dong” and “Sons of Sol Pharmacy” to my to-watch list… phew~
Since there’s so many kindreds here who love MNIKSS, HB and KSA…How is “Friend, Our Legend?” It’s been on my to-watch list forever, but things just crept up (ala Black & White, QSD, and now You’re Beautiful).
About “Sons of Sol Pharmacy” – I caught the 1st ep, but it was pretty mediocre to me – I felt that tried too hard to introduce the characters that they really didn’t interwine the characters so well – but I keep comparing this to the female version of Chil Princess – which I know I shouldn’t do…but is it really that entertaining?
Help with “Brilliant Legacy”: Again I watched the first 2 eps, which was melodramatic and had some extremely cliche scenes (car chase turned me off totally) – but MCW is my current new potential atm, and ppl were raving about the acting…suggestions on watchability?
Am I the only one who found HGD to be quite messy though I really liked some of the characters & great acting (crazy King was fantastic)?
@212 Kgrl -
I just finished Ep 16 of Friend Our Legend…. It is really good. It totally isn’t your typical k-drama.
1. the directing / editing / cinematography was done right – what I mean is that the time periods of the drama were very very tumultuous and both criminals and innocents alike were tossed about by forces they just didn’t understand.
Nobody really understood what economic modernization would mean. Nobody really understood what the effect that dictatorship mixed with democracy would have. Nobody really “got” what would happen to the old values, the old system of meritocracy, of “yang-ban” social castes.
And so everybody was just going with the flow, trying to survive, but not really knowing what would happen. That feel, that sense of uncertainty and anxiety… you can feel that throughout the drama and that’s just great.
2. The acting is getting better and better. Kim Min Joon is just great. Him and Binnie…. the acting is superb.
3. I wish though, that they had made this into a 16 episode drama rather than a 20 episode drama.
@206 langdon813 –
Glad you liked HGD! You should have seen the comments I made when I was watching, and I was reporting back on Open Thread… I gave hjkomo and belleza an earful…
“You promised me a happy ending!” (to belleza and hjkomo, who said the ending was “beautiful” but I interpreted that to mean the ending was “happy”, hehe, and I got the unexpected in Ep 24)
“I love the mad king!”
“I hate Chang Whe!”
lol.
my Top 6 fav scenes of HGD:
1. extended two-part scene with Yinok crying her eyes out about missing Gil Dong, then waking up to sense that he was there, and then running out to see him, and then just running into his arms. Yay!
2. scene where Gil Dong gets shot by an arrow… wait.. go back a bit… okay, extended scene where Yinok first warns Gil Dong about the soldiers and the Gil Dong puts her down on the rock and then leads the soldiers away and then gets shot… no, no… starting with the “I Lub You” part…. ah screw it, just the whole of Ep 7.
3. scene by the cherry tree where Mad Insane King turns lucid and philosophical, having regret and calm in his eyes as he realizes the murderous monster that he had been, but that he too was a victim of his own madness, and so his life was just huge regret that he must take responsibility for, despite the fact that he could have been a good king that everyone loved, had he been given a fair shot at it. And so he willingly accepts his being beaten to death, being torn to shreds like a dog.
4. scene where Yinok shields her eyes to let Gil Dong cry and blow snot bubbles as he sobs, after he realizes his lot in life is to live without a father who loves him.
5. scene where Gil Dong’s blinded dad is executed by his own hand, with Gil Dong watching in silent pain, with Chang Whe watching Yinok watching Gil Dong.
6. scene where Gil Dong is voluntarily captured so that his men can go free, and then Gil Dong turns and sees Yinok standing close by and resolutely and silently cheering him on (mouthing “Jiayo!”), and Chang Whe watching Yinok cheer on Gil Dong. Everything about this scene is awesome. It ties in so well with one of the early themes of the drama, in that Gil Dong and Yinok cannot necessarily be so close together, but instead, they will watch over the other from a distance.
I am really late to this OT, being on vacation with 110 Gb of drama & almost no internet access, but to go back to early posts about Attic Cat — I watched this early in my Kdrama watching days because a nice clerk at the library told me it was good. I really did not like it much until her parents showed up, but was glad I stuck it out until the end because of the rabbits. Toward the very end when they are having an argument outside the apt, and it is raining on her, but not on him, the camera angle is such that you see a rabbit hutch. And in the next episode you see that there are actually rabbits hopping around in there. Not once have we seen anyone feed the rabbits or mention them. So, even in Korean dramas when you don’t fall in love with the story or the characters, there is something to remember and make you happy. Long live K drama and the discussion thereof!!
@215, Samsooki
I agree with you 1000%.
I’d also include these:
Madame Noh dropping to her knees and begging Yinok to stay with Chang Whe. It’s so clear then that everything she has done has been for his benefit, and not her own personal agenda. This scene made me look at her in a completely different light.
The Mad King writhing on the floor and moaning in agony when he discovers that the sword was a fake and that his father never intended to keep the crown from him.
Chang Whe begging a sleeping Yinok to please look at him, just once.
The palace guards wishing ruefully that every time they visit Hwal Bin Dang they could stay just a little longer; then later, as they’re about to attack, acknowledging that their world is a dream that everyone wants.
Chang Whe hearing the truth about his mother from the Mad King.
Gil Dong’s father spending his last moments of life searching for the son he threw away and refused to acknowledge his entire life.
Gil Dong telling Yinok she’s his “I LUB YOU” too.
And, to lighten it up just a little because now I’m all teary again:
Any time the phrase “explosions of love” was used.
@ samsooki: I’ll take your advice, which I’m sure has absolutely no bias whatsoever, lols, and try to watch it asap. It’ll be a good balance between You’re Beautiful. And I love atypical Kdramas.
@langdon813: I had severe cases of SLCS while watching HGD, and I found parts of the script to be somewhat haphazard/disconnected, perhaps that’s why it was good, but not great for me. There were so many poignant scenes, though, in the drama for me, I found CW to be really pitiful, and in many ways, the crazy King too.
Is there anything else in the lines of You’re Beautiful – light, comedic, but GOOD fluff – out there? Dorama, Tdrama, Cdrama, HKdrama, American, British, etc.? I’m sick, so I want to do some marathons – hey, exercise it good. ^_^
@all my friends@ OT
I know it’s going to be good day today- why?
I turned on my laptop as usual and checked dramabean, and of course the first thing I read was about the new project Han Ji Hye has with—–Gookie!!!
And then, when I clicked on the OT, who did I get—-Gookie with Mirae banner…this is better than winning a lotto. What’s next, getting news about my Gong Yoo…lol
…better get back to work…
@219 cingdoc
We are on the same wavelength today! I was making up my bed earlier and thought about Gong Yoo (random, I know). Doesn’t he get released from MS soon?
Plus, I got the Lee Min-ki header (well, technically LMK and Chae Rim, but who’s quibbling) TWICE today!
I believe that Hong Gil Dong is greater than the sum of all its parts. Taken scene for scene, act for act, episode for episode, it sometimes wobbles, often entertains, and is occasionally quite profound. Taken as whole, it’s meaningful and memorable, all that hallmarks of a truly great drama.
@ Kgrl,
Friends: it takes serious commitment, it’s a drama that takes a lot of effort. So in the economy of entertainment value, it’s at the very opposite end of the spectrum fr YB. I’m with you finding HGD’s writing messy, but surely many characters/actors made up for it as we can clearly see the ravings fr many of the OT buddies here.
I haven’t seen a good fluff for years till YB, I’m interested to know as well if there ar any OT gang recommendations. imo HKdrama do not do fluff (I really can’t think of a watchable one ever…), they may bunch a group of younglings in sth like 4 leaf clover or Dressage to Win…so stinky u’d better not touch them. Cdrama just churned out their own version of HYD. It’s not watchable for me ( the F4….o_0), but the Makino/Liu Xin Yu is better than Jandi (not saying much really).
on KMJ in Friends:
(this is nitpicking, even on things I rant on, it’s way better than 90% of the acting/writing this year, I love Friends, it’s near perfect for its genre)
I’m a KMJ fan since Damo. Have to admit though I don’t think he’s nailed every single character he was in, but he still charmed me. For instance, he did not sell his Jae-Bok fr Ireland for me. (I watched it for my Damo withdrawal, but sadly I dropped it right away, that’s before binnie register nth more than a blip on my radar) And I find his acting in InSoon …on and off. He’s great in Tazza and I loved him in Surgeon BDH.
Maybe the writing was the culpit, but I did not totally get his JS in Friends. I appreciated Yoo Oh Sung’s much more greyish/shadowed/nuanced/layered JS. In part it’s clearly the writing and the medium, Yoo’s JS was allowed to ‘lurk in the dark’ more often, fleshed out in more ambiguity, we did not get to see as much of the character in the movie as with a 20 ep drama, hence it left more to our imagination. KMJ was undeniably terrific in many scenes, esp as the JS towards the end of the timeline of the drama. imo, KMJ played the character with too much calm, cool, collectiveness, not enough cohesive complexity and inner turmoil which was not in harmony with many of the character’s deeds esp towards DS (HB’s character) and JinSuk (main girl) I was very frustrated with him and MJH’s JinSuk, it’s almost like they deliberately and collectively pushed DS over the edge, knowing how sensitive (in a disabling way) and vulnerable he has always been (esp fr the added flashback scenes in the later eps, we got to see they were in the know all along on DS’ weaknesses) and stabbed daggers repeatedly at him, snuffing out all his hope till there’s no way u know DS could stand back up again, with not much remorse, an unknowingly cruel nonchalance to the point of fake innocence. I really can’t figure out the very abrupt shutting off of JinSuk’s sentiments towards DS just because of ‘oops he did it again’ (which was nth out of the blue considering his history) and how KMJ’s JS have the guts to renew his relationship with JinSuk, (and I do not think that scene of them alone when he’s ‘persuading’ her back to him was poignant/moving/powerful/strong enough in writing to change the course of the plot 180. So it did leave me scratching my head. )
It’s all fine acting jobs in the drama, but what caught my eye was Jung Yoo Mi (Eun Ji) who did a much more layered/honest job than Min amongst the actresses, and Lee Shi En’s Joong Ho was a scene stealer. SDY shut up some of his critics here. binnie elevated himself many notches(most memorable scenes: jail) but KMJ just did an expected job… did not surprise me as I’ve seen him good to great before.
And, I don’t think the writing was as sensitive and tight with the female characters further along the drama, it lacked the depth when it’s focusing on the guys, which is a shame since they started out so strong and well written.
@ Kgirl
“Is there anything else in the lines of You’re Beautiful – light, comedic, but GOOD fluff – out there? Dorama, Tdrama, Cdrama, HKdrama, American, British, etc.? ”
Wow, you’re asking for a lot, and I’m hardly versed enough to attempt to answer you.
You’re Beautiful is like lightning in a bottle – I’ve never been this gobsmocked with laughter and cuteness by two introductory episodes. We’ll see if the journey and ending are all adorably transcendent.
For other light, comedic, GOOD, fluff – a few recommendation, but I’m sure you may (probably) have seen these before:
k-dramas:
Love, Marriage
Couple or Trouble (Fantasy Couple)
The First half of Goong
My Love Patzzi
The Man Who Can’t Get Married.
t-dramas:
It Started with a Kiss
@ Kgrl
I’m not sure if you’ve seen it or not, but for fluffy goodness I really liked The Man Who Can’t Get Married; it kept me laughing constantly. I don’t remember a whole lot of discussion about it here on the OT but I definitely enjoyed it. One of the best things about it was the hilariously random one-off clips at the end of each episode. I thought Ji Jin-hee was a hoot, and this is really the first thing I’ve ever liked Uhm Jung-hwa in.
Yoo Ah-in and Kim So-eun are completely adorable as the two younger characters, too.
@ 146 kdxmel
“So I watched You’re Beautiful and I’m instantly taken by how good Jang looks in there! But seeing him act is a real surprise. The man can act”
“Based on yours and quite a few people here HGD seems to be interesting so I might check it out”
Jang Geun-soek is the second lead in Hong Gil Dong – so this may spur you to watch HDG. JGS is a teenage actor I watched grow into a lead role. Much like we have high hopes for mini-So Ji-sub Yoo Seung-ho, a few years ago, JGS was really catching people’s eye for his potential and how well he was doing at such a young age.
I saw him first as Ha Ji-won jailbait in Hwang Jini, and then later in HGD. I cannot finish Beethovan Virus, but he was in there as well. He’s a good actor, period, probably at the head of the class for his generation (I’d put Kim Bum up there, too – and maybe Lee Min-ho once he puts a few more projects under his belt). He may not always be well-cast, but in You’re Beautful – he fits the role to a T, like LMH for Gu Jun-pyo.
Plus points, he’s got a gggggreat voice, and now we can hear him sing! Also, I saw pics of future YB episodes, and he’s hair is styled in a pompadour look with a retro suit – I like how they are changing up his hair, clothes, whatever else, to fit the idol-image.
@ langdon-unni
Some point-counterpoints on HGD and its ending – may help you cope with letting go of HGD:
http://sevenses.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/noooooooooooooooo/
http://sevenses.wordpress.com/2008/03/27/thoughts-on-episode-24/
Btw: Sung Yuri bought Kang Ji-hwan a shi-tzu puppy for his birthday right after finishing HGD. And then he named it ‘Yinok’
Thanks little sis!! That definitely helped the crippling HGD withdrawal pains I’m feeling tonight. I think I’m still too emotionally attached to these people to decide exactly what I think about the ending. But I didn’t hate it, I can say that for sure. Not by a long shot.
Sigh…I have to go out into the real world tonight to book club and confess that I haven’t so much as turned the page of a real book in weeks. Okay, months! Does Southern Living magazine count, I wonder?
Plus, it’s raining, and I kind of just want to sit here and check out Surgeon Bong Dal Hee on Dramafever. Any recommendations for this one? Any warnings to stay far, far away?
@mookie: I know, Friends is going to need some urging since I’m fresh off of YB and want more fluff. Thanks for the detailed suggestion. I do love my unique female character tho.
@ockoala: AH! What do I do?! I’ve seen all your suggestions, except Fantasy Couple, which I didn’t finish cause things came up.
@langdon: Due to my bad case of SLCS in BOF – I was crazy about Soeul – MWCGM was a must-watch for me. I thought Yoo Ah In was completely adorable with Eunnie. But I still found the story to be…eh. Perhaps it’s b/c of the Japanese version? I did, however, find the end clips at the end to be hilarious and very creative.
Ah! Friends is good, but oh so…not fluffy! I need a feel-good show to watch. *sigh* I may have to resort to watching repeats. *big sigh*
@ Kgirl
” I need a feel-good show to watch. *sigh* I may have to resort to watching repeats. *big sigh*”
That’s not so bad, right? Sometimes I’m totally in the mood to revisit a beloved drama I’ve not seen in awhile, and perhaps enjoy it in a new light. You’ve seen them all, sister!
@ Samsooki
When I don’t hear from you, I think Baby Rain is here……. Can’t wait to welcome his arrival. Can we collectively at DB send a baby gift to the hospital addressed as either To: Baby Rain, or To: Baby Samsooki? The nursing staff will be mightily confused!
@229 ockoala
Please count me in if you’re sending something to OUR lil Samsooki…I really can’t wait for this sweetheart to join us; I’m more anxious of his arrival than the last days of military service for Gong Yoo ( Now, that means a lot coming from me!!),,,back to MNIKSS
@lovenyc52
**sigh** NCIS was pretty much *yawn* to me tonight. The episode was about Ziva and all, but since there was not any Tony/Ziva , I spent most of my time on the laptop…hopefully next week would be better…back to my MNIKSS
@alodia,
Hear, hear! I am on episode 16 of CH rewatching with hubby now, so i don’t think i can split my mind and heart up into 2, to watch KSA in 2 awesome shows at the same time is bound to confuse the HECK out of me, so i’m choosing to leave well alone until my CH journey is done with. But I am glad I’ve a few runs of CH behind me now, because the first week after I first finished CH was the hardest week I’ve had to go through – so blown away, no strike that, BLAST away I was.
@ 218 Kgrl
Have you seen the Jdrama Nodame Cantabile? It’s a light romantic comedy based off a manga and the live action series featured an adorable Ueno Juri as Nodame and Tamaki Hiroshi as absolute gorgeous ice-man Chiaki (before he lost all the weight, sigh…). It’s often laugh-out-loud hilarious with over-the-top anime-like slapstick, and I especially loved the classical music themed story. But what made me really, really love this series is because behind all the romance, the ice-man-melts-for-simple-sweet-girl story, it’s really about growth, finding your passion in life, and stretching yourself to achieve your dreams. It’s uplifting to watch
@ockoala
I’m downloading HGD as we speak…it’s definitely high on my to-watch list although I admit I’m a little hesitant upon seeing the bucket loads of tears langdon813 shed (no offence!)…I just don’t know if I have it in me to cry through the next few days…but knowing Jang is in there…knowing it’s certified GOLD…I just might have to grit my teeth and bring out the kleenex…
@Samsooki
Never had the right opportunity to say this before, but I just wanted to congratulate you and Mrs Samsooki for the bundle of joy coming your way! All the best!
Finally watched YB today….what a show. Can’t wait for the next episodes. All the guys are hot. Though JGS is his normal gorgeous self, I find myself more and more drawn to Jung Yong Hwa who plays Shin Woo especially after watching the preview for the next episodes. He is so caring towards PSH/GMN. Why can’t the nice guy get the girl for once?
@232 kdxmel
No offense taken!
HGD is a tremendous amount of fun! In no time at all you’ll be madly in love with every single character, which is why it gets tough towards the end when things start taking a darker turn. But the journey is worth every tear, I promise. PLEASE don’t let me crying so much influence you negatively, it’s just what I do!
I’ve got to finish Nodame Cantabile one of these days; thanks for reminding me!
@233 yvhsien –
Why can’t the nice guy get the girl for once?
This is a very interesting point.
WHY can’t the nice guy get the girl in k-dramas?
Nice guys are NOT necessarily needy guys or a momma’s boy. Can’t a guy be a nice guy, just because he IS a nice guy? What’s wrong with being a non-jerk? What’s wrong with having empathy and manners at the same time?
Coffee Prince: GY isn’t the nice guy (at all!), and he gets YEH. Not that the other guys were really trying for YEH, but if I were a girl and I had my druthers, I might pick the rather dreamy and softspoken, empathetic Kim Jae Wook over Mr. Freeze GY.
MNIKSS: Binnie isn’t the nice guy, he gets the girl.
Bad Family: My homie KMM is a gangster. Guess what, he gets the girl.
Boys Before Flowers: I never saw this, but I am assuming that one of the F4 got the girl, and I am assuming that its the pama guy, and he’s the bad guy, right?
Delightful Girl Choon Hyang: Jae Hee plays a rebel without a cause, and he gets Korean Barbie?
Full House: Rainnnnnnnnnn!! is a superstar attitude monster… who gets SHG?
Goong: Prince Shin…. Mr. Aloof…. gets YEH?
HGD: Sung Yuri has the choice between the King and a robber, and chooses the robber…
My Girl: LDH chooses coldfish LDW over mr. nice guy Junki…
Of course, on the flip side, Dalja Spring…. Chae Rim chooses warm and fuzzy Minki over cold fish Hyun Woo. And Chae Rim chooses warm and fuzzy Um Ki Joon over major jerk Kim Seung Soo.
So really, only Chae Rim in the k-drama universe bucks the trend… Is this why I have soft spot for Chae Rim? Chae-Rim babe, spread the word – nice guys are for realz, and should get mad props for being good guys. peace out. hehe
@Samsooki
For a minute there, I thought I missed something in CP( how? I asked myself…I did watch the drama at least 20 times…he he). Until you mentioned it, I never once thought that Choi Han Kyul had a rival. I mean, to me, the only and THE problem Eun Chan and Han Kyul had was – the truth/trust issue. Those two fell in love before they each admitted it-whether it’s Han Kyul’s doubting his own sexual orientation or Eun Chan ’s confidence problem. Besides, if any of the other boys have feeling toward Eun Chan,it would have been Ha Rim, and not Sun Ki, who has his own yearning toward the abused ahjumma.
It never ceased to amazed me how you bring out points from the drama and lead me to see it in a different POV. I’m rewatching MNIKSS (1/2 way already) and boy, even though this is probably my 10th time, I’m seeing it in a new way (deeper, more analytical) instead of just “watching” it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still laughing, crying, and feeling KSS and Binnie’s agony( That’s how amazing this drama is) . I’m still enjoying it very much. It’s just different now.
My husband just made my day. I showed him the long trailer for IRIS and he said if he were to ever watch a drama with me, it might be this one.
Plus, I finally got him to agree to watch The Good, The Bad, The Weird with me Friday night!
LBH has some powerful mojo, it even works on my husband!!
the ‘bad’ guys getting all the girls…
simple, because it’s just so precious THE jerky baddie has only the eyes for our heroine and he only showed vulnerability and will love cuddling with her and her alone. The girl will totally get the vibe that she’s the only special one who ‘gets’ the dude and can break his facade, ‘change’ him fr damaged to wholesome…that is another alluring challenge, calling to our nurturing mother instinct. It’ll make in-your-face apparent the whole ‘the one’ obsession we have in relationships. Nice guy will give free hugs and his shoulders are for all damsels to cry on..so to speak.
hehe langdon, in my household it’s the exact opposite, my hubby showed me that long fine trailer, luring me to watch it with him because of his KTH… and little did he know I’ll watch it anyways (LBH + I like KSY, JJH, KimSW) So, I just nonchalantly shrugged and told him so.
In What Happened in Bali, the “nice” guy got the girl – and we who have seen it all know what happened after that in Bali.
In My Love Patzzi – neither nice guy got the girl – or they both got her – I’m still confused, and not in a good way.
I like to say – in Beautiful Days, the *nice* guy also did not get the girl (poor Ryu Shi-won), losing out to Lee Byung-hun, who was then transformed into a closeted nice guy.
Let’s not forgot our poor angel Bae Soo-bin, the nicest of all nice guys, seriously folks, guys do not grow any nicer than BSB in Shining Inheritance – and he loses the girl to a guy with a bird’s nest on his head and a pretty crappy attitude towards all – I would have taken BSB, shoved him in the nearest suitcase, and ran away to Bali with him. Silly Han Hyo-joo.
I prefer my drama men bad and edgy, my real man sweet and considerate – chalk it up to an understanding that living my real life with a drama bad boy would about kill me or turn me into a raving shrew.
@239 ockoala -
In My Love Patzzi – neither nice guy got the girl – or they both got her – I’m still confused, and not in a good way.
I liked the ending a lot, and I think it was pretty clear who Jang Nara chose in the end…. no? Pretty sure she chose the “badder” of the two guys, Kim ___ Won, and the nicer of the two guys, Kim ___ Won, was left to be a good friend, which, since he was the nicer guy, was fine by him.
That’s my impression – what gave you the sense that she wanted to have her cake and eat it too, ala a Kim Won Sandwich of Love?
@ Samsooki
“I liked the ending a lot, and I think it was pretty clear who Jang Nara chose in the end…. no? ”
Oh, it was clear, and then it was not. Witness this final exchange: I know you both like me a lot, and you can’t split JNR in half, so how about one of you gets me on odd days, the other on even days.”
But I can still say – I stand my review of My Love Patzzi and Jang Nara’s performance in it – so the ending of who got the girl was the least of my confoundment. But had they ended the drama when she didn’t go the airport, then yes, she would have picked the badder Kim Won. But then they purposely left open the possibility that years later, she may be making the choice again, and perhaps choosing differently. Who knows? Kinda like our Sam-soon and Sam-shik maybe not ending up together 4ever.
@ ockoala: No, you’re right. Rewatching an old, great drama is better than a new, disappointing one. lols.
@ kdxmel: That’s a great suggestion, my Dorama friends all tell me it’s a must-see, but haven’t had the impulse to try it. I’ll check out the 1st eps while my health continues to recuperate this weekend. Thanks : )
@ samsooki: Is this why I’m always getting SLCS (Second Lead Crush Syndrome) with Kdramas?? And it’s not just the guys, its the girls too – Jumong, HGD, BOF (always like the lead pairing, but I was falling for his finance in this version, not to mention I loved Soeul), Triple, QSD, MFL, just too many to name. Part of the reason is because the main couple didn’t have great enough intrigue, acting chemistry, nor logicial character devo for me to fall in love with the pairing; the other being I would have chosen the 2nd lead if it were me. Lols.
As for My Love Patzzi, it was one of my first “fluff” Kdramas and holds a special place in my heart. So I was quite satisfied that they left it open-ended. Since I was as debated as Jang Nara who I would have loved more in the long run. And Nara really was so cute with both Jae Won and Rae Won.
In the end, I guess it just really drills down to the acting chemistry and “courtship process” that’ll get my vote.
@ Kgirl
I almost forgot – definitely check out Nodame Cantabile as per suggestion – but for Fantasy Couple, it’s good fluff, but the first half is definitely a lot better than the second half.
I’ve heard murmurings of how the Hong sisters’ dramas tend to take a detour in the second half, or else the zippy, breezy quality turns into sap, either way, not what you signed up for. Fantasy Couple, IMHO, has that problem – but judging overall, it’s still a fun drama that I would recommend.
@241 ockoala –
Oh, it was clear, and then it was not. Witness this final exchange: I know you both like me a lot, and you can’t split JNR in half, so how about one of you gets me on odd days, the other on even days.”
Merrrrrrrghbleh.
Isn’t the final exchange with Jae Won and Rae Won having their own Kim Won love with each other, as Jang Nara is frozen out and left behind on the bench?
That said, I think that last part was said (”he gets me on odd days, and he gets me on even days”) in jest, with the bad boy Kim Won and Jang Nara having their relationship continue, with good boy Kim Won back to stay on the sidelines, waiting to see if Jang Nara gets tired of the badboy act, and wants to get with the nice Kim Won. Which is fine. Each Kim Won is fine with Jang Nara and Jang Nara gets along fine with each of them.
Btw, I think Jang Nara is so talented and cute, and so I am biased completely. I have no objective thoughts about this drama. Hehe. It’s a lovely drama, compact and full of heart. Plus, you can’t go wrong with Jang Nara songs.
I have to go out for a while tonight but had to come to OT for a minute and gush about YB! Ep 3 did not disappoint! I LOVE THIS SHOW!!
@ langdon-unni
YB – agreed! Ep. 3 was great, plot and character development moving along briskly and with heart. However, the ratings just came out. IRIS at close to 20%, and YB dropped more, down to 8.5%. Sad, me so sad (I don’t even need to think about how bad HTTG’s ratings were). YB might suffer from the same ailment trendy US shows like Gossip Girl suffer from – it’s fans are all watching online!
Damn…been gone for a week, and now I feel like I’m sooooooo behind. How will I ever catch up?
To top it all off, I wrote a long post, and then my window crashed erasing everything. I’m too tired to rewrite it all.
Watching Episode 3 of You’re Beautiful, and I was HOWLING with laughter at the Oldboy / Temptation of Wife / SuJu bit.
OMG this show . .. is . . . perfect.
(mebbe, mebbe not, but this show has decent chance at being my all-time favorite Korean rom-com.)
whee!!! just finished ep 3 of YB and totally LOVING it… hongki is such a character and really, i just smile everytime he’s on screen… weirdly JGS’s hair is kinda growing on me, though i’m glad they’ll be changing it soon. i am kind of sad about hongki’s blond hair going away though. i like that he stood out in his denseness and quirkiness and blondness hehe
can’t wait for tomorrow’s ep… damn viikii is fast with subbing!!
I think I’m going to watch all three eps again tonight while I wait for IRIS. I had a really boring meeting earlier (which I was 10 minutes late for…one guess why, LOL) and completely zoned out…then caught myself grinning like a fool thinking about YB!
Okay, just for you, langdon-unnie…I’m trying to remember what I wrote in my previous post before it disappeared…
So, I watched the first eps of both Iris and You’re Beautiful today, and I was surprised by my reaction. I had low expectations for both, and I did end up enjoying both…but I didn’t laugh out loud at all for You’re Beautiful, which I was expecting from the Hong sisters. I’m not worried, though, since it was enjoyable, and I’m sure the Hong sisters will have me ROFL soon.
I think it was because 1) I’m tired of seeing JGS in Emo, Angry-With-The-World-Got-A-Chip-On-His-Shoulder Adolescent characters, and 2) I watched YB after watching Iris.
I’ve never been in the LBH drool club – sure, he’s got the bod….but as I’ve mentioned before, he kinda reminds me of a monkey, albeit a cute one…that CAN ACT.
I finally had the chance to watch G.I. Joe recently, and what a shame that he was limited to a few action scenes, eye-bulging directing, and questionable sound editing (his lines in the latter part of the movie sounded like his voice, but some of the earlier lines sounded edited/altered/voiced-over[???]).
I wasn’t expecting much from Iris, but I was pleasantly surprised by LBH’s wise-crackin’ smartass character. He had me in stitches throughout the ep (luckily, no one heard me at work). The production quality felt more like a U.S. or British series than a Korean drama (it better damn well be for the budget), and I thought the music was better than YB. So, as far as first eps go, I think Iris has one up on YB, but I’m inclined to believe that that will change in further eps.
@ langdon813 – I also may try to get hubby to watch Iris. It’s just the kind of turn your brain off at the door action he enjoys. Yeah, he likes explosions.
Final notes -
Missed you all.
Sarah, your blog is crack. Good crack.
Stomach flu sucks, especially when it keeps you from your crack. (okay, that sounded better in my head)
^ get well soon, Hjkomo!
YB vs Iris… YB for me, I read every line of subs so far (not nec, but I’m just invested), which I’m usu too lazy to do. Iris, I read maybe 70%. I was wandering off first part of YBep3, but just how adorable and believable PSH was with that kitschy truck top scene caught me back to my full attention. I don’t feel JGS was giving us just his normal emo glamqueen, he IS the glamqueen doing a character who is NOT ambiguously gay even in the full do. Nth wrong with Iris, very well done, great fight scenes, opposite of Ijimae stuff, I didnt catch KTH glaring once to my surprise! but frankly she’s playing the real life KTH. it’s just exactly what I was expecting, nth surprising, very predictable…and I did wander whenever LBH was not onscreen.
But YB… I was in tears in those scenes Belleza mentioned. LOL and that hug after the ring diabolical… is beyond cute. YB just has a magical synergy of parts/cliches that worked. It has ‘it’ /fairy dust. This is definitely the best first 3 eps Hong sisters drama for me.
IRIS has all the right parts, it’s a calculated commercial sum of it all. I’m more interested in what JB has to say on IRIS than watching it.
hjkomo, so sorry to hear you’ve been sick! I thought you’d been out of town or something; didn’t know it was a nasty flu bug keeping you away.
Still haven’t seen IRIS yet (
) but I watched Ep 3 of YB again and laughed just as much as the first time. I really think you’ll be as crazy about it as the rest of us seem to be once you’re caught up!
Despite seeing several of his movies, I really didn’t join the LBH Drool Team until TGTBTW, but after that I was definitely on board. I have been looking forward to IRIS so much (and for SO long) that if it weren’t for YB, I would be just about ready to pull my hair out by now. Just knowing it’s out there…somewhere…is driving me nuts!
But not to worry. YB is so sweet that I’m just floating around on my little sugar high-induced cartoon clouds, and all is right with the world.
@hjkomo
Hope you’re feeling better!
@langdon813 and ockoala
So i’m officially on board HGD now! Watched the first episode and it’s NOTHING like I expected. This is the first time I’m watching a period drama and I DID NOT expect so much laugh out loud moments!! I had steadfastly skimmed my eyes over all the HGD discussion here precisely because I knew I was jumping on board soon and I didn’t want to know too much. But already I am curious…who is YiNok meant to be with? I hope it’s Jang but…will I be disappointed? Oh no! Don’t tell me! I want to find out for myself! Gah!!! I can’t wait! Sorry for the unnecessary random thought!
@kgrl
Hope you’re getting well! If you have time and want more jdramas you may also want to check out Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend) – another light romantic comedy fluff type that is about a robot made to be the “perfect” boyfriend …so of course loads, truckloads of fangirling for our hunk Hayami Mokomichi. This is purely romantic comedy (I don’t sense any underlying message or teachings from this, unlike Nodame) and despite it getting more serious (code: depressing) in later episodes is still good fluff to watch. I must say it doesn’t beat Nodame though, but that’s my personal opinion
@ mookie, langdon813, kdxmel
Thank you, yes, I’m recovered now.
You know what’s worse than having the stomach flu (or similar virus)?
Two people in the same household both having it concurrently…and sharing one bathroom. O_o (sorry if that was too much info…blame the Korean genes)
So, while recuperating, I spent the weekend clearing off my dvr of Inspector Lewis and other Masterpiece Theatre episodes. Then, after watching Daniela Denby-Ashe on an old episode of Torchwood, I just had to rewatch my favorite bits of North & South. Oh, and watching Lost In Austen with Korean subtitles was quite interesting as well (it kind of gave me an idea of what a non-Korean’s sageuk-watching experience would be like with the subs).
I’m only halfway caught up reading on this OT –
@ cingdoc – Welcome to the ISLAND!!!!
@ ockoala – sorry you had to endure the Mane of Distress and KTH. Unfortunately, she has not improved in Iris. LBH is emoting through every pore on his body, while KTH reciprocates with a blank stare.
@ kdxmel – HGD is pure fusion sageuk with the Hong sisters trademark wit. Enjoy!
@ Anyone – Question: Is TGTBTW an appropriate watch for a 12 year-old?
Huh. MBC-D is airing Ruler of the World right now. You know, this show is pretty good . . .
glad to see langdon813, lovenyc52, ockoala, and hjkomo are all in this thread =]
To choose btw Iris and YB, I will be on the YB train. Granted, I have not watched a single ep. of Iris yet (so that means that I shouldn’t be so judgemental), but I will do anything right now to spare myself of having to watch KTH act. I will catch Iris when Kim So Yeon’s love story w/ LBH starts.
I posted my opinions about YB on JB’s episode 3 recap page. It’s certainly “the crack drama of the year”- everything is sooo over the top and silly.
Recently, I have finished “The Last Scandal of My Life” and WOW,- “Why didn’t I watched this drama earlier?”
Hjkomo-
Trust me, you are not the only one rewatching North & South. Once in a while, I would have a “craving” to see period dramas/films– and I would watch P&P (2005) , then N &S (especially the kiss- good god- watching that like 20 times is enough for half a year), then maybe Jane Eyre (if I can stand all the dark and depressing scenes), then Northanger Abbey, then Sense & sensibility….I am catching Emma on BBC right now- Romola Garai (from “Atonement”) does a pretty modern Emma- which I really like.
and also TGTBTW is probably not an appropriate film for a 12 year-old to watch, in my opinion. But that also depends on the child, if you think that he or she can handle the film and treat it as a work of art- why not? Still, I have to confess, that I did watch R- Rated movies when I was 12- and it didn’t “affect” me much.- if you know what I mean, hee hee =]
@255, hjkomo
TGTBTW has some pretty violent scenes; there’s no nudity or sex (sad for us but not so much for the 12-year old). We do get a very nice, very gratuitous scene of LBH in his underwear!
But the violence is pretty rough, although it’s handled in a very over-the-top manner. When I first watched it I compared it to O Brother Where Art Thou meets Pulp Fiction, if that tells you anything. There’s a cool Tarantino-ish / Coen Brothers vibe to it. Some absolutely BRILLIANT chase scenes.
I love North and South. Richard Armitage…the ONLY reason I watch Robin Hood on BBCA! Cranford is wonderful too, have you seen that?
@255 hjkomo -
My opinion is that average (American) 12 year olds can watch the good the bad and the weird with little to no issues (by the time they are 12, they will have seen way more violent and/or graphic imagery, but as always, it depends on the child and the parent).
The more important issue is how to guide children through the torrent of daily images and information from all sorts of sources, to give them foundation and balance among social / moral / ethical / cultural / generational mores, and what they see and read and watch and listen to.
Personally, as good as the korean movie was (and is), I would recommend watching the original film, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly instead. It is a better film, imo, although it put my wife to sleep due to its inordinate length (I think it tops 3 hours). The original spaghetti western is a fantastic story and the acting is tremendous. One of Clint Eastwood’s best acting roles ever.
@ hjkomo
Welcome back, and I hope you continue to get better! Everyone at work is sick as well, I’ve been lucky (knock on e-wood) so far. I have a business trip to Boston next week, and praying for good health throughout.
“@ ockoala – sorry you had to endure the Mane of Distress and KTH. Unfortunately, she has not improved in Iris. LBH is emoting through every pore on his body, while KTH reciprocates with a blank stare.”
D*mn……^*&%^&$^%&*(HJVGJI^&*%^*$%*^(*&U…….. I’ve been hesitating to watch IRIS, because the recent photos of scenes involving KTH, I see her stare in full action, and it makes me pissed/distressed, because it really is one of two reasons I am probably NOT going to watch IRIS during it’s initial run, but will wait until it’s done airing. I’m hoping either she or LBH dies in the end, then I’ll watch.
The other reason is – I am so in love with You’re Beautiful (a drama I had below zero expectations of once they started releasing promos), that I’m suddenly in the rom-com mood, and cannot for the life of me (even as a card-carrying member of the Drool Team) want to switch genres and watch IRIS. I’m actually wanting to watch my darling Junki in HERO, and making those 2 dramas my commitment this fall.
I stand to be persuaded otherwise – also, I’m kinda contrarian, IRIS is doing blockbuster numbers, I kinda want to help the underdogs…..
As for TGTBTW, landgon described it perfectly, but I think it’s suitable for a 12 year old, but that depends on the 12 year old. The more mature one would be fine, still a kiddo, I would skip.
@ kdxmel
Please don’t ask anything about HGD, because I’ll be tempted to answer you – and that would spoil and detract from the ride. Enjoy!
@ langdon-unni
*humph* so now, it’s not enough you’ve got Kim Bum on your babycakes train, you want to add my cutie Jang Geun-soek, who I’ve been fangirling mommy-like since his Hwang Jin-Yi days……well, you can borrow him, but remember I called dibs 2 years ago! He’s cute and a good actor, isn’t he? =-) I pretend not to see him in any other incarnation other than his dramas, as JGS in real life is……odd.
^ Thanks for the TGTBTW rating. I’m looking for something to watch with my nephew this weekend…two birds, one stone…I always feel bad watching drama episodes because he doesn’t get to watch the entire series, so I thought I might try a movie.
@ langdon813
Of course, I’ve seen Cranford….and everything else that’s made it’s way over here from the BBC.
What’s with all the hot British men portraying villains on Robin Hood? First, Richard Armitage, and now, Toby Stephens?
@ gracefulmoonie
I rewatch all my favorite BBC period dramas at least once a year. Hubby always knows when I get into my period-fix-mode – “You’re watching this again?! Haven’t you seen it like 100 times?”
Romola Garai in a new Emma production? Can’t wait until it airs here.
@260, ockoala
I feel bad about trying to steal JGS from you, but as soon as I saw that little Pebbles and Bam Bam ponytail on top of his head, it was beyond my power to control.
That, and the “I will NOT hug her back, I WILL NOT hug her back, NO NO NO I WON’T DO IT” pose with his arms up in the air.
OMG, now I have to go watch it again.
this thread is still going on so strong.. i feel like i’ve been missing out..
i’m so jumping on the YB bandwagon and torturing myself w/ the waiting for the next episode to air having a tantrum… starting tomorrow :-p
i just LOVE the OST for YB… i dl’ed it this morning.. and i have it on repeat along w/ the OST for Tamra the Island. funny.. i’ve not watched either of these dramas, but love the OSTs.
YO, IRIS!
I…I’M REALLY HAPPY FOR YOU WITH THEM HUGE RATINGS AND ALL, BUT IMMA HAFTA HIT YOU BACK LATER, CAUSE YOU’RE BEAUTFUL MIGHT JUST BE ONE OF THE BEST DRAMAS OF ALL TIME!
ONE OF THE BEST DRAMAS OF ALL TIME!!
shrug….
I like IRIS ep2 more… it’s growing on me (not that ep1 was not good). If some scenes were given better editing (end of ep1, beginning of ep 2… draggy for me) I’ll even like it more.
on KTH though, I think she’s serviceable in IRIS and cant be more gorgeous, the writing and the directing is tailoring to her capabilities well. I don’t find her buggy because the storyline will clearly be heavy on LBH. She’s never going to win any credible acting awards…which I think she is smart enough to know. But again, she’s dazzlingly gorgeous which is a requirement for the character. The prob I have is she looks way younger than her age, she still looks like a fresh college grad at most, let alone the boss of the guys….and LBH, JJH look their real age, esp jarring when next to KTH. I think we’re being harsher on her because she’s a girl, SSH has exactly the same amt of acting chops, but we cut him slacks thro the years because we can drool all over him….. and he got an acting award for just being his insanely gorgeous self.
Hello all! IRIS is truly amazing and You’re Beautiful, very entertaining so I definitely recommend those two. Watch out for Smile, You – all the characters are so incredibly annoying – from the tyrant Grandpa down to the disrespectful mechanic assistant – ugh! I just had to quit!
Have a great weekend everyone!