@98, mishane

Well, I think my first Kdrama was A Love to Kill...but no. I could not in good conscience recommend that as a first Kdrama to anyone!

But then I watched Coffee Prince...and here I am today! I ALWAYS recommend Coffee Prince when I'm trying to recruit new addicts. Anyone who doesn't love Gong Yoo...well, let's just say I might be tempted to remove them from my Christmas card list, ya know?? That would be like saying you hate puppies and kittens! Inconceivable (said with a lisp, of course)!!

Speaking of T-drama actors..Joe Cheng. Oh! So damn cute. (Maybe gay? Maybe not? I don't care in the slightest). I wish he hadn't fixed his wonky tooth, though. Because that's like catnip to me. I love when guys have one tooth that's just...independently minded. Weird but true, what can I say.

@ Maria

Jared Leto in "Panic Room" was AWESOME! i couldn't believe that was him!!! i've not kept up w/ his career, so whatever he's doing now... *shrugs* that and i don't really watch American TV anymore. i'm so busy w/ the dramas i have lined up and watching Star King! plus i don't have cable, so i only get PBS. what a waste of my 52", rite?

@ Mishane

my first Kdrama was Tomato
my first twdrama was Meteor Garden
my only j-drama is 1 litre of tears
i don't remember my first thai drama, but my faves are Leurd Kattiya and Rak ter took wan (i love you everyday)

it depends if you wanna hit her up w/ all the cliches rite up front... be sappy... melodramatic.. you get what i mean.

Winter sonata holds a special place in my heart, but i can't re-watch it after seeing how good other dramas are..

@ langdon813

OMG!!! i have a thing for crooked teeth!!! i LOVED bae yong joon's smile of crooked teeth. then he got them straightened. and my ultimate obsession Bird Thongchai McIntyre has THE BEST crooked teeth smile that no one can resist smiling back!!! i totally feel you on Joe Cheng.

@ mishane

Buffy: any topic about Buffy requires 3 cups of strong coffee and well-rested typing hands. Suffice to say, I am 100% with you, sister. Buffy was during my college years, but was the only show I ever had to watch religiously. I did love Angel for Buffy, but then he got to mopey (and when DB went off in Angel the show, he got too bloated - though he's acquitted himself nicely with Bones now), and Buffy grew up and got complicated, dark, and all twisty (good for her - I love my heroines with shades of gray but is really all white when it counts), and then it was Spike all the way.

Spike/Buffy is the same reason Veronica/Logan works wonder for me - the chemistry between the leads are just sensational, and all the bickering, the teasing, the uncertainty, the figuring each other and themselves out in the process - that's what makes a compelling couple for me.

On a side note (back to my fave topic du jour - and langdon813, please chime in): that is why City Hall sparkles like no other drama - the 2 leads (Kim Suh Na and Cha Seung Won) radiate indescribable chemistry, and their characters in the show are all about the bickering, the uncertainty, the figuring each other and themselves out in the process.

Jo Gook (Cha Seung Won's character), is the bad boy, the one we secretly want the heroine to end up with because he's complex, he sparks with the heroine (unlike the bland, nice, good-hearted, self-sacrificing male leads in some shows), and he completes our heroine and makes her ultimately a multi-faceted character instead of one-dimensional. And the Darcy comparisons of Jo Gook with Darcy in earlier open threads, I think are a stretch (no one is a modern-day version of Darcy), except for one thing that both leads have in common - when they fall for our heroine, they fall hard, fall completely, and are true romantics in a multitude of ways that makes our viewers go - F**k that, where's my Darcy/JG!!! And then we turn to mush. Which is what a good drama coupling is suppose to cause in the viewer.

@langdon813

"My personal rule with Joss Whedon is (to paraphrase Field of Dreams) “IF HE BUILDS IT, I WILL COME.”

I have heard it expressed in a dfferent way: "I am Joss Whedan's b*tch, he can do whatever he wants with me."

JW is my first screenplay/director/producer love of all time, and he continues to get better with age. What Fox did to Firefly is a travesty on so many levels, it was seriously even better than Buffy (so suitable for the mature me at the time). I'm not sold on Dollhouse b/c is a work in progress, but anything done by Joss is 99.9% better than anything else on US TV.

Recommendation for ONE drama to watch? I think it would be My Name is Kim Sam Soon. It sucks in the viewers from the first episode (which CH doesn't do), and KSA is a revelation in her breakout performance, along with Hyun Bin. I recommend this over Coffee Prince.

I can't in good conscience recommend a tw-drama; I think it would be too 'out there' for her. Like I said earlier, a lot of 'cracky' situations.

I might recommend Hana Yori Dango, just because I think it's a pretty universal plot but my Asian drama filter has been so skewed that I don't know if that would be considered 'cracky' or not! I mean, if you were new to all things Asian, would you be scared or turned off by Domyouji's tactics?

And I was thinking My Girl, only because that's the one that hooked me. I haven't seen Coffee Prince but I'm starting a community watch with it next week so yay! *crosses fingers that it's good*

@Mishane
My first jdorama was Gokusen (I started watching it because I really liked the manga) and then a year later, I watched my first kdrama Full House. But I don't know if I would recommend either one as someone's first drama. Maybe Full House, but there are much better dramas out there, imho.

Kdramas: Even though I wasn't a huge fan outside of LDW, My Girl would be a good choice or even Coffee Prince (which I haven't see yet...I know, I know). Maybe even Soulmate. Oh wait...My Name is Kim Sam Soon would also bet a great choice. It really depends on your friend's tastes. If they like revenge stuff....I liked Mawang (The Devil---Uhm Tae Woong was amazing) or Story of a Man (again great drama and since JB's done recaps that would help your friend understand the drama better.)

Jdramas: Great Teacher Onizuka was pretty good or any of Kimutaku's early 2000 stuff like Good Luck or Hero. Nobuta wo Produce was fun. And if they don't mind manga-esque adaptations then Nodame Cantabile or Hana Yori Dango would be good choices. Or even Densha Otoko. The last recent drama that I really liked was Hotaru no Hikari.

...I don't know if I would recommend a Twdrama...but if I did...it would probably be B&W.

@ 103 ockoala

Yes. I've read freaking essays on Buffy and it's impact on media and all the messages the show had.

I still think Buffy is one of the best fictional characters and she is definitely my favorite female character. She was so FLAWED but I still adored her.

And Spike/Buffy is a whole different topic altogether! They had so many ups and downs and they were a great example of a sado-masochist relationship and even at the end, you wondered how right they were together, but you can't deny the chemistry and the EPIC-ness of them.

In the last season, Buffy really became unlikeable but that was why I still adored her. The show wasn't giving me this perfect character who did all things right and good. I enjoy my characters when they are morally ambiguous, when they tread that line between good and bad, when they can be bitches or assholes and I liked that the show didn't excuse those characteristics of hers. They weren't afraid to make Buffy this unlikeable person, which made her all that more 'real' to me.

*sigh*

Like I said, that show defined me as a kid. It was more than just a 'teenage vampire slayer' show; the things it taught me went further than that.

Coffee Prince is great, its the first K drama I watched and I still regard it highly.

I hooked my sis after I told her to give HYD a chance, since then she's been in love with Asian dramas. I think when you recommend a drama it depends on the person really, it depends on their taste and experience, certain dramas will make a bigger impact on these places then stuff that you loved. I'd say you can't go wrong with KSS and CF personally, and HYD too.

@rifae, 91. FIREFLY! I'm a huge fan of sci-fi series, and when my friend introduced me to Firefly, I was hooked. I convinced my parents to buy me to DVD-set for Christmas one year and went on a conversion-rampage, having Firefly marathons and inviting every single person I met. It was an introduction to sci-fi shows for most of my friends, but alas, they still refuse to watch Star Trek, BG, and other goodies. Bah!

@mishane, the first show I watched was Goong. I wasn't picky about the acting and plot... the good-looks and cheesy-cliches are what caught me. Full House, my second drama, on the other hand, I found dull an repetitive so I stopped that at the fifth episode. And then I went on Drama-Hiatus (unbelievably, I know!) for a year, until my Chinese friends started watching Bull Fighting in lectures at uni (I don't recommend that one however... I jumped from that to HanaKimi (JP) in less than two hours flat). Hana Kimi (JP) was crack-tastic, which led me to watch KimuTaku's old dramas... and then I started expanding from there.

For people who have *never* seen Asian Dramas before... if they like suspense and the like, I say Black and White. It's the drama that is the most closest to American productions and t.v. shows, I would think. It's extremely well-done and has hot actors to boot...? LOL. hm, if she isn't too picky about quality and head-bashing-against-the-wall-in-frustration, Goong and My Girl are THE Gate-way-drama-drugs, I think. For J-Dramas, the Gateway-"Drug" is usually Zettai Kareshi, Hana Kimi, and Pride. For Tw-dramas... there is no Gateway-drug. You just have to be extremely sugar-high and not picky. And I personally don't think that tw-dramas are addictive. Only two I liked so far have been My Lucky Star and Black and White.

@ 102 lb_tmi: Jared is a good actor that's why it bothers me that he's ruining his career in acting for a rock-star career that doesn't seem to promising. :(
I also haven't been watching Tv lately... I'm never able of faithfully watch something on a certain hour of the day. I like to have control as to when to watch and how many episodes watch per day. That's why I dowload or buy the dvd box sets.
Because most amercan tv series have so many seasons and we never know when the show will end, i get annoyed, so lately I've been watching mostly asian dramas because I know how many episodes will have.
But I recommend you to watch the 1rst season of the american tv serie Pushing Daisies, it's very short because if I'm not mistaken it was during the writers-strike that it was aired. But it's such an unique tv serie, the characters are charismatic and the visual of the serie is stunning, I also love how the serie has a fairy tale vibe very different from others tv series.
OHhh and I love Star King... ehehehe but my fav korean tv show of all times is 'We Got Married', :D

1 Liter of Tears is such a nice drama. I cried more than 1 liter of tears watching it. The soundtrack and the acting was beautiful. Although the serie had lots of real drama and sad things it never dragged and the serie had a nice pace.

@ 98

If your friend prefers a more realistic, human drama I suggest Orange Days. If your friend prefers something light and funny, I suggest My Delightful Girl Choonyang... or something along those lines.

The FIRST ever drama I watched was Meteor Garden. xD fail.

Anyway, it's mind boggling to hear news about Eugene Park. But why is his case coming into light only recently? Where is his family?

Re: Sci-fi

I've never really watched any sci-fi shows.Being in the Buffy fandom led me to hear a lot about Firefly, but I never watched it. Is it that good?

I was thinking of starting Doctor Who as there seems to be a lot of people on my f-list that adore it. LOL, that will be my first non-Asian show in about two years. I think the only non-Asian stuff I watch currently are My Boys and How I Met Your Mother.

@112 mishane

Firefly: yes, it is THAT good. Because Buffy lasted 7 whole seasons, and the ending felt complete, it remains the untouched #1 US drama for me. However, after just one truncated season of Firefly, it rocketed to #2. Imagine what would have happened if the evil overlord known as Fox had not butchered this show by not promoting it and then sticking it in the death camp Friday at 9 pm time slot.

Whedan even admitted in interviews that Firefly was his epic, what Buffy, Angel, and all that he did and loved to do was leading up to. And boy, was just 13 episodes of Firefly epic. Words fail to describe how this cowboy space odyssey was......words fail me. Just watch.

@109 meh

The Firefly conversion you undertook was also my modus operandi after I watched it, I could not believe something this complex, rich and sophisticated had been so cruelly dangled before us and then tossed aside. I made everyone watch it, and no one has disliked it.

Firefly is Buffy for grown ups. Also introduced me and the world to Nathan Fillion.

@ 113 ockoala

Wow, you're doing a good job convincing me, especially with Joss Whedon's comments. There were only 13 episodes? I thought there were much more. But does it end with closure? I hate when things get canceled and we never really get closure on the story.

ok. can't respond to just one person cuz this post will just be ridiculously long then. so i'll do a general response.

Re: Backstreet Boys - i started out liking them but then NSYNC came along and stole my heart. I actually didn't like nsync to begin with cuz i thought they were just a bsb clone.. then i heard one of their slow songs and i was like 'who are these guys?!?!' so i fell in love with their voices before i fell in love with justin and his curly locks (jk i hated his hair lol) plus they danced better too hehe.

Re: Buffy - it's one of 2 shows i've seen and own all seasons of. Buffy and Angel were great of course, but in the end end I was a Spuffy fan. there's just something about spike being the ultimate bad boy that made him SO HOT to me hehe... And how much they changed each other.. i can go on and on and on... The other show I have seen and own all seasons of is Alias. Joss Whedon and JJ Abrams are favorites of mine :)

Re: dramas to start off with.. I wouldn't go too heavy.. it wasn't my first but i loved My Girl. it's no city hall, but it's fun and light hearted for the most part. yes there's the required angst of any kdrama but i don't think it's ooooverly done. As for jdramas - nodame cantabile for SURE. loved every second of it..and it has AWESOME music of course. the main leads were perfect and the side characters were awesome and lovable as well. as for tw dramas...i'd go with Fated to Love You. It's one of my faves. Well Black & White is my fave tw-drama now but i don't think it's very indicative of the majority of asian dramas. As much as I loved ISWAK, it takes mad patience to watch. Maybe Devil Beside You? It's a lil ridiculous sometimes too but loved Rainie and Mike in it.

ok. back to work! .... maybe.

Damn computer. Ate my excellent post on City Hall in reply to @103, ockoala

@106, Samsooki

Lurking? Nothing to say? Is this Alternate Universe Day? Although that did end up being a pretty lengthy OST post, hehe. Thanks for the tune suggestions!

Anyways...I think what I said about City Hall was this:

ockoala, I agree with you 1000%.

Jo Gook and Shin Mi-rae are the hottest couple I've ever seen in a Kdrama, period. The sexual tension between them is seriously off the charts, mainly because these aren't two immature youngsters we're talking about; but two mature adults. OK, Shin Mi-rae does act silly and immature on occasion, but when it comes to men, she's been around the block a time or two. They're both jaded when it comes to relationships; she because no man has ever fully committed to her even while acknowledging that she's a hell of a woman; and Jo Gook believes that relationships are to be used for personal advancement. But when they lock eyes...I'm surprised they (and we) don't burst into flames!

@113 ockoala, did you enjoy the movie, Serenity? I loved it and it broke my heart at the same time. Firefly was actually the first DVDs that I owned (I BlockBustered my way through movies... never did I buy any) and I've rewatched it so many times since. It's cowboys-in-a-space-comedy. WHAT IS THERE NOT TO LOVE? lol, I flipped to Buffy once years ago, when it was on t.v. and it turned out to be a "Buffy the Musical" special. EPIC FAIL. I haven't watched it since. Should I maybe re-think my decision?

@ the Orange Days rec - I second that! It's one of those university-j-dramas which is a slowly-paced romance. The friendships in the drama, the characters, and the character-development is wonderful!

@mishane, Firefly has 13 episodes, but it has a movie-sequel, Serenity.

@114 mishane

Oh baby, I have good and bad news....Firefly does NOT end with closure, it was cancelled abruptly (and *shakes my fist at anger* for how Fox mistreated Whedon and this show), and so episode 13 is just that, episode 13. It was a great episode to be sure.

However, Browncoats (the Firefly fan name for themselves), persuaded Whedon (and Fox) to allow for a closure of the show by releasing a theatrical movie Serentity a year later. While Serenity does not provide complete closure, it provides some clues to some mysteries, and is Firefly on a grander scale. However, the genius of Firefly is always the characters, the dialogue, the pathos that Whedon does so well on a micro-level, nothing over-wrought, always heartfelt and raw.

FYI: Firefly is the name of the class of spaceship our crew travels on, and the name of the spaceship is Serenity.

@ 118 meh

I enjoyed Serenity the movie, but it was no Firefly. The crew of the Firefly was meant to live, breathe, journey together on small screen. I never really saw my little River Tam reach her true potential (despite Serenity).

As for Buffy, it was never meant to be watched as stand-alone episodes, especially randomly hitting Once More with Feeling (the musical). If you want, pick up Season 2 and just start watching. I guarantee you'll love it. Not understanding what lead up to the musical episode means it was just people singing bad songs without the songs meaning have purpose for you. So It must have sucked for you to watch it.

@ 118 meh

Okay. You NEED to watch Buffy from the beginning. SO MUCH LOVE. The musical episode was fun, but I can see how in the eyes of a complete newbie it would be FAIL.

But no. Start renting the DVD's, starting from Season 1. It just. . .there's so many Buffy phrases, so many fun episodes. AND if you start watching it now, you can start giggling at the 90's style and hair!!

I can't think of anyone I know who DIDN'T like Buffy. I know some people who didn't love it as much as I loved it, but I don't know of anyone who actually actively disliked it.

@ 119 ockoala

Thanks for letting me know about Firefly Although someone up there described it as Cowboys in space and I got a little iffy because I'm not a cowboy/western type. Actually, I have no idea what 'cowboy in space' would look like, lol, so I might be judging too early.

Also, I think Season 2 might have been my fave season of Buffy. I think my first episode ever watched was the season finale of Season 2 and it was so AMAZING (the Buffy/Angel fight at the end OMFG) that when Season 3 aired, I was glued to the television and hooked ever since.

Ahhh - onto my favorite subject: Joss Whedon!!! I love this man's mind!!! He's evil, funny, witty, genius! Buffy, even at the worst, was always worth watching. Some seasons I didn't like the individual episodes, but man, after the season was over & I saw the bigger picture - he blew me away! And seriously: The Body, Hush - pure wonderful. He takes subtly to a whole other level. And of course "Once More with Feeling" will go down in history!!!

As for Angel - I quit after season 1 and Doyle's death. I sometimes kept track of it, but after they put Cordy & Angel together - ew! Some may argue, but I never saw the chemistry. And yes, I'm a Browncoat:-) Joss broke my heart with Wash's death & Shep's....I still follow the comics, but its not the same!!!! And I love Dr. Horrible and hope to see him again soon! I have a feeling that more series like Dr. Horrible will be seen - online series instead of traditional TV.

If you haven't gotten into Dollhouse - that's ok. Have a little more patience and know that there's an end game that Joss has planned. Remember, Buffy wasn't a huge success until after season 2.

@ mishane - recommendation for Kdrama, Goong. Its silly and sweet and redeemed kdrama for me after being on the fence after Kim Sam Soon. But the drama that made me an addict: Spring Waltz.

Also, @ mishane, if you like Christie, try Emily Brightwell and her Mrs. Jeffries series or Hamish McBeth series by MC Beaton. And if you like "Let the Right One In" book - try "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Its a mystery novel, my fav genre, and while the mystery itself isn't new, the layered storytelling is. I don't know if its because its a new author, or its from a Swedish perspective, but I loved how this mystery unfolded. They author wrote 3 novels, all being translated for US distribution, before committing suicide:-(

@119 ockoala

Is Season 1 not the best then? Should I just read a season-summary of that, and then get started on Season 2? haha, I had a fit of hysterical laughter while watching Once More with Feeling (wow, what an awesome name!). Was it supposed to be a parody/crack-a-licious?

I've heard rumours about how there would be a Veronica Mars movie with VM in the FBI, or something of the like, a while back. It would be nice to be able to reminisce with those old favourite characters again ^_^ Then I keep on hearing it got cancelled/shut-down.... so at the moment, I have no clue whether the VM-movie is alive or dead or in hibernation.... :(

EDIT: haha, just read Mishane's post. Season 1 it is then ^_^

my first Kdrama was Full House-forced by my cousin (back in 05). It's not my favorite but it did sparks my attraction to Korean Dramas. Before that I was into T-drama (yes, i had my meteor garden moments, though i was rooting for Jerry Yan and Barbie to hook up in real life). Then next was Frog Prince (sorry forgot the whole title, I adore the couple and I continue watching their other dramas), i even watched Vic's drama Silence? I'm into Korean dramas now, but i still check out some of the tdramas. The last Tdrama that i watched in full was My Lucky Star (Jimmy Lin has a baby face and Yoo Hana did great acting*her voice was dubbed)

But lately i have been recommending MNIKSS to everyone and most of them LOVED IT! AND NOW i have a new drama to recommend to my friends and family, CITY HALL baby!

BTW, anyone from seattle? ARE you annoyed by the BLUE ANGELS FLY BYS? lol

I will be watching the show this weekend with these heat!!

Head is spinning, I can't keep up!

YAY! Sci-fi talk!

I love Joss Whedon, no question. Buffy, Firefly, Serenity, Dr. Horrible, and Dollhouse (not the best, but better than most). I even loved Angel.

I love Doctor Who. David Tennant is THE Doctor. MY Doctor. There will be others after him, but he owns me. I love Torchwood, too.

BUT.....BUT....BUT....!

Hands down, all time best sc-fi show EVER (and I will argue this point nigh unto death):

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA.

Done deal.

@ Maria,

i actually started watching TV again because of Pushing Daisies... until my rabbit ears stopped pulling in a signal. I was an avid CSI, Criminal Minds, & How I met your mother watcher. i also watched CBS Friday nites religiously for 2 months... Ghost Whisperer, Moonlight, Numbers. but then Moonlight got cancelled and family obligations kept me from Friday nites in front of the TV. now, it's no reception because of the all digital conversion and i'm a whole 40 miles away from the nearest tower, which only sends out a "strong" signal w/in a 30 mile radius, and a "moderate" signal w/in 50 miles--which actually means NO signal. *rollseyes*

i've never watched "we got married" is that kinda drama-ish?

Fated to love you.. i liked it up until the end. the ending was just so ridiculous, it totally did not go w/ the rest of the drama... maybe it's just me, i hate drama endings. i like that dramas end, but i hate HOW they end..

@121 b020

I always have faith in my Joss, and Dollhouse is casting more and more BSG and Firefly veterans (Jaime Bamber-Apollo is coming on board, and is Summer Glau-River Tam, this after Alan Tudyk-Wash was Alpha in the season-ender).

Btw, let's not spoil what happens in Serenity (in terms of the what happens to the characters) so explicitly here, in case folks (like mishane) have not yet watched Firefly and Serenity.

Btw, anyone see the posters on the buses and stops for The Time Traveler's Wife. OMG, Rachel McAdams looks gloriously radiant, the titular Time Traveler Eric Bana barely registers, she's gonna hit one out of the park, I can sense it. Still trying to finish the book.

langdon813 - you won't get any argument from me that BSG is the best sci-fi show of all time. Firefly I don't call hardcore sci-fi.

meh, ALL of Buffy seasons are good. But for the ONE season that truly unequivocally is the turning point by which you cannot stop watching, it will be Season 2, mid-way through (the Buffy-Angel, her birthday episodes). That's why I suggested starting with Season 2 (plus Season 1 is a bit choppy - everyone is feeling their way around their characters and the tenor of the show is still in development - season 2 is which it hits it's stride).

Oh, another City Hall analogy coming - like when Episode 6 for Samsooki is when City Hall bam hits you and you can't go back.

@ 98 mishane - Jul 31, 2009 at 12:46 pm

It's all depend on the viewer's taste and preference. I'm not a big fan of melodrama such as "Stairway to Heaven" nor romantic comedy like "Full House". So if someone is asking me what Korean dramas to watch and they have never watched KDrama before, I would say for sageuk, definitely "Emperor of the Sea", non-sageuk, "All In".

TGIF for sure times a million
I'm feelin preetty great, having finished all of my summer assignments
Finally tackled that essay last night at 4 am. LOL

I'm heading to Sydney, Australia tomorow for a 10 day vacation

Anyone have suggestions as to which places to see? (besides the obvious ones like the opera house -_-)

Also, anyone have any suggestions for dramas? I'm planning on downloading a bunch of them for the plane ride tomorrow. So please help! :D

As far as the drama world goes, I'm only watching Sons of Sol Pharmacy, and I watch it daily on KBS, and it pretty much fulfills my drama needs. I'm in love with it!!

@124 langdon

Battlestar Galactica *sighs dreamily* I was obsessed with it for the first two seasons (or was it three?) and then they did the 2 year skip (or was that three too? three year skip...?). And then I went, "DAMN YOU TO H...,uh, H.AMILTON" and then I stopped. I heard it went crappy to crappier to crapa-alicious after that. And then it got better for the last half of the last season....? I don't know! My informer of all things BG got lost in another galaxy (or perhaps she just went off to a far away university) so I have no clue if I should continue!

Is anyone into Stargate? I've watched episodes here and there, but if I start it I want to know which series to start ^_^

@ockoala, Time Traveller's Wife looks like a wonderful wonderful wonderful movie! I'm super-excited! I read the book three years ago and it was wow. I've loved the time-travelling concept but that's the first time I saw it done in a mainstream adult-novel. Usually you only find that in YA and Sci-fi :P

@ 121 b020

Thanks for the recommendations! I will DEFINITELY check them out. I was devastated when I realized I'd read all of Christie's books; I'm actually in the process of re-reading them.

@ meh

I think Season 2 is when it got really good but Season 1 is still worth a watch. Plus Season 1 is pretty short so you'll speed through it.

I love that Buffy came in as a mid-season replacement and turned into this huge cultural phenomenon.

@ 128 gracegracegrace

Download Legend. Do it.

@ 126 ockoala

I think I did get spoiled, lol. It's okay though, I doubt I'd watch Firefly. I'm probably more likely to start BSG or Doctor Who.

Also you're right. Rachel McAddams looks ridiculously radiant in that poster. Gorgeous.

@126, ockoala

You and I are so on the same wavelength! "The Time Traveler's Wife" is a wonderful book, I can't wait to see the movie. I love the casting of Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana; I wouldn't have thought of the two of them together necessarily, but the trailer looks amazing.

Speaking of trailers, the one for "Where The Wild Things Are" is spectacular. It literally looks as if the book has come to life.

@125 lb_tmi

" i like that dramas end, but i hate HOW they end.."

Yup, I totally second that notion. I am rarely satisfied with how dramas end. Even happy endings are alternatively sappy, silly (I totally concur on Fated to Love You - WTF!!!! Can't really recommend this drama anymore because of this major suckage), uninspired (BBF), open-ended (MNIKSS), or just trickling into nothingness. And don't get me started on sad endings, it just makes you depressed (though still thankful that you watched the drama if the body of the drama was very satisfying).

On this note, and you may have read this on various open threads in the past few weeks - I have watched over 50 dramas in my lifetime (and more if you count the ones I started but never finished for a variety of reasons) - but City Hall has hands-down THE BEST ENDING in all of dramadom. It is the most "fan servicy" (to borrow another poster's exact words) ending that is just sheer perfection on so many levels. You think you know how it's gonna end, and the surprises, the gasps, the tears, the best proposal in the history of proposals - men everyone just got shafted by JG, and then whoosh, you can't believe you've watch all that, and it keeps giving you the goodies until at the end, you flop down on that bed, look at the ceiling, take a deep breath, and just go "Wow, what an ending." Who knew any scriptwriter in k-drama could genuinely deliver the goods like Writer Kim did in CH. No hype, even fanfic could not have written a better ending.

I will never be able to listen to Moon River again without thinking about City Hall (sorry Breakfast at Tiffany's).

ALL THIS BUFFY TALK!!!! ...makes me wanna go home and start from season 1 all over again. i always believe that with series like these u gotta start from the beginning. there's all these lil inside jokes and character traits that build from the beginning... and though it's been a LONG time since i've watched it, i feel if you start at season 2 you'll miss all that. but i guess you could start at season 2 and then watch season 1 to catch up on what you missed?

@ 134 lovenyc52

I own the complete series on DVD (and if they come out on Blu-Ray I'll buy that too) and have been really tempted lately to do a re-watch of it.

And YES to the inside jokes and character traits and I love the Buffy traits. I remember all the funny quotes they had (I LOVED Willow in all of her awkward glory).

@11 and @131 langdon813:

I wanted to answer your Triple post - I also watched the drama and just saw the ending, and read what happened since I didn't understand the dialogue (but I did understand the expressions and gestures).

I have to say, this drama was such a bait and switch for me - not enough ice-skating, and poor Hwal just got the short end of every single stick. I would seriously hate all womenkind if I were Hwal. I also want to adopt him, and make him go meet real, genuine, strong woman worthy enough for him.

Triple - I'd say the ratings reflected how the show affected viewers. Disappointment for me with all the talent involved, and the newbie Min Hyo Rin wasn't even that bad, in her first role she's got way more screen presence than Son Dambi struggling to express something, anything, over at Dream.

A for Time Traveler's Wife, should I finish the book, or just wait for the movie?

@ 133 ockoala

BLASPHEMY! Audrey Hepburn is rolling in her grave!

I actually really didn't like Breakfast At Tiffany's (my favorite Hepburn is Sabrina with Roman Holiday a close second and there are still so many more I haven't seen!) but my favorite part of Breakfast At Tiffany's is when that song starts playing and Hepburn is on the balcony.

@133 ockoala

I absolutely positively agree with you about the ending on CH. I watched the last episode, chanting to myself "Love! Love! Love! the Fanservice!" The script-writers actually *KNEW* what type of ending the audience wanted to see. And they actually ended the drama correctly. Actually, scratch that. They ended the drama spectacularly.

**

Have you ever seen a drama where there's a random stabbing in the last five minutes? Or where the main character finds out that he/she is going to die in the last few episodes? Or where a major plot-twist occurs within the last ten minutes, effectively ruining the ending of the drama? OR, worst of all, the last 'fanservice' of the ending is actually a dream which the main character has, because, well, he/she is about to die or IS actually dead.

I always wonder what is happening to the script-writers in those situations. Or whoever who is deciding on the ending. Did they *think* it would be more meaningful that way?

sorry for the random rant. haha, this next point is also random. Streaming in Asian dramas - a nono. I don't have any qualms about streaming American shows though, but I've never done so before. SO, any suggestions on streaming sites for American TV shows? Such as, well, Buffy? It'll be so expensive to rent or buy, bah!

EDIT: ockoala, I guess it's what medium you prefer. I personally love reading the book beforehand, so I would suggest reading it first. Reading a book after watching the movie isn't so much enjoyable for me, lol. Too many implanted images in my brain, and when there's plot differences (which there is bound to be) I become pissed off.

@125 lb_tmi: About the drama endings, some dramas are so good that the ending does no justice to them. As I mentioned before, I love 'Mars' but the ending was not as good as the rest of the serie.
And I love Pushing Daisies...I love the characters and almos everything about it! :D I haven't watched the 2nd season yet, but I was told that the end of the 2nd season doesn't gives a conclusion to the hole serie. :(
As for 'We Got Married' i had so much fun watching it, I haven't been watching the 2nd season because it's not being subbed. But the show is so charming and it makes you laught, get emotinal and start to smile with all the cute interactions. I love the chemistry of the couples and I love the wondering about what feelings are real and what feelings are just acting to entertain. Althought it's a variety show it does has some drama elements mixed with reality. It's supper fun... I recommed you to watch... almost all episodes of season 1 were subbed and you can find the subbed episodes to watch online on mysoju.com and the episodes for download on WGM's soompi thread.

@ 133 ockoala

EXACTLY!!!!

so City Hall will be the drama i watch after Story of a Man. i'm a one drama at a time watcher to get the full effect of the drama. i live, breath, eat that one drama until i'm done. i can watch other stuff, but not another drama... that's prolly why i sit thru the WHOLE thing and get so upset with the ending.

Buffy:
there's just something so WRONG about a Vampire Slayer doing/being w/ a Vampire that makes the whole show so freaken RIGHT!!! tho i didn't like Spuffy as much as Buffy/Angel, Spuffy was so much more HOT!

Who's reading about Eugene Kim and screaming "WTF" out loud like I am?

Is 'Be Strong Geum Soom' worth watching? I like the cast, but +100 episodes is to much, so is it worth spending a long time watching it?

@137 mishane

I know, I know, blasphemy to equate anything other than the ethereal Ms. Hepburn with Moon River. Just like it's blasphemy to compare any male lead to Darcy in P&P. But don't you wonder why City Hallers just can't help themselves, and these comparisons just pop into mind.

Actually, the use of Moon River in Tiffany's and in CH is completely different contexts, so a moment of introspection for Ms. Holly Golightly is still paired with the perfect song. However, *swooning here* (langdown813 and meh, please help me off the ground), the use of Moon River in City Hall is.......the anthem, the promise of what a future together will bring, the culmination of a lifetime of searching for love, for dreams, for a purpose. Cue the lyrics:

Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker,
wherever you're going I'm going your way.
Two drifters off to see the world.
There's such a lot of world to see.
We're after the same rainbow's end--

These lyrics are one millionth percent Mi Rae and Jo Gook talking to each other, and it applies to both of them equally.

@138 meh

Endings are hard, so hard to do right. I don't blame scriptwriters for using cliches or just dropping the ball, it's just impossible to know how the ending will turn out on screen and be received by the viewers.

Which is why I am in awe of scriptwriter Kim, how the heck did she pull it off (especially with her spotty Lovers trilogy and On Air track record). It's light she had a revelation with City Hall!

@ meh

I think hulu is a streaming site. I would totally lend you my Buffy DVD's (that's how much I want you to watch it LOL) if you were around my area.

And YES. I loved the level of conflict that vampire + vampire slayer gave.

I also LOVED the shit Buffy went through when she first started messing with Spike; the whole debate between soul and soulless, and if you read any of the Buffy/Spike fanfic, OMG there are epic ones that go into it. Some that compare the Buffy/Angel and Buffy/Spike relationship and how Angel without a soul is this evil horrible thing and Spike without a soul, wasn't really and it would meta so much on these factors. The show (and fandom) really toed the line between good and evil and what it meant to be one or the other.

I swear, I think the Buffy fandom had the best fanfic writers. I'm pretty sure most of them are professional writers IRL too. I know that at least 3 of the major writers in that fandom are published authors and if anyone likes to read fanfic and would like some recommendations, let me know. I'm VERY picky with fic, because a lot of them SUCK, but the earlier writers were really really good. Unfortunately, I only read Buffy/Spike so I can't recommend any other pairings.

@145 mishane

Sadly, hulu is only for people who live in the US. I'm .... two hundred kilometres north of that border, so I can't use it! *sighs* wow, I'm happy to hear that about the Buffy fandom. If I get into that show, I need fanfiction! haha, I was immersed in the HP-fandom before I found Asian dramas. I haven't found any other fandom that is as complex and widespread since that! They have over 100+ communities on LJ, they have over 15+ archives and it's just ridiculous trying to find decent completed stuff there. haha, I've seen some Asian dramas fanfiction while I was trying to procrastinate on exam-studying. That stuff is.... mostly gay and mostly Japanese-idol stuff. haha, it's *really* amusing to see.

*searches around cyberspace for a decent streaming site*

I would recommend Coffee Prince...when I first began watching dramas (my first was technically Nodame though i didn't get past the first episode because there weren't any subs out and then i just forgot about it....i then tried Osen and Snow White...i couldn't get passed ep 7 of Osen because the male lead was grating and I finished Snow White after I finished Coffee Prince and though I had some interest in it at first it very quiclkly fizzeled and i painstakingly finished it)...So having this somewhat mediocre experience with dramas at the point I started watching Coffee Prince, I wasn't expecting much from it...in fact I thought that the culture barrier might discourage me from it....but the way the story is told makes it kinda borderless...don't get me wrong there are cultural aspects but ultimately they're not distracting...

Anyway, i'm in Paris at the moment and sorely missing CH...i have to rewatch all episodes after 10...this is my first time in Paris and its beautiful but I need my dramas too... :'(

@ meh

Oh man. Well, I'll try to see if I can find a streaming site for it. If not, I could give you download links for the episodes if you'd like.

The Buffy fandom is ridiculously huge and it's been years since it's been over and there are still bunches of communities that are involved in it. I haven't read any fanfic for it in the last 3 years or so (I actually stopped reading fanfic a while ago; I got disappointed with what I was reading) but like I said, I know all the original writers and their stuff is epic. Epic I tell you.

I was into Harry Potter, but not enough to get into the fandom. I think I did try once to find some HP fanfic but it was so MUCH to sort through and most of them were SO SO SO BAD that I just quit. But yeah, the fandom for Harry Potter is ridiculous. Unfortunately most of it is slash (male/male) which I'm not that into so . . .

The thing about Asian dramas that kind of sucks is that there's no real 'fandom' for them. I think that's what I miss the most. The last fandom I was part of was Veronica Mars (and I'm still very bitter about that). Asian dramas are so short that there's really no need for a fandom.

Oh well. I'm going home now. I'll see you guys next week. If I see any streaming sites for Buffy, I'll let you know!

Hey guys!! TGIF! ^^ I forgot about open thread today, but thought I'd peek at the first and last few posts, and mishane, I had a conversation with an LJ friend a few weeks ago about Spuffy! I stopped watching the series regularly around season 4, I think, and caught occasional later eps, but I shipped Spuffy SO hard... I'd like to watch the whole thing but yeah, need to find it online somewhere... but it feels so odd now to watch something in English! But um, if I can find it, I'll hit you up for some good fanfic! Or, um, actually, who knows when I'll get to that, hows about some good recs now? ^^

DO NOT EVER GOOGLE "ONLINE STREAMING".

ohgod *hyperventilates* After only fifteen minutes, my whole OS is wiped out on my laptop. Windows is GONE! KAPOOT! noooooooooooooooooooo *CRIES*

I have no clue which site did it, but all I did was search for streaming sites, click, see a bunch of distracting ads, then close. I'd rather DL than watch with those constant pop-ups. aaaaaaaaah, I need Windows for my course that I'm taking =.= Luckily, I have a UNIX partition which works just fine. It's only Windows which went, "Bye bye, cya later kiddo" to me.

*continues to whimper*

I should have known better than to search for streaming sites. DARN THEM!