b a b y . l i k e . c h o c o l a t e

dramas i'm dropping (1)

2011-07-20T07:46:00.000-04:00

Like a college courses with a tyrannical teachers you gots ta learn when to drop 'em. Drop 'em quick. I will just be saying farewell to some dramas I was not able to make myself watch.

Miss Ripley - Too melodramatic. No longer a rabid fan of Lee Da Hae. Never was a fan of Micky Yoochun. Read recaps on Dramabeans and that was enough.

Romance Town -The main couple was annoying. The story not compelling enough. Liked male lead no. 2, but hated his parasitic twin (aka love interest). I like the possibility for romance between Hyun Joo and Hwang Yong, but I wasn't going to bother watching the show for two-five minutes of their screen flirtations/tension/etc. Read recaps on Dramabeans.

dramas i'm currently watching (8)

2011-07-20T07:33:00.002-04:00

You've Fallen for Me - 16 Episodes - This drama reunites two actors from the drama You're Beautiful, Park Shin Hye and Jung Yong Hwa (aka "mother hen" as I nicknamed him). As much as I like the two the plot of the drama wasn't at all attractive to me. And the sluggish pace of it, as I watch the show, is a little too much to bear. I want to like it, but so far the drama hasn't made that easy. Cliches, moping and pining are not fun. I hope it turns around.

My Princess - 16 Episodes - I am not a huge fan of Kim Tae Hee (not that I actually watched her in anything...), and SSH is fine eye candy and all, but an actor of great range he is not. However, Netflix just put up five Korean drama series for instant streaming and I decided to give it a shot. I am only about five episodes in...and, well, it's okaaay. But not very memorable, or all that funny. It is supposed to be a comedy. That's a joke.

screenshot fun (18)

2011-07-11T16:19:00.000-04:00

Baby-Faced Beauty, episodes 17-20

What be that in his pocket? A Blue's clue. Love of fashion. Very groomed appearance. A connection to Bert and Ernie. What does that make? Mmmmm.

She cowers in fear.

screenshot fun (17)

2011-07-03T07:14:00.001-04:00

From Baby-Faced Beauty episode 16 (I think...)

The face of a ("straight") man defending his favorite piece of clothing

The face of a very fed-up man. One can only assume he is disgusted with the above man's flimsy façade.

screenshot fun (16)

2011-06-26T06:36:00.000-04:00

From The Greatest Love episode 15 and 16.

Dokko Jin in disguise as a homeless man? (note the reflection in his sunglasses)

Jae Suk love advice

"Be a present!"

love the face...

Goodbye to another hilarious drama...and on to the next one!

screenshot fun (15)

2011-06-18T05:37:00.000-04:00

From Baby-Faced Beauty episode 14

Awkward.

From The Greatest Love (aka Best Love) episode 13

A nosy cow.

screenshot fun (14)

2011-06-18T02:50:00.000-04:00

From episodes 13 & 14 of Baby-Faced Beauty

A romantic drunken kiss. And he leans in, swaying on his feet.

OMG! I didn't know the witch even possessed tear ducts!

I do not know why, but the lips of this woman disgust me to no end. Gross. Like two wriggling worms.

screenshot fun (13)

2011-06-16T01:34:00.001-04:00

From episode 8 (the final episode) of White Christmas. Slight spoilers!

I can just picture the director asking the boy to make a 'frowny face.'

'Just chillin' on this here ledge.'

The last image shown at the end of the drama. I guess they thought a pic of nekkid boys was appropriate.

screenshot fun (12)

2011-06-15T20:20:00.000-04:00

This is how you score...give it to 'em while they sleep. Sick. Just sick.

Pretending to be asleep. The tightly squinted eyes attest to the fact his is indeed 'asleep.' lol Fail.

The first time he has smiled. His face seems to be breaking.

From White Christmas episode 5 (maybe 4).

screenshot fun (11)

2011-06-15T00:24:00.000-04:00

These are from the 3rd episode of White Christmas. I saw this inspiring saying "Suffering life make us rise." I'd like to know what exactly is rising?

dramas i'm currently watching (7)

2011-06-14T23:59:00.003-04:00

Lie to Me - 16 Episodes - I don't like it. I just don't. Okay, I only watched one episode, but I don't want to watch any more. I like Kang Ji Hwan, he can be hilarious, and I think he is a good actor. But like with his last drama, Coffee House, both the story and the main actress are...not all that good. Yoon Eun Hye has never been a favorite of mine, I usually can warm up to her a little after getting into a drama. But I kind of avoid the dramas she is in. She is a fairly new actress (debuted in 2005), so maybe I might like her later on in her career (but I doubt that). The story...well, it just doesn't hold any appeal. I have been glancing at the recaps on Dramabeans, and it seems that it is a little...mediocre, depending on overused cliches found in Korean dramas. Not sure if I'll continue watching.

White Christmas - 8 Episodes - This was an unexpected surprise. I like whenever a drama gives me a different vibe. The dramas I usually watch, well, the setting always feels like we are in fictional Korea-land. I don't get a HUGE sense of the true Korea. This drama doesn't really depart from the sterlized feel of the usual drama, but the vibe is different. I am actually getting a really strong Japanese vibe from the show. Maybe because the show is centered around high school students and school, adults are pushed to the side. The tone is very dark too. These kids are suffering from depression, mental illnesses, etc. I really could go on and on. But anyway, Japanese vibe. Different for a Korean drama, so I like it. The actors are fine, not terrible as one might expect with all these young'uns about.

What I don't like is that the stuff I read about the drama made it out to be more bloody and violent, talking of serial murders. I would say it is a more psychological, a suspense story. And they keep going on about how 'they' had to become monsters to a fight a monster. The monster hasn't really gone that far as of episode three, so I am not sure what they are going on about. "We're soooo bad." Just a guilty conscious.

Side note: One of the actors...well, all of them look like celebrity look-a-likes. Some not as blatantly as others. But doesn't this kid (<---click for a look) look like T.O.P. from Big Bang.

screenshot fun (10)

2011-06-14T00:21:00.000-04:00

Goofy laughing face

Lee Min Ho, City Hunter episode 2

screenshot fun (9)

2011-06-12T00:14:00.000-04:00

Horror at inadvertently scaring Ae Jung

Fear of 'crazed' Pil Joo

Love/Hate?

Drunken confessions!

Fear? Desire? Lol

'It's not what it looks like!'

You...and him?

Busted? Lol, so awkward looking!

'You can't see me like this, Noonim!'

Leg hugging

More of the same

The Greatest Love aka Best Love Episode 12

screenshot fun (8)

2011-06-08T20:31:00.000-04:00

"I look like a clown."

"And I act like a clown too."

"No one is laughing but me."

The evil clown from Baby Faced Beauty. I feel no pity for this big baby. "Oppa, oppa! Love me!!!"

screenshot fun (7)

2011-06-05T06:22:00.001-04:00

Elegantly sipping from a kiddie cup

Ding Dong!

Genius!

Oh!

Crafty face

Ding Dong ghost

From Best Love (aka The Greatest Love) - Episode 10

dramas i'm currently watching (6)

2011-06-03T23:10:00.001-04:00

My favorite types of Korean dramas are the more upbeat ones. Sure I love angst and all, but excessive crying and moaning isn't fun for me. So these two dramas I expect won't be my favorites especially given the tone of one. Anyway, I wanted to give them a try nonetheless.

Miss Ripley - 16 Episodes - Well, this one is a melodrama. So nothing happy, funny or generally good is happening for these characters. Lots of stress, secrets and struggles. I find it a bit tiresome. I do enjoy a good depressing Korean movie. But 16+ hours of a depressing mini series, no thank you. Lee Da Hae is the lead, ever since My Girl my opinion of her and her acting as fallen. I don't dislike her, but I kind of had enough. I can't pinpoint my exact sentiment towards the woman, but if I never saw her in another drama I wouldn't care. Maybe Hello! Miss is to blame for this, every time I think of that show I shudder a little, the promo pics don't help either. So far I find the show okay, but I have been fast forwarding through a lot of it.

City Hunter (the 'c' is pronounced 'sh' if you want to use a Korean accent, ha ha) - 20 Episodes - A revenge drama, with action. Guns, knives and apples used to harm others. I am not joking about the apple. Again no laughter and happiness for the characters, and if they do find love...it will be a fragile state for them. Or something. So far I have watched one episode (while skipping parts, I know I am bad, but I just can't help it). Lee Min Ho is the lead, and I partly decided to watch this because of him, I enjoyed watching him in Personal Preference (still have to finish that one...). The show is fine, still haven't decided if I like it yet.

Will watch Lie to Me eventually.

dramas i'm currently watching (5)

2011-06-02T20:07:00.000-04:00

I am going crazy with the drama watching. I am gearing up to watch all the Kdramas airing now. The shorter ones anyway. The idea of watching a weekend drama with their 50 plus episodes is a little daunting. I like an end to be in sight. And it makes me enjoy the episodes more because I know it won't going on for months.

Baby Faced Beauty - 16 Episodes - I mostly watch dramas if the cast and story sounds good. I am not a huge fan of Jang Nara (Yes, I watched My Love Patzzi, but I didn't love it.), but since I was going crazy waiting for another drama I decided I wanted a distraction. I find this drama to be cute. The characters are a little flat, and seen them before types. The 2nd female lead is highly reminiscent to those bitchy ladies from the older dramas, where it seemed that their one goal was to screw over the heroine.

Romance Town - 20 Episodes - Meh, I was a little hesitant about watching this, especially since I seen pictures of the male lead in a fat suit. Not even remotely realistic. It looks as if he got too close to a candle he'd start melting. Plus the big ol' softy has to turn into a jerk face. How can someone change so dramatically in three years? Must be the diet pills. Sung Yuri is a good actress, I like her. But the story isn't fantastic. Not a lot seems to be happening. And I just skip all the parts with gangpae and the lotto ticket and the father of the female lead. Which are all annoying and predictably screwed up. Surprisingly I am really liking the other dude (maybe not so surprising, this tends to happen when I hate/dislike the attitude of the jerk-face male lead). Kim Min Joon plays Kim Young Hee, the sort of friend of jerk-face. There is a playfulness to the character that I really like, he can be caring but oblivious, and he probably has never really cared deeply for another human being. And now he is interested in the main character. All I can think is, "Let him have her!"

Best Love - 16 Episodes - The absolute best drama airing now! The acting is fun, the cast, the story. Everything about it is great. And hilarious. If I am constantly checking the amount of time left for each episode, willing there to have more of it, then I know I am hooked. This is the drama I need distraction for. I am so anxious to watch more that I needed to watch other dramas to fill up the time until the next episode comes out. I really don't have much to say in way of promotion. Just watch an episode, you'll laugh, have fun and want more.

I am going to watch City Hunter and Lie to Me next.

screenshot fun (6)

2011-04-10T22:22:00.000-04:00

I am watching a drama...shocker, I know. It's been awhile and I have been neglecting the fine art that is Kdrama. So, I am watching Secret Garden. And this dude just has the most perfect hair. Ha ha. Whenever I see a business man's hair styled like this I think to myself, "What older gentlemen would arrange his hair in this stylish manner each day?" No man would (imho).

Mwo?

Manga Reviews (1)

2011-01-18T07:27:00.002-05:00

Hello all, I haven't been lurking about this blog much. Haven't watched many Kdramas lately either. I thought I would post some links to the reviews I posted on my book review blog. A mix of manga/Japanese comic reviews and manhwa/Korean comic reviews.

Manga Reviews:

Bunny Drop (review)
Blade of the Immortal: Shortcut (review)
Solanin (review)
A Drifting Life (review)

Manhwa Reviews:

The Color Trilogy
- Book One (review)
- Book Two (review)
- Book Three (review)
Mijeong (review)
Model (review)
The Tarot Cafe (review)

All of my graphic novel reviews can be locate at this link HERE.

dramas i'm currently watching (4)

2010-08-18T01:15:00.001-04:00

Ah, it's that time of year again. I can feel Autumn approaching...and school. And that means I will be watching more Korean dramas as I avoid homework/assignments at any cost. Harhar (not funny).

My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox - 16 Episodes - This drama is written by the Hong sisters, and these ladies are known for their humor. So I couldn't resist. I loved My Girl. So far I have watched the first two episodes. The older couple love story is so great. And just as silly and dramatic as it was in My Girl.

There is a love triangle. And I don't mind a good love triangle. But...eh. The other dude is too pretty, and I am having trouble believing he even likes girls...but the squealers on ViiKii seem to think he is a "hottie." Maybe he'll grow on me.

SIDE NOTE: I just read that the other guy was in Pasta. I should have recognized him. Even after this discovery...I'm still unsure what to make of him.

The "other guy" (or Male Lead No. 2) can be seen in this old Kpop/rock video, he is the blond.

dramas i'm currently watching (-)

2010-08-05T01:50:00.000-04:00

Nothing new. I have been reading. Coffee House was a bore, I stopped about halfway through and read episode summaries over at Dramabeans after that.

I posted a bit of something on a Kpop MV over at my other blog: HERE.

dramas i'm currently watching (3)

2010-06-07T23:49:00.000-04:00

Well, I haven't been watching too much of late. I've been reading more. But I have been choring through something.

Coffee House - 16 Episodes - I was interested in this because one, Kang Ji Hwan is in it, and very funny by the way. And two, because it is a romance...kinda, I guess. Nothing really seems to be happening. I am on episode 6, and I feel as if the progress is...slow. And it seems that many viewers are unsure who the real main female character is. I think the younger is the main, since we do get inside her head. And the oldie, aka plastic face Park Shi Yeon, may be the one that ends of with KJH's character, they do seem matched well.

This show had the previous title of Page One, which I think I prefer over this title. Someone suggested that whoever came up with the title was trying to draw in Coffee Prince fans.

o h . m y . l a d y

2010-05-19T10:52:00.001-04:00

Title: Oh! My Lady

Country of Origin: South Korea
Genre: Romance, Comedy

Year: Spring '10

No. of Episodes: 16

Cast: Chae Rim, Choi Si Won, Lee Hyun Woo and Park Han Byul

Summary (from DramaWiki): A spunky 35-year-old housewife, Yoon Gae Hwa, takes on the job of manager to prickly top star Sung Min Woo in order to earn enough money to regain custody of her child from her ex-husband. Romantic hijinks and hilarity ensues when they find themselves in an awkward living situation as Min Woo pays Gae Hwa to take care of his daughter, Ye Eun.

My Rating: 7/10

No. of Episodes I've Watched: All

Recommend: Yes

Re-Watchability: Maybe

My Review: This time of year is kinda stressful for me (not that I am trying to unload on y'all), but I always seek out laughs to help me through it all. This drama, by no means, is a masterpiece of epic proportions. And I am a little surprised I got through the cliche bits so well. My intolerance is usually high when it comes to cookie cutter jobs. I don't like when I feel as if people are just churning out something people are guaranteed to, at least, like a little. Based on a formula, no creativity or effort required. I did watch this drama on Viikii, so I was enchanted by the comments people made floating on the top of the video. They made it more of an interactive experience, where we could all hate on the baddies and swoon over the main couple. Usually it is just me and my computer. Sometimes my sisters wander over, so it can get...I don't wanna say lonely, but you get to thinking it is just you and the drama, and no one else. Since I no longer watch much American stuff anymore (I don't watch anything on the basic channels) I really can't just start talking to your average US citizen about what they watched last night.

I was not really interested in this drama, because of its cliche sounding synopsis. We all watched a feisty ahjumma drama. Older woman, younger man is not a new trend, it is so commonplace you are sure to find this situation crop up in several dramas every year. The spoiled brat male main character...it is practically old as time. Really, even when it is not intentional Korean males seem to come off as VERY entitled, in the rudest way possible. The only reason I really tried out this drama was because of the comedy aspect. And the cute aspect...

Well, I never was a huge fan of Choi Shiwon, he just seemed a tad bit full of himself. I was definitely snorting when he was showing of his manly abs in an episode of this drama. I did find myself liking him more as the show went on. All those comments about him being "cute," "hot," and "adorable" at Viikii probably wore me down. He does have some charm, I must admit...even if he really isn't my style.

I thought it was kind of ironic that Shiwon is playing the role of a celebrity who is good at singing and modeling but really can't act...the story of his life, no? Not that Shiwon was horrible, just not fantastic. Maybe he should try a musical next...(inside joke...watch the show).

Chae Rim is not my favorite actress, I don't seek out dramas that she's been in, but if I do watch some of her work I always find myself enjoying it. She definitely brings lots of youthful cheer and enthusiasm to each of her projects. In this drama, as some have mentioned, her character wasn't that developed...I think the whole romance was not developed. I don't mind how long it took for the characters to end up together (and finally kiss for a second time), but they could have added more tension to make the ending seem more like a natural product of the long simmering desire. Revelations like, "I've felt like that all along" don't help when they haven't really showed or hinted (more) at this "all along" feeling.

I think one of the big draws of the show were the child actors, especially the little cutie who played Ye Eun. The bonus was that she hardly spoke...YES! I am sorry, but little kid chatter does get on my nerves a bit.

What annoyed me about Ye Eun being abandoned was that the mother is emphatically claiming (in three lines in a handwritten note) that she does not want to EVER see her child again. How can she claim that? She doesn't know what the future will bring, and she wants to close off the possibility of seeing her own flesh and blood again. I just wanted to throttle this faceless mother! What if Ye Eun wants to see her mommy again one day? Oh well, I shouldn't get so excited about made-up people.

There was a buggy third wheel in this drama, of course. I just wished the drama/TV industry got over the need to jam in a 2nd woman character. And one that is as cliche as Yoo Ra was. Really? I do not need this kind of mediocrity. I can get this in any drama, why do I need to see it yet again? Yes, apparently I do need to see her type again and again and again.

There was another man, but I was thrilled that it was only a brief crush (or sorts) on his part. Bravo, bravo! The ex-husband character kept popping up, but he was more of an obstacle slash comedic relief piece.

This drama is pure, fun fluff with cuties prancing around in it. I loved it for what it was. And I got some good laughs out of it. Definitely not unique, but I found it entertaining and very sweet. I definitely would recommend this one to any Kdrama/romance lover!

I have to jam in a post script saying that I loved the reporter/paparazzo character in this drama. I so agree with all the comments on Viikii saying he and Yoo Ra should end up together. Match made in Heaven!

Doesn't our 2nd male main look good in this pic? Not so in the drama. Very dashing here though.

screenshot fun (5)

2010-05-14T19:05:00.002-04:00

I just finished Oh My Lady...wah! I wanted more!

"Mwuh?"

Love the wide eyes.

screenshot fun (4)

2010-05-03T21:56:00.000-04:00

I've been watching Personal Preference more these days. I am liking it, but not as much as Oh My Lady. I think it is the pace and the humor. The pace is slower, so far, in this drama. And the humor is less prominent. Well, Director Choi as been making the cutest faces, and I feel sympathy for his character. Most of his expressions have been puppy dog ones, nothing very funny.

"Let's go fishing sometime, Jin Ho-sshi?"

Aaaww, poor Director Choi!

screenshot fun (3)

2010-04-19T16:30:00.002-04:00

I've been watching Personal Taste, and there are a lot of funny moments. But that doesn't actually equal a large amount of funny screenshots.

"Boobies?"

"Sniff. Sniff."

s t i l l . m a r r y . m e

2010-04-18T18:33:00.001-04:00

Title: Still, Marry Me aka The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry

Country of Origin: South Korea

Genre: Romance, Comedy

Year: Winter '10

No. of Episodes: 16

Cast: Park Jin Hee, Uhm Ji Won, Kim Bum, Wang Bit Na, Choi Chul Ho and Lee Pil Mo

Summary (from DramaWiki): This drama depicts lives of three women who are closing one chapter of their life and entering the next. Lee Shin Young (Park Jin Hee), Jung Da Jung (Uhm Ji Won) and Kim Boo Ki (Wang Bit Na) are three women in their 30s whose romantic relationships have faltered due to their career ambitions, but find themselves given a chance to make a fresh start.

My Rating: 7.5/10

No. of Episodes I've Watched: All

Recommend: Yes!

Re-Watchability: I could watch it again, maybe.

My Review: I don't really have much to say about this drama. It was good. Nothing I hated to extreme. Nothing I absolutely loved to death about it. This drama follows in the trend of older woman, younger man relationships. Shin Young is the man character, so it is mostly her story we follow. But the story rotates among the three friends and the ex, and Min Jae's omma/mommy.

Min Jae is first portrayed as a bit of a play boy, his relationship with Shin Young starts with a bet. My sisters ended up watching the second half of the drama with me, and I told them Min Jae was a playboy. They were surprised to find that out. Because he acts like a little whiny boy for the majority of the episodes they'd watched. This is the first drama of Kim Bum's that I've watched, so I don't know if it is acting or the story (and those crazy writers). The only link between the shifts is his confidence, which does take a hit after he falls for Shin Young (it seems).

Shin Young is a workaholic. She worries about love and her age, but work always comes first. You have to wonder if her acceptance of Min Jae has to do with some desperation on her part. She is hesitant to admit she does love Min Jae, despite the age gap, though.

Min Jae's momma Sang Mi is an unhappy woman, who lives for her son. She knows her husband cheats on her, but to give her son a comfortable life, money-wise, she stays with her husband. I felt that Sang Mi's romance could have been portrayed better. It was a bit too annoying for me. Sang Mi does not like her husband, and she whines and threatens people. I think I would have liked her if I could have related to her better, and sympathized with her. Shin Young said she could, but I don't know...

Jung Da Jung is an interpreter, and all she wants in life is to get married. I found her character annoying with her single-mindedness. After a while I liked her better, she did mature a tiny bit by the end. The doctor, Ban Seuk, was hilarious (but he got irritating fairly quickly). The expressions he made were the best thing about him.

I think the problem I had with this drama is that it didn't really focus on the careers of the three woman. Sure they showed them doing their jobs, Shin Young the most. But I think my favorite kind of drama/show/etc has a realistic balance of real life and romance, and romance almost takes a back seat to what is happening. I understand that the focus in this drama is on the romance, but the constancy of it can get tedious. Especially when the characters are complaining nonstop about the same issues.

I like this drama, it has its cute moments. Sadly, it wasn't fresh and unique, but it was fun.

p a s t a

2010-04-18T17:39:00.001-04:00

Title: Pasta

Country of Origin: South Korea

Genre: Romance, Comedy

No. of Episodes: 20

Cast: Gong Hyo Jin, Lee Sun Gyun, Lee Ha Nui and Alex

Summary: Pasta is about a young woman who working toward becoming an elite chef at La Sfera restaurant.

My Rating: 8.5/10

No. of Episodes I've Watched: All

Reccomend: Yes

Re-Watchability: I could watch it again.

My Review: I always love food orientated shows, so I was excited about this. I assumed it would sorta be like a Korean version and female counterpart of Bambino! Well, I suppose there are quite a few similarities.

I was never a huge fan of Gong Hyo Jin. I saw her in M and didn't hate her. I think I wanted to watch it because I am a fan of Lee Sun Gyun. Lee's character is whoa in this drama. Basically is your stock jerk Korean male.

I would like to say that the show focuses on food, but it doesn't really. It is mostly about kitchen dynamics. Seo Yoo Kyung, the main character, basically gets picked on constantly by Choi Hyun Wook aka "Chep." I think they want to show how bitter Chep is about his ex betraying him, that is why he does not want women working for him. But I hesitate to believe that.

When first introduced Chep's personality is very out there. He is aloof; a playboy, partying type. But as the show proceeds he is shown more as a bitter man, a workaholic, and a perfectionist to the extreme.

The outcome of this drama is very predictable if you are familiar with Korean dramas. You know who Yoo Kyung will pick from the first episode. Heck you just know from looking at the cast list. No real thinking or guessing involved, you're just along for the ride. Which I don't mind most of the time. But I would like to think once in a while.

The other man is played by Alex of Clazziquai! You may recognize this crooner's voice from the very popular My Name is Kim Sam Soon. He sung "She Is," and basically Clazziquai has become really big since then. Alex plays Kim San, the undercover owner of La Sfera. We fondly called him Cactus. But of course they start calling him "Mr. Cactus."

It is kind of annoying that the main character girl ALWAYS picks the jerk in the end. [SPOILER ALERT]
Yoo Kyung actually decides to not study abroad (in Italy!) and her further her education, instead she stays with her boyfriend (Chep). Because she could not stand being apart from the jerk for a few years. Great for her. Heh. [END OF SPOILER]

I hardly feel like mentioning the other woman, played by Lee Honey (of beauty pageant fame). Chep broke up with her for a reason: she sabotaged him in a cooking competition they were both participating in. Of course he can no longer trust her, but she still "loves" him and thinks they can be together. Other woman characters are just so played out I can't stand them any more.

This drama made me laugh. Half the time I was wondering if it was intentional (the comedy) or not. But out of the three dramas I was watching, this one made me laugh the most. Chep's outbursts were the funniest. And when his employees made fun of his voice.

Other than that, I wasn't wowed by the food like in Gourmet. It is basically a relationship drama, but I would have liked the food to have more play. I know I shouldn't have hoped for anything more than relationships and romance. Food was definitely a component. I just wished for a better balance and flow of the two.

This drama is nothing outstanding, but I found it very fun to watch.

I want to mention one little tidbit: Choi Jae Hwan who plays Eun Soo the kitchen helper, played a similar role in Gourmet. Eun Soo was my favorite character! Yay!

screenshot fun (2)

2010-04-14T17:24:00.000-04:00

This is a favorite screenshot of mine from Still, Marry Me. Shin Young and Min Jae are gettin' busted by Mommy.

screenshot fun (1)

2010-04-14T17:14:00.001-04:00

I notice that I like to take screen-shots of the most awkward moments in the dramas I watch. This one comes from Personal Taste. I forget exactly why Gae In is crying, but it was scary.

"Wae?!?!"

d r a m a . n e w s (1)

2010-04-06T22:51:00.001-04:00

The Korean drama The Birth of the Rich is actually getting a few more episodes. I guess 16% rating range means they'll run with anything. I wonder how KBS is doing lately with their shows, I don't really keep track of which network is airing which dramas...maybe I should pay attention.

Anyway, even if this is a blatant sign from the heavens, I am definitely not gonna try to watch more episodes.

dramas i'm currently watching (2)

2010-04-04T00:53:00.001-04:00

I am finally finishing up the three dramas I was watching from last time. Finished Pasta and WUS. I think I'll be done with Still, Marry Me (aka Cougar, as my sis likes to call it) by today sometime. And my review for Pasta is started. I am very excited about the dramas that have just started airing in Korea.Technically I am only watching one of these puppies as of yet, but hey I get points for being eager, right?

Cinderella's Sister - 20 Episodes - The cast is great and the story sounds good. I heard that, in its time slot, it is the leading drama ratings-wise. WithS2 has just started subbing the project and I may watch the first episode sometime this coming week (fingers crossed).

Personal Taste - 20 Episodes - The story sounds interesting. I am not a huge fan of the actors, but they don't annoy me (too much). I am just a little nervous how Lee Min Ho's character is going to act gay. If it is over the top effeminate I'll be too busy cringing to pay attention to anything.

Oh My Lady - TBA Episodes - I wasn't going to watch this. I am not a big fan of Chae Rim's or Shiwon's. They both kinda irritate me. But I saw a preview and thought it was funny. So the first two episodes are not that bad. I am interested in what is to come, even if it is predictable (but isn't it always?).

w i s h . u p o n . a . s t a r

2010-04-04T00:25:00.001-04:00

Title: Wish Upon a Star aka Pick the Stars aka Stars Falling from the Sky
Country of Origin: South Korea
Genre: Romance, Drama
Year: Winter '10
No. of Episodes: 20
Cast: Choi Jung Won, Kim Ji Hoon and Shin Dong Wook
Summary: After their parents' tragic death a young woman (Jin Pal Gang), and her five siblings, take up a housekeeping job for a cold-hearted lawyer. Who just so happens to be Pal Gang's long-time crush, Won Kang Ha.

My Rating: 6.5/10
No. of Episodes I've Watched: All
Recommend: Yes
Re-Watchability: Maybe some episodes. Depends.

My Review: Well, I wasn't too enthusiastic about this one. The plot sounded a bit boring. When it comes to a drama involving kids I am never that excited. Children in any kind of entertainment can go either way, either they can be super adorable and talented or they can come off as whiny, irritating and obviously acting. I was also wary of Kim Jin Hoon and his gangster/gangpae hair. I didn't know he was a lawyer. But really, the hair is awful and it never gets better. At least the extreme faux sideburns were nixed eventually. And Shin Dong Wook, who plays the brother to Jin Hoon's character, had some funky hair. Thankfully he got it cut. Some smart person was looking out for him. Because no matter what people say about it being shallow, image is important. Especially if you're making a television production and you're trying to portray your characters in a certain light. Gangpae hair is just not good. I think they could have given Jin Hoon a different style and still demonstrate he is a cold-hearted bastard.

Okay, the drama was fine enough the first few episodes. A little slow. After Jin Pal Gang's (played by Choi) parents die the action picks up. My favorite episode was when she decides to stop being a woman and become a mother to her adopted siblings. She actually did something for her hungry infant brother that made me a little...unsettled. But it was touching due to the lengths she showed she would go for her siblings. Even if she was going to drop them off at an orphanage at one point.

There is some love triangle bizniz going down. But it is a little less straightforward than usual, which I liked. However, that is with the female main. When it comes to the other woman it is very cliche. The other woman character seemed to a copy all of those devious, soulless fiends who would do anything to get their man, from Korean dramas in the '90s and early '00s. Jung Jae Young (Chae Young In) isn't as bad, just a little slap happy. But comparably she is much better, even though her thickheaded stubbornness drove me up a wall. She was a little better by the end of the show, where she magically become an angel (sorta).

There was an American character in this Korean drama. Tae Gyu (Lee Kyun) is Korean-American: loud, annoying and an ignorant drunk. And he throws his affections casually about and uses informal speech with his elders/betters. Isn't it lovely to see myself through others' eyes? Of course they didn't actually get an American actor to play the part. I think he can barely speak English too.

The children were fine in the show. I spotted Park Ji Bin right away. Of course he is no longer the little cutie from Hello Brother (which is a cute/sad movie and everyone should watch it!), but a growing boy. If only they could stay cute! I actually thought one of the kids, a little girl, was a boy! Oops. Out of all the kids I liked of Pa Rang the best. His relationship with lawyer Won Kang Ha is so endearing.

Won Kang Ha and Jin Pal Gang they fall for each other. Well, Pal Gang liked him all along. Or so they try telling us. I just hated their chemistry. Sure their fighting was entertaining and all. And maybe it showed a certain closeness. But whenever Kang Ha would hug Pal Gang, in any circumstance, she would stiffen up like a board. It was like she allowed him to hold her. It was a one-sided, painful thing. Even the kisses lacked spark. Dead fish come to mind.

The story itself consisted of hidden feelings (which are good, I think, at least entertaining, for me), hidden agendas ("I'm gonna kill him!" type stuff), open agendas ("I love you. I'll marry you whatever it takes!"), hidden/mysterious lineages/identities ("My son had a kid with an unknown woman" and "Haraboji/Grandpa, who are you!"), etc. I tend to want to skip over all the business stuff (opening free clinics/inheritance/etc), and there was definitely some of that. Whenever the Chairmen (the-other-woman-Jae Young's grandfather) and his son and daughter-in-law popped up I itched to skip whole scenes (and I did).

The ending was ridiculous, to put it mildly. It was rushed to say the least. It was as if they took all the action and drama that wasn't in all the previous episodes and jammed it into the last one. There were multiple kidnappings, death threats, someone actually died, someone got married, someone had a breakdown, someone got hit by a car and broke the windshield...and I am sure TONS more stuff happened that I am forgetting to mention. It was a farce. I thought it was an April Fool's joke (I finished the show on the 2nd though)! I think it could have been much better. Not that I actually believed the drama could do better it it tried. It wasn't that good from the beginning. It did contain some elements and characters I kinda sorta liked, but those elements did nothing to save the show.

I liked the drama. It is cute and sweet, and a little sad. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either.

t h e . b i r t h . o f . t h e . r i c h

2010-04-01T19:06:00.003-04:00

Title: The Birth of the Rich

Genre: Romance, Drama

Year: Winter/Spring '10

Country of Origin: South Korea

Cast: Ji Hyun Woo and Lee Bo Young

No. of Episodes: 16

Summary (from DramaWiki): The drama follows the story of a man, Choi Suk Bong, who believes that he is actually the son of a rich father and heir to a chaebol group (a South Korean form of business conglomerate). He meets Lee Shin Mi, who is actually a chaebol heir but acts nothing like one, with her scrimping and frugal ways. Although they get off to a rocky start, with her help, he struggles towards his goal of attaining wealth.

My Rating: 1.5/10

No. of Episodes I've Watched: 1 (barely)

Recommend: Not really.

Re-Watchability: If you liked it the first time be my guest.

My Review: I do not want to give this drama a chance. It is basically about four adult brats. All they see is money: how to save, how to earn. The actors that played Choi Suk Bong's parents were fun to watch. But they had to disappear to make room for the actual stars of the show. Phooey!

I never was fond of Ji Hyun Woo (who plays Choi). Saw him in Over the Rainbow. It was okaaaaay, but nothing special. So, he plays a brat this time around. I suppose he is trying to exude a slick image, but it comes off as haughty and ridiculous. His character is ONE reason I was skimming through the first episode. His outbursts of righteous anger were just so cliche. The angry Korean male never gets enough play I guess? AGRH! I see it in EVERY-SINGLE-DRAMA!!!!! Played out! The first Korean drama I EVER watched had an angry Korean male. And who gets the girl? The angry Korean male, or course. I know what's gonna happen. I do not want to see it all enacted again, in an annoying manner.

Lee Bo Young's character is a BIG OL' B-R-A-T! I do not care to watch the angry Korean male dominate the bratty/feisty/annoying (and adorable...mmm-hmm) Korean female until she can take no more and decides she loves the angry Korean male. And she may cry a bit. "Oh, how I love him. He is angry. And yells at me all the time. But that is how he shows his lurve!"

The other two main characters (aren't even worth a mention; filler ya know)...well we can forget them. They are just the mosquitoes. They buzz around. In our ears. And you start getting itchy. And you really wanna slap them! Splat!

The ratings were quite bad for the first few weeks, but they have seem to have gotten a bit better. There was some initial media criticism, too. They complained that the plot was very juvenile, etc. I don't think the rich are a favorite with South Koreans as it is.

I have no desire to watch this, unless someone gives me a outstanding reason why I should. So, one episode was enough.

dramas i'm currently watching (1)

2010-03-07T00:54:00.004-05:00

I'm currently watching 3 Korean dramas. I do plan to write some stuff about them. In detail.

Pasta - 20 Episodes - So far I am liking this drama. Makes me laugh. So big points for that. There is tons I want to rant about on this drama, haha.

Wish Upon a Star - 20 Episodes - I like the actors and the romance, but...haha. I do have to some issues.

Still, Marry Me - TBA Episodes - Another drama I am watching for the actors and romance. This one is good, I'm liking it.

All three dramas, sadly, will wrap up in a few weeks. I'm about two 3rds done with Pasta and Wish. And one 3rd done with SMM. I am watching fansubs by WITHS2, and they are prompt and accurate.

Seeya.

n o t e

2010-03-07T00:49:00.002-05:00

I am updating some of the info in my reviews. Just giving a little background and some links. And I am adjusting some ratings...haha. I had some time to think about the dramas, and if I actually would want to watch them again, etc. I'll let you in on a secret...half the dramas I wrote something about I did not finish.

Seeya.

y a m a t o . n a d e s h i k o . s h i c h i . h e n g e

2010-02-24T18:54:00.011-05:00

Title: Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge aka Perfect Girl Evolution
Genre: Comedy
Year: Winter '09 - Spring '10
Country of Origin: Japan
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya, Tegoshi Yuya, Oomasa Aya, and Uchi Hiroki
No. of Episodes: 11
Summary: Four popular pretty boys take on the task of transforming a creepy, shy girl into a real lady, in order to get free rent.

My Rating: 2.5/10
Recommend: No. If you are obsessed with the original manga or Kame...maybe.
Re-watchability: Mommy do I have to?

There were two reasons why I wanted to watch this show: One being that Kame is in it and I don't learn my lesson well. And two, I enjoyed the manga. From my rating you can tell I was...disappointed.

The story is completely reworked! Okay so it isn't that dramatic, but the changes that were made did nothing to the story...I do think it made the whole thing unwatchable.

First off, Kame can not act. I just watch whatever he does because he's pretty. Yup. I am getting tired of watching him be himself on screen. Boring. I really have nothing more to say on the whole subject except: PLEASE KAME! TAKE SOME ACTING LESSONS! For all our sakes.

The additions made to the show were a change in the stories, instead of Kyohei (played by Kame) being kidnapped and auctioned off to the highest bidder in a sleazy nightclub, we get a tame host club story with a dirt-bag who swindles innocents and takes their money. Instead of a rapist attacking the main female character Sunako (played by Oomasa) in her room, we get nothing. Okay maybe that didn't happen yet. I only watched one episode.

Yes I admit I only watched the first episode. But I could not find anything to compel me to continue with the show.

Besides taming down the raciness that made the comic so much fun, they actually made the main character pretty. Sunako is supposed to be ugly...okay not ugly, but the girl needs work. She has pimples, facial hair, dark circles...and lets not forget her frightening habits. Sunako is a horror enthusiast. She loves the morbid stuff, and whenever she sees something beautiful (ie Kyohei and other "creatures of the light") she gets nosebleeds and passes out. It was the process of helping the girl change and gain self-confidence that made the comic much more believable and entertaining.

So this show strips away the perverse, sexual comedy and the process of an ugly duckling turning into a swan. The result is a TV drama that is not funny, a little creepy and a whole lot of boring.

On one last note, Kame's character is molested by his boss at a cafe he was working at. The man gave him a butt rub. What? You don't know what that is. Well, first you place the palm of your hand against the victim's butt. Make sure that the hand is flat against said surface. Then proceed to rub in wide circles; be sure you rub both cheeks. All of this is to be done with a pervy leer on your face. The results are often a punch in the face. But if you like that kinda stuff then that's okay.

s t y l e

2009-12-15T20:51:00.012-05:00

Title: Style
Genre: Drama/Romance
Year: Summer/Fall 2009
Country of Origin: South Korea
Cast: Ryu Shi Won, Lee Ji Ah, Kim Hye Soo, Lee Yong Woo
Summary: Style is about the inner workings of a fashion magazine, as people move through the ranks and try to keep their production a success.

My Rating: 4/10
No. of Episodes I've Watched: All
Recommend: Depends, but mostly likely not.
Re-Watchabilty: Once is enough.

The concept of Style never did appeal to me, did not like anything it was being compared to (The Devil Wears Prada, etc). However, the cast piqued my interest and I decided to give it a shot. Oh, and obviously enough, Style magazine is a photochopped InStyle magazine. Very tacky.

Park Ki Ja (Kim Hye Soo) is a hard ass boss, that has abandoned her womanhood and comfort to be a famous fashion magazine editor, known for her good taste in clothing and her driven attitude. Love (eh, maybe too strong a word...now) the actress playing PKJ, but considering her character becomes the focus halfway through the show, her character is not very sympathetic. The viewers could have cared when they discovered PJK's heartbreaking dilemma in the final episodes. Personally I found everything very unpalatable.

Lee Seo Jung (Lee Ji Ah) is the hapless newbie, who just applied for her current position to write stirring articles (I assume ones that have nothing to do with fashion). Fashion is something she looks down upon. But of course her opinion changes. And the viewer learns that both her parents are in the fashion/clothing trade (Hmmm, makes you think). This girl is the eager peppy one, who cries easily, and is mostly incompetent (at the beginning of the show, and a little in the middle and in the end too). But she tries her best and gets the job done without too much drama (just a heap of chaos). I have nothing much to say about her, because she does not do much of anything. She gets promoted slightly, but she gains no great fame, she does not "get the guy," she just fades (more) into the background by the end of the drama series.

Seo Woo Jin (aka Chepu-nim) is a very...confusing character, Ryu Shi Won even commented to the press at one point in filming that he did not understand his character's actions at all. So his confusion adds to that of the viewer. I was examining the character very closely. I had to find out what was making him super bipolar. His relationships with the two main women were very distracting, as if to lead the viewer's eye away from the thin plot/story (basically Chepu-nim inherits the magazine from his estranged father/abôji, his half-sister stirs up trouble and the magazine is on the rocks while everyone tries to "make it work." Easy enough, the above summary was just a pretty picture to add some mystery and intrigue, ha!). Anyway, Chepu-nim runs to Seo Jung whenever he is bummed for a little cheer-up time (she always makes him smile, the special magic of the main character girl). However, his true passion (if he had showed any) lies with PKJ, it is her hard driving personality that stirs long suppressed desires, which the viewer later learns, is to live with someone again–like when he lived with his mother (no lie, he said so himself, romantic eh?). Very disappointing all 'round.

Chepu-nim is a very complex man who needs lots of paragraphs to ramble on and on about him. Besides juggling women for a living he cooks some nasty looking slop he calls macrobiotic (I think it was called that...who knows or cares really–all I know is that it looked thoroughly unappetizing) food. He cooks, he is a doctor too (specializing in acupuncture...he made our charming heroine fart upon meeting her), and now he runs a magazine (horribly). Basically he juggles careers too. I think at one point they say he could have been a model like his mum. Whoa now! I think that comment was taking it too far, much too far!

Chepu-nim, is a quiet man, who has lived a lonely life since his model and (implied) alcoholic mother died. He struggles with his...uh...feelings. He is afraid of commitment. I figured that out at one point, and there was a hint of something else...oh yeah psychosis. But for real he is a nutter bar. His reactions make no sense, and why he does stuff. He is definitely mired in uncertainty...or something.

Kim Min Joon (Lee Yong Woo) is the other man...sorta. Except that he likes men. And he soooooo likes Chepu-nim. But the people producing the show stepped away from that quickly, aside from furtive glances while changing and some pent up rage nothing is admitted and everything is swept under the rug. We are lead to believe he is and was tupping PKJ. They did live together in London. And everyone there did assume they were newlyweds. Whatever. Anyway PKJ is the ONLY one who knows his painful, deadly, sinful, horrible, dreadful, objectionable secret. So I guess he had no lover of any kind. He does have to keep away from others so they don't catch his disease which is homosexuality. OH GIVE ME A BREAK! Are they trying to scare people or are they JUST THAT STUPID. Moral of the story: even if you are gay you can have some friends (which are females)...just no lovers...ever. Other than damaging the psyches of young homosexual Korean youths his character did nothing much for the show...except look good. And his character did provide my favorite scene in the whole show, which says a lot about this young-in that is new to acting among this, ehm, more experienced actors (of course he cannot compare to the prowess of mother hen in You're Beautiful). MJ sorta kinda comes out to Seo Jung at one point, but he never says "I'm GAY!" He just states he can't love women. And if he could love a woman it would be one like PKJ...okaaay. Good for you.

We are led to believe that Min Joon may end up with one of the leading ladies despite his "illness." Or maybe the writers just did not know how to handle the radically different feelings of a gay man...sure. Because we all know they don't think the same way "we" do. Jeez, gets me annoyed. Just cannot even compute. Min Joon is just a big human sized red herring to distract us, again, from the thin plot. Because really, nothing is going on. Nothing. I like a little actual story with my weak drama. I don't mind if stuff is watered down, but past 50% is not good. This was like 90% filler with some sprinklings of actually story/plot on top. Which is perfectly fine for a doughnut, but otherwise bad for TV shows.

So the viewer keeps getting scared that the magazine might fail. And then Seo In Young from Jewelry shows up with her latest nose (which looks fine, but I wish she would let it alone). She plays "Elly" for two episodes and then the viewer, who thinks they will see a Project Runway-esque thing go down is sorely disappointed. Oh, and Elly has a cat named Elly. And at one point she was moaning the cat's name in agony. As if you'd name a cat after yourself and the mutter your own name to yourself, over and over again. Just weird. So, weird Elly leaves as quickly as she arrived. I must add that my aunt looked just like Seo In Young when she (my aunt) was younger (the same sharp nose and bowl cut hair...no lie, twins yo).

So anyway, I kept watching the show hoping it would get better. So here comes my favorite scene, it is at the end of episode 14, the very last scene of the show. PKJ [SPOILER] just found out that she cannot have baby PKJs, very sad (not that she showed that emotion...just frustration and anger). Min Joon is very concerned, he does love PKJ in his way. MJ told PKJ that he is leaving for London the next week. PJK reaches out selfishly and tells him she needs him to stay, that he is the only person she can rely on and trust during this time. "I can't have babies," she reminds him again and again. [SPOILER END] Of course she may just be lonely due to the fact she just dumped Chepu-nim (didn't get that they were dating...oh well). MJ, upon hearing this, is greatly torn. Here he is finally hearing the words he longed to hear for so long just as he had given up on ever hearing them. PKJ pulls him into a hug, as he stares at her shocked and distraught. A tear runs down his cheek as he battles with his conflicting emotions. (Chepu-nim spies on the two hugging from outside, in the rain...of course).

The scene described above would make a little more sense if MJ and PKJ were ever romantically/sexually involved. But I understand he saw her as his only friend, and that he wanted to stay close to her despite her constantly pushing him away.

There were some other characters. The kindly father. The stylish dunderheads working for Style. The "gay" male character who turned out to be a "lesbian." The fashionista halmoni/granny. But who really cares? Yup.

In the end PKJ remains an independent woman, but she may move in with Chepu-nim. Seo Jung stays alone and remains an editor who kinda likes the fashion world now (the betrayer). MJ stays in Korea with his two and only friends (and his "illness"–all I can say is: come to America, boy. Yes I know he is fictional). And Style does not crash and burn...just yet.

I liked the drama (the first time around) because I never watched it before and I had hope. MJ was very good at the puppy dog eyes, they were his specialty. His drama was amusing. Let's see...besides MJ I can't think of any reason I might possibly want to watch it again. The show just was not that good besides some eye candy (that could not act/or dance). I have no idea why, but when I watched the last episode I felt like I just finished an extremely sad movie...as if I should have been sobbing. The feeling I got from the show was definitely not a happy one. I was surprised that I felt sad. Even though the end was relatively upbeat I just did not get that vibe. Bittersweet could describe it...but not really. Weird.

b e . s t r o n g . g e u m . s o o n

2009-05-05T07:23:00.007-04:00

Title: Be Strong Geum Soon
Country of Origin: South Korea
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Year: Winter '05 - Fall '05
No. of Episodes: 163
Cast: Han Hye Jin, Kang Ji Hwan and Lee Min Ki
Summary: Be Strong Geum Soon is about a young widowed mother, who tries to make her dream of becoming a hairstylist come true, despite the opposition of her in-laws.

My Rating: 9/10
Recommend: Yes, even if I find it a bit dragged out.
Re-watchability: With so much going on and the fun comedy it can easily be watched again, if you want to watch 163 episodes of this drama all over again.

Wow, it has been awhile. I admit I have been avoiding dramas lately. They are like an addiction. Truly. But I have been procrastinating, and putting off a BIG end of term project. And my favorite way to procrastinate is to watch Korean (etc) dramas! Yay. Enough of me sobbing on the inside.

I may be shallow but I don't like looking at ugly hair while I watch a show. Haha. And Geum Soon (played by the lovely Han Hye Jin) has some nasty hair for about a good thirty episodes. I watched a few episodes and lost interest. But when I needed a security blanket it was there for me!!! A weird habit I am proud of. Not the huddling in front of the TV/computer drooling and ignoring the stress. Yes we all get that I am stressed (and dead tired! I pulled an all nighter. Yes it was just that good!).

Okay, we all saw it coming. Geum Soon's baby daddy dies. I think it is a known fact. If not I spoiled it for you. Anyway, I was eagerly awaiting his death...because that was when the real story was going to begin. But they dragged it out. Geum Soon was VERY VERY annoying. That was partly why I couldn't stand it at first. That whine! That immaturity! That HAIR!

I never really watch daily dramas, which is what this drama is. 163 episodes worth of goodness. Of course they have to make it complicated, to drag the plot/story out. The truth is never expressed directly. Everyone is SUPER emotional. Emos, cutting themselves. I actually was half awake and wondering why they do this to me. Then I realized the show would be over in ten minutes. Everything is so repetitive I wish it was ten minutes per episode. But it does make it easier for first time viewers to jump in at the odd episode. Not that I fully recommend that.

I cannot say it is a complicated plot, but the story contains many...uh...secrets? Secrets that are all strategically revealed to other characters, much to my delight. This person birthed this person, this person loves this person, that person killed this person. Fun fun.

Of course we all know this is a love story. Oooh oooh! So my main interest is Geum Soon's and Jae Hee's interactions. Kang Ji Hwan (as Jae Hee) plays a rude and self-centered doctor. KHJ is crazy funny. I have to name my favorite parts...oh and they show him half naked. They HAVE to show off his sculpted body, right? I just imagine the casting director salivating (I don't know why I pictured her next to the director attention rapt on KHJ, haha!).

I loved it when Geum Soon spilled scalding tea on Jae Hee's crotch. He stuffed ice cubes down his pants. His facial expressions are priceless! "Don't look mom!!!" And when Geum Soon runs him down with her scooter! Haha, another glorious comic expression! The elevator scene is another favorite. At first Jae Hee was cold to Geum Soon whenever they met, he was baffled by her actions. He thought she was a troublemaker...but no! She was something more! Eventually Jae Hee started looking for her when he knew she was around. After all their encounters he would smile fondly or chuckle. Do I sense....love? I think I do!

Another favorite actor of mine is in the show, besides hot abs KJH, it is Lee Min Gi! Woot woot! I have a fond place in my heart for anyone who can make me laugh. Even though his hair was equally bad as Geum Soon's I forgave him. Haha. Of course he plays the jerky brother-in-law Tae Wan. But you know Geum Soon is going to win everyone over. Op! Did I spoil the story again?!?

There are side stories of course. Tae Wan wants to be an actor. His brother brother/hyung Shi Wan (Kim Yoo Suk) wants to get the girl, who happens to be his first love. There are a bunch of oldies running around too. Ping pong game with Geum Soon: from halmoni's/grannie's to the in-laws and back...and back...and forth...and back. A little blah. And I can never remember where I saw the older actors. Most have been in many dramas I have watched, but I never remember. Heck I can't remember yesterday, no joke.

This drama is a little nostalgic for me. Not that I watched it before or anything, but the American songs in the background remind me of high school. I do believe age makes everything better...or at least the memories. High school wasn't perfect, but when I think back on it I do it fondly. So now I am listening to Mario's "Let Me Love You" on repeat. I kinda miss 2005. Oh, and the scene they had the song in was perfect for it.

I highly recommend this drama. I cannot speak for the whole thing, being that I have barely watched half of the existing episodes. But the first 40 are very good.

v o i c e

2009-02-14T22:58:00.016-05:00

Title: Voice
Year: Winter/Spring 2009
Genre: Medical, Mystery
No. of Episodes: 11
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Eita & Ishihara Satomi
Summary: Voice is about a group of students discovering the circumstance to those who have died mysteriously.

My Rating: 7.5/10
Recommend: Oh yes!
Re-Watchability: Maybe not.

Voice was one of those dramas I didn't really look into beyond the cast. Going by the title it didn't appear to be that thrilling. But hey Eita was in it, and Ikuta Toma.

They are definitely going for the CSI or House type of show. Similar Japanese shows would be Galileo or Joshi Deka. I find the whole thing a little kooky. Especially the way Eita acts 'thinking.' The way he rubbed his chin...or earlobe. Speaking of ears! I think Eita got surgery on them! Nothing dramatic of course, I just saw a slight slight change.

Okay the show is called "voice" because the professor the students are studying under says that the medical examiner's job is to give these dead people one last voice to those they left behind. How sweet. So far the situations seem a little...untrue. Maybe it is only Americans who call the doctor when they have chest pains. Those crazy Americans and their high fat diets! Chest pains!

But the endings always bring a mist of tears to my eyes. Only a mist. Probably due to Eita's character Kaji Daiki stares down the crying spouse (so far it has only been spouses/exspouses). Dry eyed por supuesto.

Oh and there is always something to find out, and it always puts the dead individual in a very good light. Hello! That isn't always going to be the case...I hope for the sake of the show.

The group of students contains a nerdy nerd type, Kirihata Teppei (Endo Yuya) who likes his CSI and Gundam figurines. Then we have the former yanki tough guy Hanei Akira (Sato Tomohito), who likes to pick on the nerd but is a romantic at heart (likes to cook, watch movies and talk long walks on the beach). I secretly think Hanei has got it going on...sorta, overlooking his dirty smoking habit and his violent outbursts. Haha! We also have a brooding heir to the throne, Ishimatsu Ryosuke (Ikuta Toma), who dislikes his father's ways and is not eager to take over the family business. Next there is the uptight, prim and proper, head of her class girl of the group Kuboaki Kanako (Ishihara Satomi). I accidentally confused the actress for Ayase Haruka. OMG! I am so ashamed. Ah, they all look alike. Just kidding. They just all act alike. I should have recognized her from the drama I watched with her in it recently...months ago...beyond my memory really. I did take note that the daddy daughter team were in the drama together. Tokito Saburo plays the professor. Eita plays the unique one. The one who asks why. Always. Is it that uncommon that his noticeable trait is to question things? I think asking why is equated to magical powers (POWER RANGERS! Woot woot!).

I think the drama is good just becuase it is my favorite type...a mystery. I do like my medical shows too. It tries to be funny too and deep, but it fails at those points. I think their is some hidden pasts too. We'll see about those. But I would completely reccomend it.

r e s c u e

2009-02-14T22:22:00.013-05:00

Rescue
Genre: Action
Year: Winter 2009
Country of Origin: Japan
No. of Episodes: 9
Starring: Nakamaru Yuichi, Masuda Takahisa, Yamamoto Yusuke
Summary: Daichi Kitajima has become a firefighter as a consequence of his childhood experience of being rescued by a fire rescue team. Despite his trauma, he strives to be promoted to become a member of the Special Rescue Team. Beginning with Daichi, this story follows him and his fellow rescue team trainees as they grow as rescue workers, as people, and as men. While facing the indiscretions of youth, and internal conflicts, they encounter the many imbalances between the ideals and reality in lifesaving along the way.

My Rating: 1.5/10
Recommend: Only to crazy obsessed fangirls.
Re-Watchability: No, no, no

Being that I am going crazy today and watching three full (sorta) episodes I thought they would be worth my time. Heh heh heh. Avoid this drama. Avoid it at all costs. I could hardly stand the ten or so minutes I actually watched, between fast forwarding and stopping occasionally. I did watch the first five minutes uninterrupted...regrettably.

Rescue is all about the trials and tribs as a group of young men travel the road to becoming POWER RANGERS! Oops my mistake...I meant SUPER RANGERS! Wait that doesn't sound right! Oh no I got it right that time. Super rangers? Why? WHY? I demand to know why!!! Super rangers are an elite force of firefighters by the by.

Well it isn't actually a full bodied story. The run of the mill underdog fighting for what he wants. With some traumatic pasts shoved in. Some tough guy issues. Man, I'm better than you! Got that! I could kick your bootay if I wanted to! But your not worth my time man! Of course they have to be partially nekkid all the while, for added effect of course. They just got shirtless though (NO I am not disappointed!). Showing off...nothing much really.

This touching bromance (of the, I think, straight variety...Japan can't handle out gay MALE characters just yet) starts off with a band of merry men waltzing into a burning building. They grunt. Wiggle their eyebrows. They point, confer, discuss, call for a meeting with no lunch break and then flash the thumbs up sigh and run near strange metal railings on fire. I didn't know metal caught fire these days. You learn something new every day.

If you are a professional, with years of hard training, you are not going to jump when a building blows up. You are not going to have tearful, and prolonged, partings while in the middle of a flaming building! These pretty boys, as frail as they look, are supposed to be the best of the best. They looked like clowns...especially in their brightly colored attire. Okay their clothes are the least of my problems.

The acting...I don't wanna do it mommy! I don't even wanna think about it! The lead (Nakamaru Yuichi) is a band mate of Kame for crying out loud. I am sure they share an acting coach. Much too many pretty boy actors...who can't act. There were a few actors I liked, but they didn't hold my attention. The bad outweighed the good in this show.

Stay away from this show if you want to survive! Your brain won't be the same. Drooling, comatose fangirls are my proof. I can't be the perfect judge...since I sorta didn't, couldn't rather, watch it. It just did not hold my interest.

k a m i . n o . s h i z u k u

2009-02-14T19:12:00.013-05:00

Kami no Shizuku
Year: Winter/Spring 2009
Genre: Drama
Country of Origin: Japan
No. of Episodes: 9

Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya
Summary: Kami no Shizuku is about a young man venturing into his father's world of wine after shunning it for so long (mangaupdates summarized it waaaaaay better than me).

My Rating: 3/10
Recommend: Maybe. Kame fans, yes.
Re-Watchability: Well, maybe.

It has been a while since such mediocrity has inspired me to write. Okay okay. I admit I haven't been watching anything new...at all. Not even the Korean version of Hana Yori Dango. I dread the prolonged dramatics of it all. I broke down because I have taken a renewed interest in actual reading and adding a comic in the mix. So I had to watch a Japanese drama. And why not try Kame's new one? Why not?

I read the manga. Yes the drama is based on a comic. And that made me feel a combination of anticipation and apprehension. I only read a few chapters of the manga, but I was quite taken with it. As you may expect the drama gave a completely different vibe then the comic had. Cheap is the first word that comes to mind. Despite the 2 billion yen inheritance and the high class wines cheap is the consistence feel. Maybe it was the mannequin stand-in for Kame in the beginning of the show (Haha...not really). Maybe it was the actors trying so hard to do their jobs...which would be acting I presume. The flimsy sets also factor in.

Kame, I am faced with the undeniable fact, is a bad actor. I admit it. And it is actually annoying me to see him continue acting. Stop it boy! He can't sing much better but that doesn't stop him. I feel as if I am stating a (very very very) well-known fact. Kame Kame Kame. Tsk tsk tsk. The child actor who played the same character did far better in my opinion. I think I only liked Kame in Suppli...at the height of my obsession with him. On a side note his hair is looking quite horrendous. I mention hair too much? Well, I have issues.

Kame's character was a pretty boy to some degree in the manga. But he was not Johnny's pretty boy with long flowing locks and delicate features. So when a Johnny's pretty boy is let out from the stable and is made a central fixture in a drama the oh so fragile balance is disrupted. Instead of a feisty woman as the love interest we get a plucky (petite, beautiful, dainty, etc etc) GIRL. Kanzaki Shizuku (played by Kame) in the manga seemed younger and more naive than love interest Shinohara Miyabi (played by Naka Riisa). But the unspoken rule is that...well it just doesn't work that way in "real life." I doubt those fuddy duddy Japanese men like to see capable women near their main characters. Just devious ones. Sure Shinohara, in the drama, is capable in her own way. But compared to the manga version she is a weak and helpless damsel.

Well enough about that babe in the woods with that thick mask of foundation. I think she actually had trouble moving her face. Maybe it was the Botox...except that she is younger than me (dammit!).

Rival, food critic, wine connoisseur, and who knows what else, Tomine Issei (Tanabe Seiichi) is just sad...and pathetic. His flowery speech is supposed to make him seem lofty, but it just sounds like poo poo. Spewing such nonsense about peasants thanking God for the potato famine or some such. Moreover his insights sound stalkerish and suspicious...as if sounding stalkerish isn't suspicious enough! He also has a pet trollop...I mean a lady friend (Uchida Yuki). And they drink wine together...creepily.

The story need not be talked of...it is just so random, and bad. I don't know if he is an addition or not but Takenaka Naoto plays the lovable drunken bum Robert (Rowbare!). Due to his huge success (???) in Nodame Cantabile, and his oh-so-precious accent, he NEEDED to play a foreigner once again. Oh goodness!

Wah wah wah. I don't like this drama. It tis very sad and all...but predictable. Since I have a feeling they don't even try. I laugh at their viewer ratings! Haha! Single digits and falling people! It doesn't teach them to stray from mediocrity though. Sad business.

r e v i e w s

2009-01-05T00:30:00.011-05:00

c a s i n o . r o y a l e

Year: 2006
Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench
Genre: Action
My Rating: 8/10

I know this movie came out quite a while ago but I just got around to watching it the other day. Heh heh heh. The only reason why I wanted to watch it was because...do I have to admit it? Well, because of Daniel Craig. I saw the commercials. I heard that he was showing off his body. Haha. So I went in not expecting much out of the movie. The story was definitely blah. And afterward I was all, "That was the climax?" But anyway Craig was fine. Smoking to be exact. And he really is a very good actor. I probably was paying more attention to Craig's body than his acting skills though, or his face for that matter. His wet hair was not sexy. I am in denial that he is rather...older.

After watching Casino Royale I was rabid for more of Daniel's work. Need more Bond! It must be obvious why I liked the movie. Otherwise everything was a little off. The action at the beginning I quite liked. I would go on if you didn't stop me...hahaha.

t h e . j a c k e t

Year: 2005
Starring: Adrien Brody, Keira Knightly, Daniel Craig
Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller
My Rating: 7.5/10

Maybe I knew before I watched it...maybe. Knew what? That it would suck? Well Keira would bring you to that conclusion. Her and her grating American accent. Okay it is not so much of a grating, but yes it was painful the way she forced it from her constantly pouty lips.

Well, what I was actually referring to was the fact that I, perhaps, knew that Daniel Craig was in this movie. I wasn't sure at first. "It can't be," I dramatically whispered to myself. "It just can't!" It was his eyes, that blue. But the dark greasy hair threw me off. But then his accent slipped through. I was pretty much convinced, but I needed to confirm one thing. So I checked out his butt. Yup. It was Daniel Craig. My hours of drooling and staring mindlessly during Casino Royale assisted in this vital confirmation. Haha! I need to watch the movie again. Not that Daniel had tons of air time. Kyaaaa~ Sorry, I am a little overexcited.

The Jacket is about some guy traveling through time...somehow. And then he sleeps with a seven year old. Okay not really, but the girl was seven when he first met her. And then BAM! "Let's have shex!"

The story was interesting I suppose. Reminded me of something. Oh, it almost seemed like they were trying to be on par with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Yar...no. Who else is irritated with movie titles that start with "the." Lots of horror films like to do that. It feels, when they use "the" in the title, that they didn't try hard enough to come up with a name. "Magic Womb" would have been a better title. Haha. You have to watch the movie to know what I am talking about. Womb.

t h e . g o l d e n . c o m p a s s

Year: 2007
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig
Genre: Action Adventure/Fantasy
My Rating: 3/10

I read the book some time ago, but when I heard there would be a movie I didn't care. The book was okay and the movie was worse. I will admit that I watched the movie for Daniel Craig...yet again. All three minutes he actually appears in the movie.

As with adaptions the movie felt rushed. As if they wanted to cram in all the content and didn't really have time to do so gracefully. They could try and make it interesting while they were at it? Suppose not.

There was some issue with anti God messages. Maybe I am dense. And I am sure many more Americans would not have noticed if the Church/Christians didn't happen to bring it up. And it isn't like people fall for this. Fall for what exactly? Argh. I don't want to go off on a tangent about the possibilities and obvious flaws and dated reasonings.

I didn't hate the show. Maybe I would watch it again. But I did watch it after not sleeping for twenty-four hours or so. Skewed perspective and all.

w a t e r . s o n g

2008-12-12T03:59:00.007-05:00

Water Song by Suzanne Weyn
Genre: YA, Fairy Tale

Where have I been lurking? Well, surprisingly, I haven't been watching any dramas. None. I have been reading a bit more. Indulging in some cheesy YA fairy tales. Oh I got that ten page paper done, barely. I finished it a half an hour before my class. Haha. And it finally snowed for the first time last weekend. And it is raining buckets right now. So I have been hibernating and reading some. So I bring you another rant on a book I dislike. Why bother? Heh heh heh.

I never liked The Frog Prince. None of its retellings made me like the tale any better. And Suzanne Weyn's horrendous excuse for a book was no better. Did she even try? Water Song is just a very pathetic book.

We are introduced to Emma, the typical feisty and spirited young heroine. She is pretty emotional too. Weyn is not a good puppeteer. Jerky. I found it frickin' hilarious when she made Emma cry over a letter from her (loving?) father. "Wah wah daddy I wish I were in your arms." Obviously Emma cares for her emotionally distant father. Okay, I know nothing about the father or anyone else besides Romeo and Juliet here. Not that Emma and her man-boy Jack were that deep.

So our BEAUTIFUL and GORGEOUS Emma Winthrop meets and tends to a wounded soldier named Jack Verde. So Jack being the disfigured and dare I say...titillated, young man that he is must have the love of this amazing creature that is our brat of a main character Emma.

Jack is annoying. He is sexist. And the way he kept saying "sug." I can just imagine him with a Paula Dean accent slipping in his greasy "shuuug" everywhere. Jack gets on Emma's nerves, but she quickly admits she finds him crazy sexy (not in those words obviously...we must think of the children!).

Jack is like a rabid monkey on Emma's back about a "friendly kiss"...with tongue. Jeez, who comes up with this stuff? If the boring filler dialogue was enough to kill me. Let's here more of Jack's interesting stories! Gourd...no one would find them interesting. Emma was lying to him.

This is the type of book were the upstanding heroine thinks to herself, "He would be incredibly attractive if he wasn't the enemy!" Great just what I wanted to know about every unimportant male character in the book.

I'll let the cat out of the bag, I read the book because I knew it was going to be bad. I couldn't finish The Night Dance by Weyn. So I was expecting it to be the same with this book. But it took me all of 2 hours to read (I lie...I don't time myself). Just because I got through it quickly doesn't make...deja vu? Anyway, sucky book. And the whole WWI stuff felt off. I am not a history buff, but you can tell when something is off. Authors can create fake worlds that you can easily believe, Weyn does not possess that ability. Oh, and once again the American writer somehow makes all her characters American-like. The real American was hilariously bad.

I tried to imagine Jack as Corbin Bleu and Emma as Vanessa Hudgens (aka Ho-gens!) halfway through the book. It didn't work. Why them you ask? Well Emma's character reminded me of many a Vanessa character. I could just imagine her and her bad acting in the book. Emma and Gabriella Montez felt similar to me too. I have little sisters that is my excuse, otherwise I would know nothing about High School Musical and the actors in it.

Bad book. Painful dialogue. Completely uninteresting. I understand that this a retelling and it can stray from my medieval mindset for fairy tales, but do it well! Here was Weyn's chance to make me actually enjoy reading the story of The Frog Prince, instead I have another reason to hate it. Don't believe the lies told by the Amazon reviewers, they probably think Twilight is good. No I am not biter. Haha.

My Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

t o k y o . w a n k e i

2008-11-27T15:55:00.009-05:00

Title: Tokyo Wankei
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Romance, Drama
Year: Summer '04 - Fall '04
No. of Episodes: 11
Cast: Nakama Yukie and Wada Soko
Summary: Tokyo Wankei is about a young woman experiencing the same painful experience of love as her mother.

My Rating: 2/5
Recommend: Not really.
Re-watchability: Ugh.

Happy Thanksgiving! Instead of stuffing myself with the various goodies awaiting me downstairs I am trying to get my TEN PAGE LONG term paper done...yeah. Obviously I am procrastinating. But I am here to get a monkey off my back. In the summer I was watching tons upon tons of dramas, or so it seemed. And I wanted to write stuff up on them. But I never had true drive. So I plan to just write up some issues and comments and try to make them brief.

Tokyo Wankei...I dug up the mysterious notes I wrote on the show:
"Koichi-bad hair, stiff posture, tall.
Druggie, writers on crack, hundreds of yards w/o anyone seeing him.
Park Yong Ha-hot!
Mother/daughter-blah"

I swear I wrote more. Okay I am done. Haha I lie. I did try watching Tokyo Wankei back in the day...boring. Not that it got any better with age. My tolerance level increased. I, for the record, did not finish the show. Nakama Yukie plays the second generation Korean woman, Mika, living in Japan. She also plays her character's mother. I was confused because I thought they were the same person. Just joking. I am bashing Nakama-san. She definitely did some funky acting. Pain upon pain.

Nakama's character falls for a Japanese man, as her mother had done. But due to strict family values both women experienced resistance. Yawn. Where is the real drama and action?

Wada Soko plays Ryosuke, the creepy pale and skinny love interest. He is the sensitive artist type. Ahhh. Not that that makes him any less creepy. Oh, and I got flashed...mooned rather. No one wants to see his booty!

Nakamura Shunsuke plays Koichi, the stiff and freakishly tall weirdo other man. He wants to marry Mika because of a business deal...or something underhanded like that. So I am going to lay out a big SPOILER. He gets stabbed. BWAHAHAHAHHAHAH! Hilarious. He gets stabbed by some hobo trudging through an airport with a big bloody knife. Yeah. And no one noticed the weirdo. Like I said the writers are on crack. "Let's spice up the show. It doesn't matter if it doesn't make sense because no one is watching the show anyway."

Okay two actual highlights of the show. Park Yong Ha and Hayami Mokomichi. Park had a SMOKING HOT cameo. Being all cute. He was just eye candy. And I bet they were trying to boost ratings with a star from the popular Winter Sonata. Too bad he wasn't Yon-sama. Maybe it would have worked.

Hayami played a dimwitted character with a very tiny role. Can't say he did a good job with what he had. But I never admitted he was a good actor. More eye candy for moi!

Just because Koichi's hair is so bad I'll give this show a low rating. Haha.

t h e . r o s e . b r i d e

2008-11-16T00:29:00.016-05:00

The Rose Bride by Nancy Holder:
Genre: YA, Fairy Tale

Here I am on my 21st birthday typing up a little something on a book I don't particularly like. Yay! Fun stuff. What have I been doing lately? Slacking off avoiding everything and a ten page term paper due very soon. It feels as if I am finding it harder to find the drive to batter a drama or even gush over one for that matter. Plus I have the inkling I may have precious few words to say about anything. Noooooooo! My well is almost dry? Say it ain't so.

Okay on to the terror that is Nancy Holder's writing. The Rose Bride is a retelling of the Grimm fairy tale The White and the Black Bride. I wasn't too familiar with the tale so I was in for a joyous new experience. If you call literature (or rather future firewood) that puts you in a zombie like state joyous. You need the shock of eating another's flesh to wake you from the stupor. Okay, I was expecting something bad. I read her other book in the Once Upon a Time series. So I was actually bracing myself for the worst. I was prepared to not finish the book.

The Rose Bride is about a young girl by the name of Rose (what a coinkidink!) who endures unspeakable (just because I don't care, that's why they're unspeakable) horrors while searching for the meaning of true love.

While this book is slightly tolerable, it is definitely not masterful writing. My big problem was that you never got to know the characters. I never cared for any of them. Never picking a side. Never hoping that the abnormally gorgeous heroine Rose found true love. Oh gourd that love thing was everywhere.

Now I am gonna lay some big spoilers on you all. Don't flinch while I pelt them erratically. The whole story starts confusingly enough in a temple for the Greek god Zeus. A lonely King is finally finding (brief) happiness as the priests perform a kooky ceremony to bless the child in the womb of his new found (and soon to be dead) lady love. Apparently the king is favored by Zeus...how nice. Well, so I was led on to believe that this story was set in ancient Greece...it really isn't. What time period in Grecian history is it set then you ask? Well they do mention 'the colonies,' that being America. And to add another intriguing twist everyone is French. Ah! French people residing in Greece. Nope, French people in France. French people worshipping Greek gods of the olden day. Ah, now it all makes sense.

Yeah, well to burn it in our tiny brains the author decides to pepper in some French. A oui oui here, a oui oui there, here a oui, there a oui, everywhere a oui oui. We get it! They're French despite the fact they act like modern day Americans...sorta. Besides Nancy Holder's barrage of high school French we get a display of weird lingo. Nancy drops names as if to impress us. 'Doublet,' 'ermine' and 'boon companion' don't really conjure the image of elegance, fantasy and 17th century France.

The whole feel of the book is that of a watered down romance novel. The general romance fare being that the author of sets up a romantic or tension inducing situation and lets the madness unfold. Nancy did manage to slip in some questionable and very unnecessary lines (blah blah blah nekkid blah blah blah) into her watery stew for some spice. Neither juicy or romantic...just gross.

Besides questionable dialogue there were some very questionable relationships. The king and love interest Jean-Marc marries a minor...a sixteen-year-old girl (evil stepsister Desiree disguised as our beautiful heroine Rose). We never do find out his age, but I am guessing late thirties onward. Moreover he hardly knows the girl. When he first meets her he grabs her in his tight embrace and smacks a wet one on her lips...her minor lips. Child molestation! Not even the excuse of Rose (Desiree in disguise still) looking eerily similar to Jean-Marc's dead wife would make that okay.

The book limps along like a half dead animal. The climax was short and not so sweet. I was keeping the hope alive that the story would get better eventually. The prologue was pretty rough, as were the first few chapters. The story never got interesting. I did read it from start to end though. I guess I was hoping the end would be fantastic. Yeah...no. I think the whole reason I read it was to say how bad it was. I have two other fantasy/fairy tale books lined up for my reading pleasure, both of which I suspect are horrid but quick reads.

I know Nancy tried at least a little to bring us an interesting retelling of this Grimm piece. I mean her writing, for a sentence or two, sounded very much like her fellow Once Upon a Time writer Dokey. But just like every possible avenue Nancy could have taken to make the tale more interesting we were left to wonder what could have happened. Not that I want to dwell on the possibilities.

If you love Nancy's writing, even though you know her style, please feel free to read the better of her two books in this fairy tale series. For me The Rose Bride will quickly fade from my memory taking with it a few precious brain cells. Purple roses constantly saying "You are loved" can do that to you.

My Rating: 1.5/5

h a n a y o m e . t o . p a p a

2008-10-18T20:45:00.006-04:00

Title: Hanayome to Papa
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Year: Spring/Summer '04
No. of Episodes: 12
Cast: Ishihara Satomi, Tokito Saburo and Taguchi Junnosuke.
Summary: Hanayome to Papa (Father and the Bride) is about the relationship between a feisty and overprotective father and a equally feisty naive daughter who wants to go out in the world to fulfill her dreams and find love.

My Rating: 2.5/5
Recommend: Sure, but it's nothing special.
Re-watchability: Gosh no!
I am looking bleary eyed at my computer screen wondering if I'll make through a whole post. I am sick...again. I am planning to catch every one's colds, every single person that comes in contact with me. Please give me your germs!!! Wah, it is annoying to feel cruddy. I should make it a habit to carry hand sanitizer or bleach. I just read that sunlight is a germ killer. No wonder I don't get sick in summer, but wait I am constantly indoors. Maybe it is the heat.

Enough about my woes and let us explore the woes of a fictional Japanese girl.

1. Papa: At first I did not like Uzaki Ken (Tokito Saburo) at all. Anyone antagonizing the main character is annoying. But gradually I looked forward to the arguments between Uzaki Ken and his daughter Aiko (Ishihara Satomi). I actually think their comic interactions are the highlight of the show. The speaking in unison. The exaggerated expressions. The frustration of the father.

I never watched anything with Tokito-san before. I need to see more.

2. Miura: Well, Miura Seiji is the love interest. How dull. Him and Aiko have as much spark as two dead fishies. Taguchi Junnosuke plays our corpse-like lover. Yup. Not a good choice. Taguchi-kun a lead? I suppose the romance aspect was not the main subject of the drama, but they sure brought it up a lot. So I would have liked to believe that Aiko and Miura actually cared for one another. I mean, damns, they got together pretty quick. The struggle they depict to fight for their love is quite amusing since they basically strangers. I decided to ignore reality and just enjoy the pure ridiculousness of it.

3. Roosters: No lie, a rooster plays a role in this drama. What? That wasn't a rooster? Just Koizumi Kotaro (as Narumi Shinichi: Aiko's boss) with a rooster-esque comb on his head. The man is good looking and the poultry look is not doing anything for him. I am almost relieved when his hair is the slightest bit askew.

Another point is that the writers were throwing Aiko and Narumi at each other, teasing us with the possibility of a romantic connection. But I called their bluff. As if they could make it any more obvious. I would have preferred Narumi and Aiko to be together. I thought they made a cute couple. Blah, whatever.

I am making this short, there isn't much to say about this show. Sure it deals with the advertising industry...barely. But the heart of the show is the kooky and entertaining relationship between Ken and Aiko. Watch it if you want to laugh and have the ability to ignore contrived acting. I'll give it a 2.5 out of 5 (can't do half stars...heh heh).

s h i b a t o r a

2008-10-12T23:20:00.009-04:00

Title: Shibatora
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Comedy, Detective
Year: Summer/Fall '06
No. of Episodes: 11
Cast: Koike Teppei, Ohgo Suzuka and Fujiki Naohito.
Summary: Shibatora is about a baby faced copper who becomes a police detective.

My Rating: 1.5/5
Recommend: Nope
Re-watchability: Not memorable, would not waste my time on a second watching.

Whoever invented school must have been a masochistic nerd. I am proud to say that for once I did not procrastinate. I did not wait until the night before my paper is due to write it. But I am still super stressed about slacker partners that are expecting me to do all the work, and I just happened to lose my textbook of which I need to accomplish that task. So to feebly distract from my stress (sorry I just needed to vent before I got to the juicy bits) I have been drowning my sorrows in a good drama. Okay I admit Shibatora is not that good. But it is a healthy distraction.

Where to start. Oh yes, you should be scared. I feel like drop kicking this drama...just because. It isn't a very funny show. But I got the feeling they weren't being entirely serious. So I mused to myself, "Satire?" Maybe. But just Maya Miki's parts. When her character mentions her sister having died by juvenile violence I had the urge to laugh. Her expressions are so composed for someone overwrought by the death of her little sis. Chiba Sakura is definitly meant to be a kooky character. So maybe the drama isn't satirical. Teppei's character Shibata is certainly earnest enough for everyone.

1. Teppei: Ah yes, Koike Teppei. That bird face shrimp. He so does not have a baby face. His stubly sagging face is barely concealed beneath the usual mounds of makeup. I doubt he could pass for a grade schooler. But I'll let them keep their little fantasy. I am not fond of Teppei if you can't tell. Well, Teppei plays the main character Shibata Taketora. I have many issues with the actor and character. Shibata is a very motivated and earnest young man of 24 (Teppei is 21). Oh and did I mention he can see the hands of the Shinigami? No lie. He had a near death experience and now he as special powers...that seems very out of place and lame. They probably wanted to spice up the show and all they could come up with is some cr@zy powers.

Besides having mystical powers Shibata has the most magical quality that a Japanese person could have, the ability to trust. Awww how...irritating! We get some more Japanese nonsense that all you need to do to save a delinquent is to trust them. I get enough of this from Gokusen. Is there an epidemic of adults not trusting youngsters? I am sure they have good reason not to trust them if they really are as corrupted as their society would like us to believe. I don't think these preachy shows are helping the issue any. I think that Japanese kids need understanding and acceptance more than trust.

2. Fujiki Naohito: This man scares the hell out of me. Him and his freakish hair. Does it ever change? I think he has a special attachment to it. Perhaps it is a wig? His hair rarely changes style from drama to drama. Sure it is styled a bit differently, that is to be expected. But the cut is always the same. So I admit I did not recognize him right off when he showed his stiff face in front of the camera.

Okay, so get this Fujiki-san plays a gansta. Ba Dump Bump. I kid you not. With every character and situation I am swayed into thinking this is a satire. Who would believe that he was a gangsta? No one. Dyed hair and tacky silk shirts don't make you yakuza or even petty gang material Naohito-chan!!!

I have nothing else to say on any matter. I do want to mention that I swear...well I thought when I fist saw the store in episode 2 (25:18) the one that Kojiro (Fujiki) searches is the one I went to in Shinjuku. But my sister says I am wrong. The place we went to was super crowded, but the merchandise and placement were similar. I am sure there are similar stores. But it would be crazy cool if it is the one I went to. I need to bug my sis for copies of the pics she took.

This drama is not unique. Even if it is a satire (which I am still on the fence about), it surely isn't a funny one. The detective-ing is just for show. No real intriguing mysteries going down. It surprisingly isn't that boring. That is one thing in its favor.

g a l i l e o

2008-10-06T14:55:00.014-04:00

Title: Galileo
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Detective, Mystery
Year: Fall/Winter '07
No. of Episodes: 10 + a special.
Cast: Fukuyama Masaharu and Shibasaki Kou.
Summary: Galileo is about a genius physics professor helping the local police solve crimes.

My Rating: 6.5/10
Recommend: Yup.
Re-watchability: Not sure if it's that spectacular.

I just got through watching a ~~good~~great drama, huddling around my laptop for warmth. It was a drama I had overlooked because basically it seemed dull. But it turns out Galileo is a mystery drama. Mmmm, murder and crime. I was actually digging for dramas with Kitamura Kazuki in them, and he was peppered in this drama. It was a glorified guest role, and was in only four episodes briefly. I thought it was hilarious that he was surrounded by female admirers, getting glomped by them left and right.

One of the draws for me in the show were the characters. They were entertaining and the chemistry and interaction was great. I loved how many well known and popular Japanese stars had guest roles in the drama. Katori Shingo (I HIGHLY recommend his drama Bara no nai Hanaya), Hirosue Ryoko (I am watching her in a drama right now, I may write something on it because it is funny as all heck) and Ohgo Suzuka (Loved her in Sexy Voice and Robo, and I must tell a little story that I tell to anyone when the drama comes up. I told it a total of one time. Haha. Well I was downloading to dramas and only the first three letters of the dramas showed as I waited, and I suddenly became ultra aware of what other people would see when someone walked by: Hot~~aru no Hikari~~ & Sex~~y Voice and Robo~~). Fukada Kyoko was also in an episode. And that is all I have to say about that.

Utsumi Kaoru (Shibasaki Kou) is the rookie police detective taking over for Kusanagi Shunpei (Kitamura). When Utsumi encounters a troubling case of a young man's head igniting she decides to consult Kusanagi's good friend Yukawa Manabu (Fukuyama Masaharu). Yukawa-sensei is a man who only trusts logical things, and mainly becomes interested in cases of teleportation and fireballs to prove that something else is behind the seemingly supernatural occurrences.

Wah, I have a few issues with Yukawa-sensei. He is so not smoking hot. Haha. He has his cute moments (and expressions). Take notes: Episode 8 when he tries Utsumi's cooking and...okay there may have been other moments, but I can't recall. What else is cute is Utsumi's little crush on Yukawa-sensei. Nothing came of it by the end of the show (oopsie, spoiler), which usually happens with Japanese dramas not focused on love stories.

Yukawa-sensei loves solving mysteries that baffle him, and when he thinks he knows how to solve the problem he goes into a flurry of writing equations on any flat surface available. It is so convenient that wherever he is there is a nice surface and a marker or pointy rock nearby. And is it necessary to write nonsensical math equations? None of the issues really seem to involve math or any known formulas. I think someone is taking liberties.

I had an "Ah-ha!" moment when I recognized Fukuyama (Yukawa-sensei) from a drama I am watching from '93 (fifteen years ago! I was a fetus...okay I lie but I was tiny). I didn't immediately notice it was him. The combo of orange makeup, and wrinkles and some added flesh to his face made it tough. And his features are on the more delicate (or maybe weak) side, so I blame it on...okay okay I am trying to come up with excuses, I'll stop.

Being that the show is a mystery I was all gung-ho about it. But don't expect to be able to solve the crimes. Sure, maybe you'll know the baddies. But no way you'll know how they did it. I was confused how it went down with the two last episodes, not that it really mattered. I must add that the ending of the drama was not brilliant. But since so many Japanese viewers loved the show too a second season is airing this fall/winter (I think it premiered the 4th). But it is set three years earlier, meaning no Utsumi. [Correction correction, no second season for now, just a special...sadly] But there is a movie out now (Yogisha X no Kenshin) that takes place in the time after the first season (I believe). So I am hoping for some progress between Yukawa-sensei and Utsumi. I feel I'll be disappointed if I go in watching it hoping for only that to happen.

I feel as if there was something else I wanted to mock, but I am going senile. Regardless of this drama being cheesy and shamelessly touting the morals of scientists and throwing in some environmental issues I really really liked it. Mystery and crime in my face. Lots of stuff to make me laugh (unintentionally half the time). And that bit of romance. Perfect.

Ah! I wanted to talk about Maya Miki, she is the coroner in the drama. I fell in love with her hilarious character Shabu Shabu-san (forget character's real name) and since then I have loved her in every drama I have seen her in. I just love Maya Miki. She is cute and funny and I wish she was in more of the show. But what she is in is quite enjoyable.

Watch the drama dernit! You'll like it!!!

h o k a b e n

2008-09-26T21:00:00.008-04:00

Title: Hokaben
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Law, Drama
Year: Spring/Summer '08
No. of Episodes: 10
Cast: Ueto Aya and Kitamura Kazuki.
Summary: The drama is a about a young and inexperienced lawyer trying to fight for what is right while surrounded by crafty and cynical lawyers.

My Rating: 6/10
Recommend: Yes...
Re-watchability: There is only enough I can stand of Ueto, so I'd nix the idea.
Yeah! I am going for a one-two punch today! Excuse me if they aren't blows hard enough to make you unconscious. Haha.

Hokaben. Why does the very name of the show make me laugh? Yes yes. It isn't a comedy. Why could it induce laughter? Could it be the very ridiculousness of it. Quite possibly. Japanese dramas have been driving me insane lately. Why do I continue torturing myself you ask? Well...I suppose it isn't all bad.

Well I can not say Ueto Aya was the reason I wanted to the show, it was a bit of a drawback for me actually. I recall overhearing a classmate bragging to a Japanese transfer student that he listened to some Jpop for the first time. Some music by Aya-chan no less. Wah, I would not recommend Aya's music to anybody unfamiliar with Jpop. I would say only fans of Aya could tolerate it.

Well the three reasons why I wanted to watch the show were Ryo, Kato Shigeaki (of NEWS), and Kitamura Kazuki. Kyak kyak kyak. If you take a gander at the promo pic you see them in their full glory...just kidding, any one else find the pic freakish?

Well Domoto Akari (Ueto Aya) is that naive lawyer fighting against all those meanie lawyers (I say this with a pout on my lips...I feel like choking me some necks!). Of course everyone sees the error in her idealistic ways. Silly silly girl. I do find it irritaing how annoyed they are with her. But who thinks so highly of the law? How can she be such an idiot? It is all about making money. And she comes in with all these grand notions of saving helpless people. What banana leaf has she been living under?

Ueto Aya seems to be very overrated just like my dear Fukada Kyoko. I do hate her less than Fukada though. Okay I don't hate Aya, but I don't especially enjoy her acting. I would, understandably, like to see a better actress in the role. I tend to get distracted by subs and don't focus on faces and expressions, but I don't think I am a horrible judge of acting ability. But I was watching a scene with the sound off and was ignoring the subs. Her expressions were HILARIOUS...in a bad way. Haha.

Well, Ryo pops her bony head up in this drama. She plays the successful lawyer Kudou Reiko. Yeah...nothing much to say. She (in the two episodes I have watched so far...heh) is just the wise senpai who is to be revered. Whatever.

Kato Shigeaki plays the cheery newbie lawyer Katase Riichiro who has taken a interest in Akari. Okay first I have to say, damns this boy is my age and I am not famous. Also his hair is ugly in this drama. I like it shorter. Maybe it is just the way it is styled, Don't get me started on that. I got an image of a pineapple or a shrub when I look at his hair. Must I reiterate that hair styles are supposed to make you look better not uglier. Yes?

I really liked Kato in that drama he did with Yui Aragaki, Papa to Musume no Nanokakan. But I can not say he is the most talented actor Johnny's Ent. threw at us.

I am saving the best for last...Kitamura Kazuki. I saw this actor in Bambino! and then in 14 Sai no Haha. And ever since I have wanted to see more from him. For some reason he reminds me of Kaname Jun, another actor who I would like to see with more and bigger roles.

Kitamura plays Akari's bitter boss Sugisaki Tadashi (Sugisaki-sensei!). But once his mojo gets a going...RAWR! The slow motion shot was killer. And who knew someone could look so hot and manly carrying an umbrella? I think, perhaps, that Kitamura likes to play characters with sticks up their behinds.

The characters are alright and all. The story is very annoying. Well Akari goes around and tries to save the weak. She deals with psychos...annoying ones. The first story is about a woman who flees from her abuser husband with her little girl. We find out that she doesn't want to testify against her hubby because she doesn't want tot make his evil deeds public. God forbid her good name is dragged in the dirt. So she decides to stab him.

At the end everything is fine and dandy...BUT she and her daughter had to change their names! Oh no, tell me it isn't true. How could they! Wow, and Akari was nodding in agreement at their sorrow with a sad expression on her face. Big deal!

And lawyers are evil...that is what Hokaben told me. "I am a lawyer, I don't own a pair of scruples." "I am a lawyer, I love to manipulate the law in my favor." "I am a lawyer, I do what it takes to win!" "I am a lawyer, I eat everything with a dash of hot sauce!" Yeah yeah, we get it. All experienced lawyers are either corrupt or lazy and bitter. Whatever, in the little world of Hokaben Akari is their Joan of Arc.

As much as I am enjoying the show I don't think more subs are coming out any time soon. So I'll be stuck on episode three for a bit. I hope I am wrong though.

Ack I am trying to think of dramas to compare this too. Well it is indeed very Japanese so... I am admitting that I am only watching this for some eye candy - I mean some talented actors. But I don't completely hate the show, it is entertaining.

l o v e . & . m a r r i a g e

2008-09-26T19:36:00.010-04:00

Title: Love & Marriage
Country of Origin: South Korea
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Year: Summer/Fall '08
No. of Episodes: 16
Cast: Kim Min Hee, Kim Ji Hoon and Park Ki Woong.
Summary: Love & Marriage is about a woman and man finding new love after being cast aside by their former lovers.

My Rating: 9/10
Recommend: Yes! Very cute drama.
Re-watchability: Maybe...but not really, which is sad. It's a slow drama, little real excitement to sustain another viewing. I'd watch it again for the comedy and characters, but I'd probably skip over chunks.
Every time I have wanted to write I was too tempted by loverly sleep. Dern school taking over my life.

I have to gush about a new favorite Korean drama I have been drooling over. I was talking about it to my sister, who actually watches Asian dramas on her own (and she credits me for introducing her to some of the dramas she loves...awww I love you too Mar!). And I was all smiles. And she asked what happens in the show. My answer was that nothing really happens. It is a simple romantic comedy and I am loving it!

I heard about the drama through another blogger and I had to give it a try after that. It reminds me of my favorite Korean dramas that have just been about a woman falling in love. Dal Ja's Spring and 9 End 2 Outs are good examples.

As I said, nothing much really happens. It does not mean that this is a boring show. It is so incredibly cute and funny. The characters are all endearing, even if some of them are jerks.

Lee Kang Hyun (Kim Min Hee) is a couple manager, getting paid to set people up. She gets cocky and soon meets her downfall. Kang Hyun, after awhile, becomes less annoying and grows on me. I think she learned her lesson after getting dumped, fired and fined. Enough punishment to satisfy me. Haha. But really she has this cute air about her, and she reminds me of my cousin (the same one I compared to a Gokusen boy!). I like that she doesn't have perfectly groomed eyebrows and her hair is a frizzy mess. Her fashion sense is questionable too, because she sometimes reminds me of my Mum and the way she dresses. But even so she is can be very lovable.

Park Hyun Soo (Kim Ji Hoon) is the handsome and very single divorce lawyer. Aaahh! I can't take it! Ji Hoon is just too cute. And I love his cheeks! Some near nakki (aka naked. My sisters love saying nakki...so it sorta stuck with me) pics have been floating around...he posed in some magazine so no they are not like our dear Vanessa HO-gens' pics. Well I should move on to his character Hyun Soo. Wah, this guy is basically prince charming. Damns I wish my life was a Korean drama, of the comical variety por supuesto.

I have been trying to locate some dramas of Ji Hoon's with subs...I may I have to live without them if I really want to watch more of his dramas though. I have been avoiding I Came in Search of Flowers because it looked kinda dull, I should give it a try though now that I know a certain person is in it. Bwahahaha.

Yin Kyung Hwan (Park Ki Woong) is the nerdy, but very cute, younger man that dumped our heroine. Everyone had referred to them as husband and wife, but being very pressured and fed up Kyung Hwan moved on. A bit too quickly though for Kang Hyun who had hopes of them making up, until she spotted him with a new woman.

Due to juicy circumstances Kyung Hwan ends up having to deal with Kang Hyun around work. Haha, I just love it! Well, The two pretend they know each other from school, hiding the fact that they had dated from co-workers. The fun part is their bickering and Kyung Hwan's jealously of Kang Hyun's relationship with our cutie lawyer. Kyung Hwan's pouting is so cute!

Seo Hwa Young (Yoon Se Ah) is Hyun Soo's clingy ex-wife. This woman has been unable to move on and still loves her man. She relishes the fact that he has trouble finding love...she is a sicko. Even though they are apart she wants to be his "friend" and wants to know everything going on in his life. Jeez.

I gathered that the two split because of Hyun Soo's brother problems involving money and loan sharks. Plus Hwa Young's angry mother seems to be a possible reason or at least a result.

I wish I had tons more to say. All I can say that it is a very sweet and warmhearted drama. I love it a lot...well I love more than the show. Heh heh heh...Ji Hoon! I want to watch the all the episodes I watched thus far all over again. I highly recommend it!!!

c o d e . b l u e

2008-09-18T21:13:00.014-04:00

Title: Code Blue
County of Origin: Japan
Genre: Medical Drama
Year: Summer/Fall '08
No. of Episodes: (Season 1) 11, (Season 2) 11 + 1 special
Cast: Yamashita Tomohisa, Aragaki Yui and Toda Erika.
Summary: Code Blue is about four young doctors training to be "flight doctors."

My Rating: 7/10
Recommend: Kinda
Re-watchability: Why bother?
It seems to me that ever since school started for me it has been nothing but waiting for buses, going to classes all day, and studying. I feel slightly brain dead. But I have found some time to obsess over dramas between eating and sleeping.

Well, I am going to admit it I watched the first episode of Code Blue because I knew Yamapi was in the drama. Okay Yui Aragaki was another reason. I was a fan after watching her in Papa to Musume no Nanokakan, but when I think of Koizora I dry retch (Haha). Those greasy slicked bangs...hmmm tasty. Blah.

Oh wow, one main problem I have with this show is that it screams at me that it is trying to rip off American medical dramas. Except it doesn't work. They try to be witty and smart but just look like fools. It won't work because Japanese culture and American culture just can't be copied and pasted here and there and expected to look natural and make sense. Maybe I am just cranky that the Japanese versions can't be more American. Take Dream Again for example, they try to twist the story of Heaven Can Wait and it makes me annoyed that all these weird and illogical (as if it isn't illogical enough as it is already) things are going on. It is annoying and lame. You have to cringe at what people do.

Moving on to Yamapi. He plays a cold hearted doctor who sees patients as practice to improve his skills. He has a habit of rubbing his fingers together. I think he is admiring his powerful tools, but it looks like he is trying to get something funky off of his fingers. The constipated look adds to my theory. Sniff them Yamapi...it may be something yummy!

I thought it was hilarious that the first thing we see of the young doctor Aizawa (Yamapi) is his sculpted abs. And it seems that when Yamapi signs a contract to do a drama he demands a handful of "He's so handsome!" as part of the deal. How many times did they have to say he was good looking in the drama? I can not say he is too good looking with that hideous perm. What is up with men and ugly perms? Fashion does not make sense. I always wonder who qualifies to say something is trendsetting or beautiful, some of that crapage looks terrible to me.

Yui Aragaki plays the reserved bookworm Shiraishi. She hovers around Yamapi too much for her own good...haha. Shiraishi is just the caring and cute individual who works hard to do her part. How Japanese of her! And that delicate way she handled that Miss Mary Jane Yoko. Let me explain the painful transgender side story. First off it just doesn't make sense to her that this Mary Jane fellow wants to be or feels that she/he is a woman. Mary Jane comes off as a fake who only wanted to change her body to suit the wants of a boyfriend not because she felt as if she was a woman trapped in a man's body, etc. I have watched enough documentaries on BBC to know a thing or two. Shiraishi and Mary Jane cough up crap into each others faces and figure that the viewer will make sense of it all. What? Being a woman is reading girly magazines and forgiving people? Or was it eating a whole cake in secret and calling oblivious bitches names to their faces? Yeah, one of those.

Toda Erika...ah the squeaky voiced girly from LIAR GAME. They, at first, portrayed her character, Hiyama, as a trendy and bitchy Shibuya girl. But she just degenerated into an ambitious liar. Hiyama, like ALL the other characters in the show, has to learn how to care for her patients and how to handle them appropriately. You can't get emotionally attached but you have to show that you care at least a little bit, and put some effort in. Sure.

Asari Yosuke plays the gossiping, and generally inadequate doctor Fujikawa. Oh did I mention he has a penchant for little girls? Haha...I lie. But that angle was horrible. I had a hard time taking that "poignant" scene seriously. Since I am on the topic of gossiping I must say how prevalent it is in the show. We must dig up the pasts of everyone in the hospital!!! Eavesdropping is going on also. But it only because they care...yeah-huh. I envisioned Aizawa (Yamapi) setting up a tea party as he listened, at length, to something that was obviously not his conern. The nurse flings back the curtain around the bed and finds Aizwa sipping a hot brew on an empty cot, "Please continue, you were at a good part." And Aizawa was cutting people down for doing what he was doing. A sign of his hard exterior cracking? Sure, he is cracked. Heh heh.

I'll mention Mitsui (Ryo) only because I like her character. I like Ryo for some reason. That last drama I saw her in she played a cougar...and a witchy one (sorta), so I was surprised I had grown to like her. Mitsui is an efficient doctor who tries to distance herself from the patients she cares for because of an incident. Yes an incident. It was a sad one and Ryo did a good job. I was shedding some tears until she opened her mouth and told everyone why she did what she did...and suddenly my tears were gone. It was just so Japanese it was painful. Do they have to make every human emotion so precise and delicate? So contrived? The whole grief thing in the drama is ridiculous. Aizawa was criticized because he wasn't showing his grief in the "proper way." He was inconveniencing people because he didn't act like "normal" people. He was handling his sadness in his own way damnit! But he came around. And all his coworkers happened to be walking by (from different directions, por supuesto) when it happened. I bet they were watching from the shadows, their little black hearts filled with perverse glee.

I almost forgot about my beloved Saejma (Higa Minami)! You know those psychos who can not handle any kind of incompetence and are poised to rip you a new one any second...well that is Saejima. But is is okay if she acts like a complete mental case, because her parents don't love her. But she soon learns that, and I quote "No parents hate their children." Ha! Are you sure? I am sure some do. Just leave that woman alone to be bitter and angry. Her parents may not hate her, but it could be that they just don't care about her. Which I think is more likely. Saejima is pretty when she cries...just saying. Bwahahahaa!

Now as I said all these snoody and annoying doctors are training to be the doctor that goes out in the hospital's helicopter and treat patients and so on. The whole "Doctor Heli" thing is ridiculous, but they have to have those whiners constantly saying that they "wanna ride the heli" as if they were little kids. I wish one, or a few, of them would fall out of it while in midair.

While the doctors train they get special cases at the hospital. Why do I get they feeling they are reenacting House? One example of a mysterious case is when a woman comes in with a broken nose. She says she fell down some stairs...but who buys that line nowadays? So we find out her boyfriend did it...but she asked him to do it! What?!? Apparently she has body dysmorphic disorder. And after a good talking to by Shiraishi she magically comes to her senses. Are they trying to make me go insane? Since when to mental disorders go away so easily? I guess if you are Japanese it happens like that. I want to talk to a real live person who is Japanese, who lives in Japan and watches these dramas. Do they find them as crackpot-y as I do? I mean I think American shows are off their rockers a majority of the time.

As much as I hated the show...I'm joking I actually like it! Surprise surprise! What? You weren't surprised. I try to be understanding towards this show's weaknesses and just take all its yummy drama.

a k o . s i . k i m . s a m s o o n

2008-09-01T03:10:00.009-04:00

Title: Ako Si Kim Samsoon
Country of Origin: The Philippines
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Year: Summer/Fall '08
No. of Episodes: 75
Cast: Regine Velasquez and Mark Anthony Fernandez

My Rating: 6/10
Recommend: Yes, especially if you liked the original Korean version...or maybe don't watch it if you like the Korean one a lot. Depends.
Re-watchability: Have to think about that.

Like a bear preparing for hibernation I have been feasting on dramas to excess. It must be the allure of Math 107. Ah, the pain. But anyway I am watching some lakorns and Filipino dramas. Lobo was the first Filipino drama I watched. It was a little eh, but I only watched one episode (seems to be a problem of mine, no?). I was fascinated on how I could hear the outside influences in their language. The most obvious being English and Spanish. Whole phrases in English and words like "problema" and "doble" popping up. I thought I heard hints of Chinese and of a Middle Eastern language, and I was right. So I went bounding off to impress people with my knowledge. And I got the usual response, "Oh." Haha.

Well I heard it somewhere that the Korean drama My Name is Kim Sam Soon was going to be remade in the Philippines. And I guess it is airing currently (I heard it was supposed to end soon, but I heard it from an unreliable source) so I guess they weren't lying.

Kim Samsoon is a woman who has a flair for baking, but is generally unsatisfied with life due to her name, appearance and lack of a love life.

I'll be referring to the character from the two versions like so: Sam Soon (Korean) and Samsoon (Filipino).

Well, let me tell you I was not too impressed with the first two seconds of the show or the whole first episode for that matter. Kim Samsoon Buot (Regine Velasquez) is nothing but a clown in a fat suit. And that wig is so distracting. It doesn't even look natural. I wouldn't mind how big they made her or how crazy her hair looked as long as it looked natural and didn't distract me. I liked how in the Korean version her size was a big issue with the main character but her appearance didn't really distract the viewer from the story as a whole. The Filipino version makes it painfully obvious and a little ridiculous. But maybe they saw the original that way. They said they deliberately overacted to copy the original style. Is comedy overacting?

I have to compare the two dramas, I just have to. People always say to take movies/shows for what they are and don't compare them to originals. BUT I CAN'T HELP IT! The only reason I am watching the remake is because I liked the original, so I can't help but compare the two.

I liked how in the original we are not shown Sam Soon's past. We are just around for her sordid end with her cheating lover. But with the newer version we get a little half an episode worth of relationship and jilted lover stuff going on. It felt so rushed and I like the way the Korean version handled it. And when cheater boyfriend pops up again you understand the way Sam Soon feels because she has a long history with him not two weeks worth of history. I swear Harvey and Samsoon knew each other for two weeks and they were gong to get married. Are you buying it? And he even said he loved her, but that was before his ex called and asked to get back together. BS. Am I supposed to believe all of this?

Things started to improve when Cyrus Ruiz (Mark Anthony Fernandez) finally appeared. And no I am not wiggling my eyebrows suggestively right here. Haha. It was just a relief to finally know the true action (what action? story maybe?) was going to start.

Samsoon describes Cyrus as: Tall. Has smooth skin. Rosy cheeks. Eyes that want to say something. And yummy lips. I found this all very hilarious due to the fact I had this image in my head.

In this version we are led on to believe Samsoon was attempting suicide because of her name, but as the story went on you gradually forgot about her whining about her suckish name. So when she mentions she always wanted to change her name to Hannah it comes off as very...FALSE.

I think this drama airs Mon-Fri, just like a Telenovela! So as expected with get a few more characters and everyone may have more of a story to them. We will see. Wow, I feel as if I am running out of things to say.

Let's see, Harvey reminds me of Salman Khan for some reason. My favorite scene so far is the part when Cyrus gets a cake shoved in his face. And when Dina tastes the cake...had me cackling like a dying witch (okay maybe not the most fitting image, when do cackling and dying work?).

I am gradually warming up to this drama so I really don't know what to rate it. I think it has its funny moments. The actors are not bad. The story didn't improve in the new version, I think it got a bit sloppier. Due to my horrible memory the Korean version is just a vague impression in my mind so I do get to relive some good moments (I suppose...not that I encountered many, yet). I am torn. Is this a sign? Well I can always change my mind. I should just head over to Photoshop or something and get me a half a star. Haha.

I am watching the Filipino version of My Girl also. I have formed no strong opinions of it yet, but if I do I'll let you know. Ack, doesn't that sound ominous.

v a a d a

2008-08-25T18:38:00.014-04:00

Well, Vaada is a Bollywood movie. Oh yes I said Bollywood! I got into Bollywood movies last fall when I had to watch Monsoon Wedding for a course I was taking. Okay, I admit Monsoon Wedding is definitely not your typical flashy spectacle. I'll just say it eased me into the craziness. I think Faana was the first movie that gave me hope that I could truly, dare I say, love a Bollywood flick. I actually liked all the song and dance sequences, which I usually fast forward through with other movies. The whole story was very dramatic, and I love me some drama. The ending was perfect. I actually broke down and spent some money on the DVD. I cried (lie) a little after I spent the money, but it was worth it.

Well after I was sent adrift in the sea of Bollywood films I got lost. Plus it doesn't help when the person providing the goodies gets their account suspended for uploading copywritten material. So I have been ignoring all those flashy flicks from India. I know I am leading you down a predictable path here, but I obviously decided to watch a movie. I perused the local haunts. And previewed a movie, and the song and dance near the beginning made me give it a shot.

Vaada (trans: Promise) is about two men who look for the reason behind their love's death. Or something ridiculous like that.

I have to get this straight, I did not love the movie. I liked some parts por supuesto. But mostly it was ridiculous. I found things to be funny that weren't really supposed to be so.

The movie starts with a man running at night, or very early morning. Because Karan is the guy who scares people at night when he happens upon them. He is gangsta like that. Okay, I am misleading you about his personality. His is just plain psycho. So Karan dumps his water bottle all over himself...for some odd reason. Could it be he is trying to be sexy? Silly me that couldn't be the reason. Yeah.

Now when Karan (played by Zayed Kahn) enters his best buddy Rahul's house he bumps into the body of Puja. And Rahul's wife Puja just happens to be dangling from a ceiling fan. How she got up there is a mystery, seriously. Did she launch herself ten feet off her kitchen counter and into the noose? Well, that never gets answered so don't think too much about it.

Rahul (Arjun Rampal) suspects she is murdered. Rahul, being blind, relies on his best buddy Karan to help him find the killer.

Well my favorite part comes soon after all this dead body business and we see Puja (Amisha Patel) alive and well as Rahul recalls how they met and fell in love. Cue first song and dance. "Maula" is probably one of the better ones of the movie. One of my favorite parts is when Rahul first sees Puja as she is singing in a recording studio. Puja's occupation is never revealed and she magically has nothing to do and stays at home after her marriage. So, again, don't waste brain cells.

I thought when Rahul proposed it was very cute. But he has this annoying cocky air about him which disgusts me. Throughout the movie they try to convince us (or maybe not...) that Rahul loved Puja. As far as I can tell he never really knew her or cared for her. He saw her and wanted her. His behavior was borderline stalkerish. If you notice the whole flashback isn't cheery and bright, it is on the darker side. And Puja never really looks truly happy when she is with Rahul. Amused? Barely. Happy? No.

Karan, as the story progresses, we discover was Puja's ex-lover. Oh my! His presence at his best bud's house in the middle of all darkness does not make so much sense now. But apparently they met in Europe while Karan was making money for his lady Puja. I am getting ahead of myself. Puja and Karan's relationship kinda ended when Karan went completely PSYCHO! Here comes another favorite scene. Karan gets a little eager with a fork. Well Puja doesn't really want him around, that much, after that. So Karan's other personality tells him to make some money for Puja. And yeah she'll take him back after he assaulted her frail father.

Karan, while in Europe, is still crazy as he sees Puja everywhere. Every man, woman and child looks like Puja to him. So Karan comes back to India a rich man to find out that Puja has gotten married to his best friend.

I must mention that some really dull policemen are investigating Puja's "murder" between these flashbacks. And they are falling for obviously planted "clues." And Karan is not helping matters as he tries to prove his innocence by putting Rahul in harms way. He has to be an idiot if he didn't think that would come back to bite him in his crazy a**. Crazy crazy.

Well, Karan was being slowly tortured as he watched on while the lovers acted all cuddly. I love when he cries as Puja helps Rahul eat. Rahul being blind makes it so much better. Karan pining away and crying like a baby two feet from Rahul.

Rahul of course, throughout, is a crazy nutter. And as the movie goes on, and on, it is proven more. That caterpillar on his upper lip doesn't help with his overall image. Oh and I liked the twist in the middle, but if your hoping for more twists you only get that one real big one. I thought it would get better halfway, but I was dead wrong. I am sounding overly dramatic?

The ending was disappointing. They were all psycho and not at all sympathetic so the ending could have happened numerous ways I and I would not have cared. "Oh, that's what happened. Okay." In a very bored tone, of course.

It was a fine enough movie. I felt it was trying to be a smart, intelligent, and thrilling American movie. I could've stood the unsympathetic characters if the plot and story were better. But it only amounts to an okay movie. I watched the whole thing, but I did need sometime to recover from horrendous scenes and the pause button did its job. I don't have any bad feelings toward the movie...it is just too pathetic a movie to hate. If crazies entertain you go for it.

My Rating: ★★★☆☆

e v i l . s p i r i t . 0 5

2008-08-21T01:15:00.009-04:00

Title: Evil Spirit 05
Country of Origin: Taiwan
Genre: Horror
Year: Summer '07
No. of Episodes: 13
Cast: TAE and Lee Wei

My Rating: 6/10
Recommend: Sure
Re-watchability: I wouldn't watch it again...

Hello hello. I decided to crawl out of hiding. I have been attacking books lately, and becoming a little too obsessed with Shelfari...almost OCD-like. I have been a bit too ambitious and have been bogged down with books I want to read. One is staring at me now, "Read me! Read me!" Creepy right? I am getting the mood ready for this Taiwanese drama I have been addicted to.

It was a bit weird, but all of a sudden I had no desire at all to watch dramas. I just stopped watching all the shows I was addicted to. Summer lasting too long? I know I'll be seeking some distraction once school pops up it's heinous head. A procrastinating, lazy person's worst nightmare...school.

Well even though I would like to be watching Coffee Prince right now and having a good cry, I'll write instead. Evil Spirit 05 is about...the supernatural to say the very least. We have some past lives and ghosts...and evil cults. Fun stuff.

Fang Ya Wei is a young woman, who suddenly starts encountering supernatural events. As two men from her past life appear in her life, she slowly learns of her fate (whatever that may be...).

Fang Ya Wei, played by Hong Xiao Ling, is your typical feisty Taiwanese leading female. Xiao Ling I have seen in My Lucky Star, which she played the typical clingy other woman. I guess I do like her better in this role. But...I am so sick and tired of overacting in Taiwanese dramas. Do people act that crazy? Have I been watching too many romantic comedies? I wish I had more to say about Xiao Ling and her character, but if you've seen one you've seen then all. I always wonder why these guys fall for annoying women. Her and her fake concern. "Oh my dear cousin died...how sad."

One of the two men from Ya Wei's past life is Shi Yu Wen (TAE). He is blind and psychic. And his facial hair is creepy. Now I know why leading men are clean shaven, not counting historical dramas por supuesto. TAE I was surprised to find is actually Thai. I thought he was really cute in Go Go G-Boys. The way he dealt with his feelings was a bit...entertaining. Let me smack that cake! And apparently I saw him in a drama before, Angel Lover. But one episode will not burn anything in your brain...unless it is something traumatizing.

So TAE as a blind man is fun...I suppose. I was watching the first episode, "Where's TAE?" And the second, "Damn-it where is that man!" Third episode, "WHAT A GYP! Lying to me." Well, by the fourth or so episode TAE finally decides to make a lame entrance when his buddy comes whining to him. I never, oh wait I have watched a drama with a blind...oh wait he was deaf...haha. I guess him going around blind may be interesting. And if they try to pair him with Ya Wei...don't know how that will take. Ya Wei is already eyeing Er Zi Liang (Lee Wei).

Zi Liang is a weirdo with powers. Okay okay he is supposed to be the male lead...or something. So he can't be a weirdo...completely. I must say I hate his hair. I really hate these styled atrocities men in dramas like to sport. Just cut it short! I want to see your eyes and your face! Not that I especially want to take a gander at his face...I am just saying. I am getting tired to their already dated...and always have been ugly hairdos. Ugliness. Who told them they looked good? Some nerd stylist has been reading too many Japanese comics, drooling over long haired bishies.

I don't care to mention the lifeless puppets dancing around the main characters. But I must mention Long Ze, the wannabe Law & Order detective. And his locks are trying so hard to look like Zi Liang's, but they fail...just like his tough guy act. Someone should toss him a pair of scissors, he may figure out what to do with them. If you didn't get my hints, Long Ze is a crappy detective. And all his lines sound so scripted. "I am a Law & Order detective I have to say this...even though it doesn't exactly fit the situation or make sense." Long Ze though is much less annoying than Zi Liang in a way. Take your pick: funny (aka stupid) guy or the hot (definitely not!) guy. The role and actor can compromise your decision.

The show is full of cheesy graphics floating about. And the sound effects aren't too great. The camera shutter noise killed me. And those "Japanese" actors they roped in were hella creepy. That guy's face was sickening. Was that makeup caked on his face...it was cracking. Maybe a skin disease.

The show is interesting, and I do like it. Again we have a bit of mystery...which I can not resist. The stuff that is supposed to be scary is a little...not. But episode four had a scene that was very creepy. Nothing too scary, the cheap feel kinda ruins any chance of truly being scared by anything in this drama. But I do like the quick pace. And the limited flashbacks of stuff we have already seen is very good. This may be the first Taiwanese drama I finish. Not making any promises though.

b r e a t h l e s s

2008-07-31T23:00:00.002-04:00

Title: Breathless
Country of Origin: South Korea
Genre: Romance, Drama
Year: Fall/Winter '03
No. of Episodes:
Cast: Kim Kang Woo and Chae Jung Ahn

My Rating: 8/10
Recommend: Yes~
Re-watchabilty: Sure

I have been trying to dig up older Korean drama goodies recently. I have been absorbing information and making my two brain cells work at maximum capacity. I have been haunting my prime drama addiction accessory sites and searching for drama titles, and failing mostly. When I spotted a drama with Kim Kang Woo in it I was happy since he does more movies than dramas. So I had to watch Breathless just for the reason he was in it. Kyak kyak kyak (that's the sound of my devious laughter).

20 seconds into the drama I knew I was going to love it. Haha. And all those familiar faces. I was salivating soon enough. I felt liked I discovered a gold mine of my favorite actors. All jam packed together for my viewing pleasure. I have to say I wasn't pleased with all the casting choices. A certain whiny female lead No.2 is trying to pretend she can be a lead actress and not just a bratty distraction.

Breathless is about a naive young man, who became an orphan at a young age, trying to make his way in the world.

I actually thought Shin Moo Chul (Kim Kang Woo) was mentally handicap for a minute (ie His movie scenario---he sound like a 7 year old). But it turned out he wasn't. But I think he is a bit emotionally stunted. He still acts like a boy even though he is a grown man of 25. But then again my 42 year old uncle's behavior surprises me sometimes. Men. Haha.

Kang Hee Ya (Chae Jung Ahn) is your typical persistent and feisty young Korean woman. I get the feeling Koreans (in dramas) like to be in masochistic/sadistic relationships. How can you take being treated so badly and like it (well...to not mind it would be a better way to put it). Because I do not believe the water leaking out of Hee Ya's eyes...and she is probably hiding a smile behind her hand.

Well predictably enough Moo Chul and Hee Ya and being thrown together by the writers against their will, and against their otherwise sane minds. "Why I am with a man I am not attracted to and would care not to associate with?" Yes I would like to know. The relationship is uglier than Hee Ya's perm. No chemistry. For goodness sake Kim Sung Ah and Lee Dong Gun have more chemistry in When It's At Night. It's so painful to see people paired up like that. It makes it look as if the show is mocking a person's intelligence. It's all that Jung Ahn's fault. Her eye drops were the last straw. At least she doesn't squeeze her tears out (a divine example of that would be Lola from Lola: Érase Una Vez). Wow I sound like an extreme anti-fan of hers. I just think maybe she should find another job. Her and Nagasawa Masami should get together and torture each other with acting demonstrations.

Eric (as Shin Sang Shik) is lurking about as a gangster. He gets most of the funny parts, and I have to admit he is a good comedian. I just loved him in Que Sera Sera. I love to remind my sister of the oh so painful (and very juicy) scene of him breaking a glass in his hand. His playboy image was a bit annoying and the drama was roping in viewers with sex, but the soundtrack was amazing...and the acting...and the story (even if it did get a bit tedious towards the end). In this drama Eric's character has been in jail, so he is a hardened criminal. What a laugh. However, compared to the Gokusen boys he looks the part. They would probably be afraid he would kill them by ripping at their jugulars with his bare teeth.

I love the way Sang Shik treats his superiors. It is crazy funny when he tortures his old boss. And his moonstruck look is just so cute. His victim keeps calling him a little boy. And we can see under his tough exterior he still is young even though he considers himself much more mature than his older brother.

Lee Jong Soo plays the ever absent other man, Dr. Yoon Ui Sup. It seems his presence is expected, so he pops in once in a while to stir things up. When they first showed him doing his doctor thing I thought it was a joke. I though he was acting as a doctor, being that his best friend is a film director. The only thing I LOVE about his scenes is the hospital noise. Actual people noise! I was so glad for once that the hospital was not dead quite and suspiciously vacant of real people.

Kim Jung Hyun plays Heeya's brother Hee Chyul. He mooches off his parents and makes independent films. He is some more comedic relief. His constant sparring with Jo Young Ji (Kim Eun Joo) is supposed to be entertaining. But guess what? It's not. But I like both characters, even after considering their lack of depth, anyway. Jung Hyun I saw in Sandglass and he wasn't bad as far as I can recall. Eun Joo, I love her in What's Up Fox? I was glad to see both actors in the show.

I really like the show. It has some faults, but considering it also has some things I have never experienced with a Korean drama I can forgive it's errors. With this drama, for the first time ever I got the feel of what the REAL South Korea may be like. It was just a passing feeling that I got from the first few episodes. But I loved that I actually may have gotten a brief glimpse of something real, and something I could connect with and appreciate.

I also loved the lack of studio sets. Stuff was filmed outdoors. And with other Korean (and other Asian) dramas it feels as if they want to make everything look pretty and pleasant. The outdoor scenes don't feel like outdoors. And you get a vibe that everything set-up. But we actually see real buildings and stores looking less than perfect in this drama.

I really like this drama. It is far from great, but it is special. Something that seems as if it is straying from the pack. It defiantly has an amateur feel (despite who the screenwriter is...I checked and she's good, but she had to start somewhere I guess. Should I blame the director?). The soundtrack doesn't match the mood/feel of the scenes and the lighting seems funky...but we could blame the latter on the video quality. Despite all the flaws this drama had me hooked once I watched their beginning montage. I needed to admit that. Haha.

v a m p i r e . h o s t

2008-07-25T22:38:00.005-04:00

Title: Vampire Host
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Comedy
Year: Spring/Summer '04
No. of Episodes: 6
Cast: Matsuda Satoshi and Komukai Minako

Summary: When Rion's friend goes missing and leaves a mysterious message on her phone, Rion sets out on a search for the vampire host she believes is responsible.

My Rating: 7/10
Recommend: Sure, it's funny
Re-watchability: Maybe, it is short enough so you won't be wasting much of your life.
Well, after my display of disgust towards TV Tokyo I spotted a show from their network that sounded interesting, to say the least. Hosts always intrigued me, so I thought I'd check out the show. Vampire Host turned out to be a very funny show. It didn't take itself seriously, which I appreciated very much.

I really liked all the main characters in the show. I had a problem with the others though. The acting was very fake and hard to believe. Their responses became predictable. But maybe their ridiculous acting was supposed to be funny. I have a feeling that isn't so. All that TV Tokyo could afford was some people off the street and their sponsor's granddaughter.

I love Rion (Komukai Minako). My first reason is Rion is so strong and willful. I love how she is constantly kicking Suou in the shins and crotch. I am sure his man parts are black and blue. Haha. Second, I liked that her figure is more that of an average girl. She is short, no doubt, but she is not skinny like those other crazy girls you see as lead actresses. I just hate how skinny the girls and guys are. Kame was practically skeletal in Nobuta wo Produce. Put on some weight people!

Now those older Korean actors definitely can't compete with the gracefully aging Japanese actors (ie Hyde, Takuya Kimura). Something unhealthy is making those Korean men look nice and bloated. And don't get me started an filthy smoking habits. I heard people saying that wouldn't mind attacking So Ji Sup even if it was like going at it with an ashtray. Either way eeww! I don't see why people find that man-beast hot. Is it his acting talent? Can't really comment on that.

Well I am sure those older Japanese celebrities have an elixir for lasting youth. I like to call it photoshop...and lots of makeup. Wow, that was extremely off topic. This stuff just pops out of nowhere, no?

Suou (Matsuda Satoshi) is the corny vampire host. Suou wears a necklace to restrain his powers, but when he rips it off he GOES OUT OF CONTROL! It's hilarious. It didn't really get annoying until the end of the show. His changing sessions would last almost a minute. Where he would lash about and growl. After he releases his true power his eyes are blue and his hair is nice and styled in an upward direction. My sister commented he looked like Ty Pennington after his transformation. I don't agree completely. I say he is going Super Saiyan.

Now Suou tends to be conceited and a womanizer. Okay, womanizing is part of his job...but still. I love how whenever he tries to be cool Rion cuts him down. And her aversion towards his trite compliments and promises to his lady clients. I just love her attitude towards him. Because I hate when guys in Jdramas act like Suou and they are totally serious. At least you know that Suou is putting on a show and people see him as a bit of a fool. "Check out this manly form!"

Sano Shiro (as Tenran) plays Suou and Rion's boss with the cosplay fetish. He was amusing enough. I like his character in Kuitan. "IGARASHI!!!"

Nobukawa Seijun (as Inspector Tomoda/Diana) was funny as heck. She actually believed Suou didn't recognize her out of the host club. I might as well add now that Rion and Suou get involved with murders and kidnappings involving the supernatural (or so they think). They do get tangled with some real crazies, let me tell you.

When Diana/Tomoda is with Suou she acts all cutesy, but her violent nature always pops through eventually and aggressively so. I felt bad for Suou's substitute host. Haha.

And whenever Tomoda/Diana is seen outside the club Rion struggles with her alias. "Di...Di...Di...Di...Daidara Bocchi!"

Diana/Tomoda's sidekick gave some of the best comedic moments. When he encounters his favorite dead idol/singer he goes nuts. "Maya you are so beatiful!" Snapping of pictures ensues. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Crouching over her dead and bloodied body. As his cries out in Engrish, "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Tomoda/Diana readies a nice cinder block and raises it over her head. Yup he smells treasure. His perverted antics were quite funny. Whatever his name was. Haha. Azuma I think.

The whole show had a a bit of a cheap feel, especially with all those cheesy effects and bad acting. The way they showed flashbacks was interesting, when they flashed back and forth quickly between the past and present before settling on the scene. The sound effect/track that accompanied that action grated on my nerves though.

I have to say I enjoyed the show much more than I thought I would. Well it does have my favorite ingredients: mystery/crime, comedy, and a touch/hint of romance. The ending felt rushed and I wanted more. It was kind of sad, for Rion anyway. They didn't especially leave us with a clear ending, but it was a satisfying one.

w a l k i n . b u t t e r f l y

2008-07-20T20:28:00.006-04:00

Title: Walkin' Butterfly
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Drama
Year: Summer/Fall '08
No. of Episodes: 12
Cast: Nakabeppu Aoi and Toba Jun

My Rating: 5.5/10
Recommend: Sure
Re-watchability: Eehh

I was browsing D-Addicts, being that it is my second home, and I saw the title of this show out of the corner of my eye. It suddenly registered that the manga must have been made into a TV drama. I was pleased with the prospect, but as of yet no one is subbing this show. So I decided to watch it without subs, which I seldom do if I don't have to.

Well the show airs on TV Tokyo, I would assume it is a poorer network...maybe. I found that most of their productions sport lesser known stars. And after being completely disgusted and repulsed by one of their shows I burned it into my brain to be wary of the network. I am enjoying Guren Onna and Fuma no Kojiro, but the only thing going for them is the comedy aspect.

With my vague knowledge (due to my bad memory/retention) of the manga it was easier to tell what was going on even without the subs. But it appears to be simple, and if you were unaware of the story you could catch on.

Walkin' Butterfly is about Michiko: a tall girl dealing with insecurities towards her body. When she gets a peek of the modeling world, she sees it as a place where she could fit in.

The story compared to the comic has a different feel. I suppose any literary work translates to the screen a little off. With the drama it feels less dark, it is definitely a comedy. The drama has a more innocent and happy aura to it. The comic also has its forced comedic bits too, but at least they don't have "enlightened" preaching people. I was almost happy for the absence of subtitles when they started running their mouths.

The actors portrayed their characters well enough. The designer, Mihara Kou (Toba Jun), his style seems a little off. He looked more like a slob in the comic, and in the show he is suspiciously well groomed. The stubble just on his chin is distracting, and not at all attractive. Someone should attack it with a razor. Toba Jun got Kou's callousness down pat though.

Torayasu Michiko (Nakabeppu Aoi) is a little...loud. And how does dressing like a man show you are insecure with your body? Okay I can see where they are coming from, she is afraid to accentuate her female body when her personality and size contradicts it (according to society). I suppose the show/comic is about accepting yourself for what you are. But...accepting yourself and the fashion world kind of don't mesh. Considering if you don't look a certain way you are no good. I wouldn't suggest being a model if you have body issues. But maybe she needs to face her fears, because with that personality I think she'll survive...and kill a few people along the way.

When Michiko gets mistaken for a model when delivering pizza to an event, she gets dragged into participating. I loved when she was fully assembled and she felt she looked good and she could do this modeling thing. She practices walking like a model...except she looked more like a huntress on the prowl. The scowl and sneer helped her look more riveted on the kill. Haha.

I had one big issue with the show. Being that TV Tokyo dramas are shorter than average I felt kinda cheated when they actually brought in characters not originally from the comic to fumble about. Not that I would mind usually, but this is something even more atrocious...the characters were from another show airing on the TV Tokyo. A show called Flying Rabbits. Why are they doing this to me? I think Michiko not having someone to confide in is part of her problem. And then they throw in some buddy buddy basketball playing stewardesses.

I haven't read the whole series of Walkin' Butterfly, so there could be basketball playing stewardesses waltzing about...but I doubt it.

So far I think the show is average, but I'll give it a try. And I want to see Kou's face when Michiko is all fierce on the runway.

s n o w f l a k e s

2008-07-18T22:00:00.007-04:00

Title: Snowflakes
Country of Origin: South Korea
Genre: Romance, Drama
Year: Fall '00 - Winter '01
No. of Episodes: 16
Cast: Yoon Son Ha, Kim Sang Kyung and Park Yong Ha

My Rating: 9/10 (even though I did not watch the ending)
Recommend: Yup
Re-watchability: Yup

Well, after that nice thunderstorm that passed through I feel a bit revitalized. I am no longer dying from the heat and humidity, too much. I have been doing lots (slight exaggeration) of stuff to pass the time in this hot weather. Even drawing, which I seldom have an urge to do. But after that BEAUTIFUL sunset the other day (bright pinks & oranges, the blue sky was wonderful too. Wah! Loved it!) I really wanted to render it in watercolors. The whole painting/drawing thing is leading somewhere. I want to show off this. Haha. My drawing of mullet head from Spotlight. I stopped the show at a painful part, when Woo Jin asks him who he thinks is the prettiest female co-worker. And I decided to capture the moment. And, no, it is not supposed to be good.

On to the drama. I just discovered a drama that I have completely fallen in love with. Snowflakes is a Korean drama from 2000. And I have been noticing that they did simple drama much better back in the day (eight years ago?). Current dramas seem so repetitive. I mean really, I was on episode 5 before I knew it. Well this show reminds me very much of All About Eve, Tomato, and Star in My Heart. All of which I really like.

I stumbled upon this lovely gem when I mistook it for another drama, Snowman. Don't ask me how. Within the first thirty seconds I realized I got the wrong drama. So I looked it up and found another drama with the same name starring Kim Kibum and Go Ara. Scary combo. Speaking of which, I watched a preview of the second Snowflakes (more commonly referred to as Snow Flower though). Go Ara was throwing a bottle through a window. She looked like a drunken chimp, especially with that posture, the hunched back did not help. And her expression...a drunken one. I am being mean to pay her back for making my eyes (and ears) bleed while watching Who Are You? I found out Snow Flower (2007) is not a remake of Snowflakes (2000), much to my relief.

The story is about a young woman who, despite her deteriorating retinas, aspires to become a chef. Oh and we must not forget to mention the love triangles! Heh heh.

Like most of the older dramas I mentioned above, the ladies always have some sort of goal to become a fashion designer, reporter and the like. But the main focus is never fully on their career goals, it is on their love lives. Not that I am complaining about my beloved love triangles...much.

In this drama I was pleasantly surprised (and a little bit traumatized) to see some familiar faces. And I quickly became attached to some new ones. Quickly. Heh heh heh.

Yoon Son Ha being one of the new people I adore. She is so cute. I want to cuddle her, like she is a cute little puppy. Cutesy girls in dramas can sometimes be annoying (i.e. Go Ara, Nagasawa Masami), but I like YSH's character Yoo Sun. Apparently YSH has been in quite a few Japanese dramas...that I now NEED to watch. Prison Girl looks interesting, but YSH's expression in the promo pic isn't that suited to the said environment.

The whole issue with Yoo Sun and her going blind is quite amusing. Haha! Because I love to see people in pain. Maybe I just love the intentional drama her pain causes. It is just too juicy not to love. I am wondering where this is all going to lead though. Oh we just happened to find a cure! Or something like that.

Kim Sang Kyung is another fresh face to me. I have heard of many of the movies and dramas he has been in, but have yet to watch any of them. His monkey-like (I only tease because I love. Haha) looks had to grow on me, but he does have a nice smile (which Yoo Sun noticed right off. Rawr!). I have a crazy urge to watch Lawyers. That whiner Kim Sung Soo is in that show though. And his annoying acting gets very old after one drama.

KSK plays Tae Bin, the male lead. Basically, Tae Bin is a playboy who has never truly been in love. Again we get a emotionally stunted man-boy from a broken family. And to match that we have the typical female lead raised by a single parent.

I really have to say that I almost died when Tae Bin took Yoo Sun in his arms after she collapsed (episode 6). I am even laughing now about it...in a fond way por supuesto. His intense expression was hilarious, and very dramatic. This show really has me squealing. Haha.

The other man is played by my favorite scruffle face from On Air, Park Yong Ha! His hair is crazy scary and dated. I was surprised to see him and his ugly hair. In Ha, Yong Ha's character is just has scary as his hair, fell in love with Yoo Sun first. But he quickly got pushed aside. He had a bit of a crazy fit with his lady love. "Stop asking where we're going!" I don't think he goes out with the ladies often.

Chae Jung Ahn plays In Ha's sister Ji Ho. Ji Ho is an immature girl who has been in love with Tae Bin for most of her life. And she especially does not want to let him go now that she sees he may genuinely be in love. CJA is good at playing the immature type, she was extremely irritating in Coffee Prince. I tried to like her. I do like her hair in this drama, and her contacts, if not her personality. Ji Ho calls playing with people's emotions a "game." Nice.

Oh and that rage infected gorilla Lee Hyung Chul, looking younger, is also in Snowflakes. He is less rage infected though.

I really am loving this drama! I just am crazy for the love triangles and drama. And the illness too. Love it. I am appreciating the perfect amount of drama in each episode. It is a simple story, but that doesn't hamper my enjoyment. I'll be generous.

w h e n . i t ' s . a t . n i g h t

2008-07-12T01:30:00.006-04:00

Title: When It's at Night
Country of Origin: South Korea
Genre: Romance
Year: Summer '08
No. of Episodes: 17
Cast: Kim Sun Ah and Lee Dong Gun

My Rating: 4/10
Recommend: Not really
Re-watchability: No

I am bringing up this new drama just for the sake of a bashing. Because, to put it plainly, I don't have anything nice to say about it. It may sound has if I hated the drama, but it was more of a neutral feeling. Everything felt repetitive and dull in When It's At Night. I was never too interested when I heard about the drama in passing a few months ago, and my brief skim (which has betrayed me quite often of late) of the synopsis didn't make sense (read the dramawiki synopsis---no sense) of the plot and I was not intrigued at all.

I know many people were excited to see Kim Sun Ah in a drama after all these years, lots of drama fans loved her in My Name is Kim Sam Soon. I liked that drama myself. So I have to say I was a bit disappointed in her character and performance. I may be jumping the gun, after watching just one episode.

Maybe I should describe a bit of the story before I get to caught up in my rage...or maybe pity would be a better word for my feelings. Haha.

Heo Cho Hwi (Kim Sun Ah) is a...wait, what the heck is she? I believe she protects national treasures and stops thieves who sell them. Kim Bum Sang (Lee Dong Gun) is a conceited and sex crazed antiques appraiser. Fun stuff! So I assume they argue and back stab each other and then BAM! fall in love. I would be afraid to stand next to that likely STD ridden Bum Sang. As of yet the couple has no chemistry. Attraction is what they don't have actually. Chemistry doesn't pertain just to romance, but they don't have any of that either. I could understand the lack of it maybe, being that they hate each others guts at this point (episode 1). And I wonder if it will all develop nicely.

Lee Dong Gun, I was never a fan of. Something about his face. Not that he is a hideous man or anything. He just seems to lack character (and acting ability). I never really liked his characters in any of the movies and dramas he starred in. But I never did finish watching anything he was in, so maybe I missed a gem. Whenever I think of Lee Dong Gun I remember his role in the drama Sang Doo, Let's Go To School. Rain comes barging into the bathroom as Lee Dong Gun is sitting on the toilet. He exclaims that he is in the middle of taking a poo. And Sang Doo (Rain) responds by saying, "You can talk to me while you take a crap (---from memory, so likely off)!" I almost died laughing and had to watch that scene several times.

I think Dong Gun got some attention due to the recent death/murder of his younger brother. But sympathy won't bring in viewers. Or give him new fans. It just made me a bit curious about this actor I didn't know or care much about. A bit cruel and morbid of me, no?

The whole feel of When It's At Night is that they played it safe. The comedy is lacking, and this is supposed to be a comedy. Blah. Very sad. I don't think I laughed even once. The drama is going for sex to draw people in, and they think they can slide with a halfway decent plot and writing. I found the "action" to be very boring, isn't action supposed to make your heart pound faster, keep you eyes glued to the screen, and cause you to catch your breath. Okay I may be asking for a little too much. But when you want to skip the climax of the episode because it is so tedious you know there is a problem.

I think most of Korea is feeling them same way about the drama, being that the viewership rating is in the single digits. I really hope that there is some improvement. And I will watch more of the drama, eventually.

On the bright side, two actors that I like are in the drama: Kim Hyeo Beom (I may be very off on the romanization of his name, I could only find it in Hangul) and Park Chul Min. They always make me laugh. I loved KHB in Money's Warfare when he played the Middle Eastern soldier/terrorist. So funny...or maybe I just like to see people get beat up. Haha.

Kim Jung Hwa is also very present in the drama. I can't say I like her. She ruined Taste Sweet Love (aka Snow White) for me. Okay, I am being too dramatic about that. But any other actress could have definitely made the drama better than what it was. Okay okay I am exaggerating...a bit. And who has hair like that? Did they try to make it look fake and wig-like? And she had no chemistry with MY Lee Wan (just joking about the my thing---yeah right I was seething with rage whenever they got near each other. Haha. I lie. I am practising my rabid fangirl act). Come to think of it she was zeroing in on MY Kang Dong Won too. At least she has good taste...yeah right. In real life her ideal man would be Jang Dong Gun or Byung Hun Lee.

Enough blathering about my nemesis Jung Hwa. To sum up my opinion, watch it if you like the actors involved. But if you want something unique and fresh you won't find it with this drama. I'll be kind and give it two stars. I do hope it gets better, because I do love me a good romantic comedy. Emphasis on good.

On a last note, the characters go to Japan in the first episode. So I was subjected to mediocre Japanese. But it surprisingly was not that bad...so my ears didn't bleed this time around. Lee Dong Gun's "Sugoi desu ne (Amazing isn't it)" was murder though. Was he supposed to say it in such a flat voice...like he didn't mean it? And I love how Koreans think they can pass themselves off as Japanese, their bad language skills and all.

g o u r m e t

2008-07-08T01:39:00.004-04:00

Title: Gourmet
Country of Origin: South Korea
Genre: Romance
Year: Summer/Fall '08
No. of Episodes: 24
Cast: Kim Rae Won and Nam Sang Mi

My Rating: 8/10
Recommend: Definitely
Re-watchability: Maybe

I believe Gourmet was definitely highly anticipated, mostly due to the fact that Kim Rae Won stars in it. It has been a couple years since KRW has been in a drama. I feel his presence has been missed, considering his is one of the better actors out there (not the best, but I like him). I heard about this drama way back, months ago, when it was announced that KRW would be playing the lead role. So I added it to my "Want to watch" list and waited.

During all this waiting time I stumbled upon a movie called Le Grand Chef. Considering I am a sucker for all things food related (loves me some Iron Chef), and competition related too, I had to watch it. I heard mixed feelings about the movie after I watched it, but it generally hasn't swayed my opinion on the movie. I really liked it. I would have wanted to see more food action, and the editing for the little action there was was a bit wacky. Of course Kim Kang Woo made me like the movie even more so. It was a funny and very cute movie, with lots of drama and tears. The cow scene made me cry, I admit it.

I would rave on and on about the movie but I must make my point, finally. Le Grand Chef and Gourmet are based on the same Korean manhwa (comic). Which I was unaware of for a bit. And I have yet to read this said manhwa.

So I assume that the story lines will be similar, but so far Gourmet seems very different (okay not so very different, but a bit). I am looking forward to the drama...heh heh heh.

The story is about a young man as he struggles through adversity (my favorite word!) to create tasty and traditional Korean dishes.

Kim Rae Won is looking good. I never did like his hair, and it is a big relief for me to see it short. I sorta liked his hair in My Love Patzzi, it was the best out of many bad choices to pick from. I always thought that his puffy hair made his already big head look bigger. Ouch!

KRW's character Sung Chan seems very familiar...which makes me annoyed. Do we constantly see the same characters churned out by many actors. I doubt all Korean men are like those three or so types displayed in a Kdrama. Maybe KRW is not such a good actor. But it is a somewhat likable character. I have to praise Kim Kang Woo again and say I liked the way he portrayed his character, a serious man who loves his work but he is scared to take chances after his almost killed someone. Now that I describe Sung Chan I see that KRW and KKW got the characteristics down. However, KKW pulled it off better, by my premature judgement.

Apparently Sung Chan was a bit of a gangster, but Oh Bong Joo's father saw his potential and natural talent he had and took him under his wing. Oh Bong Joo, played by Kwon Oh Joong is a jealous little boy (okay a grown hairy man, but mentally a boy) who wants what he thinks rightly belongs to him, talent aside. Oh jeez, the way he was shooting off his mouth was disgusting. No he wasn't swearing and cussing people out...he was speaking English. Oh. My. Poor. Bleeding. Ears. Painful stuff, and he was trying to speak every other language under the sun (Japanese, French, etc). I can't stand the tailored looks every rich Korean man MUST wear. I want to see jeans and a tee. And his poorly styled hair makes me want to scream out in horror whenever his head pops into view. WHY!? WHY!?! WHY!?!?!? Can he not brush his own hair? And that moss growing on his chin...which is almost nonexistent, gives me the shivers. Not that the Oh Bong Joo in the movie version was much prettier, at least he wasn't making an attempt to look so.

Nam Sang Mi (as Jin Soo) is also present in Gourmet. She has been a favorite of mine since I saw her in Bad Family. I hope her character is not too annoying. Because Lee Ha Na was a bit so, but she eventually grew on me. As of episode one NSM has yet to appear...so I can't cut her down. Haha.

Min Woo (Won Ki Joon) plays Sung Chun's old classmate. The bitter Min Woo likes to think his is far superior to Sung Chun. He is the typical bad tempered a-hole who only cares for his own advancement, and will never be a great chef because his is not willing to takes risks. I am sure he is really just jealous because Sung Chun can butter up those ahjummas. But even the ahjummas don't give Min Woo the time of day. A bitter bitter man. Haha.

I almost forgot to mention our beautiful female lead No.2 Kim So Yeon (as Ju Hee). So Yeon is looking plastic fantastic in this drama. Her nose is so pointy it could pop a balloon. I didn't recognize her. I watched enough episodes and despised her guts in All About Eve. I recognized her voice immediately, but her face was a different matter. But everyone likes plastic...oops I mean natural beauties. Sung Chan had his hands all over Ju Hee's tushy. NO LIE! Not that I think she minded.

I completely forgot I was going to mention the soundtrack. It has some poppy songs, which reminded me of older '90s Kdramas. And the ending instrumental had a Nobuo Uematsu feel. I imagined a Final Fantasy battle theme. It is a battle field in their world, eh? Haha.

I think I'll like this drama, considering the food and ADVERSITY! I hope it gets better in the coming episodes.

a f t e r . d a r k

2008-07-07T22:15:00.006-04:00

Well, being that it is indeed summer I usually have much more time on my hands. And coincidentally I haven't found a job of yet (or haven't tried to find one may be much more appropriate). So I have spent my time reading. Reading was a huge pastime when I was younger and I could plough through 15, or so, books a week. High school was the cure for that, and college even more so. But after an enlightening course I rediscovered books. And being that I was lost in the sea of, let's say, mature reading material I was a bit daunted. The last books I touched were YA novels and the like so I did not know where to start. So that English class was a nice help. The librarian was so happy that I was, "borrowing books from the adult section." And she inquired if I was graduating from high school soon, which I had to sheepishly reply that I was a sophomore in college. I think she remembers all too well my manga craze a few years earlier, when they were bogged down with my many requests.

With the advances in technology and a thing called the internet I can gauge if I will like the book or not. But you never can tell...I would know (I am being overly grim). So I recently requested a few novels by Korean American authors. And I spotted a Japanese author as I was browsing Amazon for prospects. Haruki Murakami. So I decided to try him out. After Dark seemed right for me, plus I am a night owl so that made me feel like I had a connection to this book. I have to say I thought the cover of the book was interesting (the newest US version), I am positive it is a pachinko parlor. And I liked the vending machine drinks on the back too. Just because I am a nerd.

The book itself I loved. Basically it is about a girl Mari who seeks distraction, and maybe some answers, from the entertainment district. Not that Mari is partying like an animal, it almost seems as if the main characters in the novel are they only existing or awake people in the whole darkened city. Which makes sense being that this book is about loneliness. As Mari endures the night we are introduced to various characters, including her deeply sleeping sister Eri.

I love how the book makes you try to grapple with metaphysical concepts. Plus I liked the author's humor. He even threw in a bit of violence and crime in to make it extra spicy. Mmmm.

I must add that I liked the issues Murakami brought up. Sometimes people think they are the only ones struggling with ideas and worries. And they brought up something I have been brooding (haha) about. Heaven, or the lack thereof. Mari believed in nothingness after death too. And another character (Korogi? Komugi?) expressed my wish that there was something after death.

I have to say I liked Mari purely because she reminded me of well...me (haha). Our names even are VERY similar.

I loved the whole vibe of the book. And it felt real, even with all that funky jazz thrown in. Oh I have to say that the characters seemed to have a bit of an odd taste in music, movies and the like. The taste of the author is apparent. Not that I especially mind what the characters likes are, it makes them seem even more isolated from the masses that way.

I have to mention that I visited the author's site and thought the music was very fitting to the feel of After Dark. And I like how Murakami gives his books a soundtrack, I think that is so cool. I am eager to read more by Murakami.

My Rating: ★★★★☆

s p o t l i g h t

2008-06-22T22:12:00.008-04:00

Title: Spotlight
Country of Origin: South Korea
Genre: Romance, Drama
Year: Spring/Summer '08
No. of Episodes: 16
Cast: Ji Jin Hee and Son Ye Jin

My Rating: 6/10
Recommend: Sure, I guess
Re-watchability: Not so much

I think you would find some weird connections if you traced my pattern of drama viewing. But I suppose this is how things flow. Well, in the midst of watching the final episode of Joshi Deka! I spotted a Korean actor I took a liking to. I was pleasantly surprised, because I was not expecting to see a favorite actor in a cameo role, least he be a Korean in a mostly Japanese cast show. I kept replaying his scene over like a psycho. "Kore wa..." Haha. I am going somewhere with this.

Spotlight is a Korean drama accused of being similar to the previous and (much more) popular drama On Air. It is, again, about the behind the scenes look at television. I myself wasn't too interested in a drama that attempted to ride on the popularity of a different drama. Spotlight has it's own feel to it though. And I will admit that it is interesting. I am watching it.

But there are so many things that I don't like about the show. Haha. I sound harsh.

The cast, I suppose, is considered good. I write this with a pained expression on my face. I never really thought that Son Yeh Jin and Ji Jin Hee were that good. I did like Son Yeh Jin a lot in The Classic...or maybe I just liked the movie as a whole. I am not saying that either of the leads are bad actors, I just never liked them that much. Okay they are bad actors...I'll get to the bashing in a bit.

Son Yeh Jin (as Seo Woo Jin) plays a reporter. How to describe her character? Wishy washy? Maybe due to watching just a few episodes I can't gauge her personality correctly. Let me just say I don't find her character to be sympathetic, endearing or likable at all. Maybe I should give it time. But I really don't feel like it.

Ji Jin Hee (as Oh Tae Suk) scares me. His square jaw. His well groomed mullet (well it is not exactly a mullet, but I am not too knowledgeable of the names of hairstyles...if that grotesque thing even has a name). I can laugh whenever I see that hideous creature on his head because the actually had Oh Tae Suk running in slo-mo with his hair blowing in the wind. I was laughing hysterically, and begging the show to stop as they continued to show me that heinous display of warped manliness. Again another character that is not too likable (I think we are going to have to look past his tough exterior and try and see the sensitive man underneath...blah).

I am interested to see SWJ and OTS's relationship develop. Considering the friction and bad blood I can't wait too see the outcome. Just because I am sadistic. They really deserve each other. I must say they have about zero chemistry, so if they do hook up I'll...not like it? (I am saving my "punch in the throat" joke for another occasion) I have seen a recent trend of leaving relationships open ended at the finish of the show (being that I have not finished a lot of dramas from a few years back I can't comment effectively on trends though...I heard Summer Scent was open ended...come to think of it Son Yeh Jin was in that drama). I tend to feel gypped (in the case of Powerful Opponents. Maybe because Chae Rim as Young Jin didn't really seem to be attracted or in love with the leads. I was hoping for her to stop being indecisive and reject them both), a bit unsatisfied (as with Before & After. I was wishing for the Director and the Manager Yoon to get together...they were leading to the Director and Nurse Hong pairing as the definite one though), and sometimes satisfied with the choice not to pair everyone and make it a happy happy ending (as with Evasive Inquiry Agency. Considering the show was not really about romantic relationships but about friendship I thought it was very fitting).

Wow, that was a lot of blathering nonsense. My point tends to be hidden. I basically think the two leads should NOT live happily ever after. It wouldn't seem right otherwise, considering the development thus far. I must say that Son Yeh Jin and Ji Jin Hee are not giving any real depth to their characters. I would understand in OTS's case since he is supposed to be a somewhat mysterious character...now that I think about it, is he? Nope. I feel the whole show is trying too much and not succeeding at anything.

The stories in the show are dull and dragged out. Annoying stuff. I am hoping for some improvement. Some drama and excitement. The possible story lines don't really pique my interest. I don't care to find out OTS's hidden past. I really don't care if SWJ becomes an anchor or dies in a ditch.

The supporting cast is okay. I am enjoying Ahn Suk Hwan's role as usual. He always makes me laugh. Kim Jung Wook is looking bloated and old. And demonstrating why he could never be a main lead, but maybe he would do better than the two lead clowns they've got traipsing around in front of the camera.

Should I get around to the reason I am watching the show? I should really. I dragged out this nonsense long enough. Jin Goo . Yes he is the reason. He made the cameo in Joshi Deka!...and I was all, "Is that HIM?" Yes indeed it was. Being that I hardly saw him in anything (and am still a fan...I sense I am a fan for all the shallow reasons...haha). But he is actually a good actor. Even though Jin Goo (as Lee Sun Chul) in Spotlight is very much a stock character, he brings a certain amount of depth to his character. Plus he is funny. I have taken to calling him "saucer nipples." Plus when referring to my siblings about Asian actors I use incidents or characteristics to make them recall the character. They wouldn't have a clue who I was talking about if I mentioned the name Sun Chul/Jin Goo. Daniel Henney has it easy though...Pillup! Pillup! Back to Jin Goo, he is looking bloated and old too. Tsk tsk...age more gracefully people!

If you want to watch a slightly amusing drama about news reporting and the like this would be your number. I found it to be okay...I am waiting on the 7th episode with a little anticipation...just because I am kind. Haha. I do like Spotlight a bit, and not just because Jin Goo is in it. I'll see if I hate the show in a few episodes...I feel am in danger of doing so.

s t a r . i n . m y . h e a r t

2008-06-08T00:38:00.016-04:00

Title: Star in My Heart
Country of Origin: South Korea
Genre: Romance
Year: Spring '97
No. of Episodes: 16
Cast: Choi Jin Shil, Ahn Jae Wook and Cha In Pyo

My Rating: 9/10
Recommend: Yes, it's a classic.
Re-watchability: Maybe

It suddenly occurred to me to write tonight. After unmercifully bashing a pitiful manhua (Chinese comic) I decide to put my efforts towards a more satisfying use: bashing Korean dramas. Haha. I lie...I won't be too mean. *EVIL CACKLE*

Well I watched Star in My Heart (aka Wish Upon a Star) a few years ago, technically I watched the first five minutes and decided to give up on it. That was in the days when I didn't know by the end of the first episode, without realizing it, you'll be wanting to watch the next one right quick. Mostly it was the dated look and the lame cheese that put me off. I should never judge a show by the first five minutes. That is what I find painful about Korean dramas sometimes, I may not like the first few episodes that well but halfway through it gets good. Take the Korean drama Thank You for example, I watched the first couple episodes. I heard it had the most viewers compared with the other dramas it was competing with. But I never got into it, but maybe would have if I just watched one more episode. It didn't help that it featured two leads I am not very fond of. Blah.

Well after watching a few older dramas, such as Tomato (1999) and All About Eve (2000) very recently I was less hesitant about trying older shows. Plus I loved Feelings (1994. On a unimportant and unrelated side not: I haven't finished Feelings yet, started it last summer...plan to finish it this one).

When I start a new show I have to like the sound of the plot or be a fan (I use fan casually because I never become a rabid fan girl...I am sure people would tell me otherwise) of the actors involved. Being that I never really saw any of the main leads in anything did not help bring me to this drama any sooner. But anyway, I recently watched an episode of Last Scandal and looked up the lead actress' works, and she was in this drama. So as things built up the forecast for this show looked quite promising.

Ah the plot. Star in My Heart is your basic Cinderella story, complete with some adversity and love triangles. My favorite!

Being that this show is licensed in the states I can't readily find it. Or maybe I am not looking hard enough. But I found the first three episodes on Veoh and quickly downloaded them. For the rest of the series I'll have to purchase it (ouch!). But my buyer's remorse quickly faded as I watched the last few minutes of episode three multiple times.

Where to start? There were a few things that made me laugh. The first being Cha In Pyo (as Lee Jun Hee). Haha. His name even makes me laugh when I hear/read it. Not that it's a funny name (not that I know of). Ah memories (I'm acting as if they are fond and distant ones)! Well, when we are first introduced to Pyo-y (don't ask why I am calling him this...I came up with it two seconds ago) the ladies are checking him out. Wow, scary might I had. They were all a flutter. And sputtering nonsense that he was hot (the evil step sister claiming him as her own). Hot? Let's see...I don't think so. Creepy? Yes, that and much more. Examples? Sure, plenty. Haha.

Jun Hee apparently is a loner (with a mysterious past maybe? Just guessing for now). Apparently his lover left him. But I did not trust this info until I was shown concrete proof. Jun Hee, when he first encounters Yun Hee (Choi Jin Shil), he stares like a weirdo stalker and proceeds to have an EXTREMELY creepy fantasy. I wasn't sure if it was a flashback or some sick fantasy at first. I mean, he was practically drooling like a pervert. Let me give details of this supposed flashback. Haha. Everything is a hazy pink. We see Jun Hee in bed (clothed) with his chest exposed (did not want to see that). Him and his lover kiss (a woman who looks eerily like Yun Hee. Which I assume is the reason for his obsession). She leaves and he runs to the balcony of his (?) mansion as the car pulls away. I must add that he must have good eyesight if he could see her drive away from a few miles in the distance (haha...kidding). I loved how they zoomed out (or was it in?) as Jun Hee watched in desperation as his lady love left him...never to return! Anyway. I loved how they showed how big the mansion was, but it somehow made the scene even more ridiculous. As if the pink haze wasn't enough.

I must mention I thought Pyo-y was the main male lead (I attribute this to my poor observation skills...or rather attempt to absorb info without reading a synopsis. And not putting my known methods of info gathering to the test. I blame it on laziness...not that it is pivotal I know these things. Wow, I am babbling). Basically I thought that that creepy weirdo man Cha In Pyo was the guy that gets the girl. When I found out he wasn't I was VERY happy. Haha. Ahn Jae Wook (as Kang Min Hee) is a better lead any day (Suspicious. I am spouting praises after only see him in barely three episodes of one drama).

On to Ahn Jae Wook. Never saw him in a drama. Yeah. What do I like about his character you ask? I'll tell! He wants to become a singer against he father's will. Yeah for adversity. They seem to have a bad relationship (a mysterious past thrown in too). Ooohh, yummy tension. Plus he is going to stir stuff up with Yun Hee and her (evil) benefactors. Haha, all that drama! I am anticipating the drama!

Should I mention a thing or two about Yun Hee? Well she is our Cinderella, with some ugly clothes and hair. As a young woman she left her home at the orphanage and was taken in by Mr. Song, a man (and his family) her mother knew (sound fishy?). The wife and daughter of Mr. Song do not like Yun Hee and make her life fairly miserable, of course without the dense man knowing.

Yun Hee is a feisty one, but I like how she becomes meek and vulnerable while in front of Mrs. Song and her evil spawn. And now all we need is a prince, right?

Before I end this blathering with a generous rating I have to add a little more about Jun Hee. He likes to live abroad (maybe searching for his runaway lover?). And he likes to roam the streets in tacky clothing and make weird arm movements. And some suspicious men were scaring me. As Jun Hee walked by them like a man on fruit loops they looked as if they were going to beat him to a pulp. Both embarrassing and humorous. If only I could explain that fruitcake's behavior better. Was he trying to look cool? I am sure those European thugs were as put off by the weirdo as much as I still am. I can't wait for his heart to be broken again. Bwahahaahaha!

Good drama. Straightforward plot, but jam packed full of drama. Again a rating based on just watching a few episodes.

j o s h i . d e k a !

2008-05-28T21:17:00.004-04:00

Title: Joshi Deka!
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Detective
Year: Fall/Winter '07
No. of Episodes: 10
Cast: Nakama Yukie and Ryu Shi Won

My Rating: 7/10
Recommend: Yes
Re-watchability: Not really

Surprisingly I haven't been watching a lot of dramas lately. What am I doing then? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I could be watching shows to my little heart's content. Especially seeing that I have LOTS of free time being that I don't have a summer job yet. It also doesn't help I am waiting for my sisters' convenience to watch "cream puffs" (Zettai Kareshi), "beater boyfriend" (Last Friends), and Gokusen. Blah.

Joshi Deka!, an unexpectedly good drama considering never thought I would not get too into it. When I read that Ryu Shi Won (wow I recalled his name from memory, I'm getting good. Haha yeah right), a Korean actor, would be in this Japanese drama I just had watch it for that reason alone. I thought he would be the only reason I would watch the whole show for. Not that I am a big fan of his.

Joshi Deka! is a mystery/crime fighting show. The title says it all "Female Cop."

Should I talk about Shi Won first off? Well, his part doesn't seem huge. Oh yeah except that he is the love interest. I do not lie. I have to say his acting is weird. I think he is making his character seem mysterious (the cliffhanger of episode 5 being kept in mind), but it comes off like he is a simpleton. He seems like a stay at home husband type, probably because he seems to be unemployed in the show. He loves cooking and doing laundry, plus he is very kind and nurturing (not that that has anything to do with being a stay at home dad/husband). His characteristics are ones associated with women, makes me wonder (wow that one class of sociology is stretching itself far). And Hatakeyama Kurumi (Nakama Yukie of Gokusen fame) seems to be the perfect compliment, considering she actually has a job. Haha.

Well Shi Won is playing a Korean in the show, so his Japanese is not expected to be perfect. But it is a bit painful to hear his sentences not flowing properly. And his Korean doesn't pop out naturally as it might would. When he said "sugoi (amazing)" in episode 4 I thought it was the perfect opportunity for him to speak some Korean instead, being that he was talking to himself.

Nakama Yukie, what is she doing? Is that called acting? Whatever it is is making my eyes bleed. Okay I am going overboard with that. But my favorite thing to do is critique the acting. Well her character is supposed to be immature and ditzy...not quite getting it at times. But it always seems the supposed (morals? ethics?) lessons are the most important, as long as people react a certain way it is all fine. But no form of entertainment should be taken too seriously.

Sakura (Pinko) is amusing from time to time. Nothing much to say about her.

The extras...oops I mean the extended cast are slightly entertaining, but rarely seen to be that memorable and endearing. I recognized a few of them (like Kinoko from Liar Game)...yeah fascinating.

Why do I like the show you ask? Well it is simple: I am addicted to mysteries. If there is nothing good about a show (or book) I'll watch (or read) it anyway if it is a mystery. Basically Yukie's character is trying to solve a serial murder case. Mmmm tasty serial, murder flavor! I must add that I am not hinting that the show is trash or anything. It doesn't annoy me, everything is pretty bearable about it. Romance isn't the main topic of the show. And it has one of my other favorite themes: adversity.

I like this drama. And if you like mysteries you may like it too, perhaps. Keep in mind I am on episode 6...so I have plenty of time to change my mind about this show. Also I must add I feel like I am being a little too generous towards drams I have been watching lately.

O_O"

2008-05-24T03:06:00.002-04:00

A little part of me just died. After spending HOURS on a post...Blogger went coo coo nutter bar on me. I lost more than half my post (which was pretty long, and my memory is jacked up because it is so late. So I'll have a hard time piecing the fragments...yes they left me with fragments...together). I am taking this pretty hard due to the fact I am EXTREMELY tired. Maybe things will look better in the morning. I HIGHLY doubt it. I learned a lesson though. Write my post in Word before I even THINK of going near Blogger. My beautiful post! I am off to cry now.

Hee hee (---side effects of lack of sleep). I know..."stop being a whiny baby." These things happen.

I'LL GET YOU SATAN!

g o k u s e n . 3

2008-05-11T22:51:00.008-04:00

Title: Gokusen 3
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Comedy
Year: Spring/Summer '08
No. of Episodes: 11
Cast: Nakama Yukie and Miura Haruma

My Rating: 5/10
Recommend: Sure, but if you've seen one you've seen them all
Re-watchability: Just watch the first two seasons

Ah yes the third season of Gokusen. Back in the day when I first started watching dramas I watched the first season of Gokusen. I am not sure I ever finished it now that I think of it. Around that time I was probably more interested in watching Korean dramas than Japanese ones. Still am. Well anyway, my first impression of the show...ah yes. I knew there was a manga and anime version. Not that my knowledge of that is pertinent. Well around that time I probably watched it because of Matsumoto Jun, being that the first Japanese drama I ever watched starred him. I grew fond of Oguri Shun while watching that. I am glad he is playing main leads now. Ah yes the good old days.

I must add that I haven't watched the second season. Which is a shame since my beloved Kame was in that season. As was Moko and Jin. So I should watch it. Notice the word "should" as if it were a chore for me to spend my time watching the show. Painful.

Well, I hate to break it to you but if you are familiar with the first two seasons (and my sister Marz is very familiar. I vaguely described the plot and she guessed immediately what I was watching) the third one will seem EXTREMELY familiar. Recycled story/plot. I understand the idea that Yankumi is a woman that is very good at handling delinquents, but we don't need to see the same situations. I need variation. Please. I swear they changed the names of characters and the school and BAM! told the same story. Keep in mind I haven't seen Gokusen in quite a while so my judgment could be off. But I think not.

So the story goes: There are some delinquents (I'll address these supposed delinquents in a bit) that are in danger of not graduating. So in comes Yankumi (tricked or otherwise) into the situation. She enters the classroom, being pleasant and cheerful while the kids are..being delinquents. She's is ignored. She spots the leader(s). She does some sort of trick to maintain some order (which fails to some extent). The kids are taken aback. But their suspicions are quelled when she acts the fool. However the leader(s) senses something...shall we say...special about her.

One of the students will get in trouble right off. She stands up for them. She trusts them. Trust and her believing in them. That's what it's all about. Now let me rant about why I don't buy that these kids are all that bad. Apparently Japanese men (I am assuming the writer/writers for this show, and previous ones, are men) believe that what all those naughty boys really need is someone to believe in them and help them out. Because deep down these kids don't want to slice your throat to shreds with a broken bottle. No. They are just acting up because no one trusts them. Are all these kids magically going to become good? I am waiting for some students to come along and the only thing that will cure them is a few years, or decades, in jail (not that I think jail "cures" anyone). I mean, really. These tough guys are touched by the smallest display of dedication and trust by anyone. I guess Yankumi only encounters the baddies with the hidden hearts of gold. Blah.

Ah yes, another phenomenon that occurs in the dimension of the Twilight Zone known as Gokusen: pretty boy felons. No, delinquents faces should not make you involuntarily retch. The Gokusen boys' faces apparently reflect the angels they truly are. Not that I mind pretty boys, it's just not realistic. Throw in some cauliflower ears and bent noses. Bah, who wants realism anyway...I'll stick with pretty boys.

Speaking of pretty boys, the main characters. Wow...in a bad way I guess. Ogata (Takaki Yuya) scares me. He reminds me of my cousin...who is a girl (not that she scares me...much). Is he trying to look like a girl? With bad hair mind you. And he actually wears eyeshadow, I am not lying. Oh goodness. I have to say I really laughed at the scene in the first episode were Ogata is getting beat up. I narrated it myself, "You take him. No, you take him. I don't want him, you take him." I've never seen anyone play hot potato with a person before. Hilarious. Beat up! Ha. Yeah right.

Now Kazama (Miura Haruma) on the other hand, I like. Haha. For all the shallow reasons in the world. Then again, who is the target audience for this show? Why do they have pretty boys in Gokusen? For me. Of course.

Haruma I heard was a bad actor, but it is not painfully obvious (not that I buy that he is gangsta). Plus I never saw him in anything else, except a trailer for the movie Naoko (which also stars Ueno Juri). And I have to mention the music on the Naoko website, every time I hear it my ears bleed but I don't turn it off. Masochistic? Or do I secretly like the song? Haha, I better not!

I kind of like the whole Gokusen storyline. So I don't mind terribly much that is recycled to the point it is a little ridiculous. The students couldn't be female? I'd like a little change. Or a little character development in Yankumi.

I have to mention that it always seems like foreigners are always portrayed as angry. "You stupid Japanese person, speak English or I'll shoot you." Something along those lines. And it's always nerds and people with badly damaged hair. And supposed Americans with thick European accents. But then again the majority of Americans can't differentiate a Korean person from a Japanese one.

l a s t . f r i e n d s

2008-05-01T20:30:00.005-04:00

Title: Last Friends
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Romance, Drama
Year: Spring/Summer '08
No. of Episodes: 11
Cast: Ueno Juri, Nagasawa Masami and Eita

My Rating: 9.5/10
Recommend: Yes, yes and yes
Re-watchability: Yes again

I first stumbled upon this new drama when cruising DramaWiki for Eita's works. I looked at the cast list and was unpleasantly surprised when I spotted my FAVORITE (a blatant lie) actress from Proposal Daisakusen. I saw that Ueno Juri (from Nodame Cantabile) was also in it. I read the brief synopsis on the show...Eita with a sex phobia. Pleasant. Yeah, don't think so. Not exactly something you come across much. Didn't especially appeal to me at the time.

Recently I stumbled upon the DramaWiki page for the drama some time later. The promo picture caught my eye. And when I saw Ueno Juri with her short hair I thought she was a pretty boy, didn't recognize her for a moment. So I broke down and decided to watch the first episode. I loved it! Okay maybe I exaggerate, but I really really really liked the show.

Well the story is about friendship and healing. As far as I can tell. All the characters have problems they are hiding. So I assume Ueno Juri's secret love, Michiru's (Nagasawa) abuse and Takeru's (Eita) phobia are the main issues in the show.

Okay as usual I have my own issues with Japanese dramas, the main one being Nagasawa (aka Rei from ProDai). Well at the very beginning of the show BAM! we see a pregnant Michiru. She is giving a narrative of how she was so ignorant and, "If only she had known." I hate that kind of talk. Plus it is never as bad as they make it out to be, I suppose. Moreover I hate excuses, and "If only I had known" is definitely an excuse.

Ueno Juri's character Ruka is a tomboy. Her sexual orientation is hinted at throughout the first episode. I have to say they gave her a stereotypical lesbian look (as much as they could). I was really happy with Ueno's acting. She portrays her emotions very well, a little overly dramatic at times but satisfactory overall. Ueno is actually a big reason why I love the show, she is just so cool.

Eita is not an especially good actor, I still like him though. I think he is doing a good job with his character (as far as I can tell from one episode). His relationship with Ruka (or his beginning of one) is very cute. My only problem is with his hair, he looks like a homeless man. Is bed head in nowadays? Mizushima Hiro's (aka Soshi from Zettai Kareshi) hair is atrocious, is he trying to make his small head look bigger? Haha.

Michiru has many problems, but I tend to tune out whatever comes out of her mouth. I really can't stand Nagasawa's acting, I really can't. But I am trying to find good moments. My sisters were trying to counter my exaggerations of not understanding her acting. I just desire a little more realism. Basically, I feel like am seeing almost the same character from ProDai.

As I have mentioned many times, I hate all those Japanese philosophies that get shoved in our faces, sometimes contradicting ones. Mostly we hear about the heart, making others comfortable, working hard and trying our best. It gets tiring. I am probably already brainwashed into believing American philosophies, so I probably don't notice them as American shows push them on to me. With Last Friends we get a heap of sugary lines seeping out of the actors mouths. I wonder if to Japanese people they seem sincere?

I have to mention one of the lines I hated, it will probably be slightly rephrased because I don't remember the exact words. Michiru (talking about Ruka): "I didn't know at that time that you looked back. I didn't even notice." Lame. How is Michiru supposed to know Ruka looked back. Was it meant to convey that Michiru should have picked up on Ruka's feelings during their reunion? I think if the dialogue was written better the whole show would be enhanced.

Michiru's boyfriend is just a crazy nutter and I'll leave it at that. Nishikido Ryo used to be a favorite of mine from 1 Litre of Tears, but he never really grew on me. I wish his role didn't feel like he was playing a stock character or a stereotype. But the character brings lots of drama to the show and I am happy for that.

I see a lot of promise...and drama to come in this show. And so far I really love this Jdrama. It's a little slow paced and wordy, but I can overlook it for now. Oh and I love the soundtrack too, very appropriate.

o n . a i r

2008-04-25T23:48:00.004-04:00

Title: On Air
Country of Origin: South Korea
Genre: Romance
Year: Spring '08
No. of Episodes: 21
Cast: Park Yong Ha, Lee Bum Soo and Kim Ha Neul

My Rating: 9.5/10
Recommend: Yes and yes
Re-watchability: Yes

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.

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

2008-04-23T15:09:00.008-04:00

Title: Zettai Kareshi
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Year: Spring/Summer '08
No. of Episodes: 11
Cast: Hayami Mokomichi, Abu Saki and Mizushima Hiro

My Rating: 8/10
Recommend: Yes
Re-watchability: Maybe

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.

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

2008-04-14T01:57:00.009-04:00

Title: Yobi, the Five Tailed Fox
Country of Origin: South Korea
Year: 2007

My Rating: 7/10
Recommend: I suppose
Re-watchability: Sure

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.

m a u n d y . t h u r s d a y

2008-03-20T21:30:00.001-04:00

Title: Maundy Thursday
Country of Origin: South Korea
Year: 2006
Cast: Kim Dong Won and Lee Na Young

My Rating: 10/10
Recommend: YES!
Re-watchability: Oh yeah

Well in honor of Holy Thursday I decided to type up a little review on a Korean movie I recently watched called Maundy Thursday (aka Our Happy Time). I was at first drawn to the movie because I knew Kang Dong Won was in it, and I love him! The only problem I had with this movie, that I can think of off hand, is that I can't think of anything I can complain about. And I love to criticize the dramas and movies I like...so I guess this post will be mostly filled with praises. I hope it doesn't bore you. I personally found my posts of that sort (the non-criticizing sort, por supuesto) can be a bit dry...a bit lacking. I guess I have to have a passion for what I am writing. Bear with me.

The plot is about a lonely woman who falls in love with a man on death row. Doesn't it sound Korean?

-Spoilers Ahead-

1. The crying: I have to admit I cried so much while watching this movie. First off, in my family, you don't cry during a movie because my siblings (and my dad) will jump at you like a rabid cat with claws extended. So I usually like watching movies alone, I can judge them better too, without others' opinions clouding my own. But what I was going to write about was the actual crying in the movie. Basically this movie is about two people who have both experienced difficult lives...so hence the crying. I have to say, though, the crying in the movie did not especially trigger my tear ducts to start flowing, it was the content that did. To be honest Kang Dong Won's crying was a bit pathetic, when people cry they aren't thinking of how they look and sound, it is just them reacting to overwhelming sadness and despair. And Kang Dong Won was defiantly trying to look pretty, not that I mind, it just effected his performance (so maybe I do mind). In a very crucial scene, the mother of the woman Yun Su (KDW's character) killed comes and confronts him and then begins to forgive him, Yun Su breaks down and cries. Well before hand Yun Su had shown no remorse and had just wished for an immediate death. I think I can buy it if the angle is that Yun Su was sorry all along. But I saw this as a moment when Kang Don Wan's character was supposed to show the audience how much he regretted what he did, I just didn't see that. It was as if his character was sniveling a bit, showing us some crocodile tears. But Kang Dong Won's performance at the very end of the movie made up for any seemingly insincere tears towards the beginning.

2. Yu Jeong's secret: This secret causes Yu Jeong (played by Lee Na Young---who is much better at crying) to try and commit suicide many times. All the while Yu Jeong's mother is losing her patience, and is tired of the shame and embarrassment her daughter is causing her to go through. Yu Jeong lashes out and asks her mother to just let her die.

As Yu Jeong befriends Yun Su she opens up to him and tells him her secret, of which she revealed that she never told anyone before. She was raped by her cousin (an older man with a wife and kids) when she was a young girl (supposedly Yun Su raped a girl, so he aplogizes for guys like him---but we find out he took the rap for his friend...so it was unclear to me if he really raped someone). But the reason why she wants to kill herself is because she can't face her mother. Her mother's reaction to her rape was one of disgust towards her own daughter, blaming Yu Jeong for being raped. As the film progresses Yu Jeong discoverers how much her anger towards her mother was holding her back from peace. And in a desperate attempt to possibly let God save Yun Su's life, in return Yu Jeong tries to forgive her mother. Her love of Yun Su was more important than her mother's betrayal. I love what Yu Jeong said to her mother right before Yun Su's execution, "It would be so much easier for me to die than to forgive you." (That quote is from memory---so it could be a little inaccurate)

3. Yun Su's crime: Well apparently he killed one person, and took most of the blame for the other two murders (and rape?). Now the reason Yun Su got involved with some messy business was that he needed a lot of money and he needed it quickly. He impregnated his girlfriend and she ended up having a ectopic pregnancy. He couldn't afford surgery, hence the killing (he was hired to get a hit man close to the victim, an older woman who he was familiar with). Let's see, where was I going with this? Well anyway, Yun Su trusted (for the first time) that his "friends" would support him and he wouldn't be...be killed basically...for his crime(s). I do have to say that this whole movie sheds a very unfavorable light on capitol punishment. Maybe if Kang Dong Won's character was a hardened serial killer (and ugly and creepy as all heck) my opinion would be different. But Yun Su was a man constantly beaten down by life, and was someone effected by a error in judgment (and his split second reaction to the situation) that destroyed his life. Well anyway, they should show this movie to people who are for the death sentence, maybe they'll change their opinions (maybe it's just me who feels this way, I didn't want to see Yun Su die!).

I loved this movie! And Kang Dong Won too...haha. It had the traditional sad end found in many a Korean love story. I, at first, could not get over the fact that Korean movies did not always have a happy ending as found in Hollywood movies today. But I found a different kind of satisfaction with a sad ending in a Korean movie, I found closure even when the characters I had come to care for had died. I have even come to hope for a sad endings. Which shows how much I've come to appreciate something outside the sometimes sickening happy happy lovey dovey perfect endings of the Hollywood variety.

s h i a w a s e . n i . n a r i t a i !

2008-02-25T20:15:00.010-05:00

Title: Shiawase ni Naritai!
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Family drama
Year: Summer/Fall '05
No. of Episodes: 10
Cast: Fukada Kyoko

My Rating: 5.5/10
Recommend: Why not?
Re-watchability: Not really

Wow, I am attempting to write my second review for the night, even though I gave myself many mini heart attacks from my last post (which went crazy on me---well Blogger somehow went crazy). Maybe I used the italics button too much? So if my review sounds a little shaky in some parts...those are probably the parts that got rearranged (and deleted), and I had to salvage it. So while I cry inside I will march forward with this second review.

Shiawase ni Naritai! is a drama I wold classify as a "happy" one, even though it deals with serious issues that seem rampant in these dramas, such as debt and illnesses of loved ones. I had many a problem with this show, again I will assure I did like the show. I wonder why I have so many issues with these shows I like?

So anyway, the plot is that Asada Hikari, played by infamous Fukada Kyoko (only infamous in my own mind---I have some...let's say issues...with her), is trying to support her family after her father dies and leaves them with a huge debt. Oh how cheery this story sounds! I lie...it sounds too dramatic. As Hikari struggles to find a job t quickly pay off the debt collectors hounding them, she faces the option making the big bucks in a manner she is not so comfortable with. Through connections (Hasegawa-senpai) Hikari acquires a job as a cleaning woman at a broadcasting company, one thing leads to another and BAM! she gets a job as an assistant producer.

Do you feel a rant coming on? I feel annoyed right now (annoyed in a bad way---not a fired-up, wanna cuss this show out! way...so I hope it doesn't translate into what I will write). I don't feel like addressing acting and characters, so I'll just grapple with the main issues that irritated me the most out of everything.

-Spoilers Ahead-

1. Fukada Kyoko: Oh yes this girl. I have a lot to say about her. She seems over-rated. How many dramas has she been in? I saw her in a few and let me tell you, I was not inspired. Her characters could have died and gone to the deepest fiery pits of Hell and I would have not cared a bit. Her acting is almost grotesque. What was that crying? Those fake tears may work an horny old men, but not me. Come on! That crying was horribly fake and forced! I was about to die. And how can the director let her get away with that? Maybe I am just overreacting, perhaps she cries like that in real life. But when something feels genuine you can practically feel it through the TV screen. I will use this example, I always refer to this instance when thinking of a genuine...I am at a loss for words...how to describe that feeling? I'll just tell the story. Now it was some news story on people throwing chum in shark infested waters so tourists could view sharks up close and personal (while they were in a metal caged). So they had some footage of a shark attacking some people, the shark actually got it's body half-way through the caged and the two diver/tourists were still in it. It was as if I...I just knew what they were feeling. They were pumped full of adrenaline and scared as all heck. You could tell what they were feeling just by looking at the way the struggled quickly to escape from the cage and moved as fast as possible past the huge thrusting shark. If actors could just bring some reality like that...that made us feel (even a fraction) of what they are feeling on the screen. I mean, I felt more from those two small figures with their faces covered and backs partially turned from me than I ever really have felt from...I don't know...Fukada Kyoko? I know acting and reality are very different...but still I sometimes desire a little authenticity, something I can believe.

2. All those "happy" people: now this show had too many happy people and happy endings (of sorts). I mean all the "bad guys" are really good, or are seen in a good light. Not saying that the idea of good-hearted debt collectors isn't a bit of a fresh idea, and a relief from those carbon copy debt collectors from all those Korean dramas I watch. The debt collectors were actually my favorite characters too. But still it was tiring. I mean, the way Nagai-san (Hikari's boss) sees her boss is rather annoying. "It's his nature to lie and sleep with his colleagues to get ahead...but that doesn't make him a bad person." What kinda loony talk is that? Sure he probably will never go on a killing spree, but that doesn't make him less of a bad person. It doesn't stop the fact he is a lying-sneaky-cheat! Rawr. Let's see. Who else is happy? Ah! The whole production crew that works under Nagai-san. I mean...I just don't buy their supposed troubles. And Hikari-chan is way to happy, all these "problems" she faces, I just don't buy them. "Oh no I have to work doing naughty things...but I am so naive that I just stare blankly and take one for the team...because I am so innocent." Sure Hikari-chan, sure. Her smile is fake to me too. Maybe she shouldn't have gotten into acting.

3. "Oh no we're poor": Sure you're poor. Again we are faced with happy. Supposedly Hikari and her family have no money and are in debt. Let me tell you an earful! I am not buying that they are poor. I mean, the kids do wear the same clothes all the time and they supposedly don't eat sometimes. I mean, I doubt they were ever that rich. They don't strike me as a rich rich family (I think their dad own a factory or some jazz). But, my own family is not that well off, and we expect not to get certain things or go certain places (I do get that it is easier to go to places, like amusement parks, with a smaller family...but still). I just feel that the poor lifestyle is not ingrained in them, not even a bit. It was not as if they just became dirt poor when they found out their father was dead. Maybe it's just me, my instincts.

4. It's oh so easy: How can it be so easy? Hikari in the end lives happily ever after...sorta. She gets all her debt cleared because her mum owed it, not her, so she doesn't have to pay! Yipee! She becomes a scriptwriter, I doubt she was a particularly good writer. It is just that the business was congested with old male writers who can't bring fresh conceptions or portray characters and a story that young people could identify with. Oh and she goes back to working with Nagai-san (because Hikari-chan now loves to make TV dramas! Goodie!). What else was happy ending-ish? Oh and Yojiro, the young debt collector (who loves Hikari-chan...everyone just loves Hikari-chan!) gets out of the business and works hard as an honest man. Hasegawa-senpai becomes capable at his job, and learns to appreciate doing what he loves (courtesy of Hikari-chan calling him "Baka"). Nagai-san transfers, but then comes back! Woot! Nagai-san's lazy-perv boss gets promoted. Happy happy happiness!

What more can I add. It was a happy show. And if you don't mind watching a drama about "poverty" through the eyes of some upper-middle class Japanese men that screams lies and fairy tales feel free to do so.

b o k u . t o . k a n o j o . n o . x x x

2008-02-25T17:41:00.009-05:00

Title: Boku to Kanojo no xxx aka Your and My Secret
Country of Origin: Japan
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Year: 2005

My Rating: 6/10
Recommend: Sure
Re-watchability: Sure

Well I have been watching a lot of dramas lately, and there were a few I just had to write something about. So instead of working on homework and preventing possible future ulcers I decided I must write.

Boku to Kanojo no XXX (aka Your and My Secret) is a live action version of the manga by the same name. When I first heard of the show I was made to believe it was a movie. But in actuality it was a series of 7 episodes, each 15 minutes long. It could have been a TV movie.

I read the first volume of the manga, I liked it, but I was not incredibly impressed. The plot is that the violent and rude Momoi (girl) and the quiet and shy Uehara (boy) switch bodies. The manga delved deeper into the characters getting adjusted to their bodies. Momoi being promiscuous, not at all hesitant about exploring her new body and what she can do with it. And Uehara experiencing his first period, and bathing with a sleep mask on (mostly due to Momoi's insistence on him wearing one).

The drama did not really develop the characters much beyond the surface of Uehara being timid and Momoi being self-centered. They do try to convince us that Momoi is kind (sometimes...rarely). Basically it is a story about two people falling in love under unusual circumstances.

-Spoilers Ahead-

1. The acting: I thought it was pretty good. I was convinced, for the most part, that the two characters switched bodies. I think they had the advantage that the switched during the first episode, we just get to know the characters briefly and then they switch. If we knew the characters better it would be (much more) noticeable if the actors were dong a good or bad job. I liked the actors that played Uehara and Momoi's friends, not that they were especially good actors, but they weren't too irritating. I am not going to mention the Grandpa (Momoi's), he did have a bigger-ish role, but he was so...blahhh and a bit annoying (very flat, and too much like the manga character...no lifelike flare was added). I wish the whole cast could have added depth to their characters, I mean they had around 105 minutes total to develop their characters but they focused on the comedy. The story had the characters focus on getting money for Grandpa to fix the machine and switch themselves back. It felt maybe that they wanted to explorer the characters and to let them bond during their experiences of making money and the like, but ehhh...it did not really work. In movies they create stories and characters that we identify with and bond with (<<

2. The characters: I really liked the girl who played (Momoi/Uehara), I thought she did a good job. She made her character sympathetic and such. And I am always surprised when some actors are more popular than other. Let's us see, Matsuda Shota is a good example. Ever since Hana Yori Dango he has been in many more shows. I do love Shota, but he just is not that good of an actor. I guess it is all about popularity stemming from looks. Then again I was wrong about Takeuchi Yuko when I saw her in Lunch no Joou she seemed so fake and annoying (she actually won some awards for her performance in that...How? is all I can say), but I am really enjoying her acting in Bara no nai Hanaya. So perhaps I am bad at spotting an actor's potentcial...or some jazz. I could go on and on about how it is weird when I hate a certain actor's performance they seem to get awards for it (i.e. The girl who played Rei in Proposal Daisakusen won an award...who the heck judges their acting? Is it biased people who haven't been in the real world in awhile? What and how do they judge these actors?). Anyway, I deviated (I even started out talking about actors not characters...bad me!). Characters. Fluffy exteriors. Well it is a comedy, so a I suppose they can't get away with filling their show with stock characters. I just feel as if they could have added in cardboard substitutes for the supporting actors for all they added to the show...could have saved some money too. Shinnosuke, Uehara's best friend is a bit of a flake. I mean come on, he takes his best friend's love interest to a love hotel when "she" (it was Uehara at the time) falls and becomes unconscious. Shiina, Momoi's friend is a bit...cutesy? I really don't have much to say about Shiina...nothing comes to mind. Sinnosuke and Shiina both seem to be good friends...sorta. But the thing that gets me is that they don't really notice that their best friends aren't really acting like themselves. Really, there is no mention of Uehara and Momoi's change in behavior...is it supposed to be an element of the comedy (I don't believe it was addressed in the manga either)?

3. The story: Well basically Uehara and Momoi get their bodies switched and they want to change back (well actually Uehara wants to change back more than Momoi). The issue of behavior in general is not really addressed. I feel they could have made it a positive outlook on gender, but they sorta enforced stereotypes of how men and women "should be." In a good light: Momoi was not a delicate girl, she could take care of herself and she didn't take shit from anyone. If she wanted something she took it without much thought for anyone but herself. Uehara was a sensitive boy, who saw the good in others. But as we see often, those qualities seen in women and men are not that desirable. Women should act more like Uehara and be all sensitive and reserved. And it's the boys who should be more like Momoi, aggressive and the like. This show, instead of saying it is okay for girls to be like Momoi and boys like Uehara, they make it appear as if when they switched bodies they went into the bodies they were supposed to have. Moreover, when Momoi and Uehara switched bodies they suddenly became more attractive to their classmates. What? They can't like them as they were before? Tsk! Gets me annoyed...some people! It is a prime example of society brainwashing us into believing people will only like us if we act "appropriately" according to our gender! Ooohhhhh I am mad!!! Can't we be who we are without worrying about people accepting and liking us! Society! It's all about the exterior not matching the interior (according to society)! Oh and by the way, at the end of the drama series they still didn't switch back (don't know about the manga).

What else to say...it wasn't horribly bad for what it was. It was like a bright pink frosted cupcake: a nice little overload of sugar...and good while your eating it. But you really can't handle too much sugar...so it was a good little dose of something enjoyable but not too good for you. Yeah it was sorta like that. It was a light romantic comedy. If you are looking for depth steer clear from this bizarre (maybe zany would be a better word?) comedy. And if you do check this out do go in expecting much. It may sound like I hated this drama, but I actually liked it (maybe I liked it because it was so short). I sorta wished they could have given the show more depth (and more episodes).