Drama Withdrawals

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Movie Marathon

It was simply by chance that I came across Jeon Woochi and needless to say, I got hooked.

Jeon Woochi - a fusion sageuk with a hint of comedy, loved it.

Temptation of Wolves - in the romance/drama genre, many claim it's epic, see to believe.

Too Beautiful to Lie - the Korean While You Were Sleeping in my opinion.

Voice of a Murderer - we barely see Kang Dong Won's face but this is a good movie.

Secret Reunion - a touching story between foes turned comrades.

Duelist - a little weird for my taste but wth, on with the movie marathon.

Maundy Thursday - about a man on death row who finds hope when he falls in love, expect to cry buckets.

Psychic - just came out Nov 2010, I CANNOT wait to see this.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

My Rating: Must Watch
Title：Fashion 70s / 时尚70年代 / 패션 70's / Pae-syeon 70's
Episodes:28
Air Date:May 2005 (Mon & Tues on SBS)
Starring:
Lee Yo Won as Han Duh Mi / Ko Joon Hee
(the Queen in Queen Seon Deok)

Kim Min Jung as Ko Joon Hee / Han Kang Hee
(main girl in New Heart)

Joo Jin Mo as Kim Dong Young
(main guy in Queen of the Game)

Chun Jung Myung as Jang Bin
(main guy in Cinderella's Sister)
(main guy in What's Up, Fox?)
(main guy in Goodbye Solo)

Synopsis:

Comments:

If you like this, I cannot think of a similar drama because this one is truly unique so instead of suggesting a similar drama, I'd like to suggest watching Chun Jung Myung's dramas because they're good! Besides, who wouldn't wanna see more of Jang Bin, right?

Try the following links..
Download Fashion 70s with English Subs from SilentRegrets.Com
Watch Fashion 70s English Subs on MySoju
Download Fashion 70s OST

Would love to hear your comments!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Seoul's Sad Song

My Rating: Average
Title：Seoul's Sad Song / Conspiracy in the Court / 汉城别曲 / 한성별곡
Episodes:8
Air Date:July 2009 (Mon & Tues on KBS2)
Starring:
Jin Yi Han as Park Sang Kyu

Kim Ha Eun as Lee Na Young
(Sul Hwa in Chuno)

Lee Chun Hee as Yang Man Oh
(Seo Sung Joon in Smile, You)

Synopsis:
Lee Na Young grew up as a noble until her family was charged of treason and she became an assassin to avenge her family. Park Sang Kyu and Yang Man Oh share the same dream for Korea but they are going on separate paths to achieve their purpose. When they finally meet their long-lost friend Lee Na Young, everyone becomes entangled in a political conspiracy.

Comments:
This drama is a dark suspense-type sageuk aka ancient Korean drama. It didn't garner a substantial following but I've been reading reviews from people who actually saw this drama and I've been hearing good things.

However, I don't share the same sentiments because I found it kind of boring. Perhaps my capacity for deep political thrillers is non-existent but if you're into that kind of thing, you might like this drama.

Try the following links..
Watch Seoul's Sad Song Chinese Subs on Tudou
Watch Seoul's Sad Song English Subs on MySoju

Would love to hear your comments!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Goodbye Solo

My Rating: Very Good
Title：Goodbye Solo / 再见独奏 / 굿바이솔로
Episodes: 16
Air Date: Mar 2006 (Wed and Thurs on KBS)
Starring:
Chun Jung Myung as Kim Min Ho
(main guy in Cinderella's Sister)
(main guy in What's Up, Fox?)
(second lead Jang Bin in Fashion 70s)

Yoon So Yi as Kim Soo Hee

Lee Jae Ryong as Kang Ho Chul

Kim Min Hee as Choi Mi Ri

Lee Han / Kim Nam Gil as Yoo Ji An
(main guy in Bad Guy)
(Bi Dam in Queen Seon Deok)
(Tae San in Lovers)
(second lead in When Spring Comes)
(Hye Jin's doctor friend in My Name is Kim Sam Soon)

Bae Jung Ok as Oh Young Sook
(Actress Yoon Young in The World That They Live In)

Na Moon Hee as Grandma Mi Young
(main guy's mom in The World That They Live In)

Synopsis:
This drama is about the lives of Kim Min Ho, Kim Soo Hee, Kang Ho Chul, Choi Mi Ri, Yoo Ji An, Oh Young Sook and Grandma Mi Young.

Comments:
Listen to the soundtrack below and if you like it, then I think that you will like the overall vibe of this drama. It feels very much like an indie film without the typical cliches of a k-drama.

Goodbye Solo focuses on the lives of all the major characters and how each story intertwines with the other. It's like Love Actually but not entirely. I could write a more thorough synopsis but I think the fun of it lies in learning about the stories so have fun!

If you like this, you might like The World That They Live In, which offers a similar concept. Personally, I like Goodbye Solo a lot more.

Lastly, Chun Jung Myung is cute. I used to think he looked dorky until I saw him in Cinderella's Sister and now, Goodbye Solo. :)

Goodbye Solo Wallpaper:

Try the following links..
Watch Goodbye Solo English Subs on MySoju
Watch Goodbye Solo Chinese Subs on Tudou
Download Goodbye Solo OST
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Track 5
Track 6
Track 7
Track 8
Track 9
Track 10
Track 11
Track 12
Track 13
Track 14
Track 15
Track 16

Would love to hear your comments!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

A Man Called God

My Rating: Average
Title：A Man Called God / 被称为神的男人 / Shinira Bulriwoon Sanai / 신이라 불리운 사나이
Episodes: 24
Air Date: Mar 2010 (Sat and Sun on MBC)
Starring:
Song Il Gook as Michael King
(Moo Hyul in Kingdom of the Winds)
(Harry Kim in Lobbyist)
(Prince Jumong in Jumong)
(Seo Min Jun in the Art of Seduction)

Han Chae Young as Jin Bo Bae
(main girl in Only You)
(main girl in Delightful Girl Choon Hyang)

Kim Min Jong as Hwang Woo Hyun

Han Go Eun as Vivian Castle
(second lead in Capital Scandal)

Chu Ja Hyun as Seo Mi Soo

Yoo In Young as Jang Mi

People I recognized from other dramas:
Jo Jin Woong as Jang Ho
(Kwak Han Sum in Chuno)
(Cho Hong Gyu in Gangster High)

Synopsis:
Michael King is an international assassin and he has connections worldwide. But this time, the job is personal because his ultimate goal is to avenge the death of his parents.

Comments:
I was so excited for this drama especially since it meant I would get to see Jumong, ahem, I meant Song Il Gook again. I still think that Song Il Gooks is made to do sageuks (ancient Korean dramas) because he just doesn't look as cool in typical modern clothes. Granted, his clothing style in A Man Called God was anything but plain, it was bordering outlandish but I didn't know whether to appreciate the boldness or laugh.

The drama felt well-made in terms of cinematography. It looked expensive and it was. We have Song Il Gook as Michael King with not one, but four beautiful model-looking women accompanying him. The all-star cast must have been expensive as well.

I'm racking my brains for a better analogy to describe my drama watching experience but all I'm left with is Power Rangers. I remember loving the Power Rangers during my younger days even though it was corny. I mean Michael King is Peter Pan? It's a play on the Disney character Peter Pan but it sounded weird. I also found the whole setting with Michael King on his black leather chair surrounded by his mad doctor, computer geek and foxy assistant extremely cheesy. And the music that plays during every fight sequence, I'm not sure what the director intended for us to feel. Ok, I will stop poking fun because just as I like Power Rangers, I sure kept watching this till the end.

Try the following links..
Watch A Man Called God English Subs on MySoju
Watch A Man Called God Chinese Subs on Tudou

Would love to hear your comments!

Monday, May 24, 2010

Queen Seon Deok

My Rating: Must Watch
Title：Queen Seon Deok / Queen Seon Duk / 善德女王 / Seonduk Yeo Wang / 선덕여왕
Episodes: 62
Air Date: May 2009 (Mon and Tues on MBC)
Starring:
Lee Yo Won as Princess Deokman / Queen Seon Deok
(main girl Han Duh Mi in Fashion 70s, also starring Chun Jung Myung)

Ko Hyun Jung as Lady Mi Shil
(main girl in What's Up, Fox?, opposite Chun Jung Myung)

Uhm Tae Woong as Kim Yoo Shin
(Moo Young's right-hand man in Nine-Tailed Fox)

Lee Han / Kim Nam Gil as Bi Dam (ep. 21 onwards)
(main guy in Bad Guy)
(Tae San in Lovers)
(Yoo Ji An in Goodbye Solo, also starring Chun Jung Myung)
(second lead in When Spring Comes)
(Hye Jin's doctor friend in My Name is Kim Sam Soon)

People I recognized from other dramas:
Jo Min Ki as King Jinpyeong
(sinister Shin Tae Hwan in East of Eden)
(noble Lee Won Ho in Iljimae)

Jung Ho Bin as Moon No (Bidam's teacher)
(Baek Sil Jang in Swallow the Sun)

And many more..

Synopsis:
This series is about Princess Deokman's journey against all odds to become Queen Seon Deok, the first female ruler of Shilla.

Comments:
There were two reasons why I didn't want to give this drama a try. First, it's incredibly long. Second, the promotional posters didn't look appealing enough to attract my attention. Everyone looked so formal in full traditional costumes. And was I wrong! I have since invested so much time on this drama that I've ignored my essay due in 3 days!

I became interested in this drama after I found out that Kim Nam Gil plays the supporting role of Bi Dam in Queen Seon Deok. I first saw him in Lovers and again in My Name is Kim Sam Soon! From the insignificant doctor friend in Kim Sam Soon, to a minor role in Lovers, he is definitely rising as an actor and finally, the big break came because of his role in Queen Seon Deok as Bi Dam. Bi Dam is the classic tragic character that viewers typically fall for and I'm definitely a sucker for those type of characters as well. Bi Dam is complex, sometimes naughty, nice, funny, passionate, good and evil. I refuse to start talking Star Wars but Bidam really reminds me of Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader.

Ko Hyun Jung plays the female strategist Lady Mishil who has both beauty and brains. I first saw Lady Mishil on episode 28 and her every expression is so distinctively diabolical but beautiful at the same time. Together, Lady Mishil and Bi Dam as mother and son are my pick for most interesting characters in Queen Seon Deok. Love them, hate them, love them.

I talked about refusing to watch this drama for superficial reasons and now that I finished the drama, I'm ecstatic to find out that the drama lives up to the hype. Lady Mishil and Princess Deokman battle it out using strategy and wits in their hopes to secure political power. I love watching shows like these especially if they are brilliantly executed. It was intellectually stimulating to see Deokman solve Shilla's economic crisis and overcome every challenge that came her way. Likewise, it was fun to watch Lady Mishil devise every unthinkable plan to stop her nemesis from becoming queen. I wanted to Deokman to win while simultaneously wanting Lady Mishil not to lose either. Of course, Queen Seon Deok is not limited to mind boggling ploys to gain power. It is also very much a love story and a drama.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Prosecutor Princess

My Rating: Good
Title：Prosecutor Princess / 检察官公主 / Geomsa Princess / 검사 프린세스
Episodes: 16
Air Date: Mar 2010 (Wed and Thurs on SBS)
Starring:
Kim So Yeon as Ma Hye Ri

Park Shi Hoo as Seo In Woo
(main guy in Family's Honor)
(Shi Hoo in Iljimae)

Han Jung Soo as Yoon Se Joon
(General Choi in Chuno)

Choi Song Hyun as Jin Jung Su
(Hyun Soo's classmate in Smile, You)

Synopsis:
Ma Hye Ri is the opposite of what you'd expect of a traditional prosecutor. She is fun-loving and she loves fashion. After graduation, she is assigned under head prosecutor Hang Jung Soo and she meets Lawyer Seo In Woo. Will she be lucky in work and love?

Comments:
This drama reminds me of Legally Blonde except the main character is a prosecutor and not a lawyer. Ma Hye Ri starts out as a ditsy and spoiled shopaholic without a care in the world but she eventually learns the ropes and turns out to be an outstanding prosecutor. I liked the concept but the plot didn't make quite the same impression as Legally Blonde. Kim So Yeon as Ma Hye Ri is ok but I keep remembering her from Iris and I feel that she is much suited for more serious roles instead of comedy.

The storyline and execution is decent but nothing outstanding. However, I really ended up liking this drama. I loved Lawyer Seo In Woo, Ma Hye Ri's mystery guy. Trying to find out his purpose for getting close to Ma Hye Ri were one of the reasons why I decided to continue on with this drama. It's an enjoyable, light story about the prosecutor princess and her mystery lawyer.

This drama came out around the same time as Cinderella's Sister and Personal Preference, both garnering better ratings than Prosecutor Princess. I'm not a fan of Lee Min Ho (Personal) or Moon Geun Young (Cinderella) so Prosecutor Princess was top on my list and I think it's worth watching.

Try the following links..
Watch Prosecutor Princess Chinese Subs on Tudou
Watch Prosecutor Princess English Subs on MySoju
Download Fly High from Prosecutor Princess OST

Would love to hear your comments!