My Little Bride

My Little Bride (어린 신부 eorin sinbu) revolves around the arranged marriage between a college playboy and a 15-year-old highschooler.

Synopsis: I really can't be bothered in writing up a synopsis on this I'll post Wiki's version of it.

"Boeun (Moon Geun young) is an ordinary high school girl who worries about grades and has a crush on her school's baseball team ace, named Jungwoo. One day, Boeun's grandfather orders her to marry Sangmin (Kim Rae Won). When they were young, during the Korean War, Boeun's and Sangmin's grandfathers had promised that they would become in-laws. Despite the grandchildren's opposition, they are forced to marry because of the strong influence of Boeun's grandfather. Boeun's undercover married life begins: She pretends that she doesn't have a husband and starts dating Jungwoo. Boeun believes that she can manage both men and live a double life. Everything goes smoothly until Sangmin visits Boeun's school as a student teacher."

Casts: Moon Geun Young as Suh Boeun, Kim Rae Won as Park Sang Min

Review: Easily said, it's not the best movie on arranged marriage that I have seen. Although there's potential into making this even better. For starters the last part of the movie is utterly rushed and uncohesive and the characters' relationships aren't explained properly. I really really think the script has a potential as a drama series rather than a 2-hour movie. Other than that the leading casts are great and the story, again, has a great feel and potential it just wasn't executed properly.

Ratings: 2.5/5 stars

The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince

커피프린스 1호점 or The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince (2007). I cannot thank you enough to my friend for introducing this drama to me :D

Synopsis: 24-year-old Go Eun Chan is a girl with no streak of femininity in her appearance or behaviour and often mistaken for a boy. Her family has been doing it hard ever since her father died and Eun Chan quits schooling in order to feed her family by doing odd-jobs here and there. One day through a misunderstanding she meets Choi Han Kyul, a 29-year-old affluent man who just came home from the States. Han Kyul thinking Eun Chan is a boy hired her to become his lover hoping he can still live life to his content by avoiding arranged meetings for potential wife organised by Han Kyul's grandmother by pretending to be gay. Eun Chan in desperate need of money reluctantly agreed.

Han Kyul's grandmother tired of Han Kyul's recklessness gives him an ultimatum. Manage a broken-down coffee shop of her acquaintance for three months and if by that time he is able to gain three times the current profit he is able to do what he wishes. Although reluctant Han Kyul finally gives in and through this chance encounter the co-manager of the coffee shop is also a close acquaintance of Eun Chan, though knowing that they only hire male waiters Eun Chan applied and got the job by pretending to be male.

Through several events Eun Chan develops feelings for Han Kyul and Han Kyul for Eun Chan. But the dilemma is as followed, Han Kyul still thinks that Eun Chan is a male! Even though Han Kyul truly has feelings for this 'man' can he ever love this 'man'? Can Han Kyul overcome his sexuality and love this person?

Casts: Yoon Eun Hye as Go Eun Chan, Gong Yoo as Choi Han Kyul, Lee Sun Gyun as Choi Han Sung, Chae Jung Ahn as Han Yoo Joo

Review: THE BEST DRAMA OF THE YEAR!!! *pops champagne* I am absolutely in love with this drama. There is not a moment where I feel that I was cheated out of my time nor did I even realise that time slowly (or quickly, I cannot be sure) run by. I realised that I was very much transfixed into the complexity of the drama when I realised I was watching episode 10 without realising how far I have watched.

It is a truly remarkable drama with complex character relationships especially between Eun Chan and Han Kyul but it has to be noted that the other main couple, Choi Han Sung and Han Yoo Joo, within this drama is also of importance since it reflects so much the real-life experiences of couples in general. Each actors play their characters beautifully with Yoon Eun Hye leading as my favourite main actor. Closely behind I have to say is Kim Chang Wan as the grossly behavioured co-manager, ex-president of Coffee Prince, Mr. Hong.

Although I have to say I was slightly disappointed with the little amount of screening time of the other stories that involves the extended characters' love relationships. Personally I think they should be studied more than they did in the drama. Often I find these extended stories too rushed and not explained properly leaving me clueless and wondering.

But overall the drama was very satisfactory and I would recommend it to anyone! :D

Ratings: 4.5/5 stars (just because of that damn extended little stories)

Post Script: All the guys are absolute cuteness! And also I did not realise that Eun Chan was a girl for a couple of minutes until it suddenly clicked in to me "OMG! That's the girl from Goong!" compared to all the other dramas of girls pretending to be guys (in particular both versions of Hana Kimi) don't look like guys no matter how guy-ishly they act but Eun Hye definitely nailed this. Poor her for being able to beat the guys in x-man she had to carry all those guys in the drama :D

Soulmate

소울메이트 or Soulmate is a story of 3 couples finding their missing half through destiny. This was recommended by a friend and like always I somehow find the 'time' to watch it even during uni days. :P

Synopsis: What if one day you walk down the street and catch a glimpse of the person who is the missing half of your soul? Without knowing who they are, where the come from? Would you believe it? This drama revolves around the love life of 3 (or it can also be said 4) couples, the difficulty in describing this drama is evident when you start to realise the complexity behind each couple's problems and ultimately relationship, in how they overcome a certain obstacle or how they ultimately realise that their true love really isn't their missing half.

Casts: Shin Dong Wook as Dong-woo, Lee Soo Kyung as Soo-kyung, Choi Phillip as Phillip, Sa Gang as Yu-jin, Otani Ryohei as Ryo Hei, Jang Min Ae as Min-ae, Jung Hwan as Jung Hwan, Kim Mi Jin as Mi-jin

Review: What is evidently interesting from the list of cast is that the character names are indeed the actors' real names (except Sa Gang). I personally am not sure why the directors, screenwriters or anyone who is involved in decision-making have used this but I think this technique is very successful in analysing the different ways we love since it reflects how we do love in real life, to some extent. I said to some extent because there is a degree of absolute absurdity being used in attracting the opposite sex such as how Min Ae first attracted the absolutely adorable Ryo Hei, you have to see it to believe it. Moving on...

The different kinds of early relationships of young couples are discussed here ranging from the 'player' to the 'destined' ones. Regardless of how many couples in the story the drama often focuses on two people who are 'destined' for each other, Soo Kyung and Dong Wook. The stories were often told according to the two main leads and how their paths always intertwined towards the end of their story or I should say little relationship episodes. I like the different way they managed to tell the story without it being too non-linear and not understandable. The drama generally has certain holes that I wish was filled in so we the audience can empathise with the characters a bit more... Some of the characters were a bit of an annoyance maybe that just reflects my preference *smile*.

Nonetheless there were significant moments in the drama that makes your heart squirm as each characters go through their individual ordeals and I have to say I love Yu Jin's naive, cutesy girly character the best. The actor nailed the character so well that I often find Yu Jin's actions and selfishness too cute. Anyway, the drama is personally not a favourite but I have to give it credit for being original in its story-telling.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Post Script: Btw there's plenty of eye-candy in this drama especially during their gym sessions ;)

visual dna

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My Cuppa

Just about the coolest cup I have ever seen! I'm so gonna get it when it comes out :D

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Image © suck.uk.com

I'm a Mac, I'm a PC

PC PAWNS MAC!! For once in PC's life.

If Microsoft designed its iPod packaging...

A satirical video on Microsoft's subtle way in package designing. Marvellous :)

"for the greater good..."

I have finally finished the last of the Harry Potter series titled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The last book completes the whole series by tying up loose ends presented within the previous books but most importantly answering all questions that have appeared in the sixth book Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The last book is certainly darker and contains a lot more twisted plots and presents more questions in the beginning, which J.K. Rowling ties up presentably in the end. I cannot say whether, in terms of literary merit, the book is brilliant but it presents itself, as a series, to be beautifully crafted and presented to the readers. The series as a whole presents itself to be a truly magnificent read that plays with the readers' imaginations. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows delves further into the mystery of Dumbledore's last wishes given to Harry, Ron and Hermione, it plays with the readers' minds and often I find myself questioning how it would all end when the plot seemingly enters into the realm of ambiguity. Of course the main question that readers have been dying to find out, "neither can live while the other survives...", plays an important role in the book alongside the trio's journey to find the Horcruxes.

I cannot say much about this book fearing I would spoil another's fun in discovering Harry's fate but all I can say is that it is truly a great hollywood-esque read with amazing twisted plots that you do not want to miss out on. If you have not finish the series I recommend that you do. The Harry Potter series is definitely a feed upon every person's fantastical imagination that only Rowling is able to craft into such a wonderful tale.

Hail Brzezinski!

So what's all this about? It's about releasing ourselves from the clutches of junk media coverages that don't deserve to be mentioned at all. Mika Brzezinski should be applauded for refusing to cover the Paris Hilton release story as a "lead" story. It is absurd that such an idiotic tale should be made a lead news. I'm fed up having to read and watch the news hoping for some insightful useful information particularly about global news when I get is this JUNK!

Unfortunately like all junk food we know it's bad but we still eat and worst crave it. But for one moment in the entire journalistic history we finally have someone who says, "no, I have had enough of this!" for that person, Mika Brzezinski, I salute you.

Lovely Complex

A manga series created by Aya Nakahara, this review would be about the movie adaptation of the manga by the same name, written in katakana, ラブ★コン (Rabu Kon). When I stumbled upon this I never realised the manga (which I have not finished reading since the english translation lag behind) has a movie adaptation.

Synopsis: Risa Koizumi is 170cm tall which is relatively taller than the average Japanese high-school girl whilst Atsushi Otani is 156cm tall which is relatively shorter than the average high-school boy. These two is known around their school as the comedic duo because of their height difference (and apparently because there is a TV comedic duo with similar height difference, which I did not know until I check with Wiki). They both have trouble finding a boyfriend and a girlfriend, respectively because of their heights and one day they made a bet on who will find their partner first. But over time Risa grew to like Atsushi (or in the movie Otani because Japanese usually call others by their last name) while Otani (switch mode) never knew about Risa's feelings. So this story revolves around their relationship and the highs and lows of high-school love life.

Casts: Koike Teppei as Atsushi Otani, Fujisawa Ema as Risa Koizumi

Review: I have to say it does reflect a lot on the manga especially on the characterisation. The casting is definitely very well done in bringing the anime characters into real life, as in the movie characters do surprisingly look like the characters in the manga. Of course sometimes it does trouble you during the most funny moments in the manga cannot be reflected perfectly on the movie but overall it wasn't a bad attempt at an adaptation. The movie did a rather good editing in terms of shortening the manga into a 2-hour movie, which sometimes other adaptations don't do well at. I must say even if you haven't read the manga you would enjoy this movie nonetheless, I cannot say it's the best but the movie finally holds together during the second half. It has unbelievably funny and lovely moments, it's comical without dramatic exaggerations with a tinge of drama in between. I must say though I regret watching this without finishing the manga first because I think it would spoil the last few bits of the manga for me for knowing the ending already.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Post Script: Koike Teppei is rather cute in this movie as well as Fujisawa Ema. They're both unbelievably likeable with great on-screen chemistry.

He Was Cool

I thought I heard a manga or maybe a novel of the same name so I thought I'll check this one out. Also known as 그 놈은 멋있었다 (Geunomeun meoshiteotda) or The Cool Guy.

Synopsis: Based on a novel written by Guiyeoni. Han Ye-Won is a normal high school student who is sweet and rather clumsy, overall a normal girl. One day she offended Ji Eun-Sung from the vocational school and a known big-time bully. Trying to get away from Eun-Sung and his subordinates catching her in front of her school Ye-Won escaped by climbing and jumping over the school fence. But to her horror when she crash landed she accidentally kissed Ji Eun-Sung. Eun-Sung demanded her to marry him because he has never been kissed and marrying him would be a payback. So Ye-Won was forced to become Eun-Sung's girlfriend. The story eventually became a love triangle with Hyo-Bin who likes Eun-Sung and Hyo-Bin's big brother Han-Sung liking Ye-Won. Will love develop between Ye-Won and Eun-Sung or will they drift apart?

Casts: Jung Da-Bin as Ye-Won, Song Seong-Hun as Ji Eun-Sung, Lee Ki Woo as Kim Han-Sung

Review: Unlike your normal high-school tell-tale love stories this story has an immense amount of violence. I mean, A LOT. Not to mention that some of the fight scenes are pretty intense to watch with lots of blood pouring left, right and center, it was somewhat convincing too. I will not say that I didn't particularly like this movie, although I have a bit of a problem with the editing of the movie. To put it bluntly the first half of the movie seems to flow but when it comes to the second half the movie starts to rush a bit. What actually holds the movie together to flow cohesively seems to be the directions of this movie with lots of consistent cinematography. The characters are quite convincing with Song Seong-Hun being the most convincing, as for Jung Da-Bin's character she seems to reflect back toward her character in the drama she starred in, My 19 Year Old Sister in Law. There are some profound and belly-aching moments especially during one particular scene where I have to constantly stop the movie for a bit until I calmed down. Nonetheless, it wasn't a very light-hearted kind of movie mainly due to the violence, but it is a pretty good teen movie to watch if you ever feel that you want to watch an entertaining piece of drama with violence, tears, humour and drama fixed into a 2-hour long feature.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Post Script: This movie has a fair share of good-looking guys in it with Song Seong-Hun being in the lead :) He looks so innocent but when you see his character fighting and splatting blood everywhere you do take a second guessing.

My 19 Year Old Sister in Law

Also known as 형수님은 열아홉 (Hyung-soo-nim-eun Yeol-ah-hop Ye-go) or She is Nineteen. It was recommended by a friend and watched it rather hurriedly presumably because the semester was still on and it was nearing the end of it.

Synopsis: I'm too lazy to write a synopsis and sometimes I don't particularly make sense either so I'll post Wikipedia's version of it.

"A woman's husband is in a traffic accident and suddenly loses all his memory. The woman, was accidentally murdered by another friend of hers who tried to save her children. That young woman who was accidentally killed had a 4 year old daughter, Jeong Hae-Won. Hae-Won was suddenly abandoned by the women who accidentally killed her mother in order to split Hae-Won's future savings with another woman who worked at the same restaurant that she worked in. As they conversed, a young girl named Choi Soo-Ji overhears them.

Years later, Hae-Won doesn't remember her name or her birthday but very little of her young childhood days. Hae-Won adopted the name, Han Yoo Min who falls in love with a doctor named Min Jae. Yoo-Min pretends to be his fiancée so that his mother will not force him to marry a tycoon's daughter, so her business will thrive. But Min-Jae doesn't know that his younger brother, Seung-Jae is also in love with Yoo-Min. Seung-Jae is a young, handsome, high school playboy who loves to rebel against his mother. Seung-Jae and Yoo-Min both go to the same high school. What will happen to his pretend sister-in-law? Will Seung-Jae end up with Yoo-Min or will Min-Jae and Yoo-Min's fake engagement become the truth? Will Hae-Won's father ever find Hae-Won again or will the 2 women who plotted her abandonment get away with it?"

Casts: Jung Da-Bin as Hae-Won, Yoon Kye-Sang as Seung-Jae, Kim Jae-Won as Min-Jae, Kim Min-Hee as Soo-Jin

No of Episodes: 16

Review: I quite like this series, though it does drag on a bit to get to the point but what Korean drama doesn't? One thing that I particularly like about this series is the way the story unfolds, it is like layers upon layers of lies and deceits slowly unveiling itself throughout the story. What makes the series more bearable to watch is the clever storyline although at times unbelievable plot. The story also doesn't have too many funny or witty moments but stick mostly to the melodramatic but real plots. Nonetheless it is one of the few that I particularly quite like but though doubt that the plot is close to being real (maybe because I was viewing it from a highly westernised perspective). Overall the series carries out pretty well and has been well thought out in terms of storyline.

There are a number of complex characters in this series that I thought was exceptionally carried out by the casts as well as the interesting characterisations based on the story. The complex ranges from the guilty mother of 3 who has casts Hae-Won when she was young, the little girl who always dreamed of having a loving father having grown up with no father but look up to the man she always considered her father as in Soo-Jin's case, a lost daughter who tries to understand why she was cast aside when she was small but was able to bring up her little brother who has no blood relation to her and no family of his own, a son who is torn up between duty and pursuing his own dreams and another who loves his brother's fiancee. These complex characters slowly reveals their present and past secrets as the series moves along in which I find this series has been strong at, portraying each of these characters at the audience's level so we don't prejudice them but try to understand them.

Ratings: 3.5/5 stars

Post Script: One thing that I find most interesting is that Kim Jae-Won supposedly plays the older brother in this series even though in real life he is younger than Yoon Kye-Sang who plays his younger brother. What I find even more shocking about the real life cast is that Jung Da-Bin (who playes Hae-Won) committed suicide this year in February. Apparently she was found hanging in her boyfriend's bathroom, but speculations have also arised that it might be her boyfriend who has forced the suicide. Of course they are just speculations and not real truth but my condolences to the Jung family.

Marrying the Mafia

I watched this movie based on a relative's recommendation, I think our sense of what's good may be a bit different (not in a bad kind of way).

Synopsis: Dae-Suh woke up one morning to find a girl he had never seen in his life sleeping right next to him, half-naked. To make matters worse none of them know why or how they went on sleep on the same bed with no clothes on. Just to think that's not bad enough Dae-Suh finds out later on that Jin-Kyung (the girl) actually comes from a mafia family who insists Dae-Suh marry Jin-Kyung just because they literally slept together. So how are they going to sort this out?

Casts: Jung Joon-Ho as Park Dae-Suh, Kim Jung-Eun as Jin-Kyung

Review: I don't really know where to start, I don't particularly like how they plot the whole movie, it's cluttered, rushed, and not revealed properly. The movie feels choppy and at times it leaves the viewers guessing as to how each character seems to know what others didn't, the movie seems to favour getting through the story without any bullshits (ehrm). The directions are pretty bad too with many shots not too thought out properly, the characterisations along with the plot doesn't help either because you felt like you're reading into a pile of notes. There are some profound moments within the movie but they didn't save the movie. I didn't particularly hate the movie but I just think that it can be better with such an interesting story too. At times I believe it would've been better if they did it as a mini-series instead of a 2-hour movie. Anyway don't let my review discourage you from viewing it.

Rating: 2/5 stars

can't wait!

So it will be approximately 4 more days until the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and it will be in bookstores everywhere around the world on the 7th. One little peculiarity that I didn't manage to pick up until now (I'm slow) is that this last book will be the 7th book that is released on the 7th of the 7th of 2007 :) how neat is that?!? Anyway I cannot imagine how this book is going to affect the literature industry on the day. It would be absolute madness! I probably won't go to the bookstores until the next day I presume since the shops would be packed with people, let's just hope no one finish the damn book in one day and then spoil it for the rest of us like what usually happens in many cases in the past (though having not personally been through it I can only imagine how to kill that person who spoiled the joy of reading) and let's hope that the books won't sell out in one day *sigh* I can only hope :)

Be sure to wait for my review of the book!!

Duelist

Also known as 형사 (Hyeong-sa), produced in 2005, and the Korean word actually translated to The Detective but the posters seem to contain the English word already. It was borrowed off a friend (and she said she needs it back soon but I kinda doubt her understanding of soon now). I wasn't too interested in viewing it until tonight when I decided to sit down, take a rest and watch something.

Synopsis: The story is very simple really, the woman is a member of the police whereas the guy is an outlaw. The story begins with the woman, named Nam Soon, and members of the police tailing a group of counter-feiters of money in the act of transaction with another person, but before they could act a man in mask who they presumes is a performer, stops the transaction by killing the counter-feiters, strikes the horse cart, made the counter-feited money scatters on the ground and runs away. But unable to capture the man the investigation continues. And soon Nam Soon and the man (only known as Sad Eyes) meets again and a certain bond develops. But in the end it's really a complicated love story really. Anyway that's all I could afford to say for more information I suggest you go and check out the Wiki's version of the synopsis.

Casts: Kang Dong-Won as Sad Eyes, Ha Ji-Won as Nam Soon, Ahn Seong-Gi as Detective Ahn

Review: As soon as I laid eyes on Kang Dong Won's character's face I melted. For real! I giggled like a little girl so much thank god I was watching it in my own room. But besides that very unreliable review I have to say I quite like the cinematic approach the director, Lee Myeong-se, took with the movie. Like the review in Wiki said it was very impressionistic with "extensive use of slow motion, freeze frames, multiple images, and varying perspectives." The story isn't laid out too well but the weaponry choreography should be taken notice of in this movie. It was choreographed beautifully, I personally like the choreograph of the sword dance by Sad Eyes in front of the Defence Minister and the fight scene between Nam Soon and Sad Eyes. With that aside the film is often not too melodramatic or even violent (so don't expect any sword fighting or extreme violence) there's a bit of quirk, humor and wit; the film is certainly not a reflection of that period in Korea's history it feels more like a modern espionage set in periodical time. I thoroughly enjoy the cinematography of this movie and don't expect too much violence or even much of a story, I think the most important element in this movie is the direction and the overall feeling of the movie, it almost feels like watching a moving painting for me, it was very inspirational I must say.

Ratings: 3/5 stars

Post Script: Maan everytime they did a close-up shot of Kang Dong-Won I seriously melted *sigh* if only I can put that shot in here, I couldn't take a screenshot because it won't let me so I guess you just have to watch the movie yourself. And by all that I meant Kang Dong-Won is sexy in this movie XD oh yeah...

Super Rookie

Also known as 신입사원 and New Employee, the first time I saw an episode of this series is when I went to Hong Kong and being unable to understand Cantonese I did not take the series very seriously. I finally revisited this series when I stumbled onto it on the world wide web. The other reason why I wanted to watch this series is because of Eric Mun from Shinhwa (a Korean singing group), and no not because I like him from the band, I just know that he was starring as the main male lead in Super Rookie. So when I had my semi-break period in between end of Autumn and Winter semesters I watched it.

Synopsis: Kang Ho is a 30-year-old man without any job. He rarely holds onto any job and often skip from one job to another for scraps of money. One day due to a high-school friend's reunion he was utterly humiliated for being unemployed among all the high-earning buddies (along with a friend of his), he decided he would take a chance in applying for a job at LK Corporation (a supposed biggest and most prestigious company in Korea) with this friend. Through a computer error and luck he was employed by the company even though he has the wrong qualifications. The series go through his trial and tribulation of making it into the big corporate world with his wit, luck and sheer determination. The series delves deeper into the other characters' difficulties as well, we have Bong-Sam who is a successful LK employee who came from a sad background but ruthless in his way of working, Mi-Ok who is always tormented by her boss, Sung-Tae who graduated from the prestigious Seoul University but still unable to find work, even Kang-Ho's dad who is unemployed and always get oppressed by his wife (Kang-Ho's mom) and Kang-Ho himself.

Casts: Eric Mun as Kang Ho, Han Ga-In as Lee Mi-Ok, Oh Ji-Ho as Park Bong-Sam and Lee So-Yeon as Soo Hyun-Ah.

Review: What can I say? I am in love with this drama, it doesn't have the too much cluttered feeling and excessive use of flashback, which Korean dramas seem to have most of the time (well at least the ones that I watched anyways). It also speaks on so many level regarding trying to make it into a large corporation solely on your ability and experience not qualifications, it might not speak too much about western countries but it does reflect a lot on Asian countries. Not only that the series delves deeper into the different difficulties people have to deal with regarding employment, social humiliations, oppression and life itself. The series speaks to many different levels of dynamics and societies, insights into these people were also done on a personal level, allowing us the viewers to understand each characters, not just Kang-Ho's trial and tribulations. On another note, Eric Mun in this series is just adorable as the slightly cocky, innocent and brave man trying to find his way into the world. Even though his character is always comical he doesn't give out the feeling that it was too overdone and exaggerated. The plot was always a surprise and edited very well, each episode wasn't left hanging too much but it always makes you beg for more (as in my case). I enjoy this series tremendously and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys feel-good dramas.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Post Script: I just absolutely fell in love with Eric Mun now, he's adorable XD



Post Post Script: There's also a sequel to this called Super Rookie: Secret Agent. Though I'm not too sure on the details since the pictures don't really appeal to me. Apparently it's based around the same concept of the character landing a prestigious job as a high-class secret agent through error in the employing process (correct me if I'm wrong, I wasn't too sure) and Eric Mun also comes back as the lead character, the story is completely different to the prequel, the sequel is based upon the same concept as the prequel but the story and characters are completely different. Also in this drama Eric Mun will be donning cropped hair because of the requirements of the character. (boohoo he cut off his gorgeous long locks TT__TT)

A look-alike?!?

This actually won't be a review post but rather an oddity that I somehow discovered while watching one drama and found something quite interesting that somehow reflects on another drama. I have to say I'm writing this when I'm barely awake and my intellectual level is at crisis level. Anyways, getting straight to the matter, I'm currently watching a Taiwanese drama called Smiling Pasta and somehow the lead male character, He Qun aka Nicholas Teo reminds me of the drama Full House's lead, Bi. AND to make matters even more interesting someone said that Smiling Pasta is very similar to Full House. Also I can't help but smile that another similarity that is almost disturbing to me is that Nicholas Teo and Bi looks very similar!!! If you don't believe me look at their photos below. I deliberately pick photos that have them donning similar hair styles and err... styles so you will see what I mean.

SEE WHAT I MEAN?!? Don't they look surprisingly similar?!? (btw if you still don't know who's who, the top one is Bi aka Rain while the bottom one is Nicholas Teo)

Anyway I just thought I might point out this one bit of suspicion. Hehe and just to think that there's always another person that almost look like us somewhere out there *shiver*.

And so this is it for now. I shall go on with the reviews sometime later coz right now I'm enjoying my time too much :) and busy with uni of course... Drama is just another form of escapism as one friend put it, and it's just another form of denying the fact that we got projects and exams due in the upcoming weeks I add :)

My Sassy Girl

Or otherwise called 엽기적인 그녀 in Korean literally meaning That Bizarre Girl. I have been wanting to watch this movie for sometime but never had the chance to due to my forgetfulness. So in the 2 days that my brain stopped functioning I decided to labour all my will into watching Kdramas for the entire 2 days or I will go insane from the neverend work piling up. Besides from the useless rant I can only say I regretted not watching this movie earlier considering it was released in 2001.

Synopsis: The story is often told in first person by Gyeon Woo, a pathetic college student. It tells the story of the relationship (often violent but funny as!) between Gyeon Woo and the Girl (her name is never revealed throughout the movie). It tells the story into 2 parts of the movie. I guess the only way to describe the movie is to actually just watch it because most of the part consisted of how the met, and how their relationship developed through, often, strange occurences.

Casts: Chae Tae-Hyun, Jun Ji-Hyun

Review: I love this movie! The interaction between the characters are honest and the Girl is just well... cool! I just thought they have one of the most unusual relationship I have ever seen. But the movie is not all about humour and comedy of a relationship but also trying to go through different types of hurdles such as family and uncertainties. Overall, I think this was a great movie and I enjoyed it tremendously, it has a very honest sense of humour and the selfishness of the Girl really doesn't seem so bad but rather funny. I would definitely recommend this. But there was a bit of editorial problems that maybe might have occured just on my version of the movie but understandable regardless.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Additional Information: I never knew this but apparently it was inspired by a true story written on the net by a guy. And also they will be making a western remake of the movie (of which I don't think would succeed as much as the Korean one maybe because of cultural differences but who knows...). Also for more info I found several infos on Wiki so check it out if you want to.

The King and The Clown

One of the best movie I have ever seen. I may not be Korean nor speak the language but the effort that has been poured into the movie is just amazing. The casts are brilliant! It was rather controversial when it was premiered in Korea for its hint into homosexuality, but nonetheless it went on to become box office hit with 1/4 of the population went on into watching it (courtesy: seoulstyle.com)

Synopsis: taken from seoulstyle.com because I'm not particularly familiar with the historical periods of Korea,

"The King and the Clown takes place in the Joseon Dynasty, like so many other generic Korean dramas, but the plot has a very original spin. The story centers on a band of impoverished traveling entertainers. The two main characters Jang-Saeng and Gong-il are lovers. The fact that they are both men should be shocking to Koreans, but Gong-il played by actor Lee Jun-ki is looks so much like a girl; you almost want to believe that he’s female. It’s obvious the two have an amazing bond as they really look out for each other. They decide to go to Hanyang (now Seoul) where they can put on a bigger and better show. There, they find other talented minstrels to join their act.

In order to draw a crowd and make more money, Jang-Seang, the default leader of the troupe, decides to stage a show mocking the King and his favorite concubine Nok-Su. One of the King’s officials gets wind of the show and has the troupe arrested for treason. The official agrees to let them perform for the King with the agreement that if the King enjoys the show, their lives are spared. In fact, the true motive the official has in taking the troupe to the palace is to expose the corruption plaguing the King’s regime.

Enter the tyrannical King who is brilliantly played by actor Jung Jin-Young (This character is based on a real-life king). The king becomes psychologically marred as a result of a childhood trauma when his mother was forced to commit suicide by the royal family. As a grown man, he exhibits the unstable caprices of a spoiled and profoundly wounded boy. However, after seeing the clowns perform, instead of being insulted, the King is so amused that he decides to invite the troupe to become court jesters in the palace. In fact, is seems as if the king himself is a frustrated theater actor who unfortunately just happened to be born into a royal bloodline. Eventually, the King becomes enamored with Gong-il’s talent and androgynous beauty, and this infuriates Jang-Saeng, Nok-su and the ministers."

Casts: Lee Jun-ki, Kam Woo-seong, Jeong Jin-Young

Review: Brilliant! Without the slightest doubt one of my most favourite movie I have ever seen foreign or not! Considering that none of the lead actors are big name actors the movie is very impressive and the actors are just amazing to watch. Whether you are conservative or not towards the matter of homosexuality I think the movie does not hover around the theme too much but rather the storyline. It is a heartfelt movie full of emotions and an amazing plot that does not drag around. I love it without a doubt!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Additional Information: for more information or if you are interested in another review as well as additional information click at [link]

Seducing Mr. Perfect (aka Seducing Mr. Robin)

Do not ask me why there are two titles to the same movie. This was probably one of the very first movie debut for Daniel Henney, one of the most gorgeous Korean (half-Korean that is) man I have ever laid eyes on :)

Synopsis: Min-Joon is a believer of true love, whilst Robin Heiden believes it is a game of power. One fine day Min-Joon bumped her car onto Robin's. Robin insisted (through english) on getting compensations for the damage, assuming Robin knows no korean Min-Joon rude-mouthed to her horror the newly transferred manager of her company, who understands korean though have difficulties in speaking the language. Robin decided to make Min-Joon his assistant because of the incident and thus friendship develops, though at this point Min-Joon is still in love with her boyfriend and cannot let him go even when she saw him with another woman. Desperate to correct her 'faults' she decided to seek love advice from Robin. And I will stop there.

Casts: Uhm Jung-Hwa, Daniel Henney

Review: I cannot say this was one of the best movie I have ever seen, nor can I say it was too bad to be seen. Of course with the slightly cliched storyline doesn't help either to convince me to give it a good rating. I can only say that it is an OK movie. Daniel Henney didn't give out a bad performance he was rather believable as the suave, charming foreign manager, his voice just makes you swoon at times, he has such a rich baritone (if you understand what I mean, I'm not exactly music terminologically savvy). He also took part in an MV with Alex from Clazziquai, with a feature with Uhm Jung-Hwa. One thing that I love about this movie are the songs, it has a jazzy quality to them with great singers, I'd love to find the OST but unfortunately couldn't *sigh* o well maybe next time.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Below is the MV where Daniel sang Kissing Me.

200 Pounds Beauty

One of the most exhiliratingly funny at times and humiliatingly real movie. Truthfully I'm a sucker for all rags to riches themed storylines, but not on how a poor person suddenly become rich, just someone who is emotionally lost found their place to be. And this can be considered as one of those movies.

Synopsis: It's a Korean movie revolving around Kang Hanna, an (artifical-looking) obese young woman who has an amazing voice and found herself a job as a singer, in voice only. She became the singing voice of Ammy, a popular korean singer that found fame through Hanna's amazing voice. Hanna is an honest, warm-hearted although naive girl who fall in love with Ammy's (and consequently Hanna's) music producer, Sang-Jun, but one day she was humiliated by Ammy on Sang-Jun's birthday. (a part of the synopsis is stopped here due to my fear of spoiling the plot) And thus Hanna's determination to get a plastic surgery makeover. And thus the new person, Jenny was born. Through the makeover she learnt of what she gained and lost, she experienced inexpressible joy and indescribable pain. The movie follows one big-hearted girl's emotional journey through the fear, joy and pain of gaining a new physical body and yet her inability to lie to herself on who she truly is.

Casts: Kim Ah-Joong, Joo Jin-Mo

Review: As I have said up there *points up* I quite like this movie, I squirm with delight when Hanna was being Hanna and hide in embarassment when things started to go wrong for her. The light-heartedness of the movie came with modest humility through the casts, especially Kim Ah-Joong's performance, she was a delight to watch, and her singing voice was just amazing to listen to (check out her MV for Maria, notice the voice). Somehow I have a feeling I was cheated from the movie because I didn't recognise some scenes in the MV, they must've edited it or something. But besides that it is a feel good movie that you should watch when the rain's pouring outside with a warm hot cocoa sitting on a huge sofa :)

Rating: 4/5 stars

And below is the MV just for your convenience.



Enjoy!

Welcome!

Welcome welcome, those of you from near and far! Lo and behold! A new blog! I was getting tired of the old one because of its endless rant. Me being an organised person as I am, in theory only, thought "hmm... I need a blog just for reviews" and thus how this blog has come to be.

So first up, for the opening of the century I shall move onto the next post for my very first review.