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Forgive my total ranting mindlessly, but can anyone identify the song played in this vid (at about 3:24, where it starts "OPPA!!!")??? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3uebuXf2Fs <- it's this vid...sorry Khuntoria-ns, I'm a Minkhun-ian... XP...이거 너무 미쳐미쳤어요~...
Many thanks from moi who can guess... Gonna turn in now, happy sleepy...YAWN~
Any theory why Bad Guy is so overlooked ratings-wise? (besides soccer)
I feel as if any story where the heroine is not cute, dumb and as innocent as
a 12 year old has to fight hard for audience in Korean TV. Bad guy's writing should be much tighter, but complicated characters are a good thing IMO.
I've watched CH 14, even though it isn't the BOF hot mess, but I still appreciate how it depicts reality. But JS/EY running away from each doesn't help me much. can't wait for SS and PK!!
wake-up with headache, tough day to get through, have to churn out 6 pages even if it kills me
kids are bored, restless, fine, give them schoolwork and chores, chat with hubby who also works from home
check writer's forum
check FB
check e-mail accounts
check DB
start Fated to Love You because of GIGI (now officially the rest of the day is her fault) mentioning it and I needed some background music/drama while I write (it's the way I work)
stopped long enough for pb&j and Mt. Dew and one Advil (headache wasn't going away)
set up BOF for son (he's re-watching My GIrl and BOF instead of continuing his new series)
daughter is doing dishes singing My Girl soundtrack (interferring with F2LY when I don't have my headphones on)
other daughter is doing laundry and getting baby ready to go in the pool
sigh, I was so going to start Bad Guy today, but got distracted by Ethan .... Gigi's fault, you know!
Only good point, have the shell done on six pages, now tweaking and I hate tweaking!!! IT's hard.
I just ran across this interview of Peter Ho and Barbie. Soooo funny. Apparently Peter insured a certain part of himself while filming the three kingdoms, because it involved too much horse back riding! ;) ROFL. I need to pause every couple of seconds, because I am laughing too much to read the subs. Poor Peter, what embarrassing questions to be asked on tv.! Who knew being an idol was sooo dangerous.
Ask and it shall be answered. I put drama episodes on my iPod classic all the time. However, I do have a Mac, so all answers will be mac-centric although I can always switch hit (snicker) and go PC or Linux if necessary.
I just wanted to say thank you for all the work that is put into making this the best korean drama website on the internet! I started watching k-dramas about 6 months ago and found this website to be incredibly helpful in guiding my journey. Now I am a complete addict and come daily to check up on drama news! :)
Love the song for today, you always post the best music!
@Leonardswench: I'M SORRY!!! I really am... lol... but if it makes you feel better, I am still watching the series. I am wanting to finish it so badly, but my husband keeps distracting me... Sorry about your headache, hope the Advil works!
My plan today is not be as unproductive as possible. I am a nurse, and I have been working 12 hour shifts seven of the last eight days. Now I only plan on focusing on Ethan, maybe revisit Lee Min Ho in a little bit, or Cha Seung Won (I am a sucker for his proposal in City Hall!).
I am not even Korean, and currently all the music I listen to are songs from drama soundtracks... Now if I can just understand what they are saying!
That show is hosted by Barbie's younger sister Xiao S, who along with her co-host just asks whatever the hell they want, it's personal beyond belief. When Zai Zai was promoting Black & White and was on with Mark and Director Tsai, Xiao S went to town on him - with barbed questions and comments related galore related to Da S and their breakup. Zai Zai is now refusing to do that show during his promo for his upcoming movie. If Xiao S could ask Peter about his insuring his man part, she would gladly have asked for an inspection. She is very unafraid of going anywhere she wants with her guests.
Okay - to put dramas on you iPod - Mac style -
If you have Quicktime PRO, you can simply load the file, the subtitles and SAVE AS optimized for an iPod. Load it into iTunes, sync and there!
If you do not need to add subtitles - download iSquint - it hasn't been updated since 2008, and may not work on some of the newest codecs, but for your average ordinary file - this will do it quick and dirty....and free. Drag the file in, click optimize for iPod, click put in iTunes, hit start, when it's done, sync your iPod (the video will likely be in Movies) and poof, done. Very handy.
If you do NOT have Quicktime PRO, and you DO need to add subtitles, or it breaks iSquint, get either iSubtitle or subMerge. Both will cost you a teeny bit, but they work like a champ. (and yes, ladies and gents, this is how hardsubbing is done on a Mac), For submerge, open a file, choose the subtitles file, render it, export it choosing iPod, add to iTunes when done. Then go to iTunes and synce. Submerge is a bit smarter and does fancier things than iSubtitle, but it's essentially the same, open a file, hit settings, add a subtitle file, export choosing iPod and add to iTunes. Sync and there you are.
Had to get off work early (if you can call three hours early) today because of throbbing pain in a knee that refuses to heal (darn you sprained ligament... which hopefully won't decide to rupture on me) and so what else is there to do but stop by to say hello? Hello dramabean forum! Hello javabeans! Hello girlfriday! Why hello Friday and weekend? How are you my dearest favorite part of the week? Are we ready to put our feet up (literally, dude: Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate)? Our we ready for the pain killers to kick in? Wait! Say what? Well, before loopy-land kicks in I just wanted to thank jb and fri and the gang - if there is a gang - for all the hard work put into Dramabeans. What is my week without you guys? Oh, look, pain killer is kicking in. Well, gotta go before I become incoherent. <3
@momosan
I have a blackberry and pc and have been putting some movies and dramas to watch when I'm on trips. Of course the BB has got a very tiny screen and I get cross-eyed watching too much.
I wanted to thank you for your numerous "how to" that you post here. I've learned so much!
@ockola
dear god! You were right, she did start talking about inspecting it.....
I think I need to reiterate my poor Peter sentiment. He is sitting there and barbie and her sister is talking about his 'big eagle'.. I am laughing and cringing at the same time. Barbie is one tough chica, Peter on the other hand s seems very sweet.
@momosan @lovenyc52 thanks for your replies! I'm new to the ipod world, my brother got me mine for graduation earlier this year and I love it! I only have 8G space so I will definitely need the converter and remove a bunch of songs (don't listen to most of them anyway :) ), maybe some apps too. Momosan, please do give pc instructions :) .
soooo i have just finish watching episode 14 of coffee house -laughs like mad- thats what i do when it gets frustrating,, arghh it getting so gd but realy i was hoping, and im sure he does to, for option1 but oh well its drama~~
Its already summer for me althought its been raining here and never a full day sunshine for 3 days Why??? Anyways it should be freedom to watch drama till 3am for me but nope. cant. got summer works and so far havent done a single words eventhough got only a month or so left...What am i to do?
But... the first thing i did as soon as my holiday start was a marathon for prosecutor princess in a day.. Then catching up on cinderella sister which i still have found the willpower to finish till the end. Also started on biscuit teached and star candy but halfway through the series i eventually realize that its already been seen so that was the end. Then i started to desperately search for links or website to watch WHat's up Fox but to no result and decided to download torrent. However even a day with the computer on its not moving after 12%...:D luckily though found a website (Yatta!) and finish the series in 3 nights and may i say he is damn cute in that drama..-hehe forgot the name-
and finally this morning started on drama 18 vs 29 so far so good at that people the end of my update. ;') thanks for those that manages to read on till the end.
@bean I feel you!! I have Med school 1st year end final exams to see if I go on to 2nd year, this next thursday and yet I find myself taking a break from studying to watch Coffee House! aaah... speaking of which I should be studying now too^^
TGIF!
Coffee House is nearing its end, and I'm sad, but I'm also excited because I'm dying to know what happens in the end.. then I'm sad again I can only find out the ending at the...end
Thanks JB and Girlfriday for this awesome blog =)
Keep up the great work!
I've been so sick for the last few weeks. When I get like this I go into drama made, because nothing else distracts me from my pain. (I have a long-term illness that sometimes gets very very bad.)
I'm currently watching All About Eve because I wanted to know what all the fuss was about, especially concerning Jang Dong Gun. I have to say I don't see what's so special about him. *ducks angry glares and rotten eggs* It's not that I don't find him attractive (although I don't), and he's a good actor, but from all the raving about him I guess I expected some magical x-factor. Maybe my expectations were too high... or maybe it's not his best work. Any recommendations?
Also, a victory for Kdrama! I finally got my mom to watch City Hall with me, and she has gone from vaguely disapproving of my kdrama watching to an avid fan of CH. She was blown away. We stayed up til 3am a few times watching it. :)
@ momosan
Thanks for the advice, I've been wanting to know how to transfer dramas to my iPod. I'm a Mac user, so it's all good. :)
Hey Happy Friday OT'ers!!....back after a hot day at the beach...and the first place I come is here...I'm on a kdrama slump myself...cnt get myself to focus on any of them....im currently watching Coffe House (cant wait for it to get over), Alone in love and the short drama Running.....I was a Coffe House addict too until before the world cup.....the postponement sorta tok off some of the steam I had for that drama...and the ensuing angst in the episodes since have not helped either....eitherways im happy with how its turning out to be...i ws never much of a shipper for either so im satisfied with wateva the writers pick...Im happy that we got such a different kdrama after a while..I'm also enjoying Running, though I admit the only reason I'm really into it is because of Baek Sang Hyun (and short running shorts...kekeke)...though i've noticed the guy has a tendency to overract the angst....the best of the lot is Alone in Love...have to thak Dahee Fanel and thunderbolt for recommending it......anywways when I'm done with these theree in the next few days Im takin a long kdrama break ...for like three weeks....lo....till My girfirend is a gumiho....ive decided to watch only one ongoing drama at a time for the rest of the year (and marathon the rest after they are over...it just gets too crazy and exhausting to try to keep up otherwise....lets see how well I stick to my reslution
@Laica, I'm not surprised that All About Eve didn't do it for you, because in my opinion that's his blandest role. I never really got into that drama because it was so basic in its Cinderella formula, and he was the simple perfect Prince Charming. I think he got famous throughout Asia from it because the popular mainstream romantic comedies tend to do very well for kdrama heroes, even when they are basically stock characters. He's even better in his debut (I think?) drama, 1994's Last Match. But to get the full Jang Dong-gun effect, you have to watch his movies, like Taegukgi. (Prepare your heart for some breakin', though!)
I still need to get my mom to watch it, but for her it's either dubbed or not at all, she's too lazy to read subs. And I wouldn't be caught dead not being able to listen to Gookie's sexy drawl. We're at an impasse, she and I.
I has been sitting with five different disc one's in my five-disc DVD changer for a week, unable to decide which one to start. It was waffling between PotW, Jejoonwon (which I have seen the first few eps, and loved), ROI, Harvest Villa, and World's Within.
So, I bit the bullet, and started watching Flowers for My Life. And piscspamming the hell out of Jung Woo Sung and Lee Jung Jae. Sigh, life is good.
okey doke, PC version of how to put on dramas on the iPod. Much depends on how you normally sync stuff to your iPod.
It can be done in Windows Media Player 10, 11, or 12, or in VLC - essentially in these, assuming you have the right codecs installed, you get the video going with the subtitles playing and then export to an MP4 file or to the iPod settings in WMP. This can get tricky as the players tend to have minds of their own.
OTOH, if you are into doing it more hands on and free, you can use AVI Recomp to hardsub in the subtitles, then a converter like the AVI to MP4 converter from Doremi soft or one of the other free converters out there. The advantage being that you can really tweak the file size and quality you end up with. AVI Recomp will do all kinds of fun things - input the source and output on the source page, pick the subtitles settings on the additions page, add it to the queue and fire away. Viola, hardsubbed avi file.
Doremisoft's converter is free, and there are other free converters out there.
In the non-free world, in about the $30 range, there are a bunch of programs like Movavi and Yasa video converters that will not only convert but will render the hardsubs as well. I know Movavi will, and I'm pretty sure AnyVideoConverter will as well.
Lots to pick from. You may well have the software to do it already on your machine, so look around and see what is in there!
@ockoala, Flowers For My Life is SO GOOD. I skimmed through a few episodes earlier today when you asked about the song, and I was reminded how refreshing and poignant it was. Now that's a drama that takes a melodramatic setup and treats it with a light touch. It struck me today that Flowers has the tone I dearly wished of Cinderella's Sister. It has the same scenic setting and lovely music, but not the ludicrous levels of angst.
You like fantasy sci-fi, no? From your love of the Dragonrider series?
I highly recommend as a wonderful manga Kanata Kara by Kyoko Hikawa - it's a fantasy sci-fi epic, and her illustration style is one of my absolute faves. Her drawings are exquisitely beautiful. Izark might just be my fave warrior (definitely gives F'lar a run for his money).
I am currently obsessing over her latest manga 7 Seeds, but my hazard a guess that it's at most half-way done. And I have a few years of life shaved off because of the agony. I did a little first impression review for it, if you are curious what it's about.
@javabeans
Agree, it's a very basic Cinderella story as you said, with good and evil being very clear-cut and not a lot of complexity in its characters, especially the two leads. Although Chae Rim is extremely cute, which makes up for it a bit. But I find that because it's full of such stock characters, the story isn't really getting under my skin the way, say, Coffee Prince did. I don't cry when the characters cry, I just... feel kind of bad for them.
I should watch his movies. But if they're that heartbreaking... I'm going to have to wait until real life gets a little easier. Dramas are my escape :)
@ockoala
Yeah, my sister-in-law refuses to watch subtitles. My mom doesn't mind them, the only thing she complained a bit about CH is that because the dialogue was so quick and often kind complex, and because so much was going on, she felt like she needed to rewatch some parts. She would need me to explain what was going on sometimes. It's true that CH is not your mindless fluff rom-com, that's for sure. That's what makes it so special :)
"And I wouldn’t be caught dead not being able to listen to Gookie’s sexy drawl." Me TOO. ;)
i wish it were monday already --- cannot wait for Coffee House to finish! i want the angst to be over and done with so that our EunSoo couple will finally get their 3rd kiss and a bedscene [as the other fans are fantasizing!].
HooooT! HoOtTt! HOT! Hope everyone is keeping cool and hydrated well. Aargh~ I can't help feeling a little cranky dreadful Summers. Can you tell I'm a Winter Wonderland kinda gal? Pahehe~
I am way behind on those shows. Having my pc fixed and right now borrowing one to get a few scoops. o , 0*
Darn you Paul the Octopus! (-- , --) I really don't mind putting you on a sushi dish and dipping your tentacles in some soy sauce and yuzu kosho. I can merely laugh on the hoopla when the Netherlands' team were not warmly welcome back at their airport however many shows up at their river float parade. Keke~
With no internet, I've been having a Full House marathon and teaching my 1 y.o. niece how to swim.
The month of July is half way over... hang in there folks. ^ , ^ v Keepin' happy.
You've never once pushed FFML, other than to quietly state how much you loved it and how wonderful it was for you to watch. I thank you for this powerful recommendation, because I waited and waited until I was in the mood, and I'm both glad I did (because it it so exquisite to watch I float into sleep each night after I finish 1 or 2 eps), and sad that I did (knowing how I could have watch it earlier).
But timing for this drama is really important, if I in a melodrama or rom-com binge, I don't think I would enjoy it nearly as much, though I would find it well-done regardless. Now I can't get Wasted on the Way out of my mind for 3 days straight now! :-)
@ Laica
I hope your set has great subs, because shoddy subs for CH are out there, and really detract from the drama. The razor-sharp at times dialogue was so absorbing to watch.
@ockola
Hi! Kanta Kara looks very interesting. Are you familiar with Bride of the Water God? If so, are the drawing style similar? I adore the art in this series. :)
@lessaofpern
Hi mom! ;)
Congratulations on your first manga!
I recommend
Bride of the Water God. Absolutely beautiful artistry. It takes me over three hours to read on volume because, I keep stopping to admire the very detailed drawings.
Skip Beat. Awesome kickass heroine! The romance grows so subtly and belivably.
Ouran High School Host Club. Please check out the anime as well as the manga. I have never laughed so hard in my life.
Vampire Knight. Manga and anime are both gorgeous, but no sparkly vampires here! They are pretty but dangerous too.
And last but not least, Inuyasha. The great epic manga love of my life. The anime was pretty good although the girl was a bit more annoying in it than the manga.
p.s. Are you going to watch the House of Flying Daggers?
Yeah, I'm so glad you recommended Flowers For My Life on the recommendations page- I was so surprised by it!
If I wanted to a proper post about what I thought of it, i'd have to watch it again coz it's been a while (which I might actually do). However, I remember being taken aback that a drama could start with what could have easily been a cringe-inducing, silly premise, and create a story around it that had sensitivity, depth and real poignancy. It had great resonance with me in its portrayal of certain events and emotions and the end gave me a real sense of peace and fulfillment.
It was unique and gorgeous, with some beautiful contemplative moments on life and death. Man, I want to go watch it again now, I've re-recommended it to myself =p
Yeah, I watched the BON hardsubs - excellent quality. The dialogue was incredible, one of the best parts of the drama IMO. Interestingly, the first time I watched it was Sep. 2009, and one of my early kdramas, and watching it again after almost a year (and many dramas!) there are things I picked up this time because I understand some Korean which I totally missed on the first watch. The switch between banmal and jondaemal, for example, and its significance.
@viola
I loved Inuyasha! Probably my favourite completed manga. Actually the only one I'ved managed to finish, but that means it was really good :)
Have you watched The Final Act?
Is there anywhere, any list, that gives the best recommendations for subbed dramas?
I have even been reluctant to purchase more dramas because of bad subbing. I have a nice budget for these things and three times a year get together with my girlfriends for a writer's retreat and we watch the heck out of each other's favorites. But, I haven't dipped into many k-dramas because of the bad subbing on copies available for purchase.]
All advice will be taken, since I spend $$$$ on dramas/movies a year. Thanks in advance!
@ viola, yes, I am an author/writer/keyboard jockey. Currently trying to get a new screenplay to my agent by July 24th. Hee hee and get in all my dramas! I don't pimp my own work, but am happy to pimp my sistas (being those writing sisters, not actually blood related). More on that as I spend more time around DB.
Is anyone else hung up on Death Note? My daughter loves it, I am having a harder time getting into it, but thanks so much for both the anime and manga recs, have made notes (so many notes over the last few weeks from all points in this site).
@Lacia
I watched the first few episodes, but they rush things so much that I got whiplash. I was especially mad when they just crammed Yura's story as well as other bits in that one episode! seriously! I loved the manga depiction of Yura's strory though, broke my heart. And I love the first anime series, own them all on dvd and rewatch them. :)
Are you a Sessoumarou or a Inuyasha girl? ;)
Is it just me or watching TDramas is really difficult ?
I mean this friend of mine is totally hooked and I've been watching a few episodes of Summer's desire with her . I just HATE the sounds effect. It's like something dramatic happens, and you realize it and sometimes you even go OH MY GOD. But even before you can OMG, dramatic sounds effect come into play. A few notes that means something-big-happened-realize-oh-you-watcher-tadadadaDA !
And then the actor stops everything, and make his/her pupils look in all directions, cause you know, it was an OMG-moment.
And it's 2010 you know...and the direction of some 2010 Tdramas, well it looks 1993 to me.
It reminds me when I watched Hana Yori Dango a few years ago, and I learned that a korean versions was about to be made, so I decided to give the taiwanese version a try. I had a big OMO-moment (an OMO moment is a 12 on a 10-points-OMG-scale) when I read it was a 2001 production, 'cuz it totally looked 1987 to me.
Well, I definitely stick to the korean dramas. I'd love them to be shorter sometimes. I often say to my friends "This is an AWESOME drama, but it would have been better with like 2 or 3 episodes less. Sometimes, you just feel that they want to fill in some episodes in order to get to 16.
I like the japanese format definitely but I'm not so often addicted to a japanese drama.
Well that's it for me.
@leonardswench
Are you by any chance familiar with Edith Layton's work? Since you loved the House of Flying Daggers I think you might like this book. I usually never cry when reading a book, but this regency was so darkly poignant, that I couldn't help my self. But since it is a romance, it has a happy ending :)
This book have been very influential in shaping my aesthetics. It sits firmly on my keeper shelf. Sorry for making you write more notes. ;)
I love Inuyasha, IMO Takahashi Rumiko's "second" best work, which is saying something, since Inuyasha is one of the best mangas ever written.
But that's because Takahashi freaking sets the bar so high for herself, almost impossible to breach time and again. Each time she completes a work, I say to myself, she can't possibly top this, and she does or almost gets there.
Ranma has inconsistent, the brilliance of the first half upended by the repetitiveness and prolonged extension of the story. Plus I don't like Akane, sue me.
Takahashi has twice won the Shogakukan Manga Award (like winning the Oscars of manga) - once for Inuyasha 2002, and once in 1983 for quite possibly still considered her best work to date (I think so, too), Urusei Yatsura. (Tamura Yumi won Shogakukan for Basara in 1992, and won again for 7 Seeds in 2007 - -placing Tamura now squarely in the rarified strata that Takashashi has occupied for 3 decades).
Anyways, Inuyasha stalled in the last few books, otherwise it may have eclipsed Urusei Yatsura. Takahashi has never been able to replicate the upward momentum of her manga story development the way she did for Urusei, which started off the silliest, funniest most LOL story you've ever read (with a Beta male and an Alpha female lead), and built it so the ending made me cry. Now that is stunning storytelling.
As for Takahashi's most mature work - that would be Maison Ikkoku, which I adored, and really perfect way to mature as a manga reader.
As for Skip Beat - my complaint still stands - conceptually it's much better than it's execution, I love the story, really dislike the pacing and the dialogue - but I think this is a manga just dying for a drama adaptation anyways.
Other than Takahashi in this generation, her counterpart in Shonen is probably Adachi Mitsuru - of Touch, Slow Step, Rough (my fave), H2, and Cross Game fame (all of which are spectacular, but if anyone wants to start Adachi's mangas, always alway start with Touch, his undisputed masterpiece and what launched him into manga lore).
And of course, I've been indulging lately in collecting the collector's editions of Black Jack, by the godfather of manga as a GENRE, Osamu Tezuka.
@viola, I have two Edith Layton's on my bookshelves, The Cad (which my sister bought purely for the title as a b-day gift for me) and A Bride for His Convenience (which I won as a door prize at a writer's conference, which was the last I attended, lol, I'm sure it wasn't the book).
Which book? (Ahem, you didn't say which regency, and I'm assuming she has more than one?)
And, yes, next to my bed is a nightstand, and on the nightstand is un-read books and un-watched DVDs, and on the floor next to the nightstand is a wicker basket full of the same, and on the rug next to the wicker basket is a pile of said same. LOL
I do eventually get around to them all ....... so give it to me and I'll add it to the list! I love a good book, even when I have to go through an entire box of kleenex to get to "The End". ;)
I just finished watching episode 7 of Summer's Desire. I like both of the male characters. They are both flawed, damaged and vulnerable in their own way; and I feel for them both.
It's xia mo I can't stand; she is so calculating and cold, and plays such havoc with both men's heart! I am fed up with her. I am cutting out the middlewoman, and shipping Ou Chen with Lou Xi! I mean they have serious chemistry, you can almost see the testosterone spike when they have a scene together. Who volunteers to trawl through the depths of LJ and fanfic.net to find some tasteful slasher fic? ;)
@ockola
I have many fond memories from my inuyasha fangirl days. For Sessoumaru's sake I had to amend my list of 'married, dead or gay" to include "not even real." ;P
@91 viola
Hmm that's a tough one. Inuyasha is the only one I would ever want to see with Kagome. But I find Sesshomaru endlessly fascinating as a character.
As far as The Final Act goes, I agree, it was way too rushed. I couldn't believe they were actually going to finish the manga when I saw the number of episodes (26, I think). I wish they had devoted some of those useless filler episodes in the previous seasons to the actual manga. Still, it was nice to see the final battle and the destruction of Naraku animated. And it also addressed my one complaint with the manga (not a single kiss for Inuyasha and Kagome, and two with Kikyo! wth).
@ockoala
I love Rumiko Takahashi, but I really couldn't get into Ranma. I agree, Akane annoys the crap out of me. But after your strong recommendation I have to check out Urusei Yatsura. Thanks!
@laicia
Only Kagome gets to have Inuyasha I completely agree on that. That's the beauty of it, it leaves Sessoumarou unattached for the fan girls to fight over. ;)
Ranma 1/2 the set-up is brilliant and the gags are one a minute. The fact that there a group of characters called Shampoo, Cologne, and Mousse from China is already destined to be a classic. Add to it a final character by the name of Pantyhose, and I would day this manga is truly hella funny.
Except she dragged Ranma on like 10 books too long, and yes, I still can't stand Akane, never did, never will. The fact that I loved Ranma still is a testament to Takahashi's talent.
Urusei Yatsura is her first manga - so drawing wise it's very raw and untried. She was very infuenced by Bewitched, sci-fi, and high school when she drew it. The one thing with Urusei is that is heavily heavily Japanese culture/history/myth focused, and the dialogue is heavily gag-based, i.e. it's funny bc its a play-on word type of thing.
I read Urusei in Chinese (as I do all my mangas), and I luckily got a collector's edition which was chock full of footnotes, otherwise most of its jokes would fly over my head. Half the fun of Urusei is in what she NAMES her characters, to be honest, and the play on their names in their weird tics.
I don't think it's going to be all that interesting unless you get a hold of a copy that contains footnotes and postscripts in the margins. I read hundreds of mangas and have Japanese cousins, understand Japanese, and I still needed lots of help to understand and appreciate the depth and subversiveness of her humor.
Maison Ikkoku, on the otherhand, is immediately accessible but mature and sophisticated in its beauty and message. It's about a young man who falls in love with his landlady, only to discover that she's older than him, and a very young widow. How do you start over again, and find love in the most unexpected of places and people. It's such a lovely story.
94 Viola---
Currently on Episode 3 of Summer's Desire. I agree, Barbie's character Xia Mo really bothers me. But I guess, the plot needs a indecisive female role to always pull the 2
male characters in to complicate the story.
But I have got to say, so far Xia Mo and Luo Xi have been kissing a bit too much.
We are on episode 3, and they pretty much having been kissing on every episode.
But man, no matter how one finds Xia Mo annoying, you have got to admit that these people can kiss.
Hopefully, some korean dramas can get up to par with the kissing aspect.
Now in Bad Guy, Tae Ra, and Gun Wook (played by Kim Nam Gil and that actress) can really heat up the screen---But I haven't seen any other korean drama that has done a kiss scene properly.
Looking forward to watching more Summer's Desire....
and those pics of Su Ae and Jung Woo Sung are to die for....
A word of warning, most of the winners are fine (i.e. Hana Yori Dango won its year, also Bara no Tame ni - which became the TW drama The Rose, and many other great mangas have won).
I would strongly suggest avoiding: Kanon (though I did like earlier Chiho Saito works) and even stronger avoidance of Boku wa Imōto ni Koi o Suru (OMF I cannot believe this manga won! it boggles the mind, truly does) - both are full on incest mangas, which freaks me out, but I'm always like halfway through before I discover it or some stuff like that, and I can't un-read the manga by them or burn my eyes.
Some of the ones I recommended which have won: Basara, 7 Seeds, Inuyasha, Cross Game.
I also highly recommend Red River (very similar to Kanata Kara (a heroine time traveling to another time), but different in scope and feel (KK is more chaste). Both are great.
Lots of people love Yuu Watase - and her Ceres the Celestial Legend won one year (it has fauxcest which I am fine with), but her Fushigii Yugi is more popular as an epic. I've sworn of Watase since she delivered the crap that was Zettai Kareshi (or Absolute Boyfriend).
![[Drama Chat] The rise of Byun Woo-seok](https://d263ao8qih4miy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/VS-LovelyRunner-Episode8RakutenViki-2603-scaled.jpg)
![[Why you should watch] Just Between Lovers](https://d263ao8qih4miy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/JBL_1.jpg)
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51 Rovi
July 16, 2010 at 12:49 PM
Forgive my total ranting mindlessly, but can anyone identify the song played in this vid (at about 3:24, where it starts "OPPA!!!")???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3uebuXf2Fs <- it's this vid...sorry Khuntoria-ns, I'm a Minkhun-ian... XP...이거 너무 미쳐미쳤어요~...
Many thanks from moi who can guess... Gonna turn in now, happy sleepy...YAWN~
XD
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52 pat
July 16, 2010 at 1:00 PM
Any theory why Bad Guy is so overlooked ratings-wise? (besides soccer)
I feel as if any story where the heroine is not cute, dumb and as innocent as
a 12 year old has to fight hard for audience in Korean TV. Bad guy's writing should be much tighter, but complicated characters are a good thing IMO.
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53 Scarlett
July 16, 2010 at 1:05 PM
I've watched CH 14, even though it isn't the BOF hot mess, but I still appreciate how it depicts reality. But JS/EY running away from each doesn't help me much. can't wait for SS and PK!!
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54 Leonardswench
July 16, 2010 at 1:27 PM
So this has been my morning:
wake-up with headache, tough day to get through, have to churn out 6 pages even if it kills me
kids are bored, restless, fine, give them schoolwork and chores, chat with hubby who also works from home
check writer's forum
check FB
check e-mail accounts
check DB
start Fated to Love You because of GIGI (now officially the rest of the day is her fault) mentioning it and I needed some background music/drama while I write (it's the way I work)
stopped long enough for pb&j and Mt. Dew and one Advil (headache wasn't going away)
set up BOF for son (he's re-watching My GIrl and BOF instead of continuing his new series)
daughter is doing dishes singing My Girl soundtrack (interferring with F2LY when I don't have my headphones on)
other daughter is doing laundry and getting baby ready to go in the pool
sigh, I was so going to start Bad Guy today, but got distracted by Ethan .... Gigi's fault, you know!
Only good point, have the shell done on six pages, now tweaking and I hate tweaking!!! IT's hard.
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55 viola
July 16, 2010 at 1:29 PM
I just ran across this interview of Peter Ho and Barbie. Soooo funny. Apparently Peter insured a certain part of himself while filming the three kingdoms, because it involved too much horse back riding! ;) ROFL. I need to pause every couple of seconds, because I am laughing too much to read the subs. Poor Peter, what embarrassing questions to be asked on tv.! Who knew being an idol was sooo dangerous.
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56 viola
July 16, 2010 at 1:31 PM
@leonardswench
You are a writer? So cool.
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57 viola
July 16, 2010 at 1:42 PM
forgot to post the link to the interview
http://www.viikii.net/videos/watch/80697/0/peter-ho-and-barbie-hsu-on-kang-xi-lai-le-part-1.html
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58 momosan
July 16, 2010 at 1:44 PM
@43 Ilovekimchee
Ask and it shall be answered. I put drama episodes on my iPod classic all the time. However, I do have a Mac, so all answers will be mac-centric although I can always switch hit (snicker) and go PC or Linux if necessary.
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59 azile
July 16, 2010 at 1:46 PM
I just wanted to say thank you for all the work that is put into making this the best korean drama website on the internet! I started watching k-dramas about 6 months ago and found this website to be incredibly helpful in guiding my journey. Now I am a complete addict and come daily to check up on drama news! :)
Love the song for today, you always post the best music!
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60 dimsumofallthings
July 16, 2010 at 1:47 PM
@Leonardswench: I'M SORRY!!! I really am... lol... but if it makes you feel better, I am still watching the series. I am wanting to finish it so badly, but my husband keeps distracting me... Sorry about your headache, hope the Advil works!
My plan today is not be as unproductive as possible. I am a nurse, and I have been working 12 hour shifts seven of the last eight days. Now I only plan on focusing on Ethan, maybe revisit Lee Min Ho in a little bit, or Cha Seung Won (I am a sucker for his proposal in City Hall!).
I am not even Korean, and currently all the music I listen to are songs from drama soundtracks... Now if I can just understand what they are saying!
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61 ockoala
July 16, 2010 at 2:00 PM
@ viola
That show is hosted by Barbie's younger sister Xiao S, who along with her co-host just asks whatever the hell they want, it's personal beyond belief. When Zai Zai was promoting Black & White and was on with Mark and Director Tsai, Xiao S went to town on him - with barbed questions and comments related galore related to Da S and their breakup. Zai Zai is now refusing to do that show during his promo for his upcoming movie. If Xiao S could ask Peter about his insuring his man part, she would gladly have asked for an inspection. She is very unafraid of going anywhere she wants with her guests.
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62 momosan
July 16, 2010 at 2:11 PM
Okay - to put dramas on you iPod - Mac style -
If you have Quicktime PRO, you can simply load the file, the subtitles and SAVE AS optimized for an iPod. Load it into iTunes, sync and there!
If you do not need to add subtitles - download iSquint - it hasn't been updated since 2008, and may not work on some of the newest codecs, but for your average ordinary file - this will do it quick and dirty....and free. Drag the file in, click optimize for iPod, click put in iTunes, hit start, when it's done, sync your iPod (the video will likely be in Movies) and poof, done. Very handy.
If you do NOT have Quicktime PRO, and you DO need to add subtitles, or it breaks iSquint, get either iSubtitle or subMerge. Both will cost you a teeny bit, but they work like a champ. (and yes, ladies and gents, this is how hardsubbing is done on a Mac), For submerge, open a file, choose the subtitles file, render it, export it choosing iPod, add to iTunes when done. Then go to iTunes and synce. Submerge is a bit smarter and does fancier things than iSubtitle, but it's essentially the same, open a file, hit settings, add a subtitle file, export choosing iPod and add to iTunes. Sync and there you are.
PC instructions available on demand.....
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63 Ani
July 16, 2010 at 2:31 PM
Had to get off work early (if you can call three hours early) today because of throbbing pain in a knee that refuses to heal (darn you sprained ligament... which hopefully won't decide to rupture on me) and so what else is there to do but stop by to say hello? Hello dramabean forum! Hello javabeans! Hello girlfriday! Why hello Friday and weekend? How are you my dearest favorite part of the week? Are we ready to put our feet up (literally, dude: Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate)? Our we ready for the pain killers to kick in? Wait! Say what? Well, before loopy-land kicks in I just wanted to thank jb and fri and the gang - if there is a gang - for all the hard work put into Dramabeans. What is my week without you guys? Oh, look, pain killer is kicking in. Well, gotta go before I become incoherent. <3
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64 wabbit
July 16, 2010 at 2:33 PM
@momosan
I have a blackberry and pc and have been putting some movies and dramas to watch when I'm on trips. Of course the BB has got a very tiny screen and I get cross-eyed watching too much.
I wanted to thank you for your numerous "how to" that you post here. I've learned so much!
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65 diadda
July 16, 2010 at 2:36 PM
@viola
Tendonitis has hit viola
thread typing with no payola
she sits in wait
for dramas to rate
drinking lots of cola
K, That is the last one for a while i think :)
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66 viola
July 16, 2010 at 3:03 PM
@diadda
Thank you :)
@ockola
dear god! You were right, she did start talking about inspecting it.....
I think I need to reiterate my poor Peter sentiment. He is sitting there and barbie and her sister is talking about his 'big eagle'.. I am laughing and cringing at the same time. Barbie is one tough chica, Peter on the other hand s seems very sweet.
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67 ilovekimchee
July 16, 2010 at 3:23 PM
@momosan @lovenyc52 thanks for your replies! I'm new to the ipod world, my brother got me mine for graduation earlier this year and I love it! I only have 8G space so I will definitely need the converter and remove a bunch of songs (don't listen to most of them anyway :) ), maybe some apps too. Momosan, please do give pc instructions :) .
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68 janna
July 16, 2010 at 3:44 PM
@momosan: That was very informative. I know I didn't ask but.. thanks ;D
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69 kyun
July 16, 2010 at 4:10 PM
soooo i have just finish watching episode 14 of coffee house -laughs like mad- thats what i do when it gets frustrating,, arghh it getting so gd but realy i was hoping, and im sure he does to, for option1 but oh well its drama~~
Its already summer for me althought its been raining here and never a full day sunshine for 3 days Why??? Anyways it should be freedom to watch drama till 3am for me but nope. cant. got summer works and so far havent done a single words eventhough got only a month or so left...What am i to do?
But... the first thing i did as soon as my holiday start was a marathon for prosecutor princess in a day.. Then catching up on cinderella sister which i still have found the willpower to finish till the end. Also started on biscuit teached and star candy but halfway through the series i eventually realize that its already been seen so that was the end. Then i started to desperately search for links or website to watch WHat's up Fox but to no result and decided to download torrent. However even a day with the computer on its not moving after 12%...:D luckily though found a website (Yatta!) and finish the series in 3 nights and may i say he is damn cute in that drama..-hehe forgot the name-
and finally this morning started on drama 18 vs 29 so far so good at that people the end of my update. ;') thanks for those that manages to read on till the end.
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70 Minnetter
July 16, 2010 at 4:10 PM
@bean I feel you!! I have Med school 1st year end final exams to see if I go on to 2nd year, this next thursday and yet I find myself taking a break from studying to watch Coffee House! aaah... speaking of which I should be studying now too^^
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71 cont'd
July 16, 2010 at 4:15 PM
TGIF!
Coffee House is nearing its end, and I'm sad, but I'm also excited because I'm dying to know what happens in the end.. then I'm sad again I can only find out the ending at the...end
Thanks JB and Girlfriday for this awesome blog =)
Keep up the great work!
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72 annie
July 16, 2010 at 4:18 PM
Hi everyone!
I've been so sick for the last few weeks. When I get like this I go into drama made, because nothing else distracts me from my pain. (I have a long-term illness that sometimes gets very very bad.)
I'm currently watching All About Eve because I wanted to know what all the fuss was about, especially concerning Jang Dong Gun. I have to say I don't see what's so special about him. *ducks angry glares and rotten eggs* It's not that I don't find him attractive (although I don't), and he's a good actor, but from all the raving about him I guess I expected some magical x-factor. Maybe my expectations were too high... or maybe it's not his best work. Any recommendations?
Also, a victory for Kdrama! I finally got my mom to watch City Hall with me, and she has gone from vaguely disapproving of my kdrama watching to an avid fan of CH. She was blown away. We stayed up til 3am a few times watching it. :)
@ momosan
Thanks for the advice, I've been wanting to know how to transfer dramas to my iPod. I'm a Mac user, so it's all good. :)
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73 danna
July 16, 2010 at 4:23 PM
Hey Happy Friday OT'ers!!....back after a hot day at the beach...and the first place I come is here...I'm on a kdrama slump myself...cnt get myself to focus on any of them....im currently watching Coffe House (cant wait for it to get over), Alone in love and the short drama Running.....I was a Coffe House addict too until before the world cup.....the postponement sorta tok off some of the steam I had for that drama...and the ensuing angst in the episodes since have not helped either....eitherways im happy with how its turning out to be...i ws never much of a shipper for either so im satisfied with wateva the writers pick...Im happy that we got such a different kdrama after a while..I'm also enjoying Running, though I admit the only reason I'm really into it is because of Baek Sang Hyun (and short running shorts...kekeke)...though i've noticed the guy has a tendency to overract the angst....the best of the lot is Alone in Love...have to thak Dahee Fanel and thunderbolt for recommending it......anywways when I'm done with these theree in the next few days Im takin a long kdrama break ...for like three weeks....lo....till My girfirend is a gumiho....ive decided to watch only one ongoing drama at a time for the rest of the year (and marathon the rest after they are over...it just gets too crazy and exhausting to try to keep up otherwise....lets see how well I stick to my reslution
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74 Javabeans
July 16, 2010 at 4:34 PM
@Laica, I'm not surprised that All About Eve didn't do it for you, because in my opinion that's his blandest role. I never really got into that drama because it was so basic in its Cinderella formula, and he was the simple perfect Prince Charming. I think he got famous throughout Asia from it because the popular mainstream romantic comedies tend to do very well for kdrama heroes, even when they are basically stock characters. He's even better in his debut (I think?) drama, 1994's Last Match. But to get the full Jang Dong-gun effect, you have to watch his movies, like Taegukgi. (Prepare your heart for some breakin', though!)
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75 ockoala
July 16, 2010 at 4:35 PM
Woo hoo, Momma Laica is a City Haller now! :-D
I still need to get my mom to watch it, but for her it's either dubbed or not at all, she's too lazy to read subs. And I wouldn't be caught dead not being able to listen to Gookie's sexy drawl. We're at an impasse, she and I.
I has been sitting with five different disc one's in my five-disc DVD changer for a week, unable to decide which one to start. It was waffling between PotW, Jejoonwon (which I have seen the first few eps, and loved), ROI, Harvest Villa, and World's Within.
So, I bit the bullet, and started watching Flowers for My Life. And piscspamming the hell out of Jung Woo Sung and Lee Jung Jae. Sigh, life is good.
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76 lessaofpern
July 16, 2010 at 4:35 PM
Happy Friday! :D
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Reading my first Manga today. FULL HOUSE KISS. It was a random choice. It's O.K. so far. Can anyone suggest some good ones?
@Leonardswench
I plan to watch the movie you suggested in your last post.
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77 momosan
July 16, 2010 at 4:39 PM
okey doke, PC version of how to put on dramas on the iPod. Much depends on how you normally sync stuff to your iPod.
It can be done in Windows Media Player 10, 11, or 12, or in VLC - essentially in these, assuming you have the right codecs installed, you get the video going with the subtitles playing and then export to an MP4 file or to the iPod settings in WMP. This can get tricky as the players tend to have minds of their own.
OTOH, if you are into doing it more hands on and free, you can use AVI Recomp to hardsub in the subtitles, then a converter like the AVI to MP4 converter from Doremi soft or one of the other free converters out there. The advantage being that you can really tweak the file size and quality you end up with. AVI Recomp will do all kinds of fun things - input the source and output on the source page, pick the subtitles settings on the additions page, add it to the queue and fire away. Viola, hardsubbed avi file.
Doremisoft's converter is free, and there are other free converters out there.
In the non-free world, in about the $30 range, there are a bunch of programs like Movavi and Yasa video converters that will not only convert but will render the hardsubs as well. I know Movavi will, and I'm pretty sure AnyVideoConverter will as well.
Lots to pick from. You may well have the software to do it already on your machine, so look around and see what is in there!
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78 Javabeans
July 16, 2010 at 4:41 PM
@ockoala, Flowers For My Life is SO GOOD. I skimmed through a few episodes earlier today when you asked about the song, and I was reminded how refreshing and poignant it was. Now that's a drama that takes a melodramatic setup and treats it with a light touch. It struck me today that Flowers has the tone I dearly wished of Cinderella's Sister. It has the same scenic setting and lovely music, but not the ludicrous levels of angst.
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79 ockoala
July 16, 2010 at 4:43 PM
@ lessaofpern
You like fantasy sci-fi, no? From your love of the Dragonrider series?
I highly recommend as a wonderful manga Kanata Kara by Kyoko Hikawa - it's a fantasy sci-fi epic, and her illustration style is one of my absolute faves. Her drawings are exquisitely beautiful. Izark might just be my fave warrior (definitely gives F'lar a run for his money).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_Far_Away
If you don't care about illustrations, then anything by Yumi Tamura. I would start with Basara (her masterpiece, which is already concluded).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basara_(manga)
I am currently obsessing over her latest manga 7 Seeds, but my hazard a guess that it's at most half-way done. And I have a few years of life shaved off because of the agony. I did a little first impression review for it, if you are curious what it's about.
http://ockoala.wordpress.com/category/japanese-manga/
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80 annie
July 16, 2010 at 4:46 PM
@javabeans
Agree, it's a very basic Cinderella story as you said, with good and evil being very clear-cut and not a lot of complexity in its characters, especially the two leads. Although Chae Rim is extremely cute, which makes up for it a bit. But I find that because it's full of such stock characters, the story isn't really getting under my skin the way, say, Coffee Prince did. I don't cry when the characters cry, I just... feel kind of bad for them.
I should watch his movies. But if they're that heartbreaking... I'm going to have to wait until real life gets a little easier. Dramas are my escape :)
@ockoala
Yeah, my sister-in-law refuses to watch subtitles. My mom doesn't mind them, the only thing she complained a bit about CH is that because the dialogue was so quick and often kind complex, and because so much was going on, she felt like she needed to rewatch some parts. She would need me to explain what was going on sometimes. It's true that CH is not your mindless fluff rom-com, that's for sure. That's what makes it so special :)
"And I wouldn’t be caught dead not being able to listen to Gookie’s sexy drawl." Me TOO. ;)
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81 grasya
July 16, 2010 at 4:50 PM
i wish it were monday already --- cannot wait for Coffee House to finish! i want the angst to be over and done with so that our EunSoo couple will finally get their 3rd kiss and a bedscene [as the other fans are fantasizing!].
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82 Carinne
July 16, 2010 at 4:52 PM
TGIF peeps!
HooooT! HoOtTt! HOT! Hope everyone is keeping cool and hydrated well. Aargh~ I can't help feeling a little cranky dreadful Summers. Can you tell I'm a Winter Wonderland kinda gal? Pahehe~
I am way behind on those shows. Having my pc fixed and right now borrowing one to get a few scoops. o , 0*
Darn you Paul the Octopus! (-- , --) I really don't mind putting you on a sushi dish and dipping your tentacles in some soy sauce and yuzu kosho. I can merely laugh on the hoopla when the Netherlands' team were not warmly welcome back at their airport however many shows up at their river float parade. Keke~
With no internet, I've been having a Full House marathon and teaching my 1 y.o. niece how to swim.
The month of July is half way over... hang in there folks. ^ , ^ v Keepin' happy.
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83 ockoala
July 16, 2010 at 4:53 PM
@ JB
You've never once pushed FFML, other than to quietly state how much you loved it and how wonderful it was for you to watch. I thank you for this powerful recommendation, because I waited and waited until I was in the mood, and I'm both glad I did (because it it so exquisite to watch I float into sleep each night after I finish 1 or 2 eps), and sad that I did (knowing how I could have watch it earlier).
But timing for this drama is really important, if I in a melodrama or rom-com binge, I don't think I would enjoy it nearly as much, though I would find it well-done regardless. Now I can't get Wasted on the Way out of my mind for 3 days straight now! :-)
@ Laica
I hope your set has great subs, because shoddy subs for CH are out there, and really detract from the drama. The razor-sharp at times dialogue was so absorbing to watch.
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84 viola
July 16, 2010 at 5:27 PM
@ockola
Hi! Kanta Kara looks very interesting. Are you familiar with Bride of the Water God? If so, are the drawing style similar? I adore the art in this series. :)
@lessaofpern
Hi mom! ;)
Congratulations on your first manga!
I recommend
Bride of the Water God. Absolutely beautiful artistry. It takes me over three hours to read on volume because, I keep stopping to admire the very detailed drawings.
Skip Beat. Awesome kickass heroine! The romance grows so subtly and belivably.
Ouran High School Host Club. Please check out the anime as well as the manga. I have never laughed so hard in my life.
Vampire Knight. Manga and anime are both gorgeous, but no sparkly vampires here! They are pretty but dangerous too.
And last but not least, Inuyasha. The great epic manga love of my life. The anime was pretty good although the girl was a bit more annoying in it than the manga.
p.s. Are you going to watch the House of Flying Daggers?
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85 Eleven11
July 16, 2010 at 5:31 PM
@JB
Yeah, I'm so glad you recommended Flowers For My Life on the recommendations page- I was so surprised by it!
If I wanted to a proper post about what I thought of it, i'd have to watch it again coz it's been a while (which I might actually do). However, I remember being taken aback that a drama could start with what could have easily been a cringe-inducing, silly premise, and create a story around it that had sensitivity, depth and real poignancy. It had great resonance with me in its portrayal of certain events and emotions and the end gave me a real sense of peace and fulfillment.
It was unique and gorgeous, with some beautiful contemplative moments on life and death. Man, I want to go watch it again now, I've re-recommended it to myself =p
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86 annie
July 16, 2010 at 5:40 PM
@ockoala
Yeah, I watched the BON hardsubs - excellent quality. The dialogue was incredible, one of the best parts of the drama IMO. Interestingly, the first time I watched it was Sep. 2009, and one of my early kdramas, and watching it again after almost a year (and many dramas!) there are things I picked up this time because I understand some Korean which I totally missed on the first watch. The switch between banmal and jondaemal, for example, and its significance.
@viola
I loved Inuyasha! Probably my favourite completed manga. Actually the only one I'ved managed to finish, but that means it was really good :)
Have you watched The Final Act?
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87 Leonardswench
July 16, 2010 at 5:45 PM
@ ockoala and anyone in general, about subs:
Is there anywhere, any list, that gives the best recommendations for subbed dramas?
I have even been reluctant to purchase more dramas because of bad subbing. I have a nice budget for these things and three times a year get together with my girlfriends for a writer's retreat and we watch the heck out of each other's favorites. But, I haven't dipped into many k-dramas because of the bad subbing on copies available for purchase.]
All advice will be taken, since I spend $$$$ on dramas/movies a year. Thanks in advance!
@ viola, yes, I am an author/writer/keyboard jockey. Currently trying to get a new screenplay to my agent by July 24th. Hee hee and get in all my dramas! I don't pimp my own work, but am happy to pimp my sistas (being those writing sisters, not actually blood related). More on that as I spend more time around DB.
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88 Leonardswench
July 16, 2010 at 5:48 PM
Is anyone else hung up on Death Note? My daughter loves it, I am having a harder time getting into it, but thanks so much for both the anime and manga recs, have made notes (so many notes over the last few weeks from all points in this site).
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89 viola
July 16, 2010 at 5:51 PM
@Lacia
I watched the first few episodes, but they rush things so much that I got whiplash. I was especially mad when they just crammed Yura's story as well as other bits in that one episode! seriously! I loved the manga depiction of Yura's strory though, broke my heart. And I love the first anime series, own them all on dvd and rewatch them. :)
Are you a Sessoumarou or a Inuyasha girl? ;)
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90 George
July 16, 2010 at 6:03 PM
Is it just me or watching TDramas is really difficult ?
I mean this friend of mine is totally hooked and I've been watching a few episodes of Summer's desire with her . I just HATE the sounds effect. It's like something dramatic happens, and you realize it and sometimes you even go OH MY GOD. But even before you can OMG, dramatic sounds effect come into play. A few notes that means something-big-happened-realize-oh-you-watcher-tadadadaDA !
And then the actor stops everything, and make his/her pupils look in all directions, cause you know, it was an OMG-moment.
And it's 2010 you know...and the direction of some 2010 Tdramas, well it looks 1993 to me.
It reminds me when I watched Hana Yori Dango a few years ago, and I learned that a korean versions was about to be made, so I decided to give the taiwanese version a try. I had a big OMO-moment (an OMO moment is a 12 on a 10-points-OMG-scale) when I read it was a 2001 production, 'cuz it totally looked 1987 to me.
Well, I definitely stick to the korean dramas. I'd love them to be shorter sometimes. I often say to my friends "This is an AWESOME drama, but it would have been better with like 2 or 3 episodes less. Sometimes, you just feel that they want to fill in some episodes in order to get to 16.
I like the japanese format definitely but I'm not so often addicted to a japanese drama.
Well that's it for me.
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91 viola
July 16, 2010 at 6:03 PM
@leonardswench
Are you by any chance familiar with Edith Layton's work? Since you loved the House of Flying Daggers I think you might like this book. I usually never cry when reading a book, but this regency was so darkly poignant, that I couldn't help my self. But since it is a romance, it has a happy ending :)
This book have been very influential in shaping my aesthetics. It sits firmly on my keeper shelf. Sorry for making you write more notes. ;)
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92 ockoala
July 16, 2010 at 6:12 PM
I love Inuyasha, IMO Takahashi Rumiko's "second" best work, which is saying something, since Inuyasha is one of the best mangas ever written.
But that's because Takahashi freaking sets the bar so high for herself, almost impossible to breach time and again. Each time she completes a work, I say to myself, she can't possibly top this, and she does or almost gets there.
Ranma has inconsistent, the brilliance of the first half upended by the repetitiveness and prolonged extension of the story. Plus I don't like Akane, sue me.
Takahashi has twice won the Shogakukan Manga Award (like winning the Oscars of manga) - once for Inuyasha 2002, and once in 1983 for quite possibly still considered her best work to date (I think so, too), Urusei Yatsura. (Tamura Yumi won Shogakukan for Basara in 1992, and won again for 7 Seeds in 2007 - -placing Tamura now squarely in the rarified strata that Takashashi has occupied for 3 decades).
Anyways, Inuyasha stalled in the last few books, otherwise it may have eclipsed Urusei Yatsura. Takahashi has never been able to replicate the upward momentum of her manga story development the way she did for Urusei, which started off the silliest, funniest most LOL story you've ever read (with a Beta male and an Alpha female lead), and built it so the ending made me cry. Now that is stunning storytelling.
As for Takahashi's most mature work - that would be Maison Ikkoku, which I adored, and really perfect way to mature as a manga reader.
As for Skip Beat - my complaint still stands - conceptually it's much better than it's execution, I love the story, really dislike the pacing and the dialogue - but I think this is a manga just dying for a drama adaptation anyways.
Other than Takahashi in this generation, her counterpart in Shonen is probably Adachi Mitsuru - of Touch, Slow Step, Rough (my fave), H2, and Cross Game fame (all of which are spectacular, but if anyone wants to start Adachi's mangas, always alway start with Touch, his undisputed masterpiece and what launched him into manga lore).
And of course, I've been indulging lately in collecting the collector's editions of Black Jack, by the godfather of manga as a GENRE, Osamu Tezuka.
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93 Leonardswench
July 16, 2010 at 6:14 PM
@viola, I have two Edith Layton's on my bookshelves, The Cad (which my sister bought purely for the title as a b-day gift for me) and A Bride for His Convenience (which I won as a door prize at a writer's conference, which was the last I attended, lol, I'm sure it wasn't the book).
Which book? (Ahem, you didn't say which regency, and I'm assuming she has more than one?)
And, yes, next to my bed is a nightstand, and on the nightstand is un-read books and un-watched DVDs, and on the floor next to the nightstand is a wicker basket full of the same, and on the rug next to the wicker basket is a pile of said same. LOL
I do eventually get around to them all ....... so give it to me and I'll add it to the list! I love a good book, even when I have to go through an entire box of kleenex to get to "The End". ;)
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94 viola
July 16, 2010 at 6:19 PM
I just finished watching episode 7 of Summer's Desire. I like both of the male characters. They are both flawed, damaged and vulnerable in their own way; and I feel for them both.
It's xia mo I can't stand; she is so calculating and cold, and plays such havoc with both men's heart! I am fed up with her. I am cutting out the middlewoman, and shipping Ou Chen with Lou Xi! I mean they have serious chemistry, you can almost see the testosterone spike when they have a scene together. Who volunteers to trawl through the depths of LJ and fanfic.net to find some tasteful slasher fic? ;)
@ockola
I have many fond memories from my inuyasha fangirl days. For Sessoumaru's sake I had to amend my list of 'married, dead or gay" to include "not even real." ;P
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95 viola
July 16, 2010 at 6:25 PM
@leonardswench
*face palms* I even copied down the link, yet I posted neither the link or the title. *shakes head* I am hopeless
The title of the book is "The Dukes Wager"
http://www.amazon.com/Dukes-Wager-Edith-Layton/dp/0451145666/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279328033&sr=8-2
this review gives a better idea of the book
http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/the-dukes-wager-by-edith-layton/
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96 annie
July 16, 2010 at 6:50 PM
@91 viola
Hmm that's a tough one. Inuyasha is the only one I would ever want to see with Kagome. But I find Sesshomaru endlessly fascinating as a character.
As far as The Final Act goes, I agree, it was way too rushed. I couldn't believe they were actually going to finish the manga when I saw the number of episodes (26, I think). I wish they had devoted some of those useless filler episodes in the previous seasons to the actual manga. Still, it was nice to see the final battle and the destruction of Naraku animated. And it also addressed my one complaint with the manga (not a single kiss for Inuyasha and Kagome, and two with Kikyo! wth).
@ockoala
I love Rumiko Takahashi, but I really couldn't get into Ranma. I agree, Akane annoys the crap out of me. But after your strong recommendation I have to check out Urusei Yatsura. Thanks!
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97 viola
July 16, 2010 at 6:59 PM
@laicia
Only Kagome gets to have Inuyasha I completely agree on that. That's the beauty of it, it leaves Sessoumarou unattached for the fan girls to fight over. ;)
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98 ockoala
July 16, 2010 at 7:02 PM
@ Laica
Ranma 1/2 the set-up is brilliant and the gags are one a minute. The fact that there a group of characters called Shampoo, Cologne, and Mousse from China is already destined to be a classic. Add to it a final character by the name of Pantyhose, and I would day this manga is truly hella funny.
Except she dragged Ranma on like 10 books too long, and yes, I still can't stand Akane, never did, never will. The fact that I loved Ranma still is a testament to Takahashi's talent.
Urusei Yatsura is her first manga - so drawing wise it's very raw and untried. She was very infuenced by Bewitched, sci-fi, and high school when she drew it. The one thing with Urusei is that is heavily heavily Japanese culture/history/myth focused, and the dialogue is heavily gag-based, i.e. it's funny bc its a play-on word type of thing.
I read Urusei in Chinese (as I do all my mangas), and I luckily got a collector's edition which was chock full of footnotes, otherwise most of its jokes would fly over my head. Half the fun of Urusei is in what she NAMES her characters, to be honest, and the play on their names in their weird tics.
I don't think it's going to be all that interesting unless you get a hold of a copy that contains footnotes and postscripts in the margins. I read hundreds of mangas and have Japanese cousins, understand Japanese, and I still needed lots of help to understand and appreciate the depth and subversiveness of her humor.
Maison Ikkoku, on the otherhand, is immediately accessible but mature and sophisticated in its beauty and message. It's about a young man who falls in love with his landlady, only to discover that she's older than him, and a very young widow. How do you start over again, and find love in the most unexpected of places and people. It's such a lovely story.
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99 gracefulmoonie
July 16, 2010 at 7:23 PM
94 Viola---
Currently on Episode 3 of Summer's Desire. I agree, Barbie's character Xia Mo really bothers me. But I guess, the plot needs a indecisive female role to always pull the 2
male characters in to complicate the story.
But I have got to say, so far Xia Mo and Luo Xi have been kissing a bit too much.
We are on episode 3, and they pretty much having been kissing on every episode.
But man, no matter how one finds Xia Mo annoying, you have got to admit that these people can kiss.
Hopefully, some korean dramas can get up to par with the kissing aspect.
Now in Bad Guy, Tae Ra, and Gun Wook (played by Kim Nam Gil and that actress) can really heat up the screen---But I haven't seen any other korean drama that has done a kiss scene properly.
Looking forward to watching more Summer's Desire....
and those pics of Su Ae and Jung Woo Sung are to die for....
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100 ockoala
July 16, 2010 at 7:34 PM
@ lessaofpern
I'm such an idiot, I should have just sent you this link and have you pick what looks interesting to you.
A list of Shogakukan winners since the dawn of the award, concentrate on the last 2 decades for and go down the list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shogakukan_Manga_Award
A word of warning, most of the winners are fine (i.e. Hana Yori Dango won its year, also Bara no Tame ni - which became the TW drama The Rose, and many other great mangas have won).
I would strongly suggest avoiding: Kanon (though I did like earlier Chiho Saito works) and even stronger avoidance of Boku wa Imōto ni Koi o Suru (OMF I cannot believe this manga won! it boggles the mind, truly does) - both are full on incest mangas, which freaks me out, but I'm always like halfway through before I discover it or some stuff like that, and I can't un-read the manga by them or burn my eyes.
Some of the ones I recommended which have won: Basara, 7 Seeds, Inuyasha, Cross Game.
I also highly recommend Red River (very similar to Kanata Kara (a heroine time traveling to another time), but different in scope and feel (KK is more chaste). Both are great.
Lots of people love Yuu Watase - and her Ceres the Celestial Legend won one year (it has fauxcest which I am fine with), but her Fushigii Yugi is more popular as an epic. I've sworn of Watase since she delivered the crap that was Zettai Kareshi (or Absolute Boyfriend).
Hope you enjoy whatever manga you end up reading!
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