This channel Steeler TV is my new favourite thing on YouTube. There are history clips of K-actors and actresses (leads, supporting, and the occasional scene stealers) right from their very first projects to the most current ones. Pick any of your favourite actors or actresses and you’ll see a collection of their projects in less than 10 minutes (what a great time saver). It’s also super addictive so don’t say I didn’t warn you.
What’s so interesting about these clips is you can see that some of them literally grow up on screen (Kim Min-jung and Yeo Jin-gu, for example, were actual toddlers when they debuted). Some have had longer careers than others so you’ll see some ancient dramas and movies of the 90s (I’ve had to stifle my laughter caused by the terrible hair and fashion). Some have always had that special spark even early in their careers, while others started from playing (very, very) small supporting roles before getting where they are now (Jung Woo has played gangsters number 10 to 1, it seems, before having his big break).
However my favourite kind of growth is reserved for those who started out really bad and cringe-worthy, and as they gained experience, they became better and better with each completed project. It is so satisfying to watch, and the best example is Seo Hyun-jin here (I still think that sageuk is her forte but she’s also deserving of her romcom queen status).
Writer Lee Soo-yeon: So… there’s this new drama that I’m writing, about hospital politics…
Jo Seung-woo: I’m in and I want to be the bad guy this time, even better if it’s his boss *points to Yoo Jae-myung*
Me: The table has turned and I’m so ready to give up my conscience and root for this villain come premiere day of Life. I don’t want to jinx it by being overly excited (even though I am super excited), but listen to his line deliveries, this is going to be so good!! I think I’ll claim him My Oppa now, before other beanies beat me to it. Jo Seung-woo is MINE, okay? ^^
I’m pretty sure others has claim him tho. lol
But seriously, I mean, LDW is good and all but he is Jo Seung Woo, so~
All the villains in other medical dramas that I watched before must be judging me hard rn
Actor whiplash is real. I recently found some YouTube videos of JSW in the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch and I was SHOOK. I will definitely check out Life for him (and Lee Dong-wook). I don’t know if I’ll stick with it as medical dramas aren’t my thing, but I have to witness JSW being a villain!
Just in case you need more proof of Jung Kyung-ho’s amazing range and comic timing, here’s a hilarious clip full of gems from “Falling for Innocence”. I watch this whenever I need a bit of a laugh.
I’ve enjoyed many of his performances since he was a young, spoiled star in “I’m Sorry, I Love You”, followed by “Time Between Dog and Wolf”. But it was not until “Heartless City” that I became a fan for life, and he became an actor whose work I’d always look forward to watching. He can do romance as effortlessly as bromance, and can switch from melo to comedy easily.
I’ve suffered through less than stellar drama because of him (stupid Missing Nine is possibly the stupidest drama that I couldn’t bear to drop, all because JKH’s acting kept drawing me back in), and I’m so happy that his last two consecutive projects have been great and required no effort to keep pressing the play button. Wise Prison Life remains one of my favourites this year and it looks like Life on Mars is not far behind.
I loved him so so much in One More Happy Ending that I had to go back and watch as many of his shows as I could while waiting for new eps of OMHE! Love at first sight with him in a drag but this look confirmed it- all within a span of one ep-
Falling for Innocence was hilarious. And Heartless City was brilliant. Missing Nine a struggle- bt I don’t regret it cuz I still loved him in it.
And WPL has my heart. At least till LoM manages to snag it away.
Yes no one can do endearing beta-male as well as JKH (Choi Woo-shik is a contender). I enjoyed the beginning of Smile, You but I dropped it because it was getting too long, lol. I never watch a 50-episode drama unless it’s a sageuk.
He was so good in Prison Playbook and that’s the first I saw of him. Thank you for the rest of his filmography. I might have to check Heartless City out!
You must! His performance in Heartless City is on another level and so worth fangirling over. It’s also the drama that first put jTBC on the map for me. Back then shows by cable channels were rare, and a good one like this came along and made me appreciate what TvN and jTBC were trying to do to shake up the drama landscape. And look where they are now.
Here’s one of the 1000 variations of Jung Kyung-ho’s “I’m so done with you guys” face, and I live for all of them. Please, more of these, and less actual pain caused by serial killer dad.
I\’ve never shouted so many expletives at a preview before Life on Mars. Who dares put Ms Yoon in the white dress of doom? NO! NOT MY MS YOON!!!!! And if that\’s her movie date outfit we\’re going to have words, writer-nim. How can you break my heart like this? What is it with the 1980s and tragic movie dates? Let the lovebirds watch the movie in peace without some serial killer messing everything up! *remembered Signal’s cinema scene and cried some more*
Ikr? If that woman is indeed Yoon Na-young, it’s only going to make Tae-joo’s traumatic memory become even more traumatic. Please spare us that horrible twist, writer-nim.
And Tae-joo’s dad too! I knew there was something dodgy about him the moment he stepped out of the bathroom stall. But then he was also shown to be a loving husband and a doting dad (sincerely, and not just a facade). So like Tae-joo, I was going to adopt a wait and see attitude and not pass judgment so soon. But it looks more and more likely that dad is indeed the culprit and if Ms Yoon is also involved in this, that is the worst possible scenario for Tae-joo.
OMG I just fully understood your post and realized the woman being hit in TJ’s memories is wearing a white dress, like NY’s. ☹😢 omgomgomgomgomgfreakingout
I can’t stop thinking about the preview for Life on Mars’ episode 7. It looks like they’re going to tackle the real life case of Ji Kang-heon, a convict who escaped from a prison transfer bus while en route to another jail and took some hostages in a house in 1988. He left behind a now famous saying of “유전무죄 무전유죄” which means “The rich is innocent, while the poor is guilty”.
Colour me impressed that this production team is able to adapt the original story of Life on Mars while incorporating cases that are relevant to South Korea, and giving it a cultural meaning. I wonder if the manicure serial murder is a variation of the cold case of Hwaseong serial murder which is also featured in Memories of Murder, Signal and Tunnel.
Out of all the repercussions of Tae-joo’s time travel, aunt Mal-sook got the shortest end of the stick. The poor thing. Imagine having a crush on the grown-up version of your little nephew.
Protect sweet, smart (and badass) officer Yoon Na-young at all costs. I find that when I watch dramas, initially it’s the male characters that draw me in, but ultimately the female characters are the deciding factors whether I stay for the long run or drop it.
Let’s put aside the ridiculous fact that this visitation room (with the long wooden table, stained glass windows and candles) can possibly exist in a real prison, and appreciate the genius of this scene. The lighting director for Come and Hug Me deserves a nod here. The light play on this monster’s face is not only very effective at delivering the point of the dialogue. It also makes him look even more monstrous and I’d believe it if you tell me he’s the devil himself.
Being a death row inmate, how did Yoon Hee-jae have access to TV and was able to watch the reporter’s investigation show? Don’t lie to me. The inmates from “Wise Prison Life” can only watch Screening Humanity on repeat and no other channel.
This guy here, Senior Officer Choi Myung-ho, shall be inducted into my personal Hall of Fame of favourite second leads, joining the likes of Chilbongie and Nam-gil sunbae. Congratulations, you!
I can’t shout from the top of my lungs that Shin Dong-wook is THE BEST ACTOR EVER, but he has such an easy charm, and I have a soft spot for him since his performance in Soulmate (more than 10 years ago, and he still looks the same!) I wish him well in his acting comeback and hope that he will be healthy enough to continue collecting experiences and improving his craft by taking supporting roles in quality projects like this one. His character in LIVE did not have much of a growth arc because he was written to be so perfect to begin with (seriously he’s unreal, in a show that’s depicting realism), I still appreciate his performance as he still seems human, and not a flawless robot. Fighting, Shin Dong-wook!
I can’t wait to see what he does next because he is both lovely to look at, but also a damn fine actor. He is handling his comeback in a really smart way by taking roles that aren’t necessarily front and center but are definitely high impact.
Shin Dong Wook is gorgeous and he played Officer Choi exceptionally well, and he does have a righteous temper in it (he wasn’t all perfect when he pummeled the human traffickers in his rage)! But I’m glad he didn’t end up with her. He needs someone softer, more demure. He would have gotten hurt with her, repeatedly.
While taking a gander at your great screen caps of LIFE ON MARS and COME HERE AND HUG ME (I completely agree about the visitation room at the prison!), I was tickled to see your post for Senior Officer Choi Myung-ho. Pleased to meet a fellow fan of the character and Shin Dong-wook — and SOUL MATE. LIVE was a great and gritty drama, and I loved it to bits. Both it and LOOKOUT were great projects for SDW’s return to acting. I’m keeping my eyes peeled for his next role. Thanks for the screen caps. 😉
I’ve got SLS and I’ve got it bad. Send help. Or simply give me a good reason why I should root for Jeong-oh to pick Sang-soo over Myeong-ho. Because right now it’s no contest.
You guys, Life on Mars’ first episode is amazing. For me it definitely came up as the winner in the current crops of new dramas premiering this week. The combination of Jung Kyung-ho plus Lee Jung-hyo PD is love. I got flashbacks of Baksa Adeul in Heartless City (and same music director too. Yay for Nam Hye-seung!). All the main characters are so well-acted that there’s no one I dislike right away, and I think they’re only going to become more endearing later on. Park Sung-woong and Oh Dae-hwan are hilarious, and Go Ah-sung is a sweet cinnamon roll but I think she’s just hiding her sass for now. It’s a pity that Jeon Hye-bin is only a special appearance as she has a good chemistry with JKH
I’m surprised viu gives us so many good dramas lately. After Secretary Kim, I didn’t expect VIU will pick up another cable drama. I’m glad I prolonged my subscription.
I think that VIU really is the best subscription services currently available out there. They do not seem to run into the same licensing restrictions that affect DF and Viki. I also think they are benefited by only being available in a small region and by not having to deal with US licensing as well.
In the first episode of Come and Hug Me, the casting director mentioned stock scenes that rookie actors always seem to re-enact during auditions. For the men, it was Kim Rae-won’s famous line in the movie Sunflower “Do you really have to take everything away to be satisfied?” delivered in full angst mode; while for the women, Han Jae-yi repeatedly screamed “I love you, mister” while in tears.
I didn’t immediately recognise the latter but I was very curious as I felt like I’ve seen this scene before. Then after racking my brain, it came to me that she was re-enacting Im Soo-jung’s confession to So Ji-sub from I’m Sorry, I Love You that I watched many years ago. Here’s the original, so enjoy!
OK so I went from “Poor baby… come here and I’ll give you a hug” to “OMG hot detective… I need a hug too” in two seconds flat. Jang Ki-yong’s quite good here and his acting has matured from when I first saw him in Go Back Couple. Not saying that he was bad back then, as I love me some Nam-gil sunbae. But I’m glad he had the chance to work with PD Kim Won-seok and the rest of the amazing casts in My Ajusshi before taking his first lead role. He must’ve learned lots from his sunbaes under PD Kim’s guidance, and Gwang-il is the perfect character to test his acting depth before tackling Na-moo/Do-jin. If he keeps improving at this rate, he’ll have a bright future ahead. Breakout actor of the year, or is it too early to call?
Definitely breakout actor of the year for me. Too early only because it’s June now.
I guess some detractors may say it is too early because he debut only a couple of years back. However, I am placing my bets on this guy because:
1) he has shown that he has range. No doubt he has just gotten his lead role in CAHM but in those smaller roles, web dramas etc he played diverse characters and played them well.
2) he can play both protagonist and antagonist convincingly. Not many acrtors can even the very famous ones. Take your screencaps for example. He’s heart-achingly good in that scene where he broke down. And the one where he walked down the alley and gripped the knife. If he was the assailant, I would totally buy it.
3) control – something that most actors even the older ones do not possess. Melodrama can be a good showcase for acting skills but it’s not easy either. Some especially the new ones can’t emote and so they fall flat. Just as bad or if maybe worse are those who kills every single scene with their melodramatic acting – Eyes popping out of their sockets, snarls, knitted eyebrows, knowing smile etc. Apparently audience love it but I don’t. I love this guy’s ability to keep his emotions under lid yet somehow managed to convey them to us.
Jang Ki-yong does have range, I can give him that. And more importantly the guts to play diverse characters, even outwardly despicable ones, as evident in My Ajusshi. I was very surprised when I saw him own his antagonist role without holding back. He beat the crap out of the nation’s little sister IU, and here I was worrying for the repercussions on his image, while at the same time applauding him for his project choices. He needed that role to show that he’s serious about moving on from being a pretty model-actor to a serious actor.
Not many up-and-coming actors are gutsy enough to do this, hell even the so-called “stars” are stuck playing the same type of characters over and over again, whether as a result of image preservation or due to lack of range, or perhaps both. All I know is this will inevitably result in a stagnant career. Fans know, and they will just move on to the next big thing once the old one gets stale. Real actors should be able to play anything, and these select few are the ones who will be able to have a long-lasting career. So I admire his passion and wish him all the best.
I didn’t give much thought to it but you are right about him having the guts to play the antagonist in My Ajusshi.
Good looks can work against you especially if you are serious about acting. It helps that he looks more mature than his age. Not old but has that certain edge which makes it more believable when he plays these complex roles.
Many stars aren’t good actors. Most are decent but lack the range and depth. The true thespians don’t act like stars.
“Good looks can work against you especially if you are serious about acting”. I agree with this. I like Song Joong-ki enough but it occurred to me that despite his talents, his looks actually severely limits and is a big disadvantage when it comes to the type of characters that he can play. I had high hopes that he would go down the actor path and work hard to overcome this handicap, but who knows.
“The true thespians don’t act like stars”. Ain’t that the truth. Park Hae-il comes to mind. He’s always solid, and so versatile that he can play any role and disappears into it. But I bet the majority of audience “forgot” about him when he’s not actively promoting since he’s not very high-profile, and is quite happy to stay under the radar until it’s time to re-surface and blow everyone’s mind again.
I Googled Jang Ki-yong’s background and it looks like he attended university with a musical theater and performing arts major, which explains a lot. At any rate, I’m excited and look forward to seeing more of him.
I used to be a big fan of SJK as well, back in SKKS day and even TWDR. Logically, I can understand why he chose to do DOTS as his comeback project. He was fresh out of the army and being out of the public eye for so long probably means that a blockbuster KES-penned drama is the surest and fastest way to gain his fame back, and earn some big bucks from advertisers. I’d even say he was smart. However it doesn’t mean that I’m not disappointed with his choice; and I regret that my respect for him has waned a bit, because now it looks like he’s mainly in the industry as a calculating businessman, and being a true thespian is only an after-thought. I’m still open-minded though, and will wait for the day I can say I’m his fan again.
I didn’t like him in Nice Guy although I know he shot to greater heights of popularity with that drama and even won some award. So, by the time DOTS came, my interest had waned. It’s not easy to do melo, that’s why I am appreciative of JKY in this role.
I just hope SJK can be good in his new drama, I like the writer and especially the PD!
The most admiring part of Him acting Na Moo is that he kept his whole face straight while only his eyes did the work in most scenes. But when he grabbed the knife he delivered all emotions through words and facial expressions while keeping his eyes cold and gaze straight.
I am very, very much impressed with JKY here. Many of his most effective scenes so far have been with him just gazing at JKJ’s character. He is able to convey longing, sadness and regret with just his eyes.
Melona
July 8, 2018 at 1:35 AM
This channel Steeler TV is my new favourite thing on YouTube. There are history clips of K-actors and actresses (leads, supporting, and the occasional scene stealers) right from their very first projects to the most current ones. Pick any of your favourite actors or actresses and you’ll see a collection of their projects in less than 10 minutes (what a great time saver). It’s also super addictive so don’t say I didn’t warn you.
What’s so interesting about these clips is you can see that some of them literally grow up on screen (Kim Min-jung and Yeo Jin-gu, for example, were actual toddlers when they debuted). Some have had longer careers than others so you’ll see some ancient dramas and movies of the 90s (I’ve had to stifle my laughter caused by the terrible hair and fashion). Some have always had that special spark even early in their careers, while others started from playing (very, very) small supporting roles before getting where they are now (Jung Woo has played gangsters number 10 to 1, it seems, before having his big break).
However my favourite kind of growth is reserved for those who started out really bad and cringe-worthy, and as they gained experience, they became better and better with each completed project. It is so satisfying to watch, and the best example is Seo Hyun-jin here (I still think that sageuk is her forte but she’s also deserving of her romcom queen status).
Come and follow me into the rabbit hole.
Kudo Ran
July 8, 2018 at 9:46 AM
thx for sharing I’ll check some from time to time, so many familiar faces ^^
Melona
July 3, 2018 at 2:46 AM
Writer Lee Soo-yeon: So… there’s this new drama that I’m writing, about hospital politics…
Jo Seung-woo: I’m in and I want to be the bad guy this time, even better if it’s his boss *points to Yoo Jae-myung*
Me: The table has turned and I’m so ready to give up my conscience and root for this villain come premiere day of Life. I don’t want to jinx it by being overly excited (even though I am super excited), but listen to his line deliveries, this is going to be so good!! I think I’ll claim him My Oppa now, before other beanies beat me to it. Jo Seung-woo is MINE, okay? ^^
HANI
July 3, 2018 at 2:54 AM
I’m pretty sure others has claim him tho. lol
But seriously, I mean, LDW is good and all but he is Jo Seung Woo, so~
All the villains in other medical dramas that I watched before must be judging me hard rn
seoul_searcher
July 3, 2018 at 5:19 AM
Jo seung woo seemed borderline bad in secret forest because of his cold character but now he gets to go all out 👏🏼
Sunflowerdiva
July 3, 2018 at 8:36 PM
Actor whiplash is real. I recently found some YouTube videos of JSW in the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch and I was SHOOK. I will definitely check out Life for him (and Lee Dong-wook). I don’t know if I’ll stick with it as medical dramas aren’t my thing, but I have to witness JSW being a villain!
Melona
July 2, 2018 at 3:16 AM
Just in case you need more proof of Jung Kyung-ho’s amazing range and comic timing, here’s a hilarious clip full of gems from “Falling for Innocence”. I watch this whenever I need a bit of a laugh.
I’ve enjoyed many of his performances since he was a young, spoiled star in “I’m Sorry, I Love You”, followed by “Time Between Dog and Wolf”. But it was not until “Heartless City” that I became a fan for life, and he became an actor whose work I’d always look forward to watching. He can do romance as effortlessly as bromance, and can switch from melo to comedy easily.
I’ve suffered through less than stellar drama because of him (stupid Missing Nine is possibly the stupidest drama that I couldn’t bear to drop, all because JKH’s acting kept drawing me back in), and I’m so happy that his last two consecutive projects have been great and required no effort to keep pressing the play button. Wise Prison Life remains one of my favourites this year and it looks like Life on Mars is not far behind.
ObsessedMuch
July 2, 2018 at 3:25 AM
I loved him so so much in One More Happy Ending that I had to go back and watch as many of his shows as I could while waiting for new eps of OMHE! Love at first sight with him in a drag but this look confirmed it- all within a span of one ep-
Falling for Innocence was hilarious. And Heartless City was brilliant. Missing Nine a struggle- bt I don’t regret it cuz I still loved him in it.
And WPL has my heart. At least till LoM manages to snag it away.
Melona
July 2, 2018 at 4:46 AM
I didn’t watch One More Happy Ending, probably wasn’t in the mood for a romcom at the time. But I must say JKH looked great in your screencap.
Kudo Ran
July 2, 2018 at 3:28 AM
I LOVE that scene from Falling for Innocence so funny x) , he has a lot of good dramas , I still have to watch Heartless city and a few other ^^’
Melona
July 2, 2018 at 4:54 AM
He’s always so entertaining and a joy to watch.
yongsital 🐧 ❄️
July 2, 2018 at 4:13 AM
He’s good in Smile You too! He was so dorky/funny and had amazing chemistry with Lee Min Jung!
Melona
July 2, 2018 at 4:49 AM
Yes no one can do endearing beta-male as well as JKH (Choi Woo-shik is a contender). I enjoyed the beginning of Smile, You but I dropped it because it was getting too long, lol. I never watch a 50-episode drama unless it’s a sageuk.
yongsital 🐧 ❄️
July 2, 2018 at 6:22 AM
It did run long and I admit the parents had me rolling my eyes quite a bit but how NOT to watch the otp cuteness.
Ally
July 2, 2018 at 4:39 AM
He was so good in Prison Playbook and that’s the first I saw of him. Thank you for the rest of his filmography. I might have to check Heartless City out!
Melona
July 2, 2018 at 4:53 AM
You must! His performance in Heartless City is on another level and so worth fangirling over. It’s also the drama that first put jTBC on the map for me. Back then shows by cable channels were rare, and a good one like this came along and made me appreciate what TvN and jTBC were trying to do to shake up the drama landscape. And look where they are now.
seoul_searcher
July 2, 2018 at 7:21 AM
Oh my god what a coincidence! I also have this clip on my favourites and watch it for a good laugh
Carolina
July 2, 2018 at 7:52 AM
adding Heartless City to my watch list, could not get though Missing nine. I love him in WPL ad LOM.
Melona
June 30, 2018 at 8:38 PM
I’m making moony eyes at maknae Nam-shik making moony eyes at Na-young who’s making moony eyes at Tae-joo…
Melona
June 30, 2018 at 8:18 PM
Here’s one of the 1000 variations of Jung Kyung-ho’s “I’m so done with you guys” face, and I live for all of them. Please, more of these, and less actual pain caused by serial killer dad.
JustMe
June 30, 2018 at 10:24 PM
Still hoping there MIGHT be a misunderstanding. Whatever it turns out to be— this show is great and i look forward to what will happen!
Melona
June 30, 2018 at 6:30 PM
I\’ve never shouted so many expletives at a preview before Life on Mars. Who dares put Ms Yoon in the white dress of doom? NO! NOT MY MS YOON!!!!! And if that\’s her movie date outfit we\’re going to have words, writer-nim. How can you break my heart like this? What is it with the 1980s and tragic movie dates? Let the lovebirds watch the movie in peace without some serial killer messing everything up! *remembered Signal’s cinema scene and cried some more*
gadis
June 30, 2018 at 7:08 PM
Ikr? If that woman is indeed Yoon Na-young, it’s only going to make Tae-joo’s traumatic memory become even more traumatic. Please spare us that horrible twist, writer-nim.
Melona
June 30, 2018 at 7:31 PM
And Tae-joo’s dad too! I knew there was something dodgy about him the moment he stepped out of the bathroom stall. But then he was also shown to be a loving husband and a doting dad (sincerely, and not just a facade). So like Tae-joo, I was going to adopt a wait and see attitude and not pass judgment so soon. But it looks more and more likely that dad is indeed the culprit and if Ms Yoon is also involved in this, that is the worst possible scenario for Tae-joo.
Sunflowerdiva
June 30, 2018 at 8:09 PM
Same, I’m both anticipating and dreading tomorrow’s episode! What a preview after this emotional, bloody roller-coaster from today!
yongsital 🐧 ❄️
June 30, 2018 at 10:34 PM
OMG I just fully understood your post and realized the woman being hit in TJ’s memories is wearing a white dress, like NY’s. ☹😢 omgomgomgomgomgfreakingout
Melona
June 28, 2018 at 3:03 AM
I can’t stop thinking about the preview for Life on Mars’ episode 7. It looks like they’re going to tackle the real life case of Ji Kang-heon, a convict who escaped from a prison transfer bus while en route to another jail and took some hostages in a house in 1988. He left behind a now famous saying of “유전무죄 무전유죄” which means “The rich is innocent, while the poor is guilty”.
Colour me impressed that this production team is able to adapt the original story of Life on Mars while incorporating cases that are relevant to South Korea, and giving it a cultural meaning. I wonder if the manicure serial murder is a variation of the cold case of Hwaseong serial murder which is also featured in Memories of Murder, Signal and Tunnel.
Melona
June 25, 2018 at 2:37 AM
Out of all the repercussions of Tae-joo’s time travel, aunt Mal-sook got the shortest end of the stick. The poor thing. Imagine having a crush on the grown-up version of your little nephew.
purplesheesh
June 25, 2018 at 6:59 AM
LOL. It was so awkward yet funny at the same time!
fencejumper
June 25, 2018 at 7:35 AM
The hand cream scene 😂
meowingme
June 25, 2018 at 6:52 PM
To be fair, she smothers the child version with love too ^^
Melona
June 23, 2018 at 10:14 PM
Protect sweet, smart (and badass) officer Yoon Na-young at all costs. I find that when I watch dramas, initially it’s the male characters that draw me in, but ultimately the female characters are the deciding factors whether I stay for the long run or drop it.
Melona
June 23, 2018 at 9:54 PM
All together now: AWWWWW….
Sorry my post keeps getting cut off so there are some random screenshot posts below
gadis
June 23, 2018 at 10:20 PM
Heh. Their twin smile is so adorbs.
blo
June 23, 2018 at 10:31 PM
Nice screenshot of the smile at the end. This drama is going to keep me up at night if I’m not careful.
Melona
June 23, 2018 at 9:51 PM
Melona
June 23, 2018 at 9:32 PM
Melona
June 23, 2018 at 9:31 PM
When you have a Tsundere boss…
Melona
June 23, 2018 at 4:27 PM
Let’s put aside the ridiculous fact that this visitation room (with the long wooden table, stained glass windows and candles) can possibly exist in a real prison, and appreciate the genius of this scene. The lighting director for Come and Hug Me deserves a nod here. The light play on this monster’s face is not only very effective at delivering the point of the dialogue. It also makes him look even more monstrous and I’d believe it if you tell me he’s the devil himself.
Being a death row inmate, how did Yoon Hee-jae have access to TV and was able to watch the reporter’s investigation show? Don’t lie to me. The inmates from “Wise Prison Life” can only watch Screening Humanity on repeat and no other channel.
Melona
June 23, 2018 at 2:54 AM
This guy here, Senior Officer Choi Myung-ho, shall be inducted into my personal Hall of Fame of favourite second leads, joining the likes of Chilbongie and Nam-gil sunbae. Congratulations, you!
I can’t shout from the top of my lungs that Shin Dong-wook is THE BEST ACTOR EVER, but he has such an easy charm, and I have a soft spot for him since his performance in Soulmate (more than 10 years ago, and he still looks the same!) I wish him well in his acting comeback and hope that he will be healthy enough to continue collecting experiences and improving his craft by taking supporting roles in quality projects like this one. His character in LIVE did not have much of a growth arc because he was written to be so perfect to begin with (seriously he’s unreal, in a show that’s depicting realism), I still appreciate his performance as he still seems human, and not a flawless robot. Fighting, Shin Dong-wook!
egads aka Dame Maggie
June 23, 2018 at 5:49 AM
I can’t wait to see what he does next because he is both lovely to look at, but also a damn fine actor. He is handling his comeback in a really smart way by taking roles that aren’t necessarily front and center but are definitely high impact.
Ally
June 23, 2018 at 5:59 AM
Shin Dong Wook is gorgeous and he played Officer Choi exceptionally well, and he does have a righteous temper in it (he wasn’t all perfect when he pummeled the human traffickers in his rage)! But I’m glad he didn’t end up with her. He needs someone softer, more demure. He would have gotten hurt with her, repeatedly.
PakalanaPikake
July 4, 2018 at 2:57 AM
@m3lon4,
While taking a gander at your great screen caps of LIFE ON MARS and COME HERE AND HUG ME (I completely agree about the visitation room at the prison!), I was tickled to see your post for Senior Officer Choi Myung-ho. Pleased to meet a fellow fan of the character and Shin Dong-wook — and SOUL MATE. LIVE was a great and gritty drama, and I loved it to bits. Both it and LOOKOUT were great projects for SDW’s return to acting. I’m keeping my eyes peeled for his next role. Thanks for the screen caps. 😉
Melona
June 18, 2018 at 12:33 AM
I’ve got SLS and I’ve got it bad. Send help. Or simply give me a good reason why I should root for Jeong-oh to pick Sang-soo over Myeong-ho. Because right now it’s no contest.
UmbrellaMan
June 18, 2018 at 1:10 AM
I did too, but they did such a great job with the loveline that you jump ship right beside her.
Cloggie
June 18, 2018 at 1:30 AM
And I liked how they ended up bonding over an arrest.
egads aka Dame Maggie
June 18, 2018 at 3:43 AM
I didn’t. I found Sang Soo to be too much, and veering on the creeper spectrum.
diniyuukie
June 18, 2018 at 5:05 AM
The rest of the drama will make it’s easier for you to root for Sang-su.
Ally
June 18, 2018 at 5:08 AM
You’ll end up ok, I promise. I was exactly where you are now.
Melona
June 9, 2018 at 9:12 PM
You guys, Life on Mars’ first episode is amazing. For me it definitely came up as the winner in the current crops of new dramas premiering this week. The combination of Jung Kyung-ho plus Lee Jung-hyo PD is love. I got flashbacks of Baksa Adeul in Heartless City (and same music director too. Yay for Nam Hye-seung!). All the main characters are so well-acted that there’s no one I dislike right away, and I think they’re only going to become more endearing later on. Park Sung-woong and Oh Dae-hwan are hilarious, and Go Ah-sung is a sweet cinnamon roll but I think she’s just hiding her sass for now. It’s a pity that Jeon Hye-bin is only a special appearance as she has a good chemistry with JKH
UmbrellaMan
June 9, 2018 at 9:26 PM
Where did you find it and was it subbed??
Melona
June 9, 2018 at 9:39 PM
Yes it’s subbed 🙂 The sub is from VIU
UmbrellaMan
June 9, 2018 at 10:36 PM
This is good and bad news. Good because subs will be fast because they will be ripped from VIU. But bad because I don’t get VIU.
mano
June 10, 2018 at 12:24 AM
I’m surprised viu gives us so many good dramas lately. After Secretary Kim, I didn’t expect VIU will pick up another cable drama. I’m glad I prolonged my subscription.
UmbrellaMan
June 10, 2018 at 7:49 AM
I think that VIU really is the best subscription services currently available out there. They do not seem to run into the same licensing restrictions that affect DF and Viki. I also think they are benefited by only being available in a small region and by not having to deal with US licensing as well.
mano
June 10, 2018 at 8:52 PM
Can you get VIU by using VPN proxy? It’s also cheaper than other streaming sites, I only pay 2.25 dollars for 1 month subscription.
UmbrellaMan
June 10, 2018 at 9:09 PM
Probably, but that is way to technical and too much effort. Hahahaha
Jenmole🍊
June 9, 2018 at 9:41 PM
I’m looking forward to the next episode!
daydee
June 9, 2018 at 10:19 PM
Oh gosh. You’re making me want to watch Heartless City right now. 🙂
seoul_searcher
June 9, 2018 at 10:22 PM
One thing I wanted from this show was the reunion between JKH and the PD to shine I’m so happy now 😁
purplesheesh
June 10, 2018 at 12:00 AM
JKH is giving me Kim Jae wook vibes 😄😄😄
Melona
June 4, 2018 at 2:47 AM
Check out this hilarious TV ad series of Jang Ki-yong being the newbie employee with zero noonchi (but still cute)
outofthisworld 不愧是我 🏍
June 4, 2018 at 3:07 AM
Is there anything he can’t do?
Melona
June 4, 2018 at 3:09 AM
Happy to report that he’s got a great comedic timing. His expressions are on point!
outofthisworld 不愧是我 🏍
June 4, 2018 at 4:36 AM
oh yes, she nabbed him early! LOL!
Jenmole🍊
June 4, 2018 at 5:51 AM
I am!! And, he is!! I’m so happy right now, I’m speechless! 😂
Eries be the Light
June 4, 2018 at 5:55 AM
I’m laughing so much when I see him in this ads. He is so cutee…..
Melona
June 1, 2018 at 10:41 PM
In the first episode of Come and Hug Me, the casting director mentioned stock scenes that rookie actors always seem to re-enact during auditions. For the men, it was Kim Rae-won’s famous line in the movie Sunflower “Do you really have to take everything away to be satisfied?” delivered in full angst mode; while for the women, Han Jae-yi repeatedly screamed “I love you, mister” while in tears.
I didn’t immediately recognise the latter but I was very curious as I felt like I’ve seen this scene before. Then after racking my brain, it came to me that she was re-enacting Im Soo-jung’s confession to So Ji-sub from I’m Sorry, I Love You that I watched many years ago. Here’s the original, so enjoy!
Melona
June 1, 2018 at 9:48 PM
OK so I went from “Poor baby… come here and I’ll give you a hug” to “OMG hot detective… I need a hug too” in two seconds flat. Jang Ki-yong’s quite good here and his acting has matured from when I first saw him in Go Back Couple. Not saying that he was bad back then, as I love me some Nam-gil sunbae. But I’m glad he had the chance to work with PD Kim Won-seok and the rest of the amazing casts in My Ajusshi before taking his first lead role. He must’ve learned lots from his sunbaes under PD Kim’s guidance, and Gwang-il is the perfect character to test his acting depth before tackling Na-moo/Do-jin. If he keeps improving at this rate, he’ll have a bright future ahead. Breakout actor of the year, or is it too early to call?
outofthisworld 不愧是我 🏍
June 2, 2018 at 12:01 AM
Definitely breakout actor of the year for me. Too early only because it’s June now.
I guess some detractors may say it is too early because he debut only a couple of years back. However, I am placing my bets on this guy because:
1) he has shown that he has range. No doubt he has just gotten his lead role in CAHM but in those smaller roles, web dramas etc he played diverse characters and played them well.
2) he can play both protagonist and antagonist convincingly. Not many acrtors can even the very famous ones. Take your screencaps for example. He’s heart-achingly good in that scene where he broke down. And the one where he walked down the alley and gripped the knife. If he was the assailant, I would totally buy it.
3) control – something that most actors even the older ones do not possess. Melodrama can be a good showcase for acting skills but it’s not easy either. Some especially the new ones can’t emote and so they fall flat. Just as bad or if maybe worse are those who kills every single scene with their melodramatic acting – Eyes popping out of their sockets, snarls, knitted eyebrows, knowing smile etc. Apparently audience love it but I don’t. I love this guy’s ability to keep his emotions under lid yet somehow managed to convey them to us.
Melona
June 2, 2018 at 12:40 AM
Jang Ki-yong does have range, I can give him that. And more importantly the guts to play diverse characters, even outwardly despicable ones, as evident in My Ajusshi. I was very surprised when I saw him own his antagonist role without holding back. He beat the crap out of the nation’s little sister IU, and here I was worrying for the repercussions on his image, while at the same time applauding him for his project choices. He needed that role to show that he’s serious about moving on from being a pretty model-actor to a serious actor.
Not many up-and-coming actors are gutsy enough to do this, hell even the so-called “stars” are stuck playing the same type of characters over and over again, whether as a result of image preservation or due to lack of range, or perhaps both. All I know is this will inevitably result in a stagnant career. Fans know, and they will just move on to the next big thing once the old one gets stale. Real actors should be able to play anything, and these select few are the ones who will be able to have a long-lasting career. So I admire his passion and wish him all the best.
outofthisworld 不愧是我 🏍
June 2, 2018 at 1:13 AM
I didn’t give much thought to it but you are right about him having the guts to play the antagonist in My Ajusshi.
Good looks can work against you especially if you are serious about acting. It helps that he looks more mature than his age. Not old but has that certain edge which makes it more believable when he plays these complex roles.
Many stars aren’t good actors. Most are decent but lack the range and depth. The true thespians don’t act like stars.
Melona
June 2, 2018 at 3:41 AM
“Good looks can work against you especially if you are serious about acting”. I agree with this. I like Song Joong-ki enough but it occurred to me that despite his talents, his looks actually severely limits and is a big disadvantage when it comes to the type of characters that he can play. I had high hopes that he would go down the actor path and work hard to overcome this handicap, but who knows.
“The true thespians don’t act like stars”. Ain’t that the truth. Park Hae-il comes to mind. He’s always solid, and so versatile that he can play any role and disappears into it. But I bet the majority of audience “forgot” about him when he’s not actively promoting since he’s not very high-profile, and is quite happy to stay under the radar until it’s time to re-surface and blow everyone’s mind again.
I Googled Jang Ki-yong’s background and it looks like he attended university with a musical theater and performing arts major, which explains a lot. At any rate, I’m excited and look forward to seeing more of him.
outofthisworld 不愧是我 🏍
June 2, 2018 at 5:12 AM
I couldn’t watch DOTS. Like you I had hopes for SJK when I first saw him in SKKS. Let’s see how he does in his upcoming drama.
I like actors who keeps a low profile. Maybe it’s part of their job but I dislike fan service, self promotion or whatever you call it.
There are many actors I like who has theater background. I wonder if JKY has done any theater work before.
Melona
June 2, 2018 at 5:36 AM
I used to be a big fan of SJK as well, back in SKKS day and even TWDR. Logically, I can understand why he chose to do DOTS as his comeback project. He was fresh out of the army and being out of the public eye for so long probably means that a blockbuster KES-penned drama is the surest and fastest way to gain his fame back, and earn some big bucks from advertisers. I’d even say he was smart. However it doesn’t mean that I’m not disappointed with his choice; and I regret that my respect for him has waned a bit, because now it looks like he’s mainly in the industry as a calculating businessman, and being a true thespian is only an after-thought. I’m still open-minded though, and will wait for the day I can say I’m his fan again.
outofthisworld 不愧是我 🏍
June 2, 2018 at 6:11 AM
I didn’t like him in Nice Guy although I know he shot to greater heights of popularity with that drama and even won some award. So, by the time DOTS came, my interest had waned. It’s not easy to do melo, that’s why I am appreciative of JKY in this role.
I just hope SJK can be good in his new drama, I like the writer and especially the PD!
Playstore, Okay Or Not Okay
June 2, 2018 at 1:02 AM
The most admiring part of Him acting Na Moo is that he kept his whole face straight while only his eyes did the work in most scenes. But when he grabbed the knife he delivered all emotions through words and facial expressions while keeping his eyes cold and gaze straight.
DoubleFault
June 2, 2018 at 6:25 AM
I am very, very much impressed with JKY here. Many of his most effective scenes so far have been with him just gazing at JKJ’s character. He is able to convey longing, sadness and regret with just his eyes.
Playstore, Okay Or Not Okay
June 2, 2018 at 9:14 AM
Those eyes make me hear “So Far Away” in the bgm T_T