Kaname Jun is my latest crush on japanese dramas!! from the first scene that he was in it I am sold!!!!!!!! I already liked his presence on Taiyou no Uta, but in Atashinichi, man oh man!!! His smile is gorgeous!

OPEN THREAD FRIDAY - OFF TOPIC!!!!

I want to share that I am going off on my first vacation alone in 2 weeks, and my destination is NEW YORK CITY!!! I am nervous, scared, shocked (for actually doing it), filled with butterflies in my stomach, (even nauseous at one point before clicking that confirm button on expedia) but I cannot deny the excitement brewing of venturing off in a strange and a BIG city all by myself!

Any readers here who had done the same thing?
Any words from the wise?
Any readers from New York? Any local food places that popular among New Yorkers, not the touristy stuff like Hard Rock or Planet Hollywood.

Thank you!

How quickly you guys forget about Samsoon! :(

I'm not sure how I would feel if Samsoon started making out with someone other than Hyun Jin-heon. Didn't Binnie tell her not to look at other guys?

@asianromance
I guess ur right ... and one can always balance out the need for romance with a korean drama lol. Im trying not to keep my hopes up about Chisato hahhha .. though I would say i root for Chisato x Fuu :P ...The youngest brother is so cute .. doesnt he give off an Artemis Fowl kind of vibe? or is that just me? lol

I think I'm going to watch Shining Inheritance now ... what is it about? For some reason I can't really watch dramas unless I know whats going to happen... thats why I love Javabeans recaps.

finally , i ended my study , i can now enjoy in watching my favorites drama , i don't know very much about the recent new about the actors and and about the new drama , so for now i have a lot of free time to keep in .

@samsooki, oh haha! Sam Soon and Sam Shik will be etched in my heart like a fossil! LOL.... I think KSA is been trying to shake off her Sam Soon image, and she's doing an awesome job in her new drama...But I have to admit, I don't see Sam Soon in Kim Sun Ah in City Hall anymore..Oh yeah, Jin-hyun will have a fit if he finds out his Sam Soon went out camping with Jo-guk! That was real clever though the writer of City Hall mentioned Hyun Bin's character in MNIKSS as Mi-rae's (no-good)ex-bf...plagiarism??

@xiaoShin---NEW YORK's fun! first time? do the Hop-on/Hop-off Tour buses, bad idea for first timer to use the subway..taxi is a no-no, expensive, but if it's a must then go for it.... catch a broadway show.... I love love love CENTRAL PARK--the highlight of my first trip to NEW YORK..they have good food anywhere you go...i love Little Italy and it's right next to Chinatown..

Alright, I have a developed a list of MUST WATCH kdramas.

Classical: Beautiful days, Autumn in my heart, Jewel in the palace

Feel-good/trendy: Delightful girl chun-hyang, Soulmate, Goong

Thriller: Story of a Man, The Devil, Time of Dog and Wolf, White tower

@58 shinhyesungluv -

Just curious, why is "feel-good" and "trendy" together in the same category?

Are you labelling "Goong" as trendy or as feel-good? I am sort of thinking that Goong isn't really "feel-good" (for 99% of the drama, it was "feel-angst") at all. Maybe you have Goong as "trendy" which is kind of true I guess...

So sad about Yeo Eun Gye. :( She had to drop out of The Tale of Janghwa and Hongryeon during filming. Her health must've declined rapidly.
R.I.P.

@ #14 yogini
SuJu's "It's You" is addictive...and I'm not even into kpop. Ottoke?

@ Samsooki
"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."

HDG is a fusion sageuk, so anything goes. ;)
If KJH impressed in Ep.1, then you're going to lurrrve him later on. :D

@52 xiaoSxin -

"I want to share that I am going off on my first vacation alone in 2 weeks, and my destination is NEW YORK CITY!!! I am nervous, scared, shocked (for actually doing it), filled with butterflies in my stomach, (even nauseous at one point before clicking that confirm button on expedia) but I cannot deny the excitement
brewing of venturing off in a strange and a BIG city all by myself!"

Wow... big city to be in the city alone. eeeep. Even I get scared in NYC by myself, and I work here. LOL.

"Any words from the wise?"

Plenty -

1. Use the subways often. Use taxis as a last resort - they tend to be expensive and some cab drivers can be rude. And if they think you are a tourist, they will hit a surcharge button the taxi meter and you won't even know it.

2. Talk to locals if you want to find the best places to eat and shop. The best advice is always local. NY'ers are pretty friendly. Love eating in China Town. I love eating on 32nd Street (little K-town).

3. Stay away from Hard Rock Cafe's, Ruby Foo's, ESPN Zone, and touristy places like that. Why go there? They have high prices, low quality food, the wait is long, and the experience is.... meh?

4. Do see a Broadway show. Find a show you like. Find out what the prices are for various seating. Then during the week, go to Broadway and find the theatre that has the show. If you walk by about 30 mins before show time, you'll find ppl trying to sell tickets. You can get good seats for cheap if you negotiate right there.

5. Do spend an afternoon in Central Park. On a nice summer afternoon. Yummy.

6. Do do a night tour of NYC. Pretty slick.

7. Do check out the museums of NYC. Worth going.

8. Some harbor rides are free (Staten Island Ferry - which takes you around but not to, the Statue of Liberty).

9. Two weeks is a long time. Try to conserve cash by buying groceries and buying water bottles in bulk, rather than spending money at street vendors).

10. Get a nice backpack, big enough to hold a spare set of clothes and shoes, your travel maps and books, water bottles, and secure enough to have inside lock pockets for your ID's, wallet, sunglasses, cell phone, etc. A good backpack can hold your food, your money, your information, everything. And then, all you have to do is hold onto your backpack.

Good luck!

@ 49 Aki - I'm learning Kuchipudi. It's loads of fun. Bharatnatyam looks cool too.

@ 58 shinhyesungluv - I HATED Autumn Tale. I though that, of the "season" dramas, Winter Sonata was the best. In fact, Won Bin was the ONLY good part about Autumn Tale in my book. :/

Heading off to go perform now! So nervous.. D:

I feel insanely distanced from kdrama world by not having watched Kim Sam Soon already. It's like not having a limb or something. I plan to soon (I always do, but other, often newer dramas get in the way, or I happen to find something else I just MUST watch right then and there or die). Kim Sun Ah is amazing, though. I loved her in She's On Duty, her crush on Gong Yoo was adorable and he's so gorgeous and since we're speaking of making-out, their kiss at the end was HOTTTTT. And I have to admit a love for when the girl kisses the guy and he gets all surprised. *squee*

@ 58 shinhyesungluv - I'd have disagree on Autumn In My Heart. I don't understand the appeal of that drama at all. It was dull, constant angst with no reprieve. I understand the appeal of super-angsty dramas, I loved Misa, but those sorts of dramas have intense romances and intense pain. In AUMH, their relationship was dull and it wasn't angst so much as long poring passive pining. But, to each their own. Also, Wonbin makes a lot of things better. And, my Junsu liked it, so. *hides* My Girl and Coffee Prince (and BOF?) need to be stuck on feel-good/trendy. Although Coffee Prince wasn't feel-good, maybe you should separate those. Hey Samsookie, how do you feel about Wonbin? If you want the Hyun Bin-esque male role model, I'd say Wonbin is pretty there. And Ji Sung.

Autumn in my heart is one time.... if you can handle the over the top-melodrama....i will watch it again if someone can provide me just Won Bin's scenes....

FRIDAY!

The actors' discussion is interesting. I was thinking as I was reading other posts and I like alot more men than women. I think the problem is that most of the female leads play characters that I don't or can't identify with, therefore don't see where the actors are coming from, how they can portray these characters at all.
So here's my list-----

Loved them in everything and will watch a show just cause they are in it:
Kang JiWan - what I will say about him is that everything that I have seen him in I have felt that he was the vein of the drama, whether it was Fireworks or Hong Gil Dong. (even 90 Days which I saw the first half of the show and then skipped to the end!)
Jae Hee
Uhm Tae Woong
Hyun Bin- I don't know how many watched Worlds Within but I liked it. I loved his portrayal of Ji Oh.

Enjoyed them:
Gong Yoo (Hello My Teacher, Coffee Prince)
Yoon Kye Sang (Crazy for You, Who Are You)
Kim Myeong Min (White Tower, Beethoven's Virus)
Joon Ji Hoon (The Devil, Antique Bakery)
Lee Bum Soo

Currently watching(and loving):
Hwang Jung Min
Kim Kang Woo

The Women:
Kim Sun Ah
Shin Eun Gyung
Go Hyun Jung
Gong Yo Jin
Kang Hye Jung (absolutely loved Flowers of My Life)
Yoon Eun Hye (Coffee Prince)
Han Ye Seul (Couple or Trouble)
Choi Jin Shil

Currently watching:
Kim Ah-Jung- I am enjoying the development of her character but her face and her perfect teeth bother the crap out of me! Its funny(I know) but I like her.

Have a great holiday weekend!

I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned this yet, but I was wondering what everyone else thought of the Wondergirls being interviewed for Asian American heritage month on NY1. I personally had a problem with it because they are not Asian Americans and that there are so many more real Asian American talent that they could have showcased especially in honor of Asian American history. It just felt like a huge slight on their behalf especially since it is in honor of the Asian American identity and its past, not to mention that Wondergirls "talent" is cringe worthy.

"It’s sad whenever anyone dies, and dies young, but in the case of Jeff Buckley I particularly feel the loss of the greatness that could have been."

I wholeheartedly agree. There were periods in high school where all I'd do was listen to Jeff Buckley. That makes me sound super angsty, but, actually I was just totally in love with his voice and his songs...

Anyway, thanks for posting one of my favorite songs EVER :)

Yeah, I think the main challenge is getting around New York. I am not used to the public transportation system, because in my part of Southern California, everybody has a car. SO I am used to drive my way around with a GPS. It would be a rude awakening for me trying out the public transportation system in NY! Scare and thrills coming!

@ 57 mzpakipot - I did buy the hop-on/hop-off bus ride that goes around uptown, midtown, down to south street and brooklyn. I am banking on that to get around the city.

Has anybody used the hop-on/hop-off bus in NY?

samsooki - I love to watch a broadway show! but I am not a good person to haggle a price outside the theater (meaning I suck at negotiating prices), so any suggestions like which places or websites to buy a good ticket beforehand?

I just started watching Cinderella Man this week and I REALLY like it....I know a lot of people are saying that its not such a great drama but I like it :)

Ooh Memorial Day weekend is here...its always great to have 3 days off in a row plus I graduate this Sunday....finally after 5 years :)

@xiaoShin---if you wanna watch a broadway show, but don't wanna pay the whole price..go to half-tickets booth (i believe it's around Marriott Hotel in 7th Ave??), the bad thing about is you have to be there early and wait for a long time..I didn't really wanna watch Grease (i wanted Phantom of the Opera), but my friends didn't want anything so dramatic and sad...We paid $60/each for 2nd row seats...and i think it was worth it....well, samsooki said use the subway often;;; with my experience I was spending more time figuring out the timeline/which goes to where/what stop to get off..but it was a fun experience riding the subway....oh wear comfortable shoes!! you'll be doing a lot of walking especially when you get lost or just trying to find out a place you wanted to go to....NY City block is like 3 times farther than Seattle's block....LOL

@67 xiaoSxin -

"I love to watch a broadway show! but I am not a good person to haggle a price outside the theater (meaning I suck at negotiating prices), so any suggestions like which places or websites to buy a good ticket beforehand?"

Well, ticketmaster.com is the place to buy tickets. Don't use Broadway.com because they are a third-party servicer, which means that they will just add a charge for no reason.

Here's what I would do:

1. find a show you want to watch, get the date and the time. then find out how much it would cost for tickets at ticketmaster.com. if it is reasonable, then buy it then.

2. if you want to try to have a little bit of adventure, then I would not buy your ticket then, I would wait til the show date, and then go down and start haggling. Basically, if the list price of the ticket is $110, then you should be able to buy the ticket for about $70 or less, at around show-time.

I suck at haggling too. I get embarrassed easily and I don't like begging. But, you are on vacation, you are in a new city, nobody knows you, why not try? It is easier than it looks, AND, if you try and fail, now you know better and you can go to a different scalper 10 mins later and do better. You might save a lot of money, and get better seats!

MISA? which drama is that?

@Kate
MIanhada SAranghanda also know as I'm Sorry, I Love You

Jdorama watchers, is the currently airing drama Boss any good? I'm thinking about watching it. And is anybody watching Shiroi Haru? I'm debating on that one as well.

After reading so many good comments about MNIKSS, I was actually disappointed when I watched it a few months ago. I found the main character a little annoying, and I didn't feel the chemistry with Hyun Bin. (Apologies to all the binnie-lovers out there...I'm directing that to Samsooki).

BUT, I love Kim Sun-Ah's character in City Hall. It's weird because the character is really a lot like Sam Soon, but in this drama I find Kim Sun-Ah very likeable and the chemistry with her co-star is sizzling. I REALLY like them together.

@ samsooki - I put feel good and trendy in the same genre because I laughed a lot while watching those dramas compared to the classics and thriller

@ kender - Winter Sonata? That drama was good at first, but then wth?

@xiahkixiri - I really liked My Girl, but I wasn't wowed by it, and Coffee Prince kind of lost me for the last several episodes. The dramas were good, but only for some light-hearted fun; I don't think they're on the same caliber as the other dramas I have listed. I was even hesitant to put Goong on the list. And BOF? That drama was a joke for the later half; they destroyed Yi Jung's character and Kim Hyung Joon can't act.

Here's my list of generally good dramas

Coffee Prince, My Girl, Que Sera Sera, Stairway to Heaven (if you like melodramas), My Lovely Sam Soon

Dramas that started off really good but then went wacky:

Winter Sonata, Boys Before Flowers, All In, Queen of the Game

Popular dramas that i couldn't understand the reason for:

The Legend, Return of Iljimae, East of Eden, Lovers in Paris

I just finished' Queen of Housewives' which I enjoyed immensely. Now that the drama is finished and 'Wife's Temptation' is over, I don't know what to do with myself. Does anyone have suggestions off what's good to watch (Preferably something that's going on as of now)?

I started watching 'That Fool', aka 'Six Months' but it got boring fast. I stopped after 3 episodes. Maybe it was because I wanted to be a light comedy like 'Full House' but it was too angst-y and the guy Kim Ah Joong's character is in love with (not the main character guy) is a total asshole. Anyhow, I'm disappointed with that drama!

Happy Memorial Day weekend to all the American readers.

Last weekend was our first 3 day weekend and I had a blast in Seattle, but the 2 hour line up at the Canadian border was no party.

Hopefully my yoga retreat next weekend will ease all the tension it created.

Namaste.

@52 xiaoSxin -
check out http://nycgo.com/ to help you figure out what to do and where to go within the city. personally my favorite museum is the Met.
i like to read blogs or menu pages from the area when i visit. check out: http://nymag.com/daily/food/
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/
http://www.menupages.com/
http://www.cenyc.org/greenmarket - great for taking Samsooki on his idea of picking up some food items to keep with you since eating in nyc can be expensive. personally i love farmer markets.

if you are into yoga you can catch a free class in the park from Om Yoga. (omyoga.com for the schedule).

if you get tired of nyc for two weeks, you can hope on the fung wah bus to boston for the day. http://www.fungwahbus.com/ or down to dc on the https://www.dc2ny.com cheap and sleep on the bus. if you schedule it right and sleep on the bus, you can make it a day trip.

if you like tea, moby, and vegan food...check out https://www.teany.com/

Hannieoon, I'm so glad you mentioned Queen of Housewives! It's such an awesome drama with so much fun... Haven't seen the last 2 episodes yet, heard it was a bit disappointing? But wth, it entertained me a lot, and had me giggling it fits thru out! Apparently Netizens are clamouring for a Season 2?

I second Sol Pharmacy too. It's kinda long but I have so much fun watching it every weekend. Totally love the brothers' antics.. especially Jin Pung! He may not be the most handsome or appealing one, but Son Hyun Joo just makes him ever more attractive... Dae Poong gets on my nerves tho, he screams too MUCH! arrhh...

Samsooki, I'm surprised you like Lee Dong Wook? Lolz at you contemplating to buy that fur coat! hahaha.. Now you should put Partners (upcoming with Kim Hyun Joo) on your list..hehee... have a feeling he would be a bit messed up this time.. cold and money-loving lawyer? But no harm if he's HOTTTT! XD

Excellent choice of music for this weeks open thread. If he wasn't taken from this world so early, Jeff Buckley would've been one of the best singer/songwriters ever.

Happy memorial day weekend!!
love Jeff Buckley....i go through phases where I only listen to him for days.

@hm and everyone else talking about city hall...

picked up city hall when it aired to ep 6, went back and caught up all on all eps up to 8.
I think what appeals to me about Cha Seung Won is his voice... his is second to "The Voice" for me... I think he's not super good looking but got charisma, the voice is what does it for me, and his chemistry with KSA is great... this is really a feel good drama and can't wait to see more of it.
Must watch CSW on Family outing if u haven't.

Also watching TW drama Black and White... it's definitely awesome

I have a 4 day weekend for the Memorial Holiday!! Woot-woot!

@Javabeans - It's sad when anyone dies especially when they are too young. My friend was found dead from a drug overdose last week. He just turned 26. No matter how one leaves this world, it's always a tragedy to their loves ones.

I understand drug usage is a "NO-NO" in Korea, but it was Ecstasy, which seems like a simple drug. With constant consumption, you do get holes in your brain. Ji Hoon has only been reported for using it twice. Is his career not salvageable?? I loved him in The Devil, Princess Hours, and Antique Bakery.

NOH MOO HYUN... :O (former south korean prez)
suicide?
died while mountain climbing..

@74 birdscout -

"After reading so many good comments about MNIKSS, I was actually disappointed when I watched it a few months ago. I found the main character a little annoying, and I didn’t feel the chemistry with Hyun Bin. (Apologies to all the binnie-lovers out there…I’m directing that to Samsooki)."

No need for apologies. :)

I find that as I watch more and more dramas, I find more and more little things about MNIKSS that I think could have made it better. And, I definitely think that if I watched my dramas in a different order, I might even think differently. But as it is, MNIKSS is my first drama, my fav drama and Kim Sunah is my fav actress.

And honestly, even knowing what I know now, I still have to say that MNIKSS is still right up there at the top. It's cool to get different opinions though.

@79 ripgal -

"I’m surprised you like Lee Dong Wook? Lolz at you contemplating to buy that fur coat! hahaha.. Now you should put Partners (upcoming with Kim Hyun Joo) on your list..hehee… have a feeling he would be a bit messed up this time.. cold and money-loving lawyer? But no harm if he’s HOTTTT! XD"

Why are you surprised at me liking Lee Dong Wook?

I think I am fairly reasonable. I dislike bad acting, male or female, and I adore good acting, male or female. And I pay special attention to the guys in dramas, because I am kind of sensitive to the portrayal of korean guys. When I see a strong korean male character, with decent style sense and good looking, and not screwed up by his parents, I am happy to see it, and I have hope for the future.

I am definitely considering Partners, with Kim Hyun Joo, but I have a TON of dramas to catch up, and I am not sure how I can manage. I would have to quit my job, get my wife to quit her job, and then just watch k-dramas until we pass out. Then we can catch up and then I can join in the recap threads and watch what everybody else is watching...

@ 10 C
"Hallelujah" was written and best performed by Leonard Cohen. Jeff Buckleys version was just one of many covers but a good one none the less.

Btw,

We just finished the last two episodes of Dalja Spring (10 mins ago), and I am left feeling a bit like I felt after the ending of MNIKSS. Happy....but? What's up with the ending? Did they run out of film?

I have to say though, Dal Ja Spring is definitely a must-see drama. Powerful, well crafted, great acting. Chae-Rim is a revelation. Just superior acting on her part. Bravo to her. DJS is a bit of a "chick" drama, but there is no such thing as a perfect drama anyway. For us, it ranks in the top 5 dramas.

Just warm, funny, lovely. Whatever negatives this drama has, it's really not worth talking about. Yep, it's that good.

Samsooki comments makes me feel good that I watched “The World They Live In” for obvious reason that I’m a big fun of Hyun Bin and Song Hye Gyo I wouldn’t missed this for the world. But because of limited time I wasn’t able to finish it and relay on people’s review but I had the heartache when I read how poor the series was received in Korea even its review was not outstanding. That would have put my dilemma in peace and just accept the fact that yea maybe it wasn’t worth it. But by some miracle my agenda the previous week is very relaxed that I have all the time in the world to enjoy and watched it….(lol) the story is uncomplicated, no over the top crying and tragedy after tragedy of the lead characters but mainly focuses on the working relationship and how they cope up with each other limitations and it would have been perfect if health wasn’t the reason behind the break-up…I was expecting much on professional rivalry, it would have been exciting. And as much as I love the bickering of the two lead characters I do prefer “taking care attitude towards your junior” scene. Well personally I never had that it in my work which makes me hate my boss, well money makes the world go round….. Oh well…I had fun in BBF4 but I do prefer The World......hmmm thank God its friday...

awww Jeff Buckley...
I totally went through a JBuckley stage, too. His CD is soo hauntingly beautiful. His death probably adds a lot to the effect, but even without it... his voice... jsut carries sooo much emotion. makes me want to cry just hearing him. :/

Hmmm I think it's been a while since I over ranted on a Open thread - gonna make up for it now..... (so you have been warned!)

'....where all things off-topic and rambly can roam wild'
JB sorry am one of those guilty parties (I went from commenting on the upcoming Lee Dong Wook 'Partners' to asking for recommendations for So Ji Sub!). My bad! I will try and behave.

@ Samsooki
Noted your 'hehe' to my comment in the 'Partners' thread. Care to expland? haha Seems like we share similar (great) taste! Honestly if after Hong Gil Dong, if you don't fall in love with Kang Ji Kwan (along with your exisitng love for Sung Yuri) I will question your Binnesexuality!
Hmm....hang on!!! What the hell am I saying! Telling Samsooki to add KJK when KJK is my husband? Yikes!

Even scarier is that out of your 11 dramas mentioned in ref to messed up kdrama men - I have watched or about to watch 8 of them. Does that mean I like my men messed up? BTW Isn't parental issues the glue for all kdramas?

"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."

I agree with you! Would also look forward to a kdrama that also had a female who had a spine. That she did NOT forgive male lead immediately when he says 'Sorry', after his prolonged period of arseholic behaviour (yelling, breaking it off and other stupid stuff). That she gave him a serious arse kicking and made him beg for forgiveness before she even considered looking at him let alone taking him back! Perhaps 'sorry' from a male lead to females (in dramas) is equivalent to the power of the Oppa-Pout-Wiggle? hehe

Re @20 tgif fav non Asian dramas
Love 'House' but so sick of the local TV schedule (which also interrupts my kdrama addiction) that I now wait till full season DVD comes out, which the occasional sneak. Honestly Hugh Laurie rocks. It is still mind boogling that he is the one and same Hugh Laurie from 'Blackadder' (which i also loved). Awesome talent. Have you checked out 'Merlin'? Thought it was pretty good - and for Buffy fans Giles (Anthony Head) is in the cast.

@ 27 lovenyc52
Lucky you to have met Leehom (and also Epik High)! Envy envy envy! Saw Leehom in concert a few yrs ago and still remember it!

@84

(Javabeans - sorry this isn't related to K-entertainment but this is such a huge news in Korea right now!!)

Yea - apparently Ex-President Noh Moo Hyun was not your average Korean politician (stuffy and shady), thought outside the box in his policy-making and appealed to the younger generation people - he rose to the top by his own merits and really deserves respect (regardless of how the current adminstration/media have portrayed him recently). He was a human rights lawyer in Korea before presidency - I don't know alot about the man but with that alone he has my respect, even if it turns out to be a suicide.

Makes me wonder about how vicious and cruel the Korean government and media (and Korean public in general) really are - when they target someone they really go after them until that person is driven to suicide.......I think now I can sympathize a little more with people like Choi Jin Shil and other young Korean entertainers who have commited suicide lately (I'm sure this isn't happening only in Korea but I've read about one too many K-entertainers commiting suicide in 2009 alone........).

I hope Ex-President Noh is resting comfortably in a better place........

I'm glad that Queen of Housewives was enjoyable. Did anyone watch it from beginning to end? If so did you like the ending? I really couldn't stomach watching every episode. I did enjoy the ones I saw though. I would watch one every two weeks and I saw the last scene. I can see how it was a little, meh but I'd love to hear from those that were actually committed.

As for That Fool, I think the biggest issue is the Kang Mo character and the fact that they(the writers) were a little slow with the romance development. I originally started watching to give myself something like and fun to watch while waiting for Story of a Man(recaps and subs) but I actually started to like it. Of course its predictable but it has a charm. I really want to know HOW they will end up together. Will the truth have to come out? Will they have a real wedding? Will Kang Mo try to punch Dong Baek? The romantic in me wants JS just to realize that she is light, free and happy with DB and KM is a self serving bastard. She doesn't have to be mad just move on. Honestly, they could do all that next week and end with ep 10 and I'd be happy. That's how pleasant this show is for me. The angst is overpowered by Hwang Jung Min's portrayal of Gu Dong Baek. Absolutely precious!

And somebody's going to New York? Have fun! I think its a wonderful city to visit.

@Kender: How did everything go?

i find sol pharmacy house hilarious, from the grandpa to the maknae. the mom a little too violent though. always hitting her sons and then the grandpa would always say "why are u such a violent woman? why is there so much violence in this house?" hahaha. i LOVE the eldest though. son hyun joo is funny.

@Samsooki:
come to think of it, the guys are always quite messed up. the ones i can think of now as not messed up are:

1. kim seung woo as baek soo chan (How To Meet A Perfect Neighbour)
2. ahn jae wook as yoon hyun suh (Mr. Goodbye)
3. bae yong joon as shin dong hyuk (Hotelier) ...not sure. my memory's hazy here.

okay... i'm going back in time. :P

To all City Hall fans.

@ 40 mzpakipot : You mentioned that Jo-guk is a difficult man to analyze. That's just it. He is almost like a chameleon here. Just watch him when he at work, with his family and then around Mirae and her pack of friends. It's a hoot.

Then when it's just the JG-MR scenes, they are almost stoic. But the undercurrents zap the living daylights out of the viewers. In epi 8, the tent scene was gut twisting for me. I couldn't breathe for a long time. I took a look at tudou.com (the Chinese equivalent to viikii.net and read their comments there. Boy, they are loving it. Now I can understand why Ryu Shi Won was swopped for Cha Seung Won. They are not after the Japanese market for this drama. They are aiming for the 1.3 billion in China. Writer also used some well known Chinese political heroes/villains in a dialogue discussion and so most Chinese can identify with that.

The writer definitely knows that the CSW-KSA chemistry is what that is keeping this drama alive. I just hope she has the sense to milk it and not kill the golden goose.

@ samsooki and yogini - thank you for the cool tips! the websites you recommended are very helpful and i like it a lot!

I am thinking of watching the west side story, i dunno yet if i will buy the tickets before hand, but i will carefully consider haggling outside the theater. because samsooki had a good point: nobody knows me in that city, so no big deal if i suck or embarrass myself at haggling! (actually i know it is easier said than done, but hey it's a start!)

i love open thread.. thanks javabeans.. this is a good way to let our self out after a week, and just rant or rave about ANYTHING!

well i'm leaving for new york in 2 weeks, and I'm going to be staying for 1 week.. thanks for all the readers who addressed my posts. I will keep on checking back if there are any updates, so please share your NYC experience with me!!

came back from the epik high concert (NYC) a couple hours ago
sooooooo tired but sooooooo much fun!!

@ all City Hall fans

"But the undercurrents zap the living daylights out of the viewers" - this is exactly how I feel. That 'is he or is he not' thing is really driving us crazy. The KSA-CSW scences are all SO RE-WATCHABLE and heart-tugging. I can't remember how many times I have watched the JG Jacket scenes and, before Wed-Thursdays come, I think I'll just have to immerse myself with the tent and hair touching scenes.

I really like KSA's happy-go-lucky but highly intelligent character in this drama, making her the perfect foil for CSW's cold-hearted (if not bastardy) complex character. I suspect that the writer may still be thinking how to demystify his character for the second half of the drama.

CH writer/PD please take note: Don't mess up this one.

@ 98 epyc :

You too huh! My life is now centered around Weds-Thurs (actually, Thurs-Fri since I am not watching it live). And yes, all the JG-MR scenes are soooo RE-REWATCHABLE!!

This is the writer's best work ever. But I haven't forgotten her reputation for her previous works, and I approach each epi with much apprehension and anxiety. To her credit so far, there are lots of clever lines in the dialogues...delivered perfectly by the 2 lead actors.

Demystifying JG's character? Hmmm..one of the comments made in tudou : If MR becomes the Mayor, does that mean JG will become the homemaker? I was so tickled pink. That might just be the perfect remedy for that bastardy complex! kekeke

Finally, I have found someone to rave with.

@ Samsooki:

On DJS ending a lil bit ermm empty for you..I remember when I followed the drama 2 years ago (yeap, while it was airing), I loved it so much. I was also a tad disappointed by the ending, because they sorta like wrapped it up in a short scene of Dal Ja and Tae Bong getting back together in some restaurant, that's all. Of course their chemistry was still there, but still it lacked the kill for me. Apparently back then, DJS was scheduled for 20/22 episodes initially. Then they decided to extend it to Ep 23/24 something like that, but Chae Rim didn't sign up to film whatever was planned out for the 2 episodes(for the extension). What I heard was that they kinda spread out the scenes filmed by Chae Rim prior to the extension in the last 2 episodes equally to make up for that. So maybe that was the reason it failed to deliver as you had expected?

@jboogie:

I'm one of the committed fans of Queen of Housewives. I have one more episode left. I'll come back to comment when I'm done with the ending. Well all I can say is that I never felt bored or uninterested watching this drama - right up until Ep 19. Every episode managed to maintain its humor and wittines thru out despite the ups and downs faced by the characters (DS and JA). You know how some dramas tend to veer towards melo in the middle/ending when in fact it started out really funny? QOH doesn't exactly fall into that.. At least I still get into fits watching Bong Soon and her husband vie for each others' attention.. lolz..