These photos released from the set of the upcoming SBS drama You're All Surrounded excites me. First of all, puppy Lee Seung-gi! Also, Cha Seung-won oppa! Running around as cops from the violent crimes division! Not to mention, this drama also has Go Ara (Reply 1994) and Ahn Jae-hyun (You From The Stars) among the cast. I have high hopes. Oh nooo.
I've been noticing a trend at SBS recently where they have this sudden obsession with suspense action dramas. Both of their currently airing weekday fare are gritty mysteries with some very valiant leads. Actually, this season's line up of dramas, on all networks, are lacking of rom-coms. Not exactly a bad thing though.
You're All Surrounded comes from the PD of History of the Salaryman and the writer of Ojakkyo Brothers. I haven't seen Salaryman yet, but I've heard great things. I have seen most of Ojakkyo, and I did really enjoy that show and its characters. So here's to hoping this new drama will have characters to fall in love with, at the very least. I don't wanna get my hopes up, but I think it's too late for that.
While I'm pretty sure Lee Seung-gi's hotheaded rookie cop character will frequently butt heads with Cha Seung-won's character, the strait-laced team leader, I'm still holding out for some bromance. I mean, after Seung-gi's cameo on Greatest Love and their subsequent refrigerator endorsement together, I need me some hyung-dongsaeng bromance.
You're All Surrounded will replace the currently airing Three Days when it ends in late April.
Noraebang, if you don't know (as if!), is the Korean version of karaoke (or what we call in my country, videoke) but with some additional necessities aside from the karaoke machine, tv screen, and microphone. It is absolutely essential for noraebangs to provide tambourines, or maracasses even (if they're being generous), and sometimes even clown wigs and huge-ass sunglasses (if they're being totally lavish). And of course, a noraebang session isn't complete without some of our favorite Korean pop songs.
What I'll be listing down today aren't necessarily what I'd choose to sing at a noraebang, but what I think every k-pop star and their favorite uncle would immediately punch in to sing should they find themselves in a dim room with a microphone in one hand and a tambourine on the other. Or perhaps, if they're in the mood for a power ballad, the tambourine is left on the table in exchange for a glass of somaek. Of course, this is from an outsider's point of view. All I'm basing this on is the fact that these songs have been covered so many times by so many Korean singers (and non-singers). And, seriously, I'm not complaining. I love these songs!
Lee Juck's "I'm Fortunate" (다행이다, Dahaengida)
It's funny because most international fans know the song because of covers by idol stars, and there's no mention of the song at all on Lee Juck's Wikipedia page, but indeed he was the original singer. This video is of his original version but we've heard this covered by everyone from idol star Kim Hyun-joong to balladeer K.Will, rocker Jung Joon-young to actor Joo Won, to name just a few.
Brown Eyed Soul's "Nothing Better"
Originally sung by Brown Eyed Soul's Jung Yup, this song has been performed repeatedly, time and again, at every turn, by almost everybody from 2PM's Nichkhun to SHINee's Jonghyun, Super Junior's Kyuhyun to actor Gong Yoo, that if it weren't such a good song I would've been ready to sew my ears shut.
Im Jae-beom's "Confession" (고해, Gohae)
One of my personal favorites, Im Jae-beom's "Confession" may be one of the cheesiest songs ever, in terms of lyrics, but he pulls it off with one of the rawest and roughest voices in the business. So it's no wonder that some of the best singers of today have all attempted to cover this song, of which FT Island's Lee Hong-ki's attempt is my favorite. CNBLUE's Jung Yong-hwa (plus Z:EA's Kwang-hee, unfortunately), rock singers Roy Kim and Jung Joon-young, and pop rock singer Hong Kyung-min have performed this song as well. 4Men's "Baby Baby"
Another overplayed R&B track, this time by vocal group 4Men. But let me tell you, just because something is overplayed doesn't make it bad. In fact, it's so good that everyone keeps singing it. And by everyone, I mean B.A.P's Daehyun (pre-debut video that brought me to tears!), SHINee's Jonghyun, SNSD's Yuri and Tiffany, and BEAST's Yoseob.
Kim Dong-ryul's "Drunken Truth" (취중진담, Chwijung Jindam)
Admittedly, the first person I heard this from was JYJ's Micky Yoochun. And it was awesome. And then I started hearing it everywhere so I had to find out who the original singer was. So, apparently, Yoochun wasn't the original singer, neither were Super Junior's Kyuhyun, nor Gavy N J, nor Fly to the Sky, but rather Kim Dong-ryul. I'll try to remember that name from now on.
DJ DOC's "Run to You"
You might've noticed, but almost every music festival ends with all the artists on stage rocking out to the one hip-hop song everyone and their grandmothers know the lyrics to. Some people mistakenly refer to this song as "Bounce With Me" due to the phrase being repeated throughout the track, but it's actually "Run to You." I first encountered this song via extra footage in the 2009 drama You're Beautiful where the boys of ANJELL (Jang Geun-suk, Jung Yong-hwa, and Lee Hong-ki) danced around to the track. And since then, I've heard it literallyateverymusicshow'soutro.
Rain's "Love Song"
This is probably one of the first Korean songs I learned the lyrics to. Not the very first, but it's somewhere up there. And clearly, I'm not the song's only fan as it's been covered by Seo In-guk, and all your favorite idols in severaldifferentparodies. Sometimes lauded for the song itself, but mostly for the accompanying sexy choreography, this song is definitely one for the books.
Ra.D's "I'm In Love"
This song is just beautiful. I seriously have four different versions of this song on my k-pop playlist. The first one is by Ra.D (see video above) who actually composed the song, and then the original recording by Brown Eyed Girls' Narsha, and then covers by CNBLUE's Lee Jong-hyun and two finalists on The Voice of Korea (Kim Min-ji and Park Eui-sung) who sang a duet version during the battle round. This song is so awesome even Queen Yuna has performed it before.
Tasha's "As Time Goes By"
This is one song I listen to on repeat, and one that I also know by heart. Tasha is a queen and this song may be old, but it's still relevant. At least according to the members of SNSDwho have sung thisat multiple occasions. Younha also has a cover, and Lee Hi slayed with this song when she was a finalist on K-Pop Star by turning the second verse into a rap with the help of the guys at YG.
JYP's "Honey"
Just hearing the intro to this song makes me wanna jump out of my seat to sing and dance along. Though I love JYP more for his softer, mid-tempo ballads (i.e. "I Have A Girl") it's uptempo songs like "Honey" and "Elevator" that make you wanna bust out the tambourine at the noraebang. It's been coveredso many timesthat you just knowit's a classic. And by classic, I mean old enough that World Star Rain was one of JYP's backup dancers back then.
The new SBS Monday-Tuesday drama God's Gift - 14 Days premiered this week, and it was awesome.
For one, it opened its first episode with this amazingly eerie animated story about a mother's endeavor to save her child from Death. And it was a beautifully crafted sequence that just captivated me from the get go. From then on, the drama just brought every element into play and it was plot point after plot point, resulting in a cinematically stunning thriller that takes you for an unexpected ride.
I hope this continues till the end, because if it does, I've gotta say, we've got a masterpiece in our hands. With clever writing, adept direction, and glorious editing, both episodes felt more like a suspense thriller film than a television serial.
I've also got to hand it to the cast. Every single casting feels right. Everyone from heroine Lee Bo-young down to lackey Han Sun-hwa, they are all on point.
I've honestly never seen actor Jo Seung-woo in anything prior to this drama but despite his character being the most detached from the central plot, he is captivating and immediately interesting in the role of ex-cop Ki Dong-chan. I've already googled him and found out that he began his acting career in stage musicals - which really explains my fascination, given my love for stage actors.
The only reason I know of idol-actress Han Sun-hwa (Secret) is because of her stint of being unfortunately married to Hwang Kwang-hee (Z:EA) on the variety show We Got Married. So I'm pleasantly surprised that she's doing her character, no matter how small the role is right now, justice. I'm actually looking forward to her character and I wonder if she'll be given an actual story arc.
Another idol-actor who I am loving on this show is Baro (B1A4) who plays the role of Ki Young-gyu, a developmentally disabled teenage boy with the mental age of a six-year-old. Baro plays the role with little nuances that help convey the character's struggles without dumbing him down, which I totally give him props for. As a result, Ki Young-gyu is delightful and endearing.
Child actress Kim Yoo-bin is also wonderful in the drama and her rapport with onscreen mom Lee Bo-young feels very realistic. I hope that despite her being gone in the story's current timeline, we'll still see flashes of her when our heroine travels back to 2 weeks prior the tragic incident.
And finally, Lee Bo-young. I thought I loved her after having seen her in I Hear Your Voice, but ohmygod, she's has brought my love for her to another level with how much she's impressing me in God's Gift. And it's only been 2 episodes, gosh darnit. I was sobbing and sniveling half the time I was watching the second episode just because of how much pain and desperation her character had to go through and Lee Bo-young brought those feelings across so skillfully. I can't help but love her.
I really can't wait for next week's episode to see how the time travel happens and how the rest of the story unravels. I noticed there were some seemingly unnecessary focus on random things in the first two episodes that didn't quite make sense at the moment (i.e. the storekeeper's hair accessory, the president's lawyer during the press conference, another hair accessory Saet-byul found at the accident scene, etc.) but because the plot will bring our heroine back to the past, I have a feeling all of these will be revisited later on in the story for some grander reveals.
I also need to know what's going on with the father and what his deal is. Because while our heroine, the mother, is running around trying to find her daughter in all desperation, I have a feeling that the father is less invested in the search. And I need to know why. What secret is he hiding?
Oof. Yet another drama I'll be crazily and carefully watching. Add to that the other thriller SBS is premiering this week, Three Days, and it looks like my week will be full of drama-induced panic and anxiety.
Another drama down, three more on the way (but that's a story for another day).
tvN's third installment for the I Need Romance franchise finally came to a close. Its last episode brought so much cute and a bit of sexy (mmmmm... those kisses) to end a series that warmed my heart and made me long for a noona-adoring puppy of my own. Anyone know where to find them?
Before I ramble on about the main couple, I have a handful of thoughts about the minor pairings. First off, Min-jung and Min-seok? I LUFF THEM. Those two were adorable to the very end and I love where the drama left off with them. Realistically, not all relationships end in marriage. And I'm glad the drama didn't foist that on these two characters who have always been steadfast in their disinterest in marital unions. But their mutual agreement to live in the here and now and be there for each other and for their twins was as heartwarming as any marriage vow. Even the misdirected saranghae's were fitting of these two characters.
As for our youngest couple, I've had frustrations over Woo-young and how he chooses to show his affection. On the one hand, he's adorable. On the other hand, not so much. And that definitely hit home in the last episode where he was so bullheaded about Hee-jae's decision to travel by herself for a year. I understand his wanting to keep her by his side, especially since they just started going out, but I hate the way he chose to react to her. There was wrist grabbing, and shouting, and condescending lectures involved that made me cringe. So while Woo-young continued to have one foot in and one foot out of the asshole basin, I’m glad Hee-jae stood by her decision to leave and find herself. I trust she'll be back a happier person, and I also believe Woo-young would wait, albeit impatiently.
On the other hand, I'm not quite sure if Tae-yoon has the balls to return to Se-ryung. Also, I don't even think he deserves a girl as awesome as her. Gotta hand it to this girl though, she knows what she wants and she stands by it. Tae-yoon hate aside, I’m glad he turned a new leaf with the support he gave Min-jung before he left. That was a surprising turn of events that I fully accept. He may not be the best boyfriend, but at least we know he has a heart after all.
And now, for the main reason I stuck to this drama like glue. The Goguma + Shing Shing couple. Should I even count the ways I love thee? I love that Shin Joo-yeon's character growth was complete and came full circle in the finale. It felt earned. She went through such emotional enlightenment to realize her own heart and I love that she experienced all the telltale signs of falling in love after the fact. Like, how she realizes all the little things she loves about Joo Wan after already having acknowledged the fact that she loved him. We know, as she also eventually found out, that she was in love. But the little things - his strong arms, his slim fingers, the way he looks from behind, his voice - these are things she only noticed she liked about him after already having fallen for him.
Wannie, on the other hand, also had some growing up to do. In most dramas, first leads have to learn to stop being assholes and realize their feelings in order to show affection. But our Wannie is the complete and total opposite. He loved completely and without question. His growth had a lot to do with reining his feelings in. It was definitely difficult for him to not be there at Shing Shing's side all the time. I'm glad the show made him realize that love is not a one-way street and made him understand that there are times when he had to back off. I also love that while we all swooned over his seeming perfection, Wan wasn't perfect. And the show acknowledged that. He wasn't always right and he didn't always make the best decisions.
Together, they were sizzling. But a lot of that had to do with the onscreen chemistry of Kim So-yeon and Sung Joon. This was the first time I've ever seen Kim So-yeon in anything and I've gotta give it to her. Despite Joo-yeon's incredible social flaws, I've never once disliked her as a character. She was hard on the surface, but you could always sense a tinge of vulnerability through her cracks and that made her endearing. Sung Joon, on the other hand, I've seen in a handful of dramas but this is the first time I've ever really warmed up to him. I guess I need to re-watch Shut Up Flower Boy Band, eh?
Another thing I loved about I Need Romance 3 was the friendships. Although, had Joo-yeon found it in her to make actual connections with people around her sooner, we would have had a lot more of cute girly banters between her and her girlfriends. It took way too many episodes for her to open up to the other girls, but I'll take whatever I can. Her restored friendship with Se-ryung was probably the highlight, as that was established earlier. But some of my favorite scenes from the final week were Joo-yeon's one-on-one conversations with Hee-jae and Min-jung. Her telling Hee-jae that she was offering advise not as a boss but as an unni, and her asking Min-jung if they can be friends - those were major turning points in her character growth that I absolutely loved. I felt so proud of her in those moments.
By all means, I Need Romance 3 was not the perfect drama. Anyone who follows me on tumblr would know the drama this show ignited, apart from the drama itself. There have been feminist rage hurled at almost all the male characters (I think only Min-seok was spared from this, ETA: I just went through the INR3 tag on tumblr, no one was spared). But ultimately, I Need Romance 3 was an entertaining ride that gave me so much life lessons, whether intentionally or indirectly. There were a handful of wise words from a handful of characters. Things like, "there is no future if there is no present," or about not being scared of things that have yet to happen, or about waking up not worrying about the future but instead to think of how I can make today happier...
WAAAHHHH. You From Another Star finally came to a close. I'm just glad it ended on a happy note with hope for our OTP's future together.
From the onset, I was worried about how they were going to close a story like this one. Let's be honest, kdramas are not the best at explaining away mechanics of alternate universes or finding ways around fate in a believable and satisfying way (i.e. Rooftop Prince). So while You From Another Star left much to be desired in terms of explaining how Do Min-joon was able to travel back or if he got sick after that awesome kiss, I'm happy they had at least given us emotional closure, if not scientific or mythological closure.
This drama sure took us for a ride, in the most enjoyable way possible. The writing found the perfect balance of sweet, heart wrenching, and hilarious which resulted in well-rounded episodes. I truly appreciated how a lot of the heavier episodes were undercut by adorable and hilarious scenes that made dilemmas easier to bear. A lot of times, in kdramas, the latter third of a series would suddenly veer into melo territory because that's when all the conflicts are laid out on the table (or worse, they were given an extension they couldn't handle). I'm glad this drama was able to steer clear of this hurdle to serve us what it initially promised.
Somehow, I'm always pleasantly surprised by the dramas that sound wonky on paper but end up doing really well in execution. Just like I Hear Your Voice (courtroom drama/noona romance/supernatural powers) and Master's Sun (rom-com/horror/supernatural powers), two of my favorite dramas of 2013, You From Another Star (alien romance/noona romance/comedy/timeskip drama) sounds just as insane on paper, but squishing together three or four different genres apparently make for an amazing narrative. Ha.
As awesome as the story was, that does not take away from the fact that this drama had awesome leads. I've loved Kim Soo-hyun from the first time I saw him cry on Dream High. He is one of the best criers in kdramaland, seriously. Whenever I see him tearing up on screen, it feels like someone's digging into my chest to retrieve my heart. He is also fantastic with visual comedy, as is apparent in his last film Secretly Greatly (or Covertly Grandly, whichever title you want to call it). Both of these skills were put to great use in this drama.
On the other hand, I did not have expectations of Jeon Ji-hyun because, to be honest, I haven't seen her in anything aside from My Sassy Girl which was over a decade ago. All I knew was that she was pretty awesome and awesomely pretty in that film. And in You From Another Star, she's proved that she is indeed both those things. I don't think the character of Cheon Song-yi would've worked quite as well with a lesser actress. It would've been too easy to play her wrong and to make her come off as irritating rather than endearing.
A happy surprise, as well, comes in the form of model-actor Ahn Jae-hyun, whose only previous credential is possibly a huge bunch of music videos. One in particular that I know him from is K.Will's "Please Don't" which he starred in alongside Seo In-guk. I have no idea what they're feeding these models nowadays, but a lot of today's up-and-coming young actors are off of Seoul's runways and fashion spreads. In the same vein as Lee Jong-suk, Sung Joon, and Kim Woo-bin, I can see Ahn Jae-hyun going the distance with his acting career. He was utterly adorable and believable in his hyung-worshiping (and E.T. fanboy) role that it took me awhile to digest the fact that he is actually older than Kim Soo-hyun.
So it's with a happy sigh that I leave this drama behind (or not quite behind, I think I will be re-watching the last two episodes all weekend long). As a last note, you know what would've made the finale even more awesome than it already was? To have been able to witness the reunions between Do Min-joon and Lawyer Jang and Yoon-jae. Can you imagine how sweet and adorable those events would've been?
Being highly YG-biased, I have to admit that 2NE1's pending comeback is the only girl group comeback I care about. I have nothing against SNSD, but I am quite impartial to most of their members and their brand of music.
It's been years since 2NE1's last full-length album. Years. So allow me to express my utmost excitement for this album to drop. TONIGHT! Finally.
YG has officially released all teaser photos for the new album entitled Crush, as well as the track list. Apparently, CL had some hand in writing lyrics for some of the songs and I am looking forward to hearing what a CL-penned track might sound like.
Also, this comeback comes hand-in-hand with a world tour and I need to find a way to get a hold of tickets without totally killing my bank account. I kinda want to be close enough to the stage to be able to see what they're wearing, but not close enough to regret the insane financial setback a month later. HA.
You know what would make this year even better? Winner's debut, a Lee Hi comeback, and a Big Bang comeback. Aaaaaahhhh. And maybe for the YG Family World Tour to head in this direction (not gonna happen, but no one said I need to be realistic when wishing for things).
Here are the Crush teaser photos and the track list.
Dropping a quick blog entry because I've been rolling on the floor laughing over the perfection of the E.T. joke on You From Another Star. I should've expected it to happen, but I didn't and thus was slapping my thighs as I obnoxiously laughed out loud at the scene. Repeatedly.
So, apparently, Elliott has found his E.T. Isn't that just the cutest?! Ahn Jae-hyun has been sooo perfect in this role so far and he's totally selling the teenage geek role despite the fact that he's older and taller than Kim Soo-hyun. And when he called him "uri Min-joon hyung," I just about died.
Looking forward to more projects from him. But in the meantime, off to watch that E.T. scene again. Ack. Min-joon, phone home!
I'm pretty sure that we're all head over heels in love with Joo Wan at this point in the story and we have been falling deeper and deeper in love with him for several episodes now. Unfortunately, his selfless acts of romance isn't working on Joo-yeon. For one reason or another, she's convinced she's in love with Kang sunbae (which is Wannie's fault, but was totally the right decision). Except, I don't think Joo-yeon knows her own heart enough to differentiate love from other strong emotions like admiration or attraction. I'm crossing my fingers that she snaps out of it soon because my heart is breaking for Wan. And, let's face it, Kang Tae-yoon is an ass.
Where Wan is selfless, Kang Tae-yoon is one of the most selfish characters I've ever come across in a drama. To the point where one has to ask whether he is indeed the second male lead and not the first. Truth be told, Wan's too-good-too-be-true character is very typical of second leads. In the same vein as Shin-woo hyung (You're Beautiful) and Kang Woo (Master's Sun), Joo Wan is always there for our main girl even if that means driving her to her date with another man. Or cooking her some hot soup only to allow her to give it to said man. Or the willingness to buy her flowers and rings and to tell her he loves her if that worthless man refuses to go a little extra way for her himself. Ugh. Joo Wan, be mine.
Tae-yoon, on the other hand, is cold and brusque and cares not one whit about Joo-yeon unless it's work related. He uses her to his advantage. He makes her stay in situations that are horribly uncomfortable for her because he's her boss and she has to be rational enough to leave her personal hurts behind and be professional like he is. He allows his past relationship with Oh Se-ryeong to hurt Joo-yeon when it would be so easy to expel her insecurity and fears with a single word. Typical first lead.
Dear drama overlords, please reassure me that Joo Wan is indeed the first lead and will sooner or later win the girl. Because, damnit, at this point, he really is starting to sound like the second lead (on paper, at least). And if Joo-yeon ends up with Kang sunbae, I'mma have to throw something. Preferably, something large and breakable.
For those who have yet to finish the drama, go back and return after you watch the final episode. There will be major spoilers ahead. In 3, 2... 1!
THAT DAMN ENDING. SERIOUSLY.
This drama was cutest when it gave us the fluff we were watching it for. Not the tear-jerking angst-driven plotlines. I swear to God, I loved this drama. But episode 17 was enough for me to want to slap the writer so hard she'd need her jaw realigned. For the most part, they delivered the story well and I cared enough for all the characters that I cried along with them to the very end. And that was the problem, all the crying to the very end. They dwelled in the tears for so goddamn long that by the time I had wiped my tears away, I didn't feel all that happy about the reunion anymore. And that fricking reunion. I expected hugs and kisses and all I got was a measly handshake. How dare you, Show? How dare you?!
Although I get why they ended that way, and I really do, but I don't care for it all too much. So yes, the show ended on a happy note where our adorable heroine and sexy Prime Minister reunited and "met" each other in a more positive note where the possibility of starting over was clear. But honestly, didn't we all just want to see them together and in love? Because they already fricking were in love. I don't care if the show gave me a limp-lipped kiss, but to give me no kiss at all in the finale? That's just plain cruel.
You were given a 1-episode extension and you still end with a handshake?! What a fricking travesty.
Anyyyywaayyyy... all the emotional and funny beats leading up to episode 17 were awesome and touching and they played with my emotions in the best way possible. And I now have so much more respect for Yoon-ah as an actress than I ever did before. And I've confirmed that Yoon Shi-yoon can move me with just a single look. Also, Lee Beom-soo is one sexy mofo. Having said that... I'm now off to denying episode 17 ever happened. I'm of the belief that the show gave us a sweet ending with adorable reunions and kisses all around, with Nam Da-jeong surrounded by her new family and the people who love her the most.
I love dancing and it's one of the major reasons why I love k-pop. Like, I do admit to having danced miss A's "Goodbye Baby" or A Pink's "No No No" in front of the mirror in the safety of my own bedroom once or twice before. However, there are a handful of k-pop dances that I still want to learn but whenever I go and watch the videos, I'm immediately muttering to myself, "nope, not gonna happen." I've seen the dance practice versions, the tutorial videos, and possibly all the covers, but there's a difference between knowing how the dance goes in your head and actually being able to execute them properly. Sure, I can do Brown Eyed Girls' "Abracadabra" but there are those dances that just seem impossible to learn. And today, I'm listing down my 10 favorites.
10. Infinite's "BTD (Before The Dawn)"
9. EXO's "History"
8. miss A's "Breathe"
7. Rain's "Hip Song"
6. Infinite's "Be Mine"
5. 2PM "I'll Be Back"
4. SHINee's "Lucifer"
3. B2ST's "Fiction"
2. EXO's "Growl"
1. SHINee's "Everybody"
These are just some of the most epic dance videos in k-pop and there are so much more out there. What're your favorites though?
