It's official, I'm loving 2009 as a year of drama heaven. 2008 was very very lean for me (with Hong Gil Dong my sole recommendable drama). But in 2009, I've discovered the best k-drama (perhaps even the best Asian drama, period) with City Hall. And now I have been lucky enough to start experiencing the breakthrough t-drama that is......Black & White.

Coming on the heels of checking out the giant vat of disappointment that was Easy Fortune, Happy Life, B&W is just a stellar t-drama. So far, the 2 males leads (Vic and Marc - uhm, @meh, I may have spoken too soon when I said Vic was all yours.....can I borrow him occasionally, please, pretty please) have incredible charisma and chemistry, though the ladies need to step up their game, and I am currently up to episode 6. I hope the pace, plot, and character development continue to entertain and surprise me. I may now have to take back what I say in a previous OT, that the Taiwan acting talent pool is nowhere near as deep as the k-drama and j-drama pools. Vic and Marc are demonstrating their ability to carry their own against their counterparts in Korea and Japan. So far, B&W is as enjoyable and good of a drama as the recommenders in dramabeans have crowed about. Yay for hitting my expectations!

@ gotaexamlater:

Maybe you should quickly switch your screen name, let us know it's you, before we get too familiar with the name. I think it's cute, though! Don't ask me how I ended up with "ockoala" as it makes absolutely no sense in relation to my real life. Sigh, and I think I'm vocal enough its probably too late to change it, unless I am assuming a new identity, and I don't think I've offended enough folks to warrant that yet. Anyways, drama recommendations - gee so many, since you liked CH, in case you haven't watched My Name is Kim Sam Soon, Kim Suh Na's breakout drama, check it out, it's fabulous, like her! But I have to confess - nothing can touch City Hall in my book on the best drama ever, but that doesn't mean our drama viewing days are over. No siree, I still enjoy a good, and even better, a great drama anytime. But CH is incomparable for me.

@ cingdoc

"Just got off work and feeling really tired, but feel great when I saw the reply for my first posting in OT."

I felt the same way, all warm and tingly inside, like finding a new confidant.

@ starletbang;

I feel the same way about Swallow the Sun, it's terribly boring to me, and that is such a death knell now that I've watched (fast forwarded) through 9 episodes! I mean, sheesh, I'm calling it quits now. I think Sung Yu Ri has taken a giant step backwards in acting (or else she is just was bored with the story as we are and is just phoning it in) since Hong Gil Dong, and what I consider her best work, Snow Queen. Sometimes I think she excelled in both because of her excellent co-stars, Kang Ji Hwan and Hyun Bin.

@mookie

Thank you for the post, for me knowing the enjoyment my random Candy Candy dissertation brought to you. I enjoyed writing it very myself, it was lovely to relive the story in my memories.

@188 mememomo

thanks for the link!!! i've saved it for when the kids go to bed.

@191 coco

"Warning!
Plum blossom is sexually explicit, you may find you’ve seen more of KRW than you wanted to."

that's kinda what i'm hoping for!!!

@200 langdon813

i am so jealous of you!!! home alone, doing nothing but watching dramas? i wish Mr. lb_tmi would take a vacation sans me!!! (oh, and don't anyone ever tell him i called him Mr. lb_tmi, cuz tmi are my boyfriend's initials!) LOL!!

@203 ockoala

B&W kept me interested and guessing the WHOLE drama. just when i thought i figured something out, i was wrong. it really is great drama. ALL the males in that drama are HOT and carry the drama... the girls, not so much...

@langdon813
Lars and the Real Girl - Went with a friend to see it at the cinema and we both agreed that we hadn't seen a movie that both had substance and at the same time was hilarious in a long time. It was really a treat, I am sure you will enjoy it a lot.

@cingdoc
Did the same thing when City Hall was on: I looked up CSWs drama Bodyguard. But really - there is no comparison - the hero was like Jo Gook's poor good-hearted bumpkin cousin. I was looking for suave charisma and got brawn instead...

@178 ockoala
(btw are you on soompi? Is there a Candy Candy thread there? CC is sort of like the original CH right? LOL)

* bows * * hugz* * bows * *hugz*
YOU REALLY ARE AWESOME!!!!!!
Really I truly thank you! You do not know how uplifting it is to read your recap of Candy Candy! After a weekend that began as fun but ended up revealing some raw, ugly and heartbreaking things, your awesome reminder of 'Candy Candy' really makes me smile and my heart sing. :)

Yes am completely fuzzy on details, come to think of it perhaps I never did see whole series or the ending?. I DO remember how upset i was when Anthony died. Devastated. And I was not alone in my house! Very upsetting - in a way that one never thought a animated show could be. Whoever said animation was for kids never watched Candy! Really it was the 'how-to-manual' for kdramas. Or is that why i love kdramas now? hehehe And while i never read the manga - based on the anime, would agree with your assesment that Candy Candy would have been the Pride and Prejudice of Manga.

I remember reading somewhere that the author and the illustrator had a major falling out and hence there is/was no authorised releases of Candy Candy. Is that still correct? It would be awesome if someone knew when I could get a hand on an English ver of it. Anyone?

Speaking of reading mangas - one of my all time favourites is 'Dr Slump' (for a completely diff reason to Candy Candy). Never understood why the world went, and continues, to go bats%$t for Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball, when his masterpiece was actually Dr Slump! It has the craziest humor but the cutest of characters and scenarios. It is the only magna set I requested, and my parents suprisingly indulged me in given how $$ it was. And this was knowing I could not read it. (Hmm my folks really awesome and are the best!) And while to this day I still can't read the written words (hmm...really it's another item on my long 'need to do/want to learn' list...which of course now incl learning Korean!), I know I can pull Dr Slump out anytime for a chuckle. Come to think of it might do that now :P

just got back from an awesomely ridiculous wedding party of 500 guests. love that they put all of us college buddies in the back cuz they know us so well and know we'd go batshit crazy once the alcohol started flowin. good times good times.... but now that my feet have been in 4 inch stiletto heels for over 12 hours (an hour or so of which was spent trying to not aerate the grass with said stilettos), they are numb from pain and ready to be chopped off. sigh. and even after all that i had to come onto OT for one last check :)

@ ockoala - absolutely loved your candy,candy recap!! makes me wanna watch it!! read it?? you said it was a manga but was it an anime series as well? also, yes B&W is by far the best tw drama i have seen - totally non typical!! haha... you and meh and lb_tmi can have vic... mark is "mine!" haha :)

@ gotanexamlater - lol. no worries about your priorities haha... there are times i stay up until ungodly hours finishing an episode or 4, knowing i have to get up for work in the morning still... and re: your name. like ockoala said, if u just let us know, it'll be all good :) welcome to OT! glad to have you here!

@ lb_tmi -

“Warning!
Plum blossom is sexually explicit, you may find you’ve seen more of KRW than you wanted to.”

that’s kinda what i’m hoping for!!!

LOL!!!! I thought you'd respond like that!! haha!!! but really, more of KRW is always goodness in my book hehe :)

btw, watched GI Joes today - it's loud with lame dialogue and a stupid 'love story' ... but it had good action plus lee byung heon is hot and even tho he's a bad guy i was rooting for him...

lovenyc52 #208

i also saw gi joe, primarily because LBH was in it. story was unremarkable, but i enjoyed watching LBH. his english is not bad, just a minor accent . one of the very few times i was hoping the bad guy would win.

I finished Black & White! Wow, after powering through Nodame earlier this week, and literally up til dawn last night watching B&W, I am gonna take a short breather. My eyes will not sustain itself at this pace, folks.

My review of B&W from my watching experience:

Most original, well-produced t-drama I have ever watched, period. 25 odd years of t-drama viewing, and this is the breakthrough, I think, to bring t-dramas closer in respectability with j- and k-dramas. I will no longer diss Vic Zhou as the dude who sucked along with the rest of the F4 in Meteor Garden - Vic has earned his leading man credentials with this role (he's the "Black" in B&W, not alas, it's never so clear in the B&W world, right?). Apparently Marc Chou is a newbie ((he's the "White" in B&W), and while I was very impressed with his introduction and presence, I think he unfortunately was uneven in the latter half of the drama - he did emotional scenes well only in certain instances - but all in all, a very outstanding debut.

The ladies - the less is said is better. Okay, okay, I'm slightly joking, the 2 leading ladies (and a few other recurring or secondary female leads) were all fine. But in a breakthrough drama like this, where the male leads are attacking their roles with 2 guns blazing, being "just fine" unfortunately doesn't cut it. The entire cast of secondary male characters win the award for OMG, how did the producers get so many distinguished Taiwanese and Cantonese elder statesman actors to join, cuz they rocked the house, and pushed the youngsters to dig deeper than usual, I bet.

Production was steller - probably akin to Friends, the Legend (haven't watched it yet) in that it looks like a movie the entire way through. Budget must have been huge, but from the reception this show got, it was all worth it.

Story/plot - entertaining the entire way through - but for me, having every single recommender mention that the story had continuous twists and turns and red herrings time and again - I psyched myself out, and actually correctly predicted all of the betrayals, double-cross, and fake-bad guys. Way to ruin the surprise for yourself, missy. Caution - enjoy, don't over think when watching. Only thing I was surpised about (mild spoilers): the truth about the parentage.

Vic - what can I say, he was terrific, his role was actually so juicy, so conflicted, so tormented. And he had very arresting chemistry with his female lead.

To come: Black & White, the movie in 2010. Looking forward to it.

@ bspanda and lovenyc52

b- I'm on soompi, but ONLY on CH forums, love lurking there. I don't know where to find forums on Candy Candy, it's so old school, I doubt there are avid fans looks to dissect it to pieces today. But it's still as relevant today as when it was released. It stands the test of time.

The manga is way way better than the anime (which was really toned down for a 5-9 year old audience - for example, apparently, Anthony's death - which was so important as a plot driver and catharsis for our Candy - was shown in the anime in certain countries to simply have been "very ill" - and upon hearing this, ockoala went "what the heck?!"), the manga is more sophisticated, and the illustrator had a great style. Her characters were gorgeous to look at. Between the trifecta of hotness that was Anthony/Terry/Albert - wowsers, it was like manna from the Gods! I actually never finished the anime, but from what remember, and old episodes I've seen, the anime looks very dated today, so it's unwatchable for an adult in my opinion. The manga is very readable for an adult. There was an dispute between the writer and illustrator, and I'm not sure what the status is. If you can find the manga, good luck! I still have my falling apart dog-eared, ripped set.

It’s been a while (and, warning: may be WAAAAY lengthy) but just wanted to respond to a couple things b/c lurking is no fun, :D

@ ockoala (53), maria (100) and whover mentioned this,

NODAMEEE!! I’m so glad to hear that others have and are continuing to enjoy it. It was my introduction to live-action and I won’t lie, initially the slap stick/cartoonish-ness psyched me out. But with time the plot and characters won me over with their quirks (plus I caught the chiaki-hotness- haha). And I can finally say dramas have a positive effect on me (it’s hard to argue the benefits of marathoning) because as a musician it actually made me want to practice. I never thought I could enjoy classical music but it worked so well…to this day I still listen to Gershin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” =)

@ Nea(35), shubi (65), reluctantbutaddicted(80), starletbang(202)

I really enjoyed THE MAN WHO CAN’T GET MARRIED as well. I wasn’t planning on watching it (still heart dramas but I’m an inconsistent watcher these days) but I saw the article posted here about speculating the low ratings of the show were due to cultural differences. I’m a “Culture” junkie plus have tended to really like some of unpopular/hidden jems of the drama world so I gave it a try. The first episode was iffy but by the second I was hooked. A slice of life drama with *incredibly* awkward characters (well…lets be honest, its Jae Hee) I think JJH’s facial expressions made my day and it was good to see him in another role (before it’d only been DJG) and tho it was another marriage drama I liked that seeing someone not desperate to tie the not (BUT being desperate not to do so is just as bad if you ask me!) I’ll miss it! Even if the ending was a bit rushed and I wanted more (at least the closing was fitting for the show- no last minute cancer plots, etc etc)

@mishane(105)

I completely agree with you when talking about the way drama roles can make someone mediocre way appealing. There have been several shows where I consciously admitted that I didn’t find the guy attractive, at. all. Yet by the end I thought he was the best/cutest/etc guy ever. “can’t judge attractiveness anymore”? I hear ya!! Boy do I hear you

@samsooki(195)

In the same way that a character can completely change the way I view an actor music really can make or break a drama for me. There have been several times I’ve watched a show just because of the music (ex: HYD- because I saw the insert song, Utada’s “Flavor of Life”, in a fanvid) and there are a couple shows I haven’t even seen yet regularly listen to their OSTs!. When I think of shows I didn’t particulary like (ex: Full House) I wonder if its b/c I despised the soundtrack so much. It’s crazy how much music can do to make or break a show!

OTHER
@javabeans
I also want to say thanks to explaining the sarang-hae v. joah-hae thing too. When I first started watching dramas I was kinda put off by how instantly ‘in love’ everyone seemed to be. Especially shows when the characters just met and were constantly proclaiming how much they ‘loved’ one another (aih! The last thing I want to see is romeo + Juliet on kdrama steroids)

@mzpakipot
If I remember I’m going to try to catch Daniel Henney’s flick. The only interest I have is that he’s it. Even if I’m not a fan I always have a desire to support (or a strong curiosity) about folks from my foreign entertainment. Why else would I know about Boa/Wondergirls etc. and their American debuts when I can’t even stand there music!? (really: I can’t)

@ockoala(178)
I *am* impressed by your plotline! I’ve never read the series (tho I remember it being referenced in Dal Ja’s Spring) but it was fun to read. No joke, every drama I’ve ever watched flashed by my eyes as I red those caps ;-p

@ockoala(210)…and anyone who mentioned it
And I’ve heard Black & White referenced by several people and think I want to watch this! I’ve seen Vic Zhou before (MARS) and thought the show was great…not to mention a total shock. I’m not one for the uber-cute-rot-my-teeth caliber of Taiwanese dramas that I’m tend to find and MARS was my first tase of something different. With that in mind how could I not anticipate a TW-show like B&W (honestly if anyone has suggestions for other non-typical TW shows please let me know!)

THANKS EVERYONE!

To those who enjoyed my Candy recap, I left out a key fave of k-drama tearjearker romance-drama cliches that also originated in Candy, but didn't cause any ickyness in the viewer in Candy:

28. Love/Marriage between the heroine and the hero who is related/some-what related/related-by-marriage/related-by-social construct plot line - Okay, so Candy ends with with Albert, who, as the patriarch of the Ardlay family, made the decision to adopt Candy in the first place (her adoption was championed by Anthony and his cousins as a way to protect and keep Candy in their lives). As such, Candy technically marries her "father" in the legal sense. However, no one made a fuss about it since everyone thought the family patriarch was a doddering septugenarian (Albert hid his identity as he didn't want responsibility for the family, and instead wanted to live a carefree life), and there was no blood relation. But, since Albert was continuously helping Candy, providing her with funds, secretly paving the way for her future, there are numerous references that she considered the patriarch of the family her Daddy Long Legs. I think this plot line - the various iterations in dramas such as Autumn in My Heart, One Fine Day, etc., - in modern times is acceptable/icky depending on in background given to the ertswhile lovers. In Candy, Candy, it felt like the logical conclusion.

@211 yellowk

Black & White is a gritty, movie-style drama, no slapstick involved. Highly recommend if you enjoyed Mars. I didn't much like it (I actively dislike Barbie Hsu's acting and general presence on screen), but B&W has a great cast to go with a stellar story and direction.

@ ockoala

I started two episodes of Black & White but have been quite busy lately to continue. I did like it and will definitely see it through. It certainly is a breakthrough where t-dramas are concerned. I always think Vic Zhou has some understated star charm which is quite unique to him. His pairing with Mark Zhao has the Chow Yun Fat and Tony Leung vibe back in the early TVB days. I have to agree the female leads are weak to say the very least.

@214, Samsooki

YAY for starting 9E2O! You started one of my faves this weekend, and I started one of yours...My Girl. And that's basically how I spent my entire day yesterday! I'm halfway through Ep 13 now. Here's hoping work isn't too busy today!

I was a bit confused by the ending of Triple as well. I guess my chief complaint is that they had 15 episodes that just meandered around and about, and then in the last ep...what happened there? They took WAY too long to get to...that?? To me, the two most well-written characters in the show were Poong-ho and Hae-yoon. Having said all that, I still enjoyed it a lot and looked forward to it every week, even watching 2 or 3 eps unsubbed! Sometimes these things just don't make sense. And sometimes they have Lee Jung-jae...which totally does. ;-)

Monday got here entirely too quickly for me...hope y'all have a great day!

@ ockoala,

RE: BLack & White, i think that either Mark or Vic can be either black or white..

there was ONE thing that really pissed me off about the story, i know it fit well, but it just shouldn't have happened... i had predicted very early in watching what would happen in the end... and surprisingly, i was rite.. tho i changed my predictions after every episode after the initial.. that's just how captivating and twisty things were. i thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed it!!! bigger Vic fan than ever before!

@216 lb_tmi

"there was ONE thing that really pissed me off about the story, i know it fit well, but it just shouldn’t have happened… i had predicted very early in watching what would happen in the end."

I think I know what you are talking about. Yes, certain plot elements, however interesting or necessary for plot development, still pissed me off. But this is why B&W works, the viewer is invested in the characters and their backstory, so to be jerked around pisses us off to say the least. Good job to the screenplay writers - they made me care about a lot of characters in this drama, not just the leads - sometimes I cared about the secondary characters more than the leads.

As for Vic and Marc being both the Black & White, I totally agree, I just wanted a preliminary synopsis for the new viewers that Vic is the guy wearing white all the time, and while Mark is the dude in black. If you ask me, Vic's all black/grey with a white inside, and Mark is all white with a gray/black inside.

I think the movie better tie up loose ends for me. I don't mind a season 2 actually, but if a season 2 hews close to Cantonese/TVB season 2 plot drivers (most t-dramas don't have season 2s, with a few exceptions - and B&W reminds me a bit of the police dramas on TVB in the late eighties, early nineties), the a certain character is gonna be discovered to be the ultimate big bad, and that would just piss me off even more, because it's just so wrong. Anyways, thanks for recommending to me in the last few OTs. Much obliged, great taste!

@213 epyc:

OMG, you hit the nail on the comparison head - and you've only watched 2 episodes! - Vic and Mark's pairing in B&W does evoke memories of CYF and Tony Leung in Hard Boiled. I was wondering why I had a niggling sense of the familiar when watching them. Really, Vic and Mark's intensity and giving it all in B&W elevated this show about just being a police procedural. They still have a long ways to go before they can be considered successors to the Fat-Leung combos, but it's nice to see the next generation take risks and commit to a character 100%.

As for the ladies - yup, only weak link of the story - BUT, I have to say, the leading lady (the daughter of the mafia boss), does have very, very heart-popping chemistry with Vic, but the chemistry is generated by Vic, being all tormented, and full of secrets and so, so sexy. This is the first time a Taiwanese actor has successfully portrayed sexy to me.

@ Samsooki
I did the same with Job Well Done. I stopped watching when it went all makjang crazy and then watched the last 2 eps just to get some closure. What a waste of Uhm Ji Joon and Kim Seung Soo.

Enjoy 9E2O. Like others have said, it's very enjoyable.

I finally watched Level 7 Civil Servant/My Girlfriend is a Secret Agent, and let me just say....droolfest....two whole hours of smexy, Duty-Free Kang Ji Hwan!!! :D
It was hilarious, and KHJ and KHN have great chemistry.

WOW!! I just watched The Good, The Bad, and The Weird. And LOVED it. If Pulp Fiction and O Brother Where Art Thou had a baby, it would be this movie.

Has anyone else seen it?

I'm hogging the OT (as usual) but OMG JUST LOOK AT THIS! I'm soooo glad I was alone when I first watched it, otherwise I would be very embarrassed right now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN9bu6Gcop8

This OT seems to have screeched to a halt suddenly, instead of its usual slow sputtering to the end until the next OT starts. I hate posting again cuz it seems to be just silly me prattling on in the latter half of this OT, but it's a waste seeing a great thread just end, so I'll throw some randomness out there.

@ langdon813

I haven't seen the Good, Bad, Weird movie, but it sounds interesting. I have to admit, movies like Pulp Fiction and O' Brother are not my cup of tea, also movies like Fargo. Yeah, my movie tastes are not particularly highbrow. Feeling tad sheepish here.

Have you finished My Girl yet? What do you think? Isn't LDH just adorable as Hye Rin? I was initially very turned off by the secondary leads, and still don't like Park Shi Yeon, but after Time between Dog and Wolf (and the mess that was Iljimae), now really like that guy/gal Lee JunKi. Anyways, back to My Girl, I watched it so long ago, don't quite remember all the plot machinations, but I laughed out loud a lot watching it, which is always a good sign. I wasn;t adept at critiquing dramas or thinking through thoughfully what I was watching back then, but liked it alot.

Also, your Lee Min Ki has an album coming out. You should watch his videos!

@hjkomo

I also watched 7th Grade Civil Servant this week, and for some reason, I was underwhelmed by the entire movie. I didn't think KJH and KHN had bad chemistry, I just thought the story and direction was poorly done, detracting from their character interactions and development. I will recommend as a nice movie to watch, but it didn't leave a lingering impression on me. What a shame, the pairing of the two just oozes charm and sexiness, too bad it didn't translate fully on screen.
______________________________________________________

So, I popped in Hotelier to try out an oldie I never watched, and sadly, I can't get past episode 5 (even fast forwarding to get there). It's so plodding, and seeing the strides dramas in Asia have been making these last few years, it's very hard to sit back and enjoy some of the older fare. I am tempted to re-watch Black & White to marvel at all the drama-genre busting awesomeness contained within.

Still sadly waiting for Samsooki recap of episode 12, but no longer causing me any anxiety, it has become a pleasant wait, knowing how much I enjoy reading Samsooki's writing and how he captures CH so perfectly.

In browsing Soompi CH forums, I found alodia and folks talking about a new review of CH by Thundie on her blog at wordpress. So I checked it out, and really enjoyed reading her review. Though she wasn't accurate on all plot points, she highlighted what made CH enjoyable for her (CSW, baby! - and the romance, swoon), and pointed out the parts of CH that didn't work for her (the far-fetched fairytaleness, MR being the third wheel, etc). I'm just happy a k-drama blogger has given CH a chance after initially writing it off, and wrote a review for more folks to gain exposure to CH. For me, Thundie's review was great, it conveyed how she felt about CH. I got a different take from watching CH, but that's just me, so there is nothing for me to agree or disagree with her review. Just wanted to point out a new CH nugget for Haller and non-Hallers alike to read if interested.

So, what's next for me? Probably either starting New Heart (I picked it up after Samsooki's casual mention of it in previous OTs), or finishing 9E2O.

ockoala...great minds, my friend! ^^^^

Check out this trailer for The Good, The Bad, The Weird:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SukNDHx4Qs8

I can honestly say that, with the exception of Star Trek, I haven't enjoyed a movie more than I did this one all year. I want to watch it again to catch what I may have missed from laughing so much!

@ 223 langdon813

I love it!! Both, the trailer, and your comment about Star Trek being the most enjoyable movie to date this year. Ditto and ditto. I will definitely watch The Good, the Bad, and the Weird.

Oh, I'm so glad to come back this to OT to learn of a CH review by Thundie - will go there to have a read, for sure.

@ langdon813, ockoala and hjkomo

We surely have a diverse range of taste..... I've watched both The Good, Bad and Weird, and the 7th Grade Civil Servant. I am not blown away by either of them unfortunately.

TGBW has the three most illuminating male actors of Korea, and I love all three of them. I can name The Host (with SKH), The Bittersweet Life (with LBH) and A Moment to Remember (with JIS) as my beloved Korean movies. Somehow the three of them together in TGBW do not give me the same excitement as seeing any of the three aforementioned movies. It is visually stunning and exhilarating - fun to watch but that's it. It could be made much more better if there are more dramas and dynamics between the three of them, rather than their acting their own parts most of the time. The part is greater than the sum is what I would say about TGBW.

As for 7th Grade Civel Servant, it is again fun to watch but it seems like a movie that I've seen before so many times. Nothing is new and the chemistry between KJH and KHN is good but stops short of being great. In fact it is a disappointment after all the hypes. Perhaps I'm expecting too much. The one I'm really looking forward to see is Rough Cut - hope it won't disappoint.

@222, ockoala

As for My Girl, I definitely enjoyed it, but I think I should have watched something more dramatic first instead of immediately following up 9E2O with this. LDW is adorable, which makes me want to pick up where I left off with Partner. LDH got on my nerves a little bit, but I think that's because in my mind I was comparing her to Su Ae in 9E2O, and her cutesy voice and hair kind of bothered me. But I enjoyed it enough to watch most of it in one go Sunday afternoon, so really those are just little nitpicky complaints.

I also have a sad story. I went over Samsooki's must-watch list from a previous open thread and decided I was in the mood for something more serious. Dramafever has been down, so I thought I'd look for something that's not on there while they got their server issues sorted out.

Well.

I picked Snow Queen and I could tell after Ep 1 that it was probably going to break my heart. And it did, but not for the reason you may expect. What is KILLING me is that I've watched 7 eps now and can't go any further, because I can't find it streaming anywhere. It's on mysoju.com but the links are broken, and I can only find it on YT through Ep 7. So frustrating! I won't make this mistake again, believe me! I'll make sure I can watch something in its entirety before I even start it next time.

But in the meantime, PLEASE, no spoilers, I don't want to know what happens!!

You guys do not want to know how many times I've watched that Lee Min-ki MV already. ;-) If there was any hope of me getting some work done today, it has flown out the window.

@ 226 langdon813

You're watching Snow Queen now? Man, you are really speeding your way through the k-drama oeuvre. You need dramas with English subs, right? Can you read Chinese? If you can, I can point you to Chinese-subbed sites where you can watch.

I won't comment on anything SQ-related, other than to say that I think this was SYR's best acting work to date.

@ ockoala,

I've been taking full advantage of my husband's absence over the last 5 days...nothing to do but sit home alone and watch dramas to my heart's content. I've enjoyed it just a little too much, I think! :-)

I do need English subs and can't read Chinese at all. I am one of those woefully ignorant Americans who only speaks one language, but I intend to do something about that one of these days.

@ langdon813

I clear forgot! This is your husband-free week whilst he vacations and bakes by the beach himself, while your Denver trip is coming up next. I'm so glad you are doing something wholly enjoyable for you while he is away. ;-)

English subs needed, huh? Sorry, other than dramafever , mysoju and viikii (which doesn't have Snow Queen - 2006 being too long ago), I don't know of any other English-subbed site. I count my blessings for my fluency in Chinese, not for any professional or personal uses of the language, but for the ability to track down k-dramas subbed in Chinese and watch t-dramas without subs. Ha ha, I'm using language proficiency so superficially these days!

Btw, not really a spoiler - but when I watched Snow Queen, my little 3 year old asked me, "mommy, why is "insert one of the 2 leads" crying/so sad so much." Now I try not to let either kid catch me watching, they get so curious, and I can't explain what I am watching to them satisfactorily. Good luck tracking down the rest of SQ!

Here's Snow Queen with english subs http://aznv.tv/?p=d244 Sometimes AZNV.TV is invition only, not sure if it's open at the moment or not but they have hundreds of english subbed asian dramas and movies.

@230, tg

THANK YOU!!

You rock!! It took me about 5 minutes to create an account and install the player (on my PC, not my laptop, for those of you who know my issues :-) ). and ep 7 is playing as we speak!

You made my day, hope I can return the favor sometime!!

langdon813, you finished with SQ yet? Hubby back all burnted and crispy as well? Hope you enjoyed SQ (I always hope people enjoy whatever drama they are watching - worst feeling ever when you've spent 20+ hours of your life watching something that made you regret the time you spent, and worse yet, if it was truly horrendous, angry and bitter you want to wipe it from your memory).

I haven't had a SQ discussion on OT yet, or seen one before other than a brief mention here or there. The drama was very memorable for me, I keep trying to get folks to watch, but they won't bite, sigh.

Anyways, the first reviews for The Time-Travelers Wife are trickling in, and so far, so good, but the consensus is.....Rachel McAdams is luminous and perfect as Claire. I love a well-done Hollywood romantic movie.

ockoala, I'm up to Episode 10 of Snow Queen (I've got the bags under my eyes to prove it) and I think it's wonderful, in the most sad, heartbreaking way. I really liked Hyun Bin in MNIKSS but he is amazing in this, not to mention beautiful. Whew! Sung Yuri is fantastic too. I definitely think this one will stay with me for a while. I'll try to finish it tonight so we can talk about it in tomorrow's OT!

Hubby is back and swears he's never going on vacation without me again, LOL!

The Time-Travelers Wife starts here tomorrow and I'm definitely seeing it. Have you read the book (I think we talked about this but I can't remember)?

I'm still watching the Lee Min-ki MV repeatedly too. I swear, when it comes to him, you'd think I was 14 and his last name was Jonas! It's so silly but...what can you do?

langdon813, a hearty welcome home for your hubby, especially since he's all missing you (as he should!) more than ever with the week apart. Sorry you've got bags under your eyes from SQ, is it bags from watching too much (probably) or crying too much (probably not yet). Looking forward to chatting about this (and more) with you tomorrow. Hyun Bin and Sung Yuri in SQ, I have lots of feelings about it.

I STILL have not resumed reading TTW, it's sitting on my nightstand glowing red, saying to me, "read me, read me, engage in literary nourishment, stop watching them TV programs." I'm kinda tempted to watch the movie first, because I know the book is great, I don't want to watch the movie and then be comparing to the book the entire time. I just want to gaze at the dazzling glowiness of RM and brooding sexiness of EB without overthinking it. Also, I'm feeling like a literary lazy blob lately. ;-)

So Lee Min Ki is all yours (and Mark Chao as well). I'm been re-watching Black & White, in my haste to watch it all in one sitting, my brain wasn't always engaged 100% during the first watch, and am savoring Vic and Mark's excellent bromantic chemistry and singular acting chops. Such an enjoyable t-drama, I'm still boggled this came out of Taiwan. My sis is in Taiwan on a whirlwind week trip, and she's buying the B&W OST for me. Love!

I hope we're not alienating anyone with our 2-way conversation on Java's OT thread. Drama love is for everyone, come join the party! It's like it's 6 a.m. at an awesome graduation party, and we're the only ones awake, more sober than drunk, and just reminiscing about good times.

ockoala

I was just thinking the same thing...as interesting and wonderful as we both are, I wouldn't want to wear out my welcome on the OT, because let's face it, it's what I live for these days. ;-)

Shoot me an email if you want and we'll chat some more:

lal1964(at)yahoo(dot)com

Samsooki, Snow Queen is killing me. KILLING ME. In the best possible way, of course. But now I'm going to take a break and go read OT # 78! My poor weeping eyes need rest! Lucky you to have the DVD set; they're both so gorgeous. How do actors manage to look so good when they cry, I wonder? If I went out in public right now I'd frighten small children.

ockoala - panda eyes tomorrow for sure. BIG time!

hi ockoala and langdon813,

both of you sound a tad lonely....well, it's nearing the next OT so usually will continue reading but will stop ranting or raving...it's the dwindling mood.

Anyway, about Black & White, I started the 1st epi a month ago right after CH but got sidetracked many times because of other commitments. However, it didn't hook me till yesterday's episode 4. And I totally agree with ockoala (seems like we are seeing eye to eye more and more), this tdrama is soooo good because it's broken the mold of THE usual tdrama formula. It's rockin' good way to mess around and fall in love with the VZ and MC. King1 is superb too. The 2 ladies are decent in their roles but they are not the main characters of this drama so I'll let that slide. The big plus is no tear-jerking, melodrama in this one.

Oh...I've been wanting to ask both of you ladies about Swallow in the Sun. I know both of you gave up on it but the ratings show they have hit the #1 spot a couple of times. I am intrigued...more by why both of you gave up than the ratings and something makes me want to try. Why was it confusing in the first place?

Friend, Our Legend has aired 14 episodes and I have seen very few discussions on this drama. The thread at soompi is quite bare. I'm not even sure CSW has appeared yet. I think I might wait till all 20 episodes are aired before checking it out.

@ langdon813
langdon813 hubby must be looking pretty in pink, all toasty and hot...lots of eye-sex I imagine...for you that is. LOL

See ya'll in OT #96?

@ 178 ockoala

"My mind went blank with everything except for CH for many, many days after I finished it."

I thought I'll just browse through with the comments, but couldn't resist when I came across your line above. Same experience here. I was going from A to B, then B to C, but got stuck at C for weeks. The City Hall experience was so intense that I went through my daily things with a feeling of loss hovering over me for weeks long after the series ended. My immersion into the lives of the characters was so deep and strong that I found myself getting lost in in their world and have to give myself time to float back to reality. The CH typhoon has hit me with such intensity. But, I love every minute of it.

I love your Candy summary. Thank you. Brought back sweet memories of my youth.

@222 ockoala

I, too, enjoyed reading Thundie's take on CH. It was interesting. It only proves that there are 2 sides to a coin. To each his own. We may see and experience a thing differently, but as long as we respect that difference, that is what matters most.