Yes, my last post was “The Best of 2007,” but rather than put up a Worst list, I’m lumping them all together with The Rest. Not all the dramas I’m mentioning here are bad; they’re just dramas I watched that didn’t belong in the Best list.

SONG OF THE DAY

War of Money OST – “알 수 없는 일” (unknowable thing) by Sweet Sorrow [ Download ]

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Read the rest of The Year in Review, Part 4: The Rest of 2007 (4,355 words)

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Post tags: Air City, Auction House, Bad Couple, Capital Scandal, Goong S, Hello! Miss, Legend, Oh Su Jung, War of Money, Witch Amusement, year in review

 
I find the following article (indented stuff in dark blue font is the translated article; the rest are my comments) particularly interesting because I’ve thought this topic over a lot in the past, and pretty much completely disagree — not with the article’s logic, but the conclusion. The piece draws upon comparisons between kdramas and their American drama counterparts, which have multiple-season structures that differ from the kdrama format (of single-season, finite series). I have long believed — strongly, at that — that in this respect, the kdrama format far outstrips the U.S. model.

But I’ll get more into that after the article. First, here’s what it’s got to say:

“Demanding More Seasons of Television Dramas”

When popular dramas end, you’ll find these sorts of comments on the audience message boards: “Produce a season 2!” That was the case not long ago with MBC’s Coffee Prince Store #1, as well as Time of Dog and Wolf.

 
(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

The Hi-Lights – “Mister Tambourine” [ zShare download ]

 
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Read the rest of Sequel Mania (1,805 words)

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Post tags: Auction House, Bad Couple, Bad Family, drama production, drama ratings, Hello Franceska, Lovers, sequels

Don’t worry, that’s just the first scene of the episode. I’d have picked a more cheerful one, but I didn’t want to spoil anything. Even if it is the last episode so there’s not a whole lot I can spoil at this point.

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Sol Flower – “Kiss the Kids,” a 25-year-old singer whose real name is Min Hana. She may be described as R&B, but that (to me) suggests a pop sensibiilty, and this is more… indie-soul? [ zShare download ]

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Read the rest of Bad Couple: Episode 16 (Final) (1,566 words)

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Post tags: Bad Couple, Byun Jung-soo, Choi Jung-yoon, Ryu Soo-young, Shin Eun-kyung, Yoo Gun

So here’s the thing. I liked how Bad Couple ended in their last two episodes (15 & 16). I liked the resolutions and the character wrap-up. What I didn’t like, then, was how these resolutions were presented. Story = decent. Execution = hated.

I kinda hesitate to give my full honest opinion on the ending because I don’t want to ruin the satisfaction others may get from what is, in the end, a nicely wrapped-up story. It’s just that as I was watching the last two episodes, everything felt really weirdly off-balance. The editing felt slapdash, the music cues were off, the scenes went on a little too long, the dialogue tended to meander. I wonder if the production was really pressed for time — I know that final weeks are tough in kdrama production, as you can read for yourself here. Personally, I think they ran out of story, and what could’ve been one episode was stretched into two.

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Tei – “나무” (namu / tree) [ zShare download ]

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Read the rest of Bad Couple: Episode 15 (1,005 words)

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Post tags: Bad Couple, Ryu Soo-young, Shin Eun-kyung

Ryu Su Young (Gi Chan) is really good this episode. Really good. Nobody does heartfelt cornball adoration as believably and adorably as him.

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Biuret – “사랑해요” (I Love You). I really like the chorus and its intense overlapping harmonies from this song by all-female rock band Biuret. [ zShare download ]

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Read the rest of Bad Couple: Episode 14 (1,602 words)

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Post tags: Bad Couple, Ryu Soo-young, Shin Eun-kyung

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Noblesse – “이별이 버릇이 됐어” (Goodbye has become a habit) [ zShare download ]

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Read the rest of Bad Couple: Episode 13 (1,830 words)

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Post tags: Bad Couple, Ryu Soo-young, Shin Eun-kyung

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Kim Dong Wan – “My Love” featuring Eric (and written by Minwoo, I believe?). I mentioned previously that I wasn’t that impressed with Kim Dong Wan’s solo album. There were a few tracks I thought were all right, like this one, which doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is my general critique of the rest of the album. [ zShare download ]

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Read the rest of Bad Couple: Episode 12 (1,570 words)

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Post tags: Bad Couple, Ryu Soo-young, Shin Eun-kyung

While I’m waiting for the latest episode to upload, I figured I’d knock off a quick song-lyric post. They’re the lyrics from the “Gi Chan said”/”Dang Ja said” songs that feature prominently in Bad Couple, since they seem particularly meaningful in context.

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Read the rest of Bad Couple: He Said, She Said (789 words)

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Post tags: Bad Couple, song lyrics

Bad Couple is funny again! Let’s all rejoice. The show’s at its best when Dang Ja’s being her most outrageous, audacious self, and today we saw plenty of the ridiculous to laugh at.

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Lee Minwoo – “La Noche Bonita.” I don’t have a strong opinion on Shinhwa, only that of the various members’ solo material, I prefer Lee Minwoo’s. With Kim Dong Wan also recently releasing his first solo album, it could be seen as a face-off between him and Minwoo’s newest, but to me it’s no contest (I wasn’t impressed with KDW’s). [ zShare download ]

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Read the rest of Bad Couple: Episode 11 (1,848 words)

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Post tags: Bad Couple, Ryu Soo-young, Shin Eun-kyung

Oh man, this episode was sad too! I think I cried more than I did in Episode 9… but while Episode 9 gradually became sadder and ended at a low (emotional) point, at least Episode 10 swung upward at the end, to give us some more hope. And at least Gi Chan and Dang Ja started talking again (kind of) — I’ve missed him.

(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Eru – “I’ll Promise” [ zShare download ]

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Read the rest of Bad Couple: Episode 10 (1,273 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2007. | Permalink | 16 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bad Couple, Ryu Soo-young, Shin Eun-kyung