For the record and for the nth time,

my binnie IS ROBBED!

@ twin

Tabling FOL for now. Ep 13. Can't watch anymore. I need happy, or period drama pathos (not spork my heart with a spoon distress).

LitW is seriously addicting (tho I'm sure 80% of it is because the story is so damn perfect it's gripping each time). The scenary is exquisite, ZJZ does grab his landscapes and uses them completely (all the scenes of LHC in that one year where he had to take a time-out and live in a mountain were great).

I concur with all your gripes, strange that ZJZ got worse rather than better? I'm sure DGSM was good, I just couldn't get into it (I think it's due to Jimmy Lin and Liu Yifei playing Duan Yu and Wang Yuyen, bad acting meet no acting).

Ha, I jump genres, countries, tropes like a person on ADD. One minute I'm waxing about Candy Candy, then next minute I'm all LC drama adaptation.

Btw, did you get the sense that ZJZ jacked the LHC-Yue Ling-shan storyline completely, and just went with OTP2 for the sake of making us happy. I'm not complaining, but I did not get the sense that LHC loved his Xiaoshimei the way he did in the novel. Fine by me, she's a total princess beyootch and I hate her.

^ He did and he got LOADS of backlash for it. I think he's still scarred by it and swore to be 'true to the original' till this day.

XiaoShiMei is any faceless mindless snooze-inducing bimbo that should grow out of the princess phase long ago...who is not smart enough to be a bitch, and not too dumb to be craptastically interesting. I like what the character brings to the book and how integral she is to the theme and LHC's development, I'd never give her character more thought, as it's brilliantly designed by LC...it's not like she's worth it, LHC moved on, quite gentlemanly after he's grown a finer taste in woman...and she got her serving of own meds. I don't hate her, we still grow up w/ girls just like her as opposed to my ultimate scorn XLN.

Have u watched ZJZ's Blood Stained by Royal Sword? it's in my lower pile of LC... and I'm really allergic to Eva Huang (imo an uglier, bitchier LYF w/o a whole lot more of talent)

@janna
Are you sure, janna?
OK I'm about to launch myself into a tirade. *cracks knuckles* here goes…

I'm tired coming back from work right now and can't be bothered re-watching that scene but this is how I recall it. (Hahah! Does that even make sense?)

A little breakdown of the scene where the three of them are sat testing out their new guns, and it rejogs CPY's memory:

CPY: ''Remember you once said, there was someone you had to kill, who was he?''

SM: ''The one who killed my parents.''

(Pensive silence.)

(OK, question mark: parentS? He knows about Mama Lee now? I figure since she was admitted into hospital before she died she'll be on the records.)

CPY: (After the long pause) ''...Do you want me to kill him for you?''

(Awww! CPY, you sweetheart!
That's akin to saying: Son, I see you're inwardly suffering, is there anything you'll have me do for you? -- Anything, I'll do it.
And did you see his face in that scene? Didja, huh? This is the love story of the decade, I tell thee.)

SM: (Silence)
Locks eyes with CPY’s – in a deadly smouldering glare.

(Yes, yes perfect! Now I know why YOU took over from KSH! Not Go Soo, not Kim Myung Min. Consider me eating my own words now.
He even has the threatening air, the sometimes heartstopping presence and that wonderful father-son chemistry with JBS that I initially doubted he could rekindle after KHS.)

CPY: Taken aback by the glare, but responds:

''A word of advice my boy, you shouldn't wait too long to take revenge...''

(Aye, second that!)

SM: (Silence)

CPY looks at SM curiously, almost like a challenge.
(Which made me think: schitt, does he know the truth? Is CPY the one playing games?)

SM continues to glare, now with a renewed burning intensity… possibly suspecting the same.

CPY's face then softens. ''If you can't do it... I'll kill that person for you?''.

(OK, so maybe he doesn't know.)

SM: Breaks out of his glare as his now red eyes begin to pool with tears, excuses himself, bows head, walks out.

CPY to JC: looking clearly shook-up and vulnerable:

''… His eyes… they scare me.''

JC aka. Dawg #1: Grins and says:
''Aaah, don't worry about that, you know he's always been so loyal to you.''

(You know, I luurve JC, as sharp and awesome as he is, he can be anyone's bitch and only SM knows that.)

CPY's eyes sting with tears.
--- A tiny hint of tears but they're right there. (I should screencap that scene!) He looks sincere, like he genuinely wants to reach out to 'his boy' but he knows it's impossible to get through SM's barriers.

Meanwhile SM hovers o/s the office and muses to himself ''Cho Pil-yeon, when I pierce you, I'll pierce you straight through the heart.''
--- Aaah, clever, those are CPY's own words. Think back to gun practice when SM was a teen and he couldn't hold a gun properly and kept missing the target.

Me: O rly, SM? Cho has a heart?

SM: Aah yes, that what we saw a split second ago indicates that he may just have one.

Now thinking back to gun practice also reminds us of another significant scene that took place moments before the first gun practice one -- the one where the conversation led to SM having to make a pledge: ''the day Cho Pil-yeon dies is the day Lee Sung-mo dies''.

Oh noes! Did that mean he'll commit suicide on the day he kills CPY?
Nopes, I think judging by the undercurrents in that scene, it was probably better understood figuratively, that he'll never actually kill CPY. But does intend to hit him where it hurts.

Another clue, in target practice, SM never shoots in the heart, he shoots very skillfully all around it, like he's extracting the heart.

Plus, thanks to the flashforward we know CPY is like.. Unkillable. Hopefully that means SM won't perish either. (Please don't anyone kill the Crazy Kid! Else, I'll seriously fall out with this show.)

So here we have Setup #1. SM exacting his revenge on CPY by finding his achilles heel, the ball is in motion but right now he seems to be buying time by going after HTS first. Unless of course it's all interlinked.

So, if discovering Cho has a heart was a cake, that he cares about SM (a lot!) was the icing on the cake, the cherry on top was MW's sincerity towards SM and calling him hyung, I never thought that day would come. But then, MW doesn't begrudge people his respect if he deems they're worthy of it, whether he considers them a friend or foe is irrelevant. He isn't as judgmental as we may be led to believe. So in a way I hope MW and MJ meet now, while MJ is still somewhat 'respectable' in the eyes of society, because I cringe to imagine what their meetings would be like later, love story of the century or not and the more I'm seeing MW's attitude the more I concede with your predictions about it being a calculated move on his part.

I like that unlike his dad, MW learns his lessons swiftly. Like in school when he tried exerting his powers over KM ''I am top of the school, in this glorious school full of only the elite… what are you doing here, little shoe-shiner from Myeong-dong?''

I guess the shoe-shiner had the last laugh there. (JY, his newest victim it seems will similarly PWN him over too.) In MW's condescending tone, he actually has undercurrents of a healthy challenge, daring the other party to rise to it. Although as he's matured he's turned more vicious and clearly upping the stakes. (And I kind of pity him, he's such a loner.)

Speaking of the shoe-shiner and ''almost pummeling someone with a pool ball'', I was getting a bit pissed off with the constant feuds between him and Park So-tae, I like that fella, he was KM's hyung -- nay, his family back in the days of Myeong-dong way before TS became his father-figure. But ep11 addresses that relationship nicely, so I'll let it slide.

I think they've purposefully distanced us the audience away from our main guy KM as they're focusing a lot on beefing up other characters currently.

Which brings me to Setup #2 with a formerly small character Pres. Hong. (Pres. Hong FTW.) He's gone from snake to lovable grandpops (uh, almost). I now see two setups for this guy, one which pits him against TS (what's new you ask?). This time it's SM who is re-igniting the hatred, because TS is a bigger foe in SM's eyes than Cho ever was (hint: ''abheoji chingu''). SM doesn't know the full truth but I don't like TS, sure, he may not be guilty of *that* crime but he's cunning enough to deserve a fresh new round of ass-kicking anyway. (f*ckyeahleesungmo!)

The other setup with Hong is MJ, but I'll leave that out, strictly because it's too early on, but I do see a chain of events ready to unfold in that direction. I see Kyung-ok (JY's omma) being in that equation too.

And speaking of KO, I don't know if you've seen the new opening credits, they're nothing 'too' new, but when they bring up an animated KO, there's a shadow of a mysterious young man behind her, who is he? Did TS have another son with her? Or If you see a 10yr old boy anywhere in her vicinity in upcoming episodes, you'll know who that is. If so, I really didn't want him anywhere near these people. Run away, KO, get out of Hong's Casino!

Setup #3: What's interesting is (if you recall ep1) is Cho has once met KM, remember when Papa Lee took KM with him to meet CPY who was then Chief of Security and he rewarded KM a nice sum of money? So all that time he'd thought of KM as 'THAT son of Lee Dae-soo's -- who'd witnessed everything.'' So no wonder he was twitchy at their reunion in ep9 when he asked MW about him and asked him to 'befriend him'. KM hasn't the foggiest idea who CPY is and why he should be of any importance, apart from being MW's dad. This has to be an interesting setup. (And that also clears things up further about CPY being innocent about SM, he really was simply the laundry boy to him.)

Now THIS is what you call a drama! Woohoo!

On a more random note: I find it a bit suicidal for this show to be directed towards a male audience, strictly because we know the ratings secret is all about ahjumma power, as it stands ahjummas like a slice of Ji Jin-hi pie on a Mon/Tues and some serious baking against a backdrop of extramarital affairs and birth secrets on a Weds/Thurs.
This unfortunately offers none of that for it to contend in ratings, this is purely power trips and clashing egos p0rn right now. Plus, I'm beginning to see a negative in having too many talented actors on the same show, we NEED underlings to balance things out. When all these guys walk into the same room, the atmosphere can get pretty crazy! But the one thing I'm having doubts about is the directing, it's good, but not as awe-inspiring as it was in earlier episodes (and I miss that cinematography), I'm now beginning to see it creaking under the pressure. I like Yoo In-sik - his understated sassy flair... and an interlaced dark sense of humour but…he's better suited to miniseries, let's just say.

@notoriousnoona,

"One thing that I have noticed in Jdoramas, is that the lead female usually hides her true feelings and pretends she’s superwoman. She is rarely transparent about her vulnerabilities, especially when it comes to love or a relationship with a man"

Yeah, this goes back to the different viewing audiences between J and K-drama. Marraige rates in Japan aren't so hot.

Primary J-drama viewing audience (up to 10pm, I think) is your 13-21 female crowd. But, a strong secondary audience are the 21-32 unmarried female worker, which is where you have the OL genre. The term "Office Lady" goes back to the stereotype of being a guy-hungry secretary who dreams of marrying, retiring from the job, and becoming a homemaker. The OL genre is meant to explore the "neurosis" (thus, the Ally McBeal comparison) of being single, having bad love life, bad boss, bad living arrangements, etc, as a sort of post-adult coming-of-age prior to a woman starting her family. In other words, the OL genre is kind of a "sell" to the 21-32 audience, showing that their life may yet be better if they persevere through the professional and romantic uncertainty of your 20s/30s. Though that's expanded well into the mid-to-late 30s, in which the coming-of-age arc has been replaced with more ambivalent, but actualized and substantial narrative on romantic love.

That isn't to say that K-drama workplace dramas don't do this. Most of them do, but because the "mom" audience (who already has family and probably works) makes up the majority of the "rated" viewing audience, the storyies still work from the telanovela template. Beautiful people, beautiful lives, beautiful sadness, beautiful career advancement.

@ockoala,

"that means we’ll get Kingdom Come and American Gangster (not as seminal), but then The Blueprint 3 is coming."

Yeah, the All About Eve is going to be either his Blueprint 3 (good in a stadium sort of way) or Kingdom Come (not so good, but not disastrous either.)

Jang Hyuk has always been a popular movie actor and a Hallyu property, but over the past 2 years, he's gained a widespread recognition that dare matches any of his same age Hallyu superstar peers. Where once he was the hotheaded country/Pusan kid who counterintuitively landed a string of hits and name projects, he's become a kind of survivor/statesman that keeps hustling his game. He still wants to compete with the next generation; he still wants a bigger piece of the pie.

I love doing the "Jang Hyuk being Jang Hyuk" meme. And now, the conversation we have about Jang Hyuk has evolved. How does "Jang Hyuk being Jang Hyuk" fit into the Hallyu map? Does it mean we get the domesticated oatmeal version of the "certifiably crazy" that Jang Hyuk does in almost every single role? Or does his rough tenderness shape the flow/idiom of C-drama romance into a new career?

I need someone to sreiously recommend me something to watch.
Im so boreddd,but Iwatch alot of dramas already so recommened me soething good.
TY!

@ mookie twin

Okay, The 1984 Wanderer as a seminal success in my book because (1) post-The Bund Chow Yun-fat was LHC - exactly as I imagined him to be, and (2) he had out of this world chemistry with Jamie Chik as Yue Ling-shan (his Xiaoshimei). It failed in that that version of LHC did not have equally good chemistry with his final OTP Ren Ying-ying, but it was good enough.

When Xiaoshimei died in that version, I was a mess crying, NOT because I cared a fig about her dying, but because her death was so hard on LHC. And we felt how much he loved her, because that version built up that relationship so thoroughly, it was only through good writing that we bought the LHC-RYY OTP (and we argue to this day that LHC never really loves RYY the day he loved his Xiaoshimei, but eh, she doesn't care as long as she has mine, and I don't either).

LitW doesn't build up the LHC-Xiaoshimei relationship at all! And I'm ambivalent about how I feel. On one hand, this version the girl is nowhere near as gorgeous, charming, sweet as Jamie Chik's version (my entire family had a crush on her, she was adorable!). On the other, you kinda need the first OTP to make the second OTP meaningful. In LitW, when RYY tells LHC that she knows his Xiaoshimei is still in his heart, I was like "Ergh, not from what I've seen, sister!"

Anyways, I rag on ZJZ, but for this deviation from canon, it doesn't bother me. I agree that Xiaoshimei is a plot device for the most part (again, its a testament to Jamie that she managed to make such an unlikeable character really likeable and so tragic in the end).

I have not seen ZJZ's Sword Stained with Royal Blood, but will check to report my thoughts. Novel-wise, I'm very meh about the lead character, Yuan Cheng-zhi. Not sure also which OTP to ship in that novel. I even prefer that waffler Chen Jia-luo to this guy.

@ belleza

Let us wait a few more weeks. Once JH's ABE airs, we'll be able to tell. The wildcard is 2 things: (1) the lead actress Zhu Dan is a newbie, her acting (or lack thereof) may pull down JH, and (2) the C-drama lens - their dramas are shot so differently, would it lessen the canvas by which JH works his mojo?

I haven't been this excited about a K-drama actor crossing-over in, like, ever!

@theebby01,

I'm about half through Birth of a Rich Man, and it's SO not what I thought it would be! This show is close to being a makjang drama about makjang dramas. You got the daily drama 3 family setup, loads of grandmum sitcom setups, terminal illness played for laughs, City Hall-level "who is running the asylum?" weirdness, an impromptu rock gig, a ninja bathtub skit, 30-year old dudes trying to look like they belong in Big Bang, etc. And it's not even bat-ish crazy, all of this kinda sneaks up on you with an ironic disposition, and there's a pretty good plot that keeps you invested in the show. The fun of this story is that it totally plays with the audience perception of what a K-drama Chaebol is supposed to be like, and how women as would-be Cinderellas "should" be reacting to the Chaebol.

If it's able to sustain this wackiness, this is definitely going on my short list of Favorite Shows of 2010.

@ockoala,

"The wildcard is 2 things: (1) the lead actress Zhu Dan is a newbie, her acting (or lack thereof) may pull down JH, and (2) the C-drama lens – their dramas are shot so differently, would it lessen the canvas by which JH works his mojo?"

I think ABE-C could survive with a Bahbee-style ingenue if they have a strong villainess for the show. In fact, ABE isn't really possible without a ruthless female character.

@ belleza

I've not watched the original ABE (but my mom loved it!) - but it appears your concern has been addressed. Cheryl Yang is playing the Kim So-yeon character. If there is a TW actress who looks like a fierce bitch AND has the acting chops, it's Cheryl. Thank god it's not the other fierce bitch without the acting chops, Sonia Sui.

BotR, I concur, from the first few episodes I watched, is of the "so bad, it's good" variety. But is always way preferable to "just bad enough, it's just bad/boring" variety.

@ 4 supah:
OMG I love you! :D
It's funny, I'm addicted to this drama & I'm teenage girl. I don't think anyone in my school has even heard of Giant (;____;)

@ theebby01

watch GIANT! You'll fall in love, I guarantee it x)

To anyone who has watched Giant, did any of you guys see KIm Soo Hyun's little striptease?? *0* well, not really a striptease.. But he did take his shirt off!! :D I felt like a total pervert, replaying it and giggling.

What I love most about Giant is that it's touching. ( I cried buckets in the first 2 episodes) & the little girl who plays MiJu. She's a total gem! Cute as a button! She's gonna grow up to be something big, I know it

@ockoala,

"I haven’t been this excited about a K-drama actor crossing-over in, like, ever!"

This is definitely unprecedented territory. We've seen the actresses cross over into TW/CC territory (weird fact about Chae Rim's career: she's never done a sageuk, yet she's been in 5-6 Taiwanese historical dramas!!), but the guys have mostly tried movies.

And, yes, if this experiment suceeds, Jang Hyuk is destined to do a wuxia where he gets to play his own version of Bidam, who we all know is really Chinese ;) ) Then, sorry Korea, Jang Hyuk is officially OURS. ;)

Jang Hyuk in a wuxia...........OMGOMG a girl can dream, right?

@ belleza, you've officially given me a nosebleed. Like, gushers of nosebleeds. @ mookietwin - I know you never finished Chuno, but hot-damn that Dae-gil was like he wandered into Chuno from the set of a Gu Long wuxia drama adaptation. Time to start playing.....which LC character is best for Jang Hyuk?

As for Bidan, belleza, it also felt like his story was lifted wholesale from wuxia and dropped into a sageuk, he was both a breath of fresh air and weirdly out of place. His plotting and presence at the Table of Evil was like caging a condor in a small room. Bidam, getting abandoned, his relationship with his Master Munno, his love for Deokman, all 100% wuxia. Anyways, it was fun watching how hot KNG looked when everyone else looked tired and depressed in QSD.

Jang Hyuk and Kim Nam-gil are offiicially the two K-actors both most suitable for wuxia (their presence is unparallel), but they've got the physique to pull it off.

As for Chae Rim and Jang Nara - honestly, don't get either ladies. But I'll take JH anyday for the C-citizens.

"Bidam, getting abandoned, his relationship with his Master Munno, his love for Deokman, all 100% wuxia. "

Yup, 'twas ALL Wuxia!! Only thing we were missing was an epic fight in a bamboo forest.

"Jang Hyuk and Kim Nam-gil are offiicially the two K-actors both most suitable for wuxia (their presence is unparallel), but they’ve got the physique to pull it off."

#1 on my list is Lee Jung Ki. It almost goes without saying though, since his Iljimae was more or less a TW-style idol wuxia.

I'd like to see Binnie do wuxia, mostly because Binnie and long, beautiful hair are meant to be, and because I think his "you killed my love!!! backstory" reaction shot would win him an award.

Oh, totally, Jun Ki is TW-idol wuxia in the vein of Alec Su and Jimmy Lin (but WAY hotter and a better actor). Sigh, I miss my Jun Ki, his Iljimae was crappier than crap, but at least I got to see my Jun Ki wear sageuky cosplay outfits with long hair, which is worth something.

But I was thinking of the pathos-laden swordsman wuxia leads, and that's all Jang Hyuk and KNG Bidaming himself into lore (seriously, we'll still be talking about Bidam 10 years from now, I have no doubt).

As for Binnie in a wuxia, this will make my head explode. Like, explode and I have nothing left. Agree that he must have long flowy mane (not tied up in a topknot), wear flowy robes, and drink lots and lots of wine, and be a swordsman (not a pugilist). He must have lost a first love, and still be really really mopey about it. When he smiles and the Binnie dimples come out....the world is a brighter place.

Except......I think Binnie has ceased to exist. I have only recently encountered Hyun Bin. And if Hyun Bin was not recognized for his turn as Dong-soo in Friends, Our Legend, I don't believe ANYTHING will win him any awards. I'm too freaking scared to finish FOL, partially because I don't want to say goodbye to Binnie.

I wish Binnie would stick around, Hyun Bin is too dark and no fun.

@Immakiddo!
Wait a minute! How did you guess I was talking about Giant? Hahah! I'd avoided putting any signs up as to which show it is, to avoid being too spoileriffic, but you caught me.

You mean this scene with KSH?
http://www.viikii.net/videos/watch/80136/0/boxing.html

I wasn't looking at his chest, not one bit! ;)
I was more into the moment wanting to give laundry boy a hug and say ''there there, don't be afraid of these big bullying giants, when you grow up you'll become an even bigger giant too and step on all of 'em.''

I've given up recommending this show to people, it's not the most accessible show out there, you need to be fully invested in it (as I am, and I'm glad you are too) to fully understand and appreciate the story.

Oh and whereabouts are you up to? Have you reached the adult portion yet? It starts from right at the end of episode 8. Happy viewing. :)

@ mookie twin

Totally random, a bunch of Li Jie YT vids just got uploaded (the Li Jie Baidu love is incredible!).

The is one of the best LoCH2008 MVs I've ever watched, the MV maker is an amazing video editor (ZJZ needs to hire this person, stat!). This vid doesn't have a single girl in it, hehehe, it's daddies, brother, bromance, daddy-issues, and OMG so much awesome wuxia it blows my mind. The song is perfect, if you're curious, it's from an 1994 Qiong Yau drama, Princess Xinyue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II6UsIqcJ3w

Oh, and as a bonus, someone made a Ouyang Ke-Yang Kang vid set to the song from Tony Leung's 1988 version of The Legendary Twins. This time, the Legendary twins of the double trouble of male hotness that is YH and LJ. I told Thundie I'm back on a period drama binge after Goodbye Solo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcEv1nkB7aI

!5$#^%$@*#&($^*)%*&(^&(_(*(&^%$!#5$^#$&*%(^)*&^%$

OT has just gone NSFW on me, Belleza and ockoala, u both r responsible for screens!!

Really if they give me a BiDam + MiShil in bamboo forest, it'll cure my tourettes watching QSD (that MiShil can do invincible WUXIA! above gender and castration, he/she is DongFong BuBai! DFBB is leader of SunMoonCult (that solar eclipse arc?! psst, just lift of finger) castrated himself to study the subflower mantra ( the gorg 'sunlit' lighting even for Table of Evil, they can grow sunflowers in the room w/ that) use glances to kill (nobody has to know of involvement of minuscule needles)

Jang Hyuk +Hbinnie+ JunKi in Gu Long *SLURRPPPPP*

@ supah
Yup that scene :)

I skimmed through your comment at first, thinking you were talking about a different drama, but then I saw the name "Cho" and then I thought, 'Cho? As in Cho Pil Yeon?' then it turned out that you were talking about Giant and that totally made my day :D

I'm only in the middle of episode 4, since I have to spend my summers studying these days :( But I'm planning on watching it till the end, despite my summer homework and exams x)

@ belleza, ockoala, k-actors in c-dramas

Thanks, b and o, for answering my question on how J, K, TW-dramas are shot. Love the jay-z analogy!

On k-actors moving to c-dramas, I've said it before and will say it again: Kim Nam-gil will be the perfect Linghu Chong of this generation for The Smiling, Proud Wanderer! It took me three minutes of YT Bidam watch to have this conviction, despite not having watched QSD at all. But he must do it without the pornstache!

I had my doubt on Jang Hyuk reprising Jang Dong-gun's role in the C-remake of All About Eve. It's probably rooted in my fondness for AAE as a non-replaceable cinderella story. And I don't quite agree to the hairstyling of JH in that re-make, having seen the VERY heavy promotion of that drama when I was in China a couple of months ago. Yet, the recent discussion of Thank You by you lots did change my view because JH had re-invented himself in TY, acquiring a very fine emotional delicacy not seen in his previous works. That quality is what is needed in JDG's AAE role. I guess I will watch this one as it is really regarded as the drama of dramas this year in China where the k-version of AAE is top among the Hall-of-Frame dramas. Ockoala, totally agree with you that Cheryl Yang has the acting chop for Kim So-yeon's character.

On other crossovers, I hope we can all forget the So Ji-sub's take in Sophie's Revenge and his management has a serious case to answer on why letting this happen as, surely, SJS is a big enough name to garner better projects (although the Zhang Ziyi international factor is not to be overlooked).

^ but SJS is not known for picking AWESOME projects fr his track record ( note: Cain and Abel... he did that consciously... as opposed to maybe TYoL)

I actually picture KNG as Lin PingZhi more than LHC... he needs his seriously brooding manpain (literally in that region) to release his charm, he's not ready for a LHC or an LC.. it'll be totally lost in translation.

same w/ both JH and HB (And JunKi), though I'll rank their acting higher than KNG, they cant touch an LC hero...yet. but GuLong w/ all the OTT pathos...walk in the park for them!

Oh, our Binnie as Chor Leu Heung, with his harem of ladies and death of true love, yes I can die happy if that happens. In my dreams...

^ u know, I'm actually seeing/dreaming and wishfulling fantasizing binnie as LHC lately...

hey btw I keep forgetting to update u on loverboy.

1. he's a Lakers fanboy. he seldom post a pic of his, but he posted of him in a very distorted sad monkey face since he's called to be on set in the middle of Game7

2. he upped himself waxing poetry, real one, and it's in reply to a fanmail...geez STOP being this dreamy

3. and on whether his folks r pressuring him to get married and have babies and preference of boy or girl:
以前曾隐晦滴暗示过，后被我友好滴制止，我说这事急不来，等你们的混账儿子哪天玩醒了，又碰上合适的，这事会水到渠成的，但近期可能性不大，请二老做打持久战的准备。今天再补一句，反正他们会看我围脖：要是突然发生二位也别太激动，我会尽量保证不打你们个措手不及。boy or girl? 男女都喜欢，即便Ta是中间，瓜豆或豆瓜，我也一样会爱Ta。这父亲节都过了，你们怎么还把我往父亲的身份上推啊？出了事谁负责！？刚收工，科巴之战都没看到没资格生孩子，睡！
I want to know: how to 友好滴制止(amicably stop) parents' nagging
it's insanely cute his folks will read his twitter

4. part of why I <333 him is he's a LC fanboy, while discussing the whole pulling jersey, diving and oscar worthy acting by footballers this WC, he suggested them to wear the soft hedgehog armor and come as Peach Blossom team to forewarn opponents.

As if we don't already love him so much it should be illegal, u tell me he's a Lakers fan!!! Loverboy gets dreamier every day. I just cyberstalkes news of his latest drama filming. Also heard CtW is airing in Sept. The interminable wait continues. Sigh, a Peach Blossom soccer team will destroy all comers and win the WC.

@immakiddo!
Hahah, yes, the one and only Cho. It's very rare that I can love villians this much, he's a nicely layered and fascinating character. Oh and wait till you meet his son from episode 6 onwards, who's equally as fascinating.
You've got ALL that and more to look forward to.

Mi Joo is a star, such a talented little actress. Simply exceptional, not to mention how wonderfully she can sing.
I was left quite numb when watching episodes 1-2 the first time around but cried the hardest during episodes 3 & 4. Because the siblings were putting up such a courageous front. Touching is the word for it. Still haunted by the song she sings at the end of ep3, when KM buys her a pair of shoes, and she can't contain her happiness. I think she directs it at SM, she thinks they'll reunite in Seoul. ''When oppa goes to Seoul, he will buy me a pair of silk shoes and he promises to return.''
It sounds very similar to ''Don't Cry, Hongdo'' which was used in WISFC, and has a very similar meaning but told from a little sister's perspective. It definitely ties in much closer with this story, much more meaningful and poignant aka total heartbreak.
Gahh! 50 episodes is a looong way to go.

@ Amg1

Since you love modern J-doramas so much, you should check out the Japanese historical fiction dramas.

NHK airs one a year, it's called the Taiga, and each one centers on the life of a major Japanese historical figure. I've only seen a few (not my preferred drama, it's very long and pretty historically accurate, i.e. pretty dry). Follow the wiki, pick a person you might want to learn the history of, and voila, you'll know more about that person than you ever wanted to know afterwards!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiga_drama

As for wuxias, these are almost always fiction, and the best are novel adaptations. Some of my favorite adaptions are from the 1980s, which with special effects being what they are, don't really hold up as well to somone new to the genre, so I won't recommend them. Btw, Seven Swords is 100% a wuxia production, it's a classic type of wuxia movie! Did you like it?

I would start with:

(1) Legend of the Condor Heroes 2008 version (which is part 1 of a trilogy, so if you like it you'll be scampering to watch the other two dramas comprising the trilogy, Return of the Condor Heroes 2006 and Dragon Sabre and Heavenly Sword 2003 - I like the 2003 version better than then 2009 version).

Or (2) Laughing in the Wind 2000 version.

Happy viewing!

GO SOUTH KOREA!! YOU CAN DO IT!! I BELIEVE!!!

This is nuts. Both the Argentina-Greece and South Korea-Nigeria games are tied right now!! WHO will go through?!?

Argentina scored. This is good for SK. Even if SK loses, if they lose by one goal, I think they can make through.

C'mon SK, I need a reason to play Big Bang next week!

@ 33 belleza

why wait until next week? there is never a "reason" needed to play Big Bang.. as Nike says: just do it!!!!

@ belleza

You can polish off your Big Bang now. On to the Sweet Sixteen. Go S. Korea! And the France flameout it so epic, I've spent the morning devouring the nuggets of goodness, including trying to decide which of the alleged insults Anelka threw at Domenech was the most insulting, the up your butt or the mother one.

"And the France flameout it so epic"

Epic fail indeed. And, I mean, WOW. Betcha the country calls on Zidane to coach them next time.

For a country who was the RUNNER-UP to the last WC to fail to advance out of the first round is embarassing enough. To have it chronicled thusly, with every unsportsman like internal-sniping published by your own country's newspaper, for the entire world to see, is unprecedented.

It's even worse than when the lacksadaisical US basketball team won the bronze in Greece in 2004,

Zidane better come out and coach, he's such a methodical player, always struck me as a coach-to-be even when he played.

^ but Zizou is A-OK w/ hand playing in football... at least for his Henry.

yup Domenech's 'work' is done... I bet we'll have more morsels of good old bitchfight when they all get back to France.

@Amg1
go w/ Tenchijin for a Taiga (J historical drama)http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Tenchijin
it has Tsumabuki Satoshi fr Orange Days ( a fav of yours?)

@ momosan

Ever heard of the word: karma's a bitch, and the payback's gonna hurt.

France's flameout is probably payback for the stomach punch and god knows what else Le Bleus have done.

Just like US bballs giant face wipe at Greece '04 was karmic scale balancing when the world kissed the Dream Team's toes in Barcelona in '92 (which btw, totally was awesome, and no one was EVER gonna beat a team with in their prime Jordan, Magic, Pippen, Cylde Drexler, David Robinson, Karl Malone, Charles Barkeley, John Stockon (yes, Isaiah Thomas, I know you're still bitter, get over it, never ever get on MJ's bad side), and the basketball Jesus himself Larry Bird - I think they brought Christian Laettner with them to polish their shoes and snip their cigars).

Anyways, I always root for the Goliaths, but I also always know the inevitable times come when you've got to pay up for the string of good runs. US did it, and rebounded in '08 with the Kobe led team, France will be back in 2014 just fine.

@ momosan : was it you who posted the kickette link earlier? I can't thank you enough. When I saw that Sunday's BREAKING NEWS was Iker Casillas shaving off his beard, I instantly felt at home.

I've been trying to find (download) A Million Stars Falling From the Sky and since I'm pretty much a moron about these things, can someone help me with step by step instructions?
I see it listed on d-addicts and when I press the download link, it looks like it is instaneously copied to my hard drive but when I click on it, it says window media cannot play this .srt extension.
Whip me with wet noodle, I think I might have seen instructions posted somewhere but cannot find any that I understand.

^ wabbit,
my guess is u have just downloaded the subtitles (.srt documents are the subtitles), u will need to dl the video file and rename them the same per each episode leaving their responding extension

eg for the vid: millionstarsep1.avi
for the subtitle: millionstarsep1.srt
and they would play in a variety of players (GOM...) where u can selectively switched off the subs

if this is too complicated, u can look for hardsubbed episodes, the subtitles are embedded into the video file.

If anyone is interested in Black & White movie news:

It's planned to be a trilogy, the first movie is a prequel set 3 years before Pi Zi and Yin Xiong meet. Mark is of course the lead, and the biggest rumor is that Huang Xiao-ming has agreed to play the other lead, i.e. Mark's partner before Zai Zai comes along.

The director states that if Zai Zai is available later on, he has the original script for B&W the movie ready to go for the second or third movie.

Ivy Chen apparently is in a snit over rumors she's barely in the movie (um, makes sense if Pi ZI's character is not in the movie). I'm too numb to care, except I still care, this goes to show how much I LOVED B&W the drama. Me still sad. :-(

Here is the torrent for the avi files for million stars @ daddicts
you will need a bittorrent prog to dl it (and hopefully somebody is still seeding.....)

http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/viewtopic_36952.htm

u'll have to click the : A Million Stars Falling From The Sky 1-11 [dvd] [RAW] [FIXED] to dl the torrent
and the 'softsub' will be the corresponding subs that'll work w/ the avi

@mookie
thank you very much! I need to try and digest your info. I understand the first part about the subtitles only but now trying to understand about the bittorent.
I had tried to do this awhile ago and ended up paying couple hundred bucks on a couple of torrent stuffs but still was unable to figure out how it worked, even with their instructions.
I think my first attempt was that Legend of the Condor and I gave up, but found the dvd so now that I'm trying to download this Million Tears, seem to be running into the same problem.....me moron. no unnerstan!
Thank you though, I'll try googling again what all this means.

^ O MY LORDY...
never PAY anything esp for bittorrent anything... O M G, poor thing..
I'm as clueless if not more than you, but bt should be easy.

dl a bittorrent program, @momosan is the expert, I use this: http://www.utorrent.com/
install it, and use it to open any torrent file (eg that million stars bt link) and it'll take care of the rest.

Are you more comfy w/ MU downloads? If u r, register an acct at AM addiction (it's free) go to the J entertainment/ Drama (subbed) thread, there is a sticky for a complete list of subbed drama and Million Stars is 1 of them. (usu u have to reply a 'thank you' or sth appreciative at the thread for the dl links to show)

need more help, just holler.

(dont pay)

@ mookie

Have you ever read Basara (the manga) by Yumi Tamura (田村由美)? One of the best most Shakespearen epic mangas ever (way too intense a read). Anyways, apaprently she has an as epic follow up, called Seven Seeds, started in 2001, knowing her, it'll be at least 20 volumes if not way more.

My sister is waxing rapsodic about it, and I'm about to start reading. Just in case you've read her Basara (and know what treat you might be in for). I thought Basara was vaguely post-apocalyptic, but Seven Seeds is straight out post-apocalypse what the world does to prepare for it. The primer sounds ridiculously awesome. This is Seven Seeds:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_Seeds

^ O God
one of my highsch gf is also urging me to read 7 Seeds. OMO!

I havent even read Basara, I tried but I was in my VERY frothy phase even for a shoujo fiend and I find her aesthetics (purely superficial) not my cup of tea... and Basara is more heady than the usual shoujo, but I've heard the praises and I've been putting it off for YEARS. :) Do you like Basara? Should I read that before 7 seeds?!