Currently Watching: Angry Mom, Girl Who Sees Smells, Warm and Cozy, Producer

As usual, it took me forever to do a rundown of my current dramas. So much so that I've actually finished watching Angry Mom already, and therefore not current, but I still felt the need to include it in this list because oh my god did I love it.

1. Angry Mom - First of all, I think I just "discovered" Kim Hee-sun. This is the first thing I've ever seen her in. I caught some clips from Faith but that drama failed to capture my attention so Angry Mom is officially my first Kim Hee-sun drama and she just won me over. Initially, I had decided to tune in because of Ji Hyun-woo, Baro and Kim Yoo-jung. Granted, they did not fail me and I'm still completely sold on their trajectories as actors, but Kim Hee-sun and newcomer Ji-soo made the drama for me. Yes, the writing and directing were both on point. But let's be real. Whenever I think back on this show, the first thing that will come to mind will most likely be the cutest relationship between Bok-dongie and his Bang-wool Tomato.

2. Girl Who Sees Smells - I won't claim this as the most perfect drama ever because there are glaring faults in the writing, but the actors have me invested in what happens to these characters. Cops failing to do their jobs well seems to be a trope in kdrama now, but idiot cops aside, I am loving this show. Yoochun always shines in comedies and I'm glad he's back in the rom-com game, even though he's playing yet another police/detective/bodyguard. Also, Shin Se-kyung. I'll be the first to admit I wasn't a fan of hers prior to watching this show. There's just something about her that never sat well with me. She just always looked so... self-approving. So I am beyond pleased to find out that she does well in comedies because Yoochun is one of my biggest biases and he deserves a well-matched on-screen partner. Shin Se-kyung is doing very well so far. I may be on my way to re-evaluating which side I stand on.

3. Warm and Cozy - I love the Hong Sisters, I do - most probably because they wrote the drama that first got me addicted to kdramas (You're Beautiful). They will always have a special place in my heart even though I admit that I have not loved every drama on their repertoire (Big, I'm still shaking my fists at you). However, the writing duo have slowly been reminding me why I love them. While Warm and Cozy is not the funniest or the quirkiest drama at the moment, they are serving us exactly with what the title and previews have been promising - the cutest love story set in gorgeous Jeju Island with a lot of warmth and coziness to spread around. Yoo Yeon-seok and Kang So-ra are to be thanked because of how adorable they are together. Also, I'm just glad that Yeon-seok's character is not the typical lazy chaebol we were expecting him to be. He's no typical Hong Sister lead and that's the thing that's keeping me tuned in.

4. Producer - I hear there's been a shift in tone going into the drama's 2nd week due to a change in directors. I had no real complaint from the first two episodes because I thought that was exactly the mood they were going for. I found several scenes extremely funny, and the other scenes eactly what you'd expect from a mockumentary. Granted, I'd fallen asleep on several points during the 2nd episode, but that was mostly because I've been getting so little sleep these past few days. So that's not a testament to the drama's weakness, but to mine. I still want to see what happens to our PD's. Things have gotten more interesting and I can't wait for the new episodes.

5. Orange Marmalade - Tuning in mostly because of Yeo Jin-goo but I'm totally sold on Lee Jong-hyun's acting in the 1st episode. I didn't know what to expect from him because I've only ever seen him in A Gentleman's Dignity, and while he did well in that one, Colin wasn't a hard reach. So this is a pleasant surprise. Yeo Jin-goo is always fantastic and I already know what to expect from him. I've only seen the first episode but I'm hoping they add some comedy into this. Back when this drama was still in pre-production, I had sought out the actual webtoon and read several chapters. And the webtoon was funny! This can't be all angst and tears, right? *crossing my fingers*

I think that's about it. Unless you count Winner Nam Tae-hyun's webdrama Girl of 0AM, which is totally cute but too short to write about right now. I also have several other dramas lined up that I have yet to watch (i.e. Who Are You: School 2015, Divorce Lawyer in Love, Let's Eat 2). So for now, this is it. Hopefully I find more time to squeeze in the other dramas before a new bunch of shows start coming out of the woodwork.

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Warm and Cozy releases adorable first trailer

Warm and Cozy, the new drama by the Hong Sisters, has been gearing up for its upcoming premiere. This new drama tells the story of the lazy grasshopper (Yoo Yeon-seok) and the hard-working ant (Kang So-ra) in what seems to be an adorable rom-com set to the beautiful background of Jeju Island.

They've been releasing stills from the set since last week and just today released its first teaser trailer which shows the grasshopper telling lie after lie in several meet-cute's with our resident ant. Here's to hoping the actual show keeps with the tone of this teaser. Because pesky Yoo Yeon-seok and annoyed Kang So-ra is something I never knew I wanted until I watched (and re-watched) this trailer. I mean, I don't think I was looking forward to watching this until this very moment. *adds drama to my growing to-watch list*

I'm excited to see if the Hong Sisters will be able to make me fall in love all over again. Crossing all my fingers for this! (Imagine though if Kim Woo-bin didn't turn down the lead role. Just imagine.)

Warm and Cozy begins on May 13 on MBC.

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Currently Watching: Hogu's Love, Persevere Goo Hae-ra, Hyde Jekyll Me

I've been gone so long that I've totally skipped writing about several dramas that I've been watching. I saw Healer, late to the game, and marathoned the entire thing in a matter of days. I loved it so much and fell so hard for Ji Chang-wook. Crazy.

I also started on several other dramas but have failed to finish them because even more dramas have started and are now taking up most of my time. I'm halfway through Birth of a Beauty but have, for now, put it on the back burner. The same goes for Liar Game (just 4 more episodes, I know), but I'm determined to eventually get back to it. Soon.

Meanwhile, dramas like High School Love On and Surplus Princess have been completely forgotten. And I have yet to get started on Misaeng. Soon, I swear!

What I'm currently preoccupied with are as follows:

1. Hogu's Love - I'm not sure what to make of this drama just yet. I'm sort of addicted to it but I'm not sure why. I love UEE in it and hers is a character I can empathize with. I equally love Choi Woo-shik but for totally different reasons. Also, while I love Im Seulong as an actor, I absolutely loathe his character. Plus, I'm not sure what to make of how they ended the 6th episode. I guess I just have to wait and see.

2. Persevere Goo Hae-ra - I'm not yet completely caught up with the drama because I made the mistake of marathoning the first 5 episodes over a weekend and totally forgot that this is a once-a-week show. So, in order to not be completely left hanging again, I'm trying to pace myself with it. So far, though, so good. The music is awesome. The characters are relatable. The plotlines are believable, taking into consideration the fact that there's only so much verisimilitude a musical drama can muster, of course.

3. Hyde, Jekyll, Me - Not sure if the story is enough to keep me around... But I'm determined to stick with it. I love Hyun Bin and Han Ji-min individually, and while their chemistry has yet to explode, I do think they're cute enough together. Also, Sung Joon is doing so well in his role. He has me so conflicted right now. HA. Here's to hoping this week's episodes bring more light to the conflicts we're facing.

4. We Got Married - How sad am I that Jonghyun and Yura are leaving the show? Very. But I can't say that this has come as a shock. I was waiting for it to happen, even while hoping it didn't. They've only been on the show for a couple of months but their chemistry has been fluctuating - mostly because Jonghyun has the hardest time opening up. Also, that Jonghyun-Nana dating scandal. Le sigh.

There are new dramas about to air soon, of which Superdaddy Yeol, Divorce Lawyer in Love, and Angry Mom look promising. I've also heard good thing about Heard It Through the Grapevine but I'm waiting for more feedback before I actually decide to tune in. So many dramas, so little time.

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KBS drama Blood's conflicting posters

Upcoming KBS vampire-drama Blood starring Goo Hye-sun and new It Boy Ahn Jae-hyun just released a number of posters ahead of its premiere. The drama is set to air in a week's time, on February 16, following the end of current hit series Healer.

The cute poster above features the leads sipping out of a blood bag, given that Ahn Jae-hyun's character is a vampire under the guise of a doctor. This poster is staggeringly not what I expected given the drama's previously released teaser (as below). All that pink and the cutesy pose is what I would have been expecting from a vampire rom-com, not a vampire medical suspense drama. Needless to say, I found the poster a bit, um, jarring?

However, along with the first poster, the production released two more posters that features not just the two main leads but our main baddie as well, Ji Jin-hee. Now, these following posters are more along the lines of what I was expecting. Dark, gritty, bloody. I guess we can surmise that beyond the drama's blood and suspense holds a charming love story? One can hope.

After seeing Goo Hye-sun in Angel Eyes, I trust her growth as an actress and I believe she can pull this role off. No one can possibly be worried about Ji Jin-hee either. Ahn Jae-hyun, on the other hand, is a different story. While I love the man myself, mostly I just think he's so gorgeous that he seems otherworldly. He was effective enough in his tiny role in You From Another Star, the drama that launched his acting career and propelled him to It Boy status. He wasn't so bad in his minor role in You're All Surrounded as well. But if he's strong enough to pull off a lead role, when this is only his third drama ever, still remains to be seen. I hope he is.

Whether I will be tuning in to this drama is yet to be seen. I currently still have a lot on my plate and I've just started on more. I'm certainly grasping at time here; trying to squeeze in as much watching, reading, working, and sleeping into my days as I can.

Pending people's feedback and the general concensus of kdrama addicts the world over, maybe I might be convinced to marathon the show when it's run is about to end, if it's good enough. Much like what I'm doing with Healer right now, I suppose.

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Post-holiday Blues

I'M BAAACK!

Well, I wasn't really gone gone. I was here, just really lazy to give this blog any thought. Firstly, the holidays were insane. As it always is. But then reality hit me like a ton of bricks and I had a rough time trying to catch up with all the emails in my inbox. Secondly, while I have been watching dramas, I haven't really been up to date with most of them.

I think the only drama I've finished since the holidays started was Pinocchio (which I loved, maybe not as much as I Hear Your Voice, but it was still awesome). I have 4 more episodes to go before I can put Liar Game totally behind me. I'm only at episode 13 of Birth of a Beauty. And I'm, like, 5 minutes into the first episode of Healer. I still have Misaeng and Valid Love lined up! I don't know when I will ever be able to watch those because new dramas are already starting to come out of the woodwork. Hyde, Jekyll, Me starts today. Well, it started last night but subs come out today. While I'm not the biggest fan of Hyun Bin in the same arrogant chaebol role, I really do like him as an actor and I love Han Ji-min, so it would be terrible to miss out on this one.

Lately though, I haven't been of the mindset to watch dramas. Mostly, I watch variety shows. And even then, not religiously. I've watched some Running Man here and there. The Kim Woo-bin + Lee Hyun-woo episode was awesome. I'm currently in the middle of the latest one with Seo Kang-joon, Hong Jong-hyun (soooo cute, this guy), Nam Joo-hyuk and 2 other flower boys. I've seen a couple of episodes of Superman Returns because I slept over at my friend's place over the weekend and that is almost all she'll watch. Oh, and I'm now all caught up on We Got Married.

There are times though when I can't even sit still (or lie still, as the case may often be) long enough to even get started on a variety show episode. Sometimes I just jump from one kpop video to the next on youtube until I fall asleep. (Speaking of kpop, it's January. Where's that iKON debut?!) I should really force myself out of this slump...

On the upside, I've finished 2 books since Sunday - granted, both books are of the chic lit variety (one of them being a cliched young adult romance) - but still, reading is reading and I actually miss it. Maybe the thing that would push me to write more is to read more. So, yeah, that should be a new New Year's Resolution.

I've already committed to cutting down on carbs, most especially rice (Asians the world over gasp in horror), and unhealthy food, and so far I've been very diligent about it. I should add watch more dramas and read more books onto that list. Also, I should probably try to meet new people this year. Go out, hang out, live. Which, you might think, doesn't really go with the "watch more, read more" part of the resolutions, but I think it can be done. 2015, fighting!

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Currently Watching: She's So Lovable, Liar Game, Mix & Match

I'm itching to get this entry out of the way because I need to get started on the finale of She's So Lovable. Also, lunch. I'm starving.

So without further ado, here are the shows that are still keeping me very busy.

1. She's So Lovable - Despite the ick factor of dating your dead sister's ex-boyfriend, I must say I'm loving this show. Krystal has definitely climbed some steps up my list of favorite idol-actors. Rain is effortlessly gorgeous. And L, though definitely the weakest link among the 3 leads, is still owning my heart. Shi-woo is such a wonderful character and I hope he survives this heartbreak and stay by Se-na's side, even as just a friend.

Although I love the show, it isn't perfect. It's far from it. There have been a lot of things that made me want to throw a rock at my screen, mainly how Hyun-wook kept his relationship with So-eun a secret for the longest time and would've actually gone all the way to Boston just to keep Se-na from finding out. That was such an ass move and I'm sort of glad Jae-young was just as big an asshole to out Hyun-wook's secret. Also, in the recent episode where Hyun-wook's father decides not to learn anything from fighting with Hyun-wook for the past 3 years and is trying to keep him away from the girl he loves. Like that's gonna keep the balance in your screwed up father-son relationship.

The finale aired last night and my download is almost complete. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to how they close the show.

2. Liar Game - Lee Sang-yoon is love. So much love. He was adorable in Angel Eyes but he's super hot in this one. Shin Sung-rok, too. And despite Nam Da-jung being my least favorite character in the drama, Kim So-eun is so pretty.

The show is intense and is getting more exciting as we move along the rounds of the game. I'm not proud enough to admit that there have been times when they talk so fast about strategy that I'm left not knowing what the hell just happened. So I have had to rewind a couple of times just to make sense of the subtitles.

Right now, I'm not loving how idealistically naive and dumb our lead girl is. Here's to hoping for some character development as the show progresses. We can already see how she's affecting Woo-jin, I only hope some of his smarts rub off on her too.

3. High School Love On - I'm one episode behind. But so far, still good. Woohyun is owning me, as usual. His heartbreak is my heartbreak and I just want to reach into the screen and give him a hug. Well, him and Sungyeol both. Those boys need a break, and each other. To hell with that woman who does not know the basics of being a mother. She's not being a good one to either of the boys when she'd throw Woohyun away so she can be a mom to Sungyeol. In what logic is that even remotely right?

I need to catch up on this before the new episode comes out this weekend. Since several of my shows are ending this week, I might have some time again.

4. Cantabile Tomorrow - Admittedly, I'm super behind on this show. I think I'm only midway through episode 2. So I have a lot of catching up to do. I'm hoping it gets better as it goes on. Right now, the only thing keeping me from giving up is Joo-won and his pretty hair. Oh, also Go Kyung-pyo. Sooo cute!

5. We Got Married - Jjongah couple will be the death of me. I'm really liking the slow progress between the two of them. They're not suddenly super lovey-dovey and Jong-hyun is still really awkward, but visibly less so than he was at the onset. Skinship has slowly been increasing and I love how easy Jong-hyun laughs these days. He's visibly more comfortable around Yura and he's starting to really come out of his shell. It's apparent not just during their dates but also during his interviews.

Jae-rim and So-eun on the other hand are, well, out of hand. Skinship on this end of the spectrum has been insane and Jae-rim is such a sly character. It's absolutely wonderful to watch. But then you also start to question the sincerity since they had only just met. There's no build up, no actual progress, because they started at 0 and sped right to 180 kph.

6. Mix & Match - Honestly, I shouldn't be surprised with the way YG delivered iKON's final lineup. He simply wanted to make people think it wasn't just a battle for 7th between the new guys. Which, admit it, made things a little more exciting. And I really can't complain. I voted for Chanwoo.

Sadly, I also voted for Hongseok. I think my friends were genuinely surprised that I didn't vote OT6 + newbie. I voted 2 old Team B members + Chanwoo + Hongseok. I sincerely feel like Hongseok was a victim of cruel editing, how they made him seem like someone who didn't work hard and like he didn't get along well with the original guys. Which, of course, was obviously not true based on the insane skinship he had with Bobby and Jinhwan in that adorable cuddle pile-up they had going on during OT9's sleepover. Also, he also seemed very close to Hanbin. I'm really hoping YG keeps him around.

Otherwise, I'm fine with the final members. I am such a Bobby fangirl. I absolutely love Junhoe's voice. And Chanwoo was a favorite from the start. Honestly, the best thing about Chanwoo being in iKON is the cuteness explosion between him and Bobby. Kid’s a potential hyungwhore.

Now, my only wish is for iKONTV to happen. Seriously. I need this to tide me over.

I still have several downloads of current dramas that I haven't started on. Maybe now that Lovable and Mix & Match are over, I'll have some time for them. On my back burner are Modern Farmer, Bad Guys, and Misaeng.

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Currently Watching: Discovery of Romance, She's So Lovable, Surplus Princess, Mix & Match

It's been awhile since I've blogged about my current dramas, so I'm not sure if I've missed out on any that I did get to watch but never wrote about. Hmmm...

Despite several dramas ending in the past couple of weeks, my plate is still full with new shows that are just as addicting. Here are the shows that are taking up most of my time right now.

1. Discovery of Romance - I love Eric and he's the main reason I'm watching this show. Not to mention I absolutely fell in love with his on-screen chemistry with Jung Yumi in Que Sera Sera and I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to see them back together in a lighter drama. Granted, while the plotline of Discovery is not as heavy and agonizing as QSS, and therefore an easier watch, it's characters are also not as gripping. Good thing we have Kim Seul-gi and Yoon Hyun-min on board because those two are beyond adorable.

This is not to say I'm not enjoying the drama, because I am. I'm also behind Han Yeo-reum and Kang Tae-ha's love story 100%.  And every time Eric sheds a tear on screen, my heart breaks a little. It hurts so good.

2. She's So Lovable - I'm not sure why I'm watching this show but it's Rain's return to the small screen so I tuned in. Also, I kinda really like Krystal. It's a good thing then that she's doing really well in this drama and is making me forget about her idol self. She has good rapport with Rain, too, despite the big age gap. I'm just really iffy about the whole I'm falling in love with my dead sister's ex-boyfriend bit. It's a huge bit because that's basically the whole plot, but the side plots are interesting enough. I like seeing how the two are brought together by fate (or by that adorable dog, really) and how it all takes place in the music industry where we're given a small glimpse into the dark world of k-pop, plagiarism scandals and all.

3. Surplus Princess - I had no intentions of watching this show but I've been hearing so many good things about it and so I decided to download the first few episodes. I wouldn't say it's the best thing ever to come out of cable tv, but it is cute and I love the whole idea of coming together as a family with strangers you meet in a share house. (Which is what sold the whole idea of Roommate to me in the first place.)

It's a bonus that I love Kim Seul-gi and that she's being given more opportunities to make everyone else fall in love with her in all these dramas she's suddenly in. Also, Song Jae-rim. Honestly, I've never seen a single Song Jae-rim drama before this. I've heard many a people rave about him on tumblr and on dramabeans but all I know him from is 2NE1's music video of "Go Away" where he brutally smacked CL down to the ground. But then We Got Married decided to cast him on the show and I can honestly say I'm ecstatic to have been "introduced" to him (more on him later). He's adorable and I'm glad to have him (and his yummy apple-bottoms) on my screen so often.

4. High School Love On - Again, another drama I had no intentions of watching until gifsets on tumblr coerced me into downloading the first few episodes. Which I marathoned over a couple of days and now I'm on the edge of my seat every weekend trying to see if the new episode has been subbed yet. Too bad it's only aired once a week and we've already have had several interruptions (a football match and the 2014 Asian Games). I can't wait for the next episode and I've now learned to appreciate Nam Woohyun. I watch this with my younger sister and she likes Sungyeol more. She's trying to convince me that he looks like CN Blue's Yonghwa, but that's absurd.

5. Mix & Match - Call me masochistic, but I am willingly exposing myself to more of YG's cruelty and all I can do to escape this unscathed is to prepare myself for the onslaught of tears the finale will inevitably serve me. I mean, I was already tearing up towards the end of episode 2, how am I supposed to survive the entire thing? Damnit.

As much as I love B.I, it's Bobby who's giving me so much feels right now. He's a monster on stage, but behind the scenes he's always such a caring brother to the other members. He's a softie and is not afraid to cry, he's also sweet enough to truly worry over maknae Dong-hyuk and to comfort him with a hug and a "hyung is here." While B.I is that tough leader we all admire, Bobby is the respectable sunbae who reaches out a hand to the rookies with a huge toothy smile. Too sweet for words. Also, Junhoe. Junhoe's voice just kills me. Those high notes during "Mercy" were intense.

As for the new guys, I think I really like Chanwoo. And not just because I recognize him as an actor. I think he really does have the potential and I find it endearing how he's usually quiet and fearful around the hyungs but then looks totally at ease when he performs. Can't wait for episode 3!

6. We Got Married - I have to admit that I shed a tear or two when Wooyoung and Seyoung had to part. I really thought they looked good together and their relationship felt genuine. I know most of the show is scripted, but those reactions between the two always seemed real. I wish they maintain their friendship now that their time on the show has ended.

Jonghyun and Yura are as awkwardly adorable as ever. And I love seeing Jonghyun slowly breaking down his own walls. He's starting to feel more comfortable with Yura and he smiles and laughs more now. He's starting to initiate more conversations and skinship and I'm all for that. That tickling scene in the last episode made me squeal out loud. Seriously.

And last but definitely not the least, the new couple is totally awesome. Song Jae-rim and Kim So-eun were never really in my radar before they were cast on this show, but I'm happy getting to know them as they get to know each other. Jae-rim seems like a very playful and mischievous guy and it's cool how So-eun just seems to ride his vibe. I have a feeling I'm going to fall in love with these two as the months go by. I'll be bracing myself for eventual heartbreak then.

I have a full plate still, but I'm not one to complain. If anything, why don't we have more hours a day to watch all the drams? I still haven't started on Plus Nine Boys and the new season of Roommate and I'm already feeling overwhelmed. Aigoo.

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My Lists: Pre-2013 K-Drama Recommendations

I once received a drama recommendation request on tumblr and the response I typed out was insanely long that I thought I should post it here as well. Also, I thought that maybe some of the people who randomly drop by this blog would want to check out older dramas too. For the more recent dramas, it's easy enough to check my kdrama tag, but for dramas before 2013, here's the answer I posted on my tumblr blog and a short list of some kdramas that I think are worth checking out.

Question:

"[I] noticed you watch a lot of k-dramas. How do you do it? I sometimes want to watch some but there is so many and I'm really picky when it comes to watching things or listening to music. Is there any k-dramas that are really good that I should watch? I'm on break so I need things to watch until school starts again and takes over my life.

Answer:

I’m basically watching kdramas as soon as I get home after work; on weekends when I don’t have plans that involve me leaving the house; or sometimes, when I’m on the train to work, the shuttle back home, or wherever possible. I admit to watching dramas at work, when things are not as hectic. I’m churning out reports right now and I’m watching the most recent episode of Trot Lovers bit by bit on the side. I’m more than halfway through. Ha. 

I’m ecstatic that you’re asking for recommendations, but scared as well because… how do I limit my answer to just a handful of dramas?! Also, there’s always that worry that other people won’t enjoy something that once gave me so much joy. 

But since you asked for it, let me just do a run down of all my favorite dramas, in chronological order. 

Full House (2004) - Really cute, if formulaic, rom-com starring Rain and Song Hye-kyo. My first foray into contract marriages and forced co-habitation as tropes. I love these tropes. 

Delightful Girl Chun-hyang (2005) - A modern retelling of the classic Korean folktale The Tale of Chun-hyang, this was my first foray into the wonderful world of dramas written by the Hong Sisters. Funny, endearing, and witty, I must’ve seen this a handful of times by now. 

Que Sera Sera (2007) - This drama will not suit everyone’s taste. It’s a passionate, emotional, and twisted drama that’s more character driven than plot driven, and it unapologetically demonstrates unadulterated emotional abuse in relationships. All the characters are flawed beyond the realms of dramaland, in that they’re all so realistically broken. It’s so easy to hate all of them, even the two leads. But damn if the chemistry between Eric Mun and Jung Yumi was not scorching hot.  

Coffee Prince (2007) - Gong Yoo and Yoon Eun-hye being super cute while breaking your heart into teeny, tiny pieces… And then gluing it back together in the end. What’s that Korean saying? He gives the disease and then gives the medicine? Yeah, that’s what this drama is. Also, my first experience with gender-bending Korean drama. 

You’re Beautiful (2009) - "I will promise youuuu…" I have to admit, this was the drama that got me addicted. It might not have been my first, but its significance in my drama-watching history is great. Jang Geun-suk, Lee Hong-ki, Jung Yong-hwa, and Park Shin-hye will always have special places in my heart. "Hyung-nim!" My second gender-bending drama, but A.N.JELL and the awesome OST takes center stage for me. 

Secret Garden (2010)- Not exactly the best out there… But I do admit that it was laugh-out-loud funny when it wanted to be, and wrought tears when it had to. Clumsy writing aside, this is a kdrama “modern” classic. This drama propelled several pop culture references: foam kisses, sit-up kisses, and "Kim suhanmoo keobugiwa durumi…"  

Dream High (2011) - Nothing’s better than a handful of misfit underdogs trying to prove to the world that they can be winners. Bring that premise to a performing arts school where beautiful idol kids roam, plus a wonderful soundtrack, not to mention amazing performances from Kim Soo-hyun and JYP himself… well, DRAMA GOLD. 

White Christmas (2011) - This is a wonderful whodunit-slash-murder-mystery-slash-psycho-thriller mini-series that propelled the acting careers of most of our favorite new generation male models: Lee Soo-hyuk, Sung Joon, Hong Jong-hyun, Kim Young-kwang, and Kim Woo-bin. 

City Hunter (2011)- Still my favorite Lee Min-ho drama to date. It’s action-packed, yet cute and romantic. It takes a while to pick up steam, but when it does… it’ll prove difficult to turn off the drama at every cliffhanger ending. 

Shut Up Flower Boy Band (2011) - This was probably my favorite of tvN’s Flower Boy series. Awesome music, gorgeous men, and the wonderful cameo by Lee Min-ki - what more can you ask for? 

The King 2 Hearts (2012) - With all around amazing performances from Lee Seung-gi, Ha Ji-won, Jo Jung-suk, and Lee Yoon-ji, this drama supposes a South Korea still ruled by its monarchy and the attempts to reunify the Korean archipelago by marrying off its arrogant prince to the tough daughter of a North Korean general. Comedy and heartbreak ensues. 

Reply 1997 (2012) - A coming-of-age drama that recounts the teenage years of a group of friends in Busan. Set in the 90’s, the joys and woes of friendship, family, and love is set to the background of boybands, silly hairdos, and 90’s Korean pop music.

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Teaser trailer released for Rain's new drama She's So Lovable

After casting news made its rounds earlier this month regarding world-star Rain's small screen comeback, the upcoming SBS drama has now released its first teaser trailer featuring Rain and his love interest Krystal (of idol group f(x)).

She's So Lovable (aka My Lovely Girl) is described as a "comic, sentimental love fantasy" where Rain plays a composer-producer of an entertainment agency who meets Krystal, a young aspiring musician 12 years his junior. Of course, she falls in love with him but he can't seem to shake off the memories of losing his girlfriend in a tragic car accident - who, of course, happens to be Krystal's older sister.

As much as I'm looking forward to Rain being on my screen again, in what seems to be a rom-com (please kdrama gods, let it be a rom-com), I have to be honest that the whole dead ex-girlfriend/sister trope is something I'm not excited about. But it's Rain. And I love Rain. Also, I really liked Krystal in The Heirs, and she was actually one of the few reasons I continued watching that drama through to the end. So I'm crossing my fingers.

Another thing that I couldn't seem to get past initially was the age gap between Rain and Krystal. Not that I have any qualms with age gaps. I mean, I'm addicted to noona romances and I've watched dramas whose leads had 14-20 years between them. But Rain had always seemed very much a man, and Krystal a child. It's not quite the same as having Yoona or Lee Jong-suk or Seo In-guk in the dongsaeng roles because they didn't quite come off as childlike, just young. Thank goodness then that in the teaser (posted below), the age gap doesn't seem quite as jarring as I initially had thought it would be.

While the trailer gives off a cute vibe, it also, somehow, brings with it a sense of emotional depth reminiscent of more mature shows like this drama's writer-PD team's earlier work Scent of a Woman. Which is a good thing. Krystal doesn't seem to be wishy-washy nor juvenile in the teaser (which most of her earlier roles always were), rather she seems focused and responsible. I don't know if it's just me, but this trailer is definitely making Krystal seem more solemn than I'll ever get used to, since she's always been so callow and, well, loud in her past roles. So things are definitely looking up! I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for this drama.

She's So Lovable replaces It's Okay, It's Love every Wednesday and Thursday on SBS beginning on September 17.

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Currently Watching: Fated to Love You, You're All Surrounded, Trot Lovers, Marriage Not Dating

It's been awhile since I've had this much shows on my plate... and I love it. SO. MUCH.

That's not to say that the currently airing shows are the best shows ever, but at least they're all managing to keep me glued to the screen and I've been pretty good with keeping up to date with most of them. Which means I'm watching at least two dramas a day, plus the occasional variety show. Which also means I'm driving myself crazy waiting for the next episode and I'm going through all the woes that's part and parcel of live watching k-dramas.

I shouldn't be complaining about lack of sleep and time though, because seriously, I've been begging the drama gods for good stories for the past months and my prayers have finally been answered.

1. Fated to Love You - I only saw the first episode of the original Taiwanese version years ago, so really, I can't compare. But so far, so good.

Although, admittedly, Jang Hyuk's over-the-top portrayal can get testy, it's the fact that he delivers the softer moments of Lee Gun with so much heart that has me invested in him. And I just really love Jang Nara. She always conveys so much with just a simple look or the nuances of facial expression or body gesture. It would've been too easy to dismiss Kim Mi-young as pathetic and weak, but Jang Nara has managed to portray her as having so much inner strength and heart that's hard to disregard. I love it, so far.

2. You're All Surrounded - This drama is almost coming to a close, and I'm enjoying the ride so very much. And as much as I love Go Ara and Cha Seung-won, I have to say that Lee Seung-gi is selling this drama for me. He has carried so much weight in the lead role and I'm glad he's delivering way beyond expectations. I never doubted his capability as a dramatic actor, The King 2 Hearts assured me of that, but I'm just happy that his progress as an actor has been continuous.

I'll be watching the final episode tonight, and though I know the turn of events will have me squirming in my seat (and plotting the bloody demise of certain drama villains), I'm also looking forward to seeing Puppy happy and at peace.

3. Trot Lovers - Jung Eun-ji. She's awesome. And adorable. And just such a delight to watch.

Admittedly, right now, I'm not yet completely sold on either male leads, but Jang Joon-hyun (Ji Hyun-woo) is slowly converting me. Yes, he's an immature, irrational hothead... But there's still so much time for the drama to turn that around. He doesn't deserve someone as nice as Choi Choon-hee, so I'm hoping the drama makes him work for it. Because when he isn't being an ass, he actually has so much chemistry with Choon-hee. And with Byul! Those two together; they just kill me. And to be honest, while on paper Geon-woo seems like the perfect guy, he just isn't enough for our girl. Choon-hee needs someone who is as passionate about music as she is, someone who's willing to fight for what they believe is right, someone as determined as her. And that's not Geon-woo.

4. Marriage Not Dating - Honestly, I first decided to watch this drama because of Yeon Woo-jin. And of course, Jinwoon is always adorable. But good god, Han Groo is such a revelation. This is the first time I've seen her in anything and I'm in love. She's just wonderful.

Also, I'm always so surprised by the way this drama is spinning gender roles in a way I'd never expect. Initially, when I read that it was about a man who didn't want to get married contracting it up with a girl who is desperate to get married just to throw off his matchmaking mother, I thought it was going to be yet another pathetic female stereotype. Well, color me surprised. Our heroine, Joo Jang-mi may be the romanticist who believes in happily ever after and does want to get married, but she is far from pathetic. Or weak. Or desperate. Instead, she's headstrong and vocal yet kindhearted and loyal. She is also awesome enough to question gender roles and call out injustice where she sees it. Even from her fake boyfriend's seemingly nice grandmother.

5. High School King of Savvy - I'm still not sure about the age gap between our leads, not because it's huge (because realistically speaking, it's only 10 years, and I've seen dramas with 14-20 years age differences) but because the guy is a child. He's not even legal yet. He's jailbait. So here's my dilemma... Jung Soo-young and Lee Min-suk are adorable together. So I do love the kisses and hugs, and everything that makes them a couple. But there will always be that niggling voice in the back of my head reminding me that he is a baby. And she is very much an adult.

Here's to hoping they use that 2-episode extension to introduce some kind of time jump just to make Min-suk legal enough for some sexy kisses. Mmmm...

6. We Got Married (Woo-young + Se-young, Jong-hyun + Yura) - I've finally dropped watching Namgoong Min and Hong Jin-young. Things were getting boring on their end. And reversely, things are starting to pick up with Woo-young and Se-young. They were totally adorable and awkward in the beginning and then right just when they were getting really close, Woo-young kept pulling back and things turned cold. But now they're back to insane skinship and cute bickering so I'm tuned in again.

But, hallelujah! More Hong Jong-hyun on my laptop screen! Gawd, I love that guy. Not only is he gorgeous, he's not a bad actor either. I just clearly have a thing for them male-model-turned-actor group. All of them. Kim Woo-bin, Lee Soo-hyuk, Sung Joon, Lee Jong-suk, Hong Jong-hyun. I love them. So to the person who decided to cast Jong-hyun, THANK YOU. He is beyond adorable. And surprisingly quiet. It's a good thing Yura is extra bubbly and super talkative. Jong-hyun paired up with someone just as introverted as he is would kill ratings. Haha.

Also, have I mentioned that I absolutely adore how Yura is not even trying to rein in the obvious fact that she's super pleased to be married to Jong-hyun, no matter how fake the marriage? That girl is literally kvelling before our very eyes. She's super into him, no acting required. I can't say he feels the same way, but he's certainly intrigued by her. But remember that time when Yura accidentally drove his RC car into the lake? And she persistently said she was sorry and when she was using a hairdryer to fix the toy, the way he looked at her... That killed me.

I have several more dramas to look forward to, with It's Okay, That's Love just around the corner and Discovery of Romance fast approaching. When will I ever find time to sleep again? But nope, not complaining. I love it when dramaland decides to bombard me with awesome shows. After a very long season of drought, I'm quite happy to be drowning in my drama downloads.

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My so-called kdrama-induced culture shock

Full House (2004) was probably my third kdrama ever

Amanda's blog entry on her experience of watching Korean dramas as an American viewer was an eye-opener of sorts. It's interesting discovering the different perspectives we have on dramaland. For me, because I'm from a very heavily Western-influenced Asian country, I can relate so very much to both Western and Asian dramas.

(Note: In order to fully understand where I'm coming from in this blog entry, I suggest reading Amanda's blog post on Outside Seoul first because what follows was originally supposed to be a comment in response to her entry that became tl;dr material and so I decided to post it here instead.)

My first language was English; I'm positive I only ever read English books (save for school-required reading assignments); I grew up watching Sesame Street, Nickelodeon, and Disney; and up until the early 2000's, all I ever watched was American and British shows and movies (and the occasional Mexican telenovelas). I knew there were things that were distinctively Western, but because of the lengthy exposure to the Western culture, none of them were jarringly obvious to me.

When I finally started watching Asian dramas (it all started with Meteor Garden, the Taiwanese adaptation of Hana Yori Dango, and everything else snowballed from there), I got the same "culture shock" as I did with the Western shows - in that, there weren't a lot.

My favorite multi-generational household in Ojakgyo Brothers (2011)

Multi-generational households wasn't a new thing, I myself still live at home with my parents and sisters. And when they were still alive, my great-grandparents too. And until the very end, they had a say on most big family decisions. Although I do have friends who have moved out of their parents' homes, that doesn't mean they have full autonomy of their lives. I would have to say there is no clear cut definition on what the norm is anymore. Both are widely accepted. So when I see our heroine going home to her parents' house, where her grandmother and an uncle also live, this is not weird for me.

I also live in a sprawling, yet highly-congested metropolis. Not as gorgeous or high-tech as Seoul, but not provincial or rural either. And we eat rice for almost every meal. Even for breakfast. Sure, we do cereals and cornflakes, bacon and eggs, but rice for breakfast is the local preference. And we do have dine-in tables at convenience stores. I've never eaten ramyeon there, but I do usually have the microwaveable rice meals. At 7-11, yes.

Tables outside convenience stores are also an option, as seen in You're Beautiful (2009)

I guess, culturally, from my standpoint, growing up in a country that has been colonized by Spain and the US, plus the short-lived Japanese settlement, my perspective is vastly different from a lot of the other international kdrama audience. Yes, I'm Asian, but I come from a country that is far from being homogenous. To quote Stanley Karnow, my people spent "300 years in a convent, and 50 years in Hollywood." Our population is a mix of Malay, Chinese, and Spanish, not to mention the ever-growing Korean community. So in terms of dramas being relatable, both kdramas and Western dramas feel very familiar and yet very different, at the same time.

Digging deeper into the matter of relatability though, as Amanda has also pointed out in her own post, the reason we watch dramas in general is because they speak to us on the most basic level. It's not really about the who and the where, but the what and why and how. It's not really because our hero is the grandson of a chaebol who manages a coffee shop in Hongdae. We cared because when he unwittingly fell in love with someone so beyond his imagination, he threw caution to the wind and faced his inner turmoil head on. Love, friendship, family, living happily ever after - these are the common themes we look for in stories, no matter where the story can be found.

Still dreaming of my very own Choi Han-gyul, because Coffee Prince (2007) will forever own me

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