Long weekend! Woot!

Happy friday everyone!! I have something to ask for all of u. I know some of u have already discussed it in the previous open thread, but may I know who is\are your favourite k-actress\es? For me, my number one on the list is Im soo jung, I like her bcos she played her character very well in Misa and Sad Movie. And I have a soft spot for these actresses too: han ji hye, shin min ah, kang hye jung, jeon ji hyun, song hye kyo, moon geun young, yoon eun hye, sung yuri (yeah, I know, you read it right), and jang nara. How about all of you guys?

12:42am. Just got home from an evening of Korean BBQ (with some very cute waiters and some very pretty waitresses) and soju! hmmm...yum! Food was awesome! service was excellent and even though you could tell they were really busy (place was packed to the hilt) and rushed off their feet, they maintained the friendliest service! so stuffed right now but feeling very happy for the experience (my second korean bbq infact! wah...soaking up the korean atmosphere! hehehe...).

Discovered that i am really NOT good at retaining korean names in the 'ole memory! ashamed!

Finished "Last Scandal of my Life" this week. A great show, left me feeling all happy happy joy joy inside! ahhhhh...... Have started Gourmet - javabeans, you were soooo right about the food porn! Also watched Japanese drama Mei-chan's shitsuji - very funny, enjoyed it very much!

Wishing everyone a happy drama weekend!

Thanks for the Jeff Buckley remembrance. His music was certainly a centerpiece of a different part of my life as well.

hallelujah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AratTMGrHaQ

So beautiful...

FRIDAY!!!!! It seemd like the week would never end.

I'm excited - I have a drama to look forward to now. Been a long time since I've actually looked forward to anything. Coffee Prince was the last one I think. Can't wait for Partner!

Me,

Shin min ah is a favorite actress of mine too. I loved her in The Devil and Sad Movie. Haha Sung yuri is ok I guess... I really liked Hong Gil Dong but haven't seen any other dramas with her in it. I also like Han Hyo Joo.... I'm watching Shining Inheritance now and I think she acts her part really well in that drama.
Some others are Son ye jin, kim so eun. han chae young, and kim ji soo.

Happy Friday!

This is my saddest Friday since finding your website, since I'm leaving France today, after having been here for nine months. : ( I'll always remember my time as an international student. Good song--it fits my sad mood.

@Me

I like:
- Yoon Eun Hye - She looks sincere.
- Shin Min Ah - I never get tired of her pretty face. And I love her smile.
- Kang Hye Jung - I wanna be friends with her, I think she's really cool...hehehe.
- Im Soo Jung - Even if she was once rumored to be with my Gong Yoo.
- Kim So Eun - Adorable!
And uhmm, Sandara Park. I like her candidness and she's funny too.

All these are not based on talent. I just like them. :)

happy friday everyone, sadly i still have to work tomorrow, and maybe even on sunday... long and stressful week ahead...
been listening to KimBum song non stop for the last couple of days :P

I love Jeff Buckley too, so it made me a little sad when an american idol got so much praise and credit for singing his rendition's of "hallelujah". Still, maybe more folks were introduced to him and discovered his talent.

anyone ever lived in/visited ireland? i'm flying there for a one-week vacation and would love to hear (read) some recs on MUST-DO things. <3 my first time in europe!!!

Correction: American idol contestant.

I'd like to have a male character in a TV drama who isn't messed up in the head.

I think late last night, Cain and Abel was on TV, and I caught about 3 mins of the end of an episode. So Ji Sub (소지섭) was on his knees, about to be killed by some gangster, and So Ji Sub says something like, "I have to know, before you kill me, who is the one who is ordering you to kill me" and the gangster smiles evilly and says, "_________." (name not included for spoiler sake). So Ji Sub is ROCKED, and he just cannot believe it. And then a single tear runs down the left side of So Ji Sub's face, and then that's the end of the episode (TO BE CONTINUED!!). I mean, jeez, how can So Ji Sub's character even get out of bed the next morning (if he survives). If it were me, I'd just stay in bed, all depressed, after I find out that ______ actually ordered someone to kill me... why even get out of bed at all?

Can't we have more dramas where the k-drama lead actors don't have to be all messed up in the head, because of mom and/or dad or family issues, don't have to be emotional unstable and/or somehow mal-adjusted?

Just from the dramas that I have seen, where there are true male lead character(s), here's a list of guys who were messed up in the head, usually due to parental / family issues:

a. Rain as Lee Young Jae in Full House.
b. KMM as Oh Dal Gun in Bad Family.
c. Kang Ji Hwan as Hong Gil Dong.
d. Jae Hee as Lee Mong Ryong in DGCH.
e. Ryu Seung Soo as Yong Soo in Evasive Inquiry Agency.
f. Kim Rae Won as Sung Chan / Kwon Oh Joong as Bong Joo in Gourmet.
g. Hyun Bin as Hyun Jin-heon in MNIKSS
h. Hyun Bin as Han Tae Woong/Han Deuk Gu in The Snow Queen.
i. Jang Hyuk as Han Gi Tae in Successful Story of a Bright Girl.
j. Eric as Kang Ho / Oh Ji Ho as Park Bong-sam in Super Rookie.
k. Byun Woo Min as Jung Gyo Bin in Temptation of Wife
l. Gong Yoo as Choi Han Kyul in CP.

What a list! That's like 80% of the dramas that I've seen! Maybe Lee Dong Wook as Seol Gong Chan in My Girl, and Kim Jae Won as Kang Seung Joon ("SJ") in My Love Patzzi are the only two that I can think of who weren't screwed up in the head.

Gong Chan was a decent guy, was smart, wasn't emotionally unbalanced, and was a decent fellow, right? Yes, he was a little emotionally shunted, but that's not a psychological issue, more of a personality trait. And Kim Jae Won in My Love Patzzi also played a very, very stable guy who was honest and nice and quiet and good.

So, my wish is that we will see more dramas where the lead guy is - good looking, smart, patient, good natured, optimistic, funny and tall and athletic, who doesn't have any parental issues, and who is a genuinely good guy. They make PLENTY of female characters like that. Why not make more male characters like that?

Korean guys don't have to be moody, broody, angst-ridden guys who yell and do stupid things and grab wrists and then say "sorry' a lot. Why can't the WOMEN be the moody broody people?

Jeff Buckley! how awesome. i ended my yoga class today with his version of Hallelujah. so it is nice to come home and find another Buckley jem on one of my favorite sites.
i've moved slightly away from the K Dramas for the moment, not by choice. my new computer crashed and i have to send it to tech support. but it has opened the door wider for K pop and other musicial interests. right now i am really digging Super Junior's It's You. it's addictive - like Sorry Sorry but in a softer more sweeter way. i'm seriously considering ordering the cd from YesAsia. (i would order BBF dvd too but i am not sure about the regional aspect of the dvd and if i would be able to watch it.)
randomly, i ended up watching an interview with JK Park (?) from NY1 about the Wonder Girls and the asian invasion. on the topic why it's been difficult for asian pop music to cross over in the states, he made an interesting point in what each place enjoyed to make a hit. Korea, likes the melody and the lyrics, and the States wants the groove.
when i first heard the Wonder Girl's Nobody, before i heard that they were coming to NYC, i really thought if that one song was in english it would do well here. it has the groove factor and the melody. as for a complete act, i don't know (unless they hooked up with the disney machine). at the same time, out of my small knowledge of K music, if anyone was to make it here on talent alone i would vote for Yobi to be the cross over. i heard her singing in english during WGM and just wow.

@Samsooki- i didn't get a chance before to say thanks for explaining the Korean justice system in regards to drug charges.

hello jb,

i've been following your recaps of Story of a Man, and i'm planning to watch this in the near future. But may i ask how many episodes there are? I'm gonna need to set aside some time for it if its over the regular 16-24 episodes kind of drama..

@mie- check out lonely planet's website. there is a forum on there called the thorn tree with great tid bits and information about traveling everywhere. i believe it's done by country.

"conversations that veer off-course in other posts"
guilty as charged. sorry, JB! ;)

@ samsooki
"where the lead guy is - good looking, smart, patient, good natured, optimistic, funny and tall and athletic, who doesn’t have any parental issues, and who is a genuinely good guy"
Hwang Jung Min as Gu Dong Baek in That Fool/The Accidental Couple...except he isn't the good-looking/tall/athletic lead. He's portrayed more as the fool, at first.
But Episode 8 rocked!!! Now there's acting!

Without flaws, would these characters be as interesting?

So, you watched Hong Gil Dong? Thoughts?

-----

Weather's supposed to be not too hot in LA. What's the deal? o_O

Lol Samsooki I've never noticed that about Korean guys in these dramas. That's definitely true for one of my favorite shows, Dal Ja's Spring. His family was just horrible hehe, but the show is still good :D I would recommend Soulmate to you, no one's messed up because of family issues. It's a pretty good show too, you'll get addicted

Hwang Jung Min as Gu Dong Baek in That Fool/The Accidental Couple- i agree on this one.....
the show is getting better,don't you think so?

Me,

I really like Han Hye Jin. Her chemistry with Kang Ji Hwan in Be Strong Geum Soon and with Song Il Gook in Jumong seemed so real you could feel the sparks flying off the screen!

Here's another question! What is everyones favorite non-asian drama (new or older series)? I've recently discovered Smallville and am really enjoying it!

@20 TGIF

currently i am in <3 with "how i met your mother" and "friday night lights." and i also watch every season of "dexter" quite religiously. american shows in particular are so smart and tight (in terms of plot).

my all-time fave is probably still "saved by the bell." ^^ i own all seasons on DVD, even the college years. Haha.

for those in the LA area and are interested to watch Kang Ji Hwan's new movie, 7 Grade Civil Servant, it is in MPark4's "coming soon" list...no date of the showing yet but you can check their website for updates... here's the link:

http://mpark4.com/

LOL, Samsooki, true-say. But the premise of the majority of kdramas is like that. If the guy is rich, gorgeous, cold because of his emo past, then equally the girl is poor, spunky, not that bright or supposedly not that pretty (and flat), enthusiastic and good-hearted and close to her family. That's one reason I'm rather looking forward to Brilliant Inheritance/Shining Legacy/whatever the damn thing's called. Supposedly Main Guy is an asshole for no reason other than being spoiled. Fabulous!! =p

@ mie: Saved By The Bell was teh shits! <3 How I loved that show. I haven't watched an English show in ages, but I adored the first season especially of Prison Break, and the first 2 seasons of Heroes. Also I was talking with LJ friend a day or two ago about Buffy and I'd stopped watching around season 3 with any regularity but I remembered how freaking hard I shipped Spike/Buffy. I never did see the appeal of Angel, but Spike was fantastic and Spuffy had INSANE chemistry.

Hi, everyone! I was just wondering if it was just me that started thinking, after listening to Kim Bum's song for the the BBF five-years-later-thing, that they should have had them sing to Ga Eul in the club scene instead of putting that majorly embarrassing saxophone moment - he would have totally killed!! Pity they didn't think of that! I'm totally in love with his voice and that song right now. Javabeans is right, he totally could have a singing career!

:)

@ 13 SAMSOOKI

LMAO!!! Gosh, you are funny!!! Seems like you are ranting like one of the male lead guys! LOL!!!

SAM, in reality we, females, are fickle minded, moody and broody (oh especially during PMS!).... so give us a break! LOL!

I think most of you all know my all time fave-actress...Kim Sun Ah...anything with her is fun to watch! She looks good with any male co-stars even with Lee Seung-Gi (MAX CF: haha!)..I'm liking her chemistry with Cha Seung Won, it's a change to watch her with an older man..Aside from that, I have plenty of fave actress, Son Ye Jin, Jeon Ji-Hyun, Lee Young-Ae, Im So-jung, Kang Hye-Jung...

happy memorial weekend!!! it has been a long long time since my last long weekend (presidents day... yes my work gives me NO time off haha) and man do i need it. going to palm desert for a weekend of sun and relaxation... and possibly a big tub of ben & jerry's haha.

met epik high and myk last weekend and seriously, between meeting my favorite taiwanese singer (wang lee hom) and meeting them, it made my year :o) their concert was AMAZING and though i got sunburnt and dehyrdated waiting in the hot pasadena sun for 4 hours during their meet and greet ....totally worth it. (haha i sound like a total fangirl huh... but really, even though i don't understand korean, i really love their music!!) they're really nice guys! now if only i can squeeze in an asia trip sometime this year, it'll be the best year ever haha...

@#3 Marres - wasn't last scandal such a cute show!! i'll miss choi jin shil... :o( And Meichan no Shitsuji is super fun too... fluff and comedy :) I suggest Atashinchi no Danshi too - it's a pretty quirky show in the typical comedic manga style

@#13 Samsooki - haha i think they make the guys all sorts of messed up so the heroic plucky poor innocent big hearted girl who works 6 jobs to take care of her entire family that also happens to be in crazy debt... sees beyond his issues and can 'save him' and 'change him' into a better person. if both the lead guy and girl are both super people..they have nothing to overcome... though it'd be a nice twist to see the good guy change a messed up girl into a better person - i'm not sure if there already are dramas with that basis out there, but could be interesting...

really though... can't wait for this weekend to start... half day at work for me for only got 2 hours left...sweeeet :o) hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend! :)

@ 20 tgif and SAMSOOKI

Hello! Just wanna share too. So far i love HOUSE(love House MD-unstable guy- moody, broody), CSI(have guys murdering cute females like us..*wink, wink*), PSYCHE(short guy), DEXTER(crazy guy).....LOL!

then i got busy watching kdramas, hehe, so i havent checked any new american series.... ^-^

@20 TGIF
i tend to lean a little towards the sci fi shows for the moment. Supernatural is the leader of my favorite non asian show. the show is good and quirky, but occasionally think a lot of it has to do with Jensen Ackles. Firefly was just golden awesomeness for it's wit and action. i can never tire of it so it's up there. lately i've gotten really into CSI:NY, so far it is the best CSI/crime drama out there imho.

@ 24 Priki
the sax playing was so cringe worthly. i had to fast forward through that part because i felt so bad for Kim Bum being put in that situation. him singing on the stage in the club, would have been 100x better and a heck of a lot more swoon worthy of the girls in the club.

Kris won. Yay!

oh gong yoo... how i miss him!

You know, I don't think Rain in Full House counts. He was just a dolt in general. His parents were pretty strict, but he was just an immature goofball. A freak in the most loveable way. ^^ And Hyun Bin was rather screwed up in Snow Queen but he was still surprisingly, wonderfully functional, until he found out about Bora. And he did actually reform Bora, she was wild and impossibly impossible at the beginning.

R.I.P. Yeo Eun Gye

Honestly though - who isn't a little screwed up from family or some past relationship???

I think it's enduring for the actors to be slightly screwed up so that they can be fixed. Who the heck would want Mr. Perfect? I'd feel like a loser next to him.

Just as the females have some issues of their own that they have to deal with - I think it says a great deal that they overcome all of that and manage to love each other.

@17 hjkomo - May 22, 2009 at 8:40 am

“conversations that veer off-course in other posts”
guilty as charged. sorry, JB!

Actually, hjkomo, that comment was directed at me, hehe. I am the culprit. I am Spartacus! But not in a good way, I apologize to JB and other commenters out there. But I blame k-dramas for making me the way that I am. If more korean actors played responsible korean guys, then I would also be more responsible.

"Without flaws, would these characters be as interesting?

Of course, watching train wrecks of korean guys can be interesting. But you can make korean female characters interesting, even if they are not train wrecks. Why not just make the story more interesting?

"So, you watched Hong Gil Dong? Thoughts?"

My wife and I watched the first two episodes so far. My wife didn't understand how techno club dancing was possible back in the Joseun Period of Korean history... but I didn't mind so much. As for me, I like the story lines so far, and Sung Yuri is a hoot. Hong Gil Dong / Kang Ji Hwan is pretty awesome so far. I love his subtle acting in Episode 1.

@18 missmartypants08 -

We are going to watch the last 2 episodes of Dal Ja Spring tonight. I literally cannot wait to go home. I don't care about dinner, I don't care about laundry, grocery shopping, paying bills, anything. I am going to home, grab the wife, grab the remote and then hit play. We will live our lives after we finish watching. You have to know how to prioritize.

Oh, and we did watch Soulmate... I thought it was very well done. Not one of my favorites, but it was very well done. That, and the women characters were really, really good. But I can't say that any of the guys really stood out to me. I felt underwhelmed by the guys, and overwhelmed by the women. Are all these dramas written by women, for women??? sheesh!

@23 xiahkixiri -

"Supposedly Main Guy is an asshole for no reason other than being spoiled. Fabulous!! =p"

I agree. Let's have good guys and bad guys, who are good guys and bad guys because that's the way that they are. Make the bad guys really realistically bad, too. And make them all really good looking and cool. And then make sure they are all over 6' feet and have nice hair, especially the good guys. Let's give me some more role models. LOL.

@27 lovenyc52 -

"if both the lead guy and girl are both super people..they have nothing to overcome… though it’d be a nice twist to see the good guy change a messed up girl into a better person - i’m not sure if there already are dramas with that basis out there, but could be interesting…"

YES, that's right. Make the girl the evil, cold-hearted twisted soul kind of person with a ton of parental issues, and make the guy the good guy who has to work 10 jobs to feed 20 people and keep his parents out of jail and still have enough energy to study hard to get medical school....

...wait, that sounds a little bit like The Snow Queen. =) see? That's why everybody should watch Snow Queen. :) :) :)

@32 xiahkixiri -

"You know, I don’t think Rain in Full House counts. He was just a dolt in general. His parents were pretty strict, but he was just an immature goofball. A freak in the most loveable way. ^^"

Actually, Lee Young Jae (Rain) had a lot of "daddy" issues. He wasn't speaking with his dad, he ran away from home or got kicked out of the house because of his dad, he was constantly source of strain in the home among his dad, his grandma and his mom, and there were a lot of issues there that would have been better explored if Rain were a better actor. hehe. I think that the character of Young Jae was handicapped because of his problems that stemmed from his childhood, not just with his dad, but also with his first love, etc.

anyone else loving shinning inheritence? and is the actor that plays the autistic brother actuallly autistic? because if not that is some really, realy great acting

@37 asianromance - May 22, 2009 at 10:25 am

Jae Hee's character was kinda messed up, no? Wasn't that why he was fighting all the time, wasn't that why he was disinterested in school (always at the bottom of the academic standings), why he was the way that he was... because of his relationship with his dad (and actually, his mom too).

"i read a lot of romance novels and they have a similar characterization for the male leads. i guess it’s so that the heroines of the story can redeem the guys and make them into better men. you know how women just love to fix things. and since dramas are watched by mostly women- the female audience likes to imagine herself in the heroine’s shoes and doing all those wonderful things to heal the male lead."

No, I get that. But I am not a woman, and I want my male leads to start being postive role models for me! :) Maybe more guys would watch k-dramas if the male leads weren't always screwed up and needing to be fixed by the female leads...

I can point at My Girl, and see how awesome of a drama that is, even if it has certain plot elements which are cliche.

I think it worked so well because Lee Dong Wook and Lee Jun Ki both played straight up good guys, and wasn't that refreshing? I almost went out and bought that fur-lined coat that Lee Dong Wook wore, so that I could be more like Lee Dong Wook... hehe (j/k, sorta).

@asianromance, you're funny! i haven't thought of that far yet...at least a nice hug or a kiss will be fine for now, save those on a later episodes. I think they haven't come to that point where they really like each other. Jo-guk is a very difficult man to analyze.

yey! i'm going to see Epik High tomorrow night! I"m so happy to read everyone's review about the concert, I can't wait!! But, i'm not sure if i wanna be in line that long just to shake their hands...^^

HAPPY 3 DAY WEEKEND EVERYONE!!!

@ 33 mie: Who? Please tell me that doesn't mean what I think it means.

@ 34 questions846: I agree. The thing is that it becomes predictable... why the heck can't the guy be poor, though? That'd be a start, I'd enjoy that. And having a good relationship with his dad, especially.

@ 36 Samsooki: It's been around 2 years since I watched Full House, guess I'm rusty. The only bit I remember about his dad was when he was at their shotgun wedding growling at Young Jae but told Ji Eun she was pretty, and later when he found out they'd lied/it had been a farce and she was saying sorry and he was all 'SORRY?' in this really scary way and I wanted to hide and think about the 3 bears song. Have to agree with 37 about Mong Ryong though~ or is my memory deficient there, too? I don't think so, though, he was acting like a typical young kid (their marriage thing/set-up was SO weird though...). Gong Chan really was a breath of fresh air, though. I suddenly thought of Ling, the Main Guy from Mars. If you can download, I'd reallly suggest you watch Mars~ a gorgeous Taiwanese drama, it's dark and intense and the OTP is fabulous and the guy is the type everybody would fall over themselves for, male or female. (and a guy DOES fall for him! A really screwed up guy who loves him because he thinks he's the same as him, emo and kinda psycho and bad and vicious) Now, HE is a lead with issues. But he's also actually pretty bad, and it's obvious that he's not just acting to cover up his emoness, he actually is the reckless playboy, and not just because he's troubled. Oh, and there's an AMAZING motorbike race scene. I can't rec it enough, it's amazing. In terms of the OTP, the main couple in the first few eps especially are fantastic. I think I'm going to rewatch soon.

@ 38 loveydovey - I ADORE Shining Inheritance! It's like a bright ray of sunshine in my week, and I love every minute of it. :3 But as far as I know, the actor who plays the kid brother isn't really autistic. I had the same thought as I was watching it, so I looked him up on Dramawiki.. I think he's just a really talented young actor. I can't wait to see what he does when he's older!

Yay long weekend! I have a performance for my Indian dance class tonight, so my hair has been prepared ahead of time (we all have extensions) and I have four hours to kill. I'm nervous.. There are a couple of steps I'm not too sure on. But I think it'll be fine, since I haven't exactly invited tons of people or anything. XD

I need food. :(

@41 xiahkixiri

Yeo Wun Gye (Yeo Eun Gye) is a very prominent and older actress who played a lot of mother/grandmother roles. If you ever watched "Jewel in the Palace" (Dae Jang Geum), she was the head of the kitchen staff and kindly towards Jang geum.

http://c.ask.nate.com/imgs/qrsi.tsp/6049663/8138316/0/1/A/ldh1412200710112043500.jpg

She died of lung cancer 5.22.09 (Korean date).

@ 43 mie: I just scrolled up and saw. =( Sad... when I read what you wrote before, 'suicide' started flashing through my mind. So, at least it wasn't a suicide and she lived a long and happy life. RIP.

@asianromance
I feel the same way about City Hall, seriously they really just need to make out or something of that sort needs to happen. Kim Sun-ah usually has great chemistry with her co-stars, though w/Cha Seung-won it's sizzling. It's my first time watching something with Cha Seung-won and I'm really impressed.

I'm about to start Story of a Man tonight and really looking forward to it. It's taken a lot of willpower not to read the recaps, but I plan to after watching the episodes. So thanks in advance JB!

Ooh.. for once I actually remembered the open thread on a friday. Yayy its finally the weekend!
There's only 3 weeks left of my current school ... I'm moving next year ... but I have mixed feelings about it. Well, most of my friends will be gone next year too, so I don't want to stay. :D
I didn't have anytime to watch any dramas since Boys Over Flowers... now I'm watching a japanese drama - Atashinchi no danshi. Like most japanese dramas its kinda silly, and things happen randomly without any explanation ... but its fun .. and the story is really unique ... and more mysterious as you go along. I can hardly wait for ep 6! Ah the suspense~
My only problem with japanese dramas esp. "romantic comedies" is that the romance isn't really focused on. I guess thats ok ... but it kinda makes me think at the end of the drama .. ahhh if they had only shown a scene like that...

@mzpakipot
I agree that Jo-guk is really a hard character to analyze, and while the relationship between him and Mi-rae hasn't develop to a point where they do like each other, the sexual tension between them is pretty intense. And I think because they are reacting to each other on like a subconscious level, it's going to take something crazy/intense for them to acknowledge their feelings toward each other. I can only dream that such a catalyst could include at least a kiss or something.

Also, while watching this, I think that Cha Seung-won could actually be a better lead for Kekkon Dekinai Otoko remake because in City Hall, his timing and sense of humor reminds me a lot of the character played by Abe Hiroshi. I haven't seen anything besides Dae Jang Geum by Ji Jin-hee, so I'm really curious to see how he pulls of the character.

@ Kender
What kind of Indian Dance are you doing?? I've been learning Bharatnatyam on and off since i was 5 .. ^^
Good luck on ur performance!

OMG you guys better own up: who are the ones who recommended "The Young Warriors of the Yang Clan" (cdrama) as well as "Black and White" (twdrama)?! I have been watching episode after episode because they're just so freaking good. Black and White made my heart stop for a moment because I realised I sped through the episodes too fast and there were none left til the next broadcast! Argh! That aside, they're very enjoyable dramas so thanks very much :D haha please identify yourself though so I can spazz with you over certain bits!

And @everyone talking about City Hall
YES! The leads playing it coy though, almost but never quite making out. Though when he wrapped the jacket around her waist I was squealing! It's my first time watching Cha Seung Won in a drama as well, and boy is he charismatic. I don't get it; I wouldn't say he fits my typical goodlooking male category. It's probably the aura, and whatever it is he's emanating. & Kim Sun Ah helps balance it all out brilliantly. Haha the chemistry is what's keeping the show afloat I think, pacing-wise and writing-wise it doesn't feel as much fun as I'd expected.

@Taohua
I get what you mean! Cha Seung Won and Abe Hiroshi have this kind of lean maleness to them.. with a straight face that makes things funny. I can so totally see him as the lead.

@me
Favourite kdrama actresses.. hard to say. It's more like the characters they played well that stick in my mind. Eg. I thought Ha Ji Won was lovely in Hwang Jini, and Kim Sun Ah hilarious in MNIKSS. And Ye Ji Won who was a hoot in Evasive Inquiry Agency :D

I'm also trying to fit in The Quiz Show (Season 2), a jdrama, and I wonder if anyone else is watching it as well? How does it compare to Season 1