Weighing in on Secret Garden

Secret Garden is turning out to be very, very winning. The characters are interesting and layered, the dynamics funny and the premise engaging. I can’t say I’m hooked, but I AM committed to it already!

Hyun Bin as Kim Joo-won, CEO of a department store

I knew this guy has comic chops, but I’m still pleasantly surprised! I’ve seen the most of Hyun Bin in melodrama Snow Queen, and bits in Kim Sam Soon and Worlds Within. Here in Secret Garden, he’s so engaging a character! He’s outwardly cool and aloof, but we’ve also caught a bit of his sincere side. Besides, he’s a tad immature (thus providing endless entertainment for us), has a glib tongue (naughty witty?), and knows how to get his way (you want your man to be a MAN, don’t you?). Shall I say, flawed in the most attractive way possible? Teehee.

 

【Summer’s Desire】Peter Ho is Barbie Hsu’s best match

In FTV’s Summer’s Desire which premiered end of May, Barbie Hsu is caught in an intense love triangle between Huang Xiao Ming and Peter Ho. Her love with Huang Xiao Ming is entitled “suffocating love”, while her romance with Peter is described as a ” fatal love”. It has aired 4 episodes thus far and its episode ratings have risen steadily from episode 1’s 0.86 to episode 4’s 1.55.

Personally, I’ve been looking forward to its premiere since the release of its teaser eons ago and shared my anticipation here, and now it’s finally out. If you like a heavy dose of wild, crazy love that only exists in the world of novels or mangas, Summer’s Desire ought to be your dish.

Birth of the Rich: who is Suk Bong’s chaebol-dad?

I saw The Birth of the Rich when it was out and liked it so much I wanted to recap it! But it was too time consuming so I had to put it off 😦 Now I’ve watched till episode 4 and am still thoroughly enjoying it.

My take on the birth mystery of our chaebol-hopeful Choi Suk Bong (Ji Hyun Woo):

Meet China’s F4

I actually wanted to do a post on Let’s Go Watch Meteor Shower (一起来看流星雨), aka the Mainland Chinese Hana Yori Dango, but thought it would be better to present the “F4” guys in the drama first.

The Japanese manga Hana Yori Dango has been made into an anime series, a Taiwanese drama (Meteor Garden), a Japanese drama by the same name and a kdrama adaptation, Boys Before Flowers. So far, every version has enjoyed immense popularity throughout Asia (and the world), and the same applied to China’s Meteor Shower which has catapulted its cast from virtually unknowns to mega-sensations in China (not so much in the rest of Asia, yet)

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Korean screenwriters and their drama works Part II

CONTINUED FROM PART I

   

Noh Hee Kyung / 노희경

  

 

 

The World That They Live In (KBS2, 2008), Several Questions That Make Us Happy (KBS2, 2007), Goodbye Solo (KBS2, 2006), More Beautiful Than a Flower (KBS2, 2004), Solitude (KBS2, 2002), Did We Really Love (MBC, 1999), Lie (KBS,1998) 

 

 

Korean screenwriters and their drama works Part I

I have never watched a drama solely because of its writer’s track record. That’s because I hardly check up the name of the screenwriter when I like a drama, yeah ok I’m ashamed since I know how important the writing is in making the drama an enjoyable and quality one. So I’ve done some research and hopefully uncover some other dramas I’d like to try.   

Dramas italicised are those I’ve seen but not in full; those I watched to completion are in bold.  

ROMANCE / MELODRAMA  

Oh Soo Yeon / 오수연

A Star’s Lover (SBS, 2008), Wedding (KBS, 2005), Love Letter (MBC, 2003), Winter Sonata (KBS2, 2002), Four Sisters (MBC, 2001), Autumn Tale (KBS2, 2000), All About Eve (MBC, 2000), Feelings (KBS2, 1994)  

 

 

I think each of the 2 dramas in bold is sufficient to guarantee Oh Soo Yeon a mention on this page. I have raved about Winter Sonata in great detail here so I shan’t repeat myself. Autumn Tale is also one of my favourite classics, and is one of the few I watched with devotion. It is a tragic tearjerker yes, but it is one of thoes which will make you cry and remember – a very well done melodrama with a standard to look up to. Some of its famous dialogues have become abused in later melodramas to the extent they’re losing their magic already, so watch it remembering it was shown in that era (10 yrs back!). It’s viewership rating peaked at 46.1% and averaged 38.6% during the broadcast.   

My Ramblings on Queen Seon Deok

Queen Seon Deok is probably the first sageuk I’m watching out of my own accord (and goodwill to give sageuks a shot). The main factor had to be the high appraisal given to Kim Nam Gil for his portrayal of Bidam and how complicated, deliciously evil but popular his character appears. I was also curious after hearing about the romance between Deok Man and Bidam because I’ve caught a glimpse of the drama earlier on (coincidentally the episode when Yoo Shin confessed his feelings for Deok Man) and thought Yoo Shin had to be her soulmate. 

Taiwanese Dramas Galore!

Two Thumbs Up!

 

Powerful Opponents

Omg i haven’t blogged for ages due to exams. I bet no one visits here anymore ): Regardless! Shall do a drama recommendation 😀

Powerful Opponents is a drama centering around 3 main characters – Chae Rim as Cha Young Jin, Lee Jin Wook as Kang Soo Ho, and Lee Jong Hyuk as Yoo Gwang Pil. Young Jin and Gwang Pil are bodyguards who are assigned to protect the President and his family. The story unfolds when they are both assigned to protect the president’s troublemaker son Soo Ho. A love triangle thus ensues between Young Jin, Gwang Pil and Soo Ho.

Zeni Geba: Episode 2 Sneak

 

Futaro (Kenichi Matsuyama) asks to be Midori’s friend when she volunteers to give him any compensation he wanted for almost knocking him down. So she good naturedly invited him to a cruise.