Korean Drama Talk Time Pt. 2

In a not-really-continuation of part 1, here are my comments and recommendations about dramas that have caught my attention since last year. :> It's not very current as I've been too busy to diligently keep up in the past few months, but I'm hoping to gain drama-watching (or reading) momentum again soon!

Somebody please talk to me about Korean dramas. ;A;

(I watch on Dramafever and Viki, and read recaps on Dramabeans~)
* means it's a standout imo

• Reply 1988 *

• Comment: So so so so so good!!! Each episode is long, but this piece of thoughtful, well-written, fun, heartwarming, deliciously nostalgic treasure is worth your time, I promise! It's about 5 families who live on the same street in 1988, and as you grow up with them, you can't help but care about all of their wellbeings and relationships—whether it's the core friend group of the kids who are figuring out life and love, or the friend group of the parents who are also still figuring out life and love.
• Progress: I pretty much always watched each episode as soon as it came out LMAO Sometimes even snuck peaks on recaps before subs came out..
• Recommendation: Yess, recommended so much! If you love friends or love families, you'll probably love this?! (do it.) I would suggest reading Dramabeans' recap either after or during the episode so that you don't miss the references and to have more cultural context. :>

• Cheer Up (aka Sassy Go Go) *

• Comment: A high school's ragtag dance team has to work with the academic elite to form a cheerleading club. It sounds dumb. It is dumb. I FUCKING LOVED IT. I have so much endearment for the entire cast ㅠㅠ! Eunji from Apink is always such a joy to behold in any form!! Main man (boy) Lee Wongeun was out to kill us all with his A+ smile and surprisingly charismatic charm, jfc. Chae Soobin played an annoyingly written character with sympathetic complexity and I can't help but love her! N from Vixx was a cute puppy. And Jisoo is the perfect angsty puppy boy—I hope he becomes a huge star because he's such young acting potential~
• Progress: This drama was crack for me from beginning to end. I watched each episode the day subs came out, during my lunch break.
• Recommendation: If you can put aside the ridiculousness and frustrating conflicts, this is really cute and enjoyable! You know what, fuck it—I recommend this. You'll see why I was addicted.

Fav drama moment

Korean Drama Talk Time

I was cleaning out my draft posts on Blogger, and found this incomplete post from.........
May 28th, 2013. Good fucking job, Eva.

I'mma publish it anyway though and add on a brief(?) listing and maybe some comments about dramas I followed or tried out in my recent memory! :>


Korean drama talk time because hi I'm Eva, and I'm an impulsive blogger.

I've been so obsessed with dramas and actors/actresses lately, except now I started following so many or started working on watching so many (it's a lot in my standards because it's not like I dedicate my whole life to watching shows) that I feel kind of swarmed and misdirected. :( So sadddd that sometimes keeping up with dramas feels like a chore now when they start losing my interest, but I don't wanna fall behind.. There are some dramas that I actually want to watch, but then I start thinking, "Eva you haven't watched this week's episodes of _____ yet; shouldn't you do that first?" and then I end up not watching anything and falling behind even more HAHAHAHA... But okay yo (not sure why that was necessary) lemme break down the stuff I'm watching right now or am considering checking out.

Monstar:
Starting with this, because THIS is my recommendation of the season. Winter's recommendation was Flower Boy Next Door, and I'm continuing with this same mellow, fluffy, yet thoughtful and heartfelt vibe that makes both of these dramas so lovable.
[5/22/2013 2:47:36 PM] Eva: but it's a pretty lighthearted drama with some melancholy behind it?
[5/22/2013 2:47:44 PM] Eva: like a teenaged musical Flower Boy Next Door
[5/22/2013 2:47:54 PM] Eva: but no hyperactive puppies from Spain
<--my description of Monstar when introducing it to Chiisana

The premise of the drama sounds pretty superficial and basic, but the show actually seems really promising and thought-out. It's a drama that follows the lives of high school students and how music and their newfound company of one another will heal their scars and pain. B2ST's Junhyung plays Yoon Seolchan and is an idol in a drama acting as an idol in a drama. :DDD;; Due to a fan-caused scandal, he has to stay in school for a while to rebuild his image. The main female is Min Seyi (Ha Yeonsoo) who is though her innocence doesn't mean stupidity or blindness.

Of course, there are some ridiculous things that reflect the doings of Dream High 2, like the fact that Seolchan is the only person that matters in his idol group while all the other members (played by BTOB) remain nameless and uncared for by fans, the agency, and even Seolchan.


~
And that's where my incomplete post ended. I THINK I PROBABLY HAD a gazillion other things to say but I guess I just...didn't...have...time. OTL
OKAY BACK TO KOREAN DRAMA TALK TIME IN THE PRESENT! WAHAHAHA. Except can't be bothered to be as detailed as I was before.

(No particular order because I can't remember shit anyway.)
(But a * means it's.. special?? that I want you to pay extra attention? IDK~)

Recommended websites: Dramafever, Dramabeans, A Koala's Playground

• * Monstar
• Comment: It's heartwarming and an absolute gem! I love Kang Haneul!
• Progress: I.. I followed it religiously up until episode 8 and then life happened. I heard that the rest of series is still really good and I intend to finish this drama.
• Recommendation? I KNOW I didn't finish the drama BUT I STILL REALLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. It's great♥
• Birth Secret
• Comment: Tbh I started watching this after learning that one of my girlcrushes Kim Sohyun plays the younger version of the protagonist. And then it seemed really interesting so I kept going!
• Progress: And then it stopped seeming interesting so I stopped.
• Recommendation? ..... The premise has quite a hook and it's definitely not a bad drama, but not recommended.
• I Hear Your Voice
• Comment: IT'S CUTE. Parts of it are very scary. (to me) I like Lee Boyoung. and Lee Jongsuk.
• Progress: FINISHED! Though honestly I couldn't bring myself to watch every episode because I'm highly allergic to 1) scary things, and 2) sad things. So I read recaps from dramabeans a lot. I really like their recaps.
• Recommendation? Recommended!! May not interest everyone though. But it's good.
• That Winter, the Wind Blows
• Comment: I think this one's a bit of an acquired taste but I really liked it and was hooked.. Here's a post about my first impression of the drama. Some things later on (the ending esp) kinda left me frustrated though. Wasn't as epic as I'd hoped.
• Progress: Finished!
• Recommendation? Suure, if you like melodramas!
• The World That They Live In
• Comment: I watched because I was really curious about the Hyun Bin x Song Hyegyo pairing. :D I enjoyed the pairings in Secret Garden (Hyun Bin x Ha Jiwon) and That Winter, the Wind Blows (Jo In Sung x Song Hyegyo)--though I don't intend to watch What Happened in Bali (Jo In Sung x Ha Jiwon)--so I was curious about how the last combination works. Plus apparently Hyun Bin and Song Hyegyo dated for a while! ALSO I'M VERY CURIOUS about broadcast stations and the making of dramas.
• Progress: I was kinda watching this one casually since it's an old drama and doesn't knock you off your feet. ......and then life happened. But I'll probably start watching it casually again..sometime....
• Recommendation? ...Mostly only if you're interested in those above things that made me wanna watch it.
• Cheongdamdong Alice
• Comment: I like Moon Geunyoung. This drama was very good at first.
• Progress: I read recaps because I was curious as to how it would end...
• Recommendation? No.
• Bright Side: A VERY nice OST song ("Daddy Long Legs") came out from this drama by one of my girlcrushes Baek Ahyeon and it continues to be one of my favorite songs.
• Mandate of Heaven (Fugitive of Joseon)
• Comment: ..Mostly I was curious because Lee Dongwook looks so different from how he did when hosting Strong Heart.. And I like Song Jihyo because Running Man. Also because boredom.
• Progress: FINISHED but through recaps. I probably actually watched like.. 2 episodes. But that's partially because it's an action thriller :c
• Recommendation? ...eh.
• * Reply 1997
• Comment: I fucking love Jung Eunji from A Pink. Oh wait I forgot I wrote a whole post about this drama here.
• Progress: This is a pretty old drama. But I loved it, so I wanted to recommend it again.
• Recommendation? I RECOMMEND IT.
• The King 2 Hearts
• Comment: Another old drama BUT IT'S SO GOOD. It stars Lee Seunggi and Ha Jiwon.
• Progress: I mostly read recaps because I'd heard so many good things about the drama but didn't wanna plunge into it. Watched a handful of episodes though and finished!
• Recommendation? REALLY GOOD DRAMA. Basically like a sageuk set in modern times. (It's a fictional North and South Korea with monarchies.)
• The Moon that Embraces the Sun
• Comment: I wrote this back in March in my fangirl post over ZE:A's Siwan.
  "Btw it's a very good drama if you turn a blind eye towards the fact that the plot goes nowhere and nobody ever grows up. Maybe it's because I went into it already knowing and expecting how lacking it was that I wasn't disappointed with the drama LOL. I'm enjoying it."
• Progress: Finished!
• Recommendation? RECOMMEND THE CHILDHOOD PORTION SO MUCH. The rest of it is just.. if you remember to keep low expectations.
• * Sword and Flower (aka Blade and Petal)
• Comment: This is such an underrated drama. It's also really refreshing to see a sageuk taking place in the Goguryeo era rather than Joseon. After a strong start though, the drama started being plagued by some stupidity, plot holes, and lack of character development. But interesting all the way through.
• Progress: It just finished airing! But I'm waiting to watch the last episode with boyfriend haha. This was a pleasantly surprising case though, since I started out only reading recaps... and then it became watching every episode. as soon as they got subbed.
• Recommendation? If you like historicals and kick-ass princesses, then yes.
• * Good Doctor
• Comment: Who knew I would start watching a medical drama, considering how squeamish I am at blood and surgeries and.. medical-related everything... (It stars Joowon, Moon Chaewon, and Joo Sangwook! They're all great actors imo.)
• Progress: It's still airing! And I'm still following it religiously with no sign of stopping!!!
• Recommendation? Yes! May not interest everyone though. A few dumb things but they can be overlooked. Overall, a good drama! If you're curious, maybe check out the recaps over at dramabeans. ^^
• The Princess' Man
• Comment: I wanted to try it because 1) I like these kinds of sageuks with potential for cute, 2) people recommended it, and 3) curious about Park Sihoo and Moon Chaewon together.
• Progress: I couldn't go on after 2 episodes..
• Recommendation? It's a good drama! I just couldn't bring myself to go on because I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE SAD, SOB
• Jang Ok Jung: Live in Love
• Comment: The first 8 or so episodes of this drama are just BEAUTIFUL and CHARMING and thoughtful, with [unexpectedly] great, subtle, powerful, and emotional acting. Especially from Kim Taehee. Nobody knew she could bring it but homequrl brought it. Yoo Ah In is also fantastic, though after those 8 episodes, he started getting frustrated with his character and the drama. We all did. Everything sunk after that.
• Progress: I watched it up until episode .. 15 or so?! Then I couldn't STAND the stupidity and makjang anymore...... but I kept up with recaps til the end out of curiosity for the plot.
• Recommendation? Stop when it starts going stupid.
• Gu Family Book
• Comment: This is a reaction timeline for the whole series.
  
  Ep 1: "THIS IS BEAUTIFUL AND MAGICAL AND PERFECT I'M IN LOVE."
  Ep 2: "What the fuck."
  Ep 3: "What the fuckkk."
  Early-mid episodes: "This is dumb and immature and dumb."
  Mid-late episodes: "Woah this is actually getting better. But still bad."
  Later episodes: "This is entertaining and not toooo bad!"
  Last episode: "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS FUCKING DRAMA. WHAT KIND OF BULLSHIT DUMBASS ENDING IS THAT?! HOW DID THE WRITERS FUCK SHIT UP THIS BADLY??"
  
  (no seriously the ending isn't bad because it's sad or anything.. it just literally doesn't make sense and IS A BADLY EXECUTED ENDING and makes you wonder why you bothered sticking to the whole drama.)
• Progress: Finished but wandered between watching and reading recaps. Mostly read recaps.
• Recommendation? save yourself....
• * Cyrano Dating Agency
• Comment: SUCH A CUTE AND BREEZY DRAMA, HOLY SHIT. The main girl is played by SNSD's Sooyoung and she's actually an acting gem among idols. She's great.
• Progress: I watched religiously until near the end, when I started losing steam... and honestly I procrastinated watching (or reading) the last episode so much that I don't remember if I ever watched or read it.
• Recommendation? I liked it a lot, so yes!
• You're the Best, Lee Soon Shin
• Comment: Oops... I forgot to add this one. Probably because it'snotthatgreat. I /love/ IU and Jo Jungsuk but I couldn't with this drama.... Plus, it's a 50-episode weekend family drama...
• Progress: I watched until I gave up. Then I read recaps until the recapper gave up. Then there were summaries and discussion posts.
• Recommendation? don't do it....

I basically ended up talking about every drama I paid attention to since December of last year...........

wao.

Kang Haneul

where to buy one?

Dude. I think I might come to like him even more than Siwan. I'm harboring a really gross and blaring crush right now on this guy.

That voice is enough to win me over. But his acting. And face. And he seems adorable and humble from what I've seen of him. But so talented. And rather athletic. If he's also really intelligent, I don't think I can handle it. Where can I get one? And it doesn't help that I've fallen for his character (who's class president and plays, like, every instrument) in the currently airing k-drama Monstar, and I can't get up. I DON'T KNOW MAN I REALLY LIKE GENTLEMAN TYPES SOMETIMES and his character's seemingly cold outer shell makes me feel for him even more. :c

Thank you for brightening up what would've otherwise been an entirely depressing night<3

Someone stop me

Sob. I have this really gross crush on Siwan from the group ZE:A. (I feel like it's been a while since I showed my fangirl side ahahahaha I used to spazz over Henry Lau all the time on my old blog)

HI HEO YEOM HOW ARE YOU

Basically he was part of the childhood cast in the Korean fusion historical drama The Moon that Embraces the Sun. Btw it's a very good drama if you turn a blind eye towards the fact that the plot goes nowhere and nobody ever grows up. Maybe it's because I went into it already knowing and expecting how lacking it was that I wasn't disappointed with the drama LOL. I'm enjoying it.
I'm pretty sure most of this crush is on his character, Heo Yeom though. :c

I was wondering why I liked Heo Yeom/Siwan so much and sudden throwback to this post and how I said that good moral character is attractive. FUCK IT'S TRUE Q______Q Heo Yeom is the older brother to the drama's heroine, the teacher of the hero, and is basically the perfect pretty boy scholar that you can't not like. He's intelligent, wise, morally upright, studious, formal, mannerful, and he exudes warmth and righteousness, DEAR LORDY HELP ME. I honestly didn't notice how cute he was (or notice him at all) until these traits were established.

STOP IT

But real Siwan is still crushworthy too saldkfjlskdf. I thought he had a really generic face at first but now that it's grown on me, I think he's quite a looker. I knew of him before Moon/Sun as just "the face of ZE:A," so I'm really glad to discover that there's more to him than just visuals. ;^; HIS ACTING WAS SO IMPRESSIVELY GOOD... I didn't think they'd cast an inexperienced idol for that kind of role but he executed it perfectly SOBBBB.

AND. APPARENTLY he's a model student and is known for being good at studying? And never dated before because focused so much on studying. AAAAAAHHH. I'm going to be a dumb fangirl and believe in this just because he said it with his own mouth on an episode of Strong Heart. In any case, I have much respect for people that put a lot of effort into their education. Idec that he doesn't seem very manly or strong because he's brainy.

WHY DO I KEEP FALLING FOR THE VIOLINISTS

Too bad Siwan's not that great of singing LOL or otherwise, he'd be perfect. I thought he was slightly tonedeaf when he sang and tried to play guitar, but surprisingly his violin-playing isn't bad and is better than mine! *A* AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE'S NOT A DOUCHEBAG. I've totally fallen for that precious gentleman image. Dammit.

The song that I've been addicted to lately is ZE:A5's "The Day We Broke Up." The cute/bright/upbeat tone of the song and MV doesn't seem to match the lyrics at all LOL but I kind of like this less-than-depressing take on break-ups. It's kind of fun and uplifting. ZE:A5's a subunit of ZE:A consisting of members Siwan, Hyungsik, Kevin, Dongjun, and Minwoo. I like the line-up! They're all pretty good singers (rapper for Minwoo's case) other than Siwan. OTL But I'm biased, so.. OTL Also it doesn't help that I have an attachment to Hyungsik and Kevin after seeing them both on The Romantic & Idol. Ugh this fangirl heart of mine. Ugh.



[11:25:54 PM] Eva: oh man The Day We Broke Up makes me really happy
[11:25:56 PM] Eva: that sounds really weird.
[11:25:57 PM] Eva: ........
[11:26:06 PM] Eva: i sound like a relationship masochist.

I didn't ask for this, Google

OH MY GOD.
(see this for the context of that picture)

I AM LIKE LAUGHING BUT REALLY SCARED BUT AMUSED BUT SHOCKED BUT CONFUSED AND WEIRDED OUT. I DIDN'T KNOW THEY PLACED MATCHING RESULTS WITHIN YOUR PERSONAL IMAGE BANK IN YOUR GOOGLE SEARCHES.


But yeah, I was pulling up a FBND picture because I wrote up another long post thing about the dramas I'm currently watching.
I'm drowning in drama feels right now glubglubglubbbbubbubbbbb

That Lifetime, the Internet-Dweller Exists

Yee, leggings taimu STAATO.
I love this necklace so much lksdfjlksa watch me start wearing it with every outfit
(Wow, I've been so picture-happy lately and that's not a bad thing)



I started watching the newly-premiered (as in last week) Korean melodrama That Winter, the Wind Blows.

The name of it....

HELLO THERE ONE-WAY TICKET TO CLICHÉ-VILLE.

That Winter, the Wind Blows
That Summer, the Sun Shines
That Day, the Eva Breathes

I was originally not planning to watch it because it's a melodrama and not a romantic comedy, and I'm not so fond of intense/sad/angsty things. But apparently it's really good so far, AND the second leads are Kim Bum (the casanova from Boys Over Flowers) and Jung Eunji (Reply 1997; lead vocal of A Pink)--who I both LOOOVE♥. Kim Bum's one of my favorite actors, and he's just so adorable and all-around charming. Eunji has quickly climbed her way onto my girlcrush list after Reply 1997, which is now one of my favorite dramas, so I'm interested in following her venture into acting. But Kim Bum and Eunji together might just be overload for my poor heart.

The story tells of a blind woman Oh Young (played by Song Hye Gyo) who is the heiress to a large corporation. Oh Soo (played by Jo In Sung) coincidentally has the same name as Oh Young's brother from whom she was separated by their parents' divorce. Oh Soo lives meaninglessly as a gambler, constantly getting into fights. On the search for Oh Young's brother, they come across Oh Soo--who has no choice but to assume the role of Oh Young's brother for ulterior motives. How does this new faux-sibling bond bloom into love?

First of all, I have to applaud the protagonists in their acting. ;u; Jo In Sung has so much to express, and he does it perfectly: his frightening cruelty, his mental pain, his physical pain--you feel it all. On the other hand, Song Hye Gyo's character has to express so little that she really must constrain herself. She did a great job as the stiff, genuine, but non-naive Oh Young who stares into nothingness but sees so much. (It must be difficult to act as a blind person when you actually aren't. Unfortunately, there were times when her eyes moved to look at who she was talking to, but most of the time it was avoided.) Might I also mention that the drama's posters don't accurately capture how enviably gorgeous Song Hye Gyo is?

IT'S INTERESTING because when you think of "Korean dramas," you think, Oh, they're so sad but beautiful and they make you cry, but most contemporary dramas (including the melodramas) don't fit this mold. But with That Winter, the Wind Blows, it feels like a Korean drama gone back to its traditional roots in its stereotyped form.

In only the first episode, 2 people died, one person gets stabbed, and there's crying LOL. IF THAT'S NOT THE STEREOTYPICAL KOREAN DRAMA, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.

I hope it turns out epic and goes down in history; it has so much potential. :D

Binging on fuwafuwa

Haro ;v;)/
I'm at work right now and feeling kinda bored 'cause I just did a bunch of stuff and finished all my jobs hahaha. After lunchtime is always the busiest and then it gets quiet around 3:30-4 so I'm sitting here typing away and staring at my nail polish because seeing the charming sparkle of refreshing colors makes me inexplicably happy.

Ggguuuuuu

[3:29:07 PM] Chiisana: I'm really sad that all the things we like to watch are like released at the same time
[3:29:10 PM] Chiisana: and then we watch it all
[3:29:14 PM] Eva: LOL IKRRRRRRRRRRRR
[3:29:18 PM] Chiisana: and have to wait a whole week.....

Too true, too true........

Sunday: The Romantic & Idol airs
Monday: Flower Boy Next Door 1 airs
Tuesday: Flower Boy Next Door 2 airs; Flower Boy Next Door 1 subbed
Wednesday: The Romantic & Idol subbed; Flower Boy Next Door 2 subbed
Thursday - Saturday: WHATISLIFE

The rest of the week is so dry, sob.
Or actually. Hm. Cheongdamdong Alice airs on ...... okay I just googled it. Saturday and Sunday! CRYYYY. So it's still about in the same timeframe.

[3:30:08 PM] Chiisana: It's like binging on fuwafuwa

You can basically follow my variety/drama endeavors on my entertainment blog but it's kind of just where I dump everything LOL. I stopped understanding why I still use that blog, but you never know if anybody actually visits it since it's been around for so long... I think I actually made it because I was tired of people finding my old blog by googling Super Junior, etc since I used to fangirl there a lot. xDDDDDD Plus seeing as how I'm such a memories-packrat, I like keeping everything for my own reference hehe. It's useful to me even if sometimes my sense of obligation to keep blogging everything feels like a chore.

Anywho, if you're looking for a lighthearted k-drama, Flower Boy Next Door just started airing this week and I highly recommend it! It may not be the most exciting or dramatic, or have the most brilliantly complicated plot or characters.. but it's adorable, wacky, hilarious, full of heart. It's simple, but a treat.<3

Also if you're a hopeless romantic, The Romantic & Idol kept me and Chiisana on chain and leash, waiting for each week's episode. =3=


It's funny because I used to be the person with hardly any time to even breathe and I complained everyday about having too much to do and being stressed, but now I'M SO BORED EVERYDAY LOL. Although I started going back to work again (it's only twice a week), school doesn't start for 2 weeks, and I was really busy around Christmastime with mixing but now I have nothing to do...
'Cept I'm sure that when school rolls around, I'll be dying again. orz

I Miss You cont.

This isn't the most appropriate place to be writing this but since I wrote my I Miss You drama post here before, I figure I might as well continue. It's k even if no one cares 'cause I'm writing this simply because I feel like it.

I don't remember if I recommended the drama... but uh, don't watch it. HAHAHA. It's not worth it. If you must, do what I did and watch up until the transition from childhood to adulthood (the first 6 episodes) because the protagonists' past together is actually really cute and heartwrenching. ;///;

But although I swore off watching the drama after that, I still kept tabs on it via episode recaps because I was interested in how the plot would play out and how the grown up characters would develop. I wanted to see how a guilty Jungwoo and scarred Sooyeon could fall in love again.

At first, the new turn of events was disconcerting to me--disregarding my paled interest in the adult cast in comparison to the kids--because of the changes of character. It scared and disturbed me.. that the innocent little Lee Sooyeon could be reborn spiteful, cunning, with eyes rimmed with desire for revenge. It's painfully realistic, and I rejected this notion.

Except then after like lol one episode or so, Sooyeon became neither innocent nor vengeful; her character plunged into some whiny, mopey, indecisive damsel-in-distress that cries 35438 times per episode, and the plotline kept falling and falling and falling out of salvation. Poof.
Now it's the narrative that's making me go, "STAY AWAY HIDE YO CHILDREN THIS DRAMA AIN'T WORTH IT."

And I'm bringing this series back up again because I just checked one of my newfound favorite websites, A Koala's Playground, and was greeted with a new post about I Miss You--much to my cynicism-based delight.

http://koalasplayground.com/2013/01/08/catching-up-with-missing-you-as-of-episode-17/

Oh my gosh, I laugh so hard at this because of how ridiculous the narrative has become, and because I fucking love Koala's take on everything. I love hearing all this through the mouth (eh, fingers) of another sarcastic person, whose lighthearted contempt but brilliant sarcasm sparkles even more so than my own. She sometimes comes up with the most ingeniously sadistic, evil things that I so wish I could have.

I will read anything Koala writes whether or not the subject perks my interests, and my thriving appetite for creative, vivid writing will swallow it up in a slow gulp of mental satisfaction. Hnnng a writing style like this is so hard to come by.
If I could marry a writing style, I'd be half out the door searching for a 17-carat rock right now.

Recently, I've been really enjoying Koala's drama episode recaps because I get to follow narrative and character developments without having to actually spend time watching the drama, or dealing with overly sad or scary parts LOL. That might just be me being lazy, but there are certain series whose premises only fascinate me to a lacking extent. But in any case, they're written very well and thoroughly, with a nice spankin' sarcasm-driven opinion to boot.


My interest in dramas has grown significantly as of late--partially the fault of Koala and all of the fabulous year-end summary reviews on Dramabeans--along with a focus on and taste for narrative structure. I'm currently watching Cheongdamdong Alice (it's pretty good but a few episodes, including the first 2, are dry so I just read recaps) and planning to start Flower Boy Next Door (it seems like a whimsical distraction).

I Miss You

(....the Korean drama. Don't worry; I'm fine LOL.)

BECAUSE SOMETIMES I GET REALLY OVERWHELMING FEELS FROM DRAMAS.
(though the feels are a LOT dimmer now because I've been meaning to write this blog since 12 days ago but never found time to get past the first line)

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT BTW.

I would write this on my entertainment blog like what I did with Reply 1997, but rather than an overview/"you should watch this!" promo entry, this is more personal--plus full of my fangirlness.

Okay so where to even start? The drama is really good. It's one of those dynamic stand-out dramas that have something special and YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS but it has to be classified as a "good" drama.

It is, however, a dark melodrama that is clouded by bullying, violence, murder, and even rape. I read somewhere on someone's review that it's a series befitting for a sadomasochist? At first, I didn't understand this--although the very notion intrigues me and further drew me towards giving it a try--but now I think I agree fullheartedly. Everything's really twisted, and even as a viewer, I feel kind of twisted as well.

So the plot.. The story tells of a boy (Han Jungwoo) and girl (Lee Sooyeon) who find each other at 15 and it's the most beautiful and pure tale: they give each other exactly the strength that their lonesome selves needed the most, and eventually a feeling deeper than friendship blooms. All they can see is each other--all they know is each other. And what I really appreciate is that their friendship is equally beautiful as their unspoken love.
Unfortunately (and there's always an unfortunately), they're separated by the most painful of events, and meet again by chance 14 years later, never having forgotten each other.

Sounds pretty generic at first. First love, separation, meet and fall in love again "you are my first love I can never forget you!!!!" lovey dovey blah blah. And at first, I doubted the whole separated-by-the-most-painful-of-events thing.. I mean, how bad could it be?
.____________________. Oh boy was I wrong. Oh boy. This is one DARK-ass drama. If you didn't think the misfortune could get worse, no I'm pretty sure the writers thought of something new to grab at your heartstrings and squeeze them til the cry for mercy. Definitely brought out a lot of tears from me. And when it's not tears, it's just....absolute shock or anger or just. FEELS. FEELS ERRRRWHERE. It's a really intense drama lol.

And it's very well contrasted by the light fluffiness that is the pure friendship and love of our young protagonists.
And I know they're technically not kids anymore, but teens.. but I will refer to them as the kids and the child actors, partially because of the "innocent children" portrayal and nature of the young Jungwoo and Sooyeon.

I really loved watching their childhood together. Honestly, it was only reason I started being interested in the drama at all. xD I saw some cute GIFs of young Jungwoo and Sooyeon together and was like WAT DRAMA IS THIS?? so I googled it and was super surprised to find a .. mature, intense-looking drama starring JYJ's Yoochun, Yoon Eunhye, and Yoo Seungho. O_o

Not gonna lie, but from the start, I wasn't very interested in the adult cast. xD I feel like a total pedo saying this but I .. prefer.... children? in general? And and and I really like the child cast for this drama. THEY'RE SO CUTE. Also, I'm not one of those girls that're currently ga-ga over Yoochun although I like him. Before even starting the drama, I thought to myself, "I'm probably gonna watch this lightheartedly and then stop when it starts showing them as adults."

Uh. Prediction was correct. I've been following the episode recaps (because I'm curious about the story now) but I can't..bring myself to keep watching the drama. The transition to Jungwoo and Sooyeon's adulthood was very rocky for me.

And it makes me really sad to see just how much Jungwoo and Sooyeon have changed. ;A; It's understandable, but it's also a bit hard to swallow? to see the ever-gentle (although cowardly) Jungwoo become an obsessed, fiery-tempered man.
But Sooyeon is the one that hit me really hard.

Because young Sooyeon is like the epitome of frail and pitiful, but persistent innocence. She was like the prettiest, pure white flower in the fields of corrupted arrogance--always trampled on and torn to pieces, battling the wind and rain AND SHE STILL COMES OUT OF IT being the prettiest, most down-to-earth (no pun intended), and untainted white flower. There's something about Sooyeon that's so innocent, even if she talks about being a murderer's daughter and even if she has countless scars.

But to see how twisted and vengeful, cunning, and broken Sooyeon becomes in her adulthood.
It's why I couldn't bring myself to keep watching the drama. Because it's so true to life, because it's so damn realistic. AND IT'S SO SAD how easily innocence can be ruined--how the most pure and happy children can grow up to be bitter and hateful.

It kind of hit me especially hard because I feel like I can relate. ;w; Although I haven't been through things nearly as traumatic as Sooyeon, I know things like bullying for a child can really scar them for life. It hurts a lot and changes you. I'm always saying I'm just a twisted, hateful person (who's awkwardly antisocial, to boot) and it surprises some people because they would've perceived me as a happy, pure, and kind [?] person on the surface. I've surprised quite a few people, actually, with the other sides to me. Ttly irrelevant to this post though.



NOW CAN I PLEASE JUST MENTION HOW MUCH I LOVE THE CHILD CAST

I feel
like such a pedo
holy shit.

Okay first let's address Yeo Jingu, who plays young Han Jungwoo. YEO JINGU. WHY ARE YOU 15 YEARS OLD. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. WHY ARE YOU SO CHARISMATIC AND CHARMING BUT ADORABLE BUT 15 YEARS OLD. I'M TTLY PEDO CRUSH'ING OVER YOU AND DASS NOT GOOD. I hate that I've become one of those noona fangirls. He's actually very mature for his age though, in personality and thinking and in his deep voice.
It's interesting to look at pictures of him from even earlier in his acting career because that little kid grew up to be such a handsome devil.

And Kim Sohyun.

QURL. :<
She's perfect. I have a giant pedo girlcrush on her too, ngl LOL. HOW IS SHE ONLY 13 YEARS OLD......? She's talented and sweet, and her face is fucking flawless: angelic and doll-like aaaahh she's gorgeous.



Can we just give all of this year's awards to these two brilliantly impressive actors?
They convey emotions, ideas, and naturalness better than many adult actors I've seen. (Is it also bad that I can't help but ship them now because they have such good chemistry--)

I almost wish they had a drama all to themselves, not only because I prefer the protagonists when young, but also because they're just so good. I could watch them forever.

Kim Sohyun especially deserves all of the applause in the world for her performance in the later scenes of their childhood (mainly in the warehouse and on the road after ;x; oops I said nothing). To be 13 years old... and to act out that kind of a traumatic experience.... to execute it so well, to pull off such a range of emotions, to be able to make the audience cry. Actress Kim Sohyun, you have all my respect.
(Guhhhhh and she's so adorable and nice irl too. She's too perfect. Make it stop; I'm jealous.)

Reply 1997

http://candyforears.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/drama-reply-1997/

Linking my review-but-not-really-a-review of the drama Reply 1997 from my entertainment blog because I REALLY loved the series. xD It's TL;DR, just like everything else I write.

It's a drama that teaches you to have gratitude for your parents and the time you get to spend with them.. to cherish your friends and keep them by your side.. the beauty of brotherhood.. and that you can’t control who you fall in love with, so follow your heart.

Also I have such a bias for Eunji from A Pink now aslkdfjkdsjf