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 am good! How are you? And your folks? Dad totally out of the woods yet? Are you still staying with them or visiting (back and forth to help with chores)? Has your brother left? I left you a message in last OT here, I don't know if you read it:
Iv! Read your response, thanks. my dad is cleared medically for his hand, but he messed up his knee, so I'm still mowing.
Bro and family made it back safely from Florida; unfortunately, a severe windstorm in Virginia took out a 40-year old maple right on top his hanging baskets that we were storing for him. It was a carnage of impatiens! Okay not quite, and most of them recovered before he got back. :-)
The 'rents are coming back today from a two-week bus tour of Branson and Pidgeon Forge. I made Chianti cookies, their favorite, and later on this week I'm going to grab the landlord's F150 and haul in topsoil for the pit where the maple used to be.
My goals this week are to upload up to chapter 10 of the new romance, watch AGD, and maybe wash my car. The country commute has made Attila a patchwork quilt of insect carcasses.
Bonjour Korazy Lady, hope you saw my last email. I still have to finish answering the other emails. How are you? Hope you will have a great weekend :-)!
John, I loved Attic Cat even if it was a little dated, and started watching RMPW. But that is clearly a show I'd like to marathon and was disappointed that so far there are only 3 episodes out. Why do I torture myself so??
Sooo good to hear (err... read) from you on this fine Friday. I left you a response here on the last OT (# 249), on the 2nd page:
66.1 Ivoire July 23rd, 2012 at 1:12 pm
I am not sure whether you read it or not. If you didn't, read it. It's a little long, but worth the read, I think. I also mentioned what I am currently watching in my last post here on this OT:
1.8 Ivoire July 27th, 2012 at 12:55 pm
So, what do you think of the current dramas you are watching? I am curious now (about your opinion)...
Thank you, I learned something new today! So interesting, how we can communicate with people from around the world on this blog. I have written to and read from (personally) Americans (with different backgrounds), Spanish, Malaysians, Indonesians, Africans, Europeans (French, Poles, etc)... It's the United Nations here, and we primarily come here because of our love and interest in Kdramas and Korean related matters. Isn't that something?
I am sorry I never gave you my take on the whole JHW-YIN story, although I really meant to (honestly). I can still tell you (even now) if you are still interested in what I think and thought at the time. I just feel bad that I didn't keep my word on that. It was fun for me at the time that was unravelling. I do wish them well, both in their personal lives and in their professional ones.
So do you live in Poland? And you are Pole, I take it? (I don't want to assume, I would rather ask). Really good to hear from you. I have noticed that you don't seem to write on Saturdays, just Fridays on OT. Is that the only day you participate, Friday? Because OT goes on until whenever, you just post and people check to see if there was an answer to their post. I have left you responses in the past and realized you hadn't read them. So I was just wondering...
And then, the following Friday, when OT starts, we just take it from there. So OT usually goes from Friday to the following Thursday and then we start a new Thread on Friday. I hope your weekend started well.
I participate in OT on Fridays because 1) of time zones, 2) on Saturdays I am busy with housework and the likes, it's the offline day for me :)
I remember you had promised to give me some answers and checked the respective threads buy I never found them *pouts and goes to search*
As for YIN/JHW - I read some more detailed articles about the matter and changed my mind a little when I learned the whole backstory. But still, I don't like people mixing private and professional issues. I am not going to comment about celebrities' relationships anymore.
Sorry I am late again in answering. Maybe you will get this... next week? I am sooooo sorry that you kept looking for my posts and there weren't there. You should have told me. I do want to say something about why I felt the way I felt about their relationship and the way it went down. Maybe, if you are done talking about it, you could indulge me and let me talk about it, please, pretty please :-)? *Does aegyo for you* (is it working, by the way?)
I will assume that you will be interested in what I have to say (what I wanted to say at the time) and I will write my draft and post it next week for you, since I doubt that I will hear from you this week. I will post it (I am not sure where) but I will let you know.
I am sorry I made you pout, (really) but I thought that was cute :-). Please forgive me. I tend to write a lot (as you have seen).
Dear Ivoire,
if I may suggest, don't try aegyo on me. Doesn't work, and definitely not the way you may expect *tames the sarcastic beast in herself*
I am interested in your opinions, but maybe not necessarily on that subject. I really don't bother thinking about YIN&JHW. Peace&love with them, but as I said, I don't care. *the cynic speaking*
In case you happen to read this message (this week or next week), I got it on both accounts: I will not try the aegyo on you anymore (sorry about that, I was actually doing that in a sisterly kind of way [influence of Kdramas]. I hope it didn't come across any other way and if it did, I apologize), and I will keep my opinions about YIN and JHW to myself. I hope your weekend is going well!
As for aegyo it just isn't my cup of tea - be it sisterly, brotherly, nieghbourly or any kind of way. Not that i am offended in any way, but it's totally wasted on me ;p
Hi Maya, no worries, we are good. I think I do owe you a response from last OT, so I will answer (still) and post it when I am done. Sorry about that :-( And I will let you know when I do as well.
Tim Wang's Saranghae I love you?
so lame..
i try to watch it.. no different than any other sinetron here in my country.. really bad acting by the local actors.. ugh! i can't stand it, Ivy.. Sorry,,
better for you not to watch it, really:')
Thank you so much for the links. I haven't seen them, but I will and thank you for sharing these. I posted these a while back, did you see them? This was in OT #245. Check it out when you get a chance and please let me know what you think :-) I will be back later to answer to your post. Check out this OT throughout the weekend, please.
3.5 Ivoire June 22nd, 2012 at 12:09 pm
Because this is a place where we get to share our culture(s) and our experiences (and our love of Kdramas and Korean culture of course) and OT is the venue to do it, I just wanted to share with you what was sent to me yesterday, and that made me think of a few other things I have been thinking of sharing.
Some of these moves are from Ghana and these moves (dances) are usually danced in Sub-Sahara Africa (meaning below the Arab African countries), and as with moves and dances, they then become a trend and they usually have a name.
The first 3 videos are the AZONTO dance from Ghana and the last one is from Cameroon (where I am from) and I can’t remember the name of the dance right now. It is a dance that has been around for a very, very, very long time…
So I am just giving you a little sample of our dances. Some of these moves give new meaning to the expression “Dropping it like it’s hot :-) ” and we know where Beyonce and the like get many of their moves from… Enjoy, I hope! (the music, the instruments and the dances). Some of the videos are a little long, but I think they are worth watching. It also occurred to me that some of those moves/dances are found in pop dances/moves all over the world.
1–For this video, make sure that you watch it from the very beginning, when the musical call is done and the dancers come together. This is an “African Contemporary Dance Flash Mob – in Downtown Silver Spring, MD, USA”
This is the AZONTO dance, performed at the University of AKRON (in Ohio, USA, I think). I LOVE that it was an international event and the comment about “Africans dance good, but we dance good too :-) , said by the guy who was filming.”
Encyclopedie (Encyclopedia of) d’Assiko at “Camtogether Under the Volcano” (They look like they might be professional dancers and dancing they do. Please pay attention to the crippled guy who still manages to dance…) This was filmed in Cameroon.
I am doing good!!! And how are you? I still owe you an answer from last OT which I will post when I am done writing it. It has been on hold for the moment, but I haven't forgotten and I will finish it and I will post it and we can talk about it then. Does that sound OK to you? Please forgive me :-(! I am usually good about responding to my posts :-)
I answered your other question below, so please read. Did you start Gaksital? If yes, what did/do you think of it?
No worries at all, I think I owe you at least one post/reply, too.:D Take your time, Ivoire!
I haven't started Gaksital yet, but I might watch the first episode (or two) tonight, and will let you know my thoughts! To be honest, at the moment I'm more in the mood for mindless fluff, my brain might not be able to handle serious drama . :)
@ OTS, Great! Then we each owe each other something, yay!!! I feel better now :-). I think I am writing you a book, or maybe more like a journal, which I know you enjoy reading, right? :-)
Speaking of BM (Gaksital), it is heavy. It is violent (really), engaging, emotional, angstsy and yes, it is serious, especially considering the history and time period it is set in. So at least you know what to expect if and when you choose to watch it. I do like it though (the few episodes I have seen) and I need to see it from the beginning to fully appreciate it. When you DO watch it, pay attention to the music, it is sooooo good IMHO!!!! It totally makes the drama for me. Koreans are really good with OSTs, both instrumental and (songs with) lyrics, but I am still blown away by the OST for BM. Music is so important in this drama that it is in almost every scene. Watch and pay attention and let me know what you think (when you get to it).
I meant to say this earlier: I do hope that you guys will have a great weekend and will enjoy a nice weather. It has been cold at night and sometimes for a good portion of the day in my neck of the woods and we have had a few really hot days. I am not complaining however, not being to hot works for me. It just makes me curious about the weather, isn't it supposed to be summer? Anyhoo, I am just rolling with it.
So far, I am just watching AGD (some movement forward with all the couples, yay!!!!), Gaksital (I still haven't watched the beginning, which I need to do) and I have watched a few episodes of INR2 and I don't feel pulled in at all. This show doesn't do anything for me. I do like the 2nd male lead though, better than the male lead (look wise and character wise). I don't know why I feel like he won't get the girl in the end (2nd male lead). I also think that the male lead is being a Noble Idiot (actually, I am convinced of it). as far as female leads, I liked the female lead from the INR1 better. I liked how spunky she was.
Big's ending didn't make sense to me, AT ALL!!! I fell like it was a cop out and was poorly handled, and didn't follow the line of the story, especially in lieu of what we learned in that episode revealed by Ma Ri. Good thing I was not invested from the start (I didn't even watch all the episodes, I would just check it out every so often, an episode here and there, for the acting, to see how that was). I couldn't get behind the storyline, based on the characters' age, especially Kyun Joon and his relationship with Da Ran, but I wanted to see some of the plot points and see GY and LMJ acting.
It only became warm here this weekend, and it might get cold again soon. Summer's been officially reduced to a week! :(
Big has been my biggest drama disappointment of the year so far. Watched the first 5 episodes, then kept reading the recaps hoping it would get better, but it only became increasingly messy, IMHO. Big had some nice moments, but I think it may have worked better as a comedy (after all, isn't comedy what THS do best?). Also, I absolutely hated that we never really got to meet YJ.
"Summer’s been officially reduced to a week! :(" hear, hear!!! I hear you on that one. *Sighs*
Yeah, re: Big, I really wanted to meet YJ and hear his side of the story. Someone said that the HS didn't care about YJ and I tend to believe that. He was a compelling character though, I really wanted to meet him as well. Do you know that the cast had a press conference after the show and GY and LMJ were not there? (or they were there but didn't stay for the interview, according to someone else), which begs the question, why not? Where they trying to avoid questions, really good ones? *Sighs again...* What a cop out...
You can read about it here:
I just read a little bit of the article, and I feel that she is trying to justify what happened with Big and the ending, but the truth is that THS messed up the ending. Like K says, they couldn't handle the pressure of having GY all drama long and then show Shin at the end (can you imagine him, kissing her, ewww!). This is why I didn't support this drama from the beginning (the premise, not the actors who did well), I couldn't get behind the premise. If Kyun Joon was older, then maybe yes, the 8 year difference would not have bothered me as much. But he was in his teens and she was his teacher, don't these things matter? *End of rant, thank you for reading*
And you can disagree with me, that's totally fine, and I KNOW, it is just a drama, but still...It doesn't make it right (again, just my opinion).
So do you know what fluffy drama you are going to watch next? I am finishing AGD and I am waiting for Faith.
Ivoire,
I'm with on you on the age difference. See, in dramas like Dal Ja's Spring (or, to be completely fair, any drama where the male lead is several years older than the female), I can buy the pairing because both characters are adults, even if one of them is younger. In Big, we were constantly reminded that KJ is a teenager - in fact, maybe if we weren't, I would have felt better about the OTP. It felt as if the Hong Sisters had the premise and Gong Yoo, but weren't sure what to d next.
Faith? Yes, please! I'm so ready for the epicness! Arang is another drama I'm looking forward to, but I'm worried about the ending - how can you have a happy ending with a ghost? :(
Hey OTS, I will be back later to comment (because, wouldn't you know it, I have things to say :-)), but I am trying to get to other posts before I get off the computer. So, please be patient with me and check throughout today and the weekend. You should know me by now, I always make an effort to respond at some point.
I hope you are doing fine and I hope that your weekend is going well. I think I might owe you a response from last OT, I will check on that. If I do, I will eventually respond and I will let you know when I have responded. Sorry if I owe you a response and I have been late. Have a great weekend!
I've already watched this video about a dozen times, and my heart swelled each time. Isn't it sad that a 50 second fan-vid gave me so much more closure than the ending THS wrote...
I hated it too! haha! Kinda glad I stopped watching it and read recaps instead. I did watch the last episode just to see how bad it was... :P IT wasn't as bad but the process of how we got there was just not understandable. It's a drama, they should have made it blank point of what happened to the main leads instead of leading us around in circle then not showing us them together but flashback instead--saying that it is them. It just didn't click with me. Blah...
I love lee ta ri ending was much better---they show 2 min of what the 14 year old went thru to grow up and fated to meet up with her again. That's what I call a good ending even if it is open ending---you kinda know what happened to them, meet again, and from there, of course, love is love, they are together again.
I want a straight to the point romance...not one where I have to think toooo hard. LMao. ^^
Big could have been so much better. Sad it wasn't.
I Love Italy aka I Love Lee TaeRi is the feel good drama of the year for me. First time that Yeyin plays a cute, sweet, likeable character. I never cared for Kibum, but here he is just too cute and likeable. It made me LOL and smile through most of the show. Unlike "Big", which was funny at first and then turned into angsty. It was this close to becoming my favorite Hong sisters drama. Too bad that they were afraid to go a little further. The ending was disappointing, but I still would recommend it just for the first half of it.
Glad to see that someone agreed with me that the ending for ILLTR was SO much better than Big - it made sense, it was romantic and it was a happy ending. Nothing ambiguous, nothing hidden, no flashback cuts to get away with a crappy ending. And it didn't hurt that Kim KiBum is easy on the eyes!
:)
Haha! yes, kibum sure is a cutie. ^^
And the ending is happy! * awww, wonderful...this is what love should be like--giving you that satisfaction after spending 16 hours watching (ups and down and in the end, settled down warmly in) a drama.*
YES!!! I was so touched during most of the episodes of I love Italy (I Love Lee Tae Ri.) That is now one of my favorite dramas. And they didn't have silly outrageous beside-the-point plotlines. Everything was so wonderfully done!
I have the last 5 episodes downloaded but after reading the recaps it sounds like a hot mess! I'm trying to decide if I should just forever keep Han Kyul in my mind......
I know! I was at work, and by the time I got home, it was like 400+ entries! I don't know what the final count was, but I was wondering if that was a record. People really got spun up, not that I blame them. For you, keep the cute scenes in your heart and run like he## from the rest.
As an interesting sideline, I started watching "The Queen of SOP" on viki. It actually has a bunch of positive and cute scenes by the Waitan River in Shanghai! I guess only the Han is Woeful - lol.
The waterworks from Meahri in AGD, and the rain scenes in Big, really make me think it's best to stay dry and away from water in Korea. 8-)
Oh no! I will be watching the last episodes of Big only this weekend. I haven't read the recaps. Your comments are making me anxious. I saw the poor ratings by JB and GF.I'll be expecting the worst...
Not quite the worst - the endings for Stairway to Heaven, IRIS, Warrior Baek Dong Su, Fashion King, 49 Days are all right up there in the WTF? Department.
:)
I feel bad for Gong Yoo. And the Hong Sisters.
I hope he gets a better drama next time, or that this one doesn't discourage him from making another drama.
[praying for the next batch of dramas to be better.]
I'm going through Gaksitaaaaaaal withdrawal with only one episode this week and next. It's the only new drama I'm following right now.
I gave up on Big mid-way through and just followed the recaps. Looks like I didn't miss much and the writers chickened out with the ending. Personally, I don't know what's so offputting about the age difference, especially that Da Ran is only 6 years older than Kyung Joon. The actors had great chemistry in the first episode, so it would have been great to see them develop a relationship at the end.
On another note, Dr. Jin recaps have me in fits of laughter. I pity and admire HeadsNo2 for sticking with this drama.
Yes, me too. I'm trying to cope with watching only one episode per week... What I don't get is why Ghost still airs its 2 episodes this week, while we only get 1 episode of Gaksital when SBS is the main broadcaster for Olympics..
Not at all! I like Ghost as well. What I meant was that I just can't see the reason why KBS has to preempt one episode of Gaksital, while SBS still airs 2 episodes of Ghost. Why this week?
Hmmm I've been thinking about starting Gaksital, but it seems to serious. Or am I overreacting?
Actually, I never got into watching BIG. I caught several episodes in the meantine and read the recaps, but it's the weakest Hong Sisters' drama I have seen (I haven't seen all of them - like Fantasy Couple). I couldn't find myself invested in any conflict or emotions and got scared away by psycho girl played by Suzy. Grrrr I don't tolerate characters like that.
As for Dr Jin - it's beyond anything. I open the recaps only to have a look at the last picture which always shows JJ.
I think fantasy couple has some really great moments and one of my favorite hong sisters characters a lot of makgoli and jajjangmyon. It was a frustrating watch.
but this brat is played by han ye seul and she's not really a brat, she's really a woman with the world in her command. And even when she loses her memory some of this character remains I didn't find her unlikable. I think my major problem with the show was oh ji ho.
Fantasy Couple is one of my favorite HS dramas - probably because 'Overboard' with Goldie Hawn/Kurt Russell is my go-to feel good American movie. The HS did a good job in lifting the plot and making it their own. I like HYS and OJH is such a sweet guy.
:)
Fantasy Couple was my first kdrama ever! And really the only reason I decided to watch it was because the description mentioned the Overboard link! I agree with ajummabunny: it was a frustrating watching. Still I could.not.stop. No matter how annoyed I was at something in the episode, I couldn't stop myself from clicking to next ep! I NEEDED to know how it ended!! I remember finishing it and being so torn. I thought, do I dare try another kdrama? There was lots I liked but was I ready to go though that again? The loss of willpower and sleep? The obsessive thoughts? Sigh. Needless to say I came around again, so glad I didn't let it turn me off of kdramas for good. It's not the best I've seen, but it still holds it's own spot in my heart. :)
Czesc Kopytko,
I really recommend Gaksital, though it's not everyone's bottle of soju. It does deal with painful issues, good people die and other good people get tortured. However, since the show is based on a manga, it is very stylized which makes the hard-to-watch stuff more palatable. There are some silly moments, too, like the unrealistically fast wardrobe changes, the horse that miraculously senses the hero in danger and rescues him, and Joo Won's anachronistically tight suits, to name just a few. Overall, the show has great action, some great characters played by committed actors, and enough crack in it to make you impatient for the next episode.
I think he's been taking lessons from So Ji-sub's character in MiSa. Remember how he would always have those dramatic transformations in his car or an elevator, and we'd have to watch him every. single. time? JUST RIP OFF THE MUSTACHE ALREADY!!
Seriously, though, I want whatever product Kang-to is using.
Hi WWFS,
when I first read about Gaksital "Czas honoru" was the first thing that came to my mind, I guess because of the political setup. It is a very good show, but one that engages you emotionally a lot, even too much. I guess I will save it for a colder season. Or maybe? Anyway, I am very grateful for your recommendation. Dzieki! :)
Kopytko,
I'm not up on Polish shows, is "Czas honoru" good? One reason I like Gaksital is that it shows the period of Korean history when they were under Japanese occupation. It reminds me of a lot of Polish movies and shows that showed people's bravery fighting the Nazis, but Gaksital isn't as bleak. I think there was a show ages ago which was set in the 30s in pre-war Gdansk, when it was a free city ruled jointly by Poles and Germans. The political background was the struggle for power with the Germans trying to take over (of course), which parallels with the Japanese strengthening their grip on Korea in Gaksital. I think the main character was a private detective who becomes an agent working against the Germans. No idea what it was called.
"Czas honoru" is one of the best if not THE best show in last 10 years or so. If you have a chance - do have a look. It is dark and intense, but the characters are very palpable and it doesn't leave one indiffernt.
The show you're talking about seems like "Na kłopoty... Bednarski" http://filmpolski.pl/fp/index.php/123798 - it's a classic. Actually, it is also similar to Gaksital, but it also has a strong focus on detective storyline.
Thanks for the recommendation! Yes, it was "Na klopoty... Bednarski"! This brings back memories. Looks like it aired the year I left for the States. I think Gaksital is closer in tone to that than to "Czas honoru" judging from the description.
@kopytko
No problem! I've never seen Czas Honoru, but heard so much about it from my Polish friends - might have to put it on my list of shows to watch...
These Polish shows you all talk about sound really interesting - is there a way to watch them? (OK, I could go to Poland and turn on the TV, I suppose, but that's not what I meant. ^^; ) Is anybody subbing Polish shows into English (German, French, anything really). I've learned enough Polish to understand the title, but a whole show would probably be too much. Could somebody do that on Viki, maybe? Would be really really cool!
Hi Simon!
If you receive TVP Polonia via satellite, you should be able to catch it with English subs. I guess they are going to air it sometime in September. Otherwise, you can watch it online. http://www.tvp.pl/seriale/obyczajowe/czas-honoru is one option - the official site run by Polish tv. There are also many other sources, but sadly I haven't seen any subbed ones :|. You can learn by watching, right? That's how I learn't German (X Files) and Russian (cartoons).
@kopytko:
Thank you! dziekuje :) *hugs* I don't have a Satellite dish (it's not allowed in the house I live in) - but that hardly matters, because I don't have a TV, either. ^^; But I've got the internet link now! Thank you! :)
If they have Polish subtitles (like, "for the hearing impaired" or something), that might work...
Actually, do they put subtitles (maybe even foreign ones) on DVDs in Poland? Watching dramas is really a good way to study language. (It's pretty hard to find Eastern European DVDs with subs, though. For me, at least.)
But: you learned German from watching X-Files?! You've studied the language before, at school, or something, right? o_ô Because: woah. X-Files does pack some very difficult words. ^^; (I've only had a few courses in Polish, at the end of which I could ask for the way, the price and tell some station book shop ajumma that I've only got 3 sloty left to buy something nice, so she should give me some advice... Not enough for shows on politics, is it? ^^; )
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand: Russian cartoons? Nu pogodi!!!! *jumps up and down on the couch* (That's the extend of my Russian by now, all thanks to wolf pyon.) o^___^o
I am glad I can be of any help :)
It turns out that the version on DVD is fully subbed both in English and in Polish (a great way to study when you listen and see the transcription at the same time!). There are all four seasons available (the fifth will be aired in Autumn).
I had studied German before watching XFiles, but I couldn't speak and the vocabulary was also of the phrasebook style (How much is it? How do I go to...? hehehe). While watching one gets excited and invested and so you just get to understand more and more - I watched several seasons in German, so it did take some time :). My favourite cartoon in Russian was the soviet version of Winnie the Pooh - really quirky and in style. After seeing that I was sorry to think about Disney version, which was so soulless.
@kopytko:
5 seasons?!!! omo ^^; But the DVDs have English subtitles, that's wonderful! I'll look for them next time I'm in Poland! :) Are there other shows or movies you can recommend? I agree that watching TV shows and movies (with subs, maybe) is a very good way of learning the language! I've pretty much learned Japanese from watching Anime (and studying at university, OK. *ahem* :3 ) and now I'm starting to pick up more and more Korean from all the dramas I watch.
Reading books is, of course, also a good way. I've been dying to read the Witcher series (Saga o Wiedźminie), but my Polish isn't even good enough for the children's books I bought last time I visited Warszawa. And I don't really have time to study (Polish) that much, because my uni studies have absolutely nothing to do with it... :/
With regards to the Russian cartoons - I've never seen the Russian Poo (as far as I remember, ahem), but I know what you mean. Even as a child I thought Disney films were really really ... stupid. Oversimplified. Puritan goody good - wickedly evil dichotomy (and in the end, evil always dies, har!). In an interview Miyazaki once said that Disney lied to children (about the world). It's all so ... empty. The European and Asian cartoons I watched (and watch, to be honest :P ) have much more ... "soul", you know what I mean? *sigh*
Anyways, thank you for replying so patiently to my never ending barrage of questions! *hugz* :)
And btw: you have to watch Bridal Mask or: "Gaksital will never forgive you!" ;)
@Simon
If I were to recommend only one Polish drama that would be definitely "Dom". It is commonly considered to be the best of the best and I perosnally love it. It shows poeple's fates with history in the background. You may have to read a wee bit about the historical events to enjoy to the full, but even if you don't, you can't help but feel for the characters. Surprise, surprise, it's online and subbed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0D5ENHBMLQ
Just pay attention not to confuse it with "Dom nad rozlewiskiem" - it's immensely popular, but it drives me mad - really ajumma-esque stuff, cheesy and generic.
Another drama I find great is "Ekstradycja" - about a policeman with issues. Really good, fabulous music, but I am afraid there isn't any subbed version.
And, yes, I am going to watch Gaksital, I am just not sure when :)
He~j. Sorry, I'm only replying now. I don't get a ping back to my mail when you answer and I've been away for a few days.
Thank you so much for everything! And the Youtube link!!! *hugglez* TV shows are not only a good way to learn languages, but also to learn about history - you get emotionally invested and then read up on what happened. I learned about the French Revolution from watching Versailles no Bara/Lady Oscar. ^o^
I hope you will be watching Gaksital. If any show is worth watching, this is it. You could come to the Soompi forum to discuss about it ...
Anyways, hope to hear from you again (one day at least)! So long and thanks for all the fish. :)
If serious (and seriously twisted) isn't your thing, Gaksital might not be for you. On the other hand, it's an incredibly fun kind of serious, and I love it to pieces.
It's not that I dislike serious things. It's just that I tend to take it too much to heart, especially that I can relate to the whole situation - there was a similar period in my country's history. You know, it's not good when you watch something and then go around unsettled for several days :)
The romance wasn't heady and swoon inducing. I just watched it because of the character Anne, she seemed like a warmhearted heroine with a cold, cold exterior. Frankly I wasn't emotionally invested in the characters. Just watched it because I was bored.Very bored.
Da Ran is actually 8 years older than Kyun Joon. Koala's Playground did a chart at some point while the show was airing that explained the different connections and gave the age of the main characters. So Da Ran was 8 years older than Kyun Joon and 4 years younger than Yoon Jae (sp?), just to clarify. (and maybe you are still thinking, same difference...) but I just thought I would clarify that.
So last weekend I was looking for a drama that I can watch on daily basic. You know the one that would be fun and entertaining, but not so engaging that you can't help but keep watching. So my pick went to *drumroll* History of Salaryman! It was always there on the list of dramas in Viki and the title caught my attention that particular weekend more than before that I looked it up in DramaWiki. Finally I decided to watch it because I thought it would be another High Kick. Fun but not clingy. But boy was I wrong. I fell in love immediately after watching the first episode and just kept watching it episode after episode. It's so quirky, somewhat offbeat, hilarious AND engaging. It's a perfect blend of suspense thriller/dark comedy. It's unique that each male lead can create their own genre just by their appearance on screen esp in the first episode. As much as I love the story and the tone and the nuance, I have to say that it's the characters that really won me over. I love the three main leads, but I'm a tad iffy about Hang Woo. I like him in the first first part of episodes, but he frustrated me in the latter part because of his "unawareness" of the true manipulative enemy. I love Yeo Chi for her brazenness, her bold choice of words (lol-and props to SBS for bleeping out her cussing, it just another example of how small details can induce big laugh), and her wily ways. Yoo Bang is so kind, big-hearted, persistent, and comedic. And I just can't help but love him. Lee Bum Soo did a great job in portraying Yoo Bang (or Versailles Yoo. LOL) with his perfect comedic timing and comedic face. He made me want to watch Dr Jin again just because he's there! :D
And I just adore all of the hilarious epilogues at the end of every episode. I almost missed out on them because I always skip the preview when I'm marathoning a drama, but I was lucky that I didn't skip the credit in one episode and found them!
Btw I'm still griping about the lack of dramas & variety shows next week... :(
I am searching for something to watch, also, so may give this a try. It will be nice to have a drama I can marathon and not wait till the episodes are subbed every week.
I feel like there is a hole in the drama world at the moment. Plus I'm a bit tired of k-dramas - the ending of Big did not help this.
So I'm watching j-dramas instead. Slow Dance (two awesome leads, no evil secondary characters, and Tsumabuki eye candy). Lucky Seven (double yay for Matsujun and Eita). And Rich Man, Poor Woman (no evil secondary characters... at least I don't think they will play out evil. Enjoying both leads as well). Finally finished Nodame Cantabile as well (dorama plus movies - LOVE all the characters. Such awesomeness.)
I think I'm going to go for some anime next, or maybe some older dramas. Well, I'm going away for the next four weeks so I will miss out on my usual fare of film screenings, but I'm packing a pile of DVDs . Japanese mostly, plus just got promised the Lee Yoon-ki (This Charming Girl, Love Talk, My Dear Enemy) films I'll be missing out on at the Korean Cultural Centre this month. Which all sound wonderful, so I'm thrilled I'll get to see them at least on the small screen.
Kinda looking forward to Arang and the Magistrate.
The pair of them, Nodame and Chiaki, are adorable, being such extreme opposites. And the whole lot of friends - everyone has such a well defined personality which makes it all so more enjoyable.
Didn't quite love the third ep of Rich Man, Poor Woman but still looking forward to the rest. One episode a week is tough though!
I don't know if there's a chance for a second season of Lucky Seven, I'm only episode 3 at the moment so I'm still good for a while!
I still remember the episode of Nodame where Chiaki is fighting against the lure of the heated table (tonkatsu? can't remember the word - senior moment!) - I laughed so hard I had tears running down my cheeks.
Especially when Chiaki throws it out and the others march back in carrying it, as if nothing had happened at all! Like they thought he was putting it outside for a moment of fresh air of something.
alua,
Have you seen Love Shuffle? Tamaki's character in that drama was almost the complete opposite of Chiaki. Also, Slow Dance is awesome, and we need more episodes of RMPW - the last one ended too soon.
I haven't seen Love Shuffle yet... heard but forgot about it. Have to put that back on to my To-Watch list!
I'm debating whether to just wait for RMPW to finish and then marathon it all or whether to watch one episode a week - which is so little and makes the wait rather torturous.
I have to admit I was just smiling the whole first episode and going so preeeetty (for Matsujun more than Eita, although Eita isn't bad either). I do love their characters as well - how they hate each other when so obviously they should be best buddies!
I wouldn't mind be a Lucky Seven sandwich myself. Maybe it's because oh Hana Yori Dango, but I like Matsujin a little bit more than Eita, in spite of his unruly locks.
Matsujun has always been on top of the list for me. Partially the magic of those poppy dog eyes in Kimi wa Petto. He's definitely good some horrible hair in plenty of dramas, but he rocks it all. (Three different hairstyles in Smile and he looks amazingly different with them - particularly with the last one he looks almost like a different person).
Yeah, I find that there are a lot of j-doramas that I can watch on daily basis. I havent watch any this year tho'. I've been hearing a lot of rave reviews on Rich Man, Poor Woman, so I really want to give it a go once I got my laptop fixed. Not really want to stream them also because I want to watch them in HD, so I need my laptop to download the torrent :D
I think I just appreciate that there are at least some realistic j-doramas out there, something that seems much harder to find with k-dramas. And j-doramas that don't rely on evil second leads (particular exes or love rivals) - even the best of k-dramas can't seem to do without those (as much as I loved Coffee Prince, I had to skip the scenes with the second couple).
It's early days for Rich Man, Poor Woman, but I'm enjoying it so far. One episode a week is so little though, it might be best to wait till it's all done and then watch the whole drama in one go (or in two, three parts).
Sorry about your laptop - never fun when things like that need fixing!
You said it alua, I love j-doramas because most of them deal with everyday issue (taking live action as exception) and they really hit home esp since they don't emphasize on romance. I mean, I like romance but I don't like it when it's just there for the sake of being there.
Thanks btw alua- the ironic thing is that my laptop got overheated because I used too much for watching dramas.
The only jdrama I have watched is Hana Yori Dango. I liked it more than its Korean version.
I had started on The jap version of You're Beautiful but dropped it after a few eps.
I feel the actors aren't as hot as their Korean counterparts and the dramas are less cute. Maybe I haven't watched enough.
I agree, HYDango was the best adaptation, followed by Meteor Garden, then BOF. Matsujin really was the best jerk leader of F4, and the closest match to the manga character.
I recently discovered on Viki a Thai version of "Coffee Prince" which I started watching. I like seeing how the same storyline is treated in different venues.
Well, with the exception of Jin, since JDr Jin and KDr Jin have little in common besides a Brain Fetus and cholera. ;-)
While I agree with your ordering of the best HYD adaptations (I shudder at the Korean version), I actually thought Lee Min Ho was the best interpretation of Tsukasa from the manga. When I read the manga, Domyouji to me was imposing, threatening, and later on in the manga, mellowed out but kept his imposing "don't mess with me" figure, and I thought Lee Min Ho best captured that. While Jun was a great version, his version was a much more exaggerated comical version of the character from the manga. So that's why I liked Lee Min Ho's more. But again, that's just my opinion based on how I interpreted his character from the manga. Jerry Yan was too bad an actor then for me to like his Domyouji.
But of the Tsukushi's, Mao wins this one. For Soujirou, Kim Bum was the best for me. Akira was too small a character for me to care unfortunately...
la dee dah, I agree that physically Lee Min Ho was closer to the manga in terms of Domyouji - big in terms of both physicality and ego, literally throwing his weight around in the beginning. But I think Matsujun had a better handle on the inner instability and fragility and...well, stupidity of the character. I always felt that Lee Min Ho was a little more "together" than Domyouji should be.
That's probably why I like Matsujin's portrayal with his fight-before-reason attitude that he projects throughout the series.
LMH was good, but after she insulted his hair (3rd epi maybe?) imo became too mellow and lovey-dovey to suit the manga.
Then again, I've been watching Asian dramas for three years, and reading manga for over ten, so I lean towards the more exaggerated characters.
I will say the Korean one was more beautiful, especially the Macau and New Caledonia scenes.
@skelly, oh ya, I almost forgot about Domyouji's stupidity. Jun really played that aspect well, maybe too well (which is one of the reasons why I liked the Korean version better, because I know Domyouji is kinda dumb, but I didn't think his character was actually THAT dumb).
@Shukmeister, I believe if I hadn't read the manga before, Jun and Min Ho's versions would be side by side with each other as my favorites. I can even pinpoint the part where I got into Jun's version (the part where his car stops in front Tsukushi while she's running somewhere, and he rolls down the window and does his fake surprised "oh, what a coincidence!" lol). And yes, the Korean version had beautiful shots. I do however like the way they shot the Japanese version, that together with the background music (especially the beautiful Tsukushi's theme). I liked the music in the Japanese version the best, the Korean version the least (seriously, if I hear Almost Paradise one more time....grrr ).
Meteor Garden is the Taiwanese adaptation. Jerry Yan plays the lead more like a dumb thug who falls in love and can't figure out how to go on about it. Vic Zhou is the premier 2nd lead. A very good aand heartwarming version.
Meteor Garden was excellent, I thought. I thought Jerry Yan's big dumb lug was the only portrayal that I could actually buy someone falling for over time. I haven't been able to watch more than an episode of Japanese version and I watched Korean version in horror that they espoused falling in love with dangerous psychopaths. Plus, Kim Hyun Joong.
It was such a nice, relaxed, fairly realistic adult drama and on top of Tsumabuki Satoshi there is Fujiki Naohito whom I love and adore....
If you're an Eita fan, have you seen Soredemo, Ikite Yuku? It's pretty depressing but incredibly well-written and filmed. Eita gives a no holds barred performance in that one!
Loved Slow Dance too, only the final episode or two I felt a little let down by (some parts which didn't feel realistic).
I haven't seen Soredemo, Ikite Yuku, I heard about it ages ago and forgot, but now that you mention it... don't mind the depressing, thematically it sounds right up my alley!
I can't recommend Soredemo highly enough ... I was initially put off by the female lead's mannerisms then realized she was doing exactly what the role called for. It drags you down to the blackest pits of humanity (darker even than Gaksital in some ways because there's no Big Historical Motive driving this modern evil) and then finds little rays of hope within . Strangely cathartic in the manner of classical tragedy.
And oh, the soundtrack! Composed by a genius blind young pianist and it is a brilliant tonal counterpoint to the darkness of the drama.
ah good old salaryman. The epilogues are awesome! yeo chi is the reinvention of sam shik's exgf. I was not anti any character I even liked mo gabi and her rise to power.
I feel like Yeo Chi is the reinvention of Domyoji, only the twist is she curses like a sailor.
Btw ahjummabunny, who is Sam Shik? Apparently when I'm marathoning a drama, I can't remember most of the characters names.
I started to rewatch my name is kim samsoon with my sister just so I could hear sun ah's french accent ( I watched it on mute the first time) but my sister skipped ahead without me and sent me a text message saying "oori busanahh (Busan from will it snow for christmas) is in samsoon too!" So I called her and said " I nena! you definitely watched more than one episode!" and she wasn't sure how many episodes she had seen, so she was going over them, and she called hyun bin's character sam shik and now I can't remember the character's actual name. Ahem, so jung ryo won is sam shik's ex girlfriend and mostly described as anemic but yeo chi is definitely not anemic until the last 2 or 3 episodes of salaryman. Which is a good run.
Aaaah, now that clears up everything :D. Just out of curiosity, how's Kim Sunah's French accent? Obviously I cant speak nor understand French so when I watched MNIKSS, she really sounded French to me :D. Anyway, I was always indifferent about Jung Ryo Won prior to this. I don't quite like her in MNIKSS, but watching salaryman really change my preconceived notion on her. I think she's doing a good job in portraying Yeo Chi. And with a well-written character like Yeo Chi, nothing can really go wrong.
Actually the last 2 episodes seemed to be draggy for me, but the comedy really saved it.
I haven't seen that episode! I don't think I ever will until there is someone else watching samsoon with me. I've started rewatching 3 times and both times they got ahead of me. hmm maybe I should punish her and make her rewatch all the episodes and then reward her with kimbap. She certainly has turned into a kimbap monster.
Hyun Bin's name in MNIKSS is Hyun Jin-heon, and KSA's French accent wasn't good. I am a native French speaker and I have taught French and I couldn't understand what she was saying. I had to just pretend what she was saying wasn't that important. I actually replayed that scene several times, and I still couldn't fully understand what she was trying to say, and I was really paying attention.
@Ivoire: haha. Well it's good that at least you can still read the English subtitle, right? Sometimes I still have to read the English subtitle when a character in k-drama is speaking English, and as far as I know speaking proper French is much more difficult, so I can imagine the frustration.
@ Maya, you got that right. I still read the subs when they speak English in Kdramas, although Gong Yoo did well in Big (his lines were not long) and Hyun Bin did OK in SeGa, he was nervous and it showed when he spoke in English. Lee Seung-gi did well in English in TK2Hs but his French was terrible and I am not saying that to be mean, it was really bad, I couldn't understand him. I don't understand why they don't use voice coaches like Celine Dion did when she learned English and started to sing in English (French is her 1st language). I would get a voice coach for my lines if I were in their shoes.
I heard Song Hye-kyo speak in English in World Within and it was awful, literally. I am not making this up. She botched the English language, I was embarrassed for her, it was that bad. It's a good thing their lines are not long, seriously. Kim So Hyun did OK in "Will it Snow for Christmas" (for English) and the actors who do usually well have lived in English speaking countries (Taecyon, Jang Geun Seuk, Daniel Henney etc...). I think because they didn't learn the language at a young age, it is very different for them and the language structure and sounds are different from what they are used to, IMO. I am a linguist by training, so I am interested in those things. At least they do try, but still *SMH*
Good choice! Loved that one for it's quirky, tongue in cheek humor. A heroine who swears like a sailor, and a hero who just kind of bumbles into his heroic-ness. It was a fun dance between sincere kdrama, and kdrama satire.
I feel like this is the only place where people will understand!
I went to karaoke with my hubs and a few friends on Saturday. The videos that went with each song were just cut apart old K-dramas (including a hilariously melodramatic montage of crying scenes from Full House)! It made me realize just how much of an addiction I have when I recognized most of the actors/dramas they showed. And no one in the group but me got it :(
OH my gosh, no matter what people say about Full House, it was one of my first K-dramas and I've watched it at least twice. I would have loved to have seen that montage! And the theme song from that show always makes me happy! What song was it to?
Hi Shukmeister! I am having second thoughts about the Big Bang concert after finding all these fan pages where the average age of the person going is 18! Not sure if I can show up with my blue glow stick and pink sparkly heart! I mean I'm young at heart and all, but I'm not sure I want to shell out almost $200 to be committed right on the spot! (warning...warning...crazy ajumma lady acting like 15 year old.....call the authorities)
Nope, but I'm 46, just got my tragus pierced and I tend to dress along Goth lines when I'm not working. I won't be the oldest of the DBOT Noonas who are going to the concert, either. And I fully intend to glow stick myself like a character from Tron. lol
I've never been to a KPop concert, although I kind of remember how to behave from the Duran Duran concert I saw in 1982?... LOL
A concert doesn't really change no matter who you are seeing or your age. Sometimes you sit, sometimes you dance, sometimes you sing along. Only nowadays, I don't have to smuggle beer. hee hee hee.
If you chose not to go to the concert, there is a daily bus that travels from Philadelphia for, like, $ 20 round trip. It might be worth it, if you just want to hang with us for a day. We'll have more details fleshed out the closer we get to it on the calendar, so stay tuned on the Twitter circuit if you're interested.
The Noonas are planning to meet other DBOT's in NYC for food and fellowship as well, so I think it'll be a blast one way or the other.
Maybe we can do a "Fantastic Baby" flashmob in front of Rockefeller Plaza!!
I'm really tempted for the experience, would be right there with you with the glow sticks, and am definitely a dancer and a singer, but let's say I have a good 10 years plus on you and seriously don't want to gross the yung'uns out! Would love to meet some of the other DBer's though.
What price tickets do you think you'll get? I haven't been to that kind of concert in ages so was kind of surprised at the ticket prices. (I mean Kenny Loggins at the Kravitz center in West Palm Beach last year was my last concert and it probably cost me all of 30 bucks! But then again, for the experience......)
Definitely having a mid-life crisis (If I live to be over 100, that is!) and loving it :)
@Shukmeister: You really attended a Duran Duran concert? Wow. My junior high friends and I were SO incredibly in love with that group (granted, I think their best music was in the early 80s [either their first album or Arena would qualify as the best, in my opinion], and we were a little young for them at that time, but they were still pretty hot in the late 80s/early 90s).
I check every day, and the tix haven't gone on sale. I have two rooms w/double beds on hold at the closest hotel to the venue, and the other Noonas have agreed to meet even if, for some reason, BB never shows.
BB tix in Indonesia and other asian places are going between 70 and 300 USD, using a currency calculator. I'm guestimating at around 150 USD based on other KPop bands at the same location.
And, as before, you are welcome to any part of the hen party during that time. I don't expect to go to another BB concert ever, so I'm treating it like my Broadway show of the year - a one-time, once-in-a-lifetime, thing.
Korazy Lady, I will be 50 just days before the concert, I am and will be dressed like a normal middle aged New England Mom. I'm up for glow sticks but I draw the line at a pink glittery heart. I just intend to fake sing my way along with all the parts where the Korean is too fast for me, and happily sing all the parts where I can keep up!
They used footage from my concert for their "Save A Prayer" M/V from their Rio album. You can't miss me; I'm the young one - lol.
I won't tell you what my very first concert was - you'd be doing a spit take. Suffice to say it was earlier than Duran Duran...
And some personal trivia, I've seen almost every Rush concert that has been performed in my area, from Moving Pictures in 1982 to Snakes and Arrows two years ago. The exception was "Presto" in 1990 when I was in the hospital.
I'm just a little concerned about getting home after the concert. I can just picture being mugged afterwards - "APB - woman who appears to be in late 50's found wandering aimlessly, speaking in a gibberish of English, French and Korean. No ID found but may possibly be named Noona. Perpetrator seems to have used an usual method of wrapping victim in blue glowsticks and dowsing with pink sparkles. Anyone with info, please contact Newark police." I'm pretty sure none of my family would admit to knowing me!
Oh, but you only live once, right? This is why I love this site!
The Big Bang concert sounds sooo tempting. esp since it's in east coast, which is more convenient for me although the plane will still be expensive. But I don't know how I could work out my schedule on November.
I can't remember what song it was for, but one that completely did not fit with the background! I think it might have been a Lady GaGa song.
Really, none of the songs made any sense with the backgrounds. All of the random people getting hit by cars and sent to the ER and the sheer number drunken piggy back rides really undermined all my efforts to get these people to watch dramas! Out of context, they are pretty cheesy.
I know how you feel. Esp the moment when a new drama is going to be broadcasted in my local channel and we saw the teaser. I was always the one who got excited because I've watched it before/I know most of the actors/actresses names. They gave me that look like I'm some kind of alien from outer space. Or when I suddenly blurted out 'Jung Il Woo' when I saw the BB cream product with his face on it. Totally got the look.. :)
That's why I'm so glad I found Dramabeans, because I can fangirl together with the rest of the Beanies! :)
You know what I find funnier, that I could name all of the members of Super Junior because they are casted in a lot of variety shows. It just comes naturally...
And ditto! I can also name/at least recognize the name of the actors/actresses in MVs :D
Yes! It's wonderful to find a place where people understand you. My first thought after leaving the Karaoke place was how all of you would have gotten a kick out of those cheesy videos.
I've tried to get my mother to watch some so that I'm not the only person in my RL who is interested in k-dramas, but it hasn't been very successful. She finds them corny. I say, bring on the corn!
Has anyone else been disappointed with the chemistry between the main characters in A Gentleman's Dignity? I'm finding a lot lacking in Kim Han Neul's acting in this drama. I've loved her in her earlier movies/dramas. I just feel like she's going through the motions and just doing the same thing that she was doing when she was in her 20's. Come on - in your 30's do you really pout and carry on and try to be all "cutesy" pouty? I don't. But maybe motherhood puts me in a perspective than single 30 year olds. Anyways, I'm tired of the fake crying. Both Meahri and YiSoo are SO BAD when they try to go for the big heart wrenching cry. It just comes out all whiny and fake. Anyways, I've been noticing this in the past few episodes. I feel like the men have been doing the best in this drama in terms of performance and believability. Others' thoughts?
HAPPY FRIDAY from VA!!!!!
PS - Any tips for finding cheap flights to Korea? I'm trying to plan my first trip back since I left in 1984!!!
Actually, I thought DJ and YS would be having a little more going on at this point. I mean, here is a 41 year old man obviously used to sleeping with a lot of women, and he finally gets back together with the supposed love of his wife, but not much is happening. YS is definitely a little too "cutesy."
I think that's why I'm hooked on INR2. It at least acknowledges the physical attraction in a more realistic way.
Also currently hooked on INR2 - the last two eps really ramped it up in terms of emotional stakes - plus the funny - and I love the earnestness, the snappy dialogue, the generally excellent acting.
AGD, on the other hand, continues to bug me mightily. I watch it, but I've got a LOT of problems with the writing and the acting. KHN is stiff as a board and seems really, really intimidated by JDG; I'm not getting any of this vaunted "chemistry" from them, at all. And I was really surprised at what I consider poor acting from her - she is obviously disconnected (as if she is thinking about lunch or something) in some of her couple scenes, and her crying jag in the field was uncomfortably bad. MeAhri, I am so tired of her tears and wailing and her Yoon-obsessed immaturity that I FF through all of her scenes.
Hey! I'm from VA too! Hope you are staying cool indoors.
I've been looking at several tour companies as well as expedia, orbitz, and other discount flight sites to see what the going rate is for travel to SE Asia. I can't decide between Seoul or Taipei.
As foe DJ / YS, I thin DJ is enjoying the cutesy side of 'going' steady for the first time in his life, and he was content for a time. However, the last scene of Ep 18 shows us he's now ready to ramp it up to the next stage.
If you notice with YS's character, there's a lot less of the aeygo flailing arms and behavior since she decided to keep DJ. I think a lot of that was to show how she is changing to suit an older man herself.
Happy watching, and I am sooo glad they didn't preempt it!
Only keeping up with Gaksital out of the airing dramas right now. Still watching Saengchori and started the tdrama/cdrama Queen of Sop.
After hearing all the comparisons between the 2003 epic fantasy drama Legend and the upcoming Faith, I decided to check out Legend. Verdict after 4 eps: not completely sold on the story yet, but holy moly the production values are awesome. It's like an epic historical fantasy movie.
I'm rewatching QofSOP, up to Epi 11. I read the recaps to get a gist of the storyline, since there seems to be a lot of travel (Shanghai, Taipei, London) and I was getting jet lag. I really like the interaction of the leads and most of the seconds
(** SPOILER WARNING: One of the characters devolves into a Im Meahri clone of a whiny Daddy's Girl)
I'm watching the unsubbed eps now since they're out and viki only has it subbed to 14 or so(?). I'm on ep 16 now, but I might have to rewatch with eng subs at some point since my Chinese comprehension doesn't extend to most of the business related conversations.
Oh , is that the other secondary girl (Chu Chu I think her name was?) She's too meek for me right now but I hope she doesn't turn into Evil Secondary Girl. One of the things I really like is the friendship between Xiao Jie and her female best friend.
And on a purely shallow note, I think the lead guy is cute and all, but I find secondary dude (who she dated first) much much hotter. Is it just me?
LOL - I had this discussion with several others off DB, and, yes, the consensus was that tall, dark, chiseled chaebol was hotter than cute, dimpled chaebol.
But Zi Qi comes off as more world-weary and cynical with more life experience, whereas Tang Jun and Xiao Jie are similar in their innocence. I think the actors are doing a terrific job with their roles.
Zi Qi wants that touch of purity in his life that Xiao Jie represents, especially with all his family problems. He wants that support. He's not an evil second lead, so I do feel for him, and I hope he gets some sort of happy ending.
Hello Everybody! How are you doing?
Last week I went to my grandpartents to the countryside and was a part of a Fermentation Family. A Gherkin Family, to be precise. It felt funny to realize how similar was the whole situation, despite of the distance and the recipes. But sitting in front of the house with baskets full of cucumbers, dill and garlic and chatting with my relatives was as heartwarming as the drama. No, it was much, much better, because it was real. I only hope the mistake I made with salt won't prove too serious ;P.
I am still dazed by AGD. I can't think of a better treat for summer. I set the "bathrobe mambo" (Maria Elena) as my wake-up alarm and smile whenever I see a "Betty". I was really scared by the plans to totally suspend airing of the drama, but uffff, I am so relieved I am going to get a little of my fix. Seriously, rewatching mambo, sweet song, Queen in action and "YiSoo-oppa Jjang!" is fun, but up to a point, when you just want mooooooore no matter what. I am looking for some replacement, but it would be only an ersatz. Somebody might say "go get a life" and they would be right. Sigh... I guess my dog will get some extra walking time... Four years ago, when I had no idea about Kdramas, I was perfectly happy to watch olympics. Now, somehow I don't really care that much. Maybe the pervert in me will watch some swimming or gymnastics for aesthetical values, but I am not sure. On the serious note, gymnastics is the sport I respect most. You just see every minute of practice in the athletes' movements and the results don't depend on equipment. Plus, I am aware I will never be able to do anything of the kind even if my life depended on it.
Lately I started watching my first HK drama ever. It is called "Sergeant Tabloid" and shows a clash between a righteous policewoman and a total jerk of a paparazzi. Quite amusing, not really original, some characters are wooden or even cardboard, but all in all, I am having a good time watching. Plus Cantonese is something new to me and sounds... cute? To my untrained ears the actors sound like arguing children. Like it.
Ghost is good. Love Mad Cow. I have since the first episode aired. How can be anything as funny as MadCow-SJS bromance? Drunken bromance, I guess. *keeps giggling*
I guess it wasn't as much hatred as jealousy - I remember clearly one line "we wear same suits, yet they look so different. That's why I don't like you". So it was about the two policemen being totally different, with different approaches to work and different backgrounds.
Haha.. That line had me in stitches, because he was so jealous at how well Woo Young can pull off his suit. :D
Yeah hate is too strong as my choice of word. But kinda show that there is really thin line between love & hate... :D
dislike?
so ji sob looks great in his suits. and he does the pouty mouth thing like so ji suk. and he has the dark hairy eyes I like. *swoony noises and motions.*
Yes, Ghost is awsome! ^^ It's one of the better drama showing right now. haha! Can't say the same for *cough* --Big.
Sergeant Tabloid--I'll have to check it out. I'm watching witness security--a hkdrama also. It's not bad. ^^ If you have time, give it a try--if you like act/thriller and little romance. lol
Hehe... I was starting to feel a little dumb writing only about fluffy stuff and not dark/serious dramas. It's not that I don't like heavier things, I just need to be in mood. Whereas I am always in mood for something light and funny. Romance doesn't hurt either.
Rom-coms tend to do better in ratings because most people want happy endings.
For me, I watch a lot of R-C's, and police/medical procedurals. I tend to shy away from a lot of the high school hijinks ones (did not see DH2 or What's Up, but I did watch White Christmas) as Playful Kiss left me totally scarred.
Must have to do with mood you're in. I'm like that too. I was into fluffy stuff, then when I'm sick of them, I watch more darker serious dramas, then after that, action/thrillers. After watching too much Kdramas, I skip to Jdramas--they have more fluff and procedure dramas--which at the moment I really like. ^^
Now, I'm also watching hkdrama and Tdramas.
I started keeping a spreadsheet of everything I've watched, just to see the percentage of K-, Tw-, J-, C-, HW-, and Th-dramas I've watched. I'm at 97 total right now, not including the ones waiting in the wings: Gaksitaaaaal, Ghost, Answer, Equator Man, Goong...
That also doesn't include specials: Music Banks, 2N1D's, Happy Togethers, and single episode shows.
Shuk: Dang, lucky you able to keep track. LOL That's alot of dramas! 6_o
If you consider watching all episodes without ff or skipping, I don't think I've seen that many. Haha!
I've watched beginning and ending of dramas that I didn't care to watch, but just want to know the gest of the story and ending. LOL Those I've watched quite a few. Some were meh, glad I didn't watch it. :D
It's all done with mirrors. LOL. Actually, I created a bit of a Microsoft Access program to enter all that data in, and track it for me. Just a little brain exercise I did about a year ago.
I had considered adding the JB Stickyness Rating, but that's at least on hold until things die down at work.
you said this: "Seriously, rewatching mambo, sweet song, Queen in action and “YiSoo-oppa Jjang!” is fun, but up to a point,"
what are "mambo, sweet song, queen in action and 'Yisoo-oppa Jjang!" I haven't seen the first episodes of AGD, so maybe I missed something and that would explain why I didn't understand.
Mambo - it's in the last quarter of ep. 12 - unfortunately I cannot find a video with this particular scene - JDG dancing in his bathrobe - sheer delight. It's a remake of a scene from "Days of Being Wild" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_q-T9j2s6s
YiSoo oppa Jjang is a hilarious scene from ep. 18 - when YS kills a bug for DJ - the roles reverse, the girl does a man's job and so becomes an "oppa"
Queen is a nickname for Park Min Sook given by Mystisith - if you want to read more comments on this great character, go to Mystisith's blog (mystisith.com)
O how I love how you made a song for that scene and Mystisith when are you going to recap Ep 17and 18. You make my weekends searching worthwhile reading your AGD recaps. Please keep up the laughs and funny dialogues it makes this 6 day wait for any episodes bearable.
Hi kopytko! It just caught my eye that your watching a hk drama, I grew up watching those being Cantonese xD anyways I just want to let you know, if your interested, that I highly recommend you to watch the older, if your able to find eng sub for them, since i know that may be quite difficult. Hk/TVB dramas, they were so much better in the 90s, early 2000s. I'm guessing your more interested in action, if you are I'd def. recommend Rosy Business and No Regrets which is like a spin off of Rosy Business but set during the Japanese Occupation in CHina. As they are quite recent, I don't think it will be difficult to find subs. For older Hk dramas that are action, detective, I'd definitely recommend the detective investigation files series, it's a great watch.
Thank you so much for your message! I do watch dramas other than romcoms and I really like some exciting detective/action from time to time, so I'll be sure to check your titles sometime soon. Greetings!
Big has to be the most disappointing drama of the year. It cracked with so much potential and yet they left it with THAT stupid ending. Why couldn't they have shown something more meaningful?
Da-ran and Kang Kyung joon (in his own body) are standing under the umbrella and the camera pans over to the clock which shows the time 10:10 - that would have been a much more effective ending I think.
However it's not just the end that disappoints but all the latter episodes. Every drama goes through a period of lull and while some emerge out as winners others wither away.
I think Big isn't as bad as Fashion King.
At least in Big, you get lots of cute and funny scene with the main leads. Not so in FK and let had an awful ending.
There are tons but not sure if you'll like them... depending on your taste in dramas.
I can give you few that I like. You may have seen some of them already.
Family drama: kimchi family--it's slower paced but still really good. Feel great drama all the way through. get ready for tears and laughter.
rom-com: City Hall-- a bit slow some part but really good. Love the storyline.
Secret Garden--I love it. I've watched this tons of time. There are parts that gets to your heart. ^^
Fluffy rom-com: playful kiss. LOL yea, some people might not like it but I like it alot. I've watched parts of it more then a few times. haha main leads so cute together.
medical/procedure thriller drama: God's Quiz 1, 2,
3--(airing right now) Very good. You'll have to start watching from season 1 to get the story though.
Ghost--awsome! it's still airing but heck, you can still catch up if you haven't watch it. Great action/thriller drama! ^^
Check out “I Need Romance 2012″ or “He/The Man Who Can’t Marry” – both are wonderfully written/acted romcoms w/ great casts.
I’d put the both of them right up there w/ “Coffee Prince” and way, way better than the dreck we have gotten lately – "Lie to Me", "Rooftop Prince", "Secret Garden" and "Big" - which all are more the typical badly done K-dramas w/ plots that make little sense, cliche-filled scenarios, one-dimensional stereotypical characters, etc.
Other good romcoms would be "Best Love", "My Girlfriend is a Gumiho" and "My Princess."
MGIAG and MP have their flaws, but relationships btwn the leads are wonderfully done and well worth it.
BTW, I just wanted to greet everyone on the OT. I've been away for a few weeks so it's fun to be back on here.
Every now and then I was able to find a current episode of a show I'm watching, but most of the new shows are not available on Viki in Europe. I think I spent two days after I got back catching up. Now I need some new fixes!
I am watching INR2! How could I miss Lee Jin Wook's smile? *swoons* I laughed when Yeol Mae said the obious truth that he's gorgeous when he smiles.
Some parts of the story are fresh and nice (the friend recovering after a dirty divorce and developing her business anew), some are funny (the guy atoning after season 1) and sometimes I don't understand. Like why Yoon Suk Hyun doesn't want to marry YM? I don't buy the explanation that he doesn't believe in marriage. I need some more motivation.
I know. I adore LJW also (altho I think we're in the minority.) There's a lot of speculation about what his big "secret" problem is. Hopefully it won't be something too bizarre or over-used in KDrama land.
For some reason I never root for the overly nice guy, and the chemistry that YM & SH have is great. Plus KJS is just not my type, and yes I am shallow in that way. Hey, if I'm going to get into a drama, I might as well root for a guy I would be attracted to!
Enjoying the rest of the cast, too. I caught a glimpse of an old Sex in the City on TV yesterday and I was like "Oh, I cant wait for the next episode of my Korean SATC to come out!"
Hehe, I have never been able to enjoy SATC. Not a single episode of the very few I watched with my sis. I could never realte to the characters. But INR 1&2 is very much my cup of tea.
There is something with YM& the other guy chemistry. It lacks essence. They are being nice, they are both attractive and that's it. In case of the other relationship we know where it stems from.
As for the two guys, I think KJS is very good looking, but he doesn't have that intense presence LJW has. Really, this guy is a magnet *swoons again*
I never watched SATC when it was on HBO. I like the tamer version they use on the syndicated reruns. It's not that I love the show, but it was kind of groundbreaking and with clever writing.
The minority can be a good place to be. The weather is nice here.
LJW's character can be a little frustrating, but I love him anyway because he's like a real guy that way: equal parts adorable and annoying. When we finally find out his "secret," it had better be something really good, though, or this drama and I WILL have words. Because if it's something really cliche and stupid, I might just jump to the other ship out of spite.
I KNOW!! And maybe I'm reading too much into the preview but I think we find out next episode.
As with most of you, even though Ji Hoon is adorably sweet, I'm still team Yeol Mae/Seok Hyun. Their chemistry is just amazing. And their relationship feels more REAL while the one with Ji Hoon is too perfect to be true.
(Dangit! My kitty jumped on my keyboard and posted!!!)
Drama I need to see made #3:
Lee Seung Gi is the lowest ranking member of a detective squad. The rest of the squad thinks he got there because he got 'lucky' once and caught a very high profile bad guy.
At his job he's goofy and clumsy, but he is in fact, a genius. Once he steps outside the office he is a totally different person, a Sherlock Holmes type guy.
Yoon Eun Hye, could play a female detective who finds out about his secret. Ji Jin Hee could be the evil master mind that terrorizes the city.
no I pass. I like lee seung gi only as dae woong. but kang ji hwan doesn't fit now that he's really a genius and not a goof. maybe lee ki woo? yoon eun hye is still annoying me from the grave of take care of the young lady. maybe a choi kang hee type to play the fem dic.
Instead of LSG I'd like to have Lee Min Ho as the detective.Why? Just because I want more, more and more of him! Heroine could be Han Hyo Joo. I'd love to see her as a quirky woman who finds all the detectives dirty little secrets.
Did anyone else watch the anime Dusk Maiden of Amnesia? I saw the final episode last night, and while I'm not a huge anime fan, I loved that show. [SPOILER ALERT] I was little disappointed that the finale was so much like that of My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, but I still liked it a lot. And Yuuko's return made a little more sense than Mi-ho's. It wasn't perfect either, but it did make sense within the rules of the world, at least to me. [END SPOILER] Anyway, just wanted to share a little of the love.
I also (finally) caught up to INR2012 this week. Seriously, what took me so long? With the exception of Gaksital (my current love), it's the best of the shows I've been watching lately (AGD, IDID). How like me to catch up when there are only 4 episodes left.
Only 4 1/2 more days until Gaksital is back on my screen.
Just saw than dramacrazy uploaded a bunch of movies I wanted to see: Doomsday Book, GTO the movie (old school) and Over my dead body with Lee Beom-soo. Nice!
Truth be told the fact that every Olympics has to be bigger and better and more bombastic than the previous one is rather stupid.
I read somewhere the last time London hosted the Olympics, in 1964, they spent 20,000 GBP. I don't know what the equivalent of that would be in today's terms but I'm sure it would be a budget people would laugh about.
Sadly, since this is an event that's supposed to be about sports!
P.S. I hope it won't be too noisy... I have to get up super early tomorrow & leave the house by 5 am. I could hear the concert from the stadium last night.
Nothing like a 5-ring circus to liven up the homefront, eh?
I prefer the winter Olympics, although there are a few summer sports I like. My evil doppelganger wonders if the Chinese gymnasts will still be the same age they were at the Beijing ones. [bad llama!]
It's not disrupting things around your home village, is it?
haha my Hometown is middle of nowhere so no... there will be absolutely no disruption.
I've settled on watching the Korean version haha. But the announcer speaks to much haha. BBC World is not showing it -_-
Ah... so tired :( haha it's too early!! And appartently its ok to set of fireworks at 6:30am in China... lol. Guess everyone really loves the Olympics??
It does sound like a great drama title doesn't it! Aww..if only. :P haha!
It is an interesting jdrama though. ^^ Still early in the eps so I'm hoping it doesn't go downhill.
Jdrama seem to have better storyline without the angst and don't really need a second lead to keep the story going. I'm getting sick of the same old story in Kdrama.
(hmm...must be why I'm tuning in more to Jdrama then Kdrama.)
I'm watching:
Can Love Become Money: It's really growing on me
Don't Ask Me About The Past: Oi the subs are terrible
Go Bongshil Ahjumma: Tres Charmant!
Ghost: This show is HOLEY.
Country Princess: I like Geum Soon, Glass Slippers better.
I have Paused:
Athena: No one is noticing the elephants in their paths
Dong Yi: I'm sure the King is dirty and I want to see.
God Of War: I don't like reincarnated lovers, dream or fantasy world crossover lovers.
CLBM is great. So good the subs are finally appearing. It's a show that cannot be enjoyed without subs. Love the witty dialogues. Disagree about methods of dealing with pets. (Someone doesn't know that dogs can be very jealous, hehe). One of this season's favourites.
Don't Ask Me Aboy The Past was charming... Gosh, when did I watch it?
I'm a little annoyed with the show because it has such high, highs and unbelievable lows. I was really glad when they followed up the gangster story but I'm just surprised by the sloth in the kidnapping cases in episodes 5 to 8( so far.) Maybe you watched it when it aired? It is pretty old I saw a commercial for what happens in vegas I think that was 2008? But the idea is interesting.
I'm just starting can love become money. I can't wait to see the dog jealousy etc now! I'm waiting until 1 to start my drama watching.
I think I used to watch the saturday episode and watch something else on sunday (breaking bad). I don't think you miss much from skipping around. I watched maybe the first 20 and then watched the last 10 or so. I still knew very well what was happening and I managed to skip some annoying moments of nam gyu ri.
I do love watching Gong Yoo. I could stare at him all year long, but I think he deserved a better story for a comeback drama.
:(
My goodness, Faith, please be good. Please be damn good.
I only have Gaksital now. And the Olympics is going to make me wait for episodes. I'm not sure if I'm going to watch the Games either. Not with the arena of my fave sport to watch donning a hot, hot, hot pink. It gives me migraines. (Why London, why?)
Happy OT beautiful people!!!
Any plans for the weekend?
I'm leaving mine open, waiting for someone, we all know, to call me a tell me she has time to meet this weekend.
On the drama world:
BIG: I stopped on ep 4 and after all the final complains decided to watch it in one go fast forwarding (I hope I didn't make up that word) a lot. I didn't like the ending, but who's surprise about it?
Rich Man Poor Woman: I love the drama enough that is my first Jdrama I watch raw
AGD: I can't stand Mea-ri. Seriously hate that stupid girl and her constant crying
I am with you about AGD: I don't know what irks me more the crying itself or that the stupid men take it seriously. Gosh. Which lawyer believes in tears? I wouldn't hire one ;)
Hi cv,
I know, I watched it raw Monday and as soon as the subs were ready watch it again
I like that they didn't drag the secret for too long, I could have been annoying
oh man I'm so iffy about agd now.
by the way hi! I'm a bit envious about your raine meet ups. I hope to get some bo ssam from my dukboki ahjumma but sometimes the things on her menu are seasonal.
Enjoy your weekend!
Hi bunny, you won't have to envy me much longer, she's moving away next Friday :(
Tomorrow will be our last meet. T_T
By the way, I'm finally starting Ghost
Happy OT everyone. Going to hang around here and reminding myself not to hang around allkpop and omona, with all that's going on with the Nickhun story. Never knew the amount of intense hatred girls can have, feel sorry for them really.
Anyone been watching BTS of Gaksital? How can Joo won play such an intense character but then latch on to his hyungs like a little kid with such affection? It was the guy playing his older brother at first, but now that he's gone, he's latching onto the guy playing Shunji. Never seen such a big "kid"!
He going to turn 25 this year I believe. But I'm not used to guys that age acting like he does (I'm used to girls/women being affectionate like that or boys in their teens or younger). And with his 1n2d brothers, the way he slept like a baby clinging onto the guy whose name I momentarily forgot. It's just too cute for me!
and those scenes with joo won and ki woong sleeping during filming.. so sad that they have to work so hard to provide us all of our weekly Gaksital .. hope they all get plenty of rest after the drama is done! but with joo won's possible next project (level 7th civil servant drama remake) how is he going to get any rest? :(
Happy friday everyone!
After being completely disappointed by the ending from Fashion King I have become an avid recap reader. This is to protect myself from making the wrong decision in a drama and getting burned by how crappy the ending is. This is why I was prepared for the unsatisfying ending. This is not what I do for every drama but for ones that I am on the fence about watching.
Currently watching:
Rich man, poor woman
Beloved (dear you)
Special investigation record ( joeson x files)
My list is small so that I can enjoy the olympics these next few weeks.
Hi, KrazyK! What do you think about Beloved? Actually, I've been following it since the begining. I like the characters, I liked the starting point, but I don't know where it is going. I would like some emotional conflict, but please, I don't want another clingy crybaby and a man who is paralyzed by mere tears.
I like it so far. I don't have any expectations for this drama so I am just trying to enjoy it. I really like the music the music that is played in the drama. So far I think that there is the potential for some good drama if writing remains decent. I finished episode 8 and I am just taking it one episode at a time.
I had a chance to watched episode three, from the BBC-one True Love series, entitled “Holly”, and unlike the K-drama “Big”, they do “go there”.
“Holly”, is the story of a female High-school teacher who falls in love with one of her female students, Holly is played by actress “Billie Piper” from the Doctor Who series, and
“Kaya Scodelario (skins, and the remake of Wuthering Heights)”. plays Karen the 16 year old student.
As guy I have never been shy, nor condemn the act of “Lesbian Love or Sex”, but once again I must ask the question, How old is to old. Or how young is to young? But the reality for me, is that the drama Big and Holly, from my perspective deal with something that tends to get lost in the heat of the moment, in the sensual embrace of two lovers, as they are swept in the throws, of the most powerful embrace of them all, that of unbridled sexual passion.
At the end of the day what disturbs me the most is not the “Sex”, but what makes me feel uncomfortable is, the fact that we are dealing with two relationships, in which one of the partners, is not only an adult, but is in a the place where the power and control dynamic, can be seen as most damaging and abusive towards, the person who is under age.
I love Romance as much as the next person, but the “Hong Sisters”, Big mistake was in the fact that, at the end of the day not only in Korea, but also here in the US, the teacher/student relationships have always been frown upon, I do not have a problem with two consenting adults, but I do have a problem when a 30 year old teacher, starts a romantic relationship, with her 18 year old student, while remaining his/her teacher, or in the case of Holly, I am not sure about the age of consent in England, but Karen is 16 years old, making her in the US a minor, and Holly as the teacher can be charge with the “Statutory Rape”' of a minor, making her a sexual offender, having to register with the police for the rest of her life, and also losing her teaching credentials. Again I am glad that the Hong Sisters did not show, Da-ran and Kyung-joon kiss at the end, since somehow will justified, that is OK for an adult teacher to pursue a relationship with her 18 year old minor student, I am just sad that most people do not see it that way, but the record high of American teachers (specially female ones) that had been arrested and convicted, for having had sex with their students, have sky rocketed, as we in our cultures trough our media, have sexualized children and teenagers, only to the detriment of our society.
And again this two shows, have portray that what is really enticing in the form of “Sexual Fantasy”, in the real world is extremely problematic and and illegal to boot!!!!!!!!
I don't think sexualizing of children and teenagers are the cause of the teacher/student relationships. I have very little actual awareness of this sexualization, or I don't notice it unless it's blatant. I think these relationships are work place romances. It's hard to meet someone when you're working all the time, suggestive words and actions from any interested party can sway you and then the thrill of the thing can carry you.
I think the severe penalties for these crimes should discourage the behavior but there should be a support system for teachers not zero tolerance things, or you're bad: just teacher to teacher, human to human things, as well as education for students. Not the sex with your teacher is bad, or in general prohibitive teachings. But information about the consequences and talk about responsibility. Not the generic kind but really impressing on them the weight of every action. It might make them paranoid adults, but it can also empower them.
Good morning My Wondrous Beans! Please forgive me, I forgot all about you :(
I'm back from vacation, which went pretty well. We got charged by a moose, and one of us shattered a wrist and had to have surgery. The two events were not related, though.
My kid is in Oregon visiting friends so for dinner last night I had about a pound of cherries. I think I might do that again tonight.
Google Jung Sungha. Or Youtube him. 15 year old FANTABULOUS guitar player. I've been listening pretty much nonstop since right before vacation.
Except for last night, when I discovered that there was a song by My Beloved I didn't know. Busan Woman. I can't help myself, I play it over and over and over. The music is VERY catchy. And he's just...you know...so Beloved. At the very end he stops singing and says (my spelling will be off, probably) 'siganisseoyo' which means, as near as I can figure, 'do you have a little time for me?' and oh, the answer is always going to be yes for that man.
Big is over. Yay Gong Yoo! Double yay, actually. Yay Choong Shik! Yay Suzy, if not always yay Ma Ri! BOOOOOOOOOOOO HISSSSSSSSSSSSS Hong Sisters. Go to your rooms right now! No dessert for YOU, missies. Wait until your father gets home! We're going to have you tested for DRUGS.
AGD. Still in love. And all of a sudden, it's not just Jang Dong Gun. I grin like an idiot for Jung Rok now too. Have to watch that guy in something else. Never had seen him before.
Gaksitaaaaaaaaaaaal. Gaksital will never forgive you if you miss this show. OMG so good. EVEN WITH the magical horse and the improbable clothing and hair changes. Shunji, the guy you love to hate...and feel sorry for. Kang To, the guy you hate to love...and feel sorry for.
I Need Romance 2012. Oh hell, people. Just lock me in a room with those two men. I'm gonna die. Or they will. At first I thought the Shin Ji Hoon character was too nice. But he's got some backbone, and I realized last night watching he reminds me of a boyfriend I ended up treating badly. I mistook his sincere desire to treat me like a princess as free rein to do anything I wanted. Some guys just wanna love on you. It doesn't mean they won't stand up for themselves, or expect you to behave well. And the other guy? I said from day one that he adored Yeol Mae and all those Viki whiners had it wrong. I'm even more convinced now. And of course if I can only have one, the tortured ex is the one I want.
I'm up to ep 9 on rewatch of Goong and someone - was it Blue? set me up with the link to the manga. I really...I just love it even more than I did when I was watching it - my first drama - feeling like Alice in Wonderland down the rabbit hole, and completely happy.
Things are too crazy at work for I.R.I.S. lunches but they'll be back soon. Looking forward to Arang, and planning to COMPLETELY spazz over Cher's Precious being a bad boy in Five Fingers. Still waiting for BB tickets in Newark to be available. Tonight: Opening Ceremonies projected on a big sheet in neighbors backyard. Kids have to dress as countries. I will narrate the parade of nations. I think I need soju for that.
I first watched Jung Ruk in Please Marry Me - my first Kdrama ever, and he looked better in that and made me do a double think on Korean men! But, I wouldn't wish those 50 episodes on anyone.
And "just stick me in a room with those two men" haha!
I'm feeling like I may need to watch Gaksital now after everyone's comments on here. But from this OT, Rich Man Poor Woman sounds good, too.
I first saw lee jong hyuk in partners/formidable rivals. I really liked that show. Lee Jong Hyuk was second lead. I also saw him in dr. kang not as spectacular there, but he had a charming initial personality.
Soju and cherries sound like a good dinner! Enjoy your weekend.
hi JoAnne!
Welcome to team Jung Rok! I also had this reaction to check his other works. I was surprised that he was the solemn single dad in Powerful Oponents. It's enough if an Asian actor changes his hairdo and I cannot recognize the person anymore. I am still working on that, though. I also had a glimpse on Will You Marry Me. He played a cheating husband, but not in a fraction as charming as Jung Rok. However, he used my favourite model of a fountain pen, so the character was forgiven ;)
INR 2 - I already swooned a lot over Lee Jin Wook, so I am not going to repeat myself.
New J-dramas:
Soumatou Kabushikigaisha (Red Lantern Society): See your life on DVD--one year per DVD. Do you know your own life? Simple, high concept drama that doesn't use a lot of fancy set work, but I really like it. This is one of the things that Japanese dramas do better than Korean dramas--they'll play with themes. It's a bit dark, and gives you chills. Some of the plot twists are predictable, but there is always an unpredictable twist at the end. If you liked Reset and those ilk, you'll like this. (This isn't a heart investment drama or fluffy--it'll make you think). Episodic with slight overlap in places. Watching to the end. I like high concept dramas.
Beginners!: Idol drama, I would say more than anything. Good for a light watch and I'm placing this on the back burner list. A bunch of rejects join the police academy and must prove they aren't rejects. It follows typical format for these kinds of things--if you've watched these type of dramas before there isn't much new. If you haven't then it'll play out WAFF and you might like it more, though I've seen tighter scripted versions of the same.
It's more atmospheric, so I think that recaps don't quite work to portray the story. I like the long silences and the minimalism.
Occasionally, no matter how good the recapper, sometimes the recaps can't quite capture the drama. This is one of these. The stories are simple, but the execution through simple camera work and simple dialogue (minimalistic dialogue--as in not much, but what there is packs a punch) really make this drama stand out.
But yeah, it's more an art piece, and a piece to engage the head than it is there to engage the heart.
Can someone identify for me the object in the corner of Ji-An's living room in I Do, I Do? It was white, about 5-6 feet tall, and looked sort of like a tall skinny front loading washing machine. I found it very distracting, wondering if it was product placement for something new or just something that everyone in the world has except me. Thanks in advance for any enlightenment.
Must be the tasteful, wealthy woman's air conditioner. The closest Korean one I found searching the internet looked more like the tardis (but for a thin person).
LOL - humidifier! Seriously, when I first started watching Kdramas, I thought humidifiers (along with IV's, of course) were the magic cure-all in South Korea!
Good day everyone! This is my first time here in open thread. :D
I'm loving Gaksital and Ghost a lot! The suspense is so nerve wracking even just reading the recaps has me clutching my seat. And Answer me 1997 seems cute and funny, and warmhearted, too. Or maybe I'm just weak when it comes to high school/ first love shows. Hmm.
As someone very new to the OT, I welcome you. People here are wonderful. But I must warn you, it's very addicting. I think I just spent 3 hours checking in every few minutes!
Thanks! I'm not new to the site; I'm addicted to reading recaps, too! Just that this is my first foray into the OT, per se. I was a bit nervous before posting, wondering if anyone would mind lil ol' me. But then I got a warm welcome! So happy. :D
Haha. Shukmeister got you on that one, Korazy Lady. :)
The only current show I'm watching is Gaksital, which is neck and neck right now for favorite show of the year (at least IMO) with Queen In Hyun's Man.
I like INR2 but I have paused for a while in order to see where the story is going.
I'm watching Can Love Become Money as eps are becoming available on DramaFever.
I just finished Creating Destiny, which was cute, but I rather hated the resolution of the older sister's story.
And, just last night, I decided to begin rewatching My Princess.
Now that Big is done (yes, someone who enjoyed it from beginning to finish haha - yes I know the writing was weak, but what can I say, love makes you blind :P), I'm looking forward to Faith and To the Beautiful You (for the fluff, but teasers have been looking good), and Nice Guy (still a month away, sigh).
Answer to 1997 looks really really cute. I watched the first episode raw, and despite not really understanding everything, found it quite adorable - specially Yoon-jae and Shi-won's friendship and Yoon-jae's one-sided love. Now I just hope some group gets around to subbing it (pretty please?) :D
I'm debating what to watch to bide my time. I think I'll get around to finishing Tree with Deep Roots. Kind of also want to watch a rom-com to balance out the heavy thriller-ness.
On a side note, I wonder how Gaksital will wrap up. With only 11 episodes left, I'm kind of left wondering how the writers will move forward. Even though the past few episodes were intense, I felt like we were still moving in circles (despite some plot developments, like Mok-dan finding out Gaksital's real identity). Maybe it's cause I feel like Gaksital isn't really working towards some ultimate goal (as we saw in City Hunter). While this makes Gaksital a little less predictable, everything is beginning to feel a bit stagnant. I feel like I'm not getting any sense of an overall picture, if that makes sense.
I'm not saying Gaksital is bad - it's pretty good, especially at making me bite my nails in nervousness/anticipation - I just feel like I need more assurance that the writers know what they're doing, and that we're building towards a central conflict. I still have complaints about how writers use Mok-dan and Rie, but I'll deal with it (but can't they be consistently badass for once?).
Oh..question, where are you all watching the Japanese shows? The only places I've found online (other than the small selection on DramaFever and CrunchyRoll/KDrama) so far aren't very iPad friendly (using Flash video).
@Jomo Firefox, though I'm on a Mac... I don't understand why the same Adblock I have works better than everyone else's.... maybe it's the things on my block list?
Oh and I still need a mindless WAFF (Warm and Fuzzy Feelings), non-gap drama from K-drama land. I knew that Big wasn't going to be that from the get go. And by Episode 8 or so I knew it wasn't going to fit viewer expectations any. (Especially since everyone was so focused on Gong Yoo.)
As much as I love I Need Romance 2, it's not that type of drama either. It's what I would term a Discovery drama. The storyline is set on you finding out more and more about the characters and how they grow. (Big was that too... except that most people missed that part.)
K-dramas can do mindless WAFF well, so why not celebrate it some? You know, easy beginning, middle and end, no thinking, floaty feeling, clean writing drama.
So last week, I started and finished Shut Up Flower Boy Band within 36 hours. I thought it was a fantastic drama...but it has ruined me for anything else (except for Gakitsal--I'm hooked and waiting for the next episode.)
I want to get in a good dose of dramas in before school starts...I have these on my list, any recommendations on which I should start first or if I should add anything else on my list?
1) harvest villa
2) joseon x-files
3) story of a man
4) once upon a time in saengchori
5) vampire prosecutor
6) call of the country
7) history of a salaryman
8) tree with deep roots
9) yaksha
10) padam padam
11) the duo
Also completely different note, are there any jdramas that are similar in tone and comedy to Hana Kimi? I recently realized how much I enjoyed watching it years ago.
Have you watched Queen In-hyun's Man? It's the same PD as Vampire Prosecutor, and the romance spilled over into real life. And it is another TvN drama, like SUFBB, so it has that cable "vibe."
Seconding the Queen In Hyun's Man rec above. I was one of those who thought the ending had major writing flaws, but I still love it. It has this atmosphere of sheer romance that not many dramas do.
Also, if you enjoy psychological thrillers that makes you think, White Christmas.
Really beautifully written and acted w/ the middle eps being some of the most mindblowing eps you will ever watch.
TWDR is also great - some of the best monologues written for actors and Han Suk-kyu will leave you trembling w/ his just masterful portrayal as Sejong.
For lighter fare - romcoms, I would place "Coffee Prince", “I Need Romance 2012″ (which is airing right now) and “He/The Man Who Can’t Marry” on your must see list - they are all wonderfully written/acted romcoms w/ great casts.
Other good romcoms would be "Best Love", "My Girlfriend is a Gumiho" and "My Princess."
MGIAG and MP have their flaws, but relationships btwn the leads are wonderfully done and well worth it.
okay about order:
Okay thinking of the first episodes that charmed me
1. Saengchori- Funny, warm good set up
2. Tree-Quick, thrilling, great visuals in the first scene
3.Salaryman- funny!
4.Harvest Villa-Very funny, mysterious
5.Call of the Country- bumbling,better than sweet spy
6.Story of a Man-I thought the first episode had way too much going on and some overacting but it gets sooo much better.
I liked it. I didn't like how the main couple resolved their will they/won't they and I wasn't on board with them but I still have good feelings about the whole thing. Aju mani!
History of a Salaryman--tight, tight writing, funny and engages your adrenaline and heart. Mind--not as much, though there is some of that too. It looks like it would fit with your current list of what you like. It has a similar feel. It's a smooth ride from beginning to end without any real huge sharp turns. Tiny bit of makjang towards the end, but most K-dramas have that.
padam padam is 100% makjang all the way. I quit at episode 1.
Tree with Deep Roots is good, though it goes all out makjang towards the end. It engages the head full on, not the heart as much. Makes you think deeply about issues of literacy, etc.
Other dramas like Hana Kimi? Hana Yori Dango, Nodame Cantabile and Perfect Girl Evolution fit the bill that way. Less better scripted, but I still like it: Ouran High. If you want to get into super idol fluff Mei no Shitsuji. You don't have to turn on your brain at all during the entire showing of Mei no Shitsuji, but it still makes your heart beat fast.
If you want to spread your wings a bit outside of that: Hotaru no Hikari, seasons 1 and 2 is a good ride. It will get you to the dramas aimed at older audiences. Though personally I like the high concept dramas like Reset, Liar Game and Kurosagi... which you can't find in the US and in Korea. (Occasionally, Canada makes a few high concept dramas)
You know what, I think I've come to terms with the fact that I have an inexplicable crush on Fujiki Naohito. I can watch him sit around and do nothing for 16 episodes. This is all.
God!! I love this City Hunter header! Its the first time I'm getting it. Wanna make me watch the drama again!
How come I cannot find it in JB's headers page?
Hi everyone!
I've had a tough week, bracing myself for an even tougher one. However, I managed to see The Dark Knight Rises, and I ended up loving it (although I had very low expectations, having read some negative reviews). It had some glaring plotholes, but it was still high quality entertainment. Also, one particulatr cameo made me really happy.
I'm really looking forward to Faith, because this might be the only chance to make George Michael references in K-drama comments. 'Cause I gotta have faith, y'know?
Also, still loving Rich Man, Poor Woman. Actually, when I was watching the first episode, I was thinking, 'Hey, that's exactly what I was going through when I was looking for my first full-time job!'...Might I also get a successful-high-school-dropout-quirky-entrepreneur boss? :D
did you ever see eli stone? the guy with the brain tumor that hallucinated george michael? I really wanted some george michael music while watching it. While I was singing and clapping to gotta have faith after reading that line ( how can I not?) my brain followed up the chorus with the night with the words from suju's the night chicago died.
Hi oftheshore!
I guess you are still working hard on your dissertation? I hope that it will go well. I've been procrastinating on my exam preparation these few weeks back, and regretting it right now, because that means I have more stuffs to do in less amount of time. Hope I can stick to it and not procrastinate (although, I still think I will :D )
Anyway, I was planning to see Dark Knight Rises last Sunday with my friend. But then we received these alerts on our phones about a guy carrying firearm nearby the theater. So we decided to take a rain check. Not sure if I can finally watch it though, considering the new term coming up and I have to move out from my apartment.
Yes, the work is for my dissertation/PhD update/research plan. We definitely need to set up our own procrastination club, but just...not today.
Is this going to be your final year at uni?
Haha. So I assume we are going to procrastinate on setting up our own procrastination club? :D
Yes, it will be my final year as a master student, but if I pass the exam and manage to secure a funding from my professor, then I would be able to pursue my PhD right away. :)
How many years do you have left for your PhD, oftheshore?
I'm on a 3-year programme, and I had to do both an MRes and the first year of the PhD in one year (so, essentially, it's a 1+2). Only two years left now. :(
Aw yes, 'cause we gotta have 'Faith'! *Yes, I will keep making these puns over and over again, I'm afraid* Before you throw my heart back on the floor, Lee Min Ho, you gotta make City Hunter 2 :D
Is it bad that I'm getting my hopes up for "To the Beautiful You"? All the teasers and stills released scream shiny idol drama, but I'm really hoping that there's some heart in there somewhere.
On another note, has anybody listened to Shin Yong Jae's new album "24"? It's quite good. Teaser below for all of you who are interested. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBKEvvNWOFs
I actually I don't know anything about hana kimi but I do know about the shakespeare play and the numerous remakes. I also saw the advertisement for the show and loved the look of it. I really hope I enjoy it.
So now that Big is finished, I marathoned about 8 episodes last night, so I'm really feeling the tiredness at work right now, can't wait to finish it, read some comments here saying the ending isn't that great, so I'm hoping that my easily pleased brain is easily pleased.
(btw I'm very easy please, I love Korean version of JIN, it's hilarious ) .
Haha. Well sometimes you just have different taste compared to the majority. And it doesn't matter as long as you're enjoying it! I hope you'll find the ending satisfying, so that you won't feel like wasting 16 hours... :)
If you watch it for the character and character development, rather than for sweeping huge events you expect to be coming, you'll like it to the end. Re-frame it in your mind as a poor attempt at slice of life because it was the first attempt, watch for the characters, what are said about the character, how they change in small ways, keep your eye on the theme of maturity and then the ending will work for you.
If you watch for Gong Yoo alone and KKJ's story, the drama will fail for you, and the ending will seem confusing. And you'll hate it.
Well I love AGD and am going to go stir crazy but hoping we still get to see Ep 19. It says on SBS schedule for all those who thinks it's canceled and will be on KST of 9:30 instead of 9:50 the usually time if time does not run over for Judo events. Now going to have a Queen In-Hyun's Man marathon, Rich Man, Poor Woman, and all old school k-drama's drama's to get me through a boring drama week.
Loved the first episode of The Chaser and am now sooooooo glad the english subs seem to be rolling in. (Okay, well, now they finally did #2) so am gonna love that. Also gonna catch up on Ghost. I avoided seeing the recaps for that because i so want to see it. Although, truth to tell, the recaps I am most addicted to are the Dr Jin recps. I will have mega withdrawals when that show finishes its course. Am hoping the writer for Ghost is doing well.
Hi Carole, do you stream The Chaser or download it? And where can I find it? I've seen a lot of rave reviews on this show that made me curious at how good it is. Thanks.
I'm putting Olympics in nail cage for causing the preemption of dramas and therefore... a boring drama week.
Btw, I'm not watching Olympics opening, since I can't find any site to stream live (I have no TV). However, my timeline in twitter is full with olympics updates, so I feel like I'm watching it.
I was reading my Entertainment Weekly this week and in the TV section they had an "International Spotlight".
They highlighted "Boys Over Flowers" with this blurb: "Don't be fooled by the cutesy title: This fish-out-of-water saga about a working-class girl in a love-hate relationship with a rich bad boy at her cliquey private school has all the catty elitism of Gossip Girl mixed with the heated back-and-forth banter of 10 Things I Hate About You."
I thought "You missed "Almost Paradise" and LEE MIN-HO!"
LOL. To this day, I sometimes catch myself humming "Almost Paradise" out of the blue and have to cringe/laugh. I did not know what I was getting myself into when I clicked on episode 1! :)
I still remember watching that first episode and coming oh-so-close to shutting it off forever, but I turned on episode 2 just in case it got better. Little did I know. :P
Just peeked in here to say hi before going to bed (bed? it's almost 7am! yes, haven't slept yet lol) because I might be going out later to meet some friends and won't be back till late. So... happy weekend, DB denizens of the OT!
Happy because Kim Nam Gil finally got an official FB page, and posted photos of his New Zealand holiday. :D A friend of mine (who calls me Mom because she pretends to be my "daughter" although we don't have that big an age gap) and I have this running thing going where she mines him and I'm all "don't be falling for your dad, baby, that's bad." :D Yeah, we're that KNG-obsessed over here, and we're not exactly official members of KNG-Philippines yet.
Just reading the recap of Answer Me 1997 had me laughing because... totally relate! Even the same age as the characters then, although at 18 we were already juniors in college (different educational curriculum). Although we didn't know about K-pop yet back then, if you just substitute American and local boy bands and local loveteams, so much is the same. Oooh, I wanna watch (also, because Ji Won!).
Yup! They have the Voldermort vs Mary Poppins skit, Chariots on Fire skit, and James Bond (Daniel Craig) as Queen's bodyguard "skydiving" into the arena (both of them). A stark contrast from Beijing Olympics opening, but somewhat fitting with the British campiness.. :D
I flipped out when I saw Mr. Bean. Brought back childhood memories. I must admit I squealed when I saw Daniel Craig. The whole dream sequence with the famous lit. villains will end up giving me nightmares. So freaky looking. It was an awesome opening. The ending with the rising torches was just a sight to behold.
Happy Weekend All! I've been busy in RL and missed saying hi last week. :( Why can't I just curl up on the sofa with kdramas and let the world go by? :( I'm in the mood where I just want to watch.them.all.right.now. After reading the recaps of the end of Big tho, I gave up on finishing it out. I've started Gaksital instead. BOY was I missing out!!! Looking forward to Faith SO much right now.
I changed my game plan to only watching on-going dramas right now because suffering the withdraws from week to week is actually going better for my real life than holing up and marathoning my evenings and weekends away! I'm in the field of architecture and in the U.S. that's pretty much still a super competitive job market to be in. Part-time has it's benefits (kdrama time!!) but I'd really like to be back to full-time soon so that means less time for dramas and more time applying and talking to firms. I must muster my iron will. It's exausting.
So can I just say that was my favorite part about Personal Taste? That he was an architect?! LOVED it. And that traditional house! :)
Oh, I did watch my first korean movie this week: Sector 7. without subs. :) I actually understood a smattering of the dialouge, so that made me happy. I REALLY want to learn Korean and someday watch without subs, but for this move I was actually glad because I wasn't in all that much suspense or getting scared due to having to figure out what was going on from all the other cues. Plus there's very little talking during the last half when all the action erupts. Not really my type of movie, but I watched it for Ha Ji Won and Oh Ji Ho and don't feel inclined to ever watch it again.
I'm yawning, must sleep, but I HAD to come to dramabeans and catch up. :) Wish I could really read through the thread, but one of these days I'll catch it early enough to keep up. :)
![[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 *
1 Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 6:24 AM
Happy OT everyone!
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 6:25 AM
Hey, Ivoire! How are you, mon amie?
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 1:35 PM
Hi Shukie,
I am good! How are you? And your folks? Dad totally out of the woods yet? Are you still staying with them or visiting (back and forth to help with chores)? Has your brother left? I left you a message in last OT here, I don't know if you read it:
3.6.1 Ivoire July 20th, 2012 at 2:38 pm
Have a great weekend, I hope!
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 3:27 PM
Iv! Read your response, thanks. my dad is cleared medically for his hand, but he messed up his knee, so I'm still mowing.
Bro and family made it back safely from Florida; unfortunately, a severe windstorm in Virginia took out a 40-year old maple right on top his hanging baskets that we were storing for him. It was a carnage of impatiens! Okay not quite, and most of them recovered before he got back. :-)
The 'rents are coming back today from a two-week bus tour of Branson and Pidgeon Forge. I made Chianti cookies, their favorite, and later on this week I'm going to grab the landlord's F150 and haul in topsoil for the pit where the maple used to be.
My goals this week are to upload up to chapter 10 of the new romance, watch AGD, and maybe wash my car. The country commute has made Attila a patchwork quilt of insect carcasses.
* <-- Another one [sigh]
Fun times!!
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 5:13 PM
Hey, Shukie, will be back later to respond. Am trying to get to the other posts. You know me by now, and you know what to do :-)!
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 6:41 AM
Happy OT Ivoire and tout le monde!
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 1:37 PM
Bonjour Korazy Lady, hope you saw my last email. I still have to finish answering the other emails. How are you? Hope you will have a great weekend :-)!
Required fields are marked *
john
July 27, 2012 at 7:00 AM
Ivorie~
Happy OT!
Watching: Attic Cat, Liar Game, Rich Man ,Poor Woman and following GF's recap of Answer Me 1997
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 7:09 AM
John!!! Did you ever find the soju?
Required fields are marked *
john
July 27, 2012 at 7:20 AM
Shuk~
Not yet, I haven't looked for it. Maybe this weekend...
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 29, 2012 at 9:06 AM
John, I loved Attic Cat even if it was a little dated, and started watching RMPW. But that is clearly a show I'd like to marathon and was disappointed that so far there are only 3 episodes out. Why do I torture myself so??
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 1:29 PM
Hi John,
Sooo good to hear (err... read) from you on this fine Friday. I left you a response here on the last OT (# 249), on the 2nd page:
66.1 Ivoire July 23rd, 2012 at 1:12 pm
I am not sure whether you read it or not. If you didn't, read it. It's a little long, but worth the read, I think. I also mentioned what I am currently watching in my last post here on this OT:
1.8 Ivoire July 27th, 2012 at 12:55 pm
So, what do you think of the current dramas you are watching? I am curious now (about your opinion)...
I hope you will have a great weekend!
Required fields are marked *
john
July 28, 2012 at 12:57 PM
Ivoire~
I'm watching an oldie, Ruler of Your Own World.
Bok Su, a pickpocket just out of prison, struggles to adjust to life on the outside.
After seeing how his theft effects the life of one of his victims, he tries to turn over a new leaf.
Gritty, with a love triangle too.
J Drama Liar Game with Toda Erika , (I'm a fan of hers, loved her in the J Drama SPEC.) Intrigue but not any rel romance.
I finished Attic Cat, another oldie,. I enjoyed the female lead
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 7:11 AM
Happy OT, Ivoire!
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 2:05 PM
Hi K, does this: "Dzieki!" mean "Thank you" in Polish? Just wondering because you wrote it below.
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 2:12 PM
Yup, it's a short form. The full form for first person singular ("I") is "dziekuje".
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 3:09 PM
Thank you, I learned something new today! So interesting, how we can communicate with people from around the world on this blog. I have written to and read from (personally) Americans (with different backgrounds), Spanish, Malaysians, Indonesians, Africans, Europeans (French, Poles, etc)... It's the United Nations here, and we primarily come here because of our love and interest in Kdramas and Korean related matters. Isn't that something?
I am sorry I never gave you my take on the whole JHW-YIN story, although I really meant to (honestly). I can still tell you (even now) if you are still interested in what I think and thought at the time. I just feel bad that I didn't keep my word on that. It was fun for me at the time that was unravelling. I do wish them well, both in their personal lives and in their professional ones.
So do you live in Poland? And you are Pole, I take it? (I don't want to assume, I would rather ask). Really good to hear from you. I have noticed that you don't seem to write on Saturdays, just Fridays on OT. Is that the only day you participate, Friday? Because OT goes on until whenever, you just post and people check to see if there was an answer to their post. I have left you responses in the past and realized you hadn't read them. So I was just wondering...
And then, the following Friday, when OT starts, we just take it from there. So OT usually goes from Friday to the following Thursday and then we start a new Thread on Friday. I hope your weekend started well.
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 3:32 PM
Your assumption would be correct.
I participate in OT on Fridays because 1) of time zones, 2) on Saturdays I am busy with housework and the likes, it's the offline day for me :)
I remember you had promised to give me some answers and checked the respective threads buy I never found them *pouts and goes to search*
As for YIN/JHW - I read some more detailed articles about the matter and changed my mind a little when I learned the whole backstory. But still, I don't like people mixing private and professional issues. I am not going to comment about celebrities' relationships anymore.
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 6:23 PM
Hey Kopytko,
Sorry I am late again in answering. Maybe you will get this... next week? I am sooooo sorry that you kept looking for my posts and there weren't there. You should have told me. I do want to say something about why I felt the way I felt about their relationship and the way it went down. Maybe, if you are done talking about it, you could indulge me and let me talk about it, please, pretty please :-)? *Does aegyo for you* (is it working, by the way?)
I will assume that you will be interested in what I have to say (what I wanted to say at the time) and I will write my draft and post it next week for you, since I doubt that I will hear from you this week. I will post it (I am not sure where) but I will let you know.
I am sorry I made you pout, (really) but I thought that was cute :-). Please forgive me. I tend to write a lot (as you have seen).
kopytko
July 28, 2012 at 3:30 AM
Dear Ivoire,
if I may suggest, don't try aegyo on me. Doesn't work, and definitely not the way you may expect *tames the sarcastic beast in herself*
I am interested in your opinions, but maybe not necessarily on that subject. I really don't bother thinking about YIN&JHW. Peace&love with them, but as I said, I don't care. *the cynic speaking*
Ivoire
July 28, 2012 at 10:20 AM
Hi Kopytko,
In case you happen to read this message (this week or next week), I got it on both accounts: I will not try the aegyo on you anymore (sorry about that, I was actually doing that in a sisterly kind of way [influence of Kdramas]. I hope it didn't come across any other way and if it did, I apologize), and I will keep my opinions about YIN and JHW to myself. I hope your weekend is going well!
kopytko
July 30, 2012 at 8:15 AM
As for aegyo it just isn't my cup of tea - be it sisterly, brotherly, nieghbourly or any kind of way. Not that i am offended in any way, but it's totally wasted on me ;p
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 7:20 AM
Happy OT, Ivoire!
Sorry I haven't got any update yet on Tim's drama, but I'll keep you posted. :)
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 6:12 PM
Hi Maya, no worries, we are good. I think I do owe you a response from last OT, so I will answer (still) and post it when I am done. Sorry about that :-( And I will let you know when I do as well.
Required fields are marked *
drina
August 18, 2012 at 8:21 AM
Tim Wang's Saranghae I love you?
so lame..
i try to watch it.. no different than any other sinetron here in my country.. really bad acting by the local actors.. ugh! i can't stand it, Ivy.. Sorry,,
better for you not to watch it, really:')
Required fields are marked *
amg01
July 27, 2012 at 9:59 AM
@Ivoire! I came across this new version of the classic "Independence Cha Cha", I hope that you like it!!! Link
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4vc25TcIe0)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkBPQcnNs5k)
Baloji, is one my favorite African (Congo) artist right now, along with Salif Keita, Lucky Dube, Canda Bongo Man,,,Enjoy
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 6:08 PM
Hi Amg1,
Thank you so much for the links. I haven't seen them, but I will and thank you for sharing these. I posted these a while back, did you see them? This was in OT #245. Check it out when you get a chance and please let me know what you think :-) I will be back later to answer to your post. Check out this OT throughout the weekend, please.
3.5 Ivoire June 22nd, 2012 at 12:09 pm
Because this is a place where we get to share our culture(s) and our experiences (and our love of Kdramas and Korean culture of course) and OT is the venue to do it, I just wanted to share with you what was sent to me yesterday, and that made me think of a few other things I have been thinking of sharing.
Some of these moves are from Ghana and these moves (dances) are usually danced in Sub-Sahara Africa (meaning below the Arab African countries), and as with moves and dances, they then become a trend and they usually have a name.
The first 3 videos are the AZONTO dance from Ghana and the last one is from Cameroon (where I am from) and I can’t remember the name of the dance right now. It is a dance that has been around for a very, very, very long time…
So I am just giving you a little sample of our dances. Some of these moves give new meaning to the expression “Dropping it like it’s hot :-) ” and we know where Beyonce and the like get many of their moves from… Enjoy, I hope! (the music, the instruments and the dances). Some of the videos are a little long, but I think they are worth watching. It also occurred to me that some of those moves/dances are found in pop dances/moves all over the world.
1–For this video, make sure that you watch it from the very beginning, when the musical call is done and the dancers come together. This is an “African Contemporary Dance Flash Mob – in Downtown Silver Spring, MD, USA”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLwsQE1i2-Y&feature=share
This is one of the songs that was featured in the flash mob, and it was filmed in Ghana, I think…
2–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE8p9LqinHo&feature=related
A variation of the AZONTO DANCE…
3–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF-a7gt9468
This is the AZONTO dance, performed at the University of AKRON (in Ohio, USA, I think). I LOVE that it was an international event and the comment about “Africans dance good, but we dance good too :-) , said by the guy who was filming.”
4–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmMsuINYyQY&feature=related
The name of the dance is ASSIKO and the dance is from one of the provinces of Cameroon:
5–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz0VMirSwto&feature=related
Encyclopedie (Encyclopedia of) d’Assiko at “Camtogether Under the Volcano” (They look like they might be professional dancers and dancing they do. Please pay attention to the crippled guy who still manages to dance…) This was filmed in Cameroon.
6–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJhnosI22k&feature=fvwrel
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 10:21 AM
Happy OT, Ivoire! How are you doing - and what are you watching - these days?
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 1:01 PM
Hellooooooo OTS,
I am doing good!!! And how are you? I still owe you an answer from last OT which I will post when I am done writing it. It has been on hold for the moment, but I haven't forgotten and I will finish it and I will post it and we can talk about it then. Does that sound OK to you? Please forgive me :-(! I am usually good about responding to my posts :-)
I answered your other question below, so please read. Did you start Gaksital? If yes, what did/do you think of it?
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 2:05 PM
No worries at all, I think I owe you at least one post/reply, too.:D Take your time, Ivoire!
I haven't started Gaksital yet, but I might watch the first episode (or two) tonight, and will let you know my thoughts! To be honest, at the moment I'm more in the mood for mindless fluff, my brain might not be able to handle serious drama . :)
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 3:22 PM
@ OTS, Great! Then we each owe each other something, yay!!! I feel better now :-). I think I am writing you a book, or maybe more like a journal, which I know you enjoy reading, right? :-)
Speaking of BM (Gaksital), it is heavy. It is violent (really), engaging, emotional, angstsy and yes, it is serious, especially considering the history and time period it is set in. So at least you know what to expect if and when you choose to watch it. I do like it though (the few episodes I have seen) and I need to see it from the beginning to fully appreciate it. When you DO watch it, pay attention to the music, it is sooooo good IMHO!!!! It totally makes the drama for me. Koreans are really good with OSTs, both instrumental and (songs with) lyrics, but I am still blown away by the OST for BM. Music is so important in this drama that it is in almost every scene. Watch and pay attention and let me know what you think (when you get to it).
I will now go and answer your other post :-)
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 12:55 PM
I meant to say this earlier: I do hope that you guys will have a great weekend and will enjoy a nice weather. It has been cold at night and sometimes for a good portion of the day in my neck of the woods and we have had a few really hot days. I am not complaining however, not being to hot works for me. It just makes me curious about the weather, isn't it supposed to be summer? Anyhoo, I am just rolling with it.
So far, I am just watching AGD (some movement forward with all the couples, yay!!!!), Gaksital (I still haven't watched the beginning, which I need to do) and I have watched a few episodes of INR2 and I don't feel pulled in at all. This show doesn't do anything for me. I do like the 2nd male lead though, better than the male lead (look wise and character wise). I don't know why I feel like he won't get the girl in the end (2nd male lead). I also think that the male lead is being a Noble Idiot (actually, I am convinced of it). as far as female leads, I liked the female lead from the INR1 better. I liked how spunky she was.
Big's ending didn't make sense to me, AT ALL!!! I fell like it was a cop out and was poorly handled, and didn't follow the line of the story, especially in lieu of what we learned in that episode revealed by Ma Ri. Good thing I was not invested from the start (I didn't even watch all the episodes, I would just check it out every so often, an episode here and there, for the acting, to see how that was). I couldn't get behind the storyline, based on the characters' age, especially Kyun Joon and his relationship with Da Ran, but I wanted to see some of the plot points and see GY and LMJ acting.
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 2:13 PM
It only became warm here this weekend, and it might get cold again soon. Summer's been officially reduced to a week! :(
Big has been my biggest drama disappointment of the year so far. Watched the first 5 episodes, then kept reading the recaps hoping it would get better, but it only became increasingly messy, IMHO. Big had some nice moments, but I think it may have worked better as a comedy (after all, isn't comedy what THS do best?). Also, I absolutely hated that we never really got to meet YJ.
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 3:58 PM
"Summer’s been officially reduced to a week! :(" hear, hear!!! I hear you on that one. *Sighs*
Yeah, re: Big, I really wanted to meet YJ and hear his side of the story. Someone said that the HS didn't care about YJ and I tend to believe that. He was a compelling character though, I really wanted to meet him as well. Do you know that the cast had a press conference after the show and GY and LMJ were not there? (or they were there but didn't stay for the interview, according to someone else), which begs the question, why not? Where they trying to avoid questions, really good ones? *Sighs again...* What a cop out...
You can read about it here:
http://koalasplayground.com/2012/07/25/shin-and-the-big-cast-interviewed-at-wrap-party/
I just read a little bit of the article, and I feel that she is trying to justify what happened with Big and the ending, but the truth is that THS messed up the ending. Like K says, they couldn't handle the pressure of having GY all drama long and then show Shin at the end (can you imagine him, kissing her, ewww!). This is why I didn't support this drama from the beginning (the premise, not the actors who did well), I couldn't get behind the premise. If Kyun Joon was older, then maybe yes, the 8 year difference would not have bothered me as much. But he was in his teens and she was his teacher, don't these things matter? *End of rant, thank you for reading*
And you can disagree with me, that's totally fine, and I KNOW, it is just a drama, but still...It doesn't make it right (again, just my opinion).
So do you know what fluffy drama you are going to watch next? I am finishing AGD and I am waiting for Faith.
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 4:18 PM
Ivoire,
I'm with on you on the age difference. See, in dramas like Dal Ja's Spring (or, to be completely fair, any drama where the male lead is several years older than the female), I can buy the pairing because both characters are adults, even if one of them is younger. In Big, we were constantly reminded that KJ is a teenager - in fact, maybe if we weren't, I would have felt better about the OTP. It felt as if the Hong Sisters had the premise and Gong Yoo, but weren't sure what to d next.
Faith? Yes, please! I'm so ready for the epicness! Arang is another drama I'm looking forward to, but I'm worried about the ending - how can you have a happy ending with a ghost? :(
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 5:33 PM
Hey OTS, I will be back later to comment (because, wouldn't you know it, I have things to say :-)), but I am trying to get to other posts before I get off the computer. So, please be patient with me and check throughout today and the weekend. You should know me by now, I always make an effort to respond at some point.
So please, stay tuned :-)...
Required fields are marked *
Laya
July 28, 2012 at 6:08 AM
Just dropped by to say happy weekend, Ivoire!! <3
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 28, 2012 at 10:31 AM
Hi Laya, Thanks for stopping by.
I hope you are doing fine and I hope that your weekend is going well. I think I might owe you a response from last OT, I will check on that. If I do, I will eventually respond and I will let you know when I have responded. Sorry if I owe you a response and I have been late. Have a great weekend!
Required fields are marked *
2 shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 6:25 AM
I disliked the ending of Big.
There. I said it, and I feel better!!
Happy Friday, everone!
Required fields are marked *
Mystisith
July 27, 2012 at 6:29 AM
Neither I. Here for those like us who needed to see the only possible ending:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKcAPCzDFY4&feature=player_embedded
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 6:31 AM
I like it!
Required fields are marked *
Ladytron33
July 27, 2012 at 6:38 AM
I've already watched this video about a dozen times, and my heart swelled each time. Isn't it sad that a 50 second fan-vid gave me so much more closure than the ending THS wrote...
Required fields are marked *
Laya
July 28, 2012 at 6:27 AM
Thank you for the link. :)
Required fields are marked *
cv
July 27, 2012 at 6:43 AM
I hated it too! haha! Kinda glad I stopped watching it and read recaps instead. I did watch the last episode just to see how bad it was... :P IT wasn't as bad but the process of how we got there was just not understandable. It's a drama, they should have made it blank point of what happened to the main leads instead of leading us around in circle then not showing us them together but flashback instead--saying that it is them. It just didn't click with me. Blah...
I love lee ta ri ending was much better---they show 2 min of what the 14 year old went thru to grow up and fated to meet up with her again. That's what I call a good ending even if it is open ending---you kinda know what happened to them, meet again, and from there, of course, love is love, they are together again.
I want a straight to the point romance...not one where I have to think toooo hard. LMao. ^^
Big could have been so much better. Sad it wasn't.
Required fields are marked *
Lisa@SD
July 27, 2012 at 10:35 AM
I Love Italy aka I Love Lee TaeRi is the feel good drama of the year for me. First time that Yeyin plays a cute, sweet, likeable character. I never cared for Kibum, but here he is just too cute and likeable. It made me LOL and smile through most of the show. Unlike "Big", which was funny at first and then turned into angsty. It was this close to becoming my favorite Hong sisters drama. Too bad that they were afraid to go a little further. The ending was disappointing, but I still would recommend it just for the first half of it.
Required fields are marked *
Cynthia
July 27, 2012 at 10:36 AM
Glad to see that someone agreed with me that the ending for ILLTR was SO much better than Big - it made sense, it was romantic and it was a happy ending. Nothing ambiguous, nothing hidden, no flashback cuts to get away with a crappy ending. And it didn't hurt that Kim KiBum is easy on the eyes!
:)
Required fields are marked *
cv
July 27, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Haha! yes, kibum sure is a cutie. ^^
And the ending is happy! * awww, wonderful...this is what love should be like--giving you that satisfaction after spending 16 hours watching (ups and down and in the end, settled down warmly in) a drama.*
Required fields are marked *
CaroleMcDonnell
July 27, 2012 at 1:38 PM
YES!!! I was so touched during most of the episodes of I love Italy (I Love Lee Tae Ri.) That is now one of my favorite dramas. And they didn't have silly outrageous beside-the-point plotlines. Everything was so wonderfully done!
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 6:45 AM
I have the last 5 episodes downloaded but after reading the recaps it sounds like a hot mess! I'm trying to decide if I should just forever keep Han Kyul in my mind......
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 10:24 AM
Just concentrate on Han Kyul. ;) Joking aside, he is one of my favourite K-drama character ever.
Required fields are marked *
whimsyful
July 27, 2012 at 6:45 AM
Happy OT Shuk!
I dropped Big after ep 4 and never regretted it. The number of outraged comments on the last ep is rather amazing though. O_O
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 7:00 AM
I know! I was at work, and by the time I got home, it was like 400+ entries! I don't know what the final count was, but I was wondering if that was a record. People really got spun up, not that I blame them. For you, keep the cute scenes in your heart and run like he## from the rest.
As an interesting sideline, I started watching "The Queen of SOP" on viki. It actually has a bunch of positive and cute scenes by the Waitan River in Shanghai! I guess only the Han is Woeful - lol.
The waterworks from Meahri in AGD, and the rain scenes in Big, really make me think it's best to stay dry and away from water in Korea. 8-)
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 7:25 AM
I know! It's like 700+ last time I checked. Due to the ragefest, no?
Required fields are marked *
edelweiss
July 27, 2012 at 7:29 AM
Oh no! I will be watching the last episodes of Big only this weekend. I haven't read the recaps. Your comments are making me anxious. I saw the poor ratings by JB and GF.I'll be expecting the worst...
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 7:32 AM
You might want to hide from the spoilers, Ed. Just saying. ;-)
Required fields are marked *
edelweiss
July 27, 2012 at 7:51 AM
Yeah. I'm watching out for that..
Required fields are marked *
Iranian Espresso
July 27, 2012 at 8:25 AM
I didn't like the ending of Big that much.
That night, I was very sad and angry,
what was that?!
Now, I feel better.
Happy Friday Ivoire, happy Friday Shuk, happy Friday Mystisith, Happy Friday everyone!
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 8:37 AM
Happy Friday, Iranian Espresso!
Yeah, I sighed, waved away the giant WTH question mark above my head, and moved on to a Chinese drama this week. Just to reset my brain a little.
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 2:08 PM
Hi Iranian Espresso,
and Happy Friday to you too!!!! I hope you will have/are having a great weekend! What are you currently watching?
Required fields are marked *
Iranian Espresso
July 27, 2012 at 11:51 PM
Hi Ivoire, Thanks a lot.
I am watching Grey's Anatomy.
Required fields are marked *
Mystisith
July 27, 2012 at 5:06 PM
Thanks my friend! :)
I'm just recovering from the wound inflicted by Big. Too bad for Show, other dramas keep me satisfied, THEM.
Required fields are marked *
neener ~ Inside the Magic Shop ~
July 27, 2012 at 8:40 AM
probably one of the worst endings out there? or am I exaggerating??
Required fields are marked *
Cynthia
July 27, 2012 at 10:42 AM
Not quite the worst - the endings for Stairway to Heaven, IRIS, Warrior Baek Dong Su, Fashion King, 49 Days are all right up there in the WTF? Department.
:)
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 2:18 PM
Sandoo, Let's Go to School had a major WTF ending, too, if I remember correctly.
Required fields are marked *
Mama J
July 28, 2012 at 9:02 AM
Killed me. I cried for days. Literally. It was embarrassing.
iZzie :)
July 27, 2012 at 11:44 AM
Happy Friday too! :)
I feel bad for Gong Yoo. And the Hong Sisters.
I hope he gets a better drama next time, or that this one doesn't discourage him from making another drama.
[praying for the next batch of dramas to be better.]
Required fields are marked *
zgznoona
July 28, 2012 at 7:36 AM
Who I feel bad for is Shin Won-ho, the poor boy spent 14 episodes sleeping.
Required fields are marked *
3 mokalatte
July 27, 2012 at 6:32 AM
Happy Friday!!
waiting an entire week for bridal mask is TORTURE!!
Required fields are marked *
4 will work for soju
July 27, 2012 at 6:33 AM
I'm going through Gaksitaaaaaaal withdrawal with only one episode this week and next. It's the only new drama I'm following right now.
I gave up on Big mid-way through and just followed the recaps. Looks like I didn't miss much and the writers chickened out with the ending. Personally, I don't know what's so offputting about the age difference, especially that Da Ran is only 6 years older than Kyung Joon. The actors had great chemistry in the first episode, so it would have been great to see them develop a relationship at the end.
On another note, Dr. Jin recaps have me in fits of laughter. I pity and admire HeadsNo2 for sticking with this drama.
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 6:38 AM
Yes, me too. I'm trying to cope with watching only one episode per week... What I don't get is why Ghost still airs its 2 episodes this week, while we only get 1 episode of Gaksital when SBS is the main broadcaster for Olympics..
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 6:46 AM
are you complaining about getting 2 episodes of ghost?
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 6:58 AM
Not at all! I like Ghost as well. What I meant was that I just can't see the reason why KBS has to preempt one episode of Gaksital, while SBS still airs 2 episodes of Ghost. Why this week?
Required fields are marked *
calgary
July 27, 2012 at 5:08 PM
Because KBS showed the Korea-Mexico soccer game on Thursday night.
SBS is the main Olympic network but KBS and MBC are helping out also.
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 6:00 PM
Aaah... That makes total sense. I was thinking that the Olympics just started today, but I guess some preliminary rounds have started earlier?
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 7:00 AM
Hmmm I've been thinking about starting Gaksital, but it seems to serious. Or am I overreacting?
Actually, I never got into watching BIG. I caught several episodes in the meantine and read the recaps, but it's the weakest Hong Sisters' drama I have seen (I haven't seen all of them - like Fantasy Couple). I couldn't find myself invested in any conflict or emotions and got scared away by psycho girl played by Suzy. Grrrr I don't tolerate characters like that.
As for Dr Jin - it's beyond anything. I open the recaps only to have a look at the last picture which always shows JJ.
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 7:12 AM
I think fantasy couple has some really great moments and one of my favorite hong sisters characters a lot of makgoli and jajjangmyon. It was a frustrating watch.
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 7:16 AM
I've read that one of the main characters is a bratty, spoiled damsel. I don't watch dramas with those. I think I am allergic.
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 7:23 AM
but this brat is played by han ye seul and she's not really a brat, she's really a woman with the world in her command. And even when she loses her memory some of this character remains I didn't find her unlikable. I think my major problem with the show was oh ji ho.
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 7:28 AM
I like her more when she turned into the amnesiac/rather lunatic version of her. But her bratty character didn't bother me that much tho'. :)
Cynthia
July 27, 2012 at 10:48 AM
Fantasy Couple is one of my favorite HS dramas - probably because 'Overboard' with Goldie Hawn/Kurt Russell is my go-to feel good American movie. The HS did a good job in lifting the plot and making it their own. I like HYS and OJH is such a sweet guy.
:)
christy
July 27, 2012 at 9:10 PM
Fantasy Couple was my first kdrama ever! And really the only reason I decided to watch it was because the description mentioned the Overboard link! I agree with ajummabunny: it was a frustrating watching. Still I could.not.stop. No matter how annoyed I was at something in the episode, I couldn't stop myself from clicking to next ep! I NEEDED to know how it ended!! I remember finishing it and being so torn. I thought, do I dare try another kdrama? There was lots I liked but was I ready to go though that again? The loss of willpower and sleep? The obsessive thoughts? Sigh. Needless to say I came around again, so glad I didn't let it turn me off of kdramas for good. It's not the best I've seen, but it still holds it's own spot in my heart. :)
will work for soju
July 27, 2012 at 7:16 AM
Czesc Kopytko,
I really recommend Gaksital, though it's not everyone's bottle of soju. It does deal with painful issues, good people die and other good people get tortured. However, since the show is based on a manga, it is very stylized which makes the hard-to-watch stuff more palatable. There are some silly moments, too, like the unrealistically fast wardrobe changes, the horse that miraculously senses the hero in danger and rescues him, and Joo Won's anachronistically tight suits, to name just a few. Overall, the show has great action, some great characters played by committed actors, and enough crack in it to make you impatient for the next episode.
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 7:20 AM
I like the Amazing Helmet Hair! Goes from slick back pompadour to fluffylocks in mere seconds. lol
Required fields are marked *
becca_boo
July 27, 2012 at 8:10 AM
I think he's been taking lessons from So Ji-sub's character in MiSa. Remember how he would always have those dramatic transformations in his car or an elevator, and we'd have to watch him every. single. time? JUST RIP OFF THE MUSTACHE ALREADY!!
Seriously, though, I want whatever product Kang-to is using.
Mama J
July 27, 2012 at 9:16 AM
Oh Becca, thank you for that.
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 7:26 AM
Hi WWFS,
when I first read about Gaksital "Czas honoru" was the first thing that came to my mind, I guess because of the political setup. It is a very good show, but one that engages you emotionally a lot, even too much. I guess I will save it for a colder season. Or maybe? Anyway, I am very grateful for your recommendation. Dzieki! :)
Required fields are marked *
will work for soju
July 27, 2012 at 8:06 AM
Kopytko,
I'm not up on Polish shows, is "Czas honoru" good? One reason I like Gaksital is that it shows the period of Korean history when they were under Japanese occupation. It reminds me of a lot of Polish movies and shows that showed people's bravery fighting the Nazis, but Gaksital isn't as bleak. I think there was a show ages ago which was set in the 30s in pre-war Gdansk, when it was a free city ruled jointly by Poles and Germans. The political background was the struggle for power with the Germans trying to take over (of course), which parallels with the Japanese strengthening their grip on Korea in Gaksital. I think the main character was a private detective who becomes an agent working against the Germans. No idea what it was called.
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 8:23 AM
"Czas honoru" is one of the best if not THE best show in last 10 years or so. If you have a chance - do have a look. It is dark and intense, but the characters are very palpable and it doesn't leave one indiffernt.
The show you're talking about seems like "Na kłopoty... Bednarski" http://filmpolski.pl/fp/index.php/123798 - it's a classic. Actually, it is also similar to Gaksital, but it also has a strong focus on detective storyline.
will work for soju
July 27, 2012 at 8:37 AM
Thanks for the recommendation! Yes, it was "Na klopoty... Bednarski"! This brings back memories. Looks like it aired the year I left for the States. I think Gaksital is closer in tone to that than to "Czas honoru" judging from the description.
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 2:16 PM
Kopytko,
Ale fajnie tutaj spotkac kogos kto mowi po polsku!)
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 2:21 PM
@Offtheshore
Czolem! there are more of us :)
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 2:28 PM
oftheshore, sorry for the typo :)
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 2:53 PM
@kopytko
No problem! I've never seen Czas Honoru, but heard so much about it from my Polish friends - might have to put it on my list of shows to watch...
will work for soju
July 27, 2012 at 2:58 PM
Czesc oftheshore,
Witaj do naszej grupki amatorow dramatow koreanskich!
simon
July 27, 2012 at 3:20 PM
These Polish shows you all talk about sound really interesting - is there a way to watch them? (OK, I could go to Poland and turn on the TV, I suppose, but that's not what I meant. ^^; ) Is anybody subbing Polish shows into English (German, French, anything really). I've learned enough Polish to understand the title, but a whole show would probably be too much. Could somebody do that on Viki, maybe? Would be really really cool!
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 3:50 PM
Hi Simon!
If you receive TVP Polonia via satellite, you should be able to catch it with English subs. I guess they are going to air it sometime in September. Otherwise, you can watch it online. http://www.tvp.pl/seriale/obyczajowe/czas-honoru is one option - the official site run by Polish tv. There are also many other sources, but sadly I haven't seen any subbed ones :|. You can learn by watching, right? That's how I learn't German (X Files) and Russian (cartoons).
simon
July 28, 2012 at 1:37 AM
@kopytko:
Thank you! dziekuje :) *hugs* I don't have a Satellite dish (it's not allowed in the house I live in) - but that hardly matters, because I don't have a TV, either. ^^; But I've got the internet link now! Thank you! :)
If they have Polish subtitles (like, "for the hearing impaired" or something), that might work...
Actually, do they put subtitles (maybe even foreign ones) on DVDs in Poland? Watching dramas is really a good way to study language. (It's pretty hard to find Eastern European DVDs with subs, though. For me, at least.)
But: you learned German from watching X-Files?! You've studied the language before, at school, or something, right? o_ô Because: woah. X-Files does pack some very difficult words. ^^; (I've only had a few courses in Polish, at the end of which I could ask for the way, the price and tell some station book shop ajumma that I've only got 3 sloty left to buy something nice, so she should give me some advice... Not enough for shows on politics, is it? ^^; )
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand: Russian cartoons? Nu pogodi!!!! *jumps up and down on the couch* (That's the extend of my Russian by now, all thanks to wolf pyon.) o^___^o
kopytko
July 28, 2012 at 2:10 AM
I am glad I can be of any help :)
It turns out that the version on DVD is fully subbed both in English and in Polish (a great way to study when you listen and see the transcription at the same time!). There are all four seasons available (the fifth will be aired in Autumn).
I had studied German before watching XFiles, but I couldn't speak and the vocabulary was also of the phrasebook style (How much is it? How do I go to...? hehehe). While watching one gets excited and invested and so you just get to understand more and more - I watched several seasons in German, so it did take some time :). My favourite cartoon in Russian was the soviet version of Winnie the Pooh - really quirky and in style. After seeing that I was sorry to think about Disney version, which was so soulless.
simon
July 30, 2012 at 5:34 AM
@kopytko:
5 seasons?!!! omo ^^; But the DVDs have English subtitles, that's wonderful! I'll look for them next time I'm in Poland! :) Are there other shows or movies you can recommend? I agree that watching TV shows and movies (with subs, maybe) is a very good way of learning the language! I've pretty much learned Japanese from watching Anime (and studying at university, OK. *ahem* :3 ) and now I'm starting to pick up more and more Korean from all the dramas I watch.
Reading books is, of course, also a good way. I've been dying to read the Witcher series (Saga o Wiedźminie), but my Polish isn't even good enough for the children's books I bought last time I visited Warszawa. And I don't really have time to study (Polish) that much, because my uni studies have absolutely nothing to do with it... :/
With regards to the Russian cartoons - I've never seen the Russian Poo (as far as I remember, ahem), but I know what you mean. Even as a child I thought Disney films were really really ... stupid. Oversimplified. Puritan goody good - wickedly evil dichotomy (and in the end, evil always dies, har!). In an interview Miyazaki once said that Disney lied to children (about the world). It's all so ... empty. The European and Asian cartoons I watched (and watch, to be honest :P ) have much more ... "soul", you know what I mean? *sigh*
Anyways, thank you for replying so patiently to my never ending barrage of questions! *hugz* :)
And btw: you have to watch Bridal Mask or: "Gaksital will never forgive you!" ;)
kopytko
July 30, 2012 at 7:58 AM
@Simon
If I were to recommend only one Polish drama that would be definitely "Dom". It is commonly considered to be the best of the best and I perosnally love it. It shows poeple's fates with history in the background. You may have to read a wee bit about the historical events to enjoy to the full, but even if you don't, you can't help but feel for the characters. Surprise, surprise, it's online and subbed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0D5ENHBMLQ
Just pay attention not to confuse it with "Dom nad rozlewiskiem" - it's immensely popular, but it drives me mad - really ajumma-esque stuff, cheesy and generic.
Another drama I find great is "Ekstradycja" - about a policeman with issues. Really good, fabulous music, but I am afraid there isn't any subbed version.
And, yes, I am going to watch Gaksital, I am just not sure when :)
simon
August 10, 2012 at 6:44 AM
He~j. Sorry, I'm only replying now. I don't get a ping back to my mail when you answer and I've been away for a few days.
Thank you so much for everything! And the Youtube link!!! *hugglez* TV shows are not only a good way to learn languages, but also to learn about history - you get emotionally invested and then read up on what happened. I learned about the French Revolution from watching Versailles no Bara/Lady Oscar. ^o^
I hope you will be watching Gaksital. If any show is worth watching, this is it. You could come to the Soompi forum to discuss about it ...
Anyways, hope to hear from you again (one day at least)! So long and thanks for all the fish. :)
becca_boo
July 27, 2012 at 7:23 AM
If serious (and seriously twisted) isn't your thing, Gaksital might not be for you. On the other hand, it's an incredibly fun kind of serious, and I love it to pieces.
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 7:29 AM
It's not that I dislike serious things. It's just that I tend to take it too much to heart, especially that I can relate to the whole situation - there was a similar period in my country's history. You know, it's not good when you watch something and then go around unsettled for several days :)
Required fields are marked *
publicenemy
July 27, 2012 at 8:02 AM
The romance wasn't heady and swoon inducing. I just watched it because of the character Anne, she seemed like a warmhearted heroine with a cold, cold exterior. Frankly I wasn't emotionally invested in the characters. Just watched it because I was bored.Very bored.
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 8:08 AM
Thank you for your opinion. It's good to listen to many views on a show. I think a drama not concentrating on romance is good from time to time :)
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 11:14 AM
@ Will work for soju: Hi,
Da Ran is actually 8 years older than Kyun Joon. Koala's Playground did a chart at some point while the show was airing that explained the different connections and gave the age of the main characters. So Da Ran was 8 years older than Kyun Joon and 4 years younger than Yoon Jae (sp?), just to clarify. (and maybe you are still thinking, same difference...) but I just thought I would clarify that.
Required fields are marked *
5 Maya
July 27, 2012 at 6:34 AM
Happy Friday, Beanies!
So last weekend I was looking for a drama that I can watch on daily basic. You know the one that would be fun and entertaining, but not so engaging that you can't help but keep watching. So my pick went to *drumroll* History of Salaryman! It was always there on the list of dramas in Viki and the title caught my attention that particular weekend more than before that I looked it up in DramaWiki. Finally I decided to watch it because I thought it would be another High Kick. Fun but not clingy. But boy was I wrong. I fell in love immediately after watching the first episode and just kept watching it episode after episode. It's so quirky, somewhat offbeat, hilarious AND engaging. It's a perfect blend of suspense thriller/dark comedy. It's unique that each male lead can create their own genre just by their appearance on screen esp in the first episode. As much as I love the story and the tone and the nuance, I have to say that it's the characters that really won me over. I love the three main leads, but I'm a tad iffy about Hang Woo. I like him in the first first part of episodes, but he frustrated me in the latter part because of his "unawareness" of the true manipulative enemy. I love Yeo Chi for her brazenness, her bold choice of words (lol-and props to SBS for bleeping out her cussing, it just another example of how small details can induce big laugh), and her wily ways. Yoo Bang is so kind, big-hearted, persistent, and comedic. And I just can't help but love him. Lee Bum Soo did a great job in portraying Yoo Bang (or Versailles Yoo. LOL) with his perfect comedic timing and comedic face. He made me want to watch Dr Jin again just because he's there! :D
And I just adore all of the hilarious epilogues at the end of every episode. I almost missed out on them because I always skip the preview when I'm marathoning a drama, but I was lucky that I didn't skip the credit in one episode and found them!
Btw I'm still griping about the lack of dramas & variety shows next week... :(
Required fields are marked *
Mystisith
July 27, 2012 at 6:37 AM
Salaryman is a great show. Loved it. Very unconventional and with a great cast.
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 6:39 AM
I am searching for something to watch, also, so may give this a try. It will be nice to have a drama I can marathon and not wait till the episodes are subbed every week.
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 7:31 AM
Yes! I think you should give it a try, Korazy Lady. :)
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 9:14 AM
Will start downloading - I actually caught a glimpse of it while on vacation somewhere but it wasn't translated. Looked interesting, though.
Required fields are marked *
alua
July 27, 2012 at 6:54 AM
I feel like there is a hole in the drama world at the moment. Plus I'm a bit tired of k-dramas - the ending of Big did not help this.
So I'm watching j-dramas instead. Slow Dance (two awesome leads, no evil secondary characters, and Tsumabuki eye candy). Lucky Seven (double yay for Matsujun and Eita). And Rich Man, Poor Woman (no evil secondary characters... at least I don't think they will play out evil. Enjoying both leads as well). Finally finished Nodame Cantabile as well (dorama plus movies - LOVE all the characters. Such awesomeness.)
I think I'm going to go for some anime next, or maybe some older dramas. Well, I'm going away for the next four weeks so I will miss out on my usual fare of film screenings, but I'm packing a pile of DVDs . Japanese mostly, plus just got promised the Lee Yoon-ki (This Charming Girl, Love Talk, My Dear Enemy) films I'll be missing out on at the Korean Cultural Centre this month. Which all sound wonderful, so I'm thrilled I'll get to see them at least on the small screen.
Kinda looking forward to Arang and the Magistrate.
Required fields are marked *
john
July 27, 2012 at 7:10 AM
alua~
Nodame! Isn't she adorable?
I'm also enjoying Rich Man, Poor Woman.
I enjoyed Lucky Seven and would like to see a Season 2. Any hopes of that happening?
Required fields are marked *
alua
July 27, 2012 at 7:20 AM
The pair of them, Nodame and Chiaki, are adorable, being such extreme opposites. And the whole lot of friends - everyone has such a well defined personality which makes it all so more enjoyable.
Didn't quite love the third ep of Rich Man, Poor Woman but still looking forward to the rest. One episode a week is tough though!
I don't know if there's a chance for a second season of Lucky Seven, I'm only episode 3 at the moment so I'm still good for a while!
Ha, I see we have similar tastes in dramas. :-)
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 7:23 AM
Chiaki and Nodame pairing is adorable! I particularly enjoyed it when Chiaki is slowly falling in love with Nodame. :)
skelly
July 27, 2012 at 9:53 AM
I still remember the episode of Nodame where Chiaki is fighting against the lure of the heated table (tonkatsu? can't remember the word - senior moment!) - I laughed so hard I had tears running down my cheeks.
alua
July 27, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Haha! The tonkatsu episode! It was hilarious.
Especially when Chiaki throws it out and the others march back in carrying it, as if nothing had happened at all! Like they thought he was putting it outside for a moment of fresh air of something.
Farpavilions
July 27, 2012 at 1:02 PM
Hee. Tonkatsu = pork cutlet, which I can't see Nodame tossing out. I think it's kotatsu (googled it).
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 2:57 PM
alua,
Have you seen Love Shuffle? Tamaki's character in that drama was almost the complete opposite of Chiaki. Also, Slow Dance is awesome, and we need more episodes of RMPW - the last one ended too soon.
alua
July 28, 2012 at 11:05 AM
@oftheshore
I haven't seen Love Shuffle yet... heard but forgot about it. Have to put that back on to my To-Watch list!
I'm debating whether to just wait for RMPW to finish and then marathon it all or whether to watch one episode a week - which is so little and makes the wait rather torturous.
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 7:22 AM
Lucky Seven gets a big Thumbs up in my book for plot and the Hotness of Actor ratio.
Required fields are marked *
alua
July 27, 2012 at 7:27 AM
Ha ha ha! Hotness of actor ratio!
I have to admit I was just smiling the whole first episode and going so preeeetty (for Matsujun more than Eita, although Eita isn't bad either). I do love their characters as well - how they hate each other when so obviously they should be best buddies!
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 7:46 AM
I wouldn't mind be a Lucky Seven sandwich myself. Maybe it's because oh Hana Yori Dango, but I like Matsujin a little bit more than Eita, in spite of his unruly locks.
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 7:49 AM
"be" = 'being'
"oh" = 'of'
Clearly20 hours of wakefulness equates to sloppy typing.
alua
July 27, 2012 at 9:49 AM
Matsujun has always been on top of the list for me. Partially the magic of those poppy dog eyes in Kimi wa Petto. He's definitely good some horrible hair in plenty of dramas, but he rocks it all. (Three different hairstyles in Smile and he looks amazingly different with them - particularly with the last one he looks almost like a different person).
Eita's a bit too tall (from my point of view).
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 7:11 AM
Yeah, I find that there are a lot of j-doramas that I can watch on daily basis. I havent watch any this year tho'. I've been hearing a lot of rave reviews on Rich Man, Poor Woman, so I really want to give it a go once I got my laptop fixed. Not really want to stream them also because I want to watch them in HD, so I need my laptop to download the torrent :D
Required fields are marked *
alua
July 27, 2012 at 7:24 AM
I think I just appreciate that there are at least some realistic j-doramas out there, something that seems much harder to find with k-dramas. And j-doramas that don't rely on evil second leads (particular exes or love rivals) - even the best of k-dramas can't seem to do without those (as much as I loved Coffee Prince, I had to skip the scenes with the second couple).
It's early days for Rich Man, Poor Woman, but I'm enjoying it so far. One episode a week is so little though, it might be best to wait till it's all done and then watch the whole drama in one go (or in two, three parts).
Sorry about your laptop - never fun when things like that need fixing!
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 7:37 AM
You said it alua, I love j-doramas because most of them deal with everyday issue (taking live action as exception) and they really hit home esp since they don't emphasize on romance. I mean, I like romance but I don't like it when it's just there for the sake of being there.
Thanks btw alua- the ironic thing is that my laptop got overheated because I used too much for watching dramas.
edelweiss
July 27, 2012 at 8:05 AM
The only jdrama I have watched is Hana Yori Dango. I liked it more than its Korean version.
I had started on The jap version of You're Beautiful but dropped it after a few eps.
I feel the actors aren't as hot as their Korean counterparts and the dramas are less cute. Maybe I haven't watched enough.
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 8:25 AM
I agree, HYDango was the best adaptation, followed by Meteor Garden, then BOF. Matsujin really was the best jerk leader of F4, and the closest match to the manga character.
I recently discovered on Viki a Thai version of "Coffee Prince" which I started watching. I like seeing how the same storyline is treated in different venues.
Well, with the exception of Jin, since JDr Jin and KDr Jin have little in common besides a Brain Fetus and cholera. ;-)
Required fields are marked *
edelweiss
July 27, 2012 at 8:30 AM
Haha. I haven't watched Dr. Jin but I've seen enough comments to know I shouldn't go anywhere near it unless to poke fun at it!
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 8:39 AM
The Korean one is best watched slightly tipsy with a large ice cream sundae, heavy on the bananas and nuts.
The Japanese one is excellently performed as drama.
la dee dah
July 27, 2012 at 9:26 AM
While I agree with your ordering of the best HYD adaptations (I shudder at the Korean version), I actually thought Lee Min Ho was the best interpretation of Tsukasa from the manga. When I read the manga, Domyouji to me was imposing, threatening, and later on in the manga, mellowed out but kept his imposing "don't mess with me" figure, and I thought Lee Min Ho best captured that. While Jun was a great version, his version was a much more exaggerated comical version of the character from the manga. So that's why I liked Lee Min Ho's more. But again, that's just my opinion based on how I interpreted his character from the manga. Jerry Yan was too bad an actor then for me to like his Domyouji.
But of the Tsukushi's, Mao wins this one. For Soujirou, Kim Bum was the best for me. Akira was too small a character for me to care unfortunately...
skelly
July 27, 2012 at 9:59 AM
la dee dah, I agree that physically Lee Min Ho was closer to the manga in terms of Domyouji - big in terms of both physicality and ego, literally throwing his weight around in the beginning. But I think Matsujun had a better handle on the inner instability and fragility and...well, stupidity of the character. I always felt that Lee Min Ho was a little more "together" than Domyouji should be.
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 10:02 AM
@ la dee dah ~
That's probably why I like Matsujin's portrayal with his fight-before-reason attitude that he projects throughout the series.
LMH was good, but after she insulted his hair (3rd epi maybe?) imo became too mellow and lovey-dovey to suit the manga.
Then again, I've been watching Asian dramas for three years, and reading manga for over ten, so I lean towards the more exaggerated characters.
I will say the Korean one was more beautiful, especially the Macau and New Caledonia scenes.
la dee dah
July 27, 2012 at 10:18 AM
@skelly, oh ya, I almost forgot about Domyouji's stupidity. Jun really played that aspect well, maybe too well (which is one of the reasons why I liked the Korean version better, because I know Domyouji is kinda dumb, but I didn't think his character was actually THAT dumb).
@Shukmeister, I believe if I hadn't read the manga before, Jun and Min Ho's versions would be side by side with each other as my favorites. I can even pinpoint the part where I got into Jun's version (the part where his car stops in front Tsukushi while she's running somewhere, and he rolls down the window and does his fake surprised "oh, what a coincidence!" lol). And yes, the Korean version had beautiful shots. I do however like the way they shot the Japanese version, that together with the background music (especially the beautiful Tsukushi's theme). I liked the music in the Japanese version the best, the Korean version the least (seriously, if I hear Almost Paradise one more time....grrr ).
alua
July 27, 2012 at 9:52 AM
I think the J version of a You're Beautiful is the remake, isn't it? I never got beyond the 1st episode of that one.
HYD I have mostly watched the J version, a few episodes of the k one and nothing of whatever else is out there.
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 10:21 AM
@ alua ~
Meteor Garden is the Taiwanese adaptation. Jerry Yan plays the lead more like a dumb thug who falls in love and can't figure out how to go on about it. Vic Zhou is the premier 2nd lead. A very good aand heartwarming version.
Mama J
July 28, 2012 at 9:08 AM
Meteor Garden was excellent, I thought. I thought Jerry Yan's big dumb lug was the only portrayal that I could actually buy someone falling for over time. I haven't been able to watch more than an episode of Japanese version and I watched Korean version in horror that they espoused falling in love with dangerous psychopaths. Plus, Kim Hyun Joong.
alua
July 27, 2012 at 9:53 AM
P.S. So, how come 'edelweiss'?
Required fields are marked *
edelweiss
July 27, 2012 at 10:40 AM
Its just a song from Sound Of Music. I learnt when it when I was a kid and can never get it out of my head.
bd2
July 27, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Check out "I Need Romance 2012" or "He/The Man Who Can't Marry" - both are wonderfully written/acted romcoms w/ great casts.
I'd put the both of them right up there w/ "Coffee Prince" and way, way better than the dreck we have gotten lately - LTM, RTP, SG and 'Big.'
Required fields are marked *
Farpavilions
July 27, 2012 at 1:00 PM
Ooh, I LOVE Slow Dance!
It was such a nice, relaxed, fairly realistic adult drama and on top of Tsumabuki Satoshi there is Fujiki Naohito whom I love and adore....
If you're an Eita fan, have you seen Soredemo, Ikite Yuku? It's pretty depressing but incredibly well-written and filmed. Eita gives a no holds barred performance in that one!
Required fields are marked *
alua
July 27, 2012 at 2:34 PM
Loved Slow Dance too, only the final episode or two I felt a little let down by (some parts which didn't feel realistic).
I haven't seen Soredemo, Ikite Yuku, I heard about it ages ago and forgot, but now that you mention it... don't mind the depressing, thematically it sounds right up my alley!
Required fields are marked *
Farpavilions
July 28, 2012 at 7:44 AM
I can't recommend Soredemo highly enough ... I was initially put off by the female lead's mannerisms then realized she was doing exactly what the role called for. It drags you down to the blackest pits of humanity (darker even than Gaksital in some ways because there's no Big Historical Motive driving this modern evil) and then finds little rays of hope within . Strangely cathartic in the manner of classical tragedy.
And oh, the soundtrack! Composed by a genius blind young pianist and it is a brilliant tonal counterpoint to the darkness of the drama.
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 7:03 AM
ah good old salaryman. The epilogues are awesome! yeo chi is the reinvention of sam shik's exgf. I was not anti any character I even liked mo gabi and her rise to power.
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 7:43 AM
I feel like Yeo Chi is the reinvention of Domyoji, only the twist is she curses like a sailor.
Btw ahjummabunny, who is Sam Shik? Apparently when I'm marathoning a drama, I can't remember most of the characters names.
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 7:52 AM
I started to rewatch my name is kim samsoon with my sister just so I could hear sun ah's french accent ( I watched it on mute the first time) but my sister skipped ahead without me and sent me a text message saying "oori busanahh (Busan from will it snow for christmas) is in samsoon too!" So I called her and said " I nena! you definitely watched more than one episode!" and she wasn't sure how many episodes she had seen, so she was going over them, and she called hyun bin's character sam shik and now I can't remember the character's actual name. Ahem, so jung ryo won is sam shik's ex girlfriend and mostly described as anemic but yeo chi is definitely not anemic until the last 2 or 3 episodes of salaryman. Which is a good run.
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 8:09 AM
Aaaah, now that clears up everything :D. Just out of curiosity, how's Kim Sunah's French accent? Obviously I cant speak nor understand French so when I watched MNIKSS, she really sounded French to me :D. Anyway, I was always indifferent about Jung Ryo Won prior to this. I don't quite like her in MNIKSS, but watching salaryman really change my preconceived notion on her. I think she's doing a good job in portraying Yeo Chi. And with a well-written character like Yeo Chi, nothing can really go wrong.
Actually the last 2 episodes seemed to be draggy for me, but the comedy really saved it.
edelweiss
July 27, 2012 at 8:26 AM
Heck! What was "Sam Shik's" real name? I don't usually forget the names of characters I have loved, but can't even get a clue regarding this one! Heh!
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 8:51 AM
I haven't seen that episode! I don't think I ever will until there is someone else watching samsoon with me. I've started rewatching 3 times and both times they got ahead of me. hmm maybe I should punish her and make her rewatch all the episodes and then reward her with kimbap. She certainly has turned into a kimbap monster.
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 2:22 PM
Edelweiss,
His real name was Jin Heon.
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 2:29 PM
@ Maya, Edelweiss, and ahjummabunny:
Hyun Bin's name in MNIKSS is Hyun Jin-heon, and KSA's French accent wasn't good. I am a native French speaker and I have taught French and I couldn't understand what she was saying. I had to just pretend what she was saying wasn't that important. I actually replayed that scene several times, and I still couldn't fully understand what she was trying to say, and I was really paying attention.
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 3:22 PM
@Ivoire: haha. Well it's good that at least you can still read the English subtitle, right? Sometimes I still have to read the English subtitle when a character in k-drama is speaking English, and as far as I know speaking proper French is much more difficult, so I can imagine the frustration.
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 6:45 PM
@ Maya, you got that right. I still read the subs when they speak English in Kdramas, although Gong Yoo did well in Big (his lines were not long) and Hyun Bin did OK in SeGa, he was nervous and it showed when he spoke in English. Lee Seung-gi did well in English in TK2Hs but his French was terrible and I am not saying that to be mean, it was really bad, I couldn't understand him. I don't understand why they don't use voice coaches like Celine Dion did when she learned English and started to sing in English (French is her 1st language). I would get a voice coach for my lines if I were in their shoes.
I heard Song Hye-kyo speak in English in World Within and it was awful, literally. I am not making this up. She botched the English language, I was embarrassed for her, it was that bad. It's a good thing their lines are not long, seriously. Kim So Hyun did OK in "Will it Snow for Christmas" (for English) and the actors who do usually well have lived in English speaking countries (Taecyon, Jang Geun Seuk, Daniel Henney etc...). I think because they didn't learn the language at a young age, it is very different for them and the language structure and sounds are different from what they are used to, IMO. I am a linguist by training, so I am interested in those things. At least they do try, but still *SMH*
anitalotti
July 27, 2012 at 8:09 AM
Is only available at viki or does somebody know a place for Soft Subs?
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 8:25 AM
It's also available on dramafever and other streaming sites. Not sure about the soft subs though, maybe you can try darksmurfsub.com?
Required fields are marked *
edelweiss
July 27, 2012 at 8:49 AM
You can get the torrent and subs at asiatorrents
Required fields are marked *
Kiki
July 29, 2012 at 9:18 PM
Good choice! Loved that one for it's quirky, tongue in cheek humor. A heroine who swears like a sailor, and a hero who just kind of bumbles into his heroic-ness. It was a fun dance between sincere kdrama, and kdrama satire.
Required fields are marked *
6 Ladytron33
July 27, 2012 at 6:45 AM
I feel like this is the only place where people will understand!
I went to karaoke with my hubs and a few friends on Saturday. The videos that went with each song were just cut apart old K-dramas (including a hilariously melodramatic montage of crying scenes from Full House)! It made me realize just how much of an addiction I have when I recognized most of the actors/dramas they showed. And no one in the group but me got it :(
Drama love can be a lonely obsession.
Required fields are marked *
Stacey Lim
July 27, 2012 at 6:48 AM
:o) We would have understood and been right there with you!! Watching those old clips would probably be the highlight for me!
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 6:48 AM
OH my gosh, no matter what people say about Full House, it was one of my first K-dramas and I've watched it at least twice. I would have loved to have seen that montage! And the theme song from that show always makes me happy! What song was it to?
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 7:15 AM
The acting was both horrifying and cute at the same time! I'm not sure how they accomplished it.
I read the manhwa too, and was amazed at how Euro the characters were drawn, more like Ken and Barbie.
It was the first one I marathoned, too. Unfortunately for the bags under my eyes, not the last.
I'm still wondering how FH2 is going to pan out.
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 7:52 AM
Hi Shukmeister! I am having second thoughts about the Big Bang concert after finding all these fan pages where the average age of the person going is 18! Not sure if I can show up with my blue glow stick and pink sparkly heart! I mean I'm young at heart and all, but I'm not sure I want to shell out almost $200 to be committed right on the spot! (warning...warning...crazy ajumma lady acting like 15 year old.....call the authorities)
Have you been to a Kpop concerts before?
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 8:19 AM
Nope, but I'm 46, just got my tragus pierced and I tend to dress along Goth lines when I'm not working. I won't be the oldest of the DBOT Noonas who are going to the concert, either. And I fully intend to glow stick myself like a character from Tron. lol
I've never been to a KPop concert, although I kind of remember how to behave from the Duran Duran concert I saw in 1982?... LOL
A concert doesn't really change no matter who you are seeing or your age. Sometimes you sit, sometimes you dance, sometimes you sing along. Only nowadays, I don't have to smuggle beer. hee hee hee.
If you chose not to go to the concert, there is a daily bus that travels from Philadelphia for, like, $ 20 round trip. It might be worth it, if you just want to hang with us for a day. We'll have more details fleshed out the closer we get to it on the calendar, so stay tuned on the Twitter circuit if you're interested.
The Noonas are planning to meet other DBOT's in NYC for food and fellowship as well, so I think it'll be a blast one way or the other.
Maybe we can do a "Fantastic Baby" flashmob in front of Rockefeller Plaza!!
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 9:01 AM
I'm really tempted for the experience, would be right there with you with the glow sticks, and am definitely a dancer and a singer, but let's say I have a good 10 years plus on you and seriously don't want to gross the yung'uns out! Would love to meet some of the other DBer's though.
What price tickets do you think you'll get? I haven't been to that kind of concert in ages so was kind of surprised at the ticket prices. (I mean Kenny Loggins at the Kravitz center in West Palm Beach last year was my last concert and it probably cost me all of 30 bucks! But then again, for the experience......)
Definitely having a mid-life crisis (If I live to be over 100, that is!) and loving it :)
Sethe
July 27, 2012 at 9:12 AM
@Shukmeister: You really attended a Duran Duran concert? Wow. My junior high friends and I were SO incredibly in love with that group (granted, I think their best music was in the early 80s [either their first album or Arena would qualify as the best, in my opinion], and we were a little young for them at that time, but they were still pretty hot in the late 80s/early 90s).
Who was your favorite?
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 9:14 AM
I check every day, and the tix haven't gone on sale. I have two rooms w/double beds on hold at the closest hotel to the venue, and the other Noonas have agreed to meet even if, for some reason, BB never shows.
BB tix in Indonesia and other asian places are going between 70 and 300 USD, using a currency calculator. I'm guestimating at around 150 USD based on other KPop bands at the same location.
And, as before, you are welcome to any part of the hen party during that time. I don't expect to go to another BB concert ever, so I'm treating it like my Broadway show of the year - a one-time, once-in-a-lifetime, thing.
Mama J
July 27, 2012 at 9:23 AM
Korazy Lady, I will be 50 just days before the concert, I am and will be dressed like a normal middle aged New England Mom. I'm up for glow sticks but I draw the line at a pink glittery heart. I just intend to fake sing my way along with all the parts where the Korean is too fast for me, and happily sing all the parts where I can keep up!
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 9:25 AM
They used footage from my concert for their "Save A Prayer" M/V from their Rio album. You can't miss me; I'm the young one - lol.
I won't tell you what my very first concert was - you'd be doing a spit take. Suffice to say it was earlier than Duran Duran...
And some personal trivia, I've seen almost every Rush concert that has been performed in my area, from Moving Pictures in 1982 to Snakes and Arrows two years ago. The exception was "Presto" in 1990 when I was in the hospital.
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 10:12 AM
JoAnne, I wish I was turning 50!
I'm just a little concerned about getting home after the concert. I can just picture being mugged afterwards - "APB - woman who appears to be in late 50's found wandering aimlessly, speaking in a gibberish of English, French and Korean. No ID found but may possibly be named Noona. Perpetrator seems to have used an usual method of wrapping victim in blue glowsticks and dowsing with pink sparkles. Anyone with info, please contact Newark police." I'm pretty sure none of my family would admit to knowing me!
Oh, but you only live once, right? This is why I love this site!
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 10:06 AM
The Big Bang concert sounds sooo tempting. esp since it's in east coast, which is more convenient for me although the plane will still be expensive. But I don't know how I could work out my schedule on November.
Required fields are marked *
Ladytron33
July 27, 2012 at 10:48 AM
I can't remember what song it was for, but one that completely did not fit with the background! I think it might have been a Lady GaGa song.
Really, none of the songs made any sense with the backgrounds. All of the random people getting hit by cars and sent to the ER and the sheer number drunken piggy back rides really undermined all my efforts to get these people to watch dramas! Out of context, they are pretty cheesy.
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 7:54 AM
I know how you feel. Esp the moment when a new drama is going to be broadcasted in my local channel and we saw the teaser. I was always the one who got excited because I've watched it before/I know most of the actors/actresses names. They gave me that look like I'm some kind of alien from outer space. Or when I suddenly blurted out 'Jung Il Woo' when I saw the BB cream product with his face on it. Totally got the look.. :)
That's why I'm so glad I found Dramabeans, because I can fangirl together with the rest of the Beanies! :)
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 8:31 AM
I think it's funny when I see a M/V and recognize an actor (Nell's "The Ending" with LMK comes to mind).
And my ever-growing KPop list has me catching snippets as the BGM on some of the shows.
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 8:40 AM
You know what I find funnier, that I could name all of the members of Super Junior because they are casted in a lot of variety shows. It just comes naturally...
And ditto! I can also name/at least recognize the name of the actors/actresses in MVs :D
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 8:45 AM
[high-fiving Maya] Yessss!
Ladytron33
July 27, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Yes! It's wonderful to find a place where people understand you. My first thought after leaving the Karaoke place was how all of you would have gotten a kick out of those cheesy videos.
I've tried to get my mother to watch some so that I'm not the only person in my RL who is interested in k-dramas, but it hasn't been very successful. She finds them corny. I say, bring on the corn!
Required fields are marked *
7 Stacey Lim
July 27, 2012 at 6:46 AM
Has anyone else been disappointed with the chemistry between the main characters in A Gentleman's Dignity? I'm finding a lot lacking in Kim Han Neul's acting in this drama. I've loved her in her earlier movies/dramas. I just feel like she's going through the motions and just doing the same thing that she was doing when she was in her 20's. Come on - in your 30's do you really pout and carry on and try to be all "cutesy" pouty? I don't. But maybe motherhood puts me in a perspective than single 30 year olds. Anyways, I'm tired of the fake crying. Both Meahri and YiSoo are SO BAD when they try to go for the big heart wrenching cry. It just comes out all whiny and fake. Anyways, I've been noticing this in the past few episodes. I feel like the men have been doing the best in this drama in terms of performance and believability. Others' thoughts?
HAPPY FRIDAY from VA!!!!!
PS - Any tips for finding cheap flights to Korea? I'm trying to plan my first trip back since I left in 1984!!!
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 6:54 AM
Actually, I thought DJ and YS would be having a little more going on at this point. I mean, here is a 41 year old man obviously used to sleeping with a lot of women, and he finally gets back together with the supposed love of his wife, but not much is happening. YS is definitely a little too "cutesy."
I think that's why I'm hooked on INR2. It at least acknowledges the physical attraction in a more realistic way.
Required fields are marked *
Rashell
July 27, 2012 at 9:30 AM
I LOVE LOVE LOVE I Need Romance 2! So glad someone else is watching it. It's wonderful!
Required fields are marked *
skelly
July 27, 2012 at 10:11 AM
Also currently hooked on INR2 - the last two eps really ramped it up in terms of emotional stakes - plus the funny - and I love the earnestness, the snappy dialogue, the generally excellent acting.
AGD, on the other hand, continues to bug me mightily. I watch it, but I've got a LOT of problems with the writing and the acting. KHN is stiff as a board and seems really, really intimidated by JDG; I'm not getting any of this vaunted "chemistry" from them, at all. And I was really surprised at what I consider poor acting from her - she is obviously disconnected (as if she is thinking about lunch or something) in some of her couple scenes, and her crying jag in the field was uncomfortably bad. MeAhri, I am so tired of her tears and wailing and her Yoon-obsessed immaturity that I FF through all of her scenes.
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 8:07 AM
Hey! I'm from VA too! Hope you are staying cool indoors.
I've been looking at several tour companies as well as expedia, orbitz, and other discount flight sites to see what the going rate is for travel to SE Asia. I can't decide between Seoul or Taipei.
As foe DJ / YS, I thin DJ is enjoying the cutesy side of 'going' steady for the first time in his life, and he was content for a time. However, the last scene of Ep 18 shows us he's now ready to ramp it up to the next stage.
If you notice with YS's character, there's a lot less of the aeygo flailing arms and behavior since she decided to keep DJ. I think a lot of that was to show how she is changing to suit an older man herself.
Happy watching, and I am sooo glad they didn't preempt it!
Required fields are marked *
8 Ish
July 27, 2012 at 6:50 AM
Happy OT!
OMG OMG OMG I've read that Won Bin might return to the small screen with Kim Tae Hee. ♥
http://www.hancinema.net/who-is-won-bin-s-partner--45669.html
Required fields are marked *
Rashell
July 27, 2012 at 1:54 PM
Won Bin Oppppa!!! LOVE him. Really hope this is true.
Required fields are marked *
9 whimsyful
July 27, 2012 at 6:53 AM
Happy OT everyone!
Only keeping up with Gaksital out of the airing dramas right now. Still watching Saengchori and started the tdrama/cdrama Queen of Sop.
After hearing all the comparisons between the 2003 epic fantasy drama Legend and the upcoming Faith, I decided to check out Legend. Verdict after 4 eps: not completely sold on the story yet, but holy moly the production values are awesome. It's like an epic historical fantasy movie.
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 8:54 AM
Whimsyful!
I'm rewatching QofSOP, up to Epi 11. I read the recaps to get a gist of the storyline, since there seems to be a lot of travel (Shanghai, Taipei, London) and I was getting jet lag. I really like the interaction of the leads and most of the seconds
(** SPOILER WARNING: One of the characters devolves into a Im Meahri clone of a whiny Daddy's Girl)
I hope you enjoy it!
Required fields are marked *
whimsyful
July 27, 2012 at 9:18 AM
I'm watching the unsubbed eps now since they're out and viki only has it subbed to 14 or so(?). I'm on ep 16 now, but I might have to rewatch with eng subs at some point since my Chinese comprehension doesn't extend to most of the business related conversations.
Oh , is that the other secondary girl (Chu Chu I think her name was?) She's too meek for me right now but I hope she doesn't turn into Evil Secondary Girl. One of the things I really like is the friendship between Xiao Jie and her female best friend.
And on a purely shallow note, I think the lead guy is cute and all, but I find secondary dude (who she dated first) much much hotter. Is it just me?
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 9:43 AM
@ Whimsyful ~
LOL - I had this discussion with several others off DB, and, yes, the consensus was that tall, dark, chiseled chaebol was hotter than cute, dimpled chaebol.
But Zi Qi comes off as more world-weary and cynical with more life experience, whereas Tang Jun and Xiao Jie are similar in their innocence. I think the actors are doing a terrific job with their roles.
Zi Qi wants that touch of purity in his life that Xiao Jie represents, especially with all his family problems. He wants that support. He's not an evil second lead, so I do feel for him, and I hope he gets some sort of happy ending.
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 2:50 PM
What does SOP stand for in The Queen of SOP? Is it standard operating procedures?
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 3:38 PM
@ OTS ~
I'm not sure. The alternate titles are: (1) Successful Woman's Price; and (2) The Price of Being a Leftover Lady
And the background is two mega shopping malls.
Required fields are marked *
aoiaheen
July 27, 2012 at 10:36 AM
I did the same too (check out legend that is) I watched the first 4 episodes as well and couldn't continue.
Its a little too fantasy for me. Loved the concept of the 4 powers but i need more heart and ...ummm... a little more lee min ho.
Required fields are marked *
10 kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 6:53 AM
Hello Everybody! How are you doing?
Last week I went to my grandpartents to the countryside and was a part of a Fermentation Family. A Gherkin Family, to be precise. It felt funny to realize how similar was the whole situation, despite of the distance and the recipes. But sitting in front of the house with baskets full of cucumbers, dill and garlic and chatting with my relatives was as heartwarming as the drama. No, it was much, much better, because it was real. I only hope the mistake I made with salt won't prove too serious ;P.
I am still dazed by AGD. I can't think of a better treat for summer. I set the "bathrobe mambo" (Maria Elena) as my wake-up alarm and smile whenever I see a "Betty". I was really scared by the plans to totally suspend airing of the drama, but uffff, I am so relieved I am going to get a little of my fix. Seriously, rewatching mambo, sweet song, Queen in action and "YiSoo-oppa Jjang!" is fun, but up to a point, when you just want mooooooore no matter what. I am looking for some replacement, but it would be only an ersatz. Somebody might say "go get a life" and they would be right. Sigh... I guess my dog will get some extra walking time... Four years ago, when I had no idea about Kdramas, I was perfectly happy to watch olympics. Now, somehow I don't really care that much. Maybe the pervert in me will watch some swimming or gymnastics for aesthetical values, but I am not sure. On the serious note, gymnastics is the sport I respect most. You just see every minute of practice in the athletes' movements and the results don't depend on equipment. Plus, I am aware I will never be able to do anything of the kind even if my life depended on it.
Lately I started watching my first HK drama ever. It is called "Sergeant Tabloid" and shows a clash between a righteous policewoman and a total jerk of a paparazzi. Quite amusing, not really original, some characters are wooden or even cardboard, but all in all, I am having a good time watching. Plus Cantonese is something new to me and sounds... cute? To my untrained ears the actors sound like arguing children. Like it.
Ghost is good. Love Mad Cow. I have since the first episode aired. How can be anything as funny as MadCow-SJS bromance? Drunken bromance, I guess. *keeps giggling*
Is your summer as hot and sunny as mine?
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 7:15 AM
I loved that drunken piggy back scene and then ki woon saying mad cow's line. I awwweddd!
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 7:30 AM
Me too. Let's awwww together for a moment :)
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 8:13 AM
D'awww... Yeah I love the bromance too. Esp since Mad Cow hated him at first. So the bromance really made me go awww... :)
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 8:27 AM
I guess it wasn't as much hatred as jealousy - I remember clearly one line "we wear same suits, yet they look so different. That's why I don't like you". So it was about the two policemen being totally different, with different approaches to work and different backgrounds.
Awwwwwww
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 8:35 AM
Haha.. That line had me in stitches, because he was so jealous at how well Woo Young can pull off his suit. :D
Yeah hate is too strong as my choice of word. But kinda show that there is really thin line between love & hate... :D
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 8:40 AM
I think the English language is short of that one word ;)
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 8:47 AM
dislike?
so ji sob looks great in his suits. and he does the pouty mouth thing like so ji suk. and he has the dark hairy eyes I like. *swoony noises and motions.*
cv
July 27, 2012 at 7:47 AM
Happy OT you too kopytko~!
Yes, Ghost is awsome! ^^ It's one of the better drama showing right now. haha! Can't say the same for *cough* --Big.
Sergeant Tabloid--I'll have to check it out. I'm watching witness security--a hkdrama also. It's not bad. ^^ If you have time, give it a try--if you like act/thriller and little romance. lol
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 7:55 AM
Just in case - Sergeant Tabloid is a rom-com, actually. I'll have a look at Witness Security :)
Required fields are marked *
cv
July 27, 2012 at 8:19 AM
Nice! that's even better! ^^
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 8:34 AM
Hehe... I was starting to feel a little dumb writing only about fluffy stuff and not dark/serious dramas. It's not that I don't like heavier things, I just need to be in mood. Whereas I am always in mood for something light and funny. Romance doesn't hurt either.
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 9:05 AM
Rom-coms tend to do better in ratings because most people want happy endings.
For me, I watch a lot of R-C's, and police/medical procedurals. I tend to shy away from a lot of the high school hijinks ones (did not see DH2 or What's Up, but I did watch White Christmas) as Playful Kiss left me totally scarred.
cv
July 27, 2012 at 9:07 AM
Must have to do with mood you're in. I'm like that too. I was into fluffy stuff, then when I'm sick of them, I watch more darker serious dramas, then after that, action/thrillers. After watching too much Kdramas, I skip to Jdramas--they have more fluff and procedure dramas--which at the moment I really like. ^^
Now, I'm also watching hkdrama and Tdramas.
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 9:54 AM
@ cv ~
I started keeping a spreadsheet of everything I've watched, just to see the percentage of K-, Tw-, J-, C-, HW-, and Th-dramas I've watched. I'm at 97 total right now, not including the ones waiting in the wings: Gaksitaaaaal, Ghost, Answer, Equator Man, Goong...
That also doesn't include specials: Music Banks, 2N1D's, Happy Togethers, and single episode shows.
cv
July 27, 2012 at 12:39 PM
Shuk: Dang, lucky you able to keep track. LOL That's alot of dramas! 6_o
If you consider watching all episodes without ff or skipping, I don't think I've seen that many. Haha!
I've watched beginning and ending of dramas that I didn't care to watch, but just want to know the gest of the story and ending. LOL Those I've watched quite a few. Some were meh, glad I didn't watch it. :D
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 1:12 PM
:-)
It's all done with mirrors. LOL. Actually, I created a bit of a Microsoft Access program to enter all that data in, and track it for me. Just a little brain exercise I did about a year ago.
I had considered adding the JB Stickyness Rating, but that's at least on hold until things die down at work.
cv
July 28, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Awwww... I just finished witness security...blah!
spoiler alert!
IF you like happy ending, don't watch it!
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 2:40 PM
Hi Kopytko,
you said this: "Seriously, rewatching mambo, sweet song, Queen in action and “YiSoo-oppa Jjang!” is fun, but up to a point,"
what are "mambo, sweet song, queen in action and 'Yisoo-oppa Jjang!" I haven't seen the first episodes of AGD, so maybe I missed something and that would explain why I didn't understand.
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 3:05 PM
Ok, so let's deal with one at a time.
Sweet song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ-7rK2a9Ys
Mambo - it's in the last quarter of ep. 12 - unfortunately I cannot find a video with this particular scene - JDG dancing in his bathrobe - sheer delight. It's a remake of a scene from "Days of Being Wild" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_q-T9j2s6s
YiSoo oppa Jjang is a hilarious scene from ep. 18 - when YS kills a bug for DJ - the roles reverse, the girl does a man's job and so becomes an "oppa"
Queen is a nickname for Park Min Sook given by Mystisith - if you want to read more comments on this great character, go to Mystisith's blog (mystisith.com)
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 6:51 PM
Thanks for the explanations, I will check those out. I guess I won't hear from you today again...
Required fields are marked *
kayana20
July 28, 2012 at 10:40 AM
O how I love how you made a song for that scene and Mystisith when are you going to recap Ep 17and 18. You make my weekends searching worthwhile reading your AGD recaps. Please keep up the laughs and funny dialogues it makes this 6 day wait for any episodes bearable.
Required fields are marked *
Mystisith
July 29, 2012 at 1:21 PM
Here we go for the fanservice! :)
http://wp.me/p2odKQ-9q
Sherry
July 27, 2012 at 3:29 PM
Hi kopytko! It just caught my eye that your watching a hk drama, I grew up watching those being Cantonese xD anyways I just want to let you know, if your interested, that I highly recommend you to watch the older, if your able to find eng sub for them, since i know that may be quite difficult. Hk/TVB dramas, they were so much better in the 90s, early 2000s. I'm guessing your more interested in action, if you are I'd def. recommend Rosy Business and No Regrets which is like a spin off of Rosy Business but set during the Japanese Occupation in CHina. As they are quite recent, I don't think it will be difficult to find subs. For older Hk dramas that are action, detective, I'd definitely recommend the detective investigation files series, it's a great watch.
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 3:55 PM
Thank you so much for your message! I do watch dramas other than romcoms and I really like some exciting detective/action from time to time, so I'll be sure to check your titles sometime soon. Greetings!
Required fields are marked *
11 publicenemy
July 27, 2012 at 6:58 AM
Big has to be the most disappointing drama of the year. It cracked with so much potential and yet they left it with THAT stupid ending. Why couldn't they have shown something more meaningful?
Da-ran and Kang Kyung joon (in his own body) are standing under the umbrella and the camera pans over to the clock which shows the time 10:10 - that would have been a much more effective ending I think.
However it's not just the end that disappoints but all the latter episodes. Every drama goes through a period of lull and while some emerge out as winners others wither away.
Required fields are marked *
cv
July 27, 2012 at 7:51 AM
I think Big isn't as bad as Fashion King.
At least in Big, you get lots of cute and funny scene with the main leads. Not so in FK and let had an awful ending.
Required fields are marked *
publicenemy
July 27, 2012 at 7:56 AM
I haven't seen Fashion King actually but if you say it's worse than Big then it must have been really bad. *winces*
Required fields are marked *
cv
July 27, 2012 at 8:18 AM
Yep, it is. I don't recommend that drama for anyone. lol
Required fields are marked *
publicenemy
July 27, 2012 at 8:23 AM
Okay. I'll keep that in mind then. Any good old drama's you like?
cv
July 27, 2012 at 9:00 AM
There are tons but not sure if you'll like them... depending on your taste in dramas.
I can give you few that I like. You may have seen some of them already.
Family drama: kimchi family--it's slower paced but still really good. Feel great drama all the way through. get ready for tears and laughter.
rom-com: City Hall-- a bit slow some part but really good. Love the storyline.
Secret Garden--I love it. I've watched this tons of time. There are parts that gets to your heart. ^^
Fluffy rom-com: playful kiss. LOL yea, some people might not like it but I like it alot. I've watched parts of it more then a few times. haha main leads so cute together.
medical/procedure thriller drama: God's Quiz 1, 2,
3--(airing right now) Very good. You'll have to start watching from season 1 to get the story though.
Ghost--awsome! it's still airing but heck, you can still catch up if you haven't watch it. Great action/thriller drama! ^^
This is just kdramas. LOL
bd2
July 27, 2012 at 10:50 AM
Check out “I Need Romance 2012″ or “He/The Man Who Can’t Marry” – both are wonderfully written/acted romcoms w/ great casts.
I’d put the both of them right up there w/ “Coffee Prince” and way, way better than the dreck we have gotten lately – "Lie to Me", "Rooftop Prince", "Secret Garden" and "Big" - which all are more the typical badly done K-dramas w/ plots that make little sense, cliche-filled scenarios, one-dimensional stereotypical characters, etc.
Other good romcoms would be "Best Love", "My Girlfriend is a Gumiho" and "My Princess."
MGIAG and MP have their flaws, but relationships btwn the leads are wonderfully done and well worth it.
12 korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 6:59 AM
BTW, I just wanted to greet everyone on the OT. I've been away for a few weeks so it's fun to be back on here.
Every now and then I was able to find a current episode of a show I'm watching, but most of the new shows are not available on Viki in Europe. I think I spent two days after I got back catching up. Now I need some new fixes!
Anyone watching INR2?
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 7:08 AM
I am watching INR2! How could I miss Lee Jin Wook's smile? *swoons* I laughed when Yeol Mae said the obious truth that he's gorgeous when he smiles.
Some parts of the story are fresh and nice (the friend recovering after a dirty divorce and developing her business anew), some are funny (the guy atoning after season 1) and sometimes I don't understand. Like why Yoon Suk Hyun doesn't want to marry YM? I don't buy the explanation that he doesn't believe in marriage. I need some more motivation.
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 7:38 AM
I know. I adore LJW also (altho I think we're in the minority.) There's a lot of speculation about what his big "secret" problem is. Hopefully it won't be something too bizarre or over-used in KDrama land.
For some reason I never root for the overly nice guy, and the chemistry that YM & SH have is great. Plus KJS is just not my type, and yes I am shallow in that way. Hey, if I'm going to get into a drama, I might as well root for a guy I would be attracted to!
Enjoying the rest of the cast, too. I caught a glimpse of an old Sex in the City on TV yesterday and I was like "Oh, I cant wait for the next episode of my Korean SATC to come out!"
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 7:46 AM
Hehe, I have never been able to enjoy SATC. Not a single episode of the very few I watched with my sis. I could never realte to the characters. But INR 1&2 is very much my cup of tea.
There is something with YM& the other guy chemistry. It lacks essence. They are being nice, they are both attractive and that's it. In case of the other relationship we know where it stems from.
As for the two guys, I think KJS is very good looking, but he doesn't have that intense presence LJW has. Really, this guy is a magnet *swoons again*
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 8:35 AM
I never watched SATC when it was on HBO. I like the tamer version they use on the syndicated reruns. It's not that I love the show, but it was kind of groundbreaking and with clever writing.
Will now join you in the *swoon*
becca_boo
July 27, 2012 at 8:30 AM
The minority can be a good place to be. The weather is nice here.
LJW's character can be a little frustrating, but I love him anyway because he's like a real guy that way: equal parts adorable and annoying. When we finally find out his "secret," it had better be something really good, though, or this drama and I WILL have words. Because if it's something really cliche and stupid, I might just jump to the other ship out of spite.
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 9:13 AM
Agree!
Kim Yoonmi
July 27, 2012 at 9:38 AM
INR2 is driving me nuts. Tell the secret already! *strangle*
Required fields are marked *
Rashell
July 27, 2012 at 10:01 AM
I KNOW!! And maybe I'm reading too much into the preview but I think we find out next episode.
As with most of you, even though Ji Hoon is adorably sweet, I'm still team Yeol Mae/Seok Hyun. Their chemistry is just amazing. And their relationship feels more REAL while the one with Ji Hoon is too perfect to be true.
Required fields are marked *
Rashell
July 27, 2012 at 9:58 AM
Me, me, me...waves...I'm watching. And I just love it. 2 hot guys and one adorable girl. Plus the cute friend stories thrown in. It's fab!
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 10:34 AM
I see big time discussion on here next week if they reveal "the secret." Please, please, please writers, don't disappoint!
Required fields are marked *
becca_boo
July 27, 2012 at 10:45 AM
I love the friends! Especially Ji-hee and Tae-woo. They're adorable.
Required fields are marked *
13 clover
July 27, 2012 at 7:01 AM
Drama I need to see made #3:
Is the lowest ranking member of a detective squad. The rest of the squad thinks he got there because he got lucky once and caught a bad guy.
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 7:08 AM
kang ji hwan a la coffee house in the lead?
Required fields are marked *
clover
July 27, 2012 at 7:10 AM
(Dangit! My kitty jumped on my keyboard and posted!!!)
Drama I need to see made #3:
Lee Seung Gi is the lowest ranking member of a detective squad. The rest of the squad thinks he got there because he got 'lucky' once and caught a very high profile bad guy.
At his job he's goofy and clumsy, but he is in fact, a genius. Once he steps outside the office he is a totally different person, a Sherlock Holmes type guy.
Yoon Eun Hye, could play a female detective who finds out about his secret. Ji Jin Hee could be the evil master mind that terrorizes the city.
Make this happen dramaland!!
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 7:19 AM
no I pass. I like lee seung gi only as dae woong. but kang ji hwan doesn't fit now that he's really a genius and not a goof. maybe lee ki woo? yoon eun hye is still annoying me from the grave of take care of the young lady. maybe a choi kang hee type to play the fem dic.
Required fields are marked *
publicenemy
July 27, 2012 at 8:11 AM
Instead of LSG I'd like to have Lee Min Ho as the detective.Why? Just because I want more, more and more of him! Heroine could be Han Hyo Joo. I'd love to see her as a quirky woman who finds all the detectives dirty little secrets.
Required fields are marked *
edelweiss
July 27, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Lee Min Ho in action! I'd love that!
Required fields are marked *
14 becca_boo
July 27, 2012 at 7:10 AM
Good morning, OT buddies!
Did anyone else watch the anime Dusk Maiden of Amnesia? I saw the final episode last night, and while I'm not a huge anime fan, I loved that show. [SPOILER ALERT] I was little disappointed that the finale was so much like that of My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, but I still liked it a lot. And Yuuko's return made a little more sense than Mi-ho's. It wasn't perfect either, but it did make sense within the rules of the world, at least to me. [END SPOILER] Anyway, just wanted to share a little of the love.
I also (finally) caught up to INR2012 this week. Seriously, what took me so long? With the exception of Gaksital (my current love), it's the best of the shows I've been watching lately (AGD, IDID). How like me to catch up when there are only 4 episodes left.
Only 4 1/2 more days until Gaksital is back on my screen.
Required fields are marked *
15 Mystisith
July 27, 2012 at 7:14 AM
Just saw than dramacrazy uploaded a bunch of movies I wanted to see: Doomsday Book, GTO the movie (old school) and Over my dead body with Lee Beom-soo. Nice!
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 7:36 AM
Over My Dead Body looks interesting! thank you for the tip :)
Required fields are marked *
16 leaf
July 27, 2012 at 7:32 AM
HELLO EVERYONE!!!
Hope everyone is having a good week!
We only have a few hours left before the UK embaresses itself completely on the world stage.
Oh wait... we already did that -_-
Love <3
Required fields are marked *
alua
July 27, 2012 at 10:00 AM
Truth be told the fact that every Olympics has to be bigger and better and more bombastic than the previous one is rather stupid.
I read somewhere the last time London hosted the Olympics, in 1964, they spent 20,000 GBP. I don't know what the equivalent of that would be in today's terms but I'm sure it would be a budget people would laugh about.
Sadly, since this is an event that's supposed to be about sports!
Required fields are marked *
alua
July 27, 2012 at 10:01 AM
P.S. I hope it won't be too noisy... I have to get up super early tomorrow & leave the house by 5 am. I could hear the concert from the stadium last night.
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Leaf!!!!!
Nothing like a 5-ring circus to liven up the homefront, eh?
I prefer the winter Olympics, although there are a few summer sports I like. My evil doppelganger wonders if the Chinese gymnasts will still be the same age they were at the Beijing ones. [bad llama!]
It's not disrupting things around your home village, is it?
Required fields are marked *
leaf
July 27, 2012 at 4:43 PM
haha my Hometown is middle of nowhere so no... there will be absolutely no disruption.
I've settled on watching the Korean version haha. But the announcer speaks to much haha. BBC World is not showing it -_-
Ah... so tired :( haha it's too early!! And appartently its ok to set of fireworks at 6:30am in China... lol. Guess everyone really loves the Olympics??
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 6:55 PM
Hi Leaf, how are things in China? I still owe you a response from last week. Will post it when I am done.
Required fields are marked *
17 cv
July 27, 2012 at 7:43 AM
Happy OT all! ^^
Hope everyone is going well! :)
Here is what I've been watching.
Big: Ending was a big disappointment. drama overall was okay. Would I watch it again? HEck no!
Rich man, poor woman: awsome! haha! what can I say, this show keeps you wanting more. ^_^
GTO 2012: Not bad. I like it so far.
Vision: still looking good. Can't wait for the next episode.
Witness insecurity: HKdrama--not bad. I like it. A action/thriller plus little romance. Main leads so cute together.
Ghost: still going strong! awsome as always.
Now, just waiting for the next batch of new dramas. I hope they don't disappoint like the last few. :P
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 10:48 AM
** PUN Alert **
"Vision: Still Looking Good" [snort] It sounds like a sequel
Always good to see you on OT, cv!!
Required fields are marked *
cv
July 27, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Lmao! ^^
It does sound like a great drama title doesn't it! Aww..if only. :P haha!
It is an interesting jdrama though. ^^ Still early in the eps so I'm hoping it doesn't go downhill.
Jdrama seem to have better storyline without the angst and don't really need a second lead to keep the story going. I'm getting sick of the same old story in Kdrama.
(hmm...must be why I'm tuning in more to Jdrama then Kdrama.)
Required fields are marked *
18 ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 7:44 AM
I'm watching:
Can Love Become Money: It's really growing on me
Don't Ask Me About The Past: Oi the subs are terrible
Go Bongshil Ahjumma: Tres Charmant!
Ghost: This show is HOLEY.
Country Princess: I like Geum Soon, Glass Slippers better.
I have Paused:
Athena: No one is noticing the elephants in their paths
Dong Yi: I'm sure the King is dirty and I want to see.
God Of War: I don't like reincarnated lovers, dream or fantasy world crossover lovers.
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 7:52 AM
CLBM is great. So good the subs are finally appearing. It's a show that cannot be enjoyed without subs. Love the witty dialogues. Disagree about methods of dealing with pets. (Someone doesn't know that dogs can be very jealous, hehe). One of this season's favourites.
Don't Ask Me Aboy The Past was charming... Gosh, when did I watch it?
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 8:01 AM
I'm a little annoyed with the show because it has such high, highs and unbelievable lows. I was really glad when they followed up the gangster story but I'm just surprised by the sloth in the kidnapping cases in episodes 5 to 8( so far.) Maybe you watched it when it aired? It is pretty old I saw a commercial for what happens in vegas I think that was 2008? But the idea is interesting.
I'm just starting can love become money. I can't wait to see the dog jealousy etc now! I'm waiting until 1 to start my drama watching.
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 8:10 AM
You're just at the beginning, then... The dog issue I mentioned arises about ep.13. I hope it isn't very spoilery :D
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 8:34 AM
I love spoilers!
19 myweithisway
July 27, 2012 at 7:56 AM
T.T
Somehow Big Bang Beijing tickets are already sold out *rages and wails*
Still gonna to try my luck at the venue...
Also pissed that ockoala unni's site is blocked here, but at least I still have DB!
Required fields are marked *
20 publicenemy
July 27, 2012 at 7:58 AM
Is 'Life is beautiful' any good? Someone recommended it to me but I am on the fence regarding it. Should I watch it?
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 8:04 AM
I didn't watch the whole drama but it is very heartwarming.
Required fields are marked *
publicenemy
July 27, 2012 at 8:14 AM
It has 50+ episodes, right? I don't really think I am ready for that kind of commitment if I am not sure what I'll get. Why did you drop it?
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 8:38 AM
I think I used to watch the saturday episode and watch something else on sunday (breaking bad). I don't think you miss much from skipping around. I watched maybe the first 20 and then watched the last 10 or so. I still knew very well what was happening and I managed to skip some annoying moments of nam gyu ri.
Required fields are marked *
21 iZzie :)
July 27, 2012 at 8:01 AM
Why, Big? Whyyyyy? (T_T) I had high hopes.
In other news...
Happy Friday ya'll! :)
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 10:51 AM
Izzie!!
And, yes, didn't we all [sigh].
Required fields are marked *
iZzie :)
July 27, 2012 at 11:19 AM
I do love watching Gong Yoo. I could stare at him all year long, but I think he deserved a better story for a comeback drama.
:(
My goodness, Faith, please be good. Please be damn good.
I only have Gaksital now. And the Olympics is going to make me wait for episodes. I'm not sure if I'm going to watch the Games either. Not with the arena of my fave sport to watch donning a hot, hot, hot pink. It gives me migraines. (Why London, why?)
Required fields are marked *
Laya
July 28, 2012 at 6:31 AM
Happy Friday, Izzie! :D
Required fields are marked *
iZzie :)
July 28, 2012 at 7:20 AM
Since it's no longer Friday as I reply... Happy Weekend, Laya! :)
How's everything down south? I hope you're having a better weather - what with the storms coming week after week.
Stay safe.
Required fields are marked *
22 zgznoona
July 27, 2012 at 8:09 AM
Happy OT beautiful people!!!
Any plans for the weekend?
I'm leaving mine open, waiting for someone, we all know, to call me a tell me she has time to meet this weekend.
On the drama world:
BIG: I stopped on ep 4 and after all the final complains decided to watch it in one go fast forwarding (I hope I didn't make up that word) a lot. I didn't like the ending, but who's surprise about it?
Rich Man Poor Woman: I love the drama enough that is my first Jdrama I watch raw
AGD: I can't stand Mea-ri. Seriously hate that stupid girl and her constant crying
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 8:15 AM
Happy OT, zgznoona!
I am with you about AGD: I don't know what irks me more the crying itself or that the stupid men take it seriously. Gosh. Which lawyer believes in tears? I wouldn't hire one ;)
Required fields are marked *
kewbie
July 27, 2012 at 3:45 PM
Yoon's not looking at Meari with a lawyer's eyes, though. ;-)
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 3:58 PM
You mean he thinks only when he's paid for? Yeah, he's just a man, a simple creature ;p
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 7:03 PM
Aren't they all? I think all the men in AGD are simple creatures, don't you? :-)
zgznoona
July 28, 2012 at 7:18 AM
Ivoire , you are so right
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 7:01 PM
Awwww... Kewbie, that was cute!!!! Poor Yoon *sighs*
Required fields are marked *
Mystisith
July 27, 2012 at 8:20 AM
Amen. She's on a hit list there:
http://www.maddinoasylum.com/2012/07/26/crazy-talk-killing-characters/
Really the only character I can't stand in that drama.
Required fields are marked *
zgznoona
July 28, 2012 at 7:19 AM
I should stop by and comment
Required fields are marked *
cv
July 27, 2012 at 8:40 AM
zgznoona: hi! Happy OT!
I'm watching RMPW too! ^^ excellent drama and it's only 3 eps in. hehe
Dramatalk--blog is recapping RMPW and so is ockoala.
gooddrama.net has ep 3 sub already. Now just waiting for ep 4 to air and sub. lol
Required fields are marked *
zgznoona
July 28, 2012 at 7:21 AM
Hi cv,
I know, I watched it raw Monday and as soon as the subs were ready watch it again
I like that they didn't drag the secret for too long, I could have been annoying
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 8:43 AM
oh man I'm so iffy about agd now.
by the way hi! I'm a bit envious about your raine meet ups. I hope to get some bo ssam from my dukboki ahjumma but sometimes the things on her menu are seasonal.
Enjoy your weekend!
Required fields are marked *
zgznoona
July 28, 2012 at 7:24 AM
Hi bunny, you won't have to envy me much longer, she's moving away next Friday :(
Tomorrow will be our last meet. T_T
By the way, I'm finally starting Ghost
Required fields are marked *
23 la dee dah
July 27, 2012 at 8:43 AM
Happy OT everyone. Going to hang around here and reminding myself not to hang around allkpop and omona, with all that's going on with the Nickhun story. Never knew the amount of intense hatred girls can have, feel sorry for them really.
Anyone been watching BTS of Gaksital? How can Joo won play such an intense character but then latch on to his hyungs like a little kid with such affection? It was the guy playing his older brother at first, but now that he's gone, he's latching onto the guy playing Shunji. Never seen such a big "kid"!
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 8:44 AM
Isn't he really young anyway? I think people are thrown off by uee calling him ahjussi all the time. I think she looks older than he does though.
Required fields are marked *
la dee dah
July 27, 2012 at 8:54 AM
He going to turn 25 this year I believe. But I'm not used to guys that age acting like he does (I'm used to girls/women being affectionate like that or boys in their teens or younger). And with his 1n2d brothers, the way he slept like a baby clinging onto the guy whose name I momentarily forgot. It's just too cute for me!
Required fields are marked *
dugeundugeun
July 27, 2012 at 9:44 AM
omg yes! the bts videos are so cute!
the joo won-park ki woong bromance is sooooo hilarious! they cant keep their hands off each other xD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_BgMSsG8E8
and those scenes with joo won and ki woong sleeping during filming.. so sad that they have to work so hard to provide us all of our weekly Gaksital .. hope they all get plenty of rest after the drama is done! but with joo won's possible next project (level 7th civil servant drama remake) how is he going to get any rest? :(
Required fields are marked *
24 I_cant_stand_therain
July 27, 2012 at 9:41 AM
Happy friday everyone!
After being completely disappointed by the ending from Fashion King I have become an avid recap reader. This is to protect myself from making the wrong decision in a drama and getting burned by how crappy the ending is. This is why I was prepared for the unsatisfying ending. This is not what I do for every drama but for ones that I am on the fence about watching.
Currently watching:
Rich man, poor woman
Beloved (dear you)
Special investigation record ( joeson x files)
My list is small so that I can enjoy the olympics these next few weeks.
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 12:36 PM
Hi, KrazyK! What do you think about Beloved? Actually, I've been following it since the begining. I like the characters, I liked the starting point, but I don't know where it is going. I would like some emotional conflict, but please, I don't want another clingy crybaby and a man who is paralyzed by mere tears.
Required fields are marked *
I_cant_stand_therain
July 27, 2012 at 8:32 PM
I like it so far. I don't have any expectations for this drama so I am just trying to enjoy it. I really like the music the music that is played in the drama. So far I think that there is the potential for some good drama if writing remains decent. I finished episode 8 and I am just taking it one episode at a time.
Required fields are marked *
25 kewbie
July 27, 2012 at 9:42 AM
Happy Friday, all! I'll be back. A/C repairman is here! Trying to stay cool in the mean time, obviously. ;-)
Required fields are marked *
26 amg01
July 27, 2012 at 9:43 AM
*Big/True Love (when sex is not OK)*
I had a chance to watched episode three, from the BBC-one True Love series, entitled “Holly”, and unlike the K-drama “Big”, they do “go there”.
“Holly”, is the story of a female High-school teacher who falls in love with one of her female students, Holly is played by actress “Billie Piper” from the Doctor Who series, and
“Kaya Scodelario (skins, and the remake of Wuthering Heights)”. plays Karen the 16 year old student.
As guy I have never been shy, nor condemn the act of “Lesbian Love or Sex”, but once again I must ask the question, How old is to old. Or how young is to young? But the reality for me, is that the drama Big and Holly, from my perspective deal with something that tends to get lost in the heat of the moment, in the sensual embrace of two lovers, as they are swept in the throws, of the most powerful embrace of them all, that of unbridled sexual passion.
At the end of the day what disturbs me the most is not the “Sex”, but what makes me feel uncomfortable is, the fact that we are dealing with two relationships, in which one of the partners, is not only an adult, but is in a the place where the power and control dynamic, can be seen as most damaging and abusive towards, the person who is under age.
I love Romance as much as the next person, but the “Hong Sisters”, Big mistake was in the fact that, at the end of the day not only in Korea, but also here in the US, the teacher/student relationships have always been frown upon, I do not have a problem with two consenting adults, but I do have a problem when a 30 year old teacher, starts a romantic relationship, with her 18 year old student, while remaining his/her teacher, or in the case of Holly, I am not sure about the age of consent in England, but Karen is 16 years old, making her in the US a minor, and Holly as the teacher can be charge with the “Statutory Rape”' of a minor, making her a sexual offender, having to register with the police for the rest of her life, and also losing her teaching credentials. Again I am glad that the Hong Sisters did not show, Da-ran and Kyung-joon kiss at the end, since somehow will justified, that is OK for an adult teacher to pursue a relationship with her 18 year old minor student, I am just sad that most people do not see it that way, but the record high of American teachers (specially female ones) that had been arrested and convicted, for having had sex with their students, have sky rocketed, as we in our cultures trough our media, have sexualized children and teenagers, only to the detriment of our society.
And again this two shows, have portray that what is really enticing in the form of “Sexual Fantasy”, in the real world is extremely problematic and and illegal to boot!!!!!!!!
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 11:47 AM
I don't think sexualizing of children and teenagers are the cause of the teacher/student relationships. I have very little actual awareness of this sexualization, or I don't notice it unless it's blatant. I think these relationships are work place romances. It's hard to meet someone when you're working all the time, suggestive words and actions from any interested party can sway you and then the thrill of the thing can carry you.
I think the severe penalties for these crimes should discourage the behavior but there should be a support system for teachers not zero tolerance things, or you're bad: just teacher to teacher, human to human things, as well as education for students. Not the sex with your teacher is bad, or in general prohibitive teachings. But information about the consequences and talk about responsibility. Not the generic kind but really impressing on them the weight of every action. It might make them paranoid adults, but it can also empower them.
Required fields are marked *
27 Mama J
July 27, 2012 at 9:46 AM
Good morning My Wondrous Beans! Please forgive me, I forgot all about you :(
I'm back from vacation, which went pretty well. We got charged by a moose, and one of us shattered a wrist and had to have surgery. The two events were not related, though.
My kid is in Oregon visiting friends so for dinner last night I had about a pound of cherries. I think I might do that again tonight.
Google Jung Sungha. Or Youtube him. 15 year old FANTABULOUS guitar player. I've been listening pretty much nonstop since right before vacation.
Except for last night, when I discovered that there was a song by My Beloved I didn't know. Busan Woman. I can't help myself, I play it over and over and over. The music is VERY catchy. And he's just...you know...so Beloved. At the very end he stops singing and says (my spelling will be off, probably) 'siganisseoyo' which means, as near as I can figure, 'do you have a little time for me?' and oh, the answer is always going to be yes for that man.
Big is over. Yay Gong Yoo! Double yay, actually. Yay Choong Shik! Yay Suzy, if not always yay Ma Ri! BOOOOOOOOOOOO HISSSSSSSSSSSSS Hong Sisters. Go to your rooms right now! No dessert for YOU, missies. Wait until your father gets home! We're going to have you tested for DRUGS.
AGD. Still in love. And all of a sudden, it's not just Jang Dong Gun. I grin like an idiot for Jung Rok now too. Have to watch that guy in something else. Never had seen him before.
Gaksitaaaaaaaaaaaal. Gaksital will never forgive you if you miss this show. OMG so good. EVEN WITH the magical horse and the improbable clothing and hair changes. Shunji, the guy you love to hate...and feel sorry for. Kang To, the guy you hate to love...and feel sorry for.
I Need Romance 2012. Oh hell, people. Just lock me in a room with those two men. I'm gonna die. Or they will. At first I thought the Shin Ji Hoon character was too nice. But he's got some backbone, and I realized last night watching he reminds me of a boyfriend I ended up treating badly. I mistook his sincere desire to treat me like a princess as free rein to do anything I wanted. Some guys just wanna love on you. It doesn't mean they won't stand up for themselves, or expect you to behave well. And the other guy? I said from day one that he adored Yeol Mae and all those Viki whiners had it wrong. I'm even more convinced now. And of course if I can only have one, the tortured ex is the one I want.
I'm up to ep 9 on rewatch of Goong and someone - was it Blue? set me up with the link to the manga. I really...I just love it even more than I did when I was watching it - my first drama - feeling like Alice in Wonderland down the rabbit hole, and completely happy.
Things are too crazy at work for I.R.I.S. lunches but they'll be back soon. Looking forward to Arang, and planning to COMPLETELY spazz over Cher's Precious being a bad boy in Five Fingers. Still waiting for BB tickets in Newark to be available. Tonight: Opening Ceremonies projected on a big sheet in neighbors backyard. Kids have to dress as countries. I will narrate the parade of nations. I think I need soju for that.
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Loved this post, JoAnne!
I first watched Jung Ruk in Please Marry Me - my first Kdrama ever, and he looked better in that and made me do a double think on Korean men! But, I wouldn't wish those 50 episodes on anyone.
And "just stick me in a room with those two men" haha!
I'm feeling like I may need to watch Gaksital now after everyone's comments on here. But from this OT, Rich Man Poor Woman sounds good, too.
Hope to see you in Newark!
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 10:59 AM
I first saw lee jong hyuk in partners/formidable rivals. I really liked that show. Lee Jong Hyuk was second lead. I also saw him in dr. kang not as spectacular there, but he had a charming initial personality.
Soju and cherries sound like a good dinner! Enjoy your weekend.
Required fields are marked *
kopytko
July 27, 2012 at 12:53 PM
hi JoAnne!
Welcome to team Jung Rok! I also had this reaction to check his other works. I was surprised that he was the solemn single dad in Powerful Oponents. It's enough if an Asian actor changes his hairdo and I cannot recognize the person anymore. I am still working on that, though. I also had a glimpse on Will You Marry Me. He played a cheating husband, but not in a fraction as charming as Jung Rok. However, he used my favourite model of a fountain pen, so the character was forgiven ;)
INR 2 - I already swooned a lot over Lee Jin Wook, so I am not going to repeat myself.
Have a lovely weekend!
Required fields are marked *
28 Kim Yoonmi
July 27, 2012 at 9:47 AM
New J-dramas:
Soumatou Kabushikigaisha (Red Lantern Society): See your life on DVD--one year per DVD. Do you know your own life? Simple, high concept drama that doesn't use a lot of fancy set work, but I really like it. This is one of the things that Japanese dramas do better than Korean dramas--they'll play with themes. It's a bit dark, and gives you chills. Some of the plot twists are predictable, but there is always an unpredictable twist at the end. If you liked Reset and those ilk, you'll like this. (This isn't a heart investment drama or fluffy--it'll make you think). Episodic with slight overlap in places. Watching to the end. I like high concept dramas.
Beginners!: Idol drama, I would say more than anything. Good for a light watch and I'm placing this on the back burner list. A bunch of rejects join the police academy and must prove they aren't rejects. It follows typical format for these kinds of things--if you've watched these type of dramas before there isn't much new. If you haven't then it'll play out WAFF and you might like it more, though I've seen tighter scripted versions of the same.
Required fields are marked *
Mama J
July 27, 2012 at 10:33 AM
I'm going to have to find Soumatou Kabushikigaisha, that sounds fantastic!
Required fields are marked *
cv
July 27, 2012 at 12:48 PM
soumatou Kab: I just couldn't get into the storyline. I read the recap for ep one and... well... just didn't interest me. :P
Required fields are marked *
Kim Yoonmi
July 27, 2012 at 12:55 PM
It's more atmospheric, so I think that recaps don't quite work to portray the story. I like the long silences and the minimalism.
Occasionally, no matter how good the recapper, sometimes the recaps can't quite capture the drama. This is one of these. The stories are simple, but the execution through simple camera work and simple dialogue (minimalistic dialogue--as in not much, but what there is packs a punch) really make this drama stand out.
But yeah, it's more an art piece, and a piece to engage the head than it is there to engage the heart.
Required fields are marked *
cv
July 27, 2012 at 1:20 PM
haha! yea, exactly! :D
I think I'll leave this one be. Too many others to watch! ^_^
Required fields are marked *
29 isabelh
July 27, 2012 at 9:58 AM
Can someone identify for me the object in the corner of Ji-An's living room in I Do, I Do? It was white, about 5-6 feet tall, and looked sort of like a tall skinny front loading washing machine. I found it very distracting, wondering if it was product placement for something new or just something that everyone in the world has except me. Thanks in advance for any enlightenment.
Required fields are marked *
jomo143
July 27, 2012 at 10:07 AM
I would love to know, too. My guess is it is a humidifier.
One of the Viki commenters dubbed it the
"Biggest pregnancy test in the world" so I giggled every time it showed up.
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 11:00 AM
ah I saw one that was more coloredy and flowerdy in family drama a good day for the wind to blow- It's an air conditioner.
Required fields are marked *
isabelh
July 27, 2012 at 11:12 AM
Must be the tasteful, wealthy woman's air conditioner. The closest Korean one I found searching the internet looked more like the tardis (but for a thin person).
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 11:17 AM
LOL - humidifier! Seriously, when I first started watching Kdramas, I thought humidifiers (along with IV's, of course) were the magic cure-all in South Korea!
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 11:25 AM
I thought the air was very dry in s.k. I did read something about acid rain on wikipedia . . . laugh at me!
Required fields are marked *
Cynthia
July 27, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Pretty sure it's an air conditioner/fan.
:)
Required fields are marked *
30 rhiaa
July 27, 2012 at 10:00 AM
Good day everyone! This is my first time here in open thread. :D
I'm loving Gaksital and Ghost a lot! The suspense is so nerve wracking even just reading the recaps has me clutching my seat. And Answer me 1997 seems cute and funny, and warmhearted, too. Or maybe I'm just weak when it comes to high school/ first love shows. Hmm.
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 10:12 AM
Hi rhia, welcome to OT!
Btw, I like Gaksital and Ghost, although I like the former a little bit more... :)
Required fields are marked *
rhiaa
July 28, 2012 at 5:30 AM
Thanks! I think I have equal love for both, their stories are too...compelling. :)
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 11:01 AM
aww rhia, we're all weak like that! Welcome and all.
Required fields are marked *
rhiaa
July 28, 2012 at 5:32 AM
Thanks! It's nice to know I'm the only one who goes 'aww' at the show. :)
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Welcome to OT, Rhia! I hope you enjoy hanging with us.
Required fields are marked *
rhiaa
July 28, 2012 at 5:33 AM
Thanks! I hope I do, too. :)
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 11:20 AM
As someone very new to the OT, I welcome you. People here are wonderful. But I must warn you, it's very addicting. I think I just spent 3 hours checking in every few minutes!
Required fields are marked *
shukmeister
July 27, 2012 at 12:49 PM
That's why she's "Korazy", Rhia! LOLOL
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 6:38 PM
Shhhh, Shukmeister, I'm trying to keep that a secret :)
Required fields are marked *
rhiaa
July 28, 2012 at 5:38 AM
Thanks! I'm not new to the site; I'm addicted to reading recaps, too! Just that this is my first foray into the OT, per se. I was a bit nervous before posting, wondering if anyone would mind lil ol' me. But then I got a warm welcome! So happy. :D
Haha. Shukmeister got you on that one, Korazy Lady. :)
31 LizJ
July 27, 2012 at 10:03 AM
The only current show I'm watching is Gaksital, which is neck and neck right now for favorite show of the year (at least IMO) with Queen In Hyun's Man.
I like INR2 but I have paused for a while in order to see where the story is going.
I'm watching Can Love Become Money as eps are becoming available on DramaFever.
I just finished Creating Destiny, which was cute, but I rather hated the resolution of the older sister's story.
And, just last night, I decided to begin rewatching My Princess.
Required fields are marked *
Mama J
July 27, 2012 at 12:51 PM
oooh, My Princess. SO MUCH FLUFFY TOWEL LOVE.
Required fields are marked *
32 Eternal
July 27, 2012 at 10:07 AM
Hi fellow OT-ers :D
Now that Big is done (yes, someone who enjoyed it from beginning to finish haha - yes I know the writing was weak, but what can I say, love makes you blind :P), I'm looking forward to Faith and To the Beautiful You (for the fluff, but teasers have been looking good), and Nice Guy (still a month away, sigh).
Answer to 1997 looks really really cute. I watched the first episode raw, and despite not really understanding everything, found it quite adorable - specially Yoon-jae and Shi-won's friendship and Yoon-jae's one-sided love. Now I just hope some group gets around to subbing it (pretty please?) :D
I'm debating what to watch to bide my time. I think I'll get around to finishing Tree with Deep Roots. Kind of also want to watch a rom-com to balance out the heavy thriller-ness.
On a side note, I wonder how Gaksital will wrap up. With only 11 episodes left, I'm kind of left wondering how the writers will move forward. Even though the past few episodes were intense, I felt like we were still moving in circles (despite some plot developments, like Mok-dan finding out Gaksital's real identity). Maybe it's cause I feel like Gaksital isn't really working towards some ultimate goal (as we saw in City Hunter). While this makes Gaksital a little less predictable, everything is beginning to feel a bit stagnant. I feel like I'm not getting any sense of an overall picture, if that makes sense.
I'm not saying Gaksital is bad - it's pretty good, especially at making me bite my nails in nervousness/anticipation - I just feel like I need more assurance that the writers know what they're doing, and that we're building towards a central conflict. I still have complaints about how writers use Mok-dan and Rie, but I'll deal with it (but can't they be consistently badass for once?).
Happy Friday everyone!
Required fields are marked *
33 LizJ
July 27, 2012 at 10:07 AM
Oh..question, where are you all watching the Japanese shows? The only places I've found online (other than the small selection on DramaFever and CrunchyRoll/KDrama) so far aren't very iPad friendly (using Flash video).
Required fields are marked *
Kim Yoonmi
July 27, 2012 at 10:11 AM
Dramacrazy (dot) net--turn on Adblock. You can also watch some on viki as well.
Required fields are marked *
jomo143
July 27, 2012 at 12:40 PM
Kym - does that block the ads at the start of each segment, too?
Required fields are marked *
Kim Yoonmi
July 27, 2012 at 12:56 PM
Yes. I get no ads when I view dramacrazy. I also got it to block ads on hulu and still get it to work.
Required fields are marked *
jomo143
July 27, 2012 at 5:58 PM
What browser? I have tried Safari and Firefox, but they still get through.
Kim Yoonmi
July 28, 2012 at 3:12 PM
@Jomo Firefox, though I'm on a Mac... I don't understand why the same Adblock I have works better than everyone else's.... maybe it's the things on my block list?
jomo143
July 27, 2012 at 11:44 AM
mysoju.com has J doramas, and it has less ads than DCN, or maybe they are less loud and annoying.
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 11:48 AM
yes mysoju!
Required fields are marked *
cv
July 27, 2012 at 12:50 PM
I'm watching them--Jdramas on gooddrama.net. Seem to have less ad popups then dramacrazy.net which is a plus! ^^
Required fields are marked *
34 Kim Yoonmi
July 27, 2012 at 10:09 AM
Oh and I still need a mindless WAFF (Warm and Fuzzy Feelings), non-gap drama from K-drama land. I knew that Big wasn't going to be that from the get go. And by Episode 8 or so I knew it wasn't going to fit viewer expectations any. (Especially since everyone was so focused on Gong Yoo.)
As much as I love I Need Romance 2, it's not that type of drama either. It's what I would term a Discovery drama. The storyline is set on you finding out more and more about the characters and how they grow. (Big was that too... except that most people missed that part.)
K-dramas can do mindless WAFF well, so why not celebrate it some? You know, easy beginning, middle and end, no thinking, floaty feeling, clean writing drama.
Required fields are marked *
35 AC89
July 27, 2012 at 10:18 AM
So last week, I started and finished Shut Up Flower Boy Band within 36 hours. I thought it was a fantastic drama...but it has ruined me for anything else (except for Gakitsal--I'm hooked and waiting for the next episode.)
I want to get in a good dose of dramas in before school starts...I have these on my list, any recommendations on which I should start first or if I should add anything else on my list?
1) harvest villa
2) joseon x-files
3) story of a man
4) once upon a time in saengchori
5) vampire prosecutor
6) call of the country
7) history of a salaryman
8) tree with deep roots
9) yaksha
10) padam padam
11) the duo
Also completely different note, are there any jdramas that are similar in tone and comedy to Hana Kimi? I recently realized how much I enjoyed watching it years ago.
Required fields are marked *
AC89
July 27, 2012 at 10:19 AM
Oh and "all in" is on my list too...but I'm having trouble getting past the first 10 or so minutes...is it worth it?
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 11:04 AM
yeah the end of that episode was really good. and I stuck around consistently for another 10 or so episodes just to see whether he dies or lives.
Required fields are marked *
skelly
July 27, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Have you watched Queen In-hyun's Man? It's the same PD as Vampire Prosecutor, and the romance spilled over into real life. And it is another TvN drama, like SUFBB, so it has that cable "vibe."
Required fields are marked *
whimsyful
July 27, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Seconding the Queen In Hyun's Man rec above. I was one of those who thought the ending had major writing flaws, but I still love it. It has this atmosphere of sheer romance that not many dramas do.
Also, if you enjoy psychological thrillers that makes you think, White Christmas.
Required fields are marked *
AC89
July 27, 2012 at 12:31 PM
Oh yea! That's on my list as well and after watching SUFBB, it'd be nice to see more of Sung Joon.
Required fields are marked *
bd2
July 27, 2012 at 10:57 AM
"Joseon X-Files" is awesome.
Really beautifully written and acted w/ the middle eps being some of the most mindblowing eps you will ever watch.
TWDR is also great - some of the best monologues written for actors and Han Suk-kyu will leave you trembling w/ his just masterful portrayal as Sejong.
For lighter fare - romcoms, I would place "Coffee Prince", “I Need Romance 2012″ (which is airing right now) and “He/The Man Who Can’t Marry” on your must see list - they are all wonderfully written/acted romcoms w/ great casts.
Other good romcoms would be "Best Love", "My Girlfriend is a Gumiho" and "My Princess."
MGIAG and MP have their flaws, but relationships btwn the leads are wonderfully done and well worth it.
Required fields are marked *
AC89
July 27, 2012 at 3:12 PM
Coffee Prince is the drama that got me hooked on kdramas :)
Thanks for the suggestions!
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 11:15 AM
okay about order:
Okay thinking of the first episodes that charmed me
1. Saengchori- Funny, warm good set up
2. Tree-Quick, thrilling, great visuals in the first scene
3.Salaryman- funny!
4.Harvest Villa-Very funny, mysterious
5.Call of the Country- bumbling,better than sweet spy
6.Story of a Man-I thought the first episode had way too much going on and some overacting but it gets sooo much better.
I haven't seen any of the others.
Required fields are marked *
AC89
July 27, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Were you happy with the ending of Once upon a time in Saengchori? I heard some iffy comments about it...
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 12:39 PM
I liked it. I didn't like how the main couple resolved their will they/won't they and I wasn't on board with them but I still have good feelings about the whole thing. Aju mani!
Required fields are marked *
Kim Yoonmi
July 27, 2012 at 1:09 PM
History of a Salaryman--tight, tight writing, funny and engages your adrenaline and heart. Mind--not as much, though there is some of that too. It looks like it would fit with your current list of what you like. It has a similar feel. It's a smooth ride from beginning to end without any real huge sharp turns. Tiny bit of makjang towards the end, but most K-dramas have that.
padam padam is 100% makjang all the way. I quit at episode 1.
Tree with Deep Roots is good, though it goes all out makjang towards the end. It engages the head full on, not the heart as much. Makes you think deeply about issues of literacy, etc.
Other dramas like Hana Kimi? Hana Yori Dango, Nodame Cantabile and Perfect Girl Evolution fit the bill that way. Less better scripted, but I still like it: Ouran High. If you want to get into super idol fluff Mei no Shitsuji. You don't have to turn on your brain at all during the entire showing of Mei no Shitsuji, but it still makes your heart beat fast.
If you want to spread your wings a bit outside of that: Hotaru no Hikari, seasons 1 and 2 is a good ride. It will get you to the dramas aimed at older audiences. Though personally I like the high concept dramas like Reset, Liar Game and Kurosagi... which you can't find in the US and in Korea. (Occasionally, Canada makes a few high concept dramas)
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 1:55 PM
Hotaru no Hikrai is amazing. It taught me how to dress for the office - just buy the outfits they put together in the magazines. Bucccchhooooo)))
Required fields are marked *
Kim Yoonmi
July 28, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Are you looking forward to the movie being subbed? I am! I want the Hotaru no Hikari movie...
BUCHOOOO~ *sobs* Should be a riot. I also want her to call him by first name more too, shyly... Haha.
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 29, 2012 at 12:48 PM
You know what, I think I've come to terms with the fact that I have an inexplicable crush on Fujiki Naohito. I can watch him sit around and do nothing for 16 episodes. This is all.
36 R
July 27, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Love Gaksitaaaaal so much and sad that there is only one episode this week ...
A BTS video showing Kangto - Joo Won & Shunji - Park Ki Woong Bromance <3
http://youtu.be/x_BgMSsG8E8
Required fields are marked *
37 edelweiss
July 27, 2012 at 10:36 AM
God!! I love this City Hunter header! Its the first time I'm getting it. Wanna make me watch the drama again!
How come I cannot find it in JB's headers page?
Required fields are marked *
38 oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Hi everyone!
I've had a tough week, bracing myself for an even tougher one. However, I managed to see The Dark Knight Rises, and I ended up loving it (although I had very low expectations, having read some negative reviews). It had some glaring plotholes, but it was still high quality entertainment. Also, one particulatr cameo made me really happy.
I'm really looking forward to Faith, because this might be the only chance to make George Michael references in K-drama comments. 'Cause I gotta have faith, y'know?
Also, still loving Rich Man, Poor Woman. Actually, when I was watching the first episode, I was thinking, 'Hey, that's exactly what I was going through when I was looking for my first full-time job!'...Might I also get a successful-high-school-dropout-quirky-entrepreneur boss? :D
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 11:20 AM
did you ever see eli stone? the guy with the brain tumor that hallucinated george michael? I really wanted some george michael music while watching it. While I was singing and clapping to gotta have faith after reading that line ( how can I not?) my brain followed up the chorus with the night with the words from suju's the night chicago died.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU7WiVY0OtM
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 1:48 PM
I haven't seen it, but I've heard a lot about it from my friend who watches a lot of TV series.:) The Suju song is fun, though!
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Hi oftheshore!
I guess you are still working hard on your dissertation? I hope that it will go well. I've been procrastinating on my exam preparation these few weeks back, and regretting it right now, because that means I have more stuffs to do in less amount of time. Hope I can stick to it and not procrastinate (although, I still think I will :D )
Anyway, I was planning to see Dark Knight Rises last Sunday with my friend. But then we received these alerts on our phones about a guy carrying firearm nearby the theater. So we decided to take a rain check. Not sure if I can finally watch it though, considering the new term coming up and I have to move out from my apartment.
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 1:59 PM
Yes, the work is for my dissertation/PhD update/research plan. We definitely need to set up our own procrastination club, but just...not today.
Is this going to be your final year at uni?
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 3:15 PM
Haha. So I assume we are going to procrastinate on setting up our own procrastination club? :D
Yes, it will be my final year as a master student, but if I pass the exam and manage to secure a funding from my professor, then I would be able to pursue my PhD right away. :)
How many years do you have left for your PhD, oftheshore?
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 3:59 PM
I'm on a 3-year programme, and I had to do both an MRes and the first year of the PhD in one year (so, essentially, it's a 1+2). Only two years left now. :(
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 4:26 PM
Niceeeee! I think I still have 4 more years to obtain a PhD (and that's like if everything goes extra well).
Anyway, FIGHTING! :D
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Btw, lol @ George Michael reference. It should be the show's taglines... :)
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 1:50 PM
Aw yes, 'cause we gotta have 'Faith'! *Yes, I will keep making these puns over and over again, I'm afraid* Before you throw my heart back on the floor, Lee Min Ho, you gotta make City Hunter 2 :D
Required fields are marked *
39 Noelle
July 27, 2012 at 10:47 AM
Hello and Happy OT everyone!
Watching Can Love Become Money because they are finally subbing it and Rich Man, Poor Woman.
I'm so excited for the Olympic opening tonight! I wish everyone luck in the games.
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 11:20 AM
can love . . . chingu, which episode are you up to? shall we giggle with each other?
Required fields are marked *
Noelle
July 27, 2012 at 11:57 PM
Always up for giggling. Currently at episode 11.
Required fields are marked *
oftheshore
July 27, 2012 at 1:52 PM
Yes! Let's hope RMPW doesn't disappoint. It's had a great pace so far.
Required fields are marked *
Noelle
July 28, 2012 at 12:22 AM
I love the pace. I thought they were gonna drag everything out till the end.
Required fields are marked *
40 Ltrack
July 27, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Is it bad that I'm getting my hopes up for "To the Beautiful You"? All the teasers and stills released scream shiny idol drama, but I'm really hoping that there's some heart in there somewhere.
On another note, has anybody listened to Shin Yong Jae's new album "24"? It's quite good. Teaser below for all of you who are interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBKEvvNWOFs
Required fields are marked *
ahjummabunny
July 27, 2012 at 12:42 PM
I actually I don't know anything about hana kimi but I do know about the shakespeare play and the numerous remakes. I also saw the advertisement for the show and loved the look of it. I really hope I enjoy it.
Required fields are marked *
41 all4movies
July 27, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Not watching any kdramas at the moment as everything has been preempted by the olympics, which I am watching.
Next on my list is Deep Rooted Tree.
Required fields are marked *
42 Lang
July 27, 2012 at 11:53 AM
So now that Big is finished, I marathoned about 8 episodes last night, so I'm really feeling the tiredness at work right now, can't wait to finish it, read some comments here saying the ending isn't that great, so I'm hoping that my easily pleased brain is easily pleased.
(btw I'm very easy please, I love Korean version of JIN, it's hilarious ) .
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 12:05 PM
Haha. Well sometimes you just have different taste compared to the majority. And it doesn't matter as long as you're enjoying it! I hope you'll find the ending satisfying, so that you won't feel like wasting 16 hours... :)
Required fields are marked *
Kim Yoonmi
July 27, 2012 at 1:16 PM
If you watch it for the character and character development, rather than for sweeping huge events you expect to be coming, you'll like it to the end. Re-frame it in your mind as a poor attempt at slice of life because it was the first attempt, watch for the characters, what are said about the character, how they change in small ways, keep your eye on the theme of maturity and then the ending will work for you.
If you watch for Gong Yoo alone and KKJ's story, the drama will fail for you, and the ending will seem confusing. And you'll hate it.
Required fields are marked *
43 kayana20
July 27, 2012 at 12:27 PM
Well I love AGD and am going to go stir crazy but hoping we still get to see Ep 19. It says on SBS schedule for all those who thinks it's canceled and will be on KST of 9:30 instead of 9:50 the usually time if time does not run over for Judo events. Now going to have a Queen In-Hyun's Man marathon, Rich Man, Poor Woman, and all old school k-drama's drama's to get me through a boring drama week.
Required fields are marked *
44 Farpavilions
July 27, 2012 at 1:07 PM
Argh!
I hopped on the Joo Won bandwagon only after Gaksital started....
And now I am marathoning Ojakyo Brothers AND 1N2D just because of the one week wait between episodes.
*headdesk*
Why so awesome, Mr. Dimples?
Required fields are marked *
45 CaroleMcDonnell
July 27, 2012 at 1:41 PM
Loved the first episode of The Chaser and am now sooooooo glad the english subs seem to be rolling in. (Okay, well, now they finally did #2) so am gonna love that. Also gonna catch up on Ghost. I avoided seeing the recaps for that because i so want to see it. Although, truth to tell, the recaps I am most addicted to are the Dr Jin recps. I will have mega withdrawals when that show finishes its course. Am hoping the writer for Ghost is doing well.
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 1:49 PM
Hi Carole, do you stream The Chaser or download it? And where can I find it? I've seen a lot of rave reviews on this show that made me curious at how good it is. Thanks.
Required fields are marked *
Mystisith
July 27, 2012 at 3:58 PM
Hi Maya!
DC has 2 episodes subbed and the rest will follow:
http://www.dramacrazy.net/korean-drama/the-chaser-episode-list/
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 4:22 PM
Thank you Mystisith! I think it's better if they are still subbing it. This way I can restrain myself from nonstop watching :)
Required fields are marked *
46 soysauce
July 27, 2012 at 2:09 PM
Is anyone watching the Olympics opening right now? LOLOLOL London, you troll! It's like a giant dance party right now.
I guess they wanted to steer clear of the Beijing comparison in grandness, so they're going for campy/hilarious (SO MANY UNINTENTIONAL HILARITY!!!)
Also, I'd like to point out that it says "Oleeeeempics " for A Gentleman's Dignity on the side of this site. haha.
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 3:43 PM
I'm putting Olympics in nail cage for causing the preemption of dramas and therefore... a boring drama week.
Btw, I'm not watching Olympics opening, since I can't find any site to stream live (I have no TV). However, my timeline in twitter is full with olympics updates, so I feel like I'm watching it.
Required fields are marked *
korazylady
July 27, 2012 at 6:51 PM
I am! I recorded it so am just catching up. Not sure why deaf kids are signing in their pajamas, though, but find the whole thing really fascinating!
Required fields are marked *
47 librarianerin
July 27, 2012 at 2:57 PM
I was reading my Entertainment Weekly this week and in the TV section they had an "International Spotlight".
They highlighted "Boys Over Flowers" with this blurb: "Don't be fooled by the cutesy title: This fish-out-of-water saga about a working-class girl in a love-hate relationship with a rich bad boy at her cliquey private school has all the catty elitism of Gossip Girl mixed with the heated back-and-forth banter of 10 Things I Hate About You."
I thought "You missed "Almost Paradise" and LEE MIN-HO!"
Required fields are marked *
christy
July 27, 2012 at 9:20 PM
LOL. To this day, I sometimes catch myself humming "Almost Paradise" out of the blue and have to cringe/laugh. I did not know what I was getting myself into when I clicked on episode 1! :)
Required fields are marked *
librarianerin
July 27, 2012 at 9:32 PM
I still remember watching that first episode and coming oh-so-close to shutting it off forever, but I turned on episode 2 just in case it got better. Little did I know. :P
Required fields are marked *
christy
July 27, 2012 at 9:53 PM
hehehehe, it was only my third drama and boy did it crackify me good, but so far I've refuse to watch it again and spoil the memories. :)
Required fields are marked *
48 Laya
July 27, 2012 at 3:51 PM
Just peeked in here to say hi before going to bed (bed? it's almost 7am! yes, haven't slept yet lol) because I might be going out later to meet some friends and won't be back till late. So... happy weekend, DB denizens of the OT!
Happy because Kim Nam Gil finally got an official FB page, and posted photos of his New Zealand holiday. :D A friend of mine (who calls me Mom because she pretends to be my "daughter" although we don't have that big an age gap) and I have this running thing going where she mines him and I'm all "don't be falling for your dad, baby, that's bad." :D Yeah, we're that KNG-obsessed over here, and we're not exactly official members of KNG-Philippines yet.
Just reading the recap of Answer Me 1997 had me laughing because... totally relate! Even the same age as the characters then, although at 18 we were already juniors in college (different educational curriculum). Although we didn't know about K-pop yet back then, if you just substitute American and local boy bands and local loveteams, so much is the same. Oooh, I wanna watch (also, because Ji Won!).
Required fields are marked *
49 Maya
July 27, 2012 at 6:58 PM
So I finally watched bits of the Olympics opening and I felt like Monty Python is in charge of the skits! It's just so campy! :)
Required fields are marked *
Ivoire
July 27, 2012 at 7:04 PM
Really?
Required fields are marked *
Maya
July 27, 2012 at 8:52 PM
Yup! They have the Voldermort vs Mary Poppins skit, Chariots on Fire skit, and James Bond (Daniel Craig) as Queen's bodyguard "skydiving" into the arena (both of them). A stark contrast from Beijing Olympics opening, but somewhat fitting with the British campiness.. :D
Required fields are marked *
Noelle
July 28, 2012 at 12:11 AM
I flipped out when I saw Mr. Bean. Brought back childhood memories. I must admit I squealed when I saw Daniel Craig. The whole dream sequence with the famous lit. villains will end up giving me nightmares. So freaky looking. It was an awesome opening. The ending with the rising torches was just a sight to behold.
Required fields are marked *
50 christy
July 27, 2012 at 9:44 PM
Happy Weekend All! I've been busy in RL and missed saying hi last week. :( Why can't I just curl up on the sofa with kdramas and let the world go by? :( I'm in the mood where I just want to watch.them.all.right.now. After reading the recaps of the end of Big tho, I gave up on finishing it out. I've started Gaksital instead. BOY was I missing out!!! Looking forward to Faith SO much right now.
I changed my game plan to only watching on-going dramas right now because suffering the withdraws from week to week is actually going better for my real life than holing up and marathoning my evenings and weekends away! I'm in the field of architecture and in the U.S. that's pretty much still a super competitive job market to be in. Part-time has it's benefits (kdrama time!!) but I'd really like to be back to full-time soon so that means less time for dramas and more time applying and talking to firms. I must muster my iron will. It's exausting.
So can I just say that was my favorite part about Personal Taste? That he was an architect?! LOVED it. And that traditional house! :)
Oh, I did watch my first korean movie this week: Sector 7. without subs. :) I actually understood a smattering of the dialouge, so that made me happy. I REALLY want to learn Korean and someday watch without subs, but for this move I was actually glad because I wasn't in all that much suspense or getting scared due to having to figure out what was going on from all the other cues. Plus there's very little talking during the last half when all the action erupts. Not really my type of movie, but I watched it for Ha Ji Won and Oh Ji Ho and don't feel inclined to ever watch it again.
I'm yawning, must sleep, but I HAD to come to dramabeans and catch up. :) Wish I could really read through the thread, but one of these days I'll catch it early enough to keep up. :)
Required fields are marked *