o n . a i r

I wasn't too keen, at first, to watch this Korean drama. It did not seem like the kind of show I tend to watch. I watched the first episode without much a change in opinion, but I did watch a second episode...and then a third. I am actually liking many things about the drama as I am in the midst of watching the 8th episode (UPDATE: waiting on the 12th now). I have to say On Air is not completely groundbreaking, but I see it as a small step in the right direction for current Korean dramas.

On Air is a drama about the people involved in the process of producing a television drama. The show follows the trials and tribulations of the four leads (we still get our four leads), a scriptwriter, a director, a manager, and an actress.

When I first start watching a Korean drama I have a bad habit of trying to figure out who is going to end up/fall in love with who. I found I can easily figure that out by looking at promotional pictures of the drama: the couples who stand near each other will end up together. Next I look at the cast. The order of the names tells me the end result.

With this drama it is harder to tell who will end up with who. But it wasn't that hard, after a few scenes of jealous antics and arguing I could spot the pairs. I would like to be pleasantly surprised once in a while. And I suppose it makes sense for the characters with the most interaction they will get together. I mean male lead No.1 isn't going to go prancing off to female lead No.2 after all the interaction and drama he had with female lead No.1. Which makes it all the more frustrating sometimes. There have been many a drama where I wanted male lead No.2 to end up with female lead No.1. But they always have to make male lead No.2 a bit of a psycho or something of the sort.

They did try and pair (in On Air), or rather they attempted to dabble in the possibility of an alternate pairing. But it seemed wrong, and chemistry was lacking. That's another thing, I am never too dissatisfied with the "happily ever after" of two characters I like.

My point...my point. Oh yeah, the leads are not your typical Cinderella and prince (which they seem to mention in the drama quite a lot, due to the fact the characters want to deviate from clichés). We do have the four leads, as usual, but their relationship is refreshing. Much better than the jealous, conniving female lead No.2. And no whiny, devious male lead No.2.

The acting...I am very happy with. I can not imagine another actor playing the roles. They could have tried to find a younger actress for Oh Seung Ah, the 26-year-old actress. But Kim Ha Neul does a sufficient job as the immature and self absorbed actress. I have to make a note of how I love the way Oh Seung Ah's manager treats her. They first met when she was a teenager, and about ten years later Jang Ki Joon becomes her manger. I like how Jang Ki Joon act towards her, as if she were still that young girl he met ten years earlier. But it shows how her immature and selfish acts make her appear like she hasn't grown up in many a person's eyes.

I find it ironic that OSA is trying to prepare to play the role of a mentally disabled woman. She, in a sense, has the mind of a child.

The scriptwriter, Seo Young Eun, is supposedly an immature woman too. Both SYE and OSA are women with big egos. But their work isn't exactly superb or unique enough to account for such large egos. On another note: I think SYE is my favorite character, and her job is perhaps something I would want to do in the future. Directing also seems interesting. Yeah well the actress who plays SYE does a good job, I haven't see in her in many dramas though (just in a few episodes of Nuna).

Lee Kyung Min, the director in the drama, doesn't seem exactly...fleshed out? I like his character, but it seems he could do with a bit more development. Moreover, the role feels as if anyone could have played it (within limits). I do like LKM, he gets the juicy, dramatic and tension (with some awkwardness sprinkled in) filled bits (when there are some).

OSA's ex-manager is a beast. I fondly call him a "rage infected gorilla." He has anger management issues, and he is a blackmailing backstabber who I love to hate. I think that this ex-manager character is the first Korean baddie I actually have a feeling of detest for. Whenever he comes on screen I have to resist the urge to skip ahead. He is just a psycho! Completely psychotic!

Overall, I like the drama (maybe love it). It involves something other than constant love troubles. One of my only complaints is that there is too much meaningless blather (between the two female leads mostly). I hate how the to egotistical and immature leading ladies are constantly butting heads. Irritating.


My Rating: ★★★★★

z e t t a i . k a r e s h i

Zettai Kareshi, the manga, was another Watase creation...which always seems to have carbon copied characters in a slightly new setting. You're guaranteed a good, but sometimes painfully predictable, love triangle. I have to say my interest was slightly piqued when I heard it was going to be made into a drama series. Well actually the truth is the fact that Hayami Mokomichi was in it was made me interested. Not that I am a rabid fan of his, but I really am enjoying his performance in Hataraki Man as Tanaka (A character that had a small role in the anime. Not that I mind that they expanded the role).

Okay the story is a simple one...I suppose. Riiko, a girl with no luck in the love department, unknowingly buys a robot boyfriend. Makes me chuckle for some reason.

Now in the manga...well it's very different from the drama setting wise. And the characters in the comic were high schoolers, not office workers (in a sweets business...or whatever they are doing). And let me tell you, Watase tries to squeeze as many pretty boys into her comics as possible. This guy is impossibly feminine and cute (and not to mention young) and that random guy is handsome and that one too. It gets tiring, you start hoping to see some normal people. Also Riiko and Soshi, of course, have a different relationship (on Soshi's part it is still one sided though...haha). Basically they used the names of the manga characters but changed the setting/characters.

Zettai Kareshi, the drama, has its funny moments, along with its tedious Japanese philosophies. But I'm liking it. It's makes me laugh. And I spotted some actors that I like (but I don't know their names...haha). Shabu Shabu-san from Himitsu no Hanazono and the actor who played Oscar in Hana Kimi (I keep expecting him to do something funny).

At first I was disappointed that the settings and characters were...let's say "re-imagined." But I almost prefer the drama version. Being that the manga was filled with Watase's perverted antics and Riiko was a bit self-absorbed and pervy in the manga. Which I can live without. Soshi is less annoying...sorta. At least he isn't a handsome boy/man hiding is crush and his personality behind some nerdy glasses. Instead he is a playboy...yeah not much better. At least, maybe, be won't be all secretly angry at Riiko for not noticing his hidden love. Night, the boyfriend robot from the Nightly series, well you would assume that a character in his position (in a typical Watase manga) would end up with the girl in the end. Being the fact that he is a robot kinda makes this impossible, or is it? I am waiting for a blue fairy to POP! out and make him a real boy/man. I am interested in what will happen at the end of this drama (especially due to the fact I haven't read the end of the manga version----wait I just spoiled the ending for myself by looking it up on Wiki...gosh dern wiki spoilers! Well I hope the ending is different..it better be darn-it!). Well Night came with his name when he was purchased in the manga. But in the show Riiko names him...after a KNIGHT in shining armor (but it is spelled NIGHT...of course). Annoying (I'm still disgruntled about reading the spoiler...why did it have to be all BAM! and this happens in the end?!? Who knows I may actually like the ending...possibly...not).

One of the reasons I really liked the first episode of this show is because I watched it with my younger sisters (which I seldom do). They all have strong opinions they like to scream out while watching stuff. Not that I mind. So we made fun of the ridiculous aspects of the show and laughed and shrieked at the funny (?) parts.

So far I really like this show. I hope my sentiment towards it remains the same.


My Rating: ★★★★★

y o b i . t h e . f i v e . t a i l e d . f o x

I, to tell the truth, am a sucker for a good animated show. Be it a cartoon or movie, I'll watch it. Guaranteed it provides entertainment. I'm sure some people may find it odd I, at twenty, still like to watch cartoons. But I like to rationalize. First off, how many people are into anime? I believe I heard somewhere that in Japan anime is for kids, but in the US (and other places I'm sure) anime draws in older crowds. I could have heard/assumed wrong. Secondly I tend to doubt that shows like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex are meant for young audiences. I also heard somewhere that anime aimed towards older audiences tends to be on cable channels and aired late at night (again my memory of where I got this info is fuzzy---so the possibility of fabrication is a little high, but I am always amazed at what I have stored in my brain). And lastly, who makes cartoons? It definitely isn't five-year-olds. So I am sure the creators of animated shows must enjoy what they are doing, to some degree...I would hope.

I must admit I don't get up to watch Saturday morning cartoons, but they are getting a bit shoddy...or maybe I have gotten over them. Well anyway, enough about that. And I don't stay up late watching anime on Adult Swim anymore. Maybe I am just an example of the times, instead of the TV I can access the media I need from the internet. Anyway....I occasionally like to watch SpongeBob with my little sisters. I was actually watching SpongeBob by my lonesome the other day...my excuse? It was dubbed in Korean, and I am a sucker for anything in Korean. Checked it out in Japanese but did like it as much. Maybe because I find Korean humor more funny, and Sponge Bob's American humor is more similar to Korean humor. I find it interesting how a country's humor can be shown through just a voice (and its tone).

Wow, off topic. Yes I was going to write something about this Korean animated movie I watched, Yobi the Five Tailed Fox. The story is about a five tailed fox, who takes the shape of a ten-year-old human girl, and how she falls in love. It somehow includes weird mole/bear like aliens, a fox hunter and a shadow man.

Now I just loved the art in the movie. I am a sucker for good art...I can appreciate it. It very much reminded me of Hayao Miyazaki's movies. I absolutely love the art and story lines from his movies. And I felt so lucky when Turner Classic Movies aired some of his movies (this was awhile ago, 2006 maybe----I just looked it up, it was Jan. 2006 when they scheduled his films to air on TCM...and wow, I can't believe it was so long ago). Me and the family (my mum and dad included---which is rare) stayed up (late) and watched Miyazaki's films. I suppose it shows that (some) cartoons can be for people of any age. Well, the art in Yobi was really nice, but it couldn't compare to Miyazaki's films. I am sure Korea is on its way though. Plus, I must say I do prefer classical animation (think old Disney stuff). I just can't warm up to that CGI animated stuff (Toy Story, Finding Nemo) they are constantly doing now. So I like to see the classical looking animation (because I know they are doing all the jazz with computers now...or so I've heard/assumed) that Miyazaki's films have (and that Yobi had).

The story of Yobi was simple enough. You've got your magical girl, and you've got some bad guys. Magical girl falls in love and wants to be human. Got some conflict with the baddies and some issues with concealed identifies. Oh and of course you have to have some cheesy comedy, stuff the kiddies may (or may not---which is more likely) like. The aliens were supposed to be funny/entertaining, but they weren't. And I suppose them being funny was a way to make them endearing...well they didn't grow on me. Liked that bear though...and the way he slowly blinked his eyes. Yup I liked that depressed bear, with the misdirected rage (I'm kidding). Yobi's love interest, Geum-ee, wasn't especially well developed, but none of the delinquents really were. But maybe the ending would have been even more sad if we cared more about Geum-ee and actually knew him well.

The ending was quick, the baddie was finished off in mere minutes (which seems to be the trend). The stranded aliens, as far as I know, never went home (unless I missed something...it happens). And I guess they start their children young, because BAM! we got a sad ending. Well maybe I wouldn't categorize it as sad, more bittersweet. A lesson in sacrificing for love.

Cute movie, and I could completely imagine a little me falling asleep to it. Which is a good thing. I could imagine myself watching it all the time. It could have been like a perfect bedtime story for me. I'm sure my little sisters wouldn't care for this movie terribly, they like their movies to be in English. I can just imagine buying it for them, and then finding the DVD scratched like all heck on the floor a few days later. And I'll cry dramatically, "Didn't you like it?" And their distracted response would be, "...." Well everyone has different tastes. My point? I liked the movie.

My Rating: ★★★★☆