Smile is hitting exactly the right notes for me. Though not wildly innovative, there’s something organic and sweet about the pacing and tone that I really enjoy. When there’s as much chemistry & development as there is in these two episodes, reducing the repartee to a line of summary just doesn’t do it justice. So I apologize if these recaps get a bit long-winded!

The actors play off each other really well in small ways that are especially hard to capture, like the moment above when Jung-in makes an excited puppy-face at Hyun-soo. Out of context, it looks almost silly, but it’s the kind of unapologetically endearing moments that abound in this drama.

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Read the rest of Smile: Episodes 13-14 (4,616 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-yoon, episode recaps, Jung Kyung-ho, Lee Min-jung, Smile

How the mighty have fallen…

As soyjoy mentioned in her last recap, watching an episode twice makes the shortcomings glaringly obvious. This definitely isn’t a masterpiece that needs to be seen more than once. It’s not surprising for a 50-episode series to be drawn out, but I think some plot development/movement is in order. Fortunately, Lee Chun Hee’s entrance has infused a bit of energy and his love interest has been revealed, giving me some hope for the future. I still enjoy the goofy and sweet moments, so all is not lost.

[Just a little housekeeping note: Unfortunately, our 3rd partner in crime had to bow out, leaving 2 of us for the recaps. With the good ratings, I fully expect to see 50 episodes of Smile, leading to our decision to recap 2 episodes together going forward.]

SONG OF THE DAY

Smile OST – “안녕 내 사랑” (Goodbye, My Love) by Melo’ Breeze [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Smile: Episodes 7-8 (3,332 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-yoon, episode recaps, guest bloggers, Jung Kyung-ho, Lee Chun-hee, Lee Min-jung, Smile

SBS’s new weekend drama Smile (or Smile, You) got off to a brisk start and seems to be poised to do decently. Is it wildly innovative or surprising? No — but it IS refreshing and fun. Like with so many romantic storylines in dramas, the lovelines here are obvious and expected, but the chemistry between the adorable lead characters makes it enjoyable to watch.

SONG OF THE DAY

Taru – “Night Flying” [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Smile: Episodes 1 & 2 (2,775 words)

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Post tags: Choi Bool-am, Choi Jung-yoon, episode recaps, Jung Kyung-ho, Lee Kyu-han, Lee Min-jung, Smile

Aw, isn’t little Wang Seok-hyun cute?

September 5 saw the end of the 17th Chunsa Film Festival and its closing-night awards ceremony, which was held in Icheon, Kyunggi-do. The winners list was dominated by the popular, recently released sports film Take Off [국가대표, or National Athlete], although vampire film Thirst did well, as did lush period piece Portrait of a Beauty.

Full winners list below:

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Read the rest of 17th Chunsa Film Festival (595 words)

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Post tags: awards, Cha Seung-woo, Choi Jung-won, Choi Jung-yoon, film festivals, Go Eun-ah, Im Joo-eun, Jo Ahn, Jung Jun-ho, Jung Soo-young, Kim Hae-sook, Kim Ji-suk, Lee Mi-yeon, Park Chan-wook, Park Hee-soon, Shin Mina, Song Chang-eui, Song Kang-ho, Wang Seok-hyun

Actress Choi Jung-yoon is receiving positive reviews and lots of applause for her stage debut role in a play called My First Time — which, yes, refers to sex. (The play is rated adults-only for its sexual-themed dialogue.)

The play originated off-Broadway in 2007 and features actors relating first-time sexual experiences, taken from real people’s stories, presented Vagina Monologues-style. In this production, Choi takes the lead role and shares her character’s first time in a bright, comic segment (her first was an unexpected occurrence after spending the night with a gay friend in a college dorm room). Audiences are responding enthusiastically, enjoying and relating to the hilariously told stories.

Given the theme, many name actors were hesitant to take part, though Choi approaches the role heartily. (Although she’s played a number of good-girl characters in the past (Taereung National Village, Bad Couple), she also made a foray into more risqué fare with Sex and the City-esque cable drama Romance Hunter. The drama was all right but Choi was good; I think she’s really hitting her stride in her later career.)

The play premiered on January 1 in Seoul’s Daehakro Art Madang and runs through March 31.

Via IS Plus

RELATED POSTS

• Romance Hunter: Episodes 1-5
• Taereung National Village
• SBS’s Bad Couple

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Choi Jung-yoon, theater

I foresee this may start getting repetitive, but here’s another red carpet from the Pusan International Film Festival (we saw opening night’s red carpet yesterday).

This time, the event was the Asian Pacific Actors Network (APAN) Star Road. It seemed some of the stars who were at opening night were noticeably absent at this event, most likely because they traveled back to Seoul to pay their respects to Choi Jin-shil.

Pics beyond the jump.

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Read the rest of More PIFF red carpet at APAN’s Star Road (298 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-yoon, Daniel Henney, fashion, film festivals, Jung Ryeo-won, Kang Hye-jung, Kim Ji-soo, Kim So-yeon, Lee Jung-jin, Lee Min-ki, Lee Wan, Oh Man-seok, Park Jin-hee, Song Chang-eui, Yeh Ji-won, Yoon Jin-seo

It’s kind of unnerving how all the news right now is either Choi Jin-shil’s sudden death or the 13th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), and sometimes while looking through the news listings, it’s easy to confuse the two based on the thumbnail images. (Given the timing, as far as I can see, there were no overlaps in attendees — or at least, very few — between PIFF and Choi Jin-shil’s funeral viewing.)

October 2 saw the opening night to the nine-day festival; PIFF closes on October 10 and is the largest film festival in Korea, and one of the largest in Asia. Over the course of the week, more than 300 films will be screened from 60-plus countries.

Kim Rae-won and Han Eun-jung, above, came as brand models for PIFF sponsor L’Oreal. Other famous name actors showed up to the red carpet night; the opening film was Kazakhstan’s The Gift to Stalin, as well as the Hyun Bin & Lee Bo-young film I Am Happy.

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Read the rest of Pusan International Film Festival’s opening night (165 words)

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Post tags: Baek Sung-hyun, Cha Seung-won, Choi Jung-yoon, Choi Kang-hee, Eom Ji-won, Eugene, fashion, film festivals, Go Ara, Gong Hyo-jin, Han Eun-jung, Hyun Bin, Jang Dong-gun, Joo Ji-hoon, Jung Ryeo-won, JYP, Kang Hye-jung, Kim Ji-soo, Kim Jung-eun, Kim Rae-won, Kim So-yeon, Kim Sun-ah, Lee Bo-young, Lee Dong-wook, Lee Jin, Lee Jung-jin, Lee Seon-kyun, Lee Wan, Lee Yeon-hee, Oh Ji-ho, Park Eun-hye, Park Hae-il, Park Jin-hee, Shin Hyun-joon, Shin Mina, Song Chang-eui, Yeh Ji-won, Yoon Jin-seo