@42 moimoiness -

just a quick point about mysoju... there are places on the internet that take the work done by others (like subtitles), without permission, and then allow streaming views on their sites. Sometimes those same places take the work done by others, and then make boot-leg DVDs out of it.

What mysoju.com does is capitalize on these streaming sites by collecting the links and putting them in one place.

Sometimes, many times, those links lead to streaming sites that have stolen from others. Now, mysoju argues that it isn't doing anything illegal, since it isn't hosting any of the stolen work, just collecting the ilnks. But regardless of what they say, what is true is that mysoju doesn't seem to care whether their collected links have stolen material in it.

I've been on every side of this - I started watching dramas and the first place that a friend suggested that I check out was mysoju, and at first I thought it was great -a one-stop place for a lot of dramas. Then I found out what they were doing was wrong, for many reasons and on many different levels. And then I found out how much work it takes to actually create subtitles.

I think that with a bit of effort to learn more, you will be able to get your k-drama fix, complete with excellent, high quality sub-titles, and without using sites like mysoju.com. =)

Has anyone watched Loving you a thousand times? I'm only on episode 5 but loving it. The drama is moving at a good speed and it's awlays making me wanting to watch it more. Great acting all around.

@45 ockoala

“Ones that aren’t entirely cliched and where the main female isn’t naive and comedic?”

I’m surprised Samsooki did not mention this one: My Name is Kim Sam Soon (perhaps he didn’t mention it because chances are, you’ve seen it). Sam-soon is the opposite of naive and comedic. Oh, the comedy is all there in the drama, but it’s inherent in the writing and situation. We’re not laughing ha ha ha AT the heroine, we’re laughing at what the heroine encounters and her actions with respect to living her life. It’s funny because its poignant, and refreshingly cliche-lite. Sam-soon on top of the mountain, both literally and figuratively, heart pounding stuff of legends.

Well, I didn't mention MNIKSS because my thinking was to go away from love-triangle-ish dramas.... Granted, My Name Is Kim Sam Soon is my all-time, hands-down, favoritist of all k-dramas, it is true. And the main character is ANYTHING but cliched. She is the opposite of cliche.

But, MNIKSS is still a love-triangle k-drama, and inherent in that, despite the brilliant and heart-achey acting, despite the brilliant dialogue, wonderful soundtrack and superb overall performance by Binnie and Kim Sunah, is the best of the cliches: a poor girl who comes from poor family, involved with a son of a rich family who doesn't accept poor girl. Beyond that, though, every other cliche in the world is blown to pieces.

MNIKSS has emotional depth beyond just about any drama I've ever seen, and that includes favorites of mine, like HGD, Dalja's Spring, Bad Family, and maybe even Coffee Prince (maybe not City Hall though, lol!)

But anyway, that's why I didn't include it. I thought to avoid all cliches altogether, and so went in a different direction...

@36 djes - i DLed bbm 5.0 last nite and it didn't erase my contacts (thank god!). i like the new layout but it's...really BIG haha. but i love that u can post profile pics and customize more stuff. still gotta figure out this barcode thing though..but otherwise i love it!

re: mysoju usage - i remember awhile back there was this whole discussion about mysoju and dramacrazy and back then i had no idea the whole concept was bad cuz they were linking to sites that used stolen material. since then i have rarely used it and have stuck to viikii or d-addicts to DL from the fansub group. i normally watch viikii to get my fix (cuz their video quality isn't that great, but subs are decent to get the message across), and then at that point i can wait until the HQ dl is available :)

ok so are we also talking about dramas we would not recommend?? let's see...

1: tokyo juliet - ridiculous and annoying. again was in that 'must finish at any costs' phase. i think i feel the same about 'tokyo juliet' as lb_tmi feels about 'a love to kill'. 17 hours of my life i will NEVER GET BACK. for those who thought ariel's character was annoying in ISWAK, to me her character was 1000x worse in tokyo juliet.
2: love contract - started off good and then slowly it became wtf?! and the end was super WTF?!?!?!

besides the ones that mishane referred to in her post i can't think of any else that i have thought was a total waste of time. i stopped believing i had to finish a series just cuz i started it. i will now straight up drop it if it doesn't catch or keep my interest within the first 5-6 episodes. ex: loved why why love in the beginning and then somewhere towards the middle i got annoyed. i think that was the first one i didn't finish and when i found out what happened at the end i was like, oh good i'm glad i didn't finish haha! sorry mishane - i know you loved it!!

alright off to the city to play and watch RENT!! i'll check back on this thread tomorrow to see how it will have inevitably grown exponentially :)

@ Samsooki

I honestly didn't think MNIKSS was a love triangle drama. There was barely an emotional connection between the leads and their secondary characters. We knew Sam Soon wasn't going to end up with her skeevy ex boyfriend, that would go against all k-drama rules, plus there were no redeeming factors in him to consider him worth fighting for.
And as for JRW, secondary girl. . .well, I never really felt like she was threatening at all, especially since she had Daniel Henney at her side.
IMO, MNIKSS was solely a Hyun Bin and Sun Ah show, with small episode cameos by the secondary characters.

I consider love triangle/square dramas to be ones like My Girl (where you had Lee Da Hae/Lee Junki, Da Hae/Dong Wook, Dong Wook/Lip Gloss girl), where there was equal ground between the two. I mean, Lee Da Hae could just have easily ended up with Jun Ki than Dong Wook.

Another love triangle that comes to mind is (the one I hate) Full House, where Song Hye Kyo could have ended up with Secondary Male who was very nice and sweet compared to Rain's childishness.

To me, love triangles are classified by the likelihood of the OTP leaving their OTP to be with the Second Guy/Girl, and in MNIKSS, I just never felt like there were any threats coming from the other side.

@ 55 lovenyc52

HEHE, regarding Why Why Love, I felt the same way. I adored the drama so so so much but I like to pretend that the last 4 episodes didn't happen and that the stupid liver storyline was non-existent. To this day, I only watch until around episode 11 or 12.

@ 57 skelly

OOOh, you've intrigued me! Is that getting subbed though? I don't think I saw it on the To Be Subbed list.

@ Samsooki

I knew there was a very logical reason why you didn't mention MNIKSS. You're absolutely right, the love triangle is pretty much the holy grail of k-drama cliches, hence my reference to MNIKSS being "cliche-lite" because having that one major cliche in set-up does kinda negate the rest of the drama breaking new ground in so many ways.

But ultimately - it works marvelously well because we're all fools for the love triangle angst, aren't we? When done right, it has tension, agony, indecision - all the hallmarks of good conflict inherent in bringing our hero-heroine together at the end of the day.

How does Kim Su-na end up acting in two of my absolute fave dramas - I like to think its because she's versatile, heart felt, and a gorgeous actress, who finds and elevates her dramas. You know my take at the end of the day - City Hall all the way! ;-)

Heh, talking about love triangles, there are a few dramas in which I rooted for secondary guy, including: Full House, Goong, Brilliant Legacy, Hana Kimi, Nobuta wo Produce, Hana Yori Dango, Lawyers Of Korea, etc.

I don't mean that I would have preferred the secondary coupling, just saying that the secondary coupling would have been just as fine as the main OTP. (Except for Goong, I hated the Prince, I wanted her to be with Prince Shin).

Friday! Yipee!
Making kimchi today =) Should actually be studying now, but it's the long weekend, and I get Fridays off, so byebye hwk for today!
Hope my kimchi turns out well...although they did turn out superbly last time I made them, I'm experimenting a little, mostly because I don't have a blender anymore ><

Gave up on My Fair Lady after the 3rd episode...just didn't seem to do it for me, I guess. The plot was just too predictable. Want to start Queen of Housewives, but really need to force myself to study!!!

Have a great weekend everyone ^__^

And Happy Thanksgiving for those in Canada!

@mishane
My Queen is my fav 2009 drama. I love the female character. She is not perky, cutesy. She looks a little bit like Cate Blanchett. And that Ethuan Ruan , not the most good looking guy out there but the most likable and just great body language when he's kissing. He is like Gong Yoo in that regard.
Tdrama kisses rock. I also love their soundtracks.

@Reese
I recommend the Tdrama My Queen if you are looking for a great female character. I just love her!

@56 mishane -

re: MNIKSS

My feeling on MNIKSS is maybe a bit different from others.

I always felt that what made MNIKSS so.... real(??) was the fact that the main character Sam Soon could have, and it is even arguable that she should have, gone with her second choices - the cheating ex-bf or the blind date guy she keeps bumping into. And, on the flip side, is arguable, and certainly possible, that Samshik should have gone with his ex-gf.

The side characters may have been secondary, but the choices that both Samshik and Samsoon had to make were very real, and arguably, both made the wrong decision at the end to be together (of course, I like them to be together, hehe.)

Samsoon's love triangle really was between herself, Samshik and the reality that many 30-something individuals (both men and women) have to face - which is to say, second-best options (the cheating ex-bf, the mysterious good-looking wallflower of a man who keeps letting Samsoon go, being single and dealing with it, etc.)..

Samshik had a different love-triangle - himself, Samsoon and an ex-gf that he loved dearly and thought he could be with forever. Now, did Samshik change into a different person during the time they were apart, or, did Samshik just develop the capacity to love another as deeply, or even more? This is a very difficult question to answer. Do people really change, or do they just grow bigger hearts?

Anyhoo, I could talk about MNIKSS all day and night. =) After all, I'm Samsooki. :)

@28
Watch it on youtube. The quality is really good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwf81obIn7U

I absolutly LOVE LOVE LOVE You're Beatuful!!!
It's a really great drama!
Park Shin Hye is amazing, and really cute and fun but
the guys are soooooo hot!!!!
I like shin-woo!
I SOOO can't wait till next week...
what am i gonna do?

@61 mishane

i was totally on Team Yul when i was watching Goong.. nothing about Prince Shin deserved Chaeyoung.. i was SCREAMING at my monitor for her to hook up w/ Prince Yul..

then i re-watched goong w/ my daughter a few months ago.. and i totally did a 180. Team Shin all the way..

I'm stuck in university in a city where it's been raining nonstop for the last three weeks. Where is the snow, people? Where is the mind-blastingly freezing lovely Canadian weather? But no, instead we're stuck with April showers, frozen worms, and the smell of damp manure and pesticides. This is October - give me snow or nothing at all!

I prefer snow over rain purely because then I can sanely wear my scarf, gloves, shawl, three layers of sweaters, and my winter parka - without looking like a lost re-incarnated snowman.

I'm watching Dal Ja's Spring for the fifth time, right now. I love the opening sequence of the first episode, where the mother is trying to wake up Dal Ja with the worst most annoying, "When I was your age..." rant (which I can relate to oh so well!), with then the grandmother interrupting with her own "When I was your age" rant to the mother. That was pure <3

While I'm eagerly waiting for the subtitles for You're Beautiful, I'm watching Medaka, Buzzer Beat (soundtrack is driving me INSANE) , Manhattan Love Story, aaaaand Roseate-Love. And now am re-watching Dal Ja's Spring! I'm gonna have an awesome time pretending to study for my midterms ^___^
~

@ 63 Sonam

I totally agree... My Queen was an awesome drama. The female lead, the secondary male (Senior!) and all of them were awesome. Most of the time, Twdramas drive me insane with their endless amount of kidnappings and mistaken identities and small secrets totally blown out of proportion. My Queen was rather different in that regard ^^

Samsooki, mishane, et al

Oh, I love a good MNIKSS discussion!

Samshik represented Sam Soon's last chance for love, but only in her mind. We know that there's another perfectly eligible, perfectly suitable, perfectly attractive man who is very interested in her; but he sees what we see. She only has eyes for Samshik.

Samshik loves his girlfriend with the heart and mind of a boy experiencing love for the first time, so when she comes back to him with her tale of woe and sad eyes, he's right back where he was in the beginning. But Samshik the man wants Sam Soon.

The best part of this tale is how two adults decide to risk everything to be with the person they truly WANT; not the person who's most suitable or even the most compatible, but the person that they can't bear to be apart from. That's why I love the part where Samshik tells her that he couldn't call her while he was traveling in the US, because just the sound of her voice would make the separation unbearable and he'd be on the first plane back. Swooooon. :-D

Yeah, I love MNIKSS too!

Okay I REALLY need to see Sam Soon. It's on the very, very soon list. It just took me so long to find! And really, download limits will be the death of me. How do you expect me to limit my downloading when there are dramas to be watched?

So, dramas to stay away from?

- Autumn Tale -> Yep, early on, finish what you start syndrome. OH. MY. GOD. Ridiculously contrived melodrama. Even the 'happy' moments are sad. Wallow wallow wallow, pointless emoing, ridiculous ending to end everybody's pain. Sheesh. BUT I'd do it again because Won Bin. Drama to end my finish what you start syndrome. Proud of myself for making it halfway. She was pointlessly mean to him, he came across as a dull pushover, everybody had to fall in love with her, random wig she wore sometimes; just, WHAT. And the thing is I love the leads and I can see the potential and chemistry, but I just couldn't stand it.

- Tokyo Juliet -> First say 5 eps were adorable, love them both. Then it got realllly stupid: someone likes her, they break up, get back together, someone likes him, they break up, get back together. Blah. Also her thing about beating his dad because her mum left and he broke up their family was just rendered completely pointless because HE didn't break up their family, her mother left of her own free will, abandoned her family at a time of financial difficulty and then went, OF HER OWN FREE WILL, to his dad. FAIL.

- Miss No Good -> I like all 3 leads, but it made my head hurt. Hurrrrrrrrrrrrrrt. But, damn, Dean Fujioka is SO CUTE. He has such pretty, pretty eyes.

Can I pitch in on Friend? I've just finished it all and I've just never seen this quality of excellence dripping in every department. I experienced it like watching a 20 hour long movie epic which I literally spent 100 hours+ watching. The lacking thing to make it more 'mass friendly' was... I would not call it entertaining, and I could not think of one friend I know personally to recommend it to, so it's a first for me as well to enjoy its entirety alone...and later on, treasured the solitude (even when hubby want to budge in to watch alongside, I refused the distraction of his possible questions) And for the first time, I don't know how to discuss a drama that evoked such emotions in me, that I think is so masterful....maybe so much so I'm rendered speechless.

There are parts I know I'm missing out since I know nth of Korean history. I tried to read up, but I'm not kidding myself, I'm just inept in getting the full blown impact of many scenes.

I was one of those ranting on the excessive blurring in the beginning, but I stopped noticing 3 eps in, everything else was just soo gripping my full attention. And now, after I've finished the whole drama, what blurring?! ;)

@ripgal, on paper, it seems like their relationship cracked because of the girl. But PD Kwak was just brilliant. He laid down so much on the complexities on the characters and the tension in their relationships. I took it as just another passage of growing up. Yes, it's there. True both of them have crushes on that same girl (actually 3 of them), but it was presented, in just how they looked at her, at that concert scene, how on diff levels, true to their characters, the intensity of their desire towards her, how they r going to act towards their emotions, were destined. There were no ifs and buts.

The focus is on binnie's and KMJ's characters all the way. There were just sooo many factors contributing to their at times explosive intense love relationship mixed with pensive guardedness right fr the moment they met. There was an intent 'keep your friend close and your enemy closer' element fr their very first meeting (the playground fight that didn't happen, but stones were held in pockets...) And out of that spun DS' adoration, almost an idolization of the charismatic yet self-indulgingly selfish JS, an adoration that JS can never reciprocate in intensity, when he is so far fr this overly sensitive softy DS has always been inside and to which DS always held a silent grudge. It's fate, it's circumstance, it's their personalities and everything that happend to them, that festered the way they act and think that bound them together, pulled them apart.

I can't find fault in the actings, they ranged fr superb to great....but I do want more fr the lead actress. There was a great plot development concerning her in the last eps that eased my frustration for many latter eps towards her...and I cant help but ponder IF the actress can deliver more to forebode it.

@Belleza

Look what I found while I was randomly browsing the net (well, actually, I was checking a blog about Japanese stuff, but whatever). http://www.cupnoodle.jp/ I thought it was completely amusing! I spent like 5 good minutes LOLing after watching the second commercial. Oh Kimutaku, WHYYYY? Seriously, the second CM is lulzy!

I'm gonna sound like a total fan-shipper, but this is too (pseudo) juicy not to explore:

So, we all know My Fair Lady ended (with a whimper and a sigh), but it appears no harm, no foul, the Yoons, MCW, and JIW will all be fine. And MFL was enjoyable in its limited capacity.

I saw some pictures of the cast and crew celebrating the end of production party, and lo and behold, YEH shows up wearing an oversized red and black check shirt (nearly - I didn't do a side-by-side analysis) identical to the one YSH wore TWICE in the drama.

I noticed because there were comments about YSH looking nice in his casual non-butler wear, and that being his fave shirt cuz he wore it more than once. I mean, anytime the same outfit is recycled - unless its the night after a binge and you've vomited all over the dude who carried you home, and he has had your outfit dry cleaned, and now you both are headed to work at the restaurant he owns - this it's just noteworthy for maybe having an underlying meaning.

So, does YEH wearing the same eye-catching shirt to a party that YSH wore twice in MFL mean something? I realize my love for the DC-HN couple in the drama was 100% influenced by how much I like YSH and YEH, but in real life, I would squee if they dated, but hate to spread rumors when the Yoons have vocally said nothing is happening. Just some fanshipping for thought. Or...YEH could have just pulled it out of the wardrobe dept and put it. Either way, phew, glad MFL is over, I don't know how much more together-not together-together, ad nauseum, I could take even despite my love for the couple, and because it allows me to fully giggle and heart You're Beautiful.

MNIKSS SPOILERS ahead

@69 langdon813 -

Here are the questions to answer though:

Let's say that Sam Soon was wrong - Samshik did not REALLY represent her last shot at love. As anyone who has been through their teen years knows, the efficacy of the statement, "I will love you forever," sometimes only lasts about 2 weeks, or shorter if you are still in high school. Sometimes, love lasts forever. Sometimes, it doesn't.

1. Could Sam Soon have found love with the blind date guy?

I believe the answer is yes.

2. Should Sam Soon have chosen someone other than Samshik, like the blind date guy or the cheating ex-bf.

I believe the answer is yes, with a maybe. The cheating ex-bf was still up to his tricks at the end, but, that doesn't mean he was beyond redemption. Honestly, people mature at different rates. What I DO know is that Samsoon was a total catch, and all three of the guys - Samshik, cheating ex-bf, and blind date guy all knew it. They ALL wanted Samsoon for the same reason - she rocks.

But, Samshik is the one guy who can screw with Samsoon, break her heart, break her heart again, mend it, and then break it again. And someone like that isn't always the person you want to spend your life with.

That said, at the end, I really really hope they made it and stayed together, because that's the kind of relationship that makes being with someone worthwhile - the kind that you fight for, the kind that makes you earn it.

3. Should Samshik have chosen someone else other than Samsoon?

For the sake of family, perhaps. Family is important. It becomes more important as time passes - something that children and twenty-somethings maybe don't realize.

There is a lot of idealistic notions of "love" and "true love" and "love forever" and things like that, but honestly, even though i believe in those notions, I am aware that it doesn't necessarily happen for everyone, and, even for those that it does happen to, it doesn't always last forever. Family, generally speaking, lasts.

If Samshik couldn't get his family to accept Samsoon, then there is a substantial argument that he should have let Samsoon go.

***

That said, I'm fully a proponent of Sun-Bin, the OG of k-drama coupling.

Okay. I found MNIKSS subbed on YT, decent quality. To stop staring at Viikii's You're Beautiful page and dithering over it, to enable me to wait for HQ, I'm going to watch the first ep of Kim Sam Soon. Forgive me.

@76 xiahkixiri -

I would use dramafever.com

:)

@mishane

"Loving You A Thousand Times" is being subbed, in fact, the first 4 episodes have been released!

http://withs2.com/subtitles-status

http://withs2.com/view/loving-you-1000

With all the talk I'm actually excited to be checking out You're Beautiful this weekend. Good thing I don't have too much to do. The first episode of Smile was decent, too, but I'm not feeling the male lead's character. Don't get me wrong, he's hilarious, but he does nothing for me in the swoon department. And really, if I'm going to watch a show in a language I can't understand, I'm a need some eye candy. He's funny enough to keep me interested for a few more eps but I'm not sure if I'll make it all 30/50.

Oh and, even though it's been dragging lately... I'm sad to see Sons of Sol Pharmacy end this weekend. I really bonded with all the Non-Bokifer characters. This is the one good thing about tedious, drawn out American sitcoms. It's like, I have a connection with Will Smith because I really feel like we grew up together all those years on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Oh, a quick note on the Obama thing. I am of that camp that believes that it's too early to be giving him a Nobel Peace prize. I really just think it's premature. If this was a year or two from now, I would probably have a different opinion. But, that's not the point I wanted to make. I just wanted to say don't assume that everyone who takes issue with this decision is a) Republican b) Conservative c) Racist. I've been hearing/reading comments all day to the effect of "these Republicans just can't get over it." But, at least in my circle of acquaintance, at least half of the people I know who have doubts about whether this is the best choice are VERY Staunch Obama Supporters. So anyhow, something to think on...

My sister was quite upset at the end of MNIKSS, she said that the drama ended quite well but as a couple they didn't resolve any of the issues that they were gonna face. From my point I think the biggest problem taht they didn't really deal with was the trust between the two. Would Samsoon really not become a controlling and obsesive girlfriend, she felt threatened by every women which she should have but seeing Samshik's fickle nature I would worry about those two.

Happy Friday...man I am exhausted today, I hope I am not getting sick. I am super happy with Your Beautiful because it is a fun and....more FUN:)

Man, I need a job for the next 5 months before finally going to Korea but no one seems to be hiring. Smallville tonight:)

@43 mishane

You should definitely check out My Queen. It's not your usual idol drama and my favorite TW drama this year. It's not your usual May-December relationship story - its sweet, realistically portrays the challenges of such a relationship, and has solid character development in the plot. This is a mature drama and the producers/writers toned down the silliness normally found in idol dramas.

I agree that Ethan Ruan is not the best-looking TW actor but he can act.... and kiss very, very well (hehehe). This guy can move me to tears...: ) He's managed to choose his projects well and he's even better here than in Fated to Love You in the emo scenes.

And did I mention the soundtrack is? It's fantastic. From the opening themse song (...Fish Leong's "No ifs") to the closing theme and the songs/themes used in between.

I loved, loved this one.

Let me change gears and say.... I LOVE "YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL". JGS is great... casted perfectly. I love his scowls, which does not detract from his good looks. I cannot wait for Episode 3. This show is hilarious. JGS and PSH has got such great chemistry so far... I hope they don't stick us with just a peck or unromantic kiss when they finally get together... hehe (i sound like a perv). But you know, it would be a waste of such great chemistry. Besides, these two have kissed on a CF before...

On Obama's NPP, I do agree technically it's too early. And yeah, he's awarded for his speaking abilities. But reading on how they reached the decision to give him the NPP, they have some valid arguments.

Obama did turn around how the world view USofA. It's not nec his own efforts, but he did make change in how the world want to deal with US. We can't deny just with him as the president, the whole image of USA did a 180, and even just as a mascot, he at least open some doors so talk can begin btw many hostile fractions.

@samsooki, yes Samsoon rocks, but she's not written as a total catch. She would be the first one to admit she is not. What works for Samsoon and Samshik in their relationship is they do bring sth to the table that is irreplaceable by others. Samsoon bashfully injects a humanity, humility in Samshik that he's shut. She made him FEEL again, all sorts of human emotions. with more cheese, she enriches him, makes him breath again, laugh again, dead mad or a hot mess again.... Samsoon on the other hand saw the vulnerability in Samshik, she knew he's sacredly kept to himself, but he let her in. They shared an emotional intimacy Samsoon may have never experienced in her life. She's not exactly practical in love, she knew it, with her ex, I thought it's just an elaborate Samsoonie fantasy based on infatuation. She didnt even know he's well off, didnt even have the chance to fight her battles the reality of being in a relationship that has social class diff blatantly involved. So in Samshik, she got to experience a romance that despite all the other diff, they can communicate freely and oddly be on the same page. They GET each other, they r soo well acquainted w/ each others faults to the point of despise before these feelings developed which they both knew they tried mightiest to vend off....in vain, and thus made it more genuine. They can build their romance on sth more substantial than all that hoopla of dreamy hormonal induced misconceptions. She can't get it fr that blind date nice guy. He's fallen for her because she acted nice, she's fun to talk with...but she has many more facets to her, many not guy-magnet quality and she's not interested in what IF he can't accept ALL of Samsoon. She's feisty and she can bite, he's not someone she can 'tango' with. It's not necessarily tangible, but they have fallen for each other and that's essentially what that curtails.... every other potentials out there will become wallflowers.

@ samsooki: I wish! I'm in the UK, no dramafever for me! I actually went and registered last week and tried to load MNIKSS ep1, hoping that it might magically mistake my IP address and play for me. (What, technology ain't perfect). So, YT it is!

You're Beautiful feels like a adaption of a manga, or as if the Hong Sisters took ideas from existing manga, and created their own storyline. Which I believe that they did...

http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=20927

Hi everyone,

Wet and miserable Friday here. I woke up on time this morning and went back to sleep b/c it was so dark I thought it was still the middle of the night. So the day got off to a rocky start.

@ 18 mishane

Disliked dramas:
Hello My Teacher: It could have been over in 10 episodes, and I think I just don't like the lead actress. But I had a bet with myself early on that Gong Yoo would cry in every episode, and sure enough, he pretty much did. Man, that guy can cry.

Other dramas I disliked:

Wonderful Life: I discovered I'm not a fan of Eugene and I really can't stand Kim Jae Won. So My Love Patzzi was a struggle for me, but I'm a strong Kim Rae Won fan and I made it through. Wonderful Life just sort of dragged on and no one was terribly sympathetic except the guy next door with the lovely lips (who went on to star in Hello! Miss) and by then I'd seen enough dramas to know he was never going to get the girl.

Mr Goodbye: It was okay, but just that, and I was sorry I'd invested the time in watching it. There were some good episodes in the middle, but again, it could have been edited down a few episodes to useful effect.

Let's Go to School, Sang-Doo: I felt betrayed by the ending.

And just recently, I've started two dramas that I think I do really quite like--What's Up, Fox? and Triple--but I haven't had the motivation to finish them. I'm on about Ep 10 in both of them. And have been stalled there for a month or so. It's odd, b/c usually when I do like something, I feel completely compelled to finish it. But these, I like, I think I want to find out what happens, but the sense of urgency is totally absent.

Can I weigh in on MNIKSS?

The cheating ex-bf? Never never never. She could never should never have ended up with him. He was never going to develop. He only wanted her back b/c he saw someone else (better than him) found her attractive. I don't believe he could even see what was attractive about her even then. He was just grabbing back the discarded toy.

Could she have made a 'wiser' choice in blind-date guy? I also don't agree that was possible. Samshik's presence in her life made her aware that she couldn't settle happily for less. Less than the mature self- and other-knowing love he represented, that is. So it was him or no one. And she was staring a future of 'no one' in the face.

I also just loved the not so neatly tied up ending. They are true to their commitment to each other, but the rest of the world doesn't magically transform to accommodate them.

@ 71 mookie and Samsooki on Friends..

Such in-depth analysis of the drama. Granted that I've only seen 6 episodes of it, I can't give a thorough and wholesome judgment of it. I may not even be able to give one even after finishing it, since it was already so tough for you and Samsooki...:P

But I can definitely agree with you that the direction and acting is really top-notch. A lot of emphasis on dark and greyish colors, but nothing of that bothered me at all. It sat very well with the theme - a sad story relating the trials and tribulations of 4 friends going thru youth, adolescence and adulthood.

I do agree with you and Samsooki that the drama relates their friendship in sort of a passing time meter in different periods. Survey of times? I totally agree. And since I know nothing of Korean history, thank you Samsooki for the explanation. Never knew the period back then was that hard.

All of the guys were great, but Hyun Bin stole the limelight a lil bit for me. I think you (mookie) know how I always have something to say about HB's acting and the characters that he plays in his dramas... it's either good or good enough, but never great? heehhe.. But here he totally blew me away with his portrayal of Dong Soo. The intensity and depth he gave to Dong Soo was gripping, and gave me chills whenever he displayed his outward rage or explosive emotions. So real, so raw...so scary. Never have I seen HB like that, and there he just struck me with awe. Very fine performance I'd say. And with that, I think I've yet to see the best of him in here, since I have another 14 episodes?

Okay, away with the story.. there was one lil funny moment in Ep 6...whereby they played Tae Yang's song about the 4 friends... and all 4 guys started to dance and all? That was purposely inserted into the drama to create some fun right? It had no relevance to the story at all right? I was like HUH? What happened to JS and ST? hahaha..

===
And since we're on MNIKSS talk right now..

If Samsook in MNIKSS made you a HB fan (to anyone out there), check him out in Friend... he WILL blow you away.

If you haven't seen the "I Don't Care" Karaoke dance scene from Smile, You... drop what you're doing and watch it now. Funniest thing I've seen in forever! On Viikii it's Episode 3, part 4 about a quarter of the way in. So hilarious!

By the way, I've decided I like this show. It's funny. Both overtly so and in the subtle details. Good stuff.

@79, Z
Sol's Pharmacy's going to end?? NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
i only watched the KBSW version so i'm a couple of weeks behind the actual airing, but it's so sad to hear it's going to end soon...

@89 I'm loading it right now. I love karaoke scenes.

So let me ask more widely... Karaoke Scenes... What are your favourites?

I would give awards to the Karaoke Scene in MNIKSS for the funniest (still makes me laugh out loud); and to the Karaoke Scene in My Little Bride for effectiveness at moving the plot along (revealing the characters' feelings in their choice of song).

actually Ripgal, I do see some faults in binnie's acting in his past roles. But I did not see him near horrible. I bear a grudge with actors, if I've seen them in sth horribly stinky, or they did one bad job, I don't forget. First run of mnikss, couple eps in, I was not wow'd by binnie's samshik in any way shape or form. The rational half of me will totally agree he can be bland as he tends to underact. I still cringe when he's forcing tears every time I watch that elevator w/ HJ scene in mnikss. And up till this day I can think of some terrific Kactors that can do a great job as Samshik. Since I just finished Bali, JIS will be FANTASTIC, for example. Oddly, it's not till we checked out other stuff he was in, and saw the progress, that we're goners. It was Ireland for me, his style of acting speaks to me with a genuine honesty...as in he conveyed to me he understood his character, he WAS being the character in whatever he was in that I can turn a blind eye to him not technically there yet in emoting. I would not call him born to be an actor, I do think his shyness/introversion can be a tad hindering, I was never quite sure how confident and conscious he was with his acting even when I found him spoton fantastic in a specific scene. I was not sure if it's just glimpses of raw talent I was seeing or deliberate deliveries. But with Friends, he's never been more sure of himself, and I was shocked to read in his interviews how confident he knew he's done a great, proud job in his DS. He's passionate about it and he has worked hard like many many artists r in this industry, but in Friends I think I witness a actor announcing his real arrival, he's at the point he can reap the benefits.

I did rewatch bits of mnikss just for my sanity while watching Friends.. and another thing y I think I cant recom Friends is that... it took away some of my enjoyment of mnikss! the good thing: I saw how much binnie has improved in last couple years... but then it also pronounced how 'not exactly there yet' he was in way too many scenes as samshik. I shouldnt be this critical, but after seeing how much more he is capable of, his samshik is now lacking to the point that I'll go 'what if binnie does Samshik now?!' arghh...

Hey guys...I've been away for several hours; back online now with my shiny new laptop! First stop - Dramabeans and the OT thread to see what I've been missing...and I FINALLY got the Lee Min-ki header! FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY!

I'm choosing to see this as a sign that things are looking up; it's been a tough week. ;-)

Now...gotta open a new window and go read the new article about Kang Ji-hwan!

@langdon,

"Too bad I can’t discuss K-dramas at book club (although I’ve tried, on occasion)!"

Yup, one of the Borders around here ran a K-drama book club. That's how Korean my place is. ;)

@Samsooki,

"I totally thought that You’re Beautiful was going to be like the half-dozen other dramas that came out this year that I had high hopes for and then fizzled."

This one was going to be special (either really good or really bad) because it's a true Idol Drama. Even now, there's only a handful that get made per year, and generally SBS is not the station that programs them. But SBS hit a homerun with Brilliant Legacy, which was a Cinderella/SBS Weekend Drama remixed with starlets and up-and-coming actors. This is no small thing. By essentially casting people who are probably 5-10 years younger than the typical age,

This goes back to the original poster. Everybody was yapping about how weird it looked, but if you go to a store that sells Taiwanese idol dramas, they all look like that. The point being that, You're Beautiful pretty much looks like the Korean version of the Super Cute Super Silly Taiwanese Idol Drama. It's got lots of androgynous idols doing androgynous stuff with each other. It's based less on huffy "girl and boy hate each other but really like each other" screwball fun for "oops i did it again!!" situational comedy. This show is just so . . . Taiwanesey. :D

I love the concept of this show being essentially Hana Kimi, if Hana Kimi was starring Tohru Honda (esp. with her super formal of diction) and Kyo (angry guy . . . but also neurotic in a kind of helpless/sweet sort of way) from Fruits Basket. The fact that we have a female character who's so utterly NICE and SWEET means that a whole style of Korean rom-com dynamics may simply not happen with this show. After all, how can the lead male hate her if she's so NICE and SWEET. And it means, different style of comedy.

@ockoala,

"and she wasn’t a hundred shades of awesome the way Moon Geun-young AND Han Ji-min as young Song Hye-gyo in Autumn in my Heart and All In, respectively, were."

Park Shin Hye's kinda in MGY territory in that people take for granted that she'll be a top lead someday. She's close to being a veteran K-drama actress, and in terms of actual chops, I think she's more there than, say, YEH. She's also a better dancer than probably 80% of the current K-girl groups. And she's hosted a lot of variety programming. You can't get away from her. :D

like everyone ..loving you 're beautiful...i was not expecting much frm this drams but its really good ...after BOF i haven't watched the dramas during its airing...

@ xiahkixiri : i doubt you will get all the ep subbed in youtube..few days ago i tried to re-watch samson but couldn't find all ep with subs.i think veoh have it..i haven't checked now but before i watched it there.

Thanks to all who posted on Friend Our Legend. Been trying to get some comments on it and now I have plenty to cheer me on. It's in my next-to-watch list.

@ 92 mookie

You're so right mookie. About how when you start liking an actor because of his portrayal of a certain role, and you cringe later on when you watch his previous roles, in which his acting skills are not quite there yet at the time. So true.

But that's the good thing about being an actor who has passion for his work and art. If you're serious about something that you're passionate about, you learn, you mature and you make progress. HB has shown maturity in his acting never seen before in Friend (I didn't watch Snow Queen, Ireland or Worlds Within so I can't judge him on those). But counting from his portrayal of Samshik to Dong Soo in Friends, all I can say is that the latter completely overshadowed Samshik in terms of complexity and intensity. Character and acting-wise. Of course you can say that there's a difference therein Samshik and Dong Soo, because they're so vastly different. But it's the difference in the conviction and heart that you see in the eyes of HB back when he was Samshik and when he's Dong Soo right now. It's a good feeling I must say, considering how judgmental I may get of HB at times (miahne hehehe)....to the extent that I kinda feel proud for him, even tho I'm not a fan of his. :P

@mishane

Like many others here, I highly recommend My Queen. It is quite different from the other Taiwanese dramas I've seen. It's definitely one of the first older female/younger male dramas I've seen from Taiwan. (Sidenote: a friend from Taiwan asked me if I'm into relationships like that because I watch so many dramas like that (Dal Ja's Spring, Kimi Wa Petto, etc.), but I really just identify more with the business woman who's older and mature than the high school girl trying to be cute) .
Back to the show, love the main actress, love Ethan Ruan, love pretty much everything in it, so in short, definitely watch. Fated to Love You is good too, also Ethan Ruan.

Episodes 3 and 4 of Smile, You are cute :)

I think I'm sticking with it!