I have such a fondness for Hollywood classics, and adore once-gumiho Shin Mina (My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho). Naturally, when I get two things I love wrapped in one, that makes me one happy camper. ‘S like math. This photo shoot for Harper’s Bazaar shows Shin taking on the guise of various scenes from familiar Hollywood classics, like Bonnie and Clyde (1967), above, where she looks absolutely stunning; and looking comical below as Charlie Chaplin in the famous shoe-eating scene from The Gold Rush (1925).

The photo spread is part and parcel of a Short Film Festival, featuring five of Chungmuro’s top dogs: directors Park Chan-wook (Oldboy), Lee Hyun-seung (Blue Salt), Kim Ji-woon (I Saw the Devil), Jang Jun-hwan (Camellia), Park Jin-pyo (My Love By My Side) in a special project, where they recreate their favorite mise-en-scene (think: everything in the frame of one stellar shot from a movie) in an anthology of short films, starring Shin Mina.

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Read the rest of Shin Mina goes old Hollywood for Bazaar (88 words)

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Post tags: photo shoots, Shin Mina

There are lots of awards handed out, for sure, but at least SBS has some strong shows this year, with great performances all around in the competition. Go Hyun-jung stacks up another Daesang for her turn as the first Korean female president in Daemul, which if I’m to go based on all the parodies, involved lots of shouting in the rain. There’s a performance by Noh Min-woo, a THREE-way tie for Best Couple, and of course, some red carpet hits and misses.

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Read the rest of 2010 SBS Drama Awards (1,983 words)

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Post tags: awards, Choi Jin-hyuk, Go Hyun-jung, Ha Ji-won, Ham Eun-jung, Han Chae-ah, Han Hye-jin, Hong Ji-min, Hwang Jung-eum, Hyun Bin, Joo Sang-wook, Jung Bo-seok, Jung Seok-won, Kang Sung, Kim Jung-eun, Kim So-yeon, Kim Soo-hyun, Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Beom-soo, Lee Hee-jin, Lee Jong-seok, Lee Seung-gi, Lee Soo-kyung, Min Hyo-rin, Moon Chae-won, Park Jin-hee, Philip Lee, Shin Mina, Shin Sung-rok, Yoo Min

Here we are, Part 5!

As girlfriday said in her review, I’d also like to thank guest bloggers Dahee Fanel and thunderbolt for participating in this year’s year-in-review roundup. A particular thank-you goes out to GF herself for being so game to jump into this whole world of crazy with me, and I think you’ll all agree when I say that Dramabeans is better for her addition to it. I never fail to get a huge kick out of her wicked humor, or for Dahee’s frank and bold insights, or thundie’s thoughtful eloquence. We don’t always agree, but that’s exactly why I love hearing the differing points of views.

Most of all, thanks to the DB readership — that means you! — who have been so supportive, vibrant, and often laugh-out-loud funny. We don’t take you guys for granted, rest assured, and are honored by the community you’ve built here. It’s like a second home, which sounds like a metaphor but actually isn’t because with all the hours I spend here, it really IS one.

So here’s the last of the reviews! With that, we bid adieu to the past year and look forward to lots more laughs, craziness, and yes, head-pounding-WTF-ery in the new year. Bring it on, 2011.

SONG OF THE DAY

Standing Egg – “First Christmas.” The song’s a day or two late, but no matter: Hope your Christmas (or other seasonal holiday) was merry! [ Download ]

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Read the rest of 2010 Editors’ Picks [Year In Review, Part 5] (5,374 words)

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Post tags: Baker King Kim Tak-gu, Cinderella's Sister, Coffee House, Eom Ji-won, featured, Giant, Jang Hyuk, Jejoongwon, Joseon X-Files, Jung Bo-seok, Kim Gab-soo, Kim Hyun-joong, Lee Mi-sook, Micky Yoochun, Moon Geun-young, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, Personal Taste, Rain, Runaway, Shin Mina, Sohn Ye-jin, Sungkyunkwan Scandal, The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry, year in review, Yoo Ah-in

It’s hard to believe that someone as high-profile and well-known as Shin Mina has never held a fanmeeting before — even if it usually is the men who get all the big fan events — but it’s true. Ten years after her debut, Shin is just now holding her first fanmeeting, which is no doubt spurred largely by her renewed popularity after starring in this year’s hit fantasy romantic-comedy My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho.

Shin has ten films and five dramas to her resumé — which include projects like Devil, Go Go 70s, The Naked Kitchen, and A Love to Kill — so she’s already established herself over the past decade. Plus she has all those CFs to her name. But Gumiho did introduce her to a new kind of popularity and earned her much love for her adorable portrayal of an otherworldly heroine.

The fanmeeting will feature all the usual activities, which naturally includes a performance by the star; she has sung on several soundtracks before, including Gumiho, as well as with rock band Loveholics. The event takes place this Saturday, the 11th, at Seoul’s Sogang University.

Via OSEN

RELATED POSTS

• The girl behind the gumiho: Interview with Shin Mina
• My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho: Episode 1
• Pop Culture: Gumiho
• Shin Mina and Won Bin kiss for coffee
• Shin Mina sings with Loveholics

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 51 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: fanmeetings, Shin Mina

Before Shin Mina put on a white dress and started chomping down on cow like it was going out of style, no one ever imagined a gumiho could be so cute. Sixteen episodes later, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho has come to an end, slaying us all with its mythic love and epic dimples.

Playing one half of the Hoi Couple with her Woongtastic co-star Lee Seung-gi, Shin Mina has set a new record for fandom: I’m pretty sure she’s got as many girls crushing on her as guys. In this interview two days after wrapping the drama, she reveals the myth behind the legend, and the girl behind the gumiho.

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Read the rest of The girl behind the gumiho: Interview with Shin Mina (2,224 words)

© girlfriday for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 137 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: interviews, Lee Seung-gi, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, Shin Mina

Dear Show,

How do I love Thee? Let me count the ways.

1. Your hero is Woongtastic.
2. Your heroine is the cutest thing since cats started having babies.
3. You do crazy things, but then you recover with The Cute.
4. You hurt, but you hurt so good.
5. You speed along like a bullet train, and make me wish time passed more slowly.
6. I find myself flipping through pictures of our time together, remembering you fondly.
7. You break my heart, and then put it back together again.
8. I can’t quit you, even if I tried.
9. You love me…just as I am.

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Read the rest of My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho: Episode 16 (Final) (4,447 words)

© girlfriday for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 463 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: featured, Lee Seung-gi, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, Shin Mina

I was expecting a lower-key, sort of mellow episode today, and sure enough, we get the typical Episode 15 lull. The episode contains some necessary moments and does truthfully need to go through some of this stuff before heading into the finale — otherwise the ending feels unearned and jammed together — but it also makes for a quieter watch. A calm before the storm, perhaps.

SONG OF THE DAY

Lee Seung-gi – “면사포” (Bridal veil) [ Download ]

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Read the rest of My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho: Episode 15 (3,709 words)

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Post tags: featured, Lee Seung-gi, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, Shin Mina

Episode 13′s game-changer was a tough act to follow for sure, and I was a little worried that we’d sap all the dramatic tension out of the story once all the rules went out the window. Thankfully, the dramatic tension still abounds, but sadly, it means that the old rules just get replaced with new ones. As it turns out though, it doesn’t much matter what the macguffin is, since these characters, without fail, make me laugh out loud and clutch my heart as they race toward the finish line. Get ready for the angst, people. It’s a-comin’.

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Read the rest of My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho: Episode 14 (3,628 words)

© girlfriday for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 238 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: featured, Lee Seung-gi, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, Shin Mina

Oh, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho just kicked it up a notch. Yeah, I cried like a baby in Episode 13.

Ratings-wise, this week was a real hit, since Baker King is out of the picture. Numbers shot up to 15.2% for Episode 13, then even more to 19.2% for Episode 14, which aired back to back on Thursday night. (For consistency’s sake I use AGB numbers, which are more readily available, but TNS numbers for these two episodes were even higher — 19.4% and 22.5%.)

Meanwhile, Playful Kiss had a 5.8% (6.0% TNS) and Baker King’s special drew a 16.8% (17.9% TNS).

Special request: I know you’re all probably itching to discuss both episodes, but we’d really appreciate if you could keep the commentary in this recap to this episode. We promise the next one will be up for you to talk about soon!

SONG OF THE DAY

Suki (숙희) – “Missing You” [ Download ]

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Read the rest of My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho: Episode 13 (3,527 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 184 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: featured, Lee Seung-gi, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, Shin Mina

It’s time for the ultimate showdown: Libido vs. Fox Bead. Who will win? Who will lose? Who will make girlfriday cry?

You know which horse I’m backing, but it looks like Show might have a mind of its own. Gah. What’s a girl gotta do for some smoochies ’round here?

Oh, Show, you big tease.

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Read the rest of My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho: Episode 12 (3,534 words)

© girlfriday for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 268 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: featured, Lee Seung-gi, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, Shin Mina