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Baksa! Suha! Seol Chan! NaNa! Do Hyeon! Sooooo! So many people to love this week but guess what...
I spent most of my week with some random dude name Zhi Shu giggling at his sneakiness and falling in love. And crying a little over this other sad case, A-Jin.
Anyway - I'm off today but I have a bit of worky-work to do and I owe SOME people the bones of a SqueeCap for 18, so I'm off for now.
She actually looked a bit challenged at times. Like there might be something wrong.
And yes, rather than flighty, this one was actually kind of stupid - but I LOVED this version of the guy. He had a wonderful way of showing us the emotion he was hiding from her - better than any of the others.
It's funny because he's the least 'attractive' visually, I think - but the most attractive personality. It was clear early on that he was intrigued and interested and confused by her; also that he enjoyed her attention when she wasn't being TOO stupid.
They quickly developed a relationship where she was the straight man and he was the joker - often by acting as the straight man - but just as often by teasing her and playing on her affection. Half the stuff he said, he said only to get a rise out of her. It was always clear to US that he meant the exact opposite of what he was saying, and there were a couple times when he made a full confession either to her or within her hearing and she was too stupid to understand what he was saying, so he just let it ride. He was only outright mean a couple of times, and in those situations he also was in terrible pain.
By the end, he had become a different person - mostly by letting down the guard he'd built up to protect himself from his mother, so really he'd just become the person he was always meant to be.
And I always understood his struggle: he fell early but his mind was telling him one thing while his heart was telling him another, and frankly, his mind had some damn good points. She WAS dumb, and that was always going to be a struggle for them. She did have other good qualities though, and in the end he decided that would be what mattered.
I watched PK first, and while my heart THRILLED to the pursuit and omg it was Kim Hyun Joong yum yum yum - I never 'got' Baek Seung Jo fully, and I didn't even realize that until I watched these other versions. I got the bones of it, and I figured that was all there was to it. It was more like he was emotionally handicapped than reserved. I hesitate to say autistic but he just didn't react to people the way you expect someone to.
I watched Naoki, and I saw more of a socialized human being - I could feel a bit of his struggle and I could see more of a response in his eyes. I could tell that he was genuinely interested in understanding why she felt such enthusiasm for life, because he did not.
And then I watched Zi Shu, and in the smallest and most complete ways, I watched a person - a reserved, unhappy person in his late teens - fall in love, find his reason for being, and become an adult. So for me, he was the best, because he was the most real and the most rounded. I totally understood him every step of the way, and while I know the story pretty well, I think it was the actor who did it, and not me filling in the blanks.
Joanne: I mostly agree with your analysis. And Like you I watched Playful kiss first. Though I didn't watch the first sesson of the taiwan version I did watch the second one.
I always wanted to sorta knock their heads together (in most versions) and Ariel's character was so attached to him and so hopeless. That's been a thing that I really liked with the newest version; the fact that Kotoko didn't just seem to want to orbit around Naoki, or at least not as much as previous versions.
In "They kiss again" you could feel their connection, and their chemistry was very very high (hello there kiss that goes on foreeeeeeeeeeeever on that honeymoon). But as you said you could also tell that some of him being mean was actually him teasing her. And he seemed genuinly interested in finding out about her as well, not just having her find out about him beyond the "she has a crush on me, is stalking me and needs to learn who I really am."
I agree. The japanese actors in the drama have some terrible overacting. The male lead is nothing to squee about either. I liked the korean version the best so far.
I have to agree. Though she wasn't so dumb in first one but in They Kissed Again... she was too ditzy to be true, however they titled it right cuz they kissed again and again and again and again and again and again :)
I love love everything you've said about Zhi Shu. Thank you so much for putting in words what I could never express. He is one of my best drama heroes of all time!!!
I never had the patience for the first season of ISWAK, but I loveee They Kiss Again. *spoiler* That sad episode in Zhi Shu's office when Ariel found out she had that sickness and ran away, I kept on rewatching it. Because by then it was sooo obvious how much Zhi Shu loves his girl (what IS her character's name?).
I totally LOVE your analysis of Zhi Shu and it was the actor that brought Zhi Shu to life. I actually did not want to watch ISWAK because of of Ariel's portrayal of Xiang Qin, XQ was beyond stupid and was at times mentally challenge! LOL, Ariel is a great actress. Anyway, I decided to give it a try and totally fell in love with Joe's Zhi Shu. Every little moments even though subtle was filled with emotion that there was no doubts he actually love stupid XQ and it wasn't just because she had a crush on him. My favorite rain scene is still ISWAK, I like the new Japanese version, but emotionally Joe totally nailed it!
Your are like me. The second season is one of my favorites. The chemistry in the second season was so wonderful, I always felt they loved each other. Plus Christine was a hoot. Not the best actress, but her quirkiness was fun to watch.
Kim Hyun Joong in Playful Kiss seems cold and heartless on first viewing. On the second viewing, I saw the hints of his interest and found the acting subtle.
KHJ in We Got Married took 2 months to give his "wife" his cell phone number and 3 months before he sent his first text. KHJ said in the beginning that it takes him at least a year to get to know someone. Like his character Beak Seung Jo, KHJ is slow in opening up.
One of the things I liked about Playful Kiss/Itazura na Kiss/ISWAK is the love story plays out over time.
Omg! I love ISWAK but I can't stand Ariel's character in the first season! She was painfully dumb and at times outright annoying :( Joe on the other hand, was such a jerk but I totally understood all the jerky things he did and knew he wasn't really a jerk and grew to love him. TKA was sooo much better though because even though Ariel was still annoying as hell, she grew up a bit and I could see that. Still loved Joe, and all the times he had to actually voice his affection for Ariel even more, because he really put his pride away for her and that's like the sweetest thing ever. They have the best chemistry!
P.S. I loved Jiro in both seasons, but I mean I've loved him since his beginner days, so this just amplified my love for him :)
Somewhere, I can't remember, after ep 18 it said 'final episode'. So, even though I now know there are 2 more episodes, my comments for 18 as the final episode in my mind are:
1 The triangle positioning on the roof just like the set up when Kyung-mi was killed was clever.
2 – This drama made me root for the 2nd tier drug world of Jin Sook, Soo and Safari – at least they were consistent and the drug corruption, a given, somehow seemed less offensive than the massive police corruption.
3 - Doctor’s Son/Shin Hyun has the hottest eyes-cast-downward-backward-glance pose ever! But he breaks just like a mama’s boy and looked so lost when he thought of her.
4 - Gotta love everyone’s liquid diet of Scotch.
I'm pretty sure the REAL ending won't change my mind on any of this.
Same! With #2, I'm head over heels for Soo (dunno why), so I have even more reason to root for the drug world. I feel that the police is effectively just causing deaths without doing anything...and like you mentioned, there's so much corruption and deceit. I rather like the openness about the badness of the drug world. At least I get them.
LOL at #4. They've become so immune to it too, now it's like they're drinking water.
Happy Friday! I was finally all caught up on dramas, then this pesky thing called "real life" came along and I fell back behind. I haven't seen the IHYV finale!!!!! Ahhhhh!!!! I guess that's my cue to leave OT since I'm sure that'll be the main topic of discussion. Le sigh!
I am completely obsessed. Like i am reliving teenage years again kind of obsess. I want to support them, vote for them, follow on instagram, buy them stuff! Its scary. I reckon its mid life crisis hitting me :p
*raises hand* It began with Du Jun during the beginning of IRISII, but I only liked Beautiful Night and I Like You the Best and I didn't care about the other boys. Right now I like JunHyung the best and especially like a solo he did called 'Better Without You'...but I will eventually work my way back to handsome Du Jun.
Lol. Me too!! I go to sleep every night listening to them. Have conversations about them everywhere (Facebook, Twitter) I bought all their songs. I do not remember being this bad when I was a teenager..
@mariD, i dont think this level of obsession was possible pre-internet. Its because we get to access sooo much and connect with similarly obsessed ppl that we are able to feed our fangirl into a frenzy! Haha.
I wasnt like that either as a teenager. All i could do was to buy mags and put my fave star poster up in my bedroom.
And to think i went to a beast concert last month JUST before my obsession exploded!!!
I have been rewatching all the Strong Heart and Hello Counselor (title?) eps with Beast in them. Luv luv luv, so cute! I am also loving Barefoot Friends and watching all the Eunhyuk /Super Junior eps on those shows too :)
Ive been watching beast almighty. Hello counselor. Anythingn i can find. Loved the beast airline concert preparation dvd. I found that i actually like a LOT of their songs and that their songs are very diverse.
But i need to look for the one joanne mentioned, better without you. How did i miss that??!!
One of the Beast members was a permanent member in Win Win. So cute! And quite a few unbelievable/out of nowhere/funny questions and reactions from him. Needless to say, they had a whole episode on Beast, highly recommended!
Still with internet problems so I haven't watched most stuff.
Haven't watched ep 16 of IHYV (but read the recaps). Nor Monstar from last Friday. Not a whole lot of J dramas, but also because I don't have time. A bit of a pity, because of some of them are good and I know the moment I start lagging behind on episodes I often end up dropping dramas. But Woman, Gerikyuu, Starman & a few more aren't really dramas that should be dropped.
No more Itazura na Kiss. The finale was okay, though too fast paced and I would have preferred for them not to get married yet but date first. It's still my favourite version of the show.
Watched Shotgun Wedding (oldie), which had a superb cast and started well, but then had some rather forced twists particularly towards the end (WTF with "this is an unmissable job opportunity, so you have the baby without me and I'll be back in a year's time"?!?!?). Not blaming Takenouchi of course, but I think the writers messed up. And also forgot to develop the romance in the drama, because a drama that goes from a one nightstand to total chastity – without even giving off any physical chemistry vibes is just a little unbelievable. A pity for the cast – Takenouchi, Tsumabuki, Hirosue and Abe all in ONE DRAMA (doesn't get much better than that!).
Skip-watched Just You and Love Around, but can't get over the heroine's brainlessness in Just You. Sad that whoever writes these dramas thinks that woman characters must be portrayed that way. Love Around... we are going for twists that are just beyond credible. You like a guy so if he's with a girl that MUST be his girlfriend. Of course. Or maybe he just happens to have female friends or (shock!) a sister! Seriously, these kind of misunderstandings are just lame. And the hit-and-run accident in the end: please someone tell me why the heroine thinks it is more important to jump in the car of the person who caused the accident and wants to speed off than to attend to the child who lies there seriously wounded and is possibly dying? If the kid dies, she'll be like "yeah, but I got the guy who killed him and justice was maintained?" ?!?!??
Obviously, I should not be watching these two dramas... :-D
Should be going for food at Korean place tonight, but am feeling lazy (and am kinda broke so...).
Reviewed Green Days over on my blog in case anyone is interested in Korean animation.
Waiting waiting waiting on DVD ship from Yesasia (it's been a month, sometimes it's so slow).
Both involve a single woman with kids that basically is just trying to get by.... except that they are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum.
Woman is a very dark, dark tale, the mother is widowed and left with two young children, works gazillion jobs and basically sometimes ends up starving herself so that the kids get enough food. Apparently her husband's death isn't what it seemed to be, and there's also a storyline with the main lead's own mother, whom she has been estranged from for many years. This a realistic tale, a psychological drama focusing on social issues and emotional struggle.
Starman is much more light-hearted and kind of way out there. The lead character's husband has disappeared and left her with her three boys (and a grandma). They live happily in the countryside, they are well fed, have good a house, etc. and the only thing lacking is a man in the house. One day the lead picks up an unconscious man ten years younger than her on the street and when he wakes up with amnesia she spins a tale about how he is her husband (her second husband). But there's also a twist about the guy being possessed by an alien.... or something like that – we don't know the details yet, but it's pretty clear he isn't just human but that when he fainted SOMETHING happened. This story is obviously more light-hearted, but I think it'll be tackling some emotional issues as well.
I love this Kotoko (she has a backbone! And she's the loveliest person ever!). And I loooooove Kinchan in this one, he's the best friend ever. The whole message they deliver about friendship makes it worth watching for – if I think of the teen audience, I get very happy because too many dramas have very problematic messages.
Kotoko is awesome. Her mugging could be toned down, but as a person, she's the best version. And Kin-Chan is the best second lead version. A-Jin was good...but Kin-Chan is pure gold.
It grew on me and then just became part of her charm.
You know like when you have a friend that's 100% awesome and then has some really odd quirk that you'd hate in every other person but that in this one person just is the cherry on the top of all the awesomeness. (As I said, I adore Kotoko.)
I loved the way they did Kin-Chan! Also the fact that you could feel and see that the tow of them were friends and would back each other up. I never really felt that way in the korean version where the whole thing just seemed like they were both just classmates/not that great friends.
I did find Kotoko a bit oversagerated in the facial expressions at times. But It didn't bother me as much because she actually had a backbone and wasn't as stupid as in other versions.
I like Kotoko. Now writing that made me think of the other 2 and they are both awesome, but Kotoko is eadearing. I don't know about why of all dramas, this is the only one that I can watch with the same interest even if it is the nth version already. I like the Taiwanese version the most because its longer,though they screwed up the wedding part.
There's a part in season 2 of IsWak that I cried. She crying at the door screaming at him if he ever loved her. Its such a pity that even though she ended up married to him, doubts about his love to her haunted her.
Coby: when was that? I was trying to remember but couldn't. I've only seen the second season of the taiwan verson because I found it just after watching Playful kiss and wanted more, but didn't want to sit through all the story again (particulary that arranged marriage plot which I dislike in it).
I do agree with you that it is a pity that she still doubts, though you could also see why. One of my favorite moments though is when she runs away and the dad hits him though. Because it is that wake up call for him.
Naoki will have to prove himself to me in the second season. He better worship the ground that Kotoko walks on, because Kotoko deserves no less than that!
I'm hoping, hoping, searching, for a special at least...that final on Itazura Na Kiss - Love in Tokyo is wayyyy too rushed. I love that it's obvious why anyone would love Kotoko on this version. She's not just some empty-headed girl head over heels over a supposedly perfect man.
I love Kotoko in this version. I was gonna ask her to marry me, but my wife got upset :( - perhaps because she is young enough to be my daughter or something...
There is a 2nd season planned, but no idea when it will come out. Not sure how they will handle the honeymoon parts, because I am pretty sure that the actress that plays Kotoko will till be underage (16-17'ish).
So there is a second season!!! ^^ There is no doubt as to the loveliness of Kotoko.. But Naoki, it's terrible cos a lot of people found his version of Naoki the best, But then in the wedding plot, his version was the most mean . So if there is a second season( Most probably!!!) I'm curious as to how he'll play it out!!
"He better worship the ground that Kotoko walks on.." - Cracked me up!! :D
Oh my! A second season?? I'm hoping beyond all hope. I adored the kotoko in this season too! She was the perfect mix of earnest and sweet, without being a complete bumkin like I thought she was in the taiwanese version. I also really adored the way Naoki would look at her after she did something particularly sweet, without letting her know. The emotional beats were just right for me in this version.. <3
I like this version...I think I like it the best. Haven't seen the earlier Japanese version, but I've seen the other two (TW and Korean).
Both lead actors in this one look to be really young and it's kind of straining credibility as the show moves into the college years. However, I love their characterizations - it's clear (to us viewers) that Naoki is fond of Kotoko, and Kotoko is not a doormat.
Alua mentioned that Kinchan is a supportive friend in this one. Yes, and at least he doesn't attempt to force himself (physically) on Kotoko (I'm looking at you, Korean Mischievous Kiss). That's another positive about the way the characters are written in this latest version.
Alua: problematic messages...that's one thing that keeps me from completely enjoying any version of this story. It implies to young girls that if they just love a guy enough, and just precisest, even if he distances himself from her, that eventually he will come around and love her too. At Kotoko's age I was stupid enough to believe it! Thank goodness my daughters have never gotten into one of those situations.
Honoka Miki (Kotoko) is 16 I think. Furukawa Yuki is almost 10 years older (not that he looks it!).
Obviously that's why they never tried to go for the sizzling chemistry you get in the TW version.
I just find a lot of problematic messages in many dramas, many mangas – those love-struck heroines whose life entirely revolves around their guy. Complete doormats or brainless girls, who are incapable of thinking for themselves, who are damsels in distress that must always be rescued. They "score" the guy in the end, but there is always some sort implication that they just "lucked out" (you know, because they are ugly / average / stupid / poor / of a lower social status etc.).
These kind of storylines and heroines are so abundant esp. in Japanese manga culture (shoujo), that I worry about teenagers who grow up constantly exposed to that kind of message. It can't be good. So yay for anything that abandons these stereotypes – like Itakiss. (Strobe Edge and High School Debut are two mangas that turn conventions upside down too.)
Nothing beats the source material, seriously. For those who haven't read the manga, I highly urge you to do so. The old school art takes abit of getting used to at first but the payback is definitely worth it. Thankfully, it does get progressively better.
I have read many mangas and ItaNaKiss is still one of my absolute favorites and a timeless classic. Do read it!
I still think the definitive Naoki is the one who played him in the older Japanese version.
Manga are famous for not exactly treating women as real people, more like brainless sex objects to be saved and then ravished by the male hero. Some are pretty far out there - to the point of being totally warped, like Rape Man.
I also wonder about the effect on younger readers and viewers. A lot of that same attitude has carried over to the K and T versions of many shows also. It is pretty rare to find female leads that are not at least somewhat airheaded.
That's the shitty part about shoujo manga, but understandably because a weak heroine is easier to relate to than a perfect heroine. Plus, everyone in that demographic (14-18?) kinda wants to be swept away by a prince. It's a sweeping statement and I'm not saying that it works for everyone but it must be working for some given the abundance of cliches found in so many shoujo mangas.
ItaNaKiss is considered the bible for shoujo manga but while it is heavy on the romance, there's still other good stuff in it like family, friendship and career. And the themes aren't just clumsily slapped on like MANY shoujo mangas but fully fleshed out. That's what I like very much about ItaNaKiss.
Some other mangas with kickass heroines that I like are Gokusen (one of my favs) and Gokuraku Seishun Hockey. Fruits Basket isn't too bad either, though I wouldn't call the female lead a kickass badassery sort of gal.
But between a weak and a perfect heroine, there hundreds and hundreds shades of grey...
No one's asking for a perfect heroine, indeed the good shoujo mangas that do away with the weak shoujo heroine, don't have that. The female leads in Koukou Debut and Strobe Edge are anything but perfect, but they certainly aren't weak either – and plenty relatable I think.
Hi alua :) I've never purchased anything from Yesasia. May I ask about the quality of the items you have ordered? Are the English subs good? Do you ever have problems with playing the discs? I've been considering ordering from that site but have a few reservations.
I only ordered music from them before. Friends of mine have ordered films in the past, and I have not heard any complaints about DVS or subtitles from them.
Yesasia sells the official releases, so I'd expect the subs & quality of DVDs to be good!
Have purchased from them a couple times - have always been pleased and service was quick but I think they have a North American outpost and I'm in the US.
I haven't ordered dvd's (though ordered some concert ones for a friend which were of good quality), but I have ordered music from them before and I have no complaints.
Just be sure that you buy a product which is for the region that your country is. (Or you have an open region dvd/cd player). For instance USA and Europe belongs to different regions so if you order an USA region oriented item you might have a problem playing it in an European oriented dvd player unless it's one without a region restriction.
Yesasia has a nice list of what countries belongs for which region though, and from my experience, its easy to figure out what region the item you're looking at is from.
To all of you who responded to my queries, thank you :) I am aware of the different regions (I also pay attention to that when purchasing dvds :)). Once again, thank you all!
Haha that's good. :) I should probably have assumed so; I blame it on working at the tills, you get surprised how many times you have to repeat the same explanations over simple things you'd think everyone would get. (Like: "does 'batteries not included' mean that we have to buy batteries as well?").
But yes I've had no complains with yesasia and they have been quit in sending out and delivering the ordered items (took about 2 week from shipping and until it arrived and that was from Hon Kong to Wales). And I've never had any defect products or anything.
Dekichatta kekkon is a classic, young Hirosue Ryoko and the always yummu Yutaka Takenouchi.
The end was a bit strange but otherwise it's cute.
Try Beach boys another oldie with a really young Ryoko and Takenouchi with Sorimachi Takashi.
This weeks ep of Woman was so hard to watch. Shiori's confession just gutted me.
I did feel that Shiori had a malevolence against Koharu and now we really know why.
Sachi, I do think she misses Koharu but for Shiori's sake she pretends not to.
Starman is so cute, I watch it just for all the cute feels.
I have a grand plan of working my way through all of Takenouchi's dramas and films.
Enjoyed the young Hirosue (for most of the episodes) AND a young Tsumabuki whom I totally did not expect in this drama!
The actors were all lovely in Dekichatta kekkon, and the early episodes were really witty, but with the later ones I just felt they ran out of things to do and opted for some pretty conventional plot points, rather the more refreshing approach they were giving us at first.
And I didn't understand why they didn't develop the romance between the two characters more? The drama was so frank about adults being adults in the opening episodes, they could have easily given us sizzling chemistry (without even showing anything, just hinting), but it just felt so platonic. Only one near kiss and NO kiss at all at the end. I put it down to writing though, not the actors, because I know Takenouchi is good, and Hirosue as well.
Loved the cast, Abe Hiroshi was absolutely hilarious. I love him in comedic roles, of course he is great in serious roles as well but I have a soft spot for his more oddball characters.
I've always wondered why Ryoko and Yutaka were never paired up afterwards because they had chemistry.
Tsumabuki is still as cute as he was in dekikon.
I have never actually seen Abe Hiroshi in anything else (strangely enough).
Ryoko and Yutaka – maybe the age gap? I'm not sure.
Tsumabuki is one of my favourites. He's such a chameleon too & can do any role. There's a million light years between, say, his Takumi (Dekikkon) and his Makoto (Ai to Makoto).
EP4 of Woman definitely took a dark twist - one I was not expecting. I may have to go back and watch that part again, as I still don't quite understand how/why he got labeled as a molester (that might have been explained when I got up to make coffee and did not pause?).
Have you watched Love, Now with the same leads as in Love Around? They are awesome in that (and the reason why they are together again in Love Around). It's 72 episodes but it's not draggy at all. Mostly cute (sooooo cute!!) and light hearted throughout and the leads have a great natural chemistry (and a shower scene! together!). The actual drama of the show is sparse and resolved rather quickly.
I started last week? or the week before last? I'm on ep. 67. Give it a try, if you haven't already :D
Lol, everyone says that. I've watched longer dramas, so it's not so daunting to me as it once was. I hope you'll give it a try in this lifetime, though! You can always take your time with it. *PEER PRESSURE!* LOL just kidding~~
The problem is if I like something, I am not very good at taking my time with it. If I ended up liking it, I'd probably go for three days without sleep or food.
I'm the kinda person that always eats the whole chocolate bar.
Does starman have kinchan in it?! or did I read that wrong somewhere? seems really good from your synopsis! need to wait until it finishes so that i can marathon it!!
I'm watching IHYV....i'm on ep 6.....and I'm liking it a lot....I like Lee Jong Suk and Lee Bo Young together but only as friends....can't root for them as a couple right now....maybe my mind will change after a few episodes....
Speaking as a former 'I'm totally fine with them being big sister/little brother' OMG you're going to change your mind. And when you do, you will ship them so hard it actually displaces water. As in...you are going to cry. Happy tears, sad tears, whatever.
They belong together. OMG do they belong together.
I forgotten that I was also one of the "ok with being friends" people here. Now I just can't picture life without them together. That boy has mess with my brain.
I didn't have a preference in ep 1-2. I was just like "either could work". Now, I can't believe I ever even thought that way. Maybe Su-ha has mind-controlling skills too and we just don't know it cuz he's been mind-controlling us lol OR MAYBE HE'S A WIZARD AND HE CAST THE IMPERIUS CURSE TO MAKE US ALL LOVE HIM AND THE OTP
ok so bewteen JoAnne and On a QIHM High I just almost died. You guys kill me!
I too was a little bit nervous about them really being the OTP but then that Imperius Curse he cast hit me and I shipped so hard it caused a tidal wave. (sorry I had to steal from you guys)
Me too! At the beginning I thought there was no way I would ship the two romantically due to the age difference and I would be happy with a platonic sibling-like relationship....
I was so wrong. Right now Su Ha/Hye Sung is my OTP of the year. XD
Ah I can see why it would be hard for some to get behind the couple, but I never really had that problem. I don't know why, but I have a thing for noona romance dramas.
;)
Noona Romance is my least favorite kdrama trope. I rooted for Pillar in Flower Boy Ramyun Shop and the doctor in Big. But Park Suha ruined me. Who would have thought i would be soooo obsessed with this drama. As in my kdrama heart will break into million pieces if Hye-sung and Suha are not together at the end.
By the way, it's funny that i dont like Noona Romance when my first bf was 3 years younger than me and my hubby is 16 months younger.
Happy OT Day, Fellow Beansters! I just started a new consulting gig advising a law firm with trial preparation (or as we call it in the trade, the '100 Day Death March'), so I'm up to my eyeballs with stacks and stacks of paperwork to plow through. Argh. And here I was quite enjoying NOT working 14-16 hour days, nights and weekends again. *sigh*
But I hope everyone is happy and healthy and yes I know I need to finish and post my Travel Blog and also get rid of this chest cold I've suddenly picked up and find a way to capture the mouse that suddenly ran into my apartment while I was out watering my tomatoes on the patio this morning... well, you get the basic drift. Why didn't I buy stock in Genentec when they were patenting their cloning process, ne? :)
I'll be back on later, so have a great day discussing anything and everything. Mata ne!
Happy Friday Everyone.
I just finished watching 9: Nine times time travel.
Its such a good movie. I love the lead actor so much.
Can anyone recommend another movie with him in it that is good?
Stella, I don't know about what else the actor has been in, but if you haven't watched Queen In Hyum's Man, watch that - it's by the same writer. It's also a time travel show, but more focused on the romance.
Hi LizJ
I've already seen it and love it too.
But right now I'm on a Lee Jin Wook high. I think he's incredibly hot. If I wasn't married....I'd stalk him
But I wouldn't recommend this drama. It had potential when it started...and then just pilfered off. I still regret sitting through the whole thing (what was I thinking??)
He was in i need romance 2012. Very cute there although i havent completed the drama. Its quite good but not in an addictive way and somehow i just let it go.
Yeah, he is in I need Romance 2012, i really like that drama, he is good in it, i actually watched first INR and decided to watch Nine because of him in INR2012 :D
If you want some Lee Jin Wook, why don't you try I Need Romance 2012? I enjoyed it quite a bit.
I have seen also some older stuff: Powerfull Oponents - LJW plays a troublemaker son to the President of Korea - it is really old and LJW is not a lead, but it is a nice little thing to watch in between.
There was also a 50-episode weekend makjang monster called City of Glass. He played a most lovable chaebol you can imagine. He did have his family issues, but still it was a great pleasure to look at. The problem is, this drama is difficult to come by, not to mention subs. Maybe you're more lucky than me, though?
Cheers!
Please tell me I am not the ONLY beaner that will temporarily lose her sanity for the next 6 days in waiting for I Hear Your Voice Episode 17.
HYE SUNG. DON'T DIE ON ME YOU HEAR. I MEAN. NOT THAT I SUSPECT YOU'RE IN ANY DANGER. WRITER-NIM LOVES YOU TOO MUCH TO KILL YOU OFF RIGHT?
sigh.. Anyways, who's been watching Queen's Classroom?
The beginning of Thursday's episode threw me off my chair and my mouth was gaping like an idiot when Teacher Ma came into the room wearing RED heels and a YELLOW dress. My mind was BLOWN. And then cut to Hana waking up. Ha! Of course~ I love how the class is so united now. They're helping each other out as Teacher Ma intended them to.
I was rather confuse though because during her class when the Board of Education guy was there, she said some pretty meaningful stuff to her students. Life lessons. My favorite line, "Shim Hana, believe what you believe." And yet, he still deemed her unworthy to teach? HECK MAN YOU DIDN'T EVEN STAY FOR THE WHOLE PERIOD. WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW. //flipstable//
In any case, love how all Ma's goodness is coming out into the open. Her talking to Dong Goo's mom and then her conversations with Hana. I LAHVE.
Happy OT everyone! This weekend promises a flood of DE NILE from all IHYV fans and the morose storm clouds will seem to abate nearing Wednesday night until we see a bright rainbow Thursday morning. The next few days following Thursday will see a short drizzle of pain as we go into Voice withdrawals and someday, we'll see the sunrise again.
Was it a spoiler? Like saying "Drive Safely". In Kdramaland, all the best wishes you can send out so your favorite character remains alive is energy well spent.
Sorry about that! My mistake, didn't read it past "don't die on me..." because I am afraid. I can't even glimpse at the preview because I don't want to know what happens. Think I might be nervous for no reason.
No. You're not the only one. Unfortunately! To get me to this week's two episodes I marathoned School 2013. Which also means 3 nights of sleeping at around 2am and having to get up at 6am to go to work. With this week's cliffhanger, what am I going to do with myself? I'll be such a wreck til next Thursday when this torture will finally be over.
Haha, I'm with you here. Losing sanity and impatience meter growing by the minute because of IHYV. Seriously, I need to get busy to get my mind off things.
I'm also watching Queen's Classroom and I really got a shock when Teacher Ma was wearing yellow. But I loved this episode, it brought tears to my eyes. "Don't judge a book by it's cover" really materialized here, knowing the sincerity and love of this teacher to her students.
The guy from the education board reminds me a lot of the Washington DC incident with Michelle Rhee, where she was forced out not because of performance, but because of politics and teachers' union agitation and misinformation given to parents. Rhee was not without her faults, but I am seeing some distinct parallels in this series of how politics (in the series it is one very manipulative parent) can overcome common sense.
For the whole story on Rhee, see Wikipedia and other sources.
Hello everyone! This Friday's a cramming session for me, as I have to pass a paper by 12mn (it's 10:20pm now) and I'm only halfway there. And I'm too tired and hungry to write. And my head is spinning. HELP! :(
Shark - This one is just another example of why I've always found KNG oh so intriguing. No one does those silent moments like he does ...... they're silent moments, but they're loaded. That newlywed husband? He's supportive and all, but, I dunno, I wonder about him sometimes .... hmmm.
IHYV - Another one of the new ones for me that I'm also enjoying. I'm not kidding, the last time I saw Lee Jong-seok was in High Kick ...... back then I knew he was destined for better things and he proves it here. ..... I don't think I've seen another drama lately that delivers sweetness and creepiness in equal doses.
WAML - 6 more episodes to go. I'll repeat last week's sentiments, Jae-hee, dead to me, no respect for you, at all! He soooooo crossed a line you just can't really recover from. ..... I want to give Oppa a hug ..... or two ..... or three .....
AHYI - Caught another 2 episodes of this after some time away from it. Oh my goodness, it turned into a comedy when I wasn't looking! Who knew?? ...... that pet-carrying-new-DIL along with her goofy husband with the outlandish clothing combos are too funny ....... I'll let a couple of weeks go by again, and then tune in again to check out the shenanigans.
Dong Yi - Still around the half-way point. Palace intrigue #30-something at this point. Poor Dong Yi, but hey, on the bright side, she's slowly moving on up and has pretty outfits now! ...... Kidding aside, interesting to see another version of how a king could be king and still not have that much power.
Completely agree with you about jae hee. He was really an awful petty selfish person who chose to beleive whatever he needed to believe to justify his actions and his agenda. I REALLY disliked his character there.
Chubs was a slug. I liked him, and then I waffled, and then he just began to disgust me. He wasn't evil, he was just...ignorant. By the end he was a better person.
I do like it. I won't go as far as to say I love it like I did QSD, but it's ok overall.
You're right about describing some of the bits as tiresome ..... that is true in certain moments, for sure.
I will add that I do find the two court musicians, the two guys who are Dong Yi's friends, quite annoying more often than not. But I think it's not so much their fault as it is how those two characters are written. ...... I don't understand why they're written as bumbling, clumsy, inappropriately loud guys.
I also find that you can pinpoint exactly where the extention is. Because it seems like a strange conflict that is suddenly brought up, and never really mentioned again. Ever.
Yeah it becomes clear that those two have been written as comic reliefe and not much else. It makes you wonder how they have managed to stay aflote so long in that palace enviroment.
On reflection, and with Heartless City to compare it with, WAML's SSH character was really rather fuzzy bunny soft and huggable. Weird to say about a gangster, and a man with abs like granite, but there you have it.
I was thinking of watching this, but I still don't get the hype of it. I can't seem to finish episode 1. Is it really good? I don't like draggy dramas now.
Well...How "the family" will survive around alot of people whose want their fortune and betrayals from inside and outside the family make it interesting for me to watch.. ^^
I have not been watching much dramas in the last couple of weeks but just been catching up reading recaps. Monstar and IHYV=best dramas for the summer.
Still watching Gu am Heo Joon. It's a longer weekend show, slow in some parts but the storyline is really good. I'm surprise I keep tuning to the show whenever subs are out. Lol
Ya no shakura: have not seen the latest ep yet but it should be good. ^^
Saw ending of love in Tokyo, third version of ISWAK and thought it was okay. They really hurried most of the main points in PK last two eps and jammed into one. Of the three versions, I like playful kiss more.
Can't wait for the new batches of shows. Most anticipate one for me is master's sun. Comedy horror with a dash of romance should be exciting.
I'm definitely waiting for master's sun too. I saw the trailers for them and they look so creepy! I hope it's kind of like chilling romance, where they have just as much laughs as they do horror.
I believe the hong sisters can do well with something like this. As I've said before, they've penned more hits than misses. In regards to the supernatural, if josh whedon can do it with buffy and angel for 5+ seasons, I'm sure the hong sisters can do it for 16-20 eps.
Isn't Love in Tokyo the fourth version of Itazura na Kiss? The original J-drama starring Sato Aiko as Kotoko-chan
Kashiwabara Takashi as Naoki-kun is the only version I watched so far. Her version was probably as stupid as Ariel's version and doubly annoying with her shrill voice but it still held some charm, especially since Naoki-kun was pretty cute.
A good and bad week, full of learning and casting aside and near-acceptance and growth. The good thing is last Friday, the kindle version of my novel, The Constant Tower, was released. So am happy about that.
I am truly missing Dramacrazy...but trying to get used to gooddrama. Been watching stuff mostly on viki, youtube and az.
Shark: Trying not be annoyed with this drama but I made it this far and will continue through to the end. The last two episodes...wow! On the one hand, everyone having some hidden secret truth and NOT telling a friend/colleague/husband (or not wanting to be told some truth) and on the OTHER hand, a tonna experts/talking heads/convenient historians-mouthpieces who are all telling secrets. I am willing to listen to anyone who believes the writers have hinted that this story is thematically about telling...but it just seemed like an unthought-out mess.
Right now, I'm holding on because I'm wondering how Friend, Overwhelmed second lead Hubby, and Yi Soo are all gonna deal with forgiving someone (or the relative of someone) who has attempted to murder. Yi Soo is rolling over into Min Gook (IHYV) territory right now.
I Hear Your Voice: Oh my! I love the way this drama works out all aspects of justice and the legal system: Injustice/Justice as being not heard/heard, Motivation, the imbalance of the cause/motivation versus the effect/crime/justifying deed, and the last two episodes...the pushing away of pride in order to admit guilt. Su-Ha, Hse-Sung, Lawyer Cha, Orange Hair, Prisoner Dad didn't have that horrible self-serving pride that Big Bad, Judge Seo, and even Do Yeon had. When Do Yeon was falling apart, it was definitely a depiction of grief but also a real visceral depiction of her dying to pride and dying to self. It's hard to give up on one's pride.
I am waiting to see how/if Min Gook will have a redemption arc. His pride and sense of rejection and sense of justice is so strong. I swear...if he comes to his senses ( either because someone has validated his wounds by "seeing his side" or by his seeing that he has been way too over-righteous) I am gonna cry. It'll be like watching a sinner repent or something. In writing a story, one always tries to keep track of what the reader's mouth is watering for (so to speak.) I know some folks want Min Gook to suffer terribly but I want him to believe he was loved, to understand he was wrong to hurt innocent people. (Sob) I want him to understand that there is justice, truth, and love the world. Wuss that I am.
Been critiquing a friend's book so I haven't had a chance to catch up on Sword and Flower (Blade and Petal) but am really loving that story. Gonna reward myself later by catching up.
Anime: Am set to watch Ao No Exorcist tonight on animefreak but haven't watched any other anime since animecrazy went offline. Yeah, much bewailing of the lost crazies in the old homestead.
Regarding IHYV, I'm not at the viewing point you're at yet, but already I can see how this drama challenges us on issues such as justice, right and wrong.
Doesn't it, though? It's as if the writer totally looked at every spiritual and legal aspect of them...and dedicated the entire drama to exploring them. Mucho respect! And manages to create characters we love Mucho mucho respect! And totally works well with the genre and gives us good entertainment as well. Mucho mucho mucho respect!
I went over to amazon for the blurb cause I'm crappy at describing my books. So here's the blurb:
"Sickly fifteen year old Prince Psal, the son of the nature-blessed warrior-king Nahas, should have been named Crown Prince of all Wheel Clan lands. A priest-physician like his friend Ephan, Psal lacks a warrior’s heart, yet he desires to earn Nahas’s respect and become a clan chief. If he cannot do this, he must escape his clan altogether. But his love for Cassia, the daughter of his father’s enemy, and his own weaknesses work against him. When war comes, Psal defends Ktwala and her daughter Mahari, wronged by Nahas, and speaks out against the atrocities his clan commits, further jeopardizing his future. And now the mysterious towers that keep humans safe from the Creator's ancient curse are rebelling. A prophecy exists—not that Psal believes such matters—of three great ones who will find the Constant Tower and break the power of the third moon. Could Psal, Ephan, and Mahari be those great ones? Psal must risk losing his father’s respect to find his destiny, and with his friends face the dangers of the unmaking night to find the Constant Tower and save all of humanity."
So far, it's gotten some good reviews:
"Carole McDonnell is a first-class world-builder. A unique, powerhouse epic, The Constant Towers is a treasure trove of great characters, compelling cultural details and political machinations, all lovingly detailed in evocative prose. Yay!" – Stefan Petrucha, author Dead Mann Walking
Good reviews are cool but what I want is money. ;-)
If you want, you can email me on a post on my blog and I'll send you a pdf. (The publisher won't know ;-) Although that means being stuck reading on your computer...and i soo hate reading on my computer. But if you want it, i'll send you a pdf no problem.
Ohh that would be awesome! :D I know what you mean about reading on the computer, but after having to read an x number of journals and stuff on it I'm getting used to it. Still prefer having the actual book of course, but I can deal with it.
I'll likely watch IHYV when it's finished. I've been moving the last few weeks, and we got down to crunch time this week, so I've had little time for dramas. Based on the recap, I don't think this would be the best time to marathon IHYV and then be left hanging for several days.
I'm still watching Love Around, Just You, and You're the Best Lee Soon Shin.
Happy that we're finally getting the focus back to the OTP in YTBLSS. I predict that one of the next plot twists will be that Jun Ho's mom is NOT going to be happy about her son being in love with the daughter of THAT woman (so, in a way, Soon Shin will be dealing with what Yoo Shin just went through...her future MIL disliking and disapproving of her).
A little funny about my hubby. He's not seen much of Asian dramas. I tried to get him into Bridal Mask last year, thinking that show would appeal to guys. He watched a few episodes but didn't watch the whole searies. This week I was watching Love Around and he was sitting with me. He asked if that show was Korean, and I said, no, it's Taiwanese. I told him you could tell because the language has more hard vowels than Korean, and also they tend to drop a lot more English into their conversations. He watched a while and he said...yes, and it looks like the women are more assertive in Taiwanese Dramas. I thought about it, and I guess they tend to be. What do you think?
Some are initially assertive, but then they often turn out to have no backbone, retreating at the slightest threat from the ex or think that they themselves don't deserve the guy.
---YTBLSS
Junho's parents have a terrible marriage. Even if he's not cheating, there's nothing worth saving there. They don't actually like each other. I don't know why Junho's mother is clinging onto a guy that never talks to her, or, if she does, talks down to her and only says "I don't care", "I'm not interested in anything you're interested in", "Shut up", etc. She's boring and a gossip girl, but he's cruel. They are better off without each other.
They all seem to be way too common in all Asian dramas, and Taiwan is no exception. The main difference I see between T and K dramas is that Taiwan seems to lean more towards the total airhead, while Korea leans more to the totally subservient "I have no pride and I will do anything and apologize 3000 times for things that are not my fault just because I want to avoid conflict" scenarios.
The only part were TW dramas beat Korean (and usually also Japanese) ones is that they are, on average, much better at skinship. Not pretending half as much that adults have physical relationships (because they do) and when we get kisses, we get proper kisses, not the wooden plank variety favoured in Korea.
Hi, hi! Missed everyone for 2 weeks while I visited mom for her birthday celebration! We had great fun. However, staying at mom’s means I’m entering the {{{{no real time zone}}}}}.
The alarm clock in my room reads 6:40. The bathroom clock reads 5:40. I have to adjust. (Mental note: bathroom clock did not ‘spring forward’ for daylight savings time). The hall clock reads 5:40 as does the clock at the bottom of the stairs (did not ‘spring forward’ either). But in mom’s house, no one touches the clocks but her. “I have my system,” she says.
Everyone is used to the kitchen clock. It is 20 minutes fast. At 6:20 we watch the 6 o’clock news. When mom said we had to be at my brother’s for dinner at 7:30 (the kitchen clock read 6:45, actually 6:25) I knew there were 40 minutes until we had to leave at 7:05 (7:25 kitchen clock time).
When we hopped into mom’s car the clock read 7:33. Mom glanced at it and said, “Perfect. 7:05. We’re on schedule. This clock gains time, but I keep track in my head. It is 28 minutes fast now.” At least that way, she explained, she is never late for an appointment.
In her study there are 4 clocks. Two read 10:16 and 10:24. It seemed later than that. Then I realize neither one is running. The phone clock is blinking - it has not been reset since the electricity last went off. The decorative timepiece reads 11:08. That’s got to be close. I stick my head around the corner to check the kitchen clock and, sure enough, it reads 11:33 (actually 11:13).
A bit later, I headed upstairs to go to bed. “Night,” I said to my brother. There is no clock in his bedroom or bathroom. He does not own a watch. When I asked what time is it he replied, “Probably midnight.”
I mumbled, “Drives me crazy. The clock situation in this house.”
He shrugged. “No one who lives here needs to know the time.” He’s right. Everyone's schedule is odd and rather time free. Interesting.
In the morning my friend called and asked if I can be ready in a half hour. It was 8:30 on the bathroom clock (so it’s 7:30 no, 9:30, I quickly calculated).
“Okay, I’ll be ready at 10. See you soon.”
I got dressed and skipped down the stairs. A horn blasted. The kitchen clock read 10:20. Wow, she’s exactly on time. I yelled goodbye and ran out the door.
The day I was leaving, there was a large clock on the counter. “What’s this?” I asked.
“Isn’t it cute? There is a different bird sound on the hour, every hour. I thought I’d put it in my dressing room,” mom nonchalantly answered. She put in a battery and set it to the oven clock which, she said, is always the right time. By my next visit, the bird chirps will not on the hour. And no one will fix it. The {{{{{ no real time zone}}}} will drive me ca-razier than ever.”
Watched 2 Korean movies with my brother – Daisy (action, love triangle) and Hansel and Gretel (horror. So not my thing).
Also watching Monstar, IHYV, QC, CC, S&F, Summer Nude (I really like the feel of this jdrama), Shark, BF, SH2, Running Man 155 with Suzy (it was a great episode). Must find eng subs for GoF!
I've been hearing a lot of good things about Summer Nude, I may check it out sometime. And that is one hell of a full drama plate you've got, I'm struggling with two-and-a-half, lol. I checked out Goddess of Fire, but found myself fast-forwarding a lot. The good news is, Bummie and Moon Geun-young look great together (and he is crazy hot in Mane of Glory mode too).
I used to adore that dude to bits back when I was a teen, but his acting/singing was... well, you get the drift. I pretty much coasted on his pretty face.
I'm liking him in this (he's a photographer). Like I mentioned, ep 1 really drew me in - the setting, pace, Yamapi, and female leads. I think it's only one ep/week and subbing is slow. For me, it's a good filler.
Saw Daisy a coupla years back. Did not feel it. Hansel and Gretel was a good spin on the fairytale. Felt like an amped up Pleasantville and reminded me of the Twilight Zone episode where Billy Mumy's kid character sent folks out into the corn. Am not into splatter horror so was surprised. And I don't think they splattered as much as gorefests generally do.
At home everything is good clockwise except my car, which will be 1 hour off until the time change. That being said, I don't have near the clocks your mom does. Cell, computer (both adjust on their own) coffee pot and microwave. That's it. No actual stand alone clocks.
At work I have the computer clock (right) the phone clock (4 minutes fast, but I have nothing to do with that) and the wall clock (set to UK time, and from there I mentally add or subtract for other countries. or check the world clock website.)
See, your clock situations seem within reason. Mom's - not so much. And this is just a little peek inside my crazy family world. Don't get me started on the conversation at dinner amidst twirls of homemade spaghetti and meatballs (we're Italian) between my other brother and mom.
Mom: what is that mammal, I just can't think of it, it's on the tip of my tongue - that can't synthesize vitamin C, just like humans can't...
Other Brother (not missing a beat) Guinea pigs. Humans and guinea pigs can't synthesize vitamin C. Other mammals can but we can't and guinea pigs can't either.
And everyone just keeps eating like it's a normal conversation about the weather.
But that conversation does seem normal. Maybe it's Italian families? Mine is too. Although...at work we once went from sexy men to vampires to string theory in under 2 minutes, and it made sense at the time.
Owl, you almost gave me a headache just from reading all that so i cant imagine having to be there with all the clocks giving different times. I dont bother with clocks or watches. Only my phone usually unless im travelling. Then, i wear a watch :)
Haha wow! That is really a no time sone! I used to have a clock that was a minute later every hour. In the end I stopped trying to reset it because it always became late. And my mp3 player still thinks it's 2009 or something (I gave up on that one as well).
Our car also have a clock that hasn't been changed away from summer time, so always an hour ahead in the winter. And the kitchen clock is a couple of minutes fast. Enough to get you there early for the buss but not so long that it becomes annoying.
omg, your mom (and her clocks)... she's my missing twin! i used to set everything 5-7 minutes ahead to counter my bad habit of always being late... it actually didn't work, except that i'd be only 5 minutes late instead of 10-12 minutes late. i got yelled at by my sister, who borrowed my watch one day. she said it made her crazy, even tho i told her it was set ahead... say hello to my twin for me. i must add more time to my 'personal time settings'...
Hi spazmo, you two would get along perfectly. Even if mom is late, she doesn't care. But with the great time spans she allows, she's not late very often. Still, I've learned to suffer silently for the most part which, of course, enables her to live in the {{{{no real time zone}}}} and keep us there when we visit. My brother (who still lives at home) ignores it all, as you might have gathered.
Ha, my mom is like that, too. But I never took the time to learn the system. My dad always kept the time on his watch correct, so if we ever really needed to know the time, we'd just ask him. Thankfully nowadays we all have cell phones that update automatically, so now I don't even need to look at the clocks when I visit.
I Hear Your Voice is killing me this week - I can't believe we have only two episodes left, and I haven't yet watched episode 16 (pesky work!). It was almost painful to watch Do-yeon fall apart, especially since there is no stereotype of the proud princess being brought down here - just a very human young woman who's had every certainty in her life ripped away from her.
And I do love that, apart from their parents, Hye-sung and Do-yeon are the biggest influence on each other, in ways they would never want to admit. It's a great way to write the female lead and second lead, because in any other drama writer's hands Do-yeon would just be a lying bitch self-righteous thorn in the side of our heroine, and that is that. But here it's so much better.
Also, on the subject of Su-ha: the impossible has happened. Lee Seung-gi has officially been displaced as Chief Puppy of Pogo's Heart.........and by a boy I don't even think of as more than cute! The post-confession smile in Episode 14 was what did it, I am putty against a good smile (see also: Jang Geun-seok and You're Beautiful).
Monstar - can't want for this week's episode, but I am dying for some more Nana-time, and especially Sun-woo/Nana time. More especially if it involves him invading her personal space (am I the only one who thought that moment was hot?). I adore our awkward Star and Sheep Girl OTP, but I'll take the couple who don't have literal snails (gag!) as their mascots.
Cruel City - I know its finale is this week, and I'll want to see My Precious in that suit, with THAT FACE. But do I want to suffer through idiot Soo-min to get to him? Decisions....
Other than that, real life is a pain - I've been ordered to socialise more with people from my office, and tomorrow is one such outing and I am NOT looking forward to it - my weekend :(
forced office socialization - will it be like the Friday night dinner/drinking in kdramas? And will there be karaoke? If not, maybe you can suggest it and perhaps, depending on the culture and situation, they may say it is okay for you NOT to join them after all - hehe
@owl and everyone - I honestly have no idea, people have plans to involve alcohol but I don't like to drink around people I'm not close to, so I've invented some handy allergies to avoid having to drink :/
There's no getting out of it, but I'm hoping to slope off after an hour or so.
But don't we k-drama addicts know that drinking is the way we all let down our inhibitions...so the next day we can regret everyone knowing about the sorrows of our innermost soul? Just saying.
The finale for Cruel City is this week?? Not next week? I'm planing to marathon through when it's finished.
I'm in for some fun since Shark and I Hear Your Voice are all ending and I'm going to marathon through allllllllllllll of them! Mwaha. Sleeping can wait.
It ends next week for sure. There are 20 episodes and episode 18 aired this past Tuesday (though IMO, it should have ended already...the episode count is making it lag).
Forced socialization does not sound fun...but maybe it will end up being? I'm doing a lifeguard re-cert course mid-august (it's 8 hours, one day)...apprehensive about all the new faces (it's still summer, I'm not ready to have to face real people that I don't know wahh).
First of all "hi", I am new-ish - not to db, I have been here for a little over two years already, but to this thread. :)
I need some help finding a new drama to watch: Something along the lines of Bridal Mask and The Princess' Man - it can be set in any time period (also present), the main arc does not have to include a romance (though, it would ne nice to have one in general), but a tight plot is a must.
Any suggestions? :)
I would recommend Queen In-hyun's Man (what a surprise, I know LOL). It's a fusion saguek, has time travel, and amazing chemistry. The hero is smart and warm-hearted (apparently these two can co-exist), the heroine has a backbone and is forward about her feelings, and the love triangle is for humor, not for angst. But with the conflict of being separated by 300 years, who needs more?
could not finish QIHM. When I was watching the Becoming a Billionair, I thought J. Hyun Woo just could not play the role well. I was not sure about his acting with QIHM either. I sometimes wonder Korean viewers like taller male leads and they just do not mind not so good acting or not so good looks( I do not think he is good looking at all. I am Asian and I have seen many of the level of his looks walking around in the streets...)as far as they are quite tall.
I second the rec for Queen In-hyun's man, and would like to add another: Arang and the Magistrate. It has a fairly tight plot, and I promise you, you WILL be surprised. Quite a bit. (and maybe also a bit swoony, because Lee Jun-ki and Shin Mina make a wonderful couple)
Queen InHyun's Man
Arang and the Magistrate
Conspiracy in the Court
Return of Iljimae (although some folks like Iljimae better) <-- not really a tight plot but fun
Contemporary Dramas:
The Devil
White Christmas
The Chaser -- contemporary, no romance but fairly tight
Syndrome (a medical drama but very tightly written)
Recommending Tree with Deep Roots (2011), if you haven't seen it yet. It deals with the events surrounding King Sejong's development of the hangul alphabet.
Superbly written. Suffice it to say that it won almost all the important drama awards 2011-2012, including the Baeksang Grand Prize 2012 and the Seoul International Drama Awards 2012 Grand Prize.
Hey thanks a lot - I didn't expect to get a reply at all. :) I guess nobody's going to read my reply this late - guess I will say thanks again next week.
Queen In-hyun's Man has been on my list for some time but I am sceptical about the time travel aspect, same goes for Nine - but I suppose I will give it a try after all. Tree With Deep Roots is the one I will start with, though - and then I will sort through the rest.
Thanks again! :)
Happy OT.
I just finished watching Jeon Woo Chi ep 18 a moment ago. Almost forget that today is Friday and Open Thread time.
Beside JWC, this week I didn't watch too many drama because the school has begun again.
Here are some that I could watch:
Scandal ep 7-8: the tension getting stronger between Ha Eun Jung & Jang Tae Ha's family. He summoned almost everyone from that house apparently. Heh. His sympathy and concern to Woo Ahmi really touched my heart. I hope she stopped being annoying ahjumma, and trained herself to be a more mature woman with pride and dignity.
Shark 17 - 18: Yihyun - Soohyun minor moment was sweet, but it didn't work for Soohyun - Yisoo. I begin to afraid that they would end up killing each other... Hae Woo, you have such a wonderful husband. What else the world do you want?
Dong soo - secretary Jang. She seemed to be moved by him. Aww... Another sweet moment.
Watching who are you's teaser and swoon again over Taecyeon... I never see him as a man before. ㅋㅋㅋ
Love in Magic: the most surprising thing is, the lead man is Han Gain's husband. I never knew about him before.
My Boss My Hero: I just need lots of laugh.
That's all... Have a nice weekend and happy Ramadhan, all. Eid Mubarak is on the way. :D
"Han Ga In's husband". Huh. So you were spared from the Vampire Prosecutor craze? If you like him, look at Can Love Become Money - it's a romcom drama with a very good role of Yoon Jung Hoon. He plays a strict, money-oriented businesmann with hilarious habits and idiosyncrasies. I enjoyed the dialogues in that one.
Oh, and he's in I Summon You Gold right now. But without his weird habits and snarky banter I feel as if he's wasted for his current role.
I HEAR YOUR VOICE - yeah ! only 2 more episodes left for the full ride with Sooha & Hyesung. avoid all spoilers until next Wednesday.
Coming Soon :
I don't know how to deal with these three upcoming dramas at the same time. uhh~
GOOD DOCTOR - done with all the teasers. the casts and their characters are ups as well. the stills, the description of the drama and the anticipation as well as argumentation from people are too high. recently the first preview of the drama is out too.. have u guys watch it ? I crack at the moment Joo Won said his line PPALI PPALI !! okay, I am more curious how they'll develop his character as an autism. can't wait anymore !!
MASTER'S SUN - new product of Hong Sisters. the teasers are creepy and somehow.. fascinating ? hahaa, never thought a Korean drama will be this creepy. the ghosts are wondering around our heroine who always be frightened by them. haa~ we'll see how the plots will develop soon.
TWO WEEKS - yes !! action !! I love action so much which make I can't resist this drama and moreover it is Lee Junki ! the teasers look promising too. we'll see this drama in two weeks. hahaa. :D
Now I have a little question..
where did Jung Ilwoo go ? it has been a very long time since The Moon That Embraces The Sun airing.. huaa~
I'm looking forward to Master's sun and Two weeks as well (hoping I'll be able to stream them while in china..)
AS for Jung Il Woo I am not sure. I read somewhere a while back about him setting up his own agency. So could be taken with that. Though I can't remember where I read it so need not be true at all.
Yes, he left his old company and joined one that he started up. Its almost time for military service for him though so it might be that his contract ended and he didnt want to sign up woth another agency when it was just going to be a short while before wnlistment. Its just what i read from somewhere. I doubt if anyone really knows.
Yeah if it's military time it wouldn't be unlikely if he just lay low before going. Also with the current controvercies surrounded celebrity solider, laying low and going the quiet route into service could be a good thing. Then he can make a (hopefully) proper big comeback once he returns.
I've been having trouble getting on Dramabeans for about a week. For some strange reason the site crashes on me. So I'll make this quick, fingers crossed.
I'm happily living in a world called "We Got Married" with Kim Hyun Joong. I am so charmed by the Lettuce Couple (SsangChoo).
I am also reading. First author Linda Sue Park's "See Saw Girl" and now "When I Was Keoko". These young adult books would have made no sense to me before I started watching KDramas. Now I can envision them, the clothes, the locations, the people.
Also having the urge to yell "Gramps" when I see any of the 4 veteran actors in KDramas instead of Grandpa Over Flowers. Fascinating display of the Korean respect based on age and friendships that span decades.
Actually, I've been watching his new music video, Unbreakable, on replay for days. He looks different from his Got Married Days. Very manly. (goes to take cold shower)
Hey Beanies!!!
Speaking of KHJ's beautiful body. I caught the Japaneses compilation of City Conquest and let me tell you now I know why nobody picked it up. I do admit it was raw so I didn't understand much of the dialog but it was enough for me to stop watching it after like 20min. The imagery is very grungy and they do fanservice to us girls by giving us these slow panning scenes of his body. But still what a disappointment. Its on you tube and under episode 00.
Anyone know of a place that has Inborn Pair with English subs? A group of 15 year olds started subbing this 84 episode TDrama, which is an amazing feat, but I want a backup plan if these young girls grow bored with all the work of subtitling. So far, they've done 26 episodes and I'm hooked. I snuck a look on YouTube of the OTP kiss at episode 44, and I can hardly wait. I'm surprised at how easily each episode of this frothy rom com go down. After Horse Doctor, I've been traumatized to get into any long drama.
Nothing particularly new in Inborn Pair, it is just that I seem to have an endless appetite for people falling in love. Inborn Pair has the theme of various methods used to control other people - pouting, lying, manipulating, threatening, playing the victim, etc. I like comparing how the women use different methods with various levels of success.
Inborn Pair also gives a glimpse into responsibilities of being a daughter-in-law. In my next life, I plan on being a much better daughter-in-law from what I have learned from Dramas about family responsibilities. Not that there aren't plenty of mother-in-laws-from-h*ll in KDramas that display family behavior one should not emulate. Still, I've come to understand expectations for family respect and being filial with the addition of affection can really bring about a strong bond. Inborn Pair's mom gives daughter a handbook of how to be the best daughter-in-law when she gets married, and I want a copy of that!
The human way of behaving at the till continues to baffle me. Also I am no longer able to look at a vegtable and fruit without remembering (most of the time) its code at the till. Gives old jokes a new spinn though (2 x 5500 walked across the road. Though if you can remember the bar code of ketchup then it is time to quit..)
And I'd forgotten how expecive going to the A&E is in Norway.. And still waiting for paperworks from China, I'm feeling less and less confident about getting there before I'm supposed to start my work!
Dramaland:
Still fallen behind on pretty much everything. Finished Izura na Kiss: ended pretty much the way I expected. Still, love how Kotoko was in that drama, and liked that you could tell that her and Kin-chan was friends before anything else. And Naoki actually showed some emotions!
-Monstar: next project to finish! Resisting the temptation to read the recaps!
-Bu Bu Jing Xi: Started this, on ep 3. Seems interesting so far, though I'm expecting pain to come (okay so I caved and went ahead and read about the drama and the actual history behind.. History geek guilty as charged!)
- Need to continue on Drama Go Go Go.
Also looking forward to so many of the new drama's! I better be able to do some streaming whilst in China. VPN needs to be found and happen!
5500 = tomatoes actually ;) I don't know the bar code for ketchup (luckily they tend to scan well) however I used to know the entire bar code for 1kg carrots as well as cherry tomatoes (70511636138 *shifty eyes* ) :p
Hi everyone, this is my first time participating in an open thread so I'm not really sure what to write.
Here I go lol,
I would like to know how everyone balances out watching 'x' amount of k-dramas (and we can add C-dramas, Taiwanese dramas, and Japanese dramas into the mix) with the demands of school and work. I'll be taking an intensive course in the Fall, in addition to a regular, full-semester course; I'm sure I'll have my work cut out for me. There are so many interesting dramas starting in a couple of weeks. I often try to place limits on myself, but then, when interesting information about upcoming dramas is released on a weekly basis, I feel as though my resolve is being threatened :) I say to myself that I'll save my drama viewing for night time and focus on my other responsibilities during the day. After the Fall semester, I'll be doing my internship. Then I'll be taking exams and trying to find work. Additionally, I would like to dedicate time to language study and to learning about other things. This sounds like a silly question, but I would like to know how others manage their time :)
Also, what dramas are people currently watching? Here's what I'm watching.
Cruel Palace (Korean)
Monstar (Korean)
I Hear Your Voice (Korean)
The Blade and the Petal (Korean)
Just You (Taiwanese)
What I would like to watch:
The Master's Sun (Korean)
Two Weeks (Korean)
Who Are You (Korean)--Wasn't interested initially, but things have changed :)
King of Lanling (C-drama)--I may not have time for this.
I am not sure about Juwon's upcoming drama.
These are just the dramas coming out soon. There are other ones that will be released later (such as Basketball and Answer Me 1994). I usually watch more dramas when I am on vacation (such as now), but things get harder when I am busy with school.
School would definitely cut into drama watching time. I'm done with school, so I have evenings and weekends free from work. My drama watching schedule is pretty much MTWTh 8:00 - midnight-ish (or later if I'm marathoning) and Sunday afternoon. That's what my study time used to look like. Shifting to drama watching was kind of, well - natural.
I am impressed with your 5 drama line up, though. (My list is in comment 15 - I watch a lot). Like my brother says about my kdrama addiction "You just spend your time that way. Other people spend their time doing something else just as much. Who cares?" Obviously, not me.
Happy studying, working, and drama watching. Fighting\/!
I usually focus on school work from the morning till afternoon and leave nights for myself. In these last two years, however, I have started taking breaks (in the middle of the day) from long hours of school work to watch dramas.
I am glad that you are impressed with my mere 5 -drama- line up :) I thought that was a lot; I guess I was wrong :) Another reason why I try to cut things down is because I cannot stay on the computer for long hours without getting neck pain (I have said pain right now lol). Thank you for your advice! I will enjoy my vacation time and work on balancing things when school starts.
School will cut into dramawatching yes, but as with everything it's just all about balance. I used drama watching as both procrastination, and relaxing time after finishing tasks and so on. Also when doing all day readings at home, or writting papers I would use it as a "reward" during lunch and dinner times. (not all the time of course).
It's with drama watching the same way as when people have that ONE show they make time for every week to watch. Just that drama's online you don't have to worry about missing it since it's going to be there the next time as well.
Thank you for your advice :) A lot of times, I feel guilty for spending what I would call too much time on dramas. I feel like I should be doing something else, or be more productive. But I really enjoy the conversations that are sparked by dramas. And I love participating in those conversations whenever I can meaningfully contribute to them. I think that Dramabeans itself--never mind k-dramas--is my addiction. You all (whether re-cappers or commentators) make my day!
Haha I know what you mean! I have a high risk of procrastinating myself (not to mention the times where I've been reading the recaps of an entire drama while I should be researching an essay.. Ops :p).
However in any situation sometimes you just need a break. And then you can think either "Ah I had a break now I can get back to doing stuff" or "okay I need a break, and then I will feel more motivated to start again afterwards (or tomorrow depending on time".
The more you stress about it, the less you will feel that you get done. But if you sometimes takes the time to think "you know what I deserve a break from work" weather it is during lunch or later in the evening/night, you will get a break and feel more motivated in the morning. At least I find it that way.
Lol! I actually never procrastinate. I am a type A personality. I just tend to be over-critical of myself when I do take a little time for myself. It's only in recent years that I have relaxed a bit from my constant reading and studying. But I do agree that it is important to take some time off.
I balance out by watching at night...as a reward to my hard day sitting on my butt procrastinating...er..writing. If someone recommends something or if i'm waiting on subs i watch a movie such as "I Not stupid too" (the latest flick I watched...because i was going insane waiting for subs.
Am geared to watch everything vaguely supernatural in the upcoming dramas. Can't see myself watching Heirs but who knows?
I'm also wanting to watch all the new supernaturalish drama's. I'm kinda tempted to watch Heirs though. I predict it to be one of those "hit or miss shows" where you can like it okay enough, love it, or really really hate it.
I mean with the cliche setting and everything it can't be a worse mess when it starts airing than what we can imagine now? Right? ...right? :P
Another friday!
I so want to see Grandpa over flowers because it seems like super fun.
I'm already enjoying Appa odiga, I so love Junsu. That kid is such a oddball that it's hilarious.
Dramas. I've been positively surprised at how good this dorama season is. We have so many good doramas compared to what is has been.
Woman, why is this drama giving me all these feelings. This episode we find out beware spoilers!!!
Shin wasn't a molester. Shiori was in a gang that accused men of being molester to get money and after seeing Shin at her home and her parents happy with him she wanted to do something and so she accused him of being a molester. All went horribly wrong, he was beaten and finally pushed into the traintracks where he died. I know Sachi loves her daughter but protecting a murderer (that's how I see Shiori now) is just wrong.
Poor Koharu, I'm guessing she has leukemia even though we did not hear what the doctor said.
Starman, so cute and light. It's perfect to watch after something depressing.
Namonaki doku, what was the reason the Kajita's lived like they did. And was the older daughter really kidnapped and by whom and why.
Does Nahoko's father know about everything? It's just been 2 episodes but I'm intrigued.
Gekiryuu ~ Watashi wo Oboete Imasuka?
I wonder if Fuyuha still alive and if so what was her reason to vanish. The teacher, Mouri-sensei is a bit suspicious. She seems to have something against the gang. We know Fuyuha was her favorite and that she disliked Miya.
Hello fellow Beanies! A sunny morning here in Toronto, but it feels like the calm before a (metaphorical) storm because I have an exam for a full-year worth summer course in about 6 days! :( Plus every drama I'm currently watching either ended last week (Itazura, DAC) or is ending next week (Heartless City, IHYV, and Monstar) so I won't even have crack to curb my sorrows. *self-pity mode*
Now to the dramas...
Itazura - I wanted a bit more groveling on Naoki's part but I'm fine with how it ended (though that was a way too rushed wedding). The most heart-ripping scene? When Kotoko was crying in the rain after leaving the restaurant, frustrated that she still couldn't over Naoki.
Heartless City - Um. I'm kinda bored. I think this drama would have been better at 16 episodes. I'm just glad that Hyung-min still thinks Shi-hyun did not kill Gyung-mi. Also, was I the only who laughed at the ending? Soomin just comes and knocks out Jo in like two seconds...so much for his intimidation LOL (BTW I've really grown to like Soo. If he dies, I might become an undercover to avenge his death :P)
Monstar - The episode felt a bit patchy and I'm not sure how they're gonna resolve all the loose plot points in 2 eps.
IHYV - Loved it. The writer used the extension better than I anticipated. It was inevitable that the pacing would slow but instead of throwing in loads of angst, she focused on fleshing out the other characters. But that cliffhanger. And that narration. Caused me to think a string of expletives that I probably shouldn't repeat :P
Yeah I've kinda started blanking out whenever they're talking. The sad part is, I still know what's going on. And Pusan just seems to be an endless cycle. He threatens to kill, he almost kills, Baska saves, Hyung-min arrests, interference lets him go, Hyung-min gets mad, people avenge to kill Pusan. I'm just like, "kill the dude already" and start your damn facility somewhere else.
I'm totally hoping for Baksa to leave the police world and just start his drug reign with the help of Soo, Jin-sook and Safari. They'd be so kickass together.
you know, i honestly thought that when Shi-hyun learnt about Min Hong-gi's deceit re his mother, it'd be the last straw for him and he'd go rogue. alas, noooo. there was a brief moment of hope when Shi-hyun enlisted Safari's help re Prof Jang (if I remember that bit right), but then it petered out again.
you're right about the repetitive cycles. and Shi-hyun wants to clear his name re Kyung-mi's death, but took so damn long getting through to Hyung-min that their cooperation means little in the last couple of weeks. Jin-sook was supposed to be this kick-ass chick but she's ended up getting rescued so many times (and shockingly, by bird-brain soo-min once or twice!) that you have to wonder how on earth she got to her present position. she's forever yodelling between Min Hong-gi and Safari, it's kinda annoying. just set one of them (or both) straight and move on with life, ffs.
I'm pretty sure Jin Sook has that position because nobody else would want it. Like you, she was on my okay list of drug dealers for a while, until she kept waffling btwn Doc's Son and Safari and it became way annoying. She's even hitting on Soo (and vice versa), which is real trouble for them both as second tier players in the drug world.
before it was revealed she tried to kill Soo, i'd actually thought they'd make a cute bickering couple. but Soo deserves a better woman, not a foolish one like Jin-sook. it's bad enough that Shi-hyun got stuck with a moron, Soo should not suffer a similar misfortune.
soo-min is a complete idiot. she really never thinks how her stupid actions would implicate Hyung-min, or even Shi-hyun or Jin-sook. her angst over Kyung-mi's death is so false, like 10 episodes too late. you only just remembered you had a poor dead sister? dumbass.
I agree with you about the wedding! So very very very rushed. And that scene was an emotional one indeed. Liked that they didn't mess up the rain kiss though, unlike some (looking at you there Playful kiss...).
Happy Friday everyone! Currently experimenting with sageuks this summer now that I am addicted to Queen Seon-deok. I'm 23 episodes of the way in at this point. I think this is the fastest I've ever sailed through a drama of this length now that I'm already over a third of the way through. The last few episodes were not *quite* as good for me. [Spoiler]I hope they move past the manhunt soon because it is hard to want Deok-man in the palace when literally everyone wants to kill her. It also makes 95% of the characters completely unsympathetic right now.[End Spoiler]
I'm trying to pick up Arang and the Magistrate and Hong Gil Dong right now to see if I can finally finish them, but it's an uphill battle. Nothing significant happened in AatM ep. 12, and as for HGD, I'm only four episodes in out of 24, and it's taken me several years to get this far. I love the Hong Sisters, but this drama is testing my determination to finish every single one of their previous dramas.
Well, after jb did her comments post about how DB has a spoiler tag I decided to make use of it! :) I saw someone else do it with the markers at beginning and end and thought it looked like a good way to structure it.
Wow, I commend you for being able to go through all those episodes of QSD so quickly! ...... I did the tv broadcast viewing, so it was a long 31 weeks for me, believe it or not.
And yeah, some people are just dead set on going after her, aren't they? ....... Meanies! Leave poor Deok-man alone!
I Hear Your Voice finally broke me out of my recent drama slump. I haven't loved a drama or it's OTP this much in a long, long time, even if the law stuff makes me laugh at it's inaccuracy. One more week left! Writer-nim, please don't screw up the ending!
I'm also still watching Sword and Flower/The Blade and Petal. It's a strange drama. Very very pretty, but the long silences and music-video moments drive me nuts. Yet something about it sticks with me and makes me come back week after week. Anyone else have the same feeling?
ITAKISS: I stated this week with this classic. It was the finale.. I kindof expected that maybe our leads won't marry in this version. Afterall this version upgraded many things of the manga/anime. Their wedding was unreal for me and didn't fit. Well that apart, with the exception of the last two episodes I quite enjoyed this whole series. And Hanoko Miki is going to be my favourite for a looong looong time. Sayanora Itakissu.. ^^
MONSTAR: What an episode!! This musical drama never fails to captivate me and this week was no exception. I wasnot very captivated with the kiss. Rather I wanted Seol Chan to confess. But the rest of the episode both the story and the songs were wonderful. And I liked thatEun Ha's character got its closure this week. It was unexpected that they would bring her story. But its very welcome. Just two more episodes to go.. and I think I'll be rather sad when it ends. A lot of issues need to be solved.. 1. SC/SW bronemity 2. SW/NaNa 's story 3. SY/her mom's story 4. SY's Mom and Ahjusshi's story 5. Ahjusshi and the thailand kid. Wonder how they are going to tie up all the plots in just two episodes!!
I SUMMON YOU GOLD: Go Mangnae couple!!! :D Tables turned and karma in full swing! I'm enjoying this drama very very much. XD Eagerly waiting for this week's episodes..
THE PRINCESS'S MAN: I'm 8 episodes in and I must admit that for a saguek this drama is very captivating. I'm saying this bacause I'm not a very big fan of the pace of sagueks... I like the heroine who is'nt your reguler damsel in distress. Her Dad creeps the hell out of me(two-faced!) However I've hit a roadblock as Shi Hoo's family is about to be murdered and I'm not sure I want to go past that. :(
JIKOU KEISATSU 1: I took up this drama on the suggestion of one of the beanies.... Although its not upto the mark as a thriller it is quite funny and I like it.
when Naoki grumbled about how annoying it was having it all pre-arranged, I was half-hoping he'd grab Kotoko by the hand and run off to elope with her.
I can't, I just can't ever finish an Itazura na Kiss series, at least not in regular doses. Makes me feel depressed about the mangaka's untimely death since I <3 the manga so much, so full of hearts and feels.
I tried one ep of the Tokyo version, eh, don't like both leads, tried less than one ep of the Taiwan version, eh don't like both leads either.
I liked the anime version though, enough to complete it. I watched the older Japanese version before but it's totally a separate entity altogether.
Haha oh no, I have a sporadic attention span with a lot of drama's so am always pausing them myself. But I liked it.
I must admit to never having read the manga (I can't find it in book form and I hate reading manga online.) nor have I watched the anime. I started on it though, but probably to close to watching one of the drama versions. It's a story that I can like, but I just don't want to see to many similar tings straight after one another. If that makes sense?
You have to, maybe not now. Every now and then (in terms of years not days, lolol), I would re-read the series and I still find myself stalling before reaching the end. It sounds stupid but it's heartbreaking when I know that the series is incomplete due to the mangaka's death and worse still, left permanently stuck at an important juncture of the leads' lives. Sigh, heeeeeaaaaarrrttttbreak.
The anime has an original ending that's based on how the author would have ended it, according to her husband and son. I find some solace, as little as it is, in that thought, sobs.
Yeah I know she died before completing the series. And that the taiwan version ends where the manga ends (the director didn't want to take it further out of respect for the writer of the manga I read somewhere).
Sounds like I'll have to get around to watch it one day then. :)
ISYG is similar in some ways to YTBLSS, but much better. Most of the characters actually seem to have some depth and are not just one dimensional props like they are in LSS. I get the feeling that it is about time for the twin sister to actually show up in person, that should be interesting.
I totally agree with you. I dropped watching YTBLSS but still watching ISYG. The chemistry between two leads and the seconds leads in ISYG is far better. Though Yeon Jeon Hun is not my cup of tea, his acting skill has some depth.
1. I have yet to complete IHYV's episodes of this week. Will try to avoid spoilers.
2. Going crazy for upcoming Lee Jun Ki's Two Weeks but won't be able to watch it live. Makes me want to cry, lol.
3. Tried to get back into watching Taiwanese dramas after a year or so but these Taiwanese dramas have really gone downhill. They're either too cheesy, highly implausible and/or improbable, filled with sheer stupidity, and too many stretched out scenes as fillers. I can't even fall in love with any of the actors or actresses. Makes me sad because I used to adore Taiwanese dramas the most but now there's only love for Korea, haha.
4. Still watching Scandal. It's not addictive but definitely watchable and interesting enough.
5. Totally loving Grandpas Over Flowers. Thanks to the lone subber subbing this show.
I'm gonna try to watch Grandpas also. are you watching at the minime site recommended above? or at some other site? or are you watching via a Korean channel?
3. I am with you on Taiwan dramas lately. In the past I have seen a few really good ones, but lately they just seem to be full of stupid people doing stupid things for stupid reasons. And being totally silly and childish while doing it.
4. I think that Scandal has actually picked up a lot in the past couple of episodes, so getting more interesting for me.
My internet's dead and AT&T has no idea what's going on, so I haven't been watching any dramas this week. I'm still sad about Itazura na Kiss ending, so I doubt I could watch anything anyway. I have driving lessons and am job-hunting anyway, so I really need to cut back on my drama watching.
The only k-dramas I've been watching is Monstar and Cruel City. Monstar is cute, but I got bored around episode 9, so I'm lacking motivation to continue. Cruel City...maybe if I lower my expectations, I'll get back into it. I'm tired of watching Shi-hyun run around like a super hero and Soo-min's stupidity.
There's actually a few good j-dramas this season. Woman of course is amazing, but I expect nothing less. I don't usually cry when watching dramas, but crying kids get me every time. I am a little worried about the disease, because it's so cliche, but I believe the writer will work it out. I'm not exactly sold on Starman, but if I don't think too hard, I think I can enjoy it.
Really liked the first episodes of Summer Nude and Limit too.
I have had a rough week. Monday I had a horrible migraine, and in the evening... the flu hit. I was out for the count for 3 days this week and I am still not quite back up to speed. I did get some drama watching done though.
Finished Love in Tokyo. It was cute. Ended exactly how I thought it would. I think I may post a longer thought summary on my blog.
Monstar... I still love it. So cute! The music in the show is awesome!
I decided that I am just going to marathon I Hear Your Voice once it is complete.
Started Gaksital... so many tears! But I love this show. I finally made it to the big switch! I am going to take a couple day break just so that I can try to mentally prepare myself for what is to come. (I read the recaps a while back and don't really remember too many of the details).
Hoping to finish City Hunter tonight with my dongsaeng. We have been trying for months to watch it together but she keeps getting grounded (she is 16).
And once we are done with that... we are going to watch It Started with a Kiss! We watched most of the first episode already but I decided that we had to finish City Hunter first.
Now as for variety shows...
We Got Married Global I didn't realize that it was going to end. Talk about some sadness. Gui Gui killed me! Even if she was faking tears (not too sure if they were real or not) they still got my right in the heartstrings (My sister looked a mess with all the crying she did) I was behind a few episodes so we marathoned them together and it hit me from out of left field.
I am also a few episodes behind with Barefoot Friends. Still need to catch up with those.
I hope that I can devote some time next weekend to drama watching. This weekend I have 2 family reunions. I’m thinking that panda eyes are going to become my permanent look for a while…
I doubt she was faking tears, because why would a girl want to be a crying mess on TV? I feel bad for her because she obviously cared more for Taecyeon than he did for her.
Honestly, he didn't seem into her (though they did have good moments), and was ready to leave. I know Gui Gui not being the typical kind of korean girl threw him off but I thought he could have been more open, you know? Too bad, because I think any of his friends would have loved to be with her. They all seemed quite intrigued with her (especially the friends who played the "Yes/No" game).
I just started watching Bridal Mask as well, I know understand all the hype. And I totally get the whole sister thing. I watch Kdramas with my 16 year old sister as well. However her likes and my likes are different so we just swap tidbits of whatever dramas we are watching. As for Barefoot friends we are caught up and let me tell you, you haven't missed much.
I think I am the only person that is not enamored of Dalja's Spring. No spoilers, because I do not want to ruin it for OMG. I like the IDEA of the drama and the basic plot-on paper it should be my kind of drama. Overall quality, it is a good drama. I will just say I could never get into it completely, and I do not know why, and I can remember thinking I do not know if I can get through this drama, it just seemed to go on forever. I even watched it a second time not too long ago to try to figure out why it is not more appealing to me. I will say I enjoyed it more the second viewing. I really enjoy the 2nd lead female character very much. And the clothes, I want all of Dalja's coats.
:) That kinda reminds me of my reaction to You're Beautiful. It seems like everyone likes it but me. On the other hand, you've also gotten further with Dalja's Spring (2 watches!) than I ever did with YB.
I just revisited You're Beautiful and I am right there with you. My opinion did not change on what the main reason I was not a fan=the female lead character. Main reason to Watch=Operation Piggy Bunny. I'm going to write up my thoughts about it in the next week or two, I compare my thoughts on what I recall from from my first viewing and the revisit.
I didnt think much of dalja's spring either. Didnt complete it. I think i got up to epi 6 trying to understand why db loves it so but still didnt get it. Wasnt bad but didnt find dalja interesting at all.
Dal Ja's Spring... was a series that I sincerely wanted to love. I just couldn't too. The male lead was pretty cute though.
If you're talking about noona/woman in quarterlife crisis type of shows, I very much preferred What's Up, Fox in comparison. Great writing, great chemistry without sacrificing the realism. I <3 the female lead and everyone else in it (except for her sister). The two male leads were good, Pie does get one point extra for being uber cute.
Still rewatching Faith. But I had to take a break from Evil Hair Clip Guy and mindlessly thought You're Beautiful was the next thing to revisit. Yeah, so definitely not better the second time around. I am not going to think about it right now lol. I am running with open arms back to Faith and the Woo Dal Chi despite their questionable body guard talents.
Hello! I was wondering if I'm the only idiot who actually put up with 7 episodes of Goddess of Marriage. After the 7th episode I was so pissed off and hated all the characters so much I gave it up. I actually found a recap of ep 8 and I read it to see if I had made a mistake, but nope, ep 8 is even more hateful. We have three characters cheating. Two men depicted as complete jerks, and our so-called "heroine." But you know it is okay for her, because she doesn't really love her fiancée and she told him, plus his family is evil (but she is still marrying him!). How about growing a backbone and telling the fiancée that you do not want to marry him? I'm actually glad that in the recap of ep 8 it shows that he figured out that she had been contacting the other man and he takes her to confront him. In an ideal world he would dump her sorry excuse for a behind. But this is dramaland, so now we are probably going into punishment mode. He'll probably force her to marry against her will, and treat her like crap. Aaarrrgh. Waste of time. If you are watching this and enjoying it, good for you. Please explain here why you like this drama, so other people thinking about watching it can see both opinions and make up their minds. But as far as I am concerned it is thumbs down, way down.
I haven't watched Goddess of Marriage, but I saw the 3 main characters on Hwasin (last Tuesday's episode). I was kind of embarrassed for Kim Ji Hoon (remember Jin rak in FBND - I liked him in that) who always disses himself. I hate that. Not good for boosting his image. He did the same thing on the Christmas ep of Strong Heart with the FBND cast. I'm a fan, although his self depreciating behavior even makes me back away. It's a shame. Hwasin did a compilation of Lee Sang Woo's well-loved kissing scenes - oh yeah. But the 3-way chemistry (with Nam Sang Mi)was not really there, so thanks for the warning to not waste time on this drama.
Kim Ji Hoon was my reason for watching this drama. I loved him in Flower Boy Next Door. But in this one his character is just unlikeable. So I'm not willing to sacrifice myself for him. Maybe next time.
I skimmed through the first two eps, and then completely dropped it like a hot potato when I realized what kind of makjang mess this drama was.
Just drop it and never look back. :) I learned my lesson the hard way when I first found Kdrama through a daily family drama called "You Are My Destiny" (Yoona of Girls Generation starred in that one) that took a YEAR. It was my first drama so I had no idea that it'd be such a disaster. NEVER AGAIN. Haha.
Also, King Of Baking was the king of makjang as well, but I watched the the bitter end. NEVER AGAIN-for real this time.
It's just not worth it when there are so many other awesome dramas to watch and enjoy. :)
Actually, I kind of learned with A Hundred Year Inheritance. I dropped it midway, and then watched the last three episodes. I was surprised to find out that I had not missed much! For this one I'll probably watch the last 3 eps to find out what happened.
I managed to make it through 1.5 episodes with GOM, and it already had so many WTF moments that I just gave up. Suspending belief is one thing, but this one is so far out I just could not take it. And from your description, I never got to the even worse parts.
JoAnne, I love your assessment of ISWAK, and the Joe Chen character. Yes, I'm rooting for him, too. I'm with Alua on Kotoko and Kin-chan. It would be wonderful if our asian drama stars can cross-over geographic boundaries and give us the penultimate version of this many-versioned manga. Yup, that would be awesome.
Owl, interesting situation in your mom's house. There is this new age guru who has been stressing about how we view time as something to 'kill' rather than our ally. (I think DBers who are following more dramas than the days of the week really have time wrapped in their hands, lol). I think your mum has just 'nailed' time! Your piece on your home visit would make a wonderful chapter in a book. Are you a writer like Carole?
Rested on drama watching this week as my silent tribute to the Legend of Four Gods PD. RIP
Will await the new upcoming series. Holler on a good one when you find one. Will likely just go over old DVDs while waiting.
A great week-end to all! If you happen to have travel plans for Japan in late october to november, give a shout and let's meet at rainbow bridge look-out. cheerio
So far I've counted about five writers on DB, including Kimyoonmi, Cmrprindle. Probably more. Seems like we're all waiting for each other's books and scripts to come out.
lol...can't say as I blame you. That's certainly going to be my number 1 reason for checking it out. But I did like the female lead in Cheongdamdong Alice so it's nice seeing her again.
Can anyone give a thumbs up recommendation to the Leroy Yang TDrama Two Fathers?
I dipped my toe in the water watching the first 3 episodes merely because I find Leroy so marble sculpture beautiful. His best acting seems to be in seducing women, which makes me wonder if the actor does that in real life? For me, he is all sparks smoldering, best taken in the dark with alcohol and poor decision making that leads to the bedroom.
Don't tell me if the reality is that he is a loving family man with 3 kids, because that would ruin my fantasy.
I tried that one for a little while, because the premise seemed interesting but they were constantly fabricating confrontations between Leroy and Megan Lai out of nothing that it got old real fast.
If you don't mind lack of realism it might be enjoyable.
Ah, I feared as much. I became discouraged when the women the two men were probably going to end up with seemed obvious by ep 3. I am not feeling the teacher/lawyer match. You've saved me.
Well, I doubt there's much chance of you answering this, but I'm wondering why you didn't take on Heartless City... it seems much better than Shark, at least to me. I don't go for dramas like that usually, I mean those which have tragedies in every episode and usually end with the death of either the main character or the woman he loves, but I'm enjoying Heartless City very much.
Ah, anyway, it's just a shame you're not recapping it.
Thanks for all your hard work on I hear your voice! I admire you, really. I enjoy rambling about dramas, but recapping... no thanks :p
I still can't believe how much DB does recap. I'm thinking javabeans has a secret time warp machine.
When it comes to making choices, someone once explained it to me this way. It's like creating a portfolio of stocks. Sure, there are a lot of good stocks, but you can't buy them all with limited resources. Therefore, just try to get a good balance of stocks that will meet your long term objectives.
So any of us who are making drama choices will have many more options than we have time to watch/recap. Just pick a few that work for you and don't regret what you can't watch.
Well, the ladies are already recapping an awful lot of dramas + variety programs. There is just too many dramas. Furthermore, some shows are better enjoyed when you only watch them. For the record, there is at least 4 other blogs which recap that show: It seems very popular on the net.
Thanks a ton. Part of the sucky is the heat, but mostly it's my work. Love the actual work I do, love my coworkers (i work in a hospital so my coworkers are mostly clerks, nurses, and the occasional doctor). Everything else kind of sucks, but it is improving slowly.
I still can't bring myself to continue watching CC after ep 4's big reveal. Considering it permanently dropped. On the other hand, I'm pretty invested in IHYV because I adore HS and her motley crew of lawyer pals, despite the crazy lawyering that goes on in the show. I take it that the show chose to go for a highly romanticized view of crime and legal procedures and that's that.
I'm probably in the minority when I say I'm nonchalant about the romance (I'm not against it though) - I think it's cute and romantic but I don't feel like I'm falling in love with the lead as I should (man, I fell deep for CSW's DK and JWS's KC). I'm happy for HS though like a friend would be.
The funny thing is that I actually feel more attracted to LJS's real personality than SH? He literally comes off as an awkward celebrity with dorky social anxiety issues. That is sorta cute. I still don't find him physically attractive, though I wished I did :(
I'll definitely need the support group if any of the leads in INHV dies. I am so not good at accepting the death of fictional people. Maybe I have to accept reality. Reality would mean that by now Hse-Sung is dead...because MJG is just that efficient about knocking people off. And time limits spoken in cliff-hangers...well, what Su-Ha said at the end of episode 18 doesn't bode well. But I'm trusting the writer to be realistic yet still be able to keep my hero and heroine alive.
If not, I will be majorly depressed for weeks and I will feel incredibly manipulated by the writer...all this time hinting at HEA and slipping in a tragedy. Oh, Viewers, didn't you get the hint and understand what I meant by "I hear your voice"????? One of them will die but the other will still continually hear the memory of her voice.
Haha, I pretty sure SH wouldn't die. Cha has a high chance of survival by the looks of it. As for HS hmmm, I don't think she will die but I'm afraid that she would be left with some form of kdrama-type condition like... falling into a coma. Yikesssssssssssssss.
I refuse to accept the possibility that anyone will die. Maybe I've just finally snapped from all of the anxiety this show has caused me, but I feel pretty confident that the writer won't rip my heart out this time.
It's going to be ok. We'll get our happy ending. And if we don't...I'll pull a Su-ha and block those memories out.
I am just hoping that Instead HS dies, her head is wacked thus she loses her memory. then she gradually grow to love SH in the end even without knowing who SH is. That might be by far a better ending than someone dies in the end.
So E Hyun's acting skills imressed me in "Cheongdamdong Alice," when her part of the conversation was done with her face while Moon Geun Young responed with her voice.
I wonder how many people could hear what E Hyun was saying with her head and face?
I'm looking foward to see all of her acting chops in "Who Are you?"
(L)ee Min Young after seeing her 'Radio' movie and bits of her Romance comedy, I realized that she has a unique style of acting. What I've seen everyone do the same things the same way 100s and 100s of times, she does it differently.
Of course there are those who are comfortable with the familiar and see her acting as terrible but other young actresses are adopting her style so it may mean that a modern style may be developing.
BTW the "L" is silent, I guess that's why 'Yi' Hyun likes to spell her name E-Hyun.
Drama news: my friend and I are eeeeeever so slowly watching Flower Boy Ramyun Shop...since January. Mostly b/c of me, but still.
As for my personal watching, I couldn't decide amongst the many great suggestions I've gotten (and I'm still in mental mourning for DC.net), and started re-watching The Woman Who Still Wants To Marry. It's only my 2nd re-watch since the first time I saw it, and yet I'm falling in love with it all over again. I am also probably over-identifying with Lee Shin Young, pre-Min Jae. Where's Kim Boo Ki to verbally slap me upside my head?
Personal news: I'm making friendship bracelets again! Not that any of you knew I made them before, but I'm making them again!
Um, the writing goes apace. Shukie deserves many many thanks for putting up with me and my insecurities and my previously plodding pace. I have no idea how many times she's had to re-read this thing from the start b/c of me.
Also, I'm training someone to take over my off-site job in anticipation of when I go back to our main office. Today we did the heavy lifting of my job and it took...all...day. It always does, but coaching someone steadily for 6-ish hours is exhausting work. And I am.
Which is why I'm off to cut fresh strings (for the bracelets) and get ready to teach Sunday school on, duh, Sunday. Whee. Oh, family bbq tomorrow. That should be fun :D
You can never go wrong with The Woman That Still Wants to Marry. It's high on my list of favorites. You know those shows you have that are your go to watches if you are sick or just need some self administered TLC? That's it for me.
This is almost exactly how I feel about TWWSWTM, except the middle-ish section when Lee Shin Young is all depressed about being old and getting "played" by Ha Min Jae? I go there with her waaaaaaaaaay too much and get depressed. Lucky me the drama doesn't stay there too long :D
is it just me, or are there a TON of upcoming dramas that have a ghost/seeing ghosts theme? do they all have to try the same thing at the same time? like the time jump theme awhile ago....
Hi peeps just got home long festival day, two more now, taiko drums were great, Wang Li was soooo sweet, the sweetest personever it was very late, some folks sitting some standing and he mentioned everyone must be tired. there wasnt a single guy who offered a seat to wavering female listeners (like me). and he gave these little crumbs of philosophy. oh my god. do such kind and nice people actually exist? I could tell it was all sincere.
now, kdramas....music made me forget that last fright, but now I am back to... *grabs ketchup* . third bottle. don´t kill Hye Sung ....OR Su Ha....
waaaahahaa what do I do I have to either listen to music or eat ketchup. I dont think I can sleep...not well anyway
Not sure you'll see this, but most people will go over actuality, but I think theory is also useful for those in the writer standpoint.
Theory states, it's investment through character stakes, and the familiar yet not familiar such that it manipulates ones feelings. Often, though, characters that are popular are the ones that people personally can relate to on some level. (though this does not account for the Popularity of The Prince and antiheroes)
Also, most of the time, but not always, the characters are liked when they have a direct effect on the outcome of the events that they are in. i.e. not passive and that the events also in turn effect them. (Which in writer jargon is called "agency")
Example, in Cyrano Min Yeong had none... she had to be told she was falling in love to fall in love. She had to be told to go after her ex to go after her ex--she never did anything without the guys telling her first. Drove me nuts.
Manipulated well, you can see it in HS in I Can Hear Your Voice. Agency is when she's fighting for the client actively and trying to change things and making her own decisions independent of other characters. She's passive when she's saying whatever she has to say case to case. So the first she has agency, the second she doesn't.
Also, people tend to like a mixture of quirks, virtues and vices in their characters, where the quirks make sense and usually aren't too many, the vices sometimes make no sense against the virtues until background explains it and the virtues aren't too many.
Beyond that it's kinda in the realm of the fuzzy in actuality. Some people like intelligent characters, some like pitiful characters, some like underdogs, some like watching characters get reformed, etc.
I just thought of something and thought it was really funny: What if instead of the kid napping at the end of Cyrano Min-young had fallen down a well? It's as cliche but usually only done for certain other shows...I'm having trouble on how to get the final dramatics in but . . . really wasn't it a bit like having an ogre with a club anyway? Or King Kong? So why not Lassie as a diversion, right?
Hi, I am still in Vietnam and so far the update kdramas my favorite Love Around drama is not available on viki app and drama fever. :( oh well... Have a great week-end!! see you all back in the states....
I am hoping that with all of the new viewers brought into Netflix by the sales of Chromemaster that many more people will try kdramas and get hooked on the goodness.
![[Beanie Recs] Dramas about fangirling](https://d263ao8qih4miy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BeanieRecs.jpg)
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1 Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 6:26 AM
Good Morning My Wondrous Beans!
Baksa! Suha! Seol Chan! NaNa! Do Hyeon! Sooooo! So many people to love this week but guess what...
I spent most of my week with some random dude name Zhi Shu giggling at his sneakiness and falling in love. And crying a little over this other sad case, A-Jin.
Anyway - I'm off today but I have a bit of worky-work to do and I owe SOME people the bones of a SqueeCap for 18, so I'm off for now.
Joe Cheng, where have you BEEN all my life?
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 6:30 AM
Hi JoAnne! Happy Friday and Happy Weekend to you.
Who's Zhi Shu? What are you watching?
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 6:31 AM
I marathoned It Started with a Kiss. Zhi Shu is Irie Naoki/Baek Seung Jo
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 6:49 AM
I forgot that...
Ariel's Kotoko is too painfully stupid for me to ever go back to that version, despite the chemistry and all.
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ricky
July 26, 2013 at 6:54 AM
Agreed, her character was too much sometimes. All in all, though, I liked It Started With A Kiss and They Kiss Again.
Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 7:10 AM
She actually looked a bit challenged at times. Like there might be something wrong.
And yes, rather than flighty, this one was actually kind of stupid - but I LOVED this version of the guy. He had a wonderful way of showing us the emotion he was hiding from her - better than any of the others.
alua
July 26, 2013 at 7:18 AM
You're going to not believe me, but I totally don't remember Joe in this version.
He never, uhhh, particularly called my attention. I was distracted tearing my hair out over Ariel.
X_X
Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 7:42 AM
It's funny because he's the least 'attractive' visually, I think - but the most attractive personality. It was clear early on that he was intrigued and interested and confused by her; also that he enjoyed her attention when she wasn't being TOO stupid.
They quickly developed a relationship where she was the straight man and he was the joker - often by acting as the straight man - but just as often by teasing her and playing on her affection. Half the stuff he said, he said only to get a rise out of her. It was always clear to US that he meant the exact opposite of what he was saying, and there were a couple times when he made a full confession either to her or within her hearing and she was too stupid to understand what he was saying, so he just let it ride. He was only outright mean a couple of times, and in those situations he also was in terrible pain.
By the end, he had become a different person - mostly by letting down the guard he'd built up to protect himself from his mother, so really he'd just become the person he was always meant to be.
And I always understood his struggle: he fell early but his mind was telling him one thing while his heart was telling him another, and frankly, his mind had some damn good points. She WAS dumb, and that was always going to be a struggle for them. She did have other good qualities though, and in the end he decided that would be what mattered.
I watched PK first, and while my heart THRILLED to the pursuit and omg it was Kim Hyun Joong yum yum yum - I never 'got' Baek Seung Jo fully, and I didn't even realize that until I watched these other versions. I got the bones of it, and I figured that was all there was to it. It was more like he was emotionally handicapped than reserved. I hesitate to say autistic but he just didn't react to people the way you expect someone to.
I watched Naoki, and I saw more of a socialized human being - I could feel a bit of his struggle and I could see more of a response in his eyes. I could tell that he was genuinely interested in understanding why she felt such enthusiasm for life, because he did not.
And then I watched Zi Shu, and in the smallest and most complete ways, I watched a person - a reserved, unhappy person in his late teens - fall in love, find his reason for being, and become an adult. So for me, he was the best, because he was the most real and the most rounded. I totally understood him every step of the way, and while I know the story pretty well, I think it was the actor who did it, and not me filling in the blanks.
Manin
July 26, 2013 at 8:48 AM
Joanne: I mostly agree with your analysis. And Like you I watched Playful kiss first. Though I didn't watch the first sesson of the taiwan version I did watch the second one.
I always wanted to sorta knock their heads together (in most versions) and Ariel's character was so attached to him and so hopeless. That's been a thing that I really liked with the newest version; the fact that Kotoko didn't just seem to want to orbit around Naoki, or at least not as much as previous versions.
In "They kiss again" you could feel their connection, and their chemistry was very very high (hello there kiss that goes on foreeeeeeeeeeeever on that honeymoon). But as you said you could also tell that some of him being mean was actually him teasing her. And he seemed genuinly interested in finding out about her as well, not just having her find out about him beyond the "she has a crush on me, is stalking me and needs to learn who I really am."
mikey
July 26, 2013 at 10:00 AM
I agree. The japanese actors in the drama have some terrible overacting. The male lead is nothing to squee about either. I liked the korean version the best so far.
AhjummaNo1
July 26, 2013 at 6:03 PM
I have to agree. Though she wasn't so dumb in first one but in They Kissed Again... she was too ditzy to be true, however they titled it right cuz they kissed again and again and again and again and again and again :)
Jadielaw
August 11, 2013 at 4:18 AM
I love love everything you've said about Zhi Shu. Thank you so much for putting in words what I could never express. He is one of my best drama heroes of all time!!!
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Jadielaw
August 12, 2013 at 12:32 AM
My comment about Zhi Shu is meant for Joanne.^__^
nomad
July 26, 2013 at 9:50 AM
I never had the patience for the first season of ISWAK, but I loveee They Kiss Again. *spoiler* That sad episode in Zhi Shu's office when Ariel found out she had that sickness and ran away, I kept on rewatching it. Because by then it was sooo obvious how much Zhi Shu loves his girl (what IS her character's name?).
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 9:52 AM
Xiang Qin
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dramalovers
July 27, 2013 at 12:34 AM
I totally LOVE your analysis of Zhi Shu and it was the actor that brought Zhi Shu to life. I actually did not want to watch ISWAK because of of Ariel's portrayal of Xiang Qin, XQ was beyond stupid and was at times mentally challenge! LOL, Ariel is a great actress. Anyway, I decided to give it a try and totally fell in love with Joe's Zhi Shu. Every little moments even though subtle was filled with emotion that there was no doubts he actually love stupid XQ and it wasn't just because she had a crush on him. My favorite rain scene is still ISWAK, I like the new Japanese version, but emotionally Joe totally nailed it!
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Sue
July 26, 2013 at 10:15 AM
Your are like me. The second season is one of my favorites. The chemistry in the second season was so wonderful, I always felt they loved each other. Plus Christine was a hoot. Not the best actress, but her quirkiness was fun to watch.
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Julia the Berkshire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 10:20 AM
Dear JoAnne, so glad you discovered Joe Cheng.
Can't wait for you to go on the honeymoon with Joe. He can kiss!
There is even more Joe dramas out there to enjoy when you finish ISWAK. The Rose would be my first recommendation.
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Julia the Berkshire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 10:38 AM
Kim Hyun Joong in Playful Kiss seems cold and heartless on first viewing. On the second viewing, I saw the hints of his interest and found the acting subtle.
KHJ in We Got Married took 2 months to give his "wife" his cell phone number and 3 months before he sent his first text. KHJ said in the beginning that it takes him at least a year to get to know someone. Like his character Beak Seung Jo, KHJ is slow in opening up.
One of the things I liked about Playful Kiss/Itazura na Kiss/ISWAK is the love story plays out over time.
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CMRPrindle
July 26, 2013 at 3:17 PM
Happy Friday, imo!
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JADE
July 26, 2013 at 4:26 PM
Omg! I love ISWAK but I can't stand Ariel's character in the first season! She was painfully dumb and at times outright annoying :( Joe on the other hand, was such a jerk but I totally understood all the jerky things he did and knew he wasn't really a jerk and grew to love him. TKA was sooo much better though because even though Ariel was still annoying as hell, she grew up a bit and I could see that. Still loved Joe, and all the times he had to actually voice his affection for Ariel even more, because he really put his pride away for her and that's like the sweetest thing ever. They have the best chemistry!
P.S. I loved Jiro in both seasons, but I mean I've loved him since his beginner days, so this just amplified my love for him :)
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2 Nadia
July 26, 2013 at 6:29 AM
Favorite catchphrases from 2013 kdramas:
(Flower Boy Next Door) = Enrique Geum "Ajumma"
(Incarnation of Money) = Angelina "Oh Shit!"
(Monstar) = Yoon Seol Chan "I'm a Star"
(I Hear Your Voice) = Park Soo Ha's facial expressions and silent reactions to Jang Hye Sung.
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Nadia
July 26, 2013 at 6:30 AM
(Heartless City) = Baksa brooding and silent thinking.
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owl
July 26, 2013 at 7:23 AM
Cruel City *spoiler*
Somewhere, I can't remember, after ep 18 it said 'final episode'. So, even though I now know there are 2 more episodes, my comments for 18 as the final episode in my mind are:
1 The triangle positioning on the roof just like the set up when Kyung-mi was killed was clever.
2 – This drama made me root for the 2nd tier drug world of Jin Sook, Soo and Safari – at least they were consistent and the drug corruption, a given, somehow seemed less offensive than the massive police corruption.
3 - Doctor’s Son/Shin Hyun has the hottest eyes-cast-downward-backward-glance pose ever! But he breaks just like a mama’s boy and looked so lost when he thought of her.
4 - Gotta love everyone’s liquid diet of Scotch.
I'm pretty sure the REAL ending won't change my mind on any of this.
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junny
July 26, 2013 at 7:59 AM
i'm with you on 2, 3 and 4 (haven't seen this week's eps yet, though i heard bird-brain was more bird-brain than ever).
i will miss Shi-hyun horribly when drama ends.
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opaque
July 26, 2013 at 8:44 AM
Same! With #2, I'm head over heels for Soo (dunno why), so I have even more reason to root for the drug world. I feel that the police is effectively just causing deaths without doing anything...and like you mentioned, there's so much corruption and deceit. I rather like the openness about the badness of the drug world. At least I get them.
LOL at #4. They've become so immune to it too, now it's like they're drinking water.
junny
July 26, 2013 at 5:40 PM
may i add No 5: bird-brain soo-min has even less of a brain than is possible. why hasn't she hasn't died yet? FML
Miranda
July 26, 2013 at 7:37 PM
Personally I don't think that she's bird-brained, just naive and completely focused on her revenge.
junny
July 27, 2013 at 3:27 AM
focused on her revenge? hahahahahahahaha.
Link
July 26, 2013 at 6:44 AM
My favorite from I Hear Your Voice is Hye Sung's "WANG JUN SHIT!" haha always cracks me up.
But Soo Ha's pouty lips/furrow eyebrows/cute smiles are adorbs!!
Will miss them and will most likely marathon this drama.
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Rits
July 26, 2013 at 7:52 AM
adding on the catchphrases
Monstar: Seul-chan: Ah, Grammar!
Math!!!!!(his arguements SW/Class Pres.
Shark: Dong-soo "minority in love" comments
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redfox
July 26, 2013 at 3:44 PM
oy, just got in. catchphrases? as a conversation:
Gaksitaaaaaaaal!
um, you got it wrong - "I’m Dokko Jin"
no, I am Kim. Tak. GU!!!
Oh. My. God. (Dalja)
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girlatsea
July 26, 2013 at 4:52 PM
Heartless City - Soo's 진정 (jinjeong)
I don't think there's ever been a character in the history of Korean dramas that loves a word so much hahahh ^^
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enz
July 27, 2013 at 7:39 AM
cha chi soo - nah chwa and his temper tantrums :) classic
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3 kdramapedia
July 26, 2013 at 6:29 AM
Happy Friday! I was finally all caught up on dramas, then this pesky thing called "real life" came along and I fell back behind. I haven't seen the IHYV finale!!!!! Ahhhhh!!!! I guess that's my cue to leave OT since I'm sure that'll be the main topic of discussion. Le sigh!
Hope everyone had a great week!
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 6:30 AM
The finale is next week, though
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kdramapedia
July 26, 2013 at 6:52 AM
See? real life strikes again!
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 6:31 AM
Finale isn't until next week. You forgot the 2 episode extension.
I haven't watched ep 16, my internet is striking again (or rather, still) and not letting me watch videos.
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john
July 26, 2013 at 6:49 AM
alua ~
Gybao ! I hate technical difficulties.
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kdramapedia
July 26, 2013 at 6:57 AM
I'm one forgetful person. I'm on a trip and forgot to bring soap. My dongsaeng only has Old Spice. No thank you!
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kdramapedia
July 26, 2013 at 6:54 AM
Oh, and I forgot our Monstar lover-boy star has joined instagram! Now I get to see Jun-hyung on my feed!
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MariD
July 26, 2013 at 7:54 AM
Ahhh!!!! I must find him.. I become obsess with Beast in the past month.
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Enz
July 26, 2013 at 8:20 AM
I am completely obsessed. Like i am reliving teenage years again kind of obsess. I want to support them, vote for them, follow on instagram, buy them stuff! Its scary. I reckon its mid life crisis hitting me :p
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nomad
July 26, 2013 at 9:52 AM
LOL!!!
Sue
July 26, 2013 at 10:18 AM
I thought I was the only one. I was living alone with my secret. 'Tears' sniff... so glad to know I'm not alone.
Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 10:31 AM
*raises hand* It began with Du Jun during the beginning of IRISII, but I only liked Beautiful Night and I Like You the Best and I didn't care about the other boys. Right now I like JunHyung the best and especially like a solo he did called 'Better Without You'...but I will eventually work my way back to handsome Du Jun.
MariD
July 26, 2013 at 1:29 PM
Lol. Me too!! I go to sleep every night listening to them. Have conversations about them everywhere (Facebook, Twitter) I bought all their songs. I do not remember being this bad when I was a teenager..
Enz
July 26, 2013 at 4:35 PM
@mariD, i dont think this level of obsession was possible pre-internet. Its because we get to access sooo much and connect with similarly obsessed ppl that we are able to feed our fangirl into a frenzy! Haha.
I wasnt like that either as a teenager. All i could do was to buy mags and put my fave star poster up in my bedroom.
And to think i went to a beast concert last month JUST before my obsession exploded!!!
greenie
July 26, 2013 at 1:02 PM
Cutie pie Yoseob!!
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MariD
July 26, 2013 at 1:49 PM
My favorite.. Would it look bad for a person in her late 20 to start a fan club for a 23 year old??
katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 11:27 AM
I don't think I hve ever grabbe my phone so fast in my life!!! Must find on Insagram!
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kdramapedia
July 26, 2013 at 12:24 PM
haha, his username is bigbadboii
you're welcome ;)
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katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 12:46 PM
OMG!!!
*Fights with inner fangirl over the keyboard*
Thanks!
owl
July 26, 2013 at 3:21 PM
I have been rewatching all the Strong Heart and Hello Counselor (title?) eps with Beast in them. Luv luv luv, so cute! I am also loving Barefoot Friends and watching all the Eunhyuk /Super Junior eps on those shows too :)
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Enz
July 26, 2013 at 4:17 PM
Ive been watching beast almighty. Hello counselor. Anythingn i can find. Loved the beast airline concert preparation dvd. I found that i actually like a LOT of their songs and that their songs are very diverse.
But i need to look for the one joanne mentioned, better without you. How did i miss that??!!
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 9:39 PM
Enz, it's a fan video but very well done. Here's the YT link:
http://youtu.be/x9WHILxCfo0
I guess it's CALLED Living without You, but he SAYS Better without You
Enz
July 26, 2013 at 11:22 PM
Thanks joAnne:)
Carmensitta
July 27, 2013 at 7:10 PM
One of the Beast members was a permanent member in Win Win. So cute! And quite a few unbelievable/out of nowhere/funny questions and reactions from him. Needless to say, they had a whole episode on Beast, highly recommended!
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Enz
July 28, 2013 at 11:49 PM
Ya, i saw that. With their dads dancing to fiction
kumi
July 26, 2013 at 7:03 AM
Pesky little thing called 'life' ;)
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4 alua
July 26, 2013 at 6:47 AM
Still with internet problems so I haven't watched most stuff.
Haven't watched ep 16 of IHYV (but read the recaps). Nor Monstar from last Friday. Not a whole lot of J dramas, but also because I don't have time. A bit of a pity, because of some of them are good and I know the moment I start lagging behind on episodes I often end up dropping dramas. But Woman, Gerikyuu, Starman & a few more aren't really dramas that should be dropped.
No more Itazura na Kiss. The finale was okay, though too fast paced and I would have preferred for them not to get married yet but date first. It's still my favourite version of the show.
Watched Shotgun Wedding (oldie), which had a superb cast and started well, but then had some rather forced twists particularly towards the end (WTF with "this is an unmissable job opportunity, so you have the baby without me and I'll be back in a year's time"?!?!?). Not blaming Takenouchi of course, but I think the writers messed up. And also forgot to develop the romance in the drama, because a drama that goes from a one nightstand to total chastity – without even giving off any physical chemistry vibes is just a little unbelievable. A pity for the cast – Takenouchi, Tsumabuki, Hirosue and Abe all in ONE DRAMA (doesn't get much better than that!).
Skip-watched Just You and Love Around, but can't get over the heroine's brainlessness in Just You. Sad that whoever writes these dramas thinks that woman characters must be portrayed that way. Love Around... we are going for twists that are just beyond credible. You like a guy so if he's with a girl that MUST be his girlfriend. Of course. Or maybe he just happens to have female friends or (shock!) a sister! Seriously, these kind of misunderstandings are just lame. And the hit-and-run accident in the end: please someone tell me why the heroine thinks it is more important to jump in the car of the person who caused the accident and wants to speed off than to attend to the child who lies there seriously wounded and is possibly dying? If the kid dies, she'll be like "yeah, but I got the guy who killed him and justice was maintained?" ?!?!??
Obviously, I should not be watching these two dramas... :-D
Should be going for food at Korean place tonight, but am feeling lazy (and am kinda broke so...).
Reviewed Green Days over on my blog in case anyone is interested in Korean animation.
Waiting waiting waiting on DVD ship from Yesasia (it's been a month, sometimes it's so slow).
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john
July 26, 2013 at 7:02 AM
alua ~
I'm watching Woman and Starman.
Well worth watching.
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LizJ
July 26, 2013 at 7:09 AM
Can someone give me a synopsis of these two?
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 7:17 AM
Both involve a single woman with kids that basically is just trying to get by.... except that they are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum.
Woman is a very dark, dark tale, the mother is widowed and left with two young children, works gazillion jobs and basically sometimes ends up starving herself so that the kids get enough food. Apparently her husband's death isn't what it seemed to be, and there's also a storyline with the main lead's own mother, whom she has been estranged from for many years. This a realistic tale, a psychological drama focusing on social issues and emotional struggle.
Starman is much more light-hearted and kind of way out there. The lead character's husband has disappeared and left her with her three boys (and a grandma). They live happily in the countryside, they are well fed, have good a house, etc. and the only thing lacking is a man in the house. One day the lead picks up an unconscious man ten years younger than her on the street and when he wakes up with amnesia she spins a tale about how he is her husband (her second husband). But there's also a twist about the guy being possessed by an alien.... or something like that – we don't know the details yet, but it's pretty clear he isn't just human but that when he fainted SOMETHING happened. This story is obviously more light-hearted, but I think it'll be tackling some emotional issues as well.
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Julia the Berkshire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 10:00 AM
Your description of Starman has me intrigued. Where are you watching it?
Sue
July 26, 2013 at 10:23 AM
Yes, Starman is definitely different. I'm really enjoying it. I watch it gooddrama.net. They are up to ep 3.
alua
July 26, 2013 at 10:33 AM
good d.
Kinchan is in it too. Again getting the short end of the stick (I'm suspecting his girl is an alien too).
alua
July 26, 2013 at 7:28 AM
You are not making me feel any better!
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ricky
July 26, 2013 at 7:18 AM
Would you recommend itazura na kiss? I've seen the Taiwanese and Korean versions, not sure if I should check out the Japanese version.
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 7:21 AM
Yesssss. The best version IMO.
I love this Kotoko (she has a backbone! And she's the loveliest person ever!). And I loooooove Kinchan in this one, he's the best friend ever. The whole message they deliver about friendship makes it worth watching for – if I think of the teen audience, I get very happy because too many dramas have very problematic messages.
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ricky
July 26, 2013 at 7:40 AM
Thanks! I think I'm going to check it out.
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 7:47 AM
Kotoko is awesome. Her mugging could be toned down, but as a person, she's the best version. And Kin-Chan is the best second lead version. A-Jin was good...but Kin-Chan is pure gold.
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 7:57 AM
I actually enjoyed her mugging.
It grew on me and then just became part of her charm.
You know like when you have a friend that's 100% awesome and then has some really odd quirk that you'd hate in every other person but that in this one person just is the cherry on the top of all the awesomeness. (As I said, I adore Kotoko.)
Manin
July 26, 2013 at 8:58 AM
I loved the way they did Kin-Chan! Also the fact that you could feel and see that the tow of them were friends and would back each other up. I never really felt that way in the korean version where the whole thing just seemed like they were both just classmates/not that great friends.
I did find Kotoko a bit oversagerated in the facial expressions at times. But It didn't bother me as much because she actually had a backbone and wasn't as stupid as in other versions.
katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 11:39 AM
I wish I had a montage of Kotoko's faces. They crack me up. Alua, I 100% agree with you on the awesome friend comment.
coby
July 26, 2013 at 1:32 PM
I like Kotoko. Now writing that made me think of the other 2 and they are both awesome, but Kotoko is eadearing. I don't know about why of all dramas, this is the only one that I can watch with the same interest even if it is the nth version already. I like the Taiwanese version the most because its longer,though they screwed up the wedding part.
There's a part in season 2 of IsWak that I cried. She crying at the door screaming at him if he ever loved her. Its such a pity that even though she ended up married to him, doubts about his love to her haunted her.
Manin
July 26, 2013 at 2:04 PM
Coby: when was that? I was trying to remember but couldn't. I've only seen the second season of the taiwan verson because I found it just after watching Playful kiss and wanted more, but didn't want to sit through all the story again (particulary that arranged marriage plot which I dislike in it).
I do agree with you that it is a pity that she still doubts, though you could also see why. One of my favorite moments though is when she runs away and the dad hits him though. Because it is that wake up call for him.
owl
July 26, 2013 at 7:26 AM
My ratings for recently watched Korean vs. Japanese versions of:
Playful Kiss - 7.75 vs. Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo - 8 (I adore Kotoko)
You’re Beautiful - 9 vs. Fabulous Boys -8.25
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 7:30 AM
I adore Kotoko too!
And Kinchan.
Naoki will have to prove himself to me in the second season. He better worship the ground that Kotoko walks on, because Kotoko deserves no less than that!
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Aigoo
July 26, 2013 at 7:38 AM
There's a second season?? Are they making one?
alua
July 26, 2013 at 7:42 AM
No, but I'm hoping!
nomad
July 26, 2013 at 9:56 AM
I'm hoping, hoping, searching, for a special at least...that final on Itazura Na Kiss - Love in Tokyo is wayyyy too rushed. I love that it's obvious why anyone would love Kotoko on this version. She's not just some empty-headed girl head over heels over a supposedly perfect man.
Windsun33
July 26, 2013 at 6:51 PM
I love Kotoko in this version. I was gonna ask her to marry me, but my wife got upset :( - perhaps because she is young enough to be my daughter or something...
There is a 2nd season planned, but no idea when it will come out. Not sure how they will handle the honeymoon parts, because I am pretty sure that the actress that plays Kotoko will till be underage (16-17'ish).
pearl3101
July 26, 2013 at 8:16 PM
So there is a second season!!! ^^ There is no doubt as to the loveliness of Kotoko.. But Naoki, it's terrible cos a lot of people found his version of Naoki the best, But then in the wedding plot, his version was the most mean . So if there is a second season( Most probably!!!) I'm curious as to how he'll play it out!!
"He better worship the ground that Kotoko walks on.." - Cracked me up!! :D
Soonami
July 26, 2013 at 10:14 AM
Oh my! A second season?? I'm hoping beyond all hope. I adored the kotoko in this season too! She was the perfect mix of earnest and sweet, without being a complete bumkin like I thought she was in the taiwanese version. I also really adored the way Naoki would look at her after she did something particularly sweet, without letting her know. The emotional beats were just right for me in this version.. <3
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LizJ
July 26, 2013 at 11:55 AM
I like this version...I think I like it the best. Haven't seen the earlier Japanese version, but I've seen the other two (TW and Korean).
Both lead actors in this one look to be really young and it's kind of straining credibility as the show moves into the college years. However, I love their characterizations - it's clear (to us viewers) that Naoki is fond of Kotoko, and Kotoko is not a doormat.
Alua mentioned that Kinchan is a supportive friend in this one. Yes, and at least he doesn't attempt to force himself (physically) on Kotoko (I'm looking at you, Korean Mischievous Kiss). That's another positive about the way the characters are written in this latest version.
Alua: problematic messages...that's one thing that keeps me from completely enjoying any version of this story. It implies to young girls that if they just love a guy enough, and just precisest, even if he distances himself from her, that eventually he will come around and love her too. At Kotoko's age I was stupid enough to believe it! Thank goodness my daughters have never gotten into one of those situations.
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 12:18 PM
Honoka Miki (Kotoko) is 16 I think. Furukawa Yuki is almost 10 years older (not that he looks it!).
Obviously that's why they never tried to go for the sizzling chemistry you get in the TW version.
I just find a lot of problematic messages in many dramas, many mangas – those love-struck heroines whose life entirely revolves around their guy. Complete doormats or brainless girls, who are incapable of thinking for themselves, who are damsels in distress that must always be rescued. They "score" the guy in the end, but there is always some sort implication that they just "lucked out" (you know, because they are ugly / average / stupid / poor / of a lower social status etc.).
These kind of storylines and heroines are so abundant esp. in Japanese manga culture (shoujo), that I worry about teenagers who grow up constantly exposed to that kind of message. It can't be good. So yay for anything that abandons these stereotypes – like Itakiss. (Strobe Edge and High School Debut are two mangas that turn conventions upside down too.)
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Celery
July 26, 2013 at 12:40 PM
Nothing beats the source material, seriously. For those who haven't read the manga, I highly urge you to do so. The old school art takes abit of getting used to at first but the payback is definitely worth it. Thankfully, it does get progressively better.
I have read many mangas and ItaNaKiss is still one of my absolute favorites and a timeless classic. Do read it!
I still think the definitive Naoki is the one who played him in the older Japanese version.
Windsun33
July 26, 2013 at 7:00 PM
Manga are famous for not exactly treating women as real people, more like brainless sex objects to be saved and then ravished by the male hero. Some are pretty far out there - to the point of being totally warped, like Rape Man.
I also wonder about the effect on younger readers and viewers. A lot of that same attitude has carried over to the K and T versions of many shows also. It is pretty rare to find female leads that are not at least somewhat airheaded.
Celery
July 27, 2013 at 2:16 AM
That's the shitty part about shoujo manga, but understandably because a weak heroine is easier to relate to than a perfect heroine. Plus, everyone in that demographic (14-18?) kinda wants to be swept away by a prince. It's a sweeping statement and I'm not saying that it works for everyone but it must be working for some given the abundance of cliches found in so many shoujo mangas.
ItaNaKiss is considered the bible for shoujo manga but while it is heavy on the romance, there's still other good stuff in it like family, friendship and career. And the themes aren't just clumsily slapped on like MANY shoujo mangas but fully fleshed out. That's what I like very much about ItaNaKiss.
Some other mangas with kickass heroines that I like are Gokusen (one of my favs) and Gokuraku Seishun Hockey. Fruits Basket isn't too bad either, though I wouldn't call the female lead a kickass badassery sort of gal.
alua
July 28, 2013 at 2:43 PM
But between a weak and a perfect heroine, there hundreds and hundreds shades of grey...
No one's asking for a perfect heroine, indeed the good shoujo mangas that do away with the weak shoujo heroine, don't have that. The female leads in Koukou Debut and Strobe Edge are anything but perfect, but they certainly aren't weak either – and plenty relatable I think.
Peridot
July 26, 2013 at 8:07 AM
Hi alua :) I've never purchased anything from Yesasia. May I ask about the quality of the items you have ordered? Are the English subs good? Do you ever have problems with playing the discs? I've been considering ordering from that site but have a few reservations.
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 8:27 AM
I only ordered music from them before. Friends of mine have ordered films in the past, and I have not heard any complaints about DVS or subtitles from them.
Yesasia sells the official releases, so I'd expect the subs & quality of DVDs to be good!
Maybe others here can give us their input?
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 9:00 AM
Have purchased from them a couple times - have always been pleased and service was quick but I think they have a North American outpost and I'm in the US.
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 9:02 AM
I haven't ordered dvd's (though ordered some concert ones for a friend which were of good quality), but I have ordered music from them before and I have no complaints.
Just be sure that you buy a product which is for the region that your country is. (Or you have an open region dvd/cd player). For instance USA and Europe belongs to different regions so if you order an USA region oriented item you might have a problem playing it in an European oriented dvd player unless it's one without a region restriction.
Yesasia has a nice list of what countries belongs for which region though, and from my experience, its easy to figure out what region the item you're looking at is from.
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Peridot
July 26, 2013 at 9:54 AM
To all of you who responded to my queries, thank you :) I am aware of the different regions (I also pay attention to that when purchasing dvds :)). Once again, thank you all!
Manin
July 26, 2013 at 2:08 PM
Haha that's good. :) I should probably have assumed so; I blame it on working at the tills, you get surprised how many times you have to repeat the same explanations over simple things you'd think everyone would get. (Like: "does 'batteries not included' mean that we have to buy batteries as well?").
But yes I've had no complains with yesasia and they have been quit in sending out and delivering the ordered items (took about 2 week from shipping and until it arrived and that was from Hon Kong to Wales). And I've never had any defect products or anything.
Jenny
July 26, 2013 at 8:12 AM
Dekichatta kekkon is a classic, young Hirosue Ryoko and the always yummu Yutaka Takenouchi.
The end was a bit strange but otherwise it's cute.
Try Beach boys another oldie with a really young Ryoko and Takenouchi with Sorimachi Takashi.
This weeks ep of Woman was so hard to watch. Shiori's confession just gutted me.
I did feel that Shiori had a malevolence against Koharu and now we really know why.
Sachi, I do think she misses Koharu but for Shiori's sake she pretends not to.
Starman is so cute, I watch it just for all the cute feels.
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 8:41 AM
I have a grand plan of working my way through all of Takenouchi's dramas and films.
Enjoyed the young Hirosue (for most of the episodes) AND a young Tsumabuki whom I totally did not expect in this drama!
The actors were all lovely in Dekichatta kekkon, and the early episodes were really witty, but with the later ones I just felt they ran out of things to do and opted for some pretty conventional plot points, rather the more refreshing approach they were giving us at first.
And I didn't understand why they didn't develop the romance between the two characters more? The drama was so frank about adults being adults in the opening episodes, they could have easily given us sizzling chemistry (without even showing anything, just hinting), but it just felt so platonic. Only one near kiss and NO kiss at all at the end. I put it down to writing though, not the actors, because I know Takenouchi is good, and Hirosue as well.
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Jenny
July 26, 2013 at 10:24 AM
Loved the cast, Abe Hiroshi was absolutely hilarious. I love him in comedic roles, of course he is great in serious roles as well but I have a soft spot for his more oddball characters.
I've always wondered why Ryoko and Yutaka were never paired up afterwards because they had chemistry.
Tsumabuki is still as cute as he was in dekikon.
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 12:25 PM
I have never actually seen Abe Hiroshi in anything else (strangely enough).
Ryoko and Yutaka – maybe the age gap? I'm not sure.
Tsumabuki is one of my favourites. He's such a chameleon too & can do any role. There's a million light years between, say, his Takumi (Dekikkon) and his Makoto (Ai to Makoto).
Windsun33
July 26, 2013 at 7:07 PM
EP4 of Woman definitely took a dark twist - one I was not expecting. I may have to go back and watch that part again, as I still don't quite understand how/why he got labeled as a molester (that might have been explained when I got up to make coffee and did not pause?).
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canxi
July 26, 2013 at 8:23 AM
Have you watched Love, Now with the same leads as in Love Around? They are awesome in that (and the reason why they are together again in Love Around). It's 72 episodes but it's not draggy at all. Mostly cute (sooooo cute!!) and light hearted throughout and the leads have a great natural chemistry (and a shower scene! together!). The actual drama of the show is sparse and resolved rather quickly.
I started last week? or the week before last? I'm on ep. 67. Give it a try, if you haven't already :D
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 8:42 AM
You are not the first one to mention Love, Now to me, but 72 episodes.... is just too much!
In another lifetime....
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canxi
July 26, 2013 at 8:49 AM
Lol, everyone says that. I've watched longer dramas, so it's not so daunting to me as it once was. I hope you'll give it a try in this lifetime, though! You can always take your time with it. *PEER PRESSURE!* LOL just kidding~~
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 9:20 AM
The problem is if I like something, I am not very good at taking my time with it. If I ended up liking it, I'd probably go for three days without sleep or food.
I'm the kinda person that always eats the whole chocolate bar.
canxi
July 26, 2013 at 12:58 PM
Ah, I am the same way! I understand ^^
Nadia
July 26, 2013 at 10:32 AM
I finished Love Now about 2 weeks ago and enjoyed it. George Hu and Annie Chen have great chemistry. Although its 72 episodes, it has good pacing.
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Soonami
July 26, 2013 at 10:20 AM
Does starman have kinchan in it?! or did I read that wrong somewhere? seems really good from your synopsis! need to wait until it finishes so that i can marathon it!!
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Sue
July 26, 2013 at 10:29 AM
Yes it does, but so far it is a minor role.
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5 snow_white
July 26, 2013 at 6:48 AM
hi everyone!!!
I'm watching IHYV....i'm on ep 6.....and I'm liking it a lot....I like Lee Jong Suk and Lee Bo Young together but only as friends....can't root for them as a couple right now....maybe my mind will change after a few episodes....
rewatching King of dramas with mom :)
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 6:50 AM
Your mind will change.
We promise.
:-D
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 7:12 AM
Speaking as a former 'I'm totally fine with them being big sister/little brother' OMG you're going to change your mind. And when you do, you will ship them so hard it actually displaces water. As in...you are going to cry. Happy tears, sad tears, whatever.
They belong together. OMG do they belong together.
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MariD
July 26, 2013 at 8:00 AM
I forgotten that I was also one of the "ok with being friends" people here. Now I just can't picture life without them together. That boy has mess with my brain.
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opaque
July 26, 2013 at 8:54 AM
I didn't have a preference in ep 1-2. I was just like "either could work". Now, I can't believe I ever even thought that way. Maybe Su-ha has mind-controlling skills too and we just don't know it cuz he's been mind-controlling us lol OR MAYBE HE'S A WIZARD AND HE CAST THE IMPERIUS CURSE TO MAKE US ALL LOVE HIM AND THE OTP
katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 11:50 AM
ok so bewteen JoAnne and On a QIHM High I just almost died. You guys kill me!
I too was a little bit nervous about them really being the OTP but then that Imperius Curse he cast hit me and I shipped so hard it caused a tidal wave. (sorry I had to steal from you guys)
whimsyful
July 26, 2013 at 8:54 AM
Me too! At the beginning I thought there was no way I would ship the two romantically due to the age difference and I would be happy with a platonic sibling-like relationship....
I was so wrong. Right now Su Ha/Hye Sung is my OTP of the year. XD
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nomad
July 26, 2013 at 10:13 AM
Why is there no way to comment on @on a QIHM high? That was hilarious!
pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
July 26, 2013 at 7:26 AM
consider this co-signed.
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ricky
July 26, 2013 at 6:59 AM
Ah I can see why it would be hard for some to get behind the couple, but I never really had that problem. I don't know why, but I have a thing for noona romance dramas.
;)
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 7:13 AM
Ah, Ricky. You sly dog you.
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Enz
July 26, 2013 at 8:04 AM
Rickyalways knows just what to say to make us happy :)
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Mystisith
July 26, 2013 at 7:10 AM
Maybe the HS uniform troubles you? It disappears at one point. ^^
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 7:13 AM
But not in the good way.
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kdramapedia
July 26, 2013 at 7:21 AM
LOL!
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zfih
July 26, 2013 at 7:26 AM
@ Joanne. I snorted at this comment. LMAO
My sister was totally against them in the beginning and we were betting between Lawyer Cha and me Su Ha. I got a lot to squeal about.
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Mystisith
July 26, 2013 at 7:35 AM
You and me have enough imagination to fill in the blanks and I still have hope for the ending: I want my cop strip tease!
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Aigoo
July 26, 2013 at 7:40 AM
Hahaha!!
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katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 11:52 AM
*sadface*
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korfan
July 26, 2013 at 7:27 AM
snow_white -
I'm on ep 6 as well. Loving it also.
I'm guessing your mind will be changed.
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amberscube
July 26, 2013 at 8:57 AM
Noona Romance is my least favorite kdrama trope. I rooted for Pillar in Flower Boy Ramyun Shop and the doctor in Big. But Park Suha ruined me. Who would have thought i would be soooo obsessed with this drama. As in my kdrama heart will break into million pieces if Hye-sung and Suha are not together at the end.
By the way, it's funny that i dont like Noona Romance when my first bf was 3 years younger than me and my hubby is 16 months younger.
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6 cherkell
July 26, 2013 at 6:51 AM
Happy OT Day, Fellow Beansters! I just started a new consulting gig advising a law firm with trial preparation (or as we call it in the trade, the '100 Day Death March'), so I'm up to my eyeballs with stacks and stacks of paperwork to plow through. Argh. And here I was quite enjoying NOT working 14-16 hour days, nights and weekends again. *sigh*
But I hope everyone is happy and healthy and yes I know I need to finish and post my Travel Blog and also get rid of this chest cold I've suddenly picked up and find a way to capture the mouse that suddenly ran into my apartment while I was out watering my tomatoes on the patio this morning... well, you get the basic drift. Why didn't I buy stock in Genentec when they were patenting their cloning process, ne? :)
I'll be back on later, so have a great day discussing anything and everything. Mata ne!
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cv
July 26, 2013 at 7:18 AM
Happy ot Cher! ^^
Good luck with the paperwork and feel better!
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korfan
July 26, 2013 at 7:42 AM
cherkell -
Pace yourself on that paperwork ... not all at once.
I know, I know, easier said than done, right?
Take care of that cold and good luck with the mouse.
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Julia the Berkshire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 9:17 AM
Cherkell, sending you a virtual hot cup of ginger tea with honey. Get well soon.
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7 Stella
July 26, 2013 at 6:56 AM
Happy Friday Everyone.
I just finished watching 9: Nine times time travel.
Its such a good movie. I love the lead actor so much.
Can anyone recommend another movie with him in it that is good?
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LizJ
July 26, 2013 at 7:04 AM
Stella, I don't know about what else the actor has been in, but if you haven't watched Queen In Hyum's Man, watch that - it's by the same writer. It's also a time travel show, but more focused on the romance.
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Stella
July 26, 2013 at 7:24 AM
Hi LizJ
I've already seen it and love it too.
But right now I'm on a Lee Jin Wook high. I think he's incredibly hot. If I wasn't married....I'd stalk him
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Honora
July 26, 2013 at 7:33 AM
He is the second lead in Spy Myung Wol.
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opaque
July 26, 2013 at 8:56 AM
But I wouldn't recommend this drama. It had potential when it started...and then just pilfered off. I still regret sitting through the whole thing (what was I thinking??)
Enz
July 26, 2013 at 8:09 AM
He was in i need romance 2012. Very cute there although i havent completed the drama. Its quite good but not in an addictive way and somehow i just let it go.
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Monch
July 28, 2013 at 9:03 PM
Yeah, he is in I need Romance 2012, i really like that drama, he is good in it, i actually watched first INR and decided to watch Nine because of him in INR2012 :D
kopytko
July 26, 2013 at 8:09 AM
If you want some Lee Jin Wook, why don't you try I Need Romance 2012? I enjoyed it quite a bit.
I have seen also some older stuff: Powerfull Oponents - LJW plays a troublemaker son to the President of Korea - it is really old and LJW is not a lead, but it is a nice little thing to watch in between.
There was also a 50-episode weekend makjang monster called City of Glass. He played a most lovable chaebol you can imagine. He did have his family issues, but still it was a great pleasure to look at. The problem is, this drama is difficult to come by, not to mention subs. Maybe you're more lucky than me, though?
Cheers!
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Julia the Berkshire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 9:51 AM
Wuv Wookie. Wuv Nine.
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dramabliss
July 26, 2013 at 4:40 PM
He is the lead in I Need Romance 2012 and the second lead in Myung Wol, the Spy.
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birdscout
July 27, 2013 at 6:12 AM
He also has a smallish role in Alone in Love.
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8 Link
July 26, 2013 at 7:01 AM
Please tell me I am not the ONLY beaner that will temporarily lose her sanity for the next 6 days in waiting for I Hear Your Voice Episode 17.
HYE SUNG. DON'T DIE ON ME YOU HEAR. I MEAN. NOT THAT I SUSPECT YOU'RE IN ANY DANGER. WRITER-NIM LOVES YOU TOO MUCH TO KILL YOU OFF RIGHT?
sigh.. Anyways, who's been watching Queen's Classroom?
The beginning of Thursday's episode threw me off my chair and my mouth was gaping like an idiot when Teacher Ma came into the room wearing RED heels and a YELLOW dress. My mind was BLOWN. And then cut to Hana waking up. Ha! Of course~ I love how the class is so united now. They're helping each other out as Teacher Ma intended them to.
I was rather confuse though because during her class when the Board of Education guy was there, she said some pretty meaningful stuff to her students. Life lessons. My favorite line, "Shim Hana, believe what you believe." And yet, he still deemed her unworthy to teach? HECK MAN YOU DIDN'T EVEN STAY FOR THE WHOLE PERIOD. WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW. //flipstable//
In any case, love how all Ma's goodness is coming out into the open. Her talking to Dong Goo's mom and then her conversations with Hana. I LAHVE.
Happy OT everyone! This weekend promises a flood of DE NILE from all IHYV fans and the morose storm clouds will seem to abate nearing Wednesday night until we see a bright rainbow Thursday morning. The next few days following Thursday will see a short drizzle of pain as we go into Voice withdrawals and someday, we'll see the sunrise again.
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ricky
July 26, 2013 at 7:04 AM
Oh dude, spoilers.
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Enz
July 26, 2013 at 8:10 AM
Thanks for saying that! I quickly averted my eyes but already spoilt a bit :(
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Julia the Berksire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 9:11 AM
Was it a spoiler? Like saying "Drive Safely". In Kdramaland, all the best wishes you can send out so your favorite character remains alive is energy well spent.
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Enz
July 26, 2013 at 9:23 AM
I wont know till i watch epi 16, Julia, if its a wish or a spoiler. But i havent read the rest of that post :)
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ricky
July 26, 2013 at 11:18 PM
Sorry about that! My mistake, didn't read it past "don't die on me..." because I am afraid. I can't even glimpse at the preview because I don't want to know what happens. Think I might be nervous for no reason.
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ricky
July 27, 2013 at 5:10 PM
Never mind, it totally was a spoiler.
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Jambo
July 26, 2013 at 9:45 AM
No. You're not the only one. Unfortunately! To get me to this week's two episodes I marathoned School 2013. Which also means 3 nights of sleeping at around 2am and having to get up at 6am to go to work. With this week's cliffhanger, what am I going to do with myself? I'll be such a wreck til next Thursday when this torture will finally be over.
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nomad
July 26, 2013 at 9:58 AM
School 2013...will always hold a special place in my heart. The end.
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katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 12:04 PM
My sanity is quickly flying away. I may need to be admitted for a few days.
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bunni3
July 26, 2013 at 4:14 PM
Haha, I'm with you here. Losing sanity and impatience meter growing by the minute because of IHYV. Seriously, I need to get busy to get my mind off things.
I'm also watching Queen's Classroom and I really got a shock when Teacher Ma was wearing yellow. But I loved this episode, it brought tears to my eyes. "Don't judge a book by it's cover" really materialized here, knowing the sincerity and love of this teacher to her students.
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Windsun33
July 26, 2013 at 8:41 PM
The guy from the education board reminds me a lot of the Washington DC incident with Michelle Rhee, where she was forced out not because of performance, but because of politics and teachers' union agitation and misinformation given to parents. Rhee was not without her faults, but I am seeing some distinct parallels in this series of how politics (in the series it is one very manipulative parent) can overcome common sense.
For the whole story on Rhee, see Wikipedia and other sources.
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9 rhiaa
July 26, 2013 at 7:04 AM
Hello everyone! This Friday's a cramming session for me, as I have to pass a paper by 12mn (it's 10:20pm now) and I'm only halfway there. And I'm too tired and hungry to write. And my head is spinning. HELP! :(
Anyway, I hope your Friday's not as bad as mine!
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ricky
July 26, 2013 at 7:09 AM
Oh wow, good luck!
P.S. I'm sure dramabeans makes most of us procrastinate too.
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10 korfan
July 26, 2013 at 7:04 AM
Hello Everyone!
I hope you are all doing well today.
As usual, kept up with the drama-viewing.
Shark - This one is just another example of why I've always found KNG oh so intriguing. No one does those silent moments like he does ...... they're silent moments, but they're loaded. That newlywed husband? He's supportive and all, but, I dunno, I wonder about him sometimes .... hmmm.
IHYV - Another one of the new ones for me that I'm also enjoying. I'm not kidding, the last time I saw Lee Jong-seok was in High Kick ...... back then I knew he was destined for better things and he proves it here. ..... I don't think I've seen another drama lately that delivers sweetness and creepiness in equal doses.
WAML - 6 more episodes to go. I'll repeat last week's sentiments, Jae-hee, dead to me, no respect for you, at all! He soooooo crossed a line you just can't really recover from. ..... I want to give Oppa a hug ..... or two ..... or three .....
AHYI - Caught another 2 episodes of this after some time away from it. Oh my goodness, it turned into a comedy when I wasn't looking! Who knew?? ...... that pet-carrying-new-DIL along with her goofy husband with the outlandish clothing combos are too funny ....... I'll let a couple of weeks go by again, and then tune in again to check out the shenanigans.
Dong Yi - Still around the half-way point. Palace intrigue #30-something at this point. Poor Dong Yi, but hey, on the bright side, she's slowly moving on up and has pretty outfits now! ...... Kidding aside, interesting to see another version of how a king could be king and still not have that much power.
Take care everyone and have a great Friday!
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Enz
July 26, 2013 at 8:18 AM
Completely agree with you about jae hee. He was really an awful petty selfish person who chose to beleive whatever he needed to believe to justify his actions and his agenda. I REALLY disliked his character there.
Sshh.. Kakashi might hear.
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korfan
July 26, 2013 at 8:24 AM
Oh, that's right! ...... sshhh
*looking left and right*
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 9:03 AM
Chubs was a slug. I liked him, and then I waffled, and then he just began to disgust me. He wasn't evil, he was just...ignorant. By the end he was a better person.
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 9:09 AM
Ah Dong Yi! I liked that drama. Enjoyed it more the second time around when I knew when to jump all the tiresome sheaming bits :p
What do you think of the show so far?
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korfan
July 27, 2013 at 10:25 PM
Manin -
I do like it. I won't go as far as to say I love it like I did QSD, but it's ok overall.
You're right about describing some of the bits as tiresome ..... that is true in certain moments, for sure.
I will add that I do find the two court musicians, the two guys who are Dong Yi's friends, quite annoying more often than not. But I think it's not so much their fault as it is how those two characters are written. ...... I don't understand why they're written as bumbling, clumsy, inappropriately loud guys.
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Manin
July 28, 2013 at 12:09 PM
I haven't watched QSD yet, is it good?
I also find that you can pinpoint exactly where the extention is. Because it seems like a strange conflict that is suddenly brought up, and never really mentioned again. Ever.
Yeah it becomes clear that those two have been written as comic reliefe and not much else. It makes you wonder how they have managed to stay aflote so long in that palace enviroment.
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korfan
July 28, 2013 at 11:21 PM
Manin -
Oh yes! QSD is fantastic! At least I thought so. It's one of my favorites.
Hahaha! So true about the musician friends. It's amazing they didn't get in trouble more often, right?
Manin
July 29, 2013 at 1:28 PM
I shall put it on the list!
Haha or that the trouble they did get into wasn't more serius or had bigger consequences for them!
Nadia
July 26, 2013 at 10:44 AM
WAML major flaw was the casting of Shin Se-Kyung. I just know that another actress should have portrayed the character of Seo Mi-Do.
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Julia the Berkshire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 10:57 AM
Agreed!
On reflection, and with Heartless City to compare it with, WAML's SSH character was really rather fuzzy bunny soft and huggable. Weird to say about a gangster, and a man with abs like granite, but there you have it.
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korfan
July 27, 2013 at 10:30 PM
Nadia -
So true! ..... so, so true!
Casting this particular actress in this role was unfortunate. I don't like saying that, but well, the proof in onscreen.
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11 jae
July 26, 2013 at 7:14 AM
Happy Friday for Open Thread-era ^^
Empire of Gold with GS and LYW is good..
It's kind of boring with the same betrayals from the same person/groups but also full of intrigue.
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 9:11 AM
Haven't seen Empire of Gold, but the same betrayals from the same people all the time is a definitively a drama cliche that could be mixed up a bit!
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bunni3
July 26, 2013 at 4:16 PM
I was thinking of watching this, but I still don't get the hype of it. I can't seem to finish episode 1. Is it really good? I don't like draggy dramas now.
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jae
July 26, 2013 at 6:44 PM
Well...How "the family" will survive around alot of people whose want their fortune and betrayals from inside and outside the family make it interesting for me to watch.. ^^
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12 cv
July 26, 2013 at 7:15 AM
Good morning/OT all! :)
I have not been watching much dramas in the last couple of weeks but just been catching up reading recaps. Monstar and IHYV=best dramas for the summer.
Still watching Gu am Heo Joon. It's a longer weekend show, slow in some parts but the storyline is really good. I'm surprise I keep tuning to the show whenever subs are out. Lol
Ya no shakura: have not seen the latest ep yet but it should be good. ^^
Saw ending of love in Tokyo, third version of ISWAK and thought it was okay. They really hurried most of the main points in PK last two eps and jammed into one. Of the three versions, I like playful kiss more.
Can't wait for the new batches of shows. Most anticipate one for me is master's sun. Comedy horror with a dash of romance should be exciting.
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ricky
July 26, 2013 at 7:22 AM
I'm definitely waiting for master's sun too. I saw the trailers for them and they look so creepy! I hope it's kind of like chilling romance, where they have just as much laughs as they do horror.
Trailer #1: http://youtu.be/UlzuU9KrRJ0
Trailer #2: http://youtu.be/_zZVbzcOVj8
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Celery
July 26, 2013 at 10:16 AM
I'm rather worried about plot though. I mean, as a movie, yes but for 16 eps... the supernatural angle can only work in doses and not for too long.
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ricky
July 26, 2013 at 4:36 PM
I believe the hong sisters can do well with something like this. As I've said before, they've penned more hits than misses. In regards to the supernatural, if josh whedon can do it with buffy and angel for 5+ seasons, I'm sure the hong sisters can do it for 16-20 eps.
Let's hope for the best celery.
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Celery
July 27, 2013 at 1:50 AM
Hopefully :D
I adored TGL and GHJ's AJ so I have high expectations for this one.
shapiro
July 26, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Isn't Love in Tokyo the fourth version of Itazura na Kiss? The original J-drama starring Sato Aiko as Kotoko-chan
Kashiwabara Takashi as Naoki-kun is the only version I watched so far. Her version was probably as stupid as Ariel's version and doubly annoying with her shrill voice but it still held some charm, especially since Naoki-kun was pretty cute.
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13 CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 7:19 AM
Hi all:
Hoping everyone had a good week.
A good and bad week, full of learning and casting aside and near-acceptance and growth. The good thing is last Friday, the kindle version of my novel, The Constant Tower, was released. So am happy about that.
I am truly missing Dramacrazy...but trying to get used to gooddrama. Been watching stuff mostly on viki, youtube and az.
Shark: Trying not be annoyed with this drama but I made it this far and will continue through to the end. The last two episodes...wow! On the one hand, everyone having some hidden secret truth and NOT telling a friend/colleague/husband (or not wanting to be told some truth) and on the OTHER hand, a tonna experts/talking heads/convenient historians-mouthpieces who are all telling secrets. I am willing to listen to anyone who believes the writers have hinted that this story is thematically about telling...but it just seemed like an unthought-out mess.
Right now, I'm holding on because I'm wondering how Friend, Overwhelmed second lead Hubby, and Yi Soo are all gonna deal with forgiving someone (or the relative of someone) who has attempted to murder. Yi Soo is rolling over into Min Gook (IHYV) territory right now.
I Hear Your Voice: Oh my! I love the way this drama works out all aspects of justice and the legal system: Injustice/Justice as being not heard/heard, Motivation, the imbalance of the cause/motivation versus the effect/crime/justifying deed, and the last two episodes...the pushing away of pride in order to admit guilt. Su-Ha, Hse-Sung, Lawyer Cha, Orange Hair, Prisoner Dad didn't have that horrible self-serving pride that Big Bad, Judge Seo, and even Do Yeon had. When Do Yeon was falling apart, it was definitely a depiction of grief but also a real visceral depiction of her dying to pride and dying to self. It's hard to give up on one's pride.
I am waiting to see how/if Min Gook will have a redemption arc. His pride and sense of rejection and sense of justice is so strong. I swear...if he comes to his senses ( either because someone has validated his wounds by "seeing his side" or by his seeing that he has been way too over-righteous) I am gonna cry. It'll be like watching a sinner repent or something. In writing a story, one always tries to keep track of what the reader's mouth is watering for (so to speak.) I know some folks want Min Gook to suffer terribly but I want him to believe he was loved, to understand he was wrong to hurt innocent people. (Sob) I want him to understand that there is justice, truth, and love the world. Wuss that I am.
Been critiquing a friend's book so I haven't had a chance to catch up on Sword and Flower (Blade and Petal) but am really loving that story. Gonna reward myself later by catching up.
Anime: Am set to watch Ao No Exorcist tonight on animefreak but haven't watched any other anime since animecrazy went offline. Yeah, much bewailing of the lost crazies in the old homestead.
Have a great weekend, all.
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korfan
July 26, 2013 at 7:52 AM
Carole -
Congrats on the Kindle version, novel release.
Regarding IHYV, I'm not at the viewing point you're at yet, but already I can see how this drama challenges us on issues such as justice, right and wrong.
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 8:43 AM
Doesn't it, though? It's as if the writer totally looked at every spiritual and legal aspect of them...and dedicated the entire drama to exploring them. Mucho respect! And manages to create characters we love Mucho mucho respect! And totally works well with the genre and gives us good entertainment as well. Mucho mucho mucho respect!
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dramabliss
July 26, 2013 at 4:54 PM
Agree, agree, agree!
Am also liking the literary allusions -- in this week's episode there's The Thieving Magpie and Darth Vader.
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dramabliss
July 26, 2013 at 4:55 PM
And congratulations on the publication of your book.
*thumbs up* *confetti* *fireworks*
Manin
July 26, 2013 at 9:13 AM
Congratulation of your release! What is the story about if I may ask? :)
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 1:14 PM
I went over to amazon for the blurb cause I'm crappy at describing my books. So here's the blurb:
"Sickly fifteen year old Prince Psal, the son of the nature-blessed warrior-king Nahas, should have been named Crown Prince of all Wheel Clan lands. A priest-physician like his friend Ephan, Psal lacks a warrior’s heart, yet he desires to earn Nahas’s respect and become a clan chief. If he cannot do this, he must escape his clan altogether. But his love for Cassia, the daughter of his father’s enemy, and his own weaknesses work against him. When war comes, Psal defends Ktwala and her daughter Mahari, wronged by Nahas, and speaks out against the atrocities his clan commits, further jeopardizing his future. And now the mysterious towers that keep humans safe from the Creator's ancient curse are rebelling. A prophecy exists—not that Psal believes such matters—of three great ones who will find the Constant Tower and break the power of the third moon. Could Psal, Ephan, and Mahari be those great ones? Psal must risk losing his father’s respect to find his destiny, and with his friends face the dangers of the unmaking night to find the Constant Tower and save all of humanity."
So far, it's gotten some good reviews:
"Carole McDonnell is a first-class world-builder. A unique, powerhouse epic, The Constant Towers is a treasure trove of great characters, compelling cultural details and political machinations, all lovingly detailed in evocative prose. Yay!" – Stefan Petrucha, author Dead Mann Walking
Good reviews are cool but what I want is money. ;-)
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 2:10 PM
Ohh that sounds really interesting! So sad I don't have a kindle as I want to read it now!
Haha yeah good reviews can be a step towards the money though ;) I hope it goes well for you!
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 3:07 PM
If you want, you can email me on a post on my blog and I'll send you a pdf. (The publisher won't know ;-) Although that means being stuck reading on your computer...and i soo hate reading on my computer. But if you want it, i'll send you a pdf no problem.
Manin
July 26, 2013 at 11:49 PM
Ohh that would be awesome! :D I know what you mean about reading on the computer, but after having to read an x number of journals and stuff on it I'm getting used to it. Still prefer having the actual book of course, but I can deal with it.
Cynthia
July 26, 2013 at 12:56 PM
Carole - Drama crazy is still around, they just have a different address. It's dramacrazy.eu
:-)
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 1:18 PM
I heard that is a counterfeit site and one should beware of it -- icky viruses and the like.
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Windsun33
July 26, 2013 at 8:56 PM
It has been pointed out several times, but dramacrazy.eu is NOT a legit DramaCrazy site :!
It is a copycat site, and some have reported viruses, malware, and other issues with the site. Proceed with caution.
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14 LizJ
July 26, 2013 at 7:21 AM
I'll likely watch IHYV when it's finished. I've been moving the last few weeks, and we got down to crunch time this week, so I've had little time for dramas. Based on the recap, I don't think this would be the best time to marathon IHYV and then be left hanging for several days.
I'm still watching Love Around, Just You, and You're the Best Lee Soon Shin.
Happy that we're finally getting the focus back to the OTP in YTBLSS. I predict that one of the next plot twists will be that Jun Ho's mom is NOT going to be happy about her son being in love with the daughter of THAT woman (so, in a way, Soon Shin will be dealing with what Yoo Shin just went through...her future MIL disliking and disapproving of her).
A little funny about my hubby. He's not seen much of Asian dramas. I tried to get him into Bridal Mask last year, thinking that show would appeal to guys. He watched a few episodes but didn't watch the whole searies. This week I was watching Love Around and he was sitting with me. He asked if that show was Korean, and I said, no, it's Taiwanese. I told him you could tell because the language has more hard vowels than Korean, and also they tend to drop a lot more English into their conversations. He watched a while and he said...yes, and it looks like the women are more assertive in Taiwanese Dramas. I thought about it, and I guess they tend to be. What do you think?
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 7:40 AM
"women are more assertive in Taiwanese Dramas"
I've seen a lot of doormats. Doormat dumbos.
Some are initially assertive, but then they often turn out to have no backbone, retreating at the slightest threat from the ex or think that they themselves don't deserve the guy.
---YTBLSS
Junho's parents have a terrible marriage. Even if he's not cheating, there's nothing worth saving there. They don't actually like each other. I don't know why Junho's mother is clinging onto a guy that never talks to her, or, if she does, talks down to her and only says "I don't care", "I'm not interested in anything you're interested in", "Shut up", etc. She's boring and a gossip girl, but he's cruel. They are better off without each other.
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Windsun33
July 26, 2013 at 9:05 PM
Doormat Dumbos, Doormat Zombies, etc.
They all seem to be way too common in all Asian dramas, and Taiwan is no exception. The main difference I see between T and K dramas is that Taiwan seems to lean more towards the total airhead, while Korea leans more to the totally subservient "I have no pride and I will do anything and apologize 3000 times for things that are not my fault just because I want to avoid conflict" scenarios.
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alua
July 27, 2013 at 10:24 AM
True!
The only part were TW dramas beat Korean (and usually also Japanese) ones is that they are, on average, much better at skinship. Not pretending half as much that adults have physical relationships (because they do) and when we get kisses, we get proper kisses, not the wooden plank variety favoured in Korea.
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15 owl
July 26, 2013 at 7:39 AM
Hi, hi! Missed everyone for 2 weeks while I visited mom for her birthday celebration! We had great fun. However, staying at mom’s means I’m entering the {{{{no real time zone}}}}}.
The alarm clock in my room reads 6:40. The bathroom clock reads 5:40. I have to adjust. (Mental note: bathroom clock did not ‘spring forward’ for daylight savings time). The hall clock reads 5:40 as does the clock at the bottom of the stairs (did not ‘spring forward’ either). But in mom’s house, no one touches the clocks but her. “I have my system,” she says.
Everyone is used to the kitchen clock. It is 20 minutes fast. At 6:20 we watch the 6 o’clock news. When mom said we had to be at my brother’s for dinner at 7:30 (the kitchen clock read 6:45, actually 6:25) I knew there were 40 minutes until we had to leave at 7:05 (7:25 kitchen clock time).
When we hopped into mom’s car the clock read 7:33. Mom glanced at it and said, “Perfect. 7:05. We’re on schedule. This clock gains time, but I keep track in my head. It is 28 minutes fast now.” At least that way, she explained, she is never late for an appointment.
In her study there are 4 clocks. Two read 10:16 and 10:24. It seemed later than that. Then I realize neither one is running. The phone clock is blinking - it has not been reset since the electricity last went off. The decorative timepiece reads 11:08. That’s got to be close. I stick my head around the corner to check the kitchen clock and, sure enough, it reads 11:33 (actually 11:13).
A bit later, I headed upstairs to go to bed. “Night,” I said to my brother. There is no clock in his bedroom or bathroom. He does not own a watch. When I asked what time is it he replied, “Probably midnight.”
I mumbled, “Drives me crazy. The clock situation in this house.”
He shrugged. “No one who lives here needs to know the time.” He’s right. Everyone's schedule is odd and rather time free. Interesting.
In the morning my friend called and asked if I can be ready in a half hour. It was 8:30 on the bathroom clock (so it’s 7:30 no, 9:30, I quickly calculated).
“Okay, I’ll be ready at 10. See you soon.”
I got dressed and skipped down the stairs. A horn blasted. The kitchen clock read 10:20. Wow, she’s exactly on time. I yelled goodbye and ran out the door.
The day I was leaving, there was a large clock on the counter. “What’s this?” I asked.
“Isn’t it cute? There is a different bird sound on the hour, every hour. I thought I’d put it in my dressing room,” mom nonchalantly answered. She put in a battery and set it to the oven clock which, she said, is always the right time. By my next visit, the bird chirps will not on the hour. And no one will fix it. The {{{{{ no real time zone}}}} will drive me ca-razier than ever.”
Watched 2 Korean movies with my brother – Daisy (action, love triangle) and Hansel and Gretel (horror. So not my thing).
Also watching Monstar, IHYV, QC, CC, S&F, Summer Nude (I really like the feel of this jdrama), Shark, BF, SH2, Running Man 155 with Suzy (it was a great episode). Must find eng subs for GoF!
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pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
July 26, 2013 at 7:47 AM
Hey owl! Good to see you back :)
I've been hearing a lot of good things about Summer Nude, I may check it out sometime. And that is one hell of a full drama plate you've got, I'm struggling with two-and-a-half, lol. I checked out Goddess of Fire, but found myself fast-forwarding a lot. The good news is, Bummie and Moon Geun-young look great together (and he is crazy hot in Mane of Glory mode too).
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owl
July 26, 2013 at 8:07 AM
Summer Nude 1t ep was such a good set up for a drama. Love the 2 main female characters too, which is a big plus. Want more!
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Celery
July 26, 2013 at 8:18 AM
How's Yamapi's acting chops?
I used to adore that dude to bits back when I was a teen, but his acting/singing was... well, you get the drift. I pretty much coasted on his pretty face.
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owl
July 26, 2013 at 9:00 AM
I'm liking him in this (he's a photographer). Like I mentioned, ep 1 really drew me in - the setting, pace, Yamapi, and female leads. I think it's only one ep/week and subbing is slow. For me, it's a good filler.
CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 7:52 AM
LOL! Oh gosh! That clock situation!
Saw Daisy a coupla years back. Did not feel it. Hansel and Gretel was a good spin on the fairytale. Felt like an amped up Pleasantville and reminded me of the Twilight Zone episode where Billy Mumy's kid character sent folks out into the corn. Am not into splatter horror so was surprised. And I don't think they splattered as much as gorefests generally do.
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john
July 26, 2013 at 7:52 AM
owl ~
Viki & Hulu have Goddess of Fire. Not sure if you have access to those.
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owl
July 26, 2013 at 8:04 AM
Oh, John, funny. I meant Grandpas Over Flowers. lol!
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john
July 26, 2013 at 8:28 AM
owl ~
Aigoo ! lol
Clocks! Haha.
The stove clock is 5+, the clock radio is correct, the car needs to reflect daylight savings time..
I do try to keep them close to the actual time.
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 9:07 AM
At home everything is good clockwise except my car, which will be 1 hour off until the time change. That being said, I don't have near the clocks your mom does. Cell, computer (both adjust on their own) coffee pot and microwave. That's it. No actual stand alone clocks.
At work I have the computer clock (right) the phone clock (4 minutes fast, but I have nothing to do with that) and the wall clock (set to UK time, and from there I mentally add or subtract for other countries. or check the world clock website.)
owl
July 26, 2013 at 9:21 AM
See, your clock situations seem within reason. Mom's - not so much. And this is just a little peek inside my crazy family world. Don't get me started on the conversation at dinner amidst twirls of homemade spaghetti and meatballs (we're Italian) between my other brother and mom.
Mom: what is that mammal, I just can't think of it, it's on the tip of my tongue - that can't synthesize vitamin C, just like humans can't...
Other Brother (not missing a beat) Guinea pigs. Humans and guinea pigs can't synthesize vitamin C. Other mammals can but we can't and guinea pigs can't either.
And everyone just keeps eating like it's a normal conversation about the weather.
Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 9:56 AM
But that conversation does seem normal. Maybe it's Italian families? Mine is too. Although...at work we once went from sexy men to vampires to string theory in under 2 minutes, and it made sense at the time.
owl
July 26, 2013 at 4:18 PM
Maybe it is Italian, JoAnne, I wonder?? But did your family toast the 44th anniversary of the U.S. man on the moon landing on July 20?
If I am ever on Millionaire, my mom would be my first lifeline. She is the queen of important trivia.
My other brother would be my back up lifeline. He is the king of trivial trivia.
korfan
July 26, 2013 at 8:01 AM
owl -
Welcome back.
That clock story! ..... *laughing*
Glad you had fun though.
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Enz
July 26, 2013 at 8:49 AM
Owl, you almost gave me a headache just from reading all that so i cant imagine having to be there with all the clocks giving different times. I dont bother with clocks or watches. Only my phone usually unless im travelling. Then, i wear a watch :)
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dmohican14
July 26, 2013 at 8:51 AM
LOL, that clock situation. I don't think I'd ever know what time it is, how do you do it?
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 9:19 AM
Haha wow! That is really a no time sone! I used to have a clock that was a minute later every hour. In the end I stopped trying to reset it because it always became late. And my mp3 player still thinks it's 2009 or something (I gave up on that one as well).
Our car also have a clock that hasn't been changed away from summer time, so always an hour ahead in the winter. And the kitchen clock is a couple of minutes fast. Enough to get you there early for the buss but not so long that it becomes annoying.
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spazmo
July 26, 2013 at 3:26 PM
omg, your mom (and her clocks)... she's my missing twin! i used to set everything 5-7 minutes ahead to counter my bad habit of always being late... it actually didn't work, except that i'd be only 5 minutes late instead of 10-12 minutes late. i got yelled at by my sister, who borrowed my watch one day. she said it made her crazy, even tho i told her it was set ahead... say hello to my twin for me. i must add more time to my 'personal time settings'...
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owl
July 26, 2013 at 4:13 PM
Hi spazmo, you two would get along perfectly. Even if mom is late, she doesn't care. But with the great time spans she allows, she's not late very often. Still, I've learned to suffer silently for the most part which, of course, enables her to live in the {{{{no real time zone}}}} and keep us there when we visit. My brother (who still lives at home) ignores it all, as you might have gathered.
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kdramapedia
July 26, 2013 at 7:24 PM
Ha, my mom is like that, too. But I never took the time to learn the system. My dad always kept the time on his watch correct, so if we ever really needed to know the time, we'd just ask him. Thankfully nowadays we all have cell phones that update automatically, so now I don't even need to look at the clocks when I visit.
The "{{{no time zone}}}"; I'll have to use that!
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16 pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
July 26, 2013 at 7:42 AM
Hey OT people!
I Hear Your Voice is killing me this week - I can't believe we have only two episodes left, and I haven't yet watched episode 16 (pesky work!). It was almost painful to watch Do-yeon fall apart, especially since there is no stereotype of the proud princess being brought down here - just a very human young woman who's had every certainty in her life ripped away from her.
And I do love that, apart from their parents, Hye-sung and Do-yeon are the biggest influence on each other, in ways they would never want to admit. It's a great way to write the female lead and second lead, because in any other drama writer's hands Do-yeon would just be a lying bitch self-righteous thorn in the side of our heroine, and that is that. But here it's so much better.
Also, on the subject of Su-ha: the impossible has happened. Lee Seung-gi has officially been displaced as Chief Puppy of Pogo's Heart.........and by a boy I don't even think of as more than cute! The post-confession smile in Episode 14 was what did it, I am putty against a good smile (see also: Jang Geun-seok and You're Beautiful).
Monstar - can't want for this week's episode, but I am dying for some more Nana-time, and especially Sun-woo/Nana time. More especially if it involves him invading her personal space (am I the only one who thought that moment was hot?). I adore our awkward Star and Sheep Girl OTP, but I'll take the couple who don't have literal snails (gag!) as their mascots.
Cruel City - I know its finale is this week, and I'll want to see My Precious in that suit, with THAT FACE. But do I want to suffer through idiot Soo-min to get to him? Decisions....
Other than that, real life is a pain - I've been ordered to socialise more with people from my office, and tomorrow is one such outing and I am NOT looking forward to it - my weekend :(
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 8:01 AM
Compelled socialization! So not good. Try to have fun!
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junny
July 26, 2013 at 8:02 AM
suffer through with me! for Shi-hyun, i will brave through the idiocy of bird-brain soo-min!
aww i feel you on office socialisation... maybe you can show your face for like 15 mins and then slip off?
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owl
July 26, 2013 at 8:12 AM
forced office socialization - will it be like the Friday night dinner/drinking in kdramas? And will there be karaoke? If not, maybe you can suggest it and perhaps, depending on the culture and situation, they may say it is okay for you NOT to join them after all - hehe
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pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
July 26, 2013 at 10:10 AM
@owl and everyone - I honestly have no idea, people have plans to involve alcohol but I don't like to drink around people I'm not close to, so I've invented some handy allergies to avoid having to drink :/
There's no getting out of it, but I'm hoping to slope off after an hour or so.
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 1:26 PM
But don't we k-drama addicts know that drinking is the way we all let down our inhibitions...so the next day we can regret everyone knowing about the sorrows of our innermost soul? Just saying.
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canxi
July 26, 2013 at 8:29 AM
The finale for Cruel City is this week?? Not next week? I'm planing to marathon through when it's finished.
I'm in for some fun since Shark and I Hear Your Voice are all ending and I'm going to marathon through allllllllllllll of them! Mwaha. Sleeping can wait.
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opaque
July 26, 2013 at 9:04 AM
It ends next week for sure. There are 20 episodes and episode 18 aired this past Tuesday (though IMO, it should have ended already...the episode count is making it lag).
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opaque
July 26, 2013 at 9:07 AM
Forced socialization does not sound fun...but maybe it will end up being? I'm doing a lifeguard re-cert course mid-august (it's 8 hours, one day)...apprehensive about all the new faces (it's still summer, I'm not ready to have to face real people that I don't know wahh).
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17 WalkingCinnamonStick
July 26, 2013 at 7:44 AM
Hello guys, I need your help!
First of all "hi", I am new-ish - not to db, I have been here for a little over two years already, but to this thread. :)
I need some help finding a new drama to watch: Something along the lines of Bridal Mask and The Princess' Man - it can be set in any time period (also present), the main arc does not have to include a romance (though, it would ne nice to have one in general), but a tight plot is a must.
Any suggestions? :)
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Julia the Berksire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 8:14 AM
If you like time travel: NINE
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opaque
July 26, 2013 at 9:11 AM
I would recommend Queen In-hyun's Man (what a surprise, I know LOL). It's a fusion saguek, has time travel, and amazing chemistry. The hero is smart and warm-hearted (apparently these two can co-exist), the heroine has a backbone and is forward about her feelings, and the love triangle is for humor, not for angst. But with the conflict of being separated by 300 years, who needs more?
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Celery
July 26, 2013 at 10:04 AM
I have been meaning to try QIHM but I'm allergic to the two main leads. Irrational, I know but sigh.
It isn't overly dramatic or wangsty right? Perhaps I should get down to watching it for realz.
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atz
July 26, 2013 at 12:16 PM
could not finish QIHM. When I was watching the Becoming a Billionair, I thought J. Hyun Woo just could not play the role well. I was not sure about his acting with QIHM either. I sometimes wonder Korean viewers like taller male leads and they just do not mind not so good acting or not so good looks( I do not think he is good looking at all. I am Asian and I have seen many of the level of his looks walking around in the streets...)as far as they are quite tall.
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SweetPea
July 26, 2013 at 2:51 PM
Queen Inhyun's Man is a fantastic drama. It's in my top 10 for sure.
The story moves along at a pretty great pace, the romance is freaking adorable, and it's just the perfect drama to sit back and enjoy.
Of course there's conflict and such, but it's not angst driven- it's love driven. :)
There's always enough cuteness in each episode to make it an enjoyable experience.
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pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
July 26, 2013 at 10:21 AM
I second the rec for Queen In-hyun's man, and would like to add another: Arang and the Magistrate. It has a fairly tight plot, and I promise you, you WILL be surprised. Quite a bit. (and maybe also a bit swoony, because Lee Jun-ki and Shin Mina make a wonderful couple)
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 1:39 PM
Queen InHyun's Man
Arang and the Magistrate
Conspiracy in the Court
Return of Iljimae (although some folks like Iljimae better) <-- not really a tight plot but fun
Contemporary Dramas:
The Devil
White Christmas
The Chaser -- contemporary, no romance but fairly tight
Syndrome (a medical drama but very tightly written)
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dramabliss
July 26, 2013 at 5:20 PM
Recommending Tree with Deep Roots (2011), if you haven't seen it yet. It deals with the events surrounding King Sejong's development of the hangul alphabet.
Superbly written. Suffice it to say that it won almost all the important drama awards 2011-2012, including the Baeksang Grand Prize 2012 and the Seoul International Drama Awards 2012 Grand Prize.
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WalkingCinnamonStick
July 29, 2013 at 11:54 AM
Hey thanks a lot - I didn't expect to get a reply at all. :) I guess nobody's going to read my reply this late - guess I will say thanks again next week.
Queen In-hyun's Man has been on my list for some time but I am sceptical about the time travel aspect, same goes for Nine - but I suppose I will give it a try after all. Tree With Deep Roots is the one I will start with, though - and then I will sort through the rest.
Thanks again! :)
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18 Makoto
July 26, 2013 at 7:45 AM
Happy OT.
I just finished watching Jeon Woo Chi ep 18 a moment ago. Almost forget that today is Friday and Open Thread time.
Beside JWC, this week I didn't watch too many drama because the school has begun again.
Here are some that I could watch:
Scandal ep 7-8: the tension getting stronger between Ha Eun Jung & Jang Tae Ha's family. He summoned almost everyone from that house apparently. Heh. His sympathy and concern to Woo Ahmi really touched my heart. I hope she stopped being annoying ahjumma, and trained herself to be a more mature woman with pride and dignity.
Shark 17 - 18: Yihyun - Soohyun minor moment was sweet, but it didn't work for Soohyun - Yisoo. I begin to afraid that they would end up killing each other... Hae Woo, you have such a wonderful husband. What else the world do you want?
Dong soo - secretary Jang. She seemed to be moved by him. Aww... Another sweet moment.
Watching who are you's teaser and swoon again over Taecyeon... I never see him as a man before. ㅋㅋㅋ
Love in Magic: the most surprising thing is, the lead man is Han Gain's husband. I never knew about him before.
My Boss My Hero: I just need lots of laugh.
That's all... Have a nice weekend and happy Ramadhan, all. Eid Mubarak is on the way. :D
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kopytko
July 26, 2013 at 8:25 AM
"Han Ga In's husband". Huh. So you were spared from the Vampire Prosecutor craze? If you like him, look at Can Love Become Money - it's a romcom drama with a very good role of Yoon Jung Hoon. He plays a strict, money-oriented businesmann with hilarious habits and idiosyncrasies. I enjoyed the dialogues in that one.
Oh, and he's in I Summon You Gold right now. But without his weird habits and snarky banter I feel as if he's wasted for his current role.
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Nadia
July 26, 2013 at 11:21 AM
I enjoyed Can Love Become Money as well.
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Selena
July 26, 2013 at 11:46 AM
Can love become money is hilarious.
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19 jwspazz
July 26, 2013 at 8:05 AM
Hello Beanies ! have a great day ! :D
I HEAR YOUR VOICE - yeah ! only 2 more episodes left for the full ride with Sooha & Hyesung. avoid all spoilers until next Wednesday.
Coming Soon :
I don't know how to deal with these three upcoming dramas at the same time. uhh~
GOOD DOCTOR - done with all the teasers. the casts and their characters are ups as well. the stills, the description of the drama and the anticipation as well as argumentation from people are too high. recently the first preview of the drama is out too.. have u guys watch it ? I crack at the moment Joo Won said his line PPALI PPALI !! okay, I am more curious how they'll develop his character as an autism. can't wait anymore !!
MASTER'S SUN - new product of Hong Sisters. the teasers are creepy and somehow.. fascinating ? hahaa, never thought a Korean drama will be this creepy. the ghosts are wondering around our heroine who always be frightened by them. haa~ we'll see how the plots will develop soon.
TWO WEEKS - yes !! action !! I love action so much which make I can't resist this drama and moreover it is Lee Junki ! the teasers look promising too. we'll see this drama in two weeks. hahaa. :D
Now I have a little question..
where did Jung Ilwoo go ? it has been a very long time since The Moon That Embraces The Sun airing.. huaa~
that's all. annyeong !
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Enz
July 26, 2013 at 8:11 AM
Jung il woo is in university..and imiss him too :)
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korfan
July 26, 2013 at 8:11 AM
luvhee107 -
Jung Il-woo! ..... I've also been wondering where he's hiding. Hopefully, he'll appear soon.
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 9:22 AM
I'm looking forward to Master's sun and Two weeks as well (hoping I'll be able to stream them while in china..)
AS for Jung Il Woo I am not sure. I read somewhere a while back about him setting up his own agency. So could be taken with that. Though I can't remember where I read it so need not be true at all.
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Enz
July 26, 2013 at 9:31 AM
Yes, he left his old company and joined one that he started up. Its almost time for military service for him though so it might be that his contract ended and he didnt want to sign up woth another agency when it was just going to be a short while before wnlistment. Its just what i read from somewhere. I doubt if anyone really knows.
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 9:41 AM
Yeah if it's military time it wouldn't be unlikely if he just lay low before going. Also with the current controvercies surrounded celebrity solider, laying low and going the quiet route into service could be a good thing. Then he can make a (hopefully) proper big comeback once he returns.
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 1:42 PM
I'm so anticipating the next season of dramas...the suspense!
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pearl3101
July 27, 2013 at 7:43 PM
I miss him too...terribly.. :( From time to time I google him to know if he's working on something....
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20 Julia the Berksire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 8:09 AM
Hi Beanies!
I've been having trouble getting on Dramabeans for about a week. For some strange reason the site crashes on me. So I'll make this quick, fingers crossed.
I'm happily living in a world called "We Got Married" with Kim Hyun Joong. I am so charmed by the Lettuce Couple (SsangChoo).
I am also reading. First author Linda Sue Park's "See Saw Girl" and now "When I Was Keoko". These young adult books would have made no sense to me before I started watching KDramas. Now I can envision them, the clothes, the locations, the people.
Also having the urge to yell "Gramps" when I see any of the 4 veteran actors in KDramas instead of Grandpa Over Flowers. Fascinating display of the Korean respect based on age and friendships that span decades.
Happy weekend!
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katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 8:25 AM
Where are you watchin "We Got Married"? I have been wanting to watch those episodes since before I watched Korean Dramas!
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Julia the Berksire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 8:32 AM
We Got Married Kim Hyun Joong parts:
http://infinite-j.blogspot.com/2009/07/we-got-married-kim-hyun-joong-ss501.html
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katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 9:16 AM
You rock! Thanks!
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 9:24 AM
Ohh thank you! I've been trying to find them since someone asked about it last week? (was that you? I can't remeber!)
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Sue
July 26, 2013 at 10:38 AM
Actually, I've been watching his new music video, Unbreakable, on replay for days. He looks different from his Got Married Days. Very manly. (goes to take cold shower)
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katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 11:16 AM
You too???
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 1:44 PM
LOL! We're so addicted. And that shirt-rip...wow!
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Ainos
July 27, 2013 at 7:27 AM
Hey Beanies!!!
Speaking of KHJ's beautiful body. I caught the Japaneses compilation of City Conquest and let me tell you now I know why nobody picked it up. I do admit it was raw so I didn't understand much of the dialog but it was enough for me to stop watching it after like 20min. The imagery is very grungy and they do fanservice to us girls by giving us these slow panning scenes of his body. But still what a disappointment. Its on you tube and under episode 00.
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Julia the Berksire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 8:29 AM
Anyone know of a place that has Inborn Pair with English subs? A group of 15 year olds started subbing this 84 episode TDrama, which is an amazing feat, but I want a backup plan if these young girls grow bored with all the work of subtitling. So far, they've done 26 episodes and I'm hooked. I snuck a look on YouTube of the OTP kiss at episode 44, and I can hardly wait. I'm surprised at how easily each episode of this frothy rom com go down. After Horse Doctor, I've been traumatized to get into any long drama.
Nothing particularly new in Inborn Pair, it is just that I seem to have an endless appetite for people falling in love. Inborn Pair has the theme of various methods used to control other people - pouting, lying, manipulating, threatening, playing the victim, etc. I like comparing how the women use different methods with various levels of success.
Inborn Pair also gives a glimpse into responsibilities of being a daughter-in-law. In my next life, I plan on being a much better daughter-in-law from what I have learned from Dramas about family responsibilities. Not that there aren't plenty of mother-in-laws-from-h*ll in KDramas that display family behavior one should not emulate. Still, I've come to understand expectations for family respect and being filial with the addition of affection can really bring about a strong bond. Inborn Pair's mom gives daughter a handbook of how to be the best daughter-in-law when she gets married, and I want a copy of that!
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jamie
July 26, 2013 at 9:19 AM
Where are people subbing it? Inborn Pair used to be on viki and completely subbed, but with the new viki it seems to be gone, I can't find it.
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Julia the Berkshire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 9:46 AM
Inborn Pair is being subbed on YouTube.
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21 Manin
July 26, 2013 at 8:20 AM
Happy Friday dramabeans!
The human way of behaving at the till continues to baffle me. Also I am no longer able to look at a vegtable and fruit without remembering (most of the time) its code at the till. Gives old jokes a new spinn though (2 x 5500 walked across the road. Though if you can remember the bar code of ketchup then it is time to quit..)
And I'd forgotten how expecive going to the A&E is in Norway.. And still waiting for paperworks from China, I'm feeling less and less confident about getting there before I'm supposed to start my work!
Dramaland:
Still fallen behind on pretty much everything. Finished Izura na Kiss: ended pretty much the way I expected. Still, love how Kotoko was in that drama, and liked that you could tell that her and Kin-chan was friends before anything else. And Naoki actually showed some emotions!
-Monstar: next project to finish! Resisting the temptation to read the recaps!
-Bu Bu Jing Xi: Started this, on ep 3. Seems interesting so far, though I'm expecting pain to come (okay so I caved and went ahead and read about the drama and the actual history behind.. History geek guilty as charged!)
- Need to continue on Drama Go Go Go.
Also looking forward to so many of the new drama's! I better be able to do some streaming whilst in China. VPN needs to be found and happen!
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 1:48 PM
Is 5500, ketchup?
The dad 5500 said to Jr 5500: "Ketchup."
And there is ...Two peanuts were walking down the road...and one was assaulted....peanut.
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 1:56 PM
Bad joke time?
Two scientists snuck up on the periodic table and introduced the element of surprise.
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 2:16 PM
haha that's a good one! I mostly knows bad music jokes:
What is the similarities between a lawyer and a violinist?
Everyone's happy when the case is closed!
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 2:14 PM
5500 = tomatoes actually ;) I don't know the bar code for ketchup (luckily they tend to scan well) however I used to know the entire bar code for 1kg carrots as well as cherry tomatoes (70511636138 *shifty eyes* ) :p
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 3:12 PM
lol... the things our minds do to us!
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owl
July 26, 2013 at 10:42 PM
So the neighborhood mushrooms were playing. Along came another mushroom, but they wouldn't let him play.
"Aw, c'mon, I'm a fungi"
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22 Peridot
July 26, 2013 at 8:21 AM
Hi everyone, this is my first time participating in an open thread so I'm not really sure what to write.
Here I go lol,
I would like to know how everyone balances out watching 'x' amount of k-dramas (and we can add C-dramas, Taiwanese dramas, and Japanese dramas into the mix) with the demands of school and work. I'll be taking an intensive course in the Fall, in addition to a regular, full-semester course; I'm sure I'll have my work cut out for me. There are so many interesting dramas starting in a couple of weeks. I often try to place limits on myself, but then, when interesting information about upcoming dramas is released on a weekly basis, I feel as though my resolve is being threatened :) I say to myself that I'll save my drama viewing for night time and focus on my other responsibilities during the day. After the Fall semester, I'll be doing my internship. Then I'll be taking exams and trying to find work. Additionally, I would like to dedicate time to language study and to learning about other things. This sounds like a silly question, but I would like to know how others manage their time :)
Also, what dramas are people currently watching? Here's what I'm watching.
Cruel Palace (Korean)
Monstar (Korean)
I Hear Your Voice (Korean)
The Blade and the Petal (Korean)
Just You (Taiwanese)
What I would like to watch:
The Master's Sun (Korean)
Two Weeks (Korean)
Who Are You (Korean)--Wasn't interested initially, but things have changed :)
King of Lanling (C-drama)--I may not have time for this.
I am not sure about Juwon's upcoming drama.
These are just the dramas coming out soon. There are other ones that will be released later (such as Basketball and Answer Me 1994). I usually watch more dramas when I am on vacation (such as now), but things get harder when I am busy with school.
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owl
July 26, 2013 at 8:37 AM
School would definitely cut into drama watching time. I'm done with school, so I have evenings and weekends free from work. My drama watching schedule is pretty much MTWTh 8:00 - midnight-ish (or later if I'm marathoning) and Sunday afternoon. That's what my study time used to look like. Shifting to drama watching was kind of, well - natural.
I am impressed with your 5 drama line up, though. (My list is in comment 15 - I watch a lot). Like my brother says about my kdrama addiction "You just spend your time that way. Other people spend their time doing something else just as much. Who cares?" Obviously, not me.
Happy studying, working, and drama watching. Fighting\/!
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Peridot
July 26, 2013 at 11:03 AM
I usually focus on school work from the morning till afternoon and leave nights for myself. In these last two years, however, I have started taking breaks (in the middle of the day) from long hours of school work to watch dramas.
I am glad that you are impressed with my mere 5 -drama- line up :) I thought that was a lot; I guess I was wrong :) Another reason why I try to cut things down is because I cannot stay on the computer for long hours without getting neck pain (I have said pain right now lol). Thank you for your advice! I will enjoy my vacation time and work on balancing things when school starts.
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 9:31 AM
School will cut into dramawatching yes, but as with everything it's just all about balance. I used drama watching as both procrastination, and relaxing time after finishing tasks and so on. Also when doing all day readings at home, or writting papers I would use it as a "reward" during lunch and dinner times. (not all the time of course).
It's with drama watching the same way as when people have that ONE show they make time for every week to watch. Just that drama's online you don't have to worry about missing it since it's going to be there the next time as well.
Just find a system that works for you :)
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Peridot
July 26, 2013 at 11:08 AM
Thank you for your advice :) A lot of times, I feel guilty for spending what I would call too much time on dramas. I feel like I should be doing something else, or be more productive. But I really enjoy the conversations that are sparked by dramas. And I love participating in those conversations whenever I can meaningfully contribute to them. I think that Dramabeans itself--never mind k-dramas--is my addiction. You all (whether re-cappers or commentators) make my day!
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 2:21 PM
Haha I know what you mean! I have a high risk of procrastinating myself (not to mention the times where I've been reading the recaps of an entire drama while I should be researching an essay.. Ops :p).
However in any situation sometimes you just need a break. And then you can think either "Ah I had a break now I can get back to doing stuff" or "okay I need a break, and then I will feel more motivated to start again afterwards (or tomorrow depending on time".
The more you stress about it, the less you will feel that you get done. But if you sometimes takes the time to think "you know what I deserve a break from work" weather it is during lunch or later in the evening/night, you will get a break and feel more motivated in the morning. At least I find it that way.
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Peridot
July 26, 2013 at 4:08 PM
Lol! I actually never procrastinate. I am a type A personality. I just tend to be over-critical of myself when I do take a little time for myself. It's only in recent years that I have relaxed a bit from my constant reading and studying. But I do agree that it is important to take some time off.
CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 1:53 PM
I balance out by watching at night...as a reward to my hard day sitting on my butt procrastinating...er..writing. If someone recommends something or if i'm waiting on subs i watch a movie such as "I Not stupid too" (the latest flick I watched...because i was going insane waiting for subs.
Am geared to watch everything vaguely supernatural in the upcoming dramas. Can't see myself watching Heirs but who knows?
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 2:23 PM
I'm also wanting to watch all the new supernaturalish drama's. I'm kinda tempted to watch Heirs though. I predict it to be one of those "hit or miss shows" where you can like it okay enough, love it, or really really hate it.
I mean with the cliche setting and everything it can't be a worse mess when it starts airing than what we can imagine now? Right? ...right? :P
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Peridot
July 26, 2013 at 4:09 PM
I will definitely not be watching heirs :) Not even the gods could induce me to do so lol! I also tend to save drama watching for nighttime.
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Mama J
July 26, 2013 at 10:09 PM
I have a feeling there could be a SqueeCap series for Heirs...
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 11:57 PM
And we would all anticipate it and welcome it should it happen!
23 Jenny
July 26, 2013 at 8:29 AM
Another friday!
I so want to see Grandpa over flowers because it seems like super fun.
I'm already enjoying Appa odiga, I so love Junsu. That kid is such a oddball that it's hilarious.
Dramas. I've been positively surprised at how good this dorama season is. We have so many good doramas compared to what is has been.
Woman, why is this drama giving me all these feelings. This episode we find out beware spoilers!!!
Shin wasn't a molester. Shiori was in a gang that accused men of being molester to get money and after seeing Shin at her home and her parents happy with him she wanted to do something and so she accused him of being a molester. All went horribly wrong, he was beaten and finally pushed into the traintracks where he died. I know Sachi loves her daughter but protecting a murderer (that's how I see Shiori now) is just wrong.
Poor Koharu, I'm guessing she has leukemia even though we did not hear what the doctor said.
Starman, so cute and light. It's perfect to watch after something depressing.
Namonaki doku, what was the reason the Kajita's lived like they did. And was the older daughter really kidnapped and by whom and why.
Does Nahoko's father know about everything? It's just been 2 episodes but I'm intrigued.
Gekiryuu ~ Watashi wo Oboete Imasuka?
I wonder if Fuyuha still alive and if so what was her reason to vanish. The teacher, Mouri-sensei is a bit suspicious. She seems to have something against the gang. We know Fuyuha was her favorite and that she disliked Miya.
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Julia the Berksire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 8:51 AM
I've seen Grandpas Over Flowers from
http://mineememe.blogspot.com/
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24 opaque
July 26, 2013 at 8:37 AM
Hello fellow Beanies! A sunny morning here in Toronto, but it feels like the calm before a (metaphorical) storm because I have an exam for a full-year worth summer course in about 6 days! :( Plus every drama I'm currently watching either ended last week (Itazura, DAC) or is ending next week (Heartless City, IHYV, and Monstar) so I won't even have crack to curb my sorrows. *self-pity mode*
Now to the dramas...
Itazura - I wanted a bit more groveling on Naoki's part but I'm fine with how it ended (though that was a way too rushed wedding). The most heart-ripping scene? When Kotoko was crying in the rain after leaving the restaurant, frustrated that she still couldn't over Naoki.
Heartless City - Um. I'm kinda bored. I think this drama would have been better at 16 episodes. I'm just glad that Hyung-min still thinks Shi-hyun did not kill Gyung-mi. Also, was I the only who laughed at the ending? Soomin just comes and knocks out Jo in like two seconds...so much for his intimidation LOL (BTW I've really grown to like Soo. If he dies, I might become an undercover to avenge his death :P)
Monstar - The episode felt a bit patchy and I'm not sure how they're gonna resolve all the loose plot points in 2 eps.
IHYV - Loved it. The writer used the extension better than I anticipated. It was inevitable that the pacing would slow but instead of throwing in loads of angst, she focused on fleshing out the other characters. But that cliffhanger. And that narration. Caused me to think a string of expletives that I probably shouldn't repeat :P
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junny
July 26, 2013 at 8:52 AM
Soo is awesome. i hope he and Shi-hyun can ride off into the sunset together (unlikely, but oh well).
the old guys are kinda boring - papa ji, reporter cha's dad, and even pusan. i think the fizz has gone out of the drama at this point in time. sigh.
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opaque
July 26, 2013 at 9:20 AM
Yeah I've kinda started blanking out whenever they're talking. The sad part is, I still know what's going on. And Pusan just seems to be an endless cycle. He threatens to kill, he almost kills, Baska saves, Hyung-min arrests, interference lets him go, Hyung-min gets mad, people avenge to kill Pusan. I'm just like, "kill the dude already" and start your damn facility somewhere else.
I'm totally hoping for Baksa to leave the police world and just start his drug reign with the help of Soo, Jin-sook and Safari. They'd be so kickass together.
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junny
July 26, 2013 at 1:55 PM
you know, i honestly thought that when Shi-hyun learnt about Min Hong-gi's deceit re his mother, it'd be the last straw for him and he'd go rogue. alas, noooo. there was a brief moment of hope when Shi-hyun enlisted Safari's help re Prof Jang (if I remember that bit right), but then it petered out again.
you're right about the repetitive cycles. and Shi-hyun wants to clear his name re Kyung-mi's death, but took so damn long getting through to Hyung-min that their cooperation means little in the last couple of weeks. Jin-sook was supposed to be this kick-ass chick but she's ended up getting rescued so many times (and shockingly, by bird-brain soo-min once or twice!) that you have to wonder how on earth she got to her present position. she's forever yodelling between Min Hong-gi and Safari, it's kinda annoying. just set one of them (or both) straight and move on with life, ffs.
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owl
July 26, 2013 at 2:08 PM
I'm pretty sure Jin Sook has that position because nobody else would want it. Like you, she was on my okay list of drug dealers for a while, until she kept waffling btwn Doc's Son and Safari and it became way annoying. She's even hitting on Soo (and vice versa), which is real trouble for them both as second tier players in the drug world.
junny
July 26, 2013 at 5:45 PM
before it was revealed she tried to kill Soo, i'd actually thought they'd make a cute bickering couple. but Soo deserves a better woman, not a foolish one like Jin-sook. it's bad enough that Shi-hyun got stuck with a moron, Soo should not suffer a similar misfortune.
soo-min is a complete idiot. she really never thinks how her stupid actions would implicate Hyung-min, or even Shi-hyun or Jin-sook. her angst over Kyung-mi's death is so false, like 10 episodes too late. you only just remembered you had a poor dead sister? dumbass.
Manin
July 26, 2013 at 9:34 AM
I agree with you about the wedding! So very very very rushed. And that scene was an emotional one indeed. Liked that they didn't mess up the rain kiss though, unlike some (looking at you there Playful kiss...).
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katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 12:41 PM
"And that narration. Caused me to think a string of expletives that I probably shouldn’t repeat"
You only thought them?? I said them loudly... then had to appoligize to my family for startling them.
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25 hydrangeabloom
July 26, 2013 at 8:42 AM
Happy Friday everyone! Currently experimenting with sageuks this summer now that I am addicted to Queen Seon-deok. I'm 23 episodes of the way in at this point. I think this is the fastest I've ever sailed through a drama of this length now that I'm already over a third of the way through. The last few episodes were not *quite* as good for me. [Spoiler]I hope they move past the manhunt soon because it is hard to want Deok-man in the palace when literally everyone wants to kill her. It also makes 95% of the characters completely unsympathetic right now. [End Spoiler]
I'm trying to pick up Arang and the Magistrate and Hong Gil Dong right now to see if I can finally finish them, but it's an uphill battle. Nothing significant happened in AatM ep. 12, and as for HGD, I'm only four episodes in out of 24, and it's taken me several years to get this far. I love the Hong Sisters, but this drama is testing my determination to finish every single one of their previous dramas.
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katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 9:21 AM
I love how you hid the spoiler!
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hydrangeabloom
July 26, 2013 at 9:51 AM
Well, after jb did her comments post about how DB has a spoiler tag I decided to make use of it! :) I saw someone else do it with the markers at beginning and end and thought it looked like a good way to structure it.
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korfan
July 27, 2013 at 10:48 PM
hydrangeabloom -
Wow, I commend you for being able to go through all those episodes of QSD so quickly! ...... I did the tv broadcast viewing, so it was a long 31 weeks for me, believe it or not.
And yeah, some people are just dead set on going after her, aren't they? ....... Meanies! Leave poor Deok-man alone!
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26 whimsyful
July 26, 2013 at 8:49 AM
Happy OT everyone!
I Hear Your Voice finally broke me out of my recent drama slump. I haven't loved a drama or it's OTP this much in a long, long time, even if the law stuff makes me laugh at it's inaccuracy. One more week left! Writer-nim, please don't screw up the ending!
I'm also still watching Sword and Flower/The Blade and Petal. It's a strange drama. Very very pretty, but the long silences and music-video moments drive me nuts. Yet something about it sticks with me and makes me come back week after week. Anyone else have the same feeling?
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 3:18 PM
It's definitely a drama that kinda compels you to accept it on its own terms ..but it's definitely good.
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27 pearl3101
July 26, 2013 at 9:10 AM
Happy Friday.. Everyone... :)
ITAKISS: I stated this week with this classic. It was the finale.. I kindof expected that maybe our leads won't marry in this version. Afterall this version upgraded many things of the manga/anime. Their wedding was unreal for me and didn't fit. Well that apart, with the exception of the last two episodes I quite enjoyed this whole series. And Hanoko Miki is going to be my favourite for a looong looong time. Sayanora Itakissu.. ^^
MONSTAR: What an episode!! This musical drama never fails to captivate me and this week was no exception. I wasnot very captivated with the kiss. Rather I wanted Seol Chan to confess. But the rest of the episode both the story and the songs were wonderful. And I liked thatEun Ha's character got its closure this week. It was unexpected that they would bring her story. But its very welcome. Just two more episodes to go.. and I think I'll be rather sad when it ends. A lot of issues need to be solved.. 1. SC/SW bronemity 2. SW/NaNa 's story 3. SY/her mom's story 4. SY's Mom and Ahjusshi's story 5. Ahjusshi and the thailand kid. Wonder how they are going to tie up all the plots in just two episodes!!
I SUMMON YOU GOLD: Go Mangnae couple!!! :D Tables turned and karma in full swing! I'm enjoying this drama very very much. XD Eagerly waiting for this week's episodes..
THE PRINCESS'S MAN: I'm 8 episodes in and I must admit that for a saguek this drama is very captivating. I'm saying this bacause I'm not a very big fan of the pace of sagueks... I like the heroine who is'nt your reguler damsel in distress. Her Dad creeps the hell out of me(two-faced!) However I've hit a roadblock as Shi Hoo's family is about to be murdered and I'm not sure I want to go past that. :(
JIKOU KEISATSU 1: I took up this drama on the suggestion of one of the beanies.... Although its not upto the mark as a thriller it is quite funny and I like it.
That's it for this week!! Bubye.. Beanies!
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 9:17 AM
"Their wedding was unreal for me and didn’t fit."
I thought their wedding fitted Mama Irie to a T
BUT
when Naoki grumbled about how annoying it was having it all pre-arranged, I was half-hoping he'd grab Kotoko by the hand and run off to elope with her.
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katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 9:28 AM
So out of charater for him, but I too would have loved that!
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Manin
July 26, 2013 at 9:35 AM
I agree too! That would have been awesome! I always predicted that it would end with the wedding though..
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Celery
July 26, 2013 at 10:09 AM
I can't, I just can't ever finish an Itazura na Kiss series, at least not in regular doses. Makes me feel depressed about the mangaka's untimely death since I <3 the manga so much, so full of hearts and feels.
I tried one ep of the Tokyo version, eh, don't like both leads, tried less than one ep of the Taiwan version, eh don't like both leads either.
I liked the anime version though, enough to complete it. I watched the older Japanese version before but it's totally a separate entity altogether.
Manin
July 26, 2013 at 2:26 PM
Haha oh no, I have a sporadic attention span with a lot of drama's so am always pausing them myself. But I liked it.
I must admit to never having read the manga (I can't find it in book form and I hate reading manga online.) nor have I watched the anime. I started on it though, but probably to close to watching one of the drama versions. It's a story that I can like, but I just don't want to see to many similar tings straight after one another. If that makes sense?
Celery
July 26, 2013 at 3:12 PM
You have to, maybe not now. Every now and then (in terms of years not days, lolol), I would re-read the series and I still find myself stalling before reaching the end. It sounds stupid but it's heartbreaking when I know that the series is incomplete due to the mangaka's death and worse still, left permanently stuck at an important juncture of the leads' lives. Sigh, heeeeeaaaaarrrttttbreak.
The anime has an original ending that's based on how the author would have ended it, according to her husband and son. I find some solace, as little as it is, in that thought, sobs.
Manin
July 27, 2013 at 12:00 AM
Yeah I know she died before completing the series. And that the taiwan version ends where the manga ends (the director didn't want to take it further out of respect for the writer of the manga I read somewhere).
Sounds like I'll have to get around to watch it one day then. :)
john
July 26, 2013 at 11:37 AM
May~
Kim Bum’s hair is oh so sexy in his new drama!
Hah!. I said something to my wife about Kim Bum and how all the ladies would be swooning.
Moon Geun-Young is just too cute to be mistaken for a boy ! I am enjoying the series so far.
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pearl3101
July 26, 2013 at 7:50 PM
"I was half-hoping he’d grab Kotoko by the hand and run off to elope with her."- That would 've been awesome!
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john
July 26, 2013 at 10:00 AM
Pearl3101 ~
I'm about 5 eps behind on I Summon You Gold but it is good.
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pearl3101
July 26, 2013 at 7:33 PM
Do catch up! You won't be disappointed... :)
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windsun33
July 26, 2013 at 9:20 PM
ISYG is similar in some ways to YTBLSS, but much better. Most of the characters actually seem to have some depth and are not just one dimensional props like they are in LSS. I get the feeling that it is about time for the twin sister to actually show up in person, that should be interesting.
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Selena
July 26, 2013 at 11:35 PM
YN will be back this week. I'm looking forward to tonight. It's about time for the secret to come out. Only then can the HS-MHee loveline begin.
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ATZ
July 27, 2013 at 12:43 AM
I totally agree with you. I dropped watching YTBLSS but still watching ISYG. The chemistry between two leads and the seconds leads in ISYG is far better. Though Yeon Jeon Hun is not my cup of tea, his acting skill has some depth.
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28 DayDreamer
July 26, 2013 at 9:10 AM
Hi Beanies! In dramaland:
1. I have yet to complete IHYV's episodes of this week. Will try to avoid spoilers.
2. Going crazy for upcoming Lee Jun Ki's Two Weeks but won't be able to watch it live. Makes me want to cry, lol.
3. Tried to get back into watching Taiwanese dramas after a year or so but these Taiwanese dramas have really gone downhill. They're either too cheesy, highly implausible and/or improbable, filled with sheer stupidity, and too many stretched out scenes as fillers. I can't even fall in love with any of the actors or actresses. Makes me sad because I used to adore Taiwanese dramas the most but now there's only love for Korea, haha.
4. Still watching Scandal. It's not addictive but definitely watchable and interesting enough.
5. Totally loving Grandpas Over Flowers. Thanks to the lone subber subbing this show.
And now I'm off. Hope everyone has a nice day.
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 1:58 PM
I'm gonna try to watch Grandpas also. are you watching at the minime site recommended above? or at some other site? or are you watching via a Korean channel?
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windsun33
July 26, 2013 at 9:25 PM
3. I am with you on Taiwan dramas lately. In the past I have seen a few really good ones, but lately they just seem to be full of stupid people doing stupid things for stupid reasons. And being totally silly and childish while doing it.
4. I think that Scandal has actually picked up a lot in the past couple of episodes, so getting more interesting for me.
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29 dmohican14
July 26, 2013 at 9:13 AM
Happy OT every one!
My internet's dead and AT&T has no idea what's going on, so I haven't been watching any dramas this week. I'm still sad about Itazura na Kiss ending, so I doubt I could watch anything anyway. I have driving lessons and am job-hunting anyway, so I really need to cut back on my drama watching.
The only k-dramas I've been watching is Monstar and Cruel City. Monstar is cute, but I got bored around episode 9, so I'm lacking motivation to continue. Cruel City...maybe if I lower my expectations, I'll get back into it. I'm tired of watching Shi-hyun run around like a super hero and Soo-min's stupidity.
There's actually a few good j-dramas this season. Woman of course is amazing, but I expect nothing less. I don't usually cry when watching dramas, but crying kids get me every time. I am a little worried about the disease, because it's so cliche, but I believe the writer will work it out. I'm not exactly sold on Starman, but if I don't think too hard, I think I can enjoy it.
Really liked the first episodes of Summer Nude and Limit too.
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30 katmoo
July 26, 2013 at 9:14 AM
Happy OT!
I have had a rough week. Monday I had a horrible migraine, and in the evening... the flu hit. I was out for the count for 3 days this week and I am still not quite back up to speed. I did get some drama watching done though.
Finished Love in Tokyo. It was cute. Ended exactly how I thought it would. I think I may post a longer thought summary on my blog.
Monstar... I still love it. So cute! The music in the show is awesome!
I decided that I am just going to marathon I Hear Your Voice once it is complete.
Started Gaksital... so many tears! But I love this show. I finally made it to the big switch! I am going to take a couple day break just so that I can try to mentally prepare myself for what is to come. (I read the recaps a while back and don't really remember too many of the details).
Hoping to finish City Hunter tonight with my dongsaeng. We have been trying for months to watch it together but she keeps getting grounded (she is 16).
And once we are done with that... we are going to watch It Started with a Kiss! We watched most of the first episode already but I decided that we had to finish City Hunter first.
Now as for variety shows...
We Got Married Global I didn't realize that it was going to end. Talk about some sadness. Gui Gui killed me! Even if she was faking tears (not too sure if they were real or not) they still got my right in the heartstrings (My sister looked a mess with all the crying she did) I was behind a few episodes so we marathoned them together and it hit me from out of left field.
I am also a few episodes behind with Barefoot Friends. Still need to catch up with those.
I hope that I can devote some time next weekend to drama watching. This weekend I have 2 family reunions. I’m thinking that panda eyes are going to become my permanent look for a while…
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jwspazz
July 26, 2013 at 9:31 AM
it's a worth you watch Gaksital. you'll never regret it. ;D
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SweetPea
July 26, 2013 at 3:06 PM
I also watched Global We Got Married.
Gui Gui is so precious. I love her spirit.
I doubt she was faking tears, because why would a girl want to be a crying mess on TV? I feel bad for her because she obviously cared more for Taecyeon than he did for her.
Honestly, he didn't seem into her (though they did have good moments), and was ready to leave. I know Gui Gui not being the typical kind of korean girl threw him off but I thought he could have been more open, you know? Too bad, because I think any of his friends would have loved to be with her. They all seemed quite intrigued with her (especially the friends who played the "Yes/No" game).
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Ainos
July 27, 2013 at 7:35 AM
I just started watching Bridal Mask as well, I know understand all the hype. And I totally get the whole sister thing. I watch Kdramas with my 16 year old sister as well. However her likes and my likes are different so we just swap tidbits of whatever dramas we are watching. As for Barefoot friends we are caught up and let me tell you, you haven't missed much.
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31 sartorius
July 26, 2013 at 9:53 AM
Hello everyone...m at work now. Just wanted to say hi and see how everyone is doing!!! Started watching DalJa's spring...very excited!
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 1:59 PM
that's a fun one, a drama i really loved.
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CMRPrindle
July 26, 2013 at 3:45 PM
I've only ever heard good things about Dal Ja's Spring. I hope you enjoy it!
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Mar
July 26, 2013 at 5:37 PM
I think I am the only person that is not enamored of Dalja's Spring. No spoilers, because I do not want to ruin it for OMG. I like the IDEA of the drama and the basic plot-on paper it should be my kind of drama. Overall quality, it is a good drama. I will just say I could never get into it completely, and I do not know why, and I can remember thinking I do not know if I can get through this drama, it just seemed to go on forever. I even watched it a second time not too long ago to try to figure out why it is not more appealing to me. I will say I enjoyed it more the second viewing. I really enjoy the 2nd lead female character very much. And the clothes, I want all of Dalja's coats.
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CMRPrindle
July 26, 2013 at 8:06 PM
:) That kinda reminds me of my reaction to You're Beautiful. It seems like everyone likes it but me. On the other hand, you've also gotten further with Dalja's Spring (2 watches!) than I ever did with YB.
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Mar
July 27, 2013 at 12:58 AM
I just revisited You're Beautiful and I am right there with you. My opinion did not change on what the main reason I was not a fan=the female lead character. Main reason to Watch=Operation Piggy Bunny. I'm going to write up my thoughts about it in the next week or two, I compare my thoughts on what I recall from from my first viewing and the revisit.
Enz
July 26, 2013 at 11:49 PM
I didnt think much of dalja's spring either. Didnt complete it. I think i got up to epi 6 trying to understand why db loves it so but still didnt get it. Wasnt bad but didnt find dalja interesting at all.
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Celery
July 27, 2013 at 2:01 AM
Dal Ja's Spring... was a series that I sincerely wanted to love. I just couldn't too. The male lead was pretty cute though.
If you're talking about noona/woman in quarterlife crisis type of shows, I very much preferred What's Up, Fox in comparison. Great writing, great chemistry without sacrificing the realism. I <3 the female lead and everyone else in it (except for her sister). The two male leads were good, Pie does get one point extra for being uber cute.
32 Mar
July 26, 2013 at 10:43 AM
Hello Beanies,
Watching Monstar and IHYV.
Still rewatching Faith. But I had to take a break from Evil Hair Clip Guy and mindlessly thought You're Beautiful was the next thing to revisit. Yeah, so definitely not better the second time around. I am not going to think about it right now lol. I am running with open arms back to Faith and the Woo Dal Chi despite their questionable body guard talents.
Happy viewing Beanies!
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CMRPrindle
July 26, 2013 at 3:44 PM
I loved the Woodalchi. They were almost the best part of Faith. I never did get around to writing that follow-up fanfic :(
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Owl
July 26, 2013 at 10:07 PM
Wudalchi and Lady Choi and her warrior palace maidens rocked!
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Ainos
July 27, 2013 at 7:36 AM
Agree!
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CMRPrindle
July 28, 2013 at 5:46 AM
How could I forget Lady Choi and the palace maidens!
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33 Sue
July 26, 2013 at 10:54 AM
Hello! I was wondering if I'm the only idiot who actually put up with 7 episodes of Goddess of Marriage. After the 7th episode I was so pissed off and hated all the characters so much I gave it up. I actually found a recap of ep 8 and I read it to see if I had made a mistake, but nope, ep 8 is even more hateful. We have three characters cheating. Two men depicted as complete jerks, and our so-called "heroine." But you know it is okay for her, because she doesn't really love her fiancée and she told him, plus his family is evil (but she is still marrying him!). How about growing a backbone and telling the fiancée that you do not want to marry him? I'm actually glad that in the recap of ep 8 it shows that he figured out that she had been contacting the other man and he takes her to confront him. In an ideal world he would dump her sorry excuse for a behind. But this is dramaland, so now we are probably going into punishment mode. He'll probably force her to marry against her will, and treat her like crap. Aaarrrgh. Waste of time. If you are watching this and enjoying it, good for you. Please explain here why you like this drama, so other people thinking about watching it can see both opinions and make up their minds. But as far as I am concerned it is thumbs down, way down.
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owl
July 26, 2013 at 1:56 PM
I haven't watched Goddess of Marriage, but I saw the 3 main characters on Hwasin (last Tuesday's episode). I was kind of embarrassed for Kim Ji Hoon (remember Jin rak in FBND - I liked him in that) who always disses himself. I hate that. Not good for boosting his image. He did the same thing on the Christmas ep of Strong Heart with the FBND cast. I'm a fan, although his self depreciating behavior even makes me back away. It's a shame. Hwasin did a compilation of Lee Sang Woo's well-loved kissing scenes - oh yeah. But the 3-way chemistry (with Nam Sang Mi)was not really there, so thanks for the warning to not waste time on this drama.
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Sue
July 26, 2013 at 4:35 PM
Kim Ji Hoon was my reason for watching this drama. I loved him in Flower Boy Next Door. But in this one his character is just unlikeable. So I'm not willing to sacrifice myself for him. Maybe next time.
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SweetPea
July 26, 2013 at 3:14 PM
I skimmed through the first two eps, and then completely dropped it like a hot potato when I realized what kind of makjang mess this drama was.
Just drop it and never look back. :) I learned my lesson the hard way when I first found Kdrama through a daily family drama called "You Are My Destiny" (Yoona of Girls Generation starred in that one) that took a YEAR. It was my first drama so I had no idea that it'd be such a disaster. NEVER AGAIN. Haha.
Also, King Of Baking was the king of makjang as well, but I watched the the bitter end. NEVER AGAIN-for real this time.
It's just not worth it when there are so many other awesome dramas to watch and enjoy. :)
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Sue
July 26, 2013 at 4:33 PM
Actually, I kind of learned with A Hundred Year Inheritance. I dropped it midway, and then watched the last three episodes. I was surprised to find out that I had not missed much! For this one I'll probably watch the last 3 eps to find out what happened.
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windsun33
July 26, 2013 at 9:32 PM
I managed to make it through 1.5 episodes with GOM, and it already had so many WTF moments that I just gave up. Suspending belief is one thing, but this one is so far out I just could not take it. And from your description, I never got to the even worse parts.
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34 merry
July 26, 2013 at 11:26 AM
Happy Friday, everyone.
JoAnne, I love your assessment of ISWAK, and the Joe Chen character. Yes, I'm rooting for him, too. I'm with Alua on Kotoko and Kin-chan. It would be wonderful if our asian drama stars can cross-over geographic boundaries and give us the penultimate version of this many-versioned manga. Yup, that would be awesome.
Owl, interesting situation in your mom's house. There is this new age guru who has been stressing about how we view time as something to 'kill' rather than our ally. (I think DBers who are following more dramas than the days of the week really have time wrapped in their hands, lol). I think your mum has just 'nailed' time! Your piece on your home visit would make a wonderful chapter in a book. Are you a writer like Carole?
Rested on drama watching this week as my silent tribute to the Legend of Four Gods PD. RIP
Will await the new upcoming series. Holler on a good one when you find one. Will likely just go over old DVDs while waiting.
A great week-end to all! If you happen to have travel plans for Japan in late october to november, give a shout and let's meet at rainbow bridge look-out. cheerio
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 1:22 PM
So far I've counted about five writers on DB, including Kimyoonmi, Cmrprindle. Probably more. Seems like we're all waiting for each other's books and scripts to come out.
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35 May
July 26, 2013 at 11:27 AM
Has anyone seen Hugh Jackman on Star King? Lol. He's awesome!
Oh and Kim Bum's hair is oh so sexy in his new drama! Droooooool.
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CMRPrindle
July 26, 2013 at 3:42 PM
Kim Bum has a new drama? Or do you mean That Winter?
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girlatsea
July 26, 2013 at 5:13 PM
He's the second lead in Goddess of Fire with Moon Geun-young
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CMRPrindle
July 26, 2013 at 8:07 PM
Boy am I out of the loop. That name rings no bells at all. I'll check it out. Thanks so much!
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May
July 26, 2013 at 9:34 PM
I'm only watching it for Kim Bum. =)
CMRPrindle
July 28, 2013 at 5:50 AM
lol...can't say as I blame you. That's certainly going to be my number 1 reason for checking it out. But I did like the female lead in Cheongdamdong Alice so it's nice seeing her again.
36 Julia the Berkshire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 11:29 AM
Can anyone give a thumbs up recommendation to the Leroy Yang TDrama Two Fathers?
I dipped my toe in the water watching the first 3 episodes merely because I find Leroy so marble sculpture beautiful. His best acting seems to be in seducing women, which makes me wonder if the actor does that in real life? For me, he is all sparks smoldering, best taken in the dark with alcohol and poor decision making that leads to the bedroom.
Don't tell me if the reality is that he is a loving family man with 3 kids, because that would ruin my fantasy.
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 12:04 PM
I tried that one for a little while, because the premise seemed interesting but they were constantly fabricating confrontations between Leroy and Megan Lai out of nothing that it got old real fast.
If you don't mind lack of realism it might be enjoyable.
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Julia the berkshire beanie
July 26, 2013 at 12:20 PM
Ah, I feared as much. I became discouraged when the women the two men were probably going to end up with seemed obvious by ep 3. I am not feeling the teacher/lawyer match. You've saved me.
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37 Dora
July 26, 2013 at 11:59 AM
Well, I doubt there's much chance of you answering this, but I'm wondering why you didn't take on Heartless City... it seems much better than Shark, at least to me. I don't go for dramas like that usually, I mean those which have tragedies in every episode and usually end with the death of either the main character or the woman he loves, but I'm enjoying Heartless City very much.
Ah, anyway, it's just a shame you're not recapping it.
Thanks for all your hard work on I hear your voice! I admire you, really. I enjoy rambling about dramas, but recapping... no thanks :p
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Julia the berkshire beanie
July 26, 2013 at 12:28 PM
I still can't believe how much DB does recap. I'm thinking javabeans has a secret time warp machine.
When it comes to making choices, someone once explained it to me this way. It's like creating a portfolio of stocks. Sure, there are a lot of good stocks, but you can't buy them all with limited resources. Therefore, just try to get a good balance of stocks that will meet your long term objectives.
So any of us who are making drama choices will have many more options than we have time to watch/recap. Just pick a few that work for you and don't regret what you can't watch.
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Mystisith
July 26, 2013 at 2:02 PM
Well, the ladies are already recapping an awful lot of dramas + variety programs. There is just too many dramas. Furthermore, some shows are better enjoyed when you only watch them. For the record, there is at least 4 other blogs which recap that show: It seems very popular on the net.
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okiejune
July 27, 2013 at 12:23 PM
You should follow the Heartless City (Cruel City) squeecap at http://dr-myri-blog.blogspot.com/search/label/Cruel%20City - they're doing a great job at it :)
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38 Momopeach
July 26, 2013 at 12:42 PM
This has been such a bad week for me, so I hope to come home later today at 8:30 and just veg out on shows.
I finished Tokyo Kiss and Last Cinderella. Decent overall, but it was funny how they both ended in the same place, that chapel in Tokyo lol.
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alua
July 26, 2013 at 1:37 PM
Hope it gets better!
*good vibes your way*
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Momopeach
July 27, 2013 at 1:22 AM
Thanks a ton. Part of the sucky is the heat, but mostly it's my work. Love the actual work I do, love my coworkers (i work in a hospital so my coworkers are mostly clerks, nurses, and the occasional doctor). Everything else kind of sucks, but it is improving slowly.
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 2:02 PM
I hope everything gets better.
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Julia the berkshire beanie
July 26, 2013 at 2:10 PM
Dramas ... my new chocolate. Self indulge, sweet dreams, tomorrow will be a better day.
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CMRPrindle
July 26, 2013 at 3:29 PM
I've totally been there. Happy vegging.
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girlatsea
July 26, 2013 at 5:20 PM
Oh my goodness, still haven't finished Last Cinderella (left off on episode 9, I believe) No idea who she's going to end with ^^;;;
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Owl
July 26, 2013 at 9:52 PM
Finish it, finish it!
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39 TheTofurkey
July 26, 2013 at 2:12 PM
I don't know what I'm going to do with myself once IHYV and Heartless City end next week. I think both dramas should offer support groups.
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Celery
July 26, 2013 at 3:01 PM
I still can't bring myself to continue watching CC after ep 4's big reveal. Considering it permanently dropped. On the other hand, I'm pretty invested in IHYV because I adore HS and her motley crew of lawyer pals, despite the crazy lawyering that goes on in the show. I take it that the show chose to go for a highly romanticized view of crime and legal procedures and that's that.
I'm probably in the minority when I say I'm nonchalant about the romance (I'm not against it though) - I think it's cute and romantic but I don't feel like I'm falling in love with the lead as I should (man, I fell deep for CSW's DK and JWS's KC). I'm happy for HS though like a friend would be.
The funny thing is that I actually feel more attracted to LJS's real personality than SH? He literally comes off as an awkward celebrity with dorky social anxiety issues. That is sorta cute. I still don't find him physically attractive, though I wished I did :(
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CaroleMcDonnell
July 26, 2013 at 3:25 PM
I'll definitely need the support group if any of the leads in INHV dies. I am so not good at accepting the death of fictional people. Maybe I have to accept reality. Reality would mean that by now Hse-Sung is dead...because MJG is just that efficient about knocking people off. And time limits spoken in cliff-hangers...well, what Su-Ha said at the end of episode 18 doesn't bode well. But I'm trusting the writer to be realistic yet still be able to keep my hero and heroine alive.
If not, I will be majorly depressed for weeks and I will feel incredibly manipulated by the writer...all this time hinting at HEA and slipping in a tragedy. Oh, Viewers, didn't you get the hint and understand what I meant by "I hear your voice"????? One of them will die but the other will still continually hear the memory of her voice.
If that's done, i will be soooooooo angry.
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Celery
July 26, 2013 at 4:52 PM
Haha, I pretty sure SH wouldn't die. Cha has a high chance of survival by the looks of it. As for HS hmmm, I don't think she will die but I'm afraid that she would be left with some form of kdrama-type condition like... falling into a coma. Yikesssssssssssssss.
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Julia
July 26, 2013 at 5:59 PM
Carole & Celery - you are terrifying me. IHYV nightmares tonight, I fear.
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TheTofurkey
July 26, 2013 at 7:51 PM
I refuse to accept the possibility that anyone will die. Maybe I've just finally snapped from all of the anxiety this show has caused me, but I feel pretty confident that the writer won't rip my heart out this time.
It's going to be ok. We'll get our happy ending. And if we don't...I'll pull a Su-ha and block those memories out.
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Celery
July 27, 2013 at 2:22 AM
One thing I would like to see killed off though: SH's superpowers.
MGJ must be caught, and prosecuted. No easy way out like death via suicide or death via cop. I do, however, want him to have a moment of clarity.
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Owl
July 26, 2013 at 9:58 PM
HS cannot die because of SH. Period.
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ATZ
July 27, 2013 at 12:51 AM
I am just hoping that Instead HS dies, her head is wacked thus she loses her memory. then she gradually grow to love SH in the end even without knowing who SH is. That might be by far a better ending than someone dies in the end.
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40 yukiNYCi
July 26, 2013 at 2:18 PM
So E Hyun's acting skills imressed me in "Cheongdamdong Alice," when her part of the conversation was done with her face while Moon Geun Young responed with her voice.
I wonder how many people could hear what E Hyun was saying with her head and face?
I'm looking foward to see all of her acting chops in "Who Are you?"
(L)ee Min Young after seeing her 'Radio' movie and bits of her Romance comedy, I realized that she has a unique style of acting. What I've seen everyone do the same things the same way 100s and 100s of times, she does it differently.
Of course there are those who are comfortable with the familiar and see her acting as terrible but other young actresses are adopting her style so it may mean that a modern style may be developing.
BTW the "L" is silent, I guess that's why 'Yi' Hyun likes to spell her name E-Hyun.
yuki
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41 CMRPrindle
July 26, 2013 at 3:27 PM
Hey All. Happy Weekend!
Drama news: my friend and I are eeeeeever so slowly watching Flower Boy Ramyun Shop...since January. Mostly b/c of me, but still.
As for my personal watching, I couldn't decide amongst the many great suggestions I've gotten (and I'm still in mental mourning for DC.net), and started re-watching The Woman Who Still Wants To Marry. It's only my 2nd re-watch since the first time I saw it, and yet I'm falling in love with it all over again. I am also probably over-identifying with Lee Shin Young, pre-Min Jae. Where's Kim Boo Ki to verbally slap me upside my head?
Personal news: I'm making friendship bracelets again! Not that any of you knew I made them before, but I'm making them again!
Um, the writing goes apace. Shukie deserves many many thanks for putting up with me and my insecurities and my previously plodding pace. I have no idea how many times she's had to re-read this thing from the start b/c of me.
Also, I'm training someone to take over my off-site job in anticipation of when I go back to our main office. Today we did the heavy lifting of my job and it took...all...day. It always does, but coaching someone steadily for 6-ish hours is exhausting work. And I am.
Which is why I'm off to cut fresh strings (for the bracelets) and get ready to teach Sunday school on, duh, Sunday. Whee. Oh, family bbq tomorrow. That should be fun :D
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CMRPrindle
July 26, 2013 at 3:27 PM
(I always write more than I plan to.)
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Mar
July 26, 2013 at 5:47 PM
You can never go wrong with The Woman That Still Wants to Marry. It's high on my list of favorites. You know those shows you have that are your go to watches if you are sick or just need some self administered TLC? That's it for me.
FBRS is one of my favorites also.
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CMRPrindle
July 28, 2013 at 3:12 PM
This is almost exactly how I feel about TWWSWTM, except the middle-ish section when Lee Shin Young is all depressed about being old and getting "played" by Ha Min Jae? I go there with her waaaaaaaaaay too much and get depressed. Lucky me the drama doesn't stay there too long :D
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42 spazmo
July 26, 2013 at 3:33 PM
is it just me, or are there a TON of upcoming dramas that have a ghost/seeing ghosts theme? do they all have to try the same thing at the same time? like the time jump theme awhile ago....
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CMRPrindle
July 26, 2013 at 3:43 PM
There's more ghost dramas than the Hong Sister one? Boy am I out of it lately.
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43 redfox
July 26, 2013 at 3:50 PM
Hi peeps just got home long festival day, two more now, taiko drums were great, Wang Li was soooo sweet, the sweetest personever it was very late, some folks sitting some standing and he mentioned everyone must be tired. there wasnt a single guy who offered a seat to wavering female listeners (like me). and he gave these little crumbs of philosophy. oh my god. do such kind and nice people actually exist? I could tell it was all sincere.
now, kdramas....music made me forget that last fright, but now I am back to... *grabs ketchup* . third bottle. don´t kill Hye Sung ....OR Su Ha....
waaaahahaa what do I do I have to either listen to music or eat ketchup. I dont think I can sleep...not well anyway
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redfox
July 26, 2013 at 3:51 PM
question: what makes you attached to a character?
I guess it is the same sincerity for myself that I saw in Wang Lee and any real people who do things you thought people don´t know how to do any more.
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KimYoonmi
July 27, 2013 at 6:19 AM
Not sure you'll see this, but most people will go over actuality, but I think theory is also useful for those in the writer standpoint.
Theory states, it's investment through character stakes, and the familiar yet not familiar such that it manipulates ones feelings. Often, though, characters that are popular are the ones that people personally can relate to on some level. (though this does not account for the Popularity of The Prince and antiheroes)
Also, most of the time, but not always, the characters are liked when they have a direct effect on the outcome of the events that they are in. i.e. not passive and that the events also in turn effect them. (Which in writer jargon is called "agency")
Example, in Cyrano Min Yeong had none... she had to be told she was falling in love to fall in love. She had to be told to go after her ex to go after her ex--she never did anything without the guys telling her first. Drove me nuts.
Manipulated well, you can see it in HS in I Can Hear Your Voice. Agency is when she's fighting for the client actively and trying to change things and making her own decisions independent of other characters. She's passive when she's saying whatever she has to say case to case. So the first she has agency, the second she doesn't.
Also, people tend to like a mixture of quirks, virtues and vices in their characters, where the quirks make sense and usually aren't too many, the vices sometimes make no sense against the virtues until background explains it and the virtues aren't too many.
Beyond that it's kinda in the realm of the fuzzy in actuality. Some people like intelligent characters, some like pitiful characters, some like underdogs, some like watching characters get reformed, etc.
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redfox
July 27, 2013 at 11:06 PM
thank you for your answer, those are some fascinating things you pointed out!
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44 Cha
July 26, 2013 at 3:52 PM
EMPIRE OF GOLD is actually really good...wish more people get to see it...
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45 KimYoonmi
July 26, 2013 at 4:14 PM
I forgot. Oh, well, personally, I think it's excusable since I worked hard and finally got an A and was studying math.
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46 bunni3
July 26, 2013 at 4:20 PM
Happy Weekend to everyone!
For next week, I'm looking forward to the following finales:
Monday-Tuesday:
Shark: Don't Look Back, the Legend of Orpheus
Cruel City
Wednesday - Thursday:
I Hear Your Voice
Queen's Classroom
Friday:
Monstar
Looking forward to watching:
Two Weeks
Who Are You
Master's Sun
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47 the50-person
July 26, 2013 at 4:55 PM
Just found out that Sunny of SNSD is joining Seo-Jin in grandpas over flowers in Taiwan. Hahaha seojinnie finally gets to meet his idol LOLOLOLOL.
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Julia the Berkshire Beanie
July 26, 2013 at 6:07 PM
SQUEAL of delight. That news makes my day.
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48 izocha
July 26, 2013 at 5:06 PM
Good Evening, OT!
I just thought of something and thought it was really funny: What if instead of the kid napping at the end of Cyrano Min-young had fallen down a well? It's as cliche but usually only done for certain other shows...I'm having trouble on how to get the final dramatics in but . . . really wasn't it a bit like having an ogre with a club anyway? Or King Kong? So why not Lassie as a diversion, right?
Happy Friday! and Saturday!
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49 Trina
July 26, 2013 at 5:39 PM
Hi, I am still in Vietnam and so far the update kdramas my favorite Love Around drama is not available on viki app and drama fever. :( oh well... Have a great week-end!! see you all back in the states....
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50 Lilly
July 26, 2013 at 8:47 PM
I am hoping that with all of the new viewers brought into Netflix by the sales of Chromemaster that many more people will try kdramas and get hooked on the goodness.
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