tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105317942024-03-06T23:38:30.193-06:00The Land of PineapplesThis is where the Pineappleians hang out and tell you of their life and all the going ons. :)Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.comBlogger315125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-71950308015698901492011-03-04T10:14:00.004-06:002011-03-04T10:35:40.549-06:00Secret Garden<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images1.asianmediawiki.com/images/thumb/f/f3/Secret_Garden_(SBS-2010-Korean_Drama)-p3.jpg/250px-Secret_Garden_(SBS-2010-Korean_Drama)-p3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 333px;" src="http://images1.asianmediawiki.com/images/thumb/f/f3/Secret_Garden_(SBS-2010-Korean_Drama)-p3.jpg/250px-Secret_Garden_(SBS-2010-Korean_Drama)-p3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Secret_Garden">Secret Garden</a></i> (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; ">시크릿 가든</span>) is a 2010-2011 Korean romantic/fantasy drama that has the basic framework of any other Korean romantic drama, but adds things that makes it different and just that much more refreshing. It stars <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Hyun_Bin">Hyun Bin</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ha_Ji_Won">Ha Ji Won</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yoon_Sang_Hyun">Yoon Sang Hyun</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kim_Sa_Rang">Kim Sa Rang</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Lee_Philip">Lee Philip</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Lee_Jong_Suk">Lee Jong Suk</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yoo_In_Na">Yoo In Na</a>, and <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kim_Sung_Oh">Kim Sung Oh</a>. The summary is as follows: </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; " ><blockquote>The drama tells the story of Kim Joo Won, an arrogant and eccentric CEO who maintains the image of seeming perfection, and Gil Ra Im, a poor and humble stuntwoman whose beauty and body are the object of envy amongst top actresses. Their accidental meeting, when Joo Won mistakes Ra Im for actress Park Chae Rin, marks the beginning of a tense, bickering relationship, through which Joo Won tries to hide a growing attraction to Ra Im that both confuses and disturbs him. To complicate matters further, a strange sequence of events results in them swapping bodies.</blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >You know what bothers me? Even though summaries give you a hint of what goes on, it's really not that accurate. I don't know why I started this drama, but I do remember that I began it approximately two weeks before my arrival date in Korea (yes, I'm in Korea now and have been for the past two weeks). No wait, I was stuck on hulu.com for dramas because of the good quality of the videos; the commercials I could ignore and if I could see the pores on the actors' and actress' faces, all the better. Anyway, the summary didn't really pull me in though it did intrigue me. What? Romance and some fantastical idea all in one? O_o So I decided to try it out.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >First off, the acting's superb. The switching of the bodies showed their talent and when Joo Won reverted back to his 21-year-old self, that was a testament as well. The plot was great as well, even though it seems a bit generic at first. I mean, it's a poor, orphan girl who gets noticed by some privileged guy. Then you learned a bit more: it's a stunt woman (who's pretty kick-butt if I may say so) who has a firefighter for a dad with a CEO for a lover and to-be husband. There are plot twists and I love how the roles are reversed where you see the guy going against the very fabric of his being and chasing after the girl. <i>It's so romantic</i>. Personally, the 17th and 18th episodes are my absolute favorites and you know what? The ending isn't all happiness and butterflies in a meadow full of blooming flowers. They're together (which is what's important - it seems like the main theme was how love could surpass all in the end solely by itself) and it shows a bit of life after marriage, but - well, you'll see. ^^ </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Anyway, I highly recommend it. One more thing: the body-swapping seems completely random at the beginning, but it all makes sense towards the end (sort of). :) It also links in references to fairy tales via Disney princesses which is sweet.You can watch it on <a href="http://www.hulu.com/secret-garden">hulu</a> (but as hulu doesn't stream outside of the US, I finished it <a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/korean-drama/secret-garden/">here</a>).</span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-25842226738200452272011-01-04T22:24:00.003-06:002011-01-04T22:51:04.776-06:00Sungkyunkwan Scandal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bestkoreandrama.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/c69db_SungkyunkwanScandal01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://www.bestkoreandrama.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/c69db_SungkyunkwanScandal01.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Sungkyunkwan_Scandal">Sungkyunkwan Scandal</a></i> (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; ">성균관 스캔들</span>) is a 2010 Korean period drama; a romantic comedy following a girl who disguises herself as a man in order to make ends meet and the group of friends she meets while masquerading in a Confucian school, known for producing government officials. It stars <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Micky_Yoochun">Micky Yoochun</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Park_Min_Young">Park Min Young</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Song_Joong_Ki">Song Joong Ki</a>, and <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yoo_Ah_In">Yoo Ah In</a>. The synopsis is as follows:</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; " ><i></i><blockquote><i>Sungkyunkwan Scandal</i> is set in Sungkyunkwan University in the late Joseon era during the reign of King Jeongjo, revolving around the exploits and love stories of four youths. When her younger brother's illness worsens and their family is in danger of being evicted from their house for lack of money, Kim Yoon Hee enters the school under his name, disguised as a boy in her desperation to support him. There, she becomes friends with the intelligent and upright Lee Sun Joon, the playboy Goo Yong Ha and rebellious Moon Jae Shin.</blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >First off, what drew me to this drama was not the cast - though I surely grew to love them as the drama progressed - it was the plot. I'm a sucker for girl-masquerading-as-a-guy plotlines and having a straight guy question his own sexuality and all the humorous events that ensue in due course. That being said, although I know of DBSK and I do like some of their songs, I don't know much about them. Now, I can say that I definitely know Yoochun, though. ^^ My favorite's still Yoo Ah In... but that's not the point. There were a lot of comments about Yoochun's lack of acting skills, or so I remember when it had first started airing. Even so, I didn't see it as a hindrance. I still loved the drama and it tickled me funny. He's not the most expressive guy, but when is that important? The message got through. Cute moments are plenty but it also touches upon the more serious topics of social and gender equality, which was fairly nonexistent in the time setting of the drama. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >I have to say it wasn't all that painful to watch, romantic-wise, so don't be afraid to watch it if you hate the roller coaster ride of feelings romantic dramas tend to take you on. There's unrequited love, for sure, but I seriously had no love for the other girl - she annoyed me - though I did feel for the other guy. It wasn't unbearable, though, since that left him all to myself. ^_^ Anyway, I love the plot and the plot twists and the riddles here and there; it keeps you guessing. There is action as well, so it's not all fun and games and such. As usual, I'm surprised she stayed a secret for that long, but it <i>is </i>a drama, so it's a given. All in all, I really did enjoy this drama - the filming, the message(s), the plot, the eye candy...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >I watched it on <a href="http://www.hulu.com/sungkyunkwan-scandal">hulu</a>, since the videos are high quality, though there are commercials. </span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-86746876070472640922010-11-05T00:02:00.005-05:002010-11-05T00:26:53.428-05:00Playful Kiss<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dramastyle.com/images/1/5/Playful_Kiss_Korean_Drama_2010_4853_poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 424px;" src="http://www.dramastyle.com/images/1/5/Playful_Kiss_Korean_Drama_2010_4853_poster.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Mischievous_Kiss"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Playful Kiss</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; ">장난스런 키스</span>), or <i>Mischievous Kiss</i>, is a 2010 Korean romantic comedy and the Korean version of the Taiwanese<i> <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/It_Started_With_A_Kiss">It Started With a Kiss</a></i> (2005) as well as <i>They Kissed Again </i>(2007) and the Japanese <i><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Itazura_na_Kiss">Itazura na Kiss</a></i> (1996). It stars <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kim_Hyun_Joong">Kim Hyun Joong</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Jung_So_Min">Jung So Min</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Lee_Tae_Sung">Lee Tae Sung</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Lee_Si_Young">Lee Si Young</a>, <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Jung_Hye_Young">Jung Hye Young</a>, and <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kang_Nam_Gil">Kang Nam Gil</a>. It also features Korean indie band <a href="http://music.daum.net/artist/artist.do?artistDetailId=184515">Bye Bye Sea</a> (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><strong class="title fs_biggest" title="안녕바다" style="padding-right: 5px; ">안녕바다</strong></span>) that I rather like. The summary is as follows:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Based on the popular manga, Oh Ha Ni is a clumsy student who falls for the perfectionist, Baek Seung Jo. However, Seung Jo is indifferent towards her and rejects her love. When Ha Ni's house collapses, she and her father moves into his long-time friend's house. It turns out that Seung Jo is the friend's son and Ha Ni is given the opportunity to be near the guy she loves. Will she be able to move Seung Jo's heart?</span></span></blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When I first caught wind that a Korean version of ISWAK would be coming out, I decided that I absolutely had to watch it; there was no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Of course, this doesn't mean that I wasn't apprehensive. ISWAK took us on for a long ride and there were plenty of moments where I experienced a lot of second-hand embarrassment, courtesy of the female lead, but I guess it was her "charm." It doesn't hurt that Kim Hyun Joong would be playing the male lead either. ;) The ratings for the drama weren't very good at the beginning due to other popular dramas (i.e. Kim Tak Gu) and some comments weren't very positive about Kim's acting, but I still went on with it and I'm glad I did. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The drama pretty much squeezed most of the events from ISWAK and a part of TKA into 16 episodes when compared to the 40 or so total episodes of the Taiwanese version combined. Because it was shorter, it wasn't that painful watching Oh Ha Ni finally catch Baek Seung Jo's eye, but I feel that the ending could have ended with more closure. Then again, I was watching this drama with the Taiwanese series in mind which was <i>much </i>longer. The acting wasn't horrendous - isn't he supposed to be a cold and stoic guy anyway?? - and I felt that the foreign girl, Chris, was rather likeable and her Korean sounded much better than the foreign girl in the Taiwanese version, but I'm not an expert in Korean so that's just how it sounded to my inexperienced ears. ;) The last episode didn't leave you hanging - it did show snippets of everyone else's love life, which I thought was cute, but it really was just a hint. Hints are nice, but I also like nice, long stories that show you everything; you tend to get more involved. ...On the other hand, it's a good thing that <i>Playful Kiss</i> was shorter. I really can't have my Internet lagging for <i>too </i>long. >.></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To sum it up: if you love ISWAK and want some semblance of it back, you should totally watch this. If you haven't watched ISWAK, you should still watch this (as well as ISWAK). If you're just lazy and don't want to go through the 40-odd episodes of ISWAK + TKA, then you should watch this just to get a good idea of the plot. When you have and decide that you want to see a more in-depth version, then watch ISWAK. :] This seriously hooked me in, haha. And even though it took me a year to complete ISWAK and TKA because it was that painful to watch the girl for the first couple of episodes, it really is a good series.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I watched it on <a href="http://www.hulu.com/playful-kiss">hulu</a> because the quality was excellent as well as the subtitles. I attempted to watch it on MySoju and DramaCrazy but the videos kept on getting all wonky. :/</span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-64165707261290234282010-10-21T19:13:00.003-05:002010-10-21T19:29:46.941-05:00My Darling is a Foreigner<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i49.tinypic.com/22ar9l.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 292px;" src="http://i49.tinypic.com/22ar9l.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://asianmediawiki.com/My_Darling_is_a_Foreigner"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My Darling is a Foreigner</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (ダーリンは外国人/Daarin Wa Gaikokujin) is a 2010 Japanese romantic comedy film based on a manga of the same name written by Oguri Saori, based on her own life experiences with her foreign husband. It stars </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Inoue_Mao"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Inoue Mao</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and </span></span><a href="http://asianmediawiki.com/Jonathan_Sherr"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Jonathan Sherr</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The following is the synopsis:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"My Darling is a Foreigner" tells the quirky story of a Japanese woman and an American man as they enter into a relationship and eventually marry. Saori is a manga artist. She meets language geek Tony, who has arrived in Japan after falling in love with the language. As the couple become closer, Saori is inundated with strange questions about the language from Tony. Are these weird questions a trait of his foreign background? Or is it because of his linguist preoccupation? More importantly, can their relationship survive?</span></span></blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I heard of the film early last year and I'm happy that I finally got to watch it. :) I love how the story is told, seemingly with parts of it in a documentary-type format with a few other real life (?) mixed couples amidst the story of Saori and Tony. It's really cute and I'm pretty impressed with Sherr's Japanese, though from what I saw, he </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">based in Tokyo so it would make sense. It was a little shorter than I expected (only 6 parts on dramacrazy) but it does a good job of going through realistic problems that may occur between a couple from different cultural backgrounds as well as things that may occur regardless of racial/cultural differences within the time allotted. I also love how the term "foreigner" is seen as something to be displaced - after all, the word "foreigner" is generally used for the minority group, so it's interesting to see it change when Saori meets his family and is, in turn, the foreigner. But then you see the line blur a bit when the two sides come to the middle as they take steps to accept one another. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I especially love what Saori's mom said about being foreign doesn't mean that a relationship wouldn't work, since being in a relationship is about compromising. Well, she said something that amounted to that, haha.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">All in all, this is now a favorite of mines (so cute!) and all I have to say is that you must watch it! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You can watch it </span></span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-movie/my-darling-is-a-foreigner/"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-10225592290347907022010-09-30T15:19:00.003-05:002010-09-30T15:39:32.290-05:00Lady Daddy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dramastyle.com/images/3/1/img9233poster_image_3440_3_-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 427px;" src="http://www.dramastyle.com/images/3/1/img9233poster_image_3440_3_-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><i><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Lady Daddy</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >, also known as </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Dad Likes Women</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" > (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >아빠가 여자를 좋아해</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >) [</span></span><a href="http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_Lady_Daddy.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >HanCinema</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >, </span></span><a href="http://asianmediawiki.com/Lady_Daddy"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >AsianDramaWiki</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >], is a Korean romantic comedy/melodrama that was aired in early 2010. It stars </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Lee_Na_Young"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Lee Na-young</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kim_Ji_Suk"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Kim Ji-seok</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >, </span></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/Heong%20Ae-yeon"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Jung Ae-yun</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >, </span></span><a href="http://asianmediawiki.com/Kim_Hee-Su"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Kim Hee-su</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >, and </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Lee_Pil_Mo"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Lee Pil-mo</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >. The summary is as follows:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >In the comedy "Lady Daddy," a young child from a divorced family searches for his father. What he doesn't know is that his father is now a woman after having sex reassignment surgery. His father Ji-hyeon (</span></span><a href="http://asianmediawiki.com/Lee_Na-Young" title="Lee Na-Young" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 43, 184); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Lee Na-Young</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >) was a medical student but is now a photographer ...</span></span></blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >And this one as well:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Ji-hyeon (Lee Na-young) is enjoying a perfect life as a beautiful photographer following a sex-change operation, until a young boy claiming that she had fathered him comes knocking at her door. Trouble ensues as Ji-hyeon tries to act like a conventional dad while her boyfriend (Kim Ji-seok-I) grows increasingly suspicious.</span></span></blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >I'm supposed to be doing homework, because the stuff never ends even after graduation, so I automatically happened upon a movie that sounded like it had tons of potential - this one. Honestly, the main reason was because it touches upon the sensitive topic of sex change, not to mention how it's a </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Korean </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >film. Next thing you know, I had opened up a window for it and I was watching it. I have to say I loved it. The acting was great, the interactions were adorable, and Lee Na-young makes a really, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >really </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >feminine guy. I commend the fake mustache and goatee, though. :) There are tons of laugh-worthy scenes as well as ones that make you just a little frustrated, but it does touch sex change fairly well, even though it was mostly a background thing, albeit an important topic. Scenes from life before the change occurred in flashbacks and the fact that the "guy's" dad wasn't approving of it at all represented the This Is All Wrong side. Then there's the best friend from high school to stood by her side all the time and the idea of love regardless of what's on the outside was a big message towards the end. For a majority of the film, though, it's mainly about the dad-turned-female getting along with her new-found son and I absolutely loved the onomatopoeias. ^^</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >You can watch it </span></span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/korean-movie/lady-daddy/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >. </span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-57232732407674463672010-09-25T00:35:00.003-05:002010-09-25T01:03:09.756-05:00Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.watchtopmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/MemoirsofaTeenageAmnesiac.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 353px;" src="http://www.watchtopmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/MemoirsofaTeenageAmnesiac.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memoirs_of_a_Teenage_Amnesiac"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, or 誰かが私にキスをした/Dareka ga Watashi ni Kisu wo Shita in Japanese, is a 2010 film that was a joint-American-Japanese production with American and Japanese staff and actors/actresses and based on a book of the same name. It stars </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maki_Horikita"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Horikita Maki</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken%27ichi_Matsuyama"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Matsuyama Kenichi</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuya_Tegoshi"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tegoshi Yuya</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, and </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Yelchin"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Anton Yelchin</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The summary is as follows:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(53, 56, 61); line-height: 18px; "></span></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(53, 56, 61); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If Naomi had picked tails, she would have won the coin toss. She wouldn't have had to go back for the yearbook camera, and she wouldn't have hit her head on the steps. She wouldn't have woken up in an ambulance with amnesia. She certainly would have remembered her boyfriend, Ace. She might even have remembered why she fell in love with him in the first place. She would understand why her best friend, Will, keeps calling her "Chief." She'd know about her mom's new family. She'd know about her dad's fiancée. She never would have met James, the boy with the questionable past and the even fuzzier future, who tells her he once wanted to kiss her. She wouldn't have wanted to kiss him back. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(53, 56, 61); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(53, 56, 61); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But Naomi picked heads... And now she can't remember the first 4 years of her life.</span></span></span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(53, 56, 61); line-height: 18px; "></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I honestly decided that I absolutely had to watch this when it came out due to several fairly simple reasons: (1) it stars some of my favorite Japanese actors/actresses [well, Tesshi's just special because I used to be very much obsessed with </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEWS"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">NEWS</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">], (2) I loved Anton Yelchin in Star Trek [2009] and I wanted to hear him speak in un-accented English, (3) I wanted to hear all of the Japanese actors/actresses speak in English, and (4) I wanted to see how the co-production came out. In the end, their acting was pretty good and I was impressed since I know how hard it could be to act and show emotion at the right moments in a language you're not familiar with, but they did it. Tesshi's English is still pretty interesting and the strongest out of all of them, which reminded of </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tegomass"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tegomass</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">'s song, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Miso Soup</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Even so - thumbs up for it! :) It's also interesting how they portray "normal" high school students. Well, mainly, my interest pertains to Kenichi, since he tends to go for the interesting roles and I keep on seeing him as L, because he's an </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">amazing </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">L.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The way it was filmed was pretty interesting - I keep on seeing pictures popping up everywhere now - and the plot was very much that of a female high school student attending an international school and her life, though it focuses more on school because, well, school </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">life. It goes through some romance and friendship and it really makes me wonder what the book's about, but it was entertaining and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I suppose it spoke about change? O_o It's too late for me to think up of a good, rational theory as to the hidden meaning of the plot, but perhaps I'm just thinking too much. Anyway, just know that the acting's great, the English that is present is good (the English-subbed version also subs the English spoken by the non-native speakers, which is largely unnecessary), and the plot doesn't make you think much, but it's interesting enough that it keeps you going till the end. Perhaps it's not something I'd go for if I were to pick a book up for leisure reading, but I like it all the same.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You can watch it </span></span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-movie/memoirs-of-a-teenage-amnesiac/"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-34702446455303693402010-09-22T21:45:00.003-05:002010-09-22T22:17:45.606-05:00King of Baking, Kim Tak Gu<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dongdrama.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/King-of-Baking-Kim-Tak-Goo-Korean-drama-2010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 542px;" src="http://www.dongdrama.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/King-of-Baking-Kim-Tak-Goo-Korean-drama-2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/King_of_Baking,_Kim_Tak_Goo"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">King of Baking, Kim Tak Gu</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - or </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Baker King, Kim Tak Gu</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">제빵왕 김탁구</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">) - is a 30-episode long, 2010 Korean family and romance drama with a ton of melodramatics thrown in, as if that's a surprise. ;) It stars </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yoon_Shi_Yoon"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yoon Shi Yoon</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Eugene"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Eugene</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Joo_Won"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Joo Won</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, and </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Lee_Young_Ah"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lee Young Ah</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The following is the synopsis:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kim Tak Goo is the eldest son of Goo In Jong, the president of Samhwa Enterprise, a legend in the baking industry. Although he is an extremely talented baker and seemed destined to succeed his father as president, Goo In Jong's family plotted to rob him of his inheritance because he was born to In Jong's mistress. Tak Goo's determination to become number one in the baking industry drives him to rebuild his career from scratch despite the many trials he faces.</span></span></blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is actually one of the few dramas that I decided to watch while it's still airing; in fact, the last episode aired last Thursday and I just finished it late last night when I found out that the subbed version was </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">finally </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">out. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, based mainly on </span></span><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/omonatheydidnt/3978165.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an article</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> I found that speculated on how one of the OST songs was sung by Kyuhyun of Super Junior and then </span></span><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/omonatheydidnt/4034190.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">another article</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> that confirmed it. ^^ Anyway, I decided to give it a try and I had to admit that the first three or so episodes were a little too melodramatic for me, but I kept on going. It was just heartache after heartache, obstacle after obstacle - but then again, the entire drama appeared to be that way with the exception of half of episode 16, which was probably my favorite. I think what made it different was that the first couple of episodes detailed the background information of the four main characters of the younger generation and followed three of them as they grew up. I do like how we got to know everything as it "happened" and not just through flashbacks, though those did occur, but at the same time, it was like a hammer just banging down on the head of the nail, not letting up for one bit. It was when the kids were all grown up that I got </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">really </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into it. ^^;</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The drama basically follows around the members of a certain dysfunctional family due to the idea of competition and the idea of "I must win, for if I don't, it means I lose" that half of the members had as their motto. There was a ton of that between the mothers as well as the brothers, though it was more one-sided when it came to them. It was sort of frustrating as it was basically one person trying to one-up the other while the other may or may not do the same all in the name of revenge and/or being the Top Dog. Then there was the love from within the "sides" that enabled all of it. Even so, I loved every minute of it; I even ventured to watching some parts of the raw episodes in an attempt to know what would happen next. It really was torture to wait for the episodes to air in Korea, then get subbed and released. There was a moment where the Chinese-subbed versions were released days before the English versions so I just stuck with those -- until they stopped, that is. Anyway... like I said, it was a ton of frustration wrapped up in a 30-episode drama with a sprinkling of light-hearted moments as well as some budding romance and love triangles all about. There's also a lot of bread that made </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">want to make bread, haha.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Anyway - </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">here are some spoilers</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - it actually ends happily. Well, for most of them, at least. The last episode had quite a bit of waterworks, though not as much as there could have been. The "evil" characters got their dues for the most part and those that were "evil" but only due to circumstances eventually found their happiness as well. However, it struck me as odd as how the two main rivals acted like they were best of friends, exchanging sidelong glances and secret smiles. Don't get me wrong; it made the fangirl in me all giddy, but at the same time, the more realistic part of me was all like, "What? Is this some alternate universe?" I could see it happening, but not without a longer timespan in between - there wasn't even a subscript that stated "[Insert Number Here] Months/Years Later" - they were just happily working together. Perhaps I'm just thinking too much and making it more complicated than it is, haha. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In short: I loved this drama and it was pretty good. The acting was good, the plot was very nice (though the backstabbing never seemed to stop), the romance was there but it wasn't </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">focal point, the characters were well-developed and some were very complicated (i.e. Ma-jun, Yu-kyung), and the bread was delicious. Well, at least they looked it. If you're one of the ones that goes for good ratings, it </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/King_of_Baking,_Kim_Tak_Goo/Episode_Ratings"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ranked as the number one drama</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> for its timeslot from the 6th episode onwards.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You can watch it at both </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/king-of-baking-kim-tak-goo/"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">MySoju</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and </span></span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/korean-drama/king-of-baking-kim-tak-goo/"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">DramaCrazy</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-20639400807652087632010-09-06T10:36:00.002-05:002010-09-06T11:24:23.127-05:00Dear Friends<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dramastyle.com/images/3/1/Dear_Friends__Japanese_Movie_3901_poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 420px;" src="http://www.dramastyle.com/images/3/1/Dear_Friends__Japanese_Movie_3901_poster.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dear_Friends_(film)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Dear Friends</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">ディアフレンズ</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">), a 2007 Japanese film, is a story about friendship and cherishing said friendship. It stars Kitagawa Keiko and Motokariya Yuika. The summary is as follows:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(53, 56, 61); line-height: 18px; "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Dear Friends follows a high-school student named Rina (played by Keiko Kitagawa) who believes that friends are not necessary and that they can only be used in times of need. Thus, she is unable to maintain a decent relationship with her friends and classmates. Her family's relationship is also lacking; her father does not care much about his family and her mother is over-protective. Rina eventually discovers that she has a terminal illness and becomes hospitalized for an indefinite amount of time. In the hospital, she is not visited by her family, but by one of her classmates named Maki (played by Yuika Motokariya). Although Maki tells Rina that they were friends in primary school, Rina does not remember her, so Maki takes the opportunity to re-connect with her. A young girl (played by Mao Sasaki) who is also hospitalized tries to become friends with Rina, but she holds fast onto her mantra of friends being unnecessary. Throughout her hospitalization, Rina begins to lose hope as her well-being falls apart, and she decides to jump off the hospital rooftop as she feels that no one no longer cares about her. However, she is stopped by Maki, who stabs herself in the chest with a knife and declares that she will share the same pain as Rina and that she does not want to lose her friend. Rina shows some hope again when she realizes that she can find friendship in Maki.</span></span></blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I like sad films and coupled with the fact that this movie got good reviews on dramacrazy, I decided to try it out. The synopsis does a good job of telling you what the story's about, so I'll refrain from reiterating. However, Maki doesn't technically stab herself in the chest; more like she tries to cut off her left breast. >.> Anyway, it's a sweet story of a rude and callous girl that everyone envies (and hates) who has no true friends, as her idea of a friend is someone that you use and she doesn't think friends are necessary, to someone who realises the value in having friends when she goes through some rough spots. The acting was good and in the beginning, you'll hate her but towards the end, you're more sympathetic. It's also a story full of people getting sick everywhere (sort of) - and remember the disease featured in </span></span><i><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/1_Litre_no_Namida"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">1 Litre of Tears</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">? You'll be seeing a bit of it here though not to that extent. :) It is sad, but it ends somewhat positively - at least for Rina.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">You can watch it </span></span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-movie/dear-friends/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">. It's in 14 parts, which annoyed me, but there you have it.</span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-67783534159147388082010-09-03T00:56:00.002-05:002010-09-03T01:14:08.958-05:00Rinne no Ame<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuE301SMwgr3uRD91vHJ2Qzp3AEihEFQQrpBhz07hnYr1Tr9ppw-yN04FZr0_U5vZZ-5cWDzvWlFi4O65HO2Qg0c9sAeVvY51Z5CXYlCERjI3QoiDQRGZfdZokSPr0TzGX1uJ/s400/RnA5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuE301SMwgr3uRD91vHJ2Qzp3AEihEFQQrpBhz07hnYr1Tr9ppw-yN04FZr0_U5vZZ-5cWDzvWlFi4O65HO2Qg0c9sAeVvY51Z5CXYlCERjI3QoiDQRGZfdZokSPr0TzGX1uJ/s400/RnA5.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div>
<br /></div><i><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Rinne_no_Ame"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Rinne no Ame</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">輪廻の雨</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">), or </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Rain of Reincarnation</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, is a 2010 Japanese tanpatsu showcasing bromance. :) It stars </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yamamoto_Yusuke"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yamamoto Yusuke</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (</span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Atashinchi_no_Danshi"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Atashinchi no Danshi</span></span></i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Hanazakari_no_Kimitachi_e"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hanazakari no Kimitachi e</span></span></i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">) and </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Seto_Koji"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Seto Koji</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (</span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Atashinchi_no_Danshi"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Atashinchi no Danshi</span></span></i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Koizora"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Koizora</span></span></i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">). The summary is as follows:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Brothers, Kohei and Shuhei Mikami were abandoned by their father, after the mother passed away years ago. The intellectually disabled Shuhei is working in a factory, where he is violently abused by the manager on a daily basis. When Kohei finds it out under unpropitious coincidences, he kills the man in affect and deprives money. He buries the corpse in the mountains with his younger brothers help. During the criminal investigation is it Shuhei who soon draws the attention of the Detectives on the Mikami brothers through his diffus behavior and words. Even through he is unable to comprehend the murder of his older brother and doesn´t understand the situation, the Police uses Shuhei as deciding factor in arresting the culprit.</span></span></blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I heard this was a tearjerker and so I tried it out. First off, it was short - really short. Like within-an-hour short. That was good since I have to go to bed now. Anyway, this drama special won many awards and when you watch it, you know why. I mean, the two act </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">really </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">well. You'd pretty much think that Seto Koji was actually 'intellectually disabled' if not for the fact you know he's acting, as it's a drama and all. Second off, it's all about the love between two brothers who had a hard life - an abusive father, a mother who died early, the fact that one of them was 'intellectually disabled' and was abused by his boss - but they loved each other. For such a short program, it did a fairly good job of showing what happened in flashbacks and you can see the struggle that the older brother goes through when his life gets further complicated due to his younger brother, who doesn't even know that he did anything. The ending is sad, though cut off somewhat abruptly, letting you figure out what happens next yourself (unless there was more), but it all comes together once again via brotherly love - bromance. <3</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It's short and sweet as well as intense; it does deal with a murder after all. If you've got a little bit of time and want to see superb acting, go for it! However, although I did feel for them, there were no waterworks on my end. In fact, my eyes remained pretty dry. O_o Or maybe that's because I'm sleepy that they feel like they need re-wetting drops, haha.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You can watch it at </span></span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-movie/rinne-no-ame/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dramacrazy</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Picture taken from </span></span><a href="http://unleashthegeek.blogspot.com/2009/11/21st-fuji-tv-young-scenario-award.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-78851971291714957822010-07-29T17:23:00.004-05:002010-07-29T18:10:11.386-05:00Spy Girl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.yellowcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Spy-Girl-poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 430px;" src="http://www.yellowcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Spy-Girl-poster.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spy_Girl"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Spy Girl</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(68, 68, 68); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Geunyeonleul Mooleumyeon Gancheob/</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(68, 68, 68); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">그녀를 모르면 간첩</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) is a 2004 Korean romantic comedy featuring a female North Korean spy and a goofy, head-over-heels guy. It starts </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kim_Jung_Hwa"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Kim Jung Hwa</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> and </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Gong_Yoo"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Gong Yoo</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. The synopsis is as follows: </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 16px; "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Go-bong has a huge crush on Gye-soon who works at a fast food restaurant. He puts her photo on their internet and she becomes the hottest girl in town. But she is frustrated because she is a spy from North Korea to catch a betrayer...</span></span></blockquote></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I was browsing around and next thing you know, I spot someone and my first reaction was, "Is that the dude from Coffee Prince??" My second reaction was, "I thought he just got back from the army!" haha, then I saw the date the movie was released and it all made sense. Anyway, I was hoping it would be one of those cool spy movies, but not quite; I don't know why I even had that expectation anyway, considering the fact that it's a romantic comedy. Kim Jung Hwa plays this kick-butt spy who displays a mix of innocence and a separation from everyday things. I don't know if they're trying to say something about North Koreans and how cut off from the rest of the world and sheltered they are, but there you have it. I particularly liked the paint balling scene that she treated as a shooting exercise. Then you have Gong Yoo's character. He's a rather goofy guy that's pretty average; he couldn't get into college because he slept during the entrance exam, is constantly teased by old high school friends, and he has this humongous crush on the girl of everyone's dreams. The good thing is that they're eventually together, the bad thing is that she only did it in order to get his friends to take her photos off the net. In the end, you see her slowly becoming fond of him and it's rather sweet, but it's not your traditional relationship. In a way, that made it even better because it was something different, even though they couldn't truly be counted as officially together until the very last bit. Even then, I still wonder.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It was pretty funny and entertaining, though I couldn't help but see it as a bit dramatic and generic; some moments (the fighting scenes) reminded me of anime - or old kung fu movies. It's also pretty interesting to see this new side of Gong Yoo after I was used to seeing him in </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Coffee Prince</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> as someone who's suave and is talented (when he puts it to use). </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">You can watch it </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/spy-girl/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, but keep in mind that it's out of order (or at least it was when I watched it), so watch it in this order: </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/spy-girl/the-movie/part-2/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Part 2</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/spy-girl/the-movie/part-3/">Part 3</a> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-> </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/spy-girl/the-movie/part-4/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Part 4</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> -> </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/spy-girl/the-movie/part-5/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Part 5</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> -> </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/spy-girl/the-movie/part-6/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Part 6</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> -> </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/spy-girl/the-movie/part-1/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Part 1</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span></div></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-10184334005139977032010-07-05T15:42:00.005-05:002010-07-05T16:07:36.429-05:00Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lynaeina.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/06_boku-no.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 569px;" src="http://lynaeina.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/06_boku-no.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">僕たちの恋愛には、タイムリミットがある。</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">There's a time limit on our love.</span></div><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://asianmediawiki.com/I_Give_My_First_Love_to_You"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(68, 68, 68); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">僕の初恋をキミに捧ぐ</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">/I Give My First Love to You) is a touching 2009 Japanese romantic film that focuses on the love of two kids that grew up together - but one of whom has an incurable illness. It stars </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Inoue_Mao"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Inoue Mao</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Okada_Masaki"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Okada Masaki</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Harada_Natsuki"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Harada Natsuki</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, and </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Hosoda_Yoshihiko"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hosoda Yoshihiko</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. The summary is as follows:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 16px; "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Takuma, a boy who is told he will die before he’s 20, and Mayu, a girl who is in love with him… The story begins when they are little kids. Mayu, whose father is a doctor, meets Takuma, who is hospitalized in her father’s workplace. They develop feelings for each other, but Mayu learns of Takuma’s grave illness and that he will die before he turns 20. The distraught children make one promise for an uncertain future. Time passes, and the girl becomes a young woman, and the boy, a young man. Mayu continues to support and love Takuma. On the other hand, Takuma, who knows his days are numbered, pushes away his feelings for Mayu and distances himself from her. He cannot stand to see her cry or hurt her more than he already has. Then Mayu meets another man who has feelings for her, and Takuma meets a woman who has the same illness, and their feelings for each other begin to waver. Misunderstandings, unsaid thoughts, the frustrations and chagrin of youth… What will become of their love while the clock keeps ticking away in Takuma’s life?</span></span></span></blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I'm a sucker for tragedies. It also helps that I like Inoue Mao and I still remember Okada playing Sekime in Hana Kimi. :) So I wondered how they would be together in a movie with a storyline that could even be said borders on being overdone, but I have faith in them. ^^ Well, I actually began watching this without subs, but even though I understood some, it wasn't much. I finally found a subbed version, so I watched it again - much better. It's really cute and I love the development between the characters from when they were little kids up till their first year of high school. You don't feel like you're missing out and the acting didn't make me cringe. Instead, it just made me feel all giddy inside - and incredibly sad at </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">those </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">moments. I enjoyed it greatly and I admit that I was tearing. A lot. It's a bit uncomfortable when people are around you and it's at one of those moments in the movie, even with the headphones on.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And your dad making strange comments like, "Is that you? She has your hair! Wait... her face is also like yours too!" My parents seem to think Inoue Mao and I resemble one another; it happened with</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Hana Yori Dango</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> as well and they asked me why I took a picture of my eye and posted it online. -__- I had just started watching the first scene where they shot a close up of her eye. I think she's too pretty, haha. Plus, my hair is never manageable. Sorry, off topic.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Like I said, it was sweet and endearing and it was touching and heartbreaking at other moments. It touched upon topics like death, organ donations, and love - it was especially memorable when you see an 8 year old make up his will, all colorful-like with drawings and such. There are the mandatory ups and downs and all in all, I loved it. :) Plus they look really good together, haha. I kept on rewatching my favorite scenes.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">You can watch it </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/i-give-my-first-love-to-you/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-75460575760046714232010-06-23T20:56:00.003-05:002010-06-23T21:23:15.563-05:00My Girlfriend is an Agent<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img1.imagebanana.com/img/bq9g1ubm/My_Girlfriend_is_an_Agent.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 400px;" src="http://img1.imagebanana.com/img/bq9g1ubm/My_Girlfriend_is_an_Agent.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_My_Girlfriend_is_an_Agent.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My Girlfriend is an Agent</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(68, 68, 68); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">7급 공무원/7 Geum Gongmuwon/7-grade Civil Servant</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">) is a 2009 Korean romance-comedy-action film reminiscent of </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mr. and Mrs. Smith</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - well, if I've ever watched the movie, that is. :) It stars </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kim_Ha_Neul"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kim Ha-neul</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kang_Ji_Hwan"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kang Ji-hwan</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ryu_Seung_Ryong"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ryu Seung-ryong</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, and </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Jang_Young_Nam"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Jang Young-nam</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The summary is as follows:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A Russian organized crime group is set out to steal an advanced chemical weapon from Korea and two secret agents are out to stop them. One is a veteran secret agent named AHN Soo-ji who is a master of all forms of martial arts and envied by her comrades. Another is a rookie named LEE Jae-joon who’s never been out on the field and always goofs up on the job. The two agents don’t know each other’s secret identity. All that they know is that they hate each other. As a couple that is... Soo-ji and Jae-joon were once a passionate couple until Jae-joon couldn’t take her lies anymore. But all Soo-ji was trying to do was hide her secret identity. Nonetheless, the two went on their separate ways and by coincidence bump into each other years later while out on the job. As the two work out their screwy relationship, they go behind each other’s backs to fulfill their mission to save the world.</span></span></blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I actually have to say the synopsis is pretty spot-on. Anyway, like I mentioned before, when I read a description of the movie, I was intrigued for it reminded me of </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mr. and Mrs. Smith</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, or at least of what I thought it was about, having never had watched it myself. I like comedy and I like action - a little romance thrown in for fun doesn't hurt either - and so I was pretty enthusiastic about watching this. I got what I wanted as well. Despite the fact that they're supposed to be saving their country, sometimes things just happen at the most inopportune times (for her) or because of unfortunate decisions (him). It's cute and funny though sometimes makes me do a facepalm, because, really, if the intelligence service of my country actually ran like how it did in this movie, I'd be amazed it's still standing. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">However, there is a fair share of action and violence that is interspersed with humor (i.e. losing a gun in a middle of a room full of "real" guns loaded with bb's and shooting bb's at each other while trying to find the real one) which got me cracking up on occasion. I do like the touch of real Russian actors/actresses as the villain, not because I see them as villains though they are usually portrayed as such, but because I've always liked the Russian language and how it sounds. Of course, I could only spot one word: spasiba meaning thank you. Oh yes, and the whole love and romance thing - it was utterly ridiculous and all the troubles came due to pure misunderstanding. -__- I hate that, but I suppose. It's also ironic how in the end, he's also lying to her as well </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for the same reasons</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. They also end up breaking up about three or four times. -dies-</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You can watch it </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/my-girlfriend-is-an-agent/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-69153401930436606172010-06-21T16:16:00.004-05:002010-06-21T16:41:55.764-05:0026 Years Diary<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.koreandrama.com/kmovie_movies/photo/1226269117984.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 627px; height: 900px;" src="http://www.koreandrama.com/kmovie_movies/photo/1226269117984.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#551A8B;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></u></span></div><i><a href="http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/09/141_33964.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">26 Years Diary</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (Japanese: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">あなたを忘れない/Anata wo Wasurenai</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">; Korean: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">너를 잊지 않을 거야/Neoreul Ijji Anheul Geoya; I Won't Forget You</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">) is a 2007 Japanese film with both Japanese and Korean actors and elements is a film tribute to a 26-year-old South Korean international student in Japan. It stars </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Lee_Tae_Sung"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lee Tae-sung</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81kii"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Maki Onaga</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span></span><a href="http://asianmediawiki.com/Seo_Jae-Kyung"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Seo Jae-kyung</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, and Hamaguchi Junko. The summary is as follows:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The film details the 26-year-old Korean student's experiences in Japan, including going to school and his developing romance with a Japanese student (Mākii). He died on January 21, 2001, along with a Japanese photographer, Shiro Sekine, while both were trying to save the life of a man who had fallen onto the tracks at the Shin-Ōkubo Station in Tokyo.</span></span></blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I like films that show cultural differences (not to mention linguistic differences). It might be the budding anthropologist within me speaking, but I just like it - and that was why I decided to watch this. Oh, and the plot sounded sweet, touching, and had a good chance of entertaining me. Ah - and I like things that are based on real events, which this is. (Here's a little article on </span></span><a href="http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20010130a1.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the aftermath of what happened</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.) Anyway, because it's been made into a film, it may be based on a real person, but what happened may not be. Even so, I enjoyed it anyway. It showed the differences between Tae-hyun and Yuri from family life, culture, and their own different personalities and how they got together anyway. He was more traditional and immersed within Korean culture whereas she came from a more dysfunctional family and has lost most of her traditional Japanese traditional practices. It's pretty interesting, though like the Japanese drama, Smile, it also showcases some of the prejudices against foreigners that may occur within Japan, and for that, I give it props. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">All in all, it's a nice bridge between both Korea and Japan, which has had its rocky history, and Japan had used this guy's heroic story for the sake of saving someone in order to bridge the differences that may still be present. For the entertainment and melodramatic factor that is mandatory in Asian cinema, it was a sweet and touching story about a budding romance that was never meant to be and the far-reaching effects he gave to the people around him. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You can watch it here at </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/26-years-diary/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">MySoju</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-71124310883936544832010-06-20T13:55:00.004-05:002010-06-20T14:17:44.960-05:00Kimi ni Shika Kikoenai<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.asiatorrents.com/imagehost/images/854532only%20you%20poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 713px;" src="http://www.asiatorrents.com/imagehost/images/854532only%20you%20poster.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><a href="http://asianmediawiki.com/Calling_You"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Kimi ni Shika Kikoenai</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> (aka Only You Can Hear Me and Calling You/きみにしか聞こえない) is a 2006 supernatural/romance Japanese movie starring </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Narumi_Riko"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Narumi Riko</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> and </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Koide_Keisuke"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Koide Keisuke</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">. The summary is as follows:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Shy, quiet, and unsure of herself, Aihara Ryo (Narumi Riko) doesn't quite fit in anywhere. Though she wants to make friends, she has trouble speaking up and holding a normal conversation like everyone else. It seems that whenever she talks, the words just don't come out correctly. Gradually, Ryo has gotten used to living life in silence as a lonely and introverted student. With no one to talk to, Ryo also has no need for a cell phone. Longing for friends to talk to, she creates a cell phone in her mind for imaginary phone conversations, and much to her surprise, one day Shinya (Koide Keisuke) picks up on the other side. For the first time in her life, Ryo has found someone she can talk to</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I decided it's been a while since I've watch a movie or drama, mainly because I was working full-time for the past two weeks, so I decided to break the monotony today and randomly browsed DramaCrazy and picked this. I didn't know what to think of this but it had potential to be really cute, so I decided to give it a go. Plus I like supernatural/fantasy things. ^^ I also admit the lead girl looked really familiar and I finally figured it out: she plays Aya's little sister in </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/1_Litre_no_Namida"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">1 Litre of Tears</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">. Anyway, at first, the plot seemed pretty tame - an interesting friendship between an outcast and a guy who, although wasn't an outcast, wasn't exactly in the in crowd either. And honestly, you don't know his deaf-and-mute status until the very end - but I knew it because I like spoiling myself before watching something, not to mention the summary in DramaCrazy tells you - but it doesn't really mean anything since you don't need a voice to use telepathy. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Towards the middle, it grew on me and towards the end, I loved it. :) Their friendship starts to hint at something more - though it really doesn't go anywhere - and one more person is included within the whole mental telephone deal, though accidentally. This new person comes in from time to time, but there's a small secret/surprise within her role in the movie. And it all leads up to the growth and change of all the characters and how they all influence each other for the better (though we don't really see it until the very end) and the main climax is when the two finally meets one another. I will also say that something really big happens here. ^^ All in all, I enjoyed it, even though most of the dialogue was "all in their minds" but you soon get over it. Or at least it didn't bother me. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">You can watch it </span></span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-movie/kimi-ni-shika-kikoenai-only-you-can-hear-me/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">.</span></span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-18835304006971704102010-05-27T18:03:00.006-05:002010-05-27T18:22:42.313-05:00Down With Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://kojaproductions.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/downwithlove_kjp.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 339px;" src="http://kojaproductions.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/downwithlove_kjp.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Down_With_Love"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Down With Love</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">就想賴著妳</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">/Jiu Xiang Lai Zhe Ni) is a 2010 Taiwanese romantic drama starring </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ella_Chen"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ella Chen</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Jerry_Yan"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Jerry Yan</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, Kelly Huang, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Michael_Zhang"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Michael Zhang</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Chen_Zi_Han"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Chen Zi Han</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, and </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Amanda_Zhou"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Amanda Zhou</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. The summary is as follows:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Xiang Yu Ping, an expert divorce and inheritance lawyer, is seen by others as cold, selfish, and ruthless. After Yu-ping’s older brother dies in a car accident he has little choice in taking in his brother's two orphaned children, Fei and Ting. Every nanny he hires to care for them is either scared off by the mischievous children or ends up falling in love with him. Fed up, Yu Ping asks his secretary, Yang Duo, to find a nanny that meets his requirements. Having lost all their wealth when their mother passed away and being abandoned by their father after racking up heavy debts; Yang Duo can not ignore the fact that she needs the money and recommends her younger sister, Yang Guo, for the job; assuring Yu Ping that her tomboyish sister will not fall in love with him by lying that she does not like men at all.</span></span></blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This has been on my list of dramas to watch ever since I heard that Ella was going to star in a drama. And I finally finished it yesterday afternoon. I have no complaints when it comes to the acting although some of the characters seriously got on my nerves - but when is that something new when it comes to dramas? There were your normal ups and downs as well as comedic antics that occurred that made one go "aww" and any other variations of said phrase. There seemed to be people pairing off every which way and a main love triangle that just kept on adding people onto it that I almost got a headache when friends asked me about the drama - I'm just not good at explaining things - but I highly enjoyed it. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">However, one thing I noticed was that none of the sites I went to were set on agreeing with the amount of episodes the drama contained; some said 16 whereas others listed 25 episodes for it. Then I remembered that while it was airing, some episodes were leaked and I also read somewhere that the leaked version was 28 episodes long but what was actually officially released totaled to 16. O_o I have no idea if it's right or not but either way, I think the fact that the drama was leaked rushed the ending. On that note, I'd like to elaborate and say I really loved the drama although it had its fair share of infuriating parts as per usual, but then it suddenly seemed to end and everyone came together in a happily ever after epilogue set </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">6 years later</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. Basically, it was rushed. I wish they could have spent some more time on the ending and perhaps even elaborated more and such on their courting and even the wedding ceremony itself instead of a kiss and then - </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">bam!</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> - she has a 4 year old son and is pregnant with her second child. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">You can watch it at </span></span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/taiwanese-drama/down-with-love-episode-list/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Drama Wiki</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> (28 listed episodes but only works up to 16) and </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/down-with-love/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My Soju</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> (16 episodes). Although the ending was a bit of a flop, I still recommend it. ^^</span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-40984192250069585182010-05-09T15:47:00.005-05:002010-05-09T16:04:59.331-05:00Kiss Me, Kill Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dramastyle.com/images/3/10/5182poster_image_3085_3_10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 428px;" src="http://www.dramastyle.com/images/3/10/5182poster_image_3085_3_10.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div><i><a href="http://asianmediawiki.com/Kiss_Me,_Kill_Me"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Kiss Me, Kill Me</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">킬미/Kil Mi) is a November 2009 Korean romantic dramedy film, focusing on a woman who's intent on committing suicide and a man who's a professional assassin. It stars </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Hyun-jun"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Shin Hyun-jun</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kang_Hye_Jung"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Kang Hye-jung</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. The summary is as follows:</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; color: rgb(53, 56, 61); "><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A professional & quiet killer, Hyun-jun. He arrives at a house where he expects a man to be killed by him, but he only finds a girl to expects him to help her suicide. She shouts at dazed Hyun-jun. "What's the matter? It's your job, so you just kill me" She decides to kill herself after the loss of 7 years love, but she feels unfair that she just commits suicide calmly with overdosing sleeping pills. "You should do it by yourself. I am not a helper for suicide." He gets angry at her, forgetting what he does. Hyun-jun & Jin -young begin to meet like this. While they continue to meet, quiet Hyun -jun gets talkative, and Jin Young only dreaming of death begins to think of tomorrow. What a shame for both! Why do they meet day by day in spite that they always argue in vain?</span></span></blockquote></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Although this film is categorised as romance, I didn't really begin feel it until the middle and you don't really see it until the very end and even then, it isn't delved into that much. There are several funny moments, but they're not the obnoxious in-your-face humor, which I rather enjoyed. I'm also all for morbid humor, which was why I chose to watch this in the first place. However, within the dynamics between the two main characters, one of whom is still suffering from a break up who seems to just go by each day reluctantly and indifferently, and the other who has a job killing people and comes home to a mother who seems to be constantly intoxicated with an overworked toilet - it's interesting to see how they affect the other at the end. There's also a theme of how sometimes, the things you least expect will happen (mini spoiler: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">like his mother being diagnosed with uterine cancer instead of liver cancer - in fact, her liver was fine</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">). I did love the two characters though - they amused me. ^^</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All in all, I give it a 7.8/10. I don't know where I got the 0.8 from, but it feels like a good score. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You can watch it </span></span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/korean-movie/kiss-me-kill-me/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-37176210940015587822010-05-08T19:57:00.005-05:002010-05-08T20:14:38.750-05:00Hear Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.now-movies.com/movieimg/movie1266494492.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 400px;" src="http://www.now-movies.com/movieimg/movie1266494492.png" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><i><a href="http://asianfanatics.net/forum/topic/676424-movie-hear-me-&%2321548;&%2335828;/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Hear Me</span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> (聽説/Ting Shuo) is a Taiwanese romantic movie that was released in August 2009, coinciding with the Deaflympics. It stars </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Eddie_Peng"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Eddie Peng</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ivy_Chen"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Ivy Chen</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, and </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Michelle_Chen"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Michelle Chen Yan Xi</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">. The synopsis is as follows:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Cheerful delivery boy Tian Kuo delivers lunch boxes to a local hearing-impaired swimming team. He holds a torch for hearing-impaired cutie Yan Yan, who's often at the pool to cheer on her older sister Xiao Peng. Yang Yang wholeheartedly supports Xiao Peng's dream of competing in the Deaflympics, even if it means working multiple jobs and giving all her time to her sister. Yang Yang slowly falls for Tian Kuo's goofy charms, but the burgeoning romance opens a rift in the sisters' relationship.</span></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">This movie is full of everything: drama, love, and laughs. Oh, and a slight hint of angst. A majority of the dialogue is in sign language, so it took me a while to get used to silent dialogue and it got to the point that when background music came on, I was slightly startled. O_o So yes, subtitles are a must. Also since some lines are in Taiwanese and I believe one line was in Cantonese. However, love blossoming between two people using only sign language to communicate is pretty interesting. Honestly, the somewhat silent nature of half of the film gave me a glimpse as to how life could be if one lost one's hearing. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">But anyway - it's amazing how much emotion can still be conveyed even if it were all communicated through hand motions and facial expressions - I give all the actors and actresses props for that. I also </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">love </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">the twist at the end of the film and I will say nothing more on that note. ^^ I rewatched that part three times before I could move on, haha. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">You can watch it </span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/taiwanese-movie/hear-me/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">.</span></div></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-78489591422400036942010-05-08T16:22:00.003-05:002010-05-08T16:45:28.781-05:00My Girl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://drama.watchanimeon.com/series/my-girl-tv-asahi.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 244px;" src="http://drama.watchanimeon.com/series/my-girl-tv-asahi.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/My_Girl_(TV_Asahi)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">My Girl</span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">マイガール</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">) is a 2009 Japanese family drama starring </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Aiba_Masaki"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Aiba Masaki</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yuka"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Yuka</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, and </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ishii_Momoka"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Ishii Momoka</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">. The summary is as follows:</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The story revolved around a 23-year-old man named, Kazama Masamune. During high school, he had a girlfriend four years older than him, but she suddenly leaves to go abroad. Six years later, he receives news that she has passed away. In addition, she secretly gave birth to Masamune's daughter. Now the five-year-old daughter, Koharu, is returning home to Japan, and Masamune must raise her.</span></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I had actually started this drama two months or so ago, but then I got distracted and school got into the way. Now that school has ended and I have several days' break before finals, I watched the two last episodes and completed it. ^^ Anyway, like the synopsis says, it's about a young guy who suddenly realises that he has a daughter. It suggests that a lot of hilarity may ensue - but not really, though I'm not trying to say that there weren't any. It's more of a drama with a lot of cute and sweet moments, focusing on the trials and tribulations of being a young and single father suffering from the sudden loss of his one love and pursuing his dream as a photographer as well as the cute antics and dynamics of having a new family. The topic of sacrifices for someone you love is also a major theme towards the end. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">First off, the girl is absolutely adorable. I like kids from afar, but they tend to grate on my nerves if they're in my presence for too long. lol... however, the girl is just cute! And it makes sense that she won an award for her role in this drama. :) Secondly, although I didn't speed through the entire drama (I attribute that to the fact that I've been in the mood for more fast-paced, action-filled material), I did enjoy it. I liked seeing their relationship progress from "OMG, I have no clue what to do" to "I love you and I want you to be happy." </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">You can watch it </span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-drama/my-girl-asahi/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">. </span></div></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-43405993113573836522010-04-26T17:39:00.005-05:002010-04-26T18:36:02.544-05:00Stage of Youth<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://fanaholic.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/stage-of-youth-pic.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 350px;" src="http://fanaholic.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/stage-of-youth-pic.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Stage_of_Youth"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Stage of Youth</span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">青春舞臺/</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Qing Chun Wu Tai) is a January 2009 Mainland Chinese drama starring </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Han_Geng"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Han Geng</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> (from </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Junior"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Super Junior</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> and Super Junior-M), </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Joey_Yung"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Joey Yung</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Huang_Yi"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Huang Yi</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kenny_Kwan"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Kenny Kwan</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yumiko_Cheng"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Yumiko Cheng</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, </span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Zhang_Jun_Ning"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Zhang Jun Ning</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, as well as a cameo appearance by the rest of Super Junior-M in the last episode. The summary (taken from </span><a href="http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=262497"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">) is as follows:</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Xia Lei (夏磊) is a young man who loves to dance. His father is a top archery athlete and because Xia Lei's mother passed away, he missed the opportunity to compete in the last Olympics. His father wants him to follow in his footsteps, yet Xia Lei only has a passion for dancing. After going through conflicts with his father, meeting constant challenges and tribulations, and gaining determination, he finally reaches his dreams and becomes the new generation of dancing stars.</span></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I've actually been watching another drama on and off but I've also been busy with school. HOWEVER, at the same time, I've become increasingly enthralled with Super Junior. ^^ So when I found out that a member of the group was in a drama, next thing I know, I found myself looking for said drama, and here I am. Anyway, dramawiki has this listed as a romance, but honestly? It isn't. :] There does seem to be some unrequited love floating around and we'll leave it at that. It's also a mere 12 episodes long and is done for Chinese-Korean relations as well as for the Olympics. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Anyway, everyone's Chinese accent is different with Han Geng and Huang Yi (and Zhang Jun Ning, but he's only there half the time) having the only Mainland/Beijing accent and it sometimes threw me off - turns out it makes sense since everyone else is from Hong Kong. You get used to it though. Anyway... I didn't expect too much out of this since I was merely watching it for Han Geng and the fact that Super Junior-M was guest staring (but only at the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">very </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">end -__-) - and to practice my Chinese. However, I admit that I still came back for more. ^^ The plot is pretty interesting but I honestly don't get how a 2-person duo turned into Super Junior-M (why didn't they all star in it???), but I suppose. You do get a glimpse at how hard it is to make it big. There are the usual conflicts except this time, it's between the father and son instead of coming from some sort of romance (though there is a smidge of that). You do see a lot of dancing, photography, and archery. The singing only comes at the end. I have to say that Geng's acting isn't all that bad either. So yay! The people are also very nice to look at. :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">You can watch it at </span><a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/chinese-drama/stage-of-youth/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">DramaCrazy</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, but half of them (mainly the last few) aren't subbed in English quite yet. </span></div></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-42205895758764213732010-02-28T13:45:00.004-06:002010-02-28T14:15:08.401-06:00My Sassy Girl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wichosaenz.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/my_sassy_girl1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 418px; height: 600px;" src="http://wichosaenz.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/my_sassy_girl1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Sassy_Girl"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My Sassy Girl</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(68, 68, 68); letter-spacing: -1px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">엽기적인 그녀</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">) is a 2001 highly successful Korean romantic comedy film. It stars </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Cha_Tae_Hyun"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cha Tae Hyun</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and </span></span><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Jun_Ji_Hyun"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Jun Ji Hyun</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The synopsis is as follows (taken from </span></span><a href="http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_My_Sassy_Girl.php#synopsis"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">HanCinema</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">):</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></span></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Based on a series of true stories posted by Ho-sik Kim on the Internet describing his relationship with his girlfriend. These were later transformed into a best-selling book and the movie follows the book closely. As the film opens we are introduced to Kyun-woo, a kind-hearted but at times naive college student who seems to keep getting into trouble. On his way home one night he encounters a beautiful but completely smashed young woman who causes a scene in the subway, calls him "honey", and then passes out. With the eyes of the other subway passengers upon him, he has little choice but to take responsibility for her. Thus begins his relationship with the at-times charming, at-times violent damsel who steals his heart. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Much of the film is structured around the bizarre antics of Kyun-woo's newfound girlfriend. After she passes out yet again, Kyun-woo looks at her blissful face and promises to himself that he will save her, and right whatever it is that troubles her. This proves to be much more of a challenge than he expects.</span></span></span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Honestly, the only reason why I finished this movie was because it was my homework to do so for my Pop Culture class. That's not to say it was bad. The first time I watched it, I never went past the first 35 minutes - something just didn't reel me in. I don't know why exactly, it just didn't. I told my friends that and they told me it all came together in the end and so this time, I made sure I watched everything 'till the end. :) As the synopsis says, the film focuses on the strange relationship between a guy and a girl. It was funny and I experienced a good amount of second-hand embarrassment which made me cringe, but it was highly enjoyable. Even so, I did not get sucked in until the second half of the movie. Truth be told, I didn't even love it until the last "two parts" of it (because MySoju had it separated into 8 parts). Perhaps because it didn't make me feel involved and though I was watching it, I was merely watching it and doing so does nothing for the audience. Sure, they went into the most ridiculous situations and the girl was most amusing, but I suppose the further into the movie we got, the more we learned about her. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">No, for some odd reason, I can't seem to string together the words in my head adequately enough to express my feelings for this movie. I agree with my friends: the ending certainly tied it together neatly with a neat little bow, though "tying it together" may not be the proper word choice. It was more like it concluded the film perfectly. It was sweet, it tugged at me, and I really want an epilogue. But I have to give it props for not being like every other romantic comedy; there was also a little something hanging over everything and I like that. Well, once I got over the first half. :) I have to say even though my start with this film was rocky, I'm glad I finished it and I can see the hype about it. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You can watch it at </span></span><a href="http://www.mysoju.com/my-sassy-girl/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">MySoju</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (because at DramaCrazy, the videos aren't working). </span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-20439993932886033082010-02-27T12:22:00.004-06:002010-02-28T14:14:44.316-06:00The Host<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://roberthood.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/the-host-poster2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 652px;" src="http://roberthood.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/the-host-poster2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Host_(film)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The Host</span></span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> (괴물) is a 2006 Korean monster movie - but don't let that fool you; it's more like a dramedy as well, just set in a situation where some toxic "chemichers" created a genetically mutated fish-creature. It stars </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byeon_Hee-bong"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Byeon Hee-bong</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_Kang-ho"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Song Kang-ho</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Hae-il"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Park Hae-il</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bae_Doona"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Bae Doona</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, and </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko_Ah-seong"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Ko Ah-seong</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">. The synopsis is as follows (taken from </span></span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/host/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Rotten Tomatoes</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">):</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Gang-du (SONG Kang-ho) works at a food-stand on the banks of the Han River. Dozing on the job, he is awakened by his daughter, Hyun-seo ( KO A-sung), who is angry with him for missing a teacher-parent meeting at school. As Gang-du walks out to the riverbank with a delivery, he notices that a large crowd of people has gathered, taking pictures and talking about something hanging from the Han River Bridge. The otherwise idyllic landscape turns suddenly to bedlam when a terrifying creature climbs up onto the riverbank and begins to crush and eat people. Gang-du and his daughter run for their lives but suddenly the thing grabs Hyun-seo and disappears back into the river. The government announces that the thing apparently is the Host of an unidentified virus. Having feared the worst, Gang-du receives a phone call from his daughter who is frightened, but very much alive. Gang-du makes plans to infiltrate the forbidden zone near the Han River to rescue his daughter from the clutches of the horrifying Host...</span></span></blockquote></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I try to not write up little blurbs on movies I've watched in relation to school, but it's always nice to be able to look up what films/dramas I have watched and what I thought about them at the time if I ever do want to know. So, here I am. I didn't quite watch this specifically for my South Korean Pop Culture and Media class, but it is on the list of films I could watch and do my second paper on. I didn't have too many expectations when I agreed to watch it (I had just finished studying for the night at my friend's place and we decided to celebrate by watching a movie - this movie) except how I was informed how it was a "horror" film. In theory, I suppose it is. Once I watched it, I had no idea how to categorize it. The movie was done in a way where all of the people within it seemed incompetent - the people because they're always idiots when it comes to monster movies and the [American] doctors/pathologists because perhaps the movie was trying to say something (</span></span><a href="http://www.cinematical.com/2006/09/13/tiff-interview-the-host-director-bong-joon-ho/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">turns out it was</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">). This serious lack of brain cells made me want to just let the monster roam free and have at everyone, but besides that one complaint from me, it was fairly entertaining. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I liked how the main characters was made up of an ordinary family who could have been more extraordinary and </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">used their brains</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> - but didn't. I liked the creature which was rather adorable, then again, I have a strange sense of what's cute and what isn't; the effects were pretty good as well. I was sure that the entire film could have been poking at the incompetence of several groups of people, or was a sort of satire, which was pretty neat - in this sense, the film wasn't completely lacking within the intelligence department. Overall, however, there was only a handful of moments where you might have been startled but for the most part, I wouldn't have considered it a horror film. I just couldn't stop thinking about how the opening scene would be a huge nightmare for environmentalists and animal lovers alike. All in all, although most people seemed to love the movie, I have to say that I didn't love it, nor did I hate it. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I have to give them one thing: that family's pretty resilient and the ending scene was somewhat touching. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">My friend had Netflix so I didn't have to search for this online - so sorry, no link. :/</span></span></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-26040696937703957382010-02-05T21:41:00.003-06:002010-02-05T22:04:02.528-06:00Saigo no Yakusoku<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.mysoju.com/images/upload/400px-Saigonoyakusoku.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 276px; height: 263px;" src="http://static.mysoju.com/images/upload/400px-Saigonoyakusoku.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Saigo_no_Yakusoku"><span style="font-style: italic;">Saigo no Yakusoku</span></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> (The Last Promise/最後の約束) is a 2010 Japanese tanpatsu, a special [movie-length] drama. It stars all five members of </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arashi">Arashi</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> (</span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Matsumoto_Jun">Matsumoto Jun</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ohno_Satoshi">Ohno Satoshi</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Sakurai_Sho">Sakurai Sho</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Aiba_Masaki">Aiba Masaki</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, and </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ninomiya_Kazunari">Ninomiya Kazunari</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">) as well as </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kuroki_Meisa">Kuroki Meisa</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Fujiki_Naohito">Fujiki Naohito</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, and </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Otsuka_Nene">Otsuka Nene</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">. The summary is as follows:</span><br /><br /><blockquote style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"Saigo no Yakusoku" is described as a human suspense story involving the hijack of a major building. The members of Arashi play five young men who happen to be inside, and the story depicts their attempt to escape and their interactions with the other people caught up in the incident.</blockquote><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I'm not a diehard Arashi fan, though it's been known that I like a number of their songs. :) Therefore, I can say that the reason why I decided to watch this was not solely based on the fact that all of Arashi were in the production, though I can't say that it did not affect my decision at all. Even so, I believe this was pretty good, even for someone who's not a rabid fangirl. ;) The plot is pretty good and I can attest that it is suspenseful - I just kept on wanting more until the completed. The interactions between the characters were enough for us to know their background stories but not too much that it became too much and confusing. The acting wasn't bad, either. Not to mention the huge twist towards the end of the film/drama.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">However, it was a bit fluffy at times. Everything was done for a good reason - not only "good" as in it made sense (which is always a plus), but "good" as in "too good to be true." I mean seriously - fireworks? There was only what, one or two of it anyway. It does give one somewhat of a happy feeling in their tummy, so I suppose I can deal with it. I still think it wasn't a waste of my time so I'll let it have four of out five stars. Maybe three-and-a-half, but only because of the fluffyness of it all. I did enjoy the plot twist immensely. :)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">You can watch it at both </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-movie/saigou-no-yakusoku/">DramaCrazy</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> and </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.mysoju.com/saigo-no-yakusoku/">MySoju</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">.</span>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-27577552813681397602010-01-14T19:41:00.004-06:002010-01-14T20:02:26.902-06:00Ohitorisama<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.mysoju.com/images/upload/400px-Ohitorisama-banner.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 370px; height: 217px;" src="http://static.mysoju.com/images/upload/400px-Ohitorisama-banner.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ohitorisama"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ohitorisama</span></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> (おひとりさま) is a 2009 Japanese romantic comedy drama between a man and a woman that have a ten-year difference in age. It stars </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Mizuki_Alisa">Mizuki Alisa</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Koike_Teppei">Koike Teppei</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Matsushita_Nao">Matsushita Nao</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, Tachibana Keita, and </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Maya_Miki">Maya Miki</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">. The summary is as follows:</span><br /><br /><blockquote style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">33-year-old Akiyama Satomi is a history teacher at the prestigious all-girls high school she once attended. She has earned the nickname "ohitorisama" (meaning "one person") for her perfectionism and capability to handle any work by herself. At the same time, the name also refers to her lack of romance. One day, a young man named Shinichi arrives at the school as a temporary instructor. He's ten years younger than Satomi, has only worked part-time jobs, and has neither money nor status. Although the other female teachers and students find him cute, he is completely not Satomi's type... or is he? Will love blossom between this unlikely pair?</blockquote><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I was actually supposed to finish this drama two weeks ago, but the last episode wasn't really subbed until today. And even then, only 80% of it was subbed. It was enough, though annoying. :) Well, as for the reasons for my decision to watch this: it was short (10 episodes long), it seemed cute, the plot was somewhat refreshing with the traditional roles reversed, and Koike Teppei was in it (he's just adorable). When I finally watched it, it didn't lose me, though Teppei's character did annoy me half the time, but made me want to pinch his cheeks the other half. The romance is gradual and when it finally gets there, it sort of plateaus off but it isn't really elaborated until the last 15 minutes of the last episode. I'm somewhat disappointed about that but really, what was I expecting with only ten episodes? For that, I'm quite content that nothing was rushed and you sort of get an epilogue type thing. An epilogue of about 2 seconds long, that is, which really isn't an epilogue at all.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The only thing was that it was obvious the woman was older and at some points, the relationship seemed to even border on being categorized as "wrong" - not that I have anything against age or anything. Just with Koike's boyish looks and innocent charm, lets just say the director and whoever casted him for the role did really well. I did like the conflicts the two had as well as how they differed due to age and maturity (as well as personality) but in the end, everything worked out. My reaction to this? It was cute, entertaining, and their chemistry was somewhat there (I suppose), but I'd say it isn't </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">the best</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, nor is it something to completely ignore - especially if you've got some time on your hands. After all, it's not like there are too many dramas that center on a 33-year old woman and a 23-year old man.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">As of now, all of the episodes are up on </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.mysoju.com/ohitorisama/">MySoju</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> (though the last one needs to get better subs) and only 9 are up on </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-drama/ohitorisama/">DramaCrazy</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">. Oh wait - DramaCrazy has all of them, but the last one is done by the same subbing group as MySoju.</span>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-32704983019985365192010-01-08T23:35:00.005-06:002010-01-09T00:12:26.213-06:00Mulan (2009)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://movie.nohal.com/uploads/image/2009/2009-11/2009-11-13_Mulan/mulan_poster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 401px;" src="http://movie.nohal.com/uploads/image/2009/2009-11/2009-11-13_Mulan/mulan_poster.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulan_%282009_film%29"><span style="font-style: italic;">Mulan</span></a> (花木蘭/Hua Mu Lan) is a November 2009 Mainland Chinese film depicting the adventures of Mulan - minus the talking Mushu and the partying ancestral spirits. It stars <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhao_Wei">Vicky Zhao</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhao_Wei"> Wei</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Kun_%28actor%29">Chen Kun</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hu_Jun">Hu Jun</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaycee_Chan">Jaycee Chan</a> (Jackie Chan's son!!), Liu Yu Xing, <a href="http://asianfanatics.net/forum/topic/152537-nicky-lee/">Nicky Li Jiu Zhe</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitas">Vitas</a>. The summary is as follows and is largely <a href="http://filmasia.blogspot.com/2009/12/mulan-china-usa-2009.html">taken from here</a>, with the exception of the italicised word which I edited myself (the synopsis off of Wiki includes some spoilers, though shorter in length):<br /><br /><blockquote>In Northern Wei Dynasty, little Mulan (Xu Jiao) has ambition to become a soldier fighter for his kingdom one day. However, since she is a girl she is not permitted to join the army. As a grown up Mulan (Vicki Zhao Wei) suddenly finds an opportunity when his retired soldier father Hua Hu (Yu Rong Guang) gets drunk and soon she dresses as a male army and takes over his place.<br /><br />After entering the army barracks, Mulan has to undergo harsh and intensive training, making herself courageous and soon win the respect of the battalion’s Vice Commander, Wentai (Chen Kun). During the training session Mulan meets up with her childhood friend, Xiao Hu (Jaycee Chan). One day Wentai suspects there’s a woman among the male army troops and a strip search is required.<br /><br />In order to avoid her identity to be exposed to everyone Mulan finally reveals her real identity to Wentai after she confessed of stealing the jade pendant. Her punishment is <span style="font-style: italic;">execution </span>but is later released when the Rouran tribe invades the kingdom for tin and iron. Mulan’s first real battle ends with a success and soon she is promoted to be the Vice Commander and always fight the battle along with Wentai.<br /><br />It is friendship at first for Mulan and Wentai but later turns into romance for both of them. The Rouran tribe then strikes back with a stronger army under the leadership of Modu (Hu Jun). The attack arrives unexpectedly and the Wei’s army is significantly reduced and Mulan now faces the toughest battle of her life. She must choose whether to surrender her kingdom to Rouran or sacrifice her love for the sake of her kingdom…</blockquote><br />I remember Disney's <span style="font-style: italic;">Mulan</span>. I thought it was rather cute and funny, entertaining, and it <span style="font-style: italic;">touched </span>upon war but honestly? It was obvious that it was aiming towards a younger audience. So when I heard of this new movie coming out and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kLvOEtZRf0">saw the trailer</a>, I decided that it was definitely more realistic. :) Not to mention I know that Zhao Wei's a good actress. And so I watched it once I saw it online - and I dragged my sister along as well. She actually (initially) kept on comparing it with Disney's <span style="font-style: italic;">Mulan</span>. I have to admit, it was good. Real good - I greatly enjoyed it. It wasn't a blood bath nor was it absolutely devoid of the gore and grit of war, but it portrayed it fairly well (not that I've ever been to war, but as far as I know, it was a good reenaction of it). In addition to that, it also played out the psychological aspects of it as well as separating emotion away from warfare. There was a good deal of it dedicated to Mulan's struggle between her female 'need' to express emotion and what she had to do. At this point, I should also say that there are some humorous lines... of course, I find humor in some of the most morbid of things, so it may just be me. ;)<br /><br />Although there's no historical proof that Mulan actually existed, this movie certainly made it realistic enough. Of course, there was some romance in there but a lot of it was inhibited due to war and one's duty. There was a lot of that actually; the ideas of duty, sacrifice, patriotism, and the 'greater good' came up quite a bit. I admit I was touched and there was a moment in there where I felt like my friend who I met in China; she had announced, most impressed, that she was proud to be Chinese whilst we were trekking on the Great Wall. I was all gung-ho for the Wei to win as well. ^^ HOWEVER, I enjoyed this movie for its realism and realism you'll get - the ending <span style="font-style: italic;">isn't</span> a clear-cut, Disney-styled happy ending. My sister learned that soon enough and she was sniffling like mad starting from halfway through the film and ended up having to blow her nose at least five times. She also repeatedly asked me if she had to watch it and made frequent trips to the restroom. Anyway, aside from the content, the acting, and the reaching-across-to-the-audience, there were other factors that lead me to watch it. First off, Jackie Chan's son is in it. I knew he had a son, but I didn't really know much more than that so I was curious. Second of all, Nicky Li's in it too - his <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gaf_BNyG1oI"><span style="font-style: italic;">Xiang Tai Duo</span>/想太多</a> is a classic! Third point: Vitas (aka the Russian dude whose Chinese isn't all that bad) has <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjO_VXHxsRw">a set of impressive vocal cords</a> and I give him props for that. Even though his lines in the film are limited.<br /><br />You can watch it on <a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/chinese-movie/mulan/">DramaCrazy</a>.Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10531794.post-3248928667959501352009-12-23T01:00:00.004-06:002009-12-23T01:17:58.708-06:00Take Care of the Young Lady<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://allkoreandrama.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/my-fair-lady.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 359px;" src="http://allkoreandrama.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/my-fair-lady.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Take_Care_of_the_Young_Lady"><span style="font-style: italic;">Take Care of the Young Lady</span></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> (아가씨를 부탁해/Agassireul Pputakae) is a 2009 Korean romantic comedy drama. It stars </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yoon_Eun_Hye">Yoon Eun Hye</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yoon_Sang_Hyun">Yoon Sang Hyun</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Jung_Il_Woo">Jung Il Woo</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, and </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Moon_Chae_Won">Moon Chae Won</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">. The summary is as follows:</span><br /><br /><blockquote style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Of the high-rolling top 'hot celebrities' of the wealthy upper class in Korea's high society, Kang Hye Na is the one desired by the men, feared and hated by the women. Being the only successor to the largest conglomerate company, Kang San Group, Kang Hye Na has both the looks and the background. She is the owner of the ‘Lady Castle’ and lives a ‘princess-like’ life with her servants. Until one day, out of pure coincidence, she comes across Seo Dong Chan who turns her life upside down. Not only does he make her do community service, he even kidnapped her... and now he's the new household manager!!! Even after stepping on him, crushing him and biting him, he still doesn't run away. She may have finally met her match... </blockquote><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I originally decided to watch this because Yoon Eun Hye was in it and after watching her in </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Coffee Prince</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, she became one of my favorite Korean actresses and I felt like I should support her. Plus, I knew that her role in this drama was completely different. It also helped that the summary appeared to have some potential. :) Well, I have to admit that the first 3 or 4 episodes dragged a bit for me but I'm fairly sure it was because I was still stuck on the last drama. Another factor was the fact that it took some getting used to Eun Hye's character - she was rude, arrogant, and pretty much had the biggest attitude problem ever, although it changed throughout the series. I did like the feisty-ness of it, but compared to her old character as Go Eun Chan, it was opposite in most every way. Anyway, once I got into it, it turned out to be pretty good. The acting was good (as if it could be bad with Yoon Eun Hye in it) and the romance going on was a bit different in a sense but she did eventually end up with the main male character. There were the characteristic cute and sweet scenes that I never get tired of, no matter how many dramas I watch, and I loved how the two eventually got together (even though I was originally rooting for Guy Number 1).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">All in all, I have to say this drama wasn't a waste of time and deserves to be seen and at only 16 episodes, it's not </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">that </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">long. You can watch it at </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.mysoju.com/take-care-of-the-young-lady/">MySoju</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> (with bordering-on-mediocre subtitles) but as of today, episodes 1-5, 10, and 15-16 are all listed as "broken" so I </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.megaupload.com/?f=T9KWRUQX">downloaded</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> those particular episodes.</span>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0