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Open Thread #308

 
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I'm finally back from my family trips and I also caught up with all the dramas I was anticipating before I had left. It meant losing sleep but it was all worth it.

1. Two Weeks: this was my most highly anticipated drama all because of my most favorite and wonderful Oppa ever, Lee Jun Ki. Just the mere thought of him makes me giddy in the heart but to see him in his awesome action-y avatar is enough to turn me into a puddle of goo. I think I've said, "Oh my poor baby" a million times as I watched him struggling to escape and survive against all odds. I'll admit, however, that I'm a bit disappointed that this show hasn't garnered as much interest in here as say, Master's Sun. I can't say that one is better than the other (since they're very different genres) but I certainly wished the show was more widely appreciated. But oh well.

2. Master's Sun: my first serious foray into the Hong sisters' brand of punny dramas since their stuff never enticed me. The drama's okay. I do like the rom-com aspect of it, particularly the leads' chemistry, but it took a while before the story started capturing me in the heart. I think that happened when the ghost stories started becoming more interesting and more well integrated into the story like in the last few episodes. Otherwise, I wish the drama had more substance so that my heart is fully set on it. As an aside, I appreciate that the show is being recapped on this site because quite a lot of the jokes are lost in translation and I don't realize something subtly funny is happening until I read the recap, heh. So thanks to Dramabeans.

3. Good Doctor: I normally stay away from medical dramas since I find them terribly boring but this one was starring three of my favorite actors: Joo Won (whom I adored from Gaksital), Joo Sang-wook (whom I adored from Giant), and Moon Chae-won (whom I adored from Nice Guy). So I gave it a try. The drama does have a boring aspect to it, like the hospital power struggles, Do Han's conversations with his fiance, and the cheesy idealistic moments that happen with some of the patient cases. However, it is rather heartfelt enough for me to like it. I enjoy the underdog story of Park Shi On and squee at the potential burst of bromance between him and Do Han (they should've seriously based the drama more on that than trying to create romantic possibilities between Shi On and Yeon Soo).

Meanwhile, is anyone watching Scandal regularly. I was watching it until I had to leave but now with a month's worth of episodes to catch up to, I wanted to know if it is worth watching or worth dropping. It wasn't a particularly exciting drama to begin with, hence the question.

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Scandal. Don't drop it. Makjang to the max but at least it stays with the genre and is actually the best of the weekend dramas. Those with current subs anyway.

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I don't mind makjang at all when it's done rather tastefully.

But okay, I'll go back to watching it then if it's good. Thanks for the suggestion. :)

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Isn't tasteful makjang kind of an oxymoron?

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I guess when I mean tastefully, I meant "to my tastes"? Haha, I guess you're right though. Wasn't thinking through when I wrote that.

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king's family is so cute!!! Has anyone watched Empire of Gold? I really want to watch it because of Go Soo but idk if its any good >_< I mean is it super Makjang or does it actually have some worthwhile plot?

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King's family looks cute and I'd love to watch it! Any ideas on where I can watch with subs, paper?

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Atm the only place i know of that you can find subtitles for it is darksmurf & only first 2 episodes are decent enough so far :) Otherwise if you wait a few more weeks when it starts airing on kbsworld then you should see the subtitles for it floating around on the web (asiatorrents) LOL

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Atm the only place i know of that you can find subtitles for it is DSsubs & only first 2 episodes are decent enough so far, otherwise if you wait a few more weeks when it starts airing on kbsworld then you should see the subtitles for it floating around on the web LOL

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paper -

I've caught bits and pieces of about 11 episodes of Empire of Gold so far.

From what I can tell, it's a pretty intense (at least it starts out that way), complicated story about a bunch of greedy family members going after the family company. Go Soo is not a family member but he's in the mix.

Overall, it's pretty good so far.

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:o that sounds interesting!!! I don't usually go into heavy dramas until its finished airing and I can marathon it~ hate waiting to see what happens because those dramas frustrate the living hell out of me. But I do download it every week & have it ready to watch... I'll start watching it next week & if it does get too unbearable for me I can always mute & skip to the Go Soo bits & watch him brood *_* He is so handsome~ ugh...

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paper -

This one's heavy on the schemes and potential backstabbing in the midst of huge (very huge) real estate/business deals. Whatever the current business deal is, every single family member (plus Go Soo's character) is busy trying to outmaneuver all the other family members for control.

And again, this I got from watching bits and pieces. Who knows what I'd really see if I watched the complete episodes! *laughing*

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Good lawd it sounds heavy @_@ Definitely gonna wait till its complete before I start it!

LOL I do the same thing with some dramas when there is just too many to watch and I have so little time~ xD

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Thanks! I guess I'll have to wait.

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wrt EoG - the beginning was mental torture/headache, trying to follow all the merger/takeover/affiliate corp/paper companies speak... but the twists and turns rev up after ep 8 or 10... it's very good, Go Soo is excellent along with fabulously handsome! can't wait for the last 2 eps, personally...

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Yeah, don't drop it. It gets better and better. In the beginning I was mildly interested watched when ever I had time. Now I'm biting my nails to know how it continues. It is sooo good!
Well acted and best OST of the year.

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i started watching the first 2 episodes last night to get my feelings in check after watching TMS. so far i'm liking it. for sure it's not something i'm marathoning to be caught up for the next new episode, but it's something i'll watch on a nightly basis.

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i'm following Scandal too! I wonder what will happen now =(. Rich Dad remains to be so baaaddd!!!!

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I am so with you about the MS recaps!!! Though the viki team dose a wonderful job translating it & sometimes explaining ones that would go right over your head unless you understand korean :3

Good Doctor is cute~ but my main crack atm is MS. I still haven't started watching 2 weeks... just download it XD

I want to watch Scandal but idk... is it any good?

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Yeah, Viki does a good job but reading the recaps afterwards provides a greater understanding. As for MS, I like it...it's just not like a crack drama for me. I suppose it's a matter of taste.

Regarding Scandal....last time I was watching (which was probably up until ep 9 or 10), it was interesting enough to watch. However, with the hiatus, my feelings aren't too strong on it. Otherwise, I was recommending it to everyone on the OT before. Also, it has makjang qualities so it also depends on your taste. I have a high tolerance for makjang.

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I know what you mean about recaps :p Its really excellent for dramas that use a lot of jokes/puns/slangs because most of the times the subtitles don't really explain any of it and it really does end up getting lost in translation.

I also have a high tolerance for makjang but my brain tends to switch off when it does cross the line and goes over into BS territory xD

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paper ~

My wife and I are enjoying Scandal.

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John -
I am up to 17 in Scandal and I really really like it because of the cast. Not a lot of SUPERSTARS but they deliver.

I apologize in advance for this observation because once it is seen and may not be unseen...but I believe that Park Sang Min as Jang Tae Ha is channeling Bill Clinton. LOL

Whatta ya think?

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Jomo ~

Well I don't know about the BC thing, however, Park Sang Min is rocking it as the bag guy.

He makes the show what it is. In Giant , Jeong Bo-seok did it as bad guy Jo Pil-yeon .

It helps if your drama has an actor who can pull off being a bad guy.

*Spoiler*

When Jang Tae Ha goes around the dinner table asking , "When did you know?", that was awesome, especially how he saved his wife for last.

*End Spoiler*

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Totally agree. I think PSM must have watched JBS very closely all those months thinking
"How would I play this BIG of a character, but make it solely MY creation?"

He adds into the mixture a believable pureness or innocence or something sympathetic that makes me want to embrace him, then I remember that he is a non-apologetic megalomaniac willing to kill to get his way.

I loved his character in Giant, broke my heart into a gazillion pieces. I am so happy he has this awesome opportunity to really chew scenery and have fun.

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and he was sumptuously eating dinner at that!!!!

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I am liking it. I still am hating on the big villain, and if I still have emotion, I usually still watch. The show also has several characters that are in the gray area between good and evil, which is relatively subtle for this type of show.

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@ John: thank you :)
Looks like another show that I will marathon when its complete :D I do really enjoy a good villain~ I mean I love love love when an actor acts out the character so well that I would want to stab the character if I ever met them irl :|

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I still watch Scandal. Personally I'm not curious about the plot, because weekend drama tend to have predictable plot and makjang scenes. What keeps me watching is because somehow it moves forward, not just going around directless. And I like Kim Jae Won after watching Can You Hear My Heart. Though not a big fan.

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wow! long time no see! Wanna try Wang Family?

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I am still keeping up with 2 Weeks and Master's Sun. Pretty much dropped Good Doctor except for reading some recaps.

Scandal I have been watching, but the last couple of episodes have gotten so makjang, melo, and just plain dumb that I may not go any further.

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I'm a rom-com enthusiast. It is my comfort zone, so veering away from it into any other territory feels a bit too risky for my liking. But I should try, right?

What kind of drama is Two Weeks? I mean, I can tell there's action and intrigue and emotions. And it sounds good on paper, but I'm way more motivated about watching couples make moony eyes at each other and holding hands and swaying in bliss. Gawd, I really need to rethink my priorities.

What are some other dramas that you are reminded of when you watch TW? Please help me contextual this show a bit. Would like to give it a try if I can find a hook.

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*contextualise

sorry

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scandal is worth watching. I get irritated with that lawyer lady always crying though. But otherwise the show is strangely addictive.

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I not quite with you on Scandal - just too much that does not fit, the main one being about how some guy can shoot cop but never get arrested even when several people know he did it, and recorded evidence is there. Lots of other plot holes, but that is the most aggravating to me.

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But those plot holes are in all dramas. IHYV drive me crazy with them until I finally decided to let go.

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def. don't drop scandal. i just came back from a trip and had to do like 6 episodes of catching up but soooooo good. the last 2 episodes were wonderful.

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Totally agree - I'm loving Scandal especially the last two episodes! The series is about to catch up to or get back to where it started from in the very beginning.

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Weeeeeee :D
My first Open thread :3 Hello people~~~

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Welcome to the OT. :)

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Sankyoo both for the welcome~<3 I always usually miss the post when its up Dx

Do you guys think korea should release tvshows in blu-ray boxset version also? or am I the only needy person here? :| I really really don't want to cough up $350+ (japanese version) for a series when korean version would probably be only $150 (i hope).

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Welcome! People here are the best :)

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Oh uhm does anyone know where I could get a copy of 눈으로 말해요 (Say it with your eyes [MBC, 2000]) it was a 54 episode kdrama and one of the first ones I watched >_< I can't seem to find it anywhere :(
Please help & thank you in advance~<3

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Happy OT everyone and have a good weekend.
Just a flying visit while my mood is good. Been marathoning Protect The Boss's happy moments. To take away my trauma from TMS ep 12. Even though I know it will end well.

Then planning to watch or check out the upcoming dramas.

Mon Tue The suspicious housekeeper (23rd Sept )

Wed Thur Secret ( 25th Sept), Medical Top Team ( 2nd Oct ),Heirs ( 9th Oct )

Fri Sat Reply 1994 ( 18th Oct )

Sat Sun Give Love Away ( 28th Sept )

Have to plan as I have a 2 week clash when ep 17-20 GD is on the same week as ep 1-4 of Top Medical Team on viki. In between a holiday overseas.

Now that's when I say I need therapy and stepping away from K drama. And I have almost a full time job and a life outside viki :-) Sorta. Maybe... not?

Happy Friday 13th everyone!!

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Ha! That's a lot of dramas to anticipate. I think out of the bunch, I'm probably looking forward to Secret because it has Hwang Jung-eum and Ji Sung.

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Happy OT :)

Let's see what happened this week...

Dramaland:

Good Doctor: I know now why the last four episodes were more to my lieking > the politics were not very present = me like!
I love how everyone is finally warming up to SO (especially DH) and I can't wait dor more!

Who are you! - Not as effective a stabbing as the other one this week but I still hated it and hope that everything's gonna be ok! And I can't believe that this will end next week already....Time sure flies by

Two Weeks - I need to watch one episode still but the other one was good and SJ never fails to make me cry... This kid... I swear...

Master's Sun - WTF? I mean I love me some great cliffhanger but that just was a wee bit too much for my nerves! I am still a wreck and all I can do is tell myself: Everything's gonna be ok!
I swear to god if they kill of JW I will never forgive the Hong siters!

Variety:

We got married - Jinwoon and Junhee said goodbye and it was just so sad! I will continue watching Taemin and Na Eun and will check out the new couples...

Happy Together - watched the episode with Hyunshik, Kwanghee, Jungchi and Defconn and it was great..True Kwanghee is loud but I kind of like him^^
After Master's Sun I was in desperate need of some laughs so I watched the Shinhwa episode and ... I cracked up so much :D They are so hilarious! Though that happiness kind of died down quickly after watching ...Master's Sun really was a downer...

ONVS: The second part in the athlete's village and I am SO impressed! I do apparatus gymnastics (on a very amateur level) and the little training we have is exhausting. I have so much respect for those athletes training for hours every day to achieve their goal!

Running Man: 14 guests and even though that normally would be too much it was just hilarious from beginning to end! The entrance alone was amazing and I rewatched that a lot :D It's just so freaking awesome to see the RM cast dance to some of my favourite idol groups (some better than others^^)

BFF - the home food thing goes on for way too long... There is just no real concept...

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This week RM's opening is daebak! I can't remember the last time I laughed non-stop for a full 12 minutes! :D

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MBLAQ's "Y" will never be the same ever again^^

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I died when they started dancing when they got out the car. Kwang Soo really nailed the expression! :D

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I was impressed that Joon and Seungho didn't burst into laughter because I sure would have xD

Kwang Soo never fails to make me laugh with his dancing "skills"

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If they did kill off Joong-won you up for making Hong sister voodoo dolls & exacting our revenge? >:[

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ooooh voodoo dolls is not a bad idea :D

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BFF - I agree, the foodie segments have me bored. BFF got me watching Korean variety, but other shows I've discovered since then are more interesting.

Still, I did swoon a little when Pillar showed up in all his massive hunkiness ... been weak for him ever since FBRS.

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BFF- OMG when Pillar showed up I clapped like a fool love that someone else was in the same happy place :)

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I titakkt did the reality/variety show thing this week too, and also caught Hello Counselor with Beast, eatyourkimchi, and Global Request: A Song for You. BFF is all over the place here and there with a fun episode followed by a couple of wtf episodes. I loved the My Story concert and the final diving competition and while I don't mind the cultural insights on the food, the concept and delivery is a bit dull. I think BFF is ending??

I'm still pining for daebaksubs - *sigh~ and am pacing from crack drama withdrawal

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*totally? Haha :p

I caught up on a few variety shows these past two weeks too; I watched the EXO and the No Minwoo episodes of Global Request: A Song For You, and I watched ep 162 of RM and a few old episodes of BFF. Also, I was planning to watch MBC's Star Diving Show Splash because of Tao (yes, I am a hardcore EXO stan), but it got cancelled, so... :/ I hope the artistes who got injured during the filming recover soon... *sighs*

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haha error
I haven't decided who is my favorite(s) in EXO - so many adorable members to choose from! They were are beautiful giving heir intros and singing Open Arms and that other song. I melted. Aren't Jo Kwon and his look-alike dog just made for this show? I want the dog to get a green streak in its hair to match Jo Kwon's. What's with all the celeb injuries on variety shows, anyhoot?

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I totally understand the MS downer. After watching it I was in such a daze. It left me moping around the house until my mum suddenly decided she wanted to watch Full House, and I ended up watching with her. That cheered me up a bit. Sigh..But every time I think of which drama episode to watch next, I remember that horrible MS ending and lose a little happiness on the inside. Good lord, I can't wait for the next episode so I can over this slump. :(

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Good afternoon beanies! Happy friday!

Hope you are all doing well. I, on the other hand, am mostly overwhelmed. :(

Gosh, I've clearly been overdosing on dramas this past few months. To the extent that it's eaten into my subconscious and I find myself babbling Korean phrases in my dreams. I feel so close to the edge, I feel like if I tip over, I'm going to be able to understand Korean like a native one of these days. Delusions. Delusions. Tsk tsk tsk.

My pot load of drama gold this week: (Hope these don't contain SPOILERS. My second time on OT so I'm not sure where I'm heading with these. If they do, apologies. Feel free to delete and I'll repost with more cryptic mentions)

Mixed Up Investigative Agency - Finally done with the show and I can't tell you how fabulous it was. It was mostly fast paced, yet patient where it mattered. It was funny, but crept up on you with stirring emotions. The show paid attention to all the small details that other shows miss out on. The way it tackled its minor characters was delightful--they had so much personality packed into the limited onscreen time they got. And Yoon-soo (played by Ryu Seung-soo) is probably going to be one of my favourites out of all k-drama characters. Such a laid back character, who appears so simple and straightforward and unassuming. Yet in the least expected of times, he throws the most profound, poetic statements your way. It isn't even your usual cerebral kind of intelligence, but something that is so primal, so instinctive it doesn't even feel profound until you begin giving it a second thought. And then you'll spend the whole day mulling over its significance. Uri Yoon-soo would grow to be a wise old sage, had he been around, in this world. A diamond in the rough.

Aww, Show, look how affectionately you've got me talking about your characters. You will be missed.

Nice Guy - Marathoned through it over the weekend and it was my first venture into melodrama. And, gaping plotholes and the baffling use of diseases as plot devices with an amnesiac absence of follow-up notwithstanding, it wasn't bad at all. You go into a melo expecting melo, right? Loved the twisted wtf-ery of all the characters. It's actually a treat coming across characters that experience and display a frightening range of emotions (inappropriate as they may be) in K-dramaland. They were all definitely gray, which is a pleasure to watch, and of a darker shade, but pretty realistic. You know how you want to be a good person in your heart, but then circumstances drive you so myopic that you see no purpose in life than to immediately gratify your thirst for vendetta. And before you know it it's a bad habit you can't shake off. I think the show did a good job of showing how 'nice' people (PSY's character included) go 'bad' and how that's a possibility looming over all of us, although not necessarily to the same extent. My only contention: what seemed like the most poignant scene occurred between Maru and Jee-hae instead of him and Eun-gee. Because if you want us to believe that theirs is true love, then we want that one scene where the hero reveals the most about himself, and cries honest tears, and shows real emotions to be between them. Which makes me feel like Maru is only deluding himself into thinking he loves Eun-gee. I think it would have left a stronger impact had he been unable to let go of Jee-hae, because, as terrible as it sounds, that's how I find love is. And I'd have been happier had Moon Chae-won played Jee-hae's role, cause she can play an anti-heroine with compelling force.

Master's Sun: The thermometer has exploded. Mercury is shooting everywhere in a fountain of frenzy. These two make hand-holding the most romantic thing in the world. SJS's Joong-won continues to mesmerise me. His portrayal of the man be so subtle! I want to watch the whole of episode 12 again in slow motion because every second with him in it is cherishable. I think this is one great perk of having actors who can act leading a show. Plus, as far as character development is concerned, the socks have arrived, and looks like they're here to stay. Content-wise, the humor and chemistry are flipping mad, but the twist at the end did feel a bit unearned. It gets me thinking about IHYV, where the concern for Hye-sung's wellbeing was so palpable. And everything in the show was leading up to that moment where her life would be at risk. There were other ways in which Joong-won and Gong-shil could have faced the conflict or feel threatened. Hanna is looming about, looking scheming and menacing as no one ever did. Secretary Kim is entering a shady phase (which breaks my heart). And I would definitely be more invested if Gong-shil's the one possessed. Those would truly up the stakes for sure. Hope the show's heading some place nice for now.

So...I also watched some movies to wean myself off of dramas (which, if you're planning on trying, totally doesn't work):

Family Ties: Yes my obsession with Master's Sun, and by extension GHJ, got me into this and it was such a treat. It's from the early 2000s, I think, which is when I used to love Korean movies the most. I'd probably watch this one again.

Miracle in Cell no 7: I was crying through the entire second half of this one. Ryoo Seung-ryong shows just how brilliant he can be by deciding to stay on the sidelines and letting the kid who plays his kid shine. Kal So-won carries the weight of the entire movie on her little talented shoulders...off into a heaven made of what else but tears. So I guess it was good, but I am addicted do drama. And the movie format felt exceptionally short/lacking somehow. Do you guys feel that way too?

Penny Pinchers: After Nice Guy Penny Pinchers it had to be. Was refreshing watching Song Joong-ki be something other than nice. I think I prefer him as funny, chatty, homeless guy. Except all this drama watching has turned me into quite the prude. I was actually flinching every time anybody did anything 'inappropriate' in the film. How can there be such a wide gap between films and drama that spring from the same culture?

And finally...Yep, I am asking for it:

I have complete faith that I'm not going to be banished from DB for doing this, so let me go ahead and ask. What is all the hype surrounding Lee Min-ho? Talent-wise he seems average at best, and looks-wise - well, there are a lot of pretty(ier) boys who come before him. He's already an established drama god around these parts, so nobody goes into why he's one in the first place. And I haven't encountered many dissenters. Is it just a matter of personal taste, or something more? Have I entered too late in the game to begin asking these questions? What major LMH epiphany am I missing? (shakes head in exasperation)

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to answer the question about Lee Min Ho, I think it is that he is convincing in the part even if the show itself is utter mess? He is by far not perfect, but I think it is a believable mixture of seriousness and flamboyancy.

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To add to this: have you seen BOF(total mess of a drama but LMH sells it like no other) and City Hunter? Especially City Hunter. (I am in no way saying he's the hottest thing that ever was or even an exceptional actor but he is Lee Min HoT)

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ohh, City Hunter. And for me, Personal Taste, too.

Whenever a period goes by where LMH is not in a drama, and we just see him in every commercial or magazine or airport ever, I forget why I love him. Especially when I remember Gu Jun Pyo, which, sorry, I never was won over.

But then I see bits of him in dramas - however terrible or not the drama might have been (BoF excluded!) and I remember that yeah...he sells that shit.

Lee Min Ho in pictures is one thing. Kinda boring, not that good looking, cute enough and nice smile but...eh. One of the pack.

Lee Min Ho in a drama? Quite another. I mean...he is not Baksa, and he is not Gumihot, and he is not Team Jangnim, or hell, he's not Yeo Jin Gu even...but he's got SOMETHING that pulls you in. Only you can't see it until he's acting. Or at least I can't.

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:)

I'm enjoying all of your comments. Seeing as how you seem to love doting on him and talking about him.

The sad bit is that it makes me feel a tad bit colourblind when it comes to appreciating all the hues of the Lee Min-ho.

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Gumihot! Epic. Seriously hot and oh such a smile.

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Can't believe no one mentioned him in Faith yet! I loved that one and thought the lead couple was awesome - it's one of my go to dramas because I liked everything about it (although there needed to be a lot more kissing in it - I mean, they lived in the same dorm room towards the end of the series and still nothing happened between them?!)

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I watched Faith and I liked LMH in that. Even though the story was a bit too slow in places, he made it very interesting to watch.

As has been mentioned already, he has this intangible quality which he transmits in his scenes. You can't really define it but you know it when you see it.

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I loved him in Faith! I liked the main actress enourmously as well, maybe more than LMH. He was very subtle, very serious, you know, there was no "pose", he seemed natural and relaxed, but still very convincing. he WAS the character. I especially liked the scenes with Lady Choi. Their conversations were so REAL. If only the action had been better, I am so mad, cause LMH did a good job and they should have taken better advantage of it! dammit.

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redfox -

I think you summed it up perfectly with, "He was very subtle, very serious, you know, there was no “pose”, he seemed natural and relaxed..."

That's exactly it!

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This is all really interesting. Because I find that is the essential problem with him. That I don't feel the character and only the actor. His performance seems awkward, as does his body language. It's like he doesn't know what to do with his hands while he's speaking. And it makes me very uncomfortable watching him. You can tell that he's really hardworking and puts everything into what he does, but it still doesn't add up to make a convincing portrayal of the character. Personal Taste is a case in point. Having said that, City Hunter was a LOT better. Haven't seen Faith, but you guys keep saying he's so good in it, so maybe I have to watch him in that before deciding. But he also seems to be a director's actor, and gives a better performance when the PDs draw it out of him. Otherwise, mostly just awkward.

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Nice Guy was such a drama that was captivating but after you finished watching it, you actually think, "WTF was this show?" Lol. It did, however, make me pay more attention to Song Joong-ki, Moon Chae-won, and Park Shi-yeon since they really acted their hearts out. No matter how crazy or absurdly unreal their characters, you could still believe in them. So yeah....I enjoyed Nice Guy during its run, not so much after it when the after effects of all the craziness and wtf-ery finally hit me.

ANd omg, you watched Miracle in Cell No 7?? Where?? I've been waiting to watch that movie but there were no subs.

As for Lee Min Ho....I also don't find him interesting, haha. At first I tried to because there was such universal love for him but it didn't work out.

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i found eng sub of Miracle in Cell No 7 in 3 parts in youtube... not the greatest video quality but it's easy to find :)... loved that movie so much...

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Nice Guy? Yep, marathoning seems like the only way to love it. I'd watched some BTS on youtube and everytime they zoomed in on their faces, I kept thinking of the blankets that were wrapped around their bodies in the cold while they were shooting. Okay, that was a bit random.

But yeah, it is definitely likeable as long as you momentarily turn the critical part of your brain and keep the sadistic part on.

Miracle in Cell No 7 is practically everywhere on youtube. All you have to do is search. Happy watching!

And LMH...well he's been a tough nut for me to crack, that one.

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Heya, another one who saw more chemistry between Jae Hee and Maru. Nice Guy aggravated me to no end, especially the second part with the simple-minded amnesiac.

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I'm one those who enjoy jae hee-ma ru plotline so much.... Nice guy become one of my fav. Due to their tragic story. It's their own fault for sure. But I love it that way. Becauce in real life, we are not always suffer due to someone else... More often it's due to our own fault. The writing might be abit contrived... But they stay true to their originally intend

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@mssjb

Oh, the arguments after NG recaps. Really don't care as to why EG decided to kill MR or why she had personality change three times after almost a year since I watched that damn drama.

JH's story was the only one coherent narrative with the redemption ark that was satisfying.

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I just started watching Mixed Up Investigative Agency, so great to read your appreciation of it! (I kind of feel I need something else to focus on, so Master's Sun won't manage to actually kill me - which it appears to be trying very hard to do...) I have to say I'm not caught up in it yet, but hopefully I'll soon be hooked.

And thanks for the tip to not try to break the drama obsession via movies, but I could have told you that and spared you the trouble of trying. ;-) For me, Korean movies was the gateway drug into the drama vortex - I watched a couple of movies, thought "Wow, this is so weird - but AWESOME! Wonder if the same would be true for their TV-shows..." And then I was lost to family and friends forever (we're not Korean, obviously), unable to follow their boring discussions about whatever "normal" show they're watching and equally unable to convey the brilliance of whatever K-drama I'm watching. Can't say I regret it though! :-D

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I am watching the Über-Cool Shi Kyung in 2 days 1 night to get over the sock...

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Lol. I began as a fan of Korean movies too--especially Kim Ki-duk. And I thought of myself as mightily intellectual for that. And after I'd done my round of watching a lot of movies--all the while swearing I'd NEVER EVER watch a single drama. And all it took is one sleepless night of going through one drama. And all the intellectual mumbo jumbo went down the drain. I can't say I regret it either. Heheh.

I AM lost to family and friends too. It's like we have nothing in common anymore. The best I do is try to fit in SOME random comment about South Korea into the conversations I have with everyone. And I shamelessly use Korean tv as a metaphor in the trainings I conduct. But it's just so sad, the way you can't explain to your mom why a post on dramabeans makes you all giddy.

Oh and about Mixed-up, it takes a while to get used to I think. It isn't crack by any means, but better for it. And it leaves a delectable aftertaste.

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So true about not having much in common with family and friends who don't get it much less appreciate you know, the K-addiction. I used to text KDQOTD (kdramaquoteoftheday) to a few friends and family, got a patronizing reply a few times at first, but now it's dropped off and once again, nothing much in common. I did make a couple (3?) conversions, and I am really happy about that, but their pace is NOTHING like the way we (beanies) down dramas and movies by the barrelful. Maybe it's the same for Trekkers and Star Wars affectionados who stick to their kind and meet up at those costume and show marathons and blogs just to share the same heartbeat.

I do, however, have a couple KDQOTD ~

~"What is the boundary between friends and being lovers? Perhaps you only find out when you've crossed it."

~"The most powerful venom in love is false hope." (CDA ep 1).

"If you ask "What happened to your dream?" it just reminds me the answer lies somewhere else. The dream ended up being just a dream." (LC, ep 4)

thank goodness for dramabeans site!

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hahahah! KDQOTD is an awesome idea!

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owl -

I'm liking the KDQOTD. I like that second one you posted up there. ...... I think it's because I'm always telling people around me that they should have their feet on the ground and be realists. ..... Some people don't want to hear that though.

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The thing about Lee Min-ho, as Javabeans said, is that he has 'It' factor. You can't really explain why he is such a big thing in dramaland.
And looks wise, you can't deny that he is pretty but it is personal thing.

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You explain it well...in that it reveals nothing about the reason unless you're experiencing it for yourself...heheh.

I'm quite prone to peer pressure though. And all this K-drama obsession has all but erased my ability to distinguish genuine quality from incomprehensible craze. So I might just fall down this crazy rabbit hole if I begin watching Heirs AND more importantly, follow its crazy fandom on Dramabeans.

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Oh, now you're making me recommit to Mixed up agency..and Miracle in Cell sounds soo good. Gotta add those to my list.

Lee Min Ho is just gorgeous. Manly but pretty at the same time. It might just be plain ols charisma..something one has that is utterly inexplicable. Keanu Reeves has it and he's a crappy actor sometimes but there is just this special "something" that pulls viewers in and makes one like him.

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i kind do hesitate to mention this since Lee Min Ho has many fans. but I do not think his acting is excellent and as for his look, he was relatively good looking to begin with but after a plastic surgery, he looks better,,,his face became more refined and the new look does not look artificial.

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"These two make hand-holding the most romantic thing in the world."

- I definitely agree with you. Seeing them just holding hands is enough for me. Yay!

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Lee Min Ho - he is handsome, but doesn't "do it" for me. Yet I like his acting ... A LOT. Enough that I would watch anything Lee Min Ho appears in. I've puzzled over why his acting pulls me in when there are so many handsome Korean actors. Charisma, maybe?

I don't see the actor when he is on screen, I see the character he is playing, and I completely believe.

I'm rather disappointed with his role in Heirs, because I would hate for LMH to be limited to playing a certain type of character.

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My only answer for the Lee Min Ho question is as most everyone around here knows, he is the reason I started watching kdramas. Meaning I was watching the top 50 Billboards for K-pop and they had a song from Faith. His picture caught my eye and from there I researched and found this wonerful drug we call kdramas. I have to agree with Joanne on this one where his acting is what can pull you in. You can just see that he is fully invested in his character even if the rest of the show is crazy (looking at you BOF). For me there is also that "first love" connection since he was my first love in Kdramas.

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What it is about Lee Min Ho that gets girls in a frenzy is that no matter what character he's playing, whether it be a cold chaebol or a kick a** fighter, he's able to still somehow seem vulnerable. He sort of lays himself bare in all moments. And I don't know if that's just how LMH is in real life, or if it's just his acting style, but I always feel like he does not hold any part of himself/his characters back. That's the best I can do to explain the special "it" factor of Mr. Lee Min Ho.

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Lee Min Ho: Of course it comes down to personal taste. And we all are absolutely allowed to think yeah, I do not get the big deal about an actor. I think that about a LOT of some really popular actors.

Lee Min Ho flat out does it for me in dramas as an actor, and often as a model (It does not mean that I would like LMH as a person in real life. He could be a moron and a total asshat for all I know, and I really just want to enjoy my dramas!). Does that mean I do not think there are more talented actors or better looking actors? No. Does that mean I think his dramas are the best ever? No. Does that mean I will watch something just because he is in it? No. I will qualify that with that has not happened yet even though Faith did give me pause due to the hot mess of production issues but the strength of ALL the actors and the characters did keep me watching. But it will happen eventually. Kim Bum pushes my buttons too but there was NO way I was watching Goddess of Fire.

For me, with his on screen presence, sometimes it's the small things he does with facial expressions or body language. I pay attention to weird stuff. In City Hunter, that you could almost think that Buchai and Yoon-sung as two different people was pretty awesome.

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Woo, Friday 13th, congratulations. Or not.
Well this auntie who stress-eats ketchup is sick today. I have a very runny nose. Still haven´t been able to catch it. Lurking behind that sofa... No, worse than that, When I am sick, I usually do stupid things and talk like I have dementia. Once, when I was sick, like 38,6 degrees fever and stuff, I decided to write to Tim Burton. Well cause, who else would you write to when you are sick? And because I am a burtonite a.k.a. a Burton fan. I wrote To Mr. Burton on it loud and clear, but I forgot the address and the stamp. Don´t know what they did with it or if it was ever opened and read.
That brings on todays´ question or subject, cause I have so many questions about it: have you ever thought of or actually written to your favorite celebrities? (a real letter on paper I mean, you might call it fanmail then). If not, what restrained you? If yes, did you ever regret doing it? If you wrote a letter to any of your favorite celebrities today, whether they be korean or from somewhere else, what would your letter say? Or would you just send an item, a souvenir? What would it be? Or if you wouldn´t ever write a letter to anyone, what is really on your heart, that you would even say in person given a chance? Like, when you think they are heading in a direction that you think will destroy them, or maybe to cheer them on, ... whatever. OR CAUSE YOU HAVE FANTASIES YOU WOULDN´T TELL ME.
Gah, this cold. I feel like it even keeps me from typing certain letters, not just from speaking them. Hank you fely much.
Dramas:
Who Are You? – Taeceon seems so artificial. And they are getting too obvious with where they are heading. It started out unpredictable, but now it is all just waiting tille the train that we already see afar arrives. You keep knowing whats coming and it is not interesting.
Masters´ Sun – ok, evolution of my emotions: after ep 11 - I just didn´t feel So Ji Sub, and episode 11 was so random. I want to see the other telescope. (remindind me of the telescope-persicope jokes again, they should also have a periskope, in the floor, through a secret chamber in the other mall. Looking under customers skirts by accident). But I like the incredulous attitude of Gong Shil. And Secretary Kim, he should have his own series as a matchmaker for all the bitter singles and weirdos. After ep 12 - WHAAAAAAT? YOU BASTARDS? Now friggin way, what. I don´t believe Joong-Won to be dead but if the other options are coma or amnesia it wpn´t do. They are both lame and unplausible. The only way is for him to wake up right away and start seeing ghosts. And he sees Hee Joo? What then? Don´t know what he would do. If he actually dies then Hong Sisters are stupid. There are so many unsolved matters and you just don´t know how to end it right?
And now of course I am watching the wolf-goat cartoon on the net. Who else is?
Two Weeks – watching key scenes for now, I don´t have time. Isn´t it weird though – the baddie is Moon in both Two Weeks and Who Are You?
Also tried watching Salaryman – not for me, sorry. I don´t seem to manage getting a kick out of it.
Watched this and that from the jdorama universe, like some series about a 40-year old...
But I get my dose of japanese from the museum, like there was this ADORABLE family, okasan, otosan and daughter, ahh, they bought earrings with the face of Jack Sparrow, two wooden airplane constructors and a laburinth game – asians love mind games more than anyone. We´ve sold all of them to the japanese. I listened in on the familys´ conversation and understood so much???? Some of it was guessing, but I recognized at least 35 words. Ah, they were so friggin cute, and the father so obviously spoiled the daughter while the mom was fake-strict with both.
And then this vietnamese couple who lives in Finland and speaks perfect finnish, so odd. Amazing how well they learned the language in a short time. They said they only lived there 3 months. Some russian immigrants live here for the 4th generation and can´t even say „Tere” (Hello in estonian).
Well, this is it. Want to see your letters to your fav. Celebrities now.
I think I should probably write to lee Min Ho and warn him ahead of the house-takeover plans. To feed false information and distract him, you know. And I would send an estonian flag with a gonzo fist applique to ....khmm. I won´t tell you. Over to you now. Ugh the cold my head feels so thick.

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am loving the stream of consciousness, edition redfox here on OT.

keep them coming! and get well soon!

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thank you!

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Where did you find the wolf-goat ones? And wasn't it wolf-sheep in a previous episode (that could be translation error)?

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gogoanime, arashi no yoru ni

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and no, definitely a goat.

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Look up "One Stormy Night" or Arashi No Yoru Ni - as below - on Youtube. There is an English-dubbed version on there. It's 8 parts tho....

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ooh, stress-eating ketchupy auntie, get well soon!

I wrote to a couple folks i really admired:

An old-school missionary, Lester Sumrall. Very famous, now dead. What a sweeeeeeeeeeetie, he was in his letter.

Ben Cross, the actor from Chariots of Fired: Nice, nice, nice guy! Am now one of his fans on facebook.

Hubby wrote to Johnny Hart and his bro wrote to Mort Walker. Both sent back really nice notes and Mort sent goodies.

I hae this really cool t-shirt I want to send to Ji Hyun Woo but I haven't the nerve to send it. I would say to him, "My 23 year old son, Gabe, loves dancing around to your song Dear Child. I love the song because it is such a song about special children. Here is a little gift for all the joy i feel when i hear your song and when i see my son dancing around the house to it."

But no...i don't have the nerve. Cultural divide, i guess.

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oh, send the T shirt! we all seem to think celebrities mostly get nice mail, but I bet they also get a lot of hate-mail from stupid people. I think, given that it has been revealed lots of celebs read netizen comments, they must read at least some of the fanmail too. and it can´t not affect them. they are human after all. I think every kind gesture creates a "channel" of positive energy

or maybe it is my headache talking.

good luck on your book, I have my file open, witch fight, moths. but it is so blurrrryyy I cant do it.

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oooh, a witch fight!!!!

Get well soon! Happy writing. Dismiss the blurriness.

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witch fight done! woo hoo! these witches and the wierd town, I swear they deserve their own separate story. I should expand it one day.

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now on to a village with murderous child ghosts!

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oooh, murderous child ghosts! I am so there. If you need another beta reader, hit me up by posting to my blog. I'm a good critter.

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that would mean a translation to english though. but I wouldn´t mind sharing with who I know is a fellow-writer. some people around me say they write and it is just twitting, you know! infuriating!

we´ll end up with twivels - twitter novels like that.

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well email me whenever. My public email is SCIFIWRITIR@GMAIL.COM If you can't translate into English, just give me a synopsis and I can see the plot points and the characterizations.

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saved and taken notice of. thnx

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My Mom is a believer in letter writing. She wrote President Clinton to tell him he shares some traits with my Dad, and the White House amusingly wrote back. Letter is framed in our living room.

I've never written a Korean actor, but perhaps your OT post will inspire me. I haven't written any international letters since those worldwide pen pals I had in the 1970's.

What might make me hesitate is
- it might never get read
- no way could I write it in Korean

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My aunt works at a restaurant where both Clintons have dined when in Tallinn and she has a picture with both. I should do the same with Hilary Clinton cause Celebmatch.com says my mom and her are 99 % match as in they look alike. and they do!!!

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Tere!
I love your museum stories. So funny.

What do you mean by Salaryman - History of Salaryman? If yes, then drop the initial 4-5 episodes and start from the later ones. I cannot believe you wouldn't love Yeo Chi. She's a hoot of a character. The business-politics stuff is not so fascinating, but the characters are delightful to watch.

And I have never thought of writing any messages to any actor/writer/star. I never felt like and probably never will. Though, once I was having lunch in a salad bar in the capital city and stood in the queue right behind a writer/journalist I like a lot. He's one of my favourite living authors :). I was sorely tempted to sit at his table and talk to him (a normal thing in a place like that), but then I thought he deserves a peaceful meal, so I only said hello and let him eat his salad.

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Hah, well, I have realized as much, that I should skip a few episodes and start from the later. Yup I mean History of Salaryman, which on Gooddrama and some other sites available here is only referred to as Salaryman.

I am sure I wouldn´t bother anyones´ meal as well. Thinking about it, how much private time does a public person even get? Maybe it is their only time to themselves during daytime.

many of locally-famous people have been my teachers though and then I have sometimes sat at their table with many other folks. it was quite fun. normal people. I have some pretty well known estonians on my facebook friend list - just cause we´ve sang together in a teepee or shared a tree during rainstorm. reason enough to be friends. Then I know what´s REALLY going on in their life. Cause magazines are not to be trusted.

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redfox -

Get plent of rest, hope you feel better soon!

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I hope you are all well. I have not been active on OT for quite sometime. Lots of life changes in the past few months for - graduation, a move cross-country, a new job :) Reading OT and Dramabeans kept me sane.

I am only watching two dramas right now and I love both of them, so yay. Master's Sun just makes me smile. And Her Legend sucks me in like no other rom-com (which it is to a very little degree in the recent episodes) has done in a while.

I am looking forward to Heirs because of Lee Min-ho (of course!), and haven't really thought of any of the other dramas coming up.

It is nice to be back and I hope all you dramabeaners are hale and hearty and have a wonderful day. :)

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I am also into Her Legend - but I usually don't admit it. Up to around ep10, it was the classic example of makjang, worn out clichés, and formula plot devices. But somewhere around ep10 it seems to have gotten a lot better - and it finally looks like Candy Girl has developed a vicious side to her (and about freeking time!).

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I was thinking of starting that. The DF description of heroine making her way through sheer "pluckiness" irritated me, but I fund some recaps and will start at ep 4.

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Her Legend is actually getting quite a bit better - somewhat of a rarity for these dramas, they usually start going downhill about halfway. Yeah, I would probably start at ep4, they are mostly background that you can get from the recaps. At around ep10 it starts taking a wild tangent not often seen in melos, but you kind of need the background of the previous episodes to see the big change.

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Got it, thanks!

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I hope you like it :)

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I know, right?! I like her steely side. Though I don't mind when she was nice too (because it seems I am that kind of naive, nice person too...). It's all recycled plot points but I love it, very much, somehow. And the week long wait is torture. Sigh. Now, they need to amp up the romance with my lovely Kim Jung Hoon and all will be well in my life :) .

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I have to admit that the Teddy Bear Assault scene was pretty funny in ep12.

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On variety shows:
Have been drooling while watching last couple of episodes of Barefoot Friends. Am enjoying the recent spate of 'home food' episodes ie ep 18-21 so far. Yummilicious!

On another note, how funny was last week's episode of Running Man especially the opening dance sequence - Kwang Soo was especially hilarious :)

Cool Kiz is also more interesting now we're onto the badminton phase of things.

So much to watch in variety land but not enough time...

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I agree. I love so many of the shows, but my main one Appa Odiga. Hello Counselor pops up in my rotation every now and again.

I lost the plot with Barefoot Friends, though.

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Oppa Odiga is one of my fave shows too. The father-son/daughter interaction is just took cute. Love them all. I love the "make a circle" game which caused a lot of dramas among the children. hahaha.

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Great Master's Sun header!!!

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+1

giddy. giddy. :)

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+10000

whoever made it chose the perfect still too, it makes me swoony to see him nuzzling her like that even if it's only a publicity still.

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Hi Everybody!
I know I am not the only one to rackl my brains on Madster's Sun. But I may be the only one who wasn't completely shocked by JWNs possible death. Namely, one of the books I read recentlty was about a group of different undead and it was absolutely hilarious. They were vampires, zombies, werewolves and some creatures from the local folclore. Master would fit perfectly into that society. But on the other hand, him as an undead would mean no skinship and that would be an unforgivable waste of the chemistry between GHJ and SJS.

I have a question to those of you who are fluent in Korean: is nappeun yeoja really a bad word to call somebody? I thought it means bad woman, but in TMS it was translated as b**ch and called a curse. Is it bad because it is an open criticism or for some other reason?

Have a lovely weekend, Everybody!

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oh there are so many more and more original in the undead world. so funny you have the same thought as I (look post 6!) I too thought it wouldnt be bad for the comedy aspect.
thats Tim Burton influence for me. keyword "death" - I sprout "Dancing skeletons! Napoleon!"

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I feel like a complete alien now. I haven't seen anything by Tim Burton. I know some titles, but that's all. And for almost five years I have practically given up watching western productions...
*goes to reflect*

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do watch Beetlejuice and Corpse Bride, the ghosts in Masters´ Sun have a very clear Tim Burton influence, the bluishness and all. He has this very elaborate way of depicting the Underworld, the Dead, Otherness.

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Hello! :)
"nappeun yeoja" is a tricky expression: It can be insulting or mildly disapproving. It can also become some kind of term of endearment. I've heard many moms use it to gently scold their daughters.

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Hi Mysti!
It is indeed tricky. I guess the recipient must guess basing on the context whether he/she is being offended or just slightly teased.
This made me also think whether Yeo Chi in HotS and Tae San in AGD really said their dirty words or only spurted random sounds that got censored anyway because of the script. It is an interesting side to any language - what is acceptable, what is bad manners and what is total gutter. Generally, Asians seem to mind their vocabulary a lot more than, let's say Europeans. Sometimes, when I watch a very hateful mother-in-law character I feel like talking some "soldiers' and sailors' slang" just to see her veins and eyes popping. Though, it seems it's enough to answer or explain yourself to be deemed mannerless and lowlife.

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What book was that?

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It was a book by Polish writer Andrzej Pilipiuk (Wampir z M3 - A Vampire in a Block of Flats). There are no translations into English :|. I cannot imagine them being translated - the footnotes would take more space than the text itself.

The book itself follows a group of vampires, werewolves and co who need to make an un-living in the socialist People's Republic of Poland in the 1980's. The older ones make ends meet in an absurd economy, the younger ones learn to accept their new status and enjoy themselves as much as possible in given situation. Especially that part could fit into Master's Sun - Joong Won learning to un-live as some other kind of being, I am sure the Hong sisters would find him a suitable form.

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Actually I thought they were saying nappeun nyeon (나쁜 년(sp?)) rather than nappeun yeoja. Nappeun nyeon apparently translates to 'bitch/fucking bitch' so I think its probably as bad as it seems and much worse than nappeun yeoja, which just means 'bad woman.'
Hope that helped! I'm not a native speaker either though so I'm not 100% sure.

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Thank you so much! I must have misheard it! Now that whole thing makes sense. Thank you once again!

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It's not nappeun yeoja -- it's nappeun nyun, which is bitch.

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Yup, Ren has already cleared it. Thanks.

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Happy OT everyone...
I still faithfully continue watching dramas that I have started: Master's Sun, Two Weeks, Who are You, Scandal and starting Good Doctor this week.
I have these questions in mind, will somebody care to answer? Thanks in advance.
1. In cable TV, the duration of a drama is mostly less than 1 hour and it includes commercial breaks. While in Big Three it is more than one hour without any commercial breaks. How do the drama air on TV actually? Are there really no commercial breaks (considering there are many product placement already during the drama) or people who uploaded them had cut the commercial breaks in advance?
2. Where do native Koreans spend their fangirling time? I watch Kdrama since more than 10 years ago. Joining various online sites like dramabeans, soompi, allkpop, koalasplayground etc but I rarely find korean members. Actually I haven't seen one. Almost all of them are from outside Korea. I know a few Korean people, but considering their posted activities in online media, I think I'm more Korean than them. =))
3. When people die and their body is cremated, how can people distinguish whether it is the corpse's ashes or not, before they put them on (something that I consider as) a vase? Got this question after watching Master's Sun, watching the flashback several times about Cha Hee Joo's death. She died burned, so how people could be sure that it was her ashes?

Thanks. :)

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Cha Hee Joo was not cremated in the car explosion thing, but since DNA testing was not routine back when that happened, I presume it was from eyewitness accounts.

What I am thinking is that maybe her evil twin hatched the plot and it went wrong, but that is just a guess.

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Because she was the only one in the car?

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Yes, but in the very last part of the latest episode it shows her or her evil twin (not sure which) hiding behind a bridge pillar with blood on her face, so not sure if she was alone or not.

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On your question
2. There is no commercial breaks while airing drama for big three (That is what I remember).
3. There is this site DCINSIDE in Korea where most of drama fans share comments. They are the ones who create the internet slangs/terms (I think they are the one who started Umforce, MakJang, DaeBak, Shut up (like shut up band), Taking care of fishingbowl/UJangGwanRi, Mental break/MenBung, etc.).

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Opps, it is for Q.1 and 2. Also I think NAVER is another one people comment. And each drama site in the station has viewer section (I remember their server went down due to comments overload when they aired BBF). Another thing to mention- drama 'DAMO' was the one with the first largest number of comments, and it created the term 'PeIn' (ruined person due to drama).

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Come to think of it, there was tons of commercials right before they air the drama, but not during the drama for Big 3 stations (I was having 2 weeks vacation in Korea last year. Can't you believe that I was watching drama during my precious time there??).

Also there is this DAUM fan cafe(cafe.daum.net) in addition to NAVER (cafe.naver.com) where drama fans share their love for the drama.
And here is one article (www.hani.co.kr) in 09/14/2010:
It seems that Drama fan cafe began with the MBC drama 'Ruler of Your Own World' in 2002 with mania fans even though it had low ratings. Since then, it continued with the drama 'DaMo' of MBC(2003) to 'TamRa Island' of MBC(2009). Especially the fan cafe of ''Ruler of Your Own World' still has 58,000 people in its membership even if drama ended 8 years ago.

Here, History of the word 'Shut up' (learned from my lurking the K-site since 2005).
I remember Originally it was 'Shut Up, and just watch the drama when it is airing'(=DakChiGo BonBang SaSu/DakBonSa)
to ask fans to watch the drama when it is airing so that it can raise the ratings.
But it progressed to put anything after 'shut up' like
'DakChiGo BulMyul' (shut up, Immortal YiSoonShin drama is the best!)
'DakChiGo MyungMinJwa'(shut up, Kim MyungMin is the best!) etc etc..

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First
Here is TaeYang's cute song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCbi8BwyJd4

Ok this got me thinking (I heard that 'Oh no!'). With Korean drama fans yelling 'DakBonSa/shut up and watch drama while airing to help with ratings' all the time, will it really help? I could only find OLD articles (Please correct it if this is wrong). So 'Ratings' is determined by-
1. Sample households (3000 of them. Geez, that is not even 0.1% of population) are selected throughout the country.
2. They are mostly 4 people households (though I read they prefer 3 generation living together in a recent comment)
and are asked for their willingness in participation.
3. Once agreed, something called 'People Meter' is installed on their TV Antenna. And each member is given a special remote. For example, no.1 is for dad, no.2 is for mom etc. If mom watches 'good doctor', she will press no.2 before watching , and this sends the data to the central computer (this, I don't know if it is changed to be automated). This will give data for viewership in age, sex group etc.
4. Since mother/Ajumma holds the remote, daily drama (MakJang drama) will have high ratings. They found that if a holiday falls on weekday, men in 30s show much higher viewership.
So conclusion? Answer is 'NO' - drama fans can't help the ratings even with all the yelling/urging/pleading.

And
This is something I picked up from Master's Sun fan site:
Ms.Sun and Mr.Master are called as GongBeulRi and SoGanJi.
GongBeulRi = GongHyoJin + Lovely (from 'best love')
SoGanJi = SoJiSup + GanJi/Cool (from 'I am sorry I love you')

Lastly, I checked Dcinside for the most commented dramas.
Over 300K comments (in order):
Beethoven virus (mbc, 699k)
Couple of trouble (mbc, 637k)
painter of wind (sbs, 522K)
Giant (sbs, 411K)
Queen SunDuk (mbc, 377k)
4 gods/legend (mbc, 366K)
SKK scandal (kbs, 361k)
Secret garden (sbs,351K)
Life is beautiful (sbs, 333k)
Boys before flowers (kbs, 320k)
HiKick 2 (mbc, 316k)
HiKick 1 (mbc, 309k)

Over 200k comments:
brain 258k
White tower 256k
bad guy 249k
MoonSun 233k
GyungSung scandal 216k
You are beautiful 208k
coffee prince 200k

Other Examples:
May stayed overnight 197k
FAIth 198k
My name is KSS 187k
GakSiTal 187k
My name is KSS 187k
Princess's man 182k
King 2 Hearts 129k
I hear your voice 105k.

Ok ok I am done. Sorry for the long post.

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From my time in Korea last year I do remember there being commercial breaks during drama time but I could be wrong.

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I don't post a lot on here, but this time around I might burst. So right now, I'm taking finals for med school, and I decided to stick to only one ongoing k-drama, so I don't waste too much time. Drama picked? Master's Sun.

This may have actually been a bad choice on my part. Not because the drama is bad (it's not). But I was seriously emotionally drained after episode 12. And I keep thinking of possibilities. My lastest one: would Gong-shil give up her life to let Joong-won have a second chance at his?

I don't know. It just doesn't make sense to me to kill him off this early. We still have four hours to go, and it doesn't seem like a wise idea to have that much time left with one of the main characters gone. Plus, Gong-shil IS the wolf. Which actually poses another problem for me, because I'm not really fond of her dying either. I just want a nice, clean, happy ending this time around.

The reason I refuse (I may be delusional but it's okay) to accept Joong-won's death is that he actually didn't reach a lot of his goals. Yeah, he was able to barely make out her text, but his reading problem isn't gone. Also, he didn't ever figure out the Hee-joo story and who Hanna is. And what's Secretary Kim's role in all this?

It's just not wrapped up. He's not dead, darn it!

I wish I'd watched Two Weeks instead because at least there, it's VERY clear what the stakes are. So any twists they through, it's fair game because it's not supposed to be a fluffy rom-com. I'm reading recaps, and I really do feel like it's underrated. Which is weird considering Lee Jun-ki is the protagonist.

I also dabbed a bit into Good Doctor, and it was just too uncomfortable for me to watch. Also, med student in me was cringing at the medical mistakes, and while Joo-won's portrayal is amazing, something's just off in the story.

And as for Who Are You, sounds like something happened that wasn't that great, so I'm happy I dropped that. I loved Dream High, but I was never big on Taec-yeon as an actor.

So yeah. Rambles. Thoughts after Master's Sun are mainly me trying to get myself out of depression about episode 12. The wait until next week will be long...

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Good luck with the finals! I hope you become a good doctor yourself.

As for the inaccuracies in GD - I think I was able to spot some, although my knowledge of medicine stems from helping my sister study. The method was that she told me something whatever she needed to learn at the moment and I was supposed to repeat as much as possible or ask questions. Now I am a proud sister of a dentist. I think it would be wiser to gloss over the medical stuff in general rather than to unnecessarily show details and fail to ensure they were correct.

Anyway, I wonder what happens next in Master's Sun.

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Thank you! I hope become a good one as well!

Medical inaccuracies, while annoying, I can overlook. Just because I know the actors and script writers aren't working in the medical field. But I think everyone's interaction with autism is a bit over the top and unrealistic. It's like these people never dealt with things professionally before, so that's what deters me the most from this drama.

Interesting that you learned so much helping your sister study! That's really cool.

I'll just huddle in a corner until next week to see what happens in Master's Sun. 'Till then!

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Good Doctor : totally. I really don't like a lot of how the autism thing is portrayed/how the script has the other actors deal with him (given that they should be familiar with autism).

Some other stuff that may be pinging you (at least it does me): very very after-school special. I really hate all of the Meaningful Smiles and Things Learned. And my inner feminist is kind of cringing in a lot of places too, which is weird, because I can handle it in some other dramas. I think it's because all of the women are big N nurturing, and all the men are rational actors (with the exception of the one MALE NURSE. Jesus. So ham-fisted).

It's particularly grating lately with some of the side characters. I mean, literally, the girl is an animal, and the boy is an artist. Ooog.

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Hi Everyone!

I hope everyone is doing well today.

Finally finished Shark. Since the beginning, it was never set up to end well for our characters, so no surprises here. I still question why the revenge plan was executed as it was ...... so not right. My main gripe though, is with the Junichiro character. It was so unfortunate that this particular character was not developed in the story being told.

Just started on the first 2 episodes of Master's Sun. So far so good! Absolutely adore Gong Hyo-jin. ...... I think I'm going to really enjoy this one.

I have to add that I've tuned in, when I have time, to Empire of Gold. It's been bits and pieces but I think I've watched enough to know what's going on. ...... I didn't think I'd like this drama, but I kinda do. Since Shark ended, I just might give this one my full attention starting next week.

Still watching Dong Yi. In the final stretch now and things have picked up since a couple of episodes ago. Still enjoying it and I'm glad I stuck with it.

Finally, believe it or not, I'm also still watching episodes of Appa Oediga. The weekends are not complete without watching that show and all the cuteness overload. ...... I just about died in last weekend's episode when all the kids went to a beach to dig around in the sand to collect shells and other marine life. Ji-ah's dad brought along a little blue chair for his precious princess! Her highness will not be seated in the wet sand!! ..... So there she was wearing a cute, little crown hairpin and seated in her little blue chair ! *laughing*

That's about it for now. Everyone take care and have a great Friday!

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Since you've just started on Master's Sun, here's a leeetle warning to marathon it slowly so that you won't bang your head against the screen because the new episode hasn't come out yet :)

I made the mistake of marathoning the whole Master's Sun early this week and boy did I regret it. Suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms and suspense.

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Got it. Thanks ella!

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OMG, my week is not complete without Appa Odiga either! JiAh is a beautiful child. I love how her dad dotes on her. Also, I think some of the fussing over her is for the camera since she's been shown helping out at home and has pretty good skills which means she does it regularly.

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TS -

Hi! ...... Regarding Ji Ah, yes, you're right, she is very skilled when helping out at home. I've noticed that too. Her dad's doting reminds me of my dad. So neat to see nowadays because it seems we don't see it enough.

You also mentioned something I've wondered about for a while ..... the possibility that certain things are "played up" for the show, by orders of the producers/directors. I'm sure it is. I don't mind though, I understand it is a show after all.

All I know is I'm enjoying waching this show!

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Lee Jun Ki got a new fan this week. really, why dint i see any of his dramas before?
I LOVE EVERY. thing. about two weeks.
Also, i can't wipe the smile off my face,while watching i hear your voice. SO. CUTE.

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You didn't watch Arang and the Magistrate? He's so cute and heartwarming there. :)

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I like the actor LJK but not everything he acts in.
I enjoyed the movie "King and the Clown". I also liked Iljimae and Arang. However, even liking LKJ couldn't get me thru the entire run of Hero.

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hey beanies !
a very good morning! :) and happy Friday!!!!
this weekend I'm gonna watch the remaining 14 episodes of My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho.. Watched only two episodes by now , and I've already fallen in love with Cuteness overload Shin Mina Ah!! . Even a melodrama lover like me liked it , then it means theres certainly no one who'd dislike it!!!
I think the reason should be the composition of this drama. Each and every element and scene is entertaining and fun let alone Characters!
Lee Seung Gi hyung seems very cute in this one tooo
Talking about Shin Mina Ah again, she's very different in this drama . I had seen her last in the melodrama A Love To youknowwat! . Even in that drama i loved to watch her, no matter if she was crying or laughing ! hehe :) . ALTK will be my all time favourite ! But I can surely second MGIAG!! :P.

There's a question I wanted to ask you guys. A few days earlier , I watched the kmovie Moment To Remember ... It was a good and heart touching movie .. But as usual , I failed to grasp the meaning of the ending seen.. This happens with me everytime! I don't really understand the unclear endings of movies! So please tell me what the ending really tells us!

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Spoilers for A Moment to Remember:

I wouldn't say it is an unclear ending. Rather, it is an optimistic and great ending. At the end of the movie, Sohn Ye Jin's character was already slipping in and out of self-awareness quite frequently and was totally unable to live on her own. So when she admitted herself into the home, she was totally self-aware and aware of what was going to happen to her.

When Jung Woo Sung's character comes to visit her, she is aware of who he is and what is happening to her and so, during the final scene of the movie, he is learning to accept that she can no longer live by his side and she is going to live out her final days in the home. And so while she is still self-aware, he wishes to spend happy times with her, like bringing her out of the home in his jeep for outings and stuff like that.

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Took a long, long break. Had personal things to sort out. Upside, I did write a summary of Master's Sun Episode 1.

Watching it from the beginning, and if you have any kind of memory for plot points will make the whole thing a lot more enjoyable. (This show is re-watchable.)

Still dealing with the personal stuff though. Might take a while.

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kim yoonmi!

yay! you're back! i've really, really missed your comments for the recent episodes. i found everything you said to be so thought provoking, insightful, so engaging. made me look at the show in a completely new way, and made me love it. thank you so much.

have you not gotten to epi 12 yet? you'll probably have to brace yourself if you haven't watched it yet.

hope things get better on the personal front. fighting!

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I watched 9-12 in one go. OMG, I felt like I spun around the Earth ten times over 'cause of the beat changes, etc.

I shared a few notes with Carole. ^^;; But that's about it. I've been trying to work really hard on the personal stuff...

Swamped.

Also I have acting classes on Open thread days, so I can't write long posts... ^^;;

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WOW!!!! You ought to see the big grin on my face when I saw your name. So glad to see you.

I hope i can write on your blog. That open ID thing is just battling me.

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I tried to fix it, by taking off the spam thing... which I know blocks people.

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It might be me. I tried and tried but couldn't get in. I really wonder if other folks have issue with OpenID or if it's just me.

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You and me can talk through e-mail to get it sorted...

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hiiiiiiii :)

I'm watching:

Master's Sun ♥ ♥

Two Weeks (I've completed only 6 episodes....but it's so good!!)

And yes....I think I found one more actor to add to my Kdrama loves: SO JI SUB......he is so handsome and adorable ♥ And he is simply awesome in Master's Sun.....

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And I'm watching 'Friends' Season 4....and it takes most of my drama-watching time ;)

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I love SJS ever since I started watching his previous drama, Ghost. Even though there's no romance going on between his character and Lee Yeon Hee's, I still fell in love with him and the drama, of course. Right after that, I started downloading his dramas and movies like crazy. LOL!

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Happy Friday!

Mega[dot]co.nz the new site were JavaBeans uploads her mp3s... my browser informs me that the site is trying to download more mb's then the song is worth....

Is anyone else experiencing this and is it safe?

Thank you for your help!

Joong-won LIVES!

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Mega is quite a safe site. I have never encountered such problems!

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Thank you for the feedback!

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The thing about Lee Min-ho, as Javabeans said, is that he has 'It' factor. You can't really explain why he is such a big thing in dramaland.
And looks wise, you can't deny that he is pretty but it is personal thing.

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I can't deny that he's pretty, but I mostly fall for the story, not the actor. So, sometimes I like him and some other time I don't like him. BBF is one of his drama that I don't like, while in City Hunter and Personal Taste, I totally fall for him. :D

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Back from a week in Alaska, and I am still a few episodes behind in my shows. Watching Two Weeks, MS, Scandal, Good Doctor, and Who Are You. I haven't watched so many dramas in a while, and my head is spinning.

I watched a few US police shows on my trip, which reminds me that even though the portrayals of doctors, medicine, and crime are unrealistic in Kdramas, they are not any worse in American ones.

I hope Cool Kidz gets off of badminton soon. I just can't get into that sport.

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But if they play badminton 2Pm gets to be there more! They must play more!!
Sorry I'm a bit of a 2pm fangirl..

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LOL I was that way about Shinhwa and bowling.

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Hi, Beaners,
I always late in reply.

But, I really love Cool Kiz, no matter what sport they do. I may not understand the sport, but I really appreciate and salute all the members and guests to allocate and really put their effort and heart to the sports.

I remember how Changmin hurt his thumb in order to get to play bowling to perfection and most of the members and guests must experience sore and fatigue due to intensive training, some had injured. And they had to do that aside their very busy schedules.

We know that Lee Seungeun also fix member of 2D1N (that also where the members suffer where the rating goes up, HA! crazy!). Or Changmin went back and forth between Japan and Korea. Or Changsung between concerts and drama.

I don't know how they can handle those all.

So, I really salute their dedication, thus enjoy every air time they have.

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Hi everyone!
My drama viewing lately has been random. I just can't seem to find anything I love to continue watching it. Something happens that just makes me hate the show and stop. Anyhow.. On the list of likes right now
1. History of a Salary man. I loved the first episode, hope it stays this funny.
Sight* that's it. List of dropped
1. Her legend: God can they make this girl anymore of a willing doormat? She practically begs people to use her!
2. Lovers in Paris: hate the male lead, female lead is an idiot and 2and male lead is hotness on a stick & I know he is going to have his Heart broken by the idiot. So I just stopped!
That's my drama week.
I'm taking recommends for rom-coms either dramas or movies ?

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MariD -

I have no idea why but I can't stop laughing over your expression "hotness on a stick".

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Have you seen Lee Dong-Gun? How else can he be described? Tall, lean, dark, and I usually hate facial hair, but on him it works. I can't wait for "futures choice" or whatever it's call now..

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I watched History of Salaryman, too. Few first episodes didn't captivate me, mostly because I don't really like Jung Ryu Won's character who I found too noisy. After few episodes I became head over heel with Choi Hang Woo - Cha Woo Hee's story.

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Good on you for stop watching Lovers in Paris.. that drama has the lamest ending ever in dramaland..

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I had the same impression of Her Legend until episode 12 - won't post any spoilers except to say that it looks like even doormats can change.

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While watching lovers in paris I realized how much I loved kim jung eun. I'd only seen her before in I am legend and I think she's the only reason I continued watching that drama. I didn't finish lovers but I hurried to Marrying the Mafia and OOhlala couple. Her energy and motor mouth is very charming. Lovers doe try to shake it up a bit in a bizarre way.

If you haven't seen it bad couple is a good rom com.

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Have you seen I'm a Cyborg But That's Ok? It's one of a kind romcom with some off the wall plot elements. I sincerely reccomend it!

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I really loved History of A Salaryman. I actually like it for the kooky quality. Lee Bum Soo is so hilarious in this and Hong Soo Hyun is really good too.

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Yup,
agree with you. LBS is so hilarious and don't forget his make up and lots of eyeliner as his alter-ego 'Versailles.'

Actually, I love me some Jung Ryeo-won. After 'Salaryman' she acted in 'King of Drama'. She always make me laugh. And she is so beautiful....

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Happy OT folks !

Busy watching so many shows, behind on some ( 2 Wks & Good Doctor )

Finished J Drama: Woman I really enjoyed it.

Master's Sun: Omo !

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have you watched "proposing to you, once again" w/takenouchi yutaka? it was very good/sad/sweet.

i'm still bummed about not being able to finish "saikou no rikon" which i started because you and others mentioned it... are the last two eps anywhere in cyberspace or am i going to have to purchase the dvd?

i like your jdrama mentions, btw, thanks!

i have started "yae no sakura" awhile ago, a friend said it the biggest thing in japan these days (it's ongoing)...

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spazmo ~

On D-Addicts, some folks were "talking" about picking up the subs for Saikou no Rikon. Please, please do.

I watched yae no sakura up to Ep 12 . I'm going to wait unitl it's finished. It's been good so far as what I've seen.

I do wish they'd sub the historical segments, at the end of each episode they show locations where the events took place . Short, 2-3 minutes, but I'm sure it would be of interest.

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hi everyone,happy Friday!
before,my time was divided into dramas and university,but recently i'm in such a denial that the new semester has already started so i've created a mix and match like situation which can be described as dramas in the university(which BTW has left my classmates wondering what the hell i'm staring at in my screen during boring classes)..
so here i am, having had a 'normal' week,not much drama,not much excitement,aaaall normal... and then i hear cutie soo ( love you squeecappers BTW)is gonna be on Age of feeling!how awesome is that?!and i'm telling that to everyone including those who have no idea who he is! surprisingly, neither of the upcoming biggies ( heirs & MTT) are making me overexcited so i was thinking that i'll make my decision based on first episodes,and i wasn't sure about AOF although i do have a little soft spot for kim hyun joong and love kim so eun,now that soo's gonna be in it i'll be tuning in and that's final..i still hope one of the other two catches my interest though cause they air sooner..
master's sun is breaking my heart! that's all i can say after what ep 12 did to me!
and thank you everyone for recommendations last week,turns out one of my classmates has the DVD for smile,you..i started it last Sunday and i'm already at ep 26! love the OTP..i can not belive it's Baksa who's being all cute and adorkable!ojakkyo brothers is also on watchlist..
sorry for the long talk..take good care of yourselves..

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Hi hi! Late last night I watched an old Star King episode where some guy who had lost a lot of weight shared his secret. It was black beans and milk in a blender for 2 meals + 1 regular meal a day. So, this morning I tried it. Holy gag – I rushed to the cupboard and ate 6 spoonfuls of Krusteaz pumpkin spice bread mix dry out of the box. Nearly choked on the powder. (#shudderblackbeandrink#)

Who Are You – ep 14, to my glee, was one hell of a twist cliffhanger!
*Spoiler * Ghost questions:
1) We know Lee oppa ghost only has so much time, but is he directing Si On to do what he (ghost) can’t in order to solve the crime now that she woke up after 6 years?
2) Can ghosts change places with other ghosts?
Now what? I feel sorry for Si On who will have to face coma oppa knowing that his ghost represents that he is technically dead (and will die) after the mission is accomplished (which I am basing on the coma lady ghost in the hospital). So the reality is that Si On and Detective Cha will end up as a couple which really doesn’t make sparks for me.
*End spoiler*

“I’m a patient” of No Minwoo! I think NMW is a fusion of G-dragon and Kim Jae wook’s faces - If you don’t believe me, check out ep 3 with NMW on Global Request: A Song For You – Baby.

Master’s Sun, Summer Nude, Good Doctor, Two Weeks (it’s waning, though) Happy Together, and Barefoot Friends kept me entertained this week. I can’t wait for Heirs!

\/

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Watching "Who Are You" this week, I had a moment where I wished that Kim Jae Wook would possess Taecyeon. That's how much I wish Kim Jae Wook was alive so had a chance to be with the woman he loves.

For me, Taecyeon would probably be fine as long as KJW wasn't in the drama. But with KJW as an option, Taecyeon seems white bread boring. I'm not sure where I lost having some sympathy for Taecyeon's romance, but at this point I can't accept him as the final OTP.

In general, I think it is a tough thing for any drama to set up a couple in love and then have us transition to a second couple by the end,

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Hi Julia, Yeah, but possession is a messy thing, too. I mean, you see one person but know it is another person's spirit and I can't imagine ever getting my head straight on who I was with.

I cannot root for anyone else if beautiful, sexy KJW is in the picture. But since he is a ghost, and, I've never had to think of it this way before, it makes me go through the back door route and say I can't see KJW and Team Leader in a relationship that would work now, so I can therefore move on and wish Team Leader to break free of her love for KJW (which means not seeing his ghost any more) so that she can be with Taecyon, who really does love her. Btw, Taecyon is growing on me. I've seen him in commercials, variety/reality, and 2PMs new songs, and I have to say he's really built and likeable. Not actually my ideal type in looks, but hotter rather than cooler.

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LOL, now when I see NMW I'll forever be thinking of GDragon and KJW! Btw I like NMW but I think he looked rather silly telling that fan she neeeded more makeup and to look for guys leaving the military, I thought it was meant to be funny and turned out almost offensive? I don't know, maybe he had no idea what he was saying?:)

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The words in his song Baby mention his 'woman' who is beautiful with no makeup in the morning - so yeah, awkward message, I thought, too and definitely insulting. It did look like he had not ideas what he wasy sying, right? Gdragon is a hottie and my style, but NMW and KJW are beautiful creatures and some of those EXO members are too, gah!

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oh gosh, i'm liking NMW more. Give me an awkward uncomfortable in the world weirdly pretentious celebrity with a questionable sense of humor and I am definitely gonna be a fan.

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Hi all:

Well, a good week over all. Although...the publisher was annoyed that my first novel was uploaded to 2shared by someone. It was quickly removed when a stern letter was sent but now I'm feeling guilty about songs I've downloaded from 4shared. Having experienced the other side of it. Glad someone thought my work was worthy to share for free but very unsettling. Publishers are always wary of sending out ARCS in pdf or epub forms and now I see why.

But to dramas:

I spent much of last night worrying about Tae-San in Two Weeks. Ah, the long wait till next week! Please, no nihilism, Writer-Nim!

Loving Master's Sun, Two Weeks, Yamada-kun. Still watching Who Are You? But there is a kind of distance/disconnect. Wanting to watch Wang Family but haven't tried it as yet.

Finally saw Bedevilled, which I've been wanting to see for a while. Sooooooo good. Now trying to get myself psyched to see Poetry.

Trying to finish writing Onion but am either surrounded by books or dramas to watch so this week was pretty wasted. Well wasted in the fiction-writing dept. Not the book-reviewing which is going along swimmingly. I forgot who mentioned All our Yesterdays, the YA time travel book. (was it alua or saya?) Am now reading that. And next up will be Quintessence. So many books so little time.

But I DO want to finish "My Life as an Onion (Ahnyung)" because it has so many tropes of the chaebol prince love story and i started the book before i even got into k-dramas. So I'm thinking...destiny? I just wanna get my own twist on the story..black female heroine and all. So..gotta commit.

Happy weekend, all!

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Carole, what are your favorite funny j-dramas?

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Yamada-kun
All Esper Dayo
Delicious Gakuin
Legal High
Nobuta wo produce
Strawberry on the Shortcake
Nodame Cantabile
Samurai High School
Monsters
Nakuna Hara-Chan
There was also a Japanese comedy about a hen-pecked detective who solved murders in a small town

I finished these IF they were all subbed. You know how J-drama subbing can be iffy

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yep..and switch girl

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Awesome. I'm keeping these all on a list.

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I wish i remembered the title of the detective movie. A three word title. It was silly and the mysteries were relatively easy to figure out, like the mysteries in Monsters. But there was such a silly vibe between the poor henpecked hubby and his wife.

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I highly recommend Legal High - and there is also a season 2 of it starting.. I think this week? No idea when it will be subbed though.

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Hi Carole!

I highly recommend Keizoku, I think I've seen every Japanese drama until about 4 years ago (when something godawful happened to jdrama in my opinion) and it's still one of the best series I've ever seen.

Nakatani Miki and Watabe Atsuro are *amazing,* separate and working in tandem.

SPEC (the "sequel") is also spectacular but I really love the original and movie.

Just my two cents :).

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Oh!

And Ikebukuro West Gate Park! Seriously, if you haven't seen that series YOU MUST WATCH IT.

I can sit there and talk for hours with my Japanese roommate about how awesome that show was. And there are tons of actors that blew up afterwards, Tsumabuki Satoshi, Koyuki, Yamashita Tomohisa, Kubozuka Yosuke (personal addiction), Nagase Tomoya, etc etc etc.

Brilliant series, really. Absolutely brilliant.

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Seconding this rec. Oh, IWGP was one of those jdramas that I found tolerable enough to enjoy. Yamapi was so bad in it acting-wise but my teenage self gobbled it up either way...

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I honestly don't even remember Yamapi in IWGP, I was much more about Kubozuka Yosuke's character and all the other quirky side characters. That being said, I was also a teenager when I watched it so the memories do linger fondly.
It's also the only drama I tolerate Nagase Tomoya in, everything else he's done gives me skin rashes *shudder*, mostly because it's the same (terrible) character recycled over and over again.

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@Lyse:

I remember him being shoved into something. Other than that, I can't remember anything much about the other actors or the plot - it's beeeen waaaay too long. But I definitely recall enjoying it alot - thematically and visually (superficially), it sort of reminded me of SUFBB, though I haven't watched the latter though.

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Not Carole, but I'm butting in with Erai Tokoro Ni Totsuide Shimatta (starring Nakama Yukie, if that helps - I forgot the English title, but it's about a career-girl turned new wife who engages in major subterfuge to convince her super-traditional mother-in-law that she is the perfect wife).

Also, Gokusen. (Nakama Yukie is pure gold for me, jdrama-wise)

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Thanks Pogo! And everyone else too! I've made a list so I can go through these next time I'm wondering what fun show to decompress to.

By following an actor bio, I discovered Puzzle. It's lots of fun. I'm posting the link to it here.

http://www.gooddrama.net/japanese-drama/puzzle-episode-1/1-3

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Yes, Gokusen was awesome. :-)

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I'll add it to my list. I tend to like Japanese funny dramas way more than their slice of life or rom coms because they tend to be pretty straightforward and silly without annoying me with their endings.

Thanks.

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how about Zettai Kareshi? funny/sweet/sad... stupid me watched the followup movie special because i loved the drama... cried all over again - but in a sweet/sad way...

not to mention Mokomichi made all of it totally worthwhile...
; )

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oh, and Hero w/kimura takya - he's quirky, cast is funny... this had a followup movie special, also.

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I had MAJOR Second Lead Syndrome for that one, Hiro <33333333333

And it was definitely an adaptation that improved on the original manga, which was terrible. The jdrama is much cuter/funnier.

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loving Hero. Thanks for the mention.

TS: I looked and saw that I've seen Puzzle before. I definitely second that one.

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I am now obsessed with "The Master's Sun."I haven't this been obsessed with a show since "Arang and the Magistrate." I'm to the point of not only watching raw, unsubbed files, I'm also reading live recaps because I can't help myself.

I am also eating up the behind the scenes clips. It's really interesting to see how they shoot those, and now those crazy shots that these shows do with kisses (800 angles and cuts) makes sense, and explains in part why they often seem so stilted (also, I guess it's broadcast, and I guess in Korea you have to be a little more chaste?). Also, the chemistry and fun between SJS and GHJ is so cute to watch. Seriously, if they don't start dating after the show is over, can they at least be new BFFs?

I think I totally understand the weirdness between GS and JW in how they both want the relationship but tell one another that it's temporary. I understand this because my now-husband did that to me when we first started dating (sans ghosts). He had been in and out of serious relationships and at that age, didn't want to get into another one, so after a few months he broke up with me, but not until after he told me that I was "the prettiest girl he had ever dated" and "the best girlfriend he had ever had." It left me confused and reeling, and I came to understand later that what he had initially wanted (a fun, casual relationship) was feeling really serious, and that scared him because he thought he couldn't do that at the time. Luckily, I was very persistent and chased him back down.

Back to TMS, I was kind of delighted to find out that So Ji Sub is best friends with Song Seung-Heon, who was in the first kdrama I ever watched--"My Princess." I guess those two, known mostly for their dramatic/melo roles, and for not being maybe the best actors, both seem to shine at Rom Coms.

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Considering that missing Arang after it ended was what got me into the OT in the first place, it's nice to see someone who feels the same way I do - I haven't been this invested in a couple since we worried that our Satto and Arang wouldn't get their Happily Ever After (and those were nailbiting days indeed, remember?) Not even Hye-sung and Suha of IHYV had me this obsessed from the word go.

And for what it's worth, I do see certain thematic similarities between Arang and Master's Sun - both have a ghost-seeing protagonist who's somewhat cut off from 'real' life by the ability, both are about couples who aren't really living until they meet each other (well, Arang's literally dead), and they involve both protagonists undergoing a major character journey (subtler in Gong-shil's case) via ghost-help. falling in love and denial about it.

(I won't lie, I like that our heroines in both series get some sort of character trajectory. Too many kdramas forget to do that for their female protagonists.

And to make it even better, Gong Hyo-jin and Shin Mina are besties in real life, it makes me want to write a fic where Gong-shil meets Arang, now)

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Funny how that works out, huh? Guess we both have similar tastes in our Kdramas!

I hope that then with TMS, they have the same sort of sure-hand and clear vision that Arang had. One of the things I loved about AATM was that it knew exactly what had to be done and was often ahead of the viewer by introducing changes and plot points before the viewer would expect it (thereby subverting some of our expectations).

I too love that the heroines have more agency than some others you might find in Kdrama land, though as much as I loved AATM, I was a little sad that Arang herself lost some of that earlier spunk she had. I hope the same doesn't happen to Gong Sil (no noble idiocy, pleeeease!)

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So far, Master's Sun has felt like it was written with a pretty deft hand (after the initial boring ghost-of-the-week hiccups, anyway) so I hope this doesn't throw its game off. But Arang's writers were past masters of springing surprises on us (remember the first sight of demon Mom?!) and pacing the revelations, it could have fallen flat on his face with all that plottiness but they didn't falter.

I did miss the spunky early-episodes Arang too even though Shin Mina broke my heart in the later episodes (though there was a flashback to that early spunk at the torture scene in ep 18, when she calls Lord Choi/Joong-won's dad names for what he's doing) but I was just glad to have her spirit back for that final scene in the meadow.

And thankfully, they avoided the noble idiocy trope there, and I hope Master's Sun avoids it too. I'm fine with self-denial if I can see some motive for it (like Arang's desire to be remembered/Gong-shil's new vulnerability to harsh words from hottie Not-Dead Grumpypants, when she was impervious before) but noble idiocy, oh god no.

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opheliadrowning -

I had never heard that SJS and SSH are best friends. That's interesting.

And yes, RomComs is the genre SSH definitely shines in. Hopefully he'll do more of these in the future.

I've never seen SJS in any of the things he's done before, so I really can't comment on him. I just started Master's Sun though and he seems absolutely fine so far.

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Here's a link that details some of their friendship. I think they were both up-and-coming models together at the same time. SSH's career took off first, though, but from the pictures here, it looks like they have always been supportive of one another.

http://koalasplayground.com/2010/08/10/ultimate-bromance-sjs-ssh/

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So basically they're like the older-gen version of Lee Jong-seok and Kim Woo-bin?! awwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!

(only they seem even closer)

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I am such a big scardy kitten that I have to read the recap of Two Weeks before I watch it so I know what to expect. (Am I the only one who does that?) Still, I think the ending of episode 12 is going to freak me out--even though I know what's coming.

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When I watched fugitive of joseon I used to describe it as exciting but everytime I watch one episode of 2 weeks ( I can only watch one at a time) I always use the word anxious. But it's not cheap anxiety. I find myself bawling almost every episode and I'm only up to episode 6. I think it's the kind of drama I'lll need to marathon at some point so I want to be able to do that instead of cussing at the edge of my seat at a tv screen. I thought about whether or not it's okay to placate myself with a dream of a happy ending and I'm leaning more toward yes. Mainly because the moments of anxiety are not wasted or fluffy. They actually matter. I don't really like my lead nor any of his chasers and I don't mind.

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I'm actually a fan of Lee Jun Ki, but I don't know why the first two episodes of Two Weeks didn't left an impact on me. I have dropped TW after watching the 2nd episode. But maybe I will continue watching as soon as the drama ends.

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I dont watch all of it but I intend to when I am not as busy. nI think it is the best out of the current bunch.

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Thanks. I just hope I would also love his character in Two Weeks just like his previous dramas. I am used to see him as someone who is wise enough to come up with a solution in every situation (just like Iljimae and Arang), and not someone whom I have to shout "Hey! You shouldn't have done that!" :-)

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I think it's okay to watch 2 weeks one episode at a time. I wasn't caught until episode 3. It's like a tense fest!

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Rant Of The Week - Elders Gone Bad

Much of Asia, but it seems especially in Korean dramas the "respect for elders" thing is really pushed, and is often not very subtle.

But while so many dramas push this idea of respecting elders, lets take a look at how they actually portray elders, and why they think anyone in their right mind would respect them at all.

1. Probably the classic "elders gone bad" show was You're the Best, YSS. Yet almost every woman in that show over the age of 40 was a screaming conniving ignorant bitch.
2. I Summon You Gold - once again, with a couple of exceptions, most of the elders do nothing but set really bad examples - even the supposed "perfect mom" (Shimduk) has gone over the edge.
3. Scandal, 2 Weeks, Her Legend, and some other currently running shows have a good portion of evil folks - and nearly all of them are older. (Some exceptions in those shows).

So overall, while Bad People can be of any age in K-dramas, by far the most common evil, psychotic, stupid, vindictive ones are elders.

So why are these dramas sending such a mixed message?

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I don't see it as a mixed message. More of a cause and effect thing. If one lives in a culture where one is forced to respect elders no matter what -- down to elders hating the kid's true loves and wrecking their marriage plans-- then one of the possible effects is a resentment toward those folks who have such incredible control of our lives. Two sides of the same coin.

And when one has such control and such kneejerk "respect" from the young, one does go overboard with the cruelty and the controlling behavior sometimes.

The dramas show the paradoxical reality of such a situation. Of course one should always listen to one's elders. They've lived longer than one has and know the pitfalls of life but some elders just are more about having power than sharing their wisdom. Society doesn't really differentiate between the elders who wish you well and those who are just selfish folks who got older and who now have society allowing them to be selfish by giving them the "respect your elder" card.

I would like to hope that i am a nice elderly person but who knows?

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I can see where it would be a positive feedback thing that feeds on itself in real life, and in fact that appears to be true just reading some of the social commentary and opinion pieces in Korean newspapers etc.. But dramas seem to carry it to extremes - in one case where a twin insisted the other address him formally, because he was 5 minutes older (how much more wisdom can you get in 5 minutes?).

I realize that dramas are pretty far from RL, but am curious as to why there is such a mixed message presented - I wonder if the writers even know they are doing so?

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well some elders are just lonely and that is why they are bitter. they feel like everyone has a storm of a life while theirs is a dried tree.
but I must say I have seen much less child-slapping by elders recently in dramas. maybe netizens drove the message home?

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I've been wanting to rant about that too because lately I've been watching Smile You and it's really annoying! I get the feeling kdramas always go 2 ways. Either the great grandparent who is always going to die sometime in the series or the horrible screaming elder or rich mother who is the most boring silly character. I can't stand these types! I'm so bored with the parents too, I've started to ff their scenes on Smile You, I'm staying just because of the main cast which I love much.

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Respecting authority goes both ways: the elders have a responsibility to give sage advice and behave well and with patience and kindness to set an example.

A lot of my elders lost my respect completely by just throwing their weight around, being overly personal and rude, and generally being obnoxious. Now I end up turning away or talking back when they get stupid with me, but I also feel that as an adult close to middle-age, and as a professional, I have a right to respect too.

However, as a younger person, my first instinct is to be polite and tolerate until they are too obnoxious for words. A minor example would be this older woman in my building who went off at me out of nowhere. In response, I wasn't rude to her, but I didn't accept what she'd said and told her that. She still threw her tantrum. Later, she tried other intimidation tactics like pulling her car in front of mine so I couldn't move mine. (I stared at her, and very obviously started photographing her license plate and so she rushed off.) Her behavior is out of nowhere and crazy, so she doesn't get respect from me, even though my instinct is to be polite and tolerant first.

So, the elders have a responsibility to be worthy of respect. If they lose it, that's their lookout.

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This is interesting to think about, this situation with the elders. Here are my brief thoughts on this matter.

I approach this from the starting point that the dramas we see and enjoy, are first and foremost written for the national audience. Yes, the writers/producers know things are international now, but the main focus remains national audience first. Nothing wrong with that, by the way, perhaps just a preference for whatever reason.

If this is in fact the case, perhaps some of the elder characters are portrayed as they are, not to be examples of people that should be respected, but as examples of what elders look like when a cultural tradition is abused or taken to an extreme or distorted. ..... Perhaps holding up a mirror to the audience so that they can ask themselves "Do I do that?" "Do I cross the line sometimes?" "When I speak to the young ones, do I look that awful?"

Finally, as with any place in the world and in almost all societies/families, changes happen. Perhaps the way elders are portrayed is the vehicle ksociety has found to begin sorting out certain family or society issues and the changes that they feel need to happen. At the end of the day, I have to believe most elders know that the realities facing the younger generation are certainly different than the realities they faced.

I hope I made some sense here. Didn't mean to go on and on but this is certainly an interesting topic.

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In I Summon You Gold I feel like the grandmas are the closest to how real people are. I love how they are portrayed. You get annoyed at them for quite a few things, especially the grandma from dad's side, but I see why they would do what they do even if I don't agree with them. Shimduk, on the other side, is so annoying and stupid and if she can't show off with her kids then they're dead to her. One of the worst moms ever.

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I am currently watching Master's Sun and Who are you. I love both dramas.

Am I the only one who is shipping for Taecyeon and So E-Hyun? He! I'm not a fan of Taecyeon but I want him to end up with unni.. :-)

The Hong sisters haven't failed me yet on MS. Please, let this show be my next favorite Hong sisters drama (the other one is MGIAG) and not another BIG disappointment. Don't make JJW a ghost or make an amnesia/coma plot. I hope they have prepared something that will please all the fans of MS. **fingers-crossed** I'm still waiting for Hee Joo to take over TGS body (just like what the soul matchmaker told TGS), which means we still need JJW to save her.

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Jessa - I just can feel a lot of chemistry between Shi-on and Gun-woo. Maybe in his serious moments, but the puppyness and "awe shucks" stuff just isn't doing it for me for the romance side of things.

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Happy Friday everyone! This is a seagull post; I'm flying, depositing some...uh.. stuff, and flying out. LOL

Shows:

- TMS: Ooh, such a good cliffhanger ending for next week! Several of my chingus thought the last episode was boring and contrived, but I still have enough enthusiasm to tide me over the more tiresome parts. Our couple is just so cute and obtuse and awkward, I can't help but root for him, for all of the impact of Security Second Lead's steely-eyed glares.
- WAY: Our other ghostly team is doing about as well as expected, that is, badly. With two episodes to go, I've only sensed a hint of attraction between Shi-on and Gun-woo. Is it the actor's fault? Or the overwhelming charisma and beauty that is Ghost Oppa? :-) The plot is ham-handed and lazy at best, but there are occasional flashes of goodness within the show. Not one of my favorites but not the worst I've ever seen.
- "In Between": This Taiwanese gem stars nobody I've seen before, so the same fat mom / pregnant daughter is conspicuously missing. Not to say you still don't have the loud annoying neighbors, but it's nice NOT to see the same pigeonholed pair. Stars are Johnny Lu (who has lips I'd like to nibble on for a week), and Janel Tsai, who is doing a great job as the plucky-go-lucky girl. At only 15 episodes, it hasn't gotten real draggy as some of the 30-plus ones.

Recaps:

- WAY SqueeCaps for episodes 13 and 14 will post by Sunday. I just have to coax my tiring lappy to make gifs one at a time, so it takes a while. Can Christmas come soon so I can buy a MacBookPro and join the dark side already?
- I've started recapping an oldie but goodie: Winter Sonata. I was researching all the different recapping sites and realized there was nothing for a show that was the keymaster to our entry into the KDrama world. The first two episodes are already posted.
- If you are watching "Goddess of Marriage" please please please check out kakashi's posts, just full of collaborative snarkiness and tons of gifs in her KimJiCaps!

Other:
- "Grandpas Over Flowers" struck a personal chord with me, especially the halbaes walking through Paris as if it would be their last time. Next month, the majority of my family will be taking a cruise together, three generations total. It was originally going to be my parents and I, but I am ecstatic that my sisters and their spouses/children are coming along. Since my parents are in their 80's, the chances for this type of memories will surely be small. Don't forget to tell the people you love that you, yunno, love them!
- Tomorrow (Saturday), I'll be with a film production company making a couple of PSA's for children's charities. Although it will be mostly behind the scenes work, I will be wheeling a stretcher as a nurse. I promise that I will properly squeeze the BVM and have the oxygen mask correctly sealed over the mouth and nose. LOL

That's it for now folks! I will be back later to spent more time with the awesome folks on OT! If the PSA's air in your area, just look for the old nurse in the camouflage scrubs. 8-)

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MacBookPros are awesome! Just get one now.

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Hi Shukie!
Haven't been on the internet for days and just thought I'd read through the OT. Happy to see you're here, even if it's just for a drive by. The cruise sounds awesome - where are you going? I hope to do that someday with our kids.

I am so behind on my blog and recap reading, not to mention my show watching. I think I'll wait till WAY is finished and then marathon it. Behind on this week's TMS also, and still arguing with my self over whether I can tolerate finishing Goddess of Marriage. The only thing I've been watching on a regular basis, on a slow pace of 5-6 episodes a week, is My Husband's Woman. Can't seem to get enough of Kim Soo Hyun's writing! I want to finish it before her "Thrice Married Woman" starts, if it ever makes it to production. And Ji Sung will be reappearing soon, too! Must finish all my busyness now.

Make sure to record your PSA so we can watch at a future date!

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Hey Korazy!

Yeah, it's not like RL hasn't got you pinned to the wall with no Taec in sight. lol

Not sure if the PSA is local, state, or national. It has to do with children's hospital charities. Personally, I much rather be the person holding the light deflector. :-)

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Hi Shukie!
It's a fabulous idea to recap Winter Sonata! I'll be sure to read it. I don't think I could handle watching the drama itself, but reading should be ok. Or maybe I will be ineed tempted to look at the real stuff?

I also read KimJicaps, but I find myself unable to comment in a civil way. I hate the characters the recappers like and I don't hate some that the ladies dislike. Whenever I watch the drama I feel curse words flying through my mouth and wonder why I keep watching. I'll tell you more: I wonder why the characters don't watch dramas. If they did, they wouldn't have made so many stupid mistakes (like marrying a chaebol family's ignorant son *snark*).

Cheers!

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Hello kopytko!

The girls don't mind dissenting opinions; it makes for a much livelier discussion!

Re-watching Winter Sonata while recapping is interesting; I can still see all the reasons I enjoyed it and why it was so great, and also see how certain makjang elements are done much more subtlety nowadays. The music cues and post-production are certainly less slick that shows currently airing. But I am still smiling at the cute and frowning at the whiny. lol

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Dissenting opinions is ok, a commenter getting carried away by bloodlust - not so much. Maybe I'll try nthe next time. This time I typed my comment but I was ashamed of myself when I read it ;).

I don't mind the techincal differences between contemporary and ekhm a bit vintage dramas. I happen to love some older stuff too (Attic Cat, Sang Doo Let's Go To School), just there is something about WS that keeps me away. I sense some intensity that I am not ready to experience. I'll stick to recaps for now.
Right now I feel like wearing a duffle coat this autumn. Guess why...

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If you have some type of scarf phobia, don't watch it.

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Me a scarf phobia? LOL. My mom has developed one though. Because of my constantly growing collection. Cannot live without a scarf, wooly in winter, cotton or silk in summer :)

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Then watch Winter Sonata! That way you can have scarf envy. LOL

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The comment section in TMS's 12 episode exploded! Never saw so much activity in a recap of the episode that is not a finale.

The acting is superb. No amount of pretty can substitute good acting and genuine chemistry. Once in a while, a drama like TMS comes and the other dramas look like one-dimentional caricatures.

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lol, I love that this is OT 308: Where Everyone Freaks Out About the Master's Sun 12.

These are the times when I'm glad to be watching things as they come out, having people to freak out about that twist with makes it more bearable.

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Hee hee, so true! It's totally turned into an unofficial TMS thread.

After seeing everyone freaking out about the cliffhanger (myself included, initially), I'm feeling more comfortable now that they wouldn't do that to JJW.

Looking forward to next week. Onwards and upwards!

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What I like about MS is that writing and acting is sophisticated.

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As I type, there are 703 comments on the Master's Sun 12 recap.

I don't think there's ever been that much activity on any DB post, EVER. (JB/GF, please correct me if I am wrong!)

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@pogo, I saw that. It is blowing out of proportion. Even for finale episodes, I've never seen anything like that.

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@kngdrama - It's stunning, isn't it? I love it when threads blow up, either in collective 'wtf' (That Lee Seung-gi drama I refuse to name) or in collective reactions of any sort.

Though this show is just about on course to either get even better or - going by Hong Sisters' track record - jump the shark majorly. I hope to goodness it's the former.

And now we have a shiny new DB header of our OTP too. Gods bless the person who made it!

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Happy Friday everyone!

Loving Master's Sun. Last time I felt this way with a HS drama was with MGIAG. So crossing my fingers because my dear Hong Sisters, I've always loved your work (or those I've watched - did not watch HGD & Big) so I trust you'll make this right. You have to make this right. You've got great actors, a great director (CH PD-nim!), and a great soundtrack (love, love, love!) so please for the love of dramagods, write it well until episode 16.

Anyway, I've been listening to kdrama OSTs in my itunes library and I started with those that came out before 2010 like Goong, Dalja's Spring, My Girl, etc. Just finished 2010 OSTs like Personal Taste, Oh! My Lady, MGIAG, Coffee House, and I've started the 2011 OSTs with The Princess' Man.

I'm off to bed because I've got aching hands and arms from playing too many hours of Minion Rush/AniPang/My Smurfs' Village in between watching TMS ep.12 twice and reading all comments on the recap page. Gotta rest from playing so I'll read the romance ebooks on my TBR pile before the new JD Robb book becomes available on the 17th. I'm so happy that I'll be occupied with books so I don't have to wait too long for the next episode of Master's Sun. Hope you will all have a great weekend!

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Masters Sun questions:
1. How could everyone have known about a Hanna twin except L?
2. How did Hanna look at her twin sister burn alive but smile at a necklace? I mean seriously, not even a tear?

I've been relapsing this week so it's been TV, TV, TV.
Funny thing is, I don't remember much. However, to get an extra so Ji sub fix, I watched Sophie's revenge. The colours and the settings were gorgeous: very Amelie. And that was it.

I also went on and off Switch Girl depending how strong my stomach felt that day. Keiji 110kg was good too, since I didn't have to think hard.

I also tried out Grudge, revolt of the Gumiho, but it's too long a drama. I want to finish, but I may need to cut some episodes.

And I'm keeping up with my usuals of Scandal, Who Are You, Masters Sun, Wonderful Mama, and Cruel Palace.

Started Three Kingdoms on YouTube. It's got Peter Ho as a supporting character and I might make it my post-CruelPalace sageuk fix.

And this morning, I started Arahan, which is a funny movie.

Finally, Yamada and the Seven Witches is awesome, but has anyone got another wacky funny j-drama I could watch that's been subbed already?

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if you havent seen Nodame Cabtabile yet, watch it.
Switch girl has the same actress as 7 witches and is funny
and Tumling has the same guy

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I will check them out, thanks!

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TS & redfox ~

I second Nodame. My all time favorite.

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I meant Tumbling

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christ what is worng with me the cold makes me unable to write Cantabile. what is cabtabile. phah

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I figured them both out, no worries. :-)

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seconding switch girl

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If you're up for a wacky funny j-movie, do try Kamikaze Girls (Shimotsuma Monogatari, in Japanese). Hilarious, has great costumes and - the best part- has a heroine who's flawed and not spineless, and centres around her relationship with her friend, not a boy.

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Seconded! The book is witty too (of course a translated one, if you can find it) but if you can read the original Japanese Book then kudos to you, I'm deeply impressed!

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I bought the book a few weeks ago!!

And while you are at it, check out the rest of the director's filmography. Memories of Matsuko and Confessions were brilliant and absolutely breathtakingly shot.

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Excellent recommendation! I'm watching it now, while researching Japanese subcultures (always wanted to be an anthropologist) and have ordered the book. :-)

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Yep, recommend Nodame too (but not so much the European Special series).

One of my favourites is Lunch Queen (girl with a mysterious past agrees to pose as the eldest son's sham fiancee for one day, but ends up living with the family and working in the family restaurant, Kitchen Macaroni. Hijinks ensue with the 4 brothers, and even an ex-BF). Star-studded cast is a bonus!

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yup, i agree with Nodame.. i love love love it.. i came acrossed movie 1 & 2 on YT, watched it at one sitting and missed my bus.

would you like to try Hotaru no Hikari? i love S1 & S2, the movie not as much

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Hotaru & Hikari is ok, so is Ohitorisama. Kind of a spinster & ikemen series.

Woman is too much a tearjerker for me

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I found the song from The Master's Sun we were talking about last week!

http://youtu.be/qOwXuU949_8

It's "All About" by Melody Day. Now we can all finally listen to it! At last!

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Having not seen ep. 12 yet, I think I am going to retreat from the OT until I've seen it to avoid more spoilers...but I'll be back!

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I got myself spoilt before watching ep 12 of MS. Some news is just so big it can't be avoided.

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I thought people were trolling/joking with it

But then.....

Suffice it to say, I don't think I have space in my head for another drama this week.

(and if it really is what it seems, the karmic balance of dramaland will not be restored until SJS and GHJ work together again, and THAT doesn't happen to either of their characters. You can't give us an OTP like this and then do THAT to them!!)

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I'll be using super evasion tactics in the last two weeks, ha ha. :P

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I tell ya, spoilers are all over this thread today. Aigoo. Not only of TMS but other shows as well.

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I think my plan of action for the last two weeks of Master's Sun episodes is to avoid DB entirely until I've watched them in order to avoid spoilers. I'll miss the discussion, but maybe I can catch the tail end afterwards. :)

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This video and song makes me want to check out Master's Sun.

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Patiently waiting for Heirs to air. I've been so busy lately that I haven't had time to watch anything. Usually I can handle one drama a season, and Lee Minho, Park Shin Hye, and Hyungsik are enough to get me to watch.

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My on again, off again affair with ISYG just went sideways.. again.

I have decided that the number of non-psycho moms in that series could be counted on the fingers of one knee. In fact, the only character I like in this drama anymore is Yoona.

Dukhee has ended up smooshing her son in a car wreck, Shimduk has gone off the deep end and moved out because her precious son wants to marry an orphan, and the supposed heroine has been almost non existent lately.

Next time I mention watching one of these weekend dramas, will someone send me a truckload of hungry alligators and dump then in front of the TV?

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Heya, ISYG (I now call it I Summon You Stupid) watcher.

Yoo Na is my favorite character as well. The rest of insanity still limps alone.

It's almost over. I will celebrate, seriously.

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I decided to watch the last 4 available episodes only yesterday. Hyunsu's stupid decision to simply not tell his mom who he is from the beginning made me hold on for a few weeks. It's not like she's Aram and she shouldn't be shocked by sudden news like this.
Yoona is awesome. But I also like Hyun Joon, you need to give major props to the dude for not going crazy with such a mom and such a wife.

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I read spoilers of episode 47 on soompi.
I will celebrate when it is over. Never again anything from this writer. Pinky swear.

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I have stuck with it for 46 episodes, so kind of feel compelled to finish it now. The only char I care about in that entire drama anymore is Yoo Nah. Everyone else has gone psycho or just disappeared - Mong Hee, the supposed lead is hardly ever seen any more except when talking to Yoo Nah briefly. The younger sister has always been just a passive pawn with no personality, no opinions of her own, and could have been replaced with a cardboard cutout and nobody would notice.

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Windsun33, if the writer makes SS and HS's mom, his first wife, reconcile, she is officially a lunatic.

Yoo Na is my favorite. Ballsy and direct, no pretense there.

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I was all ready to be chirpy about the beginning of ep 12 of Master's Sun and drool over SJS and GHJ some more (I watched the first 15 minutes in the morning before heading off to work) - her lips are parted! There is post-kiss holding on to each other! And THEIR HANDS.

and now all I can think is - NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BRING JOONG-WON BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Also, I am kind of ashamed to admit this since I've always believed that shipping real people is wrong and creepy, but.........

It would probably make my year if So Ji-sub and Gong Hyo-jin started dating in real life.

*hangs head*

But the end of ep 12 - NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

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Was just about to pose one sentence, 'Watched episode 12 of TMS, and only have one word to say: NOOOOOOOOOOO'. In other words, I'm with you there.:)

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The Hong sisters are evil, I tell you. EVIL.

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It will make my year too, lol. I don't ship real people too but with this couple, it's such a BIG FAT ASS WASTE if they don't hook up irl.

They have so many things in common, except for personality which works in their favor.

JUST DO IT GUISZ!

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They're nuclear levels of hot together in the BTS, there's a part of me that hopes that even if they don't hook up irl I might be consoled for that a little if they worked together again. In a movie. With lots of kissing and no network prudery to get in the way.

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OH HELLZ YEAHZ. TO EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID. I don't even mind a photoshoot in high cut or something.

*virtual hug* *prayer circle*

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About the ending of episode 12 of Master's Sun (Hopefully everyone has seen it or read the recap; Do not continue reading if you haven't.)

WHAT IF! What if, Joong-won is in a coma, and he wakes up with the ability to see ghosts? *GASP* That would be awesome! Then he can help Gong-shil with her ghost-busting, and they can be each other's "safe house". Like if they touch each other the ghosts go poof? I'm only saying this, because I don't want to believe that he's dead. I just can't.

But, what if, while he's in a coma and NOT dead, Hanna comes along and tries to kill him for reals? I don't understand what she wants? She let her own sister die, what isn't she capable of? Or what if Hee-joo tries to talk to Joong-won while he's like this (not dead, but in a coma) and tries to convince him to go with her?

Notice how, in all my scenarios, Joong-won isn't actually dead, but in a coma. I hope that the Hong sisters will subvert this somehow, like him being in a coma and not, in fact dead. Just let me believe it, please.

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He can't possibly actually be dead, there are four episodes left! And he didn't look as pale as the other ghosts who were dead, so I'm hoping against hope he isn't.

*starts the Save Joong-won Prayer Circle*

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Let's start "No amnesia/time jump" circle. It's obvious he is not dead.

Good skin color and he wants to touch his girl. Certainly alive.

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He went into the light, so there are two options.
(1) He is dead and is moving on. This makes no sense whatsoever, because wouldn't he have an unfinished business (or, rather 24673282657 businesses?)
(2) He soul is going back into the body.

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I feel like rather than gaining the ability to see ghosts, he might lose his anti-ghost bomb safety shelter abilities. This would mean that technically GS would have no more 'use' for JW except of course that she loves him. Therefore he might try to get her to leave him now that he's useless and call their deal off. Then GS would have to admit her feelings for him and that she valued HIM not his ability to chase away ghosts. I hope so anyway!

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Yes, I like your theory! Hope so!

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I hope so too. Or at least for him not to be dead. I would have to swear off the Hong Sisters' dramas then. :0

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I think he's not even in a real coma, but an induced coma for the operation. But then again, wouldn't he see that he didn't flatline yet? Why go to Gong Shil and tell her you're dead? argh... I hope this is the last time I make scenarios till wednesday comes, but I just can't! And I'm losing time over this! A freakin' unreal drama :'(

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I'm not a minnow. I keep getting these messages from dramafever about heirs and it's pissing me off. I'm currently watching 2 weeks ( after I finished oohlala viki chose for me.) I'm also watching I hear your voice and I'm sooo happy that I didn't watch it live. Just waiting the few seconds for the next episode to load is torture. I love the ost and I don't think there is anything wrong with the court cases. I like all of the characters.

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Hello Beanies,

Just checking in. I am behind on everything. Trying to watch Master's Sun, Who Are You , and Good Doctor. Barefoot Friends. Also T Drama Love Around. ....eventually. As I said, I am behind on all, so I am not not reading many of the posts due to not watching to catch spoilers.

Coursework is just going to intensify, and dramas may have to slide off the grid. I am totally procrastinating on coursework as I type because I just need a friggin break. That said I will be pulling my hair out over the weekend on the lost time.

Happy viewing Beanies!

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Hi guys, just dropping by to share this with you all

The soompi ytblss community have decided to give special awards for memorable scenes and characters from ytblss, and we would really appreciate if you guys take part in the voting. Link to vote is here:

http://goo.gl/8HP50u%3Cbr

Thanks and happy weekend to you all! :)

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To forget the humiliation of being fired I've been burying my self in dramas.

Faith- Brilliant chemistry with the main and secondary couples. Good, albeit repetitive at times, writing but how it was filmed was a bit bland. Drooling over LMH makes up for a lot though.

Secret Garden- Hot to burning chemistry but lacklustre plot and gets too close to No Means Yes territory for my comfort. The last episodes are sitting on my hard drive probably never to be watched.

Her Legacy has seriously picked up it's game in the last few weeks. My fingers are crossed that JS backbone isn't a temporary thing.

There's no way he's dead but I'm still expecting something awful like GS leaving to protect JW or them copying the book and someone is gets amnesia.

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I'm sorry you've been fired! Fighting!

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Sorry, Patch. Wudalchi power forever!

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sorry about you being fired. hope you get a better job soon

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Sorry to hear that!

As for dramas, for Faith, I love the chemistry between the couples. The Lee Min Ho-Kim Hee Sun pairing is a little strange, but in the show they complement each other really well I guess. I prefer the king-queen couple. So much growth of the characters as the show progresses.

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Thanks for the words of comfort guys! I'm giving myself tomorrow to wrap up the wallowing then it's 100% to the job hunt.

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I'm late so maybe no one will see this but whatever. Anyways I dropped Who Are You after episode 13 because the thing I hate most in this world is when well where I see the story going with Kim Jae Wook looking like he might not be dead. So that leaves Two Weeks as the only drama I'm still watching so I've been getting into drama specials I've only seen two so far.

Happy Rose Day- Honestly I'm not sure if I liked this one, but I was never bored. Also I never hated anyone, I felt like I should have hated the 3 adults but I didn't. The story itself kind of bothered me because the wife was having a full on affair and her husbands was just emotional just the tone seemed to imply that the husbands wasn't as bad and I'm not sure I agree. The two biggest feelings I came away with were it's nice to see Jung Woong In do something other than psychopath and Sohee is hot.

Don't Worry I'm a Ghost- For the most part I really liked it even if I saw the "twist" coming about 2 seconds in, I just didn't expect the ending to be quite that bleak. I mean most of it was basically a rom-com and then that ending like I said I saw the twist but I thought there would be redemption or a new romance or forgiveness or something. Also is it wrong that if a ghost as beautiful as Park Shin Hye wanted to date me I'd do it.

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Whhaaaaattt? He might not be dead? Ok, I had been stuck on 11 but now I'm going back to it. It's so infinitely boring and the scared face of the leading lady bothers me but if the show goes crazy then I'll give it one more shot!

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Yes, keep watching /

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I kinda raised an eyebrow with comatose ex n Who are you? as well. I wasn't sure if they had laid the groundwork for all that or if the writers just kinda just decided to go there. I mean, how could the cops not know it was another body and not oppa's body?

I was tempted to watch Rose Day but after googling reviews I got the feeling I'd come away from it al unsettled.

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Is Wang family worth starting?

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Hiiiiiiiiiiiii Beanies

Well I am watching my only drama in months, literally. Golden Empire, can't say its the best out there, but it is intriguing. Now I am stuck at episode 17! Th time-jump is too big and the heroin is miserable. I hate it!
Someone tell me if it's worth it to keep watching for the end, pleaseeeeeeeee.

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Golden Empire has lots of twists and turns. If you are hoping for the romance to kick in then it is not going to happen. However, there is a lot of power struggle. I keep watching it for the love of Go Soo and Lee Wo Yeon.

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First, your new website banner is awesome: "We make everything dirty" indeed!

Second, I was trying to recover from the madness that was "The Master's Sun" Ep. 12 by watching "King's Family," but then I realized the actress who plays the main guy's aunt in "King's Family" is the same one who plays the coma hotel-loving ajumma "ghost" in "The Master's Sun." Is there no escape? A few more days until Wednesday...

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Beaners, again late post, hiks...
Only watch 2 dramas: Master's Sun and Empire of Gold.
Me love intense and kind of noir dramas.
Don't have the energy to watch Two Weeks, but heard that it is also much intense than Master's Sun and equals to Empire of Gold.

I just don't understand Seol-Hee and I hope I never been in her shoe. She has to sleep with stranger, really? She has to give up her freedom for Tae-Joo, Really? And then became his mistress, REALLY?

Where that leads her?

Or is the writer really want to emphasize the Hitler-Eva relationship in Tae-Joo-Seol-Hee? If that's the case, I kind of understand. OK, so Tae-Joo is Hitler, who long to have the power on his hand and forget everything, even human souls. Oups.....

That's really dark.

To lighten up the mood, I watch 2D1N (there's a bit improvement here... TW & HJ with dogs... lovely!), Cool Kiz on the Block (wow... National athlete training centre, that's insane. But really, I salute them.), Dancing 9 (but too many crying happened here. It kind of distracting), and Master Chef (both Korean and US, always successful in making me hungry and want to try Korean food and cuisine food. They even make Frittata like one of God's heavenly menu) and of course RM (those episode with idols made me watch over and over and over again. I never thought L could be that powerful...).

Oh, not to mention 'The Fall', The Killing', 'The Bridge' and 'Jo'. They are GOOD (in my taste).

There goes my weekend.................................

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Hi there Beanies. Newbie commenter here but been lurking for a while. I am enjoying the intelligent conversation around here. Presently watching Master's Sun and Her Legend. I have been following So Ji Sup's dramas and Iam just falling in love with this gorgeous man.
So anybody here knows where I can watch Glass Slippers with English subs? They have the DVDs on Amazon but I don't know for sure if they are subbed. Do they sell subbed DVDs of korean dramas?
Hope your week is going great.

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Well, I figure nobody is posting here any longer--so this won't be seen, but I am COMPELLED to post it any how. What was the deal with the last episode of "Who Are You?" It was like it was a totally different show! The second to the last episode had the ending and the last was just a bunch of random happenings that had (almost) nothing to do with the previous episodes.

(I'm not going to post any spoilers if anyone hasn't watched the last episode, yet. I wish I hadn't.)

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