SONG OF THE DAY
Matt Pond PA – “Halloween” [ Download ]
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
RELATED POSTS
No tags for this post.
RECENTLY COMPLETED
Yes! Mystery word solved, it was cathartic. I was trying to describe my YB <3 addiction without using the phrase "you know what I mean" excessively. Thanks y'all!
Yup, ginger is the best all-purpose alternative medicine. Be it sweet with honey/brown sugar or savoury in chicken soup/congee. My mum used to make a ginger-fried egg soup to kill off period pain. Lightly fry some shredded ginger in peanut/veg oil, then crack an egg onto the ginger and fry for a few minutes till the egg yolk sort of settled, add some hot water (probably 1.5 bowls), simmer for 10-15 minutes to reduce to 1 bowl capacity, season with a little bit salt. Viola, a bowl of yummy soup which is tasty and good to go with rice!
@ rambutan
Thanks for the recommendation! I’ll give My Queen a try. I always think Ethan and Ming Dao look the same but E has a boyish charm that is unique to him. I watched Green Light Forest for him although I dropped it half way through. Nevermind, FTLY brought him the stardom he deserves!
@ ockoala
Please keep us informed your On Air experience. I tried it twice but never got past half of Episode One. I have for some time fancied staying at Hotel Lalu in Sun Moon Lake and it does sound like a worthwhile experience, huh!
@ cingdoc
Thanks for the remedy. I didn’t get to try it because all I had was Diet Pepsi, but I’m recovered now…though still a little tired. Luckily, I was able to sleep 10 hours last night.
Hope you feel better soon.
@ ockoala
My mom always made a ginger/lemon tea concoction for me when I was kid, but since I hate ginger, I usually tried to worm my way out of drinking it.
@ cingdoc, yvhsien
The Trojans are losing to the Ducks at the half. *squee* (hey, I also had to join Samsooki in using the term just once before it was retired)
O do get well soon everybody! I think half of the ppl I saw today was down with the flu. plenty of fluids and VitC
Ginger does work wonders. I was a coke (pop) addict when I was a kid, my grandma always boils cola with tonnes of ginger and some lemon whenever I had a cold/flu. I’m pretty sure it’s the ginger and the lemon that’s getting the job done as well. It’s VERY yummy even for just a cold rainy day.
@144 cingdoc : sorry to hear you’re not well (and same to all the others who seem to be stricken by flu just now)… but you will be happy to realize that tonight you get an EXTRA hour of sleep, The clocks go back, so you get to live one hour twice.
Remedies: I’m a huge fan of ColdFX –if you start taking it the moment you feel even the slightest twinge it works wonders. Works for flu too, they say, though I haven’t tried it yet for flu. Also a big fan of Herbon organic echinacea lozenges–I’ve headed off a few colds by sucking on a few of those as soon as I feel off and then going to bed early. Again, should be good for flu, too, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Here’s a question prompted by the recipe discussions. I just taught myself how to make spicy rice cakes (ddukbokki ?) this week… using prepared sauce I found in my Korean neighbourhood grocery store. I went back today to get pepper paste to make my own sauce, but the ingredients are a bit of a worry–lots of high fructose corn syrup. Does anyone know of an organic pepper paste? If I know of a brand I can ask the grocer to try to stock it. THANKS in advance.
Happy extra hour of sleep to all of you.
@mookie & hjkomo
I’m actually more tired than anything. The 2 princesses were milking it. Since each of them is on different level of the house, I had my share of “stairmaster” exercises today-checking their temp, bringing them meals, rubbing mentholatum on their back, and of course the lemon/coke drink. They both are very sad; the older one is missing a party, while the younger one is missing her trick or treating. But what to do, fever is holding at 99 to 100, and they both sounded very hoarse. I started the antibiotic on them already, so they are feeling a little better.
The lemon/coke concoction:
some one told me that the reason only canned Coke works is because there are trace of “coke”, therefore vasodilate ( or clear the stuffed nose feeling). I really don’t think it’s true. However, I tried it with bottled Coke once, and the efficacy is lowered.
Yes, hubby is watching the game, and I am cheering for ANY team that beats the SC. The fact that U of O is the alma mater of my brother makes it “sweeeet”.
GO DUCKS!!!
@Samsooki
So, how many treats has our Ji Hoon received for his 1st Halloween? Are you volunteering yourself to be the “official taster” & check all the goodies?
I need help. Even though I’ve been watching dramas for a year, I’ve never downloaded any. My question is, is there something I can use to join/merge videos into one while retaining the quality? Also since the videos are in part, how do I get the subtitles to start in the right place? Thank you for any help anyone can give me. For someone as computer illiterate as me , I’m finding the whole dl/sub thing confusing and a little frustrating.
@156 cingdoc -
Little Ji Hoonie was going to get a huge candy bar as a treat, but then we pulled the old bait ‘n switch and gave him a bath instead. LOL.
And he didn’t get any costumes this year.
@ 155 reluctantbutaddicted -
http://www.hmart.com/shopnow/shopnow_newsub.asp?p=8801052811963
유기농 순창 고추장 – 900g Price : $19.99
Basically, what this says is Organic (유기농) Soonchang (순창) Gochujang (고추장). Soonchang… I don’t know what that means, maybe it’s just a name? It’s the only kind of gochujang I buy, so…. I guess it’s the normal kind?
But, I don’t buy organic… hehe… at least not for korean food. Below is more or less the gochujang we buy when we make the trip out to New Jersey to get korean food stuffs:
http://www.hmart.com/shopnow/shopnow_newsub.asp?p=8801831600108
찹쌀 고추장 = Sweet rice (찹쌀) gochujang (고추장).
@157 doublethink101 –
Where are you dl-ing dramas from, that they are split and need to be merged?
In order to have the subtitles come out right, you need to dl the right video and have the right player. i.e., if you get the ental version of an .srt sub for a specific episode of a drama, then in order to get the subs to come out right, you need to have the right player and make sure you dl the ental version of the episode.
@Samsooki
Shame on you, taking the candy from a kid…he he. If I was Ji Hoon, I want at least a bottle or O ma instead of the bath…
I wish I can make Korean food at home. **sigh The problem is that I’m the only one who LOVE it. ( Hubby and kids cannot take any heat, and only like bulgolgi). I just buy the ready made side dishes and eat it ( and only on days off since , well, I don’t think my patients would appreciate the “breath”). My favorite are the cold noodle and ddobokki… this is killing me as I am staring at my PLAIN juk …..
Once again, no one came to our block. It has a 2% grade incline, so most of the kids passed our block. My kids usually go to the blocks in the lower elevation from ours and do their trick or treating there. I can see my hubby reaching over the bowl and get his fav- Reese’s peanut butter cups. SO BUSTED .He thinks that I’m too busy with the laptop. He’s the one who has the sweet tooth. As for me, I’m the “give me the BBQ chips , and no one would get hurt” maniac. That’s why I never go down the chips aisle. (Got to do it- must lose the weight- WILL POWER)
@ cingdoc
So, your husband was watching the game while you and the girls are down with the flu?! Tsk…that’s karma.
I think an Oregon fan’s sign said it all: Welcome The Fall Of Troy
{Edit: As usual, we only got half a dozen trick-or-treaters. Everyone always goes one block over, skipping our street. Ah…I’ve had too much candy corn already.}
@ Samsooki
Interesting…I never thought about ordering Korean groceries online, but I’m not surprised.
Don’t worry, there’s always next Halloween…and by then, Ji Hoon may have enough hair for you to choose between a MNIKSS & SQ Binnie hairstyle for him. And if not, there’s also the Friend Binnie buzz cut.
cingdoc,
cocaine, particularly when used topically, would cause vasoconstriction that results in decreased swelling, thus clearing the nasal passages.
if drinking coca-cola led to such vasoconstriction (ie. there is enough cocaine in coca-cola to produce a systemic effect), then there is also potential for more serious side effects.
i know cocaine was added to coca-cola some time ago, but there is no way it is still added in the current product, even in ‘trace’ amounts.
@162 kb
thanks for the correction. Cocaine vasoconstricts but dilate pupil.
As stated on my post, it’s heresay , actually more old wives’ tale regarding the “effectiveness” of the concoction.I agree with you that no cocaine would be found in a popular drink that millions drink every day. All I can say is , the lemon/coke drink works for my family, and I’m not pushing it to the general public.
o gosh, both your girls and you are sick, Cingdoc? I feel you staring at your plain juk. (I HATE juk, when my hubby cooks it he’ll have to add tonnes of dried scallops to lure me) take care. I’m very sure this hot coke+lemon (+ginger) is a Cantonese thing.
It’s a staple at any HK bistro-esque ‘ChaChanTang’. that was more rabid before Starbucks. I bet to some hot, flat cola is as ‘appetizing’ as stinky tofu.
hearsay coke is soothing to the stomach, cola syrup has phosphoric acid which can help with nausea (?) Ginger aids circulation, it’s antiinflammatory and it also soothes the stomach. I guess when u r miserably sick, cant stomach anything down, sipping some hot syrupy liquid that is soothing with the added VitC fr the lemon can do no harm. we need the fluid and the fuel.
I only get 3 kids stopping by, my neighbors are actually bringing over their pets. I saw many more costumed cute vampire puppies than kids today. My neighborhood I guess.
@cingdoc
Aw…you don’t have to eat plain juk. Add some ginger and fish (fish is good for healing, at least that’s what I’ve been told by chinese women in my family). It’ll make it go down easier.
USC lost. I’m happy.
@159 samsooki
I’m downloading Tamra and YB from http://dkyang-kdrama.blogspot.com/ . Its only in two parts. I have the right player and the right version for the vids and subs.
@164 mookie
Wow, haven’t heard chachangdong for a while…I love stuff like that ( I get my fix in Rowland Hts’ HKG Garden(HKG styled bistro)) or if I’m too busy to drive out, I make my own “YinYang” coffee/tea at home. 16year old lil cingdoc is the official coffee drinker in our house, so she often will “ask” if I want to have one( that’s her sneaky way of asking me to make HER one).My sisters swear by the great food choices/prices and would come down to LA just to have a “food run”. The craziest one went like this- 8am Shanghai breakfast( lite juk with some kind of dough/bread ; 11 am Dim Sum; 400 pm Tea ; 530 fishball & stinky tofu ;8pm dinner. Before you all go “Wow”- I need to clarify that there were 16 of us, so for each meal, we ordered a bunch of food, and everyone just sampled. We did not “stuff” ourselves each time. It’s fun and quite easy since all these were within a mile radius , so we walked, talked and shopped before we headed to the next “destination”.
@yvhsien 165
I chose to keep the juk “plain” because I can’t keep anything down. Usually, my juk has dried scallops or dried oysters with a ham bone or a piece of lean pork that I’ve salted myself. When I’m sick though, plain is better, especially if there’s a stomach virus… o_O
Ok you guys, I better hit the sack, got to wake up early for class…Oh joy, boring lectures + I’m under the weather = loooooong day tomorrow. Wish me luck…I REALLY, REALLY rather want to stay home and be with guys…I guess I have to do normal, adult-like activities once in a while.( Work doesn’t count since I’ve done it over 20 years, it’s almost automatic now). Goodnite, everyone.
@166 doublethink101 – try hjsplit to merge your files. The parts are numbered .001, .002, etc. Program is freeware.
@159 Samsookie:
Thanks for the links to pepper paste. I think the 2nd one is available in my neighbourhood K-grocery (the label looks a bit familiar). But I’ll see if they’ll bring in the organic kind. I don’t worry about organics when I eat out, but I try to make sure I eat organic at home (so about 70% of the time). And I really try to make sure to eat absolutely nothing that has fructose(/glucose/corn syrup/all its other aliases). That stuff is evil.
I see in my k-grocery lots of other kinds of pastes… so I’ll have to get experimental and figure out what to make with them all. On the other hand, I have about 20 Korean restaurants within 6 blocks of my house… so maybe I’ll just keep eating out (the other 30% my food intake). I’m on a mission to try them all, but found a few favourites early on and now it’s hard to make myself go elsewhere. And the one place that had black bean noodles closed down while I was away earlier this year.
Oh the irony – hubby is extremely sick today, high fever, cough, looks like cr*p, the whole nine yards. So happy it’s Sunday, but I’ll need to entertain and edumacate the babies myself today. I think a trip to the children’s museum and pinkberry is on the agenda.
After the Halloween debacle of last year, the babies no longer act like ravenous hoards with their pilfered Halloween candy, I’m allowed to sort and ration it, thank the lord.
I’m really slowing watching Tamra – not because I don’t enjoy it, but somehow, it doesn’t have the OMFL I must watch the next episode anxiety. The score and the scenary are a knockout, MBC for shame to cut this short, so much love went into the production.
@hjkomo -
” Ah…I’ve had too much candy corn already.}”
Your the first person I know of who actually eats candy corn. When I was a kid, if anyone gave me candy corn I would use them for target practice.
I hope everyone feels better. It seems like we are all dropping like flies. I’m still under the weather after last week’s flu so hubby has been supplying me with hot drinks, doing the laundry and he just went out for a long bike ride so I can have the house to myself to nap (NAP! yeah right. I’m watching kdramas). The cleaning lady is coming tomorrow and due to being sick I got a pass from visiting my inlaws and parents so I don’t need to go anywhere so I decided to rewatch all of YB in one go in PJs and a nice blanket with some hot tea. So much fun.
@ ockoala
Saw this on Twitter today and thought of you and baby girl ockoala:
http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/19-awesome-pieces-at-the-hello
This has been the most exhausting weekend i’ve had in a long time. I really am not a big Halloween person, but the parties this year were a bit outta control. Started Friday night at a house party up in hollywood hills. it was the whole shabang. the house hired bouncers and security to enforce the guestlist (around 400 people in one house….i felt like a sardine) as well as people to clean and take out the trash DURING the party. and i swear there was a photographer there… then saturday was supposed to be the more chill drink at the house and then wander downtown LA, but why did i not sleep till 5?!?! and why did i have to hike uphill about half a mile both nights?? i’m too old to do this. my body didn’t even recover from Friday night before i had to don the costume and head out for saturday festivities.
But there were some amazing costumes this year – our hostess at Friday’s party made Lady Gaga’s creepy red lace costume from this year’s VMAs complete with the face covering and rocked it. Then last night my friend walks through the door…with a GIANT chewbacca headpiece mask. and i mean the thing was huge. and furry. in every picture his head took up about 1/4 of the picture. absolutely ridic.
But as crazy as this weekend was, i got my first taste of jook this morning… and man o man is it yummy. I got this kimchi octopus jook and it was delish – though maybe i should have gone with the chicken as it probably would have been gentler on my tummy after a weekend such as this. But still, uber yummy!!
Re: ginger soup as medicine – ahhh memories of my childhood and my mother forcing it down my throat insisting it would cure everything. i hated ginger then, and i hate it now. i can take it when it’s used in chicken soup to flavor, but i have never been able to eat it or drink it when it’s boiled down, no matter how much sugar my mom threw in. till this day she still offers to make it when i go visit her and i don’t feel well. I just ask where the advil of nyquil is – pop a couple of those and i am good to go.
Alright I think I’m gonna sleep through the rest of the day. I feel like I’ve been up for 48 hours.
@ langdon-unni
Thank you! (I’ll be sure to return the loving thoughts in kind should I ever encounter either Takeshi or LMK in the blogosphere). My fave is the Buff Monsters images, with Princess Leia Kitty as being super adorable. Second cutest is Cleopatra Kitty, though there is also Pharoah Kitty, which means Kitty is doing double-duty.
Just came home from a whole day of medical lectures; interesting, but dry. Thank God Hubby also attended so I have some one to pass notes to ( the older doctors sitting next to us kept giving us dirty looks, but hey! it’s 9 straight hours of class-you just excuse yourself in the middle of the lectures for potty breaks-I needed to do something before I nodded off
My hubby knew that I’m still sub par in term of energy, so we picked up Korean dumplings(mandoo), and Cal rolls ( for the girls) for dinner. I’m now enjoying myself with my lap top & eating my juk with delish kim chee along with my mandoo ( just 1 since I have lowered my meat intakes). This is MY cheap thrill.
@lovenyc
With regards to ginger: I wasn’t a fan until I had my babies. My Mom, even though was a doc trained in Western Med, loves to push ginger to ANY females who would listen to her. (It’s good for menstrual period, post partum and of course menopausal). I have to say, since I was “converted” after lil cindoc #1 was born, I really do have less “woman’s” problems. Unlike my friends my age who are going through el yucko menopause ( hot flashes, sweating, etc), I’m going through it relatively quiet. So girls, if you can , try having some gingers once in a while…I think I saw it on Oprah that ginger was found to have anti-inflammatory properties, so maybe that’s why it helps…***shrug*** AGAIN, I’M NOT ENDORSING ANYTHING HERE. I’M NOT GETTING PAID BY THE GINGER FARMERS/ASSOCIATION. he he
@Samsooki
Have you read the article about Binnie yet? So, he’s going to be in Seattle, uh? Should we go and stalk him? I think I will try to meet him in Pike’s Market!!! Just my luck, 25 years AFTER I moved from the Pacific NW (Portlan, OR), Binnie would come ….urgh!
@YB
What’s this talk about the fan population makes up of teens and 20 something…what that makes me??? A old ahjumma pervertly watching this wonderful show….so sad
@177 cingdoc –
Yeah, I was thinking about doing SOMEthing…. but it’s tough.
See, I don’t want to freak him out by like stalking him, but, I don’t want to be the same kind of random fan who just asks for an autograph and then walks away.
On the other hand, would he actually be friends with me? What would we talk about? Doesn’t he have enough friends? Would he share my thinking on KJH or would he be jealous? What would SHG say if he hung out with me more than her? Can I get him to hold a “BINNIE LOVES DRAMABEANS” sign so I can take a picture of it? Would he blue-tooth his cell phone address book to my blackberry so I can get a few other k-drama stars to hang out at the same time?
Too many questions…
@cingdoc,
“What’s this talk about the fan population makes up of teens and 20 something…what that makes me??? A old ahjumma pervertly watching this wonderful show….so sad”
Well let’s put it this way. Would you go to watch a movie starring the Jonas Brothers? Because they’re the same age.
When you go to Japan and you’re over, say, 24 — and then you mention you watch J-drama, be sure to mention that you mostly watch taiga (i.e. historical show) or the NHK. Why? Because if you don’t, they’ll give you the “TV is for teenagers!!” look.
Rules don’t apply the same way for Hallyu audience though. WE can watch anything.
@179 belleza
Well…how should I answer your question regarding the Jonas Bro movie…I went to the theatre , and I paid and sat though a concert, but that’s because of the girls…trust me, it was PURE torture for moi. But since they do not drive, I have NO choice but be there. I tried to pay hubby to go with them, but he told me to think of that as “mother/daughters’ bonding time”. He OWES me one.
@Samsooki
This is what you can do- 1) in perfect Korean ( I assume you speak it, right?), you offer your service as their US legal entertainment lawyer pro bono OR 2) you offer yourself as ESL coach for him FREE and last but not least 3) show him Ji Hoon’s pix- Ji Hoon is soooo cute, Binnie would definitely not say NO to you. he he
@ samsooki
I have so many questions about Friend but I don’t know if I should ask or not. Could be that I haven’t watched enough but I’m afraid that I might have missed something. I just finished Ep 7. Feel free to tell me to just be patient, but here’s what I’m confused about up to this point.
In an earlier episode, I remember Jun-seok and Dong-soo at Jun-Seok’s father’s funeral. He says “I’m an orphan now”, to which Dong-soo replies, “Are you a still a child?” (or words to that effect). The impression I got is that they were still fairly young when this happened. But in Ep 7, (at age 22-ish) Jun-seok’s father is alive but they’re estranged, even though they live together. But why? What happened between them? Is this something that has yet to be explained? Something to do with the aunt, maybe? And who is the guy that just got released from prison?
Sidenote…the 1983 mullet and Bill Cosby sweater Jun-seok sported in Ep 7 were absolute perfection. One thing this drama does very well is to accurately convey the era. Apparently the 1980′s were atrocious no matter what country you lived in.
“Sidenote…the 1983 mullet and Bill Cosby sweater Jun-seok sported in Ep 7 were absolute perfection”
Are you talking about the haircut at the end of Episode 7? That was the Jiro Wang cut!
At that point, JGS was officially trying out to be come the new member of Fahrenheit.
@170 rambutan
Thank you! That’s the only thing that joined them and kept the quality intact.
@182, belleza
LOL!
No, I was talking about Episode 7 of Friend, not YB. But I definitely agree with you about the Jiro Wang-ness of that ‘do (loved it)!
Watching episode one of Angel’s Temptation. Let’s just say my eyes are having problems processing what my mouth is seeing.
(Basically within 3 minutes of episode 1, a bride gets kidnapped and extorted. Then for some reason, she jumps from the 3rd floor into a pool. THEN she gets married. To a man she actually wants to destroy. Presumably this man, who looks close to 40 . . . .oops dude I didn’t know you were actually 32 lololol . . . will end up as Bae Soo Bin at some point.) Is this what I missed out with Temptation of Wife???
@180 cingdoc – Nov 1, 2009 at 7:12 pm
This is what you can do- 1) in perfect Korean ( I assume you speak it, right?), you offer your service as their US legal entertainment lawyer pro bono OR 2) you offer yourself as ESL coach for him FREE and last but not least 3) show him Ji Hoon’s pix- Ji Hoon is soooo cute, Binnie would definitely not say NO to you. hehe
Alas, alas alas. My korean (speaking) is no better than Binnie’s English. I can hear and understand pretty well, I can read and write korean, and I know a bit of written chinese (for korean newspaper reading, etc.), but my speaking…. alas alas. And I don’t practice entertainment law…. it’s a totally novel field for me. At this moment, I would have just as much success being a thoracic surgeon at Kyung Hee University Hospital as I would as an entertainment lawyer representing Binnie… But the ace in the hole is a picture of Ji Hoon. Would it do it for Ji Hoon? LOL. I might have to show the picture to SHG instead, and get her to show it to Binnie…
@181 langdon813 –
In an earlier episode, I remember Jun-seok and Dong-soo at Jun-Seok’s father’s funeral. He says “I’m an orphan now”, to which Dong-soo replies, “Are you a still a child?” (or words to that effect). The impression I got is that they were still fairly young when this happened. But in Ep 7, (at age 22-ish) Jun-seok’s father is alive but they’re estranged, even though they live together. But why? What happened between them? Is this something that has yet to be explained? Something to do with the aunt, maybe? And who is the guy that just got released from prison?
Hehe… a lot of the story is back and forth between periods, and you sort of have to just tuck information away and watch it come back again, and then things start to make sense. Most people who are watching this drama (in Korea) have already seen the movie from which this drama was based, and so they are sort of watching this as a “what really happened” kind of thing.
A lot of the smaller plot points are less important to the overall story, which is really about Binnie and his arc.
Thanks Samsooki! In other words…be patient?
I suspected this would be the case, but there’s a LOT of plot to follow and I worried that I’d missed something. It’s so good. Depressing as hell, but good. I’m dreading finding out how/why Dong-soo turns into the person I saw in Ep 1.
@langdong813
I’m dreading finding out how/why Dong-soo turns into the person I saw in Ep 1.
that’s really it.
But it shouldn’t be a dread chore. You sort of have to savor the acting chops brought out by Binnie. His accent gets better and better, and by the end of the series, its a non-issue. Every possible negative becomes a non-issue by the end of the series, and the Eps 19 and 20 are just about the characters and the resolution.
The strength of the ensemble cast, especially the character of Eun Ji, really bringing it at the end. By the end of the drama, the character of Eun Ji is so memorable to me, just a revelation.
Hope you enjoy!
@ langdon and belleza
But Jiro Wang no longer sports the Jiro Wang haircut himself – he’s got a brand new tude and a brand new do in Momo Love, where they’ve managed to pack in four pretty cute dudes in yet another attempt to create an F4-like structure. This time, the four guys play the four oldest brothers of the lead actress, and are so overprotective and adoring of her, it’s borderline creepy but we know it’s all innocent and manga-like in attitude we’ll let it slide.
Anyways, its the first time I’ve noticed Jiro Wang, as anything other than that other guy in the scene with ArJoe. I like Jiro AND his character a lot, but this looks like another cute but not terribly meaningful TW-drama.
@186 Samsooki
Lol…you are cracking me up. You are starting to sound like me ( just insert Cantonese in place of Korean) in term of what we know about our “mother” tongue. Yeah…that’s why I always get the funny look from my Mom whenever she sees me in person- how “useless” I’ve become in term of communicating with older relatives. At least you read /write Korean ( which I have yet to conquer), I know ( a little) of about 9 languages, but I’m a “closet” linguist- too shy to converse with the locals, at least not confidently.I understand the languages well, but unless I HAVE to , I just use the Universal language-SMILE.( And don’t even mention about writing- can read simple, NOT simpified, words, but I was once told that my chinese penmanship is “childlike”.
That’s one of the reason why I don’t watch TVB drama; I don’t get the colloquialism, and I get too frustrated trying to read the subtitles. Pretty sad, uh??
@Samsooki
And YES, about Ji Hoon’s pix. How could anyone NOT fall for that cutie pie ( I know I have, he he )
@ nycgrl
I never liked candy corn as a kid….but now, hubby always buys it at Halloween. Why?!!! He knows you obviously can’t pass it out to trick-or-treaters, and it’s just sitting there on the coffee table beckoning me while I watch dramas…I…can’t…resist. Plus, it feels less guilty than the leftover Halloween mini-chocolates, so I end up eating more. Aigoo!
@ Samsooki
“A lot of the smaller plot points are less important to the overall story, which is really about Binnie and his arc.”
So, it is more Dong Soo-centric than the movie.
I thought the film beautifully balanced Dong Soo, Sang Taek, and Joon Suk’s storylines. When I started watching the drama, I was a bit turned off by the way it seemed to shift more of the focus to Dong Soo (because I was most affected by Joon Suk’s character in the movie)…so I let this drama slip back onto my “will get to soon” list.
With your rave reviews, I was going to pick it back up again…but, alas, I have been distracted by the AWESOMENESS that is Conspiracy In The Court.
p.s. I vote for the twin-Samsooki pic….(or Ji Hoon wearing a hooded sweatshirt and sitting in a box, sweeping the floor?)
‘I thought the film beautifully balanced Dong Soo, Sang Taek, and Joon Suk’s storylines. When I started watching the drama, I was a bit turned off by the way it seemed to shift more of the focus to Dong Soo (because I was most affected by Joon Suk’s character in the movie)’
On the other hand, I thought the movie was clearly focused on Joon Suk, all the other characters were well developed (so was the drama) but it was narrated fr JS’ pov most of the time. A good drama is a good drama no matter what, PD Kwak had stated he felt DS’ character was not given enough narrative in the movie (which I totally agree) and thus we got the drama made. I really see no point of just regurgitating in a remake.
Ok BIG Hong Gil Dong rant and spoilers ahead….please don’t read if you don’t want to know what happens in the show —————————————–>>>
actually I find myself with a lot of mixed feelings. I can usually give a drama a rating right after I finish it, having throughout the series slowly built a feel and rating number in my mind, but HGD started so strong, and ended so sadly and suddenly that I really don’t know where to begin to rate it. it’s not that the ending was badly written (the scene with the arrows flying down on HBD and HGD and YN is hands down the best scene of the entire show for me), but I feel cheated somehow. Is it because the first scene in the series clearly misled me into thinking that HBD will continue in their quest happily after all the brouhaha is over with? that the fact that I watched the entire series thinking there is gonna be light at the end of the tunnel for them? this feels like one of those bad parody jokes, where you get a fantasy sequence and finds out it’s all nothing but a dream. except in this case it was 24 hours worth of FAKE.
Ok putting that aside. Is it because the show started off so upbeat, hopeful and hilarious that the sad ending just doesn’t match the tone it built in the beginning? HGD as the people’s king is such a noble idea, why did they dash our hopes and dreams the way they did? Why did the writers give us such a hilarious comedy the 1st 7 episodes and then do a 180 and dramatically change the tone ep8 – 24?
Or is it because of the pacing issues near the end? I can’t help but feel as if the writers were rushed into wrapping up the story in the last 2 episodes. Sure, things had been pointing that way for a while now, but the last 2 episodes just felt a little disjointed. I felt that we didn’t really get the chance to see YN mature into her decision to be with GD. YN in the scene with CH in the tent asking him to let her go back to GD (GD had sent her back after the request of CH) felt completely out of character for me. She had been acting the bumbling fool for the past 23.5 episodes, where did she get her sudden strength from? i felt that we didn’t get to see her grow stronger in the show, which is a shame.
And why did GD, who always seemed reasonable, tactful and wise, decide to go against the king in the end? the king gave him so many chances to compromise. if GD’s original intent was to create a world without classes and corruption, why was he stupid enough to want to fight to the death? How could he not have seen the bigger picture which was what the king offered? That the fact that all these happened 1.5 episodes before the end just added to the disjointed feel.
Why did Eun hye continue to exist in the story and wreck havoc? I could see her role as the evil love rival in the beginning but once she decided she had to kill GD I realized her role was useless by then. she didn’t serve any purpose in the story other than to write the story book, but that could easily have been done by anyone (merchant wang, for all we care). And her wanting GD to die? Come on.
Rants aside, I do also think the writers did a good job flushing out some of the other characters. CH especially, was well written. I loved that CH had to change sides as soon as he became king, that was the reality of the situation he was in and he adapted to it – showed his tenor and kept his character true. He knew his position as king would benefit the world better than the momentary situation he was thrown in, and he kept to the bigger picture. i can respect that. Too bad JGS was kindda weak in this role. I think that the script really killed any chance he could have had to show off his acting skills. this was also a role that called for an intense and serious actor whereas fresh and pretty-faced JGS is probably more suited to the young trendy drama stuff like YB. (I love love love YB and thinks JGS is PERFECT in there!)
The crazy king – i also admire how the writers weaved his story so well that we the audience came to understand and sympathize with his character. Bong hui (i think that’s his name) really brought his character to life! Same goes for the father of GD. at first I wanted to slap his father – why was he so loyal to a crazy king? but later on as I came to accept that as a mere fact i was able to appreciate his motivations, and his inner battle at the king vs. his son. well done.
phew! long post. I am still trying decide how to rate this. i loved this drama so much in the beginning, i seriously thought it was going to be the antidote to my City hall fever after a good long dry spell. and actually right up till ep 18/19 it was still engaging without me losing any interest in it. I guess i’m just disappointed more than anything by some of the writing at the end. I think the ending had to be the way it is yet hate the fact that the writers chose to whet our appetite for comedy and wrench it all away. If i had knew going in that hgd was going to turn all serious and angsty i would have watched it with a different mindset and been able to fully submerge myself in that mode. but as it was I felt like i’ve just woken up from a bad dream. sorry, i know a lot of you (who are still reading, that is) loved this show. but for me, HGD has become the one show that could have been.
TEAM PARK KYU!
H*ll, I dedicate the pledge of allegiance to Park Kyu.
#$%&*(&%%$%^ – Beo Jin – you pick a BOY over a MAN. What tha?
LOL ockoala! What ep brought this about? 11, perhaps??
Yes, episode 11 is exactly where I am (you’re a clairvoyant and my soul sister), but the feverish hoards in my house have finally infected me and I could not hold out any longer to finish that episode, but I powered through 6 episodes last night, can you believe it!
All I can say is, Tamra the Island is a very good drama, well-made, wonderfully acted, great cinematography and score – my god, it may not be a masterpiece, but how could MBC have not given it 2 more weeks to air the additional 4 episodes. It’s so much better than many, many dramas I’ve watched and given up on. I’m glad I watched it, only thanks to the Islanders’ recommendations!
Team Park Kyu all the way, in fact PK is a little wasted on Beo-jin, it’s kinda like taking a five year old to have dinner at French Laundry.
@194 kdxmel -
Innnnnnnteresting take on HGD…
I totally see where you are coming from, but I guess when I watch it, I sort of just focus on the scenes I like (of which there are a ton), and avoid thinking about the more problematic structural, writing and directorial issues that may or may not be evident in the series.
I sort of just develop amnesia for the ending, and I choose to believe that everybody lives happily ever after. After all, we all pass in the end, and lifetimes can be lived in a moment’s time. It is arbitrary whether the moment lasts for minutes or for decades, and all that is really important is that they were together, they were the “I Lub You”‘s for the other, and were living in their dream home, the place where people were not discriminated against because they weren’t born of high class.
@ ockoala – oh!!!! welcome to the Island!!!!!!!!!!! i’m glad you’re enjoying your stay. yes Team PK all the way!! and ep 11… oh. the. angst. !!. i have to ask – are you watching it streaming on viikii or did you DL it? because i was only able to DL subs up to ep 5 and then the subber stopped. i’m not sure if someone else picked it up or not. but it’s one of those i wanted to rewatch in HD to pick up on all of PK’s longing gazes towards BJ
Hi lovenyc52:
I bought a DVD set subbed in Chinese, I prefer to watch sageuks in Chinese-subs because many of the terms are the same but just pronounced differently, so I get an added layer of Korean language appreciation.
I will most definitely buy the 20 episode director’s cut DVD. Tamra is a something I will watch and savor again and again, it’s beautifully done.
As for Park Kyu on HD and the big screen – worth every penny to watch Im Joo-hwan’s subtle acting at its finest, his every twitch, tic, slight eye shift, he’s the epitome of the noble yet steely leading man. Bravura performance, very understated yet completely overwhelming with his impact. Less is more has never been so true. And so when he does lose it and finally cries, jesus, it’s like my heart can’t stop hurting for him.