Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
"I do not have a problem if the “Lead Character ” is “expandable” for the sake of the story, my main problem was that it felt that I was watching the actual ending that never made it into what was plan for the beginning."
Yeah, I think BG rushing it at the end showed in the last 2 episodes. Now, I like the actual pacing and overarching development of the plot, but you could tell that the drama was using a lot of voiceovers and solipsistic bits in order to resolve conflict and fill out air time.
Now, having said that, I also thought it improved the ending. The last episode is a series of sequences depicting both a fractured family and a fractured identities of both men, as such to show that everybody was starting to dissolve. Same is true with the mom.
There's little cathartic joy with her come-upance, because even to the end, she has not changed and she has not faced sufficient judgement. SHE WON. And you can even say, through this experience, she successfully transformed "sweet", "innocent" Monet into her own spitting image. In a sense, she is the Law and Order of Hae Shin, and she is never aware of the psychic toll that it's inflicted upon all the people around her. But this is successfully depicted at the end of the episode, because we've already realized that no revenge will truly satisfy and that even a happy ending will not resolve the bad blood and corrosion within the family.
Rather than presenting us a set of events to make that case, we get the figurative expression. Ghosts appear. Revelations have killed one man and might have broken the spirit of the other. The regurgitation of memories fracture the story's denouement. Our two "Return to Normal" women fall apart as soon as the presents come through the mail. The story ends with a flurry of "last images", unfinished letters, and feelings that are like a mad, incoherent cry being swallowed by the void. The Void wins.
And that is the difference here. Usually in melodrama, when somebody dies, there is catharsis and there is remembrance. Even in death, the character can live on in memory. The Death may be "beautiful." Bad Guy cheats us of that bittersweet comfort. Nobody will weep for him. Nobody will truly confront his loss. For all the sound and fury, it is as if he never existed. The fractured approach of the ending underlines that contrast.
Has the Bad Guy gone to Heaven or Hell? We will never know.
@belleza. I do agree with you 100%, I guess for us who have "Million Stars Falling From The Sky", as one of our favorite dramas, the ending of BG does not seem that upsetting, on the other hand I was more upset when they imply that he die in the car accident, the reason being is because there was still one episode left.
The thing that I like the most about BG was the dark overtones not only the story line but the way the cinematography was done.
For me the Jae-in/ Gun-wook pairing work from the stand point the they were two people in need of the "Human Touch" and they provide each other with some what of a moral and spiritual support, and I believe that Gun-wook at a deeper level he really care for her.
The Tae-ra/Gun-wook was the most riveting one to watched the Chemistry that they portray was absolutely brilliant from the stand point of view that the writer imply all along that Tea-ra and Gun-wook may be siblings, but the over all sexual overtones they portray in the drama are some of the best in a K-Drama that I have seen so far.
( "The story ends with a flurry of “last images”, unfinished letters, and feelings that are like a mad, incoherent cry being swallowed by the void. The Void wins.")
I think the way you describe the ending is as "Perfect" as is going to get, our "Tragic Hero" dies in a manner befitting his whole life. Discarded and left to die with out no one knowing his fate, as in life so forsaken in death!!!!!!!!!!!
"For me the Jae-in/ Gun-wook pairing work from the stand point the they were two people in need of the “Human Touch” "
Their pairing is something you see mostly in J-drama (where female heroines tend to be more realistic and ethically unscrupulous about relationships) and of course American cinema. You have two grifters who fall in love while working their hustle, and see their relationship as a means to normalcy. Except that in this case, both characters are looking for a decent life. This is somewhat alienating within the framework of K-drama. It's difficult to sell the audience on choosing the guy who isn't the prince. ;)
"The Tae-ra/Gun-wook was the most riveting one to watched the Chemistry that they portray was absolutely brilliant from the stand point of view that the writer imply all along that Tea-ra and Gun-wook may be siblings,"
Indeed. The pleasure of watching Tae-ra/Gun-wook is in the details of the execution (as this is well-worn territory in the adultery subgenre of melo/K-melo) and the chemistry between Oh Yeon Soo and Kim Nam Gil. There is a subtle, but interesting subtext here as well. Shim Geun Wook isn't merely seducing Tae-Ra; Shim Geun wook is also seducing THE AUDIENCE. Their chemistry was SO good that part of you wants to believe SGW had some kind of genuine affection for Tae-Ra. Maybe not love, but something real. Moreover, because Jae-in was chasing the money, a lot of the audience was actually putting themselves in Tae-ra's shoes (and gowns.) Here, you had a woman who tried to do right for family but was starving emotionally, and had been fighting herself over her feelings for a guy she knew was not good for her. Her emotional process is usually the one taken by the K-drama female heroine, so subconsciously we tend to follow her more. And the fact that they're SO convincing as a couple confuses us deeply.
And it speaks to Kim Nam Gil as an actor. He gives totally different vibes between the two actresses, that are still consistent with the character and equally compelling romantically. It's a wonderful act.
"The thing that I like the most about BG was the dark overtones not only the story line but the way the cinematography was done."
I loved the cinematography (thought the handicam style got a bit much), but mostly I loved how the the scenes with constructed with much longer takes. It looked like a single camera setup, and that is important, because it enables actors to move around in a scene. This helped both Kim Nam Gil and Kim Jae Wook a lot.
We often talk about the "before/after" of Kim Nam Gil's acting, but my hunch is that it came down to Kim Nam Gil was a bland TV actor but a soulful film actor. That is, within the traditional multicamera setup of TV, he was very "still" or "stiff" and more concerned with giving a reaction shot rather than allowing his body to speak. Seriously, watch him in the drama When Spring Comes. That came AFTER his breakthrough in "No Regrets." His performance isn't bad at all, but dude was so stiff compared to his Bidam or his Shim Geun Wook.
The last 4 episodes of Bad Guy was almost like a calling card for Kim Nam Gil The Film Actor. He didn't look merely haunted, he depicted a character who knew instinctively he was going to die, but was trying to buy more and more time. He transcended the wounded bravado expected from the part into playing a guy who seemed genuinely unprepared from within the depth. His Shim Geun Wook not only radiated an intelligence, but a complicated conscience.
Kim Nam Gil's great talent as an actor is in depicting people of tragic self-awareness, able to observe themselves and consequences from the 3rd person, yet unable to stop themselves. In Queen Seon Duk, he didn't merely play Bidam as a half good-half evil puppet of the fates. He also played him as a melancholy Hamlet observing his foolish mortality yet unable to change his genetic programming. In Bad Guy, he does this two fold, both via his revenge plan and his ambivalent, yet "very much there" regard for the children. Kim Nam Gil is able to express the lamentable dance of life with an idol-like precedent that recalls Leslie.
"I think the way you describe the ending is as “Perfect” as is going to get, our “Tragic Hero” dies in a manner befitting his whole life"
As one critic put it, the tragedy of Shim Geun Wook is that he''ll always be "missing" rather than "dead." We actually don't know that much about him besides a few flashbacks; even to Jae-in, he never fully took off the glass mask. He comes in, raises hell, but nobody knows he died, just as nobody knew he was alive all these years. Nobody will grieve for him, and yet for the two women involved, part of their lives will never be able to find closure or let him go.
To the show's credit, THIS kind of ending is more akin to J-dorama. Often when key characters die, there's often this unsaid, but still there and deeply disquieting inquiry about what their lives meant and what we ultimately meant to each other and this life beyond the constraints of our morality. The "Sekachu" phenomenon (as with "Winter Sonata") resonated big among Japanese women, because it tried to speak to that inquiry quite directly.
Just my opinion, but Baker King is...BAD. As in really bad. Bad acting across the board (especially by the woman playing the Evil Mother, oh man, she suuuuucks).
No clue what is even remotely appealing about the lead guy, except that he can cry like a champ. If he's not crying, he has a really blank, dumb look on his face. ALL THE TIME. He has a great deep husky voice, and wears a pair of Levi's like nobody's business, but other than that, I don't get it.
If there's a choice to be made between Giant and Baker King...trust me, there's no choice. Go with Giant.
HELP with suggestions for weekend dramas!
I have just finished Sons of Sol Pharmacy and absolutely loved it. Characters, comedy, romance, drama: they all worked for me.
Now I am looking for more of the same to watch.
Would be grateful for your recommendations.
Glad you got inspired by our ranting.
Hope this pregnancy brings you joy!
@ shu
Gosh, it's not Friday anymore, don't know whether you'll check back. But, I'm just gonna recommend some songs since you and I both like Calendar Girl.
Aron Wright - Song for the Waiting
Angus and Julia Stone - The Devil's Tears
Damien Rice - The Blower's Daughter
Joy Williams - Speaking a Dead Language
Michelle Featherstone - Coffee and Cigarettes, I'm There Too, Stay, We Are Man and Wife
Luluc - One Day Soon
Alex Band - Only One
Andrew Belle - Make It Without You
Chantal Kreviazuk - Feels Like Home, Time, In This Life
Coldplay - In My Place, The Scientist, Yellow, Fix You
Jason Walker - Down, You're Missing It
U2 - Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Vertical Horizon - Best I Ever Had
@ Ockoala, do you like Yang Kang because he's nicer in the 2008 version? Actually, I thought he was only nicer at the end. Then again, the ending didn't follow the original.
Okay, Yang Guo and Guo Xiang are nice together. But, she's like a little sister to him. He can't see anyone else besides Xiao Longnu anyway.
Yang Mi recently said, 'Love is not being able to see anyone else as long as you're within my line of sight.' Guess that's true for Yang Guo.
@ eunha
Isabel/Isabelle is still okay. Though it's not my top pick.
I wish I was some fairy godmother who went around naming babies.
I'd like Michael or Theodore, especially Theodore, love it, it's so 18th century, or William.
For girls, I'd like something like Amber or Daisy or Sarah Marie or Emma Grace.
OT #147 is really the baby naming thread while gushing about Yang Kang and his son.
@ockoala
thanks for that dangermousie link for the kissy kissy bit. kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... now you really want me to ffwd to ep 42. but no. no. perseverence. *slap herself*
saw your comment on it about the kissy kissy background too... kyaaaaaa...
@mookie
saw your LJ and commented there instead. :D
1. Coffee House
2. Sungkyungwan Scandal
3. Personal Taste
4. Playfull Kiss
5. My Girlfriend is A Gumiho
These are among a few i can suggest u....no 1 and 3 already have completed ep while the rest still not premiere....i juz type it randomly....i'm also look up to see this drama once its premieres... :)
btw, do you like watching japanese drama?? i haf few suggestions....
I want to thank all the lovely people in this thread who are engaging in commentary on BG. It helped me find closure, especially as a fan of the drama, its lead actor and its wonderful cast who were shafted by unfortunate circumstances. (mild spoiler) I think I really needed that closure because I must have ranted out loud in a crowded restaurant at least 20 times "somebody please tell me why Y had to xxx"
@ belleza
Most of all, thank you for an illuminating discourse on how the drama is perfectly situated within the noir genre. Even though I do agree with the viewpoints on sloppy (frantic?) writing and the rushed feeling of the last few eps, I think your analysis helps me accept the way the drama has turned out as well as validates the hours of my life spent on it that much more (not that my life is a big deal, just sharing my personal feelings and investment).
It is also going to be a balm on my fangirl's pining soul. Hopefully 2 years will pass soon, and I hope the actor in him also gets a good break from crazy filming schedules and paparazzi and the like. Fighting!
Thank you JB and GF as well, I'll be back to tune into the last two ep recaps, be they wickedly brief or deliciously long! (hoping for both actually lol)
I dont know if I am too late. But about baby names: please go with traditional spellings. Some new age spelling is quite cute and funky, but tends to go all mumbo jumbo if it is more than 3 syllabus.
And no Ethans please, I already know 2 Ethans of the same age, as with Ryans.
I thought Baker king is the current hit now?
I think Bad guy was such a rush through. Should teach them a lesson to film way ahead than film as broadcast goes. It could have been so much better, but you can see all the editing done to piece together whatever they have of Kim Nam gil left to make up the story.
ok, so this is a really late reply, but your mention of Soulmate made me really happy! It was weird, I wasn't completely into it all the time while I was watching it (though I finished it in 2 days =p), but the story and the ending has been stuck in my head since I finished! I think I really loved it aye, it was just such a beautifully constructed drama.
I'm glad my first post in an Open Thread was about Soulmate =]
I think I'll back out though because I haven't been watching Bad Guy and that seems to be the topic du jour.
PS, thanks for that Cinderella's Sister parody link @ladymai, I lol'd hard.
Just went to a derma, and I can't effin splash even a little water on my face...
(well, it's been ages since I last went, maybe last 1 1/2 years ago???)
@20 ladymai
wow, thnx...(but gotta see the vid, kekeke...)
currently loving 2PM now, & had DL'ed their songs pre-Jay controversy ("Only You", "10 Pts.", & "Again & Again"...have to think about "Heartbeat", since their MV isn't the greatest, and it's missing Jay in it too...)
@26 hbfrack
you don't know how just excited I was (and is still am) as you are...
certainly, the YAB craze has extended even in the Philippines, and I wanna be part of the A.N.JELL Philippines... una kong nalaman na nakuha ng ABS 'yung, YAB nung nasa YouTube ako at naghahanap kasalukuyan ng trailer videos ng Rubi, nang nakita ko 'yung Asianovela vid nila. Nung tiningnan ko, ohmaygash, nagulat ako, (after watching the trailers for "Dream" & "Take Care of Agassi"), nandoon ang YAB!!!! Napa-shet talaga ako...
...and lalo akong nawindang (and everyone else, siempre) nung nakita ko ang FTI sa Showtime!!! Nakakainis ng lang nasa Antipolo ako noon dahil sa community...ayun lang naman ang ksaysayan ng kaadikan ko sa YAB...kekekeke ('di pa included d'yan 'yung panahon pa ng kasagsagan ng YAB, hehehehe...)
(Tr:
I first knew that ABS got YAB when I was in YouTube and was (at that time) searching for the Rubi trailer vids, when I saw their Asianovela vid. When I viewed it, OMG, I got shocked (after watching the trailers for "Dream" & "Take Care of Agassi"), YAB was there!!! I really swore...
...and everything (or was it just me??? ㅋㅋㅋ) got crazy (and everyone else, of course) when I sighted FTI on Showtime!!! It was just a bothering damn that I was in high-top Antipolo at that time due to community...
...there, the history of my YAB addiction...ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
(not included was when the time when YAB was still the rage, ㅎㅎㅎ...))
@42 djes
Nich Eun-jo...well, I'm not surprised Khunnie looks great in a wig...
You REALLY have to see that Star King ep. where he wore a girly-pigtail wig, and he looked too CUTE to be a guy...wahaha! (well, I don't care, why does it have to be like this!!!)
(dunno w/c ep. was it, but I guess it's in early or near-mid-January 2009, since SHINee's "Stand By Me" was playing in it...and Jaebeom Leedja was still there, just behind Nichkhun...)
(and, dunno, it myt be (just) coincidence, since by March 03 same year (pre-White Day ep???), 2PM's guest in their "Idol Army" season was SHINee...and the pairing Nichkhun-Minho/KhunHo was born...)
@44 "expectant mommy"
hahaha at your comment of Taec's "toothy Jeong-woo"...
(well, I just noticed Taec in CS (the drama itself) looked thinner(?), since I noticed his face esp. the cheeks part...)
But srzly, what is it with Taec's "toothyness" that it gets noticed? (clue: "teeth ceremony"...just saw this in one of the YT comments in one of the many "Idol Army" vids of 2PM in, well, YT (besides the redundance)...)
'Coz he always bares them when there's anything (besides smiling/slash/laughing)?
(even I bare teeth (with min. gingiva) when I laugh (quite? *understatement*) unashamedly, and that is all the time(?) :P)
I watched Baker King and I'm extremely in love with it.(I'm kind of in kdrama slum right now, so this is weird. lol)
I don't think another 2 dramas will do much with baker king. BK got more than 40% rating which is very rared, we can almost call this one as national drama.
I think PFKiss will do better in term of rating. I have a feeling that they love cartoon remake drama in korea.
i watched bad guy ep 17 last night, and i'm not really happy with the ending. i can't say i wasn't thoroughly unsatisfied or not in the know that this kind of ending was most likely (due to the writer of the drama and kng's leave of absence), but i'm a sucker for happy endings, and this drama's ending was certainly not a happy one.
the thing is, though, i enjoyed the first 16 episodes of this drama so much. the plotline was near perfection, the actors all nailed their parts and the chemistry between the characters was just wow. so i guess to me the ending just feels like a big let-down.
Had a brief storm last night that knocked out the ground wire on our electricity pole, making everything coming into the house "hot", so we lost most of our electronics (even those on surge protectors) and have spent the day replacing ten appliances and six phones. Still haven't checked out all the televisions and players, but feeling very lucky that we only had one small-ish fire from a converter box.
I nearly regretted the $300 I spent on this surge protector in my office five years ago, but I didn't lose the 3 computers, printers, stereo, telelvisions, or players in here, so am feeling very good about that $300 now. Though, my brother says it has to be replaced now, too, as it did it's job against a bolt of lightning and now is probably useless against the next 500 MJ that come down the lines.
So glad I didn't miss a Gigi update on Last Romance/Scandal, but I'm ready to resume when she is back from all the shifts she's been pulling.
Had meltdown in the house today on the girl front. One wanted to watch T-max videos, the other wanted SS501 and they would just not get along. Had to ban them both, lol, in the end, but will allow them one each tomorrow IF they play nice about their new loves. Hubby saw the first Kim Hyun Joong poster up in the oldest's room last night, he flipped a lid. I don't think he's ready for his girls to grow up quite yet, but you'd think with all the bras drying in the bathroom, he'd get a hint already. I reminded him that he had a Farrah Fawcett poster on his wall from junior high until he came BACK from college!!
Sorry for not saying so earlier - but its disheartening to hear you say how down you are. I hope its temporary, and whatever it is passes by quickly and without any lasting effect.
Know folks here cheer you on!
Oh, and I think I've said enough about Giant at the review, but let me know if you have any specific things you want to discuss. I have an answer - except with respect to the did they or didn't they moment (imagination? reality? imagination coinciding with reality?).
I don't very much care for this new format. I know it is about change but I was so comfortable with the old style. It was easy to find what I wanted to read and I knew every inch of the old style. I guess I don't like change.
Now I will have to hunt and find where everything is. For instance, when I came on line in this new format, I didn't know how to find the current news which is posted everyday.
I enjoyed this website the most but I don't feel comfortable with it as it is. I guess I will have to find my way around if I want to keep enjoying it.
@108 and 115
i need some closure too *sigh* T__T
i hate the ending but just knowing that i'm not alone in my sentiments really helps.
he hasn't even been gone a month but i miss him so much already... it makes me happy though to think that at least now he'll have a break from his hectic schedule.
i have to say... even after 2PM's last few albums (which I have fully enjoyed), my favorite song of theirs is still Again & Again. I don't know if it's because that's the song/video that hooked me or what, but every time I listen to it, I feel happy. It very possibly has a lot to do with the fact that it featured Jay so heavily and I miss the guy tons. And also cuz Channie looked so damn hot after he cut off his General Hwang bun. And also cuz junK's voice is so damn smexy. sigh. love those boys.
i disagree that baker king is not a good drama...well for ME, it's great...i don't know if its only me who really love the drama...i'm not fond of "dramatic" kdramas but you know I really came to love it...actually at first i thought it was not going to be a good drama but as i watch through the episodes, i find it amusing and addicting...i didn't even got bored (only the early episodes i guess) considering it has 30 episodes...for ME it deserves the rating...i recommend it not because of the actors and the way their acting but because of the whole storyline, it's not the typically "baking competition"...i mean its not...it's for family and there are many things and values to learn...well that's just my opinion I guess...^_^
My goodness... It's good to hear at least everybody was safe and nothing catastrophic happened to your house. I mean it was bad enough that you had to buy 10 appliances and phones, I'm assuming you have insurance.
Your girls sounds too cute! I remember when my son was in high school, I took him and my stepdaughter to Nine inch nails' concert. It was only because "David Bowie"! was the guest! I'd rather it was some hot K-pop bands' concert,come to think about it. Now, you have more excuses to go to shows with them, lol. My colleague and her daughter had tickets for Rain's concert(was that already 2?3? years ago?) in LA. That unfortunate event... Anyhow, so much more to share with your kids while they are still young!
Happy OT Everyone!
"Welcome, Monica!" I will not be recruited but work your whiles on the innocents...
Just got back from a long and crazy week visiting my lil sis in MD and I am still tired! But somehow, I've had time to start watching Tamra Island. I have to admit I do enjoy it. I'm not at the "in love" stage, yet though. For those that watched it....Do you know where I can find the original 21 eps with subs? I'm not quite sure where the editing began and I kinda want to stop before I get there. I really want to see the intended product rather than the finished one.
Anyhow I'm glad to hear that many enjoyed BG. I'm on ep 15 and though there are some places where I ??? a couple things, for the most part I love it. KNG has done an excellent job! Furthermore its the 2nd drama I've gotten my mother to watch solely because she fell in love with Bidam:)
@baby names
I love Jemma as well. But I thought if you are really set on trying to see if javabeans works, try Jana Bina (Jah- nah Be-nah) ;) [Bina is a word for love/lover or something of the like in Hindi.] I also like Jania and Jaya. And I had a friend named Eban once. The funny thing was his last name was Bean and we always picked on him that his parents just used frig magnets rearranging his last name to come up with it. They were kinda old so it wasn't out of the realm of possibilities...kekekeke.
Oh and congratulations! I virtually know you so I can add you to the baby prayers I'm saying for the multitude of baby's mamas I know this summer (if that's ok). Be healthy. Idk anything about pregnancy, except for what I see on Discovery Health (some scary scary crap!) Though I have to admit, I love "I Didn't Know I Was Prego." I am convinced that may be a depressed and befuddled me one day.
I got back from my holiday a few hours back and before unwinding, unpacking and all that good stuff, the kdrama fiend I straight got to d/loading Bad Guy 16 & 17 and the Drama Special: Secret Garden.
Bad Guy 16-17 SPOILERS!!
OK, I'll admit I really, really liked ep15, even more than 14 when he went all brazen and Leslie Cheung-esque, in ep15 the atmosphere was fantastic. 16 & 17 were a teeny, tiny bit underwhelming, not a disaster but not as phenomenal as the buildup in 14-15. I can blame the military and SBS, but I think it was a decent finale -- but it shouldn't have been decent, it should've been jawdropping.
The writing for me was the main issue. Though granted, a good director can take the mundane and/or ridiculously conventional and make it a mindblowing masterpiece (one solid example: WKW) and I genuinely hand-on-heart think this PD was awesome, not to mention the entire cast and the OST and background score, but again, the writing was the sore bloody point. Otherwise I'll say I liked the ending, just wish the show had gone out with a louder bang than it did.
One last note: will miss Kim Nam-gil madly! Two years, TWO whole years!?!
Drama Special: Secret Garden: I'm gutted!
The synopsis for this drama read something about two young schoolgirls who were really, really close friends but then a guy comes between them and they split ways, only to meet again once they're career women.
Damn! If I don't like stories like that. I was so excited to watch this wondering who this trophy boyfriend would choose from the two, which girl I was rooting for, whether the guy would turn out a complete a-hole, unworthy of either lalala... except it's not what I was expecting at all. What a waste of about the 30-odd mins I spent watching it.
I should've watched the funny odball set of gangsters comedy instead.
OK, I'm still a little bit freaked out by the new layout, I had a real whoa moment when opening it. Don't not like it though and I'm sure I'll get used it and quite quickly as attached to it as I was with the older theme.
Anyways... just caught up reading OT comments.
Love Belleza's comments on Bad Guy!
@janna
YO!
Y'know if anyone's upsetting you, you only have to say and I'll pierce their hearts one by one with my bloodthirsty eyes, and remind them we're in swords before words territory. Or there's a simple business manner of dealing with things, offer them a wooden case of Japanese whisky (wink) and see how they cower before you.
Naah, seriously, keep your spirits (hint-hint) up! What day's your birthday? Whether I'm having a crap time or not, birthdays are one such occasion where I treat myself to something really, really nice. Treat yourself once you can unchain yourself away from your desk that is. Oh and work is a bitch, I totally get that, feel free to vent over here about it! Muah!
LOL, I love Nine Inch Nails on their own, but wouldn't pass up another Bowie concert (and to date myself, it was his Serious Moonlight tour). My girls are very crushed that I did not start my k-drama and k-pop obsession until AFTER SS501 were in LA last year.
Found three more appliances that are blown, and yes, thankfully, insured, all of it. The agent will be writing up paperwork tomorrow, but in the meantime, hard to live without some items (stereos and televisions have less real necessity than the toaster, microwave, dustbuster -- which is used daily in a household with four kids and four dogs, refrigerator, freezer, et cetera).
I'm doing the fussy ahjumma thing, though, since we're having to move some big appliances, perfect time to scrub under and behind where they sat, much to my husband's impatience to just move out the old and in with the new.
So, it's been good timing that Gigi has been busy at work and I've been snowed under here with all things electrical.
I'll type up Last Scandal episode 8 tonight in hopes she'll be back soon. :)
OMG! You've been to Bowie's Prime time concert!!! Now, I'm envious. Let me see... around that time? may be... I saw Roxy music. Remember Brain Ferry? The Coolness himself! I wonder what those people are up to nowadays?
Then, may be 10 years later? or so, I sat next to Robert Fripp(of King Crimson) in first class on my way to Mexico. He finished a whole bottle of champagne all by himself and was very drunk & talkative. My encounter with my high school day hero, lol. Way way before my K drama days.
Very much so, I remember those days, and Brian Ferry, not so much King Crimson.
My first concert ever was The Stones (I was grounded for two months when my parents found out) during their American Tour 1981 and it was smokin' with George Thorogood, J Geils, and Prince opening (although, have to say in all honesty, hated hated hated Prince, only came to appreciate his music later in the 80's -- my sister called him a little peacock, I thought he was just plain weird). That kind of music was banned in our household, as was Aerosmith, which I'd been sneaking in for a few years at that point.
One happy memory from that time was working in a small-town diner, and when the place was empty, I would crank the radio and dance around to The Stones and Aerosmith with wild abandon. Only got caught once, by the local family court judge, coming in for supper. I quickly turned down The Stones and he said, "Turn that back up, young lady." He used to wink at me later in life, and we always shared that little secret (not in a gross way, you understand, he had daughters my age!).
I only have one cool band story: during a Whitesnake concert, security came to get my girlfriend (a teenager but a busty blonde who was 6' tall) to take her backstage and she refused to go without my sister and I (my sister was always my partner in crime). We got to meet the band, but when one of the backstage guys realized how young we were, he gave us sodas and signed tees and sent us home (smart move!).
We only managed 5-6 concerts a year as teens and in our early 20's that number went up slightly. I know it's time to start the girls, at least the oldest one, but the bands or performers she really wants to see are either not currently touring, too far away, or too darn expensive. WoW, concerts cost the earth now.
The girls got to watch their videos and listen to their music tonight, and as my husband was going "not that Korean crap", I reminded him that I allowed a Garth Brooks song at our wedding despite hating his singing with a passion, knowing he'd want it on anniversaries, and that shut him right up.
Aw, I was going to suggest you'd check ockoala's WHIB recap for @129 question. Lol! They've been here with andwers and the link. Sorry, I was too late.
Anyhow, back to music. Since then, my tastes in music blanched out into various genre, more onto so called world music: Astor Piazolla, Gipsy Kings, Femi Kuti, Baba Maal and on and on are the ones I was able to see them live... Some of them no longer here. Especially Piazolla, We saw him on his last world tour 1-2 years before his death. He was phenomenal, out of this world.
Then, fast forward to 2010... Last two concerts I've been to, are Big Bang's and Jae/Chun/Su's of DBSK all the way in Japan!!! All that was started by coming here on DB, JB posting T-max's(Here we go!) Lion heart on BOF recap thread one day. Loved that song by T-max. googled it, found a clip of Tohoshinki(DBSK) singing it in Japanese on Youtube(didn't know it was originally Smap's song till later, anyway, they are no singers). Suddenly I was in DBSK madness. Same with Big Bang. Someone (nycgirl?) mentioned them on OT at some point, got curious, searched, found them, fell in love with them(later on realized my J friend had already recommended them to me prior to that). Anyhow, next thing I knew I was at their concert.
Dramabeans is indeed the treasure cove for all sort of useful life changing information on top of great recaps those ladies share with us.
Trusting your household will be completely equipped with all the life's necessities by the end of tomorrow.
Question about Something Happened in Bali: my 13 year old wants to watch it, and from the synopsis, I'm thinking NO WAY, but am willing to hear other insight from those who've actually watched it.
SPOILERS on SHiB:
So, in the end, no one is left standing, is my understanding, and I'm thinking that's a little too dark for her, although she handled the deaths in LoTR trilogy and HP series quite well at much younger ages. Correct, in the end, no one winds up happy?
It's not the ending of WHIB that is difficult, it's the very adult themes of lust, jealousy, cowardice, etc. that make WHIB, IMO, not suitable for anyone under 16.
I know kids grow up fast these days, and perhaps your 13 yo is quite mature, but WHIB is not a drama that tackles tough subject matter with an easy resolution.
It states unequivocally that there sometimes is no solutions in life. If you child wants to watch a mature drama, doesn't mind death and sadness, but would perhaps feels more meaningful and enriching, watch Damo.
Ha Ji Won is in both, but Damo is life-altering in good ways.
Just my 2 cents. But I personally lovelovelove WHIB.
If you want to read about WHIB and then decide for your daughter, here you go:
wow... see the power of WHIB, I love ockoala and belleza dearly, but part of my adoration is we rarely all agree on 1 thing/idea/namja of the wk to be in silver hot pants under a tailored suit.
DO watch it yourself. even if u have to forgo food or sleep or taking care of your children for 16 hours.
"my 13 year old wants to watch it, and from the synopsis,"
Hell to the No!!! :D
Compared to American TV, WHiB isn't that risque, but WHiB was a controversial show when it came out in Korea. It's like an adult, satirical version of the Hana Yori Dango/Boys over Flowers Cinderella story. The show drips with lust, obsession, and greed.
HOWEVER, it shouldn't prevent YOU from checking out WHiB! ;) I think both Jo In Sung and Ha Ji Won won the Baeksang for this show, and I dare make the argument that they had THE best romantic chemistry of all K-drama pairings of the entire decade.
Yup, I recall they did both win the Baeksangs that year for such a toxic couple with the most sexual and obsessive chemisty in any drama, period. I still feel dirty.
I recommended WHIB to serenditpy a few months ago and she marathoned it and unleashed a torrent of discussion, always a great conversation starter.
WHIB is like those pictures where different ppl see different images. I saw only Jae Min-Soo Jung the first time I watched it was baffled at all the In Wool shippers. In Wook was great but I just didn't see it. My second watch, however, was all about In Wook. Amazing drama construction.
Oh I'm definitely pro-In Wook. Soo Jung had picked In Wook, because Jae-min/Soo Jung would have led to Hell. (Soo Jung + Jae Min = the Bobby and Whitney of K-drama? Discuss!!)
Basically, it's the Wuthering Heights dilemma. In Wook was "good" for her, in a way he had an awareness and "elevated" conscience that Soo Jung recognized, kinda like how Edgar was for Catherine. But, Jae-min was her Heathcliff; two of the same primal natures flirting with debasement.
BUT BUT BUT . . . as good as Bali is written, none of this frigging works unless they cast Jo In Sung and Ha Ji Won. The original story was written as a satirical, nihilistic anti-chaebol Cinderella drama. As was the new version. But what Jo In Sung and Ha Ji won do is take it into Tennessee Williams "STELLLLAAA!!!!" levels of madness . No chaebol would so desperately want to reclaim the womb of his love. And no Cinderella would oppa pout wiggle themselves as if it was endless hiccup.
Their attraction wasn't merely inevitable; it was the END TIMES of K-drama romantic chemistry. They wanted each so, so bad that that forcefield became the story itself.
Sigh
But, yeah, I'd love to see a reunion. So would half the PanAsian entity known as Hallyu.
am I too bad/annoying/an arse to I play around JB's new dig too much w/ this new fun replying to a reply to a reply so I forget what's the real reply prompt?!
I want to get up to 5.2.8 or 4.9.1 or is it possible for a 5.2.8.4.9.1?
not just best romantic chemistry, but best sexual inferno burning in hell but dun care sinful lust. They tog is a Kdrama seed incepted in u, u will never be the same, fist in mouth will never be so good, if it's wrong but I don't ever wanna be right and I want me a JIS (w/ a SJS on the side...o wait, hell, I want me some HJW as well...I'm usu as st as a doorpost a girl)
Hhmm, reply button apparently disappears of we go too far down a level, like the limbo in Inception.
I'm at peace with WHIB, the sexual pull btw JIS and HJW was screen shattering, I felt compelled to tell her no good would come of it and just pick IW already, but I could not move a muscle.
I contend if SJS maybe wasn't wearing a broom on his head, maybe he would have had more of a chance. See, JIS is to be a baby Jang Hyuk. Even fist in mouth was surpassed with Dae Gil's painting in arms snot and tears crying fest. Which is why I am salivating at the prospect of JH + HJW in Secret Garden. Pavlovian reaction indeed, any discussion of HJW makes me salivate.
Okay, so it's on my watch list, definitely OFF the daughter's list. No need to have her see too much too soon in the full-blown lust department, hormones will get her their fast enough all on her own.
Best screen chemistry ever, perhaps? That's all I need to read, because then I have to watch it to find out if that's true for me, too!
Thanks, all, for your replies.
**thinks I just pushed some magic k-drama button! LOL
I just finished watching
"Massugu na Otoko", I really like this drama even when only at the end they hold hands is clear that "Kenichiro", had a more personal affection for " Narumi" from the beginning.
I really like the way their relationship develops, it is not a "Full On" romance but little by little the learn from each other how to care for each other, "Kenichiro" learns to be more patient and not to be so uptight, and "Narumi" to be more responsible, over all I give this drama out of 10 an 8.5 rating.
For those who need a "Weekend Drama" I highly recommend "Gloria", I can say that I like it better than "I am Legend", "Gloria" seems to have a more in depth subject matter and "Bae-Doo-na" is really doing a great job along with "Chunderella"!!!!
Just finished watching Gourmet, another great drama i ever seen. Thanks Samsoki for the recommendation. I was enjoyed how Korean protected the traditional cuisine on screen. Great job for all crews and actors. But the love between Sung Chan and Jin soo look so plain. I want more :)
Agreed. I didn't mind the ending of BG, but it was how it got there that really bothered me. One can just sense that the production was in such a mess and it showed. I hated the throes of unnecessary flashbacks, voiceovers, and whatnots. I felt really stupid watching the last 3 episodes.
I just want to thank those few who talked about Harvest Villa. I got curious and decided to give it a shot after the recent meh-nesses. Unknown actors acting their hearts out, fantastic storytelling, twists and turns every 5-10 mins, it's like a breath of fresh air. I must say it's a lot more entertaining than BG.
sigh, everytime i read that you have been to a Big Bang concert i just get super full of jealousy lols. and also regret that i TOTALLY passed up a chance to watch them during their debut days. it was back in 2006 when the YG Family concert was touring and Se7en was headlining... I almost bought tickets to the LA show and decided last minute that since I wasn't such a big fan of Se7en I could pass on it. Granted, I had no idea who Big Bang was back then, but am still sad i COULD have seen them and discovered their greatness years before I actually did hehe. Even so, glad I can live my kpop love vicariously thru u since you've been able to go to their concert and see them up close and sweaty :P
Muahahaha. No, I mean, Thank you for saying that. I do so wish they'll come to somewhere near LA as well. Only 2 hours drive as opposed to 11 hours plane ride. It's all thanks to DB site, Otherwise, I would have never known about them and other things. I almost feel like I'm turning into Obasan groupie, nonono, I have to take that one back.
As a matter of fact, recently, I considered for a second for getting a ticket for A-nation(in Japan, end of this month) for JYJ(Junsu/Yuchun<3,Jae) but got hold of my better self and decided to stay home to get some stuff done. LOL.
May be on eof those days, we can go to BB's concert together.
I know that this goes unsaid too often, so again, THANKS SO MUCH to everyone here at Dramabeans: Javabeans, Girlfriday, Ockoala, Gigi, Janna, Momosan and everyone I'm forgetting to list who have written a recap, posted pics, provided links, laughed or cried or ranted alongside others, or just had an opinion to share.
I've been here a short time but feel 1. at home and 2. truly grateful to have a place and people to talk to about any/everything k-drama/k-pop/k-culture.
The OT sisters (and occasional brother) here are a great group. 8-)
BTW, my first concert was Arlo Guthrie at UNH in....1978. My sister's concert was something similar at UMass Amherst. We were recounting this the other day to momochan, and she was rather stunned when a) we mentioned people smoking at a concert (OMG!) and b) WHAT they were smoking. My sister and I had to just shrug and go "well, it was the 70s."
My most recent concert OTOH, was Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - and momochan was miffed that she couldn't go to it, as the club serves booze.
And if BigBang made an appearance on the east coast of the US, I'd be sorely tempted to yank the kid out of school and haul her off to whatever city they were playing in. That IRIS Japan clip made it look like they were a fun fun concert.
ME TOO :) i'm glad you feel so comfortable and at home here. It really is a refuge to the 'real world'. I have very few friends that appreciate kdrama/kpop/kculture enough to discuss it in length with me, much less rave, rant and obsess over it haha. It's really nice to know there is someplace we can do all that and not be looked upon as a complete nutjob. Ok, let's admit it, we're all kinda nutty here but at least we're in good company lols.
Finished 'Wish Upon A Star', it was predictable, story line is so-so but got to smile for the kids, specially the kids with the main actor. My problem with this drama is the main actress, her too-cute-clumsy acting annoyed me from the beginning till around ep14! I finished this drama because I wanted to finish what I intended to do. A little disappointed.
Then I started watching 'Be strong Gum...' to feed my KJH addiction and it turned out to be a good drama(too long though 163eps). KJH had done a perfect job acting as the doctor , head over hill in love with the main girl. Towards the end, I think KJH had out shine the main actress and stole the spotlight for himself. Darn it, I even cried with him when he had to break up with the main girl. Finished the drama in no time because of him.
Dear music director of show,
You do not have permission to play "Born to Love You" by Queen, even in the background. NONONONO! That song belongs to Pride, and if you mess with it again, I will break up with you, despite all of your good points.
momosan's third commandment of dramas - Thou shalt not mess with Pride or Queen.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, the musically obessed momosan
The offender in this case is I am Legend. Which is so far turning out to be pretty decent. I didn't want to do any spoiling this morning, so I didn't mention the name of The Show, but since it's night already, I figure that was fair warning.
If it breaks any of the other commandments I will be sorry to have to wave goodbye to the show (although I can't really see this one killing puppies, it may break the Queen rule again).
Jumong's daddy: acting like he's still in a sageuk and his son is about to overthrow Buyeo and he's still wishing his wifey loved him.
Yoon Si Yoon - wha? Me no comprende? He's got a wack haircut and has no screen presence. He's like Kim Bum without the Bummie charisma. (but does look nice in jeans indeed)
Other male lead: screams, yells, squints a lot with his eye brows - all while dragging Eugene around.
Eugene - looks great, but is wayyy overacting, and she knows it! (which I love, Eugene with self-awareness is always a bonus).
Evil mom - neither one-note evil enough to merit kudos, nor a good enough actress to merit depth.
*the music, OMG, the music, is SO BAD and instrusive I wish someone would go in a unplug the sound editor*
*lots of dramatic music plays*
Lee Young Ah - no comment
Jumong's daddy - upon hearing his illegitimate son does not want to see him - makes assorted facial expressions like he smells a dead skunk, including pinchy-eyed furrowing plus lip twitching.
Aaaaand, at the 9:33 mark, evil mom slaps Eugene for seriously NO REASON (like, zero reason at all!), and needs to be restrained by not one, but TWO ladies (what is she? evil, and the mother of the Amazing Hulk?).
Anyways, I had a good laugh, ahhh makjang dramas, always so unintentionally hilarious to watch.
@janna
Wherefore art thou? We have Giant to discuss...
Giant25 SPOILERS!!!
Sung-mo continues playing with fire, but what I love about SM the most, is how he tests his limits but remains sensible, he chooses the 'live-to-fight-another-day' approach. But only after he's put your nerves through the grinder and after having induced a series of heart attacks, y'know. But yes, this is the second time I've seen CPY's eyes stinging with tears, and over the same person, too. How possessive is this man? But who's whose toy is the question.
Time to test whether SM made the right decision stepping up to Min Hong-ki, let's see MHK's qualitay (Honestly? He makes me nervous. Wish Baek-pal would spill his history already).
The real star there was our Brutus aka. Jae-chun. He's a lean, mean killing machine who doesn't understand the meaning of mercy but through this episode we saw his unflinching devotion to SM. Aaah, poetic.
Was so happy to hear Edelweiss play out in this episode, and there were plenty of (subtle) callbacks to Yeo Jin-gu's spirited portrayal of yeeganmo, I can safely say the yeehganmo we knew and cherished is back, wholly, completely -- he's back!
And I finally felt a strong connection with Jung-yun after this episode. Park Jin-hee was doing a good enough job portraying her and mimicking Nam Ji-hyun, yet I could never feel her character's sincerity as strongly as I felt everyone elses. But maybe we have a breakthrough now.
She's also outjazzing Jung-shik in terms of fashion, don't believe me, watch it for yourself.
Oh and somebody and somebody's chemistry continues to simmer gently.
I liked the recaps, but I really feel the divergence in opinion with the last 3-4 episodes of Bad Guy. I really, really enjoyed Episode 16 and I liked the approach to Episode 17, given that the main star wasn't available to shoot.
after many months of Pride sitting in my HD waiting for me... i finally started it tonight. and now i don't want to go to sleep cuz i want to marathon the whole thing. kimutaku is so yummy. so thanks to all of you who are going to make me utterly sleep-deprived. (i'm lookin at you @ockoala and @momosan)
I think you are right. I seem to recall that Born to Love You wasn't even a single off the Made in Heaven Album, I think Let Me Live was one of the ones from that....I seem to recall it was actually banned by the BBC. I suspect Born to Love you may have been re-released in Japan for Pride, but then I'd actually have to go check that.
Made in Heaven was the album released after Freddy died. Hence the title. I'm a huge Queen fan, for what it's worth, but I happen to have Let Me Live at the top of my playlist at the moment for sentimental reasons. Not to worry, Phish is second on the playlist with a live version of Waste and third is 4Men and Don't Laugh Don't Cry from the Bad Guy OST.
After reading all the comments, here, I realized I haven't watched Pride. Whoops, I'd better check it out. Especially with all the Queen comments. Yes, They were so big while growing up in Japan. "Killer queen" was released sometime during my high school years. OMG! Something so sensational and new to a country girl like me...
Needless to say, Freddie's voice was(is still)out of this world! At one point, MTV? or VH1? was repeating his biography and I was sucked into watching it several times as well. I wish I could have seen him live...(to me, it's more Freddie than Queen).
So, "I am legend" is the one starting out? Oh, I got it. JB's recapping, so it's got potentials... I shall check it out. Thanks JB as always.
haha i haven't watched "I Am Legend" and I'm only a few eppies into Pride, but yes... I will forever associate Born to Love You with Pride. Honestly, I am not familiar with Queen songs (the only ones I can think of off the top of my head are Bohemian Rhapsody and We Will Rock You) so this is the first time I've heard Born to Love You. /please don't stone me
Some of the best parts in Pride are how Kimataku connects with the audience prior to the game. Because no other actor would know to do that. It's not hockey-based at all, but the unique "gesture acting" that really is Kimura 101.
What I like about Dong Yi is that it's a little bit like Jewel in the Palace, a little bit like Damo, but really it's a lot like watching Shining Spring Waltz of Temptation during One Spring Day. And now I'm applying Buddhist principle of reincarnation to understand how Dong Yi becomes the Mushroom Girl of Shining Inheritance, and why Bae Soo Bin can never get The Girl in This Life or the Next Life. Truly, what we do in saguek echoes in eternity. Thank you Dong Yo for teaching me this!
@ belleza - you take? I think it looks good in random scenes, but I can't get a grasp of the full effect of the movie. I do think our Roman God will be stealing the show (back from the CYF character).
@ Leonardswench
Thanks, that was priceless. What's with the very creative (and some illegal) quitting methods these days. I need to rethink flying on JetBlue in the near future.
I know almost no one seems to be a fan of Song Seung Heon, but I don't watch for his acting, just like with Daniel Henney and other eye candy. Still, excited about Invincible overall: now the wait until it's available to me. Sigh.
Oh, I'm a huge Song Seung Heon fan! He's my robot. I thought everyone knew that. :-D And I'll be the first to admit his acting ranges from mediocre (AiMH, the first part of EoE, He Was Cool) to wickedly craptastic (SS, the second half of EoE).
Oh I love Song Seung Heon. LOVE LOVE LOVE him. He is, after all, the LOLLIPOP STALLION.
SSH is basically the Perfect Taiwanese Idol actor. He's buff in the gym manufactured sense of the word (none of that Jang Hyuk "Wild Horses" Savage Cry that provokes ockoala's giggles and sighs loudly through ockoala's hubby's mancave) but he's also a unthreatening oppa that somehow seems more than happy to share his Pinkberry on a 102 degrees summer day.
He's, you know, the super cute, preppy wearing ASB President (aka "Cliff Oppa!!") that always carried your books to math class. Post-P90x, that is.
belleza, do you live in my house, you know, that noise I hear upstairs. How else do you know how much I squee over SSH. When I see YamaPi I let out an even more high pitched shriek, especially if it involves a certain publication called AnAn.
Dont think I wont elbow my MOB sistas and w/ bloody lustful greed lap up the pinkberry SSH is sharing on a 102 deg day at Santa Monica Place. tsktsktsk
I'm not that deep in the asylum to deny pretty robots sashaying on screens. What I adore about SSH is, he's our sparkling Le Cœur de la Mer in fandom, he's THE brandname to not ugly his pretty up ever. I'm loving his new choice of accessory our lotte lollipop A.I. stallion has added to his blingy package.
I've always been confused w/ the definition of TW idol actor though... when I was in diapers there are those SSH-esque leading men SSH is secretly modeled after w/ enough acting chops for those early Qiong Yao dramas, the Chins.
But then TW idolscape also has a fascination stemmed fr maybe 101 Proposal (?) that is mostly contained in the music field w/ the 'Wu Bai's...and then we have Richie Ren...and is now the torch passed to Peter Ho?
It's last decade that it finally settled w/ going for looks over talent. If we r talking about the WuZuns, sadly even the original WuZun is braiding his hair and slapping dirt on top of his lipgloss to bend w/ the faceless mass.
SSH is smart in that he's never that delusional, he'll always speak to his fanbase and guarantee the pretty and tepid. OTOH he's taking up TWO iconic roles: CYF AND Patrick Swayze, his lofty ambitions had me in stitches and flaring up my insanity.
"@ belleza – you take? I think it looks good in random scenes, but I can’t get a grasp of the full effect of the movie."
What if you looked like 35-year old Andy Lau, cried like 50-year old Andy Lau .but belong to an industry unable to showcase you in Real Man pursuits like police epics and karaoke balladeering? To be, as Langston Hughes opined, a Mainland dream deferred onto the Peninsula. Such was your fate, Roman God.
And, so, this trailer proposes Hallyu justice. The man who, in the next life, would be Sino/Canto Superstar (with wuxia-y Musa and Bichunmoo to titillate that speculation) is cast in Hallyu's Drake-doing-Lil Wayne-doing-jail remake of Pan Asia Zeitgeist.
Vicarious legend is still vicarious, but Roman God will finally get to do what he was born to do (if not born in the right country to do it), and what we Joo Jin Mo fans knew all along . . .
No need to wait for next life, IF the script is not totally crapbasket by the way of the mainstream sino market, Roman God will rule Middle Kingdom.
See, my countrywomen has been missing our Andy Lau, because Andy Lau MP JP unofficially quitted screen acting since the 90s, converting his truckload of charisma and talent to the cultivation of RL AndyLauTM, his dreamboatness will be stratospheric riping to its fruitation come 2012, the condition at stake: IF his fangirls recover fr the shock of him secretly married to a RL fangirl for 2 decades (do feel for them, that HUGE 'it could've been ME!' OMO)
Biotherm Homme project a 50 yo Andy Lau will look like a 32 yo Roman God, and lets face it when Andy was 35, he looked like he was 26...that's his deal w/ the devil. The seeing him manpaining/ crying will be a projection only in our fangirl Limbo, he'll be a serious contender running for the Chief Executive/President of HK.
Are you serious about starting Giant? Omo, I merely made a passing refernence to the anni dramas, Giant is really it's own unique beast.
Today, the ratings for Giant just beat Dong Yi (for the first time - 22.9 to 21.3), and both have about the 20 some episodes to go. Now we're talking, a real two-man race on Mon-Tues.
You know how I tried watching Dong Yi, and gave up after spitting up Yakult through my nose while laughing. Giant's ratings have been increasing about 1% per episode there about since it premiered at 9%.
I don't recall seeing another drama with such a steady and slow climb. Usually the hits jump like 5-10 pts and them stay high.
I can only say after today's episode - thank you lord for the invention of the telephone (or thank you Alexander Bell).
HOW many more episodes in Giant? I was going to wait until all of it had broadcast before I started down that path of fandom. I can't stand watching good shows and then waiting a week to find out what happens next. I go Koo-koo and annoy co-workers and my roommate to no end talking about it. Giant seemed like one of those shows I wouldn't be able to wait for. But you are telling me that it is going to have 20 more episodes. 10 more weeks till I can marathon it?!?! Ewww, ok I'll wait.
I'm not a fan in TVB anni and K angst because those elements alone r almost never quality quarantees. But so far I have not heard of any awful acting or writing complaints after the children part?! I've checked like 10 min and it's v. EoE (:/), but I'm promised it'll grow out of it, right?
I cant recall the last 'epic' drama I've seen that is good to the last drop w/o asking for compromises fr the audience. So very high expectations for Giant I have.
You know how many TVB anni dramas I was hopelessly watching and addicted to and ranted back in the days. I couldnt name ONE completely terrifically well written one. There are always stuffer eps. 10~ eps of insanely addictive fastpaced start, then 40, 50, 60 eps of middle repetitive makjang and an ending that will have last min deaths or comas or breaking ups and must- throw-stuff-at-screens.
The only anni drama I've liked from beginning to end, with the exception of its merely okay middle section (like you said, every anni epic has the same format) was Cold Blood, Warm Heart. I think it was the combination of Adam, Chilam, Louis, Gallen that made it somehow so shiny and perfect when I watched it then.
Every other anni epic family drama is exactly as you described it. I stopped watching in the later 90s.
Giant - let me put it this way, so far, other than the sappiness-overloaded childhood section, has veered so far away from sappy I couldn't have asked for more.
And there hasn't yet been a plot development or twist that made me scratch my head, much less want to headdesk, after 26 eps. (with EoE I was headdesking at about ep 10, when Dennis Oh showed up for no discernable reason other than to add another character count).
Anyways, always temper expectations, twinnie (you may only like Giant, not love it, which I can see, but I can't see you hating it or finding it a waste of time).
Despite what Thundie and I are saying.....this could just be her and I's great big trick on the K-dramaverse, convincing everyone Giant is a big win. :-D
Muah haha ha hahaha!
I happened to stop by the last "Coffee House" recap, and the "Lady's" over there are getting "Pretty Nasty", what is this world coming to? Can some one send a "Referee" over there before things get even more Ugly!!!!!!!!
*GIANT and HOTELIER*
I have only watched Episode 1&2 of "Giant" the reason being is the I hate one of the main actors, "Lee Beom-Su", the first time I saw him act was in "Surgeon Bong Dal-hee" and i hated his character, he plays an egotistical
"Male Chauvinistic Pig" of a doctor that when I saw he was going to be one of the main characters I said "Nah", I do not think that I can watched anything this guy has done after he played "Doctor Joong-geun Ahn"
"Hotelier"
I saw only 5 episodes, but the way that saw the episodes was like this; First a saw Epi 1 of the J-dorama version than I saw the Epi 1 of the K-drama version I like "Ueto Aya" better than "Song Hye Kyo", I like both versions they are good in there own right, the main problem that i had was the i started to watch them after I saw "Mr Goodbye" and the felt like almost the same theme so i got bored and never finish them, maybe after episode 5 the get better but like I said after "Mr Goodbye" the felt like some sort of remake!!!!!
I haven't seen Mr Goodbye, but I disagree that the J & K Hoteliers "are good in their own right". The J version took the general outline, made the adoption story totally different thus removing any emotional content, took out several of the love triangles, etc, etc, etc. I actually think Aya was a better actress then Song Hye Kyo in this, but she still can't act worth toffee. And Yonsama only got about 5 minutes of screen time in spite of being featured on the box. I thought the J version was a complete waste of time; if you can't improve on a story, why remake it?
I agree 100% since I only saw 5 episodes worth it is almost impossible for me to have a better way to judge them by, but now that you mention it they do differ quite a bit from each other, another reason why I stop watching both dramas!!!!
"Why should any decent actor be identified by a character that he/she has played? "
It's the lasting legacy of Hollywood upon world cinema and the most fundamental contract of the rom-com genre. It's why Yoon Eun Hye and Kim Sun Ah have such strong fanbases, and why So Ji Sup got killed off for a good half decade. It's why Lee Ming Jung was called a trampwhoreslut by 13-year old girls on Viikii during BOF, and then worshiped as a "you go girl!!" on Smile, You.
I think without that kind of fangirl identification, soaps (including K-dramas and Telanovelas) would collapse as we know it. The vitriol that daytime soap actresses get when playing villains (or when following up supercouple pairings) predates antis by a good 40 years. But it's also basis for the unique loyalty you see between actors and the audience, of which is otherwise rare there among mainstream actors/actresses.
@belleza, there you go again making sense of my "half baked" thoughts. The "fan base" is the most fickle people of all, why do we like one actor/actress over another? Well I guess goes the same with I like chocolate ice cream over vanilla, or Chinese food over, Thai, but I guess when it comes to actors or musicians somewhere along the line we need to identified with their character or their music as some deeper level other wise we just wont care for it, I think “Lee Beom-Su” is a fine actor and "Park Shi Hoo" to, but the character that he played in "Prosecutor Princess" I hated with passion that i do not care to watched any of his prior work, I guess in that sense I am like the rest of the "Fan Base"!!!
The actual Pride soundtrack has no Queen songs (too expensive to license, similar to how K-dramas may feature American music but not formally include it.) It's just that each episode features a Queen song, different for each one.
yea i looked up the soundtrack and noticed there was only a "Born To Love You" instrumental track. The reason I commented was because I noticed they were playing a different Queen song in the background of every episode (so apparently I know a few more Queen songs than I previously stated haha). It's making me want to start a Queen playlist on my ipod...
Actually, no - the soundtrack itself has 24 tracks, none by Queen. This is a licensing thing. The theme song for Pride and most of the other songs in Pride are from Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody, We are the Champions, Too Much Love Will Kill You, Let Me Live, Radio Gaga (and yes, this song is how Lady Gaga got her name - I have the DVD of LiveAid, and about 2 times a year will queue up the Queen portion - off all the supergroups there, they owned LiveAid) and of course, the theme Born to Love You.
Secret Garden is starting its script reading on August 14.
What's the over-under that Ha Ji Won will be eye-flirting to build the onscreen chemistry with Jang Hyuk.
I think the odds are higher than Hyukie cutting off Wavdor and going back to his Tazza/Thank You/Robbers cut.
I can't lie and say I haven't watched pretty much every Kim Eun Sook drama, and that I always enjoy it for the most part even with the understanding that it's not terribly well-written. Sigh, she always gets actors with unbelievable chemistry with each other, how can one not fall for her fairytale stylings.
I'm currently finding myself craving dessert after a main course, so started watching Lovers. Aside from a desire to strangle Kim Jung Eun when she makes her ridonculous faces, she and Lee Seo Jin clearly took the cue from Lee Byung Hun and Song Hye Kyo from their All In filming, i.e. if you are crazy lusting after your co-star, harness that energy for the screen, baby.
I personally hope Secret Garden is more City Hall/On Air than the Lovers trilogy. Without Lee Bum Soo and Park Yong Ha, I would not have survived On Air, but there were pockets of meta-goodness hidden inside. And recollecting Kim Ha Neul acting against Lee Bum Soo still makes me laugh, oh poor girl was so out-classed, but LBS always draws his co-star into a performance so they ended up creating a little bit of rhythm in their pairing.
Sigh, Lovers is so.....Lovers for lack of a better descriptor.
I'd have to do it all over again, I couldn't put enough brain cells back together to do it yesterday/earlier today, so will have to wait for another opportunity.
I'm still new enough that I'm having to learn all the names of actors as well as the off-screen talent. Several actors/actresses have made big enough impressions for good or evil that I don't or won't forget their names any time soon, however, I still go, "Who's that? What did we see them in?" and then go googling to find out where I know them from.
It took me 15 minutes to figure out PSH's manager in You're Beautiful was the prosecutor-in-training from Miss Golddigger, one of the rare times I did not have to google. One of the actors I knew immediately was Jang Geun Suk, who I had seen in Lovers in Prague previously and thought, That kid's got it. Boy does he!
Some of the writers I'm getting to recognize very well, mostly the Hong sisters, although, my caveat there is that I've recently been slightly disappointed in some of their 'standard' fare: while they've put a fresh face on some very well-chewed k-drama standards, sometimes they get lazy or brick-walled and I find myself going, "Not in this one, too!"
I think the only good thing I got after watching Lovers is..to know Jung Chan. I was rooting for him all the way.
I think Lovers is better than, say, Princess Lulu.
KJE's Princess Lulu was over the top, and I hate her for that.. but then she said she also didn't like her character and was contemplating to quit.
Okay, I'm gonna do a post about Kim Eun Sook and her dramas and how she writes men and women (I need to illustrate it with screen caps to hammer home the point).
So far, I HATE every character in Lovers, with the exception of the fact that I am totally a Lee Seo Jin fangirl for life after Damo. He has goodwill the same will Rebel Leader Kim Min Joon has my goodwill.
Anyways, so I love Lee Seo Jin in Lovers, cuz he's all cute and hot for his co-star. But Lordy, KES has sunk to a low with this drama - to say its brainless would be to accord it some brain. It's stupid and dragging, even Lovers in Paris was breezy and zippy in the beginning. I hate Kim Jung Eun less in this drama than I did her performance and character in LiP.
I have this percolating theory that Kim Eun Sook hates writing women characters - she is creating fairytales for women, and her men are her strong suit. I need to mull on it some more.....
I'm going to have to say buh-bye to lovers and start IAL, but not before I FF my way to that legendary sex scene.
"I have this percolating theory that Kim Eun Sook hates writing women characters – she is creating fairytales for women, and her men are her strong suit. I need to mull on it some more….."
Mmm, that better describes Kim Ki Ho rather than Kim Eun Sook. Ki Ho writes female heroines to judge them (and with not a little contempt for the viewing audience); Kim Eun Sook doesn't really do characterization, per se. She argues, quite rightly, that in a Korean star vehicle, the story is merely an obstacle course for the principal couple. She largely throws out the development of a relationship and delegates that to the pure charisma of her star leads. In return, she in screwball fashion more focuses on the quips and banter, and she'll also slip in class and gender observation to pepper scenes up. Kim Eun Sook is linear about the rival characters; in her work, they are truly written in order to promote the principle couple. If the girls are mean, they are very mean. If the guys are pathetic, they are very pathetic. The choice is always easy. In most Kim Eun Sook, it's really the actors playing the rival characters that do the heavy lifting. The lead actors merely have to twinkle, but of course the expectation is their twinkle has to be a 1000 points of light.
I am totally with you, djes, that Jung Chan is the only good thing out of Lovers (plus Lee Han, aka Kim Nam-gil). And me too on KJE's best role is in ABE.
@ockoala
I've read your comment over on Thundie's blog and here, so thought I'd write a combined comment here.
LBS has gone stellar, I tell thee. If he gets overlooked now after his jaw-dropping performance in episode 22, then I'll use gangster Park So-tae's entire lexicon, yes, all of his filthy swear-words to curse the awards shows. And not only LBS, let's not forget everyone else - from the veteran actors to the kids.
Your telephone comment? You are a hopeless romantic, I'll hand you that. I was like 'Noooo, she's a damn-Hwang!' I want him nowhere near those damn-Hwangs, who clipped this kid's wings and broke his spirit. We've barely just got the old Gang-mo back, the one we loved and cherished. Does she even deserve him?
There's that nightmare she had around ep20? 21? When he says he would have lived a normal and happier life had he never met her, and I know I'm cruel but I second that. But then the fact that she's hearing him say those things in her subconscious mind, must mean she feels some guilt (if their conversation in episode 9 was too subtle for us, then we can add that fact and the events of ep18 to make it concrete that she feels reponsible and guilty for his downfall -- let's not even talk about ep23 onwards as that takes it to another level entirely). So I guess I can hate on her less now, haha!
Jung-yun was written so well, but I never really felt her sincerity (until now). Park Jin-hee's doing everything well, acting-wise but I still felt something was amiss. But she is evidently trying hard and she does continue to improve by the episode, I'm SO glad she's stepped up her game character-wise. As much as her transformation was necessary, I do feel for the poor thing, her situation is kind of ironic -- doing something for someone, but that same someone is out to destroy that same something that she's fighting for (?) *scratches head* -- I expect some really messy clashes and maybe somewhere down the line she'll become someone worthy of him, who knows? After finally establishing a connection with her in ep25, I went back to a few episodes and had a good cry. I feel I can FINALLY understand her, hallelujah.
Personally, So-tae, Baldielocks (''innumaaah'') and Lim Jung-yoon (don't know his character name) remain GM's best companions, ever.
Now Min-woo, does he deserve Mi-joo? Answer is: oh, hell no!
Me and Janna refer to him on occasion as 'wife beater' or Tinman (as in heartless bastard) so HIM and OMG... HER? = Run, Mi-joo, runnn!
Heh, I'm a total romantic, and I love bad boys. Min Woo will prove himself worthy of deserving Mi Joo. And who cares who Jung Yeon's father is. She is nothing like him, and clearly hates her origins.
I find the "daughter-of-your-enemy" trope good for some tension and heartache, but it always get resolved with the exact same resolution - the guy learns to GET OVER IT. Our Gang Mo will be getting there soon enough, I foresee big bro Sang Mo having way more problems with it.
Oh yeaah, that's the beauty of the two brothers - that they're polar opposites down to the minute details.
Gangmo retaliates there and then, whether it's punching someone square in the jaw, setting his gangster underlings after him, or merely voicing his opinion, he soon forgives, forgets, moves on.
Seungmo, never, ever forgets. And forgiveness is a notion completely alien to him.
I like how they approached the 'daughter-of-the-enemy' trope: he simply learned the truth, was shocked and decided to distance himself from her, which was a smart move at the time given his situation, but then he was forced to drift apart even further and so we have it. He isn't the kind to include her in what should be his own personal conflict with HTS. I can see that OTP working out one day, they have a long history together, too and HTS isn't really that bad, he's an accomplice -- a reluctant one at that and never the actual perpetrator, plus he did give Lee Daesoo a decent enough burial back at Busan.
Just like JY-GM have a lot of similarities and are always on the same wavelength, the same goes for MJ-MW. Neither of them are very honest, haha, they rarely let their guard down, and one likes playing games and the other one knows how to play along. Voila, they get on like a house on fire. Sadly, I brain hemorrhage at the possibility of these two having a happy ending, but I'll zip it now. Let's see what show does with these two.
![[Beanie Review] Hide](https://d263ao8qih4miy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Hide_reviewb.jpg)
![[Beanie Recs] Cast of Queen of Tears](https://d263ao8qih4miy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BeanieRecs.jpg)
Required fields are marked *
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
101 belleza
August 6, 2010 at 7:17 PM
@Amg1,
"I do not have a problem if the “Lead Character ” is “expandable” for the sake of the story, my main problem was that it felt that I was watching the actual ending that never made it into what was plan for the beginning."
Yeah, I think BG rushing it at the end showed in the last 2 episodes. Now, I like the actual pacing and overarching development of the plot, but you could tell that the drama was using a lot of voiceovers and solipsistic bits in order to resolve conflict and fill out air time.
Now, having said that, I also thought it improved the ending. The last episode is a series of sequences depicting both a fractured family and a fractured identities of both men, as such to show that everybody was starting to dissolve. Same is true with the mom.
There's little cathartic joy with her come-upance, because even to the end, she has not changed and she has not faced sufficient judgement. SHE WON. And you can even say, through this experience, she successfully transformed "sweet", "innocent" Monet into her own spitting image. In a sense, she is the Law and Order of Hae Shin, and she is never aware of the psychic toll that it's inflicted upon all the people around her. But this is successfully depicted at the end of the episode, because we've already realized that no revenge will truly satisfy and that even a happy ending will not resolve the bad blood and corrosion within the family.
Rather than presenting us a set of events to make that case, we get the figurative expression. Ghosts appear. Revelations have killed one man and might have broken the spirit of the other. The regurgitation of memories fracture the story's denouement. Our two "Return to Normal" women fall apart as soon as the presents come through the mail. The story ends with a flurry of "last images", unfinished letters, and feelings that are like a mad, incoherent cry being swallowed by the void. The Void wins.
And that is the difference here. Usually in melodrama, when somebody dies, there is catharsis and there is remembrance. Even in death, the character can live on in memory. The Death may be "beautiful." Bad Guy cheats us of that bittersweet comfort. Nobody will weep for him. Nobody will truly confront his loss. For all the sound and fury, it is as if he never existed. The fractured approach of the ending underlines that contrast.
Has the Bad Guy gone to Heaven or Hell? We will never know.
Required fields are marked *
amg01
August 7, 2010 at 8:16 PM
@belleza. I do agree with you 100%, I guess for us who have "Million Stars Falling From The Sky", as one of our favorite dramas, the ending of BG does not seem that upsetting, on the other hand I was more upset when they imply that he die in the car accident, the reason being is because there was still one episode left.
The thing that I like the most about BG was the dark overtones not only the story line but the way the cinematography was done.
For me the Jae-in/ Gun-wook pairing work from the stand point the they were two people in need of the "Human Touch" and they provide each other with some what of a moral and spiritual support, and I believe that Gun-wook at a deeper level he really care for her.
The Tae-ra/Gun-wook was the most riveting one to watched the Chemistry that they portray was absolutely brilliant from the stand point of view that the writer imply all along that Tea-ra and Gun-wook may be siblings, but the over all sexual overtones they portray in the drama are some of the best in a K-Drama that I have seen so far.
( "The story ends with a flurry of “last images”, unfinished letters, and feelings that are like a mad, incoherent cry being swallowed by the void. The Void wins.")
I think the way you describe the ending is as "Perfect" as is going to get, our "Tragic Hero" dies in a manner befitting his whole life. Discarded and left to die with out no one knowing his fate, as in life so forsaken in death!!!!!!!!!!!
Required fields are marked *
amg01
August 7, 2010 at 8:23 PM
******EDIT EDIT SPOILER ABOVE*********
Sorry for not warned you guys properly!!!!!!!!!!!!
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 8, 2010 at 10:59 PM
@Amg1 / Kim Nam Gil Talk,
"For me the Jae-in/ Gun-wook pairing work from the stand point the they were two people in need of the “Human Touch” "
Their pairing is something you see mostly in J-drama (where female heroines tend to be more realistic and ethically unscrupulous about relationships) and of course American cinema. You have two grifters who fall in love while working their hustle, and see their relationship as a means to normalcy. Except that in this case, both characters are looking for a decent life. This is somewhat alienating within the framework of K-drama. It's difficult to sell the audience on choosing the guy who isn't the prince. ;)
"The Tae-ra/Gun-wook was the most riveting one to watched the Chemistry that they portray was absolutely brilliant from the stand point of view that the writer imply all along that Tea-ra and Gun-wook may be siblings,"
Indeed. The pleasure of watching Tae-ra/Gun-wook is in the details of the execution (as this is well-worn territory in the adultery subgenre of melo/K-melo) and the chemistry between Oh Yeon Soo and Kim Nam Gil. There is a subtle, but interesting subtext here as well. Shim Geun Wook isn't merely seducing Tae-Ra; Shim Geun wook is also seducing THE AUDIENCE. Their chemistry was SO good that part of you wants to believe SGW had some kind of genuine affection for Tae-Ra. Maybe not love, but something real. Moreover, because Jae-in was chasing the money, a lot of the audience was actually putting themselves in Tae-ra's shoes (and gowns.) Here, you had a woman who tried to do right for family but was starving emotionally, and had been fighting herself over her feelings for a guy she knew was not good for her. Her emotional process is usually the one taken by the K-drama female heroine, so subconsciously we tend to follow her more. And the fact that they're SO convincing as a couple confuses us deeply.
And it speaks to Kim Nam Gil as an actor. He gives totally different vibes between the two actresses, that are still consistent with the character and equally compelling romantically. It's a wonderful act.
"The thing that I like the most about BG was the dark overtones not only the story line but the way the cinematography was done."
I loved the cinematography (thought the handicam style got a bit much), but mostly I loved how the the scenes with constructed with much longer takes. It looked like a single camera setup, and that is important, because it enables actors to move around in a scene. This helped both Kim Nam Gil and Kim Jae Wook a lot.
We often talk about the "before/after" of Kim Nam Gil's acting, but my hunch is that it came down to Kim Nam Gil was a bland TV actor but a soulful film actor. That is, within the traditional multicamera setup of TV, he was very "still" or "stiff" and more concerned with giving a reaction shot rather than allowing his body to speak. Seriously, watch him in the drama When Spring Comes. That came AFTER his breakthrough in "No Regrets." His performance isn't bad at all, but dude was so stiff compared to his Bidam or his Shim Geun Wook.
The last 4 episodes of Bad Guy was almost like a calling card for Kim Nam Gil The Film Actor. He didn't look merely haunted, he depicted a character who knew instinctively he was going to die, but was trying to buy more and more time. He transcended the wounded bravado expected from the part into playing a guy who seemed genuinely unprepared from within the depth. His Shim Geun Wook not only radiated an intelligence, but a complicated conscience.
Kim Nam Gil's great talent as an actor is in depicting people of tragic self-awareness, able to observe themselves and consequences from the 3rd person, yet unable to stop themselves. In Queen Seon Duk, he didn't merely play Bidam as a half good-half evil puppet of the fates. He also played him as a melancholy Hamlet observing his foolish mortality yet unable to change his genetic programming. In Bad Guy, he does this two fold, both via his revenge plan and his ambivalent, yet "very much there" regard for the children. Kim Nam Gil is able to express the lamentable dance of life with an idol-like precedent that recalls Leslie.
"I think the way you describe the ending is as “Perfect” as is going to get, our “Tragic Hero” dies in a manner befitting his whole life"
As one critic put it, the tragedy of Shim Geun Wook is that he''ll always be "missing" rather than "dead." We actually don't know that much about him besides a few flashbacks; even to Jae-in, he never fully took off the glass mask. He comes in, raises hell, but nobody knows he died, just as nobody knew he was alive all these years. Nobody will grieve for him, and yet for the two women involved, part of their lives will never be able to find closure or let him go.
To the show's credit, THIS kind of ending is more akin to J-dorama. Often when key characters die, there's often this unsaid, but still there and deeply disquieting inquiry about what their lives meant and what we ultimately meant to each other and this life beyond the constraints of our morality. The "Sekachu" phenomenon (as with "Winter Sonata") resonated big among Japanese women, because it tried to speak to that inquiry quite directly.
Required fields are marked *
102 langdon813
August 6, 2010 at 8:29 PM
Just my opinion, but Baker King is...BAD. As in really bad. Bad acting across the board (especially by the woman playing the Evil Mother, oh man, she suuuuucks).
No clue what is even remotely appealing about the lead guy, except that he can cry like a champ. If he's not crying, he has a really blank, dumb look on his face. ALL THE TIME. He has a great deep husky voice, and wears a pair of Levi's like nobody's business, but other than that, I don't get it.
If there's a choice to be made between Giant and Baker King...trust me, there's no choice. Go with Giant.
Required fields are marked *
103 oblivious
August 6, 2010 at 9:04 PM
HELP with suggestions for weekend dramas!
I have just finished Sons of Sol Pharmacy and absolutely loved it. Characters, comedy, romance, drama: they all worked for me.
Now I am looking for more of the same to watch.
Would be grateful for your recommendations.
Required fields are marked *
104 ar_arguably romantic
August 6, 2010 at 9:32 PM
@68 ockoala and @84 Monica
Thanks for letting me know the episodes with the Yang Kang-Mu Nianci love action =D Now I can vicariously receive YK's kisses through MNC!
Required fields are marked *
105 therainhouse
August 6, 2010 at 11:42 PM
@ lb_tmi
Glad you got inspired by our ranting.
Hope this pregnancy brings you joy!
@ shu
Gosh, it's not Friday anymore, don't know whether you'll check back. But, I'm just gonna recommend some songs since you and I both like Calendar Girl.
Aron Wright - Song for the Waiting
Angus and Julia Stone - The Devil's Tears
Damien Rice - The Blower's Daughter
Joy Williams - Speaking a Dead Language
Michelle Featherstone - Coffee and Cigarettes, I'm There Too, Stay, We Are Man and Wife
Luluc - One Day Soon
Alex Band - Only One
Andrew Belle - Make It Without You
Chantal Kreviazuk - Feels Like Home, Time, In This Life
Coldplay - In My Place, The Scientist, Yellow, Fix You
Jason Walker - Down, You're Missing It
U2 - Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Vertical Horizon - Best I Ever Had
@ Ockoala, do you like Yang Kang because he's nicer in the 2008 version? Actually, I thought he was only nicer at the end. Then again, the ending didn't follow the original.
Okay, Yang Guo and Guo Xiang are nice together. But, she's like a little sister to him. He can't see anyone else besides Xiao Longnu anyway.
Yang Mi recently said, 'Love is not being able to see anyone else as long as you're within my line of sight.' Guess that's true for Yang Guo.
@ eunha
Isabel/Isabelle is still okay. Though it's not my top pick.
I wish I was some fairy godmother who went around naming babies.
I'd like Michael or Theodore, especially Theodore, love it, it's so 18th century, or William.
For girls, I'd like something like Amber or Daisy or Sarah Marie or Emma Grace.
OT #147 is really the baby naming thread while gushing about Yang Kang and his son.
Required fields are marked *
106 Monica
August 7, 2010 at 1:39 AM
@ockoala
thanks for that dangermousie link for the kissy kissy bit. kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... now you really want me to ffwd to ep 42. but no. no. perseverence. *slap herself*
saw your comment on it about the kissy kissy background too... kyaaaaaa...
@mookie
saw your LJ and commented there instead. :D
off to watch some more of YH goodness..
Required fields are marked *
107 edina2940
August 7, 2010 at 1:44 AM
@ oblivious
Here are some suggestions:
1. Coffee House
2. Sungkyungwan Scandal
3. Personal Taste
4. Playfull Kiss
5. My Girlfriend is A Gumiho
These are among a few i can suggest u....no 1 and 3 already have completed ep while the rest still not premiere....i juz type it randomly....i'm also look up to see this drama once its premieres... :)
btw, do you like watching japanese drama?? i haf few suggestions....
Required fields are marked *
108 nopanda
August 7, 2010 at 2:11 AM
I want to thank all the lovely people in this thread who are engaging in commentary on BG. It helped me find closure, especially as a fan of the drama, its lead actor and its wonderful cast who were shafted by unfortunate circumstances. (mild spoiler) I think I really needed that closure because I must have ranted out loud in a crowded restaurant at least 20 times "somebody please tell me why Y had to xxx"
@ belleza
Most of all, thank you for an illuminating discourse on how the drama is perfectly situated within the noir genre. Even though I do agree with the viewpoints on sloppy (frantic?) writing and the rushed feeling of the last few eps, I think your analysis helps me accept the way the drama has turned out as well as validates the hours of my life spent on it that much more (not that my life is a big deal, just sharing my personal feelings and investment).
It is also going to be a balm on my fangirl's pining soul. Hopefully 2 years will pass soon, and I hope the actor in him also gets a good break from crazy filming schedules and paparazzi and the like. Fighting!
Thank you JB and GF as well, I'll be back to tune into the last two ep recaps, be they wickedly brief or deliciously long! (hoping for both actually lol)
Required fields are marked *
109 glencorajane
August 7, 2010 at 3:14 AM
I dont know if I am too late. But about baby names: please go with traditional spellings. Some new age spelling is quite cute and funky, but tends to go all mumbo jumbo if it is more than 3 syllabus.
And no Ethans please, I already know 2 Ethans of the same age, as with Ryans.
I thought Baker king is the current hit now?
I think Bad guy was such a rush through. Should teach them a lesson to film way ahead than film as broadcast goes. It could have been so much better, but you can see all the editing done to piece together whatever they have of Kim Nam gil left to make up the story.
Required fields are marked *
110 Eleven11
August 7, 2010 at 5:34 AM
@69 lahlita
ok, so this is a really late reply, but your mention of Soulmate made me really happy! It was weird, I wasn't completely into it all the time while I was watching it (though I finished it in 2 days =p), but the story and the ending has been stuck in my head since I finished! I think I really loved it aye, it was just such a beautifully constructed drama.
I'm glad my first post in an Open Thread was about Soulmate =]
I think I'll back out though because I haven't been watching Bad Guy and that seems to be the topic du jour.
PS, thanks for that Cinderella's Sister parody link @ladymai, I lol'd hard.
Required fields are marked *
111 Rovi
August 7, 2010 at 7:11 AM
Hi everyone, Happy (rainy) Saturday nytness...
Just went to a derma, and I can't effin splash even a little water on my face...
(well, it's been ages since I last went, maybe last 1 1/2 years ago???)
@20 ladymai
wow, thnx...(but gotta see the vid, kekeke...)
currently loving 2PM now, & had DL'ed their songs pre-Jay controversy ("Only You", "10 Pts.", & "Again & Again"...have to think about "Heartbeat", since their MV isn't the greatest, and it's missing Jay in it too...)
@26 hbfrack
you don't know how just excited I was (and is still am) as you are...
certainly, the YAB craze has extended even in the Philippines, and I wanna be part of the A.N.JELL Philippines...
una kong nalaman na nakuha ng ABS 'yung, YAB nung nasa YouTube ako at naghahanap kasalukuyan ng trailer videos ng Rubi, nang nakita ko 'yung Asianovela vid nila. Nung tiningnan ko, ohmaygash, nagulat ako, (after watching the trailers for "Dream" & "Take Care of Agassi"), nandoon ang YAB!!!! Napa-shet talaga ako...
...and lalo akong nawindang (and everyone else, siempre) nung nakita ko ang FTI sa Showtime!!! Nakakainis ng lang nasa Antipolo ako noon dahil sa community...ayun lang naman ang ksaysayan ng kaadikan ko sa YAB...kekekeke ('di pa included d'yan 'yung panahon pa ng kasagsagan ng YAB, hehehehe...)
(Tr:
I first knew that ABS got YAB when I was in YouTube and was (at that time) searching for the Rubi trailer vids, when I saw their Asianovela vid. When I viewed it, OMG, I got shocked (after watching the trailers for "Dream" & "Take Care of Agassi"), YAB was there!!! I really swore...
...and everything (or was it just me??? ㅋㅋㅋ) got crazy (and everyone else, of course) when I sighted FTI on Showtime!!! It was just a bothering damn that I was in high-top Antipolo at that time due to community...
...there, the history of my YAB addiction...ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
(not included was when the time when YAB was still the rage, ㅎㅎㅎ...))
@42 djes
Nich Eun-jo...well, I'm not surprised Khunnie looks great in a wig...
You REALLY have to see that Star King ep. where he wore a girly-pigtail wig, and he looked too CUTE to be a guy...wahaha! (well, I don't care, why does it have to be like this!!!)
(dunno w/c ep. was it, but I guess it's in early or near-mid-January 2009, since SHINee's "Stand By Me" was playing in it...and Jaebeom Leedja was still there, just behind Nichkhun...)
(and, dunno, it myt be (just) coincidence, since by March 03 same year (pre-White Day ep???), 2PM's guest in their "Idol Army" season was SHINee...and the pairing Nichkhun-Minho/KhunHo was born...)
@44 "expectant mommy"
hahaha at your comment of Taec's "toothy Jeong-woo"...
(well, I just noticed Taec in CS (the drama itself) looked thinner(?), since I noticed his face esp. the cheeks part...)
But srzly, what is it with Taec's "toothyness" that it gets noticed? (clue: "teeth ceremony"...just saw this in one of the YT comments in one of the many "Idol Army" vids of 2PM in, well, YT (besides the redundance)...)
'Coz he always bares them when there's anything (besides smiling/slash/laughing)?
(even I bare teeth (with min. gingiva) when I laugh (quite? *understatement*) unashamedly, and that is all the time(?) :P)
Required fields are marked *
112 dixa
August 7, 2010 at 11:14 AM
I watched Baker King and I'm extremely in love with it.(I'm kind of in kdrama slum right now, so this is weird. lol)
I don't think another 2 dramas will do much with baker king. BK got more than 40% rating which is very rared, we can almost call this one as national drama.
I think PFKiss will do better in term of rating. I have a feeling that they love cartoon remake drama in korea.
Required fields are marked *
113 ockoala
August 7, 2010 at 11:31 AM
Please join me in entering the world of Giant (SBS 2010) for a tour at something already epic and potentially mindblowing:
http://thundie.wordpress.com/2010/08/08/giant-2010-mid-point-review/
If anything, click just to see the gorgeous pictures Thundie compiled for this review, including many many kissing, snuggling and huggling ones. :-D
Required fields are marked *
114 Mana
August 7, 2010 at 12:08 PM
WOOwww when i open the site i was suprissed. I didnt expect this new 'style' but still it looks really cool. :)
Required fields are marked *
115 saetbyul
August 7, 2010 at 12:31 PM
i watched bad guy ep 17 last night, and i'm not really happy with the ending. i can't say i wasn't thoroughly unsatisfied or not in the know that this kind of ending was most likely (due to the writer of the drama and kng's leave of absence), but i'm a sucker for happy endings, and this drama's ending was certainly not a happy one.
the thing is, though, i enjoyed the first 16 episodes of this drama so much. the plotline was near perfection, the actors all nailed their parts and the chemistry between the characters was just wow. so i guess to me the ending just feels like a big let-down.
i hope everyone is having a good weekend! :)
Required fields are marked *
116 Leonardswench
August 7, 2010 at 6:51 PM
Oh, good, did not miss Gigi.
Had a brief storm last night that knocked out the ground wire on our electricity pole, making everything coming into the house "hot", so we lost most of our electronics (even those on surge protectors) and have spent the day replacing ten appliances and six phones. Still haven't checked out all the televisions and players, but feeling very lucky that we only had one small-ish fire from a converter box.
I nearly regretted the $300 I spent on this surge protector in my office five years ago, but I didn't lose the 3 computers, printers, stereo, telelvisions, or players in here, so am feeling very good about that $300 now. Though, my brother says it has to be replaced now, too, as it did it's job against a bolt of lightning and now is probably useless against the next 500 MJ that come down the lines.
So glad I didn't miss a Gigi update on Last Romance/Scandal, but I'm ready to resume when she is back from all the shifts she's been pulling.
Had meltdown in the house today on the girl front. One wanted to watch T-max videos, the other wanted SS501 and they would just not get along. Had to ban them both, lol, in the end, but will allow them one each tomorrow IF they play nice about their new loves. Hubby saw the first Kim Hyun Joong poster up in the oldest's room last night, he flipped a lid. I don't think he's ready for his girls to grow up quite yet, but you'd think with all the bras drying in the bathroom, he'd get a hint already. I reminded him that he had a Farrah Fawcett poster on his wall from junior high until he came BACK from college!!
Required fields are marked *
117 ockoala
August 7, 2010 at 7:26 PM
@ janna
Sorry for not saying so earlier - but its disheartening to hear you say how down you are. I hope its temporary, and whatever it is passes by quickly and without any lasting effect.
Know folks here cheer you on!
Oh, and I think I've said enough about Giant at the review, but let me know if you have any specific things you want to discuss. I have an answer - except with respect to the did they or didn't they moment (imagination? reality? imagination coinciding with reality?).
Required fields are marked *
118 Randy
August 7, 2010 at 10:13 PM
I don't very much care for this new format. I know it is about change but I was so comfortable with the old style. It was easy to find what I wanted to read and I knew every inch of the old style. I guess I don't like change.
Now I will have to hunt and find where everything is. For instance, when I came on line in this new format, I didn't know how to find the current news which is posted everyday.
I enjoyed this website the most but I don't feel comfortable with it as it is. I guess I will have to find my way around if I want to keep enjoying it.
Required fields are marked *
119 scarlet pimpernel
August 8, 2010 at 12:02 AM
@108 and 115
i need some closure too *sigh* T__T
i hate the ending but just knowing that i'm not alone in my sentiments really helps.
he hasn't even been gone a month but i miss him so much already... it makes me happy though to think that at least now he'll have a break from his hectic schedule.
with you in hoping that 2 years will fly by FAST.
KNG FIGHTING!!!
Required fields are marked *
120 lovenyc52
August 8, 2010 at 1:26 AM
@ 111 Rovi
i have to say... even after 2PM's last few albums (which I have fully enjoyed), my favorite song of theirs is still Again & Again. I don't know if it's because that's the song/video that hooked me or what, but every time I listen to it, I feel happy. It very possibly has a lot to do with the fact that it featured Jay so heavily and I miss the guy tons. And also cuz Channie looked so damn hot after he cut off his General Hwang bun. And also cuz junK's voice is so damn smexy. sigh. love those boys.
Required fields are marked *
121 claire
August 8, 2010 at 6:02 AM
i disagree that baker king is not a good drama...well for ME, it's great...i don't know if its only me who really love the drama...i'm not fond of "dramatic" kdramas but you know I really came to love it...actually at first i thought it was not going to be a good drama but as i watch through the episodes, i find it amusing and addicting...i didn't even got bored (only the early episodes i guess) considering it has 30 episodes...for ME it deserves the rating...i recommend it not because of the actors and the way their acting but because of the whole storyline, it's not the typically "baking competition"...i mean its not...it's for family and there are many things and values to learn...well that's just my opinion I guess...^_^
Required fields are marked *
122 celestialorigin
August 8, 2010 at 8:21 AM
＠116 Leonardswench
My goodness... It's good to hear at least everybody was safe and nothing catastrophic happened to your house. I mean it was bad enough that you had to buy 10 appliances and phones, I'm assuming you have insurance.
Your girls sounds too cute! I remember when my son was in high school, I took him and my stepdaughter to Nine inch nails' concert. It was only because "David Bowie"! was the guest! I'd rather it was some hot K-pop bands' concert,come to think about it. Now, you have more excuses to go to shows with them, lol. My colleague and her daughter had tickets for Rain's concert(was that already 2?3? years ago?) in LA. That unfortunate event... Anyhow, so much more to share with your kids while they are still young!
Required fields are marked *
123 notoriousnoona
August 8, 2010 at 9:32 AM
Happy OT Everyone!
"Welcome, Monica!" I will not be recruited but work your whiles on the innocents...
Just got back from a long and crazy week visiting my lil sis in MD and I am still tired! But somehow, I've had time to start watching Tamra Island. I have to admit I do enjoy it. I'm not at the "in love" stage, yet though. For those that watched it....Do you know where I can find the original 21 eps with subs? I'm not quite sure where the editing began and I kinda want to stop before I get there. I really want to see the intended product rather than the finished one.
Anyhow I'm glad to hear that many enjoyed BG. I'm on ep 15 and though there are some places where I ??? a couple things, for the most part I love it. KNG has done an excellent job! Furthermore its the 2nd drama I've gotten my mother to watch solely because she fell in love with Bidam:)
@baby names
I love Jemma as well. But I thought if you are really set on trying to see if javabeans works, try Jana Bina (Jah- nah Be-nah) ;) [Bina is a word for love/lover or something of the like in Hindi.] I also like Jania and Jaya. And I had a friend named Eban once. The funny thing was his last name was Bean and we always picked on him that his parents just used frig magnets rearranging his last name to come up with it. They were kinda old so it wasn't out of the realm of possibilities...kekekeke.
Oh and congratulations! I virtually know you so I can add you to the baby prayers I'm saying for the multitude of baby's mamas I know this summer (if that's ok). Be healthy. Idk anything about pregnancy, except for what I see on Discovery Health (some scary scary crap!) Though I have to admit, I love "I Didn't Know I Was Prego." I am convinced that may be a depressed and befuddled me one day.
Have a great week everyone!
Required fields are marked *
124 supah
August 8, 2010 at 4:05 PM
I got back from my holiday a few hours back and before unwinding, unpacking and all that good stuff, the kdrama fiend I straight got to d/loading Bad Guy 16 & 17 and the Drama Special: Secret Garden.
Bad Guy 16-17 SPOILERS!!
OK, I'll admit I really, really liked ep15, even more than 14 when he went all brazen and Leslie Cheung-esque, in ep15 the atmosphere was fantastic. 16 & 17 were a teeny, tiny bit underwhelming, not a disaster but not as phenomenal as the buildup in 14-15. I can blame the military and SBS, but I think it was a decent finale -- but it shouldn't have been decent, it should've been jawdropping.
The writing for me was the main issue. Though granted, a good director can take the mundane and/or ridiculously conventional and make it a mindblowing masterpiece (one solid example: WKW) and I genuinely hand-on-heart think this PD was awesome, not to mention the entire cast and the OST and background score, but again, the writing was the sore bloody point. Otherwise I'll say I liked the ending, just wish the show had gone out with a louder bang than it did.
One last note: will miss Kim Nam-gil madly! Two years, TWO whole years!?!
Drama Special: Secret Garden: I'm gutted!
The synopsis for this drama read something about two young schoolgirls who were really, really close friends but then a guy comes between them and they split ways, only to meet again once they're career women.
Damn! If I don't like stories like that. I was so excited to watch this wondering who this trophy boyfriend would choose from the two, which girl I was rooting for, whether the guy would turn out a complete a-hole, unworthy of either lalala... except it's not what I was expecting at all. What a waste of about the 30-odd mins I spent watching it.
I should've watched the funny odball set of gangsters comedy instead.
Required fields are marked *
125 supah
August 8, 2010 at 4:46 PM
OK, I'm still a little bit freaked out by the new layout, I had a real whoa moment when opening it. Don't not like it though and I'm sure I'll get used it and quite quickly as attached to it as I was with the older theme.
Anyways... just caught up reading OT comments.
Love Belleza's comments on Bad Guy!
@janna
YO!
Y'know if anyone's upsetting you, you only have to say and I'll pierce their hearts one by one with my bloodthirsty eyes, and remind them we're in swords before words territory. Or there's a simple business manner of dealing with things, offer them a wooden case of Japanese whisky (wink) and see how they cower before you.
Naah, seriously, keep your spirits (hint-hint) up! What day's your birthday? Whether I'm having a crap time or not, birthdays are one such occasion where I treat myself to something really, really nice. Treat yourself once you can unchain yourself away from your desk that is. Oh and work is a bitch, I totally get that, feel free to vent over here about it! Muah!
Required fields are marked *
126 Leonardswench
August 8, 2010 at 4:50 PM
@122, celestialorigin
LOL, I love Nine Inch Nails on their own, but wouldn't pass up another Bowie concert (and to date myself, it was his Serious Moonlight tour). My girls are very crushed that I did not start my k-drama and k-pop obsession until AFTER SS501 were in LA last year.
Found three more appliances that are blown, and yes, thankfully, insured, all of it. The agent will be writing up paperwork tomorrow, but in the meantime, hard to live without some items (stereos and televisions have less real necessity than the toaster, microwave, dustbuster -- which is used daily in a household with four kids and four dogs, refrigerator, freezer, et cetera).
I'm doing the fussy ahjumma thing, though, since we're having to move some big appliances, perfect time to scrub under and behind where they sat, much to my husband's impatience to just move out the old and in with the new.
So, it's been good timing that Gigi has been busy at work and I've been snowed under here with all things electrical.
I'll type up Last Scandal episode 8 tonight in hopes she'll be back soon. :)
Required fields are marked *
127 celestialorigin
August 8, 2010 at 6:40 PM
@126Leonardswench
OMG! You've been to Bowie's Prime time concert!!! Now, I'm envious. Let me see... around that time? may be... I saw Roxy music. Remember Brain Ferry? The Coolness himself! I wonder what those people are up to nowadays?
Then, may be 10 years later? or so, I sat next to Robert Fripp(of King Crimson) in first class on my way to Mexico. He finished a whole bottle of champagne all by himself and was very drunk & talkative. My encounter with my high school day hero, lol. Way way before my K drama days.
Required fields are marked *
128 Leonardswench
August 8, 2010 at 8:27 PM
Very much so, I remember those days, and Brian Ferry, not so much King Crimson.
My first concert ever was The Stones (I was grounded for two months when my parents found out) during their American Tour 1981 and it was smokin' with George Thorogood, J Geils, and Prince opening (although, have to say in all honesty, hated hated hated Prince, only came to appreciate his music later in the 80's -- my sister called him a little peacock, I thought he was just plain weird). That kind of music was banned in our household, as was Aerosmith, which I'd been sneaking in for a few years at that point.
One happy memory from that time was working in a small-town diner, and when the place was empty, I would crank the radio and dance around to The Stones and Aerosmith with wild abandon. Only got caught once, by the local family court judge, coming in for supper. I quickly turned down The Stones and he said, "Turn that back up, young lady." He used to wink at me later in life, and we always shared that little secret (not in a gross way, you understand, he had daughters my age!).
I only have one cool band story: during a Whitesnake concert, security came to get my girlfriend (a teenager but a busty blonde who was 6' tall) to take her backstage and she refused to go without my sister and I (my sister was always my partner in crime). We got to meet the band, but when one of the backstage guys realized how young we were, he gave us sodas and signed tees and sent us home (smart move!).
We only managed 5-6 concerts a year as teens and in our early 20's that number went up slightly. I know it's time to start the girls, at least the oldest one, but the bands or performers she really wants to see are either not currently touring, too far away, or too darn expensive. WoW, concerts cost the earth now.
The girls got to watch their videos and listen to their music tonight, and as my husband was going "not that Korean crap", I reminded him that I allowed a Garth Brooks song at our wedding despite hating his singing with a passion, knowing he'd want it on anniversaries, and that shut him right up.
Required fields are marked *
celestialorigin
August 8, 2010 at 11:24 PM
Aw, I was going to suggest you'd check ockoala's WHIB recap for @129 question. Lol! They've been here with andwers and the link. Sorry, I was too late.
Anyhow, back to music. Since then, my tastes in music blanched out into various genre, more onto so called world music: Astor Piazolla, Gipsy Kings, Femi Kuti, Baba Maal and on and on are the ones I was able to see them live... Some of them no longer here. Especially Piazolla, We saw him on his last world tour 1-2 years before his death. He was phenomenal, out of this world.
Then, fast forward to 2010... Last two concerts I've been to, are Big Bang's and Jae/Chun/Su's of DBSK all the way in Japan!!! All that was started by coming here on DB, JB posting T-max's(Here we go!) Lion heart on BOF recap thread one day. Loved that song by T-max. googled it, found a clip of Tohoshinki(DBSK) singing it in Japanese on Youtube(didn't know it was originally Smap's song till later, anyway, they are no singers). Suddenly I was in DBSK madness. Same with Big Bang. Someone (nycgirl?) mentioned them on OT at some point, got curious, searched, found them, fell in love with them(later on realized my J friend had already recommended them to me prior to that). Anyhow, next thing I knew I was at their concert.
Dramabeans is indeed the treasure cove for all sort of useful life changing information on top of great recaps those ladies share with us.
Trusting your household will be completely equipped with all the life's necessities by the end of tomorrow.
Required fields are marked *
celestialorigin
August 8, 2010 at 11:28 PM
Whoops, branched out is what I meant...
Required fields are marked *
129 Leonardswench
August 8, 2010 at 9:26 PM
Question about Something Happened in Bali: my 13 year old wants to watch it, and from the synopsis, I'm thinking NO WAY, but am willing to hear other insight from those who've actually watched it.
SPOILERS on SHiB:
So, in the end, no one is left standing, is my understanding, and I'm thinking that's a little too dark for her, although she handled the deaths in LoTR trilogy and HP series quite well at much younger ages. Correct, in the end, no one winds up happy?
Required fields are marked *
ockoala
August 8, 2010 at 10:06 PM
It's not the ending of WHIB that is difficult, it's the very adult themes of lust, jealousy, cowardice, etc. that make WHIB, IMO, not suitable for anyone under 16.
I know kids grow up fast these days, and perhaps your 13 yo is quite mature, but WHIB is not a drama that tackles tough subject matter with an easy resolution.
It states unequivocally that there sometimes is no solutions in life. If you child wants to watch a mature drama, doesn't mind death and sadness, but would perhaps feels more meaningful and enriching, watch Damo.
Ha Ji Won is in both, but Damo is life-altering in good ways.
Just my 2 cents. But I personally lovelovelove WHIB.
If you want to read about WHIB and then decide for your daughter, here you go:
http://thundie.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/what-happened-in-bali/
There is also a review on Damo if you want to check it out before helping your 13 yo decide what to watch.
Required fields are marked *
mookie
August 8, 2010 at 11:10 PM
wow... see the power of WHIB, I love ockoala and belleza dearly, but part of my adoration is we rarely all agree on 1 thing/idea/namja of the wk to be in silver hot pants under a tailored suit.
DO watch it yourself. even if u have to forgo food or sleep or taking care of your children for 16 hours.
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 8, 2010 at 10:07 PM
"my 13 year old wants to watch it, and from the synopsis,"
Hell to the No!!! :D
Compared to American TV, WHiB isn't that risque, but WHiB was a controversial show when it came out in Korea. It's like an adult, satirical version of the Hana Yori Dango/Boys over Flowers Cinderella story. The show drips with lust, obsession, and greed.
Required fields are marked *
ockoala
August 8, 2010 at 10:10 PM
Hahaha, did your WHIB-radar go off, belleza?
Where's mookie for the third cent? :-P
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 8, 2010 at 10:14 PM
WHiB and MiSa. Both are Pavlovian reactions. That and *fist in mouth* ARRAGGGHHHHHH!!! ;)
Required fields are marked *
mookie
August 8, 2010 at 10:48 PM
“my 13 year old wants to watch it, and from the synopsis,”
NONONONONO o nononononononono I was way legal watching WHIB but I was majorly messed up, that's not news, look what I usu post up in OT.
MOB has spoken.
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 8, 2010 at 10:13 PM
HOWEVER, it shouldn't prevent YOU from checking out WHiB! ;) I think both Jo In Sung and Ha Ji Won won the Baeksang for this show, and I dare make the argument that they had THE best romantic chemistry of all K-drama pairings of the entire decade.
Required fields are marked *
ockoala
August 8, 2010 at 10:25 PM
Yup, I recall they did both win the Baeksangs that year for such a toxic couple with the most sexual and obsessive chemisty in any drama, period. I still feel dirty.
I recommended WHIB to serenditpy a few months ago and she marathoned it and unleashed a torrent of discussion, always a great conversation starter.
WHIB is like those pictures where different ppl see different images. I saw only Jae Min-Soo Jung the first time I watched it was baffled at all the In Wool shippers. In Wook was great but I just didn't see it. My second watch, however, was all about In Wook. Amazing drama construction.
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 8, 2010 at 11:14 PM
Oh I'm definitely pro-In Wook. Soo Jung had picked In Wook, because Jae-min/Soo Jung would have led to Hell. (Soo Jung + Jae Min = the Bobby and Whitney of K-drama? Discuss!!)
Basically, it's the Wuthering Heights dilemma. In Wook was "good" for her, in a way he had an awareness and "elevated" conscience that Soo Jung recognized, kinda like how Edgar was for Catherine. But, Jae-min was her Heathcliff; two of the same primal natures flirting with debasement.
BUT BUT BUT . . . as good as Bali is written, none of this frigging works unless they cast Jo In Sung and Ha Ji Won. The original story was written as a satirical, nihilistic anti-chaebol Cinderella drama. As was the new version. But what Jo In Sung and Ha Ji won do is take it into Tennessee Williams "STELLLLAAA!!!!" levels of madness . No chaebol would so desperately want to reclaim the womb of his love. And no Cinderella would oppa pout wiggle themselves as if it was endless hiccup.
Their attraction wasn't merely inevitable; it was the END TIMES of K-drama romantic chemistry. They wanted each so, so bad that that forcefield became the story itself.
Sigh
But, yeah, I'd love to see a reunion. So would half the PanAsian entity known as Hallyu.
mookie
August 8, 2010 at 11:16 PM
am I too bad/annoying/an arse to I play around JB's new dig too much w/ this new fun replying to a reply to a reply so I forget what's the real reply prompt?!
I want to get up to 5.2.8 or 4.9.1 or is it possible for a 5.2.8.4.9.1?
my math teacher just cringed and sighed
mookie
August 8, 2010 at 11:25 PM
'Soo Jung + Jae Min = the Bobby and Whitney of K-drama?'
*nod*
Soo Jung = Bobby dealing OPW crack
Jae Min = Whitney the crack is whacked,c crack is cheap, ME WANT MORE CRACK and DAD just WHACKED me HEAD
mookie
August 8, 2010 at 10:54 PM
not just best romantic chemistry, but best sexual inferno burning in hell but dun care sinful lust. They tog is a Kdrama seed incepted in u, u will never be the same, fist in mouth will never be so good, if it's wrong but I don't ever wanna be right and I want me a JIS (w/ a SJS on the side...o wait, hell, I want me some HJW as well...I'm usu as st as a doorpost a girl)
Required fields are marked *
ockoala
August 8, 2010 at 11:32 PM
Hhmm, reply button apparently disappears of we go too far down a level, like the limbo in Inception.
I'm at peace with WHIB, the sexual pull btw JIS and HJW was screen shattering, I felt compelled to tell her no good would come of it and just pick IW already, but I could not move a muscle.
I contend if SJS maybe wasn't wearing a broom on his head, maybe he would have had more of a chance. See, JIS is to be a baby Jang Hyuk. Even fist in mouth was surpassed with Dae Gil's painting in arms snot and tears crying fest. Which is why I am salivating at the prospect of JH + HJW in Secret Garden. Pavlovian reaction indeed, any discussion of HJW makes me salivate.
mookie
August 9, 2010 at 12:40 AM
ok lvl 4 it is, I'll stick in limbo then...and all your talks on pavlovian reaction makes me crave a pavlova.
Leonardswench
August 9, 2010 at 1:55 AM
Okay, so it's on my watch list, definitely OFF the daughter's list. No need to have her see too much too soon in the full-blown lust department, hormones will get her their fast enough all on her own.
Best screen chemistry ever, perhaps? That's all I need to read, because then I have to watch it to find out if that's true for me, too!
Thanks, all, for your replies.
**thinks I just pushed some magic k-drama button! LOL
Required fields are marked *
130 amg01
August 8, 2010 at 9:35 PM
I just finished watching
"Massugu na Otoko", I really like this drama even when only at the end they hold hands is clear that "Kenichiro", had a more personal affection for " Narumi" from the beginning.
I really like the way their relationship develops, it is not a "Full On" romance but little by little the learn from each other how to care for each other, "Kenichiro" learns to be more patient and not to be so uptight, and "Narumi" to be more responsible, over all I give this drama out of 10 an 8.5 rating.
For those who need a "Weekend Drama" I highly recommend "Gloria", I can say that I like it better than "I am Legend", "Gloria" seems to have a more in depth subject matter and "Bae-Doo-na" is really doing a great job along with "Chunderella"!!!!
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 8, 2010 at 11:26 PM
I'm thinking about Gloria (MBC World ran a cute promo for it.) Might check in after I start on Giant . . . or Baker King.
Required fields are marked *
131 gra
August 8, 2010 at 10:53 PM
Just finished watching Gourmet, another great drama i ever seen. Thanks Samsoki for the recommendation. I was enjoyed how Korean protected the traditional cuisine on screen. Great job for all crews and actors. But the love between Sung Chan and Jin soo look so plain. I want more :)
Required fields are marked *
132 omo
August 8, 2010 at 11:42 PM
BG talk.
Agreed. I didn't mind the ending of BG, but it was how it got there that really bothered me. One can just sense that the production was in such a mess and it showed. I hated the throes of unnecessary flashbacks, voiceovers, and whatnots. I felt really stupid watching the last 3 episodes.
I just want to thank those few who talked about Harvest Villa. I got curious and decided to give it a shot after the recent meh-nesses. Unknown actors acting their hearts out, fantastic storytelling, twists and turns every 5-10 mins, it's like a breath of fresh air. I must say it's a lot more entertaining than BG.
Required fields are marked *
133 lovenyc52
August 9, 2010 at 12:42 AM
@ celestialorigin
sigh, everytime i read that you have been to a Big Bang concert i just get super full of jealousy lols. and also regret that i TOTALLY passed up a chance to watch them during their debut days. it was back in 2006 when the YG Family concert was touring and Se7en was headlining... I almost bought tickets to the LA show and decided last minute that since I wasn't such a big fan of Se7en I could pass on it. Granted, I had no idea who Big Bang was back then, but am still sad i COULD have seen them and discovered their greatness years before I actually did hehe. Even so, glad I can live my kpop love vicariously thru u since you've been able to go to their concert and see them up close and sweaty :P
Required fields are marked *
celestialorigin
August 9, 2010 at 11:03 PM
Muahahaha. No, I mean, Thank you for saying that. I do so wish they'll come to somewhere near LA as well. Only 2 hours drive as opposed to 11 hours plane ride. It's all thanks to DB site, Otherwise, I would have never known about them and other things. I almost feel like I'm turning into Obasan groupie, nonono, I have to take that one back.
As a matter of fact, recently, I considered for a second for getting a ticket for A-nation(in Japan, end of this month) for JYJ(Junsu/Yuchun<3,Jae) but got hold of my better self and decided to stay home to get some stuff done. LOL.
May be on eof those days, we can go to BB's concert together.
Required fields are marked *
134 Leonardswench
August 9, 2010 at 9:19 AM
I know that this goes unsaid too often, so again, THANKS SO MUCH to everyone here at Dramabeans: Javabeans, Girlfriday, Ockoala, Gigi, Janna, Momosan and everyone I'm forgetting to list who have written a recap, posted pics, provided links, laughed or cried or ranted alongside others, or just had an opinion to share.
I've been here a short time but feel 1. at home and 2. truly grateful to have a place and people to talk to about any/everything k-drama/k-pop/k-culture.
Required fields are marked *
momosan
August 9, 2010 at 12:34 PM
Thank you kindly. 8-)
The OT sisters (and occasional brother) here are a great group. 8-)
BTW, my first concert was Arlo Guthrie at UNH in....1978. My sister's concert was something similar at UMass Amherst. We were recounting this the other day to momochan, and she was rather stunned when a) we mentioned people smoking at a concert (OMG!) and b) WHAT they were smoking. My sister and I had to just shrug and go "well, it was the 70s."
My most recent concert OTOH, was Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - and momochan was miffed that she couldn't go to it, as the club serves booze.
And if BigBang made an appearance on the east coast of the US, I'd be sorely tempted to yank the kid out of school and haul her off to whatever city they were playing in. That IRIS Japan clip made it look like they were a fun fun concert.
Required fields are marked *
135 lovenyc52
August 9, 2010 at 10:02 AM
@ Leonardswench
ME TOO :) i'm glad you feel so comfortable and at home here. It really is a refuge to the 'real world'. I have very few friends that appreciate kdrama/kpop/kculture enough to discuss it in length with me, much less rave, rant and obsess over it haha. It's really nice to know there is someplace we can do all that and not be looked upon as a complete nutjob. Ok, let's admit it, we're all kinda nutty here but at least we're in good company lols.
Required fields are marked *
136 Dara
August 9, 2010 at 10:13 AM
Finished 'Wish Upon A Star', it was predictable, story line is so-so but got to smile for the kids, specially the kids with the main actor. My problem with this drama is the main actress, her too-cute-clumsy acting annoyed me from the beginning till around ep14! I finished this drama because I wanted to finish what I intended to do. A little disappointed.
Then I started watching 'Be strong Gum...' to feed my KJH addiction and it turned out to be a good drama(too long though 163eps). KJH had done a perfect job acting as the doctor , head over hill in love with the main girl. Towards the end, I think KJH had out shine the main actress and stole the spotlight for himself. Darn it, I even cried with him when he had to break up with the main girl. Finished the drama in no time because of him.
More KJH drama please!
Required fields are marked *
137 momosan
August 9, 2010 at 1:26 PM
Dear music director of show,
You do not have permission to play "Born to Love You" by Queen, even in the background. NONONONO! That song belongs to Pride, and if you mess with it again, I will break up with you, despite all of your good points.
momosan's third commandment of dramas - Thou shalt not mess with Pride or Queen.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, the musically obessed momosan
Required fields are marked *
trixicopper
August 9, 2010 at 1:47 PM
LOL! Glad I wasn't the only one saying.."Oh no you don't show!" Show has lots of potential, but that was wrong on so many levels! :)
Required fields are marked *
celestialorigin
August 9, 2010 at 9:26 PM
momosama. Happy to see you here today. Which show you are referring to, please?
Required fields are marked *
momosan
August 9, 2010 at 9:59 PM
The offender in this case is I am Legend. Which is so far turning out to be pretty decent. I didn't want to do any spoiling this morning, so I didn't mention the name of The Show, but since it's night already, I figure that was fair warning.
If it breaks any of the other commandments I will be sorry to have to wave goodbye to the show (although I can't really see this one killing puppies, it may break the Queen rule again).
Required fields are marked *
138 ockoala
August 9, 2010 at 1:49 PM
Curiosity killed the koala.
Watched 10 minutes of ep. 18 of Baker King:
Jumong's daddy: acting like he's still in a sageuk and his son is about to overthrow Buyeo and he's still wishing his wifey loved him.
Yoon Si Yoon - wha? Me no comprende? He's got a wack haircut and has no screen presence. He's like Kim Bum without the Bummie charisma. (but does look nice in jeans indeed)
Other male lead: screams, yells, squints a lot with his eye brows - all while dragging Eugene around.
Eugene - looks great, but is wayyy overacting, and she knows it! (which I love, Eugene with self-awareness is always a bonus).
Evil mom - neither one-note evil enough to merit kudos, nor a good enough actress to merit depth.
*the music, OMG, the music, is SO BAD and instrusive I wish someone would go in a unplug the sound editor*
*lots of dramatic music plays*
Lee Young Ah - no comment
Jumong's daddy - upon hearing his illegitimate son does not want to see him - makes assorted facial expressions like he smells a dead skunk, including pinchy-eyed furrowing plus lip twitching.
Aaaaand, at the 9:33 mark, evil mom slaps Eugene for seriously NO REASON (like, zero reason at all!), and needs to be restrained by not one, but TWO ladies (what is she? evil, and the mother of the Amazing Hulk?).
Anyways, I had a good laugh, ahhh makjang dramas, always so unintentionally hilarious to watch.
Required fields are marked *
celestialorigin
August 9, 2010 at 9:24 PM
You and mookie sama are totally cracking me up here and twitter. I needed it. Thanks!
Required fields are marked *
139 supah
August 9, 2010 at 5:09 PM
@janna
Wherefore art thou? We have Giant to discuss...
Giant25 SPOILERS!!!
Sung-mo continues playing with fire, but what I love about SM the most, is how he tests his limits but remains sensible, he chooses the 'live-to-fight-another-day' approach. But only after he's put your nerves through the grinder and after having induced a series of heart attacks, y'know. But yes, this is the second time I've seen CPY's eyes stinging with tears, and over the same person, too. How possessive is this man? But who's whose toy is the question.
Time to test whether SM made the right decision stepping up to Min Hong-ki, let's see MHK's qualitay (Honestly? He makes me nervous. Wish Baek-pal would spill his history already).
The real star there was our Brutus aka. Jae-chun. He's a lean, mean killing machine who doesn't understand the meaning of mercy but through this episode we saw his unflinching devotion to SM. Aaah, poetic.
Was so happy to hear Edelweiss play out in this episode, and there were plenty of (subtle) callbacks to Yeo Jin-gu's spirited portrayal of yeeganmo, I can safely say the yeehganmo we knew and cherished is back, wholly, completely -- he's back!
And I finally felt a strong connection with Jung-yun after this episode. Park Jin-hee was doing a good enough job portraying her and mimicking Nam Ji-hyun, yet I could never feel her character's sincerity as strongly as I felt everyone elses. But maybe we have a breakthrough now.
She's also outjazzing Jung-shik in terms of fashion, don't believe me, watch it for yourself.
Oh and somebody and somebody's chemistry continues to simmer gently.
Required fields are marked *
140 Leonardswench
August 9, 2010 at 10:34 PM
Bad Guy ep 16 thoughts:
It is a giant messy set-up for series 2 to be made when KNG is out of the army. 'Nuff said.
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 9, 2010 at 11:46 PM
I liked the recaps, but I really feel the divergence in opinion with the last 3-4 episodes of Bad Guy. I really, really enjoyed Episode 16 and I liked the approach to Episode 17, given that the main star wasn't available to shoot.
Required fields are marked *
141 lovenyc52
August 9, 2010 at 11:50 PM
after many months of Pride sitting in my HD waiting for me... i finally started it tonight. and now i don't want to go to sleep cuz i want to marathon the whole thing. kimutaku is so yummy. so thanks to all of you who are going to make me utterly sleep-deprived. (i'm lookin at you @ockoala and @momosan)
Required fields are marked *
momosan
August 10, 2010 at 12:13 AM
And now you know why no other show is allowed to play Born to Love You!
I'm up rewatching Emperor of the Sea again thanks to darkeyedwolf...I'm such a sucker for the ninja pirate!
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 10, 2010 at 12:26 AM
"And now you know why no other show is allowed to play Born to Love You! "
In fact, I think "Born to Love You" became popular in Japan AND Korea due to Pride.
Required fields are marked *
momosan
August 10, 2010 at 2:14 AM
I think you are right. I seem to recall that Born to Love You wasn't even a single off the Made in Heaven Album, I think Let Me Live was one of the ones from that....I seem to recall it was actually banned by the BBC. I suspect Born to Love you may have been re-released in Japan for Pride, but then I'd actually have to go check that.
Made in Heaven was the album released after Freddy died. Hence the title. I'm a huge Queen fan, for what it's worth, but I happen to have Let Me Live at the top of my playlist at the moment for sentimental reasons. Not to worry, Phish is second on the playlist with a live version of Waste and third is 4Men and Don't Laugh Don't Cry from the Bad Guy OST.
Required fields are marked *
celestialorigin
August 10, 2010 at 12:19 PM
After reading all the comments, here, I realized I haven't watched Pride. Whoops, I'd better check it out. Especially with all the Queen comments. Yes, They were so big while growing up in Japan. "Killer queen" was released sometime during my high school years. OMG! Something so sensational and new to a country girl like me...
Needless to say, Freddie's voice was(is still)out of this world! At one point, MTV? or VH1? was repeating his biography and I was sucked into watching it several times as well. I wish I could have seen him live...(to me, it's more Freddie than Queen).
So, "I am legend" is the one starting out? Oh, I got it. JB's recapping, so it's got potentials... I shall check it out. Thanks JB as always.
lovenyc52
August 10, 2010 at 9:21 AM
haha i haven't watched "I Am Legend" and I'm only a few eppies into Pride, but yes... I will forever associate Born to Love You with Pride. Honestly, I am not familiar with Queen songs (the only ones I can think of off the top of my head are Bohemian Rhapsody and We Will Rock You) so this is the first time I've heard Born to Love You. /please don't stone me
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 10, 2010 at 12:25 AM
Some of the best parts in Pride are how Kimataku connects with the audience prior to the game. Because no other actor would know to do that. It's not hockey-based at all, but the unique "gesture acting" that really is Kimura 101.
Required fields are marked *
142 belleza
August 9, 2010 at 11:53 PM
@Dong Yi,
What I like about Dong Yi is that it's a little bit like Jewel in the Palace, a little bit like Damo, but really it's a lot like watching Shining Spring Waltz of Temptation during One Spring Day. And now I'm applying Buddhist principle of reincarnation to understand how Dong Yi becomes the Mushroom Girl of Shining Inheritance, and why Bae Soo Bin can never get The Girl in This Life or the Next Life. Truly, what we do in saguek echoes in eternity. Thank you Dong Yo for teaching me this!
Required fields are marked *
143 Leonardswench
August 10, 2010 at 11:52 AM
Nothing to do with kdrama, just made me laugh, laugh, laugh!
YOU GO, GIRL!
http://thechive.com/2010/08/10/girl-quits-her-job-on-dry-erase-board-emails-entire-office-33-photos/
Required fields are marked *
lovenyc52
August 10, 2010 at 3:16 PM
this is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC :D
Required fields are marked *
mookie
August 10, 2010 at 3:47 PM
LOLZ that's genius! This is taking a high route yet sticking it up di spencer's
This young lady has a bright future!
Required fields are marked *
144 ockoala
August 10, 2010 at 1:53 PM
The trailer for Invincible is out!!
http://ockoala.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/trailer-for-invincible-mujeokja-%e7%84%a1%e6%95%b5%e8%80%85/
@ belleza - you take? I think it looks good in random scenes, but I can't get a grasp of the full effect of the movie. I do think our Roman God will be stealing the show (back from the CYF character).
@ Leonardswench
Thanks, that was priceless. What's with the very creative (and some illegal) quitting methods these days. I need to rethink flying on JetBlue in the near future.
Required fields are marked *
mookie
August 10, 2010 at 3:51 PM
But he's charged and off JetBlue for life. ;)
I'm lost in y he got a fandom
and y that cursing passenger was not charged for hitting another human being w/ luggage on a plane even accidentally.
Required fields are marked *
Leonardswench
August 10, 2010 at 4:42 PM
I know almost no one seems to be a fan of Song Seung Heon, but I don't watch for his acting, just like with Daniel Henney and other eye candy. Still, excited about Invincible overall: now the wait until it's available to me. Sigh.
Required fields are marked *
ockoala
August 10, 2010 at 4:48 PM
Oh, I'm a huge Song Seung Heon fan! He's my robot. I thought everyone knew that. :-D And I'll be the first to admit his acting ranges from mediocre (AiMH, the first part of EoE, He Was Cool) to wickedly craptastic (SS, the second half of EoE).
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 10, 2010 at 5:52 PM
Oh I love Song Seung Heon. LOVE LOVE LOVE him. He is, after all, the LOLLIPOP STALLION.
SSH is basically the Perfect Taiwanese Idol actor. He's buff in the gym manufactured sense of the word (none of that Jang Hyuk "Wild Horses" Savage Cry that provokes ockoala's giggles and sighs loudly through ockoala's hubby's mancave) but he's also a unthreatening oppa that somehow seems more than happy to share his Pinkberry on a 102 degrees summer day.
He's, you know, the super cute, preppy wearing ASB President (aka "Cliff Oppa!!") that always carried your books to math class. Post-P90x, that is.
Required fields are marked *
ockoala
August 10, 2010 at 7:15 PM
belleza, do you live in my house, you know, that noise I hear upstairs. How else do you know how much I squee over SSH. When I see YamaPi I let out an even more high pitched shriek, especially if it involves a certain publication called AnAn.
Required fields are marked *
mookie
August 10, 2010 at 8:33 PM
Dont think I wont elbow my MOB sistas and w/ bloody lustful greed lap up the pinkberry SSH is sharing on a 102 deg day at Santa Monica Place. tsktsktsk
I'm not that deep in the asylum to deny pretty robots sashaying on screens. What I adore about SSH is, he's our sparkling Le Cœur de la Mer in fandom, he's THE brandname to not ugly his pretty up ever. I'm loving his new choice of accessory our lotte lollipop A.I. stallion has added to his blingy package.
I've always been confused w/ the definition of TW idol actor though... when I was in diapers there are those SSH-esque leading men SSH is secretly modeled after w/ enough acting chops for those early Qiong Yao dramas, the Chins.
But then TW idolscape also has a fascination stemmed fr maybe 101 Proposal (?) that is mostly contained in the music field w/ the 'Wu Bai's...and then we have Richie Ren...and is now the torch passed to Peter Ho?
It's last decade that it finally settled w/ going for looks over talent. If we r talking about the WuZuns, sadly even the original WuZun is braiding his hair and slapping dirt on top of his lipgloss to bend w/ the faceless mass.
SSH is smart in that he's never that delusional, he'll always speak to his fanbase and guarantee the pretty and tepid. OTOH he's taking up TWO iconic roles: CYF AND Patrick Swayze, his lofty ambitions had me in stitches and flaring up my insanity.
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 11, 2010 at 1:11 AM
"@ belleza – you take? I think it looks good in random scenes, but I can’t get a grasp of the full effect of the movie."
What if you looked like 35-year old Andy Lau, cried like 50-year old Andy Lau .but belong to an industry unable to showcase you in Real Man pursuits like police epics and karaoke balladeering? To be, as Langston Hughes opined, a Mainland dream deferred onto the Peninsula. Such was your fate, Roman God.
And, so, this trailer proposes Hallyu justice. The man who, in the next life, would be Sino/Canto Superstar (with wuxia-y Musa and Bichunmoo to titillate that speculation) is cast in Hallyu's Drake-doing-Lil Wayne-doing-jail remake of Pan Asia Zeitgeist.
Vicarious legend is still vicarious, but Roman God will finally get to do what he was born to do (if not born in the right country to do it), and what we Joo Jin Mo fans knew all along . . .
He always had a Nose for this shit. ;)
Required fields are marked *
mookie
August 11, 2010 at 2:00 AM
No need to wait for next life, IF the script is not totally crapbasket by the way of the mainstream sino market, Roman God will rule Middle Kingdom.
See, my countrywomen has been missing our Andy Lau, because Andy Lau MP JP unofficially quitted screen acting since the 90s, converting his truckload of charisma and talent to the cultivation of RL AndyLauTM, his dreamboatness will be stratospheric riping to its fruitation come 2012, the condition at stake: IF his fangirls recover fr the shock of him secretly married to a RL fangirl for 2 decades (do feel for them, that HUGE 'it could've been ME!' OMO)
Biotherm Homme project a 50 yo Andy Lau will look like a 32 yo Roman God, and lets face it when Andy was 35, he looked like he was 26...that's his deal w/ the devil. The seeing him manpaining/ crying will be a projection only in our fangirl Limbo, he'll be a serious contender running for the Chief Executive/President of HK.
Required fields are marked *
145 ockoala
August 10, 2010 at 4:16 PM
@ twinnie
Are you serious about starting Giant? Omo, I merely made a passing refernence to the anni dramas, Giant is really it's own unique beast.
Today, the ratings for Giant just beat Dong Yi (for the first time - 22.9 to 21.3), and both have about the 20 some episodes to go. Now we're talking, a real two-man race on Mon-Tues.
You know how I tried watching Dong Yi, and gave up after spitting up Yakult through my nose while laughing. Giant's ratings have been increasing about 1% per episode there about since it premiered at 9%.
I don't recall seeing another drama with such a steady and slow climb. Usually the hits jump like 5-10 pts and them stay high.
I can only say after today's episode - thank you lord for the invention of the telephone (or thank you Alexander Bell).
Required fields are marked *
Diadda
August 10, 2010 at 5:49 PM
HOW many more episodes in Giant? I was going to wait until all of it had broadcast before I started down that path of fandom. I can't stand watching good shows and then waiting a week to find out what happens next. I go Koo-koo and annoy co-workers and my roommate to no end talking about it. Giant seemed like one of those shows I wouldn't be able to wait for. But you are telling me that it is going to have 20 more episodes. 10 more weeks till I can marathon it?!?! Ewww, ok I'll wait.
Back to my latest episode of Dong Yi :)
Required fields are marked *
ockoala
August 10, 2010 at 7:13 PM
24 more episodes of Giant (so 12 more weeks) - please SBS, NO NOT extend Giant and ruin a potentially perfectly paced drama.
Required fields are marked *
Diadda
August 10, 2010 at 8:09 PM
so 3 months till my marathon begins. depressing, but understandable. Must wait for things that are worth it. :)
Required fields are marked *
mookie
August 10, 2010 at 8:44 PM
O. I. Am.
I'm not a fan in TVB anni and K angst because those elements alone r almost never quality quarantees. But so far I have not heard of any awful acting or writing complaints after the children part?! I've checked like 10 min and it's v. EoE (:/), but I'm promised it'll grow out of it, right?
I cant recall the last 'epic' drama I've seen that is good to the last drop w/o asking for compromises fr the audience. So very high expectations for Giant I have.
You know how many TVB anni dramas I was hopelessly watching and addicted to and ranted back in the days. I couldnt name ONE completely terrifically well written one. There are always stuffer eps. 10~ eps of insanely addictive fastpaced start, then 40, 50, 60 eps of middle repetitive makjang and an ending that will have last min deaths or comas or breaking ups and must- throw-stuff-at-screens.
Required fields are marked *
ockoala
August 10, 2010 at 9:22 PM
The only anni drama I've liked from beginning to end, with the exception of its merely okay middle section (like you said, every anni epic has the same format) was Cold Blood, Warm Heart. I think it was the combination of Adam, Chilam, Louis, Gallen that made it somehow so shiny and perfect when I watched it then.
Every other anni epic family drama is exactly as you described it. I stopped watching in the later 90s.
Giant - let me put it this way, so far, other than the sappiness-overloaded childhood section, has veered so far away from sappy I couldn't have asked for more.
And there hasn't yet been a plot development or twist that made me scratch my head, much less want to headdesk, after 26 eps. (with EoE I was headdesking at about ep 10, when Dennis Oh showed up for no discernable reason other than to add another character count).
Anyways, always temper expectations, twinnie (you may only like Giant, not love it, which I can see, but I can't see you hating it or finding it a waste of time).
Despite what Thundie and I are saying.....this could just be her and I's great big trick on the K-dramaverse, convincing everyone Giant is a big win. :-D
Required fields are marked *
146 amg01
August 10, 2010 at 4:58 PM
Muah haha ha hahaha!
I happened to stop by the last "Coffee House" recap, and the "Lady's" over there are getting "Pretty Nasty", what is this world coming to? Can some one send a "Referee" over there before things get even more Ugly!!!!!!!!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
Required fields are marked *
147 amg01
August 10, 2010 at 5:24 PM
*GIANT and HOTELIER*
I have only watched Episode 1&2 of "Giant" the reason being is the I hate one of the main actors, "Lee Beom-Su", the first time I saw him act was in "Surgeon Bong Dal-hee" and i hated his character, he plays an egotistical
"Male Chauvinistic Pig" of a doctor that when I saw he was going to be one of the main characters I said "Nah", I do not think that I can watched anything this guy has done after he played "Doctor Joong-geun Ahn"
"Hotelier"
I saw only 5 episodes, but the way that saw the episodes was like this; First a saw Epi 1 of the J-dorama version than I saw the Epi 1 of the K-drama version I like "Ueto Aya" better than "Song Hye Kyo", I like both versions they are good in there own right, the main problem that i had was the i started to watch them after I saw "Mr Goodbye" and the felt like almost the same theme so i got bored and never finish them, maybe after episode 5 the get better but like I said after "Mr Goodbye" the felt like some sort of remake!!!!!
Required fields are marked *
isabelh
August 10, 2010 at 7:22 PM
I haven't seen Mr Goodbye, but I disagree that the J & K Hoteliers "are good in their own right". The J version took the general outline, made the adoption story totally different thus removing any emotional content, took out several of the love triangles, etc, etc, etc. I actually think Aya was a better actress then Song Hye Kyo in this, but she still can't act worth toffee. And Yonsama only got about 5 minutes of screen time in spite of being featured on the box. I thought the J version was a complete waste of time; if you can't improve on a story, why remake it?
Required fields are marked *
amg01
August 10, 2010 at 9:06 PM
I agree 100% since I only saw 5 episodes worth it is almost impossible for me to have a better way to judge them by, but now that you mention it they do differ quite a bit from each other, another reason why I stop watching both dramas!!!!
Required fields are marked *
mookie
August 10, 2010 at 10:20 PM
What is acting? Why should any decent actor be identified by a character that he/she has played? Care to discuss?!
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 11, 2010 at 12:29 AM
"Why should any decent actor be identified by a character that he/she has played? "
It's the lasting legacy of Hollywood upon world cinema and the most fundamental contract of the rom-com genre. It's why Yoon Eun Hye and Kim Sun Ah have such strong fanbases, and why So Ji Sup got killed off for a good half decade. It's why Lee Ming Jung was called a trampwhoreslut by 13-year old girls on Viikii during BOF, and then worshiped as a "you go girl!!" on Smile, You.
I think without that kind of fangirl identification, soaps (including K-dramas and Telanovelas) would collapse as we know it. The vitriol that daytime soap actresses get when playing villains (or when following up supercouple pairings) predates antis by a good 40 years. But it's also basis for the unique loyalty you see between actors and the audience, of which is otherwise rare there among mainstream actors/actresses.
Required fields are marked *
amg01
August 11, 2010 at 8:28 PM
@belleza, there you go again making sense of my "half baked" thoughts. The "fan base" is the most fickle people of all, why do we like one actor/actress over another? Well I guess goes the same with I like chocolate ice cream over vanilla, or Chinese food over, Thai, but I guess when it comes to actors or musicians somewhere along the line we need to identified with their character or their music as some deeper level other wise we just wont care for it, I think “Lee Beom-Su” is a fine actor and "Park Shi Hoo" to, but the character that he played in "Prosecutor Princess" I hated with passion that i do not care to watched any of his prior work, I guess in that sense I am like the rest of the "Fan Base"!!!
Required fields are marked *
148 lovenyc52
August 10, 2010 at 10:00 PM
Does the entire Pride soundtrack consist of only Queen songs? Just wonderin'...
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 10, 2010 at 11:54 PM
The actual Pride soundtrack has no Queen songs (too expensive to license, similar to how K-dramas may feature American music but not formally include it.) It's just that each episode features a Queen song, different for each one.
Required fields are marked *
lovenyc52
August 11, 2010 at 9:05 AM
yea i looked up the soundtrack and noticed there was only a "Born To Love You" instrumental track. The reason I commented was because I noticed they were playing a different Queen song in the background of every episode (so apparently I know a few more Queen songs than I previously stated haha). It's making me want to start a Queen playlist on my ipod...
Required fields are marked *
momosan
August 11, 2010 at 9:11 AM
Actually, no - the soundtrack itself has 24 tracks, none by Queen. This is a licensing thing. The theme song for Pride and most of the other songs in Pride are from Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody, We are the Champions, Too Much Love Will Kill You, Let Me Live, Radio Gaga (and yes, this song is how Lady Gaga got her name - I have the DVD of LiveAid, and about 2 times a year will queue up the Queen portion - off all the supergroups there, they owned LiveAid) and of course, the theme Born to Love You.
Required fields are marked *
149 ockoala
August 11, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Secret Garden is starting its script reading on August 14.
What's the over-under that Ha Ji Won will be eye-flirting to build the onscreen chemistry with Jang Hyuk.
I think the odds are higher than Hyukie cutting off Wavdor and going back to his Tazza/Thank You/Robbers cut.
I can't lie and say I haven't watched pretty much every Kim Eun Sook drama, and that I always enjoy it for the most part even with the understanding that it's not terribly well-written. Sigh, she always gets actors with unbelievable chemistry with each other, how can one not fall for her fairytale stylings.
I'm currently finding myself craving dessert after a main course, so started watching Lovers. Aside from a desire to strangle Kim Jung Eun when she makes her ridonculous faces, she and Lee Seo Jin clearly took the cue from Lee Byung Hun and Song Hye Kyo from their All In filming, i.e. if you are crazy lusting after your co-star, harness that energy for the screen, baby.
I personally hope Secret Garden is more City Hall/On Air than the Lovers trilogy. Without Lee Bum Soo and Park Yong Ha, I would not have survived On Air, but there were pockets of meta-goodness hidden inside. And recollecting Kim Ha Neul acting against Lee Bum Soo still makes me laugh, oh poor girl was so out-classed, but LBS always draws his co-star into a performance so they ended up creating a little bit of rhythm in their pairing.
Sigh, Lovers is so.....Lovers for lack of a better descriptor.
Required fields are marked *
Leonardswench
August 11, 2010 at 11:45 AM
Sigh.
I just spent 20 minutes looking up all the references in this one post, typed a reply, then wiped it by accident whilst hugging the baby.
Oh, well .....
Required fields are marked *
ockoala
August 11, 2010 at 8:54 PM
Oh, what were you going to say? I'm sad for you, it sucks to lose a written piece of work. :-(
Required fields are marked *
Leonardswench
August 12, 2010 at 3:57 AM
I'd have to do it all over again, I couldn't put enough brain cells back together to do it yesterday/earlier today, so will have to wait for another opportunity.
I'm still new enough that I'm having to learn all the names of actors as well as the off-screen talent. Several actors/actresses have made big enough impressions for good or evil that I don't or won't forget their names any time soon, however, I still go, "Who's that? What did we see them in?" and then go googling to find out where I know them from.
It took me 15 minutes to figure out PSH's manager in You're Beautiful was the prosecutor-in-training from Miss Golddigger, one of the rare times I did not have to google. One of the actors I knew immediately was Jang Geun Suk, who I had seen in Lovers in Prague previously and thought, That kid's got it. Boy does he!
Some of the writers I'm getting to recognize very well, mostly the Hong sisters, although, my caveat there is that I've recently been slightly disappointed in some of their 'standard' fare: while they've put a fresh face on some very well-chewed k-drama standards, sometimes they get lazy or brick-walled and I find myself going, "Not in this one, too!"
Required fields are marked *
djeedjes
August 11, 2010 at 7:05 PM
I think the only good thing I got after watching Lovers is..to know Jung Chan. I was rooting for him all the way.
I think Lovers is better than, say, Princess Lulu.
KJE's Princess Lulu was over the top, and I hate her for that.. but then she said she also didn't like her character and was contemplating to quit.
I think I only like KJE in All About Eve.
Required fields are marked *
ockoala
August 11, 2010 at 9:00 PM
Okay, I'm gonna do a post about Kim Eun Sook and her dramas and how she writes men and women (I need to illustrate it with screen caps to hammer home the point).
So far, I HATE every character in Lovers, with the exception of the fact that I am totally a Lee Seo Jin fangirl for life after Damo. He has goodwill the same will Rebel Leader Kim Min Joon has my goodwill.
Anyways, so I love Lee Seo Jin in Lovers, cuz he's all cute and hot for his co-star. But Lordy, KES has sunk to a low with this drama - to say its brainless would be to accord it some brain. It's stupid and dragging, even Lovers in Paris was breezy and zippy in the beginning. I hate Kim Jung Eun less in this drama than I did her performance and character in LiP.
I have this percolating theory that Kim Eun Sook hates writing women characters - she is creating fairytales for women, and her men are her strong suit. I need to mull on it some more.....
I'm going to have to say buh-bye to lovers and start IAL, but not before I FF my way to that legendary sex scene.
Required fields are marked *
belleza
August 12, 2010 at 9:19 PM
"I have this percolating theory that Kim Eun Sook hates writing women characters – she is creating fairytales for women, and her men are her strong suit. I need to mull on it some more….."
Mmm, that better describes Kim Ki Ho rather than Kim Eun Sook. Ki Ho writes female heroines to judge them (and with not a little contempt for the viewing audience); Kim Eun Sook doesn't really do characterization, per se. She argues, quite rightly, that in a Korean star vehicle, the story is merely an obstacle course for the principal couple. She largely throws out the development of a relationship and delegates that to the pure charisma of her star leads. In return, she in screwball fashion more focuses on the quips and banter, and she'll also slip in class and gender observation to pepper scenes up. Kim Eun Sook is linear about the rival characters; in her work, they are truly written in order to promote the principle couple. If the girls are mean, they are very mean. If the guys are pathetic, they are very pathetic. The choice is always easy. In most Kim Eun Sook, it's really the actors playing the rival characters that do the heavy lifting. The lead actors merely have to twinkle, but of course the expectation is their twinkle has to be a 1000 points of light.
Required fields are marked *
epyc
August 12, 2010 at 6:48 AM
I am totally with you, djes, that Jung Chan is the only good thing out of Lovers (plus Lee Han, aka Kim Nam-gil). And me too on KJE's best role is in ABE.
Required fields are marked *
150 supah
August 11, 2010 at 11:47 AM
@ockoala
I've read your comment over on Thundie's blog and here, so thought I'd write a combined comment here.
LBS has gone stellar, I tell thee. If he gets overlooked now after his jaw-dropping performance in episode 22, then I'll use gangster Park So-tae's entire lexicon, yes, all of his filthy swear-words to curse the awards shows. And not only LBS, let's not forget everyone else - from the veteran actors to the kids.
Your telephone comment? You are a hopeless romantic, I'll hand you that. I was like 'Noooo, she's a damn-Hwang!' I want him nowhere near those damn-Hwangs, who clipped this kid's wings and broke his spirit. We've barely just got the old Gang-mo back, the one we loved and cherished. Does she even deserve him?
There's that nightmare she had around ep20? 21? When he says he would have lived a normal and happier life had he never met her, and I know I'm cruel but I second that. But then the fact that she's hearing him say those things in her subconscious mind, must mean she feels some guilt (if their conversation in episode 9 was too subtle for us, then we can add that fact and the events of ep18 to make it concrete that she feels reponsible and guilty for his downfall -- let's not even talk about ep23 onwards as that takes it to another level entirely). So I guess I can hate on her less now, haha!
Jung-yun was written so well, but I never really felt her sincerity (until now). Park Jin-hee's doing everything well, acting-wise but I still felt something was amiss. But she is evidently trying hard and she does continue to improve by the episode, I'm SO glad she's stepped up her game character-wise. As much as her transformation was necessary, I do feel for the poor thing, her situation is kind of ironic -- doing something for someone, but that same someone is out to destroy that same something that she's fighting for (?) *scratches head* -- I expect some really messy clashes and maybe somewhere down the line she'll become someone worthy of him, who knows? After finally establishing a connection with her in ep25, I went back to a few episodes and had a good cry. I feel I can FINALLY understand her, hallelujah.
Personally, So-tae, Baldielocks (''innumaaah'') and Lim Jung-yoon (don't know his character name) remain GM's best companions, ever.
Now Min-woo, does he deserve Mi-joo? Answer is: oh, hell no!
Me and Janna refer to him on occasion as 'wife beater' or Tinman (as in heartless bastard) so HIM and OMG... HER? = Run, Mi-joo, runnn!
Required fields are marked *
ockoala
August 11, 2010 at 9:03 PM
Heh, I'm a total romantic, and I love bad boys. Min Woo will prove himself worthy of deserving Mi Joo. And who cares who Jung Yeon's father is. She is nothing like him, and clearly hates her origins.
I find the "daughter-of-your-enemy" trope good for some tension and heartache, but it always get resolved with the exact same resolution - the guy learns to GET OVER IT. Our Gang Mo will be getting there soon enough, I foresee big bro Sang Mo having way more problems with it.
Required fields are marked *
supah
August 12, 2010 at 2:57 PM
Oh yeaah, that's the beauty of the two brothers - that they're polar opposites down to the minute details.
Gangmo retaliates there and then, whether it's punching someone square in the jaw, setting his gangster underlings after him, or merely voicing his opinion, he soon forgives, forgets, moves on.
Seungmo, never, ever forgets. And forgiveness is a notion completely alien to him.
I like how they approached the 'daughter-of-the-enemy' trope: he simply learned the truth, was shocked and decided to distance himself from her, which was a smart move at the time given his situation, but then he was forced to drift apart even further and so we have it. He isn't the kind to include her in what should be his own personal conflict with HTS. I can see that OTP working out one day, they have a long history together, too and HTS isn't really that bad, he's an accomplice -- a reluctant one at that and never the actual perpetrator, plus he did give Lee Daesoo a decent enough burial back at Busan.
Just like JY-GM have a lot of similarities and are always on the same wavelength, the same goes for MJ-MW. Neither of them are very honest, haha, they rarely let their guard down, and one likes playing games and the other one knows how to play along. Voila, they get on like a house on fire. Sadly, I brain hemorrhage at the possibility of these two having a happy ending, but I'll zip it now. Let's see what show does with these two.
Alas, ROMANCE MUST DIE!!
Required fields are marked *